Hearing footsteps, King looked up toward the door and displayed a flicker of surprise. "Young Master, what are you doing here?"
"Second Uncle, I have something I need your help with," Yamato said, getting straight to the point.
King was taken aback by Yamato's directness, but a small smile touched his lips. "Tell me about it."
He wasn't sure if it was just his imagination, but Yamato felt different today. She carried herself with an aura similar to Kaido and the other top officers. This sudden shift piqued King's curiosity. At her age, she should have been innocent and oblivious, yet she suddenly possessed a remarkably mature temperament. Before today, Yamato had never given him this impression.
What happened? Why has the Young Master changed so much? Regardless, it's a good thing. I can almost see the shadow of Big Brother Kaido in her, King thought.
"Second Uncle, I want to ask you to help me find a specific Devil Fruit," Yamato said seriously.
King raised an eyebrow. "Young Master, why the sudden interest in a Devil Fruit?"
"Because this fruit is different. It's directly related to Father," Yamato replied.
"Oh? Why do you say that? Can you tell me more?" King's interest was fully captured now.
Yamato proceeded to explain the details regarding the Artificial Devil Fruit. After listening to her explanation, King looked genuinely shocked.
"You're saying Vegapunk has already successfully created an Artificial Devil Fruit?"
He was well aware of that super-genius. King had encountered Vegapunk years ago—as a test subject, of course. It was on the island where the World Government conducted its research that he had first met Kaido. That memory was etched deeply into his mind. If Vegapunk had actually succeeded in creating an Artificial Devil Fruit, King wouldn't find it that surprising. He just hadn't expected the very first one to be modeled after Kaido's own Lineage Factor.
While King didn't know where Yamato had obtained such classified information, her story felt authentic. If such a fruit truly existed and was a success, it rightfully belonged to the Beasts Pirates.
"Yes. Even if the newspapers haven't reported it, I'm certain Vegapunk succeeded. Second Uncle, I want that fruit. Please help me," Yamato said with great intensity.
Looking at her determination, King laughed. "Haha, alright. It's rare for you to ask me for a favor, Young Master. Besides, if we can confirm this fruit exists, it will benefit the entire crew."
"Thank you, Second Uncle. I'm counting on you," Yamato added.
King nodded firmly. "Don't worry, Young Master. Give me six months to a year, and I will definitely retrieve that fruit for you."
Hearing King's promise, Yamato finally felt at ease. As long as King was on the job, there would be no issues.
After leaving the office, Yamato headed straight out of Onigashima. While Onigashima was the primary base for the Beasts Pirates, Yamato had spent much of her childhood in the Flower Capital. Due to the alliance between Kaido and Orochi, the two groups essentially shared rule over Wano Country.
Of course, many people in Wano opposed Orochi. It wasn't just the commoners; the Daimyo of various regions and their samurai remained loyal to the Kozuki line. But since Orochi was the current Shogun, their dissatisfaction didn't lead to open rebellion. The greatest threat remained Kozuki Oden and his followers in Kuri.
Currently, because of a foolish wager, Kozuki Oden performed a naked dance in front of Orochi's Castle every day. His vassals didn't dare act because of the terms of that deal. Taking advantage of this period of peace, the Beasts Pirates continued to grow in strength.
Kozuki Oden, you were just too naive. That's why you lost to my father, Yamato thought, shaking her head at the memory of the legendary samurai.
Before long, Yamato's boat reached the shore. Across from Onigashima were the regions of Udon and Hakumai. Currently, Udon served as the primary excavation site and weapon factory for Wano. It was a vital location for the Beasts Pirates, overseen by Queen the Plague.
"Young Master, you're back. Shall we escort you back to the Flower Capital now?" a pirate asked respectfully at the port.
Yamato nodded. "Yes, take me back to the capital."
Her subordinates immediately arranged a carriage for her. The Flower Capital was the most prosperous region in Wano and the place where Yamato had been raised. The streets were bustling with people in colorful kimonos, and samurai walked with katanas tucked into their waists. In this country, samurai were essentially the nobility and held the highest social status.
"That's Orochi's Castle," Yamato noted, looking up at the towering structure where the Shogun lived.
Orochi was a snake in every sense of the word. Under the guidance of Kurozumi Higurashi, he had stolen the position of Shogun through lies and conspiracy. He wasn't a capable warrior; even after eating the Mythical Zoan Snake-Snake Fruit, Model: Yamata no Orochi, he remained a coward. It was a complete waste of a powerful fruit.
Kaido doesn't respect him at all. He just needs him to keep Oden in check for now, Yamato knew.
Kaido never viewed Orochi as an equal. Orochi wanted to destroy Wano for revenge, while Kaido wanted to turn the country into a base for his global war. Eventually, Kaido would eliminate him. Specifically, Kaido wanted the Ancient Weapon hidden deep beneath the land: Pluton.
"In the original story, Kaido wanted me to become the Shogun so he could use Pluton to wage war against the world and drag the Celestial Dragons down from their thrones. But fate won't let that happen, and a plan like that would never work anyway," Yamato muttered.
She didn't support Kaido's vision, but she had her own ambitions. She wanted to become strong enough to stand equal to the Yonko—someone whose very footsteps could make the seas tremble. Whether a world war happened or not didn't concern her yet.
Kaido, my father... I will eventually surpass you, Yamato thought, a sharp light flashing in her eyes.
As she walked, Yamato noticed people staring at her. She met the eyes of several locals, and their expressions were filled with a mix of fear and disgust. Aside from being known as a child of the pirates, her horns made her look different from ordinary humans, which naturally evoked rejection. Fortunately, the full truth of her being Kaido's daughter hadn't spread to everyone in the country yet.
"Next, it's time to start my real training," Yamato said to herself as she arrived at a luxurious courtyard. This was the territory of the Beasts Pirates and her personal residence within the Flower Capital.
She knew she couldn't rely on luck. To survive the coming storm, she needed to master her Haki and prepare her body. If she wanted to reach a bounty of 3,000,000,000 or higher in the future, the work had to start now.