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Through coordinated attacks and sharp observation, Weiwei realized that Ayu hadn't eaten a Devil Fruit and had no means of self-defense. Such a small child, forced to survive in a brutal land like Wano, could easily be caught in the crossfire and die without anyone noticing.
Weiwei always called Alabasta a cursed beginning, but truly, Wano Country was the real hell.
She asked Tiangushan Feichi about the forest beasts. Though the swordsmith's martial arts were average, he knew the general distribution of the wild creatures. Weiwei took Ayu into the forest after gathering this information.
"Don't you have any pets? Something fierce and powerful that could protect you?" she asked gently.
Ayu blinked, puzzled. She was starvingâhow could she even think of raising a pet? Did pets exist that didn't need food? If so, she'd love one. If not, forget it. She found the pretty sister's question strange and simply shook her head, signaling she had none.
Weiwei thought it made sense. Ayu was starving enough to drink cold water for satietyâunder those conditions, a pet was a luxury. That big golden retrieverâKomachiyoâprobably only followed her in the original story after Ayu tamed it through long-term care or perhaps some Devil Fruit influence. Weiwei wasn't sure.
Everyone had pets these days. Sengoku had his goat, Aokiji had his penguins, Shirahoshi had her sharks, and of course, Princess Nefertari Vivi had her duck, Karoo. Pets had become emblems. To be without one felt like a loss of status.
Weiwei simply wanted to help Ayu gain some protection. Once she left Wano, Ayu could at least rely on a pet to defend herself.
"It's okay if you don't have one. I'll summon every beast in this forest. Just point to one you like, okay?"
Ayu didn't understand but nodded out of reflex.
Weiwei raised her sword and swiftly killed two wild boars and a python. The air grew thick with blood; the scent carried far, drawing ferocious beasts from deeper in the woods.
"Like this monkey? No? Then I'll kill it."
"This eagle? Too big? All right, we'll keep looking."
"This rabbit's fat... but probably not what you want. Don't run, rabbit! Take thisâLion Strike: Thousand Cuts Valley!"
The bloody stench grew unbearable. Weiwei stacked the corpses like a hill, then set up a fire to roast boar legs on the spot.
It lacked seasoning and wasn't tasty, but both Weiwei and Ayu were too hungry to care.
As beasts instinctively avoided danger, fewer approached the bloodied clearing.
Then came a five-meter-tall cypress dog, golden-haired like a hill of sunshine. Weiwei knew the real boss had arrived.
"Woof!" The giant dog growled, its eyes locked on the corpses. It was clearly famished.
"Like this one?" Weiwei asked Ayuâfor the fifteenth time.
Ayu's eyes lit up. She clearly loved it, but its massive size scared her. She didn't want her sister to get hurt.
She froze, unsure what to say.
"You like it? That makes it simpleâjust wait."
Weiwei wiped her fingers and stepped toward the giant Komachiyoânot with her sword, but bare-handed, gazing up at the beast.
Since eating the Zoan-type Mythical Devil Fruit, her physical strength had surged. So had her mastery of Haoshoku Haki. What once burst forth uncontrollably, like a derailed train, was now focusedâtargeted to individuals or specific areas.
Her eyes flashed blood-red as she channeled pure killing intent directly at the golden dog.
"Grr!" The beast backed up two steps. Weiwei was impressedâit hadn't fainted.
"Good willpower," she said, before leaping high and delivering a whip-kick to the cypress dog's face, sending it flying seven meters and smashing three trees.
She pointed at Ayu. "Be her friend, and I'll spare your life."
The dog looked at Ayu. There was instant chemistryâbut Komachiyo wanted freedom. It howled in defiance and charged again. It would not be anyone's pet!
âŠ
Half an hour later, the lion-sized Komachiyo was chewing boar meat and reevaluating life choices.
Using the power to "hear the voice of all things," Weiwei realized the beast was simple and kind-hearted. It didn't desire bloodshedâjust companionship. In its mind, anything living counted as a playmate. Ayu, by its standards, fit right in.
"Komachiyo! That's your name now. Nice to meet you!" Ayu said happily, shaking its massive paw.
In the original timeline, without a Devil Fruit cheat, Ayu and Komachiyo had built a bond slowly. But thanks to Weiwei's overwhelming force and a roasted meat bribe, they had fast-forwarded that trust.
Over the next few days, Weiwei regularly brought Ayu to visit Komachiyo. Gradually, they became inseparable. Even when Weiwei eventually left Wano, Ayu would have a protector.
Of course, that protection was relative. Komachiyo could fend off minor threatsâbut Kaido? Not even if he turned into Komamura from Soul Society.
Still, it solved the immediate issue. If Ayu was hungry, she could come to the forest and ask Komachiyo for food. With its giant mouth, even crumbs would fill a child like her. The meat might be bland, but it beat starvation.
Weiwei planned to stay in Biankasa Village a few more days. Once Ayu was settled, she'd leave Wano. Watching the girl giggle as she played with Komachiyo reminded her of Karoo. Was that duck still waiting in Torrance Town?
She imagined Karoo standing proud, holding pumpkin soup and risotto, faithful as everâŠ
âŠ
"Aaachoo!" Karoo sneezed violently, scattering note cards over his beak. Across from him, the glasses-wearing girl and the neighbor aunt from the Torrance Hotel watched him frown over his cards: 3, 4, 6, 7. Missing the 5. Highest cardâQ.
How was he supposed to win this round?
He sank into deep thoughtâŠ
{đ„łJoining Patreon keeps me motivated and eager to work diligently, so please support me.đ„° You can access upto 30+ advance chapter through Patreon by using the link: https://patreon.com/Oreski}