Seeing her gaze over, he grinned insolently, revealing a mouth full of menacing fangs.
"Ah! So it was you!"
Yamato exclaimed, immediately flaring up with anger, "You despicable scoundrel! Shameless! You bullied those poor villagers last night, and when I stopped you, you didn't even have the courage to fight one-on-one! Instead, you had your companions ambush me!"
So infuriating!
Speaking of which, since last year, as she gradually shifted her admiration to Lord Shano, her interest in Oden's stories waned, allowing Kaido to gradually relax his control over her.
Although she was still strictly forbidden from leaving the highlands of Wano Country.
But she was allowed to leave Ghost Island and live in the mainland of Wano Country.
This was the happiest and freest time in the past decade, traveling through the fields and countryside of Wano Country, helping those who were not well off as much as possible, and gaining a lot of gratitude and satisfaction.
Yet last night, after arriving in a village she hadn't visited before, she saw this vicious Fishman from who knows where, destroying houses and killing villagers.
Without a word, she charged in to stop him, using a bit of her real skills, she managed to suppress him.
But unexpectedly.
The other party, although looking like a brute, had companions lurking in the shadows. Without noticing, she was ambushed and knocked out.
No, it wasn't exactly being knocked out, it's more accurate to say she was frozen by some power, leaving her feeling cold even now, instinctively wanting to put on more clothes...
"Me? Bullying villagers? Despicable?"
Jack was stunned, pointing at himself, and after getting a fierce nod of confirmation from Yamato, almost lost his breath, exclaiming in anger:
"What are you talking about, you idiot woman! I was carrying out Lord Shano's orders last night, clearing out the remnants of the Kurozumi clan! Those ninjas disguised as villagers were hiding in that base, and then you, this fool, suddenly rushed in and spoiled things, letting several of them escape!"
And he ended up being beaten black and blue by her, with the bump on his head still not gone.
Strange indeed.
This woman, appearing to be just in her early twenties, how could she be so strong?
Ninjas of the Kurozumi clan?
Yamato was puzzled when she heard that.
"Liar!"
The next moment, she glared at Jack again with angry eyes, "The ones who took me in last night were an elderly couple with white hair, both very nice people, how could they... eh?"
Yamato suddenly choked, staring dumbfounded ahead.
Because Jack had dragged two unconscious elders from outside, grabbed their ear skin, and with a forceful tear, revealed their original appearances as middle-aged ninjas.
"This... this..."
Yamato was dumbstruck, not knowing what to say, but suddenly realized: "Wait, who did you say gave you the orders?"
"Lord Shano, why?"
Jack replied irritably, "Now you're catching on? I'm a cadre of Endgame, and the Hundred Beasts Pirates have already disbanded, Wano Country is now under our control!"
"As for you, troublesome person, we originally planned to throw you in prison, but orders suddenly came from Lord Shano telling us to keep an eye out for a woman named Yamato. I haven't got the photo, but it's said she's white-haired, looks foolish and reckless, and that's you!"
He pinched his chin, staring at Yamato for a second or two, then decisively said, "I had doubts before, but now I'm sure it's you!"
"Impossible!"
"Why impossible?"
"I mean you can't be!"
Yamato retorted angrily, "Lord Shano is my idol! Even among his subordinates, I've seen some of their photos! All of them looked pleasant and seemed like gentle, good people. Someone like you, looking fearsome, must be one of Kaido's subordinates instead!"
"Ha? What did you say! Say it again!"
Jack, enraged, was genuinely flushed, "Though I'm not as good as Sister Kuina and the others, I joined the boss from Paradise early on! Now I'm one of the top cadres, renowned as Earthquake Jack, haven't you heard of me?"
Earthquake Jack?
Yamato was taken aback, "Isn't that the one beaten by Katakuri during the battle of Ten Thousand Nations, and who fell into the sea during a previous war with the Navy?"
She did have some impression of this name because the battle reports of him always stood out from the other top cadres.
Moreover, given how the other party was turning beet-red, he didn't seem to be lying, could it be...
Jack twitched his eye corners, three black lines appearing on his forehead.
"Don't doubt it!"
Jack turned his face away, resisting the urge to punch the woman, and said, almost word by word, through gritted teeth:
"I've already reported to Lord Shano, and he might come to check personally soon, aren't you his fan? You should be able to recognize him, right?"
"Ha? What are you saying?!"
Yamato's eyes widened, her breathing suddenly becoming quick, her cheeks flushing with excitement, stammering:
"Lord, Lord Shano is coming personally? Truly?!"
"Why would I lie to you?"
Jack snorted, about to add more, when he suddenly seemed to sense something, turned to look out the window, and dashed out ecstatically:
"Boss!"
Whoosh~~~~
The wooden sliding doors were pulled open completely, cold wind rushing into the house, and two slender figures, unknowingly, appeared by the window.
The person on the left wore sunglasses, exceptionally tall, glancing at Yamato before moving aside consciously, lazily folding his arms and leaning against the door frame;
While the man revealed on the right wore a black cape, with a handsome face, and deep black eyes calmly observing.
But this calmness was soon broken by Jack, who pounced over, hugging his leg and wailing:
"Wuuu, boss! You have to stand up for me, this woman is so infuriating, if it weren't for your orders to spare her, I would definitely kill her!"
"Slow down, what happened?"
Seeing the tearful Jack, Shano patted his head, glanced at Yamato, puzzled.
Could this slow elephant really have been bullied by a little girl like this?
"L...Lord?!"
As for Yamato, at the moment the sliding doors opened, she stiffened as if electrocuted, staring blankly at the long-desired figure, her mind going blank.
It really was him!
There was no mistaking it, there was no mistaking it, the aura, the demeanor, the gaze, everything matched what she saw in the papers...
Exactly the same!!!
Thump, thump, thump...
Yamato felt her heart was about to leap out of her chest, trembling all over, pinching her thigh to make sure this wasn't a dream, finally finding her voice:
"Lord Shano, is it really you?!"
She bit her lip, her eyes instantly turning red.
For months, she could only secretly cut out Shano's photos from the newspapers and collect them, using his deeds as the pillar supporting her struggles.
But now...
But now...
The idol himself was standing right in front of her, within reach!
Jack was still sniffling complaints: "Wuuu, she not only disrupted my action and injured me, but even said I wasn't worthy of being your subordinate..."
"Alright, alright, Jack."
Shano interrupted him helplessly, "You go handle other matters first, leave this to me. Don't worry, I'll have Yamato apologize to you."
After Jack left, Kuzan sensibly took two steps back as well.
Only Shano and Yamato remained in the room.
Yamato stepped forward without hesitation, dropped to her knees with a thud, forehead touching the tatami, loudly exclaiming:
"I'm sorry! Lord Shano! I didn't know those were Kurozumi clan ninjas, and mistakenly hurt your subordinate, I'm truly guilty! I, Belle-Mere Yamato, am willing to pay any price willingly for this!"
"It's just a misunderstanding, those ninjas who escaped, Kuzan has captured them all, as for you, your intentions were good, ignorance is no fault, don't mind... hmm?!"
Shano was originally comforting with a gentle tone, but upon hearing the last sentence, his eye twitched:
"Wait a minute, what did you say your name was, Yamato???"