May 25, 1497, Age of the Sea Circle
Yukimura didn't notice Orion and Kalifa's arrival and continued his training.
Watching his movements, Orion could tell he hadn't had any formal training and was likely self-taught. Regardless, the talent the boy displayed was quite good, far superior to that of a normal person, but nowhere near the level of a true genius like Gion.
Orion put his finger to his mouth, signaling little Kalifa to remain silent, and the two continued to watch the teenager's training for a long time.
The training Yukimura was undergoing was quite simple and crude. It consisted of continuously attacking several tree trunks in the vicinity.
Over and over again, without pause, the boy moved at great speed, wielding his sword with great skill and changing his stance slightly following his instinct.
With each attack he performed, his self-taught technique became more and more refined, making his attacks more precise and lethal, but also reinforcing his poor posture and bad habits.
Orion observed for a long time, managing to estimate that the boy's level, according to the system's classification, was in the upper part of Level 0, just one step away from advancing to the next level.
But he didn't just observe his Swordsmanship level during the long time he had been watching him; he also gained an idea of the boy's general situation.
Yukimura was training desperately, without taking a second to rest, and it was clear he was overexerting himself. His hands were bleeding from holding his katana for who knows how long, his eyes were bloodshot, and he looked disheveled.
It was clear he was in a somewhat delicate mental state, and even his Observation Haki indicated the teenager's unease. His current state was no different from that of the countless victims he had encountered during his travels, and rather than actual training, what he was engaged in was a desperate attempt to keep his mind occupied.
Orion watched as the katana's blade, which was particularly sharp but also delicate, struck against the thick, gnarled tree trunk, and decided he'd seen enough.
Using Soru, he appeared in front of Yukimura and placed his hands over the boy's, preventing him from continuing to swing his katana.
"If you continue like this, you will not only destroy your sword, but also your body," he said calmly, staring at the bedraggled boy.
Yukimura wasn't surprised by Orion's sudden appearance at his side, not just because he had already noticed the presence of the two strangers nearby, but also because his mental state made him want to ignore anything other than his training.
He tried to break free from Orion's grip, intending to continue swinging his sword, but despite all his strength, he couldn't even move Orion's hand an inch.
The difference in power between the two was overwhelming, and he would never be able to break Orion's grip unless Orion released him voluntarily.
"Leave me alone! Can't you see I'm training?!" Yukimura howled, looking up and meeting Orion's gaze, his face distorted by his strong emotions.
Orion sighed at the boy's appearance and released his hands, allowing him to move freely once more.
"Then allow me to show you why your training is useless," Orion said, his voice becoming much colder.
He drew his cutlass, assumed a fighting stance, and said to the irritated teenager,
"Don't you want to spar? Come on, I'll help you spar then."
Yukimura, who was completely irritated and wanted to release his pent-up emotions, yelled and attacked Orion haphazardly.
Orion didn't have to exert much effort to stop the boy's attack. Seeing how easily Orion had dissolved his attack, Yukimura began to throw out massive blows using all his strength.
For a few minutes, Orion became the tree trunk's replacement, taking all of Yukimura's attacks without any problems.
The young man was breathing heavily, completely exhausted from the great effort he was exerting, but he still couldn't get Orion to change his calm stance.
Finally, he swung his katana with all his might, performing a downward slash, but this time Orion didn't passively receive it. Instead, he stepped to the side, avoiding the attack, and using the handle of his sword, struck Yukimura in the stomach, causing him to gasp and fall to his knees.
Yukimura felt like he couldn't breathe, and Orion grabbed him by the hair and lifted his head, resting his cutlass against the defenseless boy's throat.
"Congratulations, you're dead," said Orion, still with an icy, emotionless look.
Yukimura closed his eyes and waited for the end, but nothing happened.
He opened his eyes again and saw that Orion had sheathed his sword again, looking at him with sorrow in his eyes.
"Did you expect to die like this? You have nothing in this world you want to do? No dreams? No goals? Giving up like this is simply a waste," Orion concluded and let go of his hair, causing the young man to fall to the ground, exhausted.
Yukimura remained on the ground, his face buried in the earth, and Orion's words echoed over and over again in his mind.
His shoulders began to move rhythmically, and a small, almost imperceptible sound reached Orion's ears. The young teenager was sobbing as quietly as he could.
"There's no shame in crying or feeling frustrated. Just don't give up. Don't lose hope so quickly. The future is still in your hands," Orion said in a firm tone, but not as harsh as before.
Yukimura knelt down and began beating his forehead against the ground, weeping loudly.
The boy's inconsolable wailing was truly heartbreaking, and it was obvious he had been through a great tragedy.
