"Glubglubglub! What… is happening?!"
Cain thrashed around wildly in the water, unable to believe what he had just seen.
Only after sinking beneath the surface and feeling the water close around him did he finally calm down a little.
The gigantic Uta reached in and lifted him from the pool.
Cain shook the water from his hair and finally got a clear look at his surroundings.
Clouds of mist and warm steam drifted everywhere, making the place resemble a hot spring resort early in the morning.
The haze provided some cover, but if he focused with Observation Haki, he could still see everything perfectly clearly.
So he deliberately chose not to look.
He kept his gaze fixed directly ahead on Uta's enormous face.
"Uta, what the hell is going on?!"
"Hehe. We're still inside Uta World!"
Uta placed Cain in her palm and gently poked him with one finger.
"Don't worry. Shanks and the others won't find out. Even though I'm resting outside, I can still sing and use my powers inside Uta World."
She smiled brightly.
"Shanks said you needed to train both your body and mind! I heard him, so I decided to help you improve."
Ever since Uta's mastery of her ability had advanced, her control over Uta World had reached an unprecedented level, while the burden on her stamina had greatly decreased.
Even from a distance, she had heard everything Shanks said to Cain.
Unfortunately, her interpretation of his advice was clearly somewhat different from what Shanks had intended.
"Your resistance is far too weak, Cain!"
Uta put on a serious expression.
"You can't keep getting launched into the sky by a nosebleed every single time something happens! It's embarrassing!"
"So I'm going to help you build up some resistance."
"Is… that what this is?"
Cain instinctively covered his nose and regarded her suspiciously.
"How exactly do you plan to do that?"
"We'll begin by getting you completely accustomed to me!"
Uta's eyes sparkled.
"Don't worry. This is my world, so injuries suffered here won't affect your real body."
"That means even if you train until you reach your absolute limit…"
Uta brought Cain close to her lips and lowered her voice.
Even so, her breath created a powerful gust that sent Cain's clothes fluttering around him.
"No matter how badly you exhaust yourself here, nothing will happen to your body in the real world…♡"
She gave him a playful wink.
Before Cain could fully process what she meant, numerous arms began emerging from the palm beneath his feet.
One after another, they pushed themselves upright, and a crowd of ordinary-sized Utas climbed out, quickly surrounding him from every direction.
Clones combined with giant transformation!
It was an astonishing sight, like the final villain in some story unleashing an army of copies to overwhelm the hero.
Though most final villains generally remembered to wear—
Cain shook his head violently, driving those dangerous thoughts away.
Then he noticed his own clothes dissolving into particles of light while the Utas stared at him with mischievous, glittering eyes.
He understood now.
Uta was the final boss he had to overcome.
Just as she said, if he wanted to strengthen his body, mind, and willpower, he could not run.
He needed to face the challenge head-on.
"Come at me, Uta!"
"Oh? You're quite confident, aren't you, Cain?♡"
The atmosphere around Uta changed instantly.
Her earlier shy, princess-like demeanor vanished, replaced by the commanding presence of a queen looking down upon her subject.
She raised her chin slightly, a teasing smile curling across her lips.
"These clones—♡"
She raised a hand and casually waved it.
"Every one of them is still me."
All the surrounding copies smiled at the same time.
"Their minds are connected to mine."
The clones slowly began closing in.
"And handling Cain," Uta drawled, "will be incredibly easy for every last one of us.♡"
Cain swallowed and assumed a fighting stance.
"Bring it on!"
"Mil Fleur." Uta spoke the words almost casually.
The next moment, Cain's entire vision was filled with Utas!
"Spiral Ascension.♡"
Cain's body began spinning uncontrollably.
The entire world whirled around him while the Utas' bell-like laughter filled his ears, sending a strange shiver through his body.
…
A few moments later…
"I can't do this anymore. I seriously can't…"
Cain lay sprawled on the ground, gasping desperately for breath.
"You're already down again?"
One Uta approached and lightly nudged him with her toes.
"It looks like you're not very good at this after all.♡"
How could Cain, as a man, admit that he could not handle it?
He immediately sprang upright.
"Come at me again!"
"Oh? Is that so?"
Uta tilted her head and snapped her fingers.
Several more clones appeared.
This time, however, they were also gigantic.
They loomed above Cain, their enormous figures completely blotting out everything around him.
"Hey, hold on…"
Cain instinctively swallowed.
