《Animeverse Slayer!》 Chapter -1 - Dragon - Tiger Forms First Form : White Tiger Awakening Second Form : White Tiger Descends Third Firm : White Tiger Assault Fourth Form : White Tiger Dominion Fifth Form : Azure Dragon Ascension Sixth Form : Azure Dragon Roams The Heavens Seventh Form : Azure Dragon Descends Eighth Form : Azure Dragon Majesty Chapter 1 - 1. A Reason To Live Somewhere in a snow caped mountain. Ugh... Groaning in pain a boy about 10 years of age tried to open his eyes. His eyes felt as heavy as metal. Trying his best he opened his eyes, only to be greeted by the sight of a corpse. Aah! An involuntary scream escaped his mouth. Struggling he crawled from the pile of corpses and looked back. For some reason he cried, he cried seeing the dead body of a woman. Pain. Pain like he has never felt before assaulted his mind like raging tides. Memories not of his own flowed into him making him scream his lungs out. By the time the pain left, only despair remained. Looking at the pile of corpses tears flowed out like flood but... his face remained stoic, blank. Under this dark night his heart died. He stared numbly at his family... people who loved him... people who protected him... Gone... everyone... gone... Why? Why am I born again? To experience this hell? Heavens... what did I ever do to you? Why are you tormenting me? At some point his tears dried up and blood started to drip down his face. At the end what remained was anguish, heart wrenching anguish. The snow and soil beneath was tainted with his blood. Without knowing pain he still dug with his bloodied hand. By the time the first light hit the snow, one particular part of the mountain was occupied by several tombs. Staring blankly at these tombs he walked away. He had no destination... no home to return to... He didn''t know how long he walked. His body was fatigued, his hands were burning from pain, his legs ached from tiredness and yet he didn''t stop. He didn''t understand for what purpose he should stop. Without him realising he was already walking among a crowd of humans. "What''s with that child? He... he is covered in blood." "He walked down from the mountain... did something happen." A myriad of comments floated into his ear and yet it only pained him even more. Pity, sympathy, scorn... he could see all these within their eyes. Thud. Finally, his body reached it''s limit and fell down. People started to gather speaking among themselves about his misfortune. He could vaguely see different colours through his half closed eyes. Feeling the heaviness from his body he closed his eyes. I guess... it''s not so bad to just die. "Oi kid, hang in there! " Before his mind could slip away a voice brought him back. He tried his best to open his eyes but failed to do so, he could only make out a vague silhouette. Finally he lost consciousness. By the time he came to he felt pain all over his body. Weakness filled his body but he was alive. Slowly opening his eyes he looked around. A simple room with a desk and a lamp with several books greeted his eyes. Looking down he saw his hands were bandaged, his legs were also covered with thick furs shielding him from the cold. Where am I? Just as this question popped into his mind the door to the room was opened. An old man came in holding a bowl. Seeing the kid awake the old man heaved a sigh of relief and smiled. "You scared me kiddo. I thought you would die on me." Looking at the old man he was at a loss for words. The old man walked upto him and placed the bowl down. He pulled a chair and sat down. "Drink. It will help you heal faster." Seeing the old man''s smile he asked blankly. "Why?" "Hmm... to heal faster." "Why did you save me?" The old man was stunned. He watched him for a second and said with a smile. "Why do I need a reason to help someone?" "I am better off dead." The smile on the old man''s face vanished. He looked at him with kindness and said "No one is better off dead. If everyone thinks like that this world would be a dark place. To be born in this world is blessing itself" With a numb face he replied. "My family was killed. Everyone I know is dead, why should I live?" The old man could feel the agony in those words yet the boy''s face remained indifferent. To say that so easily... "That''s all the more reason you should live. Kid, don''t be so eager to die, this world is a beautiful place, there is so much to see and experience. "I am sure your family would also want that, they would want you to live, not only for yourself but for them as well. Boy, no one truly dies they live on, in another way." "Aren''t you here, right now, carrying those precious memories with you. In a way aren''t they living through you." Hearing the old man his mind wandered to those blissful days with his mother, from this life and the last. His heart which seemed to have been frozen last night thawed, memories of his mother and his siblings flashed through his eyes. For the first time since last night he genuinely cried. The old man left him to sort out his mind. Closing the door behind him the old man couldn''t help but remember his own family. When will this nightmare end? Clearing irrelevant thoughts the old man picked some herbs from a small cabinet and started to brew something. Heavy smell of medicine started to spread through the room. Finishing what he was doing the old man poured the medicament into a small bowl. He took the medicament and went to the boy. Opening the room he found the kid staring outside. Hearing the door open he looked back and said "Thank you." The old man was surprised. He calmed down faster than I expected. Setting the medicine on the table the old man asked. "Your body is weak and can''t process solid food. Drink this and rest, in two days you will be as good as new. Oh, I didn''t introduce myself did I? My name is Akira. You can just call me Old man Akira." "Leo... Leo Heart." Chapter 2 - 2. Accident Among the dense collection of trees a young boy was moving swiftly. After running for a short while he slowed down and hid near a bush. Gripping the bow in his hand he took an arrow from his quiver and locked onto a white rabbit infront of him. Taking a deep breath he focused his mind. Everything around him started to blur, only his target remained in his sight. Swish... The arrow was like a blur as it left the bow. Before the rabbit could react it''s neck was already pierced and nailed to the ground. A smile formed on the boys lips, he walked to it and pulled out the arrow. Placing the dead animal into a basket he retreated back into the forest. The trees became less crowded as he walked further in. Soon a wide area came to view, a small house with smoke coming out of its chimney presented before his eyes. Opening the door he placed the bow and the quiver down. An old man came out of the kitchen and asked with a smile. "How many this time?" The young boy said calmly. "Three." The old man was surprised. "I say Leo, winter just passed and yet you can still hunt that many rabbits. It''s been two years and still it''s shocking." "Anyway, clean up. Breakfast is ready." Leo changed his clothes and washed up. It''s been two years since that tragedy. He had nowhere to go, no family... so old man Akira told him to stay. Two years... it''s been two years since he was reborn in this world. Though he didn''t care either way... his life was hell in both worlds. In the modern world he was born to a kind couple however, he was sickly from birth. He could only watch as other kids run around and play, he could only envy those who could spend time with their friends. Even though life wasn''t fulfilling he still had his parents but it seems heavens had a grudge against him. One day he was suddenly informed that his parents passed away in a car accident. That was the last straw that broke him. In that vast world he was alone. Loneliness can sometimes be worse than dying, each second in that house was a torture for him, it nearly drove him crazy. Knowing he might go crazy he immersed himself in everything he could gets his hands on. With what little wealth his parents left him he invested in every business he could get his hands on. He busied his days with work, pulling through day after day. Even after all that he still felt empty inside. He didn''t have a purpose in living, he didn''t have a dream, he just... existed. One day he just slipped away in his sleep and when he woke up, he was here, in this world. And even then heavens didn''t give him what he wanted, it just took away everyone he loved. "Leo, what''s taking you so long?" Waking from his thoughts Leo wiped his face and went out. A table with hot soup and vegetables greeted his eyes. Smiling he sat down. Though I lost everyone... this isn''t so bad. Halfway through breakfast "Ah, don''t forget to buy some bread when you go down to the village later." "Hmm." Life with old man Akira was relaxing, he really cared for Leo like he would to his own grandson. Since they were living in the mountains the old man taught him how to hunt and make fur clothes and accessories. Leo was a good hunter. And for some reason Leo can sense other living beings around him, this came as a surprise to him and when he mentioned it to old man Akira he showed a weird expression. Finishing his breakfast Leo did some chores. It''s wasn''t until noon did he pack several stuff and descended the mountain. Watching his fading shadow Akira couldn''t help but remember what kind of mess he was just two years ago. He has talent in hunting and that peculiar sense of his... it''s almost like... ah forget it. It''s good if he could just live a normal life. Akira watched him go down the mountain and shook his head. Walking down the mountain Leo could faintly see the outline of a village. He kept a steady pace and within no time he reached it. "Ah, Leo. Good to see you again. Went hunting today as well?" "Yes and I have made some stuff to sell." "Alright, have a nice day." "You too." Along the way some villagers greeted him. Two years was a lot of time for him to know these people, these were good people. Leo didn''t sense any distance with them, unlike from where Akira found him. Finishing his sales Leo packed up and got ready to leave. The villagers gave him some stuff when he was leaving. By the time he left the sky was turning already dark. It''s gonna get pitch black up the mountain soon, I better hurry. Leo picked up his pace. The sky gradually lost it''s brilliance causing the mountain to descend into darkness. Phew, there it is. Up ahead in the darkness Leo saw light from his home. Just as he was about to move forward he sensed something, something vile, something evil. His body broke out into a cold sweat. He could feel that presence getting close to him. He wanted to run but couldn''t, every muscle in his body froze in fear. His eyes looked into the darkness and saw a figure slowly walk out. It had red skin, two horns on its forehead and worst of all... it had several mouths on its body like someone sewed it there. He could vaguely see some kind of fluid dripping down its body. What... Blood? That''s blood!!! Run! I must run! "Oya oya... look what I found. I didn''t have my fill and I was wondering what to do. Thanks for the meal." Leo didn''t know which part spoke, he didn''t care which one did, that thing scared him. Fear crept into his heart. He just wanted to run, he wanted to escape. He summoned every ounce of strength he had and ran. "Hmm... now that I look at you... ah it''s you. So you didn''t die. Good job kid." Leo halted his steps. Fear gripped his heart but those words... that sound... he has heard it before. Suddenly his mind turned back to that hellish night. It''s him! Chapter 3 - 3. Demon Slayer "Oya... aren''t you gonna run?" That sound got close. Leo''s clothes were soaked in sweat, he could feel that presence right behind him. No use. I can''t outrun him. Knowing his death was certain the fear he felt before disappeared. Taking a deep breath he turned around. Looking into this abominations deep eyes he asked "You killed my family?" The demon was surprised for a second and laughed, "Hahaha, I remember you. That woman protected you even when I was chewing on her. After I had my fill I was going to eat you but then you died. No way I am gonna eat stale meat. Guess I was wrong." Anger and hatred boiled up inside him. His mind went blank and all he wanted was to get revenge. Without realising what kind of being was infront of him he attacked. He gripped the axe on his waist and swung it hard. The demon however laughed with scorn and swatted the axe away. Leo could feel his bones creak from that strike, before he could do anything, a tremendous force crushed against his body and violently threw him away. Cough! Cough! Rolling through the hard ground Leo puked out blood. His vision was starting to blur, he was struggling to get back on his feet. "Thanks for the meal." The demon clapped his hands and jumped at Leo. All of it''s mouth opened wide, trying to take a bite at him. "Look Leo, that''s our family''s heritage. It''s been passed down from your grandfather to your father, it''s the pride of our family." A young Leo sat on his mother''s l.a.p and watched his father swing his sword. He was moving so fast and elegantly that each of his movement made the sword hum in excitement. Leo was mesmerized by his dad''s movements. "Mommy, dad''s so cool!" Hugging her son tightly and looked at her husband with a bright smile, "Haha, of course! He is the coolest." Leo''s eyes were glued to his father as he asked, "Mommy, what''s is called?" His mother lovingly c.a.r.e.s.sed his head and said with pride, "Watch closely Leo, that''s our heritage passed down through generations... Dragon-Tiger Sword." Close to death Leo recalled his father''s movements. His body instinctively moved, the demon was just a hair breath away from him when he lost his target. He turned around and saw the kid struggling to stand up. How did he... The demon attacked again, Leo slightly tilted his body and dodged it with ease. Seeing him lose his target again the demon was enraged, it attacked violently. Eventhough he dodged several times Leo couldn''t hold on and coughed out blood, his legs lost their strength and fell down. The demon grinned and pounced on him. It could almost smell the fragrance from Leo''s blood, imagining the sweet taste of flesh a hideous smile bloomed on its face. I guess this is it... Leo closed his eyes and waited for death but the pain he expected didn''t come. He opened his eyes and saw a figure blocking the demon. "Old man... It was Akira. He stood tall like a mountain. He had a completely different vibe. Leo felt as if he was looking at a ferocious beast. Akira was holding the demon''s neck like he was holding a chicken. A sword shimmering with gleaming with coldness rested on his hand. "Don''t move Leo, your body is a mess. Your internal organs may have also shifted, stay there. This will be over in a second." The demon felt as if he was standing before a cruel beast. It wanted to escape but that hand was like an iron bar, it wouldn''t budge! "Begone." A red light flashed. The demon''s head slid down its throat and scattered into ashes. Leo was able to see this before he lost consciousness. When he opened his eyes darkness covered his sight, he wandered aimlessly until a faint voice drifted to him. Leo... Leo... Mom? He looked around the darkness to find the owner of that voice. Slowly the darkness faded, he was now sitting on a chair watching his father teach his disciples. His ever so gentle mother sat beside him reading a book. I am back? Or is this a dream? "What''s wrong Leo?" Seeing him in a daze his mother asked. Leo looked at his mom and shook his head. "It nothing mom." His mother was curious but still went back to her reading. Leo didn''t know why he was here again, this memory was quite special to him. The Dragon-Tiger Sword. Leo watched as his father performed each form step by step. He could easily name every form and know what kind of precise movements were needed for it''s execution. After the last form was done everything around him started to fade away. Opening his eyes again he was greeted by that familiar ceiling. Medicine aroma drifted through the room, struggling to sit up he saw old man Akira busy himself inside the kitchen. His body was covered in bandages and he felt weak all over, but he was alive. Akira came in with a bowl of hit soup and sat down. Seeing Leo''s eyes he sighed. "I know you have a lot of questions, so ask away." Leo asked away, "What was that thing? " Akira gave him the bowl of soup and said calmly "You should have already guessed, that was a demon." Taking a deep breath Leo calmed down, "Demons exist? And who are you old man? You killed it so easily." "Demons have existed for over a thousand years. They are cruel, vicious creatures that feed on humans. A lot of innocent lives have been lost to them, more than you could imagine. As time passed some humans rose up against this evil. Such people fought against this evil for centuries, keeping it at bay. These people are called Demon Slayers." Chapter 4 - 4. Destiny Demon Slayer... So old man Akira is a Demon Slayer. "Thank you. That demon... it was the one that killed my family. I am glad I got to watch it die." Akira was stunned. He didn''t know this, he only got there just in time to see Leo dodge the demon''s attack. He had no idea that it was the one that killed Leo''s family. Leo drank the soup slowly. His heart was finally at peace knowing that the one responsible for his family''s murder was put to death. Finishing the bowl he looked at Akira and said calmly, "Teach me. Teach me how to become a Demon Slayer." Akira wasn''t surprised. Like Leo most Demon Slayers that roam around were those who had once lost their loved ones. "Before I answer that tell me one thing, how did you dodge that demon? You have excellent physique but you have never trained before. It''s impossible to move like that without any kind of training." Hearing Akira Leo was also confused. What he did was to merely use part of his family''s heritage, he has never used it before but somehow under that condition he was able to use it subconsciously. Leo explained everything to Akira excluding his previous life. He had a pensive expression on his face, "I suppose your brain was so familiar with those movements that it deemed it to be the most perfect course of action at that time. Often close to death people move on instinct but in actually it''s our thought process that''s too fast for us to comprehend." Leo thought for a while a understood. He was someone from modern times, he knew much about these kind of things than people of this era. "Well, it seems you are destined to become a Demon Slayer." Leo looked confused. "You have an excellent Breathing Technique costume made for you. Your brain is so familiar with it that all you need to do is just practice it often and you could possibly master it in a matter of months. Also..." He paused at this point. "That peculiar ability of yours, to sense other living beings. It''s not just you, some Demon Slayers have special abilities as well. Some have a strong sense of smell, some have herculean strength, some have astounding hearing... it''s like you were born to be a Demon Slayer." Something clicked inside Leo, something he has never felt before. He finally felt something he always longed for in his past life as well as this one... a goal, a destiny. When his parents died he was lost, he didn''t know why he lived, maybe it was for them, maybe he was afraid to die. This was true for this life as well, after his family died he was lost, he lived on so as to not waste this life he was given. But that was it. Now... everything has changed. He finally had a goal, a path he can walk towards. This was what he was born for, this was his destiny. Akira keenly felt the changes in Leo, that spiritless kid was undergoing a transformation, he was changing. A smile found it''s way onto his face. "Rest and heal. Once you are recovered we will start your training." Leo nodded calmly. Destiny has taken shape, what awaits him, he has to find out himself. ... Six months passed... Huff... Huff... Leo was breathing heavily, his body was trembling as he held onto a sword. Akira stood opposite to him and said calmly, "Demons have superior regeneration, a severed limb can be restored in seconds. Some even have bodies harder than steel, normally it''s impossible for a human to battle against them. That''s why we have Breathing Techniques." "It allows us to take in a large volume of oxygen causing the blood within us to circulate faster, granting us stronger strength and regeneration. But no matter how strong our regeneration is it still won''t reach that of a demon, a single mistake and all is over." "My Wolf Breathing Technique is useless for you, your body would automatically reject it. However that Dragon-Tiger Breathing of yours is different, to this moment it shocks me seeing how far you have come in just six months. " "However this is as far as I can help you, to improve on your Breathing Technique you can only depend on yourself." Leo took a deep breath and shook his head, "It''s more than enough, thank you for parring with me. My sword skills wouldn''t have improved so fast if you hadn''t helped." Akira grinned, "Cut it out kid. Let''s go, the sun''s setting." Leo sheathed his sword, both of them descended the mountain. Along the way Akira handed him a sword and said, "This is a Demon Slayer sword, it''s made of ores that absorb sunlight. It''s not as good as a Colour Changing sword but for now it will do. Your destiny is already set in stone, I can''t help you any further." Leo accepted the sword and expressed his gratitud, "Old man... I will descend the mountain tomorrow. I am going to partake in the final selection a year from now but before that I need to have combat experience." Akira understand what he meant, sighing he said, "Go north from here, along the way you will find what you seek." Leo nodded. Both of them reached home and cleaned up. Dinner time was calm and serene, Akira explained some details about various types of demons and their origin. Leo noted all of it in his mind and went to bed. Early next morning... Leo dressed up and packed some food for the journey. The sword Akira gave him hung on his waist. "Thank you for all you care old man." Akira smiled and set him off. "Be strong Leo, you are the most talented person to ever appear in the Demon Slayer Corps. I know you will change this world." Chapter 5 - 5. First Fight "~Sigh~ It''s been two days since I descended the mountain and still no sight of a single demon." Leo grumbled to himself as he walked through the rice fields. His destination was a small village just up ahead. Rumour was that some people suddenly went missing there few days ago and the hunters saw something weird inside the forest behind the village. Reaching the village Leo asked one of the residents there for more details. Even though the villager was confused as to why a kid was asking for such details he still said it. "I see... four people have already been confirmed dead. How did you know they were dead?" "The hunters found their possessions scattered inside the forest backside. Are you a Demon Slayer?" The villagers question slightly surprised him. Nodding his head he asked "When did the disappearance occur last time?" "A day ago. Hey, are you really a Demon Slayer. You are just a kid." Leo thought for a bit and thanked the villager. He found a place to stay for the night, it''s highly likely someone might be abducted tonight. The sun slowly disappeared. Once night fell people closed their homes tightly and smoked wisteria to ward off demons. Demons hate wisteria so it''s a good method to keep yourself safe. Leo was amidst his meditation when a presence abruptly jumped into the range of his sense. Like the first demon he met before, this one also had a vile disgusting colour to its spirit. Inside his mind a mass of mixed colours giving off an evil vibe was getting closer to one of the houses. Unlike the other houses this one had less amount of wisteria being smoked outside leaving gaps. Grabbing his sword Leo rushed out. He was unlike how he first met a demon, the fear and anxiety he felt before was nowhere to be seen instead he felt serene, like still water. It might have been due to his near death experiences before or maybe it might be due to his life experience, Leo had grown. Soon a large figure came to his view. It''s hand extended into the house and dragged out a man in his thirties. Leo didn''t hesitate, he took a deep breath. His lungs were like a steam engine, the breath he took in came out boiling hot. Dragon - Tiger Breathing, First Form... White Tiger Awakening! His body vanished from where he was a moment ago, like he blended with the air itself. The demon who was about to take a bite out of his dinner felt cold all over its body. It suddenly raised the man in it''s hand and placed him on it''s neck. Swish! A hand went flying while Leo re-emerged holding the man, he put him down and focused on his opponent. The demon knew it met someone strong. Without even looking back it escaped into the forest behind. Leo wasn''t bothered, he took a stance and breathed in. Dragon - Tiger Breathing, Third Form... White Tiger Assault! Leo took a deep breath and sheathed his sword. He turned to the man and said calmly. "It''s alright sir, I have taken care of the demon. Your village is safe now." Leo''s words didn''t put the man at ease instead he seemed anxious. "Sir, what''s wrong? " The villager pulled his hair and said with trembling voice. "Those things will come again. Those things will come again... it''s over..." Leo frowned, "Sir, calm down. Speak clearly, what will come again?" The villager seemed to have been really frightened. Leo calmed him down and asked patiently. "The villagers don''t know about it but... this demon was different from the ones before. All of them were different." Leo was startled. "It''s true. You have to believe me, each person was taken by different demons. I saw it, I saw it all. I tried to tell them but nobody believed me. I know demons don''t form a group but that''s what I saw. Please you have to believe me." Leo frowned. He could see that this man was telling the truth, his spirit was in disorder because of how frightened he was but it didn''t fluctuate, which means he was telling the truth. But how is that possible? Multiple demons attacking a single spot, that''s never been heard before. Lost in thought Leo suddenly asked. "You said you saw them, how?" The villager seemed to have calmed down after speaking to Leo. "When the first one was taken I accidentally saw it. It scared the hell out of me but I saw it clearly it was a different demon from the one today. After that night I couldn''t sleep peacefully anymore, the slightest sound and I am wide awake." "Few days after I heard a sound and abruptly woke up. Through the gaps of the window I saw a woman being dragged away, I was scared and couldn''t move after seeing that sight. But I saw clearly, it was a different demon." "Each time a demon came I woke up from the noise it made and I saw my fellow villagers being taken away. I was powerless and too cowardly to do anything, I could only watch as they were taken to their death." By the end he kneeled and cried. Witnessing a single demon was enough to horrify any normal person and this guy had to see several of them. It''s miracle he was still sane. "Sir, think carefully. Which direction did the demons go?" The villager was shaken to his core but he still thought hard and said. "South... it went south." "Alright." Leo nodded. He looked into the dark forest in the distance and bravely stepped forward. The villager was shocked he quickly grabbed Leo''s shirt and said nervously. "No, don''t. Those things might be living there." "All the more reason I should go." "You will die." "I have died, twice. Death can''t take me, not until I have killed every last one of them." The villager could only watch as Leo''s back faded into the dark forest. Chapter 6 - 6. Shocking Discovery The forest was pitch dark, Leo could only see several meters ahead of him and this was only possible because of his training. Moving forward he was shocked to find several demons presence all around him. Steadying his breath Leo slowly crept forward. He closed in on the first demon and took a deep breath. Dragon - Tiger Breathing, Second Form... White Tiger Descend! A huge White tiger seemed have grown out of his sword. It''s body rippled with violent energy as it crashed into the demon. In a split second the demon torn into pieces, Leo quickly used the first form and disappeared. Moments after he left dozens of demons each one more disgusting than the other appeared. Leo observed them from a distance. Only now did he get a close look at them or specifically speaking their presence. All of them had the same that vile aura but every one of them gave of the same feeling. How is this possible? Their presence are clearly different but they all give off the same feeling. Even though Leo only fought demons recently he still had quite a bit of knowledge about them. Akira made sure he had sufficient information before he headed off to battle. Leo''s ability was kind of special, Akira still had no idea which sense he is using to perceive others however Leo was perfectly aware how his ability worked. What he perceived was their spirit, he could use his own spirit to sense others within a certain range. Leo had transcended his own world and was born here, moreover he merged with another person''s body. In the process he merged with the previous owners spirit and obtained his memories. This strengthened his spirit to a ridiculous level. Transcending space alone would temper and purify spirit, in addition he even merged with another spirt and strengthened it even further. He wasn''t aware of the specific details but from several deductions Leo came to this conclusion. At the end it''s a very useful ability, unless it''s an opponent that''s way too strong no one can get the drop on him. The demons sniffed around for some time before they dispersed. Leo knew better to try his hand on another one, though it may look like they are scattered, a second was enough for them to gather given that he makes a move. This is gonna be tricky. No spirit gives off the same vibe, there are only two possibilities. One, these demons are clones of another demon. However this is unlikely since each demon is different and their spirits are different. Second, something took control of their spirit, leaving it''s soul presence. Since a demon is strong enough to control other demons it''s presence would be dominant in these demons. Something big is happening here, how come the Demon Slayer Corps has no clue about what''s happening here? This is what confused Leo. Usually, the disappearance of people would bring in Demon Slayers. However no one came here, why? Sneaking through the trees Leo ventured deeper into the forest. No demon was able to find him thanks to his special ability, Spirit Concealment. Since his spirit was stronger than an average person he is able to mimic his soul to conceal himself. Unless they see or hear him it''s impossible to sense him otherwise. As he went deeper the expression on his face got worse. He could sense atleast twenty demons in his surrounding. What the hell is happening? Focusing his mind he went where the demon concentration was high. As he crossed a small winded path a cave concealed by vines appeared in his view. It''s normal to find caves on these mountains since bears usually lived in these parts. However Leo wasn''t the least bit eased, he could feel an eerie vibe coming from that cave. Inching closer he sensed carefully and found no one guarding the entrance. Again concealing his presence Leo entered the cave. The darkness of the cave only made his heart beat faster. Even after walking for some time Leo still didn''t sense any other demons however that eerie vibe only got stronger. This was the first time he came across such a situation but... he seemed strangely excited. As he went deeper the darkness gradually disappeared. He could make out several wisps of light coming from further ahead. Heightening his senses he inched forward. Soon the darkness was banished by light from lamps flickering with flames, it revealed a wide space. He hid near a corner and stretched his neck to look ahead. However his pupils shrunk and his face paled as he saw what was inside. Damn Demons! A pool of blood occupied the floor. Within it was severed limbs and bodies of humans. Every single face among them had an expression of deep horror and despair. This many people disappeared and no Demon Slayer noticed!? Wait!... no, that''s not it. From what that villager said the first demon appeared at most a week ago and only four people were taken. However... Leo''s face paled as he looked inside, he couldn''t imagine what kind of monster would do such a vile thing. Atleast fifty corpses lay there, which means... A frightening thought crept into his mind. Leo wanted to deny it but the more he thought aboy it the more he found it confirming to reality. Just as he was lost in thought he sensed movement within the blood pool. He watched with bated breath. A head slowly rose from the blood pool, a distorted face with a large mouth filled with bloody teeth emerged. It''s body was thrice as large as a normal human, Leo spotted several worms all over its body which squirmed through its flesh. "You were born to be a Demon Slayer." Chapter 7 - 7. Blood Demon Art The demon fully emerged from the blood pool, it''s body was sticky with blood and looked gruesome. Leo calmed his heart and steadied his breath. I only got one shot at this. If I miss it... Clearing his mind from distracting thoughts Leo took a stance, his feet dug deep into the ground. Taking a deep breath his lungs expanded to it''s limit, drawing energy from every cell in his body. Dragon - Tiger Breathing, Fifth Form... Azure Dragon Ascension! Like a Dragon Ascending towards the heaven, his body split through the air, his body drew a straight arc towards the demon. In a split second he was already at it''s neck. Hot breath blew out of his mouth as his sword distorted taking the form of an Azure Dragon. Dragon - Tiger Breathing, Sixth Form... Azure Dragon Roams The Heavens! Only now did the demon notice an enemy. An enraged roar escaped it''s mouth. However it was too late, the Azure Dragon opened its huge jaws and bit it''s neck. However... Leo saw his sword slice through the demon''s neck. Half way through he felt as if his sword was bogged down by something. Before he could understand what was happening a tremendous force enveloped his body and he was thrown away. He could feel his bones creak as if they would break any moment. Bang! Leo crashed into the rocky walls and coughed out blood. He was finding it hard to breath, each breath would result in another mouthful of blood. "Hmph! A Demon Slayer, I didn''t expect your kind would find me even after I went through all that trouble." Raising his head Leo looked at the demon with serene eyes, countless thoughts ran through his mind as he said. "Controlling others demons like puppets to abduct humans from different locations, even if a Demon Slayer find your puppets they would never link them to you. And if my guess is right, you would immediately cease any activity in a region if one of your puppets were killed, right?" That gruesome mouth on the demon''s face smiled widely. It almost seemed like it''s face was cut in half. "That''s right. Hehehe, I never expected someone to see through my plans however, you seem to be alone, Mr. Demon Slayer." A sense of crisis suddenly welled up inside Leo, he immediately dodged to the side. To his surprise a small hole was dug into the wall behind where he stood just now. What surprised him wasn''t the attack itself but the thing that attacked him, it was those worms. "Ooh, nice reflex. But can you dodge all of them." Shadows flickered through the space as danger approached Leo from every direction. Still bleeding Leo forced his mind to focus and took a slow steady breath. Dragon-Tiger Breathing, First Form... Azure Dragon Ascension. With incredible speed Leo dodged every incoming attack while dishing out his own. But those worms seemed endless, he had atleast sliced a hundred and still the count was increasing. Can''t go on like this. Dragon-Tiger Breathing, First Form... White Tiger Awakening! The demon who had a wide grin on its face while playing with Leo suddenly lost sight of him. Before it could react a sword was already inches away from it''s neck. Blood Demon Art! Spirit Capture! It''s eyes filled with madness gave off a strange fluctuation. Leo felt his body was being pulled by something, his sword lost its momentum. The demon took this chance and pierced it''s huge claws at him. Twisting his body in mid air Leo forcefully absorbed the impact and retreated. He stumbled and coughed out blood. His eyes however never left the demon. What was that? Did he he just try to capture my spirit? A cold sweat dropped down his face. Leo gripped his sword which was now coated with a layer of his blood. Leo was analysing his opponents power as well as his next move. Countless strategies went through his mind until he ultimately decided on the most simplest and effective one. I have get faster, much faster than before. Speed equals power, his body is filled with those worms. Unless I can cut through him instantly my strike would lose power. The demon also got serious. It swung those huge claws at Leo, flinging what seemed like countless worms at high speed. Faster, faster... Leo was breathing in steadily, each puff of air caused his blood to speed up. His body temperature was starting to rise making him seem like a human engine. The demon was now missing Leo often. Unlike before where he sliced through the worms this human was now dodging more and more. Is he getting faster? Leo could feel his body get stronger, like it was filled with endless power. However he knew this was only a misconception, he was already at his limit. If he doesn''t finish this soon he would breakdown due to fatigue. Summoning every ounce of power he had Leo took a horse stance above the wall, his feet dug deep into the wall causing cracks to spread like spider webs. Azure Dragon Ascension! The demon couldn''t react this time. Leo vanished before it''s eyes and reappeared behind it. He staggered and kneeled while coughing our blood. Impossible... The demon''s head slid down its neck and rolled beside Leo. It''s eyes were filled with rage, unwillingness and hatred. Feeling the burning sensation on it''s body madness flashed through its face. "Let''s go to hell together!" A hideous smile emerged on its face as it''s body was lit up in flames. Blood Demon Art! Spirit Cage! The blood pool started to churn. Leo didn''t notice this, he could feel several demons closing in on his location. He struggled to get on his feet and walked towards an opening behind the blood pool. As his figure faded into the darkness the demon smiled hideously as the last of it''s body scattered into ashes. You can never run away. Chapter 8 - 8. Spirit Cage Huff... Huff... Through the dark forest Leo struggled to get away. He could feel several demon presence getting close, however he tried to avoid them they would still find him. Tired and dizzy from blood loss all he wanted now was to find a safe place to heal. Dawn is approaching... gotta hold on. With his current condition getting out of the forest was not possible, so he searched for a high ground where sunlight would hit first. Just a bit more... He could already see a cliff. Few more and he would be out of the forest and into the open cliff. Dragging his worn out body he got out of the thick forest and fell down. Rustling sound could be heard far behind him. Leo''s eyes looked over the horizon, waiting for the sun. He could already see those demons coming closer and closer. All of them seemed dazed and yet a crazy intent to slaughter could be seen in their eyes. Finding their target more than dozen of those demons went crazy. Just as they were about to leap towards Leo a bright ball of flames peeked out from the mountains far towards the east. A smile crept onto Leo''s face, he turned over and looked at the sky. The bright rays of the morning sun created a beautiful image for one to wake up to. It''s so great to be alive. He heaved a sigh of relief and looked back towards the forest. The demons growled madly while looking at Leo and left. After resting for some time Leo somehow sat up. He faced the sun and did his Breathing Technique. Each breath would leave out a cloud of white smoke. His wounds seemed to be slightly better after some time however it will take days for him to heal. Gaining some strength to move he got on his feet and checked the area. As of right now, going into the forest in his condition is a no go. My injuries aren''t that serious but it would still take atleast two days to heal. Gotta get out of this forest while the sun''s still up. Finding a path down the cliff he avoided darker areas and walked in the direction of the village. Two hours later... Leo was still walking through the forest. His face however was showing a thoughtful expression. Still among the sea of trees Leo was lost. He looked at an arrow mark on the tree and rubbed his temple. Looks like I am going around in circles. He already doubted this when he couldn''t reach the village even after walking for three hours and now he confirmed his thoughts. However Leo was sure there was no demon tracking him right now. How is it possible? If I can''t get out by nightfall I am screwed grandly. Think carefully, how and when did I get caught in this? Tracing back his steps Leo analysed everything since last night and came up with a conclusion. The blood pool... it showed some activity after I killed that demon, didn''t it? Could it be that? And those demons could pinpoint my exact location even after I used my Spirit Concealment, it should be that. Argh!... what the heck should I do? I can''t get out nor do I know how to get out and worst of all more than few dozen demons are after me. Well... I will deal with it when the time comes, since I can''t get out my priority should be to gain back stamina and be ready for battle.'' Leo found a clear stream and washed himself. Hunting some wild animals and gathering some fruits he satisfied his hunger and rested. After food and some rest Leo started doing his Breathing Technique. During his training with Akira the old man mentioned the benefits of Breathing Technique if it is done constantly. The prerequisite for a Demon Slayer to fight any of the Upper Moons is to master constant Breathing. "Leo, a true Martial Artist can perform his Techniques even if he is unconscious. Our body would be fine tuned so that even when we are asleep it will continue to work that way." Breathe in, breathe out... Leo held his sword while he went through all the forms of Dragon - Tiger Forms while doing the complimenting Breathing Technique. However, he slowed down his movements, so slow that it seemed as if time was slowed down. Vapour rose out of his body as he flawlessly went through all the motion. Leo could distinctly feel his wounds healing at a fast rate. He could feel his muscles vibrate to the rhythm of his heart. Dragon-Tiger Breathing... it''s more than what meets the eye. Initially I estimated my injuries would take two days to heal but now... I suppose by nightfall I would be around eighty percent my full power. Hmm... Looks like I will have to practice further if I want to unravel it''s mysteries. The fight last night had already proved the difference between normal Breathing Techniques and his own. While Breathing Techniques could improve the quality of a humans body it was still limited, his however was different. Even after taking two huge blows last night his body didn''t have any grievous wounds. Even those slight cut and bruises during the fight had already formed scabs. His regeneration was scary and he believed it had something to do with Dragon - Tiger Breathing. He could vaguely remember his father saying something about this but he couldn''t remember what it was. With no answer to this question he pushed it to the back of his mind and rested for a while. Having his fill again Leo did his Breathing Technique while going through all the forms over and over again. Sometimes he went as slow as a snail, sometimes he was as fast as a flash of lightning. A sharp glint flashed in his eyes. Now that he had removed the hidden boss he could play with these minions till he could break out of this damn forest. Time to hunt. Chapter 9 - 9. Broken Cage Slice! A huge demon had it''s head removed. Leo sheathed his sword and let out a breath, he looked back towards the demon as it scattered into ashes and frowned. Just how many of these things do I have to kill? It''s already been two days since I entered this forest, my clothes are soaked in blood and sweat, I smell even though I bath three times a day. Now I seem more like a beast than a human. Thinking back to how he had to kill without sleep for two entire nights Leo cursed the demons eight generations. He didn''t know what kind of Blood Demon Art was in play here but from his time spend here he speculated two things. One, this entire forest is now like a maze. His previous sense of direction is all over the place. Two, if he want to get out he had to destroy an anchor. The only demon strong enough to use something like that was the one he killed. So, he assumed there was something holding the Blood Demon Art in place. And that something were these demons. Even before he fought that particular demon it was able to control all these demons and it almost seemed like all of them had the same presence as that particular Demon. And that hasn''t changed even after its death. So it''s safe to assume that these demons hold the key to getting out of here. Since they weren''t strong he could kill them without much effort but the problem was... Including the one I just killed my kill count is twenty six. Before the fight I sensed about fifty two demons and that''s not including the ones I couldn''t sense. Argh... they are weak and I could kill them without much effort but if all of them pile up on me then I am dead. Leo was frustrated. He had to be on the move constantly while killing Demons, this was taxing on his stamina. Rustle... He was suddenly woken up from his thoughts. Sensing other presences converging on his location Leo bolted. He vanished into the dark forest and pulled the distance between him and that group of Demons. Like an agile monkey he trekked through the forest while keeping an eye on isolated demons. The dark forest plunged into a game of cat and mouse. ... "Brother, come fast. I found some wild herbs in that direction." "Mei, calm down. Did you forget what father told us, we have to be careful while inside the forest. Lately people have seen Demons here." "Don''t be so scared brother. Demons don''t go out during the day, we will be fine." The brother could only sigh and walk along with his sister. They were both from a nearby village, sometimes they would go through the forest to collect some herbs and wood. Unlike his sister who was oblivious to the dangers of the wilderness he wasn''t that ignorant. Their village had been attacked by demons before although the attacks stopped a month ago most of the villagers were still cautious and not go into the forest if not absolutely necessary. Their family was in urgent need of some herbs and it cost them too much to buy it, so the brother-sister duo set out while the sun was at its peak to collect the herbs they needed. And since they were familiar with the forest it didn''t take them much time to find what they were looking for. "Wow, so many! " The young man shook his head as he watched his lively sister running around picking everything she could. Placing some of it on the basket he was carrying he was about to call for his sister when he saw a shadow among the crowd of trees. His body went stiff as he remembered the rumours about demons around these parts. "Mei! Get back here now!" "Huh?... The young girl looked at her brother and found him yelling at her. She followed his gaze and found what he was looking at. She saw a shadow in the distance that swayed left and right, it got close to her. Both of them watched apprehensively as the shadow slowly stepped out into the light. "Um... can you tell me where the nearest village is?" A gentle wind blew by... "You... aren''t a Demon?" The young man asked doubtfully. The figure infront of him was completely black, he could see dried blood on his body and face. Demon? This person was of course Leo. He was trapped inside this god forsaken forest for over a month, at first he killed a dozen or so demons every night but then those things got smarter. They hid themselves making him run all over the forest to search for them. If he didn''t have the ability to sense spirits he was sure he would either go crazy or kill himself. Luckily when he killed the last Demon he was able to sense something disappear around him. He was so overjoyed that he almost cried however he went far too deep into the forest while hunting and took almost half a day to reach the outer region. Just as he reached the place he saw two people picking herbs. Though he was m.a.t.u.r.e and calm Leo wanted to curse out loud. Wiping some of the dirt on his face Leo said "Sir, I am human. I was just lost and kind of had some bad luck. Could you please tell me the direction to the nearest village?" The young man looked at Leo and nodded. Although he asked whether Leo was a demon or not instinctively, he was relieved when he stepped out into the light. It''s a known fact that demons can''t come out into the light. "If you don''t mind you can come with us. The closest village is ours, but could you wait till we finish picking these herbs." "Ok." Leo agreed immediately. He didn''t mind waiting if he could find a place to clean himself and get a good night sleep. Chapter 10 - 10. Mystery "Sir, that''s our village." The young boy pointed towards the distance and said with a smile. Leo finally saw the light, he couldn''t wait to get out his dirty clothes and take a nice long bath. Picking up the pace all three of them entered the village. Along the way the trio attracted curious gazes, mostly they were scrutinizing Leo. In his entire life Leo never felt this embarrassed. Luckily they soon reached the boy''s house. It wasn''t big but looked neat and tidy. "Mom, we are back." Placing the basket of herbs down the young girl yelled excitedly. Hearing their voice a woman who seemed young for her age came out. She looked lovingly at her children for a second before focusing on Leo. A surprised expression crossed her face as she looked at him. "Tetsu, who is this?" The young boy named Tetsu said eagerly. "Mom, this is brother Leo. He got lost in the forest and seemed to have been unfortunate enough to actually live there for some time." "Oh my... Leo didn''t have a chance to talk as the siblings said everything for him. After listening to her children the lady said with a smile. "There is a hot spring near the village, you can clean yourself there. Just place your clothes outside, I will prepare some spare clothes." Leo immediately agreed. Tetsu guided him towards the hot spring and gave him a towel and some necessities. What made Leo twitch his mouth was that he actually pinched his noses while taking away his clothes. Cleaning the dirt on him with some water, Leo immediately jumped into the pool of water layered with thick steam. Haaaaa... A satisfied m.o.a.n escaped his mouth as he settled down. He could feel his skin breathe as the heat permeated through his skin. His body could finally relax after a month of torture, he could feel his mind clear up as many distracting thoughts became clear. Raising his palm he was lost as water poured out between his fingers. Dragon - Tiger Breathing, Dragon - Tiger Forms... Dad, just what kind of heritage is it? One month... one month of constant fighting, depleting my stamina, regaining it and perfecting those forms actually made me twice stronger than those six months of training with old man Akira. Not only that, my body seemed to have become even more tenacious. Be it my body''s defense or my recuperative abilities, it''s way beyond normal. If I met that demon now I could easily kill it. Without him realising an hour went by. Leo could feel his body rejuvenated and hungry. He got dressed and went back to Tetsu''s house. As he entered he saw a middle aged man sit across the table sorting out the herbs. Hearing footsteps he looked at Leo and said mildly. "You must be Leo. Come in, your clothes were way too dirty and torn, you won''t get them until tomorrow." An embarrassed expression crossed his face. The middle aged man showed a smile and said. "You should be more careful, that forest is home to the demons. Even as a Slayer it''s far too dangerous to waltz in there." Leo wasn''t surprised when the man called him a Slayer, though he wasn''t an official one. He could hear genuine concern from the man''s words, he nodded and sat down. "Has there been any attacks lately?" The middle aged man shook his head. "No, it all stopped few days ago." "Good." Leo could truly see how happy this family was, as he looked at such a scene he couldn''t help but remember his parents from this life and the last one. Eating among such a family his conviction to kill Demons only strengthened. Having his meal Leo was guided to a small room used by Tetsu. Since they had a guest Tetsu would sleep in his sister''s room while she would sleep with their parents. The day was still young however Leo was off to dream land as soon as he hit the floor. He slept like a log until afternoon next day, waking up Leo felt as if last night was the best sleep he has ever had. "Good afternoon." "Good afternoon, brother Leo." Leo just got out of his room when he saw Mei walking towards him. She gave him his clothes and grinned. "Mom stitched your clothes. Don''t worry big brother, you won''t look like a beggar anymore.." Leo''s mouth twitched. He thanked her and got dressed. After having his fill he got up and thanked the family for taking care of him. "Be careful and good luck." "Such a pleasant young boy." "That he is." "Uwaah... Father! Look." The middle aged man walked into Tetsu''s room and found him holding some money. A note was beside it. "Thank you for the meal." A smile crept onto the middle aged man''s face. ... Walking along the path with both sides filled with rice fields Leo pondered his next destination. "From the villagers, the next closest village would be about a day''s travel." While Leo was journeying through the lands searching for demons a meeting was held by within the Headquarters or Demon Slayer Corps. "Lower Moon 6 was killed? Oyakata Sama, how did you know this?" A man who had a large build with prayer beads around his neck and arms asked. Infront of him stood a man with a calm and serene aura. He held a crow in his arms and gently stroked it. "It was sheer coincidence. There has been news about demon attacks near several villages, since the range of attacks were big it took some time to analyse the root cause and I came to a conclusion that it was one of the Twelve Moons." "Then why didn''t we sent any Slayers?" A beautiful woman wearing a butterfly hairpin asked. "We did, but before they reached the place Lower Moon was killed. If not for one of the crows wandering the region we wouldn''t even know what happened." "Who was it? To kill a Moon he must be strong. It''s good that kids like this are within the Corps." A man wearing blue clothes with clouds and wearing a mask said while nodding his head. However soon they were all surprised by what the serene young man said. "He wasn''t one of us. He is just a trainee, he would be taking part in the Final Selection next year. Also, he was trained by Akira." "A trainee... "Wait. Akira? Oyakata Sama, is it The Akira, the one called Blood Wolf Akira." "Yes." All of the people attending the meeting was surprised. Akira was a former Hashira and the strongest among them. He got the name Blood Wolf Akira for his cruel nature and unrelenting thirst to hunt Demons. For some reason Oyakata Sama asked him to leave the Demon Slayer Corps. "Well, someone trained by is bound to be strong. But it''s still a surprise that a kid his age could single handedly kill one of the twelve Moons." The young man gently stroked the crow and looked up at the sky. A faint smile hung on his lips as he said to himself. Looks like you found your peace, Akira. Chapter 11 - 11. Sabito Demons, an evil that plague the world has existed for over a thousand years. Records indicate that the first demon appeared a thousand year ago and he is the only one capable of creating others of his kind. Over the course of a millennia this demon has gone by many forms and names however his true name was known to all Demon Slayers, Kibutsuji Muzan. It has been the creed of Demon Slayers to find him and kill him to end the nightmare that started a millennium ago. Countless young men and women died for that creed. The developing world still lives in ignorance while Demon Slayers lay their life for them. Only those who have lived through this nightmare carry the weight to defend against such vile creatures. The government has never officially accepted Demon Slayer Corps but those in power knew their importance, how they hold up the world with blood and death. It has been a tradition to select new Demon Slayers and grant them an official position within the Demon Slayer Corps if they live through the Final Selection. Young men and women from all parts of these lands gather to pass this selection and be officially be recognised as a Demon Slayer. This is not only because of Nichirin Swords that are said to possess mystical powers but also due to the resources of the Corps. With the Corps backing them up Demon Slayers could gather information, pass them, give support and make accurate judgements based on clues provided. "Hmm, if that passerby was correct it should be right around here... Ah, there it is." A young man about fourteen was walking along a cleared path with a sword by his waist. He had black hair and crystal clear blue eyes. He held an inexplicable m.a.t.u.r.e charm to him contrary to his age, though he wasn''t the most handsome men around he would surely catch any lady''s attention in a few years. It''s been slightly more than a year since Leo started his journey. Along the way he came across many demons, most of them were weak but some of them were life threatening. However fortune comes with disaster. Leo was currently trying to find his way to the Final Selection. From what Akira told him it should be a mountain filled with Wisteria, a type of flower hated by demons and that''s what was infront of him. "I have never seen a mountain covered in Wisteria, it''s quite the sight." A huge expanse of slightly darker rose flowers with a tint of purple covered his sight. He felt oddly at ease as he walked through the dense expanse of Wisteria. After some time he came across a flight of stairs and walked up. The orientation ground at the top had about twenty three participants. Leo''s arrival didn''t garner any attention, all of them were focused and waiting for the test to begin. Scanning all the other participants Leo nodded his head. Among these people one boy caught his attention. His soul has colour, he is strong. The past year had helped Leo to understand his ability thoroughly. The condition of a spirit can tell him many things about a person. For example, this person he just sensed. His spirit was like still water, indicating calm and serenity, only someone who has tempered themselves can have such a spirit. And his spirit was completely blue in colour. A normal persons spirit would be a mass of white light. If this mass of white light is tainted with colour then it indicates that they can do Breathing Techniques. As their mastery increase, the colour will spread through their spirit and one day completely cover it. And this person he was looking at had a spirit completely covered in blue, which means he has mastered his Breathing Technique. Sensing someone''s gaze that person looked in Leo''s direction. For a moment both of them stared at each other before that person walked in Leo''s direction. "Hello, nice to meet you. My name is Sabito, this is my friend, Tomioka Giyu." Leo looked past Sabito and scanned a boy with black hair, Tomioka Giyu. It was only now Leo noticed Giyu. He was surprised that he didn''t notice this guy''s spirit. His spirit wasn''t fully coloured like Sabito''s, only partially but the colour was much deeper. A deeper colour would indicate deeper understanding of Breathing Techniques. "Hello, I am Leo. Sorry for staring like that, you guys looked strong, unlike the rest." Sabito was a young boy with peach coloured hair and a scar across his right cheek. However he was kind and passionate. "It''s alright. You didn''t have any malicious intent so we are cool. Giyu, say something." The three of them hit it off pretty well. Soon the sun was setting across the horizon. A woman wearing a kimono came out holding a lamp. She had white hair adorned with a beautiful flower hairpin. To her side stood two men wearing black dress with their faces covered. "Everyone... thank you for coming here tonight, to the Demon Slayer Corps Final Selection." It was quite pleasing to hear her voice. Leo and the rest listened to her as she explained how the Final Selection will proceed. "There are demons imprisoned here on Mt. Fujikasane, captured alive by Demon Slayer Swordsmen, and unable to leave." "That is because Wisteria, which demons hate so much, blooms year-round from the bottom to halfway up the mountain." "However, there is no Wisteria from this point on, and so Demons abound." "You''ll need to survive here for seven days to pass the Final Selection." "And now, be on your way." Chapter 12 - 12. Final Selection Mt. Fujikasane was vast and filled with thick vibrant trees. Viewed from above it looked like half of the mountain was painted with violet colour while the other half was black and green. Leo ran through the cl.u.s.ter of trees as he reaped one life after another. Any demon coming across him only warranted a single swipe of his sword. Slowly he covered half the mountain in two days, he killed so many demons that he lost count. During these two days he came across many girls and boys his age fighting against demons. Most of them were scared but they still persevered. No one was here for glory, all of them knew the pain of losing someone. That pain set them on this path, whether they would live to see the light of the day or die by their hands becoming yet another meal is still unknown. He helped those who were in danger, that''s all he could do at the moment. Only through blood and death would true warriors be born. If not for his experience in that mountain and his journey after, Leo would still be a novice hunter at best. Hmm?... As he was rushing through the forest he sensed the air vibrate abnormally. Up ahead he saw several people fighting against a disgusting creature. It was huge and plump and what seemed to be innumerable hands wrapped around its whole body. That''s Sabito and Giyu. Leo immediately noticed two figures among the group of people. Sabito was supporting an unconscious Giyu and seemed fine while the other two participants were tired and filled with wounds. "Both of you take Giyu and retreat." The other two hesitated for a second and immediately took Giyu, they warned Sabito one last time and retreated. The demon didn''t bother to go after the other two, it was fully focused on Sabito for some reason. An eerie laughter escaped it''s mouth as it''s eyes turned into slits. "Hehehe... that mask, you are one of Urokodaki''s disciple. That man, he always gives his disciples those fox type masks. It was also that wretched man who caught me and locked me in this damned mountain for years, as repayment I killed every disciple he sent into this mountain. You will be the thirteenth." Sabito seemed to have been enraged as he heard those words. The demon''s body trembled as those hands wrapping it''s body rained down punches with little room to dodge. Sabito however picked up speed while dodging those incredible attacks. Leo was truly impressed, Sabito seemed like a boat sailing against raging tides as he swept through the gaps inching closer to the demon. Each time he dodged the demon''s arm would be cut into innumerable pieces. Sabito inched closer to that demon, his body took a stance in mid air as he raised his sword to cut the demon''s head. Not good! Leo who was watching Sabito''s fight suddenly had a change in expression. His body leaned forward as he breathed out slightly. Dragon-Tiger Breathing, Fifth Form... Azure Dragon Ascension! Sabito was filled with rage as he channeled every ounce of energy he had into his sword. The demon was squinted it''s eyes watching Sabito''s strike. It''s useless. Ting! Sabito was shocked as he watched his sword break in two. The demon''s neck was still intact while he was left defenceless mid air. Instantly the thought of death filled his mind making him go numb. The demon laughed eerily as it''s arms stretched out towards Sabito''s head with incredible power. Time seemed have to slowed down, Sabito could see his body fall down ever so slowly while the demon''s hands were closing in on him. Just a hair breath away from death he felt a violent force pull him away. The attack missed and crashed into a tree and broke it to pieces. Sabito broke out into cold sweat and breathed heavily. His legs went jelly and struggled to look up. "Leo... Leo glanced at Sabito and said seriously. "While fighting a demon you should always take into consideration whether your sword would break or not. Don''t you know that basic rule, move with absolute confidence it wouldn''t but be prepared to counter if it does." Sabito calmed his breathing and was about to warn Leo of that demon when he saw the former disappear. He instinctively looked over to the demon''s side and shock filled his face. "I don''t know who you are nor do I wish to. Your soul aches for compassion and yet you have consumed humans. Begone and be at peace." Leo dodged one of the demon''s arms and vanished, in an instant the air seemed to have been sliced apart as he landed behind it and sheathed his sword. The demon''s head slowly slid down its throat and fell down. Leo put his hands together and offered a final prayer for the demon. A year along his journey Leo had come across many types of demons. Almost all of their kind was evil to the core, however some of the were... different. He saw grief, anger, despair, hatred and various emotions within them. He didn''t know what they experienced in the past, nor did he know what led them to become a demon. But no matter what, killing innocent humans for their greed was unforgivable. For such lost souls all he could do was offer a final prayer. He walked back to Sabito and checked his condition. Other than being stiff from fright he was fine. "Leo, you... Sabito didn''t know what to say. A demon that him and several other Slayers were having difficulty fighting had been killed just like that. "Alright. Since we met let''s team up. Most of these demons don''t put up much of a fight, maybe one like this would but I doubt there is another one like that. Can you move?" Calming himself Sabito leaned over to a tree and said. "I knew you were strong but this is shocking." Leo shrugged and said. "I have experienced far too many things maybe that''s why, anyway rest up. We will head out in one hour." Chapter 13 - 13. Return Seven days later... "You sure are something Leo, to kill that many demons just like that." "Ha ha, it''s actually nothing, really. If you had went through what I had then you would be just as strong." "Maybe. But I won''t lose to you, next time let''s have a spar and see who is better." "Deal." Two boys were walking leisurely within the dense forest of Mt. Fujikasane. They were Leo and Sabito. After that incident both of them teamed up and went through the demon blockade like a storm. Unlike Leo who has reached a cap in his strength Sabito was still growing. Each day his combat experience as well as his Breathing Technique improved by leaps and bounds. "There it is." Leo pointed his finger forward. They have finally returned to the orientation grounds from where they left off. Just as they stepped out faint noises reached their ears. Both of them looked in that direction and found several people trying to get a boy under control. Sabito recognised who it was and ran towards him in confusion. "Hey! What are you guys doing!?" A boy among the crowd tried to explain. "This guy just woke up and asked about somebody named Sabito. Since we couldn''t find him we told him he hasn''t arrived yet and then he went berserk." Sabito understood the gist of the situation and smiled wryly. He pushed away the crowd of boys and saw Giyu who had swollen red eyes and mucus dripping from his nose struggling to get out. The boys trying to get him under control was disgusted by his appearance and had to be careful to not be covered in his tears and mucus. "Giyu! The hell is wrong with you, huh? I ain''t dead!" Hearing that familiar sound Giyu broke out of his histeria and looked up. Seeing Sabito standing there with a vein popped on his forehead Giyu was relieved. The boys let him go since he calmed down, however... "Sabitoooo, uwaahhh... In Sabito''s vision Giyu who''s nose was dripping with a gooey liquid was running towards him. "Hell no! Get away from me!" Without an ounce of mercy Sabito kicked him down. Rolling over a great distance Giyu got up and rubbed his head. "I thought you were dead. That demon was powerful, those guys said you haven''t returned after so much time, so I thought... "Um. I would have died if Leo hadn''t come by just in time." Some time later that woman with white hair walked into the grounds and announced the end of Final Selection. Because Leo had killed that particular demon they were more survivors this year. "Everyone, please choose an ore you want for your sword." A group of young boys and girls stood infront of a long table filled with all kinds of stones in different shape and size. "How are we supposed to select the best one?" Sabito asked back. The woman however remained silent. Leo was looking at these stones and was lost in thought. His ability allowed him to sense the spirit of a living being, however when it comes to inanimate objects it was useless until now. These stones infront of him released a myriad of colours, it was so beautiful. Among them one stone was particularly bright, it had a azure white glow to it. The colour wasn''t mixed and unidentifiable but clear and divided. Both colours formed a perfect balance that brought about a sense of serenity when he looked at it. Leo could feel his spirit call out to it and this shocked him. To this day he wasn''t able to see or sense his own spirit, he could only use it as a passive ability to sense other spirits. But now his spirit was calling out for this particular stone. Stepping out of the crowd he picked it up, a cool sensation pulsed through his palm. He had a faint feeling that this stone would bring him a great surprise in the future. The foot of Mt. Fujikasane. "Where you off to Leo?" "Me? It''s been a while since I last returned home." "Alright. Let''s meet again someday." "Goodbye and thank you again for saving Sabito." Leo waved his hand to Sabito and Giyu and walked away. Looking at the clear skies he felt oddly excited to return home. Home? A smile outlined his face as he started his journey back. ... Akira was carrying a bundle of firewood when he saw a blurry figure in the distance. Placing it down he cleaning his hand and stood infront of the house with a smile. Soon the figure became clearer and clearer. Leo looked at the familiar place and couldn''t help but smile. "I am home." Akira laughed out loud and patted his shoulder. "Well done my boy, well done! Ha ha ha... Both of them stepped inside. Akira told Leo to immediately clean up and get ready for a celebration feast. Without hesitation the old man pulled out high quality meat he just bought and prepared a sumptuous meal. Stuffing his mouth with food Leo told him what happened after he left. Akira was proud of what Leo had achieved. He looked at Leo and couldn''t help but say. "You have become much more outgoing." Leo stopped eating and asked back. "Is that so?" Akira laughed lightly and said while reminiscing about the past, "That day when I found you, your eyes were lost. Even after recuperating you still couldn''t get out of that nightmare, you had closed your own heart." "When you found a goal for yourself and left this mountain I was worried that you might end up alone." Alone a man can only do so much. But now I am relieved, you have found friends... and in time I am sure you will find someone even closer, someone you would want to protect with your life." Chapter 14 - 14. Nichirin Sword It''s been seven days since Leo returned. During this time he neither went out to hunt for demons nor did he seek them out. His days were spent relaxing and calming his tense nerves. The air above the mountain was clean and full of vitality. Every day before sunrise Leo would climb to the highest peak and do his Breathing Technique and it''s forms. As the sun slowly rose from the horizon Leo could feel his body heat up, like something was building up within him but he had no idea what it was. Today was the eighth day after he had returned, finishing his routine Leo trekked down the mountain while gathering wood along the way. As he reached home a shadow could be seen coming from the distance. Narrowing his eyes to focus he made out who it was. A person wearing a bamboo hat with bells hanging from its edge was walking in his direction, he had something covered in clothes behind him. Leo placed down the firewood and shouted to Akira. "Old man, my sword is here." Akira came out and smiled at Leo. "On time as usual. Hmm... ah, it''s him." Akira turned his head and frowned for a second before realization dawned on him. He kept that smile on his face and waited. When that person got close Akira said with a smirk. "Old coot, you didn''t die?" "How can I die before you, you crazy dog." "Hoho, all this time in the village must have made you cranky, you should find a woman to release all that stress or you might just relieve yourself to death." "Hehe, says the man who stays up in a mountain with wild animals as company. Tell me, do you go down the mountain for some fun or do you seek your canine friends?" "Hoho... Leo looked between the two and found the atmosphere quite tense. The moment these two met they started to insult each other. However from their tone they seemed to be friends rather than long lost enemies. After bickering for some time Akira introduced the man with a pained expression. "Leo, this is Awataguchi Sakon. Although this guy is rude, old and irritating he is still the best Swordsmith I have seen in my life." "Hmph! I am the best Swordsmith there is! With your life experience consider it a blessing to have known me." Leo carefully sized up the man infront of him. He wore standard clothing with rivers and mountains painted on it. The bamboo hat had white strips around its edge with bells and finally for some reason he was wearing a Japanese clown mask. "Nice to meet you Leo. You chose quite an ore, it took this old man some effort to refine it. Well, let''s have a nice chat inside." Sakon pushed aside Akira and walked in to the house. Leo smiled a little and followed, Akira showed no visible emotion and walked in as well. Putting the sword covered in cloth carefully on the table, Sakon poured himself some tea and started to explain. "I must say Leo, you have good eyes to have selected the Seastorm ore." Akira''s mouth twitched upon seeing Sakon''s unrestrained behaviour, however he went silent and asked for confirmation. "He chose the Seastorm ore?" This time Sakon didn''t give out any rude comment and said calmly. "Yeah." Leo was confused why Akira had such a reaction. "Old man, what''s so special about that ore?" Akira looked at Sakon, seeing him silent he went on to explain, "Nichirin swords are made using light absorbing metals found on high mountains where sun''s light touch first. There are different types of ores and each Slayer will be drawn towards a particular kind when asked to choose one." "Most think that the ore we choose is random, however, what type of ore we choose is because we are drawn to it by an attraction from the deepest part of our being. It may be due to our subconsciousness or maybe something else." Leo pondered for a second and understood what Akira meant. When he was choosing he felt a kind of attraction towards this Seastorm ore from his spirit. So our spirit is the deciding factor, huh. He can say this with certainty since he has an ability to sense spirit, however, most people just instinctively pick up theirs because of the subtle influence from their soul. "Then what''s so special about Seastorm ore?" Akira gathered his thoughts and explained, "Seastorm ore is special because of two reasons. One, where it''s found. Two, it''s difficulty to refine." "Seastorm ore is found in a place where sea and land meets, with high chance of storms. Hence the name Seastorm. It''s rather hard to excavate and even harder to refine. Throughout the history of Demon Slayer Corps no more than 28 people wielded Nichirin swords made of this ore." Leo was both surprised and shocked to hear how special Seastorm ore was, he was looking forward to the kind of Sword was made from such a precious material. Sakon finished his tea and pulled out a Sword. It''s scabbard was black with a single red flower adorning it''s black body. The hilt had patterns made of black and red. And it''s guard was black hexagon. Leo received the sword from Sakon and carefully pulled it out. The sword blade was gleaming with sharpness, as soon as it left the sheath it''s colour started to change from the guard. The blade turned pitch black however it didn''t end there. Both sides of the blade started to glow, one filled with azure and the other with white. A second later the colours faded, an exquisite sword appeared before the three of them. A pitch black blade! One side was etched with a life like Azure Dragon, it''s features were exquisitely carved, it''s claws gleamed with sharpness, each scale on it shimmered with glory. It''s body was curled within clouds, the majesty of a king that ruled over ten thousand beasts emanates from it. The other was carved with a ferocious White Tiger, the mark of an Emperor was etched on it''s forehead. The beast bore it''s fangs and roared to the skies as a domineering aura materialised around it. It''s body was was filled with cruelty that weighted down on whoever that laid their eyes on it. Chapter 15 - 15. Setting Off Akira and Sakon were dumbfounded as Leo''s sword took shape. Both of them quickly snapped out and looked at each other. Akira''s face indicated that he had a lot of questions however, Sakon was excited and trembling. Soon Leo''s sword fully took form. A pitch black sword with an Azure Dragon and a White Tiger engraved on either side of the blade presented before them. Sakon jumped out and grabbed Leo''s sword. He gently c.a.r.e.s.sed it and observed every inch of it, Leo was confused as to why Sakon was acting so weird. He looked at Akira for an answer when he saw the old man grin. "Old fool, that''s his sword. Give it back!" Without waiting for a reply Akira snatched the sword back. Sakon was like a cat who got its tail stepped on, he jumped up and tried to grab the sword back. After a while he was panting and tired from jumping around. Knowing the old coot would never give the sword to him he chose to take a step back. "I know it''s his sword, but let me examine it. To make sure it has no problem, I am the best Swordsmith there is so it''s best to let me take a good look at it lest something crops up later." Akira grinned, "Nice try, a finished Nichirin sword will never have any problems." Sakon''s clown mask covered his face otherwise who knows what kind of expression he would be making. "I say Akira, my friend let me take a quick peek, alright?" "Hoho... Leo was amused. Though they were acting like they hated each other, he could see how close they were. After Sakon begged for a while Akira let him have the sword. Leo waited patiently as Sakon checked the sword, his hands trembled as he swiped the sword from top to bottom. "Don''t keep us waiting, tell me what''s so special about it?" "Nichirin swords colour reflect something about their weilder giving their weapons some kind of special properties. I have seen notes from my ancestors about some swords even having the ability to restrain a demon''s freakish regeneration." Leo was startled, this was the first time he was hearing something like this. Sakon took no notice of Leo''s surprise and explained further, "Every Swordsmith look forward to see what kind of ability the swords they make could manifest." "Leo''s sword is the first of it''s kind, pitch black blade with engravings of Divine Beasts on both sides. You should know Akira, little is known about Slayers with pitch black swords." Leo was interested when he heard that, he turned to Akira waiting for an answer. Akira thought for a second and explained, "Slayers with black swords are special, not because they are incredible but because there is little information about them." "To this day no notable individual has appeared who wielded black Nichirin swords, it''s also an ill omen to be see wielding a black sword as they are said to have no future." Sakon nodded. He gave Leo his sword back and explained. "What Akira said is true however you are different. Your sword is pitch black like the darkest night and it has engravings! That''s never happened before, you represent the unknown, a variable! I look forward to what you will accomplish in the future." "I will not disappoint you." Sakon nodded and got up. He leisurely went to the kitchen and checked every pot. With a grumbling voice he shouted to Akira. "Old man there isn''t enough food." "What''s there isn''t for you." Leo ignored the both of them and held his sword. He gently traced it''s blade. The unknown, huh. ... Watching Sakon''s shadow fade into the distance Akira said seriously. "Leo, as of now you are an official member of the Demon Slayer Corps. Since you got your sword you can expect to be sent on a mission any second." "Mission.Mission.Mission. Leo Heart is to descend the mountain and head west. Reports of missing children. Demon sighted, Leo Heart is to immediately descend and kill it." Akira turned around and patted Leo''s shoulder. "Off you go." ... Leo walked down the mountain path with his sword hanging by his waist. He wore a black shirt, pants and a black haori painted with a blood wolf standing aloof on a cliff on it''s back. While descending the crow explained the situation to him. It seems like demons have been quite active in the west as of late, the village he was heading for was one of the many that had their loved ones taken. Leo felt grief over those who lost their children. Journeying for a whole day he was finally able to see the vague shadow of his destination in the distance. Leo quickened his pace and soon reached the village. Upon entering he felt as if he fell into a lake of despair. He could sense many spirits aching for their lost ones, their despair, their sorrow, their hatred... Taking a deep breath he stopped a middle-aged lady who seemed as if she had lost her soul and asked. "Ma''am can you tell me about the child abductions as of late. It''s best if you could tell me the location of the last one." The women glanced at him like a zombie, however