Garp looked at his subordinates and casually picked his nose. "Don't underestimate that brat from Kaido's family. Her strength has already caught up with the top powerhouses currently ruling the seas."
"While I have the confidence to eventually defeat her, capturing her is a different story entirely. If we really committed to it, the fight would turn into a massive battle that wouldn't end quickly. It's not worth the collateral damage," he explained.
"Contact Marine Headquarters immediately and report the situation to Sengoku. Tell him I failed to capture the girl, and I'll explain the details to him when I return."
"Yes, sir! Contacting headquarters now," the subordinate soldier replied, moving quickly to the communications room.
"Alright, let's set sail and return to Marineford," Garp said with a lazy wave of his hand. He stood at the bow of the warship, watching the horizon where the Beasts Pirates had disappeared. A look of deep contemplation settled on his weathered face.
Kaido really did produce an extraordinary brat, Garp thought to himself. It would be great if things really turned out the way she said. Just as Yamato had hinted, he was also waiting for the arrival of a new era—one that could fundamentally transform the Navy from the inside out.
More than half a month later, Garp finally returned to Marineford. The moment he stepped onto the docks, he headed straight for the Fleet Admiral's office to see Sengoku.
"Garp, explain yourself. What exactly happened on Siguri Island?" Sengoku asked, giving his old friend a piercing look. No matter how he analyzed it, Garp's initial report had been far too vague for his liking.
"Sengoku, that brat named Yamato... I have to say, she's truly Kaido's offspring. Not only is she powerful, but she's also incredibly smart. Most importantly, she's nothing like her father," Garp said, ignoring the tension as he poured himself a cup of tea.
"Oh? You seem to hold her in high regard. Tell me the details," Sengoku said, his curiosity finally piqued.
Garp proceeded to recount his clash and conversation with Yamato bit by bit. He didn't leave out her strange insights or her unusual demeanor. "That brat seems to know a lot of things, Sengoku. Perhaps even more than we do," Garp added, his intuition weighing heavily on him.
Sengoku fell silent for a long moment, processing the information. "From what you've described, this Yamato is indeed extraordinary. It's hard to imagine Kaido raising a daughter with such a clear-headed perspective."
"Right? Hahaha! She even told me she wants to knock out a mouthful of Kaido's teeth. She's completely lawless! She even hopes to see him defeated one day. For Kaido to have a daughter like that is truly a 'great blessing,'" Garp laughed, finding the irony delicious.
"Bloodlines can be such a complicated thing," Sengoku lamented. "A young person in her twenties, yet she sees the world more clearly than most veterans. It's rare."
Sengoku knew that just as parents often cannot bear to hurt their children, the reverse was also true. No matter how evil Kaido was, he was still Yamato's father. No matter how rebellious she acted, she wouldn't cross the ultimate red line. This was the fundamental difference between her and the mindless monsters of the sea.
"Someone capable of defeating Kaido... a person like that won't appear easily," Sengoku said, shaking his head. As Yamato had pointed out, it was impossible for the Marines to move against a Yonko right now. A full-scale war would require too many sacrifices, and with other threats like Whitebeard and Big Mom looming, they simply didn't have enough top-tier combatants to spare.
"Anyway, I feel like that brat was just talking nonsense about the future," Garp said, curling his lip.
"That might not be the case. However, Garp, exactly how strong is she? Are you really telling me you weren't sure you could take her down?" Sengoku asked, focusing on the tactical reality. From a Marine standpoint, he wished Garp had dragged her to Impel Down. For such a dangerous individual, the best course of action was usually to nip the threat in the bud, even at the risk of offending Kaido.
Garp pondered the question for a second. "That brat is already a top-tier powerhouse. She isn't a bit weaker than her old man. And it seems I even gave her a helping hand in reaching that level, hahaha!" Thinking about how his own punches had helped her achieve a Haki breakthrough, he felt a mix of amusement and frustration. He had actually been played by a kid.
"You really are an old fool," Sengoku's eye twitched in irritation. "How can you even say that out loud? It's embarrassing!"
"It couldn't be helped! Is plotting against someone you're meeting for the first time something a normal person does? If it were you, Sengoku, would you have been able to guard against a brat acting like that?" Garp scoffed.
"I wouldn't be as dull-witted as you," Sengoku snapped back.
"Say what you want. Regardless, that girl is shrewd, strong, and has guts. She's quite a character. It's a pity she isn't a Marine," Garp shrugged.
"How could all the talented people fall to the Marines?" Sengoku shook his head. He knew the truth; the higher one rose in the Navy, the more corruption they saw. Without a very firm conviction, it was hard for anyone with a conscience to stay. Sometimes, it was better to be a simple soldier who knew nothing.
"By the way, Sengoku, shouldn't we raise her bounty?" Garp asked.
Sengoku rolled his eyes. "What nonsense are you talking? Do you think I'll let word of this incident get out? If the world thinks a new 'Sea Emperor' this young has been born, there would be a global uproar. I'm not looking for that kind of trouble."
"That's true. She definitely has the qualifications. If the Beasts Pirates were seen as having two leaders of that caliber, it would have a very negative impact on the world's perception of our control," Garp agreed.
"As long as she doesn't cause any more chaos, leave the bounty as it is. According to your report, she isn't the type to cause mindless destruction. Otherwise, the Marines would have a real headache on their hands," Sengoku said, tapping his fingers on the desk.
"Don't worry. She isn't like her father. She has the pride of a true powerhouse; she won't use just any underhanded means to get what she wants," Garp said with certainty. He had spent his life judging people and trusted his instincts.
"Good. Then this matter ends here," Sengoku concluded.
While the conversation at headquarters ended, Yamato continued her expedition. Their objective was to secure six islands; they had occupied two, with four remaining. The mission had already stretched into its fourth month.
"It seems the incident on Siguri Island hasn't spread at all," Yamato noted, looking through the latest newspaper. There wasn't a single mention of the fight.
"The Marines must have suppressed the news to keep it from leaking," she thought. "My bounty hasn't changed either. They clearly don't want to cause a stir. They've been quite thorough in their considerations."
Yamato nodded to herself. If her bounty suddenly skyrocketed, it would shake the foundations of the New World. There weren't many pirates with bounties exceeding 1,500,000,000. Her initial bounty of 1,300,000,000 had already caused a massive sensation. If it jumped again so soon, the world would view her as a newly risen Emperor of the Sea, triggering a chain reaction of political problems she wasn't ready for yet.