Chapter 130: Chapter 130: Let Me Set Sail With You.
Upon hearing Chiga's voice, Yamato trembled. She slowly turned around, meeting Chiga's somewhat greenish face.
Chiga was truly fed up with this woman. He was just trying to show off a little, and his home was nearly stolen? And now she wanted to raise Kalifa for him? Why didn't she just ascend to heaven already?
The more he thought about it, the angrier Chiga got. He couldn't help but raise his fist again, which startled Yamato into quickly covering her chest and shouting,
"You can hit me anywhere you want—my life was saved by you anyway—but don't hit me there again!"
Chiga ultimately didn't strike. After all, Kalifa was right there, and he still had to maintain his image. Of course, he didn't realize his image in Kalifa's eyes no longer needed maintaining.
He glared at Yamato in annoyance and said,
"I saved your life, and this is how you repay me?"
Yamato still clutched her chest, stuck her neck out, and said,
"One thing at a time. You can take my life whenever you want—I can't beat you anyway—but don't hit me there again!"
"Heh, as if I'm eager to hit you there."
After he said that, not only Yamato but even Kalifa beside them looked at Chiga seriously and nodded.
Chiga was speechless. He didn't want to dwell on the topic, so he directly poked Yamato's forehead with a finger and asked,
"Are you seriously obsessed with that fool Kozuki Oden?"
Hearing the man she admired being called a fool, Yamato instantly bristled. She didn't even cover her chest anymore. She clenched her fists, each the size of a sandbag, and yelled,
"Who are you calling a fool?! Oden was a true man!"
"You call that a man?"
"Damn it, you don't understand what he did at all. A man like him was truly free! Do you know how he died?!"
"Heh, he died foolishly."
"What nonsense are you spouting?! He willingly endured the 'Boiling Punishment' for his retainers and the people of Wano!"
"Oh."
"Ahhh!"
No matter what Yamato said, Chiga's face remained disdainful, which completely broke her. But she couldn't beat Chiga, so she could only clench her fists in impotent rage.
Watching Yamato jump up and down in frustration in front of him, Chiga found it amusing. Did that dead fool Oden know he had such a crazed fan?
To Chiga, Oden was a complete idiot. Not only that, but in the anime, whenever he was mentioned—from Whitebeard and Roger to Yamato in front of him—everyone praised him endlessly, as if he were some saint. It was like Oden had some kind of magnetic charm that made people ignore his glaring flaws.
Thinking about Oden's brain-dead decisions, Chiga couldn't help but laugh. Today, he was going to use Yamato's youthful idealism to show her just how much of a fool Oden really was.
He looked at Yamato and asked,
"Do you know who brought Kozuki Oden back to Wano that time?"
"I do! It was the Roger Pirates!"
"You know that, huh? Then tell me—if Kozuki Oden had invited them to stay in Wano at that time, with their help, would all those tragedies have still happened?"
"Hmph, I know what you're trying to say. His journal mentions he came back to open the country, and that Wano's affairs didn't need outside help!"
"Heh, how ambitious. So he was first blocked by Kurozumi Semimaru, the previous Barrier-Barrier Fruit user, and then tricked by Kurozumi Higurashi, the former Clone-Clone Fruit user who transformed into his father Kozuki Sukiyaki?"
"That's because their powers were too bizarre! I would've fallen for it too!"
"Hmm. From that angle, I get why you admire him. But have you ever considered—given Kozuki Sukiyaki's personality—would he have ever agreed to let trash like Kurozumi Orochi become the shogun of Wano?"
"…Hard to say."
"Alright, let's say Kozuki Oden wasn't his father's biological son. Then tell me, what do you think about him dancing naked for five straight years?"
"That was to protect the people of Wano!"
"Tsk tsk. How noble. But don't you think a lot could've been accomplished in five years? He was part of the Whitebeard Pirates before, right? In five years, not once did it occur to him to ask Whitebeard for help?"
"…I said this from the beginning! Oden didn't want outsiders meddling in Wano's affairs!"
By now, Yamato's tone had clearly weakened. Even she felt that Oden really should have asked for Whitebeard's help.
This wasn't just about Oden—it concerned the fate of the entire Wano Country, which was being handed over to Kaido and Orochi. Insisting on doing it alone wasn't noble—it was prideful foolishness.
But she was Oden's devoted fan. Though her heart wavered, her mouth didn't. Chiga could see through her though, and pressed on.
"Fine. So when he went to fight your father, what happened? He lost again, didn't he?"
"That was because of Kurozumi Higurashi again! She transformed into Oden's kid, and it threw him off!"
"Incredible. Falling for the same trick twice. What a legend."
"..."
"Did you know your father actually gave Oden three days to escape, hoping for a fair fight later? But what did Oden do? He gave up and got boiled alive."
"At least… at least he was free, he…"
"Are you talking about when he was with Roger's crew? You clearly haven't left home. Do you know how many scumbags the so-called Great Pirate Era released into the world? How many families were ruined because of it? Is that the freedom you admire—one built on the suffering of others?"
"No! I—I just want to see the world out there…"
"Then go. The shackles that bound you are gone. What's stopping you?"
"But Kozuki Oden's journal said that someone would come in a few years to save Wano. I want to witness that moment!"
Yamato didn't even notice she had started using Oden's full name—Kozuki Oden—indicating that her blind admiration had weakened.
Chiga knew that the journal referred to Luffy, who would set sail in a few years. Destiny, fate—it was such lazy thinking. He stared at Yamato and asked,
"So you're going to anchor your life to a vague prophecy? If you truly want to save Wano, why not go do it yourself?"
"I'm no match for my father…"
"Not now, and not ever? Is that all you've got?"
"Of course not! I want to become stronger!"
"Then go see the outside world. You've got talent. Staying here will only waste it."
Yamato didn't respond, but her expression clearly showed a growing desire to go out to sea. Yet, one problem still gnawed at her: how would she actually get there?
She was a Devil Fruit user who couldn't swim. Kaido hadn't left a single ship behind. Even if there was a boat, she had no sailing skills, didn't know any routes, and would probably starve to death at sea.
Was she going to lose her path again, just when she had found some clarity? Yamato clenched her fists, feeling frustrated… and then her eyes suddenly lit up as she looked sharply at Chiga.
How could she forget him?
He was absurdly strong. He could fly. Couldn't she just follow him?
Besides, he was the one constantly telling her to go to sea. If she asked him, surely he'd agree!
Thinking this, Yamato looked at Chiga with excitement and shouted,
"I understand now! Take me out to sea with you!"
"Get lost."
"…?"
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