Welcome to the start of the Bayou Isle Arc, an important set-up arc for the next arc, the Shugoshina War Arc.
I may be posting inconsistently because of my work-life balance, but nonetheless. Thanks for all the support.
Enjoy, and leave a review :)
Chapter 9: The New Threat: Germa of the North Blue
"Hey, hey. Look what just came in," yelled the boy as he rushed inside the bar.
"New bounty posters."
An old man picked them up as Lucian watched them through the corner of his eye. The old man and the kid were scouring through the posters, waiting for any potential threats that entered their island. Funny that they didnt know one was right in front of them. The boy then started to pin them to the wall. There were 9 new wanted posters issued by the World Government. The bar was quite full, and the customers started to crowd the area.
Lucian adjusted his cloak to hide his face because his new wanted poster just arrived.
It had been 3 years since Water 7 happened, and in that time, a lot happened.
He grew as a person and as a student. Looking back on his adventures, he desired to fix the mistakes he made along the way. He was older, stronger, and smarter now. But he also remained cautious about the world around him.
The further he traversed into the Grand Line, the more dangerous it became, and enemies surrounded him at nearly every turn. This island was no better; he had just stopped by so they could restock on provisions. But it seemed now that even relaxing at a bar wasn't even enjoyable anymore.
But fuck it, that was his life now. He enjoyed it, and after Rayleigh left, he understood the lessons he had learned had been all for his benefit to survive. Alone. In the New World.
He scanned the wall that all the bar residents flocked to: the wanted posters. One of them was Whitebeard's new recruit, Portgas D. Ace. He seemed to be a promising new addition, causing havoc to the Marines.
Another was of Robin, the assassin she met at Whiskey Peak. He was surprised to see her up there. She had a bounty of 79 million berries.
Another was of a clown named Buggy. He looked funny.
Two other interesting characters showed up, one named Eustass Kid, who had a bounty of 100 million berries and looked like a threat to worry about.
The other was a man named Trafalgar D. Law, who had a bounty of 112 million berries, higher than Kid. The Grand Line was quite full of monsters, so there was no surprise there.
These two seemed dangerous, but right below both of their posters, he saw his own.
'Lucian Xebel' Wanted Dead or Alive... 80 million berries.
Quite low, huh? He thought it'd be higher. But nonetheless impressive. The boy pointed to Lucian's wanted poster. "Hey, isn't that the pirate that fought the Whitebeard pirates?"
The old man turned to the boy. "Yeah, I heard he fought Jozu. He's the third-division commander. This pirate is no joke."
"Not only that, he also engaged Vice Admiral Garp's fleet a couple of months ago. Heard he was trying to steal something."
He scoffed at the remarks coming from the intrigued crowd staring at the wanted posters.
Lucian ran into Whitebeard's crew a couple of months ago. Jozu saw him as a threat and engaged him, no questions asked.
He was a tough one. Luckily, before anything major happened, the first division commander, Marco the Phoenix, broke it up. Lucian was grateful. He didn't want to take on all of Whitebeard's crew. They were too powerful.
He respected Whitebeard.
He was one of the greatest pirates ever to live. He tried to make amends with Whitebeard's crew by offering them a barrel of liquor from the South Blue. Lucian found out quickly how easy it is to make friends once you offer them alcohol. Whitebeard's crew was amazing and diverse. He enjoyed spending time with them for the day.
Though Whitebeard himself was tough, but once he explained to him that Rayleigh was his teacher, his entire attitude changed.
It is like he saw a whole new side of Whitebeard, one that was more vulnerable.
"Rayleigh, huh? He's not known to take on students under his wing. I wonder what makes you so special, boy," Whitebeard said as he continued to chug on the barrels of alcohol Lucian had brought for him and his crew.
Lucian smiled and nodded as he stood before a legend. Whitebeard must know a lot. He's been around forever.
"Give it time. You'll see what I'm made of," Lucian responded.
Whitebeard raised his brow as he chugged even more alcohol, "I know what you desire, boy; I suggest you stay away from the Reverie."
The Reverie, the meeting of World leaders. If he wanted answers, that's where he needed to go.
"It is impossible to gain access unless you are royalty boy. Stay away from the World Nobles. You'll be better off without them if you know what's good for you." Whitebeard had said.
Lucian knew he couldn't gain access to the Reverie himself, so how was he ever going to find the man himself?
"Build yourself a crew first, son; you are thinking too far ahead. I know that the celestial dragons have wronged you. But if you have no foundation with which to fight them, you'll die before you even have a chance to get what you want.
Hell, one of them gave me my scar." Whitebeard said once again.
Then, ever since Lucian left the Whitebeard Pirates that day. He heeded the advice of Whitebeard. He had to strengthen his crew. He knew he had to. Now, he was on the run from Vice Admiral Garp.
Honestly, that just had to be bad luck.
Garp tracked Lucian down after hearing about his involvement with CP9 at Water 7, but Lucian assumed that he wanted him because he was Karas's brother.
Despite running away constantly from the Marines, he considered asking Garp about Karas. Lucian knew he had served under his leadership for a while, so he was very interested in that. Lucian was a pirate, though, so what happened was that he had no time to ask questions.
