August 6, 1500, Age of the Sea Circle
Orion walked under the torrential rain, shielded by one of the traditional straw hats he had bought hours earlier from a street vendor.
It had been almost two days since he had saved Toki, and now he found himself calmly strolling through the streets of a large city in the Kibi region.
After collapsing from exhaustion when he saved Toki, Orion had slept soundly for more than twenty-four hours, finally waking up fully rested today. Upon waking, he noticed that the system's absorption process of the Toki Toki no Mi had been completed, so he immediately checked the notifications the system had issued.
*The energy source (incomplete) has been absorbed*
*Your skill "Frozen Time (incomplete)" has been improved*
*Your skill "Age Change (incomplete)" has been improved*
*You have obtained 1000 SP*
Orion carefully checked his two abilities related to the concept of time and saw that they had slightly changed. Frozen Time no longer required SP to activate, which was excellent news, because now he wouldn't need to spend his precious points to maintain Giolla's youth.
On the other hand, Age Change had undergone a major improvement. Now, in addition to using it to alter his own age, he could also use it to change someone else's age!
The number of people who could be affected by the ability was limited to one, so if he decided to use it on another person, he would have to remain in his natural form while doing so. Still, Orion considered this a wonderful upgrade, especially since now that he was ten and a half years old, his body in its natural form was much stronger.
In a few years, once he entered adolescence, he would probably be able to remain in his natural form and reserve Age Change exclusively for affecting others.
As for the extra 1000 SP he had gained, even though the system didn't say it explicitly, Orion knew it was because part of the Toki Toki no Mi's energy hadn't been successfully absorbed, and the system had converted it into SP as compensation.
Since he had spent most of his reserves to teleport to Wano, he now needed to rebuild them slowly, so any extra reward like this was more than welcome.
After reviewing the notifications, Orion saw that the Dungeon was still active, meaning he could continue attempting to fulfill the remaining objectives to gain more points and secure a better reward once it ended. Based on his prior experience with Dungeons, there were usually two ways they could conclude: either by completing all objectives, or by leaving the area in which it was active — in this case, seemingly the entirety of Wano.
On some occasions, Dungeons also had time limits, but that wasn't the case here. For now, Orion felt no rush to tackle the next objectives. He first wanted to investigate the situation in this country, so he could act with better information.
He always tried to be efficient whenever possible, and he didn't want to find himself caught in trouble because of a lack of knowledge. At the moment, his understanding of Wano was extremely limited, due to the nation's completely closed borders, keeping itself isolated from the outside world.
Even with the Revolutionary Army's intelligence network, it had been impossible to know the actual situation here. The little information he had came from the stories of his master Roger — which were, of course, outdated.
For instance, Orion knew that Oden was the son of the nation's ruler, but apparently, many things had changed in the years since Roger's visit. Not only had Oden been executed, but the land was now infested with pirates under the infamous Kaido's command.
Orion had a vague idea of what might be happening here, pieced together from fragments of information he had gathered since arriving, but if he wanted to attempt something as drastic as eliminating one of the enemy leaders, he would need far more precise details.
Orion wandered through the streets of the city in Kibi, curiously observing the cultural traits around him. The city clearly had an architectural style reminiscent of Japan, and even the people wore traditional Japanese clothing. Orion immediately concluded that this country was probably the One Piece world's equivalent of Japan.
Culturally, this place was very different from his home in the South Blue, and even from his home in his past life, so Orion was truly enjoying the experience of discovering Wano. Still, he wasn't so relaxed as to forget his objectives here, and he continued actively gathering information.
Over the past day, he had pieced together the current state of affairs in Wano: Orochi's usurpation of the throne, his alliance with Kaido, Oden's death, and the shift in public opinion toward that legendary man who had danced like a fool for years to protect his people, only to end up betrayed by his enemies and killed at their hands.
Even so, Oden's legend — the man who had endured boiling oil for a full hour to protect the lives of his retainers — spread like wildfire across the land. In this city, common folk spoke of nothing but Oden's courage and his tragic yet heroic death.
Even so, the people were uneasy, because after learning the truth about Oden and his actions, everyone feared what might happen in the future, now that they were at the mercy of Orochi's whims and Kaido's pirates.
Orion sat at a food stall and ordered a bowl of ramen while observing his surroundings, deep in thought. At present, there weren't many people who could help him bring down Orochi. Oden's forces had been defeated, and his retainers had vanished without leaving any trace.
Orion had tried locating them with the system map, but their markers weren't within the identification range. Wano was an enormous country, and the system's identification area could only cover a small portion. The only way to find them would be to travel across this vast land and hope he got lucky enough to stumble upon them—if they were even still alive.
