Aka Daka
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One Way Home, Chapter 5.
🕑 Added 2023-12-17 03:37:24 +0000 UTCChapter 5: Observation.
—OoOoO—
"Have you confirmed Aisa's report?" asked a man.
The man had a muscular and large build with a red mohawk hairdo. All over his shoulder and left face were covered in tribal tattoos, giving him a scary impression. Even though the pair of tiny white wings on his back looked cute, it didn't reduce the intimidating aura he gave off.
“We did. As Aisa said, there were two fights in the Upper Yard," replied another man.
"And then?"
A man wearing sunglasses similar to the first man, but with a thinner and shorter build stood up to give his report.
“There are two different points of contention. The first is in the Ordeal of Balls area managed by Satori. It seems Satori lost the battle considering we found his incapacitated body. We’ve taken care of his body and thrown it into the blue ocean. Meanwhile the second…."
The man with sunglasses hung up his words. There was a lack of confidence behind the report he was about to convey. However, he had no choice but to give it as it was.
"We also found a body in the second location. It was near the sacrificial altar. Even though his identity can't be recognised because it was charred after being struck by Enel's lightning. We are sure it's Shura's corpse."
The mohawked man who had the impression of being the group leader narrowed his eyes at the explanation he had just received.
“Are you sure about that, Kamakiri?” he asked another mohawked man with sunglasses.
"I'm sure, Wyper. It also fits Aisa's observation that Satori and Shura were fighting a group from the Blue Sea. The corpse was difficult to recognise, but the clothes were very similar to Shura's. Apart from that, we also saw the carcasses of his mount and weapon not far from where his body was."
Before the man named Wyper decided, a big, fat man beside Kamakiri also voiced his opinion.
“If you look at the symbols on their ship, it seems like those who killed them were from the same group that killed our comrade yesterday. Currently they seem to be in conflict with Enel and collaborating with Gan Fall.”
Wyper finally stood up from his seat, indicating that he had made his decision.
“What happened yesterday can’t be denied. We tried to plunder them, no wonder they killed our brother. It's an unfortunate sacrifice, but we’ve to focus on our main goal. However, if it turns out that these Blue Sea people also took our homeland, there’s no other way but to destroy them.”
Wyper paused his words. He picked up the lighter lying on the ground and lit his cigarette.
“But for now, we’ve to take advantage of the void left by Satori and Shura. Enel's army would be very crippled without those two. Therefore, this opportunity shouldn’t be missed. Right now, we’ll cut off that bastard's head.”
—OoOoO—
On the other side in the Upper Yard, on the highest ground where the God who ruled Skypiea was located. The God, Enel, sat cross-legged on his throne with slightly complicated feelings.
Enel was a man with a very tall stature, more than two meters and a half, with a sturdy but slightly thin body. His slender face was always decorated with an arrogant smile and self-confidence that never faded. The platinum-coloured perm hair was hidden behind a white skullcap. Attached to each shoulder blade was a large ring with four shime-daiko drums, with three magatama motifs attached to the sides and top of his head.
Enel wore simple clothes but looked luxurious and suited his image as a God. He wore four sets of gold bracelets on each wrist and ankle. Enel was so proud of his body that he wore no tops. However, he still wore trousers with batik cloth and an indigo-coloured scarf tied around his waist.
“I'm disappointed,” Enel said coldly, “Satori and Shura were defeated on the same day. Moreover, Shura actually lost badly to a girl. That was so embarrassing. That was why I took his own life."
On either side of Enel, girls were fanning him, and some were serving him fresh fruit. Meanwhile, his two remaining prominent commanders sat on the floor before him.
“Satori and Shura weren't that strong to begin with. Their Mantra didn't have a wide range so they could be defeated with a few tricks," said a hairless man.
Enel listened to the defence expressed by his subordinate. But in the next second, he returned to the carefree expression that had always been his trademark.
"Did you know that they are after gold on this island?"
"Gold? How did they know about that?” This time, it was the man with curly hair's turn to ask.
“Upper Yard originated in the Blue Sea hundreds of years ago. So, it's not surprising that there are Blue Sea residents who know this story. And today, they will start taking action. Likewise with the Shandians. They must have heard about Satori and Shura's deaths.”
Enel corrected his sitting position and supported his chin using his left hand.
“Thus, the entire Upper Yard will be opened to all of you. Whether it's the Shandians or the Blue Sea people, I don't care. Maxim, it will be finished today. Therefore, this will be our last game before leaving for the Dream world. Hunt them down and make their heads an offering for our departure.”
—OoOoO—
Even after they were separated for several minutes, the treasure hunter team Luffy led had no sign of coming together, and their smell couldn’t even be smelled at the starting point.
"I think if we come back here, we'll meet the others," said Robin.
The woman then looked up at a girl standing on a branch of the tallest tree around them. And she saw the silhouette getting bigger and bigger as the distance between them closed. The silhouette finally landed without any problems, right beside Robin.
“I didn't see them at all. The trees are too big and dense," said Maki.
“Then, there's no other choice but to go to the destination location, I guess. If we are lucky, we’ll meet them on our way.”
Robin walked first, leading the expedition with Maki following behind.
"I'm not sure about Zoro and Chopper, but it seems like the chance of running into Luffy is more likely to happen."
Robin looked sideways at Maki, who was walking next to her.
“Usually, people would rule out Captain and Mr. Swordsman in this situation.”
"Well, Luffy does look like an idiot who’s not much different from Zoro, but his intuition towards direction is much better. Meanwhile, Chopper looks too young for this. I'm sure he knows where he's going, but his timid nature might slow him down.”
It was a reasonable thought, and Robin understood it. Even though it should be easier for Chopper to find his way to the location, he didn’t have as strong a mentality as Luffy and Zoro. That would make him more careful in exploring this giant forest.
“By the way, what kind of place is your world?” Robin asked.
"What do you mean?"
Robin was silent momentarily, thinking about words to narrow down her question.
“Civilisation. How is it different from this world?”
