Hey guys! Crescent Rider here and I am back with another chapter!
But before you all begin, there is something I'd like to tell you. As I will include the anime episode, I won't have the part that involved an old pirate captain who once faced Roger.
Because I consider that part to be a filler. But to make it up, I just might include the first episode of the series in the next chapter.
That is all I have to say, and enjoy the chapter!
Edge Town
The four were at it again...
As Sabo acted as bait for the ruffians, Ace, and Nadia jumps in and take on the ruffians by surprise while Luffy acted as their rope as they swung into action before dropping in join the fight.
Ace and Sabo would clash with their long pipes on hand, Luffy getting punched in the face before he could give out an attack, and Nadia handling the rest with evasion and swift strikes.
In fact, she once swept her leg against the ruffian's foot to force him to lose balance and a clone emerged from her shadow to finish him off with a punch to the face before submerging back into her body.
After the ruffians were beaten, they soon hear the sound of whistles from Edge Town authorities.
"Oh, now you show up," Ace remarked, "Come on, Luffy,"
With Luffy's face still caved in from the punch earlier, Nadia decided to throw him on the other side of the wall. Afterward, she jumps onto the crate and vaults over the wall before joining up with the three as they make their escape from Edge Town.
Once they were clear, they made their way to a small hill. Farthest from the Goa Kingdom.
"Let's try to get a deer for dinner!" Sabo proposed,
"Sweet!" Luffy said enthusiastically, "Well what are we waiting for?! Let's go hunting!"
As Luffy runs ahead, the three try to catch up to him, "Luffy, Wait up!"
Dadan Family Den
As the night rolled around, the four were hauling a deer they'd caught in the forest.
"Dadan, we're home!" Luffy called out,
"Don't bother coming back next time, you damn brats!" Dadan warned though it was primarily directed at the three boys as she doesn't hate Nadia,
However, the three boys then proceed to throw the deer onto Dadan's face, and she groans in response to the impact.
"We've brought back dinner," Sabo said,
"You better start cooking it now though," Ace followed,
"Uh huh, Cuz I'm super hungry!" Luffy finished as Dadan finally falls on the floor with the deer on her face,
As for Nadia, she just stopped near Dadan and then made a close-eyed smile, "Can I help you with the cooking, Dadan?"
"Sure, whatever," Dadan muffling said,
She and Dadan took the deer to the kitchen and proceeded with the preparations. Apparently, Nadia was picking up some skills when it came to a knife. She was slicing the meat to certain proportions and the bones were properly removed.
As for the rest, Dadan was the one who handled it all as she cooked the meat over a large fire and served it on a large tray. But as does that, Nadia took it upon herself to collect some of her shares as serving this to everyone will result in a huge mess.
And that it did as Ace, Luffy, Sabo, and the other mountain bandits hungrily lunge at the meal and started grabbing and munching on their meat as if they were a pack of hungry dogs. They would shove each other, throw each other further away from the pile of meat, and pieces of meat and glassware flying indiscriminately.
Nadia and Dadan were together as the men ate dinner, though the latter soon gets hit by a slice of meat on each side of her head, and a small bowl shattered onto her face. This sets her off and yells out, "Don't waste food!"
Then without warning, Luffy chomps onto the back of Dadan's head and causes her to run in around as she panicked, "He's gonna eat me!"
As for what Nadia was doing, she was eating all on her own in the chaos but that didn't exclude her from the chaos soon as she noticed someone trying to get her meal out of her plate. Though she catches the culprit, gives an unsettling frown with her hair turning red, and sends his crashing onto a couple of friends before eating once more.
Once dinner ends, Dadan grabs the three boys and throws them into the bathroom to clean themselves up while Nadia tends to do all the cleaning from tonight's dinner. Dadan and a couple of her men join in as well, "Honestly! Why do we have to do major housecleaning every night after dinner?! I'm going to kick them out at any cost!"
As she keeps complaining, she often glances at Nadia as she was doing the cleaning alongside them, "But sometimes, I wish those brats behaved as she does,"
Sometime later, the entire room was spotless and Dadan sighed with relief as she wiped her forehead with her arm, "Now it's clean!"
