The Dark King, Silvers Rayleigh

Kizaru and Hina left the premises with the latter looking reluctant yet lacking any power to take action herself. Veyron's gaze fixed on the vice admiral's back to the end.

'So he's still one to react slowly to things, how paradoxical is that? Should I kill him and get his fruit?' Just as quickly as the thought appeared, his train of thought changed, 'Can Kizaru even be killed?'.

The only way he conceived to kill Kizaru was for the vice admiral to make a mistake and suffer harshly for it. Also, with sea stone beads to render the Pika PIka no Mi inactive.

"Why are you adamant about protecting me? I'm strong enough to protect myself now" he didn't dare call himself infallible... but to be able to resist against Dracule Mihawk no less, Veyron thought he at least wasn't powerless against the likes of Kizaru.

Mihawk for her part remained steadfast.

"There are other elements at play, Veyron. Wait a few years until your strength corresponds to your age. Your prowess, your Haki, your swordsmanship, your relationship with me. The colour of your skin, your hair and your eye colour. You are a walking flaw that others may not recognise but Kizaru is special. He's a candidate to be admiral and extremely powerful. Retreating is not always out of cowardice but instead, wisdom".

'His looks alone would make the world government suspect he's a lunarian. That's enough for him to get hunted en masse, now add his strength and young age...'

She could protect him against one, two, even three. But just the two of them couldn't face the whole world government. Mihawk gouged the rest of her wine and stood up, departing epically after delivering wise words.

Veyron sighed and nodded, almost feeling how the world stopped due to her wise message.

"You're right, mom".

He still ordered another cocktail, this one was made of strawberry, couldn't go wrong. Alas, Mihawk's sleazy hand put the money on the table harshly and started pulling him.

"What are you waiting for, brat? we have things to do!"

**

**

13rd Grove, Shakky's Bar.

A seemingly harmless bar in Sabaody concealed a deep secret, working on the premises was the man who was once known as the Dark King, Silvers Rayleigh. He was the vice-captain of the Roger Pirates no less, now retired with his partner Shakuyaku, former Empress from Amazon Lily.

This rip-off bar was famous for receiving a constant flux of important guests who usually came to pay their respects to the retired dark king, today was not an exception.

...

"You've been making a name for yourself. Seven hundred million bounty, not bad at all, Shanks" The man with blonde wrinkled hair sat next to Shanks on the counter, patting the young man's shoulders with familiarity.

On the other side of the counter, Shakky was taking a fag with a smile, eagerly listening to the conversation of two former crewmates.

"I do my best to follow the captain's footsteps, always in trouble!~"

"You knew him well!"

Shanks flicked his straw hat and both of them laughed together like the old times.

"Do you have any business here this time around?" Rayleigh inquired as it was usual for Shanks to be in the new world instead of paradise. The last time they saw each other was a few years ago before the redhead's last tour to Fishman Island, leading to the new world.

"A favour to Whitebeard".

"How's the big fellow?"

"He's doing well, his crew growing steadily… he's the only one from Rocks that's somehow decent".

"They're all insane".

Compared to Kaido, Big Mom and Shiki… Whitebeard was a saint even if he just fought for what he believed right regardless of whom he stepped on.

"The favour we're doing him is related to Marie Geoise".

The atmosphere soured up; Shakky released a whiff of smoke and asked, "The festival of Stars?"

"Sort of… do you remember the fish man that escaped before making it to the festival a year ago, Fisher Tiger?"

"We do… it was an event".

"Something is going to happen this year too".

"Are you going to participate this time?"

"We are".

"We? You and-"

Rayleigh began but then a customer entered the shop, something unusual considering it was 'closed'.

"Me".

Dracule Mihawk entered together with a tall dark ghostly being in tow, The lady was acquainted with all, but apprehension filled the room when they saw this ghost who was being followed by a big floating cloaked cross.

"Who is that?" Shanks's first reaction was to stand up abruptly from his chair, a fellow looking this terrifying couldn't possibly have bad intentions.

"I'm… the mantle".

"..."

"..."

"The mantle?" Shakky, Rayleigh, Shanks and Ben all deadpanned.

