The buildings' lights were the ones that illuminated the streets, making the lanterns seem just as decorative accessories. The billboards glowed in all colors, displaying various advertising that drew the attention of travelers who did not belong to that era.
The straw hat boy's constant complaints could be heard all the way back, making Yagi barely concentrate on the road due to all the calls for attention and explanations that he gave to the curious young man who didn't understand shit, eventually stopping again in front of the pier, continuing their way on foot towards the ship.
"Everything was so bright, it seemed like Sabaody Park," said Nami, admiring the path lined with colored lights.
"Did Sabaody looked similar?" Asked the archaeologist who hadn't spent the night in the archipelago.
"I'd like to go back to the amusement park." Chopper mentioned with a cute smile.
"Oi, Zombie, do you have an amusement park?" enquired Luffy, who was carrying the unconscious oracle on his back.
"WE HAVE SEVERAL."
"It's not fair! I WANNAAA TO GOOOO~" The captain threw a tantrum.
"Luffy, think about her; if she doesn't recover soon, she might lose her life." reprimanded the reindeer, pointing to the girl on the captain's back.
"I can go while you treat her."
"YOU MUST NOT GO ALONE!"
"Nami, Robin! Let's go."
"No. I need to map out the route."
"Sorry Captain, I've got a lot of material to study."
"Usopp, Franky, Sanji, and Brook will definitely want to go." He said, stepping up the pace ahead of the others. "Zombie, you too!"
"It's not fair, I want to go too." Chopper said in tears, attempting to catch up with his captain, accidently treading on one of the girl's long purple braids, causing the pull to knock Luffy down along with the patient, shattering the wooden path with the fall and sinking both into the sea.
"WAAAAH LUFFY!" exclaimed the reindeer, seeing his captain sink into the not-so-deep water because of him.
All Might instinctively leaped in to pull them both out, noticing that regardless of the girl's heavy body, the captain was also drawn to the bottom as if a magnet was attracting him. Making it tough to pull them out even with the buoyant force of a submerged body.
He seized them both by the waist; his garments began to tear evidencing the transformation to his muscular body, which he utilized to propel himself from the bottom to the surface in one fast movement while changing into his weak persona along the way.
The blond's upper body surfaced successfully pulling Luffy out of the water, while Yagi cough up a large amount of blood, barely holding the young woman's heavy body that insisted on sinking back to the bottom.
Several hands sprouted from the wooden columns, grabbing the hero by the shirt and the half-submerged damsel returning them to the pier.
A large fountain of water erupted from the captain's mouth."Thank you Zombie"
"YOUNG LUFFY, PLEASE DON'T CALL ME ZOMBIE."
"Are you all right?" asked the navigator, observing how the weak blond kept spurting blood from his mouth.
"A DOCTOR! WE NEED A DOCTOR!"
"That's you Chopper." Robin spoke softly.
"THAT WONT BE NECESSARY..." He said wiping his mouth; signaling the small reindeer to stop.
The captain's complaints continued all the way back until they noticed their ship standing out from the rest.
"Let's go Nami, let's go explore the city."
"Stop it, I need to study the files so we don't go blank, the world has changed, we can't just navigate out aimlessly."
"I KNOW WHERE WE NEED TO GO, BUT..." He came to a halt as the navigator requested silence.
"We know which location we need to investigate, but not the exact point... Or do you know exactly where to go?"
"NO..." He answered apologetically.
"The files you provided us are just approximations, yet they are not concise... Since there are no records of where we are heading, we should learn about the present before venturing forth..." Robin explained why they couldn't just sail away so easily. "Perhaps if we can identify the traces of the past with her research, we could relate it to the journey we have so far, that way it would be easier to understand the triangle of death."
The captain pouted at the brilliant archaeologist as everyone else nodded in agreement with her.
"So if we're staying a little while longer… We can go explore!" He exclaimed enthusiastically, being heard by his comrades in the Sunny.
"Ah guys, they're here already!" The long-nosed peeked overboard, dropping the ladders for them to climb up.
"Usopp! Let's go for a stroll around the city"
"WAIT, DON'T! IT'S RISKY FOR YOU TO GO OUT... WITH ALL DUE RESPECT, YOU'RE VERY RECKLESS AND CAN GET EASILY INTO TROUBLE!"
"We'll be careful."
"I agree with him." Nami said as she boarded the ship, accompanied by Chopper and Robin."
"Wait Nami!"
"Remember what we say Luffy. Nobody knows us here; we can move as civilians."
"But you're the one who got into trouble..." Usopp remarked to Nami.
"That's why... Imagine how much trouble this idiot is going to cause if we let him walk around alone!"
"Everyoooooneeeee, we're back" The reindeer chirped happily as everyone boarded.
"Everything all right?" Asked Jinbei to the hero who was a little anxious.
"YES... EVERYTHING WENT WELL." He sounded exhausted. Making jinbei confuse by his expression compared to his answer.
