... Hunting

"What's your name?", a young girl with freckles and a missing tooth asked me as we were on the ship taking us to the island. She had short, messy light hair with prominent bangs around her face. She wore a light sleeveless shirt, dark shorts, and light shoes. I met them a few days ago, after being shoved onto another ship. When I say them I mean her, a boy her age and then something that I can only assume is a boy ... but I'm not sure. No matter my wisdom, I can't tell. It's like the sex of this person, has been changed or is constantly changing for some reason. 

"Gautama. Gautama Siddharta. But you can call me Sid. What about you three?", I ask them. I am interested to know why four children would be together to get to that island that I was told about. Maybe we are supposed to be brainwashed or maybe a genocide? 

"I'm Ginny. The silent one is Kuma and this is Ivankov. So are you a slave too? Where were you being kept?", Ginny seemed like a positive person. That was good, you need that if you don't want to grow insane. 

"I'm not a slave."

"What? Then ... what are you doing on this ship?", Ginny asked me confused.

"I was being experimented on, on some island for the last couple of years and before that, I was in Mary Geoise where some deranged Noble wanted to make me scream for some reason."

"..."

"... so .. you were a slave then."

"No, I was never a slave."

"I don't understand what you're saying. It sure sounds like being a slave for sure."

"You're wrong missy. Being a slave is a matter of mentality. If you call yourself a slave you accept the notion that you are beneath someone else and that he or she has all the power over you. Slavery is a mentality many never get out of. No one has power over me. I was never a slave."

They didn't understand what I was saying but it seemed like they were interested. Especially Kuma, I could tell. All of them were interested in what I had to say. I told them about some of my experiences and they were horrified. They didn't have to experience things like that. I doubt they could survive something like that anyway. As I said it is a mental problem and not a physical one. 

"So do you know where we're going? Apparently, I was supposed to get to some island, where they would probably try to kill me in some way. But now that I see you three, I guess there is more to it than meets the eye.", I say.

"We know ...", Ginny said.

The air in the room seemed to plummet when I reminded them what was going to happen. I guess they know what that is, so I ask again.

"Will you tell me?"

"Ve're going to Vest Blue. An island called ... God Valley.", Ivankov said. 

"Aha. I must say these names are ridiculous. They couldn't be farther away from godhood but still ... ridiculous. And what are we going to do there?"

"There is something going to happen that they call ' Native Hunting Competition'. It means that there are people that will hunt the native population of an island and ... kill them all."

"What?!", I say and for the first time in my life, I'm angry. Proper anger. "These pathetic meat sacks dare!"

"Wait Sid-san. Did you say that they are going to 'try' and kill you? What do you mean by that?", Ginny asked me. 

"What that means is that I am now ready to leave and start my journey. I'm now almost 8 years old and it is time for me to leave this boring place and see what this world has to offer."

"... Are you serious?", Ivankov asked me, "No one escapes from the World Government. It's impossible."

"Eh, who cares? Then I'll just be the first one. Haha, we'll just force our way out then."

"We?", Kuma asks with a whisper.

"What do you have something better to do?"

"N-no, b-but h-how are w-we going-"

"Kuma my friend relax. Things come as they should. When I say we will leave this boring place, then we will. We'll just have to contact someone from outside. Aren't there these Den Den Mushis? We should use that. Maybe record them as they talk about it. Yeah, that could work.", I say.

"Hm, that is not a bad idea, buru. Ve could lure some pirates here if ve're lucky and then flee in the chaos.", Ivankov thought out loud. 

"You think it could work?", Ginny asked with the smallest flicker of hope. 

"Sure. I mean with a powerful group like ours, there's no way it won't.", I say as I smile and lie on my back waiting for the right time to leave.

.

.

"Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for your patience! Remember, this event only takes place once every three years! Don't miss your chance to take part!! It's the 'Native Cleansing Festival'!! The venue chosen this time ... is this non-government-affiliated country! They call it ...

... God Valley!"

"Whoa!!" "Whoa!"

"This blasphemous name was given to the island as it has an abundance of natural resources! The World Government has just annexed this land ... so it can be the site of our traditional human hunt!", the Celestial Dragon announced to his fellow worms.

"How selfish can you be?! You want to slaughter our citizens for sport?! Have you lost your minds?! This is our country!!", the king of God Valley screamed. But just as he finished saying that, a sabre sliced his neck and killed him.

"Oh my!! Hold your horses, Saint Garling!! You've gone and started before the buzzer!! In a shocking twist, the king of the natives has already been slain! As a penalty for starting the hunt early, Saitn Garling shall be docked 10'000 points!! What a blow for one of the predicted front-runners!"

"I need a handicap like that to keep things interesting.", Garling said as he sheathed his sabre again.

