Uchiha Puppet Master, Starting from One Piece

"Is this the largest city in the Xia Kingdom?"

Matsumoto Rangiku looked around with some curiosity. As a former wandering spirit of Rukongai, she was filled with joy at the sight of this completely different environment.

As Matsumoto Rangiku's wooden clogs stepped onto the ground of Danube Castle, the first sensation was completely different from the soil of Soul Society.

It wasn't the damp, soft paddy field ridges with the smell of grass and trees, nor was it the smooth bluestone slabs paved in the town.

Instead, they were smooth, warm gray stone bricks worn by countless hooves and boots, with dark brown mud and bits of dry grass embedded in the gaps. Stepping on them made a soft "crunching" sound, like the gentle sound of withered bamboo bending in the wind in winter.

Her black men's clothing stood out starkly against her surroundings.

The houses in Rukongai are low wooden structures with roofs covered in fine tiles. The wooden windows of every house are open, and you can see dried fish and pickled radishes hanging under the eaves, mixed with the gentle and delicate croaking of frogs in the rice paddies.

But the great city before us resembled a silent and magnificent beast, perched on the plain.

The first thing that caught her eye was the city wall, not the low wall made of mud and wood in Rukongai, but a high wall built of huge bluish-black stones. The wall was pitted and uneven, with crenellations standing at the top. She could vaguely see soldiers standing on the wall, wearing gleaming metal armor. Directly in front of the city wall was a huge city gate made of thick black wood. The door panel was inlaid with dense metal rivets, like the scales on a giant beast. The lintel was carved with intricate patterns, not the cherry blossoms, chrysanthemums, and wisteria patterns that were most common in Rukongai, but birds of prey with outstretched wings, as well as some symbols that she could not understand.

"Let's go, Rangiku, let's go buy some clothes. This outfit of mine doesn't suit you at all."

Uchiha Hakuba paid the entrance fee and then led Matsumoto Rangiku, who was still watching the city gate, inside.

Stepping through the gates of Danube Castle, one enters the city's streets. To Matsumoto Rangiku's surprise, these streets were more than three times wider than the widest town street in her Rukongai. There were rows of houses on both sides, but not a single one of them was a wooden building she recognized.

Most of these houses are two or three stories high, with walls made of light brown bricks and stones, and the walls are plastered with a layer of grayish-white plaster. Some of the walls are mottled and peeling off, revealing the bricks and stones underneath.

The residents' rooftops are steep slopes covered with red bricks, one after another, like burning flames, stretching along the street and looking from a distance like a long red dragon coiled in the city.

Most of the windows in the houses are long and narrow arched, inlaid with transparent glass. Sunlight shines through the glass and refracts into tiny fragments of light, unlike the paper sliding doors in Soul Society, which only let in soft and dim light.

On some windowsills were ceramic pots filled with flowers and plants she didn't recognize—pink, purple, and yellow—swaying gently in the cool breeze, adding a touch of vibrancy.

The streets were bustling with people, even more lively than during the Rukongai Festival, but also much more chaotic.

Some people wore loose linen robes, dark in color, with simple patterns embroidered on the collar and cuffs;

Some people wore tight-fitting leather clothing with wide leather belts around their waists, on which hung daggers and money bags;

Some women wore long skirts with wide hems embroidered with intricate patterns, which swayed as they walked. They wore headscarves to cover their hair or adorned them with feathers and metal ornaments. Most of these women had golden or brown, curly hair and light blue or light green eyes, which gave them an air of mystery.

"Actually, we don't need to be in a big hurry. Since we're already here, we might as well take a look around. Don't worry, I got a lot of money from those pirates last time."

Uchiha Hakuba felt no remorse for the money he stole from the pirates.

As if she had never seen so many dazzling goods before, Matsumoto Rangiku found herself strolling through the streets without even realizing it.

Vendors set up stalls on both sides of the street, spreading out rough burlap sacks displaying all sorts of goods. There were mountains of grain, plump and golden in color;

There were hanging leathers, carrying a strong fishy smell; there were well-crafted metal utensils, iron pots, iron kettles, daggers, and swords, all gleaming with a cold metallic luster.

At the same time, the sound of hammering came from the blacksmith's shop, crisp and powerful, making Matsumoto Rangiku's eardrums tingle slightly.

She thought of Rukongai, a place that only made farm tools and short swords, and whose sounds were dull and uninteresting.

There were also vendors selling bread; the golden bread was steaming hot and exuded the aroma of wheat and butter.

This tastes completely different from rice balls and miso soup;

Of course, there were also people selling fruit. The fruit was round and brightly colored, unlike anything she had ever seen before. When the vendor cut a piece open, juice gushed out, exuding a sweet aroma.

"Shirayu-kun, I want to eat this!"

Matsumoto Rangiku pointed to the fruit in front of her, her voice so tight it was unbearable.

Uchiha Hakuba was truly impressed by this woman. With her looks, figure, and that coquettish voice, what man could resist her?

Shaking his head, Uchiha Shiraha still paid the money, after all, he himself was a little tempted.

"What kind of fruit is this? It's so sweet!" Matsumoto Rangiku held the bright red fruit, her tongue gently licking the juice remaining between her fingers, her eyelashes shimmering in the sunlight.

A few drops of juice clung to the corners of her mouth, standing out starkly against her fair skin.

Uchiha Shiraha's gaze lingered on her lips for a moment, then he casually looked into the distance: "The stall owner said it's called the Vermilion Bird Fruit, and it comes from the Southern Islands."

"Damn it, this is supposed to be a shonen anime like One Piece, but it feels like hentai..."

Uchiha Hakuba tried hard to shake off the unhealthy thoughts in his mind.

A sudden commotion arose at the street corner, and the crowd automatically parted to make way.

Several knights in silver armor rode by, their iron hooves making a crisp sound as they trod on the stone pavement.

The lead knight's sharp eyes peeked out from under his helmet. His gaze lingered on Matsumoto Rangiku for a moment before he and his companions left.

"It's not that demon child. I knew it couldn't be such a coincidence. How could it be that I only just heard about the demon child being on this island, and then..."

Although the knights had already gone far away, Uchiha Shiraha, being a ninja, immediately heard the title "Child of the Devil." As far as he knew, this title seemed to be Nico Robin's title.

"Let's go, Rangiku-san, today we're going to do some serious shopping!"

Matsumoto Rangiku nodded obediently, but accidentally bumped into Shiraha as she turned around. She staggered and fell forward.

A pair of strong arms caught her steadily, and through the thin fabric, she could clearly feel the warmth of the other person's chest and the vibration of their heartbeat.

Uchiha Hakuba was speechless. Without having studied at the Shinigami Academy, Matsumoto Rangiku wasn't even as strong as Nami.

It seems we need to train this guy properly; a certain level of strength is required at sea.

"Be careful, Rangiku. You're lacking in training. It seems I'll have to give you some proper guidance."

Uchiha Hakuha's fingertips inadvertently brushed against Matsumoto Rangiku's bare arm, causing a slight shiver to run through him.

Matsumoto Rangiku tilted her head back, still looking a little shy.

That's so unfair...