Encounter

For the next two weeks, we traveled across the seas going from island to island making our way to the Reverse mountain.

After a lot of discussions, we decided to go to North blue.

In truth, both the North and West blue are rather dangerous places to go because of their proximity to the New World.

If you're unlucky you can meet one of the 7 warlords of the sea, even if not themselves, just their ships would already be a hassle.

Worse, you might meet one of the Younkou, well, Whitebeard just died and the New World is quite chaotic right now.

But going to one of these seas is much better than just going to Paradise, the other half of the Grand Line.

In there you have a much higher chance to meet all sorts of atrocities, and after the Summit war, everyone is busy doing all sorts of things, making the world rather calm yet chaotic.

…

-Breathe in and out, control the influx of air and direct the energy to your fingers, not your fist.

In front of a clone was Susein with her two hands pointed forward.

She was directly opposite to a metal sheet.

Her hand started to release some sparks but it finally settled after 6 seconds.

-Good, you controlled it well, now release it in the metal sheet in front of you!

She opened her eyes and punched forward with her two hands.

/Bang!/

/Creak!/

The metal sheet bent a little showing two palm impressions.

-You definitely improved, a few more months and…

-This is barely enough!

-Your progress has been really fast, there is no need to…

-Don't comfort me. I know very well just how weak I am. I trained all my life only to be able to slash stones apart. But in the past few months, I saw people capable of crushing metal as if it was a toothpick.

-...

-From a Sea king, a monster I thought to be a fairy tale to Devil fruits… All of this has only proven to me again and again just how weak I am.

-So… What do you plan to do?

She looked forward towards the metal sheet and placed her two hands one inch away from it.

/BANG!/

The metal sheet exploded into pieces.

-I want training at the same level of intensity as yours!... Your original… You? I don't care anymore...

-Sigh… That isn't going to be easy. My training consists of tearing my muscles apart and healing them every day. To break my bones and …

-I get it. It's gruesome. Stop trying to be cool. She said with a small smile

-... So be it.

The clone went inside the ship and came back 2 minutes later with a massive dumbbell.

-Strap this to your back 1000 Sit-ups right now.

She went into position and started to exercise.

-I am going to first build your body, then we, or should I say, you, will start to train on a single weapon.

She looked at me perplexed.

-A single one? But I…

-Do you know just how difficult it is to reach the top? Now imagine doing so with multiple weapons. Swordsmanship, Spearmanship, Axemanship… You don't have an "identity". The potential is there but it is scattered all around the place.

-So I need you to find your dream weapon. Or perhaps you like to fight with your bare hands. It's up to you.

She looked pensive.

-Think about that later! Now, 36 ... 37…

Loodwick looked at Susein and realized that what she said was the truth.

They are going to eventually meet someone with monstrous strength.

He started to recall the conversations he had with his captain and first mate on the sea:

…

-... That's impossible, right? How can someone destroy an island with a single punch? That's bull. Said Loodwick

-I am telling the truth! All of those Admirals have this level of strength. There is also the Yonko in the New World and the Shichibukai… Replied Ace.

-It's not just them, there are multiple parties that hold a high level of power, it might not be destructive in nature, but they are good enough to go hand to hand with one of them.

-Even you, first mate John?

-The world is a big place, filled with adventure and riches… If you have enough strength to claim them.

-...

Loodwick and the others who heard my statement were left stunned, with sweat rolling down their faces.

…

Back to the present.

-... Initially, I brushed it off thinking it was an over-exaggeration, but after sailing across almost half of the four Seas… My opinion is beginning to shift.

-I thought my Wall-wall fruit was enough to protect me against anything… But if I meet one of those monsters who can destroy an island… No, a mountain is enough...

He walked into the back of the ship where both Fedrum and Popeye train their fruits.

-... I am going to get flattened.

And so, the navigator's will to get stronger started to sprout.

MC POV.

I was currently sitting at a desk inside the captain's quarters writing symbols and runes on a rather complex map.

-... This fucking creature. Where is it?

I placed my hand on my head while I thought.

-Let's create a hypothesis.

-If I was this creature, what would be my process of action?

-I used energy to come to this world… So I need to replenish it. There weren't any signals of Fauna and Flora disappearing. So, it must be either looking for something specific, or the news is being suppressed.

