GOMU GOMU NO!~ Hi everyone, hope y'all are doing well.
This is an early update, as I'll be taking a break for a bit and I don't know when I'll be posting again. The next chapter will most likely be put in next month, but I'm not making any promises.
As for Dragon Bone Z's question in regards to other One-Piece characters, I've uploaded the confirmed list in chapter 60, but the five spirits are still undecided.
Not much else today you guys, so with that, have a wonderful day and happy reading!
*Mountain Glenn Mission Arc Begins*
"So what's so great about this posh academy?" Vernal dragged her feet behind her two teammates as Jaune served as a guide.
Though grateful of having two spots on his team filled, a tinge of doubt racked the blonde's mind as he turned down another long hallway. Sure, Ciel was a nice enough girl, but she opted to remain silent and never contributed to any conversations. Then there was Vernal. Despite not seeing her for a decade, Jaune couldn't forget her pale blue eyes and spiked haircut.
"Well, the cafeteria food isn't bad, and the training rooms they have here are programmed to suit the demands of any hunter!" Jaune said boldly.
"Huh, is that all this place has to offer? Vacuo's got plenty of places to fight, all you have to do is look around for a few minutes." The brunette smirked.
Jaune rolled his eyes. "Beacon teaches a lot more than combat, Vernal. In fact, starting tomorrow both you and Ciel will be attending classes with me. You'll see how educational this institute is once you've gotten used to it."
"Excuse me, Jaune." Ciel checked her watch and noted that it was time for curfew.
"What are you supposed to be, some sort of clock enforcer?" Vernal grunted.
With a twitch in her right brow, the bully's partner ignored the rude remark and veered her sights back to Jaune.
"I reviewed the Beacon's curriculum before my arrival, and I do believe it is time for dinner."
Peeking at the ticking clock in the hallway, Jaune's face paled at the inevitable storm that was to come. Emerald texted him a few minutes after Heracles' announcement, and the young boy was running out of excuses to avoid the subject of his new teammates.
"Welp might as well get this out of the way." Jaune sighed and put his hands on his hips.
"Ms. Ciel, would it be alright for you to head to the cafeteria by yourself? I mean you no disrespect, but I need to talk with your partner in private."
The beret-wearing girl tilted her head and glanced at Vernal who wore a scowl on her visage.
"Very well, Jaune. If I do not see you in the mess hall then we will regroup in our dorm for studies and rest. Till then." Ciel saluted with perfect form and continued down the hallway by herself.
Rubbing his temples, Jaune shot Vernal a glare. A chill ran through the bully's spine, but she quickly composed herself and returned the stare.
"Alright, Hedghog-"
"It's Vernal! How many times do I have to repeat myself, loser?!" She spat and punched Jaune in the chest. Though, when the boy's feet stayed where they were, Vernal retracted her fist and curled a brow.
Jaune coughed. "Do you not remember what I said all those years ago?"
"What the hell are you talking about?" Vernal growled.
The young magician took a deep breath and his lips spread to a melancholic smile. "I told you I'd drop the nickname once you stopped being a meanie. Do you think I'd forget such a promise?"
The brunette blinked then frowned. "You call something as stupid as that a promise? Jeez, living in this fancy and easygoing kingdom has dumbed you down to an all-new level."
Jaune shook his head and shrugged his shoulders. "We'll discuss the topic of nicknames on another date. For now, we need to prioritize a serious matter."
The teen with long golden locks, a trademark ahoge, and lilac-colored eyes that shifted to blood-red in mind; Jaune made Vernal swear to keep their shared past in the Brawnwen tribe a secret. Though apparently his brown-haired teammate intended to do so the moment she entered Beacon grounds.
"Well, now that's all settled, let's get to the cafeteria. I don't want to keep Ms. Soleil waiting."
"Oh, there's Jaune!" Ruby skipped over to her friend on her awkward friend on her tippy toes and beamed a pearly smile.
Jaune almost passed out from such pure innocence.
"Hello, Ms. Rose. Are your teammates seated at their usual table?"
"Yep!" The little reaper chirped. She pointed to a table occupied by the rest of team RPBE who were joined by the members of RCWY and LMNN.
"Alright, let's go, Ms. Soleil, you too Hedgehog."
However, Vernal was nowhere to be found.