Just as she said that Ace, Luffy, and Sabo enter the den and goof around once more. Luffy ends up tilting a pot filled with rice and the ashes spread all over. Making another mess in the process...
Dogra cringed at this, then turns to Dadan, "B-Boss..."
Dadan turns to him and angrily snaps the broom in two. Causing Dogra to squeak in fear, while Nadia sighed to herself, "I'll clean that up, Dadan"
After cleaning up the den once more, it was lights out and everyone went to sleep. Though the only ones to have remained awake were Ace, Luffy, and Sabo. Nadia was lying on her sleeping mat and looked somewhat asleep.
However, she remains somewhat aware as she overheard their conversation about training first before going to bed. Despite this, and the noises that followed, Nadia tossed and turned away from the noise.
That all changed when she heard the floorboards crashing and Luffy falling onto Dadan in her sleep. Ace and Sabo checked in on him, while Dadan got angry as she goes to chase Luffy for disturbing her sleep.
"Should we go to sleep?" Ace asked,
"Yeah," Sabo replied,
But before the two could do that, they suddenly felt a menacing aura from a certain part of the room and turned to see Nadia sitting up from her futon, her eyes shadowed by her bangs and the color of her hair had just turned red.
When she frowns at the two boys, both became tense especially when Nadia stood up and crackled her knuckles at the two. Before long, they were given two separate smacks on the head and both fall flat on the floor with large bumps on their heads.
"Good night," Nadia sternly said, and went to sleep afterward,
The Following Morning
Nadia joined the bandits in repairing the hole above Dadan's sleeping space by transporting the needed wood while the three boys were fast asleep on the floor with blankets over them. Once the repairs were finished, Nadia wiped the sweat off her forehead and gave a thumbs up to the mountain bandits who handled the repairs.
Then Dogra walks right in, "Hey, Nadia!"
"Yes, Dogra?" Nadia inquired,
"There's this green-haired woman and old guy looking for you and Luffy," Dogra said,
Nadia recognized the description immediately, and goes to Luffy's side, "Luffy, wake up. Makino and the Mayor have decided to visit us here,"
Luffy shot his eyes wide open, stood upstraight, and runs outside while Ace and Sabo woke up as well.
"Makino!" Luffy cheerfully greeted, her and ran up to her,
"Luffy!" Makino greeted back as she hugged Luffy back,
Nadia comes out, and bows at Makino, "It's good to see you here, Makino and Mr. Mayor,"
"You look great as well," Woop Slap commented, "I hope Luffy hasn't given you any trouble as of late,"
"I have my share of trouble. But everything seems to work out just time," Nadia responded,
"Although, I'm concerned that Garp had you two live up here with the mountain bandits," Woop Slap said,
"You got a problem with that?" Dadan questioned,
"Of course I do! Especially the mountain bandit part, you ruffian!" Woop Slap yelled,
"Wait, ruffian?! Is everybody from Foosha Village as annoying as you?!" Dadan yelled back, while Nadia just watched them,
Makino then brought up some clothes for Luffy and Nadia, and she even included Ace and Sabo after seeing them standing by the door. Sabo goes to get some adjustments on his clothes while Ace follows up afterward.
When it was his turn, she seem shy as Makino commented about him being a good boy despite his rowdy background. Luffy and Sabo laughed at him for being shy, while Nadia giggled along much to Ace's irritation.
The following night, Makino decided to treat everyone to her cooking and they all feasted on the meal as well as the drinks that were proved to them. Even Luffy seems to have behaved despite his given obsession with food.
"Aw man, I wanna eat good food like this went I'm out at sea too! Soon as I get my pirate crew together, the first thing I'll do is find the best cook in the world!" Sabo declared,
"Too bad I'm going to be a pirate and recruit the best cook before you do," Ace stated,
"Yeah, you wish! I'm going to be a pirate before either of you two!" Luffy declared while Nadia giggled at his desire,
Though all of them were confused when Dadan and the other mountain bandits spew their drinks and bulge their eyes.
"Ahem!" Ace and Luffy paled while Nadia brightens up when all three of them turn around, "You're still saying a crap like that?!"
"Grandpa!" Nadia happily called out, while Ace and Luffy followed the mountain bandits' example,
"Can't you both understand that you must become Navy soldiers?!" Garp yelled and smacked Ace and Luffy's heads, causing the two to fall on the floor with bumps on their heads, "Dadan!"
