Departure

At the port.

" Come! Come! Come!"

" Choose yer pick!"

A man wearing loose off-white pants, along with a white scarf around his head stood behind stacked crates.

" For yer little imps, cloth made from high-quality silk!"

" Oooh!" The crowd sounded.

Bang!

People walked back and forth, bringing out crates from the docked ships.

" Oh?! Already shriveling are ya?! This here is some of the best tea you could ever get yer paws on!"

" Some ladies in the crowd, ey?! Don't feel left out!"

Creek!

He used a sword to pry open one of the crates.

" High quality, fragrant soap! If ye want silky smooth skin, show yer coin!!"

" Oh my!" Some women held their faces at the thought.

" Don't forget! These! Seductive! Perfumes! Make any man-slurp!-Unable ta resist!"

" If I have those, then...Kyaa!" They squealed.

" My brothers! Have ya been 'down' lately? Can't 'rise' to yer lady's satisfaction?!" The man shouted.

" Ouuu!" Men in the crowd shouted.

" Can ya 'wake' yerselfs up, but still want some extra 'glory'?!"

" OUUUU!" They roared.

" Huh? What are you shouting for, little brat? Do you even know what he's talking about?! Hahaha!" A boy was scolded.

" Heh heh heh! Then these pills ar' tha way ta go!"

An insulated crate was opened.

Inside, light-pink pills sat comfortably in a red cloth.

" Jewelry! Cosmetics! Pills! What do ya want?! As long as ya can pay, anything's fer sale!" The man shouted.

" How uncouth."

" These vagabonds never change."

" I am disgusted at the very thought of breathing the same air as these savages, but..."

The nobles in their carriages kept their distance while the common people bought what they could afford.

"...Heh!" The man glanced at the steady carriages.

" Oi!" He shouted.

" Ah?!" A man atop one of the ships answered.

" Bring a tobacco crate! One a 'those' crates too!" The man shouted.

" Ah? Fucking hell! Work me ta death, why don't cha!?" The man cursed.

...

Sometime later.

Most of the people aside from the nobles had left.

" My esteemed customers, what can I do fer you?" The man shouted to the carriages.

" Humph, just bring me the same as last year!" A man's voice echoed.

" I would also thank you to bring my items as well." A female voice sounded.

" Now, now. I 'ave somethin' that ya might be interested in, ay?" A man walked down the plank carefully, a crate in hand.

" Wha?! Stop wasting my time! I have plenty of work to do! Bring me my items and let me be on my way!" An angry voice echoed.

" Ah?! Yer always so crabby an' entitled! Listen! This 'ere pill will let ya use qi fer a time! Of course, 't comes with a price an' i ain't talkin' about money!" The man explained.

"...What?!?" The nobles erupted.

A few minutes later.

" The captain ain't goin' to be happy about this, ya know." The man who brought out the crate said.

" And how'll she know? Is a little bird goin' ta whisper inta her pretty little ear?" The man slapped the other man's face softly, repeatedly.

" Ah?!" He grabbed the man's neck, but the latter kept silent.

Shing!

" Ara, Ara, What's this?!" A female voice sounded.

" Mm? Nothin' cap'n! This 'ere just needed some discipline." The man said, looking over his shoulder.

" Tat tat tat!" She clicked her tongue.

" From a girl, ya see, my ears had always been sharp! As I grew, they got better! Along wit' all tha extra ears I've gained ova tha years, Tsk tsk tsk." She pointed to her ear as she walked.

Behind her walked a youth with red hair, a ponytail neatly tied behind his head.

"Let's jus' say, even in tha dead of a storm, I can hear when ya start ta wank."

" Even tha slight tremors that pass through yer body when ya cum. Don't ya understand?" She stopped behind the man.

" Humph!...huh?" The man's body turned swiftly as he swung the back of his fist.

It was only after his body stopped that he realized.

" M-My...My arm?" He asked as he looked at a cleanly cut stump.

" That what yer looking fer?" She pointed.

A severed arm clung to the man's neck without spilling a drop of blood.

" Fascinating, innit? How I cut off yer arm without ya knowin'." She said.

" D-Damn bitch...I'll kill ya slowly!" Qi rose from his body as he punched out.

His body then came to a sudden stop.

" Ah, ah, men. Why do ya think yer superior? 'Cause ya got a cock and balls hanging between yer legs?" She asked leisurely.

" I got news fer ya! I built this fleet up myself!"

" All our suppliers? Who made contracts with'em? Me!"

" In tha end, who do these ere ships, tha cargo and tha money belong ta? Ya fucking guessed it! me!"

" And if ya want, I'll show ya! I ain't got no cock or balls, but in the end, who do ya work fer?! Motherfukin me!" She shouted.

