Author's Note: And here we are with another update, much faster than I anticipated lol XD We are moving into the 'Exhibition Arc', as I call it in my notes, and though it's not super long, it is important so keep an eye out for plot bunnies ;) I hope ya'll enjoy it!

To kuromi123: Luffy is always Luffy haha, even if he has bunny ears XD I'm so glad you're enjoying it so far and look forward to more to come on the Demon King!

To clipboardfox22: Aw, thank you! I've put a lot of effort into this world so I'm glad it is well received :)

To livinganime14: Haha yep, it's definitely going to get even more interesting as we go on! We shall have to wait and see what happens ;)

To AnonymousOPFan: Ah, okay, sorry about that! I didn't realize those were both you XD Yeah, it's fun to review with a proper username so the responses can be more individualized. I am also not super tech savvy so no worries lol! As for Blackbeard, I won't spoil anything for you but he will be making an appearance later on. This whole next part will focus on the summoners and their creatures since I spent so much time on the rangers ;) Nami's 'arc' is actually coming up soon as well so we will get to check in on her soon. Yeah, I have had stories I follow and get super invested in get abandoned so I promised myself I would never do that to my readers. Anyway, thanks so much for the sweet reviews and I hope you enjoy the update!

To OracleNorZi: I hope you do :)

To Shiho-Akemi: Here's an update for ya!

To Nis Safiyyah: Hi there! I'm so glad you're enjoying my story so far :) Here's a new chapter for you and I hope you like it!

WARNINGS:

- Luffy dealing with Katakuri's mana

- Whitebeard being Whitebeard

- Zoro being protective

- Luffy and Zoro's friendship being wholesome

Luffy woke up the following morning feeling understandably sore after being thrown around by Katakuri. He rolled over onto his back and held up his arms, grimacing at the dark bruises that had formed overnight. Luffy would need to come up with some sort of excuse for his friends…he didn't want them to worry about him.

A glance to Zoro's side of the room revealed that his friend was already up and probably at the cafeteria. Not wanting to be left behind, Luffy pulled himself out of bed and threw some casual clothes on. It was pretty hot outside, so he couldn't really wear long-sleeves to cover his bruises.

Luffy ended up settling on a simple red t-shirt and dark shorts. Once his sandals were on, the boy jogged out of the dorm, determined not to let the rattling experience of the night before get to him. It was finally the end of the semester and they had a break for a few weeks, which meant no classes. This was mostly so the summoners could prepare for and participate in the Exhibition that was coming up.

He found his friends lounging in the shade of a tree not far from the cafeteria. Usopp waved wildly at him, causing his other friends to look up from their discussion.

"Welcome back, Luffy!" The curly-haired summoner exclaimed, hugging him the second he was within range, "Zoro said you made two pacts! That's awesome, bro!"

"Shishishi, yeah it was fun!" He replied, trying not to wince when Usopp accidentally nudged his bruises, "I want to show you guys my forms today, if you're up for it."

"Sure, sounds fun." Sanji put in before holding up a tray of food, "But why don't you eat first, I bet you're starving." Luffy grinned at the blonde summoner and gratefully took the tray, salivating at the smell of freshly baked pancakes.

While he ate, Sanji and Usopp chatted with each other and Vivi joined them, apologizing profusely for being late. Apparently she was having some trouble winning duels with her contracted creature and was taking extra lessons from Miss Hina in an attempt to improve before the Exhibition.

"Luffy…" Zoro asked quietly, prompting him to look up with full cheeks, "Those bruises…they look brand new." The boy tensed but swallowed his bite before replying.

"Oh those…yeah, I guess it just took them a few days to form or something…" Luffy muttered, taking another big bite to avoid talking about it more. His brothers always told him he was a terrible liar so it was probably better to just not talk about it. Zoro frowned, clearly not believing him.

"Did something happen after I went to bed?"

"Nope. Nothing." Luffy quickly replied, not looking his friend in the eye, "It was a perfectly normal, very relaxing, non-violent evening…I totally didn't get kidnapped or anything." He snapped his mouth shut at that, registering what he just said. Zoro's eyes widened.

