Leaving the flower field full of red sun-facing blooms,
Yamato strolled through the streets of Dressrosa, her kanabo resting on her shoulder.
The demonic Hannya mask once again covered her face.
In a foreign place, both the mask and her weapon gave her a solid sense of security.
Sunlight streamed through the leaves lining the streets, casting dappled shadows on the ground.
The fragrant scent of flowers filled her nose, soothing and refreshing.
Birdsong chimed in the background, blending with the chatter of townsfolk, creating a scene full of life and peace.
Everything felt... tranquil.
Yamato's gaze roamed across the people passing by, taking in every detail of this place.
This was not something she ever felt in Wano Country.
In Wano, hunger, poverty, and disease were the dominant reality.
"What an enviable life,"
she murmured, a bit wistfully.
"Seems like the Thunder God Pirates are treating the locals pretty well."
Yamato admired the peace and beauty around her.
In her heart, she couldn't help but imagine—if the Beasts Pirates were driven out of Wano, would it become like this too?
She continued walking, slowly approaching the heart of the city.
There were more and more people on the road now.
The streets became livelier.
People in bright summer clothing strolled about under the blue sky,
sunlight casting a warm glow on their smiling faces.
Yamato, towering and masked, her spiked club slung over her shoulder, should have been intimidating—
but no one in Dressrosa seemed the least bit afraid.
In fact, they looked like they were used to seeing unusual people like her.
Some even glanced curiously at her—
though she couldn't tell if they were intrigued by the horns on her head or the exaggerated chest muscles she'd deliberately strapped to her armor.
Under those curious stares, Yamato stepped into a tavern.
According to Kozuki Oden's journals, taverns were where pirates loved to gather.
They were places of information exchange and the birth of dreams.
Here, pirates from all over the world would meet—
bringing news from distant places and stories from the seas.
Yamato had long dreamed of this moment—
of walking into a pirate bar and hearing tales from all corners of the world.
Now, that dream was finally coming true.
The tavern was modest—a single-story, run-down building that hardly looked high-end.
Yamato stepped up and pushed open the weathered wooden door.
The strong scent of alcohol, mixed with sweat and other unidentifiable odors, hit her instantly.
Beneath the mask, her delicate nose wrinkled a little,
but she still stepped forward, scanning the room.
The entire tavern unfolded before her.
The first thing she saw was the bar counter.
Maybe due to the tavern's small size, there was only one person behind it—
an older man with short, graying hair, probably in his fifties.
He held a half-smoked cigarette in his left hand and a glass in the right, slowly swirling it.
The amber liquid in the glass shimmered as he moved it, catching the white overhead light like liquid gold.
Through the faint haze of smoke, Yamato could see his deep, thoughtful eyes.
"Welcome,"
the man rasped, lifting his eyelids slightly as he noticed the newcomer.
Yamato nodded silently, her eyes continuing to survey the tavern.
Seven or eight tables were scattered about, most of them already filled—
groups of pirates drinking, laughing, and bragging about their past glories.
"First time here, huh? What'll you have?"
the bartender asked, setting his glass aside and standing up straight.
"Uh... I'll have a glass of your local specialty."
Yamato replied. She had no idea what they offered, so she left it up to the bartender.
In Oden's logs, he'd written:
Whenever you reach a new place, you must try the local drinks and food.
Even if it's not to your taste, it'll be an unforgettable experience you'll savor for life.
Having never gone to sea before, Yamato followed Oden's words to the letter.
"Alright then,"
the bartender said. He searched under the counter, pulled out a glass, and poured in a golden liquid, dropping two ice cubes inside.
"Dressrosa's signature sherry.
It's not too sweet, but it's got a crisp and fresh taste.
Adding ice is how I like it best.
A glass of chilled sherry on a warm afternoon, paired with some snacks—
absolutely delightful."
He slid the glass over to Yamato, his tone light and relaxed.
"Mmm... thank you,"
Yamato said, reaching for the glass. Just as she was about to take a sip, she suddenly remembered—
her mask was still on.
She quickly removed her mask, revealing a sweet and lovely face.
"Ho? So it's a pretty little lady after all,"
the bartender chuckled, a little surprised.
Yamato's uncovered face instantly drew the attention of everyone in the tavern.
All the pirates inside turned their eyes toward her.
If it weren't for her tall, imposing figure and that wicked-looking kanabo—which clearly looked like it would hurt a lot—
some of them might have already tried their luck and started hitting on her.
Still,
their gazes were far from pure.
Even now, the eyes directed at Yamato were filled with greed and desire.
"Might be best if you don't drink too much.
If anything happens, don't hesitate to call the city guard,"
the bartender warned her softly, having noticed the looks from the others.
At his words, the pirates' expressions soured.
Their eyes turned on the bartender, now brimming with hostility.
"Aren't you afraid they'll trash your bar for saying that?"
Yamato asked, glancing at the pirates before turning back to the bartender.
"This is Dressrosa,"
he said with a shrug, completely unfazed by the pirates' glares.
"No one dares stir up trouble on the Thunder God Pirates' turf—
unless they want their heads hung at the port gates as a warning."
The pirates' faces changed.
They looked away from the bartender and pretended not to have heard anything.
They all knew—this was the territory of one of the Emperors of the Sea.
No matter how infamous they might be on the first half of the Grand Line,
here, they were nothing but small fry.
There were countless pirates in this sea whose bounties far exceeded theirs.
Yamato's eyes sparkled slightly.
She had been hoping to learn more about the Thunder God Pirates, and now an opportunity had presented itself.
"You seem to hold them in high regard,"
she asked casually,
"Do they really treat you all that well?"
Yamato's knowledge of the Thunder God Pirates came only from newspapers.
Since this might become her long-term home, naturally she wanted to understand it better.
"Of course! Every citizen of Dressrosa holds the Thunder God Pirates in the highest respect—
and we're deeply grateful to them!"
the bartender declared, raising his voice, tone full of pride.
"You must be new here.
You really don't know a thing about this place, huh?"
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T/N:
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