Yamato made things incredibly difficult.
Kaido might be ruthless, but not once had he ever raised a hand against his daughter.
Because this was his only daughter.
Queen and the others were at a loss.
Attack her?Who would dare?
Without Kaido's express permission, none of them could so much as lay a finger on Yamato.
Not even King or Queen would make a move.
So both sides just stood there in a deadlock. King and the others didn't advance, and Yamato didn't strike either.
If it came down to it, they knew full well that Yamato wouldn't be able to defeat King and the others.
But it didn't matter.
Because King and the others couldn't touch her.
That woman was Boss Kaido's idiotic daughter, brainwashed by Kozuki Oden himself.
There was a rumor that Kozuki Hiyori had an absurdly strong personality — so charismatic that even enemies were drawn to her.
King and the others scoffed at such stories.
They were bones that would eventually turn to dust, and Yamato had the gall to claim she inherited Kozuki Oden's will?
What a joke.
In their eyes, Yamato was more of a nuisance than the samurai rebels who never stopped fighting.
"King, what are you all doing just standing around?!"
Kaido's voice rang out from behind.
He was furious. Were they really going to just stand here doing nothing until he showed up?
"Boss Kaido, look—"
Black Maria pointed toward the source of the standoff.
Kaido turned.
There she was — Yamato. Mace in hand. Standing firm.
"Yamato! What do you think you're doing?!"
Kaido stormed toward her, the crowd parting before him.
Was his daughter really planning to stop him again?
He was already at his limit.
"Kaido! As long as I'm still breathing, I won't let you desecrate Wano!"
Yamato glared at him, fire in her eyes, calling him by name like a stranger.
Kaido stared back down at her, frustration and helplessness clashing in his expression.
"You idiot daughter…"
He sighed heavily.
If Yamato had been his son, he would've just knocked some sense into him with a Thunder Bagua by now.
But no, his only child had turned against him, idolized his greatest enemy, and even called herself Oden.
He nearly coughed up blood every time he thought about it.
From a distance, Elior observed the standoff silently.
"Yamato is strong" he mused. "On par with the Tobiroppo. Wouldn't be a bad addition to the crew."
The Tobiroppo were just below the All-Stars in the Beasts Pirates hierarchy.
As a woman, Yamato's strength was especially rare in this world.
"Too bad she was friends with Ace…"
In the original timeline, Ace had come to Wano two years ago and befriended Yamato.
And now, Ace was dead—by Elior's own hand.
Naturally, Yamato considered him an enemy.
Not that Elior cared.
He walked calmly down the path King and the others had cleared.
Yamato spotted him — and instantly, her eyes widened in shock.
That face…
She'd never forget it.
"You're the one who killed Ace, aren't you?! Yonko Elior!!"
"I'll avenge Ace!"
She stormed forward, bypassing even Kaido, eyes locked on Elior, fury boiling over.
Ace had been one of her only friends.
And this man had killed him in cold blood.
"Yamato!"
Kaido shouted, trying to stop her.
But Elior stood his ground, calm and collected, meeting her rage with nothing but a quiet gaze.
"Absolute Command"
In an instant, Yamato froze.
Mace raised—but unmoving.
"Drop your weapon."
Ten seconds passed.
Elior spoke again, tone quiet but firm.
And Yamato obeyed.
Just like that, she lowered her mace.
She was the second person, after Doflamingo, to be controlled by Elior's strange, overwhelming will.
Now she, too, was a servant who would follow his every word.
"What the—?!"
"What just happened?!"
Even King and Queen were stunned. Kaido, too, stood speechless.
His daughter had been about to strike… and now stood still like a statue.
"Maybe your daughter just got a good look at me and realized I'm incredibly handsome and powerful" Elior said casually. "I guess she decided I was more worthy of admiration than Kozuki Oden."
He didn't even flinch while saying it.
"You—!"
Kaido couldn't believe it.
But there Yamato stood, frozen, her gaze locked onto Elior.
Unmoving.
Obedient.
He had no idea she was under absolute control.
If he did, he'd fight Elior to the death.
But Elior had no intention of revealing the truth.
Yamato, while not quite as powerful as Kaido, was still strong — and beautiful, even with her oni mask on.
Very useful.
Kaido had once been handsome himself, back in the days of the Rocks Pirates.
But who Yamato's mother was… no one knew.
"Elior! What did you do to my daughter?!"
"Ask her yourself."
Yamato stepped forward.
"I'm going back."
Her voice was calm. Her gaze? Filled with respect.
She didn't even glance at Kaido as she walked away.
"What the hell…?"
Kaido was dumbfounded.
"Seems like your daughter had a change of heart after meeting me" Elior said with a smirk.
"My guess? She finally realized Kozuki Oden was a fool—and that I'm the kind of man worth following."
In other words…
Your daughter worships me now.
"I don't get it at all!"
Kaido was even more confused.
And the others — King, Queen, Black Maria — were no better.
Meanwhile...
Crocodile and the others had already finished wiping out Orochi's estate.
Almost everyone was dead.
Most of Orochi's ninja forces had been gathered here — but they were slaughtered without mercy.
The moment they saw Sugar, who looked like a little girl, they dropped their guard.
That was their final mistake.
One by one, they were turned into toys.
Then Baby 5 showed up — guns blazing — ripping through the toy soldiers with machine gun fire. The toys… ascended to the heavens.
Sugar's ability, combined with her innocent appearance, was practically unbeatable when her enemies weren't prepared.
Soon, the Kurozumi clan was erased from Wano — drenched in blood.
Reiju held onto Kiozuki Hyori tightly.
The princess could only watch in horror, trembling.
What's going on…?
Who are these people?
What's happening to Wano?
Panic gripped her.
And she didn't know whether Kawamatsu — one of her father's retainers, still in hiding — had managed to escape.
He was as important to her as her father had been.
If not for Kawamatsu, she would've died long ago.
Now… she feared it was already too late.