25 Year Later

1997 (Earth), July.

A year has passed since I hid myself deep into the forest to get stronger. 

Right now, I am sitting below the tree branch while moving my fingers to flip the page of the One Piece manga.

Because of my training and getting distracted by the manga(s) ahead of this time, I've only read the latest chapter of One Piece today. 

The Fishman Islands. Luffy's alliance with Law... Rebecca's side-boobs... Sanji's rescue... Pudding... The battle that took part in Onigashima... Yamato's side-boobs... And finally, Luffy's Gear 5th.

I've read all of them.

Most importantly, I've come to know the identity of this ability of mine to hear/sense the 'voice' of my surroundings.

"Hm, hm... Observation Haki, good. Conqueror's Haki... Do I even have that? Armament Haki... Hah~ What the hell is this... How do I use it??? Do I have to imagine my hands like that of a metal?" I thought frustrated as my attempts to manifest the Armament Haki failed.

Without a master to teach me or the talent to learn it with just the information of manga, not to mention Advanced Armament Haki, I couldn't even get the basic one.

Seeing no sign of improvement, I soon gave up trying to use Armament Haki.

Whilst I was thinking of the future opportunity to learn the Armament Haki, the AI hovered over me.

[Heylail, a year and a half has passed.] AI called my name and showed me the time. It was past 7:00 PM.

Compared to when I first met AI, its tone lost its iconic emotionless voice.

Instead, it became slightly more high-pitched and soft. Compared to the past, she became more expressive as she learned to transmit her emotions through her voice.

I don't remember ordering her to be more 'girly(?)' but the AI probably adjusted itself according to my preference.

"Ah, has it been that long already?" I snapped and responded to the AI's call.

Suddenly, the nearby bushes rustled and out hopped a bunny whom I targeted during my first day of training, also my first master.

Due to some circumstances, we became a friend. Because of this bond and my guilt of considering eating it after it taught me how to move my limbs well, I couldn't bring myself to eat it.

The bunny rubbed its head in my hand with a mourning expression.

With the bunny as a signal, more small animals began emerging, gathering around me.

From squirrel to raccoon. Raccoons to foxes. Even crows and such birds sat in one spot. It's the full listing of the animals I couldn't eat no matter how much drool over them.

"Come on, guys... I'll just be gone, it's not that I'm dying," I talked to them and in return, they cried, howled, and yowled.

Feeling helpless, I suggested. "Then, how about this? I'll give you guys these feathers. When a predator is trying to eat you, show the feather to them and tell them that you guys are my friend."

"Yip!! Yip!!" "Quack!!" "Caw~!!" "Meow~" the nearby critters cried at me taking the scattered feathers around me—with either their mouth, beak, or hand—as if they understood what I said.

'Haah~, I wish Wakaba liked me as much as those guys liked me,' I thought inwardly 

Finishing my deals with those guys, I took AI in my hand and swiped my finger from the screen to navigate through the messaging application called 'Blight.'

<Heylail > -> <Wakaba > 19:23

you free? i'm heading over there.

.

.

.

'She's not responding?' I thought innocently.

'It shouldn't be the case when she's still in her school because it's long past that time... Let's check her,' I closed my eyes to focus my nerve system on the feather I gave her.

"...It's humid, slightly hot even. Is she in danger?" I spoke to myself, showing an enigmatic smile.

[Heylail... it isn't the chance to be her knight in shining armor. This type of facade won't work on her.]

"S-shut up!! I'm not a dense character. Even I know that I need to remove this 'little brother' label from her to get her heart!!" I rebutted to AI.

"But don't worry!! I've learned this 'gentleman' technique!! It worked even against Pudding and Viola so Wakaba should be head over heels for me if I used it against her!!" I said in an exaggerated tone.

[*Sigh...* I'm assured that you will grow up as a good-looking person in the future but why do I have this premonition that you will have a hard time with a girl?] 

Hearing what she said, I stared at AI with a grudge. Then, without a pause, I decided to get over to where my feather was.

*scatter*

My body shattered into thousands of feathers and fluttered in the air.

What remained in my original spot was nothing except the feathers scattered on the ground.

---

Tokyo, Wakaba's House.

'Okay... like a gentleman... like a gentleman...' I slowly opened my eyes after my body emerged from the single feather lying somewhere in Wakaba's house.

I felt the humid air surrounding me as the mist started to become clear.

*splash* *splash* *splash*

The sound of water intensely hitting the ground came clear to my ear as I couldn't help but let a word escape my mouth. 

"You idiot, how much do I have to say, stop bringing my feather to your private room like the bathroom, or toilet!" I sucked in the humid air as my voice echoed through the bathroom.

I recalled the moment when Wakaba called me over a cockroach that appeared while she was in her toilet.

"I'm always amazed at your timing to appear at the peculiar timing. Were you waiting for me to enter the shower?... ah! You were looking at my chest again! Pervy," Wakaba teasingly stuck out her tongue as she submerged in the bathtub.

"Hmph! Who's interested in your sma-... *cough* chest!! All I'm interested in a girl is their side-boobs and armpi-... What the heck are you making me say!!" 

"Sure, sure, Mr. 'True To His Fetish as an 11 Years Old,' anyway, what's the matter coming here?" Wakaba asked while resting her head on the rim of the bathtub, silently enjoying the hot water.

"Ah! That's right, I came here to tell you goodbye!! I'm returning to the world of One Piece, so..." I paused, slightly reddening my face.

"You know... as my only 'human friend for now...' I thought of seeing your face at least once before going," I finished my sentence.

Wakaba whilst resting her head to the rim, points her pupils upside as if to think something.

Returning her gaze to me, she nodded while keeping eye contact.

"Is that so? See you next time then. Save a lot!!" Wakaba extended her hand and sent out a thumbs-up.

"Sure I will, it's going to be a lot of fun!" I winked at her and copied her action, our fists clashing.

[Main Menu]

[Enter Game]

With a call to the system, I disappeared from the spot, leaving Wakaba with emptiness.

"He's gone now, huh~... I wonder when we'll meet again, I hope not too long later," Wakaba whispered to herself.