December 9, 1500, Age of the Sea Circle
A week had flown by in the blink of an eye. Orion and Kuma were now sailing toward the island where the Named Character "Baby 5" was located, and they were about to arrive.
Although they could have reached their destination in just a few hours if they had used Kuma's Devil Fruit ability, Orion had decided to travel the old-fashioned way, navigating the waters of the North Blue despite the fact that the weather at this time of year was far from favorable.
The reason for this was that Orion wanted to seize the opportunity of traveling alongside Kuma to try and work on the gentle revolutionary's traumas. Not only to complete the system mission tied to that task, but also because now that he had noticed the constant state of self-loathing his friend lived in, he no longer wanted to see him remain trapped in it.
Obviously, changing Kuma was no easy feat. His psyche was almost as fractured as Giolla's had been when Orion first met her, though the way their imbalance manifested was different. In Giolla's case, her behavior was far more erratic, and it was painfully evident that her mind was not well.
Kuma, on the other hand, was a much subtler case. It was easy to mistake his current condition for a natural state, simply part of who he was. This was because the symptoms of his psychological issues were far more discreet than Giolla's. Coupled with Kuma's naturally calm nature, the problem became nearly imperceptible unless one analyzed it closely.
What's more, in a world where the vast majority of people carried some form of trauma simply because of the environment in which they lived, Kuma's condition was something that passed completely unnoticed.
Perhaps the most evident symptom was Kuma's rejection of matters related to sex and love, though even this had been concealed behind his religious doctrine. It was not unusual for priests to be celibate, so no one had paid much attention to it.
However, Kuma's celibacy was not a matter of religious choice. It was rooted in his belief that he did not deserve to be loved. This stemmed from his experiences as a slave alongside his father, and the death of his mother, whose only crime had been her connection to people of the Buccaneer race.
In Kuma's mind, his very existence was practically a sin, and he refused to impose the weight of that sin on anyone else, afraid of hurting them in the process. He had carried this belief with him for most of his life, and by now it had become an ingrained part of his nature.
Orion's task was to slowly erode those beliefs born from childhood trauma and help him reach a place where he could accept himself without feeling that he was a burden to others. Perhaps only then could Kuma be truly free.
This was by no means an easy task, and over the last week Orion had dedicated himself to it almost entirely, nearly forgetting his original objective of checking on the Named Character Baby 5. Even so, he had made little progress, which was deeply frustrating.
Orion had an idea of how Kuma's situation might be resolved: by having him experience a reciprocated love with a woman. A pure, wholehearted love that would lead him to accept that he was worthy of being loved. However, that was precisely what seemed impossible, since Kuma was utterly closed off to it.
Perhaps the only person in this world who could make that happen was Ginny… But Orion was unconsciously avoiding that line of thought, forcing himself to look for other possible solutions.
"Master, I made a mistake while preparing lunch and I need to be punished," Reira suddenly said, approaching Orion shyly, her cheeks flushed as she handed him a whip.
Orion's eyes lit up, and his palms began to itch as he thought it might be time to give that beautiful young pirate's ass a few well-deserved spankings. However, when he glanced to the side and noticed Kuma watching him with curiosity, he decided to resist the temptation.
With a flick of his mind, he stored the whip into his inventory, then cleared his throat before saying,
"Now isn't the right time, Reira. We'll talk about it later."
He gave her a meaningful look, signaling her not to insist for now.
Reira nodded in disappointment, and in an instant her expression shifted dramatically, returning to that of an arrogant and haughty aristocratic lady. No matter how many times Orion witnessed this abrupt change in her, it never failed to surprise him. He had even once suspected she suffered from a split personality, though he had eventually been forced to discard the idea when Reira herself denied it.
"Orion, the food's ready. It got a little burned, but if you don't like it, then cook it yourself!" Reira said irritably, walking away while shaking her enormous, beautiful ass in a deliberately seductive manner.
It was natural that she was irritated, since it had already been two weeks since Orion had last indulged in role-playing with her, and she was suffering from withdrawal. After having tasted the sweet release of giving in to her deepest desires, it was difficult for her to return to normal so abruptly.
On this occasion, she had taken the initiative to ask Orion to discipline her, but once again she had failed, since Orion had refused to do so ever since Kuma had joined the journey.
On the other hand, Orion was not only unwilling to show that side of himself to Kuma, for fear of shattering his image in front of his friend, but he was also trying to limit the role-playing sessions with Reira so that she would not develop a strange addiction, which already seemed to be happening.
Orion did not refuse to have a little fun with her, and he had to admit that he had developed a new taste for something he had not expected to enjoy so much, but it was not good to take things to the extreme. A certain measure had to be maintained so that unwanted problems would not arise.
Even so, Orion had already decided that as soon as he said goodbye to Kuma and returned to the South Blue, he would have his first night of passion with Reira, letting loose all the emotions they had been holding back for weeks and leaving her completely satisfied.
