Chapter 7: Yamato
The sky was vast, dotted with drifting white clouds.
Caesar lay sprawled on the chaotic beach, his stomach growling thunderously, yet he didn't move an inch.
That last attack—imbued with Conqueror's Haki—had drained him nearly dry.
And even then, all it had done was deflect King's blade slightly, landing a hit on his face that was more symbolic than damaging.
Though the Lunarian's natural defenses were absurdly powerful, weak was still weak—had it been Kaido throwing that punch, the outcome would've been completely different.
"Conqueror's Haki, huh…"
Caesar shut his eyes. The remnants of that willpower still seemed to surge through his bloodstream.
He remained lying there on the sand, quietly reminiscing about the feeling—silent, contemplative.
Suddenly, his brows twitched slightly. A ripple of invisible pressure spread outward, lifting dust gently from the ground.
"Hah! That was Conqueror's Haki! So it was you fighting here just now!"
A bright, cheerful voice came from above. Caesar opened his eyes and saw a tall figure standing over him.
It was a beautiful oni girl with flowing white hair that faded to bluish green at the tips.
She wore a sleeveless white kimono top and a wide, crimson hakama skirt. Shackles adorned her wrists, and like Kaido, she wore a thick shimenawa rope around her waist. The most striking feature: a pair of red oni horns on her head. Standing well over two meters tall, she completely blocked the sunlight above him.
She had arrived.
The woman who, in the main story, was second only to Big Mom in power.
Caesar's gaze studied her carefully. Her fair cheeks looked soft to the touch, and her slender, arched brows gave her large, spirited eyes a resolute sharpness.
"Do you need something?" he asked lazily, tilting his head to find a more comfortable angle—his eyes subtly admiring the magnificent peaks towering above him.
A miracle of nature, truly…
"Judging by your outfit, you're not from around here, are you?" she asked, curiosity in her tone. "A pirate?"
"Yeah, I guess you could say that…" A faint, barely perceptible smile flickered in Caesar's eyes. With an exaggerated sigh, he added, "To be exact, I was captured by Kaido and forced to join the Beasts Pirates."
"Huh? You were captured?!"
An awkward look flashed across the girl's face. "That bastard… I can't believe he'd do something like that!"
"Well, pirates do take what they want by force… Not that it's caused me too much trouble."
Caesar struggled to sit up. "Anyway, my name's Caesar. What's yours?"
"I'm Yamato! Kaido's son!"
She knelt beside Caesar, hands resting on her knees, nervously fiddling with the hem of her skirt.
"I'm really sorry about what happened to you. I may not get along with him, but still…"
"It's fine," Caesar said, a smile dancing in his eyes. He hadn't expected to meet her under these circumstances.
Truth be told, one of the reasons he had agreed to stay here—besides training in Haki—was precisely to meet this white-haired girl.
Beneath her beauty was a heart as pure as paper, and strength inherited directly from Kaido himself.
For Caesar, who hoped to build his own faction in the future, Yamato was undoubtedly a reliable ally.
Of course, before that, he'd have to clear out the "Oden brainwashing" that clouded her mind…
With that thought, Caesar smirked and said, "We can't choose our origins, but we can choose what kind of people we want to be. It's clear to me—you're not the same as him."
Yamato blinked, caught off guard. Her wide, brilliant eyes shimmered with light.
"Hah! You're a good guy, aren't you!"
Grinning innocently, she gave Caesar's shoulder a hearty slap.
Thud! Caesar's head smacked into the sand.
"Wah! Sorry, sorry!"
She hastily helped him up, her eyes scanning him. "Are you injured?"
"No, just… a little drained."
Caesar shook his head and tried to brush the sand from his face, only to find his arms aching and powerless.
"If it's not too much trouble, could you carry me back? I live in the main building."
"Oh! Leave it to me!"
Yamato hoisted Caesar onto her back and jogged toward the interior of Onigashima, returning him to his quarters.
"So this is where you're staying, huh?"
After handing Caesar off to Ayun for support, Yamato glanced around. "This used to be the Red-Light District, right? The area Maria was in charge of?"
