Ritter stayed on the Moon for several more days.
He made absolutely certain that the energy system was functioning perfectly and that every defensive measure had been activated.
Only then did he take one last look at the sleeping figure surrounded by a gentle halo of light.
He turned around.
His body transformed into a streak of crimson light and shot into the depths of space.
He boarded the vehicle he had stolen and flew back to the Blue Sea.
However, he did not immediately return to the future.
Instead, he first went to the place where the Piruka Kingdom had once stood.
When Ritter arrived in that area of space, the magnificent steel city had completely vanished.
All that remained was a gigantic, bottomless crater.
It was as if some terrifying force had completely erased the entire kingdom from the face of the world.
Violent energy currents still lingered in the surrounding space.
So did an aura of deathly silence.
Yep.
When it came to professional work, professionals really did have to handle it.
Looks like the World Government was already getting some practice in.
Ritter stared at the enormous crater.
He narrowed his eyes thoughtfully.
"Tch."
"They really cleaned up after themselves."
For this kind of kingdom-level "cleanup operation," the World Government of this era had become frighteningly proficient.
After confirming that Piruka had absolutely no chance of rising from the ashes, Ritter did not linger.
He sensed the coordinates of space and time.
His figure gradually blurred.
Then he vanished from the spot.
...
Wano Country.
Kuri.
Inside the newly built residence beside the ruins of Oden Castle.
The air rippled slightly.
A crimson figure slowly solidified.
Ritter gently landed on the floor and patted at the nonexistent dust on his clothes.
He looked left.
Then right.
Excellent.
Nobody was here.
Ritter spread his arms and announced to the empty room,
"Blue Sea!"
"Your Emperor has returned!"
His voice echoed through the room.
No one answered.
Heh-heh-heh.
Ritter raised an eyebrow.
This was a little unexpected.
Yes, it was incredibly chuunibyou.
But based on his understanding of those two little tagalongs, the moment they heard something happening, they should have rushed out immediately.
"Yizumi?"
"Hiyori?"
"Where did those two little idiots run off to?"
Muttering to himself, Ritter spread his perception.
He quickly found Kozuki Toki and Oden drinking together in the courtyard.
His figure flashed.
He appeared directly in front of them.
"Lady Toki."
"Oden."
"I'm back."
"Have you seen Yizumi and Hiyori?"
Ritter got straight to the point.
Lady Toki put down her teacup and smiled gently.
"Mr. Ritter, you're back."
"As for Yizumi and Hiyori... they went out to sea with An four years ago."
"Went out to sea?"
Ritter froze.
"With An?"
"That little brat..."
"Wait."
"How long have I been gone?"
Oden took a huge gulp of sake and burst into laughter.
"Ha-ha-ha!"
"Ritter, that 'short trip' of yours lasted quite a while!"
"Little Rati is already eight years old!"
"You completely missed the children's entire growth period!"
"Hiyori has become a tall and graceful young lady now!"
"And little Yizumi has grown into a proper big sister!"
Ritter: "...???"
His crimson eyes widened slightly.
His brain began calculating at lightning speed.
He had spent roughly two years in the past at most.
And most of that time had been spent on the Moon.
So how had nearly ten years passed here by the time he returned to the future?!
The flow of time between the two eras was different?!
But when he had gone to rescue Roger before, he had never seen a time difference this enormous!
Was this the inevitable fate of anyone who toyed with time?
Eventually, time would toy with them in return?
Still, this was not exactly a problem for Ritter.
In fact, it reminded him of an old fable from his homeland.
It was about a man who watched someone play chess.
When he finally emerged, everything had already changed.
But Ritter was much better off than that guy.
Had he wasted ten years?
Or had he gained ten years?
The sudden time difference had even left the normally composed Lord of Mist stunned for a moment.
Then he remembered something more important.
His heart sank.
Oh no.
He had promised Sister Rouge that he would hurry back!
And his version of "as soon as possible" had resulted in him disappearing for nearly ten years?!
Ritter could already imagine what the situation in Foosha Village must be like.
Sister Rouge's worried frown.
Makino's hesitant words.
And those three little brats, Ace, An, and Sabo...
When he had left, An had still been a silent little loli hugging a sunflower doll.
Ace had been a loud, wild little brat.
And now...
How old were they?
A massive wave of guilt and the feeling of I'm completely screwed instantly surged through Ritter's heart.
If he went home now, wouldn't he be nagged to death?
Especially by that little girl An.
She might usually be quiet and obedient.
But when those eyes silently stared at someone...
It was somehow even more unbearable than Ace screaming and making a scene.
Still, he had just heard that they had already gone out to sea.
According to his memories of the original story, Ace had set sail three years before Luffy.
But because of Ritter's interference, Ace was one year older in this world than in the original timeline.
That meant...
Was Luffy setting out to sea this year?
After a brief moment of panic, Ritter quickly calmed down.
Then he made an extremely shameless decision.
He rubbed his chin.
The faint guilt on his face was instantly replaced by the lazy, shameless expression of someone who had already accepted their fate.
Ritter was famous for having thick skin, after all.
"Oh."
"So that's how it is."
His tone became incredibly calm.
It was as if the person who had just been screaming internally was someone else entirely.
"Since I've already missed this much time..."
"Then a few more days won't make much difference."
The more debts you had, the less worried you became.
The thicker your skin, the less shame you felt.
As an Emperor of the Sea, the first thing you had to do when faced with a "family crisis" was...
Adjust your mindset.
For example, find somewhere to have a drink and calm yourself down.
"Lady Toki."
Ritter looked toward Kozuki Toki.
"Could you send me somewhere else?"
Lady Toki looked slightly surprised.
Then her expression softened with concern.
She gently put down her teacup.
"Hm?"
"Won't you go home and take a look first?"
"Rouge, your sister, contacted me through a Den Den Mushi just a few days ago."
"She sounded extremely worried about you."
Ritter could already picture Sister Rouge's frowning face.
He subconsciously touched his nose.
He felt a little guilty.
But that was precisely why he could not go home right now.
After thinking for a moment, he said,
"Uhhh..."
"Maybe I'll pass."
"Wouldn't suddenly calling after disappearing for ten years make her even more worried?"
"We wouldn't be able to explain everything properly over a Den Den Mushi anyway."
"It would only make Sister Rouge and the others worry even more."
He paused.
His gaze drifted toward the distance.
It was as if his eyes had passed through the mountains of Wano and landed on a certain corner buried deep within his memories.
"I want to go to..."
Oden was silent for a moment.
Then he heavily slapped Ritter on the shoulder.
"Go."
"Some places really do need to be visited in person before you can let them go."
Lady Toki saw the look on Ritter's face.
She did not try to stop him anymore.
She folded her hands together.
A gentle halo of light began to gather around her.
The ripples of time slowly spread through the air.
"I understand, Mr. Ritter."
"Please be careful."
Ritter took a deep breath.
He looked at the sky above Wano one last time.
Then he nodded toward Lady Toki.
"Sorry to trouble you, Lady Toki."
The next moment, time and space twisted.
Light and shadow shifted.
Ritter's figure gradually blurred within the ripples of time.
In the end...
His journey home was delayed by yet another step.
By his own hand.
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