Isle of Treasure

(Six Days Later)

"Come on Gem, just say it once!"

"No, it's stupid!"

"Come on, just one time, for your dear old captain with an ailing heart!"

"What ailing heart!?" Gem questions. "No! It doesn't make sense!"

"Say it with me Gem! Art is…"

Caw!

A News Coo swooping in interrupts Rex's indoctrination session as it lands in front of him. Gem uses this as a chance to flee, leaving while Rex parsed through the paper.

"Vesta 'The Predator' Rex, deemed one of the top five most dangerous pirates in the four blues and given a bounty of thirty-five million Berries.

Behind the giants of each blue, Doflamingo in the North, Zeff in the East, Devon in the South and Moria in the West, Rex has been deemed most dangerous pirate in the four blues. He has consumed some variant of the Neko Neko no Mi, believed to be ancient or mythic in nature, is able to breath fire and has also mastered a strange martial art capable of felling men with a single strike.

Rex is dangerous, not only because of his personal strength but his talent and that of his crew. Possessing one devil fruit user, Eustass 'Mecha Fist' Kid, valued at twenty seven million Berries and at least five other pirates whose bounties exceed fifteen million Berries, Rex's crew is among the most dangerous of all pirate groups outside of the Grand Line."

Rex reads the newspaper, his frown deepening. While those parts weren't too concerning, what came after was all wrong.

The newspaper dubbed him a 'vicious sexual predator', with a 'voracious appetite for beautiful women' showing the pictures of the 'innocent' women he had captured onto his crew.

Rex almost wanted to scream 'they were pirates!' into his newspaper but just sighs. It seemed he would have to be careful in the future. With a title like 'top 5 pirate in the four blues', Rex would have a target on his head. Countless pirates would want to beat him to prove their mettle.

Fortunately, everything else was going well.

After dragging the two troublesome women for a few hours in the sea, they had mellowed out and the rest of the appropriated crew started settling in well with the King Pirates. Rex had set up a few fail safes such as metal bracelets on each crew member for Kid to control, but all was good.

With a few more chefs in the kitchen and a lot more girls to admire, Rex's crew was much happier and therefore more productive.

Rex had run into a few other pirate groups who had tried to escape from Karate Island and kindly robbed them blind. He had also stolen a second pirate ship to house his increasingly large crew until a combined ship could be built. Killer was appointed to run that ship with Bonney as his second in command.

Now, all Rex needed was a place to hide out from the marines and build up his ship. He searched deep into his mind for such a place but couldn't think of one.

Rex just sighed.

"What's your problem?" Kid asked, disgruntled as his bounty was still lower than Rex's.

"We need an island to hide away from the marines, but there isn't any on all these maps that would be suitable. It's an odd feeling, I know what I want is out there, but not where to find. It's like missing the perfect jacket to tie together an outfit, but not being able to find a store that has it."

Kid looked at Rex strangely for a moment, as if something was obvious, but Rex was still confused.

"Well, duh, you idiot! Those are MARINE maps, there won't be an island that the marines don't know about on their own maps! If you really wanted something, you should look through the pirate maps we have."

Rex smacked his head, just realizing his stupidity. No wonder the Marines kept finding him, he was using Marine sea routes and Marine maps. Other Pirates would make their own, but since Rex only just now got a competent navigator, he could only use the Marine maps.

"Call the best navigator we stole up to my quarters, we need to plan a route immediately."

Porche, who had taken up the role of Rex's secretary, nods tamely at this, rushing to find a navigator. Since the last time she had run afoul of Rex, a deep seated fear of him had developed in her heart. As opposed to Foxy who was cowardly and scheming bribing his crew to like him, Rex was brutal and direct.

Soon, Porche had returned with Bella in tow. Rex barely looks up, before handing her a stack of maps.

"I need you to find me the closest island to our position that appears on the red marked maps but not on the blue ones."

Soon, Rex finds the perfect island.

"The Isle of Treasure." Rex mutters under his breath, feeling that name was familiar.

(Several Hours Later)

At the Marine Base at St. Briss, Gion and Hina doggedly scour a marked map, searching desperately for Rex, Foxy or Galdino.

"Hina hates these reports, they make no sense! Some people report Rex having gone south from Karate Island, but others report him having gone east and west, one even reports him going north, fighting off the marines singlehandedly."

Gion nods, trying to find the truth in a sea of lies. Rex would surely lay low for a while, waiting for the seas to cool down, then he might make a charge at the grand line.

"Station more men at Reverse Mountain. Vesta Rex will not get to the Grand Line. In the mean time, we need to go after the Devon pirates."

