Chapter 2 Family and plan of escape.

Other memories of the time he spent with his family also came in his mind. So as the memories of how he could only saw his mother and father being killed by a noble. How even after running, he was tracked and captured on the orders of that noble just to be sent as a slave of celestial dragon.

"live well my sweetheart. I promise you that we will always watch over you."

Seeing the last memories of his mother Max felt extremely sad. Tears started to fall from his eyes. In his last life he was an orphan and now, even when he got reincarnated he was still orphan.

So even when he knew that these were not his original memories and they were not his original parents, Max yearned for familial love. His heart felt pain and loneliness.

Flames of anger rose in my heart as i glared that celestial dragon who was just hitting me.

At that time I made a vow. " I took over your body. So I'll also carry all your grudges and sorrows. From now on I'll take this name, Trafalgar D Water Max and every single responsibilities that came with this name."

Max was a very serious man, in regards of life and self discipline. In his last life he really rose from the dirt to the hights of success through his sheer hard work and perseverance. He remembered all the efforts he put in his studies.

By scholarships and part time jobs he struggled in his early period of life. Never gave up because of circumstances and pushed himself for better life.

So when he made that vow, maybe even world accepted his existence, because, at that time he felt as if some kind of load was lifted from his chest.

'I need to find a way to escape from this place. But how.'

It was already night time, my stomach growled from hunger. From memories I knew that every day only one time food and water were given to the slaves and it was given during the night time.

Soon someone responsible for the food came. He slid a cup of water with mouldy bread in my cell. Ignoring the pain that came from all parts of my body, I slowly walked towards the plate and ate bread without much complaint. I had many memories about bad food so i didn't mind that much. Cause right now there was only one thing in my mind, survival. I just wanted to live for another day.

After eating my fill. I sat in lotus position and tried to look around.

'dark and damp place, no lightings only high windows for the lumination and air regulation. But even if I want to escape from there, I can't escape because of this collar.' Scrutinizing my current situation I thought.

'Wait Maybe this collar works on some kind of signal control. From anime the only known incident when collar exploded, was when some pirate tried to escape from celestial dragon or when some one tried to forcefully remove the collar.'

'It's impossible that a celestial dragon carry something like controller. So only their guards can carry this kind of device. The device should produce frequency in a certain range like 200 or 300 meters to control that collar. But taking the situation of slave attacking a celestial dragon into consideration, it's possible that there is switch or something to control bomb manually.' With these thoughts I already had a basic idea how this collar works.

By touching the back side of collar, Max also found the place to fit keys. He also understood the fear instilled by the collars on slave.

'They just made slaves believe that, it's impossible to run from celestial dragons once someone got collared. Most of the pirates were uneducated and even if someone was smart enough, they didn't realised the possibility of device that could control the bombs in collar. Due to fear of death they eventually loose rationality.

Thinking about all the anime events for a while in my mind I was trying to make a crude plan for now, i need more details. 'If I remembered correctly fisher tiger also escaped from celestial dragons when he got captured first time. Later he climbed the wall like hills of the Holy Land Marie Geois, burn the buildings and freed all the slaves. But how did he escaped first time.

Maybe he used his racial traits. Fishmen have very strong body. If he knows how to use tricks like fishman karate or something similar to tekkai he had chances of escape.

Ok let's just rest for now. I will observe my situation more to find some loose points. Then I can make some plans.

With these thoughts Max fell asleep.

Next day Max woke up with bundle of nerves as some one just poured a bucket of cold water on him. He saw a guard of celestial dragon was staring at him.

Guard said. "Move boy, Saint Donquixote Mjosgard wants to see all of his slaves."

I stood up hurriedly, with bit of excitement maybe, cause this was the first time I can actually saw the outside world. The guards gathered all the slaves belongs to Saint Mjosgard and then we were pushed outside like some cattles.

As light fell over my eyes for the first time, I squinted my eyes and slowly opened them. Then I saw one of the most beautiful place ever, just that people working as slaves ruined everything that looks beautiful about this place.

From the paved roads our group of slaves went to see that ugly celestial dragon from yesterday. And he was sitting leisurely, sipping some tea.

'How envious', I thought in my heart. A guard reported that all the slaves belongs to him were here.

