Chapter 170: Chapter 170: Yamato Takes the Stage
"Captain, let me handle the first match. I'll make sure to win Gallett back for you."
Yamato looked at Kuke eagerly.
"Alright."
The Sun and Moon Pirates made their move.
They sent Yamato to the battlefield.
Carrying her spiked kanabo, Yamato strode out with an air of dominance.
"Who's coming?"
Members of the Big Mom Pirates curiously studied Yamato.
Within the Sun and Moon Pirates, aside from Kuke, only five members were widely recognized across the seas.
These were the five who had participated in the battle at the Sabaody Archipelago and defeated the Buddha Sengoku.
The rest of the crew remained relatively unknown.
"You're Kaido's idiot daughter, aren't you?" Big Mom asked, noting Yamato's distinctive demonic horns and the kanabo on her shoulder.
The identity was confirmed.
"Kaido's daughter?"
Katakuri and the others immediately adopted grave expressions.
As the daughter of Kaido, the world's strongest creature, even though she wasn't male, no one doubted her extraordinary abilities.
"You grew up fast. Aren't you just 16?"
Big Mom scrutinized Yamato's appearance.
She didn't look like a teenage girl—she appeared closer to 26.
But Big Mom knew Kaido wouldn't lie about such a thing. Before the age of 26, it was impossible for him to have a daughter.
She must have just matured quickly.
"Thanks to my captain."
"?"
Everyone was perplexed.
What did her rapid growth have to do with Kuke?
Big Mom's suspicious and strange gaze turned toward Kuke.
Not only had he seemingly made 28-year-old Shakky look younger, but now he could make someone grow faster?
Drool began to drip uncontrollably from Big Mom's mouth.
If she won this match, she could claim Kuke for herself.
First, she needed to secure the Poneglyph road marker. Then Kuke could serve as her trump card on the table of negotiations.
Big Mom's eyes scanned her children as she pondered whom to send.
Her first instinct was to rely on Katakuri. With his undefeated record, she was 100% confident in him.
But the Sun and Moon Pirates hadn't sent out their acknowledged second-in-command, Gion the Phoenix. Sending Katakuri would be overkill and violate the unwritten rules of the game.
The positions had to match.
In the Sun and Moon Pirates, apart from Gion's clear role as vice-captain, the other members were not ranked officially.
However, on the seas, it was widely accepted that Gion was their second strongest, followed by Stussy and Shakky as the third and fourth.
All three had participated in the siege against Buddha Sengoku.
The world recognized them as the Sun and Moon Pirates' top officers.
Boa Hancock and Belo Betty, while strong, ranked slightly below the top three.
To Big Mom, Yamato—due to her youth—seemed at best to be in the same tier as Hancock and Belo Betty, if not an apprentice pirate.
"Oven, it's your turn."
Big Mom decided to send Oven.
Oven wasn't one of her Sweet Commanders, but among her high-ranking officers, he was considered one of the strongest.
After choosing Oven, Big Mom glanced nervously at Kuke.
She felt a little guilty about sending Oven to fight someone as young as Yamato.
"No problem," Kuke responded confidently.
Aside from Katakuri, Kuke was confident that Yamato could handle anyone from the Big Mom Pirates.
"Oven, you must not lose."
Katakuri fixed a sharp gaze on Oven.
This was about family, about the honor of their crew.
Failure was not an option.
"Don't worry, I've got this." Oven brimmed with confidence.
"Don't underestimate her. She's Kaido's daughter, and she'll likely be strong," Katakuri warned.
Oven smirked arrogantly. "I'm Mom's son. How could I lose to a kid?"
His confidence stemmed from nearing his prime, which he believed was far superior to Yamato's youth.
"Are you my opponent?"
Yamato stared at Oven as he stepped forward.
Oven crossed his arms and exuded a commanding presence as he looked down at her. "Watch out, I'm—"
"Enough talking. Let's fight already."
Dragging her kanabo behind her, Yamato rushed at Oven without hesitation.
