While the Whitebeard Pirates were an massive force in the New World, the crew still relied heavily on a single pillar: Whitebeard himself. His "sons" were loyal and brave, but none of them were truly capable of standing on their own against the absolute legends of the sea.
Whitebeard knew this better than anyone. If his crew encountered an opponent with overwhelming combat power, his sons would be crushed. Even as the World's Strongest Man, he couldn't be everywhere at once to shield them from the consequences of their own pride—especially when the opponent was a monster from Kaido's Beasts Pirates.
"Pops, if we let this slide, won't people look down on us?" one of the younger pirates grumbled, his face flushed with shame.
"Listen to me, you idiot sons," Whitebeard scolded, his voice like rolling thunder. "Do you really want to go to war with Kaido over a few chests of gold?"
The deck went silent instantly. A full-scale war with the Beasts Pirates was no joking matter; it would mean a bloodbath that could reshape the entire New World.
"Listen to Pops," Teach advised, stepping into the center of the group. "Think about it. They only took our treasure; no one was hurt. In their own way, they've already shown the Whitebeard Pirates a level of respect. To keep pushing now would just be ungrateful."
Though Teach didn't actually care if his crewmates lived or died, he knew his own reputation was tied to how this encounter was perceived, so he had to play the voice of reason.
"Teach is right," Marco added, backing him up. "They took the gold and let everyone walk away. That's a sign of respect from the Young Master of the Beasts Pirates. She isn't afraid of us, so don't be dissatisfied with a peaceful outcome."
The rowdy crowd finally calmed down, the logic sinking in.
The brats are starting to make names for themselves, Whitebeard sighed internally. Not long ago, the Red Hair Pirates had managed to repel Kaido, causing a massive stir across the sea. Now, an even more monstrous "brat" had appeared, and she was Kaido's own flesh and blood.
How much longer can I protect these idiots? Whitebeard glanced at Marco and the others, a trace of genuine worry blooming in his heart.
Wano Country.
After more than a year away on their expedition, Yamato and her crew finally returned to the rocky shores of their home.
"Finally back!" Yamato shouted, stretching her arms wide as she walked through the wilderness of Hakumai. "I'm taking a long vacation after this. I've earned it."
Behind her, a long line of subordinates pulled heavy carts laden with dinosaur carcasses, heading toward the fortress of Onigashima.
"Young Master, we just finished our second major expedition, and our territory has expanded again," Haruko reminded her. "This is exactly when things are going to get busy at headquarters."
"So what?" Yamato curled her lip in annoyance. "The Beasts Pirates aren't mine; they belong to that Idiot Old Man. If anyone's going to be busy, it should be him. I'm not lifting a finger."
She had zero interest in leading the crew. Even if Kaido tried to hand her the reins in the future, she wouldn't take them—unless he got down on his knees and begged.
"You really shouldn't let Lord Kaido hear you talk like that," Haruko said helplessly. She was used to Yamato's rebellious streak, but it still made her nervous.
"What if he does hear? I'm not afraid of him anymore," Yamato said bluntly. "I'll do what I want, and he can't control me. And Haruko, you should listen to me, too. Don't learn from that Idiot Old Man. Just look at what's happening to Wano; does this look like the work of a decent human being?"
Haruko broke into a cold sweat and looked away, not daring to respond to such a dangerous statement.
"Pirates are bad people, sure, but they aren't scum," Yamato continued, her tone serious. "If you don't understand the difference, then the whole world is just ridiculous. Listen to me: we are pirates, but we are not scum."
"Young Master, please," Haruko whispered. "Saying these things will only make Lord Kaido unhappy."
"Who cares? What does his happiness have to do with me?" Yamato threw up her hands. "I'm not actively sabotaging him, so he has no reason to blame me. But he's the one acting like a monster; am I not even allowed to point it out?"
Yamato wasn't like her original self. She didn't oppose Kaido at every single turn, nor did she run around claiming to be Kozuki Oden every day. She had even gone on expeditions to grow the crew's influence. As Kaido's daughter, she had done everything expected of her. If she had any flaws, it was simply her habit of mocking her father and brawling with him.
She still hated his methods—his childish, paranoid, and brutal way of thinking. Even with their blood relation, they just didn't see eye to eye. After all, Yamato possessed the soul of a modern person.
Haruko shook her head as they approached the gates of the skull-shaped fortress. "They really are father and daughter," she muttered. "Both of them are so incredibly willful."
Onigashima.
Yamato strode through the main hall, her presence commanding attention. "Take these dinosaurs to the kitchen and have them processed," she ordered. "Tell everyone we're having a massive feast tonight!"
"Yes, Young Master!" the pirates shouted, scrambling to follow her orders.
Yamato and Haruko then climbed to the upper levels, where the high-ranking officers were gathered. Kaido was there, along with King, Queen, Jack, and Black Maria.
"Idiot Old Man! Still in the mood for drinking?" Yamato called out as she entered the room, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "I heard you got taught a lesson by Red Hair recently. Tough luck."
The room went deathly silent.
As expected of the Young Master, Sasaki and Who's-Who thought simultaneously, swallowing hard. She's rubbing salt into Lord Kaido's wounds again.
King rubbed his temples, feeling a massive headache coming on. "Young Master, could you at least try to read the room before you open your mouth?"
"Yamato, you little brat!" Kaido's eyes widened, turning a bloodshot red as he stood up. A terrifying wave of Conqueror's Haki erupted from his body, shaking the very foundations of the castle. "You're looking for another beating, aren't you?"
"You're the one who needs a beating, Idiot Old Man!" Yamato shouted back. Not to be outdone, she released her own Conqueror's Haki.
Boom!
The two massive forces of will collided in the center of the room. Red and black lightning crackled through the air, permeating every corner of the hall. The sheer pressure made everyone's scalp tingle.
"Here they go again," Queen sighed, taking a step back. "King, do something. Make them stop before they blow the roof off."
King had no choice but to step between them. "Big Brother, Young Master, that's enough! Stop messing around!"
"Stinky brat, follow me," Kaido growled. He glared at Yamato one last time before his body shifted and expanded. Within seconds, he had transformed into a massive Azure Dragon and flown out through the open balcony. "I'm going to give you a lesson you'll never forget today!"
"Idiot Old Man, I'm going to knock your teeth out!" Yamato yelled. She too began to transform. To the absolute shock of everyone in the room, her body shifted into a giant, elegant pink dragon. She took to the sky, chasing after her father.
Except for King and Queen, the officers were stunned into silence. Even Black Maria and Haruko, who were closest to her, looked on in disbelief. They knew Yamato was a Mythical Zoan user, but the specific type had always been a mystery because she had never transformed in front of them.
Now, the secret was out: she was a dragon, just like her father.
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