Sitting inside Uta's room, I continue staring outside wondering if this really was the best call. Sure, I do not regret coming along to make sure my friend doesn't end up a husk of herself due to stupid decisions from a man who thinks he knows what is best at all times, but now that I am actually on Shanks's ship I can't help but feel a bit bored.
"Don't you have anything else to do, Uta?" I ask as the girl continues to scribe down her music pallets for another work. She has been doing so for days on end now and it is a bit boring to just watch her do that and nothing else.
"Not really. We need to hurry if we are to get to Elegia on time so we can't really stop on different islands and such. At most we can do a quick pitstop on Fishman Island of a day before we need to get going and-"
"LET'S DO THAT!" I said excitedly.
Fishman island means I can maybe try and challenge some fishman who knows fishman karate to a fight. If I can learn how their martial arts work, it would be so cool.
Besides, I could try and go beat the crap out of some assholes like Hody and his dumbass crew. Not sure if it would be the smartest move, but he has just such a punchable face and personality.
Not killing them then and there is a true mercy.
But, there is a doubt in my head despite it all.
"But, how exactly should we go about Shanks and the crew not knowing I am here?" I have a question. Sure, I am about 70% sure they must have figured it out, perhaps more, but there is always a chance they haven't due to being too drunk or something.
"Uhmm…. Oh, I know." Uta says before she raises a finger up. "I will just tell Shanks I want to see the mermaids some more."
I deadpanned at the girl before remembering that, yes she is a spoiled 'princess' in this crew. Honestly, I just gave up on this and decided to roll with it.
Regardless, I just continue with what I was doing since we can't really do all that much right now. I just continue writing runes to train my mastery over them.
Runes need to be extremely precise, the more precise you are the better the results of each individual rune and their combination creates unique effects. A single rune may have an effect X or Y, but two such runes combined may have a completely different effect and, honestly, it is all simply fascinating.
Since this trip I can't really train my body like usual, nor is there anything else I can do besides this and shadow training, my improvements on this art are going up very fast indeed.
Sure, I can't test the effects with too great details since I can't just go and blow things up just like that, but it is still interesting to be able to do this much and see different, less destructive effects in action.
Everything helps in the way of truly reaching the peak and, who knows, if I do this right I may even be able to do something extraordinary someday with it and, if I truly improve far enough, I can even make tattoos using this to get all sorts of unique effects.
I remember some wuxias like Desolate Era where people trained their bodies and put tattoos to develop them. I know this is not a wuxia, but who knows what I can accomplish?
BOOM
The ship rocketed from side to side, making me jump up as I heard the sound of fighting starting just outside.
The hell is going on here?
I turn to Uta with wide eyes and the girl-
"*YAWN* Can't the others be quiet around this time? A future great diva needs her beauty sleep." Uta says while rolling again in her bed to continue to sleep.
This lazy girl, she is lucky she is kinda cute from time to time.
Anyway, I can't really go out and do anything since I am technically not even supposed to be on this ship. As such, all I can do is go to the window to observe the fighting going on.
… Interesting, it seems like there are some big pirates on that side. Still, nothing much I had to overly worry about since I could watch as the people on that side were being basically slaughtered by the Red Hair Pirates pretty quickly.
I just watch as intensely as I can manage, observing every detail of the whole fight that I can. The Red Hair Pirates, now that they are fighting more seriously, are clearly all a bunch of monsters.
Even when they don't use haki, they can still easily defeat all others on their path without issue.
CLANG
A large impact sound could be heard. Looking towards it I saw Shanks facing off against a tall man who was holding two big hammers, the two were clashing quite fiercely for a bit but I could tell that Shanks was far from going all out just yet.
I was transfixed by it, the two's movements being engraven in my mind and-
CLANG
I felt a slightly stingy sensation hitting my shoulder as a stray bullet came this way. Looking down, I see that it failed to even break through my skin at all, but this was still dangerous.
If the bullet had gone in Uta's direction instead, it would not be good.
A shift in climate could be felt as a wave of some sort of thing passed by. This must be that thing, Conqueror's Haki.
Shanks clearly was not happy about the attack and was releasing his conqueror's haki in all directions. I grit my teeth, moving away from the window and standing before Uta instead.
The girl is not that powerful, after all. Who knows if she may be hurt or something due to Shanks using his powers just like that? I just grit my teeth and endure even as the sound of fighting starts to die down but the clashing of two weapons could still clearly be heard. I could barely pay attention to it, the pressure I felt was enough to where I had to be careful not to accidentally be knocked out.
