Yamato wore a confident smile. "Hehe, I heard Kurozumi Orochi loves watching famous courtesans dance. I can disguise myself as a courtesan, sneak in, and kill him when he least expects it."
Luke looked at Yamato in astonishment. He was not shocked because the plan was absurd. He was shocked that Yamato possessed this level of intelligence.
Because, at first glance, the plan actually seemed viable.
"Not a bad plan, but it is not very practical."
Luke pointed at the horns on Yamato’s head. "Your white hair and oni horns are far too conspicuous. And Orochi has seen you before, has he not?"
"Do not worry. I know how to disguise myself."
As she spoke, Yamato let down her white hair, wound it up, and tied it into twin tails. Then she pulled a bizarre, exaggerated expression. "Look. I am completely different from before now, right?"
Luke opened his mouth. He really wanted to say that only an idiot would fail to recognize her... but after giving it some thought, he could not actually be sure.
Because the world of One Piece was just that ridiculous. Some disguises that looked laughably easy to see through somehow went completely unnoticed.
Only now did he understand why, with merely the intelligence of an ordinary person, he counted as a strategist here. Most people in this world simply did not possess ordinary intelligence...
"Let’s not take the risk. If we alert them, it will be hard to find another opportunity."
Though Luke thought Yamato’s plan might genuinely have a chance of working, he still rejected it. He did not want to gamble. Kurozumi Orochi was one of the rare people in this world who actually had some brains.
"Then what should we do, Brother Luke?"
Yamato was a little disappointed. She had thought her plan was quite good.
"Why not pay him a direct visit?"
Luke thought for a moment. "An official visit."
"Huh?! Brother Luke, are you all right? And here I thought you were smart."
Yamato stared at him in shock. "If we pay an official visit, we cannot launch a sneak attack!"
Luke gave her a speechless look. "Yamato, who said an official visit means we cannot ambush him? Precisely because it is an official visit, he will not be as guarded."
"You mean we suddenly strike and assassinate him when we meet?"
Yamato was beginning to understand.
"More or less. And we do not necessarily have to attack. It would still be worthwhile just to scout out the situation. We know nothing about the Flower Capital’s layout or how Orochi’s defenses operate."
Luke explained, "You are the Oni Princess now. The daughter of the Governor has come to visit him, so naturally he will welcome you. We can easily meet him in person and bypass the Oniwabanshu’s layers of defenses."
After hearing that, Yamato clapped her hands. "Amazing, Brother Luke! I nearly forgot that I am someone with status now."
"Right. So we head straight into the Flower Capital and have his subordinates report our arrival and make the arrangements."
Luke had given the matter considerable thought before deciding on this approach.
Kurozumi Orochi himself was weak, but he feared death. Since he knew countless people hated him, he had built up formidable defenses.
The first line of defense was the Oniwabanshu ninja scattered invisibly throughout the Flower Capital. There were quite a few experts among them. Luke estimated that several would be difficult for him to handle head-on, so forcing their way in was out of the question. They could not even make any suspicious moves.
If Yamato’s plan were discovered by the ninja, they would immediately inform Kurozumi Orochi and put him on guard.
The daughter of the Governor disguising herself as a courtesan to approach him? He would absolutely overthink it and instinctively sense danger.
But if Yamato paid an official visit, Orochi would not think much of it. Kaido had put him in power, and they had lived in peace for years. He still trusted Kaido’s family to a degree.
Of course, this would only let Luke avoid the troublesome ninja—Kurozumi Orochi’s primary defensive force. It would not allow him to evade all of Orochi’s defenses.
A man as afraid of death as Orochi had always kept one ultimate line of defense: Kurozumi Semimaru, the Barrier-Barrier Fruit user.
Luke had asked Yamato about it. Kurozumi Semimaru had not died of old age yet and still served as Orochi’s personal bodyguard.
How powerful was Kurozumi Semimaru’s ability? In terms of defense alone, it was practically unsolvable.
Luke did not like Kozuki Oden, but he acknowledged the man’s strength. At the very least, Oden was above commander level and approaching the level of an Emperor.
Yet even a powerhouse like that could not budge Kurozumi Semimaru’s barrier, despite striking it with all his strength and Conqueror’s Haki.
Therefore, Luke felt that unless someone possessed the raw, monstrous power of Kaido, the extreme offensive force of Red-Haired Shanks’s Conqueror’s Haki, or an ability like Whitebeard’s Tremor-Tremor Fruit, breaking through the barrier head-on to kill Kurozumi Orochi would be exceedingly difficult.
When Luke had read the manga, he had considered several countermeasures while inwardly mocking Kozuki Oden’s stupidity. The Barrier-Barrier Fruit was not invincible. Activating it required a hand gesture and some reaction time.
If Oden had kept his eye on Orochi and waited for a chance to kill him, Luke refused to believe that old man could react twenty-four hours a day. Even if he could keep blocking every attack, someone that old would eventually die of exhaustion.
Besides, there was an even simpler solution: keep Kurozumi Semimaru and Kurozumi Orochi under watch and wait for them to starve to death.
Your barrier may be amazing. I cannot get in, but you cannot get out either.
I can eat and drink outside while you starve within. Your deaths would only be a matter of time.
Just like even the strongest ancient fortress would eventually collapse without a battle once it was surrounded and cut off from food and water.
Of course, Luke did not need such a troublesome method. As long as he could bypass the ninja’s layers of guards and meet Orochi together with Yamato, the barrier would not be able to stop him at all.
"Brother Luke, this candied apple is so good! Come try some!"
