"Maybe… you should go."
Orin hesitated for quite a while before ultimately giving up on the idea of forcing quick progress. After all, he hadn't yet enjoyed enough of his youthful appearance and body.
Besides, it was also for the sake of his own future strength.
In the end, he decided to let the little shinobi go, keeping only a vial of his blood—something he could later use to create Green Blood and craft another Seraph tool.
But before leaving, that look of lingering attachment in the boy's eyes sent a chill down Orin's spine.
"My stomach's growling..."
Stretching his body, Orin could feel the slow regeneration of his perfectly intact physique underneath. The process of energy replenishment demanded quite a bit of sustenance.
He stood up and walked toward the door—
Just in time to see a couple cooking porridge together.
"Oh! So it's mealtime already?"
"Ah~"
It had to be said—when Orin wasn't angry or drinking, his temperament was surprisingly gentle. Especially with that easy smile on his face, anyone who hadn't witnessed his power would have mistaken him for a friendly young man next door.
"Please, join us for lunch," the man said a little nervously but kindly, his good nature overriding his unease.
The couple was genuinely kind people—something they would later pass perfectly down to their child, O-Tama.
Orin didn't refuse. He even reached down to pinch little O-Tama's chubby cheek, laughing along with the baby's cheerful giggles.
But when he turned his gaze toward the family's meal, his brows rose slightly.
A thin, watery porridge. A plate of a few green vegetables.
That was the family's usual lunch.
Seeing Orin's expression, the couple looked embarrassed.
It wasn't that they didn't want to treat him better—it was simply that there wasn't any extra food in the house. In fact, they'd already used more rice than usual just to make this.
"..."
Orin went silent. He looked at O-Tama's parents, their faces tinged with shame. Then, after a brief pause, he said softly:
"Well then… I'll start."
He picked up the bowl of porridge and drank it without complaint, even eating several pieces of vegetables, his expression entirely natural.
Seeing this, the couple finally smiled in relief. They began feeding the few grains of rice to O-Tama while they themselves only drank the thin broth.
Orin watched this quietly without comment.
He was a cruel man—
But when it came to people who were truly gentle, who lived with genuine emotion—he could never remain completely indifferent.
He had proven this many times before—
The old man who raised him. Roger the Captain, who cared for him without asking anything in return. His true friendship with Buggy. And the endlessly gentle Kuma...
Whenever Orin encountered such people, something inside him would still be moved.
This simple meal and their selfless invitation—those were enough to stir something deep within him.
Finishing his bowl in a few quick sips, he stood up and quietly left the house.
O-Tama's parents didn't say anything, only worrying whether they had properly looked after their guest.
Not long after…
Orin came back.
Boom—!
"Th-this is?!"
Before them lay a fish larger than their house, and piles of food they had never even seen before.
"My name's Orin. Consider this a little return gift for that meal."
He lifted little O-Tama high into the air, the baby bursting into happy laughter.
Before the couple could refuse, Orin interrupted them with a wave.
"That's enough—just take it. No one in these seas dares to refuse my goodwill."
They wanted to decline, but their stomachs betrayed them with a loud growl—
Gurgle...
Faces flushing red, the kind couple couldn't bring themselves to say anything more. They simply knelt down, repeatedly expressing their gratitude.
Orin sighed helplessly.
People from Wano—always so quick to kneel. It was their custom.
"Orin-sama, we'll never forget your kindness. We truly... can't thank you enough!"
"For me, this is nothing but a trifle. There's no need for all that," Orin said, waving his hand.
With a casual flick of his finger, he lifted them gently from the ground.
Holding little O-Tama in his arms, Orin joined them for a hearty meal.
For a while, he stayed in that place, living a quiet and simple life.
During this time, he learned that O-Tama's parents were loyal supporters of the Kozuki faction.
They firmly believed that the current days of hardship would someday end—that the Kozuki Clan would return to Wano and bring liberation and salvation.
Orin made no comment on that belief.
After leaving behind plenty of food for them, he rode away on the back of the Seagull King.
When O-Tama's parents discovered all the food—and realized Orin was gone—they understood.
He had already left.
They didn't feel deep sorrow. But every night, when they held little O-Tama in their arms and told bedtime stories, they would sometimes mention one in particular—
"Long ago, there was a man named Orin-sama. He was the most handsome man in all of Wano, who always had endless food to share, and once... he came to visit us..."
...
Orin left Wano.
This time, without wasting time, he headed straight for the island where Vegapunk resided.
"Dr. Vegapunk, I didn't bring the user of the Ripe-Ripe Fruit, but I did bring materials that can be used to create Green Blood."
The sudden voice in the lab startled Vegapunk so much that he almost dropped the test tube in his hand. Fortunately, it didn't explode.
Turning around, he saw Orin standing there.
"Good grief—you scared me half to death!!!"
"Sorry~"
Orin chuckled casually, unfazed by Vegapunk's glare. He sat down at the lab bench, crossed his legs, lit a cigarette, and placed several test tubes on the table.
"The experimental materials you wanted—they're all ready."
Hearing that, the scientist's irritation vanished instantly.
Vegapunk's eyes lit up as he picked up the samples, inspecting them one by one before looking back at Orin.
Orin began explaining:
"This one's the appearance material for the test subject. This one's a sample of powerful Haki potential. This one's the foundation for multiple Devil Fruit compatibility..."
"And this last one is from the Ripe-Ripe Fruit user. I didn't bother bringing the guy back—feel free to make another Seraph if you want."
Vegapunk nodded. That wouldn't be a problem.
"If that's the case, then I should be ready to begin preparations soon."
Such a massive, complex project would be a huge challenge even for him—more difficult than creating the Shichibukai Seraphim.
"Don't worry. I'm not in a hurry—and there's no limit to the funds you can use."
Lighting another cigarette, Orin leaned back and watched Vegapunk get to work.
Between tasks, the scientist occasionally scribbled notes and chatted idly.
"By the way, about that time machine—the funding was so generous that I've already rebuilt it with the best materials. Still interested in using it?"
"Oh?"
Orin raised an eyebrow.
He had been planning a little vacation in the red-light district, but his mood for that suddenly dimmed.
The past he found interesting… besides Rocks' era, there was only one other—Imu's era.
With so much time before the main story…
How about—
A trip eight hundred years into the past?