The plan.

''Take them with us!?'' Jingfei exclaims.

''Yes.'' David responds nonchalantly.

''How?'' She asks, having calmed down a bit.

''We build a floating society.'' David explains.

''Self-sustained and made for the benefit of the people.''

''...You're crazy.'' A sly grin forms on the woman's face.

''How are we gonna do it?'' She asks.

''First we convince as any people as possible to come with us to take down pirates, helping them become stronger along the way.''

''Then we set up a base somewhere around the sabaody archipelago and let them hunt freely.''

''That sounds like a nice plan and all, but... How do we convince them?''

''It won't be that hard.'' David convinces.

''If you say so...''

They sit in silence for a few seconds before David asks another question.

''How long is it until Luffy declares war on the world government?''

''T-Three days, I think...''

''Good.''

[Then we still have time.]

''Give me one Sp.''

''Huh? Why?''

''I need to buy a skill.''

''Are you sure...?''

''Just hurry up and give it to me.''

''Yes...''

[Gift! received 1 Sp from Jingfei Liu!]

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

[Bought: {Leadership/LV.1} for 100 Sp.]

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

''Status!''

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Name: David Baird

Condition: Both arms broken(Shattered), Broken left ribs(3), Slight bleeding(Healing), Fatigue, Happy, Confident, Hopeful.

Hp: 62%

Affinities: (Skills), (Learning), (Understanding), (Brawling).

Sp: 0

Skills: {Stab/LV.10(UP)} {Danger sense/LV.5(UP)} {Basic gun mastery/LV.5} {Basic footwork/LV.MAX} {Basic knife mastery/LV.7} {Mental tolerance/LV.7(UP)} {Kick/LV.7} {Thick skin/LV.7(UP)} {Basic climbing/LV.MAX} {Basic stitching/LV.MAX} {Sense weak point/LV.6(UP)} {Killing blow/LV.5} {Run/LV.10} {Slash/LV.12} {Trolls body/LV.MAX} {Sniper's intuition/LV.3} {Enhanced eyesight/LV.5(UP)} {Spear throwing mastery/LV.6(UP)} {Leap/LV.2} {Throwing/LV.7(UP)} {Strengthen Legs/LV.MAX} {Strengthen organs/LV.MAX} {Strengthen arms/LV.MAX} {Strengthen neck/LV.MAX} {Vampiric traits/LV.MAX} {Weight lifting/LV.10} {Training mastery/LV.9} {Strong body/LV.MAX} {Basic spear mastery/LV.9} {Basic axe mastery/LV.9} {Basic halberd mastery/LV.10} {Hero's legacy/LV.3(UP)} {Brute force/LV.3(UP)} {Devour/LV.4(UP)} {Swimming/LV.3(UP)} {Leadership/LV.1(NEW)}.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

{Leadership/LV.1}

Gives you greater proficiency in the art of leading others.

Increases your empathy.

Increases your willpower.

Increases your charm.

Gives you insight into the true nature of leadership.

Currently providing:

S: [Small willpower boost], L: [N/A], U: [N/A].

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

David puts most of the stored power in devour into strength and a small amount into regeneration.

''Now, let's go talk to the people. Give them a speech to rile them up or something.''

David and Jingfei walk out of the captain's quarters and see Tommy fiddling with the chest they got earlier.

''Hey Tommy! You making any progress?'' David calls out.

''Yes, but it's very tricky...'' Tommy responds.

''Hmm... Well, good luck!''

After that they walk in front of all of the temporary shelter they set up and get everyone's attention.

''Hello everybody! I am here to offer you an opportunity.'' He says to the people gathered.

The people look up towards him in surprise.

''To put it simply, I need crew.''

''If you decide to follow along you will face great danger, but also gain great strength.''

''I want to hunt down all of the four emperors.'' David declares.

''...!''

''Crazy...!''

''What? Don't think I can do it?''

''You think you can!? They're the rulers of the sea!'' A man in the crowd yells out.

''Well, there's no way I could do it... If I didn't have a secret weapon.''

'A secret weapon that can take down all four emperors...? This guy must be dreaming...'

''After all, This girl standing beside me can see the future!''

''...You expect us to believe that?''

The crowd remains unconvinced.

''I don't need you to believe me, I'll prove it.''

''...''

''My associate has predicted that in three days, the future pirate king will declare war on the world government.''

''...!''

''If you remain unconvinced, just wait three days and we'll see what happens.''

''Otherwise, if you wish to join me on my quest we'll be recruiting people down at the pier.''

''As for your housing...''

David then proceeds to explain all that they will do with the ones that stay and the ones that will follow before going back to his quarters.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

~3 days later~

What once was a burned mess is now a... Not as burning mess. The crew and townsfolk tried their hardest to rebuild the town but the most they could manage was to rebuild some houses for people to live in.

As the townspeople are building away, some newspapers come falling from the sky.

"Notourious pirate: "Straw Hat Luffy" and crew, declare WAR on the world government!"

"300,000,000 Bounty!"

''Huh!?''

''Was that guy telling the truth?''

''...Future pirate king...''

The townspeople look at the papers in total shock before moving back to rebuilding the town.

~Meanwile...~

''...Tomorrow huh...'' David says to himself, sitting with his feet up on the recruitment desk.

