《Piracy? Unchanging facade in a new world!》 Castaway The soothing back and forth of the ocean currents rudely awaken me from the no-doubt long intoxicating slumber embracing my body. Given my restfulness I could''ve easily been sleeping for the past year or so, at least that''s how my rejuvenated body felt at this moment. As if that statement were at all possible, I push my arms off the ground to lift my upper body off the floor. Noticing the grainy soft texture of the sand beneath me I also now open my eyes to the serene surroundings encompassing my view. The deep blue waters of the ocean stretched as far as the horizon in view where it met with the smooth baby-blue colour of the morning sky and few clouds dotted the canvas. I don''t remember sleeping on the beach, in fact this is one of the few times I''ve stepped on a beach, one of a few times sand graced the contours of this body. In the moment I relished the feeling of lying down and enjoying nature''s embrace. Alas, some things are more important at the moment, such as where am I? It isn''t night so I can''t use the positions of stars to grasp an accurate location, the air and atmosphere is also incredibly different to the pollution of the city even the mountainous regions of Japan where I spent so many years. Perhaps its due to the remote location, but something feels very different here. How did I even get here for starters? I mean it''s possible I was drugged and transported but I like to think I''m vigilant enough to stop those attempts, most sleep-inducing drugs are also inhibited by my body due to excess exposure over time. Turning back from the mesmerizing scenery to grasp the current situation. A small forest inhabits the island. Quite fortunate, so long as greenery exists on the island I can survive. Life provides all of the necessities for survival; water, food, and shelter. All of which are essential for survival until finding escape from this place. I could do with investigating the forest. As that thought stuck in my mind my composure almost cracked. What is that? Some strange creature followed by other odd animals all corralled around me stranded on the beach. At the head was a hybrid between a wolf and rooster, it began clucking whilst slowly making its way towards me. Until finally the "Rolf?" "Wolfster?" "Dock?" made its signature cry immediately in my face, not knowing how to respond I just opt for silence. Honestly, I''m having a hard time taking all this in. These animals by all means shouldn''t exist, hybrids are real things, but this is completely different. These animals should be completely incapable of depicting such characteristics biologically, these are more like the mythological depictions of chimera or creatures from fiction. Not only that some of these animals should be aggressive to one another due to the food pyramid which should be limited on such a small island instead they all cooperate and show no such intentions. This can only point to a single conclusion these animals are domesticated in some way. Right now, they seem harmless enough, but I should remain vigilant in the worst-case scenario. Animals are dangerous due to the amount of muscle they hold and the denseness of their bones when compared to the fragile frame of a human being. Many of the animals hold a strange juxtaposition in characteristics such as a tiger and elephant hybrid and a boar and lion hybrid etc. It''s as if someone were playing God as a joke creating these creatures which by all means do not belong in nature. Most seem to be a mix between a carnivore and prey for some odd reason as well, perhaps the mixture of docile traits allows the animals to work together more closely and become domesticated with less effort. That poses an interesting question though. If the opposite were done instead and the animals weren''t domesticated and instead competition for survival were encouraged, would they more readily become violent. I was interested in such an occurrence to be honest. I could gather more information by investigating the animals further through their behaviour and physiology. It''d be more prudent to simply go to the owner of these creatures. Luckily the docile creatures are agreeable enough and are likely trying to lead me to them. Of course, this could be a trap, but I''ll deal with that should the need arise. Slowly ascending from the picturesque shore, the animals beckon me to follow after their collective. Passing the entrance to the lush forest, I''m greeted with dense greenery and vegetation. Marvelling at the sights and smells, everything stimulates the senses. This again is one of the few times that such experiences have been ingrained into the body. Knowledge of the world and applications of theory have been ingrained into my mind since conception, however, experiences in the flesh have been void for so long. Can I cherish these moments? Can I live life vicariously through my own eyes now? Or must I once again settle with living life through the descriptions placed in books? To become the audience for an author''s insertions of the world, content with second-hand information without trying to understand the world once thrown away? Being given this opportunity and then resorting to living through characters on a page would be naught but a shame. Slightly hardening my resolve, I proceed with searching for the elusive mastermind of the island. Foliage completely restricting the vision meets my frame, the animals at the forefront seem to have passed through here. Using my hands to separate the bush and gain an insight to this hidden garden. A surprising sight greets the eyes, I feel like almost everything here is nonsensical. Expecting to see some shady figure cloaked in strange fabrics or some inhuman monster as the harbinger of these animals. Instead, a short stumpy middle-aged man wearing a treasure chest and bush as apparel is talking with and caring for the strange creatures. Isn''t this apparel completely ridiculous, uncomfortable, and restricting? Surely that isn''t a conscious fashion choice? if so, I might have to revisit some previous hypotheses. The strange man noticed the rustling of the shrubbery and slowly turned towards me, he must have been assuming I was another of the strange animals as the expression of his face shifted from jovial to worry and then frustration. His hand quickly descended into the treasure box he called home. Not good, that might be a weapon. Prepared to face his and the animals ire for this decision I quickly close the distance between us and disarm the man. Using my grip on his outstretched arm and the fulcrum of my body to act as a lever to throw him over my shoulder and immediately subdue the aggressor. "Ouch... that hurt, I give, I give. Apologies, please leave the animals be." More questions arise by the second, especially due to the object found in my grasp. There lay a flintlock pistol the stereotypical swashbuckling-pirate type of firearm. These were produced during the early 16th century and whilst the methods of production and procuring such weapons is simple now, there are plenty other options which are more suitable for protection. Thus, the question remains; why does he have this? Automatic or semi-automatic modern weaponry is quite affordable given the time and much more efficient in function. Perhaps due to weaponry laws, but why worry about that where we are, hell why not just carry a decent knife or the like. The efficacy of flintlock weaponry is incredibly low with accuracy, reload time, maintenance and the like incurring heavy costs of time and resources. He also doesn''t seem to think anything out of the ordinary with such a weapon brandished. Given the current situation I find myself in along with the weapon kept by the chest wielding troll(?) as well as these strange creatures roaming the island. It might be better to assume the situation is much more strange and dire than even my immediate hypotheses. "I was only protecting myself; I have no intention of harming anyone or anything here. That being said I''ll hold onto this for now." That was the truth for the time being, I held a firm belief in non-aggression unless necessary after all. I wouldn''t hurt you so long as you didn''t hurt me. Surprisingly the animals also didn''t have a negative reaction to the scuffle, perhaps they were less of a hazard than originally assumed. If his domestication caused such a docile nature, then he isn''t using them for combat. Experimentation perhaps? There are no clear signs of tampering with the bodies when observing them closely, these creatures look as if they were born this way and left to roam. Which to reiterate, shouldn''t be possible with current technology. Are these animals natural entities then? Have they differentiated and adapted in such ways to survive selection pressures? Perhaps they were collected from different environments and congregated here. This is unlikely due to the niche each animal fits and its unlikely this climate is the most optimal for each of the creatures. The chance of these animals being natural reduces as there are less than a few of each unique species, making this island seem more akin to some bastardised version of Noah''s ark. Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site. "I suppose introductions are in order, huh? My name is Gaimon, I''ve been surviving on this island for decades now as a castaway. It''s not too lonely though, because I''ve got these guys with me!" For Decades? How hasn''t he gone insane? No, maybe he lost count due to being isolated so long. Very few people could handle the pressure of no socialization for years on end whilst also retaining their mentality. Unless the animals act as the social group then this is impossible. But can animals really act as a sufficient substitute for this? Psychologists often estimate a large proponent of communication is the non-verbal section of which animals could also contribute, looking at it from this angle means they could pose as substitutes. However, the sample size that could still survive and be sane surely can''t be large. In that case maybe other characteristics have a large bearing on the outcome such as; the persons inherent behaviour e.g., introvert/extrovert, their love for animals etc. In which case Gaimon may be more impressive than initial judgements call for, they do say not to judge a book by its cover. "So, what''s your name young man? And how did you get here? I don''t see a ship or any vessel near here after all." Enraptured by cascading thoughts whisked my conscious from the ongoing conversation in front of me. I forgot the number one rule of conversations is the interactions between both parties. That last question is a bit of a problem though. How did I get here? Where even is here? I was nowhere near the sea previously and I''ve never seen such animals through pictures or other media, Gaimon here is acting as if they are completely normal though. Perhaps that''s due to the many years he spent on the island with them as companions. Would it be weird to point them out or stranger to make a big deal of their characteristics? Drowning out an internal sigh, I lack too much information to make a judgement for now. I''ll just deal with this if the matter comes up in conversation later. "My name''s Ayanokouji Kiyotaka. As for how I got here... I''m not sure to be honest, my memory is foggy to say the least." The name shouldn''t be useful information for him, in fact it may even prompt a useful reaction on his part. As for my predicament getting here, I''ll opt for a half truth. I don''t have memory loss as far as I know, but I certainly don''t know how I got here. The only information that may have been tampered was travel here, otherwise I remember the actions of previous days very clearly. This isn''t VR again, is it? No that''s probably impossible,That Mandoesn''t have the means to completely shift consciousness unless we have some sort of technological breakthrough. That''s decades off from where we are currently. "That''s a mouthful, I haven''t heard a name like that before! I''ll just call you Taka if that''s alright!" Seeing no reason to disagree I simply nod my head in approval. "Well then Taka, sounds like you have a good ol'' fashioned case of amnesia. Apparently, it happens pretty often when you roam the seas! I wonder were you also a pirate before washing away here? Or perhaps you were some sort of merchant? I mean you seem pretty strong, and calm how bizarre! Hahaha!" Jeez what a talkative guy, makes me feel bad knowing I can''t match that energy. At least he filled in the gaps himself. I never said I had amnesia, but I certainly am clueless as to how I got here so it wasn''t exactly a lie. But still, what''s this about being apirate? Maybe he is actually insane after all he said that with a straight face, completely seriously even saying "also" as if to refer to himself as one of those rogues on the sea. However, if I rid myself of any preconceived notions then what he claims isn''t impossible. That flintlock pistol couldn''t be procured from anywhere else. There are no man-made structures on the island or as far as the horizon stretches. Meaning he had that weapon before washing up here and also was likely on a boat. There are no wreckages nearby, other survivors'' and the likelihood of surviving an aircraft crash are far less likely than simply drifting overboard a ship. Then factor in the strange animals which would by no means be possible when regarding my knowledge of Biology and History. If that''s the case, could I have been thrust back in time? Is that even possible? I mean that might explain the pirates and weaponry, but it doesn''t at all explain the existence of the hybrid creatures on the island. The only conclusions left then would be one of the three:
  1. This is some strange fever dream or Virtual experience that is incredibly vivid.
  2. The knowledge taught to me and retained in this brain over the past 15 years has all been wrong or partially inaccurate.
  3. This is a completely different world where all these different factors are possible and now make sense.
I have difficulty believing in the possibility of the first option. The first by all accounts shouldn''t be possible. I''ve had vivid and lucid dreams before, but they feel inherently different from this scenario. Virtual reality is breath-taking technology and has a great potential in the future, but this would be years in the future if we could induce coma and transfer the consciousness of humans into virtual space. Which we currently don''t have the abilities or engineering for at the moment. The second is even more impossible in my eyes, the entire point of my perceived existence is maintaining excellence as the fore-front vigilant individual of the Japanese population. My existence is the result of impossible ideals being brought to fruition. To create a curriculum that advanced, interlaced but is also completely inaccurate would be a waste of time and the equivalent of shooting your own foot. The third as ridiculous as it sounds is the most laudable by far, although I suppose it''d be the same as ending a book with "It was all a dream." Yes, everything would make sense if this were a different world, but it¡¯s akin to saying, "People die when they are killed." A foregone conclusion which anyone could make. The unacceptability of such a statement is accompanied by the impossibility of such a thing coming to fruition. Stories of reincarnation or even transmigration may exist, but they are rarely ever explained. Whilst string theory accepts the existence of other worlds and parallel universes, we haven''t even come close to a satisfying answer as to how we could communicate with them let alone travel between them. I suppose that is the nature of such inconceivable things, if some higher powers were to descend and simply reply "I brought you here." Then there would be little we insignificant ants could do but accept such a solution. Unfortunately, the ruler of this realm didn''t take such bait from my thoughts and here I am all alone conjuring up any satisfying explanation as to the current predicament. Well, I suppose not all alone, at least Gaimon is here to bounce ideas off. I could also try and uncover some information using the guise of amnesia to get a leg up. I should take everything with a grain of salt though, he seems harmless enough despite brandishing a weapon. I have no doubt I could restrain him and make my escape if need be. The main problem is the veracity of any information coming from his mouth. Gaimon''s sanity may be further removed than initial expectations, his face and eyes especially don''t betray his words though. Usually hysteria and wicked looks, glazed eyes and the like can be seen from hysterical individuals. I''m not unfamiliar with such subjects after all... Yet no signs of such behaviour emanate from this man, despite all other strange tendencies he may have. "That seems to be the case, unfortunately any other thoughts escape me. Where exactly are we Gaimon?" "We''re in the East Blue somewhere, it must be pretty remote as well. After all the years I''ve spent here only eight or so crews have passed through usually I scare them off though! Hahaha!" Well, that doesn''t bode well for me. I''d rather get off this island sooner rather than later. Apparently, the frequency of visitors is rather low meaning other large settlements aren''t particularly close by to this island. His words also contained some vital information giving further credibility to my third hypothesis. East Blue huh? That isn''t a phrase I''m familiar with at all. As far as I can search in History the residents of the time always referred to the portion of the sea with