"So this is the legendary Marine Headquarters? Such a magnificent and imposing place!"
"Is it really that impressive?" Michael looked up at the Marine HQ that had become commonplace to him.
"...It's alright, I guess? Gets ordinary after seeing it enough. I actually think Fish-Man Island has better scenery."
"No no no, Vice Admiral Michael, you just don't get it!" Yamato put on a know-it-all expression, saying proudly.
"Beautiful scenery is just that - beautiful scenery! It doesn't necessarily mean imposing...and no matter how prosperous Fish-Man Island is, it can't compare to Marine Headquarters! This place...it's brimming with the aura of the strong!"
Hearing this, Michael smiled faintly.
Though Yamato's height and build made her seem nothing like a young girl, her mentality betrayed her true nature.
Her admiration for strength was now completely unconcealed.
But...in the world of pirates, admiring strength is only natural.
Especially for Yamato, who grew up within the survival-of-the-fittest Beast Pirates.
Even if she didn't want to be like them, living together inevitably meant absorbing some of their traits.
Not necessarily a bad thing...at least she wouldn't become completely lazy.
Though the current Yamato wasn't clamoring to become Kozuki Oden, instead turning into an otaku obsessed with the comic version of Michael...
She hadn't become a useless shut-in.
On the contrary, her robust physique and Haki far surpassing her peers already gave her the bearing of a true warrior.
Even her Conqueror's Haki was exceptionally strong.
If nothing unexpected happened, this Yamato might even surpass her original counterpart at the same age.
Michael suspected this outcome might be because Yamato's admiration for the Marines through comics made her yearn to escape the Beast Pirates.
Thus she trained even harder, ensuring she wouldn't miss her chance to leave due to lacking strength when the opportunity came.
"The aura of the strong... it's really not that bad." Michael shrugged. "Once you get to know those guys, you'll find that even though they're powerful, most of them have pretty decent temperaments... as long as you don't go out of your way to provoke Sakazuki and his bunch of reckless subordinates."
With that, Michael led Yamato, Ulti, and Page One into Marineford.
After spending a few days in Shimotsuki Village to assess the Revolutionary Army's current situation and incidentally reassure Monkey D. Dragon, Michael had returned to Marineford with his group.
After granting Hawkeye and Enel a few days' leave, Michael's next task was to introduce these runaway kids from home to the dear Fleet Admiral...
After all, when you get right down to it, this was Kaido's daughter.
Though Michael could guarantee no one would dare harm them, it was still necessary to inform old man Sengoku.
And so...
"What? Kaido's child? Another pirate's offspring?" Sengoku looked up at his troublesome adopted son.
"Are you certain Kaido won't go berserk over this?"
"Hah? Let him go berserk if he wants... He may be a monster, but he's not like that Whitebeard guy—not nearly as terrifying." Michael waved his hand dismissively.
"Besides, what proof does he have that this is his daughter?"
As he spoke, Michael pulled Yamato forward.
"This girl has always called herself 'Angel D. Yamato.' Maybe she's just a youthful mistake my sister made!"
"Now hold on... have some decency, will you?" Sengoku wiped his brow in exasperation.
"Of all people to slander, you choose your own sister... Aren't you afraid she'll beat you up? She's the only one who can rightfully thrash you without you daring to fight back."
"Of course I'm afraid!" Michael declared with shameless pride, chin held high.
"If it comes to that, we can just say she's a mistake from my wild youth!"
"A mistake from your youth... You want the entire Marines gossiping that Vice Admiral Michael, the Grand Inspector, fathered a child before he was even fifteen?" Sengoku's eye twitched at the increasingly absurd claims.
"Have some consideration for the Marines' reputation, won't you?"
"What's so shameful about that?" Michael waved again before turning to Yamato. "Remember, from now on, you tell everyone you're 'Angel D. Yamato.' As one of the two heads of the Angel Family, I approve it! Who's Kaido? Never heard of him!"
"Yes, Vice Admiral Michael!"
"Call me Dad!"
"Yes, Dad!"
Sengoku sighed deeply.
He had completely lost the will to comment on this farce.
His mind was now wholly occupied with considering the implications of the Marines officially taking in Kaido's daughter...
But after much deliberation, Sengoku genuinely couldn't think of any real downsides.
At worst, Kaido would wage eternal war against the Marines...
But wasn't he already doing that anyway?
Never mind then.
...
King once again entered Kaido's chambers.
Over the past few days, he had contacted Doflamingo and the Cross Guild, gathering intelligence about Yamato from their networks.
But after reviewing this intelligence... King was already a bit dumbfounded.
"Kaido-san, Yamato... we have news."
"What? Great! Tell me immediately where that unfilial daughter is! I'll personally go capture them and bring them back!"
"Well... that might not be possible." King spoke with difficulty.
"My judgment is... we should let Yamato stay outside for a while first. When the time is right, we'll bring her back to the Beasts Pirates."
"What do you mean by that?" Kaido frowned, glaring at King with an unpleasant expression.
"Even as my sworn brother, you know... making excessive jokes with me... is a death sentence."
"This is no joke." King shook his head, his expression indescribably complicated.
"According to intelligence from Doflamingo and the Cross Guild... Yamato took Ulti and Page One aboard that so-called 'Angel Ship' directly through the Calm Belt into East Blue. Then, due to food shortages, they were rescued by the local Revolutionary Army relief station at Loguetown in East Blue."
"And then? After being starved to that state, surely she's realized leaving the Beasts Pirates and abandoning her father was a mistake?"
"Logically, that should be the case, but..." King said with a bitter smile, "Yamato encountered that Marine Grand Inspector Michael in Loguetown..."
"And now, she's already followed Michael back to Marine Headquarters."
"...Pfft!"
"Kaido-san! Kaido-san, what's wrong?!"
Kaido raised a hand to stop the momentarily panicked King, wiping blood from the corner of his mouth.
"Michael!"
"I swear i will kill you!"