"Young Lord, I called you here today because Big Brother has something important to announce," King spoke up, breaking the silence of the hall.
"Something important?" Yamato asked, shifting her gaze toward Kaido.
Kaido glanced at her and snorted. "Listen well. Wano Country is now completely under our thumb. Those foolish samurai who tried to resist have all been suppressed. From this moment on, Wano will serve as the official base for the Beasts Pirates. However, that isn't enough. Our crew needs to continue growing; our current numbers are far too low."
He leaned forward, his presence filling the room. "Therefore, I have decided to use Wano as a foothold to begin expanding our territory. In other words, the Beasts Pirates are beginning our Great Expedition!"
As soon as the words left his mouth, everyone in the room held their breath. They all understood exactly what Kaido meant. With the internal resistance in Wano eliminated, there were no longer any major threats hiding in the shadows of the country. Kaido could finally lead his crew into the open sea without worrying about his home base. Without a doubt, he was preparing to dominate the New World.
"So, it's finally starting," Yamato thought, a sharp glint flashing in her golden eyes.
The Beasts Pirates didn't have much of a reputation in the New World yet, mostly because Wano was a closed-off nation. The outside world had no idea what happened behind its rocky borders, and the people of Wano were just as ignorant of the events beyond the seas. Now that Kaido had stabilized the country and turned it into his personal fortress, expansion was the logical next step. Yamato knew that the Whitebeard Pirates and the Big Mom Pirates had already made names for themselves. Kaido was well aware of this, and now that he had the chance, he wasn't going to let them stay ahead of him.
Scanning the quiet crowd, Kaido continued, "You are the top executives of this crew and my most capable subordinates. For the battles ahead, I will need your full strength."
"Don't worry, Big Brother. We have no objections," King said, being the first to state his loyalty.
"An expedition? That sounds very interesting indeed," Queen added, an eager, twisted expression crossing his face.
"Governor-sama, we will follow your lead," Sasaki and Who's-Who added quickly. Having joined the crew voluntarily, they had no reason to oppose the order. Unlike the original members, these two lacked deep-seated loyalty, but they knew better than to challenge Kaido's authority.
"Lord Kaido, since we are moving out, what kind of arrangements should be made?" Black Maria's voice was gentle, instantly softening the tense atmosphere in the room.
"I haven't decided on the specifics yet; that's why I wanted to discuss it with all of you. Share your thoughts on how we should carry out this campaign," Kaido said without a hint of embarrassment. In reality, he just wanted to go out and fight. He hadn't bothered to think of an actual plan.
"Pfft..." Yamato couldn't help but laugh. "Old Man, you certainly make it sound official. I bet you haven't thought about the details at all. Is it because your brain isn't up to the task that you called us all here to do the thinking for you?"
The room fell into a dead silence. The other pirates stared at the floor or their own hands, their hearts pounding in their chests. No one else would ever dare to speak to Kaido like that. If anyone but Yamato had been so blunt, Kaido would have likely crushed them with his club by now.
"Yamato, you're part of this too," Kaido said, acting as if he hadn't heard the insult. He was well-acquainted with Yamato's sharp tongue and her habit of mocking him. If he stopped to argue every time she poked fun at him, they would spend all their time fighting. "You are going on this expedition, and you must contribute to the Beasts Pirates."
"No problem. It just so happens I wanted to get out and get some exercise anyway," Yamato replied.
She hadn't been idle. After years of intense training, mastering all three types of Haki, and consuming an Artificial Devil Fruit, she had been building her strength while keeping a low profile. It was finally time for her official debut on the world stage.
Kaido nodded with satisfaction. He had been half-expecting his "stinky brat" of a daughter to refuse him just to be difficult. If she had, he would have felt obligated to give her a "lesson" with his club. Fortunately, Yamato was being sensible for once.
"Big Brother, regarding the expedition, we still lack total manpower," King suggested. "Since this is our first major push, we should concentrate our strongest forces."
Kaido looked at him. "Specifically, how should we move?"
"We can divide into two teams," King explained slowly. "Your team will be the main force, with Queen and me at the core. As for Jack and the Young Lord, they can form a second team to coordinate our movements and handle secondary objectives."
Kaido thought for a moment and nodded. "That sounds reasonable. What about the rest of you? If you have ideas, speak up." As he spoke, Kaido's gaze swept over the executives, his eyes heavy with pressure.
"Old Man, I have one suggestion: courtesy before force," Yamato said.
"Courtesy before force? What are you talking about, Yamato?" Kaido asked, genuinely confused.
Yamato sighed and rolled her eyes. "It's terrifying how uncultured you are. You have all the time in the world to drink, but you can't find a moment to read a book? No wonder people call you a brute—it's because you are one."
Veins popped on Kaido's forehead. He glared at his "filial" daughter, who seemed to take every opportunity to insult his intelligence.
"Ahem, Young Lord, please tell us your thoughts," King coughed, trying to bail Kaido out of the awkward situation. The other executives remained perfectly still, pretending they hadn't seen the exchange. They had no desire to get caught in the middle of a family feud.
"Since this is an expedition, it will be time-consuming and expensive," Yamato explained. "The most efficient way is to follow a simple process: deter, destabilize, and finally, occupy. The arrival of the Beasts Pirates serves as the initial deterrence. Next is destabilization; before the locals can organize a real resistance, we take out their leaders. Once the figureheads are gone, the people will be like a pile of loose sand. At that time..."
"At that time, we charge in and take everything!" Kaido interrupted, looking proud as if he had figured it all out.
Yamato looked at him with pure exasperation. "Old Man, I know your brain is small and thinking isn't your strong suit, so don't force it. Let me finish first."
Kaido's face froze, his expression turning sour. The others in the room desperately wanted to laugh but didn't dare, so they simply looked away.
"After the leaders are dealt with, you offer benefits," Yamato continued. "For example, as long as they pay their tribute, we ensure no other pirates cause trouble on their island. We tell them our people won't interfere with their daily lives. On the contrary, we will act as their protectors..."