Chapter 126: Family Issues

From the moment I was born, from the moment I became aware of my surroundings—it was a “world of violence.”

My very first memory. What I first saw and felt was the image of a girl rocking me on the tatami floor.

"Here you go, Musashi-chan♡ Which sword do you like better? Personally, I recommend this black one—it's harder and sharper... What do you think?"

"This one’s cooler!!"

"Right~♡ Then I’ll give it to you!! It’s a present!! Once you finish eating, want to try some practice swings?"

"Yeah! I’ll do it!!"

She had the same black hair and red eyes as me. That girl was a beast in human form—my family.

The house I was born into was extraordinarily large. By most standards, you could say I came from a highly privileged lineage. Everyone I met treated me with reverence, bowed their heads, and spoke to me in polite language.

"Mu-Musashi-sama!! You mustn’t go that way!! That area’s no place for children…!!"

"Young miss. Kaido-san and Nue-san are calling for you."

Musclebound men, sharp-eyed women, even giants well over five meters tall, and others with flames and black wings sprouting from their backs—every single one of them cherished me.

I used to vaguely think they were all family. But I was told that wasn’t the case.

Our family business is “piracy.” Our name: the “Beasts Pirates.” One of the most notorious outlaw crews in the world.

My father is their boss—“Kaido of the Beasts.” Horns on his head, able to transform into a dragon, a bona fide monster. Everyone fears him. Whether it’s the people of Wano, our base, or pirates from across the seas.

"Hey, Musashi. It’s almost time for dinner. What are you staring at?"

"My toy broke."

"What…? Hey!! Somebody bring her a new one!!!"

"Y-Yes sir!! Right away!!"

"Hey, wait a second!! Isn’t that where you’re supposed to say, ‘Don’t play during meals’!?"

"Don’t be so uptight. Manners don’t matter."

"It’s not about manners!! I just don’t like it when she plays in front of food I made!! So no, Musashi!! Not allowed!!"

"Ehh..."

There are four people in my family, including myself.

Kaido and Nue. Two monsters. And one more—

"Hey Musashi!! Let’s go play!!"

"Ane-ue… Isn’t it study time right now? If Father scolds you again, I won’t cover for you."

"Hmph… W-Who cares!? I’m not scared of that!! Because I… am Kozuki Oden!!"

"…Your name is Yamato, isn’t it?"

"…That’s my other name!!"

—Yamato. My sister, three years older than me.

By the time I became conscious of the world around me, she was already calling herself “Kozuki Oden,” frequently causing trouble and getting beaten by our father.

Honestly, I think she’s an idiot. Claiming the name of Kozuki Oden is problematic for us, who defeated him and took over the country, and it probably doesn't sit well with the remnants of the Kozuki faction either.

I could never understand her. Why would she keep calling herself Oden, even after being hit and scared by Father? Besides, Oden… lost to Father. Sure, he was exceptionally strong for a samurai, but to admire only him and try to become him—it’s beyond nonsense. It’s insanity.

If you’re going to admire someone—admire all strong swordsmen.

"You want to hear stories about strong swordsmen?"

"Yes!!"

"Hmm… Strong swordsmen, huh… Then it’s either ‘Hawk Eyes’ or ‘Red-Hair’… Well, in our crew, it’d be ‘King’..."

"Then all of them!!"

"You’re greedy… Well, I’ve got time, so why not?"

Since I was little, I’ve always had a vague admiration for swordsmen. I’m not sure why. Maybe it’s because I was born into a world of samurai and swords, or maybe because Nue always showed me weapons. I even did trial cuts… Before I knew it, I liked swords. And I liked swordsmen.

Admiring weapons and warriors, growing up in a family where fighting is part of the business, surrounded by people who can all fight—it was natural that I, too, came to enjoy battle. Honestly, it was also just the way our family raised us.

"Ah, Musashi!! Take this—for killing that bastard Pe-tan!!"

"P-Please stop, sis!!"

"Hahaha, it’s been since yesterday, huh, stupid Ulti and crybaby Pe-tan!! Come crawling back for another beating from me—no, from us!?"

"Shut up!! Today I’m gonna smash your head in!! Starting with Pe-tan!! Go!!"

"Ehh!? Why me first…!?"

The Beasts Pirates have training just for kids. Or more accurately, it’s training for the apprentices, loosely organized by Nue.

See, there are a lot of children around. But it’s not because we take in orphans or anything like that—it’s simply that a decent number of kids are born into our crew.

Apparently, most major pirate crews reject women or have strict rules despite being pirates. But the Beasts Pirates are different. We’ve got plenty of men and women.

If you’re strong enough, we don’t care if you’re male, female, child, or elder—we’ll take you. So we have all kinds of people. And with many women around, it’s no surprise children are born too.

Those children—some born into the crew, some from outside, some with mysterious backgrounds—are gathered at that training ground under Nue’s guidance.

"Okay~~!! Hello to all the good little kids~~~~~♪ Today too, let’s train hard with your big sis so you can all become strong and admirable pirates~~~~~!!!"

"Yes!!"

"Great response!! All right, let’s get started~♡"

Nue declared the beginning of training with a cheerful voice and bright smile.

It felt more like a picnic or a play session, but it wasn’t. This was bloody combat training.

"Yaaah!!"

"Die!!"

"You’re the one who should die!!"

Kids paired off in twos and beat each other up.

Blades and guns were technically banned. They used bare hands or wooden swords, and just pummeled each other senseless.

That’s all the training was. It didn’t matter if you kept switching opponents or beat someone down until they couldn’t move—as long as you didn’t kill them or cause permanent damage, anything went. And even those rules could change on a whim depending on Nue’s mood.

