"Flowers?" Maria and Haruko looked at the several pots of flowers surrounding Yamato, their faces etched with surprise.
They hadn't expected Yamato to start tinkering with gardening; it was a truly unexpected hobby, as she never seemed like the delicate, nurturing type. On the contrary, Yamato usually carried herself with a carefree, boisterous attitude, often acting more like a man than most men in the crew.
"What's with those looks? I admit I'm a bit of a tomboy, but you don't have to treat me like I'm entirely a guy," Yamato said, rolling her eyes at them. Even if she had the spirit of a legendary warrior, she couldn't just ignore her biological reality; otherwise, what would that make her?
Maria and Haruko shared a smirk. "We didn't say a word."
"You didn't have to say anything; your faces said it all," Yamato muttered, feeling speechless. These two were becoming increasingly mischievous.
"By the way, there's something I need to tell you. That rookie pirate, Portgas D. Ace, seems to have arrived in our territory," Maria said, her tone shifting as she got down to business.
"Hmm? You mean he's actually made it to Wano?" Yamato raised an eyebrow. That was faster than she expected.
"Yes. According to the reports from our subordinates, he's currently in Kuri. It's definitely an illegal entry," Maria confirmed with a nod.
Yamato wasn't surprised; this was exactly how the story was supposed to unfold.
"Young Master, what are your orders? Should we head out and take care of this rookie?" Haruko asked, a cold, murderous glint flashing in her eyes.
Yamato simply smiled and waved her hand dismissively. "There's no need for us to go hunting for him. He'll show up at our front door on his own. Just wait."
"Yamato, you mean..." Maria immediately caught on to her train of thought.
From the intelligence they had gathered, Portgas D. Ace was a remarkably compassionate person; if he wasn't, he wouldn't have bothered stealing food for the starving people of Kuri. If he learned about the true state of Wano Country, he would likely get hot-headed and charge straight for Onigashima to take down the source of the problem.
"You know how young people are. Their hearts are full of fire and blood. They can't stand to see people suffering, so they act on impulse. Just wait; he'll find his way here voluntarily," Yamato said, calmly returning to watering her flowers.
"True. That rookie is a good kid. However, in the pirate world, 'good kids' tend to run into a lot of trouble," Maria noted, her voice carrying a rare hint of gentleness.
"I see," Haruko said, finally understanding. Being young meant it was easy to become a hothead and act without considering the consequences.
However, Haruko couldn't help but notice that her Young Master didn't seem to have that problem. Yamato acted with a stability that far exceeded her years—always calm, always composed, looking as if she had the entire world under control. In all their time together, no one had ever seen Yamato panic; even seeing her startled was a rare occurrence.
"Yamato, why are you really interested in playing with flowers?" Maria asked, still find the sight amusing.
"This? Well, I've had some free time lately, so I found something to keep me busy. Raising flowers can help cultivate one's character. It's actually quite nice," Yamato said with a grin.
"Cultivate your character? Isn't it just because you're bored?" Maria teased. She knew Yamato far too well.
"Hey! 'Cultivating character' sounds much more dignified," Yamato said, rolling her eyes. Maria just had a way of being too blunt with the truth.
Haruko couldn't resist joining in. "Young Master, there's nothing wrong with speaking the truth."
"You too? Fine, I don't care. If I say it's cultivating character, then that's what it is. I won't accept any arguments!" Yamato huffed.
Maria and Haruko smiled at each other but said no more.
That afternoon, a lone pirate ship sailed toward the jagged peaks of Onigashima. On board was a group of unfamiliar pirates—not a large crew, only about a dozen men. Leading them was a young man with short black hair, freckles across his nose, and a trademark orange cowboy hat. He was shirtless, wearing black mid-length trousers and a confident smirk.
He was Portgas D. Ace.
"Hey, Captain, is that really the headquarters of the Beasts Pirates? Onigashima looks a bit... creepy," one of the crew members exclaimed, staring at the massive dark skull island.
"Emperor Kaido is there, right? I heard he's a monster as powerful as an ogre," the crew whispered among themselves, hands tightening on their weapons.
"I don't care what kind of monster he is. I'm going to defeat him," Ace said with total confidence. His body hummed with the restless energy and drive unique to the youth of the Great Pirate Era.
"Since the Captain said so, then there's definitely no problem!" his crew cheered.
The Spade Pirates had fought their way through the Grand Line and into the New World, and their Captain had never once been defeated. Ace had already taken down a Warlord of the Sea and even turned down an invitation from the World Government to join their ranks. His crew truly believed he had the power to topple one of the Four Emperors. If he succeeded, the Spade Pirates would become legends overnight, bringing them one step closer to finding the One Piece.
At that moment, at the western port of Onigashima, three figures stood waiting.
"They're here," Yamato said, resting one hand on her hip while holding a cigarette in the other.
Maria and Haruko watched the ship approach across the waves. "They actually came. If Lord Kaido hadn't gone on an expedition, these kids would be in serious danger."
"With the Young Master and the two of us here, they're in just as much danger," Haruko added indifferently.
"True. Regardless, we're the ones responsible for guarding this house. We can't let these youngsters run wild," Maria said, flicking her cigarette ash. She put away her pipe and casually unfastened the massive naginata from her back.
Haruko also placed her hand on the hilt of the sword at her waist, ready to draw at a moment's notice.
"You two are going to take the lead?" Yamato asked, looking at them.
"Of course. We can't have our resident 'Admiral' fighting right from the start. We'll just give this young man a reality check and make him retreat," Maria smiled. It was clear that Yamato had no actual killing intent toward the group, and Maria felt the same.
"Wait, we aren't going to annihilate them?" Haruko asked, momentarily stunned.
"Haruko, you're being scary again. Don't go around talking about annihilating people all the time. You have to be a bit more patient with the younger generation," Yamato said with a chuckle.
Haruko blinked. None of the three of them were old, so she wasn't sure why they were acting like elders toward the intruders.
"Alright, Haruko, let's just listen to Yamato. Driving them back is enough," Maria said.
"Yes, Lady Maria. I understand," Haruko nodded. If Yamato had made a decision, she wouldn't object.
By now, the Spade Pirates' ship was closing in on the coast.
"Look, Captain! There are people up there!" someone on the deck shouted, pointing toward the cliffs.
Ace and his crew immediately looked up. "Who are they?"
"It's... three women? Are they part of the Beasts Pirates?" The crew was genuinely surprised.
Ace's expression turned solemn. Unlike his crew, his intuition was screaming at him. He could tell that the three women standing above them were incredibly dangerous—and each one looked stronger than the last. With a bounty of 550,000,000, he knew a threat when he saw one.
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