Chapter 4: Those Little Steps Count

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[ 1 year after birth. ]

Currently, I was walking through the streets of Ohara, holding Olga's hand. Olga was busy shopping for groceries, and this was my first time exploring outside of my house and the backyard.

This was a new experience for me. All those endless times I spent in a crib, just lying there, staring up at the ceiling, those days were pretty tough, I must say.

I said in my baby voice, " Olga, can I have that? " I was pointing at a comic stand outside. Although the first time I spoke proper words in front of Olga was when I was 11 months old. She was shocked, but she assumed I was a fast learner because of my parents.

" You want a comic book? " Olga said, looking down at me with a smile.

I nodded in agreement, "Mhm..." I shook my head, glancing over at the comic stand. Olga led me over to the comic stand.

" Choose one," Olga said, letting go of my hand and allowing me to pick a comic book from the stand. I looked around for a while and spotted one titled 'Sora Warrior Of The Sea.' I tugged on Olga's skirt and pointed at the comic, saying, " This one. "

Olga grabbed the comic book and purchased it.

"Here you go, Ray," she knelt down and handed me the comic. I took it and held it under my arm, just like how Bartholomew held his bible.

We continued to stroll around for a while. It didn't take long for Olga to get what she needed, and we headed straight back home.

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[ 1.5 years after birth. ]

I found myself in the background of Olga's backyard, holding a comic in one hand and a stick in the other.

"Limitless burst!" I shouted as I thrust my stick forward. Then, I began to swing my stick in various directions, creating a barrage of slashes.

Sora Warrior Of The Sea, a story made up by the world government to lure innocent children into becoming slaves for their army and sacrificing their lives in battles. Though I must admit it's an enjoyable comic, the underlying concept is genuinely frightening. It's unsettling to think about what the World Government is willing to do.

I sighed, realizing there was nothing I could do about it. My goal wasn't to save the world from its issues but to have the freedom to do whatever I pleased, without limitations.

Suddenly, an older lady walked out onto the backyard porch. She appeared to be in her 50s, still quite youthful.

"Ray, it's time for lunch. I made something special this time," Olga said, her warm smile directed at me as she wiped her hands with a cloth.

"Coming!" I dropped my stick, grabbed the comic, and hurried inside. I went to the table and took a seat.

On the table, there were mashed potatoes and a thick drumstick. "Yum!" I was genuinely happy; it was my first time eating something other than shit for months.

"Glad you like it. Consider this a special gift from me," Olga said, a warm smile gracing her face, knowing that I appreciated her cooking.

After lunch, I returned outside to resume playing. However, it might seem to others that I was just a kid wanting to be a hero. In reality, I was training and practicing my swings and techniques.

I thought about becoming a brawler or a swordsman, but I figured it was better to be both. Being versatile in combat seemed like the right path. I might not become the world's strongest swordsman, but this was just the beginning.

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[ 1 year later/2.5 years after birth ]

In a slightly run-down room, a black-haired boy sat at a table, reading a book. The room was dimly lit, with a lantern casting a soft glow by his side.

-

The book I was reading at the moment delved into the intricacies of the best foods for building muscle and maintaining optimal nutrition. It made me realize that by simply eating the right foods, you could become significantly stronger. A prime example of this was Luffy.

Luffy never trained as hard as Zoro did. In fact, aside from his time as a kid under Garp's supervision, he hardly trained at all. Instead, he just kept eating and eating, and somehow, in just two years and two months, he managed to rise to the level of a Yonko.

There were even instances where food could miraculously regenerate bones and muscles in a matter of seconds. Understanding this principle, I realized that theoretically, I could become stronger just by carefully choosing what I ate.

For the past year, I've been dedicating a lot of time to reading books on proper nutritional foods and the study of human anatomy. Although there are some words in these books that I don't fully grasp, I'm still making an effort to learn and understand.

I stood up from my chair, closed the book, extinguished the lantern's flame, and then headed to bed.

I lay there, gazing up at the dark ceiling. The only light in the room was the faint moonlight filtering through the window. I closed my eyes and eventually drifted off to sleep.

. . . . .

The next morning, I followed my usual routine. I brushed my teeth, had breakfast with Olga, and sometimes Clover would join us. After our meal, I spent my time playing in the backyard since I wasn't allowed to go anywhere on my own.

After lunch, I'd usually head upstairs to read for a while. But once I was done with my reading, I often found myself with nothing else to do but be lost in my thoughts.

-

Sitting at a table, two people could be seen, one was Clover, and the other was Olga. In front of them, there was a spread of tea and rice crackers.

