Sweet Island, Caesar's grand manor, in the hall.
Everyone who had witnessed Kaido's memories fell into silence.
By now, Yamato was already in tears, kneeling on the ground in agony, staring fixedly at the image of Filina, who appeared to be peacefully asleep.
Kaido, whose memories had been extracted by Caesar, seemed to sense something in his unconscious state, as two streams of tears rolled down his cheeks.
Pudding was sobbing uncontrollably, deeply moved by Kaido and Filina's story.
Linlin let out a long sigh, looking at Kaido with pity.
"Yamato, this is the truth you've been searching for."
Caesar returned Kaido's memories to him and turned to look at Yamato, who was kneeling on the ground.
"I... what have I done? I..."
Yamato trembled, tears falling uncontrollably, soaking a large patch of the floor.
After witnessing her parents' story, Yamato's heart was instantly torn apart by excruciating pain, leaving her without strength as she collapsed to the ground.
For over twenty years, brainwashed by Oden's teachings, she had opposed her father Kaido at every turn.
Even when the Straw Hats arrived in Wano Country, she had sided with outsiders, using all her strength to fight against Kaido.
The reason she had committed such unfilial acts was her unwavering belief in the events recorded in Oden's diary.
Yamato had once doubted and even sought verification from Kaido.
But by then, Kaido had already become uncontrollably violent.
He drowned himself in alcohol, his moods erratic, unleashing his uncontainable rage upon Wano Country and the New World.
Killing, plundering resources, he made the Beasts Pirates' name resound across the world!
Whenever Yamato mentioned her mother in front of Kaido, he would descend into madness.
In that frenzied state, Kaido recognized no one, destroying everything in his path.
As Kaido's resistance grew and the events recorded in Oden's diary unfolded one by one, Yamato's mindset began to shift.
She gradually started to believe that Oden's words were true.
Beside Caesar, Kaido slowly opened his eyes, momentarily dazed.
He raised his hand, wiping the tears from his cheeks, his massive frame shuddering slightly as his face twitched.
"Has she seen it all?" Kaido's voice was hoarse.
Caesar nodded, observing the weariness in Kaido's expression, and sighed inwardly.
Who would have thought that after his own slumber, Kaido would encounter such a deeply emotional yet tragic love, only for fate to cruelly cut it short.
Had Filina stayed with Kaido, perhaps the New World would have had one less bloodthirsty Emperor and one more happy family.
"Fate has been so unjust to us brothers!"
A wave of melancholy rose in Caesar's heart.
But more than that, it was anger—a fierce rage against the unfairness of fate!
He couldn't help but clench his fists tightly, a hint of bloodlust flashing in his eyes.
"Caesar..." Linlin, standing beside him, glanced at him worriedly and gently placed her hand over his clenched fist.
Caesar's body trembled slightly, the bloodlust fading from his eyes as he gave Linlin a bitter smile.
Yamato remained kneeling on the ground for a long time before slowly rising to her feet.
With determined steps, she walked up to Kaido.
Thud.
She knelt again, this time directly before Kaido.
"Father, I'm sorry! I shouldn't have believed Oden's words. I was wrong to doubt you!"
Yamato raised her head, tears still streaking her cheeks, lips pressed together as she spoke to Kaido.
Kaido's tense expression finally crumbled.
Gritting his teeth, his face twisted into something between a smile and a sob.
This mountain of a man, once acknowledged by the strongest warriors of the sea as the World's Strongest Creature.
Now his shoulders shook as he wept like a child.
Yamato took a deep breath and stood up, clenching her jaw.
"Father... Uncle Caesar... I'll never pretend to be Kozuki Oden again. It was because of his deceitful diary that I was misled for decades. From now on, I am Yamato - eldest daughter of the Barbarossa family, Kaido's daughter, Barbarossa Yamato!"
Kaido wiped away his tears, gazing at his daughter's face - so similar to his late wife Filina's - feeling waves of emotion crash over him as memories of Filina flooded back.
"Father... has Mother... returned to Elbaf?" Yamato asked Kaido.
Roused from his memories, Kaido replied slowly, "Yes... Filina's dying wish was always to return to Elbaf. But because of her health... I couldn't take her back in time."
At this point, Kaido suddenly clenched his fist and slammed it against the armrest of his chair, unable to suppress his anger.
"After Filina died, I carried her remains to Elbaf. But those damned giants tried to stop me from burying her there!"
Yamato looked shocked. "Why? Wasn't Mother... one of the giants?"
Kaido growled, "She was. But she was an abandoned infant of their race, born with an incurable congenital disease. Those bastards claimed burying Filina in Elbaf would curse their newborns. Called her an ill omen they'd exiled!"
Yamato gritted her teeth, murderous rage flashing in her eyes.
"I'm going to kill them!"
"Exactly! So I taught those scum a lesson they'll never forget. If not for Filina's memory, I would have wiped Elbaf - the so-called World's Strongest Village - off the map!"
Kaido's fury still burned hot.
"Mamamama, those giants are stubborn indeed," Linlin suddenly interjected.
"When I tried recruiting some for Totto Land's population, they refused me outright. Only because they showed me kindness as a child did I refrain from destroying them like you did."
"Father, I want to go to Elbaf... to see Mother," Yamato said suddenly, her gaze pleading.
Kaido paused, lowering his head in thought for a long moment before sighing.
"I've wanted to visit Filina too... Very well. That cold place was never fit to be her resting ground. Let's bring her home and bury her here properly."
"Yes!" Yamato nodded firmly, fresh tears welling in her eyes.
Upon hearing this, Linlin's eyes immediately lit up.
She straightened her posture and laughed, "Mamamama, Kaido, if you're going to Elbaf, take me along. It's been decades since I last visited. Let's go together this time."
Caesar's lips curled into a sinister grin, revealing his sharp fangs as he said darkly.
"The village of the giants, hailed as the strongest in the New World. Kaido, Linlin, Yamato, since you're going, I'll assign you a task."
"Capture all the giants and bring them to Totto Land!"