33. Rescue

There were still a few hours before it got dark, so I started to explore a bit more around the area, in order to find a place, where I could bring Alex later, somewhere safe.

And after searching for a bit, I then found a kind of hidden cave. It was really reclusive and in a valley. If it weren't for my domain then I wouldn't have been able to find this cave, so it should be fine as a hiding spot for Alex later, when I went to rampage.

After confirming a hiding spot, I trade my way back and decided on a relative save route toward this cave from the small village.

I would walk a slight roundabout way, while mostly on trees, so that I would leave the least number of traces behind.

That was something I had to give those mongrels, even if their strength was lacking, but their skill of tracking was above me. I mean, sure I was hunting in forests when I was young, but I never bothered to learn traditional tracking, I always either wandered around and relied on luck, or I used my domain to find the beasts.

And since I didn't know how to track prey, it was very hard to know how to leave no tracks behind, as I didnt know what to pay attention to. Because of that I decided to travel via trees.

When I decided on my escape route towards the cave I returned

Now I had to wait for the night, the time I decided to attack.

But I didn't waste my time simply waiting, instead I had my domain constantly scanning the village looking for any changes, I also noticed my Search Domain being slightly inadequate for this, so without further ado, I created a new domain. A Sensing Domain.

This in contrast to the Search Domain was more of a passive search of the domain, feeding me more clearly what was inside my domain, than my passive sensing, of my domain, which I had with every domain.

In the time till it went dark, I noticed, that nothing really changed with the formation of what I presume to be guards. They still manned the wall and clustered around the temple. But I also got feeling of the temple hiding something extraordinary. I could feel it's aura. But I couldn't really tell what it was.

During this time I also thought more deeply about my plan for the rescue.

....

Night time.

It's time to begin.

I revoked my Sensing Domain and instead used the Mist Domain. But not at its full power. Instead, I only made a light Mist, covering only the edges of the forest I was in.

Next I made it slowly expand and slowly growing denser.

I did this in order for it to appear more natural. Not raising suspicion until I freed my comrade.

With this it took my Mist around half an hour to cover everywhere I want it to with enough density.

Now!

I ran towards the wall and with one mighty jump, jumped over the wall, while I was doing so, I shrank the domain inside the village so much, that my movement went unnoticed, since the domain is centered around me, so it would have moved with the same speed as me, if I didn't shrank it correspondingly.

The Guards didn't catch my movements until now, even though the Mist isnt at maximum density, as there was only sparse amount of water around me. Because of this, it was important for me to act during the night, making the visibility as low as possible.

Once inside the village, I moved more slowly and carefully towards the prison region, I really didn't want to alarm this village. Well at least not yet.

This part of the village was really deserted, and I came across no one. Fortunately.

Soon I reached the prison region, and I slowly made my way towards the cell that held Alex.

When I reached her cell, even though I could already see her from afar, I still felt my rage growing when I saw her inside. Although she didn't look that bruised and mistreated from afar, but when I was now finally in front of her I could now observe her condition more clearly. And she was bruised all over. But it didn't seem like bruises one would get from a fight, well not a fight were one could defend oneself, but more of a one-sided beating. Probably after she was captured, at least I think so, as there was no way she wouldn't have tried to defend herself.

This only fueled my rage more and I nearly lost my composure and went on my rampage early.

Calm down.

Rescuing Alex takes priority.

I now went and followed my plan.

Using my Mist as a cover I drew my sword and slashed out.

[First Move – Roc spreading its Wings]

Destroying all cages at once.

"I'm sorry, Alex. I'm late."

I speak softly, as I bent down and picked her up. She looked very fragile, even trembling slightly, when she felt my touch. Only engaging me even more.

Hearing my voice, she looked up at me and had tears in her eyes, seeing it was me she buried her face in my chest and sobbed.

"No. You came just at the right time."

And she fell unconscious. Seems like she was really exhausted.

Hmpf.

Just you wait you savages, I'll be back.

As I was activating my Teleportation Domain and was just about to teleport away I suddenly heard a voice talking to me.

"Wait. Please wait a moment. You are Freedom Sword, right? I'm Marcus Frey, please take me with you."

It was the unkempt looking man. His previous empty and lifeless eyes, gained a bit of life back in them.

"Who are you, Marcus Frey?"