But, how can I accept just being knocked out like that? I have come on this trip so as to protect my friend. If I fall here then what qualifications do I have to make sure she doesn't end up like she would in the 'original timeline'?
"Fuck! OFF!" I shout at the ever increasing pressure, suddenly feeling like I was pushing back against it and-
3° Person P.O.V.
"Satisfied now, captain?" Ben Beckman asks as he cleans his gun.
Shanks, on the side, looks sheepish as he stands before the two passed out kids. Sure, his usage of Conqueror's Haki was entirely accidental, a nervous reaction to seeing the kids' room getting a stray shot, but he did not expect what happened next.
Mike not only did not fall down, instead he stood even in front of his conqueror's haki that made this pirate with a bounty of 150 million pass out in under twenty seconds. Heck, he even went to stand before Uta as if he was her shield.
Sure, it was an entirely unnecessary action since Shanks, even when reacting reflexively, did not put any level of pressure on Uta whatsoever. But the intention of Mike was still commendable.
"I still don't understand why you thought it would be a good idea to start a 'play fight' against me, or pressure the kid even further?" Beckman said and Shanks just chuckled.
"Take a guess."
"... Because you wanted to keep pressuring the kid to see how far he could go." Beckman said and Shanks gave a bark of laughter at that.
His friend knew him far too well. Yes, that was Shanks's objective, he pressed the kid more after he realized what had happened, putting more and more pressure using his conquerors to see how tough the kid's spirit and determination was.
"To think he would have Conqueror's Haki, and activate it when so young and with enough power to counter my own haki for a little bit. He really is a little monster." Shanks said with a smile.
Beckman, however, was not smiling.
"Is this good though? The kid wants to join the navy, remember? You even made us not use Haki and show off during that fight for the kid to see."
Shanks just shrugged at that.
"Someone like this, even if he joins the navy, would never truly become a dog for the world government. Besides, the promised time will come soon and a monster like this one should have a big role to play."
"You and your prophecies, you are lucky I play along with your idiocies." Beckman said with a very tired sigh.
Shanks just grinned at that before saying.
"So, how much did we get from those pirates?"
"Their total bounty is worth 230 million bellies and they were carrying about ninety million on them in money and treasures. Also, it seems like they were preparing to go to Sabaody for the auction house there since they had two devil fruits with them."
Shanks nodded his head, not overly caring about the fruits. He and his crew never saw any need for devil fruits since they were naturally powerful enough even without them.
"Put the fruits and the treasures in the treasury, we can sell what we don't need later for more money for the party."
"I already told Lucky Roux to do that." Beckman said with a shrug before asking. "I also asked them to prepare a different room for Mike here."
Shanks just raised a brow at that one.
"Why did you do that?"
"Because our booze stores can only handle so much of you getting piss drunk over your daughter sleeping in the same room as a boy." Beckman said with a deadpan to which Shanks just scratched his head with embarrassment.
What? He may have high hopes for the kid and believe he may be essential for the future he envisions… but this and that are completely different matters!
His precious baby girl, unless the person she likes is someone who can beat him he will never allow it!
Mike's P.O.V.
"Ugh, did someone note down the horse that ran me over?" I complain as my head is just a step away from exploding.
"Well, what else were you expecting? Forcing your way through the Conqueror's of the captain like that, it is quite a ballsy move." A voice came from the side. I turn my gaze towards its direction and see a man standing there.
That man, I believe his name is Hongo the Doctor of the Red Hair Pirates. He is a lean man with dirty blonde hair, which is tied up into a small ponytail. He has a stitched scar on the left side of his forehead and a few missing teeth in his mouth.
Honestly, he is kinda forgettable amongst the crew as a whole, but I took more notice of him due to his weapon of choice. I too would like to use a staff like that since it is just a cool weapon and can be used in different ways. I remember watching stuff like God of Highschool in my previous life and Mori's staff was so incredible that it left me with a huge impression about it.
"So, I was found out." I said with a sigh. I already expected to be found out, but this just confirms things.
"You were found on the very second day of being on the ship. Honestly, your hiding skills are better than most CP agents who tried the same sort of thing lately. Good job." Hongo said with a smile before he continued. "Now, since you are awake, come along. The captain wanted to trade some words with you now."
"Am I in trouble?" I ask to make sure and Hongo shrugs.
"I doubt it. At worst you would just be left on some island with a big enough marine base in it so your grandpa can come pick you up. We won't kill you or anything."
