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The Sabaody Archipelago was an expansive and magnificent complex of expertly constructed bubble structures created around the sprawling roots of the Yarukiman Mangroves. Each tree of the forest served as an island of the Archipelago upon which humans had constructed multiple massive domed structures that stood several stories tall, hundreds of meters wide, and flanked by several beautifully designed towers— the whole place was a product of the best engineers and artisans the merchants of this world had to offer.

It was a testament to the wealth, prestige, and strength of the government. For many travellers who had toured the famous islands of the Grand Line, Sabaody far outshone most of the Royal Kingdoms which together formed the World Government and it was not even a close contest.

With its many open-air gardens, fountains, and statues, the interior grounds of Groove thirteen were certainly impressive, and it was in one of these gardens that a duo clad in dark robes were out for a stroll. The two clearly suspicious people had been walking and talking for some time now, having made their way through several of the outer gardens in the process of their exploration this morning.

The one in the lead was none other than Sasuke, with straight raven hair that almost fell to his shoulders and dark eyes that were piercing and calculating as they looked out into the world with sharp attention.

His flowing black cloak was affixed around his neck by a golden brooch, underneath was a simple and yet practical shinobi uniform.

It was a beautiful day with clear skies and not a cloud in sight but the air in the city was heavy with the heat and only the barest of breezes managed to make it through the streets. With the sun high overhead, the temperature continued to climb and Sasuke definitely felt it intensifying around him, yet it didn't appear to affect his companion in the slightest.

He had no idea if she was even capable of sweating, but he reckoned they might find out soon enough the longer they stayed under the sun, their hotel had been in Groove 1 and the journey to this part of the Archipelago alone had taken up most of their morning.

Wagons, bubble carriages, and people on bubble bikes passed through the middle of the paved streets as people walked along on either side, everyone going about their daily lives despite what seemed to be quite the heat wave. Most of the people were sweating profusely and appeared to be struggling with the heat, while Ariel and Sasuke continued to be unaffected after some time walking outside.

The two earned many appraising looks on his journey through the city as people caught sight of him in their dark robes which covered almost their entire body, and he was starting to think that perhaps it wasn't the best idea to be trotting around with such suspicious robes.

But it was far better than allowing random strangers to see them, they were wanted fugitives now and Sabaody was the largest gathering place of bounty hunters in the entirety of the Grand Line so they were bound to draw even attention if someone happened to recognize them.. The only reason why they had not done the same in groove one was because the government did not have an exact portrait of their faces and that particular groove was a considered posh island reserved for the nobles and the rich, no bounty hunter would casually thread there.

"Aren't you going to eat?" she asked from his side, her voice small and quiet as she held an ice cream cone in her hand with gleaming eyes.

Sasuke shook his head. "I'm not hungry at the moment so no need to worry about me. Besides, you need to increase your appetite so you need it more than I do."

It was the truth, though she would never understand the extent of it. Hashirama's cells were extraordinary and experiencing them himself had surprised him even though he already knew of the advantages they could provide, exponentially increasing stamina and reducing hunger alongside thirst was the least of their usages. Sasuke shook his head, it was such a strange thought that he was not sure that the reality of his transformation had really sunk in yet.

There was one other reason for him not eating and that was because he wanted to experiment how long he could go without food and if there were any negative effects to that, although he was certainly now curious as to how the ice cream tasted.

The ice cream must've tasted decent enough considering she was able to eat the first two cones so quickly without much complaint but it might have also been the force of habit that made her consume it all with such impressive speed. Her captives must not have fed her much of anything while she was working on that ship, and the thought of it irked him.

Ariel looked down at the new cone of ice cream in her hands intently and he could tell she really wanted to eat it, but she hesitated because she wanted to share it just as much.

"Are you sure?"

"Absolutely." Sasuke smiled at her, somehow understanding what she meant even though she could not speak her thoughts out loud.

"Okay then, if you're really sure," she trailed off, proceeding to consume the ice cream without any more questions. This time she ate slower, savouring what flavour there was and relishing the feel of her belly getting well and truly filled.

A feeling that she was slowly growing accustomed to these days because of Sasuke, her stomach had even hurt from being full once or twice but it was a pain she could certainly deal with. Usually her stomach hurt because she didn't have any food.

"Where are we going today, Sasuke?" she asked even more quietly than she had been speaking before once she was finished, all too aware that they had already strayed away from the rich entertainment districts and amusement parks.

