Chapter 32: Learning

The learning sessions had begun in earnest.

The Uchiha clan members held this opportunity in the highest regard, fully aware of their current situation.

They understood that every fragment of knowledge about this unfamiliar world was critical to their survival and future.

Zoro, Luffy, and Usopp awoke the following morning.

All three bore significant injuries, yet their remarkable physical resilience allowed them to function almost normally, despite the pain that pulsed through their bodies.

Upon gaining clarity about their circumstances, each of them wore a grim expression.

“If you’ve got the guts, release me and fight me fairly! I swear I won’t lose!” Luffy shouted defiantly.

However, Zoro’s eyes remained locked on Shisui and Itachi, both of whom now carried his treasured swords at their waists.

‘Damn it... How could this happen…’

That loss of his swords stayed on his mind more than anything else.

Usopp, having confirmed that he wasn’t in immediate danger of dying, let out a deep sigh of relief.

Slumping back to the ground, he yawned lazily, accepting the situation with bitter resignation.

Yami didn’t care about Luffy’s yelling.

“Shut up already, you won’t even be able to beat Kuma, much less me…”

Luffy was about to retort when Yami did something.

“Here’s something you’ll want to see,” Yami announced, tossing a newspaper onto the floor in front of Luffy.

“It’s today’s headline.”

Luffy had been gearing up to shout.

Despite his injuries, he refused to show fear.

But the moment his eyes landed on the image of Ace, his whole spirit deflated.

His resistance crumbled like a castle made of sand.

Both he and Zoro were still bound tightly, like insects caught in a web, completely unable to escape.

“Ace… Ace was captured!!” Luffy cried, his voice strained with disbelief.

The remaining Straw Hats looked on, their faces full of sympathy and frustration.

None of them knew how to console their captain, not when he was moments away from facing the same fate as his brother.

Perhaps because Yami felt bad about capturing Luffy, he decided to add something.

“I’ll share with you something not yet made public. Fire Fist Ace, the son of the Pirate King, Gol D. Roger, is scheduled to be executed in a month or two. The entire world will be watching the event via a broadcast,” Yami said.

His interference in the timeline had already shifted the plot.

Offering Luffy this information was his way of giving the kid a fighting chance.

Whether Luffy would use that chance was up to him.

“What did you say? Ace will be executed?!” Luffy’s voice cracked.

“The Pirate King’s son? Ace?!” Sanji echoed in disbelief.

“But Luffy is the son of Monkey D. Dragon, the leader of the Revolutionary Army,” he added.

“So how could his brother be Roger’s son?”

“Are you saying Dragon is actually the Pirate King?” Sanji asked, increasingly confused.

“We’re sworn brothers. Ace and I are sworn brothers!” Luffy spoke up, his fists trembling as he ground his teeth.

The crew finally understood.

“Your destination is the same prison where Ace is being held,” Yami said, his tone unwavering. “You may even be executed alongside him.”

“Whether you can change that… depends entirely on you.”

With that, Yami turned and walked away, leaving Luffy alone to process the weight of his situation.

As for Yami…

His priority was the clan.

Missions came next. He was clear about what to do.

Yami resumed his training without delay.

Even with [System] advantages, he understood that surpassing protagonists required relentless effort.

****

“You’re incredible, you remembered everything I taught you.” Chopper praised, eyes sparkling as he spoke to Itachi.

This young man was respectful and kind.

Not only did he memorize everything he was taught, but he even recreated the herbal mixtures with precision.

Chopper genuinely enjoyed teaching someone so diligent.

“It’s all thanks to your guidance,” Itachi replied with a calm smile.

He cherished this peaceful environment, days untainted by bloodshed or war.

But for the sake of his family, he would keep pushing forward, doing everything within his power to support them.

“Um, may I ask something?” Chopper asked hesitantly, shifting nervously.

Itachi nodded his head.

“My friends… they’re still injured. Could you help me treat them?”

“I’m not asking for their release. But their condition is bad, and treating them could serve as practical training, too.”

Though his voice trembled with anxiety, Chopper’s eyes held determination.

Itachi’s expression turned unreadable, causing Chopper to panic internally.

“I’ll need to speak to the clan leader,” Itachi said before turning to leave.

He returned moments later with Yami’s permission.

“The leader isn’t as bad as you think… he agreed.”

“However,” Itachi warned, “He says any sign of resistance will cancel the arrangement and the results from that would be drastic.”

Chopper nodded quickly and began treating the wounded without delay.

****

Meanwhile, with Nami…

Shisui observed her and learned with a cold detachment, his demeanor now hardened after the betrayal he suffered.

After being used by the likes of the Third Hokage and Danzo, he no longer allowed himself to trust outsiders so easily.

Nami, meanwhile, grew frustrated.

Despite her beauty, Shisui remained unmoved, an insult she took personally.

****

Elsewhere, CP9 treated Franky with hostility.

Their attitude had shifted after being subdued, and they demanded immediate demonstrations of his skills.

There were also several Uchiha clan members who stood nearby these people, watching attentively to learn whatever they could.

They focused particularly on navigation methods and Chopper’s medical practices, both of which had direct application in this world.

As for ships? Ninjas had little interest in them.

With [Water-Walking] and the ability to swim swiftly, ships were a convenience, not a necessity.

Seven days passed.

On the seventh evening, a message from the Navy arrived.

They would be docking the following day.

“You’re the only one without a suppression technique applied,” Yami told Rob Lucci.

“That’s because you’re the most dangerous of them all.”

While other captives, like the other Shichibukai or even Kaku, had a slim chance of breaking free, Rob Lucci was on a different level entirely.

If his [Zoan Devil Fruit] reached [Awakening], he could likely endure even the explosive damage of a [Chidori].

Thus, Yami decided to follow Madara’s example, and place the explosive tag directly on the heart, a place where even Lucci couldn’t resist.

He didn’t want to go to such lengths, but this man, Rob Lucci, had been a loyal dog to the Celestial Dragons in the original timeline.

Yami wouldn’t be easily fooled.

“I don’t mind,” Rob Lucci replied, lowering his head in solemness.

“Itachi, Chopper, assist me,” Yami ordered.

He explained the procedure carefully.

Currently, Yami lacked the power to engrave the technique through flesh.

They would need to open the chest cavity just enough to gain a line of sight to the heart, an incision about two fingers wide.

Chopper watched in shock as the operation was swiftly completed.

Then, using his herbal concoctions, he treated and closed the wound.

Yami then spoke up to the CP9 members.

“I’m sorry about this.”

“But, I’m an extremely cautious person…”

“However, if you follow me, I’ll guide you to become the strongest warriors in this world.”

This was his first generation of subordinates, high-potential assets worthy of investment.

“Yes, sir!” the CP9 agents replied, resigning themselves to their fate.

At least their new leader wasn’t a scumbag like Spandam.

That night, on the eve of the Navy’s arrival, Yami arranged a private meeting with Luffy.