After incapacitating Garp's division, he escaped. Now, Garp must be tracking him again. Hopefully, he wasn't close.
Lucian needed to improve his crew, though. He had a navigator, Konzaru, but he needed to contact him. Jory was his best friend and shipwright, so at least he got that. And he has Ilir and Mikasa, but they are halfway across the world.
So 5 members so far, but he only was with Jory.
He needed a couple more, that's for sure. Rayleigh always said that you'll know a good crew member when you feel it in your gut. He was waiting for that moment; hopefully, he'd meet the right people soon.
Back in the bar, the voices eventually blended together as Lucian sneaked out and returned to the ship where Jory was waiting.
Rayleigh had given him a specific task now that he had completed his training. Before he left for Sabaody Archipelago, Rayleigh entrusted him with following the lead of the Germa Kingdom.
Apparently, Rayleigh discovered that since the Germa Family was going to attend the Reverie this year, they had connections to a certain man Lucian was looking for. That he could infiltrate and find some answers. That was the plan, but it is easier said than done to infiltrate a dangerous society such as Germa.
Germa was basically scientifically enhanced humans created by Vinsmoke Judge in order to take over the North Blue territories for economic control. Well, that's how royalty operates.
They love to oppress people. Yay!
Regardless, he and Jory were ready to move. As he was walking back to the ship, Lucian found the residents of this island to be uneasy. He forgot the name of the island, but Jory needed to repair the Pearl.
Yeah, he forgot to say the new ship's name is 'The Black Pearl,' which was kind of cool. Jory named it after a magazine spread he saw a couple of months back; he had no clue what the magazine said, but it sure as hell fired up Jory.
Well, on the way to the ship, he hoped no one spotted him because he didn`t want the trouble.
Lucian approached his ship and yelled out to Jory.
"Hey bro, I brought you your liquor." Lucian threw a couple of barrels of alcohol onto the Black Pearl. Jory exclaimed, "RIGHT ON, THANKS."
"We need to set sail for the Bayou Isles, where Germa is stationed for the next couple of months. It's about time we act like pirates, am I right?" Lucian said.
"Yes, of course. Finally finishing training with Rayleigh, you should be pumped for a new adventure," Jory responded.
Lucian smiled.
Three years ago(Post Water 7)...
Lucian, Jory, and Uncle Rayleigh all arrived on Luguawan Island, an island situated on the outskirts of the New World. And one with a heavily dense forest area and a small population of natives, who were situated at the village by the coast.
It also served as the new island Lucian was to be training on. Once they arrived, Jory and Rayleigh ported the ship to the main town. The residents seemed nice, and the town was quite big.
Exploring the town, he was interested in why Rayleigh picked this specific island. Apparently, after conversing with some of the people there, they realized that the forest was dangerous and could not be navigated properly.
Nice new territory to hone some skills.
"Hey, kid, this island is perfect. There are no distractions. It's time to get to work," Rayleigh said.
Lucian remembered that when he first set sail for the Grand Line, he and Rayleigh trained on a small forest island for a couple of months. It's safe to say that was one of the most difficult tasks of his life, but now that he was back at it, he had to lock in.
"We need a cover, Rayleigh, if we are going to stay here a while," Jory added.
Smart idea. He didnt need any more trouble. Truth is Lucian felt weak, after what happened on Water 7 it kind of lowered his confidence. He needed it back.
Rayleigh turned to Jory, "Yes, yes, I know. That is why I looked into this island. Jory, there is a shipwright shop here for sailors who come by. That's your cover for now. I will be working at the mechanic shop across from you, and Lucian will be living in the forest for his training."
At least Jory seemed excited. As long as he could do anything ship-related, Jory would jump at the joy of that opportunity.
Lucian and Rayleigh began to explore the island. There was also the issue of the Black Pearl. The ship was quite massive, and it kind of drew attention if it stayed in the town port. So Rayleigh moved it to the opposite isolated part of the island. He anchored it in a bay where the cliffs would block its presence.
Then, eventually, training began.
Over the next couple of weeks, Rayleigh began to draw out the best possible training from Lucian. He combined his Rokushiki abilities to increase his levels of armament haki.
His observation haki was really good, but his armament haki was really bad. After a while, Rayleigh sat him down and explained his issues to Lucian.
"Ok, kid, we need to get something straight here. The training that we will be doing now is going to bring out the best of you. But it will be harder than anything you've faced before."
Lucian stared at him. Lucian was used to training in harsh environments. He had also faced many pirate crews and opponents stronger than him in the last couple of years. So, he knew that he was truly ready to face anything as long as he was dedicated.
"Remember what I told you on Aragonia," Lucian remembered that too; Rayleigh said his Haki potential was amazing and that he had the conqueror's will, but he hadn't been able to unlock it yet.
"Well, explain to me then. How did you teach me Rokushiki if you can't use it?".
Rayleigh smiled. "Who said I didn't know it? It isn't exactly Rokushiki, but it is similar to some of the other abilities I possess. It is something that I discovered about you when I first started training you: the speed at which you move, kid. It is impressive; you can move faster than I can now. But in order to truly become a deadly force. You need to combine your Rokushki with your haki. Then you'll draw out your true potential."