Each groove of Sabaody was beautiful and richly decorated, but Ariel had learned enough from her experiences to know that this part of Sabaody was not as peaceful as the placed they had visited before had been. It was the feeling of being constantly watched which had been in the back of her head ever since they'd entered this groove, as if someone were constantly staring at her this whole time.

"I'm almost done with my investigations, so we're going to see someone before we move on to the second purpose of our visit here." Sasuke finally told her, as they turned around a corner, "A useful woman that I recently got acquainted with during my explorations of the Archipelago,"

That meeting had perhaps been the most memorable part of his stay in Sabaody, which had been rather static for the most part. He had already completed one of his objectives which was investigating the connections between this world and his own.

Unfortunately, he was met with another dead end— an outcome he'd grown so used to that it did not even disappoint him anymore. The Yarukiman Mangroves were a marvel of nature, but they were indeed natural as far as he could tell.

Other parts of his stay had been spent exploring the entrainment districts and amusement parks of Sabaody with Ariel whose eyes had gleamed the entire time. Indeed, the Archipelago was the perfect destination for both an extended holiday and a romantic getaway, its culture being an interesting blend of the ancient and modern that offered something for everyone

A few kids had even openly gawked at him before their parents pulled them away and Sasuke sighed, so much for trying to keep a low profile.

After going through what seemed like half the island, and thankfully no longer receiving as many curious looks as he had been earlier, Sasuke and Ariel eventually arrived in front of their destination— Shakky's Rip-off Bar.

The bar itself was a large cylindrical stone building about four stories tall with numerous arched windows that dotted the building, each one with a set of open red shutters to either side. Carefully cultivated vines gave the structure some character, the green plants crawling and twisting along the surface of the stones.

A flight of curved stone steps led up to the heavy wooden double doors framed by an impressively carved archway, though to be honest Sasuke was a bit more underwhelmed compared to Ariel whose eyes widened. He had seen far more impressive buildings in the past, but perhaps it was unfair to judge it in comparison to them.

A few people walked by along the street, but nobody went in or out of the building while Lucifer was studying the exterior. No one seemed to be paying them much attention around these parts either, perhaps thinking he was just another customer given his attire and the fact that the Bar was right there.

Making his way into the main hall, Sasuke came upon the rather gorgeous innkeeper busy tending to her bar.

Shakky was her name, the proprietor of this bar which also served as a closed gathering for pirates and adventurers from all across the world. The bar itself might have seen better days, but it was carefully maintained with not a single speck of dust to be found. Some of the furniture in sight could do with some replacement though, but it was good enough for Sasuke's purposes for now.

In front of the innkeeper was a collection of pint-sized wooden mugs, round ceramic plates, and various silverware that all looked to be freshly cleaned as evidenced by the droplets of water on most of the items. Shakky was picking them up one by one and wiping them down diligently with a towel and looked up when they entered.

She was the only one working at the inn, with short black hair whose two tufts pointed upwards and a tan face that appeared young despite her age. Based on her stories and his own investigations, the woman had to be pushing forty if she wasn't already over that mark.

Her lean body had all the curves at the right places and any shinobi could tell from the way she moved that the woman knew how to handle herself in a fight.

Perhaps it was his Mantra speaking but Sasuke instinctively knew that was strong, far stronger than any normal barkeeper had a right to be. There was no doubt that her strength helped him keep any unruly patrons in line and Sasuke had no desire to find out just how strong she was by trying the same. Instigating someone else was also out of the question since it was getting close to midday at that point and there were no customers in the main hall.

Shakky looked up at Sasuke as they approached, inhaling a puff from the cigarette dangling from her lips and languidly releasing the smoke in a rather relaxed manner. Her eyes lit up when she saw Ariel though. "I did not expect that you would bring along such a gorgeous companion for our rendezvous."

Sasuke only nodded in greeting, even as Ariel bushed red beside him at the unexpected compliment. Sasuke had been trying to get her accustomed to humans but it would take a long time before she could take casual compliments such as these in stride. "A cup of sake and a glass of apple juice for companion as well, Ariel."

Shakky only nodded in acknowledgment and disappeared through a door behind the bar that led into the kitchens. About a minute or so later, she returned with a tray with a glass and a drinking cup set upon it.

"Here you go, sake and fresh apple juice. Made it myself." Shakky set the tray down before adding, "That would normally be two hundred thousand berries, but this one's on the house. It's been a long time since a Lunarian has visited my bar."

