6 6. Determination

Gyarados pulled the yacht while I continued to meditate.

My progress with observation haki is progressing at a snail's pace. I'm hoping I can make some progress in the upcoming battle.

I'm confident to take down the Fishmen at Arlong Park even without it though.

While I haven't mastered any types of Haki, I'm still a demi god and I also am innately proficient with my fish hook.

When I hold it, I just know how best to move with it. It's hard to explain, it really is like an extension of my body.

I have yet to fight anything other than baby sea kings in the waters of the weakest sea.

This will be my first real battle.

After a few hours I had Gyarados take a break and find himself a meal while I continued to meditate.

I started hearing the sounds of canon fire in the distance.

Gyarados returned due to the commotion in case the boat was in danger.

"Take us close buddy. I want to see what's going on."

Gyarados pulled the boat toward the commotion and once we got closer I saw a pirate ship attacking what appeared to be a merchant vessel going by the flags each had raised.

The merchants were under siege and the pirates were already boarding their ship.

"This is a perfect opportunity to fight to gain experience and perform a heroic deed. Gyarados hang back so you dont scare the merchants. I'll handle the pirates. When the battle is over pick me up for our heroic departure."

I excitedly jump into the sea and swim to the fight.

Gyarados stayed behind obediently, even though he also wanted to fight. I was grateful he is so loyal despite the normal temperament of other Gyarados.

With my speed of swimming I reached the other side of the merchant ship quickly and dove out of the water and landed on deck.

I was prepared to do a heroic landing and introduce myself like a superhero but what I saw made me change my mind.

Several dead lay on the deck of the ship, and the pirates were already in the process of assaulting the women...

A shadow crept over my eyes as I worked on containing my emotions.

I may have been a blood sucking lawyer in my previous life but I hated people who hurt kids or forced women.

I never took those I thought were guilty of that stuff as my client.

"Oi... What's this? Was he hiding on board this whole time?" One pirate saw me and assumed I was apart of the crew. The rest of the pirates stopped their actions for a moment before another one who was tearing the clothes off a woman yelled out as he continued his actions.

"Just kill him. We got all we need here..."

*snap*

My foot cracked the wood as I lunged forward, my fish hook now summoned.

A spray of blood and chunks of bone splattered on the rest of the crew.

The head of the man assaulting the woman had vaporized and the only evidence of what happened was me standing next to him with my hook, covered in blood like a serial killer.

"What the-" Another head splattered.

I was in no mood to hear their voices anymore.

*SPLAT*

*SPLAT*

"Run fer yer lives-"

*SPLAT*

One by one I slaughtered the pirates. Some tried to fight back but it seems since they are just normal people that were pirates, their strength was like an ant compared to me.

Their bullets couldn't pierce my skin but they still stung and neither could their blades cut me.

When I finished the last one off, there was no joy, no celebratory cheer for the hero. Just a pile of dead men and traumatized women.

With one bloody giant of a man in the center.

Me.

The women were bundled into a corner and looked at me in fear.

"Your safe now..." I said before jumping into the water.

The seawater turned a rust color where I dove as the blood washed off my body.

One of the women ran to the railing and looked for me, her eyes opening wide as a sea king head popped out of the water with a now clean bear of a man sitting on his head. The two of us started swimming away without even a glance behind us.

"Whoa..." The woman said before snapping out of her surprise. She began waving and shouted, "Thank you!"

I smiled bitterly and waved without looking back.

I learned a real lesson today even if my strength or technique didn't improve from having a glorious battle.

I learned the world of pirates is not just a fun adventure filled place. It truly is a bloody and cruel world.

I knew beforehand. But seeing it in a work of fiction and seeing it in reality are very different.

Today I killed many people and while they definitely deserved it, I had lost myself to violence.

I cant lose control like that again. I'll see a lot worse in the future.

We made it back to the yacht and Gyarados started pulling the boat.

I started meditating again but this time my thoughts were busy digesting this last event.

I was thinking about this world like it was still a work of fiction. Looking at my thinking before, I realise my thoughts were childish.

I'm a grown man and I was trying to play super hero and thinking about becoming a god.

These are all real people and some of them will be killed by me and some will be saved. They all have lives of their own and how I deal with them cant be half hearted.

I needed this wake up call. I didn't want to be like those fic protagonists that just take advantage of their knowledge to get power or make a harem.

If my goal is to be a god, then I need to be better. I cant just strive for godhood, I need to be godly in my actions.

With a renewed outlook and resolve, I moved forward. My attitude had been adjusted and I was truly ready for what the world would throw at me.

I looked into the horizon as the sun set and reflected on newfound determination.

"I will be a true god for this world..."

[A/N: I wasn't really sure when writing this part. I just thought he needed to come to terms with the fact he is in a real world and not to treat things like a game. Especially when his goal is to be worshipped as a god.]

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

Two days passed and our pace was good. We had crossed the entire East Blue it felt like but we finally were in close enough distance to see Conomi island.

I decided to not go there yet and wait for nightfall.

It was the new week and I needed to make a wish. What I wished for won't be anything to boost my combat power.

No.

It was time for pants...

I made my wish on the boat and a barrel full of Hawaiian shorts materialized.

I put on a pair and they fit perfectly and I moved the spares in the barrel to my closet.

"Now I'm ready. Arlong, you did enough. Now Papa Maui is here to make you pay."

I was by myself so saying this cringe inducing line was acceptable.

I left the yacht on the opposite side of the island while me and Gyarados circled around.

We were gonna strike from the side the fishmen would least expect. The water in front of their park.

"Gyarados, surf at full speed and charge directly at their building!"

"Gyaaa!" Gyarados roared in excitement, but it might have been a little loud. There's no doubt the entire Conomi Island heard it.

"Oh well. Let our battle cry send fear into the hearts of our enemies. Chaaaaarge!"

.-.-.-3rdPOV-.-.-.

"Did you hear that?" One Fishman that was playing a card game against his mates asked.

"Hmm, sounds like a sea king. Maybe Moomoo attracted a mate?"

"""Hahahaha""" all the Fishmen laughed, not knowing they were about to have their peaceful time destroyed by rampaging Gyarados.

Plural.