Whitebeard furrowed his brows in thought before suddenly bursting into laughter:
"Gurara! That Kaido bastard sure went all out to win you over!"
Jack rubbed his chin and spoke in a low voice, "What do you mean by that?"
"Exactly what it sounds like, brat!"
"And what exactly does it sound like?"
"It means just that!"
Bam!
Yamato saw Blamenco being rescued but didn't give chase. Instead, she turned her head, placed her hand near her mouth, and let out a sharp whistle. Her wolf, Two-Ha, came sprinting over.
But just as Two-Ha was about to reach her, his tail suddenly drooped, and he turned around, scurrying away with his tail between his legs.
"You guys are so..." Yamato growled, clenching her teeth.
"One after another—so annoying!"
Standing before her was a man smoking a cigar with a receding hairline. Without hesitation, Yamato raised her kanabo and swung it down furiously.
Clang!
Fossa felt the massive force reverberate through his blade. Veins bulged in his arms as he mustered all his strength to block Yamato's attack. Gritting his teeth, he managed to deflect the strike and leapt back a few paces, creating distance between them.
Staring at Yamato, now in her hybrid beast form, Fossa muttered, "Even as Kaido's offspring... this strength is outrageous. Is it the power of a Zoan Devil Fruit?"
He scrutinized her. "For a Devil Fruit to make a woman this strong... it must be an extraordinary one."
Yamato's wolf-like ears twitched with irritation as she sneered.
"A Devil Fruit? Why is it that you rough, narrow-minded men always assume women are weaker than men?"
She eyed Fossa's bald head and exposed chest before adding, her tone dripping with sarcasm, "Receding hairline, flaunting your muscles... You're the definition of an oily old man. As Jack puts it, you're a relic of toxic masculinity!"
"Jack also says guys like you are long overdue for a beating by the 'Fist Saint'!"
Yamato hurled her kanabo through the air with impressive accuracy. It landed beside Two-Ha—unfortunately, on his tail. Yelping, the wolf leapt into the air, and Yamato turned back toward Fossa with a smirk.
"Jack taught me a special martial art, tailor-made for punching men like you. Ready to see it in action?"
She clenched her fists. "Careful now, this punch can shake Onigashima to its core!"
Before Fossa could react, Yamato planted her feet firmly and launched herself forward.
"Power Surge Fist!"
A biting chill emanated from her fist, frost beginning to form on Fossa's blade. Alarmed, he leapt back, only for Yamato to follow up with another punch.
Fossa had no choice but to raise his sword again. This time, the blow didn't feel as heavy as before, but the sharp cold numbed his hands. A strange sensation crept into his body, and before he could react—
Spurt!
Blood spurted from his mouth. Fossa stared at Yamato in disbelief.
"Ryuo?! Armament Haki flowing into my body?! How is this possible?!"
"Why wouldn't it be?" Yamato sneered. "You look down on women, huh? Let me show you the true power of female fists!"
Boom!
Yamato's punch sent Fossa flying. She sprang after him, ready to deliver another blow, but a gunshot rang out, knocking her off balance mid-air. She tumbled to the ground.
"Tch!" Yamato spat out the bullet and glared at the approaching Izou. "You useless fool, Rim!"
Rim, locked in battle with Blamenco and two other captains from Whitebeard's allied fleet, roared back in frustration, "What does this have to do with me?! They outnumber us! Blame that dead idiot! If it weren't for him, we wouldn't have lost so many men!"
Hearing Rim's outburst, Yamato noticed the corpse of one of the last veteran Tobiroppo, who had fallen during the battle. His death had freed Blamenco and the others to finish off some of Kaido's officers and allow Izou's group to support Fossa.
"These weaklings..." Yamato muttered, her eyes narrowing as Izou approached.
"You were using a sword earlier," she remarked, frowning. "Now you're shooting guns?"
Izou pulled out his twin pistols, his gaze resolute.
"I've always felt that swords don't suit me. This fight has only solidified my decision." He glanced at Fossa, who was shakily getting back on his feet, then turned to Yamato.
"By the way, your punches weren't bad. What style is that?"
Yamato studied Izou's attire closely before asking, "You're a samurai of Wano, aren't you? Why are you on Whitebeard's ship?"
She added with a frown, "Why oppose us? The people of Wano are living quite well under the rule of the Beasts Pirates. Don't you know that?"
"Silence!" Izou snapped, his emotions boiling over.
"I don't like fighting women, but for Oden-sama's revenge, I'll make an exception! Forgive me for overwhelming you with numbers, Kaido's daughter!"
"Oden?" Yamato tilted her head and sighed, a look of pity crossing her face.
"Oden... Kozuki Oden?" She shook her head. "Looking at you, I see the naïve fool I used to be."
Izou froze, unsure of what she meant.
"I used to idolize Oden's so-called bravery, blinded by his selfish, reckless actions. But because of his foolish decisions, he doomed himself—and his family!"
"What did you say?!" Izou's face turned crimson with rage.
"You dare insult Oden-sama?!"
"Hah?" Yamato tilted her head and smirked. "Oh, you're worse than I was back then—completely hopeless."
"Let me say it again: Oden was a fool. Just an idiot who got himself killed!"
"Shut up!" Izou roared.
"And what if I don't? You think you can make me, Yamato, stop talking?!" She grinned defiantly.
"Oden was a fool, a failure, and an idiot!"
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The fanfic is Finished on p@treon/tambeerg