"So expensive…" Ariel could not help but whisper, a moment her eyes widened as Shakky's words truly sunk in even as the woman chuckled in amusement.

Sasuke was not sure if the rather obvious interest being blatantly displayed by Shakky in his companion was a good thing or not, but inclined his head in thanks nonetheless and reached for his cup of sake. It was a nostalgic drink that reminded him of home. "Much appreciated, Madam Shakky."

"It's just Shakky," The older woman waved her hand in response, almost automatically before laughing as she gestured towards the refrigerator. "One of my patrons caught some lobsters this morning, the fattest in the world according to his claims. I suppose Ariel here would want a taste,"

"A plate then," Sasuke nodded, taking a sip from his cup and appreciating the subtle burn of the drink as it went down his throat. He had to admit, the drinks and dishes of this world were far more delectable than that of his own, "Your business has been doing well then."

The woman shook her head with a rueful smile, "This war between the World Government and Whitebeard has been bad for the Archipelago. Merchants do not pass these days but take the long way around whereas pirate activity has only increased."

"I'm sorry about your loss."

"All part of the trade." Shakky shrugged, before taking out a bundle of papers from behind the counter and carefully placing them before Sasuke, "In the next few weeks, the World Government and Whitebeard would either sign an agreement or end this cold war with one decisive strike that would shake this world. I have seen it happen before, war between pirates and the rest of the world would continue but trade would also resume. The balance of power might change but the world would move forward as if nothing had ever happened,"

Sasuke nodded, thinking of his world and the precarious balance of power that once kept the Shinobi Villages in check even as he wordlessly took the stack of papers from Shakky. He had been a victim of it himself, the endless cycle of hatred that could consume worlds if left unchecked.

Konoha had now signed a pact of peace and cooperation with almost every shinobi nation and most of the old warmongers of the previous had seceded from their seats of authority. His world would not see a full-scale war for the better part of a century because of Naruto, there would be conflicts as there always had been but for the majority of the inhabitants of this world— life would soon turn into a peaceful affair if everything went according to their plan.

A new generation would be born, an entire people who were unfamiliar with the sound of death and the concept of warfare. It was the kind of world he'd wanted and he'd fought for alongside the oppressed and downtrodden.

It was the kind of world his brother had once died for.

"Sasuke had a proposition for me which I could not refuse," Shakky leaned back and spoke, answering the unasked question of the recently freed Lunarian who was glancing at the exchange that had just taken place with open curiosity. "I would provide him with coordinates of auction houses and help him transfer any goods he might seize in the future to the Revolutionaries by connecting him to a reliable middleman. In return, I would get anything valuable he procures alongside a single favour that I can call upon anytime."

The older woman sighed as she spoke, taking another drag from her cigarette even as a thousand emotions she could neither understand nor recognize passed through her heart. How long had it been since she'd taken such a risk?

"It seems I've not told you about our second order of business here in Sabaody," Sasuke turned towards Ariel and spoke, closing his lone eye as he observed Ariel who predictably had scrunched up her cute nose in confusion because of the bartender's words. Perhaps he also needed to educate her on the more subtle dealings between people.

"Which is?" She slowly asked.

Sasuke finally smirked, "Why, to free every slave in this Archipelago, of course,"

He had to admit, he rather enjoyed the way Ariel's eyes widened a moment later.

Late at night, when the sea finally fell quiet and they both returned to their hotel— Sasuke came up to Ariel's room, balancing tea and cocoa with practiced ease.

Ariel only smiled when she saw him enter and took the offered cocoa with quiet thanks— she was content to spend the time in silence, looking out at the stars tonight as they sometimes did together whenever she found him in melancholic or pensive moods in the dark. He seemed a bit of both right now, reflecting her own mood.

Sasuke set his tea down next to her hot chocolate which was half-empty five minutes after he sat down beside her.

"Are you doing it because of me?" She finally asked, hands brushing against the edges of the back cloak which had remained draped over her shoulders for nearly a month. It was almost as if it were an extension of her saviour, the one he had given her when he'd rescued her from that hell.

"I do not think anyone deserves to live that way either, being a slave. No man deserves to rule over all others," Sasuke told her, pausing for a moment, "Perhaps my resolve would not have been so strong had I not met you and maybe I would not have taken the risk had you not been here alongside me, but do not blame yourself for my decisions,"

Her breath catched.