"Yes, Young Master Yamato," Ayun replied respectfully, clearly recognizing her.
"So we're neighbors then!"
"Oh? You live in this area too?"
"Nope, I usually stay locked up in the basement cells!"
"Uh… that's a complicated family dynamic."
"Haha, it's usually because I tried to challenge Kaido and failed."
"I see…"
Looking at Yamato's cheerful, carefree face, Caesar chuckled. "Ayun, help me to the bath first, then prepare some food and drinks—I want to treat our new friend."
Ayun hesitated, clearly worried. "But sir, your condition…"
"I've got this!" Yamato cut in with a bright grin, stepping forward to support Caesar. "I could use a bath too. Where's the bathroom?"
"Hold on—men and women bathe separately."
Caesar struggled to stand. "If you want a bath, wait till I'm done."
"No worries—I told you, didn't I? I'm a man!"
Yamato laughed heartily, slung an arm under Caesar, and charged straight into the bathroom without giving him a chance to resist.
Caesar was stripped completely bare. Then, with a dramatic tug, Yamato ripped off her own shirt—blinding holy light instantly filled the entire bathroom.
"Whoa... spectacular!"
"A-Ahem! This isn't me taking advantage or anything, okay?!"
Caesar's eyes went wide as he pointed at the brilliant glow. "You're clearly a woman."
Hands raised, Yamato replied confidently, "My body may be female, but I've long resolved to live as a man!"
Caesar smirked. "Oh? Then, my dear bro... can I touch your pecs?"
"Of course not, you pervert!"
Yamato's face darkened, and though she wore a fierce scowl, the faintest blush crept across her cheeks. "I know harassment when I see it! You think I'm some kind of idiot?!"
"If I can't even touch your pecs, what kind of man are you supposed to be?"
Caesar chuckled lightly. At least this girl had some basic awareness.
"You're not a real man, after all. If you're this carefree, people will treat you like a foolish woman and take advantage. Then again... you don't exactly look like a genius, either."
"Shut up already!"
With that, Yamato hurled Caesar into the bath, then jumped in after him with a loud splash. "Haha! This feels great!"
Stretching comfortably, Yamato turned to look—only to see Caesar floating motionless.
Startled, Yamato quickly pulled him up. "Hey, hey! Caesar! What's wrong?! Stay with me!"
"I'm... a Devil Fruit user," Caesar murmured, completely drained of energy.
"Oh... looks like you're not used to this kind of weakness yet, huh?" Yamato supported him with curiosity. "So, what kind of fruit did you eat?"
"Mythical Zoan... Vampire fruit."
"A vampire? That's so cool! Do you need to drink blood? Want to try mine?"
"Your... pecs?"
"Damn it! I told you, I'm a man! Men don't harass other men!"
"Well, what a coincidence. I'm gay."
"NANI?!"
Yamato stared at him, shocked. Then her expression darkened. "You jerk, messing with me again!"
"By the way, why do you have to become a man, anyway?"
Caesar leaned lazily against the edge of the tub. At 190cm tall, he looked almost small next to the towering Yamato.
"To be honest... I want to become Kozuki Oden," Yamato said, lips tight, a trace of hesitation in her voice.
What an unsurprising answer.
"Kozuki Oden, huh..."
Caesar's tone grew unreadable. "You're cute in your own dumb way, but turning into that fool would just be a waste of your face."
"What did you say?"
Yamato's mood instantly shifted from playful to serious, clearly upset.
"Is there a problem?" Caesar asked, lifting his head with a grin. "That Kozuki Oden of yours... wasn't he the guy who wreaked havoc as a kid, abducted women in his youth, abandoned his country as an adult, and got played like a fool when he returned?"
"That's not true! You misunderstood him, Caesar!"
Yamato rushed to defend her idol. "Those were just reckless, youthful mistakes—"
Caesar laughed. "Oh? So when he does something wrong, it's 'reckless youth,' but when Kaido does it, it's evil incarnate?"
"That's different!"
