ONE PIECE: BLEACH SYSTEM

The third day had arrived—marking Hayden's third day since traveling into the pirate world.

It was midday.

After celebrating with Robin the night before, Hayden felt their relationship had grown closer, though he couldn't quite explain how.

The weather was typical for the island: white clouds drifted lazily across a deep blue sky.

All morning, Hayden had been engaged in a routine of training—slashes, push-ups, sit-ups, and various drills. To be honest, none of it felt particularly special. It was repetitive, mechanical. And worst of all, physical training didn't yield immediate results. There was no obvious progress, no burst of power. It was simply exhausting.

His body ached, and even his mind felt dulled.

So, he decided to take a short break and rest at noon. Balance was important.

After enjoying a simple lunch—courtesy of the cheerful and generous villagers, whom Robin had visited earlier that morning—Hayden slumped into the hammock he'd brought along. He'd tied it between two large trees on the edge of a coastal hill, not far from the beach.

A light sea breeze drifted through the gaps in the trees, brushing against his skin and lulling him into comfort.

The only thing missing was the warm glow of the midday sun, which remained stubbornly hidden behind the clouds.

Asada, his little companion, lay curled in his arms. His mask sat neatly beneath one of the trees anchoring the hammock.

Lying back, Hayden gazed out at the nearby tide. It surged forward with noisy strength, then ebbed away with a soft sigh—like it had lost its resolve. In the sky above, a few seagulls lazily circled, calling to one another.

His eyes gradually lost focus. His mind drifted to the giant vice admiral who was supposed to appear next in the plot. He couldn't remember the character's name—it had been too long—but he was certain of one thing: that giant marine would be their ticket off the island.

But there was still no sign of him.

If he didn't appear today, Hayden would have to take matters into his own hands. He was in a real world now. If the storyline changed without warning, it could be dangerous.

He couldn't rely on the plot alone.

Hayden repeated this thought in his head, over and over again, until the drowsiness of a post-lunch nap overtook him.

"Wake up, pervert."

A hand waved lazily in front of his face.

Hayden cracked his eyes open, still groggy.

"Pervert, get up and follow me."

Robin stood beside him, her expression calm and impassive—just like always. She had rejoined him after visiting the town earlier that morning.

At some point, she must have already obtained her archaeologist credentials. After reading so many books and learning so much, nothing ever seemed to surprise her anymore. Her tone was flat and composed.

"…Huh?"

Hayden muttered as he blinked, still caught between sleep and reality. His limbs were sore, and his mind was slow to catch up.

Robin didn't wait for him. "Get up."

She turned and began walking toward the beach.

Hayden quickly stumbled out of the hammock, rubbing his eyes. He placed Asada next to his mask beneath the tree, then hurried after her.

And then—he saw it.

Ahead, on the beach, a massive figure lay in the sand.

At first glance, it looked like a strange pile of wreckage. But as Hayden got closer, he could make out the unmistakable shape of a giant.

It was one of the giant race from this world—an overwhelming race of enormous individuals, some of whom could live up to three times longer than humans.

The giant lay sprawled on the shore, half-submerged in the rising tide. His worn clothes clung to his massive frame. His tangled hair hung down in thick strands. He looked unconscious. Four or five seabirds were perched on his body, using him as a resting place.

Hayden stood beside Robin, silently observing the incredible sight.

Even from a distance, the sheer scale of the giant made the term "giant" feel inadequate.

Getting closer, Hayden walked up to one of the giant's fingers and, on a whim, held up his entire body beside it for comparison.

Yup. The finger alone was thicker than his entire torso.

Definitely not someone he could afford to anger.

Still, Hayden couldn't help but marvel. The giant's arrival meant the plot was progressing. That meant he no longer had to worry about the Buster Call—at least not for now.

If he could explain the situation and get this former vice admiral to help them build a raft, then even Sea Kings wouldn't pose much of a problem.

After all, weren't most of the Sea Kings in the West Blue just oversized fish and shrimp?

Just as Hayden was entertaining the idea, the birds resting on the giant suddenly scattered, sensing movement.

A strange groan echoed out as the giant stirred.

The shift of his body kicked up a massive cloud of sand and dust, briefly obscuring everything.

Startled, Hayden instinctively stepped in front of Robin and pulled her back.

"Whoa!!!"

The giant let out a deep roar at Hayden and Robin, his hoarse voice carrying a thunderous momentum. The force of his bellow swept away the dust around them and sent their clothes flapping, clinging tightly to their bodies.

"I..." Hayden was stunned, momentarily speechless.

The sheer volume startled him, prompting a reflexive response—he instinctively raised one hand to cover his own nose, and the other to shield Robin's from the giant's breath.

He could tell right away: the giant wasn't trying to attack. He only meant to scare them.

Hayden had already recognized this particular giant. Jaguar D. Sauro—a former Vice Admiral of the Navy and one of the few giants known for his gentle heart. Knowing the truth from the original timeline, Hayden remained calm.

Robin, true to her nature, remained composed as well.

Sauro's eyes, larger than lanterns, stared at the two small figures before him. They stared back. A quiet tension hung in the air.

Then, with a groan, Sauro broke the silence.

"Water... I want water," he said, before collapsing backward onto the beach with a heavy thud.

…

Afterwards, Robin fetched water, and both she and the giant drank. This led naturally into a heartfelt conversation between Robin and Sauro—the one that would eventually change her fate.

Hayden didn't join the conversation. He already knew how this would play out. Every line, every detail—it was etched in his memory. There was no need to intrude.

So instead, he sat cross-legged beside the two, resting his blade—Asada—across his legs. He closed his eyes and entered blade meditation.

In the world of Bleach, this was known as Zanjutsu Zen—a method where a swordsman connects with their Zanpakutō spirit by placing it on their lap, calming their mind, and diving into their inner world.

Asada wasn't truly a Zanpakutō yet, but Hayden believed that with time and effort, she would become one.

…Speaking of Asada, he hadn't "licked" her yet today—his odd little ritual. He made a mental note to do it after meditation. Priorities.

Time passed swiftly, and dusk settled over the island.

Robin had arranged to meet both Hayden and Sauro again the next day. She returned home for the night, leaving the boy and the giant alone under the setting sun.

But this time, Hayden wasn't afraid.

With Sauro—a towering and powerful giant—by his side, he felt secure.

"Who's going to mess with me now?" he thought smugly.

Last night, he'd been jolted awake by some kind of attack. Whatever it was had been small—too small to be truly dangerous—but the scare still lingered.

Considering how frequently Robin moved about this part of the forest, Hayden had assumed there weren't any large predators nearby. Still… a few more nights alone might've pushed his nerves to the limit.

That was enough reason.

Now that Robin was gone, Hayden finally had the chance to speak freely.

He turned to Sauro and explained—at least the parts he could. He told him the name of this island: Ohara. Told him who Robin really was—the daughter of Nico Olvia. Told him that danger was coming, and that he had to help Robin escape.

He didn't explain how he knew all this. He couldn't. There was no way to make sense of it.

Naturally, Sauro was skeptical. How could a child possibly know such things?

But as he studied Hayden's expression—steady, serious, urgent—he began to doubt his own doubt.

Seeing this, Hayden wasn't surprised. In the end, he simply said:

"Wait for Robin tomorrow. Ask her yourself."

With that, the two fell silent. Each lost in their own thoughts, they drifted off to sleep beneath the star-filled sky.