"They don't have to go this time either. They'll stay on Onigashima to help you manage the overall situation, Young Master," King explained as he laid out the arrangements.
Yamato had no objections to the plan. "By the way, where's that simpleton Jack?"
"Jack is coming with us this time. We won't let him stay behind," King replied. Jack had already made it very clear that no matter what the future mission was, he absolutely would not go with Yamato and the others—not even if it killed him. It was obvious the poor guy had suffered quite a bit of frustration lately.
"Alright, I was going to suggest we leave Jack behind too. With that simpleton around, things never get boring," Yamato said, a mischievous glint in her eyes.
"Uh..." A few drops of cold sweat trickled down King's face. So that was it. No wonder Jack was so desperate to get away.
"Second Uncle, when does the expedition start?" Yamato asked.
"In three days. Oh, right, Big Brother will be taking Ulti and Page One along this time," King mentioned, remembering the update.
"Ulti and Page One? I guess that makes sense. Ulti is already eighteen. But isn't Page One a bit young? He's only sixteen, right?" Yamato noted after a moment of thought.
"It's fine. Just consider it taking him out to gain some experience. Besides, those two siblings... Young Master, you know how they are," King replied.
"Alright then. Since the Idiot Old Man is going along, nothing can go wrong," Yamato said, dropping the subject.
Time passed in the blink of an eye, and three days later arrived. Onigashima was buzzing with activity. The Beasts Pirates were fully equipped and ready to set sail. The number of people participating in this expedition exceeded five thousand, making it their largest operation to date.
"Boys, the expedition begins!" Kaido shouted, resting his spiked club, Hassaikai, on his shoulder.
"Oh!" The crew cheered in unison before setting off.
Watching the massive force of the Beasts Pirates slowly depart, Yamato puffed on a cigarette. "Maria, how many people are left on Onigashima now?"
"Not many, only about a hundred. Almost everyone was taken for this expedition. It seems Lord Kaido still trusts you quite a bit, Yamato," Maria answered.
"Give me a break. What does that have to do with me? They were going to take everyone anyway," Yamato said, curling her lip. It was a major expedition; who would leave a large force behind at the base? Besides, this was Wano Country. Even if they didn't leave a single person at the base, there wasn't much to worry about.
"Right, since Onigashima is empty now, let's go to the Flower Capital for a vacation. How about it? I asked you guys to go last time and you didn't, so you should definitely come this time," Yamato suggested.
"That still won't do. It won't work if no one is watching Onigashima. Have you forgotten how those Wano samurai gathered in a large group to attack us a few years ago?" Maria shook her head.
"Exactly. That time they gathered several hundred people and charged toward Onigashima in a bunch of broken boats. Although they didn't make much of a splash, there's no guarantee someone won't try it again," Haruko added.
Yamato thought about it. That really did happen. It was shortly before the Beasts Pirates' first major expedition. Ever since the fall of Kozuki Oden, the samurai of Wano Country had been exploited by Orochi for a long time. Combined with the military suppression of the Beasts Pirates, they had reached a point where they could no longer survive. So, they gathered several hundred men and rushed toward Onigashima in boats, wanting to start a crusade against Kaido. The result, naturally, was never in doubt; that group was completely annihilated.
"Nowadays, such a situation basically won't happen. After all, those rebellious guys are almost all in Udon, and the rest have their tails between their legs. I bet nothing will happen," Yamato said solemnly.
Maria and Haruko understood what Yamato meant, but understanding was one thing; guarding Onigashima was their responsibility. It was better not to be derelict in their duty. Better safe than sorry; if something actually happened, it would be hard to explain to Kaido.
"Fine, fine. You guys really are responsible good girls," Yamato said, seeing their stubborn expressions and realizing it was a no-go. "Alright, there aren't many people on Onigashima now anyway. If you want to take a vacation, then take one right here. There's still plenty to eat and drink," Maria laughed.
Yamato spread her hands. "Fine, since you've put it that way, Maria, what else can I say? Let's go back inside."
"It's truly rare to see the Young Master being so obedient," Haruko teased.
Yamato suddenly grabbed her in an embrace. "Well now, Haruko, you're starting to make fun of me too, aren't you?"
"I wouldn't dare. I'm just telling the truth," Haruko replied, her voice slightly muffled.
"A fine 'telling the truth' indeed. I think you've grown quite bold and must be punished. Let me think... right! I'll punish you by making you warm my bed. We'll sleep together tonight," Yamato decided with a grin.
Hearing this, Haruko was stunned for a moment, and her face turned bright red. "Young Master, you're not a child anymore!" She had seen Yamato in the baths; she knew better than anyone how impressive Yamato's figure was.
"This has nothing to do with being a child. Haruko, what's there to be embarrassed about? We're both women. What's wrong with sleeping together? Or are you just shy?" Yamato looked at her with a half-smile.
"No way, I'm not feeling embarrassed at all," Haruko insisted, though her face said otherwise.
"Then it's settled. Go warm my bed obediently tonight," Yamato said with an air of finality.
Haruko wanted to say more, but Yamato had already let her go and turned to walk back into the skull dome. "Let's go. I'll have the cooks make something even more delicious today."
Looking at Yamato's back, Haruko felt her whole body heating up. Was she really going to warm Yamato's bed tonight?
Maria, watching Haruko's flustered expression, found it amusing. "Haruko, be careful. If you're conquered by Yamato, that might not be very good." It was clear Yamato was just joking, but Maria knew Yamato's masculine charm was surprisingly strong. Yamato probably hadn't noticed it herself, but Maria was very aware of how magnetic she could be.
Hearing Maria's warning, Haruko shuddered and tried to calm down. "That kind of thing definitely won't happen."
"Is that so? Better to be careful. It'll be too late once it happens," Maria smiled.
Haruko couldn't help but look at Maria suspiciously. "Since you say that, Lady Maria, have you already been conquered by the Young Master?"
Maria considered it seriously. "Well... maybe a little bit. Anyway, I quite like Yamato. After all, we've known each other since we were kids, and she's very charming, isn't she?"
Hearing Maria speak so solemnly, Haruko's mouth fell open. No way, had Lady Maria really been charmed by the Young Master?
"Is there a need to be so surprised? Although this kind of feeling is a bit strange, there are plenty of strange things in the world. As long as you can accept it yourself, isn't that enough?" Maria smiled, not feeling embarrassed at all. She felt that even if she held special feelings for Yamato, it was nothing to make a fuss about. After all, she had never really looked at Yamato as just another woman.
The Beasts Pirates were now far out at sea, leaving the fate of the island in the hands of those left behind. For the soldiers of the crew, life continued under the shadow of the Yonko's flag, where a bounty of even 50,000,000 would seem small compared to the monsters that inhabited this place. Onigashima remained a fortress of strength, even with its main force away on an expedition.
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