Chapter 31: Sticking, Sword Practice, Warming Up, and… Heatstroke!?
"What did I do wrong, Roy?"
Amatsuki Toki replied awkwardly, her tone slightly embarrassed. She couldn't help but feel that she was being clumsy.
"A lot of things…"
"It's alright. Sister, just watch again. No one gets it perfectly the first time." Roy chuckled and shook his head, then demonstrated once more in slow, steady movements.
Not long after, he stopped and looked at her expectantly.
"…Let me try," Toki said with a light smile. She thought carefully for a moment, then gripped the sword and swung.
Roy nodded, quietly observing her.
Swordsmanship, he knew, had two essential aspects. The first was mastering the techniques themselves—the foundation every swordsman needed. But in this world, the other side was far more important: the physical strength, reflexes, and speed that defined a true warrior.
In the end, a swordsman's future was determined by more than just skill. Awakening Haki, honing it, and pushing it to greater heights required not just practice but talent, willpower, and relentless training.
In this world, the floor was low, but the ceiling was boundless.
There were men who could summon meteorites, others who could slice them in half, and legends who could shatter them into dust with a single swing.
"Sister, that's not right. This motion will slow your swing," Roy said, waving his hands.
Toki frowned, trying to recall the movement. She thought for a long while but couldn't find the problem. Finally, she looked at him helplessly.
Sigh… my sister doesn't get it, so her little brother will just have to teach her.
"That's it, Sister—feel it carefully." Roy stood in front of her. "Sister, hold onto me."
"Ah?" Toki blinked in confusion. "Shouldn't you be the one holding me and demonstrating step by step?"
"I'm too short to reach you!" Roy replied flatly, turning around to look up at her.
"Oh, sorry, my bad…" Toki apologized quickly, then reached out according to his direction and held onto his arm. Her grip was light, but firm.
The height difference made the scene slightly awkward, yet somehow… natural.
Roy could feel the warmth radiating from behind him, seeping through the smooth silk of her kimono. Her short pink skirt brushed lightly against his clothes, and her fair legs occasionally grazed his side as she adjusted her stance.
Roy was smaller than her, which unfortunately meant that his head was… positioned at a rather delicate height.
He kept his expression perfectly calm. Just… focus!
"Can we start?" Toki asked with a bright smile.
"Okay, Sister. Pay close attention." Roy's face remained "calm," but his thoughts were chaos.
He began moving the sword slowly, showing each motion with precision and control.
Talent and hard work were vital—but fundamentals were everything. Even a single flaw in form could cause a sword to lose its speed or power. In real combat, that kind of mistake could mean death.
Roy's movements were deliberate, smooth, and fluid. Toki, following his lead, lowered her posture slightly to match his pace.
Despite being the one to guide her, Roy could feel her following his every motion with serious focus. Her breath matched his rhythm; her body moved in sync with his.
As the sun rose higher, the temperature climbed. The sea breeze carried little relief, and the sunlight reflecting off the deck made everything shimmer with heat.
Their bodies grew warmer the longer they practiced—partly from the sun, partly from how close they were standing.
Roy could feel beads of sweat forming on his forehead. The heat pressed down on them like a heavy blanket.
The difference in their height made the moment feel less suggestive than it might have been, but the atmosphere was still… strangely charged.
The temperature between them kept rising—physically and, perhaps, emotionally.
"Have you learned it?" Roy asked after demonstrating the move for the third time.
"Not yet…" Amatsuki Toki replied awkwardly, clearly embarrassed. She really didn't mean to fail, but it was impossible for her to memorize everything after only a few tries.
Roy could feel the lingering warmth of her presence. After they had left the cabin, her faint fragrance had almost faded into the sea breeze. Yet every time he got closer, that scent would return—refreshing, soft, and strangely intoxicating.
Toki, at first, didn't think much of it. But as the lesson went on and she moved closer, she began to feel something strange. The warmth of his skin, the quiet steadiness of his movements—there was an aura about him that didn't belong to a child. It was subtle, but undeniably mature.
