"Forget about Zoan-type abilities… huh? This one's… the Hito Hito no Mi?"
Rain tilted his head, staring at the unusual Devil Fruit in his hand. At first, he wanted to ignore it and just move on, but the ability written on its parchment tag caught his attention.
"Wait a second… hasn't Chopper already eaten the Hito Hito no Mi at this point in the timeline? So why is there another one here? Unless…"
His eyes narrowed as he thought aloud.
"Unless the Hito Hito no Mi isn't unique… perhaps there are variations of it—different models of the same lineage factor."
The thought reminded him of Sengoku, the former Fleet Admiral, and his Buddha form. That was also a type of Hito Hito no Mi.
"So… it wouldn't be strange if more than one version existed. Still…" He smirked and tucked the fruit away. "Better to keep it. Who knows when it might come in handy."
After pocketing the Devil Fruit, Rain continued to sweep through the treasure house. He didn't just take gold—the universal currency that pirates and kings alike valued—he also found a blade resting in a lacquered case.
His eyes widened.
"…Enma."
The sword once wielded by Kozuki Oden, said to be capable of drawing out the very life force of its wielder. Somehow, it had ended up among Buggy's collection.
Rain lifted it with care, feeling the weight of history in his hands.
"That's all I need."
With Enma strapped to his side, the Devil Fruit secured, and a stash of gold tucked away, Rain left the treasure vault quietly.
Departure from St. Louis
A few days later, after arranging safe accommodations for Robin and Hiyori, Rain and Mira set sail from St. Louis Island on a small boat.
When they entered the windless zone, Mira leaned against him, her eyes sparkling with curiosity.
"Okay," Rain said softly, tightening his grip on her hand. "Let's go home."
He raised his free hand. The Gate of Time and Space responded instantly. A glow of shimmering light spread like ripples across the air before them.
"Time and space… shift!"
With a flash, Rain and Mira vanished. Only their small boat remained, rocking gently in the windless zone until, moments later, it was swallowed whole by a lurking Sea King.
The world blinked. When Rain and Mira opened their eyes, they were standing in the familiar forest of Fiore.
The trees rustled softly, birds chirped, and sunlight poured down through the branches. It was as if they had never left.
"This…" Mira looked around in disbelief. "This is exactly where we left from."
Rain pointed toward the large oak tree beside them. "The marks we carved are still here. We've returned to the same spot."
Mira's heart thumped as realization set in. "Then… we're really back in our own world."
"To be certain, let's head into town," Rain suggested. "We'll check the date."
She nodded quickly. "Okay."
In the nearby town, they bought the latest edition of the Sorcerer's Weekly. Rain scanned the date at the top and raised an eyebrow.
"…Exactly one year."
Mira's jaw dropped. "Wait. What? We were in that world for ten years… but only a single year passed here?"
She clutched the newspaper to her chest, her blue eyes glittering with excitement.
"Rain, don't you realize what this means? This is the perfect way to train! If the time ratio really is ten to one, then if we keep doing this, we'll become invincible in no time!"
Rain gave her a wry smile and tapped her forehead with a finger. "Mira… did you actually forget about it and haven't thought it through?"
"Huh? What do you mean?" She blinked innocently.
He folded his arms. "When we left this world, how old were we?"
"Thirteen," Mira answered confidently.
"And now?" Rain asked quietly.
"…Twenty-three," she admitted, before the realization hit her like a bolt of lightning. "Oh no. I get it now."
Her shoulders slumped. "So even if only a year passes here, we still age ten years inside that other world…"
"In other words, people in this world will see us as fourteen now, but we've actually lived ten extra years. Our bodies won't match the world's timeline."
Mira groaned, burying her face in her hands. "Ughhh… then it's useless after all?!"
Rain shook his head firmly. "Not useless. Think of it as… a retreat. If we ever face a crisis too great to handle, we can step away, spend ten years training, and then return after only a year has passed here. At that point, we'll be strong enough to crush whoever threatened us."
Mira's lips parted in surprise. "So… it's a way to buy time?"
"Exactly. A hidden trump card."
Slowly, her mood shifted, the gloom fading as her confidence returned. "That's actually brilliant."
Still, Mira tilted her head and grinned. "But Rain, let's be real. With our power combined, what kind of danger could we possibly run into? Even if the Ten Wizard Saints stood against me, I'm confident I could beat most of them."
Her smile was radiant, brimming with pride.
Rain didn't answer immediately. Instead, his expression turned grave.
"What is it? Do you know something?" Mira's curiosity piqued.
Rain's eyes hardened. "In Ishgar, yes, the Ten Saints are considered the pinnacle. But across the sea… on the western continent… there exists a far greater force: the Alvarez Empire. Their power eclipses anything we've seen here."
Mira's breath caught. "…Stronger than the Ten Saints?"
Rain nodded. "And beyond even them… exist the legendary dragon."
"Dragon?!" Her eyes lit up, shimmering with awe. "They're real?!"
"Of course they are," Rain replied with absolute certainty. "But the dragon I'm talking about is no ordinary beast. It's something neither of us could stand against right now."
Mira's excitement only grew, despite his warning. "Rain… if we could ever tame a dragon, can you imagine how strong we'd become?"
Rain chuckled softly, though his gaze remained sharp. "That day may come… but for now, we'll need more than ten years of borrowed time to even approach that level."
Mira clenched her fists, her heart pounding with equal parts fear and anticipation.
"Then let's make sure we're ready. If time itself is on our side, there's nothing we can't do."
Rain looked at her, then to the distant horizon, a faint smile curving his lips.
"Someday, Mira. Someday."
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