Trip to the village of pines.

At this moment, the situation between the commoners and the nobility is at its peak. The King of Fosstres is attending an annual meeting in the Animal Kingdom, discussing maritime policies in the East Blue. The major issues revolve around the increased demand for Celestial Gold over the last eighteen years. Both the Marines and the World Government are playing power games, each wanting their share without obvious consideration for the economies of the kingdoms. During this era of piracy, more towns, kingdoms, and cities have vanished than in the past 800 years, with both the Marines and pirates bearing the brunt.

-The previous king was noble and dedicated to his people. His son has continued this commitment, but there have been problems, and the atmosphere in the kingdom continues to decline, - Axel said.

-So, it's clear. I'll go with Ussop and Lia to look for Deuce in the village of Los Pinos, - Axel decided.

-Mooooo, but Captain, my place is by your side, - Agatha protested.

-True, but you and Kuro will keep an eye on the situation in the Kingdom of Fosstres. It has been said that when the king arrives, the tribute demanded by the king will be paid. Poverty is already palpable, and the discontent of the city will lead to some dangers, - Axel explained.

Agatha pouted; she didn't like staying on the ship.

-You can still visit the clothing stores, - Axel said, handing her 40,000 berries.

-I'll take it, - Agatha said, pocketing the money stolen from Axel's hands.

-My dear queen, we need a travel lunchbox, enough for at least a day's journey. Before you go shopping, don't forget to practice your Devil Fruit skills, - Axel reminded her, checking her status.

...

Agatha's Stats:

Physical: 180. Mind: 203. Skills:

Basic Staff.

Basic Cooking 94%.

Devil Fruit: Logia of liquid type sap 8%.

...

She has had a very similar state for a month, and only her cooking skill has advanced almost to an intermediate level, - Axel thought.

-All right, I'll cook some bentos for you to take. I had something prepared any way, - Agatha said as she ran to the kitchen, followed by Tashigi.

-AHHHHH... what a relief to have some downtime, - Kuro said, sipping a glass of wine, his smug smile directed at Ussop, who was itching to punch him.

With the vicious Kuro and the blue queen, this ship wouldn't fall. It had been two days since the Animal Kingdom's grand meeting and the arrival of royalty. It could only cause collective panic among the citizens. The current king of the country is 17 years old, following the untimely death of his father, who bequeathed the kingdom and authority to be the official administrator, without the maneuvers of a regent. However, unforeseen difficulties were thwarted by the creation of three political poles disrupting the country's order.

The present attitudes range from misunderstanding by the royal family to severe affront by the uncle and his sons. Thirdly, the secretary in charge resigned and has been squandering wealth and money that was never suspected to be in his hands.

-So, you're the swordswoman, - Ussop said.

-Yes. Axel defeated my swordsmanship, and that's one of the reasons why I ended up joining, - Tashigi said.

-And you don't have any strange powers, - Ussop asked.

-None, I just dedicate myself to swordsmanship. Axel has even taught me some skills that have helped polish my kendo. Although I'm still improving, I've felt progress compared to my former self, - she smiled.

-By the way, is Deuce a good guy? - Tashigi inquired.

-He is. I just wasn't persistent enough to keep him, and I caused him to leave, - Ussop lamented.

They boarded a small boat that sailed upstream, two kilometers from the village of Los Pinos. It was a wide and deep river that traversed half of the large island, with different smaller paths leading to various drains or disappearing into lagoons. The Pina Island was part of a lagoon crossed by several pine trees that provided considerable shelter. The strange and unfriendly atmosphere of the village only generated anxiety in Ussop as he entered the town for the moment.

-I think we forgot something, - Tashigi said.

-It's alright; we'll ask around the taverns, and maybe we'll get some answers, - Axel replied.

The rain was unbearable—heat and rain alternating every half hour in an unbearable climate. The constant humidity made breathing difficult after any physical activity. Tashigi's physique wasn't suitable for fighting in such uncomfortable environments, but this would provide training and kickstart the development of her skills.

-Alright, we'll wait for you in the shade. Don't take too long; lunch will be ready, - Ussop said. He sat on a wooden porch with two wooden tables, resembling a communal area. Lunch, prepared by Agatha, had improved considerably, and the curry rice revealed a hunger-inducing aroma, along with potatoes in oil and meat skewers. It was a celestial meal.

The village seemed to have suffered from a bandit attack, terrorizing the entire downstream riverbank, leaving two villages in a helpless state, Mrs. Mako explained.

-Mako?- Tashigi asked.

-An old lady who has a dango shop, - Axel informed Ussop and Lia. He took a seat next to Tashigi. The day had been long enough, and Deuce was still lost in oblivion. Axel now saw his encounter in this kingdom as a complicated matter.

-We have to help these citizens who suffer the punishment of bandits, - Lia declared, her cheerful appearance turning serious as she observed the state of the village.

-Let's rest for the day. Later, we'll deal with the bandits. This is your new goal, Lia. I hope to see you defeat all the bandits on your own. Ussop will provide cover from a distance, - Axel instructed.

-Yes, - Tashigi agreed.