She swung down fiercely.
Oven, caught mid-pose, was momentarily stunned.
He hastily hardened his arms with Armament Haki to block the incoming strike.
"Boom!"
The ground shattered.
The force of the impact sent Oven flying hundreds of meters back. He crashed into a palace, reducing it to rubble.
"This…?"
Katakuri and the others' eyes widened in shock.
They were stunned.
Had Oven been one-shot?
"Damn it, let me finish my sentence!"
From the wreckage, flames erupted as Oven emerged, his body glowing red-hot, like molten iron.
His hands trembled uncontrollably from the earlier blow.
"You're still alive?"
Without missing a beat, Yamato hefted her kanabo and charged again.
"Death's Path!"
She roared, her weapon brimming with a chilling aura.
Gion cast a sideways glance at Kuke, intrigued.
"For the past two months, I've been training Yamato personally," Kuke said with a smile.
With slight adjustments to her technique, Yamato's weapon could emulate the strikes of a blade.
Eventually, Yamato's signature moves would not be Kaido's Thunder Bagua, but techniques molded by Kuke.
Right now, Yamato was a reflection of Kuke in every way.
"Fiery Punch!"
Oven, now cautious, activated his Devil Fruit powers.
His fist glowed with an intense heat, distorting the air around it.
Kanabo met fist.
The clash generated immense force, shattering the ground in layers.
"Get back!"
With a commanding shout, Yamato unleashed a shockwave that sent Oven flying again.
"I can't believe I'm losing."
Oven struggled to accept the reality.
His first defeat could be blamed on carelessness, but losing a direct confrontation twice exposed a clear disparity in strength.
He unleashed the full power of his Heat-Heat Fruit, directing a searing glare at Yamato as she closed in.
Yamato frowned and raised her kanabo to block.
"Remote Heating!"
Under Oven's gaze, her weapon rapidly turned red-hot, as if it had been thrust into a forge.
"High heat?"
Yamato coated her hands in Armament Haki to endure the scorching heat.
The brief pause allowed Oven to stabilize himself and avoid a complete rout.
"If I don't go all out, I'll lose for sure."
Oven drew his blade, superheating it with his Devil Fruit power.
"Fiery Slash!"
The flaming sword unleashed a scorching shockwave, leaving charred marks on the ground.
"Boom!"
Steadying himself, Oven fought back fiercely against Yamato's relentless assault.
The battle escalated, the intense heat and shockwaves devastating the surroundings.
Big Mom's expression turned smug.
"Oven will win eventually. That 16-year-old brat can't last forever," she said confidently, believing that Oven's experience would ultimately prevail.
Gallett, the prize at stake, watched the fight with rapt attention.
She nervously glanced at Kuke's expression, noting his calm and composed demeanor throughout.
Was he indifferent about winning her back?
Or did he have absolute faith in Yamato's victory?
She didn't know.
Nor did she understand what she was hoping for.
The battle raged for an hour.
Blazing sword clashed against kanabo once again.
"I'm done playing."
Yamato's strength suddenly surged as her body transformed, revealing traits of her Mythical Zoan form.
"King Enma Descends!"
A frigid aura enveloped her, extinguishing the flames on Oven's sword.
He stared in horror as his blade shattered, blood spraying as he was sent flying.
"Blazing Tempest!"
Desperate, Oven unleashed his ultimate attack, sending a massive wave of fiery energy surging forward.
"Frozen Fang of the Servants!"
In her hybrid form, Yamato exhaled a chilling blast.
Ice clashed against fire, crackling explosively.
The cold quickly overpowered the heat, creating a frozen corridor that stretched for kilometers.
The earth froze.
Buildings turned into ice sculptures.
Oven, his mouth agape, was encased in ice.
Yamato charged through the frozen landscape, her aura shattering icy buildings in her wake. She stopped her kanabo just short of the frozen Oven.
Turning to Big Mom's side, she declared,
"I've won."
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DONT FORGET POWER STONE
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