"Sometimes only other people can see what we're really worth, I was fortunate enough to have brothers who valued me more than I ever did myself," Sasuke glanced up at the stars above and Ariel's hands almost faltered. "I chose to do this alongside you now instead of covertly because I know you would have stayed back and gone after any slaver you could find if I had not brought you along in this journey,"

The words broke her from her reverie, and she looked up into the grim visage of Sasuke, seeming more exhausted than she had ever seen him.

"I know the only reason why you are not seeking revenge right now is that you decided to follow me, because your gratitude shines brighter than the fires of your hatred. Your trauma has not healed and hatred burns inside of you," His next words came easily, and shocked her just as much "I would've found the one responsible and returned the favour a thousandfold had I been in your position."

In a way his words were true, for Ariel could not imagine doing anything other than lashing out against the world in a burning rage fuelled by hatred and anger that would have consumed her had she not resolved to pay back her debt by following Sasuke and accompanying him through his journey.

Ariel felt her small fists tighten at her side at the thought it, the hot chocolate in her hands ignored as a cold, consuming fury burned inside her—a numbing hatred more intense than any she had previously felt towards those slavers who had taken away everything she loved, the world government that had destroyed her home, and the aristocratic nobles which dared dictate the fate of her race. More than that, she hated this cruel and uncaring world.

Perhaps he had saved her in more ways than one because she could not forget what was done to her and the rage that burned inside of her would have consumed her.

"If I were after retribution, it would have been meticulous and unyielding. Those who think forgiveness and understanding can correct every wrong of this world are either inexperienced in the ways of the world, or naively idealistic."

Ariel did not know what to say so she simply waited for him to continue.

"But above all, I would ensure that in the undertaking of such an endeavour, I would not suffer the loss of a single thing more." He finally spoke, as if he had to pull the words out and her heart sped up even as it ached because it sounded as if he completely understood her.

As if he understood the legacy hanging over her head, that he could not stop her if she'd made up her mind. The understanding was almost too much for her to consider, though she knew almost nothing about his background. Sasuke was the kindest human she knew…

"I cannot ask you to forgo your revenge but I would not let you walk down that path alone either." Sasuke took a sip from his cup and his lone eye met her own, fervent looking.

Ariel sats alone for a moment on the balcony of what was the most magnificent mansion she had ever seen, next to her phenomenal inimitable saviour who spoke as if he understood hatred far more than she ever could.

She had been tortured for almost two months inside her ship and no one had cared about her decaying body or her agonizing pain at that time. No one cared that she was all alone.

Ariel no longer enjoyed the luxury of children's innocence to keep on deluding herself. Indeed, hate would've consumed her all too quickly. By conventional wisdom, such a burden was too much for any grieving individual to bear alone, much less a bereaved girl who knew almost nothing of this world. In the end, forces larger than her were at work and she had met Sasuke but if she had not…

"I do feel anger and hatred because of what humans have done to me but I want to experience the world more than I want revenge. I want to stay by your side," she finally spoke those words, saying her confusing thoughts out loud for the first time. It almost surprised her, but she meant it— she had not just survived slavery and the world government, she had won.

"Good," Sasuke finally spoke and let out a slow breath.

"I know you already know most of my story but I want to tell you about my home," she finally spoke. "I don't know how, but I would like to tell it to you myself if you're interested."

Sasuke listened attentively as she started her story with tremulous words that grew surer as time passed. Sasuke rarely interrupted and when he did he asked her questions she had never thought to explain before— what her home looked like, who were her treasured friends, what the flames at the back of most the Lunarians did?

It stirred a cloud of nostalgia instead of the deep throbbing pain that dipping into her past had always brought on. Sasuke had known about her story this whole time but telling him these things herself seemed to have done something to the energy around her because the tenseness from years and years of hardship faded ever so slightly and she found herself almost weightless without the oppressing pressure.

When she reached the end of her narrative she took a slow breath in and out and let the brisk breeze clear out the musty air that had been lurking in her lungs. Relief seeped through her though she could not really understand it.

Kuzan entered the meeting hall room inside the large marine encampment, finding a figure sitting in a room with several maps pinned to walls, all showing locations marked red and blue. They were separated by a long table, paperwork and documents spread out all over it. All members of the marine corps have made themselves busy— war was a tedious task, and actual combat was perhaps the least of it.

"Has the busy Admiral finally found his way here? So to what do we owe this privilege?" A dark, thick voice echoed with subtle amusement.