"What!?"

"I-It isn't a big deal." Luffy tried, tripping over his words, "The only reason I got hurt was because I struggled a lot…"

"Was it Mihawk?" Zoro questioned in a low voice that promised violence. He shook his head.

"No…it wasn't him. It was just a demon who was curious about me, that's all."

"Uh, everything okay over there, guys?" Usopp questioned, looking concerned at the sudden tension between them. Luffy quickly grinned to assure his friends that he was fine.

"Yeah, we're good! Anyway, do you guys want to go now? Lucci said we could use the Arena so long as we don't make a mess."

While Vivi, Sanji, and Usopp voiced their excitement about seeing Luffy's pacts and the Ranger training facilities, Zoro stared at him with an unreadable expression. He knew his friend wanted more information and proper answers…but he'd tell him later. Right now, Luffy wanted to have some fun and distract himself from the many trials he'd gone through recently.

When they'd all finished their meals, Luffy led them to the Arena, a place none of his friends had ever been to. They all marveled at the wide open space, obstacle courses, and other devices Lucci used to train (e.g. torture) them. It was currently empty, which gave Luffy plenty of room to show off.

"Check this out!" Luffy exclaimed seconds before turning into his Valera form. Vivi squealed and cooed at his 'adorableness' while the others made awed sounds. "This is what I look like as a Valera. Pretty cool right?"

"Fascinating…" Sanji muttered while Usopp took out his notebook and began to sketch him, "What can you do when you look like that?"

Luffy wasted no time leaping up into the air and doing a few flips to show off his new body structure. His friends clapped for him, making him smile. It felt surprisingly natural to be in his Valera form since he spent so much time in it during his fieldwork. After showing off for a while, Luffy reverted to his human form and prepared to take on his second transformation.

"Ne, will one of you lend me some mana? I need some to turn into my second form."

"You can take some of mine." Zoro said while standing to his feet and walking over to him. Luffy inclined his head in thanks, feeling pinned in place by his friend's searching gaze. He'd tell him what happened…just not yet.

However, when he reached over to siphon some of Zoro's mana into his own body, he felt a shock go through him. Luffy instinctively let go, cradling his hand protectively to his chest.

"What's wrong?"

"I'm…not sure." He admitted, placing a hand on Zoro's arm again. Thankfully, this time, it came without any trouble, but still felt…different, and unlike any summoner mana he'd ever experienced.

When the mana pooled in his belly, Luffy grimaced at the surging waves of power. Shaking his head, Luffy focused on his Naga transformation and closed his eyes as his legs morphed into a tail. He found himself distracted even when his friends rushed up to him, in awe of the creature he now was. The mana inside him was rough, chaotic, and aggressive.

It felt like it was fighting against him…trying to get back to Zoro.

Luffy was only able to hold his Naga form for a few seconds before reverting due to the sheer pain he experienced from Zoro's mana. Without saying a word, he grabbed his friend's arm and returned the mana, causing it to go silent almost immediately.

Now, Luffy had felt a lot of powerful mana lately. The Sulong transformation granted Valera great, ancient strength that felt old and uncontrollable. Because he'd been in his human form when he attempted to absorb it, the mana rejected him. Katakuri's mana was old as well but also felt heavy, intimidating, and intelligent. For whatever reason, the demon's mana had accepted him and even granted him visions.

Zoro's mana, on the other hand, felt like a rampaging beast hunting its prey. It clearly didn't like being taken from its main body and agitated itself to cause Luffy discomfort.

Almost like it had a consciousness of its own.

"Hey, you okay?"

"Yeah…just worn out." Luffy replied, trying to ease Zoro's worries, "Shishishi, I can tell you've gotten stronger!"

Zoro smiled slightly in response but didn't lose the slight frown.

"Sorry guys, but I actually need to go." Luffy put in, drawing groans from his friends, "I gotta meet with Shanks to sign some paperwork…but I'll be back! We can hang out more later!"