"…S…Stop…"

"Huh? Can’t move anymore~?"

The rules were so loose that, naturally, there were always kids who ended up fatally injured.

"Aww… Poor thing. Even if we treat that, it’s not gonna help. Nothing we can do. …Anyone want to finish him?"

And at those times, Nue would call out casually, like it was nothing, to the group in front of the dying child.

Without fail, the same person would raise his hand.

"I’ll do it."

"Oh, Jack~♡ Even though you killed three yesterday, you still want more today? Aren’t you greedy~♡"

"…Is that not allowed?"

"No no, it’s fine♡ You’re just such a good boy, Jack, I got a little emotional!! So… here!! As a reward, go ahead and kill him however you like!!"

"…Thank you very much."

"Eep…"

Among the Beasts Pirates’ apprentice kids—there was one true monster.

His name was Jack. Same age as my sister. Despite being an apprentice, he was already sent into real battles, and in this training ground, he was the first to raise his hand and, once given permission, would grin viciously as he tortured and killed kids his own age.

"Don’t go near that guy, Musashi. He’s insane. He kills people every day."

"………"

Jack is a monster. Strongest among the kids. Not even Yamato can beat him, and the others—Ulti and Page One, who were already showing strength since they were little—couldn’t win either.

And because of that, Jack was—naturally—Nue’s favorite.

"There there, such a good boy~♡ As a reward, I’ll make your favorite: elephant steak!!"

"…Thank you."

『…………』

…Yes, to Nue, a “good kid” is a strong one.

Nue liked children—but especially the strong ones. If she took a liking to a child, she would bring them around with her and shower them with special treatment and affection.

“Grrr… damn Jack… I’m so jealous…!!”

And Nue was popular with the kids.

It wasn’t just Ulti who got frustrated; to those without parents, Nue and Kaido—two monsters who led the Beasts Pirates—were figures of admiration.

Even Kaido, for all his ferocity, wouldn’t go out of his way to hurt a child who looked up to him. And as for Nue, she was originally an idol who would put on smiles, sing, and dance for the children.

To the parentless kids, they were practically parental figures. In fact, Ulti adored Nue like a real mother, clinging to her constantly, and even Page One, who tried to act tough, and Jack, who rarely showed emotion, couldn’t hide their fondness for her.

And when Nue watched over them… something stirred in her again.

“You’re such a good kid~~♡ You’re not strong physically yet, but you used your head to trap and kill your opponent!! Yes, yes!! That kind of thing is definitely a kind of strength!! For a still-weak child, that was actually a pretty solid move!!”

“Th-Thank you…!!”

『…………』

──Back then, if I remember correctly… there was a boy who had used his wits to trick and kill someone, and he was being praised for it.

I don’t even remember his face. But I remember the event clearly. After all, that day was… a very special one.

“…? What’s wrong, Musashi-chan?”

“…Musashi…?”

“────Die.”

“Huh—?”

I cut off the head of the boy being praised… in one clean stroke.

In that moment, the air in the room froze.

“…Ah.”

And then it hit me. I realized my mistake.

I had just killed the one Nue had praised… someone she may have taken a liking to.

Why, why, why—!?

I froze in panic, shocked at my own sudden action. Yes, I was annoyed. I was pissed. He was weak but still got praised. I could’ve killed much better than him. It wasn’t fair. How dare a weakling act cocky.

I could think of a few reasons—but none of them were worth killing over.

I didn’t understand why I did what I did, and could only wait for Nue to get angry, or to say something.

──But that worry proved unnecessary.

“…………Aha♡”

“!”

Nue, in that moment—wore a terrifyingly radiant smile.

As if something truly delightful had dropped in her lap by chance—she smiled from ear to ear, then let out a squeal of joy.

“Musashi… you’re just… suuuuperrrrr good!!!!”

“…Eh…?”

“As a reward, I’m gonna give you a big kiss!! Mwah～～～～～♡”

“!!?”

Suddenly, she hugged me, ruffled my hair wildly, then planted a big kiss right on my lips.

“That’s our girl!! Sure, blood isn’t everything, but blood sure doesn’t lie!! Woohoo!! Musashi-chan’s the best!! A beast of pure potential!!! We’re calling everyone—Kaido, the whole gang—we’re throwing a party tonight!!!”

“W-What…?”

I couldn’t make sense of Nue’s unstoppable joy, and confusion swirled endlessly in my head.

The other kids probably felt the same. Why was she so happy even though her favorite just got killed?

Maybe he wasn’t actually her favorite? Or maybe she liked the one who did the killing even more?

But the latter would later be proven false—because another time, when a child Nue liked was being praised and a different child killed them… she coldly said “I don’t like you” and handed the murderer over to King.

In the end, no one ever figured out why Nue had been so happy that day. But a huge celebration was held, with not just the family but the entire Beasts Pirates joining in.

Our parties were always flashy and extravagant. Live performances by Nue and Queen, massive amounts of food and alcohol—it was excessive.

“Yamato, Musashi. You two take these. Devil Fruits—eat them.”

“I picked the perfect powers just for you!! You’ll get even stronger now!! Yay!!”

That day, Yamato and I were given Devil Fruits, told it was a good opportunity, and became ability users.

Yamato was extremely reluctant, but she was forced to eat hers. I didn’t resist particularly. It tasted godawful, but I figured, if it made me stronger, I didn’t mind not being able to swim. That night, I fell asleep still full of unanswered questions.

──And then, the days of training resumed once more.

We lacked for nothing in life. Anything we wanted, we basically got.

And ever since eating the fruit, I’d play hide-and-seek around the mansion, or sometimes sneak off into mainland Wano just to have a little adventure.

