"Finally... he's gone."

Watching that infuriating figure rocket into the sky, slicing through the air and vanishing into the clouds, the members of the Beasts Pirates collapsed onto the ground, gasping for breath, completely drained.

They had to admit it—just being near that black-haired young man was terrifying.

He had gone toe-to-toe with Captain Kaidou and split all of Onigashima in two.

If that guy had any real intent to kill, wiping out the entire Beasts Pirates would've been as easy as breathing.

Now that someone that dangerous had them in his sights, unease settled in their hearts like a storm cloud.

Rumble...

The floating island beneath their feet began to tremble with a deep, heavy rumble.

As fiery clouds swirled around them, the island, previously split in two, slowly began to shift. The massive chasm gradually closed, the two halves reconnecting and reforming the island's structure.

A massive azure dragon circled the island, blotting out the sky. Then it rapidly shrank, condensing into a towering, blood-streaked figure that landed firmly on the ground.

"Where's Yamato?"

Kaidou gripped his kanabō tightly, scanning around. When his eyes finally locked onto his little "cotton jacket," his face twisted in rage as he stormed over.

"Calm down, Kaidou-san."

King stepped forward, lips tight, placing himself in front of Yamato.

"She's still young. She doesn't know any better."

As he spoke, his eyes flicked briefly to the kanabō in Kaidou's hand, where black and red lightning still danced. The corner of his mouth twitched slightly.

"I'd say she knows way too much!"

Kaidou growled through gritted teeth.

"Move, King! I'm going to teach her a lesson today!"

King didn't answer, but he also didn't budge.

Behind him, Yamato stood firm, face flushed, neck stiff.

"You just couldn't beat Daren-san, so now you're taking it out on me!"

Kaidou's face turned beet red, veins bulging like worms across his forehead.

"I'm the strongest creature on land, sea, and air! When have I ever lost to that brat Daren!?"

"...But you obviously did," Queen muttered under his breath.

"WHAT did you say?!"

Kaidou turned on him, eyes bloodshot.

"I-I said it was a great fight!" Queen stammered, shaking.

Kaidou shot him a deadly glare.

Then, turning back to Yamato—who was staring him down, just as stubborn as ever—he clenched his jaw and snapped at King,

"Take her back. Lock her up with shackles!"

He stared hard at Yamato, his tone ice-cold.

"Starting today, you're confined to your room. You won't take a single step outside. If you do..."

"...If I do, what? You gonna kill me?"

Yamato lifted her chin and shot back defiantly.

Kaidou froze for a second, suddenly unsure how to threaten her.

Could he really bring himself to beat his own daughter?

Besides, how old was she? Even with her bloodline and talent, she wouldn't survive a serious strike from him.

Anger swirled inside him, his expression shifting back and forth. Then suddenly, he jabbed a finger at the fat man in suspenders lounging nearby, casually munching fruit and puffing on a cigar.

"If you leave that room, I'll kill him!"

"Nani!?"

Queen nearly choked on his cigar, coughing violently as his face turned red. He looked at Kaidou in total disbelief.

Why the hell was he getting dragged into this? Teach your daughter, sure, but why involve me!?

"You can't do that!"

Yamato shook her head hard.

"You can't kill Uncle Fatty!"

Queen's face immediately lit up with the warm smile of a proud elder. He puffed out his round belly with pride.

Ah, little Yamato... you really do care about your Uncle Fatty.

All those times he snuck her the latest picture books and magazines from overseas... totally worth it.

"...If Uncle Fat dies, then who's going to bring me Daren-san's picture books and magazines?"

Yamato spoke with a dead-serious expression.

Queen looked like he'd been struck by lightning. His face went ghostly pale.

"Hissss!"

All the pirates around him gasped and instinctively backed away, putting serious distance between themselves and Queen while shooting him pitying glances like they were looking at a dead man walking.

Even King quietly took half a step back.

Silence.

The whole world seemed to go still.

You could hear a pin drop.

"So, Queen... all those magazines, newspapers, and posters in Yamato's room—those were all secretly brought in by you?"

Kaidou turned his head, face blank, but the kanabō in his hand was already crackling with purple lightning.

"Ahem, Kaidou-sama, this really isn't what it looks like..."

Queen's chubby cheeks quivered with fear as he forced a miserable smile, backing away step by step.

"I-I just thought, since she was cooped up in her room all day, she'd get bored… so I figured I'd slip her some reading material..."

"I-I didn't expect that most of it would be about that guy!"

"Oh? Is that so..." Kaidou raised a brow and suddenly smiled.

But to everyone else, that smile looked like something out of a nightmare.

"So you're saying this was a good deed?"

He took a step forward, voice low and raspy.

"King, take Yamato back."

King gave a nod without the slightest hesitation. He grabbed the cord tied at Yamato's waist and lifted her up like a pup, spread his wings, and took off into the sky at high speed.

"No, wait—"

Queen raised a hand, making a pitiful gesture of farewell, but the tears wouldn't even come.

Ten seconds later...

Blinding bolts of lightning blasted into the sky from the shattered valley below.

The earth trembled, mountains shook, and the air was filled with the anguished howls of a certain fat man.

...

New World, Pleasure District.

A figure shot through the air like a jet, slipping unseen past the crowds below. Daren deftly snuck into the luxury suite at the top of the Central Hotel.

"This isn't a hospital, you know."

Stussy, dressed in her white CP0 uniform, narrowed her eyes the moment she saw him. Her face briefly changed, but after confirming he was still breathing and lively, she quietly let out a sigh of relief.

"I'm not a licensed doctor either!"

"Nowhere else to go," Daren replied with a grin as he plopped down on the leather sofa. He casually tore off his shredded shirt, revealing a body covered in wounds and bruises.

The North Blue was too far away, and he didn't want to return to Toki's side only to make her worry.

And dragging this broken body to the Donquixote Family's turf?

That wasn't his style either.

All things considered, Stussy's place was the most convenient and least troublesome.

Stussy, long used to Daren's shamelessness, rolled her eyes and picked up the first aid kit. She walked over, sat beside him, and began treating his wounds.

"So where'd you go this time and get yourself all banged up again?"

She asked, then seemed to catch herself, and quickly added coldly,

"Don't get the wrong idea. It's not like I'm worried about you or anything."

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