“So, what did you promise her?”
“Nothing much, just to spend a day with her, and go on a date while at it,” Kikunojo replied, explaining the price she paid. Though calling it a price might be an exaggeration—it was just time and energy. Still, she’d have to endure being taken advantage of, along with some mental torture.
This was the most convenient mission for Delia, she just needed to swap positions with Greninja. Greninja was skilled at stealth and tracking, and she was no slouch at it either.
While her stealth techniques couldn’t match Greninja’s, Luxray’s special dual pupils allowed her to monitor her target from a safe distance.
Kikunojo had practically thrown himself at her, so she had no reason to refuse.
“Good job, Kiku, that’s a big relief.”
Even if they were enemies, they were powerful enemies. Moreover, Denjiro had to face the reality that the Beasts Pirates shared a common goal with them, which was to ensure Kozuki Hiyori’s survival.
“Anyway, Kiku, the first time is always the hardest. Have you thought about extracting a bit more intel from her?”
From the moment he noticed Delia seemed to have a slight interest in Kikunojo, he’d been encouraging Kikunojo to use her charm to seduce Delia. In Denjiro’s view, there was no real downside to this.
After all, despite everything, Kikunojo was essentially a man. And while Delia had a scar on her face, it didn’t affect her beauty—if anything, it added a certain wild allure.
From his perspective, in situations like this, it’s always the man who benefits.
This was Wano Country, a place where male chauvinism was deeply ingrained. Centuries of isolation had only intensified it.
But the Beasts Pirates were different. They had recruited many women from Wano, focusing on strength above all else.
As long as someone met their standards, they enjoyed the same rights, regardless of gender or age. Or rather, it is the Beasts Pirates, with their large number of female officers, that are the anomaly in the environment of Wano Country.
But their strength had reached a level that silenced everyone.
Denjiro, born and raised in Wano, couldn’t comprehend the “correct consciousness” of other worlds, which has birthed concepts like transgender identity. Such “magic born out of the resistance against magic” has accomplished unimaginable feats.
Even if he did understand, Denjiro would still believe Kikunojo wasn’t at a disadvantage. After all, even if Kikunojo thought of himself as a woman, Delia was also a woman. Two women hanging out wouldn’t cause any issues.
It’s just that the carefree Delia, although she doesn’t consider herself a man, has a lifestyle that is more manly than many men. This personality is considered bold in the eyes of others, but in Kikunojo’s eyes, it’s different.
In the past, Kikunojo had always refused it, and Denjiro never forced the matter. But now the opportunity had presented itself. And as the saying goes, once is all it takes to open the floodgates. So, Denjiro continued trying to persuade Kikunojo.
As fellow retainers of Oden and comrades for decades; they wouldn’t quarrel over a few words. However, regarding this matter, Kikunojo still did not agree. In her view, it was already quite good to make an exception this time.
“By the way, that’s not all. She made another request.”
“A request?”
“Yeah, she said the child of one of the officers has recently taken an interest in kappas. So, she wants Kawamatsu to spend some time with them. They also have a unique kappa over there.”
“I see. I’ll make a trip later.”
For the sake of Kozuki Hiyori, Kawamatsu didn’t feel ashamed to play with people. As for the kappa identity, it’s already deeply ingrained in his subconscious. For him, the time spent as a kappa has been longer than that of the Fish-Men.
……
Some time later, while Denjiro and the others were still deep in discussion, Kozuki Hiyori had already arrived at the foot of Mt. Fuji.
As Wano Country’s tallest peak, Mt. Fuji was visible from every region. Yet, this was her first time actually attempting to climb it.
From the Flower Capital, the mountain didn’t seem all that tall. But standing at its foot, she finally understood what it meant for something to “tower high above the clouds.”
The difficulty of climbing a mountain is closely tied to its height. Besides its sheer elevation, Mt. Fuji’s snow-covered summit and steep terrain added significantly to the challenge.
If it is a normal person, climbing this mountain would require the support of an entire team, various tools, and warm equipment. However, the people in this world generally have stronger physiques. Combined with the intense religious fervor surrounding this act, climbing Mt. Fuji barehanded has become the way to test the believers.
Although the Arceus Cult held considerable influence in Wano Country, only a handful of people had the courage to challenge Mt. Fuji. Moreover, most of them did so in groups, as they dared not climb the treacherous mountain alone.
Some people do it because of their sincere faith, while others do it to experience the legendary, breathtaking view that can only be seen from the summit, as well as the rarer divine medicine that can cure any disease, which only the most devout believers can obtain.
It was very rare to see someone like Kozuki Hiyori climbing alone, without any helper.
At first, the climb wasn’t too difficult. Near the foot, Kozuki Hiyori even encountered some people preparing for their own ascent. However, she neither greeted them nor planned to join their group.
According to the doctrines, the climb was a personal trial of the body, best undertaken solo. Carrying two swords, warm clothing, and food, Kozuki Hiyori embarked on her climbing journey. But as she ascended, the difficulties she faced also increased.
……
“Ugh… it’s been a few days already. Feels like I’m losing out here…”
Delia rubbed her cheeks. Though her stamina and spirit were holding up just fine, she had overestimated Kozuki Hiyori’s pace.
Kozuki Hiyori, with her training, was stronger than the average person. Ordinary thugs were no match for her. But for a complete novice attempting to climb such a tall mountain bare-handed, this was a hell-level difficulty.
Days had passed, yet Hiyori still had a significant distance to cover before reaching the summit.
She had faced numerous dangers along the way. Still, Delia had never revealed herself. Ever since the sacred mountain challenge began, there has never been an unlucky person who died from falling while climbing.
On one hand, the number of people daring to climb was limited among the believers, and on the other hand, this is a sacred place. To demonstrate the god’s mercy, there are special mountain rescuer unknown to outsiders, and Delia is one such example.
“Hey, little guy, has that fruit ripened yet? Can I have a taste?”
“Mm~mm!”
In the snowfield, a Pokémon revealed itself. It was small in size and wore a hat-like thing on its head that was formed from snow. Its overall appearance looked like a combination of a plant and a yeti.
Its feet were rooted in the snowfield as if it was buried there. At that moment, it plucked a fruit from its body that resembled a snowball.
This was Queen’s second favorite fruit, second only to the bananas grown directly on Tropius. Due to its unique nature, it couldn’t be cultivated and only grew on the bodies of Pokémon like Snover…
You can read ahead upto 75 chapters on my patreon and I’ve also activated (date to date) subscription model on my patreon.
Become a Patron!