Chapter 181 – Kaido: Stay away from Renji, Yamato: Father, you don't understand him at all!
"No."
Yamato shook her head. Under Renji's puzzled gaze, a flash of excitement passed through her eyes as she said, "I am the freest female warrior. If I have a teacher, then I won't be free!"
"But don't you still have a father?"
Renji smiled faintly. This line of reasoning left him bewildered.
So becoming a disciple means losing freedom?
There should be no such rule, right?
"But does having a father prevent you from being the freest female warrior?"
A trace of embarrassment crossed Yamato's face. She was conflicted inside—torn between her father and her dream of being the freest female warrior. But what actual benefit did this title even bring?
Yamato suddenly realized that Renji had only said one sentence, yet she felt as if she were being persuaded into something.
"In fact, there is no real conflict. But if one day your freedom clashes with your father's beliefs, then what would you do?"
Renji was curious to know what Yamato thought now.
In the anime, of course, she would overthrow Kaido. But the current Yamato still had many possibilities.
"If my father's beliefs conflicted with mine…"
Hey, hey, hey!
Was he trying to sow discord between father and daughter?
Everyone watched as Renji subtly guided Yamato toward the abyss.
For a moment, they felt a trace of sympathy for Kaido.
He had only been bragging about his daughter a moment ago, and now Renji was already trying to abduct her? Truly a shameless captain!
Yamato fell into deep thought over Renji's words. She considered what she would do if, as he said, she and her father's beliefs clashed.
She truly did not know. For someone still so young, it was an extremely difficult problem.
"Sometimes it is not about what your father wants to do, but simply a clash of ideas. Perhaps he believes one thing is best for you, while you think something else is."
Just like Yamato wanting to leave Wano Country while Kaido opposed it.
Perhaps, from the beginning, Kaido only wanted to protect her.
What awaited Yamato outside?
It would certainly be pursuit by the navy.
She had inherited Kaido's physique. The World Government had long sought to study the body of the oni. At first, they made deals with the kingdom, exchanging Kaido to exempt the Heavenly Tribute, and later they sent people to capture him directly.
Once Kaido grew strong, he could no longer be captured. Naturally, Yamato, who inherited the same physique, would become the World Government's target.
And then there was Wano itself.
In the anime, Kaido had occupied Wano for a very long time, and the World Government always coveted it.
Not to mention the ancient weapon Pluto and other secrets hidden there—even the seastone alone was enough reason for them to act. Capturing Yamato would give them leverage against Kaido and at the very least threaten him.
So Kaido had his reasons for not letting Yamato go to sea.
"Then what about you, Lord Renji?"
Yamato thought carefully. Renji's reasoning made sense. Even now, she sometimes found it hard to understand her father's decisions.
So when she grew older, perhaps things would truly unfold as Renji described, with conflicts between her and Kaido's beliefs.
"Me?"
Renji froze, then realized Yamato must be asking what he would do if faced with a similar situation with his own family.
Normally, the expected answer would be to choose dreams, since in this world dreams seemed to outweigh everything.
But Renji did not think that way. This world might exalt freedom and dreams, but he did not.
Excessive pursuit of freedom and dreams often ignored reality's cruelty.
Yasopp had abandoned his wife and child for a dream, leaving behind only a false promise to take them to sea once she recovered from illness.
If that was what dreams meant, Renji would rather have none. His dream required no abandonment of loved ones and no sacrifices.
"Dreams and family are not irreconcilable. Yamato wanting to go to sea for her dream makes her a brave warrior. She is prepared to risk her life and has taken the most important first step—courage.
But if one abandons family, friends, and everything else only for one's dream, that is selfishness."
Renji lowered his head and thought for a moment, then spoke his conviction to Yamato.
"But what if one day you face two choices?"
Yamato asked quickly.
Had he not just said there could be conflicts? After listening to him earlier, she felt it was reasonable: to pursue her dream, but not at the expense of loved ones.
But what if a conflict really did happen?
What if she desperately wanted to achieve it?
"Only children make choices. Adults, of course, choose both!"
