Chapter 23: Afterwards.
—OoOoO—
Three days had passed since Monkey D. Garp's visit to Water Seven. The island had not yet been functioning normally, but all post-disaster repairs and renovations had proceeded without significant delays. In fact, Water Seven had received various donations from their business partners and groups seeking to establish clandestine relationships, such as the Revolutionary Army, which donated funds through brokers.
However, recovery was far from complete. Although the city's streets and canals had been cleared, much debris remained on the island's coastlines. However, one such beach offered a unique sight. Large rocks and concrete slabs swept ashore by the massive tsunami appear to have been split in two or had deep scratches, likely caused by the slash of a sword.
“That’s already the two thousandth swing. Are you sure you’re using the right technique?” a man commented.
Three human figures were on the rocky beach: one girl, woman, and guy. However, they weren't there simply for a picnic or to volunteer to clean the beach.
“I’m sure I’ve done exactly what you did, at least physically and breathing-wise,” the girl replied.
She was a girl with a ponytail and glasses. She wore a black sleeveless shirt, showcasing her muscles that weren't too big but solid and firm. Her lower body was covered in loose-fitting ivory shorts, while black leggings covered her legs. A pair of light blue sneakers added to her casual look.
"Even using the same sword and form still doesn't work. So, the problem isn't with the weapon or the technique, huh?" the woman chimed in.
Unlike the girl, the woman wore simple attire—a sleeveless, light blue one-piece dress paired with white, knee-length pants. The wide collar exposed her ample cleavage. However, her long, braided black hair gave her a nerdy vibe.
“You mean, a barbarian like her doesn’t have what it takes to perform something like an entry-level technique for swordsmen?” the guy responded, pointing his thumb at the girl.
His skin was tanned, and his hair was spiky green. He wore black pants and his usual boots. His blue sleeveless shirt showed off his well-trained muscles. Of the three swords always at his waist, one scabbard was empty.
"Even those CP9 losers were capable of performing similar techniques. It's unbelievable that someone as powerful as you couldn't do it despite trying so many times."
Zoro, it was him. Together with two women from his group, Maki and Robin, they tried to solve Maki's problem, her inability to perform energy slashes.
"You said your friends could also do it through sorcery, and you couldn't use it because you lacked something called cursed energy? Could that be the reason?" Robin asked.
Maki shook her head at the question.
"People in this world don't possess cursed energy either. Your approach’s different from people of my world. If anything, I feel like my body’s better suited to learning the techniques of this world."
“Then, isn’t that strange? You can copy almost all of CP9’s techniques except for two things….”
Zoro seemed to be hanging on his words, as if he had lost the words he was about to say.
“—Wait, what's their techniques' name again?” asked the guy.
"Which one? Rankyaku and Rokuogan?"
“Yes, that's it,” Zoro snapped his fingers at Robin's answer, “Isn't it strange that Maki can't do that even though she can master their other techniques?”
“Honestly, I can’t do Tekkai either,” Maki said.
Zoro stared at the girl with narrowed eyes, though he then closed them as if trying to dig something out of his memory.
"Tekkai, huh? Which one is it again?"
“I think it’s an ability that makes your body hard,” Robin said to answer Zoro’s ignorance.
After hearing the brief explanation, the green-haired fellow nodded and turned to the girl in the ponytail.
“So, even your body isn’t that almighty, eh?”
Maki's forehead furrowed slightly at the taunt, but she didn't think much or feel offended.
"On the surface, it's just like they were strengthening their muscles. But when I tried it myself, it felt different, somehow," the girl muttered.
Eyes that could see the souls of even inanimate objects, ears that could hear sounds in a wide range of frequencies, and a nose even sharper than a dog's. Above all, the girl possessed muscles stronger than steel yet incredibly flexible. Her entire body seemed designed to be a war machine, able to adapt quickly to opponents and the environment.
“It ain’t about being Almighty or not,” Maki said nonchalantly. “If your people can do those things, anyone can do them. It's just that there might be a missing link between my body, a human from another world, and the natives of this world."
The girl walked closer to the boy with green hair.
“Can you do your slash one more time?” she asked.
