When Jack returned to Onigashima with the elegantly dressed Komurasaki in tow, everyone on the island was shocked to see him covered in layers of fresh bandages. His subordinates had clearly worked hard to patch him up after his battle in the Flower Capital.
"Hey, hey, look how pathetic," Sasaki, one of the Tobiroppo guarding the entrance, couldn't help but mock. "Getting yourself torn up by a bunch of samurai..."
For once, Jack didn't have a comeback. He touched the wound on his chest, the lingering pain keeping his mind sharp and focused. He shot a cold glare at Sasaki but said nothing, simply walking past him and into the main hall with Komurasaki.
Kaido and King were already there, having dealt with the matter of Yamato. Without his rebellious, troublemaking child to worry about, Kaido felt more confident than ever in his plan to seize complete control of Wano.
"Big Brother Kaido, I've brought Komurasaki!" Jack announced.
Instantly, the eyes of every man in the hall fell upon the exceptionally beautiful courtesan, though their expressions varied. Queen and Sasaki showed genuine lust, with Queen's drool practically dripping onto the floor. The others had different reactions. King looked on with mild surprise; if Kaido hadn't already told him the truth, he never would have guessed that the most beautiful woman in Wano was actually Oden's daughter, Kozuki Hiyori.
Who's-Who wore a cruel smirk, thinking that such a delicate woman probably wouldn't survive a few days with Lord Kaido. Page One was simply not interested. Black Maria watched with a look of professional rivalry, while Ulti stared with pure disgust. "What a cheap-looking woman," she muttered fiercely.
"You've done well, Jack," Kaido said, his voice a low rumble. He finally laid his eyes on the princess of a fallen country, the daughter of Kozuki Oden. She was, he had to admit, deserving of the title of Wano's most beautiful woman. But as a character, she was little more than a tool. And for his plans, a tool was all he needed.
As the formidable members of the Beasts Pirates stared at her, Komurasaki—no, Hiyori—kept her head bowed, not daring to look up. She couldn't guarantee she would remain calm seeing her father's killer right in front of her. The thought that she might have to serve this man filled her with a deep, crushing humiliation.
Just then, Kaido's voice echoed through the hall, and his words were so unexpected that she was forced to look up.
"So, Jack, tell me. How strong were those samurai?"
Jack touched the bandages on his chest again, a grimace flashing across his face. "They're formidable, alright," he said, his eyes cold. "But don't worry, Big Brother Kaido. I'll definitely kill that man, Kyoshiro, myself."
"Oh? In that case, his life is yours to take," Kaido replied casually.
"No problem, Big Brother Kaido!"
"Very well," Kaido continued, a sinister smile spreading across his face. "Now I'll tell you my real plan. But first, we need to wait for one more guest. Has Orochi arrived yet?"
Although the Beasts Pirates had the strength to crush the samurai resistance, the losses would be significant. There was no need for that. It was far better to pull Orochi into the fight. With his deep-seated hatred for Oden, he would surely throw all of his forces into the battle without hesitation. Then, while they fought, Kaido could simply reap the rewards.
Jack nodded. "I already passed on your message to that Kyoshiro fellow, Big Brother Kaido. But I don't know if he'll actually come..."
Just then, a subordinate's voice called from outside. "Lord Kaido, Shogun Orochi is here to see you!"
"Hmph. Let him in."
Queen chuckled from nearby. "Oh, this is interesting. It seems Orochi is really obsessed with this woman, isn't he? That coward is terrified of you, Big Brother, yet he actually dared to come all the way to Onigashima."
As Queen spoke, Orochi's wretched figure appeared in the doorway. He wore a black shogun's uniform, and a nervous fear was visible beneath his slimy smile as he walked cautiously into the hall. On either side of him were Fukurokuju, captain of the Oniwabanshu, and his loyal vassal, Kyoshiro. After the three entered, their gazes immediately fell on Komurasaki. Seeing that she appeared unharmed, both Orochi and Kyoshiro let out a subtle sigh of relief.
Orochi then mustered his courage and pointed a trembling finger at Kaido. "Hey, Kaido! Komurasaki is my woman! Give her back to me! If you need women, I can let you pick any other beauty in Wano!"
His arrogant tone made every member of the Beasts Pirates in the hall scowl. Fukurokuju grew visibly nervous.
Kaido, however, simply leaned on his hand, looking completely at ease. A cunning smile played on his lips. "Giving her back to you is no problem at all."
Orochi's face instantly lit up with a triumphant, arrogant smirk. But Kaido's very next words wiped it away.
"The only question is... do you really want this woman back?"
Orochi froze, not understanding what Kaido meant. A strong sense of unease suddenly gripped Kyoshiro's heart.
Kaido straightened up, his gaze falling upon the beautiful courtesan. He then spoke words that sent a shockwave through the entire hall.
"The famous oiran of the Flower Capital. Should I call you Komurasaki... or by your other name: Kozuki Hiyori!"
Boom.
In an instant, Hiyori's eyes widened in sheer terror. Her entire body trembled, and the color drained from her face. Beside Orochi, Kyoshiro's eyes also shot wide open, his expression a mask of horror and panic. The surrounding Beasts Pirates began to understand, looking at the woman before them in disbelief.
As for Orochi, he was completely stunned. He began to shake uncontrollably, his gaze fixed on Hiyori as he stumbled backward in terror. "Kozuki... Kozuki... how is that possible? That surname... could you be..." The name alone was like a nightmare, bringing with it a boundless, paralyzing fear.
Fukurokuju, standing nearby, also gasped in surprise. "Kozuki Hiyori... Lord Orochi, isn't that the name of Oden's daughter?"
At that moment, Kyoshiro acted. He drew the longsword from his waist and, in a single flash of movement, appeared beside the trembling Hiyori and slashed down without hesitation. Blood splattered across the floor as Hiyori fell, a look of disbelief on her face.
This sudden, brutal turn of events stunned everyone present once again.
"Kyoshiro, what are you doing!?" Orochi roared.
Kyoshiro withdrew his bloody sword, held it above his head, and knelt before Orochi. "Lord Orochi, I have failed your trust," he said, his head bowed low. "I allowed such a dangerous woman to get close to you. Please, punish me!"
Orochi was speechless. The events of the last minute had sent his mind reeling. After his initial panic, he looked at Komurasaki's bleeding form on the floor with a hint of reluctance before his face contorted in rage. "So, Komurasaki really was Kozuki Oden's daughter..."
Kyoshiro raised his head slightly, his eyes chilling. "Whether she was or not no longer matters, Lord Orochi. She is a corpse now."
"But—!?"
Just then, King, who had been watching the performance silently from Kaido's side, spoke up. "Hey, samurai," he said in a low, cold voice. "I don't know what your relationship with this woman is, but do you really think a pathetic little trick like that can fool us?"
"Eh!?" Orochi was dumbfounded again, completely lost.
Kyoshiro, however, was already sweating profusely. He had made his choice. He pulled two smoke bombs from his waist and slammed them onto the ground. Thick smoke instantly erupted, obscuring everyone's vision. He took the opportunity to scoop up Hiyori's body and leap into the air, intending to escape over everyone's heads.
But a cold voice sounded right behind him.
"Hey, samurai. Where do you think you're going?"
Rip.
An intense, searing pain erupted from his back. Kyoshiro lost control of his body and crashed back to the ground. Against King, his strength was nothing.
Just as he landed, two more figures appeared on either side of him. Who's-Who grabbed his arm, pinning him to the floor. At the same time, Ulti snatched the "dead" Hiyori. Noticing a slight twitch in the woman's eyebrow, Ulti sneered fiercely.
"You woman... you were faking it."