"What's going on here?"
Buggy came running after hearing the commotion.
"Whoa! Brother Kaoru, who's this kid? Don't tell me she's your daughter?" Buggy shouted, flying over and staring at the little girl in Kaoru Tsubasa's arms.
"Boom!"
"What are you talking about? This is Kaido's daughter!" Kaoru frowned and smacked Buggy on the head.
"Wait, what?! Kaido actually has such a cute daughter?"
Buggy's jaw dropped, his body instantly falling apart in pieces out of pure shock. He really couldn't believe that Kaido—the so-called Beast—had such an adorable child.
"Yeah," Kaoru sighed, glaring at Kaido. "But the idiot actually locked Yamato up."
"Nani?!"
When Buggy heard that Kaido had imprisoned such a cute little girl, he immediately flew into a rage.
"Kaido, what's wrong with you? That's your daughter—and you locked her up?"
Buggy activated his Grace Sun ability, growing in size as he lunged toward Kaido.
"Gu…" Kaido groaned as Buggy pummeled him again.
Just then, Yamato's stomach let out a loud growl.
"Brother, I'm hungry…" she said softly, tugging on Kaoru's sleeve.
Before Kaoru could respond, Buggy pushed him aside and picked Yamato up.
"Come on, big brother's gonna find you something to eat!" Buggy declared with enthusiasm.
Kaoru just sighed. He didn't mind being pushed aside this time.
Meanwhile, Kaido stood nearby, muttering under his breath as he watched the three of them."Tch… who told her not to be the general of the Beasts Pirates?"
"What did you just say?" Kaoru's sharp gaze locked onto him.
"Nothing! Nothing at all!" Kaido immediately straightened up, suddenly timid under Kaoru's glare.
And so, Kaoru and Buggy wandered across Wano with Yamato in tow, while Kaido stayed behind—by Kaoru's orders.
Five days later
Kaoru stood at the edge of Onigashima, wearing a pure white mask.
"Brother Kaoru… are you leaving already?" Kaido asked, disbelief written across his face. They'd only reunited for five days—was he really leaving so soon?
"Brother, please don't go. Can't you stay here with me and Father?" Yamato pleaded, tears glimmering in her eyes as she clung to Kaoru's clothes.
Kaoru crouched down and smiled gently, patting her head."Yamato, be good. I'll come back to see you once I finish my work, alright?"
He really meant it. Judging by the timeline, Ace was about to be born—and soon, tragedy would strike Baterila Island.
"Okay, big brother… please be careful," Yamato said softly, her innocence radiating through every word.
Kaoru chuckled. "Don't worry. When I return, I'll bring you a fiancé, alright?"
He remembered how Yamato and Ace were connected in the original tale and smiled knowingly.
"Hey, Brother Kaoru, that's not funny! She's my daughter!" Kaido protested instantly.
"Shut up, Kaido! You have no right to call yourself her father," Kaoru snapped. "What kind of father locks up his own daughter?"
"That's right!" Buggy chimed in, glaring at Kaido in solidarity.
Yamato blinked, watching the exchange curiously, then smiled. "Okay, I'll wait for big brother to bring me a fiancé."
She didn't even know what a fiancé was—but seeing Kaido scolded made her happy.
"Here, take this." Kaoru pulled out a white jade pendant carved in the shape of a Taiji symbol and handed it to her. "Your fiancé will come to you someday with the other half of this."
"Mm!" Yamato nodded cheerfully, holding it close to her chest.
Yamato was overjoyed—but Kaido looked utterly defeated, squatting in the corner and drawing circles in the dirt.
"Kaido," Kaoru called, glancing over, "Buggy will stay here in your care for now."
"Oh, right… and I heard you've been causing trouble for Newgate lately," Kaoru said casually, his smile turning sharp.
Kaido froze. His whole body stiffened at the mention of Whitebeard's name. He knew Kaoru and Newgate had always been on good terms. The attack had been… reckless.
"Forget about it. Don't go after Newgate again—and remember to apologize to him," Kaoru ordered.
He turned, stretching his wings of energy. "Buggy, Yamato, Kaido—we'll meet again someday."
With that, Kaoru Tsubasa flew off into the sky.
Kaido, left behind, sighed deeply. Then he glanced at Buggy and muttered something before transforming into his dragon form and taking off toward Whitebeard's territory.
A few days later — aboard the Moby Dick
"Dad! Kaido spotted ahead!" a lookout shouted.
"Gurararara! That little brat again? Looks like he wants another fight," Whitebeard boomed, standing tall at the ship's bow.
Moments later, Kaido descended in front of the Moby Dick in his dragon form.
"Gurarara! So, Kaido, come to fight again?"
"Tsk… old man Whitebeard, I didn't come here to fight this time," Kaido grumbled.
"Oh? Then what brings you here?"
"I… I came to… apologize… for what happened before," Kaido said awkwardly, scratching his head.
"Nani?!"
"Did we hear that right? Kaido the Beast just apologized?"
The entire crew stared in shock.
"Gurarara! Kaido, did you hit your head or something?" Whitebeard laughed.
"Yeah, maybe you've got the wrong ship," Marco added teasingly.
"Shut up, you brats! Do you think I want to apologize to this old man?" Kaido barked. "If it weren't for Brother Kaoru, I'd never say something like that!"
"Gurarara… I see," Whitebeard chuckled. "So that's it. If Kaoru Tsubasa told you to, then it makes sense."
He took a swig of the Maotai that Kaoru had gifted him long ago.
"Alright then. For Kaoru's sake, I'll let bygones be bygones. But Kaido—if you show up here again, I won't be so kind next time."
"Tsk! I don't ever want to see you again anyway," Kaido snapped and turned to leave.
If Kaoru had been there, he would've laughed and said, That's impossible, Kaido. Your daughter's fiancé is the captain of Whitebeard's crew.
Meanwhile…
Since leaving Wano, Kaoru Tsubasa had been flying non-stop toward Baterila Island.
"Is that it ahead?" he murmured, gazing at the landmass coming into view. "Baterila Island…"
Then he spotted it—a familiar Marine warship anchored by the shore.
"So that's Garp's ship," Kaoru muttered. "Just like in the original… Roger left his wife, Portgas D. Rouge, under Garp's protection."