At this moment.
Yamato was truly lost.
‘Who am I?’
‘If I’m not Oden… Then what am I supposed to do?’
That question—completely stumped Yamato.
All these years, she’d been living as Kozuki Oden.
But now… she was being forced to think for herself.
For the first time, she truly didn’t know.
But if she didn’t answer, she wouldn’t get any news about Ace!
Her mind was spiraling into chaos!
Then, suddenly—
A memory surfaced in her mind—Ace’s smile.
‘Ace…’
‘Right!’
‘I want—’
‘I want to save Ace!’
‘Yamato!’
‘Yamato will save Ace!’
‘What will Yamato do?’
‘Yamato will protect her only friend!’
‘I’ll save Ace as myself—as Yamato!’
Gritting her teeth, she took a deep breath.
“I… I am Yamato.”
She said softly, her voice laced with hesitation.
It was truly the first time—
In all these years—
That she’d ever spoken her own name with such sincerity.
In moments like these, she’d always claimed to be Oden.
“Are you sure?”
Vir pressed, his gaze sharp like a blade.
Yamato nodded, a spark of determination gradually returning to her eyes.
“Yes, I’m Yamato! I’m going to save Ace! Where is he?! Who did this to him?! I’m going to smash them flat!”
The more she spoke, the fiercer her tone became.
The fury in her eyes looked ready to erupt.
Seeing her like this, Vir finally allowed himself a faint smile.
Though, this probably wouldn’t be enough to completely change her way of thinking.
Still, it was at least a step in the right direction.
“Ace was captured by the Marines. He’s imprisoned now, and in a little over half a month, he’ll be publicly executed.”
Vir stated the grim truth calmly.
‘The Marines?’
Yamato’s expression froze.
Scenes from Oden’s journal flashed through her mind.
Even the Pirate King, Roger, had been relentlessly pursued by the Marines, forced to constantly flee.
The Marines’ strength was undeniable.
‘Ace was captured by them.’
‘What do I do?!’
‘How can I save him?!’
‘I’m Yamato now!’
‘What will Yamato do?’
‘How will Yamato save Ace?’
Yamato furrowed her brows, racking her brain.
But she was like a newborn chick who had just stepped out into the world.
She didn’t know anything.
She didn’t even know where the Marines were.
She didn’t even know how to get there.
How could she possibly come up with a plan?
Then—she thought of Vir.
‘Vir is so smart!’
‘He must have a way!’
“Vir… what do we do? How do we save Ace?”
Yamato looked at him helplessly, pleading.
“I have a way.”
Just four words.
Vir said it calmly.
But the confidence in his voice surged like a wave.
It brought an overwhelming sense of reassurance.
And that made Yamato instantly excited!
“Really?! That’s awesome! You’re amazing, Vir!”
As she spoke, she suddenly lunged at Vir again!
But this time, Vir was prepared.
He simply shifted his body slightly and dodged her deadly tackle.
*Thud—*
Yamato slammed hard into the railing.
“Can you not jump on people just because you’re excited?”
Vir said with exasperation.
If he didn’t dodge, those weapons of hers really could kill.
“Whitebeard’s crew will be going to rescue him.”
“I can take you with me. Just follow my lead.”
Still holding her head from the impact, Yamato was stunned again when she heard Whitebeard Pirates.
That was a legendary crew!
With them leading the charge—
There might really be a chance to save Ace!
‘Ace can be saved!’
But then—
Yamato caught sight of the shackles on her wrists.
Her expression stiffened.
‘The cuffs…’
‘I—I still have the cuffs on…’
‘I don’t have time to save Ace!’
She had been so overwhelmed by the news about Ace, she completely forgot—
She was still wearing the explosive cuffs!
‘No.’
‘No…’
‘I have to return to Wano.’
‘Otherwise…’
‘I’ll die.’
‘What do I do?’
‘What do I do?! Am I really powerless to do anything?!’