Zoro seemed to grip one of his sheathed swords without a word. He shifted his feet and bent his knees slightly, forming a solid stance. His eyes focused on a single point, the rubble of a building before him. With a gentle inhale and exhale, the boy pushed the hilt with the tip of his thumb. His hand moved quickly, yet subtly, to draw the sword and slash it in the same instant.
A wave of energy shot out unhindered, ripping through the air in its path. Its speed was so incredible that even debris fifty meters away was torn apart in seconds.
"I don't know anymore how many times I've shown it to you," said Zoro as he re-sheathed his sword.
“Any hints, Maki?” asked Robin.
The girl took a deep breath while closing her eyes.
"No matter how many times I look at it, I don't understand how it works."
Maki imitated the stance the boy had demonstrated earlier. The breathing, footwork, hand and body positions were all perfectly executed. However, when she swung the borrowed sword, there was no effect other than the distinctive sound of the metal rod swishing through the air.
“There’s no problem with technique or weapons," the girl muttered with a listless expression, "So the problem really lies in how one draws that power out from within the body."
Maki sat cross-legged on the rocky ground, not caring if her shorts would get dirty later.
“But the question is, what kind of energy are you using to do that?” the girl continued.
So close yet so far, that was what Maki felt right now.
"By the way, I heard from some locals that Luffy's grandfather wanted to recruit you a few days ago, but you refused," Zoro said.
Those words made the bespectacled girl momentarily turn her head towards him, before looking up into the sky and gazing at something beyond her reach.
"Well, I just asked him if the thing he used to make his punches work on Luffy was the same thing Stussy used."
“Is it Bushoshoku Haki?” Robin quipped.
Maki nodded slowly as a fairly obvious response.
“I also asked how to do that, but he offered me to join them instead.”
Bushoshoku Haki, a unique power that caught Maki's attention. It wasn't a power powered by magic or sorcery. It was something else, something purer than anything she had ever seen. However, how those people did it remained a mystery to her.
'To my eyes, it looked blackish, but it was quite interesting that even someone like Garp couldn't see it. It was as if it came from supernatural things that others couldn't see, but it was definitely not something like jujutsu sorcery.'
Zoro stared at the girl with narrowed eyes as if he wanted to guess what was going on in her head.
“What are you thinking about?” asked the guy.
Maki sighed softly at the question.
“Other people can't see Bushoshoku, but I can. Ain’t that weird?”
"Do you think it's like a unique power in your world?" Robin asked to confirm.
However, Maki quickly shook her head.
"Your question’s the same as my previous assumption, Robin-san. But I'm sure it's not. If it were something like sorcery, I’d definitely feel familiar, even if it wasn't jujutsu sorcery."
Maki had never practised any form of magic other than jujutsu sorcery. Hell, even if she only knew some knowledge about jujutsu and had no experience using it herself, the idea of using mystical powers to manipulate the laws of physics would have been quite familiar to her. If there were anything she had ever seen that came closest to sorcery, it would probably be Devil Fruit abilities. That was why Bushoshoku Haki didn't fall into that category for her.
While it granted the user the power to attack Devil Fruit users and an invisible armour for defence and offence, this ability didn’t allow the user to violate the laws of physics easily. At least, Maki learned that from Robin's explanation.
“However, even for the sorcerers in my world, there are things they can’t see.”
The bespectacled girl's words successfully caught the attention of the two people. However, neither of them attempted to interrupt her. They simply remained silent, allowing her to finish whatever she was about to say.
“Well, maybe my master’s an exception because his existence is truly irrational," said Maki, who suddenly remembered someone's idiotic face, "My body’s also special because, as far as I know, there was only one person before me who was born with the same condition as me now."
Her memories wandered to the moment before she was thrown into this world. A figure appeared to be an undead, emitting no aura of cursed energy but possessing incredible physical strength. Maki wasn't sure who it was, but if her intuition was correct, it was the person with the zero-cursed energy body before her. Her statement might sound bold, but the fact that she had never heard about the zero-cursed energy body explained a lot.
“However, for sorcerers who aren’t my master or have the same body as me, there’s something they can’t see, and that’s the souls of both living and inanimate objects.”
Zoro raised an eyebrow in confusion.