“What the hell do you think you’re doing, Musashi!! You trying to be a dumbass like Yamato!!?”

“…What’s the harm in going outside!? I get bored staying in the castle all the time!!”

“What did you just say!!?”

──I got scolded. I got hit. But… I understood the logic.

Wano wasn’t all that safe. The Kozuki remnants had supposedly been wiped out by the Beasts Pirates… but in truth, many were still hiding and bravely keeping up the fight.

And as the daughter of one of the Four Emperors, “Kaido of the Beasts,” it wouldn’t be impossible for me to be kidnapped and used as leverage.

Whether or not that would truly affect Kaido and Nue was another matter—but it was undeniable that such a situation would be a blow to the Beasts Pirates.

So, logically, I got why I shouldn’t sneak off. But still—

“Hmm? You want to go out? Well… if it’s within Wano, I guess it’s fine? Do what you want.”

When I told Nue I’d gone outside and gotten scolded by Kaido, that’s how she responded.

I don’t know how it works in other homes, but in ours, Kaido was the overprotective one, while Nue leaned more toward a hands-off approach.

Nue, in general, was hard to grasp. Kaido was terrifying but serious, straightforward, and easy to understand. Nue, on the other hand, was an adult who still chased idol dreams, had weird knowledge, and though cruel, was strangely gentle only toward children. She was full of contradictions.

Maybe that’s why—I’d long held a quiet dissatisfaction about something.

Why doesn’t Mother Nue… acknowledge me, outwardly, as her own daughter?

I had never once heard Nue say to anyone that I was her biological child.

And the same went for everyone else. They’d all call me Kaido’s daughter—but no one, not a single person, ever called me Nue’s daughter. I vaguely remember hearing it as a child, but even that memory feels hazy, like it’s been veiled in fog.

Nue loved Yamato and me like daughters, but never once did she say “she’s my daughter.” Not Kaido, not the senior executives who’d been around forever—none of them brought it up.

Yet Nue’s treatment of me was clearly like that of a mother. To me, even if we didn’t share blood, she had raised me—and I believed with all my heart that she was my mother. That’s how I saw her, and that’s how I acted.

But unlike how she insisted Yamato be seen as male to the outside world, I was treated as Kaido’s daughter—but not as Nue’s.

When I asked her directly—

“…It’s fine, right? Anyway, just make sure you never tell anyone, okay!!”

—she dodged the question. No explanation.

Was there a problem between her and Kaido? Or was there some other reason? Did I even have a different mother? I could speculate all I wanted, but never reach a firm answer.

Within the Beasts Pirates, it became an unspoken rule—I was always treated solely as Kaido’s daughter.

It might seem like nothing… but that vague dissatisfaction grew. I became more rebellious—I chose to accept the situation, to not dwell on it, and instead focus on what I wanted to pursue, throwing myself into it to forget the rest.

“King!! Starting today, you’re my Papa!!!”

“Lady Musashi. Kaido-san and Nue-san are—wait, what did you just say?”

──For now, I figured I’d make strong swordsmen my new parents and grow even stronger.

“Fuhahaha!! That won’t work!! I’m going out to play!!”

“Ehhh～～～～!!? Are you serious!!? If this thing explodes, your arms and legs are gonna get blown clean off!!?”

──I rebelled against Kaido and the rest of the Beasts Pirates trying to keep me on the island, and began acting even more freely.

“Hellooo!! Today I’m introducing some new friends～～!! Come on, introduce yourselves!!”

“…I am Hancock.”

“I’m Sandersonia…”

“Marigold…”

Even then, I kept training.

“Fuhaha, so you’re Hancock!! Don’t think you can beat me with that level of strength!!”

“Ugh… what a pain…”

In the meantime, new children had begun joining the training.

Now among them were Hancock of the Shichibukai, along with her younger sisters Sandersonia and Marigold. And then—

"I'm… Komurasaki."

"Ohh… So you're that…"

The woman who called herself Komurasaki exuded an aura of gloom—Hiyori. The fact that she was Oden’s biological daughter made her roots all the more enticing.

"Hey, hey, what's wrong!!? With that level of skill, there's no way you could ever get revenge!!!"

"Y-You're such… a noisy… person…!!"

We fought many times… but I was strong. I beat her soundly every time.

To begin with, among my peers, only Jack had ever beaten me. Even my elder sister Yamato, who was older, I had easily surpassed and defeated.

"Damn it… Musashi…!!"

"Heh, that’s all you've got, sister? You haven’t improved since last time—boring. Alright, next is Jack!! You’re up!! Today I’ll finally cut you down!!!"

"…Do it if you can…!!"

"Alright, both of you just die already!!! If you die, then Lady Nue will be all mine-usa!!"

"…Hey, isn't your sentence ending kinda weird? Sis… Hey, Hancock. You got any idea what’s going on?"

"How would I know… More importantly, Sonia, Mari. What’s our task after this today…?"

"It was cooking, I believe, Sister."

"Feels like we've been doing that a lot lately. Are they trying to give you bridal training or something?"

"If so, it’s pointless. For me to let my guard down around a man, not even the collapse of heaven and earth would suffice."

—And so, those days truly did make me stronger.

In addition to my naturally strong Observation Haki, I steadily mastered swordsmanship, hand-to-hand combat, Devil Fruit-based combat techniques, and even stronger forms of Haki. My tolerance for pain rose drastically as well. Though my abilities enhanced my physical strength, I had never really known fear in the first place, and even the tortures I received whenever I misbehaved severely didn’t bother me at all.

Eventually, the only people I could say were definitively stronger than me in the Beasts Pirates were a few of the Flying Six, the All-Stars… and Nue and Kaido.

