[63] The Flower Capital

[2800 words]

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Damien was amused by the events that had unfolded. Going from the evil intruder to the guest of the Shogun was not the script he imagined.

The old man guided them over to the Shogun's manor, drawing eyes as they went.

Along the way, the short senior made some small talk, "Young man, I must say, your strength is quite incredible, that wasn't even a hint of your true power, right?"

Damien eyed the small geezer, "Rahaha, and you're one tough old man with that Ryuo."

The words drew a dry laugh, "My name is Shimotsuki Raizen, I'm just an old man soon to die. But I'm glad to see that such incredible people exist outside our island; truly wonderful."

The man seemed lost in his age, senile even.

Meanwhile, Damien seemed a little annoyed by a passing thought, "You know, I spent two entire minutes of my life choosing this yukata to fit in and yet you and that Hyogoro found me out immediately."

Raizen chuckled, "Your demeanour, your eyes, your confidence; it screams of a stranger, perhaps you meeting a lost Amatsuki descendant was truly fateful."

…

[Shogan's Manor]

It was large yet simple in appearance. Wooden tatami floor with simple paintings hung on the walls, a mix of landscape art and traditional drawings.

At the center sat a man on a fluffy pillow.

He had dark hair and a small beard growing out of his chin which split into three prongs and a long, thin mustache which pointed upward on each side.

"Greetings, I am Kozuki Sukiyaki, I hope our Flower Capital is to your liking," he said in a stoic voice.

[Sukiyaki Image (in Discord)]

Damien nodded while Toki bowed her head, "It's nice to meet you, Sukiyaki-san."

At the same time, the pirate felt some prying eyes from all directions–ready to strike at any moment. The air itself was sharper than a sword.

'Ninja?' Damien thought as he sat down before the Shogun.

"May I have your names?" Sukiyaki asked.

"Einar D. Damien."

"Ahem, I'm Amatsuki Toki."

She was sitting quite upright, emanating a noble atmosphere, one that Damien could care less to mirror. Instead, he looked as if he was seated in a way that he could enter a battle immediately, leaving no opening; a habit borne from the harsh reality at Hachinosu.

.

Sukiyaki did not seem to mind as he addressed the girl, "Young Amatsuki child, as the Shogun of Wano and the head of the Kozuki Clan, I welcome you back to Wano."

The words brought a bright light from Toki's eyes as she returned a joyful smile, though the turn of events did leave her confused.

"Um, Sukiyaki-san, can I know why you are so respectful to my surname?"

The esteemed gentleman leaned back a little, his body sinking further into the cushion.

His eyes shone with a hint of nostalgia recalling a distant past.

"Around 40 years ago, a nefarious clan, the Kurozumi, tried to usurp the Shogun's seat as the Shogun at the time, my father, had no suitable heirs," he began explaining.

"The Kurozumi were one of the six powerful clans, and succeeded in assassinating the other heads, of which one was the Amatsuki Clan."

The words brought sadness to Toki. She, with the Time-Time Fruit, was only four decades too late to meet her fellow clansmen, a fraction of the eras she had visited.

.

"However, by miracle, I was born and their plan was foiled," the Shogun sighed. "Unfortunately, your Clan Head had died by then, all the while the Amatsuki's samurai also fell to slow down the Kurozumi. The time they bought my father was what saved us, we are in your debt."

He then looked at the girl with some confusion.

"I however am unsure of your existence…"

Raizen, who was sipping on some tea, interrupted, "Lord Shogun, the Amatsuki Family had a faction that lived outside Wano. I take it that this young lady is from said faction."

Sukiyaki "ahhed" in understanding, nodding along.

Meanwhile, Toki felt a little bad.

'How would they react if they knew I was actually born many centuries before their own fathers?' the girl thought.

.

Sukiyaki then studied the only real foreigner in the room and gave an approving nod.

"I must say, if my foolish son was a tenth as capable as you then perhaps I wouldn't be so ashamed of him."

"Where is your son?" Damien asked with a hint of curiosity.

Sukiyaki looked to the distant window, "I exiled him from the Capital, I hear he made it to Hakumai with some no-good brats at his side."

The Shogan felt more embarrassed after the answer and turned back to the green-haired girl.

"Ahem, Toki, if you have any wishes then please say so, I will surely do everything to fulfill it in the name of my father!" the man voiced out his desire to pay his debts.

"Sukiyaki-san, I wouldn't be able to make it here if it weren't for Damien-san," she smiled in return, "please extend your kindness to him instead."

The Shogun nodded while stroking his beard. He turned to Damien once more and gave him a questioning look.

Damien saw the puzzle pieces fit into a satisfying and convenient picture as he put forth his request, "Before I met Toki, I planned to come here to learn your techniques of Ryuo."

