This is the 17th chapter. I don't own the series of One Piece.
A Man Who Talks of Dreams and the King of Undersea Search
Jaya Island
After Leon knocked Bellamy out with only one shot, which it got the Straw Hats, the Bellamy pirates, and the group of pirates were stunned of his actions, he turns his head to Sarquiss and his crew with a glare on his face. Sarquiss and crew glares right back at the mercenary, furious of him taken down their captain.
"Did you see that?! He just took Bellamy down!"
"It's no surprise, not the first time he does that! I saw him did it more than once!"
"He also took down the big guy back at the shores!"
Zoro, Nami, and Caius were shocked and it got them realize that the big guy one of the pirates described is Jesus Burgess, Blackbeards helmsman and a fighter. Then again, it's no surprise that Ventus beat Burgess and the Blackbeard pirates, but it won't stop them for going after the young Dragoon. Also, they remembered of Ventus' warning about them, which they've only met Doc Q and saw Jesus Burgess, but they've also met Marshall D. Teach which they didn't know about it, yet.
Outside of the bar, the rest of the pirates heard a commotion which it's loud enough to hear a gunshot.
"What's all the commotion about?"
"I heard a gunfire in there!"
Bellamy stands up and went back inside of the bar as he looks at Leon with an angry glare on his face.
"Bastard...That's twice for humiliating me in front of those pirates..." Bellamy snarled angrily. "...Don't think you'll do that again for a third time!"
"And I say it before, I'm gonna say it again, you brought this on yourself for starting fights in the first place." Leon said, placing his gunblade on his shoulder. "I warned you and your crew already, but from the looks of it, you seem to not taking it for granted."
"Well, it won't do you any good after that crap you pulled. See, we don't listen to any of your warnings, we just start look for you and kill you with the head on a pike." Sarquiss told him, leans his kukri on his shoulder. "And when we're with you, you're going to realize of your biggest mistake you've ever made. No one humiliates the Bellamy pirates and live to tell about it, especially for mercenaries."
One of the Bellamy pirate crewmates laughed, agreed to Sarquiss' statement.
"Clearly, the little runts over there gets the idea."
"Then again, the Marines sure are generous these days to be willing to fork over in between 30 million for the worthless child and a 100 million for some noble dragon prince or whatever." Sarquiss said with a smirk, waving his hand.
It got the Straw Hats scowled at the Bellamy pirates since they new whom they were talking about, but they failed to realize that both Luffy and Ventus' bounties went high along with Zoro's.
"Sounds nice, huh? Three bounties and a mercs head for the prize?" Bellamy mocks with a smirk. "So, it's either my lucky day for four lucky catch or their worse day of their lives? Either way, I think we're going to have fun with these weaklings."
As soon as Sarquiss walked in front of Leon, he readied his kukri knife.
"I'm going to enjoy beating your ass, mercenary!" Sarquiss snarled with a sneer as he charges after Leon, who readied his fighting stance.
"Keen Edge" Leon charges after him and makes the first strike by slicing him twice.
"Mystic Flurry" Leon then raises his arm, fires multiple ice bullets that turns into lightning, strikes Sarquiss and knocks him out against the floor, leaving the pirates shocked.
It got Bellamy's pirate crew charging after the mercenary when Luffy, Caius, and Zoro were about to help him.
"Bow Shock" Leon raises his gunblade, then slams his weapon down to the floor as the electric field surrounds him and sending the Bellamy pirates flying while getting shocked as they crashed against the wall while fallen to the ground.
The Straw Hats, except Caius, Bellamy, and the pirates were stunned that the Gunbreaker was able to beat the Bellamy pirates with ease. Leon then turns his head to Bellamy while placing his gunblade next to his shoulder.
"Last chance, take your crew leave or join them. Your choice." Leon warned them with a scowl.
Bellamy was about to fight him after what the mercenary did to his crew, but his couldn't react because Leon has the killing intent aura which it's frightening. He then noticed the background of a lion behind him, eyeing on Bellamy like a predator ready for a fight. With no other options, Bellamy decided to help his crew and then leave the bar.
"This isn't over, merc! Not by a long shot! Count on it!" Bellamy shouts angrily as he and crew left.
Leon then sighed since the fight is over as he placed his gunblade on his back, then turns to the Straw Hats.
"Sorry about that, this happens on a daily basis. And Bellamy and his cronies are no different, they have a tendency to cause trouble by killing number of pirates without any remorse." Leon explains. "It happens to any other pirates and in between."
"Yeah, we can tell." Nami said with a serious look on her face, sighed. "So much for subtle conversation."
