October 1, 1501, Age of the Sea Circle
"Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday dear Uta, happy birthday to you!"
Orion and his four subordinates were singing cheerfully, standing around a large table laden with all kinds of delicacies that Orion had personally prepared with Roux's help.
Little Uta was dressed like a princess, wearing a brand-new gown, her white and red hair tied into two adorable pigtails. With a wide smile, she clapped her hands in rhythm with the song, delighting in the birthday celebration that Orion had hurriedly organized for her.
A few hours earlier, Orion had happened to check the system's map and, to his surprise, discovered that the marker for the little girl had shifted slightly, now indicating that she was two years old. Although the system did not provide specific information about the birthdays of Named Characters, this was a direct way to confirm the exact day of her birth.
Once Orion realized that today was Uta's birthday, he immediately set to work to organize a grand party for her. He could not allow her birthday to pass unnoticed; even if she would most likely forget these moments because of her tender age, Orion did not want to miss the chance to celebrate her special day.
After preparing a true feast, Orion used his Art Coating ability to craft her a dress and carefully groomed her for the occasion.
Now, after several hours of effort, the birthday party had reached its climax, and all that was left was for the little girl to blow out the candles and make a wish. Naturally, she could not understand the ritual of wishing, but she was still overjoyed to blow out the candles as Orion and the others urged her on, reveling in being the center of attention at the party.
Uta blew out the candles, and Orion began to play a song on his violin, which only heightened the girl's happiness.
"Happy birthday, Uta!" Orion said, lifting the little girl into his arms, and after giving her a hug, he handed her a transverse flute that he had personally crafted using his carving skills.
Uta immediately grabbed the flute with her tiny hands, her eyes sparkling with excitement, and began blowing into it with great enthusiasm. In just a few moments, she was able to grasp its basic workings almost intuitively, thanks to her monstrous musical talent.
Although her little hands did not yet have the coordination required to actually play the flute properly, she could still produce different notes individually, bursting into joyful laughter every time a new tone emerged as she blew into the instrument.
Uta continued to play the flute Orion had gifted her with great delight, and together with her xylophone, it quickly became one of her favorite toys. Meanwhile, Orion and the others began to enjoy the cake with great satisfaction, savoring the refined culinary skills Orion had poured into it.
Orion's "Cooking" skill was currently at level 6, which meant he possessed the expertise of a professional chef just beginning to step into the realm of the extraordinary, so the flavor of the cake was truly exquisite.
As for the levels of his abilities, even though Orion had not received specific information from the system, he had managed to deduce certain rules through personal experience. Broadly speaking, the matter could be summarized like this:
Level 0 was the bare minimum for a skill to be acknowledged as such. For instance, in the case of the "Swimming" skill, it meant the ability to float and move in the water, even if clumsily.
Then, from levels 1 to 3, the skill was executed with the proficiency of a beginner. Levels 4 to 6 were the "professional" range, which was the peak a normal person could aspire to.
Beyond level 6 lay the realm of the extraordinary. Once a skill reached these levels, it underwent a qualitative transformation, often crossing into the field of the "fantastic." For example, level 6 in cooking was the pinnacle of a professional chef, but level 7 meant a chef capable of producing some kind of magical effect with their food or something similar.
At present, Orion had only three skills at level 7, while all the others were at lower levels. However, two of those three were part of the Rokushiki, and their operation was somewhat different from that of regular skills.
The techniques of the Rokushiki were more about the refinement of a movement or the accumulation of experience, and they differed from broader abilities such as cooking or medicine.
For that reason, the only one of Orion's skills that had entered the realm of the "extraordinary" in the normal sense was "Strong Body." In that case, the process had indeed followed the path of a regular skill. Up to level 6, Orion had simply been an exceptionally strong human, but once he reached level 7, he had surpassed the category of human altogether, and he would not have been surprised if the system decided to classify him as belonging to a new race entirely.
In any case, the central point was that Orion's culinary skills had reached a very high level, and the food he could prepare was truly delicious.
For that reason, Orion had decided to use this skill as a bridge to connect with the mysterious man who had arrived on the island two days earlier in search of Shanks: Dracule Mihawk.
During the past two days, Mihawk had not interacted with them at all, remaining inside the distant cave without making a single move. However, Orion had noticed something peculiar: the swordsman seemed to show great interest whenever Orion and his subordinates ate the delicacies he and Roux prepared, and he appeared to pay even closer attention to the alcoholic drinks they enjoyed.
It did not take Orion long to conclude that Mihawk was probably a foodie—or at the very least, a drinker. After all, anyone who kept friendly ties with Shanks could hardly be very different from the carefree redhead, who took great pleasure in drinking until he passed out.
Although Orion had already perceived this trait in the swordsman's personality, he had not attempted to approach Mihawk in the previous days, since he had been waiting for the right moment to do so.
Now that he had the perfect excuse, he decided it was the best time to make his move.
Taking a large tray, Orion loaded it with all sorts of food from the banquet table, then cut a slice of cake, retrieved six bottles of wine from his inventory, and walked toward the cave where Mihawk was.