Lucci and Kaku mentioned his Rokushiki abilities as amazing. Apparently, he learned them when Rayleigh was teaching him the martial arts.
The ability to move at the speed of light was rare, and he considered himself blessed for that. But Rayleigh also pointed out that as good as his observation haki became, his armament haki needed work. If he could combine his Rokushiki with armament haki, he could be unstoppable.
Over the next few months, Lucian had one goal.
Focus all his willpower on enhancing his armament output. He spared with Rayleigh every day. Each day brought new and better improvements. Rayleigh kicked his ass nearly every time but with each passing day. Lucian became slightly better and better. Combining his skills to master his combat capabilities truly, he would experiment with different combinations and different battle plans. No one better to strategize with than Uncle Rayleigh. But Lucian realized after all the fighting with Rayleigh, that he had to improve his stamina, that would be the game changer for him.
So, in Rayleigh's style, he had to run nonstop every day while fighting (his body is on fire, helpppppp!).
Typically, after every training session. Lucian and Jory would grab drinks and food at the bar next to his job site. He would usually ask Jory about his day, and they'd plan their future endeavors. Also it was funny to see a giant fit inside a bar.
Luckily, the bar was big.
Jory asked about the crew, and Lucian told him that he had only a couple of members so far.
Ilir was training in Wano. He wondered how he was doing. Kaido controlled that area, and he was an Emperor of the sea, so naturally, he was worried for him. Ilir was going to be his first mate, as they promised when they were kids, and he missed him a lot.
But Lucian counted on him to come back stronger!
He explained to Jory how Mikasa was going to be their historian. She was crucial to the crew and one of the smartest people Lucian had ever known. He's going to need her knowledge to achieve his goals, and he misses her the most. It's been over three years, and there has been no word from either one of them, but he knows one day they'll reunite if Lucian doesn't die along the way.
No, dont think negatively.
Lastly, we have Konzaru. That guy is interesting. He saved him in Loguetown from his crew. Soon after, Konzaru devoted himself to Lucian. He was going to be their navigator. His crew was shaping up nicely, um, hypothetically.
"Can't wait to meet them," Jory said after hearing Lucian explain to his friends. "Just watch, bro. Greatness is within our reach."
As the months passed...
His training with Rayleigh became increasingly intense and difficult. He found it to be a new routine that he'd adapt to. His armament haki improved drastically, and he was able to flow freely with his new abilities.
He started to love this.
He developed new techniques, but he wanted to keep them a secret. Sorry, but you`ll have to wait and see what they are.
Then, the years passed by so quickly that it all seemed to blend together. The months felt like days, and the days felt like a couple of hours. Everything moved so fast that Lucian lost track of time.
Soon enough, the good memories he made on Lugawan Island will be history; nothing good lasts forever.
For the first time since leaving Aragonia, his life was calm and fulfilling. Rayleigh taught him so much, but he knew it wouldn't last forever. After they left the island, Rayleigh started explaining his plans to Jory and Lucian: He had to return to the Sabaody Archipelago for business.
It occurred a couple of months ago(before the present day), right when Lucian's training ended abruptly.
Lucian understood that Rayleigh couldn't babysit him forever, but he would always be thankful for him. After a long time of training and destroying the forest, the town began to get suspicious. Some theories were that the Gods got angry and fought in the forest.
That was funny, to be honest, but he realized how strong his armament haki was. He had to contain them most of the time, so he didn`t wipe the island off the map. Well, once, he hit a little too hard, which alerted the Marines, and that's when everything changed. Well, it was bound to happen.
Jory ran towards them, yelling that the Marines were at the port. Rayleigh was quite too famous to stay, and they tracked him down.
So Lucian and Jory hid low in the town as the Marines scoured the Island.
He overheard the chatter. The locals complained of explosions and loud noises coming from the forest.
Lucian shadowed the Marines; apparently, this was a group from the Admirals' sector. Lucian became amazing at concealing his presence. He tailed the Marine Captain. He didnt look familiar, but he said something that caught him off guard.
"These idiots, why'd they detour us from Marie Jois just to investigate some stupid noise complaint."
A couple of the Marine subordinates laughed. Lucian attacked right away. He quickly disposed of the Marines surrounding the captain in a flash.
The Captain looked stunned, "Who are you pirate scum". He tried to attack but Lucian dodged all his punches, he quickly grabbed his left arm and shattered his elbow. Lucian's left leg kicked him in the stomach, and he turned him over and put him in a headlock.
"Marie Jois, why are you going there?"
The captain struggled to speak "Fuck youuuu… pi-rate". Lucian released him. He fell to his knees and gasped for air.
Lucian sighed. "Come on, I didn't kill your men. Just simply knocked them out. But that will quickly change if you dont tell me the truth."
Lucian looked around. The locals looked at him with fear. He was the center of attention again, and not in a good way. The captain looked terrified, and out of fear for his subordinates' lives, he told him his reasoning.
Lucian's eyes widened, and he quickly knocked him out.