Yamato clenched her fists, gaze resolute. "He changed. After seeing the world beyond Wano, he became kind—he truly wanted to help people and open up the country!"
"And how'd that turn out?"
Caesar smirked. "He ended up dancing naked in the streets, lost the people's trust, and handed Wano over to Orochi. The citizens starved while tyrants ruled."
"He was tricked!"
"He was stupid!"
Caesar's voice turned stern. "Listen, Yamato. Everyone wants to be the hero of their own story. But people don't just live for themselves. A ruler's duty is to their people."
"If you want to live as a man, then understand this—being a man means bearing responsibility. A man who can't shoulder responsibility has no right to speak of dreams or freedom!"
"When he should've stood firm, he cowered. When he should've been wary, he was naive. Looking at his whole life, all I see is a fake bravado, a shallow fool pretending to be bold."
Yamato was speechless, stunned by Caesar's words.
After a long pause, she finally mumbled, "But... he did it for the innocent people..."
"And since when does war come without casualties?"
Caesar asked quietly.
Yamato swallowed hard, thoughts in turmoil.
"The sea is vast, Yamato."
Seeing her so shaken, Caesar smiled gently.
"You're free to become whoever you want—but shouldn't that decision come after you've seen the world for yourself?"
"I want to... I really do! But Kaido shackled me with these damn cuffs—if I leave Wano, they'll explode!"
She lifted her arms. The metal shackles clinked loudly. Her eyes burned with frustration.
"I've always wondered if he was bluffing. I mean... would a father really blow up his own child? But the slightest doubt always holds me back. After all... he's my father."
"I see..."
Droplets formed on the ends of Caesar's damp bangs and dripped slowly. He exhaled, brushed his wet hair back, and sat up straighter, a look of resolve on his face.
"In that case... how about joining my crew?"
"I told you—I can't leave Wano!"
"I'll remove the cuffs. All you have to do is decide: will you set sail with me or not?"
Caesar's voice was calm but firm. "Honestly, if I'd really wanted to escape, I could've done it from the start. Kaido wouldn't have caught me."
"Then why didn't you?"
"Because I'm weak."
Caesar shook his head. "Kaido is one of the strongest in the world—his body's monstrous, and he's insanely mobile. Realistically, even if I fled to the other side of the ocean, if he ever found me, he could drag me back anytime."
"So in a way, I'm just like you—chained down. But my shackles... are weakness. Only by growing strong enough to face Kaido head-on can I truly earn my freedom."
"Two years. Max."
He held up two fingers. "In two years, I'll be strong enough to take him on. When that time comes... will you come with me? Out to sea?"
Steam swirled in the bathroom.
Yamato stared at Caesar, mouth agape, eyes sparkling with wonder.
"Caesar! You're amazing!"
After a long silence, she finally exclaimed with excitement.
"Hey hey—don't you think I might be bluffing?"
"No! I'll help you! The two of us can definitely do it!"
Yamato smacked her bicep and grinned confidently. "It's a promise, then! When we're strong enough to challenge Kaido—let's sail together!"
"Deal."
Caesar smiled. "But with that said... are you still planning to become Kozuki Oden?"
"I do admire Oden... everything I know about him came from his journals."
Yamato lowered her arms, her gaze turning thoughtful.
Then she suddenly smiled as if a weight had lifted.
"But I think you're right... there are some things I just don't understand yet. So for now... I'll wait."
"I see..."
Caesar tilted his head, pointing at her chest. "So then... right now, are you a man or a woman?"
"Huh?"
Yamato blinked, following his finger, then looked back up with a blank, adorable expression.
"Well... um... what do you think I am?"
"Me?"
Caesar stroked his chin, remembering her spirited face when they first met.
"To me... you're a woman who's stronger—and more exceptional—than most men."
"I see..."
Yamato lowered her head in contemplation. Wet bangs fell over her pretty face, concealing her expression.
After a while, steam began to rise gently from her white-streaked hair—no one could say whether it was water vapor or something else.
"Ahem... then, I guess I'll try being what you said—a woman stronger and more exceptional than any man!"
"And the pecs—?"
"GET LOST!!!"