[72] Embracing

[2000 words]

My finals are coming up this month, the first one in 9 days so things are gonna get a little choppy. Chapter 73 was also released just now.

----------------------------------------------

The conversation with Sukiyaki went on as planned, eventually reaching a new topic.

"So this 'sea prism stone' can inhibit those who utilize these Devil Fruits you mentioned?" Sukiyaki asked for confirmation.

Damien nodded, "That's right, and Wano is home to huge deposits of such ores. There's a good chance that you have already used it in your metal products without even knowing of its power."

Sukiyaki understood the concept and found it quite useful.

"I see, so it may be of great use for the other Kurozumi Survivors in the area, if anything, we can use it to ensure their sorcery does not escape our eyes."

"I take it that such an ore is quite valuable to the outside seas?"

Damien nodded, "For sure, just about anyone would want to get their hands on Seastone, including myself."

Sukiyaki raised an eyebrow at the last part.

"As per your aid, naturally we can provide you as much of this ore as you need, Damien-dono."

The pirate smiled, accepting the gift.

"I will send our miners to locate the ore, we can talk more about it later."

.

Beyond that, there were some small things to be addressed, though it concluded the day with both sides leaving satisfied.

Oden alongside his retainers, left for Kuri right away, preferring those warring lands over the calm Capital.

…

Leaving the office, Damien ended up meeting an old man.

"Raizen-sensei, been a while," he greeted the short old man.

"Looks like you got your wish for that weapon, though you nearly gave me a heart attack in the process with that ruckus you caused."

Damien returned a wry smile, "Well, it wasn't my intention. If anything, I will probably need your help to become more fluent with the weapon now."

The old man nodded, "You're welcome to find me tomorrow. I too wish to see the might of a Supreme Blade."

…

The tranquil capital had welcomed news of a powerful blade being forged by the late Katsuyoshi, hailing him as a hero all over the land.

Damien's Ryushi was also officially inducted into the Meito Records by the Shimotsuki Clan, signed by Sukiyaki and Ushimaru.

It was a truly historic moment for the Land of Samurai.

Under the veil of the joyful capital was the immediate deployment of the more hidden forces under the Shogun.

Sukiyaki had sent out all his Ninja and top samurai to scour from the Capital to the edges of Wano in an attempt to find the remaining traitorous Kurozumi.

…

[Later that Night]

Darkness had arrived at Wano, and most of its people were now asleep. A calm atmosphere fell at the Capital, all under the Shogun's Estate.

"Have you enjoyed yourself here so far, Toki?" Damien asked the girl leaning on the balcony rails with her hands.

She breathed in the fresh air, not averting his gaze at the bright moon that had arisen.

Damien stood behind her, their height difference had grown somewhat closer.

She had already reached a respectable 8' 7" from the highly nutritious diet of the Calm Belt Sea Kings (2.62 m).

"I enjoyed Wano a lot, Damien-san. There was a time when I thought reaching here was nothing but a dream," she whispered into the veil of the night.

Damien took in the gentle breeze.

"Hmm?" though he soon found a weight resting on him. Tracing his eyes down, he saw the green-haired girl leaning the back of her head onto his chest.

"I feel at ease around you, Damien-san," she murmured. "I haven't felt this comfort since I began my journey over seven centuries ago."

Toki turned around, looking up at the silent pirate and continued, "Through all those years of travel, seeing the worst of humanity, visiting Wano was the only thing that kept me going. I held onto that desire, blindly jumping through epochs."

Toki's bright eyes reflected her deep desire to make that wish true, locking on Damien's crimson ones.

"You brought me home," she stated with a heavy voice. "I know you have your reasons for helping Wano... but I'm really glad you did. Now I just want to wait for the day where this land can freely and safely open its walls to the rest of the world!"

She then gave her usual shining smile, "You said you would do it and I believe you... I also hope to stay by your side to see it happen!"

The passionate words echoed in the empty room, further amplified by the silence of the night.

.

Damien turned his gaze to the bright moon as if yearning for the starry heights.

"One day, I will put up my own flag, one that will reign across the seas," he mused. "I need reliable members on my ship." 

He then turned to the enthralled girl, "I welcome you aboard as my ship doctor, Toki."

The joy on the girl's face was evident as she felt that her remaining goal within reach, though distant, was no longer an impossibility.

She could not help but laugh at the happiness she felt. At that moment, another emotion entered her eyes as she glanced at Damien.

The girl narrowed her eyes, almost as if to study what she was seeing.

"..." 

"Damien-san, can I ask you something?" she suddenly asked.

"Go ahead."

The green-haired girl was rather frank with her question, "Are you afraid to love someone?"

The question brought the pirate to a halt, catching him off-guard.

Toki blinked in thought, "I called Aurora-san in the past few months and she warned me that it wouldn't be too long before I... fell for your charm."

"She said that it would be easier for me to break the walls in your heart than for her. I wasn't sure what she meant then but now I do."

"So are you afraid to love someone, Damien-san?" 

"..."

Damien could not help but breathe out a dull breath.