as soon as she saw his blade and his clothes a spark of light seems to have come to life within her lifeless eyes. Grasping his hand she couldn''t help but cry and ask. "Are you a Demon Slayer? Please help us, please... *sob... *sob... Leo calmed her down and asked patiently. The lady had also lost her child, her son who wasn''t even three years old. He just disappeared when she looked away for a second. A few others who heard her weeping came over to ask what happened, knowing the situation several men volunteered to take him to the last location where a little girl was taken away. Walking through the streets filled with gloom Leo''s eyes turned cold. He could still remember that fateful day when he lost everything, he promised himself to end this madness one day. ''Demons... Kibutsuji Muzan... one day... one day my sword will reach you.'' Chapter 16 - 16. Unexpected Encounter Lead by several men Leo reached a house, it wasn''t overly big and luxurious but from the size of it the people living here were well off. "This way sir." Leo was led to a man in his middle ages. Stepping into the room he could feel a gloomy aura reeking with sorrow from his spirit, sighing to himself Leo sat down and asked. "My condolences sir." The man squeezed out a smile that seemed much more miserable than crying and asked. "What do you need to know?" "The villagers already filled me in on the details, if it''s not too much trouble could you take me to the room where your child disappeared." A pained expression clouded the man''s face, he got up and asked Leo to follow him. Under his guide they reached a room that was illuminated by an oil lamp. Sliding the door open Leo saw lady sitting infront of a bed like a puppet. "That''s my wife. She has been like that, ever since... ever since she went missing." Leo felt sad for the couple, to lose their child so abruptly... that kind of pain is indescribable for a parent. Dispersing distracting thoughts Leo sensed the room carefully and found a strand of spirit reeking of bloody stench from the corner of the room. He followed the strand and walked out. Under the confused gaze of other villagers he walked around the house and left the premise. He followed the spirit strand and walked around the village, the villagers were confused as to why Leo was acting like a retard. By nightfall Leo reached a small house with smoke rising out of it''s small chimney, he saw people moving around the kitchen and smelled warm food. The place was small but it was filled with happiness. When the last light vanished over the horizon Leo disappeared along with it. Slowly the village was going to sleep. The small house also descended into slumber. After an unknown time the village descended into an eerie silence. Rhythmic breathing could be heard from every house, a small boy about 3 years of age was sleeping soundly beside his mother. After a while the woman sensed something and opened her eyes groggily. However what greeted her wasn''t her baby but an empty bed. ... Inside the village stood an unknown house, moonlight quietlt descended into a room on the first floor through an open window. Under the light of the moon a small boy wrapped in clothes appeared out of nowhere. Tendrils of hair gradually became visible as they came lose from the boy''s body and retreated into the darkness of the room. A woman with pale skin, red eyes, sharp fangs and hair flowing like a river sat infront of the boy. Small white bones littered around her creating a disgusting sight. Her eyes gleamed with d.e.s.i.r.e looking at the young boy. Stretching out her hand she was about to grab the boy''s head when a chill ran down her spine. Sweat started to trickle down her face as she stiffly moved her head towards the window. A young man with black hair and blue eyes like a ruby stood on the edge of the window. He wore a black kimono stood that seems to merge with the darkness. He had a m.a.t.u.r.e aura about him and looked beautiful under the moon. However she wasn''t able to appreciate such beauty because horror gripped her heart. The eyes of that young man was cold and contained madness that seemed to swallow her spirit. He stepped ever so slowly towards the boy and checked his condition. A cute smile was on that innocent face as he slept soundly. "Your soul reeks of blood." "Wha-What are y-you... Before the demon could understand what was happening her vision shifted unnaturally, a burning sensation filled her nerves. When she realised what happened she saw her own body turn to ashes and disappear. Leo took the boy in his arms and left the place. By the time he reached the boy''s home the place was filled with people. A woman was wailing in sorrow as others tried to comfort her. Her husband has tears streaming down his face as he tried to settle her. Walking through the crowd Leo stepped infront of the couple and smiled. "It''s alright." The couple looked up and saw a young man stand before them, hugging a baby boy. "Souta!" The woman screamed. She carefully took her baby and cried while smiling. The other villagers were also happy and yelled. Since the baby was returned it meant the demon was gone, they were about to express their gratitude but found no one. Leo walked through the mountain opposite to the village and lamented. If someone had come earlier that many kids wouldn''t have died. He hated himself for being late, however this only strengthened his conviction to eradicate demons. Just as he was about to find a place for the night his body jolted. He turned around as shock filled his eyes, he pushed off on his feet and quickly went in a particular direction. Soon a small wooden house came to view. The house wasn''t anything special, several blocks of wood were placed to the side with a large basket as company. Just as he stepped forward someone opened the door and walked out. It was a man who looked weak, his cheeks were sunk in, he had dark red eyes and hair, there was a scar on his forehead. He wore hanafuda earrings. His presence was calm like an ancient tree, without an ounce of intent. However Leo felt pressure just by him standing there. "How can I help you young man?" The man smiled and asked. His smile was like a gentle breeze as it calmed his nerves. "Who are you?" The man smiled and asked back. "Always introduce yourself before asking about someone else." Leo felt as if he was being lectured right now, still he answered. "Leo Heart, I am a Demon Slayer." The man smiled and replied. "Nice to meet you Leo, my name is Kamado Tanjuro." Chapter 17 - 17. A Kind Soul Watching two kids run around Leo found himself lost. Last night he accidentally sensed a powerful spirit and wanted to check it out. However, despite being overbearingly powerful that spirit was so calm and soothing, it was filled with kindness and care. When his spirit came in contact with it, he couldn''t help but remember his family, from this life and the last. No matter which one it was they loved him and cared for him. "Big brother, come play with us." An imm.a.t.u.r.e voice broke him out of his thoughts. Looking down he saw a little girl with black hair and peach coloured eyes staring at him, unknowingly a smile crept onto his face. He picked her up and placed her on his shoulders. The little girl was excited and waved her hands. Leo laughed heartily, he looked up at the other kid and saw his pure untainted smile. ''How can anyone be so kind... "Looks like Nezuko likes you." Hearing that voice Leo turned around, Tanjuro walked out with a cup of tea and sat down. He had a smile on his face watching his two kids, the little girl Nezuko and the boy Tanjiro. "You are lucky." Tanjuro simply smiled in response and asked, "Seems like you took care of that one in the village." Leo nodded, he hesitantly looked at Tanjuro and said, "You could have taken care of it." Tanjuro sighed, he could sense the blame in those words, "My ailment... you should be aware, right? After all you are someone special." Leo nodded. His ability also allowed him to understand a person''s health. A perfectly healthy person would have their spirit encased inside a sphere. The condition of that sphere represent their health. Though Tanjuro''s soul was strong the sphere encasing it was crumbling. By his estimation Tanjuro atmost had 5 more years to live. Tanjuro had an apologetic smile on his face as he said, "Any strenuous movement would deteriorate my body, also a demon in hiding isn''t easily found unless a person has special capabilities, like you. Me being there would amount to nothing if I can''t find it." Leo felt embarrassed as he didn''t think that far, though he could understand a person''s health that doesn''t mean he could analyze it. "Sorry." Tanjuro smiled, "It''s alright, all is well now. Come inside, it''s time for breakfast." Teasing Nezuko he called out to Tanjiro and walked inside. A simple meal was placed before him, the sight of this somehow warmed his heart. Tanjiro and Nezuko sat beside him and started to eat. Both of them were cute and adorable, Leo couldn''t help but be fond of them even more. "Have some more Leo." A simple woman was seated opposite to him, she was beautiful and kind. This was Tanjuro''s wife, Kamado Kie. "It''s alright aunt, I am not much of an eater." "That won''t do, have some more." She refused him and put some more food into his bowl. Leo found it hard to refuse her, he smiled lightly and ate with bliss. After breakfast was done Tanjuro picked up a basket and set out. Leo also followed, along the way he watched Tanjuro carefully. He didn''t know why Tanjuro was so strong, out of curiosity he intended to ask him about it. "You have something in mind?" While picking up twigs and branches Tanjuro asked without looking back. "Yes. How did you get so strong?" Tanjuro lighted laughed, "Haha, So it was that, I thought it was something else seeing how serious you were." Tying up the wood branches into a bundle Tanjuro explained, "Breathing Techniques nowadays are derivations of original Breaths. What I practice is called Fire God Dance which is an original Breath, it''s been passed down through my family for generations, it also has another name Breath of the Sun." Breath of the Sun... Leo carefully pondered his words and didn''t interrupt. "Breathing Techniques are used to improve lung capacity and supply of oxygen throughout our body. However, Breath of the Sun is far superior to other Breaths, it''s threshold is higher and the explosive strength of each move is way above the norm." Saying upto here he looked at Leo and said with a smile, "You also have an original Breath, although I don''t know which one it is, I do know that it''s on par with Fire God Dance, No, it''s even stronger. So young and yet you can already match me." Leo shook his head and said seriously. "No. Though I am strong I can''t still match you." Tanjuro just smiled in response. He continued to pick up wooden sticks and bundle them up. Leo also helped him. "Why don''t you train Tanjiro and Nezuko?" Tanjuro''s movement faltered, he thought for a moment and said, "Hmm, I never thought of training them, though Tanjiro can already perform the Fire God Dance." Leo nodded and said in a serious tone, "You should train them, the future is indefinite and anything can happen. It''s always good to be prepared." "Good point." By the time they finished their discuss they had already returned. Placing the bundle of wood down Tanjuro stretched his back and opened the door, Tanjiro and Nezuko were playing with some wood figurines. Seeing Leo and Tanjuro both of them ran upto them. Leo kind of wished this day would never end. It has been years since he felt this kind of warmth, he really missed his family especially his little sister from this life. Those days were the happiest days of his life. Under the expectant gazes of the two kids he relented and played with them. Time slowly ticked by, lunch soon came and went. By the time the sun moved from it''s highest point Leo decided to leave. Gazing lovingly at Tanjiro and Nezuko who were now asleep from playing all afternoon Leo got up and walked out. Tanjuro and Kei stood outside and smiled. "Visit often." "I will. Thanks for the food and all your care." Leo bowed deeply and left. Walking down the mountain a faint smile bloomed on his face. Leo didn''t notice the changes in him, he wasn''t the same person he was before last night. He had gained something, something he had lost... Chapter 18 - 18. Meeting Again "That should do it." Sheathing his sword Leo stood before a demon he just finished off. He held his palms together and prayed one last time for it''s lost spirit. A year had passed since he met Tanjuro, he went to many places, killed so many demons that he lost count. Along the way he grew as a person, the kind of spirits he met during his journey showed him a different side of the world. Demons, an existence he vowed to wipe out wasn''t always evil, atleast not when they were still human. He already had an understanding of this when he took the part in the Final Selection. Although most of them were cruel and evil, at their core some rare ones were different, some still had a shred of humanity left in them. For those demons who still torment humans despite knowing pain and sorrow themselves Leo would show no mercy, he would kill them without hesitation. All he could do as compensation for such lost spirits was a final prayer. "Report! Report! Report! Demon sighting due north! Demon sighting due north!" Just as he finished praying a crow madly flapped it''s wings and shouted loudly. Leo looked at the sky, the sun was about to rise. He didn''t rest last night since he had to track down a demon. ''I will sleep for a while and leave. Constant fighting will do more harm than good, anyway I can reach my next destination in half a day, there is plenty of time.'' Leo found a hut nearby for passengers to stop by and laid down. The sun slowly peeked out of the high mountains to the east, Leo was fast asleep when the sun rose up. His breathing was calm, steady and powerful. After more than six hours Leo woke up and stretched his body. Eating some dried fruits and nuts he resumed his journey under the guidance of the crow. "I wonder how Tanjiro is doing, it''s been nearly two months since I last visited." Leo kept true to his word and often visited Tanjuro and his family, with time they got even closer. To any outsider Leo would look no different than family to the Kamados. Like he suggested before Tanjuro started to train Tanjiro, he slowly helped him get familiar with the Fire God Dance. For a growing boy the benefits a Breathing Technique could bring was enormous. Unlike Tanjiro, Nezuko wasn''t talented in that aspect, her progress was slow but no one pressured her. In the first place this training was nothing more than a precaution, so it mattered not whether she mastered it or not. By the time Leo reached his destination the sun was already starting to set. Buying some food from the stalls Leo wandered around to gather information. He was surprised and confused when no one mentioned a demon. Something''s wrong. Leo''s spirit couldn''t lock onto what it was but he could sense something was different. He cleared his mind and focused, like flames blazing amidst a dark night spirits lit up inside his perception. Each spirit was different, he focused even more and found what he was looking for. Among the myriad of spirits a couple of them were different, their spirit''s had colour! Usually a spirit would be a clump of white mass with different hues of colour surrounding it, representing various emotions. Unless one practiced Breathing Techniques their spirits would never be colored, however demons were an exception, their spirits were tainted and every single negative emotion would have a deep colour to it, making it vile and repulsive. The spirits he saw just now had colour to it, though it was slight it was still there. Leo stealthily followed one of them, it was a woman about thirty or so. She walked through the streets and down a narrow pathway, reaching a relatively big house. Leo sensed the other people he saw before as well. All of them walked through the doors and disappeared into the darkness. Closing his eyes he spread out his senses trying to find how many humans were inside. Just as he was doing so his eyes flew open, his sword was unsheathed, turning his body in an unbelievable angle he cut the dark space behind him. Just as he was about to cut what was in the shadows he forcefully stopped his movements. "What is wrong with you!? My god! I just saw paradise!!" A muffled roar came out from the shadows. Leo''s sneered and sheathed his sword and shrugged. "Who told you to sneak upon me." "Like hell I could sneak upon you, you clearly sensed it was me! Didn''t you!?" Silence ensued for few seconds before Leo smiled widely. "It''s been a while Sabito." A young man wearing a checkered kimono over black pants and shirt came out from the shadows. He had a scar starting from the right corner of his mouth to the root of his ear. "Leo, you have gotten even stronger! Just how do you train to get so strong?" Leo shrugged. It wasn''t that he was unbelievably gifted when it comes to Breathing Techniques, it''s just that any Technique would require time to master. And mastering a Breathing Technique means one would have complete control of their body, to adjust every minute muscle, blood vessel to optimum level for perfect operation. And control of body lies in our brain. However Leo''s case was slightly special, Not only is Dragon - Tiger Breathing far superior to other Techniques, it''s also slowly changing Leo''s body. After so many years Leo found two benefits in training Dragon - Tiger Breathing, an accelerated healing and a sturdy body. He had a faint feeling that something incredible will happen if he continues to train in it, all he needed was time. The hardest part of mastering a technique was non-existent to Leo. He is simply reaping the benefits brought by fully mastering his Breathing Technique. Chapter 19 - 19. Lower Moon Two Leo couldn''t explain why he was so different so he simply stayed silent. Sabito didn''t pursue the matter further and said. "This demon is dangerous, we gotta be careful." "Hmm?" Sabito silently moved forward while explaining, "This one can control other humans and wipe out their memory, he also only eats once every three days or so while avoiding suspicion. If some people hadn''t noticed we wouldn''t even know." Leo finally understood, "So that''s why you are here." Sabito nodded, "That''s right, since I was close by I decided to check it out. I didn''t expect to find you here." Closing in on the building Leo and Sabito extinguished their presence and walked in. The house was deserted and looked gloomy, Leo picked up several humans inside but there seemed to be something trying to interfere with his perception. Leo frowned, even before he entered his senses seemed have been bogged down by something. Usually he could sense upto fifty meters around him but now it was only twenty. ''A spirit attack. No wonder... this demon specialises in spirit type abilities.'' Hmph! A slight snort escaped his mouth, Sabito who was in pain felt his head lighten up. He calmed his breathing and got up. "Thanks. It seems like we don''t need to sneak in." Leo nodded, "In a second it will come out, I want you to knock down everyone else and get them as far as possible." Sabito agreed, he was totally at a disadvantage when it came to this particular demon. Soon a strong presence entered their sight, it was young man with fair skin, medium build and calm eyes. However Leo only felt disgust, that facade of calmness hid a vile existence. He lightly spat out, "Go." Sabito nodded and disappeared. The young man''s eyes dodged, he followed Sabito''s movement as faint ripples spread out from him. Before it could reach Sabito a figure flashed before the young man. "Done?" As soon as he finished those words he disappeared. The young man felt his neck tingle and ducked, a pitch black blade swept past his head cutting few strands of hair along the way. Leo twisted his body in mid air, his sword shimmered with coldness. Dragon-Tiger Breathing Sixth Form, Azure Dragon Roams The Heavens! Like a Dragon traversing through the clouds his body winded in mid air, the young man was shocked. He immediately reacted, the ground crumbled as vines as thick as an a.d.u.l.ts t.h.i.g.h started to appear. It grew at an alarming rate and tried to bind Leo. Still with a calm look on his face Leo nimbly dodged the countless vines, each step of his cut the vines into innumerable pieces. "What!?" The young man was startled, he retreated immediately. Formless ripple spread out from him, more and more vines started to dig out from the ground and attacked Leo. The house was starting to quake, and a second later it crumbled. Seeing the building collapse on him Leo steadied his body amidst the barrage of attacks. The silhouette of a huge White Tiger manifested behind Leo, the air seemed to have stagnated as a strange power rippled out. Boom! Like a ferocious wild beast Leo decimated everything that stood in his path and jumped high into the air, the wood, vines and stones were crumbled into dust under his attack. By now the young man understood what kind of opponent he was facing, a solemn expression climbed onto his face. He clenched his fist and punched out. Immediately following his actions, a huge wooden hand blasted from the rubble and tried to grab Leo. Dragon-Tiger Breathing Seventh Form, Azure Dragon Descends! Leo twisted his body and dodged the incoming attack. Using the wooden hand as a foothold he pushed forward, his body turned into an Azure Dragon as it descended with incredible force. Damn! The young man raised his arms and crossed his c.h.e.s.t. More wooden arms dug out from the ground and started to cover Leo. The Azure Dragon manifestation coiled itself and blasted itself towards the ground. Everything in its path was ground to dust and wiped out. The young man was shocked, the Azure Dragon destroyed everything in it''s path and closed in on him. Any and every obstacle was destroyed. "Damn you! Do you think I am easy to kill!? Die!!!" As he said those words a mutation happened. The vines turned to countless tiny razor sharp pikes and covered the whole sky. A ruthless glint flashed past the young man''s face, he gripped his palm and as he did so all the pikes moved at incredible speed, trying to turn Leo into a human Hedgehog. Sabito who was watching from a distance was worried. He knew his strength and at this level of fighting he would only be a burden to Leo. ''Come on Leo.'' The Azure Dragon manifestation was immediately covered by dense pikes. Just when Sabito was about to help Leo he pausesld and watched with bated breath. Dragon-Tiger Breathing Eight Form, Azure Dragon Majesty! Boom! Like the Divine Beast it is the Azure Dragon released a faint sense of pressure. It destroyed everything in it''s path, the young man couldn''t even react when he felt a faint sense of pain on his neck. A voice like the whisper of death echoed in his ears. "Retribution will always reach evil." Sabito was astounded, one second he saw Leo being impaled by pikes, however in the next second all that barred his path were destroyed and he seemed to have moved through space as he appeared behind that demon. A light flashed through his eyes, he clenched his fist as a spark lit up in his heart. "So this is your true power... Chapter 20 - 20. Friends Finishing his opponent Leo checked his body and found something. The demon''s eyes at some point had changed, there were letters carved into it. Lower Moon Two... Leo read what was written, he remembered something and was lost in thought. Sabito walked to him and asked curiously. "What''s wrong?" "Nothing. The others?" Leo shook his head and asked. "They are fine, just tired and unconscious. By the way, you just killed a Moon." "So?" Sabito rolled his eyes, "Don''t you know what that means? You have fulfilled the condition to become a Hashira." Leo got up and patted his shoulder. He shook his head and explained seriously, "Don''t be blinded by glory Sabito. Yes, right now I can defeat a Lower Moon but that doesn''t mean I am a match for an Upper Moon. From what I have heard atleast two or more Hashira are required to fight a Moon." "Our goal is to get strong, strong enough to go toe to toe with those monsters. Without sufficient strength becoming a Hashira is like painting a target on your back." Sabito thought for a second and nodded. He was young and spirited but he was no fool, he understood Leo''s reasoning. Seeing Sabito realize his mistake Leo was satisfied, he checked the other humans and felt relieved. After the demon died everyone was freed from it''s grasp. Both of them silently left the place, since no one knew there was a demon here it''s best to not get involved when this many people have lost their memory on how they got there. On their way back Leo suddenly asked, "Oh right, where is Giyu? I couldn''t ask with all that going." Sabito grinned and said, "That guy is being thrash- I mean trained by master." Leo rolled his eyes, "Man, his understanding of Water Breathing Forms are better than mine it''s just his ability to use them effectively is barely satisfactory." Leo nodded. In the Final Selection though Giyu''s soul was partially painted it had a much deeper blue colour to it. This shows that his understanding of his techniques are quite deep, however he hasn''t mastered it effectively. He suddenly thought of something and asked, "Oh I never asked, who is your master?" Sabito smacked his lips, "Ah right, I never told you, our master''s name is Urokodaki. I have a junior sister as well, her name is Makomo. She is silent most of the time but she is friendly." Leo knew Sabito''s past. His master adopted Makomo and him when they were just toddlers. He raised them and taught them his Techniques, Giyu came after, however all three of them were good friends. "If you don''t have any more urgent missions let''s go to master''s place." Leo thought for a second and nodded. It''s not everyday he gets to meet someone accomplished, so why not. Staying for the night both of them set of early morning. It took them two days to reach their destination. It was a high mountain with a long rugged path towards the top. Sabito stepped forward with visible excitement on his face. Leo shook his head. He is still a kid. Walking for some time a small house came to their view. Infront of the house were three people, one was a boy covered in bruises while holding onto a wooden sword, this was of course Giyu The second one was a man with white hair, he wore a red tengu mask and seemed to be sparring with Giyu, if you call that sparring. It''s more like he was thrashing him. The last one was a girl about thirteen. She had dark green eyes and a calm serene smile on her face. She wore a red yukata with pink and white flower patterned clothes. She was watching them spar with interest. "Master! Giyu! Makomo! I am back!" His shout managed to garner all of their attention. Makomo showed a smile while Giyu sneaked off from his training and ran to Sabito. Urokodaki shook his head when he saw this. "Oh! Leo! Why are you here?" Sabito smacked Giyu''s head and scowled, "Can you for once think before speaking, no wonder you have no other friends." Giyu held his head and squatted down in pain. Urokodaki''s expression was hid behind his mask as he walked towards them, he took a good look at Leo and nodded. "Excellent. At such a young age you have already accomplished what most a.d.u.l.ts couldn''t." Leo bowed and said earnestly, "You are too kind elder, I hope I am not intruding." Urokodaki waved his hand and said, "It''s fine. Stay as long as you like, Makodo, make some tea I will right back." With that said Urokodaki left. Sabito introduced Makodo who smiled in return. She is strong. In Leo''s perception Makomo''s soul was fully painted in blue, however her soul was calm and unperturbed. It just silently burned with a hint of ferociousness hidden deep within. He looked at Giyu and found his soul almost fully painted. He reckoned Giyu would fully master his Techniques in about a month or so and when he does he can stand toe to toe with Sabito and Makomo. Sabito and the rest invited him into the house, Makomo made some tea and took out some fruits. Since all of them were around the same age it didn''t take much time to get close to each other. "Makomo will participate in the Final Selection in a few months?" Leo asked When he heard Sabito. He nodded his head, since she was strong it wouldn''t be a problem for her to pass it. "Makomo, first and foremost, no matter what happens always be calm, a calm mind can embrace everything. Don''t make the same mistake Sabito did and he almost paid for his mistake." Sabito was embarrassed, he yelled at Leo, "Hey! Can you not mention that!? That time-That time- Yes! That demon confused me!" Leo''s face held contempt when he heard that. Both of them bickered for a while, Giyu tried to ease the situation but he just seemed to be adding oil to the fire with his words. When Urokodaki came back the first sight that greeted him was the rowdy mood inside, though his face was covered by that mask Makomo could make out that he was smiling. She too looked around and couldn''t help but smile. Being raised on a mountain with an unknown future and a goal that might take her life anytime, Sabito and Urokodaki were the only colour in her life, later Giyu joined them putting some more colour into that life. Now... Now it didn''t matter whether what kind of future she had. Atleast for now she was happy. Chapter 21 - 21. Unexpected Urokodaki, Makomo and Giyu were standing to the side of a wide field. Infront of them were Leo and Sabito holding two wooden swords. Urokodaki raised his hand and slammed it down. "Start!" Leo and Sabito moved. Both of them unleashed their sword forms while dodging each others. Sabito''s body was like water as he moved with incredible agility, when he was close to Leo the image of a surging wave covered everyone''s sight. Seeing Sabito''s attack Leo didn''t retreat, he shot forward like an arrow. An Azure Dragon manifested around him, it coiled amidst the turbid water. To the Azure Dragon the brute strength of water seemed like a child flailing his arms before an a.d.u.l.t. Sabito changed his stance, a water dragon manifested around his sword. It winded around him as it roared to towards Leo. Still donning a calm expression on his face Leo disappeared. A White Tiger appeared in mid air and brandished it''s claws against the incoming water dragon. The air seemed to have rippled as shockwaves spread out. For a second both attacks were even before the water dragon was destroyed. Sabito took a step back, his sword drew an arc, a wheel of water converged around him. The White Tiger''s claws were submerged by the water and disappeared. Giyu and Makomo watching from the sidelines were shocked. Giyu was shocked because of Sabito, he knew Sabito was strong but he didn''t imagine he could match Leo. Makomo on the other hand was shocked because of Leo. Among their age she has never seen anyone stronger than Sabito but here he was, being forced to take a step back. Urokodaki nodded his head and praised. "Giyu, your friend is a genius. Even when holding back he can still control his strength with such accuracy." Giyu and Makomo looked at Urokodaki for further explanation. "Leo is stronger than Sabito and by a large margin. And yet he is able to control his strength precisely to be slightly above Sabito. This way he is forcing Sabito to grow stronger, he is squeezing out every ounce of potential he has." "Mas-Master, you are joking'' right?" Urokodaki shook his head. "No. And it seems Sabito is aware of this, I have never seen him seek strength to such an extent before." Giyu and Makomo looked towards the field. Their eyes could only barely keep up with both their movements, however they could see a faint smile outline Sabito''s face. He was sweating and breathing hard and yet he was smiling. Leo sometimes moved like a ferocious White Tiger, intending to swallow it''s prey whole, sometimes he moved like a majestic Azure Dragon ready to destroy the heavens. Each of his movements were smooth and connected. Sabito was like a boat sailing against the storm, he seemed as if he would topple any moment but he persevered. Each second he survived he could feel his body breaking away from something that seems to be chaining him. Still water reflect reality, while raging tides destroys everything. Vaguely Sabito seemed to have understood something, he couldn''t get his mind off of it. His body relaxed, his tense muscles calmed down. Amidst their battle Leo sensed Sabito''s change, he was slowing down however his attacks were getting stronger. Leo got serious, he raised the bar a bit more. Sabito was in a trance, his body simply moved based on instinct. But each movement seemed much less forced and seemed natural. Urokodaki straightened his back. His expression was hidden behind his mask however his body trembled when he looked at Sabito. Makomo and Giyu could sense the wild fluctuations of emotion in their master. Sabito''s body was sweating faster, his lungs seemed to be breathing fire with each breath. Leo could feel Sabito momentum building up, it was like he was preparing for something. Suddenly out of nowhere Sabito attacked. Water Breathing Eleventh Form, Flood Dragon! A massive Flood Dragon emerged behind him, it roared and pounced on Leo. Accompanying it was a huge tide that seems to want to destroy everything in it''s path. "Oh crap!" Leo didn''t expect such a sudden outburst. He steadied his breath and raised his sword. Dragon-Tiger Breathing Eight Form, Azure Dragon Majesty! An Azure Dragon manifested behind him, it roared towards the sky shaking the air around the mountain. In a split second it shot towards the Flood Dragon. The Flood Dragon collided with the Azure Dragon. Their huge bodies coiled around in mid air, the air shook, the field cracked and trees were uprooted. Giyu and the rest took a step back from the aftershock. Dust filled the field blocking them from seeing what happened. When the dust settled Leo stood tall, however a small line of blood tricked down his cheek. As for Sabito, he was on the ground. His sword was broken and he was unconscious. Makomo and Giyu immediately ran out and picked him up. Urokodaki went infront of Leo and bowed. Leo hurriedly dodged, he shook his head and said hastily, "Elder, please don''t!" Urokodaki raised his head and said solemnly, "What Sabito gained can never be said in words. It has always been what every Swordsman dream of, thank you for what you did." Leo smiled wryly. He never expected Sabito to undergo such a change doing a simple spar, he had to say Sabito was simply a monster. He was able to see the essence of Water Breathing Forms in the heat of battle and created a new form. How many can do that? "Elder, I did nothing. That guy is simply too much of a genius he figured it out on his own." Urokodaki shook his head and replied, "If you hadn''t adjusted your strength accordingly he would have broken away from that state. That state can''t be sought out but only chanced upon." "Let''s go inside. He will wake up any moment." Urokodaki knew what he was doing, but he didn''t stop him. He turned to Makomo and Giyu and said. "Let''s go. We are having a grand feast tonight." Chapter 22 - 22. Void State Like Leo said. Sabito woke up soon, however he couldn''t even sit properly, his body seemed to be devoid of energy. "Um, guys, a hand." Leo ignored him while Giyu chomped on the plates of food infront of him. Makomo seemed to be the only one who even listened, she brought a plate of food to him and sat him straight. Sabito ate while crying, now that he was awake and lucid he could feel pain all over his body. Even the slightest movement was filling his mind with pain, but he still managed to somehow finish his food and was about to ask for more. However only a pot soup remained. His eyes turned red as he glared at Leo and Giyu. He wanted to curse out loud but he couldn''t do that, his lungs seemed to be filled with pins each time he took a breath. Sabito was truly in tears. Leo and Giyu laughed when they saw Sabito''s miserable expression. Makomo was still cultured as she placed a bowl of soup infront of Sabito. Giyu wiped his mouth and suddenly asked Urokodaki who was silently eating all this time. "Master what did you mean before? What state?" Urokodaki poked Giyu''s head with his chopsticks and said, "Now you remember?" Giyu rubbed his head and smiled foolishly. Urokodaki shook his head and explained. Makomo and the rest leaned in closer to hear what he was about to say. "Every Swordsman have their respective Breathing Techniques and accompanying Forms. Mastering these Forms to perfection will make us strong, but what is perfection? What does mastering Forms mean?" "It''s to understand the Essence of every Form." Leo answered after some thought, after Sabito did that final attack Leo understood many things and this is the conclusion he came to. Urokodaki nodded his head and continued. "Mastering the Essence of Sword Forms, that is what it takes to fully understand a Sword Form. Most people walk around the boundary of such a state for all their life but never understand what it truly means." "Master, what is the Essence of Water Forms?" Giyu asked with expectation, however Urokodaki immediately shot him down, "Every person has their own understanding of the Essence of Water Forms, though the end point is same the path is different, mine won''t be suitable for you neither would be Sabito''s." A dejected Giyu sat around a corner and drew circles. Leo ignored him and asked, "What''s that state you mentioned?" Urokodaki drank a mouthful of soup and explained, "Normally it would take a lifetime even for gifted individuals to understand the Essence of any Form and all the way to mastering it, however there is an exception. It''s a miraculous state that will allow a person to go leaps and bounds in mastering any Essence. It''s called Void State." Leo and the rest carefully pondered that word. Urokodaki gave them time to digest everything and continued. "Records indicate that every person who has entered Void State atleast once in their life have extraordinary achievements and were known throughout that era." Leo, Giyu and Makomo collectively looked at Sabito when they heard that. Sabito''s nose seems to be stretching out and seems to be pointing to the skies when he heard Urokodaki. Extraordinary achievements? Him? Nah. Leo and the rest shot a contemptuous gaze at Sabito and ignored him completely. Sabito was so mad that he wanted to flip out, but he realised he couldn''t move otherwise he would be rolling around in pain. Gnashing his teeth Sabito continued to listen. ''These kids... Urokodaki sighed in his mind and said, "Normally understanding to mastering any Essence is like scaling the mountains with b.a.r.e hands however entering Void State is like catapulting you up the mountain. How much you understand is depended on talent and luck." I see... Leo nodded after some thought. Now he really envied Sabito, he turned his head to look at the person in question then shook his head. Sabito saw Leo''s look and was incensed. Why the heck are you looking at me like that!? Looking at their antics Urokodaki was tinkled. He was relieved that these kids still retained their pure heart while living in this cruel world. The day went by. Since he had no immediate mission Leo decided to head to Tanjuro''s house. However he wasn''t alone Sabito and the rest decided to tag along. Anyway Makomo was about to take part in the Final Selection so it was a good thing to get some actual combat experience. "What? You mean the owner of the place we are going is stronger than Master Urokodaki?" Giyu asked incredulously. "Come on Leo, don''t exaggerate. Even if he was stronger than master, the gap can''t be that wide." Leo simply smiled and said nothing. Makomo for the first time asked something. "What kind of Breath user is he?" Leo was surprised, he shot a glance at Makomo and praised her. "You really aren''t like these two idiots. He is a Sun Breath User." Huh!? Leo ignored two murderous eyes and continued to walk. Makomo face showed a startled expression when she heard the term Sun Breath, she looked deeply at Leo. Giyu and Sabito felt as if their existence somehow got weak. "Hey Makomo, what''s a Sun Breath." Sabito asked Makomo in a hushed voice. Makomo shot a glance at him and said in a carefree manner. "The First Breath. Every other Breath in existence is a derivation of that original Breath." Sabito and Giyu tilted their head and asked in a confused tone. "Why don''t the both of us know about this?" Makomo said in a plain tone. "I read, you guys don''t." The wind blew by, suddenly the rowdy group descended into silence. Leo who was walking infront was trembling, he was doing his best to not laugh. Sabito and Giyu yelled simultaneously. "Laugh! Go ahead Laugh! Hmph!" Hahahaha... Along the way many heads were turned seeing an odd group of youngsters. Chapter 23 - 23. A Place To Return To Winter was just around the corner, days slowly turned cold. Trees have started to shed leaves and looked mellow. Mountains that were active through the year seems to be going to sleep. A group of youngsters were walking through the rough paths of a mountain. They bickered among themselves destroying the silence around. "Hey Leo, are we there yet?" "Will you shut up!? Don''t you get tired blabbing like that? Anyway we are almost there." "You said that an hour ago." "An hour journey is considered short. Just shut up, we are already there." Sabito who was pestering Leo all this time raised his head and looked into the distance. A simple house came to his view, infront of the house stood an amiable man. Five kids played around him, three just barely reached his knees. The man''s eyes were filled with love when he looked at the kids. Sensing Sabito''s gaze he turned around, realising who it was he showed a smile. "A little late." Leo rubbed his head and said, "Sorry uncle Tanjuro, some stuff came up." "Big brother!" Just as he finished speaking the kids yelled and ran towards him. Tanjiro and Nezuko hugged Leo while the rest couldn''t do the same and hugged his knees. A bright smile adorned Leo''s face, he rubbed their head and asked. "Did you guys miss me?" "Yes!" Hahaha Leo laughed lightly, he took out a small cloth bag inside his kimono. The younger kids eyes brightened when they saw it, Leo poked their nose and handed the bag to them. They immediately showed a delighted expression and thanked Leo before running off. "Big brother, what about me?" Nezuko looked at Leo with expectation. "Would I forget you? Here." He took out a beautiful hair pin and gave it to her. Nezuko smiled like a kid and snatched it from Leo. She traced it''s body and giggled. Tanjiro however didn''t ask anything, he just smiled. Leo looked at him and took out a pair of shoes, he gave it to him and said. "Be a little selfish Tanjiro." Tanjuro said, "You don''t have to bring something every time." Leo shook his head seriously, "That''s won''t do uncle. They call me big brother so it''s my duty to act like one." Tanjuro shook his head with a smile and looked behind Leo. Leo introduced, "Uncle Tanjuro, these are my friends. The dumb looking one is Giyu, this idiot is Sabito and that''s Makomo." "Hey!!!" Sabito and Giyu grumbled before bowing to Tanjuro. "Nice to meet you sir." "It''s fine, just call me uncle like Leo does." "That''s... "Just do it." Both of them growled at Leo. "Uncle Tanjuro." "Good. Come in, it''s almost time for lunch." "Alright." Leo and company walked in, Kei served them some water before putting a bowl infront of them. Makomo hurriedly took out a sack she was carrying and gave it to Kei. "Aunty, please take this." "Silly child, what are you doing? You are our guest, so it''s only right we provide you food." "But aunty... Makomo was in a dilemma, no matter what she said Kei didn''t accept her gift. "Aunty just take it. We are gonna be here for a few days, it''s rude of us if you have to provide food for all four of us and it will wait on our conscience if you don''t take it." With no other choice Kei accepted it with reluctance. However during the meal she kept filling their bowls with more food, Leo smiled wryly and didn''t say a word. Sabito looked at Kei and her family, he felt something he had never felt before, he felt as if that final piece of his life was placed back. The meal wasn''t extravagant however all of them were felt extremely satisfied with each bite. After the meal was done the younger ones felt sleepy, Nezuko and Tanjiro put them to bed. Leo and Sabito were seated outside, Giyu talked with Tanjuro while Makomo helped Kei with chores. "I can see why you looked forward to coming here." A smile outlined Leo''s face as he leaned back, he looked up to the sky and said with a smile. "When I first came here I too found it hard to believe. Uncle Tanjuro''s, Aunty Kei, Tanjiro, Nezuko... all of them treated me with kindness. They gave me food, a place to sleep, unknowingly I found something I always longed for." Sabito listened without saying a word, his eyes focused on Tanjiro, he was making crafts under his father''s guidance. Nezuko also helped them. "It''s really nice here." Leo agreed, he found a shade, sat down and closed his eyes. Slowly his mind lost focus and entered dream land. The sun was almost setting by the time he woke up, opening his eyes Leo felt something and looked over. Tanjiro and Nezuko leaned on his shoulder on both sides and were fast asleep. A smile crept onto Leo''s face. Maybe sensing Leo was awake both of them woke up rubbing their eyes. "Haaaa, Big brother Father asked us to wake you up." Nezuko said while yawning. Leo smiled and rubbed her head, he asked in a teasing tone. "Then why are you sleeping here?" "Tehe, Big brother looked so comfortable so I joined you." "Is that so? What about you, Tanjiro?" "It''s nice to sleep under a tree." Hahaha Chapter 24 - 24. Makomos Test Whoosh! Smack! "Ow!" Tanjiro held his head and squatted down in pain, rubbing his head he looked at Leo and said. "Big brother, why did you hit harder?" Leo was holding a wooden sword, he poked Tanjiro''s head and said seriously, "You head is like a rock, If I don''t hit you harder you won''t feel it." Tanjiro mumbled, "But that hurts." Leo knocked his head lightly and said with a grin, "The whole purpose of our training is so that you can dodge effectively. If you dodge well you won''t get hurt, simple, right?" "Uh-huh." Taking his own wooden sword Tanjiro swung at Leo. Dodging to the side Leo tapped his shoulders. Seeing his attack miss Tanjiro bent his waist and kicked up. "Not bad." Leo flicked his palm, deflecting the kick. He then moved forward striking Tanjiro''s waist. Hastily putting his sword up for defence Tanjiro took a few steps back from that strike. Leo instructed while moving for another strike, "What did I tell you Tanjiro, connect the moves uncle taught you. It may come forcefully at first but with practice it will flow as smooth as water." "Ok big brother!" "Ow!" Smack! "Ow!" Sabito and the rest were resting under the shade of tree, all of them found it amusing to watch their sparring. "Tanjiro is making progress." "That''s a given, he has zero battle experience, with his understanding of Fire God Dance any form of fighting will take him leaps and bounds into mastering the techniques." "Yeah. Though I gotta say he sure has a hard head." "That''s for sure." "I agree." "Are they still at it?" "Ah! Uncle Tanjuro. Yeah, Leo seems particularly adamant about teaching Tanjiro, he isn''t overly hard nor is he too soft, just the right level of difficulty in his training." "Hmm... Tanjuro hummed and sat down. He watched their sparring from the side until it was time for lunch. Tanjiro was out of breath and trembled from time to time, however a bright smile was on his face. "Let''s go, lunch is ready." "Yup! Let''s go." Sabito took charge and marched forward. Leo and the rest palmed their face when they saw that fool. But they have to admit aunty Kei''s food was delicious. A hearty meal was prepared for them, eating their fill all of them laid down comfortably. Suddenly Nezuko asked something. "Big brother are you really leaving?" A tinge of sadness laced her words. Leo strokes her head and said with a smile, "Come on, I don''t want to see a snotty Nezuko when I go. Don''t worry, I will visit often like I always do, alright?" Nezuko stared at him and said seriously, she looked cute with her puffed up cheeks, "That''s a promise!" Leo laughed lightly when he saw her all so serious. Sabito and the rest smiled when they saw this. It was only when he is with these kids would Leo be so utterly powerless. He had to coax all of them yesterday and today so that they won''t cling to him when he leaves. "Nezuko won''t you miss big brother Sabito." Nezuko answered truthfully, "I will miss you too, but not as much as big brother Leo." Crack... All of them heard something break at that point, Sabito wormed his way to a corner and sulked. Tanjiro and the other kids walked to him and said earnestly. "We will miss you big brother." Sabito teared up, he rubbed the little ones head and asked. "More than your big brother Leo?" The kids went silent, Tanjiro took took out a rice ball and handed it to Sabito. Crack... Again everyone heard something break. Sabito ate the rice ball while tearing up, this time for a different reason. Giyu clutched his stomach and banged the ground while laughing his heart out. Makomo also trembled trying to hold her laugh. Leo showed a disdainful smile and ignored him. Soon time went by, a few hours before the sun set all four of set off. "Visit often." "We will." Leo and the rest bowed to Tanjuro and Kei and started to descend the mountain, the kids waved to them till they couldn''t see their shadow. ... "Are you still sulking Sabito?" "Who is sulking!?" Giyu teased Sabito who jumped up like a cat who got it''s tail stepped on. Makomo saw his reaction and said. "Could you atleast act like you don''t care? Idiot." "Makomo, I am your brother!" "So?" "Shouldn''t you side with me at all times?" Instead of answering him a scornful look climbed on her face and she continued to walk. Leo also shot a glance at him and chose to remain silent. Giyu however seemed to be excited, he asked questions again and again making Sabito not know whether to laugh or cry. Leo looked at Giyu and said to himself. ''This guy... he will never make another friend.'' All four of them continued towards their destination, the site for Final Selection, Mt.Fujikasane. Makomo was supposed to take her test in two months. But before that Sabito and the rest agreed to let her have some practical training. Of course practical training implied hunting demons. Right now all four of them were heading towards where a demon was sighted. Soon all four of them reached a abandoned village. The houses were dilapidated and worn out, smell of decay spread through the air. Leo spread out his sense and found their target. "Alright. Makomo, remember no matter what happens always remain calm." Makomo seriously nodded and went forward. Sabito, Giyu and Leo separated and took different directions just in case the demon escaped. Walking forward Makomo gripped her sword tightly, no matter how calm and m.a.t.u.r.e she was she was still a young girl with no real experience fighting demons. Just as she was about to take a turn the wind whistled to her right side. A feeling of danger engulfed her body. Instinctively she dodged. Taking a close look she saw a demon with long arms covered in black hair. It''s eyes were filled with killing intent, drool dripped down the corner of its mouth when looking at Makomo. For a second she froze, her heartbeat got faster, her body seemed to be trembling when subjected to that sharp killing intent. Sabito, Giyu and Leo were watching for a distance, Giyu was anxious and looked at Sabito and Leo for advice. However both of looked at ease and watched intently. Giyu calmed down and watched. Makomo seemed to have realised her condition, she took a deep breath. Her tensed body relaxed, her eyes filled with panic settled down. Her aura went through a subtle change, like how water settles down, reflecting everything. Leo and Sabito heaved a sigh of relief, both of them looked a each other and smiled. Let the hunt begin. Chapter 25 - 25. Passed Thud! "Hey! You are a woman for god''s sake, act like one." "Yeah. The way you fought looked like a crazy person." "Alright, crazy woman I think you are ready." Makomo sheathed her sword. Beneath her foot laid a demon''s body as it scattered to ashes. Listening to her friends comments her mouth twitched. Many a times she wondered whether to sew that mouth of theirs. "Anyway, we are close to Mt.Fujikasane, right?" "Hmm, four hours. We should reach there by nightfall." The four of them leisurely walked away leaving a trail of demons behind. Two months had passed since the four of them left Tanjuro and family, their goal was to have Makomo get some battle experience and boy did they get it. Makomo was a calm and collected person, however, after her first fight she got a real feel for it. Her attacks were fierce and endless, she moved like a raging tide that wiped away anyone who stood against it. But when she is not in combat she looked and behaved like a well bred young lady. This sudden change kind of left the other three sweating. Time ticked away, soon the sky was painted red by the setting sun. Leo and the rest was now walking among a cl.u.s.ter of wisteria trees full in bloom. "No matter how may times I see it it''s still amazing." "Yeah... The gang took in the beautiful sight and walked in a daze. Soon the four of them reached the foot of the selection grounds. Walking up the steps Leo, Giyu and Sabito couldn''t help but remember their Final Selection. "What a nostalgic feeling." Sabito sighed and said. "Yeah, you almost died." Giyu suddenly said those words, the others halted their steps and looked at him with a sad expression, Giyu tilted his head in confusion. "What''s wrong?" Leo shook his head. "It''s nothing." The gang continued to climb up the stairs, they looked at each other and could read what was on the other party''s mind. He is never gonna make another friend! Giyu was oblivious to their thoughts and whistled as he walked up the stairs. Upon reaching the top tens of candidates appeared before them. "A lot more than when we took the test." "It''s a good thing, atleast we can spread our forces." They waited till a kakushu came out and explained the rules of the test. Makomo was calm and steady as she listened. "Best of luck, don''t die." "Don''t die." "Don''t get eaten." All three of them smiled and waved at Makomo while yelling at the top of their lungs. The other candidates looked at her oddly, at that moment she wanted nothing more than to find a hole to hide in. ''Bastards!'' ... 7 days later... "Congratulations on becoming a Slayer. Your swords will be delivered to you in a week." The Kakushu bowed and bid farewell to Makomo and the other young slayers. Walking back to Leo and the rest Makomo had a faint smile on her face. Somehow Leo and Sabito felt a bad premonition. "Well, Giyu walk her down alright. I suddenly remembered something." "Ah! It''s that right. We better get going, come on hurry up!" Both of them immediately bolted down the stairs without giving any kind of explanation. "Hey! What did you forget? Hey guys! Ah! They are gone, they sure ran fast. Anyway, congratulations Makomo! Huh, what''s wrong. Your smile is kind of dark." ... Down the steps Leo and Sabito heard wails coming from above. Both of them increased their pace and ran away. ... "Ow! Stop poking my cheeks! Ow! Stop that!" Giyu growled at Sabito who was having fun poking his cheeks. At this moment Giyu was in a sorry state, his cheeks were swollen and he had panda eyes. "Hehe, you look like a chubby panda." "Grrrr... Makomo walked coolly. Leo and Sabito praised their wits for running away quickly. "Alright. Let''s have some food." All four of sat down in a restaurant and ordered food. Having their fill they were about to find a place to stay when Leo suddenly stopped. His expression turned serious as he looked in a particular direction. Sabito and the rest also got serious when they saw Leo. In the past two months they understood that Leo had an ability to sense spirits. It was also because of that they were able to find demons so easily in the past couple of months. "How strong?" "Strongest we have ever faced. But Giyu and Makomo can handle it." Sabito relaxed his tight nerves. Within the four of them there was a ranking. Leo was the strongest followed by Sabito, Giyu and Makomo. Giyu and Makomo are on the same level but since Giyu had a bit more experience he was stronger. "Let''s wait. Once the streets are empty we will move." "Alright." The four of them waited till the last light went out before moving. Leo and the rest were now standing before an inn, a young lady stood beside the counter twirling her hair. Leo nodded to Giyu and Makomo. Both of them rushed towards the young lady and swung at her neck from both sides. "What a cute bunch." The young lady flipped her hand, immediately long shawls filled with flower patterns extended from her sleeve and covered her body. Giyu and Makomo''s sword were blocked and was bounced off. Retreating to a distance all four of them got a clear look at the demon. She was bewitchingly beautiful, she wore a short skirt with a top blouse exposing her naval area. What''s particular was her eyes, Leo''s pupils constricted when he saw her eyes. Sabito gripped his sword tightly, his face showed a solemn expression compared to before. Upper Moon Six! Chapter 26 - 26. Upper Moon Six Giyu and Makomo turned even more serious when they identified her. To this day they only came across slightly stronger demons, never one of the twelve Moons. They have heard Sabito and Leo talk about one and that was just a Lower Moon however what was infront of them was an Upper Moon. "Why did you stop? I want to play some more~." Her words contained a m.a.t.u.r.e and alluring charm. Makomo steadied her breath and moved, Giyu was a step late and followed her. With incredibly agile movements Makomo blocked the cloth sashes that tried to tie her down. Water Breathing Third Form, Flowing Dance. Like a winding river Makomo swept past the attack and reached the woman. Her sword gleamed with sharpness. Water Breathing First Form, Water Surface Slash. A stream of water coated her sword as it sliced away through the layers of cloth shielding the demon. Layer by layer the clothes fell part, slowly Makomo''s sword lost power. The moment it did the demon smiled and waved her hand. Waves upon waves of clothes emerged, trying to drown Makomo. Water Breathing Sixth Form, Whirlpool. Giyu flashed before Makomo and spun like top. A whirlpool was created with him and Makomo as the epicenter, the clothes trying to bind them was torn and swept away. "Not bad." The demon chuckled and disappeared. Giyu and Makomo gripped their sword and stood back to back. "Here." The demon''s alluring voice echoed from above. The cloth sashes around her gleamed with cold light as it descended upon them. Water Breathing Second Form, Waterwheel. Giyu''s body twisted as his sword swept out, a wheel of raging water surrounded them, deflecting all incoming attacks. However a few slipped through, slightly injuring him. Makomo used the sashes as a foothold and moved forward like an unstoppable tide. Her body rotated with each strike, generating even stronger power. "Tsk... The demon was taken by surprise and bit her lip. The sashes gathered together and shielded her from Makomo. Water Breathing Eighth Form, Waterfall Basin! Giyu suddenly emerged behind the demon, his sword turned into several streams of water and poured out. It slammed down with absolute brute strength. "Do you think I am that easy?" The sashes surrounding her started to twist and turn. Giyu and Makomo''s attacks were drowned in the sea of sashes and they couldn''t help but retreat. Over a distance Leo and Sabito watched this fight solemnly. Leo commented, "Something''s wrong here." Sabito nodded, "Yeah. She is too weak. Master clearly said that to fight an Upper Moon atleast two Hashiras were required." "There must be something we are missing. For now let''s just watch, though both of them are on the back foot they should be able to finish her off." Sabito nodded. Both of them however was extremely vigilant, their hands never left their sword. Water Breathing Third Form, Striking Tide. Makomo moved swiftly and executed continuous strike upon the demon. Blood splattered, the demon''s hands was cut off but it quickly regenerated. Using the chance when Makomo paused to change her stance the demon flickered her sleeve. Like a python her sleeve slithered towards Makomo and tried to bind her. Water Breathing Sixth Form, Whirlpool! Giyu flashed before Makomo and formed a whirlpool protecting her from incoming attacks. The demon was annoyed, she couldn''t harm Makomo as long as Giyu was there and she couldn''t go after Giyu since that wretched girl was trying to lope her head off. Water Breathing Ninth Form, Splashing Water Tide-Turbulent. Makomo suddenly emerged from the whirlpool with incredible speed. A tide emerged beneath her and carried her forward with incredible speed. In a split second she was already before the demon. "Got you." The demon however smiled cunningly, sashes emerged from every direction and bound Makomo but... Water Breathing First Form, Water Surface Slash! Giyu suddenly emerged from the surging tide beneath Makomo. His eyes flashed a chilling light. The demon didn''t have time to react, she felt a slight prick on her neck. Her head flew high into the air. Makomo used this chance and kicked the demon''s body and freed herself from the sashes. Giyu kneeled down taking deep breaths after he cut her head off, sweat trickled down his face like a waterfall. He looked at Makomo and nodded. Just when they were about to relax... "Bastard! How dare you!?" What! Makomo and Giyu looked incredulously at the demon who was still speaking despite her head being chopped off. Her beautiful face was twisted into an angry expression as she looked at Giyu and Makomo. Makomo suppressed her shock and walked towards the demon. Giyu also got up, he held his sword tightly and vigilantly walked forward. "How are you still alive?" "Huh!? You think you stinky brats can kill me? Dream on!" Makomo raised her sword and swung down. Just as her sword was about to slice the demon''s head in half she yelled loudly. "Brother, someone''s bullying me!" Leo and Sabito also saw what happened. Both of them looked at each other in shock. It''s a given fact that once a demon''s head is removed from it''s neck it would die but now... something that clearly went against the norm was happening. They watched as Makomo raised her sword and swung it down. The demon however suddenly yelled something, at that moment Leo and Sabito felt a faint foreboding. Danger filled their minds. Shit! Both of them moved, like a pouncing tiger both of them charged forward with incredible speed. A breath away from killing the demon Makomo froze, her instinct screamed danger. A cold pair of eyes flashed before her eyes. Terror took over her body as she failed to move, a cold sharp weapon slowly inched towards her heart. Just when she thought everything was over a figure appeared before her. "Snap out of it Makomo!" The grating sound of weapon colliding and Leo''s words broke her out of her trance. Cold sweat dripped down her. She quickly gathered her strength and stepped back. Leo was blocking a pair of short sickles. He pushed it away and regrouped with the others. "Oi Sabito." "Yeah, looks like he is the real deal." Chapter 27 - 27. The Real One Leo and Sabito turned solemn after blocking that last attack. What brute strength! Both of them felt a tremendous power transmit through their weapons, it slightly numbed their palms. When Makomo and Giyu got to a safe both of them immediately retreated. Leo frowned when he looked at the demon before him, he was a tall man with a black-dotted skin with pale grayish complexion. His body was strange as in that his upper torso, arms and legs were all extremely muscular while his waist was incredibly skinny, his pelvis was jutting out at an unnatural angle. He possessed green and red eyes, their sclera bright orange, that were slanted drastically downwards at the sides, the kanji for "Upper Moon Six" carved across them. His hands wielded two bone sickles gleaming with coldness. Behind him stood that female demon whose head Giyu cut off, her head was right back on her neck and seemed fine now. "Giyu, Makomo, take care of the woman." Leo didn''t wait around for the demon to make a move, from that simple attack he knew what kind of an opponent they were facing. There is a high chance that all of them might die here. "Alright!" Dragon - Tiger Breathing First Form, White Tiger Awakening! Leo''s figure disappeared, the demon''s eyes dodged as he followed him. He raised his sickle and smiled lazily. "Too slow." The wind seemed to whistle as the sickle sliced through the air, Leo''s figure re-emerged. He wasn''t shocked nor was he surprised. Dragon - Tiger Breathing Sixth Form, Azure Dragon Roams The Heavens! A dragon manifested as it stepping on clouds, it winded around the sickle and opened its huge jaw taking a bite at the demon. The sickly and pale demon raised his other sickle and took a swipe upwards. The dragons sharp teeth collided with the sickle generating sparks. Sabito moved with incredible speed, he was upon the demon in a split second. His sword was coated with a stream of water as he moved in for the kill. "Weak." The demon bend backwards, his spine seemed to crack as he did so. Sabito missed, before he could react the demon kicked out with incredible power. The kick connected. Sabito took a few steps back, the corner of his mouth was painted with blood. The demon however wasn''t finished, he forcefully withdrew his other hand and freed himself. He swiftly made a cut towards the Azure Dragon phantom infront of him, the tremendous power behind that attack caused the phantom to break apart. Leo was flung away. "Sabito! Leo!" Giyu yelled from afar. "Giyu! Do your job, they will take of theirs!" "Got you kitty~" ''Focus Giyu!'' Collecting himself Giyu backed up Makomo. Bang! Leo was smashed into a small tavern. Broken tiles and roof rained on him, ignoring the pain from his c.h.e.s.t Leo charged forward. Dragon - Tiger Breathing Fourth Form, White Tiger Dominion! Leo changed into a ferocious White Tiger filled with baleful aura. The demon waved his sickles skillfully avoiding every strike descending on him. Water Breathing Third Form, Flowing Dance! Sabito danced like a winding river, he flickered between the White Tiger''s attack creating a powerful vacc.u.m that s.u.c.k.e.d in every fatal attack delivered upon the huge beast. "Maan, that''s a fascinating move." All of a sudden rays of bloody energy emerged out of the demon''s body. It moved incredibly fast and slashed at Leo and Sabito. The White Tiger phantom was destroyed while the flowing river was dispersed, Leo and Sabito spat out blood and was flung away. Their clothes were torn and blood seeped out. Getting up on their feet both of them turned solemn. Leo immediately changed his stance. Dragon - Tiger Breathing Third Form, White Tiger Assault! Water Breathing Ninth Form, Splashing Water Tide, Turbulent! Both of them used incredibly fast movements to close the gap between them and the demon. "Maaan, you can''t win. I''m gonna kill you slowly, no one bullies my cute, dumb little sister." Blood Demon Art, Round Axe Splatter Sickle. A dome of bloody rays covered the demon, Leo''s manifestation of the White Tiger reached him first. It brandished it''s huge claws blocking the incoming attack. The ground was reduced to rubbles from their collision. Water Breathing Eleventh Form, Flood Dragon! A huge Flood Dragon took shape, it roared towards the demon and pounced on him with a colossal tide of water beneath it''s feet.. "Ooh, fascinating." The bloody rays suddenly doubled. Leo''s White Tiger and Sabito''s Flood Dragon were drowned in the sea of bloody sickle rays. However... Both of them suddenly emerged from the sea of sickle rays, their entire body drenched in blood. Water Breathing Tenth Form, Constant Flux! Dragon - Tiger Breathing Seventh Form, Azure Dragon Descends! Sabito moved forward with incredible agility, he twisted and turned with each step, each step he took he destroyed everything blocking his path. Leo''s body morphed into an Azure Dragon, like a divine beast descending upon the world it parting through the clouds. He moved through the bloody sickle rays inching closer to the demon. Closing the gap Leo and Sabito''s changed their stance. Dragon - Tiger Breathing Ninth Form, Azure Dragon Majesty! Water Breathing Sixth Form Whirlpool! Leo''s body released a majesty akin to that of a king''s while Sabito formed a whirlpool trapping all three of them. Dust and rubble rose around them with the twisting air as a wall formed around them. The Dragon twisted and turned striking his opponent without end from every direction. The demon was slightly serious as he blocked every attack. The grinding sound of weapons echoed through the night. The demon spoke lazily while incredible bloodl.u.s.t filled the air. "That won''t work, you will still die." Their bodies were filled with wounds, blood and sweat soaked their clothes making it stick tight to their skin, their breathing was hard, their bones ached however they didn''t back down. For the first time since the battle began Leo and Sabito spoke. "That''s where you are wrong demon, we won''t die. Know why dumbass?" "Cause we ain''t alone fool." Chapter 28 - 28. Trust We aren''t alone? The demon was confused. He pushed the thought to the back of his head and revealed a cold smile. Blood Demon Art, Splatter Sickle storm! The bloody sickle rays started to rotate, it struck the whirlpool and started to slowly eroded it. In a second whirlpool was painted blood red. The rubbles inside it were turned to dust. Leo in his Azure Dragon manifestation was swallowed by the bloody whirlpool. Blood splattered through the air, Sabito''s face was covered by the falling blood, making him look horrifying. "One down, now it''s your turn. Don''t worry, I''m gonna give you to my sister to play. Haaa, she would be so happy to get a new toy." Sabito''s face turned cold, his peach coloured eyes were brimming with killing intent. However he didn''t lose his cool, his killing intent was starting to condense as his mind turned even clearer. Water Breathing Fourth Form, Striking Tide! Riddled with wounds Sabito moved with incredible speed, he dodged fatal blows while acc.u.mulating smaller ones as he got closer. Water Breathing First Form, Water Surface Slash! Using the forward momentum to gather more power Sabito dodged the demon''s sickle and got up close. "That won''t work." The other sickle came down on him from an impossible angle, bloody rays covered the sickle. A single scratch was enough to kill Sabito. Knowing he won''t make it Sabito stopped midway and retreated. "It''s over." The demon smiled with contempt. The bloody rays converged on from every direction. It closed off his path of retreat and tried to cut him into pieces. Suddenly from the corner of his eyes the demon saw Sabito smile. A faint sense of danger enveloped him when he saw that smile. Why is he smiling? He isn''t dead? Bathed in blood Leo moved with blinding speed, in a split second he was right infront of the demon and cut his limbs off. Dragon - Tiger Breathing Fifth Form, Azure Dragon Roams The Heavens! His sword changed into an Azure Dragon, it coiled around the demon binding him in place. The demon''s eyes were leaking tremendous bloodl.u.s.t, Leo felt his arms go numb from the strength this fellow was using. "Do you think this can bind me?" Coughing out blood Leo still had a firm grip on his sword. He looked straight into the demon''s eyes, replied coldly. "Who says I want to bind you?" Hmm? Before the demon could understand those words the bloody whirlpool was broken through. Sabito and Giyu covered in blood emerged from it, both of them moved with incredible speed, their swords hummed with power as streams of water surrounded them. Raging water surrounded all four of them as two swords came down on the demon. Shit! His body was fully covered by bloody light, Leo''s hand was cut again and again till it reached his bone and yet he didn''t let go. "Let go you bastard! Otherwise you will also die." Leo raised his head and said. "I won''t die, I told you before I am not alone." "Bastard!" The demon consumed by rage went all out. The bloody rays of light started to pour out from him. The streams of water however cut through the layers of bloody rays obstructing it, a split second later Sabito and Giyu was already upon the demon and struck his neck from both sides. Time seemed to have slowed down. The demon was gritting his teeth trying to cancel out their attacks power however their swords were inching ever so slowly to cut his head off. "Haha, looks like you are feeling it now. How is my poison!?" Using this chance the demon did a fatal blow to Leo. Leo''s c.h.e.s.t now had a long gruesome wound from his shoulder to his waist. He nearly lost his grip on his sword. "Let go!" The demon kicked Leo trying to get him to let go of his sword. "It''s over." At this moment Leo suddenly moved. Ignoring the excruciating pain all over his body Leo used the demon''s body as an anchor and jumped up. Still with his hand tightly gripping his sword he twisted his body and kicked with all his strength. The demon''s head was struck. The sheer force caused him to lose his footing for a second and that''s all that was needed. Several swords cut through his neck like a hot knife through butter. Even when his head was chopped off he couldn''t believe what just happened. Three kids whom he could have killed easily managed to cut his head off. When his sight shifted unnaturally he saw what was happening on the other side of the battlefield. His sister''s head was rolled over to a distance while a young girl bathed in blood stood before her cutting down every attack that came towards her. With both their head removed their abilities were weakened. Leo and the rest fell down powerlessly. The demon wanted to go over to his sister''s aid but couldn''t move. Suddenly someone took his head and placed it with his sister''s. The demon looked up to see the kid whom he nearly killed kneel before him, his body was mangled and bleeding without no end. "Bastard! How dare you do this to me!? I''m gonna kill you!" The lady cursed loudly. The other demon was silently listening when both of them felt their bodies burn. A sudden silence ensued. Leo clasped his hands together and prayed. "May you both find each other and peace in your next life." The lady stopped for a moment and seemed to have remembered something. Silently both of them were burned away, disappearing from this world. Leo lost all his strength and fell down. Blood seeped out from the wound on his c.h.e.s.t dying the ground red. By now he lost all sense of pain, he could feel his eyes get heavy. Slowly he lost consciousness. Chapter 29 - 29. Origin Ugh... Pain filled Leo''s mind as he groggily woke up. His vision was hazy and he felt dizzy, it took him a few seconds to regain clarity. When he looked around he was stunned. Darkness. Absolute Darkness. Where am I? Leo got up on his feet. Though the world around him was dark he was able to see his hands and his body. How is that even possible? Mind filled with thoughts he looked around, after careful observation he found a point of light in the distance. With no other choice he walked towards it, he didn''t know how long he walked as the concept of time seemed non-existent here. At some point he was standing right before a mass of light encased in a golden sphere. The sphere was engraved with two divine beasts. An Azure Dragon winding on clouds with it huge body making the onlookers kneel in reverence. The other was a White Tiger stepping through the mountains, it''s colossal body gave off a hint of cruelty while thousands of beasts bowed down beneath it''s feet. The mass of light burned fiercely inside the golden sphere,. Around the light, several combination of mist drifted forming a particular beauty to it. Leo instinctively knew what this was, this was his spirit. The golden sphere represented his body. His eyes focused as he looked deeper inside his spirit, what he saw shocked him. That''s... Before he could react the world before him changed, the pitch black world broke down. His body was pulled through space, after a while he stood before a barren land. Infront of him stood a middle-aged man, he had black hair and clear blue eyes. He was more than six feet tall with a lean body, he wore traditional clothing with a dragon and tiger painted on it''s back. The man turned around and smiled, "Seems like you made it." "Who are you?" Leo asked confused. The man had a serene aura around him, however Leo could tell he was powerful. "My name is Aruha Heart." Aruha... Heart? Aruha... No way! could he be... "I am the first leader of Heart lineage." Leo quickly bowed and showed his respects. His father always rumbled on about this man. He said that throughout the history of Heart family there was no one stronger and more respectable than the first leader Aruha Heart. Most importantly he was the one who created the Dragon - Tiger Breathing! "Get up young man. What''s your name?" "Sir, my name is Leo Heart." "Good name. Leo, do you know why you are here?" Leo shook his head. Aruha spoke unhurriedly. "You were dead for a second young man." "Correct. You died for a second, luckily the Dragon - Tiger Medallion was able to pull you back." I see. Now it made sense. Earlier when Leo was observing his spirit he saw a medallion within his soul, it was engraved with an Azure Dragon on one side and a White Tiger one the other side. It was a heirloom passed down through out generations to the next leader of Heart Family. "Sir, what''s happening right now?" "Before I explain, what do you think about the Dragon - Tiger Breathing Technique?" Leo organised his thought for a second and explained, "It''s a method to breakthrough human limits." Aruha nodded his head and explained, "Partly. I created this technique after four decades of persistence. At first it started with body tempering since my era was filled with nothing but slaughter. A strong body gave better chance at survival, Dragon-Tiger Breathing helped me achieve that." "In my time I was know as the strongest. However it wasn''t until I was in my last years of life did I truly understand what training meant." By this point he smiled amiably at Leo and said sincerely. "I envy you to some point, your spirit is far stronger than an average person and that is your greatest advantage." Huh? Leo was confused. He knew his spirit was strong but what does that have to do with what we are talking about. Seeing his confusion Aruha explained. "Tell me what you gained after training in Dragon - Tiger Breathing." Leo said without hesitation, "Stronger body, faster regeneration, increased stamina, monstrous strength and defence." Aruha laughed, "Haha, young man those are but some side benefits. The real treasure is still hidden beneath, you will understand it when you wake up." Aruha seemed to have magically appeared before Leo, he tapped Leo''s forehead lightly. Leo felt a bunch of information sneak into his brain. "Don''t worry, once you regain consciousness you will understand everything." Leo nodded. He waited silently for Aruha to continue. "You should have seen the Dragon-Tiger medallion within your soul. I created that before my death, at that point I understood many things. I created this landscape using a part of my spirit and imprinted it within the medallion. This is to aid a lucky descendant acknowledged by it at dangerous times." "When you were officially dead for a second I activated the medallion. Using the remnant energy within this landscape I healed your fatal wounds and brought you back to life." Leo now understood many things. He just had one more question. "Am I in this world because of you?" Aruha went silent for a moment and sighed, "Yes. With your parents gone you became the last descendant of Heart lineage." "Dragon - Tiger Breathing only has one flaw, it can only be trained by a Heart family member. I couldn''t allow my lineage to die out." Leo didn''t blame the old man for suddenly bringing him here. His previous world was hell for him, every single second there felt like endless torture. "How did I die?" Aruha was surprised, he stared at Leo and said, "You knew." "Yes." Leo figured out he was dead before he came to this world. Aruha hesitated for a moment and said. "Your house was struck by lightning. The gas lines exploded creating a vacc.u.m, the sudden change caused the space to crack. I sealed your soul within the medallion and flew into the space crack. After several seconds of darkness the medallion landed in your current world, near... "I merged the medallion with the warmest body there. Tremendous amount of energy was needed to seal your soul and merge it with your current body, this made me fall into slumber." So that''s it. Leo had his answer. His mind finally cleared up and a sense of serenity washed through his heart. He bowed deeply towards Aruha and thanked him sincerely. "Thank you." Aruha shook his head and waved his hand. A gentle wind swept Leo, raising him up. "I did what I must. Go, your friends are waiting." Leo took a final look around the barren landscape and asked. "This place... "The life this land once had was to protect you, it served it''s purpose." Leo felt his vision blur and darkness ensued. Chapter 30 - 30. Waking Up And Discovery Opening his eyes Leo found himself in a quiet room with white walls and open windows. The wind swept inside the room bringing a sense of calm to his mind. Looking around he found three more beds to his right and laying on them were three figures wrapped in bandages looking like mummies. One of them was awake and he was munching on a rice ball. Sensing someone''s gaze Giyu looked around and saw a mummy sitting at the far end. His eyes went wide and he yelled. "Leo! You are awake. I thought you were dead!" F*ck you! Leo wanted to raise his finger to give him a polite gesture but he found them tightly bound, smell of medicine and disinfectants assaulted his nose when he looked down. "Hey Sabito, Makomo! Leo is awake! Hey! Guys wake up." Giyu''s insistent yapping woke up the other two mummies. Both of them were hurt pretty badly otherwise Giyu would be eating dirt by now. "It''s good you are alright." "Um." Leo was happy to see his friends alive. He asked them. "How long was I out for?" "A week." "Yeah. You should really thank Shinobu-san for taking care of you. Oh! That''s the name of the one that treated you." Giyu explained while filling his mouth with food. Sabito and Makomo wanted to beat the crap out of him but unfortunately they were hurt and couldn''t move. Among them Giyu was the least hurt and he could eat all the food he want, this made the other two envy and hate him. While they were talking a beautiful lady wearing flower haori over her Demon Slayer uniform walked in. Immediately all four of them stopped talking, the lady smiled. When she looked at Leo she exclaimed and quickly walked towards him. She checked his wounds and made sure the stitchings hadn''t come off. She then asked Leo with slight shock in her voice. "How could you recover so fast?" "I have a strong body, my regeneration is faster than a normal slayer." "Is that so?... She looked at Leo with a weird gaze and suddenly smiled. "I didn''t introduce myself, my