"Actually, Father and Dad came by at first too, but they left after just one glance. After all, with them around, we wouldn't be able to relax. What's wrong with you?"
"Ulti actually gave a gift to someone other than Page One. And that Jack turns out to have a gentle side too. If you're really me, then the difference between us is way too big."
"I only remember that year Father locked me up, and someone who broke his rules tried to bring me food, so he was executed on the spot.
He's a b*stard, and yet he actually shows up at birthday parties."
As for sailing, "Yamato" only felt envy. Trapped on Onigashima, she always longed for freedom, but the other's living environment and harmonious relationships were enough to make "Yamato" feel jealous.
The same person from two different worlds, living completely different lives.
"I agree that Kaido is a b*stard. That crazy old man was never right in the head. Looks like you've had it even worse than I have."
"Right? Right? I knew you'd think that guy's a b*stard too."
The way to build friendship: start by finding a common enemy. The moment they agreed Kaido was a b*stard, the two of them unexpectedly hit it off, and their relationship quickly warmed.
"Now you've seen it for yourself. It's just an ordinary logbook. Everyone has their own journey. You can't just abandon your identity because of a few pages of writing. You should go find your own adventure, not bet your life on that so-called Oden."
"You're acting like you've been brainwashed. I don't see anything magical about this diary."
"But... wasn't Oden the freest person on this sea? He could sail on his own, and I can only stay trapped here."
The thought of being Kozuki Oden had existed in "Yamato's" mind for 19 years; it wasn't going to change because of a few words.
If the person in front of her weren't literally "herself," she probably wouldn't even listen to any of this.
Although Yamato used her own actions to show that everyone has their own life, it's not so easy to change deeply rooted beliefs.
"He was not free because he's Oden; he was free because he was strong. If you could beat "Kaido," wouldn't you be able to find your own freedom too?"
"So, the issue isn't Oden. It's strength. Strength!"
In that moment, Yamato even began to understand Kaido; when something simply couldn't be explained no matter what, swinging the kanabo took far less effort than using one's brain.
Looking at the version of herself so obsessed with Oden, Yamato actually had the urge to beat herself up.
"I'm telling you, if you weren't me, I would have just burned that diary. I'm just saying, don't give me that look."
Seeing the wary expression on "Yamato's" face, Yamato gestured for her to relax.
Even though she thought being brainwashed by a diary was ridiculous, she understood herself; if something she treasured was destroyed, she'd be devastated. She wanted her other self to recognize the difference, but not in such a harsh way.
"Jeez, why do I suddenly feel like a parent?
Didn't you want to go on an adventure? I'll take you out of here. Go experience the sea for yourself, then you can think about all this again."
"You want to open Wano's borders? I support that too. But you should do it as the second captain of the Beasts Pirates after defeating Kaido, not as Oden."
"And all of that takes strength. Come back and do it after you've gotten stronger. You don't have any objections to that, right?"
"You can take me away from here? But these handcuffs... I told you, right? These were put on me by that b*stard father. If I leave Onigashima, they'll explode."
"They're just some damn cuffs. Hold on, I'll unlock them for you right now."
Grabbing "Yamato's" hands, Yamato condensed cold energy into a key and effortlessly unlocked the handcuffs.
That's the convenience of ice. There was no need for brute force; she could just make her own key.
"Wow, thank you! That damned thing has been restraining me for 19 years! Come to think of it, maybe Father wasn't so heartless, this thing didn't even explode, right?"
"Use your brain for once! It didn't explode because I made the key. As for the handcuffs themselves..."
Yamato grabbed the handcuffs and threw them into the sky. Moments later, they exploded violently, bursting into a shower of fire in midair.
"Remember this, never trust Kaido. That guy's entire brain is filled with ways to torture people. But if he makes a threat... he will follow through on it."
Yamato was sharing her personal experiences with Kaido to "Yamato," but it seemed "Yamato" wasn't listening. Her worldview was once again being reshaped.
"That beast! That bull-gorilla really wanted to kill me!!"
"Calm down. It probably wouldn't have killed you... but it definitely would've wrecked you."
Ulti lay sprawled on Page One's back, doing her best to stifle her laughter, but judging from how much her body was shaking, she failed miserably.
"Pfft-hahaha! I can't, Pay-tan, I seriously can't hold it in anymore. Did you hear that? Yamato actually told herself to use her brain! That's too hilarious! When she gets back, I'm definitely asking her what was going through her head."
Even Robin had covered her mouth. That scene just now was way too much to handle.
This was supposed to be just a broadcast... but somehow, it turned into a public execution.
"Kaido" got beaten up and then tricked by Yamato using Substitute; that was still within reason. Just a matter of being outmatched in skills.
King's Imperial Deep Pride Stake also stripped away a fair amount of his pride, making him the first to be publicly humiliated.
As for Queen?
He was already playing the clown role to begin with. His pride had long since been tossed aside. This kind of thing didn't bother him at all.
Moreover, aside from their abilities, both Queen were nearly indistinguishable. Whether it was their thick skin or antics, they were practically carbon copies.
At this point, many people were silently praying for one thing: 'Please let it not be me who shows up next. Otherwise, their reputation might be ruined for some completely ridiculous reason, ending in social death.'
"That explosion was massive. It's bound to attract other pirates. Once they find out, Kaido and King will definitely be back soon. We need to get moving."
"Wait a second... I feel like I forgot something. Why was I looking for you in the first place?"
After all that lecturing, Yamato obtained some results, but she had forgotten something very important.
"Oh, right! I wanted to see what Wano Country has become. I wanted you to show me around.
But you've been stuck on Onigashima this whole time... so you've never actually been to the mainland of Wano Country, have you?"
"Uh... yeah, I guess that's true."
"Whatever, doesn't matter. You come with me to Wano Country, and then I'll take you out of here. Even if "Kaido" comes back, I can handle him. That's a fair deal, right?"
"No problem!"
"Great. But remember, you are not allowed to say you're Kozuki Oden! Otherwise, you can stay here and keep suffering!"
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