"By the way, Uncle, you've heard about Blackbeard's recent activities, haven't you? That man is certainly making waves out there," Yamato said, smoothly pivoting away from their previous conversation.
"Indeed. He is a formidable man," King nodded, his expression unreadable behind his mask. "Replacing Whitebeard and ascending to the rank of the Four Emperors is no small feat. He even managed to seize the power of the Tremor-Tremor Fruit for himself. Wielding two abilities simultaneously is practically unheard of."
"Exactly! I'm dying to clash with him just to see what Whitebeard's old power looks like in his hands," Yamato said, her eyes alight with the prospect of battle. At her current level, only a powerhouse of an Emperor's caliber could provide the kind of challenge she craved.
"If your hands are itching that much, Young Master, you could always go find Big Brother. He's quite idle lately, mostly just drinking his days away," King suggested dryly. He could tell Yamato was restless and looking for any excuse to stretch her limbs against a worthy opponent.
"If I go to him, he'll just ignore me. Besides, I can't exactly greet his face with my spiked club, can I? If I did that, I'd officially become the world's most 'filial child,'" Yamato joked, spreading her hands wide.
"Cough... fair point. If Big Brother actually got annoyed, it would be quite the headache for everyone involved," King replied with a light cough. He had only been half-serious.
"Whoa, Uncle, you've changed! You never used to joke around like that," Yamato said, blinking in surprise.
King felt a momentary pang of self-consciousness but quickly regained his stoic composure. "I have no idea what you're talking about, Young Master."
"Hahaha—fair enough! Well, Uncle, if that's all, I'm heading out." Yamato laughed and turned to leave.
As she walked away, King watched her go, a sharp light flashing in his eyes. 'Only one's own strength is real...' Those words resonated in his mind like the tolling of a great bell.
"Haruko, what has Maria been up to lately?" Yamato asked as they walked through the corridors of the palace.
"Lady Maria is busy training the 'Marys,'" Haruko explained. "Many of the women who recently ate artificial Devil Fruits ended up with abilities that aren't suited for frontline combat, so she's organizing them into a specialized unit."
Yamato nodded. "Then she'll likely be occupied for a while." After a short pause, she added, "Ulti and Page One are with her too, right?"
"Yes," Haruko confirmed.
"Good. Let them train. The twenty-year deadline is fast approaching, and those destined to appear will soon make their move. A great war is inevitable," Yamato said, her eyes narrowing. "And when that happens, it will be the signal for the Beasts Pirates to return to the open sea in earnest."
Haruko remained silent, simply walking a half-step behind. Her Young Master's will was her own. No matter what Yamato planned, Haruko would follow, clearing every obstacle from her path.
"Haruko, I need the people in Boro Town to handle something for me," Yamato said suddenly.
"What is it?"
Yamato gave a mischievous, sharp-toothed grin. "Someone is going to return to the ruins of Oden Castle in Kuri. I want the men in Boro Town to monitor that area around the clock from now on. If they spot any suspicious individuals, they are to kill them without hesitation."
Haruko looked surprised. "Young Master, are you saying those old rumors about the ghosts of the Kozuki clan are actually true?"
"I don't care if the rumors are true, but I know someone will show up there. I'm setting a trap. Consider it my 'special care' for our returning guests—a test of sorts. If they can't survive a few guards, then their story ends right there," Yamato said, her gaze turning cold.
"I understand, Young Master. I'll see to the arrangements," Haruko replied.
Days passed, until a message finally arrived from Boro Town: suspicious figures had appeared suddenly among the ruins of Oden Castle.
"Young Master, it happened just as you predicted. Suspicious individuals were spotted at the ruins," Haruko reported.
"So, the time has finally come," Yamato said, standing up and stretching her muscles.
Haruko nodded. "It would seem the 'dead' have indeed been resurrected."
"It's about time. I'm looking forward to seeing what kind of stand they take. What can the remnants of a defeated army do without their lord?" Yamato's eyes were bright with anticipation. "And? Did our men catch them?"
"No. The group was surprisingly strong. They knocked down our men and fled. According to the scouts, they've already escaped Wano via the coast of Kuri," Haruko reported.
"Decisive. But they'll be back," Yamato said, lighting a cigarette. "We'll see then if they have the strength to reclaim Wano. The show is only just beginning."
"Should we report this to Lord Kaido or the Shogun's palace?"
Yamato shook her head dismissively. "No need. My Idiot Old Man doesn't care about the details, and Orochi is just a perverted sociopath. The sooner he meets his end, the better."