"Oi, Luffy-"

"Let's talk tonight." He whispered to Zoro, stopping him in his tracks, "Okay?"

"…okay."

Luffy took some time on his way to the Ranger Base to think about what just happened. Zoro's mana left him feeling a little uneasy and his left arm still tingled slightly from its attack. He'd never had human mana so viciously reject him. What confused him even more was the fact that what he felt today truly hadn't felt like Zoro.

Or at least what he'd expected Zoro's mana to feel like.

'Well, we can talk about it tonight.' Luffy thought as he walked through the door of the base towards Shanks' office. Perhaps Zoro knew why his mana felt so bizarre…maybe there was a simple explanation?

"Hey, sport!" Shanks greeted from behind his desk, immediately making Luffy feel more at ease, "Come sit down…I've got that Class Rep paperwork for ya."

Luffy complied and wrung his hands together in his lap. He needed to tell Shanks about Katakuri. They'd kept the first incident with Mihawk a secret from the teachers but…this time it was different. He didn't think it was a good idea to keep it to himself, though there was no telling just how much he'd be able to say…

"Um…Shanks?" Luffy put in meekly, causing the red-haired Ranger to stop rearranging papers and give him his full attention, "Last night…I was attacked." Shanks immediately frowned and looked him over, eyes lingering on the bruises.

"By who? Another student?"

"No…a creature." Luffy continued, rubbing along his arms gently, "H-He said his name was Katakuri, a demon from Skotàdi. I was in the bathroom and he grabbed me through the mirror."

"Did he hurt you?" Shanks questioned, gaze protective and more serious than Luffy was used to.

"No, not intentionally. He wanted information…I think." He answered after swallowing to wet his dry throat, "He went through my memories and then-" Suddenly, Luffy went silent, hands moving to his neck in shock. His voice…it just stopped working, and now there was an uncomfortable warmth burning under his skin.

He tried to say something more, but the heat around his throat only increased. Shanks quickly stood to his feet, moved around the desk, and knelt down next to him, eyes silver. Luffy moved his hands so the older man could see his neck and his stomach dropped at the worry on Shanks' face. The ranger snatched his phone up off the desk and pressed a button.

"Lucci, it's Shanks. I need you to find Smoker and get over here ASAP. We have a situation."

A few minutes later, Luffy sat on a chair surrounded by teachers. Lucci gently moved his chin so he could see the mark around his neck. Using a mirror, he'd been able to look at it himself. It was a deep scarlet color, likely because it was made of Katakuri's mana, and encircled the middle of his neck. Its design was swirly and tribal, making it look like some sort of fancy necklace or something.

But Luffy knew better.

"How the hell did this happen!?" Smoker hissed with arms crossed, "The Mesa has magic in place that is supposed to protect the students from creatures."

"It doesn't keep the most powerful ones out," Lucci stated while releasing Luffy, "and Charlotte Katakuri is certainly strong enough to sneak in." Apparently his nicest kidnapper was a pretty well-known creature.

"Luffy…can you try and say something for me?" Shanks asked, making Luffy nod. He opened his mouth and tried to make a sound, but the mana around his neck only constricted further, glowing slightly. It didn't hurt…but definitely wasn't comfortable. After trying a few times, Luffy pressed his lips together and shook his head.

"What're we dealing with here?" Smoker questioned, staring down at Luffy with clear concern.

"At first, I thought it was a curse," Shanks started, standing to his feet, "but then I got a better look at the markings. This is sophisticated magic that involves forcing mana into another being to accomplish a certain purpose…usually something nefarious."

"Though, in this case," Lucci interrupted, taking over for the red-haired teacher, "We believe Katakuri put it in place to keep Luffy quiet."

"Is it harmful?"

"Not that we can tell." Shanks said with a huff, "But it does beg the question…why did he implement such a complicated spell?" They all turned to stare at Luffy who just sighed. It didn't look like he would be able to tell them anything.

"Have you tried having him write stuff on paper?"

"Yes…it's illegible."

"…you sure that's not just his handwriting?"