"Cut the theatrics, Akainu." Kuzan sighed, ignoring the way his peer sneered at him from his position and placing a stack of folders on the table instead. "I don't have much time to waste. Has Kizaru done his part?"

Aokiji glanced at the incredibly tall and unusually muscular man seated at the head of the table. His pronounced facial features and short black hair were only accentuated by the shadows in the room. A standard Marine cap covered his eyes, and his arms were crossed over his crimson, double-breasted suit, decorated with what appeared to be a pink rose on his left buttonhole.

"Ah yes, Kizaru can be highly efficient, especially when he's not being lazy and delaying paperwork. His contributions to our preparations were noteworthy, he is good at detecting when something goes amiss" Akainu uncrossed his arms, "Your work is even more impeccable. Nobody would realize that you've been busy chasing after shadows for the World Nobles all this time, nor would anyone probably ever suspect anything being amiss from your side here in Marineford."

Kuzan's eyes narrowed, and his voice rose in intensity as his tall figure bristled "And what exactly are you implying?"

"That your so-called Lazy Justice is weak." Akainu bluntly stated.

"How dare you-"

"Do not even begin to feign anger. For all the strength you possess, the fact remains that as of now you have the weakest resolve out of all Admirals, especially when it comes to the eradication of evil. Even Kizaru dispenses his own form of justice with little difficulty and you are aware of it clearly."

"What you think to be a weakness is what many consider to be my strength" Kuzan's reply was simple and old; he had repeated it far more often than he'd like. It was an old argument yet he still bristled in cold anger.

"I believe those World Nobles only ordered you to leave Marineford out of curiosity, or perhaps they were in need of disposable pawns. In the grand scale of things, the only way you'll serve as a proper crusader of Justice is if you were to pause and think again your pitiful ways."

"Did you simply take time out of your day to decide to mock me or is there another reason you're here?" Aokiji painstakingly grounded out each syllable.

Akainu simply scoffed, "I am only here to do what is required of me. The higher-ups wanted me to inform you are to resume your hunt once again as soon as you finish your preparations here. Following your lead, the CP0 has already located the target. The Nobles have been kind enough to give you enough time to contribute towards our war effort."

Aokiji paused, he could disagree with Sakazuki's scathing complaints despite his personal misgivings about the man. "These orders come from Mary Geoise directly?"

"It seems to be the case. Either way, tell your grunts to keep an open eye, and finish this entire debacle soon. Don't forget that our priority right now is Whitebeard. The World Nobles can play their games later on but it is us who have to protect the world from evil." The muscular Admiral shrugged "This is an unknown factor, in which higher-ups have displayed interest in a single man personally. We do not know who he is yet, and so I've ensured that our forces are to keep out an open eye for anyone suspicious."

"The higher-ups want me to capture them alive and that gives me different options to work with." Kuzan groused even as he nodded in agreement. He closed his eyes and wondered out loud "What exactly should I do if I find them?"

"Ask them to surrender only once."

"And if they refuse?" Kuzan opened one eye to glance at his colleague.

Akainu glanced downwards at the folders strewn across his desk and paused "Then they die."

It was late but for many, the night had only just begun. The streets were crammed with bodies, filled with all different kinds of people. Some were clerks rushing to work, others were the night shoppers off to the markets in search of a good deal and there was even the occasional marine mixed in with the crowd, either patrolling the street or simply out for a stroll.

People crowded the street, so densely packed together that all Sasuke had to do was swing his arm out and the odds were that he'd smack someone in the face.

By all rights, they should have had a tough time navigating through the crowds but they did not face that problem today. Many people would consider using Mantra to navigate through a crowd to be wasteful but then again, most people were unaware of the extent Sasuke could reach to avoid people. One only had to ask Naruto to know the truth.

Underneath the stall four meters away from him, an army of ants scurried across the floor. No more than a centimeter in length, each ant marched to the edge of a wall and snuck into a tiny crack there, one that would lead it underground.

His head did not even need to turn below, all he had to do was focus and he could look past objects as if they weren't there and see past the hard-packed ground and into the sewage network that existed beneath the house, Sasuke could sense a small family of rats nesting in an old abandoned pipe.

Mantra was amazing.

This power may not be on par with his Sharingan but it was indeed something truly extraordinary. In his mind, it was every bit as miraculous as this strange world was. Using it, he could see every direction and through every obstacle, even through the back of his head. It was as if losing an eye was not a hindrance at all, for his vision was only limited by the amount his mind could take in at any moment.

