Months passed in Wano, and Yuta's life had turned into a cycle of gruelling training, endless sparring, and chaotic One Piece–style moments with Kaido, Hyogoro, and Yamato.
Unlike what he had thought, he actually had more time on his hands—months, in fact—before everything finally came down and both he and Maki would have to leave.
By now, Yuta had mastered Ryou thanks to Hyogoro's tough training. His ability to release Haki inside his target made him dangerous even against opponents with thick skin or armour. His Conqueror's Haki had grown as well, now strong enough to knock out most pirates in one burst and even clash with Kaido in short exchanges.
But what he had mainly learned was to release his Conqueror's Haki at will.
There was still a wall in front of him: Conqueror's Infusion. That elusive level of coating his attacks with Conqueror's will. Every time he tried, sparks erupted, but it slipped away like sand through his fingers.
No wonder only the top powerhouses of the world could master this technique. It's what separates the strongest from the rest.
Kaido noticed too. "Oi, brat, you've got the fire but not the thunder. You're strong, but if you can't coat it, you'll never be a real strong man in this sea."
Yuta clenched his fists but said nothing. He knew Kaido was right. Still, he had come far—farther than even he thought he could.
And it wasn't like he had to fight the way people in the One Piece world fought. His real power was actually his system. He was sure he could get this technique down as well if he had more time.
But now, time had run out.
Whispers filled Wano. People said Oden's foolish dance had reached its end. The five years were up. Orochi and Kaido had no intention of keeping their promise. They had tricked him all along. Kaido would kill Oden soon.
When Yuta heard the rumors, his heart sank. This was the signal he had been waiting for. The timeline was moving into tragedy. He couldn't stay here anymore.
He didn't want to leave, honestly; if possible, he wished to bring changes to this world itself. However, that wouldn't do. He had to leave. Bringing changes to the past wasn't wise. He had learned that first-hand.
So that evening, as the sun set in fiery orange over Wano's mountains, Yuta sat on a ridge with Maki at his side.
"So… it's time?" Maki asked, her short hair blowing in the breeze. She had grown much stronger during this time.
"Yeah," Yuta said, staring at the sky. "Once Oden dies, everything will spiral. Kaido will tighten his grip, and the country will collapse. If we stay, we'll get caught in the middle of it."
Maki nodded slowly. "And to go back…"
"We need my grandmother."
Maki raised an eyebrow. "You've been holding that card for a long time. Why didn't you just go to her earlier?"
Yuta chuckled dryly. "Because I'm stubborn. And I got that from her. She most likely wouldn't believe us. Even if she did, she might not act on it. We have to act when the time is right. Only then will she act."
Maki sighed, smirking. "Typical you. Always trying to carry everything yourself until you break your back."
Yuta rubbed his head. "Heh. Guilty."
The two of them packed up what little they had. Yuta slipped Rika's scarf around his neck, the strange cursed cloth fluttering like it had a life of its own. Maki adjusted her weapons and stretched.
"So where do we start looking?" she asked.
Yuta shrugged. "Got no idea. We have to improvise. All I know is she's hidden away. Her being out in the open doesn't make sense. If Kaido and Orochi could have captured her to put more pressure on Oden when everything goes down, they would have. We'll just have to search."
They made their way back down into the village, passing through markets and fields. The people looked nervous, whispers of Kaido's betrayal spreading like wildfire. Even the children, usually loud and cheerful, played in silence.
Maki glanced around. "This place… it feels like it's holding its breath."
"Because it is," Yuta said quietly. "They don't know what's about to happen. Oden's execution… it'll crush their spirits. Kaido and Orochi will win completely."
Maki clenched her fists. "Then maybe we should do something—"
"No," Yuta interrupted firmly. "This isn't our fight. At least, not now. If we interfere, we'll change everything. By the time we go back, we might not even recognize the future. And we don't know whether the difference will be good or bad. We're here for one reason only: to find my grandmother and get back."
Maki stared at him for a moment, then finally nodded. "Alright. But if Kaido shows up drunk again, I'm punching him this time."
Yuta laughed. "Good luck with that."
Heavenly restrictions, his ass. She wasn't even scratching that monster. But of course, he wasn't saying that to her. Someone who hadn't fought an Emperor wouldn't understand that level.
Yuta did. That's why he knew that, except for him and Luffy when he unlocked the Nika form, no one could beat Kaido. No one except another Emperor-level enemy.
Kaido was especially hard to deal with for him. He could beat other Emperors with his previous power level—not that he was strong—but he could actually damage them, mostly one-shot them.
Kaido was the only one who exceeded that limit.
For Yuta, damage output was never an issue—it was always time.
It was always time.
The time he'd need to really put Kaido down at 100% would be around a day or two. But he didn't have that; he would merely have an hour.
That was the issue.
Of course this was entirely base on his earlier fight agaisnt Kaido. He didn't had Ryo back then. Now that he has it, there was a possibility that he might be able to do it.
Only time will tell.
Their search took them across Wano. They asked villagers, wandered through bamboo groves, even visited remote shrines. Some people spoke of a mysterious woman who lived in seclusion, one who "dabbled in strange powers" and "appeared and vanished like smoke." That was the only clue they had.
Turns out it wasn't it. False lead. Why the hell they thought about his grandmother when this description clearly potrail a witch of some kind was beyond him.
One night, after a long day of searching, the two collapsed in a small hut lent by a kind family. Yuta lay back, staring at the ceiling.
Maki glanced at him. "You sure your grandmother will help us? I mean, family ties or not, she sounds… scary."
"She isn't," Yuta shook his head. "If anything, she's the gentlest soul I have ever seen. But if there's one person who understands time better than me, it's her. It's not about whether she'll help us or not—it's about whether she will believe us. If she does, then we're golden."
Maki nodded.
xxx
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