The night was already well advanced for the rest of the crew left on the Merry. After the evening meal, which took place in a peculiar atmosphere without Luffy's presence to snatch food from their plates or the strange silence of the cook, Nami and Usopp went to bed, leaving Sanji to take the first watch after convincing them to rest first. Anyway, it was only 11 PM, and he didn't feel like sleeping due to the stress and anxiety lingering in his body.
His movements were mechanical as he cleaned the small dishes in front of him, which seemed tiny in comparison. He wished they were much larger, to keep his mind from dwelling on negative thoughts that could lead to bad things.
In a flash, he recalls the red eyes glaring at him with anger after the discovery of his family origins. If his friends found out, would they look at him like that man did? Or even other people he might randomly encounter? In any case, he has to admit that it reminds him that his "family" is still neither liked nor appreciated, and if it becomes known, he risks putting others in danger.
But now, what does he do? Leave the crew without saying anything? Bad idea, because he's sure that Luffy or the other mosshead won't let him leave without a good explanation, especially the glutton. A sigh escapes his lips as he places the last plate on the drainer before wiping his hands with a towel. He looks up and gazes into the small porthole, now dark due to the nightfall. The features of his face are marked by fatigue and worry.
And what if he became like his brothers? A killing machine without emotion? Because if that guy recognized him as a Vinsmoke because of his blood, does it mean he's too closely related to the others? And thus, the genetic experiment in him hasn't disappeared but is just dormant?
With a sudden movement, he shakes his head at that thought. He's not like them; he will never become an assassin serving Germa 66. The tap opens abruptly, and he splashes some water on his face, trying to change his thoughts. There's no point in dwelling on it. The man said he would come back at some point to talk to him. Maybe he can answer all his questions, but for now, he has to forget all that and focus on his journey and his nakamas.
He will prove that he is not the modified, emotionless being his father wanted him to be. He has a heart beating in his chest, quickening at the sight of a pretty girl, contracting in front of someone in need, shedding tears when something horrible happens before his eyes, screaming with rage at injustice. If all that doesn't prove he has emotions, then nobody does. And unlike his brothers, he has a dream, an ambition that belongs to him and him alone.
Taking a deep breath, he leaves the kitchen and takes a cigarette that he lights with a flick of a lighter. The small flame still glows a bit under his eyes before he extinguishes it. What's the use? It won't answer his questions. For now, he's on guard duty, and Nami and Usopp are counting on him to warn them in case of danger.
Their sweet navigator led them to a small cove hidden from view, thus reducing the risk of being easily spotted. They hope to gain time until the others return, and with a bit of luck, they won't even be attacked, as the two thrill-seekers will have taken care of all the pirate hunters.
But there's also the risk that these fools are seriously injured and waiting for their help. While the idea may seem absurd, one must not forget that the enemy is much more numerous.
With a graceful stride, he leans on the balcony railing and looks at the moon. In two or three days, it will be full, without having any particular meaning for them, but it means they will be able to see their nocturnal enemies from further away.
He exhales a puff of smoke that swirls in front of him in the light night breeze. It's a beautiful night, calm and silent. He closes his eyes to listen to the waves crashing on the small pebble beach a few meters away. The sound of animals moving and the rustle of leaves. The smell of sea salt and the forest blends into a fragrance he never tires of.
Although he spent 85 days on a rock, he doesn't blame the ocean for putting him through this trial. It's not malicious or cruel as a human could be, because it contains and protects an abundance of beautiful flora and fauna, like a mother protecting her children.
So, no, he's not resentful. He's a man of the sea, and being on this vast expanse of water for weeks is entirely natural for him. He appreciates the little subtleties he can feel when he senses the sea spray. It reminds him that All Blue must be an amazing place if it contains absolutely all the species of the sea, and being able to smell it just with his nose fills him with a certain pride and hope.
A small smile hovers on his lips as he thinks about the dream he shares with the old man. He's ready to do anything to find it and prove that he's not chasing a childish legend, and that the old geezer didn't sacrifice his leg for nothing.
Yes, he'll go all the way! Nothing will deviate him from his ambition, especially not his damned family.
He lets the ambient sounds calm his mind until it's Usopp's turn to take over around 2 AM.
The alarm cries from Usopp jolt him awake as the sniper shouts that an enemy ship is approaching. He hastily dresses and rushes onto the deck to see Nami and Usopp observing a large ship charging towards them.