Even so, there were currently two Named Characters nearby that Orion intended to visit. In truth, he was only interested in one of them, but coincidentally the other was in the same place on the system's map, so he would probably encounter both Named Characters at once.
As for their names, they were Yatappe (25) and Black Maria (8).
Orion had learned that Yatappe was the leader of the local yakuza and enjoyed a good reputation among the people of the city, so he had immediately decided to seek him out. What he needed most right now were allies. Whether they actively aided him or simply provided information, any help would be invaluable in his current situation.
After spending about half an hour at the ramen stall, Orion left satisfied, patting his stomach, and once again walked lazily under the rain. He turned down a narrow street and entered a small side alley without any concern.
However, the next instant, a group of pirates wearing leather clothes came rushing into the alley behind him, ready to attack in force. Kaido had ordered them to patrol the main cities of each region and eliminate anyone who looked suspicious.
Now that they had officially seized power, the situation in the country was delicate, and both Orochi and Kaido were being cautious to avoid unnecessary problems. The yakuza, for example, had been placed under surveillance, since they commanded considerable strength and could cause trouble if they ever organized themselves properly.
For the moment, Kaido hadn't made any moves to suppress the yakuza, and the yakuza bosses hadn't risen against the two tyrants, but tension was mounting, and it seemed only a matter of time before an incident erupted.
Orion, who had been walking openly with his cutlass at his side, had quickly become a target for Kaido's men. As soon as he strayed from the main street, they hadn't hesitated to act, leading to the current situation.
The pirates charged aggressively into the alley, weapons drawn—but to their surprise, it was completely empty! There was no sign of the man they had been following.
"Were you looking for me?" Orion said mockingly, suddenly appearing as he strolled through the air, emerging from his Pocket Dimension.
Obviously, it hadn't been by chance that he had lured them into this deserted spot. Both Orion and the pirates shared the same intent: eliminate the other side without drawing too much attention. During the past day, Orion had already eliminated around twenty pirates, and now, those numbers would likely double, given the size of the group before him.
"Shit! There he is, grab hi—"
The pirate's words were cut short as his head was suddenly severed from his neck, falling to the ground with an expression of surprise. Blood gushed like a fountain, mixing with the rainwater running along the ground.
Before the pirates could react, Orion pounced on them like a wolf diving into a flock of sheep, and a terrifying scene unfolded in a frenzy. Fortunately, no one was present to witness the massacre—otherwise, the sight would have haunted their nightmares for the rest of their lives.
Orion emerged from the narrow alley without a single drop of blood on his clothes and, unhurriedly, walked toward the place where the yakuza leader Yatappe was located. Meanwhile, Nibble had finished giving a proper burial to those wretched men, who had been sent to the other world without being able to do a thing to prevent it.
Although Kaido's crew included many extremely powerful individuals, most of the pirates scattered in Wano's cities to do the dirty work weren't particularly strong, and Orion had no trouble dealing with them.
Perhaps if he faced a division commander he would need to fight seriously, but so far he hadn't encountered anyone of that level.
The place Orion was heading to now was rather peculiar. It was a "pleasure house" in the red-light district, where all kinds of ladies worked, selling their art and their charismatic talents.
As soon as Orion entered the red-light district of the city, he saw all kinds of people walking the streets. Some looked like crude criminals, while others resembled government officials or scholars. He had to admit that the pleasures of the spirit truly united cultured men from all corners of the world.
Moreover, seeing some of the traditional outfits worn by the geishas here, Orion was reminded of Shimotsuki Ren, whom he hadn't seen in many years, and of his childhood friend and fiancée, Gion, whom he missed deeply. He had sent her a letter through Hina, but he didn't know if it had ever reached her.
Visiting Marineford, where all the monsters of the Navy resided, wasn't a viable option for Orion at this time. Thus, all he could do was hope that fate would once again cross his path with Gion's, and he prayed it wouldn't take much longer.
Orion strolled through the red-light district, receiving flirtatious looks from the geishas who sold their arts there, but he wasn't swayed by them, for he was a man with a mission. His goal was to head straight to the most renowned and imposing brothel in the city!
Of course, his intention was purely for investigation…
He finally arrived at the grand building and stepped inside without a second's delay. Once within, he was greeted by the hostess, who scanned him up and down with a sharp, trained gaze, capable of catching subtle details in Orion's appearance that would be imperceptible to an ordinary person.
With just a glance, she could discern Orion's situation without difficulty—or rather, the situation Orion wanted her to see. After all, he was currently in disguise to avoid drawing unnecessary attention.
A man with distinctly foreign features was a rare sight in this city, unless he was part of Kaido's crew. For that reason, Orion was using his 'Distorted Future' to drastically alter his appearance and avoid standing out. He had also dressed for the occasion, and with his carefree attitude, he had become an entirely different man.
