Wano Country, Udon.
On the ruins where the smoke of battle had not yet dissipated, Rayleigh leaned against a broken stone beam, holding half a flask of sake in his hand. A few drops of the liquor trickled from the mouth of the flask, mixing with the dust to form dark stains.
He twirled a string of jingling keys between his fingers, his gaze sweeping over the dense crowd of prisoners before him.
They sat or stood, their clothes ragged, bloodstains still visible from their shackles, yet they stared blankly at each other, confused by the surrounding devastation and the opportunity for freedom.
"Tsk."
Rayleigh chuckled softly, flicked his wrist, and the string of keys flew through the air, landing with a crisp clang on a pile of rubble in front of the crowd.
"What's wrong?" He raised an eyebrow, a hint of surprise in his eyes. "You lot, who have been treated like livestock, don't you want freedom?"
As soon as his words fell, there was a stir in the crowd, but no one dared to step forward.
After a long while, a small figure squeezed out from among the prisoners; it was Hyo Goro.
He was hunched over, his face etched with wrinkles and fear, and he tottered to the keys but didn't dare to touch them. Instead, he bowed deeply to Rayleigh:
"Sir, you don't know… This place is the territory of the Beasts Pirates. The one you just defeated was merely Queen the Plague, one of the Three Disasters. The true leader, Kaido the Great King, is currently stationed on Onigashima, not far from here!"
His voice trembled, filled with deep-seated fear: "Even if we escape, we won't be able to avoid his pursuit… We can't escape at all!"
Rayleigh's eyes narrowed slightly, his sharp gaze sweeping over every face present.
He saw it clearly—it wasn't hesitation, but despair etched into their bones, a numbness that had eroded all thoughts of resistance, worn down by years of oppression and the terrifying shadow of Kaido. The desire to live had long been crushed by a deeper fear.
"Servitude, huh?"
Rayleigh murmured softly, raising his hand to take a sip of sake. The pungent taste couldn't dispel the heavy atmosphere.
He knew perfectly well that the root of these people's fear was Kaido, but he had come to Wano Country merely on a whim to "play" for a bit, and incidentally, to see this land that his old friend cared about.
Liberating Wano Country? That was never part of his plan.
Since that was the case, he naturally didn't need to bother himself with the fate of these people.
"However… the problems of Wano Country are more deeply rooted than I imagined."
Rayleigh gently shook his head, a fleeting hint of melancholy in his eyes, which was immediately replaced by his usual carefree demeanor.
In any case, these were matters for the younger generation to worry about; they had nothing to do with an old man like him, who already had one foot in the grave.
Not far away, Law had already bandaged his wounds, faint bloodstains seeping through the bandages.
He walked to Rayleigh's side, his gaze sweeping over the prisoners who remained frozen in place. He said nothing, merely giving Rayleigh a slight nod.
The two turned and their figures gradually disappeared at the far end of Udon's ruins.
The keys still lay on the pile of rubble, reflecting a faint light.
The guards had long since scattered, and the door to freedom lay open before them.
But the prisoners still looked at each other, and ultimately, no one dared to take that step—Kaido's shadow had already locked them down more heavily than any shackles… Onigashima,
With a huge roar echoing in the sky, the two simultaneously landed heavily on the ground, causing the entire Onigashima to shake.
"Hehe, you're really strong, Kaido-sensei!"
Luffy wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, his face filled with excitement.
Large pools of fresh blood gushed from both their chests, dripping onto the ground like a waterfall.
However, strangely, the wounds on both their bodies were recovering at a visible speed.
Such a tragic scene made everyone from the Beasts Pirates in the distance tremble with fear.
Unbeknownst to them, at some point, the two had completely stopped using Armament Haki to protect themselves, fighting like rabid beasts, seeking only to kill each other.
Therefore, in just an hour, both were covered in wounds, looking as if they were on the verge of death.
And why did Luffy do this?!
The most direct benefit was
[Physique: 92.85]
It had increased by a full two points, a massive improvement never seen before!
"Kaido-sensei, tell me, how should I thank you?"
Luffy provocatively looked at Kaido, who was equally disheveled, opposite him.
Surprisingly, however, Kaido was very calm.
Half an hour ago, he had already seen through the brat's purpose: treating him as a trainer and Onigashima as a training ground.
Because he was shocked to find that this brat in front of him grew stronger with each blow. Luffy was like a dry sponge, frantically absorbing combat experience, Haki techniques… He, who could initially suppress Luffy, was gradually becoming overwhelmed!
But when Kaido completely erupted in rage, casting aside all caution and attacking wildly, an ultimate exhilaration burst from his very bones!
He stared at his blood-soaked hands, then at the spiked club, "hassaikai," entwined with black and red Conqueror's Haki lightning.
A rough, wild laugh suddenly erupted from his throat: "Ororororo—Brat! Fighting you is exhilarating to the core! In this world, besides Linlin, you're the only one who can clash with me physically!"