respect to a certain location e.g., The East Indies etc. The Seas as we know them modernly were only given boundaries and names in the early 19th century. Rather than referring to a specific landmark he refers to the sea as just the East Blue, further indicating this could be a different world. This is all conjecture at the moment so I should be careful with suppositions. "East Blue? East of what exactly?" "You must have a pretty bad case then... East of the Red line, Taka! You know the huge mountain barring access to the other seas of the world!" No landmarks have had that name at least in memory never mind that there isn''t a land mass on the Earth that restricts access to all other seas by simply being present. This could just be conjecture on Gaimon''s part though. The same way the Vikings believed that the world had an edge. Nonetheless this is quite disconcerting. Hahhh... that means the worst has come to pass. This might take a while to get caught up on then. Oh well. At least now I can act as I please. No need to worry aboutThat manor the facility. Instead, I can ponder about the questions plaguing my heart all these years. What does it mean to be human? Are people equal? What is the meaning of my existence? What is my aspiration? Not just some prescribed meaning given by another person. Instead, I must find a goal an objective to strive towards for my life without the input of others. This is the perfect opportunity, this world is but a stepping stone. So long as I can answer the questions in my heart, so long as I satisfy the insatiable curiosity for even a moment longer.That''s all that matters. Gaimons treasure A few days have passed on the island since I met Gaimon and the strange animals. Apparently, these animals all inhabited the island before Gaimon had ever set foot on here. Even when subtly controlling the conversation and paying attention to micro-expressions and gesture he seemed to accept the bizarre nature of the creatures and never uttered a word of their unnaturalness. Additionally, assuming I can trust the information given from Gaimon then this is indeed a different world from my original entirely. Although, it seems to resemble the great age of piracy in the modern world in some ways it is also vastly different form that time period. For one the geography of the world is entirely different from any point in history books. Even the shifting of continents throughout the span of human history as I know it doesn''t have any overlap with the general layout of this world. Even if the names of such locations have been completely changed due to Gaimon''s skewed perception and mental state, none of it would line up with my world at any point in time. Through further investigation and harsher questioning techniques, led to Gaimon having answers to most question which I asked. Either he has completely thought of every answer to his hypothetical scenario, and this is one of the most ground-breaking pranks in history, or its all true. The important facts can be summarised as: Any other information gained from Gaimon was either superfluous or pertained to personal experiences he held before coming onto the island. Although interesting they would likely hold no greater meaning or use for myself in the future. Knowing at least this much is a great boon for now though. Imagine if Gaimon or these animals weren''t on the island I could have assumed this were still my own world and that could''ve ended disastrously. For example; if I had manufactured a crude raft and set sail, any strong sea creatures could have capsized the vessel, and Japan''s masterpiece would be no more. Another increasingly interesting detail, which I uncovered through investigation is this world is much more different physically than my original. For example, I had seen Gaimon fall from cliffs and bound into trees from his box. In my original world this could result in broken bones or at least strong abrasions after such contact. However, he assured me that he was no worse for wear after these incidents even going so far as to say they happen quite often to him. This can only mean he is an anomaly in this world, or the denizens of this plane are much sturdier than I''m used to. This doesn''t entirely make sense as Gaimon doesn''t seem to hold much more strength or technique than the average man. This discovery led to a string of experiments of my own person to which the findings were shocking even to me. I could leap and bound further than in the initial world and the speed of my own body in motion felt almost effortless at times. Are human bodies structurally different in this world? Or are the forces acting on the body weaker than in my original? If the strength of gravity were reduced, then we could in theory grant these effects. However, the forces present in the world are necessary for the world to function. The flora, lifeforms, atmosphere etc. is all formed and shaped depending on these physics fundamentals. These factors acting in tandem is the reason life on planets is such a rare occurrence in the first place. Needless to say, with a change in these factors everything else is also thrown into disarray. Thus, the other leading hypothesis is change in the human structure which provides reason for these physical phenomena to manifest. If the skin and bones were thicker and more durable, then this would all be possible even if the rest of the world were comparable to my original. Although this is inconclusive, it would be difficult to gain further insight into this topic at the moment. Pinning that memo in my head for another occasion. I instead opt to think of the more dire situation on my hands. Whilst I can survive and stay here with Gaimon for as long as necessary I would much rather get off this island and experience the world for myself. Not only to try and confirm his words for myself but also to work towards my current aspirations. What would be the best way to go about this though? Gaimon has remained stagnant on the island for a time now and has neglected to say anything on the subject. He seems to have no desire to leave the island and may even have the thought of preventing my travel, should I try. I have no doubt I could prevent his machinations, but it isn''t conducive to my plans if he interferes. I could wait for another crew to pass by the island and ask for passage or even just take the ship through force if necessary. Who knows how many years that could take though? Gaimon said himself only a handful of crews had come by in the twenty years he spent here. If I were to create a raft and set sail not only, would I not know the direction I should head. Gaimon after years of solitude no longer holds the knowledge of his whereabouts in the East Blue but may also harbour intentions of stopping my departure. Not only that, but I¡¯d also have to combat any threats on the water whilst remaining completely exposed during the entire voyage which could take months. Talk about being stuck between a rock and a hard place... For now, I should focus on ascertaining my current abilities in this new world, how applicable the knowledge I''ve amassed is to this universe and gathering any more useful information from Gaimon. Just like that a week or so passed. The same day in day out with Gaimon and the animals played in my head. I accustomed to the lifestyle quickly. Humans are creatures of habit and will quickly adopt a role given to them. But as I once again continued with the daily tasks of picking fruits and tending to the animals. The visage of a boy clothed in white drabs once again flashed before my eyes. The same expressionless boy meaninglessly executed task after task, day after day. Like a computer executing its scheduled program, no fluctuations in mood or bearing. Simply existing and functioning biding the time away. It¡¯s no different here. I''m the exact same as before. Should I be wasting time here? Even if this solution is optimal? Even if it ensures survival? Can I truly say I''m progressing towards my ideal? Should I take the leap, or wait? Like this increasingly more days passed by in the blink of an eye. One day whilst exploring the island, to procure food and materials but also to escape the lingering boredom I felt every day. I came across one of the cliffs that Gaimon routinely scaled or at least tried to. Previously I felt no desire to climb the cliff and Gaimon also never requested that I do so either so i left the matter alone. But today was different, the urge was gathering and my legs and arms made towards the cliff as I effortlessly scaled the sheer rock. Atop the vantage point lay several chests. Bare in all its glory. These smells of a trap, like it¡¯s just here out in the open? Surely Gaimon left this here to trick me. The constant climbing and increasing my interest in the object was just to lure me here and get me to open the structure where something can spring in hopes of capturing or subduing me. Any valuables in here likely wouldn''t do me any good in the moment, perhaps they may have use off of the island but not as I''m stuck here. Doing a once over of the chests. There don''t seem to be any outliers in its surface. I can''t detect any sort of mechanisms or the like. It doesn''t show any tampering on the surface. It''ll be useful looking inside at the very least, if it¡¯s a trap I''ll deal with that when the time comes. Sharpening my resolve and continuing towards one of the chests. Lifting the lid, which surprisingly isn''t locked, apprehension arises inside. Perhaps a bountiful treasure stack will lay inside, maybe one of the animals will pop out? Or perhaps a trap really will spring? Unfortunately, Occam''s razor is in effect even here. The chest was empty, nothing of substance was inside the confines of the object. Of course, I repeated the same for the other chests on the top of the cliff. However, every single chest was as bare as the last. The contents were void and desolate. Did Gaimon know? No that''s unlikely, his desperation to climb the cliff was evident from the expression and persistence with which he attempted his fervorous escapades. He was attempting such a dangerous task most days? Even persisting through years of solitude, in order to achieve a meaningless goal? What''s the best thing to do in this scenario? Should I let him know? Or would this revelation completely break him beyond repair? Would he even believe me? In his situation I would appreciate knowing this vital information, the reveal would allow me to progress in life and find a different goal to follow. It would be discouraging to know your efforts were misplaced, but so long as you draw breath another chance at victory lurks behind that curtain of despair. Resolving myself to earn the ire of the island inhabitants. I made the small vow to disclose the truth with Gaimon should he ask for assistance. That night we gathered for dinner just as every other night before on the island. Unknowingly, tensions seemed to be rising through the duration of dinner as Gaimon kept stealing glances and narrowing his eyes at me every so often. "Gaimon, what is it? You keep on looking at me." "Oi Taka, you got some guts talking like that to me. We''ve welcomed you like family here, but it seems you don''t feel the same. Got anything to say for yourself?" Is this about the chest? I didn''t notice anyone watching me whilst investigating. There are countless animals on the island so it¡¯s possible they communicated my actions to each other. Or is this something else? I mean I''m not exactly a social or particularly vocal person so his misgivings with my behaviour could be noted. I''ve never expressed particular joy or content with being stuck on this island. But why bring this up now? Maybe he''s been having a struggle keeping it to himself for so long. Animals can only substitute for humans for so long after all. "Humans will continue to fight until only one man remains." Or so the quote goes. Is this an application of such logic? Is it impossible to coexist with other humans without friction arising at one point? Although this could be about the chest, it could also be a myriad of other things. As such I''ll simply play stupid, even with the risk of escalating things further. Even if they all attacked, I could evade capture and combat them long enough to escape. "What are you talking about Gaimon? My actions have been the same ever since I got on the island, right?" This was with respect to both my behaviour and actions along the entire time of my stay. If he reacts negatively then it¡¯s safe to say it was the chest that caused this. "Hah, so he says! You really don''t have anything to say for yourself, anything to confess?!" Yeah, this is definitely the chest. I could reveal it, but he likely won''t believe me, I''ll just wait for him to calm down. "No idea what you''re talking about. If anything, notable happened I''d let you know. What about you? Why are you here on the island? You''ve had plenty chances to leave yet you stay, feel like sharing?" This wasn''t exactly a lie, the chest was empty, so it was not notable information, at least not for me anyway. "Tch, whatever I''m going sleep. Don''t talk to me for a while. Can''t bear to look at that apathetic face of yours." Seeing no reason to continue the drama I simply face away from the miserable bush man and continue eating, then getting ready for bed and an early start to the morning as usual. Laying in the hammock supported by two sturdy tress and covered with foliage to protect from the weather. I simply drift to sleep, leaving some attention for the surroundings just in case Gaimon decides to do something regrettable. The dull dawn sky greets my eyes as I awaken and prepare for the chores another uneventful day promises me. Awakening full of vigour as always, I spring to my feet and meander about the forest getting ready to complete the daily tasks necessary for continued survival. Whilst the dreary thoughts continue to munch away at my sanity a noise resounds through the forest in the direction of Gaimon''s sleeping quarters. The sound of a gunshot the smell of gunpowder was also unmistakable. Either Gaimon has shot his flintlock, or we have company on the island. I couldn''t see a ship anywhere nearby though, unless they lay anchor by the other beach on the island. Setting that aside for now, I should monitor the situation and make my subsequent choices accordingly. Sifting through the vegetation and quickly bounding atop the branches of the trees in the forest. I gaze down upon the intruders of the island. A young man with black hair, a scar under his left eye and a straw hat adorning his head. Another similarly aged man with green hair and three swords attached at the waist lay with his back against a tree. Finally, two more members of the invading group hid behind a tree. A man and woman both shaking in fear due to the creatures of the forest and Gaimon''s strange features as well. They both appear to be of comparable age to the previously mentioned assailants. The woman had delicate features; big brown eyes and short red-hair. Her face and body had captured my attention for the time being. Honestly, she was a sight for sore eyes, is this what staying on an island with only an old man and animals does to you? If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. Nevertheless, the last member was a young man of a delicate build wearing extendable binoculars on his head atop a bandana covering his hair. He also had a characteristically large nose which could even put a certain magical puppet to shame. Apparently Gaimon must have shot his bullet at one of these assailants. Did he miss intentionally or by accident? None of the people here were injured by the gunshot. His warning seems to have been unsuccessful as Gaimon was in the arms of the straw hat wearing young man. Should I come out of hiding peacefully? Or should I...? Deciding on my actions for the time being I quickly leap from the treetops and take one of the swords dangling at the waist of green hair. Using my lead foot to push kick him away, gaining distance and quickly unsheathing the blade prepared for attacks from any of the members. The two cocksure men should be the largest threats, the other two seem to have minimal fight experience, I''ll take them into consideration though. Especially the one with binoculars he could be a marksman. It seems they didn''t recognise my presence at least. It means my stealth and such skills are still useful to a degree. Throwing the white sheath to the ground after revealing the blade, I''m taken away with the quality of the blade. Surely a random pirate shouldn''t have a katana of such quality? "Oi bastard. Give that sword back now, or I take it from your corpse." The sword must hold some deep meaning to him, for him to change from his oafish behaviour to this spine-tingling dread now. The glare was nothing to scoff at either, he truly meant to kill me should I not comply. If he thought I''d give in to such idle threats however, he has another thing coming. The straw hat was the quickest to pick up on the situation and dropped Gaimon. About-facing me and throwing his arm back as if to punch me. There''s no way he could, the distance is much too far for that. What''s his intention with such an action? Perhaps he''s going to throw something? I can just deflect it if that''s the case, bring it straw hat. "Taka watch out he''s-...!" Before he could finish the warning, the young man''s arm stretched and got exceedingly close to my face. Letting the actions of my reflexes take over I narrowly evaded the blow and readied my stance to retaliate. What happened there is impossible by any stretch of the imagination, he basically mimicked the elastic recoil