The IQ of the Kozuki Family

Under Luo's superb acting skills, after two and a half hours of conversation and unburdening, he finally gained the trust of Kozuki Sukiyaki.

After all, he possessed the acting chops of an emperor-level star with Kanjuro as a spy, as well as the memories of Kin'emon himself.

"Lord Sukiyaki, we want to take back Lord Oden's two signature swords; would that be all right?"

[Kin'emon] finished explaining why Momonosuke, Raizo, and Kanjuro did not come to Amigasa Village for safety.

He and Kikunojo came here secretly this time just to reclaim Oden's swords.

In truth, Luo was also worried that the more people showed up, the easier it would be for Kozuki Sukiyaki to see through his flaws.

The only one who appeared, Kikunojo, wore a very respectful expression at this moment and hardly spoke at all.

She left all the negotiations to Luo.

"Those two swords were originally left by Oden for Momonosuke and Hiyori, so it is only right that they be handed over to you for safekeeping."

Kozuki Sukiyaki also knew that an old man like him keeping these famous swords was useless.

His ultimate hope still had to be entrusted to Momonosuke and the Nine Red Scabbards.

"Then thank you, my lord."

"My lord, we learned from Lord Oden's journal that the Road Poneglyph is in the secret room of the Shogun's Castle in the Flower Capital. Do you know where the exact entrance is?

We will find a way to transport the Road Poneglyph to Zou and hand it over to Nekomamushi and Inuarashi for safekeeping.

By the way, we will ask Nekomamushi and Inuarashi to lead the elite warriors of the Mink Tribe to come and support us."

[Kin'emon] asked again, a question that made Kozuki Sukiyaki somewhat doubtful.

However, out of trust in Kin'emon and the fact that Kin'emon knew so many secrets, he hesitated for a moment before telling Kin'emon the location of the secret room's entrance.

Under the continuous discussion and exchange by [Kin'emon], Kozuki Sukiyaki stood up before long, full of hope, and led Kin'emon and Kikunojo to the secret room in his Amigasa Village.

As Luo saw the rows of sword racks inside the secret room, he knew that Kozuki Sukiyaki no longer had much utility value.

As for the location of Pluton, it was in the Inland Sea.

As long as one had relatively strong swimming ability, one could find it.

Back in the day, Beast Kaido had dispatched the young fish-man Jack, who had not yet consumed the Mammoth Fruit ability, to dive into the Inland Sea and discover the existence of the Pluton battleship.

The reason Jack earned Kaido's high regard, aside from his own innate talent and formidable strength, was that he came into contact with this core secret.

Later, Beast Kaido personally guided Jack and even bestowed the found Elephant Elephant Fruit, Model: Mammoth upon this fish-man underling.

In order to grow stronger and live up to Kaido's expectations, Jack abandoned the swimming ability of which the Fish-men were so proud, turning into a landlubber.

With Kaido's backing, Jack possessed formidable dual-color Haki and extremely profound Devil Fruit ability development in his early twenties, suppressing numerous Headliners to become an All-Star of the Beasts Pirates.

"Back then, I escaped the imprisonment of Kurozumi Orochi on the brink of death, but Oden had already died by that time.

You Nine Red Scabbards were either scattered or mysteriously disappeared."

Kozuki Sukiyaki spoke with a heart full of sorrow. Had it not been for some clues and information left by Oden and Kozuki Toki, he would not have known about the existence of the prophecy or his daughter-in-law's ability.

He also learned of the prophecy that the Nine Red Scabbards would return.

Taking advantage of the banquet where Kurozumi Orochi and Beast Kaido were enjoying the fruits of victory and had let down their guard, he pulled out all the stops to retrieve Oden's signature swords.

He also took away the family fortune he had concealed in his days as a swordsmith, fleeing all the way from the Flower Capital to Amigasa Village in Kuri.

Among his family fortune was the cursed blade, Nidai Kitetsu.

"All these years, you couldn't find Denjiro and Hiyori, and it would be understandable if you didn't go looking for them.

So why didn't you go to Atamayama in Kuri to find Ashura Doji?"

Upon seeing the Great Grade Meito Enma and Ame no Habakiri, [Kin'emon] began to wear a smile on his face, and the brushstroke disguise on his body began to fade away, revealing his true appearance.

This scene startled Kozuki Sukiyaki so much that his eyes widened.

Kin'emon, whose tone was so familiar and completely flawless, had actually been disguised by today's strange young man!

It was over!

He had fallen for another trick!

"And more than twenty years ago, you were tricked by Kurozumi Orochi and Kurozumi Higurashi; now you've been tricked by me again.

Kozuki Oden was also tricked by Kurozumi Orochi and Beast Kaido for five years.

I have to say, the IQ of your Kozuki Family is truly not that great."

Luo placed his hands on the two famous swords, wearing a mocking smile.

At that moment, he felt that starting his journey in Wano Country was simply too slick.

Haki, Devil Fruit abilities, famous swords and weapons..., everything was readily available.

"Who on earth are you! Are you a subordinate of Orochi or Kaido? Why are you so familiar with Kin'emon!"

Kozuki Sukiyaki looked at Luo in terror, a wave of despair surging into his heart.

Could it be that Momonosuke and Kin'emon had already met with misfortune?

"Me? An outsider, completely unrelated to Kurozumi Orochi and the Beasts Pirates."

"Thank you for the gift."

"By the way, I heard that your Kozuki family is a clan of stonemasons who can carve Poneglyphs and read the historical text.

You should have the tools to open Seastone handcuffs, right?"

Luo narrowed his eyes, staring dangerously at Kozuki Sukiyaki.

Even Kozuki Oden could engrave and read the historical text and helped Roger decipher four Road Poneglyphs, so there was no reason Sukiyaki couldn't do it as an old man.

The lineage of the Kozuki family nearly suffered a generational break right here with Kozuki Sukiyaki, so Oden's stonemasonry skills were basically passed down by Sukiyaki.

Moreover, inside the secret room where Kozuki Sukiyaki was imprisoned, there was a historical text, suspected to have been carved by Sukiyaki himself.

"You aren't afraid of Beast Kaido? Could you be a subordinate of those Four Emperors? Or are you a man of the World Government?"

Despite Wano Country's isolationism, Kozuki Sukiyaki still managed to understand a bit of intelligence from the outside seas, especially after the Beasts Pirates occupied Wano Country; he tried every possible means to learn about the outside world.

"Stop guessing, neither. I just want to ask if you can open the Seastone handcuffs. Can your special craft or cutting tools for engraving Poneglyphs force open Seastone handcuffs?

The Poneglyphs should be even harder than Seastone!"

Luo currently possessed the Ryuo Haki of Kin'emon, Kikunojo, and Raizo, but he still lacked sufficient confidence to open Yamato's Seastone bomb handcuffs.

Therefore, he needed to prepare a few more methods.

As the strongest clan of stonemasons, let alone processing Seastone, the Kozuki family could even carve Poneglyphs.

They were the cream of the crop in this field.

The fact that Kozuki Sukiyaki was able to escape alive from Kurozuki Orochi's imprisonment owed much to this formidable stonemasonry technique; no instrument of torture or prison secret room could trap him.

"Why should I tell you!"

Kozuki Sukiyaki was already prepared to fight Luo to the death; he absolutely would not allow Oden's heirlooms to be lost in his hands.

"I can take you to see Kozuki Hiyori."

Luo spoke calmly, opened a storage scroll, and unceremoniously put Enma and Ame no Habakiri inside.