"Well, if it isn’t our Oni Princess. My apologies for failing to welcome you properly."
When Kurozumi Orochi saw Yamato, he rose to his feet, hitched up his pants, and reeked of alcohol.
Yamato instinctively frowned at the sight of him, but she did not forget Luke’s instructions. Leading Luke forward, she said, "Lord Shogun, we have come to discuss an important matter."
Orochi put on an enthusiastic smile, as though he had completely forgotten this was the site of an orgy. He strode over and reached out to lead Yamato to a seat.
Yamato looked thoroughly disgusted, but she did not avoid him. She followed Orochi inward, while Luke stayed close behind and surveyed the deployment of guards around them.
The head of the Oniwabanshu should have been lurking somewhere unseen within this room. His concealment skills were exceptional; Luke could not pinpoint his exact location, only sense a faint, intermittent gaze.
Beyond that, the most troublesome opponent for an ordinary person was the elderly man who followed Kurozumi Orochi like a shadow.
This monk-like old man was Kurozumi Semimaru, a member of the Kurozumi Family who had once lived overseas. He was a Barrier-Barrier Fruit user who had developed his power to an exceptional degree.
Kurozumi Orochi was from his own family and had fulfilled the Kurozumi Family’s ambition of becoming Shogun. As the foremost representative of their group’s interests, Semimaru remained fully alert every day to protect Orochi.
Even though the visitor was Kaido’s daughter and there were rumors that she had come to deliver grain, Kurozumi Semimaru did not lower his guard. He remained vigilant toward both Luke and Yamato.
Once Luke had grasped the defensive arrangements here, he relaxed.
It seemed that choosing to meet Orochi directly today had been the right move. Since Kurozumi Orochi was holding an orgy tonight, the security immediately around him was not particularly strong.
There were no monstrous fighters like Kyoshiro present. The Oniwabanshu had gone outside to gather intelligence, and because Luke and Yamato had displayed their dissatisfaction, they were no longer being followed or watched. That meant the only defenders in this room were the Oniwabanshu’s leader and Kurozumi Semimaru.
Kurozumi Orochi was not lacking in caution. He simply had too much faith in Kurozumi Semimaru’s strength. Even Kozuki Oden, the strongest swordsman Wano had once known, had failed to break Semimaru’s defense and kill him. Now, Orochi had everything he could possibly want in Wano. He did not believe anyone powerful enough to assassinate him would come calling.
Luke exchanged a glance with Yamato. The rapport they had built over the past few days let them understand each other without words.
Yamato remembered the plan Luke had told her about. Though she still had doubts, she chose to trust him.
Luke had told her that she did not need to carry a weapon—namely, her kanabo. Bringing it would make Kurozumi Orochi wary, so she had handed the club to Luke. He had said he would return it when the time came.
Luke himself was carrying no visible weapon either, so Yamato could not figure out how he intended to assassinate Kurozumi Orochi.
After all, fists and kicks made it difficult to kill someone instantly. Kurozumi Orochi was, at least, a Mythical Zoan user. If he survived the first strike, his guards would react immediately. Kurozumi Semimaru would shield him, and the Oniwabanshu’s main force would arrive within seconds.
But Luke offered no further explanation. He only told Yamato to trust him.
"Oni Princess, has the Governor given you any instructions on this visit?"
Kurozumi Orochi led Yamato forward, but then an ominous feeling suddenly welled up in his heart. Before he could react, Kurozumi Semimaru yanked him backward.
Yamato’s acting was too poor. The moment she decided to make her move, killing intent instinctively leaked from her, and the sharp Kurozumi Semimaru caught it.
Semimaru’s thoughts were simple. Whether he had misunderstood or not, he would first erect a barrier around himself and Kurozumi Orochi. Everything else could be dealt with afterward.
At the instant he dragged Orochi back and opened the barrier, he saw a long blade abruptly appear in the hands of the black-clad man standing beside Yamato. The man took a forward-dashing iaijutsu stance.
Seeing that Kurozumi Semimaru had reacted, Luke was not disappointed in Yamato’s acting. Without Yamato’s status, they could never have approached Kurozumi Orochi this smoothly. And as long as Luke got face-to-face with Orochi while no top-tier powerhouse stood at his side, Orochi’s head was as good as his.
In the next instant, an invisible wave of overwhelming pressure burst from Yamato. Following Luke’s instructions, she unleashed her Conqueror’s Haki before attacking.
This was not to clear out fodder. Conqueror’s Haki possessed a naturally intimidating effect; even if it could not knock a strong opponent unconscious, it could still make them freeze for an instant.
Moreover, Yamato should have been Kurozumi Orochi’s ally. Her sudden release of Conqueror’s Haki would leave the surrounding experts unable to understand what was happening. The hesitation and misjudgment caused by that single moment would decide the battle.
That was precisely what happened now. Kurozumi Semimaru, who had no thoughts beyond protecting Orochi with absolute resolve, was unaffected. But the Oniwabanshu’s leader hiding in the ceiling hesitated for a moment and failed to attack Luke and Yamato in time.
And so, Luke moved.
Prison Demon entered Shikai. [Secret Technique: Demon God] surged to maximum output in an instant. Dark-red Haki covered Luke’s body, and as he released Ryuo in full, the Haki flowed over Prison Demon’s blade like liquid. Even outside the sheath, the sword was covered in a layer of dark red.
Then, accompanied by a piercing whistle, white vapor billowed from Luke’s mouth. Lightning flashed. The tatami beneath his feet blew backward, and a shrieking sonic boom erupted inside the room!
