"Who are you?"
Hearing the voice, Tashigi immediately looked up to see a very thin little girl wearing a light green short skirt kimono with many patches, riding on a strange big dog. She eyed them with caution.
"Excuse me, we are travelers," Ace said, his mouth curving into a gentle smile. He recognized the girl as Kurozumi Tama, a Paramecia Dango Fruit ability user.
"Hey? There are outsiders in Wanokuni?" Tama looked at Ace and Tashigi in surprise. Under the joint rule of Kaido and Kurozumi Orochi, Wanokuni was completely isolated from the outside world. Kaido's regime enforced strict borders, and the natural barriers of Wanokuni further discouraged any external contact.
"We came here because of some accidents," Ace said with a smile.
Tashigi, listening to the side, couldn't help but twitch her lips. Who caused this accident? she thought, casting a sideways glance at Ace.
Tama's mood swings intrigued her. The girl's emotions were so raw and varied, it was hard to predict what she might do next.
"Gu! Gu!" A soft sound came from Tama's stomach.
"Woo!" Tama immediately covered her stomach, her face turning red with embarrassment.
"Are you hungry?" Ace asked, his expression turning somber before he chuckled lightly.
The people of Wanokuni were starving because of Kaido's exploitation. His factories polluted the land and water sources, making it impossible to grow crops. In such an environment, mere survival was a luxury, let alone having enough to eat.
Ace, who had lived in the peaceful era of modern Earth, had never truly known hunger. But seeing the conditions in Wanokuni, he felt a deep sense of empathy and anger. This was why, despite his admiration for Kaido's willpower in battle, Ace had never considered working with him. His goal had always been to kill Kaido.
The act of wasting fertile land and water sources was unforgivable. The suffering of Wanokuni's people was a stark reminder of the tyranny they faced, and Ace was determined to put an end to it.
"No, I'm not hungry! I want to be a ninja in the future," Tama declared, her face flushed with embarrassment but her small fist raised in determination.
"A ninja, huh? That's a powerful dream," Ace said, his smile widening. "But even ninjas need to eat, right? How about we eat together?"
With a subtle wave of his hand, Ace opened an air door using the Door-Door Fruit's ability, revealing a bag of rice. He held it out to Tama with a smile.
Tama's eyes widened at the sight of the rice. Among the people of Wanokuni, rice was an extremely precious food. She usually made a living by weaving bamboo hats, but the money she earned wasn't enough to buy rice. She subsisted on grain husks and could only afford a small amount of rice once a year on her birthday. Seeing so much rice now, she struggled to maintain her dignity as a samurai, but the saliva pooling in her mouth betrayed her true feelings.
Ace's Observation Haki allowed him to sense Tama's emotional fluctuations clearly. Coupled with his ability to listen to the voices of all things, he could understand her inner turmoil. Although Ace had never experienced hunger himself, he had seen its effects on others.
"Let's eat together. If you're hungry, you have to eat," Ace said, extending his hand to Tama with a bright, reassuring smile.
Tashigi, observing the exchange, felt a pang of understanding. She realized why Ace had insisted on coming here.
Tama hesitated but then slowly reached out her little hand, moving instinctively toward Ace's. Soon, the aroma of cooking rice filled the air as Tama prepared the meal. She hummed an unknown tune, her face lighting up with a genuine, happy smile as she processed the precious rice.
Ace and Tashigi watched in silence, their expressions softening as they saw Tama's joy. When the rice was ready, Tama opened the pot lid, releasing a cloud of fragrant steam. She took a deep sniff, her little face full of satisfaction.
"It's done!" Tama announced brightly, handing two bowls full of rice to Ace and Tashigi. She then carefully filled a smaller bowl for herself, clearly happy despite its size.
During their earlier conversation, Tama had learned about Ace and Tashigi's famous exploits. However, due to Kaido's blockade and the lack of Den Den Mushi, Tama was unaware of their true identities. Communication with the outside world was completely severed in Wanokuni.
Tashigi felt her heart ache as she watched Tama. Despite her own hunger and desire for a full meal, Tama had offered the largest portions to Ace and Tashigi first. Her kindness and selflessness shone through, making Tashigi's eyes well up with unshed tears.
"Tama, you're really so kind," Tashigi said softly, her voice filled with emotion.
"Why don't you fill it up? There's still a lot," Ace suggested, glancing at the remaining rice in the pot.
"I think... can I leave some for the master?" Tama asked hesitantly, biting her lip. In her eyes, the rice belonged to Ace, and it felt wrong to take more without permission.
"Eat it, I still have plenty," Ace replied. After a moment's silence, he used the Door-Door Fruit ability again, this time bringing out several more bags of rice.
Tama's eyes widened in disbelief as she stared at the additional bags of rice. "!!!"