"Yes, but maybe…" Shanks trailed off and looked Luffy in the eye again, "Okay, I'm going to ask you some 'yes' and 'no' questions. I want to see how much we can learn just with that." Luffy nodded in understanding.

"Did Katakuri intend to take you back to Skotàdi?"

He shook his head 'no'.

"Did he ever state what his purpose was?"

Luffy nodded.

"Were you in danger?"

He paused for a moment before shaking his head. Katakuri hadn't seemed like he wanted to harm him.

"Do you remember what Katakuri did to you?"

Luffy inclined his head, picturing the ball of mana in his mind.

"Was he trying to keep you quiet?"

He nodded again.

"Whatever you saw or heard…did it have to do with the Academy?"

Luffy went to nod again but winced when a sharp pain went through his head. The mark around his neck burned, warning him not to move anymore. When he tried to fight against it, the mark expanded across his chest and arms, binding him in place.

"Luffy, it's okay! You can let it go." Shanks quickly exclaimed, placing a hand on his head, "Just breathe…that's it." Luffy exhaled slowly, forcing himself to relax and submit to the strong mana inside of him. Once it recognized his obedience, the mark shrunk back to his neck. "Well, it doesn't look like we're going to get anything else. That bastard is damn efficient."

"So, what do we do?"

After about thirty minutes, the mark faded from Luffy's neck and he was able to speak again. It seemed to only activate when he tried to go into detail about his time with Katakuri, which was in line with what the demon told him. Ultimately, it was decided that there was nothing they could do for Luffy at the moment so they were going to focus more on upping security for the Exhibition.

"Let us know if you have any pain or are approached again." Shanks said firmly while holding Luffy by the shoulders, "We'll have to do some research and see if we can remove that mana…"

"It's okay! I can handle it." Luffy replied with a tired smile, "Thanks for trying though."

With that, he left the Ranger Base and headed back to where his friends were waiting.

Shanks watched Luffy leave with a frustrated huff. He couldn't believe that none of them had noticed a powerful creature like Charlotte Katakuri arrive on The Mesa. This wasn't the first time such a thing had happened either…

"You're worried." Lucci stated bluntly, eyeing Shanks.

"Yeah, I am. The Exhibition is just a week away and we can't seem to keep powerful creatures off The Mesa…I'm worried someone may get hurt."

Large events like the Exhibition tended to garner attention from creatures due to the amount of summoners gathered in one place. They usually had a few manage to sneak in, but no one dangerous. With the influx of subtle invasions from the other world, they would need to up security.

"I'll talk to the Headmaster about it." Smoker put in while puffing on his cigar, "The last thing we need is another incident so soon after the last one."

"I'm going with you." Shanks insisted, "No offense, but you summoners won't be as effective at detecting creatures as rangers. If we have permission to post additional rangers at the event, we can better protect the students."

The three teachers nodded to each other and left the building, Shanks and Smoker heading towards Akainu's office while Lucci headed towards the stables. It would be a bit difficult to call rangers back to The Mesa when so many were off-world at the moment, but they'd do their best.

The more rangers they had on hand, the better.

That evening, Luffy sat on his bed and hugged his pillow to his chest while Zoro paced back and forth across the room. He'd told his friend as much as he could before Katakuri's mana stopped him and now he was waiting for it to wear off.

"Damn it! I-I can't believe that I-"

Zoro was angry with himself for not noticing Luffy's kidnapping. He wanted to reassure him that he was fine but, unfortunately, he had to stay silent for the time being.

"The teachers keep saying that we're all 'safe' here, but that clearly isn't true!" Zoro snarled, "First that creature and now this Katakuri guy…"

'Don't forget Mr. Marco.' Luffy thought, picturing the fiery creature in his mind. He vividly recalled the phoenix creating a portal to The Mesa with little to no effort so he and Thatch could take him home. But they didn't mean any harm…there's no telling how much damage could be done to the school if a creature with malicious intent got through the barrier.

He blinked in surprise when the mana around his neck faded, retreating faster than it had in Shanks' office. Maybe because he'd given up talking about the 'forbidden subject' faster.