Sukiyaki raised an eyebrow, "Of course! It's no problem at all." He then turned to the geezer, "Raizen-dono, I will leave him to you."

"Very well," the aged man agreed. "Young man, come find me tomorrow, I will train you in Ryuo as you request."

Damien smiled, nodding as a thank you.

They continued with some small talk until bringing the conversation to a conclusion. Sukiyaki sent his aides to take Damien and Toki to their rooms.

…

[The Following Night]

"It's a cozy room," Toki said as she walked through the wooden halls.

They were sent to a guest room in the Shogun's estate. After Oden's departure, it was practically empty anyways,

The only thing Damien found odd was that Toki and he were placed in the same room.

.

The girl had put on a simple green kimono, cleaning up.

Toki then went around the room, setting up the beds in a traditional manner while humming a soft tune.

Damien watched from the side, watching her set a pair of pillows on the adjacently-placed beds.

"You know, Toki. Most girls would be uncomfortable sleeping in the same room as a man," the pirate said with a wry smile.

The girl tilted her head and quipped back, "Isn't it normal to sleep with people you trust?"

She then drew the curtains to a close and blew out some candles, bringing a peaceful darkness into the room.

Damien shrugged, lying down on his futon which was actually two separate beds put together to accommodate for his larger body.

"..."

A silence fell under the peaceful night, nothing but the sound of soft breaths.

"How do you feel about Wano, Toki? You've finally come here after so many centuries."

"Hmm, it is more beautiful than my mother told me… I wish she was here too."

There was a slight pause.

"Even though I know she would be glad I could see it myself, I can't help but think that no one from the outside world can ever see this beautiful place; it's a shame."

She regretfully sighed, "It would be nice to open Wano's walls."

Damien opened his eyes as he heard her comment, "Wano is safe because of its isolation policies. If they opened their borders, both the Government and Pirates would flood it; it's a huge pile of gold."

Toki's voice came but this time with less spirit.

"...Then, Damien-san. Will Wano hide in the shadows of its walls forever?" 

The words evoked a chuckle from the pirate: "Hehe, I have great plans for Wano…"

The words laced with ambition may provoke fear from others, though it only elicited a giggle from the girl lying barely a foot away from him.

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[The Next Morning]

Damien's eyes opened up after a nice rest. He took in a deep breath, stretching his legs. However, at the last second, he felt a weight on his chest.

His eyes glanced down and saw a glob of green over his shoulders, and chest.

"Faint breaths went off as the girl was in a deep sleep. Damien's movement awakened her. She slowly got up and wiped her eyes.

"Good morning, Damien-san…"

…

[Later that Day]

Toki had decided to stay in the library, going over the many history books documenting the special events of Wano.

The people here were quite erudite in their literacy and academics. Most of them relied on self-education via these books, granting the girl easy access to her home island's rich history.

She even learned of Oden.

Four years ago, he committed some 'shameful' antics of kidnapping women into his harem that even led to a Harem War in the Capital, embroiling many male citizens and even the Yakuza.

One year ago, the death of a man by the name of Katsuzo occurred, leading to his funeral. Though the infamous Oden appeared and used the man's cremation to cook up some stew.

And not too long ago, he slew the Mountain God, around the same time of his exile.

…

Damien left the estate, leaving Toki to her devices. The warm sun hit his face, gracing him with Vitamin D. 

The pirate made his way through the Capital, bringing in some surprisingly positive commotion from the people. The "foreigner" who was invited to the Shogun's Manor was now viewed in a light of respect and admiration.

Even those who turned their swords at Damien just yesterday, came and apologized, offering food and money as compensation.

Suffice to say, they were an honourable society.

.

It took Damien some tens of minutes to reach his destination, much to the credit of some young children who guided him here.

It was a small dojo in the Yakuza part of the Capital, away from the main populace.

He saw some swordsmen who greeting him, to which he returned a nod. There were many such men inside, eating, chatting, and training; a rowdy atmosphere.

Damien made his way through the main area and into the top floor, eventually reaching Raizen's hall.

*Creak* The wooden doors slid open, leading to an open area.

The pirate looked to the side and saw the bulky Hyogoro, who seemed to have been drinking some tea, stand up and now his head.

"Damien-dono, please forgive me for my hasty actions yesterday."

The apology was answered with a wave of a hand, "Don't sweat it."

His casual words resulted in a wry smile on the Yakuza Boss' face. He tried his best to kill Damien and was casually forgiven. He couldn't find any words to speak further and took his leave.

The Sin Incarnate waited a little while before hearing some distant steps.

*Creak*

The door slid open once more and Raizen's tiny figure waltzed in, his long white eyebrows dancing at every step.

"You're here, young man. Very good," he said with a content tone, "let's begin right away."