" He's doing what already?!" Clover's mouth fell open, and he slammed his palms onto the table in surprise.

Olga shook her head and sighed, " It's true, Clover. He's already diving into reading books, and not just children's books, but full-blown adult literature. This kid is just like Ray and Rosey," she remarked, taking a sip of her tea.

" No way... you think he's ready to come to the Tree of Knowledge?" Clover asked, sinking back into his chair. He reached out and grabbed his cup of tea, taking a sip before biting into one of the rice crackers.

" Hmm, no, I don't want him to get involved in those matters," Olga said, her eyes shadowed by her grey bangs.

Clover's mouth hung open in surprise. " You know, you can't stop him if he wants to, right?" He let out a sigh.

" That's the last thing I want is for him getting involved in your research. It could be dangerous and get him killed," Olga said, sighing as she reminisced about the past.

Clover looked directly into Olga's eyes and spoke softly, " Don't you understand? We all know the risks in our research, but we're born archaeologists, destined to uncover the true history, no matter how dangerous it may be. "

Olga looked down, " I know, but I want to keep him safe. That's what Rosey told me to do. I'm just following her wishes," Olga explained.

Clover shook his head in disagreement and responded, " She said to keep him safe, not to prevent him from chasing his dreams. I believe one day he'll become an archaeologist, and you should be there to support him, not hinder him. I want to keep him safe too, but I won't stand in his way if he wants to become an archaeologist and help decipher the true history."

Olga sat in silence for a moment before finally responding, " You're right, Clover. I don't want to see him get hurt either. But if Rosey and Ray were here, I'm sure they would allow him to pursue his dreams, even though they knew the risks involved." She sighed.

Clover nodded in agreement, " Yes, I know how risky my research is, and I'm willing to give my life for it. I have a goal and a dream to uncover the true history..."

Olga gazed at Clover, her brow raised in concern. "But do you truly believe it's worth dying for?" she questioned

Clover smiled at Olga, " Yes, I do believe it's worth it. Dying for a dream or a life goal means that you continue to live on even after you die. Though this world can be cruel, it will always reward those who live with a purpose or ambition, both during their life and beyond," he said.

Olga gazed at Clover and chuckled, " Clover, you're a stubborn man, and I have to admit, you're quite wise too... Hahaha." She joined in the laughter.

Olga continued, "So, how's Olvia doing?" she inquired.

Clover leaned back in his chair and took a bite of his rice cracker. " Hmm... she's doing well. She's been putting in a lot of effort. She mentioned that she plans to set sail and explore the world in a few years. Despite the knowledge we have at the Tree of Knowledge, there are substantial gaps in our understanding. I would venture out myself, but I'm getting too old for such journeys now," he explained.

Clover's tone grew more somber as he continued, " She was quite depressed for a while after Rosey's death... I was too. It hit all of us hard, and I needed to take some long breaks from my research," he admitted, his gaze dropping as he recalled the painful period that followed Rosey's death.

Olga chuckled in agreement, " Same here...Rosey and she were just alike... Hahaha." She raised her tea cup and took another sip, finishing her tea.

Clover joined in the laughter, thoroughly amused. "You're absolutely right, they're two peas in a pod! Hahaha," he exclaimed, enjoying the moment as he finished off his rice crackers.

Olga couldn't help but laugh heartily, trying to contain herself between bouts of laughter. "Haha... Keep it down, will you... Hahahaha!!!" Her infectious laughter filled the room once again, creating a lighthearted atmosphere.

Clover abruptly ceased his laughter, and a bead of sweat trickled down his forehead. In a hushed tone, he muttered, "... Yet you're the one being loud..."

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Sitting on the stairs was a black-haired boy with striking red eyes. He sat silently, listening intently to Olga and Clover's conversation, his gaze fixed on something distant, lost in thought.

' Nico Olvia was the mother of Nico Robin and an archaeologist from Ohara who studied the Poneglyphs. While traveling the seas with a group of fellow archaeologists, Olvia was captured by the Marines for conducting forbidden research. She managed to return to Ohara briefly and reunite with her daughter thanks to the help of Saul, but she, along with the other Ohara archaeologists, died during the Buster Call.' Ray's mind wandered.

A frustrated expression crossed Ray's face as he thought, 'If only I could prevent her from getting herself caught, but I doubt I can stop her from going on that trip. Shit... what a drag.'

Ray stood up from the steps and made his way back to his room, hands tucked into his pockets. A subtle smirk played on his lips as he mused, 'Things are gradually falling into place, but that just means I need to be even more prepared...' He opened the door and stepped into his room, closing the door behind him.

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To Be Continued.