He then turned his head towards the slaves. The look of contempt and disgust was clear in his eyes. Some new slaves gritted their teeth but old slaves didn't had much reaction. They were used to beating and torture. Most of them already submitted to fate and few narcissistic people even enjoy that kind of torture.

Saint Mjosgard walked towards us. He told one of his guards to bring a decorated box. After that, he opened the box and I saw something very familiar in it. A devil fruit.

Saint Mjosgard then said in tempting voice attracting everyone's attention: "I'll give this devil fruit to the person who will win in upcoming royal fight. I've placed a bet with Saint Charles, that this year someone from my slaves will win in yearly royal arena fights. If someone from you guys won really, I'll give this devil fruit as a reward. This devil fruit was not recorded in devil fruit encyclopaedia. Some king from North blue had send this devil fruit as gift to me. He said in message that this devil fruit was found in old labyrinth below his castle. From the patterns it was concluded that it's a paramecia type devil fruit."

Saint Mjosgard wants to build some momentum in his slaves. Although he had an ugly looking face but he surely was a smart person. He knew that usually slaves didn't put much effort in fights. As most of them had lost their will to live after suffering from torchere for long time. So to motivate them, sweet deals like these were given.

I was also interested in that devil fruit so I took a peek from behind the wall of people. The devil fruit was big corn shaped, red and blue in colour and had upward wave like twisting patterns.

Shape of that devil fruit was very attractive. Many slaves had greed in there eyes. They thought, that maybe this devil fruit will become the key of escape from this hell hole. And for some reason I was also really got attracted towards this devil fruit.

I had doubts that if Saint Mjosgard was just a little bit educated, he would've recognised the helix pattern on the devil fruit. They were very similar to the DNA structure. If he knew, maybe he would never promised to give this devil fruit to anyone. Or maybe he already knew, and just wanted to renege later on his promise after fight. I've decided to get that devil fruit at any cost. I had a gut feeling, that this devil fruit was very powerful. Even matching shock shock fruit or soul soul fruit of White beard and Big Mom.

Saint Mjosgard then said again "the fight will happen 2 months later. 50 slaves from each noble will be participating in the Royal arena. Including me, there were 9 other nobles. So 500 slaves will be participating in Royal fight."

"Good food will be given to all of those who will participate in the match for the next two months, so that they can perform well. Anyone who wants to participate just need to rise their hand right now, to show that you want to participate."

I hurriedly rose my hand, so does many new slaves. But most of the old slaves just stood on the spot lifelessly.

After getting count of 50. He clapped his hands and signalled the guards to take these slaves back to some good cells.

"From now on, feed these slaves well and also settle them in good cells." He ordered his guards.

After that every thing happened according to the orders of Saint Mjosgard. Many of the slave were just satisfied that atleast they'll got some good food for next two months. But I was worried. From the beginning, I had a bad hunch. Something was really wrong here. Those old slaves, after hearing about the fight, they didn't even flinched a bit. Why?

That night when most of the slaves were asleep. I walked near the door of my cage and saw another slave who was locked opposite to my cell. He was performing various exercises silently.

I asked him in hushed voice " hay, hay big brother over there."

He turned his head towards me. Noticing a face of 12 to 13 years old kid, he relaxed his guard and said " what do you want brat, can't you see I am quite busy."

" Big brother, I just want to ask about all this fiasco of royal fight that will be held in two months. From the way you were working out like no tomorrow, it looks like you were caught before me. Can you tell me something about the situation." I said while mustering my best smile.

After glancing for awhile in my direction, he sighed in some pity. Seeing the face of a smiley child, some how made him remembered a deceased family member. " Brat, just pray that you can survive this whole ordeal."

I asked in somewhat worried voice " Is it going to be that dangerous."

He stopped his exercise and walked closer to the door of his cell, sat down near the door and said ."Royal arena includes all kind of races like fishmen, minks, Giants and worst type of pirates and criminals. There were even ferocious animals who won't flinch to bite people in small pieces and cut a person with claws evenly. Just pray that you will be in single piece after this arena match." He said while feeling depressed.

He said again in frosty voice."Celestial dragons doesn't care if they send children, woman or elderly in arena. They only want to see the massacre and blood. For them, we were nothing more then comodities that they could buy and replace any time."

My whole face went pale. I knew that the arena fights of celestial dragons were not that simple. And after getting confirmation from someone who was imprisoned here long before me. I knew that it's going to be a fight of survival for me.