"Yes, Garp, Sir," Dadan responded, gets a smack on top of her head by Garp, and falls in between Ace and Luffy, "Why should I get hit, too?"
"You're not educating the brats well!" Garp scolded, then puts his attention on Nadia next, "How about you? Have you been behaving well?"
"I have, Grandpa," Nadia replied, "And how are you? Have you been well?"
"Never better," Garp responded and proceeds to ruffle her hair a few times,
"Wait, that old man is Garp? Didn't know Ace, Luffy, and Nadia's grandpa would be so cranky," Sabo remarked,
"Hey, Squirt. I heard you spouting that pirate crap too," Garp remarked,
"He's not a squirt! He's Sabo, we already made a promise over a cup of sake and we're gonna be pirates someday whether you like it or not!" Luffy yelled as he went between them,
"Really? Well, I'm a marine, and if you boys want to act like a bunch of criminals. Then tan your hides like a bunch of criminals!" Garp declared as he cracked his knuckles a few times,
After the three stared at Garp, they soon started screaming as Garp chased after them. Woop Slap and Makino soon leave to go back to Foosha Village and Nadia stayed inside the den to finish her meal.
By the time Garp comes back, he settles in with the food and drinks while Nadia stayed beside him.
"How did it go with them?" Nadia inquired,
"Eh, same as always," Garp remarked and bites down on a large piece of meat, "But tomorrow morning, I'm going to give those three a lot more than what I've given them now,"
"I see," Nadia replied, then recalls a certain topic in mind, "By the way, Grandpa. There's something that I've been meaning to ask you. I'll tell you once you've finished eating,"
"Sure, why not," Garp responded, and goes on to finish his fill of meat and drinks,
Afterward, everyone was asleep and both he and Nadia are the only ones to stay up awake for the night. That's when Nadia asked a certain question in mind, "Grandpa... It's about Ace,"
"Oh? what about him?" Garp inquired,
"Well... Back before Luffy wanted to be friends with Ace, he asked a certain question him," Nadia stated, "He asked if he deserved to live. What does that even mean?"
Garp was silent for a time, then sighed as if he expected this kind of question from her. That's when he went a bit serious in his expression, "Do you really want to know?"
Nadia nods with a firm look on her face, and Garp took some time to gather his thoughts together as he went and explain it all with one short sentence, "Ace is... Gold Roger's child,"
Nadia widens her eyes and lowered her jaw at the answer she received. The revelation of knowing that Ace is the son of the once great Pirate King. The man who sparked the Great Pirate Era on the day of his execution.
Garp then went on to explain the rest of the details to her. Apparently, he and Roger talked before the day of his execution. A selfish demand to a Marine Officer that Roger deemed honorable enough to take the child under his care.
Even though Garp was hesitant with such a demand, he honored Roger's last request, took Ace here in Dadan's care, and hoped that he raised him as a Marine rather than a pirate. Try as he might, Ace was dead set on becoming a pirate and not even Garp himself can stop him from doing just that.
By the end of the tale, Garp now went to sleep and Nadia grabbed her sleeping mat, blanket, and pillow to sleep next to him. Though the topic regarding Ace's origins remains fresh even as she fell asleep that night...
Darkness
Nadia soon finds herself in the same dream as before. However, the clone that she saw last time was sitting right in front of her, and a grin is seen on her face.
Nadia seemed silent, but the same can't be said for the clone as it spoke for the very first time, "Son of the Pirate King? Now that's truly something..."
Nadia frowns at the clone's words, while the latter raises her head to reveal her eyes at her, "And to think that Geezer saved him despite being a marine himself. Such irony, that is,"
"Your point being?" Nadia questioned,
"Oh, so you can hear me. And I thought you were deaf or something," The clone stated, "Or perhaps you hate me for acting this way"
"Why would I hate myself?" Nadia inquired,
"So you admit that I am one of yours," The clone said, "I'm actually grateful,"
Nadia clicks her tongue, crossed her arms, and turns away in disdain from this clone, "Why do you want to talk to me?"
