Chapter 8 : Rest and prepare to head to Wano Country

"Ah! So comfortable! Those Marines are like pests, constantly pestering us. Finally, they've left," vapor filled the air as a pirate immersed himself in the hot water, leaving only his head and open arms exposed. Members of the Whitebeard Pirates surrounded him.

"Three whole months, so annoying. They disturbed our journey. The next time we meet, we must teach those Marines a lesson."

With closed eyes, Titch lay in the hot spring, relaxing. After the failed operation, led by the Marines to restore their reputation, especially by Admiral Sengoku, who pursued the Whitebeard Pirates for a full three months, the two sides clashed nearly a hundred times during that period. Each time the pirates escaped, the Marines caught up again.

The attention of the entire New World focused on the clash between the Whitebeard Pirates and the Marines. The usual conflicts between various pirate factions in the New World had lessened during this time. There were several instances of three- and four-way battles as they passed through territories belonging to other major pirates such as Shiki, Big Mom, and Kaido.

The Whitebeard Pirates, tired from continuous confrontations, had abandoned their plans for exploration and returned to their territory. However, during their absence, some opportunistic forces targeted the Whitebeard Pirates' territory.

It took three months of pursuit and an additional month to clear out the troublemakers in their territory. Titch, however, was not as affected as the others. He was just a bit mentally exhausted and needed a good relaxation.

This was an island within the Whitebeard Pirates' territory, renowned in the New World for its hot springs. The island had several active volcanoes that hadn't erupted in decades, attracting countless tourists and pirates each year.

Reflecting on the two Devil Fruits he obtained from Whitebeard's ship, Titch considered the Devil Fruit encyclopedia that the Whitebeard Pirates naturally possessed. All major powers in the New World had such collections, though they might not be complete.

Many Devil Fruits had names, while others remained unknown. Titch had acquired the Thorn Thorn Fruit and the Elastic Fruit, both of which he considered powerful Devil Fruits. They allowed control over thorns, creating Thorn Humans, and possessing extreme elasticity but lacked the power to bounce things back.

This world was peculiar, lacking a Plant-type attribute. Therefore, these abilities were categorized under the Paramecia class. Moreover, transformation into animals like in the Zoan class wasn't possible.

Most of the main crew members of the Whitebeard Pirates were present on the island. Even Whitebeard, who was usually boisterous, had calmed down. It was a joyful day, and Whitebeard's major members were here to relax for the day before an evening feast.

However, they had to return to guard the islands the next day. While the Whitebeard Pirates' territory was not small, it hadn't reached its peak expansion, and their influence was yet to reach its zenith. The territory expansion was necessary with the crew's growth.

During these four months, Titch made significant progress. He mastered swordsmanship, Busoshoku Haki, and Kenbunshoku Haki proficiently, making them a part of his natural reflexes. Physical conditioning was a must during this time.

Despite the joyous atmosphere, Titch remained focused on his personal growth. After obtaining the twin pistols, his marksmanship improved significantly. He enjoyed the feeling of firing a gun, the "bang, bang" sounds echoing in his ears. Firearms in this world were less advanced than in his previous life but possessed tremendous power. Combined with Busoshoku Haki and Kenbunshoku Haki, the bullets' impact was terrifying.

Regarding the advanced use of Kenbunshoku Haki, unlike the further development techniques such as "Flowing Sakura," which required specific training methods, expanding its range and achieving precise future prediction demanded constant practice and understanding gained in battles.

Titch's gun skills were now formidable. In his previous life, there was a saying, "Guns, the romance of men." It was something he could only observe and not experience. He loved the feeling of shooting, the "bang, bang" sounds ringing in his ears. Even though firearms in this world were less advanced than those in his previous life, their power, combined with Busoshoku Haki and Kenbunshoku Haki, was tremendous.

With powerful Kenbunshoku Haki, Titch's marksmanship could rank among the top.

Compared to the advanced development of Busoshoku Haki, the advanced stage of Kenbunshoku Haki didn't involve specific techniques like "Flowing Sakura." It required constant training to expand the range and precise future prediction, with the latter being developed through battles.

Time passes quickly. A smile appeared on Titch's face as he looked towards a nearby hot spring. Whitebeard and the others were there, including Oden, who was laughing.

In two years, during an unexpected encounter with the Roger Pirates, Oden would leave the Whitebeard Pirates and board Roger's ship, assisting Roger in reaching the One Piece, the Pirate King's throne.

The title of Pirate King was symbolic, acknowledged by all but impossible to impose authority over other pirates. Pirates were a rebellious bunch.

Additionally, Momozouke, the son of Kozuki Oden, has already been born. Before Teach joined the Whitebeard Pirates, Momozouke used to play in the hot springs, always wearing a smile on his face. The most beautiful woman in Wano Country, Momozouke's mother, Komurasaki, also known as Kozuki Hiyori, has now given birth not long ago.

The longer the time Titch spends with Kozuki Oden, the easier he is influenced by Oden's emotions. Oden is an extremely broad-minded person who seems to be able to accommodate everything. He possesses monstrous strength, but in the future, he meets a tragic end. Falling victim to betrayal and conspiracy, Oden, a hero-level figure, is ultimately executed amidst the disdain of thousands.

At this point, Wano Country is already in trouble. Kurosumi Orochi has taken the position of the proxy general in Wano, and Oden's father has been murdered. Behind the scenes, there are two formidable individuals, Kurosumi Boshi and Kurosumi Saigiku, who possess the abilities of barrier and mimicry Devil Fruits, respectively.

