Chương 53: Me not look, me punch
|A few minutes earlier...|
...
"Well, this looked a lot simpler in the plan..."
"Then, are we not doing it?"
"I didn't say that"
Standing right at the bottom of the enormous Royal Castle, Farid and Robin could be both seen wearing costumes to hide their identities, as they glanced upwards, towards the Royal Castle.
Farid, just like before, was wearing his already worn-out costume with the cow mask, while Robin on the other hand was wearing a dark cloak with a random mask that Farid had bought earlier.
As both glanced upwards, Farid's eyes behind the mask seemed to express annoyance, as he frowned at how high the Castle was.
It was necessary to understand that, similar to an enormous tower, the Castle had a very long base that separated it from the rest of the city. Making it so that the actual castle, where the King and the Royal Guards resided, was on top of the said base at a great height.
The only entrance to the real castle was through the long and tiring stairs that connected the castle to the rest of the city. However, as the illegal trespassers that they were now, it certainly wasn't a wise move to enter through there, as it was certain that there would be guards protecting the entrance.
Thus, with no other way of entering, Farid had come up with only one way to enter without being discovered.
And that way was to climb the base until they reached the top.
However, there was only one inconvenience with that plan. One that he hadn't really minded too much during the planning, as he had thought that it wouldn't be too much of a problem for him.
However, now that everything was about to unfold, he couldn't help but reconsider things a little bit more.
'I should have thought this better...'
The problem was... how was he going to climb the wall, while also having Nico Robin by his side?
It wasn't as if he could just leave her and go to look for the Poneglyph himself. She was, after all, the main reason he was doing this in the first place. It was important for her to be there when both discovered where the said Poneglyph was.
During the planning, he had not thought much about it and had simply decided that he was just going to carry her on his back while he climbed the castle. With his strength and other abilities, it surely wasn't going to be a hard thing to do.
However, now that he was in front of the target to climb, and with Robin by his side, he couldn't help but ask himself... Should he have thought of another method?
It was, after all, going to be a very uncomfortable and... Weird position for both of them.
'Well, it's my fault for not thinking of any other methods...'
However, as the lazy guy that he was, he didn't have enough energy for changing things now that they were right in front of the castle. So, clicking his tongue and making up his mind, he kneeled slightly on the ground and looked at Robin with the most serious face he could do.
"Alright, get up"
Hearing Farid say that, Robin stopped looking at the castle above them, and turned to look at him with a confused expression, seemingly not understanding for a moment what he had meant by that.
"...?"
However, as Farid gestured for her to get on his back with his head, she understood that she had not heard wrong and that he was indeed asking her to get on his back like a little kid... Much to her bewilderment.
"... Come on, I don't have all the day"
However, with him being her only available way for her to get to see the Poneglyph, she could only accept whatever plan he had in mind and not say anything.
"... Alright"
Thus, nodding her head with a strange expression on her face, Robin took a step forward, before she then began getting on Farid's back as none of them talked.
It took a few seconds for her to finish climbing. However, as soon as she did, Farid took a deep breath and stood up. Grabbing tightly Robin's body on his back with one hand, and leaving the other hand free.
'... It's not a big deal. I have a clear conscience... Clean mind is my second name'
Ignoring the two pressing feelings on his back as he cleansed his own mind, Farid then looked at the Castle several meters above them, and then looked at his free hand.
'Alright, I have never really done this before... But how hard can it be?'
Letting a low chuckle under his breath, Farid coated the entirety of his free hand with Haki, before he then let out a long breath, and walked toward the base of the castle.
-Swooosh-
-Crack!!!-
Then, as if his hand was a hammer, he suddenly slammed it violently against the wall, and dug all of his fingers into it as if it wasn't really a hard thing to do. Allowing him to grab onto what was previously a completely straight wall, and support himself to a certain extent.
'Good'
-Bam!!-
Smiling satisfied, Farid placed all of his strength on his fingers and his feet, before he then pushed himself upwards. Sending his body flying toward the top of the castle at an enormous speed.
-Swoooosh!-
"Hngh..."
Surprised by Farid's sudden speed, Robin grabbed more tightly than before as she let out a low groan. Making Farid's mouth twitch slightly as he did his best to concentrate while ignoring any distracting sources.
