The town's docks had already descended into chaos.
A large number of pirates were screaming for their fathers and mothers as they fled, wishing they had grown two more legs.
"Hahahaha! Don't run!"
A little girl swinging a spiked club chased after them like a gust of wind. "Come fight!"
"Divine Foot: White Snake Drive!"
The little girl suddenly vanished from where she stood. The next second, she had charged into the fleeing pirates, and the pirates behind her were instantly sent flying into the sky like scattered blossoms.
It had originally been a high-speed movement technique, but after mastering the Six Powers, Yamato had incorporated Shave into it. Her speed was now terrifyingly fast. The pirates' eyes could not even catch sight of her; they only felt as though an invisible person was constantly attacking them.
She kept flickering through the crowd. Every time she flashed, another group of pirates was blasted into the air.
For a time, the docks were filled with screams, pleas for mercy, and, most frequently, the sound of bodies being struck and shattered.
"She's having a lot of fun."
Ian and the other two strolled out onto the docks. Watching Yamato rampage through the pirates, Black Maria covered her mouth and chuckled. "Yamato's energy has finally returned. As expected, energetic Yamato is the cutest."
Cute?
Ian turned and shot Black Maria a sideways glance. What terrifying thing was this woman saying so seriously?
She called that person cute? The one laughing loudly, ignoring her opponents' pleas, and swinging an iron club hard enough to twist pirates' bodies and send them flying everywhere?
"Ian!"
Ian heard Yamato calling him.
The little girl wiped the blood from her face and waved at him with a grin. "Come play with me!"
Oh, what a wonderfully sharing child.
How many children could share their beloved toys with other people?
Ian thought, How cute.
"I'll pass. You have fun by yourself."
Ian said.
Jack, who had been growing restless, lowered his head when he heard Ian's words. He wanted to join the fight too.
He had found life aboard the ship rather boring as well.
"Still, aren't there more and more pirates?"
Taking advantage of her height, Black Maria looked into the distance and spoke in surprise.
The pirates who had originally been fleeing into the distance had changed direction. Many pirates from behind were now rushing this way, directly joining the battle against Yamato.
"Don't think you can do whatever you want just because you're the Beasts Pirates!"
"We'll show you our backbone!"
"Take them down! Then we'll become famous across the seas!"
Shouting inexplicable slogans, the pirates joined the battle.
Ian found it utterly baffling.
Had they misunderstood something too?
The clock turned back to a little earlier.
Faced with Yamato's attack, the first group of quick-witted pirates had fled the harbor.
Naturally, their strange behavior drew questions from the other pirates on the island.
Thus, a rumor spread that the Beasts Pirates were going to slaughter all the pirates on the island.
Some pirates immediately hid and ran, but there was no shortage of hardheaded fools. Quite a few dreamed of becoming famous across the seas by taking down members of the Beasts Pirates.
And then came the scene Ian and the others were seeing now.
"Hahahaha! Good! The more people there are, the more fun it is!"
More and more pirates surrounded her, but Yamato did not feel any pressure at all. Instead, she became even happier. "Let's have a real good time!"
Along with her laughter, a violent aura instantly swept across the entire battlefield.
A huge number of pirates foamed at the mouth and collapsed unconscious.
Quite a few others went limp and crumpled to the ground, unable to even find the strength to stand.
There were not many pirates still standing, and without exception, their faces were filled with shock.
"Conqueror's Haki!!"
"How can that be possible? She's just a brat!"
Haki was not uncommon in the New World, but Conqueror's Haki was still something that existed almost like a legend. None of them had ever seen it before.
"Keep going!"
Though their numbers had greatly dwindled, Yamato laughed heartily and continued fighting.
Outside the docks, atop a house, a man held a pair of binoculars in one hand as he observed the battlefield.
"The white-haired girl and the black-haired boy both look around thirteen or fourteen. Their ages match the two children Lady Toki mentioned exactly. There's no mistake—they're Kaido's daughter and disciple!"
The man put away his Den Den Mushi. A spider-like mark could be seen on his forehead. His hair was very long, though sparse at the crown of his head.
He carried an enormous long blade on his shoulder, half again as long as he was tall, and wore a katana at his waist. His teeth were sharp, and his long tongue licked his lips like a snake's.
"Hey, Locke!"