"…."
So basically he had said nothing at all.
Those around them had been waiting to see what Renji would say.
Who could have expected him to just claim both, leaving them all speechless?
"In truth, the reason some things feel impossible is only because one's strength is insufficient. If your strength is enough, then there would be no such worries."
So, at the root, it was simply a matter of ability.
If one were truly powerful, even changing the world would be possible. Why be forced to choose?
"So what Lord Renji means is…?"
A flicker of confusion passed through Yamato's eyes. She did not fully understand.
"It means if your father won't let you go to sea, then just do as I did—knock him out, drag him aboard, and sail away!"
That was indeed a straightforward solution.
Everyone silently complained, but thinking about it, Kaido really had been beaten and dragged here by Renji. So perhaps there was nothing wrong with that logic.
"Yes, yes, I understand now!!"
She understood!
Yamato finally understood!
So it was only because she lacked strength. From now on, she would have to work hard—not only to defeat her father's enemies but to defeat her father as well!
"As long as you understand. Stay here in Wano Country. Train with Ginny, Ivankov, and Kuma."
Renji considered for a moment. He had already decided to begin reforming Yamato's thinking.
This girl had likely grown up lacking love and recognition, leaving her without purpose. Now that he had completely changed the kindhearted Kuma, he refused to believe Yamato could not be changed.
"Let's go. Someone bring Kaido here."
For the time being, he would not leave Wano unless something major occurred.
And with Kaido's return and Bullet's joining, it was time to redraw his plans for Wano.
In the following period, Renji continued planning the path that Wano Country should take.
After Yamato was arranged to stay with Ginny and the others, she clearly became much more cheerful.
She would often come with Ginny to find Renji.
This made Kaido, as a father, feel deeply uncomfortable. His precious daughter now went every day to another man, and that man constantly instilled ideas contrary to his own. Whose daughter was she, after all?
Thus, Kaido decided to have a talk with Yamato.
"Yamato, I think you shouldn't keep going to Renji!"
Kaido looked seriously at Yamato.
He wanted to admonish her. Although Renji was his captain, in his heart he was unhappy with Renji constantly educating his daughter.
At least Kaido believed his own teaching was not wrong.
But Renji was changing Yamato's thinking in another direction. Did he think Kaido had raised her just to hand her over?
For the sake of defending his rights as a father, Kaido felt he had to act.
"Father, you don't understand him at all!"
Yamato retorted. In her view, Kaido did not truly understand Renji.
From Renji, she had learned many things.
Hearing this, Kaido nearly choked.
What did she mean by saying he didn't understand?
Hadn't he known Renji longer than Yamato had?
"Yamato, you unfilial girl, do you even realize what that guy told you before?!"
Kaido was almost driven to spit blood. He had already heard from others what Renji had said to Yamato while he was unconscious.
Clearly, it was ill-intentioned!
Yes, Kaido admitted, he had bragged before Renji, but boasting was one thing. Who would have thought that sly fox would try to twist things around, leading his daughter into rebellion?
Now his daughter was actually thinking of defying him!
Naturally, Kaido could not allow Renji to keep influencing Yamato.
"Lord Renji said I am the freest female warrior, so now I must fight for my freedom!"
"But didn't he tell you to listen? When family and dreams conflict, you must think of family!"
Kaido grew anxious.
Wait—wasn't it different before?
How did it suddenly become about being the freest female warrior again?
"That was version 1.0!"
"And now it's 2.0?"
Kaido instinctively asked, only to see Yamato shake her head. "Now it's 3.0!"
What the hell!
Updating so quickly?
"And what's 3.0?"
Kaido pressed further.
"3.0 means everything Lord Renji says is correct. At every stage of life, one has choices. If I don't know what to choose, I just need to ask Lord Renji!"
After hearing this, Kaido fell silent.
Then he roared furiously, transforming into a dragon and flying straight toward Renji. "Renji, I'll fight you to the death!!"
At last, he understood what it meant for one's daughter to be stolen away!
Though Renji might not see it that way, Kaido only wanted to either kill him or be killed by him.