—Time passed, years went by… and one day, I met a man who came to Wano.

"……Um, uh, hello. Sorry for intruding."

The man named Ace had come to Wano to take down the Beasts Pirates—specifically, Kaido.

But pirates like that had come in droves before. That alone wasn’t enough to pique my interest… What intrigued me was his lineage.

"A descendant of Gol D. Roger…"

I overheard Nue and Ace talking and learned that truth.

I see, I thought. That must be why Ace seemed so conscious of his own father.

The real son of the Pirate King Roger. A man even our father… even our mother couldn’t defeat.

And with that, the simmering desire I’d had to leave the seas of Wano ignited fully—I needed no time at all to decide to stow away on the Spade Pirates’ ship.

…And so, I ventured with the Spade Pirates, eventually becoming one of Whitebeard’s crew… and came to know the world.

Ace accepted me, even as Kaido’s daughter, and Whitebeard too accepted me without hesitation, despite how troublesome I should have been.

And then… they showed me the world.

Whitebeard’s ship had many rules, and for pirates, it was surprisingly soft.

They didn’t harm civilians, banned drugs and slavery, never bullied the weak, and killing comrades was forbidden. They valued principles above all else.

To someone like me who only knew the Beasts Pirates, it was refreshing… and at the same time, painfully harsh reality.

"…Why shouldn’t we torment the weak?"

"…Hmm. Well… because… no matter what happens to them, the weak don’t deserve it. Pirates need to steal from the weak to survive, right?"

"…………"

I once asked Whitebeard that question. Looking back, I probably deserved to be punched just for asking… But Whitebeard didn’t get angry. He simply furrowed his brow deeply and slowly began speaking to me.

"You… Are you getting along with my crew… and with the Spade Pirates, was it? That fireball brat’s friends?"

"Huh? Oh, of course!! They’re all good people!!"

"I see… Then tell me something—have you ever thought about what pain feels like for other people?"

"…………Eh…?"

"…………"

"Uh… I mean… what does that have to do with whether we get along or not…?"

I couldn’t give him a proper answer.

Whitebeard didn’t scold me. He just kept staring silently, and without waiting for my answer, he sighed.

"…I see. Sorry for asking something weird…"

"…N-No…"

"But rules are rules. As long as you're on my ship, you’ll follow my way. Got it?"

"…Y-Yeah…"

"…Then go. It’s cold tonight… Why don’t you get some hot food from Thatch?"

"…I’ll do that…"

Told to go, I nodded and moved mechanically, still turning Whitebeard’s question over in my mind.

Why is it wrong to torment the weak?

What does it have to do with cherishing your crewmates, or understanding others’ pain?

I took a bowl of soup from the kitchen and decided to step onto the quiet deck to think about it under the night sky.

But then—

"……Ah."

"—Wah!! Musashi!! Sorry!!"

That moment, I’d let my Observation Haki lapse and collided with a crew member coming around a corner.

He’d been looking the other way too, maybe heading to a meeting, errand, or work—he seemed to be in a hurry.

"I’m in a rush!! Sorry!!"

"…………"

Because of that, the soup I was holding spilled from the impact, dirtying my clothes and gear. The crewman apologized while hurrying off.

At that moment, I instinctively reached for the sword at my waist.

And without thinking, I began the motion—like squashing a bug that had wandered into a room—

"!!?"

—But I couldn’t finish it.

Someone pulled me back and threw me down onto the deck. It was—

"What the hell are you doing…!?"

"…Ace…"

Ace stood there, visibly alarmed.

He questioned me with a serious expression.

"You… You were just about to kill a crewmate…!!"

"…Ah…"

That’s when I realized—no, remembered.

Right… that’s what this was.

That crewmate who spilled my soup—who was weaker than me—who happened to stand in front of me while I was irritated—he may not have spoken much to me, but… he was still my comrade.

"What happened!? Did you two have a fight!? Or is it…"

"………Yeah…"

"'Yeah'? That’s it!? Drawing a sword on a comrade isn’t normal! What’s going on with you? Are you really okay!?"

Ace was seriously worried. Yet I could tell—if I didn’t change, he wouldn’t forgive me.

But I couldn’t answer. His words—and Whitebeard’s—stabbed at my ears.

—And that’s when I finally realized.

…Normal people… don’t just kill someone on a whim because they’re irritated.

Like Ace said—it takes something extreme to kill a comrade.

Yes… something ex-tre-me.

"Hah… haha…"

"…Musashi?"

Finally… I understood why Nue had been so happy back then.

Normal people don’t kill others so easily.

I remembered—back in Wano—I had caused so much suffering to so many.

I’d kill strong samurai after mastering their techniques. Kill weak ones just for being in the way.

I’d stir up storms with my power just to test it, and when civilians suffered from the aftermath, I’d offer a hollow apology—“Too bad. Bad luck.”

Kaido and Orochi had every reason to be angry at me for harming citizens of our own nation… and it made sense that Nue, whose twisted fun mirrored mine, hadn’t been particularly upset either.

Because I was—

"…Ace…"

"…What’s wrong with you?"

I told the worried Ace. With a self-mocking smile and sorrow without tears—I confessed.

"I… don’t understand what pain means to other people."

"! …Eh…?"

—Because I… was a beast.

"I fell long ago… Just like Kaido and Nue… I became a beast."

That’s why they were so glad—to see a child grow up like them.

Someone who could use others mercilessly, trample them without hesitation… A beast.

"I never once gave it a second thought…!!"

I didn’t feel fear or pain.

Even witnessing the suffering of the weak in Wano—I didn’t help them, but more than that, I didn’t feel anything. I had no interest in the weak.

