Swoosh—
A mace descended from the sky, summoned by Ragnar.
Yamato, lost in thought, snapped out of her daze.
"Is this… for me?"
Looking at the mace being handed over—the same type as the one she used before—Yamato's heart trembled.
For a moment, her emotions surged.
A kind of warmth she had never known quietly touched her heart.
This was only the second gift she had ever received in her life.
And it came from the same person.
The first was a pocket mace—a small gesture, yet one that made her feel familial care she had never known.
Now, it was a real weapon—strong, reliable, and laced with the silent promise of protection.
"How could my family—my sister—go to sea without a proper weapon?" Ragnar said plainly.
Seeing Yamato stunned and uncertain, he placed the mace directly into her hands.
Then, he gave her a Den Den Mushi.
"I didn't bring you out of Onigashima just to take you back."
"If you have time, go home more often."
"If anyone bullies you out there, don't just take it. Fight back. If you can't win, then come find me. Don't hide anything."
Ragnar reached out and firmly ruffled Yamato's hair.
"No one in the Grand Line gets to bully someone from my family."
Then, gently, he leaned his forehead against hers.
"..."
Yamato felt the warmth from his touch spread not just through her body, but deep into her heart.
"Go on."
A gust of wind gathered around Ragnar as he released her and launched himself into the sky, soaring hundreds of meters up.
Kaido, watching silently, said nothing.
He neither stopped her nor forced her back.
He simply looked at Yamato one last time—
—then transformed into a massive blue dragon, stepped onto the flaming clouds, and flew away.
But even as her brother and father left one after the other, their overwhelming Conqueror's Haki remained.
Two immense wills—like divine pressure—blanketed the sea for thousands of meters.
So strong was their presence, the sky itself shifted.
Night receded early.
Dawn came too soon.
It was as if the entire sea had been warned:
Whoever dares touch Yamato—will die without mercy.
"Miss Yamato," King said, sensing the lingering Haki across the sea. For the first time, envy surfaced in his heart—but he pushed it down quickly.
"The Grand Line isn't like Onigashima. Be careful out there."
After his warning, he transformed into a toothless pterosaur, grabbed the chained-up Marco like cargo, and took off to rejoin Ragnar and Kaido.
In the past, he'd never taken Yamato seriously.
He even used to call her by name, without any respect.
But now?
All because of Ragnar—
The entire Beasts Pirates showed her deference and fear.
She was Ragnar's sister.
"…"
After they all left, Yamato stood there alone.
The sea stretched before her.
She had her long-awaited freedom.
She could finally breathe the air beyond the island.
Yet, instead of joy…
An unexpected emptiness filled her heart.
"Freedom…?"
"To liberate Wano…"
"To become Kozuki Oden…"
She placed a hand over her chest and whispered to herself.
She thought no one could ever answer her questions about this vast, endless sea.
But—
Memories came flooding in.
Moments since meeting Ragnar.
This memory, once ignored and tucked away, now replayed itself before her eyes, frame by frame, like scenes from a vivid movie.
"Is this really what I want?"
"Is this truly what I desire?"
"Is this... my dream?"
...
On the other side.
King flapped his wings and shot forward like a bullet, quickly catching up with Ragnar and Kaido.
Seeing both of his bosses silent and lost in thought, he could tell their moods were heavy—perhaps distracted, or simply unsettled.
He was thinking more and more about Yamato's journey now that she had finally set out to sea.
"True Lord."
"Kaido sama."
"This is Miss Yamato's first time sailing out, and she's all alone. Maybe... I should secretly follow her and watch over her from the shadows?"
King hesitated for a moment before speaking up, breaking the tense silence.
"We've just confronted Whitebeard, Red Hair, and the Navy one after another."
"If word gets out that Miss Yamato is traveling alone... some people might take advantage of that. I'm afraid there may be those with bad intentions."
As soon as King finished speaking, Kaido—riding his soaring dragon form atop the Flame Clouds—suddenly froze midair.
The dragon—king of all beasts—who would dare provoke its wrath?
Only the bond between father and daughter could make such a mighty creature hesitate, looking back with every step.
Clearly...
In Kaido's heart, this filial daughter, who had honored him for twenty-six long years, was not someone he could easily let go of.
But then—
"Who dares!"
A thunderous roar shattered the silence, shaking the sky that had just begun to brighten with the first light of dawn.
Compared to a moment ago, the Conqueror's Haki flooding from Ragnar was now many times more intense—so potent it seemed to weigh down the heavens themselves.
The newborn dawn trembled under its pressure, as if the sun itself was reconsidering its rise... almost tempted to pull back the night once more.
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