Chapter 6: The Forbidden Fruit
Ryo gazed down at the object in his hand, his mind reeling with disbelief. Nestled within the confines of the chest was a fruit unlike any he had ever seen before. Its vibrant colors and strange markings seemed to pulse with an otherworldly energy, filling him with a sense of unease.
"How can a fruit be so valuable?" Ryo muttered to himself, his brow furrowed in confusion. But before he could ponder the question further, the gnawing hunger in his stomach reminded him of his immediate need for sustenance.
With a sigh, Ryo closed the chest and made his way out of the vault. Despite his best efforts to remain focused, his hunger proved to be a persistent distraction. His thoughts were consumed by the taste of food, his senses heightened by the tantalizing aroma that filled the air.
Unable to resist any longer, Ryo succumbed to temptation and took a bite of the fruit. To his dismay, the taste was far from pleasant – a foul, bitter flavor that left a lingering aftertaste in his mouth. He grimaced in disgust, regretting his impulsive decision.
But as he stood there, spitting out the offending fruit, his senses were suddenly assaulted by the sound of approaching footsteps. These were not the stealthy footsteps of guards on patrol, but loud and heavy, signaling the approach of someone or something far more formidable.
Panic surged through Ryo as he realized he had been discovered. He scrambled to escape, but before he could make his move, he was grabbed by a pair of strong hands and dragged forcefully towards the hevy steps.
He fought with all his strength against the guard but despite his struggle he was nowhere near escaping him. As he saw a imposing shadow coming closer and closer, he knew his fate would be sealed. Only a miracle could save him now.
As he was hauled before the imposing figure, Ryo felt a chill run down his spine. It was Kaido. The notorious pirate loomed over him, his massive form casting a shadow that seemed to engulf everything in its path.
As one of the guards gave him the the empty chest he began to rage. His thunderous voice reverberated through the air, shaking Ryo to his core. "Where is it? Where is the fruit?" As Ryo saw someone else approaching, his thoughts where in turmoil. The one he remembered instantly as the "Oni-Princess" was standing next to Kaido.
"Yamato, what are you doing here?" Kaido asked in a commanding tone. In response to him Yamato took off the mask and just looked at Ryo.
As she began to speak, all he could feel was not fear but hope. Her voice. It was just as beautiful as her face. "Father, is this the outsider that infiltrated the castle? He doesn't look that dangerous to me", she joked and began to smile at Ryo.
Such a beautiful smile. He couldn't understand how someone like her coud be the daughter of someone like Kaido. In the fist moments he saw her, she was like the exact opposite of her father.
But Kaido didn't respond. His anger being more and more fueld by the fact that this Prisoner wasn't looking at him with fear. He was just ignoring him and looking at his daughter with a expression he couldn't read. He had never seen such a look in his entire life.
As the situation escalated, Ryo could only watch in horror as Kaido's fury reached a boiling point. With a swift motion, he swung his kanabo in Ryo's direction. In the seconds he saw the club approaching his head, he knew it was over for him. In the last moments before the impact, his mind was racing with thougts. Thoughts about the poor people of Wano he failed to help. About the suffering they still have to endure because of his failure. But most importantly he had one image in his mind. The smiling face of this woman. Yamato. But everything went black as the force of the blow was sending him hurtling through the nearest wall.
As the dust settled and the chaos subsided, Kaido commanded to his daughter to see if he was still breathing. Yamato approached the debris, her expression unreadable. With a heavy heart, she checked Ryo's lifeless form, confirming the worst – he was dead.