Siblings… brothers and sisters… reunions are often like this.
No tears — just decades of unchanging affection.
Despite Izo's intense struggling, in the end, Kiku still put down his weak and helpless elder brother.
Michael patted Izo on the shoulder.
"Frustrating, isn't it? You're a gunman, while your sis— no, your little brother plays with blades."
In this One Piece world, swordsmen are often the strongest among fighters of the same tier.
Look at Zoro and Hawk Eyes — their raw physical strength is already overwhelming enough to unleash enormous flying slashes with tiny weapons.
And Kiku was also a swordmaster capable of releasing flying slashes at will…
Izo straightened his now-messy hair bun, neither confirming nor denying Michael's words.
Of course he knew that his own physical strength was far inferior to his younger brother's.
He had long been used to this fact.
"Kiku, right now you're…"
"Elder Brother, I now serve as Oden-sama's Guard Captain, stationed permanently here in the shogunate." Kiku nodded, then turned to the soldiers outside the door. "You don't need to handle the rest. I'll personally bring them to see Oden-sama."
With that, he headed toward the inner shogunate.
Michael shot a look at Yamato and Jack, signaling them to hurry and follow.
But poor Jack… just getting through the shogunate gate required him to duck and bend deeply.
Sometimes, being too tall isn't a blessing.
After entering the shogunate and walking for a while, Kiku finally turned around.
His eyes sharp and vigilant as he looked at Michael's group.
"Elder Brother, can you explain now why you brought outsiders into Wano?"
"This matter… must be explained directly by Oden-sama to this man. Pops only sent me to deliver a message and guide the way."
"And who exactly is he?" Kiku remained wary despite Izo's words. His hand had already pushed up the guard of his sword, ready to draw at any moment.
"Who am I? You'll know soon enough."
Michael didn't explain, but for Izo's sake, he didn't make things difficult for Kiku.
He merely glanced at him, and Kiku instinctively shuddered.
Anyone would feel that way if swept by Michael's Conqueror's Haki.
If he only trembled, it meant Kiku's strength was not beneath Izo's.
Kiku stared at Michael in fear, no longer objecting.
For he understood — someone who could make him this helpless with just a look… If he really wanted to do something, Kiku had no ability to stop him.
Likewise, such a man wouldn't bother hiding his intentions if he came to cause trouble.
That realization brought Kiku some small relief.
Thus, under Kiku's guidance, they soon arrived at the inner chambers of the shogunate.
And finally, Michael saw his "pen pal" from more than ten years ago.
"Ahahahaha! Izo! Have you been doing well these years under Whitebeard!"
"I appreciate your concern, Oden-sama. I've been doing well with Pops." Izo replied with a smile.
"This time I've returned to Wano mainly to deliver a message for Pops."
"A message? What message?" Kozuki Oden looked curiously at Izo. "Hurry, hurry, don't beat around the bush."
"Well then, Oden-sama… even though you became Wano's shogun more than ten years ago, you really haven't changed at all."
Izo sighed, then explained that Kaido and Blackbeard Teach might have formed an alliance, intending to return and invade Wano again.
"What? Kaido?" Kozuki Oden's brows tightened.
Though he once successfully repelled Kaido and Gekko Moria, he knew well that victory had been no more than a fifty–fifty gamble.
Luck had played a very large role.
Now that Kaido was coming again, Wano had to ensure they kept the enemy completely outside the waterfall cliffs.
If the enemy broke through into the inner sea and Wano lost its geographical advantage…
It would become an even more dangerous battle.
Once the fighting turned into brutal close-quarters combat, even the victors would suffer terribly.
The Oden of today was no longer the foolish prince of the past.
Ten years as Wano's shogun had not been for nothing.
But at the same time, Kozuki Oden was still Kozuki Oden.
"Looks like the matter between Kaido and me is destined to reach its final conclusion."
After murmuring to himself, Oden raised his head — only then noticing Michael and the others.
"Hm? And you are…?"
"Oden-sama, they're the people Elder Brother brought… but their identities are unclear." Kiku reported quietly. "The one leading them… has terrifyingly powerful Conqueror's Haki."
Kiku's words instantly pulled all of Oden's attention toward Michael.
"So, you're Izo's friend?"
"No, no, I'm not particularly close with Izo… but I do have ties with Whitebeard." Michael shook his head, eyes narrowing. "And not only with Whitebeard… you could say you and I are old acquaintances too."
"With me?" Oden looked puzzled; the old dim-witted-prince aura suddenly resurfaced. "Have we met somewhere?"
"We've certainly never met face-to-face…" Michael smiled. "But, Kozuki Oden — you should still remember that letter, right?"
The moment Michael said this, Oden's expression changed drastically.
He jumped to his feet and came right up to Michael, studying this man who was about Izo's height.
After a long silence, Oden spoke in a low voice:
"So… it was you?"
"Looks like you haven't forgotten." Michael smiled. "I really do miss those days. Back then, I was still a Marine."
With that, angelic wings burst open behind him, and pure, gentle Holy Light filled the chamber.
Kozuki Oden stared in shock at Michael's angelic wings.
"Angel wings… Wait — you're that legendary Marine defector, the former Marine Chief Inspector who joined the Revolutionary Army… Michael?"
"Mhm, that's me."
Michael nodded.
It seemed that although Wano wasn't fully open yet, information from the outside world reached it quite easily now.
Seeing Michael admit his identity so casually, Oden looked at him strangely.
"Is it okay to reveal your identity this easily as a Revolutionary Army member?"
"What's wrong with that?"
Michael raised a brow.
"As someone who's come to collect a debt, of course I need to be direct and show my identity clearly."
"Collect a debt…"
Oden did not look surprised.
Instead, he gave a bitter smile.
"I knew it. That letter from back then… eventually, I would have to pay a greater price to repay that favor."