At a remote Marine base, a tense silence hung over the docks. Just a few days prior, Marine Headquarters had dispatched a massive sum of emergency funds to this very outpost, specifically earmarked to ransom the captured Admiral Aramaki.
"Sir, are we truly handing over
1,800,000,000
Berries to a bunch of pirates?" a subordinate Marine soldier asked, staring at the armored transport chests. The astronomical sum was far beyond anything the low-ranking soldiers had ever seen in their lives.
"What choice do we have?" the base commander replied, his voice heavy but indifferent. "It looks like a fortune, but if it successfully secures the return of Admiral Aramaki, it is a price we must pay. Do you honestly believe a Marine Admiral is worth less than
1,800,000,000
Berries?"
"No, sir, that is not what we meant at all," the soldier stammered, quickly shaking his head alongside his comrades. "We just feel that surrendering such a massive amount of wealth to criminals is... incredibly wasteful."
In truth, if one evaluated the situation strictly by military value, even
2,800,000,000
Berries would not suffice to buy back a Marine Admiral. The fact that the World Government could reclaim Aramaki for a mere
1,800,000,000
Berries was actually a fortunate outcome for the Marines.
"I understand your frustration," the commander said earnestly, turning to face his men. "But do not forget the caliber of the pirate we are dealing with. That is Onihime, a monster whose individual combat strength matches her father, Kaido. An existence like hers can only be countered by a Marine Admiral, yet Aramaki was still captured. That alone should tell you how terrifying our opponent is. As long as we can resolve this with currency rather than bloodshed, the Marines cannot consider this a loss."
The current reality was grim. The newly reorganized Beasts Pirates now boasted two individual combatants operating at the absolute pinnacle of the Four Emperors level. Even if the Marine Headquarters wanted to launch a punitive expedition against them, the Gorosei and the Fleet Admiral would have to carefully weigh the catastrophic consequences.
Furthermore, both of those top-tier pirates possessed Mythical Zoan Devil Fruits, giving them absolute dominance over land, sea, and air. They simply had no exploitable weaknesses. Provoking such dangerous anomalies guaranteed total devastation.
Years ago, even when dealing with the legendary Whitebeard, the Marines did not display this level of intense caution, which was exactly why they had confidently engineered the Summit War. An important factor, of course, was that Whitebeard had grown old and frail. But the most critical distinction was that while Whitebeard possessed earth-shattering destructive power, he could not fly, sprint, and maneuver across the heavens all at once. With proper tactical preparation, a stationary target like Whitebeard could still be pinned down and restricted.
Kaido and Yamato, this monstrous father-daughter duo, were entirely different. They could engage in brutal melee combat, retreat at impossible speeds, and take flight at a moment's notice, making them completely impossible to contain. If the Marines ever triggered a full-scale war against the Beasts Pirates, two massive dragons would tear through the clouds, raining continuous breath attacks upon the fleet below. The sheer scale of that destruction was horrifying to contemplate.
"Gulp... Indeed, avoiding a war with the Beasts Pirates is definitely our best option," the Marine soldiers muttered, swallowing hard as they realized the danger. After all, if a war erupted, they would be the ones sent to the front lines as cannon fodder.
Right at that moment, the clear sky above the base abruptly darkened. Thick, unnatural storm clouds materialized out of nowhere, swallowing the sunlight and casting a deep shadow over the entire facility.
Rumble!
Violent thunder echoed through the atmosphere, and arcs of golden lightning crackled inside the swirling vortex above. The sudden shift brought with it a suffocating, oppressive air pressure that made it difficult to breathe.
"What is going on? It was completely clear a second ago! How did the weather change so fast?" The stationed Marines looked up at the sky, panic rising in their voices.
"Take cover! Something massive is approaching!" the base commander roared, his Armament Haki flaring slightly as he sensed an overwhelmingly powerful aura descending upon them.
An instant later, every Marine on the grounds witnessed a massive creature slowly emerge from the eye of the storm clouds. It possessed shimmering pink dragon scales, jagged, imposing horns, and a slender, serpentine body wrapped in mystical white flame clouds. The creature radiated an ancient, divine pressure that demanded submission.
