Chapter 42: Another One

Having won the duel against Rean I removed Dragon Fang from his neck.

Once I did so he stood up and then offered me his hand. "Thank you. It was a great match." He said.

Taking his hand I shook it.

Then once we stopped he went to retrieve his blade Yakou, meanwhile I looked at the numerous wounds all over my body, especially the gash along my chest.

Law moved towards me to treat my injuries, but as he did so I raised my hand in a stopping motion. Since I wanted to try something.

Focusing on my stored up vitality I began distributing it to all my wounds. When I did so I noticed my wounds closing up until eventually I was free and clear of them.

Giving credence to the idea that I can manipulate vitality to heal my own wounds.

I mean I know Big Mom can do something similar with her own devil fruit powers and since our fruits are of a similar nature it looks like I can do the same as well. Though I'm pretty sure this technique I just discovered won't work if I lose a major organ or limb. Even so it's better to have it in my arsenal than not.

Despite seeing my wounds having closed on their own Law still came over and gave me an examine.

Once he was done and saw I had no injuries to speak of he moved over to Rean and started treating his wounds.

Which surprised him.

"You're treating my wounds, even after the way I acted?" Rean questioned.

I nodded my head. "Yep. We may be pirates but even we have standards we follow. You shouldn't lump all of us pirates together. Saying all pirates are scum is like saying all marines protect innocents from terror, which I know for a fact they don't."

"Right." Rean replied.

In no time at all Law finished treating his wounds.

"Thank you." Rean told him.

"Sure." Law replied.

After he did so Rean looked at me. "So, what is your request?" He asked.

Referring to the terms he set before I accepted his challenge, where if I won Rean would do any one thing I asked of him.

"I don't have one right now. Come back tomorrow after I've had some time to think." I told him.

"Understood." Rean replied.

He then left the Black Pearl.

As he did so I then started thinking about what I could request from him.

Even though I already have an idea in mind.

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The following day Rean returned to the Black Pearl just as I asked him to.

But he wasn't alone.

Anelace and his master Yun Ka-Fai were with him.

Rean sporting several sizable lumps atop his head.

Which normally wouldn't be possible, but this is an anime world so yeah. Anime logic bullshit.

"Allow me to apologize for my students foolish actions towards you." Yun Ka-Fai spoke to me.

"No, no, it's alright. We settled things yesterday with that duel." I told him.

"Still I must give you my deepest apologies. It is my duty to do so as his master." Yun Ka-Fai replied. He then lightly bowed his head before raising it. "Now then I heard it from my student, he promised to fulfill one request you asked of him since you won. Is that correct?"

"Yes, it is." I replied.

"I see." Yun Ka-Fai replied. Rubbing his beard like a master from a Wuxia cultivation novel as he did so. "Rean, front and center!" He shouted.

"Sir!" Rean shouted.

He then appeared at Yun Ka-Fai's side standing at perfect attention.

"Whatever this young man requests of you today you must honor it no matter what." Yun Ka-Fai instructed his student.

"Yes master." Rean replied. He then turned to me.

"Ok, so before we get to the request I have a totally unrelated matter to address. Hey Rean, what do you think about joining up with my crew?"

"What!?" Rean and Anelace shouted.

While Yun Ka-Fai just kept a blank expression on his face.

As for my crew I could see Weisz and Alfia face palming. But I don't understand why they should know me by now.

"You really want me to join your crew?" Rean asked.

I nodded. "Yes. Yes, I do." I replied. "I felt your determination during our match yesterday. I can tell you worked hard to reach that level of skill and I admire that. I could also tell you had a desire to get stronger. Making you the exact kind of person I wish to have as part of my crew. Let me ask you Rean, what is your dream?"

"He wants to make the Eight Leave One Blade school of swordsmanship famous across the entire world. As well as become a famous swordsman known across the entire world." Anelace spoke up.

Which caused Rean to get an embarrassed blush on his face.

"Anelace!" He cried out.

As he did so the girl simply smirked at him.

"I see, so that is your dream." I spoke. "An admirable one, and one you will be able to fulfill if you join our crew. Since we plan on conquering the Grand Line."

"The Grand Line!" Rean shouted.

I nodded. "Yes, the Grand Line. The greatest ocean in the entire world. One where many famous swordsmen reside. Including the strongest swordsmen in the entire world. Yes, I am speaking of that man. Dracule "Hawk-Eye" Mihawk. And if you join us I promise you one day you will get a chance to test your skills against him. I'm sure that would do wonders for the Eight Leave One Blade school of swordsmanship. So, what do you say Rean?"

A minutes of silence passed before Rean gave his answer.

"It's a very tempting offer, but I'm afraid I'll have to decline." Rean replied. "Sorry."

"No, it's no problem at all." I replied. "Now then onto my request. I request that you become a member of my crew." I said. Putting a shit-eating grin on my face as I did so.

Since appealing to Reans' sense of adventure and telling him accompanying us would help him accomplish his dreams didn't work I decided to go with another surefire method.

Because once I find a crewmate I want I'll have them become a part of my crew no matter what, and I'm not too picky on the methods I use either.

"What? That, but that's...don't you have any shame?!" Rean said.

"Nope, not a drop of it." Alfia spoke up.

"Our captain doesn't know the meaning of the word shame." Law said.

"Yep, our captain has always been shameless." Bepo spoke.

"If superpowers existed then our captains would be shamelessness." Weisz added.

Robin and Reiju just nodded their heads in agreement.

"Ah, you guys know me so well." I said. A smile on my face as I did so.

"We aren't complimenting you!" Law, Alfia, and Weisz shouted at the same time.

But I ignored them.

My attention focused solely on Rean. Who is still looking at me like I am insane.

Which I admit I probably am a little bit.

"Something the matter Rean?" I asked him.

"You!" Rean raged, pointing a finger at me.

"Yes, me. Soren D. Roberts. Your new captain. Welcome aboard." I told him.

"Hold on, there is no way I'm joining your crew!" Rean shouted.

"Eh, but didn't you say you would fulfill any one request I asked of you if I won our match yesterday? And didn't your master just say you must honor the request I made of you today no matter what?" I asked. The shit-eating grin on my face getting bigger as I did so.

"Well yes I did say that, and both of those things are true but still..." Rean muttered. Trying to come up with a reply that would allow him to turn this situation around.

Unfortunately all those roads are blocked, so the only way for Rean to move is forward.

As a member of the Thanatos Pirates.

Rean sputtered for several seconds before finally coming back to his senses. He then turned to Anelace and Yun Ka-Fai. "Master, Anelace, say something." He spoke.

"You should go with them Rean." Anelace said.

"Yes." Yun Ka-Fai added.

Making Rean gained a stunned expression on his face.

"But if I go with them I'll become a pirate. A pirate." Rean spoke.

"And?" Yun Ka-Fai questioned. "This world is vast my boy. Many different people inhabit it. Even if one is a pirate it does not mean they are necessarily a horrible person. And from the looks of this crew they don't seem too bad at all. So I have no issues with you journeying with them. Besides, what young Roberts said earlier was correct. I did tell you to honor the request he made of you today and I expect you to keep your word."

"I...I...Yes." Rean replied. "Looks like I am now a member of your crew." He said to me.

"Glad to have you aboard Rean." I replied.

Very glad.

Since now that he is we will convert him and without even realizing it he will be one of us.

Just as I planned.

Since once again I will never let a potential crewmate I want to recruit escape so easily.

Never in a million years.