He would only place that illusory hope on some distant, unreachable prophecy, like a traveler lost in the desert clutching at a straw that might snap at any moment, unwilling to make the slightest effort to search for a real source of water.
"Hahaha…"
Yamato suddenly threw her head back and let out a bleak, miserable laugh.
The sound echoed through the vast, empty hall.
Tears spilled down her cheeks beyond her control, each drop like a heavy weight pressing down on her heart until she could hardly breathe.
"So I was the biggest joke of all!" Yamato's voice was filled with bitter self-mockery and grief.
She abruptly raised her hand and tore off the headband on her forehead, the one that symbolized Oden.
That headband had once been her pride, an invisible bond tying her to Oden.
Now, it had become a shackle that bound her.
With a fierce motion, she flung it away.
The headband traced an arc through the air before smashing hard against the floor.
The sharp clang of metal striking stone rang through the hall. It sounded like her shattered faith exploding in the silence, fragments flying in every direction.
"Twenty years… Twenty whole years!"
Yamato screamed as though her heart were being torn apart. Her body trembled violently, as if swept up by a wild gale.
That trembling came from her rage toward Oden, but also from the joy of liberation.
The invisible chains that had bound her for so many years, the heavy burdens that had once made it difficult for her to breathe, were finally shattered completely.
She had awakened from a long nightmare.
Though her heart was still full of pain, she also felt a lightness she had never known before.
Kaido stood there in silence, his massive figure like a quiet mountain.
His eyes remained fixed on everything before him, and within them, a faint trace of relief flickered almost imperceptibly.
That relief was like a clear spring found by chance in a barren desert, precious and hidden.
He had never seen Yamato break down like this before.
That once-stubborn body had lost all its support in an instant, looking so fragile that it made one's heart ache.
Yet what moved him even more was that within this collapse, Yamato had revealed a clarity she had never possessed before.
It was not the sudden awakening of someone ignorant and confused.
It was a new understanding of herself and the world, reached only after painful struggle and deep reflection.
Complex emotions stirred in Kaido's heart.
There was relief at Yamato's growth, and there was also sorrow over everything that had happened in the past.
Inwardly, he gritted his teeth and thought, 'Ron, you brat… you really make me hate you and admire you at the same time!'
On the other side of the room, Ron stood quietly by the window.
Sunlight poured through the mottled glass and fell across him, but against the backlight, it only outlined a vague silhouette. His expression could not be seen at all.
Only his calm voice drifted slowly through the silent room.
"Now, you're finally free."
Those simple words struck Yamato's heart like a heavy hammer.
Every word seemed to carry an invisible force, sending ripples through her soul.
It was like the final piece of a puzzle, fitting perfectly into the picture within her heart.
At that moment, she seemed to finally understand what true freedom was.
Freedom had never been as simple as escaping restraints.
It was not drifting aimlessly with the current.
It was certainly not blindly following someone else's will.
True freedom was having thoughts of one's own and being able to think independently.
It was possessing sound judgment and being able to distinguish right from wrong in a chaotic, complicated world.
It was being able to follow the voice in one's heart with unwavering resolve when faced with a choice.
Slowly, she raised her head.
There were still tear tracks on her lowered eyes, but the confusion within them had already begun to fade like morning mist.
In its place was a clarity she had never possessed in twenty years.
That clarity was like a beam of light suddenly appearing in the darkness, illuminating the path ahead and allowing her, for the first time, to see her own direction so clearly.
...
Marine Headquarters, Fleet Admiral's office.
Sunlight slipped through the gaps in the heavy curtains, casting a few faint streaks of light and shadow, as though it, too, were quietly watching the important conversation about to unfold.
At that moment, the atmosphere inside the office was especially heavy.
Kizaru stood before Sengoku's wide, orderly desk.
His posture was straight, yet still carried a trace of casual laziness, both hands tucked leisurely into his pockets.
Normally, his face was always filled with that frivolous, carefree smile, but now, the usual indifference was nowhere to be seen.
In its place was a rare seriousness that he could not quite hide.
"Sengoku-san~" Kizaru slowly began, deliberately drawing out his words with his usual peculiar rhythm.
"Something big has happened over in Wano Country~"
There was a faint heaviness in his tone. Every word seemed to carry tremendous pressure.
Sengoku, who had been focused on the documents in his hands, slowly put them down.
He lifted his head slightly, his brows drawing together. A trace of doubt and concern appeared in his eyes.
"What happened to make even you look so serious?"
His gaze was as sharp as a hawk's, fixed tightly on Kizaru as if trying to find the answer in his expression.
Kizaru gently pushed up the sunglasses on the bridge of his nose.
The lenses reflected a cold glint under the sunlight.
He took a deep breath, then said solemnly, "The Beasts Pirates~"
He paused for a moment before continuing.
"They no longer exist~"
"What?!"
Sengoku felt as if he had been struck by a bolt from the blue.
He shot up from his chair.
The chair behind him scraped harshly against the floor because of his sudden movement, the sound especially jarring in the quiet office.
He planted both hands firmly on the desk and leaned forward, his eyes filled with disbelief as he demanded loudly.
"That bastard Kaido… is dead?"
Kizaru slowly shook his head, his expression becoming even more solemn.
"Worse than that~"
For once, he straightened his posture properly, putting away his usual lazy demeanor. He looked at Sengoku seriously and continued.
"Kaido has joined the Eternal Divine Kingdom~"
Sengoku's pupils contracted sharply.
A layer of cold sweat instantly appeared on his forehead, then slid slowly down his cheek.
He understood all too well what this meant.
A combatant on the level of one of the Four Emperors was already a terrifying force that gave the seas endless headaches.
Now, with the support of the mysterious and unfathomable Eternal Divine Kingdom, just how horrifying would their power become?
This was undoubtedly a bomb dropped into an already turbulent world.
The entire balance of power had completely changed.
The scales that had once seemed to be in equilibrium were now violently tilting toward an unknown direction…
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