Ren woke slowly, warmth pressed against both sides of him. Shakky and Toki were glued to him, their breathing calm but heavy from last night's wild exhaustion. He exhaled in satisfaction, staring at the wooden ceiling of their cabin as the early light filtered through the cracks.
Toki stirred first, her fingers tightening slightly against his chest. Shakky followed, crimson eyes blinking open as she stretched lazily. For a moment, none of them spoke; the quiet intimacy felt natural now.
Shakky's gaze shifted to Toki's forehead, and her expression sharpened. There, faint but unmistakable, was a crescent-shaped mark glowing softly before fading into her skin. It was identical to the one Shakky herself had received before.
Ren noticed the look immediately. "Yap. She also has it. I checked as soon as I woke. Toki, you feel different?"
Toki touched her forehead hesitantly. "A little stronger… and less sore than I thought," she admitted, blinking in confusion. "I was expecting to barely move."
Shakky laughed softly, though her own legs still felt unsteady. "You'll get used to it. The first time is always the most surprising."
Ren smirked and sat up, stretching. "Train your swordsmanship. With that mark, every time we fuck, you will get stronger."
Toki froze. "Wait… there is such a thing?" she asked, wide-eyed. "Was growing stronger really that simple?"
Shakky leaned against Ren's shoulder and explained calmly. "It's not simple. It's his Devil Fruit. The Celestial Kitsune—Eclipse Kitsune. One of its abilities binds growth to intimacy. The moon mark is proof of that connection."
Toki looked between them, stunned but thoughtful. "So… it isn't just physical. It's a contract of power?"
Ren nodded. "Exactly. You grow, your potential expands. But only if you train to refine it. Raw strength without discipline is meaningless."
He stood and stretched again. "I'll make food. You two can try walking."
Shakky shot him a glare. "Try walking? You're the reason our legs are shaking."
Toki muttered under her breath, "Monster."
Ren laughed loudly as he stepped outside, pretending not to hear.
---
After breakfast, the soreness had faded enough for movement. Toki stood at the edge of the clearing, her hand resting on her sword's hilt. The air around her felt sharper, clearer, almost alive.
She drew her blade in a smooth arc, slicing forward.
The strike cut through a distant boulder with effortless precision.
Her eyes widened. "My control… it's sharper."
Ren crossed his arms. "Again. Don't rely on power. Feel the flow."
Toki inhaled and struck again, this time layering Armament Haki along the blade's edge. The steel hummed faintly as it cleaved iron like silk.
Shakky stepped beside her. "Your posture is stiff. Relax your shoulders. Advanced Haki isn't just force—it's intent."
Toki adjusted, then slashed once more. The air itself split with a crack.
Ren nodded approvingly. "Sword Master level before. Now you're approaching the next threshold."
Toki exhaled slowly. "So this is what growth feels like…"
Shakky smirked. "And that's only the beginning."
---
They trained the entire day.
Shakky drilled her in Observation Haki, forcing Toki to react blindfolded. Ren occasionally interfered, appearing and disappearing in flashes of foxfire just to test her awareness.
"Behind you," Shakky warned once.
Toki spun, blade intercepting Ren's finger coated in Armament.
"Better," Ren said casually. "But still predictable."
Toki frowned. "You move like a phantom."
Ren grinned. "Get used to it."
By sunset, sweat drenched them, but satisfaction filled the air. They ate quietly before preparing their ship.
"We're heading to Wano," Ren said firmly.
Shakky raised a brow. "Straight into a closed nation?"
He nodded. "Not yet. We're using Toki's ability."
---
The journey took three weeks.
They avoided major Marine routes, navigating storms and currents with practiced ease. Shakky occasionally sparred with Ren on deck, their clashes cracking the air like cannon fire.
Toki watched carefully, learning from every exchange.
When Wano's towering cliffs finally appeared on the horizon, Toki's eyes softened. "So this is it… again."
They climbed into the remote mountains where no one ventured. Snow dusted the peaks, and silence ruled the air.
Toki turned to Ren. "So you want to go ten years into the future?"
Ren stepped closer and kissed her cheek gently. "We are going into the future. In ten years, Oden should be back. My promise to not interfere with Wano while he sailed with Whitebeard will be complete."
Toki nodded, placing one hand on Ren and the other on Shakky. "Then hold still."
Her eyes glowed faintly as her power activated. Time itself seemed to ripple around them.
The mountains blurred.
And then—
Silence.
They stood in the exact same place, but the air felt different. Older. Heavier.
Ten years had passed.
---
Ren looked toward Shakky. "So, the Logia Thunder Fruit I mentioned—it's in the Sky Island above Jaya. Near Barka. Can you go and take it?"
Shakky sighed dramatically. "Abandoning me already? How cruel of you."
Toki's mouth twitched. "You're an Admiral-tier fighter. No one in the Grand Line can touch you."
Ren flicked Shakky's forehead lightly. "Stop acting spoiled. You can easily retrieve it. And I want you to do a few things after getting the Thunder Logia."
Shakky kissed his cheek teasingly. "So what do you want me to do?"
Ren hugged her briefly. "First, eat the Thunder Logia. With its speed, you can travel at lightning pace. Second, stay near Sabaody Archipelago. Use your massive Observation Haki combined with the Rumble Fruit. Save the Boa Sisters from Kuja who were captured and are being sold as slaves."
Shakky's expression turned thoughtful. "So how do you know about this?"
Ren smirked. "Don't act like you don't have guesses."
Shakky narrowed her eyes. "So you know the future?"
Toki blinked in realization. "That explains how you knew my name without me telling you…"
Ren kissed her cheek softly. "Yap. But there are things I can't explain. Just understand this—I truly love both of you. And I have never lied to either of you."
His voice was serious.
Shakky studied him carefully before nodding once.
"Even if you have to burn the auction house to the ground, save them," Ren added quietly.
Shakky smirked. "So the Kuja girl you wanted me to introduce you to must be one of them?"
Ren coughed awkwardly. "That's… not the point."
"Ara," she teased. "Then we can't let my future sister become a slave."
Her tone was light, but her eyes burned cold. She remembered being captured at God Valley, treated like a prize. She would not allow the Boa sisters to suffer that fate.
"So what's the other work?" she asked.
Ren answered, "Sleepy Hollow Town has a Mythical Vempire Fruit. Take it if you find it."
Shakky nodded thoughtfully. "Fine. First, go to Barka and find the Rumble Rumble Fruit. Second, go to Sabaody Archipelago and save the Boa Sisters. Leave them on Amazon Lily. Third, get the Vempire Fruit."
Ren nodded. "You can also take a look at Amazon Lily. You haven't been there since the God Valley incident."
Shakky's gaze softened slightly. "It's been a long time."
Toki stepped forward. "Be careful."
Shakky grinned. "Careful? I'm lightning now."
Ren leaned in and kissed her once more. "Don't take unnecessary risks."
She smirked. "Worried?"
"Always," he replied honestly.
With that, she turned and leapt off the mountain, vanishing in a burst of speed toward the Grand Line.
Ren watched until her presence faded.
Toki stepped beside him. "You trust her with all that?"
"I trust her with my life," Ren said calmly.
He turned toward Wano's interior. "Come on. Let's see how Wano is doing."
Toki nodded, gripping her sword as they descended from the mountains into a country ten years closer to its destined storm.