"My sense of normal… from the very beginning…!!"

Yes, ever since back then—

"My world… has always been one of violence…!!!"

—I was a beast’s child.

“…And without even realizing it… I acted like I was just like you all… like a normal human being…”

“…………”

Yes. The truth is, I never cared about the weak. I just wore a mask of kindness and virtue to fit in with them.

“You know, Ace… my ability…”

“…Yeah. I think… it’s something like a tiger that stirs the wind, right?”

“Yeah, that’s right… It’s the Mythical Zoan-type Cat-Cat Fruit… The mythical beast it’s modeled after… is a man-eating tiger from legends… one said to harm good people…”

I recall the words spoken to me when I received my ability.

“A perfect match… a power truly suited to me…”

“…………”

Hugging my knees, I buried my head and cursed my own existence.

“I wanted to be one of you… but I can’t…”

It felt comfortable. Even if we didn’t see eye to eye, this place was freer than anywhere else I’d known, a place that made me want to stay.

“This isn’t where I belong… The place I belong is—”

Yes, from the very beginning… it had already been decided.

If I stayed here, I’d only cause them trouble. I’d ruin their reputation. If I broke a taboo, it could make them feel the grief of losing someone important.

If it would come to that…

“—Hold it.”

“! Ace…”

I was just about to voice the rest of my thoughts—only to be interrupted.

Ace, wearing a slightly irritated, restrained, almost sulky expression, spoke without looking at me.

“…You’ve been thinking about a whole lot of heavy stuff…”

“…Well, yeah, because I’m a bad beast…”

“Yeah, that’s it. That’s what I’m thinking too… Look, I know you’re stuck in your head about all this, but… I don’t think you need to beat yourself up so much.”

“Huh…?”

Ace pointed a finger at me, mumbling as if organizing his thoughts. Ignoring my confusion, he continued,

“See, pirates in the first place… we’re all people who live by bothering others… We’re outlaws and villains. The way you’re talking, it’s like only you beast-types are monsters, and we’re all normal humans… but normal humans don’t do bad stuff to begin with—am I wrong?”

“Uh… well, no, it’s not exactly about doing bad things, more like how you think, a mindset thing…”

“…Is that so?”

“…I think so, but…”

Why was he throwing the question back at me? I was confused. Was he teasing me?

But Ace seemed perfectly serious as he tilted his head again, then curled his fingers and said,

“…If that’s the case, then it’s not really a problem.”

“…Why not? I don’t understand people’s pain, you know?”

Exactly. That’s the problem.

I’m a wretched creature who doesn’t feel anything even after killing someone, or seeing the weak get trampled—

“—But there you are, saying you feel bad about it, aren’t you?”

“—Huh… ah…”

I was taken aback by Ace’s words after a moment.

Come to think of it… I had realized that… and now I was drowning in self-loathing.

It didn’t make sense. It was a contradiction. I understood my own values, my beliefs, my ideals—and yet, I hated myself for them.

I was stuck in between. I didn’t know who I was.

“If you’re able to worry about it like this… maybe you can change how you think. Maybe you can learn to understand people’s pain.”

“But… no, I can’t. To me, this is normal… common sense. It’s not something I can just flip like a switch.”

I thought about what Ace said. Could I really change? No, I concluded—I couldn’t.

Even now, my core belief hadn’t changed—if the weak are crushed, it’s because they’re weak, and that’s their fault.

That logic had been burned into me since I was a child. So no, it’s impossible.

“…In that case—Musashi.”

Ace turned toward me with the face he always made when he made a decision.

Was I about to be cast out? Naturally—he couldn’t risk his crew’s safety.

Especially now, as a division commander with people under his charge, it would make sense for someone in his position to remove any internal threat—

“Rely on your comrades—no, rely on me!!!”

“!!! Wha…?”

Ace pointed at himself and declared it—still wearing that same difficult, irritated expression.

“If you ever start to hurt someone without realizing it… I’ll stop you right then!!!”

“Wh-what? But…”

“No buts!!! And another thing—don’t just decide on your own that this isn’t your place and try to leave with some lame excuse!!!”

“L-lame excuse…?”

…Maybe the reason he’d been pulling that grumpy face the whole time was just because he didn’t get what I was trying to say.

It actually seemed pretty likely. Was I really that unclear…? I got a little depressed thinking that.

But Ace didn’t care about any of that and kept speaking his mind.

“You’re already one of us!!! I won’t let you just walk away!!!”

“Wh—whaaat…!? You’re being so selfish…!!”

“Pirates are selfish!! Like hell I’m letting someone take away one of my crewmates over something I don’t even get!! And even if that’s the case… yeah, even then. If the place you don’t want to go back to is Kaido… the Beasts Pirates…”

Ace said, clenching his right fist—which burst into blazing flame.

“Then I’ll destroy that place myself… and steal you back for good!!!”

“…!!!”

—In the darkness I lived in, those words were the only shining flame of hope.

Unbelievable—yes, too full of dreams to be real.

And maybe that’s why… I said what I did, half out of embarrassment.

“…You really think you can beat my dad…? I don’t know… I think it’s impossible…”

“It’s not impossible!!! I’ve made promises to others too!!! Like to Otama… oh, and Yamato too!! I promised to take him aboard my ship!! I’ll knock out Kaido and Nue and fix everything!!!”

“…You promised Yamato too?”

“Yeah!! Yamato’s gonna head out to sea someday!! And when he does, I promised I’d ask him to join my crew!!”

“…Huh~… You and Yamato-nee…”

…This guy. I’ve had a hunch for a while, but… is he just a natural flirt? Or maybe just a girl-chaser?

