What did that mean?
She couldn't understand it at all!
How could Kozuki Oden possibly submit to her father!
"Yamato, let me ask you something."
Good asked gravely, "Can you defeat Boss Kaido?"
"Of course I can't beat Father!"
Yamato answered without a trace of shame.
If she could beat him, she wouldn't have been thrown into the dungeon time and again.
Good sneered. "Since you know you can't win, what's the point of challenging Boss Kaido over and over? To get beaten up?"
"I..."
Yamato was tongue-tied.
Something felt wrong, but she couldn't put her finger on it.
Good offered her a way out.
"To get stronger?"
"Yes!"
The girl's spirits lifted.
That's right, to get stronger!
Good scoffed.
"And getting stronger will let you beat Lord Kaido?"
"..."
I can't!
Yamato gritted her teeth. She was hundreds of times stronger than she'd been as a child, yet the gap between her and her father still seemed endless.
Her father was too powerful!
Good sighed. "Yamato, the way I see it, you keep challenging Lord Kaido just to indulge your fantasy of becoming Kozuki Oden. You don't actually understand Kozuki Oden at all."
"I... I..."
Yamato stammered.
She wanted to say she understood Oden better than anyone, but she couldn't find the words to argue back.
Damn it, I haven't read enough!
Even after racking her brains, the girl couldn't come up with an answer, and her anger flared.
"Damn it, you're lying to me! Kozuki Oden died because he defied Father! How could he possibly have submitted to him!"
"I have no interest in lying to you."
Good sneered. "Do you know what Kozuki Oden was doing before his final battle with Boss Kaido?"
"Oden was-"
Before Yamato could finish, Good cut her off, saying coldly, "Kozuki Oden danced naked outside Orochi Castle for five years!"
"..."
Yamato's face flushed red as she argued, "That was because Father threatened Oden with hostages! Oden only did it because he had no choice!"
"You're right. He had no choice. To protect Wano Country and the hostages, he could only sacrifice his dignity and dance naked."
Good had no interest in judging the matter or arguing over right and wrong. He'd brought it up only to make Yamato understand one thing.
"Oden had no choice, so he could only dance naked like a clown, swallow his humiliation, and temporarily obey Orochi and Boss Kaido."
"Then what about you, Yamato?"
"Do you have a way to stand against Boss Kaido?"
"You don't either!"
"Think carefully about what you've done over the years since you became Kozuki Oden. You keep shouting about saving Wano Country, but what have you actually done for it?"
The questions cut straight to her soul.
Yamato was at a loss.
Apart from challenging her father, she didn't seem to have accomplished anything.
Good said gravely, "As Boss Kaido's only child, you have great strength and a powerful background, just like Kozuki Oden."
"If you really are Kozuki Oden, what you should do now is endure. Wait until you're strong enough before you defy your father!"
"Your current antics aren't just pointless. They've put you in a difficult position and wasted all the resources available to you as the Oni Child."
If Yamato hadn't gone astray, her position in the Beasts Pirates would have been at least equal to a Calamity's by now, and she would have had an even easier time cultivating loyal followers.
If she were a little smarter, Yamato could easily have extended her reach into Wano Country and secretly built a force loyal to her alone.
Unfortunately, this girl had no brains.
Just like Kozuki Oden, she'd taken a winning hand and played it terribly.
Good said earnestly, "Yamato, you have everything you need to become Kozuki Oden, to become a symbol of hope for the people of Wano Country just as he was. But everything you're doing now is taking you in the exact opposite direction!"
"..."
The light faded from Yamato's eyes. Her brain had crashed, leaving her utterly incapable of thought.
Oden and I were going in opposite directions?
Seeing that the moment was right, Good asked solemnly, "Yamato, I'll ask you one more time. Do you want to become Kozuki Oden?"
"Yes!"
The girl nodded firmly.
On this one point, she had no doubts.
"Good. I'll help you!"
Good smiled.
I, Groudon Good, love nothing more than helping others!
As though she'd found a lifeline, Yamato hurriedly asked, her voice trembling with tears, "Good, what exactly should I do?"
"It's simple."
Good smiled like a wily old fox who'd been hitting the gym.
"Once you're out of prison, go kneel before Boss Kaido and apologize!"
Chapter 11: Doflamingo on the Offensive
Using an idol's own behavior to rein in an obsessive fan was an excellent method, provided the fan was obsessed enough.
Clearly, Yamato was.
The days passed, until the final night before her release.
Good stood outside the cell door, his expression stern.
On the little table in front of him sat fragrant white rice and a salmon, Yamato's favorite.
Inside the cell, Yamato swallowed her saliva, but never once looked at the table. She obediently stood at attention.
She didn't dare move. Not an inch.
Good stared at Yamato for a full three minutes before asking coldly, "Yamato, what's the most important thing about being Oden?"
"Endurance!"
"Louder!"
"ENDURANCE!!!"
Yamato shouted at the top of her lungs.
After half a month of internal struggle, she'd finally convinced herself that, to become the true Kozuki Oden, she had to learn to endure.
"Very good! That's the spirit!"
Good's gaze held approval.
Getting this girl to yield to her father was worse than killing her. Without using Kozuki Oden to pressure her, he really wouldn't have been able to keep her in line.
At his praise, Yamato proudly puffed out her chest. Her eyes drifted involuntarily toward the table, saliva gathering in her mouth.
"Hmm?"
Killing intent!
The girl hurriedly looked away!
Good gave a slight nod.
"Repeat everything I told you!"
"Yes, Teacher Good!"
Yamato was like a schoolgirl afraid of her teacher. Despite her utter reluctance, she obediently repeated his instructions.
"First, from now on, I'm not allowed to call myself Kozuki Oden. I'm the daughter of Kaido, the Strongest Creature, the princess of the Beasts Pirates, and the Oni Child!"
"Second, when I see Father tomorrow, I must immediately kneel and apologize. I must move quickly and kneel properly!"
"Third, no matter what Father says, I'm not allowed to argue."
"Fourth, whatever Father orders me to do, I must do it, even if it's murder or arson. I must never show any sign of rebellion in front of him."
"Fifth..."
"And the most important thing of all."
"Endure, endure, and keep enduring!"
Tears shimmered in Yamato's eyes.
To become Kozuki Oden, to save Wano Country.
For freedom!
She would swallow! Her! Humiliation!
Clap, clap, clap, clap!
Good clapped in satisfaction.
Fifteen straight days of training had finally produced some results.
That really wasn't easy.
Even training a dog wasn't this exhausting.
"Eat, Yamato."
"Yes, Teacher Good!"
The next morning.
The banquet hall on the third floor of Skull Castle.
"You're all here!"
Kaido sat at the head of the hall, holding an enormous bowl of liquor. Black Maria knelt beside him, smiling as she poured him a drink.
Directly below him, the Three Calamities had gathered.
Clearly, something major was about to happen.
As the one responsible for keeping the mood lively, the rotund Queen took the initiative to ask, "Big Brother Kaido, what did you call us here for?"
Before you continue