"Is there any other places we can have a private talk?" Leon inquires curiously.
"There is, we have Going Merry at the shore." Nami replied. "Besides, it's much better than here since this place is bad enough with Bellamy and the Blackbeard pirates around."
"And with Bellamy pirates painted the target on our backs, we best be ready for these guys. No telling when they will strike back." Zoro adds.
Leon, Nami, and Caius agreed to his point as they and Luffy started to leave the bar. The rest of the pirates knew that the mercenary would do the same to them if they're not careful, otherwise they would end up like the Bellamy pirates. They decided not to fight as they watch the Straw Hats and Leon leaves.
Ventus was told that the bar is the best place to find information, though he highly doubts that since this town is infested with pirates and there's no single Marine anywhere. But then, he noticed his crew and a mercenary were about to head for the shores when they heard a voice that he's familiar.
"That's quite a show you put on." The voice of Blackbeard said, earned their attention when he's eating a cherry pie with a laugh. "That place really does make a killer cherry pie."
'Blackbeard!?' Ventus mentally thought with a growl which gotten his blood boiling with rage, about to get ready for a fight when an arm limb stops him by placing his shoulder.
"Calm down, let's just wait and see." The voice of Robin assures him as she walks next to him.
"Got something you want to say." Nami said with a scowl, not in a mood.
"Now, what can you possibly angry about? Your friend over there won that fight by letting them off with a warning." Blackbeard told her.
It got Luffy remembering of those words between Shanks and Ace.
'Heh, you think you'll surpass us?'
'When next we meet, we'll both be top pirates.'
These words have echoed on Luffy's mind as Blackbeard points at the mercenary.
"I respect you the way you took down those punks back there." Blackbeard said. "You and those four have nerves of steel."
Blackbeard then laughs while Ventus tried to remain calm, resist the urge to kill the Captain of the Blackbeard pirates.
"This 'New Era' they keep rambling on and on about is a load of crap. The era when pirates dream of treasure will come to an end?! Yeah right!" Blackbeard shouts with a laugh, leaving the pirates confused as he slams a bottle of rum down to the ground while staring at the Straw Hat pirates. "The dreams of pirates...will never end!? Am I right?!"
However, pirates around him started to laugh with mockery of his claims. But instead of beating them for defying him, like how Ventus remembered, Blackbeard ignored them and continued to speak to the Straw Hats while Luffy looks at him with a serious expression on his face.
"Going up in your beards is never easy!" Blackbeard said, continued to laugh as the pirates continued mocking him while the Bellamy pirates can hear that loud laugh, wondering what that commotion was which Bellamy told them to ignore it. "They can laugh at us all they want, because when you aim high, you often come across fights that just aren't worth fighting, right?"
Blackbeard then laughs at Ventus and Robin left the scene while the rest of the Straw Hat pirates and Leon decided to leave since, but Luffy kept looking at him.
"So, that's him right?" Robin inquires.
"That's him, Blackbeard. Never thought I see him again, after what happened." Ventus replied with a nod. "He may be carefree on the outside, but he's power-hungry and ruthless on the inside."
Robin noticed the enraged look on his face when his eyes dilates into a dragon, decided not to pry as they continued to make their way towards the ship.
"Luffy!" Nami called her captain.
"Oh, it looks like I interrupting you. Are you in a hurry, kid?" Blackbeard asks as he stands up, turns away. "One more thing, I hope you find your way to Sky Island."
Blackbeard then drinks his rum, walks away with a laugh. Then, the Straw Hats and Leon walks away when Nami approaches Luffy.
"Maybe we should keep talking to him, he may know something about Sky Island." Nami suggested quietly.
"I wouldn't recommend that." Leon told her, earned her attention. "He's Captain of the Blackbeard pirates, Marshall D. Teach, known as Blackbeard."
It got Nami widen her eyes, shocked that the man they've spoken to is none other than Blackbeard.
"You mean, he's..."
"No doubt it's him and the ones we encounter were his crew." Caius cuts in. "We should remain vigilant and not to draw attention to ourselves."
While the Straw Hats and Leon continued to head their way towards the shore, Blackbeard drinks his rum while continued walking.
"It's a beautiful day for a bottle of rum!" Blackbeard shouts with a laugh.
Meanwhile at the shore, both Usopp and Chopper are repairing the Going Merry while Sanji is at the kitchen, cooking seagulls for lunch. Usopp continued hammering the nail with his hammer while Chopper passes the board to him. But Usopp hits his finger instead of the nail, grunts when his finger is red.
"Seriously, I know I say this all the time, but one thing I am not is a ship repairman." Usopp groans in annoyance, hammering the nail.
