Yamato now felt like she was sinking into a terrifying swamp of thoughts. If she kept going, her worldview would collapse.
So she quickly stopped, afraid of reaching some horrifying conclusion.
But while Yamato stopped thinking, Gusion didn't stop. "When I traveled through Wano, I heard Oden's story too. After his battle with Kaido, he was captured and immediately executed. You say your father wants to kill you, so why didn't he execute you after defeating you?"
Yamato's mind was a mess. Information crashed around in her sixteen-year-old brain, and her eyes grew dazed. "Maybe... he wanted to kill me in battle?"
Gusion's expression was playful. "So you think Kaido's Thunder Bagua can't crush your skull? Every time it just happens to knock you out?"
"That's just good luck. After all, I'm Kozuki Oden."
Yamato answered quickly this time.
"Oh? But I don't think Oden was very lucky—after all, he died. Unlike you, who survives every time."
Gusion added, "And didn't you say you've grown stronger over the years?"
Yamato was dazed, but responded to the last part, nodding. "Of course! Compared to a few years ago, I'm much stronger now."
"So, do you think, if you fought your eleven-year-old self now, you could kill her in one move?"
Gusion coaxed.
Yamato thought for just a moment before answering, "Of course. Back then, I wasn't even good at Armament Haki. My body wasn't fully developed, my strength was much less, and my combat skills were nowhere near what they are now..."
She suddenly felt something was off, like Gusion had set a trap.
She wanted to change her words, but Gusion spoke first.
"So, why do you think Kaido, who can beat you now, couldn't kill eleven-year-old you a few years ago, but instead fought you for a while?"
Gusion delivered the finishing blow.
Yamato was completely dumbfounded. The self-consistent worldview she'd built over years was shattered by Gusion's questions. She realized the common sense in her world had no logic.
If Gusion's logic held, then Kaido never really wanted to kill her, but continuously indulged her.
Seeing Yamato so lost, Gusion continued, "You mentioned before that people here called you Oni Princess before you were eight, but now they call you 'Young Master.' You also said Kaido calls you his son now. Doesn't that seem odd?"
Yamato was confused. "What's odd about it?"
"What do you think caused these changes?"
Gusion asked.
"Isn't it because I'm Kozuki Oden now? Oden was a man, so I'm a man, not Princess anymore."
Yamato replied after thinking.
Gusion smiled. "So you have some logical thinking. But then, have you ever wondered why everyone goes along with you?"
Yamato was stunned. She'd never thought about it—wasn't it natural?
"If Kaido hadn't ordered it, who would bother changing what they call you?"
Gusion sighed. "Your father is just playing house with you, indulging your roleplaying."
This was why Gusion thought Kaido was a loving father. After so many failed attempts to educate her, Kaido had surrendered to Yamato's self-identification as Oden, and told everyone to call her his son.
For what? Just to make his daughter happy—nothing else.
The only explanation: Kaido doted on his daughter.
That was the root of Yamato's issues. Even though he was a cruel pirate, Kaido spoiled his daughter in some ways, so she grew up so twisted.
In the original, when Kaido announced he'd make Yamato the shogun of Wano on the night he took full control, he basically let her play out her Oden fantasy, making her shogun for real.
Of course, he also wanted to use her as a puppet to control Wano, but at almost sixty, who else could inherit everything after he retired or died?
"Impossible! Stop talking!"
Yamato yelled, covering her ears and backing away, looking at Gusion in fear.
"So the great Kozuki Oden is a coward who can't even listen to others?"
Yamato flinched, then lowered her hands. "No, that's not true! I am Kozuki Oden, the hero of Wano, the man who will open the country!"
"Do you know what opening the country really means? Do you know its pros and cons?"
Gusion pressed.
"Opening the country... means overthrowing Kaido's rule, ending isolation, and connecting with the world..."
Yamato's voice grew quieter, realizing she didn't actually know what opening the country meant. Even Oden's diary was vague about it.
It just emphasized that a hero would come twenty years later to free Wano, and before that, there was no need to open the country.
As for the form and pros and cons of opening the country, she had no idea.
Maybe Oden himself didn't understand it either.
"See? In the end, you know nothing. You're just a girl who found Oden's diary and worships him mindlessly. You're no different from eight years ago—your body grew, but your mind stayed the same."
