Capítulo 58: Chapter 57 - Hugo
[Chapter Size: 3595 Words.]
Third Person POV
Somewhere at sea, East Blue.
...
...
The waters, which had always been synonymous with serenity, now acted as a stage for a chaotic spectacle. The once calm and imposing ocean was in a state of unusual turmoil. The horizon, which used to be a tranquil line between the sky and the water, was now a turbulent sight of roiling waves.
The unrest was not only superficial; it was as if the very depths of the sea were in tumult. Giant waves rose and fell, defying the logic and tranquility expected from the vast blue expanse. The constant and deep roar of the ocean echoed like a distant lament.
Boats daring to sail in these turbulent waters rocked violently, struggling to maintain balance against the unknown forces now ruling the surface. Sea birds, once masters of the maritime skies, now circled uncertainly, disturbed by the intensity of the turmoil below.
Even non-kingly marine creatures, natural inhabitants of these depths, seemed confused and apprehensive. Schools of fish scattered in disarray, while more imposing creatures like whales and dolphins swam in erratic movements, trying to comprehend the sudden change in their kingdom, despite seeing giant shadows passing through the sea.
It was as if the very heart of the ocean was pulsing with an unknown energy, sending waves of disturbance throughout the expanse of the sea. In this tumultuous state, even distant islands, which had never before felt the agitation of the event, were touched by maritime unrest.
This was not just an ordinary chapter in the vast history of the ocean. It was a deep echo, a call that reverberated through the waters, leaving an indelible mark on the fabric of the marine world. The sea, normally a silent witness to the ages, now told a story of turmoil and mystery that challenged the understanding of those who ventured into its depths.
Somewhere in the vast turbulent sea of the East Blue, surprise painted Shirahoshi's face as her eyes were fixed on the turbulent horizon. Incredulous at what had just occurred before her, she questioned her own accomplishment.
"Hm? WHY IS THE SEA SO AGITATED?" The tumultuous change in the waters did not go unnoticed by the princess of the tritons. The moment she shouted in anger, closing her eyes in an emotional impulse, coincided with the sight of the retreating sea king, avoiding her as if its own existence were threatened.
Despite the sudden chaos unleashed in the ocean, Shirahoshi delved into deep thoughts about what she had just accomplished with the sea creature. A torrent of reflections flooded her mind.
"I could feel its fear; it obeyed my words, even though I am weak..." The princess's eyes watched the spot where the immense sea monster had retreated, leaving only the trail of roiling waves indicating its escape. The scene before her witnessed the magnitude of the newly discovered power residing within her.
She turned her face toward Luffy, ready to share the success, but her contentment was replaced by shock as she noticed half of the crew lying on the ground.
"Hm?! EVERYONE? MEGALO!! WHAT HAPPENED TO YOU!?" Her desperate cry echoed, and she ran towards her oldest friend.
"You did this, didn't you feel the shockwave release?" Zoro inquired, curiously watching the mermaid grab her friend while shaking him, trying to wake him up.
"Hahahahaha. He's fine, just passed out like the others... Now, we need to worry about the giant waves," Luffy laughed, trying to reassure Shirahoshi.
"Are they okay? Did I do this, with the others too?" She asked, still frightened.
"They're all fine. You unleashed something even I didn't expect. I'm proud, very well done. You did much more than I initially imagined. Congratulations, Shirahoshi," praised Luffy, smiling enthusiastically at his companion, impressed with the manifested power of Poseidon.
"Wait, but Luffy, can this thing called Conqueror's Haki make the sea tremble for a moment? Did it cause this?" Reiju raised her eyebrow, intrigued. One thing was making others faint; another was making the sea act as if undergoing a global earthquake.
She was unaware that Shirahoshi's shout had awakened beings thousands of meters deep in the sea, almost emerging in response to the call. However, as it was a quick and unconscious call, there was no need to bring these creatures out of the water. Still, this movement shook everything from one horizon to another, raising questions even in Luffy's mind about the possible consequences for the islands in the region.
"No, Conqueror's Haki shouldn't have this effect!" Yamato confidently asserted.
"That's a matter for another time. Let's focus on getting out of this chaos first. Nami, take care of the giant waves," Luffy ordered, instructing her to use her wind power to prevent the sea from hitting the ship.
Nami created white wings behind her and took off into the air, using the power of the wind to fend off the large waves forming.
"Now, let's wake up the others. We're almost at the destination. Meanwhile, I'll have a chat with that Hugo," said Luffy, jumping onto the Marine ship amid the maritime chaos.
Meanwhile, at Arlong Park, they were content after the Marines left to retrieve Nami's gold. However, while they smiled and made jokes, something unimaginable happened.
Everything suddenly fell silent, and all the fish-men looked at the sea immediately, ending their momentary fun.
"What is this? Everything went silent."
