5 Chapter 4: Reminiscence

>P.O.V Narrator<

After tucking her sisters in one bed Boa Hancock looked around the dimly lit room, slightly in daze. To be honest she is starting to believe she is currently in dream and if she close her eyes she will wake up in that cage where she is waiting to be sold off.

After all it is not easy to believe they just walked out of Slave Auction House like they owned the place and guards didn't bat an eye to it. The magical house in tree didn't make it better either.

And the boy who saved them. He gives even more illusory feeling. From the start he speaks few word, the way he move doesn't make slightest sound and even if he walks past no one seems to notice him. It feels like she can touch him just by reaching out at the same time she has feeling her hands will pass throught him. It is very weird feeling and his seemingly sparkling cyan eyes seems to strangely empty. When he looked at her it feels like he is not looking at her but something else within her.

When he freed her and her sisters from cage, she bet her everything on him even though she knows nothing about the boy because she was desperate enough to do that, but now she calmed down it was really reckless thing to do. What if he led them to trap?

'I really lowered my guard just because he looks like little boy. haah…' Hancock can't help but feel like fool. Now she not only got herself into base of boy with unknown ability, but dragged her sisters in as well.

'Now is not time to be lamenting.' she quikly focused on current situation and decided to not to sleep as usual. Since she dragged her sisters into this, she decided to make sure they are safe.

Thinking so she sat on bed, leaning against the wall. Alas, her fragile body couldn't deal with anymore strain, so she fell sleep as she is.

>P.O.V Roy<

After 8 hours of sleep, I woke up as usual.

Actually my body doesn't 'need' sleep. Because my energy refreshes my physical state constanly, I can go without sleep as long as I want. But that is detrimental to mental health, so I sleeps at least 8 hours a day, no matter what. Even some of my reincarnation entirely spent sleeping.

When I wake up from sleep. I always remember and yearn for the drive I once had. Because I actively isolated myself from society in my first few reincarnations I noticed something. I noticed I lost the most basic instinc of sapient.

Every sapient race forms society one way or another. No matter how they think they are different from each other they end up forming groups all the same. And they are afraid of being alienated from their own society, so they changes some of their behaviour to fit in. If they didn't then they will outcast, even then 'outcasts' will form their own group to find solace. If they can't, then they feel what most call 'loneliness'. This is most basic instinc of any sapient species.

But I lost that instinc after distancing myself from society for few centuries. Then I even stopped feeling lonely. So when you are literal immortal who won't die even after destruction of your soul(believe me, I tried) then you will try everything you can get your hands on.

Try I did. I did some research, some not so harmful expirement but when I try to dig deeper into anything I just can't find motivation, since I will get everything one can wish for eventually. I have enernity after all. At that time even if I tried to fit into society, it was too late. I was too different.

Having strong will and keeping my rationality doesn't mean I can live like normal people. So even when my willpower so strong that I can squeeze whole planet until it is compressed to size of marble with my pure will at peak of my power and I don't have irrational desire or impulse, but it didn't pervent me from evolving into different direction from sapient species.

Thus when I lost my instinc as sapient I evolved to completely different species altogether. Or devolved, since I lost that burning passion that I once had. Passion that I had even when I decided to end my own life in that bathroom. At first I thought 'I can endure few centuries. No big deal!' and I was right my will was strong enough to endure.

But at that time I didn't know I was losing my passion. Having strong will didn't pervent it. It just made sure I was me, that I didn't succumb to temptations, that I didn't just burn down world in borebom. I didn't lose moral compass and always stayed in line that I marked as absolute bottom. But I missed burning desire I once had as delusional youngman.

And once I lost my passion I just gone reincarnation after reincarnation so when I find my motivation again I will have plenty to explore.

Now everything is distant dream, information in my super computer level mind. My ego wasn't influenced, I wasn't manipulated. I was without doubt me. Just changed me in few millenia.

I advanced as existence, because ever since I lost my drive I just existed so long. But I lost as person. So when I woke up after so many not so interesting reincarnations I decided to go back so I can find myself again.

*sigh* I can't help but sigh as I recall optimistic and productive centuries. If this reincarnation doesn't work then I'm going to try being born in family.

To be honest, I always chose orphan, abandoned, unwanted children and sometimes animals of panther-type or eagle-type as my reincarnations, since I didn't feel guilty this way.

if I chose ordinary family that have chance to love their child, I feel like I will be robbing them from their possible happiness. I wasn't cruel enough for that.

I still feel warm when I recall Grandma Claire since she was only person who showed unconditional love in my too many to count reincarnations. I didn't want to steal chance to feel same from anyone even if they are going to become mass murderer, I just can't. This feeling is too precious.

Maybe this feeling is also reason I'm yearning for my long lost drive. Wanting to find someone I can love, someone to share eternity with. Someone who I want to protect so I can make progress, so my world will regain color once more.

That's why I came to this lawless zone in this harsh world hidden under hot blooded adventure. I looked for someone who can love someone even in this lawless area and even sold myself as slave few times. Even then, I didn't find anyone like that until now.

But, Boa Hancock. That girl… had such love. At least hint of it from what I saw.

Even though her eyes were hollow she was always in position where she can profect her sisters and it seems she was forcing her visibly tired body with sheer will for few days. Just to stay awake while her sisters rested, so she can protect them.

Only reason I was able to touch her sisters was because I showed her shocking ability that gave me opening to do everything I wanted in few seconds.

And when I carried Sandersonia, even though she didn't show hostility she was watching me from corner of her eyes.

She bet everything on me even though she knew nothing about me. And if it happened to be trap she will without doubt fight until her last breath.