Hina nods, doing as Gion ordered. Still, both of them feel that these measures won't be enough, and Rex would create yet another miracle. That man was a truly formidable and monstrous pirate whose talent and strength were matched only by his cunning and brutality.

"I got your nose!" Rex cries out, putting his thumb between his fingers and looking teasingly at Rouge.

Rouge leaps up, trying to grab back her nose out of Rex's hand, but Rex holds his hand in the air.

Rouge then tackles Rex and the two roll around the ground happily.

"Ahem!" Kid says, not knowing if he should be closing his eyes at the odd scene before him.

Rex had always said that Kid was the person with multiple personalities, but in Kid's eyes, no one was more complicated than Rex. Rex would torture a bunch of people one day and play with his tiger like a child on the next, as if nothing had happened. Truly a strange man.

Rex quickly straightens up his clothes and hops to his feet.

"Kid, you should learn to knock." Rex says shamelessly. "Have we arrived at the island?"

Kid nods, as the two of them reach the deck, pointing to the tree in the distance. "That's the place, the Isle of Treasure."

"Are you sure we should go there?" Killer asks, being aware of the dangerous rumors about the island.

"Yeah, why can't we go somewhere that's famous for good food, not stupid treasure!?" Bonney snorts, not being too interested in the island.

"There are reasons we are stopping here beyond your understanding." Rex says mysteriously, taking out a logbook.

Rex had noted down everything he remembered One Piece in this book, all written in English from Earth to be illegible for One Piece citizens.

With regards to Chopper's island, Rex noted a few things down. Giant birds control island and civilians have advanced technology and medicine. Both would be extremely useful to him.

"Stop the ship here." Rex says, not wanting the birds to come closer. "The rest of this trip is on foot."

Laying down his anchor, Rex sends Big Pan to swim to the island underwater with two fishing lines. Pan sets the lines up, anchoring them to the island and Kid creates a walkway to go to the island.

"Kid, Gem, Bonney and you five are with me." Rex says, picking a few crew members to go over to the island. "The rest of you, wait till night and if you haven't heard from us, follow under the cloak that is darkness."

When he lands on the island, Rex looks up at the treetop, then to the ground. He was conflicted over which species to meet with first.

Eventually, Rex decides the humans will be more easy to talk with an goes towards the base of the tree. How does one engage in diplomatic relations with giant, man-eating birds?

"Halt! Who goes there?" A small, rotund man with a rocket spear asks, training his weapon on Rex and his crew. He is young only eighteen at the most, but it is clear he had some training as a warrior.

"I am Rex, these are my comrades. We come in peace, seeking refuge on this island."

"You may come in peace, but you will find none here. My name is Jidanbo My people have fought an centuries old war with the true conquerors of this island. The Goayu Birds of the skies."

"So wait," Kid says, scratching his head, "You guys have been fight a war with birds for a hundred years, and you're losing?"

Bonney and Kid snicker at this, wondering how one could lose a war to birds.

Jidanbo scratches the back of his head meekly at this. "The Goayu birds are far too skilled at sky combat. Our rocket spears and sky cannons cannot hurt them, and we cannot climb the Torian tree to engage with them."

Rex nods in agreement, slapping the back of Kid's head so he would shut up.

"Worry not my friend, we will take care of our own safeties. We are not harmless travelers and your Goayu birds should be wary of us."

Jidanbo pauses, but just shrugs. If these fellows thought they could protect themselves, Jidanbo could let them try it.

"Where do you live?"

"I live in the second branch, though I know some who live in the first, third and fourth branches. Our people claimed the bra…"

"The second branch? Where's that supposed to be?"

"Bonney, be quiet and listen. Jidanbo's next words are likely to explain exactly where the second branch is."

Jidanbo then explained how originally, the Torino tribe ruled the island, living on all of the many branches on the tree. But one day, a flock of Goayu birds attacked their settlement.

Many of the upper branches were burned with a few more being massacred. Eventually, the Torino tribe created three, hidden settlements on the lowest branches. The branch closest to the ground was the first branch, only a few dozen meters off the ground and the fourth branch was almost two hundred meters off the ground.

Thousands of Torinoans lived on each branch, studying and refining their technologies to combat the Goayu birds.

"How many of these birds are there?"

"Dozens, maybe hundreds. Each of them capable of defeating legions of our top warriors with ease."

"I see."

After that, there are a few minutes of peaceful walking. The way to the high branches is through a winding staircase that wraps around the tree.

On their way, the crew pass by the first branch, but it seems like no one was living there. Jidanbo explains that the society was under the leaves as only there could the people be hidden from the Goayu birds.

Bonney and Kid eagerly ask about the food available on Torino Island, after which Jidanbo perks up. Apparently, other than studying, Torinoans loved eating more than anything else. That was the reason behind their, ahem, girth.

