Chapter Three
Normal POV
…
Ace listened to the splashing of the waves while looking at the island where the supposedly person they are looking for is. Going there along with his two brothers, Thatch and Izou, he wondered what kind of person they will meet that their father had to send three division commanders with some armed men. But something like that is to be known when they get there.
This is… the island where the shark lady predicted to be where Ace will meet someone who will carry a big role to his life. Though he isn't really interested in divination, he can't deny the curiosity that keeps on making him look forward to meet that person.
'The person who you are about to meet is someone who has an important role to change your incoming fate. The string on your finger and his is a very fragile and breakable. Think carefully before you decide, or the last string inside that person's heart will break and completely vanish him from existence.'
He was still confused of what she meant about the string talk. But one thing was clear to him— he will be the one responsible for whatever will happen to that person the witch is talking about. Thinking of him being the reason of a person's downfall felt heavy… especially when that person is said to be the one who will take part in his life.
"We're here!" the sudden shaking of the ship made the freckled man fall off the ship and drown on the shallow waters of the sea. Everyone on-board laughed at the limp body of their brother being carried to the shore without even trying to help him. Even though in this kind of heavy situation, Ace never really failed to amuse everyone…
"Ahahahahaha! Whatcha doin' Ace? Chillin'?" the commanders were the one to jump off-board and dragged him towards the shore. Once he was finally on land, he burst into flames almost making the commanders screech and fall back. Ace made a smirk at their glares but that wasn't enough as a revenge for not telling him before hand.
"Screw you guys." He stuck his tongue out and then walked from a different direction than the others were going. Even though Izou called out for him, he decided to be rebellious and just wander around by himself. This island isn't really big, so him getting lost won't be a problem right? But really, the sound of a beast roaring in a distance gave him a bad feeling. He isn't really incapable of taking on a gigantic beast or monster but it just felt… weird. He ignored it anyway and continued to roam around the shore to look for something or someone.
Luckily for Ace, he found a very small pathway towards somewhere in this forest. A big proud smile curved on Ace's mouth, looks like he found an easy way to meet the occupants inside this island… or so.
"Hey guys, there's a road—" when he turned back, his brother's weren't there anymore. It was like they were sucked in by something unknown inside the forest. Ace gulped, this is totally not a good sign.
"Arf..!" before Ace could go after his brother's, a small grey puppy with a very strangely design blue leash barked at him cutely. It looked like a wolf but it kind of had a fox's features. The little wolf barked again with a wagging tail making Ace smile at the cute little puppy.
"Arf..! Arfarfarfarfarf!"
"D'aaaaaw so cute! Hey there wittle puppy, whatcha doin here? Where is your owner?" Ace realized this was an opportunity to meet the occupants for this island. His genius plan was almost wrecked when the puppy ran to the road he found earlier. Unable to pass up this important key to meet the people they are looking for, he ran after the very agile puppy dodging all the other beasts that seemed to be dangerous.
"Puppeh! Wait!" and thus, the grand chase started in an island swarming with beasts that the New World has yet to discover.
…
A pack of Grey Wolves were ready to feast on the unconscious prey that unfortunately didn't even manage to explore the forest. But two, which Shinzou immediately recognized, were tough and was trying to defend the fallen allies that lay on the ground.
"Thatch! Go back to the ship and ask for reinforcements!"
"Shut up! I ain't leavin' ya out here to die!"
"No! I won't die that easily! And besides, somebody out there won't just get me killed off easily…"
It seems that one of them noticed his presence but he still didn't move from the branch that he was resting in. Will he help? Or maybe not? Those things where bothering him at the moment but he was still too relaxed that he didn't want to move.
He yawned lazily and shifted is position to look at the two struggling for survival. They could actually just run away and leave their comrades as bait but he guess the brothership is too strong to make them leave each other.
'…brothership… maybe I could learn a thing or two with them. It seems that I can't leave them to die like all the other intruders that attempted to get in this island. Maybe I should learn how to give people chances… maybe I should…'
"Leave, you irritating mutts." Shinzou took a weird glittering lily from his pocket and let it fall on the ground right next to the two beaten up pirates. The whole wolf pack yelped in fear and ran away with their tails between their legs. It's not really cowardly, it's their nature.
"W-who—?" the pompadour haired man managed to speak before both of them collapsed on the ground from all the blood and energy lost from fending the wolves off. Are these people supposed to be New World pirates? They don't look like it… they don't use their brains too much. But I shouldn't care, I should just go drag them all back home and decide what to do with them.
"That's right… sleep… sleep until the pain subsides… sleep until the darkness claims you…" he cupped the man's troubled face with his cold hand and then proceeded to tie him up along with the others to drag them all together. This will not be an easy task for him because he has a very low physical strength until them. But he could at least boast about his brains that he developed for being almost near to death for 2 years of wandering around the island.
"So lucky… you people would've been left alone to die by Dad even though you are important personalities." but the luckiest one here was Shinzou because he discovered that strange flower that could ward off the animals. Its effect to them are strong that could even drive an elephant to unconsciousness. And humans are also one of those animals that are affected by it but only a little amount.
Hours passed by and he already feel the tiredness from dragging a lot of people back and forth from where they were and to my home. The skin on his palm was already irritating from being rubbed against the vine used as a rope. It was a good news that this was the last batch that he had to bring, with this he can start taking thing out from them like weapons and swords.
He took a sword and checked out the quality not knowing he was pointing it to one of the people he had brought here. At that moment, he heard the barking of Ulf and met fiery eyes of a man he was too familiar with. In a blink, flaming fists hit him on the chest really hard that he was sent meters away from the home. Shinzou sighed and patted the burning part of the fur coat he was wearing. It was really very anti-climatic that he didn't feel any pain from it at all.
Boring…
That's the only word that is circulated on his mind after being punched by the Fire Fist. But one thing was for sure after he had received that flaming blow…
Ba-thump…
Ba-thump…
Ba-thump…
His heartbeat was loud and clear to the point that he could barely hear his surroundings. This feeling was like a new sensation. And this sensation was something he can't just pass off.
'I'll treat Ulf later on.'
