Crying his eyes out after drinking?
Darren stared, speechless, at the "strongest creature on land, sea, and air" bawling his heart out like a child. He couldn't help but glance over at King and Queen, his eyes silently asking:
Is your boss always this… unstable?
Under Darren's stare, King's lip twitched almost imperceptibly. He raised his cup, took a slow sip, and turned his face away as if he'd seen nothing.
Queen, on the other hand, grinned like a gossiping auntie and nodded vigorously at Darren, his eyes sparkling with mischief.
Darren: "..."
He looked back at Kaido, who was still sobbing violently, then paused. A flicker of helplessness crossed his face.
Right at that moment, Queen and the nearby pirates began frantically gesturing at Darren, all of them miming the same "pat him on the shoulder" motion.
Darren: ???
His lip twitched. He stiffly raised his hand… then immediately pulled it back in embarrassment.
"Aaaaaaaaah!!"
Kaido's wailing suddenly got even louder. His voice exploded like muffled thunder, sending the pirates sprawling from the sheer pressure.
Their faces crumpled in shared misery. With tears in their eyes, they pressed their hands together and begged Darren with their expressions alone.
Darren rolled his eyes.
Reluctantly, he reached out and patted Kaido's shoulder.
"Alright, alright, stop crying. Once you've had your fill of drink, we'll have a proper fight."
"Really?!"
Kaido's tears stopped instantly. His bloodshot eyes locked onto Darren, bright with sudden hope.
Darren: "..."
He forced out a strained, friendly smile.
"Yes. I promise. I'm already itching to beat you up anyway."
"Ororororo! You said it, Young Darren!"
A faint flush climbed up Kaido's face. A hint of shy excitement even flickered in his eyes as he dramatically winked at Darren.
A drunk's affection?!
Darren felt like he'd been struck by lightning. He almost spat a mouthful of blood on the spot. He grabbed the nearest bottle and downed several gulps of strong liquor in quick succession, barely suppressing the urge to throw up.
Drunk Kaido was more dangerous than sober Kaido.
Absolutely bone-chilling.
Just as Darren was seriously considering fleeing the scene, a series of panicked shouts echoed from the distance.
"Young Master!"
"Young Master, not that way!"
"Young Master, please come back! If you keep running off like this… Lord Kaido will kill us all!"
"..."
Everyone turned toward the source of the commotion.
A small figure came sprinting barefoot across the broken ground—stumbling here and there but somehow maintaining surprising speed. The pirates chasing behind her were gasping for breath, their legs turning to jelly as they failed to close the distance.
"That's…"
"Don't tell me…"
"Oh no…"
"We're done for…"
"..."
The moment King, Queen, and the others got a clear look at the petite silhouette, their faces went completely white.
"D-Darren-san!!"
A delicate voice rang out. The little figure spotted Darren and, as if discovering a salvation buoy, suddenly burst forward even faster. Like a nimble young beast, she bounded ahead in a series of clumsy leaps, landing right in front of him.
"I–I finally get to meet you in person!!"
Her voice trembled with excitement. Her cheeks were flushed an adorable shade of pink, and sweat-damp white hair clung to her forehead. Long lashes framed a pair of bright, shining eyes that never left Darren's face.
"I'm your biggest fan! My name is Yamato!"
Yamato?
Darren froze.
He took a closer look at the tiny girl in front of him, his mind racing.
Gradient white hair that shifted to green, then to blue at the ends.
Scarlet demon horns jutting through her parted bangs. The hair at the back tied into a small ponytail with two orange hairpins. Gold earrings dangling from both ears.
A sleeveless white kimono top fitted snugly to her small frame, decorated with blue patterns. Two rhombus-shaped designs marked the front. A massive shimenawa—a sacred rope—was coiled around her waist.
A long red skirt fell to her ankles. Her small, pink-soled feet were filthy with mud. Shackles circled her ankles, the metal chafing red marks into her skin.
Not just her feet—even her rosy cheeks were smudged with dirt. Yet none of it could hide her natural cuteness or the fiery spirit burning in her eyes.
This appearance… and the name Yamato…
As Darren stared at the white-haired little girl, another image rose in his mind—a valiant, heroic warrior standing proudly atop Wano's snowy mountains.
Yamato. Kaido's daughter.
The notorious "brainwashed fangirl" of Kozuki Oden from the original story.
Wait—what did she just say?
She's my fan?
Darren's expression brightened instantly.
He glanced sideways at Kaido, who was still sitting there motionless, face flushed from alcohol, looking dazed and hollowed out.
"Hello, Yamato," Darren said, smiling as he reached out to ruffle her hair.
"Nice to meet you. It's a pleasure to meet you too."
The affectionate gesture from her idol turned Yamato's cheeks even redder. She closed her eyes in bliss and leaned into his palm like a small animal seeking comfort from its owner.
We're doomed.
The thought struck Queen like a bolt from the blue. His legs almost gave out.
King's expression froze solid.
The other pirates stood rooted in place, stiff with horror.
"Darren-san, I never thought I'd actually meet you!" Yamato hugged her notebook to her chest, eyes sparkling. "C-could I have your autograph?"
Darren paused as she held the notebook out with both hands, her gaze brimming with hopeful anticipation.
He took it and flipped through quickly.
It was stuffed with newspaper clippings and magazine articles about him. There were even several glossy "handsome angle" shots from the press.
He chuckled softly.
"No problem."
He grabbed a pen, signed his name with a practiced hand, and returned the notebook to her.
"Yes!"
Yamato cheered, hugging it tightly as if it were the world's most precious treasure.
"Darren-san, did you know?" she burst out, eyes shining. "I've always admired you so much! Because of you, I want to become a Marine even more!"
"But my father said someone like me could never become a Marine… because I'm the child of a pirate."
"That's when I decided—" she raised her tiny fist high, voice ringing clear across the ruins, "I'll make all pirates die!"
Queen, King, and the others' faces turned an ever-deeper shade of black.
Darren's lips twitched. A dangerous laugh nearly slipped out. He forcibly swallowed it down.
He was a Marine. Professionally trained. He absolutely could not burst out laughing in this situation.
"Mm. That's a wonderful ideal—very ambitious. You should definitely keep working hard," he said instead.
He reached out and ruffled Yamato's hair again.
Encouragement from her idol made her practically melt. She swayed on her feet, happiness radiating off her in waves.
"I-I was also thinking that… when I grow up…"
She clenched her small fists, her cheeks flushing bright red. Her voice grew tiny and hesitant.
No way…
As if suddenly realizing what she was about to say, King's usually stone-cold face started to crack. Queen's jaw dropped to the ground. The pirates all drew in a sharp breath.
"You want to… what?" Darren blinked.
"I-I want to…"
Yamato bit her lip, mustered all her courage, and declared in a voice louder than before, her face utterly crimson:
"—I'm going to marry Darren-san!"
The world seemed to freeze.
Silence blanketed Onigashima.
Then—
a volcanic eruption of fury, laced with suffocating Haki, exploded across the island.
"Oi, Darren… you've got a death wish!!!"
"Hah."
Darren finally burst out laughing.
Well… at least that sobered Pops up.
To be continued...