name is Kocho Kanae." "Leo Heart." "That''s a crude way to introduce yourself." A slightly imm.a.t.u.r.e but cute voice broke their conversation. Leo looked over and found a young girl wearing Demon Slayer uniform standing near the door. She looked similar to Kanae, only smaller but still cute. "Who is this kid?" Leo asked Kanae. "I am not a kid! Hmph, is that how you treat your saviour? Such a crude man." Saviour? Leo looked confused. Giyu said in a hushed tone. "She was the one that looked after you the entire week." "Oh... thank you." Leo nodded to the girl and said thank you. Sabito and Makomo hung their heads and refused to take part in this conversation. Though Leo was m.a.t.u.r.e and calm for his age he was sometimes quite dull when it comes to dealing with certain kind of people, like now. "Why you little!... "Shinobu, get me his medicine." Though she was angry Shinobu still obeyed her sister and took out a box from a cabinet nearby. She handed it to Kanae and stood with her arms crossed. "Sorry about that, this is my sister Shinobu. She is a little wild but don''t you think she is quite cute?" "Yeah." The atmosphere suddenly got silent. Sabito and the rest looked at Leo weirdly. Kanae covered her mouth and smiled while Shinobu was fuming. Leo was slightly confused, what? What did I say wrong? "Leo is Leo." "He should read more." "No, he is just dull." Comments came at him one after the another. Leo ignored them and put the pills into his mouth and drank some water. Kanae warned him not to move needlessly especially his arms, since their injury was heavier. Soon the room got silent, the four of them were too tired to even speak. All of them laid on their beds and slept. Leo got an idea of how they were saved, it seems like the Demon Slayer Corps already knew about a demon appearing there. Luckily the dispatched slayers were able to get there in time and treat them. Looking at the ceiling in a daze Leo checked his surroundings with his spirit sense out of habit and was surprised. His range had increased! Lost in his thoughts Leo suddenly found that he was able to see his own spirit! When he focused on his spirit a picture appeared inside his mind. That''s... is that my body? Leo was watching his own body. He focused even more and found himself peering inside his body. When his sight penetrated through the skin and flesh a sight he would never forget appeared before him. What the? A sphere of gaseous energy was calmly laying just beneath his naval. Like branches of a tree pathways extended from the sphere and covered his entire body. From his skeleton to his organs to his limbs to his flesh and to his skin, everything was connected by this pathways. However the sphere of energy was calm like still water. It didn''t move, the pathways branching out from it were also devoid of energy. Just as he was in shock and wondering what the hell it was, a stream of information flooded his mind. Spirit energy... Spirit sense... Spirit control... what a brilliant method! Leo now understood what Aruha meant. Spirit sense is essentially spirit energy dispersed out of his body, till now he had no way to control it. However now he could! Chapter 31 - 31. Spirit Energy! Only now did Leo truly understand how his spirit sense worked. Every spirit possess it''s own unique energy and that is spirit energy, this energy is ephemeral and intangible. The sphere of energy within him was something called Breath of life. From the information he got from Aruha, Dragon - Tiger Breathing is a skill to acc.u.mulate this energy and use it to refine his body. However refining is only one of the many aspects it has. Breath of life, it is something present everywhere. Every object be it living or not would have it''s Breath. The biggest benefit of practicing Dragon - Tiger Breathing is that it can refine his body! But till now Leo was just getting the side benefits of it, if he was able to consciously regulate this "Breath" within him then the benefits he would get would be unimaginable. But controlling "Breath" was impossible, till now Leo wasn''t even able to sense this energy but now he can. What changed this situation? Leo already knew the answer. Spirit! Spirit also had a modern term, Psychy! His spirit broke through after his battle with Upper Moon Six! He was now able to sense the ''Breath'' laying dorment inside his body. Also, since his spirit broke through his spirit sense also got an upgrade. He was now able to see everything within a hundred meter with absolute clarity. It was like he was looking at everything through a 360 degree camera. He calmed his raging heart and willed the ephemeral spirit. A second later Leo could feel it move but it was way too slow, like a turtle. Two hours went by. Leo''s forehead was drenched in sweat however a smile outlined his face. From the initial slow crawl he could feel his spirit floating around his body, it moved according to his will. Leo took a deep breath. Spirit energy rushed forward like a tide and submerged inside the sphere filled with "Breath". Silence ensued. A second later the "Breath" inside was stirred, it started to rotate. Slowly it picked up speed, it looked like a vortex, the roots branching off of the sphere started to light up, the glow intensified with each passing second and soon... Boom! A loud thunder echoed through Leo''s mind, he grunted slightly. He felt as if thousands of needles were poking into his brain. The "Breath" within the sphere started to wind through the energy pathways winding through his body. It winded through his bones, organs, limbs, flesh and skin, completing a cycle before returning. As "Breath" winded through his body, it widened the energy pathways and removed any blockage within. He could sense those pathways absorb his ''Breath'', they were getting tougher. Leo''s body was trembling from pain. His body was being torn inside out, his clothes were soaked in sweat and were sticking close to his body. The pain continued for three more hours before stopping. After the pain left a wave of cooling sensation spread throughout his body. By now Leo was already sitting in a meditative position. He looked inside his body and smiled. "Breath" coiled around his body like a massive serpent, it passed through every corner before returning to it''s source, this cycle repeated itself. He could already feel his injuries healing rapidly, he reckoned that in two days he would be perfectly healed. ''So this is the real treasure Sir Aruha mentioned. I must say it truly deserves that praise.'' Still immersed in his training Leo didn''t realize the sun peeking out of the mountains. A couple of hours after the sun rose up Kanae and Shinobu walked in while holding a pot of porridge. Both of them were surprised to find Leo up so early. They thought he would sleep some more since his injury was heaviest. "You are up so early." Leo had already ''seen'' them walking in. He opened his eyes and greeted them. Kanae smiled beautifully and put down the porridge. She sat beside the bed and started checking his injuries. Shinobu snorted and stayed silent. When Kanae removed the bandages on his arms to check his wounds she was shocked. His wounds seemed to have closed! They haven''t healed completely but a large part was already gone and forming scabs. It''s now possible for him to move around. "How is this possible?" Shinobu standing beside her sister saw the oddity and craned her neck to have a look, she was also shocked and nearly yelled out. "Leo, can you tell me how this happened?" "Would you believe me if I said there is a huge amount of energy within me and I used it to heal myself?" "Stop joking around, my sister asked you a question." Leo lazily looked at her and said. "Kids shouldn''t interrupt when a.d.u.l.ts are talking." "You are also a kid!" "I am more m.a.t.u.r.e here." Leo pointed to his head and smirked. Shinobu nearly blew her top, she grinded her teeth in anger. Leo thought she looked like a puppy baring it''s teeth, it was cute. "Mah mah, cool down Shinobu. He might be speaking the truth." Shinobu looked incredulously at her sister and pointed at Leo. "Sister you can''t be serious, he was like a dead pug few days ago. How could he possibly heal himself overnight?" "Pointing your finger at someone, you are quite rude, aren''t you?" "You are the rude one! You have no humility when you speak to my sister and you didn''t even look sincere when thanking me. Who is the rude one here?" "I did thank you. To think you would renounce my sincerity just like that, what a brutish kid." "I am not a kid! We are almost the same age!" "How old are you?" "Thirteen." "Still a kid." "Shut up! You are just fifteen, you are also a kid!" "Kid." "Why you little! "Kid" "Big sis, let me go! I gotta teach that guy a lesson!" Shinobu''s words fell on deaf ears, Kanae pulled her away. However a smile crept onto her face when she saw her sister and Leo quarrel. Chapter 32 - 32. Broken Soul Two days passed by. Leo made a full recovery shocking his friends and the medical personnels. Kanae and even the annoying Shinobu was solemn and serious when they witnessed this spectacular sight. They both examined him from top to bottom trying to find out how he did it. The look they both gave him send a shiver down his spine. One interesting thing happened in these past two days, Leo and the gang met the last member of Shinobu''s family. Kanao Tsuyuri. She was an adopted child. Kanae accidentally found her when she was a slave and decided to adopt her. However both of them soon came to realise that Kanao wouldn''t do anything without being told to do so. This was quite a headache for Shinobu. Good thing that Kanae had a good head on her shoulders, she taught Kanao a method to decide when she was confused or hesitating. It''s to simply toss a coin and decide. When Leo saw Kanao he was startled, her soul was surrounded by a dull mist. Usually this mist would have different colours representing different emotions however Kanao''s was dull and devoid of any colour. He didn''t know what she went through to be so indifferent towards life, towards herself. Sabito and the rest felt sad when they heard about her condition from Leo. "Don''t worry, my Kanao is so cute, when she falls in love with someone she will definitely change. And there would be lot of suitors after her, no one can resist my cute little Kanao." Leo didn''t have any particular intention when he asked about Kanao however Kanae''s response left him twitching. It seems that Kanae loved cute stuffs, be it living or not. Walking through the corridors Leo came across a small yard. A pond with clear water with some colourful fish swimming across greeted his eyes, a wisteria tree bloomed near it, across the whole yard were smaller plants brimming with life. Leo''s eyes scanned through the place and settled on six figures kneeling before a man. The man was in his mid twenties and had a serene aura to him, his being seems to have merged with nature. If not for Leo''s special ability he would surely miss his existence. "P.l.e.a.s.u.r.e to meet you, Leo Heart. My name is Ubuyashiki Kagaya." Leo''s thoughts were broken by his serene voice. He kneeled down and offered his sincerest respect to this person before him. In his eyes this man''s soul was covered by a myriad of colours, it shined brightly within the darkness, full of hope, care, compassion, kindness... He had heard from the Kanae that Ubuyashiki family has been fighting against the demons for over a thousand year. They were the backbone holding up the Demon Slayer Corps. And he had heard especially about Ubuyashiki Kagaya. The Ubuyashiki family had a curse and because of that no descendant of this family would live beyond thirty. Throughout generations the leader of Ubuyashiki took over his predecessor''s position when they were young. Ubuyashiki Kagaya also followed that same path, he had a calm demeanor and showed genuine care towards the members of the Slayers Corps, even considering them as his children. His inability to become a Demon Slayer despite being their leader had always waited on his mind. In order to make up for his weakness, he memorized the name of every single member of the corps since he took over as their leader. Kagaya spoke, "Congratulations on your recovery. Let me introduce you to your seniors. This is the Flame Hashira, Kyojuro Rengoku." Kyojuro was a young a.d.u.l.t of tall stature with bright yellow hair with red streaks, black forked eyebrows, and golden eyes. His outfit consisted of the regular Demon Slayer uniform along with a white-yellow gradient pattern haori with red flame-like ridges at the end. "Sound Hashira, Tengen Uzui." Tengen was a very tall, bulky, muscular, light skinned man. His hair was white and of uneven length, he was well built and had maroon eyes that appear to slant inwards, his long eyelashes flowed to the far side of his face. "You already know the Flower Hashira, Kocho Kanae." Kanae showed a mesmerising smile towards Leo. "The Snake Hashira, Obanai Iguro." Obanai was a young man of short stature and a pale complexion. He had straight-edged black hair, which he wore down with two shorter strands hanging between his eyes. His eyes were almond-shaped and were unusual due to Obanai possessing heterochromia¡ªhis right eye was yellow and his left eye was turquoise. "The Wind Hashira, Sanemi Shinozugawa." "This is the Stone Hashira, Gyomei Himejima." Gyomei had a hulking fugure. He was the tallest among the Hashiras, he had a strong and extremely muscular body. His hair was short, black and spiky, a prominent scar ran horizontally across his forehead. Leo bowed his head towards the six in respect. "Leo, could you recount what happened that day." Leo collected his thoughts and explained what happened without missing anything. The Flame Hashira, Kyojuro Rengoku laughed out loud and said loudly. "Well done, Leo! It''s been over a century since an Upper Moon fell!" The others also nodded their head in approval for what Leo did. Leo bowed and said humbly, "Me and my friends simply fulfilled our duties." "Still you guys flamboyantly took out an Upper Moon. It''s a miracle no one died." "Major part of that success can be attributed to luck. Upper Moon Six underestimated us, that gave us an edge to surprise him." Rengoku said with a wide smile, "A victory is victory. Be a man and accept it! You and your friends ability to analyse the situation and capitalise on his contempt towards you is what brought you victory. And luck is also part of one''s strength." "I agree." The others also agreed with him. Leo smiled in embarrassment. Ubuyashiki smiled lightly and said. "Now that an Upper Moon fell Muzan won''t sit still. Be extremely careful on your future assignments." They all bowed and acknowledged his command. "As per your wish, Oyakata-sama." Chapter 33 - 33. To Get Stronger The gathering was about to come to an end when Leo spoke up. "Can all of you spare me some of your time, I have something to say." The Hashiras came to a halt and listened. Kagaya nodded and told Leo to continue. "I have found a way to get stronger, for all of us Slayers." Hmm? Everyone present was confused. "Let me clarify. I have obtained a method to get even stronger after my fight with Upper Moon Six, currently I am benefitting from it." Kanae had a pondering expression on her face and asked. "Is that how you healed so fast?" Leo nodded. Rengoku asked with slight expectation. "Stronger? By how much?" "It depends, at the b.a.r.e minimum, immediate effect would be a boost in healing by twenty percent, strength and speed by fifteen percent." "Leo... "Rest assured Oyakata-sama, this will work." Leo turned towards Kanae and asked. "Lady Kanae, you should be aware of my peculiar ability." Kanae nodded and explained for the others. "Leo has an ability similar to Urokodaki-san''s heightened sense of smell. He can feel the presence of other spirits." Spirits? "Indeed, a peculiar ability." "But what does it have to do with this method of yours?" Leo didn''t rush them and explained slowly, "Before my fight with Upper Moon Six I was only able to sense other spirits and my range was quite limited. However my spirit got stronger after my battle with Upper Moon Six." "I suppose my realm of mind broke through during my battle. Because of that I can perceive my surroundings more clearly." The Stone Hashira, Gyomei nodded and said, "Realm of mind corresponds to insight into martial arts. I myself have achieved such a high state of mind that I can see through my opponents weakness." Leo nodded and continued, "After my mind realm broke through my ability to sense spirits was upgraded. Before I could only sense other presence but now I can see everything crystal clear within several hundred meters." That''s... Everyone was tied for words. Leo continued, "But that''s just the side benefit, after all my spirit sense is just auxillary. Through my stronger spirit and my ability I was able to see inside my body." Hm? Leo excitedly explained, "My inner vision showed me a body filled with pathways connecting to every corner our body. At it''s center was a sphere housing a mass of energy." "When I saw it I was shocked, such a huge mass of energy was just laying there, and we were oblivious to it." "I tried reaching out for it with with spiritual energy. And just as soon as my spiritual energy touched it, that mass of energy it rumbled and started to swirl, forming a vortex. The energy passed through the pathways connecting stretched throughout my body before returning to the sphere." Everyone went silent, all of this was too overwhelming for them to understand. Leo stayed silent for them to organise their thoughts and ask their doubts. Only Kanae showed an enlightened look on her face. "So that''s it." A bright smile appeared on her face. She immediately asked a Kakushu to bring a white sheet and some ink. "Leo, tell me the exact picture of what you saw." She drew on the paper while according to what Leo said. Kanae excitedly hung the large piece of paper. A simple outline of a human body was painted on it. It was filled with lines and arrows winding like a river. And just below the naval was a sphere, all these lines started from it. She rubbed her hand and explained to everyone else how it worked. Her words were clear and on to the point. When everyone understood how it basically works Iguro asked something. "For us to obtain inner vision we have to first reach a certain realm of mind. Only then would we be able to sense our spirit and obtain inner vision, so aren''t we still nowhere?" Leo pondered for a second and said, "I have a theory I want to test it out. Since some of you have reached a high realm of mind I could try to use my spirit to resonate with yours. That should make it possible for you to sense your spirit." Sss... Everyone held their breaths when they heard him, words couldn''t describe their emotions right now. The Wind Hashira who looked cold and unfriendly suddenly smiled, however that smile seemed rather frightening. "If this works, the playing field will be levelled." "Haha... Everyone laughed out heartily. Who doesn''t wish to live, who doesn''t wish to have a splendid life, if something could give them a better chance at survival then they would gladly reach for it. All present at this moment were people who have lost something before, they understood the cruelty of demons, they have seen how families were left in pieces because of them. For their hatred, for the people, Slayers stood forth, to lay down their life for a righteous cause. How many young souls had to die before a Hashira was born, a Hashira stands with thousands of souls behind him. They represent the hope of defeating Muzan and the Twelve Moons. If one of them were to die? That''s a loss no one can shoulder. Ubuyashiki Kagaya felt his blood boil, he could finally see hope. If this works, he would no longer be pained to see another Slayer die, he could finally be rid of the curse plaguing his family for centuries. Calming his heart he asked everyone. "Apart from Gyomei who among you have achieved that realm?" "Me." "I have." Rengoku and Iguro raised their voice. Kagaya looked at Leo. "Do you want to do it now?" "Time waits for no man, let''s get on with it!" Rengoku declared in a loud voice. Leo nodded and asked all three of them to sit down comfortably. "This is all just theory, I don''t know what resonance could bring." Leo''s words didn''t pressure them, for people like them who has gone through life and death battles challenges were just another part of their lives. All three of them sat down comfortably and did their respective Breathing Techniques. A ripple spread out of Leo, it enveloped the three of them and pierced right in between their eyebrows. The others couldn''t feel it however all three of them felt as if thunder was was reverberating within their minds. "Focus!" Leo bellowed bringing them out of their thoughts. As his spiritual energy entered their mind a faint connection was formed. From a feeble link it started to grow strong. Like a wild fire it spread out in an instant. All three of them grunted. They felt as if their head was swelling up. Leo''s eyes lit up, ''It''s working!'' He controlled his spiritual energy and maintained the resonance. However Gyomei, Rengoku and Iguro started to sweat. Five seconds later they spat out blood. Leo immediately withdrew his spiritual energy. The three of them were gulping down air in big mouthfuls. Blood seeped out from the corner of their mouths and they fell down. The others helped them up. Leo asked with concern, "Are you alright?" To his question the three didn''t answer but looked at each other and laughed. Their mind felt as if it a mountain weighted on it but they ignored the pain and laughed. "It worked!" Right now they could sense a feeble energy within their body. It was weak but they could feel it. The resonance worked! The others were shocked for second before breaking out into a smile. Chapter 34 - 34. Not A Kid A week had passed since Leo helped the three Hashiras, and from them he came to understand a few things. First, controlling spirit energy wasn''t that easy. What took Leo two hours took them an entire week. Second, the amount of "Breath" within them were far less than Leo''s. The three Hashiras, Gyomei, Rengoku and Iguro were able to attain an initial mastery over their respective "Breath" and each of them attained a special characteristic according to their Breathing Technique. The Flame Hashira, Rengoku''s explosive power underwent a tremendous growth. The Snake Hashira, Iguro''s nimbleness, speed and flexibility showed an exponential spike. The Stone Hashira, Gyomei was special, his skin obtained a slight tan colour to it, his already hulking figure seems to have slightly grown radiating strength akin to a mountain. Leo was astonished when he saw Gyomei, if he had to pick the strongest one here it would be Gyomei. This guy''s strength and defence were on an entirely different level compared to the rest. He was already a monster like existence within the Demon Slayer Corps and now he seems to have become even more so. There wasn''t much for Leo to do, their training depends upon them. So with much spare time on his hands Leo either did his Breathing or just lazed around. Anyway his "Breath" would automatically revolve albeit slowly than when is consciously training, but he didn''t need to rush things. It was good to take a break once in a while. Currently... "Don''t give up Leo." "Come on! I bet three of my plum rice ball on you." "How refreshing, I can already see rice balls waving at me." "Snort! Weak, can''t even hold on for two hours." The flower manor was filled with loud cheering from a group of youngsters. They surrounded Leo and cheered him on. Leo''s eyes were bloodshot and tears streamed down his cheeks. He was staring at a young girl about nine or ten years of age. This girl was Kanao Tsuyuri, adopted sister of Kanae and Shinobu. She had beautiful hair tied with a butterfly hairpin, her skin was soft and glowing with vitality. She was staring at Leo with indifference in her eyes. As for what they were doing, obviously a staring contest. Giyu suggested it as a joke, Makomo and Sabito seriously vetoed it and Shinobu dared Leo. Leo took it as a joke and agreed. One thing led to another and here they were. It''s been almost two hours since the game started. At first everyone thought it would be over in few minutes, never did they image Kanao to be a fearsome opponent. She sat there like a statue and stared at Leo Leo on the other hand was cursing in his mind. His eyes were burning after not blinking for almost two hours. And to make it even livelier this bunch of bastards even betted to see who will blink first. And from the looks of it Leo was going to lose. ''To hell with this!'' "This game is a tie, let''s eat, I am starving." The others didn''t react for a second before bursting into curses. "Shameless!" "You must have skin thicker than a rhino to say that." "Get back here! You lost, admit it! You lost!" "My rice balls... "My sweets... Their words fell on deaf ears, Leo immediately bolted when he reached a turn and disappeared. "Was he that shameless? Sabito seems more likely to do so than him." "Ouch! Why are you! Ouch! Hey stop, ouch!... Leo closed the door to his room and closed his eyes, feeling refreshed he enjoyed the coolness in his eyes. When he opened his eyes again he almost jumped back in fright. ''Shit! I got the wrong room!'' He was about to turn around and leave when he sensed someone approach. ''Why is it her?'' Shinobu opened the door and entered the room while cursing Leo for his shamelessness. She stamped her foot and cursed even more. Leo was sprawled across the ceiling like a spider, he was sweating bullets when he saw her enter. Shinobu went to cabinet and took out a book, she scribbled something and closed it. After he started to train in his ''Breath'' Leo''s overall abilities spiked, which also included his eyesight. He got a glimpse of what was written on that book. "Day 12, strengthened laxative failed. Subject seems to be impervious to laxatives." "Day 13, pickled rice balls filled with dehydration poison was ineffective. Subject only felt slightly thirty." "Day 14, orange juice mixed with paralysing poison failed. Subject has high tolerance to paralysing poison.... ... "Day 21, bald medicine failed. Subject still has hair." At the end of all these entries the subject name was also mentioned. Subject: Leo Heart. A cold shiver went down his spine when Leo saw his name on the book. No wonder he felt weird these few days, his stomach churned when he thought about everything she mixed with his food. This damn girl, she sure is ruthless. Leo was lost in thoughts when he heard her lock the room. He was dumbfounded when he saw happened next. Shinobu unclipped her hairpin and let her hair fall down to her shoulder. She then unbuttoned her shirt and removed it. Layer by layer her clothes came off, soon a body with exquisite proportions was presented before Leo. Leo felt his heart beat up when he saw this, his nose heated up as something hot came out. He was too late to realise what happened, a drop of blood fell on the floor. The sound was so small that it could be neglected by normal people but, were they normal? Shinobu turned her head to see a drop of blood on the floor. She frowned and looked up to see a man sticking to the ceiling like a spider. She was stunned and her mouth was opened wide in shock. The air was eerily silent. Leo coughed and said, "Erm... I take it back, you are not a kid." Chapter 35 - 35. Change Silence fell over the room. Shinobu''s mind short-circuited for few seconds before she understood what was happening. Her face flushed red as she tried to cover her body. Leo jumped down from the ceiling and opened the door, he turned around and said. "Sorry for disturbing you." Saying that he shut the door, seconds after he left a furious howl reverberated through the manor. "LEO! HEART! I will kill you!" Leo bolted immediately. Shinobu wearing her Slayer uniform stormed over, her face resembled an exploding volcano as she held her sword. Shit! Increasing his speed Leo ran all over the place, by now a crowd of spectators were watching a weird scene. "What the hell kid... I mean girl, it was an accident!" "Shut up! Die!" Shinobu threw several darts gleaming with coldness. Leo could clearly see some kind of strange liquid coating it''s body. Holy shit! That''s poison! Leo ran for his dear life, it was his fault so he couldn''t retaliate. Finding himself in a pickle all he could do was run while dodge deadly attacks. However what made him nearly stumble was the sight of his friends leisurely standing to the side eating sweets. He could even hear them bet among themselves. "Five minutes, he will be caught." "Ten." "Less than ten." "Wanna bet?" "Sure, two packs of crackers." "Alright." Leo nearly fell for an attack when he heard them. Damn you! "What''s going on here?" Kanae suddenly rushed in. She was confused when she saw Leo being chased down by Shinobu. "What''s wrong with you Shinobu? Why are you acting like a lunatic?" Shinobu gritted her teeth and said. "He stepped into my room." "That''s it? You flipped out just because of that?" Kanae was confused. "Yes. I even apologized." Leo said in an aggrieved tone. "Shut up, you lowly ingrate!" "Shinobu! Is that how a lady talks? Have you forgotten manners?" "H-He saw me." Shinobu''s voice was so small that Kanae couldn''t hear her. "Sorry I didn''t get that. What''s wrong Shinobu, you don''t usually flip out like this, what happened?" Kanae came close and asked in a gentle voice. Shinobu looked at her sister teary eyed and said in a small voice. "He saw me." Huh? Kanae was confused for few seconds before it dawned on her. Her eyes flew wide open as she looked at Shinobu, she immediately turned around and found Leo missing. Oh my god! How did that happen? She calmed down Shinobu and asked in detail. Kanae understood everything and she couldn''t help but smile wryly. Though it''s only been a month since she got to know that rowdy bunch she knew all of them were good kids. What happened must have been an accident. "Since it was an accident, let it be. Anyway I don''t think Leo will say anything about it to anyone, he is a good kid." "But-but... anyway he is a shameless bastard!" "Fufu, my cute little Shinobu got all fl.u.s.tered because he saw you b.a.r.e. Don''t tell me you like him." Shinobu suddenly blanked out. She couldn''t think straight and remembered that moment when he stared at her and said she wasn''t a kid. Her face heated up when she understood what he meant, however a faint sense of satisfaction also emerged in her heart. "You know Leo is a good kid. He is good looking and kind, so why don''t you try to get along with him more." Kanae failed to notice how weird Shinobu was acting and continued to speak. Shinobu didn''t hear her words and still kept on thinking about that moment when Leo stared at her and what he said. He saw me... She blushed like a bright red tomato and buried her face into her arms. ... "F*ck you Sabito!" "Maa, don''t be so uptight. Have some crackers." "Don''t try to bribe me. I saw what you guys did." Leo glared at the trio and snatched the packet. He started to eat while cursing them. Just as he was busy cursing his friends Kanae walked out from the manor. Leo subconsciously stopped eating. "Hey Makomo, can you... shit!" He turned around to ask something when he found the place empty. He was abandoned, again. Oh, what will come will come. He sighed and accepted his fate. Kanae smiled cheekily and asked. "What''s with that dejected look? Did you really not enjoy that feast." Leo rubbed his head in embarrassment, he couldn''t help but remember that moment. "You took advantage of my cute little sister, what kind of punishment do you think is befitting?" Leo couldn''t reply, he knew he was at fault. He smiled bitterly and waited for his verdict. "Haha, don''t be so tense. It was an accident so I''ll let it be, however since you enjoyed the view you should atleast return the favour." "Return the favour? Wait, you don''t mean... Kanae smacked his head and said with a smile that kind of scared Leo. "My my, I wonder, what you were thinking just now?" "No-Nothing. What do you want me to do?" "Simple, treat her more gently. I don''t want you squabbling with her anymore, ok?" Leo thought for a moment and agreed. "Then it''s settled. By the way, how was it?" "Beauti... um, how was what?" "Hehe." Kanae smiled slyly and left. Leo wiped away the cold sweat from his forehead and turned around. He gritted his teeth and said. "Good Good! Some friends you are." Sabito and the rest peeked out from a corner. Seeing Kanae leave they walked out and patted his shoulder. "A man should face his problems straightforwardly." All three of the nodded and showed a serious expression. Leo smiled widely and showed them a polite gesture with his finger. Chapter 36 - 36. New Mission Today was peaceful. Leo woke up early, did his Breathing, practiced his Forms and washed up. Having had a comfortable bath he walked into the hall where everyone gathered to have their meals. Walking in he saw Sabito and the rest already seated and ready to eat. Kanae and Kanao was also present. "You guys are always so punctual when it comes to food." The trio shrugged and waited for their food. Kanae simply smiled while Kanao sat their like a doll. Leo also sat down and looked around in confusion. "Where is Shinobu?" "Fufu." Hearing his question Kanae smiled and showed an amused expression. That''s not good... By now Leo kind of understood Kanae''s personality, she was cheerful, witty, loved cute stuff and loved to tease others. Just as he was imagining what kind of trick she was gonna pull out, Shinobu came out of the kitchen with two other maids. The three of them placed the dishes before everyone before sitting down. Leo looked down at his plate of food with wide eyes. Oh god! She isn''t still angry, right? Is this poison? What is it this time, laxative, hair fall drug, paralysing drug... will it kill me? Leo was sweating buckets when he looked at his plate of food. "Huh? Not eating, Leo? Shinobu made this herself. Right, you guys don''t know, Shinobu is an excellent cook." That''s just what I am worried about. Looking at everyone wolfing down on their food with bliss, Leo couldn''t hold his hunger anymore. Shoot! Who cares, I am hungry. Throwing caution to wind he took a bite, a second later Leo stared with wide eyes before swallowing it down. He was surprised, it was really good. "Told you." Kanae chuckled. Leo couldn''t help but nod and say. "It''s really good." Smirking to herself Kanae elbowed Shinobu sitting next to her. No one except her noticed the faint blush Shinobu had on her face. The gang ate to their hearts content and lazed around. Leo had nothing particular to do so he trained his control over his "Breath". "Breath" control has three realms, namely inner Breath, outer Breath, Breath separation. Inner Breath basically means to have full control over how Breath revolves within. Once Inner Breath is achieved every move will be imbued with tremendous strength. Right now Leo was in this realm. Breath separation is the final realm, it allows control of Breath remotely. To warriors this realm represents a sudden spike in their overall abilities, especially weapon users. While he was meditating someone was gazing at him from the distance. Shinobu held her head and looked at Leo with a smile. She didn''t notice it before but now that she took good look at him, he really was handsome. His serious expression when he trained was especially captivating. If Leo knew her thoughts he would be dumbfounded. Girls sure are weird, they would only see your bad side if you offend them however the reverse is also true. "Having fun?" "Ah!!!" Shinobu let out a low scream and nearly stumbled. She turned around and found her sister standing beside her with a wide smile. "Wha-What?" "Hehe, my cute little Shinobu is finally growing up." "Big sis!" Shinobu knew what her sister was talking about, her face reddened and she kept looking down. "Haha, alright I won''t tease you anymore. Come with me, I have to inform him about his next mission." Shinobu calmed herself and walked behind her sister. When they got closer Leo opened his eyes and got up. "Finished?" "Training is never finished." "Right. Anyway you have a new mission." "Hmm?" "You will visit several retired Hashiras and help them awaken their ''Breath''." Leo nodded. Though Gyomei and the other two have alright sensed their spirit and awakened their ''Breath'', they wouldn''t be able to help others awaken. And the Corps couldn''t wait till others reached a particular realm to sense on their own, so the only way to boost their overall strength was to form a resonance and awaken their ''Breath''. "Alright." He got up to prepare when Kanae stopped him. "Don''t be in a rush, I am not done." "There is more?" "Of course, you aren''t going alone." She pushed Shinobu infront and said with a smile. "She will be coming with you." "Eeeehhh!!!" "What!?" Leo stood rooted to his place and looked at Shinobu who was dazed and looking red. She is still angry. With a sigh Leo went to his room to pack up, when he came out Shinobu was fully dressed in her Slayer uniform and wore a butterfly hairpin. Leo was dazed for a second before snapping out. "Let''s go." Shinobu nodded and walked out with him. A faint sense of disappointment emerged in her heart when she saw him walk out without a word more. Kanae watched them from afar and said to herself. "My cute little sister, this is all I can do for you. Though he is m.a.t.u.r.e for his age he is still a kid, do your best." Walking beside Shinobu Leo felt a little stiff, after that incident things got a little weird between them. "First is Urokodaki-san, right?" "Um." Silence. Things got awkward after that, Leo couldn''t find anything else to talk so he asked. "Where did you learn to make drugs?" "Huh? Um... Big sis taught me since I was little. She saw I was good with medicine and bought me many books." "Oh, Lady Kanae sure is a good sister." "Of course. She was all I had after our parents were killed... by demons. We promised ourselves to always look out for each other." "I am sorry." "It''s alright. That''s the past, Big sis always says to enjoy life. I don''t know maybe that''s why she is so cheerful." "That I agree. Anyway you developed many medications, that''s something." "Hehe, I was always good at making new stuff. With materials and resources from Ubuyashiki family I was able to make many drugs." Shinobu initially felt shy to walk along with Leo, after all he did see her b.a.r.e. But now it was all gone. Slowly without them noticing the distance between them was getting closer. Chapter 37 - 37. Take Care Of Him "Next stop is your home?" "Yeah." Two months since the start of their journey Leo and Shinobu visited two Hashiras and finally they were gonna meet up with Akira, the last one on the list. "How did you meet him?" "Well... Leo told her what happened year ago, these two months were enough for them to get close enough to talk about their personal lives. Hearing the tragedy that took in his life Shinobu felt sad. "I guess every Demon Slayer has a past." "Yeah." "Depressing mood, I don''t like it. Let''s talk about something else, ah right, do you know what kind of person your grandpa is?" "Hmm, you know about him?" Shinobu rolled her eyes and said. "Who doesn''t. In his active days your grandfather disposed Lower Moons like garbage. He was the only Hashira to have fought an Upper Moon alone and came out alive." "Really? I knew old man Akira was powerful but from what you said he seems legendary. Right, I never asked him but do you know why retired?" Shinobu thought for a moment and said, "I don''t know the details but it''s said that Blood Wolf Akira became a Slayer way past his prime. However from the moment he joined he hunted down demons like crazy." "And since he always wore a haori with a howling blood wolf he was named Blood Wolf Akira. After years of slaughter Oyakata-sama suddenly asked him to retire and never seek demons proactively." "Why?" "No official answer was provided but many rumours say that he was becoming more like a wild animal as time went by, so he was asked to put down his blade and find peace with himself." "I see... While they were speaking both of them had already reached their destination. Shinobu suddenly went quiet, she tidied her clothes and smoothed out her hair, Leo looked at her in confusion and asked. "What are you doing?" "Nothing." Creeekk... The door to the house opened and an old man came out. He looked at his guests and smiled widely. "Brat, only now you come home?" "Sorry, got busy. How have you been, not drinking too much tea I suppose." "Mind your business, I am old I can do whatever I want." "Old man, this is Shinobu." "Hmm, nice to see you make more friends. Well, don''t just stand there, come inside." Shinobu was quiet and somewhat shy, Akira''s eyes sparkled as he looked at her. Leo was oblivious to this and checked the kitchen. "Nothing? You made nothing even when it''s noon?" "I am alone so it doesn''t take much time to make something. If I knew you were coming I would have made something." "I am starving, let''s get started." Leo busied himself while Shinobu helped him. Akira stretched his back and leaned on his chair, he had a satisfied smile on his face when he looked at both of them. Soon a table full of dishes were presented before him. Akira was surprised to see so many dishes from just the common ingredients. He couldn''t help but praise Shinobu. "You are quite the cook, I am impressed." She has been acting weird since she saw Akira, is she intimidated by him? Putting that thought to the back of his head Leo sat down along with Shinobu. Akira praised Shinobu for her skills and gorged on the food. After a satisfying meal he gave all the chores to Leo and leaned on his chair for a small nap. Shinobu didn''t want to sit still so she started to clean the place. She didn''t notice Akira opening his eyes and sneaking a look. When she was almost done Akira suddenly spoke up. "Miss Kocho, do you like Leo?" Shinobu stopped moving, Akira couldn''t see her face however he did see her ears flush red like a tomato and laughed heartily. Finishing his work Leo settled down and explained the purpose of his purpose of his visit. Akira was naturally shocked upon hearing him, his eyes couldn''t help but show a hint of pride when looking at Leo. "Didn''t I tell you before, you were born to be a Demon Slayer." Leo''s mouth curled upwards. He helped Akira awaken his "Breath", to his surprise Akira''s Breath was much more concentrated than Gyomei''s. Thinking a bit this wasn''t surprising since Akira was a legend during his active days. A month slowly passed by, apart from hunting and gathering herbs there wasn''t much to do and the days were spent relaxing. "Mission! Mission! Mission! Leo Heart and Kocho Shinobu is to head north. A demon suspected to be one of the Lower Moon was sighted." Suddenly out of nowhere a crow with a knot on its head appeared. It cawed relentlessly. Leo and the rest were having some snacks when they heard it. Acknowledging the mission both of them got ready to leave. Stepping outside Akira patted Leo''s shoulder and said. "I know you will achieve what no one has accomplished for a thousand years." Leo nodded, "I won''t disappoint you." Akira turned his gaze to Shinobu and gave her a small package. Bending down slightly he said in a small voice. "This is something I was gonna give to my daughter-in-law. Take good care of him." A faint blush crept onto her face when she heard him however she still nodded firmly. Laughing heartily he send them off. Walking down the mountain Leo was curious and asked. "What did the old man say to you?" Shinobu said with a smile. "Nothing." "Fine, don''t say it." Shinobu stealthily opened the package, in it laid a pair of earrings amber green in colour with purple locks connecting to its end, at it''s end was a small flower locket. Shinobu immediately fell in love with it. She carefully hid it from Leo''s sight and took wide steps with a bright smile. She sure is happy, girls have weird mood swings. Thinking something that would get him beat up if spoken out loud Leo walked forward towards his next destination. Chapter 38 - 38. Someone Different Journeying for a day both of them reached their destination. Unlike the smaller and larger villages they visited this place was completely different. The streets were filled with people wearing colorful clothes. Shops lined both sides with a wide range of commodities, most importantly lights not made out of gas lamps were fixed at equal distance apart. No matter the era the world will always move forward. Leo reminisced about his days back on earth, though he could only move with the help of others, streets filled with people weren''t a rare sight and electric lamps and lights were common. "Wow... "Wow Indeed." Both of them strolled around for a bit and sat down to eat something. "It''s gonna be a problem to move within this crowd." "Um, unless we find an isolated place it''s best not to gather attention." They quickly discussed their strategy and finished their meal. Strolling around for some time they came across a small inn with a wisteria crest on it''s doors. The innkeeper respectfully guided them and showed them their rooms. Soon the day passed and darkness was ushered in. The busy streets slowly went silent, Leo and Shinobu grabbed their swords and left the inn. Both of them nodded at each other and split up. Unlike the marvelous sight during the day the streets at night were eerily calm. Leo walked among the darkness, his soul sense was spread out, nothing escaped his sight within a hundred meter around him. Suddenly he felt the air tremble due east of him. Without the slightest hesitation Leo''s jumped up, using the building as a foothold he bolted in that direction. Like a gust of wind, unnoticed and undetected he ran to the location. After running for about two hundred metres he saw Shinobu being thrown into the air. She quickly steadied herself and landed safely on the ground. Leo was about to step in when Shinobu yelled at him. "Don''t interfere! I want to test myself." Knowing her steadfast character Leo acknowledged her words and stepped back, however his hand didn''t leave his sword. He threw out punches into the air, strangely enough Shinobu dodged from a distance. Shockingly the ground was reduced to dust after she moved, the man kept throwing punches destroying whatever that was in line of his punch. Shinobu darted around, her speed wasn''t all that great and her movements were clearly lacking finesse. Leo understood why this was the case, Shinobu mainly focused on drugs and medicine. Her combat prowess wasn''t that commendable unless she can hurt her opponents. Shinobu executed her breath forms but the man was able to take it head on with his punches. Leo pondered for a bit and understood what kind of ability this moon had. He could compress air and launch it. With each moment Shinobu acquired new wounds, the wounds were shallow and negligible but she was starting to tire. Sweat trickled down her face as her breathing got rough. The man however seemed to be filled with strength. His punches got even more wild, suddenly without any indication he sprang towards Shinobu. Air compressed around his fist as he launched a deadly punch towards her heart. Taken by his sudden movement Shinobu couldn''t react in time and could only take the attack head on. Her slender sword trembled and cracks started to spread throughout its body. Not good! Shinobu felt danger loom over her. The man''s face was twisted into a hideous smile, he was anticipating the sweet sound of bones and flesh being crushed. Just as expected, her sword broke. The man''s fist filled with power was just a breath away from her c.h.e.s.t. Swish! A flash of light swept past both of them. The man''s expression changed, he quickly took back his arms and retreated. However it was still late, his arms were sliced to pieces. The man could see a sword get larger in his sight, he tried to dodge but couldn''t move fast enough. The sword sliced through his head, it rolled on the ground and slowly scattered to ashes. Leo stood before Shinobu who was breathing hard. He sheathed his sword and watched the demon burn to ashes. "Thanks." "You don''t have to sound so vexed when you say that." Leo shook his head and said as he helped her to get back on her feet. "I didn''t win." "You got some nerve to say that. The first time I fought a Lower Moon I almost died, you managed to match him and yet you aren''t satisfied." "But I didn''t win." "Come on, let it go. Once you get more battle experience you can kill a Lower Moon easily." "What''s wrong?" Shinobu saw his expression and asked in confusion. "There are two demons in that building." Shinobu turned serious and asked, "Then why aren''t we taking care of them?" Leo said solemnly, "They are different. One has a spirit with slight blemish, that means she isn''t a mass murderer. The other one has nothing at all, so... "That one hasn''t humans killed before." Both of them looked at each other for a second before Leo said, "Let''s go. No matter what we have to understand what''s happening." "Right." Both of them soon stood before a wall, there was no building around only a large wall. Leo walked forward, the wall rippled as his body merged with it. Shinobu quickly followed him. Both of them walked out of the wall, a mansion greeted their eyes. Infront of it stood two people, a boy and a woman. Seeing intruders the woman showed no trace of worry and said. "Welcome, respected hunters." Chapter 39 - 39. Past Leo and Shinobu were seated next to each other, both of them stared intently at the woman before them. "Please, have some tea first." Leo didn''t stand on ceremony and picked up the cup of tea and sipped it, Shinobu also did the same. They weren''t afraid that she would poison them, with Shinobu here no poison could harm them. The boy next to the lady was nervous and kept glaring at Leo and Shinobu. After finishing the cup Leo placed it back and asked lightly, "Lady Tamayo, What are you?" Tamayo was confused. "I am a demon, of course." Leo shook his head and said, "That''s not what I am asking. You are a demon but what I have seen in every demon is missing from you." "And what is that?" "Malice." Like Leo said before, this woman named Tamayo and that boy Yushiro had no malice. Any demon entertaining the thought of eating human flesh will have malice or other equally disgusting vibe to their spirit. However these two didn''t. Though one of them has killed humans before, the kind of emotion within her was sorrow, despair and rage. That last emotion was especially strong, it was like a bright flame burning fiercely within the darkness. The lady didn''t show any change to his words and said, "I don''t know about what you meant but I have never harmed humans, atleast not while I was sane." "What does that mean? You killed humans when you weren''t sane?" Shinobu couldn''t help but voice out her words. "Shut your mouth! Lady Tamayo has never killed any humans on her on will, it was that bastard Muzan! If it weren''t for him... "That''s enough, Yushiro." "I am sorry, Lady Tamayo." "Please forgive him for his rudeness." "It''s alright. But you have to explain what you are." Leo said lightly. Tamayo nodded. "I am more three hundred years old. During my days as a human I was terminally ill and couldn''t even move. My husband and my son were deeply worried for me. Many doctors have tried and countless folk medicines were used and yet I wasn''t cured." "It was at that time Muzan visited me. He offered me my life back, under tremendous joy I agreed but never did I imagine that day to be the nightmare that would haunt me to this day." "All I wanted was to grow old with my husband, to watch my son grow up, to hold my grandchild. But that man destroyed everything. He cured my body by turning me into a demon. The moment of transformation clouded my mind." "In my moment of insanity I killed my husband and my son. When I woke up everything was gone, the man I vowed to the heavens to spend my days with, my child I promised to protect and watch over... everything was gone." Leo felt a pang in his heart. Wasn''t he the same, living with the pain of losing everyone he had ever cared for. "I am sorry." "Muzan is a monster, in his eyes human lives have no value. During the time he controlled me I have seen him kill hundreds of innocent people." "Then how did you escape?" Shinobu asked. "It was roughly three hundred years ago, Muzan and I met a Slayer in a bamboo forest. He was different from all the others before him, his eyes had the look of a primal beast rather than a human being." "Without even a moment of hesitation that man attacked Muzan. Their battle destroyed the bamboo forest, laying everything to waste. Not even one of Muzan''s attacks scratched that Slayer, he was utterly crushed." "Knowing his end was near Muzan split himself into hundreds of pieces of flesh and scattered away. That Slayer was able to cut down more than a thousand but unfortunately Muzan still escaped. " "That was the only point in a thousand years where Muzan was at his weakest, his control over me diminished, allowing me to escape." Leo and Shinobu drew in a cold breath. Muzan was almost killed three hundred years ago! He was just a breath away from death. "Who was that Slayer?" "Yoriichi Tsugikuni." Leo looked at Shinobu and the latter shook her head. "I have never heard of his name." "That''s strange, if a person like him who nearly killed Muzan appeared within the Corps he shouldn''t be a nobody." "Um, I will try the archives and try to find something." Tamayo waited for them to finish their conversation before asking. "What do you plan to do with us?" Hearing her Leo and Shinobu hesitated. "Demon Slayers duty is to kill demons however, we aren''t mindless idiots. We know when to raise our sword and when to put it down." "Thank you." "I know what it feels like to lose someone but to have lived so long bearing such a heavy heart, I can''t imagine what it is like." Tamayo raised her head, a hint of sorrow flashed in her eyes however a moment later those eyes burned with hatred. "It pains me to live but I have to, until I see that man die." Leo sighed and asked "How are you living among humans?" "My main profession is a doctor." "I see, just like Shinobu here." Tamayo looked at Shinobu and asked. "You know medicine?" "She is the best doctor I have met so far, her ability to make drugs and other medications are top notch as well." Shinobu faintly blushed hearing his praise, a sweet feeling rose from her heart. Tamayo''s eyes sparkled for a second. "Shinobu-san, it''s a bit rude but, I have a research I have been doing for the past three hundred years, can you take look at it and tell me what you understand." "Hm, ok?" Shinobu tilted her head in confusion, Tamayo looked at Yushiro who took out a stack of papers bound by thread from a nearby wall and give it to Shinobu. At first Shinobu didn''t care much for it but as she continued to flip through the pages her expression changed. She became solemn and the rate at which the pages flipped turned slow. After twenty minutes... "Incredible! How did you come up with such a theory?" Tamayo for the first time showed a bit of happiness and said. "A few blood samples I accidentally collected gave some unexpected results which sparked my inspiration." "But can it be done? I mean a thousand year had passed since Muzan appeared and no one was able to do it." "I am close to completing my research, I just need few samples of those demons close to Muzan in terms of strength." Leo who was having a hard time understanding their conversation raised his hand and said. "Speak in a way I can understand." Shinobu turned her head and said excitedly. "She has found a way, a way to turn demons back to into humans!" Chapter 40 - 40. Convincing "Turn demons back into humans?" Leo repeated those words to confirm. Shinobu nodded excitedly. "Yes. She has already come up with a theory, now all we need are some samples to put that theory to test." Leo took a deep breath and calmed his beating heart, he looked at Tamayo and said solemnly. "Lady Tamayo, your research has far reaching consequences than you imagine, I need to report this to the headquarters." His words didn''t ease Tamayo rather she looked worried. Leo understood her concerns and vowed. "Don''t worry, Lady Tamayo. I will make sure no Slayer comes after you or Yushiro." "Then I must thank you." Leo shook his head and replied. "No. It is we who must thank you, if this succeeds that scourge Muzan will no longer have his trump card." ... Leo and Shinobu immediately returned to the Demon Slayer headquarters and reported everything. "You let a demon go?" Shinozugawa with his face full of scars stared at Leo and questioned in an angry tone. "Shinozugawa-san, that demon was different." "A demon is a demon. No matter how innocent they may seem, at the end all they crave for is blood and flesh of us humans." Leo shook his head and replied. "I know you hate demons, so do I. But, don''t let that cloud your judgement. If we kill without restraint then what difference do we have from demons." "Difference? Oh that''s simple, I won''t kill my friends and family but a demon will!!" "Lady Tamayo is different. She became a demon three hundred years ago, apart from accidentally killing her family due to her insanity when transforming she has never taken another soul." Shinozugawa scoffed. "She killed her own family, that just shows you what a demon is." "And she has been living her life in despair for over three hundred years, all for the sake of revenge so we can trust her." "Ha! Like hell I would trust a demon!" Thump!! Gyomei clapped his palms, a loud thump echoed through the courtyard putting an end to their argument. "Compose yourself, you are in the presence of Oyakata-sama." Leo and Shinozugawa stared at each other and went silent. Gyomei clasped his palms infront of his c.h.e.s.t and said. "Leo, you shouldn''t trust a demon." "I didn''t trust a demon, Gyomei-san. I trusted a pitiful woman named Tamayo who has lost everything much like everyone here." Gyomei couldn''t refute those words. Silence fell over the courtyard, nobody wanted to speak. Seeing their confusion and hesitation Oyakata-sama spoke up. "Tamayo... her existence was already known to us. She is a pitiful woman, her enemy was always before her but she couldn''t even touch him. I know that all of you don''t want to trust a demon and I won''t ask you to, however you can trust in her vengeance." All Hashiras bowed in acceptance. Leo heaved a sigh and waited for further instructions. "As of right now she is high priority, no matter what we can''t lose her. If she succeeds, our greatest disadvantage against Muzan will seize to exist." Everyone nodded. What made Muzan a fearsome opponent wasn''t just his strength but also his ability to create demons unconditionally. If Tamayo''s work succeeds this advantage will become useless. "Alright, that''s enough for now." "We pray for your good health, Oyakata-sama." Everyone bowed and the meeting was dispersed. Shinobu was waiting for him outside. "How did it go?" "For now all''s good. What about you, any info on Yoriichi Tsugikuni?" "Hmm... Shinobu nodded and said in detail what she found. Yoriichi Tsugikuni was a Sun Breath user. He was born with red marking on his face and was considered a demon. His father wanted to abandon him, if not for his mother''s threat of killing herself he would have landed on the streets or ended up dead. His mother sent him to a temple so that he could lead a peaceful life. Years later he joined the Corps and taught them his Breathing Technique. It was from his Breathing Technique that several other techniques were developed. Later on his life he encountered Muzan and nearly killed him. It was also in that battle Tamayo was freed. When he returned to the Corps he was burdened with the sin of letting Muzan and another demon escape. Not only that his brother also became a demon. With such crimes on his name he left the Corps and wandered the lands never to be seen again. Leo let out a sigh. "He truly was something. Anyway what''s your plan?" "I am gonna wait for my sister to return, if I have her help then the research will be even faster." Kanae was out on a mission by the time they came back, so she missed the meeting. "Alright." Leo and Shinobu walked back to the flower manor. Walking into the premises he saw Giyu dozing off next to a tree, Makomo was using black ink to draw something on his face. Hearing footsteps she turned around and saw Leo and Shinobu. Nodding to them she continued her work. Oi, atleast try to act like you were caught doing something wrong. Leo let out a hollow laugh and decided to ignore what he just saw. He walked to the backyard and his face before sitting down. Shinobu came out with a plate of rice balls and some water. "Thanks." Grabbing one Leo took a big bite and ate heartily. Shinobu sat down beside him and started to eat as well. "Everything is going smoothly." "Um. It won''t be long before we defeat the demons." "Yeah... Shinobu''s voice trailed off. She looked into the sky and couldn''t help but whisper. "Finally... there is hope." Leo didn''t respond and continued to eat. Shinobu took back her sight and looked at Leo wolfing down on rice balls. A warm smile crept onto her face. Kanae quietly watched them from afar. She smiled sweetly when she saw this sight. Looks like she made progress. Chapter 41 - 41. Farewell "Just stay still." "There is no need big sis. I don''t like to dress up." "Nope, that won''t do. It''s a crime if someone as cute as you don''t dress up. So stay still and let me do my work." Two girls were sitting infront of a mirror, one had a helpless expression on her face while the other was fixing the former girl''s hair with a bright smile on her face. Of course these girls were Nezuko and Shinobu. Leo had introduced Shinobu to Tanjuro''s family right after they reported about Tamayo. For some reason Shinobu''s eyes sparkled when she saw Nezuko and the result was this. Leo and the rest sat outside listening to Nezuko''s refusal and Shinobu''s adamant pledge that it''s a crime for her to not dress up. For this purpose she even had Leo purchase several accessories and some other stuff he didn''t understand. "She is quite lively." Tanjuro said with a smile. Leo palmed his face and said in a hollow tone. "Her elder sister is the same, I always thought both of them had different personalities but looking at her now... "Haha, let it be. The kids are happy to have you here." "Yeah... The mood fell into silence. Tanjuro felt that Leo was different today, like something was weighing in his mind. "What''s wrong?" Leo shifted his gaze over to Tanjuro and spoke lightly, his voice contained sorrow as he spoke. "Your body... Still having that serene smile on his face Tanjuro looked outside, his children were playing on the green grass field. "Don''t be sad, a dawn will always have a dusk, till now I was worried about my family, but not anymore. "Watch over them." "I will." Leo nodded, his words were light but it was firm and unyielding. No more words were needed. Nezuko appeared before everyone wearing a beautiful pink flower pattered yukata with neatly brushed hair tied with pink ribbons and a pink coloured butterfly hairpin with a violet tint tied to her hair. Being stared by everyone Nezuko was shy and hid behind Shinobu. "See, didn''t I tell you." Shinobu teased Nezuko and pulled her infront for everyone to see. Under the surprised and admiring gaze of others Nezuko blushed hard. Leo gazed at everyone and felt at peace, he wished for a moment to put down everything to live such a life but he knew he couldn''t do that. "Big brother, how do I look?" Leo was shaken from his thoughts when Nezuko pulled his sleeve and asked shyly. Pinching her lovely cheeks Leo heartily laughed. "Haha, of course our Nezuko looks adorable." "Hehe... Nezuko smiled cheekily and went out with the rest of the gang. Shinobu sat down beside him and said. "She really looks up to you, doesn''t she?" "Hmm." Leo looked at Shinobu who was wearing a butterfly kimono. Her hair was let down, due to his height he could see her collarbones and the glistening skin on her c.h.e.s.t. For a second he was dazed. Having sensed his gaze Shinobu looked up, only to see him staring at her c.h.e.s.t. "Ah!" Letting out a light whimper she turned around and tightened her clothes. Leo quickly turned away and looked up to the sky, counting the birds that flew by. "Pervert." Shinobu''s voice drifted to his ears. "No, I am not." "Yes, you are." "Nope." "Then where were you looking just now?" Leo pointed to the sky and said. "Just now eight birds flew by." Shinobu "..." ... Days passed like floating clouds. With each passing day Leo and the rest only got stronger, the number of Hashiras increased. Everything seems to have been going well until a letter bearing bad news reached Leo. Tanjuro died. Leo, Sabito, Makomo, Giyu, Shinobu and several others took part in the funeral. Tanjiro and Nezuko cried their heart out while holding onto him. He could only comfort them while putting on a strong front. But life has to move on. Tanjiro seemed to have m.a.t.u.r.ed overnight. The next day he went to gather wood and descended the mountain to sell coal all by himself. Leo didn''t stop him, everything life throws at you either makes you stronger or pulls you down to the abyss. Tanjiro choose the former, his heart was firm and steady. After staying for a few days accompanying Nezuko and the other kids Leo and the rest decided to descend the mountain. When they were about to leave Leo spoke to Tanjiro. "I won''t tell you to be strong or to move on, as you are already fulfilling your role as an elder brother. I am proud of you, Tanjiro." Tanjiro''s eyes got watery, however he held them in and showed a resolved look. "I will protect them big brother Leo." "I know you will. Take care, Tanjiro." "Did they wake up?" Nezuko shook her head. Tanjiro sighed and said. "Good. I don''t want them to yell and keep big brother here, they have their own lifes to live." Nezuko gripped the hem of her dress and didn''t speak. Tanjiro hugged her and consoled. "We can''t, Nezuko. When they wake up they should only see us smile, in time they will forget this pain." "Um." ... Leo looked back towards the mountain and sighed. Atleast you got to say goodbye, Tanjiro, that''s more than any of us ever got. Your life is just beginning, if you stumble now you won''t ever have the courage to get back up. "What are you thinking?" Sabito asked curiously. "Nothing." Leo took back his gaze and stepped forward. With him taking the lead four of them walked towards their next destination and their next target. Chapter 42 - 42. Kill Order A vast space filled with innumerable blocks of platforms, each block was modelled into a room, some were small, some big as a large mansion. On a particular platform a man wearing a suit and a white hat stood with his back facing several figures. He scrolled through several books trying gleam something from it. Several people kneeled behind him with a myriad of emotions running through them, however among all of those emotions fear seemed to be the only one apparent on their faces. "Three Moons killed in just one month." After an unknown amount of time the suit wearing man said lightly. His expression couldn''t be seen by others but his words evoked that innate horror etched down to the last cell within them. One of them, a man wearing a thick fur jacket tried to explain. "Muzan-sama... "Did I allow you to speak?" "N-No, I-I wouldn''t dare." "Still speaking?" "I-I... Burp! It gave out a satisfying burp after devouring him. "The threshold of demons have been going down for a couple of years, I am cutting down useless rags." Sweat trickled down everyones face but none dared to speak up unless told so, they didn''t want to end up like the one before. Muzan scanned the other Moons, his eyes showed no emotion, he looked at them like they were useless garbage about to thrown out. "Go. Bring me the heads of those kids. If I don''t get what I want in four days... your heads will replace them." "Yes!" The platform started to move, soon doors opened and each of them were thrown out to their respective areas. ... "Give that back!" Leo pounced on Giyu and both of them started to brawl infront of a dumpling store. Giyu was holding onto a plate of steaming dumplings coated with honey, seeing Leo jump at him he quickly stuffed everything into his mouth. "Damn you!" Sabito and Makomo were also incensed. This fu*ker greedily chomped on all of their food! After a small brawl Giyu with a face full of bruises sat down with a mouthful of dumplings and chewed with relish. Sabito and the rest looked at the lone dumpling in their hand and cried. Munching on their last piece of dumpling Leo and the rest gave a kick to Giyu and sent him flying across the sky. "This guy is getting more and more gluttonous." "Was he always like that?" "Seems like he found a calling for good food." Just as the group were about to settle for the day all four of them halted their steps. "Come out." Sabito spoke lightly. His sword was already drawn out, without a moment of hesitation he lashed out and struck the corner of a wall. A wail rang through the alley, soon a demon appeared before everyone and scattered into ashes. "Quite late but it looks like the Moons are moving." Makomo muttered under her breath. "We are gonna be busy tonight." All four of them scattered into the dark night. Wails rang out shortly from all directions, demons were jumping on them from left and right like wild beasts. However to the four of them these were nothing but small flies. From the moment they fought with an upper Moon till now a year had gone by, a year was more than enough for them to digest and grow from that life and death battle. Not to mention all four of them were talents that rarely come by. "These kids must be killed, even if one of them escapes we will be eaten alive by Muzan-sama." Three demons were watching Leo and company who were slaughtering through a horde of demons. The eyes of these three demons were etched with Lower Moon Six, Five and Four. "Let''s get rid of them one by one." "Alright." All three of them jumped out. Their first target was Giyu who seemed meek compared to the rest. Giyu just killed off a demon when he saw another three jump at him. He also spotted the peculiarly of their eyes. "Die!" All three demons attacked at the same time. One of them punched with explosive power, his arms were filled with spikes that gleamed with sharpness. Another ripped opened his c.h.e.s.t revealing numerous dense razor sharp teeth that could even reduce iron to dust. The lady demon slithered like a snake, her body looked as if it lacked bones and tried to coil around Giyu. Watching the incoming torrent of attacks Giyu didn''t panic. His eyes were like still water reflecting everything before him. A mass of water manifested around him, it drowned the incoming waves of attacks and disappeared like a ripple across the surface of a calm lake. Without pausing he changed his stance. Water Breathing Technique Third Form, Flowing Dance! His sword was enveloped by a stream of water and he moved like surging waves. Before the demons could react they were surrounded by the stream, and three of them stared wide eyed at what happened. We lost?... Those were the last words on their mind before they were scattered into ashes. Sheathing his sword Giyu let out a breath, though it may seem like he was relaxed when he killed them, in reality the slightest mistake would have killed him. "Phew... apart from becoming a glutton he is also getting stronger." Sabito walked out along with Leo and Makomo. They had already sensed when those demons moved against Giyu and chose to watch, part of it was to retaliate for their dumplings while other part was to give him experience. Well, mostly to retaliate. "I am hungry." Giyu ignored them and said his piece. Leo''s mouth twitched when he heard his reply. "You just ate." "Killing three Moons drained me." "Stop boasting, will ya. They were weak and didn''t take much effort." "But I killed three Moons, that''s better than what you did." Sabito smiled, he walked towards Giyu while rubbing his fist. Giyu faintly felt like he shouldn''t have said that, a bad feeling rose in his heart. Smack! Chapter 43 - 43. Vacation "The Moons have made their move, Oyakata-sama." Iguro kneeled before Kagaya and reported. No surprise was shown on his face when he reported. "It seems all four of them have entered their sights." "Yes. They were able to kill an Upper Moon, and now a Lower Moon is of no difficulty as well. Muzan and the rest won''t let them grow." "Hmm, temporarily relieve them of their duties. Only when they are active can the demons track them." Iguro thought for a second and asked. "Wouldn''t splitting them put them in danger?" Kagaya smiled and replied. "Sabito, Giyu and Makomo have the same master, temporary relief of their duties will only bring them back to their master. I don''t believe they can''t kill an Upper Moon with four awakened Slayers." "As for Leo... do you think an Upper Moon can kill him?" Iguro pondered for a second and agreed. All four of them grew at an alarming rate, their rate of improvement shocked the Corps so much that everyone including the Hashiras viewed them as walking treasures. Especially Leo, that kid was something. He was the one to awaken first and to this day no one knows where his limits lay. Whenever Iguro saw Leo he always seemed the same, and it is exactly that which shocked him. "Alright. Inform the newly appointed Hashiras to be careful, right now Muzan has no idea about what''s happening within us, so let''s keep it that way." "As you wish." Iguro''s bowed in acceptance and disappeared. Kagaya looked to the sky, he couldn''t see the clear blue skies nor the floating clouds however that didn''t stop him from smiling. "The future looks bright." ... "See you later dumbass." Leo waved his hand towards Sabito and group who was some distance away. "Right, off to home." Wearing common clothes with his sword strapped to his back Leo set off towards his home. Hmm, it''s rare to get a vacation might as well take the long route and take my time. Making up his mind his pace slowed down. Two days passed. Leo was walking through a bamboo forest. He was holding a stick of greasy meat with sauce dripping down. From time to time he took small bites, bliss was plastered all over his face as he chewed. Hmm? Just as he was about to take another bite he turned to his side and looked at the bamboo forest. A pair of curious eyes were staring at the stick of meat in his hand. "Hey! gimme that!" A slightly imm.a.t.u.r.e voice rang out, suddenly the owner of those pair of eyes jumped out at Leo, trying to snatch his food. Taking a step back Leo dodged him and looked at his opponent. It was a boy wearing a hollow boar head. Looks about Tanjiro''s age. His leg muscles pumped blood as he charged at Leo. His hands were stretched out trying to grab th stick of meat. Leo calmly took short light steps to dodge the boy''s attacks. A bit dispersed but he is making up for it with his reaction speed. At this point Leo can be considered a highly accomplished Martial Arts master, it''s really no problem for him to analyse a person from their movements. "You are strong, let''s fight! If I win you give me that!" Leo looked amusingly at the boy and asked back, "What if I win?" "Um... The boy was stumped, he blanked out for some time before Leo got him out of his predicament. "No need to think so hard. If I win you will come with me, deal?" "Alright." His right hand opened out and tried to knock him out. Astonishingly the boy dodged his attack even when he couldn''t see or hear where it came from. Leo stared wide eyed when he saw this. What horrifying instinct! Interesting. Leo was excited, who would would have thought he would find such a treasure in this forest. After ten minutes... The boy was laying on the ground panting heavily, his body tired and aching all over. However he still yelled out. "This isn''t over! Let''s fight!" Leo ate his food leisurely and said with a smile. "Sure it is and I won. Rest up, we gotta reach the next town before sun down." "I said I didn''t lose! Just wait, after... "You lost." "No, I... "You lost." "Bast*rd!" ... Leo was sleeping soundly when a figure jumped at him with a wooden club in his hand. "I win!" He yelled loudly before striking down with all his power. However the expected result didn''t happen, a hand easily grabbed the club and broke it to pieces. "Don''t shout before you attack, dumbass." ... Three days passed. Leo went around with the boy named Inosuke, the kid was quite curious to everything around him. Leo was confused at first when he saw his behaviour and asked why he was acting like everything is a big deal. It was only then he found out that this boy lived his entire life on the mountain with no one but animals as companions. "Fight me! This time I am gonna win." "Sure." Inosuke held a club in his hand and charged at Leo. But before he could make a second attack a hand struck his head causing him to squat down in pain. "I won. Now calm down for a bit, we have reached." Leo looked up to see the same old house with smoke coming out of the chimney. A faint smile lit up on his face,, he hastened his footsteps and stood before the house. "Old man, I am back." Chapter 44 - 44. Akiras Ability "This is the present you brought me?" Akira looked at Leo weirdly and asked in confusion. "Yeah. Don''t look down on that kid, he has an ability similar to yours." "Is that so?" Akira turned his head to look at Inosuke who was stuffing his mouth with food. He was surprised when Inosuke took off his boar head as his original face was beautiful, yes beautiful. "Well, just spar with him and you will understand what I am saying then." "Fine." Akira got up and dragged Inosuke out. Going outside he threw Inosuke who did a somersault in mid air and landed steadily. "Oi Old man! What the hell are you doing!?" Inosuke flared up and cursed at Akira. "Quite the temper." "Hmph! Since you threw me out, let''s fight!" Without waiting for Akira''s reply Inosuke attacked. He threw a punch at Akira who tilted his head and dodged it by an inch. Using the forward momentum Inosuke did a leg sweep. Hmph! Snapping out of daze he crouched down and struck towards Akira''s gut. Seeing the incoming move Akira changed his palm''s direction and deflected the strike. Inosuke lost momentum for a second, Akira grabbed his leg and pulled. A strong force pulled Inosuke towards Akira who chopped down towards his neck. Though caught off guard Inosuke still reacted and countered. He twisted his body and barely dodged the attack. However Akira seemed to have already predicted his move, his hand moved speedily and fell towards the back of Inosuke''s neck. Still in mid air with no sight Akira''s attack Inosuke looked like he was about to lose. However what happened next slightly surprised Akira. Inosuke curled his body and dodged the attack, like he had a third eye to the back of his head, and he kicked back hard. Akira''s wrist was struck and he took a step back. Inosuke rolled on the ground and got to his foot. He looked warily at Akira and snorted before walking away. How come these two are so strong? Vexed he sat down beneath a tree and sulked. "I told you." Leo stood beside Akira and grinned. "Though he does have it, his use of it is too crude." "That''s why I brought him here." Like Leo and Tanjiro, Akira also had an ability, his instincts were abnormally high. Every being possess this trait and they would subconsciously use it sometimes. However Akira was different, his was off the charts. Instinct can be defined in many ways according to situation, however there is only way to define it in a battle, to sense danger. Due to his abnormal instinct Akira is able to sense his enemies, their attacks and fight them without incurring any injuries. This is also the reason why he was able to fight an Upper Moon alone and come out alive. "So, you will do it?" Akira thought for a bit and said, "I can do it but not alone. I developed my ability through battle, I came close to death countless times, that''s not suitable for this kid." "Then... "We will visit an old friend of mine, with his help and my own experience he will grow by leaps and bounds." ... "Hey, we have been walking for two days. Hey! Don''t ignore me! Tell me when are we gonna reach there?Hey! Hey!" Leo had veins popped on his head as he listened to Inosuke''s constant banter. At first he thought just ignoring it would be fine but who would have thought this kid would have so much energy to keep going for three hours straight. Even Akira was at his wits end. He kept sighing constantly. Finally Leo couldn''t take it and smacked him so hard that he saw stars everywhere. Leo grabbed his leg and placed him over his shoulder like a sack of rice and kept walking. Akira''s mouth twitched when he saw Leo''s nonchalant attitude towards what he just did. By the time the sun was high up in the sky the trio finally reached their destination. Akira smiled slightly and walked faster. Soon they stood atop a small hill covered with grass. A lone tree stood on top of it with lush green leaves. Several figures were standing beneath the tree. Leo was surprised when he saw who they were. He walked towards them, by now the others also noticed their visitors. Coming to a stop before them Leo asked in a surprised tone. "Why are you guys here?" "The old man living here is a friend of our master, he decided to visit him so we tagged alone. What about you, why are you here?" Who else could these guys be other than Sabito and the rest. "Us? For this guy of course." Leo tossed out Inosuke and pointed at him. Giyu squatted down and poked Inosuke''s boar head and asked. "What''s with this mask?" "Don''t know. Didn''t ask." While they were speaking a hoarse voice reached their ears. "So you finally decided to come out of your hole." "Haha, getting old. Might as well make a last trip to see you guys off." "Get lost! I still have a decade left in me." "Yeah Yeah. Leo come here." Akira was speaking to a hunched back old man with a large white mustache. He beckoned to Leo to come over and introduced. "Leo, this is Jigoro Kuwajima, the former Thunder Hashira and an old friend of mine." Leo smiled and said, "Nice to see you again, Elder Kuwajima." Hearing him Akira remembered Leo''s mission to awaken other Hashiras. "Ah, I forgot about that." Jigoro stared at Leo and sighed in his mind, "An excellent young man, looks like you lucked out." Akira laughed heartily. All of them spoke for some time and had lunch before Akira explained his purpose of visiting. "Why the heck are you so lucky? You didn''t just get one student with potential but two. But mine... sigh... Akira was confused, "Hmm? What''s wrong? As far as I know your students are promising young men." Jigoro sighed and explained, "I am worried about my last and final student." Akira was surprised, this he didn''t know. "And where is he?" "He went out with Urokodaki to gather firewood." "What''s his name?" "Zenitsu Agatsuma." Chapter 45 - 45. Zenitsu Leo knew Zenitsu from his visit to Jigoro before. Zenitsu was a wimp, he was scared of fighting and had no talent in Martial Arts. This caught Leo''s attention. Most people think that Hashiras or other slayers choose their students randomly however that''s far from the truth. Every accomplished slayer is also a qualified teacher, they know at first sight if a person is qualified or not. Thus comes the interesting part. Jigoro is a retired Hashira, normally speaking he should be spending his time in leisure, however he did something surprising. He suddenly came to this place and cleared away all of Zenitsu''s debt and officially