Chapter 39: Goals #39
Waking to the sound of knocking on my door, I stretched lazily before stumbling over to answer it. There stood Bepo, his furry face looking unusually serious. "What's up? Is something wrong?" I mumbled, rubbing my eyes.
Bepo shook his head. "No emergencies. Just a kid asking for you down on the docks," he explained. "Said his name was Asher or something," he added.
I raised an eyebrow. "Asher, huh? Wonder what he wants," I muttered. "Did you find out?"
Bepo shook his head again. "Nope. Thought you might want to talk to him yourself," he suggested.
I shrugged, figuring I might as well find out. After a quick wash and picking up a bite to eat, I made my way to the upper deck. Peering over the railing, I spotted Asher waiting below.
"What's the matter, kid? I did say I'll be looking forward to hearing your name again, but this isn't exactly what I had in mind," I greeted with a chuckle. "Just so we're clear, I'm not your babysitter. If you're here for help or money, you might want to turn around and go home," I warned, waving my hand dismissively.
Honestly, the thought of mentoring the kid crossed my mind briefly. Maybe I could show him a thing or two about fighting so he could better fend for himself on this lawless island.
But getting involved with us would only complicate things for him since we intended to pick a fight with almost every gang on this island. Once we leave he'll be a prime target for payback.
Of course that would all be solved if we take him with us once we leave, but that on its own would put him in even more dangerous situations. The sea was perilous, it was no place for a child.
Amusingly, Asher seemed to read my thoughts and shook his head vehemently, looking downright offended. "Who the hell needs your help anyway?" he snapped, his irritation palpable. "I'm just here to return these..." he reached into his pocket and pulled out a handful of Beri notes, the very ones he'd swiped from me.
"This kid...." I couldn't help but chuckle. "And how did you manage to find our ship?" I asked, genuinely intrigued.
With a smug expression, Asher explained, "Just asked around about a shirtless old man—uh, I mean, a handsome young man—and people directed me here. They also mentioned you'd stirred up trouble with the big shots around Spider Miles. You better scram quickly," he warned.
I shot Asher a stern glare. "I'm not entirely sure if you came here to warn us, return what you stole, or get another thump on the head for running your mouth," I remarked, watching as Asher's expression shifted to one of sheepishness, his hand instinctively reaching up to scratch his head.
"In any case, you'd better take a hike. Go home and let the adults handle their own business," I added dismissively, turning away from the railing and striding off.
Left with no other option, Asher begrudgingly made his exit, allowing Law to approach me. "Is that the same kid you were tailing yesterday?" he inquired, a frown etched on his face.
I nodded, a grin playing on my lips. "Asher D. Blackwell," I confirmed. "Sounds like a name we might hear about in the future, don't you think?" I suggested.
Law's frown deepened. "D, huh?" he mumbled, more to himself than to me. "Maybe we will, assuming he manages to make it out of this cesspool in one piece," he added dismissively.
I couldn't help but smile at Law's comment. "Speaking of the One Piece... are you interested in it?" I asked casually, shooting him a sidelong glance. "Surely vengeance isn't the only reason you set sail," I continued, trailing off, awaiting his response.
Law reclined against the mast, deep in thought. "As a pirate, I can't say that I'm entirely uninterested in the One Piece. However, once I've achieved my revenge, if I were to set a new goal for myself..." He paused, contemplating.
"I suppose it would be to delve deeper into the mysteries of the D tribe. It wouldn't be fitting for me to aim for the title of Pirate King while sailing under someone else's flag, would it?" He cast a sidelong glance in my direction.
I chuckled at his musings. "I have no interest in chasing after the One Piece and becoming the king of pirates, if that's what you're implying," I replied with a nonchalant shrug. "It all sounds like too much of a hassle. But unraveling the mysteries surrounding the D? That seems relatively straightforward in comparison," I added, raising my eyebrows.
Law's brow furrowed. "Oh? What do you mean by that?" he inquired, genuine curiosity evident in his voice. "Do you possess knowledge that I don't?" he pressed.
Shaking my head, I replied, "Nothing beyond common knowledge... That they're enemies of the so-called gods, the Celestial Dragons, and that throughout history, many remarkable individuals with the initial D have emerged." I explained with a casual shrug.
"But I do know of a couple of ways you could uncover more about them," I added, a mischievous grin spreading across my face.
Law leaned back against the mast, his interest piqued. "I'm guessing you're going to share both ways with me?" he asked, a hint of amusement in his tone.
I chuckled, nodding in affirmation. "You only needed to ask. First, you can find someone who can read the ancient texts and decipher the Poneglyphs scattered across the world. Coincidentally, that's also the key to discovering the way to Laugh Tale," I explained, watching Law's reaction closely.
As expected, his eyes widened in surprise, but he quickly composed himself. "Isn't it impossible to find Laugh Tale and uncover more about the D tribe, then?" he questioned, his brow furrowed. Despite his skepticism, he didn't outright dismiss the idea.
"The only ones known to possess that knowledge were the scholars of Ohara, and they were wiped out," Law went on, shaking his head in resignation.
I met his gaze with a meaningful look. "But were they truly all eradicated? Is it really that simple to extinguish the will and legacy of an entire tribe?" I countered. "In any case, deciphering the Poneglyphs isn't the sole method. Alternatively, you can find what you seek in Wano Country in the New World," I added, leaving a hint of mystery in the air.
As Law's curiosity peaked, he couldn't help but inquire, "Wano? Why's that?"
My gaze shifted, settling on the horizon as I began to explain. "In Wano, there's a journal penned by one of Gol D. Roger's crewmates, a man named Oden," I revealed, lifting a finger to punctuate each point. "It holds the path to Laugh Tale, the mysteries of the Void Century, and many other world's secrets."
"Gol D. Roger... do you mean Gold Roger?" Law interjected, a hint of skepticism coloring his tone as I nodded in affirmation. "The world government deliberately altered his name... go figures," he added with a toughtful expression.
"How did you come by such knowledge?" he pressed, redirecting his attention to me, his expression dubious.
With a nonchalant shrug, I responded, "Let's just say I have my sources." I flashed a dismissive chuckle. "You wouldn't believe me if I told you the whole story," I confessed, a smile playing at the corners of my lips.
Law's response was measured. "Then I'll wait until you're ready to share," he stated calmly, to which I simply offered a smile.
I had no intention of ever sharing my origins and how I came by such information as I couldn't imagine anything good coming out of that, but I kept my thoughts to myself.
After a brief pause, Law gave me a strange look. "I just realized we've only been talking about me, but I still don't know why you've set out to the sea yourself?" He asked. "Tell me, oh, great captain, what is it that hope to achieve in this lifetime?"
I let out a thoughtful hum at Law's inquiry. "I really had no grand purpose in mind when we first left Swallow Island. I simply wanted to get stronger, and see more of this world," I stated. "Though, I did realize that there's something I want to achieve after spending some time on this sorry excuse of an island..."
...
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