The cool mist of Wano's eastern coast clung to the morning air as Kaito's crew moved silently through the narrow forest trails. The village they had rested in the night before had provided them with more than supplies—they had gained valuable information about the coastal stronghold, a key outpost where the Shogunate's guards operated.
It was there Yamato, the daughter of Oden, was said to be held under watch.
The crew had no intention of leaving Wano without meeting her.
Scouting the Fortress
Khalifa led the way, her movements fluid and silent. The training she'd honed as a Cipher Pol agent made her natural in this environment. Carmen followed close behind, her chef's blades tucked neatly at her sides, prepared to cause a diversion if necessary. Kuina and Kaito walked further back, each with a hand resting on their weapons, ready to engage if the scouting plan failed.
Conis and Aisa remained behind with Kaya and Nojiko, guarding the temporary base they had established within a hidden grove near the village. Aisa's haki kept their perimeter safe while Nojiko maintained the ship's readiness.
From a higher vantage point, Khalifa crouched among the sakura branches, observing the coastal stronghold below.
It was built against a natural cliff, its thick stone walls blending into the mountainside. Guards patrolled the wooden ramparts with regular rotations, their footsteps crisp and timed. Docked at the small harbor were two marine gunboats—evidence that the World Government had not left Wano entirely to its own devices.
Khalifa's eyes narrowed.
Cipher Pol agents.
She recognized their posture, their subtle way of standing apart from the standard guards. If Cipher Pol was here, the Marines were taking Yamato's presence seriously.
She returned to the crew's temporary base and relayed the details.
"The stronghold is reinforced by Marine operatives and Cipher Pol agents," she explained. "This isn't just a local matter. They're preparing to either transfer Yamato out of Wano or use her as a political hostage."
Kaito crossed his arms. "If we wait, they'll move her beyond our reach."
Kuina tightened the strap on her thunder spear. "We'll have to strike before they finish preparations."
Aisa, sitting nearby, looked up. "I can feel at least four people with strong presences in the stronghold. One of them is… strange. Heavy, but restrained."
Khalifa glanced at her. "That could be Yamato."
Nojiko folded a fresh map across the table. "There's a secondary dock behind the cliff, almost invisible from the main harbor. It's dangerous to approach, but it could be our way in."
Carmen cracked her knuckles. "Leave the main gate to me. I'll make enough noise to pull the guards."
Kuina's gaze sharpened. "No. I'll draw their attention."
Kaito raised a brow. "You want to go in loud?"
Kuina's voice was steady. "I've trained in Wano's sword techniques since I could walk. Let's see how they compare to me now."
Khalifa nodded in approval. "A direct confrontation at the gate while I slip in from the side."
Kaito looked at each of his crew. They had all grown stronger—more than he could have imagined when they first set sail. And now, they chose their own battles, their own risks.
"Let's move," he said. "We act at sunset."
Marine Intelligence Meeting – Offshore Command
On a marine warship stationed just beyond Wano's outer perimeter, Cipher Pol officers gathered under the supervision of Rear Admiral Orlan.
A den den mushi crackled on the desk.
"The Kaito Pirates are confirmed inside Wano's eastern sector. They're likely targeting Yamato's stronghold."
Rear Admiral Orlan frowned, reading the intelligence reports. "We've distributed their updated bounties to all marine posts. Still, we don't have the manpower for full-scale engagement inside Wano."
A Cipher Pol agent adjusted his hat. "Shall we request Vice Admiral support?"
Orlan shook his head. "Vice Admiral Tsuru's standing orders are clear. Observation only. If we provoke them too early, the damage to Wano's infrastructure could be severe."
Another agent tapped the stronghold's surveillance feed. "They'll attack soon. Their patterns are predictable—direct confrontation mixed with infiltration."
Orlan leaned back, sighing. "So be it. Let's see how far they push this."
He stared at Kaito's wanted poster, the young pirate's confident grin stamped across it.
"The seas have changed," he muttered. "These rookies don't move like rookies anymore."
The Assault on the Stronghold
As the sun dipped low, Kuina stepped boldly into the stronghold's outer road, her thunder spear resting against her shoulder. She made no attempt to conceal her presence.
"Oi," she called, her voice echoing against the stone walls. "I've come for a duel."