"It's okay, Zoro, really. I'm okay." Luffy reassured, "Don't blame yourself."

"How can I not!? While I slept, you were getting tortured!"

"…uh…I guess." He answered, unsure if 'torture' really described what happened, "Listen, all we can do is move forward and get stronger. Katakuri is too powerful for me right now…but someday, I'll surpass him!"

Zoro cracked a smile at Luffy's bravado.

"Such an optimist."

"Shishishi." Luffy giggled before laying his chin on the pillow held to his chest, "So…what about you? Are you doing okay?" Zoro was always worried about him…maybe it was time to switch things around.

"I'm fine."

"Your mana didn't feel 'fine' today." Luffy retorted, brows furrowing slightly, "What was that about?" Zoro just shrugged.

"I don't know what to tell you…it feels like it always does."

"Have you ever had a ranger refresh your mana before?"

"No…haven't had any need to."

Luffy hummed and placed the pillow beside him so he could stand up and face Zoro.

"Do you mind if I try again?" When his friend shook his head, Luffy gently placed a hand on his chest and closed his eyes, concentrating on the large amount of mana churning inside Zoro. Just like before, it tried to 'bite' him, making him wince, but he didn't remove his hand. "Zoro, are you relaxed?"

"Yeah…I guess."

'So it isn't responding to his emotions…' Luffy mused, moving his fingers slightly to expand his manipulation point. The mana followed his fingers as they moved, trying to force him to let go. Curious, he allowed some his own miniscule mana to flow into his fingertips, allowing it to meld with Zoro's.

Maybe it just didn't like being told what to do?

Surprisingly, the second his mana touched Zoro's, it calmed slightly, as if exploring the unfamiliar (and much weaker) mana. Once it was a bit less aggressive towards him, Luffy brought a small portion into his body and siphoned it into his right palm. It wasn't quite as angry as it had been, probably because he'd taken the time to introduce himself, but it still pulled itself towards Zoro almost continuously.

When he looked up to explain what he'd done, Luffy's eyes widened in shock. Even as the mana in his palm attempted to return to Zoro, his friend's eyes had turned gold and a line of mana appeared on his forehead, frighteningly similar to the mana around his neck.

"What?"

"Uh…Zoro…" He started, swallowing hard, "D-Don't freak out, but I think you and I may have a similar problem." His friend frowned, clearly unaware of the mana Luffy could see.

"…what do you mean?"

"I-I think…you've been marked." Luffy continued, stomach dropping as he recalled what Mihawk's mana aura looked like, "I see Mihawk's mana, uh, up here." He used his left hand to motion towards his face, prompting Zoro to reach up and palpate his cheeks.

"W-Well get it off! You're a ranger, right? This is your thing!"

"Erm…okay, I can try-" Before he could try anything, Zoro's mana that was still in his hand flared up, making him yelp in pain. Not wanting to be hurt anymore than he already was, Luffy gave it back to Zoro, causing the golden mana on his face to glow before disappearing. "I…I think it's gone."

"But it's still in me!" Zoro exclaimed, worry obvious in the way he scrunched up his nose, "Get it out!" With a determined frown, Luffy placed his hand back on Zoro's chest and searched for the mana that didn't belong. Unfortunately, it had either hidden itself or gone dormant…he couldn't sense any mana that wasn't Zoro's.

"S-Sorry, Zoro, but I can't find it."

His friend exhaled sharply and began to pace again, running his hands through his hair.

"How could I not notice!?"

"I don't know…" Luffy admitted, his own thoughts running a mile a minute. Why was Zoro's mana so fickle…and was it his own mana that was aggressive, or was it Mihawk's? That being said, he did have an idea of what the mark did. "I think Mihawk's mana does something different than Katakuri's. His keeps me from talking…but yours, I think it keeps your mana from being taken by someone else, at least long term."

Zoro growled at that.

"Possessive bastard…he just wants it all to himself."