"The celestial dragons are tricky, kid," Rayleigh said as Lucian informed him of the situation. Jory started to get angry. He could feel his hatred towards them. Lucian felt the same way. "Marie Jois, the holy land of the celestial dragons. Extremely guarded by a powerful Marine presence, they-."
Lucian cut him off. "They rule the world basically right, taking what's theirs. Destroying islands for fun, including mine."
Rayleigh understood Lucian's grief, "If you attack them, kid, it means death. Every Navy Admiral will be on your ass, and trust me, they are dangerous. Stay out of it".
Lucian didn`t want to. They killed his people. "Captain, you know we have like 50 marines lying unconscious in town… what do we do."
Shit, he forgot about that.
Rayleigh raised his hand. "Time to leave this island, kid, and time for me to go to Sabaody."
Lucian was expecting this. They had been on the island for a long time now, and Rayleigh always talked about leaving them once Lucian's training was done. So Rayleigh decided to end training today.
Lucian was still shocked. "Wait, so training is done?"
Rayleigh laughed. "I have nothing left to teach you, kid; you are far more ready than you'll ever be. In fact, you have been ready for a while. I just wanted to spend some more time with you before I departed, that's all."
Lucian stared at Rayleigh. He looked down and processed his thoughts. The man he met in Aragonia saved his life countless times. Whether it is from rogue pirates or the Marines. He saved him from the suited man. He saved him from CP9. He was there for Lucian whenever he got sick or hurt or whenever he defeated a new opponent. Rayleigh was there for Lucian in his highs and lows.
He remembered calling Rayleigh his Uncle when they first left for Aragonia as a cover. But truthfully, after six years of being with Rayleigh.
He truly considered him family.
Lucian shed a tear. "Thanks for everything, Uncle. You'll always be family to me. Without you, I would never have made it this far."
Rayleigh and Jory laughed.
Lucian hugged Rayleigh. Since Marine reinforcements were on their way, they had to move quickly, so they all ran back to the Black Pearl.
Jory had built a small ship for Rayleigh to reach Sabaody. Before Rayleigh's departure, he handed Lucian a vivre card: "Anytime you need me, I'm here."
Lucian gave Rayleigh another big hug. He was going to miss him a lot. Jory also broke down in tears and gave Rayleigh a massive hug.
"One last thing," Rayleigh said as he went into the ship to grab something. It was a box, "One last gift. I've been waiting a while to give this to you when you were finally done training."
Lucian looked at the box and opened it. Inside was a sword—a beautiful sword, could it be? The Shodai Kitetsu? Lucian nearly fainted.
"NO WAY… ONE OF THE SUPREME GRADE SWORDS!" he yelled.
Jory was in awe, the same as him. Lucian nearly fainted. All this time, the Shodai Kitetsu, one of the most legendary swords in the world. And Rayleigh had it this whole time.
For the 4th time, Lucian hugged Rayleigh again.
"This may be the greatest gift I've ever received. Thanking you is not enough."
"A fitting sword for a fitting captain. I'm gonna miss you, kid. Don't do anything stupid. And…stay safe," Rayleigh smiled.
As Rayleigh departed from the island, he wished him luck on his voyage. He continued to stay at shore, waving to his uncle until he was out of reach. Jory put his hand on Lucian's shoulder.
Stay safe, Uncle.
"Come on, bro. It's time to set sail," Jory said. Lucian looked at him and nodded. They ran to the Black Pearl, never looking back.
Present Day…
Jory sat down on the deck, drinking the barrels of alcohol that Lucian threw at him. The sun began to set, and the water glistened beautifully over the horizon of the Grand Line. This was one of the more beautiful islands that they ventured upon.
Sadly, they couldn't stay long since his new wanted poster had just come to the island.
Jory handed Lucian a barrel. "No thanks. I have to figure out how we are going to get to Bayou," Lucian said, rejecting Jory`s offer to drink.
Jory nodded and drank the barrels empty. Navigation wasn't exactly their strongest forte. In fact, he and Jory got lost plenty of times after Luguawan Island. Rayleigh usually knew where to go, but he had to learn how to survive without him.
After Rayleigh left, Lucian set sail with Jory and ran into a lot of Marine trouble. It seemed as if he was just destined never to catch a break. But now he had his eyes set on Germa. They were stationed a couple of islands away from them. Luckily for them, though, they had studied the waters of the destination.
To be truthful, both of them were too dumb to read the Log pose, but Jory designed this new tech thing that makes it easier to chart our courses to a destination; it would take longer to reach the islands they desire, but it is better than getting lost.
Navigation was a tough skill to learn, and they barely plotted a path to Germa. It took weeks, and they had to pull it off successfully. Jory had asked what the importance of this trip was. In fact, it meant everything to him. Lucian stared at the log pose. The time to leave was now. God damn, he was bad at navigation.
Jory had a point, though; why was it important? Because...
The Reverie is near in attendance this year, and Germa is the key to getting new information.
Rayleigh informed him that the Reverie had the top officials of the World Government attend. But that is just the public answer—what the media wants you to think.
In truth, it is a meeting behind closed doors of the true powers of the world. Celestial Dragons, as disgusting as they are, barely scratch the surface. Lucian bugged Rayleigh after all these years to tell him the secrets of the world, and in all that time, all he got out of him was information about the Nobles.