As they continued flying upwards, Farid slammed his hands on the wall and pushed himself upward whenever he felt that they were slowing down. Making it look as if he was jumping on a completely horizontal wall.
It took only a few seconds of repeating the same action for Farid to finally arrive at the top. And once they did, Farid landed on the top of the walls and took a deep breath in order to recover some stamina.
It hadn't been that exhausting. However, it still required him to put all of his strength into it since it was a considerable height.
And even then, it was far from exhausting him completely.
"Alright, you can get down now"
Saying that while kneeling down for Robin to get down, Farid waited for her to move before he then raised an eyebrow when he noticed that she wasn't doing anything.
"Hey, you there?"
"A-ah, sorry"
It was only when he called out to her for a second time that she reacted and started moving. Apparently, she had been a little bit dizzy because of the suddenness of his actions.
-Rustle-
After that, Robin got down from his back and walked towards the border of the wall, before looking down at the place where they had been standing just a few minutes before with a surprised expression.
'Just how great is his physical prowess? I have never seen someone able to climb something this high without even batting an eye, and that, with such an enormous speed...'
As Robin grew amazed at Farid's unbelievable strength, fixing his clothes which had been wrinkled because of the sudden jump, Farid looked around, before he saw the castle a little bit away from them and massaged his chin through the mask in contemplation. Making sure to inspect the whole area with his Observation Haki in the process.
'There are a few guards around... However, it shouldn't be much of a problem. I already have a hunch about where the Poneglyph is ... Probably. And considering that there are almost no patrols over there at this hour... that way should be the safest one'
Nodding his head as he confirmed their new plan of action, Farid spoke to Robin in a low voice.
"Follow me"
Gesturing for Robin to follow him, Farid then started walking forward while moving in all sorts of directions in order to avoid the guards.
There weren't many. However, if one weren't careful then you would be discovered in less than a second. They had quite a good vigilance over the whole place.
It took a minute or so before they were able to arrive at the tombs of the kings. The place where Farid felt that the Poneglyph hid.
"It should be in this place"
Turning around to look at Robin as he spoke, Farid pointed towards the several statues and tombs around the place. Making Robin look around curiously, before looking back at him with an expectant expression as she asked him.
"Where?"
Hearing Robin's question, Farid's expression fell before he crossed his arms and shrugged his shoulders.
"Don't ask me... There's a limit on how precise my hunches are... but it's probably underground or something. Otherwise, I don't see where else they could be hiding it"
Hearing him, Robin's eyes widened for a brief second, before she started eyeing the whole place once again. This time, though, with a much more appreciative expression on her face.
"A place related to the history of this Kingdom... Is there a secret passage perhaps?!"
"Hmm... Probably... But as I said, there's a limit to how precise my hunches can be. So from here on, we have to look by ourselves"
Then, looking into the distance, Farid sneered, before he looked back to Robin and took a step forward.
"... And it has to be fast. It will probably take a while for the guards to come back. However, even then we can't take all day searching for this secret passage"
"Hm..."
Nodding her head at his words, Robin soon took a step forward, and both started looking for any switch that would open the entrance to the Poneglyph room.
And while they did, they overlooked a certain statue sitting a few meters from the entrance of the place...
...
°
°
°
|A few minutes later...|
...
"Just where the hell did these guys put the switch?! At this rate, we will run out of time"
Scratching his head with exasperation, Farid continued looking for any lever or switch hidden somewhere. Only to curse in a low voice as he didn't find anything.
Robin was doing the same thing. However, with a much calmer pace. Seemingly trying to think of any place where it would be hidden.
However, even with both of them working to discover the passage, none had found anything so far. As there weren't any levers or switches no matter where they looked.
And considering how big the entire tomb was, it would be possible for the switch to be anywhere. If the people of the castle had really tried to hide it, then finding it was really going to be a piece of work for both of them.
They would probably end up finding the true answer if they had more time but considering that they were trying to pass unnoticed by the Royal Guard, it certainly didn't seem like they would make it in time before a guard would appear.
In fact, a pair of guards were already on their way to the tomb. Though, their pace was slightly slow due to them not imagining that there would be anyone trying to invade the tomb of the kings.
'Shit... Why did you have to make it so difficult?'
Cursing under his breath, Farid stopped looking for anything like a switch, before he then clicked his tongue and looked at his fist with an annoyed expression.