Kaido suddenly took a step forward, his bulging muscles tensed like steel, his foot stomping the ground, causing spiderweb-like cracks to appear.
The arm holding the spiked club trembled with extreme excitement, and his eyes burned with battle-crazed madness: "Now! Let us fight to the death, to our heart's content!"
However, Luffy slowly shook his head, his eyes glowing fiercely red like flames, as if constructing an illusory battle realm. He grinned: "Sorry, but you might have to wait a bit longer?"
"Hmm?!"
Kaido was startled, his instinctive sense of danger making him turn his head sharply—
In the distant sky, a tall figure, wrapped in violent purple lightning, shot towards them. The lightning entwined around the spiked club in her hand tore through the air, rushing forward with destructive power!
"Thunder Bagua!"
Boom!!!
Purple lightning exploded, intertwining with black and red Conqueror's Haki lightning to form a world-destroying torrent of energy, which slammed into Kaido's head without warning, making the heavens and earth roar!
Kaido's mountain-like body was violently blasted away by the immense power of the lightning, transforming into a black meteor that crashed into the cluster of buildings!
The next second, a thunderous roar shook the heavens and earth, towering flames shot skyward, and scalding hot air currents, carrying rubble, surged and spread in circles towards the sky, engulfing the entire area in smoke and heat.
Amidst the swirling dust, that tall figure slowly appeared—
Her red eyes were like fiery gems, strikingly heart-stopping;
Two crimson horns curved like coral on her head, gleaming with a gentle luster;
Her white hair, from root to tip, faded into a dreamy gradient, fluttering in the wind;
A pure white kimono adorned with a vermilion skirt, she seemed like an ethereal beauty stepping through thunder in the smoke, her demeanor cold and alluring, yet with a defiant edge.
This person was none other than Kaido's extremely "filial" only daughter—Yamato!
"Ugh?!"
Even though he had already seen the future, he was still somewhat speechless; of course, he wasn't worried about Kaido, that old man with his high constitution and thick health bar, unless he activated nika, it would be completely impossible to kill him.
He was merely lamenting Yamato's "filial piety." Knowing the plot, he naturally understood that this was a problem child!
At this moment, Yamato was also observing Luffy.
His messy black hair loosely hung down, barely covering his crimson eyes that seemed to burn with starlight.
His straw hat was tilted on his head, and the bloodstains on its brim, far from making him look disheveled, instead made him appear breathtakingly handsome—
The black and red Conqueror's Haki lightning dancing around him, like an invisible crown, quietly revealed the aura of a future king… Their gazes suddenly met, and Yamato's eyes instantly sparkled, filled with undisguised adoration and fanaticism:
—This is the man worth assisting for my entire life!
Luffy, opposite her, subtly raised an eyebrow, his lips twitching almost imperceptibly. Then, his pupils constricted slightly, as if he was glimpsing a "magical" future through the scene before him.
The next second, Yamato could no longer contain her excitement. She stepped forward familiarly, her voice filled with urgent pleading:
"You're Luffy, right! Ace told me about you a long time ago—you want to become the Pirate King, don't you?"
"Let me join your crew and assist you!… Just like Oden assisted Roger back then, I will definitely help you reach the top of the New World!"
The crimson light around Luffy still flickered. He remained silent, not uttering a word, his deep eyes seeming to weigh and verify the future vision he had just glimpsed.
"You, what did you say you want to do?!"
Suddenly, a roar erupted.
Zzzzzzzzzz!!
Purple-black lightning suddenly burst forth, like thousands of coiling dragons dancing wildly, instantly expanding into a colossal net that blotted out the sky, dyeing the entire heavens dark purple!
All the violent energy of the lightning ultimately converged at one point—the dark, ferocious spiked club "hassaikai" in Kaido's hand!
"Roar—!!"
Kaido's furious roar split the clouds, and a black-purple stream of light, carrying world-destroying power, charged towards Yamato like a demon god descending. The spiked club swung out with a sharp, space-tearing whistle:
"Great Dragon Thunder Bagua!!"
That ultimate sense of pressure made Yamato's pupils constrict, and her bright red eyes were filled with shock—
This was a Kaido she had never seen before, a terror she had never felt!
The killing intent emanating from that spiked club made her clearly smell the cold scent of death for the first time!
In the nick of time, a figure shot out like lightning, firmly blocking her front.
Beneath the straw hat, those crimson eyes, like burning stars, glanced at her, then curved into a brilliant, dazzling smile, his voice clear yet undeniably firm:
"I've thought about it. If you represent Yamato, then I invite you to join my crew. If you represent Oden, then… forget it!!"
Subsequently, Luffy ignored the dumbfounded Yamato, his eyes narrowing with a hint of gravity—
Kaido's attack this time truly held nothing back!
Zzzzz—!!
The black and red Conqueror's Haki lightning was so dense it was almost tangible; black lightning entwined with golden flames, imprinted on his arm like ancient runes, and surging power almost burst through his physical body!
