"Arrogant brat! If you want to die so badly, go jump into the sea! If I ever try to stop you again, my name isn't Kaido!" Kaido roared, smashing several more wine gourds against the floor in a fit of rage.
King walked into the room just in time to witness the outburst. "Big Brother, is something the matter?" he asked, his voice calm despite the tension.
"Nothing," Kaido replied nonchalantly, trying to steady himself.
"The Beasts Pirates have been recuperating for almost two years now," King said, getting straight to the point. "Our ranks have expanded significantly. It's about time for our second expedition."
Hearing the word "expedition," Kaido sobered up instantly. "Are the plans ready?"
King nodded. "I've already mapped it out. This expedition will be different from the first. We're heading further out, and the scale is far larger. It's impossible to keep all our forces in one group like last time. We must split up."
He continued, "We'll divide into two routes. You'll lead one, Big Brother, and the Young Master will lead the other. A two-pronged approach will be much more efficient and will cut our travel time in half."
"Yamato? You want her to lead a team?" Kaido raised an eyebrow in surprise.
"Exactly. Her prestige among the crew is very high, second only to yours. Letting her lead her own division is the best choice, and there's no reason to worry about her strength," King explained.
Deep down, King knew the real reason: if Kaido and Yamato were on the same ship, they would inevitably end up trying to kill each other before they even reached the first island.
"Hmph. That stinky brat is lucky," Kaido muttered, though he didn't object to the plan.
King remained silent. Everyone knew that when it came to schemes, Kaido was no match for Yamato, and now it seemed her physical power had finally caught up as well.
"What about the personnel?" Kaido asked.
"On your side, you'll have me, Queen, Sasaki, and Who's-Who," King replied. "The Young Master's team will consist of Maria, Jack, and Haruko."
It was a similar setup to the first expedition, still leaving out the siblings Ulti and Page One since they were still too young for major command roles.
"Why is Jack on the brat's side?" Kaido asked, sounding puzzled.
"I feel Jack and the Young Master get along better, probably because they're close in age," King lied smoothly. In reality, he just wanted someone like Jack available to handle whatever grunt work Yamato and Maria demanded of him.
"The brat really is still just a kid," Kaido said dismissively, not giving it another thought.
Clang! Clang!
On a clear stretch of ground near the Wano shore, Yamato gripped her spiked club, effortlessly fending off simultaneous attacks from Maria and Haruko. Maria wielded a massive Naginata, while Haruko struck with a pair of twin Kodachi.
The two women worked in perfect harmony. Maria's strikes were bold and sweeping, while Haruko moved with lethal speed and flexibility.
"Still not enough!" Yamato shouted, blowing them both back with a single, powerful swing of her club. "Maria, Haruko, don't hold back! Go all out, I can handle it!"
Having grown accustomed to the terrifying intensity of Kaido's attacks, Yamato felt no pressure at all from this level of combat.
"Alright, Haruko," Maria said, catching her breath. "We can't hurt Yamato even if we try. Use your full strength."
"Understood, Lady Maria," Haruko nodded. She tightened her grip, and her twin blades were immediately coated in a glossy layer of Armament Haki. Maria followed suit, wrapping her Naginata in Haki as her gaze sharpened with focus.
In the next second, the two of them lunged forward, launching a fierce, high-speed assault.
Boom!
The three clashed, their Haki clashing and pouring out into the air. A group of subordinates watched the spectacle from a safe distance.
"As expected of the Young Master," one pirate whispered. "With a bounty of 1,300,000,000, she can suppress Lady Maria and Lady Haruko at the same time."
In the past, the crew had always wanted to watch Kaido and Yamato fight, but battles of that magnitude were impossible to observe. Anyone who wasn't at least an executive-level officer would be knocked unconscious by the sheer pressure of their overflowing Conqueror's Haki.
"It's strange, though," another pirate noted. "Governor Kaido doesn't fight the Young Master anymore. I wonder why?"
"It's probably because the second expedition is starting. I heard the ships leave in a few days."
"Great! I can't wait to get back to sea. This trip is going to be a breeze."
Two hours later, Yamato looked at the disheveled Maria and Haruko and smiled. "Let's stop here for today. Thanks for helping me stretch my limbs."
Maria and Haruko were speechless. They had pushed themselves to their absolute limits, short of using their Devil Fruit transformations, and Yamato considered it nothing more than a light warm-up.
"Yamato, we really can't keep up with you anymore," Maria said, shaking her head. The gap in their power had become a chasm.
"You're far too strong, Young Master," Haruko added.
Yamato laughed heartily. "It's fine! You helped me move around, and I helped you train, didn't I? My Idiot Old Man won't even practice with me these days."
"Lord Kaido must have realized your strength has become too much to handle casually," Maria said, understanding the situation perfectly.
"Haha! It was already too late by the time that brute noticed," Yamato laughed. She finally had the power to truly stand her ground against her father.
A few days later, the Beasts Pirates' second expedition officially began. Their goal was to conquer and occupy the islands surrounding Wano, officially bringing them into their territory.
On the day of departure, the docks were a hive of activity.
"Yo, Jack!" Yamato shouted, walking up to the massive man and slapping him hard on the arm. "I'm your superior from now on. You'd better be obedient."
"Yamato, can't you use a little less force?" Jack growled, baring his teeth as he rubbed his arm.
He couldn't believe his luck. How did he end up assigned to Yamato's team? Every other male executive was with Kaido; he was the only man stuck with these women.
"What was King thinking?" Jack wondered. "He couldn't have made a mistake, could he?"
"Hahaha! Jack, you'll be glad you're with me," Yamato laughed. "Don't you love brawling? Don't worry, I'll leave all the fighting on my side to you. I guarantee you'll get your fill."
Veins popped on Jack's forehead. "Don't make me sound like a common thug. It's called combat, not brawling. Watch your mouth!"
"It's all the same thing. Don't be shy, Jack, I won't laugh at you," Yamato said, waving her hand dismissively.
Jack was so angry he looked like he was about to transform into a mammoth right there on the deck. "Yamato, you—!"
"Alright, Yamato, stop bullying him," Maria interrupted with a smile. "We need him to lead the vanguard later."
"Bullying? Maria, what are you talking about?" Jack fumed. Now there were two of them.
Yamato let out a loud, boisterous laugh while Jack gave her one last fierce glare before retreating into the ship's cabin.
"That simpleton has quite a temper," Yamato remarked, shrugging. "He really can't take a joke. I guess that's what they call a man's pride."
"And yet you keep pushing him," Maria noted.
Yamato spread her hands. "I can't help it. I just can't resist teasing him when I see his face. Right, Haruko?"
Haruko stayed silent, looking away. Some things were better left unsaid.
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