"Welcome…Ara, an interesting customer" Shakky said with a smirk after she took a puff from her cigarette.
I looked at her with a smile before we proceeded to sit next to the counter "We'll have some drinks"
"I'll warn you my prices are pretty high" she said.
"Yeah, don't worry about that!" I said as I got comfortable.
Shakky turned around and started preparing the drinks.
"You look like someone who knows a lot" I said to her.
"What makes you think that?"
"I don't know, just a hunch" I was trying to extract some information from her.
She smiled at my comment before she served the drinks "You're not only strong, but quick witted as well".
'Quick witted? My ass! I only know these things from the manga' I thought, as I raised an eyebrow while looking at my cup "Juice?"
"You should know enough that alcohol increases bleeding and swelling" she said pointing at my injury.
"Hahaha!...Thanks for the info!" I proceeded to take a sip from my drink "*Gulp*- Gulp*…refreshing!".
"Let's see, you want some information…I don't make that kind of service for free, but since you're an acquaintance of Akagami boy I'll make an exception this time"
"I have a shitload of money anyway, but thanks…So, Shanks already came here before me?"
"He talked about meeting a crazy guy in Water 7, but you don't seem too bad to me. Maybe it's just adrenaline rush during battle"
"That punk going around calling me crazy, I'll have to give him a good beating if we meet again"
"You seem to be pretty close…Anyway, you two have the highest bounties out of all the pirates residing in Sabody at the moment" She said, then she took another puff from her cigarette before she continued "Puff…Thought, there is only five supernovas here at the moment…Ashen 'Demon of The Sea' 300.000.000 Berries, your bounty increased recently"
"Wow! That's a lot, I didn't know you were this dangerous!" Amber looked at me in shock.
"Well, you fought a Vice Admiral and survived after all" she said then she added "Then we got Akagami Shanks with a bounty of 355.000.000 Berries. Other than you two there's your first mate Calvin Helios 135.000.000 Berries, Benn Beckman 155.000.000 Berries, and finally 'Storm Bringer' Mesagi 220.000.000 Berries"
"Hm?...Mesagi? I know someone with that name" I said as Mesagi from Kita Island crossed my mind instantly, since I didn't kill him that time, he must have built his crew again and sailed the grand line "Storm bringer huh? That devil fruit of his was pretty overpowered".
"Other than that, they were two other supernova who already entered the New World a few weeks back" she said showing me two wanted posters "Aela Kristin and 'Silver Rain' Seth Williams who clashed with the pirate Gecko Moria recently".
"Oh! These guys from back then, they are also doing pretty well" I said as I looked at their posters in interest 'Not bad, he fought with Moria, that fatty should be mentally scarred after his battle with Kaido but still he's no push over'.
While we were busy talking, the bell door sound was suddenly heard, as we all went silence, I felt an incredibly strong presence behind me. I knew who it was without even bothering to look back.
"Welcome back!" Shakky said with a smile.
"Ah…It seems that we have some customer, sorry for interrupting" An elderly of relatively tall height with a very muscular build and tan skin with a scar over his right eye. He's wearing a nearly plain t shirt, shorts, sandals and round glasses.
"No, No, I'm glad to meet you"
"It looks like you know me, young man" Rayleigh said with a smile while standing next to Shakky.
"How could I not know about the legendary Dark King"
"I see your well informed, but I have long since given up on that name, so I would appreciate you not going around calling me that"
"Don't worry about that"
"Dark King? It's the first I hear that name" Amber said with a curious expression.
"Haha! It seems that your girlfriend is not as well informed as you!" he said while looking at her, she was flustered when she heard that.
"We're not together!" She shouted in embarrassment.
"No need to say it loudly, everyone can hear you…You really get embarrassed easily honey" I said trying to tease her.
"Shut up! Who are you calling honey?!"
"Haha! My bad" He said while laughing "I heard both you and Shanks fought together recently, It's rare to see two pirates working together like that, it usually doesn't end well"
"We would've been long dead or smelling Magellan's shit in Impel Down if we didn't" I stated, Rayleigh just smiled at that.
"Since you are here, you must be planning to enter the New World?"
"Yeah, no need to waste any more time in Paradise... do you happen to know any coating mechanic?"
"You got the right person for the job" he said.
"My husband here can coat your ship for a reasonable price" Shakky said pointing at him.
"Great then! Where should I move the ship?"
"Bring it to Grove 42, I'll take care of it"
"Alright!" I proceeded to finish my drink and put some money on the counter before I got on my feet "Thanks for the drink, we'll meet again soon" I said then I left.