"Well, I couldn't help but overheard the conversation between you and that Geezer about Ace," The clone stated, "Hence, why I wanted to talk to you,"
"Is that all? If so, then this discussion is over," Nadia declared,
The clone scoffed at this tone, "Fine if that's what you want. But before you go, you should know,"
The clone suddenly appears behind Nadia, places her hand on her shoulder, and leans right next to her ear, "I'm not the only one who knows..."
By the end of this dream, Nadia's clone disappears and the dream ends right then and there...
The Following Morning
Nadia wakes up and lets out a yawn while rubbing her eyes a few times. A while later, she noticed a folded piece of paper on her stomach and holds it in her hand.
When she unfolds it, she reads the following, "Sorry we couldn't get you to leave us, but I think you'll find us soon. In the meantime, we will stand on our own feet,"
Nadia was visibly confused by this, though she was soon started when Dadan screamed. She turns to her and finds out that the same letter was nailed for her to see.
By the time Garp wakes up, Dadan and the mountain bandits were visibly concerned as she showed the letter to him, "They left us this note. What now?"
"Ha! Those numbskulls think they're clever," Garp plainly remarked,
"That's your reaction?! They may only be children, but they made an enemy of every stinking crook in the city," Dadan stated, "I mean I don't like looking after them, but if we don't, there's no telling what could happen if someone catches them off guard,"
Garp then stands up and walks out the door.
"You're leaving already?" Nadia inquired,
"Sorry I can't stay for too long," Garp said,
"I see, then take care of yourself out there," Nadia said,
Garp ruffles her hair a bit, then goes out the door with his hands in his pockets.
"Well, My vacation is over! You gotta shape them into full-fledged Navy men by the time I get back!" Garp stated,
"Bye, Grandpa!" Nadia yelled while waving her arm at him,
"Are you gonna leave everything to me again?!" Dadan yelled,
"Huh?!" Garp turned, and Dadan's mood had a full 180 degrees as she waved at Garp with a handkerchief,
"Nothing, bye!" Dadan said, followed by fake laughter,
Once Garp was out of sight, that's when Dadan turns back to normal as she threw her handkerchief on the ground, "How can a bandit raise a Navy soldier?! That geezer doesn't know what he's saying,"
"Now, Now, Calm down. You were just saying that you wanted those brats out of the house," Magra reminded, "Don't tell me you're actually worrying about them right now,"
This earned him a kick from Dadan and Nadia silently giggled at her response.
She then enters the den and lies on the floor, "What do I care? Ha! I'll finally be able to sleep at night and come to think of it, they even left on their own, so it's all their fault. Let them get murdered out there,"
Nadia just stared at Dadan, then shrugged her shoulders as this attitude wouldn't last for much longer.
"Do you plan on following them?" The voice inquired,
'I want to, but I won't,' Nadia glances at Dadan, and made a small smirk on her face, 'At least, not now...'
As time passed, Nadia did her chores and often remain idle in one corner of the room. Meditating as part of her training.
For she discovered that mediation has made her aware of the ability to selectively converse with her clones and discussions often last for long periods of time. Especially when there are other clones that have yet to manifest within her.
By the time she finishes, she noticed that it was raining outside, and a part of her is saying she's worried about them. The same can be said for Dadan as she ordered her bandits to find them.
Rather than join in on the search, Nadia chose not to as she wanted to see how Dadan worried will be when it comes to those three boys as well as train her Devil Fruit Powers.
Thus, it began. Nadia completes her chores day after day and glances at Dadan who patiently waits for the boys' return. Every time she glances at her, Nadia smiles and cleans up the cigarettes that keep piling up from Dadan's side.
In the morning, afternoon, and evening, Dadan would wait for the boys' return, the bandits often get themselves into trouble with the wildlife of the forest, and Nadia continues to train her Devil Fruit with constant chore work, physical training, and meditation.
By that time, Two weeks have passed and Dadan was actually worried that the boys have died from a predator lurking within the woods. Though her concerns were put to ease when Dogra and Magra returned and told her of their current whereabouts.
Apparently, the three had set up a hideout at some huge tree in the forest. With that, Dadan was immediately relieved from her worries, though she attempts to hide them under a tough exterior. But the bandits beg to differ as they snickered at her.