“I still don’t get it. The monsters that terrorise your world are cursed spirits, right? If they can’t see souls, how can they hunt them? Aren’t they like ghosts or something?”
"Ghost is a super-simplification term I'm using to explain to you. If anything, cursed spirits are creatures born from highly concentrated cursed energy gathered in one place."
Maki paused her words, looking for an easier example to represent her explanation.
"Just think of it like a gas. Normal humans can't see in small or unconcentrated quantities, and not even sorcerers can see it. However, when you collect it in a specific container and apply pressure, the gas will transform into a liquid or even a solid."
"I see," Robin replied while pinching her chin, "So, you are saying that the cursed energy has no life attributes and is only used for sorcery from your world. But when the monsters created from it, they are just like any complex life that also has a soul.”
Maki nodded slowly at that conclusion.
“More or less like that.”
“So, what does a soul that even your people can't see have to do with this Bushoshoku Haki?” Zoro asked.
The girl turned her attention to Zoro. She didn't answer his question. Instead, Maki stood up from her seat and patted her bottom to remove the dust from her shorts.
"No normal human can see souls, not even sorcerers. Meanwhile, Bushoshoku Haki appears colourless even to the users. Don't these two things have some similarities?"
“You mean, Bushoshoku is a power that comes from the soul?” asked Zoro.
To which Maki gave a nod in response.
“That quite makes sense, but how do you explain Luffy’s grandfather’s punch being able to knock him?” the boy asked again.
Maki fell silent, indicating that even her head lacked the desired answer. She simply turned her face away, her hand brushing back her bangs.
“About that… I ain’t too sure.”
The soul was a completely foreign realm to Maki. No books or manuals could explain it in detail. Even back at Zen'in's residence, she couldn't find anything about it. It was a realm unexplored even by experienced sorcerers. However, Maki wasn't completely clueless on the topic.
While no modern knowledge of jujutsu sorcery explicitly explained it, faint traces suggest research into the soul was conducted. Cursed objects hidden in the corners of the world were perhaps the best achievement in the effort to uncover matters related to the soul. How to transform a human into a small lump of flesh with a fragment of a soul within it that could transcend time, even centuries, was truly fascinating.
'Besides cursed objects, there's also that Mahito guy with a cursed technique that can even manipulate souls.'
With the name of that filthy creature popping into her head, Maki's eyes widened.
'Wait, there wasn't any attack that worked against that guy, right? Only Yuuji's punch had any effect. According to him, it was because Sukuna's presence within his body made him aware of his own soul and connected his attack.
Maki covered her mouth, and wrinkles appeared on her forehead.
'I can perceive souls, but does that mean I don't understand my own? That said, even those guys can't perceive souls, yet can use Bushoshoku. Does that mean there's something else, or are the two completely different cases? Or perhaps because Bushoshoku is an ability native to this world, which makes these native people have the best aptitude for it?'
Everything that crossed her mind felt like a tangled mess that couldn't even seem to end, no matter how hard she tried. Every time a solution began to surface, another question followed, leading her back to the starting point. A loop she didn't know how to break.
'Having the best aptitude’s the most plausible reason I can't pull off that move. If that's the case, all I need to do is take it step by step and I’d get it.'
“Heeeyy!! Here you all are!!”
A shrill scream made the three of them turn their heads simultaneously. From a distance, a woman with a strange, square hairstyle was seen jogging toward them, her arms waving.
"Everyone is looking for you, you know?" the woman said after being in front of them.
“What’s wrong? Is there something urgent?” Zoro asked.
The woman shook her head, and a bright expression etched her face.
“The ship that Boss promised is finished, you know? Now, your friends are packing up to set sail.”
The three of them had similar reactions, even the rarely-expressed Robin. Their eyebrows shot up and their eyes widened, not expecting the ship to be finished so quickly.
“Besides that, guess what?”
The strange-haired woman spoke again. She deliberately left her words hanging in the air, letting the crowd's curiosity build and enjoying their reactions.
“Nami and Chopper were immediately depressed because of this, but I know people like you guys will definitely be looking forward to it.”
“So?” asked Maki.
The woman gave a big smile.