I began to worry about the future of this reckless, overly optimistic man. He once tried to kill Whitebeard, and now he’s talking about taking on Kaido and Nue… No matter how you spin it, I only see a future where he dies.

“…Haaah… But I guess you’re right… Maybe Ace really does need me around.”

“Yeah, I think so too… You’ve helped me out a lot with your plans… Wait, hold up. You’re not talking like your usual weird self. You sound like a normal girl right now. Don’t tell me—is that your real personality?”

“…! Shut up, stupid Ace. D-do not criticize my manner of speech.”

“Haha!! There it is!! That’s the Musashi I know!! The one who goes around calling everyone ‘Papa’ and stuff!! That’s your usual routine!!”

“…It’s not like I call just anyone that, you know…”

“Huh? You don’t?”

Ace tilted his head, but of course not. It has to be a strong swordsman. That’s the condition.

…But yeah. If it’s Ace—

“…If it’s you… I guess I could make you my Papa.”

“!!? Whoa whoa whoa—no way!! I’m not ready to be a dad at my age!! No way I could handle that!!”

“Hm? Handle…? …Wait, no, that’s not what I meant!!”

“? Then what did you mean? I figured you were just looking for someone to marry or something… is that not it?”

“—!! N-no way!! That’s not it at all, you idiot Ace!!!”

“Ow!! Hey, don’t just punch me outta nowhere!! Try understanding people’s pain!!”

“Even if I understand, I’ll still punch you!!!”

“—Gurarara… what’s all this racket?”

—And from there, it turned into a full-blown celebration, even in the middle of the night, with Whitebeard, Marco, Thatch, Jozu, Izo, Vista, Deuce, Teach, and the rest of the Whitebeard Pirates who had probably been eavesdropping the whole time.

That was years ago—back when things were still peaceful. I smacked Ace upside the head for misunderstanding me, and even as the others held me back, I thought to myself:

I want to stay in this place.

A place where I could be free—as myself. That’s what that place was to me.

But now… that place is almost entirely gone.

—I survived the war… the World Government fell… and I came home.

“…You’ve returned, huh… Musashi.”

“Yeah… I’m back—damn old man.”

“Well now, with Musashi back too, I guess we can call the whole war incident happily ever after!!”

In the land of Wano, inside a chamber of the fortress at “Onigashima,” a hall with dozens of tatami mats laid out for banquets and meetings—I gave my greeting to the man seated at the head: my father, Kaido of the Beasts.

Beside him sat Nue the Demon Beast. The top two of the Beasts Pirates. And directly across from them, as if to confront them, sat all of the Beasts Pirates executives.

The All-Stars, the Flying Six, and the stronger Shinuchi with some authority—the core of the world’s mightiest military force.

The fact that every one of them had survived this war made me frown. While the Whitebeard Pirates and the Marines had suffered so many casualties, all of the top members of the Beasts Pirates were still alive.

But logically, it made sense. Throughout the war, the pirate alliance had the upper hand, and most of the higher-ups in the Beasts Pirates were Zoan-type Devil Fruit users.

In addition to raw strength, Zoan-types came with enhanced stamina and healing—of course they’d survive so long as they didn’t die instantly. In close combat—or rather, in war—there’s no greater advantage.

And my sister, Yamato, was there too. She had a few injuries—probably rebelled again.

“You all… did well.”

And now that the main figures of the Beasts Pirates had assembled, Kaido finally turned to address everyone with words of appreciation.

"This war was our victory...!! Later, I'll commend you again with a celebratory Golden Kagura, and explain things more fully... but first, I need to speak about our next plan and movements—Bao Huang!!"

"Ayeeeeeee~!!!"

At Kaido’s call, Bao Huang—still a child yet remarkably competent—leapt down from the ceiling. Serving as a secretary to both Kaido and Nue, she handled intel processing and reporting duties. As a Shinuchi among the Gifters, it appeared she was taking the role of MC today in Sonou’s absence.

"Aaaaaalright, so!! This recent war!!! Our alliance—between the Beasts Pirates, the Big Mom Pirates, and the Golden Lion Pirates—has utterly!!! Crushed the Marines and Whitebeard Pirates!!! And secured victory for us~~~~~!!!"

Waving one hand and holding a paper in the other, Bao Huang raised her voice in celebration, hyping up their triumph. Everyone present already knew the outcome without needing the announcement, yet none seemed to mind hearing it again. Each wore a smug, defiant grin—as if to say we are the true conquerors.

"And that’s a joyous occasion~~~buuut~~~!! There are still a number of fools!!! Who dare defy Lord Kaido!!"

Bao Huang raised her voice, her expression as unreadable as ever. Still, even as a child, she was a beast—fully committed to the Beasts Pirates’ ideology.

"The Revolutionary Army and the Navy have merged into the ‘New Government’!!! And~~~ a new pirate alliance has formed between the Red-Hair Pirates and that pirate!!! Meanwhile, the Blackbeard Pirates remain in hiding!!! In short~~~~ these are the primary enemies obstructing Lord Kaido!!!"

Which is why—every single one of them intended to crush these obstacles and, in the truest sense, seize control of the world.

Neither the remnants of the Whitebeard Pirates nor Ace’s younger brother were mentioned by name, but that omission held no deeper meaning. As long as someone posed a threat, they'd be seized—or erased—just the same.

And in truth, the current Beasts Pirates possessed the power to go to war with all those forces… and win.

"Therefore!! We must eliminate these nuisances!! So first, in order to prepare for that battle~~~~ there are mainly two things we must do!!!"

…However, even the Beasts Pirates couldn’t execute major moves back-to-back after such a massive war. Even if they did move, it would likely cost them heavily.