The Gorosei rule the world. He was told these 5 elders make all executive decisions regarding the Marines and Celestial Dragons. So, they must have ordered the genocide on Aragonia, but when the suited man arrived, Karas mentioned something about the Holy Knights and how he was a member of them.
So Lucian believed they must have been a separate faction of the World Government, a secret service perhaps. Truth be told, he hadn't had much time to look more into it; he had to train these last six years because you cannot be weak in the Grand Line unless you want your intestines spilled out on the battlefield. A moment of hesitation or weakness, and you'll surely die painfully.
But now, as they embarked near the Bayou Isles. Lucian was ready to confront the truth he had so long waited for.
An answer, but life is often full of disappointments. This could turn out to be one of those journeys.
But as Lucian and Jory began to sail, picking the wrong path like fifteen, no make that now sixteen times, he was left to wonder.
Why was Aragonia picked for a systemic genocide, and what did the poneglyphs mean to them? He was still mad that he almost had to give up a piece of that information upon Water 7; he owed Rayleigh a lot, didn't he?
As they finally plotted a semi-correct course, Lucian began to explain the situation to Jory: how they would infiltrate the Bayou Isles and figure out a way to get into this year's Reverie through Germa. Yeah, yeah, Rayleigh informed Lucian that pirates weren't allowed into the Reverie, but he had to figure something out. He didn`t come all this way for nothing. But from what he had read about Germa, they were unlike other Royal families.
They were very depraved and powerful. In newspapers, he read about how Germa conquered kingdoms and wiped out armies. No one stood up to their authority until now. He didn't fear them, but he knew he shouldn't underestimate them as well. He heard stories of their scientific prowess.
The Vinsmoke Family had 5 members. Their leader was Vinsmoke Judge; he was the leader who'd attend the Reverie this year; he had 4 kids.
Ichiji was the oldest son, Niji was the second son, and Yonji was the third son. From the stories he heard, they were soulless warriors who wouldn't hesitate to kill an innocent child.
The last child was the oldest, the daughter Reiju. She was quite unknown in the public eye, so he had to tread carefully then.
Lucian had done his research thoroughly. Lucian believed if these idiots could get into the Reverie, then maybe he could find a way to tag along.
He then explained to Jory the plan, they would infiltrate the Bayou Isles and mask themselves until the opportunity presented to infiltrate and get information on the whereabouts of that Noble, the scum that came to Aragonia all those years ago, that celestial dragon he could never forget his name.
Saint Fitzgerald.
Jory seemed to understand the plan, but he sensed his nervousness. They were to invade New World territory, so caution was needed.
Lucian didn`t have a crew. So far, it was just the two of them, so they really had no backup.
A couple of days had passed since they set sail for Bayou, and Lucian tried to relax as much as possible. He and Jory often checked the helm to make sure they were on the correct course. In fact, they were 50/50 on whether or not they would even reach the Bayou Isles since they had little to no navigation awareness.
Well, they had a map, and they tried their best to read and follow it. It was like watching two idiots try their best to find out which direction they would go in(quite funny and sad at the same time)
Their log pose pointed in the right direction(they hoped it was) most of the time, so they had to keep an eye on it cautiously.
Lucian forgot to mention that The Black Pearl had a lot of significant improvements over the last 3 years, including an autopilot feature, so they didnt have to spend all day at the helm steering the ship. Jory also basically redid the entire ship.
He added multiple bedrooms, including a beautiful dining area, a larger pool, which was so fun, a soccer field, and a massive gym area. He usually worked out in the gym and cooled off in the pool after that. He loved his ship and made sure to remind Jory of his beautiful craftsmanship. Sorry, he had to let everyone know how good Jory`s ship is.
"Hey, Captain, we are nearing the Bayou Isles," Jory roared over the wind.
Lucian ran and adjusted the mast in the direction Jory was pointing. It took longer than expected to reach the Isles. Maybe because they both made multiple bad turns, he didnt know how navigators did it. It was really damn hard. Regardless, the Bayou Isles were pretty beautiful.
It was an Isle consisting of 15-something islands that were all interconnected to each other.
As the Black Pearl approached the beautiful white sand beaches of Bayou, he also saw palm trees and some houses situated on the coastline. This must be the border. From what Jory told him, there wasn't a strong pirate presence in this area. Which makes sense since Germa claimed it as their territory.
Lucian stood at the bow of the ship as he sailed into the Isles. He saw some children near the beaches run to the shoreline and wave to them. Lucian waved back and smiled.
"We should ask for where the capital is," Jory asked.
"Good idea."
As the ship continued going straight, he saw a couple of other smaller islands surrounding them; these chains of islands operated together and mainly as an export for sealife, probably how a small nation can make their economy run proficiently. Jory asked a nearby sailor for directions to the capital. The poor guy freaked out when he saw the Pearl. To be fair, it was like 30 times bigger than his fishing boat, so he assumed pirates were here to cause trouble.
Well, not a wrong assumption.
"Hey, old man, we're not here to hurt you. I was just wondering if you could point us in the direction of the capital." Lucian smiled to make him feel comfortable.