The two teens sat in silence for a while, just considering everything that just happened. Luffy felt bad for Zoro…being told the creature who murdered your family had put his own mana inside you would be terrible. There had to be something he could do…

"We'll figure something out…" Zoro said quietly, drawing his attention, "It'll be okay."

Luffy's gaze softened as his friend tried to calm himself down. Though stoic on the outside, he could tell that Zoro was hurting horribly on the inside.

"Are you still going to participate in the Exhibition?"

"Yeah…wouldn't miss it for the world." Zoro answered, sitting on his bed, "If all Mihawk's mark does is keep my mana from being 'stolen' or whatever, it shouldn't impede my summoning abilities. Besides, this is my chance to get noticed by high-ranking summoners…I'd be stupid to skip it."

"Shanks and the others are working on a way to help me…" Luffy said, trying to look on the bright side, "So cheer up! We'll be free of these marks soon!" Zoro sighed and drooped over his legs, making Luffy's forced smile fall.

It was true that this discovery wasn't good. The fact that Zoro's mana fought against anyone who tried to mess with it meant that refreshing it would be a challenge. If he ever went on a mission to another world with a ranger who couldn't handle it or manipulate the mana fast enough…he'd be a sitting duck.

'I'll support you, Zoro.' He determined, clenching his fist. Even if no one else could do it…Luffy would work hard so he could refresh Zoro's mana before getting hurt by the curse of Mihawk's mark. He'd add that goal to his list and work on it during his training sessions.

"Well…if there's nothing to be done, I guess we should just go to bed."

"Mn." Luffy answered, crawling under his sheets, "Don't let Mihawk psych you out…you'll do great at the Exhibition."

"…you think?"

"Yep! And I'll be cheering you on!"

"Thanks, Luffy…you're a good friend."

"Shishishi!" He giggled softly before diving into his pillow, "That's what friends are for."

Meanwhile…

"We totally have to go!" Thatch exclaimed, practically bouncing up and down, "I mean, Ace and Sabo never invite us to do stuff like this."

"I'm not sure it's a good idea, yoi." Marco replied, motioning for his brother to calm down before someone heard them, "Humans generally don't appreciate powerful creatures like us crashing their events."

"We'd be in disguise! Come on, it'll be great."

The event in question was what the summoners called an 'Exhibition' and it took place regularly on The Mesa. For whatever reason, Ace and Sabo thought to invite them, even though it was a clear breach of the rules. The two humans had started acting more familiar with them after the rescue of their little hatchling and this was, apparently, their attempt to show gratitude.

"…okay, but we have to be very cautious, yoi. One misstep, and there'll be trouble."

"Yes!" Thatch yelled, prompting Marco to shush him loudly. The last thing they needed was a certain someone overhearing them. "This is going to be so much fun, brother."

Suddenly, another voice chimed in, making Marco's stomach drop.

"What's going to be fun, my sons?"

"Uh…nothing!" Thatch squeaked, shrinking back from Pops' searching stare, "W-We were just talking about…uh…"

"Going hunting, yoi!" Marco lied, sweat dripping down his neck, "You wouldn't like it, Pops." The giant just smiled, making them tense up.

"Oh, but I love hunting, especially when it involves finally meeting those cute humans of yours."

Marco groaned and pinched the bridge of his nose. So he had overheard them…sometimes, it was amazing just how stealthy such a huge being could be.

"Okay, okay, you got us, but you can't come!" Thatch stated as firmly as possible to their parent figure, "We will probably be able to sneak in without any trouble…but you're a bit…er…obvious, Pops."

"I can be inconspicuous!" Whitebeard shot back, pouting slightly, "I'm not letting you two leave me out again! Look, I even had their presents wrapped and everything…"

Marco looked over the immaculately wrapped presents, each with one of the human's names on it, matched with a brightly colored bow. Their 'tunics' were probably in there. Whitebeard had clearly put effort into them but…

"Pops-"

"I'm coming and that's final!" Whitebeard said while gently tucking the presents inside his massive jacket, "And if you try to leave without me…well, I'll force a Reverse Summon and meet them that way instead."

Thatch and Marco paled.

Pops was serious.

