Night fell and the waves ran high.
In the cabin Kael lay on his back in a hammock, a few faint bruises still on his face, bandages around his ribs, the corners of his mouth refusing to stop curling up.
In his dream he stood atop a palace of gold, a black-and-gold naginata in hand, its edge gleaming with a pattern like rippling waves.
Ahead a dense Marine fleet formed ranks. An Admiral stared at him, jaw tight. Kael gave the blade a single sweep and the sea split like torn cloth. Mountains of water rose, the fleet capsized, and treasures and beauties flooded toward him. He sat a golden throne and received the kneeling of a thousand strong men.
"Geh geh geh…"
A strange, imperious laugh rattled from Kael's throat, jarring in the quiet cabin.
By the door Rayleigh paused mid-polish, pressed fingers to his brow, and sighed. Even asleep this kid cannot rest. He slipped out to leave the space to Kael and his dream.
Moonlight poured over the deck like water, turning the waves to sheets of silver.
Roger sat alone at the prow, leaned against the figurehead, and took a long pull of rum.
"Did he bother you?" he asked without turning, teasing in his tone.
"No," Rayleigh set his sword across his knees and sat beside him, "only a child giggling to himself."
"Hahahaha. Then his dream must be excellent." Roger drank again, then tipped his head toward Rayleigh. "You saw that strike this afternoon."
"Mhm." Rayleigh nudged his spectacles. "Good idea, good timing."
"More than good." Roger's eyes flashed. He pinched his thumb and forefinger as if measuring a hair. "For a moment that power actually threatened me. Only a little. Hahahaha."
Rayleigh's gaze grew thoughtful. After a beat he said, "It is not only strength. Roger, did you notice how off Kael was at the end of this month's love-feeding training?"
"Oh?" Roger perked up. "What about it?"
"At first he dodged with eyes and ears and body instinct. This last week his evasions turned uncanny. Several times a plank from me and a fish from you came in almost together, yet he always chose the one movement that cost the least and worked the best. Could it be…"
Roger's grin faded. Silence. Then he slapped his thigh and burst out laughing.
"Hahahahahaha. So that is it. Observation Haki."
He had noticed it too, only he preferred Rayleigh to do the analyzing while he trusted his gut.
Something budding in Kael's aura. A newborn sense that peeks half a heartbeat ahead.
"The boy probably does not know it himself," Rayleigh said, mouth quirking as he glanced toward the cabin.
"Not knowing makes it fun." Roger drained the bottle and pitched it into the sea, where it kicked up a small splash.
He rose, spread his arms wide to the wind, as if to hug the starlit ocean.
Rayleigh looked at his forever-restless captain and could not help a small smile. He pushed his glasses up again and let his eyes climb the night sky.
"We really did fish up an unbelievable little monster," he murmured.
"Kuahahahahaha."
Roger's unbridled laughter rolled across the dark water and startled a few circling seabirds.
Plop.
A thud came from the cabin. Kael had fallen out of bed and immediately began to complain.
"Damn you, Captain. What is so funny? I was at the best part of my dream, you jerk."
"Kuahahahahaha."
…
My name is Kael. I am a student.
Fake master's tutoring Rayleigh, misguiding the pupil.
True master's lineage Kuahaha. One hit Ryuo, two hits Haki coating, three hits Fruit Awakening, Four Emperors speedrun.
That was a fan joke from my past life's memories. Turns out it is not quite right. At least this young Rayleigh is a good teacher.
Probably. Maybe. Ahem.
Kael clung to Roger and Rayleigh without shame and proudly called himself power-born second generation. Right now he felt invincible. Tactical lean-back.
He wished a blind pirate crew would try to rob them so he could test his training properly. Sadly, their ship was so shabby that even pirates would sob and press a hundred berries into their hands out of pity.
No time to mourn the hulk. Next up were Roger and Rayleigh, both like emperor-tier lieutenants from a starter village.
Pirate followers this is a high difficulty game.
Who can understand me, my fam? The starter-zone mobs have nothing left when heroes who already beat the demon king stroll through.
Thwack.
Roger's plain and honest supreme fist smacked Kael out of his daydream. A visible lump rose on his head.
"Damn you, Captain. What are you doing?"
I am reporting you for child abuse.
"Hahahaha. Come on, chase me." Roger chuckled and jogged off.
Flames in his eyes, Kael sprang up and tore after him. Big and small silhouettes looped and darted around the tiny cabin in a wild game of tag.
Watching the two kids careen around the deck, Rayleigh rubbed his forehead, a wave of weariness breaking over him along with a vague melancholy for the future.
…
Sailing is an eternal romance and a long loneliness.
Kael had reached that conclusion a week ago as he stared at the unchanging seam where sea met sky.
Adventure? Chance encounters? Not really.
The pirate life was simple, spare, and boring.
Since leaving that nameless island they had drifted close to two months.
Aside from the occasional Sea King treating their wreck of a ship like dessert, only to get knocked senseless by a single swing from Roger, life was plain as boiled water.
"Ah. Ocean, you are all water." Kael felt mushrooms about to sprout on him.
He sat cross-legged at the prow and idly lifted one finger.
The air trembled a hair's breadth ahead of his fingertip. A thin breeze bloomed out of nothing, wound around the sail, and then cheekily ruffled the hair at Rayleigh's brow.
Rayleigh raised his head over his book and shot him a look that said if you keep that up you are not eating tonight.
Kael gave a sheepish grin and tucked his hand back.
Most of the month, outside of hellish physical drills, he practiced fine control of the Wave-Wave Fruit.
For example, a little trick he named Dawn Breeze, shaping micro-vibrations in the air to generate a current. In the Calm Belt he could even use it as a fan for the sails.
More often he served as Roger's personal air conditioner.
"Little Kael, over here. Make it cooler." Roger sprawled on the deck like a sun-dried fish, hugging a roasted haunch.
Kael rolled his eyes, flicked his hand, and sent a refreshing stream of air across him.
That was his day-to-day afloat.
Under Roger and Rayleigh's devil training his body had become sturdier and tougher. Strength, speed, endurance, all far beyond before. His use of the Wave-Wave Fruit had grown deft. He was no longer the newbie who knew only one trick called Shock.
He could feel himself getting stronger. What he lacked was a whetstone.
He was a blade honed to a shine, hungry for a real fight to test its edge.
Dip the beans. Bliss.
Sparring Roger? That was not fighting. That was a one-sided beating.
"I am so bored." Kael hollered at the sky and flopped onto the deck. "Anything. Marines. Pirates. A meteor."
"Hahahaha. The kid has energy." Roger tossed the last bone overboard, sprang to his feet, and grinned. "Another round of love-feeding training?"
Kael snapped upright and shot a wary look at Roger and Rayleigh, who had quietly closed their books.
"No. Absolutely not." He had developed a reflexive fear of fish and barrels. Roger's supreme sea-fish special always targeted his backside.
At that moment Rayleigh, still reading, spoke.
"You two," he said calmly, "we have company."
"Huh?" Roger and Kael looked up together.
"Bearing northeast at three o'clock. A three-masted ship on an intercept course," Rayleigh closed his book, "making good speed and under a pirate flag."
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