Kurozumi Kanjuro originally intended to take Hera and the others directly from Kuri to the capital in the Flower Capital, but Hera planned to take a slight detour and travel around other parts of Wano Country.
Kurozumi Kanjuro did not dare to go against Hera's wishes and could only follow behind her; as long as Hera could reach the Flower Capital by evening, it would be fine.
Seeing that Hera was about to pass by Kuri, Kurozumi Kanjuro finally couldn't help himself and suggested to Hera:
"There are thugs appearing around here. Why not go directly to the Flower Capital? General Orochi has been waiting there for a long time."
Hera feigned confusion and said, "Oh? Are there still Bandits here? What's there to rob in this broken place of yours? Or is it that you don't trust my strength?"
Kurozumi Kanjuro quickly shook his head and said, "No, of course I believe in your strength. I'm just worried that the thugs here might disturb you."
In reality, Kurozumi Kanjuro was afraid that Ashura Doji, one of the Nine Shadows of the Crimson Sky hiding here, would tell Hera the truth about Wano Country and affect his plans.
However, it seemed as if his silent prayers had worked; Ashura Doji actually didn't appear the entire way.
But within Hera's Observation Haki sensing range, she had already discovered Ashura Doji quietly following behind them.
Beside him, there was another figure wearing a kimono—it was Izo, the former 16th Division Commander of the Whitebeard Pirates and now a member of the Spade Pirates.
Besides being a commander of the Whitebeard Pirates, Izo was also one of the members of the Nine Shadows of the Crimson Sky.
As a former retainer of Kozuki Oden, he had boarded Whitebeard's ship together with him. After Kozuki Oden left the Whitebeard Pirates, Izo did not follow him but remained with the Whitebeard Pirates instead.
This beautiful man in a kimono had returned to Wano Country after learning of Hera's movements, sensing that an opportunity for revenge had arrived.
He had first found Ashura Doji, who had turned to banditry and established the Atamayama Thieves.
Tall and somewhat stout, Ashura Doji had a contrasting head of fluffy pink curly hair, and his light purple kimono left his chest exposed.
The purple floral tattoos on his arms and chest made his temperament seem almost simple-minded, but those familiar with him knew of his past violence and cruelty.
Ashura Doji and Izo followed Hera's group, concealing their presence the entire way.
Ashura Doji asked Izo in confusion, "What are we doing following them? Can't we just show ourselves and join forces with Hera?"
Izo shook his head. Having been out on the sea and participating in the battles of the Whitebeard Pirates, he knew Hera's strength and was even more aware of her personality.
"We just need to follow behind. If Hera needs us, she will take the initiative to contact us."
Ashura Doji was even more puzzled. "Impossible. We've used ninja techniques to hide our forms this whole way. How could they discover our tracks?"
He then looked toward Hera's group and happened to see a trace of a smile on the corner of Hera's mouth, as if she had heard their conversation.
Ashura Doji rubbed his eyes in shock. When he opened them again, he found a much smaller version of Hera appearing in front of him.
Hera's clone stood with hands on hips, looking up at the tall Ashura Doji. She gave a dissatisfied huff as shadows spread from beneath her feet.
She pinned the lower bodies of Ashura Doji and Izo into the shadows, forcing them down so she could look them in the eye just by lowering her head.
"This is more like it. You should be the ones looking up at me."
The somewhat chuunibyou and arrogant clone nodded in satisfaction, then continued, "The Main Body heard your discussion. Did you come here for something?"
Izo quickly said, "It's nothing. We're just afraid you've been deceived by Orochi."
Ashura Doji looked at Kurozumi Kanjuro's figure and said, "The man leading you is also our comrade. You can trust him."
Hearing Ashura Doji's words, Hera's clone finally realized something was wrong. "Is that so? But he said all of this is Kaido's conspiracy and wants me to defeat Kaido."
Izo and Ashura Doji looked at Hera's clone in shock. They didn't understand why Kanjuro, a fellow member of the Nine Shadows of the Crimson Sky, would say such a thing.
After thinking for a moment, Hera's clone had a sudden realization. "Oh, right. At this time, you two don't know yet that Kurozumi Kanjuro is a mole among you, do you?"
Izo and Ashura Doji were startled by Hera's words. "What!"
"How is that possible?"
Looking at the two speaking in unison, a black screen appeared for a split second, isolating the space and preventing their voices from traveling out.
Then, two black shadows were stuffed into their mouths, gagging them.
Hera looked at the two twitching on the ground. "Do you want to expose yourselves, you two idiots? Nod when you're ready, and I'll let you go."
After a bit of squirming, Izo and Ashura Doji calmed down. Ashura Doji realized then that after being trapped, he actually couldn't break free using his own strength.
He was secretly alarmed by Hera's power. If it weren't for Izo's guarantee, he would have wanted to flee immediately.
Hera said, "Alright, think carefully. Can you recall anything that was off?"
Only then did Ashura Doji and Izo begin to look back at everything. Sure enough, as they retraced their memories step by step, they gradually thought of some suspicious details.
Including the day Oden decided to risk everything against Kaido—why did it seem like Kaido had received some news in advance, setting up his formation and being fully prepared?
But for the two of them, the truth was still very difficult to accept.
Hera said, "Fine, I will show you the truth. Or you can go contact the other Nine Shadows of the Crimson Sky members. Tonight's banquet will be very lively."
With that, Hera's clone released the two from their restraints and sank into the shadows to leave.
From the moment she stepped onto the island, every place with a shadow was within the reach of Hera's Observation Haki. Everything on this island, including Orochi far away in the Flower Capital,
was already under her surveillance.
After the clone dissipated, Hera saw Ashura Doji leave from behind her and run in another direction, while Izo continued to follow her.
Having achieved her goal, she didn't want to waste any more time. Hera raised one hand and slashed at the air in front of her; the pure white saber 'saikū' manifested in her hand.
"Alright, there's nothing much to see here. It's better to go to the Flower Capital early. I'm quite looking forward to your reception."
Space was like a sheet of paper, sliced open by 'saikū' in Hera's hand, and the scenery of the Flower Capital emerged from the other side of the rift.
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