"I count about thirty men on deck !" Cries the panicked sniper, abruptly lowering his binoculars. His panicked gaze turns to the other two nakama to see what they're going to do.
"Thirty? Seriously! Why haven't Zoro and Luffy returned yet? If we make it out of this, I'll give them a piece of my mind for not taking care of everyone!" Vociferates Nami, quickly devising a plan. Unfortunately, they are trapped in a cove that may have protected them until now but has become a deadly trap since there is only one access, now blocked by the enemy vessel. "Usopp! Think you can sink the ship before it reaches us?"
"I'll try! But I can't promise anything!" Without wasting a second, he runs towards the hold to access the side cannons.
"Sanji! Take care of any cannon shots that might hit us! I'll make sure we don't run aground!"
"At your command, Nami-sweetie!" Coos the blond, before a whistle catches his attention. The first cannonball crashes into the water a few meters away, showering them with foam and causing the Merry to sway.
"Ha! They've started firing!" Panics the red-haired navigator, rushing immediately to the helm to prevent the ship from crashing into the bay.
More shots are heard, and Sanji manages to deflect the few cannonballs that are about to hit them. Usopp sweats profusely as he loads the cannons, aims, and fires. He misses a few shots due to stress and the abrupt movements of the Merry. But most of his shots hit the enemy, which is now trying to extinguish the flames and seal the leaks.
This doesn't stop them from getting close enough to invade the deck and attack the two pirates there.
"Kill them! Only the boy with the straw hat has a bounty, these ones are worthless!"
Sanji grits his teeth in rage upon hearing these words, a flash of his father appearing in his mind. Worthless? His breathing accelerates, and he clenches his fists under the influence of a smoldering anger from his past. How dare these insects? A dozen men rush towards him, armed with swords or firearms.
The first one to reach him is ejected with a powerful and unrestrained kick. The sound of bones cracking under his shoe seems to remind him that he's dealing with normal humans, not that red-haired man who would have taken the blow without flinching. He hesitates for a moment upon seeing the motionless body crushed against a wooden wall, then something stirs within him beyond his control. Why... Why are they so weak?
"Damn weaklings, you're a waste of time." The mere realization of the power difference between these hunters and the unknown red-haired man frustrates him immensely. He now wants to fight powerful enemies to improve quickly.
Letting his frustration speak, he attacks the poor men, who find themselves facing a raging chef tearing them apart. The treatment is even more violent for the fools who dared to attack the navigator, who witnesses the massacre with wide frightened eyes.
The sound of bones breaking and flesh being battered fills the entire ship. The few hunters who still had some sense flee, plunging into the water and disappearing into the forest.
In barely ten minutes, it's all over. Baroque Works' ship has sunk, thanks to Usopp, and all the hunters who invaded the Merry have been defeated or fled.
Only Sanji's ragged breathing is heard as he continues to strike an already unconscious man.
Nami, not liking what she sees, throws herself on him, restraining him and trying to keep him away before he turns the man into pulp.
"Sanji! Stop it! Stop!" The foot that was about to strike again suddenly stops above the battered and bloodied body. His breathing attempts to calm down as he blinks several times to get his thoughts together. He looks slowly around him, the almost lifeless and broken bodies making the scene truly dark and grim. He notices that his shoes and the bottom of his pants are soaked in blood.
A shiver of terror runs down his spine. Did he really do that?! His gaze of incomprehension turns to Nami. Please, make sure nothing happened to her. He is relieved to see that she is completely unharmed, but she waits apprehensively for his reaction, as if expecting him to continue attacking the men on the ground.
"Nami? What..." Suddenly, a thought crosses his mind. What if, for a fraction of a second, he became like his brothers? He pales dangerously and frees himself from the redhead's embrace, stepping back under Nami's worried gaze.
"Sanji? Are you okay?"
"I... I..." His breathing quickens, and with a sudden movement, he turns his back on her and rushes into the kitchen before locking the door.
"Sanji?! Sanji, what are you doing?!" Nami pounds on the door, trying to force the chef to open it. "Why are you running away? Sanji? Sanji?! Answer me! What's going on? Please answer me!" But the blond doesn't respond.
Usopp emerges from the hold with a big proud smile, but when he sees the shredded bodies and the cries of the navigator, he immediately loses his smile.
"Nami! What's going on?" He asks, approaching the woman while avoiding the pools of blood that begin to spread on the deck. The redhead turns to him with a face full of concern.
