Chapter 12

Ra pov

It's been three years since the encounter with the Roger Pirates. I am now fifteen years old, close to sixteen and best of all is the traces of a moustache that has started forming below my nose. I haven't grown much taller, just a few inches short of reaching nine feet. I had trained alot over those past three years with dad, merging the axe techniques he's been teaching me with some of the forms Rayleigh showed me and creating my own new personal fighting style.

I gave up on advancing my armament to emission level and just focused on perfecting hardening and imbuement on a deeper level. My observation received the biggest boost as I can now sense intent that someone has towards me and fusing with the skill sunshine gave in identifying strong opponents, I am able to have a rough understanding in their strength though determining the amount of haki they possess is still out of reach.

The only problem is getting a durable axe that can handle my power. The weapon smith in the village is indeed talented in creating weapons meant for hunting but creating an axe that is able to handle my power and also heavy enough for me to be able to use is still far from his reach. But he didn't let me down as two years ago he made me a heavy axe though not in my preference made out of some unknown metal. It was shiny silver in colour though it immediately changed to a red color when I used sunshine and imbued the sun's energy in it. The axe reached my chest when placed on the ground and had an extended curved head though at its back was a very sharp and pointed tip. The handle was curved and steadfastly fixed at the end of the handle allowing me to grip it tightly qnd safely. I have not awakened conquerors haki and I don't really know if I can awaken it as dad said not many in the sea possess it.

I made my way home with only my pants and a pair of shoes on me. Over the years I had gotten used to showing off the tattoo on my back and the ripped muscles I now possess, and not to forget the perfectly aligned six pack abs which I sometimes cover in haki and move them one by one just to amuse myself. I had set a goal of going out to sea sooner or later and I felt it was almost time. I knew I would leave so I always made it a priority to do things alongside mother and spent some time with her every single day. I am quite sure she noticed my odd behavior but probably said nothing till the time when I would tell her myself. I was tense like I was ready to go to war, as ready as I could ever be and right now I promised myself that I would face and hopefully with father's help convince her that I was ready to leave the bird's nest and fly to great heights.

The day had finally ended and it was after dinner that we tactically gathered in the living room to finally have another heart to heart talk. I swallowed a big gulp of saliva and began,"Mom, I want to go out to sea." Her face scrunched up as though she had swallowed a bitter pill but I couldn't back down now and just stared at her with pleading eyes. She looked back at me and after sighing and calmly asked back," Why should I let you do as you want and go against my wishes? What are you even going to do at sea at such a young age? Are you going to become a pirate like those Rogers or are you so good that you will become a marine to capture the big bad pirates?" That was difficult to hear but instead of throwing a tantrum like a normal hormonal teenager would, I responded to her while maintaining eye contact." I am your son and like every child, I want to leave and make my future. I am neither going to be a pirate nor marine but an explorer, I will visit every place at sea discover everything thing that is known and unknown, record what I find and maybe find love and after I am fulfilled with my desires I will probably come back here and start my own family. I know that it sounds like what pirates do but I'll be different and even if some label me as a pirate still as long as I know I am not and adhere to my morals I'll be happy. I want to go out to sea right now, make friends while still young and grow stronger as I make my journey out there. I know you aren't happy with my decision but please let me do so cause you are my parents and that's why am asking you."

Right now I was holding on to little hope that she would accept my decision and after a reigning silence which lasted some time she finally responded. "If I let you go, do you promise to stay alive and deny death till the time you comeback and hopefully bring me some grandkids."

"I promise and I will always have you in my heart wherever I am " I happily replied.

She had some tears forming in her eyes as she moved to hug me and said," I know you have been spending most of your time in the last three years training but you always made time for your father and I and I couldn't be prouder. I want you to know that your father and I are grown ups and we can handle a few years without you around and though we'll be a bit lonely you can sail knowing that we are safe and that we love you." I couldn't help my tears and for the first time in this life I broke down like the little boy that I was. Father just looked at us and being a man of few words smiled and moved to join the group hug, though I noticed a single drop of a tear rolling down the side of his face.

At the moment the following day, we were deep in the mountains with both my parents and I. Father looked at me and said,"We have been hiding this for all your life but we aren't your real parents and also we would like for you to see something." They smiled mysteriously and started growing, they grew so big reaching a height of over twenty metre. They were...they were freaking giants and though I knew they were not my birth parents, this was still a surprise. They shrunk back and mother asked,"So what do you think?" I enthusiastically replied, " I knew you are not my birth parents but you raised me so that automatically means you are my real parents though you being giants is a shocker. I mean, dad usually said things about the giant lands elbaf warrior pride but I thought he was just saying that so I could train harder and also why can you get smaller if you are giants?."

They just laughed off the question and mom moved and embraced me saying things like," My baby loves giant me too." and so on as dad did his "Ryarararara" and I smiled.

A few months later..

I am now sixteen years old and ready to sail. Those extra months were used for constructing a small ship with a cabin and packing food, clothes and other preparations for my departure. Father handed me a locket which I dropped a bit of blood on it as he said it would be necessary if I wanted to find my way back home. I waved my hands at the villagers and my parents while my small ship sailed away. I was now truly beginning my journey in one piece and what would happen once I was out at sea would be the journey in itself.