"Hey guys, let's explore the island together!" Luffy said, disregarding all the justifications given to him.
As the captain refused to listen, the hero just ducked his head, reminding him of his own stubbornness.
"YOUNG LUFFY, IF ALL GOES WELL, YOU CAN EXPLORE AS MUCH AS YOU LIKE ONCE WE RETURN… I WILL TAKE YOU ANYWHERE YOU WISH."
"IT'S LESS LIKELY TO GET INTO TROUBLE IF I GO WITH HIM!"
"Thank you, old man!" said Usopp
"But it's still a long way off." Luffy grumbled once more.
"The sooner we leave, the sooner we'll return," The musician stated.
"NAAAAMIIIIII HURRY UP!"
"DON'T RUSH ME!" She yelled, striking him.
At the sight of the scene, a drop slid down the hero's hair. "THEY HAVE NO RESPECT TOWARDS THE CAPTAIN"
"YOU ARE INCORRIGIBLE," she exclaimed angrily after losing her patience, while the rest of the crew showed interest.
"I'm curious about the music of this time."
"The food and the women" The chef began smoking hearts off his cigarette.
"What kind of brave heroes will inhabit the city" Usopp was enthusiastic.
"All of the technology... That vehicle Aru Maito has..." He started forming circles with his arms. "SUUUUUPEEEER." He wound up striking his forearms.
"I AM THE CAPTAIN AND I ORDER THAT WE ALL GO EXPLORE!"
"Enough! This island is not like the others. Everything is different, not just in culture and technology."
"Namiii… That's exactly why…."
"No."
"I agree with Nami. Luffy, I don't normally contradict your orders, but we need to understand a little more of this weather before we disembark." Robin was trying to talk some sense into his captain.
"You should thank Mr. Yagi for allowing us to get to know the place a little before we departed," Brook remarked.
"It wasn't enough." He kicked in frustration after not getting his way.
"MANY STORES AND ATTRACTIONS CLOSE AFTER TEN O'CLOCK, INCLUDING THE AMUSEMENT PARK... IF YOU DECIDE TO GO OUT AND HAVE SOME FUN BEFORE LEAVING, YOU'D NEED TO WAIT TILL TOMORROW."
"Ouk!"
"What a quick change of opinion!" The crew reacted to their captain's sudden realization.
The pirates were about to resume their chores when All Might made a remark, pausing them briefly before they continued.
"TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THE FACT THAT EVERYONES GATHERED," The pirates looked puzzled at what Toshinori was about to say.
"FOR THE WELFARE AND PEACE OF EVERYONE, IT WILL BE BETTER THAT, WHILE YOU ARE HERE TO FOLLOW MY TERMS... THAT WAY YOU WILL BE ABLE TO COEXIST WITH THE CIVILIANS AND AVOID PROBLEMS WITH THE HEROES."
"Your terms..." Franky questioned as he raised his sunglasses to take in his wondering face. "Which are?"
"FIRST. NO USE OF WEAPONS OR ABILITIES; IT IS STRICTLY FORBIDDEN" He spoke while glancing at Luffy and Robin before pointing the swordsman's katanas. "DO NOT START, CONTINUE OR FINISH FIGHTS." He focused his attention on the cook and the swordsman. "DO NOT SPLIT FROM THE GROUP!" He fixed his entire attention on Zoro.
"Zoro, stop getting into trouble... All of his terms are because of you." Usopp claimed with a drop of sweat running down his cap.
"TCH! You..." He clicked his tongue, irritated.
"YOU'RE JUST CITIZENS, SO DON'T DRAW TOO MUCH ATTENTION TO YOURSELVES." He said with his attention towards Luffy "AND YOU CAN'T GO WITHOUT MY SUPERVISION."
"What?! Why?"
"THAT WAY I CAN HANDLE NEGOTIATING WITH THE POLICE IN THE CASE SOMETHING HAPPENS."
"And what happens if we don't follow your terms?" Zoro asked
"THE HERO AGENCIES WILL COME AFTER YOU AND I WON'T BE ABLE TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. THE NEWS WILL SPREAD WORLDWIDE AND YOU WILL BE DENIED ALL KIND OF SERVICES... AS CRIMINALS YOU WILL HAVE TO LIVE IN THE SHADOWS."
"Does that mean we won't be able to go to the amusement park?"
"NOWHERE, INCLUDING THE AMUSEMENT PARK."
"YOSH! You heard him, stay out of trouble!"
"THAT GOES FOR YOU!" Everyone yelled in unison with their teeth all sharp.
The crew agreed to the simple rules. Basically, they were just supposed to go out together and act normally. The navigator and shooter were most thrilled about the terms since they could now go out and have fun without worrying about being pursued.
