A massive shadow fell over them.
Kaido stood in the middle of the ruins, merely looking down at Ace.
He had not even made a move, yet his oppressive presence already bore down on the two of them like a mountain, making the air seem heavy and compressed.
Even the embers still flickering amid the ruins wavered beneath his aura.
Yamato instinctively stepped in front of Ace.
"Kaido!"
She gripped her kanabo tightly, her eyes full of vigilance.
"He's not here to join you!"
Kaido's gaze finally settled on her.
There was not a trace of a father's warmth in those eyes, only violent irritation and the habitual urge to suppress her.
"Yamato."
"While I was gone, you started causing trouble again."
Yamato gritted her teeth.
"I'm not your subordinate!"
Kaido sneered.
"Ever since that battle, you've wanted to sail out to sea every day."
"First, you kept going on about Gecko Moria."
"Then you started going on about that Marine."
"And now, even some brat of unknown origin has made you stand in front of me to protect him?"
His voice grew deeper and deeper.
"Looks like I haven't beaten you enough."
As soon as he finished speaking.
Kaido merely raised his arm, his fist covered in pitch-black Armament Haki, and casually swung it.
"Boom!"
Yamato hastily raised her kanabo to block.
The next instant, she was blasted backward, her kanabo trembling violently.
She smashed through half a broken wall and slid more than ten meters through the ruins, rubble scattering in her wake as a deep trench was carved into the ground.
"Yamato!"
Ace's expression changed instantly, flames erupting from his shoulders, arms, and back all at once.
The anger he had restrained until now was completely ignited at that moment.
Of course, he could feel it.
Kaido