of a rubber band. Muscles do react in that way as well, but to a much more subtle degree. His situation can be explained later. The only thing to keep in mind is defeating the enemies in front of me. Anything else can wait till later. Luckily the rebound of his actions gives plenty of opportunity to attack. Grabbing his arm and intending to slash the outstretched surface. The marksman aims a rock at my face using a slingshot and the swordsman aims a double horizontal slash at my body. Decent teamwork. Shifting the blade to deflect the projectile and using the outstretched arm as a vault I somersault over the arm and throw straw hat at the marksman. Let¡¯s review them for now. The straw hat has properties of rubber, pinching the skin had no effect when I threw him. He seems to have no response to blunt force trauma. Thus, sharp weaponry seems to be the only efficient means of attacking at the moment. The swordsman has rather strong attacks and from my kick earlier I can tell his physique is rather developed. The marksman is rather impressive, accurately aiming at vital points and hitting them whilst I was in motion. Add that to his proclivity for cowardice implies a good sniper. Finally, the woman has yet to show any abilities thus it''d be prudent to assume her efforts lie elsewhere. She could be the navigator, chef, doctor, perhaps tending to the crew at night? The sea is vast, and travel takes months at times. I can''t imagine many women would sign up voluntarily for such a role. Yet she doesn''t show any fear or apprehension to her crew, maybe I was mistaken? She''s probably just logistical personnel. "Zoro!" The Straw hat shouts and looks to the swordsman. "Yeah. Usopp, Nami take cover at the rear. Stay a decent distance from us. Not too close, not too far. If you get out of our cover this could end badly for us. This island has a monster on it." Seems the swordsman has locked in as well. They seem to have gotten more serious than before. This could be a good chance to test my abilities upon arrival in this world. Knowing who to look out for in the fight I ready my stance once again, prepared to bury the opponents in front of me if the need arises. "Guys let¡¯s stop this, surely we can just talk?! You guys are stuck here, right? We could organise transport off the island so long as you stop fighting now!" So, she''s the rational head behind the group. If she were a prostitute taken to sea, she wouldn''t have any ability to suggest this. This is only possible because the crew regard her as an equal, meaning she must also contribute to the crew. Likely navigator I''d say. The compass poking out of her hip satchel and the parchment covering it would be good indicators. "Urgh... Taka let''s truce for now." Were those words for me or for the invaders? I''ll just go along with it for now. After all they may be my ticket off the island, they certainly have that bargaining chip in the mix. Should anything come up, I could simply take the ship from them. Whilst they may be strong, they still have plenty openings which could be extorted in the right circumstances, judging from their behaviour. If I were to take a hostage, they would no doubt comply with my demands, of course I''d gain the scorn of the group in the meantime, its inconsequential in the broader scope of things. "Sure." "But just in case I''ll be holding onto the sword for a moment, I don''t really trust you guys yet. I hope you understand that." They have no option but to comply with that demand, I can''t afford to put myself in such a wary position with 4 or more potential aggressors. "Fine but at least sheathe it and we''ll find somewhere to talk this out." That I can do, it won''t make much difference whether sheathed or not. It''d also be a shame to allow such a good weapon to be exposed further. "Oi Nami! Tell this brat to give me the sword back. I ain''t-...!" "Quiet Zoro, we''ll get the sword back after the discussion, some things come first. Just follow my lead, please." Putting her hand up in front of the swordsman she addresses him with a hint of fear in her voice. But it didn''t seem directed at Zoro, I didn''t really do anything that would bring about such a response, right? "Jeez, woman. Fine, let''s get this over with." Dropping the matter entirely at that display the green hair now identified as Zoro quickly walks towards Gaimon who led the disorganised group to his makeshift shelter. "Please treat that sword carefully, it¡¯s important to him." The fiery negotiator also known as Nami quietly mentioned to me. Although she wanted to avoid the attention of Zoro he seemed to have noticed. I can use this. "I wouldn''t mistreat such a wonderful blade, you have my word." Zoro''s ears perked up at my reply. That seemed to make him rest somewhat, as his apprehension dropped. He must have found a kindred spirit in me. Whilst the sword itself didn''t hold such sway over me it was important to lay the impression upon him that it did. Couldn''t have him acting awry after all. Following one after another the entire group consisting of the invading pirates'' party, Gaimon, his animals and me all arrived at the campsite. Several logs felled from the trees of the forest lay around a campfire along with several other furnishings that Gaimon created over the years. His shelter, crude tables and desks for work equipment and tools etc. Gaimon sat on one of the trunks facing the campfire with animals surrounding his back as if showing allegiance. The straw hat and his group all gathered at the log directly facing Gaimon and his animals. Finally, I placed myself on the log to the immediate left and right of both crews respectively as if I were the judge presiding over this case. "Alright, let¡¯s get the situation sorted out first, okay?! We came across the island to explore and rest after a long voyage when suddenly we were threatened by you and then shot at! Only to then get attacked by Mr. Moody over here who not only stole my companions'' weapon but also threatened our lives! How exactly do you intend to compensate us, huh?!" The ginger girl stated these facts as if they meant anything at all. We''re supposed to be in a grand age of piracy, aren''t we? Of course, your life would be in danger if you suddenly invaded a persons'' home, even if it was accidental. Taking the moral high-ground and immediately assuming we were wrongful in our approach isn''t a bad plan by any means especially if they were pirates and were looking for a quick buck. However, it isn''t the best option by any reach. Its reminiscent of the scams Japanese youths would use to scam others of money by pretending to be injured, I suppose some things are timeless. Who''s in the wrong is inconsequential especially in such a world. Surely pirates should realise this though? Even for a group as young as this, they should notice that some things are just unimportant. Unless this is a group of dreamers with their heads in the clouds? Unfettered by the constraints of common sense and instead focused on accomplishing their ideals. A crowd like that, might be ideal... "Hold on girlie, I did shoot but I also gave you a warning to leave the island. Don''t leave that out of your explanation so easily!" Seems he was telling the truth about driving others off the island before, the question is why though? You can''t use the treasure here, it seems illogical. "Indeed, I suppose these knuckle-heads are to blame for that. Keeping that in mind, we should reach a compromise quite readily don''t you think?" She immediately brought the attention and some blame back to the strongest of the group to allow the conversation to progress smoothly. She wasn''t intending to scam us then, instead she wanted to balance the investment of both groups by taking some blame. This woman is good at negotiations, Gaimon would likely play right in her hands, her looks are also part of the equation here, but I digress. "What do you suppose then?" Gaimon, bewildered by the sudden change in attitude. "Well first let''s all introduce ourselves. We can be a bit more comfortable with each other that way, right?" "I suppose so, name''s Gaimon I''ve been surviving on this island for years with these guys giving me company. I used to be a pirate years ago, but I''ve left that life behind me." "Wonderful Gaimon-san, nice to meet you! My name''s Nami, I''m the temporary navigator for this sorry bunch you see here." So, I was right, she is the navigator. Good it wasn''t one of the alternatives, i wouldn''t have a use for her otherwise. Her skills are imperative to learn from now on then. Basic navigation and the weather cycle are known to me, but that''s only assuming that everything works the same as in my previous world which is too much of a risk to simply take at face value. But temporary, huh? Is that her way of saying under the right circumstance she would betray them? Or perhaps that the deal between them is contractual or has an expiry date? Something to keep in mind. "Oi Nami, who you calling sorry, huh!? I''ll have you know this man here is the great warrior of the sea, Captain Usopp! My name is revered through both the seas and Earth as a man of immense capabilities. My army has amassed to a size of 3 million men and shall one day conquer the seas under my immense strength. And don''t you forget it!" Interesting, his nose didn''t seem to lengthen, so he isn''t actually Pinocchio. The strange urge to call him Yamauchi lurks within the deepest recesses of my brain though. "Nyahaha, the name''s Monkey D. Luffy. I''m gonna'' be king of the pirates one day. Nice to meet you!" A childish grin, the likes of which eclipses any previous memories of the depiction of joy from my home world adorn his face. This boy seems to whole-heartedly believe in and reach towards that goal of his. It¡¯s a lofty ambition, but the honesty with which he asserts that wish is something very few can replicate. "Zoro. Roronoa Zoro. Now you, gloomy guy. Give me your name and the sword as well when you''re done." I thought I had placated him enough with the words I shared with Nami. Seems the lion wants to bare its fangs once more. "Ayanokouji Kiyotaka, washed up here a month or so ago and have been living with Gaimon ever since. Other than that, I seem to have a case of amnesia, or so I''ve been told." This would likely arise in conversation later anyway. Hiding such things would only make them more on guard in the future which would just become more troublesome. I simply ignored his demand, seeing no reason to comply with the last request. "Bastard, are you ignoring me. Huh?!" "I''d prefer not to fight, but should the need arise I''ll bury you all here." "Heh, bring it dumba-!" "Zoro, stop he''s serious. You should realise from the fight alone, he''s not someone we should take needless conflict with." Sweat seemed to be pouring from her head and Nami''s eyes were laced with fear of the prospect. I didn''t think the threat was that terrifying though, is there some aspect I''m missing? Unless she already measured my capabilities above her crew, that shouldn''t have been possible from what I deliberately shown though? "Hahahaha, Oi he''s serious! I like you, you''re strong wanna join my crew?!" Or so Luffy said. He didn''t seem to mind the threat. I won''t lie, he is interesting, and I do need to get off this island. For the time being I could agree and then ditch them if need be. "We should leave that matter for after. For the time being let¡¯s reach a conclusion on the current subject matter. We can simply forgive each other for the current passings. You guys have trespassed on our territory without knowledge, and we have attacked to defend our own home. Neither party is hurt thankfully, thus dropping this matter is a simple solution." Laying the situation out in an easily digestible manner, the earlier threat also allows them to more readily accept the circumstances. This way both parties can forgo responsibility and shove the ordeal under the rug. "That''s something we can agree on it seems. Now let¡¯s tell a bit more about each other before making any other decisions." Nami makes this suggestion. Perhaps in hopes of scouting our background and behaviour to ultimately decide whether we are trustworthy. "I don''t mind but I don''t really have much to disclose you realise that, right?" I thought they would realise, what with amnesia and all. "You really have no idea how you got here?" Seems she just wants to probe. Her attempt to pierce this stone-cold mask is as pointless as any previous attempt. If she thought I''d give information away so readily, then she''s sorely mistaken. "No not a clue, my name is about all I remember." This isn''t true, but its the story I''ll go with. I mean how would you react if a random guy suddenly told you he came from a different world? Yeah, that wouldn''t go down well. It isn''t like I couldn''t share any information, if necessary, in the future, I could always pretend the memories are slowly coming back. "I mean... it''s just... you''re awfully calm if that''s the case. Are you not worried about the current situation?!" "Say what you want. Worrying or acting frantically would hardly help anyone. For now, I''ll just act as necessary until I uncover the situation in full. That''s all there is to it." There''s no need to hide such worry or thoughts, they know nothing of my character. Plus, pretending to be scared and frail would just be exposed as fraud when speaking to Gaimon or remaining in my presence for too long. Maintaining such a farce is too far removed from the ideal my life will shape into in the future. "Hoh, I''m getting fired up! Yeah, that confidence just gets me ready for a fight. What say we start a round up once again, Mr. Cool?" Why is he so blood-thirsty? I just want to get off this island. Nonetheless he ceremoniously lay his hand on the katana by his side, threatening to unsheathe the weapon and start once again. Are negotiations breaking down? Perhaps, Nami has little sway over the swordsman? Or the sword really means that much to him? Speaking of this is a pirate crew, right? Surely one of them must hold the leadership in the crew. Long-nose is out due to the lack of drive or strength in response to danger, Nami has a good mind but lacks the strength to lead them. This swordsman especially only responds to the strong. But he doesn''t seem to hold such authority, then the straw hat. He did mention Pirate King after all, it would be a safe assumption to pin Captain on him. In which case I should direct conversation with him instead. "You, with the straw hat. You said your name was Luffy, right?" "Yeah! That''s me! What''s up?" "Are you willing to take us off the island on your ship?" "Sure! Let me finish exploring, though!" He exclaimed as if this were the natural progression. Completely forgetting the battle waged before this. "You say explore but there''s nothing of value on this island, right Gaimon?" This hint should be enough. "Hah... Don''t try and pull that crap Taka! You know damn well there''s something here!" Internally swallowing a sigh. Apparently that hint was in fact not enough. His delusion has gotten hold of him, my explanation will do no good now. I''ll just distance myself from the group. No need to be amicable with Gaimon, this will likely be one of the last times I see him after all. "No there really is nothing of value. I hate to disappoint you, but that''s the undeniable truth." "Bastard. After all the hospitality I showed you, you dare to spit in our faces!" "Get them to help you then. See if I care. Search for your precious meaning on this island, you will find naught in terms of value." Deciding to wash my hand of the conversation, I leave those words for the group. With my back still turned I express my request for passage aboard when they''ve finished their business here. "Let me know when you leave the island, I''ll take that trip aboard. Until then suit yourselves." Taking the sword with me and retreating into the depths of the forest. I''ll make sure they have no option but to collect me from the island. The swordsman Zoro can''t leave without it, even if the other members tried to convince him, he''d stop them through force if necessary. With this, everything is looking up for my departure from the island. It''s been fun Gaimon, and I appreciate your knowledge and company, but I''ll be leaving with or without you. This shall be the end of our union, hopefully you don''t decide on a drastic outcome, and we can part peacefully. Know that if the opposite occurs then I will show no mercy to those who cross me. From now on I will not deign to the objectives of others. My freedom has only just begun. Amazing chest ahead! "Sorry about that guy, he can be a handful at times. He doesn''t mean bad, but he also has trouble expressing himself honestly. We drifted apart slightly a day or so ago." Gaimon looked upset as he said this, looking towards me with upturned eyes. Still, what exactly is this costume he has? Why is he wearing a treasure chest? These aren''t the important questions but they''re the ones I want to know desperately. It¡¯s hard to ask though! He acts as if this were the most natural thing in the world. I know he''s been trapped here a while, but help me out here, please! Luffy, Usopp, Zoro? One of you please ask this guy what''s going on? Seriously are none of you interested in this guy? Am I going to have to handle this entire conversation again? Goddamn it this was why I thought staying with them would be a pain in the ass. At least that other guy''s gone for now. I couldn''t think straight with those hollow eyes piercing my being. Those eyes... Dead. But a fierceness lies hidden behind them, they remind me of HIM... The thought alone makes me