In the year 1486 of the Sea Calendar, Oro reached his second coming of age.
The scent of pine resin filled the cabin. Oro retrieved a rough-hewn but sturdy wooden box from a cabinet, placed it before Gerd and Linlin, put the Soul-Soul Fruit inside, and locked it.
"I'm uncertain about this fruit. Its power is immensely dangerous, especially for you, Linlin. So, for now, I'll seal it away."
"Me? Why?" Linlin's small eyes widened with great confusion.
"Linlin, you possess a formidable natural physique. With proper training, you can become incredibly powerful without needing a demon's power. If you eat the fruit, you can never touch seawater again. Don't you want to go fishing in the sea anymore?"
"No! Gerd's grilled fish is the best! We can't give up the sea!"
"Exactly."
Oro nodded with a smile. Then, he placed another fruit—an orange one covered in large, sharp swirls—in front of Galz.
"Huh? Oro-nii?" Galz looked at him, surprised. Though she didn't know the fruit's exact origin, she understood something this valuable must have been hard-won.
Oro gazed intently into Gerd's eyes. "Will you sail with me? I'll need you in the near future."
Linlin watched, amazed, as Gerd's face flushed a deep red. She wished lobster cooked that fast...
"Okay..." Gerd whispered, lowering her head shyly, unable to meet his gaze any longer. She picked up the Devil Fruit and took a small bite, just as Oro had instructed.
(T/N: she is a giant so im not sure how she took a small bite of the fruit )
It was vile—a revolting assault on the senses. Yet, for some reason, Galz detected a strange sweetness beneath the bitterness.
'Good. Gerd is an excellent cook and has an interest in medicine. We won't lack for a chef or a doctor on the ship.' Oro thought, his tone calm. It was settled; Gerd was officially part of the crew.
But Linlin was feeling left out. She looked back and forth between them. "Hey, Oro! What about me? I want to come too!"
"What's there to say? Of course you're coming!" Oro patted Linlin's arm—the same arm that could strangle a giant bear. "Gerd will be our doctor and cook. I'll be the captain and navigator. And we'll be counting on you, Linlin, to protect us!"
"Hmph~!" Linlin raised her head happily and thumped her chest with a mighty thump. "Don't worry! With me here, no one will ever bully you!"
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The following days settled into a routine.
Elders Jarul and Jorul agreed to have a ship built for them, using the stolen money recovered from Carmel's belongings. Their condition was firm: the ship would be constructed, but they must wait a few more years before setting sail. Furthermore, their strength and knowledge would require the elders' approval before departure.
Oro readily agreed.
In the summer of Sea Calendar 1486—the year Sakazuki, Borsalino, and Monkey D. Dragon were born—Oro came of age. If one counted his previous life, this was his second time reaching adulthood.
Now standing over six meters tall, Oro carried the animal-skin satchel left by old Tarrol and ventured into the underground caverns of Elbaf.
In a dry cave, a dwarf blacksmith wearing bronze goggles was hammering an iron billet. Seeing Oro enter, he set his hammer down.
"Hey!Old Tarrol's adopted son! I got my hands on that Seastone fragment!"
The blacksmith retrieved a black cloth pouch from a large wooden chest. Inside, the fragment of blue-black Seastone gleamed with a dull luster.
Oro cautiously reached out. The moment his fingertips brushed the shard, a wave of profound weakness washed through his entire arm—the Seastone's suppression of Devil Fruit users was even stronger than he'd imagined.
"Could you help me test something?" Oro formed a thin, hollow golden sphere with a small opening at the top. "Put it inside, please."
After the blacksmith placed the Seastone into the sphere, Oro attempted to manipulate the gold directly in contact with it. There was no response. He tried encasing that gold in a new layer; still nothing.
The blacksmith scanned it with a strange instrument and shook his head. "The sphere's shape hasn't altered. I suggest a different approach. Perhaps a gold bullet with a Seastone core, or something similar."
Oro nodded thoughtfully. It seemed the original story's scarcity of Seastone ammunition wasn't arbitrary. Logically, if Seastone could be inlaid into marine ship hulls, it should be malleable into other forms. Perhaps it possessed properties unknown to outsiders.
No matter. All I need is to encase the Seastone in gold and have someone else polish it smooth. It wasn't meant for lethal force, merely a tool to counter other Devil Fruit users at a critical moment.
When Oro returned from the underworld to the Sunlit Layer, he saw Linlin practicing with a giant axe under Elder Jorul's watchful eye.
Over the past seven years, Linlin had grown considerably taller, nearing six meters, though her weight hadn't increased disproportionately. Her features were maturing, hinting at the formidable beauty she would become. Her arms were wrapped in bandages, sweat streamed down her face, but she didn't pause.
Though the giant axe was still ponderous in her grip, each swing was far more controlled than before.
"Grandpa Jarul! Teach me the basics of 'Country Destroyer' one more time!" Linlin panted, hefting the axe onto her shoulder. "Oro is training his powerful Haki, and Gerd's Devil Fruit abilities keep growing! I can't fall behind!"
Seeing her earnest determination, a kindly smile broke through Jarul's usually stern expression. "'Country Destroyer' isn't about brute force, but the skill of imbuing your weapon with Armament Haki. You must focus. When you swing, concentrate your Haki at the axe's edge—like cracking a nut with your fingers."
(T/N: I dont know whether Country Destroyer the original author is referring to hakoku or a new named attack so I didnt change it while editing )
Linlin nodded, took a deep breath, and the well-defined muscles in her arms tensed. A faint, dark gleam shimmered along the axe blade.
The next instant, with a powerful pull of muscle, she unleashed a mighty swing!
The axe's arc swept across the ground, carving a long, deep furrow. It was still far from a true "Country Destroyer," but the foundation was there.
Oro waved to Gerd, who had just approached, and they walked over together. Gerd handed Linlin a towel. "Linlin, you're amazing!"
Linlin took the towel, wiped her sweat, and laughed heartily. "Once I master 'Country Destroyer,' if anyone bullies you, I'll send them flying with one swing!"
As the sun set, the three sat together on their rooftop. Gerd shared the cookies she had baked herself—rich with the scent of butter and milk—with Oro and Linlin. Though her Cook-Cook Fruit allowed her to conjure decent-tasting food instantly, she still preferred to cook for them herself whenever possible.
Linlin excitedly recounted the axe techniques she'd learned, talking about sparring with Hajruden next time. Gerd suggested she try Hajruden father instead, as Hajruden couldn't withstand a single one of Linlin's punches anymore.
Oro listened quietly to their chatter. As the sun dipped below the horizon, he lifted the wooden box containing the Seastone fragment and said softly, "Soon. Just a little while longer, and we... can set sail."
The evening breeze, carrying whispers from the distant sea, swept across Elbaf. In the twilight, the cookies in Gerd's hands gleamed warmly. Linlin's laughter echoed under the darkening sky, and a resolute light shone in Oro's eyes.
How could such a vast and wonderful world remain unexplored?
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