"I understand."
"By the way, tell our people to ignore Orochi's requests. If he asks for something, just send a few low-level lackeys to deal with him. And make sure Jack, Ulti, and Page One stay out of the Flower Capital's business entirely," Yamato instructed.
The word was quickly spread. In his quarters, Jack snorted at the message. "Who does Yamato think she is, giving me orders?" Still, he had no intention of doing Orochi's dirty work anyway. An All-Star didn't take orders from a sniveling coward like the Shogun. "If he wants help, let those slackers Sasaki and Who's-Who handle it. They're useless anyway."
Ulti and Page One were equally dismissive of Orochi. "We only take orders from Lord Kaido and the Young Master," Page One said. "That scum Orochi can keep dreaming."
One afternoon, an unexpected communication came through from Vanilla Island, specifically requesting Yamato.
"This is Yamato. Who's calling?" she asked, genuinely curious.
"Yamato... it's me, Katakuri." The deep, resonant voice of the Big Mom Pirates' strongest commander came through the Transponder Snail.
"Oh? Katakuri! It's been a few years, hasn't it? I didn't expect you to reach out. Don't tell me you've been missing me?" Yamato teased.
"Do not be absurd. I have no such intentions," Katakuri replied quickly, though his tone remained calm. "I am calling to invite you to Mama's Tea Party. Consider it repayment for the favor you did me."
Katakuri had never forgotten that Yamato had spared his life and, more importantly, shared the secrets of Conqueror's Haki Coating with him. Over the last few years, he had trained relentlessly until he finally mastered the technique himself. With Big Mom preparing her grandest banquet yet, Katakuri saw an opportunity to settle the debt.
"A Tea Party, huh? Does 'she' know about this?" Yamato asked.
"Mama has already given her permission. After all, you did me a kindness," Katakuri confirmed.
"She actually agreed? Well, count me in! When is it?" Yamato was intrigued. Katakuri provided the details before hanging up.
"One month from now... I'll pick up the formal invitation on the way through Vanilla Island," Yamato murmured. "I've heard Big Mom's desserts are the best in the world. I'm already drooling."
"Young Master, will Lord Kaido allow you to go?" Haruko asked.
"Of course. And even if he didn't, I'm still going. But I'll tell him out of respect. I'm just going to see an old friend of his, after all," Yamato laughed.
"How do you know Lord Kaido was friends with Big Mom?" Haruko asked, genuinely puzzled. First Whitebeard, now this. The Four Emperors were supposed to be enemies.
"It's all from back when my Idiot Old Man was just a rookie, decades ago. It's normal that you don't know the history," Yamato smiled.
Yamato eventually found Kaido. "Hey, Idiot Old Man! Your old friend invited me to Cake Island for tea and sweets. Too bad you weren't invited," she shouted.
Kaido paused his drinking, blinking in confusion. "Old friend?" It took a few seconds for his alcohol-fogged brain to click. "That old hag Linlin?! She invited you?"
"That's right! They're holding a massive Tea Party. Word must have gotten out that I'm one of the world's top three beauties, so they just had to have me there," Yamato spouted, grinning ear to ear.
Kaido's eye twitched. Since when had his child become so incredibly thick-skinned? "Brat, you can talk until the sky falls. What's the real reason? Why would Linlin invite you?"
"Fine, fine. Her son Katakuri invited me. He wanted to thank me for not beating him to death last time we met. That's it."
Kaido's gaze became suspicious. Did that boy have feelings for his daughter? No, surely not. He was convinced Yamato was far too much of a handful for any man. "Worororo! So you're saying there's still no man who actually wants you?" Kaido roared with laughter.
As long as no man wanted her, she would have no choice but to stay in Wano and eventually become the Shogun.
"Laugh all you want," Yamato rolled her eyes. "Maybe he's just shy. With my looks, captivating a man is child's play. Anyway, I was just letting you know I'm leaving. I wasn't asking for permission."
Kaido watched her walk away, his laughter eventually dying down. "That old hag Linlin... she's probably trying to win the brat over. Hmph. She's wasting her time."
He leaned back, his mind returning to his own plans. "Once I have five hundred Gifters, I'll finally make my move. You're going to be the next Shogun, Yamato, whether you like it or not." He wouldn't tell her yet, of course. If she knew the trap he was setting, she'd just fight him. He'd just wait until the moment was right and force her into the seat.
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