[Your arms should be healed, you don't have to worry.]

'...'

[You really should give up that foolish idea of yours!] The voice exclaims.

'...'

[It's a god you're up against! If he wished he could erase this entire planet with a mere thought!]

'...Then, what should I do?'

[You know what you have to do.]

'...'

*Stomp!*

*Stomp!*

'Here they come...'

A smile slowly creeps its way up onto David's face.

''David-sama... As the village head I am here to inform that we, as a community, have decided to join you on your quest.''

''Great! Hey, Tommy!''

Tommy runs to side of the ship and looks down at David.

''Divide these people into four groups and put one on each ship!''

David then points to the village head and another, strong looking man.

''You, and you. You two will now become captains.'' He decides.

''Huh!? No no no... Wait just a minute here...!'' The village head shouts back in surprise.

''Don't sweat it, old man.'' David responds, then jumps back onto his ship.

''...''

Tommy looks over at him with an annoyed expression before walking down and completing his orders.

In the meantime, David walks down to where they keep all their prisoners.

'...So these two really don't have a bounty huh?' He thinks to himself while looking at Urouge and Apoo.

Apoo looks back with an angry expression, a mask covering his mouth while Urouge looks back with his usual smile.

'What should I do with them? Punching bags?' He thinks to himself.

[I have a use for them, though it's not profitable for now...]

'I knew I could rely on you! What is it?' David responds, excited.

[You could present them as an offering to a god.] The voice explains.

'Huh? But you know-'

[Not sacrifice. Offering. Gods are always looking to expand their forces.]

[If you offer them they will give you something in return for their souls.]

'Hoh? Like what?'

[Weapons, power, skills, you name it. As long as you're offering enough.]

[Just these two... They are to weak to spend time on, foot soldiers at best. You will receive something in return but... It won't be worth the cost of the ritual.]

'Hmm... So I'll just keep them for later...' He thinks to himself before leaving.

''Status!''

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Name: David Baird

Condition: Both arms broken(Healing), Anxious, Worried.

Hp: 95%

Affinities: (Skills), (Learning), (Understanding), (Brawling).

Sp: 32

Skills: {Stab/LV.10} {Danger sense/LV.5} {Basic gun mastery/LV.5} {Basic footwork/LV.MAX} {Basic knife mastery/LV.7} {Mental tolerance/LV.7} {Kick/LV.9(UP)} {Thick skin/LV.8(UP)} {Basic climbing/LV.MAX} {Basic stitching/LV.MAX} {Sense weak point/LV.6} {Killing blow/LV.5} {Run/LV.10} {Slash/LV.12} {Trolls body/LV.MAX} {Sniper's intuition/LV.3} {Enhanced eyesight/LV.5} {Spear throwing mastery/LV.6} {Leap/LV.2} {Throwing/LV.7} {Strengthen Legs/LV.MAX} {Strengthen organs/LV.MAX} {Strengthen arms/LV.MAX} {Strengthen neck/LV.MAX} {Vampiric traits/LV.MAX} {Weight lifting/LV.10} {Training mastery/LV.9} {Strong body/LV.MAX} {Basic spear mastery/LV.9} {Basic axe mastery/LV.9} {Basic halberd mastery/LV.10} {Hero's legacy/LV.3} {Brute force/LV.3} {Devour/LV.6(UP)} {Swimming/LV.3} {Leadership/LV.2(UP)}.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

'Soon...'

[...]

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

As the night rolls around the entire crew sets up a feast in the middle of the ruined town.

''To our saviors! Banzai!''

Everyone but David clinks their glasses together and drink.

''It wasn't much...'' Jingfei responds with a blushed face.

''Hey sis, can you read my future?'' A man sitting on the other side of the table asks excitedly.

''T-That's...!'' She says in a fuzz.

*Smack!*

''How rude!'' The woman sitting next to him smacks him in the face.

''Yeah, come on man... She should read mine first!'' A man nearby yells back with a smile.

''...''

Everyone looks at him in disbelief.

Meanwhile, David looks at his plastered up arms.

He stands up.

Everybody looks over in respect.

David turns around and jumps up into the air.

Everybody looks on with a confused expression.

*Smash!*

He smashes both of his arms into the road below, cracking open his casts.

''...!''

Everybody looks on in disbelief.

He does a few stretches, then sits down and fills his cup with beer.

''To my arms!'' David yells out, loud enough that everyone can hear.

Everyone looks at each other in surprise and confusion.

''T-To his arms! Banzai!''

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

After the partying is finished, David sits down on his deck, his back against the side, looking up at the sky.

''Hey.'' Jingfei says and takes a seat beside him.

''Hi.'' David responds.

They both look up into the sky with worried expressions.

Jingfei breaks the silence.

''So it's tomorrow huh...''

''Yup...'' David responds, taking another sip of his beer.

They look at the sky together for a few more seconds before looking at each other.

''We might not see each other again...'' Jingfei says, looking right into David's eyes.

''...'' David looks back with a serious expression.

''I-I don't want to die a virgin...'' Her face reddens and she looks down into the ground.

David moves closer and touches her cheek lightly.

She looks back in surprise.

''You're beautiful...'' David says before kissing her neck.

''D-David...''

He picks her up and carries her into the captains quarters.

...To be continued.