Orion simply took some meat and vegetables out of his inventory and began cooking, without interrupting the boy's venting or attempting to comfort him.
About half an hour passed before Yukimura calmed down. When he looked up from the ground and saw the delicious food the mysterious man in front of him was cooking, his stomach growled loudly, complaining about the treatment it had received over the past few days.
He approached the fire Orion had made for cooking and sat on the ground in silence. Orion saw that the stew had already cooked quite well and took a large bowl, filling it to the top with the savory stew.
"I don't know what trouble you're going through, but for now, eat a little. Isn't it great to have stew on these cold days?" Orion said with a smile, giving him a large portion of the stew.
Yukimura took the bowl in his hands, feeling the warmth in his injured hands. Strangely, he paid no attention to the pain running through his palms and simply thought that the warmth of this stew wasn't bad at all.
It was true that on these cold days, it was good to eat this kind of food.
Orion watched the boy eating silently and filled another bowl to give to Kalifa, who had been silently observing the whole situation, analyzing everything with her hyperactive and brilliant mind.
The three of them ate in silence, with the sound of the waterfall in the background, enjoying the excellent taste of the stew. Simple moments like these could sometimes be very memorable, and Yukimura would undoubtedly remember the taste of the stew he had eaten this day forever.
After they finished eating, Orion took his first-aid kit out of the Pocket Dimension and approached Yukimura, who was much calmer than before.
"Let me see your hands. I'll have to bandage them, and you're forbidden from wielding your katana for the time being!" Orion said, sitting next to the boy, who obediently extended his hands without saying a word.
"Do you want to tell me your story?" Orion said as he treated his wounds.
He would give Yukimura the option: if he wanted to share what had happened, he would listen with the necessary respect, and if he didn't want to talk about it, he would maintain the appropriate distance with the same respect.
"It was the pirates," Yukimura said, his fists clenching involuntarily.
Orion squeezed his wrists, making him open his fists, and continued applying medicine to his wounds.
Yukimura took a deep breath and continued.
"We knew the pirates were nearby because we received a warning from one of the nearby islands that had been attacked. We thought we would have time to evacuate, but they arrived faster than we expected."
Orion finished treating and bandaging the wounds on Yukimura's hands and simply sat beside him, listening to his story.
There was nothing he hadn't heard before in the boy's story. It was the same old story The pirates had arrived, robbed, killed, raped, committed all sorts of crimes with impunity, and then moved on to their next target.
It was the same old story, and it was always just as hard to hear.
It was never pleasant to hear about the tragedy someone had suffered at the hands of pirates, and Orion could empathize with the boy and understand his emotions.
During the pirate attack on this village, Yukimura's entire family had been wiped out, leaving him the only survivor.
The teenager felt tremendous guilt for having survived, while the rest of his family had suffered a cruel fate.
He was not only angry at the pirates, but also at himself.
Orion finished listening to his story and placed a hand on his shoulder.
"I'm sorry for your loss, but there's something you must never forget," Orion said solemnly.
"Never blame yourself for having survived. I'm sure you know this deep down, even if your emotions cloud your vision, but your family would never have been angry with you for surviving. So don't beat yourself up about it anymore," Orion concluded.
Yukimura's eyes reddened again, but this time his tears didn't fall. He had cried enough, and he didn't want to remain trapped in grief any longer.
"Thank you very much," Yukimura said, his voice hoarse. Even a very dull person could tell that Orion had been trying to help him from the beginning, and he was truly grateful for the help this strange man had given him to get out of the hole he found himself in.
"You don't need to thank me; we all need a helping hand at some point in our lives. If you ever find someone in the same situation you are in today, just lend a hand. It will be the best way to thank me," Orion said with a smile.
He wasn't just saying empty words. His goal in this world was to make a positive impact and alter the course of history, and if through his small actions, he could bring about a chain of positive changes, that would be the best thing that could happen.
Orion stood up and dusted off his pants, which had become covered with dust from sitting on the ground.
"What are you going to do now?" Orion asked.
"I don't know, maybe I'll join the Marines. I wish I could eliminate the pirates who murdered my family right now, but I'm not strong enough," Yukimura replied, bowing his head. He felt like he was letting his late family down by not being able to exact revenge for them.
"The Marines?" Orion said thoughtfully.
Yukimura was a Named Character, and the fact that he had admitted his intention to join the Navy indicated that there was a good chance that would be his role in the original One Piece story.
"How about you come with me? I'm building my own force, and I could use a talented young man like you," Orion said with a smile.
Yukimura was surprised to hear Orion's words, and then he considered his proposal seriously.
Seeing him so thoughtful, Orion thought it was time to strike while the iron was hot. If he wanted to successfully recruit this Named Character, he had to offer him some benefits, right?
