"It's been several years since I ate it, Old Man. Are you wondering if the rest of my abilities match yours?" Yamato replied, her voice echoing through the clouds.
"That's exactly what I'm wondering. Well? Do they?" Kaido was clearly eager to know the truth.
Yamato nodded firmly. "Of course they do. This is a Mythical Zoan Fruit created by Vegapunk using your own Lineage Factor. It's a perfect replication of your powers."
Kaido was deeply shaken by her words. He had just witnessed the existence of a true Artificial Devil Fruit—not the flawed versions he had heard whispers of, but a masterpiece that had completely and perfectly copied his own draconic essence.
"Wororororo! Yamato, let me see what it can really do!" Kaido laughed loudly. He unhinged his massive jaw as swirling flames began to gather deep within his throat.
Seeing this, Yamato didn't hesitate. She mirrored his stance, drawing in a massive breath as dazzling flames converged in her mouth, emitting a terrifying amount of energy that made the air shimmer.
"Blast Breath!"
In the next instant, two scorching pillars of concentrated fire shot out across the sky, colliding in mid-air like two falling meteors.
Boom!
The thick, dark clouds covering the sky were instantly blown apart. A scorching heatwave spread outward, causing the very air to crackle and explode with the pressure. In the distance, King watched the spectacle with narrowed eyes. "The same move... and the power behind it is almost identical."
It was a terrifying display of raw destruction. If those two pillars of fire had struck the ground instead of each other, not even an ant would have survived the resulting inferno. After thirty seconds of sustained power, the towering flames finally dissipated, and both Yamato and Kaido ceased their fire.
"Old Man, do you have any more questions?" Yamato asked, her dragon eyes gleaming.
"That's enough! You've certainly given me a surprise, you stinky brat. An ability identical to mine is perfect for you. That old bastard Vegapunk really does have some tricks up his sleeve! Wororororo!" Kaido burst into a fit of boisterous laughter.
Soon, the two massive dragons began to shrink, their bodies shifting back into their human forms as they landed.
"Yamato, do you think I could capture that old man Vegapunk and force him to produce these Artificial Devil Fruits exclusively for us?" Kaido asked, his mind already racing with the possibilities.
If Yamato could possess an ability identical to his, he imagined an entire army of Azure Dragons. He already had several Dinosaur-type users; why stop there? Yamato saw right through his greedy expression and rolled her eyes in annoyance.
"Old Man, what are you dreaming about? You want to kidnap Vegapunk? Keep dreaming. The World Government isn't just going to sit around while you take their most valuable asset. Besides, I don't think you have the guts to openly declare war on the World Government yet. You might be a brute, but you aren't that reckless."
Kaido's face twitched with annoyance. This daughter of his was incredibly impolite. Couldn't she show her own father a little bit of respect? However, deep down, he knew she was right. Vegapunk was under the heaviest protection in the world; he wasn't someone Kaido could just pluck away on a whim.
"What a pity," Kaido muttered. Still, his mood improved when he realized that the only successful Artificial Devil Fruit in existence had ended up in his daughter's hands. It was the only one that had perfectly replicated his legendary power.
"I wonder if there are other scientists out there researching these fruits. If there are, I won't miss the chance to recruit them," Kaido mused. Then, he turned his gaze back to his "Good Eldest Son" with a scowl. "Stinky brat, why didn't you tell me about this sooner? Hiding it from me for all these years—you really don't respect me at all, do you?"
Yamato let out a sharp laugh. "I did hide it. So, what are you going to do about it?"
She knew exactly what he was doing. He was just looking for a convenient excuse to swing his club and vent the frustration she had caused him earlier during the meeting.
"Wororororo! You've got a big mouth, kid! Who do you think you're talking to?!" Kaido roared.
Without warning, Kaido drew his massive spiked club, Hachisaku, and swung it toward Yamato with lightning speed.
"You've got some nerve, you senile old man! Starting things with a sneak attack?" Yamato had anticipated this. She drew her own spiked club from her back in one fluid motion to meet the blow.
Clang!
The two clubs, both coated in thick layers of Armament Haki, collided with a deafening metallic screech. Sparks flew in every direction, and a powerful shockwave erupted from the point of impact, sweeping across the plateau. Streaks of red and black lightning flickered between them, a sign of their clashing wills. Yamato and Kaido locked eyes—neither was willing to give an inch.
In the distance, King watched the fight break out, feeling completely baffled. "What is wrong with those two? Are they actually trying to kill each other?" He knew they both had short fuses, but this was ridiculous even for them.
"Thunder Bagua!"
The two voices rang out simultaneously.
Boom!
King didn't even have time to brace himself before the resulting shockwave blew him backward several feet. "What now?!"
He looked back to see Kaido and Yamato moving like streaks of electricity. They were colliding and interweaving at high speeds, unleashing bursts of powerful Haki with every strike.
"Hey! Boss! Young Master! Stop this right now!" King shouted. He was genuinely worried that the father and daughter would escalate this into a death match. If they did, the entire base might be leveled before they finished.
However, Yamato and Kaido completely ignored him. Their faces were twisted in maniacal, competitive laughter as they traded blows, seemingly growing more excited with every swing of their clubs.
"Wororororo! To think you've honed your Haki this much in just ten short years... you're really something, brat!" Kaido laughed as they clashed again.
He noticed that Yamato's Haki was in a state of constant flow. She wasn't just using it in bursts; she was keeping it active continuously. It was a method of tempering her spirit through constant depletion and recovery—a slow but incredibly effective way to build endurance, like water wearing away a stone. Generally, no one would train like this because running out of Haki in a fight is a death sentence. But here, in the safety of Wano, it was the perfect way to sharpen her edge.
"That's a rare compliment. I thought you'd just call me annoying," Yamato said with a smirk.
As her voice trailed off, both of their eyes sharpened. They gripped their clubs with both hands and swung with everything they had.
Boom!
The ground beneath them shattered instantly, cracks spiderwebbing outward for dozens of yards. Both Yamato and Kaido were blown back by the force of the impact, though Yamato was sent flying significantly further. After that single, massive strike, the two finally lowered their weapons.
"Yamato, with your current strength, you still won't be able to surpass me," Kaido said, casually resting his club on his shoulder.
"I know that, Old Man. Besides your Devil Fruit, you've still got plenty of moves you haven't shown me yet, right?" Yamato replied. She understood exactly what he was saying. Their fight had looked fierce to an outsider, but for the two of them, it was nothing more than a light warm-up. Neither of them had truly started getting serious.