King of Killers

"You can come out now!"

As he said that, 2 men dressed in black full body cloaks stepped out from the shadows of a nearby building.

On the left was a middle aged man with one hazel eye, the other was closed and had a scar travelling vertically down it. He had long brown hair that reached his shoulders and thin yet sharp eyebrows. He had a cold and aloof aura making it seem as if he put no one in his eyes.

On the right was a young man who looked no older than 20. He looked like a younger and more handsome version of the man on the left. He had the same hazel coloured eyes and thin eyebrows as the man, but his hair was pitch black. Unlike the older man he had a seemingly temperate aura.

The older man was the one to speak first.

"We would've come out sooner but judging how you used your abilities to hide your visitors from us we figured we should just stay hidden till you were done."

Fabian let out a light chuckle as he teased.

"To think, the man who claimed he would take my title as the 'King of Killers' the next time he saw me would allow himself to be found so easily, yet still have the nerve to say he was 'hidden'. How exactly your brain works is truly a mystery to me.

So Mr. future King of Killers did you come for my head today or did the loss of an eye to the 'Joyous Sword King' shake your confidence to the point where you don't even dare fight with an old man?!"

Hearing the blatant mockery in Fabian's word angered the middle aged man greatly, but he didn't reply as his words, although brutal weren't wrong. Before the middle aged man could say anything a dense killing intent erupted from the handsome younger man on the right.

"Old man you should watch your…"

Before he could finish his words he felt something cold and sharp pressing against his neck.

"This old man should watch what exactly?"

Fabian stood behind the young man, but it wasn't a weapon that he had pressed against his neck, it was merely his hand. The young man could see out the corner of his eye that it was his hand but to him it felt no different than a blade.

Stood behind Fabian was the middle aged man with a curved knife pressed against Fabian's neck. Fabian didn't seem to mind the middle aged mans presence as he said lightly.

"The Joyous Sword Saint must have really done a number on you for someone of your stature not to be able to tell when I use such a low level illusion. Kolan, I expected far more from you!"

Kolan, the middle aged man heard Fabian's voice behind him and realised he too had the old man's sharp hand pressed against his neck.

[He actually managed to sneak up behind me so easily? I guess him having the title of the King of Killers isn't just for show.]

Realising the difference in strength between him and the old monster that was Fabian, Kolan had no choice but to admit defeat. He lowered his hands and said indifferently.

"Fabian, we didn't come here to fight. We came with a business proposition for you!"

Seeing Kolan lower his blade, the 2 bodies of Fabian disappeared and both Kolan and the young man saw Fabian stood calmly in his original position as if he had never moved.

"Ooh and what kind of business could an out of work assassin have for me?"

When Fabian mentioned him being out of work, Kolan let out a rueful sigh.

"So you've heard."

"What, that after losing to the Joyous Sword King 7 years ago, you then lost to Tazania in the battle for supremacy 2 years ago and was forced out of the League of Killers? Haha as the former head of the League did you really expect me not to know? Just because I've retired doesn't mean I don't still have my contacts!"

Kolan didn't know how to reply to that, thinking that Fabian didn't know what happened was wishful thinking on his part.

"So what business did you have for me?"

Hearing that, Kolan knew now was not the time to wallow in self-pity. He put all distracting thoughts to one side as he said.

"I want the Illusion fruit."

Hearing Kolan's words, Fabian glanced at the young man he brought with him before looking back at Kolan.

"That's not impossible, but as a former senior member of the league you know there are only two ways you get your hands on it. 1 you kill me and take it from me, but at your current level that's impossible. 2 you give me something I deem worth the trade. Judging by the fact that you called this meeting 'business', I'm guessing you're here for option number 2?"

As he said that a teasing smile hung on his lips, as he didn't actually expect Kolan to have anything he could possibly want.

Kolan stared at Fabian as he said lightly.

"I know where Kim is."

As he said that, a terrifying killing intent erupted from Fabian's body. The young man beside Kolan was forced to step back out of fear as he felt the pressure. He felt as if he was stood before a genuine Fiendgod who was ready for slaughter.

[This Killing Intent… Is this the man they called the call the King of Killers?!]

Fabian looked emotionlessly at Kolan as he said icily.

"Kolan, this is no joking matter. If I find out you're lying, I will show you a fate far worse than death!"

Kolan didn't doubt Fabian's words, he knew that this man despite his age was once regarded as the scariest man on the planet. Not because of his strength, but because of his extreme methods once angered.