took him in as his last and final student. Would a Hashira with years of experience choose someone unworthy as his final student to impart his skills? Not likely. Leo was looking forward to see what Zenitsu who didn''t have an ounce of talent would accomplish in the future. Soon Urokodaki returned, a young boy was accompanied him. That was Zenitsu. He was surprised to suddenly see a lot of people but he smiled and welcomed all of them. Jigoro introduced Zenitsu to Akira and Leo. He then told him to start practicing which he did with a pained face. Akira carefully watched him practice and shook his head. "Jigoro, this boy... "I know. But I believe in him." Jigoro had a smile on his face as he watched Zenitsu train. Akira went silent and turned to ask Leo. "What do you think?" Leo showed a mysterious smile and said. "Well... he is definitely not talented." Though Jigoro was amiable he was still a bit annoyed when Leo said that and wanted to say something. Akira beckoned him to stay quiet and listen further. "But he is also incredible." Huh? Leo smiled and explained further. "Among the six thunder forms he could only master the first form. The other forms are impossible for him. But... this doesn''t make him any less of a talent than others." Zenitsu was a wimp in everyone''s eyes but not to Leo. In his eyes his spirit was bright and filled with compassion. Moreover his spirit was blue in colour, and a deep one at that. Would a person like that be weak and talentless? Impossible. "I say Elder Kuwajima, why not forget the other five forms and focus him on that one technique." Jigoro thought for a second and looked at Akira with a hint a envy. "You old wolf! You have a good student." "Haha" Jigoro stared at Zenitsu and spoke. "I have thought of that before but Breathing Techniques compliments their forms, just a single form alone would be out of place and less efficient." Leo thought for a second and unsheathed his sword. "This is the first form of my Breathing, White Tiger Awakening." Leo suddenly disappeared and appeared a distance away. Jigoro nodded. "A high speed straight line movement form, such speed... it''s closing in on my thunder forms speed. But... what''s so special about it?" "Just watch." Leo disappeared and reappeared again. This time he wasn''t moving in a straight line but in zig zag manner. Jigoro was startled and asked surprised. "How is that possible?" Akira waited for Leo to finish his demonstration. Leo walked back to them. "You created variations?" Jigoro couldn''t help but ask. Leo nodded and explained, "A single form has countless variations. Every martial art started from simplicity, so it isn''t exaggerated to say that every form can be custom made to suit oneself." Jigoro seemed as if he was struck by lightning, he stood there dazed for several seconds before laughing out loud. "I see! I see! So that''s how it is! Hahaha, I finally understand. Thanks, Leo." Leo shook his head, "No need Elder Kuwajima. You were close to the problem so you failed to see it, while I am an outsider. Thus I was able to spot the difference." Jigoro nodded and called out to Zenitsu. With a confused expression Zenitsu stood before Jigoro who was smiling widely. "From this day forth you will only train in the first form. I want you to do the first form a thousand, no ten thousand times!" Zenitsu''s legs went limp. He looked at Jigoro in horror and ran away. Jigoro gave chase and brought him back. He personally stood to the side and watched Zenitsu, if he slacked off slight bruises were the smallest injury he could expect. "Bas*ard! You sneaked one on me, fight me!" Suddenly a figure jumped out at Leo trying to kick his head. Tilting his head Leo dodged the attack and grabbed the leg aimed at his head and pounded it''s owner to the ground. "Ouch!" A wail escaped the assailant. Akira shook his head and walked away, he was too old for these youngsters. "Elder Kuwajima, this one is ready." Jigoro raised his head and nodded. For some reason Inosuke felt his a cold shiver down his spine, he looked left and right to identify where the danger came from. "Boy, come here. Let me see your limit." "Huh? Where did this pipsqueak come from, he looks weak." Holy moly... Leo tactfully retreated to a safe distance and counted the fallen leaves. "Ouch! Hey, old dwarf, why are you hitting me!? Bas*ard! Fight me!" Ouch! Ouch! Several seconds later... "Now, since you have an ability similar to Akira it''s best if you battle endlessly to quickly upgrade however you are too weak. First let''s increase your base strength then go from there." Inosuke huffed and sat silently. "Hmm... Jigoro slightly squinted his eyes, Inosuke trembled before immediately bowing. "Yes, boss!" "Call me Elder Kuwajima or Elder." "Yes, boss Elder Kuwajima." "I said just Elder Kuwajima or Elder, no boss is needed." "Yes, boss Kuwajima." "Did you even understand what I just said, forget it, let''s get on with the training." Akira and Leo stood in the distance with their mouth wide open when they witnessed this scene. "We should have just beaten the crap out of him from the beginning." Chapter 46 - 46. Changes Elder Kuwajima started to train Inosuke along with Zenitsu. With Zenitsu he told him to train first form over and over again till it becomes a part of him. He wanted to incorporate it into every inch of his body. As for Inosuke, Kuwajima was stunned when he saw how much potential the boy had. Akira developed his abilities when he was halfway through his life but that''s not the case for Inosuke. He is still young and growing, right now is the best possible time for him to train and improve. Six months passed by in the blink of an eyes. Leo and the rest completely went off the grid, this effectively removed them from the demons sight. All four of them didn''t laze around and practised hard, next time they didn''t want to hide. The sun was high up in the sky, Akira was sparring with Inosuke while releasing his bloodl.u.s.t. To a boy less than thirteen years of age it was too much. Inosuke was trembling non stop, but that stubbornness to rise up kept him standing. "That''s enough for today. Inosuke, go spar with Zenitsu." Elder Kuwajima who was watching from the side said. Akira took back his bloodl.u.s.t and went to rest. Inosuke kneeled down and gulped for air, after calming down he went to look for Zenitsu. Six months was enough for both of them to get acquainted. Inosuke found the only person he could beat among those present here and he was elated. Every day he would look for Zenitsu for a fight and beat him, this improved his mood. I am not weak, these freaks are just too strong. Leo and the rest were practising on their own. Sabito was matched up against Leo and Giyu with Makomo. Six months of training had brought the four of them far, their strength increased by a large margin that even they don''t know where they stand now. Just as the fight was getting heated a crow flew from the distance, a small scroll was tied to its feet. As soon as it landed Leo stopped his fight and took the scroll. Though they were inactive for six months information about what was happening was always delivered to them. He unfurled the scroll and read it, his pupils shrunk when he saw what was written inside. Murderous intent started to leak from his body, Sabito and the rest were shocked. One moment he was all fine and happily sparring and now he was leaking so much murderous intent that it made their legs go jelly. "Leo, what''s wrong?" Akira also sensed it and quickly came and asked. Leo snapped back and realised what happened. "Sorry guys." Sabito shook his head and said. "It''s alright. But what happened, what''s did it say for you to just go berserk?" Leo clenched his fist and shredded the piece of paper into innumerable pieces and said. "Sis Kanae was attacked by an Upper Moon." What!? Sabito and rest were shocked. Leo didn''t wait for them to ask and replied. "Don''t worry. Luckily Oyakata-sama was worried that something might happen and gave order to be not alone at all times. Rengoku-san was nearby and both of them managed to force him to run away." Phew! Only when they heard she was fine did they relax, however all four of them were fuming inside. Sis Kanae was someone they respected and she was like family. "Muzan is getting restless." Leo said after some thought. It made sense, they lost an Upper Moon which hadn''t happened in hundreds of years and Lower Moons are now being hunted down like wild animals. "He must have put the pieces together. There may be another attack." Makomo said. "Doesn''t matter. The scales are tipping in our favour, all we need is time." Leo said what was in his mind. He turned to look at Zenitsu and Inosuke who were fighting in the distance and smiled. "The future belongs to us humans." ... Infinity Fortress. Muzan stood on a high platform immersed in his work. Six figures stood beneath him, all of them had baleful aura around them. "So you couldn''t kill a Hashira." "Yes, Muzan-sama." A young man with slightly pale complexion and toned muscular build spoke with a smile. However just as soon as his words left his mouth his head was wretched apart by an unknown force. "Then what use do you have?" Those words didn''t seem like a question but rather a fact when spoken by Muzan. The man who had his head ripped off regenerated another one and said while smiling. "I can do whatever you want me to do, Muzan-sama. Should I gouge my eyes out or my heart or my limbs?" Muzan continued to look through his collection of books, after a while he asked again. "Did none of you find Blue Spider Lily?" Suddenly everyone went quiet. After some time a calm but powerful voice spoke out. "The Ubuyashiki clan... they really hid it''s trail well." "Ubuyashiki... continue your search. Capture a Hashira and get the location of the Ubuyashiki family, torturing a few of them might get me what I want." "As you will." All six of them acknowledged and were thrown out of the infinity fortress. A chair materialised out of nowhere, Muzan leaned on it and sorted his thoughts. Without the original core ingredient I can''t create the medicine, without it I can''t become a true immortal. Damn that family for always getting in my way! Silently cursing Ubuyashiki he got up and said. "Nakime, did you find out what''s happening with the slayers?" A woman wearing black kimono with a single eye on her face stood respectfully before Muzan and said. "No, Muzan-sama." "Keep looking." Chapter 47 - 47. Its Him... Four figures kept running through the woods. Their speed was shocking for any normal person, through the woods they jumped around like a monkey. "Hey, Sabito. Did you really see it?" "Why the hell are you doubting me? If I said I saw it then I saw it." "Fine. We better find it soon, a cloud rabbit is rare. I can''t wait see what it tastes like." Leo''s eyes sparkled as he looked through the woods. Earlier on Sabito said he saw a cloud rabbit, it looked like normal rabbit however it''s fur clean and pure like clouds. The one thing special about this rabbit was that it tasted spectacular. "There!" Giyu suddenly jumped into a bush and reached his hand into a large hole. Some rustling sound came from the hole, Giyu stretched his hand even further and pulled out a white ball of fur. All four pairs of eyes gleamed when they saw this ball of fur, drool started to flow down their mouth. A cloud rabbit was way too rare, maybe one in a thousand and it''s only local to this area. "Alright let''s go." Sacking the rabbit they started to return. "It''s been a eight months since we went dark, when do you think they will call us back?" Makomo asked doubtfully. To her question Leo answered with a smile. "Right now the Demon Corps have already built up sufficient resistance against the Moons. So we can return whenever we want." "That''s good. Since we are gonna be busy and separated once they call us back let''s enjoy a few more days." "That''s sounds like a good plan." "I am all for it." Leo was staring deep into the dark forest, his pupils were shrunken and his heart was thumping furiously inside him. It''s him! "Leo, What''s wrong?" Makomo was surprised to see Leo act so weirdly, just as she asked what was happening a terrible force erupted from Leo and he flashed into the dark jungle like a wild beast. "Hey, Leo! What''s wrong?" "Shit! He is going too fast!" The other three started running after him but all they saw was his fading figure. "Let''s go. Something must have happened." Giyu threw away the sack freeing the rabbit. All three of them blasted off into the distance trying to catch up with Leo. Meanwhile, Leo who just took off had a crazy expression on his face. His blue eye seemed as if it was an abyss trying to swallow everything in it''s path. It''s him! No one has such a vile soul, it''s him, Kibutsuji Muzan!'' Trees flashed past his eyes like a blur, soon they cleared up. A small temple stood before him, oil lamps hung on the walls beside it. The faint light from the lamps showed an eerie scene that would make anyone''s blood run cold. A man wearing a black suit was sitting cross legged as he chewed on a limb. He showed no emotion as he ate, each bite he took tore of a large piece of meat, blood dripped down from it and soaked his inner shirt. Of course it''s every person''s choice to whether to eat meat or not but what he was eating was different, he was eating human flesh! A young man''s body laid beside him, his face was gone, only mangled flesh remained. The dark night illuminated by the warm light of lamps showcased a gruesome sight. The man seemed to have noticed his visitor, however he simply looked a Leo and continued to eat. When he saw those cold indifferent eyes Leo didn''t feel fear, instead his heart started to thump madly inside his c.h.e.s.t. He didn''t know when his sword was drawn out, the black blade engraved with a dragon and tiger gleamed with coldness. "Muzan... KIBUTSUJI! MUZAAAN!!!" His voice started off slow but it turned violent in an instant. Like an artillery shell he shot towards Muzan. What? Muzan was stunned. Before he could react his hand was cut off, a split second was all it took. His hand flew into the air, the vacc.u.m on his shoulder caused made him lose his balance. And that was a fatal mistake. A black blade tore through his attacks and sliced into his body. Knowing his opponent was far stronger than he anticipated Muzan stopped looking down on him and retaliated. His suit was shredded to pieces as long tubes emerged from his back. Like the one before, these ones also had mouth filled with teeth on it''s flesh. His hand had already regenerated and he was now looking at Leo differently. "When did you pop up within slayers?" Muzan asked. He was truly startled, for someone as young as this boy to injure him was shocking. The last time something like this happened, his opponent was already half way into his life. Leo didn''t answer. His eyes were trained on Muzan, in his perception he saw several hearts and brains constantly moving within him. However what confused him was something else, there were several black lines on his entire body, it looked as if... as if Muzan''s body was sewed up. Are those... sword wounds? Yoriichi... those are scars of left behind by him. Incredible, his cuts burned Muzan''s body on a cellular level. But no matter how Muzan attacked Leo was dodging them all, his body danced within an inch between each attack. Each time Muzan thought he got Leo he managed to escape. He also noticed his tubes getting cut off, at first it wasn''t obvious but as the fight went on the rate at which it was being cut off was getting higher. Who is this kid? Chapter 48 - 48. Sudden Change Leo was giving his all to fight against Muzan. He kept changing his stance to try and get the drop on him. However Muzan truly was a monster, he wasn''t even fazed against Leo''s attacks. The flesh tubes acted like wh.i.p.s and danced around Muzan. Even with Leo''s skills he found it hard to dodge all of them, moreover each time he dodged those mouths on the whip seems to be trying to draw him in. This effectively made him lose balance a few times. Their battle was in a stalemate, though Muzan was dominating Leo he wasn''t able to finish him off. And Leo couldn''t close the gap between them to land an attack. Just as the battle was getting heated three more figures arrived. Sabito and the rest heard the battle way before they arrived and when they finally saw what was happening their blood ran cold. The three of them stared at Muzan, their blades were drawn out without them knowing. An intense murderous intent spewed out of their bodies. Kill!!! Without a word they attacked. Water Breathing Technique Eleventh Form, Flood Dragon! From Sabito''s blade a flood dragon emerged, it''s scales shimmered with coldness and it plunged towards Muzan. Seeing three more join the fray Muzan widened his attacks and drew them in. The flood dragon coiled around the wh.i.p.s and shredded a few flesh tubes into pieces before dispersing. Sabito was now wide open. Muzan shot a glance at him, the tubes on his body seemed to be alive as it opened it''s mouth wide and took a bite at him. Water Breathing Technique Eleventh Form, Dead Calm! Just before it could reach Sabito a figure flashed before him. A surging tide swept through the attack and came to a halt like still water. However that calmness was destroyed a second later. Giyu spewed out blood. He slightly bent his back and retreated. The tubes followed him like a snake, unwilling to give up on it''s prey. Water Breathing Technique Eleventh Form, Tidal Wave! Makomo stepped forward just in time. A large wave of water emerged from her sword. Like the tides on a violent sea it drowned Muzan''s attack. After getting blocked two times the wh.i.p.s lost it''s initial momentum but not before inflicting damage on Makomo. "I understand. You are those four pests." Sabito and the rest stood beside Leo. Their eyes were trained on Muzan and refused to speak. Dragon-Tiger Breathing Sixth Form, Azure Dragon Roams The Heavens! Among Leo''s forms this one boasted high flexibility and nimbleness. He rushed head first into the barrage of attacks, like a dragon hovering above the heavens he danced through the hail of attacks. Water Breathing Technique Third Form Flowing Dance! Sabito joined him. Like a surge of water he twisted and turned among the attacks. Though he wasn''t as fast or as nimble as Leo he was still able to divert a part of Muzan''s attention. Giyu and Makomo also joined the fray. Since Leo and Sabito took up a major part of Muzan''s attention, their job was to make sure Muzan doesn''t kill them. Slowly the battle spread to its surroundings. The temple was gone, reduced to dust. The forest behind the temple was being destroyed by their battle, trees were uprooted and broken. The earth was blown away and turned over, it was devastating. They didn''t know how long they have battled, Leo and the rest were finding it hard to breathe. Their body were starting to slow down, their vision was starting to blur, sweat and blood soaked their clothes. Muzan was also vexed, he grinded his teeth in anger, it sounded horrible to listen to. Never had he come across such persistent pests, he could overpower them but couldn''t kill them. This angered him beyond his limits. "I will deal with you in the future." The flesh tubes suddenly detached from his body and spun around Sabito and the rest and formed a ring that bound them. Muzan took one last look at them and walked away. Sabito and the rest had bloodshot eyes. They struggled to break free from these damned flesh tubes however it seemed futile. Every cut they did only seemed to heal faster. Leo stared at Muzan''s back, his blue eyes seemed deep like and cold like an icy hell. No... no... Blood thread covered his eyes, veins popped on his forehead. Aaaahhhh!!! Leo howled in anger. Dragon-Tiger Breathing First Form, White Tiger Awakening! Dragon-Tiger Breathing Third Form, White Tiger Assault! Dragon-Tiger Breathing Fourth Form, White Tiger Dominion! Dragon-Tiger Breathing Fifth Form, Azure Dragon Ascension! Dragon-Tiger Breathing Sixth Form, Azure Dragon Roams The Heavens! Dragon-Tiger Breathing Seventh Form, Azure Dragon Descends! Dragon-Tiger Breathing Eight Form, Azure Dragon Majesty! In his desperation Leo performed all eight forms. As he watched Muzan''s fading shadow his blood ran faster, his breathing got stronger, his forms started to close in on perfection. "KIBUTSUJI!! MUZAAAANNN!!!" He burst out from the rings with blood all over his face. Coldness flickered in his eyes as he shot at Muzan like a madman. "Leo!" "Shit! Get out of our way!!" "Damn!" Sabito and the rest tried their best to break out but couldn''t. They watched as Leo got closer to Muzan. A door appeared out of nowhere infront of Muzan, he was about to step in when he heard a roar from behind, he turned around to see the young man plunge at him, a sneer climbed onto his face. "Seems like you are destined to die today." Muzan stretched out his hand, flesh tubes burst out of his arm and rushed towards Leo. Seeing the incoming attack Leo didn''t dodge. Under extreme hate and anger his mind went into daze, all he wanted right now was to cut down Muzan. He wanted the fastest and most efficient way to kill him. Everything around him started to disappear from his sight, only Muzan''s figure remained. One by one each form of Dragon-Tiger Breathing flashed through his mind. His brain spun at incredible speed, analysing every form over and over again to try and come up with a way to kill Muzan. Unknowingly all forms started to change, the first four forms linked together as did the other four. They formed into two entirely different forms, filled with endless variations. But that wasn''t the end, though these two forms were different and had there own meaning, a faint connection existed between them. While Leo was relishing in that feeling Sabito and the rest finally broke out but they were far away from Leo and Muzan, moreover they were tired. When the rush of battle toned down their bodies finally felt the fatigue set in. They could only watch helplessly as Muzan''s attack reach Leo. Chapter 49 - 49. Final Form "Dad, what''s the final form of Dragon-Tiger Breathing?" A young Leo sat on his wheelchair and asked his father. Hearing his son''s question Talon Heart thought for a second and said. "The final form isn''t a form, it''s more like an amalgamation of every other form of Dragon-Tiger Breathing." "Is it strong?" Leo asked curiously. Talon laughed lightly, he pushed the wheelchair onto the lawn and placed his son under the shade of a tree. He sat down near him and said. "Strong? My son, when Aruha Heart, our first leader created this technique it only had one form and that is the final form. It encompass every aspect of battle." Leo tilted his confusion, "Then why are there so many forms?" "That''s because Aruha Heart later found his descendants incapable of even understanding ten percent of that form. So he split the original form into two separate forms and then the two forms into eight. That is how the Dragon-Tiger forms came to be. Now you tell me, is the final form or the original form strong?" "Strong!" Leo nodded like a woodpecker. Talon smiled and ruffled his son''s hair. "Dad, what''s the name of the original form?" Talon raised his head and looked towards the sky, a yearning expression painted his face as he said. "Azure Dragon-White Tiger Epoch!" ... Leo''s expression became peaceful, however the blood on his face along with that calm look brought out the innate fear within people. Muzan''s attack drew closer to him, the closer it got the calmer he became. Soon it was just a hair breath away from him. Sabito and rest felt as if the world slowed down, they could only watch helplessly as Leo was engulfed by Muzan''s attack. Just as their heart was about to plunge into despair a strange feeling arose in them. They looked up and saw Muzan stare wide eyed at Leo. His hand was gone, the distance between him and Leo was painted in blood. "What did you do?" Leo didn''t reply. He closed his eyes and marveled in that moment. He had never felt so clear before. Opening his eyes Leo slashed at Muzan, it was a simple slash but a ferocious White Tiger manifested out of thin air and pounced on Muzan. He dodged it and was about to attack when he saw Leo standing right before him. His eyes deep like an abyss stared at Muzan, seeing those eyes Muzan remembered some painful memories from three hundred years ago. For a second his heart shuddered. No! He is just a kid! Muzan calmed himself and attacked. His body reverted to that disgusting form filled with flesh tubes. Right now Leo was just a hand distance away from him, Muzan''s attack closed him from all directions. Leo calmly stood within the storm of attacks and let it fall on him but no matter how Muzan attacked not a single attack fell on Leo. Before it got to him a strange force shredded it to pieces. What? Muzan was startled. He didn''t have enough time to think, he was cut in half. Leo was now standing beside him, getting ready for another attack. Roooarrr!! Muzan roared at the top of his lungs. His body healed in the blink of an eye and he plunged towards Leo. However every attack he made seemed to disappear, the ground was died three inch deep with his blood. "Muzan... this is the end." A scarlet colour seeped into the blade from it''s hilt. It felt like boiling red lava as it spread through the sword, vapour rose from its body, the dragon and tiger engraving on it seemed even more real now. "Azure Dragon-White Tiger Epoch!" Leo''s words entered Muzan''s ears. The scarlet sword he had only seen once before in his life reappeared before him again, and here of all places. The sword cut through the air, it inched closer to his body. Fear crept inside Muzan''s heart, he knew if that sword makes contact he will die. "Nakime!!!" Muzan roared. The door that was some distance away disappeared and re-emerged beneath Muzan. Leo''s sword swept past his head, burning his face. A long wound appeared from his right eye to his neck. Leo watched as Muzan fell into the door beneath. Without a second of hesitation he jumped in. "Leo! You crazy bas*ard!" "F*CK! He jumped in! Let''s go, let''s go." "Damn!" Sabito smashed his fist onto the ground. Giyu and Makomo also had ugly expressions. "Do you think he will... "He will be absolutely alright! This is Leo, you saw how he defeated Muzan. He will return." "Yes. He will." They could only console themselves by saying that. ... Inside the Infinity Fortress. Leo stood on one of the platforms. He looked around and found many doors connected to different platforms leading to different destinations. So that''s how he moves around so fast. Coming to that realisation Leo extended his spiritual sense and found Muzan. He was kneeled inside one of the rooms attached to a platform. The moment he saw Leo he smiled cruelly. "When you return I will have killed the Corps and every single one of your friends." "You won''t get the chance." Leo seemed to be moving incredibly fast. Each step covered tens of meters, in an instant he was before Muzan. He raised his sword and was about to cut down when two figures jumped out of nowhere and attacked him. Raising his sword Leo swiped to his left, a man with three pairs of eyes parried his attack however like a hot knife through butter Leo''s sword cut through the man''s sword and bisected his body into two. The other was a lean muscular man wearing a hat. He held a fan in his hand and blew out a cold breath towards Leo. Cutting down the three pair eyes demon Leo did a twist in mid air kicked out. The lean man was kicked in his gut, he shot through the room and flew far away spewing blood. Leo didn''t even bother with these two clowns and zoomed in on Muzan. His sword was already on a path to cut off his head, however Muzan merely smiled. "Goodbye." Before Leo could react several doors opened all around him. He was caught in one and descended into darkness. Chapter 50 - 50. The West Leo felt weightless. He seemed to have been thrown into the air for quite some time, only after god knows how long did Leo emerge from the darkness. He was high up in the air and free falling. They got me. He sighed regretfully. If he had one more slayer like Sabito he could have killed Muzan, alas the moment have passed. Looking down Leo found high rise buildings. It was night time and lamps lit every corner of the place down below. Where is the hell this? Shouldn''t the sun be up right now? Leo thought for a second and threw that question to the back of his mind. Right now he was getting close to the ground. Here we go. Leo gathered his breath on his legs and kicked and braced for impact. Bang! Like and artillery shell Leo fell through the roof of a building. Dust and rubble flew everywhere as he landed on the ground, a small pit was formed around him. He felt stifled inside and found it hard to breathe. Taking a second to stabilise himself he let out a sigh of relief and looked arouns. The moment he saw what was happening he was dumbfounded. Several men stood around him holding guns. All of them wore suits and a long trench coat. Files flew everywhere thanks to his grand entrance. A man who seemed to be their leader stepped forward, he had a pistol in his hand and was smoking a cigar. "Who are you?" Leo stared when he heard the man, he wasn''t speaking japanese. F*CK! That''s english! Damn that Muzan, how far did he throw me? Luckily Leo dabbled in business in his past life and knew a dozen or more language which also included english. He cleared his throat and asked. "Gentlemen, might I ask where this is?" Though he knew the answer he was hoping these guys would say something different. "Huh? Are you a retard? This is America, of course." "F*CK! F*CK!" Leo cursed out loud. The men thought this guy had some problems. Leo regained his calmness and said. "Gentlemen, my circ.u.mstances are a little peculiar but I assure you I had no intention of barging in like this." Normally anyone would put holes through your body if you broke their place like that but luckily these men seemed different. The man leading them looked at Leo for a second and said. "I don''t know these circ.u.mstances you spoke of but you don''t seems to be llying so come up. You look like a mess." Leo thanked the heavens, he had met reasonable men. He walked out of the pit and apologized again and again. The men however waved it off as nothing. The leader showed Leo to the washroom and told him to get cleaned up. Taking up their offer Leo cleaned the blood off of him and removed his clothes. After putting on a clean white shirt and black trousers he walked out. When he got out he saw the leader checking his sword carefully. "Interested in swords?" The leader didn''t reply he looked at Leo and extended his hand. "My name is Samuel, you can call me Sam." "Leo." After the pleasantries were done Sam pointed at Leo''s sword and asked. "Why do you have a sword like that?" Leo hesitated for a moment and said. "You won''t believe me even if I told you so it''s better if we leave that issue." Sam however was unwilling to let go. He said "Try me." With no choice Leo said. "It''s for hunting demons." Sam had a thoughful look on his face. After a while he asked Leo, "These demons sound a lot like extraordinaries, except being weak to sunlight." Leo was astounded. "Extraordinaries?" Sam didn''t immediately reply. He asked for a man to bring several papers, he placed it before Leo and said. "The demons you mentioned, extraordinaries possess powers similar to them. They are fast, strong and have powerful regenerative ability. And all of them possess an extraordinary ability." "How is this possible?" Leo couldn''t help but mutter. He never expected species similar to demons existed in other places. He looked at Sam and asked, "What''s their origin?" Sam seemed easy going as he shrugged and said, "The is no clear evidence but researchers say it''s the result of mutation." Suddenly he thought of something and asked, "You are an asian, how the hell did you end up here?" Leo said, "A demon with an ability to control space threw me inside a space door, I floated around there for some time before getting and out. And here I am." Sam nodded, "An ability related to space, that''s rare. Can you tell me about the situation on your side?" Leo had no problem with that. Considering the situation he was in it''s better to share as much information as possible. This would help him gain trust and hopefully they will help him get back home and not throw him in jail. "Demons are a group with enhanced speed, strength and regeneration. They have existed for a thousand years. However this species has a an origin, a progenitor, he is called Muzan. Slayer corps had been at war against demons for a millennia... He explained the situation back home. "I see." Sam roughly understood what was happening. He said. "The men you see here are part of a group called Dark Light. The job of Dark Light is to kill or capture extraordinaries creating trouble, and our job is to provide support, which includes intelligence, cleaning up, weapons, etc." Leo and Sam exchanged some more information regarding their situation and understood the general situation. Sam lit up a cigar and took a deep puff. "I never expected there to be demons in this world." "Me too. I never thought there was another species similar to demons. By the way, how strong are extraordinaries?" Sam didn''t reply and placed his hand on an iron table. He put some pressure on it. His hand pressed down and created a palm shaped dent on it. Leo was surprised. He traced the dent and asked. "You are an extraordinary?" Sam rolled his eyes, "How else would be stand upto other extraordinaries?" Leo was slightly embarrassed he asked something like that, "I didn''t mean it like that." Sam smiled, "I am just messing with you. Extraordinary ability can be inherited or awakened. A couple with extraordinary ability has a ninety five percent chance to pass it down to their children. Likewise normal people also have a chance to awaken." Leo leaned on his chair and rubbed his chin. "So Dark Light is like the police department for extraordinaries." Sam nodded. Chapter 51 - 51. Extraordinaries Leo had many questions as did Sam. Both of them spoke for a while. Leo was intrigued by Extraordinaries and Sam was curious about demons. "Well, it''s getting late. That''s a room for agents you can sleep there." Sam pointed to a door and said. Leo gladly complied. He had battled for a whole night and lost a lot of blood, if not for the last minute advancement he had he wouldn''t even be able stand. Laying on the narrow bed Leo closed his eyes and peered inside his body. The energy pathways were filled with ''Breath''. It circulated through his body constantly repairing damaged areas. At it''s source was the gaseous sphere. Sure enough, it''s changed. Before the fight the sphere was only half filled with breath but now it was overflowing with it. Simply speaking if the sphere was a pond of water before, now it was like a huge lake. The breath within rotated at high speeds creating a whirlpool. A bit more before the next level. Leo muttered, from Aruha Heart he came to understand the different levels of Breath training. Gathering Breath, Refining Breath, Forming Breath Core, Creation. Four levels, apart from the first one the rest are all theory which Aruha Heart formulated. However Leo had a nagging feeling that once he forms the Breath Core something amazing will happen. His sword laying on a table beside him flew up. Leo flicked his finger and the sword was drawn out by an unknown force. A scarlet blade appeared before him. Gripping the hilt Leo appreciated the beauty in his hands. Azure Dragon-White Tiger Epoch! Suddenly a strange ripple spread outward with him at it''s center, it covered three meter around him. Leo could feel his control over this space, within this three meter circle he was king. He now understood why Aruha Heart''s descendants were unable to comprehend this form. Because this wasn''t a form at all, it was a domain! A sword domain! Within this domain Leo could perform every form of Dragon-Tiger Breathing with a single thought. Aided by this domain the damage behind a casual strike would be no less than a full blown attack from Leo prior to his breakthrough. The range of the domain is small at the moment but as Leo m.a.t.u.r.es the domain will also increase it''s range. Sheathing the sword Leo closed his eyes and slowly drifted into darkness. Some time later, Leo suddenly sprang up from his bed and drew out his sword. However he let out a dry laugh the next moment. He was pointing his sword at Sam''s throat. "Great instincts." "Haha... "An extraordinary was sighed near 2nd avenue. Our agents are on their way to deal with it, wanna join?" "Sure." Agents, extraordinaries belonging to the government. Leo was curious as to how they fought, he joined a group of men and rushed towards the location. Ten minutes later. Leo stood on a bridge and looked into the distance. Two men wearing black clothes were fighting against a skinny man. He focused and found out that they were using guns. "That''s an extraordinary weapon. Made from tough materials that absorb recoil, each bullet contains a dose of anaesthesia, enough to put down an elephant in an instant." Leo asked, "Why use anaesthesia?" Sam replied, "These rogue extraordinaries don''t care about the destruction they cause. If they are backed into a corner they might do something reckless. Anaesthesia would weaken their body and reduce the power they can wield." I see... Leo watched as those two men tangle with the skinny man and fire with excellent accracy. As time passed the man was panting and bloody all over, his wounds weren''t healing and looked horrible. The two men put away their guns and ran towards him. Both of them pulled out a short knife and attacked at close range. Soon the skinny man lost the strength to battle and fell down. Sam nudged Leo and ran towards the site. His men immediately started to get to work. The Agents handed over the site to Sam and nodded. Their eyes scanned past Leo and frowned. "Who is this?" Sam went forward and said. "This is Leo, his situation is a bit complicated. I have already reported it to Dark Light headquarters, I am sure both of you will get the information soon." They nodded and left. Leo watched the men leave and narrowed his eyes. Leo did a check on them using his spiritual sense. Their body make up was different from normal humans. They were human but they were much more than an ordinary human. It seems Sam held some things back. Doesn''t matter, no organisation would simply give out their info. The cleaning was done. Leo returned with Sam and calmly waited. Sam was also silent and he also looked like he was waiting for something. Soon a man came with a piece of paper and handed it to Sam. Reading the content he smiled and called out Leo. "Don''t keep it inside, ask away." Leo chuckled. "Extraordinaries are not simply awakened humans, are they?" Sam was astonished. "You found out after only seeing them once? That''s amazing." Leo just smiled and waited for his answer. "Sorry if I held some things back. Without permission I can''t say anything." " It''s alright, I understand." "Well, I won''t keep you in the dark anymore. About your question, yes, extraordinaries aren''t simply awakened humans. Well most of them aren''t." Hm? "They are biological modified." Chapter 52 - 52. Different Paths Biologically modified? Seeing Leo''s confused look Sam explained, "Extraordinaries that awaken naturally are rare, maybe two or three in ten. The agents you saw are what we call artificial Extraordinaries." "By using a serum they are forcefully awakened. However this isn''t without drawbacks, an artificial Extraordinary must go through several rounds of biological modification if they want to awaken as one." "Even then the success rate of becoming one is very low." Leo exclaimed, "That''s amazing." Sam shook his head, "Not at all. Though artificial agents can be created with a serum their potential is halved. They can never catch upto a natural Extraordinary." "Oh, why?" Sam thought for a moment and said, "I don''t know the technical explanation but here is what I understand. The serum forcefully alters the body makeup, this forceful change damage their body on a cellular level." "However a natural Extraordinary is different. Their awakening is a result of years of constant change in their DNA." Leo nodded. A natural Extraordinary goes through change right after their birth. Their awakening is like a puzzle that takes years to complete. When the final piece is placed they awaken. But an artificial Extraordinary is different. They don''t go through such a long process and experience awakening abruptly. This damages their core and thus limits their future. After hearing Sam''s explanation Leo was curious and asked, "Who came up with the serum?" Sam hesitated for a moment and said, "Patrick, a brilliant scientist came up with it. He was a natural Extraordinary who had the ability to analyse materials. He was smart and capable, by using his ability he analysed hundreds of different blood samples from Extraordinaries and came up with a serum to create Extraordinaries artificially." "Though the serum has drawbacks it was still a glorious achievement." Leo let the information sink in and asked, "Do you categorise Extraordinaries based on their strength?" Sam nodded, "Yes. Extraordinaries are classified into five levels, Class, D, C, B, A and S." Leo roughly understood how the Dark Light works and it''s power structure. Sam explained some more details and asked, "Now can you tell me how you were able to smash a hole in my building and create a huge pit on the ground and still come out unscathed?" Hearing his question Leo chuckled, "I see, you used whatever information I had as a leverage to obtain permission to share your info." Sam didn''t deny and nodded. Leo thought for a while and said, "It''s not like it''s a secret or anything, we use Breathing Techniques. These techniques provide huge volume of oxygen to our body, increasing strength and speed and thus allowing us to fight demons." He went on to explain how it works. By the time he finished Sam sighed and said sincerely, "Your ancestors were amazing people." Leo accepted his compliment and asked. "What next?" Sam shrugged, "That depends on you." Leo asked, "Is there any way you can get me back to my country?" Sam leaned on his chair and rapped it''s armrest, "It''s not like there isn''t but the problem is this." He rubbed his fingers. Leo asked, "Money?" Sam nodded, "Yes. Legally speaking you have no right to be on this land but since we are on the same trade we can ignore that. The problem is, if you want to get back, money is needed and not a small amount." Leo, "How much?" Sam raised his fingers and said, "Five hundred dollars. I can''t smuggle you as there aren''t any sh.i.p.s going such a long way, so that leaves us with the legal route. I can use my connections to obtain doc.u.ments and a ticket for your ride." Leo folded his hand infront of his c.h.e.s.t and sighed, "And now I work for you?" Sam smiled widely, "Hey, it''s a trade. For your services I get you a ride back home, it''s fair." Leo looked at him for a moment and laughed out loud. He shook Sam''s hand and agreed. Leo thought for a moment and asked, "When is my ride leaving?" Sam, "In about five months." Leo rolled his eyes, "So I only got less than five months to earn five hundred dollars." Sam patted his shoulder, "Don''t worry. Though natural Extraordinaries are rare, in such a large population they are still plenty. And crimes aren''t low, if you can take care of them the monetary rewards would be enough for you to go back. A Class D Extraordinary will sack you 5 dollar, Class C 15 dollar, Class B 30 dollar and Class A 60." Leo asked back, "What about Class S?" Sam explained, "Class S has no fixed value. In fact apart from Class D and C, the other classes may also give higher remuneration. During reward allocation the damage to public property, number of agents deployed, death and other factors are calculated. If all of them are the b.a.r.e minimum or lower, you rewards will be higher." Leo, "And how do you know which level these Extraordinaries are?" Sam took out a small device from his table and said, "This will turn into different colours when it locks onto a target. White represents D, Yellow C, Blue B, Red A, Black S." Leo took the small device from Sam and examined with his spiritual sense. This device worked a lot like a signal receiver, only it picked upon on energy waves from an Extraordinary. Leo didn''t need Sam''s explanation. He had already figured it out when he checked it with his spiritual sense. Sam, "Alright then, the sun is about to shine on us so I am going to get some shut eye. After I wake up I will assign someone to show you your room and take you around." Leo said, "Ok." Sam yawned and walked away. Leo looked around and found the other men tidying up, only a couple of people stayed up in case of an emergency situation. ~sigh~ looks like I am gonna be here for a while. He walked back to where he slept before and laid down before slowly sinking into darkness. Chapter 53 - 53. New York Leo slept like a baby, when he woke up the sun was already up and shining. He got up stretched his body and washed up. When he walked out he saw Sam holding a cup of coffee and enjoying the morning light. He saw Leo and waved him to come over. Sam tilted his head and asked, "Sleep well?" Leo, "Yeah. I haven''t slept this comfortably for some time." Sam, "That''s good. I am gonna be clocking out in ten minutes, I have arranged for a local to take you to your living space and show you around." Leo, "Thanks." Sam waved his hands and returned to his morning coffee. Leo was wondering if he would get one when a woman came by with a cup of coffee and gave it to him. "Thank you." The lady nodded and smiled. Sam pointed to her and said, "Leo, this is your partner when you are here. Her name is Dalia and she is an agent specialising in intelligence, she will also be your guide as well." Leo paused his movements, the hot coffee was just inches away from his mouth. After listening to Sam he turned towards the lady, only now did he notice how beautiful she was. She was quite young, in her early twenties. She had blonde curly hair and light blue eyes. She wore a business suit for ladies, the clothes heightened her womanly charm as it defined the curves on her body. She had decent assets as well. Gathering his thoughts Leo shook her hand and introduced himself, "Nice to meet you, Miss Dalia. My name is Leo Heart." Dalia smiled in response, "My p.l.e.a.s.u.r.e, Mr Heart." He shook her hand, it was soft and smooth, it felt good. However Leo wasn''t a lecher, he took back his hand after a polite shake. Sam got up, "Alright. I am leaving, Dalia, show him his space and take him around for a stroll. He is gonna be with us for awhile, I don''t want him to be lost during a mission." Dalia saluted and replied, "Yes, Captain." With that Sam left leaving Leo and Dalia alone. Leo was composed and drank his coffee, however Dalia kept staring at him. After finishing his coffee Leo couldn''t help but ask, "Is there something on my face?" Dalia knew it rude to have stared at him, she apologized and said, "I am sorry. It''s just that you tore through the ceiling and plunged straight into the concrete floor. I am curious as to why you can still stand." Leo smiled and didn''t reply. He got up and said, "Shall we move?" Dalia didn''t press either, "Where do you want to go first?" Leo said, "I am hungry, so let''s get something to eat first." Dalia led him to a nearby stall and got some bread and boiled egg." Leo asked, "I heard from Sam that Dark Light is an official organisation. How does that work?" Dalia collected her thoughts for a second and said, "The outside world know us by our official name, Special Tasks Force. If an incident or a crime beyond the norms happens the local authority transfers the case to us. After dealing with it everyone involved are briefed and sworn to secrecy." Leo, "Secrecy? Does it work?" Dalia shrugged, "To an extent but there is no such thing as an absolute air tight wall. Some things are bound to reach the public." Leo asked, "What do you do then?" Dalia shrugged, "We let it be. Extraordinaries are a threat and pose danger to normal people. But, even without them threats still exist. Rumours float around about their existence, and if a case pops up with a connection to them we step in. That''s the purpose of our agency, to supervise, control and eliminate." Talking with Dalia, Leo understood many things. He was astonished when he learned about how they operated. Realising how efficiently they worked Leo made a mental note to report it to Oyakata-sama when he returns. Finishing their meal Dalia took Leo around the streets of New York. Along the way many pairs of eyes were attracted towards them. Leo was a tall young man with black short hair, slightly tanned skin and piercing blue eyes. He had a charm to him that attracted the opposite gender. Dalia wasn''t different as well, she is young, beautiful and s.e.xy. Many men couldn''t help but stare at her, their minds were filled with fantasies. After having lunch she took him to his apartment, it was small with a single bedroom, couch and a small table for two. However the place was well kept, Leo had no problems with the place and thanked Dalia. Dalia, "I will leave you be. Once you are settled in return to the base by following the path I showed you." Leo nodded, "Alright, thank you for all your help today, Miss Dalia." Dalia nodded and left. Sending her off Leo closed the door and sat on the couch. He stretched his body and closed his eyes. The time slowly went by. Three hours later he opened his eyes. Washing his face with cold water he went out and walked back to the agency. Getting there he Knocked three times on the door in a particular rhythm, a hole opened on the door and a pair of eyes peeked out. Seeing who it was the door was opened by the man on the other side. Leo nodded to him as he and walked in. Not long after he saw Sam sitting behind his desk going through several doc.u.ments. Hearing footsteps he looked back and saw Leo, "How was the apartment?" Leo, "Good. Thanks." Sam waved his hand, "Stop with the pleasantries. Anyway, be ready, because of you I asked the headquarters to not send any agents if any rogue extraordinaries pop up near us." Leo raised an eyebrow, "You trust me that much." Sam chuckled, "The one thing I have absolute confidence in is my ability to judge people." Leo smiled, "Then I will try my best to not break that faith." As they were speaking Dalia walked in with a stack of papers. She looked at Leo and nodded before handing the paper to Sam. Leo asked Dalia, "I forgot to ask, what''s your class?" Dalia, "Class B." Hm? Leo was slightly surprised. Sam noticed his expression and chuckled, "Dalia here is a genius, she is naturally awakened and posses a strong ability. We have high expectations for her. There is a chance she might become a Class S!" Chapter 54 - 54. First Task Leo was slightly shocked. Sam seemed satisfied with his reaction and said, "Didn''t expect that, did you?" Leo shook his head, "No. I definitely didn''t." Sam laughed, "Haha, I had to show my sincerity in selecting a partner for you considering your ability." Leo curled his lips, "And what do you know about my ability?" Sam shrugged, "More than enough." As they were speaking a man quickly rushed in and said, "Report, a class C rogue extraordinary spotted near West bridge." Sam got up and wore his jacket before leaving the building, Leo and Dalia followed him. It didn''t take them much time to reach their goal. As soon as they reached their location sounds of battle passed through their ear. Leo quickened his pace, he saw several men fighting against a man with red skin. Dalia kept up with his pace and also saw the man, she yelled, "Everyone retreat!" The men heaved a sigh and retreated orderly. Seeing reinforcements arrive the man with red skin wanted to escape. Leo understood what the he wanted but he didn''t hastily attack, he turned towards Dalia and said, "Since we are gonna be partners for some time I would like to see your skills." Dalia looked at Leo and nodded. She wasn''t the slightest bit angry at Leo for saying that, in a battle, cooperation between allies is a must. One mustn''t be afraid of strong enemies but be wary of dumb allies. Like a panther Dalia plunged towards the man with red skin, she drew out a black pistol and shot three times. The first shot was to the man''s eyes, the second to his throat and the last to his heart. The red skinned man let out a grunt and blocked the bullets. However as he successfully blocked the bullets he lost sight of Dalia for a second, just as he was wondering where she went several more shots rang out from above. Dalia used a pole nearby and kicked herself into the air. The man was again forced to block the bullets. Though he blocked the bullets, the anaesthetic inside had already seeped into his body. It''s only a matter of time before all of his abilities gets weakened. Dalia knew his plan and shot consecutively however the man ignored it and let it fall on him. Wounds piled up on his body and the rate of regeneration slowed down but that bit of time allowed him to reach the edge. Damn! Dalia cursed under her breath. She ran towards the demon, her gun spewed out fire as shots after shots were fired. However the man ignored the pain and rushed forward, in just few seconds he was already a step away from the edge. Just as everyone thought the mission was going to fail a figure silently appeared infront of the red skinned man. Dalia''s eyes went wide as saucers when she saw Leo suddenly appear out of nowhere. The man was shocked when he saw Leo suddenly pop up infront of him without any sign. However he quickly recovered and smashed his fist towards Leo''s head. Dalia saw what was happening and yelled frantically, "Dodge!" Leo had a faint look in his eyes as he watched the incoming fist and muttered under his breath So slow. After his advance this amount of speed didn''t even pose any threat to him or more precisely it didn''t garner any attention from him anymore. He watched the man''s fist slowly inch towards him, it was like he was seeing everything in slow motion. He casually walked towards him, the fist aimed for his head blew past his ear, he unsheathed his sword and slashed it once and placed it black in it''s scabbard. Everything may have been extremely slow for Leo but for others it all happened way too quickly. In their eyes Leo was about to receive the full brunt of the red skinned man''s attack, however like flipping to a new page Leo suddenly blinked behind the man. They only saw a flash of red light. Before they could register what was happening the man fell forward, his body crashed into the wooden rail. Blood seeped out of his c.h.e.s.t as he lost strength and fell down. An peculiar silence fell over the area, everyone was looking at Leo like they had just seen a ghost. Dalia had stars in her eyes when she saw how Leo just blinked behind the red skinned man. Leo softly said, "Let''s go." His words woke up everyone. Sam who was watching from afar was smiling so widely that it almost looked like his mouth was cracked towards his ears. He quickly ordered his men to take care of the scene. He walked upto Leo and patted his shoulder, "Good man." Leo shrugged, "I just did my job, after all I am getting paid, right?" Sam laughed out loud, "Haha, of course! A cass C extraordinary''s reward will be put under your name." Leo nodded and went back, Dalia ran upto him and looked at him with admiration, "How did you do that?" Leo simply replied, "Martial Arts." Dalia was stunned, she covered his mouth in astonishment and asked, "Martial Arts can do that? But I also train in martial arts." Leo smiled, "Without proper form or breathing every martial arts fall short." Dalia smiled cheekily, she hugged Leo''s hand and asked in a soft voice, "Can you teach me?" Leo felt something soft press against his arms, a wonderful fragrance assaulted his nose. If it was anyone else they would have definitely acted weird however Leo was different, he was someone who had lived two lives, counting years he would more forty years of age by now. He pulled back his arm and said with a smile, "No, I can''t. What I know can only be used by me." Dalia pursed her lips and turned away, Smelly guy, if you don''t want to then say you don''t want to. Leo knew what she was thinking and didn''t bother. Soon they returned to the base and waited, another report came after three hours. This time Leo didn''t need to step in, Dalia took care of it by herself and proudly raised her head infront of Leo. "Great skills." What else can he say? Shaking his head in his mind Leo looked towards the stars, I wonder how those idiots are doing? Chapter 55 - 55. Meeting Leo stretched his neck and laid down on his bed. His first night of work went smoothly, he was amazed at how organized these people were, their forces were spread out like a wide web, an Extraordinary would be locked on the moment it appears. He rested for a while and woke up when noon was closing in. His body was filled with power as he stretched out and did some warming exercise. Washing up he went down and ate at a restaurant down below. Having filled his stomach Leo strolled through the streets and stopped before a large building. Two men guarded the door, they looked at Leo who was walking towards them and spoke. "Restricted area, authorized personnel only." Leo stopped in his tracks and pulled out a badge, the men saw the badge and immediately gave way. Walking into the building Leo saw a desk, a middle-aged lady was seated behind it. She heard footsteps and looked up, upon seeing Leo she stood up and welcomed, "Good afternoon Mr Leo, this way please." Leo followed the lady. Soon both of them stood before a door, the lady knocked on it twice before opening it. She gestured for Leo to enter and closed the door. The moment he walked in Leo felt several pairs of eyes focus on him. He looked around and found several men and women looking at him curiously. He wasn''t fl.u.s.tered and calmly gazed at everyone. "Have a seat, Mr Leo." A deep voice reached his ear, Leo looked over and found a man in his late fifties or so. He wore a black suit and had a grey mustache that was well groomed. He radiated the presence of a leader. Nodding his head Leo looked around and found Dalia waving at him, she had saved a spot for him, he went towards her and sat down. The leader spoke up after Leo took his seat, "Everyone, this is Leo Heart. All of you have been informed about his circ.u.mstances, he will be a member of Dark Light for some time." Dalia nudged Leo and he understood what she meant, he stood up and bowed towards the crowd, "Thank you for your help. I will do my best in these coming days." The leader smiled, after some miscellaneous things were discussed one of the Extraordinaries asked Leo. "You use a sword as your main weapon, that''s way too primitive." Leo followed the voice and found a man in his late twenties lazily look at him. He was quite handsome. Dalia saw who it was and said, "That man is called Arthur Lex. He is the same as me, a natural awakened Extraordinary." Leo looked him in the eye and said calmly, "Everyone has their path, mine is the sword." Arthur curled his lips, "Against a class S Extraordinary swords are useless, a single hit and you are done." Leo smiled and replied, "Then I just gotta make sure I don''t get hit." Arthur scoffed, "Heh, I read Sam''s report, you are strong but don''t be so arrogant. Firearms can kill more demons that your sword." Leo replied, "A weapon in the hands of a master swordsman is a tool to kill, in the hands of a weakling it''s just the same as a toothpick." Arthur looked at Leo and said coldly, "Are you calling me a weakling?" Leo asked back with a sly smile, "Did I say that?" Arthur glared at Leo, "You got guts." "That''s enough. Arthur, Leo, both of you are on the same side, so tone it down." The leader suddenly spoke up. Leo wasn''t bothered by Arthur''s attitude, he ignored his glare and looked at the old man seated at the center. Dalia whispered to him, "That''s the current head of Dark Light, Edward Highland." Leo narrowed his eyes, his soul sense picked up tremendous energy from this man, he thought to himself. A class S. After some matters were settled the meeting was adjourned. Leo walked out with Dalia however Arthur walked upto him and said, "I hope you don''t die quickly, little swordsman." Leo just smiled and walked away. Arthur scoffed and left. "He doesn''t seem to like me." Dalia rolled her eyes, "Duh, that''s obvious." He looked at her with a peculiar gaze and said, "I wonder why?" Dalia didn''t answer and increased her pace. Leo shook his head and followed. The night came. Leo reported for duty and did his work flawlessly. Sam was hoping Leo would work here till he retires, however that was just a pipedream. Two days later. Sam was explaining something to Leo. "Do I really have to go? I am after all a temporary member." Sam waved his hand, "That''s not a problem, since you are here, go and make us proud." Leo sighed. Dark Light had an assessment every six months and it just so happens to be around the corner so Leo was to attend it. Though it says an assessment it''s more like a competition between different bases. The strong and talented will obviously stand out and they will be groomed. It''s as simple as that. Since their branch mostly dealt with intelligence their ranking within the organisation was rather low, so Sam was preparing to use Dalia and Leo to obtain a high rank and thus larger resources. Leo rolled his eyes at Sam and said annoyed, "They say the older you get, the more shameless you become." Sam sipped his coffee and smiled, "Why thank you." Leo''s mouth twitched. He let out a sigh and accepted his request. Leo stared at him and said, "You better not forget what you promised." Sam patted his c.h.e.s.t and said, "I am a man of my word." Leo ignored him, however what he said the next moment kind of threw him off. "Also watch out for that Arthur, he has an eye on Dalia and since you are her partner he quite hates you." Leo rubbed his forehead and asked, "How should I deal with him?" Sam shrugged, "How would I know? Just clobber him till he recognises you as his father." Leo nearly pulled out his sword when he heard that. He let out a long sigh and accepted his future. Chapter 56 - 56. Unwanted Animosity Leo breathed in, and out, his lungs were like powerful vacc.u.m pumps as they s.u.c.k.e.d in tremendous volume of air. As he breathed out clouds of vapour escaped his mouth. Dark Light was an organisation that dealt with Extraordinaries so they had plenty of training space for combatants. Leo was currently training in one such location. His sword was already drawn out and rested on his right arm. There was nobody else aside from him on the field, he stood still like a statue and breathed. Outside the field a beautiful pair of eyes were gazing at him with interest. After an hour of practice Leo went out and immediately met Dalia. She asked with curiosity, "Is that your training? Just standing still and breathe?" Leo chuckled, "Yeah." To those without any knowledge of Breathing Techniques it may seem as if he was just standing there and breathe, however those in the know would understand how tremendous a task it was to continuously breathe such amounts of air. Say if an average slayer breathed in three times the amount of air as a normal person then for Leo it was ten or even twenty times. Such huge volume naturally contained huge amounts of energy, Leo was slowly gathering this energy inside his body. This was a tall task, however Leo had already comprehended sword intent and formed his domain. He was able to take in more. A hour of acc.u.mulation was his limit and he had to stop whether he was unwilling or not. Seeing his smile Dalia didn''t ask further and said, "Today is the competition, are you nervous?" Hearing her words Leo sighed all of a sudden, "Nervous? More like a headache. Sam just wants to shine in our glory and what makes him think we would be able to obtain a high rank?" Dalia giggled, "Hehe, Sam is a wily old fox atleast that''s what I heard from others. He is the head of the intelligence department, do you think a person like that would ask you to do the impossible?" Leo smiled wryly, "Yeah." When they got out a carriage was waiting for them. They got on and it started to move towards their destination. Few hours later the carriage stopped infront of a large building outside the city. High walls outlined the perimeter with sentry posts in every corner. At the entrance, men were checking the identity of every guest. Following the crowd Leo and Dalia walked into a wide hall. Chairs were neatly placed and sorted according to status. Leaders were seated above on the first floor while the rest sat below. A ring several meters wide stood in the center of the hall. Dalia pointed her slender finger towards the ring and said, "That''s the stage where we spar." Leo, "Spar? Nice way to put it." Dalia shrugged. She led him towards their designated seats. Just as he was about to sit down Leo sensed a pair of eyes on him. He looked around and found Arthur glaring at him. What''s wrong with this guy? Leo shook his head and sat down. Soon the chairs were filled, Leo was waiting for the program to get on as soon as possible because he could still sense those pair of eyes staring at him. He is crazy. Luckily everyone was seated and soon the program started. A middle-aged man said some stuff about their history and some other usual banter before he announced the rules for the competition. The rules were pretty simple, no killing, once the opponent surrenders the match is over and any further attack will be seen as intentional harm and will be punished. Leo suddenly asked Dalia, "How many class S are there?" Dalia looked at him with surprise but still answered, "Nine." Leo raised an eyebrow, "That''s a lot less than I imagined." Dalia shook her her head and said, "It''s not easy to find a person who is naturally awakened with the talent to become a class S Extraordinary. And some of them might even die in the line of duty. So the number of class S has always been small." Leo nodded. The matches were starting, the first match was between two class C''s. Since westerners used guns as standard mode of attack these two class weren''t that different however the bullets were made of some type of rubber material. Dalia was watching the match when she asked, "How many class S do you have on your side?" Leo thought for a while, "Well, I still don''t know how strong a class S Extraordinary is so it''s hard for me to say, but making a rough guess I would say, including those retired men, eight." Dalia''s eyes went wide like saucers, "You have eight class S!?" Leo nodded, "Hmm, there are four more if you don''t consider official standing, including me." He continued to watch the match while Dalia looked at him in shock. Eight plus four, that''s twelve! They have twelve class S! Dalia was shocked so much so that she even forgot to close her mouth. Arthur saw how they whispered to each other and clenched his fist. An old man seated next to him sighed and returned his gaze to the stage. Names were called out one by one. Since only Leo and Dalia signed up from the intelligence department their names weren''t called out yet. After the sixth match Leo''s name was called. He took his sword and walked out. Dalia encouraged him and clapped when he walked out. Leo was quite embarrassed as everyone looked at them weirdly. He walked onto the stage and found a young man to be his opponent. He had brown hair and black eyes, wearing the standard clothes for agents he stood there with a smile. As Leo walked in he said. "Nice to meet you, my name is Evan." Leo replied, "Same here, my name is Leo." Evan chuckled, "I know who you are, after all you are famous in our circle nowadays." Leo smiled, "I am flattered." Evan suddenly turned serious, "I know you are strong but I still want to try." Leo, "I wouldn''t want it any other way." The referee gave the signal and the battle began. Chapter 57 - 57. Not Simple The moment the signal was given, Evan jumped to the side. Like lightning he drew out his pistol and shot at Leo. However what happened next shocked him. The bullets seemed as if it was plunged into a quagmire, it slowed down and hovered infront of Leo. Evan had the scare of his life, he blankly stared at Leo for sometime and laughed dryly, "You win." He put back his gun and walked away, Leo also stepped down and went to his seat. Along the way everyone looked at him with shock, curiousity and admiration. Even Arthur had a serious look on his face. The staff went onto the stage and collected the bullets. However they were surprised to find scars all over the bullet, they didn''t think further and left. Dalia had stars in her eyes as she watched Leo. The whole match didn''t even last five minutes, Leo just went up, greeted his opponent and won right after the match started. Deducting the time to walk to the stage back and forth, he only spend roughly two minute on the stage. Dalia said with admiration, "That was cool." Leo chuckled, when he sat down he could still feel those pair of eyes glaring at him, if looks could kill Leo would have died a thousand times. After Leo''s battle Dalia''s name was called out. Her opponent was a class B Extraordinary. The battle was intense and it took some time but ultimately she won. Leo and Dalia had two more matches before the first round came to a close. The first round sorted out the strongest combatants from each class. Leo was categorised into class A which came as a shock to everyone, after all he was just nineteen. The class S Extraordinaries watching from above all had serious expressions. The head of Dark Light, Edward Highland said, "That guy..." A man similar to his age smoked a cigar and asked, "He defeated a class A Extraordinary just like that, this kid is not simple." Edward replied, "Larry, I know what you are thinking but it''s useless. He isn''t an Extraordinary, he is a normal human." Hm? Several pairs of eyes looked at him. Edward turned his gaze towards them and said, "He train in something called Breathing Techniques, it basically works by providing huge volume of oxygen to our blood and thus strengthening every aspect of our body." "However a major drawback is that it takes too much time. Just mastering the the technique would take a year and that''s for those with talent. It takes even more time to master forms that comes with it." "This kid is talented enough to train to such an extent given his young age." A middle-aged man sitting next to Larry said, "So it''s a completely different system." Edward nodded his head, "It takes too much time, only talented individuals can reach class A in a short time. And I am not even sure if an Extraordinary will be able to train in his methods." The middle-aged man narrowed his eyes, "Why so?" Larry snorted, "Hmph! Did he give you say that?" Seeing Larry angry another person seated with them, a beautiful woman in her thirties said with a smile, "Calm down gentleman. I am sure Edward has a reason behind his words." Edward smiled, "Looks like Christine knows me best." The beautiful woman named Christine chuckled, "So, why do you think Extraordinaries can''t train in this ''Breathing Techniques''?" Edward sighed at her question and said, "From where he come from there is a species called demons. Like Extraordinaries demons have heightened strength, speed and regeneration. However they have one weakness, sunlight." "Demons feed on humans, so to battle them they use Breathing Techniques. These Breathing Techniques gives a normal human higher speed and strength to contend against demons." "However demons are incapable of using Breathing Techniques. Atleast that''s what he told me. Since demons and Extraordinaries are kind of similar, I believe Extraordinaries wouldn''t be able to use them either." Christine narrowed her eyes and asked, "And the scientific basis for this is?" Edward explained patiently, "I had doubts like you all did so I passed the information onto the Research department. It was them that came with a theory." "They believe Breathing Techniques will only work on normal humans or pure humans. It''s like a building, for a normal human their foundation would be weak and frail. Breathing techniques would break it down and build a stronger one." "However for an Extraordinary or a demon, their foundations are way too strong. It''s impossible to break it down to build a stronger one. And Breathing Techniques work in a way that it starts our slow but gets incredibly stronger later." "So, it works on normal humans and is useless for any other." All of them thought for a while and nodded. Larry suddenly asked, "It can be trained by normal humans?" Edward got the underlying meaning behind his words. The others also went silent, they were tempted by the power Leo showcased but they weren''t quite willing to spend that much time to train people and that too without a guarantee that they will succeed. After all an Extraordinary with decent capability can be awakened just be injecting the serum. "Hmm, Leo''s going on stage." Edward suddenly commented. The other three looked down and saw Leo stand against a man in his twenties. Christine had a smile on her face as she commented, "Let''s see how he fares against a class A Extraordinary. After all class B and class A are entirely different." Larry also smiled widely, "Haha, let''s see how that kid does against a class A Extraordinary!" Edward didn''t comment. He just silently watched what was happening. Leo stood against his opponent and waited for the referee to give the signal. His soul sense was spread out, he sensed a powerful energy emanating from this man before him. So this is class A. Let''s see what tricks you are hiding. The signal was given. The young man pulled out his gun in the blink of an eye and fired. However he wasn''t firing at Leo, his shots were all over the place and off aim. Leo frowned, just as he thinking if his opponent had problems with his sight all those bullets flying around him suddenly burst out with incredible momentum and shot straight for Leo. Leo thought. This guy is different. Chapter 58 - 58. Class A Abilities Leo was taken back. The bullets his opponent fired seemed to be filled with power as it forced it''s way towards him. However, after the initial surprise Leo looked on with interest. So this is the strength of a class A Extraordinary''s ability. Not bad. Like before every bullet slowed down before reaching Leo and looked as if they were blocked by something. His opponent already knew this would happen, he fired without stopping. By now the stage was filled with bullets. Looking from outside it looked as if the stage was filled with ping-pong balls bouncing around without stopping. Leo knew this would go nowhere and slashed with his fingers. Following his slash every bullet inching in his direction were shredded to pieces. No matter how many shots were fired it all ended the same. His opponent was visibly shocked and faltered for a second. He gritted his teeth and rushed towards Leo. Getting close he shot right at Leo''s face and pulled out a short black dagger. His movements were swift and precise however his opponent was Leo. The bullets were torn to bits, he saw his opponent swiping his dagger at him. He lightly took a step back and grabbed towards his opponent. His hand sn.a.k.e.d it''s way around the dagger and gripped the man''s arm. Using his back he did a shoulder throw. His opponent lost control of his body and loosened his grip on the dagger. Leo kicked the loose weapon and it shot back with incredible momentum. The man just landed on the ground when a dagger flew at him with incredible speed. It pierced the ground just an inch away from his face. He was shocked for a while before getting up with a wry smile. "I lost." With that said he went down. Leo nodded and got down as well. The spectators were dumbstruck, this was the first time they were seeing someone block bullets, though it wasn''t a real bullet no one would be willing to get hit by it. Edward squinted his eyes from above, "What was that? Some kind of ability?" Larry had a serious look on his face, "That''s scary. Those shots were torn to pieces before they could get even close! Didn''t you say that he was a human?" Edward nodded, "He is. After the competition I will ask his what it is personally." Back down Dalia jumped from her seat and clapped with all her might. Leo smiled and took his seat. "Awesome! Awesome! That''s way too awesome! Now we will definitely be able to rank high." Leo had some doubts, "If class A is only matched with Class A then why did I go through three before the Class A matchups?" Dalia rolled her eyes, "Duh! Your strength is a mystery to everyone here, so of course they will put you up against class B or lower to have an understanding of your capabilities." Leo was confused, "Then wouldn''t those I defeated before be at a disadvantage?" Dalia shrugged, "That''s their problem. Our Intelligence department is lacking when it comes to agents with battle capabilities. So let them w.h.i.n.e if they lost." Leo curled his lips and waited for his next match. Dalia however suddenly said something, "You better watch out for Arthur. He is strong." Leo was surprised. Dalia knew of his strength, atleast a part of it. If she still said to be wary of him then this Arthur guy must be strong, "What''s his ranking among class A?" Dalia said with slight awe in her voice, "He is ranked at seven." Leo raised her eyebrows, "Oh, that''s quite high for his age." Dalia shook her head, "That''s because he doesn''t actively try to raise his ranking, his current rank is only because the class S Extraordinaries acknowledged his strength and gave it to him. If he proactively tried to obtain a ranking no one knows how high it would be." Leo leaned on his chair and thought, This just got interesting. After three more matches Leo''s name was called out again, he was surprised when he saw his opponent. It was a woman, she had long black hair and pale green eyes. Her skin was slightly tanned and looked healthy. She smiled when she saw Leo and said, "Hello, my name is Evaline." Leo nodded, "Leo." Without further ado the referee gave his signal and the battle started. Unlike the other Extraordinaries Evaline didn''t pull out a gun rather she dived head first towards Leo. Taken back by surprise Leo raised his arm ready to receive her strike. However just as Evaline was a feet away from him she disappeared. Leo stared wide eyed at what just happened however instinctively he tilted his head to the side and dodged a shot that flew by his ear. He turned around and saw Evaline stand behind him with a smile on her face. If anything Leo was shocked, not because she sneaked upon but because how she did it. A space ability! Leo knew what it was and this shocked him. Evaline didn''t give him any chance and rushed at him and like before she disappeared and shots came from different directions. Calmly analysing what was happening Leo muttered to himself, Ten meters, that''s her limit. In just a short few exchange he was able to determine how far she can jump. After the initial surprise Evaline wasn''t able to get near him, much less get a hit on him. What a joke, if someone who grasped a domain could be easily hit then it wouldn''t be sought out by everyone. Knowing her abilities was useless against Leo she surrendered herself and walked away. Before she left she said something, "Watch out for Arthur he is far stronger than me." Leo raised an eyebrow, however he just smiled and left the stage. Chapter 59 - 59. Against Arthur The battle between class A''s were an eye opener for Leo, he was able to see different kind of abilities, like a man using his blood as explosives, another, a woman who used her hair like chains and so on. However there are differences in their battle prowess, from class B to A was a transition, every Extraordinary will experience an explosive growth in strength, those with talent would be able to merge quickly with this newfound strength and develop it further. There weren''t that many class A''s, so the battles were quickly coming to an end. By purpose or not Leo still didn''t get matched up with Arthur. Everyone was waiting for the competition to end with a bang. "Arthur!" "Leo!" Both their names were called out. Leo stood up and walked towards the stage, everyone followed him as he stepped onto the stage. Arthur stood opposite him with a cold arrogant look on his face, "You are going down." "Oh." "Begin!" The referee swung his hand down and yelled loudly. As soon as his words left his mouth Arthur disappeared, like a ghost he appeared behind Leo, his pistol was already drawn out and aimed at Leo''s head. Bang! A shot was fired, Leo seemed to have an eye behind his head, he tilted his head and kicked back. Arthur scoffed and vanished again, this time he went low and fired several shots. Witnessing his speed Leo was surprised, he used his sword domain and shredded the bullets. Arthur wasn''t shocked, he calmly dodged around Leo and fired many times. Leo didn''t bother to dodge the bullets and simply destroyed them, however Arthur was different from other Extraordinaries, he was a close combat expert. Combined with his precise shooting he used several opportunities to try and knock out Leo. After fifty or so exchange Arthur retreated and looked at Leo seriously, "Be proud, mongrel, you actually managed to make use my full power." Leo was surprised. Arthur suddenly disappeared again, without a sound he appeared beside Leo and fired. Like before Leo tore the bullet to pieces. Hm? Cold wind? Where did that come from? He wasn''t given any chance to ponder as Arthur resumed his attack and luckily he didn''t have to think any further as the answer presented itself. Leo tore the bullets coming at him, but as he did so a cold wind started to assault him. He was slightly stunned as he saw what was happening, Arthur''s bullets were covered with a faint layer of blue energy. Even though he destroyed the bullets the energy still propelled forward and managed to hit him. He looked at Arthur in shock and asked, "Double abilities?" Arthur smirked. Leo rubbed his nose when he saw that smug expression of his, however he gotta say, this Arthur guy was extremely talented. He had the extremely rare Space and Ice abilities. This puts him head and shoulders above other priests, no wonder everyone told me to be careful of him. Leo was lost in thought when Arthur attacked from all sides. The air was starting to get colder with each shot, even those sitting down below felt their breathing slightly hard. Getting shot by several blasts or cold energy Leo''s body was covered in frost Arthur placed his gun back in his holster and said, "It''s over." By now the air inside the stage was well below zero. The ground was turned to ice and sparkled under light, Leo stood at the opposite end fully covered in frost. Those class S Extraordinaries also nodded their heads after seeing Arthur''s prowess. Edward said with a smile, "This kid got stronger." Larry laughed, "Looks like Lex has a good son. Seems like the abilities of this eastern guy stops here." Hilson showed slight disappointment, "Training can only get you so far." Christine said with a chuckle, "That''s of course. Humans have limits, it''s naturally impossible for a normal person to beat an Extraordinary, who broke past his limits." Edward nodded, he was about to say something when he realised that the referee still didn''t announce the victor. He looked over in confusion and was stupified. Arthur had an arrogant expression on his face, "I told you, you abilities are nothing infront of me!" Leo who was covered