nauseas. I''d rather not remember that bastard if I can help it. It''s regrettable enough that I''ll see him soon enough. No good. If my mind keeps up with this, I''ll collapse. No, that''s enough. Don''t think of it anymore Nami, simply continue along your path. As you were. Follow your orders to the letter, life is so much more bearable like that. Regaining consciousness from my stupor to then realise Zoro is nowhere to be seen. Crap... Don''t tell me he went after him... There''re limits to recklessness you know! That guy shouldn''t be messed with. Those eyes. Like a predator stalking prey. I could feel them from when we were in the forest, if he decided to aim at Usopp or me from the start we would be dead. Even when fighting the three as a whole he didn''t seem to be fazed in the slightest. Luffy must''ve noticed this as well, I''ve never seen him change attitude so quickly before. Not only that, but this is also the first time Luffy has used his ability in a surprise attack, and it was completely thwarted almost effortlessly. Even Kuro, who we fought before was taken aback by such an attack and he had speed surpassing our sight. That Ayanokouji remained calm and observed us from afar, then decided to jump into the fray and fight even if he was outnumbered. Calm, cold, logical. He wouldn''t risk fighting a losing battle, and he doesn''t seem to value Gaimon much either. That can only lead to a single conclusion. He was never in danger at that moment. His assessment of us as a group surmised that we didn''t pose a substantial threat. In fact he very well could have been playing with us from the start. The only thing we can pray for at this moment is that he has no intention of killing. He still wants passage off the island and likely doesn''t have much knowledge regarding the world. Meaning he''s restricted in his methods and actions at least whilst we''re on this island. He may very well be a worse existence than even Him. At least in His case his intentions are readable, Ayanokouji on the other hand is a blank slate. We have no idea as to that guy''s goals, motivations or any information regarding his past. A monster is present on the island, and he intends to board our vessel. What do we do? Luffy wants to bring him along and honestly, I don''t think we have the ability to refuse. Not only due to Luffy''s stubbornness, but also because of the strength evident in that guy; Ayanokouji. Luffy for better or worse tends to have a good judgement of character at least, maybe I can trust his instincts and he''ll leave us be until he parts ways. Hopefully that isn''t wishful thinking... "Okay, I can''t take it anymore! Gaimon, why are you wearing a chest?" Resigning myself to the fate of a headache for the next few hours I ask the shabby old man. I need something to take my mind off the current situation. "Oh, yeah I forget sometimes! Hahahaha!" "I used to be a pirate and came to this island a good 20 years ago with my crew. Whilst searching around the island I fell off a cliff into an open chest and now here we are! Hahahaha!" "Nyahaha! Old man you''re a bit of an idiot, aren''t you?!" "Hahahaha! You aren''t wrong there, straw hat!" How did he get away with plain insulting him to his face like that? Oh well, not important. Luffy does plenty of things that are far removed from any sense or logic, this is just par for the course. "Your crew didn''t come back for you or search for you?!" "Nah, they left before I could join them. Can''t really blame them, it¡¯s a harsh world we live in after all." That''s beyond evil! They would really leave this man on the island alone not even waiting what could''ve been a single day for him to arrive? My hate for pirates seems to renew and smoulder each and every passing day. Yeah, I really need to leave this crew and finish my deal soon... "And you haven''t managed to get out of that chest even after all these years?" This is just beyond sad. I would definitely take him off this island even if the others were against it, not that they would be. But would he even manage to integrate back into society? A chest wearing weirdo and his band of misfit animals walking around town. Maybe people would think the circus pulled through? That isn''t a bad thought actually, wait no. It''s giving me mild flashbacks to Buggy, maybe it would be for the best if the animals stay here at least. I don''t think we would have the feed for so many either, especially with Luffy aboard. Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators! "I tried a while ago, but to no avail. By now my body seems to have grown accustomed to it, I think removing it would do more harm than good." Indeed, due to the posture his body may have shifted to accommodate such an unnatural position, it would also be difficult to remove the chest without damaging Gaimon in the process. If he''s settled into that then there''s nothing else to deliberate regarding the chest. Wait, I feel like we skipped over something big just then! "Did you just say twenty years!" I can''t believe it! To think the cruelty of his own crew would damn him to such a grim fate. To be all alone on this island for what amounts to the entirety of any one of our lives. What is with these twisted creatures called pirates, do they seriously not have any consideration for how they affect others? "Yeah! Hahaha, it really has gone by quite quick. It''s good to speak to people once again! Taka''s been here for a month or so, but he''s never been one for conversation. As you''ve seen." That''s unfathomable. I don''t want to skip past such a terrible point. But I should change the topic for the sake of all of us. Now onto the most important piece of information. "So Gaimon-San you also mentioned there was something on this island, am I right in assuming we''re both thinking the same?" "You''re sharp girl. Yes, indeed it was the reason my crew travelled here in the first place. There''s treasure hidden on the island, my crew gave up on the impossibility of reaching it though." "Hmm, if we can get that treasure for you how about we split it between us?" This is too good to be true. Ayanokouji''s words before are also disconcerting regarding Gaimon''s appeal. If it is true, it would be helpful in the long run. "I''m assuming you have an idea as to where it is after all this time?" "Of course, I was once a pirate you know! Still got the heart for adventure! C''mon I''ll take you guys there!" As he said that he hollered a strange but large animal over to us. Quickly manoeuvering atop the animal and beckoning the remaining members of the crew to also climb aboard, we set off for the target in our sights. "There are several chests at the top of a particularly steep cliff in the middle of the island. I knew about them from before I was trapped in this box and then prevented other crews from boarding the island over the years." "I see... you''ve been working at it for a long time. Luckily, Luffy will have no problem climbing anything!" Spurring him on with the strongest smile I can muster, I deluded both him and me for the hope of a fortunate future. Ayanokouji''s words leave a grim taste in the mouth though, I''m sure Gaimon''s thought of that as well already. Unless maybe he hid the findings... No, that train of thought''s useless in the end. He doesn''t seem the type to give up such information. Trying to intimidate with violence or overstep any boundaries would just end in conflict which is the worst-case scenario, especially when so easily avoidable. Engaging in small talk until we reach the cliff face, which was a lot quicker thanks to the reliable steed beneath us. "Go! Straw hat, up that cliff there!" "Gotcha, old man. Gum-Gum Rocket!" Effortlessly, Luffy outstretched his arms using the momentum to extend to the top of the cliff and grabbing the ledge. Allowing his body to recoil with the properties of his rubber body, he quickly ascends to the top of the cliff. "So?! See anything up there Luffy?!" "Yeah! Old man, they''re up here alright!" "Awwright! Throw them down when you¡¯re ready straw hat!" "Nah, these are mine now, right?!" With a devilish smile he hoards a chest in his grasp and displays it before us. "Luffy don''t play around!" "Yeah, Luffy you ass! Throw them down!" This is unlike Luffy though, he wouldn''t act in this way. Especially given the way he treats other''s things... "It¡¯s alright you two... Straw hat, you really are a good guy! Thank you!" As I thought then, that''s unfortunate. This must be heart-breaking for Gaimon, imagine all that time and effort for no pay-off. I don''t know what would happen if I were in the same situation. For everything I did to become meaningless. I''d break apart at the seams. I don''t think I''d be able to pick all the pieces of myself up after that, no I don''t know if I''d even want to. Just thinking of the possibility is enough to tear the fragile stitching holding my heart together. Better to not think of it at all. Yeah... just live in this moment. Continue travelling with them for the time being, it''s such a reprieve from the past. It''s... comfortable here. No one could blame me for enjoying this time, just enjoy it until the moment comes. When it does, act with the same vigilance as always. I can accomplish my goal and finally free us from this cage. "Sorry... Old man, yeah they''re all empty. Not a single one has anything inside." Luffy had a solemn look on his face when stating it as if he couldn''t bear the words himself. "But that''s the past! Let''s talk about the future, come with us Gaimon! Who cares if the past years have been spent on this island! Come with us, adventure the seas once again! By our side we''ll see the world and find the One Piece!" Ecstatically, Luffy exclaimed this conclusion loud enough that all inhabitants of the island could hear the proposition. He means it, that''s the enjoyable thing about Luffy he lacks delicacy but says what he wants and acts in accordance with his desires. No schemes, no trickery, no complication just simple desire. I could see him actually doing it, that may just be wishful thinking though. "Straw Hat... Thank You! You''re a good guy...!" Gaimon exclaimed through the stream of tears staining his face. The four of us mounted the large beast once again and travelled back to Gaimon''s camp, sharing some tales of our adventures along the way. After that business we can offer the travel from the island to both Ayanokouji and Gaimon, the only other concern is Zoro now. Hopefully he isn''t too reckless with his challenges. As a group we can''t do much against him, he could hold his own against both Zoro and Luffy in a fight and didn''t break a sweat even when caught off guard. The only thing I''ll state for sure is we won''t forgive him if Zoro is hurt on this journey. I''ll take him down even if takes my life. That goes for any other member of this crew. I may not stay with these people, but they are important to me. I''ll die before allowing the people I care for to be broken and extorted by the whims of another monster. Please, be safe Zoro. --- "I''d prefer to lounge and enjoy the last moments on this island without being disturbed, I don''t suppose you could reconsider what you''re thinking?" "Afraid not. If you''ve got that sword in your hand, you either give it up or fight me! There''s no other choice." "You would even swing at someone unresisting?" "Non-resisting but not defenceless, you can''t escape this unfortunately. You''ll be my next conquest, provide me with the experience to get even stronger!" Grinning like a madman he unsheathes the other two swords by his side and slowly paces towards me. "I''m warning you, we''ll be companions for a short time after this. I''d rather not gain the ire of your crew. Turn back. The sword will be in my possession for a day maximum. There is no need for further conflict." If he sees reason at this point, I''ll pray to whichever God is responsible you hear me! Slowly but surely advancing with his guard up, still unresponsive. He seems to be saying words are worthless at this stage. Oh well, worth a shot... Guess I can test out my skills for now. Not exactly the arena or situation I would''ve chosen. just need to make sure I don''t rough him up too much. Can''t have the crew becoming hostile that would cause unnecessary problems. Maiden battle! Sparks fly Silence. The only accompanying sounds in the area were the ambience of the forest. The air flowing and bustling bushes. The two swordsmen don''t even shift their weight. Precise control over even the most minute muscles is visible. All animals and life had fled the vicinity of this battle upon their initial crossing. Now only the two remain and the horizon acts as the witness to their duel. Neither move without thought, to make the first move would prove impatience and intolerance. To strike without remaining sure is to make a false swipe and give up the promise of victory. Of course, to remain stagnant and not strike at all would mean this battle would never end either. Which isn''t a choice either combatant would pick at this point. Both swordsmen await a mark, some signal which will designate the duel commencing. The cascading breeze catches leaves as they fall from the forest trees. These swirling leaves paint the scenery with a vivid trail almost capturing the scene in a portrait. A single leaf slowly descends between the two swordsmen. The mark has been set, the initial clash inevitable and battle imminent. Descending directly between the small space between the two combatants the leaf draws infinitesimally close to the ground. Only when contact is made will they strike, that is the unspoken agreement between the two. The lightest rustle, quieter than a pin drop resounds in the area. Impossibly loud given the size of the leaf, both hear this signal perfectly. Their initial distance was only a few steps, enough to be covered in a mere instance. Both leap forward and shift weight into their forefoot intending to strike the other down. The brazen green-haired samurai slashes down vertically with both swords in hand. In response the apathetic opponent unsheathes and slashes horizontally meeting the two blades at the apex of their height, the most opportune moment to sever the other''s chance at victory. Their concentrated Iai slash proceeds to cut through both swords with utmost precision leaving their opponent with two useless hilts in hand. The conclusion reverts to eerie silence, not dissimilar to the duels start. A winner and loser have been borne through the tumultuous battle. A swordsman''s battle is not only physical and mental but also a clash of wills and experiences. The results speak for themselves; in terms of skill and experience with a sword, this cannot be debated. In a usual duel, a battle to the death the loser''s life would be forfeit. But this wasn''t any usual duel, nor were the participants of the duel any less unordinary. "Damnit! Again! When will I win! That''s...!" "HEHEHE! How many wins is that to me now. Hey, Zoro? You still keeping count? I stopped after the first few hundred." "Shut up! I swear I''ll beat you soon Kuina! Just you wait!" She slyly holds out her tongue followed by a devilish giggle, pointed towards me. Infuriating. "I look forward to that day, although by the looks of things I might die from old age before then!" "You!..." "Hehehe, Zoro you should see the look on your face!" Suddenly the mood shifted, the teasing smile I often seen adorning her face was replaced with a grimace and tears to match. She quickly turned her head to hide it but to no avail. "Hah... You''ve got it lucky Zoro eventually that''ll be the case. No matter what I do, I''ve resigned to that as much as it pains me... There''s no space in this world for the strongest swordsman to be a woman only a "Best Female Swordsman" exists. The whole thing was a sham from the beginning. A dream I was foolish enough to believe in." "OI. KUINA YOU!!!..." She turned towards me. I couldn''t continue that train of thought. The look on her face was of utter defeat. Despite completely trouncing me in a duel. Her face spoke otherwise. At the time I didn''t understand, all I felt was an indomitable feeling of helplessness. Not only due to my lack of victory against a persistent rival but because they admitted defeat to something unreal. Giving in to a feeling, an enemy not on any horizon but in the mind. This is bullshit! This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. "You shut up right now! You give it up like its decided, doesn''t that completely negate all the work I''ve done to this point!? What about the people using you as goal, what about those who want to surpass you?" "Do you really think when I beat you, you can just say "It was fated to happen, can''t control it?!" As if! You''re a goal for me I''ve put serious work in to beat, don''t go keeling over to any enemy but me, you hear!?" "You speak big game for a pipsqueak... Especially considering, you''ve never even come close..." "Be quiet already! I vow in the future I will become the strongest swordsman in the world! If you don''t have a goal as grand as that then aren''t we all just a laughingstock? No, I refuse to believe it! So, stop feeling sorry for yourself, otherwise I''ll defeat you any day now." " You... greatest swordsman as if... it would be a shame to swords themselves if you became the summit..." "If you think that then, you''ll have to beat me every time I reach for it." "Swear upon your sword Kuina. Become the world''s best with me. The winner is whoever becomes the strongest sword master in the world." " Hah... You''re too young to be making an oath, dumbass. Especially when you leave yourself open like that." Huh... "But... it makes me happy you said that..." That