Robin was an archaeologist. However, what interested her most wasn’t just history but more about how civilisation and human behaviour existed in the past. Meanwhile, beside her walked a human from another world. Thinking that there was a civilisation beyond humanity's reach, Robin's mind was piqued by curiosity.
“Compared to this world? I don't know, I'm not too sure. Anyway, it's only been one day and I've only just visited Skypiea. However, I think this world is much crazier, both in geography and human physiology.”
“So, you want to say that your world is a relatively safe and comfortable place to live in?” Robin asked, and Maki shook her head in return.
“Correct me if I'm wrong, but I thought my world had a much more advanced civilisation. I say that because I see your ship technology is 500 or even 600 years behind my world. That thing called the dial, that the Skypieans use, that they also can't explain scientifically. Which means, science isn’t given much attention in this world.”
Maki paused her words for a moment before she added.
“I might be wrong because I haven't seen this world thoroughly, but that's the first impression I got.”
“Engineering science here develops using the trial-and-error method. So, I kind of understand what you mean," replied Robin, adjusting her hat, "But science isn’t completely abandoned. More precisely, it is monopolised by the World Government with Vegapunk at its centre.”
Robin adjusted her hat again. The strong wind often made the position of the hat awkward.
“But well, your opinion based on the ship isn’t completely wrong. The Going Merry may be a small ship, but the basic blueprints of all the ships in this world shouldn't be too different. And to think that the technology in your world is 600 years more advanced, I find it hard to imagine.”
Maki didn't know how to reply. Thus, she just gave a nod.
“So, is your world a comfortable place to live in?” Robin asked again.
“Comfort is relative. Several regions in my world experienced prolonged war. Even if there’s no war, there are many things to do. So, I can't say it clearly.”
Robin pinched her chin and put on a serious expression.
“The point is, technological progress doesn't guarantee peace, huh? If civilisations with advanced technology went to war against each other, it would probably be the end for humanity. Or more precisely, civilisation will start from the beginning where humanity has become extinct.”
“You really like saying dark things, huh?” Maki commented.
They exchanged small talk throughout their journey to the South to hunt for gold. The majority shared information about their respective worlds. Maki didn't mind that. However, she still needed a lot of information about this world. However, she wasn’t a naive girl either. Maki only provided basic information, without touching on topics such as the military strength of countries on earth, let alone talking about jujutsu sorcery.
Maki didn't fully trust Robin. In her mind, she focused on finding her way home. If there was a method that got her thrown into this world, there must be a gate that could take her back to her world. However, she still had to be careful with anyone she met in this world, even if it was Robin.
"The forest is starting to lose its tranquillity," said Robin softly.
Maki looked around after hearing that statement. Even though the forest was much larger and denser than all the forests she had ever explored, she knew the meaning of those words. When she faced west, the bespectacled girl saw something.
“About 200 metres from here, I think it's an entrance to the ruins?”
Robin narrowed her eyes. She automatically placed her right hand over her eyes to get better focus.
"Really? You can see that far?”
“Yeah, I can see it clearly,” Maki paused momentarily, “It's as clear as how stupid Zoro looks for direction.”
Robin choked at the joke. However, putting that aside, she was stunned to find that Maki had no problem seeing objects at a long distance. Moreover, when they arrived at the ruins, the building was almost completely covered in moss and vegetation.
“This really is the entrance to the ruins. I'm surprised you can see it even though the building is hard to spot from afar.”
Maki was about to answer. However, her ears caught a movement heading towards them. She glanced at Robin, who didn't seem to notice. When she looked up, looking far into the top front, a silhouette was heading towards them.
Robin noticed that Maki's behaviour had suddenly changed. She followed the girl's gaze. And just as she saw it, a human figure dove right onto the ruins before them.
“Women! This path leads to God's—.”
Before the man finished her sentence, Robin just cut him off.
“Get down from there, right now! Don't you have any idea how valuable those historical ruins are?”
Meanwhile, Maki was quite amazed by the physical characteristics of the man who had just appeared.
'After humans with wings, now humans appear with goat-like horns and ears? What's next?'
The man, who was said to have an appearance similar to a goat, was wearing all-white clothes like a priest's robe. However, Maki immediately thought he was one of the conspirators who trapped them on this island. As such, she immediately drew her sword to finish him off. But Robin stretched her right hand to the side, indicating that she didn't need to do so.
"I'll take care of it," said Robin.
Crossing her arms in front of her, the woman immediately chanted the technique.
“Seis Fleur.”
Six hands suddenly appeared at each of her opponent's joints.
"Twist."
At the same time, there was a loud "crack" sound, where every joint in the man's body, especially his back and neck, was bent violently.
Maki's eyes widened at the spectacle. She thought Robin's power was just to form a giant hand like the one she used for an emergency bridge. However, seeing she could grow several average-sized hands right on her target's body, Maki was quite amazed by her ability's potential.
"Wow, that was crazy," commented the girl.
“Nah, it was nothing. It just so happened that the opponent we encountered was just a weakling."
Robin looked right and left. It wasn't that she was worried about the subsequent arrival of the enemy, but she wanted to confirm the other ruins. She walked towards an almost destroyed pillar and examined all the carvings carved on the stone pillar without missing a beat.
"Did you find anything?" asked Maki, following her from behind.
“Sort of. These are hieroglyphs.”
“Hieroglyphs?” Maki repeated.
As far as the girl knew, hieroglyphs were writing that was often found in ancient tombs in Egypt. However, Maki didn't know much other than that.
“Hieroglyphs are derivatives of poneglyphs. Literarily, it’s not too different from literature written on poneglyphs. However, hieroglyphs had a much simpler method of writing.”
Hearing Robin's explanation, Maki squatted down and put her head closer to the almost destroyed pillar. Her eyebrows were furrowed, her eyes narrowed, and her lips were pursed. In fact, Maki would occasionally adjust the position of her glasses. Those characteristics strongly indicate that the girl used her brain at full power.
“Are you sure this is simple? You know, in my world there’s also something like this. But at least the pictures are easier to understand. However, this one is even more abstract than the one in my world.”
“The Poneglyphs themselves are very difficult to decipher. Meanwhile, hieroglyphs are actually also a script that was born in more or less the same era, but it was created specifically for general learning so that the writing was made much simpler."
