The Lost Strangers

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Chapter 64: The Lost Strangers

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All the while, Yovan's focus was on the basket of fruits and vegetables, killing seemingly becoming something normal to him.

"Yahahahahahahahahahahahaha!" Yovan picked up a very specific fruit, an odd one. The fruit was blue and strangely spiral in shape, and it was much larger than every other fruit in the basket.

The fruit wasn't in the basket before, or it was, it just transformed into its current form right before his very eyes after Bellamy's death.

'So it does work how I theorized. Do only fruits work? I'll assume so until proven otherwise, but the most important thing is that I can get Devil Fruits by killing their users.'

Indeed, Bellamy the Hyena was a Devil Fruit user before his unfortunate death. Somehow, however, his death resulted in a closeby fruit transforming into a Devil Fruit.

One can naturally assume that the Devil Fruit is actually the one Bellamy ate long ago, but it transferred into the fruit after his Death.

'Not now... There is still time, a little bit less than a month before Aqua Laguna, and a bit more than three months before the end of the countdown.'

He frowned, contemplating a lot of things as he refreshed his memory with his notebook, 'The start of the story will kind of coincide with the end of the countdown... That means I will... Ahh, hard work!'

Yovan took off his earrings, mostly eyeing the moon earring with an amused smile, 'It's interesting, father. We always tried to push ourselves to the edge of death... You slipped. Perhaps I would've too if things continued how they were.'

The places they explored, he and his father, they were deadly. They loved pushing themselves, the adventure was addicting, and it took his father's life.

But Yovan knows. He knows that his father didn't regret a single thing about that. If he slipped and fell from the cliff to visit death, then so be it. At least he moved closer to the edge than any other and survived more than anyone.

'He wanted to survive, and he promised he would survive, but he never meant it. He was doing it fully knowing that any of his trips could be the declaration of his death.'

Yovan flipped over the wings earring, feeling like it was very fitting, 'But while you slipped, I feel like I flew away way too far to the point that death is starting to seem very foreign to me... I will survive...'

He stood up and hid the Devil Fruit somewhere before walking to a relatively hidden place on the Island again.

Ironically enough, it was next to a cliff, and he slipped, allowing himself to fall until he reached a small cave. He then started producing feathers inside, numerous feathers before sending them into the ocean.

What surprised Yovan the most was no Marine hunting him despite not doing much to hide his location, especially after all the chaos he brought to Jaya.

He kind of wanted them to come, but it didn't matter much, so he just continued with his plans.

That wasn't too much of a step down to his plans as it only means he will have to rely on Morgans more, or if even that doesn't work, he will just go a tad bit crazy.

But he had a promise to keep so after a while, he departed from Jaya with his crew, leaving the Island basically empty.

Water 7 wasn't too far, so it didn't take them long to reach it. Even the pressure and the fear of Agua Laguna didn't stop the city's people from gaping at the magnificence of Seizon No Hono.

Some had seen it after it was built. They saw it leave the city, and now it was returning, its destination was Dock One.

"Yo," Yovan nodded, finding Iceburg waiting for him.

"You came back." Iceburg nodded as he side-glanced at Lucci who just exited the Ship along with Kaku, the latter seemed a bit peculiar, not in his usual sunny mood.

"It will happen in two days, right?" Yovan inquired.

"Exactly." Iceburg nodded.

"I'll leave directly after, alright?" Yovan turned his attention to Kalifa and the excited Kaku, "And they'll likely go with me..."

"I won't." Kalifa walked up closer as she said, her words somewhat surprising Yovan.

"You won't?" He sought confirmation.

"I won't. I don't think I'm suitable or worthy of staying in your crew... I'll seek my own way." Her words pretty much told everyone that she won't be going back to working at Gallery-La Company either.

First, Iceburg doesn't want her working there since he suspects her. No, he was certain she was a spy since he already got confirmation just recently. Unfortunately, the confirmation was delivered along with a threat.

So his action of sending her with Yovan was a clear sign of that though he didn't expect her to stay along with Yovan for so long.

Perhaps that would be suspicious if Yovan wasn't such a known monster in Paradise. Whatever they wanted from him was likely related to that.

As for telling Yovan about what he knows? He won't for more reasons than one, the safety of his people was his primary consideration. The threat doesn't allow him that luxury.

Such is the way of the world. Yovan understands that very well, so he wasn't expecting much from anyone, but Kalifa's words still surprised him just as much as they surprised Rob Lucci.

Her actions weren't part of the plan. She was supposed to stay close to him for the eventful plan.

If that wasn't enough, Kaku also joined her, "I won't be going either." It wasn't planned. They didn't agree on this. They both just wanted the same thing.

"Lahahah Luhuhuhu, that's funny! I'm laughing! Laffitte is laughing!" Laffitte couldn't help but let out a loud laugh, sounding like a maniac before settling down, "Can I kill them, Cap?"

Yovan ignored the absolute insanity and killing intent reeking from Laffitte as he intently eyed Kalifa and Kaku, "Sometimes I feel like I want to do things, you know..."

He slowly lifted his hand, summoning something from inside the Ship. It flew from wherever it was hidden, specifically, a cloud of feathers carried it to his hand.

"Kaku, eat it." Yovan threw the strange fruit to him.

Kaku frowned as he caught the Devil Fruit, eyeing it with a weird look before giving Yovan an even weirder look.

However, he did it. He actually ate it without asking any questions, his face turning blue due to its taste, but he held on, stopping himself from puking.

"That's your reward for improving Seizon No Hono, and taking care of it for so long... Good luck."

He then turned his attention to Kalifa, "You were kind of useless, so I really didn't prepare anything for you... Too far? Or not far enough?"

"Kids behavior," Kalifa responded with a straight face.

Yovan lifted his hand as he got closer to her and started to ruffle her tied hair, making it quite messy, "You should let it flow down, and change your grandma-like clothes. Otherwise, you're smart, and you'll know what to do."

"Remember... We always survive, so do not dissapoint." He then gently placed a tiny black box in her hand and turned around, going back into his Ship, leaving a very confused Laffitte. He didn't expect Yovan to act like that at all. He could only watch as they all walked away, leaving him alone with Bege.

"I... What just happened?" Laffitte asked with pure confusion.

"We lost two Strangers, but don't worry about it. Just know that things will happen as predicted, and we'll survive." Bege responded with a mysterious smile as he lit up a cigar.

Yovan kept mostly to himself as time passed, focusing on his training but not forgetting to help Laffitte and Bege torture themselves. This time it's okay because he's just helping.

Time has finally come. Aqua Laguna, the annual storm and high tide that takes place in Water 7, a catastrophe feared by all of the city's inhabitants... Things were different this time.