"A dragon! It is a giant pink dragon!"
"All stations, battle positions! It is Onihime! Maintain high alert!"
The entire base erupted into absolute chaos as emergency sirens wailed continuously through the air.
"My, what a grand reception. Are you all gathered here just to welcome me, Marines?" Yamato asked, her massive form hovering effortlessly above the plaza. Her golden pupils locked onto the trembling soldiers below.
The Marines stood paralyzed with fear, their bodies shaking and their breathing ragged as they gripped their rifles with white knuckles. The sheer presence of the Mythical Zoan transformation exerted an unbearable weight upon their consciousness.
"Onihime, the requested ransom is secured. Where is Admiral Aramaki?" the base commander demanded, forcing himself to suppress his terror as he stepped forward.
"Right here, safe and sound," Yamato replied.
With a brief flash of light, she reverted to her human-beast form, dangling a thick rope from her hand. At the end of the rope hung a figure with disheveled green hair, bound tightly—it was indeed Admiral Aramaki.
"Admiral Aramaki!" The commander breathed a massive sigh of relief. It was a relief to see that the legendary pirate actually kept her word regarding the exchange. However, upon closer inspection, he noticed that the Admiral looked incredibly pale, his lips were severely chapped, and he had the hollow look of someone who had been dragged through harsh weather for days on end.
"I have delivered the hostage. Now, show me the money. Bring it out so I can verify the amount," Yamato said, slowly descending to the pavement directly across from the Marine line.
Several of the more faint-hearted soldiers collapsed straight onto the ground, overwhelmed by her proximity.
"Quickly! Bring the cargo out now!" the commander shouted to his subordinates.
A squad of Marines hastily wheeled out several heavily reinforced iron chests, unlocking them to reveal stacks of currency.
"The full
1,800,000,000
Berries are present. You may inspect them," the commander stated, gesturing toward the open containers.
Yamato narrowed her eyes slightly. "There are no counterfeit bills mixed in there, right?"
"Every single note is official World Government currency. I swear it upon my life and my honor as a Marine," the commander replied with absolute seriousness.
"Excellent. I may not know your name, officer, but I choose to believe you. Besides, I doubt Akainu would resort to petty tricks over a deal like this," Yamato noted with a grin. "Now, do me one last favor. Tie all these chests together securely with thick ropes, leave a long lead line at the end, and ensure the knots are unbreakable."
Seeing her gesture toward the ropes, the base commander finally realized the reason behind Aramaki's disheveled state. The Admiral had clearly been towed through the sky like cargo, which explained his completely exhausted and haggard appearance.
The Marines worked as fast as possible, using heavy-duty naval ropes to bind the chests into a single, compact haul.
"Here is your Admiral, along with the key to his restraints," Yamato said, lowering Aramaki to the ground and tossing the key to the commander.
"Quickly, unlock the Sea Stone handcuffs!" the commander ordered urgently.
As the Marines rushed forward to assist the captive, Yamato grabbed the main lead line, hoisting the massive weight of the chests effortlessly. She leaped back into the air, her voice echoing over the base. "It was a pleasure doing business with you all! I will be taking my leave now. See you around, goodbye!"
The remaining Marines shuddered at her casual farewell. Within seconds, Yamato vanished into the upper atmosphere, leaving the area as quickly as she had arrived. As her presence faded, the dark storm clouds dispersed, and bright sunlight once again illuminated the base.
Clang!
The heavy Sea Stone cuffs fell away from Aramaki's wrists. The moment the power-draining metal lost contact with his skin, a surge of vitality flooded back into his body. The deathly paleness vanished instantly, replaced by his usual vibrant energy.
"Onihime, you absolute scoundrel!" Aramaki roared, his face contorting with rage as he shook his fist at the empty sky.
