After some time, Yamato had no idea where she had flown to, but the distance was enough to shake off "Kaido," so she landed on a nearby island.
"Yoho! Finally left that damned place. But why go to such lengths though?"
"Hmph, you still don't get it. Fighting a creature like "Kaido" is pointless. Even if you knock him down, he'll just laugh happily. That guy's not normal."
"But if you run away when he wants to fight, that'll definitely piss him off. Just thinking about his expression is amusing."
"That... actually makes sense."
"Right? Right? You think I'm making sense too, don't you?"
For once, the two Yamatos reached a rare consensus, then slung their arms around each other's shoulders and laughed.
"Did you do the same thing on your side too?"
"Well… not exactly. I can't outrun that b*stard father yet."
The "Kaido" on this side didn't have any acceleration techniques, but the Kaido on her side did. Yamato had tried this plan before, but it ended up triggering a very painful memory.
She was different from "Yamato." She still had a sliver of familial bond with Kaido, so she always ended up going home.
She had tried to trick Kaido with this method once, but Kaido didn't chase her. Instead, he had a new trick prepared for her.
Yamato never expected that Kaido would start the fight by using Belly Drum, smashing himself hard enough to cough up blood.
That was the side effect of Belly Drum. Using that move consumes a huge amount of stamina, and before the battle even begins, it already takes a heavy toll. In the world of pirates, where prolonged battles are common, that negative buff has a huge impact.
But the boost from Belly Drum is just as terrifying. Even though it doesn't increase speed, it maxes out attack power instantly and is the fastest way to unleash explosive damage.
She would never forget that day's battle for the rest of her life. If Arceus hadn't returned, there's no telling what might've happened. That's why she's been constantly working on new plans to deal with Kaido, though she's never found a perfect one.
Kaido's raw strength is overwhelming, and he has no scruples. It's nearly impossible to threaten or coerce him.
With Kaido's personality, even taking a hostage is useless. He'd just send the perpetrator to the grave along with the hostage. He'd never compromise.
So to deal with Kaido, the only way is to defeat him with sheer strength. Yamato could only assert herself against a lower-spec, or rather, a normal version of "Kaido."
"I see. Sounds like you've had it rough too, but still better than me."
"Yeah. Wait a second, your clothes…"
"Hm? What about them?"
"You're almost indecently exposed!!"
"Yamato's" kimono had slipped greatly from the high-speed flight. In a different, more adult-themed world, this would've been the "fan service" moment.
"It's nothing. I don't really mind."
"No way! Your new life starts now, I have to get you into a new outfit. Let's say goodbye to both that kimono and your imprisoned life!"
Looking at the "Yamato" in front of her, Yamato grabbed her and dragged her into the forest on the island, beginning her grand outfit makeover operation.
"What is all this? Toss it, toss it. Geta sandals? These are nowhere near as comfy as shoes… And a fundoshi?? Get rid of that thing! Try this, it's way more comfortable than your stuff."
Yamato had plenty of old clothes in her bag, and the slightly smaller ones fit "Yamato" perfectly. As for underwear, all her new sets were super stretchy, so they fit "Yamato" just fine too.
About ten minutes later, the two Yamatos walked out of the woods. Looking at the newly dressed "Yamato," Yamato felt she looked way more pleasant now.
"Whew, now that's more like it. Look at you, you look much more beautiful like this."
Creating a full-length mirror out of ice, Yamato started tidying up her own appearance. She had also changed into a new outfit herself, specifically one without a pirate flag symbol.
She had just realized a problem.
Although she was a wanted criminal over there, on this side, the Marines knew nothing about "Yamato." Her identity here was just that of an ordinary civilian. Even if she took a ship to Marine Headquarters, it would be perfectly legal.
"What's wrong? Feeling awkward?"
"It's okay. These boxers are actually pretty comfortable."
While the two Yamatos were discussing clothing, Arceus had already cut the live broadcast signal.
"Alright, stop crowding around here. The banquet isn't over yet, is it? Go do your own things."
If the stream had continued, it would've just shown a dressing scene — the kind that could easily attract censorship. Besides, Yamato had already left Wano Country, so there was no need to keep broadcasting certain things.
The public execution was temporarily over, and the bystanders who had come for the spectacle went off to look for new entertainment.
Yamato's behavior wasn't much different from usual, but the existence of "Yamato" had shown everyone just how terrifying Yamato's potential for self-development could be at its lowest.
The Tobiroppo established by "Kaido" were still fighting outside, which helped them avoid social death. If anyone suffered the most humiliation, it was actually King.
The technique "Imperial Deep Pride Stake" nearly destroyed the serious persona he had built up over the years. The only good news was that not many people had seen it.
When the live broadcast event finally ended, Queen had just wrapped up his first dance routine and was sitting at the edge of the stage with a barrel of Oshiruko to replenish his energy.
Seeing King and the others come down from the upper level like the end of a movie screening, his face was full of confusion.
"What the hell were you guys doing?"
"We saw something interesting. Oh, by the way, Queen, I think I misjudged you. To have come this far, you've really worked hard."
"Yeah, you've worked hard. It's just that your starting point was too low."
"???"
As Shayna and King passed by, they said things that Queen couldn't understand. He had no idea that, in the other world, after losing the pressure of always being the scapegoat, that version of him had suffered a serious decline in both strength and scientific research ability.
Compared to that Queen, this Queen was truly a genius.
"You also let her see what she wanted to see, right? So when are you planning to let her come back?"
After everyone had dispersed, only Kaido and Arceus remained.
When Yamato would return could only be decided by Arceus; all Kaido could do was wait.
"Give her a few days, let her relax a bit. Might as well see what she can teach herself in the meantime."
"Fair enough. I'll go prepare. When the time comes, she'll understand what a real surprise is."
Afterward, Kaido picked up a wine jug and left as well. Drinking alone just didn't feel right, he was heading down to find a few lucky underlings to start a drinking contest.
Yamato had no idea what was happening back home. She was currently leading her other self on a new journey. This time, she wasn't sailing as a pirate. She had become a bounty hunter, operating in the New World alongside "Yamato."
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