On the return voyage to Wano Country, Jack crushed every unknown pirate crew that crossed his path. He ruthlessly recruited the survivors into the ranks of the Beasts Pirates to bolster their numbers. In many cases, actual combat wasn't even necessary; simply seeing the flag of a Yonko and the towering presence of an All-Star like "Jack the Drought" was enough to make most crews surrender on the spot.
Such occurrences were common in the New World. Very few pirates were foolish enough to ignore the absolute authority that the Four Emperors represented. However, if Jack encountered a crew stubborn enough to resist, he was more than happy to oblige. He would systematically dismantle them, using overwhelming violence to suppress any hint of rebellion. Soon, his reputation for leaving nothing but scorched earth in his wake began to spread even further.
Across the horizon, a small fleet of seven or eight ships sailed in formation, all flying the standard of the Beasts Pirates. On the primary vessel at the center of the fleet, Yamato sat relaxed on a lounge chair, reading the latest edition of the World Economic Journal.
"The rogue scientist, Caesar Clown... it seems he is a man obsessed with researching chemical weapons. Since this guy has officially been given a bounty, it means something significant must have happened at Punk Hazard," Yamato murmured to herself.
There was no specific mention of the Punk Hazard incident in the newspaper, which made it clear that the World Government was deliberately suppressing the details.
"If they are hiding the mess at that lab, it will be even more impossible for anyone to discover that my powers come from the Artificial Devil Fruit created by Vegapunk," Yamato thought. To her, this lack of transparency was a welcome development.
Suddenly, a lookout's frantic voice cut through the air. "Pirate ship spotted! That flag... it's the Red Hair Pirates!"
The announcement sent a shockwave through the crew. The Red Hair Pirates were a Yonko crew, standing as equals to the Beasts Pirates and recognized as one of the most formidable forces on the sea. Even Jack's face hardened with a mixture of shock and apprehension. He hadn't forgotten their previous encounter during the Beasts Pirates' last major expedition, where Shanks and his crew had successfully repelled Kaido's forces. It was that very battle that had solidified Red Hair's status as a true Emperor of the Sea.
"Quickly! Confirm their heading!" Jack barked, refusing to be negligent. No matter how strong he thought he was, a clash with a Yonko was not something they were prepared for. It would be best if the two fleets simply passed each other; otherwise, things could turn ugly very fast.
"Jack, why are you getting so worked up? You're usually not afraid of anyone. It's just Red Hair. He's just another Emperor. What is there to be so terrified of?" Yamato asked as she stood up and strolled toward the bow.
Jack nearly choked on his own breath. Just Red Hair? Just an Emperor? He wondered if she even realized the weight of her words. He knew she thought he was a simpleton, but this was beyond reckless—it was pure insanity. Even the most brainless brute knew better than to provoke Shanks.
"Let me see... oh, it really is them. It looks like they are just passing by on their own route. They don't seem interested in a fight, so everyone can stop panicking now," Yamato said after peering through a telescope.
The crew visibly relaxed, letting out a collective sigh of relief at the prospect of avoiding a direct confrontation.
"Hey, why are you all so scared? An Emperor isn't some kind of legendary monster. Unless it's someone like my idiot old man with a temper you can't predict, there is no reason to hide, right?" Yamato said. She paused for a second before adding, "It's a rare chance to run into another Yonko. How can we just pretend we didn't see them? We should at least go over and say hello, don't you think?"
"What?!"
The crew was dumbfounded. Even Jack and Haruko stood frozen in place. "Young Master, that is Red-Haired Shanks! Our crews are not exactly on friendly terms!"
"I know that. Having a rivalry is one thing, but as an Emperor, he can't be so narrow-minded that he'd attack someone for a greeting. Jack, get a small ship ready for me. I'm going over to meet him," Yamato said, her tone making it clear that the matter was not up for debate.
Jack frowned deeply, but after a few tense seconds, he signaled his subordinates to comply with the order.
"Yamato, you're dealing with a Yonko. Aren't you worried they'll sink your boat before you even get within shouting distance?" Jack asked, making one final attempt to talk her out of it.
"It's fine. If the boat sinks, I can just fly. Opportunities like this don't happen often, so I need to take it. It will probably be hard to meet them again once we're back in Wano; contact between two Emperors is always too conspicuous," Yamato said with a dismissive wave.
Jack knew better than to keep arguing. Once Yamato made up her mind, nothing could change it.
"Young Master, I am coming with you," Haruko insisted.
"Haha, of course you are! You're my personal guard," Yamato laughed.
Under Jack's reluctant supervision, a smaller pirate ship broke formation and began sailing toward the distant silhouette of the Red Force.
On the deck of the massive Red Hair flagship, a large man in a green striped shirt watched the approaching vessel through a telescope. This was Lucky Roux, the crew's chef and a core combatant.
"Boss, the Beasts Pirates are heading our way. One of their ships has broken off and is coming straight for us," Roux reported.
"A single ship? Are they trying to start a war with us right now?" another crew member asked, sounding more surprised than worried.
"No, it doesn't look like an attack. The person on the deck is... Onihime Yamato," Roux noted.
The crew exchanged intrigued glances. "Onihime Yamato? Isn't that the daughter of that old rascal Kaido? What could she possibly want with us?"
"Let me see! Is she pretty? I bet she's a total ogre like her father," one of the men joked, reaching for a telescope. They had all heard the rumors about her; an initial bounty of 1,300,000,000 was something completely unheard of for a newcomer.
"Yamato is no ordinary woman. Just like Kaido, she is a natural-born monster," a middle-aged man said. His voice was steady and deep, and his gaze seemed to pierce through the horizon. This was Benn Beckman, the Vice Captain and Shanks' right-hand man.
"Wow! Is that really Kaido's daughter? She's actually a total beauty! She doesn't look like that old man at all!" the crew members exclaimed as they caught sight of her.
"Really? Give me that! I want to see too!" Shanks said, snatching the telescope away.
The man known as Red Hair had short crimson hair, a sharp gaze, and three distinct scars over his left eye. His left sleeve hung empty, leaving him with only his right arm.
Benn Beckman shook his head at his captain's antics. "Take it easy, Shanks. She's a junior. Don't go doing anything embarrassing."
Since Shanks was only thirty-five and many of his crew were around his age, they were indeed a full generation older than Yamato.
"Oh, man! Is that really his daughter? She's a stunner! Hey Benn, look! She might even be your type," Shanks joked, completely discarding any sense of captainly dignity.
Beckman ignored him entirely. "They're almost here. What's the plan?"
"Well, we invite her aboard to sit and talk for a while, of course! Lads, make sure you don't scare her off. She's a lady, so try to be polite for once, got it?" Shanks shouted to his crew.
"Don't worry, Boss! Today, we're all perfect gentlemen!" the crew cheered, the atmosphere on the deck turning lively and welcoming.
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