Considering that there were a few guards coming, it was very possible that if they continued as they were, they would have to hide and take even longer to find the said switch. Something that Farid's naturally short patience was not pleased of hearing.
Thus, without caring any more about looking for the switch, and considering that the time they had to stay there was going to get cut off by some guards. Farid snapped and simply stopped caring.
It seemed that he had had enough of looking around.
'Well, I already threatened to kill the King... What's one more crime? Let's just hope that my gut isn't wrong'
Thus, imbuing Haki into his fist, and clenching it as hard as he could, Farid raised his fist high into the air, before he then slammed it into the ground. Causing enormous cracks to spread all around the area, and making Robin, who was looking carefully until then, look back at him with a shocked expression.
The impact caused an enormous uproar among the near guards, who as soon as they heard the explosion, ran towards the tomb, and noticed both Farid and Robin there.
""Intruders!!!""
Yelling in alert, several guards raised their swords, before they started running towards the pair with their weapons at hand.
Some, however, ran in the opposite direction. Seemingly to warn the king and bring reinforcements if it became necessary.
Apparently, it seemed as if they had been informed about the man with the cow mask. So knowing of his great yet unknown power, it was better if they brought as many people as they would.
"What are you doing?!"
Seeing the whole place tremble and crack apart, Robin widened her eyes as she yelled in confusion and shock at Farid, who was calmly looking all around, seemingly searching for something.
"... There it is"
Not answering her, Farid's eyes focused more deeply, before he then smiled slightly behind the mask when he noticed that a certain spot in the ground had collapsed and a glimpse of stairs could be seen below it.
Then pointing at it with his thumb, Farid looked at Robin, as he walked calmly towards the incoming army of Royal Guards coming in his way.
"The passage is over there. You do whatever you have to do, I will take care of these guys meanwhile. Though try not to take too long"
"...!"
Surprised, Robin looked over where Farid had pointed before she nodded her head and ran towards the passage without minding the fact that she was leaving him to deal with an entire army of highly trained men.
After the moments they had spent together, she no longer doubted Farid's capabilities for handling an entire army on his own. No, rather, she doubted whether the amount of guards present was really going to be able to last more than one minute. Farid's strength was that much, after all.
Though, deep inside she thought that it was unfortunate. If such a powerful man had a devil fruit, he would probably become an unstoppable force that would take down armies in just a matter of seconds.
Punches and kicks, after all, had a limit on how many enemies they would take at once.
Shaking her head to shake off her distracting thoughts, Robin soon entered the hidden passage and started descending the stairs. Leaving Farid to deal with the Royal Army of Arabasta.
"This feels rather ironic"
Cracking his knuckles, Farid took a step forward, before he then gestured for the Royal Guards to come at him. Making most of them grit their teeth in anger as they felt that they had number superiority and that he was just acting arrogant.
""Capture him!""
Yelling that, the entire army moved, and started running towards Farid with their weapons ready to bring him down.
However, before they had the chance to do so, six figures appeared in front of the army and blocked their path.
""...!!""
"You guys are not strong enough to deal with him. Go after the woman that went into the tomb, we will take care of him"
The ones that had appeared were Pell, Chaka, and the four elites of the Royal Guard. All of them, with their weapons at hand as if ready to fight at any moment.
"... Hah"
Seeing the people in front of him, Farid couldn't help but let out a short laugh.
The strongest people in Arabasta had appeared, and now, they were ready to fight him. Someone whom they thought once would become the strongest Royal Guard.
'Fate turns into strange ways sometimes...'
Letting out a tired sigh, Farid cracked his neck before he then looked towards the army, and stomped his foot on the ground. Making the whole area tremble due to the force behind his stomp, and making all of the people in front of him tense up and look at him with shocked expressions. Seemingly having gotten an idea of what kind of being they were dealing with.
'...But whatever, I'm already accustomed'
Like that, and not letting them think any longer, Farid jumped towards the army and brought his fists upon them.
...
-To be continued-
°°°
(A/N: The "next few days" turned into a week... Sorry. I had a creative block and I didn't know how to write this chapter. Either way, it seems to have passed already, and what's better, this should be the last week before I'm officially free from university.
So from next week on (probably), I will be able to write more often)
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