“Your wanted posters are out. Most of you have incredible bounties, especially Maki nee-san, considering it's your first bounty.”
She handed out some posters she had been carrying, and Robin accepted them with unconcealed curiosity. Maki and Zoro approached, flanking him on either side as she slowly unravelled the pages.
“120 million Berries, huh? Not bad,” Zoro said.
There were no changes to the poster other than the price listed for the head.
“Mine was 80 million Berries. I expected more, but it only went up a thousand,” Robin muttered after looking at her poster, “Well, at least they updated my wanted photo.”
Then it was time for them to get to the final page, which was supposed to feature the profile of the fugitive otherworlder girl.
“Zen'in Maki. Didn’t expect they’d spell my name correctly," she muttered with a hand on her chin, "And i got 80 million Berries fir my head too? Not that I mind, though, my photo also looks great. But how did I get such a high rating?"
“I don’t think it’s that weird,” commented the woman with the strange hair, “For reference, Sanji from your group has a bounty of 77 million Berries.”
The man's high bounty was understandable. Although it was his first wanted poster, he had participated in numerous previous clashes with the World Government, culminating in Alabasta. For a conflict of that magnitude, it would be impossible for his name to escape the radar completely. Therefore, even though the raiding of Ennies Lobby marked the beginning of his wanted poster, he had already left a trail of battles that couldn’t be underestimated.
“Is there anything else?” Robin muttered as she pulled out the last piece of paper.
“Oh, that’s the headline that came with your wanted posters,” said the square-haired woman.
The three of them raised their eyebrows when they saw the page, or more precisely, the words written as the headline on the page.
"Supernova. The troublemakers who threaten the Grand Line?" Zoro muttered, "Besides, a picture of Luffy and me is among them?"
Supernovas, also known as super-rookies in the article, were newcomers from across the ocean who quickly captured the world's attention even before reaching the Sabaody Archipelago, one of the midpoints of the Grand Line. Considered ruthless troublemakers, wreaking havoc everywhere, and marked by bounties exceeding one hundred thousand Berries. To make matters worse, there weren't just two or three of them, but eleven, making this generation the worst generation since Roger's era.
However, it wasn't that article that caught Maki's attention. Rather, it was one tucked away in the corner. While not the main article, it was no small feat, as it was printed on the front page.
“Zen'in Maki, Demon of the Sixth Heaven? What does that mean?” Zoro asked, glancing at the girl.
“That's a pretty popular saying from my country. But how did they know? I've only ever said it once.”
“And that was when you fought against one of Enel’s priests, wasn’t it?” Robin chimed in.
Maki nodded in confirmation. However, that wasn't what was on her mind right now. The fact that the allusion was included in the article, and paired with her name, meant that someone had been tracking her all the way to the sky island.
“I am pretty sure Stussy investigated you right after the fall of Enel’s regime. That would also explain her interest in you,” the black-haired woman added.
Come to think of it, it made sense now. Maki first met the blonde woman in the library, which certainly couldn't have been a coincidence. Someone as powerful and cunning as her wouldn't have done anything without a plan or purpose.
'She couldn't possibly realise I came from another world, could she?'
Maki's arrival into this world was quite extraordinary to behold. A hole in the sky, like a distortion of space, then spat out a girl from the darkness. Anyone who saw it knew it was no ordinary natural phenomenon.
'Is it too much to think I'll be used as a guinea pig if they find me because I'm from outside the dimension?' the girl sighed silently.
“A demon who killed the figure who had guarded Ennies Lobby for years,” Zoro continued reading the article, “It seems that this is what made your bounty go up. But I didn't expect you to kill him.”
“I didn't,” Maki quickly denied, “That blonde killed him for some reason, and she framed me. Honestly, it doesn't feel good when you're accused of something.”
Maki glanced at Robin, trying to read the woman's expression.
Spandam's death felt so odd. No, almost everything that happened in Ennies Lobby felt so out of place. With Stussy's skill set, Maki was confident that she could quickly crush the rebellion even by herself. While Maki was physically stronger than her, she couldn't deny that the woman was superior in many areas, especially in terms of experience. Furthermore, with Bushoshoku's ability to easily dismantle her physical superiority, it was clear that she could end the fight any way she wanted.