"…okay fine, you can come, but you can't draw attention to yourself!"

The old man grinned cheekily.

"They won't even know I'm there."

The day of the Exhibition, Reverie Academy was bustling. All the participating summoners were wandering around in their gear, looking either nervous, excited, or some mixture of both. For the fourth year students, this was their last chance to make an impression on recruiters so they were going to put on as good a show as their skills would allow.

Luffy, Coby, and Chopper went to what was called The Colosseum together since most of their summoner friends were participating. The young rangers made sounds of awe as they entered the massive building, amazed by both the architecture and the smells of delicious food wafting towards them.

"This is so exciting!" Coby exclaimed, taking in the sights, "The Colosseum is only opened once a year for this event…I hope we get good seats."

"I hope the food tastes as good as it looks." Luffy put in, licking his lips at the many vendors that lined the corridors of the Colosseum.

"We can come back for food. Come on, let's go get seats."

Luffy whined when his friends pulled him away from the food stalls but didn't fight them. There was still time before the Exhibition started so he could come back.

Eventually, they found seats on the right side of the large arena, in the middle of the stands. There were all sorts of people sitting around them, many in suits and other formal wear. Luffy channeled his mana sight to take a look at them and was surprised at how much mana they all had.

"I bet most of them are recruiters." Coby whispered, also examining the people sitting near them, "From what I understand, this is a good way for summoners to find their first jobs out of school."

"And a good opportunity to look for team members, right?" Chopper asked, shying away from a rather intimidating man that sat a few seats away.

'Yeah…but I already know who I want.' Luffy thought, picturing his summoner friends in his mind. They'd all make a good team and he couldn't wait to see their creatures firsthand.

"So…do you think they're coming?" Sabo asked while Ace just shrugged. The two brothers were seated by themselves in an alleyway between buildings where they'd agreed to meet Marco and Thatch, if they decided to come.

The Exhibition was always fun so they figured that inviting the creatures was a good way to repay them for what they did for Luffy. Ever the rule follower, it had taken some convincing from Ace for Sabo to agree to the plan…but hopefully everything would work out.

A few minutes later, a portal opened and three figures came out.

"Yo." Thatch greeted, appearing as human as they come with the exception of his ridiculous hairstyle. Marco nodded to them, appearing as he usually did when they worked in the human realm. Just as Sabo was about to return their greeting, his eyes were drawn to a strange creature that came through the portal with them.

"Uh…what's that?"

"This is…er…Pops, yoi." Marco introduced, somewhat reluctantly, "He desperately wanted to meet you two, so we brought him along."

Sabo knelt down and raised an eyebrow at the odd-looking dog. He supposed it didn't look too abnormal with its white fur and amber eyes…but the mustache was bound to earn some attention. He yelped in surprise when the dog rushed towards him, tail wagging.

"Pops, huh?" Ace asked, shielding Sabo from the beast's slobbery assault, "This wouldn't happen to be…you know who, would it?"

"Edward Newgate, the Bearded Giant…Whitebeard…" Thatch muttered with a sigh, "Yep…take in his glory, kids. It's really something." Marco elbowed his dark elf brother for his sarcastic comments.

"He's in disguise at the moment but does want a chance to talk with you two while he's here…and your hatchling, if he's around, yoi."

"May I ask why?" Sabo questioned, reluctantly petting the large dog's head.

"Pops has been curious about you three since he knew you existed." Thatch explained, "…and he has presents…so yeah." The dog chuffed and kicked the dark elf with his back leg, making him cry out more in surprise than pain.

"I have such rude sons…" Sabo and Ace started at the deep voice in their heads but didn't have time to ruminate on it as the animal (Whitebeard, apparently), snatched Ace by his sleeve and started to trot towards the Colosseum. "Come, let us have some fun! We can chat later…in private. Then you can tell me all about yourselves and open your gifts."

"In…private?" Sabo managed, paling slightly. Marco just sighed.

"You're scaring them, yoi."

"H-He's not going to try and kidnap us or something, is he?" Ace asked, giving the dog an untrustworthy look. Thatch shrugged.