The guards tensed, rushing to man the gates. From the parapets, a Cipher Pol agent narrowed his eyes.
"She's one of Kaito's top officers. Prepare for engagement."
But Kuina's lightning flared—she moved faster than their orders could travel.
Her spear cracked against the gate's surface, sending a pulse of electricity through the wooden beams. The guards stumbled, some collapsing instantly.
On the opposite side, Khalifa slipped silently along the rear cliffside, scaling the rock with the precision of a master infiltrator. She bypassed guards, slipping through thin corridors and past distracted patrols. Her target: the holding chamber where Yamato was confined.
Carmen waited near the secondary dock, preparing to cut off reinforcements if the Cipher Pol agents attempted to retreat.
Back at the base camp, Kaito stood ready with Nojiko, monitoring the distant stronghold from the treetops.
Aisa's haki suddenly pulsed.
"Movement. Luffy's crew… they're nearby."
Kaito's head turned sharply. "How close?"
Aisa squinted toward the southern trails. "Not at the stronghold. They're approaching the coastal village we passed through."
Nojiko folded her arms. "Looks like we'll be racing again."
Kaito smirked. "Good. I wouldn't want them to fall behind."
Within the Fortress
Khalifa navigated the interior like a phantom. She located the guarded chamber, where Yamato sat calmly in chains, her hands bound by seastone cuffs.
Yamato's expression was unfazed, as though she had been expecting someone.
"Who are you?" Yamato asked.
Khalifa offered a brief smile. "Your ticket out."
The Cipher Pol agent stationed inside lunged at her, but Khalifa's swift Rankyaku sliced the man's blade from his hand. She swept past him with Soru, disarming him in a blink.
Yamato stood, tilting her head slightly. "You're Kaito's crew?"
"We don't have time for introductions," Khalifa said, tossing a seastone key toward Yamato. "I trust you know what to do once those cuffs are off."
Yamato unlocked her restraints, stretching her arms with a satisfied crack.
"I've been waiting for this."
The Clash at the Gate
Outside, Kuina's duel against the fortress's swordsmen escalated rapidly. Her thunder spear and dual blades clashed against multiple opponents at once, her movements sharp, flowing with both precision and raw elemental force.
The leader of the stronghold's guards—a veteran swordsman named Shigeru—stepped forward, his blade unsheathing with a clean hiss.
"You bear the style of Wano, but your techniques…" he paused, watching lightning surge across her blade, "they are unlike anything I've seen."
Kuina's stance lowered. "Then watch closely."
Their swords clashed, lightning crackling on impact, each strike faster than the last. Shigeru was skilled—deeply rooted in the traditions of Wano's finest swordplay—but Kuina's fusion of speed, precision, and the Thunder Fruit's power slowly overwhelmed him.
With a final arcing slash, Kuina sent him sprawling to the ground, her thunder blade hovering near his neck.
"I came here to find myself," she said quietly. "And I will."
As the remaining guards hesitated, the gates burst open from within. Khalifa emerged with Yamato at her side, her restrained power now fully unshackled.
Yamato looked at the stunned guards. "Tell your superiors—I'm leaving with them."
Kuina nodded, stepping back to rejoin Khalifa and Yamato as Carmen provided the retreat route near the secondary dock.
Retreat and Reflection
The crew regrouped outside the stronghold, slipping back into the hidden trails before the Marine gunboats could mobilize. As they boarded the Queen's Grace, Yamato took in the sight of the crew who had risked much to find her.
"You crossed Wano's borders, defied the Marines, and faced the Shogunate's men for me. Why?"
Kaito simply grinned. "Because that's what we do. Besides, you wouldn't want to miss the sea."
Yamato's eyes softened, a spark of excitement flickering in her gaze. "You're right. I don't."
Kuina, resting against the mast, glanced at Yamato. "You'll fit in just fine."
As the Queen's Grace sailed from the inlet, the cherry blossom petals trailed behind them, carried by the winds toward the open sea.
In the distance, the Straw Hat crew approached the village, their own path set to cross again soon with their ever-evolving rivals.
The tides of the Grand Line continued to stir. And the story of Kaito's crew pressed forward—uncharted, untamed, and as free as the sea itself.