He had it constantly active despite the small strain it brought because not using it was akin to being plunged into the dark after standing under the noon sun. Where once he could see everything, now all that he saw was what lay before him and even that was limited to the light spectrum of the human eye. Right now, he was observing Ariel who was quietly followed after Sasuke as she usually did.

She had a rarely thoughtful look on her face which he had grown used to by this point. When it came to work, she had taken to reflecting his own behaviour and usually assumed a seriousness beyond her usual mental age. The occasional shifts to stoicism never bothered either of them.

For her, the silence today somehow seemed more forbearing than usual but she was too excited to miss out on the moment by speaking any more than they really had to. It was her first time doing something so bold on her own and anticipation inside her was so great it was all she could do to remain quiet and follow Sasuke.

They reached their first target in a bit over two hours, taking more time than usual despite the relatively quick pace. Sasuke ensured they circled around the grooves a bit before reaching their target just in case they were being tracked. He tended to be strategically practical at times, and Ariel was glad for it.

Entering the majestic auction house that was larger and more grandiose than any human structure she had seen before with her saviour was akin to walking on an edge, and apprehension crept up on her despite her best efforts.

Sasuke felt none of it as he simply walked through the decorated main lobby before stopping outside of what appeared to be the entrance of a private section, perhaps it was the very air around them but not a single one of the uniformed attendants dared to stop the two of them as they both glanced at each other. He could hear sounds of partying, laughter, and the merriment that came after a successful auction that was about to end.

Sasuke paused for a moment, before simply opening the door and entering. The din inside what appeared to be a makeshift pub hitched for a moment, and murmurs soon followed as every eye in the room turned towards them.

A moment or two passed, and a man stood up from behind a counter by a moderate crowd of muscular lackeys. His spiky blond hair was set above eyes too wide and too wild to be trusted as sane.

"Who are you all supposed to be?" he loudly shouted. "Wannabe merchandise? I don't sell retarded jokers, kiddies."

The group behind him bursts out into laughter. Their mocking, petty nature would have normally unsettled Ariel, but Sasuke could tell that she only felt cool and collected in that instance. Their trips around the Sabaody Archipelago had entirely not been in vain, she was slowly growing accustomed to being around people and her growth in that regard was blatantly visible. More importantly, this man was not nearly strong or relevant enough to alarm her.

"I wanted to ask you people something," Sasuke simply spoke in response, his words made the laughter stop for a moment only for surprise and amusement to take its place.

"Does anyone recognize these fuckers?" The blond man asked his companions

"Nah, I don't think any of us do. These people don't even have a wanted poster, must be newbies," a man wearing a fur coat said to the blond man who visibly relaxed upon hearing it. That slight relaxation would've been a sign of weakness had he been in his old world.

Over the years spent as a shinobi, Sasuke had learned not to judge anyone on appearances and even less so to trust the numbers on a wanted poster, for deception was the greatest tool of a ninja— the very existence of Kabuto was a testament to this and he knew relying on what the posters had been the end of many famed pirates.

"Wow, you are really stupid," the blond man spoke, turning towards them once again and with no further warning he crouched down. His legs suddenly grew fur and he leapt forward towards Ariel so quickly that his features blurred. A Zoan user, apparently.

The other bystanders present hastily move out of the way, all while keeping their attention glued to the fight. But Ariel whom he had judged to be the weaker of the two did even twitch, even as the attack grew startlingly nearer. She simply looked up from behind her platinum bangs and her eyes seemed to sharpen somehow, sharpening into the shape of a star. With a just slight twist of her torso and a step to the left, the man flew headfirst to the other end of the room and smashed into a building. Even as her cloak fluttered after the rush of air from the blonde's attack, she didn't fidget or twitch and remained as still as a statue.

"Wha—?" Sasuke heard one of the goons utter from the back even though the crowd was utterly silent after their leader's failed charge, but some of them started regaining their bravado soon.

A sudden shift in the air pressure around them was the only indication that another attack was coming again and similar to the first attempt, the blond rocketed himself toward Sasuke this time with startling speed. Apparently, he had been recognized as an easier prey.

Sasuke shifted ever so slightly out of the way just as Ariel before him, making the man crash into the other end of the room. Sasuke's impressively effortless feat is only made more incredible by the fact he was facing away from his assailant. Only Ariel was close enough to realize that his lone eye was actually closed.