"But you're really good at doing this sort of thing, Usopp." Chopper points out.
"I know!" Usopp agrees, turns to him with a smile. "It's quite amazing, I'm incredibly versatile."
"I say we trash this and buy a new ship instead." Sanji suggested, leaning against the railing.
"Are you out of your mind?!" Usopp yelled with a tick mark on his hand, holding the hammer. "You have any idea how we got our hands on this ship?!"
"Yeah, yeah, I've heard it a thousand times. It was given to you by the most gorgeous girl in your village, right? Who cares! It's just plain dangerous to keep relying on the ship in this condition." Sanji said with a shrug, annoyed.
"That's why I'm repairing it, idiot!" Usopp retorted. "Now get down there and give us a hand!?"
"Repairs, huh? This?" Sanji said, bangs the wooden planks while proven his point. "It won't hold."
"BITE ME!" Usopp yelled with his goofy face, budging eyes, and his goofy pose.
"That face is hilarious, Usopp!" Chopp states with a chuckle.
"Oh, you mean this one?" Usopp rhetorically asks as he inhales while spins around, then does the same look. "BITE ME!"
It got Chopper laugh in teary eyes, but Sanji isn't amused.
"What a couple of idiots." Sanji said in annoyance. "You guys have any ideas about dinner?"
"BITE ME!" Usopp and Chopper yelled with budging eyes and goofy looks on their faces.
"Fine, no food for you." Sanji remarked as he walked away, leaving Usopp and Chopper flinched as they plead which he ignored him while heading to the kitchen. "I'd better check to see how that seagull soup was doing. I wonder if I can use the feathers as a garnish, that could be interesting."
Then, they heard a loud whistling sound and a familiar chanting that was coming from the sea. Sanji notices a certain ship and both Usopp and Chopper heard a certain sound which they all familiar with.
"Huh, there's something strange of that ship." Sanji muttered, but Usopp and Chopper's jaws dropped with their faces pale.
'I know that song!?' Usopp and Chopper mentally exclaims in panic.
Few minutes later, Nami, Zoro, Luffy, and Leon made it to the shore which the mercenary noticed the damage of the Going Merry. He can tell the Going Merry can barely sail and it's about to break apart because of the major damage it took.
"How long do you have that ship?" Leon inquires curiously.
"Hmm...I'd say a long while, but we've lost track of time." Nami answered with a shrug. "Why'd you ask?"
"That ship you guys had won't be able to sail much longer, mostly because of the damages." Leon states. "And you guys really need a new ship."
"We know, but Usopp is trying his best to repair the ship." Caius points out.
"Which is why we need money to get the ship repaired or get a new one." Nami adds. "We'll just have to see if nothing else."
But soon as they're heading to the ship, Usopp, Sanji, and Chopper noticed their crew returned and noticed a mercenary with them.
"Hey you guys, were you able to get the information of how to get to Sky Island?" Usopp asks with a question.
"We were about to, but we've got into a bad run in with pirates." Caius explains, turns to Leon. "And our new ally saved us all the trouble of beating them."
Usopp, Chopper, and Sanji then turned their attention to the mercenary, which the cook only glares at him while Leon glares right back at him.
"So, you're the mercenary, huh? You protected Nami from danger, and took down those pirates who even tried to harm her." Sanji said.
"It's more like those pirates are after me, not your crew." Leon told him. "But, Bellamy and his crew were about to go after your crew back at the bar. And if I haven't cut in, then they'll be in for a fight."
Sanji can see that the mercenary is telling the truth, which he can tell that Leon has been through worse other than pirates.
"Fair enough." Sanji said. "Anyway, the names Sanji, I'm the chef for the Straw Hat crew. These two idiots over there are Usopp and Chopper. And you've already met Nami, who's our navigator, then Caius, the Reaper, Luffy, our captain of the Straw Hats, and that moss-headed moron is Zoro."
"What a way to introduce us, lovesick idiot!?" Zoro retorted with a tick mark on his head.
"What was that?!"
"You heard me!"
"That's it! You're dead!"
And with that, Zoro and Sanji began fighting for no reason as Luffy laughed. Nami decided to intervene as she bonked both of them in the head, leaving them knocked out and big bumps on their heads.
"Anyway, we should wait for the others first before you give us information about how to get to Sky Island." Nami suggested.
"That's fine." Leon agrees, then turns to Usopp and Chopper. "The names Leon, and like Caius said, I'm a mercenary."
"We're here, guys." The voice of Ventus said when he and Robin were at the Going Merry.
"It sounds like we've missed something exciting. How's everyone doing?" Robin asks with a smirk, carrying some bags of clothes.