"*cough!* The Dark Mantle to be more specific".

"Is he your friend?"

"He's the one I fought in Kuraigana, Shanks".

"Elaborate?" Shakky and Rayleigh who didn't know the story were equally confused.

"To summarise: a crazy strong bastard, these two split an island in half" Ben Beckmann added some intel and they finally understood that this person was just Mihawk's acquaintance or even friend. The hell might as well freeze if this woman managed to make a friend.

"She split the island in half… I just received the strike" Veyron humbled himself down to increase his mother's prestige; the aforementioned lady just rolled her eyes, 'As if you're not half to blame for the hurricanes and magnetic distortions in that island'.

'Dark mantle' and Mihawk took a seat. Shakky made sure to lock up the door this time since they didn't want any more guests coming and Shanks' crewmates were doing their own thing in Sabaody, keeping in touch.

...

"I thought you'd have his head the moment you saw him" Shanks declared, Those were the ones she had mentioned prior and yet here they are, friends.

"We came to a compromise, I won't be killing him for now. Could I get a cup of wine, Shakky?".

"You already had wine..." Veyron's eyebrows flinched, she drank three whole cups and she wanted more.

"There is never enough wine".

"Right away, since you're her friend you should know this woman just can't get drunk, Dark Mantle" Shakky blinked and headed to the back of the shop to get the best wine available for the guest.

"Anything important to notice?" Shanks decided to put aside the identity of this fellow for now and instead collect whatever information she had about Sabaody.

"Yes, there is something… Kizaru is in Sabaody, the 1st Grove, we just met him".

Shanks frowned, although this was a threat it was not something that could stop their plans. Kizaru was strong but not a deterministic factor. If anything, the foes they'd be fighting in Marie Geoise were going to be more troublesome.

"The groves are filled with marines as they expect things to go awry this year as well. But for Kizaru to be sent in as well…" Rayleigh contemplated, rubbing his beard.

"As well?"

"Two weeks ago we had a special guest. Admiral Sengoku and the Hero Garp".

!!!

Now those two were real deterministic factors. The presence of those two meant the outright failure of this operation. One was a marine that even their captain, Gol D. Roger, was wary of, Garp. The other was no less, a legend that could only be one step beneath the 'Hero'.

"If those two are here…" Shanks wasn't capable of seeing such a far future with his Haki, but just thinking of those two suddenly appearing in Marie Geoise left little to no manoeuvrability. Thankfully, Rayleigh shook his head.

"They shouldn't be in the body. The festival of the stars is usually overseen by three vice admirals. We know Kizaru and Momonga are here, there should be another. If it comes to it… I'll have to take care of Kizaru" Rayleigh offered, although he wasn't involved in this operation... the stakes were extremely costly: lives.

He didn't mind involving himself in this case, but in this junction, Veyron saw an opportunity.

"I can do it".

!!!

"What are you saying Ve- dark mantle" Mihawk was about to burst even if she didn't show it outwardly, this kid's rebellious phase had gone beyond bearable. Nevertheless, Veyron's eyes behind the cloak wouldn't budge, he looked at his mom with determination.

"If it is just to delay him, I can take care of that task. I can delay him enough for you all to do what you have to do, and then I'll flee the scene, you know I can".

All he needed was a bit of her trust to prove himself, 'I don't want to be under you forever... I want to be next to you!'.

He didn't know if he could defeat Kizaru. But he knew he could at least stall him and survive.

"Did you tell him what we're going to do? Why would you even help us, Dark Mantle?" Shanks realised that Mihawk should have disclosed everything to this stranger and it made him sceptical, who was this individual that Mihawk trusted so much?!

"I owe her a favour".

"…"

"She took care of me for a while even if we're rivals. She can be a little bit strict, perhaps too full of herself and more often than not a real pain in the arse".

'You're going overboard brat!'.

"But I still care for her a lot. If I can help, I will".

"Nobody asked for your help".

With no other option, Mihawk took the newspaper from the corner of the counter and started reading it, too bored to even pay attention to the conversation. Or that's what they thought because in reality she just wanted to hide her blush.