After she drove them off, Nadia kept this information to herself. But she plans on visiting those three should she feel like it. But as for today, she decided to stay with the Dadan Family rather than find them since they'll be fine on their own.
Before she went to sleep that night, she noticed that Dadan was walking into the den clutching onto her stomach and all bruised up from something that hit her. She was quietly ranting about the boys, but Nadia giggled as she went to sleep afterward.
The Following Day
After today's chores, Nadia decided to go out into the woods to find the three. But after recalling Dogra and Magra's mentioning a hideout, Nadia decided to play a little game with them.
Upon spotting said hideout in the distance, she goes on top of a branch and investigated the place to see if they were there. Apparently, they were not and that's when Nadia decided to hide at a certain location and waited for their return.
It would go on for a couple of hours, but being quiet meant that she could hear faint noises in the forest. That's when she heard the rustling of leaves and checked what it was by peeking an eye out.
There she saw the three walking back to their hideout, and a small smirk appears on her.
"What are you think?" The voice questioned,
"Take a guess," Nadia remarked, as she glanced at the pirate flag,
The voice was silent, but its assumption was something it can't argue since she makes those decisions. Hence, it abides by her wishes and prepares for this supposed idea.
When the three boys entered their hideout, they seemed happy with today. But what they didn't expect it Nadia stands on a branch across the hideout and lets out a laugh that catches their attention.
"Greetings, Young Pirates!" Nadia greeted with her arms crossed together,
"It's Nadia!" Luffy said, and started waving at her, "Hey! Where've you been all this time? And check out our cool hideout!"
"More importantly, what is she planning on doing," Ace inquired, "She never said young pirates before,"
"If it is an answer you want, it is an answer you'll get!" Nadia snaps her fingers, and two of her clones, Honest Self and Prestigious Self, revealed themselves on two separate branches. Each of them was holding a small branch of their own,
"Oh, I get it!" Sabo understood, and held his long metal pipe at the ready, "You're here to challenge us in a battle, did you?!"
Nadia lets out a laugh, then grins at him, "You are correct, young pirate! I have come to test your might or take your treasure,"
"A challenge, huh? well," Ace gets fired up, and holds his long metal pipe as well, "I won't back down!"
"Yeah!" Luffy agreed as he raised his fists,
"Alright then," Nadia stated, and cracked her knuckles, "Here I come!"
Nadia and her clones rush in while Ace, Luffy, and Sabo prepare themselves for this bout. Once Nadia and her clones 'boarded' their hideout, they clashed with Honest Self against Sabo, Prestigious Self against Ace, and Nadia against Luffy.
Even though they pretend that it's a battle, the boys were serious about defending their hideout and the same goes for Nadia and her clones.
By the end of their 'battle', Nadia's clones merge back to Nadia after faking their 'defeat' and all four of them lie on the hideout floor laughing as they had their fun for today.
Once the laughing dies down, Ace sits up and turns to Nadia, "Say, Nadia. Why do you still live with Dadan? You could just hang around here instead of hanging around at that shabby place,"
"Let me think..." Nadia thinks about it while Luffy and Sabo stare at her,
A few moments later, she gives her immediate response to the proposal, "No thanks,"
"Eh! Why?!" Luffy asked in utter disbelief,
"Here are two reasons," Nadia stated, "First, you'll need someone to stay there and check if Garp plans on visiting and I'm up to the job. Second,"
Nadia sat up from the floor, and turns to Ace with a close eye smile, "It may be shabby, but it's still home to me,"
Ace opened his mouth for a second, then sighed as he made his own closed-eye smile.
"In that case, I won't stop you," Ace said, "In fact, I feel like Dadan would feel a bit worthless when you're not there to do her chores all the time,"
"That may look like the case in your eyes. But in mine, I can tell she's been working hard compared to mine," Nadia remarked,
The rest of the day was spent with Nadia joining the three on their mischief in Gray Terminal and Edgetown. When the sun sets, Nadia goes back to the den to rest for the day.
However, Dadan would frequently ask how they are and Nadia reassures them. Much to the teasing she gets from her men. Regardless, they were all assured of the boys' well-being.
The following days were simple as Nadia did her chores as usual, training her powers as well as her strength, and hanging out with the boys whenever she had time for such.
