"Even though they were a bunch of useless hacks, seeing all those strange abilities made the trip worth it."
The shadows clinging to Loli A gradually receded, revealing her usual attire: a pure white fleece coat and a matching white brimmed hat.
In stark contrast to her delicate appearance, she had just instantly defeated the four members of the Kozuki clan, the pinnacle of Wano's martial power. The women and children hiding in their homes felt a deep, soul-shaking despair.
Watching the woman in white walk toward his father, Kozuki Oden, Momonosuke wanted to burst out from his hiding spot under the eaves, stand before the woman, and protect his father.
In reality, however, he remained rooted to the spot, paralyzed. Tears streamed from his eyes, and his crotch was soaked through. He didn't even realize he had wet himself in sheer terror.
The other onlookers, seeing the "Demoness" standing before the heavily wounded Oden, were just as frozen with fear as Momonosuke, though they managed to keep their dignity intact.
At that moment, a stout, middle-aged man in a crimson kimono appeared, flanked by a phalanx of guards. He waved his arms and shouted as he ran, "Hold your blade! Stay your hand!"
The crowd looked at the portly man in red and whispered a name: "Imai..."
Imai was a retainer to the Shogun, holding a status nearly equal to Oden's, but he was also Oden's bitter rival.
Jiggling with every step, Imai rushed to Loli A's side and bowed, a greasy smile plastered on his face. "A misunderstanding! It's all a misunderstanding! This lady is a distinguished guest invited by the Shogun. It was all a mistake!"
His words left everyone stunned.
You killed all those people, and it's just a "misunderstanding"?
Yet, many realized there was no other choice. Even Kozuki Oden, Wano's strongest, had been defeated. Did they really want to fight to the death? It was better to follow Imai's lead than to be wiped out entirely.
"This way, distinguished guest. The Shogun requests your presence!" Imai's fat face crinkled into a smile so forced it was nauseating.
Loli A hadn't come for a massacre. Seeing the diplomatic opening, she refrained from dealing a finishing blow to Oden and followed Imai toward the multi-story castle in the center of the city.
Before leaving, Imai cast a venomous glance at the fallen Oden. A pity, he thought. You can't die just yet. If I had shown up a few minutes later, I could have let this woman finish you off first.
Only after Loli A and Imai had completely vanished from the street did Momonosuke finally move. He scrambled out of the alley and ran to Oden, who had a massive chunk of flesh gouged from his chest, and collapsed in a fit of wailing.
A pungent smell wafted through the air. People looked around and noticed Momonosuke's soaked pants, but no one laughed. He was, after all, only a four-year-old child.
…
Inside the castle, Loli A met the supreme commander of Wano, the Shogun.
The Shogun had already prepared a lavish banquet. He gestured for Loli A to take a seat with a welcoming "Please." He had even summoned several handsome men to serve her, but they were so terrified by a single glance from Loli A that they promptly fainted.
After some time, the Shogun finally voiced his lingering doubt. "Ahem... I wonder... what brings you to our Wano Country?"
He couldn't find a title that felt appropriate, so he simply skipped the honorifics.
"It's nothing," Loli A replied with a faint smile. "I was just passing through when I was bombarded by cannons. So, I struck back."
The Shogun froze. He was no fool; hearing this, he quickly pieced together what had happened and sighed at his own rotten luck.
Wano's national policy was total isolation. Any pirate ships or foreign vessels spotted were warned to leave; otherwise, they were sunk. If a captain wanted to avoid a fight, they had to take a long detour, which often meant accidentally wandering into the Calm Belt or the territory of the Beasts Pirates.
Of course, they would actively yield to truly powerful pirates, specifically the Immortal Pirates and the Beasts Pirates who frequently traversed these waters.
As the thought crossed his mind, the Shogun noticed the pattern on the back of the girl's gloves...
A cold sweat broke out on his back. He leaned in cautiously and whispered, "Is... is Milady a member of the Immortal Pirates?"
The sudden shift to "Milady" made his internal terror plain.
"...You could say that."
Loli A mused to herself that while she never introduced herself by her Captain's title, if he wanted to see it that way, so be it.
"You weren't flying a flag?" The Shogun realized they had truly kicked a wall of iron.
If a ship flew the colors of the Immortals or the Beasts, his men would never attack; they would make way. Clearly, the girl's boat lacked the mark, leading to this catastrophe.
"Blasphemy! Attacking without cause! Whose men were responsible for the coastal patrol today?!" The Shogun faked a furious roar, determined to shift the blame to appease her.
Imai, standing by the sliding doors, immediately caught on. He stepped forward and said, "General, it was the Kozuki family's squad."
Upon hearing this, the Shogun didn't hesitate. "Order them to produce one billion Berries immediately as compensation for the Immortal Pirates!"
Loli A watched the whole performance. She knew they were acting, but she didn't care to call them out. Getting one billion Berries for staying silent? Not a bad deal at all.
"At once!" Imai responded and hurried out.
The Shogun turned back to her cautiously, his smile looking more painful than a sob. "Does this... satisfy you?"
"You're very clever," Loli A replied simply.
It was a brief response, but the meaning was clear. The Shogun let out a massive sigh of relief.
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