Mrs. Mako allowed them to stay in the small garden of her house. They slept under the porch light, a small charcoal stove roasting marshmallows.

-Wow, this is delicious. The cookie and the marshmallow elevate the flavor to another level, - Lia said, blushing with pleasure.

-Yes, since Axel came to the village, I've tried all kinds of mixes that are delicious, - Ussop said, joyfully munching on marshmallows in cookies.

The morning was clear, and the rainy day was forgotten. In the daylight, Axel found that the humidity had disappeared with the weather from the previous day. According to the villagers, two men arrived in the morning, carrying pistols. They would take a stroll through the village, ask for information about any changes, and leave without causing trouble. They demanded a tax from those who wanted to leave the village, and the villagers didn't yet know how they detected travelers.

As Mrs. Mako mentioned, two guys arrived, one with tan skin, a pointed nose, and brown hair, wearing a sleeveless blue shirt with a helmet of the same color. The other wore a yellow headscarf, but for the most part, they seemed like uniformed individuals.

Tashigi unsheathed her sword and shouted, - Halt, villain! Your days of bothering these citizens are over. Draw your swords; I'll fight you head-on.-

-Oh, a young lady wants to face us, Kimmel, - the one with the blue helmet said.

-That's right, Halsey - Kimmel responded. - We don't want trouble. I hope you understand. We're pirates, and we won't stop. Our skills are among the best in our crew; you might get hurt if I act, - Kimmel said proudly.

-It doesn't matter. I'll prove my beliefs to you, - Tashigi said, unsheathing her sword.

Kimmel observed Tashigi up close and sighed.

Both pirates drew their swords and smiled bravely. They performed a basic strike from above, putting their strength into the cut. Tashigi evaded both strikes and counterattacked with a blow to Halsey's body, who failed to dodge it, resulting in a scratch on his chest that oozed a thin stream of blood.

Upon witnessing the attack on Halsey, Kimmel screamed. After a moment of paralysis, he released his sword. Seeing that Kimmel, who was more powerful than him, lost in an instant, and the two guys behind him, he decided to surrender to the woman.

-How cowardly, - Ussop provocatively said from a distance.

Kimmel wore an unfriendly expression, not understanding why he surrendered to the numerical superiority of the enemy. He was a fighter, but his life came first—Kimmel thought, adjusting his hat.

-Where are your comrades? - Axel asked Kimmel, who was sitting on the ground.

-Haha, our comrades are very powerful individuals. I hope you understand you'll regret attacking us. Our captain is not someone to be trifled with, - Kimmel said.

-Very well, let's see this captain of yours, - Ussop said.

Tashigi raised her sword as a sign of command, and Kimmel could only pick up his companions.

He carried his comrade on his shoulder and arrived at a small boat, tied to one of the nearest pines in the lagoon. Crossing the waters was not long; they reached the other side, and in about ten minutes, they reached a giant canvas camp. A large blue bird soared in the sky, and two individuals sat at a table playing cards. One wore a gray bandana and a vibrant red jacket, and the other wore a yellow scarf and hat with brown hair.

The man with the hat intoned calmly, - So Simurgh was poking around these guys. Tell me, Kimmel, do you know it's forbidden to bring outsiders here right now? Gad and the captain went to the capital. Our contract is about to be fulfilled, and you should know the captain won't tolerate mistakes, - he finished saying.

-Din, these guys are powerful. I'll bear the responsibility, - Kimmel said.

-Well, I think it's impolite to ignore us like this, - Axel said. He unsheathed his sword, pointing it at Din, who seemed considerably more powerful than the pirates they had faced.

-Tashigi, these guys are different. Take care of the one with the gray bandana, - Axel said, pointing to a guy at the back who had a mask and a handlebar mustache. His long arms took a karate stance.

-Oh, how arrogant, saying you can take care of us. We are the Simon Pirates, and both Zabal and I have bounties of 20 million berries, - Din said.

-Oh, only twenty million? Well, you should bring your captain if you want a chance, - Axel said, even more arrogantly.

-Given your words and inability to engage in civilized conversation, it's better to get down to business, - Din said, the guy with the yellow scarf and hat.

Simurgh screeched from the air.

He descended from the sky and pulled out a one-handed shotgun along with a long dagger. Running at a visible speed, simultaneously, the bluebird attacked from behind. Axel dodged the peck at his back, followed by a shotgun blast. He didn't manage to Soru in time and could only breathe, intoning, "Water Wheel."

A powerful marine current surged from his sword in a circular shot, managing to hit all three bullets fired from the shotgun. Axel saw Din shooting.

Din is the guy from the Secret Island video game; if that's the case, Simon, their captain, has the Logia-type Paper-Paper Fruit. A force to be reckoned with.

Din's short dagger attacks continued in harmony with aerial strikes from behind and timed attacks with the shotgun and short daggers. The next attack was a mixture of moves: first, a dagger strike, followed by an attack from Simurgh, and then a gunshot.

It was a perfect fight. The bird covered its weaknesses while the shotgun delivered a high-impact attack without having to engage in close combat. Even though its strength was not similar to Axel's, it was above average, a well-deserved bounty.

