Hera's words and the truth clearly entered Yamato's mind; under Hera's control, every word and every image was vividly clear.
Yamato was not a fool who would stubbornly cling to the fantasies of a diary when the truth was laid bare before her eyes; she possessed her own power of deduction.
As Hera exposed these facts, the image of the idol she had pieced together solely from the diary instantly collapsed in her mind.
Carrot looked worriedly at Yamato, who was kneeling on the ground with her head bowed, and asked concernedly, "Will she be okay?"
For Yamato, in just half a day, she had experienced the realization that her father, Kaido, truly wanted to kill her by putting bombs in her handcuffs, and the collapse of her idol's image.
This was undoubtedly a massive blow to her psyche.
Hera said softly, "How can someone capable of awakening Conqueror's Haki sink into despair because of such a small setback?"
Then, she sternly questioned Yamato: "Is this all it takes to break you? Is your desire to save Wano Country and open its borders merely based on your admiration for Oden?"
Yamato said, "No, it's not... it wasn't supposed to be like this."
Seeing Yamato still looking somewhat dejected, Hera spoke with a hint of disappointment at her lack of resolve:
"What is this look on your face?! That gaze, those tears—what are they for?! Can these tears of yours save Wano Country?!"
"Can't you even withstand this bit of a blow? What about your thirst for freedom and your pursuit of dreams? Your former companion Ace has already become one of the Four Emperors; are you content to stay on this island forever?"
Hera's voice rang out in Yamato's mind like a clap of thunder, causing the lost Yamato to suddenly pull herself together.
"That's right, I still have dreams, and my longing for the sea. I can't let myself get lost in confusion here."
Hera reached out her hand toward Yamato, who was on the ground: "Pull yourself together, and then join us. The Argo welcomes you."
Yamato looked up at Hera standing before her and at the hand extended toward her. At that moment, a fireball launched by King in the sky happened to land behind Hera, triggering an explosion.
As if possessed, Yamato grasped Hera's hand, but after standing up, she suddenly realized something was wrong.
She wanted to pull her hand back, but Hera gripped it tightly. The immense strength in Hera's hand made it impossible for her to withdraw it.
"Very good. Welcome aboard as my tenth companion."
Hera smiled. From the moment she set sail until now, from her first companion Kuina to Ain, and now to Yamato, her ten companions were finally gathered.
Kuina, Ain, Nami, Perona, Reiju, Hancock, Uta, Carrot, Yamato, and the Argo's ship spirit, Theseus.
The first wish she had since going out to sea had finally been realized.
Yamato, who had been swept away by the atmosphere and had confusedly accepted Hera's invitation, only now realized: wait, she wanted to go to sea, but Hera... seemed to be a Marine, right?
She clearly preferred joining the Straw Hat's Pirate Crew, so how did she just confusedly become a member of Hera's crew?
While King was clashing with Kuina in the air, he also noticed the movement on the ground. When he heard Hera expose Oden's true colors, he had actually felt happy for Yamato.
He didn't expect that in just a short while, his family's next successor would be abducted by the Marine's Nightmare Admiral.
"Alright, little bird in the sky, go back and tell Kaido that I've brought Ulti with me."
Hera's Haoshoku erupted toward King in the sky, focusing her Conqueror's Haki entirely on him.
King felt as if he were being bound by the air from all directions, as if the surrounding space was pressing in on the space he occupied.
King's figure gradually curled into a ball under Hera's pressure. The flames behind his head burned frantically, and with a loud roar, he finally broke free from her Conqueror's Haki.
Sensing that Hera's strength was unfathomable, King quickly retreated. After glancing at the unharmed Ulti, he said, "I will deliver your words to Kaido."
Then, he disappeared into the sky.
Yamato brandished her mace: "What's the plan now? Are we going straight to find Kaido?"
Hera shook her head: "It seems the local landlord wants to entertain us."
In the distance, Kurozumi Kanjuro, a subordinate of Orochi who had sensed the battle and Hera's presence, was rushing over. Seeing King's retreat, his confidence in Hera grew even stronger.
Especially seeing that there wasn't a single man around Hera—only famous beauties of the sea—he became even more confident in his scheme.
Kurozumi Kanjuro ran toward Hera while shouting: "Everyone ahead, might you be the Marine's Nightmare Admiral?"
Hera nodded toward the approaching Kurozumi Kanjuro: "It is I, Admiral Nightmare. Is there something the matter?"
Kurozumi Kanjuro looked at Hera in the crowd. Beside Yamato, who was over two meters tall, Hera appeared somewhat petite and cute.
If he hadn't personally felt the Haoshoku Hera had just released, he certainly wouldn't have believed that this petite and cute girl before him was the 'Nightmare' who struck terror into all pirates on the sea.
Upon seeing Hera, Kurozumi Kanjuro leaped and prostrated himself before her, tears streaming down his face as he tried to grab her leg.
However, as soon as he reached out, he felt a force blocking his hands, and the hostile glares from those around him made him immediately pull his hands back.
Kneeling on the ground, Kurozumi Kanjuro wailed with snot and tears: "Marine Admiral, you've finally come! Wano Country is saved!"
"That Kaido coerced our Shogun, Orochi, and transformed all of Wano Country into his factory—even into his territory! You must seek justice for us!"
Hera looked at Kurozumi Kanjuro, who was mourning as if his entire family had perished, and smiled: "Orochi sent you, didn't he? What is it?"
Kurozumi Kanjuro quickly composed his expression and said:
"Shogun Orochi learned that you were coming to Wano Country and intends to join forces with you to oppose Kaido. A banquet has been prepared at the Shoguns Mansion."
"He has also invited Wano Country's Oiran to welcome the Nightmare Admiral. Please come to discuss our counter-strategy."
Hera nodded, not exposing Kurozumi Kanjuro's lies, and said with a smile:
"Good. Since I, Hera, have arrived, Wano Country shall have peace. Now that the Admiral is here, justice has arrived."
Then, she motioned to Kurozumi Kanjuro, who hurriedly began leading the way.
Following behind Kurozumi Kanjuro, Hera suddenly asked, "By the way, for this banquet you mentioned, all the prominent figures of Wano Country will be there, right?"
Kurozumi Kanjuro said, "Of course! They all wish to meet you, Nightmare Admiral."
Hera nodded with satisfaction: "Is that so? That's wonderful."
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