was when her sheath propelled into my gut and knocked me out. I only regained consciousness a day after in that field. By that time Kuina was already gone and that promise could no longer be fulfilled in person. --- Our battle mirrored that fateful day much to my chagrin. He''s stronger, faster, seems to carry a burden even greater. His sword streamed like boundless light shattering the heavy blows targeting him. Within but a moment I was reduced to the same helpless child in that field all those years ago. Have I not progressed at all? All this time, have I simply been going through the motions. To be so quickly defeated? The look on his face, as if no surprise was evident. This exact circumstance was preordained by him. Is the gap between us so large? Too many things are similar, especially that look in his eyes. Shallow yet deep, dark yet they hold a mysterious light. Is that the bearing of those at the top? They''re so different yet in some ways so alike. If I had to pin it down on something it''d be... loneliness. Whilst Kuina struggled with something I can sympathize with but never fully comprehend. I feel this guy shares a common origin with that struggle. It was evident through that fight, as brief as it was. It mirrored that day perfectly in movement and visuals. Only the feeling wasn''t there... A duel is to wage a war between souls, to accumulate the life and its experiences and clash all you are with your opponent. Yet, I felt no clash of spirit. It felt as if battle itself is a foreign but useful object to be used by him. It could be because he didn''t want to fight or because his skills outstrip mine. But... for some reason my heart won''t accept those reasons. No, instead he doesn''t let anyone close. Kuina tried to impart her troubles onto me, I just couldn''t bear them. My back wasn''t broad enough to bear that trouble, that is my sin to bear. But this guy! He doesn''t let anyone know his troubles. Hell, looking at his apathetic face you''d think living was a trouble for him. "You... What do you live for?" "Hm... What do you mean? Most people just don''t want to die, right?" He''s not wrong. But no matter how you look at it, he ain''t most people. Plus, I didn''t get that feeling in the battle. He wasn''t in danger. But... I don''t feel like he would act in fear even in the face of death. "Then I''ll change the question. What do you want to accomplish above all else? What is your dream?" "Hmmm... I mean would it really matter to you? Weren''t you just about to cut that dream short?" This bastard. "Just answer the question already!" I''m losing my patience with this guy. "Don''t know, never had one. Maybe I''ll try and find one now I guess." Huh. No goal. No dream. Yet he''s this strong? What the hell is going on? Is he pulling my leg? "But if I had to give an answer... To entertain my curiosity and... No actually I don''t want to speak those words into existence. I feel like they might have an annoying effect." To find his dream, huh? Is it possible to attain such strength without already having one? Does he not even care about his past? I thought he had amnesia? This guy''s weird. Although now that I think of it... Ever since meeting Luffy the people around us have been different more or less. Not always in a bad way, just... peculiar. Even amongst them he still takes the cake though. It''s impossible to get such strength and ability without ruthless dedication, so why does somebody so uncaring have these abilities? He''s strange and I definitely don''t trust him, but... If he truly got this strong without aspirations towards reaching the peak, then maybe there''s something that I''ve been missing all this time. Perhaps some area of training or meditation or even technique that is necessary to reach the top. No matter what it is, I have to drag it out of him. Whether he wants that or not. I''ll have plenty time to keep an eye on him when he joins us. Strangely enough, I have a feeling he''ll stick around. The reason for why escapes me. And I would be lying if I said it didn''t set my nerves on edge. Bump in the night "Takaaaa! Where are you? Let''s eat, already!" Gaimon''s voice had resounded through the forest. The pair had made a habit of eating together at the camp every day since their meeting. That was only cut short due to Gaimon''s own false conclusions. "Zoro! C''mon we''ve got food ready! Hurry up, or there''ll be nothing left!" Nami shouted out into the forest hoping to reach the two outcasts. A bitter look on her face all the while. "Food! Food! Zoro, hurry!" Luffy maintained the same lackadaisical attitude as usual. Meanwhile Usopp simply looked around from the top of a tree to parse through the dense forestry. "Damn. Can''t see much even up here." ------ "...-OOOROOO! FOOOOD!" I know that voice anywhere, seriously where did he develop that foghorn of a mouth? "Seems they''re looking for you." "...Yeah..." Turning back towards the noise I slowly walk in its direction. "...You coming?" As much as I''d prefer, he didn''t, probably best to keep him in sight at least. "...That isn''t the direction of the noise." What now? "It clearly came from that direction, though." "...You''ll get lost in that forest if you walk around randomly, you know?" "Pfft. Whatever you say, no way I''m getting lost. See ya." Backing into the forest and walking back in the direction of that shout. ----- Not even 5 minutes later Zoro came right back out of the forest where he had entered and came face to face with me once again. "Hey, you following me or something?" Is this guy stupid? "...This is the same place we just fought..." "...So, it is..." "Got lost already?" That was shockingly quick, almost a talent. "No, no. Just checking if you changed your mind on the sword!" "No. I didn''t." "...Damnit. Sure, you aren''t coming with? Wouldn''t want the sword getting lost now after all." The audacity of this guy... "Nah, I''m good here. Head in that direction this time..." I point in the same direction as before. "...What scared I might take the sword off ya?" "Terrified." "Tch. Mark my words, I''ll get it back soon." Those as his parting words he walked through the shrubbery in the direction of his crew. Hopefully he won''t be back again. Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere. ---- "ZOORROO! YOU HERE?!" The entire crew had made it to the plains I inhabited and slowly looked down to the broken swords which littered the ground a short distance from my feet. "Oi! You see Zoro?!" Those words came from Luffy. Meanwhile Nami and Usopp had grave looks on their faces. "Luffy! Zoro wouldn''t leave his swords here, they clearly fought. Hey you, where''s Zoro?" The marksman weakly shouted that from behind one of the trees whilst unholstering his slingshot. "He walked in your direction just now. I''m surprised you didn''t meet just now." "Likely story. There''s no way we''d miss each other. Where is he really?" Nami didn''t seem to buy that story. I guess, they don''t know that much about each other then? I feel like his terrible sense of direction would become a blatant problem if they had travelled together longer. What a pain. No answer will be good enough for them. Is there any reason to be so hostile all the time? "...I don''t know what you want from me. Call for him if you want, he gets lost easily though." "...Luffy! I don''t-" Don''t finish that sentence, I''m through with drama today. Before Nami had finished her sentence Luffy rocketed towards me with an arm outstretched behind him, clearly planning to use the recoil on me. Looks like I''m getting a fight either way... Dashing around to his left flank I quickly use the sheathed sword length to jab at the back of his knee and jab his head into the collision course. Allowing his own punch to smack right into the back of his head. I wonder if his resistance to physical strikes also applies to himself. I''d guess it does, simply due to the fact he shrugs off any damage the recoil might have when throwing these punches. In response the rubber man goes barrelling off into a tree in front of him. "Luffy!" "Take this! Sure kill- egg star!" Is this guy really throwing eggs right now? Dodging the projectiles I ponder if I should just get rid of this guy. It''s more annoying than anything else, I''d much rather not have to clean this up after. Deciding to get rid of the marksman restricting my movements I rush towards him and Nami. ---- AAAAHHH! He''s coming towards us! Seriously, Usopp think before you attack him. Or at least don''t get me involved! "Crap. Run!" Those very inspiring words came from Usopp, great captain of the high seas. At least he''s focusing on him and not me. Usopp''s silhouette barrelled through the forest back towards Gaimon''s camp. ...Me and my big mouth. The monster stopped at the tree and just stared at me for what felt like a minute or two. "Can you not get these guys to stop fighting me?" "Why would I do that!? You''ve clearly hurt Zoro, there''s no way he would''ve missed us! Don''t try and trick me!" "Just calm down for a minute and we can wait for him. You guys attacked me in the first place, I had no plans to attack you guys. Besides there''s no blood or any limbs here, only the swords. Only the fact we fought here is evident, nothing more than that." Blood or limbs! Even when trying to convince us he can''t help but think of mortality. Exactly like that monster. "You could''ve taken him away somewhere or gotten rid of his body. You can''t fool me, I know how your type acts. You just can''t help but destroy everything around you, monster!" "There''s no proof for that. In fact, if that were the case then you should listen to me so you can find where he is, no?" "As if you would tell the truth!" Understanding how useless his words are, slowly he makes his way towards me and reaches out his hand to grab me... Crap, please Luffy c''mon. Knock this bastard out! A blur flashes in my vision. A cloud of dust billows from the rubble of the trees completely decimated by the attack. "Luffy!" Both of Luffy''s arms had drove into him from a distance, surely that had taken care of him! ...Or not. He was completely unscathed despite knocking down a tree in the distance. "Nami, are you alright? Where''s Usopp?" "I''m fine, he went running off to the camp." "Good. Stay back, I''ll handle this! Give it your all Taka, or I''ll pummel you!" "...I think I''ve been fair enough. It''s only reasonable I can finally use self-defense, right? Don''t blame me for what happens next." The scenery itself seemed to warp and darken. A deep sense of foreboding emanated from his being. Slowly he unsheathed Zoro''s sword and clenched the hilt bisecting his body. A neutral stance, yet it was completely void of any openings. Just witnessing his appearance developed a sense of fear and anxiety within me. Approaching that must be gut-wrenching and beyond terrifying. "Nyahaha! Let''s go!" Luffy ran forward with a bright smile on his face, as if nothing in the world would make him happier. What''s wrong with pirates? Or maybe there''s just something wrong with Luffy? Probably both. Luffy drew ever closer to him, contact was inevitable any second now. Nothing could interrupt this clash between the two beasts... ...Except a green haired idiot which slowly crept through the bushes right into the fray of the ongoing battle, only to land in-between the two parties. "Oh, Luffy." "ZORO!" "Is that the best you can do? WE ALMOST ALL DIED BECAUSE OF YOU! And all you have to say is; Oh, Luffy." "...About time." "Oh Taka, there you are. And the rest of you as well, let''s go get some grub yeah? What''s wrong, why are you looking at me like that?" I can''t right now... Given Gaimon had finally met with us once again we decided to put our differences aside and return to the camp. Final supper "Nyahaha! Delicious, seriously good!" Luffy was stuffing his face with cartoonishly large amounts of food, credit to his strange composition. How exactly does he stretch like that? Was he born with physiology different from normal humans, perhaps it''s genetic? Maybe even human experimentation? Everyone from our ragtag bunch was merrily engorging the meal in front of us. Apparently Gaimon and the sniper had gone to the trouble of catching some fish for the banquet. That along with the fresh fruits unique to the island we often foraged made for a decent meal. It was as if the previous fights hadn''t occurred. Well on the surface, I think the only person clueless enough to forget all that is their captain. "...So, about that transport. Can we still take you up on that?" That was the question of the day. Directing that question to the captain as the height of authority seems to have been a mistake, he was too absorbed in engulfing the meal to pay any attention to the words coming from my mouth. "...Before that, there''s something I have to do." Unexpectedly Gaimon begun to speak whilst standing from the log. "..." "I owe you an apology Taka! They were empty all along, thanks you''re a good guy!" Shouting all whilst tears threatened to erupt from the eyes almost hidden by the bushy hair and eyebrows. Attempting to kowtow but instead fell flat on his face, due to the constraints of the chest he was bonded to. "..." "I''m sorry for doubting you!" "...Raise your head Gaimon. I understand why you did, it''s no big deal." I truly felt that way. Whether he apologized or not didn''t change my feelings on the matter, it was inconsequential. "Yeah, I guess we also owe an apology. If it weren''t for this idiot, we might not have misunderstood." The navigator quietly apologized. "Hey, what did I d-?" "Do you even have to ask?" Both the sniper and navigator immediately pounced at the swordsman. At least they''re enjoying themselves. After wrestling around with the swordsman for a bit the navigator finally turned back to me. "That being said, yeah you guys can come along. When will you be ready for it?" "I''m ready immediately, Gaimon?" "...I. I don''t know what to do..." "Come with us! C''mon old guy, it''ll be fun!" Probably the only thought that rummages through that head of his- fun. Just how exactly most of the proceedings on this island have been fun I''ll never know... "...I don''t doubt that straw hat. But what about them? I can''t just leave them." "We''ll take them with us!" "...I appreciate that straw hat I do. But it''s not that simple." It''s putting the cart before the horse... "What do you mean?! We can handle it, we have enough food right Nami?!" "Maybe if you can control yourself, we might just have enough till we reach the next island." "..." "Gaimon. There''s no need for the journey is there?" It was pointless from the beginning. "..." "You''ve already found it haven''t you?" "..." "A treasure worth protecting." His place is here. "...Yeah, I can''t let go of it now. They''ve been my comrades for decades now. I''ve lived, ate and adventured with them for years. I can''t leave them now." "That''s why I''m saying to come with us!" "Can you take care of them for the rest of that time? Can you feed and protect them for the rest of the journey? Whilst fighting off marines and other strong pirates? I know I can''t. I don''t have the strength. And I can''t ask that of someone else, it''s my responsibility." Gaimon highlighted the important space between dream and reality. To ground one''s desire in realism and accept the consequences that come with it. I could understand his worry, there were plenty of problems regarding taking them aboard. Food and shelter being the least of that. What of the ecology and environment of the island? This climate, the vegetation, animals, even the temperature and weather changes. All of it is an utter bastardisation of normal weather patterns. Taking those animals away from here could result in several health defects, not only of these animals but also a destruction of the island ecosystem altogether. Is that something we have the right to choose? To breed destruction on each and every place we visit just because we have the strength to do so? ''Saving'' someone may just mean implicating another, surrendering them to the same fate as the one we chose to save. Animals would come and go on this island after we leave, each and every one of them would struggle to survive because of what we did. "Thank you, straw hat. But this is my place, right here with these guys. These are my treasure." "Gotcha. In that case, I''ll come back after becoming pirate king. You better be ready when I do!" "Ahaha I''ll be waiting. Don''t be too long though, I''m still an old man!" "Nyahaha. For now, more food!" With the mood raised once again the festivities kicked off. I could use a break from the noise, however. Standing from the log and walking to the shore, I chose to instead watch the waves teeter in and out, gently massaging the sands of the beach I had awoke on just a few weeks prior. I would finally leave this place. Just what exactly awaits out there? "Ayanokouji? What are you doing sat all the way over here?" The resident navigator had intruded upon the serene moment I shared with the tide. Not that I minded. "...Not sure. Saying goodbye maybe, this is the first place I could call home. Even if it was only for a small time. I''m glad to be going, but... it''s a strange feeling." Saying goodbye to a home, did I really feel that way? I know a person might feel that way were they accustomed to that home, if it held a place of tranquillity in their hearts, but can I honestly say the same for myself in this situation? At times I forget whether I''m saying something purely to maintain a facade or whether I truly believe it myself. "It must be a hard situation, this is the one place you probably felt safe. Yet, despite that if you want to move forward in any way... you