"If my physical strength can recover quickly, then I will have extra time that others don't have to train myself. As long as I can persevere, I'll become strong enough that I won't need to stand behind Shibi anymore. It's just that I don't really know how long it takes me to recover from injuries, so I'll have to figure that out as I go." The moment Reo discovered this magical power from the fruit, he fell deep into thought. In his young mind, every thought revolved around becoming stronger.
Watching Reo lost in contemplation, Kunkei pulled out another cigarette from somewhere, placed it between his lips, and inhaled. The smoke curled around his dark face as he remembered the Snod family, seven hundred years ago. They had once been a powerful family, thriving in the Grand Line with extraordinary fighting power. But their arrogance led them to provoke the Celestial Dragons, and within decades, they disappeared, fading into legend. The Celestial Dragons, an indispensable force created by the government, had wiped them out. Yet, seven hundred years later, the descendants of the Snods had arrived on this small island. Was it fate, or a deliberate journey? In the end, Kunkei chose to trust Shibi's vision.
"Shibi, I have something to tell you," Kunkei said, setting the cigarette holder on the table as if recalling something heavy, and lowering his head.
"Oh!" Shibi replied. The smile that usually brightened his face was gone; he understood that what Kunkei was about to say was very important.
Kunkei was silent for a long time, searching for the right words. He touched his chin thoughtfully and finally spoke. "Actually, the pirate attack on our Seihoku Village two years ago wasn't an accident." He paused, glancing at Shibi's face, and seeing no change in his expression, continued, "It was planned. They disguised themselves as a merchant ship to avoid the government's attention and your father was killed in that attack."
Kunkei sighed deeply, his voice heavy.
"Your father was not an ordinary man. Among us, he was one of the strongest. He had a vision for our clan that was different from the rest, but he lost his life protecting you and your mother, Shibi." Kunkei looked at Shibi with a serious gaze.
Kunkei's words made Shibi's sapphire eyes tremble. His heart felt like a stormy sea, waves crashing over him, leaving him unable to resist, unable to breathe.
By the time Kunkei began speaking, Reo had snapped out of his own thoughts. He noticed the change in Shibi's usually cheerful face and reached out, holding Shibi's hand tightly, as if to offer silent support.
Seeing Reo's concern, Shibi shook his head after a moment. Maybe I really did cause my father's death, but that's something I can't change. If I keep blaming myself, my father will never forgive me. Suddenly, Shibi's young face filled with determination.
Kunkei saw all this and smiled gently, continuing, "Shibi, you don't have to blame yourself. When you were born, your father was as happy as a child. He was different from the rest of us-he had a broad mind we couldn't match. So, Shibi, when I tell you everything, I won't restrict your freedom. I hope you don't follow any path your heart can't accept. Because of my own father, I once made a choice that went against my heart. You don't have to repeat that mistake."
Seeing Shibi nod, Kunkei gave a humble laugh and continued.
"The comfortable life we had in Seihoku Village for so many years gave us roots, but it also made us complacent. Everyone living on this island is bound to it. Me, old man Daichi, your father, and most others-we're all tied here. We can't leave, can't move our families. Most people die here, protecting their loved ones from pirates. When that attack came, we suffered heavy losses."
Kunkei sighed again. "The pirates who came here weren't ordinary. If not for your father, Seihoku Village would have disappeared long ago."
"Even with Daichi and me, Seihoku's strength isn't what it used to be. All our old friends are gone, lost in that attack. I'm invincible against all hands and I won't back down easily, but Daichi was badly injured in that battle. In his prime, he was your father's equal, but wounds and time have worn him down." Kunkei's voice was proud, but sad.
"The leader of that pirate group escaped from Daichi and me. I'm afraid he will return someday. There's something on this island he wants-something he'd die for. Luckily, the attack weakened them too, so there's no immediate danger, but I fear that next time, Seihoku Village may fall."
Kunkei looked at Shibi, who was listening with a serious expression.
"What I'm about to say now is a clan secret. We've waited for the right time to tell you, and that time has come. Now, you can choose to listen or not."
Shibi nodded without hesitation.
Seeing this, Kunkei cleared his throat and began to speak slowly.
"Our family has existed for over eight hundred years. I don't know how many things have changed, but one purpose has remained: to guard a magic weapon in the back mountain. That mission continues to this day."
"But in our generation, some began to question the clan's rules. Why must we only guard the magic weapon and never use it? Why does the clan say to guard it until death, but never say why? That man was your father, Shibi."
"He once said, 'If we risk our lives to protect this weapon, and die for it, what's the point? When we're gone, who will protect it? Why not use its power to protect itself?'"
"Now that I think about it, your father made sense. But how could we go against the clan's motto? Even though we never knew why we could only guard and not use the weapon, we stuck to the rules. Over time, our clan weakened, and we ended up settling on this small island, with the magic weapon hidden in the back mountain."
"That's why you're not allowed in the back mountain. The power from the weapon changes the beasts and the land around it, and it's too much for you to bear right now."
At this, Kunkei's large, bull-like eyes flashed with a cold, suffocating aura. Fortunately, it wasn't aimed at Reo or Shibi, or they might have fainted.
"The pirate who knows this secret isn't ordinary. He was driven off, but he'll never give up. We don't know when he'll attack again."
"That's all I have to say. Now, what's your choice, Shibi?" Kunkei lit another cigarette, not realizing he'd smoked three in just one hour.
Shibi, after listening to Kunkei's words, lowered his head. After a moment, he looked up, his sapphire eyes shining with a new determination. He slammed his small hands on the table, stood up, and shouted excitedly, "Uncle Kunkei, please train me! I must become stronger-I want to protect Seihoku Village!"
Reo looked at Shibi seriously, and not to be outdone, he turned to Kunkei. "Uncle Kunkei, I want to become stronger too. There's someone I want to protect. Please train me as well!"
Kunkei's mouth curled into a grin, and he suddenly shouted, "Oh... so, two little devils! You two brats have a lot of courage, haha!"
His heroic laughter echoed all the way to Daichi's ears, making the old man smile with relief.
Maybe, in our generation, the guardian gods are no longer the most important thing. A lifeless object can never compare to the living beings you want to protect.
This era... is the era of youth.
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A/N: If you like the fanfic please show your support. Throw some stones ;)