"You mean, only people who were educated or came from noble lines could write the letters used in poneglyphs, while hieroglyphs were more like letters for the commoners?"
“That's how it is. But that's just a hypothesis. It could be that poneglyphs were written only for more sacred situations, while hieroglyphs were for everyday life."
While answering Maki's question, Robin took a map from her bag. However, she still had to complete the answer.
“Basically, what’s written on poneglyphs is of a very high level of literature, it’s like a series of beautiful words, full of dreams and rhetoric, and could ignite the spirit. Because of that, my seniors think that poneglyphs at least have a higher status.”
Maki frowned. Not because of Robin's detailed explanation of her hypothesis about poneglyphs, but the fact that Robin also had seniors in that field.
'If there are other archaeologists who are able to read this, why not a large group recruit them and get One Piece?'
Maki snorted softly. She put aside the question that suddenly appeared. The information she had was too little. Thinking about something she didn't know the background would be a waste of time.
“So, what does it say?” asked the bespectacled girl.
"Not many. Most of it only contains about the construction of the pillar," said Robin while her eyes focused on examining the map, "If anything, it says that this pillar was built in 402. In other words, the city called Shandora was at least prospered more than 1100 years ago.”
“So, the point is….”
Robin swallowed her saliva and nodded slowly.
“This ancient city was very famous. And judging from its age, this city had survived through the Void Century before finally being blown to Skypiea 400 years ago.”
After finding the debris, the two women continued to explore the area around the ruins. By relying on Maki's sharp sense of sight, they had no difficulty finding traces of these historical relics. However, the thinner the trees that blocked them, the more Robin felt the strangeness.
"This is strange," Robin muttered.
Maki, who heard it, suddenly looked at the woman. However, she didn't make any comments and waited until Robin explained herself.
“Shandora came from the Blue Sea and was then thrown and caught in the clouds. Supposedly, no matter what the premise, the soil should be made of earth. And yet, as far as the eye stretches, that’s only clouds.”
Maki began to understand what the black-haired woman meant. She looked down, rubbing her feet to the cloud they stood on.
“You mean, the real ruins are hidden under these clouds?”
"Most likely so," replied Robin, taking a dagger from her bag.
Seeing that, Maki didn't stand still. She drew her stolen sword and was about to help Robin erode the clouds.
"Let me help."
Robin nodded and replied, “Please be careful. Don't use too much force. If possible, I don't want to damage the ruins underneath.”
—-OoOoO—
Maki and Robin work together to dig up the clouds. It didn’t take long because they could work in sync. And as Robin predicted, there was still hidden space under the cloud layer. However, they had not reached the bottom even though they had dug.
“If we continue working at this tempo, it will take longer,” Robin said.
The woman looked here and there to find a solution. And an idea emerged when she saw an entrance to a building.
“We’ll go down through the building. Inside it should have stairs. If we follow them, we can get down more quickly.”
"In your lead," replied Maki.
Per Robin's proposal, they entered something that looked like a door or maybe a window. They walked along the corridor. And they didn't have to wait long, they found stairs that led down. However, as soon as she looked down, Maki immediately tsked when she saw that several of the stairs were destroyed. But that wasn't what annoyed her, the distance down below was farther than she had expected.
"Even though we aren’t at the peak, but where we are right now should be more than 200 metres from the surface," Robin muttered.
“I know. From now on, I’ll be more grateful to whoever created the elevator in my world."
Even with her superhuman strength, Maki was still part of modern society. She never minded walking, no matter how far it was. However, she preferred using the elevator rather than the stairs when going up and down a building.
"Excuse me," said Maki.
Without asking Robin for approval, the girl immediately carried her bridal style. Robin struggled, but Maki's arms were much stronger than she imagined. And without warning, the bespectacled girl immediately jumped from where they were to the bottom of the ruins.
The gravitational force pulled them very quickly, cutting what should have been five to six minutes to less than five seconds. When Maki landed on the surface, a crater and crack were created on the stone floor, accompanied by a thud.
“You’re destroying a historic site.”
Robin protested as Maki lowered her from the bridal carrier.
“A little damage doesn't hurt, right?”
Robin sighed and walked ahead. As an archaeologist, it quite disturbed her when she saw a ruin that was damaged due to human carelessness. However, she would let that slide and assume it was a small mistake from the newbie Maki.
There was only one corridor that guided their journey, and the two girls continued walking without the slightest hesitation. Maki might be something, but even fatigue didn't stop Robin. As they began to see the light shining through the halls and the fresh air circulating, they began to get excited about what was in store for them. Especially for Robin, her heart continued to beat fast.
Maki and Robin couldn't close their mouths right after they reached the mouth of the building and saw the entire ruin presented before them. Robin sat on the floor, resting her overstimulated body and heart. However, she couldn't hide the smile that continued to appear on her face.
“The city of Shandora. Even after all this time, the city remains firmly intact. It was truly incredible… and imposing.”
Maki was surprised by Robin's reaction. Even though it hadn't been long since they met, she had never seen Robin show such a sincere and wide smile. It was as if the woman had returned to her kid's soul and had just found a fairy tale book she had been looking forward to.
The saying that a happy smile could spread to other people was true. Without realising it, Maki showed a smile, not too wide, but it could clearly be seen that satisfaction was written on her face.
Following Robin, who sat on the ground, Maki sat beside her with her legs crossed.
“So, this is the famous Golden City. The Shandora.”
The two sat silently, feasting their eyes on the historical view. However, after two minutes, Maki suddenly remembered their original purpose in looking for this city.
“But, where is the gold?”
Maki's innocent question made Robin wake up from her euphoria.
"Well, maybe Golden City is a nickname that symbolises the glory and wealth of this city in the past, not a literal city of gold."
Robin stood up from her seat.
“Let's go. Now it's time to find out if there is a poneglyph in this city," said
—OoOoO—
As Robin suspected, the ancient city actually contained a poneglyph. It took a little while for Maki and Robin to find the object they sought. As soon as they entered the square area, they immediately saw the inscription. The location was quite prominent. Due to its large size, the object was placed and planted on a wall.
