Chapter 32: The Ghost

Adrian, in Bardock's impression, was a serious middle-aged man. Bardock knew where he lived and had even been there before. When he was younger, Bardock had accompanied his parents to one of Adrian's banquets, which was held in a massive estate. His parents had told him that no matter how wealthy a merchant might be, without noble status, they were not allowed to purchase such an estate. Adrian was highly influential in the capital, and it was crucial not to offend him.

"How should I deal with him? His noble status is a bit troublesome... It's best if he disappears quietly. I've got it! You'll do the job—Flying Nimbus!"

Bardock, recalling his memories, flew in the air and soon located Adrian's residence. He quietly approached, confirming that this was indeed Adrian's room.

"The window isn't even fully closed! You can't live like this! In your next life, make sure to learn your lesson!"

Bardock controlled the Flying Nimbus to enter the room, covering Adrian completely, making him immobile. Then, he extended a part of the cloud into Adrian's nostrils, completely blocking his airway.

Adrian was already awake by this time, but he couldn't resist at all. His entire body felt like it was sinking into quicksand, unable to move. It wasn't long before he fainted from the lack of oxygen and silently died in his unconscious state.

Bardock waited a little longer, confirming that the viscount was indeed dead before controlling the Flying Nimbus to lift off. He didn't retract the cloud but used it to lock all the doors and windows of the room before making the cloud vanish entirely.

"All done. Time to head back!"

Bardock summoned a new Flying Nimbus, which appeared under his feet and carried him back.

The next day, Bardock got up as usual for his training and even prepared breakfast for a few of his companions.

Andrew, sporting a head wrapped in bandages, came to see Bardock. "Sir, I've followed your instructions and taken control of all the members of the Night Wolf Gang. They're all in position, and any sign of trouble will be reported directly to you." He then glanced around cautiously, lowered his head, and whispered, "Sir, Viscount Adrian died last night. He was found this morning, with all the doors and windows sealed. Cause of death was suffocation. I heard the capital is sending people to investigate."

"Oh, really? Nobles are people too, and all people eventually die. Isn't that normal? Make sure your men keep an eye on the port and any news brought in by outsiders, especially anything related to ghosts, zombies, or tomb raiders."

"Ghosts, zombies? Sir, aren't those just legends?"

"Stop with the nonsense. Report to me immediately if you hear anything. Now go."

...

In the blink of an eye, half a month passed, and the officials from the capital investigating Adrian's death found nothing. They left empty-handed.

Bardock had thought they would trace the incident back to him. After all, with nobles, they don't need evidence to make accusations. If they say it's you, it's you, even if it's not.

Bardock's days were busy. Besides physical training, martial arts, and swordsmanship, he also had to study navigation and meteorology. Occasionally, he'd join Mansherry and Leo in learning world knowledge from Robin. He entrusted the Night Wolf Gang affairs entirely to Robin, who managed everything efficiently.

With all this intense training, Bardock's strength improved even further. Except for Paper Art, he had mastered the Six Powers techniques. His swordsmanship had advanced significantly, no longer feeling rigid but smooth, as if the sword had become an extension of his arm. He estimated that with one more step, he could cut through iron and unleash flying slashes like a swordmaster.

Aside from Bardock, Leo was also making rapid progress. The Tontatta Tribe naturally had great talent, and since Leo was still young and had never trained before, his formal training now showed rapid results. He had already mastered Shave, moving so fast that it was nearly imperceptible. He often went out to play pranks on passersby, and so far, no one had caught him in the act. He had also studied The Complete Guide to Knitting, but when it came to combat, stitching things directly was still the most convenient.

Mansherry and Robin hadn't focused on combat training. Bardock only required them to maintain good physical conditioning so that they had enough stamina to use their abilities. As for combat skills, they could develop those if they had extra time.

Mansherry's ability had also improved significantly, largely thanks to her frequent use of dandelions for Bardock. As for Robin, Bardock often discussed developing her Devil Fruit powers with her, mentioning abilities she would eventually master, such as creating giant limbs, doppelgängers, and a demon form. When she would achieve these abilities, only time would tell.

"Bardock, we've got news about the ghosts. A crew member claims to have encountered them on an island."

Robin approached Bardock, holding a map, and went straight to the point.

"An island?"

"Yes, he didn't know the island's name, but it seems pirates had attacked it, leaving no survivors."

"Did he say what the ghosts were like?"

"They were white, floating in the air, and there were several of them."

"That's it! The one I've been looking for has appeared. Robin, since you came with this information, I assume you've pinpointed the island's location?"

"Yes." Robin opened the map and pointed to a region, saying, "It's roughly in this area. There are several small islands there, but the sailor couldn't specify which one, so we'll have to check it ourselves."

"Reliable as always, Robin! I've just learned navigation; I'm eager to set sail!"

"In that case, I'll make arrangements with the Night Wolf Gang to prepare the necessary supplies."

"Great, I'll have Leo and Mansherry get ready. We might soon have a new companion."

"A new companion? This ghost... it's a Devil Fruit user, right?"

"Yes, it's a Paramecia-type fruit that can summon ghosts and leave the body to fly as a soul. It's a pretty impressive ability."

"Alright then. We should be able to set sail this afternoon; the weather is perfect."

After this final statement, Robin went off to make the preparations.

By midday, at the port, Bardock, Robin, Leo, and Mansherry boarded the White Dragon Horse, the pirate ship they had previously seized. The Great Sage was placed on board as a lifeboat.

Robin and Mansherry checked the supplies, while Bardock and Leo inspected the ship. After confirming everything was in order, the four of them worked together to row the ship out of the port, then Bardock raised the sails, and the White Dragon Horse gradually sailed into the distance.

"Captain Bardock, how long will we be sailing this time?"

"Leo, how long would you like to sail?"

"Me? I'm fine with whatever."

"Hahaha, fine with whatever, huh? Then let's sail for a while longer. This time, I'm hoping to find us a new companion."

"A new companion? Are they strong?"

"You'll find out when we meet them. In the meantime, keep up with your training—Leo, Mansherry, Robin—I'm laying out the Flying Nimbus."

After saying this, Bardock spread the Flying Nimbus across the deck of the White Dragon Horse, forming four cloud garments. Each garment had a different density, indicating the amount of downward pressure the cloud was applying. Naturally, Bardock's was the densest, while Robin's was the lightest. Even as the four moved around, the cloud garments followed without any tugging.

This was something Bardock had mastered only after deepening his control over the Flying Nimbus, avoiding the earlier issue of entanglement. It also provided extra safety, preventing anyone from falling overboard into the water.

"In the future, we definitely need to find a companion who can handle retrievals. The number of Devil Fruit users on this ship is growing."