"Um, Ms. Soleil, any idea where your partner went?"
The time-checker shook her head. Apparently Vernal parted ways the moment she and Jaune passed through the mess hall doors, but the blonde failed to realize the brunette's departure because he was too focused on searching for Ciel.
"Oh, is this your new teammate, Jaune? I like your beret and watch!" Ruby ran around Ciel like she was a bookstand of Sora novels.
Jaune chuckled as Ciel's head spun to keep up with the blitzing batch of rose petals, but decided to politely cut off Ruby before his teammate lost her appetite. Following the giddy silver-eyed girl, Jaune smiled at his sister but flinched when he met sights with Yang's narrowed lilac eyes.
"U-Um, hey you guys. Say hello to one of my new teammates, her name is Ciel Soleil."
As expected, Ciel was greeted with polite smiles and their owner's respective names. However, a certain heiress caught the time checker's attention more than the others.
"Weiss Schnee, of the SDC correct?"
The white-haired girl felt a swell of pride in her chest. Finally, some respective recognition from a well-mannered individual.
"Yes, that would be me. It is a pleasure to meet you, Ms. Soleil." Weiss stood from her seat and curtsied and Ciel returned the action.
"I owe a great deal to your sister, she tutored me for a few months during my stay at Atlas' primary combat school. She's an amazing tactician and skilled combatant who deserves the title of specialist."
Weiss' eyes glistened in admiration. "Thank you for the praise, I'm sure Winter would be delighted to hear such kind words."
Ciel took a seat beside the esteemed noble and put down her tray of steamed vegetables and orange juice, but hesitated when Jaune refused to follow.
"Um, you go ahead and take that spot, Ms. Soleil. I'll sit next to Minty."
It's not that Jaune wanted to avoid his new teammate, it's just that he'd already gotten off on the wrong foot with Weiss, and he didn't want his poor reputation to ruin Ciel's chances of making new friends.
"Okay, that's enough of this over-the-top polite stuff! It's my turn to say hello now!" In an abrupt fashion, much like Ruby's, Ciel found herself under the friendly siege of a certain valkyrie.
"Look Renny, a new friend!" Nora's lips stretched from ear to ear as she bounded from her seat and clasped her hands around Ciel's.
Struggling to keep her beret in place due to being shaken by a strength much too powerful for such a petite girl, Ciel profusely demanded to have her personal space returned.
"Hehe, my bad." Nora giggled and puffed her cheeks when Ren dragged her back to her seat.
"Your friends are rather... lively." Ciel commentated as the teams slowly eased back to their initial conversations.
"You'll get used to them." Jaune grinned. Though his smile weakened at his cohort's skeptical expression.
"Hold on a minute, didn't professor Heracles' say you had two teammates, Jaune? Where's the other one?" Roman was the one to ask the dreaded question, and the blonde silently cursed the heir of the RDI for his observance.
"Um..." The young magician locked sights with his younger sibling and stared blankly into her crimson eyes. Beads of sweat trickling down his face and forehead, Jaune gulped and spoke in a strained voice.
"...Hedgehog."
Everyone at the table tilted their heads, even Emerald, but after a minute a vivid figure of a rude bully hit her like a truck.
"You can't be serious! This has to be a joke, Jaune!" Emerald snagged her brother by his ruffled collar and shook him hard.
"I-It's not like I chose my team members, Minty!" Jaune knew he wasn't in the wrong, but he profusely apologized anyway.
"Beep!~ Beep!~"
His neck and senses saved by the ringing of Emerald's scroll, the mint-haired girl curled a brow at the number but answered anyway.
"Hello, uncle Crocodile?"
Both Roman and Neo stiffened and their heads snapped to Emerald's curious visage but shifted over to avoid her scroll's front camera.
"Ah, Emerald, how's everything? Did you and your brother survive Beacon's initiation?" An image of the warlord's scared face was the only thing that showed on the screen. Though the background appeared to be filled with steam, and Crocodile's hair and face were wet.
"Um, yeah we passed. So did Roman and Neo."
Crocodile lit a cigar and took a few puffs before he let out a long sigh. "That's good, now, are my brats anywhere near you?"
Roman tugged on his cravat with a trembling finger, and Neo slapped on her biggest puppy dog expression then veered it towards the greenette.