in frost showed a mysterious smile, he opened his mouth and said something, "You are definitely strong but... you still don''t understand the horror of a domain." Huh? Arthur was about to speak when he suddenly opened his mouth wide like a hippo, his eyes stared so wide that they looked like they were about to pop out of his sockets. Arthur failed to even react, he didn''t see or sensed when a sword was resting on his neck. Cold sweat slid down his throat, he felt as if his whole body was under the gaze of a horrible beast. The referee saw the situation and failed to react for some time, however he snapped back soon and shouted loudly. "Leo wins!" Everyone beneath the stage went silent for a moment before erupting into madness. Leo beat Arthur, this wasn''t just any Extraordinary but a top player that had naturally awakened and had two abilities. However such a person was defeated! And the most amazing part was, they didn''t see it. Yes! They didn''t see it, it all happened in an instant, at one moment Arthur was about to be declared the winner but at the next, he was defeated. Leo took back his sword and walked back to his seat. He smiled inside when he saw everyone''s stupified gaze. Chapter 60 - 60. Party Leo''s victory over Arthur was overwhelming, everyone at the scene started to take him seriously. And because of this he was surrounded by people who asked him all kinds of questions, Leo found it both amusing and annoying. After the competition a party will be held on the same day. This is like a gathering for Extraordinaries from all parts of the country. The day passed into night. Leo was wearing a black suit with white inner shirt, the clothes were specially made and a perfect fit for him, looking himself in the mirror he felt a little nostalgic. Shaking his head with a smile Leo walked out, on his way he grabbed his sword as well. As he walked out he saw Dalia stand outside wearing a red dress, her hair fell over her b.a.r.e shoulder like a waterfall, she looked absolutely gorgeous. The waiters turned their head from time to time to sneak a peek at here. Leo looked at her and said with a chuckle, "Wow, I never knew you were so beautiful." Dalia scoffed and raised her chin, "Praise this lady more." Leo laughed out loud and walked over. Dalia was slightly dazed when she saw him smile. Leo wasn''t an out of the word handsome man but he was very good looking, had a calm demeanor and had slightly tanned skin gave that him an exotic look. Moreover he had this peculiar aura that drew the attention of others. She quickly snapped out of it and slightly blushed, both of them walked out and boarded their carriage. Soon they reached their location. Several carriages were parked beside them, as soon as Leo walked out many guests came to greet him. Especially some girls who accompanied their fathers or brothers or mothers, their eyes lit up when they saw Leo. Strong, good looking, had a m.a.t.u.r.e charm, who wouldn''t go for a man like him. However when they saw Dalia walk out their enthusiasm slightly took a hit. He was with such a beautiful woman, would he still look at them. Leo had experience in business in his past life so he knew how to deal with people. With a great beauty by his side Leo walked in with his sword. Many of the guests were already there and Leo''s arrival was quickly brought to their attention. At this point everyone was curious and in awe of his strength, after all he defeated Arthur in an instant. After some pleasantries Leo went to the balcony and looked towards the sky. He always found it peaceful to look at the dark sky that looked like a collection of bright gems. "A lot of ladies are looking for you and here you are, looking at the sky." Dalia walked over with a smile. Leo turned his head and chuckled, "I also got a lot of vengeful glares." Hearing his quirky comment Dalia shrugged, "Ai, it''s a crime to be born a beauty." Leo could only laugh at her comment. Dalia suddenly changed the topic and asked, "Why do you always carry your sword with you?" Leo rolled his eyes, "I am a swordsman, why wouldn''t I not have a sword with me?" Dalia giggled, "When you say it like that it makes sense but we are living in a lawful society, having a sword with you in a public place will land you in jail." Leo shook his head, "No it won''t." Dalia asked back, "Why?" Leo smiled slyly, "I have fast legs." Dalia was dumfounded for a second before laughing out loud. Her c.h.e.s.t trembled when she laughed, Leo pried his eyes away and continued to look at the sky. "Hey, tell me, honestly, how did you beat Arthur?" Leo looked at Dalia with a peculiar smile and asked, "Are you asking that as a friend or as a Dark Light agent?" Dalia was stunned and dodged her eyes. Leo laughed lightly, "If Edward wanted to know my secrets he could have just asked. Anyway, to answer your question, I used a domain." Dalia quickly asked, "What''s a domain?" Leo rubbed his chin and pondered for a moment, "Martial arts have different stages, in each stage the power a person can unleash will vary. Take a beginner for example, he can fight one normal person with his skill and come out on top." "However when a master fights, he or she can take ten normal people and still clinch victory. This is the difference in mastery. My mastery is so high that I have formed my own ''Intent'' or ''will''. Each of my attack will contain the essence of my understanding towards martial arts." "Intent can be released to form a domain. Within this domain I can see everything and control everything, and my attacks will be amplified. The reach of this domain will depend on my ''Intent''. Stronger and deeper my ''Intent'' the further it can reach. Dalia covered her mouth, her voice contained shock as she asked, "There is such an ability?" Leo corrected her, "Don''t think of it like an ability, it''s a skill." Dalia asked with expectation, "Can I learn it?" Leo nodded and said, "Yes, you can. But guys follow a completely different system of training. And like I told you, if you can grasp the essence of martial arts then I don''t see why you won''t be able to do the same." Dalia was initially excited and asked, "Really? I can do the same as long as I train?" Leo smiled and said, "Do you really think it''s that easy? You need to dedicate yourself to martial arts, focus your mind and body on it otherwise a lifetime of training will get you nowhere." Dalia''s initial excitement died down and asked, "But how come you did it?" Leo said, "My case is a bit different, I have had some lucky chances. We slayers have a completely different system of training. We use swords and train in it for years. We dedicate ourselves to pursue the path of martial arts." "If not for several life and death battles I had and a lucky chance, I would be the same as everyone, forever pursuing that peak." Dalia had completely lost her enthusiasm and looked dull. However she immediately cheered up and said. "Well, it doesn''t matter. I can still get strong without that dumb domain." "Yes, yes, you can." Leo laughed lightly and went back inside with her. Just as he got back in he saw a figure walking towards him. Leo had a headache when he saw who it was. Arthur walked upto Leo and said, "I lost this but time, but don''t think this is over. I will crush you next time." He said his piece and scoffed before walking away. Leo nearly had the urge to smash that smug face onto the shiny white floor, however he bore with that thought. This guy is crazy, better avoid him in the future. Leo shook his head and walked away, however he would come to realise that Arthur''s words had another meaning to it. Chapter 61 - 61. Facade "This Arthur Lex, he will be part of our unit for a while." Leo stared at what was happening. Sam was introducing Arthur to the team with a wide smile on his face. Dalia had an awkward look on her face while some people who knew what was happening laughed from the side. Dalia tried to sneak off when Leo glared at her, "Beautiful lady, you better take care of this." Dalia rolled her eyes, "How the heck is this related to me?" Leo grinded his teeth, "You dare say that." Dalia laughed dryly. Just as they were talking Sam came over and pulled them both for a private meeting, and of course Arthur was also part of it. Sam had a smug smile on his face, "Leo, Dalia, Arthur is here with a special mission. Our unit is to fully cooperate with him." Leo heaved a sigh of relief. Thank god, this guy''s didn''t come to challenge me. However thinking it over Leo found it reasonable, though Arthur had a high status within Dark Light, the higher-up''s won''t break rules to help him get a girl. Leo folded his arms and asked, "What special mission?" Sam didn''t answer and looked towards Arthur who took out a file and handed it over to Leo. He still had an arrogant face but atleast he seemed decent when it came to official duties. Leo and Dalia flipped it over, Dalia''s eyes shrunk when she saw the content while Leo had an interested look on his face. He closed the file and asked Arthur, "A class S? Are you sure?" Arthur put away his arrogant expression and said seriously, "Yes." Sam took over the conversation and explained, "There has been several missing people case near the docks for two months now, all without any leads. If it was an ordinary Extraordinary we would have found him or her by now." Dalia frowned, "Just because of that this one is a class S?" Arthur shook his head upon hearing her words and said, "That''s just the initial report, yesterday one more person went missing. And it''s because of that we suspect it to be a class S." Leo was curious, "Who was taken?" Arthur next words stunned Dalia, "A class B Extraordinary went missing, he was with his team when he disappeared. To silently take away a class B Extraordinary can''t be done by a class A." Sam also got serious, "This is serious Leo, usually rogue Extraordinaries don''t mess with us but this one did. There are two possibilities, one he is crazy. Two, he is not working alone. They have another objective." Leo nodded, "What''s the next step?" Sam pointed to Arthur and said, "You will team with Arthur and search the docks while the rest of us cover the area surrounding it." Kacha! A snapping sound was heard. Everyone looked over and found the chair Leo was sitting on now lacked an armrest. Leo laughed dryly and found a headache coming, "Why the two of us?" He dearly wanted to stay away from this arrogant guy who thought himself as someone loftier than everyone else. Sam heard his words and gave him a piece of paper. Leo saw it''s content and rubbed his forehead. On the piece of paper his name was written along with his rank as an Extraordinary. Leo Heart, class S. Sam spoke with a smile, "Witnessing your stellar performance the higher-up''s thought it was right to give you this rank." It immediately dawned on Dalia, "So that''s it! Usually a class S rogue Extraordinary would require atleast two class S or a team of seven class A''s. Now I know why they assigned this task to us." Leo sat there, stupified. If he had known he would be partnering with this annoying guy he would given upon the last match! Sam clapped his hands, "Alright. Arthur, Leo, you guys head towards the dock." He didn''t wait for Leo to speak up and immediately bolted. Dalia took the cue and rushed out while leaving these words, "Good luck!" Leo cursed in his mind for her shameless behaviour. He looked at Arthur and his forehead throbbed, "Let''s go." Arthur huffed and got up. Both of them set towards the docks. Along the way an awkward silence followed. Leo had never felt this stifled before, he didn''t know what to say or how to start. The atmosphere got heavier as time went by, Leo couldn''t take any longer and said, "You know I have no interest towards Dalia, as a matter of fact I have a girl back home." Arthur who was walking silently suddenly halted his steps and turned around abruptly, "Really!?" His voice was high and he had a pleasant expression on his face. Leo immediately replied, "Absolutely. She is only a friend and a co-worker." Arthur smiled widely and clenched his fist, "Yes! Haha, I knew it! Haha!" Leo was confused when he saw his odd behaviour, Arthur noticed he was acting weirdly and coughed. Ahem! "Hmph! It''s best if that''s the case! How can Dalia be joined to a mongrel like you!" His cheerful expression disappeared and his previous arrogance returned. Leo slightly opened his mouth in a daze, it took him a moment to analyse what was happening. His behaviour a second ago was in stark contrast to how he usually behaved. Suddenly he thought of something and a smile crept onto his face. He looked at Arthur who walked with big strides, his strong and arrogance presence was different from how he acted a moment ago. Leo controlled his best not to laugh and asked, "Say, why are you putting up a front as an arrogant and domineering man?" Arthur''s steps halted, he turned his head stiffly and asked, "Ho-How did you know that?" Puff... Hahaha! Leo couldn''t control it anymore and laughed out loud. Arthur realised he said something he shouldn''t have and was embarrassed. He rubbed his head and said, "Um... ahaha... please don''t tell anyone, ok?" Reigning in his laugh Leo asked, "I am curious, why are you acting like that?" Arthur raised his head and said seriously, "Of course, it''s for Dalia to like me." Huh??? Leo tilted his head in confusion, he had a feeling that something absurd was about to be revealed. Chapter 62 - 62. Class S Extraordinary Leo had a feeling that something absurd was about to be revealed. Arthur puffed his c.h.e.s.t and said proudly, "My father told me that a man should be proud and domineering otherwise he would be seen as weak and unreliable, no woman would fall for such a man." Your father is a weirdo. Leo cursed in his mind and looked at Arthur with sympathy. He patted his shoulder and said, "Good luck." Arthur was moved, he didn''t find Leo as hateful as before. He asked sincerely, "What does Dalia think of me?" Leo was wise enough to not crush a young man''s dream and said, "Not sure. Dalia is different, she is strong and valiant but at the same time she is also kind. If you want to make an impression on her I suggest you change your tactics." Arthur showed a thoughtful expression, "But my father said... Leo cut him off, "Every woman is different, you can''t go for a woman based the experience of another, or don''t tell me your father had tens of woman." Arthur hastily replied, "No! No! My father is devoted to my mother. Both of them were soldiers and met on the battlefield, they fought together and fell in love. My mother always says that my father was charismatic and strong and that''s why she fell for him." From the looks of it your mother is probably a lioness, of course that kind of woman only falls for a man like you said. Leo kept his thoughts to himself and said, "Try to change, be more accommodating and don''t look down on others. Dalia hates that kind of people." Arthur was stunned, "Really?" Leo was about to reply when he sensed something, his face changed and a cold expression took over. Arthur was about to ask what happened when Leo grabbed his collar and took off. Arthur, "#@&!!" Leo was moving so fast that Arthur couldn''t speak, his words were jumbled as strong wind pushed against his face. Not long after Leo saw a battle upfront, Dalia and Sam were tangled up against a man wearing a dark red suit, they were wounded heavily and bleeding. Several agents laid on the ground, unmoving. Most of them were unconscious while a few were dead. Too far. Leo looked at Arthur and said, "Sorry about this." What? Before he could make out what was happening he was thrown by Leo, like an artillery shell Arthur tore through the air. Air was gushing onto his face so strongly that his facial muscles were rippling like water. F*ck you, Leo! The man in red suit was about to strike at Dalia when he felt a killing intent lock onto him. Oh? He turned around and was greeted by a pair of frosty eyes. Bang! Bang! Two shots were fired. The man waved his hand, the bullets were flicked away. Arthur blinked again and was right infront of the man. His gun was pointed to his head. Bang! Bang! Bang! Shots were fired again. Cold air stared to spread around him, the man showed an amused smile. He twisted his head and doged the bullets. "Well, well, a class A with two abilities, you must the famous Arthur." His condescending voice along with his twisted head made Arthur abnormally shiver, however Dalia''s blood soaked figure woke him up as rage boiled inside him. This man dared to hurt Dalia! The man was facing two class A''s and yet he showed no signs of struggle, he just moved around, step by step. However each step had a rhythm and dodged Sam''s and Arthur''s attacks. Sam used a shot gun, it was larger than your average gun and had a large barrel. His arms were puffed and veins bulged around his arms like worms. Each shot contained enough power to blast off a reinforced concrete wall into smitherines. With two Extraordinaries with such capabilities the man should be at a disadvantage however he showed a carefree smile and seems to be taking a stroll among the hail of bullets. "Well, it seems playtime is over, gentlemen. A beast is upon us." He glanced back, a chilling light swept towards him. Just as he was about to be sliced in half he disappeared. The ray tore through the ground and left a deep scar before it crashed into a small wearhouse and cleaved it into two. Leo landed like a feather right after, his gaze swept past where the sword scar was and put his sword back into the scabbard. Sam sat down powerlessly and took in deep breaths. Arthur immediately went towards Dalia to help her. "I can get up." She plainly rejected him, Arthur laughed dryly and stepped back. Leo chuckled when he saw that, he turned his sight and walked towards Sam, "Alright?" Sam wrapped up his bleeding leg with a piece of cloth and said, "Yeah, never thought we would be ambushed." Leo nodded and asked with confusion, "Does it happen often?" Sam shook his head, he looked towards his men on the ground and said solemnly, "It does happen but not like this, a class S rarely makes a move on such a wide scale." "Then?" Sam looked at his bleeding arm and said, "Something''s up." Leo agreed with him. Soon the others caught up and cleared the area, the dead men were taken away and will be buried with honour. Their family will be compensated and taken care of by the government. After getting back to their base Sam held a meeting. "We have suffered some loss in this skirmish but was able to analyse his ability." Leo asked with some doubt, "Is it speed?" Sam nodded, "Yes. He has all the abilities of a regular Extraordinary but several times multiplied, however his special ability isn''t that complex, it''s just pure speed." "He can move with incredible speed and flexibility, and his battle experience is abundant. He is a dangerous target, we only battled him for a minute before you guys showed up. And in that sixty seconds he took down fifteen class C priests, killed two and almost took down two class A''s" "Conclusion: he is extremely dangerous. But the pressing matter is, he took the initiative to attack us, which begs the question, what''s his goal?" Chapter 63 - 63. Measures Sam''s words caught everyone''s attention. Leo thought for a while and couldn''t figure out why it was so. However Dalia had a conjecture, "I think we have been looking at this the wrong way. He did attack us and he did do it with ease but if he wanted to kill us, it wouldn''t be that easy." Her words made sense to everyone, a man wearing white checkered shirt asked with confusion, "That may be so but it still leaves us a question, why?" Leo looked towards the man, he was called Joseph and he is a class B Extraordinary. Prior to today he was on a mission and only got here for the emergency meeting. Arthur who was silent upto this point said, "Whatever his motive was, it will be made clear in the future, it''s best if we don''t come up with wrong scenarios and make dumb decisions." Sam nodded and said, "Alright. Coming days all of us will patrol the area, I will ask for some support from the combat division. Joseph, once William gets here you take a couple of men and patrol the area. Take some flares with you as well, if any situation arise, immediate use it." "Leo, Arthur, you two take some men as well and go around the port. I will continue with Dalia." Arthur raised his head and said indifferently, "There is no need for those weaklings to come... Ahem! Ahem! Leo coughed slightly and closed his eyes. Arthur frowned for a second before it dawned on him, "I mean, it''s better if both of us go alone, there is no need to risk the lives of other agents." Sam raised an eyebrow, he looked at Arthur who seemed different from his usual arrogant condescending self but since they were in an emergency meeting he didn''t think too far into it, "Then it''s settled." The meeting was adjourned. Walking out Leo secretly gave a thumbs up to Arthur. Dalia suddenly came up to him and asked, "Leo, wanna get some coffee?" Leo accepted, "Ok. Oh, Arthur, you can join us. Is it ok, Dalia?" Dalia hesitated for a moment and agreed, "Ok." The three of them walked towards the dining area and got some coffee. A strange silence followed the three of them, only the sound of sipping coffee could be heard. Leo found it suffocating and asked, "Ah, right. Dalia, I heard both of your families are quite close." Dalia didn''t immediately reply, she swirled the cup in her hand and said, "My father only had a single friend growing up and that''s uncle Lex, so yes, you can say our families are quite close." She went silent after saying that. Oh hell, got off on the wrong foot. Leo didn''t give up, "Heh, what is he like? I can hear from your tone that you respect this uncle Lex a lot." Dalia showed a light smile, "Of course, he treats me very well and he is the only one that supported me when I said I wanted to become an agent. He believed in me." "He must be a great guy." Dalia smiled cheekily, "Hehe, uncle Lex is easygoing and funny, aside from my family he is the closest person to me." Leo could hear how happy she was from her words, Arthur looked dazed when he saw her smile. Leo lightly nudged him under the table, Arthur snapped back and took a mouthful of coffee and swallowed it, he gathered his courage and asked, "Dalia, it''s been a while since you went to visit my father, do you want to go... sometime?" Dalia calmly replied, "Thanks for the reminder, I will visit him when I have time." Arthur''s shoulder slightly slumped as he said, "Ah, oh, al-alright." This is going nowhere. Leo suddenly thought of something, "Since we are free why don''t we spar?" Dalia''s eyes lit up when she heard him, Arthur was also interested to see the extent of Leo''s strength. "Alright/Ok" Both of agreed immediately. They finished their coffee and went towards the stairs that led underground. After walking down for sometime they came upon a metal door, a round handle was fixed to it. Leo grabbed the handle and twisted it, sound of metal rubbing against each other was heard and the metal doors were opened. The door was several meters thick and was quite sturdy. The three of them stepped inside. Leo faced them both and said, "Come at me." "Both of us?" Leo nodded. Dalia and Arthur hesitated for a second, however they suddenly felt a murderous intent lock onto them. Out of instinct they took a step back and pulled out their gun. Taking a deep breath they hesitated for a moment and attacked. Arthur took a side while Dalia attacked upfront, she moved like a snake and fired shots at Leo. Arthur however got close and used his space ability to blink above Leo. Leo stood there calmly and let the bullets fall. However they were shredded under his domain. Arthur and Dalia weren''t surprised, they knew Leo had a domain and these kind of simple attacks would do him no harm. Arthur continued to fire but this time his shots were laced with his ice ability. The surrounding air was starting to chill, however Leo was unaffected by this. His domain cut down everything around him. Suddenly Arthur did something unexpected, he blinked for a second and came rushing at Leo. Ice crystals materialised around his leg as he delivered a harsh kick towards Leo''s head. Dalia was stunned, she quickly adjusted herself and fired from Leo''s blind spot. Well... he changed his fighting style. Leo was slightly surprised, just slightly. He ducked his head, Arthur''s kick missed. He blinked again and swept towards Leo''s leg, Leo stepped aside to dodge. All while he was battling Arthur he was also blocking Dalia. Arthur let go and used his abilities crazily, the air around them was now foggy and could freeze a normal person to death. Within this freezing fog Arthur blinked around and attacked relentlessly. Shots after shots were fired as Arthur blinked around Leo, however unlike their fight before Arthur didn''t completely rely on long range attacks. With each shot fired he got close to Leo and striked at lethal points. Cold air wrapped around his body like an armour, each strike carried bone chilling cold power. Leo had to focus his domain to destroy the cold air before it reached his innards. This guy... By now Leo was stunned. Arthur was learning amidst battle, his tactics as well as battle prowess was improving by leaps and bounds! The air within the secret room was filled with cold air, ice started to cover the walls and the floor. Dalia could feel her joints turn stiff from cold and retreated. She could no longer participate in this battle. Only the sound of guns firing could be heard. Within the freezing fog Arthur was panting, his body was covered in frost and was trembling but there was a glint in his eyes. His pupils shrunk when he saw Leo stand amidst the cold leisurely, he wasn''t the least bit affected! Taking a deep breath Arthur withdrew his power, the fog started to disperse and temperature returned to normal. As soon as it disappeared Arthur fell down and fainted. Dalia was startled, she hastily ran to him and checked his pulse. She only drew a breath of relief after knowing he was fine. Leo stood beside them and said with admiration, "This guy is something, he grew in battle." Chapter 64 - 64. True Goal Leo and Dalia walked out with Arthur. He was hung on Leo''s shoulder like a rag doll, Dalia''s mouth twitched when she saw this. As they reached the ground floor they saw Sam going through some papers, hearing footsteps he looked back and almost popped his eyes out, "What the f*ck!? What happened!?" Leo shrugged, "We sparred." He threw Arthur like a sack of rice to a nearby couch and sat down. Sam nearly spurted blood when he saw this, "Sparring made him into that?" Leo didn''t comment, he took a cookie from the desk and started to eat. Dalia explained what happened and only then did Sam relax. The night passed by without any incidents, Leo and the rest went to get some shut eye and only at noon did they wake up. After a sumptuous meal Leo was guided by Dalia to an emergency meeting, it seems the reinforcements from the combat division was here and they had some info about what happened last night. As he walked into the meeting room he saw two middle aged men talking to Sam. They saw Leo walk in and got up to greet him, "Nice to finally talk to you Mr Leo, my name James and this is Deacon. We have been temporarily posted here to aid you in every way possible." Leo shook their hands and said some polite words. After pleasantries were done James started to speak, "We know what happened last night, as a matter of fact we are here especially because of it. By the way, where is Arthur?" Sam faltered for a second, "He sparred with Leo last night and hasn''t woken up." Oh? James and Deacon looked at Leo for a second, then their eyes darted towards Dalia and showed a knowing smile. Deacon took over the conversation, "As of last night, a total of six bases were attacked simultaneously. There goal was to locate Patrick." What!? Sam stood up in shock, not only him even Dalia had the same reaction. Leo looked at them in surprise and asked, "Who is this Patrick?" Sam looked solemn as he said, "That''s the name of the person who created the serum." Ah... Leo recalled who it was and asked in confusion, "Wasn''t that a few century ago? He is still alive?" James shook his head, "No, they aren''t the same person. The Patrick you are talking about is the forefather of this one." Deacon explained, "It''s like this, Patrick is the name given to the most outstanding descendant of the man who invented the serum." Leo understood. Sam asked, "Why would Extraordinaries search for Patrick now? And they even attacked six base for that, that''s overkill. Patrick is important but his importance isn''t that high for those rogue Extraordinaries to search for him in such a reckless manner." James knew what Sam was implying and said, "I know what you mean, but that information is classified." Sam widened his eyes, "Classified? You mean a class 8 agent like me doesn''t have the right to look at it?" Deacon nodded. Sam''s mood became even more serious, Leo had no idea about the classification of agents so he asked Dalia, "Hey, what''s this agent rank about?" Dalia whispered, "Agents are ranked from 1 to 9. To rank up one would require double the amount of the previous one. And your strength has nothing to do with these ranks. Even if you are a class S you have no right to view any of the classified information if you don''t have the corresponding rank." Leo rubbed his chin, Even a rank 8 agent doesn''t qualify? Interesting. Deacon looked at Sam and apologized, "I am sorry, Sam." Sam shook his head, "Don''t worry, it''s the rule, you don''t have to apologize. But I do have a question, why did they attack six base in one night?" James explained, "Patrick moves around a lot and his whereabouts are top secret, even among the handful of rank 9 agents only three has the right to that information... Leo completed the rest, "So they attacked every base with a high chance of him being there." They all finally understood the jist of it. Sam asked, "What''s next?" Deacon said with a cold voice, "Find them and Kill!" Murderous intent started to pour out of Deacon. Leo and Dalia were startled, James patted his shoulder and only then did he pull it back, he looked at everyone and apologized, "I am sorry." Sam saw everyone''s confusion and said, "Deacon is an instructor in charge of training new recruits, 5 out of every 10 agents in every unit were once his students." Leo and Dalia understood, a teacher is like a parent, and to watch those men and women he considered as family to die like that... it''s understandable. Sam tapped his finger on the table and said, "Patrick is their goal, so we can be sure that their attacks will continue and since we have been attacked our unit is safe, for now." James nodded and said something that gave Sam the shock of his lifetime, "It''s for that reason we are moving Patrick to your base." Sam who had a solemn and serious attitude now looked like a clown, his mouth was so wide open that it could probably swallow a fist, his eyes stared so wide that it almost popped out. Dalia had a shock too, her fare and delicate fingers covered her cherry lips. Luckily her rank was limited and only knew of Patrick''s background not his importance and his ability so her shock was only limited to that. The most outstanding descendant eh, this would be interesting. James saw everyone''s shock except Leo''s, he was curious as to why Leo didn''t show the slightest change in expression but he had more important things at hand, "He will reach here by tonight, we will also be here to help you." Chapter 65 - 65. Patrick Leo had an amusing smile as he looked at Sam who was looking all serious and solemn, "You are way too serious." Sam straightened his back and said, "What do you know, this is the most protected individual within the organisation. I am the head of the Intelligence unit so I have to look my best." Dalia and Arthur nodded from the side, Leo shrugged and waited with them. Near them was James and Deacon who were also dressed neatly. Not long after a black car drove from the distance. It pulled near them and stopped. A beautiful woman got out and opened the backdoor. Sam and the rest straightened their backs and waited while Leo looked over to see what this Patrick looked like. Under several pairs of eyes a petite little girl about the age of ten or twelve jumped out. She had fair complexion and a pair of mesmerising blue eyes, the blue in her eyes was pure and untainted. She looked at everyone before her eyes stopped at Leo. That''s Patrick? While this question was running through everyone''s mind the little girl ran upto Leo and pulled his hand and started to scrutinize it, "Oh... Oh... Oh... Her curious wimps stunned everyone, Leo was stunned the most. He turned his head stiffly, and looked at James and Deacon. Both men had wry smiles on their face, they pleaded at Leo with their eyes to go along with her antics. Leo rolled his eyes, however his curiosity was sparked, "Patrick, what are you doing?" The little girl looked up and said, "You are a rude person, to call a beautiful young lady like me Patrick." Leo was stunned. He didn''t know what to say, luckily James hastily said, "I am sorry, I forgot to mention, Patrick is actually her last name and her code name, her real name is Emma Patrick." If looks could kill it would have burned James to ashes by now, Leo sighed at his bad luck and said, "Well, Emma, What are you doing." Emma rolled her eyes, "Rude man, how could you call a young lady you just met by her first name?" Leo was stunned again, he laughed dryly and said, "Miss Emma, what are you doing?" Emma looked at him with indifference, "Why should I say anything to a man I just met?" A vein popped on Leo''s forehead, This annoying little brat. Dalia couldn''t hold back her laughter, Arthur also chuckled from the side. Sam was staring at what was happening while James, Deacon and the beautiful middle-aged lady smiled wryly. To not further embarrass Leo the beautiful middle-aged lady stepped forward and said, "Emma, be nice." Emma pursed her lips and looked away. Leo smiled dryly and stepped back, he didn''t want to talk to this hateful brat anymore. James stepped forward and introduced, "Leo, this is Madam Christine, a class S Extraordinary. "Nice to meet you, Mr. Leo. Please forgive Emma for her rudeness, she is after all a kid." Christine shook Leo''s hands and greeted. Leo didn''t harp on the subject anymore and ignored Emma. Without wasting any time Sam led them all inside. The intelligence division had a classified area where only Sam could enter, they were led there. Leo and the rest watched curiously, Emma opened her small case and took out a syringe, she walked to Leo and stared at him. The atmosphere got silent as both of them stared at each other for some time. Emma puffed her cheeks at said, "What are you looking at, you pervert, never seen a beautiful lady before? Hmph! I will forgive you this time, quickly give me your arm." Why this little... Veins popped on Leo''s forehead, "Miss Emma, it''s rude to just ask for a man''s hand." Emma rolled her eyes, "I don''t want your filthy hand, all I want is your blood." F*cking little shit! A baleful aura surrounded the both of them, Christine sighed and lightly tapped Emma''s head. Emma scoffed and turned her head away, Christine apologized and said, "I am sorry, Emma want to analyse your blood so could you... Leo looked at the proud little princess and sighed. He held out his arm, Emma walked forward and tried to use the syringe but... Emma looked at the syringe in her hands and said, "The needle bent." The room went silent, Leo shook his head and bit his finger. He took the syringe from Emma''s hand and filled it with his blood. "His skin is thick." Emma muttered under her breath, Leo nearly spat out blood when he heard her. The others could only smile wryly. Emma unlocked the cases and pulled out several glass tubes and vials and started to work. While she was working Christine spoke to the rest, "Please forgive her rude behaviour." Sam didn''t mind and asked, "Why is she so angry at Leo?" Christine chuckled, "When she heard about how a normal human defeated an Extraordinary, she was stunned. After all most of the Extraordinaries out there are artificially awakened, and her forefathers created the serum." "An ordinary human defeating an Extraordinary? To her this was a great blow. And as proud as she is, she would of course resent Leo." Everyone looked at Leo with sympathy, this was unwanted hatred. Soon Emma was done with her experiments and said, "His blood didn''t show any abnormality, the only peculiarly was how healthy the sample was." Dalia asked curiously, "That''s a problem?" Emma seemed to have become a completely different person as she explained, "Human body isn''t perfect, some are born with inborn strength, some with intelligence, some with better eyesight, some with better hearing, some immune disease." "The serum focuses on improving the qualities of a human body, after a certain point the body will acquire some special abilities, this is the first step towards evolution, towards a higher peak." Saying upto here she looked at Leo and said, "The serum is like a bridge that connects to different points in evolution, however this rude guy didn''t need that bridge and is already on the path of evolution." Chapter 66 - 66. Unexpected Attack As her words were finished the room descended into silence, everyone looked at Leo in shock. The object of their shock however remained passive and showed a curious look towards Emma. Emma ignored their shock and continued, "Each class represent a process of evolution. However Class B to A is a qualitative leap. Once that step is taken, naturally or otherwise, the human body will completely change it''s make up. This change comes with benefits, and those are called Extraordinary abilities." "Before reaching class A, an Extraordinary''s ability will be limited in power and range. However once they reach class A, every ability will undergo a transformation. This is the true point of awakening, and only then would their abilities be called Extraordinary ability." "Those abilities mark the direction in which we develop, take Arthur for example, his abilities are Ice and Space, once he reach class S and goes through another evolution, his body will adjust itself to accommodate his powers and thus obtain greater power." Arthur and the rest paid great attention to what she said. Leo also had a curious look on his face. Emma turned to Leo, "This guy never took any type of serum, however his body is already on the path of evolution, right now he is equal to class S however, I suspect his evolution is higher than that." The room again descended into silence, if before they were looking at Leo in shock over his strength, now they were looking at him as if he was a monster. Finally Emma couldn''t hold it in and asked, "How did you do it? Humans have limits, even naturally awakened Extraordinaries have limits, but you... how did you do it?" Leo chuckled when he saw the vexed look on her face and felt good inside, he didn''t reply to her and said, "Putting aside how I achieved evolution, I am more interested in you." "You took a sample of my blood and learned so much from it, and in so little time. Now that is interesting, the instruments you used are just rudimentary, only used to store chemicals and to mix them." Leo rapped the table and continued, "Putting together some minute details I came to conclusion, you also have an ability." James, Deacon and Christine slightly stiffened when they heard him. Before they could interrupt Leo said, "Your ability should be something along the lines of analysing materials and obtaining info on them, correct?" Emma looked at Leo in shock, How-How did he... Leo chuckled, "Oh, don''t be so surprised. I am a Demon Slayer, it comes with the territory to analyse the abilities of my opponents." "Anyway, I also have another theory, I don''t know if it''s right or not, but I think the name or title "Patrick" isn''t merely a title." "It''s given to the one with this particular ability, am I right?" Crash! Christine lost control for a moment, the cup of tea she was holding slipped out of her hand and fell down. James and Deacon were so shocked by what they heard that their jaws almost hit the floor. Arthur and the rest were also shocked and knew that they came across something they weren''t supposed to. Christine snapped out of her shock and rubbed her forehead, "Mr Leo, that''s Classified information." Leo tilted his head, "So... James smiled wryly, "You shouldn''t have said it out loud." Leo understood and asked, "So... sorry?" Everyone could only smile wryly. Since the cat was out of the bag Christine didn''t hide it further, "Centuries ago, Patrick the first awakened naturally, and the ability he awakened helped him to analyse materials he touched." "A rare ability that allowed him to analyze any object and obtain close to 80 percent of it''s original data." "He mastered his ability over the years and came up with the serum. That was a groundbreaking moment for us. But as years passed by, we got worried that this ability will buried with him." "Fortunately fate wasn''t fickle as we thought, Patrick''s son inherited it. Emma is the new generation who will carry on that legacy." It was the first time Arthur and the rest were hearing this news, so they were shocked. James and Deacon already knew of it so they didn''t have much reaction and they were glad to see the shock on the face of the rest except one. Leo had a passive look on his face, he merely acknowledged what was heard and didn''t show any reaction. Emma proudly puffed her non existent c.h.e.s.t, she was really proud to be a Patrick, especially since she inherited the title. However what made her irritated was the indifferent look on Leo''s face. "Hey! What''s wrong with you!?" Leo looked at her eyes and curled his lips, "What? Did something happen?" Emma bared her tiny teeth like a puppy, "Why aren''t you reacting? Aren''t you impressed by my family''s glorious history?" Leo tilted his head and said innocently, "Yeah, they were amazing." Emma stomped her feet and asked, "Then why aren''t you shocked?" Leo looked at Dalia and asked, "Should I be shocked?" Dalia covered her mouth and giggled, she knew Leo was messing with her intentionally for what happened earlier. Emma was like a raging little puppy, she pounced at Leo and tried to bite him. This shocked Christine, she failed to react in time. Leo saw Emma trying to bite him, he was about to dodge when a serious look took over his face, "Someone''s here." Without waiting for anyone to react he stretched out his arms and pulled out his sword. Like a loose cannon he shot towards the ceiling and slashed his sword. Aaaahh! A shrill rang through the room. Following that blood sprayed out and a man fell down, his head rolled over the floor and left a bloody trail on the ground. Christine quickly shielded Emma, everyone else got raised their guards and was ready for battle. However Leo sheathed his sword and said, "They are gone." James asked solemnly, "Did they hear us?" Leo shook his head, "No, I don''t think so. This one just appeared out of nowhere." Arthur frowned, "It wasn''t a space ability, I would have sensed it otherwise." Sam had an ugly expression on his face, this was his base, and an rogue Extraordinary dared to walk in here! He was furious, his fists were clenched so tightly that his nails dug into his flesh. Leo saw his expression and said, "An Extraordinary with sneaking abilities, that''s troublesome." Chapter 67 - 67. Nightfall The meeting room was solemn, Christine and Sam had ugly expressions. James said sourly, "This is bad. They knew about Emma''s movements!" Sam nodded, "They moved fast, which means whatever you guys are doing is either dangerous for them or extremely beneficial for them, and they are willing to break in knowing there would be atleast be one class S inside." His words seems to have hit the nail, Christine didn''t speak but her face explained everything. The room got silent, Leo ignored the silence and said, "The amn I just killed is a clone, his main body now knows there are two class S here." "Since they were bold enough to break in then we can assume that the fight isn''t over. The sun is still up, the true battle will begin at nightfall." "They now know of me and Madam Christine, so if they attack... He didn''t need to finish for others to understand what he was saying. Two class S, and if the rogue Extraordinaries still attacked, then that means they are confident enough to win. Leo shifted his gaze towards Emma and asked, "What the heck are you researching for these rogue Extraordinaries to get so worked up about?" Emma dodged his eyes, however she slightly tightened her grip on her personal pouch hanging on her waist. Leo saw this and didn''t comment, anyway he wasn''t the least bit interested. The unit got busy, Sam ordered everyone to be prepared. The unit was fortified, and patrolling was doubled. Leo even saw several gattling guns sticking out of the wall, he was surprised that this technology was developed this far back or maybe it''s because this world is different. Sam put Emma deep inside the unit, without going through all the agents and two class S, the rogue Extraordinaries won''t be able to reach her. Everyone was tensed, only Leo seemed relaxed. He battled Muzan and nearly killed him, if it isn''t someone of his caliber then it wasn''t a challenge to him anymore. However he was curious about class S Extraordinaries. Slowly the sun disappeared and darkness fell over the city. Lamps were lit and brightened the entire unit. Sam held his large shotgun and waited. One hour... two hour... Time ticked by and yet there was no signs of movement. Leo and Sam waited patiently however the men behind them slightly relaxed their tensed mind. "Sir Leo... Before he could say anything else Leo stopped him. His spiritual sense was focused on this man, he sensed a different presence for a second on this man but it was now gone. Just as he was guessing what was happening another presence popped up in a different direction. Leo had a bad feeling about what was happening. Boom! Without notice an agent pulled the pin on a grenade and threw it to his own feet. The other agents couldn''t react in time, a few of them were swallowed in flames and died. Within his spiritual sense Leo sensed the same presence popping up all over the place. The men had a confused look in their eyes and their bodies turned stiff. Leo shouted, "Sam, get your men to stand down and retreat! They are being controlled!" His words echoed through the night, Sam was stunned for second before he reacted. He immediately knocked out the two men near him, they fainted and fell down. "Arthur! Knock them out!" Arthur didn''t wait around and disappeared, his ability to use space jump prooved useful. Leo also joined the crowd, like a ghost he flashed around the men, making them drop down like dead logs. However they couldn''t reach everywhere. Boom! Boom! Boom! A few more bombs went out, killing several more agents. The worst part was the gattling gun, the one behind it was also controlled! Leo had to stop him to avoid any further death. He rushed towards the gun and tore down every bullet coming his way. Slash! He waved his sword and sliced the gun in two, going towards the man behind it, Leo struck his head and knocked him out. Looking around the chaos that was happening Leo frowned. This Extraordinary was troublesome, he was able to use some kind of method to sneak past his spiritual sense and control these men remotely. Sam joined Leo and said, "Leo! Go to Emma, I will take care of this." Leo nodded and disappeared. Along the way several agents pulled out their guns and shot at him. The hallway was narrow so it was impossible to dodge so he bulldozed his way through. Emma was already gone. Leo picked up a presence sneaking through the ground, it was two hundred metres underground. He frowned, however his priority was to save these three. With a step he was already infront of James and Deacon, he pulled them both back and retreated. The three men took a step back and looked at Leo with interest. All three of them wore standard clothes and looked like middle aged men. A slightly bulky man asked, "Is this that new class S guy?" Another one answered, "Yeah. Be careful, he is pretty strong." Leo identified this one, it was the same guy who ambushed Sam and Dalia. He stepped forward and slashed with his sword. The man disappeared leaving an after image, the slash cut his afterimage and created a scar on the floor. He sneered, "You have to do better if you want to catch me." "Is that so?" A pile of sliced flesh fell down and created a bloody scene. The other two men were shocked and immediately retreated. Leo stood calmly with his sword and said, "Since you are within my domain, it doesn''t matter how fast you can ran, I can still cut you down." Chapter 68 - 68. Dawn Project The man''s sudden death caused all the others to pause, shock was written on their faces. After a moment of silence the other two men realised what kind of enemy they were facing and immediately reacted. The bulky man raised his fists and punched out. Fire emerged from his fists and took the shape of a wolf before it plunged towards Leo. The other man took a deep breath, his c.h.e.s.t swelled up like a balloon. Puu! He blew out and shot pressurised air at Leo. Christine and the other two paled when they saw the attacks and yelled. "Leo, dodge!" Leo remained calm and waved his sword. The flame wolf and the pressurised air strikes were shredded to pieces. Seeing how easily their opponent destroyed their attacks caused them to take a step back. Sweat started to ooze out of their foreheads. Gritting his teeth one of the man rushed forward. Fire emerged on his body and covered him like a suit of armour. The other man went around and attacked Leo from his back. A fist covered in fire rushed at Leo from the front while a blast of air came from his back. Boom! An explosion shook the room. Christine''s face turned ugly, she pulled out a strand of hair and it turned into a long spear. Using the opportunity when her opponents were in shock she bolted towards the flame man. However just when she was about to take a second step she stopped and looked forward. Under everyone''s shock, Leo walked out from the flame, whereever he stepped the flames gave way. Sweat trickled down the mans face, he shouted to his companions, "Retreat! Retreat! Info was wrong, retreat!" The flame man was the first to move, he rushed towards the corner of the room where a large hole was and jumped in. The other men also ditched their opponent and followed. But before they could get to the hole a figure flashed infront of them like a ghost. Leo raised his sword and slashed down. A dragon manifestation rushed towards them. The men saw Leo''s figure and what he did, and the moment he slashed down every fibre of their being screamed danger. I will die!! All of them roared from the top of their lungs and still rushed forward. Their bodies swelled up, veins popped all over their body as power filled them. The dragon coiled around them and took a bite. The man at the forefront was bit into two, his blood spilled all over the floor. He was followed by the two more, the last one was slightly better, he reacted in time and twisted his body. He looked up and saw an indifferent pair of eyes staring at him, it felt as if those pair of eyes were looking straight through him. Fear crept into his heart, his body started to tremble. The regenerating parts squirmed, then swelled up before exploding. A second later it started to regenerate again but exploded. Christine gulped when she saw this. He is scared so much to the point that he couldn''t even control his body any more and exploded? She walked towards the man and pulled out few strands of her hair. She then stabbed it through the mans limps, effectively nailing him to the floor. After doing that she took out a vial and made him swallow it''s content. The man''s body stopped regenerating after he swallowed the whatever was inside the vial. Not long after Sam rushed in with Arthur and Dalia. After getting emergency treatment the room was cleared out. All of them sat down with heavy expression. Christine gripped her hand so hard that they turned pale. Sam looked at her and said, "They were very prepared, at point my men were controlled." Christine gritted her teeth, "Dammit! We were played! They attacked randomly for us to move Emma, then they used a spy to get our guard up." "As we fortified the base they sneaked in through the ground, and since the men were under their control the emergency signal was useless!" Everyone who heard her had a hard expression on their face. Leo suddenly looked at Christine and said, "For them to lay out such an elaborate plan, just what the heck were you guys researching on?" Sam the rest also looked at Christine, they also wanted an answer. Christine looked at everyone and stayed silent. Leo saw her hesitation and said, "You better come clean or I am out." Sam didn''t refute his words, he was also pissed. He silently started at Christine. Under everyone''s piercing gaze Christine sighed and said, "Project Dawn." "Emma''s ancestors created the serum by separating a special component from a naturally awakened Extraordinary''s blood. The serum can create artificial Extraordinaries but it comes at the cost of potential." "An artificial Extraordinary''s class is fixed at class C or below during his awakening, maybe a lucky few one could raised their class just once. However that''s it. Unlike naturally awakened Extraordinaries, their future is limited." "Project Dawn''s objective is to remove that limitation." Her words shocked everyone, Sam asked disbelievingly, "Are you crazy? This isn''t the first time such a research was carried out, and you know what happened in the past. You guys still dared to restart it again?" Leo asked, "What happened in the past?" Sam explained, "The serum''s drawback is very clear, and many of the top officers wanted to remove it. But several years of research proved that it was impossible. The end result of their experiments were deformed humans who had lost their sanity." Christine sighed, "We didn''t have a choice. Though natural Extraordinaries are rare, as population increase their numbers will also increase. We won''t be able to track down every single one of them." "And without proper guidance who knows what kind of people they would become. We needed something to keep the balance." Sam suddenly thought of something and asked, "Did the research succeed?" Christine shook her head and explained, "No. We made some improvements to the serum. With the new one artificial Extraordinaries will be able to evolve once with a 80 percent chance. But that''s the best we could do, anymore and the injected person''s body will break down." Sam grinded his teeth, "Dammit! Those guys got Emma! If those crazy bastards got the new serum as well... Chapter 69 - 69. Emma Rescued Sam had his men clear out the secret room and detained the one they caught. After a while a man walked into the base. "Mitch, Thank god you are here. Quick, interrogate that bastard over there. We need info on their base." The man who just came in, Mitch nodded at Christine and walked to the one they caught. He put his hand on the man''s head and closed his eyes. A vague purple hue covered both of them, Christine waited impatiently for him to finish. After five minutes Mitch took back his hand, his forehead was covered in sweat. He turned to Christine and said, "They are forty miles west of here, there are more than 40 class A Extraordinary and 5 class S Extraordinary." Sam was shell shocked. 5 class S Extraordinary? So counting the ones here they had more 11 class S? He sat down powerlessly. Christine also had an ugly expression, Mitch sighed and patted her shoulder before walking out. He had rushed over only for the interrogation and the outcome wasn''t pleasant. All of them looked at each other, they were powerless. Even if they gathered the other Class S it was impossible to storm the enemies base. Just as everyone was thinking what to do, Leo stood up and walked away. Just as he reached the door he called Arthur, "Hey, Arthur, let''s go." Arthur was confused, "Where?" Leo looked at him like he was an idiot, "Duh, to their base." Everyone was dumbfounded, only now did they remember how Leo killed four class S and captured the last one. Hope ignited in their eyes. Sam immediately sent a back up request to the headquarters. Leo took Arthur and rushed towards the base. They travelled for two hours before reaching their location. A worn down mine stood deep inside the woods. Leo used his spiritual sense and found the place structured like a maze. He also found several presence deep inside, and a few of these presence were stronger than the rest. Leo extended his spiritual sense, he saw dozens of presence inside the mine. Within these presence was five that stood out. He led Arthur and stepped inside. His spiritual sense gave him an eagle view of everything, it didn''t take long for them to reach an impasse. The ground caved downwards, Leo gestured at Arthur to be careful. He looked down and saw dozens of men patrolling the area. All of them had a sinister air around them. Right in the center was Emma, she looked scared and was trembling. Leo saw she was alright and shifted his gaze. He was looking at five demons that he sensed before. They are close to an Upper Moon''s level. Leo gave special attention to them because of this. Emma was right in the middle of these five, he was confident enough to take them on without, but to get Emma out without incurring serious damage was a tall task. He turned to Arthur, "Can you take someone with you when teleporting?" Arthur nodded his head, "Yes. But I can only blink several times before running out of stamina." Leo asked, "Is it enough get that brat out?" Arthur nodded. "Alright. In a minute I will make my move, take Emma and get out. That is your mission, under no circ.u.mstances are you to come back, am I clear?" Leo said solemnly. Arthur subconsciously nodded. As he said, Leo jumped out. He drew his sword and slashed out. The men below were startled. Some of them reacted immediately and jumped out, however some were unlucky and got caught in the attack. Blood dyed the ground, several of them were killed in a single strike. All of them looked up and saw a figure landing lightly on the ground. Leo didn''t wait around and rushed forward. He flashed before a man and struck his neck. Before the man could react his head flew high into the air. By now the men understood they were under attack and retaliated. All types of special abilities were released. Leo''s sword domain was at full play, his sword flashed around. Each stroke claimed someone''s life, the class S surrounding Emma frowned. "Who is this?" "This should be that new guy. Well, the info was wrong. He is killing them like plucking out weeds." All the remaining men looked among themselves. Among the five class S was a middle-aged man wearing a bowler hat, he narrowed his eyes and stared at Leo before saying. "We are retreating." The others looked at him oddly but didn''t disagree. Emma had a hopeful gaze when she looked at Leo. One of the class S grabbed her and rushed towards an opening on the wall. The other men followed behind. However they only moved several meters when a figure appeared before them like a ghost. Leo''s sword gleamed brightly, the man holding Emma couldn''t react in time. He only felt a scorching pain on his neck and his vision tilted. His body fell forward uncontrollably, Emma was let loose. Leo grabbed her and threw her into the air. Aaaahhhh! She screamed in fright. The men were startled, one of the class S jumped up to capture her. However Leo followed him and kicked him back down. Now! He jumped out and grabbed her, after taking a look at Leo he disappeared. The rogue Extraordinaries were stunned for a second before they reacted. A class S demon yelled, "Spread out and find her!" Just as he yelled Leo flashed before him, the last view he got was a pair of ice cold eyes staring at him. Leo couldn''t let them leave, he rushed towards one of the exits and slashed at the supporting beam. Crash! The beam collapsed under the weight. Leo didn''t bother to look and rushed towards the last exit, he destroyed it as well before turning around to face the remaining Extraordinaries. Now the only way to leave was the entrance he and Arthur came in, and that was several feet above the ground. All of this happened in seconds, the Extraordinaries brains short-circuited and they all stared dumbfounded at what just happened. His anger flared, he rushed at Leo. His body swelled up like a balloon, in an instant he was twice the size of an average man. He looked like a small giant. The muscles on his body trembled with power and he threw a punch at Leo. Seeing the incoming attack Leo dodged, he used his free hand and pulled the giant''s hand. The man felt as if his hand was clamped by iron, an uncontrollable force pulled him towards his enemy. He put power on his legs but it proved useless. Leo''s cut his head off and moved forward. That giant man fell down like a dead tree and formed a pool of blood. The class S Extraordinaries were shocked and shouted. "Attack!" Chapter 70 - 70. Tough Battle They didn''t hold back and attacked. By now they realised their enemy wasn''t a regular class S Extraordinary. A class A Extraordinary cut his own wrists, the blood flowed out and condensed into blades and shot at Leo. Another one puffed out a cloud of purple mist, wherever it went the place was corroded. Another one tore off his fingers and threw it at Leo. The remaining two class S Extraordinaries took the lead and reduced the distance between them and Leo. A solemn expression appeared on Leo''s face. His sword domain was at full power, Leo dodged the incoming blades and went around the purple mist. When he was slashing the torn finger his expression suddenly changed. Bang! When the dust cleared the Extraordinaries saw Leo walk out, however this time his shirt was burned. Facing nearly dozens of class A and two class S Leo felt pressure. He was against a crowd of people with weird abilities and leading them were two class S Extraordinaries. Suddenly Leo disappeared. "Watch out!" One of the two class S Extraordinaries yelled. But his voice came too late, Leo was already amidst the class A Extraordinaries A dragon and tiger manifested around him, he waved his sword and they crashed into the Extraordinaries, like a wolf entering a flock of sheep. Blood splattered through the air, Leo pushed off on his foot and attacked. The two class S Extraordinaries jumped into the fray and blocked his path. Leo nimbly dodged them and moved all over the place. The class A Extraordinary who ripped off his fingers and used it as an explosive before severed his arm from the shoulder and threw it at Leo. "Die!" Leo''s expression took a change. He held his sword and slashed several times, the bloody arm was cut apart. Using his sword''s blade he deflected all of it around him. Boom! Boom! The ground shook as the severed arm exploded. The class S Extraordinaries stuck to the walls and watched this from above. The fire died down and black dust masked their sight. "Did he die?" They were doubtful whether Leo died or not. Just when they were confused a figure broke out of the smoke. Leo''s attire was covered in dust and slightly burned, however his eyes were bright. He flashed before a class A Extraordinary, his sword ripped through his neck. Without waiting to see what happened Leo used the wall as a foothold and jumped towards his next target. The other Extraordinaries managed to react. One of the class S yelled. "Spread out, don''t get within three meters around him! Use ranged attacks!" Leo narrowed his eyes. As expected of a class S. The class A Extraordinaries obeyed the order and spread out. A few among them had long ranged attacks and bombed Leo with it. Leo didn''t panic, if this was before he fought Muzan Leo might have panicked but not now. He was a swordsman who had grasped intent and formed a domain, he was someone who went through life and death battles, he was someone who fought demons for days and nights without rest. Dodging the incoming attacks Leo targeted an Extraordinary who spat out mucus type secretion. ''Breath'' circulated through his legs crazily, his speed spiked up. In an instant he was upon the man. Without any hesitation his sword diced the man into pieces. The other Extraordinaries took this chance, poisonous gas, rock bullets, flesh explosions... Leo was surrounded. Bang! Sizzz! The ground exploded and corroded. The Extraordinaries retreated and waited for the smoke to clear out. Suddenly one of the two class S was startled, he rolled to the side. However he felt a prick on his neck and looked down. A sword had at some point pierced through the back of his neck. The pain of flesh being scorched assaulted his brain. Leo looked on coldly and shook his hand. A head flew through the air leaving a long trail of blood. Leo finally had a piece of mind, this man was quite tricky, he was the one who took Emma. His ability seems to be related to the psyche. Otherwise it would be impossible to control all those agents. It didn''t matter to him if the other Extraordinaries escaped but this one couldn''t. The last remaining class S Extraordinary reacted. He his mouth, his head swelled up and his mouth ripped open towards his ear. Razor sharp teeth filled his mouth. He roared and bit at Leo. Leo pushed off of his back foot and dodged. The class S missed and bite off a large part of the rock wall. He swallowed it and showed no signs of discomfort before rushing at Leo again. The other class A''s joined the attack. One of them stomped his feet, the ground trembled, spikes sprang out of it and tried to skewer Leo. Leo dodged the spikes but was hit by another demon who had turned into a snake. He blocked it with his sword but the power behind it was tremendous and he was blown back. Twisting his body in mid air Leo landed on the wall, his feet sunk deep into the rock and made cracks on it which spread out like spider webs. Just as he was about to move a bloody arm flew towards him. Leo jumped up and kicked the arm towards the class A spraying poisonous gas. The poisonous Extraordinary was startled and sprayed poison out of instinct. "Idiot, Don''t!" Chapter 71 - 71. Ending The class S Extraordinary yelled, however it was too late. The arm touched the poisonous gas and produced a shocking explosion. A cloud of poison erupted and masked the entire area. The Extraordinaries retreated to the distance band gathered where it was less crowded with poison. Their guards raised and waited for any sudden changes. Suddenly a red gleam flashed amidst the poisonous smoke. A class A was caught off guard, his head flew high into the air. Before the others could react several more red flash of light disappeared into the poison mist, following it''s disappearance was several more severed heads. The class S Extraordinary gritted his teeth and opened his mouth. A terrifying suction force erupted from him as he s.u.c.k.e.d in all the poison. His face went pale after he s.u.c.k.e.d in all the poison. Forcing down the poison acted up inside him, he looked around. His already pale face went even paler when he saw the sight before him. His opponent stood before him with a headless body kneeling infront of him. Several more bodies lay lifelessly around him forming a bloody pool beneath his feet. When the poisonous gas was fully cleared only a few of them remained. "Attack! Don''t hold back, even if this place collapse, we can still survive!" The class S Extraordinary yelled. He was staring to panic. A single person killed more than thirty class A''s and killed four class S! What kind of terrifying power was that? Their only option now was to go all out and find a way to escape or kill him. The remaining Extraordinaries knew what awaited them if they waited any longer and attacked with full force. One of the class A had turned himself into a serpent. The serpent coiled his body and shot towards Leo like a bullet. His large body gave no way for him to dodge. What''s annoying were the scales on his body, each scale acted like a high powered artillery. Dodging the innumerable scales Leo landed on the wall, however he immediately jumped away. Thorns shot out of wall where he landed. The serpent took this chance, his large tail swung at Leo. F*ck you! Leo was irritated to the max. He didn''t dodge this time and forced his way through. The serpent tail was cut into two, his sword shot through his body and went for his neck. Just a hair breath away Leo felt danger and took back his sword. A large head filled with teeth brushed past his face. Doing a flip Leo retreated. He tilted his sword, a dragon manifested around him, his speed spiked as he disappeared. "He is going after long ranged attacks!" The Extraordinary who used his flesh as explosives took a step back and threw a finger at Leo to try and distract him. The spear Extraordinary opened his palm, a long spear materialised on his palm, he thrusted it towards Leo. A white tiger materialised beside Leo, it swung it''s claws and severed the finger into million pieces. The explosion from the innumerable parts lit up the surroundings like tiny fireworks. "Damn! He tricked us!" The serpent growled. This human didn''t use this attack before, he tricked them. The White Tiger''s claw ripped through the air and cut through the Extraordinary using spears. Before he could regenerate Leo appeared beside him like a phantom and took away the last of his life. Watching another one fall the other men subconsciously took a step back. Leo rested his sword on his shoulder and said, "Hehe, did you think I took all of your attacks for nothing?" Oh shit! Leo cursed in his mind. Boom! Boom! Leo was like a boat caught in a storm, he was amidst the onslaught of the scale bullets. Deep pits appeared on the wall behind him from the impact, the scales trembled for a second before it shook free and returned to the serpent. The wall crumbled and dust filled everywhere. The remaining Extraordinaries retreated and waited for the dust to clear, they learned from their mistakes and this time watched each other. When the dust cleared Leo appeared before everyone, his clothes were ripped and a large wound appeared on his shoulder. "Impossible!" The serpent couldn''t believe his eyes. His scales had the capability to squash steel as if tofu but it only left behind a slight large wound on this human. Just how tough was his body? All the demons chilled from this sight. "Don''t give him any chance, attack!" They decided to take the chance. Leo was now wounded and clearly outmatched. The last class S Extraordinary charged forward, the explosive Extraordinary hung back while the last class A, the serpent hung back and blocked Leo''s retreat. Seeing the incoming attack Leo said to himself. Their abilities are tricky, if I need room to maneuver first this one''s gotta go. He jumped to the side and dodged the class S Extraordinary. He waved his sword, a dragon manifested and bound the class S. The explosive Extraordinary used several explosions and caught Leo off guard, at the last moment Leo slapped one of them and used it to change his center of gravity. Dodging the class S who got free, Leo went for the serpent demon. His eyes flashed, a White Tiger and an Azure Dragon appeared on both his side. For a moment Leo seemed to have vanished, when everyone caught sight of him again he was already behind the serpent Extraordinary. The serpent had a shocked look on his face, his body trembled as he failed to keep his control. The scales trembled and fell down one by one. "Blow it up! Blow it all up!" Chapter 72 - 72. Collapse The class S Extraordinary yelled at the explosive Extraordinary. He immediately tore of his arms, in an instant another one regenerated. He was about tore it again when a sense of death overwhelmed him. Leo was already upon him and in motion tried to cut off his head. Just a hair breath away, a large mouth opened wide and bit at Leo. Tsk! Leo snorted and pulled back, he reversed his blade and struck the class S. The class S didn''t retreat anymore, he glared at Leo and bit his sword. Idiot. Leo''s sword cut through the his innards, he was about to cut off his head when the class S retreated. The explosive demon had already pulled out his arms several times. He piled them up. "Let''s go!" The class S yelled. They jumped up and used the walls as foothold to reach the opening above. Just when the explosive demon jumped, red streak of light flashed before his eyes. The last class S Extraordinary was shocked. He looked back and saw Leo standing behind the explosive Extraordinary, his sword sunk into the man''s neck. "Help... me... He pleaded, however the class ignored him and rushed out. Leo shook his sword, the explosive Extraordinary''s head slid down on the ground. Leo was slightly panting, fighting several class S and dozens of class A took a major toll on his body. He didn''t chase after the last class S and ran out. Just as he took a step the ground trembled, cracks started to appear along the walls. Oh crap! Oh crap! He ran with all his strength, seconds later the exit was already in his sight. Crash! Boom! He was about to step out when the walls collapsed right on him. ... "Arthur, move aside!" Edward hollered at Arthur. Arthur shook his head and said solemnly, "Boss, Leo asked me not to interfere. If we barge in we might become a burden rather than aid him." Edward narrowed his eyes, "There are five class S and fourty Class A''s, he is only one man, no matter how powerful he is he will be outnumbered!" "Men, move in!" Arthur moved forward to stop him but Edward pulled him back and restrained him. Larry the other class S lead the men into the mine. But just as they were about to enter the ground shook. Larry''s face turned ugly, "Retreat! The mine is about to collapse!" The men turned back. The ground trembled more and more, Edward gritted his teeth as he looked at the mine''s entrance. However just before the entrance collapsed someone broke out of it. Arthur who was restrained by Edward saw who it was and yelled. "Boss, class S!" Edward also noticed them, "Kill them!" He let go of Arthur and rushed towards the last class S Extraordinary. Larry picked up a large box and threw it to Edward. Edward grabbed the box and pulled out a rifle, it looked no different from an ordinary one except for its large barrel. "Move!" He shouted towards his men, they immediately cleared the area. The class S Extraordinary was startled when they first came out and expected a hard battle. However their opponents suddenly cleared the way. Only a middle-aged man blocked them. However he recognised this man, Edward Highland, the leader of Dark Light! "F*ck off!" Though he recognised him that didn''t mean he feared him, the only thought he had now was to get far as soon as possible. Who knows when that monster would jump out. Larry jumped high into the air and spread out his arms before forcefully clapping them. A sonic blast spread out when he clapped, the rogue class S was caught off guard and was blown away. Edward took this chance, he slid his hand across the rifle. A small bullet slot was there, it was immediately filled. He took aim and fired. The rogue class S regained his balance only to be greeted by an overly large bullet. He was about to dodge when the bullet suddenly swelled in size. Not good! Boooom! The bullet exploded right infront of him. A purple mist smoke burst out along with countless small balls. The rogue class S couldn''t dodge them all and was injured. Several small holes appeared on his body. However he was still class S Extraordinary, his body reacted, flesh wiggled and spat out the small metal balls. But the damage was done. Edward and Larry were startled. A normal class S would take some time to heal but this one healed almost immediately. "Edward, this guy is different. Be careful." Edward was ready, he shot again but this time the rogue class S reacted and opened his mouth wide before blowing out. A powerful gust of wind was shot at Larry. Larry punched out again. Boom! Both attacks met and created a small explosion. Trees were uprooted and broken, the ground was cracked and turned over. Dust flew everywhere, Larry clapped again and cleared their view. The class S didn''t entangle with them and chose to escape. "Block him!" Larry yelled. A few class A agents used their abilities to slow him down but the rogue class S completely ignored their attacks, he gritted his teeth and took it head on and forced his way through. "Shit!" Edward cursed. He slid his arm across the rifle, two bullets filled the slot. However this time, the first one was black in colour while second was red. "Clear the way!" He shouted and aimed at the rogue class S far away. Boom! A shot was fired. Edward slid across the ground from recoil! His shoulder was slightly injured and bleeding. The rogue class S was far away when he had a premonition of death. His heart trembled, a cold sensation climbed through his spine. Chapter 73 - 73. Stupified The rogue class S twisted his body in mid air and dodged to the side. His eyes saw what gave him that sense of danger, it a black bullet. Faint red colour covered it''s black body. Before he could run far the bullet expanded and exploded. A dark red liquid sprayed out like a tide. Amidst the red water tide was innumerable black needles with barbs on it''s body. They grew in size as they flew. The rogue class S was shocked and dodged. Though most of the needles failed to reach its mark, some did. The rogue class S had his body torn through and large amount of red water entered his system. The rogue class S gritted his teeth and forcefully tore off an arm. His flesh squirmed and squeezed out a lot of the red water that entered his body. However he could still feel a part of the red water flowing through his body. It was slowing down his reaction speed and paralysing his muscles. But now was not the time to stay and force it out completely. He continued to escape despite his wounds. Edward was bleeding from his shoulder and slightly panting. He needed a minute to gather his strength to fire the same shot again but by that time the rogue class S would have escaped. Larry also shook his head in regret. Just as they were sighing a rumble came from the direction of the collapsed mine. Everyone collectively looked over. Bang! The collapsed mine suddenly caved in and someone blasted out. A figure covered in dust and smoke came out, his hair was a mess and his clothes were torn or burned apart, his shoulder had a deep wound and blood soaked his shirt. "Leo!" Arthur yelled in excitement. However Leo didn''t bother and looked over at the escaping rogue class S Extraordinary. His eyes burning with fury, he jumped on top of a large tree, his feet planted onto its bark, the tree started to quiver and bend into an arc before straightening out. A moment later under everyones shocked gaze Leo shot through the air and landed infront of the rogue class S. Creaaak! Bang! The tree broke in half and fell down, several agents nearly became meat paste under the tree. Luckily Arthur pulled them back. Edward and Larry were also shocked. Leo glared at the rogue class S before him. The rogue class S knew his life was at stake and decided to bet it all. "Go all out!" He yelled and rushed forward. His body and head swelled up. His mouth ripped to his ears and razor sharp teeth filled it''s inside. However just as he took a step forward a foot sunk into his gut and blasted him through a cl.u.s.ter of trees. "Go all out!? F*ck you! F*ck you! You almost made me a mine ghost! F*ck you!" Every agent including Edward and Larry looked at Leo who was thrashing the class S rogue Extraordinary like a mad bull. His body was covered in blood and soil, his limbs were broken and useless. For a moment they felt pity for him. After a while Leo didn''t sense any life beneath his feet and calmed down. It''s rare for him to get this mad, he was nearly made into a meat paste. When the mine fell, rocks weighing tons crashed on him. Almost all of his "Breath" was used up just to get out. He huffed and sat down. Seeing that it was over everyone rushed towards Leo. Edward and Larry looked at each other and sighed sadly. The power gap was heartbreaking. "Thanks Leo, if not for you Emma would have died." Leo waved his hand, "Oh please, that brat won''t die so easily." "What the hell does that mean!?" An angry imm.a.t.u.r.e voice broke his words. Leo looked behind Edward and Larry, Emma was looking at him angrily. Leo smirked, "A good tree attracts hatred, evil grows unimpeded. You are evil... brat." Emma nearly blew her top when she heard him, a few agents held her off. Some of them couldn''t help but laugh when they saw them bickering. The tense mood slightly relaxed. An agent came forward and cleaned Leo''s wounds, she tried to stitch him back up but the needle broke when it touched his skin. Edward ordered his men to clean up the area, since the mine collapsed it''s going to be hard to search for any materials the rogue Extraordinaries held. Edward and Larry could only sigh in regret. This was a class S Extraordinary''s base, it was bound to have some good stuff. Alas, everythings now under tons of rock. By the time the area was cleaned up the sun was already peeking out over the horizon. Leo''s wounds were simply cleaned and bandaged since stitching was impossible. He regained some strength and was able to walk. All of them returned to the base, Leo hit the bed once he felt his senses relax. He only woke up when the sun was setting. The first thing he did after waking up was to eat. He ate food for ten people, which shocked the owner of the restaurant. The owner was worried he got a runner but relaxed when he saw the bills stacked on the counter. Leo returned to the base after a hearty meal and found all of class S Extraordinaries there. Sam and few others he didn''t recognize was also there, of course that hateful brat was also present. "Hmph!" Emma snorted when she saw. Leo grinned and said, "It''s impolite to greet others like that, but of course that''s to be expected from a brat." "Go to hell, you damn monkey!!" Emma threw a piece of cake she had on her table. Leo simply caught it and ate it, "Atleast you know how to give snacks." Emma immediately flared up. Christine pacified her and winked at Leo. He shrugged and took his seat. As soon as he sat down he asked Sam, "I have earned my ticket back and more, right Sam?" Sam smiled lightly, "Of course. The organisation is happy to pay you." Leo nodded, "That''s good. Since I have some extra money it''s time for me to take a break." "You are taking a break?", Dalia asked. Leo nodded, "Battle and leisure should be combined otherwise life would be too boring." No one denied his claim as it was right. Continuous killing might change a persons psyche, it good to relax once in a while. Larry smiled, "It''s good to relax. What are you planning to do?" Leo thought for a second, "Just the usual, go for a walk, exercise, read, go fishing if possible, I don''t know, I am going to do anything that cross my mind." Chapter 74 - 74. A Break With everyone there the meeting started. Sam reported their findings from the mine and the subsequent procedures they were planning. It took two hours and by the time they were done it was already past eight. Leo took a break and went to grab something to eat. On the way he saw several agents who saluted him. He wasn''t accustomed to such a treatment and quickly walked away. Grabbing a piece of bread and a cup of coffee, he walked out and sat on a bench. He took little bites and sipped the coffee. His mind and body was completely relaxed and felt very