Small fry pirate crews could still be squashed easily, but the factions just listed were among the rare few in the world not to be taken lightly. In fact, acknowledging the need for preparation was akin to admitting they couldn’t be crushed in passing.

Which was why preparations were essential.

"First~~~~ is a move to gain new military power!! The New Onigashima Project!!!"

"!!"

Raising one finger high, Bao Huang proudly proclaimed the name of the plan. The “New Onigashima Project”… No one knew the details yet, but the phrase “to gain new military power” alone made it clear it was nothing good. Yamato’s grimace only confirmed it.

"Lord Kaido will explain the details later during the Golden Kagura~~~~!!! But in short, it's a plan to not only replenish our reduced forces!! But to expand, expand, and expand them like crazy!!!"

"Exactly. That so-called ‘New Government’ and ‘Red-Hair’s alliance’ may seem like short-term measures… but they haven’t gone nuts, and they haven’t given up!! They’ll regroup and strike again!!! So we’ll gather the forces needed to crush them completely!!!"

"If only that thing was ready, we could just stomp them already. But repairs are taking forever—right, Queen?"

"Yeah... Even with our engineers and Wano’s craftsmen, it’s gonna take a year… no, two years, Nue-san!! Use it now and it’ll just fall apart again!!!"

"That’s how it is~… So unfortunately, no test runs for now. And no huge wars until we’re ready again."

Kaido and Nue chimed in to clarify. When Queen mentioned the repairs, the assembled crowd showed slight disappointment. If that thing were ready, things would be much easier—their frustration was clear.

"Yes!! And the second move is~~~~ to strengthen our alliance with the Big Mom Pirates!!!"

Skipping the deeper explanation of the New Onigashima Project for now, Bao Huang moved on to the next key point—strengthening ties with the Big Mom Pirates.

"The Big Mom Pirates’ military strength will be crucial in building the world of violence to come!! And they also see the Beasts Pirates as absolutely vital!!! Sooooo~~~!!"

Bao Huang paused dramatically, then pointed—at me.

"There’s been a direct proposal from Big Mom herself!!! That is~~~~ a marriage between one of Big Mom’s sons!!! And one of Lord Kaido’s two daughters!!!"

"!!!"

—I knew it. So that’s what this was about.

It was well-known that the Big Mom Pirates expanded their power by arranging marriages with subordinate or allied groups to bind them through blood ties.

With an alliance between the Beasts Pirates and the Big Mom Pirates, such a proposal was only natural.

Especially from Big Mom’s perspective—fighting with the Beasts Pirates now would be problematic in many ways. To avoid that, she’d want to maintain the alliance formally—through marriage.

A union between one of her precious sons and one of Kaido’s only two daughters could solidify that bond, regardless of what the people involved actually wanted.

And since the proposal had been accepted, it was being discussed openly now.

"Yeah… that proposal came straight from Linlin. Yamato or Musashi. One of you’s gonna marry one of her brats… You okay with that?"

"……!! You’d force it on us anyway even if we said no!!"

"I don’t mind."

Yamato shouted with anger and frustration, while I… nonchalantly said I didn’t mind.

Honestly, marriage itself wasn’t a problem. From the moment I came back, I’d accepted as much.

Well—if I had to say there was a problem… there was one. A big one. But if the other party accepts it… then it’s fine. As far as I’m concerned, there shouldn’t be an issue.

"…Yamato aside… Musashi!! You’re really okay with this?"

"…Yeah. I’m fine. …Though, there is a bit of a problem…"

"A problem?"

"?"

Kaido checked again. My response had clearly caught him off guard, so he double-checked. I answered honestly—yes, I’m fine, but there’s a problem.

Kaido and Nue both tilted their heads in confusion, question marks in the air. And I couldn’t help but laugh inside—what would happen once I said it?

How would they react? How shaken would they be?—That was the only thing I was curious about.

And the one I most wanted to shake out of their composure—wasn’t the big monster, but the small one.

"Before that… there's something I have to say to Nue."

"…To me? What now?"

Nue tilted her head. Apparently, she really didn’t know. That alone was unusual.

After all, Nue was an incomprehensible monster. She knew things she shouldn’t. She spoke as though she had seen events firsthand—an enigmatic yokai feared by all. Her pleasant demeanor only made her even more inscrutable with time.

As family… the fact that such a monster was working as an idol was laughably absurd.

"…I… no, I have returned to this place, and I’ll work for the Beasts Pirates."

"…And?"

I’ll say it. I promised Ace—to fulfill our dreams and ambitions… I’ll declare it here and now.

"But someday… I will… and I know it's forbidden to say it in front of others, but I’ll dare to call you this now—Mother. I will drag you down—from your throne as the world’s idol… from your title as the strongest creature!!!"

"!!?"

"…………Heh?"

The room stirred in an instant—and that was only natural.

What had just been said was, in essence, a declaration of rebellion. Even if it was only in front of the core members of the Beasts Pirates, the mere act of voicing such a taboo was enough to cause a stir.

But she didn’t care. Nor should she. This was the right path.

After all, this was—the way of the “beast.”

“You’re really going to say that here and now.”

“…Whatever the truth may be… I’m your daughter, aren’t I, Mother? You raised me. And you treated me like your daughter. That much is fact.”

“…Well, yes, that’s true.”

Blood ties didn’t matter. That was already a settled point—no longer something of importance.

A long time ago, blood-related or not, the moment she was raised as a daughter, she became the child of two people.

And that’s exactly why—she was a beast.

“It’s true. I was the same as all of you… But that’s exactly why—there are things only I can do.”

Yes, to protect Ace and the place he belonged—she had deliberately chosen to rise to the top through this path.