“So, this is a poneglyph?” Maki muttered while touching the surface of the inscription.
“Yeah. As you can see, they use ideogram-style script. Each stroke has a different meaning. And it’s estimated has about 90,000 characters.”
Maki was surprised to hear the amount she just heard. That fact meant the ancient language used in the past was even more difficult than Japanese kanji, which generally only had 2,000 characters. It would probably be on par with Mandarin if it had to be compared. If Maki wanted to decipher a poneglyph herself, she would probably need at least ten years to learn their language and script.
"It's impressive," Maki replied briefly, "Is that also one of the reasons why you’re the only archaeologist who dares to sail and look for the whereabouts of the poneglyphs?"
Robin was a little distracted by the question.
"You..., where did you think that I was the only archaeologist who went to the ocean?"
“Isn't that obvious?” Maki replied casually, "You said Roger was the only one who managed to reach Raftel, where One Piece is supposed to be. You also said that no one has been able to do it since Roger. If the Poneglyphs are a guide to reaching that place, wouldn't it be natural for me to assume that people don't have the knowledge you have, and that's why they can't achieve what Roger did.”
Maki looked at Robin, who was still silent, with her eyes demanding that she finish her words.
“Well, moreover, the fact that this is knowledge that the World Government is against, I guess it's reasonable to think the other archaeologists refused to leave for their own safety?”
"You're wrong," Robin argued quickly.
Maki was quite surprised by that reaction, so much so that her mouth immediately fell silent. Even though it didn't last for a second, she could see the changes shown by Robin. And at that moment, Maki realised that her insensitivity was causing problems again.
“No, I mean…, sorry.”
Maki scratched her nape, which didn't itch. It was awkward because she said something without thinking it through first. In fact, it wasn't the first time her mouth had turned slightly crooked when talking to someone else without her realising it. Something similar happened when she spontaneously said that Megumi's face looked very gloomy as if his friend had just died.
You could say that was one of her bad qualities. Maki even deserved to be called someone who tended to act first before thinking, even though she wasn’t as bad as Nobara, Yuuji, or even Hakari. At least, among her classmates, she was the most impulsive person.
“… No, it's fine. It's not like you have bad intentions.”
Robin looked at the cube stone sadly and rubbed it carefully.
"There’re no other archaeologists looking for poneglyphs besides me, not because they are afraid, but I’m the only one left among them."
A soft sigh escaped Robin's mouth.
“And quite the opposite, we were very brave people and went out to challenge the world.”
Maki understood where the story was going.
“You don't need to tell me, you know?” said the girl softly.
Robin shook her head slowly and replied, "I come from an area where knowledge is collected and archived in one place. We research about the world. We learn about history. However, there is always a group that didn’t like these positive activities. And unfortunately, this group happens to be the World Governent.”
Robin took a deep breath and let it out.
“It happened very quickly. A day that I thought would just go on as usual turned into hell and a nightmare in an instant. All life in Ohara, their existence was erased from the geography. And thanks to the sacrifices of my teachers, my seniors, and my parents, I became the only survivor of the massacre.”
"Hey, seriously, you don't need to tell me if you don’t want to," said Maki.
However, Robin only responded to the girl with the smile she usually showed. Maki couldn't explain what the woman was trying to hide behind her sweet smile. It was too complicated to put into words.
“It's okay. Honestly, I also want to share this story with you.”
"Why?" Maki asked.
Robin didn't immediately give an answer. She still maintained her smile while looking into the eyes of the bespectacled girl. Or, more precisely, Robin stared at her reflection in the glasses.
“This is selfish of me, but I see myself in you.”
"What do you mean?"
“You are alone in this world. You don't have anyone you can trust completely in this world. Without your consent, you are trapped in this place. You are full of caution and can't just trust other people, you see everything only for your benefit so you can go home. And above all, you consider everything in this world to be your potential enemy.”
Maki narrowed her eyes at those words. However, she remained silent and let the woman finish her words.
“Just like you, since the genocide they committed, I’ve been alone in this world. There's no one I can trust but myself. My life is filled with suspicion and wariness. I judge people based on their usefulness for my purposes. And on top of that, I hate this world to the point that I want to use my knowledge for revenge.”
Maki could clearly see the fire of hatred burning in her eyes. But with a flicker of her eyelids, what she saw suddenly changed to a much calmer figure of Robin.
“However, you and I are different. We’ve values that distinguish us as individuals. That's why, I'm curious, if it were you, what path would you take?”
The ponytail girl widened her eyes without being able to respond with words. Her tongue was numb and felt like a lump in her throat.
Maki removed the sword and its scabbard from the belt that kept it tied around her waist. She threw her buttocks to the ground and sat with her back against the stele. With her eyes far away into the horizon, Maki's brain began to wander through all her memories so far.
“You know, I come from a large clan with strong influence in my country. Putting it in perspective, it might not be an exaggeration to say that my clan has the same values as the people you call Tenryuubito.”
“So, you're a noble, huh?” Robin asked.
“That's how it is. But it's not as beautiful as it sounds. My clan is a sorcerer clan and the people in it also worship the power of sorcery more than anything else. And I, was born different from them. It really sucks when they think of me as a failure.”
Robin was shocked by the story she had just heard.
“They think of you as a failure? Even though you are this strong?”
Maki was confused about how to answer. Her current superhuman body was only after she came to this world. She didn't even know how all her curse energy disappeared. She didn't know that right when she was thrown into this world, she had left behind all her curses and ties in her original world. Thus, that ignorance made her unable to provide a rational explanation.
Because of that, Maki just chose to say it as it was.
“I wasn't this strong before and I can’t use jujutsu sorcery. Nearly two years ago, I left my clan and joined a faction that was hostile to them. It’s a special school, but the boards hold same value as my clan. However, my teacher is the strongest in the world so everything is fine. As such, There I can learned how to become a sorcerer even though I couldn't use jujutsu sorcery.”
“You've been through a lot too, huh?”
Maki smiled faintly and closed her eyes.
“But that is nothing compared to you.”