"It's been a long time since you've had enough to eat, hasn't it? Today, eat as much as you want, Tama," Ace said with a warm smile.
"Yeah!" Tama nodded vigorously, her smile beaming with happiness. Despite her joy, she only added another spoonful of rice to her bowl before stopping.
"Is this enough to fill you up?" Tashigi asked curiously.
"It's enough. Although there's still a lot of rice..." Tama trailed off, her small face turning serious. "I... I want to share some with everyone. Everyone in the village hasn't eaten rice for a long time."
"Don't worry, everyone will be able to eat enough in the future," Ace said, gently touching Tama's head.
"Really?" Tama's eyes widened in hopeful disbelief.
"Yeah, I promise," Ace assured her with a smile.
Tashigi, watching this interaction, discreetly wiped away a tear. Ace's vision of creating "a world where everyone can eat and everyone can have a banquet" resonated deeply with her. Being a part of Ace's crew was truly something special.
As Tashigi took a bite of her rice, she felt an overwhelming sense of gratitude. The rice was plain, with no side dishes, yet it tasted like the most delicious food in the world. The simplicity and purity of the grain's aroma brought a sense of peace and contentment.
"The taste of grain," Ace remarked, eating more elegantly than ever. "The taste of food is the most fascinating because food represents the continuation of human life."
Ace watched Tama savor each bite, her face lighting up with happiness. Despite the simplicity of the meal, each grain of rice was cherished. Ace's smile broadened as he reflected on the significance of food.
For humans, food and water are essential for survival. Even without side dishes, the simple act of eating rice was deeply meaningful. Ace had never wasted a grain of rice, a principle ingrained in him from his life on Earth.
"Yeah," Tashigi agreed earnestly, feeling the same appreciation for the meal.
"Yummy, it's so delicious," Tama exclaimed after finishing her bowl, licking the corners of her mouth as if trying to savor every last bit of the rice. Her face was a picture of pure happiness.
Seeing Tama's joy, Ace and Tashigi couldn't help but laugh, their hearts warmed by the simple yet profound experience they shared.
But then, Ace and Tashigi looked outside the house.
"Tap! Taap!"
"Who are you?!" a strange man with a long nose and wooden clogs asked warily, his eyes narrowing as he scrutinized Ace and Tashigi.
"Master! Come quickly, I left some rice for you," Tama exclaimed, surprised to see the person arriving.
"Kozuki Sukiyaki?" Ace thought silently, recognizing the former Wanokuni general and Kozuki Oden's father, who was now using the alias Tenguyama Hitetsu's Kouji Sukiyaki.
Ace's primary reason for coming here was to ensure Tama had a full meal. The second reason was the famous sword Enma, one of the twelve great swords in Kozuki Sukiyaki's possession. Compared to the black sword Shusui, Enma was more suitable for Tashigi. Shusui, already refined into a black sword, bore the indelible mark of Ryuma, whereas Enma had yet to become a black sword. If Tashigi could refine it, Enma's power could be fully realized. Additionally, Enma's ability to absorb Haki intrigued Ace; under the effect of the field of enlightenment, its potential was vast. Thus, Enma was a must-have for Ace.
"I see," Kozuki Sukiyaki said after Tama explained the situation, his gaze softening as he looked at Ace and Tashigi.
Taking the rice from Tama, he wanted her to eat more but understood she would worry if he didn't partake. He thanked Ace and began eating the rice in the bowl.
"Thank you for the hospitality," Kozuki Sukiyaki said, placing his hands together in gratitude after finishing his meal.
"You're welcome. Tama is very kind and cute. If such a child is hungry, it would be too pitiful," Ace replied, gently touching Tama's head and smiling.
"Huh!" Tama, now lying on Ace's legs, had fallen soundly asleep after her meal. Ace let her rest on his legs, watching her serene face and sweet smile, as if she were having a beautiful dream.
"Yeah, this country was not like this originally," Kozuki Sukiyaki sighed, though he refrained from saying much more. While grateful for the meal, he remained cautious. The situation in Wanokuni was too complex. If Ace and Tashigi were sent by Kaido and Orochi, vigilance was necessary. Conversely, if they were merely kind travelers, dragging them into Wanokuni's quagmire was unfair. The combined terror of Kaido and Orochi was formidable.
Ace smiled, not wanting to delve into Wanokuni's troubled history, which inevitably involved Kozuki Oden, the naked, Gullible dancing fool.
"Then, we'll say goodbye," Ace said, standing up with a smile.
As he pulled Tashigi up, her sword hilt became visible, catching Kozuki Sukiyaki's eye.
"Wait!" Kozuki Sukiyaki exclaimed, his pupils shrinking as he recognized the hilt of Shusui.