"I don't know. Sanji was much more violent than usual, as if he was somewhere else. When I stopped him, he woke up, but he panicked and locked himself in the kitchen. And now he refuses to answer!" She finishes, frustrated, pounding on the poor wooden door.
Inside, Sanji curls up on the floor, his head in his knees, and his body trembling slightly.
This can't be possible! Why now? Why did he act like that? Why did he...?
His muscles tense even more at this terrifying possibility, completely ignoring the calls of his two friends outside.
Don't come near me... I don't want to hurt you, please, don't come near me…
On Whisky Peak Island, Zoro looks at Stella with a slight frown while Luffy continues to snore in his ear.
"What do you mean, we have a problem?" He asks his twin, who still holds the Arabasta princess in his arms.
"There's a ship with about thirty men heading towards the Merry. The attack is expected any minute now." The swordsman sniffs.
"Only thirty? They can handle it without us." He says casually, smiling mockingly. Stella raises an eyebrow at the relaxed tone but also at the swordsman's confidence in his crewmates.
"You seem pretty sure they'll manage." Zoro smiles.
"It's obvious you've never seen us fight. If these guys are at the same level as the ones I crushed, then they won't have any problems." He receives a somewhat skeptical look, but Stella eventually shrugs.
"You know them best, so I'll trust your judgment." The swordsman displays a superior smile, as for once, he knows something that this woman is unaware of.
"Of course, they're my nakamas after all." Stella smiles at the confidence that Marimo finally shows towards his friends, something he had never done before, at least not in front of her.
Karoo and Igaram watch them talk, understanding only half of the conversation. But now that the two green-haired swordsmen have recovered their captain, maybe they can retrieve the princess.
"Um... Now that you've got your captain back... Can we retrieve Princess Vivi, as you promised?" Igaram asks apprehensively, as two pairs of emerald eyes turn towards him. With a single motion, both Zoro raise an eyebrow, and the older one speaks in a neutral voice.
"Why this question? It seems we promised to return her to you on the condition that we retrieve our captain and return to our ship." With these words, the Captain of the Royal Guard deflates because he will have to follow them again without the possibility of leaving quickly.
Seeing that the man wasn't going to add anything, Stella turned to the swordsman.
"All that's left is to get to the Merry. It will take us about 1 to 2 hours on foot, but if we take a boat, we should reach them in less than an hour."
"I don't want to get tangled in the forest with Luffy clinging to branches." Zoro grumbles, elbowing the elastic man in his back to see if it will wake him up, but it's yet another failure. The disguised woman shows an amused smile at his attempt and turns to Igaram, who holds his stomach in pain, breathing heavily, and sweat on his forehead.
Seeing the man's distressed state, she approaches cautiously.
"Looks like you've reached your limit. Sit on the ground, and I'll see what I can do for you." She says, figuring out where she can safely place the princess. Igaram looks at her with difficulty, pain contorting his body and barely allowing him to stand, but he won't let this pirate approach him.
"No, I'm fine, nothing serious, don't worry about me-." He declares, trying to keep his voice as stable as possible, but unfortunately for him, he exhales the last words with a strained voice, a sign of acute pain that made him clench his jaw to avoid letting out a groan.
Rolling her eyes in exasperation, Stella gently places Vivi against a wall, making sure she won't slide to the ground. Then she heads towards the injured and stubborn man, who retreats, refusing to be examined. With a single gesture, she presses on his wound, and he collapses in pain, letting out a cry of agony. Tears of pain escape from his eyes as he curls up on the floor, trying to push the pain away from his ribs.
Karoo lets out a panicked cry and tries to peck at the green-haired man who made his friend suffer, but his beak is easily caught between two fingers, and he looks into two emerald gem-like eyes.
"Calm down, duck. I intend to heal him, not finish him off, so let me do my thing, alright?" His beak is released, and he watches the pirate grab the blood-stained shirt and open it, popping the buttons as if it were nothing. Igaram's torso is finally visible, and an ugly dark stain on the side makes him shudder; it's not good.
Stella carefully examines the huge bruise and gently runs her fingers over it amidst the man's stifled moans. A tongue click echoes in the night.
"Seriously, you're pretending everything is fine, but you have five broken ribs, one of which has punctured several muscles. If your organs are not affected, it's thanks to luck. So now, you're going to listen to me and let me do my thing. Clear? Otherwise, I'll leave you to die here." Igaram struggles against the pain to stay conscious, but the little consciousness left to him refuses the help of the pirate. How could he face the princess and his king if he told them that he owes his life to one of these vile individuals?
