"What is it, Captain? Something off?" Adrian asked, suddenly alert.
"Uncle?" An glanced up at me.
"I'm going to show you the ugliest part of this world."
Everyone gathered on deck.
"Out of the way! We're a World Government–affiliated convoy. Attack us and the Navy will put a bounty on your heads!" the other ship crowed across the water.
I didn't bother answering. My Conqueror's Haki rolled out and crushed their deck. In a blink most of them slumped where they stood.
"Bring us alongside."
"You—how dare—! No matter who you are, you're dead men! Hahaha—"
I stepped forward and drove my heel down. His skull cracked like rotten fruit.
"Take every head on this deck," I said, voice flat. "Throw them to the fish."
The others didn't know why I was this angry, but they obeyed. In moments the planks ran red.
"Below," I said, and we headed into the hold.
They were crammed inside: elders, men and women in their prime, children—and a few from rare races, fish-men among them. Wax-yellow faces, eyes full of terror.
"…Hnh."
"The slavers are dead," I told them. "You're free."
They just stared. I popped locks one by one. "Didn't you hear? You're free."
"Thank you! Thank you, benefactor!"
Gratitude tumbled over itself. I cut it off with a raised hand. "Save it. The Navy may be here any minute. Can any of you sail?"
A handful of men, and two fish-men, stepped forward.
"Good. Get this tub moving. Stay directly behind us."
We led the slaver out of the area. Hours later, Navy sails were dots on the horizon. By then we'd anchored at an uninhabited islet.
"This is where we part," I said. "You can settle here or make for the next island—that's your call. The ship's hold is full of food. It'll keep you going."
"Thank you, benefactors!"
A fish-man stepped out. "Sir—may I come with you? I'm a shipwright from Fish-Man Island. I was heading to find Boss Tom in Water 7, but the slavers took me before I got there."
"Oh? A shipwright? How good are you?"
"I'm no Tom, but I'm a name on Fish-Man Island. I can handle your ship—easy!"
A grin tugged at me. "Perfect. I was going to ask Tom to recommend someone anyway. Looks like I don't have to. Welcome aboard."
"Thank you, Captain!"
"By the way, what's your name?"
"Jerry. Please take care of me."
I almost choked. "Jerry? You're sure it's Jerry?"
"Captain… do you know me?" He blinked.
"Ahem. No, no. Tom mentioned you before—praised your work."
"Boss Tom is too kind. I still have a long way to go."
"Then let's get you aboard."
I exhaled. Guess we won't need that Water 7 errand after all.
"Long Ring Long Land isn't far. We'll stop there next—and hold a welcome party for our shipwright, Jerry!"
Half a day later, the Tiger God nosed up to Long Ring Long Land.
"Captain, what's with these animals?" Adrian asked, bemused.
"Some quirky local geography. Makes everything… longer."
They gawked—long dogs, high-legged bears, a giraffe with a neck that just kept going.
By the shore, fires crackled.
"Let's welcome Jerry!" I raised a cup. "Cheers!"
"Cheers!"
One hand on a mug, the other on a haunch of meat—true pirate dining.
"Uncle, why were those 'merchants' hauling so many people?" An set down her milk.
"They weren't merchants," I said. "Just slavers in merchant paint, snatching common folk and rare races for sale to nobles."
"And some of the rarer races get auctioned, so the nobles can bid for 'exotics,'" Aili added, face tight.
"Why doesn't the Navy stop it? Doesn't the Government ban slave trading?" Adrian asked—still a little naive about the wider world.
"Because the biggest buyers are the Celestial Dragons," I said. "The Navy takes orders from the World Government. The Government answers to the Dragons."
An frowned, not fully understanding, while the others fell silent.
"Remember this much," I said at last. "Anyone tries to trample us—we hit them so hard their own mothers won't recognize them."
"Captain's right! Drink!"
"Kanpai!"
"Uh, Uncle—you said a bad word," An deadpanned.
"Details, details."
After the feast, the girls chased absurdly long critters, Adrian cleaned rifles, and Benson walked Jerry through the Tiger God's systems.
Next should be Jaya… Do we hit Skypiea? Sky fish are supposed to be delicious, and I've always liked Enel—even if he's an ass. He should be "god" up there by now. If I break him in, that's a serious power-up. Maybe I can even retrofit the Tiger God for flight.
Decision made.
"Everyone, gather up."
They circled in.
"Next stop: Jaya. Above it—Skypiea. Two peoples live there: the Skypieans and the Shandians."
"Also, the Golden City of Shandora is up there. Interested?"
"Skypiea?"
"A golden city?"
"Isn't that a storybook?"
"It's real," I said. "Four hundred years ago, the Knock Up Stream blasted part of Jaya into the sky. Now it's part of the upper island."
"Let's go! Let's go!" The girls' eyes had turned into little berry signs.
"Two ways up," I said. "One: I make cloudfire and fly us there—safe and simple. Two: we time the Knock Up Stream on Jaya and ride it straight up."
They didn't even hesitate. "Number two!"
"Yeah, Captain—more fun!"
An was practically vibrating.
"Alright then. We sail for Jaya at first light."
"Aye, Captain!"
Two days later, we dropped anchor off Jaya.
"I'll hit town and pin down the Knock Up schedule. Who's with me?"
"I'll go."
"Me too, Karl-ge."
"I'm coming, Uncle!"
"Benson, Jerry, Karin—watch the ship," I said. "The rest of you, with me."
Mock Town was a nest of hard-eyed pirates. "Lawless and mean," I told them. "Ignore the stares. We hit the bar, get intel, and leave."
Inside, I laid a million Berries on the counter and let a thread of Conqueror's leak across the bar. "When was the last Knock Up Stream? When's the next?"
"Fi—five days ago," the barkeep stammered. "If it holds true, the next should be tomorrow."
"Good." I slid the cash over. "It's yours."
That was when the room closed around us.
"Heh. Two pretty little things—mine," a thug leered.
"Hand over your cash, then those girls. Do that, and maybe we let you walk," another sneered.
I looked at them, bored, just about to end it—when An spoke.
"Uncle, leave them to me." Frost dusted her eyebrows.
"Alright," I said. "Consider it practice."
"Frozen World."
The Cold-Cold Fruit howled to life. Heat vanished. Ice raced across the floor, locking boots to boards.
"She's a Devil Fruit user!" someone yelped.
An didn't waste breath. She strode through the frost with Snow Sakura and carved, clean, efficient. For a girl not yet ten, it was… chilling.
Minutes later, the only sounds were ice creaking and bodies settling.
"Not bad," I said. "Big jump."
She swayed a little. Aili was there in a flash. "Overuse. She needs food and rest."
"Then we head back," I said, scooping An onto my back. "We've got work to do."
"If the barkeep wasn't lying, the Stream surges tomorrow," I told them aboard. "We'll need a South Bird to point the way—its head always faces south. Adrian, you're on the catch tonight. The crest feathers and that stiff neck are your tells."
"Understood, Captain."
"Jerry, we'll bolt wings to the hull—more lift when we hit the column."
"On it."
By midnight, wooden wings were strapped to the Tiger God, and a cage held a very annoyed South Bird. Everything was set.
All we needed now… was the sky to open.
◇ I'll be dropping one bonus chapters for every 10 reviews. comment
◇ One bonus chapter will be released for every 100 Power Stones.
◇ You can read the ahead chapter on P@treon if you're interested:
patreon.com/FicHaven786