have to leave. There''s no other option, shark-infested waters or worse. The only path is forward." "Unfortunately, that forward path remains just like the sea. Dark and vast. Innumerable obstacles, even the path itself is obscured. Who''s to say what''s the right direction?" That was what presently troubled me. Just what direction should I go in? There were countless options, theoretically no wrong answers, but that just strengthened the paralysis upon my mind. "...Dark and vast it may be, but doesn''t that just mean that all the possibilities in the world are present for the taking?" An incredibly optimistic mind might venture down that thought track, for some reason that seemed incongruent with Nami''s character as I knew it. "Through piracy, gain freedom? Does that mean my future will always be linked to the demise of another, are they always inextricably linked?" "...In my experience I can''t say I''ve seen much different. Those that want to, take. That''s how they achieve the world that they desire... But if there''s anyone who''s challenged my belief of that till now; it''d be Luffy." "He certainly has something to him. Well, besides the strange ability to stretch inhuman amounts." "Hehe, well that is certainly one of his unique characteristics." This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it. "...Speaking of what exactly is that? Is it natural? I''ve never seen anything like it." "Really? You live on an island with all manner of strange creatures, not to mention the man currently living in a treasure chest for several decades, but stretching surprises you?" "...Now that you say it. I''m becoming more aware of the absurdity... Still remains that he''s strange, no?" "Point taken. I suppose the amnesia is also having an effect. Well to put it simply, it isn''t exactly commonplace, but people like Luffy are still seen every now and again. Some people just inherit these strange characteristics from time to time, that''s about all I know." That didn''t tell me whether it was natural or genetic or a product of environment either. Did she just not know? No, Nami doesn''t strike me as the type to leave that information from her grasp especially if she hasn''t committed to staying with them. Luffy also isn''t careful enough to keep that information private. That means she''s intentionally hiding them from me. Further examining her statements and the mannerisms during the conversation didn''t let me gleam much either. She''s either exceptionally gifted at lying through a similar characteristic to Luffy or she''s simply embellishing the truth. The greatest way to con a person is through a majority of truth, lies should be small and seem almost inconsequential in a ruse. Is this one of those same scenarios? I could always consolidate these findings with other members of the crew, they don''t seem to be as tight-lipped as Nami is in these regards. "...What exactly is it that sets him apart in your eyes?" I was genuinely intrigued to see what her beliefs were on the matter. "Luffy? I''m not sure, if I were to try and put my finger on it, I think it''d be hard to grasp..." I waited as she tried to find the right words to properly elicit the explanation of her captain''s novelty. "He''s... an... idiot?" Not what I was expecting. "..." "No, even that''s not quite right... It''s hard to explain, but it''s as if... as if he''s... untainted in a way? I''m not sure... how aggravating." "It¡¯s his childlike naivete? I didn''t think you''d be a fan of gullible people." "Oh, I''m their biggest fan!" "I meant other than when trying to scam them." "Hey! I don''t scam them! I just kindly empty their pockets for them. I wouldn''t want all that gold to weigh them down, in ten or twenty years they''ll thank me for saving their joints!" "...Besides, how did you know that?" "Lucky guess?" "Seems a bit far-fetched for a good guess to me... Did Zoro say something?" "The way you handled negotiations when we first met tipped me off. The others clearly weren''t experienced in the same way." "So that''s what it was... Seeing you say it so clearly means you must also have some memory of conning, the art of trickery perhaps? Has something come back to you, any memories?" "No, that isn''t the case. Maybe it''s just an artefact of muscle memory." "In that case were you the scammer or the scammee?" "Is that even a real word?" I had my doubts. "That unchanging face could be either... Perhaps cherry-boy got burnt too-hard by a past lover?" "If that was the case, it must''ve been bad enough to wipe the rest of my memory too." Cherry-boy? "Hehehe. Well either way, I suppose we can only wait and see as far as that goes... We''ll be travelling together, in the meantime... so here. To sailing the seas." She hands me a drink, one of the same variety the group had been polishing off the entire meal, well apart from Luffy. I had never tasted any alcohol before, it was strictly prohibited during my ''detention'' so to speak. That and the bylaws for my previous world certainly wouldn''t have allowed it. In the age of piracy; is drinking legal for someone my age? What a drab thought... I''m about to sail the high seas with a band of misfits known for stealing and pillaging along their sea routes, this is hardly of any consequence. That being said, I wouldn''t normally trust the drink from a stranger. This meeting is important, and I can''t exactly spit in the face of compassion. Like the handshake two CEO''s might share, it was a delicate understanding of each party and the etiquette that was required between them. This wasn''t about my will or eagerness, or even Nami''s magnanimity. It was pure and simple, a gesture of agreement between two people. My mind racing at several hundred miles per second, I finally decide to ingest the bitter fluid. The frothy contents pour back and hit my throat. Only to be met with almost instantaneous sputtering and coughing. Who the hell chooses to drink this?! "Hehehe, still a kid. It grows on you." "I''m not sure if I want this to grow on me. Or to try this enough for that to happen." "At least you know you weren''t a serial drinker in the past, one more possibility crossed off the list." "Why do I feel like each of these possibilities are going to put me in danger?" "Next possibility; immune to heights? Suppose we''ll just have to test it, we can have Luffy slingshot you if you''d like?" "I''ll die!" "Oh yeah, where''s the proof?" "I feel it in my bones." "Oh c''mon! Don''t be a cry-baby, it''s not fatal... probably." "I think I''ll take my chances and find other ways." "Scaredy-cat." "I won''t be goaded into killing myself. Are you this ruthless every time you try to scam someone?" Honestly, she might be scarier than Zoro. "Tell you what, I''ll ease up if you give me the sword now. Sounds like a deal, huh?" If I could laugh I would. "There''s no chance of that happening, right now. I don''t even have to explain it, do I?" "Haah... Yeah, figured I might as well try it. Otherwise, he''ll just keep on staring the entire night." In the corner of my eye, I make the silhouette of the aforementioned swordsman hunched over the log slowly sipping at the drink in hand. Eyes never leaving from the sword attached at my waist. Truly, there''s something more to this sword. Some sort of sentimental value or the like. Treasure, huh? Gaimon was the same. How envious, those that already have their path in mind. "Just wait until we board the ship, after that you have my word, I''ll return the sword." "I can trust your word?" "I would like this to be the beginning of a good partnership, in this case you can leave this matter in my hands. For our continued partnership, it''s imperative we can trust each other for simple things like this." "Trust is a lot to ask for this early." It isn''t wrong, but we can''t always be at each other''s throats. Not only is it dangerous, but also a complete and utter headache. "I don''t plan on asking for something impossible. The very lowest modicum of respect and trust between us. Enough to live in the same space without conflict, who knows how long we''ll be together. I say this in the best interest of both parties." "That''s fair, but that lowest modicum still needs to be earned." "The passing of the sword will be the initiation of that deal. If I renege on those agreed terms, then you are all free to accost me or throw me overboard should it arise. Following that, although I don''t have any skills particular to sailing life, I''ll remain available should anything be needed." "...That''s agreeable. You''ll hand the sword over as soon as we depart from the island and settle your things aboard?" "Yes, not a moment earlier." "I''ll believe you for now. Do not betray that trust Ayanokouji, or I will make you regret it." Women are scary. "Haah... all this talk of business has me hungry again!" A short but sweet yawn escape from her mouth as she stretches before rising from the sand. Scary but nice. "Get back to the fire after you''re done saying your goodbyes. You''re one of us now... So, make sure to join in." "...Aye aye." "Pfft. Hehehe, that doesn''t suit you at all." Gentle steps retreat back to the camp and party leaving me to the last embers of my thoughts. I joined a criminal group... I wonder if my father would be proud, a bit different from the political station he had envisioned. I created a positive relationship, or more aptly an agreement with Nami the team''s navigator. Interestingly she never corrected me, despite making it rather obvious... My agreement could be taken as for the group or just between the two of us. She isn''t novice enough to have missed that aspect, I suppose that means I had a positive reception. If the moment calls for it I can enact on that presumption. Her skills are the most important from the group for now, I effectively am at the mercy of any person in this world if I lack those fundamental skills and knowledge. That and having her agreement kills two birds with one stone. From the few interactions we''ve had she fills the space of the voice of reason for the crew. Having her consolidation will make the journey much smoother as a whole. The only hitch is... Nami is craftier than I had given her credit, she won''t allow me to gather her skillset so easily. Definitely impossible without some sort of equivalent trade-off. That''s a problem for later. Immediately my main issue is... How do I rejoin the party? Just sit down on the same log as before whilst silently eating? It feels strange to have to participate as a member of the ''group''. Even if it is in name only. Before I was present out of convenience, I wasn''t particularly talking or contributing, now a different type of pressure was weighing down on me. I''m definitely not sitting next to the swordsman, I guess Gaimon or Nami would be the safe bet. The sniper still seems wary of me and the captain is too busy shovelling his face full to be much company. Thinking as such I finally rise from the beach and travel towards the person, I was most accustomed to- Gaimon. "Taka! Feel like rejoining the world of the living?" "Indeed." "Knock a few back with me! To farewells!" The hairy little man forced a mug filled to the brim in my hands. Not again... I stare silently at the unappetizing grog. He raised his cup towards me making a dull knocking sound. "To your travels my friend." I feel like this is some sort of revenge... I''ll be getting used to the taste faster than I anticipated. "...Well, down the hatch." The frothy contents once more entered my mouth, to be met with a less violent reaction than the first. Hardly enjoyable though... "That''s the spirit! Nami grab another! I''m gonna see his face change by the end of tonight!" "...Have some mercy, will you?" "You''re a pirate now, afraid we''re just getting started!" Another hastily filled tankard was passed my way. "Nyahaha, that''s right! Captain''s orders! Drink, drink, drink!" Luffy had only managed to take a break from eating to subject more torture upon me... This is going to be a long night... "Hah, I''ll take some of that action! I''ll drink you under the table!" Unexpectedly, that came from the swordsman. "...I don''t remember ever making a competition." "Too bad! Nami, c''mon time to teach the newbie his place in the crew!" Zoro had approached the log and sat directly opposite me. Was he planning to take the sword off my drunk body? I wouldn''t put it past him. "Big mistake, I''ll be taking both you and Zoro down!" My eyes travelled towards Gaimon, pleading for salvation. To which he quickly looked away and grabbed the nearby casks. If I wasn''t leaving tomorrow, I''d get you back for this traitor! A very unlikely competition brewed between us three. One polishing off each drink as if it were fun, another fiercely watching me as I forced the swill into my mouth. Meanwhile, I was just concerned with surviving the night... --- Before I knew it, the sun was ascending above the horizon line, and my body was bathed in the brilliant light of the morning. I had survived. Though, the headache which accompanied that revelation almost made me wish I hadn''t. Romance Dawn The brilliant yellow light from the sun shone down on the beach swallowing up the entire shore and illuminated the passed-out bodies of my future crewmates after the evening of celebration I was subject to. A few of the animals approached almost as if they could sense our time together was shortening. I subjected myself to the suffocation that was their presence. If I wasn¡¯t already sweltering due to the humidity, then this would certainly exacerbate that. Well, not that I¡¯ll have to deal with it for much longer. If this is what they need for a goodbye, then so be it. ¡°Argh, my head¡­ Nami, what time is it?¡± Those words escaped from the swordsman, rather tiredly at that. ¡°Usopp? Luffy? Gaimon?... Blank-faced bastard?¡± Really, that¡¯s what I get? I think I¡¯ll just pretend to be asleep. ¡°Ahhh! Get away, you¡¯re too warm! It¡¯s too early for this crap¡­ Hold on, maybe he¡¯s asleep. Slowly¡­ slowly. Ack! Get off my foot! Hey, I said move!¡± Is this guy incapable of being silent? Does he seriously think I wouldn¡¯t be able to hear him approaching? He should make a habit of drinking less; I think it may be having negative effects on his brain. Gradually I could feel the cooling sensation from a shadow cast over my face. Ahhh, that¡¯s much better. The overwhelming stench of alcohol and fish erupted from the man¡¯s mouth as he neared my person. When was toothpaste invented? Quickly brain think or I¡¯ll have to be the inventor of modern hygiene in this world! ¡°Just¡­ slowly¡­¡± Having enough of this tiresome game I decided to open my eyes abruptly in front of my intruder. ¡°Ack!¡± Dramatically the swordsman had fallen backwards into the pile of animals crowding me, at least they cushioned his fall. Although, I was kinda hoping for a little damage as payback. I was hardly happy that the first sight to greet my eyes was the haggard face of an alcoholic pirate, though. Luffy¡¯s cheerful visage or Nami¡¯s beautiful features made much more pleasant impressions on my eyes. Regardless, I suppose I should arise from my alcohol induced coma. ¡°So, you were awake blank bastard?¡± Such a welcoming statement. I¡¯m overjoyed at my new friend. ¡°¡­In the future you could do with being quieter, if you plan on sneaking up on someone.¡± It would have taken more effort to have feigned sleep that entire time. ¡°Ain¡¯t exactly my expertise. Usually, I just put someone in the ground if they get in the way.¡± Yeah, that seems pretty apt. Despite obviously being annoyed he was rather gentle with the animals as he attempted to stand back up. ¡°Learn then, that won¡¯t work for you every time. Evidently.¡± In this line of work, it would prove useful, were my thoughts anyway. ¡°Not happening. I¡¯ll always choose to fight. How else will I become the strongest?¡± Strongest? Isn¡¯t that the type of dream people give up on after growing past the age of ten? It¡¯s like I¡¯m facing the very childish ideas of that man right now. Albeit a more innocent and na?ve version. ¡°Individual strength is important, however there¡¯s always strength in numbers. You don¡¯t really expect your strength to be able to contend with the world, do you?¡± I may be getting ahead of myself. This is a different world; it is entirely possible to stand at the precipice through strength alone. In my world the idea is childish, power is dictated by political strength and resources. Public opinion and manipulation are needed in spades to create such a position. It could be that this world doesn¡¯t follow that same rationale. Just like the other differences I have noticed along the way. ¡°Pah. You¡¯re strong but a wimp. If you¡¯re a man reach for the top. What¡¯s the point in living without grand ambition?¡± The amount of people that have been swallowed whole by that ambition is no small number. ¡°Grand ambition? You can live without that sort of thing¡­¡± I had been the target of such things before, all I felt was suffocation from the aspirations I wanted no part in. ¡°¡­It¡¯s not the question of if you can¡­ It¡¯s the very question; is it worth it?