I asked coldly. I was really in no mood to talk to some stranger right now. My rage, threaten to explode and starting my rampage. But I had to first bring Alex to safety. So I didn't want to loose time talking, especially as I could slowly make out the sounds of commotion around the village, as the captured beasts started their own rampage, exactly down as I planned, being my distraction.

The guy flinched slightly at my cold tone. I could see some hesitation in his gaze, but that soon turned to understanding as he saw Alex in my hands.

So he stopped hesitating and tsaid what he wanted to say.

"Two years ago, reading about Gold Roger's execution, and his last words, I wanted to start my own adventure and look for the One Piece, so me and a few friends made our way towards the Grandline. But we all were a bit too eager and went to sea with None of us being able to navigate, so we sailed aimlessly for over a year and then ten months ago we got into a storm and our ship was destroyed.

I don't know where my friends ended up, after, as I was the only one, when I woke up at the beach of this island. But I don't know if that was really that good, as I was soon captured by this tribe and imprisoned here. Why they didn't kill me I don't know. I just barely survived their torture and being fed only the bare minimum until today.

Please take me with you and let me join your crew! I still didn't give up my dream, I want to see the world and go on an epic adventure. I also want to find my friends again if they survived, so please I beg you!"

He fell on his knees and kowtowed to me. Moving me a bit. But I still want to first vent my anger. But leaving him here, is probably bad. Maybe he will get under the crossfire of the coming fight. So I decided to bring him with me.

"Fine I will take you with me first, but that only a yes, to take you with me for now. I still want to speak a bit more with you, before taking you with me on my journey. But first let's get out of here."

Before Marcus could get excited, for joining my crew he heard the second part of my statement and it doused his excitement a bit. But he was still happy and his eyes now looked full of life again.

Next I flashed over to him and grabbed him. I used my Domain and teleported him together with me and Alex towards the woods reaching them with only one teleportation.

But the moment I appeared in the woods, I suddenly felt a bit dizzy, nearly falling to the ground.

What happened?

I feel really exhausted.

But why? I should be able to teleport way more often than this, to suddenly feel this exhausted.

I don't have time to think about that for now.

In the moment I felt so dizzy, I subconsciously deactivated my Mist Domain, meaning, there was currently no Mist around anymore.

This should have alerted those tribesmen, as even when they are still pretty backwater in their civilization, they aren't stupid, well at least some of them. So they should have realized something being wrong.

So I quickly picked Alex and Marcus, who I let go just now, up again and started to use my previously chosen escape route towards the small cave.

A while later

I exhaustedly went into the cave, gently laying Alex on the ground, against the cave wall. And I threw Marcus to the side, with considerably less care. Some would say, this being pretty rude, but I couldn't care less at the moment. I had to quickly rest, restoring my stamina.

Sure the cave was really secluded and hard to find, but I really don't know the true capacities of the tracking skills of these savages or what means that hidden powerhouse, who captured Alex had. So I first have to ensure my ability to defend us.

Marcus didn't seem to mind, as he simply lay against the cave wall on the opposite side of me and Alex. He looked like he wanted to say something, but seeing me closing my eyes and resting he withheld his questions and started resting too.

He seems sensible, I give him that.

Now that I had a bit of time to myself I thought back to why I was suddenly so exhausted.

I also came to a conclusion pretty quickly.

I had my Devil Fruit in use, since this noon, and a considerable time of that I even used the Double Domain, meaning I was already pretty exhausted at the start of the operation, then using the first move of my Core Technique, and the Teleport only exhausted me further.

Now that I thought about it, it seemed like teleporting more people, also exhausted more stamina, way more in fact.

Good to know.

I also seemed to have broken through a bit in my fruit, as I could now freely decide how my domain expands.

Before I could only expand in a round sphere around me, but now I had my sphere expand, differently, as a wall, which followed the shape of the forest.

Also, now that I have called down a considerable amount, I noticed, that my rage and desire to start a massacre, was very unlike me.

Normally I don't act, or better want to act so violently.

The only reason I could think of, is that sword of mine, the Rokku no Eiko, having influenced myself.

I should be more careful in the future.

Still….

I didn't want to let that tribe get away scotfree, so I will still pay them a visit. But maybe instead of a total massacre, I only kill all their hunters and their leader.

Yeah that sounds about right.

About an hour later, just when I recovered about halve my stamina I could hear footsteps.

True. I underestimated their tracking a bit, or am I still too naïve?