"N-No! Don't touch me!" He growls, trying to crawl away from the older swordsman. Karoo watches him try to crawl on the ground. He doesn't understand why he's making such a fuss, after all, these pirates have healed Vivi, so why refuse treatment? He may have no knowledge of medicine, but he knows that this stain is not normal and that something needs to be done quickly.
"Quack! Quack! Quack!" He cries out to the Captain of the Royal Guard, trying to make him understand that he shouldn't refuse this help. Igaram raises his head with difficulty to look at the super spot-billed duck yelling at him.
"K-Karoo?" The bird continues to squawk, approaching Stella and grabbing her arm between its beak, allowing it to happen, curious about what he is going to do, placing her hand on the painful wound.
"Quack quack!" Then he heads towards Vivi to show him her bandaged neck with a wing, then back to Stella in a new squawk.
The man on the ground is confused, and his painful mind doesn't help, but he manages to put the pieces of the puzzle together. Karoo is apparently telling him that there's nothing wrong with being treated by this man, as he has already helped the princess.
Teeth clenched, he hesitates between survival and his aversion to pirates. But looking at the young unconscious princess against the wall, he realizes that leaving her alone is infinitely more unbearable than having to let a pirate treat him. After several laborious and tense breaths, he manages to remove the arms that were protecting his ribs in a protective reflex.
Stella looks at him for a few seconds to make sure the injured man will allow himself to be treated, then nods when Igaram stares at her without moving.
"You made the right choice for yourself and your princess. Even though we're protecting her for now, and I'm sure no one in our crew will harm her, I completely understand your reluctance." She says, taking out a balm to ease the pain and a new bandage.
The Captain of the Guard looks at her with just as much distrust, but he has no choice—besides, it's not like he has one. For now, he can't even get up,
His body twitches reflexively as the pirate completely removes his shirt, leaving him bare-chested. Not wanting to faint from the pain, he begins to scrutinize the face before him. Despite the darkness of the night, he can see the green color of his medium-length hair, falling in small, soft strands. The rugged and straight face reveals a few wrinkles at the corners of the eyes and on the cheeks, a sign that the man smiles a lot, but it remains to be seen whether it's a happy or cruel smile. His emerald eyes focus attentively and concentrated on his wound, where he feels the balm spreading, gradually numbing the pain.
But as he looks into the eyes before him, he feels his conscience trying to tell him something, as if he knows this person but can't remember. He senses his memories and instincts trying to make him recall something, but he can't. The feeling is so present and relentless that he doesn't realize his chest is bandaged.
It's only when the unknown pirate packs up and stands up that he snaps out of this kind of trance.
"I did my best, you should be able to walk, but be careful and avoid sudden movements." Says the older swordsman before looking at Karoo. "I'll take care of your paw too, come over here." He gestures with his hand, inviting the duck to approach him and kneels to examine the slightly sprained ankle.
Igaram watches Karoo being treated without resistance. Since when did he trust him? And why? Because he has no choice? Yes, probably, but then why is his instinct trying to tell him something important, what is eluding him?
Stella quickly tends to the paw in front of her before packing up and heading towards the princess, who still hasn't surfaced.
"We can leave now. Do you know where we could find a boat?" She asks, taking the young girl in her arms and facing the still-grounded man.
The Captain of the guard tries to get up, gritting his teeth with Karoo's help. He manages to stabilize himself enough not to fall.
"There are ships in the city's port. But I personally have a boat that we can use without a problem, hidden in a small cove not far from here." He says, clenching his teeth, indicating the area where his boat should be. This prospect suits him, as once the pirates are back home, he can leave this island immediately without wasting time.
Stella looks in the indicated direction before nodding and following the injured man, keeping an eye on him in case he collapses.
Zoro follows the group in silence, not really knowing where all this is leading. He trusts the rest of the crew to deal with the pirate hunters without them, he's sure to find them alive. But there's something bothering him, as if he's being observed, but it's not strong enough for him to know where it's coming from. A bit more on his guard, he continues walking until the group reaches the edge of a small hidden cove.
Before him, he sees a small ship, slightly smaller than the Merry, floating peacefully on the calm dark waters.