Walking down the street, Yamato quickly forgot the purpose of their trip. The prosperity of the Flower Capital dazzled her, and all kinds of street food stuffed her mouth along the way.
"Yamato, do not forget the Governor’s instructions. We are here to meet with the Shogun and discuss important matters."
Luke continued, "The Governor has noticed that many people in Wano do not have enough to eat, so he intends to send the Shogun additional grain. We need to understand the situation today before deciding how much more grain is needed."
He was naturally making it all up. He said it because he had sensed eyes on them.
His senses were naturally sharp, and after learning Observation Haki, they had become even sharper. Though he could not see anyone, he knew that the ninja had discovered and begun surveilling him and Yamato.
Those words would naturally reach Kurozumi Orochi’s ears. Luke believed that before they even reached the Shogun’s palace, Orochi would impatiently send someone to invite them over.
"Huh? Dad said..."
The innocent Yamato was confused by Luke’s words and was about to say that her father had never said that. But after only a few words, she noticed Luke looking at her as if she were an idiot and immediately realized he was saying it for someone else to hear.
So she hurriedly shoved candied apples into her mouth to cut herself off. With one apple on each side, her puffed-up cheeks looked like a hamster’s. "Mmph... so tasty!"
Luke found the sight both helplessly funny and adorable. He took a candied apple from Yamato’s bag and bit into it with a crunch. Not bad. It actually tasted great.
Though Yamato had regained her status as the Oni Princess, she did not have any money herself. Luke had taken a few gold beans from his storage space to pay for her purchases.
Yamato was carefree by nature, so she never gave a thought to where Luke’s money had come from.
Luke looked over the Flower Capital’s dazzling lights and endless stream of pedestrians. Earlier, they had even seen the courtesan procession. Behind all this prosperity, he wondered how many bodies had frozen to death by the roadside.
The people living in the Flower Capital were all among the wealthy of this country, and every one of those wealthy people had some connection to Orochi or one of Orochi’s subordinates.
Even the roadside vendors could not possibly set up their stalls here in peace without some kind of backing.
He saw countless drunks staggering down the streets, blind drunk. When snacks fell from their hands onto the ground, they did not even spare them a glance. The people behind them stepped on the food and ground it into mush.
The hungry starved to death, while the full drowned themselves in drunken pleasure.
"Excuse me, are you Young Master Yamato?"
As Luke and Yamato were buying pastries, a figure appeared beside them. It was a ninja.
Before Yamato could speak, Luke stepped forward, his expression stern. "Watch your wording. This is the daughter of Kaido, one of the Four Emperors and this nation’s Governor—the Oni Princess of the Beasts Pirates. Addressing her as a man is an insult."
His indignant manner made him look like a thoroughly devoted lackey, leaving even Yamato stunned for a moment.
She wanted to say that everyone had always called her that before, and that she had never felt insulted.
But she figured Brother Luke must have a reason for doing this, so she played along and lifted her chin slightly. "Yes. My father sent me here to discuss important matters with the Shogun. Yet I have been in the city for quite some time and received no welcome. Clearly, you do not consider the Beasts Pirates important at all."
The ninja broke into a cold sweat at their words. He was Kurozumi Orochi’s confidant, specifically responsible for relaying messages.
Earlier, the Shogun had received word that the Beasts Pirates intended to give him more grain. He had been delighted and immediately sent this ninja to invite Yamato over.
But Kurozumi Orochi had already become drunk while surrounded by a crowd of beautiful women, so he had forgotten something important. How could he send a ninja with a message when inviting figures like these as guests?
It was far too informal and disrespectful. Worse, it also sent the message that they had been watching Yamato and Luke.
"Yamato, business comes first. Let him lead the way for now."
Luke acted as if he were smoothing things over, and the ninja breathed a sigh of relief.
The reason Luke had put on that performance was to establish the Beasts Pirates’ lofty status and indirectly make the information about giving Orochi more grain seem more credible.
At the same time, their little scene made it clear that he and Yamato were dissatisfied with the ninja’s surveillance. Once Orochi heard about it, Luke believed he would withdraw many of the ninja watching them. That would also lessen the pressure on Luke and Yamato’s later actions.
Before long, the ninja led Luke and Yamato to the Shogun’s palace, one of the rare tall buildings in Wano, rising like a tower.
The instant he drew close, Luke heard an unending stream of lewd sounds. The air reeked of alcohol, hormones, and semen.
After usurping the position of Shogun, that bastard Kurozumi Orochi had truly spent every night in song, drink, and sex.
Upon reaching the Shogun’s palace, the ninja took his leave. A steward-like man replaced him to receive Luke and Yamato.
"The Shogun is still sobering up. To avoid appearing improper before you, he sent this old man down to welcome you. I hope the Oni Princess will not take offense."
This elderly steward spoke with considerable tact and even knew to make excuses for Kurozumi Orochi. But Luke could hear the sounds upstairs. Orochi was still having the time of his life; he was not sobering up at all.
The old steward led Luke and Yamato upstairs. Luke watched in every direction and listened closely, assessing the combat power within the Shogun’s palace.
There did not appear to be any exceptionally powerful fighters stationed here openly today, but Luke was certain Orochi had not withdrawn every ninja. Their leader, Fukurokuju, was surely concealed somewhere in the building.
After reaching the top floor, Luke and Yamato saw the aftermath of an orgy. Kurozumi Orochi sat in the seat of honor while the scantily clad courtesans hurried out through a side door. One of them even tripped in her rush.
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