18 Portgas

The swords around the ship started trembling and floated.

And pointed in one direction, to Arthur.

"Impalement!" Misty shouted and the swords shot at Arthur.

Arthur evaded the swords one after another as if he had eyes on the back of his head.

He used his Haki, and even without using his Observation Haki.

He can still find Misty with only his thermal vision. But he wants to practice his haki.

The mist went silent, and the swords all got pierced around the ship.

"How can you escape all that?" Misty widened her eyes and said with bewilderment.

Hunter focused and used his Haki to locate Misty.

Misty flickered around waiting for the opportune moment to attack, but she seemed can't find an opening.

Getting impatient, she pounced at Arthur from his back.

Aiming her sword and stabbing it, it pierced Arthurs's heart.

"Hahaha! You didn't expect that did you?". As she laughed.

Suddenly Arthur's body started to blur and fade away.

Then a huge hand grabbed the back of her head, clamping it real hard.

She can hear the cracking voices of her skull.

Creak!

"Ahhh!!!" She shouted in pain and tried getting out.

He turned her around and lifted her to his eye level.

"Your luck finally ran out old lady". Arthur exerted more force on his hand

Misty was struggling and gasping for air.

He tried punching, kicking, and exerting more of her devil fruit and using the swords again to impale Arthur

But the swords just all bounce off.

And now Arthur activated his darkness power.

The swirling dark power ran around his hand. On his other hand his holding a regular fruit. This is the power when he wants to extract a devil fruit which in the process kills off the user.

Misty's eyes started to roll around, she was slowly losing her life and finally, her body slumped without any signs of life.

On Arthurs's hand, he held a newly transferred Devil fruit.

This was the first time Arthur had successfully extracted a Devil Fruit.

Then he used his inventory to store the Devil Fruit.

The mist was slowly fading away as the devil fruit user already died.

"The job is done, Mr. Captain"

Arthur walked back to his lounger.

"Oh! By the way, send me what I want, and we are to go straight to Baterilla."

He looked back and told the Captain of the ship.

"Ahh ahh! Yes, Thank you for saving us"

The Captain bowed sincerely to Arthur.

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South Blue

Arthur can now see on the horizon the island of Baterrila.

Arriving at the port, The sun shone brightly hitting the blue ocean waves. The seagulls squawk and gliding high up in the sky.

Waves crashing against the harbor walls. The smell of the summer breeze lingers around.

Bateriila was a quaint town, there weren't many people but it was a peaceful town.

The people were chatting happily and the children were playing and running around.

'I should first find a room to stay'.

Walking around town and asking for a certain family. That no one in the town seems to know.

.

.

.

Inside the Boot Log Bar.

Arthur was sitting on a bar stool.

"Barkeep, Do you know anyone with the name Portgas?"

Arthur said while chugging his drink. He looked at the man in front of him who seemed to know something but was feigning ignorance.

"No one goes by that name around here"

Barkeep answered back and avoided eye contact.

Arthur slips some berries on the table bribing the man.

"Just give me something old man"

"You better take it while I'm still in a good mood."

The barkeep got an eerie feeling looking at Arthur's eyes.

Gulp!

"There is a rumor around town, north of the forest here."

"They said there is something the beasts in the forest are guarding."

"A lot have ventured, but not of them came back."

The old man leaned forward and whispered to Arthur's ears.

.

.

.

After Arthur finished his food he immediately went to the forest where the barkeep told him.

Running through the forest, he jumped from tree to tree.

He used his Observation Haki to look for something. But that didn't result in anything as the beasts here aren't that strong.

Scouting the place for some time. Arthur suddenly stopped as he sensed something strong at the edge of the island.

"Is this the beast that the old man was talking about".

Arthur arrived, and what he saw was a small cove where he had sensed the strong aura from.

What he found inside was two graves, there were flowers put above them.

"These flowers look fresh." Arthur also put some flowers he grabbed earlier.

He sat crossleg and took out a bottle of alcohol in front of the grave, he drank it and slammed it to the ground.

"Roger-san, I have looked for a very long time of your grave."

"When I heard that you were executed, I was devastated"

"If it wasn't for you saving me back then, I wouldn't be alive now."

Arthur said it while touching his face, holding back tears.

He vowed his head and said.

"Thank you, Don't worry Roger-san, I will take care of your son."

Suddenly he heard the noise of falling stones

"What did you say?"

He looked behind and saw a beautiful woman with long wavy pink-blonde hair.

Arthur jumped up and was startled.

"Who are you?"

'She looks like Portgas D. Rouge, but she looked tougher as she was also wearing a soldiers' attire'

'I already know that someone was hiding, with how strong her aura is, any strong person would notice.'

'I was just hoping that the person hiding was a comrade or even a relative of the deceased couple'

"That is what I'm supposed to ask you! What are you doing here in the grave of my sister and her husband? You are a grave robber right!!"

She said and glared at Arthur, pointing her fingers accusatorially.

"What!?, are you really her sister?"

Arthur asked with a disbelief look on his face.

"Hmmf, no matter I'm just here to pay my respect to both of them and go on my way."

He said dismissively.

"Whoever you are I don't think you have ill intentions"

"Are you the person who regularly maintains this place?"

"For that, I thank you" He bowed to her sincerely.

Arthur then started to walk away, but he was suddenly stopped by her, putting her hand in front of him.

"Wait!, I heard what you said earlier," she asked Arthur, her eyes shining with hope.

"Did you hear everything that I said?" the air around Arthur changed very intensely.

"Wait wait wait!, when I heard you said that my sister had a son."

"I decided immediately to go and look for him"

"He is the only one family that I have left." Tears swelled up in her eyes.

And she bowed

"Please tell me where he is, I have to protect him"

The emotion the woman is showing is very real, you can see it in her eyes the anticipation, excitement, and longing in her blue eyes.

Arthur looked at her showing doubt on his face and as if thinking what he would do.

"Hmmm, I judge myself as a pretty good judge of character, but the information I have is very dangerous to him and anyone around him."

"So... I won't tell you.. for now"

"If you want to know where your nephew is, then follow me"

"When the time comes, you will meet him"

"Oh! By the way, I'm a pirate, are you ready to become one?"

Arthur said to her with a smile on his face and extended his hand to her.

"Who are you scaring? I agree!" as she grabbed Arthurs's hand.

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