Chapter 62 — The Grass That Shouldn't Grow
S.C. 1510 — Early September
Foosha Forest — East Slope
The forest breeze was cooler this morning. Ren stepped onto the worn path with Zemo by his side, carrying a small woven basket and a dull iron knife he had shaped the week before.
Usually, morning walks were peaceful.
Today, Zemo was on edge.
Ears stiff.
Tail low.
Eyes constantly scanning the shadows.
Ren slowed his pace.
"Still sensing it from yesterday?"
Zemo growled softly, nose tilted upward.
Something was out there.
Something cautious.
Something quiet.
Ren didn't push deeper. Not yet. He wasn't foolish.
Instead, he stayed near the mid-forest — where sunlight still touched the ground and the trees stood far enough apart to see movement.
He would gather herbs casually, let Zemo observe the forest, and try to understand what set him off.
The Strange Patch of Grass
Ren knelt near a small clearing, collecting broadleaf herbs to dry later. Zemo wandered ahead—
—and suddenly froze.
Not growling.
Not barking.
Just… staring.
Ren's heart skipped a beat. He moved closer slowly.
"What is it?"
Zemo didn't respond.
He simply stepped aside, revealing—
A patch of grass.
Perfectly ordinary. Bright green. Thin blades.
But there were two problems:
1. It wasn't there yesterday.
Ren had passed this exact spot three times this week. Nothing but soil.
2. It was impossibly dense.
In a circle no larger than a dinner plate, the grass grew so thick Ren couldn't see the soil underneath.
Like someone had planted it.
Like it had been… forced to grow.
Ren whispered:
"…No way."
He reached out and plucked a blade.
Snap.
The grass snapped differently.
Not like normal grass.
More like thin rubber.
Elastic. Flexible. Alive.
His mind began racing.
Fast growth… dense cell structure… abnormal elasticity…
He had seen something like this in his old world—
But here?
He pulled another blade, held it between his fingers, and rubbed gently.
Shiver—
The faint tingling in his skin made him freeze.
"That smell…"
It was familiar.
He inhaled deeply.
Yes.
This smelled exactly like the dried green powder he found two weeks ago while exploring deeper into the forest — the substance he had stored away because it accelerated mold and plant growth unnaturally fast.
He had thought it was just strange forest residue.
But this grass…
This was the same scent.
Same chemical fingerprint.
Same faint sweetness.
Same earthy undertone.
His heart beat faster.
"This might be the origin…"
Zemo nudged the grass with his paw, then recoiled, ears twitching as if he didn't like the sensation.
"Don't touch more," Ren whispered.
This wasn't normal forest flora.
This was biologically different.
A mutation?
A rare species?
Or something influenced by One Piece world's enhanced environment?
Ren picked several blades carefully and placed them into a leaf-lined container in his basket.
"I need to test the cells… their growth rate… metabolism…"
Even without advanced tools, he could observe:
How fast they dried
How they responded to light
Whether water accelerated growth
Structural differences under a hand magnifier
Mineral intake in soil samples
This could become—
No.
He exhaled sharply.
"This isn't Compound X," he reminded himself aloud. "Not yet. Don't jump ahead."
But it was the first real lead.
The first sign that this world's biology hid something special.
Something potent.
Something that could explain incredible regeneration, the resilience of animals, even the durability of human bodies.
And if the grass really was the source that inspired the strange powder he found…
Then maybe Compound X wasn't just a fantasy.
It was hidden right here, growing under their feet.
Zemo suddenly stiffened again, head turning sharply toward the deeper forest.
Ren followed his gaze.
Nothing moved.
But the forest felt… heavier.
Quiet in the wrong way.
Still in the wrong way.
Zemo lowered himself to the ground, eyes narrowed.
A predator.
Not close.
Not yet threatening—
But aware.
Watching.
Ren swallowed.
"We're leaving."
He didn't run.
Running triggered hunters.
He simply walked away slowly, Zemo at his side, never turning his back to the trees until the sunlight grew bright again.
Back at the Shed
Ren placed the strange grass under the soft sunlight filtering through the roof.
He didn't start analyzing immediately.
Instead, he sat on the dirt floor, heart still thumping from the forest's silent warning.
The grass…
The predator…
The expanding underground lab…
Everything was accelerating.
Too fast.
Too dangerous.
He closed his eyes.
"…If I want to protect what I care about… I need to think smarter. Move slower. Build quietly."
Zemo curled beside him.
Ren reached out and stroked his fur.
"We'll figure out this grass first."
Because this small discovery?
This tiny mutation?
It felt like the first step toward a future he hadn't dared to touch yet —
But he wasn't ready for any of that.
Not yet.
For now, he only had a few blades of strange grass—
—and a forest predator waiting for him to make a mistake.
End of Chapter 62