Just thinking about it made him unable to suppress a slightly lecherous smile, although for now he had to be patient, since duty came first.
"Ahem! Kuma, we're almost at our destination. Let's eat something first, and then we can move forward at full speed!" Orion said, clearing his throat and walking toward Kuma while giving him a pat on the back.
Kuma nodded slightly, and the two of them went into the cabin to eat the lunch Reira had prepared, along with her and Garride, who would not take the rose out of his mouth even to eat.
Orion had already resigned himself to trying to understand this new subordinate's bizarre behavior, so he simply ignored it and chose to think that there were powerful forces in the universe guiding his actions.
…
Meanwhile, on the waters of the North Blue, not far from Orion's current position, a large ship was sailing at high speed. This pirate ship carried a jolly roger that was beginning to gain notoriety in these waters, one that in the future would become one of the most recognizable worldwide: a crossed-out smiling face.
On the ship's deck, the noble captain Donquixote Doflamingo was reading a book with a smile while enjoying the cold December wind. The other pirates on board did not dare approach him, as it was well known that he was prone to sudden mood swings, and anyone nearby could easily end up tragically caught in one of these outbursts.
Of course, there was one exception: the high-ranking members, who were the heart of this pirate crew, did not share that fear toward Doflamingo, since they related to each other as family. No matter how much of a psychopath the captain they had chosen to follow was, he would never raise his hand against his family, to whom he gave great importance.
This was part of his charisma, and it gave the lower-ranking members the hope that perhaps one day they too might find themselves in the position of being part of that core, being treated as family by Doflamingo.
At present, there were only five people in the entire crew who had the privilege of being treated as family by Doflamingo. In addition to the four founding members of the crew—Pica, Trebol, Diamante, and Vergo (Corazón)—there was a new member who had earned a place within the core of the family, and his name was Lao G.
All of them were currently focused on their own tasks, preparing for their arrival at the next island, where they intended to purchase a Devil Fruit that particularly interested them. It had already been several years since Doflamingo began his criminal career, and his current power was at its peak in the North Blue.
Little by little, this small Blue was beginning to feel too small for him, so soon he would have to extend his tentacles toward the fertile lands of the Grand Line, where his talents could truly shine.
Even so, both Doflamingo and his four main officers had decided that it was best not to rush into the Grand Line just yet. First, they wanted to finish consolidating their current power and influence, and if possible, recruit some talented individuals who could be trained to become elite officers.
Although still in its early stages, Doflamingo had already begun to establish his connections within the Underworld, and one could faintly glimpse the shadow of his future self, the one who would extend his influence across that dark world, steering the course of history according to his whims.
Suddenly, the sound of approaching footsteps echoed, distracting Doflamingo from his reading. However, he showed no sign of irritation or anger, since he had already identified through his Observation Haki who it was that was drawing near.
"Doffy! I've got some interesting news for you!" Trebol said as he approached excitedly, his mucus dangling as always.
Doflamingo lowered the book he had been reading and sprang up from the deck chair in which he had been reclining.
"Interesting news? I wonder what that could be," Doflamingo said in his peculiar manner of speaking, which all the members of his crew had already grown accustomed to.
"Remember how you were complaining the other day about the lack of good talents in the North Blue? Well, I think this time we've found someone promising!" Trebol replied, handing his captain a document with the information he had just received.
One of the strongest points of this pirate crew was their vast information network, which extended throughout the North Blue and even beyond. Thanks to this advantage in intelligence, they were able to obtain all sorts of benefits and steadily increase their power and influence.
In this instance, for example, they had discovered a young talent with the powers of a powerful Devil Fruit. If they managed to recruit him, they could strengthen their forces even further.
Doflamingo took the document Trebol handed him and began reading it at great speed, his expression showing genuine interest. In his daily life, there were few things capable of truly stirring his curiosity, and whenever such a thing appeared, Doflamingo would enter a state of excitement that generally culminated in some great event.
Finally, after reading the information in full, Doflamingo displayed a wide smile that, to any ordinary person, would have looked rather macabre, and said cheerfully:
"Very well, we'll head there right after we pick up the Buki Buki no Mi! I hope this Gladius is as talented as the information claims, otherwise I'll have to cut off the head of the one who provided us with this intel."
Doflamingo stretched his fingers, which began to move in a strange manner, and both the book he had been reading earlier and the deck chair he had been reclining on were instantly shredded, making the other crew members tremble with fear, none daring to keep looking in his direction.
…
At last, after a few more hours of sailing, Orion reached the island where Baby 5 was located. Checking the map on the system screen, he confirmed once again the position of this Named Character, ready to head there together with Kuma, while Reira and Garride would remain on the coast awaiting their return.