After the announcement most of them retired to rest, eager for the following day. The chivalrous cook prepared a pot of coffee for his dear nakamas who would spend the night studying the most important information about the world's geography and its history. While the little reindeer took both guests to the infirmary to evaluate their health.
Compared to the other rooms, the Sunny's infirmary was modest; it only had one bed and the doctor's favorite swivel chair, but both were currently occupied by the temporary guests.
The retiree, whose clothes had been torn by his brief transformation, was patiently observing the tiny doctor, while insiting that there was not necessary to check him as he pointed the woman's body that laid on the bed with her body and face completely covered by bandages except for her nostrils.
"Sorry, but that much blood being expelled is abnormal. As soon as I finish your examination, I will continue with... What is her name?"
"ORACLE IS FINE, WE DON'T KNOW HER NAME." The hero answered after remembering how she always changed her identity in order not to be recognized due to her knowledge.
"You don't know her name? I see… You must have met recently... I'm glad you help anyone needs it regardless of who they are. Just like us." With a sincere smile, said the joyful gullible doctor.
Chopper lifted the robe that covered the girl's body in order to remove some of the bandages, finally managing to use his stethoscope directly on her skin, focusing intently on the barely discernible sounds he could hear in the ordinary human ear was incapable of hearing her organs' micro motions, revealing how the woman's life refused to vanish.
He hung a bag of serum for intravenous infusion from a hook to hydrate and nourish his patient's body, allowing her to remain in that state for longer.
"DOCTOR CHOPPER, I NEED TO TELL YOU... THERE IS A REASON WHY SHE DON'T WANT US TO GIVE HER MEDICAL ATTENTION... SHE HASN'T TOLD US ANYTHING ABOUT IT, BUT WE BELIEVE THAT SOMETHING DANGEROUS RESIDES INSIDE HER." The reindeer listened intently to the hero's remarks, yet he did not hesitate to leave her side, even after considering the possible consequences.
"I will take the risk for her well-being. If eight hours have passed and her body remains in this perfect state of preservation, it means that she is stabilized, and we only have to worry about nourishing and hydrating her with serum and medicine for a few more days." He stated taking the remaining medical equipment to proceed with the cannulation procedure.
From among his things, Chopper took the needle with the guide unsuccessfully trying to insert in her hand leaving him a little confused, having no choice but to apply a little more force than necessary, and yet the needle still did not pass through the dermis.
"It must be defective." He examined it carefully, noting that the tip had broken... yet his subsequent tries with different needles yielded the same outcome.
"Weird, her epidermis can be pierced, but I can't pierce her dermis."
"SO IT WON'T BE POSSIBLE USING THAT METHOD? WE COULD TRY A NASOGASTRIC TUBE."
"No, her stomach lacks the strength to function on its own... I'll try another method." He returned to his tool box and took a case containing various scalpels.
Chopper disinfected his hoof to make an incision so he could take a closer look at what was happening to under her skin. He firmly grasped the blade which was cutting a narrow line.
All Might's skin bristled, he could feel every hair on his body warning him of a threat and a feeling of nausea appeared without warning in his throat.
Ther hero didn't ignore the warnings that infused his instinct, covering the doctor with his arms and dropping onto his back to get him away from the patient at the same time as the cut manifested ash solidifying into four thin spikes that pierced everything in front of them.
"GYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!" Chopper yelled as he saw one of the spikes pierce his cap, which would have pierced between the eyes if it hadn't been pulled back.
The door of the infirmary kick-opened by the swordsman, who wielded two katanas. Despite the fact that everything had transpired in the flash of an eye, the green-haired always acted as a protector of his nakamas, particularly the small reindeer whom he considered as a younger brother. The hostile aura emanating from the corpse had prompted him to approach the infirmary as a precaution.
"CHOPPER! ARE YOU ALL RIGHT?" He called worriedly, seeing the reindeer lying on the ground with teary eyes protected by the blond, to then redirect his attention wielding his katanas to the long barbs that disintegrated, losing their physical form and returned to the cut, sealing it with a light black crust.
"What...? What happened?" Chopper asked nervously.
"NEZU WAS RIGHT. SOMETHING LIVES INSIDE… THAT'S WHY SHE REFUSED TO BE TREATED... ANY MEDICAL INTERVENTION COULD COST THE LIFE OF WHOEVER HELPS HER."
"What the hell was that?" Zoro sheathed one of his katanas and approached the afflicted area, noticing how everything in its path was pierced, including wood, glass, and even metal.
"THE BODY FOUGHT BACK." The swordsman raised an eyebrow at his answer.
"It may be impossible to treat her without being attacked by whatever is inside." Chopper removed the arms that had been covering him in order to inspect the damaged materials.
"What was that thing?"
"WE DON'T KNOW YET." Confessed the blond still on the ground, being observed by Zoro.
"Chopper... Treat his wound." He said while pointing to the hero, whose clothing was ripped and stained with blood.
"All Might you're wounded!"