"Well, it's not like we're pitting our fate against each other," Robin replied.
There was silence for several minutes. They were lost in their thoughts, contemplating whatever they had been through. However, there was one thing that Maki couldn't shake after she listened to Robin's story.
“Hey, you said you wanted to take revenge. How about now? Do you still have that resolution?” Maki asked.
"No."
Maki was quite surprised by the short reply.
"No? Don't you hate them?”
Robin nodded in reply, accompanied by a light smile.
“I do hate them. I’ll never even forgive them. However, hate and revenge are two different things. My past self desired for revenge because that was the only reason to spur me on to live. But when you live long enough, learn many things, and reflect back on the hopes my teachers and parents left behind, I slowly realise that revenge isn’t what I want.”
If there was an award for the most unfortunate person in the world, Robin might win it. She had been through betrayal, deception, manipulation, murder, sabotage, and various other things. She had gone through many turns, intersections, and U-turns just to reach this point. With broken wings and no longer able to fly, perhaps that was what was suitable to describe the figure of Robin right now.
Robin didn't see the world with the same eyes as when she was a dreamer in her childhood. However, when she met Maki for the first time, she saw her own reflection. Even though they were different and their problems weren't the same, she couldn't stand it because the girl had the same resemblance to her.
Even though it looked like an indestructible pillar, more than anyone else, Robin knew that the girl was slowly breaking down from the inside. Robin didn't know what, but only one thing held back her sanity. However, if that disappeared and the world also took that away from Maki, she knew the girl would be destroyed at that moment.
It wasn't like Robin was trying to be wise or anything. However, she truly understood how tiring the effort she had put in was and how many sacrifices she had to make just so she could be at peace with herself. Thus, not wanting the girl to experience more suffering just to reach a conclusion, Robin didn't mind if she had to share a bit of her wisdom. After all, only a broken bird could teach the young bird how to fly again.
“As I said, I used to cultivate my desire for revenge so that I could still have meaning in life. I knew that my knowledge was the key to their downfall. However, at one time I tried to reflect back and return to the starting point where I started everything, I saw a very large deviation between myself at that time and what my teachers taught me, what my parents entrusted to me, and more importantly, I started to forget what I really wanted.”
Feeling tired of standing and seeing Maki's comfortable position sitting and leaning against the poneglyph, Robin decided to sit with her legs sideways to the back. After getting into a comfortable position, she continued her speech.
“When I started to realise that, I felt empty. It was hard for me to accept that fact. However, at the same time, my chest felt lighter. I started to relearn everything from square one. Writing all the things I remember from my teachers as I continue my journey. The moment I found my first poneglyph on my own, my stomach felt like it was filled with thousands of butterflies. And at that very moment, I began to remember that what I really wanted was to see the history of the Void Century which was said to be more amazing than all the stories and fairy tales in this world."
Robin closed her story, marked by opening a new page in her notebook and preparing to record the contents of the poneglyph. However, before she did so, she stared fixedly at Maki.
"How about you? You said you left your clan, right? Do you have a specific goal you want to achieve?”
“Goal, huh?” Maki replied softly, "Well, you know, in my world there are several anomalies that are categorised as special grade sorcerers. However, for the highest level that all sorcerers can reach, we’ve first-grade sorcerer.”
Maki paused for a moment before continuing.
“Because of harassment. For someone like me who is always looked down on for not being able to use jujutsu sorcery, I wonder what kind of faces they will make when I return and become a first-grade sorcerer.”
Robin, who had written several sentences engraved on the poneglyph, stopped her work when she heard Maki's resolution. However, Robin just looked at her with a dull look.
“Doesn't that just sound like you're expecting recognition from your clan?” Robin gave an honest opinion.
"What?"
Maki was quite surprised by that reaction. That was very different from the responses that Nobara, Yuta, or other people who had heard the story had given.
"Curious about their reaction after you succeeded in becoming a first-grade, isn't that the same as you wanting recognition from the people who have looked down on you?"
Maki was pensive when she heard this narrative. She couldn't find the suitable logic to counter it. No one had ever stated their opinion about her life path more clearly than Robin.
“I respect it if that is your goal. However, I can't say that it's a good resolution," Robin said as she continued her work, "You said that you were born different, right? Then, why do you have to seek recognition from those sorcerers and even follow their standards to judge yourself?”
Feeling unfinished with her words, Robin continued again.
“I don't know anything about your world and maybe what I say sounds rude. However, if you limit yourself to their standards, I think it's the same as lowering yourself.”
In closing, Robin said something that would impact Maki that she couldn't have imagined.
“Why do you have to follow their standards? In the end, I think you have to open your eyes wide and see the reality, that you aren’t the same as them. I'm not saying you should forget your grudge. However, I just want to suggest that you free yourself from them and focus on doing what you really want to do.”
Robin was a little worried that Maki would be offended by her words and make her hostile. Or, in the worst case, Maki would beat her up. However, she was relieved that the girl looked calmer than expected. Her face did show surprise as if she realised that the values she had been sticking to all this time might be wrong.
Maki's guard dropped drastically, and Robin was too busy with her work, so they didn't realise someone was close to them. The two girls only realised when they heard a strange voice from a man.
“This place can only be entered by Gods. What are you doing here?"
A fat man over three and a half metres tall came towards them. His body was almost round with a triple chin and long, curly hair. He wore a white toga with an orange scarf wrapped around his body.
“Who's that?” Robin asked as she hurriedly got up from her seat.
“It's Yama, Commander of the Divine Soldiers.”
“Divine this, divine that. God this, God that. You guys really like playing gods, huh?”
Maki stood up from her seat and put her sword back on her waist while walking towards Robin's side.
“Robin-san, step back. Let me handle this pig.”
Robin was surprised by how Maki addressed her. She had held various positions where she earned the respect of her subordinates. However, the respect Maki gave felt more sincere.
Following this suggestion, Robin stepped back to give Maki space.
“This is a very important historical site. I would really appreciate it if you kept it to minimal damage," Robin said.
Meanwhile, the man who claimed to be named Yama looked at Maki with a flat gaze. She was a woman. Moreover, with a height of only 170 centimetres, he didn’t see the girl as a threat. However, he was quite bothered by the haughty attitude she showed.