"…"
"Hey who was that guy?" Amber asked while walking beside me.
"That man was the right hand of the pirate king Gol D. Roger" I stated.
"What?! Are you serious?!"
"Hey! stop screaming at anything!"
"What does someone like him doing in a place like this? Shouldn't the marine be trying to capture him or something?"
"It's obvious he's retired, plus they would need to bring at least an Admiral to capture him"
"He's that strong?"
"Yeah, anyway let's get back to the ship"
…
[Foosha Village, Dawn Island]
"Hey Emma! What are you doing? Let's go play with the others!" a young girl with brown eyes and dark green hair said while running around.
"Ah! Makino!…Look it's my father" a white-haired girl with a distinguished crimson eyes said while carrying a newspaper "Isn't it cool? He's bounty increased again…One day I will also sail out and become a strong pirate, so I could fight beside him!"
(Here is Picture)
"You shouldn't let the mayor catch you saying that, or he will scold you again" Makino said, before her facial expressions changed when the shadow of a familiar figure appeared behind Emma.
He was a short, wiry, bespectacled man with something of a cleft chin. He was wearing a striped hat.
"How many times did I tell you to stop spouting such nonsense?!"
"Agh!!..Mayor Slap?!"
"Your father is a vicious criminal you shouldn't be taking after him!" Mayor Woop slap shouted in anger.
"Who are you calling a criminal you old geezer?!...I mean you're right, but still-"
"Is that how you talk to older people? that's it, you're grounded for the next two weeks!"
"Like I would stay around for that…Let's go Makino!"
"O-Okay!"
"Hey!...Come back here!"
…
(First Person POV),
When we got back to the ship, I saw Calvin chatting with Urouge before he approached when he noticed me.
"Ashen, You're awake!" Calvin said in relief "How are you feeling?"
"Pretty good, I just need a few more days to fully recover" I replied, we started walking around as Calvin lighted a cigarette and we chatted for a bit.
"Puff…So, I suppose you already have a plan?" He asked me "By the way, I already went around looking for someone to coat the ship, I found a couple of guys who could do that with a nice price".
"Oh, that's nice but I already found the right man for the job" I said.
"Really? That's a good thing…Anyway, tell me what you're thinking"
"I already have a plan for when we enter the New World"
"You do?" Calvin smiled at my sentence "I would guess it's something crazy like always?"
"You're damn right, there is an Island that I want to bring under my banner at any cost"
"An Island?" He seemed surprised about that.
"Yeah, its name is Hachinosu, also known as Pirate Island, it has a long history that I'm going to tell you later…I just won't allow any shitty pirate to have control over it" I said then added "It's going to be my main operation base, I also believe there is a strong individual residing there at the moment so we should prepare thoroughly for the raid, and get stronger before that"
"A strong individual huh? I'm getting excited all the sudden" Calvin said while clenching his fist "That bastard Ian will have an orgasm when he hears this"
"Hahaha! You're right…Anyway there is another thing that I want to talk to you about"
"I'm all ears"
"You remember when I explained Haki to you back in the days?"
"Yes, you said there is three types?...Armament Haki, Observation Haki and Conqueror's Haki"
"I also told you that Conqueror's Haki cannot be obtained, and one in a several million people are born with it" I said then I looked at him with a wide smile "Well you have it!" I stated, it took him a moment to realize what I said before he looked at me in shock and confusion at the same time.
"What are you saying?...I don't think I'm that lucky based on my past experiences" He said with forced smile.
"Well, you are, actually we both have it"
"But you never explained what it does…It should be more dangerous than the other two types since not everyone can possess it?"
"You're right, it allows you to exert your own willpower over others. Meaning you could knock out weak individuals without the need to fight them" He seemed shocked at my statement.
"There is such a power…"
"Why are you surprised? you used it in two occasions. Anyway, that's not the only application, if you can master it, you could even infuse yourself with it, very similarly to Armament Haki" I stated then added "But only the strongest of the strongest could do that…I'm telling you this, so we could start training to control it, the sooner the better" Calvin was overwhelmed by the info dump.
"Are you telling me we have the potential to become one of the strongest people in the world?"
"Yeah, if you don't have at least that kind of ambition, then quit it" I said with a serious face.
Calvin looked at me for a moment in silence before he spoke.
"No…I'll surpass those so-called strongest people and clear the way for you to become the pirate king!" he declared.
"Then I'll be counting on you, partner!"