Over the past month, he had fallen from the lofty status of a proud Marine Admiral to a common prisoner, forced to perform grueling manual labor on a remote island. And just when he thought his ordeal was ending, he had been subjected to days of being dragged through the upper atmosphere like a kite. The intense humiliation and resentment burned deeply within him; he wanted nothing more than to tear her apart. This entire experience was bound to remain a psychological scar for the rest of his life.
The surrounding Marines exchanged confused glances. Though the Admiral seemed furious, he did not appear to have suffered any permanent physical damage.
"Admiral Aramaki," the base commander interrupted gently, breaking the awkward silence. "Fleet Admiral Sakazuki issued strict orders that upon your release, you are to report to Marineford immediately."
Aramaki took a deep breath, gradually forcing his twisted expression back into a mask of composure. "Understood. Prepare a fast warship at once. I am returning to headquarters immediately."
A few days later, Yamato arrived back at Islande Island, carrying the heavy chests containing the
1,800,000,000
Berries.
"The Young Miss has returned!" a lookout shouted, prompting a large crowd of subordinates to gather around the landing zone.
Black Maria and the other high-ranking members walked over, looking curiously at the tightly bound crates resting on the grass.
"Young Miss, is the ransom money actually inside these?" Haruko asked, leaning in closer.
Yamato nodded proudly. "Every single bit of it. These chests hold exactly
1,800,000,000
Berries."
The surrounding pirates gasped in collective disbelief. To successfully extract such an immense fortune from the Marines and bring it home safely was an incredible feat.
"Here is the plan," Yamato announced after a brief moment of deliberation. "We will immediately distribute
20,000
Berries to every single member of the Beasts Pirates as a bonus. The rest of the funds will go directly into constructing our new headquarters. Let us ensure the facility is completed as quickly as possible, and remember, the quality of the build must be flawless. Any leftover funds will be placed into our primary treasury for future operations."
"Long live the Young Miss!" the crew cheered, their excitement echoing across the shore.
Receiving a direct cash payout of
20,000
Berries was a massive windfall for ordinary crewmen. Unlike the Marines, pirates did not receive fixed monthly salaries; their livelihood depended entirely on sporadic raids and fluctuating fortunes. Even when a crew managed to secure a decent hoard, the vast majority of the wealth was claimed by the Lead Performers and Tobiroppo, leaving the rank-and-file with mere scraps. A guaranteed bonus of this size was incredibly rare.
"King, you will manage the treasury just like before. Take charge of these funds," Yamato said, turning to the towering man beside her.
King nodded firmly. "Understood. Leave the allocations to me."
"Yamato, did those Marines truly surrender the coin without attempting a single ambush?" Jack asked, still looking skeptical. Anyone familiar with the sea knew about Fleet Admiral Akainu's ruthless, uncompromising doctrine of Absolute Justice. It felt completely out of character for him to pay off a pirate without a fight.
"The money is sitting right in front of you, Jack. You can count it yourself if you doubt it," Yamato laughed, placing a hand on her hip. "I understand your suspicion, but Sakazuki is the Fleet Admiral now. He cannot simply act on his personal whims anymore; he has the entire World Government's reputation and political stability to consider. Furthermore, since we held a Marine Admiral hostage, he could not afford to take a gamble. That is why he delivered the exact amount without a single delay."
Jack grunted in reluctant agreement. "Aramaki was incredibly unfortunate to cross paths with you. A Marine Admiral captured alive—he might genuinely be the first one in history to suffer such a disgrace."
"Hahaha!"
The entire gathering burst into loud laughter at Jack's blunt commentary.
"Not bad, Jack! Since when did you become so witty?" Yamato laughed, reaching out to slap his shoulder playfully.
"Get your hands off me," Jack growled, turning his head away in annoyance.
His grumpy reaction only caused the crew to laugh even harder. Following Yamato's orders, King immediately organized the logistics and began distributing the
20,000
Berries to every pirate on the island, causing morale and construction productivity to skyrocket.
Meanwhile, Aramaki had finally reached the reinforced fortress of Marineford.
Inside the Fleet Admiral's office, Sakazuki sat behind his desk, staring at the returned Admiral with an expressionless face, though a dangerous fire flickered in his eyes.