The Lunarian could hear whispers pick up once again, but she had always known that saviour was strong— she had witnessed him effortlessly dispose of opponent after opponent without much strain at all. But even she could not tell the exact extent of her strength. The only battle with someone with strength of particular significance was Kuma and Sasuke had matched him evenly in a casual clash.

Her expression was that of tense amazement and self-analysis, but he had the added trait of curiosity, as though she could sense that there was something more to his dodging than just miraculous speed. But what else could it be?

"Well, you're a much stronger runt than I expected," The man whose expression had been stormy with anger and a trace of madness, stood up once again with even crazier eyes as his teeth sharpened into fangs and hair grew at the edges of his face, "You should be honoured that I'm going to finish you off with my most powerful attack!"

Crouching once more, his hands started twisting and changing into claws as well, and with a powerful push off the ground, he sent himself hurtling forward once again.

But unlike the last two times, Sasuke did not even move to dodge. Instead, he simply raised his hands and caught the man's clawed feet without regard for his speed or the sharpness of his claws. The inertia made him him slide back a foot or so and a great gust of wind swept past him as the man was stopped dead in his tracks with a serious case of whiplash.

Gasps and shouts of disbelief echo from the crowd.

The man, to his credit, did not give up. After shaking the daze from his mind, the man attempted to pull his lower body up and aim a springy fist toward Sasuke but the shinobi was quicker. He shoved a sandaled foot into the other slaver's stomach sending him sprawling down the inn, kicking up dust and dirt and making cracks spider web around his final landing spot.

Gasps and shrieks rang around, but they all fell silent as Sasuke slowly walked toward towards the downed man. His pace was calm, no swagger in his step nor pride in his strength. He just was strong, naturally inspiring awe and fear with his cool behaviour.

"Who is the leader among you?" Sasuke asked patiently when he reached the man who was twitching and trying to raise himself, placing a foot on his chest to keep him pinned before pushing downwards.

The sound of the blond man's ribs breaking and his dying gasps as his heart was crushed by an unbreakable force resonated across the suddenly silent room. This man was a scum who deserved death.

More importantly, he had been too erratic and rash to run a slave-trading business as large as this one was. His death would help him subdue the other men in the room and find the actual leader amongst them.

The two men standing closest to their downed leader immediately retreated backward but their eyes told him all he needed to know as they moved ever so slightly towards a man with an athletic build and a rough, bearded face with numerous scars. He was the one at the farthest rear and held two daggers in his hands.

Sasuke turned and simply walked right up to him until he was about an arm's length away, not caring at all that the man was armed. He loomed over the man who was several inches shorter and seemed to shrink back at his approach.

"Where are the keys to the explosive collars of this house?" Sasuke said, unblinking.

The man blinked, opened and closed his mouth, then blinked again before he managed to blurt out with what confidence he had left even though the intimidating tone he was aiming for had been almost completely mitigated by his shaking legs and sweating face, "Who are you people? Don't you know our business is one of the seven auction houses sponsored by Lord Joker!"

Before Sasuke could speak anything, he was forced to move once again by the faint sensation of something approaching him from behind alongside the cracking boom of the sound barrier being shattered that came afterwards.

Turning his head slightly, he saw from the corner of his eye that one of the other men held the stump of the handle of his gun whose end was releasing a faint whisp of smoke. The man was staring at him in disbelief, having watched him dodge a bullet fired at him point blank.

"That was a mistake," Sasuke stated simply. Turning his body slightly, he reached out with one of his hands and almost casually smacked the man without putting that much force into the movement.

But the man was batted away with the sound of breaking bones as if he weighed nothing, screaming as he hurtled through the air and bounced across the stone floor loudly before crashing against the hard wall once again. There were enough people in the room that it was impossible to see in what condition the man was, not that it mattered in the slightest to either of them.

Ignoring everyone else, Sasuke turned towards the apparent leader who gulped nervously even as his lone eye glowed ominously, "I won't ask a second time."

Thanks for reading. Sorry for the long wait.

An easter egg for all those who've kept up with my hiatus- all of Sasuke's future crewmates would be avengers in one form or another, including Sasuke himself. Also, guess who the next crewmate would be?

He's a canon character who appears in the Sabaody arc.

Finally, I have changed the name of the story since I've always wanted to do that and make some major reworks.

I'm also gonna pick up pace since so many people have complained about it. Please leave behind a review and have a nice day.