The inherenter of jin mori

Chapter 13: Drifting in the Unknown

Yuta Takahashi

The ocean is a cruel mistress.

Every time I break the surface, gasping for air, another wave crashes down, swallowing me whole. My limbs are useless, my muscles refusing to obey. It's like my own body has betrayed me, dragging me deeper instead of fighting to stay afloat.

I never feared drowning before.

Now, I can't think of a worse way to die.

A strong arm hauls me up again. Varro. He's been keeping me from sinking, his grip like iron as he swims toward the ship in the distance. His breathing is ragged, his strength waning. He can't hold me up forever.

I'm dead weight.

Damn it.

I thought I had a second chance in this world. I thought I was finally fighting for something.

But now, as the cold drags me down, I wonder—was it all just a cruel joke?

A flash of color catches my eye beneath the waves. A golden blur.

Something inside me stirs.

Something wakes up.

And then—

Darkness.

Varro

"Come on, kid, stay with me—"

Yuta's body is limp in my arms. The moment we hit the water, he went dead silent, his energy vanishing like a candle snuffed out by the wind. It takes me a second to realize why.

Devil Fruit.

Damn it! He must've eaten one back in the prison. That explains his sudden agility, the weird way he dodged the guards. But it also means one thing—if I let go, he's dead.

And I am not letting this kid die.

The pirate ship looms closer. I can see figures moving on deck, torches flickering against the dark waves. A gang of low-level raiders, most likely. I don't care who they are.

I just need them to pull us out.

I grit my teeth, pushing my aching limbs harder. "HEY!" I bellow, my throat raw from saltwater. "HELP US, DAMN IT!"

For a second, nothing.

Then—movement. A rope flings over the side, slapping the water.

I adjust my grip on Yuta. "Hang in there, kid."

And I start to climb.

Yuta Takahashi

My mind is adrift.

I see things—feel things—that don't belong to me.

Golden clouds beneath my feet. A massive tree stretching into the heavens. Laughter, sharp and mischievous, echoing in my skull.

A name I don't understand.

What… are you?

The presence shifts. It doesn't answer.

But it's watching.

Waiting.

And then—

I wake up, coughing up seawater, gasping like a man reborn.

A wooden deck beneath me. Torchlight flickering overhead. Rough hands gripping my shoulders. My entire body is shaking.

I'm alive.

A gruff voice growls beside me. "About damn time."

I turn, dazed, to see Varro sitting next to me, drenched and exhausted. Behind him, a group of pirates watch us cautiously, weapons in hand.

I try to speak. My throat burns.

Varro claps me on the back, shaking his head. "Rest, kid. We made it."

I should feel relief.

But all I can think about is the golden blur I saw beneath the waves.

And the presence that's still watching me.