It's the mimicry ability of Kurosumi Orochi that allows him to deceive other daimyos and take the position of the proxy general in Wano.

Among Oden's subordinates, Kanjuro from the Akazaya Nine is a spy sent by Kurosumi Orochi. He has plundered a significant amount of wealth from Kuri, leading to the increasing poverty of the region.

Despite Oden's mostly villainous personality, Titch has a strong liking for Kozuki Oden. Even though he doesn't consider himself a good person, it doesn't hinder Titch from assisting Kozuki Oden. In the future, Kaido collaborates with Kurosumi Orochi to exterminate the Kozuki clan. Together, they rule over Wano Country, turning all places, except the prosperous Flower Capital, into wastelands.

Kaido doesn't bother with governance; his eyes are solely fixed on the immense profits from Sea-Stone. Titch, however, strongly disapproves of this violent approach to management.

But the timing is not right, as Titch hasn't visited Wano, making it impossible for him to know what has happened in the country. The longer the time passes, the more disadvantageous it becomes for Oden.

Titch thinks it's a pity that a man like Oden dies so easily, especially considering the satisfaction he feels in changing history.

With these thoughts in mind, Titch stands up and walks towards them. "Hey, Titch, join us for a bath!" Jozu waves, this future Diamond Jozu is already a powerhouse on the ship, naturally strong.

"Haha, I've had enough," Titch laughs, looking at Whitebeard. "Old man, we shouldn't have any major actions coming up, right?"

"Well, we need to rest for a while. What's up?" Whitebeard asks, guessing from Titch's words that there might be something on his mind. Titch smiles and looks at Oden nearby. "I want to visit Wano, find the best craftsmen to repair my three swords, and experience the 'Ryuo' of Wano. And, of course, have some authentic Kanto-style hot pot."

This is because Titch doesn't take care of his swords. Except for Enma, which has been well-maintained by his teacher, Raiju has some wear and tear after decades of disuse. Although Dragon Blaze is of extremely high quality, it's also several hundred years old and needs proper polishing and maintenance.

"Oden, aren't you planning to go back? If there's anything, you can leave it to me. If you have any words, I can also help you convey them," Titch says seriously. "Haha, thank you, Titch. It's been three years since I left. I don't know how Wano is now! I'm really looking forward to it."

"Dad, is Wano Dad's hometown?" Momonosuke asks on the side.

"Yes, it's a very beautiful place. In a while, after I've seen more different scenery, I'll take you back with me," Oden says, smiling, opening his arms with a glint in his eyes.

"Titch, are you okay alone?" Marco worries. "Haha, don't underestimate me, Marco. I'm not a duck like you," Titch teases. "I heard that the entrance to Wano is a big waterfall. I can already use Moonwalk proficiently, so I can easily fly up."

Now that Marco has eaten the Mythical Zoan-type Phoenix Devil Fruit, his luck is good. From those unknown Devil Fruits, he picked one and ate it, unexpectedly getting a Mythical Zoan-type Phoenix, rarer than the Nature-type. The entire Whitebeard Pirates were stunned at the time, and even Titch was surprised. Marco's abilities came from this.

With such luck, there were many stronger than him before, and now, after eating the Devil Fruit, he soared to become one of the top powerhouses. Add that to his remarkable recovery and flying abilities; he is virtually invincible.

"Gululu, then go, Titch. This is also a kind of tempering," Whitebeard smiles.

Soon, Oden couldn't sit still, found a place, and began to write quickly. This was undoubtedly a happy thing. Then, before the banquet began, he took out several pages of written paper, carefully put them into an envelope, and handed them to Titch.

At night, the lights were bright, and everyone was happily drinking, eating delicious food, talking, laughing, and playing. In the center of the scene, Marco and Jozu, leaning on each other, drank, danced, and jumped around in a somewhat clumsy dance. It was hard to look at, but there was joy in it, making them look like children, and the surrounding pirates cheered.

"Titch, aren't you going up? Let's be happy together." Bista took a sip of wine, hooked Titch's back, and laughed. "Haha, I'm happy enough now." His face slightly red, but his eyes very clear. "I have to say, Marco's dancing is a bit ugly." Saying this, not knowing what he thought of, he smirked and somehow took out a camera, snapping three consecutive shots of the central scene with Marco and Jozu. "Titch, what are you doing?" Bista was a bit puzzled.

"Haha, when Marco becomes famous in the future, becoming a powerhouse in the New World, I'll send these pictures out. What do you think?" Thinking about it, he got excited, his eyes somewhat lecherous. Bista, upon hearing Titch's words, not only stared for a moment but also looked at Marco's raised buttocks on the scene.

Thinking about the scene Marco would see in the future, having lived for a long time, he couldn't help but feel a chill in his heart. "Truly malicious!" Thinking about being treated like this, his gentlemanly demeanor, a lifetime of glory, would all be ruined.

Following that, Bista burst into laughter. "Give me one later; I want to collect it, haha." The more he thought about it, the more excited he became. Several pirates nearby approached Titch and them. "Titch, give me one too." Titch smiled and nodded. "No need to rush; when the time comes, I'll print a hundred copies, and everyone will have one."

At this moment, Marco had no idea that his future brilliance would be ruined by these photos. The banquet fell into a moment of silence amid the joy.