Onigashima, the rear mountain coastline.
"Mmm, so good!"
Yamato hugged a two-meter-long salmon and took a huge bite, her fair face filled with pure bliss.
Chomp.
Chomp.
She took bite after bite, her cheeks puffing out like a hamster's. The sight was unexpectedly adorable.
Before Rosha had even finished grilling one fish, Yamato had already devoured an entire salmon down to the bones.
"Can I have another one?" she asked, blinking her bright, hopeful eyes at him. "Just one more."
Salmon was her absolute favorite food. But between being a Devil Fruit user and the explosive shackles around her wrists, she could not enter the sea to catch any herself.
As the Oni Princess, she rarely ate well throughout the year. Most of the time, she could only watch salmon leap in the water while she stood on shore, drooling helplessly.
Looking at Yamato's pitiful yet cute expression, Rosha had to admit it. She really was hard to resist.
"Take them. All of them," Rosha said, tossing the prepared fish her way.
"Really? I can eat all of them?" Yamato's eyes sparkled, as if she had just walked into paradise and been hit by a rain of miracles.
"If you keep talking, I might change my mind," Rosha replied.
"Oh. Then I'm digging in!" Yamato immediately went back to eating like a hamster.
Suddenly.
A soft sob escaped her lips.
"What's wrong now?" Rosha glanced sideways at the girl whose eyes had suddenly filled with tears.
"Thank you," Yamato sniffed. "You are really a good person."
Rosha fell silent.
A good person card was not exactly what he wanted.
"No one has brought me food in a long time," Yamato continued quietly. "I attacked you without knowing anything about you, and yet you still treated me to something this delicious. I really am awful."
Overcome with guilt, she slapped herself.
The sound was sharp and loud, leaving a clear handprint on her fair cheek.
"This meal is not free," Rosha said calmly.
Yamato nodded seriously while chewing. "That makes sense. Say it. Whatever you want me to do, as long as I can do it, I will."
"Eat your fill first," Rosha replied.
Chomp.
Chomp.
Before long, another salmon disappeared.
Yamato picked up the third fish, but suddenly froze as if she had just remembered something important.
"What now?" Rosha asked.
"I am sorry."
First thanks, now an apology.
"If this is about those two hits earlier, there is no need," Rosha said. "I gained something from it."
Battle was one of the best ways to increase Dragon Slayer Magic proficiency. That was something Rosha had learned during his ten years on Tenrou Island.
Just now, he had discovered a new method of improvement, one unique to Armored Dragon Slayer Magic.
Because it was defense-oriented, enduring intense attacks also increased proficiency.
Yamato's two earlier strikes had noticeably raised his mastery.
"That is not it," Yamato said, her tone dimming. "There is a rule on this island. Kaido forbade everyone from giving me food. Anyone who breaks it is executed."
Thinking of the kind people who had died for secretly feeding her, Yamato's expression darkened. Even the salmon in her hands no longer tasted as good.
"Oh, that?" Rosha waved it off casually. "Worst case, I fight Kaido again. I was planning to anyway."
"Wait, what?"
Yamato stared at him in shock.
Fight Kaido again?
That was her father.
Hold on. Again?
She caught the key word instantly. "You fought him before?"
"A few days ago," Rosha shrugged. "Lost by a narrow margin and got dragged back here."
"So you were not sent by him to capture me. You were captured by him instead?"
Everything finally clicked for Yamato. Her eyes shone as she looked at Rosha, like she had just found a true ally.
"Then let me introduce myself properly," she said excitedly. "My name is Kozuki Oden. Also known as Yamato. What is your name?"
"Rosha."
"Rosha, do you want to team up with me and take on Kaido together?" Yamato asked eagerly.
"No problem," Rosha replied with a smile.
"That is great!" Yamato cheered, grinning like an overgrown child.
The two chatted happily. Yamato shared her survival tricks on Onigashima and passionately told stories about her idol Kozuki Oden's legendary exploits.
Half an hour later, every last salmon was gone.
"I am full. So full," Yamato said, patting her round belly and letting out a satisfied burp.
"Since you are full," Rosha said as he stood up, "it is time to get to work."
Yamato blinked. "What work?"
"Come on. Hit me again," Rosha said, beckoning with his hand.
Yamato froze.
What?
Wait, what?
"We are friends now. Why would I hit you?" she protested. "If we are fighting anyone, it should be Kaido."
"The condition for feeding you was that you hit me," Rosha said seriously.
"Why?" Yamato's mind went blank. She had never heard such a request in her life.
My new friend might have something wrong with his head. What do I do?
"Enough questions. Just hit me," Rosha urged. "You said you would do anything I asked, remember?"
"But…" Yamato lowered her head, hesitating. No matter how she tried, she could not bring herself to attack someone who had fed her.
"If you do not hit me, I will hit you and drag you back to Kaido," Rosha threatened.
"That is not fair," Yamato said, her face falling.
She thought she had finally found a like-minded friend, only for their friendship to crumble this fast.
Fire Dragon Iron Fist!
Seeing her hesitate, Rosha took the initiative. His flame-wrapped fist smashed down without mercy.
"I give up!" Yamato snapped. "Fine!"
She swung her kanabo, A-Ken, and brought it crashing down on Rosha again and again.
Clang.
Boom.
Clang, clang.
Boom, boom.
The sound echoed through the mountains like a blacksmith at work.
"Haha, this is great!" Rosha laughed loudly, reveling in the terrifying defense of his Armored Dragon Slayer power.
Yamato was speechless.
Time passed.
One hour. Two hours.
After a full three hours, the well-fed Yamato collapsed on the ground, completely exhausted.
Rosha, who had been beaten nonstop for three hours, looked perfectly fine, smiling from ear to ear.
His Armored Dragon Slayer Magic proficiency had increased by one percent.
"I cannot do this anymore. I really cannot move," Yamato gasped.
"That is it?" Rosha glanced at her dismissively. "And you want to fight Kaido?"
The one getting hit was still standing, while the one attacking was already down.
Yamato let out a weak whimper.
"Take half an hour to rest. Then we continue," Rosha said enthusiastically.
Yamato looked like she was about to break down.
Hitting the person who fed her was already torture. Doing it again, and again, and again was unbearable.
If she had known this would happen, she would rather have stayed hungry.
"Can we stop?" Yamato asked cautiously.
"No."
Rosha rejected her without hesitation.
"Stop stalling. You are hesitating like a timid kid."
"But I am a woman," Yamato replied.
"Did you not say you were Kozuki Oden?" Rosha shot back.
Yamato fell silent, deeply conflicted.
Just as the two stared each other down in deadlock, a delighted laugh rang out nearby.
"Haha. Found you. You must be Rosha, the one Kaido mentioned. And Yamato is here too. This is perfect. Two birds with one stone. I will become an officer before my idiot sister does!"