comfortable. "Mind if I join?" Dalia walked over with a smile and asked. Leo waved his hand, "Please." Dalia sat down. She was wearing a suit and had her hair combed to the side. A few strands of hair fell down on her forehead. She looked extremely beautiful. Leo was taken back for a moment and smiled, "So? What is it?" Dalia rested her head on her palms and said, "Say, are you not the least bit attracted to me?" Leo truthfully replied, "You are very beautiful, but I already have someone. And to me she is the most perfect beauty." Dalia felt a pang in her heart, she squeezed out a smile and asked, "So who is this perfect beauty?" Leo looked to the stars, a reminiscing look flashed on his face, unknowingly he smiled, "She is clever and beautiful. Sometimes the little things will make her embarrassed, she is very kind and caring. I am lucky to have met her." Dalia could feel the happiness in his voice. Those were genuine words. She regretted not meeting him sooner. "You like her so much, she is very lucky." Leo laughed, "Haha, you know, at first we couldn''t see eye to eye." "Then how did you... Leo couldn''t help but remember that moment when he saw her b.a.r.e and was embarrassed to speak. He coughed and said, "Well... one thing led to another and, you know, we somehow got close." Just as they were speaking both of the heard footsteps and saw Arthur walking towards them. "Dalia, I have been looking for you." Leo said to himself. Arthur got to them and said, "I am going back home for several days, do you, um, wanna come with me? You said you haven''t seen dad for a while, so why not take this chance?" Oh, not bad. Leo muttered inside. Dalia glanced at him and pondered for a moment. It has indeed been a while since she saw uncle Lex, and she was planning to visit but... Suddenly she looked at Leo and brightened up. "Hey, come with us. Uncle Lex has a ranch, you can even go hunting. You are taking a break, so what do you think?" Leo wanted to refuse but Arthur looked at him with pleading eyes. Dalia''s words were she would go with Arthur as long as hep tagged along. Well, why not. "Alright." Dalia was happy to hear him and asked Arthur, "When are we leaving?" Arthur hastily said, "How about tomorrow morning?" Dalia nodded, so did Leo. ... Next morning. Arthur had a suitcase with him as he waited for Leo. Dalia was beside him, she wore a light blue skirt and a hat. Arthur stole a few glances from time to time. Just then Leo walked out. He carried a small suitcase with him and had his sword wrapped in a piece of cloth. "Alright, let''s go." "Hey, this is a nice car. The agency is quite generous." Arthur shook his head and said, "This isn''t from the agency, this is mine." Leo was surprised and pointed to the driver, "And him? Is he not an agent?" Arthur replied, "No. He is my driver." Leo asked puzzled, "Don''t the agency provide services for class A and above?" Arthur nodded, "Yes, they do." "Then... "Their cars aren''t of good quality." Leo was speechless. He asked, "You are rich, aren''t you?" Arthur thought for a moment and said, "I am." Leo rolled his eyes at him and asked Dalia, "Why is he so rich?" Dalia shot a look at Arthur, "Uncle Lex has a hand in a lot of business, which also includes military supplies." I see. Leo nodded. They didn''t speak much along the way, just some light talk here and there. The car took a turn from the road and drove into an estate. The driveway alone took five minutes. Leo saw a large mansion surrounded by vibrant green lawns and neatly arranged flower beds. Just as they got off a couple walked out from the mansion with several maids. "Dalia, my little girl, you are growing beautiful every day." The man had a solid build and slightly graying hair. He exuded a sense of dignity and power. Dalia hugged the man and said, "It''s been a while, uncle Lex." "Kiddo, are you forgetting your auntie?" The woman beside Lex had a serene, m.a.t.u.r.e aura around her. She also had graying hair but it only added a bit of authority to her. "Of course not!" Dalia immediately hugged the woman and smiled sweetly. "Oh, Arthur, come in kid. I heard from Edward, keep it up." "Yes, father!" Only now did Lex turn his attention on Arthur. Leo watching from the side had his doubts about whether Arthur was really this couple''s son or not. Lex focused on Leo and said with a smile, "You must be Leo Heart." Leo was surprised, "You know me?" Lex nodded, "Edward only had praise for you. So young and you have already put those old idiots to shame, haha." Leo simply smiled. This guy was really straightforward. "Why are you making our son and his friends stand outside for?" Arthur''s mother chided Lex. She stepped forward and introduced herself. "Hello, my name is Catherine. Please come inside." Leo politely greeted her back and walked in with the rest. Chapter 75 - 75. Arthurs Family Leo was sizing up the mansion. He was surprised that it wasn''t overly luxurious like he had imagined. Though the mansion was big, it wasn''t stuffed with useless stuff. He felt no discomfort as he walked. "I have prepared a big lunch for you all." Lex said with a laugh and led them all to the dining room. Yes, indeed. It was a big lunch. A long table full of colourful dishes were waiting for them. "Uncle, I am a girl, do you want me to stuff myself like a bear?" Dalia asked while frowning. Lex laughed it off and said, "It would be rude if I don''t welcome my guest properly. Come on, let''s eat!" Leo was pleased. He didn''t stand on ceremony and started to eat. Lex and Catherine were stunned for a second before breaking out into a smile. "I like this one. No pretence." Catherine said with a smile. Lex nodded to her words. Arthur and Dalia were at a loss for words when they saw Leo eating without a care in the world. "Don''t just stand there. Let''s get on it as well." Lex took the lead and sat at the head of the table. Catherine sat to his right. Wow, it''s my first time seeing a rich man eat. Leo said to himself when he saw how Arthur and the rest ate. It wasn''t that he was uncultured, he is just as cultured as any normal person. However the etiquettes of the rich are completely different. After a quiet meal, Leo comfortably took a walk outside the mansion. Well, the mansion was so big and had a enormous backyard filled with plants and flowers, so it was just right for him. "Here you are." Dalia entered the garden. Arthur was walking behind her, he had an excited expression on his face. "What''s up?" Dalia asked with a smile, "You like wine?" Bewildered by her question Leo asked, "Yeah, I do. Why?" Dalia said slyly, "Uncle has a secret stash of wine, it''s premium quality and almost impossible to buy outside." Leo stared, "He gave us his wine?" Dalia shook her head, "No. Uncle would only take a glass or two when his craving is uncontrollable. Do you think he would give it to us?" "Then why are you asking? Wait... you aren''t planning to steal it, right?" Dalia dodged her eyes and said, "Who said anything about stealing? Arthur will get a bottle for us." Leo looked at Arthur and sighed. This guy sure fell hard, to even dare steal his father''s secret stash. "Anyway, do you even like wine?" He asked Dalia. "Why wouldn''t I? Are you looking down on me because I am a woman." Leo shook his head, "No. It''s just that woman rarely loves wine." Dalia scoffed, "Hmph! This lady belongs to that rare bunch." That''s not a compliment. Leo muttered inside and looked at Arthur again. "So, when are you gonna get it?" "Immediately!" Arthur rushed off. A while later he came back with a dark bottle. It looked at bit old and has a hand written label wrapped around it. This guy really did it. "Would your old man get mad at us?" Arthur waved his hand and said, "It''s alright. If he does I will take the blame." Leo frowned. Something''s off. This guy isn''t nervous, he looks totally happy and free of worry. He turned to look at Dalia and then at Arthur. Did he really fall that hard for him to forget the consequences of his crime. Oh, well, it doesn''t matter to me anyway. Throwing the issue to the back of his mind. Leo unplugged the wine cork. A mellow aroma floated out. Good wine! Leo licked his lips. Dalia got them three glasses, he poured them each half a glass. The dark red liquid stirred inside their glass. It was so pure and clear. Leo sipped it a bit and closed his eyes with satisfaction. While they were enjoying the wine a pair of eyes was staring at the bottle of wine. "That damn brat better get closer to Dalia. I even gave away my precious wine!" Lex glued his eyes on the bottle. His heart ached as he witnessed the wine get lesser and lesser. "Are you still harping on that? Let it go, it''s to help your son chase after the love of his life." Catherine walked inside and saw her husband, and couldn''t help but scold him. Lex painfully looked away. Catherine walked to him and said, "You know, I think Dalia likes Leo." Lex nodded, "I can also see that, but from the looks of it, that kid isn''t the least bit interested in her. That''s amazing, look how beautiful she is, how can anyone be not interested in her?" Catherine smiled, "If he already has someone in his heart then no matter how beautiful another woman is, she wouldn''t be able to move him." Lex nodded, he pulled Catherine into his embrace and said, "I can relate to that." "Hehe, even if you were moved by other woman, hehe." Catherine didn''t finish her words but Lex got the meaning and only laughed. After the bottle was finished Arthur took care of it and he showed Leo his room. Dalia had her own room since she was considered family. Leo''s room was very big. It had a large bed with soft mattress and pillows. Just looking at it made him want to take a nap. After a long bath Leo wore some casual clothes. He had nothing else to do so he walked around the mansion. It seems Lex and Catherine had a hobby of reading, he saw several wooden shelfs filled with books here and there. As he was walking past a room Leo saw a large double barreled gun hanging on the wall inside and got curious. The gun looked like it was well taken care of. He saw no dust on it''s body, and the long black barrel had a sharp gleam to it. "Beauty, ain''t she?" Lex at some point came beside Leo and spoke. Leo wasn''t surprised when he heard Lex as he had already sensed him. "Yeah." Lex took the gun down and traced it''s body before asking, "I heard from Edward that you use a sword. Ever tried a gun before?" Leo shook his head, "Never had the chance." Lex smiled and asked, "Well, here is a chance then. Wanna try?" Chapter 76 - 76. Changes In Demon Corps While Leo was flung to a distant country, chaos erupted in his own. Muzan kept to his word, he unleashed his fury towards the people. Bodies kept piling up, the people were scared and refused to go out of their homes. The corps only had that many people, and Kagaya knew Muzan was doing this to spread out their forces. If a Hashira went out alone Moons would definitely attack. So all they could do was to reduce the damage they took. Today all the Hashiras were called by Kagaya. "No! Impossible, I don''t agree, let those f*ckers suffer!" The wind Hashira, Sanemi Shinazugawa was arguing with the Sound Hashira, Tengen Uzui. "Sanemi, this is what we have always hoped for, an official position. Just think for once, if we are officially accepted our jobs woulbe be much more easier." Sanemi scoffed, "We are doing fine without their acknowledgement! For a thousand years the Corps has been begging them to officially grant us a title, did they do it? No!" "Those greedy little f*ckers kept us hanging, we had to go around the normal people to do our work, like a sneaking little cat! Now that the world is descending into chaos, suddenly they become so kindhearted to give us an official position?" "F*cking hell no!!!" Some of the other Hashiras also shared the same opinion as Sanemi''s. Kagaya didn''t interject, he listened peacefully. At a certain point he asked. "Sabito, what do you think?" The others stopped speaking and looked towards a boy with peach coloured hair. He had a scar on his face, this was Sabito. The playful boy was gone and in his place stood a war veteran. Beside him stood Makomo and Giyu, the three of them had a different air than before. On that day Leo disappeared they felt remorse and hated themselves for being weak, however they decided to believe in him and looked forward to the day when he returned. When Muzan flooded the lands with demons the three of them didn''t cower and stood as the vanguard. They lost count of how many demons they have killed, and through these battles they grew. Sabito thought for a moment, "We should accept it." "Sabito!!" Sanemi growled at him. Kagaya raised his arm, Sanemi unwillingly shut up. Kagaya nodded at Sabito, "Continue." "Like Uzui-san said, our jobs will become easier once we are an official organisation. Also the government doesn''t care about us because we have no foothold among them. Once everything settles down we may be sidelined." "But this is also an opportunity, the people trust the government more than an organisation they had no clue about. Once we get an official position we can slowly spread out our fame, the government will have a hard choice to make if they want to get rid of us." "If we can solidify our place within the government and the military, then our missions would be much more easier. The military and local officers are spread around the country." "Slayers had to travel from one place to another to address the problem of demons, but if we can work with the government we can station slayers all over the place." His reasoning was sound, even Sanemi didn''t voice out any opinion however from his expression he still didn''t like the idea. A beautiful girl with pink hair, the Love Hashira, Mitsuri Kanroji asked, "Won''t the knowledge of demons cause panic?" This time Kagaya answered her question, "Our designation will be as Special Operations Department. The true nature of our job will only be known to people with certain authority. And knowledge of demons are already spread out. It''s just that only people living far from rural areas believe in them." With such sound reasoning most of the Hashiras agreed to accept an official position. Sanemi still had a grumpy look on his face. Giyu who didn''t speak all this time said quietly, "He would agree." Everyone turned silent. After a while Sanemi got up and walked out, before he left, "I agree." Kagaya smiled, he turned towards Gyomei and said, "Go to the capital and receive the declaration." The Rock Hashira, Gyomei Himejima bowed, "As you wish, Oyakata-sama." ... Her hair had grown considerably and she looked much more beautiful. "Are you going to leave without saying even a hi?" She asked. Sabito and the rest didn''t speak. Shinobu sighed, "It''s not your fault." Sabito stared at her for a second and said, "We could have killed Muzan if we were stronger, and he wouldn''t have gone missing!" "Sabito!" Giyu yelled at Sabito. "I am sorry." Makomo came beside Shinobu and said, "Don''t mind him, he is just upset." Shinobu said seriously "I told you guys before, it''s not your fault that he... don''t blame yourself. I believe he will come back." Her words softened by the end of it. Even she wasn''t sure if that would happen or not, all she could do was wait. Makomo sighed, "I too believe he will come back. Anyway, I have a mission, I''ll see you when I get back. Hang in there." She patted her shoulder and left. Giyu nodded to Shinobu and quickly followed. Shinobu walked back to the Flower mansion. Her mood was quite down and she couldn''t concentrate. She sat beneath a tree and buried her head into her arms and silently cried. Where are you idiot? Every passing day she couldn''t help but worry. There had been no news about Leo for a weeks, under such circ.u.mstances her faith was slowly breaking down. At this moment Kanae came by. She saw her sister and couldn''t help but sigh. "Shinobu, come let''s eat." She cheered up and called out to Shinobu. Hearing her sister Shinobu wiped her tears and got up. She sat down and ate quietly. Finishing her meal she got up to return to her room. "Don''t lose hope, Shinobu. He will return." Chapter 77 - 77. Guns Lex led Leo to a shooting range. The place was brightly lit and maintained well. Lex gave Leo a pistol and pointed to a target, "We will start with 10 meter and see where it goes. Alright, a couple of things you need know, when shooting keep your arms straight, don''t put too much pressure on your joints. You need them to absorb the recoil, so keep it just right." He went on to explain several more points to taken note of when firing and stepped aside. Leo took aim, his pupils narrowed as they focused on the target several meters away. Bang! He pulled the trigger. Lex came over and took a look. His eyes stared wide when he saw where the bullet hit. Just a ring away from the center. Is it luck? He muttered to himself and said, "Go ahead." Leo nodded and fired again. This time he fired without stopping. Bang! Bang! Several more shots were fired. When he emptied the bullets Lex came over and checked the target. He had a stunning expression on his face. Bullseye! Every single shot Leo just fired hit the dead center of the target. He turned to Leo and asked, "You never used a gun before?" Leo nodded, "Never." Lex had an admiring look on his face as he said, "Then you are very gifted in firearms. You have excellent hand-eye coordination and recoil absorption." Leo shook his head, "Maybe it''s cause I am a martial artist. I have good control over my body." Lex asked back, "That can''t be true, can it?" Leo replied, "Why not? Martial arts train our body and mind, so it''s possible." Lex nodded. That was possible. Shooting depended mainly on hand-eye coordination and recoil absorption, so a master martial artist might be able to get a hang of shooting in a very short time. As Leo hit bullseye at 10 meters Lex increased the distance. This time it was 15 meters. However this time Leo shot bullseye from the very start. Lex was shocked and increased the distance again. 20 meters, bullseye. 30 meters, bullseye. This went on until the target reached fifty meters. However this time Leo failed to hit bullseye. But it wasn''t due to his inability hit at that range, it''s because the guns accurate range was only 40 meters. Lex looked as if he saw a ghost. Even with his years of experience he would only get complete bullseye at 35 meters. Any further and his accuracy would decrease. "I have never seen someone as gifted as you before." Lex praised wholeheartedly. Leo smiled and said, "Thank you for your praise." Suddenly Lex asked, "Hey, I have a collection of firearms, do you want to have a look?" Leo was intrigued and nodded. Lex led Leo to his study and opened a side door. It was the door to a small compartment and in it were all types of guns neatly arranged and gleaming with sharpness. "This is a rifle, these are pistols and this is... Lex gave a small introduction to every gun. Leo took out a few and felt it. "What are you guys doing?" Suddenly a Catherine''s voice came from the study entrance. She walked over and saw the gun compartment. "So you are showing him your collection." Catherine had a teasing smile on her face, Lex looked away and smiled wryly. "Leo, do you want to see my collection?" Huh? Leo was stunned. She has a weapons collection? "Okay." Lex had an unnatural expression on his face, however Leo failed to notice this. When they were on ther way they met Arthur. "Where are you guys going?" "To see your mother''s collection." Leo replied. Arthur immediately showed a weird expression and looked at his father. Lex looked away. Continuing on their way, they met Dalia and she asked the same question and Leo answered with the same words. She also looked at Lex rather weirdly. "Here we are." Leo''s eyes widened like saucers when he saw what was inside. Holy shit! The room was very large and the walls were filled with guns ranging from rifles to snipers. Each one had a name pasted right below it. Several large glass containers were placed orderly and inside them were different types of bullets, and a few of them even had customised bullets. Hell there was even a mortar and canon. "How is it?" Catherine asked with a proud smile. "It''s... um... awesome." Leo found it hard to say exactly how he he felt and said a popular term everyone shouts out when they see something that shocks them. "Come, come, let me give an introduction to them. My collection is far better than his lousy small box of weapons." It''s a compartment, and it''s a rather big one. Lex said inside his mind. Arthur and Dalia looked at Lex weirdly and said nothing. Catherine was excited as she explained each one of them. She was completely different from before. "Do you know how to disassemble a gun?" Catherine suddenly asked. Leo shook his head. "It''s very simple. Here it''s like this." She took out a pistol and slowly dissembled it. From her actions Leo knew she was very experienced and said to himself. Yep, she is a lioness. "Did you get it?" She asked. "I think so." Leo picked up another gun and tried to disassemble it. However he was stuck halfway through. Catherine patiently explained how it''s done. "Every gun is basically the same, they all have the same parts. Just that, certain parts are modified or improved to attain certain specific results." Catherine was very enthusiastic when she spoke about guns. She patiently explained the basic structure of weapons to Leo. Lex couldn''t stand the weird gazed he was receiving from Arthur and Dalia and said, "Honey, it''s dinner time. Now, let''s not let our guests starve." Catherine realised what time it was and said, "Oh, my, look at me. Let''s go, I can give you pointers after the meal." I didn''t ask, though. Leo said to himself. Chapter 78 - 78. Hunting Catherine was very enthusiastic when it came to firearms. She took Leo around the mansion showed her other collections. Leo was shocked to see so many rooms filled with all kind of weapons. She practically had a small armoury. A few days went by. Leo had a good time in Arthur''s house. Lex and Catherine were very nice people. "Hey, you wanna go hunting in the woods out back?" On this day Arthur suddenly found Leo and asked. Leo was doing a set of fist movements when Arthur came by. He stopped and thought for a moment before agreeing. "Alright." Arthur smiled and left hurriedly. Leo called it a day and changed his clothes. He saw Arthur again when he left his room. This time Dalia was with him. She wore a black pant and shirt and had a rifle on her back. "This is yours." Arthur gave Leo a gun. "What type of animals are in the woods?" "Deers, rabbits, bears... the usual." Leo nodded. They left the mansion and went all the way to the far end of the estate. Thick trees lined the opposite side of the estate. This side of the estate was lined with tall fences and barbed wires. There was a gate and the three of them entered the woods. Leo sniffed the air after they walked for a while. "What are you doing?" Dalia asked curiously. "Wild animals usually mark their grounds. I was checking for their odour." Leo answered and walked forward. Every five step he would check the ground and the surrounding trees. Dalia and Arthur were confused. Still they silently followed him. After they while they came across a narrow water stream. Arthur was startled. He knew this place, on rare occasions when he went hunting with his father, the latter would take him to places like this since animals tend to gather near water bodies. "Leo, how did you know there would be a water source here?" Leo pointed to the ground. "The vegetation is thicker near water sources. And the smell is humid and fresher as well." Arthur was stunned, "You can find all of that?" Leo shrugged, "I do live on a mountain back home." "You live on a mountain?" Dalia asked back in surprise. "Yeah. The air is fresher there." Leo replied with a smile. The three of them went along the water stream at a steady pace. Soon they spotted their first target. It was a deer. Dalia signalled with her hand. Leo and Arthur and stepped back. She raised her rifle and took aim. Her breathing turned slow and easy. Bang! The deer''s ears twitched just before Dalia pulled the trigger, it immediately jumped up and tried to run away. Dalia''s shot missed a fatal injury, but it did catch one of the deer''s legs. "Tch. Almost." Dalia said to herself and ran to where the deer was a moment ago. Leo and Arthur followed her and they saw a blood trail stretching into the forest. "Let''s go. It''s running because of adrenaline, once that tones down the injury will kick in and it won''t be able to move." Leo said and followed the trail. The three of them walked into the dense cl.u.s.ter of trees and walked for a while. After a while the three of them stopped in their tracks and checked the ground. A patch of soil was covered in blood and fur. "Wolfs." Leo said. Arthur nodded. He was no stranger to animals in these woods. "Should we go further or head back?" Dalia asked. "No point in trying to get it back. Wolfs always travel in packs." Arthur said. Leo agreed and said, "Let''s head back to the water stream." They were just about to turn back when a large figure emerged from the shrubs. "Bear!" Bang! The bullet found it''s mark and created a bloody wound on the bear''s c.h.e.s.t. Roar! The bear roared and rushed at them. Dalia and Leo calmly raised their guns and pulled the trigger. Puff! Puff! Two rounds of blood sprayed through the air. One bullet created another bloody wound on the bear''s c.h.e.s.t. And the other opened a hole in it''s head. "Nice shot!" Dalia exclaimed. Arthur made sure the bear was dead and smiled. "We got a bear. Never did I expect to find one so easily." Leo asked, "Are they scarce here?" Arthur nodded, "My dad and his friends often hunts here when they get together. And every time they would try to hunt a bear, so the number of bears kind of dwindled down." Dalia asked, "Hey, how are we going to get this guy back to the mansion?" Arthur patted his c.h.e.s.t, "Don''t worry. I can carry it back." Dalia looked at him for a split second and said, "No abilities allowed when hunting." Erm... Arthur''s expression turned stiff. He showed an unnatural smile, "Yea-yeah." I see. He wanted to use his spatial ability to bring it back. She crushed his spirit very quickly. Leo said to himself and chuckled. "Wait here." He said to them and disappeared into the forest. After a while he came back with three large leafs and several thick vines. He then skillfully skinned the bear and cut the flesh into several small pieces. After twenty minute the bear was completely stripped of it''s flesh and wrapped in leaf like a bundle. Picking up the bear skin he made it into a temporary sack and placed the meat bundles inside. Casually picking up the large bear sack weighing more than a hundred kilogrammes Leo said to Arthur and Dalia. "One of you take the bear head." Arthur and Dalia was staring at him in silence. Twenty minutes was all it took for a large bear to become a sack of meat. "Yeah, let''s head back." Putting aside his shock Arthur picked up the bear head which Leo didn''t slice up and packed it into a small sack he had on him. Leo walked steadily as he carried huge sack on his back. He wasn''t sweating nor was he tired, he looked like he was taking a morning stroll. When they got back to the mansion Lex and Catherine were stunned. Dalia excitedly explained what happened. Lex and Catherine looked at Leo with newfound respect. Lex was happy to get bear meat and arranged for the chefs to prepare roasted bear. Leo wanted to take a bath and get ready for a hearty meal. When he was near his room he saw a small kid about the age of 10 or so tending the garden. Out of curiosity he watched her. A second later he showed a surprised expression and faintly smiled. Chapter 79 - 79. Rosalie A young girl was watering the flower beds and cutting out the weeds while humming a tone. "Interesting ability, young lady." Suddenly a voice echoed in her ears and startled her. She lost grip on the watering can. A hand stretched out and caught it. "Sorry if I startled you." Leo apologized. He carefully looked at the young girl before him. She had brown eyes and hazel coloured hair. The girl noticed it was one of Lex''s guests and bowed, "Sorry, master." Master? Leo shook his head, "Don''t call me master, it''s kind of weird. Call me my name or just sir will do." The girl hesitated for a moment and said, "Sir." Leo nodded and said with a smile, "Show me what you were doing before." The girl''s eyes dodged here and there and said with a stammer, "I-I don''t understand." Leo laughed and said, "Let''s make a deal. I will show you my ability and you show me yours." He didn''t wait for her answer and stretched out his index finger and middle finger. A blade of grass flew up, it''s body straightened up and flew towards a tree. Slice! The blade of grass sunk into the tree. However it''s body broke into pieces after it did. The young girl covered her mouth in surprise. "Now, can you show me your ability?" The young girl hesitated for a moment and picked up the water can. Leo focused. He saw the water inside the can float up. It turned into small streams and floated above the young girl''s palms. "What a great ability." The girl took back her palm and the water fell back into the watering can. "Oh, I forgot to ask, what''s your name?" Leo suddenly asked. The young girl immediately replied, "Rosalie." "Hm, Rosalie, do you know there are others like you?" Rosalie shook her head. Leo pointed to the mansion and said, "The son of your master also has abilities like you." Rosalie''s eyes went wide like saucers, "Really!?" Leo nodded with a smile, "Really." He felt as if the girl was relieved and happy to know there was others like her. "Anyway, sorry for disturbing your work. And don''t be afraid of your powers. Take care." He said goodbye and left. Rosalie stared at Leo''s back and looked at her hands. Walking back into the mansion Leo came across Lex who had a smile on his face. Leo asked, "So you know about her." Lex didn''t deny and said, "Yeah. Her mother is a maid here. She comes here once every week to help her out. She is good kid." "She has a great ability. Why haven''t you trained her yet?" Lex shook his head, "She is not suited for battle. It''s good as long as she can live happily." "Hm. Then you should atleast let her know that you know, that way she can freely use her ability. A free mind is better for her." Lex thought for a moment and nodded. "I heard from Arthur that you want to travel?" Leo nodded, "I have earned my way back, so I decided to take the time off till my ride is ready." "In that case you might need this." Lex threw a badge to Leo. Checking it out, he saw his name and designation as an officer from the military. "You are a foreigner and travelling will be troublesome, having that will help you take care of anything that comes your way." "Thanks." Leo thanked Lex. This was a great favour. As a man with no doc.u.ments, it''s very hard for him to travel around. This came at the right time. With this he wasn''t afraid that he would be arrested and thrown in jail. Suddenly Leo thought of something and asked, "Forgive me if it''s rude but I have to ask. Did you tell Arthur that a man must be domineering to get a girl''s attention?" Hm? Lex was surprised by this sudden question and thought for a moment, "Yeah, I did. But that was years ago, I was drunk back then and Arthur was barely six when I said that." Leo rolled his eyes inwardly. This man is such a great father. Lex asked curiously, "Why do you ask?" Leo shook his head, "No reason." Lex stared at Leo and had a nagging feeling that something was off. But he threw it to the back of his head. As both of them were talking they saw Catherine walking in their direction. "What are you guys talking about?" Lex pointed to the garden and said, "Leo found out about Rosalie." "Ah, she is a such a good girl." Catherine was very fond of Rosalie. At such a young age she was responsible and had the mind to help out her mother. "He was saying that it''s better to let Rosalie know about us knowing about her ability." Catherine thought for a moment, "I guess that''s reasonable. She is growing up and it''s no good if she is worrying about someone finding out her ability." She suddenly asked Leo, "When are you heading out?" "I guess, tomorrow." "That soon? Stay for a few more days, we haven''t tried out the snipers yet." Ahaha. Leo smiled dryly. He was planning to head out as soon as possible but Catherine and Lex''s insistence made him push it back. Rosalie had just finished her work when she saw Lex and Catherine. She hastily greeted them and walked away quickly. "Haha, is she worried that you might rat her out?" Lex laughed as he asked. Leo chuckled and said, "Maybe. Anyway, see you later." Saying goodbye to them he went to find Arthur and Dalia. He saw the both of them in one of Catherine''s collection rooms. Dalia was checking out a customised pistol and Arthur was matching several bullets for her. "Hey, come with me. I found a kid with a great ability. Let''s take her and go fishing." Arthur raised his head and said, "Ah, you are talking about Rosalie." Dalia smiled happily, "She is finally here. Let''s go, it''s been a while since I last saw her." Chapter 80 - 80. The next day Leo and company dragged Rosalie to a lake near the mansion. Rosalie was nervous when she was suddenly asked to use her ability infront of this many people. However she was close with Dalia and Arthur so she eventually came out of her shell and used her ability. "Hey, I thought no abilities were allowed when we are having fun." Dalia suddenly asked. Leo shrugged, "We aren''t using ours, otherwise the lake would be emptied out." Makes sense. Rosalie used her water ability to create a net and confined several fish to an area. With a 100 percent to catch one, the three of them competed on who could get more. In the end Leo won. "Hey, you cheated!" "It''s your fault to not know how to hook a fish." "Normal people use bait to catch fish, not swing the fishing pole and pierce a hole through it before reeling in." "In any case, I won." Hmph! Dalia scoffed. Rosalie was completely at ease and giggled when she saw this. The three of them looked over and smiled as well when they saw her laugh. "Rosalie, come on. Let''s catch some more, I want double their catch!" Dalia said pulled Rosalie to the lake. Arthur was looking at Dalia and Rosalie with a content smile and suddenly said to Leo, "Thanks." Leo was surprised and asked, "For what?" "For helping Rosalie. It was mine and my family''s decision to not let her come in contact with other Extraordinaries. We thought this was best for her." "But thinking back, it was stupid. She was never meant to be ordinary. It''s better for her to be true to herself than constrain her powers for the sake of living normally." Leo smiled and said, "Extraordinaries need to train their powers as much as possible otherwise it will bottle up inside them and affect their emotions. When emotionally unstable this power might cause irrecoverable damage." "Rosalie is kind by nature. Her power is a testament to that. It''s better for her to know that she isn''t alone, and she can act freely infront of them." "Right now she is just a normal eleven year old kid." Leo and Arthur looked over and saw Rosalie smiling happily while she helped Dalia catch more fish. When it was lunch time they got back and Dalia happily showed off her catch to Lex and Catherine. Rosalie was nervous to meet Lex and Catherine, however both of them simply rubbed her tiny head and eased her worries. A few more days went by. "Alright, where should I go first?" Leo checked a map Lex had prepared for him. It was marked in several places. These were locations of Lex''s business. If he was ever in need of help he could go there and ask. Settling on a destination Leo started to walk. Each step he took carried him several tens of meters. Feeling the wind brush past his face Leo felt extremely at ease. He felt free. ... Time passed by. Leo travelled through the country. Sometimes he rode a horse, other times he ran. With the badge from Lex it was very easy for him to find lodging in settlements. With each passing day his realm of mind was further refined. His sword intent was also further refined, though his domain''s range didn''t increase it''s power showed a steady increment. Right now Leo was walking through a port. He looked insignificant considering the number of people walking past him. "It''s been a while guys!" He grinned and waved at a group of people. The group was of course his friends. Sam, Dalia, Arthur, Lex, Catherine and Edward was there. All of them smiled when they saw him. Dalia stepped out and took a good look at Leo. "You grew your hair." Leo shot a look at her and smiled, "Yeah." Before, he had short hair, now his hair was long and roughed combed to the side. With his piercing blue eyes and slightly tanned skin it gave him a particular grace. Several ladies were sneaking looks at him from time to time. Sam patted Leo''s back and handed him a ticket, "Here is what I promised." Leo took it and thanked him. "You didn''t even give us a chance to throw a farewell party." Dalia grumbled. Leo said, "It''s fine. It''s the people that matters." Edward held out his hand and shook Leo''s, "Thank you for helping us before." Leo waved his hand, "I just did my job." "Hey, you didn''t notice someone." Suddenly Catherine spoke and stepped aside. Someone peeked out from behind her. Leo smiled, "I knew Rosalie was there." Though they only knew each other for a few days, Rosalie kind of got close to Leo. Leo rubbed her head and said, "Thanks for coming to send me off." Rosalie hummed. Huuuuu.. Suddenly the ship''s horn blew loudly. Leo looked at everyone one more time and said sincerely, "Thank you for taking care of me." Everyone was reluctant to part with him. "Will we ever see again?" Arthur asked. Everyone had the same question in their minds. Leo smiled, "Technology is developing very rapidly, transportation will be become much more easier in the future. I am sure we will see each other. If you ever come to my country you know where to look." Everyone nodded. Leo said his farewell and boarded the ship. He waved to them from the ship. Soon the ship started to move and they became a shadow in the distance. Leo looked at the vast ocean, he felt excited when he thought of seeing his friends again. The face of a particular person flashed in his mind and he couldn''t help but smile. Shinobu... Chapter 81 - 81. Demons Assault "Thanks Captain." "What the hell are you talking about? If not for you, me, my men and my ship would be at the bottom of the ocean by now." Leo scratched his head in embarrassment, "I only did it to guarantee my ride." A man wearing a captain''s uniform shook his head, "It doesn''t matter, the fact is you saved us and I am thankful for that." Leo couldn''t say anything more and simply shook his hand, "This is goodbye then." "Haha, maybe. Who knows, I travel all the time, it won''t be surprising if I saw you again." Leo couldn''t hold back his laughter, "Haha, indeed." Parting with the captain he took out a map and checked where he was. Quite a long way to go. Rolling it up he was just about to leave when a conversation caught his attention. "Did you hear about the murder?" "Yeah. It was horrible, a whole family was killed brutally. Their bodies weren''t even complete." "I heard that special department took care of the murderer." Leo was surprised the more he listened. That murder looks like a demons work, and what''s this special department? Is it the Demon Corps? The Corps weren''t an official organisation, only small villages knew their existence, the developed areas however knew nothing of them. He strolled around for some time and found out what was happening. The Corps had become an official organisation! Well... though lives were lost in his crazy retaliation, Muzan did us a favour. Oyakata-sama must have realised this was an opportunity. Well, this is good, atleast none of us have to sneak around anymore. A smile crept onto his face. Gathering some supplies he hit the road back home. ... "Oi, Tanjiro! Look at this monster!" "Lower your voice Inosuke, people are looking at us." "This is amazing." Three young men about the age of sixteen stood beside a train. One was b.a.r.e c.h.e.s.ted and wore a boar skin mask. The other had a scar on his forehead and wore a checked haori. The last one had yellow hair and wore a yellow haori. All of them had a sword strapped to their waist. These three were of course Tanjiro, Zenitsu and Inosuke. "Hey, you three! Are those swords?" Some policemen ran towards them when they heard Inosuke''s loud voice. Tanjiro apologized, "Sorry, sorry! My friend is a little excited, this is his first time on a train. Oh, we are from the special department." He took out a small book. It only had two pages, one had his picture, name and rank. The other page had an emblem slayers usually have on their swords. "Oh, you are from the special department. So young!" Zenitsu rubbed his nose and had a proud look on his face. Inosuke simply ignored them and pounded on the train''s steel body. Tanjiro yelled, "Hey! Stop that, Inosuke!" The police officer smiled, "Your friend sure is excited. Anyway, good luck." Tanjiro thanked them and grabbed the other two to board the train. Zenitsu asked, "Didn''t Oyakata-sama order Hashiras to always pair up? What happened with this one?" Tanjiro was trying to find the Hashira when he heard Zenitsu and replied, "Something came up and only Rengoku-san was free. So we were put as his reinforcements." Just as he explained he saw a man with long hair with red locks up front. He was stuffing himself with food and yelling to himself that it was delicious. "Rengoku-san!" Tanjiro yelled out. Rengoku looked back, "Ah, Tanjiro! So you are my backup, I can rest easy now!" He pointed to the seat next to him, "Sit down, have some food, it''s good." "Inosuke!" "That idiot boar!" Zenitsu and Tanjiro jumped out and grabbed him. Tanjiro smacked Inosuke so hard he was seeing stars. Rengoku had a hearty laughter when he saw this. When they settled down Rengoku explained their mission, "Reports show people disappearing in this train. There is a chance of this demon being a moon so be cautious and alert at all times." The train travelled through the silent night. At first all four of them sat straight and had their eyes pried open. But as the night passed, their eyelids got heavy. Tanjiro and co. fell asleep. Rengoku tried to peel his eyes open but in the end he also fell asleep. "It''s done." A demon with the character of one and lower carved into his eyes stood atop the train. She had half of her body merged into the train. These two were Upper Moon Three and Lower Moon One. Upper Moon Three stepped forward, he stomped on the black roof beneath his feet. The roof collapsed and he jumped in. His eyes scanned past everyone and focused on Rengoku. I would like to have a good fight with you but Muzan-sama ordered me to kill you as fast as possible, so, sorry. A glittering hexagram with carved runes appeared beneath his feet. He pulled back his hand and punched out. Along with his strike he took a step forward and vanished. In a split second he was upon Rengoku, his fist whistled as it drew closer to its target. "Farewell, Flame Hashira!!" Lower Moon One already had a smile on her face but a second later her smile stiffened. An unbelievable change was happening before her. A second away from smashing Rengoku''s head Upper Moon felt a prickling sensation on his neck. Startled he pulled back his arm and retreated. Inosuke''s sword swept past where his neck was. Tanjiro also opened his eyes, his swung his sword, Upper Moon smacked it away and retreated. Flame Breathing, First Form, Unknowing Flames! Chapter 82 - 82. Fierce Battle Upper Moon Three never expected his sneak attack to fail, he was sure these slayers were asleep when he attacked. But they woke up instantly once they sensed danger. Well, it didn''t matter to him whether they were asleep or not, he preferred to fight them head on. He crossed his arms to defend against Rengoku''s attack. Taking a solid hit Upper Moon Three could feel his steel bones creak and bent. What power!! He dragged his feet through the compartment floor and smashed into the next one. Rengoku didn''t want to let of the momentum. Flame Breathing Fourth Form, Flame Tiger! His attack took the shape of a flame tiger and pounced on Upper Moon Three. Upper Moon Three took a step forward, a hexagon with pattern over it''s body appeared beneath his feet. He punched out. The flame tiger collided with his fist, the shockwave pushed the other passengers aside. Some of them struck heavily into the compartment walls and were bleeding. Rengoku pushed on while he yelled back, "Inosuke, Zenitsu, protect the passengers. Tanjiro, stop the train!" "Yes!!!" Upper Moon Three blocked Rengoku''s assault and drew his fist back. A silvery glow coated his fist as he punched out. Rengoku met it with a strike of his own. The air shook as they battled. Zenitsu was pulling out the other passengers while Inosuke took care of the demons. Rengoku''s attack met head on against Upper Moon Three. The compartment was torn down by their battle. Flame Breathing Sixth Form, Scorching Bones!! The ground beneath Rengoku''s feet was destroyed and flew everywhere. Flame manifested from his sword as they swallowed Upper Moon Three. Amidst the sea of flames Upper Moon Three raised his leg and kicked out like a torrent. The flames were dispersed but Rengoku was already infront of him. Flame Breathing Ninth Form, Rengoku!! Rengoku''s sword descended on Upper Moon Three, flames covered his vision as he found no chance to dodge. Boom! The compartment was finally destroyed. Zenitsu and Inosuke grabbed rest of the passengers and jumped to the next compartment. Upper Moon Three had a gruesome wound on his c.h.e.s.t, blood spewed out like a fountain. However the wound slowly closed up, soon it was gone. Opposite to him was Rengoku who was slightly out of breath, his shoulder had a light wound on it and he was bleeding. His eyes focused on Upper Moon Three. Just as he was about to move the train started to slow down. Upper Moon Three frowned, he looked up front and saw Tanjiro''s sword running through Lower Moon One''s throat. "Useless." He spat out a single word and focused on Rengoku. Now that the train has stopped Rengoku no longer needed to consider the safety of others. He bent his body and held his sword low. His feet pushed off of the steel floor, it shook and trembled before deforming. Rengoku flashed through the air and swung his sword. A flame phoenix screeched towards the sky and dove down. It''s beak tore through the air and clashed against Upper Moon Three. Bang! Upper Moon Three was thrown back, Rengoku emerged from the flames and stabbed at his neck. Using his foot Upper Moon Three dodged to the side, he crashed through several trees and came to a halt. His feet sunk deep into the ground, a glow covered his body as he jumped up. Rengoku was already waiting, his sword swung down. Upper Moon Three dodged his strike and flew past him. Once he was at a certain height, his body started to glow. The hexagon shape appeared above his head. He raised his leg and stomped it down. He shot down like a meteor. Rengoku gripped his sword tighter. He could feel the threat from this move. Flame Breathing Fifth Form, Flickering Flame! Upper Moon Three struck down. The formless flame swallowed the incoming strike, it''s flickering got stronger withe each passing second and finally dispersed with a bang. Rengoku flew away with his body covered in small wounds while Upper Moon Three jumped back without an arm. "You are just a breath away from the realm." Upper Moon Three suddenly commented. Rengoku pointed his sword to the ground, "That''s enough to burn you down." Upper Moon Three narrowed his eyes. Both of them gathered their strength, this was the final move. With this a victor will be determined. Upper Moon Three shot at Rengoku like a bullet. Calming his breath Rengoku took a slow deep breath. Though his breath was slow the air howled and was s.u.c.k.e.d into the mouth in tremendous volume. Flame Breathing Final Form, Ashes to Earth! Upper Moon Three was a breath away from striking Rengoku''s heart when an intense feeling of death assaulted his body. He couldn''t pull back, it was too late. Rengoku''s flames were extinguished as a grey smoke covered his sword. Upper Moon Three felt as if the world slowed down, his fist was cut into tiny little pieces. Next was his arm, then shoulder. Rengoku was halfway through his attack, just a bit more and he could have cut off Upper Moon Three''s head. But it was at this moment he saw a shadow from the corner of his eyes. A faint sense of danger pervaded his heart. Trusting his instincts Rengoku changed his sword and struck towards that shadow. Bang! His sword struck something, the strength behind that strike send him flying back. He was pushed off the ground, thrown into the air. Twisting his body Rengoku stabilised himself. Looking in front he saw another demon with three pairs of eyes and sword strapped to his waist stand beside Upper Moon Three. What''s eye catching were the characters engraved in his eyes. Upper Moon One! Chapter 83 - 83. Go Ahead, Try It. Seeing Upper Moon One a bead of sweat trickled down Rengoku''s cheeks. He felt pressured. If it was any other demons he wouldn''t be this startled, but Upper Moon One was different. He was a demon closest to Muzan in terms of strength and records show zero slayers being alive after they met him. Upper Moon One stared at Upper Moon Three, "You couldn''t even handle a single Hashira?" "Shut up!" Upper Moon Three gnashed his teeth. His recovery has for some reason slowed down so he was still missing an arm. Upper Moon One turned his gaze and spoke, "The Flame Hashira... you are an outstanding individual. That''s why I will give you a choice." He raised his arm and sliced it with his other arm, blood flowed down, "Accept my blood and join us. Or just die." Rengoku raised his head, "Join you? Join demons that lurk beneath the dark?" Upper Moon One asked indifferently, "You find it unacceptable? Atleast it''s better than dying." Rengoku suddenly burst out laughing, he raised his sword, "I am glad to die for what I believe in, that way I will light the path for future generations!" Upper Moon One took back his hand and raised his sword, "So you have made your choice, such a shame." Rengoku''s eyes turned sharp, this battle might kill him but he didn''t plan to step back. If he dies, then so be it. Atleast he will go out with a bang. He focused on his opponent only to lose sight of him. His sharp senses caught movement beside him. Rengoku raised his sword and blocked his right side. A strong force struck his sword and made his stumble. His eyes caught Upper Moon One. Breath Of Moon Third Form, Loathsome Moon. Two crescent shaped blade attacks flashed towards Rengoku. Between these crescent shaped blade forms were innumerable smaller ones. Rengoku was forced to retreat. Breath Of Flames Fifth Form, Flickering Flames! Rengoku was engulfed by a flickering flame. The Crescent shaped attacks submerged into the flames. A second later the flame burst out, Rengoku spat out blood and retreated. Upper Moon One didn''t plan to let him go. He slashed down. Breath Of Moon Sixteenth Form, Half Moon. Breath Of Flames Eight Form, Flame Storm! His sword moved irregularly and created a flame storm around him. The crescent slashes collided with the storm, the storm lasted for a second before it was torn apart. Rengoku was torn in between these slashes. He kneeled down and vomited blood. "Rengoku-san!!" Tanjiro and the rest caught up. They immediately attacked Upper Moon One. "You kids are also outstanding, such a shame we stand on opposite sides." Upper Moon One had an indifferent tone as he spoke, he slashed towards the trio. Crescent slashes covered all three of them from all sides. Breath Of Lighting First Form, Thunderclap and Flash, Eight fold! Dance Of The Fire God, Dragon Sun Halo Head Dance! Though their attacks were strong it still paled in comparison to Upper Moon One''s. They were injured, but the crescent attacks were destroyed as well. Upper Moon One was startled. He gazed at Tanjiro while his sword stuck the other two. Inosuke and Zenitsu failed to react in time. They were both slashed and coughed up blood. Their bodies fell down powerlessly. "Inosuke! Zenitsu!" Tanjiro yelled at them but got no reaction. Upper Moon One spoke, "You use the same techniques as my brother." What? Tanjiro was shocked. Upper Moon One suddenly raised his sword, "Those techniques bring back some memories I don''t want to recall. So, die." Breath Of Moon Eighth Form, Moon Dragon Ringtail. A single crescent shaped slash several times stronger than the ones before assaulted Tanjiro. Blood pumped through Tanjiro''s body like never before, he knew if he couldn''t block this attack he would die. Dance Of The Fire God, Raging Sun! Tanjiro unleashed two horizontal slashes that defended him. The crescent slash collided with Tanjiro''s raging sun, it held up for a single second before collapsing. Tanjiro forced his body to move. He barely avoided getting cleaved into two by placing his sword on his c.h.e.s.t. Looking at his broken sword and his open c.h.e.s.t with a large wound Tanjiro found it hard to breath. Upper Moon One raised his sword again, however he raised an eyebrow and slashed to his back. Clang! "You are on your last breath, why bother?" Upper Moon One kicked him away. Rengoku spat out blood, he couldn''t breath. His lungs were ruptured, each breath only caused him to cough out more blood. "Take care of the other two." Upper Moon One said without turning his head. Upper Moon Three who was still healing from his wounds ground his teeth, but he still accepted what he was told. Upper Moon One stood before Rengoku, "You are a great warrior, for that reason I will give you a swift death." His sword was raised, Tanjiro could only gasp and tried to move, but his body felt as if it was made of lead. The slightest movement took him everything he had. However what he expected didn''t happen. Upper Moon One still had his sword raised, Upper Moon Three stood stiffly before Inosuke and Zenitsu, but they didn''t move. What''s happening? Just as he was wondering what was happening a voice he knew so well rang out. "Go ahead, try it." Tanjiro''s eyes turned towards the owner of that voice. His eyes misted when he saw who it was. From the woods behind them a figure slowly stepped out. His piercing blue eyes resembled an icy abyss, his aura was fully released and fell on them like a great mountain. Leo slowly stepped out, raging murderous intent poured out of him as he repeated. "Go ahead, try it." Chapter 84 - 84. Sad News At first Leo was preparing to head straight for the Corps but then he decided to take his time and travel a bit before going back. He was supposed to get on the train at the next station when he felt the fluctuations of a battle. Considering the distance he knew it was a Hashira and his opponent was an Upper Moon. However what he didn''t expect was the sight of his friends laying in a pool of blood. Rage and bloodl.u.s.t oozed out of him, Upper Moon One felt as if he was being stared by a primordial beast. His hands trembled. Why is he here!? Didn''t Muzan-sama send him far away!? A lot of questions flashed through his mind. However he knew now wasn''t the time to ponder these issues. He took a step back and escaped. He didn''t even spare a look at Upper Moon Three. Leo scoffed. He pushed off of his feet and disappeared. Upper Moon One felt an ominous foreboding, his six eyes suddenly saw a figure appear out of nowhere like a ghost. A blazing red sword was poised high and crashing down on him like a strike from heavens. Aaahhh!!! Roaring at the top of his lungs Upper Moon One swung his sword. Along with it his body started to change, dozens of sword with eyes emerged out of his flesh and stabbed towards Leo''s incoming attack. But it was all useless. Like a piece of paper it was broken through. Leo''s sword cut through the flesh swords and sunk into his body. A scorching sensation spread into his mind, he looked down to find his body being burned. "Your had your fun with my friends." Leo''s cold voice reached him. He took a step back and pulled away from his sword. "Kill the... puff!" He yelled at Upper Moon Three to kill Inosuke and Zenitsu inorder to distract Leo. However before he could finish his words Leo''s fist sunk deep into his gut. Upper Moon One''s spine broke in half, he was punched away like an artillery shell. Upper Moon Three finally snapped out of his horror only to see Upper Moon One fly in his direction. Subconsciously he raised his hands to catch him but a tremendous force crashed into him. Both of them collided and rolled through the ground. When the dust settled the two of them were covered in blood. Leo took a step forward, he seemed to have stepped through space and appeared right infront of them. "Be on your way." His domain spread out, two slashes went forward. Upper Moon One and Three fleet a shiver down their spine. A breath away from death a black hole appeared beneath them. Leo frowned. This was the same ability that threw him to the other side of the world. Leo vaguely heard a sharp scream before Upper Moon One and Three disappeared. He sheathed his sword and shook his head in regret. Immediately he returned to Tanjiro and the others. Placing them all together he opened a small bag on his back. Several bottles were neatly lines up inside. He pulled out one particular bottle, making a rough calculation he took out four injectors and squeezed out about half of the liquid from the bottle. He injected all four of them with it. After several seconds their bleeding stopped, it was slow but their wounds were healing. Leo heaved a sigh of relief and waited. Not long after a group of police officers and kakushu came running. Leo instructed the kakushu, "I have already done preliminary treatment. Their bodies are spent so transfer them to the headquarters." Though it been more than a year since Leo disappeared some of them recognised him. They were pleasantly surprised and excited at the same time. Leo rode with them and reached the headquarters by the time the sun was up. His spirit sense already picked up that familiar presence. He smiled a bit and walked in. Opening the door he saw Shinobu, reading a book. Shinobu was trying to relieve some stress by reading when she heard the door open. At first she thought it was her sister but the footsteps sounded different. She nonchalantly looked up and froze. A second later she jumped on her feet and rushed forward. Her hands wrapped around him. Leo was stunned for a second but a smile appeared on his face. He hugged her back, her body felt soft and comforting. "I am back." ... They stood there like that for a while before separating. Shinobu''s face was as red as a tomato. Only now did she realise what she did. Leo pinched her beautiful cheeks, "You have grown... in all aspects." Her cheeks got even more rosier. She simply turned her head around in embarrassment. "You... you... Leo licked his lips, "So sweet." Shinobu was embarrassed beyond words. She hung her head down and dared not to look up. Suddenly Leo sensed a familiar presence but he frowned. He turned his head and found a young girl wearing pink clothes run in. "Ne...zuko?" Leo was stunned. This was obviously Nezuko but her spirit was so jumbled that he couldn''t make heads or tails about it. Shinobu snapped out, she saw Nezuko and didn''t know how to explain it to Leo. "Shinobu, what happened? What''s wrong with Nezuko?" Leo''s words were rushed. He walked forward and stood infront of Nezuko who looked at him curiously. However a second later she hugged him. Shinobu said slowly, "A month after you vanished Tanjiro''s family was attacked by Muzan. Tanjiro was down at the town when it happened, only Nezuko survived and... this is how she has been after." Chapter 85 - 85. Despair And Growth Leo felt as if the world was crumbling. His mind wandered through the memories he head with them, Aunty Kei''s kind smile, the kids playful antics... gone. They were all gone. "Leo... Shinobu''s heart ached when she saw him. Leo snapped back, "Ah... oh... Shinobu... can you... I want to be alone for some time." Shinobu wanted to say something but in the end she didn''t. She took Nezuko and walked away. Leo sat there in a daze. He lost everything in his last life, he watched his family die in this one and now... those he considered close to his heart were gone... In despair his mind was on the verge of breaking. He didn''t get up nor move, the day passed into night. He sat there completely still and void of any emotions. The moon''s glossy shadow fell on him. Leo raised his head and looked up. Seeing the dark sky embedded with innumerable stars and the moon soothed his heart. As his mind replayed everything he experienced he felt something vague, he was so close to it but yet so far. Subconsciously he closed his eyes and relived his past. His mother, father, uncle Tanjuro, Aunt Kei... the time he spent with them, their deaths... everything played endlessly through his mind. Slowly his spirit was undergoing a change. He was no longer drowning in despair when everything cleared up. He opened his eyes, they contained serenity. ... Outside his room Shinobu, Kanae and the other Hashiras were gathered. Gyomei was the first one to speak, "How long has it been?" Shinobu was worried, "Since this morning. Gyomei-san, should I go in?" Kanae was the one to answer, "No. This is something he must go through." Shinobu couldn''t help but argue, "Sis, you know what happened to him in the past. He once lost everything and now... again." Kanae sighed. She knew about Leo''s past and she also felt horrible about what happened then and now. Sanemi who was also surprisingly there scoffed, "He isn''t weak. He will get over it." Shinobu glared at him, she was almost about to draw her sword when the door slid open. Leo walked out with a serene look on his face. "Leo!" Shinobu raced and hugged him. She teared up, Leo patted her back and said, "I am alright. Sorry for worrying you." "Um." The rest also let out a sigh. No one except Gyomei noticed the changes in Leo, his spirit couldn''t pick up anything, all he could sense was a vast calm ocean. His realm of mind broke through! He also smiled. With this man alive the Corps will never fall! To celebrate his return a massive feast was organised. Leo heartily ate while Shinobu sat to his side, like a dutiful wife she placed food on his plate from time to time. Nezuko was running around the place, after a while she shrunk herself and snuggled into Leo''s arms. "This little rascal." He laughed. Her actions also evoked laughter among the others. "Ah, right, where is Giyu and the rest?" Leo didn''t find his friends after so long so he couldn''t help but ask. Kanae took a bite from her plate and said, "They were tracking Upper Moon Two. They left just two days ago." Leo felt it was a shame he couldn''t see them, well, he had plenty of time now. Kanae had a beautiful smile on her face when she left. Shinobu blushed when she saw her sister''s knowing smile. Leo held her hand and sat outside. They didn''t speak, they just silently accompanied each other. Shinobu found this rare moment of silence comforting, she leaned her head on his shoulder and closed her eyes. Leo said nothing and faintly smiled. ... Two days after, Tanjiro and the rest healed from their wounds. Rengoku was quite happy to see Leo again. He said some polite words and left. Tanjiro and Zenitsu asked about what happened to him. Leo told them everything, Tanjiro and Zenitsu had a longing expression on their face. While the two were happily chatting with Leo Inosuke was slowly trying to sneak away. Hell, he still remembered how this demon beat him black and blue during training. "Where are you going, Inosuke?" Inosuke went stiff, he turned his head around and saw Leo''s genial smile, however a chill went down his spine when he saw that smile. "I-I was going to get some-some fruits? Yes! I was going to get some fruits!" Leo cracked his knuckles, "It''s been more than a year since I last saw you, let''s see how much you progressed." Zenitsu could imagine the ugly expression behind Inosuke''s mask, he clutched his gut and laughed heartily. Leo heard him and said, "You too, Zenitsu." Zenitsu stopped laughing and stood there like a frozen statue. ... "You b**tard! You had us worried!" Sabito, Giyu and Makomo hugged Leo and complained. Leo curled his lips, "I won''t die that easily." Giyu agreed, "Yeah. Evil will always find a way to survive." Leo smacked his head and asked, "Did this guy not learn anything these two years." Makomo asked, "Does finding trouble count as one?" Leo rolled his eyes, "Of course not!" Makomo threw her hand into the air in defeat. They chided among themselves for some time when Sabito asked, "Hey, I am leaving for the blacksmiths village, anyone wanna come?" Giyu chewed on something and asked, "Who is in your group?" Sabito hung in head down in despair, "Sanemi-san." Giyu almost spilled what he was eating, he patted his shoulder and comforted him. Leo asked curiously, "What''s this about the Blacksmiths village?" Sabito raised his head, "Oh, yeah. You don''t know about it, our swords are made by blacksmiths from that place. They are very important to our Corps so every week two Hashiras will be allocated for security." He sighed and continued, "This time my partner is Sanemi-san." Leo tilted his head, "What''s wrong with him?" Sabito grabbed his head, "That guy is too rigid. He doesn''t even smile, and when he does it scares the crap out of me." Hahaha. Everyone laughed seeing Sabito''s plight. Just as they were speaking Shinobu came in. Leo asked with a smile, "How were those things?" Shinobu has an excited expression on her face, "Whoever made those drugs is a genius!" Sabito was curious about what they were talking, "What drug?" Shinobu pulled out a vial from her coat, "This one. He brought it from the west, it''s incredible. If a person took this they can heal from wounds by consuming stamina. A small dose would heal small wounds, a higher one could even theoretically regenerate limbs." Chapter 86 - 86. Blacksmith Village Sabito, Giyu and Makomo were shocked. Their mouths hung wide open as they stared at Shinobu. Giyu pointed at the vial in Shinobu''s hand, "That thing can regenerate severed limbs?" Shinobu was amused by their shocked expression, she nodded, "Theoretically, yes." Sabito snapped out and murmured, "How is that possible?" Shinobu heard him, "It''s not that hard, demons are able to regenerate themselves. This is their biggest advantage. The drug has an essential component that does the same thing, but the effects are quite limited. That''s why I said theoretically." Sabito and co. were awed, "Amazing." Leo had little interest in their conversation, he asked Sabito, "When are you leaving for the village?" Sabito was fiddling with the serum when he heard him, "Tomorrow." Shinobu knew what they were talking about, "You are going to the Blacksmiths village?" Leo nodded, "Yeah. I am interested in them, after all colour changing sword are unusual." Shinobu agreed, she looked at others, "Are you staying for lunch?" Giyu was the first one to answer, "Of course." Leo and the rest erupted into laughter. The years have changed him into a glutton. ... The next day. "Hey." Sanemi simply nodded. Leo wasn''t surprised by his cold attitude, "Thanks for not judging Nezuko." Nezuko was a demon and as someone who hated them to the bone Sanemi wanted nothing more than to cut them all to pieces. However he didn''t judge Nezuko nor did he hold any animosity towards her. Sanemi stopped, "Facts proved that some demons are different, I am not a fool to reject any help that would save one of our own in times of danger." Leo knew what he was talking about. As a demon Lady Tamayo was able to create a simplified healing potion. This saved several slayers during critical times in the past year. The rest of the walk was silent, soon they reached the entrance and saw Sabito. Tanjiro and Nezuko was also with him. Leo was curious, "Why are you here, Tanjiro?" Tanjiro was happy to see Leo, "My sword needs to be replaced." Leo nodded, he knocked on a wooden box behind Tanjiro, "And why is this little fellow following us?" Tanjiro was embarrassed, "I left her alone when I went out for missions so this time she didn''t want to stay back, I am sorry." Leo knocked his head, "Why are you apologizing? It''s fine if she comes along." Sanemi scoffed and didn''t comment. A kakushu came by and bowed, "My lords, shall we move." Leo nodded, "Lead the way." The journey took them several hours, and several kakushu took turns to guide them. In this way not many people would know of the blacksmith village''s location. Finally they reached their location. Stepping past a collection of trees everyone saw a large village. Smoke could be seen arising from some of the buildings down there. So this is the blacksmith village. "Welcome to our village, honourable Hashiras. My name is Tecchin Tecchikawahara, I am the village chief." Leo and the rest greeted him and followed. The chief led them to his house. He offered tea and got to the matter at hand. "Tanjiro-kun, Hotaru will get to you once he is back." Tanjiro asked in confusion, "He isn''t here?" The chief nodded, "Yes. He disappeared a few days ago. Don''t worry, he does that often." Saying upto here the chief looked at Leo, "Honourable Hashira, may I see your sword?" Leo pointed to himself, "I am not a Hashira." The chief shook his head, "No, you are. Oyakata-sama gave you that position more than a year ago." Leo was surprised and he turned to Sabito for confirmation who scratched his head in embarrassment, "Oh, yeah, that happened. I forgot." Tracing his finger on the blade he exclaimed, "As expected of the Awataguchi lineage! A nine by seven sword!" Leo was interested when he heard the chief, "Lineage? Nine by seven?" The chief collected himself and sheathed the sword, he carefully handed it back to Leo. "Within our village there are different lineages. Each one has there own method of forging. Awataguchi is one of the most prestigious lineage. As for Nine by Seven it''s the quality of a sword." Hearing the chief''s words Leo asked, "Does a lineage have anything to do with quality?" The chief nodded, "Yes. Each lineage possess a well of experience from their predecessors. Their forging has gone through countless modifications and is perfect. Though there are different forging techniques, a weapons final form and strength is calculated by how many sets it can withstand." "A set is nine strokes. Each strike evenly distributes the materials used and strengthens the bond between them. There are nine sets with nine strokes. The higher the set the stronger the weapon." Leo rubbed his chin, he took Tanjiro''s sword and asked, "What''s the quality of this one." The chief merely glanced at it for a moment and said dismissively, "Nine by Five." Leo raised an eyebrow, "That''s lower than mine by two sets." The chief explained, "Please don''t think misunderstand. Our village has always been providing the best weapons for slayers. An average blacksmith can create a Nine by Five without any problems." "However that is a dividing line, From Nine by Six onwards a weapon intrinsically undergoes a change. Every material used has an essential role when it comes to the final form." "Take your sword for example, it is made of one of the hardest ores but that alone isn''t enough. Too much hardness will easily break, so softness, flexibility, pressure bearing, heat bearing and several other factors should also be considered." "A swordsmith starts to combine all of this into one form at Nine by Six. All of the supplementary materials with different properties starts to change, they will merge into the core component, becoming a whole and thus improving the quality exponentially." "Not every blacksmith can achieve this feat. Currently there are only five who can create a Nine by Six sword with fifty percent success rate, only two who can create Nine by Seven, with a success rate of twenty percent." Chapter 87 - 87. Sudden Attack Leo was fascinated by this new knowledge. "So all the other components merge with the core and become a new element?" The chief nodded and then shook his head, "Yes and no. The core element is given some new properties filling out it''s imperfection." Leo rubbed his chin, "That''s interesting. So it''s possible to create a perfect weapon." The chief nodded, "Theoretically yes." Leo''s curiosity was aroused, "Can you explain, if it''s not a problem." The chief didn''t hold back, "Smithing can be basically divided into three process, melting, mixing and tempering. Melting is where ores are broken down individually, they are heated to obtain liquid metal." "Mixing is as it''s name implies is to merge them together before pouring into a mold. Every lineage has there own methods for these two process." "Tempering is striking the metal mix after it is taken out of the mold. Though this step is common among every lineage, it takes talent to create a good weapon." "Nine strikes form a set. Each strike should be precise and powerful. If the strike is weak the bonding will be weak, if it''s too strong it won''t be spread evenly." "A smith must be able to identify the minute detail with each strike, after the fifth set each additional strike would intrinsically change the weapon. The higher the set the stronger the weapon." Leo was listening with great interest. Suddenly he thought of something, "What about Nine by Eight and Nine by Nine weapons, has anyone ever created one?" The chief sighed, "A Nine by Eight sword was created by a chief centuries ago." Leo asked with excitement, "And a Nine by Nine?" The chief shook his head, "Regretfully no one has ever created a Nine by Nine sword." Leo pondered for a bit, "Why? swordsmith village has been around for nearly a millennia, no one has ever created one before?" Lined with regret in his voice the chief replied, "For centuries every talented smiths to come by tried to create one but always failed. After countless defeat we came to conclusion, the last set requires something more than just physical tempering." Hm? The chief saw the confusion in Leo and asked, "Haven''t you ever wondered why your sword turned red?" Leo nodded. The chief didn''t let him wait and replied, "When you first touched your sword it resonated with you spirit. A higher resonance means the weapons abilities are upgraded. This is why a nichirin sword change colour. However, any weapon beneath Nine by Eight lacks the ability for higher resonance with first touch." Leo knew where he was going, "Higher resonance... a red sword? But I thought a tighter grip meant a red sword." The chief slowly explained, "A tighter grip means the weapon is becoming a part of you, you won''t let it go even when you are unconscious, isn''t that a form of resonance?" Leo couldn''t help but agree, the chief continued, "Any weapon beneath Nine by Eight will require time and special circ.u.mstances to change colour, we call it a forced resonance. Such a sword will be lacking compared to a true resonated sword." Leo was stunned, "If Nine by Eight can reach such heights then what about Nine by Nine?" The chief continued, "This is why we believe the last set requires something more, a spirit." Leo frowned, "Weapons can have spirit?" The chief nodded, "Theoretically, yes." Leo asked again, "What''s special about a Nine by Nine weapon?" The chief''s voice contained a hint of longing, "A Nine by Nine sword is perfect, the bond between the tiniest element will be unbreakable, it''s sharpness and strength will reach a new pinnacle. A most importantly it will never age." Leo felt a jolt in his heart, "Not age?" The chief nodded, his voice trembled from excitement, "Theory suggests that a weapon with spirit will never age, it will be immune to all withering elements of nature." Leo''s heartbeat quickened. A sword that never age? That''s practically the dream of every swordsman. Though Leo''s sword was Nine by Seven, he still needed to maintain it from time to time otherwise it''s sharpness would go down. Sabito and the rest didn''t interrupt Leo when he was speaking with the chief or rather they weren''t able to. But when they heard about the ultimate weapon their eyes glowed with excitement. After a long discussion about some details with the chief Leo and the rest were shown to their lodging. Before the chief left he said a few words to Leo, "Honourable Hashira, if you are interested in forging we are more than happy to arrange a time for you to witness a master forging." ... The woods behind the swordsmith village. "Is it safe?" A man with horns on his head and a panicked expression on his face asked a large porcelain vessel infront of him. "Relax. There are only two Hashiras here, we just need to avoid them and kill as many swordsmith as possible." A shrill voice sounded from the vessel. A second later smoke rose from it and formed a demon with the body of smoke. "Let''s go." ... Leo was soaking his body in a hot spring. The heat spread throughout his body, it invigorated his tired bones. He turned his head and found Tanjiro speaking cheerfully towards a boy with long black hair. This boy was Sanemi''s younger brother, Genya. Leo was surprised when he first met him, his spirit was that of a human but his physical body was slightly inclined towards a demons. He can eat demons and gain part of their abilities. Sanemi kind of said some harsh words when he saw Genya. However as someone with a spirit sense Leo knew he didn''t mean it. Sanemi was putting hard front because he didn''t want his brother to die. Leaning comfortably Leo said to Sanemi who was soaking beside him, "I can shake his spirit and carve out a path for him to train." Sanemi glared at Leo, "He doesn''t need your help. He is weak and he should stay away from battle, lest he becomes a burden." Leo rolled his eyes, "Sanemi-san, you do know of my ability, so why bother lying." Sanemi ignored him. Leo didn''t know what to say and simply enjoyed his time. Chapter 88 - 88. New Hashiras Clatter... Clatter... Looking at the mountain of plates piled up infront of him with more on the way Leo could only smile ruefully. He looked over and found the one responsible for this spectacle. It was a beautiful woman with neatly braided hair and a beauty mark on her chin. It was an incredible sight to see such a beauty stuffing her mouth with food. Sabito was calmly eating beside her, he saw Leo and beckoned to him to come over. "Who is this?" Leo was intrigued by this beauty. Sabito ate a piece of roasted meat and replied, "Her name is Mitsuri Kanroji, a Hashira. She was promoted right after you disappeared. There is one more, his name is Muiichiro Tokito. He is here but I don''t know where." Leo looked over at the woman and said, "Her body is strong." Sabito looked at him in surprise, "You can tell that?" Leo shrugged. His spiritual sense picked up a dense golden sphere encasing an enchanting spirit. From the golden sphere, he knew she had special constitution. Kanroji also saw Leo and excitedly said, "Hello, my name is Mitsuri Kanroji. You can call me Kanroji!" She is cheerful. Leo thought. Kanroji was suddenly embarrassed, "Sorry, I eat a lot." Leo was amused, "It''s alright. You have to eat more to stay healthy." Kanroji was surprised and smiled brightly, "Right! Though I ate a bit less today. You are a good person." Leo raised an eyebrow. Why did she give me the good guy card all of a sudden? Genya had a tired expression on his face. He tried to get rid of Tanjiro but this guy was very dense and hard to get angry at. So he could only go along with him. "Where is Nezuko?" Leo was surprised he didn''t find Nezuko with him. "She is sleeping." Hearing Tanjiro Leo started pondering. Genya suddenly walked towards Leo and said, "Lord Leo, please help me." Hm? Leo looked at him in confusion, Genya elaborated, "I heard what you said at the hot spring. Please help me." He did a ninety degree bow at Leo. For a moment Leo failed to react and said, "Kid, Sanemi will kill me." Genya clenched his fist but didn''t get up. The room got silent and nobody moved, except Kanroji who chewed slowly as to not make any noise. After a while Leo sighed, "Fine. Since you won''t give up it''s better for you to get stronger." Genya trembled, "Thank you! I will never... Leo waved his hand, "I don''t need to hear the rest. Just sit down and eat. Geez, you and your brother are equally stuck ups." Genya raised his head and said no more. But it was evident that he was pretty pumped up. The rest of the dinner went smoothly. Tanjiro and Kanroji quickly became friends, not surprising since both of them were cheerful beyond a limit. After their meal he saw Kanroji whispering something to Tanjiro but didn''t bother. The next day, as promised the chief arranged for Leo to watch a smith forge. Feeling a bit excited Leo rushed over to the forgery. There he met someone familiar. "Sakon-san?" Sakon was instructing his disciples when he heard him, "Leo! Come in, the chief told me that you were very interested in forging." Leo nodded, "Yeah. It''s very intriguing, I didn''t expect you to be the one forging." Sakon laughed, he showed him around and finally started his work. Leo didn''t say a word and just stood aside. He saw a blazing furnace, under the blazing heat was several metal plates. On it were large pieces of metal blocks. Under Sakon''s instruction his disciples started to operate the furnace. Soon the metal blocks melted. Flames kept dancing on its surface, burning away impurities. Taking a plier he poured it out into a solid plate. The different melted ores were mixed together, it formed a vortex with different shades of red. After a while the colour got even. With the help of others he slowly poured the molten mix into a mold. After a while Sakon broke the mold and took out a the blade. It was black and had blazing hot. Sakon wore a glove made of unidentified materials. He grabbed the blade using a thick plier and held it in place over a large sturdy square platform. Beside the platform was a smaller one, and on it was a large hammer. Sakon lifted it up. He held it up high and struck down. Sparks flew everywhere. The blade trembled. Sakon struck again, this time in a different place. He wasn''t hasty, he took his time, gathered his strength and struck down. Each strike compressed and folded the metal, it squeezed out tiny specks of char and smoothed the rough edges. Slowly the rough body of the blade was getting sharper and stronger. Leo was intrigued, to get a clearer picture he focused his spiritual sense on the blade. When his spirit touched it something happened. The blade trembled. Sakon didn''t notice this. He continued to hammer down. Leo was rooted on the spot, stunned. A clear image of the blade from inside out was presented before him. He could see where the blade was weak, he could see the metal squeeze and fold by the weight of the hammer, he could see the air gaps within burn away... every change the blade was going through, he could see it. With each strike the blade''s interior glowed. At first the it was a mix of different elements, but after a number of strikes these elements fused together and slowly started to form a whole. Leo lost count of how many strikes it had been. Suddenly Sakon stopped and took a deep breath, his eyes were extremely focused. He stood still for a second and struck down. Leo saw the glow inside the blade intensify. The fusion between the elements suddenly increased exponentially. He delivered nine strikes and waited. When he was done the glow inside the blade didn''t immediately disappear, it held on for a couple of