He then pulled up two wooden posts stuffed with straw.

"Ryuo," he began. "It has the meaning of 'flow'. It requires you to transfer all your spirit energy across your body and into the location you desire, but it cannot be forced, especially when its caster is not calm."

Raizen then placed his hand a few inches away from one of the posts.

"With this, you can direct it as you please."

*Fwwm!*

He demonstrated it as his arm turned a pristine black.

*Purrup*

A blue bubble of gentle energy then flowed out of the old man's heart and warped around the armoured arm, behaving like a fluid.

*Fwooo!*

A soft wind blew as Raizen directed the energy unto the straw post, though remaining a small distance from it.

The wooden post was still untouched, though it cried out in pain.

"..."

The Haki was reined in and it seemed as if nothing had happened.

That was until Raizen then unsheathed one of his swords and slashed down with a swish, revealing a cross-section of the post.

Damien narrowed his eyes as he saw it all unfold.

The post's outer structure was undamaged, though inside, all the straw was obliterated and torn apart!

"Ryuo allows for internal destruction when mastered, a fearsome power when against the toughest foes," Raizen finished.

He then glanced at the much larger guest and said, "Show me your current mastery."

Damien nodded.

*Fwwm*

He stood up and clad his left arm in a thick coat of Haki.

Bam!

The fist collided with the post which felt the full brunt of Damien's power. It took but a moment for it to be eviscerated into innumerable pieces from the sheer force.

Raizen hummed from the side.

"You're technique is bordering on Ryuo, but lacks understanding of the word 'gentle'."

Damien lightly coughed as he heard the words. 

Raizen examined his new pupil's eyes and opted to convey the main idea.

"You must be shapeless, formless, like water. When you pour water into a cup, it becomes the cup. When you pour water into a bottle, it becomes the bottle. When you pour water into a teapot, it becomes the teapot."

"Water can drip and it can crash. Become like water and learn to make your strength flow."

Raizen demonstrated once more, doing it slowly and with great calmness.

Boom!

The same post was once again disembowelled as its outer structure remained solid. Damien slowly nodded and began the training under Raizen's supervision.

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[During the Evening]

The Sin Incarnate had returned to the room.

Raizen was a good teacher, but he was old and unable to help Damien for too long, only pitching in every here and there.

Upon returning home, he was greeted by an erratic Toki. She had gone through dozens of books, though still unable to find something.

She saw her housemate arrive and stood up, "Damien-san, welcome back." 

Toki then brought out some snacks and drinks for his arrival.

The two ate some lunch, eventually leaving a Toki that seemed like she wanted to ask something.

"What's up?" Damien asked while nibbling on some bread.

She looked up with seriousness.

"Damien-san. I want to be more useful… I don't want to stay home and waste time, I want to help."

Damien eyed her determined glance and could not help but chuckle, "Well, apart from your interest in these books, you're still training in Haki and your powers every day. You don't exactly give yourself time for other stuff."

He thought over her schedule.

When Toki was not reading, she was training in Observation Haki or her Time-Time Fruit. Naturally, Damien's training routine for her was not exactly forgiving.

However, his words only led her to stubbornly shake her head, swinging her green hair to the sides.

.

Damien looked around and found an interesting topic.

"Well, how about this?"

Toki looked at the book's title: "The Basics of Herbs and Medicine."

"Your powers give you domain over time. Your kind nature isn't suited for heavy combat either. So, have you thought of becoming a doctor?"

The girl tilted her head, tapping her chin in thought.

"Hmm, my powers can certainly restore wounds by greatly increasing their healing, though I've never really tried it."

Damien brought up an issue before she thought too much, "You can't just heal the entire wound otherwise it will wither away."

"Rather, aim at the very blood cells and expedite their healing: encourage hemostasis, inflammation, proliferation, and remodelling of the injury."

However, after his little advice, he noticed the girl was lost. "Umm, Damien-san, I'm not that well-versed with it," Toki said with slight embarrassment.

Damien coughed, forgetting that basic biology and recovery were not exactly common knowledge in the seas.

.

"Well, that's where you begin. Once you understand how the body works, I'm sure your powers can turn a wound that would take months to heal and finish in moments. But then again, it'll take some time."

He waved around the basic book of biology written from the perspective of Wano.

He recalled taking the Intro to Biology course in grade 10. It was not exactly difficult, it's just that there was so much memorization!

Toki's hand jolted as she grabbed the book and held it in her embrace, "I'll do it!" 

Damien smirked at her declaration and finished his meal, bringing a start to a rather monotone training arc to come.

To Be Continued…

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Author's Corner.

Ryuo is more of a given. Damien has two main tasks coming to Wano. He can put a checkmark onto one of them, let's see how the second one will go.

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