Marco was momentarily at a loss for words. Why was Ace—just like Luffy—always half a beat slower than everyone else?
Kaido didn't bother denying it. He nodded once and said evenly, "That's right. This is a marriage alliance. Yamato will serve as the Beasts Pirates' special envoy, and your Zack will represent the Phoenix Pirates. It's a safeguard—meant to stabilize the alliance and prevent any thoughts of betrayal."
The moment those words left Kaido's mouth, Ace bristled. "If you don't trust us," he snapped, "then what's the point of forming an alliance at all?"
Kaido's gaze turned icy. "Hmph. Brat, trust works both ways. This marriage alliance exists to strengthen our three-party pact. Trust isn't built on empty words—it requires concrete interests that bind us together. A marriage alliance is exactly that kind of bond."
Big Mom chuckled, her grin wide and unsettling. "That's how pirates do things. If you want others to trust you, you've got to show sincerity. A marriage alliance is proof—and the easiest kind at that."
Ace fell silent, jaw clenched. Just as he drew breath to argue again, Yamato suddenly shouted, "I refuse! I don't want to get married!"
Kaido turned to her, his voice sharp and unyielding. "Enough of your tantrums, Yamato. I've already chosen your husband—Fire Fist Ace."
The declaration hit like a thunderbolt.
"Wait—what?!" Ace blurted out. "I don't agree either! Yamato and I are friends. How does that turn into marriage?!"
Kaido looked at Ace and broke into a grin that was disturbingly warm—almost fatherly. "Worororo. Most couples start out as friends. You and Yamato have known each other for a long time, haven't you? Besides," he added casually, "Yamato likes you."
Ace stiffened and turned to Yamato, disbelief written all over his face. Friends—sure. But that? Since when?
Yamato was just as stunned. Yet when she met Ace's gaze, her face flushed red before she could stop it. Normally, she would never react like this—but the sudden mention of marriage threw her completely off balance. Shaking her head, she blurted out, "No! I only see you as a friend! Bastard, stop talking nonsense!"
Kaido studied her calmly. "Yesterday, I asked for your opinion. You answered that you liked Fire Fist Ace. I didn't force you to say that."
At his words, Yamato froze as memory rushed back. Kaido had asked her whether she liked Marco more or Ace more—and she'd answered without hesitation that she preferred Ace.
Realization struck like a trap snapping shut.
"You tricked me!" Yamato roared. "The 'like' I meant was as a friend—not that kind of liking!"
Kaido shrugged, utterly unconcerned. "It makes no difference. Feelings can be nurtured. And haven't you always wanted to go out to sea?" His eyes narrowed slightly. "Don't say I'm not giving you an opportunity. If you agree to marry Fire Fist Ace and join the Phoenix Pirates as the Beasts Pirates' special envoy, you can stay with them for good. I won't interfere with your life ever again."
At this point, Kaido only wanted one thing—to marry Yamato off as quickly as possible, that money-burning brat, and bring Zack, the Phoenix Pirates' First Division Commander, into his fold.
In Kaido's eyes, Yamato was nothing but a net loss to the Beasts Pirates. She was always shouting about becoming Oden or chasing some absurd dream. No matter how strong she was, she refused to be useful to him. If that was the case, it was far better to take advantage of the situation—marry her off and trade her away for a truly valuable asset through a marriage alliance.
Yamato, meanwhile, felt deeply wronged. She glared at Kaido and demanded angrily, "Kaido… are you really going to marry me off?"
Kaido frowned, clearly displeased. "Aren't you always yelling about wanting to go out to sea?" he replied coldly. "Now that I'm giving you exactly that opportunity, you suddenly don't want it?"
"And what's wrong with Fire Fist Ace?" Kaido continued, his voice firm. "He lacks nothing—talent, strength, potential. Like you, he possesses all three forms of Haki, and he's a Logia-type Devil Fruit user." He then turned to Ace, his tone shifting into something almost paternal. "Fire Fist, don't think you're getting the short end of the stick. I can guarantee this—any child born between you and Yamato will have the right to inherit the Beasts Pirates in the future."
After forming alliances with the Phoenix Pirates and the Big Mom Pirates, Kaido had already made his decision. He had completely abandoned any hope of Yamato inheriting his legacy. Rather than waste time on her, he might as well cast her aside and settle her marriage as soon as possible.
In Kaido's mind, a child born from Yamato and Ace would possess terrifying potential—strong enough to one day inherit not only the Beasts Pirates, but even the foundation of the Three Emperors Alliance itself.
And using Yamato to secure Zack was an undeniably profitable deal. Zack's Devil Fruit ability was nearly identical to his own—the Azure Dragon Fruit—except Zack's was an artificial version.
Kaido understood better than anyone how terrifying the Azure Dragon Fruit truly was. And that artificial fruit had been created by Vegapunk himself, the world's greatest scientist. Compared to the SMILE users under his command, Zack was on an entirely different level.
