The marine breathed into his hands, trying to get some warmth into his fingers "Damn it, the gloves are hardly doing anything against the cold" grumbled the soldier.
"We are close to a winter island after all" said another as he lowered his gun and rubbed his hands together "I wish we could be inside the ship like the CP-2 guys...its freezing out here."
"True" responded the first.
The day started nicely, the weather was hot and dry because of the proximity of a summer island...but once they entered the sea between two islands it deteriorated quickly.
Beside the cold and the occasional snowflake it didn't realy help that the ship sailed into a dense mist that reduced visibility to a zero.
Suddenly two pairs of arms materialized from the mist and grabbed the two marines before dragging them away without a sound to be heard.
After a few moments they exited the mist and made their way to the door leading into the ship.
Once inside the vessel the duo made their way through the maze like corridors of the huge vessel until they reached their destination.
They entered the room without knocking and spotted four Cipher Pol agents seated around a table, going through some documents.
"Didn't nobody teach you to knock before entering?" asked one of the agents in a neutral voice, the man's shades hiding his eyes.
The two marines didn't respond, only closed the door behind themselves.
The sharp blade cut through the soft flesh with flawless precision, cutting it into small bits...then the pieces were placed into the marinade.
"That's done" said Martin as he quickly washed the knife and returned it where it belonged. The other cooks were also frenetically trying to prepare the dishes ordered by Saint Mjosgard. The nobles patience was stretched thin from the delay caused by the bad weather...and there was hardly anything worse than a unhappy Tenryuubito.
Naturally most of the food will be thrown away after sampling it, but that was pretty much how World Nobles operated.
He knew that being a cook on one of their ships will be hard, he simply didn't know how hard...people had better chances surviving wrestling Sea Kings than being nearby a Celestial Dragon when one throws a tantrum.
Martin spend only three months on the vessel but that was enough to last him a lifetime...Saint Mjosgard had a fondness for cruelty, mostly practicing it on the slaves he either bought or abducted himself. Usually beautiful, young woman, that once he was tired of them were discarded like trash.
It was no secret that the World Nobles were despised, but the level of depravity he witnessed on this ship was enough to scare a persons soul forever...he could certainly understand why many would run to the territory outside Teryuubito authority.
"Oy, Martin could you give me a hand?" asked the head chef as he stirred the content of a small pot over a light flame.
Pulled out of his thoughts the young cook turned to his superior "How can I help?"
The head chef pointed to a meal delivery cart "Get this Massaman curry to the captain and navigator, they had a hectic day and will need some warm food to keep them going. The rest you can then deliver to the Cipher Pol guys that are not on guard duty at the moment."
"Yes sir" said the cook as he took the cart and made his way out of the kitchen and to the elevator on the end of the corridor.
A quartet of marines were coming his way so he moved a bit to the side making it easier for both groups to pass each other.
"Good evening" he greeted the men with a smile.
The soldiers only glanced at him before they continued towards the kitchen.
...oh how he wished to spit in their meals... "Jerks" grumbled the cook.
The entire trip from the kitchen didn't take long, the elevator pretty much was placed right beside the ships bridge.
He opened the door and pushed the meal cart inside "Dinner" said the cook but frowned when he saw that nobody was there...and a lot of water vapor had entered through the wide opened door that lead outside.
Where are they? At least a officer of the watch should be here...this sort of blunder could get them killed, or worse could get us all killed!
The man left the cart and started to look for anyone, but there was nobody there, he looked outside through the open door but the visibility was abysmal "Captain!" he shouted.
Nothing but silence greeted him...Martin frowned and closed the door behind himself.
"Where are they?"
Then something else caughed his eyes "...and where is the den den mushi?" mused the cook.
Martin was completely lost about what he should do...he was supposed to bring the food to the captain and his men, but with them gone he didn't know what would be the best course of action.
Okay...if I wait they will come back, but standing here doing nothing is useless and the food will get cold...perhaps I should get the CP guys their diner and simply deliver another meal later when someone will be on the bridge.
Satisfied with the plan he took the meal cart and went back to the elevator since the agents had their rooms two decks below.
Pogo sighed as he walked out of Saint Mjosgard's room, he needed a smoke and he needed it badly. How he wished that he received some other assignment, guarding the Celestial Dragons was always a boring task. All they ever did was force themselves on their slaves or did some other pointless cruelty.
Not that CP agents like him had a problem with cruelty, but it was always used with some goal in mind. Interrogation, breaking someones will so he would cooperate, assassinating problematic individuals...
He suddenly stopped when he noticed that the corridor in front of him was covered in mist...strange, did someone forget to close the door?
As he stepped out on the deck the agents observation haki started to warn him to be alert.
There's something hiding in the mist! Though the agent as he concentrated on his surroundings...no, not in it, it is the mist!
He was ready to fight when something grabbed him by the leg before pulling him overboard.
Martin approached the corridor where the CP-2 had its rooms, he knocked on the door and waited for someone to answer.
Nobody did.
Not again, where is everybody! Grumbled the annoyed cook before he went to the adjacent door and knocked on them.
Again no response.
Having enough of the nonsense he opened the door to see if the agents simply didn't hear him.
His eyes widened when he saw the room...there was blood everywhere! And when he spotted the catered..or rather shredded body parts of the CP-2 agents he lost control of his bladder.