"Er, no I'm in the cafeteria with my teammates plus Jaune, Roman, and Neo already went to their dorm."
Long fingers weaving through his slick black locks, Crocodile's expression hardened. "Hmph, Hawkins told me there's an 87% chance that I'll be pissed off at the person who Roman's partnered up with. Also, that Neo's exam marks were only on the verge of passing. I'm sure just like your father, that you like to keep yourself well informed. So, out with it, who's this brat that my son will have to spend the next four years with, and did Neo not study at all?"
Emerald glanced at Roman's and Neo's paling faces, and to their horror, the mint-haired girl shot them a devilish smirk.
"Hurry up and tell me what I need to know. I've gotta be out of this place in half an hour. So you'd better get to the point, Jaune." The warlord grunted.
"Roman's partnered with Weiss Schnee of the SDC and Neo's with a crazy hyperactive girl who swings a hammer-like it's made of feathers." Emerald blurted without a second thought.
The heir of the RDI slammed his fist against the table and shot Emerald a fierce scowl. As for his ice-cream-loving sister, she looked ready to stab the giggling girl to death.
Crocodile blinked very slowly, his teeth scrunching his cigar. His lips curled to a one-sided frown as he scratched his chin with the tip of his hook.
"Oh, hello Roman, did you and Neo come back for a second serving of ham?" Emerald chuckled and flipped her scroll around.
The jaws of the Crocodylus siblings slammed against the table. Neo tried to flee, but Roman caught her by the collar to ensure that she suffered just as much as he did.
His forehead covered in bulging veins, the voice of Crocodile was enough to silence the entire cafeteria.
"Roman Torchwick, and Neo Politan Crocodylus! So this is why you haven't answered any of my scroll calls after you finished initiation! When I'm finished with my business meetings in Mistral, I'm going to give you a punishment you'll never forget!"
The call ended with a slam of his hook. The table silent, Nora scooted over and gently patted her sobbing partner who had her head burried in her arms as she soaked her sleeves in salty tears. Roman stayed still as a statue with a visage of horror, even Weiss felt pity for him, and that's saying something.
Rivets of water poured down the creases of defined abs and wet hair. Within the Rising Blossom, Mistral's finest hot spring where both human and Faunus were welcome with open arms, team HVCK and a west blue hunter submerged their bodies in the steaming pools.
"Well, I didn't expect you to care this much, Crocodile," Hawkins smirked at the disgruntled face of his business comrade.
Pouring a bucket of hot water over his head, Crocodile tossed it to the side as he leaned back against the warm rocks of the spring. Minutes passed in silence, and seeing that his golden-hooked cohort had calmed his nerves, the magician made his move.
"Crocodile, I'm not a stupid man. This is the first time you've asked me to accompany you on a business trip. I'm fully aware of what you're capable of, so you didn't bring me as extra muscle. Now is a better chance than any to tell me your true intentions." Hawkins grabbed a wooden bucket filled with fresh water and shampoo and drenched his golden locks.
"Straight to the point eh, Hawkins?" Crocodile ran a hand through his slick ebony hair and chuckled. The owner of the RDI shrugged and glanced to Daz and Vito who were helping Kuma scrub his back with massive sponges.
"How attached are you to this world?"
Hawkins curled a brow, "Remnant has its pros and cons, but it's not the worst place to be. At least there's easy access to food and water."
Another laugh from Crocodile, this one was significantly louder. "Is that all you care about?"
"Well, I do have Jaune and Emerald." The magician sighed. "Don't you have a pair of children under your wing as well?"
"I do." Crocodile replied curtly.
"Roman and Neo, while they can be hardheaded brats at times, their resourcefulness and strive for survival are qualities that I can appreciate. Not to mention I needed a successor for my company when I eventually kick the bucket."
"I see..." Hawkins narrowed his eyes and poured another bucket of water on his head.
"Actually, I've been meaning to ask, Hawkins. Who's the lucky woman who won your heart and birthed your son and daughter, is she dead? She must have taken quite an amazing woman to move your stoic heart."
The magician sighed. "Jaune and Emerald are both adopted much like your kids. However, in Jaune's case, I took upon the responsibility of parenthood from his deceased father, Harold Arc."