After a while, the old man's fear went away, and he offered to take them to the capital, but nothing further than that. Lucian manned the helm and started following the small fishing boat. Jory lowered the knots so he wouldn't accidentally crush the small boat and kill the old man.
After a couple of hours of Lucian and Jory making jokes and enjoying the beautiful weather, a large island appeared. A massive castle was situated on the peak of the mountain and below was a city of lights that illuminated the dusk skies.
"This is the furthest I can take you, or else trouble will start to brew." the old man yelled from below.
"Thanks, old man," Lucian yelled from above. "No worries, but a piece of advice: you shouldn't dock that ship here unless you want problems with the Marines. You know, with you being pirates and all." It was a valid point.
"So, where should we leave our ship?" Jory asked.
The old man pointed to the nearby small island. "You can anchor your ship there, I suggest you port it on the northeast side of the island where visibility is low." This old man was useful; Lucian tossed the old man a bag of berries. "Forget this conversation ever happened," Lucian said.
The old man smiled and sailed away. "Hey, Jory, we have a canoe or something on this thing so we can reach the capital."
"Bro, it sucks that you even have to ask."
Jory turned the Pearl around and anchored it on the island parallel to the capital. Since it was a large ship, he made sure there was no visibility on the Pearl. Lucian and Jory disembarked on a smaller ship. It was a 30-minute ride to the capital, where the bright lights still shone.
As they approached the port, a man appeared. "To dock your ship costs 500 berries for the night". Quite expensive, Lucian hopped onto the deck. "Well, my partner and I are going to stay here for a while. We are doing business and all. We would love to keep this ship here indefinitely," Lucian proposed.
The man pondered his request: "I can definitely make you a deal, kid; just come back tomorrow." Lucian was definitely not paying that guy.
Jory can build thousands of those small boats. He'd just steal a boat if they needed to. They thanked the man, and then they began to explore the city.
It was late at night, yet the city was full of nightlife. Was it wrong for him and Jory to have some fun, maybe another night, but for now, they had to settle in. Jory had been looking for a room to stay in that was large enough to accommodate his massive size. Hopefully, they had room for giants. And surprisingly enough, they did. As both of them settled in, Jory began to describe the surroundings he saw. Germa banners appeared deeper into the city center. Men in grey official clothing were patrolling the area.
"Let's get some rest, bro, then we'll start scouting the area," Lucian proposed.
"Go on without me, bro; let me know what you find," Jory said. Lucian let Jory be as he left the hotel.
Germa had a great setup going in the area. He had to admit it was a beautiful island and surprisingly full of life.
Lucian scoured the city for a couple of hours and discovered a lot of interesting things. First, anything near the castle is strictly prohibited. The men in grey won't let anyone get near. Second, he learned the history of this beautiful city.
Germa recently laid siege to the old government and claimed it as its own. They talked to some locals, and they said it was a bloody ordeal. Many soldiers lost their lives in the process, and innocents got caught in the crossfire. Apparently, the Vinsmokes are merciless warriors, and rumors are they are devoid of emotions.
Thirdly, the Reverie was going to happen in a couple of months. Germa's involvement is to be noted in their development of restoring a new order to the World, whatever that may be.
Lucian loved to stroll through the markets. He usually found many interesting things or people there. Jory was on standby in the meantime. He was looking for a way to infiltrate the castle, if possible. So, plans were going well, hopefully.
Until he saw something interesting. When Lucian was near the town center, he wanted to scout the soldiers guarding the entrance to the castle. Usually, they gave him dirty looks. What irritated him the most was when he focused on sensing their emotions. It was a blank slate. He got no readings from them. It was as if they were robots.
But what caught his eye was someone exiting the main gate. The soldiers stepped aside for her. She was Beautiful, a blonde girl wearing jeans and a pink shirt with 'Live, Laugh, Love' inscribed on her chest. She was carrying a wooden basket.
Interesting, she could be the key.
She walked past Lucian and into the town center. In a non-creepy stalker way, Lucian decided to shadow her.
The girl was visiting the food markets, inspecting vegetables, and buying meat. She was shopping and filling her basket with whatever she could find. He tried to keep a relatively good distance so he didn`t seem like a perv. The markets were pretty crowded, and for a split second, he lost her. He got distracted, an idiotic move.
"Hey… why are you following me?" said a high-pitched voice from behind. Lucian turned around, and to his embarrassment, the pretty girl stood before him. He was at a loss for words, stuttering over his tongue.
"Hi," he managed to let out. Smooth.
She kept staring at him, expecting an answer. "My name is Lucian, and you are?"
She crossed her arms and tilted her head. "My name is Renee, so why were you following me?"
Lucian grinned, "How did you know exactly that I was following you." Lucian said in a sarcastic tone.
"Because I sensed it. Not hard to sense a stalker."
Lucian's eyes widened in surprise. "So you can use Haki?" Renee gave a confused look. "What is Haki?"
Lucian immediately shook his head. "Never mind that. I'm sorry if I creeped you out. I was just interested in how you got out of that castle over there; no one can seem to get in."