Regardless of how much trouble she gets, or how much time she uses. She always seemed happy...
...
...
...
Until it all came down to one certain day...
The Following Day
As Nadia finishes her chores and afternoon training. She goes to check on the boys by heading out to their hideout.
But when she arrived, she finds no one despite being aware of the fact that this time around meant that they must be somewhere else.
Hence, she decided to search for them in Gray Terminal. But in the midst of her search, she ends up running face to face with the most vicious predator of this forest.
The very same predator that unloads a certain pressure that she once felt before...
...
...
...
The Big Tiger of .
It lowly growls as soon as it set its sights on Nadia, and blinks its large hungry eyes just once as this predator found its small meal. Nadia froze on the spot, and her eyes were wide open as this predator towered before.
She didn't know what to do as this predator stared down at her, even when it raises its large paw above her...
...
...
...
But her clones say otherwise, as one of them appeared out of her shadow, and pushes Nadia away as the tiger smashed the ground hard enough to create a small crater. But unlike the three clones before, this clone had beige hair and eyes.
"Do you have a death wish or something?! Get your head together!" The clone yelled, and Nadia snaps out of her frozen state,
When they saw the tiger charging at them with ill intent, the clone merges back to Nadia's body while the latter rolls to the side before she gets hit by the tiger's massive paw.
After she picked herself up, she gazes at the tiger as it growled at her. Her body was trembling even when she tried to draw her dagger out of its sheath. In fact, it felt like she couldn't draw her blade at all.
"Hey! Calm your nerves and focus! If you don't, you're as good as dead!" The same clone yelled, and Nadia gasped just as she saw the big tiger lunge at her,
She not only manage to evade the attack, but she also made it crash into a large tree. But that didn't faze the tiger as its attack broke through the tree in its lunge and growls at Nadia after it turns its attention back to her.
Nadia was still shaking, and it goes all the way down to her feet. For once, she was actually scared as the tiger's strength was no joke. Her heart was beating like a drum and her breathing was ragged as the tiger towered before her with its hungry eyes.
She felt like she was going to die at the claws of this massive predator...
...
...
...
That is until a familiar voice spoke to her...
"So, you plan to die, huh?" Nadia tensed up at this particular voice, and realizes that it was that one personality that she keeps hidden within her mind,
Though she wouldn't speak as this voice continued, "You know what, fine. Just die and be done with life. After all, you've lost so much in the past, then why keep on living in the first place, right? Though it'd be a shame that this might be our last conversation, what can you do?"
The tiger slowly approaches Nadia as the voice continued, "It's not like you've got something more important to lose than yourself, is there?"
Nadia's eyes twitched as she recalls certain parts of today's life more than the life she had in the Grand Line. She had lost everyone she had known and loved, and it struck a scar that'd possibly never fade.
But having lived on this small island, she grew fond of certain people. Garp, Dadan and her band of bands, Makino and the Mayor, and lastly, her brothers whom she grew quickly fond of in the past few months.
It had filled a whole decade of loneliness away, and the thought of losing them...
...
...
...
Was something that she wouldn't want in this life...
Hence, she steels her mind, straight her posture, and pulled her dagger from its sheath, "You're wrong,"
Nadia's hair turns bright yellow, and the same goes for her eyes. But as she held her dagger at the ready, she faces the tiger without fear in her eyes, "There's something far more important than what I've lost in the Grand Line..."
"And that is the family here," Nadia stated, and grips onto her dagger hard, "And I'd rather see them again than die here and now!"
The voice remains silent, but lets out a chuckle before fading within her mind once more, "Atta girl..."
"Come on!" Nadia yelled, and the Tiger roars back as it goes to attack her once,
She rolls to the side to dodge an attack from the first paw, then jumps back to dodge a sweep from its second paw. Thus, a window of opportunity shows itself and Nadia rushes beneath the tiger.
It tried to catch her with its jaws, but she narrowly avoids it by sliding against the ground. What follows was her picking herself up, and lunging at the back paw of the tiger with her dagger at the ready.
Without hesitation, she struck the tiger through the middle of the back paw and causes it to shriek in pain while trying to shake Nadia off. But she held onto the paw tight and lets the tiger rampage across the forest.
