Was Yamato's rhetoric false?
It was incredibly false.
No normal person would think Kaido was someone who cared for the populace.
But this was Wano Country.
Kane had inquired and found that the people here fell for the 'prodigal son returns' narrative.
Once Yamato became the Shogun, Kane planned to completely pin the blame on Orochi.
The top floor of Orochi Castle.
"That bastard Kaido! I'll never forgive him!"
Orochi gnashed his teeth and commanded directly, "Get them! Slice these two into pieces! I'll make Kaido regret this for the rest of his life!"
A tall, bald man with very long earlobes and skull whispered in caution, "Orochi Shogun, I'm afraid this might not be wise. If Kaido truly intended to move against us, why would he send merely two people?"
"Fukurokuju, did you not hear my command?"
Orochi's sinister gaze, like a venomous snake, fixed on him, emphasizing, "I am the Shogun!"
"Yes, Orochi Shogun."
Fukurokuju dared not say more, only silently praying that Yamato and the other person were acting on their own accord, so there might still be room for negotiation.
"Well, negotiations have broken down. Prepare for the assault!"
Seeing this, Kane burst into laughter instead. "It's decided! Go, Yamato!"
"Hahahahaha!! Finally, I can fight again."
Yamato's eyes gleamed with excitement, and she instantly transformed into her Mythical Zoan: Okuchi no Makami Human-Beast form, leaping down from above Kane's head.
"Orochi, I'm going to punch you out!"
"Ice Fang Slash!"
Her spiked club, imbued with bone-chilling frost, smashed down fiercely towards Orochi's head.
"Gu... Guard!"
Seeing Yamato's fierce approach, Orochi, who had just been so arrogant, instantly paled with fright, flailing his limbs comically.
"Shogun, don't panic!" Fukurokuju blocked Orochi's path, forming hand seals: "Ninjutsu: Earlobe Control Technique: Twisting Shield!"
His two peculiar, massive earlobes extended, twisted, and intertwined wildly like living things, instantly forming an incredibly tough, twisted shield beneath the spiked club.
At the same time, a dark Armament Haki wrapped around it.
Bang!
Yamato's Machamp-infused blow slammed heavily onto the earlobe shield.
The terrifying impact force transmitted through the earlobes to Fukurokuju's entire body, and the floor beneath his feet shattered like thin ice.
"Ugh!!"
Fukurokuju coughed blood from the corner of his mouth, and he fell helplessly, leaving only a dark, gaping hole in the floor.
"Damn it, how can she be so strong!"
Orochi stared at the large hole in front of him, swallowing with difficulty, cold sweat beading on his forehead.
Fukurokuju was the captain of his Omnyoban, his most capable subordinate. Could even he not withstand a single blow from Yamato?
"Quick, quick, you all go for the Shogun!"
Orochi screamed in terror at the surrounding samurai and ninjas. Seeing some hesitation, he frantically upped the ante: "Anyone who can take down Kaido's daughter will be rewarded by the Shogun—500 Gin!"
The enormous bounty ignited the flames of greed.
The eyes of the samurai and ninjas, originally intimidated by Yamato's aura, were instantly filled with the glint of gold coins.
After all, the girl in front of them looked only in her teens or early twenties. With so many of them, there was no reason they couldn't defeat her!
"Brothers, wealth and glory are ours today! Charge!"
Under the heavy reward, the crowd surged forward like a broken dam, wielding various weapons, frantically rushing towards Yamato.
"Good!"
Yamato grew even more excited, directly dragging her spiked club and charging fearlessly into the crowd.
Fighting! So good!
Looking at the chaotic battlefield below, Kane secretly shook his head. A bunch of impoverished bumpkins.
Although 500 Gin was indeed a huge sum for the people of Wano Country, where five Gin could sustain a week's living, using it to put a bounty on Yamato...
That was equivalent to trying to sell cocaine with money meant for selling cabbage.