While Yagi covered the reindeer body, one of the spikes managed to pierce part of his arm and torso, creating deep but not fatal wounds.
Zoro remained in the room alertly leaning against the wooden wall in case the young woman's corpse "defended" again, meanwhile Chopper pulled Toshinori's shirt to assess the severity of the puncture, but something caught his attention more than the wound itself.
A quarter of his torso bore a hideous scar in which the history of all the surgical interventions could be seen by the number of sutures surrounding what looked like a trace of impalement.
"What? What happened to you?" Chopper inquired hesitantly, watching his skin tone change color owing to hypertrophic scars.
All Might was worried by the pair's reaction, the reindeer was apprehensive and the swordsman appeared mildly curious. The blond cast a sidelong glance at the scar that reminded him of the battle that had stopped him from ever helping again, Yagi runed his hand over it, squeezing it with a bit of grief.
"FIVE YEARS AGO, A VILLAIN INFLICTED THIS WOUND ON ME. RESULTING IN THE SEMI-DESTRUCTION OF MY RESPIRATORY SYSTEM AND THE EXTIPATION OF MY STOMACH," the hero explained, running his hands over his tousled locks to reveal his face completely. "MY HAGGARD FACE IS THE RESULT OF THE SIDE EFFECTS OF ALL THE SURGERIES I HAVE UNDERGONE."
"Who would have thought... You're a tough old man despite your looks." Zoro seems to have finally shown some respect towards the hero.
"So, you don't have a stomach and a lung? It's a miracle you can go on living like this." The doctor analyzed the old scar. "Do you still fight?"
"MY BODY CAN'T TAKE IT ANYMORE, THAT'S WHY I RETIRED A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO."
"WAIT! YOU WERE STILL FIGHTING RECENTLY?" Yagi just nodded as the reindeer asked astonished.
"To share that in front of your enemies when you are unable to fight is not a wise thing to do." the swordsman made a serious observation.
"SORRY BUT, DO WE CONSIDER EACH OTHER ENEMIES? BECAUSE I DON'T" he stated calmly.
Zoro did nothing but raise an eyebrow and exhale tiredly before walking away.
"There's no turning back now." He closed the door and left the medical area, leaving the doctor alone with his patients.
"WHAT DID HE MEAN BY THAT?" Chopper just smiled adorably at him.
"You're one of us."
"WHAT?! NO!" Tony finished his examination, leaving his stethoscope on the table next to the hero.
"As long as you are with us, we are nakamas." He said with a wide smile.
"HUH?!"
Chopper continued to make a brief report on his discoveries on Yagi's body in attempt to find a treatment.
"Since just half of your respiratory organ is working, your remaining lung is doing all of the work... Your body cannot withstand the strain you place on it..." The doctor moved to the opposite side of the room, inspired in quest of the substances which he used in the Rumble Balls.
"THANK YOU FOR YOUR GOOD INTENTIONS DOCTOR, BUT NOT MUCH CAN BE DONE." SEVERAL DOCTORS HAVE TRIED TO REPLACE ORGANS OR PLACE ARTIFICIAL ONES, BUT DUE TO MY CONDITION, THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS PROCEDURE."
"We can work on stamina and strengthen your lung so that it works as if you had both." Chopper said as he sank into his belongings, only seeing his tiny legs move about in his deep box.
"REALLY?! THAT'S AMAZING, DOCTOR CHOPPER!"
"What do you say? Idiot hahahah don't think you flatter me with your stupid words hehe~"
"HE DOESN'T KNOW HOW TO CONTAIN HIS EMOTIONS." He thought to himself as he saw the little reindeer dancing and clapping his hands blushing at his flattery. Toshinori could help but gave him a big smile at his joy.
All the lights in the library were on, focusing on the huge pile of books that seemed to go on forever.
Since Robin's desk was full, they had to use a section of Nami's mapping table. It would be impossible to study that much material in a single night, but both women separated the themes by history and geography to make it easier, discussing at the end of each reading to complement each other.
"Robin… Is Iceland's Heimaey Island referenced in any of your books?"
"No." Nami handed her the logbook she was holding, showing her a picture of a massive rocky island elephant-shaped, with vegetation solely on its back, which piqued the archeologist's interest in discovering another tie between the past and the present.
"Zunisha... His body seemed to have been petrified... might he have been affected by the minerals that covered his body till he became petrified on his lengthy voyage, or might his remains have been buried by volcanic material?"
"I need to learn more about Iceland to comprehend what happened to Zou, but it's possible that it happened thousands of years ago and that the climatic and geographical conditions have changed since then… Then the current information would be obsolete."
"Nami... "She called out to her friend, who turned to look at some images of ancient ruins.
"It can't be! Those are… The ruins of Skypiea! Shandora! what are they doing far from the sky?" The images of ancient Mesoamerican civilizations startled the navigator.