The man jumped down from the rooftop.
"Captain Squard!"
A pirate answered his call.
"Contact Pops,"
the man said. "Tell him I found the two children Lady Toki mentioned. I'm going to capture them and take them to see him right now!"
There would not be a better opportunity!
Kaido actually dared to send brats like these out alone!
Since he had run into them by such a coincidence, they could not blame him for bullying children!
As for whether this would anger Kaido or not, what was there to fear with Pops around?
Before his subordinate could answer, the man had already drawn the massive blade from his shoulder. "The rest of you, come with me!"
"Yes!"
The man, Great Whirlpool Spider Squard, set out!
"War Cry!"
Yamato swung her iron club with all her strength. An invisible wave transformed into a spear and roared forth, piercing straight through the pirates blocking her path.
Now, only a few pirates could still stand before her.
Those who had not yet lost consciousness were sitting limp on the ground, trembling so badly that they did not dare move.
"Huh? Is that it?"
Yamato looked around the battlefield in disappointment. "Is there anyone else who can fight?"
She had not had enough fun yet.
Whoosh!
Her wish was immediately granted as a sharp sound tore through the air.
"Yamato!"
Ian's voice rang out from behind her at the same time.
Yamato suddenly swung her spiked club.
Clang!
Amid an explosive crash and the sound of metal colliding, a massive flying blade was knocked back.
The next second, Ian had appeared beside Yamato. He looked in surprise at the man who caught the returning blade.
He looked a little familiar.
That huge blade, and that entrance... was he—
Zabuza Momochi!
"So it's you!"
The man rested the blade on his shoulder and looked down at Ian and Yamato with a confident, condescending expression. "Kaido's daughter and disciple!"
Behind him, the pirates who had followed him had already drawn their blades and loaded their guns, staring hungrily at their targets.
The pirates slumped on the ground instantly stared at Ian and Yamato in stunned disbelief.
Kaido's... daughter and disciple?
No way. People that important?
Had they gotten caught up in something unbelievable?
"Huh? Ian!"
Yamato was quite astonished. "He knows us!"
Ian studied the man and thought carefully, but he still could not recall his identity. It could not really be Zabuza, could it?
"Hey,"
he said, kicking a pirate beside him who was cowering like a quail, trembling and wishing he could bury his head in the ground. "Do you know him?"
Since they were all active on this island, these pirates should know who this guy was, right?
The pirate being questioned shuddered and hurriedly replied, "He's the captain of the Great Whirlpool Spider Pirates, Great Whirlpool Spider Squard! He commands a pirate crew under the Whitebeard Pirates!"
Oh, Squard.
Now that he mentioned it, Ian remembered.
The dutiful son who stabbed Whitebeard straight through at the Marineford War, right?
That made sense. This sea region was indeed close to the Whitebeard Pirates' territory, so it was not surprising for this guy to appear here.
Ian raised an eyebrow. "So, are you Whitebeard Pirates planning to go to war with us Beasts Pirates?"
"Do you think Pops doesn't know what you've done in Wano Country?"
Squard roared angrily.
Ian nearly laughed after hearing that.
Because wasn't that hilarious?
If he knew, then why had he done nothing all these years?
"Although Kozuki Oden joined those damn Roger Pirates, he was still Pops' sworn brother!"
Squard hated Roger because Roger had once crushed his pirate crew and left him with nothing. "Pops shed tears over his death! Bastards, a thousand deaths would not be enough to atone for your sins!"
This man was furious for the Pops he admired.
But thinking about how he would later stab Whitebeard straight through the chest only made Ian want to laugh more.
Squard lowered his long blade to the ground and dragged it forward as he stepped ahead, sparks flying from the earth. "Meeting me here today is your misfortune. Come with me to see Pops—to see Lady Toki!"
Ian instantly caught the important part. "You said, Lady Toki?"
Did he mean Kozuki Toki?
That woman had not leaped straight into the future in search of the "moment when the world would turn upside down" that she had always sought?
She had gone to the Whitebeard Pirates?
Great Whirlpool Spider had no intention of answering further. He merely raised his huge blade. "Capture them!"
The Great Whirlpool Spider Pirates charged forward.
It seemed that if Ian wanted to learn more, he would have to question this guy properly.
Before you continue