Chapter 7: A Daughter's Dilemma

Yamato stood before her father, her heart heavy with grief and anger. She could scarcely believe what had transpired – the senseless loss of life at her father's hands. With a trembling voice, she confronted him, her eyes ablaze with determination.

"Why did you have to kill him?" Yamato demanded, her words echoing in the cavernous chamber. "He was unarmed, defenseless. What threat could he possibly have posed to you?"

Kaido regarded his daughter with a steely gaze, his expression unreadable. "He robbed me of a valuable devil fruit," he replied tersely. "A fruit that could have brought untold danger upon us all. I could not afford to take any chances."

Yamato's fists clenched at her sides, her nails digging into her palms as she fought to contain her rising fury. "You could have found another way," she insisted, her voice barely above a whisper. "You didn't have to resort to violence."

But Kaido remained unmoved, his gaze unwavering. "In this world, there is no room for weakness," he declared. "I did what had to be done to protect my interests."

With a heavy heart, Yamato bowed her head in resignation. She knew that arguing with her father was futile – his will was absolute, his word law. Reluctantly, she accepted his command and turned to leave.

But as she made her way towards the lifeless body of Ryo, a pang of guilt washed over her. He was just as young as her, with his whole life ahead of him. And now, because of her father's actions, he lay motionless before her, his bodyheat slowly escaping his form.

With a heavy heart, Yamato lifted Ryo's lifeless form and carried it to her chambers. She laid him gently upon her table, his peaceful expression belying the tragedy of his untimely demise.

As she looked upon his face, Yamato felt a wave of sadness wash over her. He was a stranger, yet in death, he seemed somehow familiar – a reflection of the innocence lost in the brutal world they inhabited.

Gently, she brushed a lock of hair from his forehead, her fingers lingering on his cold skin. "Rest in peace," she whispered softly, her voice choked with emotion. "May you find solace in the afterlife, far from the cruelty of this world."

With a heavy heart, Yamato turned away, her thoughts consumed by the weight of her father's actions. In her grief, she found herself questioning everything she had ever known – her loyalty, her duty, her very existence.

As she lay awake in the darkness of her chamber, the image of Ryo's lifeless form haunted her dreams, a reminder of the fragility of life and the harsh realities of the world they inhabited.