Op-Op Fruit And The Divine Machine Are A Perfect Match!
In Wano Kuni, when Kaido laid eyes on the petrified Yamata no Orochi in the midst of Flower City's streets, he was certain that the stone statue before him was Kurozumi no Orochi. Enraged, Kaido swung his mace, shattering the stone figure into pieces. While he cared little for the life or death of the colossal serpent, he understood that Orochi's demise at this moment would plunge Wano into chaos.
"Sir Kaido, a group of samurai is approaching, seeking to eliminate us," Jin reported, seeking orders. Kaido's response was decisive, "I'll kill them all!" The Pteranodon took flight, leaving little doubt about the outcome against the samurai warriors of Wano.
However, Kaido pondered the challenges that would follow. Suppressing the warriors was within his grasp, but the subsequent governance presented difficulties. Upon Jin's return, Kaido found understanding in his concerns.
"Kaido-sama, why not appoint Master Yamato as Wano's general?" Jhin suggested, a proposal that Kaido had considered, albeit thinking it premature. The heads of several mafia families and nobles had sent treasures, vying for Kaido's favor to become the next general.
"Choosing these people is of little use. It's better to let Master Yamato be the general. She is your son, after all," Jhin argued persuasively, and Kaido found merit in the suggestion.
"Alright! Fetch Yamato. From now on, Wano Kuni will be under the rule of the Beasts Pirates!" Kaido declared, embracing the idea of Yamato leading as the general.
At that moment, the communication conch buzzed, and Kaido promptly answered, "Yamato ran away with a stranger?"
Shock registered on Kaido's face as he fired a series of questions, "Who is it? Where's the bomb bracelet? And where's Quinn?" The pirate on the other end provided a brief account of the situation, leaving Kaido with a gloomy expression.
"Arias, it's this person again!" Kaido muttered in frustration. Jhin, understanding the urgency, offered, "Kaido-sama, I'll bring Master Yamato back!" However, Kaido halted him, "Forget it. Let her go. Wano Kuni's matters are more important now. Kuji, we'll meet them another day!"
Back at the Wanokuni Inland Sea Falls, the Daybreak smoothly navigated the return journey. As the ship descended off the waterfall, the awaited system reward finally materialized.
"Abduct Yamato and go to sea. Yamato is an important plot character. The world line will change as a result, and the reward is [Phantom Body Barrier]!"
It was the Tang Sect's illusory body barrier—a stealth skill! Alongside Gui Yingxing, erasing his own existence, and the Immortal Thief Liuku, who emitted no aura, Arias now felt like the top killer in the world.
Although there is no concept of Qi in the pirate world, the essence of Observing, Sensing, and Killing Intent (Haki) is akin to perceiving one's breath.
Now, possessing advanced Observation Haki that can predict the future, along with the heightened abilities to see, hear, and sense, Arias had practically achieved invisibility in the art of assassination. It was nearly impossible for his targets to detect his presence.
"I still need to continue honing my skills," Arias thought to himself. To evade the foresight of those with advanced Observation Haki, he realized he needed to delve into the higher-level ability within Observation Haki—the Observing, Sensing, and Killing Intent.
Deciding to seek advice from Rayleigh, who was likely well-versed in this advanced Haki, Arias embarked on the journey with Yamato and Hiyori, adding a lively atmosphere to the road.
During this sea voyage, everything appeared novel to Yamato, especially considering it was her first time at sea.
"Eliminate the side effects of Devil Fruit abilities?" Yamato questioned, her curiosity piqued. Even her father, Kaido, avoided the sea due to his Devil Fruit.
"Of course!" Arias affirmed, unveiling a flying knife from his sac and manipulating its flight effortlessly.
"Room!" he declared, activating the invisible shield. In an instant, the positions of Arias and the flying knife were seamlessly swapped. The synergy between the Op-Op Fruit and Shen Ji Bai Lian was indeed a perfect match.
Arias had crafted multiple flying knives over the past few days, and with his current object manipulation skills, he could control up to eighteen flying knives simultaneously. However, for precise control, he limited himself to managing twelve at a time.
In battle, Arias usually employed Crow Dou Guy simultaneously, allowing him to use only nine flying knives for distraction. It wasn't due to a lack of skill in his Qi, but rather a proficiency gap. These royal objects lacked handles, consisting only of blades. Designed as such, they eliminated the need for direct contact, preventing enemies from detecting them.
However, Arias noticed that when used in a sword-like form, the flying knives lacked sufficient power and couldn't penetrate Armament Haki wielded by adversaries of the same level. Determined to enhance their potency, Arias sought a solution.
Flipping over and retrieving the throwing knife, he explained to Yamato, "This is my Devil Fruit ability, the Paramecia-type Op-Op Fruit." Taking the opportunity, Arias jumped off the ship and elegantly dived into the sea. After a brief swim, the flying knife emerged from the bag. Stepping on its back, Arias soared back to the Dawn.
Returning to Yamato's side, Arias inquired, "How about that?" Yamato's eyes sparkled with curiosity as she exclaimed, "Can you teach me this?"
As the words left her mouth, Yamato realized she might be presumptuous in asking for someone else's unique skill. However, Arias nodded and replied, "Sure, I'll teach you the basics first."
Yamato was stunned. "Really, can you?" Overwhelmed with gratitude, she thought, "He actually wants to teach me! Despite his comments about Oden, he's a good person." Yamato apologized to Arias silently in her heart.