"Robin, welcome back my love~!" Sanji said with goofy grin, gone goo-goo eyes as he waves his hand. "I can draw a bath and prepare a fruit plate for you if you're interested~!"
Ventus can only rolled his eyes in annoyance since he's not in the mood for Sanji's lovesick antics because of Blackbeard he encountered.
"Is he always like that whenever he saw women?" Leon asks, raising his eyebrow.
"Yep, it's just him being a lovesick moron as usual, you'll get use to it." Zoro told him, stands up while rubbing his soar head. "So, you gonna tell us about Sky Island?"
"Like I told her, I don't know much. But I know someone who knows about it more than I do." Leon explains. "His name is Mont Blanc Cricket, he lives on the other side of this island. Unlike those guys you've encountered while ago, he's better than anyone in this old town. He got kicked out because his former crew left him behind, and he even mentioned some things about Sky Island."
It got the rest of the Straw Hats, except Robin, curious about this Mont Black Cricket and surprised of the Gunbreaker given information to them about Sky Island. Though, it's better than nothing and now they knew about someone who knows about Sky Island more than them.
"He's right, here you go, Captain." Robin agrees, using her Devil Fruit to show the map to Luffy.
"Devil Fruit?" Leon guessed, turns to her as she nods in respond when the Straw Hats, except Ventus and Caius, looked at the map.
"Looks like a normal map." Usopp states. "So, what's the deal?"
"It's this island." Robin answered. "On the left side is Mock Town, which is where we are now. And if you look on the other side, you'll see an 'X' on the coast. Like Leon said, a man named Mont Blanc Cricket lives there that was vanished from this town because he didn't blend in."
"'Didn't blend in?'" Luffy and Usopp repeats, confused.
"She means he keeps talking on and on about Sky Island." Caius clarifies.
"Which brings me to my question, where have you two been all this time?" Nami inquires.
"I went shopping for some clothes and gathering information." Robin replied as she entered inside of the cabin.
"I was gathering information too, which I doubt I could find anything in this town." Ventus adds with a sigh. "Though, I saw you guys encountered Blackbeard outside of the bar."
It got Usopp and Chopper widen their eyes in panic, but Sanji began to tense up when the young Dragoon mentioned his name.
"Yeah, but it's not only him, there's also Doc Q and Jesus Burgess in this town." Nami points out.
"You mean the big guy, big muscles, always had a mask and his belt on?" Leon asks, earned a nod from him. "I've met him once, though he didn't come here for a friendly conversation because he's more into picking fights for no reason."
"How did you meet him?" Ventus questions.
"At the docks, after I took down Bellamy and his crewmate, Sarquiss. Though, these two are worse than Burgess, but not the sharpest tool in the shed." Leon told him. "Anyway, he tried to recruit me which I refuse and even called Blackbeard a coward. He doesn't take it likely, tried to beat me with his brute strength, but I was able to beat him in technicality and tactics. He may outclass me in brute strength, but not the skills."
"So, it was you who took down one of Blackbeard's crew, impressive." Zoro said with an impressed smirk.
"It's better than taking down the rest of Blackbeard's crew and himself, he's probably pissed that you took him down." Ventus adds.
"Hold on, I've heard that a certain man who took them down back in Drum Island months ago, that was you?" Leon asks in shocked, earned a nod from the young Dragoon. "That takes a lot of guts to defy him and live to tell the tale."
"Yeah, but he didn't do it alone, he got help." Usopp points out. "Though, he's able to beat Blackbeard by the skin of his teeth."
Leon nods with an understanding, but Luffy looks at the map with a grin.
"We need to pay this guy a visit." Luffy suggests.
"Wait a second, Luffy, it might not be such a good idea to do that." Usopp protests with a warning.
"I know the old man, I'll put a word to him whenever he's not too busy." Leon told him. "We should probably get moving, I don't want to hang around in this town for long."
And with an agreement, they began to sail to the other side of Jaya Island, but little did they know that another ship is at sea.
A ship goes by as Utan Sonar, which is similar to Mashira's ship, but the figurehead is of an orangutan head. The ship also has large trees serving as mast and doors with ladders around the hull from where the Utan Divers can get in and out of the water, plus a pair of giant paddles with one on each side of the ship. Also, on the sails is a Jolly Roger that has an orangutan skull with green hair and a pair of crossbones. Below the Jolly Roger, the phrase 'mori no hito' is written.
"Captain, all undersea preparations are operational!"
"Microphone ready!"