"This isn't normal..."
They murmured, witnessing the sudden unrest, feeling something big approaching them.
Then a shockwave came from the open sea, making the fish-men feel the greatest kind of fear possible they had ever experienced in their lives, as if something powerful wanted all sea creatures to bow before this thing, everyone without exception became scared, including Arlong.
"What... was that?" One of the fish-men stuttered, seeing that everything calmed down shortly afterward, everyone had their eyes on the horizon, wondering what that was.
*ROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAR!*
The tremor not only affected the sea but even the island shook with it.
But the major chaos was the sea getting agitated at that moment, countless waves erupted from the depths of the sea, as if the sea came to life, creating turmoil like never seen before in their lives.
"What is this, Arlong-San?"
"The sea seems furious!"
"What could cause something like this?"
"Didn't you feel it? I felt a powerful shockwave suddenly, as if something much more powerful than anything I've ever felt before wanted me to bend my knees in reference!"
"Yes, it was a horrible sensation!"
"What the hell is happening?!" Arlong said alarmed; he was also scared, and seeing the sea act like this, something unimaginable must have happened where that wave of power came from.
"Hachi! Call Momoo, he must have the answer!" Someone said.
"Nee...Yes!" Hachi said and ran to beat the drum and call Momo.
*DRUM*
*DRUM*
*DRUM*
*DRUM*
"..."
"..."
"..."
"..."
"Where is Momoo? Why isn't he responding to the call?!" Arlong demanded.
"Nee...I don't know, Arlong. Something must have happened to him! This turmoil is too recurring!" Hachi said with a bit of fear of the unknown.
Seeing the waves hitting on all sides, where it was a calm sea just moments ago, all the fish-men had a little fear in their hearts.
"Hachi, dive and look for Momoo." Arlong ordered.
"Nee...Yes, Arlong!" Hachi said and quickly jumped into the water amid the giant waves.
While these shock events echoed through distant islands, thousands of kilometers from the Black Pearl, the power unleashed by the world's largest creatures generated maritime chaos that transcended common understanding. The immediate result was an oceanic whirlpool, a small tsunami that spread relentlessly, reaching half of the East Blue and even invading a portion of the Grand Line.
This phenomenon left entire kingdoms in a state of apprehension, a palpable anxiety that spread like an epidemic. Leaders and citizens, equally perplexed, gazed at the skies, seeking answers they could not find. Chaotic waves hit ports and shores, triggering widespread panic among those who had never witnessed nature rebelling with such intensity.
Concern spread like wildfire, fueled by the uncertainty of the unknown. Distant realms, united by common fear, wondered if this maritime disturbance was a harbinger of imminent disaster or simply a momentary whim of Mother Nature. Even the most skeptical, who had never witnessed anything so extraordinary, were forced to reconsider their notions of stability, as the ocean, for a brief moment, revealed its unquestionable power and mystery.
Smoker, the Marine Captain in Loguetown, watched with a stern expression as chaos unfolded before his eyes. What was once a serene and calm harbor had now turned into a naval battlefield, with the violent waves crashing against the docks and ships, challenging the skill of the local sailors.
He stood on the deck of his ship, the smoke from his cigar playing with the stirred sea breeze. The smoke dissipated into the air, echoing the tension he felt as he watched the sea revolt against its own nature.
"What the hell is happening?" Smoker grumbled. He could feel the abnormality of the situation. The sea didn't usually act this way, as if it were in disagreement with the laws of nature.
The waves, now towering like hills, crashed against the hulls of ships, testing the resilience of the anchored vessels. Local fishermen, desperate, cried for help as their small boats were tossed back and forth like leaves in the wind.
"Captain Smoker! We can't venture into the sea in this state!" Tashigi looked with concern at the sea, where five-meter waves were hitting the port of Loguetown. Many seafaring fishermen were asking for help, and the Marines were trying to assist them in this chaos.
"Tsk. Yeah, damn sudden event. It will be too late by the time we reach the distress call from Naval Base 16!" Smoker growled, frustrated with the situation.
"Captain Smoker, what should we do?" asked Tashigi, his subordinate, holding her sword firmly amid the turmoil. The sailors around were equally perplexed, unable to comprehend the origin of this maritime phenomenon.
Smoker clenched his jaw, looking at the choppy waves with a serious expression. "This is not natural. It seems we're dealing with something out of the ordinary. Prepare to evacuate the fishermen and ensure the vessels are securely anchored. We can't allow any more damage."
As Smoker gave his orders, he couldn't help but wonder about the cause of this maritime unrest. Something significant was happening, something that transcended Loguetown's everyday concerns. He wondered if this was a harbinger of an imminent threat or just a momentary whim of the ocean, but his intuition told him that the sea was about to reveal its deepest secrets.
Meanwhile, the main instigator of the event that could be the greatest disaster of this era was happily singing like an excited little girl.