-If it's looking for energy, then the best place to go is…

-The Grand Line, the place where all sorts of abnormalities gather. Sea kings for food, strong pirates, strange islands, you name it.

-But which side? The New World or Paradise…

/Creak/

A sailor entered the room and made a small salute.

-Sir first mate! We have sighted the Reverse mountain.

-Sigh… I will deal with this later.

I picked my hat and went out of the room.

The red wall covered my sight.

-Alright, North Blue here we go…

/Tremble.../

It was very faint, but I heard some impact sounds coming from the very top of the mountain.

That's strange, most sounds usually get muffled by the sounds of the water…

-Do you hear that? Asked Fedrum

-Hear what? Said one of the sailors

Ace's eyes were narrowed as he looked at the mountain top.

-... Be ready for anything. I said

/Bang!/

Thunder rang in the sky. Looks like it's going to be a rainy day.

/Creaak.../

The boat protested the sudden change in the water current.

-Hold on! Said Fedrum as he maneuvered the boat.

/Splash!/

…

Although the sky was cloudy, no rain fell.

As the minutes passed, the water current got stronger and so did the movements of the sailors on the deck.

-We should be about halfway there…

/Crumk… Tremble.../

It was difficult to distinguish due to the sounds of the water and the boat, but the trembles were getting stronger and stronger…

/CRACK!/

/SPLASH!/

A massive rock dislodged from the rock wall and crashed in the water, creating a massive wave.

Thankfully it happened behind us, boosting us to the top.

-BE CAREFUL! Screamed Popeye.

While everyone was distracted by the rock behind us, a massive chunk of Ice fell from the sky.

-Leave it to me.

I jumped into the sky and slammed my fist covered in Haki.

/BOOM!/

The ice rock shattered, its pieces raining across the sky.

/Swush!/

I kicked the air with Geppo and went back to the ship.

People looked at me for a second before going back to their duties, such a sight was already common on the ship.

-Where did this come from? Asked Eliot in one of his rare comments

-... Probably from whatever's happening up there.

-To throw an ice chunk all the way here… How strong is he? Asked Toile, again with another rare speech.

-Being this far out, throwing ice of all things… I had a pretty solid idea of who it was

-Kuzan…

-Who is Kuzan? Asked Susein

Everyone else apart from Loodwick and Fedrum seemed rather confused.

-I have it on the tip of my tongue… Said Loodwick

-Where did I hear that name? Said Fedrum from the Helm.

-You must know of Admiral Kuzan, right? It's most likely him. Unless someone with a similar fruit/Technique is up there. I said

-AD-ADMIRAL?! X Everyone

-Why is someone on the top here?! Screamed Frindin

Ace seemed to remember something but his eyes immediately focused.

-Get ready everyone.

…

Slowly, we got closer and closer to the top.

There were ice and pink crystals everywhere…

I looked to the sky and saw two people. Even after enhancing my sight with all of my abilities I could barely see them.

-Can you see them, John? Asked Ace on my side

-Barely, just a little bit more and I should be able to confirm if it's Kuzan or not.

Popeye also tried to use his hands as a telescope to see, but even with the boost, he could barely see them.

/Swush!/

/BANG!/

A massive wind blade cut right on the side of the ship, opening a large ravine on the river…

Damn! We were almost hit!

/Creeek!/

The boat started to tilt to the side due to the water currents pushing it into the ravine.

-We are getting sucked into it! Said Fredum

-I'm on it!

Ace jumped out of the ship and used his own variation of Geppo to propel the ship back out of the current.

/SPLASH!/

-Few… We are back on track. I need some sleep after this.

-I couldn't agree more brother. Said Toile

Tsk! If only I could use the mech cameras to watch...

But it's not time yet, I can't even partly deploy it since Ace might notice it.

And the mech itself is stashed inside the storage space...

-First mate! Let me help!

Popeye came to me and placed his two hands in front of my eyes.

/DING!/

They quickly turned into glass-shaped tubes.

-Can you increase the focus on the left side?

/Brink.../

His hands made several strange sounds. It was as if the glass was constantly breaking.

/GASP!/

-No fucking way…

What I saw baffled me.