Yamato

Perospero returned a smile at the other man's polite tone and gentle manner, but inwardly, he was already cursing up a storm.

Sure, I'm scared of you, but you can't insult me like this.

You want me, a pirate, to call the Fleet Admiral and ask how one of the Four Emperors is doing?! Are you trying to get me killed?!

Are you crazy, or am I crazy? Or has that damn Sengoku gone crazy?!

The two exchanged fake smiles and perfunctory remarks the whole way before finally meeting Big Mom, seated at the head of the room.

Her frame, over eight meters tall and close to nine, had not shrunk with age. Only her beauty had faded.

In the pirate world, the sharp blade of time singled out beautiful women, every cut grievous but never fatal.

"Mamama! Admiral Lofan, knowing you were coming, I specially prepared a family banquet. Be sure to sample plenty from the dessert table later."

After showing him to his place, Perospero hurried away. Even another moment there felt unlucky.

Katakuri remained cool and silent, leaning against a wall with no affection for anyone.

Just as Lofan was about to exchange a greeting, a woman's shout suddenly rang out in a gentle voice:

"BIG MOM!"

A tall, white-haired girl swung a kanabo in a sneak attack at the back of Big Mom's head.

But before Big Mom even turned around, Zeus struck the girl down with a bolt of lightning, sending her rolling into the middle of the sitting room.

The white-haired girl wore a lavish pink dress and red high heels, her tall figure making her look all the more regal.

Yet a pair of black Seastone Handcuffs encircled the fair wrists of her slender hands.

Meanwhile, the kanabo rolled to Lofan's feet.

"MAMAMA! Yamato, just settle down and enjoy living here with me.

"Then marry my son and start a family. I'm sure Kaido will be delighted!"

"You... bastard..."

"Kaido's daughter?"

"It seems Admiral Yun'ou knows Kaido very well. You even know all about things we aren't aware of."

Ever since Lofan arrived, Katakuri had been using Observation Haki to foresee the future, guarding against his movements.

But the more he watched, the more unnerved he became.

Since they met, this man's tone and the curve of the smile on his face had not changed in the slightest.

"Just a little. Just a little."

Upon hearing the name Yun'ou, Yamato suddenly turned shining eyes toward this stranger whose entire bearing was so modest and gentle.

She had idolized Kozuki Oden since she was eight.

Following her idol's example, she hated evil with a passion and deeply loathed villains like her father, Kaido.

Since childhood, she had constantly toiled for Wano Country's liberation.

"You're the one who beat Kaido?!"

Yamato immediately scrambled up from the floor, her face full of disbelief, and frantically circled Lofan to look him over.

"I'm Kozuki Oden! Kaido is my father, but let me make one thing clear! I'm a man!"

Looking at this mature, white-haired beauty, Lofan recalled how many people back then had called Kaido their father-in-law.

After all, everyone in his country had a thing for white hair.

The corners of Lofan's mouth lifted slightly. Katakuri immediately noticed the subtle change in his expression.

"Everyone likes Kozuki Oden, huh?"

"Oh! You really do understand!"

Yamato clapped Lofan on the shoulder with gusto.

Someone who could defeat her villainous father and understood Oden had to be a good person!

So when she saw the bandages wrapped around Lofan, she deliberately held back her strength.

At that moment, Lofan resumed his usual gentle smile and shook his head in denial.

"No, I don't like him."

"Huh?"

She froze for a moment, unsure what was going on with this rather short-looking young man.

"As the leader of a country, he clearly possessed tremendous strength.

"Yet his excessive arrogance and conceit brought untold suffering upon his people. I find it hard to think well of him."

Hearing his calm words, Yamato immediately flared with anger.

"What do you know?!

"Oden endured the humiliation of dancing naked alone for five years to protect the people!

"In the end, he even bore the punishment of being boiled alive alone! He saved the lives of the Nine Red Scabbards!"

Lofan paid no attention whatsoever to Yamato, who still wanted to go on and on about Oden's virtues.

He walked straight past her and sat down in front of Big Mom.

"Big Mom, it's time to make good on our promises."

Yamato froze again. She did not know what was going on.

Why did she feel this way again? What exactly was this indescribable feeling that left her so utterly powerless?

Ever since that fellow Katakuri had captured Yamato and brought her back to Totto Land.

First, she had been relieved that her handcuffs weren't actually explosive bracelets.

Then she had dreamed of roaming the seas like Oden.

But when she was brought to Big Mom, she was still shut inside a room.

Yet why did it always feel so different from being on Onigashima?

"What's wrong with you people?!"

No one answered Yamato's impassioned roar.

Back on Onigashima, if she attacked her father Kaido by surprise, a fierce fight would surely follow.

She would lose, then be mocked and thrown into a cave to suffer.

But now, the room she lived in was countless times better than that cave.

Even if she disliked the clothes she wore, they were still incredibly luxurious.

But why?! Why on earth?! Why does this torment me so much?!

Yamato clenched her teeth so hard they audibly ground together.

She couldn't understand something so complicated, but she knew she needed to leave this place!

She wanted to set sail! She wanted to prove Oden's spirit!

"BIG MOM!!!"

Once again hefting the enormous kanabo wreathed in lightning, Yamato leaped high, leaving her white silk underwear in full view.

In midair, she roared, "Thunder Bagua!"

Leaning against the wall, Katakuri moved for the first time. Coating one hand with Armament Haki, he caught Yamato's full-force blow.

Normally, he would not interfere no matter how much trouble Yamato caused.

After all, because of her friendship with Kaido, Big Mom clearly regarded Yamato as one of her own children.

The earlier surprise attack could still be called livening up the atmosphere, but what about now?

Two figures at the pinnacle of the New World were discussing a deal, and Lofan's temperament was still unknown.

But anyone who dared to pick a fight with Kaido as soon as he emerged could hardly be normal.

If Lofan killed Yamato, he did not know what Mama would do.

He absolutely could not leave Mama to deal with such a dilemma. This was a problem for him, the Minister of Flour, to handle.

Katakuri's eyes flashed red, and his powerful presence bore straight down on Yamato.

But because he underestimated her, he had not used Future Sight on Yamato.

Provoked like this, Yamato responded directly with Conqueror's Haki!

The two waves of Conqueror's Haki shattered against each other in the air, even breaking apart the sitting room's structure and causing physical damage.

Katakuri immediately withdrew his aura.

Instead, he coated his knee in Armament Haki and slammed it hard into Yamato's stomach, hoping to knock her unconscious.

But Yamato remained conscious even as she fell to the floor, retching and coughing up blood. Blood stained the tips of her white hair, strikingly vivid.

Lofan and Big Mom both frowned and stared.

Watching Yamato struggle, her gaze still resolute, Lofan seemed to understand something.

But he wanted even more to finish his conversation with Big Mom quickly, then head to Dressrosa.

At that moment, all his interest lay with Sugar.