"It seems that somehow they fell between Mexico and Guatemala, causing a new culture to develop, taking their temples and architecture as a reference."
"The Skypieans must have perished during the fall..." Robin came to an end. "That would explain why their civilization don't have wings." explained, looking at the representative drawings.
"And there are still more." She mentioned flipping through another book with pictures of Egypt's pyramids, leaving Nami motionless as she read about the civilization.
"Alabasta"
"Some parts still have historical relics from our era... Others just replicated their architecture." She handed him a book, in which she recognized several locations from their adventures.
"Japan has similar architecture to Wano, where we are at the moment is the city that is usually more modern, but it seems that the rural areas are very similar to Wano." The archaeologist continued explaining while Nami retrieved a book off her table with photos of the world, seeking for ones that seemed similar to their travels.
"The architecture of Dessrosa feels like that of Spain and Italy, the news photos from Amazon Lily are reminiscent of Chinese architecture, and Water seven is comparable to Venice... But there are still some I don't recognize." Nami said in awe as she spotted the parallels while swiftly turning the pages.
"The history written on these books... They don't mention anything about what happened in our Era." Robin said after finishing the three volumes on humanity's transcendence.
"So was All Might telling the truth?" Nami slumped on her seat, still taken in by everything.
"You'll have to stop taking advantage of him," Robin chuckled.
"I just wanted to play along to get his protection from the heroes... But they truly did erased history."
The archaeologist was silent for a few moments wandering in her thoughts. "I was thinking..."
"Huh?"
"If he knows about it... It means they're looking for him as well." She made an uneasy remark.
"It appears that he hasn't said anything. Someone so important will not be slain, that's why they prefer to wipe his memory. He'll be safe as long as he doesn't confess that he knows."
"You are correct... I suppose the resemblance bothered me a little." Robin rested her hand on her forehead, calming down a little.
"Robin..." The navigator became concerned that her nakama was recalling her lonely life of pursuit; Nami got up from her seat and placed a blanket on Robin shoulders. "I think you'd better get some rest."
"Thank you, I'm fine." She thanked her sincerely as she took up a big book containing a lot of post-its inside.
The archaeologist opened the book of Greek mythology and discovered various notes from the unconscious woman that quoted more book pages and summarized everything on her untitled logbooks.
"Fufufu, I think I found something interesting"
"What did you find Robin?" The orange-haired girl asked, seeing how Robin continued reading the sections with great fascination.
"It appears that the Poneglyphs are tied to this period's old mythology... That's why I didn't comprehend them. I won't be able to fully understand them until I grasp the history of ancient civilizations and their mythology."
The snoring did not stop rumbling in the boys' room, the swordsman slept high up away from the rest, on the other hand the girls did not take a break continuing with their research as well as the doctor who did not plan to sleep until he found a drug that could help the hero.
All Might did not feel ready to rest with the others; despite staying with the crew, he did not feel at ease with some of them... It didn't seem normal to him that a group of criminals would be so tolerant and kind; he couldn't leave them alone in case it was all a ruse. It's possible that if he retreated, they'd leave, taking the young woman with them during the escape.
Toshinori looked for a place to rest, lying on the grass for a while until curiosity led him to a room he had not previously visited.
Upon opening the door, he spotted a large, somewhat gloomy room, so he turned on the lights, exposing a large living room with a seat that went in a half circle practically from end to end, and an attractive aquarium displaying a variety of marine species behind it. He marveled at the corals and sea urchins he had not seen before, but the fish were missing, remembering how they complained about the lack of food.
Yagi sat for a few seconds on the cozy sofa before falling fast asleep; As soon as he opened his eyes, he realized that the lights had been switched off and that the room was now lit only by the surrounding windows.
The hero went out of the room seeing how the first rays of the sun could barely be seen peeking through the city; once out on the deck he was accompanied by the small group of pirates who watched for the first time how the pink sky was reflected in the large number of buildings covered by glass.
"EVERYONE IS HERE," Yagi thought as he realized that the crew could have gone out to investigate the city after he fell asleep, but it seemed that everyone kept their promise.
"Oi Zombi, are you going to take us to the city?" said the straw hat boy cheerfully, being accompanied by the sniper.
"I ALWAYS KEEP MY WORD YOUNG LUFFY."
"YA-TAAAA!"
"I'm sorry, but there will have to be another time... We'll have to get out of here as soon as possible." Nami said, halting both by placing her palm in front of them.
"WHAT? OI NAMI! WE AGREED THAT WE WOULD GO OUT IN THE MORNING!"
"THAT'S RIGHT, I PROMISED YOUR CREW THAT I WOULD TAKE THEM TO THE AMUSEMENT PARK."
"As tempting as that is, it will have to wait." Said Chopper all serious.
"Chopper, you too?" Usopp joined in.
