"Hmph."
Kaido clearly caught the mockery hidden in Marco's tone. He turned his sharp gaze toward Orochi and said coldly, "You have seen the person you wanted to see. You can leave now. I still have important matters to discuss with them."
Orochi's expression darkened with displeasure. Instead of standing up, he sat down cross-legged and sneered, "What is this, Kaido? Are you not welcoming me? I am the Shogun of Wano Country. We are allies, are we not? Is there really something here that I am not allowed to hear?"
Kaido's face immediately soured. This snake truly knew how to push his luck. Just as Kaido was about to scold Orochi and order him out, footsteps sounded from outside. Izo walked in calmly and stopped beside Marco.
Marco glanced at him, a trace of confusion flashing through his eyes. "Is something wrong?"
Izo shook his head slightly, then leaned closer and lowered his voice. "No. It is her, Marco. Do you not think she looks familiar?" His eyes were fixed on the woman wearing a peacock-embroidered kimono, her hair adorned with elaborate ornaments.
Marco naturally knew who Izo meant. However, he had no intention of exposing anything, nor was there any need to. He still lacked the strength to defeat Kaido and claim Wano, so revealing the truth now would only bring unnecessary danger. A playful smirk curved his lips as he replied, "Then why don't you just ask her yourself?"
Izo paused, then nodded. He straightened his posture and looked directly at the green-haired woman. His heart pounded heavily in his chest. After a brief hesitation, as if steeling his resolve, he spoke, "Miss, may I ask your name?"
Hearing this, Orochi burst into smug laughter. "Guhahaha! Look at that, already captivated by her beauty! Her name is Ko-Murasaki."
Kozuki Hiyori turned her gaze toward Izo. She did not recognize him, but she knew her father had once sailed with Whitebeard and traveled the seas alongside the Whitebeard Pirates. Maintaining her composure, she replied politely, "To answer you, my name is Ko-Murasaki. I am a courtesan of Wano Country."
Orochi puffed out his chest even more and bragged shamelessly, "Ko-Murasaki is not only the number one courtesan in all of Wano, she is also the most beautiful woman in the country. She is also this Shogun's beloved concubine. Only a brave and mighty man like me can be worthy of the most beautiful woman in Wano. No, no, I misspoke. It should be that only the most beautiful woman in Wano is worthy of this Shogun. Guhahaha!"
No one bothered to respond to Orochi's self-absorbed rambling. Watching someone display such shameless arrogance was astonishing in its own way.
"Ko-Murasaki…"
Hearing that unfamiliar name, the light in Izo's eyes dimmed. Disappointment was clear on his face. This was not his lord's daughter, Kozuki Hiyori. Deep down, Izo had long understood the truth, yet he had refused to accept it. Princess Hiyori had likely died long ago.
The thought sent a surge of killing intent through him. Izo's gaze turned icy as it locked onto Orochi. In that moment, he truly wished he could cut the man down where he stood.
Orochi felt the chilling pressure and recoiled slightly. "Hey, hey, hey! What kind of look is that supposed to be? Do you have a problem with this Shogun?"
Izo clenched his fist tightly, his voice filled with fury. "Hmph. Shogun? Orochi, you might fool others, but you cannot fool me. You are nothing more than a shameless cur who stole the Shogunate from the Kozuki family. Back then, Lord Oden pitied you and helped you again and again, only to raise an ungrateful beast."
Orochi froze in shock. He stood up abruptly, his finger trembling as he pointed at Izo. "Y you… you are one of Kozuki Oden's retainers?"
Izo snorted coldly. "That is right. My name is Izo, and it has never changed. In my early years, I followed Lord Oden when he sailed out to sea."
He did not deny his past. Everyone present knew of his history. Though he had left Wano nearly thirty years ago, the kindness Kozuki Oden showed him was something Izo had never forgotten.
At that moment, Yamato spoke up excitedly, "So you are Izo! I saw your name in Oden's pirate logbook. Have you really been with the Whitebeard Pirates all these years? By the way, is Whitebeard truly that incredible? Is he even stronger than Lord Oden? Oden's diary said that Whitebeard possessed power even greater than his. Is that true?"
Izo looked at Yamato, slightly confused by the sudden enthusiasm. Still, hearing such admiration for both Oden and Whitebeard, he nodded solemnly. "Yes. Although I was Lord Oden's retainer, the old man's strength was undeniable. Even before his death, Whitebeard was still the strongest man in the world. Even Lord Oden could only stand second to him."
Yamato's eyes lit up even more. "Amazing! Oden's diary mentioned that Whitebeard could shatter mountains and split the earth with a single punch. Is that really true?"
Seeing Yamato's sincere admiration, Izo felt a sense of pride. "Yes. The old man possessed the Tremor-Tremor Fruit, a power said to be capable of destroying the world itself."
"To think there was someone even stronger than Lord Oden…" Yamato murmured, her eyes shining with awe as her imagination ran wild.
Kaido's expression darkened further as he watched the scene unfold. He let out a thunderous roar. "Hey, Yamato! Get your facts straight. The strongest man in the world right now is me. Whitebeard and Kozuki Oden are both dead."
Yamato snorted in disdain. "Hmph. You only got that title after Whitebeard died. Ace told me that in your duel with Marco, you were originally defeated. You only turned the tide after your Devil Fruit awakened."
She continued without hesitation, "Marco is far younger than you. Your so-called title will be taken back from you soon enough."
Kaido's teeth ground together in rage. "Yamato, it seems I have been far too lenient with you lately. I will break one of your legs and teach you some respect!"
With that, Kaido lifted his spiked club, ready to discipline Yamato in front of everyone.
Before he could strike, Shanks spoke up calmly, trying to defuse the situation. "Forget it, Kaido. You are a grown man. Why bother arguing with a child?"