“Who… are… you?”
"Who am I?" Maki replied.
Actually, the girl couldn't stand how they portrayed themselves as God and his army or else. However, when Maki started to think about it, giving her that nickname sounded cool. With the moral lesson that Robin had just passed, Maki felt like playing around a little to refresh her mind.
“I am Maki. Demon King of the Sixth Heaven.”
Part of her wanted to curse her stupidity. She never knew acting like a chuunibyou was more embarrassing than she thought. However, whatever happened happened. The most important thing now was what was in front of her.
“Come here. I’d make you a suckling pig.”
—OoOoO—
Almost everyone probably saw Maki as a reliable figure. She was far from the strongest, but her shoulders often supported others. However, Maki was just like everyone else behind that seemingly indestructible shell.
Living in uncertainty, doubt about her identity, and her future that had no light. Maki always lived life with that mental burden. Born and raised in a sorcerer family, she only saw that these values could lead her to glory. Unfortunately, training under Gojo Satoru and with other young sorcerers her age didn't help her get rid of those dark clouds.
Why should you follow their standards?
Robin's words kept echoing in her head.
‘Why should I follow their standards?’
—OoOoO—
Yama hit the girl using all his strength. If it were anyone else, they would definitely be crushed just by being hit by that massive body. However, the girl who was his opponent, Zen'in Maki, only crossed her right arm with the palm facing outwards. The girl caught on, stopping the attack as if it was nothing.
'What's wrong with this brat?' thought the fat man.
Yama wanted to hit Maki. However, the girl pushed him away, sending him flying several meters away. Not only that, but the girl's gaze annoyed him the most. Her eyes may have been facing him, but he could see clearly that they were not looking at him. The girl seemed busy with her thoughts and thought he wasn’t worthy of her attention.
—OoOoO—
If you limit yourself to their standards, I think it's the same as lowering yourself.
Robin's words rang in her mind again. Maki couldn't get that sentence out of her brain. The harder she tried to reject Robin's opinion, the more intensively her brain processed all the values she had been following.
'Have I only been looking down on myself all this time? However, if I don't follow how the jujutsu world works, how can I become a first-grade and become the head of the clan?'
Maki was born with a talent that was utterly different from everyone else. Because of that, she could never learn anything about herself or her abilities from other people's experiences. Even though she looked mature, Maki was still a young girl in general. She still needed guidance from others. Unfortunately, she never had those privileges and no figure she could call a mentor.
Even though she often became a place for others to depend on, ironically, Maki never depended on or simply shared her burdens with others. She was never given a choice in her life. Or at least, she used to think that way.
'Instead of not having a choice, what if it was actually me who never saw other options because all this time, I only focused on what I could see?'
—OoOoO—
Yama continued to attack Maki repeatedly. He sent punches and kicks at the girl. However, none of them hit her.
'What the hell? How come none of my punches hit her? It wasn't like she was using Mantra! She just dodged my attacks using her reflexes and movement reading skills!'
Yama started to feel frustrated because of the prowess Maki was showing. Even though the girl could have counterattacked at any time, she didn't. That was what made him feel even more angry. Moreover, whatever the girl was thinking, she closed her eyes in the middle of the fight.
—OoOoO—
In the end, I think you have to open your eyes wide and see reality.
One by one, Robin's words began to flood Maki's mind. It was like an unavoidable event that forced her to think things through.
'Reality, huh?'
Actually, Maki was thrilled when she came to this world. More precisely, she was elated when she realised that her zero-cursed energy body gave her true superpowers. It made her believe that she became stronger than other first-grade sorcerers with that power. In fact, with her eyes becoming much sharper, she believed she could see cursed spirits even without glasses.
Those thoughts satisfied her because she could finally stand equal with other people.
'Come to think of it, why should I be satisfied just because of that? Am I the one who always forces myself to become a sorcerer like them, that's the same as me not being able to accept the fact that I can never become a sorcerer?'
Zero-cursed energy was a strange phenomenon that Maki had never even heard of before. She had been trying to find out about the Physically Gifted Heavenly Restriction. However, she never discovered anything about zero cursed energy. If there was anything that anchored it, it was Satoru's words that people like Maki, who had superhuman bodies and high-level martial arts skills, were scarier than other sorcerers.
‘However, at the end of the day, am I really worthy of being called a sorcerer?’
Maki exhaled, letting all the doubts about herself leave her body along with the remains of her respiration.
'No, it's not like that. Zero cursed energy. It’s zero. It’s empty. It isn’t filled at all. Sorcerers can become sorcerers because they were born as sorcerers from the start. Their bodies have been coloured and filled with curse energy. Meanwhile, I’m an emptiness. I don't have what they have, but that also means, my body isn’t tainted with a single speck of impurity.'
Maki smiled in her mind after all the black fog slowly cleared from her mind.
'I’m me, I am emptiness. With this emptiness, I can fill it with everything I want. I can be whatever I want, be it an ordinary teenage girl, a sorcerer, or even nothing at all. I’m free to colour my body as I wish.'
Her chest began to feel light, and the weight on her shoulders seemed lifted. Her thoughts became very clear, and unlimited possibilities flowed into her head. However, before she opened her eyes to look at the world again, Robin's words came back to her mind.
I think you should open your eyes wide and see reality.
'Yes, my eyes have opened wide and the reality is clearly visible.'
I just want to suggest that you free yourself from them.
A confident smile appeared on her face when Maki remembered those words,
'Yes, I'm free. Not only from them, but also from something that shackles my own mind. Ordinary humans can’t see cursed spirits and only sorcerers can see them. That's why what they see becomes their reality. However, I’m more than that, I know there’s something that only I alone can see. Something that’s my own reality and that no one else can do.'
—OoOoO—
Yama's punch finally hit Maki and sent her flying several metres away. Seeing that achievement, should make Yama feel happy. However, he didn't feel that. It wasn't like Yama managed to hit Maki with his own efforts. The only reason it landed and sent the girl flying was because she had no intention of dodging or blocking his attack.