“I’ll gain strength here… and one day, I’ll defeat you head-on. And then—I’ll take the Beasts Pirates for myself.”

“…I see.”

And because this logic was correct in their eyes, Nue didn’t react with anger—instead, she broke into a radiant smile.

“…Nice, nice!! I love it, Musashi!! I’m thrilled!! You’ve said that much, so I’ve gotta respond in kind, don’t I?!”

She said it. In response to Musashi, Nue used a phrase she normally forbade herself from saying—

“As a reward… just this once, I’ll praise you in front of everyone, like a proper parent!! —As expected of my daughter!!! You’ve grown so much since you left!!!”

She was overjoyed. Truly ecstatic. Showering praise.

To a beast, earning victory through strength was a glorious thing. And if it was her own family… her daughter… then the joy was all the greater.

“…What about me?”

And then, Kaido—who had remained silent—also spoke up.

He wasn’t smiling, but his eyes were deadly serious, as if testing her. He clearly didn’t believe it—didn’t think it was possible.

To such a Kaido, Musashi responded.

“Father… I’m not the one who’s going to defeat you… Someday, someone more suited will take you down.”

“…!! Hoh…”

Kaido let out a small breath. He still didn’t seem fully convinced, but his daughter’s words clearly gave him something to think about.

“Someone who could take me down… there are hardly even any left who can fight me at all… But if such a person does appear—”

“…You’ll find the perfect way to die, and be satisfied?”

“Only if they can kill me. If they’re just some shallow fool who thinks being able to fight me means they can win… then they won’t satisfy me.”

Then he gave his answer, a fearless grin on his face.

“—But if someone like that does show up… I’ll give them everything I’ve got.”

—A shiver ran down her spine.

Even though they shared blood… once again, she felt just how monstrous her parent truly was.

The title of “strongest creature” wasn’t for show. With Whitebeard dead, he was undoubtedly the strongest pirate alive. And the one other monster on his level… was the world’s most terrifying.

“If it’s not betrayal… if you surpass me with strength face-to-face, then I don’t care if it’s you or Yamato. I’m not expecting much… but that in itself sounds like fun.”

“Ahaha!! Right?! So, is that all you wanted to say? Seriously, making a declaration like that in a place like this… you’ve got some flair for drama!! …Oh! Since it’s a special occasion, how about I give you a reward later? I’ll cook you your favorite—Nue-chan’s special omurice♡”

“…I’d love the omurice… but still—how do I put this. Even after hearing all that, you’re still in the mood to give out rewards…?”

“…Huh? What? There’s more? …Oh right, wasn’t there some kind of issue or something?”

Nue shifted into listening mode again. Kaido too.

And if the top two were listening like this, no one else dared to stop it.

…Though honestly, she kind of wished someone would. With a rare feeling bordering on fear, she braced herself and spoke up.

“Well… if we’re talking about marriage… then, I mean, there’s the whole kids thing, right…?”

“…You really had to make it weird all of a sudden…? Personally, I’d rather not talk about stuff like that… but well, if you don’t want to have any, then don’t, right Kaido?”

“…Makes no difference to me. Do as you like.”

The moment she brought it up, Nue made a face rarely seen—plainly put, an extremely displeased one. Kaido too, looked awkward.

Just that much had clearly dealt some mental damage… but they were misunderstanding something. She wasn’t done talking yet.

“…No, that’s not what I meant. It’s more like… this is just the first step in taking you down… a small act of harassment.”

“…Harassment?”

She nodded silently. Then pointed a finger at Nue—

“To drag you off your idol pedestal… the first step is—turning you into a granny!!!”

“…Excuse me?”

—Time froze. Everyone was struck dumb.

This was the Beasts Pirates’ ultimate taboo: Nue’s age.

Nue clung fiercely to her idol persona, proudly claiming to be forever fifteen. For her, nothing was more off-limits than talk of age.

Especially terms like “old lady” or “granny.” Say those and, at best, you die instantly. At worst, you’re torn apart and killed.

Everyone present knew that horror. That’s why even the highest-ranking officers broke out in cold sweat, their faces pale. Who’s Who and Sasaki of the Tobi Roppo, even Jack the All-Star, were all sweating buckets. Queen had his mouth agape, eyes rolled back.

That alone showed how insane those words were—but that wasn’t even the main event.

“Eight months from now… no, maybe seven…? Anyway, just wait for it!!!”

“…Hm…? …………………………………………Eh.”

—This time, time truly died. The air in the room dissolved into nothingness.

Even Nue turned pale. Even Kaido was speechless, until several seconds later—what felt like an eternity—he finally shouted.

“…!! Hey, Musashi!! Quit messing around!! You’re not saying…!!”

“…Even I… even I wouldn’t joke about something this nasty…………”

Yes—even she hadn’t expected it to turn out like this.

But… it happened. As the saying goes—

—“Once it’s done, it can’t be undone.”

“…Anyway… look, I have no idea how this works so… s-so… please help me get baby supplies and parenting guides…………”

“……………………”

And then, almost everyone present—excluding Kaido and King—though even they were visibly shaken—raised their voices in perfect unison.

“EHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!?!?”

—On that day, Onigashima echoed with screams. And everyone remembered—

In the Beasts Pirates… a true crisis wasn’t about enemy factions, territory disputes, or profits.

Ever since the Beasts Pirates rose to Emperor status, their greatest issue had always been Kaido’s… “family problems.”

And I, Musashi, swore in my heart. …Ace… things are rough here, but I’ll be waiting at the top of the pirate world…!!!

No, seriously. If you come now, you might actually get killed. I’ve really got to keep pushing forward… And so, once again, I resolved to survive in the world of beasts, and to await the ones who would one day defeat them.