seconds before fading away. Sakon waited, when he felt it was the right, he struck again. However this time he only struck five times before stopping. He stopped at once and submerged the blade inside a vat of thick oily liquid. Sizzzz... The liquid rolled and boiled. After some time Sakon pulled it out, the blade was pitch black and vapour spewed out of it. A disciple immediately pushed a whetstone infront of him. Sakon''s forehead was sweaty but his eyes were sharp and focused. He slowly traced the blade over the whetstone. Sparks flew as it slid across the cold dark stone. With the passage of time the blade''s edge started to gleam sharply. When he was done the blade''s edge looked cold and sharp. A disciple handed a wet cloth to sakon. He carefully wiped away the grinded metal and oil. Another disciple handed him a guard and a hilt. Sakon struck the guard and handle in one fluid motion. A new sword was born. Leo''s eyes sparkled, "Amazing." Chapter 89 - 89. Forging Secrets Sakon wiped the sweat from his forehead, looking at the newly forged sword he let out a smile. "Not bad, a Nine by Four sword." He turned around and gave it to Leo, "Check it out. Just out of the furnace." Leo grabbed the sword and found it weighted no less than his own. He scanned it with his spirit sense and found a completely different vibe to it. He commented, "Good sword!" Sakon laughed lightly, "Haha, don''t praise me so much. I didn''t make necessary preparations since your request was so sudden." Leo handed the sword back and asked, "Why did your rhythm change after the first three sets?" Sakon was surprised, "You noticed, impressive." They walked out of the forge and went to the backyard, Sakon asked, "How much did the chief tell you?" Leo simply stated, "Not much, you know, since I am a newbie at this. But he did explain the three phases of forging." Sakon nodded and explained, "Basically that''s it, but there is a lot more to it. The first three sets use brute force and techniques to remove metallic waste and temper the sword. Since I don''t know the distribution of these impurities I have to rely on my experience and instinct to force it out." I can see it though. Leo thought to himself. He didn''t voice it out and listened. "A millennia of forging helped us to understand where to strike, when to strike and how much force to use. We developed techniques based on this understanding. The mold simply gives a weapon it''s shape, we use these techniques to further refine and strengthen them." "For that, brute strength is needed. With each strike the impurities are removed, the metal is folded and compressed to it''s extreme limits. After the first three sets, every weapon will be extremely tough." "Next four sets are different. It''s to merge all the other elements into the core component. Luckily, the other components will automatically merge with the strongest one. But I can''t just simply apply brute force as before, that would break the sword." "From the fourth set onwards I can only strike when the force from the previous strike disappears, otherwise it will overlap with the next one, the resulting force will destroy the sword. So, I have to wait for the perfect moment." "My timing was off for the fourth set, that''s why I could only do five, any more and the sword would have broken." Leo understood the theory quite easily. He thought for a moment and asked, "What about the last two sets? What''s it''s purpose?" Sakon gathered his thoughts and explained, "The eighth sets purpose is to fundamentally change the sword as whole and give it special properties. A Nine by Eight weapon will easily resonante with it''s weilder and boost their attack power." "As for the last set... there has never been a smith to create a Nine by Nine sword. To give a sword spirit... it sounds impossible but my ancestors believed it can done." Leo was surprised, "Really? A sword with spirit?" Sakon nodded, "Millennia of debates led my ancestors to believe that, certain materials and high attainments in forging are needed to make a Nine by Nine weapon. Well, that''s all just a theory though." He pointed to the sword he just made, "Take this sword for example, it may be a Nine by Four but it''s still not perfect." Leo was surprised. While forging he failed to notice the impurities the sword still had. When Sakon handed the complete sword to to him his spirit sense noticed black spots here and there on its body. There weren''t many but there were still some. The sword wasn''t perfect. Sakon continued, "If this sword was without an ounce of imperfection and I had the ability to strike with impeccable precision, with certain special materials it''s possible to create a Nine by Nine sword." With his spirit sense Leo could see through any metal. He can remove even the tiniest of impurities, and he can literally see the force spreading through the sword. Which means Leo had already fulfilled one of the criteria to create a Nine by Nine sword. Who knew my spirit sense had such an ability. His spirit sense was the ultimate tool for forging. Leo got up and said, "Thanks for today." Sakon nodded, "If you have any questions just ask. Anyway, where are you off to now?" Leo said, "I will go around and watch those disciples forge. Though it won''t be as good as yours, it''s still experience." Sakon was curious, "You really want to learn forging? Why?" Leo shrugged, "It''s interesting." Sakon laughed, "Haha, that''s right, it is interesting!" Leo said goodbye and left. He visited several forgery and saw many junior smiths and masters forge. It was an eye opener for Leo, without the ability to see they used techniques and instinct to create weapons of such quality. He only had one word for these people, amazing. By the end of the day he visited the chief and asked him for a favour. "Lord Hashira, this... for someone of your status to..." The chief was hesitating. Leo smiled and said, "It''s alright. Just think of it as a hobby." The chief thought for a moment and agreed, "Alright, I will do as you ask. I will arrange a forging room for you and some apprentices to help you." Leo shook his head, "I don''t any help." The chief shook his head, "That won''t do. Lord, this is your first time forging, it takes a lot of time to know your way around a forgery. The process may not be a problem for you but if any mistakes happen someone with experience needs to be there to take care of it." He woke up with a clear mind and made a beeline towards the forgery. The chief was already waiting for him. He led him inside and showed. "Honourable Hashira, you can use this place as you please. If you need anything just ask." Leo thanked the chief. Looking at the workshop he rubbed his hands. "Let''s get started." Chapter 90 - 90. Under Attack Two days have passed. Leo''s initial excitement turned into disappointment. He realised a painful truth, his ability was breathtaking but without the corresponding knowledge it was worthless. He tried to forge with the help of his spiritual sense but it all ended in failure. The first try didn''t even pass the melting stage, he heated the metals beyond it''s capacity and was coked. The second one ended with the same result. Then the third one, the fourth... after a lot of testing he was barely able to pass the melting stage. However he completely failed the mixing stage. He only realised then how much knowledge and experience was needed to forge. With no choice he consulted Sakon who didn''t hold back and laughed in his face. Leo has never been embarrassed so much. "I thought you were smart, guess I was wrong. Melting and Mixing requires knowledge about metals. Every smith has to go through years of training before they are allowed to step into a forge." "Theory is important Leo. Every element may have completely different or infinitely similar characteristics. You have to be able to identify and classify them." "Alright, I won''t rub it in. My study has a complete set of books ranging from foundational knowledge to advanced theories and personal notes of my ancestors. You are welcome to use them." Leo thanked Sakon. He decided to forge again only after he gained a comprehensive understanding of metals and controlling flames. A couple of days have past since then. Leo spend his time going through book after book written by some of the greatest masters to have come by within the millenia. These masters didn''t have his ability but they were absolutely prodigies of their generation. Their thoughts and ideas were an eye opener for Leo. And thanks to his spiritual sense he was able to read through these books and personal notes rather quickly. To him these knowledge were easy to acquire but it would take time to digest it. Closing a book on combinations of elements Leo stretched his body. He almost read through the night and was about to hit the bed. Suddenly he paused. He raised his head and looked towards the west wall. Interesting. Soon after he said those words the building burst apart. Several figures jumped out. One of them had long hair and an impassive look on his face. Leo rubbed his chin. That must be the Mist Hashira, Muiichiro Tokito. Leo sensed the same spiritual source from those two demons. Hoh... he can split his emotions. One of the demons held a leaf fan, he waved it and blew the Mist Hashira, Muiichiro far into the distance. Tanjiro was having a hard battle against the other two demons. When he was about to be struck Genya who at some point positioned himself above the roof. He aimed a short double barreled gun at the demon and pulled the trigger. He jumped down and cut the other one immediately. Tanjiro yelled at him, "Genya! They split the more you slice them and get stronger!" Leo didn''t intend to join and watched from the side. Sabito suddenly appeared out of nowhere, "Hey! Why the hell are you standing around!? Let go!" He was about to rush forward when Leo pulled him back, "Don''t rush. This is a good opportunity for them. Stay here and watch, interfere only when they are in serious danger." Sabito was about to reject when Leo cut him off, "You are more than enough to kill this one. A critical battle will accelerate their battle capabilities." Sabito hesitated for a moment and nodded, "Where are you going then?" Leo pointed to the forest behind, "I sense another demon in that direction." He didn''t explain further and disappeared. Inside the forest. Muiichiro was stuck inside something resembling water. His body was pierced by many needles. Some distance from him was a shed. Two smiths were inside working on a sword. "Stay back!" One of them held a blade and struck at the demon. The demon had long torso with several hands protruding from its neck. It''s eyes were replaced with mouths and it''s mouth and forehead were covered and engraved with a character. Upper Moon Five! "That''s some serious concentration." Just as Upper Moon Five was about to cleave the smiths in two a sword descended out of nowhere. It split the shed in two. Upper Moon Five was horrified. He retreated and looked around, but found no one. Who!? He panicked. That attack could have killed him if it was aimed at him. Just as he was searching for the culprit Muiichiro jumped out of nowhere. His cheeks had a mist crest. He got out? Upper Moon Five reacted fast enough and dodged the attack. Muiichiro didn''t hold back and followed close. Leo was standing on a tree far behind them, he sat down and watched on with interest. What''s that crest? It''s drawing strength from his spirit. The crest was drawing strength from his spirit. The flow was rather slow but if it kept on like this his life span will be reduced considerably. "What are you doing!?" A growl came from behind. Leo turned around and found Sanemi glaring at him. Leo waved his hand, "Sit down and watch. That kid Muiichiro got stronger." Sanemi glared at him for a moment and unwillingly sat down. Leo explained, "You see that black crest on his face, he got stronger after it appeared." Sanemi frowned, "Stronger?" Leo nodded, "Yeah. But I wouldn''t count on it, it has a serious drawback, reduced lifespan." Sanemi clenched his fist, "If it makes me stronger I am fine with it." Leo nearly wanted to smack him to the ground, "What is wrong with you? We already have a method to get stronger! We don''t need that crest!" Sanemi didn''t comment. Leo shook his head and asked, "Hey, why did they attack when five Hashiras are here?" Sanemi also frowned, "Do they have another objective?" Leo didn''t know. He chose to wait, he wanted to see what the demons were planning. Chapter 91 - 91. Wrong Information Leo and Sanemi were in deep thought. The slayers were different from the past. After Leo passed on the true purpose of Breathing Techniques, Hashiras were able to go head to head against Upper Moons. The demons were well aware of this. And yet they chose to attack when five Hashiras were present. Leo thought for a moment and said, "Wait here, I''ll be right back." Before Sanemi could say anything Leo disappeared. Cursing under his breath Sanemi kept an eye on the battle. Probably about ten minutes later Leo returned. "No other demons." Sanemi wasn''t a master strategist but even he knew something was up. Suddenly a ridiculous thought popped into their minds, they looked at each other. "No way... " "They didn''t know... It took them a minute to get over their shock. Leo curled his lips, "Hehe, now this is fun." Sanemi grinned, "That''s some shitty luck!" He didn''t wait any longer and plunged towards Upper Moon Five. Leo shook his head and smiled. Who knew demons would also have such a day. Knowing this place was taken care of Leo rushed towards the other battlefield. He already sensed Kanroji joining the battle. Sabito kept a safe distance and oversaw the battle. He saw Leo coming towards him and asked, "How did it go?" Leo replied, "Sanemi is helping Muiichiro." Sabito smiled, "That lunatic must be thrashing whichever Upper Moon it is." "Where is Nezuko?" Leo looked around and didn''t find her. Sabito pointed to the distance, "She got caught up in a strike and blew far away. Don''t worry, she isn''t hurt. And all other demons are focused here." Leo nodded. He was about to say something when his face changed. He looked over the horizon, a spark of light was slowly coming to view. The sun was rising! Oh, no! Nezuko! Leo''s heart sunk. He didn''t realize it was almost nearing dawn. His body leaned forward and shot into the distance. This time he fully unleashed his strength. "Breath" rolled inside his energy pathways, his speed reached a new height. His spirit sense was spread out covered a distance of hundred metres. Damn! Damn! Damn!! Leo''s expression turned ugly. There was no cover for her to hide. The ground cracked and dispersed as he flew towards her. He cursed himself. Usually slayers would hope for the sun to rise faster, he went about with that mentality and completely forgot about Nezuko. When he reached her, the first wisp of sunlight had already sunk into the earth. He jumped off the cliff and landed infront of Nezuko. His tall body blocked most of the sunlight. Leo''s heart was in his throat. He picked her up, and dashed into the forest. She was burning in his arms. He kicked on a huge tree, it broke from the middle and fell down. He continued to kick and created a shade with the fallen trunks. He gently placed her down. Her skin was charred and ash was flying around. Leo''s eyes started to tear up, "Nezuko, hang in there!" He didn''t know what to do. Her body continued to give off smoke. Soon her entire body looked like it was coked. When he thought everything was over the black surface started to peel off. Nezuko stood up, the black skin crumbled and scattered away. She was back to herself! Her body had no burn marks, instead her flesh had a faint blush to it. Nezuko saw Leo and snuggled into his c.h.e.s.t. What just happened? Leo was shocked. He thought for sure that she was dead but a second later she was fine. It was like a butterfly breaking out of it''s cocoon. When his mind calmed down he saw her spirit. Unlike before it didn''t have that pitch black colour to it. Her chaotic emotions have also stabilised. Is she changing back to a human? Leo guessed. Before her soul was pitch black and her emotions were a mess, it looked like a demons. But now it was leaning towards a humans. He was awoken by a group of flurried steps. Looking out he saw Tanjiro stumbling towards them in a sorry state. "Nezuko... you are fine..." He said those words and fell down. Sabito came right on his heels, he saw Nezuko was fine and let out a sigh of relief. "That was a close call." Leo nodded. Nezuko suddenly wiggled out of his embrace and dashed towards Tanjiro. "Nezuko!" Leo wanted to pull her back but then he paused. Nezuko should instinctively fear the sun... could it be? His guess was absolutely spot on. Nezuko walked out into the sun!! She kneeled before Tanjiro and poked his cheek. Sabito had his jaws wide open when he saw this. Leo laughed out heartily. He was happy, happy beyond words. Nezuko conquered the sun... Shinobu got the news and rushed to them. She immediately started a round of tests to find out what happened. The battle against Upper Moon Five and Four resulted in a dominating victory. And Nezuko conquered the sun. This news heightened the morale of the corps. The Hashiras were gathered. "For this Hashira Meeting today. I, Ubuyashiki Amane will be attending in place of Ubuyashiki Kagaya." "Master Kagaya''s disease has gotten worse. He sends his apologies for being unable to attend this meeting in front of you all." Gyomei and the rest bowed and said, "Understood. We will be praying for Oyakata-sama''s flickering flame of life to last a bit longer. Even for a day." "Please stay strong, Amane-sama." The woman paused for a second, "He would like to thank you all." "I am sure you have known about Nezuko. She has conquered the sun. Muzan will come for her and a battle determining the fate of the Corps will ensue." Chapter 92 - 92. Hashira Training No one had any doubt. Muzan will come for her. Amane continued, "We also have reports of strange marks appearing on Tokito-sama and Kanroji-sama during their battle with Upper Moon Five and Upper Moon Four." The other Hashiras were startled, "Marks?" Amane nodded, "During the Sengoku era, there were some swordsman of the first Breath who were one step away from killing Muzan." "They all had this mark resembling Demon Crests" Everyone was surprised. Sanemi asked, "I haven''t heard of it. So why are we hiding this?" Amane shook her head, "At that time a lot of people were brooding about the crests never appearing again. And, that''s why." "A lot of information about the marks became hazy over time, maybe because they were never laid out in stone." "And the Corps were on the verge of annihilation several times so the inheritance must have died out at some point." "But there is one piece of news that is consistent, once one person has that mark on them, it starts to spread to others, like as if they are resonating." "And the first person to have this mark was Kamado Tanjiro." Leo understood and said, "Amane-sama, the mark does bring tremendous benefit but it has a dangerous drawback." Gyomei asked, "What is it?" Leo sighed, "Life. It reduces your life in exchange for power. The mark draws power directly from your spirit. Even considering the best case scenario a person with that mark can only live until thirty, and that''s only if they use that power sparingly." He looked at everyone and spoke seriously, "We don''t need that kind of power. When everything is over and done, I don''t want to visit you at your graves." The room went silent. Gyomei asked, "What do you suggest then?" Leo explained, "Nezuko has conquered the sun, Muzan will try everything he can to get to her. This is his only chance and so is ours." "He will come to us. And we will kill him when he does." Amane cut in, "So it''s decided that every Hashira will arrange a training session. Our priority now is to increase true Breath Users. Apart from Tokito-sama and Kanroji-sama, the others have already awakened and acc.u.mulated enough experience." Gyomei clasped his palms together, "Agreed. Please inform Oyakata-sama that it will be done." Amane bowed her head and left with her daughters. Leo sighed, "My workload increased." Sabito grinned, "Don''t worry Tokito is a genius and Kanroji ain''t bad as well, I am sure they can reach ''all seeing'' realm quickly." Leo saw his amus.e.m.e.nt, there were people around otherwise a polite middle finger would have been his response. "Everyone please stay back for some time. We need to discuss the training session in detail." Gyomei requested for everyone to stay back. "Guess, we are gonna be busy for a while." Leo muttered. ... Each Hashira had a specific training purpose. The sound Hashira will go through stamina training. The love Hashira will be in charge of flexibility. The snake Hashira will be in charge of responsiveness. The flame Hashira took care of explosive power. The mist Hashira is on speed aspect. The wind Hashira pounds infinite smashing. The rock Hashira will train in muscle reinforcement. Sabito was the official water Hashira, so he took care of techniques. The flower Hashira, Kanae mainly focused on treatment so she wasn''t tasked with any training. Giyu and Makomo could freely help any of the other Hashiras. Leo had a more important task, to train two Hashiras. The Hashira training focused on new slayers. And it lasted for an entire day. Kanroji and Tokito were tired from a day of practice but they were dragged out by Leo and forced to fight him. "I know you are tired and frankly I don''t care. You have to grasp that realm as soon as possible. And the best time is when you are on the edge. So let''s get started." Leo fully released his murderous intent. Kanroji and Tokito trembled and took a step back. "Your task is simple, lay a hit on me. That is, if you are standing." He took a step forward and appeared beside Tokito. Shocked at Leo''s speed Tokito instinctively raised his sword to block. Their swords collided, Tokito was thrown away by the tremendous power behind that attack. Kanroji woke up from her fear and attacked. Her sword was special, it was made by the swordsmith village chief. It was long, like a whip but strong and deadly like any other sword. Leo was quite amazed. It was not that easy to master such a weapon, rather than injuring your opponent such a weapon harmed it''s own wielder most of the time. Kanroji had mastered this weapon. She had astonishing flexibility and the power behind her attacks were immense. However this was Leo. He had long broken through the limits of a Hashira. He easily dodged her attacks. By now Tokito also joined the battle. One minute... Five minute... Ten minute... Thirty... an hour... two... Time went by. Leo was standing straight with his sword on his shoulders. Kanroji and Tokito kneeled some distance away from him, they were breathing heavily and sweating. It took them tremendous energy to just stay awake. Leo curled his lips, "Come on, let''s keep it up for another hour." Kanroji and Tokito nearly passed out when they heard him. "You both have mastered your forms perfectly but you still haven''t mastered your breathing techniques." "What do you think breathing is? It''s a form closest to nature. Every breath we take, we are becoming a part of her, to live, to grow strong." "So don''t breathe for the sake of living, to battle. Breathe to become part of a much stronger existence. Only then can you step into that realm." "Come on, get up!" Kanroji and Tokito grinded their teeth and got up. While Leo was putting them through hell mode once again, a pair of eyes were staring holes at him from the woods behind the training grounds. Leo had already sensed who this was. Holy crap! Iguro! Why the f.u.c.k is he so pissed off? Leo was kind of scared when he saw that murderous look on his face. It took him no more than a few seconds to figure out what was happening. A wry smile outlined his face as he stared at Kanroji. Why the f*ck is this happening to me? Chapter 93 - 93. Hashira Training Part 2 "I''m gonna kill ya!" Within the training grounds a peculiar sight was unfolding. The wind Hashira Sanemi had a murderous look on his as he chased after Leo. "Calm down Sanemi-san!" Leo was trying his best to soothe him down. However it proved ineffective. "Just stay still!" Like hell I will! Leo was dodging left after right. Suddenly Sanemi took a stance and swung his sword. Holy shit! A furious gale was kicked up by that slash. Leo couldn''t dodge this one, he raised his sword and blocked it. Bang! The training ground was filled with cracks as their swords met. Sanemi''s eyes practically spewed out fire. "Yeah, stay still just like that. Just one arm is enough." Leo nearly spurted blood from annoyance, "Would you calm down and listen!?" Sanemi growled, "Shut the f*ck up!" Leo made some distance between them and said hastily, "Listen, Genya will definitely continue to fight demons so isn''t it better if he got stronger. That would atleast give him a better chance at survival." Sanemi stopped for a moment and attacked him again. Leo could only parry the incoming strike. He continued to defend. After a while Sanemi stopped, he glared at Leo and stomped away. Leo heaved a sigh of relief and sat down exhausted. Sabito came out of nowhere and handed him a pack of dried fruit, "I told you this would happen." Leo grabbed the whole packet and stuffed a bunch into his mouth, "What choice did I have? It''s better for that kid to get stronger so I helped him. So what? It''s a crime to help him do breathing techniques?" Sabito shrugged, "Who know what''s on Sanemi''s mind? Anyway, how did you help Genya?" Leo ate while he explained, "Genya''s constitution is special, he can gain a demons strength and regeneration as long as he consumes their flesh. He is basically a different breed of humans." "I used my spiritual energy to carve out an energy path inside him. Now it''s only a matter of time for energy to condense and fill that path. Once that is done he can do Breathing Techniques like any other human." "The downside is that his peculiar constitution will dissolve and disappear as the energy path is completed. However he will be twice or thrice stronger than a normal human by then." Sabito nodded thoughtfully, "That ain''t bad." Leo pushed aside his other questions and asked, "How goes the training?" "You know, the usual. True Breath users are hard to come by." "That''s a given. Realm of mind must be high enough to sense the spirit otherwise It''s impossible to control ''Breath''." While Leo was having his troubles Tanjiro and the rest were also busy. "Namo-Amita-Butsu." Tanjiro, Inosuke and Zenitsu stared at Himejima who was pushing a rock weighing more than a ton through the ground like it was nothing. Zenitsu pointed at him and swallowed, "We have to do that?" Himejima stopped what he was doing and patted his palms, "Use your ''Breath'' to reinforce your muscles." Tanjiro and the rest stood infront of a large stone, this one wasn''t even half the size of what Himejima was pushing around but it was enough for them. "Focus your spirit and channel ''Breath'' through your body." Himejima instructed from the side. Tanjiro closed his eyes and focused. Training from a young age and losing his parents, Tanjiro went through a lot. He was no longer imm.a.t.u.r.e. He understood what he was fighting for, every battle made him grow. As a result his mind had already reached the ''All seeing'' realm and he was able to sense his spirit even without Leo''s help. Not just him, Inosuke and Zenitsu had also awakened as true Breath users without any outside help. When he focused Tanjiro could feel a ball of energy residing inside him. It was blazing hot. He focused, the energy started to rumble and it spun. Through the energy channels it spread throughout his body. Tanjiro remembered Himejima''s words, the ''Breath'' reaching every corner of his body dispersed and was absorbed by his muscles. Tanjiro took a step forward, his arms trembled and veins popped up. He took another step, then another... Himejima nodded. He was satisfied with these three, they were geniuses and stood out like cranes among a flock of crows. Inosuke and Zenitsu weren''t too far behind. They were all panting but they were far from being tired. "Don''t just consume ''Breath'' for a moment of strength, gather more as you move." All three of them found it hard to do muscle reinforcement and ''Breath'' gathering at the same time. After an hour... "So tired... Zenitsu was on the ground, his face was lifeless as he looked up to the sky. "How can he easily do muscle reinforcement and ''Breath'' gathering at the same time!?! He is a monster! Does he think we are also one?" Inosuke heard him and said, "That guy is different. He is the strongest slayer, apart from that other monster." Zenitsu nodded vigorously. Tanjiro was preparing food while they were animatedly talking, "Himejima-san sure is strong. He is also kind." Inosuke waved his hand, "Just cook food Monjiro." Tanjiro gave up correcting him and focused on his work. Just then Zenitsu''s sparrow flew by. It handed him a letter. Inosuke curiously asked, "Wacha got there?" Zenitsu shook his head, "Don''t know." He sat beneath a tree and opened the letter, his face paled when he saw the content. Tanjiro sensed something wrong and asked with concern, "What''s wrong Zenitsu?" Zenitsu snapped out, his face was still pale, however he still squeezed out a smile and said "Nothing, just... could you guys leave me alone for a while." "Zenitsu... "Let''s go Monjiro." Inosuke suddenly grabbed Tanjiro and walked away. Zenitsu crumbled the letter, his face contorted as murderous intent unintentionally spilled out. "Senior brother... I will kill you!" The sparrow flew to his shoulder and rubbed it''s head on his cheek. Zenitsu nudged it''s head and said slowly, "I am alright." Chapter 94 - 94. Muzan Appears Wind Hashira''s training grounds. Slayers were hard at work trying to dodge what seems to be a human skinned beast. Their faces were pale as they faced off against Sanemi. After several rounds of nonstop thrashing Sanemi called it a day and returned to his room. Genya, Sanemi''s brother walked to his room. He came to a halt and hesitated to step in. "What the f.u.c.k do you want?" Sanemi already sensed his brother and asked carelessly. Genya was taken back and didn''t know what to say, "I... "If you are here to mumble, just f.u.c.k off otherwise I will break your legs." Sanemi glared at his brother. Genya looked down, he finally found that last bit of courage and said, "Sorry... I... that day, for calling you mother''s murderer... sorry." Sanemi looked at his brother and walked out. Genya wasn''t discouraged when he saw his brother walk out without a word, instead he was relieved. Sanemi left his manor and walked down the stone steps. Fool. Who!? His figure flashed and rushed into the woods. He reached out and grabbed towards that presence. He caught what he sensed. He opened his palm and took a look at what it was. It was a bug with a weird eye on it''s head. Sanemi was startled for a moment, his eyes widened in shock. His heart felt unsettled as a dangerous thought occurred to him. Sanemi turned around and rushed off towards the Ubuyashiki manor. Oyakata-sama! ... Giyu, Sabito and Momoka were with Tanjiro and Inosuke. "Where is Zenitsu?" Giyu didn''t find Zenitsu with Tanjiro and Inosuke. He found it odd since these three were always together. "Big brother Leo called for him." "Leo?" Sabito suddenly remembered and asked, "Speaking of Leo, where is he? I haven''t seen him today." Tanjiro shook his head, "I also don''t know." "Hm..." Sabito rubbed his chin and was lost in thought. Suddenly he frowned, not only him the others also showed a weird expression. All of them vanished and returned in a second. They all had a weird bug in their hand. "What the heck?" Giyu was startled when he saw the true appearance of the bug. Oyakata-sama! Not only them all the other Hashiras also felt the evil intent in the air. Having gone through countless battles they knew this was bad. All of them rushed towards the Ubuyashiki manor. Meanwhile... "You have finally come, Muzan." Kagaya who was bandaged from head to toe spoke serenely. His voice was weak but his words were clear. Amane, his wife accompanied him. She gently helped him sit up. That movement caused the bandages to come loose. The gaps between it showed wrinkled old skin. It looked as if his flesh was rotting. "Ubuyashiki... you have been a thorn on my side for far too long." Kagaya didn''t respond and asked his wife, "Amane, what form is he in?" Amane looked up at Muzan and said, "He looks young with black curly hair and peach coloured eyes, however his pupils are like a cat''s." Muzan stoically said, "What a wretched sight Ubuyashiki." Kagaya found no offense in his words, "This is divine retribution. A thousand year ago a demon came out of our family, that demon is you Muzan. You and I have the same blood." Muzan scoffed, "What, trying to appeal to my sympathy?" Kagaya lightly laughed, "Haha, no. You have taken thousands of lives, I wouldn''t dare call myself your family. Your sins are far too great. The heavens will never accept you." Muzan sneered, "I don''t need the heavens acceptance." Kagaya nodded, "I know. Because of your sin, the children born in our family were cursed. Before they reached five all of them would die, at one point in time the Ubuyashiki line was close to extinction." "Fortunately, a priest gave us a way out, a solution to this curse, you! As long as we kill you this curse will be lifted. For generations we have married from the temple to grant us protection." "Thanks to that the children born after were able to extend their feeble life for a couple more decades, long enough to prepare the next generation. Their one and only goal was to kill you." Muzan smiled with disdain, "And yet here I am." Kagaya nodded, "Yes, here you are. I know your reason for being here but it will never happen." "You done? Let me sent you on your way." Amane only blinked once and Muzan disappeared. He was now standing beside Kagaya, his hands were raised, his nails grew larger, looking like a demonic claw. Kagaya''s eyes were already devoid of light and yet he raised his head and stared at Muzan. Muzan felt as if he was being stared at by a viper. Those lifeless eyes evoked a sense of danger inside his heart. What''s happening? He is nothing but a weak dying human. Then why do I feel as if I am being coiled around by a venomous snake. Kagaya suddenly started to laugh while coughing out blood. "For a thousand year we have waited, for a thousand year we have suffered, for a thousand year hundreds, thousands of younglings died to protect humanity." "That all ends tonight." "When dawn breaks these lands will welcome a new era... "An era without darkness... "An era without you!" Kagaya laughed loudly, his body couldn''t handle the strain and fell down. Blood started to drip from his mouth. Muzan felt that vague sense of danger get stronger and stronger. Suddenly his expression changed. Damn Ubuyashiki! Bbbbooooommmm! An earth rendering explosion took place swallowing the Ubuyashiki manor in a sea of flames. The Hashiras were rushing over when they saw a cloud of smoke rise from the manor direction. Their hearts tightened as dread flooded their mind which turned into anger, hatred and grief. Oyakata-sama! Chapter 95 - 95. End Battle Damn Ubuyashiki! He used metal spikes to slow down my healing! Muzan came out of the fire. His clothes were torn and burned, his body was filled with bloody wounds. Just as he was about to relax he saw numerous spikes float in mid air. Before he could react the spikes trembled and grew in size. Muzan only had time to make sure he wasn''t completely immobilised. The spikes filled the courtyard and penetrated through his body, fixing him in place. Just as he thought everything was over a sting came from his c.h.e.s.t. He looked down and found a female wearing a yukata digging her hand into his c.h.e.s.t. "Tamayo! You wretched witch!" Tamayo glared at Muzan, she grinded her teeth and squeezed out her words, "You will die tonight, Kibutsuji Muzan." Muzan growled, "Witch, you escaped once. Since you want to die so badly I will grant you death." Muzan''s flesh squirmed as he tried to swallow Tamayo. Suddenly a figure flashed beside Tamayo, "Thank you for your help, lady Tamayo." Muzan''s pupils shrunk when he saw who it was. Leo Heart! Shing! Sword light flashed. Leo cut off Tamayo''s arm. He grabbed her and retreated. Himejima gathered ''Breath'' in his arms, veins popped up as he slammed an iron ball down on Muzan. Boom! The ground trembled and sunk in. Dust filled their sight. Shua! Shua! The other Hashiras also reached the manor. Their eyes went red when they saw the state of the manor. Oyakata-sama... Leo and Himejima stared at the cloud of dust and waited. They knew this wouldn''t take down Muzan. A few Kakushu stood behind them, they were protecting Amane and her two daughters. Watching the crumbling manor Leo''s expression dimmed. "Oyakata-sama, please, I ask you to reconsider!" Leo, Gyomei and Zenitsu sat before Kagaya and pleaded. Kagaya shook his head, "I won''t live past three days. It''s alright, this is what I want." Leo hastily replied, "We can find a way. Shinobu is already working on a healing serum, once Muzan is dead we can restore your health!" Kagaya silently looked at him for several seconds and said, "I am nearly thirty years old. My father, my grandfather, his father... every generation of Ubuyashiki never lived past thirty." "From the moment of my birth I was already tasked with a mission. Each day I was trained to take up my father''s position, I never complained, I never got lazy and I always did my best." "I took my father''s position when I was twelve. My illness started acting up when I turned twenty. Each day I could feel my body get weaker and weaker... the pain I felt couldn''t be described in words." "But I endured... all for this day. I couldn''t help you children in any other way other than to provide you with material objects. I feel ashamed to not be able to stand beside you on this final battle." Leo and the rest wanted to say something, "Oyakata-sama... Kagaya raised his arms and stopped them from speaking, "I am tired Leo... very tired." "At least in these final moments of my life, let me be a part of your struggles." Leo, Gyomei and Zenitsu fell silent. They wanted to argue but they couldn''t. Finally Gyomei raised his head and bowed deeply, "Thank you for everything!" Leo and Zenitsu looked at Gyomei then at Kagaya, their eyes blurred but they still bowed. "Thank you, Oyakata-sama!" Kagaya had a serene smile on his face, "Don''t be sad, this is my time." Leo clenched his sword and stared at the sea of flames. For the families you destroyed, for the slayers you killed, Oyakata-sama... you must die Muzan! The Hashiras were gathered, their grief and pain turned to anger and hatred. When the sea of flames died down Muzan''s figure appeared. He was covered in blood with burns all over his body. "Die!" Sanemi was the first to act. He slashed his sword at Muzan''s throat. A storm followed his sword and swept away everything in it''s path. Muzan caught his breath and saw the attack. He crossed his arms and took the full brunt of the attack. The aftershock threw his body into the crashed manor. Before he could regain his footing several swords were already going for his vitals. His head, throat, heart and brains were already locked on. He could feel the anger in those swords, the raging power in them would definitely wound him gravely. Rooaaarrrr! Muzan roared. His body squirmed and several tubes made of hardened flesh emerged from his back and swung at the incoming attacks like a whip. Having deflected all the attacks he retreated and stared at his opponents. Over a dozen pair of eyes were focused on him, he could feel danger from every one of these eyes, especially from a pair of piercing blue eyes. For the first time in three hundred years Muzan felt a cold chill down his spine. He calmed his heart and said, "You were prepared." Leo stepped forward, his bloodl.u.s.t was spilling out like a broken dam. He chose not to speak with Muzan and attacked. Muzan speedily retreated and scoffed, "Do you really think I would come here without sufficient preparations on my own?" Just as he said those words the ground trembled. The earth beneath their feet disappeared and what replaced it was a large field of innumerable cube sized rooms. The Infinity Fortress! Leo already expected this. His body flickered and appeared next to Muzan. A dragon materialised beside him as it struck down. Muzan''s arms and shoulders were crushed by this attack. However he didn''t show signs of panic and retreated calmly. Damn that Tamayo, What did she inject into my body!? Muzan''s speed was reducing at a visible pace. Finally he stopped and looked at Leo who seemed like a wild beast as he charged over destroying everything. Muzan grinned, "Hope you like my present, Leo Heart!" As he finished speaking Muzan was covered in a ball made of flesh and disappeared into a door of darkness that appeared out of nowhere. Leo''s rushed forward but as he got close he felt a faint sense of danger and took a step back. He stared forward and found a mass of flesh slowly emerge from that dark door. At first it was just a hand but as he watched a huge body atleast four times bigger than an average human''s stepped out. It had countless faces on it''s body. Hundreds of eyes focused on Leo. Leo frowned. This demon... it''s different. Chapter 96 - 96. End Battle 2 Leo stared at this disgusting demon. The other Hashiras also saw this particular demon and rushed towards it. However just as they neared it several doors suddenly appeared out of nowhere and trapped Leo and the monster inside like a box. Gyomei was the first to act, his weapon, an axe with a long thick chain connected to an iron ball stretched out of his hand and slammed into the doors. However the doors remained intact and only trembled slightly. Just as the others were about to prepare for their own attack the doors disappeared along with Leo and the monster. "Shit!" Sanemi cursed. "Get ready, our opponents are here." Gyomei stared off into the distance. His white eyes stared deeply into the darkness of the Infinity Fortress. Several more doors popped up. From them emerged five demons. All of them radiated immense strength. Their eyes were engraved with their corresponding number. Leading them was a man with long hair and six pairs of eyes, he had a sword on his waist. Upper Moon One. A pale young man wearing dark and red clothes, his hair was partially dyed with a bloody colour. Upper Moon Two. A young man with short hair and tattoos all over his body. A lady wearing revealing purple clothes with purple snake patterns on her body. Upper Moon Five. A young man wearing demon slayer clothes with a sword in his hand. Upper Moon Six. Zenitsu''s eyes shrunk when he saw Upper Moon Six. Unknowingly his aura started to leak out. "Calm your mind Zenitsu." Just as his rage was about to take over Gyomei''s serene voice woke him up. "I know." Gyomei nodded. A crow flew towards them and dropped a stack of papers. Gyomei and the rest grabbed one and stepped towards Upper Moon One. Rengoku, Tokito and Sanemi followed him. Giyu, Sabito, Tanjiro and Makomo took on Upper Moon Three. Uzui, Iguro and Kanroji took on Upper Moon Five. And finally Zenitsu stepped towards Upper Moon Six. Tanjiro wanted to speak but Zenitsu cut him off. "This is something I must do alone." Tanjiro nodded and said, "Be careful." All of them disappeared as they followed their opponents. Only Zenitsu and Upper Moon Six remained. "Who would have thought?" Zenitsu stared at him and said, "That you would become a demon?" Upper Moon Six shrugged, "It seemed like a good choice. I am stronger now than ever." Zenitsu stared at him for a while and asked, "Why?" Upper Moon Six looked at him with derision, "Why do we train Zenitsu, to get stronger. A path was shown to me to become stronger, and I took it." Zenitsu couldn''t accept that answer, he yelled at him, "Just for that!? Did you not think about master? You were his successor!" Upper Moon Six showed an indifferent expression, "Being his successor doesn''t make me strong. That day I fought against Upper Moon One, I realized then that humans were pitifully weak." "Muzan-sama could have obliterated the Slayer Corps at any time but he didn''t. Know why? Because they weren''t worth his time." "No matter how much we train we are inferior to demons, we get strong only to grow weak as we age. Since I can grow stronger and live indefinitely, why not?" Zenitsu clenched his fist, "Master... master treated us like his family. Do you know... he did harakiri. But no one was there to cut off his head. He bled like a nobody for hours, he suffered for hours before he died!" "So?" Zenitsu was trembling from rage, however suddenly he calmed down. His boiling emotions vanished like a puff of smoke. He stared at his senior brother and said, "You became a demon to live longer and to get stronger, right?" Hm? Upper Moon Six frowned. He felt uncomfortable when he was stared at by Zenitsu. For some reason he was feeling uneasy. Zenitsu placed his hand on his sword, "Then... if I kill you in an instant would you feel regret?" Upper Moon Six wanted to laugh when he heard Zenitsu but before he could he felt danger. Instinctively he raised his sword but that danger suddenly disappeared. "Why did you raise your sword, I didn''t move. Were you scared?" Zenitsu''s calm voice echoed from behind. Upper Moon Six was frightened and turned around. "How did you!?... He turned serious. He knew his junior brother, he was a wimp, a coward, but he was frightened by this coward? "Don''t get c.o.c.ky!" Upper Moon Six flashed towards Zenitsu, his sword was aiming for his heart. Zenitsu stepped sideways and dodged. His body was covered in sparks as he dodged. Upper Moon Six changed his sword slash and followed Zenitsu but now matter how fast he went he couldn''t catch upto him. What''s happening? How can he dodge me? Their figure kept dodging around the place. Lighting and thunder followed each of their movements. As each second trickled by Upper Moon Six started to get worried. This can''t go on. Upper Moon Six flashed forward, he pierced through the air and reached Zenitsu in an instant. Die! His sword was piercing towards Zenitsu''s throat. Zenitsu saw the incoming attack and didn''t panic. He thought back to those days when he trained a single form over and over again till he couldn''t lift a finger. His master, the former Thunder Hashira Jigoro Kuwajima never criticized him for his inability to learn other forms. A few days ago he got message that his master died committing harakiri. He was lost, angry, sad... but one thing he was sure of, he wanted to kill his senior brother with his own hands. "Zenitsu, Muzan will come for Nezuko. We are the one ones standing in his path to true immortality." Leo spoke solemnly to Zenitsu. "In this final battle his first target will be Oyakata-sama. You know the plan, however I don''t want anyone else to be sacrificed." Leo went silent for a second, "Amane-sama and her daughters... when the plan is set in motion I will get the girls, I need you to get Amane-sama." Zenitsu hesitated and wanted to say something. Leo patted his shoulder, "Elder Kuwajima saw something in you, he believed in you. You would shame him if you don''t believe in yourself." Zenitsu clenched his fist and agreed. The plan worked as they imagined. Muzan never doubted a thing, he walked straight into their trap. A split second before the explosion Leo and Zenitsu took action. Leo went for the girls while Zenitsu took Amane. However he was still slow compared to Leo, when the flames were about to swallow him Zenitsu couldn''t help but recall his master. In that split second Zenitsu stepped beyond a boundary. Watching his senior brother Zenitsu muttered under his breath. Thunder Breathing Seventh Form, Honoikazuchi No Kami! Chapter 97 - 97. End Battle 3 Honoikazuchi No Kami! Zenitsu disappeared into a flash of lightning and fire. Upper Moon Six failed to react as all he saw was a flash of thunder. A second later his head flew into the air and fell down. "I knew it. That wretched old man taught you something else!" Zenitsu sheathed his sword, he looked at his senior brother with pity, "No. Master didn''t teach me this, I developed it on my own." Upper Moon Six was dumbfounded. He stared at Zenitsu and knew he wasn''t lying. I see... At his final moments Upper Moon Six regretted. Zenitsu watched him scatter into ashes. He turned around and tried to sense where the others were. Locking on a particular direction he rushed off. ... Uzui, Iguro and Kanroji were facing Upper Moon Five. They didn''t immediately make a move and waited. The demon covered her purple lips and chuckled, "Such appetising men. I can''t wait to devour you." Uzui rolled his eyes, "Upper Moon Five... Leo killed your predecessor and that was two years ago. Right now your rank only sets the base for us." The women stopped chuckling, her eyes turned pitch black as she raised her hand. Blood Art, D.e.s.i.r.e Python! Iguro rushed forward and struck. The woman took a step back and retreated. Her hands turned into snakes and coiled around Iguro. Before she could grasp him a slender figure appeared behind her. Kanroji swung her slender sword at the demon. The woman smiled and disappeared. Iguro frowned when she disappeared. He could feel something messing with his body. He focused and saw something like a purple mist inside his body. It moved along his blood vessels and riled up his body. My body temperature is increasing and I am sweating... what did she do? Uzui also noticed this change. He swung his double sword and struck down. The ground was raised and rubble shot at the demon. Kanroji and he retreated. "Iguro... "Yeah." Both of them were battle hardened Hashiras. Only a second was needed for them to understand what was happening. This particular demon had the ability to mess with their physical body. She could create different conditions for different emotions. Temperature rising and sweat, this can be related to d.e.s.i.r.e. If this was before they awakened they would be in trouble but now... All of them circled their ''Breath''. The purple mist was dissolved within seconds. "That''s all she can do." Uzui grinned. He didn''t hold back any longer and used his full power. Sound Breathing Fifth Form, String Performance! He held one of his swords and spun the other. Ripples spread out from his sword as numerous bombs flew towards the demon. Snake Breathing Third Form, Coil Choke! A snake manifested following his attacks and coiled around the demon. This can''t be happening! They broke out of my d.e.s.i.r.e python! The demon was shocked. She reacted immediately and conjured several purple snakes around her. It tightly bound her like a ball. Uzui and Iguro''s attack landed squarely on the purple snake ball. They tore through her defence. However she wasn''t inside. Only a small purple snake laid on the floor. Where did she go? Just as they were wondering where the demon went, two large purple pythons attacked them from behind. "It''s no use." The pythons scattered upon contact and sneaked into their bodies. Uzui and Iguro paused for a second. This was all the time the demon needed. "Bye bye~" She blew a kiss at them and struck at their hearts. Uzui suddenly grinned, "Aren''t you flamboyantly forgetting someone." Hm? The demon was a hair breath away from their hearts when a figure appeared before her. Oh no! I forgot about her! From the beginning Uzui and Iguro barraged her with attacks to cover Kanroji''s disappearance. Love Breathing Third Form, Catlove Shower. Kanroji''s long slender blade danced through the air. The demon wanted to dodge but Uzui who was immobilised moved and kicked her belly. Iguro also took action, he struck four times. His sword bent unnaturally and sliced off her limbs. The demon flew like a lose kite into the heart of Kanroji''s attack. Swallowed by innumerable sword strikes she was shredded to pieces. Uzui patted his arms and said, "That was easy." Iguro commented, "That''s because we counter her abilities and she lacked battle experience." Uzui shrugged, "But we won." Iguro nodded, "This is good. Our ''Breath'' was barely used and one of them is already down. Let''s go find Muzan." "Have you located Muzan?" In response to his question a voice echoed directly into his mind. "Lady Tamayo can sense him through her severed limb, however he is deep inside the fortress." Iguro, Uzui and Kanroji all received the same message. They acknowledged and rushed out. ... Water Breathing Third Form, Flowing Dance. Giyu rushed forward like a tide against Upper Moon Three. Upper Moon Three stomped his feet. Several hexagon stars lit up beneath his feet as he swung his feet. Giyu retreated as his sword collided with Upper Moon Three. Water Breathing First Form, Water Surface Slash! Makomo rushed after him with tremendous momentum. Her short sword was aimed at Upper Moon Three. Upper Moon Three clenched his fist and took a step back. Makomo graced past his face. He swung his fist in response to her attack. Just before he could make contact Sabito blocked him. Water Breathing Seventh Form, Drop Ripple Thrust! His sword pierced through the air and aimed for Upper Moon Three''s neck. Taking back his fist Upper Moon Three blocked Sabito''s strike. He was flung away with a bone deep wound on his arms. Before he could get a steady footing Tanjiro joined the fray. Fire God Dance, Enbu! Two streaks of flames struck Upper Moon Three. Boom! Failing to react in time Upper Moon Three was blasted away. Upper Moon Three gritted his teeth. He could feel his body burn from that last strike. He stomped in mid air and landed steadily. Staring at the four of them he felt a bit scared but at the same time he felt a rush of excitement. Chapter 98 - 98. End Battle 4 The battle between Sabito''s group and Upper Moon Three was heating up. Unlike Upper Moon Five and Six, Upper Moon Three was on a completely different level. Sabito could sense him adapting to the battle. He was getting stronger as he fought! Rengoku-san almost killed this guy before, he is a whole lot stronger than what he described. Sabito calmly analysed the situation. He clenched his sword and rushed forward. Upper Moon Three dodged the strike and struck back. Sabito kicked back and retreated using the recoil. Upper Moon Three couldn''t get a moment to relax when two swords reached for his throat. He spun and created an air wall to defend. Makomo and Tanjiro were blocked mid way and stepped aside. Suddenly Makomo flickered beside him. Upper Moon Three was shocked. How did she get past my defense? He didn''t have time to dwell on it as her sword was already inching towards him. He kicked her sword and pushed her away. "Tsk! This guy has tough skin." Giyu grumbled. Sabito ignored his comments. He didn''t intent to give Upper Moon Three a break as he struck again. Though all three of them train in the same Breathing Technique, each of them took three different paths. Giyu''s offensive power was alright but it paled compared to Sabito and Makomo. However when it came to nullifying attacks even Gyomei wasn''t as good as him. Sabito was the exact opposite of Giyu, he sacrificed his defence and focused on offense. He was like a ferocious beast when he attacked. Each strike was precise and deadly. Makomo was unlike the other two. She neither focused on offense or defence. Her abilities were more centered around speed. Her motto was that simple, as long as I am faster than my opponent I can defeat them. Upper Moon Three never expected the battle to turn sour so fast. At first he wasn''t this much pressured but as the battle progressed his opponents were able to get a few strikes on him. Of course with his defence one or two attacks were nothing but if it got to a point where he was being attacked all the time... he shuddered when he thought to this point. This can''t go on! He stomped his feet and pushed against Tanjiro who seemed to be the weakest among them. Tanjiro was startled when he was suddenly targeted. However he quickly adjusted himself and defended. Sabito grinned, "Wrong move man." Upper Moon Three expected Tanjiro''s defence to quickly fall apart but he was shocked to find the kid holding on, albeit barely. He attacked even more. Just as he was a breath away from a lethal strike every hair on his body stood on it''s end. He didn''t think for a second and dodged. Makomo silently appeared beside Tanjiro. Her sword was slightly stained with blood. She stared intently at Upper Moon Three who now had a small wound on his neck. "You missed." Giyu frowned. Makomo rolled her eyes, "I don''t see you doing any better." Giyu shrugged. Sabito didn''t ease upon his movements and followed after Upper Moon Three. Waking from his shock Upper Moon Three riled up his power. The floor was completely covered in white halo. Hexagon stars filled place as Sabito and the rest were drowned in white light. Upper Moon Three tightened his fist and struck. The room they were in trembled as the white halo condensed and formed into fist imprints. They followed his movements and swallowed Sabito and the rest. When the fist halos were about to fall on them Giyu pointed his sword down. Water Breathing Eleventh Form, Dead calm. Boom! Boom! Boom! The room trembled and was torn apart from the aftershock. Upper Moon Three panted after he was done. He stared deeply at the cloud of dust infront. He didn''t believe they would die from it but that should atleast wound them. Impossible! He was badly shocked. Something he hasn''t felt for a long time surfaced in his mind. Fear. Makomo slapped Giyu, "You almost killed me." Giyu rubbed his cheek and mumbled, "I don''t see you doing any better." Makomo glared at him, "You say something?" Giyu immediately shook his head. Tanjiro could only wryly smile when he saw this. These three were always like this, no, including big brother Leo the four of them were always like this. Sabito grinned and said, "Let''s finish this." This time all of them attacked together. Upper Moon Three found it straining to block all of them. Slowly he was acc.u.mulating wounds. Though they healed very quickly he was losing. He was reluctant to die. He wanted to battle more but his opponents were far stronger than him. He roared at the top of his lungs to find that strength in him to defeat his opponents. Unfortunately he couldn''t. Sabito sliced through his arms while Tanjiro struck his c.h.e.s.t. Giyu drowned Upper Moon Three''s attacks. Makomo took this chance and plunged her short sword into his throat. In a split second Upper Moon Three was torn into several pieces. However he didn''t die. His will to overcome his opponents kept him alive. Tanjiro sensed his unwillingness. He walked forward and struck down. He pierced his deep black sword through Upper Moon Three''s head. "That''s enough. Please... rest." Maybe it was his words. The last of Upper Moon Three''s will disappeared. His body turned to ashes. Sabito looked at Tanjiro for a second and said to the rest, "Let''s go." Giyu asked, "Where are we going?" Sabito didn''t immediately reply. He took out a piece of paper marked with runes and sticked it on his forehead. He asked in his mind, "Where is Muzan?" A voice was heard in his mind, "Deep inside the fortress." Sabito frowned, "And Leo?" "Currently unknown. Yushiro-san is on it, once he finds his target everything will be on track." Sabito nodded. He rushed off through a dark door along with the others and disappeared. Chapter 99 - 99. End Battle 5 "Ah~ three beautiful flowers. I can''t wait to taste you." Upper Moon Two raised his folding fan and chuckled. His eyes squinted as he looked at his opponents. He turned his head and commented towards his final opponent, "As for you... a boar?" "Inosuke Hashibara, the lord of the mountains!" Inosuke growled at Upper Moon Two. "Right. Please get lost." Upper Moon Two non-chalantly replied. Inosuke nearly blew his top. "Pretty confident for a dead man." Upper Moon Two laughed, "You really believe you can kill me?" Shinobu shrugged, "By now I presume your companions must either be dead or on their way." Upper Moon Two raised an eyebrow. Kanae suddenly asked, "Do you really believe this to be a struggle on our part?" Upper Moon Two stared at Kanae and smiled, "You really are a beauty. How I wish I could devour you. Unfortunately that man spoiled it last time." Kanae who always showed a carefree smile on her face now looked cold, her face resembled an ice tundra. "Two years is more than enough to change a person. You will find it out the hard way." Upper Moon Two chuckled. Inosuke grumbled, "Let''s get on with it already. That pale ghost is annoying me." Kanae made a welcome gesture, "After you." Inosuke was waiting for her words. He immediately rushed towards Upper Moon Two. His cyan swords gleamed with coldness as he striked. Upper Moon Two leisurely retreated. Inosuke missed and immediately followed. Kanae, Kanao and Shinobu joined the battle. Upper Moon Two held back no more and used his Blood Demon Art. The air turned misty and the temperature dropped. They were fighting on a foothold above a mass of water. Ice started to form and the water soon turned solid. Upper Moon Two expected the change in temperature to atleast slow them down. But to his astonishment it hardly had any effect on them. "Surprised?" Just as he was wondering what was happening Kanae''s voice broke his thoughts. Kanae smiled icily, "If you think we are the same as before, you won''t even know how you died." Her words hardly slowed down her movements. She moved gracefully between the other three, her strikes weren''t overly strong but it was precise and deadly. Ice Forest! Upper Moon Two flicked his folding fan. The air plummeted and a forest made of ice spread towards Kanae and the rest. Inosuke laughed wildly and jumped straight in. His swords forcefully cleared a path through the ice forest. Kanae and the rest followed and flickered beside Upper Moon Two. They struck simultaneously. Upper Moon Two found no way to dodge. He braced himself and created a wall of ice as defence. However Inosuke''s brute strength smashed through the ice wall and created an opening. What followed was Kanao and Kanae''s swift and deadly swords. At the expense of his arms he freed himself from them. But a figure was already behind him. Shinobu''s slender sword pierced his heart. He spewed out blood and retreated. A ghastly expression clouded his face. He never expected these weak chicks to gain so much strength in such short time. Just as he was thinking about his next move he lost his footing and fell down. What... what''s happening? Only now did he notice a peculiarity in his wounds. The flesh around his wound was squirmed and trembled trying to mend his wound. My regeneration is getting slower! "Finally noticed, huh." Shinobu chuckled. She played with her sword and asked, "Are you feeling dizzy, low on strength, disoriented?" Upper Moon Two coughed out blood and stood up. Like she said he was feeling dizzy, his strength was deteriorating and he was disoriented. Poison! However he didn''t have time to take care of it for the moment. Inosuke was already swinging for his head. Ice walls emerged from the ground and defended him while he retreated. His body was automatically repairing itself and purging whatever that girl poised him with. Just as he retreated a figure silently appeared before him. Kanae struck with full force. Startled by her sudden attack he could only cross his arms and defend. Her sword struck squarely on his arms. Using the force from the strike he retreated however Inosuke and Kanao was already waiting for him. He was trapped from both sides. Having no choice he roared and slammed his hands down. The ice beneath them rippled and cracked. Inosuke and Kanao lost their balance for a second. Upper Moon Two used this chance and struck. Ice spike rained down on them. Losing their momentum Inosuke and Kanao could only retreat. Just as Upper Moon Two was about take a breather a slim figure nimbly ran across the chunks of ice floating on the water. Shinobu didn''t give any chance for him to dodge and lodged her sword into his c.h.e.s.t again. Upper Moon Two was boiling inside. When was he ever pushed to this point? And that too by these girls. He grabbed her sword and didn''t let go. Grinning he struck her heart. Shinobu let go of her sword and dodged his attack. "What now? You don''t have anything to attack with." Upper Moon Two grinned. However the expected scowl didn''t appear on Shinobu''s face, she had a sly smile on her face. She softly said, "Boom." What? Hearing her words Upper Moon Two was stunned. He didn''t have the time to dwell on her words as heat started to spread around his c.h.e.s.t. Looking down he saw the sword turning bright red. Shocked, he was about to pull it out when an ear shaking explosion took place. Shinobu watched everything calmly. Upper Moon Two might have thought Inosuke as the main attacker however it was always her. With the help of Lady Tamayo and Yushiro they were able to create a bomb that would explode upon receiving enough blood from any Upper Moon. However it had a major drawback, it had no concrete blast time. Shinobu had to carefully control the blood on her sword. Everything was based on instincts, luckily it paid off. When the dust cloud cleared out everyone saw Upper Moon Two. The left half of his body was gone, he was kneeling on the floor. Kanae walked towards him step by step. She stopped just a meter away from him. "You underestimate humanities potential." Whoosh! Upper Moon Two''s head slowly fell on the floor. He had an unbelievable expression as he breathed his last. Chapter 100 - 100. End Battle 6 While the others had finished their battle another one was still on way. Gyomei''s muscular arms pulled violently. His weapon fell down like a meteor crashing down. Upper Moon One swung his sword. Arcs of light shaped like a half moon crowded in mid air and blocked the attack. Half of the arcs were destroyed in an instant. Gyomei tightened his grip and stomped his feet. The axe on one end of the chain gleamed as it struck again. The remaining arcs were crushed by brute force. Gyomei stepped forward and punched. Boom! The air trembled when his fist straightened out. The iron ball at the other end followed his movement and blasted towards Upper Moon One. Accompanying Gyomei''s attack was Tokito. His body dispersed into a cloud of mist and concealed the iron ball and himself. Upper Moon One''s three pair of eyes squinted. His sword filled with eyes on it''s blade trembled as he swung again. "Die, shithead!!" Sanemi had an evil grin on his face as he swung his sword. A whirlwind swept across Upper Moon One. He halted his swing and defended against Sanemi. However he was slightly slow as Tokito and Gyomei''s attack had already reached him. With his one hand defending against Sanemi, his other hand was raised to defend. Crack! Bones cracked as Gyomei''s iron ball broke his arm in half and sunk into his c.h.e.s.t. Tokito moved like a ghost and pierced his throat. Upper Moon One shifted his head at the last second. However it was at this moment a figure flickered in his direction. An overwhelming force was inching close to his head. Upper Moon One was startled. He. kicked Tokito and pushed away Sanemi before retreating quickly. "Dammit! We missed!" Sanemi cursed. However he was still the first one to follow up on their attack. A tornado swept around him as he made his way towards Upper Moon One. Rengoku and the others closed him off from other directions. Upper Moon One squinted his eyes. He was pressured. This was the first time in centuries when he was always on his back foot. I can''t hold back any longer. Making up his mind Upper Moon One spread out his arms. Rengoku and the rest felt a stifling sensation when they saw this. They immediately halted their advance and raised their swords in defence. Upper Moon One''s flesh squirmed as swords same as the one he was holding emerged out of his body. Like bullets it shot towards Rengoku and the rest. "Get behind me!" The others immediately followed. Gyomei pulled back his weapon and circled his palm in mid air. Stone Breathing... Stone Monument! Four pillers of stone descended around them and closed them inside. Bang! Bang! Bang! Clouds of dust rose as the swords struck the stone pillers. Upper Moon One frowned when he saw this, he raised his arm and struck down. Two arcs of half moon was flung forward. It flashed towards the stone pillers, in an instant it was upon the pillers. Boom! The ground shook as the piller trembled and cracked. It held out for two seconds before crumbling. However no one was behind it. Upper Moon One didn''t get enough time to guess, a sword was already on it''s way to his heart. Tokito sunk his blade deep into Upper Moon One''s c.h.e.s.t. Fury rumbled in Upper Moon One''s eyes. He raised his sword and pierced towards Tokito. However to his surprise Tokito let go of his sword and disappeared into a cloud of mist. He was stunned. As he was wondering what was happening his body staggered. A feeling of helplessness took over him. Poison! He quickly pulled out the sword and threw it away. "Haha, too late!" But Upper Moon One was someone with tremendous battle experience. He quickly adjusted his body and dodged, however he was still a step too slow. Sanemi missed his neck but took his right arm. Upper Moon One didn''t even bat an eye and retreated. A new arm grew out of his shoulder however it''s growth was slightly slower. He was about to catch a breath when Rengoku attacked. Faced with an opponent who was on the verge of breaking through to sword intent Upper Moon One didn''t dare let his guard down. Though still feeling a bit weak Upper Moon One still managed to block his attack. But Rengoku wasn''t alone. Tokito, Sanemi and Gyomei struck simultaneously. Upper Moon One was blocked in every direction. He roused his ability and shot out swords in every direction but this time it was slower and weaker. With their previous experience it was easy for them to dodge. Getting past innumerable blades everyone struck. How can this be? Didn''t I abandon my humanity to gain strength and immortality? Then why, why am I getting pushed by these weak beings? Centuries ago he was a skilled swordsmen. But his name was never sung by others, he was always forgotten. The reason was his brother. Born with herculean strength and astonishing talent his brother was raised by monks. He grew up to be a magnificent swordsman. Each day he had to live beneath his glory. Demon Slayers looked upto him, made him their goal. As for him, he was forgotten. He wanted to grow stronger, for this he trained every day and he did grew. However a single demon was enough to show him the disparity between him and his brother. On the verge of madness Muzan came to him. He offered him immortality and immeasurable strength. He didn''t think twice and accepted. When his mortal body was gone he felt like a god. A single swing of his sword could destroy boulders weighing tons, he could level anything around him. With this newfound strength he thought he surpassed his brother. However decades later he came across an old man, his brother. Time has changed him, he looked weak and reeked of death. But it was from this dying old man he felt death. He was enraged. After all the sacrifice he made he still couldn''t measure upto his brother. Their battle was swift. A single move decided everything. Even before his death, his brother still stood above him. A hair away from death, his mind rewinded everything he experienced in his past. He was alive now because of his brother''s mercy. Centuries later, he was still reminded of his weakness. He was again being pushed back by the same race he abandoned. He could again feel death. It was inching closer and closer. Chapter 101 - 101. End Battle 7 Death was a vague notion to him. He has lived for three centuries, only once had he come close to death. However time had erased his impression of it. But now, against a race he abandoned, against this race he saw as weak, he felt it again. Unwillingness and rage boiled up inside him. Rooaaarrrr!!! Sanemi was just a breath away from claiming Upper Moon One''s life when the latter roared, a blade shot out of his shoulder and blocked his strike. Before he could get another strike in blades emerged out of Upper Moon One''s entire body. They were densely packed and had eyes over it''s body. They shot out like bullets. Rengoku and the others were startled, they stopped their attack and hastily dodged. However one person refused to budge. Sanemi''s eyes were wide open, veins popped all over his arms as he put all his strength into his sword. "Die!" Under extreme rage he exerted everything he had, just to reach his enemies neck. Suddenly his sword started to change. Sparks flew as his red blade pushed forward. It sliced through Upper Moon One''s blade like a hot knife through butter. Upper Moon One was shocked. He swung his sword at Sanemi. Sanemi didn''t bother with what happened to his sword. He borrowed the forced from his strike and twisted in mid air. Upper Moon One missed. Sanemi kicked his back. The strength he put behind that strike made Upper Moon One cough out blood. Sanemi had a couple of sword blades piercing his shoulder and his wrist. He simply pulled them out and dashed towards Upper Moon One. This man is crazy! Upper Moon One found it hard to keep up. Sanemi was like a raging wild bull, his attacks were deadly and he cared not for his body and his life. During their clash Upper Moon One lost his footing for a split second. Sanemi grabbed his arm and threw him over his shoulder and kicked his gut. Shit! He realised something was above him. His eyes caught sight of an iron ball whistling towards him. Before he could react chains bound his arms. Gyomei holding it''s end pulled down forcefully. Upper Moon One crashed into the ground. The iron ball followed and fell on him squarely. The ground caved in. Tokito appeared like a ghost and struck. He sliced away Upper Moon One''s arms, before he could continue sword blades emerged out of Upper Moon One''s body and blocked him. "Don''t let up!" Sanemi yelled and jumped in. This was their chance. Rengoku flashed forward with his strongest strike. Flame Breathing... Rengoku! His speed spiked in an instant. Rengoku''s sword dug into Upper Moon One''s waist and bisected him in half. Sanemi rushed forward. Wind twisted around his sword as he jabbed towards Upper Moon One''s heart. His sword pierced through and nailed Upper Moon One on a huge pillar. Gyomei wound his chains around him and bound him to the pillar. Tokito stepped out of the mist. His face was devoid of any emotions as he struck. His sword effortlessly sliced through Upper Moon One''s neck. I... lost? Upper Moon One couldn''t believe what happened. The battle changed before he could react. His opponents weren''t weak like he had imagined, instead they were human skinned demons. His head slid off his neck and scattered to ashes. Gyomei let out a breath. He looked at Sanemi and asked, "Alright?" Sanemi stretched his wounded arms for a second and nodded. After they awakened as True Breath Users their bodies healing ability spiked. Gyomei pulled out a piece of paper and placed it on his forehead, "Yushiro?" A young boy''s voice rung out in response, "I have controlled Upper Moon Four." Somewhere within the Infinity Fortress... Yushiro was standing beside a woman with a single eye on her face. His eyes were closed and his arms were firmly gripping her head. Genya was standing next to him. His eyes kept darting around, in case some other demons make a sneak attack. "I have found Muzan!" Though his mystic Demon Arts Yushiro''s voice rung through everyone''s mind. "Get ready. I can only do this for so long!" Shinobu heard him through the piece of paper she had and asked, "What about Leo?" Yushiro immediately replied, "He is in a separate space. The Infinity Fortress is a complex ability, it has it''s own rules. Leo was placed inside a separate space and locked with a demon." "He can only exit after he kills that demon. Now, get ready! I will eject you all from here, Muzan is on the verge of escaping Lady Tamayo''s poison. As soon as you are out, attack!" "Genya!" Genya drew out his sword and got ready. As soon as everyone was out he would kill Upper Moon Four. Yushiro forced his will on Upper Moon Four after he said his piece. The Fortress started to tremble. The cubes around them started to move up. Everyone felt the space tremble. A split second later they were thrown out into a vacant street. Gaining their footing they looked ahead and found a flesh cocoon in the distance. Go! Without a moment of hesitation everyone attacked. Flame Breathing... Wind Breathing... Water Breathing... Flower Breathing... Beast Breathing... Fire God Dance... Insect Breathing... Sound Breathing... Love Breathing... Snake Breathing... Mist Breathing... Thunder Breathing... Demon Breathing... Each of them moved incredibly fast and struck will all their strength. Breath rolled inside them like a tidal wave as a myriad of manifestations appeared in mid air. All of it only had one target. Muzan. The flesh cocoon was beating like a heart. Something extremely evil was on the verge of breaking out. Boom! When the first crack formed on the cocoon the slayers attack had already reached it. The air shook and the earth trembled. Everything around was shattered and blown away. A cloud of dust rose into the sky like a giant mushroom. However the slayers were waiting. Their eyes were focused and their aura at it''s peak. They were waiting for that evil to emerge. Chapter 102 - 102. End Battle 8 The dust settled. Rengoku, Sabito, Gyomei... everyone of them had their eyes trained on a lone figure standing amidst the rubble. Muzan slowly walked out of the pit. His c.h.e.s.t was b.a.r.e, however that was all. He didn''t even have a single scratch on him. Looking at the line of slayers he let out a scornful smile, "Quite the line up." Gyomei clapped his palms, "Amitabha, may your soul return to the flames of Avici" Muzan laughed, "Avici? Monk, do you really think you can defeat me?" Sabito stepped out, "Yo! Remember me? Last time we met I clearly remember someone running away like a rat." Muzan glanced at him and said, "This time that man isn''t here." Sabito grinned, "We will find out soon, won''t we?" All of them stared at Muzan in silence for a second and moved. Sabito lead the attack. He charged straight for Muzan''s head. Muzan didn''t retreat. Long tubes made of flesh grew out of his back and lashed out at Sabito like a whip. Having experienced it before Sabito nimbly dodged the strikes and got close. Water Breathing... Flood Dragon! A tide of water flew out of his sword. Submerged within it was a flood dragon. It roared and chomped it''s jaws at Muzan. The tubes struck at it and dispersed the flood dragon. However several figures used this opportunity and got within striking range. Rengoku, Tokito and Sanemi swung their sword using their strongest form. Muzan spun like a top, the tunes growing from his back created a wall of air around him. The three strikes disappeared like a drop of water into the ocean. Before Muzan could counter attack Iguro and Kanroji struck. Kanroji''s special long whipped sword danced around Muzan. It''s blade gleamed with coldness. Muzan found it hard to dodge amidst the cyclone of attacks. Iguro moved like a slender snake within Kanroji''s attacks and pierced his sword towards Muzan. With his years of experience Muzan had already sensed Iguro. He simply used the tubes to cancel out his strike. He tried to capture Iguro''s sword but being a swordsman focused on flexibility in his attacks Iguro slipped out of his hand and retreated. Their first round of attacks came to a standstill. Muzan frowned. He expected it to be slightly difficult, only slightly. However reality was far different than expectations. Those useless trash. They couldn''t even kill one Hashira. Muzan scowled and attacked. This time he focused on Tanjiro and company. They were the youngest among the slayers attacking him. And this was their weak link. Seeing Muzan aiming for them Tanjiro and the rest got ready. Thunder Breathing... Godspeed! A blazing line of fire climbed on his sword as he struck. Muzan''s pupils shrunk when he saw his form. It''s that man''s Breathing Technique!!! His body trembled for a second. The fear he had felt three centuries ago gripped his heart for a second. He soon recovered and ground his teeth. His pupils that were like a cat''s shrunk. He wanted nothing more than to tear Tanjiro to pieces. As he got close he smelled something peculiar. He frowned. The tubes on his back suddenly grew in size. Several mouths with sharp teeth filled its body. They exhaled almost at the same time. A cloud of dust was raised. Tanjiro still followed through with his attack. Muzan used the tubes on his back to defend. Just as they collided a flash of lightning flew by. Kanao and Genya appeared on both sides and aimed at his neck. These brats! Muzan glared at them. The tubes on his back suddenly increased in number. Startled, Tanjiro and rest drew back their swords and defended. Just as Muzan was about to land a strike he felt a faint sense of danger. Without hesitation he pulled back and wrapped himself with the tubes. Thud!! A second after he did the sound of flesh being smashed echoed through the air. Inosuke and Uzui appeared out of nowhere. Their swords were sunk deep into the tubes. Uzui and Inosuke were pulled by a strong force. They lost their balance for a second. Suddenly chains wrapped around them and pulled them back. Gyomei stepped forward and smashed his iron ball on top of Muzan. The earth cracked when he struck. The tubes wrapping around Muzan sunk in deep. Sabito drew a cold breath when he saw this. Damn! Himejima-san is a monster. What kind of physical strength is that? Among the slayers Gyomei ranks below Leo when it comes to battle capacity. These two were the true core of Slayer Corps. Muzan who was inside the ball of tubes felt his entire body shake. His innards were trembling and he spewed out blood. He was shocked. He could understand if one monster appeared among the slayers since it has happened before, but two? Only now did he realise what kind of crisis he was facing. These weren''t the same weak slayers he knew, they have changed. This can''t go on. His expression grew solemn. The tubes surrounding him started to wiggle. It twisted and turned, the mouth on it started to inhale and exhale. The air was starting to stir. Gyomei and the rest noticed this change. They got ready. The tubes around Muzan parted and he walked out. The tubes on his back were trembling as they s.u.c.k.e.d air in and out. He suddenly moved. His target was Gyomei, if he allowed this man to do as he please then there is no telling how the battle will go. Rengoku and the rest blocked his path and struck. However the tubes canceled out their attack and slightly made them lose their footing. Sabito yelled out when he saw this, "Be careful! Those things on his back create a vacuum that sucks in everything. Don''t lose your footing when you attack!" His reminder made everyone cautious. The battle was heating up. They lost count of how many times they striked. No matter what they did they couldn''t get past Muzan''s defence. However Muzan couldn''t do a thing to them either. Their coordination was perfect and there was back up if someone was in trouble. The battle came to stand still with neither side gaining any advantage. Shinobu frowned as she looked ahead. Leo, what the hell is taking you so long? Chapter 103 - 103. End Battle 9 Winding back time. Leo was in pursuit of Muzan when he was stopped by a peculiar demon. Before he could react he was