Sometimes, she couldn't help but feel that the atmosphere between them was… a little unusual.
She hadn't realized it yet, but somewhere in her heart, an unfamiliar emotion was beginning to take root.
"Then I'll demonstrate a few more times, Sister. You have to be serious," Roy said, pretending to be stern.
That expression made Toki laugh softly. "Alright, alright, I'll focus this time," she said with a smile.
Each time they swung their swords, their bodies brushed lightly—barely noticeable touches, like dragonflies skimming across the surface of the sea. Then they would separate again, heat radiating from their skin as they moved, only to meet again.
The rhythm of their practice—swing, step, touch, and retreat—continued endlessly.
Toki's mind grew hazy under the relentless sunlight. Suddenly, an image flashed in her mind—Roy, all grown up, standing at the bow of a ship. His red hair fluttered in the wind, his sword gleamed under the sunlight, and he turned toward her with a gentle smile.
Her heart skipped a beat.
Bah! Bah! Bah!
Toki's cheeks flushed red. She quickly shook her head, forcing the daydream away. It was the heat—it had to be. The sun was unbearable today, and she must have been dizzy to think such ridiculous thoughts.
He's just a child, Toki. Don't overthink it!
Scolding herself inwardly, she focused her attention back on Roy's movements.
Wait—how much did she miss just now?
"Oh no… I'll have to practice a few more times," she murmured with a bitter smile. Her distraction had completely thrown her off rhythm.
She couldn't believe it—was she really feeling flustered over a child? That was too strange… and wrong. Something about all this felt off, and yet—
The two continued to practice over and over again. Toki became more focused, her expression serious and determined. Sweat soaked through her clothes, clinging to her body. Her breathing quickened, and she could feel the rising heat between them, the sun beating down harder with each passing moment.
On the deck, the giants and Redding were watching the scene while eating. They gnawed on enormous chunks of meat, glancing between the two humans below as they trained.
Whether they were enjoying the meal or the "show," that depended on the individual.
"Tsk, tsk, tsk. They used to say Roy and Linlin were a good match, but that's complete nonsense," one of the giants whispered.
"That's right. That monster Linlin could never compare to our Roy," another giant snickered, grinning mischievously.
Redding glared at them, chewing his meat with mild irritation. "Don't talk nonsense. The girl may be older, but her size fits just right. She's much better than pairing Roy with Gerth."
One of the giants wiped the sweat from his forehead, looked up at the blazing sun, and sighed. It was unbearably hot.
So, out of kindness, he shifted his enormous body and cast a shadow over Roy and Toki, giving them some shade.
How considerate.
But unexpectedly, Redding—their master—was the worst of them all.
He smacked the giant on the head. "Don't block it! What do you know? The hotter the weather, the warmer the bond!"
"Eh?" The giants blinked in confusion.
Redding rolled his eyes. "Idiots! That's the point!" he barked, looking smugly experienced.
And then, not long after—
Toki collapsed from heatstroke.
Redding froze, face blank. Then he turned away silently, pretending nothing had happened.
Damn it. I've lost all credibility…
"A-ah… I feel dizzy… and thirsty…"
Behind Roy, Toki suddenly went limp. Her body slumped forward, pressing against him. Her skin burned with heat as she spoke weakly.
Roy immediately dropped his sword and caught her, wrapping one arm around her slender waist and placing her hand over his shoulder. He guided her gently but firmly, supporting her as they made their way toward the cabin.
Despite her incredible Devil Fruit power, Toki's physical strength and endurance were nothing remarkable. She was, at her core, a delicate woman. Heatstroke, fatigue, even exhaustion—it was normal for her body to give out like this under such intense conditions.
As for Redding's advice… well, it clearly didn't go well.
Roy, however, didn't complain.
Taking care of a girl was, after all, an opportunity.
Still—this one was purely an accident, not part of any plan.
Roy wasn't that kind of man.
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