"To spruce up the proceedings, we have arranged to add some additional game to be hunted down alongside the antivs. These slaves are all notorious troublemakers and sinners!! Once they're released, we'll chase them down like wild rabbits!!"

"There are 150 rare 'rabbits' to hunt down!! That's not to mention the 13 super rare ones! Each of those is worth 10'000 points a piece! Remember, single-hit kills will also earn you a skill bonus! We've prepared extravagant prizes for the winners of this prestigious event!"

. 

Ginny, Ivankov, Kuma and I were together and proceeding with our plan. We knew that the best way to leave here was to cause a distraction. And that would come in the form of pirates. 

"The tournament prizes are the key to our escape.", Ginny explained.

"The prizes?"

"One of them is in the strongest class of devil fruits! If you eat it it'll allow you to transform into an azure dragon!! They've also got the paw-paw fruit, which can be used to blast yourself and others to distant islands!!", she said.

"If any of us can eat one of those fruits, Ve vill escape this hell and the navy's siege!! There are only a dozen of us, but ve can do this!", Ivankov said.

"Ivankov is right. We will use the greed of pirates and their arrogance to our advantage and strike the iron while it's hot. The noble wimps will mostly have to be saved by the Marines except a few who are powerful, like Garling. So don't worry, we'll surely get out of here.", I say and manage to lift the spirit of quite a few.

"How are we going to get to the prizes? They are kept at the very centre of the island."

"I'm a pro thief and wiretapper! Two weeks back, when we were on the boat and met Sid, I stole a Den Den Mushi and leaked this info to the outside world. It is sure to get someone's attention! A plan like this needs plenty of decoys running around, after all!", Ginny explained. 

.

A short while later, pandemonium was spreading across the island. The first to make landfall were the Rocks Pirates. The second one were the Roger Pirates. It was getting chaotic and using this chance, Ivankov and Kuma managed to sneak in and steal both of the devil fruits. I at this time had another idea. There was something I had to do and I would make sure that I did. I still had a tète-â-tète with Figarland Garling. 

I found a pretty cool weapon in the same place where the devil fruits were. And I feel like it was made for me to have. It looks like an oversized prayer wheel in the form of a staff. Don't know how I know what this is, but for some reason, I just know this is the weapon for me. 

The fighting was brutal and the 'God's Knights' were busy dealing with the crews of both the Rock's pirates and the Roger pirates. And there seems to be something going on that I don't know about. The Captain of the Roger Pirates, Gol D. Roger, is fighting side by side with Marine Vice-Admiral Monkey D. Garp. And together they're fighting Rocks D. Xebec. I don't know what the thing with the D. is but it sounds important. Why these pirates are fighting each other ... I have no idea and don't care either way. 

I watch as Figarland is currently fighting another swordsman from the Roger Pirates. I believe his name is Rayleigh, Silvers Rayleigh the Vice Captain of the Roger Pirates. They seem to be somewhat equally matched but it looks like there is some difference in this Haki. I have learned about Haki during the time I was experimented on. I think it is very useful and interesting. I will be sure to learn it as soon as I can. It doesn't look that hard, to be honest. 

.

I made use of another boon I found out about myself. I am completely immune to being perceived by Thinker abilities. Danger senses cannot warn their users of an incoming attack from me. This is pervading enough that I cannot even be perceived by noticing blind spots in their sight, such powers simply acting as if I didn't exist. I found out about this over the years. When I talked to someone, it happened often that he or she was surprised. 

When I found out about Haki, especially Kenbunshoku Haki, I was curious whether or not, it worked against them as well. And I believe that it does. And I will use this right now. I observe the fight between Reileigh and Figarland for a while. I can tell that there is another thing going on. It feels like ... their wills are clashing. I am getting more and more interested. This can only be Haki as well. 

I watch and then I attack. 

At the perfect moment, after feeling the flow of their battle, I rush towards them. Figarland has to take a step back, due to the attack Reileigh just did and I take this window. I rush at him from his blind spot, jump in the air and then swing my staff at Figarland's head with all of my strength. Reileigh notices me but doesn't do anything as he probably understands my intention. 

*BAANG*

The head of my staff, which is far too big for me, smashes into Figarland's head. 

*Crack*

A loud crack is heard and blood flies everywhere. My strength is not weak. Since I was one year old, every year, my strength has doubled. I was now 64 times as strong as when I was first bought at the Human Auction. And given the weakened state and the fact that I was practically invisible, I managed to deal quite a bit of damage.

"That's for treating human life like trash.", I say. I just want to attack again and finish this prick, when a strong hand grabs my shoulder and pulls me out of the way of an attack. I look back and see Reileigh having a smile on his face. 

"Keep your senses sharp, kid."

I nod at him. We fought side by side on this day. Although he had to watch out for me, I made sure to learn as I went. It was not as hard as it looked like. After a long time fighting, we retreated and I ended up on the Roger Pirate's ship.