Well, guess I can't do anything about this. Following Hongo I soon arrived at the ship's deck where Shanks is sitting down with the rest of his cadres present.
"Did you get a nice sleep, kiddo?"
"Not really. I kinda just passed out there." I said and Shanks smirks.
"Well, considering you are a stowaway who infiltrated my ship, doing just that much is no big deal." He says and I can't really deny it.
Honestly, that much is nothing that huge even if I would rather not have had to deal with that sort of pressure from Shanks.
The said man then asks me something rather stupid.
"So, have you ever thought of becoming a pirate? It is pretty fun."
"Not interested." I shot him down instantly. "I want to join the navy and protect the people out there."
"You would need to become a guard to protect the Tenryuubito." Shanks points out and I grimace slightly at the thought of getting involved with those wastes of human garbage.
Becoming an Admiral sounds great, it would let me do so much throughout the world as well as face so many enemies, but the thought of becoming the bodyguard or going to avenge the Tenryuubito in case someone takes true justice in their own hands sounds like a bad idea.
Well, there is always that way.
"I can just stay as Vice-Admiral like my grandpa and do as I please anyway." I said with a confident expression and the crew actually chuckled at that.
"Kid, you are not taking this as seriously as you should."
I just raise a brow before speaking.
"Worse comes to worse and I can't stay there later, I can always leave or something at the time. Maybe just be a pirate hunter, that should not be too bad either."
Shanks smirks as he nods his head once, twice, and then speaks up.
"Well, since you are like that then I guess I could help out a future great pirate."
"Still not a pirate." I say, to which he ignores and continues.
"For the next few weeks, we will help you out in getting a hang of haki."
I frown as I hear that. Sure, learning anything to do with haki now would be incredible and the Red Hair Pirates are all extremely capable pirates who reached fame and power mostly through haki alone. And yet, they are teaching me the basics just like that, it sounds a bit too good to be true.
I guess Shanks noticed my expression and raised three fingers at me.
"I have three reasons to decide on this. First, I feel like, whatever may happen, you would do your best to protect my daughter in case she ever needs it."
"Well, duh. She is my friend, how can I ignore her when she is in trouble?" I said and Shanks's smile increased a tiny bit more.
"Second, you have incredible talent and with this you will owe me and my crew a favor. Getting a favor from a future vice-admiral or, most likely, another big name pirate is nothing to scoff at."
"You really think I will ditch the marines to become a pirate? You sure that hammer guy did not hit you in the head back then?" I say and the rest of the crew snicker at Shanks who just snorts at that.
"Trust me kiddo, I am a good judge of character and you will not be able to stay in the marine forever. Now, for the final reason as to why I decided on doing this, I just find the idea of beating you up funny."
"W-What?"
"Nothing personal, I just noticed my daughter looking at you a bit more than I am comfortable with and if I can smack you around enough to make you extra ugly things will be safer." Shanks says without a hint of this being some joke. As he then stands up he looks at me with an downright evil smirk, he says. "First thing you will need to learn is Observation Haki. It lets you sense the presence of everything around you more precisely, even letting you predict other's movements. To train this, we will begin with a very important training."
"And that is?" I ask, dread starting to spread from inside as an absurd idea appears on my mind.
Those fears, though, were comproved the next second.
"Today, you will learn how to dodge."
And thus started the month of me being beaten up just about every chance this crew could get away with. Honestly, if not for me healing so fast and my body being so tough I would die without a doubt, but they knew just how much force they could and could not use. Still, that did not mean I was not beaten up a lot to the point that the only moment I had to relax for this trip turned out to be in Sabaody Archipelago since the ship would need about a day for the full coating needed.
It is an extremely fast speed, sure, but it is still a full day here in Sabaody Archipelago. Thanks to that fact we would not even have the time to stop in Fishman Island and instead would travel on one of the underwater currents to be able to arrive in time in Elegia.
Sabaody is the land closest to Marineford, Marejois, and the 'slave market central' of the world at large. It is a place that looks incredible, but after this time with the Red Hair Pirates beat up disguised as training I more or less have the beginning of observation haki and, even with just the most rudimentary levels of it, I can sense it.
This place, it is simply disgusting. There is just such an innate malice here, I feel nauseous just standing there.
"Hey, come along you slowpoke. We only have a single day here and I want to go to the Amusement park!" Uta says as she begins dragging me ahead. Hopefully, nothing bad will happen, especially with Uta being kinda cute and the amusement park here being the prime kidnapping place in this place.
With a glance I notice how none of the crew seems to intend to follow us. Guess it is on me to protect this girl, again.