"H-HELP!" he screamed "HELP, MURDER, HELP!"
Then one of the doors further down the corridor opened...
Then another...and another.
Seven marines exited into the corridor and looked at Martin...the problem was one of them didn't have a hand but long, razor sharp claws, and another was holding a bisected agent in the air by what appeared to be a tentacle.
"H-Help!" stuttered the man as he took a step back...and when the fake Marines started to walk towards him he turned around and ran.
I have to warn the others!
He was almost at the elevator when it opened and the head chef walked out.
"Makoto! M-Murder! Monsters have killed the Cipher Pol agents!" said Martin as he reached his friend and superior.
"Monsters?" asked the head chef "what monsters?"
"D-Don't know! They are behind me, we should go warn Saint Mjosgard!"
"That wont be necessary Martin" said Makoto as he pulled the cooks head and spine from the main body "everything is perfectly fine."
Saint Mjosgard watched as the two slaves wrestled for his entertainment while he waited for dinner to arrive.
He received the two pirates as a gift from an auction house for his patronage, in this case the purchase of a mermaid.
That will make Charloss envious! He though with a grin "Come on you trash! Put more effort into it!" he commanded the exhausted men. Seeing as how his words didn't result in them performing any better he pulled out his gun and shot them both.
"Useless trash!" he growled, he then turned to his bodyguards "go tell the scum in the kitchen to bring me my diner this instant or I will have them fed to the Sea Kings!"
As the CP-2 agent turned to leave and fulfill his order, so did Mjosgard look at the assortment of his wives, most of them had the empty, broken look on them...but the last one still cried after being taken by him yesterday so she will be the best to service him today as well.
I will need to replace the rest mused the man as he glanced at their downcast eyes...it was boring since they didn't scream anymore.
"You!" he pointed at the woman..or rather girl with the shoulder length dark hair "come here."
The girl didn't move, tears ran down her cheeks as she tried to cover the brand on her back.
"You dare to defy me again?" huffed the Celestial Dragon "I though after yesterdays punishment you learnedyour lesson...very well then" he then turned to the closest agent "bring me my whip."
Naturally he didn't plan to whip her himself, he had the CP-2 here to do that.
It was in that moment that something impacted on the door.
"What was that?" asked the noble "is my food here?"
As soon as one of the CP agents opened the door his torso was split in half from head to groin. The remaining agents instantly took position around the Celestial Dragon so that they could better protect him from the attacker.
Then familiar faces started to enter...
Marines that were supposed to safeguard the ship, the cooks and even some of the Cipher Pol agents strolled into the room.
"Whats the meaning of this?" asked Mjosgard "where is my dinner?!"
A split second later the Tenryuubito was forced to his knees by the head chef, and the other CP-2 agents that were supposed to guard him were dead.
It happened so fast that he didn't even see when they moved.
"H-how dare you! I'll have your heads for this insolence! Unhand me you filthy humans!"
Instead of releasing him, one of the 'traitors' approached him while another held him down on his knees. The one approaching him had a strange creature in his hand, like a snail with tentacles and fangs...a lot of fangs.
"What are you planing?" demanded the man, though with less confidence than before. A strong hand descended on top of the bubble the human wore...and made it burst. Then the hand grabbed his head and forced his mouth wide open.
Mjosgard could only watch in terror as the horrifying tentacle thing was allowed to approach and enter into his mouth.
The World Noble tried to free himself but his pointless struggle was cut short once the mutated den den mushi reached the brain.
Sensing that the creature accomplished his task, the Evolved released the human letting him stand up on its own power.
Mercer approached the newest puppet in his usual predatory way "With the acquisition of a World Noble the first step of the operation is complete, now lets get this ship to Mariejois."
"What about them?" asked one of the other newly made Evolved as it looked at the terrified slaves that huddled in the farthest corner of the room.
"Hmmm good question..." mused Mercer "We don't have any mollusks to spare and letting them go is out of the question...consuming them is a valid choice, but thanks to Wapol's power we really don't need the biomass."
"And their knowledge is certainly not worth it" added Brigid as she discarded her disguise. Her pitiless eyes observed the terrified mammals "...could I take them? It would be wasteful to simply dispose of them."
"Keeping them alive is too big of a risk" mussed Mercer.
"Awake yes, but from what I have seen in the ships infirmary they are nicely equipped, there are a lot of strong sedatives for me too keep the primates tranquil."
Alex shrugged "Very well, do as you please" he then used the telepathic ability of the den den mushi to observe the world through the sensory organs of the Evolved on the ship's deck. The loading of the carrgo that they brought with them for the next part of the plan seemed to run smoothly. Using their new powers the other Evolved levitated large cylindrical tanks and metal crates on to the ship without any dificulty...
A/N:
The song Fate of the Tempest from Nox Arcana inspired me write this chapters but it was supposed to be with Moriah dealing with Mercer so I apologize if it looks like a cheap horror rip off...(actually I'm not sorry at all -_-) but I have found a better use for his character than biomass. Also some readers wanted to see Celestial Dragons meeting Mercer so this is the result of it.
I can guess that many will be disappointed Alex didn't use the guy as a skateboard but Zeus has still use for the body so he didn't turn the Tenryubito into mincemeat.