In terms of physique, Kozuki Hiyori had inherited more of Oden's strength than Momonosuke.
This little girl could throw flying kicks when she was only a few years old. She was nothing like Momonosuke, that timid weakling.
However, being female, Kozuki Hiyori wasn't particularly valued.
Of course, she received the respect she was due. Oden's retainers cared for her deeply, but no one believed that Kozuki Hiyori could inherit Oden's legacy. In their eyes, Momonosuke, however cowardly, was the best heir simply because he was male.
But this had little to do with Ren.
After returning to Kuri this time, he planned to stay for a while. He held a welcome-back gathering with Yuriko, Keiko, and the others he hadn't seen in so long, and even took some time to train Buggy and the rest.
This left Nekomamushi and Inuarashi completely awed by his strength.
These two little animals combined weren't even a match for one of Ren's fingers.
Amatsuki Toki thus remained in Kuri for the time being.
Her original purpose had been to visit Wano. The Amatsuki clan had once been nobles of Wano, though this branch of the family had left the country and eventually assimilated overseas.
This was why, despite Wano's isolationist policies, people wearing kimono occasionally appeared on the seas.
They might not have had Wano blood, but at least culturally, they had been influenced to some degree.
Thanks to Kozuki Oden and the others, Toki was no longer particularly interested in the rest of Wano, but she was deeply curious about Kuri, which Ren ruled.
In just a few short days, she understood why Kuri was the most prosperous region in all of Wano.
The town of Kagemukuro, closest to the daimyo's estate, now looked entirely modern.
It wasn't exactly high-tech, but at least the roads were paved with concrete. Many of the wooden buildings had been preserved, though most interiors had been renovated. Electric lights and similar appliances were now commonplace.
"Such an amazing place!" Toki had spent the day exploring with Saori and Saya, who had some free time. Everything she saw felt novel and exciting.
"What's that?" She pointed at something flying through the sky and asked.
"That's a modified version of the autonomous mechanism Ruin Hunter, codename Swift. It has no combat capabilities — it's purely for reconnaissance, basically an aerial patrol unit," Saori explained.
She spoke while watching Toki's boundless enthusiasm, a look of admiration crossing her face.
She hadn't expected Toki to have such incredible stamina. After all, in the past few days, even Yuriko, who had the best endurance among them, hadn't fully recovered, yet Toki was already back to being full of energy.
While Toki was happily exploring Kuri, Ren and a still somewhat frail Keiko made their way to Enkanomiya.
Keiko's steps were a bit unsteady, but her complexion looked wonderfully flushed — like a flower that had been thoroughly watered.
"How far along is the research on the person sent back earlier?" Ren asked.
He was referring to Udon, whom he had captured in the undersea cavern.
"That individual's body is extremely unusual." Getting down to business, Keiko put on her glasses and pulled out a stack of research documents.
She didn't actually have poor eyesight, but years of reading had weakened her vision somewhat.
These silver-framed glasses were something Ren had brought back from overseas for her.
Setting that aside, Keiko wearing glasses had a certain charm all its own.
And when conducting research in Enkanomiya, she specifically changed into a white lab coat, giving her somewhat of a scholarly air.
Sure enough, the fastest thing in the sky is an airplane, and the most... striking thing on the ground is glasses.
"Lunarian... that's what they're called, right? Their bloodline factors are completely different from other races," Keiko said, unaware that Ren's mind had wandered to entirely impure thoughts, as she explained in earnest.
However, she wasn't particularly skilled in genetics. Keiko's theoretical knowledge was solid, but her practical skills were somewhat lacking.
"Keep researching," Ren said, tearing his gaze away from Keiko's back and suggesting they go see Udon.
"He's in Laboratory Thirty-Seven right now," Keiko said, her high heels clicking rhythmically as she walked through the empty corridor.
And it wasn't just the heels — beneath Keiko's white lab coat, she wore a blouse and a fitted skirt, with sheer black stockings underneath.
After all, Kuri today was completely different from the other provinces.
The residents of Kagemukuro had long since moved beyond wearing only kimono.
For Ren, this was even more true. Kimono had their own appeal, but eating the same dish every day eventually grew tiresome.
Enkanomiya's laboratory was vast, with a sizable research staff working across many different fields.
Along the way, numerous researchers bowed and greeted them as they passed.
"We're here." Keiko pressed her palm print at an automatic door, and the heavy barrier slowly ground open.
What came into view was Udon, submerged in nutrient fluid, locked in a deep sleep.
"Since we were concerned he might cause trouble upon waking, we've been continuously administering anesthesia. But his resistance to it has been growing stronger and stronger," Keiko explained.
Ren looked closer and saw that Udon's hands, feet, neck, and waist were all shackled with restraints made of Seastone, which greatly weakened him.
"Phylacia's body is also quite unusual. After Moli brought her back to Kuri, I examined her. It's hard to believe that their genes formed naturally," Keiko added after a moment's thought.
In truth, when it came to biological genetics research, you'd be hard-pressed to find many experts across the entire sea.
Vegapunk was certainly one. And the Vinsmoke family of the North Blue, in Ren's opinion, could also be counted.
The Vinsmoke assassin family had once shared a research facility with Vegapunk, and they possessed extensive technology for manufacturing clone soldiers and performing human modification.
Sanji, along with his brothers and sister, were essentially modified humans.
"I'm not very skilled in this area. The artificial human project likely won't see any progress for a long time," Keiko said apologetically.
Ren already knew that Keiko wasn't strong in this field. After all, conducting biological research would require sacrificing many lives.
"It seems Director Keiko needs an assistant who's clever enough," Ren said with a smile.
"Can we find one?" Keiko's eyes lit up with excitement.
"There's a candidate, but it might take several years," Ren said, patting her on the head.
Keiko immediately closed her eyes and leaned into the touch like a cat being stroked.
Ren was thinking of Nico Robin — a woman who had passed her archaeology doctorate exam with full marks at the age of eight. In terms of sheer intelligence, Ren didn't think she would fail to meet Keiko's requirements.
Besides, the Hana Hana Fruit and human modification seemed like a rather fitting combination.
"It's alright. We've always had enough time, haven't we?" Keiko said lightly.
[
Dear Readers,
I am currently posting two chapters every day across two active fictions, along with bonus releases and extra chapters. The workload is steady, and I am putting in the effort to keep the schedule consistent for everyone.
Right now, my financial situation is not great. Patreon support is what keeps this translation work sustainable. If you have been following the stories and want to help, joining a tier makes a direct difference.
Here is what membership offers:
Adventurer — $3 per month
10 chapters in advance for all of my works
Warrior — $7 per month
20 chapters in advance for all of my works
Immortal — $10 per month (Highlighted Tier)
30 chapters in advance for all of my works
Access to character images
Important note: Subscribing through the Apple App adds an extra 30 percent fee (Apple/Patreon policy). Subscribe through your browser to avoid the extra charge. Apple also processes payments very late (2 to 3 months), which makes it much harder for me to receive money quickly after you subscribe.
If you can support, it would genuinely help me continue the daily releases and early access content. If you cannot, reading and sharing the work is also appreciated.
Thank you for your time.
Patreon: patreon.com/anish_44
Ko-fi: ko-fi.com/anish_44
]