Chapter 57

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Chapter 57

Title: Takeover of Jaya...

…

-Max POV-

As Negan came around, things went back to being quite normal. We even started training together and tried to teach him some Haki.

There was also the mermaid that was with him, but it seemed like Negan didn't care about her.

It seems she had feelings for him and seemed to want to repay him for something. He probably saved her from slavers by accident, can't see him doing anything genuinely nice for people.

While thinking that, his spiked bat came towards my head but I easily dodged the attack. 

"You have to be more careful with your attacks, make them unpredictable. Also, make them faster." I advised him, and he tried to adjust his pose and use <Soru> to kick off the ground.

But he wasn't successful and only stumbled, falling face-first on the dirt after kicking off the ground too hard. "Damn, you make this shìt look easy."

I nodded at him, we both knew that while he had lost his memories he was behind both me and even Raynare in power and strength. Negan right now was about as strong as Zoro, if they fought the latter would probably win due to the sword techniques he had. While Negan was brutal and in a real fight he could win, my money would still be on Zoro.

So ever since he came back, we have been training nonstop, Garp style that induced the concept of death each day. Negan didn't complain even once and took each day as his last, giving it his all.

He tried to charge at me once more as I appeared absentminded. I used <Soru> to kick ten times off the ground in a split second. And unlike him, there was not even a mark left on the dirt as I moved.

Baam!

I did an elbow strike to his stomach and moved back as Negan threw up and fell on his knees due to the powerful hit. 

We didn't say anything to each other, because there was nothing to be said. As his friend, I knew that if he followed me like this, he would die, and this time he might not be lucky enough to survive.

"Again," he mumbled while getting up and wiping the drool off his face. "I need to get this damn Haki."

I nodded and charged at Negan. Not going easy as I moved behind him and in less than a second, his body was bombarded with over forty full-powered punches.

*CRACK!* *CRACK!* *CRACK!*...

His bones snapped like twigs and his limbs deformed in unnatural ways they weren't meant to move. I looked at him with an emotionless face as his body tumbled to the floor. This fight had lasted less than fifteen seconds and he lost terribly.

Back when we had been on North Blue, our strength was kinda similar, though I always had the edge due to my fruit and higher physical power. I could proudly say that Negan was someone who could be my right-hand man. But now, at best he could be kinda useful.

Even by One Piece standards, a pre-time skip Zoro was useless in the New World. That kind of power was nothing special there, but Negan could grow faster if he was put in more dangerous situations. From now on, every single day, he will be beaten half to death, it doesn't matter if his body healed or not.

So with that in mind, I walked off, leaving him behind in the forest we were training. "You better get back on your own or you will be killed by some giant mantis or other strange animals that prowl this place at night."

With his broken body, Negan didn't have the power to fight a dog. But he had a chance to at least crawl away, and out of the forest.

…

After that, I went and met up with Raynare who was in charge of taking care of my duties and filling in the role for me. While I trained with Negan.

I observed her from afar and was satisfied. She had broken both of Bellamy's legs and arms so he wouldn't escape and used the man's pathetic state to incite others to listen to her.

"I want a headcount of every civilian on this island. Also note their age, gender, and specialty." She ordered ten other marines.

The whole thing was handled quite sufficiently and it was clear that Raynare had a good ability to lead people. Her royal teachings when she was young also helped.

Now Jaya Island will come under our control, there will be no place for criminals here anymore.

By now, Cricket and Luffy should have modified the Going Merry to be able to handle the knock-up stream.

Sadly I couldn't go with them to Sky Island, there were some other things to deal with. The Warlords of the Sea just had a meeting on Marineford due to Crocodile's recent loss. Meaning that one of them would be coming here to berate Bellamy just like in the canon timeline. This shouldn't have changed, and even if it did change, wouldn't it be better to make sure? Especially since fighting Doffy on Jaya wouldn't necessarily be advantageous for me.

So I casually walked towards Raynare, ignoring the gazes of respect from my men, and whispered in her ear. "Take care of everything here and keep three Rumble Balls on you just in case. Also, call me if anything happens on the island as I will be away for a little bit."

While I knew the route that Dofflamingo would use, from Marineford to here, a straight line. But just in case he somehow outmaneuvered me or for some reason, we didn't see each other, Raynare would have to hold him back till I returned. Whether she would be able to survive or not till I returned wasn't something I could say. It depended on Doflamingo's mood.

Then I kicked off the air and flew away with an Eternal Log Pose pointing at Marineford. This would be used as my compass and should allow me to meet Doflamingo at sea.

<Geppo> would allow me to fight on-air as well as I could fight on land. I would have the advantage against most people while on air, though Doffy would be the same. He too was good at mid-air battles. In fights, the environment was also crucial to who would win or lose, and if we fought on land I wasn't sure how long it would take him to kill me. There he could use his Awakening and turn the land into strings. 

But a mid-air battle would be different, because while he wasn't at a disadvantage there like most people. He at least wouldn't be able to use Awakening, which would almost guarantee my loss on the ground.

…

After using <Geppo> and flying through the ocean for some time. I looked at my Log Pose and followed where it was pointing.

I didn't want to have to try and navigate this vast ocean by myself and would already be lost if it wasn't for this piece of equipment. The Grand Line was truly a strange sea, one that didn't make sense.

After deciding that this was far enough and going any further would be detrimental in case Doflamingo reached Jaya. This would allow me to turn back fast enough to make a decisive change.

In that instant, I sensed an attack coming towards me. I looked towards where it was coming from but couldn't see anyone.

Fwish!

I dodged to the side and an invisible string shot past me. "Well, at least now I know that you won't be on Jaya Island."

Though I couldn't see him, I sensed a strong presence entering my Observation Haki range.

To prepare for battle, I entered my Hybrid form and used <Life Return: Fighting Mode> the muscles became more compact as all the fat in my body burned off. Now there was no need for the Rumble Ball to use these forms.

I took a deep breath and waited for Doflamingo to reach me. By the time I saw his figure, thousands of strings shot towards me. They were barely visible, only due to Observation Haki could I feel that they were there.

…