Soon, the group reaches Jidanbo's home, the second branch. Once they reach the second branch, Jidanbo freezes.

"There should be guards he…"

CAW!

A loud bird call echoes from above. Soon, several Torinoans, all armed with rocket spears rush out of the second branch.

"Jidanbo? What are you doing here, you should be guarding the root floor!? You're a doctor not a fighter!" An older Torinoan who resembles Jidanbo says.

"Father, I met outsiders and came to bring them to the village. What is going on? Have the Goayu attacked?"

"Aye, they sieged third branch, so we have come to aid them."

"I want to go with you."

"NO! Stay here and protect second branch."

Jidanbo's father then leaves, giving Rex's group a passing glance before rushing up the stairs. A host of fifty or so warriors go with him.

"My friends, you should stay here. I will go help father and the other villagers in protecting third branch." Jidanbo then smiles, clapping Rex's shoulder. "My mother is the chieftainess of our tribe. She will give you shelter for some time." With that, he leaves, rushing behind his father.

Rex frowns, not wanting his first encounter with the locals to go this way. Now, if he stayed and revealed his strength later, the locals would resent him, but even if he did go up, he had no way of attacking an avian foe.

"Let's go!" Kid says, having rushed up the stairs with Bonney.

"What, are you worried about him?" Rex teases with a grin. He loved it when he got to expose Kid's sensitive side.

"Nah, I just want to see what a bird who rules an island tastes like!"

With that, Rex's decision is quick. He leaves some of the weaker members behind and rushes up with Bonney, Kid and Gem.

On their way, a large bird the size of a fighter jet spots them, rushing towards the stretch of stairs they were on. Rex grabs Bonney with one arm and leaps towards the bird.

Turning around in midair, such that Bonney can touch the bird's head, Rex then kicks off of the bird's head just as she makes contact.

The bird glows bright pink, then suddenly turns into a small chicklet, plummeting to its death.

"You know you could've just asked me to jump." Bonney says, looking at Rex with a sour gaze.

"Where's the fun in that?" Rex grins, running up the stairs.

Eventually, they reach the third branch and are awed by the scene before them. Ten birds, each at least twice the size of the one Bonney had taken down were attacking the village.

The leafy covering of the branch had been ripped off, revealing the burning civilization below. A bird swoops down at a building that looks to be a school, children fleeing in terror.

"Gem, blast shot the ugly one. And say the words!" Rex cries, leaping through the air towards it.

Gem quickly draws his gun, loading a special blast bullet that was made of his boogers.

The bullet explodes on impact, slamming the bird into the ground. Rex then stomps on the airplane-sized bird's head, using Hasshoken to cause damage to the bird's internal organs.

Rex frowns seeing that Gem refused to say the words, but he had other things to do. Withdrawing a knife, he stabs the bird's left eye repeatedly, blinding it.

Screech!

The bird cries out mournfully, trying to shake Rex off its head.

Rex just grabs the root of some feathers with his left hand, pummeling the beast's eye with his right.

Elsewhere, Kid was using his magnetism to aim the rocket spears such that they targeted weak points of the birds such as the eyes or mouth. Bonney climbing a tall tower to get in reach of a bird and Gem was gunning birds down like a madman.

Eventually, a loud cawing comes from the top of the tree, and the birds suddenly, retreat, with all of them escaping, bar Rex's opponent.

Rex's bird's left eye had been mangled into pulp and Rex had moved to the right, blinding it as well. With the Hasshoken ripples, the bird had long gone unconscious, but it still wasn't dead. Eventually, with the combined might of Kid, Gem and Rex, the bird finally passes away, its muscles going limp.

Rex jumps to the ground panting and heaving. His hand covered in bird blood.

"Hooray!" The crowd cheers, seeing the bird is dead.

Several Torinoans go over to the bird, kicking and spitting on it. The warriors poke it to make sure it is dead and the chefs of the village already start measuring out body parts, their mouths salivating.

"Mr. Rex, I can't believe it!" Jidanbo says, "Our people haven't been able to kill a single Goayu bird in generations."

Rex nods grimly, having felt the bird's tenacity firsthand. The only way Rex felt like he could kill a bird in a one on one fight was with Pan's huge body. Those things were monsters.

The village cheered Rex and his comrades relentlessly, giving them their fill of meat, wine and music for hours until they all fell asleep. Rex then looks up at the sky, or more precisely the top of the tree.

Rex's training in Hasshoken had centered around sound and its vibrations, and he had felt that the sound that called back all the Goayu birds was not another Goayu bird. It was something else entirely?

But, what was it?