"This is my ship. We can leave immediately." Announces Igaram, stepping forward to try to descend the ladder. But he is stopped by the older swordsman, who jumps onto the ship with ease and lets down the ladder with a flick of his wrist, still holding the princess tightly in his arms.
The chief's eyes widen at this feat, but especially at how effortlessly he accomplishes it, as if it were something easy and natural. He has rarely seen someone with such ease in controlling his body and power, and the only times he has seen it were during the rare occasions when he left the country, mainly for the Reverie.
The feeling of having seen this person before intensifies, but he still doesn't remember. Why doesn't he remember? What's missing?
Stella casts a critical eye over the ship's deck, looking for the best place to put the blue-haired girl in her arms. Taking a quick look around, she finds the captain's cabin with a comfortable bed. With gentle movements, she lays Vivi on the blankets, but as she tries to straighten up, she realizes that the sleeping girl has clasped her hand on her shirt, preventing her from leaving.
With a small amused smile, she places her hand on the princess's and begins to stroke it in gentle circles.
"I won't go far, keep sleeping, you're safe now." She says in her feminine voice, which relaxes the princess, who finally releases her grip. With one last soothing caress, Stella leaves the room.
On the deck, Igaram moves from one end to the other to remove the ropes with Karoo's help, while Zoro has dropped Luffy on the wooden deck like a sack of potatoes.
But something tickles her senses, as if someone is watching her closely. With a quick but supple movement, she turns around to see only the cabin wall. An eyebrow rises in perplexity, she takes a few steps towards Zoro before turning around again, feeling the same sensation, except this time, she can see a few pink flower petals disintegrate in the wind.
A Devil Fruit... She quickly understands that someone is watching them, especially her. A small amused smile appears on her lips, and she extends her perception to find the observer. She soon finds him, hidden in an alley. Let's go say hello.
"There's an unwanted observer, do you mind if I take care of him?" She asks, passing by Zoro before jumping on the ship's railing. The swordsman raised an eyebrow, glancing at the silent city. They were indeed being watched.
"Do as you wish, but don't take too long. I want to go to sleep." He replied, shrugging. After all, no one here should be able to do anything to this woman.
"Thank you for your humble permission." She said with amusement before jumping and disappearing in a blur under the ironic gaze of the swordsman.
Hidden in the shadows, a woman uses her Devil Fruit powers to observe the peculiar group. She would have preferred the princess to take a different path because she has to do something to prevent her from reaching Arabasta too quickly, and for that, she needs to get rid of the Eternal Pose held by the Captain of the Royal Guard.
"Are you just going to watch us, or do you have other plans?" Asks a voice from the shadows, making her imperceptibly startle. She didn't sense it coming at all. Pivoting on her heels, she faces the strange twin of the green-haired swordsman. The male face looks at her with amusement, without a hint of hostility.
The woman has her face hidden in the shadow of her violet hat, revealing only her perpetual ironic smile.
"What would be my pleasure if I told you about my plans?" She says in a suave, controlled voice honed over the years. A small laugh responds to her as the man crosses his arms, maintaining his smile.
"I see I'm dealing with a great strategist. May I at least know your sweet name?" The teasing voice doesn't bother the black-haired woman, who adopts a seemingly relaxed posture.
"Why does my name interest you so much? Besides, shouldn't you introduce yourself first? As a gentleman, that would be a shame." The smile in front of her widens before the man makes a sort of bow by bending.
"Where are my manners in front of such a beautiful woman? Although I must admit I don't even know your face, so you're not without reproach either." He says with a hint of irony, to which the stranger naturally responds.
"You're right, my dear. We should be on equal footing." And with a finger gesture, she moves her hat away from her face. But she did not expect the reaction of the man in front of her, let alone what would follow.
Indeed, the man who was smiling completely loses his mischievous face to transform into astonishment, then into something she would never have believed possible.
She sees profound sadness, guilt, but also intense and immeasurable joy.
A strange tension hangs between them, like something heavy and stifling. But when she sees this face smiling with such tenderness, she wants to run away; she can't stand his gaze.
"I can't believe I finally found you." If things are strange and bad for the woman, seeing the green hair turn white and the eyes become light blue completely finishes her, freezing her body.
She knows those eyes, that unique color, the movements in their irises, but it's been so many years since she last saw them, hoping never to see them again.