"I know better than to lie to you when it comes to her!"

Fabian nodded and then disappeared from his spot. Not even 2 seconds later he reappeared where he stood with a purple fruit in his hands. He threw it to Kolan casually. Seeing how he handed it over so easily without even asking for proof to verify his information momentarily surprised Kolan, but then he remembered the difference in strength between them.

[He is so confident in his ability to kill us that he doesn't mind handing over the fruit in advance.]

Realising that, Kolan felt a wave of helplessness wash over him as he caught the fruit. He reached into his cloak with his free hand and took out an envelope and tossed it over.

Fabian tore open the envelope impatiently. When he looked over the contents he began shivering uncontrollably in excitement.

"Hahahaha, she's alive, she's really alive!"

Fabian turned to leave but before he did he took a final glance at Kolan and said.

"Judging by the spread of the poison in your body this will more than likely be the last time I see you."

Surprise appeared on Kolan's face momentarily before it turned into a helpless smile.

"So you could tell?"

Fabian rolled his eyes as he replied.

"When are you going to realise that there's nothing you can hide from me! After all, I was the one who taught you everything you know.

Ooh and for what it's worth, you shouldn't beat yourself up about losing to the Joyous Sword King. When he set sail again 9 years ago, both he and the Joyous Spear had surpassed even me.

As for losing to Taz… If he didn't poison you beforehand then you wouldn't have lost, but the fact that you allowed him to poison you in the first place was your own fault! Hahaha what kind of assassin drinks a drink given to them by another assassin, even if it was your former partner. When I heard that I laughed for a good 24 hours!"

As he said that he couldn't help but burst out in laughter. When he finally managed to regain his composure he looked at the young man beside him and said.

"Your son may well be one of the most talented young men of his generation with only 3 I've met who surpass him. For his sake I hope he doesn't make the same mistakes as you and pit himself against those monsters who can't be measured using common sense."

When he heard that there were actually 3 people in the younger generation who surpassed his son, Kolan was genuinely gobsmacked.

[Magram is even more talented than I am, maybe even as talented as the Joyous Sword King. How can there be another even more talented than him.]

Even though he was shocked by Fabian's words he didn't doubt them for a second, he knew just how incredible Fabian's powers of observation were.

"Thank you for your guidance."

Seeing him acknowledge his words, Fabian disappeared from his spot as if he was never there.

When he left, Magram turned to his father and asked curiously.

"Who do you think he meant when he said there was 3 in my generation who surpass me?!"

Kolan looked at his son and noticed that he didn't seem to mind, he seemed more curious than upset. Seeing that Kolan couldn't help but nod appreciatively at his son's ability to keep his composure which surpassed most his age.

"I can't be sure, but if I had to guess, my money would be on the Heavenly Demon and that brat Murdock from the Federation. As for the 3rd your guess is as good as mine."

Magram thought about it for a second before saying.

"Murdock I'll accept, that man is simply terrifying but the Heavenly Demon? It took him and 2 others to fight Akainu. Even if he's stronger than me, I'd still be able to fight Akainu by myself. Even if he's 3 years younger than me at 19, it can't be said that his talent surpasses my own"

Kolan didn't think his son's words were arrogant, he knew just how strong his son truly was.

"That was just a guess, I may have been wrong. But if the old man says there are 3 who surpass you in this generation then there are truly 3."

Magram shrugged his shoulders not seeming to care. He then looked at the devil fruit in his father's hand and asked.

"So didn't you say that the old man had already eaten the Illusion fruit? How can there be a second one?!"

"When you eat a devil fruit, you spend most of your time trying to comprehend the mysteries behind it. There are 2 major stages of comprehension:

1. Awakening – This stage symbolises that you've taken a giant step forward in comprehending the finer details of your devil fruit.

2. Transcendence – This stage symbolises that you've completely mastered your devil fruit. Once you reach this stage, your devil fruit leaves your body re-emerging in the world, but you retain full control of that fruits ability. Ooh and at that point you can ignore the major weakness of devil fruits, becoming a hammer in water!

The old man reached the transcendence stage of his devil fruit a few decades ago which is part of what made him one of the most powerful people in the world."

Hearing that, Magram looked at the devil fruit in his fathers hands with fire in his eyes. Seeing the expression on his sons face he passed him the devil fruit and said.

"Here, hurry up and eat it! I only have a month more to train you before you officially start your journey on your own!"