A pirate Captain named Shojou is a large man who looks like an orangutan with long green hair. He wears a black button-up shirt that's too small for his body showing his hairy torso, a green captain's coat with his arms in the sleeves, and green captain's hat with his personal Jolly Roger on the front. He also wears a belt that has the kanji for forest engraved on it. Due to not having cut his hair, his hair is so long that its entire length is almost as long as the entire body height.
"Excellent! Initiate the Search Sonar!" Shojou ordered, holding his microphone as he let out a scream, sending sound waves from his ship to the water.
The Utan Divers then listen to the echoes of the sound waves as they heard the sound of the school of fish swimming away after hearing the sound waves, which one of the divers picks up the sound as he swam up to the surface to inform his captain.
"This is the Utan Diver Number 27! Sonar response confirmed! We've detected a school of fish at 9 o'clock! Judging from their speed, we're looking at Soaring Fish!"
"Yeah! Time for a fish fry!" Shoujou said after smelling the ocean, but one of his divers merged out of the water.
"Diver 4 here! Sonar respond confirmed! A small sailing vessel has been detected on the surface!"
"Excuse me, a vessel?!" Shoujou shouts. "Determine the exact direction of its traveling!"
"It's dead ahead, sir! 12 o'clock!"
"It's already close enough for a visual contact?!" Shoujou shouts, knocking his crewmate with a barrel to the head. "Cancel the search and return to the ship at once!?"
And the Utan Divers did as their Captain ordered, climbing to the rope as they went inside of the ship, closing the door.
The Straw Hat pirates continued to sail when they saw a familiar ship. Usopp hid behind Luffy with his goggles on while the rubber Captain, Sanji, Chopper, and Leon noticed the ship.
"Well, it didn't take us long to run into something weird." Luffy states in blank look on his face. "Do you think it's that same salvage boat from before? Or..."
"Nah, it might look like a similar ship, but it's not Mashira's group." Sanji told him.
"That's because it's Shoujou's group." Leon points out. "Unlike Mashira you've encountered, he's in charge of searching under the sea by using sonar and echolocation."
"How do you know that?" Usopp asks, turns to the mercenary.
"Because I know those two." Leon clarifies. "They may be goofballs, but they can be friendly at times."
"But still, Chopper and I saw those guys!" Usopp exclaims. "Right?"
"Right, we saw them docking." Chopper told the Captain. "Turns out they port at Mock Town, the same as those ships in these waters. They're greedy slime, just like all the others!"
"You don't know that, Chopper." Leon told him, leaving Chopper flinched. "Mashia isn't like them, and neither does Shoujou. They're like Cricket, these two don't fit in with the other pirates because they're big dreamers."
"Well either way, they better hope we don't run into them again." Luffy warned him.
"Hey, hey, hey you guys! Shut your traps and pay attention!" Shoujou shouts, earned their attention. "Hmph! Can you believe I actually got all worked up, wondering who you people were?!"
"Shoujou! It's me, Leon!" Leon shouts which it got Shoujou's attention.
"Leon?! Is that you?!" Shoujou shouts in shock. "What are you doing with these pirates?!"
"They came for information about the Sky Island! They came to see Mont Blanc Cricket and we were wondering if you let us pass!" Leon explains. "We were on our way to South Grove!"
"Huh, wait...are you saying these guys are here for Old Man Cricket and Sky Island?" Shoujou asks.
"Yes! That's why I'm here with these guys, to give a word to Cricket and you and your brother!" Leon told him. "Can you let us through?"
"And why would I do that?" Shoujou questions.
"Because their Log Pose points up at the sky, and they're trying to get some information of Sky Island. I've given them information of someone who knows about it more than us." Leon explains. "Shoujou, they need Crickets help, same goes for you and Mashira."
Shoujou then began to ponder since Leon does make a valid point, which he can tell the mercenary wanted to help the Straw Hat pirates.
"All right, but we'll take you guys there." Shoujou told him. "But you better be right about this, because I don't want any funny business with these pirates around here. Is that clear?"
Leon nods as they continued to sail towards the South Grove.
"Wow, you really got him convinced!?" Usopp exclaims. "How did you do that?"
"I can be persuasive." Leon told him. "But he doesn't fully trust to you guys, not yet. Let's wait and see how it turns out if we can get Mont Blanc to help us."
"Well, let's hope you know what you're doing." Nami said. "Because I've got a feeling we're gonna be in for a fight if things didn't go as planned."
Leon couldn't help but agreed to Nami's statement as they continued to sail towards the island. However, Leon is hoping that Mont Blanc Cricket can help them by giving them an information of how to get to Sky Island, but if things have gone south, then they'll be in for a fight.
That's it for 17th chapter.