Aurora's confession over three months ago had unveiled a few scars from his past. The pirate lightly sighed before locking eyes with the green-haired girl and airing his thoughts.

"When I was seven years old," he began, drawing Toki's attention, "my mother, alongside everyone I had ever known, was slaughtered within moments. It came out of nowhere, destroying every fabric of my reality."

Damien subconsciously clenched his fists in the images flashing through his mind, his strong memory made it far worse.

Toki wanted to speak but was silenced by the young pirate's gaze.

"That was the first time I felt such weakness. I laid in a dry well for hours, staring into the abyss with nothing more than my mother's final words echoing in my head."

He exhaled once more as the room fell silent.

*Vvooo~* A quick breeze graced the two as Damien continued.

"Ever since then, I decided to grab my destiny with my own two hands; driving my entire being to focus solely on that goal. Marines, pirates, it didn't matter; I wanted to claw my way up no matter the cost."

"I thought I had moved on from that night... but I guess it still left behind its scars."

Dozens of memories rolled by once more, spanning from his mundane yet disastrous life to entering the hellish One Piece world of its most hellish era.

The months spent living in the abyss of Hachinosu, surrounded by the worst humanity could offer. Hearing the deafening cries of slaves and prisoners being played with and tortured, day in and day out.

.

"I thought I finally became true to my nature as the Sin Incarnate... living amongst the scum of this world. And then I faced Enigma where he conjured an illusion of her again..."

The pirate's voice lightly trembled, a moment of weakness he hadn't felt in a long time.

He subconsciously looked at his left palm which shook in memory. The same hand he used to strangle his mother.

"I know she wasn't real but... it didn't make it any easier."

Damien's path to power began at the death of his mother, though it came at the cost of the thick wall surrounding his heart.

The pirate noticed some tears in the girl's eyes, waking up from his reverie. 

"To answer your question, Toki," he slowly said, feeling her sympathy. "I'm not afraid to love someone, I'm afraid to lose the one I love."

"..."

Toki wiped away tears as she felt a new side of Damien.

She beamed her usual smile once more, this time, reaching out to grab the young man's hand. Her actions caught his attention, pulling him out of his memories.

"Such a big world can't be explored alone, Damien-san. If you continue your journey alone, it will run you mad."

She tightened her grip to drive her point and continued.

"I'm the daughter of a proud Samurai, he raised me to be a strong woman. My mother taught me to be kind and faithful to my husband," she explained. "Love is not a weakness, it makes life worth living."

"Over the centuries, I lost that strength, but you helped me regain it. So let me help you this time around."

Damien heard her heartfelt words, unable to look away from her bright green eyes.

A certain understanding dawned on his mind, forcing him to take a breath of fresh air. 

At the same time, he echoed a few interesting words, "Husband? You sure do move fast."

Toki lightly coughed, trying to mask her embarrassment.

. 

Another breeze came and went, bringing clarity to the Sin Incarnate's eyes.

"I can see why Aurora was relying on you to 'open my heart'," Damien muttered. "It was quite convincing."

He paused for a moment before repeating some familiar words, gazing at the moon once more, "Gather those who you can trust with your life. Marry a beautiful girl. Treasure them deeply for they will be your greatest strength."

"Those were my mother's last words, at first I thought they were something to worry about a long time later."

He returned his gaze to Toki, who quietly listened.

"Looks like my mother knew of my future troubles all those years ago," he couldn't help but admit with a wry smile.

Toki smiled in return, lightly laughing, "She sounds like a wonderful person."

Then she felt Damien's hand trace up from her chin and onto her cheek, she closed her eyes and leaned into the warmth.

"It's been in the back of my mind since Aurora brought it up," he said, looking at the girl. "But you should know that we pirates are greedy."

The Sin Incarnate waited a moment and got no reply, feeling a form of affirmation in the silence.

"Toki," he muttered, "if we do this, you'll be stuck with me forever from now on…"

The girl finally opened her eyes, feeling Damien's breath lean closer to herself.

"Then it's good that I have the power of time on my side," she softly answered, returning a playful smile.

Damien could not help but smirk in return for the bold answer.

Toki closed her eyes as Damien met her with a kiss to seal the deal, finally losing the final few chains that locked his heart away.

"..."

They both were lost in the loving moment, their exchange grew heated as the seconds ticked by.

A soft gust of wind boomed as Toki was swiftly lifted off her feet and into Damien's grasp.

Toki yelped as she was carried into the room, the balcony doors closing in their wake, "D-Damien-san, isn't this too fast?" she quivered, a hint of both nervousness and anticipation lingering in her tone.

The pirate plopped her onto the bed, giving her a grin.

"It might be the tradition of Samurai to wait and formulate everything out but we pirates are impatient by nature."

The girl could not give out any rebuttal as a scene of passion fell in the grand room. No matter what, it was going to be a long night.

To Be Continued…

----------------------------------------------

Author's Corner.

Images are available on Discord alongside other niche details: https://discord.gg/aJHHHPvb6q