Chapter 56

Title: A Hermit!

….

[15 days later]

Currently, Raki and Wyper were in the training ground that was made during the time Amon was in the blue sea. 

*Slash!*

Both of them were fighting with a few people around watching the match. 

"Die! Die! Die! Die! Die!"

With an angry and annoyed face, Raki was slashing her sword at Wyper, who was just standing there laughing.

"Hahaha! I'm invincible! Hahaha!" None of the attacks hit him, so he was just standing with the Spear in his hand. Though as he laughed, he recalled his internal injuries from Amon’s attack last time. "But... I guess I will fight fair and dodge attacks. Amon said there are many people who can use that thing called 'Haki'." 

Wyper mumbled under his breath and evaded Raki’s attack, whilst soon after, he attacked Raki using his spear.

*Clang!*

"Hah! You are finally playing fair?!" However, his spear was stopped by Raki’s sword. Swords to be specific. 

“Shut up, I’m a fair man! A real warrior!!”

*Clang!*

*Clang!*

They started to exchange blows with Wyper using his fire to heat his spear, though unlike how people expected, the swords in contact with the heated spear didn't get sliced! Rather, they were on par with Wyper's techniques.

Minutes passed, as exhausted, Wyper jumped a few steps back. "What the fuck! Why are you so good at using two swords? Aren't you using two swords for just a few months?" He yelled with a frown, he was annoyed with the constant blocks from her.

"STFU! Of course, I was preparing myself for these two swords after all!" Raki said with a proud face, as she raised her hands holding the sword. "Months ago, Brother said he got two good babies for me. So I was preparing to wield both at once…" After a short silence from both sides, Raki laughed maniacally. "Uahhahaha! Ignore that, now die Wyper!"

Saying this, she dashed forward as Wyper was forced to use his fire powers. 

The two swords in her hand were Yubashiri, one of the 50 Skillful Grade swords! And Sandai Kitetsu, one of the grade swords! These are the swords Zoro got in Loguetown, albeit in the canon timeline. This time around, it was Amon who picked them up after doing the same drama show as Zoro to receive the 'NPC' reward.

*Clang!*

Their fight escalated, while the audience was rendered speechless. Though it was clear Wyper will win because of his intangible body, yet the fight was a good one.

….

Among the audience, one of Gan Fall's sons, Reo, was also watching the fight with a slightly surprised face… 'So strong.' He thought looking forward.

'And here I am… so weak.' Thinking this with a feeling of inferiority in his heart, he looked down. Though he wasn't looked down upon even though he was the most worthless son of God, he always used to think optimistically. However, seeing people much younger than him like this...

"Sigh…" Reo released a long breath. 'I can't believe it, maybe I should train both sword and spear if I want to catch up… Or maybe not. They are naturally strong… But, I should at least train what I ca–'

"Hey, Commander Reo!"

His thoughts were cut by the yell of a random militia. Reo, being one of the strong individuals from the Skypiean side, was given the duty of the commander of the 16th group and had 13 militia under him. 

"Hm? What is it?" Reo ignored the thoughts for now and looked at the soldier.

"Um, isn't today the day when we will visit Birka? But I don't think Kami-sama is here…" The soldier said with a nervous expression.

A large frown appeared on Reo's face. "Idiot! Are you even doing your job right? Don't you know Lord God already left for Birka a week ago?" Reo declared as some people glanced over while the soldier just nodded profusely. 

"S-Sorry… I was spending time with my wife. We recently got married, you see..."

Reo just sighed. "Also, only the commanders will go there along with the personal guards. You don't have to get hyperactive."

«…*...»

[Same time| Birka]]

Outside the Grand Temple of Birka's 'God', many people were sitting around the two sides of the road in a line. They were waiting to receive the 'Temple food' that was supposed to be blessed by the thunder. 

Not that the Birkans were poor, it was just a tradition for them to take the Temple food every day. Yes, this was said time and the priests were the ones handing over the food to everyone. 

Among them, the 3 High-priests Urouge, Enel, and a random woman were sitting above the tall stairs of the temple. Just around them, the Arch-priestess, Yona was also there. 

She had her eyes closed and was sitting in a lotus position. She looked as if she was sleeping, though she was indeed woke up and had her Mantra open.

….

As time passed and almost everyone received their food, Yona opened her eyes and started to look down, seemingly searching for someone. 

Enel noticed this from the side, as he moved his sight from her face that he's been staring at for a long time. "Arch Priestess, it seems you have been looking for someone?" He asked calmly and the other high priests also looked at her. “Is it that kid again?”

"Mmm, I'm looking for him. The beggar who came here a week ago. He is late to receive the food… again." Yona replied in a soft voice.

"I say, he is suspicious. We should make him leave the island soon…" The other woman meddled between and said with a sense of suspiciousness filled her voice.

"No, priest Tsumi. We don't do that here." Yona said and stood up. "I think I spotted him, I will be back after granting him the food."

Yona said and ignored the other priests, going towards a large tree far from here with a bowl of rice in her hand.