"Oh, Kaido, you've come just in time. I was about to find you."
Renji looked up at the approaching Kaido and called for him to sit.
But Kaido's expression was clearly full of anger.
"Renji, you bastard! You turned Yamato into this! I won't forgive you!!"
So that was why Kaido looked at him with such eyes.
He thought Renji had filled his daughter's head with harmful ideas.
But had he? Not really.
If no guidance was given, Yamato would only end up walking the same path as in the anime.
"Kaido, pursuing freedom is not wrong. I know what you fear. But harsh, oppressive teaching will not earn Yamato's understanding. Instead, she may resent you forever."
Anyone could see in the anime how suffocating Kaido's teaching was.
Yamato's situation came half from her own foolishness, half from Kaido's way of raising her.
"So you fed her this nonsense?"
"Kaido, haven't you noticed Yamato has improved since coming here?"
"This…"
Hearing Renji's words, Kaido could not immediately respond. He knew they were true.
Since arriving in Wano, Yamato had indeed changed completely.
"You see, I'm helping you transform her, and yet you're angry with me?"
Renji patted Kaido's shoulder, shaking his head with a look that said, "It's for your own good."
"Enough, leave this matter to me. I will educate her properly."
"…Fine."
Wait—hadn't he come to confront Renji?
How had he been talked around like this?
And yet, he could not find a reason to refute him.
Indeed, since arriving here, Yamato had become more lively, gotten along well with Ginny and the others, and overall seemed better than before, despite her rebelliousness.
"Isn't he a bit too easy to manipulate?"
Seeing Kaido drop the matter so easily, Old John wondered whether Kaido was simply simple-minded or Renji was too persuasive.
"Alright, I've gathered you all here for something important."
Renji's tone turned serious as he looked at them. He had assembled all his current subordinates: Kaido, John, Bullet, Kuma, the three calamities including Ginny, Ivankov, as well as Toki and Lilia.
"First, about structure. Kaido, you will serve as the public ruler of Wano Country."
"Me?"
Kaido was surprised. He didn't understand why Renji would do this.
"Yes. Once we open the country, the World Government will intervene. I don't want to reveal myself yet, so you will stand as the face of Wano. John, you will oversee finances. No problem?"
"No problem!"
Old John's face lit with excitement. Of course he could! He had been waiting for this moment. He had eaten pirate rations for decades without breaking a tooth; Renji could rest assured he would keep the books precise.
"Bullet, you'll oversee military and technology. Kaido, your subordinate Queen will take orders from Bullet. The scientist I brought back will join you too. Together, you will study Pure Gold."
There was no way Renji would leave Queen unchecked under Kaido.
Bullet had to discipline him. Otherwise, Queen would only sabotage his own side.
Just like in the battle with Luffy—Queen killed more allies than enemies.
"No way…"
Queen looked nervously at Bullet, a bad premonition forming. Was he really being sent to him?
"It's only a reassignment. You still belong to Kaido."
Renji explained, glancing at Kaido. Seeing no objection, he turned back to Queen.
Renji's calm eyes left no room for refusal.
Though afraid of Bullet, Queen eventually agreed. Surely he wouldn't harm him… right?
"Next, Kuma, you'll handle medical and special support units."
"Yes."
Kuma nodded. Recently, under Renji's guidance, he had been developing his Paw-Paw Fruit abilities while also learning medical skills.
As for Ivankov, Renji had no plans to search for the Hormone Fruit. He didn't want his whole group to turn into okama.
"From now on, don't think of us as a pirate crew but as a kingdom. Act like a true kingdom. The world is waiting for us to change it!!"
Renji lifted his head, his eyes sweeping across the group.
Pirates were only thieves. He wanted to be one who changed the world.
And for some reason, everyone felt stirred by his words. Especially after learning about Pure Gold—the substance that could grant eternal youth.
Suddenly, following Renji to change the world seemed even more thrilling than becoming Pirate King.
From then on, Wano began moving according to Renji's plan.
Until one day—
The news arrived that Roger had become Pirate King.
(End of this chapter)
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