A month passed since Jacob rescued Yamato and Reiju, and with every passing day, Jacob refined his abilities—yet he still couldn't match Yamato in sheer strength.
Under the scorching sun, Jacob stood before Yamato, determination burning in his eyes.
"Go all out," he ordered.
Yamato cracked her knuckles, a mischievous grin on her face. "You sure? Oden doesn't hold back."
Jacob clenched his fists, the sea stone bracelets gleaming under the sunlight. "I need to surpass my limits."
"Then don't cry later."
The ground shattered beneath Yamato's feet as she exploded forward, her kanabo coated in thick Armament Haki.
BOOM!
Jacob barely dodged as the impact split the land beneath him, sending debris flying.
He retaliated with a massive punch, his fists aimed directly at Yamato's chest.
But before it connected, Yamato exhaled—a chilling mist escaping her mouth.
The temperature dropped instantly, and Jacob felt weak.
"Shit—"
Before he could react, Yamato's kanabo slammed into his ribs, sending him skidding across the battlefield.
Crack.
Pain shot through Jacob's body, but he forced himself to stand up.
Yamato raised an eyebrow. "You're tougher than I thought. But still—" She pointed the kanabo at him. "—not strong enough."
Jacob clenched his fists.
"This isn't over."
He felt the edge of Armament Haki.
He just had to push past his limits.
Each day, Jacob and Yamato clashed, their fights shaking the landscape.
Yamato was unrelenting—every swing of her kanabo felt like a hammer meant to break him completely.
Despite his speed, Jacob always lost in Haki and sheer strength.
BAM!
Jacob hit the ground again, coughing. He struggled to stay alight after the relentless assault, and the sea stone bracelets felt heavy on his wrist.
Yamato rest her kanabo onto her shoulder, her face grinning with exhilaration.
"You're getting tougher, Jacob! But without your devil fruit power, you wouldn't beat me!"
Jacob groaned as he stood up, cracking his neck. "Damn Oni… One of these days, I'll break through."
Yamato laughed. "Try harder then!"
Despite the pain, Jacob never backed down. He would endure, fight again, and push his limits.
After each battle, as they sat by the beach cooling off, Jacob turned to Yamato and extended the same offer:
"Join me."
And every time, Yamato replied, "Only if Reiju joins too."
Jacob sighed, glancing toward the quiet pink-haired woman in the distance.
Reiju had settled into a village life, spending her time studying plants, poisons, and genetics. Though she always declined his offer, she also never left.
She liked it here—that much was clear.
One evening, under the moonlight, Jacob leaned against a tree, arms crossed, watching her work.
"Why won't you join?" he asked.
Reiju smirked, plucking a leaf from a strange plant. "Because I already escaped a life of orders. Why rush into another?"
Jacob huffed. "We're not Germa."
She chuckled, standing up and stretching. "I know. But I still need time."
Jacob exhaled, then glanced toward Yamato—who was waiting by the training grounds, twirling her kanabo.
"You realize I will never stop asking, right?" he said.
Reiju's smirk deepened. "Yeah… I like watching you struggle."
Jacob shook his head. These two were way too much.
But one thing was sure—whether they admitted it or not, they belonged here.
***
The Revenants settled into their daily lives, each member finding rhythm in the quiet days between training and adventure.
Above the vast blue sea, Nami drifted on her cloud, her eyes constantly scanning the horizon as she meticulously mapped East Blue from the sky. Her cloud gave her an unparalleled view of the world below, and she took full advantage of it. Every mountain, every island, every hidden cove—she charted them all.
On the ground, Nojiko spent her time tending to her growing collection of plants, carefully nurturing exotic herbs and medicinal flowers. Some were for Kaya's medical studies, others simply because she enjoyed the quiet company of nature.
Kuina split her days between training and meditating. When not sparring with Jacob, Yamato, or even Reiju, she could be found by the cliffs, eyes closed, Wado Ichimonji resting across her lap as she honed her focus.
Now, with the Revitalize Fruit, Kaya has fully committed herself to studying medicine. She brought in doctors from all across East Blue, listening intently, taking notes, and applying what she learned. The once frail heiress was no longer bound to a sickbed—now, she aimed to heal others.
Neji, Tamanegi, and Piiman—continued their lively presence. Sometimes, they played pranks on the villagers; sometimes, they pestered Jacob to tell them stories; sometimes, they hung around, watching their once-fabled captain in awe.
Carina switched between writing songs and planning heists. Whenever she felt an itch for adventure, she'd scribble ideas into her notebook—notes on potential targets, fake identities, getaway plans. "Just in case," she'd say with a wink.
As for Reiju, she surprised everyone by embracing the quiet village life. She took her time exploring the island, studying plants with Nojiko, and occasionally sparring with Kuina or Yamato—though she never showed her full strength.
There was a mystery to her, a lingering past she kept to herself, but no one pried. She was here, and that was enough.
And so, the days passed. A month of training, learning, and quiet growth.
***
With Yamato clinging onto his back, Jacob soared through the skies, flying from Conomi to Shimotsuki, then Orange Town, before finally approaching Goa.
Yamatonwas thrilled beyond words. The wind rushed past her face, and she spread her arms out, laughing as they zipped above the endless blue sea.
"This is how that bastard must feel!" Yamato roared excitedly.
Jacob focused on steering their flight path and merely rolled his eyes. "Just don't get too excited and fall, Odin."
But something below caught his eye—a fight between a passenger ship and a pirate crew. A garish pink ship, adorned with heart decorations, fired its cannons at the defenseless civilians.
Jacob narrowed his eyes, recognizing the slim, club-wielding woman leading the attack.
"Alvida?"
She was slim, beautiful, and wielded a steel club with effortless grace.
An opportunity presented itself.
"Hold on, Odin," Jacob said, abruptly shifting their course downward.
"What—?! Wait, what are you—?!" Yamato barely had time to react before they descended like a meteor, crashing onto Alvida's ship.
The pirates barely had time to scream before a blast of blue fire erupted, instantly setting the sails ablaze.
Alvida stumbled back, her eyes widening as she saw a masked man in a long coat, wreathed in fire, standing before her.
The infamous Fire King.
"Wha—?! What the hell are—?!"
Before she could even finish, Jacob moved faster than her eyes could track, putting sea stone handcuffs on her wrist and grabbing her by the waist.
"H-Hey! Let go of me, you bastard!" Alvida shrieked, wriggling her body, kicking the air, but her attack slipped harmlessly off his hardened flames.
Jacob lifted off into the sky before her crew could even react. Yamato, hanging onto his other side, sighed dramatically.
"Are we kidnapping people now?" she asked.
Jacob smirked. "Only when I see potential."
Alvida continued to curse and flail.
And so, they left behind the burning pirate ship, soaring toward the Kingdom of Goa