An Oni in God's Valley

As the sparring ended, Koa, Dorry, and Brogy joined the feast Joichiro had prepared. All of them enjoyed eating together, and neither Dorry nor Brogy minded being defeated by Koa. Instead, they laughed and shared stories of their past adventures at sea. Tales flowed freely as they ate, drank, and talked through the night. Even Koa joined in the drinking, though Greenbull, still just ten years old, wasn't allowed to have any alcohol.

The next morning, the crew was awakened by the rumble of an erupting volcano. For Dorry and Brogy, it served as a natural alarm clock—a reminder of their long-standing daily ritual. For over sixty years, they had started each day by fighting one another. But this time, Koa joined them, eager to push the giants even further, hoping they could grow stronger still, potential allies for the future.

As the three monsters clashed again, Kuzan and Greenbull decided to spar as well, mimicking the intense training session unfolding before them. Joichiro, meanwhile, stayed focused on cooking and preparing supplies, assuming they would depart after Koa's sparring session ended.

Kuzan and Greenbull's match concluded much earlier than the others, after about three hours. Greenbull was defeated fairly easily. His strength hadn't fully developed yet, as he still relied heavily on his Devil Fruit powers. Kuzan, on the other hand, was beginning to show signs of his physical potential and strength beyond his Devil Fruit.

When another volcano erupted in the distance, the battle between Koa and the giants finally came to a halt. The trio returned to camp, where Joichiro, Kuzan, and Greenbull were waiting to eat. Nearby sat a large stash of freshly gathered fruit—something Joichiro had managed to forage from the forest.

As the group began eating, both Dorry and Brogy couldn't help but comment on the taste of the high-quality food.

"Ahhhh, Joichiro, you really are a wonderful cook. This tastes like we're going to heaven soon," Brogy said, while Dorry nodded beside him.

"Ahhh, thank you. It takes a lot of practice," Joichiro replied, smiling as he accepted the compliment. Kuzan silently enjoyed his meal while Greenbull was chatting with Koa.

"Boss, do you think we could stay here longer? I think there are still a lot of trees I haven't explored yet," Greenbull said to Koa, who gave him a strange look.

"What? Of course, we're staying longer. It takes a whole year for the Log Pose to reset on this island. Didn't you know that?" Koa replied loudly, still looking at Greenbull. His words were overheard by everyone, shocking both Kuzan and Joichiro.

"What? We're staying here for a year before we can leave?" Joichiro said, visibly surprised.

"Koa, what do you mean by that?" Kuzan asked, now just as confused.

"Well, this thing called a Log Pose locks onto the magnetic field of an island. Once you reach that island, it takes a certain amount of time before it resets and points to the next destination. The reset time depends on the island. This one has a strange phenomenon—everything here changes very slowly. That's why dinosaurs still exist here. Didn't you read about it in the books back on Torino Island? It explained this place and others in Paradise," Koa explained.

"So that means... we're stuck here for a year?" Kuzan asked, wanting clarification.

"Yes. But look on the bright side—we can use the time to train. I'll teach you the foundations of Haki since we don't have much else to do. Plus, this natural environment is perfect for building strength. There are plenty of volcanoes here, Kuzan, Greenbull—you two can train your heat resistance and overcome your weaknesses to lava and fire-based attacks. And Joichiro, I'm sure you'll find plenty of rare species and ingredients. This is the ultimate habitat—where dinosaurs still roam, after all."

"Hehehe, don't worry. With your strength, surviving here for a year will be more like a vacation," Dorry said with a hearty laugh.

"Yes, plus you'll see all kinds of strange animals. Maybe you'll even find a dinosaur pet," Brogy added, which visibly excited Koa—he had always wanted a saber-tooth tiger as a companion.

Since they didn't have much of a choice, the crew sighed and began planning how they would spend their entire year on the island. Greenbull was fixated on one thing—training. He had been defeated relatively easily by Kuzan earlier, and he had no intention of letting that happen again. He also remembered what Koa said about teaching Haki. Although he didn't fully understand what it was, he knew that if Koa was offering to teach it, then it had to be something worth learning.

Joichiro, on the other hand, planned to master his Devil Fruit ability. Even though he wasn't a front-line fighter, he wanted to contribute more when it came to protecting their ship and crewmates.

As for Kuzan, he had his sights set on the volcanoes. He planned to gradually dip into the magma itself, hoping to one day freeze it instantly. He had seen the Magma Devil Fruit listed in Koa's Devil Fruit encyclopedia and knew that if it ever ended up in the hands of an enemy, he needed to be ready to counter it, no matter who the user was.

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Koa then lifted the ship out of the water, wanting to ensure it wouldn't be suddenly eaten by one of the massive sea creatures Dorry and Brogy had warned him about. Meanwhile, Greenbull used his powers to create a large treehouse that would serve as their home for the year they'd be staying on the island. At the giants' request, he also built one big enough to accommodate both Dorry and Brogy, who were tired of sleeping on the ground every night.

Kuzan accompanied Joichiro in searching for fruits they could ferment into alcohol. They hoped to craft a unique drink using prehistoric-era fruits, believing the natural and ancient ingredients would give it a stronger, richer flavor. However, their foraging was frequently interrupted by encounters with wild animals and dinosaurs, including a giant tiger, which they managed to defeat with ease.

The crew was finally settling in, preparing themselves for the long stay on Little Garden, temporarily putting their grand adventure on hold.