¡± He muttered the last under his breath. The idea that something is missing from your life otherwise. I¡¯ve heard that idea touted before, personally I don¡¯t understand it myself. I¡¯ve witnessed and even been the target of someone¡¯s unwanted dreams. However, during that time I merely satisfied my own curiosity. The idea of it serving some grand purpose or answering that person¡¯s ideals. They never entered my mind for even a single moment. Even if that was the path that I found myself upon in the future, that would be all it was. I have no interest in power, influence, connection, apart from the benefits they grant me by having them. The same is for knowledge and strength, if I held no curiosity for them or obvious advantage by having them, I would quickly discard them as well. In saying such it would seem that my life really didn¡¯t have much worth in the grand scheme of things. But that hardly matters. I think therefore I am. I exist and will continue until my last breath, finding any semblance of enjoyment or fulfilment I can along the way. That¡¯s how it has always been, new world or not it makes no difference. The only variable would be the breadth of my curiosity for my new surroundings. Whether this one or my original, I was detained from the outside world so nearly all of it is new. In which case, what I have to do hardly changes. ¡°¡­¡± I opted for silence after that. Our viewpoints are too different, we won¡¯t concede on our worldviews. Further discussion would just sour the atmosphere. ¡°¡­Nggghhhhhhh. Zoro, Ayanokouji. You guys already up? C¡¯mon, help me get the others. We need to prepare to set sail!¡± A high-pitched voice only belonging to the navigator had said those words. Peering over the crowd of animals still surrounding me I could see the figure of the red head. How the hell does she manage to look completely unaffected after last night? Just from looking at her you wouldn¡¯t be able to guess that she had drank the swordsman and myself under the table with minimal difficulty. A smile plastered on her face all the while. Not a smidgen of exhaustion or fatigue could be seen from her just by observing. What a useful constitution¡­ Not that I plan to make a habit of drinking like this. Maybe it¡¯s acclimation to the alcohol? Either way it isn¡¯t the best idea to become used to ingesting that stuff often, there isn¡¯t much benefit after all. I decided it was better to acquiesce her, so I finally raised my weary body from the floor. I noticed a certain long-nosed crewmember just a few feet away. Still enjoying his slumber. What a shame if someone were to interrupt it¡­ ¡°Mgh¡­ Luffy¡­ don¡¯t eat that¡­¡± Good luck with whatever you were attempting to stop your captain from doing. I don¡¯t think that¡¯d be possible even in the dream world¡­ I nudged the young man to try and rouse him from his stupor. ¡°¡­K ¡­aya.¡± Rather than rousing him he grabbed my arm as I gripped his shoulder. Judging by the fact he mentioned what I assume is a woman¡¯s name¡­ I don¡¯t intend to be a victim of a different kind of arousal, so I quickly smacked him on the back of his head. ¡°Igyaaah! Bastard! What the hell was that for?!¡± Eyes still shut he abruptly sat upright and screamed in retaliation to my (incredibly light) reprimand. ¡°Do I look like my name is Kaya?¡± Upon that name his eyes spontaneously opened, to reveal my no doubt happy face. ¡°Huh?... AAAAHHHHH! I apologise, please don¡¯t kill me I don¡¯t taste good! Take Luffy!¡± So much for the trust and reliability of camaraderie. You don¡¯t need to back up that far away though. My face wasn¡¯t that scary, was it? The young man continued to scoot back humorously until his back hit a tree a meter or so away. Blocking his escape¡­ Well, if I planned on doing anything. ¡°Good. We need to get ready to leave. Gather any things you have.¡± Without waiting for a reply, I walked towards the centre of the camp where a sleeping Gaimon and another congregation of animals all lay slumbering corralling the bearded man. The faint noise of Nami and Zoro attempting to wake their captain could be heard in the camp, to no avail. He was a strange one. I¡¯ve seen just how humans adhere to the seven major desires. However, I had yet to meet someone that embodied the total pursuit of gluttony and sloth whilst still holding such great ambition. I had certainly seen those overtaken by one deadly sin. A certain few individuals overcome by lust and pride appeared in my mind. I found myself wondering how the resident narcissist and the goon squad(?) as a classmate had once referred to them, were. I wonder just what happened for me to arrive here? Would I be able to go back? Do I even want to? Not like I really have much control behind that in any case¡­ I gathered what little belongings I had come to this island with and waited. I had no intention of waking the only other dweller of this island, we had already said our goodbyes. So far as I¡¯m aware our business should be finished at this point. Instead, I simply took a seat on one of the logs around the remains of the campfire, which was long dead by now. Not that we particularly needed it. Almost instinctively the red blazer I had arrived with appeared in my hands. My mind racing back to just a month prior when I was attending that place¡­ How bizarre. Just a month and I was already treating this as if it were normal. Trying to adjust to the people. Growing accustomed to the rules of this world, of the game. Slowly but surely. All so I could gain a good position. This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there. ¡°That¡¯s a strange looking blazer, is that yours?¡± Nami had snuck up on me before I had dispersed the thoughts appearing in my head. ¡°¡­Yeah. It¡¯s one of the only things I had with me when I woke up here. This and the clothes I¡¯m wearing right now.¡± I seldom mentioned the phone I had already disposed of. The battery was dead long ago and wouldn¡¯t serve any purpose at this point. It would just add unnecessary questions in this world¡­ ¡°It almost looks like a uniform, what kind I have no idea¡­ It isn¡¯t navy apparel. It¡¯s well made though, were you a rich boy?¡± I could understand that train of thought. If technology were similar to the 16th century in my world, then these clothes would probably be some of the most seamless in the world. Trust a thief to recognise quality material. Should I keep an eye on it? These are some of my only possessions in this world. Although I don¡¯t see myself getting concrete usage out of them, I still feel some lingering attachment to them. As foreign as that statement might be from me¡­ Nah. She won¡¯t bother stealing from me. It¡¯d be foolish to at this point. ¡°No idea.¡± ¡°Well, let¡¯s hope so. If you were, there might be some people looking for you.¡± There¡¯s no way that¡¯s the case, which I¡¯m beyond glad for. ¡°Are you just hoping for a reward?¡± I found it hard to believe that Nami of all people would be showing actual empathy for my situation right now, with what little understanding I have of her anyway. ¡°Huh? No, no way. As if I¡¯d do something that heartless!¡± That isn¡¯t very convincing when I can see the yen symbols in your eyes. Speaking of which, what is the currency in this world? I actually never got to that question with Gaimon. Being on a deserted island meant it never registered as particularly important in the moment. Never mind the fact that whenever I brought up the idea of money or similar topics, the ¡®treasure¡¯ of this island was on his mind. No wonder he was so averse to the topic itself. In the moment he would always come up with some random excuse or shift the conversation in the most abrupt ways to steer us off track. I just relented after a while as it didn¡¯t matter much at the time. My first instinct even now was that money wasn¡¯t much of a concern. Being the great age of piracy, my understanding was that rogues were all over the place. Therefore, crime would also be at an all-time high. With dated technology it would be difficult to track and sentence petty criminal activity, so for the time being I should be able to get by. The question that played on my mind was more; how does this crew survive? Nami was a thief and a con-woman I was sure of that. She¡¯d likely steal from me whilst looking me in the eye if she had the chance, so she makes sense. The captain and the marksman are too gullible and cowardly respectively to commit such actions. The swordsman would probably kill for bounties or maybe even steal off of his combatants bodies¡­ But where do these guys get their money from? They must need money for provisions, repairs, information, weaponry etc. etc. I didn¡¯t want to draw too many conclusions prematurely, but honestly apart from half of the crew I failed to see exactly how they made this work¡­ The thought of Luffy holding a knife to a throat for ransom seemed incredibly discordant with his personality. In fact, if the conversation yesterday was anything to go off of, he might not even understand object permanence. Or the fact that money was in fact needed to procure goods like food or¡­ Actually, that¡¯s probably the only provision that he¡¯s interested in. ¡°Out of curiosity, what would the ransom of someone like me net you?¡± As soon as the words left my mouth, I realised the question was a bit too broad for a person like Nami. I was better off asking an innocuous question like this to the sniper or their captain. That wasn¡¯t really the reason I asked her though. ¡°Not something I usually deal in to be honest. It¡¯d depend on the family you were part of, how long ago the request was posted, the difficulty and distance between the locations. Hehehe. Well, that and you can always negotiate for more after that!¡± ¡°Hypothetically, how much would you pay to save me?¡± ¡°Hah, is that a joke? I¡¯m more likely to ask you to spare the people searching for you. At the very least, if someone¡¯s put a request up it isn¡¯t going to look like a wanted poster¡­¡± ¡°Saying I¡¯m not wanted is a bit far¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± Damn my inflection! ¡°¡­O-Oh, Hehehe! You¡¯re a kidder, huh? I wasn¡¯t really expecting it¡­ If it¡¯s any consolation¡­ I¡¯m sure someone¡¯s looking for you, we just need to find them. Cheer up.¡± This definitely isn¡¯t what I was aiming for¡­ I was hoping my sarcasm regarding my amnesia would work as a topic to make fun of, being the only thing she knows about me. My making fun of it was to bring the topic into the open so it would gradually be known that I wasn¡¯t particularly bothered about it. Now it just looks like the exact opposite! She¡¯s even giving her support in looking for my non-existent family, what a pain. The beginning of that sentence was an effort to save my awful attempt, which she incorrectly assumed was a thin veil of stoicism covering actual insecurity and trepidation! I seriously need to re-evaluate what normal people would react like in a situation similar to mine¡­ [Piracy!] Ignoring that failed attempt at comedy and connecting with a new crewmate. The ensemble of our party had finally awoken, thanks to the efforts of Nami and gathered together at what would be my new home for the foreseeable future. Gaimon and his congregation also joining us thanks to the noise generated by the crew. A large vessel, well compared to a human being. My small knowledge of piracy and naval development would classify this ship as a caravel. Quite fitting for a group of this size. It was basically the jack of all trades, master of none. Decent firepower, space and manoeuvrability. Larger ships like a galleon or the like would be completely out of sync with the size of our group, frankly we wouldn¡¯t even be able to sail properly. Even with my person added, the numbers were lacking somewhat. Was the plan to recruit more people as we sailed along the East Blue? I mean what was their plan regarding Nami? She¡¯s a self-asserted temporary navigator, if we lose our navigator we might as well capsize the ship ourselves. Getting lost at sea would be a death sentence for basically anyone. First priority should be to get their plans from them, otherwise I¡¯ll be saying goodbye to this crew come the next major port. ¡°Take all of her in. This is the Going Merry, isn¡¯t she grand?!¡± The sniper shouted; arms spread wide as if to reveal the ship I could already see from a distance minutes ago. I noted that it was the sniper that introduced the vessel rather than any other member of the crew, not incredibly important. But certainly, an odd detail; as if it was his pride on the line rather than anyone else¡¯s. Despite the size being infinitely smaller than the Speranza I was filled with a feeling of greater excitement when witnessing the pirate vessel. The bow had the visage of a goat or ram with its protruding horns. Otherwise, the ship was rather unassuming, well other than the large jolly roger of a skull and bones wearing a straw hat. Wouldn¡¯t it make more sense to disguise yourselves as just another ship? It seemed counter-intuitive to not put just regular towns people but also the marines themselves on guard thanks to that signal. Are they stupid? No actually, this is definitely the captain¡¯s doing¡­ In which case it¡¯s a pointless question. Assuming technology is similar enough to mirror my own world during this time then even a ship of this size would require a fortune and time to build it. The kind of thing that would require either a family¡¯s backing or an extremely fortunate individual¡­ Nami¡¯s out due to the temporary nature of their partnership. If the ship were hers, she certainly wouldn¡¯t allow them to fly their own flag from the sails. The swordsman and their captain look like they¡¯d sooner spend the money on booze or food than a large expense like a ship. That would leave the sniper as the one to procure the vessel¡­ Well, I suppose they could¡¯ve just stolen it. I¡¯m reading way too much into little details, I could just ask them like a normal person. Sometimes I curse my own brain. ¡°Nice ship! Isn¡¯t this a bit fancy for just you guys?¡± Gaimon seemed to have the same idea as myself. ¡°HAHAHA! Marvel in its beauty, for it is a gift from my beloved Kaya! Truly a vessel worthy of the great Captaaaiiiin Usooooopppp!¡± There¡¯s that name again. ¡°You left a girl back home, long-nose?¡± I can only assume his dreams must be substantial if it meant to leave treasured person behind. ¡°W-Well, it¡¯s not exactly like that! We¡¯re friends, y-y¡¯know. We just talked a lot; I mean it was a small village after all!¡± I¡¯m not quite understanding why he backpedalled, despite clearly saying beloved just a moment ago. Embarrassment I suppose. ¡°No need for explanations, young man. That¡¯s what it means to be a man after all! Sometimes you need to leave the nest to grasp at your dreams. I¡¯m sure she understands that as well.¡± Understanding can only go so far though. ¡°Yeah! Yeah! That¡¯s what it means to be a man! Thanks, Gaimon you get it! You must¡¯ve had people back home as well.¡± ¡°Oh, yeah. Everyone has that special someone in the world you know.¡± I can only assume he was much better groomed and wasn¡¯t yet dwelling inside a box. Asking a woman to move into the 2x2 chest I remain trapped inside would be a wild proposition. ¡°What happened with you two?¡± ¡°¡­Nothing. I mean I left ages ago. I was sailing a year or two before I even ended up here. No doubt she forgot about me a long time ago. Time passes by people move on. After all you can only live your life where you are in the moment. Especially during this time, who knows whether tomorrow is promised¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°But look on the bright side. If your dreams matter to you then you should still chase them, otherwise you may still be filled with that regret for the rest of your life. If you¡¯re lucky that special person will be waiting for your return with the good news!¡± ¡°Y-Yeah¡­ Thanks Gaimon.¡± Wow, way to kill the mood. It was an important conversation to have though. It¡¯s very likely that he left without taking these factors into account. Or rather not thinking too deeply on them before departing. The short-statured man approached me after imparting his wisdom. The rest of the crew dispersed, moving towards the ship. Likely to give some privacy for our goodbye. It was unnecessary but appreciated. ¡°I guess this is it, huh?¡± ¡°I suppose so. It was a pleasure, Gaimon.¡± ¡°What are your plans?¡± ¡°That¡­ I guess I¡¯ll just see where things take me.¡± ¡°It would be difficult for you to even guess where to start, huh?¡± ¡°Something like that.¡± ¡°Taka, I¡¯ll miss you, my friend. As I¡¯m sure the rest of these guys will.¡± Those whole-hearted words genuinely escaped from Gaimon¡¯s lips. I had received an attempt at genuine connection once in the past, in the moment I had decided it was against my own and that person¡¯s best interest to accept it. To get closer would be worse for both of us even if I had never encountered them again¡­ So, I pushed them away. Relentlessly. A small number of the animals pestered me at an arm¡¯s length, clearly wanting me to impart some last-minute affection upon them. I relented and turned my hand over, stroking the fluffy manes and feathered torso¡¯s of the strange creatures. ¡°Likewise, Gaimon. It was short lived, but I appreciate your hospitality. Along with you guys, of course.¡± The preparations were completed as the crew continued to work whilst the two of us finished our conversation. ¡°It probably won¡¯t be often, but anytime Taka. If this is the last time, we see each other¡­ Then best of luck.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Seeing the swordsman begin to hoist the anchor up onto the deck was my cue to also get moving. Turning and gripping the rope ladder I begun to climb onto the ship, the small number of belongings I possessed wrapped into a bundle just under my arm. ¡°The same to the rest of you. Just know there¡¯s always room on this island for you guys!¡± He shouted to the entire crew as we begun to depart. ¡°Nyahaha. We¡¯ll be back when I become pirate king. So long Gaimon!¡± The captain shouted whilst sitting leisurely on the head of the bow figurehead. The rest of the crew gathered to the portside of the ship all waving and exchanging words of goodbye with the residents of the island. I wouldn¡¯t mind Gaimon. Meeting once again. If it¡¯s in the cards. Silent Night ¡°Ayanokouji! It¡¯s your turn to keep watch!