Stepping Forward

"Samurai?"

Kaido lowered the sake gourd in his hand, somewhat surprised.

"The four samurai you captured before and imprisoned in the stone cave," the messenger quickly explained upon seeing Kaido's confusion. "They've broken through the rock wall and escaped."

"Oh, those guys? All four are still alive?"

Kaido suddenly remembered, then grinned. "Worororororo! They actually survived a whole month on a single meal? What tenacious vitality, like cockroaches!"

But in the next instant, the smile vanished from his face, replaced by violent fury. "You'd rather die than surrender to me?"

"Then I'll grant your wish!"

His moods had always been unpredictable.

At that moment, in the plaza before the gates of Onigashima.

The four samurai were charging and fighting amid the ranks of pirates closing in around them.

All four were dressed in rags, gaunt and emaciated, their faces pale as paper.

Yet they were still beyond the ability of ordinary pirates to contend with. Their swinging blades sent sprays of blood flying.

"My injuries are healing too slowly."

Shimotsuki Yasuiye, with his blue afro, gave a bitter smile. "Now that my injuries have healed, my body has reached its limit."

"It doesn't matter."

The Daimyo of Ringo, Shimotsuki Ushimaru, shook his head and panted heavily. "Let's make one last big mess!"

It truly was their last rampage. The Beasts Pirates kept closing in, and after barely eating for an entire month, the four had weakened to their limits. They could not even use Haki anymore.

What was truly fatal, however, was the enormous black pterosaur descending from the sky with its wings spread wide.

By the time Sirius and the other three ran over to join the excitement, the battle was already over.

The four samurai were riddled with wounds, sprawled weakly on the ground as they awaited Kaido's judgment.

"It's those guys!"

Yamato recognized the samurai. After all, she had witnessed Kaido defeat them alongside Sirius.

Sirius's attention remained on Shimotsuki Ushimaru. This guy really did look a lot like Roronoa. Could they actually be related by blood?

Jack and the others were also surprised. Black Maria carefully examined the four samurai. "These are the enemies you encountered on the battlefield before?"

"Mhm, mhm, mhm."

Yamato nodded repeatedly. "But they weren't strong at all. Father took them down in just a few moves!"

"Boss Kaido is the strongest!" Jack said earnestly.

"Why did the disturbance end so quickly?"

Queen, who had only just caught on, came running over as well. He carried a strangely shaped handheld cannon on his shoulder, looking excited, but the moment he noticed that the samurai had already been subdued, his chubby face immediately twisted.

"What are you doing, Bastard King? I was just about to test my new Plague Calamity Bomb!"

He strode up to King and roared angrily.

Huh? A new Plague Calamity Bomb?

Sirius froze. He remembered that when Queen had asked him for venom before, it had been to upgrade the Plague Calamity Bomb, right?

So the analysis and research on the venom had already been completed?

"Stop talking nonsense!"

King said coldly, "Do you know how many people would die if you tested that thing here?"

"It doesn't matter! As long as my research can advance further, it'll all be worth it!" Queen fumed.

"Everyone here is Mr. Kaido's property."

King replied, "Only he has the right to decide their fates."

The two of them argued.

Sirius listened from the side.

That utter disregard for human lives truly was the Beasts Pirates' style.

Fortunately, their argument soon came to an end.

Uncle Kaido had arrived.

The pirates instantly parted to make a path for Kaido to walk through.

The four samurai pinned to the ground stared at Kaido, their eyes filled with barely restrained rage.

"You're still alive?"

Kaido stood with both hands in his pockets, looking down at them coldly. "So that was your answer to me just now, was it?"

The four samurai had starved for a month and suffered King's devastating attack. They were now too weak even to speak.

But they still glared fiercely at Kaido, their resolve unmistakably clear.

"Understood."

Kaido nodded. "Then you can all die."

Since they were no longer useful, there was naturally no reason to keep them around.

"Boss Kaido!"

Queen ran over as if presenting a treasure, showing off the cannon in his hands. "Let me! Let me deal with these guys! I've been wanting to test out my newly upgraded Plague Calamity Bomb!"

"Muahahahaha! I'll show them what it means to wish they were dead!"

So it really had been upgraded!

That bastard hadn't told him a thing!

Sirius watched Queen's back. Damn it, if you could just be a little more reliable, you wouldn't be completely useless!

"No, I've already decided who'll do it."

Kaido directly pushed Queen aside and looked toward Sirius.

Sirius frowned. Kaido wasn't looking at him, though—he was staring at Yamato beside him.

"Yamato, come here."

Kaido beckoned to his daughter.

"Father!" Yamato happily skipped over, a radiant smile on her face.

King and Queen had already understood what Kaido intended to do. King crossed his arms without saying a word, while Queen carried his cannon and wore a meaningful smile.

"This is bad."

Sirius muttered softly. Could Kaido be planning to—

Kaido raised his right hand and pointed at the four samurai lying on the ground. Looking calmly at Yamato, he said, "Yamato, go. Finish off those four."

The four samurai's pupils contracted. They had long been prepared to die, but they still hadn't expected Kaido to make such a decision.

Sirius pressed his lips together. Was Uncle Kaido really Uncle Kaido after all?!

Yamato tilted her head in confusion, looking at her father with a puzzled expression. "Father, what do you mean by finish them off?"

"It means I want you to kill them."

Kaido said calmly, "Walk over there, raise your spiked club, and smash their heads in."

"..."

Yamato froze.

She had indeed taken part in the war with Sirius before, witnessed the hellish battlefield with her own eyes, and knocked down many samurai. But this was different.

Back then, they had been on the battlefield, with no time to think. The samurai had wanted to kill her and Sirius, so Yamato could only fight back.

But now, Kaido wanted Yamato to kill four people who were completely incapable of resisting.

"Father, I—" Yamato hesitated.

"This is a good opportunity, Yamato. Show me that you're still my good daughter."

Kaido looked down at Yamato, his face expressionless. "King told me that you cried because Sirius broke your weapon, didn't you?"

Yamato nodded, then said earnestly, "Because it was a gift from Father. It's my companion, my precious treasure—"

"Don't talk nonsense! It was just a weapon!"

Kaido's low roar directly cut her off. Yamato stared blankly at her father as she heard him continue, "Listen, Yamato. Sooner or later, I'm going to start the greatest war in the world! For that, I need a stable rear base! That's Wano Country!"

"This country is special. You will stay in Wano Country, become its shogun, and rule this country for me!"

"So I won't allow you any weakness. You have to become a true powerhouse!"

This was bad!

Before Kaido had even finished speaking, Sirius's heart had already begun to sink.

If Yamato had been some aimless, good-for-nothing second-generation brat, then of course she would have been delighted for her father to arrange her future like this.

But Yamato wasn't. She was Yamato—the Yamato who was more stubborn than a mule!

Kaido's voice was cold. He was serious, without the slightest trace of a joke. "Friends? Companions? The strong don't need things like that! Yamato! Foolish girl, you have to become as strong as I am!"

The grievance on the little girl's face had completely vanished. She raised her head and met her father's gaze directly, clenching her fists. Her expression was serious and furious as she opened her mouth.

"Uncle Kaido!"

Sirius shouted and strode forward.

At a time like this, he could only step up.