Hawkins' hand hesitated when no reply came. Furrowing his brows at the warlord's pondering expression, Hawkins asked him what was wrong.
"An Arc?" Crocodile stared his blonde business partner straight in the eye.
"Yes, my son has a 93% chance of having noble blood ties, but I never saw any point in telling him of his heritage as I have no knowledge to give on the matter."
Crocodile leaned forward, an ominous aura radiating from him as he did so. "It's none of my business who you decide to adopt, but I'd recommend keeping that goofball son of yours away from Mistral."
"I'm not big on traveling anymore, but why that specific kingdom, Crocodile?"
The warlord's head stooped low and he peeked around for any eavesdroppers. Satisfied that it was only team HVCK and Daz present, Crocodile relayed quite an important tidbit of information.
"Tell me Hawkins, are you up to date in regards to the world of hunters and huntresses?"
"I am." The stoic blonde replied. He'd done a vast amount of research on the subject as well as the academy his son and daughter currently attending along with its rivaling schools.
"Then you must know who the holy mother is?"
Hawkins paused, his gaze searching for any malice in his cohort's visage, he found none and replied.
"Carmel Tottoland Arc, former wife of Harold Arc and current owner of the sheeps' house. She also holds the number one spot of the most popular huntress. Isn't she attending the banquet you're holding before we leave?"
The hooked man scowled. "Hmph, it's more like she invited herself. I don't give a damn about her questionable motives and under-the-table deals, but for her to butt into my business rubs me the wrong way. Not to mention she's asked me personally to hunt down Harold's descendant."
Hawkins' heart skipped a beat, and if it weren't for the hot steam of the springs, his forehead would have been soaked in sweat.
"Easy magician. I'm not really interested in the schemes of the witch's inner circle anymore. For a time I did consider destroying the established governments of Remnant, but I lost interest after a few weeks and opted to stay in touch so I could stay informed of my potential rivals and future adversaries."
Hawkins swallowed a thick lump and said nothing.
"Come on, Hawkins, don't give me that face. We've been business partners for more than five years. If there's one thing we can trust it's that we do as we please without a care in the world."
"There's a battle coming soon, isn't there?" Hawkins said abruptly.
Now it was Crocodile's turn to curl a brow.
The blonde continued. "I've done a few tarot readings on the matter, and have deduced the peaceful times of the four kingdoms are coming to a close. Is that why you asked me to join you at this meeting? Do you plan to test me to see if I can pull through should you need a combatant, Crocodile?"
The warlord sighed.
"I'll be blunt, Hawkins, as it stands the only reason you and the ones you hold dear haven't been targeted yet is because of my influence but I don't know how long this blessing will last. The pale witch is plotting a scheme that concerns me, though I hate to admit it."
"Hm?" Hawkins lowered his bucket and leaned forward. His crimson pupils narrowed, he'd never seen a look this ominous on Crocodile's face before. The only times the golden-hooked man seemed worried, was when a potential business deal threatened to slip through his fingers.
"It happened about a week before I called you to meet me in Vale. Daz went to the pale witch's quarters in my steed as I was busy in Vacuo, but the news my right-hand came back with troubles me."
Seated at a long rectangular table with dimly lit chandeliers overhead, four figures plotted in the realm of darkness.
"Good evening everyone. I hope all is well in the world of Remnant?" Her dainty black nails tapping against the table, Salem sat upon her throne with perfect posture.
"Lucci, it's been a while, please report."
The man in question served as one of Salem's brute enforcers. Should muscle be required for an operation, the secret assassin was your man. Adorned in a blue-white suit with a white coat draped over his shoulders, Lucci tugged at the ball end of his beard and sighed.
"The fall maiden has been put out of service, but she managed to escape and is now in the protection of Ozpin and his lackeys at Beacon Academy. Carmel and I have both sent our students to infiltrate the school and I will act appropriately after Mercury's report."
Salem curled a brow. "Amber slipped through your clutches? I expected a man of your caliber to fulfill a mission as important as this without fail."
"If you'd provided me with more details perhaps I could have captured her, but you didn't so part of the blame falls on you, Salem." Lucci snapped.
The witch's lips curled downward, but she said nothing. Despite his harsh tongue, Lucci proved to be almost as loyal as Tyrian so perhaps she could let this incident slide.
