"Kaido's daughter?!"
Cold sweat dripped down the Marines' backs in shock.
That "Strongest Creature" Kaido... had a daughter?!
Aokiji was equally stunned.
He hadn't expected a simple probing question to reveal a secret that could shake the entire world.
Yamato tilted her head in confusion at the Marines' reaction.
"Is there a problem?"
"Of course there is!!!"
The Marines collectively lost their composure.
The Navy had no idea Kaido had a daughter. Had they known earlier, they would have spared no effort to gather every scrap of information about her.
"Ah, whatever."
Unfazed by revealing her identity, Yamato raised her spiked club and pointed it at Aokiji, her entire body trembling with excitement.
Her instincts told her—this Marine was incredibly strong!
The overwhelming aura he exuded was second only to her father and that red-haired swordsman.
In that case, she would fight with everything she had!
"Awooo!"
With a wolf-like howl, a massive, fluffy tail burst from her backside. Her limbs swelled, her face elongated, and white mist-like ribbons extended from her hands, connecting behind her neck.
Great Ogre God · Beastman Form!
"Sorry, old man!"
Yamato's body radiated chilling air.
"Gurd is doing something important. I can't let you interfere. If you want to pass, you'll have to beat me first!"
"..."
Aokiji's gaze darkened.
Kaido's daughter was a Devil Fruit user—and a powerful Mythical Zoan at that!
"Crackle—"
Ice crystals spread rapidly beneath Aokiji's feet, covering the entire shoreline in an instant. Even the seawater froze solid!
"Huh?!"
Yamato looked down in surprise.
Her paws were frozen!
Aokiji didn't waste the opportunity. Surging with frigid energy, he formed an Ice Ball between his hands and hurled it at Yamato!
"Ice Ball!"
"Whoa!"
Unable to dodge, Yamato took the attack head-on, her entire body encased in ice.
The next moment, cracks spiderwebbed across the frozen sphere before shattering like glass—revealing Yamato completely unharmed inside.
The Marines gaped in disbelief.
"Her body didn't shatter?!"
Normally, anyone frozen by Admiral Aokiji would break apart with the ice if not thawed in time.
But Kaido's daughter looked completely fine.
In fact, she seemed... happy?
"So refreshing!"
Yamato shook her head vigorously, dislodging the ice shards from her ears. Then, raising her right hand, she summoned a barrage of Ice Cones around her!
"Here I come, old man!"
"So she shares my element. No wonder freezing her didn't work."
Aokiji mirrored her stance, summoning an equal number of Ice Cones and launching them at her!
BOOM!!!
The projectiles collided midair, scattering a mist of shattered ice.
CRACK!
Dark clouds churned overhead as a bolt of lightning struck down, illuminating two figures charging through the icy haze!
Both lunged at each other simultaneously.
If their abilities canceled each other out, then only Haki and Martial Arts would decide the fight!
"Thunder Bagua!"
"Ice Fist!"
BOOM!!!
A fierce gust dispersed the mist, revealing the two combatants—Yamato's spiked club smashed into Aokiji's face, while his frozen fist struck hers!
The next instant, both were sent flying backward!
BOOM!!!
Two plumes of dust erupted into the sky!
"Ohhh!!!"
Yamato burst through the smoke and dust, leaping into the air. Her spiked club whirled overhead, entwined with both ice and Haki under the lightning's glow.
Since she was eight years old, she had challenged her father Kaido time and again, suffering crushing defeats each time—yet those very defeats had forged her strength.
At this moment, she was infinitely grateful for all those past failures, for they had given her the power to stand against the formidable enemy before her.
No matter how many foes came, until Gurd returned—
She would never fall!
"Glacier Cascade · Pulling to Hell!!!"
A frost-white comet streaked across the sky, trailing a brilliant tail of light, descending like a glacier from the heavens with boundless force!
Aokiji looked up, his pupils contracting.
"BOOM!!!"
The coastline trembled violently as a massive iceberg erupted before everyone's eyes.
When the tremors subsided, Aokiji's body reformed atop the iceberg, hot blood slowly trickling down his forehead.
Yamato stood at the opposite end of the icy monolith.
Without a moment's respite, the two leaped toward each other once more!
"Ohhh!!!"
Meanwhile, deep within Punk Hazard.
Outside the last remaining research facility.
"Eh?!"
Caesar gaped in shock toward the coastline.
Even without mastery of Observation Haki, he could feel the disturbances from that direction—the entire island was trembling intermittently!
What in the world was happening?!
"Lord Gurd, over there—?"
"Focus on the task."
Gurd strode expressionlessly into the research facility.
He knew full well that Yamato was fighting, that his subordinates might be surrounded by Marines, but right now, he had only one objective.
Rather than dwell on uncertainties, he would move faster.
"Caesar, the thing I'm looking for—"
"Huh???"
Caesar nearly froze.
"The failed Azure Dragon Fruit?"
"That thing is indeed here, but what's the point?!"
It made no sense.
Just a failed experiment, yet Lord Gurd was so fixated on it, even willing to take enormous risks.
In Caesar's eyes, that botched replica—which had consumed vast resources and nearly two decades to recreate—was Vegapunk's greatest shame!
Every time he saw that failure, he couldn't help but feel smug.
"That's not your concern."
Gurd's expression darkened.
"If you can't find it, I'll kill you."
"...!!!"
Caesar's limbs turned to ice with terror.
He didn't think Gurd was bluffing!
He'd really die!
"Lord Gurd, this way!"
Caesar floated forward with all his might, pushing himself to the limit. In just ten minutes, they reached their destination.
"Huff... huff..."
Exhausted—he was about to collapse!
"CRASH!"
Gurd shattered the container holding the replica of the Azure Dragon Fruit.
Without hesitation, he grabbed the fruit and swallowed it whole. Inside him, Groudon had been waiting eagerly and immediately took a bite.
It could sense the power within this fruit—a perfect match, the key to its next evolution.
As the fruit was fully consumed, Groudon curled into a ball and fell into slumber. The red armor covering its body began to glow rhythmically, brightening and dimming in cycles.
All the while, its size steadily grew!
Outside.
Gurd's eyes gleamed red as his muscles swelled to their limits, veins bulging across his skin like a terrifying crimson net.
Power surged through him endlessly!
"Waaahhh!"
Caesar scrambled backward in terror, crawling and stumbling out of the lab before hiding behind a pillar in sheer panic.
At this moment, Lord Gurd appeared more terrifying than a demon in his eyes. The mere aura unintentionally released by him nearly suffocated him.
It was impossible to tell how much time had passed.
Gurd walked out of the room, looking noticeably leaner than before. His physique was now more balanced, his muscles gleaming with a polished luster, and all the scars from past battles had completely vanished.
Then there was the long red hair that dragged on the ground, floating behind him—a stark contrast to his previous rough demeanor.
Caesar's eyes widened in shock.
Who the hell are you, pretty boy?!
"Hmm?"
Gurd frowned at the long hair beside him, extending his hand as sharp claws sprouted from his fingertips.
With a few swift swipes, the long hair fell to the ground.
Running his hand over his now smooth head, Gurd grinned in satisfaction.
Much better!
To be a Pirate, you've got to look fierce.
"Let's go, Caesar!"
"Time to make those Marines who dared provoke us pay the price!"
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