"Fist Principle: Collapse!"
With a low shout, Luffy punched out!
Boom!!!
The instant fist and club clashed, the exploding Conqueror's Haki condensed into a violent energy core in the void, frantically contracting and expanding, reciprocating endlessly under their full-force collision.
Countless black lightning bolts twisted and danced around the two like a cage, spreading in layers, making everything in their path tremble.
At this moment, heaven and earth seemed to be shaking!
The atmosphere was torn to shreds, and the clouds in the sky were pulverized by the violent air currents, vanishing without a trace;
Onigashima's ground was ripped up layer by layer, towering mountains were forcefully leveled, and the entire island trembled violently, as if the apocalypse had arrived!
A purgatorial gale swept through, blowing the still-dazed Yamato away, carrying her far from this forbidden zone of life and death.
"Straw Hat, you dare take her away?!"
Kaido's roar made the air hum, the force behind his spiked club grew even more violent, and the purple-black lightning almost solidified.
"That depends on her own choice!"
Luffy showed no weakness, the golden flames on his fist growing even brighter.
He understood clearly that Kaido, after all, harbored deep feelings for his daughter—
Although this "Great Dragon Thunder Bagua" was terrifyingly powerful, it would absolutely not take Yamato's life; this was the future he had foreseen.
And the reason he bravely blocked this attack was merely to give this poor girl a true choice:
If she were hit by this blow, she would most likely be imprisoned when she woke up, just like he once was!
Luffy felt a trace of pity for this person, who was immersed in Oden's shadow and lived like a puppet.
—He wanted to help her change her fate, but all of this, ultimately, had to be based on her own will.
"Damn brat!"
Kaido laughed in extreme anger, swinging his spiked club even more fiercely, but as fellow Four Emperors-level combatants, he could never achieve absolute suppression.
The two exchanged blows, the roar of their fists and club clashing reverberating through the heavens, and the area within a kilometer was completely transformed into a death zone; any living creature that approached would only be crushed by the aftermath!
Yamato watched this scene with a dazed expression and a pale face. She loudly questioned Luffy,
"What's the difference? Luffy, don't you also want to become the Pirate King?!"
Luffy slammed his fist heavily onto the spiked club, the force of his punch making the surrounding air churn, yet he grinned, revealing his signature radiant smile, his voice clear and firm:
"But I don't want to become Roger at all!"
"W-why?!"
Yamato trembled, her crimson eyes filled with disbelief. This sentence was like a thunderbolt, shattering her deeply ingrained perceptions of twenty-six years.
Luffy exerted force on his wrist, pushing the spiked club slightly aside. Black and red Conqueror's Haki lightning danced around him, his tone carrying an innate freedom and certainty:
"Because I am me! Not anyone's shadow, not anyone's replacement—I am Monkey D. Luffy!"
These words seemed to carry soul-piercing power; without ornate rhetoric, they instantly struck the softest part of Yamato's heart like a warm current.
She raised her hands blankly, her fingertips trembling slightly. Those hands had countless times mimicked Oden's posture gripping the spiked club, had countless times silently recited in her heart,
'I am Kozuki Oden'.
For eighteen years, that phrase had been etched into her bones, so familiar that she could utter it without thinking.
But at this moment, her throat felt constricted, and a thousand words ultimately turned into a trembling murmur: "I, I am…?!"
Who was she? A follower of Kozuki Oden? Kaido's daughter? Or… a forgotten self named Yamato?
Large tears suddenly rolled from her crimson eyes, sliding down her pale cheeks and splashing onto her kimono, forming small wet marks.
Eighteen years of self-hypnosis, eighteen years of role-playing, had made her unable to see her true self, even almost forgetting that she was originally "Yamato."
The girl's suppressed sobbing was exceptionally clear amidst the roaring battlefield!!
Kaido's hand gripping the spiked club suddenly paused, his strength unconsciously reduced by more than half, a complex and unreadable emotion flickering in his eyes.
Luffy, meanwhile, smiled even brighter, as if seeing a butterfly emerge from its cocoon, his voice gentle yet full of power:
"Join my crew, Yamato! I'll take you to see the real world—not the legends from Oden's writings, but your own vibrant world!"
A gentle breeze happened to blow by, carrying the scent of grass from outside the battlefield, caressing Yamato's still tear-streaked face, as if comforting her past pains.
She looked up, her eyes misty with tears, at the dazzlingly smiling young man before her. In those eyes, burning with starlight, there was no expectation for "Oden," only recognition for "Yamato" herself.
The fog in her heart suddenly dispersed, and the long-standing confusion and shackles completely collapsed at this moment.
Yamato took a deep breath, wiped away her tears, and a bright light rekindled in her crimson eyes. She nodded heavily, her voice carrying the determination of rebirth: "—Yes!!"
That response was no longer an imitation of anyone's tone, no longer carrying anyone's shadow; it belonged only to herself—Kaido's daughter, Yamato.