" Now, you, my dick faring friend, could probably live if someone were ta stitch ya back up! How much will ya pay fer that?" She asked.

" A-Al-All.." The man said.

" S'that so?! Too bad! I don't Want yer fuckin' money!" She kicked out, causing the man's body to tumble like blocks.

The segments each landed with a splat, as blood poured out.

" Oi!" She looked up.

" Cap'n?! The man answered, his face pale.

" Find 'is balls an' hang 'em up somewhere!" She ordered.

" But, cap'n...we ain't pirates no more...somethin' like that is..." The man replied.

" Oh, bad fer business, aye? Hmm, use 'em as fish bait then!" She held her chin in thought.

"....Roger, captain Ann!" The man shouted.

" Now, back ta you, boy! What were ya saying just earlier?" She said.

"..." Levi kept silent.

' Former pirate captain, now head merchant of this 'black spot' merchant fleet, Ann Bonet.' Levi recited in his head.

' Kyaaa! The pirate lady is so scary~' The demon saint squealed fearfully.

" Oi, stop playing around, demon saint." Levi scolded.

" Playin' around?" 'Head merchant' Ann asked.

"...I was talking to myself. In any case, back to the main topic. Last year, when you visited this continent, I paid you in advance with rare potions to take me to a certain place." Levi said.

" Potions? Paid?!" Her eyes alternated between wide and almost shut, as her head tilted.

"O-Oh! I do remember sellin' some weird potions fer a hefty sum..." She paused while scrutinizing Levi's appearance.

"...But, I'm sure I got 'em from someone else!" She exclaimed.

" Ah? You-" A sound caused Levi to turn around.

"...astER" Aria's voice echoed from the distance.

Crackle!

Nerezza stopped before Levi, Aria in her arms as the crackling of electricity slowly faded.

" Did something happen already?" Levi asked, his expression dimming.

" Nope! I just came to see you off!" Aria raised her index finger matter-of-factly.

"..." Levi nearly fell over.

"...Aren't you going to get down?" Nerezza asked.

" Huuuuh? But it's so comfy here?" Aria snuggled.

"...Sigh, troublesome. Let's just hurry and leave." Levi mumbled as he walked towards one of the ships.

" Oi! Oi! Hol' up! Where'er ya goin'?!" A man extended his arm stopping Levi's advance.

" Hmm? Go ask your captain. I paid for a ride a while ago." Levi said.

" Cap'n?" The man asked.

" I told ya earlier, didn't I? It ain't you that I got tha potions from! Go back ta yer family, boy." 'Head merchant' Ann said, her eyes narrowing.

"...Ah?" Levi's gaze shifted.

" Oi, get rid of these guys fer me!" She told a few of her men.

" Ey, brat, get lost!" A man kicked out.

" Leave! Before yer beggin' to!" Another man walked up to Aria and Nerezza.

" Oi, Oi, OI!" Levi repeatedly said.

" Stop wasting my time with jokes." Levi said as a partially formed blood shield caught the man's leg easily.

" Joke? I don't know tha meanin' of tha word, boy." Ann raised her head, before looking down at Levi.

" Nerezza." Levi's voice chilled.

" Yes?" She answered without emotion.

" Why was I mostly passive during the majority of these two years?" He asked.

" To avoid making new enemies while an unstable element ran amok in your organization." Nerezza summarized.

" And what of the unstable element?" Levi asked.

" Eliminated." She answered simply.

" Ah?! Is that supposed ta scare me?!" 'Head merchant' Ann grabbed both of her swords.

" Nerezza." Levi called out once more.

" Yes?" She answered.

" Right now, kill anyone who enters within a certain distance of yourself." Levi said, his voice devoid of emotions.

"...Understood."

Crackle!

" Wa-Young master!" Aria shouted in protest.

" I do not have unlimited patience. Wearing an emotional mask every day is not easy in the first place." Levi said.

" But then I also have to deal with stupid, annoying situations." He said.

" Right now, my patience is at its thinnest. I have no issue with killing every single person here right now." He continued.

" At the end of the day, I will benefit the most. Not only will I grow stronger, but a fleet of ships will also fall into my hands." He finished.

Levi held a single-handed, single-edged sword.

It had a golden handle, while the beginning of the blade from the hilt was silver, the rest of it was black.

The blade was long, but also small and thin, like that of a dagger.

The sword that was given to him hung at his waist.

" Well? What are you waiting for? Wasn't it a conflict you wanted?" Levi chuckled lightly.

" Oh, It seems you need something to get yourself started." A suffocating killing intent leaked from Levi's body, causing the air around him to darken.

" Hehehe, it seems ya were the kid I made a deal wit a year ago!" 'Head merchant' Ann chuckled.