There should always be 2 High-priests close to the Temple. After all they don't want invaders, which are supposed to be 0 with their Mantra. This was one of the reasons why Amon left for the blue sea w years ago since sneaking won't work at all, and would rather start an inevitable war which would result it a defeat with his 130 Shandians Vs 3000 strong Warriors!

….

|–Yona Pov–|

With a rice bowl in my hand, I slowly walked towards that tree hundreds of meters away. I don’t know why I couldn't sense him before, it's almost as if he wasn’t even there... Is it because I've been fasting for a month? 

Anyway, I will just ask him myself then.

Thinking this, I slowly started to walk towards the guy in that shiny yet tattered black robe. 

…

Not long after, I reach him and look down at him. He was dozing, indicating his sleepy state. I don’t know his identity, though I can tell he’s a Skypiean from the silhouette of wings under his robe.

“Hello, distant visitor. I’m here again with your food.” I say lightly, as he looked up. His lacerated lips make me feel a slight sense of pity. 

“Oh, it’s the Red Dragon Princess." The man, or rather, the boy smiled towards me. I can't see his face except for his lips though. "Thank you for the food… Oh, I also got the technique you taught me.”

He calls me 'Red Dragon Princess' for whatever reasons, though something trivial like that matters not to me. But what does he mean? I don't remember teaching him anything.

"Anyway," I sighed. "Visitor, stop me if I'm being disrespectful for trying to pry on your privacy, but did you go somewhere? Just a while ago, I couldn't sense your presence at all, and then suddenly my Mantra spotted you here." I make an apologetic face. "If you don't mind, can you tell me where you went?"

As I say this, I can see his smile wide. "I never left this place actually."

A frown appeared on my face.

….

–General Pov–

An involuntary frown appeared on Yona's face. 

She just sighed. "I couldn't sense you… My Mantra is the strongest in Birka." Her voice was a bit cold, a very unusual thing to happen. After all, if he's hiding where he went, he might have trespassed the temple and even went around 'God'. Though he won't be able to take out 'God' from the locker he was put in without the key, her sword, it was still an act which should get punished.

"Please answer my questions straight…" She said, while the man just waved his hands innocently.

"No, no. I really was here. It's because of your own words why you weren't able to sense me…" The man in robe said as Yona tried to actually recall what she said.

….

Some days ago, he asked why he could hardly notice her presence, and her answer was simple. "I was born like this."

When asked to explain, she did it without any hesitation since she did this many times before already.

"Living beings are like a candle flame with their will power, while the environment around them is the darkness enshrouding the candle. As long as one has will power, one would definitely be sensed by a Mantra user. Though there is a way to stop that by turning off your will power."

"When I was born, I didn't really feel any desire towards anything. I did what others asked me off, that's the reason why people with Mantra who sense willpower couldn't spot me. Though now I do have a desire, the desire to protect God, I've come to a spot where the presence hiding has become common for me."

She had the potential to be a powerful assassin, unfortunately, she was a mere priest on an island of Sky. 

…..

"I took your words at heart, I've been training in the 'Ways of Hermit' for a long time after all. So, I've been trying something very hard for the past week." The man said. "And look, today I was able to do so like you did, albeit I can only hold it for more minutes." The man in robe said with a smile, he looked happy.

Yona wasn't really convinced as nobody was able to do so like this even after her explanation, let alone achieve it in only a week…

"Can you… do it right now?" Yona asked, suspicious. "I need proof–"

Her words were cut midway by a yell. "Oh, Arch Priestess! My people are here!"

It was the voice that both Yona and the man in robe recognized. It was Duy's voice, hearing which Yona looked at him abruptly.

"Oh? Really? Is your God here too?" Her excitement was visible, which she also realized soon and coughed lightly. "Ahem, sorry about that."

She inspected the people standing behind Duy, Wyper, Raki, and many others. There were 25 God's Militia and 5 Personal guards. She recognized Wyper and Raki from before.

However… the person she was most excited about wasn't present here. "Err–Your God didn't come?"

Hearing her Duy scratched his head in embarrassment. "Well, he is supposed to be already here. But I can't reach him."

Instantly, worried, Yona opened her mouth to say something, though she couldn't because someone else did it from behind her.

"Soon may the mitten man come~..." From behind her, the cherry voice resounded. "Oh, wait no. The mitten is already here. Haha."

Yona instantly looked back as her eyes grew up. The man in a robe was slowly taking off his robe revealing his black hair and red eyes. But the thing that caught the attention of everyone around the place is what came from under the robe. 

Wings, massive beautiful wings. Yona didn't take a second to get things straight in her head.

"I-It's real!"

Yona yelled in disbelief at the sight before her.

Amon just hummed while looking at her.

***

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A/N: The ability to blend in the surroundings is OP. Though if we specifically talk about evading the sensory of OH it’s not that rare. Gan Fall did it against a priest in Anime.

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This chapter was proofread by Discord members and edited by @Retuculum and @AyyZelos.

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