Lucian pointed to the castle, and her expression changed. She began to smile. "Oh, I'm the head chef for the Vinsmoke family."
Finally, his luck started to turn. She was the key to getting into the castle.
"Woah, you must be very talented. You mind cooking for me one time."
He honed in his Haki and could tell she was a genuine person, "Ohhhh uhhh, I mean I would love too buttttt, I just met you. You could be dangerous for all I know."
Wow, he was creeping her out. He had just met her one minute ago and had already asked her to cook a meal for him. He had to get better at talking to beautiful women; it sometimes mushed his brain badly.
But Lucian was desperate. "Look, I'm going to be honest with you. I need to get into that castle. If you can help me out, it would mean the world to me. I know we met like a minute ago, but… I'm asking for this massive favor."
"I can get killed for that, sorry, but no."
Lucian was losing a golden opportunity, "Listen, Renee, If you do me this favor. I can pay you... a lot of money."
She began to ponder, "Hmm, is it worth it."
"Money is money."
After what seemed like forever, Renee`s face lit up with joy, "Okay, I accept. Pay me now."
Lucian reached into his pockets and gave Renee all the money he had.
Renee laughed, "I have to be back in the castle soon to cook dinner, but I can definitely cook you a meal now since I have to feed my friend. You seem like a nice person, but about getting you into the castle. Let's talk. Follow me."
Only cost him a fortune.
He was following Renee back to her place. How could she trust him off the bat? She seemed a bit too naive. As they approached her house, it looked beaten down and ancient. She opened the door, and the inside looked amazing. There were great decorations, and it looked quite luxurious compared to the exterior. To top it off, it smelled like home.
But Renee's demeanor immediately changed once she closed the door from behind. "I'm sorry, but you didn`t really think I'd trust a stranger, right?" she said.
Lucian then felt a gun on the back of his head. "Don`t move a muscle," the voice said.
Lucian put his hands up and sat on the couch as instructed. "Damn it, Renee, why'd you bring a pirate into the house? You want us to die."
Renee started to tear up, "You know I can't ignore a plea for help even if he looks like a pirate."
But then her demeanor changed completely. "I'm just kidding. He paid me. Sorry, dude, but you got scammed," she said to Lucian.
"WHY YOU."
"Zip it," said the man.
Lucian finally got a clear look at the man. He looked about Lucian`s age, skinny, with a messy haircut. He was a little shorter than Lucian, and he was bandaged up and was holding the gun to his face. Lucian got up from the couch. He could sense the turmoil in the man.
"Mateo, let`s see what he has to say, "Renne yelped.
"Dirty pirate, what business do you have here? You want to get us in trouble with Germa; they'll kill both of us."
Lucian put his hands in his pocket and sighed, "Then shoot me." Immediately, Mateo tensed up. " Stop acting tough!" he yelled.
"Oh, I'm dead serious. Pull the trigger, "Lucian replied coldly, his heartbeat not elevating a single beat.
Mateo cocked the gun, and his hand began to shake. Until BOOM! Lucian used Soru to dodge the bullet as Renee screamed.
"Damn, dude, I didnt think you`d actually shoot," Lucian said.
Mateo fell to the floor, exclaiming in pain. The recoil opened his wounds. Renee rushed to his side. But Lucian wasn`t mad or surprised; he quickly understood their position.
She was the chef, and he was her friend. This man was wounded, and the part of town they lured him to was shady and far from the castle.
They are hiding, aren`t they, from Germa? He needed to ask them some questions.
Lucian crouched down. "Don't worry, I'm here to help. Even though you tried to kill me." Lucian felt something about this kid. He sensed potential.
Mateo looked angry, and Lucian picked him up and laid him down on the couch. "Renee, hand me the bandages and apply alcohol to the wound," Mateo said.
Renee obeyed. She poured the liquor on his wound as she covered his mouth for screams. She then began to apply new bandages.
"So you're a doctor and a chef," Lucian asked.
Renne shook her head. "No, just a chef. Mateo here is a doctor and a really great one, too."
Lucian pulled a chair and sat across from Mateo. "So, you tried to kill me now. I think you owe me an explanation. Mind telling me who beat you to a pulp."
Mateo turned his head to Lucian, "Sorry, I shot you…I can't trust anyone anymore. Except Renee."
Seems reasonable, Lucian thought.
"How about instead of you asking questions, you can tell me who you are and how you were able to dodge a bullet at point-blank range," Renee said.
Lucian took a deep breath. "Interesting folks, huh? My name is Lucian Xebel. I'm a pirate, too, put it simply."
Mateo's eyes widened. "You're him, that pirate guy. Renee. You didnt tell me that you brought in fucking Lucian Xebel into our house."
Renee looked confused. "Well, to be honest, Mateo, he only told me his first name," she rebutted. Lucian spoke up over their bickering. "Yeah, now tell me who did this to you."
Mateo finally gave in. "It was… the Vinsmoke family, that wretched Yonji," Mateo said.
Lucian heard stories about Yonji; he was insane. "Why?"
Mateo struggled to sit up. "He mistook me for someone, no biggie."
Lucian knew Mateo was lying, but for what reason? "What does a doctor have to do with getting beat up by the Vinsmoke family?" Lucian questioned.
