"Ha!"
"Ha!"
"Ha!"
The G-5 middle-level sword dojo in the dead of night.
Tashigi looked serious, holding her sword tightly and swinging the sword meticulously.
Must be stronger...
You must work harder than others...
Big beads of sweat appeared on her forehead, and sweat dripped down her cheeks.
Her glasses were covered with steaming mist. Although her arms began to lose control and her body started to stiffen, she still completed each swing of the sword rigorously.
Meticulous every time.
Dylan sat on the windowsill behind her, watching quietly.
After she stopped, Dylan knocked on the windowsill.
"Tashigi."
After completing her training, Tashigi returned to her usual dazed look. She quickly wiped her glasses after hearing Dylan's voice: "Huh? Vice Admiral! Sorry to disturb your rest!"
Dylan jumped off the windowsill, walked to the seat cushion next to him, and motioned for her to sit down and rest too.
"I can feel the anxiety in your heart, but I don't quite understand where this anxiety comes from."
Tashigi, who was sitting opposite, heard this and held her sword tightly in her hand, thinking of the Wado Ichimonji, and its owner.
"I... I want to do more! If I had more power, I could..."
"Power..." Looking at Tashigi with an unwilling face, Dylan took out a Devil Fruit and placed it between the two of them.
"This is a very powerful Devil Fruit, comparable to Teach and Shiryu. If you simply want power, I can give it to you without any price or reward."
He had speculated about Teach's body. In fact, the reason why the Garuda Fruit had been kept in his hands was not only because there was no suitable candidate but also because one day when the conditions were ripe, he wanted to try it himself.
After all... In some ways, maybe he and Teach have something in common!
Looking at the red-gold Devil Fruit in front of her, Tashigi hesitated for a moment but then shook her head.
"I... I..."
Although she knew that Shiryu's combat power had improved a lot due to the fruit, Tashigi still followed her heart and answered, "I want to be a simple swordsman."
"Um..."
Looking at Tashigi, who was sweating profusely, Dylan put the fruit back into the ring and took out a knife.
"Then... try to tame this. When you can tame it, you will be a powerful swordsman."
Nidai Kitetsu—one of the Great Grade Swords.
A gift of thanks from Tenguyama Hitetsu, the Wano Country swordsmith.
"Nidai ... Kitetsu... such a famous sword... I..."
"Tashigi!" Seeing her hesitant look, Dylan shouted.
"Don't underestimate yourself! But don't over-pressure yourself either."
"Everyone has their own 'stage.' No one can become the savior on their own."
"Fighting bloody battles, beheading generals, and capturing the flag are all efforts for peace, and sticking to the rear and protecting the country and people are also efforts for peace. Don't be fooled by this era. Everyone has what they are good at and what they like. Don't force yourself. Follow your heart."
Dylan stood up and walked toward the door.
"I have already told Ain that if you join Unit 06 led by her, you can accompany her on the next 'hunting.'"
·······
When he walked to the first floor, the light in Tama's room was still on.
Because Tama is still young and often needs to go to school to exercise and study with Tahir, Dylan specially arranged her room on the first floor.
After looking at the clock at the end of the corridor, Dylan walked to the door of Tama's room and knocked on the door.
"You haven't rested yet? Tama."
"Dy... Brother Dylan... wait a moment... I'll open the door for you right away."
Following a panicked sound, Tama's footsteps sounded at the door.
"What are you doing? If you don't rest so late, you won't grow taller."
Dylan stood at the door with no intention of going in immediately.
Children grow up and begin to have their own privacy...
Tama bit her lip and turned sideways to invite Dylan in.
In the room, a thin quilt was neatly folded on her small bed, and there were a few clothes she hadn't had time to hide next to it. These were all the luggage that Tenguyama Hitetsu had prepared for her when she left Wanokuni two years ago. The clothes and quilts were all starched and almost fading, and they were full of patches.
Looking at Tama's red eyes, Dylan sat next to her and touched her head.
He was usually very busy. Although most of the G-5 matters were handled by others, East Blue, Water 7, and Drum Island, combined with his own practice, left him with very little free time each day. There was very little time to spend with Ayu.
"Are you worried about your village?"
Tama buried her head, big tears sliding down her cheeks.
"Big brother... Tama lives like this every day in G-5, but everyone in the village..."
Although Dylan left a lot of food and easy-to-cultivate food seeds for her village when he left, that kind of place... The pollution is severe, and they are often plundered by the Beasts Pirates. They must be back to starving for food now.
"Tama..." Dylan apologized, "Brother promised you that he would return to that place. By that day, everyone will have enough to eat and clean water to drink."
"When the time comes, you will tell everyone what you saw on the sea."
Tama raised her hand and wiped her tears with the back of her hand, then raised her head and looked at Dylan: "I'm sorry, brother, Tama knows you are very busy, Tama shouldn't..."
After patting Tama on the back and comforting her, Dylan shook his head: "How could it be? If you have something sad in your heart, of course you should tell your elder brother. This is my honor."
After Tama calmed down and went to sleep, Dylan sighed softly, turned off the light, and walked out quietly. In the darkness, tears fell from Tama's face again.
"Well..."
Reaching the end of the corridor, Dylan lit a cigarette and sat on the steps, looking out the window at the vast starry sky.
"It's rare to see you like this."
Bell-mère walked to him with her coat on and sat down, taking out a cigarette from his pocket and lighting it for herself.
"What's bothering you? Why not tell me too?"
"Bell-mère..." Dylan looked at the sea and starry sky in the distance and sighed, "Sometimes, when I see Tama, I wonder if I did something wrong... Back then, should I have just brought Nami and Nojiko to G-5? Would the situation be different from today's?"
When he returned to Cocoyasi Village in the past two years, he clearly felt Genzo's self-blame and Nojiko's pain.
"It's not your fault, Dylan." Bell-mère also sighed, "You have already saved us once, and in the past two years... Tahir and I have talked about some things, and he told me some of his guesses."
"Back then, you were rising fast and your methods were tough. If you had brought them to G-5 at the very beginning... unless you stayed there, even if Tom was at the base, he might not have been able to take care of them. After all, Tom also needs to practice and take care of the dock and workshop. If people knew that 'Rairyu' Dylan's adopted sister was at the base..."
"Later, when our power became stronger... Nami... she already had her own ideas, and by that time, I'm afraid you were also aware of the existence of 'those people.'"
"It was 'those people' who deliberately guided Nami, right? It's not your fault. You gave them a prosperous life and a carefree childhood. You have done a good job, Dylan, there is no need to blame yourself. If anyone should blame themselves, I, as a mother, should blame myself even more."
"After a while, I will go find Nami, and..." Dylan stubbed out the cigarette in his hand, "I have sent someone to pick up Nojiko, let her come and help me."
"Um."
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