Breaking trees, and frightening every nearby animal it comes across. All the while Nadia repeatedly stabs certain areas where the bone isn't located.
Eventually, the tiger had enough and tries to shake her off and even kick again a few trees. This time, it successfully knocks Nadia out of its paw and she rolls against the ground before picking herself up a moment later.
The tiger glanced at its bleeding back paw and goes to gash it teeth at Nadia. But she held her ground, readied her dagger, and faced this predator once more. Even though its mobility was reduced, it did not hesitate to attack Nadia once more.
Rather than fight, Nadia gives it a chase as she navigated her way through the forest and slip through several gaps with ease. The tiger destroys every tree it runs into and chases after her despite its mobility deceased from its bleeding paw.
Their chase lasted for a few hours and Nadia had a few close calls and received a few scratches from debris that was sent her way by the tiger. But with Nadia recognizing certain landmarks in the area, she was getting close to an ideal place to defeat this predator.
Thus, she provoked the tiger was hurling words at the tiger as well as throwing rocks at its face enough to anger it even further.
Once she reached that particular location, she stops and faces the tiger with a dagger in hand. Its anger had urged the tiger to lunge at her with claws stretched out and teeth gashing at her.
Nadia narrowly avoids this and receives a scar across her right forearm from one of the claws of the tiger's thumbs. The pain was worth it at the end when the tiger failed to realize...
...
...
That it jump right off a cliff, leading straight down to the river infested with crocodiles.
As soon as it fell into the water with a splash, Nadia clutched onto her bleeding forearm and goes to overlook the river from the cliff edge. She saw the tiger attempting to leave the river, but its bleeding paw made it clear for the crocodiles to swarm around it and see it as their next meal.
They would chomp down onto the tiger as it struggled from the water, but as it keep struggling, the river was soaked in its blood and the crocodile feasted on the crocodile until the tiger's voice slowly died down as it fell deeper into the water.
Nadia just turned away from the sight and walked her way toward Gray Terminal. But having sustained a bleeding injury as well as exhausted herself from all the running. She was forced to treat herself first before anything else.
She searched for a couple of herbs that may treat her wounds, used certain leaves to make a makeshift bandage, and bite hard onto her sheath as she tightened the bandage around her arm.
Once that was done, she made her way to the hideout rather than back to the Dadan Family Den to rest. But to make things faster, she tries to summon one of her clones in action.
When Prestigious Self manifested to her call, it appears that she was going through the same experience despite having no visible wound on her right forearm. But that lasted for a while as Prestigious Self ignored it to lend her aid to Nadia.
"Where to?" Prestigious Self inquired,
"The hideout on the tall tree," Nadia instructed,
"Understood," Prestigious Self replied, and wrapped Nadia's arm around her shoulder,
As they make their way to the hideout, Nadia learned that any injuries she sustained will be shared to them as well.
ASL Hideout
Upon arrival, Prestigious Self brought Nadia inside and gently laid her down on the floor.
Having done her part, she merges back to Nadia and lets her rest of today. Even though she hasn't done any progress in her search, she chose to remain still and recover for the time being.
Though her rest lasted for a couple of hours...
...
...
...
A large source of light gleamed towards her eyes and forces her to wake up from her rest.
As she sat up, she turns toward the source of the light and rubbed her eyes a few times. Only to widen them in utter horror when the light in question was emitted by a fire in the distance.
She goes to the crow's nest and investigates the origin. There, she finds Gray Terminal up in flames and her thoughts were led to assumptions of the boys being in the midst of those flames.
Hence, she had to act immediately...
She jumps down from the crow's nest, then down to the ground, and calls upon a clone. Honest Self manifests, and Nadia wasted no time to give an order, "Tell Dadan about the fire!"
"Right!" Honest Self responded, and goes to the Dadan Family Den,
As for Nadia, she goes to Gray Terminal as fast as possible and cares little about the injuries she sustained. For the safety and well-being of her brothers were far more important than her own well-being, 'Ace, Sabo, Luffy... Please be safe!'
That's the end of this chapter, and as for what comes next. Well, I'll make something good out of it.
If any of you have questions, let me know and I will try to answer them as best as I could. Especially when it concerns Nadia.
That is all I have to say, stay safe from the virus, and I will see you all in the next chapter!