"I can't make any promises…kidnapping is kind of his thing."

In the waiting area underneath the arena, Zoro sat on a bench attempting to meditate. He'd made sure to clean his swords meticulously for the event and his armor had never looked better. The black leather fit him perfectly but he still felt…uneasy.

It hadn't been long since Luffy had detected Mihawk's mana inside him and his friend had tried for days to get it out of him…to no avail. Zoro grit his teeth when he recalled the pained grimace on Luffy's face. He couldn't believe that his own mana would hurt his best friend.

'No! It's not mine…it can't be.' The young summoner thought, opening his eyes, 'It has to be Mihawk's mana.'

There was no other explanation that made sense, at least to him.

"Five minutes until we start!" A staff member called, causing him and the other participants to look up, "Will the first two duelists please make their way to the entry point?"

While the two summoners in question followed the man's directions, Zoro placed a hand on his swords, feeling their breath…their power. Now was not the time to be distracted by Mihawk. He needed to do his best and take his first step towards becoming stronger.

Strong enough to destroy the bastard who'd taken his family away from him.

Far above the arena, a portal formed, allowing a cloaked figure to emerge. He grimaced at the light of the sun and pulled the hood further over his head. Coming to the Mesa during the day was always a hassle…he had to wear a charmed cloak just to keep himself from being harmed.

The creature's golden eyes roamed the crowded stadium, taking in the large amount of summoners present. For any lesser creature, it would be quite the buffet, but Dracule Mihawk was not there to indulge. He was there to check on Roronoa Zoro.

A few days before, he'd felt someone messing with his mana nestled safely inside the human…and he needed to confirm their intentions. Most likely, it was a ranger trying to refresh Zoro's mana, but they shouldn't have been able to remove it from his body.

The pull of Mihawk's mana and curse notwithstanding, Zoro's mana was incredibly chaotic and had only grown stronger as the boy aged. No one, not even the most talented ranger, should be able to tame it. The mere fact that someone had removed even a portion of it was concerning.

Zoro's mana had to stay where it belonged…or things could get complicated.

The hawk demon glanced over his shoulder when another portal opened, revealing a familiar figure.

"Are you following me now?"

"No…I am simply here to observe the strength of the humans' forces." Katakuri stated, swallowed in a cloak just as black as Mihawk's, "You must be here for your human."

Mihawk didn't answer and turned back to the arena where an announcer was shouting something about sponsors. He could feel Zoro's presence below the sand of the battle area.

"You know, I recently marked one as well." Katakuri continued, eyeing him to gauge his response, "That ranger with almost no mana…a friend of Zoro's."

"Monkey D. Luffy." Mihawk muttered, golden eyes flicking to where he'd noticed the young ranger sitting, "Yes, I can feel it from here. He's trouble."

"He's amusing." The other demon corrected, scarlet eyes scanning the crowd alongside him, "I rather like him, actually. Not many humans have a spirit like his…so I will warn you now, try to hurt him, and you will regret it."

Mihawk met Katakuri's gaze, feeling the intensity.

"And why would I do that?"

"…call it a hunch." Katakuri replied before folding in his wings completely, "Now, I am going to try some of what is called 'ice cream', a wonderous treat…almost as good as mana, I'm told. Would you care to join me?"

"Absolutely not."

"Suit yourself." The powerful creature replied before morphing into a much smaller form before his eyes. Katakuri now appeared almost human, wearing pants, a black t-shirt, and sandals. Mihawk recognized the tell-tail signs of a shield charm radiating off his skin, protecting him from the sun. It would probably protect him for a few hours at least. "Do be careful…I sense some powerful humans here and they will probably get mad if you take a chunk out of one of their students."

Mihawk snorted at that and watched Katakuri stealthily descend to the main level. The demon was a strange one, that was for sure. He had no intention of mingling with the humans…no, he would wait until Zoro made an appearance and then decide what to do.

'I wonder how much stronger you've become…' He mused, settling down on the stone beneath him, 'Please don't disappoint me…we are quickly running out of time.'