Amid thunderclaps, howling wind, and the ear-piercing scream of the sonic boom, Prison Demon left its sheath.
Luke’s body became a blur. It was only a few meters, yet his target was already beneath his blade!
Seeing the sheer force behind Luke’s attack, Kurozumi Orochi recognized the lightning-fast slash at once. He had only seen swordsmanship that swift from Kyoshiro. How could he not realize that a powerful swordsman had come for his life?
Yet despite his panic, he did not feel much fear. He trusted Kurozumi Semimaru behind him. Semimaru had saved his life more than once. Even Kozuki Oden, formerly Wano’s strongest swordsman, had been unable to cut through his barrier. He had to be safe!
Within that sliver of time, he could practically foresee the blade being blocked and ringing crisply against the barrier.
But in the next instant, both he and Kurozumi Semimaru felt their vision blur, and Luke had entered the barrier’s inner perimeter.
Before either man could understand what had happened, the Ryuo-wreathed blade had already swept across Kurozumi Orochi’s throat.
The man stormed into the sealed space with a gale at his back, sending blood spraying sideways. That slash severed Kurozumi Orochi’s head. Against a full-power Ryuo-enhanced strike, Kurozumi Orochi—with overall attributes below forty—had no chance of survival.
And Luke’s slash had not yet spent its force. Before Kurozumi Semimaru could adjust the barrier, the blade cleaved straight through him at an angle!
The gale crashed and churned within the barrier like a miniature tornado. Then, with the Barrier-Barrier Fruit user dead, the barrier shattered explosively. The whirlwind swept outward, overturning tatami mats and stirring a mist of blood.
Luke stood atop the two corpses and flicked the blood from his blade. He did not dodge the attack descending behind him.
Bang—
Fukurokuju’s strike did not hit Luke. It was blocked by an invisible barrier.
Binding Spell #81: Splitting Void.
Fukurokuju, leader of the Oniwabanshu, stared at Luke in shock as the rebound from his own attack forced him back.
"The Barrier-Barrier Fruit?!"
He cried out in disbelief, because the force that had just blocked his attack felt too much like the Barrier-Barrier Fruit.
But had Kurozumi Semimaru not already died? Even if he had not, why would he block an attack for Luke?
Luke turned around unhurriedly. Sensing ninja rushing toward the room from every direction, he said coldly, "Kurozumi Orochi rebelled and has been executed on the Governor’s orders. Will you die alongside him, or will you serve your new master?"
Hearing Luke’s words, Yamato quickly stepped forward to support him. She released Conqueror’s Haki again, providing the perfect atmosphere, and declared, "My father, Governor Kaido, has appointed me Wano’s new Shogun. Are you going to rebel as well?!"
The Oniwabanshu ninja arriving one after another saw that Kurozumi Orochi was dead and heard Luke and Yamato’s declaration. At once, they stopped their advance.
Kurozumi Orochi was already dead. Were they really going to avenge him by killing the Governor’s daughter?
No matter how they looked at it, that was the true road to death!
Thus, Fukurokuju—the first person to attack Luke—was also the first to come to his senses. He dropped to his knees. "I am willing to serve Shogun Yamato!"
Seeing their superior kneel, the other Oniwabanshu ninja hurriedly did the same. "We are willing to serve Shogun Yamato!"
Luke finally let out the breath he had been holding. At this point, his hidden mission was more or less complete.
The main difficulties of assassinating Kurozumi Orochi had been getting close to him while avoiding a large force, and escaping safely after the kill.
The barrier that ordinary people would find impossible to overcome was nothing before [Cloud Step]’s flash-like movement. As long as no powerhouse on the scene could react in time and kill him first, Orochi’s death had been inevitable.
And these ninja had never possessed much backbone to begin with. In the original story, after Kaido publicly "killed" Kurozumi Orochi, these ninja had all switched sides to serve Kaido.
At the end of the day, they were people with no loyalty. Whoever held power was the one they followed.
Now that Kurozumi Orochi was dead and Yamato stood before them, they might have charged in out of rage and impulse. But after Luke’s declaration, they instantly understood where they stood. Naturally, they would not keep risking their lives.
"Yamato, tell them to get up. The Shogun’s palace needs to be cleaned up, too."
Luke reminded her, because after delivering her declaration, Yamato had continued holding the pose she considered imposing. After too long, it was starting to look a little funny.
"Mm. You may rise."
Yamato spoke with a smile. She had not expected the removal of Kurozumi Orochi to go so smoothly. Brother Luke truly was a courageous and resourceful strategist.
Then she suddenly realized that she had absolutely no idea what to do after killing Kurozumi Orochi and becoming Shogun. She turned to Luke. "Brother Luke, what should we do next?"
Luke had a headache. Yamato did not seem particularly smart either. If he were gone someday, could she really govern Wano properly?
But having boarded this ship, he could only take things one step at a time. For now, he would do his best to help Yamato stabilize Wano’s internal situation and improve what he could.
"Do you have a roster of the ninja?"
Luke asked after considering it for a moment.
Fukurokuju, who had just risen, proved extremely quick-witted. He stepped forward respectfully. "May I ask how this great swordsman, who has rid the people of a menace, should be addressed?"
Luke felt a wave of disgust. This guy truly had no shame. A moment ago, he had launched a sneak attack from behind to kill him. Now Luke had become a great swordsman who had rid the people of a menace.
"Brother Luke is my strategist. From now on, he may involve himself in all major and minor affairs of Wano. He has the same authority to govern as I do."
Yamato said this was something she had planned long ago. She knew she was not particularly clever; if Wano was to be governed well, she would have to rely on Brother Luke.
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