¡± The navigator¡¯s voice reached from the deck. Languidly falling from my hammock, I make my way towards the door to take night watch. Opening the door and stepping along the creaky planks, I¡¯m greeted by the pleasant spring breeze followed by the salty air and the darkening twilight sky. ¡°There you are. Getting a little rest before keeping watch?¡± She asked with a slight smirk. ¡°Thought I might as well, I¡¯m not much use for the other tasks aboard after all.¡± Self-deprecation was my default. Unfortunately, it may just have the opposite effect of causing her to worry again. ¡°That¡¯s not true, you¡¯re getting there. It¡¯s only been a few days; I¡¯d say you¡¯re adjusting pretty well. Maybe it¡¯s muscle memory? You ever remember sailing or anything like that?¡± I wouldn¡¯t say sailing on the Speranza particularly qualifies in this sense, considering it was a glorified cruise ship. ¡°No. But it wouldn¡¯t be that strange if I had. After all I must¡¯ve ended up on Gaimon¡¯s island somehow.¡± It would be stranger to have absolutely no experience at all in my case. In which I can thank my excuse of amnesia for the convenience. ¡°Weren¡¯t there any clues when you first awoke on the island?¡± I had to be careful here. ¡°No. There was no debris in the sea or on the beach near me. Gaimon also didn¡¯t mention viewing any vessels around the time I turned up. Though if it were at night, he may have been asleep and missed any sign of them.¡± I could¡¯ve attempted to lie about the nature of my arrival, but I wasn¡¯t privy to exactly how much Gaimon shared with them whilst on the island. The last thing I need is to be caught in a lie right now. The small sliver of trust and complacency afforded to me would vanish into thin air. ¡°No debris¡­ And you turned up without any sort of injury?¡± She asked me with a perplexed expression. ¡°My clothing was a bit dirty, but nothing more than that.¡± Any injury would just cause questions, being in such close quarters, the nature of said injury and any remnants would be searched. In which case they¡¯d find nothing. My body didn¡¯t have any marks from extraneous wounds. ¡°How strange¡­¡± You might even call it otherworldly. ¡°No injuries or signs of ships, not even debris from a shipwreck? If there were some major injuries, we could attribute the amnesia to that¡­ But frankly I find it hard to believe many people are capable of that, given your skills.¡± Amnesia was often attributed to a cause such as blunt force trauma. Of course, there were other things that could be held responsible for that same outcome. However, it wasn¡¯t a surprise that blunt force trauma would be the most known between seafarers, keeping the time period in mind as well. ¡°Then it could be¡­¡± She mumbled with a trace of trepidation in her voice. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°N-No, it¡¯s nothing don¡¯t worry about it.¡± The second most common cause that people would correlate to amnesia during this time is trauma. Not physical, emotional. She probably fought against her better judgement whether to mention that. When considering my cold disposition, she was grasping the most probable cause, in typical cases. You don¡¯t suddenly stop expressing emotion unless something inside is very wrong. Not that she¡¯s incorrect, the reasoning is slightly off though. I suppose it meant she was showing consideration in her own way, which was appreciated. Mainly because it¡¯d mean the questions stop coming. If the medical conventions were anything akin to what was present in my world, then they wouldn¡¯t assume something like early on set dementia or Alzheimer¡¯s disease, mostly because those terms don¡¯t even exist yet. Not like I can even cross those off for definite, the fact that this is a different world makes almost anything possible. Which is the current thing making me lose sleep. I could be convinced to have a quick nap during this watch¡­ ¡°Well then, I¡¯m going to bed. Goodnight Ayanokouji.¡± The red head voiced with a small smile tracing her features. She was the last member of the crew still up. It meant I would be alone for the next while. At least it would be quiet¡­ ¡°Goodnight. Should I wake you at first light?¡± Having little to do but travel whilst on the open seas, we got to sleep pretty early which also meant we were early risers as well. A totally different lifestyle from those of students. I had even taken the liberty to truly get into the same character by staying up very late and lounging until midday on the weekends. Something that the idiot trio would proudly talk about whenever they met on the Monday of a new week. Wanting to fit in I also tried it, unfortunately my routine from the past made sure that bit me in the rear. I would automatically wake at 6:00 regardless of how little sleep I had gotten. Eventually I begun to ponder if I even slept at all¡­ You know the first sign of madness. At which point I immediately decided not to do that again, no matter how curious I was about the visions I might see with severe insomnia. Unless ending up in this world is due to that? I was rather well-rested when I awoke¡­ The masterpiece broken down by insomnia, died and reincarnated in a different world. Sounds like one of those books that The Professor talked about. Those ones with the incredibly long and mundane title, with a plot suffering from an aneurysm. ¡°Yeah, that¡¯d be perfect. See ya!¡± She said whilst walking towards the female sleeping quarters. I¡¯m jealous, it¡¯s basically just her own room. Meanwhile I share with the other three men. The swordsman, who basically always smells of booze and sweat due to his strict training regimen. The marksman who often talked in his sleep. And no matter how wholesome his romance with that girl is, if he grabs me in his sleep again. I may just throw him overboard¡­ Keeps giving me flashbacks to that tent with Sudou¡­ Did I just shiver? That¡¯s not normal. Then there was the captain. I struggle to find the words¡­ Have you ever seen someone eat roast chicken in his sleep? Never mind if it¡¯s possible, should you even want to do it? The grease would get all over your sleeping quarters, where do you get rid of the bone, where did you even keep the meat beforehand? Many questions were playing through my mind in that moment, absolutely none of them important. Shaking my head I climbed up the vast rope network which led me to the crow¡¯s nest. A small platform at the top of the main mast of the ship, granting a greater vantage point of the horizon. This way we could be prepared for anything in any direction. Resting my back against the mast I watched as the last vestiges of light passed the horizon line. The sea glistening with the trace of refracted light, as if millions of gems lay across the blue expanse. It was a sight to see. A quick look in each cardinal direction revealed no evident threats present. Resting on the sea was always a dangerous proposition. Especially when creatures like the kraken and other previously thought of as mythological creatures, are in fact commonplace in this world. Remaining stock still in the sea, basically left us like sitting ducks in a pond in that aspect, but it also didn¡¯t give us many other options. Allowing the ship to continue on a course without the navigator¡¯s strict watch was a quick way to get lost. A person that didn¡¯t understand the fine controls of the wind, weather changes, even what direction we were going in, never mind the destination. That was why we opted to drop anchor in the open waters. In an ideal situation we would stop at a small island, so we had some land nearby to protect from any threats. That not being an option here, this is the only other reliable method. As we are completely open to an attack from each and every direction, we need to operate with vigilance befitting the situation. That was why we always had someone watching at night, we switched that duty every night. The person on duty would immediately sound the warning alarm if there were anything out of the ordinary, in response the entire crew would be prepared for any situation. The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement. My brief respite a few moments¡¯ prior was to prepare myself for this long and no doubt boring night¡¯s watch. I was still confused as to why they allowed me to participate in the same duties. Any other time I would assume it was because they trusted me and wanted to accept me as part of the crew. But to me it was fairly obvious that the only member of the crew completely off guard around me was their captain. I had no doubts that the others would either have immense difficulty sleeping or not even bother at all. Not that it mattered much. I¡¯d have any amount of evidence I wanted in the morning. Said evidence was about as useless as a camera without film, I wasn¡¯t particularly bothered about whether they were going to treat me like a part of the crew. I still hadn¡¯t even decided whether I was going to stick with these guys for that long. To that effect I kind of wished they would stop pretending and just take the bothersome chores like these off my hands, especially if I wasn¡¯t going to be the only one awake. The only reason I remained so far was because it was the most convenient option. We had yet to reach a major port the past few days we had travelled. I had already handed the sword back to green-hair and we all pretended as if I no longer posed a threat. Otherwise, the voyage would be awkward anytime I came on deck. Not that it wasn¡¯t still awkward. Now it was more my own fault. Apparently, the redhead must have told them that I was actually worried about the situation after misunderstanding my intentions before we left. No doubt they didn¡¯t believe it for a moment. They probably thought that I was attempting to manipulate their dear navigator with honeyed words. Which is incredibly unfair, I don¡¯t really need to manipulate anything in this situation. It¡¯s in both of our best interests if we simply coexist until we reach a proper place to exchange farewells. In which case I¡¯d wish them the best of luck finding the One Piece and take a hike, so to speak. With the elevation the breeze also picked up, the salty air tousling the auburn locks that had grew long enough to block my sight. How old a profession is hairdressing? I can assume that it¡¯d exist. Would there be a person that had such a business on every island? I mean everyone needs to get their hair cut, right? That wasn¡¯t something I could concretely conclude at the moment. Human society worked off of Maslow¡¯s hierarchy of needs, in which case the higher priority needs are met first before delving into the less urgent matters. In this world; clean drinking water, nutritious food, healthcare, weaponry and protection against invading forces e.g. my current disposition. Were infinitely more important than fashion. Does that mean I need to cut it myself? Would I even trust myself to know what looked good? The answer formed in my mind almost immediately. No. If I had to choose a single member of the crew to do it, I¡¯d pick the navigator. Was that sexist? To just assume that because she¡¯s a woman she would understand these things better. I mean probably a little, but people are good at different things, fashion and the like were more feminine in nature. You could see as such from the male crewmembers as well. They bathed every¡­ once in a while, barely changed clothes and the room reflected that. On the other hand, the navigator would change her outfit every so often, bathe most days and generally look better because of it. Maybe I was being a bit unfair, to the males of the crew, considering we are on a ship sailing in the middle of the sea. Still if it was possible for a single member of the crew to keep up with that, the others should be able to do the same. I could only shudder to imagine what the others would do given the opportunity to cut my hair. The captain would probably just cut it all off, assuming that¡¯s what a haircut means. The swordsman would attempt to convince me he needs to use his sword to do it, in which case I¡¯m sure my head would soon leave my body. The marksman¡­ He actually might not be a bad pick, seeing as he was deathly afraid of me, he might incorrectly assume I¡¯d kill him if he did something wrong. In which case it was equally likely he would faint in fear or jump overboard to get out of the situation. If I could muster a chuckle, it would¡¯ve escaped my lips. I was reminded of the idiosyncrasies of the group I now found myself involved with. From one group of odd people to the next. Was that natural? I mean, no one can be completely average. That was something I found incredibly early on in my time at that school. My fa?ade was seen through rather effortlessly, although it did take insider information to do so. It was only after spending a month or so I realised manipulating my scores to such a degree was tantamount to painting a target on my back. I would¡¯ve been better off pretending to be an astute student that wasn¡¯t adept at the special exams. Of course, that worked on the presupposition that I understood that Grim Reaper¡¯s goals before taking the entrance exam. Hindsight was 20/20 after all. In comparison I wondered if I had such faults in my character. Faults. There¡¯s no doubt about that, but they weren¡¯t in character. If people found me to be strange it wasn¡¯t due to my character, no it was the opposite. It was the complete absence of a character. Due to my fa?ade of immediate incompetence and the impossibility (in the eyes of normal people) of a human with no personality, I was hidden in plain sight. Hidden behind a thin veil of inscrutability, innocence via the benefit of the doubt. Turning over such a decision required probatio diabolica. As such I could pretend as long as I want. So long as no concrete proof was ever discovered. That was my position there, only changing due to a teacher¡¯s undeterred interference. But what was the position I should take here? Unconsciously those same words played in my mind ¡°Someone who has the ability and chooses not to use it, is a fool.¡± In my own world living among the lower rungs of society whilst having access to all necessary human needs was possible, in fact they were the basic rights afforded to humans. So long as you had a shelter, home address and work you could live. It may not be comfortable, but it was something. In comparison a world like this wouldn¡¯t afford such to the lowest rungs of society. Clean water, food, shelter. Even if you had those the possibility of bandits, pirates or any other number of unknown variables could immediately change your life. In which case the higher you stand the greater the chance of security and survivability. Meaning I was already constricted to aim for the highest echelons of society in this world and my original¡­ The only other option in this world was to remain as one of the third-party forces; The navy, pirates or bandits. In which case I would have to constantly fight and be prepared for attacks. The navy had the highest security until a large-scale conflict came about, in which case I¡¯d have to take the orders of whoever was in charge. If I disobeyed, I would be court marshalled. Assuming I escaped I would immediately be a wanted man; meaning I may as well have just become a pirate or bandit in the first place. Bandits were dependent on the crime they could commit on the townspeople before being apprehended. That assumed staying constantly on the same island. I didn¡¯t like being that limited in travel. The main force of police in this world was quite literally called the navy; marines. They would no doubt travel the seas constantly monitoring the situation of islands, in which case relocating often would be necessary. We¡¯ve circled right back around. Was pirate the only real option in the first place? I could take the position of an important job role, like a medical professional. With my knowledge the most coveted jobs in my world were possibly a century or two ahead of this world, depending on certain factors. But that would gather too much attention, I¡¯m unsure of where medical progression has reached, if my own treatment was drastically more effective then I¡¯d have all sorts of attention. Above all else I was wondering how this worlds communication fared. If the Marines were constantly roaming the seas, they¡¯d have to get orders from some sort of headquarters following intelligence leaks. Did they communicate via mail? What was the distance between most major ports? In my own world sailing before the creation of modern ships would take months between locations, especially the continents where most trade would occur. Was it the same here? With the revelation of the four seas and the redline from Gaimon I was unsure if the globe had a higher proportion of sea than even my original world. Being completely clueless to all of this was rather frustrating, I couldn¡¯t make many moves without being sure of certain factors. But the overwhelming sense of curiosity would take over. The questions I had about everything from the physics of this world to the layout of its governmental systems. Unbecoming of myself I was feeling rather excited. I wasn¡¯t sure of the path I¡¯d follow forward from now. But rather than the resigned tranquillity I felt in that school, rather than the cold isolation of that white expanse. I felt¡­ liberated. I continued to mull things over in my mind. The dull orange of a new day begun to peak over the horizon before I even noticed. It was a new day. Perhaps even a new¡­ No, let¡¯s not get ahead of ourselves.