His training in Guanhao hadn't been in vain, and the "Espionage" skill he had acquired there—now at Level 4—provided him with the knowledge necessary to disguise himself in this manner.
"Welcome to the House of Flowers. How may I serve you, honorable guest?" said the hostess, bowing slightly with refined elegance.
"This is my first time here. I've heard many stories, and I decided to come experience the divine pleasures they say can be found within these walls," Orion replied with a carefree smile, fully committed to his role as a client.
"Hehe, I see you are a man who appreciates art. You'll understand soon that there are things even the most splendid stories cannot truly capture. Please, come in. Would you like some sake, or perhaps tea, while you admire our artists?"
Orion deliberately put on an expression of eager excitement and replied as though he were trying to contain himself,
"Sake, please. And, if it's not too much trouble, I would like to speak with one of your Oiran. I seek some company to spend the night."
The hostess nodded, gestured elegantly, and guided him through the hallways until they reached a grand salon, where a great number of men and women were engaged in the arts.
Naturally, there was nothing too indecent in this public salon, for such things were reserved for the chambers and private rooms of the Oiran (the women truly sought after by men of culture). Here, in this vast salon, geishas drank with the guests, played beautiful melodies on traditional instruments, or recited verses.
Orion had to admit the atmosphere in this place was quite impressive, and for a moment he considered that perhaps he should bring some of Wano's culture back home. He quickly dismissed the thought, though, since his beloved wives probably wouldn't be too happy to see him frequenting such establishments in the Pacific Kingdom.
On this occasion, however, he could justify it—he was gathering information! It was simply part of his important mission, and Orion had to be responsible about it.
He took a seat at a table tucked into a far corner, and two beautiful geishas immediately approached to offer him company. Yet with a subtle wave of the hand, the hostess who had escorted him signaled them away, and they withdrew without approaching Orion.
Seeing Orion's look of dissatisfaction, the hostess chuckled elegantly behind her hand and explained the situation.
"Those are our geishas. They do not provide the services your excellency seeks, so I did not wish to waste your time."
Orion nodded, satisfied with the explanation, and continued listening to her words.
"Our Oiran are over there, waiting to be summoned to provide you with company. Once you've chosen one, I will call her for you," said the hostess, pointing toward the gorgeous women dressed in far more provocative and striking attire, seated high upon a platform, overlooking everything happening in the grand salon.
Unlike the Geishas who moved around the tables to keep the guests company, the Oiran stayed at a distance, waiting to be summoned by a visitor.
Orion had no intention of receiving all the services available in this place; he had only come to gather information, meet the Yakuza boss, and satisfy his cultural curiosity. However, it seemed a bit discourteous to come all the way here only to refuse the company of those beautiful ladies. So, with the intention of not offending them, he pointed at one of the young women and told the hostess to call her over to keep him company.
The hostess nodded gracefully and prepared to fetch the young woman, but before she could take a step, Orion pointed to another of the Oiran and said,
"Call that one too. And that other one…"
Finally, under the astonished gaze of the hostess, who struggled to maintain her composure and elegance, Orion pointed out five beautiful young women.
"Honorable guest, my house is a place of pleasure, not of exhibition. The company of just one of my Oiran is an honor that many clients spend years trying to obtain. To ask for five is not a gesture of wealth, it is a mockery of the rules of this place. Are you sure you wish to make such a bold statement?" the hostess said nervously, her voice no longer carrying the same composure as before.
Orion wore a carefree expression and answered without hesitation,
"No problem, I've always been a very bold person."
Seeing Orion's expression, the hostess didn't know how to respond for a moment, and just as she was about to step away to seek instructions from her superiors, a man appeared before Orion, walking with an aggressive air.
"Is there a problem here?" the man asked, radiating a dangerous aura.
Orion looked at him carefully and realized this was the man he had come to find. He stood up with a smile and, still in his casual tone, said,
"There's no problem at all, but now that you've come here, why don't you stay and have a cup of sake with me?"
Yatappe frowned, and his subordinates drew their katanas, ready to teach the arrogant stranger a lesson. But before they could act, Yatappe stopped them with a wave of his hand.
"Let's go somewhere more private," said the Yakuza boss, taking the initiative to walk toward the door of the great hall. Orion had no choice but to follow him reluctantly, his gaze falling several times on the beautiful women standing on the high platform, watching with curiosity and apprehension.
He hadn't meant to provoke Yatappe; he simply wanted five Oiran!
Sighing, he thought that searching for information was never simple, and sacrifices had to be made for the cause… Although perhaps he could return later to see those beautiful Oiran.
...
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