"We talked last night and came to the conclusion that we couldn't afford to waste any time. All Might, if we get to where you think there might be answers and we can't find anything, we'll have to investigate other search alternatives." Said the navigator inducing sense to the hero who got carried away to keep his allies happy.
"Remember that we can't feed or hydrate the Oracle's body so we don't have a definite time, it could last a week or less, it all depends on the lifestyle she had before she was comatose... We have until then to find answers on how to wake her up... Losing a day of travel could cost her life." said the reindeer under pressure.
After listening to his Nakamas Luffy did nothing but remain with a blank stare, he really wanted to stroll around the city of a world belonging to the future, but that could cost someone life, so he only agreed without fighting to their plans.
After a few moments of seriousness, the captain smiled.
"Yosh! Omaera Let's go!"
"Wait Luffy, before leaving I have to ask All Might a few questions since he's awake."
"Huh!? Didn't we have to leave as soon as possible?"
"Yes, but I need to know some details before leaving... It'll be quick." Luffy looked at them with a pout.
"HE DOESN'T LOOK HAPPY"
"Don't make a big deal out of it... He can be quite childish at times."
"HERE YOUNG LUFFY, YOU CAN ENTERTAIN YOURSELF WITH THIS WHILE WE GET ARRANGED." He attempted to divert the pirate's attention by offering him his cellphone. "IT HAS A COUPLE OF GAMES THAT I DON'T USE, THEY ARE VERY SIMPLE, IT'S JUST A MATTER OF ALIGNING FIGURES." He explained, swiping his finger to align shapes, making them disappear and awarding him with few points.
"OOOOH SUGOOOOII!"
"Luffy let me see," the pervert approached curiously.
"Heh. No." He replied with a big smirk.
"What do you mean, no? Let me borrow it!" the cyborg insisted.
"No!"
The captain grabbed the phone with both hands and overheated it with a series of fast finger motions, causing it to explode in his hands right front of everyone's eyes, leaving Luffy and Franky with burnt faces and disheveled hair.
"Ah. A bomb..." The blue-haired man reacted goofily and emotionless.
"IT WAS A TRAP! I KNEW IT!" shrieked the shooter.
"HOW COULD IT OVERHEAT SO FAST?!"
"AAAAH YOU LIED US!" cried the teary-eyed reindeer.
The hero was worried that what just happened would turn him into their enemy, but the rest of his nakamas seemed relaxed, as if it wasn't something out of the ordinary.
The rest stood there indifferently watching what transpired; Most of the crew noted during their trip at the mall, that everyone was holding similar devices, knowing how reckless their leader had been.
"Sorry... Luffy san can be a bit careless." The skeleton apologized in behalf of his captain.
"IT WASN'T HIS FAULT... I MUST STOP GIVING ELECTRONIC DEVICES TO PEOPLE FROM THE PAST" He let out a sigh raising his open palms above his shoulders. "I'LL GET ANOTHER ONE LATER."
"YOUNG LUFFY, I PROMISE YOU IT WILL BE WORTH THE WAIT WHEN THIS IS OVER; YOU CAN VISIT WHATEVER YOU LIKE, I'LL TAKE CARE OF THE EXPENSES," he said as he left with Nami, concerned about his wallet.
"Really? Thank you Zombie"
"All right, listen up. I am the captain and I order to head out towards the death triangle."
"THE TRIANGLE OF WHAT?" Usopp horrified yelled out in dismay.
"Ah... How nostalgic," said Brook, pouring himself some coffee.
The monster trio became immediately interested in their surroundings, noticing several "voices" in the distance heading in their direction.
All Might couldn't yet hear the faint voices, but he could sense the pirates' changing intentions, drawing his attention enough to come out of the library to see them looking at a specific point, prompting him to turn curiously to the same direction and see some patrols led by a couple of black cars.
"TSUKAUCHI..."
"Bless you"
"THAT WASN'T A SNEEZE!" He yelled frustrated, taking his time to restore his calm. "THE POLICE ARE COMING FOR YOU. DID SOMEONE DID SOMETHING WHILE WE WERE SLEEPING?"
"No. Robin and I stayed up all night while the rest you you slept."
"THEN, THE NEWS MUST HAVE SPREAD."
"What news? We didn't do anything wrong!" Usopp demanded.
"YOU SLASHED A SHIP IN HALF AND HUNTED ENDANGERED SPECIES..."
"They started it." Zoro answered.
"FISHING IS ILLEGAL TOO?" The cook was offended.
"Nothing is allowed here," Franky sighed.
"Yosh, weigh anchor! We're leaving," Luffy ordered, running to the Sunny's head and settling into position to admire the sea.
"Are we really going to escape?" Zoro complained, heading to cast off.
"Just like old times." Said Usopp smiling.
"Shishishi"
"Why don't we just knock them out?" Franky protested.
"Mr. All Might's terms... We agreed not to fight." Jinbei stated, ending the discussion.