Even with Maki letting her body take the brunt of the blow, it wasn't enough to scratch her skin. If anything, Maki stood straight with a confident smile, as if there was nothing she was afraid of in this world. And that smile gave Yama an incredible feeling of goosebumps and anxiety.
"Just who the hell are you?!" Yama shouted.
Maki didn't reply right away. She cleaned her clothes and fixed her glasses first.
"You know, I suddenly remembered the verse in the Prajnaparamitahrdaya Sutra. It said, 'Fullness is none other than emptiness, emptiness is none other than fulness. This life is just an illusion, and the illusion can only be realised through this life'. Do you know what that means?"
Yama tightened his jaw until veins of anger were clearly visible in his temples. He didn't care about the nonsense the girl had just said, but seeing her ignoring him only increased his rage.
"As you've heard me say already, who the hell are you?!" shouted the man in frustration.
Maki actually wasn’t interested in answering it. After all, they didn't know each other well enough to require her to answer all his questions. However, there were always exceptions in every case.
“Didn't I tell you earlier? I am Zen’in Maki,” there was a momentary pause, “And I am… The Liberated One.”
“Liberated your ass!”
Full of anger, Yama shot at full speed towards Maki. However, at the same time, Maki also jumped into Yama's path, but not too fast. It was as if Yama's attack was connected to her, so she could see the attack even though it hadn't happened yet. Not just the attack, but her eyes could see all the facets of the world. She could see everything clearly, whether the smallest or the largest, living creatures or inanimates. They all had various colours and smells.
Yama was surprised by Maki, who suddenly jumped at him simultaneously and cut off his path. One thing that surprised him even more was that when their paths crossed, without him realising it, a slash had directly cut the hand he was about to use to attack Maki. The events that made him lose his words caused Yama to lose Maki's track. He didn't realise that the girl had landed behind him.
Without further ado, Maki immediately cut off Yama's leg.
"What?" he said, confused.
That made Yama lose his balance, and his body began to lean backwards. Maki beautifully turned her body and jumped to face Yama right before her. The man was surprised to see Maki's presence. However, he couldn't do anything when a sword penetrated his body and pierced his heart.
With a slight push, the body that was almost three times bigger than her was knocked down. However, Maki swung her sword, which was still stuck in his heart, to the side and successfully tore Yama's heart, ribs, and flesh.
“You know, aren't the emotions you're directing to me too keen?” Maki commented on the corpse.
The blood stains on the blade were cleaned by shaking the stolen sword, although not all of the stains disappeared. Maki sheathed the sword while turning around and going towards Robin's place.
“Do you think I'm overreacting, Robin-san?”
Robin stared and still didn't fully realise what she had witnessed. However, as soon as Maki called her name, her soul seemed to return to her body.
“Not really, you are a swordsman, aren't you? That way of killing is still very common.”
"Oh, really? I thought it was too much because I saw you gawking," said Maki.
Robin shook her head slowly.
“No, it wasn't because of the way you executed him. It’s just, I didn't expect you to be able to use Kenbunshoku Haki.”
“Huh? What's that?"
"If what Gan Fall explained last night is true, Kenbunshoku Haki is what the people of Skypiea call Mantra," Robin explained.
“Huh, I did? I don't know if it’s Kenbunshoku Haki. I just felt like everything I saw became sharper, much sharper and broader. Not only that, all my other senses have also become much greater than before.”
Robin nodded at the explanation.
“Yes, that’s unmistakably Kenbunshoku Haki. It's basically a high level of sensitivity to all the senses.”
Maki pinched her chin after hearing that explanation.
“You seem to know a lot. Can you do it too?”
However, this question was met with Robin's head shake.
“Haki is a technique that utilises the highest potential of the human body. I never trained my body to that level or was born with that talent. So, I can't do it. And how do I know these things, well, I worked under someone who was also skilled at using Haki. That's why I know some things.”
The girls continued talking, including Maki, who said she felt a battle was above them. Robin also mentioned two other Haki besides Kenbunshoku. However, as she said before, she couldn’t use them.
That was also the only reason she didn't tell her entire crew about Haki. After all, she didn't want to spread something she didn't know comprehensively about. For her, it was the same as providing incomplete information. And that wasn’t her style. However, maybe Robin was a little biased towards Maki, or it was also based on the fact that the girl had very high talent. As such, she gave some things she knew about Haki, even though Robin couldn't explain much.
“By the way, I feel like there are battles right above us,” Maki said while looking up at the clouds.
However, before Robin could respond, Maki's body suddenly stiffened. She immediately turned around to face the wall of ruins not far from where they were. Robin, who witnessed Maki's behaviour, followed the girl's actions. And they witnessed a man sitting relaxed while eating an apple on the wall.
“You not only succeeded in killing Shura, but also Yama. Not to mention that you can withstand my lightning without getting even a scratch, well, even though it's not the strongest I have. However, what surprised me the most was your ability to learn Mantra so quickly. I was impressed with that.”
The man took a bite of his apple after giving her a compliment. But his eyebrows furrowed in annoyance when he felt the taste of the apple didn't suit his taste. Slightly annoyed, the man with the white cap threw the apple carelessly.
“You too, miss archaeologist. You found this place in just a few hours, whereas it took me several months to do it. Would your ability to read the characters in these ruins make your search easier?”
Both Robin and Maki didn’t reply to the man's compliment. If what Maki felt from the man was true, then his strength was no joke. He was much stronger than any opponent she had ever faced. And Maki could conclude that he was the ruler of this country. In other words, he’s Enel, said by Gan Fall as the strongest person in all of Sky Island.
“Unfortunately, the gold you’re looking for is no longer there. You’re several years late," said Enel without changing his expression, "I’ve used the gold for my own purposes, but I kept some of it for collection."
“And what do you want from telling me all that?” asked Robin, straight to the point.
Enel smiled broadly at the question.
“I like a woman who read a room without beating around the bush. So, let's make a deal.”
"A deal?" This time, it was Maki's turn to ask.
“The three haki you talked about earlier, tell me how I master them. In exchange, I’ll give you some of my collection.”