"I DID IT, I DID IT! I COMMANDED A SEA KING!"
"SHARKY SHARKY SHARKYYYY!"
"I DID IT, I DID IT! I COMMANDED A SEA KING!"
"SHARKY SHARKY SHARKYYYY!"
"I DID IT, I DID IT! I COMMANDED A SEA KING!"
"SHARKY SHARKY SHARKYYYY!"
The crew couldn't help but smile at a scene where Shirahoshi sang along with Megalo after he woke up and celebrated with her friend for her accomplishment.
Meanwhile, Luffy headed towards the Marine ship in search of the Black Pearl.
"You held up well against that..." Luffy smiled at the man, who was panting, trying to maintain composure.
The man just stared at Luffy, exhausted, his eyes revealing the fatigue of an intense confrontation.
"I wonder what's the reason for you not succumbing to the Conqueror's Haki..." Luffy examined the man's eyes and, for a moment, was surprised by what he found.
"..."
"Your determination is... hatred?" Luffy commented, narrowing his eyes, trying to decipher the intensity of the emotion emanating from the man's eyes.
"Shut up! You know nothing about me!" Hugo suddenly growled. Although the man seemed grateful for his comrades freeing him from the cells, the mention of his inner self seemed to touch a sensitive point, turning his normally cheerful expression into a sudden coldness.
"Hmm... I guess you're right. It's not my problem, although I'm inclined to want to know. Well... anyway, goodbye." Luffy, realizing it was a personal and sensitive matter, chose to leave the man alone. His curiosity was piqued, but he respected boundaries when it came to personal and emotion-laden matters like this.
Seeing Luffy walking away, Hugo suddenly spoke.
"You wouldn't understand. No one would." Hugo stares at Luffy, sighs deeply.
"Try explaining it to me then. Sometimes, it's good to share." Luffy asked with curiosity; he's always interested in people with powerful wills.
"Do you think I haven't tried? People just don't want to listen." Hugo said frustrated.
"I want to listen. If we don't try to understand each other, how can we hope to change the world?"
"It's a long story," Hugo spoke reluctantly.
"I have time. And if it helps, telling the story can be a weight off your shoulders." Luffy said, smiling.
"You know, I lost everything. My family, my home... All because of an injustice I couldn't prevent." The man said, looking at the ground.
Luffy: (with empathy) I'm sorry to hear that.
"Anger took over me. Every time I think of that moment, it feels like my heart is about to explode." He said, taking a deep breath.
"..." Luffy remained silent.
"They came to our town like a black storm; our king quickly kneeled before their arrival. We were a simple kingdom made up of simple people, farmers and fishermen, with nothing that could interest them. But they wanted to come to our humble land. They wanted our souls, our submission."
The man paused, his voice choked with the weight of resurfacing memories. Luffy, with a serious gaze, silently encouraged him to continue.
"They came to our town, and we couldn't do anything to prevent it. We tried not to get involved; I lived in a small neighborhood, but one of them wanted to come to us to see people like the people they considered trash live their lives."
Tears began to stream down the man's face, a torrent of accumulated pain. The salty sea breeze seemed to mingle with the salt of his tears.
"When one of them saw us, even kneeling in respect and fear, he didn't seem satisfied. He came to my family and started humiliating us, had the audacity to want to take my daughter as a new slave right after, saying all kinds of horrible things that would happen."
"I couldn't allow that to happen, so I ran to attack that man. I tried, but I was stopped by his guards, strong enough to not even let me get close." Amidst the words, tears continued to flow down the man's face, releasing a burden he had carried for a long time. It was as if, by telling his story to a stranger who had helped him, he could finally share the weight of his deepest and darkest secret in life.
Hugo didn't know why, but when he saw Luffy walking away, he couldn't control his mouth and began to talk about the darkest moment of his life, something he had kept to himself for months. His tears fell like a weeping man, and he continued his story, while Luffy just looked at him without showing any emotion.
"He was dissatisfied that I had dirtied his clothes in the middle of my fight. He said that as his punishment, he would kill my daughter, and he did, killed her with a shot IN FRONT OF ME! MY DAUGHTER DIED LIKE A BEAST SLAUGHTERED! AND I COULDN'T DO ANYTHING! I SAW HER DIE, AND MY WIFE WENT INTO DESPAIR, WHICH RESULTED IN ANOTHER SHOT FOR HER! SHE JOINED MY DAUGHTER FASTER THAN I COULD REACT; IT FELT LIKE I WAS IN A TERRIBLE NIGHTMARE! I JUST WANTED TO WAKE UP." The man cried in despair, and Luffy continued to calmly look at him, but he didn't know what to say after hearing all of this.