Hearing all this, Yamato fell silent once more.
Ace, too, hesitated. A marriage proposal had fallen on him out of nowhere, leaving him visibly unsettled. He had always treated Yamato as a friend—nothing more. Being suddenly told to marry her left him conflicted and uneasy. After a moment, he spoke up, "I have no interest in the Beasts Pirates or inheritance rights. People aren't things. You can't just trade partners like commodities."
Still, his voice had softened noticeably. Ace was, after all, still a guy. Normally carefree and dismissive of such matters, the sudden weight of an arranged marriage left him unsure of how to react.
Kaido replied patiently, "I've already told you—it's not an exchange. It's a marriage alliance. Zack will still officially be the Phoenix Pirates' First Division Commander. He'll simply be stationed with us as a special envoy. This is all for the alliance's stability and longevity."
Marco hesitated before asking carefully, "Then I have one more question. If Zack comes to the Beasts Pirates as a special envoy… will you stop him if he wants to return to the Phoenix Pirates someday?"
Kaido burst into laughter. "Worororo! Relax. If he truly wishes to return, I won't stop him." His eyes gleamed with amusement. "However, when that time comes, the Phoenix Pirates will have to send another special envoy in his place."
Kaido had no doubts at all. Once Zack arrived—and once he and Ulti had a child—returning to the Phoenix Pirates would no longer be such a simple matter.
Seeing that Fire Fist Ace was still wavering, Kaido's lips curled into a grin. He leaned in, suddenly sounding far too enthusiastic as he began to sell his own daughter.
"Yamato's abilities are nothing to scoff at," he declared proudly. "She possesses all three types of Haki, and she's a Zoan—specifically the Mythical Zoan Dog-Dog Fruit, Okuchi no Makami form. Her strength can rival the All-Stars of the Beasts Pirates. She's perfectly inherited my Ogre bloodline."
"Who cares about your stupid Ogre bloodline?!" Yamato snapped.
Kaido's jaw tightened, his teeth itching with rage. For a brief moment, he genuinely wanted to smash this ungrateful brat with his club. But this was a critical moment—if the marriage alliance succeeded, it would bring in a powerful fighting force. He swallowed his anger and endured.
Yamato, meanwhile, felt utterly miserable.
It wasn't that she disliked Ace. If anything, Ace was her first real friend. But Kaido's attitude—treating her like an unwanted burden, eager to toss her aside as soon as possible—cut deeply. It left a bitter ache in her chest.
She always shouted about wanting to go out to sea, about freedom and adventure. Yet now that it was being thrust upon her like this, an unfamiliar unease crept into her heart.
Lost in thought, Yamato suddenly looked up—only to meet Ace's gaze. Ace was looking at her too.
Their eyes locked, and before either of them realized it, faint blushes spread across both their faces.
Watching this, Kaido wore an oddly satisfied, fatherly smile. "Worororo! At least you two don't seem to dislike each other. That alone is already a huge step forward."
For once, Yamato didn't argue.
Noticing Ace's lack of resistance, Marco tilted his head and asked casually, "So, Ace—what do you think?"
"Me?" Ace froze for a moment, clearly caught off guard. He opened his mouth, then closed it again, unable to give an immediate answer.
From Marco's perspective, he didn't actually dislike Kaido's proposal. In fact, he was half-tempted to push the two together. With a grin, he teased, "If you look closely, Yamato's pretty cute. You're not exactly getting the short end of the stick here."
Kaido smiled in agreement.
Ace's face immediately turned red. "H-Hey, Marco! Why are you saying that too?!"
Marco burst out laughing. "Relax, relax. I'm just joking. In the end, it's your decision. If you don't want this, no one's forcing you."
Hearing that, Ace glanced at Yamato again. Their eyes met once more, both of them wearing the unmistakable awkwardness of young people facing unfamiliar feelings. Ace scratched the back of his head and muttered, "Honestly… I don't really mind. As a guy, what matters most is what Yamato thinks."
Marco clicked his tongue. "That sounded dangerously close to something a playboy would say."
"What?! How did I become a playboy?!" Ace protested immediately.
Marco waved him off. "Do you like her or not? Just say it clearly. If you don't, I'll reject this on your behalf. Even if it's an arranged marriage, it's still your life. No one has the right to decide that for you."
Ace fell silent again.
Right now, he didn't fully understand what liking someone really meant. All his life went to fighting and survival. But he did understand that this involved an alliance—and Yamato herself. He looked at her, then back at Marco. Finally, a youthful, straightforward smile spread across his face.
"Honestly," he said, "Yamato is pretty cute, and I do like her… at least a little. It's just that, Kaido, you suddenly dropped this on me. I wasn't prepared at all. But if Yamato doesn't object, then I don't have a problem with it."
Kaido's grin widened instantly. "Worororo! Then it's settled on your end." He turned toward Yamato. "So, what about you?"
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