This was part of Orion's plan to ease Reira's addiction to role-playing. By removing his presence, he hoped she would stop constantly thinking about satisfying those overwhelming urges, which would likely help her stabilize somewhat.
Orion had to admit that the sexy pirate's current condition was partly his fault, since it wasn't just Reira who had gotten carried away with role-playing; he too had opened the door to a new world and perhaps immersed himself too deeply in too little time.
"Kuma and I will head to the center of this island to take a look. We'll probably be gone for a couple of days, so if anything comes up, you can contact me through the Den Den Mushi," Orion said with a smile, preparing to depart with Kuma into the forest that loomed before them.
"Anything…?" Reira said, blushing slightly and pressing her thighs together to control the sensations brought on by her own obscene thoughts.
Orion sighed bitterly.
"When I say 'anything,' I mean a real problem! Like a pirate attack or something along those lines," Orion said in a severe tone, which only made the pirate's body tremble even more as she gazed at him with teary eyes, as if begging him to keep scolding her.
Orion scratched his head in frustration and simply chose to leave. Waving his hand, he bid farewell to the two young pirates, and together with Kuma he entered the great forest, partially covered in snow.
Although it wasn't snowing at the moment, it was clear that the weather conditions in the previous days had been harsher than they were now.
Orion and Kuma moved quickly through the forest, curiously observing their surroundings. The silent, snow-covered woods formed a rather beautiful landscape, and the towering trees rose toward the sky like massive buildings.
"Orion, are you sure the person you're looking for is here?" Kuma asked curiously, noting the forest's extreme conditions.
It was clearly very difficult for anyone to live in this place, and that wasn't just because of the weather—it was also due to the presences both of them could sense with their Observation Haki, lurking silently in the vicinity!
Indeed, this forest was teeming with gigantic beasts capable of devouring a normal person in an instant. The only reason they hadn't already come face to face with any was that Orion had released a wave of Conqueror's Haki, which had kept them at bay for the time being.
However, Orion couldn't maintain his Conqueror's Haki continuously, and the beasts were already showing signs of agitation, so it was likely that soon they would have no choice but to fight them.
Even so, with Orion's and Kuma's combined power, they felt little concern over whatever these beasts could do. Even if they truly couldn't defeat them, they could always use their special abilities to escape without issue.
"Yes, the person I'm looking for is definitely on this island… Although perhaps not in this forest," Orion replied, glancing at the marker on the screen, which was surrounded by unexplored map.
The distance between their current position and Baby 5 wasn't that great, but it was certainly wide enough for her to be outside this vast forest, which would be the most logical scenario. After all, according to the system's information, Baby 5 was only four years old, and for her to be living in such a dangerous forest was a bit strange.
Out of nowhere, a large white tiger that had been concealed beneath the snow leapt toward Orion, aiming to tear him apart with a single swipe of its claws. However, before Orion could even make use of his abilities to defend himself, Kuma stepped forward and slapped the beast, which vanished without leaving the slightest trace behind.
Once again, Orion found himself in awe of how fearsome Kuma's Devil Fruit powers were, capable of making virtually any enemy disappear into thin air, sent flying across the skies.
Still, Kuma had explained to him that his powers could prove ineffective against someone with extremely strong Haki, though so far he had encountered no one capable of resisting his abilities other than Dragon himself.
"Where did you send it?" Orion asked curiously, picturing the expression on the tiger's face at that very moment as it shot through the skies at impossible speed.
"To a volcano in the West Blue, though it will probably starve to death before it gets there," Kuma replied in his gentle tone of voice, and Orion felt a chill run down his spine, realizing it would be wise never to anger Kuma in the future.
It was always those who seemed the calmest who turned out to be the most ruthless when they acted with true decisiveness.
After that brief incident, none of the other beasts in the forest dared to come near them again, so they managed to cross the rest of the woodland without the slightest problem.
At last, they emerged from the forest and came upon a vast canyon stretching far into the distance, splitting the island in two. Orion focused Observation Haki into his eyes, activating his Prism Eyes, and with great effort he managed to glimpse the terrain on the other side of the chasm.
"Let's go, Kuma, the person I'm looking for is on the other side," Orion said as he used Geppo to dash across the air.
Kuma nodded and, repelling the air around himself with his powers, "flew" effortlessly by Orion's side.
Crossing such a vast canyon would have been nearly impossible for an ordinary person, leaving the island effectively divided into two inaccessible halves, but for Orion and Kuma it was no challenge at all to traverse the skies using their special abilities, and within half an hour they had reached the far side.
The moment they landed, they immediately noticed the change in the landscape. Here there was almost no vegetation, and the ground resembled more the barren sweep of a steppe. Orion looked into the distance, where mountains could be seen on the horizon, and without wasting another moment, he set off in that direction with Kuma at his side.
There they would find little Baby 5, who had been abandoned by her mother a few months earlier and was barely surviving while living alone.
...
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