"You..." She murmurs incredulously as different memories resurface, including the worst. The smell of smoke, the sound of cries and tears, tears rolling down her cheeks. Everything comes back to her, along with a suppressed, seething anger. "YOU!" She crosses her arms, and instantly dozens of them wrap around the white-haired man, who doesn't seem to see them even as his arms are held behind his back, and other hands wrap around his throat to strangle him to death. "HOW?! HOW DARE YOU FACE ME AGAIN AFTER EVERYTHING YOU'VE DONE?!" She screams in rage as tears roll down her cheeks, and she forces her hands even more on the broad neck that is starting to run out of air.
"P-Princess... I..." She closes her eyes upon hearing this nickname.
"SHUT UP! SHUT UP! SHUT UP! I DON'T WANT TO HEAR ANYTHING!" She doesn't want to know anything, hear anything from this person who betrayed them. Why...Why couldn't things stay as they were?
A little girl with black hair runs through the streets with a big smile. She's back! She's back on the island! Her little legs take her to the port, where a small crowd is present. Zigzagging between adults, she finally sees the person she wanted to see.
"Mom!" A woman with white hair turns towards her, smiles broadly, and kneels down to allow the 6-year-old girl to run into her arms.
"Robin! I missed you so much, sweetheart!" Like a cannonball, the little girl rushes into her mother's arms and easily lets herself be carried by her after receiving a kiss on the cheek.
"But what do we have here? Could it be our little princess?" Asks a gentle voice. The little girl turns towards the voice and smiles broadly.
"Hello, Stella!" Another woman, very similar to the first, gives a teasing smile to the child. The two women look so much alike that one might think they are twins, yet they are neither sisters nor cousins. The only difference between them is their eyes: the first has normal blue eyes, while the second has irises that move like the sea or blue flames.
"Hello, princess. I see you wasted no time coming here. Did you miss your mom that much?" Robin blushes at this nickname, she loves fairy tales and cute animals. One day, Stella discovered this and has been calling her that ever since. She loves this attention, feeling special in the eyes of this woman so important to their island.
"Yes!" She turns to her mother. "Are you staying for a long time this time?" Olvia's smile fades a bit, making the big smile of the little girl disappear.
"Sorry, sweetheart, I'm only staying for two or three weeks before leaving again for some time." Robin loses her good mood. Why does her mom always have to be at sea? Why can't she stay here and take care of her like all the other moms? "Don't be sad. You have your uncle taking care of you. He's nice, isn't he?" She nods slightly. It's true that she has her uncle, and even if he's nice, her aunt and cousin are very mean to her, and her uncle never does anything. She is always alone, except at the library when she is immersed in her books, and Stella takes some time to come see her and tell her lots of stories and adventures.
"Yes..." Olvia grimaces a bit at her daughter's sad face.
"Don't be sad. I'm staying for a few weeks, so let's make the most of it to do whatever you want. How about some ice cream?" She asks, trying to bring a smile back to her daughter's face. Robin would have preferred her mother not to go on a trip, but she knows she can't do anything about it, so yes, she will make the most of her time with her mother. She smiles timidly before nodding at the sweet proposition. Smiling again, Olvia places the little girl on the ground, holding her hand.
"Let's go right away!" She says cheerfully, to which Robin responds with stars in her eyes. The woman turns to Stella, who watches them tenderly. "You don't mind, do you?"
"Not at all, you can give me a report later. Enjoy your day with your daughter. She missed you a lot." With a nod, the little family sets off towards the town, heading to the best ice cream parlor on the island. Stella watches them go with a small, tender smile until an old man named Clover, with a large gray beard and an improbable hairstyle, approaches her, a freshly delivered newspaper under his arm and a letter in hand.
"Your Majesty, the World Government has sent you a letter regarding the upcoming Reverie."
Hello everyone, I must say that things are about to seriously shake up. Get ready to love and hate my character. A tiny part of her past is about to be revealed, raising many questions. Don't consider Stella as an overpowered character with no background. I've pushed her complexity to such a level that her development takes a lot of time, and I have specific interactions in mind at key moments that don't allow me to spill everything at once.
The adventure is just beginning, and you'll uncover more of the plot as the chapters unfold, so stay tuned.
For those who have read the first version, you might be spoiled on certain points because the story dynamics have completely changed. Also, I apologize for not posting a new chapter for several months. I currently have 5 different chapters and follow-ups that could be the next chapter, but I'm still contemplating which one would create the best dynamic, knowing that it will exclude the other 4.
I won't bother you any more and I'll see you soon!
Kisses!