"If you'd like your grace, I could breach Beacon and deal with your little problem." A scorpion Faunus piped up with the grin of a maniac.
Salem raised a hand. "Thank you Tyrian, but your skills are needed in Mantle. There are several hunters and huntresses that I want to be eliminated, and Watts needs protection while he continues to fish data from Atlas' files. Not to mention the developments Theodore has taken to bolster his forces in Vacuo."
"That reminds me," The pale woman lowered her hand then veered her sights to the most silent of the group. His head cleanly shaved, he adorned a black suit with a white undershirt and black tie.
"Crocodile has quite the influence in the dust markets nowadays doesn't he?"
Mr. 1 crossed his arms and offered a simple reply. "He's now the owner of Reptile Dust Industries, the biggest rival to the SDC, and is expanding by the day."
"And is his business more important than his punctuality at my meetings?" Salem glared at the former assassin.
"You gave my boss the task of establishing an easy way to acquire dust. In my opinion, he's far excelled your expectations." Daz shot back.
The next to speak was a posh gentleman with a thick mustache. "Crocodile's services are appreciated by Merlot and Doflamingo, but you cannot deny that the former warlord may have grown a tad attached to the current state of Remnant. After all, didn't he come up with a fake surname to bestow on his adopted children?"
The former assassin's fingers dug into his biceps. "Crocodile does as he pleases, but you cannot deny that his contributions to this circle. After all, who is spearheading the economy of Mantle? If it weren't for my boss, Atlas would still hold an iron grip on the crippled city. Because of this, the floating city continues to lose influence on its former settlement and more people are likely to rebel thus attracting more Grimm to the area."
Watts pursed his lips and narrowed his eyes. "Do you really think Crocodile is doing all that for the benefit of our mistress? It's clear as day that he's hoarding all his bounty for himself. In fact, he denied sending funds to Merlot a not too long ago."
Mr. 1 shrugged. "Of course Crocodile rejected to send funds to Vale. Unlike Mantle, Vacuo, and Mistral, that kingdom keeps a close eye on its transports and monetary transactions. If my boss were to go through with your absurd demands, there is a high chance he'd get caught."
The dark-skinned man would thank Hawkins later for his tarot readings and advice.
"Is that golden-hooked pessimist really that scared? I could simply hack into the bank networks of Vale and transfer the lien through a fake account. It's not that hard, trust me." The mustached individual grunted.
"That's enough." Salem rubbed her temples and sighed.
"There are concerns about Crocodile, but I haven't received a full report about this so-called magician he keeps around. Tell me Daz, does this Hawkins know of our inner circle and operations?"
Mr. 1 shook his head. "My boss and I decided it would be best to keep our private lives to ourselves. Other than the people he's fought and defeated, he has no clue as to our true goals."
"I see..." Salem's red eyes glimmered
"As it stands, Crocodile cannot provide the lien we need for stage two of operation. However, I do expect him to cooperate should a mission arise. Am I clear, Daz?"
The assassin nodded and was excused from the meeting. His shoes clicking against the obsidian floors of the daunting room, Mr. 1 stopped short of the exit and pressed his ear against the doors after they closed. The voices behind the walls were sincere, and when the conversation ended, Daz felt a bead of sweat roll down his cheek.
"You've tolerated Crocodile's disloyalty for too long your grace. Unlike Doflamingo and his subordinates, that former warlord goes about his days without a care in the world. We cannot afford to keep such a wild card like him around, in fact, I've heard he's enrolled his children in Ozpin's academy!" Watts stated.
"Even before he arrived in Remnant, Crocodile served a life of piracy and was the source of corruption of Alabasta, one of great twenty kingdoms of the grande-line. He's a cunning man with the power of a logia, he should not be underestimated." Lucci added.
Salem lightly tapped her chin with a dainty finger.
"Can I afford to lose someone of Crocodile's caliber this early in the game? Then again, Merlot's recent breakthrough in his Grimm studies has yielded spectacular results. Perhaps it's time to trim some excess weight in my circle?" The pale witch pondered.
"The advice you boys have given me tonight is appreciated. Lucci," Salem's thin lips stretched from ear to ear to form a malicious smirk.
"I trust you and Doflamingo can take care of our confirmed... weak link?"