Maki, who heard the offer, arched her eyebrows. She looked at Enel sharply from behind the glasses. However, there was one confirmed fact that made her amazed at the man's abilities.
'He heard our conversation even though he wasn't here a moment ago? Could he really hear all the smallest sounds in Skypiea? Is it Kenbunshoku haki? It can develop to such an insane level?'
Putting aside what Maki was thinking, Robin threw another offer at Enel.
“If you did hear our conversation, you should know that I don't know how to learn them.”
The man was silent. He seemed to have expected the answer. However, Enel still hoped that he had just misheard. That power sounded so delicious that it made him tempted. A most useful technique, which was said to be very effective against devil fruit users, Enel wanted to have this power.
“If you took all the gold here, did you take the golden bell too?” Robin asked.
“Golden bell?” Enel replied with confusion.
Maki also felt the same thing. She didn't know why Robin suddenly brought up the golden bell. More than that, Maki didn't know how the woman knew about the existence of that object. However, if she had to play a guessing game, Enel would suspect that Robin had studied the poneglyph.
"Very interesting. Is that also written on the cube-shaped inscription?" Enel said again enthusiastically, “Fascinating! As soon as this game ends in eight minutes, I'll look for it myself.”
"That's weird. How can you be so sure that the bell is on this island?” Maki asked.
"There’s a legend passed down from generation to generation on this island about ‘The song of the island’. If the bell is written in an ancient inscription, it should be related to that folklore."
Maki glanced at Robin, who was standing next to her. She didn't know what the woman was looking for. However, she knew Robin wasn't interested in gold or worldly possessions. Her participation in the treasure hunting was based on her curiosity about the potential existence of ancient ruins. So, whatever Robin had read from the poneglyph, the golden bell must be an essential clue to something Robin was looking for.
“If it continues like this, the game will take longer. I’ll make a few adjustments to make it more interesting and end faster.”
Enel raised his right hand up. However, before he did anything, the man still had time to look at Maki.
“You'll also want to get participated with the next round as quickly as possible. right, young lady?”
Simultaneously with Enel's words, his right hand began to emit blue electric sparks. And just one second at a time, he released a large bolt of electricity upwards, hitting the clouds above him. Because it couldn’t withstand the ionisation caused by Enel's lightning, the molecular bonds in the cloud that supported the Upper Yard began to break down and create holes.
It wasn't a big hole which could swallow the entire island. However, the hole was large enough for the rubble above it to collapse and knock over anything above it.
—OoOoO—
The disintegrating cloud dropped debris along with whatever was on top of it. Maki could see several familiar faces caught up in the chaos with the naked eye. When all the rubble hit the ground, there was a shock that couldn't be called small around them. However, what caught Maki's attention the most was the presence of the giant snake, which had previously chased them. The snake looked happy and moved by what he saw.
Unfortunately, Enel had other wishes.
“You aren’t invited to this game, you reptile!”
Enel shot lightning at the snake. The tension shocked the animal, and the heat caused its entire body to burn. The snake fell helplessly after receiving the high-voltage electricity.
“Huh? Zoro, Robin, Maki. You guys are here too?” Nami asked.
The girl hurriedly joined her friends just as she saw their faces.
“Well, me and Ms. Otherworlder have been here for a while," Robin replied.
However, Zoro, who had just joined, showed a worried face.
“Why are you here too, Nami? No, forget that. Where's Luffy?" asked the green man.
"About that..." Nami muttered, hesitant to answer.
Maki turned her gaze to Enel, sitting in his cloud balloon. Following the girl, Zoro and Robin looked in the same direction with sharp eyes. In fact, Zoro was ready with one of his swords. Meanwhile, Nami quickly looked for a hiding place while carrying the helpless Chopper.
“You guys haven't forgotten that you are contestants in my game, right?” Enel asked.
“What contestant?” Maki asked.
The girl looked around her. She saw only one new face besides the Straw Hat crew and Gan Fall. He was a man who again had a body that seemed to him to be very tall, with red mohawk hair.
"It's a survival game. That bastard thinks this is all a game, and we're his clowns," replied Zoro.
Maki and Robin didn't know about the situation. They were previously able to go to the secret ruins of Shandora without any problems. So, they didn’t know anything about the conditions that people were experiencing.
"No, no. You're wrong," said Enel, correcting him quickly, "I'm the same as you, a contestant out of a total of 82 participants. You’ve to remember, this is a survival game. I expect there will be six survivors among you. However, I didn't expect that the young lady hiding there could still survive until now.”
What Enel pointed to was Nami. The girl was hiding behind rubble not far from them.
'As I thought, he notices me. However, doesn't he know that Luffy is still alive?'
“One of you here must be eliminated. Will you do it yourself or will I do it for you?” Enel continued his speech.
There was silence right after Enel explained the condition. They all stared silently at the man who claimed to be God. Finally, Zoro broke the silence.
“Hey, do you want to?”
“I’ve no business with these people. But there are already three idiots who’ve tried to kill me,” Maki said as she stepped forward, “If there's anyone to be eliminated here, it's clear who I'm going to kill.”
“Yeah, me neither. It's clear who I'd point my swords at," Zoro replied as he moved to Maki's side.
Robin, Wyper, and Gan Fall also came forward after those two.
"I have one voice with you," said Robin.
“My weapon are only for those who invaded my homeland. And right now, my enemy is right before me.”
And finally, Gan Fall also didn't want to lose in voicing his opinion.
“Now or never, it's time for you to fall from that throne, Enel.”
—To Be Continued—
Author Note: In all seriousness, I didn't think this chapter would be this long. okay, nevermind.
In the manga, we got two of Maki's developments, right? The first one is Maki who got a drastic improvement in physique, the second is the enlightened one in Sakurajima, in more detail, she got several abilities like precognition, sky walk thingy, and the ability to see souls. Of course, Maki in this fic will also get it, but I plan to give it separately, along with her character development. So, for this arc, she only gets the precognition ability, which is strengthened by kenbunshoku. So, please let me cook for the following arcs.
OK, that's all from me. I will update Hachiman's story in the next two weeks. see you!!!
