In the distance, watching the two combatants finally separate, King, Maria, and Haruko all felt a sense of being caught between laughter and tears. The sheer intensity of the fight was terrifying, yet the stubbornness displayed by both father and daughter was almost comical.
"Lord King, is it time to go out and persuade the Young Master and Lord Kaido to stop?" Haruko asked, her voice hushed with concern.
King nodded, his gaze fixed on the steam rising from the cracked stone. "Yes, the time is right. They've vented enough for one night."
With that, King spread his wings and flew toward the center of the rooftop. "Big Brother, Young Master! You've been fighting for a full eight hours. It's almost dawn. That's enough; it's time to stop!"
As King landed between them, the violent aura surrounding Yamato and Kaido weakened significantly. The air, which had been thick with the pressure of their Haki, began to clear.
"Lord Kaido, Yamato, dawn is coming soon. If you keep fighting, the banquet will be over before you even get a taste," Maria added as she stepped forward, joining King. "Let's call a truce for now so you can still make it. Let's go have a drink together; everyone is waiting for you below."
"Young Master, Lord Kaido, Lord King and Lady Maria are right. Let's leave it at that for tonight," Haruko chimed in, hoping to appeal to their sense of reason.
Seeing the three of them step forward to mediate, Yamato and Kaido didn't want to disregard their intentions. Both were clearly exhausted and were happy to take the opportunity to back down without losing face.
"Yamato, we'll save the rest of today's fight for next time. Next time, I'll definitely beat you into the ground," Kaido said. He let out a huff and put away his spiked club as his terrifying Haki finally dissipated into the morning air.
"Stop talking big, Idiot Old Man! Next time, I'll definitely be the one to knock out all your teeth," Yamato replied rudely. She exhaled a long breath and withdrew her own Haki, the red-black lightning vanishing from her weapon.
Watching the two of them baring their teeth at each other like lions with ruffled manes, the three bystanders felt quite helpless. What was this rivalry even about? If someone didn't know they were family, they would think these two were sworn enemies.
"Alright, alright, Big Brother, let's go. If we don't head down now, the crew will drink all the wine," King said, physically nudging Kaido toward the stairs.
"That won't do! I'm the Governor and I haven't even had a drink yet! How dare they finish the wine? Do they have a death wish?" Kaido immediately became agitated, his priorities shifting instantly toward alcohol.
"Don't worry, Big Brother, I specifically saved some of the best barrels for you. There's plenty to go around," King assured him, steering the giant away.
"That's more like it! That brat Yamato—it's all her fault. If she hadn't refused to let me beat her down sooner, I'd already be drinking!" Kaido grumbled incessantly as he walked away.
King rolled his eyes behind his mask but still played along to keep the peace. "Yes, yes, of course, Big Brother."
On the other side of the roof, Yamato sat down heavily, her legs finally giving out. She looked up at Haruko. "Haruko, give me a cigarette."
"Yamato, look at yourself. You're covered in injuries and you still want to smoke? You should get treated first," Maria said, unable to watch her friend sit there bleeding any longer.
Yamato laughed, though it turned into a wince. "It's fine. These minor injuries aren't a problem; they'll be all better after a few days of rest. Don't worry about it. Haruko, hurry up and give me a cigarette."
Haruko looked at Maria for permission, and only after Maria sighed and nodded did she take out a cigarette and light it for Yamato.
"Phew, that feels much better," Yamato said, taking a long drag. As the smoke filled her lungs, the sharp pain in her body seemed to ease significantly.
In truth, Kaido had held the absolute advantage in this battle; she was the one who had been barely holding on toward the end. If the fight had continued much longer, the winner would undoubtedly have been her old man. Yamato's Haki was not yet as strong as Kaido's; this was a simple fact and her greatest disadvantage.
Even if Kaido at eighteen wasn't as strong as the current Yamato, the current Kaido was a veteran in his prime. That Yamato could fight him to a standstill for eight hours was already an incredible feat.
"You shouldn't fight like this next time. You are father and daughter, after all; it's unsightly to make such a mess of yourselves," Maria advised as she helped Yamato stand.
Yamato waved the concern off. "It's fine. It's just a simple father-daughter scrap. Doing it a few more times is nothing."
"Nothing? Do you want to destroy Onigashima?" Maria rolled her eyes, gesturing to the rooftop that looked as though it had been plowed by a giant ox.
"Haha, Maria, don't worry, it's not that serious," Yamato laughed. In her mind, she was already planning for the next time. If she fought Kaido a few more times, her Haki would surely catch up. Then, she would finally be able to pin that Idiot Old Man to the ground and pummel him properly.
Seeing Yamato's stubborn expression, Maria knew it was useless to say anything more.
"That's enough. Let's go, change clothes, and then get something to eat," Yamato said after finishing her cigarette. She stood up, slung her spiked club behind her back, and started walking.
"I really don't understand you monsters and your physical constitutions," Maria said, seeing Yamato acting as if she hadn't just been hit by a club the size of a tree trunk.
Afterward, Yamato followed Maria and Haruko back to the lower levels of the fortress.
"Send the food over to the room; I won't join the Idiot Old Man and the others at the main hall," Yamato said as they arrived at Maria's quarters. She went off to draw water for a bath, desperately needing to wash off the blood and dust.
"Haruko, I'll leave Yamato to you. I have to head back to the banquet and make sure the crew hasn't burned the place down," Maria said before heading back out.
Inside the bath, Yamato soaked in the steaming hot water, leaning her head against the wooden edge. "Haruko, do you want to wash with me? Don't worry, this isn't sexual harassment, just a simple invitation between friends. You coming in?"
Hearing Yamato's blunt words, Haruko's face flushed slightly. "I think I'll pass on the bath, Young Master."
"Haha, Haruko, you really are shy! We're both women, what's there to be embarrassed about? It's not like I can do anything to you," Yamato teased, splashing a bit of water.
Haruko became even more flustered. "Then... let me at least help scrub the Young Master's back."
"Oh?" Yamato was a bit surprised. She had just been joking, but she didn't expect the other girl to offer. "Sure, go ahead."
Haruko came over and began to help scrub Yamato's back, her movements careful around the bruises and cuts.
"Haruko, do you have some misunderstanding about back scrubbing?" Yamato asked after a moment, noticing Haruko's hands moving in a different pattern.
"Do I? I'm giving the Young Master a body massage. How does it feel?" Haruko replied, her voice soft.
Yamato thought for a moment, the warmth of the water and the pressure on her muscles making her drowsy. "Hmm... if it's a body massage, then alright."
Though she was a bit suspicious of the technique, it was undeniably comfortable. Yamato closed her eyes, letting the exhaustion finally take hold. At some point, she fell straight asleep in the tub. When she finally woke up, she found herself tucked into a comfortable bed.
"I actually fell asleep. Is Haruko's massage technique that good?" Yamato sat up and stretched, feeling much better. The crushing fatigue from the battle with Kaido had mostly vanished. "Hmm, who changed my clothes? Maria or Haruko?"
Yamato looked down at the clean yukata she was wearing.
Grumble!
At that moment, Yamato's stomach growled loudly.
"I forgot I haven't eaten anything yet," Yamato muttered. She got out of bed and walked out into the main living area.
"Ah, I figured you'd be waking up soon. The food was just prepared right as you got up," Maria said with a laugh when she saw Yamato emerge. She waved her hand, and several servants brought out large trays of meat and rice.
"It had to be you, Maria. I'm starving!" Yamato said without ceremony, sitting down and digging in.
"By the way, Maria, what time is it now?" Yamato asked between bites. She didn't know how long she had been out, but she felt refreshed enough to start another fight.
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