But he could not retreat.
He was supposed to be training his body and mind!
…
A long time later…
"No! Stop restoring my stamina! Please, Uta!"
Cain's voice had already taken on a pleading note.
"But you're the one who kept telling me to come at you," Uta said innocently, blinking at him.
"I was wrong! Isn't admitting that enough?!"
"Nope~"
…
"Huh? I'm completely restored again?"
Cain stared at his perfectly recovered body in disbelief.
"Fine! Let's go again!"
"Weren't you begging for mercy a moment ago?"
"That was then! I'm ready again now!"
…
"I can't… I think I'm dead…"
Cain lay spread-eagled on the ground, his eyes completely vacant.
Uta crouched beside him and poked his cheek.
"Are you really dead?"
"…My soul has already gone to heaven."
"Then why is your body still moving?"
"That's… just a reflex…"
"Oh. In that case…"
"Again!"
Cain almost begged her to stop, but immediately crushed the thought.
How could he entertain such weakness when he was trying to improve himself?
He slapped himself across the face and shouted,
"I refuse to lose!"
(Note: The specific details of the training have been omitted. In any case, it was an extreme test of Cain's willpower!)
…
By now, Uta World had become an endless sea of red.
Every bit of it represented Cain's "achievements" over the course of the training.
Waves rolled across its surface and rhythmically struck the shore.
Ignoring where it had all come from, it was almost an impressive landscape.
Cain had finally grown completely accustomed to every aspect of Uta—or perhaps he had already been accustomed to her long before now.
Unfortunately, Uta possessed overwhelming control inside her own world.
In every possible way, Cain had been utterly defeated.
One could even say that the worst injuries he had suffered in his entire life had all been inflicted by Uta.
Yet when he turned toward her, now leaning against his shoulder, he noticed something unexpected.
Why was her face so red?
Was this really the same domineering queen who had tormented him without mercy moments earlier?
This training had apparently resulted in mutual growth.
While Cain became accustomed to Uta, Uta was also learning how to cope with the unfamiliar embarrassment Cain stirred inside her.
However, they now faced a somewhat awkward problem.
Uta breathed softly, refusing to meet Cain's eyes while nervously twisting her fingers together.
She opened her mouth, closed it again, and repeated the process several times before finally gathering the courage to speak.
"Um… Cain?"
"Hmm?"
Cain barely had enough energy to respond.
"Do you remember what I said earlier?"
Uta's voice grew quieter.
"Injuries suffered inside Uta World won't affect our real bodies, right?"
Cain nodded.
"Yeah, you definitely said that. Why? Don't tell me my real body also started bleeding—"
He abruptly sat upright and touched his nose.
Uta hurriedly waved her hands.
"No! Nothing happened to your real body."
Cain sighed in relief and leaned back again.
"Good…"
"However…"
Uta paused, her voice becoming so quiet that Cain almost failed to hear it.
"Do you remember that my senses inside Uta World are synchronized with my body in reality?"
Cain froze.
The air suddenly became silent.
Only the steady sound of the red waves striking the shore remained.
Cain slowly turned his head toward Uta.
Her face had grown even redder, almost crimson. She lowered it until only the tips of her burning ears remained visible.
Cain seemed to realize what she meant, and his own face flushed.
"You mean…"
"Mm…"
Uta's answer was barely louder than a mosquito.
"I… can't get up right now."
After another pause, she added even more quietly,
"But they can't find out. Shanks and the others are still drinking in the bar outside…"
Cain's mind went blank.
"So… I may need your help…"
Uta twisted her fingers even more tightly.
"Changing the blankets and sheets."
Cain went completely rigid.
"…"
"…"
The waves continued rolling against the shore.
"WHAT?!"
Cain's startled scream echoed throughout Uta World.
"Don't shout so loudly!"
Uta hurriedly covered his mouth.
Even though they were inside Uta World, she still wanted him to keep his voice down. The sudden movement nearly caused her to slip from his shoulder.
Cain quickly caught her.
Then he realized he had no idea where he was supposed to put his hands.
"So…"
Cain spoke with immense difficulty.
"You're saying that in the real world, your—"
"Don't say it!"
Uta covered his mouth again, her face looking ready to burst into flames.
"Just go help me!"
Cain looked at the embarrassed Uta in his arms, then at the endless red sea around them, and finally back at her crimson face.
He suddenly felt that this so-called training really had exercised both his body and his mind.