When Kaido of the Beasts mistakenly thought his "son," Yamato, was dead, he went on a rampage in the Flower Capital, destroying everything in his path.
At some point, Wilhelm had already woken up. Using the power of the Heal-Heal Fruit, he treated his wounds. Yamato, now fully healed and no longer covered in bruises, quietly left Onigashima.
In the Kuri region of Wano Country, within the ruins of Oden Castle, Wilhelm joined Finley, Miyamoto Musashi, and the others.
"Master Wilhelm..."
"Master, she is—"
Shinobu and Miyamoto Musashi were a bit surprised when they saw Yamato sitting on Wilhelm's other shoulder. Her bright, lively expression reminded them of Tanuki Pato.
Wilhelm gave a brief introduction but didn't reveal Yamato's true identity as Kaido of the Beasts' daughter.
"Her name is Yamato. She's my sister!"
"Hello…"
Yamato, sitting on Wilhelm's right shoulder, greeted them cheerfully.
"My name is Yamato!"
She was naturally energetic and not shy like most children.
"Big brother Wilhelm…"
Looking at the ruins, still showing signs of fire, Yamato suddenly said, "I've been here before. This is Oden Castle, built by Kuri's daimyo, Kozuki Oden!"
A year ago, she had seen the castle set ablaze.
She had also witnessed Kozuki Oden's son, Momonosuke, being thrown from a great height by her awful father, Kaido of the Beasts.
But back then, she wasn't strong enough to stop it. She had failed to save him.
"Is that so?"
Wilhelm nodded with a small chuckle.
"Shinobu, can your Ripe-Ripe Fruit ability make someone grow five years instantly?" Wilhelm asked, gently patting Yamato's head.
Shinobu was surprised. She didn't expect Wilhelm to know so much about her "Matured Woman Jutsu."
But she shook her head and sighed. "No, the minimum is ten years."
Her technique could indeed make someone mature instantly, but it always started in increments of ten years—ten, twenty, thirty…
"Then make her grow ten years older!" Wilhelm said, pointing at Yamato.
"Huh?" Yamato's eyes widened in confusion.
"Don't you want to be an adult?" Wilhelm held the thin Yamato in his arms and spoke persuasively. "That way, you won't have to worry about your father finding you. You'll be free to go anywhere."
"Then, big brother Wilhelm, I want to be an adult!"
Yamato's eyes sparkled with excitement, full of anticipation.
"Master Wilhelm," Shinobu said hesitantly, her expression changing. "Growing up like this means losing ten years of youth. That shortens her lifespan. Isn't that too cruel…?"
Wilhelm didn't explain much. "There's no other way. Her identity is too special. To avoid being recognized by the Beasts Pirates, this is the only option."
Of course, he wanted to make sure the Beasts Pirates wouldn't recognize Yamato.
But more importantly, he didn't want to waste time waiting for her to grow up naturally.
If she skipped ten years of growth and became a nineteen-year-old adult, with the monstrous talent she inherited from Kaido of the Beasts, her strength would improve at an astonishing rate.
"If that's the case… alright!"
Miyamoto Musashi was amazed. "You can really make someone grow ten years in an instant?"
The tanuki, Pato, perched on Wilhelm's left shoulder, bounced curiously. "Turkey, what an interesting ability!"
A Short While Later
In an abandoned room, only Yamato and Shinobu remained inside.
Wilhelm, Miyamoto Musashi, and the others waited outside.
Shinobu placed her hands on Yamato, who was looking around curiously. "Miss Yamato, I'm going to activate my ability now. Please stay still."
Her face was serious and focused.
Facing Yamato directly, she activated the power of the Ripe-Ripe Fruit.
"Shhh!"
A bright flash of light filled the room.
The small, thin Yamato vanished.
In her place stood a tall, stunning young woman.
Her two devil-like horns did nothing to diminish her beauty. Her sharp, confident gaze radiated strength, making her stand out in a unique way.
"Eh?"
Now standing at about two meters tall, Yamato looked down at her transformed body. Her innocent yet excited face lit up with joy. "I really grew up! This is amazing!"
"Miss Yamato, these are Lord Wilhelm's spare clothes. Your height is almost the same as his, so they should fit…" Shinobu handed the clothes to Yamato.
Wilhelm had trained relentlessly for years, and though his muscles weren't overly bulky, they hid immense power.
His clothes were a little loose on Yamato, who had instantly aged from nine to nineteen. Her figure had matured, making her curves more pronounced.
A Moment Later
The two stepped out of the old house.
The tall, white-haired Yamato looked heroic and beautiful in Wilhelm's elegant, casual clothes.
Compared to her small, childlike form from before, she seemed like a completely different person.
Even if she stood right in front of Kaido of the Beasts—
He might not even recognize his own daughter.
"Tsk, tsk… She really grew up in just a second!"
Miyamoto Musashi was astonished, finding it hard to believe what he had just witnessed.
The civet cat, Pato, eagerly turned to Wilhelm. "Civet hee hee~! Boss, I want to grow bigger too!"
"Big brother Wilhelm…"
Without warning, Yamato suddenly jumped at Wilhelm, her eyes curving into crescent moons as she hugged him tightly. She was full of excitement and attachment.
"I've become as big as you!"
Wilhelm chuckled, looking at Yamato, who had now grown into a nineteen-year-old.
"As expected of my little sister. You've become even more beautiful and confident after growing up…"
Though her mind wasn't fully mature yet, Wilhelm wasn't concerned. That could be developed slowly over time, guiding and shaping her.
"Everything is ready. It's time to leave."
Wilhelm turned to Shinobu. "So, are you coming with us?"
Shinobu let out a bitter smile.
"Even though Kurozumi Orochi is dead, as long as Kaido remains in this land, Wano will never be truly free…"
Sadness flashed across her face, but as she looked at the striking silver-haired boy in front of her, her eyes flickered with determination.
"Master Wilhelm, I've decided—I will follow you!"
"Good."
Wilhelm nodded.
He wasn't particularly concerned about Shinobu's strength.
However, the Ripe-Ripe Fruit's ability to instantly age a person was incredibly valuable to him.
Of course, he could use Pato's Mythical Zoan ability to transform into a "ninja" if necessary.
But it might not be as effective as having the real thing.
More importantly, if Shinobu's power could make Yamato grow ten years instantly—
Then could it also accelerate the growth of clone soldiers created through advanced cloning technology?
This would significantly shorten their training period.
Of course, there were limits. The ability likely couldn't be overused too many times in succession.
But if ordinary cloned soldiers could mature rapidly and be ready for battle, that would be a major advantage.
And then there was Dr. Hawkins' upcoming research on Pacifistas…
Would Shinobu's power be able to speed up the growth of beasts raised for combat?
What about the gigantification experiments?
Some abilities weren't meant purely for battle—
But that didn't mean they couldn't be used to achieve something far greater.
It all depended on how they were applied.
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