After observing for a moment and seeing Yamato fully immersed, her spiked club, imbued with Haki lightning, sending people flying with every swing, Kane no longer paid much attention and turned his gaze in another direction.
Kyoshiro, the trusted head guard of Orochi, was currently restraining a group of samurai, preventing them from attacking.
"Interesting. Trying to reap the benefits? Too bad, Orochi is indeed a fat clam waiting to be slaughtered, but Yamato is the fisherman with the sharp blade."
Kane sneered, deciding it was time to stretch his own muscles.
A massive divine dragon descended upon Orochi Castle, transforming into a five-meter-tall Dragon-Human. Its battle-filled eyes were firmly Lock-On Kyoshiro.
Kyoshiro, who had been watching Kane and Yamato, was suddenly startled, his hair standing on end. He instinctively tightened his grip on the hilt of the long sword at his waist.
At this moment, only the cold steel of his blade could bring him some sense of Ann.
"Kyoshiro-nii, what's wrong?" The samurai members of Kyoshiro's family also noticed their leader's unusual behavior.
"He's worth 500 Gin too, right?"
A sturdy, purple-haired man reached for his sword hilt, a cruel smile on his lips: "Kyoshiro-nii, watch me take this head for you and offer it to the Shogun!"
"Yuji, stop!"
Kyoshiro tried to dissuade him, but it was too late.
Yuji's figure flickered like a ghost in front of Kane.
Seeing Kane motionless, Yuji's sneer grew wider: "Are you too scared to move? Don't worry, I'll make it quick for you!"
"One-Sword Style: Iai!"
Clang!
The flash of the blade met Kane's skin with the sound of metal striking metal.
Kane looked down at the faint white mark slowly fading on his chest, letting out an undisguised scoff: "Can't Orochi even guarantee his guards' basic needs?"
A playful smirk appeared on his lips, then he spread his arms, allowing his torso to be exposed to the samurai's gaze.
"Just now, you wanted to take my head? If you can do it, come on then. Hahahahaha!!"
Utter humiliation!
Yuji's face flushed red. Ignoring his surprise at Kane's defense, he immediately gripped his sword with both hands, brandishing the katana into a blur.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
The crisp sounds of cutting metal seemed to form a beautiful symphony.
Kane commented as if cheering on the samurai: "Too slow, too slow! Faster, faster!"
A slash without Armament Haki was, at best, just a tickle.
"W-why... is it completely useless...?"
Yuji, whose tiger's mouth was numb from the recoil, had no choice but to stop, staring in disbelief at the unharmed Kane.
"Have you run out of tricks?" Kane feigned regret. "Then this is where it ends!"
"Dragon Claw!"
White light glowed from Kane's sharp claws, then, with lightning speed, he swung them down.
"Not good!" Kyoshiro's pupils constricted. Without bothering to hide his strength, he quickly flashed in front of Yuji, drawing and swinging his sword in one fluid motion.
Clang!
The Dragon Claw and the blade clashed, creating a deafening roar.
What immense strength!
Kyoshiro frowned slightly, struggling to resist. The floor beneath his feet was even dented.
"Did he block it?"
Kane wasn't surprised. Ten years later, Denjiro, wielding two swords, could briefly contend with Zoro.
Kyoshiro put on a humble smile: "Can we talk...?"
But Kane smiled strangely: "First, block this move of mine, then we can talk about the future!"
"Dragon Pulse!"
Kane immediately launched a zero-frame attack.
A dazzling shockwave slammed squarely into Kyoshiro.
Bang, bang, bang!
Kyoshiro, unable to parry, was sent flying by the immense impact, shooting backward and destroying countless rooms.
Yamato, who was fighting vigorously in the distance, glimpsed this scene and immediately puffed out her cheeks, like an angry puppy: "Annoying Kane, before we came, you said you'd let me do the fighting!"
"Forgive me, Yamato. Definitely next time."
Kane responded with a playful grin.
He couldn't be blamed for getting a little itchy to fight.
However, this battlefield here definitely needed to be left to Yamato.