"How about I help you eliminate the pirates who attacked your village? As a token of goodwill," Orion said seriously.
Hearing that Orion could help him avenge his family and thinking of the incredible strength he had shown, Yukimura immediately made a decision.
"Okay! I'm willing to follow you from now on!" Yukimura said solemnly.
Orion patted him happily on the shoulder and said
"Very well, boy! I promise you won't regret it. One day you'll look back on this day and be happy with your decision!"
Yukimura nodded vigorously and tried to calm his agitated heart. Despite immediately accepting Orion's offer, it hadn't been easy to place his trust in a stranger. But if this mysterious man could truly help him get his revenge, he was willing to pay any price!
"By the way, my name is Orion," he said, extending his hand.
"Yukimura," the boy replied, shaking his hand.
"I'm Kalifa! Orion's secretary!" said the little girl, who, seeing the much more relaxed atmosphere, had finally decided to speak to Orion's new subordinate.
During the trip back home, Kalifa had been Orion's right-hand woman, acting as a link between him and the rest of the people he had rescued. So the little girl proclaimed herself his secretary, believing that such a title was quite noble and important and that her status in the future could be maintained as long as she remained Orion's secretary.
In Kalifa's line of thinking, Orion was on his way to great things, and there would be all kinds of people surrounding him. She didn't want to be relegated to a secondary position in the future; she wanted to remain by his side as long as possible. So she concluded that becoming his personal secretary and his right-hand woman in the future would solidify her position in Orion's life.
She didn't need the unstable status of a girlfriend, and much preferred the security provided by a more formal position like a personal secretary!
Orion didn't object to Kalifa's decision, because from the moment he met her until now, she had changed her dream profession at least three times. He simply concluded that this was another of her stages and that she would soon decide to take another path.
Regardless, no matter what path she decided to take in the future, he would help her as best he could and would always be beside her.
The three of them walked back to the village, where, with Yukimura's help, Orion recruited some of the villagers who were willing to follow him back to Pacific Town.
In this pirate-infested world, many people were willing to cling to any hope of a better life, even if it was dangerous or suspicious. They were willing to risk what little they had, betting on the promise of a better future. Time and again, Orion had seen this desperate hope, which enabled him to recruit people on every island he visited.
Orion returned to his ship, where his makeshift crew had been waiting for him. Then he descended to the deck and opened a door in the air, allowing the people he had recruited from this village to get out of the Pocket Dimension and join the rest of his followers.
He quickly gave orders to his crew and set a new course for the ship.
Yukimura had told him the direction the pirates were heading — it was toward the island where the Named Character Hototogisu was!
Considering the track record of this group of pirates, who had ravaged several islands in succession, Orion feared that this Named Character would be involved in a tragedy like the one Yukimura had suffered, so he decided it was best to move forward at full speed and reach her as quickly as possible.
If he could prevent her from suffering unnecessarily, he definitely would. Although considering the amount of time that had passed since the pirates had retreated towards the next island, it was highly unlikely he'd be able to make it in time.
Still, he had to try.
The ship quickly moved towards the Named Character Hototogisu, and Orion looked at the notification that had appeared on the system screen a few minutes earlier.
*Congratulations on completing the hidden quest "Followers (1)"*
*You have obtained 1000 SP.*
*You have obtained 10 'Insight Cards'*
Orion raised his eyebrows in surprise upon reading that he had completed a 'hidden' quest, and immediately opened the quest description, which was now visible.
*Hidden Quest - Followers (1)
Description: In this world, it's impossible for you to go very far alone. It's vitally important that you establish connections with other people and find people willing to follow and support you in your goals.
Objective: Recruit 5 people with an "Excellent" skill/potential level.
Reward: SP, Insight Cards *
He finished reading the mission and focused his mind on the new screen that had appeared in the system, labeled 'Subordinates'
On it, a list of names appeared, which was quite extensive.
Reading this list, Orion found himself encountering familiar names. Not only were the names of the people he had rescued during his journey back home listed, but also the names of people from Pacific Town, who were apparently classified as subordinates by the system.
Finally, in a separate section of the list, there were five names listed separately. These were the five people with skills or potential classified as 'Excellent' or higher by the system.
Orion read the names one by one: Giolla, Inazuma, Kalifa, Yukimura.
These four names didn't surprise him, since they were four Named Characters, and it was understandable why the system would give them a good rating.
However, the last name on this list wasn't one from a Named Character, and he had no impression of this person.
Orion looked thoughtfully at the group of people aboard his ship whom he had rescued in recent weeks, and then reread the name that appeared on the system screen, which he had never heard of:
*Helsing(7)*