Being subjected to that intense, burning gaze made Aramaki incredibly uncomfortable. He lowered his head, unable to maintain eye contact. "I am deeply sorry for the outcome of this mission. The failure rests entirely on me."
"You actually realize it was your fault?" Sakazuki roared, his composure snapping as his magma-like rage flared. "Because of your sheer recklessness, our organization just handed
1,800,000,000
Berries directly to a pirate crew for absolutely nothing!"
Sakazuki had been utterly opposed to negotiating with criminals, but the threat of losing an active Admiral permanently—combined with the catastrophic public relations disaster if the world discovered a Marine Admiral had been taken prisoner—forced his hand. As Fleet Admiral, the ultimate responsibility for the stability of the seas rested on his shoulders. After grueling deliberations with the Five Elders, he had been forced to scrape together the necessary funds to secure the release.
"My apologies," Aramaki muttered, keeping his posture respectful. He knew he had cost the military an immense portion of their operational budget, so he quietly accepted the reprimand.
Seeing Aramaki willingly accept the blame without offering excuses, Sakazuki slowly brought his temper under control, exhaling a heavy sigh as he leaned back. "Explain the details to me. How exactly did you manage to get yourself captured? Did multiple members of the Four Emperors coordinate an ambush to overwhelm you?"
Aramaki's expression grew incredibly conflicted. If he had been brought down by a combined assault from multiple legendary pirates, the defeat would at least carry some shred of dignity. The reality, however, was far more humiliating; he had been completely bested in a one-on-one confrontation.
"Speak up. What are you hesitating for?" Sakazuki frowned, his eyes narrowing at the silence.
"Ahem... The truth is, I was defeated by Onihime alone. The engagement proceeded like this..."
Realizing there was no avoiding the truth, Aramaki meticulously recounted every detail of the battle and his subsequent capture.
By the time the explanation concluded, Sakazuki's face had turned completely grim. He had assumed Aramaki had fallen victim to a calculated trap or overwhelming numbers. He never anticipated that an active Admiral could be soundly defeated in single combat by Yamato.
"I lost fair and square, and I have no excuses for the defeat," Aramaki admitted, a visible tremor of fear returning to his voice as he recalled the clash. "However, that girl's Conqueror's Haki is remarkably potent. In terms of raw intensity, I doubt it falls short of Red Hair Shanks. Her Conqueror's Haki was precise enough to target me directly, completely suppressing my elemental transformation and forcibly shutting down my abilities. The vast majority of my combat effectiveness relies on my Logia fruit. Once that power was neutralized, I was completely defenseless. If I had been facing Kaido or Big Mom instead, the nature of their attacks might not have neutralized my fruit so perfectly."
To have an awakened Logia ability rendered entirely useless was a terrifying prospect for any high-ranking Marine.
Sakazuki remained completely silent, a rare look of absolute gravity settling over his features. As a fellow Logia user who relied heavily on the destructive output of the Mag-Mag Fruit, he could perfectly understand the psychological horror Aramaki had experienced. He knew the Admiral was not exaggerating the threat.
"That brat..." Sakazuki muttered, his mind drifting back to the Paramount War two years ago.
He clearly remembered the young woman who had stood on the battlefield of Marineford, her sharp tongue leaving a lasting impression. Back then, the upper echelons had suspected she already possessed the potential to challenge the top tier of the New World. Now, it was clear their assessments had been entirely correct.
Only two years had passed since that conflict, yet her strength had already reached an entirely new level.
"I suspect her current combat capability has already surpassed the standard definition of a Four Emperor," Aramaki added quietly, breaking the silence. "If I had to make an accurate comparison, she might already be capable of standing toe-to-toe with Whitebeard in his prime."
Sakazuki's eyes widened slightly at the statement. Whitebeard in his prime was a legendary figure who had fought on equal terms with the Pirate King, Gol D. Roger himself. Yamato had not even reached her thirtieth year, yet she was already drawing comparisons to the absolute strongest legends of the sea.