The beginning of the weekend could be felt at Heights Alliance dormitories, where students roamed around the main hall still in their pajamas because, as a precaution, they were instructed not to leave the school independently until further notice, postponing their weekly family visit.
The girls were getting out of a refreshing bath thinking about how they would spend the weekend with their classmates, while the boys were changing through channels looking for an interesting program or movie, until they came across what appeared to be a night time recording of a shipwreck.
"Is that Titanic? I love that movie, it's so sad and romantic."
"Mina... It's not romantic, it's just the adventure between a hot couple in an accident." Sero made a remark, drawing the attention of his small friend, who felt his ears burn as he heard that description.
"We have to watch it!" Said Mineta with bulging eyes, blowing steam out of his nose.
"It's not a movie... Take a good look." Todoroki pointed out.
Watching again they noticed the news strip at the bottom of the screen. "Shipwrecked conservationists rescued".
"Ah, stop that channel!" Requested Koda, who was still keeping an eye on the whale poaching case.
"See, Koda, we told you they'd find them, and it looks like they're fine." Ochako reassured his classmate, watching on the television as the coast guard was in charge of assisting the three groups on inflatable boats.
"The rescue team found the crew members of the Shepheard and OceanicLife starving and dehydrated adrift after their disappearance 21 hours ago."
The camera angle changed to present the Shepheard's captain covered with a blanket giving his testimony.
"It all happened so fast. Not long after we discovered a freshly butchered whale carcass, we came upon the culprit's ship... A huge bizarre ship with skulls painted on its sail... We warned them to stop, but they didn't, so we proceeded to attack... Everything happened so fast... From one moment to the next, our ship had been cut in half..."
As he resumed his narrative, the shot changed to show images of the special war battleship with a longitudinal cut exactly down the center showing its insides, while the reporters explored the possible quirks capable of performing such a calamity.
"Unpublished footage reveals it was a pirate attack," the anchorman concluded, before showing the video acquired by the Shepheard's security cameras, which had recently been retrieved from the wreck.
The footage revealed the attack with the sun at its peak, with a corner angle filming of the Shepheard's weapons bearing down on the other ship. The constant barrage of bullets darkned the target, until the ship's machine gun ran out of ammunition, allowing for a clear image.
The rear of a large ship with brightly colored sails could be seen in the distance. A closer look at the video showed a chubby young man in a red shirt and straw-hat redirecting bullets with his stomach, jumping excitedly on what appeared to be a gigantic cannon waving his hands non stop with a big bright smile despite being attacked. A sexy orange-haired girl joined by a stout blue-haired man and a green-haired young man appeared behind the cheerful boy.
The big man looked excitedly at the camera admiring the weaponry, while the green-haired one wearing a long red coat with a hamaraki that matched his hair went up to their cannon next to the energetic kid, pulling him back to give him space.
The sound of reloading machine guns bursted from the tv speakers as the angle of the camera shifted slightly, centering the target and framing in its center the green-haired man who unsheathed one of his swords, taking it with both hands and slashing the air with a strong move.
The slice cut everything in its path, including the water. Eventually coming into touch with the vessel and severing it in half along a large longitudinal slit.
With both sides falling in opposite directions, the attack created a slight shock wave that sent the crew flying, making the camera submerged along with the ship, leading to the end of the footage.
The news astonished the students, who left the room completely silent, only to be interrupted by the presenter beginning with another interview.
After viewing the news and recognizing two of the faces on the screen: the curious young man in the straw hat and the demanding orange-haired navigator, the principal was transfixed in his office. He couldn't help but remember how the archaeologist mentioned him being Zoan or Mink.
"There is no doubt about it, those four are pirates from another era and All Might knew it..." He hesitated between his thoughts, "No matter how experienced sailors they are, the fact that they are criminals with that strength can dangerous for everyone." reasoned as he saw the remaining of the sturdy ship.
"We need to bring her back, but I can't send heroes with those people; it would be a huge loss if things got out of hand, and the Minks and Fishmen who volunteered would be at risk... I'll have to talk to All Might to get him to stop cooperating with them, and then I need to figure out what to do about those villains..." Nezu thought as he dialed the hero's cell phone being sent directly to the mailbox, worrying the principal as he listened the news which continued with the interview with the dock attendant.
"I had no idea they were real pirates; I assumed they were actors on a themed ship... you know... It's uncommon to see ships like that. You can't blame me for believing that... It also doesn't help that it has such a carnivalesque design; I wouldn't believe that they were actually dangerous."
One of the detectives became concerned when he spotted the hero's car in the parking lot, but there was no trace of him and he wasn't answering his calls, so he stopped the interrogation asking for his friend.
"Oh, All Might, come to think of it, he didn't come back... The ship's captain used his elastic arms to pull him onto his ship... I felt that was odd and planned to call 911, but I decided not to because All Might said it was under control..." Himeko remained silent after his testimonty for a few seconds. "Am I in trouble?" Everyone became silent as they realized the former number one Hero gone missing.