Renee spoke to Lucian, "He was saving a man from dying on the street. The man disobeyed Yonji, so Yonji shot him. Mateo couldn't stand by and watch the man die, so he rushed to his aid. Yonji wasn't happy with him, so he beat him up in retaliation. To show the citizens that he was to be feared."
Mateo roared in pain as Renee was tightening his bandages. "And I'd do it again. I won't watch as a man bleeds to death for sport. That fucking asshole."
Lucian whistled, "Wow, what are you two doing here? It`s obvious you are hiding from them," Lucian asked.
Mateo and Renee looked at each other. "We are on the run from Mateo`s family," Renee immediately responded.
Mateo became visibly angry, "Damn it, Renee, you're so naive. Why`d you tell him that!"
"The dude dodged a bullet at point-blank range, and if he is the pirate, he claims to be. He can help us," Renee said.
Mateo scoffed it off.
Lucian pointed at Mateo, "She is right. I can help. Your interests align with mine. We can be allies in this, but first, we need to be acquainted with one another. Who are you, and where are you from?"
At this point, Mateo looked defeated. "My name… is… Mateo. Mateo Valois," Lucian tensed up. It sounded like a royal name; he could be important after all.
""Valois, huh? What island did you come from?" Lucian asked.
"Renee and I were born near the Arabasta region, Kenzan Island, and proudly so."
Lucian sensed it; he lied again. "Oh, really," he said as he turned to Renee.
"Yeah, totally." She lied as well. Lucian hung his head in shame.
There had to be a reason for their lies; he could tell by their looks that they had been through a lot.
Lucian was not usually interested in strangers, but these two interested him to the point where he actually cared about their situation. He also now had this curiosity that needed to be fulfilled.
"How about this time, you tell me the truth. I promise I can help you guys. But not if you lie to me. I know you just met me. However, Renee's working for the Vinsmoke family aligns with my goal as well. So if we can just help one another, we can both get what we want," Lucian explained.
"And what is it that you want?" Renee asked.
Lucian smiled and crossed his arms. "To take down the Vinsmoke family, duh."
Mateo and Renee gasped. "ARE YOU CRAZY?" they said in unison.
"Uh huh, totally serious," Lucian responded.
"They are the greatest force in North Blue. You can`t beat them," Mateo yelled. Lucian crossed his arms. He was annoyed now.
Their jaws dropped to the floor. " Do you want to consider my offer, Renee? I can really use your help on this. And in exchange, I`ll give you what you really want. Safe passage off this island."
Mateo and Renee exchanged a look. Lucian left the room to give them time to discuss. They were interesting people, even if they did lie.
After a while of conversing, Renee called Lucian back inside. "Decision time, what`s it going to be," Lucian said.
Mateo struggled to get up and reached out his hand. "If Renee can get you inside the castle, you help us escape. Is that a deal."
Lucian smiled and shook Mateo`s hand. "Deal."
He didn`t want to question Mateo any further, but he felt that these two were hiding a massive secret.
"Hey Renee, when do we depart for the castle? " Renee asked as she packed her basket with ingredients.
"Tomorrow night is the best time; I have an idea," Renee said. Lucian laughed and gave Renee the address of his hotel.
"Swing by tomorrow, okay," Lucian told her.
"Also, before we enter the castle. I need to meet up with my crewmate."
Renee agreed. Mateo didnt like the idea of Renee sneaking Lucian in. He was worried for her safety. "Don`t worry, I won't let anyone hurt Renee." Lucian said.
Hopefully, this was enough to satisfy Mateo. He seemed to be a passionate man, even if he attempted to kill him.
But his last name ''Valois'' started to irritate him to an annoying extent. Could Mateo be a celestial dragon? He had hoped not.
The next day, Renee met up with Lucian and Jory in his Hotel room. Renee was surprised to see Jory. Not every day you see a giant.
"Woah, woah, Captain. This is a little dangerous. Do you really want to infiltrate the castle alone? The Vinsmokes are on a whole other level." Jory said.
Renee looked a little scared now. Lucian shot Jory a look like(take it easy). Jory then started to laugh uncontrollably. "AHAHA, JUST KIDDING, CAPTAIN, YOU'LL KNOCK THEM DEAD."
Lucian joined in on the laughter. He loved joking around with Jory.
Renee seemed not to understand their humor.
Lucian then went on to explain Renee's plan to Jory. He sat down and listened to his part of the plan. Jory was to help Lucian with an extraction plan if needed.
The plan was simple: if all went wrong. Lucian broke the wall. Jory waited outside, and Lucian jumped out of the castle. Jory caught Lucian. They ran away.
They weren't the smartest planners.
Renee shut it down quickly, though. "Hey, listen. If I am found with you, they'll kill me. The Vinsmokes have no care for incompetent servants," Renee said sadly.
Lucian put his hand on her shoulder. "I promise you, I won't let anything happen to you," Lucian said.
Lucian stared into Renee's eyes. She seemed to understand that Lucian was being genuine, and she nodded happily.
Lucian then waved goodbye to Jory and followed Rene into the castle.
This was going to be fun.