"Hello, Smoothie."
The tall man addressed as Kaido nodded in return.
Then, he walked past her, heading straight for the garden outside the door.
"Kaido, a word of advice—now is definitely not the time to provoke Mother."
"No need to worry about that. Back on Rocks' ship, I've already experienced Linlin's... temper firsthand."
With that, Kaido pushed the door open and stepped out.
Smoothie sighed and said no more.
But she was certain of one thing: before Michael's return, this man, who had lost nearly all his strength, was Charlotte Linlin's closest confidant—bar none.
"Seems you're really hung up on that man, Michael..." Kaido approached Charlotte Linlin and chuckled.
"Just hearing his subordinates died at sea was enough to make you show killing intent again after so long."
"...Was it that obvious?" Charlotte Linlin frowned before continuing, "But so what? Do you have a problem with that?"
"No, no, not at all." Kaido picked up the newspaper she had set aside, flipping through it as he shook his head.
"Michael is the one man who's been the bane of my life."
"All he did was nearly beat you to death. You're still alive, aren't you?" Charlotte Linlin rolled her eyes.
"And aside from losing your strength, aren't you doing just fine now?"
"If you call fishing in every corner of Cake Island 'doing just fine,' then sure, I'm great."
"Don't be ridiculous. Even though your body's recovering, you're still essentially useless. What would you even do out at sea? Go looking for death?" Charlotte Linlin never bothered with restraint or politeness when talking to Kaido.
"The fact that you can still fish anywhere is already a miracle. Or have you forgotten how many enemies you have out there? You really want to end up at the bottom of the ocean?"
"But... I just wanted to see Yamato from afar." Kaido sighed. "After all these years of straying from the path, she's finally back on track as a pirate. As her father, I naturally want to witness it."
"Just read the papers and be done with it." Charlotte Linlin scoffed. "Besides, does Yamato even acknowledge you now? Using the title 'Daughter of Kaido' is just for convenience..."
Every word from Charlotte Linlin struck a nerve.
Even Kaido couldn't help but feel a pang of bitterness.
But he knew...
Everything she said was the truth.
If he were to meet Yamato now, he'd likely be beaten to death by her spiked club before he could even speak.
Whatever familial bond they once had, he had long since squandered it.
Kaido sighed, his posture slumping slightly."Enough, who are you putting on this pitiful act for?"
Charlotte Linlin snatched the newspaper from Kaido's hands. "Even if Yamato doesn't acknowledge you, at least she's now surpassed the path you once envisioned for her."
Kaido laughed.
There was both relief and envy in that laughter.
He envied his own daughter.
Envied that she could still roam freely across the seas, envied that she had gained even greater power to take whatever she desired from others.
But...
Kaido knew Michael had truly given him a chance back then.
As long as he survived, he would eventually return to his peak.
At this thought, the Conqueror's Haki within Kaido stirred faintly.
Just that slight movement made Charlotte Linlin whip her head around, eyeing him sharply.
"You... your power is starting to recover?"
"Maybe." Kaido shrugged. "Slowly... but it is recovering."
"To recover from injuries like that... should I praise your good fortune or your stubborn vitality?"
"I'd say it's more like misfortune. Lying motionless in bed for six years isn't exactly a pleasant experience."
Kaido exhaled deeply.
As he reflected on these past years, Michael's face involuntarily surfaced in his mind.
In that instant, both admiration and hatred welled up simultaneously.
Kaido held deeply conflicting feelings about Michael's existence.
On one hand, this was the man who'd put him in bed for years and completely stolen away his daughter.
Yet as a warrior, he couldn't help but admire and feel challenged by Michael's superior strength.
Though he understood that even at his peak, the best he could hope for was being defeated by Michael again.
And this time, survival wouldn't be guaranteed.
"So you still plan to oppose Michael?"
"Why would I keep opposing him?" Kaido shrugged. "Do I look like I have a death wish? Honestly, while I still hold that last shred of hatred for Michael, I believe even that will fade with time... The most remarkable thing about that man is that even as your enemy, it's hard to truly see him as one... At his core, he embodies all that's good, making you want to draw near..."
"Like a true angel, right?" Charlotte Linlin also sighed. "Perhaps... that's why I agreed immediately when he first suggested I establish a kingdom."
Even as Emperors of the Sea, they instinctively gravitated toward light.
Life naturally seeks illumination.
"But are you saying... you won't oppose Michael anymore?"
"Do I have that capability? And I haven't finished—while Michael possesses all that's good, he also embodies everything utterly terrible... So I'll cherish my life." Kaido exhaled deeply.
"Especially after getting a second chance."
Just then, Smoothie returned from her departure.
"Mother, Kaido... urgent news!"
"'Blood Rain Angel' Yamato and her Angel Pirates have made their first public appearance since Yamato became one of the Emperors of the Sea!"
"They headed to the Pleasure District."
"Bellamy and Bartolomeo, who originally occupied the Pleasure District, were prepared for a desperate fight, but Yamato charged straight in and ended the battle instantly."
"However, Yamato didn't kill Bellamy and Bartolomeo. Instead, she took them aboard her ship for a secret discussion."
"Afterwards, Bellamy and Bartolomeo announced their allegiance to the Angel Grand Fleet, becoming Yamato's steadfast subordinates!"
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