Gusion said.
Tears welled in Yamato's eyes. "Why are you saying such hurtful things? I thought we were friends!"
"Exactly because I consider you a friend, I have to tell you these things—to point out what's wrong and help you wake up."
Gusion said, "I don't think rebelling against Kaido's tyranny is wrong, and wanting to free Wano's people is admirable, but your views on Kaido and Oden are seriously twisted. Haven't you realized?"
Yamato hugged her head and curled up in the corner, seemingly shutting down.
Maybe because she was still young, at an age good at learning and thinking, and had only identified as Oden for eight years, Yamato was actually seriously considering Gusion's words.
She felt everything Gusion said was outrageous, but somehow made sense.
For a while, Yamato was extremely conflicted, and the Oden figure she'd built up over eight years was slowly collapsing.
She really didn't want to admit that her father had never tried to kill her, but instead had indulged and spoiled her.
If that were true, wouldn't it mean she was an utterly unfilial, heartless person?
Gusion realized he might have pushed Yamato too hard. He got carried away and ended up breaking her down.
So he stopped talking, closed his eyes, and rested. After all, after all the stories and sparring, he was mentally exhausted.
…
On the other side, Onigashima.
Torches in the cave dispelled the darkness, illuminating the massive figure seated at the central throne.
The small giant sitting there was bare-chested, his muscular body covered in tattoos, exuding a powerful presence.
But despite his formidable appearance, a cloud of sorrow hung over him, so much that the two minions serving him drinks were terrified.
This was none other than Kaido, Supreme Commander of the Beasts Pirates, the world's strongest creature, and one of the Four Emperors!
Bang—
Kaido smashed an empty sake jug against the wall, shards scattering everywhere. His face was flushed with drunkenness, breath reeking of alcohol. "So miserable... I just want to die."
Those who knew Kaido understood—after drinking, he'd display all kinds of emotional states, the most common being depressed mode. Once in this state, he'd get so sad he wanted to kill himself.
And Kaido wasn't just talking—he'd actually try to do it, but his body was so tough that normal suicide methods never worked.
"Sake! I need more sake... Bring me sake!!"
Kaido roared, on the verge of a drunken tantrum.
"Boss, more sake is on the way. Please, just wait a moment..."
One of the attendants said nervously, knowing Kaido's drunken rages could get violent. Others had been seriously injured by him before.
That was only because Kaido recognized them as his own, and held back.
"Huh? Why is it taking so long!?"
Kaido fumed, slamming the armrest, making the cave tremble.
As the two sake servers trembled, a tall, alluring woman walked up and rescued them. "Who made our boss so angry?"
The woman entering was tall and voluptuous, with alluring charm, her long golden hair in an updo, emerald green eyes, snow-white skin, and a pair of red horns on her head. She wore pearl earrings, a sword for a hairpin, a black off-shoulder kimono with floral patterns, and a green sash. As she spoke, smoke curled from her pipe.
"Maria-sama."
The two attendants bowed respectfully. She was Black Maria, one of the Tobiroppo and a high-ranking officer in the Beasts Pirates, with a close personal relationship to Kaido.
"Maria, you came at the right time. Drink with me."
Kaido seemed agitated, but after seeing Maria, calmed down and waited for his sake.
"I heard Young Master Yamato challenged you again yesterday. Is that why you're upset?"
Maria picked up a half-empty sake jug and poured for Kaido, smiling gently.
At this, Kaido's expression turned despondent again. "Don't mention it. I just taught her a lesson and sent her to Udon Prison. Hopefully she'll reflect this time."
But history told him that his rebellious child would never reflect, and would just challenge him again after getting out.
"Don't be mad. I hear Young Master Yamato is actually reflecting this time."
Maria smiled.
Kaido dismissed it as a comforting lie and said nothing, just gloomily drank his sake.
"Don't believe me? I've had the Crocodile Woman keep an eye on Young Master Yamato. This time, she met an interesting person in prison. Remember that oni slayer who challenged you a few days ago?"
Black Maria smiled, "They're in the same cell. He analyzed Yamato's growth for a long time, and now Yamato is doubting her whole life."
Kaido was stunned, even stopped drinking. "What?"
PS: Bonus Chapter at 100 PS