"CAN YOU IMAGINE, SEEING YOUR OWN DAUGHTER AND WIFE DIE IN FRONT OF YOU LIKE ANIMALS JUST BECAUSE SOMEONE DECIDED IT? I WANTED TO DIE IN THAT MOMENT, I WANTED TO KILL HIM, TORTURE HIM, I WANTED TO BURN THE WHOLE WORLD!" He shouted, not caring about the cascade falling from his eyes. His yelling drew the attention of people on Luffy's ship as well; even some former captives woke up at that moment, looking scared at the man screaming, wondering why there were so many people unconscious around them.
"What happened to you?" Luffy asked calmly, curious about how these events unfolded afterward.
"I TRIED TO KILL HIM, I LOOKED LIKE A RAGING ANIMAL AT THAT MOMENT, I JUST WANTED TO TEAR THAT DAMNED DEMON APART, BUT I NEVER HAD A CHANCE, I WAS BEATEN BY HIS GUARDS, NO MATTER HOW MANY TIMES I GOT UP, HE LAUGHED AT ME EVERY TIME I TRIED TO KILL HIM. HE CALLED ME AN INFERIOR BEING AND SHOT ME IN THE CHEST RIGHT AFTER," he continued with the shouting.
"I THOUGHT I WOULD DIE RIGHT AWAY, BUT HE NEVER GAVE ME THAT MERCY, HE WANTED ME TO DIE SLOWLY AND LEFT ME THERE, BLEEDING TO DEATH, SAYING I SHOULD BE THINKING ABOUT HOW I SHOULDN'T FIGHT AGAINST THE GODS OF THIS WORLD IN MY LAST MOMENTS OF LIFE!" Hugo yelled like an animal, even Luffy felt a bit disturbed by this story.
"How did you end up in that naval base as a slave?" Luffy asked curiously.
"I... I was saved, left to die bleeding in the mud, but some slave traders saw value in my strong body, they pulled me off the street and healed me, but sold me shortly after. I traveled for 2 months before reaching that base you guys attacked..." He answered, but he seemed calmer now. Luffy never imagined someone harboring so much anger against that people before.
"Do you hate them? I mean, the World Nobles? Do you want revenge?" Luffy wondered what the man would answer; there were many like him, but not many would show discontent so openly to a stranger.
"OF COURSE I DO, I WANT TO KILL THEM ALL, EXTERMINATE EVERY LAST ONE OF THEM!" His voice had a great fury, which left Luffy with raised eyebrows.
"HAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHHHAHAHAHAHAHA!" Luffy started laughing at this response.
"WHAT ARE YOU LAUGHING AT!" Hugo became furious, almost wanting to run towards Luffy after hearing his story; he was completely beside himself when this man seemed to mock the death of his daughter and wife.
"AHH!!"
*BOOOM!*
Before Hugo could get close to Luffy, the captain of the Straw Hat Pirates kicked the large man, sending him crashing directly into the deck's wall.
"Don't get me wrong, Hugo, I'm not laughing at the death of your daughter and wife, I'm truly sorry for that. But people like you are rare; most would keep their thoughts to themselves, others would try to forget the past, but you seem to have the determination to even resist a Haki that not even some of my crew members did..."
"WHAT DO YOU MEAN?!" He demanded, his anger bubbling.
"What I mean is that you're interesting. To the point where I'm tempted to invite you to join my crew. I plan to punch a lot of Celestial Dragons, and I need people who want to gain strength and power, who are reliable and not afraid to go to war with those people up there on the Red Line." Luffy smiled at the man with genuine interest, his offer hanging like a storm about to unleash.
"Celestial Dragons? Did you really just say that? Who do you think you are to utter those words?! What do you know about them? Do you think you can face them? YOU'RE JUST A NAIVE KID PLAYING PIRATE; SOON THEY WILL KILL YOU!" Hugo growled at Luffy, fury pulsating in his words.
"Well, I've already said it. I'm Monkey D. Luffy, the man who will rule the seas. Even if I have to create a mountain of corpses with the Celestial Dragons and have to destroy Marie Goise one day, I'll do it to achieve my goals." Luffy spoke sincerely, his voice laden with determination that echoed like thunder in a stormy sky.
The former captives couldn't believe these words, wondering if this pirate man was some kind of madman.
Hugo didn't say anything, just looked at Luffy, trying to detect any deceit in his voice, but the seriousness in the eyes of the Straw Hat Pirates' captain was undeniable.
"Anyway, we're reaching Cocoyasi Village. I plan to deal with some local pirates and leave a day later. I'm inclined to invite you to my crew, so come to me before we leave. If you want to embark on a journey that may cause a world war, feel free to do as you please. If you don't want to, you can even leave right now; I don't care." Luffy turned his back and left the Marine ship, returning to the Black Pearl. His invitation hung in the air like a promise of a storm forming on the horizon, leaving Hugo in a whirlwind of thoughts and choices.
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