Even when standing before someone unimaginably powerful, Yamato refused to back down.
She held her head high like the little iron-headed warrior she was born to be despite the fact that the one in front of her wasn't just anyone, but her real father, one of the Four Emperors ruling the New World, the so-called Strongest Creature alive, Kaido of the Beasts.
"He's not a bad guy! The Black Emperor is someone I want to become in the future… and he's my father too!"
Gripping her little spiked club, Yamato's adorable face was filled with unwavering determination.
Kaido's expression darkened. Veins bulged on his forehead, his jaw clenched so hard it looked like his teeth might shatter, but he still forced a twisted grin.
"Orah rah rah… Yamato, you brat, you've really lost it. I'm your father, dammit!"
"That's true… but Lord Ozz is my father too!"
"Shut up!!!"
Kaido roared, as if unable to accept that truth. He lunged toward Yamato with a massive hand.
But before his fingers could so much as graze her, Yamato's figure vanished only to reappear in Ozz's arms.
The man gently patted her on the head.
"That's no way to treat your daughter, Kaido."
Ozz's face was calm and gentle. To anyone who hadn't fought him, he might've seemed like a refined and affable gentleman. That sharp, handsome face was deeply deceptive.
Nearby, Lady Toki and her two children stared in dumbfounded silence.
Was that… Kaido's daughter sitting on Ozz's shoulder?
What in the world was happening?
"I don't need your parenting advice, Ozz!!!"
Kaido's voice trembled with fury. Watching Yamato happily accept the head pats like she'd been won over, his grip on the kanabo tightened with a harsh creak. His killing intent flared.
"You bastard!!!"
With a thunderous roar, Kaido lunged forward, bringing down a swing laced with thick layers of Armament Haki. The air tore as the spiked club hurtled down.
Clang!!
Ozz drew his blade in a smooth arc, calm and composed, parrying the blow like it was nothing. The force behind Kaido's Thunder Bagua was tremendous, but Ozz met it head-on with a single strike.
The shockwave from their clash blasted outward, ripping through the air. The entire structure of the tower collapsed like paper, shattered wood raining down in all directions. Lady Toki shielded her children as they were flung back by the force, protected by a few loyal retainers.
"Lord Kaido!!"
Down below, King stared up at the ruined building. The two titanic figures clashed amid the flames, and behind his mask, King's pupils constricted in shock.
No way.
Why is he here?!
"All units, full alert!!" King's eyes filled with bloodshot urgency as he shouted.
"We've got a monster on our hands!!"
Kaido wasn't holding back. Not now. Especially not when enraged.
Ozz, still holding Yamato with one arm, wielded his sword Ace with the other. His monstrous strength allowed him to meet Kaido's full-force strikes without so much as flinching.
Crack... crack...
Their Haki clashed, the pressure forcing all weaker warriors to keep their distance. And in the midst of it, Yamato standing at the very edge of overwhelming power unleashed a faint surge of her own Conqueror's Haki.
It was small, barely a ripple.
But it was there.
Still, this was far too much for her to handle.
"Partings are always too short..."
Ozz's voice was tinged with resignation as he looked down at Yamato, a soft smile on his face.
"Forgive me, Yamato. We'll go on another adventure together… next time."
For reasons she couldn't explain, that smile made Yamato's heart tighten.
She clutched at his shirt.
"Eh? Why? Father… what are you going to do?"
Ozz didn't answer.
With a thought, Yamato vanished from his arms and reappeared safely in King's grasp.
"Yamato?!"
King froze. He'd been about to leap into the fight, but the sudden appearance of the girl made him pause.
"Father!!! No!!!"
Yamato screamed, struggling as tears poured from her eyes. Her face contorted in panic and grief, her tiny fists pounding at King's armor.
But Ozz didn't look back.
Once he was sure Yamato was safe and restrained, he finally unleashed himself.
Kaido, too, no longer held back. He wasn't about to blast his own daughter into paste.
"Orah rah rah… Ozz, you ready to die!?"
Ozz's Conqueror's Haki flared, swirling black and red lightning crackling along his blade. His smile was calm, almost amused.
"Try not to die too fast, Kaido. That'd be boring."
The two titans stood across from each other.
A towering dragon-man. A lean, sharp-eyed warrior cloaked in roaring Haki.
"Thunder Bagua!!"
"Divine Departure!!"
The sky cracked open.
Black lightning burst forth as their attacks collided. The sheer force blew away everything nearby.
Kaido's eyes narrowed.
Something was wrong.
This Conqueror's Haki… it was stronger than before.
It had only been two years, but Ozz's power had grown. Not by a little, but by a lot.
This wasn't going to be easy.
Of course, Kaido wasn't one to go down in a few hits either. He'd withstood attacks from Luffy and his entire alliance. There was no way he'd crumble so quickly, even alone.
The battlefield was reduced to rubble, but Kaido showed no signs of defeat.
Well, aside from constantly getting pushed back.
"Teleport Kick~"
Ozz deflected Kaido's next swing and vanished. In the brief window before Kaido could re-center his stance, Ozz appeared right in front of him.
This was one of the early fruits of his awakened ability.
Hands in his pockets, Ozz's foot wreathed in crimson flames and crackling electricity slammed into Kaido's chest.
Boom!!
Caught off guard, Kaido was sent flying into the forest. He barely managed to bury his kanabo in the ground to slow his fall.
"Annoying ability…"
Kaido wiped the blood from his mouth. He looked far from finished.
A few years ago, he could brawl with Ozz for hours. That hadn't changed.
The gap between them existed but it wasn't enough for Ozz to simply steamroll him.
Back then, with Big Mom at his side, Kaido had even managed to force Ozz to retreat.
Now, even alone, he wouldn't be defeated that easily.
At the very least, he could keep this fight going for days.
He blew apart the trees in his way with a single swing, and the wounds on his body already began to heal, regenerating before the leaves had finished falling.
Ozz didn't look surprised.
His attention had shifted.
Not to Kaido but to the group surrounded by soldiers nearby.
The samurai.
Lady Toki and her children.
No more time to waste playing with Kaido.
If this drags on any longer...
Momonosuke might escape.