-Dance of the Currents, - the simultaneous swinging of a marine current, fluid in a circular motion, almost like a rattlesnake dancing in S-shaped circles—the third form of the Water Breath.

The first cut was directed at the bluebird, which spread its wings to prevent the blow with its wings extended. It ascended to the sky, feeling the next rifle attack, moving into the third position again and dodging the blow. It managed to perform a Soru.

Axel buried his sword in Din's stomach, and blood spurted out. The fine cut didn't pierce any vital points, but the reflex of pain was visible in Din as he raised his rifle for another desperate point-blank shot, not giving time for Axel's new move. He let go of his sword and, with his hand, pushed his gun to the left, hitting Simurgh, who roared in pain.

-Simmurgh! - Din screamed. Impotent, he removed the blade from his stomach, staining his hands with blood, only to fall to the ground after the sword blow.

In the distance, Tashigi was beaten and winded, breathing deeply. Ussop was on the ground, unconscious. He had a Kenpo style with palm strikes combined with a sword, seemingly targeting Tashigi's weakest points, as shown by Tashigi's hanging arm. A dislocation or a precise strike on a specific nerve.

-Kukukuku, - he laughed.

-The great Zabal is fierce; you won't win with that poor sword style, - Zabal said.

Axel disappeared and placed the sword at his neck, like a guillotine, preventing him from escaping after imprisoning him.

-I think it's better to leave it here, - Axel said.

-Dinnn, - Zabal shouted.

-At this moment, he's bleeding out with his bird, - Axel replied.

-Oh, you defeated Din, - Zabal said in surprise.

He threw an elbow at Axel's back to try to break free from his first blow. Axel dodged the hit and countered with a strong kick to the spine.

-Alright, I get it, we surrender, - Zabal said, sweating.

...

Link status.

Ding.

You have defeated Din, Zabel, and Simmurgh.

You have received 100 experience points.

You have received a metal chest for defeating Simmurgh.

You have received a metal chest for defeating Zabel.

You have received a shiny steel chest for defeating Din.

...

Quite pleasant. Only twenty points left to reach level 4, Axel thought, checking his status.

...

You have opened metal chests. You gained an understanding of Soru. Your Soru has improved by 10%.

You have opened a metal chest. You gained a wild card.

You have opened a shiny steel chest. You gained an understanding of aquatic stances 4 and 5.

...

It seems that improving Soru is the flat way to develop the skill, involving constant use. I practically gained experience in its use and polished the details. I think I'm 0.2 seconds faster than before, Axel thought, reviewing his status.

-God, how annoying, - Zabal muttered, carrying Simmurg and Din.

-Can you heal Tashigi's arm? - Axel asked Zabel.

-Yes, - a precise hit in the middle of Tashigi's arm gave her new mobility to the tired limb, almost to the point of fainting.

-What are you doing, Axel? I don't need you to carry me, - Tashigi said nervously, feeling Axel's arms around her waist. She carried Ussop like a sack and sat on the previous card table, watching Zabal give medical instructions to Din and Simmurgh.

Seeing Axel's refusal, Tashigi buried her head in Axel's chest.

-What are the Simon Pirates doing in the Kingdom of Fosstres?- Axel asked.

-It's none of your business. The boss is the one planning everything. We have a contract with the king of this kingdom, - Zabel said.

-The king of this kingdom, the one rumored to be noble and pure, - Axel said.

-Yes. -

-And the day after tomorrow, you'll make the move, - Axel said.

-Yes, the boss is waiting for us the day after tomorrow in the capital to fulfill the contract, - Zabal said, only to feel a slight blow to his head that left him unconscious.

-Damn, I should have waited for them to reach the camp, - Axel said, looking at the tent 50 meters away.

-Come on, I'll take you first, - Axel said, taking Tashigi and Ussop in a quick trot.

-What will you do with those villains? - Lia asked.

-Nothing special. Although they may look like evildoers, they're not. They're victims of circumstances, and their captain is probably the bad one. The fear reflected in their members is enough to see the kind of captain he is, - Axel said.

-They deserve to be punished for their deeds, - Tashigi said.

-Everyone deserves to pay for their guilt, but if you can help a person be good, and straighten their path, would you do it? - Axel asked.

-I don't know, - Lia said, getting off Axel to sit on a stool nearby. She was bruised from the battle against Zabal.

-Think about it, Lia. There will even be times when we're unable to help people who are suffering. We just have to wait for the opportunity to assist, - Axel said.

Running for Din and Simmurgh, who was the most injured, and then for Zabal, in three trips, Axel could carry all three enemies. - Make a mild disinfectant for Simmurgh's wounds. I'll take care of bandaging Din, - Axel said.

-Yes, - Lia said.

...

.

another chapter, I'm going twenty chapters ahead. patreon.com/vin_modeus12

any suggestions about devil fruits and possible crew members? at the moment I started this story I had the idea of creating a very powerful crew.

I still want to make a very powerful crew, with characters that have potential but were lost in the series or didn't give everything they had to give.

you have no idea that Whitebeard's crew, will be hidden in training, planning to take revenge on Blackbeard