LIGHTNOVELSTORY Chapter 20: The Sabaody Archipelago
The boy flying at supersonic speeds finaly got used to the thrill of flight and decided to land on a nearby island still in the calm belt. He took out the vibrecard which he expected to be pointing towards the east, or more accurately, straight... but it turns out the vibrecard was moving backwards.
'I'm so confused... I need a compass. It seems I left them behind' He scratched his head in shame, having gotten like a kid in Christmas at the prospect of flying endlessly over the ocean.
It was a complex situation. He vaguely recalled the map of One Piece and knew that Shanks' crew were bordering the Florian Triangle where thriller bark was supposed to be as well as the triangle of islands that composed the main stronghold of the world government. It was easier to just go through the calm belt even at the risk of being attacked by the sea kings.
They were strong enough to repel such a measly threat compared to the original straw hats. Veyron even assumed they went back and forth between the new world and paradise quite comfortably.
"Which means Sabaody is not in a straight line".
If they had been travelling to Sabaody in a straight line then he could just keep flying in that direction and sure enough the Archipelago would be there. But that wasn't the case.
"If I follow straight I'll reach the red line... but Sabaody is still a distance away from the red line, ugh, next time I'll ask Mom to give me some classes in navigation".
He decided to explore this island in the calm belt which was filled to the brim with insect-type monsters, not as big as Rusukaina's but for some reason, they emitted a lot of danger. He assumed their poison was deadly and let them be, periodically checking the vibrecard.
When the time was due a few hours before sunset, they had already crossed beyond his location. His intention was to tail them and avoid being discovered.
"It's time to go" He dusted himself off from the sand and prepared to fly away.
"Where are you going, son?"
"I have to catch up to-"
"…"
*BOOOMMM!*
By the time Veyron realised whose voice it was, a sonic boom exploded and his body shot forward to the horizon like his life depended on it. It did.
*RUMBLE!!*
!!!
The world slowed down around him and gained a green tonality that he would never forget in his entire life. His observation Haki displayed the most despairing future possible. One in which his body was transformed into macaroni but without the cheese.
*RUMBLE!!*
Aware that it didn't make sense to run, Veyron grasped Youbi and released all of his Haki.
*BOOOOOOOMMM!!!*
The impact of a green blast sent him flying into the skies, just as he wanted. This strike couldn't be received without Conqueror Haki, the target would die instantly... and in the best case scenario, if it were received with Armament Haki then the target may have a possibility to live... after being sliced to pieces.
"Do you want to kill me!?" Veyron growled in dismay, loud enough for her to hear but he wasn't stupid enough to stop... the boy kept flying away for his life.
There weren't many things he was afraid of after becoming this strong. Her 4th will was one of them.
Mihawk witnessed all this with a smile on her face, contradicting thoughts... for one she was angry that the brat actually dared to try and flee from her. On the other side... she felt prideful that he had yet again managed to parry her strike.
'I'll bring you back to Rusukaina even if in pieces... you should only be crossing swords with me, Veyron'.
Mihawk jumped and started kicking the air beneath her, chasing after the boy who had yet to go supersonic.
!!!
The boy recall this technique from the show, it was Rokushiki!
Her kicks against the wind were so harsh that they were creating booms with each instance as he chased after him relentlessly. Sadly for her, her speed just couldn't compare to Veyron's.
*BOOOMMM!!*
The moment the sonic boom roared, it only took a few minutes before he was out of sight with ever-increasing speed; even her enhanced vision couldn't catch a glimpse. She came to a stop in midair holding Yoru with an irritated expression.
It was the first time Veyron had 'defeated' her.
"So you want to play that game… let's play, son. There is no point in trying to flee if I already know where you're going".
**
**
The Paradise, Sabaody Archipelago, two days later.
If there was a word to describe this island, it was: Beautiful. It wasn't an island or an archipelago per se, instead, it was a gigantic growing mangrove in the middle of the sea. This spot was a tourist and trading hub located in Paradise, accessible for millions of people travelling back and forth in the grand line.
It was also renowned for the constant flux of celestial dragons descending from the redline and into this island, albeit not for good reasons.
Due to its political, tourist and merchant prevalence, it had completely different protocols compared to other islands.
The red hair pirates landed together with an irritated Mihawk who just caught up with them using her own means, there were supposed to settle down in Sabaody until an important yearly event in the archipelago took place.
"You found what you were looking for?" Shanks asked the beauty who seemed distracted.
"Yes, I did" she spoke nonchalantly, her head turning back and forth as if looking for something, or someone.
"We will be docking here for the time being, stay undercover, there might be an admiral on the island and we don't want to get too much attention before the time is due" Shanks gave his orders with resolve and articulation that once again astonished Mihawk. She thought he was finally taking his job seriously.
The crew heed and went in their own directions with Ben Beckman following Shanks, "We're heading to the 13th Grove. Are you not coming?"
The man shrugged his eyebrows, usually he'd be more insistent with her, but Mihawk seemed to have different interests as of late. And just as he expected, she did have a place she wanted to be, rejecting his offer.
"I'll be in Shakky's bar in a while to meet up with you. There is somewhere I have to go" Waving her coat the lady started walking in a certain direction, following a vibre card.
**
**
In a certain bar of the 1st Grove. A boy was sitting inside covered by a black cloth. To his side, there was a sword equally covered by a black cloth.
Under the lack of ideas to cover his identity, Veyron decided to just become a dementor and be done with it.
He used his psychokinesis to float and look higher than he actually was... he didn't have money or anything to buy clothes or a mask, this was the most effective way to conceal himself in plain sight as according to Mihawk, he shouldn't show himself just yet.
'How did she manage to find me?' He had been thinking for the longest while, his only guess was that she had already gotten used to his Conqueror Haki and detected him during flight, chasing after him.
"S-S-Sir, what can I serve you?" The shop owner asked with clear fear displayed in his voice... in front of him there was a ghost.
"Do you have any cocktails?" The voice of a young boy came from the terrifying dark cloth, getting everyone's attention in the bar as they resisted the urge to suddenly laugh.
Was this just a kid that ran from his parents and wanted to have a taste of alcohol?!
The shop owner frowned and crossed his arms beneath his chest, even if this was the 1st grove where pirates ran amock, he still wouldn't sell alcohol to a kid.
"What?" The voice then changed to something more robust but clearly fake further confirming his suspicions.
"Boy, why don't you-"
"Are you f*cking with me, huh!?"
*RUMBLE!*
Veyron tried to repress his conqueror Haki as much as possible but it was futile, the head of the shop owner hit the table harshly as he fell on the floor, gone for the night.
!!!
"I'm sorry sir! we will serve you right away!" The other members of the staff, scared sh*tless, decided to take away their fainted boss and quickly serve this pirate, ghost or whatever he was just so he could leave the hell out of their shop.
Meanwhile, a flustered Veyron didn't know what to do. He hadn't even done it intentionally. The shop owner was just being annoyed and he thought of intimidating him a little.
'You're a boy that doesn't know how strong he is' Mihawk's sweet voice resonated in his mind. So far he had only tested his power against the humandrills and Mihawk.
'How weak exactly are the people in this world? no, have I become too strong?'