I saw from her eyes. Her will was that strong even though it didn't show on her face. I felt it from her will. Her will, was burning. Much like mine before I died for the first time. It was mesmerizing. Maybe, just maybe…

*gritt* I gritted my teeth thinking about it. Then shook my head lightly to clear my head.

After getting rid of negative thought I decided to get up and perform my morning ritual. By keeping this kind of habits I have at least something to anchor me to daily life. If not I will probably sleep for few decades or do something along the lines. So yeah, rule #1 Never ignore mundane things.

I took shower while reminding myself 'Rules of Being Immortal' even though I have perfect recall. This is thing I came up with after spending few reincarnations in sleep. Basically way to anchor myself into daily life until I found some purpose to wake up every morning.

After morning rituals were done. I headed toward kitchen to prepare breakfast.

My kitchen is not so eye catching but fully equiped with modern appliances which recreated with magic formation and enchantments.

If I have to name my smartest choice then one of them will be the fact I studied enchantment and runemancy of many types of magic and formation building like MC of 'certain' fanfic. And I have to say, Author of that fanfic is genius.

Technique and knowledge I acquired doesn't take capacity in my base information at all. So all I have to do was replicate trait of energy that allows formation building, runemancy, enchantment and make my own runic language.

Unfortunately I have to constantly supply energy if I want to use it in world without natural energy. And my energy reserve depends on how much energy my body can contain.

'Ah, good old days.' recalling years I spent researching things I can't help but smile.

Now I mainly use it to recreate miracles of modern society though.

So, I prepared loaded potatoes, scrambled egg and bacon. All of those are enough to feed at least ten people. As I'm confident Boa sisters will eat a lot considering my cooking skill. Although it is not at level of foodgasm, I'm confident my cooking will be able to satisfy anyone.

I really want to prepare Japanese breakfast but most of ingredients are too different or just can't be found here and I wasn't really interested in living in Wano, when I was preparing this life.

While cooking I felt movement from guestroom. Focusing Observation Haki I found out, Boa Hancock just woke up and from direction she is going it seems she wants to talk to me.

'Well, let's greet her' thinking so I headed toward her.

When I made my way to where she was, I found her looking at one of my paintings. I drew many paintings during my reimcarnations, since I just wanted to do something. And I drew everyone of them right on action from safe distance.

Some of them has animals that I saw, some of them describes beauty of nature and some of them are like one that Boa Hancock is looking at now. Describing notable moments of story. And one that she is looking at described the one of my most hated and loved moment.

>P.O.V Boa Hancock<

When I opened my eyes, first thing I noticed was mouth watering smell. Smell was so enticing my stomach demanded it loudly.

*Gasp*

As soon as my brain registered the fact I was sleeping I got up as fast as I can. When I saw Sandersonia and Marigold sleeping soundly beside me, I felt little relieved. Really relieved by the fact my sisters are here. But worried since they are sleeping for almost day now.

'I have to talk with him.' I thought while recalling boy who saved us.

Although thinking like this may be ungrateful but there must be reason for him to save us. During month I spent with slave traders I learned many things and first thing I learned was never blindly trust anyone.

One of slaves were victim of it after all, her 'lover' sold her as she bitterly said. It seems she didn't doubt he will protect her, obviously things didn't go as she believed. I don't know exact details but despaired look on her face told enough for me to write it down on my mental note.

While thinking so I walked toward direction of smell, without doubt owner of house is preparing his breakfast.

As I walk I can't help but marvel at house. Even when I didn't take a good look at it, I was still in small awe. Every room has light of certain degree even though I didn't see any source of light. And there is framed paintings on wall that has described many things such as mythical beast, creatures that I have never seen or heard, army of weird gaints marching toward somewhere.

But one that left deepest impression was man, no, boy holding ordinary sword while standing against army. As member of warrior tribe I can tell his stance is sloppy as if he is holding sword for the first time in his life. But from the first glance at his fingure I can tell he was protecting something. Even from from picture I can feel his burning will.

"Hiraga Saito. A boy who stood against army for girl who doesn't love him. Girl who disregarded him in favor of earning recognition from others. Truly foolish." hearing voice of boy nearby I was startled.

There I saw boy who saved us. His eyes were not on me. His big cyan colored eyes were fixed on figure of boy, Hiraga Saito as he called him.

"Isn't it enviable? To love someone to the point you can give up your life for them." For a moment I saw longing and slightly pained glint pass through his eyes.

Now that he said it, there is trace of jealousy in this painting. It is not sign or anything that can be observed, it is just trace of will that artist left with it. One who drew it must have been burning with jealousy when he was drawing it, since he left behind so powerful will on it. Just like boy beside me. His jealousy was so much it almost became tangible.

"Anyway, please follow me. I prepared breakfast." before I could respond he turned around and started walking down stairs, toward what I assumed to be kitchen.

While following after him I noticed that the way he move reminds me of feline I saw but with extra bit of flow in it like gentle breeze.

We silently made our way to what I assumed to be kitchen.

"Please take a seat. We can talk while having breakfast." boy nonchalantly said while taking seat and serving himself some food.

When he told me that there was already portion for one more person.

"Thank you." expressing my gratitude was at least I can do for someone who saved us, whether he had ulterior motive or not.

And so we silently had breakfast for sometime. I didn't really worry about something wrong with food, if he wanted he would have done sonething like that while we were asleep.

This being most delicious food that I have ever tasted has nothing to with it! Yup! Not at all!

Anyway, after sometime I mustered my courage to ask something that has been in my mind whole time.

"Why did you save us?"

I looked directly into his flashing eyes as I asked this.