"I've seen the Young Master's training sessions myself; they're absolutely terrifying," one subordinate whispered to his companions. "She lifts Sea Stone blocks weighing over 10 tons like they're simple barbells. I remember the last time Lord Queen sent over a shipment; one of those blocks weighed 16 tons." After a brief pause, he added, "That's not even the half of it. When she's working out, she also wears weighted gear that looks like it weighs several tons on its own."
The surrounding pirates all sucked in a sharp breath. They looked at each other with wide eyes, wondering if she was even human. To them, she was a total monster. When Yamato had walked past them just moments ago, they couldn't tell that her body contained such overwhelming, raw power. Many of them swallowed hard, their hearts filled with a mix of deep respect and genuine fear as they watched the Young Master disappear into the headquarters.
Inside the upper level of the fortress, the high-ranking members of the Beasts Pirates were already gathered. Governor-General Kaido sat at the head of the room, his massive frame overflowing with a physical pressure born of his Haki.
The Three Disasters sat just below him. First was King the Wildfire, dressed in black from head to toe with only his eyes visible, the signature flames of his race burning brightly between his black wings. Beside him was Queen the Plague. He was an immense man, so round he looked like a ball of blubber in sunglasses. Queen, the third-highest authority in the crew, was a user of the Dragon-Dragon Fruit, Ancient Type, Model: Brachiosaurus. Finally, there was Jack the Drought, the youngest All-Star. Despite being only 18 years old, his burly physique was just as imposing as Queen's. Though Jack was a Fishman, he kept his jaw covered to hide his heritage from the world.
Several other cadres were present as well. Black Maria stood out among them; over the last ten years, she had grown to a height of nearly 7 meters. She radiated a mature, seductive aura that marked her as a peerless beauty. Interestingly, Maria was no longer a user of the Spider-Spider Fruit. Instead, she now possessed the power of the Dog-Dog Fruit, Mythical Zoan Type, Model: Okuchinokami.
Next to Maria sat Haruko, a woman of average height wearing an orange kimono with her hair pulled into a neat bun. A scar marked the corner of her eye, and her gaze was notoriously cold. Haruko served as Maria's subordinate and was the current user of the Spider-Spider Fruit, Ancient Type, Model: Rosamygale Grauvogeli.
Further down the line was Sasaki, a man wearing a military cap that struggled to contain his sharp teeth. A former pirate captain and a Fishman like Jack, Sasaki was a powerful swordsman who possessed the Dragon-Dragon Fruit, Ancient Type, Model: Triceratops. Beside him sat Who's-Who, a man in a red suit and a matching mask. He was a former member of the World Government's CP9 who had fled to the Beasts Pirates after failing a mission to escort a specific Devil Fruit. He held the power of the Cat-Cat Fruit, Ancient Type, Model: Saber-toothed Tiger.
At the end of the row were the two youngest siblings: Ulti and Page One. Ulti possessed the Dragon-Dragon Fruit, Ancient Type, Model: Pachycephalosaurus, while her brother, Page One, used the Model: Spinosaurus. Aside from Kaido and Maria, who held Mythical Zoan powers, everyone else in the room relied on the prehistoric strength of Ancient Types.
"Hey, Old Man! This is a surprise. You actually took the initiative to call me over for once," Yamato's voice rang out as she stepped through the door.
Every head in the room turned toward the entrance. Yamato strode in confidently, her gold earrings swaying and catching the light. However, the shine of the jewelry was completely eclipsed by the intensity of her golden eyes. The moment she entered, everyone—except for the young Ulti and Page One—felt an astonishing surge of Haki. It felt as if a legendary beast had just stepped into the room, and the veterans instinctively tensed their muscles.
"Young Master," King and Queen said in unison. Subtle smiles touched their faces as they acknowledged her arrival.
"Yamato, you finally made it," Maria added with a beaming, gentle smile. Her voice was soft enough to make any man lose his composure.
"Young Master," Haruko muttered. Her cold expression softened into one of pure awe the moment her eyes landed on Yamato.
Yamato walked to the center of the room and came to a halt with one hand on her hip. She gave a brief nod to Maria and Haruko, her eyes scanning the crowd before locking onto the man at the top of the hall. Her gaze was as sharp as a blade.
"Worororo! Yamato, you've certainly grown arrogant," Kaido roared. He stared down at her with eyes like knives, though his face was twisted into a grin. "To dare unleash such Haki in my presence—are you planning to challenge me right here?"
The expressions of Sasaki and Who's-Who shifted uncomfortably at the tension. Yamato simply laughed in response.
"Old Man, what are you talking about? If you have Haki, you might as well use it. What are you doing, saving it for the New Year?" As she spoke, bolts of red and black lightning erupted from her body. A massive wave of Conqueror's Haki surged forward, slamming toward Kaido.
"You brat! You really have the nerve to strike at your own father!" Kaido's eyes widened, and an identical aura of red and black lightning exploded from his frame.
The two bursts of Conqueror's Haki collided violently in the center of the room. The resulting shockwave was so powerful it turned the faces of the onlookers pale.
"Young Master! Big Brother! Stop this at once!" King shouted.
"Are you two trying to bring the whole building down? Cut it out!" Queen added, waving his arms frantically.
They both knew exactly how powerful Kaido's Haki was; when he was serious, he could split the heavens themselves. However, they were secretly shocked that Yamato's Haki was strong enough to hold its own. Even if Kaido was holding back, the fact that she could match his pressure was unbelievable. Everyone else in the room felt like they were being crushed; the air became heavy, and even breathing felt like a chore.
"These two are absolute monsters," Sasaki muttered, raising a hand to shield his eyes from the pressure.
Who's-Who felt the same way. Both men had joined the Beasts Pirates for their own reasons and knew Kaido was the strongest creature alive, but they hadn't expected his daughter to be this formidable. The fact that she possessed the Color of the Supreme King and had the guts to provoke Kaido to his face was beyond bold.
After a few tense moments, the two surges of Haki receded, and the hall returned to a heavy silence. As the pressure dissipated, the cadres finally felt the weight lift from their chests.
Yamato acted as if the exchange had never happened. She walked over to the side, sat down, and crossed her long legs comfortably. "Alright, Old Man. Speak up. What did you want me here for?"
Kaido didn't seem annoyed by her casual attitude. If anything, the display of strength seemed to please him. The Haki Yamato had just shown was proof enough that she was truly becoming a force to be reckoned with.