Nezu dropped his phone as he found out why his friend wasn't answering.
"You left with them! Why do you have to be so stubborn?"
"Mr. Himeko is currently being taken to the police station for the crimes of concealment and assisted abduction."
A throng erupted from the corridor, flinging Nezu's door, who watched as the 1-A students stormed into his office, all talking at once.
The docks were cordoned off by police tape to keep curious civilians from tampering with the crime scene. Tsukauchi was in charge of mobilizing the police, while the appropriate heroes available in the region arrived for swift mobilization before the ship sailed further away.
Tsukauchi had specifically requested Endeavor, who was ideal for taking on a wooden ship due to his fire abilities and speed in the air, but he was far from the area, so he decided for his second-best option, the young hero number 7 Kamui Woods, who was always accompanied by Mt. Lady, both of whom were ready to leave, just waiting for someone to assist them in reaching the ship.
"Kamui's quirk allows him to save himself from the swordsman's slashes and reach All Might while Mt. Lady is in charge of sinking the ship... But they must act quickly... It would have been easier if Endeavor and Hawks had assisted" Due to number 2's infiltration and the absence of number 4, the investigator was forced to improvise.
The sound of the wind splitting grew closer and closer until a huge dragon descended almost touching the ground without stopping its flight, reaching both heroes. Without saying anything, the pair of heroes understood her action and climbed onto her back before reaching the end of the pier to continue their way.
The Sunny sailed away from Japan through calm waters; the warm weather and cold air blended in perfect harmony, making the crew members relaxed with the gentle swaying of the waves.
The atmosphere was enlivened by the musician who played a soothing song on his violin; The youngest members were sitting on the grass playing cards encouraging the visitor to join them, The girls were reading quietly in the upper section which was surrounded by tangerine trees being attended by the suited gentleman; the swordsman enjoyed one of his many naps in the lookout room, the carpenter continued drawings blueprints for his new inventions inspired by the city they had just left, and the helmsman was doing his job leading the ship to its destination.
Some "voices" arriving nearby disrupted the peaceful trip. interrupting the swordsman nap as he sensed enemies approaching, getting up irritated after giving a long yawn.
"We've got company," said the Fishman letting go of the helm, leaving the Sunny to continue on his own.
Both women resting peacefully basking in the sun closed their books to look with interest at the invaders in the sky.
The Sunny stopped receiving sunlight, due to a large silhouette traveling through the clouds, the figure of a dragon hiding in the clouds descended a little so that both people on their backs could have a better view of the scene.
"I see All Might! he's on deck near the main mast with three villains." Announced Kamui who was hanging from the heroine's grip. "And they are... Playing cards?" He appeared perplexed.
"He must be cooperating so that he does not get hurt or maybe is under the control of one of them."
"Kamui, take care of immobilizing those pirates and go get All Might. Once he is safe. Mt. Lady sink their ship... We have to do this fast so we can get away as soon as possible, that swordsman's Quirk could cause us problems."
"You heard Kamui... Be careful with the green-haired guy, remember that he can attack from a distance." The ashen-haired girl repeated worried about her friend.
"Yes, I know..."
The wood hero let go of Ryukyu's claw falling with his arms to the sides to get more speed towards where the perpetrators were. From his left arm grew branches grabbing the mast while with his right he created a wooden cage that he could control at will trying to trap the pirates.
The captain and the hero dodged it with ease, while the sniper and doctor barely managed to free themselves by jumping out of it at the last moment.
"SUGOOOOOOOOI" He screamed with stars for eyes as Franky's eyes lit up as he watched Kamui create wood at will.
"WAIT KAMUI, RYUKYU, DON'T ATTACK!" Toshinori called out to them alarmed.
The wooden hero unconsciously began to fall, realizing that the arm holding on to the mast had been cut off. In the blink of an eye, both arms ceased to connect with his body, being amputated by the swordsman who looked at him indifferently from the moorings.
"Damn, I got distracted!"
"KAMUI!" Mt. Lady screamed out to him, calming down a little as she observed how he regenerated his arms with more wood to hold on to the mast again, carefully studying his surroundings, noticing how the only one who had any intention of fighting was the swordsman.
Franky seized the wood that was lying on the grass and analyzed the betas and resistance before a huge smile appeared on his face.
"ZORO! CUT THEM INTO PLANKS! THIS WOOD HAS SUUUUUPPEEER QUALITY!"
"STOP! AVOID CONFRONTATION, REMEMBER THE TERMS YOU AGREED UPON!"
"Hehehehe... Zombie." The captain brought the hat hanging on his back to his head, causing its shade to fall across his face.
"AT THE SEA, YOU ARE UNDER OUR TERMS!" He finished his words by pounding his fists with a determined smile directed towards the heroes.
