"When you first became one of the Shichibukai, I even doubted it—Michael's eye for talent shouldn't be bad, so how did he end up choosing a useless thing like you?" Hawk Eyes lifted his head, staring tightly into Gecko Moria's eyes.
"But now it seems Michael truly had the sharper eye. I apologize for underestimating you back then, so…"
"Heh shishishishi! So what? You gonna kneel down and beg me for forgiveness?" Gecko Moria gripped his giant blade with both hands; shadows flickered between his fingers as he entered the state of absorbing shadows to strengthen himself.
"But the sword in your hand… doesn't look like you're here to apologize!"
"So, please die beneath my blade." Hawk Eyes rarely showed a faint smile—cold, yet burning with intensity. "You are already a spirit worthy of leaving your name to my sword."
"A spirit… you never considered me alive at all, huh?"
"In my eyes, as long as they are enemies, they are already dead… I simply need to send them off myself."
As Hawk Eyes spoke, he gripped the black blade Yoru with both hands and suddenly struck to the side, knocking Gecko Moria's giant blade away.
Then, with a reverse upward slash, a massive flying slash—just as huge as the one that cleaved the pirate ship—burst forth in an instant.
Taking that blow at such close range, Gecko Moria was sent flipping through the air.
But the next moment…
Gecko Moria's body suddenly swelled, his already strange skin turning an even deeper bluish-black.
His head, flung backward a moment ago, snapped back upright; beneath his eyes, thick darkness gathered.
"Really… thank you all for killing every one of my shadow-enhanced subordinates…"
"This way, it's much more convenient for me to… avenge them."
"Shadow… Gathering Ground!"
"2000%!"
...
Blackbeard stood on Kaido's flagship, his expression dark.
Kaido never told him there were so many troublesome opponents in the Marines!
"Oi, you two aren't going to support them?"
Blackbeard turned to look at the unmoving Beasts Pirates.
From the start of the skirmish until now, not a single member of the Beasts Pirates had acted.
And the ones who issued that order were, naturally, the highest-ranking All-Stars apart from Kaido—
King and Queen.
The two leisurely commanded their subordinates.
Even though Kaido had temporarily given Blackbeard command authority, the Beasts Pirates themselves were not under his command.
And when King and Queen received Blackbeard's questioning, they turned around, eyebrows full of ridicule.
"Why should we support them?" King's mask hid his expression, but his low laughter revealed his disdain.
"Don't forget—they're only temporary allies… You didn't seriously think the Beasts Pirates would share Wano with these clowns, did you?"
"I'm not interested in whatever schemes you're plotting," Blackbeard growled. "I only know that if those villains' defensive line breaks… then we're finished too!"
"That's why—while they're killing each other, we're going to bypass this battlefield… and strike Wano's mainland directly."
"You say it like it's easy. How are we supposed to break through four Logia users surrounding us!?"
"I may not look like it, but I used to do scientific research with Vegapunk…" Queen slapped his belly, dumped an entire bowl of sickeningly sweet red bean soup into his mouth, and grinned. "I'm someone who deserves the title 'genius scientist'… Modifying a pirate ship might not be my specialty, but it's more than enough!"
He waved toward the Beasts Pirates' fleet.
The familiar New World coating slowly expanded.
The next moment, all ships flying the Beasts Pirates' flag extended a layer of metal from their hulls, completely encasing the vessels.
They transformed into submarines.
"Follow my orders—dive together!"
Queen held a Den Den Mushi, using it as a loudspeaker.
The other ships of the Beasts Pirates began to submerge.
But Kaido's flagship, being too large, hadn't fully closed yet.
And at that moment, a silhouette bounced across countless masts—landing aboard at the final instant.
With a booming crash, the flagship finished its transformation into a submarine.
As lights lit the interior…
A woman in a white Marine uniform now stood upon the deck.
Her long hair faded from white to teal, cascading behind her waist.
In her hand was a massive kanabo.
"Long time no see, everyone."
Her voice carried unmistakable nostalgia.
Blackbeard looked confused.
But King and Queen's eyes widened more and more!
After a long moment, the two finally spoke in disbelief:
"You're… Yamato?"
"So you still recognize me." Yamato slung her club, showing a bright, healthy smile. "Look, we're acquaintances… so how about this—if you surrender now, I might hold back a little."
Her gaze swept across everyone.
Finally she pointed at the stunned Blackbeard:
"But not him. I hate ungrateful traitors who betray their fathers the most!"
After speaking, Yamato casually swung her kanabo.
"Yamato… I don't know what kind of spell that man named Michael has cast on you…" King's voice trembled with pained emotion.
"Kaido is still your father…"
"Father? You mean the father who locked an explosive collar on me strong enough to blow me to pieces?" Yamato let out a cold laugh and raised her kanabo at King. "If someone gave you a father like that, would you want him—oh, right, you've never met your father, have you! That's…"
"So very fortunate."
Yamato's merciless mockery finally angered even King, who still held some affection for her.
"Since you've delivered yourself, perfect… I'll bring you back to your father myself." King stepped forward, Lunarian flames blazing behind him.
"To think you'd walk alone into enemy territory… naive."
"Naive? I don't think so…"
Yamato shook her head, tied her hair into a long ponytail.
When she raised her head again, the pressure in her eyes had changed.
Her Conqueror's Haki erupted skyward, sweeping across the entire deck—instantly knocking out all the small fry.
Seeing who remained standing after the cleansing burst of Conqueror's Haki, Yamato's eyes gleamed with a hunter's excitement.
"Right now, it's just me—surrounding all of you."
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Fanfic is finished. 583 chapters in total on p@treon/tambeerg