'However, that bastard chose to play around with me. I'm also very sure she wasn't going all out against me.'
"Hey... can we hurry to the dock? Actually, we're in a bit of a hurry too," said the messenger.
No response came from either of them. However, the pirates immediately departed without a second prompt. Except for Maki, who stood with her left hand outstretched instead of following them, ultimately drawing confusion from her other two companions.
Zoro was about to ask what the girl was doing, but he stopped when Maki said a few words.
“Come, Ganesha.”
Two seconds passed, and three seconds flew, but nothing happened. Zoro even raised an eyebrow, not understanding what his partner was doing. However, in the next moment, something wrapped in cloth appeared to fly and speed towards her with precision. With perfect timing, Maki caught the object.
“What the hell is that?” Zoro asked curiously.
“Elephant sword from Ennies Lobby.”
“No, I know about that one, but how did it float towards you? And Ganesha?”
Maki seemed to smirk slightly at the question.
"Its previous name sounded weird and cheesy, so I renamed it after a God from my place. Apparently, this little guy really liked it," the girl replied, staring at her new weapon.
However, that didn't answer the main question, and Zoro and even Robin were still waiting for the girl's explanation.
"Franky said this sword was imbued with a Zoan-type Devil Fruit, right? I once read a travel journal in this town's library. It said that Zoan has a will to choose the subject who will wield its power, to the point that if you leave the fruit somewhere, it'll somehow return to you."
Maki paused her words for a moment to take a breath.
"They’ve wills, and this sword even has a soul. Furthermore, he's just a small elephant. When I renamed him, he liked it, as if it resonated with his soul. That's why, when I thought he’d come if I called him, he really did."
“So, the Zoan-type Devil Fruit with its own will is not just a myth, hm?" Robin muttered. There are many things I do not know, and it seems I need to learn more."
“Yeah, it’s great and pretty convenient. But let’s go, we have to hurry,” Zoro said.
Maki sighed as she rolled her eyes.
“Sure, sure. But can't you comment a little on that? Read the room, you know?”
“In your dreams,” the boy replied.
—To Be Continued—
Author Note: The second half of this discussion will contain spoilers from the manga. If you don't like it, you can skip it. However, at the end of the discussion, I’ll update Maki's profile, and you can check it out to see her progress.
Alright. As I said, Maki's development here will be gradual as she tries to understand her body, unlike in the manga, where she developed exponentially due to pressing circumstances.
The manga doesn't provide a specific explanation about Bushoshoku or how to train it. So, here I'm approaching it with Mahito as Maki's reference because he's the only case she knows about "any form of physical attack is completely ineffective." However, what's in this chapter is just her attempt to figure it out, which doesn't mean she'll be able to do it immediately.
Second, about Spandam's sword, which is now in Maki's possession. Thor and Mjolnir obviously inspire the idea of the weapon flying towards her, lol. However, I didn't randomly add that idea because I liked it. So, there must be a reason behind it, and this is the manga spoiler I'm referring to. So, you know that Shamrock also has a weapon imbued with a Devil Fruit, right? When he unleashes its beast form, the weapon can "move" according to his command. So, based on that, I thought, why not make Maki's weapon fly towards her too?
Well, that's the reason, and I don't think it's too much. And now, I'll release Maki's profile.
Nama : Zen’in Maki.Ephitet : Demon of The Sixth Heaven.Age : 16.Origin : Japan (another world).Occupation : Straw Hat Pirates, as a ship cleaner.Bounty : 80,000,000 Berries.
- Power:
1. Heavenly Restriction Zero Cursed Energy.-> Superhuman Strength.-> Superhuman Endurance.-> Superhuman Agility and Speed.-> Superhuman Senses.-> Superhuman Reflex.
- Skill:1. Master Weapons Specialist.
2. Master Martial Arts Specialist
3. Haki Specialist. -> Kenbunshoku Haki (Haki of Observation).
4. Rokushiki. -> Geppo (Moonwalk). -> Soru (Instant Transmission). -> Shigan (Finger Gun). -> Kami-e (Paper Arts).
- Equipment: -> Ganesha (a sword formerly known as Funkfreed).