‘Do I have to just watch as Ace is executed?!’
‘Can I not even see him one last time?!’
‘Why… why is this happening?!’
She stared at the chains binding her wrists.
A sense of helplessness surged inside her.
Then hatred.
Then—an explosive rage!
At first, she just stared at the cuffs in silence.
But after a while…
Yamato suddenly snapped. She began slamming at the shackles with all her strength!
*BANG! BANG! BANG!*
The noise echoed loudly.
“Dammit! Dammit! DAMMIT!!”
Her roars grew louder with each strike.
This scene was identical to the fury she had shown in the original story when Ace’s Vivre Card burned away.
*Bang! Bang! Bang!*
*Bang! Bang! Bang!*
One strike after another!
She was putting every ounce of strength into it!
Her hands were covered in blood.
But it was like she couldn’t feel the pain at all.
She just kept going, over and over.
Yet the shackles, much like her father, remained immovable.
Not even a scratch appeared.
Her roars gradually began to weaken.
Bit by bit.
Until they turned into sobs.
She just sat there on the deck.
Silently crying.
Tears fell one by one onto the wooden boards below.
A surge of unspeakable emotion started to take over her.
She felt hopeless.
And unwilling to accept it.
She wanted so badly to go save Ace.
But there was nothing she could do.
She couldn’t break these shackles!
Just as her vision blurred completely from crying…
She felt someone approach her side.
She sensed that familiar presence—Vir’s presence.
Slowly, she lifted her head.
With a pleading look on her face, she asked softly:
“Vir… what should I do?”
Even as she spoke, her tears continued to stream down.
Knowing that her friend was about to die…
Yet being unable to do anything about it…
This kind of pain—maybe only Yamato could truly understand.
Vir stared at the shackles that remained completely intact, even after she had slammed them countless times.
He looked at her blood-covered hands.
His face was expressionless.
And as Yamato waited in vain for a response, she started to think even Vir had no solution.
Which would make sense.
But for some reason…
That made her cry even harder.
Then suddenly—
Vir, with that same calm expression, finally opened his mouth.
“I have a way.”
Just those four words. Spoken with the same flat tone.
His voice wasn’t loud.
But to Yamato’s ears, it was crystal clear.
She stopped crying in an instant.
Stunned, she sat motionless for a second.
Then she looked up at him, dazed.
He just said…
He has a way.
She didn’t know why—
But the moment she heard those words, she believed him completely.
That crushing feeling of despair vanished in a blink.
A deep sense of relief welled up inside her.
As if… once Vir spoke, the problem was already solved.
Meanwhile, Vir had no idea what was going through her mind.
He looked at Yamato—face covered in tears and snot—and didn’t even try to hide the look of disdain in his eyes.
Tch. Kids these days.
No sense of dignity at all.
Crying is fine and all, but why are you wiping your snot like that?
And even if you do… did you really have to smear it all over your face?
Vir couldn’t take it anymore.
He grabbed a towel from the medical kit and started rubbing her face roughly with it.
But from Yamato’s perspective… that thing was definitely a rag used to wipe feet…
At that moment—
She was completely stunned.
And once she snapped out of it, she tried to struggle!
But Vir held her head firmly in place—there was no escape!
“It’s just wiping your face! Why the hell are you squirming so much?!”
Vir kept mocking her while scrubbing.
Yamato was about to explode!
He did wipe her face clean, sure.
But soon after, the leftover smell from the foot rag made her gag on instinct.
*BLEGH~*
No time for words.
She jumped up and ran to the edge of the ship, retching straight into the sea.
She threw up for a good while before she finally felt human again.
But then she looked back—
Vir, holding that thing, was coming toward her again to wipe her mouth!
Whatever sense of safety she’d just felt moments ago vanished like smoke!
What the hell!!!
What kind of person is this?!
Wiping someone’s tears…
With a foot rag?!
Ace was right after all!
This guy… really is the worst!!!
—–
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