บท 26: Tempting Fate #26
Auhtor's note: this time around, I wanted to take the chance to give a shout out to the people who have supported the story the most on this site!
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Thank you all for the support, my dudes.
...
Approaching his house, Wolf halted in his tracks, taken aback by the chaos strewn before him. Shattered boulders and wooden debris littered the area, as if a tempest had swept through moments earlier.
Surveying the scene, he found no one to interrogate, prompting him to enter the house instead. Inside, his eyes widened at the sight of Law, his torso exposed as he tended to his injuries with Bepo's assistance.
"Good lord, what in blazes happened here?" Wolf inquired, stepping closer to Law to examine his wounds. "You look like you've been chewed up by a sea king and spat out, only to be chewed and shat out..." he remarked, a trace of genuine concern underlying his words despite his gruff words.
Law met Wolf's gaze with a heavy sigh. "You're back, Garakuta-ya," he acknowledged with a nod. "I... I lost a fight..." He went on, his tone dejected.
It was clear he didn't The defeat at Blake's hands too well.
Wolf chuckled at Law's despondent tone. "Why are you saying it like it's the end of the world or something, you silly brat?" he remarked, his amusement evident.
"Thought you were invincible, did you? You should be grateful you're still breathing instead of mopping about like some fisherman's widow..." he quipped dismissively, masking his concern with a harsh exterior.
Aware of Wolf's straightforward nature, Law took no offense and offered a wry smile. "I never imagined I'd meet defeat... not here, not before meeting that person again," he admitted ruefully while Bepo tended to his wounds.
Wolf snorted in response. "The world's a vast place, kid. There's always a bigger fish and a deeper abyss," he remarked, folding his arms across his chest. "Even if you refuse to acknowledge it, the world won't shrink for you. Sooner or later, someone remarkable was bound to stumble into this little corner you call home and give you a reality check," he continued a hint of certainty in his tone.
"You've been holed up on this island for too long. Maybe it's time to spread your wings," he suggested bluntly. "I, for one, wouldn't mind if you stopped mooching off me," he added, giving Law a dissatisfied side glance.
Law couldn't help but chuckle at Wolf's brash advice. "Maybe you do have a point," he conceded, releasing another sigh. "But it all feels too sudden, Garakuta-ya..."
...
Sitting in a clearing amidst the forest, I leaned back against Sif's sleeping form, the crackling bonfire casting a warm glow around us. Retrieving my recently purchased guitar, I gently stroked the strings, satisfied with the melodious notes that filled the air.
With the stars twinkling overhead, I continued to play the guitar, my thoughts wandered back to my recent encounter with Law, a formidable opponent by any measure.
I couldn't help but smile as I reflected on Law's fighting prowess, thoroughly impressed, convinced, and satisfied. While he couldn't match me in sheer physical strength, his devil fruit ability was undeniably potent, enhanced further by his strategic mind and adaptability.
His maneuver where he teleported into the air and swiftly created another Room to compensate for its lacking range was particularly impressive.
In hindsight, the battle had been a valuable learning experience, providing me with a clearer understanding of my own strength compared to the formidable figures of this world. If I had to assess my current abilities, I'd place myself somewhere between a rear admiral and a vice admiral.
Though the regular vice admiral won't match me in terms of pure physical prowess, I was no match for one in a head-on battle considering that every vice admiral has awakened one form of Haki or the other.
Amidst the chaos of battle, a system notification disrupted my focus, flashing across my vision as Law's Countershock technique jolted me. It announced:
[Due to accumulating enough inspiration (through battle), the second level of the Starborn body strengthening technique has been achieved]
Unlike what everyone might have assumed, my writhing on the ground wasn't because of Law's attack, though it did hurt quite it. The reason behind this was actually a result of the flood of information inundating my mind with this sudden awakening like a thousand tiny needles poking the inside of my brain.
According to the notification's details, the second layer of the Starborn technique wasn't about physically fortifying the body unlike the first, but rather enhancing one's internal energy— the awakening of which was a prerequisite for accessing this higher level.
This internal energy, once mastered, could be utilized to amplify physical power and sharpen senses. Yet, its usage was so simple, requiring careful conservation and skillful application, which I haven't learned yet.
"Didn't the weapon manual mention something about internal energy too?" I muttered to myself, my thoughts drifting to the rewards from completing the second tutorial quest.
In my mind's eye, I envisioned myself poised to practice a weapon technique, only to halt abruptly upon realizing my lack of internal energy and proceed to curse at the system for getting my hopes up. Oh well, now such a scenario won't happen at least.
Returning my focus from the twinkling stars to the mundane scene around the bonfire, I couldn't stifle a sigh as I observed Penguin and Shachi, seemingly engrossed in their own world. It was as if my guitar playing was solely for their benefit, which irked me more than I cared to admit.
Suppressing a twitch in my eye, I confronted them with a fed-up expression."Care to enlighten me once more on why you've been tailing me all day?" I inquired, my tone tinged with annoyance.
Penguin responded with a grin, a hint of self-satisfaction evident in his voice. "It's because we couldn't help Law during the fight," he explained proudly. "We figured we'd shadow you, snoop around, maybe uncover a chink in your armor to report back to Law, you know, just in case you end up fighting each other again," he concluded, his expression smug.
His audacious words provoked a chuckle from me. "Well, your loyalty is definitely admirable, but there's a flaw in your plan," I retorted, my gaze narrowing as a chill crept into my tone. "What's to prevent me from snapping both your necks right here and now that I know what you're planning?" I queried, the threat implicit in my words.
Shachi gave me a dismissive wave with a disdainful expression, his words cut through the air with an air of arrogance. "As if a softie like you could do that," he scoffed, his casual demeanor contrasting with the crude act of picking his nose. "If you had it in you, then you would have killed us all after flooring Law," he added, flicking the retrieved booger into the crackling flames.
Penguin mirrored his friend's anxious behavior almost perfectly, his tone dripping with disdain as he chimed in. "Yeah, you're just a big softie. We know you're not cut out for the dirty work, so quit pretending," he taunted, his words laced with sarcasm. "Just keep playing that guitar and hurry up and show us your weakness so we can report it to Law," he sneered, punctuating his statement with an obscene gesture.
The vein in my forehead pulsed at their provocation. "You're certainly sharper than you look. It's true, I don't like killing people, and will only do it if it's necessary..." I conceded, setting aside my guitar and rising to my feet with deliberate slowness.
"But that doesn't mean I won't beat the shit out of you for running your mouths," I declared, cracking my knuckles as I prepared to administer a much-needed dose of reality.
Their smug expressions melted away in an instant, replaced by sheer panic as beads of cold sweat traced their features. "Wait! It was just a joke! Let's talk this over—" Shachi's plea was abruptly cut off, drowned turning into an agonized scream, followed by many others that reverberated through the forest.
Thus, a legend was born in Pleasure Town—a tale of tormented spirits that haunted the island's forest at night, their anguished cries echoing through the night as a cautionary tale against tempting fate.
...
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