A Pleasant Conversation

"Huh?"

Kozuki Oden, his face smeared with blood, opened his eyes and looked at Sirius and Yamato standing outside his cell, peering up at him. The man furrowed his brow. "A couple of brats?"

"Yo, how's it going, Samurai!"

Sirius clung to the bars, grinning as he waved at him.

Yamato copied him, also gripping the bars, trying to squeeze her face through the gap, but her horn got stuck. Her eyes curved into crescents, revealing a gap-toothed smile with a missing front baby tooth. "Hello, Kozuki Oden!"

"Who are you two, the brat duo?"

Kozuki Oden's face showed a visible trace of disgust. "Don't act like we're old friends or something."

"Don't be so distant, Uncle. We watched your whole fight with Uncle Kaido from start to finish."

Sirius said with a grin. "Consider us one-sided acquaintances, at least."

"I've never even heard of that kind of acquaintance."

Oden clicked his tongue impatiently, then added with some surprise, "So the Beasts Pirates has brats like you?"

"Yeah, I'm Sirius, a newcomer to the Beasts."

Sirius introduced himself, then let go of one hand from the bars and patted Yamato's slender shoulder beside him. "This is Yamato, Uncle Kaido's daughter."

"I'm Yamato!"

Yamato puffed out her chest and lifted her head, sniffing. "You're really amazing, Oden! To think you could fight Father to that extent!"

"Oh! You've got an eye for it, brat!"

Kozuki Oden finally showed some interest, sizing up Yamato. "That Kaido guy actually has such a cute daughter?"

Sirius nodded in agreement. "Yamato really is cute."

"Sirius is cute too!" Yamato blurted out loudly, trying to get ahead.

"Tch,"

Oden let out a displeased snort, then said smugly, "But neither of them is as cute as my own son and daughter."

"Are you bragging, Uncle?" Yamato asked suspiciously.

Sirius squinted at Kozuki Oden. Hiyori grew up to be a real beauty, and she was cute as a kid too, but Momonosuke? Hah.

"Who's bragging! Don't look down on me, brat!"

Oden barked angrily. "Those two kids inherited genes from their mother and me—they're the cutest in the whole world!"

Yamato pulled down her lower eyelid and made a face at Kozuki Oden. "I don't believe you! Plate Head Uncle, you're definitely lying!"

"P-Plate Head?"

Kozuki Oden's expression twisted. "Brat, do you even know what style is! Toki said my hairstyle is the best!"

Yamato just snorted twice, looking completely unconvinced.

"What an irritating brat."

A vein bulged on Oden's forehead, but he didn't stay mad long. Soon, he turned to Sirius. "But is it okay? If you come see me on your own, won't that Kaido kid get mad?"

"No problem, no problem,"

Sirius waved casually. "Uncle Kaido's dead drunk."

"Oh? Isn't that a good chance?" Kozuki Oden's eyes lit up. He grinned. "Brat, how about doing your uncle a favor? Come help me undo these chains, and I'll take you to my place after. My wife's desserts are super tasty."

"Huh?"

Yamato was shocked. "Are they really that good?"

"Idiot, that's not the point!"

Sirius strained to raise his hand and knock on Yamato's head, then said with a smile, "Sorry, Oden. Uncle Kaido is my great benefactor, so I can't help with that."

"Ahh, since you're a brat, can't you be a little dumber?"

Kozuki Oden roared in frustration. "Your uncle here has a reason he absolutely can't die yet!"

"Huh? Was I tricked?"

Yamato finally caught on, puffing her cheeks angrily. "Plate Head Uncle, you really are a liar!"

Thoroughly disappointed, Kozuki Oden clicked his tongue. "Say what you want. Since you're useless, get lost, brats."

This guy's surreal.

Sirius smiled. "I've still got a lot of questions for you, Oden."

Kozuki Oden narrowed his eyes, not even lifting his eyelids.

Sirius didn't mind. He said, "You've left this country before, right?"

"Mm-hmm, that's right, Plate Head Uncle!" Yamato forgot her anger and asked excitedly, "What's the world beyond the sea really like?"

Sirius said, "Can you tell us your story, Uncle? What sights have you seen, what people have you met?"

"I feel the same!" Yamato raised her right hand high.

Kozuki Oden finally opened his eyes, staring in surprise at Sirius and Yamato, whose gazes burned bright.

"You two... yearn for the sea?"

"Of course!"

Yamato clenched her small fist and shouted, "Even though my father always says I can't set sail, one day we'll hoist the anchor and go on an adventure across the ocean!"

"And you, kid? You feel the same?" Kozuki Oden turned to Sirius.

Sirius thought for a moment, then lifted his head and said seriously, "I think I came into this world to witness the unknown."

What he couldn't do in his past life, he'd accomplish in this one!

Yamato nodded vigorously, cheering, "Mm-hmm! Sirius is right!"

"Came into this world to witness the unknown?"

Kozuki Oden paused, then the corners of his mouth curled up high as he burst into laughter. "To think I'd meet such interesting brats at a dead end like this! Kaido's got some remarkable boys and girls over there!"

Looking at this kid, it was like seeing his past self, longing for the sea.

"It's not bad to have someone to chat with. Since you want to hear it, I'll tell you about my adventures."

"Yeah!"

Yamato pumped her fist in excitement. "Awesome!"

Sirius smiled and said, "But let me set one condition first, Uncle Oden."

"A picky little brat." Oden clicked his tongue.

"Please save the best parts, right, Yamato?"

Yamato blinked, then laughed and raised both hands high. "That's right! The best parts—we'll witness them with our own eyes!"

"Is that so,"

Kozuki Oden said with a grin. "That's a tough request, but fine. I'll indulge you."

"Plate Head Uncle is so cool!" Yamato cheered.

"I told you, it's not a plate head!"

While the two of them started their storytelling session, up at the top of Tenshukaku, in the banquet hall...

"You sure this is okay, Boss Kaido? hic~"

Drunk and sprawled on the floor, Queen slurred through his belches, "Letting those two kids meet Oden... it's, it's dangerous—urp—"

He rolled over and vomited all over King beside him.

"Bastard!"

King kicked Queen straight out of Tenshukaku, sending him crashing heavily to the ground, followed by a scream from outside.

"Ugh hehehe, don't, don't mind them."

Kaido waved a hand, his eyes bleary, his tongue thick. "Let 'em see the, the end of a loser. It's, it's fine."

"Hey, Orochi, give Oden back his sword. A samurai, a samurai without a sword—what kind of nonsense is that!"

"Let him die like a strong man!"