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"Gotcha," I replied. "Sanji, you call it?"
Sanji smirked, leaning forward. "Fight!"
Zoro drew just one wooden sword, testing the waters. I wasn't about to let him take it easy on me. "LIGHTNING DRAGON!" I roared, unleashing a crackling bolt of electricity straight at him. He twisted at the last second, barely dodging, his eyes wide with shock. Sanji's cigarette nearly fell out of his mouth.
"Don't take me lightly, Three-Sword Style Master," I said, smirking.
Zoro's grin sharpened as he grabbed the other two swords, slotting one between his teeth. "I won't."
"Good," I shot back.
We charged, the ground trembling under our steps. I kept it at half speed, letting him make his move. "THREE-SWORD STYLE!" he bellowed, blades slashing in a deadly arc. But I was faster—way faster. I blurred behind him before he could finish, my voice ringing out, "Too slow!"
My foot slammed into his back, sending him stumbling forward. I darted ahead, planting a kick that launched him skyward. Leaping up, I cupped my hands and brought them down hard on his chest, hammering him into the dirt with a thunderous crash. I landed lightly nearby, watching as he struggled to his feet, leaning on one sword for support. The other two lay splintered in the grass.
"You didn't hold back," I said, catching my breath. "So I didn't either. It'd be disrespectful."
Zoro panted, smirking through the pain. "Yeah… you're right."
I stepped closer, meeting his gaze. "Here's my offer. Join my peerage, and I'll train you—harder than you've ever trained before. It'll suck, but it'll be worth it. You'll be my friend, my brother-in-arms. And if you ever wanna walk away, just say the word—no questions, no hard feelings. I'll let you go."
Zoro slumped against a tree, still catching his breath. "You got me beat," he panted, smirking despite the bruises. "Fair and square."
I grinned, pulling a large health potion from my inventory—a shimmering green vial that caught the sunlight. I tossed it to him. He caught it, eyeing it like it might bite him.
"Health potion," I said. "Chug it."
He shrugged, popped the cap, and downed it in one go. His eyes widened as the color rushed back to his face. "Damn, I feel a lot better. Thanks, kid."
"No problem," I said, waving it off.
Sanji stubbed out his cigarette and stood, brushing off his pants. "Alright, my turn."
….
We'd set up a little cooking showdown in the woods, two campfires crackling side by side. Sanji had called it "deer stew," and we each had the same ingredients—chunks of meat, some veggies, a pot, and a ladle. Zoro sat cross-legged nearby, arms folded, ready to watch the chaos unfold.
"And… go!" Zoro barked, like some grizzled referee.
….
The stews were done, and we carried our bowls to a rickety picnic table nearby. Sanji's looked like a masterpiece—rich, steaming, with perfectly diced veggies swimming in a golden broth. Mine? It looked like something Captain Ginyu puked up after a bad day—lumpy, grayish, and faintly bubbling in a way that screamed hazardous.
Sanji stared at my bowl, one eyebrow climbing higher than I thought possible. "Okay, I gotta ask—what the hell did you do to that?"
I scratched the back of my neck, laughing nervously. "Uh, did I forget to mention I'm a terrible cook?"
He blinked. "Huh?"
"Yeah," I said, shrugging. "I'm the worst. My girlfriend usually handles the food—I'm banned from the kitchen after… incidents."
Sanji set his spoon down, a slow grin spreading across his face. "You passed."
I froze, mid-bite of my disaster stew. "Eh?!"
"You passed," he repeated, leaning back with a satisfied nod.
"I'm confused," I said, lowering the spoon. "What?"
Sanji chuckled, lighting a fresh cigarette. "This wasn't about cooking skills, kid. It was a test. You admitted you can't cook—that someone else has to step in for you. That takes guts. Swallowing your pride, owning your screw-ups? That's what I was looking for."
"Wait, really?!" I blurted, eyes wide.
Sanji nodded, smirking around his cigarette. "Yep."
….
We'd cleaned up the campsite, and I watched Sanji and Zoro pack their gear, ready to join my peerage. While they finished, I scrolled through my inventory, spotting the skill books Sirzechs and Grayfia had given me. The titles glowed faintly:
Teleporting
Details: Travel instantly to places you've been before.
Wand/Staff Making
Details: Craft wands and magic staffs from scratch.
Would you like to learn these? Yes/No
"Hell yes," I thought, and a warm rush flooded through me as the knowledge sank in. I looked up—Sanji and Zoro were slinging their bags over their shoulders.
"Alright, we're done," Sanji said, brushing dirt off his hands. "Now what?"
"We teleport," I replied, grinning. "Oh, wait—how long was I out?"
Zoro scratched his chin. "Three days."
My stomach dropped. "Shit. I'm dead."
Sanji raised an eyebrow. "Girlfriend?"
"Girlfriend," I groaned, already picturing the fallout. I focused, picturing my castle's living room, and snapped my fingers. In a blink, we—along with all their stuff—materialized in the sprawling space. "Master bedroom's mine," I said, pointing upstairs. "Pick wherever you want. I've gotta go get scolded and break the news."
Sanji smirked. "Good luck, kid."
Zoro snorted. "I feel sorry for you."
I sighed and teleported outside the front door, my heart pounding. The castle loomed quiet—too quiet. I eased the door open, peering inside. Empty. Suspiciously empty. Time to get stealthy. I activated Sneak and Ninjutsu, moving like a shadow as I crept through the house. In the living room, Alucard lounged on the couch, eyes glued to the TV, oblivious. I slipped past, heading for the kitchen.
Perched on the light fixture above the table, I spotted Koneko, Asia, and Sona huddled together, voices tight with worry.
"He can't have just disappeared," Sona said, tapping her fingers on the table.
"Maybe he went on a trip?" Asia offered, twisting her hands.
Koneko shook her head. "No way. He'd have told us."
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Hey guys if u like the fanfic and want to read ahead by 15+ Chapters or just want to support take a visit on my patreon.
(P).(A).(T).(R).(E).(O).(N)
http://patreon.com/Marin_kitawaga