Seeing Ulti sent flying, the Pirate Empress originally wanted to shatter the foolish girl into rubble with a single kick, fearing she might crash into her beloved Souta Kiryuu.
But Souta raised his hand and stopped her, standing up to catch the reckless, blue-haired girl in his arms. Ulti shook her head groggily, the haze of Yamato's club strike lifting as she regained her senses in Souta's embrace.
"Big sis!" Page One leapt to his feet and roared angrily, glaring at Yamato for striking his sister.
"I'm fine!" Ulti snapped quickly after recovering, leaning against Souta's chest. But in that very moment, she suddenly realized his broad hands were pressed against her waist and chest. A strange mix of shame and fury rose in her heart.
"Let me go!"
She wrestled free of Souta's grip and sprang back, only to immediately lash out with a furious kick aimed straight at his head. Souta calmly raised his hand and caught her delicate foot, his eyes trailing up her long legs to the striped blue-and-pink pattern beneath her short skirt.
"Wnn!!"
A domineering wave of Conqueror's Haki burst forth. The hooded, masked Boa Hancock clenched her fists, her eyes blazing crimson as killing intent surged off her in waves, glaring daggers at Ulti.
Enel's body crackled with lightning, fury sparking from his frame—how dare this woman attack his godlike boss? Was she courting death?
"Wurororo! Ulti, stand down!" Kaido's thunderous voice rang out, his gaze stern as it fell on both Yamato and Ulti. His patience was wearing thin.
Souta's easy smile never faltered as he finally released her leg. He couldn't deny the girl had spirit—and among the Four Emperors' crews, female fighters of her level were rare.
"Hmph!"
Ulti let out a sharp snort and bounded back to her spot, her glare now fixed entirely on Yamato. That bastard was the real reason she'd been humiliated by Souta.
"If you want an alliance with the Beasts Pirates, you'd better get past my Ajian first!" Yamato shouted, hefting her massive kanabō high before leaping at Souta again, bringing it down straight for his head.
"Enough!" Kaido roared, his voice shaking the hall. King immediately spread his wings and soared forward, his blade flashing as he struck Yamato back with ease. Against a Yamato shackled with seastone cuffs, King felt little pressure at all.
"Ehahaha! Kaido, so this is your daughter? Want me to help discipline her for you?" Souta said mockingly as he settled himself down, his words biting with sarcasm. It was as if he were questioning Kaido's ability to control his own blood.
"Her strength isn't something you can just 'discipline,'" Kaido boomed with laughter. Yamato's power was immense—if her seastone shackles were removed, even he would need time to subdue her. She had inherited his monstrous bloodline, mastered all three forms of Haki, and even awakened Conqueror's infusion. In truth, her strength already surpassed his Three Calamities.
He had long hoped for Yamato to rule Wano as its shogun, to govern the nation in his name. But that foolish daughter had been bewitched by Kozuki Oden's journal, even daring to call herself Oden—a constant thorn in his heart.
"Then tell me, Kaido—would you part with her, let her follow me instead?" Souta grinned slyly. He knew Kaido would never allow Yamato, bearer of the Mythical Zoan Ōkuchi no Makami fruit, to simply leave. His words were half-jest, half-probe.
"Ten airships. Ten perfected artificial Devil Fruits. Then she's yours," Kaido declared bluntly. It wasn't that he cherished Yamato or her power too much—if the price was right, he wouldn't mind ridding himself of his troublesome daughter.
"Are you joking?" Souta sneered. "A single Emperor's bounty is only worth over four billion berries. Ten perfected fruits alone are worth three billion. And do you know how much gold one airship requires for parts? Do you have any idea of the cost?"
He scoffed and dismissed Kaido's greedy demand outright. After all, if he truly wanted, he could trick Yamato later and win her over for free. She was too straightforward, too earnest.
"Kaido! You're actually trying to sell me off?!" Yamato scrambled up from the ground, eyes wide with disbelief. Not a scratch marred her body, yet her heart felt pierced. She had always denied this cruel man as her father—but hearing him bargain her life away still hurt deeply.
"If you obediently accept your role as shogun of Wano and never speak Kozuki Oden's name again, I'll remove your explosive cuffs and grant you freedom," Kaido said harshly, frowning at her defiance.
"I refuse! I don't want to be shogun—I want to sail the seas! I'll open Wano to the world!" Yamato retorted fiercely, her voice trembling with conviction. She would never submit to his path.
"Hmph! Then you're nothing but a bargaining chip to me!" Kaido's fury blazed. This foolish daughter wasted her bloodline and Mythical Zoan gift. She was nothing but a constant source of rage.
"Ehahaha! Yamato, sail with me instead. I'll take you along the same path Kozuki Oden once walked with the Pirate King, Roger, across the Grand Line," Souta declared with a booming laugh, his words dripping with audacity, ignoring Kaido's stormy glare.
"One airship, five perfected fruits. Consider Yamato worth a bounty of twenty to thirty billion berries," Souta offered slyly. If not for his reluctance to sever ties with Kaido just yet, he would've already spirited Yamato away himself.
"This isn't over yet. At least three airships. One for each of my Calamities. As for perfected fruits, five will do. But I demand one hundred artificial fruits delivered each month without fail," Kaido countered sharply, already weighing his options. His daughter was obstinate beyond reason—better to anchor Souta's loyalty through trade than continue this endless clash of wills.
He knew well—now that Yamato had awakened Conqueror's infusion, her will was unshakable. He'd never bend her. But he could at least bind Souta to his cause. For the sake of his future army of Devil Fruit users, the deal had to stand.
"That's acceptable," Souta mused, stroking his chin. "The airships might take time, but once my Seraphim project matures—combining the Float-Float Fruit with Ark Maxim technology—we'll mass-produce flying warships. Giving Kaido three won't be an issue. Vegapunk and the other scientists will ensure a few backdoors regardless."
A warrior like Yamato, armed with Conqueror's infusion and a Mythical Zoan, was a priceless asset. Few across the seas could rival her. The deal was worth every berry.
"Then it's settled," Kaido said firmly. "Once you deliver the ships and fruits, this foolish daughter is yours." His heart swelled with ambition—when his army of Devil Fruit users was complete, when he raised Pluton from the seas of Wano, when his three flying warships stood ready—his world-destroying fleet would crush the World Government itself. He would sweep the seas clean, slay Whitebeard and Red-Hair, and perhaps even bind Souta Kiryuu himself as kin through marriage. If Souta wed Yamato, even better—then together, they would rule the world.