" Come on, don't be like that..." Levi smiled.

The blade slid through the air swiftly.

It cut through flesh and bones easily.

Thump!

All blood was drained before the head hit the ground.

" Hehehe!" Levi laughed darkly.

" Didn't you want to play?!" He shouted as he grabbed out.

" Nnn!" Veins bulged on another man's body.

Pstuuu!

" Ahhh!!" Blood spray from burst veins.

The man's body fell with a splat, as blood continued to pour out.

"...Isn't this your game? Why aren't you playing?" Levi asked, his face expressionless.

" Ya misunderstood! When I met ya fer the first time, a layer uv rejection wrapped around ya like cloth!" 'Head merchant' Ann said.

" But even now in yer fit of madness, that rejection is nowhere ta be seen! Without this kinda outburst, how could I have recognized ya fer who ya were?" She snickered.

"..." Levi kept silent.

' Ahah, you went and got mad!' The demon saint sighed.

' Years of training, wasted!' He wailed.

' Quiet, demon saint.' Levi said.

' If I didn't do at least this much, this would have taken forever with this woman's annoying personality.' Levi thought with slight irritation.

' S-So, you didn't let anger control your actions?! I-I am so proud!' The demon saint blew his nose as he wept.

'...So I say, but I would be lying if I said I didn't get angry at all.' Levi thought.

" Hurry up! Or do ya want ta be left behind?" 'Head merchant' Ann chuckled as she walked past Levi.

"..." Levi turned, watching her ascending figure.

" We're followin' a zig-zagged route! To tha Divine Dragon Continent, then to tha Half moon belt, also known as The Arc Belt! Then, to the jade sword continent!" She said.

" Hehehe! Ya owe me fer my two men!" She snickered.

'...Was that her goal from the beginning?' Levi's eyes narrowed in thought.

"...Go back to the city. I will be gone for a while."

" After you stabilize things in the countries and learn how to operate the ship, you can come to the jade sword continent. Just be careful with what you say about me." Levi turned to board a ship.

" Young master!" Aria shouted.

"..." Levi turned his head.

" You can put me down." She told Nerezza.

" Be safe!" She shouted.

"...Hmm." Levi continued on his way.

...

A few moments later.

The fleet of ships was barely visible in the distance.

"...He's gone..." Aria mumbled.

"...Why do you.." Nerezza paused.

" Behave like an idiot? Haha.." Aria laughed lightly, a big smile on her face.

"...I was...thrown away...after many years of marriage." She said.

" Then, I found myself in a place where I wouldn't have been able to survive at the time." She looked down at her palms.

"..." Nerezza kept silent.

" At the time, the young master was thrown into the same place..."

"...He was way smaller than me at the time...but in his eyes, I saw that he was unwilling to give up, no matter what he went through..."

" He somehow escaped that place, before appearing once again."

"...At first, I just wanted to use him to escape my perilous situation...but after a while, I realized something about him."

" He harbors hatred, a deep and dark hatred...for everyone and everything...A strong rejection of everything." She clenched her fists.

"...To the point where he doesn't like others being near, much less touch him." She opened her hands.

" Even so, he silently keeps this hatred in check, buries it deep within himself...it sits there, growing every day."

" At some point, I just felt the need to do something about it, because...everything he does, is for a certain goal."

" A goal that he believes will lead him to happiness...but if his reaching that goal doesn't lead to the desired result, I don't know what he will become." Aria's expression reflected sadness.

" My silly behavior is just my attempt at bringing fun and laughter to his life before any of that happens." She looked at Nerezza.

" In all honesty, I have come to see him as somewhat of a son that needs to be taken care of, same as with Aron."

" But although that is how it is, he keeps such a solid guard around himself that sometimes I wonder if I am wasting my time..." She chuckled.

" Aria..." Nerezza called out.

" Hmm?" Aria turned her head curiously.

" You, I...I can't...be with you..." Nerezza said with difficulty.

"...I...see.." Aria's eye widened.

"..." She stood silently for a few minutes.

" You can just...go back before me." Aria said without looking at Nerezza.

" But-" Nerezza was interrupted.

" It's fine, I will get back by myself." Aria flashed her a smile.

"..." Nerezza silently left, looking back just before she entered the forest.

'... I will just....wait while the waves wash away my feelings.' Aria thought.

A few minutes later.

The sun colored the clouds in beautiful orange.

"...I should go back." Aria turned.

"..." She stopped.

She sat on the ground, pulling her legs close to her chest.

"...Ah.." A soft cry echoed.

"...Ah..sniffle..hic-ah-..sniffle..umph.." She buried her face in her legs and wept softly.

Even though she was alone, she kept her voice down, as if to avoid disturbing anyone else.