When he saw him coming, the swordsman looked at him with indifference, as though planning to ignore him, although it was obvious his gaze was involuntarily drawn to the delicacies Orion carried.
"Sir Mihawk, we're celebrating Uta's birthday—would you like a piece of cake?" Orion said, reaching the swordsman's location. He then used his Art Coating ability on a nearby rock, transforming it into a table where he set down the tray of food and the bottles of wine.
Upon witnessing Orion's strange ability, Mihawk did not react with surprise, for in the past few days he had already seen him use this power several times. Even though the swordsman had had no contact whatsoever with Orion and his subordinates, he had still paid attention to their movements, simply out of boredom.
In a magical world like that of One Piece, it was not unusual to encounter people with all kinds of powers, so Mihawk did not pay the matter much attention.
Even so, there was something in Orion's words that caught his interest.
"You know my name now? Did you speak with Shanks?" Mihawk asked calmly, curious about the possibility that Orion had received news from the redhead.
However, Orion slowly shook his head, denying the swordsman's assumption.
"I haven't spoken with Shanks. I have no intention of disturbing him during his personal business; as long as he returns within the promised time, I don't care about his current situation at all," Orion replied with a smile.
It was not that he was a heartless bastard with no concern for the pirate's well-being; rather, with Shanks' current status and power, Orion could offer no help if he found himself in a problem he could not resolve on his own. And since Shanks had kept the details of his affairs secret before leaving, Orion had no intention of prying too much.
"As for why I know your name… it's difficult not to recognize the identity of one of the most famous pirates in the world—one of the Seven Warlords allied with the World Government," Orion added.
At first, with the swordsman's sudden arrival on the island, Orion had not immediately reacted to the name that appeared on the system screen. After all, it was his first time seeing Mihawk in person. However, once the initial tension had passed, Orion remembered where he had heard the name Dracule Mihawk before.
One of the Seven Warlords renowned worldwide, and in particular, the one who bore the title of the greatest swordsman in the world. Unlike Shanks, who was undeniably powerful yet had not accumulated as much fame, Mihawk was without a doubt one of the most famous people alive.
Before becoming a Warlord, he had been notorious for his hostility toward the navy, to the point of being called the "Marine Hunter."
Orion had read this information in a report sent by Dragon almost two years earlier, when the Warlord system had just been established. Since Orion generally did not interact with people of this level in his daily life in the South Blue, he had stored that information in his memory, and only now, upon encountering the famed swordsman for the first time, did the details resurface in his mind.
Despite everything, Mihawk's reputation was rather good, and Dragon's report had indicated that he was not truly loyal to the World Government, having taken the Warlord title merely out of convenience. Technically speaking, Mihawk was his enemy, since he belonged to the ranks of the World Government, yet Orion considered it unlikely that they would truly come into conflict.
During the past few days, not only had Mihawk been observing Orion, but the reverse was also true. Even though they had not interacted in the slightest, Orion had managed to form an idea of the kind of man Mihawk was, based on all the information available to him.
As the final touch, even his Prism Eyes ability showed that the Warlord's morality lay in the gray zone, revealing the sort of character he possessed.
"Well, whatever the case, I have no intention of sharing a meal with you. If you have nothing else to say, you may leave," Mihawk said curtly, though his voice carried no trace of aggression.
"Alright, I'll just leave this food here anyway. If you don't want it, you can throw it away," Orion replied, nodding his head. He set everything he had brought down on the table he had just created, gave another brief nod as a parting gesture, and walked out of the cave without wasting a second.
Only Mihawk remained there, his thoughtful gaze following Orion's back until it completely disappeared into the distance. Finally, the famed swordsman turned his eyes to the food and wine on the table and reached out to take it. After all, it wasn't such a bad thing to have something delicious to eat every now and then.
…
October 11, 1501, Age of the Sea Circle
Ten days passed quickly. After Orion's first approach during Uta's birthday, Mihawk had since found himself receiving Orion's daily visits, each time accompanied by all sorts of exquisite dishes and bottles of alcohol.
The swordsman knew full well that Orion was trying to establish a friendly relationship, and since he bore no ill will toward him, he accepted each of the "tributes" Orion brought on his visits.
Mihawk had to admit that Orion's cooking was truly delicious, and for someone who was used to eating anything remotely edible he could find, the change in his routine was quite enjoyable, to the point where he even considered that perhaps he ought to learn to cook something other than grilled meat and rice balls.
That day, however, something new had happened on the island where this colorful group was waiting for Shanks' return. For the first time since his arrival, Mihawk had left the cave where he had been residing and walked toward the coastal area where Orion and the others spent their days training.
Mihawk strolled along the shore, watching these individuals with curiosity. Even though he had already been "observing" them with his Observation Haki, this was the first time he truly paid attention to their movements.
Lucky Roux was training his "Self Bowling" technique, trying to improve the use of his Armament Haki to increase the power of his attacks. His training style was rather brutal and simple, consisting of repeatedly hurling himself against massive rocks to smash them apart.
Meanwhile, Gab was meditating with his eyes closed, attempting to achieve harmony with the spirits. His training was the complete opposite of Lucky Roux's, requiring him to remain motionless for long hours. If not for his naturally strong body, he probably would have suffered health issues from staying so still for so long.
