章 21: Vice Admiral Borsalino
Veyron decided against making even the slightest threatening move unless it was absolutely necessary, being strong was reassuring but if the proper amount of strength wasn't used, two fingers could easily crush an ant by mistake.
The staff members gave him a menu with a list of all available drinks and dishes the bar had to offer. Veyron ruminated through the pages and upon feeling something he was about to stand up and leave but in the end sighed and remained still. There was no point in running anyway.
"Good… bring me this one and a cup of wine, please".
Just as he spoke, somebody entered the shop. A lady carrying a massive sword on her back. She was recognised by everyone the moment she entered the shop... her wanted poster was trending these days alongside a few others.
She sat down next to the black ghost and tapped her finger on the table continually while the creature rested its elbows on the table, placing its head between his arms and waiting for the drinks.
"H-Here" the shivering staff lady brought an orange cocktail and a cup of wine in a tray, placing them in front of the black ghost.
"The wine is hers" He pointed towards the lad by his side who was still tapping her fingers and frowning at the staff lady with those ever-so-cold yellow eyes of hers.
!!!
"D-Dracule Mihawk?!"
The aforementioned beauty just took the cup and downed it in one go, "Another, it's on him".
Veyron took his cocktail with enthusiasm but before he even brought it to his mouth he saw the future of his hand being sliced. The boy stopped in his tracks and looked to the side towards the lady whose eyes were shining, waiting...
"Mom don't be like this..."
"The only reason I haven't forcefully dragged you out of here is for this island's safety, brat".
"You said I became a man the moment I reaped a life so why can't I drink this?"
"Just do whatever you want, you're already here… why did you come?" She rubbed her forehead in exasperation, causing a commotion to drag him away could cause nothing but trouble. Adding to that, Veyron had already proved that if he wanted to flee... she couldn't stop him.
"Mom, Larry defeated the strongest creature on that island in under ten minutes, can you believe that?!" his voice contained grievance... like a boy that was just taken away his bit of fun. He had thought those creatures would be challenging, a stepping stone to further increase his strength. And yet they couldn't even defeat Larry.
Hearing his words, Mihawk who was just about to sip her second cup, had to take both of her hands to rub her forehead this time, "Veyron, can't you behave like a kid your age for once?".
'This kid is complaining that I didn't leave him a good enough challenge on an island known for pirates going into it and never coming back. Not even corpses left behind...'
As a response the boy, no, the horrible creature, leaned against her.
"You want me to act as a kid? but mom... what we did in that jungle. Wasn't that something adults do?"
!!!
Mihawk gasped and looked to the side where the black ghost was still leaning against her, she couldn't see his face but could practically sense that cheeky smile of his. She couldn't fight that logic and that irritated her the most.
'Give them an inch they take a yard'.
"Then how come I can do that and not this?" Veyron knew she had no words to argue and hence sipped his orange cocktail unhinged.
*PFT!*
He spat and coughed furiously, Mihawk sighed and patted his back.
"This is horrible! It tastes like piss!" Never had he drank such a horrible cocktail in his life.
"I'm sorry sir! we will make you another one!"
"Areee? What do we have here? If my favourite cocktail is not up to your tastes then your tongue buds must be very distinguished".
Leaving the voice aside, Veyron whose gaze was fixed on the entrance saw a man with a black hat and grey tux walk in, his coat was distinctive... it belonged to the Marines. He didn't even need confirmation to know that the tall man standing in front of him... was nothing but trouble.
!!!
K-Kizaru. It wasn't fear that Veyron felt at that moment, but instead… an unprecedented sense of thrill. Just like before, there weren't many things in this world he considered threatening, his knowledge of this world wasn't bast but he could make assumptions and calculations to gauge in what rank he resided.
But there were three individuals whose prowess he was unable completely gauge based on just their ranks: Borsalino Kizaru, Marshall D. Teach & Enel.
Or to be more precise: The Light Fruit, The Darkness Fruit and the Thunder Fruit.
Having watched the show there were several interpretations that Veyron could make on the power of those fruits. He believed the Light Fruit was so powerful that Kizaru had to be continually handicapped. The Darkness Fruit was so unpredictable that its prowess had to be limited to merely two dull techniques as for the Thunder Fruit... it was so overbearingly strong that if Luffy wasn't a rubber human, he'd have perished with the first attack and the story would have ended right there.
There were only those three individuals whom he considered he needed to thoroughly prepare before facing them in combat and yet... here he was.
Mihawk took a sip of her wine as her brows frowned in all seriousness, 'Of all people'.
"Don't even entertain him" She whispered towards her son who just nodded, aware that Kizaru was in trouble. Right now he looked very different, but that was because, at this point in time, he had yet to become an admiral, he was a vice admiral.
Kizaru smiled at the silence he received as an answer, when he walked in, somebody else walked alongside him. It was a serious lady in navy attire and pink hair, her gaze fixed on the black ghost just like Kizaru, the other individual's identity was already known by them: Dracule Mihawk.
"I haven't seen you around here before..." Kizaru's voice sounded like he was losing the internal fight against laziness.
"I'm just a humble bounty hunter, new in business" Veyron remarked.
"Bounty hunter? How interesting… that gorgeous lady next to you is worth four hundred million bellies. Shouldn't you be collecting that?"
"Four hundred million or two billion... a cup of wine with such quality company is worth way more than that".
Mihawk flinched with a slight smile, carrying on and ignoring her son's shamelessness.
"I understand. It seems you too are a fellow of culture".
*WHOOSH!*
Kizaru flickered in a yellow light and the next second he was sitting next to Veyron while the pink-haired lady accompanying him sat next to Mihawk and ordered two drinks from the staff lady who by now only wanted to leave this shop alive and hug her mommy.
Veyron's gaze drifted to Mihawk's right, he recognised Hina who he considered the most beautiful marine lady together with Momousagi Gion.
...
"The criminal falls in love with the bounty hunter, how romantic… how long are you going to stay in Sabaody, Dracule Mihawk?"
"As long as I need, Kizaru".
"Give me a more concrete timeframe, something I can work with" The man crossed his legs lazily and took the cocktail Hina had ordered for him, pineapple.
"About three months".
"Aree? Isn't that wonderful? Enough time for me to get authorisation from the G1 to hunt you down" He smiled lightly, drinking his cocktail in glee.
"What does he mean?" Veyron asked.
"Oh, you said you're new in business... Sabaody is a tourist hotspot that is frequented by the world nobles. Wars between certain marines, pirates and crews aren't allowed unless authorised by the G1" Hina was the one to answer his enquiry, taking nothing more than a can of beer.
"If we were to fight there would be too many casualties, so he's not authorised to engage here, right now" Mihawk finished.
"I'm not authorised to act against you, but…the gentleman here is a different story. How about you show me your face to see if there is a price for your head?" Kizaru demanded although not aggressively.
"…"
"…"
When Veyron was about to reveal his face which he was sure didn't have any bounty, Mihawk stopped him.
"I'll only say this, Kizaru. This guy is so strong he can even give me trouble. If you want to take the risk, then go ahead. Don't cry later when Sakazuki and Kuzan make it into admirals while you're left behind due to your brass reputation".
"..."
Borsalino's countenance changed completely, it was only a split second... but coldness was present right there, even malice. Eventually, he scratched his head and smiled before finishing his pineapple cocktail and standing up.
"Ouuu… hehehe~ then I guess I'll sit this one out".
"Vice-admiral?" Hina was confused and astonished as to why they were backing down now.
"Hawkeye herself praising somebody's strength? I'm not courting death tonight, Hina~"
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