Lily Enstomach was practicing control over her Devil Fruit, and after nearly a month of training, she had finally managed to alter her size at will. However, she was still limited to the two extremes of the spectrum, able only to shift between her giant state and her miniature state, with no ability to hold herself at any middle ground. On top of that, she had managed to shrink objects, which was the focus of her current training.
Hototogisu, on the other hand, was the only one undergoing what could be called more "normal" training. She coated her spear with Conqueror's Haki and destroyed humanoid practice targets that Orion had made for her with his Art Coating ability.
Mihawk lingered for a few moments watching Hototogisu train, and he gave a slight nod of approval at the girl's efforts. Although her talent was inferior to Roux's and Gab's, in the swordsman's eyes she was the only one worthy of his acknowledgment, since her training with the spear resembled the discipline of an elite swordsman like the one he himself had endured in his youth.
At last, Mihawk slowly approached the area where Orion was sitting with Uta, teaching her a song on the xylophone with genuine interest, his pure smile radiating the focus of a child absorbed in the most captivating game.
To Mihawk, Orion was a strange man. Very strange. Over the past ten days, he had come to visit, bringing food and drink, yet never stayed more than a few moments in the cave. Mihawk could see that Orion spent most of his day training tirelessly, which had earned the swordsman's respect. But there was another side of him that didn't align at all with his fervor for training.
It was hard for Mihawk to put it into words, but if he had to, the one he would choose to describe Orion—aside from "strange"—was "versatile."
Unlike himself, who had devoted his entire life to the way of the sword, Orion seemed to have far too many interests, more than Mihawk considered wise. He could spend hours practicing with his blade, yet then dedicate several more hours to teaching music to a little girl, doing so with genuine joy and interest.
At other times, he wasted time cooking, or even sat drawing the clouds in the sky with complete dedication.
To Mihawk, Orion's actions seemed erratic, almost as though they had no connection to one another. It was unusual to see someone devote themselves to such varied pursuits, and for a moment it even made him think it was a waste of talent.
However, every time he found himself watching Orion train with seriousness, Mihawk could feel within himself a faint sense of danger, the same kind he experienced when looking at Shanks.
Objectively, that shouldn't have been possible, because Orion was so weak that Mihawk could have eliminated him in an instant without any trouble. But Mihawk would never ignore his instincts, and for that reason, he knew Orion was not as simple as he seemed.
There was something about the young man, who was now just teaching a little girl a children's song, that made Mihawk think he was capable of great things. It was a kind of strange charisma that was hard to avoid, and with each passing day it had been affecting Mihawk's perception of Orion more and more.
That was why, today, he had finally decided to leave the cave where he had been residing, to put an end to the curiosity gnawing at him. And there was only one way to ease this kind of curiosity: a simple fight.
Mihawk walked calmly toward Orion and sat down on a nearby rock, waiting for him to finish his lesson with little Uta, wondering whether Orion would even be able to withstand a single one of his strikes, even if he held back his strength.
Yet, before Mihawk had the chance to make his move, a new change stirred on the lake. In the distance, a large ship suddenly appeared, advancing at full speed.
Mihawk turned his gaze toward the direction of the incoming vessel and frowned in thought. Orion, on the other hand, immediately recognized the newcomers. It was none other than the red-haired pirate they had been waiting for here for almost a month!
Orion crouched down and lifted Uta, who had been cheerfully playing the xylophone on the ground, into his arms.
"Uta, your father is back," Orion said, carrying the girl toward the lakeshore, where the ship was drawing closer.
"Papa! Papa!" Uta cried out with pure joy, waving her tiny fists adorably as she watched the familiar ship approach.
Mihawk also rose to his feet and moved toward the shore, still frowning.
A few minutes later, the ship stopped and dropped anchor. The pirates disembarked one by one, though they did not seem as cheerful as they had been when they departed.
Finally, Shanks descended from the ship, the last to disembark. But when Orion saw him, he couldn't help but raise his eyebrows in surprise, for the annoying redhead had a bandage covering his left eye, signaling the presence of a serious wound.
This was the first time Orion had ever seen Shanks injured, and he couldn't help but wonder what kind of monster could have inflicted such a wound on someone of Shanks' level.
Dracule Mihawk, who had been watching the red-haired man with a frown from the side, was wondering the exact same thing as Orion. After all, even during their many duels, Shanks had never been wounded in that way by his blade.
As Shanks descended with a somewhat somber expression, he cast his piercing gaze first on Mihawk and then on Orion, who felt every hair on his body stand on end.
"What an unpleasant man," Orion thought with irritation, reacting involuntarily to Shanks' "aura."
However, Shanks' expression immediately shifted, and showing his classic carefree smile, he walked up to Orion and scooped Uta into his arms, lifting her into the air and making the little girl laugh with delight.
"Utaaa, did you miss me? Papa's back now," Shanks said with the same kind of expression Orion had once seen in Hanafuda years ago, one that instantly made all of the redhead's aura dissipate without a trace.
...
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