trapped by Upper Moon Four''s Demon Art. Looking around he found himself in a well lit room. However there were no doors, just a vast space blocked off in every direction. He turned his sight towards his opponent. A frown climbed onto his face, however soon it turned into shock and rage. "What the f*ck did you do!?" His voice was tinted with cold murderous intent as he spoke. The demon with eyes and limbs all over it''s body let out a disgusting laughter. "Leo Heart, how do you like my gift?" Leo was startled when he heard that voice. "Muzan?" "Hehe, good guess. However I am just a part of his conscience." Leo didn''t bother to ask further and rushed forward. His red sword cut the demon in half before separating it''s head from it''s body. However Leo didn''t sheath his sword. He took a step back and watched. The demon''s flesh started to squirm and reached out for the other half. It merged into it''s original form in an instant. A hearty laughter escaped from it''s innumerable mouths, "Haha, you can''t kill me. This demon was created for the sole purpose of killing you." Leo''s face looked cold like an ice tundra, "For that purpose, how many did you kill?" The demon smirked, it''s body filled with faces painted a horrifying sight, "20 thousand. No, 30 thousand or was it 50 thousand. Who knows, would you count how many ants you step on?" Leo nodded, "You wouldn''t." He took a step forward and struck again. This time he sliced the demon''s body into countless pieces of flesh. However a second later the demon again merged back into it''s original form. "I told you, it''s useless." Leo wasn''t interested in a deep conversation. His sword gleamed brightly as he striked again. This time the demon struck back. Countless arms grew out of it''s body and smashed towards Leo. The rain of fists didn''t bother Leo. An Azure Dragon silhouette covered his body, he swiftly moved past the incoming rain of fists. Blood splashed. The arms proved useless infront of Leo''s overbearing attack. They fell one by one. He reached his goal and cut off the demon''s head. A bloody line formed from it''s head to toe as it broke in half. Leo raised his sword. His domain was working at full power. A White Tiger came into existence when he raised his sword. He slammed his sword down. With a roar the White Tiger pounced on the demon and struck with it''s menacing claw. Leo drew out his sword and waited. When the dust cleared he saw the demon laying down with it''s body shredded to pieces. But just like before it merged back into a whole again. He was sure he had killed whatever was infront of him. But this demon kept coming back to life. He was starting to feel annoyed. Is it really impossible? "What? Not attacking?" When the last piece of flesh merged with it the demon stared at Leo and grinned. Leo focused. He disappeared and struck the demon again. Leo''s attack was met by the demon with one of it''s own. However against an immensely powerful opponent like Leo it could only slightly pause him. When he ''killed'' the demon Leo fully focused using his spiritual sense. I don''t believe evil like you will be immortal! Under his overbearing spiritual sense Leo saw everything clearly. However he frowned. There was nothing wrong. How is this possible? It''s body is fine even after dying four times? Just as he was about to pull back his spiritual sense he saw the demon''s spirit. It had a myriad of colours with lines criss-crossing all over it. It looked like a piece of cloth with countless patches. When he first saw the demon he already understood what it was. This wasn''t a single being but a collection of tens of thousands of lives. Muzan in his fear of Leo tried to create a monster out of tens of thousands of people. He tried merging them into one whole being and the result was this disgusting demon. Leo focused on the demon''s spirit. He saw a patch smaller than a grain of sand vanish. Right after, the other patches filled the vacant space. The demon again came back to life. Leo finally understood. He stared at the demon who just became a whole again and said, "You are substituting your life with the humans you merged with." The demon was startled for a second, however it soon relaxed, "So you found out, so what? What can you do?" The demon smirked, "Each time you ''kill'' me you are also killing one of your kind. How does it feel? Does it hurt?" Leo still maintained his icy expression. He disappeared like a gust of wind and reappeared right beside the demon. He cut it''s body into pieces and pierced his sword into it''s heart. A faint light glimmered on his blade. It was weak and only had the thickness of a paper, however it was there. The demon suddenly felt an intense pain assault it''s brain. Aahh! Leo stared into it''s eyes, "How does it feel? Of course I feel like shit!" He took back his sword and cut off it''s head. The demon died, another patch on it''s soul disappeared and it came back to life again. The demon just came back to life when Leo crashed into it like a meteor. "Haha, you can''t kill me!" Leo cut him down again and the demon came back to life again. Once... Twice... Thrice... Leo lost count of how many times he ''killed'' the demon. However he didn''t stop. If he can''t kill him once then he will kill him twice. If that doesn''t work then he will try a hundred times, a thousand times! No matter how many swings it takes. He will end this demon and put those spirits to rest! Chapter 104 - 104. End Battle 10 Boom! Crack! The earth cracked and caved. Gyomei pulled back his weapon and let out a deep breath. His heart was pumping blood at full speed, his body temperature was so high that his sweat turned to vapour. However he didn''t ease up. His opponent was a demon that brought misery upon these lands for a millenia. The other slayers were also in the same condition. Their bodies were working at it''s full capacity, their minds stretched to it''s limits. Muzan who was the target of their attacks walked out of a deep pit. The tubes growing from his back danced around him like a serpent. All of them moved. In this final battle either Muzan dies or they do. There was no other way. Muzan was assaulted by more than a dozen slayers on the level of a Hashira. Even for someone with his abilities he found it straining to keep them in check. Though he is endowed with regeneration he couldn''t lightly take their attacks. These slayers seemed different. Their physical strength, speed and regeneration were far beyond what he expected. Leo was an exception. He was a monster like Yuurichi. However to him the other slayers were just slightly stronger than a regular human. But now it seems like that was not the case. These humans have changed. They have grown far stronger than he had imagined. He suspected this to be the case. How else would it explain their tremendous growth in two years? The battle raged on. The earth was laid to waste from their battle. The slayers weren''t able to deliver a serious blow to Muzan. They always fell short. However likewise Muzan wasn''t able to harm them either due to their flawless coordination. Shinobu watched from afar with a solemn expression. Why isn''t it taking effect? It''s been two hours. Her frown deepened. Suddenly a voice rang to her mind. "Shinobu, can you hear me?" Shinobu was slightly taken back. She quickly reacted and asked, "Tamayo-san, why isn''t the serum working?" Tamayo''s voice rang out, "Muzan is the first demon. His body make up is entirely different from the other demons. He is immune to everything, I suspect whether he can be killed even if we manage to cut off his head." Kanae who was next to her also received the same message, "We are prepared for that eventuality." "Yes." "Tamayo-san, how much longer before the serum takes effect." Shinobu asked with concern. Her friends have been fighting for over two hours. Though none of them were injured upto this point she doesn''t know how much longer they can keep it up. "It''s already in effect. Just that it''s very slow. Look carefully, Muzan''s hair is starting to turn white." Tamayo who was speaking from somewhere far was smiling. Her eyes contained a type of emotion that would send chills down anyone''s spine. "Hehe, he is slowly dying." Shinobu and the rest could hear the excitement in her voice. She had been waiting for this moment for centuries and knowing she would be the prime cause of Muzan''s fall her heart was beating fast. Shinobu and Kanae focused on Muzan and saw the root of his hair starting to change. It really was turning white! To make sure Muzan didn''t escape Shinobu and Tamayo created two different drugs. One would increase the rate at which his cells divided and died. The other one was to restrict his ability to split his flesh and escape. One more hour passed. Gyomei and the others were panting, their bodies were soaked in sweat. They could feel their eyelids getting heavy. They were tired. Muzan who stood facing them grinned, "Why try so hard? You can never defeat me, I have surpassed humanity, I am immortal!" Sanemi scoffed. He didn''t waste any words and struck. Among all the other slayers his was the only sword that was bright red, like a blazing fire. And he was also the only person whom Muzan didn''t to get close to. That blade could burn him down to his cells. He could feel the wounds he got from Yuurichi itch seeing Sanemi''s bright red sword. Muzan retreated. The tubes on his back breathed and created and vacc.u.m around him. Sanemi cursed when he saw he couldn''t get close. Sabito was intrigued from the beginning when he saw how Muzan chose to retreat facing Sanemi. He of course knew the answer but he didn''t know how he could achieve the same feat. Turning his blade bright red? How the heck was he supposed to do that? Though his mind was going through a lot of thinking his sword wasn''t the least bit slow. Muzan was fast. He was able to dodge most of their attacks and those he couldn''t he would counter using a vacc.u.m those tubes created. His attacks were even more powerful. If not for Gyomei, Giyu and Uzui focusing on defense, most of them would be injured after two hours of nonstop battle. Sabito was wracking his brains on how to turn the situation around when he saw Muzan strike back. The tubes on his back straightened and pierced forward like a spear. Sabito hastily used his sword to block. He was forced back by the tremendous power from the strike. He steadied his footing and was about to strike back when he saw a figure out of the corner of his eyes. It was Giyu. Sabito''s eyes were staring at him, or more precisely his sword. A red hue started to rise from the hilt and spread through his blade. In an instant Giyu''s sword turned crimson. Sabito''s jaws almost hit the ground when he saw this. What the f.u.c.k? That dolt managed to turn his blade red? Where is the fairness in this!? Not only him the others were also shocked. They had a peculiar expression on their face. Shinobu who was watching from a distance mumbled, "None of the others created a red blade but that idiot did? One has to be an idiot to have a red blade?" While the others had a lot of questions Giyu was looking at his sword and mumbled, "Nice colour. But I train in Water Breathing, it would have been nice if it was blue." Chapter 105 - 105. End Battle 11 Giyu spoke softly but what kind of people were Sabito and the rest. They heard him clearly. Sabito nearly puked out blood. This shithead! They decided to ignore Giyu and focus on the battle. Sabito however got close to Giyu and asked, "Tell me exactly what happened just a moment ago." Giyu answered honestly, "Muzan''s last attack was insanely strong. I nearly lost my grip on the sword and I knew I would be dead when that happens. So I grabbed it with everything I had. The next moment it became like this." Sabito gazed at him intently for a second and sighed, "It''s a blessing to be an idiot." Makomo silently appeared beside them and said, "Sabito, try exerting your full power on your sword. Though I don''t know the underlying reason it''s worth a try." There wasn''t any time, Sabito did as he was asked but nothing happened. He sighed and rejoined the battle. Makomo had a pondering expression on her face. Did I guess wrong? The battle continued. Makomo was still in her thoughts as she moved around. As she focused on speed she had to be extra careful and not miss any opportunity she had to strike. Firm grip? Firm... Her mind was moving very fast as she analysed what happened with Giyu. She had seen Leo''s sword as well but when he asked her all he said was that their sword must form a resonance with them to change colour. She didn''t know how to form a resonance. Leo said if their spirit was focused enough it should be possible. Wait... Firm grip... spirit... could it be that simple? She had a guess but she wasn''t sure. Anyway I won''t lose anything, let''s try it. She focused her spirit onto her sword as she applied a stronger force on her sword. Beads of sweat trickled down her cheeks. Her realm of mind had reached a certain height and she could easily control her spirit but exerting every drop of it was straining. It''s like her mind was being pulled to it''s limit. Likewise her arm was going numb from exerting too much strength. She could even feel her blood rumbling through her veins. Veins stuck out like worms on her arm. She was nearing her limit when she heard a popping sound. The strain she felt vanished like a cloud of smoke. Her mind felt relaxed as if she was being placed inside a tub of warm water. She looked down at her short sword and found it trembling. A red hue started to climb on it''s blade. Like a drop of ink on paper it spread out and engulfed her sword. A bright red sword emerged. It worked! The others sensed something and turned around to see Makomo''s sword change. Muzan''s face turned ugly. He already found it annoying with one red sword, then came another amidst battle. And now there was one more. I must finish this quickly! He rushed forward and struck crazily. The tubes on his back gave others no chance to dodge. They could only brace themselves and defend. Boom! Rengoku and Uzui bore the brunt of that attack. Luckily Gyomei and Giyu rushed in time to take some pressure off of them. Makomo snapped out of her daze and grinned. She yelled at the top of her lungs. "Focus your spirit and put everything you have on your sword!" He wanted to stop them from doing so but Sanemi, Giyu and Makomo blocked his way. "Haha, it''s so goddamn refreshing to see that look on your face." Sanemi was like a madman as he plunged towards Muzan while laughing out loud. He put a stop to Muzan''s rampage and took all of his attacks head on with his body. Giyu mumbled, "Sanemi-san is crazy." Makomo nodded in agreement. They rushed forward and tied down Muzan. While they were blocking Muzan the others did as Makomo instructed. Their mind went into overdrive as their spirit exerted it''s outmost on their weapon. Blood rushed through their veins with incredible speed. Veins popped on their forehead, sweat trickled down their face as their minds were stretched beyond limits. A second later Gyomei opened his pupil less eyes. His arms which were twice size of a regular persons held a short axe. The edge of it''s blade started to change. A short moment later it turned bright red. Like a domino effect everyone''s weapon started to change. Muzan who was blocked by Sanemi and the others felt all his hair stand on it''s end. He felt danger. Aaahhh! Roaring at the top of his lungs he exerted his outmost to break free from Sanemi and the rest. Flesh grew from his body and turned into tubes like the one he had on his back. He looked like a tree covered in vines. Shit! Giyu was startled at this change. He was about to retreat when a tube pierced towards his heart. He hastily blocked it but was blown away by it''s sheer power. Sanemi and Makomo were also struck and blasted away. Muzan stepped forward and struck at everyone else. Though they now had an advantage with their weapons, Muzan''s crazy retaliation caught them off guard. Gyomei took a step forward struck back. He ignored the tubes coming for his life and attacked. Muzan''s attack pierced through his skin and flesh but failed to go any further. However the power behind that strike shifted a few of his internal organs. Gyomei coughed out blood but he held his ground. The chains in his hand wrapped around Muzan as he cleaved down with his axe. Muzan''s flesh squirmed as his body bend at odd angles and got out of Gyomei''s chains. Just as he was about to make another attack the others had already gotten back on their feet. More than a dozen red blades struck forward. Even Muzan didn''t dare take it head on. He covered his vitals with those flesh tubes and retaliated. They only managed to break through a few of those tubes before stopping. Unlike before they were confronted with more than twenty tubes that has enough strength to crush iron to mush. All of them flew back spewing out blood. "Shit!" Sabito cursed. "This guy isn''t going down easy." Muzan scoffed, "You have gone beyond my expectations, even turning your blade red. Unfortunately it''s not enough, this ends here." The tubes one his body started to tremble. Thorns gleaming with coldness emerged on it''s body. Sabito and the rest steadied their breath and waited. Muzan rushed forward. Each step he took decimated everything in his path. A breath away from the slayers he suddenly felt the ground tremble. Startled he withdrew his attack and retreated. The ground started to crack, like a web it spread towards both sides. Gyomei yelled at the others to retreat. Muzan also flew back and waited. He had a faint foreboding of danger. Boom! The ground cracked and exploded. A figure flew out with a demon clutched tightly in his hand. Chapter 106 - 106. End Leo lost count of how many times he had killed Muzan''s clone. Each time he killed a patch on his soul would disappear. He didn''t know how many lives Muzan sacrificed to make this monstrosity. Each of those lives were now a part of him. 10, 20, 100, 1000, 10000... Like a machine Leo swung his sword without stopping. Time seemed to have come to a stand still in this space. He didn''t know how many times he swung his sword when he saw the patches on the demon''s souls reduce to a mere thousand. He swung again. 999, 998, 997... 800... 500... 200... 100... 50... 20... 10... 5... 3, 2, 1. When the last patch disappeared Muzan''s true spirit emerged. It was pitch black like night. Leo''s gaze was as cold as ever. Muzan''s clone was shocked and in disbelief. He expected this man to kill him numerous times. For that he sacrificed 50 thousand humans. But never in his dreams could he have imagined this man to reach this point. Even after swinging his sword 50 thousand times he was still able to stand. He was breathing heavily but he was far from being spent. The expected result wasn''t this. This man was supposed tire himself out and he would kill him like pinching an ant. This wasn''t supposed to happen! Leo stepped forward and grabbed him by his neck. He squeezed his neck till his bones cracked and crumbled. When he caught the demon Leo could feel the dimension trapping them tremble. It was weakening. He pointed his sword above and gathered his ''Breath''. A faint layer of light as thin as a cicadas wing covered his sword''s blade. "Break!" He swung it with full force. The dimension started to tremble even violently when his sword struck it. The faint layer of light clashed fiercely against the dimensional walls. Cracks started to spread. A split moment later his sword pierced through. Rocks and soil started to fall on him when he broke through the isolated dimension. Underground? They still had a contingency, huh. Squinting his eyes Leo struck forward without hesitation. The ground gave way as he sliced through everything in his path. Soon he broke through the walls of rock and soil. ... Taking a deep breath Leo looked around. His spirit sense captured everyone. Good. No one is missing. Knowing he didn''t lose any of his friends Leo let out a smile. However it turned icy the next moment. His spirit sense caught another presence. One so evil that it shouldn''t even exist. "You did good Muzan. Very good." Leo calmly gazed at Muzan. However his voice seemed as if it came from an icy hell. Muzan was stunned when he saw Leo emerge from the ground. He killed my clone? He killed 50 thousand times and can still stand? Escape! Muzan was scared. He had lived for a thousand year and he dearly valued his life. He was extremely scared to die. "Can you escape?" Leo threw away Muzan''s clone before cutting it''s head. He stepped forward and chased after Muzan. The other slayers weren''t vegetables either. They knew this would happen and was prepared. They spread out like a net and blocked Muzan from every direction. Sabito planted his foot firmly, he grabbed his sword with both hands and raised it above his head. His ''Breath'' was circulating faster and faster. The muscles on his arms were starting to give rise to vapour. Veins were sticking out like worms. Muzan was taking a beeline in his direction. The tubes on his body attacked Sabito, all at the same time. However Sabito didn''t move. His eyes were closed, he was focused to his limit. When Muzan was several steps away from him he swung his sword. It was extremely fast and dragged the air around with it as it sliced through the air. Water Breathing Final Form, Divine Sea! Along with his sword water rose from his feet. It was a drop at first, but in the blink of an eye a sea was formed. It drowned everything in it''s path. Muzan was caught by the sea. The turbulent waves struck him like divine hammers. His bones creaked and broke, his vital organs were struck and bled. Blood seeped out from all of his orifices. Rengoku was the first to reach Muzan. He propelled forward like a canon and swung his sword. Muzan was heavily injured to dodge. He could only raised his arms to defend. Rengoku struck squarely on his c.h.e.s.t. Muzan was thrown away. Uzui and Iguro silently appeared beside him. Still reeling from Sabito''s attack Muzan couldn''t move. Uzui and Iguro pierced their swords through his hearts. Muzan had several hearts and several brains. If one wanted to kill him they either had to destroy all of his vital organs or expose him to the sun. Uzui and Iguro nailed their swords through two of Muzan''s hearts. The red blades burned Muzan''s flesh. He wanted to pull them out but before he could do so a beautiful figure caught his eyes. Kanroji was like a fairy as she danced with her blade. However her dance was ferocious and deadly. Muzan''s body was riddled with dozens of gruesome wounds when he came out of her attack range. Still wounded he gathered his strength to split his body and escape but when he tried to do so he failed. He came to a scary conclusion. Dragging his body he rushed out. Gyomei, Tanjiro, Genya, Inosuke, Zenitsu and Kanao blocked his path. Muzan wanted to retaliate. However his wounds were grievous and his priority now was to escape. However plans and reality would often be different. The slayers before him burst forth with power they hadn''t shown since the beginning of their battle. Muzan couldn''t move an inch forward. He was in the eye of the tornado. Their red blades left long deep wounds on his body. "This is the end Muzan." A voice he was all familiar rung near his ear. It was calm like a still pond but cold like an ice tundra. Leo''s sword pierced through Muzan''s heart. His red blade burned his flesh. Leo punched his gut and kicked him to the ground. He pulled back his sword and stomped on Muzan''s c.h.e.s.t. Crack! Muzan''s c.h.e.s.t caved in. Blood seeped out of his mouth, nose, ears and eyes. Leo put some pressure on his foot. Muzan was nailed to the ground. "Heavens will always find a way to punish evil Muzan. Though it might be late it will always come." Before Muzan could react a red glow flashed by. Muzan''s head rolled through the ground, it stopped beside Gyomei''s foot. He cleaved his axe and sliced it into two. The others also gathered. Their bodies were tired but their mind was fully awake. Leo raised his head and looked to the horizon. A bright red ball of light was peeking out of the mountains. When the first light fell, Muzan''s body started to burn. Soon his ashes were scattered into the wind. Seeing the last of Muzan''s aura disappear everyone relaxed. Their tiredness kicked in and all of them sat down. They looked at each other and smiled. Leo also sat down. A faint smile hung on his face as he looked at the rising sun. Chapter 107 - 107. Advance Everything came to an end. A millenia old battle was over. The government and Ubuyashiki family took care of the aftermath. The slayers had a long peaceful sleep. They slept for an entire day before waking up. All of them laughed to their hearts content when they woke up. Kagaya''s son took over his position as their leader. He was still a kid but he was Kagaya''s son. The war was over. The Slayer Corps went dark. Everyone returned to their roots. To pass on their legacy. ... At the foot of a vibrant mountain stood a huge manor. There was a wide flat area to its north, rows of children stood orderly as they performed breathing exercise. Further inside the manor was a courtyard. Looking up one could see the path leading to the mountain. Flowers filled the courtyard. The different colours added life, and the buzzing bees and butterflies painted a serene picture. To the side was a small pond, fish filled with vitality swam joyfully. A tree grew beside it, casting it''s shadow over the pond. A young man wearing casual clothes sat beneath the tree. A sword rested on his legs. His breath was faint but every time he breathed he seemed to have become one with nature. A beautiful lady sat not far from him. Her eyes never left the young man. She had a mesmerising smile on her face as she watched him. These two were of course Leo and Shinobu. After the final battle. Leo asked her hand in marriage. It''s been three years since then. As a thank you for everything they had done the Ubuyashiki gifted him with this manor and everything within ten miles around it. Leo created a school for martial arts. His breathing techniques and forms couldn''t be taught to anyone else, it was a bloodline inheritance. So he spend three years and developed Dragon Breathing and Tiger Breathing, he spent a lot of time and created another set of forms for each of these Breathing Techniques. Three years later his school now had a solid foundation. He had two direct disciples. They were taught the Dragon Breathing and Tiger Breathing respectively. As for the others they were still learning a simplified Breathing form of these two core Breathing Techniques. Opening his eyes Leo stood up and stretched his body. Shinobu walked beside him and asked, "Why do you always meditate like an old monk? You have even started to read scriptures." Leo poked her nose and said with a smile, "Those scriptures contain wisdom of our race. It''s a form of cultivation for our mind, too much power will lead away from righteousness." Shinobu hugged his arms and complained, "Ok, it''s a form of tempering, I get that. Then what about those other martial arts you trained. Tai-chi, Animal Mimicry Fist, Buddhist Arts, Daoist Arts... how may did you go through? You spend most of your time training." Hearing her grumble Leo hugged her waist and planted a kiss on her forehead, "I am sorry, I am sorry. From today onwards I will only spend half my time for training." Shinobu was delighted, "Really?" Leo nodded with a smile. Shinobu was really happy however she suddenly frowned. Looking at him suspiciously she said, "Something''s wrong, you never cut your time from training! Spit it out." Leo hugged her tightly and laughed heartily, "As expected from my wife, yup, I can take a breather for a while now." Shinobu placed her arms around his neck and asked, "Did you advance?" Leo nodded. A faint ripple spread out from his body. It expanded till it covered thirty meters. Shinobu widened her eyes in surprise, "You sword intent reached it''s peak!" Haha! It''s been years since he formed his intent. Intent formed domain. The peak of domain was thirty meters. Shinobu finally understood, "So that''s why you trained all those different techniques." Leo smiled and explained, "Every path leads to the same destination. By knowing a bit of everything I can refine my own understanding and go further in my path." Shinobu smiled sweetly and pumped her fist, "This calls for a celebration!" Leo smiled, "Of course. Call those two idiots, we are having a feast!" The manor got lively. Leo''s personal students were in charge of the nominal ones. They heard about their master''s break through and were happy. The nominal students were exempted from training for a day and were told to enjoy. Of course these kids were happy to hear that. "Grand Master improved again?" "As expected of Grand Master." "What do you newbies know. This is routine around here." "Senior, this happened before." "Of course! I came here two years ago, in these two years Grand Master improved four times." "Wow! That''s amazing!" "Hmph! Amazing is putting it lightly. You know Grand Master''s direct students, they only improved slightly in these two years. Compared to Grand Master, our teachers are not worth mentioning." The students were discussing animatedly. However they failed to notice two kids about the age of 14 standing in the distance. Both of them had a wry smile on their face. "Say, Ichiya, should I got over and teach those brats a lesson for insulting their teacher." The other boy shook his head, "Amado, let it go. You are a teacher for god''s sake. This is why master always scolds you." Amado shrugged, "But he will never punish me." Leo was lenient with his students not because he was soft but because he wants to nurture them for what they are. If you try to paint a cat as a tiger it won''t work. Amado had a fiery temper but he was diligent and hard working. He was hard on his students but he knew their limits and acted accordingly. Ichiya was the total opposite of Amado. He was calm and always had a temperament smile on his face. Both of them had different personalities but they were as close as brothers. Amado who had a fiery temper but he always listened to Ichiya. The feast was luxurious. There was meat, wine and juice for kids. Leo had a smile on his face when he looked at those lively brats. He was content with such a life. The day went by very fast. When the stars lit up the sky, Leo walked out of the manor and stood beside the pond. The pond reflected the beautiful starry sky. "Is that the medallion you spoke of?" Shinobu peeked her head over Leo''s shoulder. Leo fiddled with the medallion and said, "When I advanced today my spirit went through a qualitative change. It can cover upto 10 miles now. And I was finally able to bring this out." Shinobu curiously looked at the medallion, "What does it do?" Leo shook his head, "I don''t know." He fiddled with it for a second and thought of channelling his ''Breath'' inside. Out of curiosity he did just that. Suddenly the medallion trembled. A violent fluctuations erupted from it. It enveloped Leo and Shinobu in an instant. Before he could react they were swallowed by the fluctuation and disappeared. Chapter 108 - 108. Unknown Space When the sun rose up Leo''s manor woke up as well. Amado and Ichiya washed up and got ready for their morning session with Leo. However even after waiting for half an hour they didn''t see him. "Hey Ichiya, was master ever late?" Amado turned his head and asked. Ichiya hesitated for a moment before walking further inside the manor. He knocked on Leo''s door and found no one answering. "Excuse me." He pushed the door open ready for a punch in the face if he was intruding. However there was no one. Frowning he checked the courtyard where his master always meditated and found it empty as well. By now he was panicking, he checked the entire manor and couldn''t find his master nor could he find the mistress. "Amado!" He quickly told Amado what happened. They checked the entire manor once again and concluded that their master and mistress were missing. Leo and Shinobu''s disappearance rattled the entire manor. Ichiya send word to Ubuyashiki and Leo''s friends. Soon everyone gathered at Leo''s manor. They checked the manor for any clues. And Inosuke found where they went last night. "His scent ends here. I can''t sense where he went from this point, it''s like he disappeared." Everyone listened to his words and had different opinion. Sabito pondered for a moment and said, "Do you remember Upper Moon Four?" Rengoku asked, "You think this was a demon." Sabito shook his head, "At his level, no demon could get close to him, without him knowing, even if it was someone with Upper Moon Four''s peculiar ability." "Then what happened to big brother?" Tanjiro asked with worry. He was now a m.a.t.u.r.e young man. Makomo answered in place of Sabito, "I think what he means is, his disappearance is related an ability similar to Upper Moon Four''s. However there is no single of battle." "You should all know Leo''s ability, even if all of us go at him at once he could still defeat us with one hand tied behind his back." Sabito nodded, "Makomo is right." Iguro sitting beside Kanroji with her hands in his arms spoke lightly. He didn''t cover his face anymore since Lady Tamayo and Shinobu helped him treat his scars. "His disappearance is mostly linked to himself." Everyone went silent for a moment and couldn''t find any other possibility. Amado and Ichiya didn''t dare speak in presence of these people. These men and women speaking casually were renowned masters and head of their own school of martial arts like their master. Rengoku folded his arms and said, "If it''s related to Leo himself then there is nothing to worry. He will return." A fair hand pinched his waist when he said that. Kanae glared at Rengoku. The latter foolishly smiled and said, "Dear, it''s alright. Leo is a man! He will protect Shinobu with his life!" She could only sigh to his words. Looking at Amado and Ichiya she said, "Don''t worry. There is no one in this world that could harm your master. Train diligently and wait. He will return." Everyone left after coming to a conclusion that Leo was safe. Amado and Ichiya send them off. Looking at their fading shadows Ichiya said resolutely. "Amado, master is no longer here but we can''t slack off. Let''s give him a good surprise when he returns and make our school known throughout these lands!" ... When the terrible fluctuation hit them, Leo immediately pulled Shinobu into his embrace. His domain enclosed them like a shell. He could only see darkness. He knew he was moving but their was no sense of direction. A second later he saw a faint flicker in the void. It flashed past him with incredible speed. What was that? Shinobu who was in his arms looked around solemnly. She knew they were safe only because of Leo''s sword domain. Any unwanted fluctuations were cut off before it reached them. Leo was sweating. Though these fluctuations looked simple, his mind was stretched to it''s limits trying to maintain his domain. Few more dots of lights flashed past them. Leo had no idea what they were but he had to do something otherwise they maybe trapped in this unending darkness forever. Leo calmed his mind and got ready for the next one. After who knows how long Leo saw another flicker in the darkness. This time he put all into his domain and expanded it. Soon that flicker of light touched the edge of his domain. Leo reacted in time and grabbed it. As soon as he did the fluctuations around him merged with the light. They were now encased in a golden ball of light and disappeared from the void. ... Somewhere in a world. A group of men were attacking a town. They killed their way through the town. "Men! Take what you can and burn everything else." A b.a.r.e c.h.e.s.ted man yelled loudly. His sword was pierced through the back of a middle-aged man. A young man looked at his father who had a sword through his c.h.e.s.t. His hands were trembling from rage and fear. He glared at the b.a.r.e c.h.e.s.ted man and spat on his face. The man didn''t get angry. He grinned and wiped his face, "Yo! A fiery fella, ain''t ya! Haha!" The man pulled out his sword and pointed it to the young man, "Since you have the courage to spit at the face, you won''t run away if I pull out your tongue, right?" A savage grin was pasted on the man''s face. His men laughed loudly when they saw this scene. "Looks like Captain is gonna torment that kid." "Hehe, who told him to act so bravely." The young man glared at the b.a.r.e c.h.e.s.ted man. His legs were trembling but he refused to budge. "Someday, someone will kill you! Ptui!" The young man spat at the b.a.r.e c.h.e.s.ted man once more. The man wiped it away once more and grinned, "Lad, the one who could kill me hasn''t been born yet!" He kicked the young man''s c.h.e.s.t and placed his foot on his neck. "Open wide." The b.a.r.e c.h.e.s.ted man forced open the young man''s mouth and grabbed his tongue. He then took out a small knife reeking with blood. "You know, I always use this knife to skin my enemies. Don''t worry, after I take your tongue I will help you take off your skin." The young man struggled but he was powerless in the hands of the b.a.r.e c.h.e.s.ted man. He watched in horror as the man placed the knife on his tongue. The man grinned. He really enjoyed the horror others showed when he was about to torture them. He was about to slowly cut into the kid''s tongue when a golden ball of light appeared right before him. What the!? The b.a.r.e c.h.e.s.ted man backed away. He looked cautiously at the golden ball of light. Soon the light faded and two people walked out. One man and a woman. Leo looked around and found the place burning with dead bodies scattered on the ground and men fighting and looting everywhere. "Where the hell is this?" Chapter 109 - 109. Stranded The b.a.r.e c.h.e.s.ted man was shocked when he saw a golden sphere appear out of nowhere. He waited cautiously as the golden glow faded. What stepped out were two humans, one man and a woman. The man was well built and handsome. He had the aura of a scholar to him which added a point of mysteriousness to him. The woman next to him was breathtakingly beautiful. She had hair flowing down her shoulders and bright eyes. Her skin was like a new born baby''s with a light flush colour to it. The b.a.r.e c.h.e.s.ted man''s eyes sparkled when he saw the woman. "Hehe, who knew I would get such a haul. You are worth a fortune. Those guys from the underworld will be happy when I return. Haha!" Leo and Shinobu ignored him and looked around. The place was literally burning. Shops, houses... everything was on fire. The b.a.r.e c.h.e.s.ted man was annoyed when he was ignored, he stepped forth and grabbed Leo''s collar. "You got balls kid. I hate pretty boys like you, always acting mighty just cause you are good looking. Now that you are in my hands let me give you a little gift." The man placed his bloody knife on Leo''s cheek and grinned, "What do you think about a long scar here, I think it looks good." Leo turned his eyes towards the man and said indifferently, "I too think it''s good." Hm? The man wasn''t expecting a calm acknowledgement to his question. He was about to say something when the knife in his hand disappeared. A scorching pain hit his face the next moment. Aah! He screamed and fell down. Blood oozed out from a long wound on his cheek like a spring. "Kill this f.u.c.ker! Kill him!" The pain was so overwhelming. Blood threads covered the man''s eyes as he glared at Leo, he yelled at his men while rolling on the ground. The men immediately surrounded Leo and attacked. However in a split second they all fell down. Blood spilled out of their limbs, they couldn''t move! In that split second Leo cut their tendons and immobilised them. He punched towards the b.a.r.e c.h.e.s.ted man. Bang! The b.a.r.e c.h.e.s.ted man was struck by a tremendous force. He felt as if a mountain was crashing down on him. A pit appeared where he was and he laid inside like a boneless chicken. Leo turned to Shinobu and said, "Let''s split up and check what''s going on. We will think about the rest after sorting this mess." Shinobu nodded and dashed off. Leo jumped on top of a tall building and looked afar. He saw water as far as the eye can see. And this seems to be a small town near the coast. Turning his sight he released his spiritual sense and everything within ten miles was laid b.a.r.e before him. 34 men. He saw 34 men causing destruction to this small down. He immediately went for these men. Several men wearing white shirt and blue pants which looked like a uniform were fighting against these men. But their numbers were far less than their counterparts and the battle was one sided. "Haha! These guys are so weak!" "Yeah, I can''t believe we ain''t aiming for the Grand line if that place is these guys turf!" "Haha" The men attacking the uniformed men laughed wildly. Their attacks got even crazier knowing they were gonna win. "Sir, we can''t hold on!" One among the uniformed men reported to a middle-aged man. He wore the same uniform but had a badge to his c.h.e.s.t. He seems to be their leader. "Hold on and fight till your last breath! Know that behind you stands men, women, children and elderly! If not you who will defend them! Fight!" He yelled loudly and charged forward. He alone held of three attackers. However as the battle progressed he was acc.u.mulating injuries. The other men were also getting beaten back. Some of them were injured and retreated to the back while the others covered their retreat. The middle-aged man knew they couldn''t win but he was no coward. And he wouldn''t retreat as that would be a blemish to the uniform he was wearing. Goodbye Melissa. He bid farewell to his wife and was ready to die. However a figure suddenly fell towards them from the sky. He moved like lightning and disabled every single pirate in a split second. The middle-aged man was shocked and stared with his jaws almost hitting the floor. Leo scanned the uniformed men, they looked like navy from his previous life. The middle-aged man woke up from his shock and limbed towards Leo, "Thank you sir!" He bowed deeply. His men also followed suit and bowed. Leo waved his hand and raised him up, "Sir, what I did is not worth mentioning." The middle-aged man shook his head, "To you, sir, it may be nothing. But to us it''s a great favour. All of us have family, I myself have a wife back home, you not only saved my life but also helped my family." Leo knew this kind of people who were righteous at heart were stubborn like a mule so he quickly changed the subject, "Sir, can you tell me where this place is?" The middle-aged man was surprised. He wondered how someone could come here without knowing where it was, however he still answered. "We are in East blue, this is Ash island." East blue? Ash island? The middle-aged man excused himself and barked out, "What are you mongrels standing around for!? Go help put out the fire and tend to the wounded!" His men scurried off like scared rabbits. Leo left the group and found Shinobu. She was currently with a group of people who seems to be doctors and nurses. She was giving out instructions while treating some seriously wounded islanders. He wasn''t surprised that she won over these people in a strange land so easily. After all her medical standards were at the top from where they come from. Seeing Leo she gestured from him to wait. After a while she was finished with her work and walked upto Leo. "So?" Leo said, "We are somewhere called East blue and this island is called Ash island. You?" Shinobu pulled him to a corner and said, "Leo... I know this might sound incredulous but I think we might not be on the same planet anymore." Leo didn''t refute her and said solemnly, "We are definitely not on the same planet." He was sure of it. Why? Because he himself had traveled once before, to the world of demons and demon slayers. Shinobu panicked, "What should we do? How can we get back?" Leo held her hand and calmed her down, "It''s alright, we will find a way. Everything lies with this." He raised his palm, a light flashed. The Dragon - Tiger Medallion. "This brought us here. It can definitely take us back as well." Chapter 110 - 110. A New Life And thus began Leo and Shinobu''s life in this new world. Being thrown into a new world their priority was to get money for basic needs, like food and shelter. Luckily the medical treatment provided by Shinobu and the bounty Leo got for capturing the pirates solved that. Leo was surprised that he caught the captain of those pirates right away. Though they were unfortunate to be suddenly thrown to a new world some things did turn in their favour. After food and living were taken care of what followed next was information. Several days of talk with the townspeople gave them a rough understanding of this world. And Shinobu was able to find a bookstore. From there they got hold of maps, history and information about the political structure of this world. Something interesting worthy of note was that the language they used here was completely different from their world. However Leo and Shinobu were able to understand other people and they could read this unknown language. They were stunned when they noticed this. Leo was doubtful whether this was because of his medallion or because of something else. First of all, this world didn''t have any continents like theirs. This world had no major land areas, only Islands scattered all over the world. And this massive water body was divided into four major seas, East blue, West blue, North blue and South blue. What divided this world into four seas was the Grand line and the Red line. On a map each seas occupied one corner with a cross at it''s center. The vertical line was called Red line and the horizontal one was called Grand line. The Grand line has small area called calm sea on both sides. This area effectively prevents travel between each seas directly. The only way to travel between each sea is through the Red line. A gathering point existed were the Grand line and the Red line met. This gathering can take a person to any of the four seas and to the Grand line. A fun fact about the grand line is that only one person ever managed to conquer it. He was a pirate and was crowned the King Of Pirates. Talking about pirates Leo was astonished when he saw that term. Pirates also existed in his world as well. And he was quite amused when he saw how close both of their descriptions were, evil, vile and greedy. Luckily there were powers out there reigning in these pirates. The power structure of this world was divided among three, World government, Revolutionaries and Pirates. The navy Leo saw was a proxy of the World Government. They maintained the law and order in the seas. With most of their questions answered Leo and Shinobu''s next step was to find a way to get back home. However Leo had no idea how to go about this, so their only option was to live in this world until they find a way to do so. Since Shinobu had shown medical skills that way far beyond the doctors on this island, she was welcomed with both arms when she applied for a job at the town hospital. However he was not an average man. He was able to do the job of ten men so his pay was considerably higher than the rest. Strolling down the market Leo checked several stores trying to pick out ingredients for their dinner. "This is premium prawns, young man! Look at it''s plump body, come on you would be making a killing by buying this." Leo who was subjected to a round of promotion, he smiled, "Don''t you get tired saying this over and over again?" The man promoting to Leo shrugged, "Hey, I sell fish. If I don''t call out who''s gonna know I have the best fish around here." Hearing him speak someone selling next to him chortled, "The best fish? Get the hell out, all of us here sell the best fish!" Haha! A round of laughter erupted from the other vendors. Leo smiled and shook his head. However he still bought some from the man. Several months living in this world he had already gotten used to this life. Turning a corner he came across a small house with flowers with different coloured planted in it''s small front yard. Leo opened the door and entered. Shinobu wearing an apron stood by the kitchen. She was checking the fridge. Hearing the door she looked up and saw Leo. "Your early." Leo said. Shinobu quickly went upto him. She gave him a kiss and took what was in his hands. "I finished up my rounds early. So I decided to get back and make something but when I checked we were out of stuff to cook." Leo smiled. Not long after a table full of dishes appeared before Leo. Both of them sat down and started to eat. Shinobu suddenly said, "A lady came to visit me today." Leo raised his head, "Was it from the navy?" Shinobu nodded. Leo thought for a moment and asked, "What did you guys speak?" "She said that my medical skill were excellent and she wanted me to join the navy." Leo didn''t immediately respond. He thought for a moment and said, "What do you think?" Shinobu said, "It doesn''t matter to me. I am doctor, whether I am here or in the navy I will be doing the same stuff." Leo chuckled, "That''s so like you." Shinobu giggled and said while grinning, "What about you? I heard Dane has been pestering you about joining the navy as well." Leo shrugged, "I find no reason to join so I rejected him." Shinobu teased him, "See, aren''t we both the same." They stared at each other for a second and burst out laughing. To them it doesn''t matter whether they lived here and worked or lived somewhere and worked. It all depended on their mood. If they thought it was good working for the navy then they would join them, if not they wouldn''t. It was as simple as that. Chapter 111 - 111. Pirates Leo was working as usual when he got a visitor. Dane wearing his ironed uniform had a bright smile on his face as he walked upto Leo. "You are a beast, that much weight would kill any normal person." Leo was carrying a heavy bundle three times his size. However he didn''t show any change with such a heavy load on his shoulder. He ignored Dane''s comment and asked dryly, "Are you that free to come down here to try and poach me?" Dane rolled his eyes, "You make it sound like I am some kind of human trafficker! Anyway I gave up on trying to recruit you." Leo raised an eyebrow, "Then why are you here." Dane threw his hands in the air, "I had nothing else to do so I decided to take a stroll." Leo smirked, "So you were free." As they were speaking a ship''s shadow could be seen over the horizon. Both of them spotted it and strained their eyes to get a better view. Pirates! Dane got serious. He immediately went to gather his men. Though this was a small town and pirates were rarely seen it still happened nevertheless. By the time he got back the ship was already nearing the dock. Men wearing headbands and swords on their waist stood excitedly on the ship. As the ship slowed down they jumped off and landed on the dock. The workers and peddlers were nervous as they watched the ship dock. They didn''t dare make a squeak lest they drew attention from these pirates. Dane and his men readied their swords and aimed their guns. A man wearing a trench coat walked down from the ship. He had a cold expression on his face. Dane felt his heart tremble when he saw the man. He recognised him. His name was Bloody Bill. This guy was someone who had returned alive from the Grandline. He was not an average pirate! Sweat trickled down Dane''s sideburns. His men were also aware of their opponents might. Dane steeled his heart and stepped forward and shouted, "Bloody Bill, your kind is not welcome here, get the hell out!" As soon as his words died down a round of laughter erupted. Bloody Bill''s men didn''t even put Dane and his men in their eyes. Glancing at Dane Bloody Bill said, "Bring everything of value here in 1 hour or... die!" Dane''s face went pale. He glared at Bloody Bill and spat out, "You should know what would happen if you start a massacre here." Bloody Bill didn''t take his words to heart and said, "You have 59 minutes." Dane was caught in a dilemma. He couldn''t do what Bill said, he was a navy officer and Bill was a pirate. There is only outcome when a navy and pirate meet, battle. Just as he was wracking his brains on what to do Leo who was forgotten suddenly asked, "Dane, what''s his bounty?" Dane was stunned when he heard Leo, he hurriedly replied, "Leo, this guy is on a completely different level from those pirates you defeated before." Leo ignored him and asked, "The bounty." Dane hesitated and said, "10 million bellies." Leo''s eyes sparkled. He patted Dane''s shoulder and said, "I will take care of this." Dane wanted to say something when Leo suddenly disappeared. He flashed before Bloody Bill and kicked his gut. Like a canon ball Bloody Bill was blasted through the air. He crashed into his ship and left a deep hole. His men who were laughing with arrogance suddenly went silent. They were shocked for a moment before they realised what happened. "Captain!" "Bastard, guys let''s get this f.u.c.ker!" Bloody Bill''s men charged at Leo. Leo dusted his hand and walked back to Dane, "Don''t forget about by reward." Everything happened very fast. Dane and his men were stunned. The workers near the dock were also shocked. A second later a commotion broke out. "Holy shit! That was a man with a 10 million bounty!" "He defeated a 10 million bounty! Damn! What kind of brute strength does he have to make him fly like that?" Dane woke up from his shock and immediately yelled out, "Quickly tie them up!" His men got to work. They took care of Billy''s men and went inside the ship to find Bloody Bill. They drew a cold breath when they found him. Billy laid there like a corpse, his right arm was broken and twisted in an unnatural angle. Blood trickled down his face, he looked like a bloodied ghost. Dane was startled when he heard the report. He immediately sent out a message about Billy''s capture and requested for the reward to be sent forward. Leo hummed a tune as he went back home. 10 million bellies. I can buy that earring Shinobu eyed for a while. A while after he got home Dane visited with a suitcase and handed him the bounty. "That was fast." Dane replied, "There is a major trading city on an island nearby. It doesn''t take much time gather the money, only transfer''s a hassle." Leo nodded and invited him in. Chatting for a while Leo asked, "Why is your men so weak?" After he said that he found he said it wrong and immediately corrected, "I didn''t mean it like that." Dane shook his head, "It''s alright. What you said isn''t wrong. Our forces in East, West, North and South blue are weak." Leo asked, "Why?" Dane downed a glass of beer and said, "Grandline. That is the real battlefield. The four seas are just playgrounds compared to that place." He grabbed the beer bottle and downed another mouthful and continued, "Pirates wreck havoc there. It''s a place filled with treasures and blood. And the men in those seas are far far stronger than the one you defeated today." "Grandline is a cradle for powerhouses. Only the strong could survive there, and navy doesn''t have enough resources or man power to take care of the four seas." "That''s why those pirates who fail to gain a foothold there come back here. Surviving a day there is enough to rein rule over here." Chapter 112 - 112. A New Journey Dane spoke with emotion. Leo was curious, "Come on, you must be exaggerating." Dane shook his head, "No one will believe it unless they saw it themselves." Leo asked, "And you did?" Dane nodded, he frowned another glass and said, "I was lucky to board Vice Admiral Garp''s ship once. And in that single voyage I understand the vast difference between men from Grandline and here." "Danger lurks everywhere in those waters. The whether could be sunny one moment however it could change into a thunderstorm the next second." "Sea kings the size of this very island we stand on roams the seas." "The legendary Fishman island where mermaids reside." "An island grown from a humongous plant, Sabaody Archipelago." "Island with lightning strikes all year around. Islands with beasts the size of a small mountain." "The giant kingdom, Elbaf." "The mysterious country Wano." "You can''t imagine what it''s like. In that single voyage I saw a huge sea king. You saw Billy''s ship, it wouldn''t even fill the gap between that sea kings teeth." Leo stared when he heard him. His curious nature was triggered. "Sea kings can be that big?" Dane nodded. Leo was then confused, "Wait, you said you met a sea king, then how are you still here?" Dane smiled, "That''s why I told you. Men from those waters are monsters. It only took Vice Admiral Garp one punch to smash that colossal sea king into mashed meat." He downed another glass and stared at Leo, "Initially I wanted to recruit you but seeing what you did today I believe your place isn''t here. It''s there in those waters." Leo chuckled, "Oh please, I just took out a 10 million bounty pirate that''s all." Dane stared at him and said solemnly, "Don''t try to fool me. What you did is atleast at the level of a captain from Navy Headquarters." Leo didn''t reply. Dane got up and got ready to leave. Before he left he said some words, "This place isn''t for you. The life here is bland and boring for someone of your calibre." "Get out and explore." Leo saw him out. He sat down and thought about what Dane said. Go out and explore. Leo was curious by nature. His only interests were training, good food and alcohol. However he won''t deny that he was curious about this Grandline Dane spoke of. An island with lightning strikes all year around, Fish man island, Giant country... Fascinating. He smiled unknowingly. "What made you so happy?" He chuckled and pointed to the briefcase Dane brought. Shinobu opened it and saw a pile of cash. She kind of guessed what happened, "Pirates?" Leo nodded. Shinobu closed it and put it aside. She then sat on his l.a.p and hugged him before planting a deep kiss. "Come on, out with it. You are unusually happy today." Leo knew he couldn''t hide anything from her. He said everything he heard from Dane. After listening to him Shinobu had a curious expression on her face, "Do those places really exist?" Leo shook his head, "I don''t know. But Dane is someone who values what he says, I don''t think he will lie." Shinobu went silent for a moment and looked straight at Leo, "You really want to go, don''t you?" Leo poked her cute little nose and smirked, "Like you aren''t interested. I bet those mermaids, sea kings and giants really caught your attention, right?" Shinobu smiled cheekily. "So it''s settled?" Shinobu nodded and kissed him, "Yup. Let''s go to the Grandline!" ... The next day. Leo visited Dane and said, "I want to go to the Grandline." Dane wasn''t surprised, he seems to have expected Leo''s visit and said with a smile, "There are trade routes between the four seas and Grandline. Since the route and destination are extremely dangerous there are no safe routes, only a strong, experienced and influential force can take you there." Leo stared at him. Dane smiled cheekily and said, "The only way to reach Grandline is to command a ship or to join the navy. If you commandeer a ship, first, you need find a crew, second they need to be experienced, third, they must be strong. If not, your chances of survival out there will be very very low." "Most of the sh.i.p.s out there sink due to the sudden and inexplicable changes on the seas. However if you join the Navy, you will have your own ship and an experienced crew to take you everywhere. There is no need for any of the above mentioned hassles." Leo finally understood why this fella spoke so much last night. Leo stared at him for a while and said, "I knew you for several months, I never realised you were so sly." Dane grinned, "I know how to fish, the trick is to be patient. It took me a while to figure out how to hook you." Leo was really annoyed by that grin on his face, "Wipe that grin off your face before I plant my fist there." Dane''s expression froze. He coughed and changed the topic, "Right. Here are your recruitment papers, the highest rank I can give you is a lieutenant." Leo was surprised, "You can give out a lieutenant rank?" Dane smiled smugly, "My rank is Captain. Though we are in a backwater like East blue I can still do this much." Leo didn''t bother with him anymore and asked, "So what''s next?" "This is an official recommendation by me to the headquarters. A cargo ship sailing for the Navy base near the Redline is gonna pass through here. Just board it." "Once you are at that base, they will check your background for any criminal activities. Once you are green they will arrange a ride for you to the Navy Headquarters." Leo listened carefully and memorized everything he said. After sorting out some more official doc.u.ments of his appointment Leo got up and thanked Dane. Watching Leo leave Dane had a smile plastered across his face. A major came in with a bunch of doc.u.ments and saw him smile. He was curious and asked, "Sir, why are you smiling like that?" Dane leaned on his chair and said, "I might get a promotion if I am lucky." The major didn''t understand what he meant. ... A week later the cargo ship docked on Ash Island. Leo and Shinobu were packed and ready to go. Dane and some other friends they had on the island came by to say good-bye. They watched Leo and Shinobu board the ship and waved them off. Standing on the deck and feeling the wind sweep past her face Shinobu smiled. "This is exciting!" Leo nodded. "Yes it is." Chapter 113 - 113. Ambush It had been a day since Leo and Shinobu started their journey. Their journey was smooth until the latter half of the day. Just as they passed an island, couple of sh.i.p.s surrounded them. Both the sh.i.p.s had a pirate skull flying on their sails. However the crew didn''t panic and handled it steadily. The captain took command as a naval battle ensued. The pirates weren''t nearly as equipped as the Navy. After a few rounds they fell back and ran way. It was Leo''s first time seeing a battle at sea. It was kind of interesting for him. With water in every direction he quickly got bored and went back to his cabin to meditate. Shinobu was leaning on their bed frame and going through some medical books she brought with her. "Pirates?" She asked. Leo nodded, "Yeah. This world is quite dangerous for an average person. This is already the second time." Shinobu agreed, "Well, this ship is worth a lot. After all the cargo they are carrying is for an entire base." Leo found himself some space on the bed and started to do his Breathing Technique. However his ''Breath'' was extremely pure and vast like an ocean. Once he advance he would experience a qualitative change. When the sun went down and the night came up Leo abruptly opened his eyes. Shinobu was out to get their food. He went out to the deck and looked out into the sea. A vague shadow was nearing their ship from beneath the water. Leo had excellent eyesight, he made out those figures to be humans. They certainly got creative. He thought. The men patrolling the area saw nothing. The night only had the illumination of several lamps on their ship. A patrolling officer saw Leo stare at the sea and came towards him. "What are you looking at?" Leo turned his head and said with a smile, "Some interesting fish." The officer was confused and looked down. However the pitch black night blocked his sight. He turned to Leo and said, "Get some sleep. We will reach the base by early tomorrow." Leo didn''t move. He pulled the officer to a corner and gestured him to stay quiet. The officer was still confused, he wanted to question what was going on. But seeing how Leo had a temperate smile on his face he decided to wait and see. After a few minutes something climbed up from the edge of the ship. The officer''s face changed, in the middle of the night someone climbed up from the sea from the sea onto the ship, this could only mean one thing. The ship was being attacked! He stood up abruptly and was about to yell when Leo patted his shoulder. "Go and inform your captain, I will keep an eye on these guys." The man hesitated for a moment and said seriously, "Alright. You keep a safe distance and observe, don''t do anything rash." Saying that he bolted towards the captain''s cabin. Leo was standing at a blind spot. The night blocked him from the pirates. A man wearing black clothes climbed onto the deck. Following him were several more men fully covered in black clothes. "Spread out. Kill the guards and everyone else who is a threat." The leading man ordered his men. Just as they were about to move Leo walked out, "Sorry, but I would appreciate it if you guys could stay put." The sudden appearance of Leo shocked them. The man looked around hastily and found no one else. He heaved a sigh and grinned, "Trying to be a hero, huh." Leo shook his head, "Against your bunch, I don''t think so." The man stared at Leo for a moment and said, "Kill him and throw him into the sea." Two men walked out and rushed towards Leo. However before they could touch him they fell down powerlessly and lost consciousness. The leader was startled. He raised his head abruptly and found Leo missing. Just at that moment he heard several thumps of something falling down and looked back. More than a dozen of his men laid on the floor with their eyes rolled to the back of their heads. "Sleep." The leader wanted to jump out into the sea and escape but Leo struck the back of his neck and made him unconscious. Just as he finished taking care of them the captain and his men ran over with their swords and guns. However they were stunned when they saw more than a dozen men lying on the floor like dead fish. "Night Raiders!" His men drew a cold breath when they heard their captain. They looked at Leo with approving eyes. Leo was curious when he saw their reaction, "Are they famous?" The captain nodded and explained, "These guys are notorious in these parts. They raid cargo sh.i.p.s and merchants in the dead of the night and leave of string of bodies." "They are a bunch cruel and greedy men. The standing bounty for their leader is 11 million and his crew has a total bounty of 30 million." Leo''s mouth curled up when he heard those figures. Lucky! The captain thanked Leo for his help and commented him for his strength. "Wait till we reach the base, I will speed up the processing of your reward. Also, you better get some shut eye. We will reach the base before the sun''s up." Shinobu was already waiting for him with their dinner. Having a hearty meal and earning some bucks he went to sleep with a big smile. Chapter 114 - 114. Acting Captain Redline Naval Base. The cargo ship was docked and men were carrying out cargo from the ship. Leo and Shinobu were guided by an officer to the Commander''s room. Knock Knock. A man wearing a white suit and red tie was going through some papers when a knock was heard. "Come in." The door opened and a middle-aged man came in. He saluted the suited man and handed him a parchment. "Sir, this came from Ash island." Oh. The suited man raised his head. He had an angular face with a small stubble on his chin. Some wrinkles could be seen on the corner of his eyes. "Ash island? That guy Dane is there." He took the parchment and read it. "Interesting. That stubborn guy actually recommended someone for a Captain post." He knew Dane very well. A straightforward guy with a just heart. In terms of ability he ranked at the bottom but he faithfully carried out his duty to protect that small island for years. That was worth admiration. The suited man placed the parchment aside and said, "Call them in, let me see what kind of person warrants that guy''s recommendation." His subordinate saluted before going out to fetch Leo and Shinobu. Soon he came back. The suited man looked curiously at a handsome young man brimming with youthfulness and a beautiful lady who gave off an elegant vibe. Hm... he has a well built body but does he really have the standard of a captain? He was doubtful. Just as he was about to say something the door was knocked by someone. A clerk handed his subordinate a piece of paper and left. Going over it the suited man raised an eyebrow. He was surprised. This guy who looked harmless and gave off a scholar''s aura took down the entire Night Raiders and their leader? Though he was surprised he still went over the details and approved it. Handing the approved doc.u.ment to the officer he smiled at Leo, "It''s a surprise that you could defeat that many men without any injury." Leo shook his head and said modestly, "It''s nothing worth mentioning." The suited man had a good impression of Leo. He looks about 25 or 26 but he isn''t arrogant. He got up and introduced himself, "Welcome to Redline Naval base, my name is Dylan. I am the commander here." Leo and Shinobu showed him the same courtesy. Dylan picked up Dane''s recommendation and said, "Dane that mule said you were a capable guy and you had the ability of a Captain." Leo smiled lightly, "He is a good man." Dylan nodded with a smile, "That he is. Anyway, I can give you a captain''s post but it will only be as an Acting Captain. If you want to officially become one, you need approval from Headquarters." Leo and Shinobu looked at each other and Leo said, "So when can we head over to the Headquarters?" Dylan and his officer suddenly went silent and looked at him weirdly. Leo was confused, "What?" Dylan asked, "Dane didn''t tell you anything?" Leo shook his head. Dylan explained, "You can''t simply head over to the headquarters. Though this base is a checkpoint for the sh.i.p.s coming from Grandline and going there, it''s not easy to fetch a ride." "First of all not many sh.i.p.s head over to the headquarters from East blue or any of the other seas. Even if one did, there must be a compelling reason." "And sh.i.p.s from Grandline rarely comes to East blue. So you can''t just fetch a ride whenever you want." What the hell? Dylan saw their shock and said, "You know, that guy is straightforward and stubborn but sometimes he is extremely sly, like a wily old fox." "Let me take a guess as to why he tricked you. He tried to recruit one of you and you rejected. And then he somehow baited you with something to come over here, right?" Leo was surprised, "How did you know?" Dylan laughed, "Because only people with guts, and the navy travel back and forth between the Grandline and the four seas. Whatever reason you had your only option was to either join the navy or become a daring daredevil and climb the reverse mountain." "But he tricked you into coming here. There are no sh.i.p.s going back to Ash island for two months. So your only option is to take up the job as an acting Captain and gather merit till you qualify for an official Captain." Leo opened his mouth wide and was stunned. Shinobu covered her forehead with her palm and let out a sigh. F.u.c.k you Dane! Leo helplessly asked, "So I am stuck here till I gather merit to qualify as a Captain?" Dylan nodded, "Afraid so." Leo accepted his father and asked, "How much merit do I have to get?" Dylan pointed at the reward for catching Night Raiders and said, "To qualify as a Captain you have to catch 10 ten million bounty or 5 twenty million or 1 thirty million." "That would give you enough to qualify as a Captain." Leo nodded and asked, "So with this one I need 9 more?" Dylan nodded. Leo looked at Shinobu and saw her nod. He turned to ask Dylan, "What about her?" Dylan looked over at Shinobu and said, "Well, Dylan did mention that she was an excellent doctor. How about I arrange you as an assistant doctor. Once I am convinced of your abilities I will give you a better position." Shinobu nodded, "Thank you." Dylan waved his hand, "It''s fine. Actually, I should be thanking you. If your abilities are as Dane said you will be doing us a favour." Shinobu was curious, "Why is that?" Dylan sighed, "The four seas lack resources and man power so medical standard in our base is very poor." Shinobu understood what he meant. She asked no further. Dylan asked his men to arrange lodging for them. Their duty officially starts tomorrow. Chapter 115 - 115. Devil Fruit The next day. Leo and Shinobu was led by an officer to the dock, the ship he would command was docked there. "Sir, this is your ship." The officer pointed to a ship. Leo followed his finger and saw a medium sized ship. Several canon holes lines the sides of it''s body. "Thank you." Leo nodded towards the officer. The latter saluted him and left. "Looks good." Leo was calm when he saw the ship. He had seen massive luxury sh.i.p.s and battlesh.i.p.s in his previous life. So this one wasn''t anything special. He walked up. Shinobu hugged his arms and walked close to him. As he reached the deck several men and women stood in attendance and saluted. "Welcome aboard, Captain!" Leo nodded and said, "My name is Leo and I will be your Captain for a while. Now, I don''t know anything about commanding a crew so don''t be hesitant to correct me if I am wrong." The crew started mumble when they heard him. Some of them heaved a sigh of relief. They heard the new Captain was appointed directly, they were afraid it was someone with connections and a snobby attitude. "Alright. Who is Steve?" Leo asked. A man stepped out and saluted, "Reporting!" Leo handed him a stack of papers. They were bounty fliers. "These are our targets. Gather intelligence of their recent activities and set course for the nearest one." Steve was the second in command aboard the ship. He was stunned as he looked through the bounties. These pirates were notorious and hard to catch. "Yes, Captain!" However these were his orders and he complied. Seeing Leo finish his piece Shinobu asked the crew, "Which one of you is the ship doctor?" A woman stepped out. She had short brown hair and brown eyes. "Lucy, reporting Ma''am!" Shinobu pulled her aside and checked the medical supplies on board. "Alright, let''s set sail!" ... County Island. A navy ship was docked on it''s harbor. Steve saluted Leo and reported, "Sir, Jack was last seen on this island gathering food and water." Leo nodded and said, "Spread out. Take a snail with you, if you spot them contact me immediately." The men stood in attention and saluted. "Yes, sir!" Leo and Shinobu went on their own and looked around. The town was relatively big. There were many stores and stall on both sides of the road. "This is nice." Shinobu said with a smile. Leo nodded. Though they were here to catch a pirate that doesn''t mean they couldn''t have fun. It''s an experience to walk around in a town in a different island in a different world. As they were enjoying a mutton kebab Leo paused. He threw the remaining food into the trash and wiped his mouth. "You found them?" Shinobu asked Leo nodded, "They are near. About a couple of miles west." Though he was enjoying his time with Shinobu his spiritual sense was passively scanning everyone around him. Kachak! He answered the call and Steve''s voice came from the other end. "Sir, we found them. They saw us and engaged us immediately." Leo responded, "Hold on, I am coming." He grabbed Shinobu and sped up. "Hold your ground! Captain is on his way." Steve yelled out. His subordinate were engaged in an intense battle with the pirates. A man wearing thick golden chains around his neck laughed and pointed his sword at the navy soldiers. "Haha, men, slaughter them and take everything!" "Steve, form a circle and don''t let any fish slip out." Just as he was wondering what to do Leo''s voice was heard from the distance. Steve was relieved to see his captain and ordered, "Retreat and form a circle. Don''t let a single one escape!" Ooh! Seeing their captain the men''s morale was lifted. They steadily retreated. Leo joined the battle with Shinobu. A pirated saw him rushing over and swung his sword. Leo dodged it easily and struck him palm on the pirate''s c.h.e.s.t. The pirate flew back. He crashed into some of his friends along the way and fell down unconscious with blood seeping out of his mouth. What the? "What are you swines looking around for!? Kill him!" His cold voice broke his men from their shock. They immediately surrounded Leo and attacked. Leo stood at ease and dodged their attack. He struck with each step he took. Pirates fell down like dominos. Jack had blood threads in his eyes when he saw his men fall like dead fish. He then turned his sight to Shinobu who was also fighting against his men. His eyes sparkled and he moved in her direction. Leo saw Jack''s movements from the corner of his eyes and smirked. Wrong choice man. Shinobu had her hands behind her back as she dodged the pirates attack. She looked at ease facing half a dozen swords. Just then she felt her vision blur. Mist covered her sight. Hm? Just as she was wondering what happened a faint vibration came from her back. She took a step forward. A sword sliced through the air and dispersed the mist. Jack was stunned when he missed. Shinobu looked curiously at Jack and asked, "Was that your fruit''s ability? Illusion, no, it felt more like the air was congealing. Vapour... mist. I see, you can condense the water in air to create a misty area where only you could see." Jack was shocked. His fruit''s ability was a secret. The navy only knew he had a devil fruit ability. They didn''t know what it was. However this young woman analysed his ability right after he attacked. It didn''t even take her five minutes to deduce what happened. Leo grinned from the side. He finished off his side and waited for Shinobu. Jack had sweat trickle down his sideburns. He knew he couldn''t escape when he saw his men all defeated. He threw caution to the wind and rushed at Shinobu. But before he could reach her his body fell down uncontrollably. Jack was startled. He was wide awake but he couldn''t move a single muscle in his body. He couldn''t even speak, it fell as if his body was devoid of energy. What''s happening? Chapter 116 - 116. To Navy Headquarters Steve and the other soldiers were stunned. They were having a fierce battle against Jack and his crew when their Captain arrived. A minute later, he singlehandedly took down Jack''s men. As for Jack he was laying on the ground like a dead fish. His expression showed how shocked he was. Shinobu bent down and said, "I am not weak girl, you know." Leo walked to her. He stared at Jack and asked, "What did you do?" Shinobu replied, "Poison." Leo rubbed his chin, "But his vitals look alright." "That''s because I used a non lethal poison. This one numbed every muscle in his body." Leo was taken back, "If I remember correctly, you didn''t have this kind of poison before." Shinobu giggled, "I was bored so I tried making something new and this came up." Leo smiled and shook his head. He turned to Steve and said, "Round them up." His crew woke up from their trance and immediately got to work. They were excited. They caught a high bounty pirate! Their ship set sail to the base with success. Redline Naval Base. Dylan was stunned when he heard about Leo''s successful mission. He didn''t expect him to be this efficient and strong. I guess I owe Dane a favour for giving me such a great subordinate. He laughed heartily and leaned on his chair comfortably. ... Three months passed. Leo ran around everywhere trying to catch as many pirates as he can. However those scoundrels either ran or hid the moment they knew he was near them. Luckily the navy had intelligence personals stationed in almost every island. In three months Leo captured nine 10 million bounty and one 20 million bounty. Today he was handing in his last bounty. He acquired the needed bounty to be promoted to an official Captain. With that title he can arrange a ride to Navy Headquarters. If such a backwater place had such wonderful sceneries that captivated them, what would the Grandline be like? Dylan had a forlorn expression on his face, "Must you go? I can even give you my seat if you want." Leo smiled wryly, "Sir, please." Dylan sighed, "Fine." He stamped his seal on a piece of paper and made Leo''s Captain position official. He handed it to Leo and said, "I always knew this sea won''t be able to hold you." Leo rolled his eyes, "Then why were you trying to make me change my mind every day for the past few months?" Dylan shrugged, "Who wouldn''t want such an efficient subordinate." Leo smiled with disdain and asked, "When can I head over?" Dylan checked a doc.u.ment and said, "In two days. That''s the latest I can do." Leo nodded, "Thanks." Dylan waved his hand, "It''s fine. Take the next two days off and relax. You have already done extremely well." ... Time ticked away very quickly. Leo and Shinobu didn''t have much baggage. A ship was waiting for them on the dock. Dylan, Steve and several officers came to see them off. Patting Leo''s shoulder he said, "Good luck." Leo nodded. He said good-bye to the rest and boarded the ship. The sails were set and soon the ship started to move. Very soon the base become a shadow in the distance. "Leo, you gotta see this!" Shinobu dragged Leo out to the deck and excitedly pointed her finger to the distance. Leo followed her and saw a huge wall of red pointing to the sky. It was so high that one couldn''t see it''s end. He was stunned and stood there rooted. Even for a man from a technologically developed planet this was a sight to behold. "Look at that! That''s the redline, how huge is it? I can''t even see it''s peak!" Shinobu was excited. She was like a little girl as she chirped nonstop. Leo simply smiled and stood with her. Soon their ship got near the massive red wall. The men on deck ran around and secured the sails. Suddenly two metal wheels popped out of the ship''s body on both sides. Both of them rotated and dragged the ship through the strong currents. As they got closer Leo saw an astonishing sight. Their was a gap in-between the huge red wall, however water wasn''t falling down, it was climbing up! The ship picked up pace and rocked for a moment when it got close to the climbing water. So that''s is why it''s called reverse mountain. Leo thought to himself. The ship joined the climbing water and started to accelerate. However the paddle on both side slowly rotated in the opposite side. It was slow but the momentum was quite powerful. Soon the ship became stable. The men stood ready for any unusual movements. The ship climbed higher and higher till Leo saw a peak. The water abruptly dropped down. If not for the ship keeping a steady pace they would have definitely flown high into the air considering how fast the water was climbing. The paddles on either side changed their direction and slowed down their descend. It''s quite dangerous. If those huge paddles didn''t keep the ship steady we would already be drowning. The ship traveled for a while before entering a strong current. The sails were hoisted high and the ship started to pick up speed. A day later both of them saw several battlesh.i.p.s join them. And in the distance was a huge fort. Leo drew in a breath when he saw how large it was. Though he has seen large buildings in his past life, they were all through the internet. This was his first time seeing such a huge building spanning several miles. The Captain came above the deck and smiled. "A sight to see, ain''t it?" Leo nodded solemnly. They finally reached their destination. The Navy Headquarters! Chapter 117 - 117. Captain Navy Headquarters, Marineford. Knock Knock. "Come in." A man wearing formal suit and an overcoat stepped into the highest floor of Marineford. Seated before him was the man with the highest authority in Navy, Fleet Admiral Sengoku, The Buddha. "Sir, Leo Heart from east blue is here." Sengoku raised his head and said, "Hm, send him in." The man saluted and left. Not long after Leo and Shinobu entered the room. Sengoku raised an eyebrow when he saw Leo. His Observation Haki was picking up a strong life force. It was a custom for newly appointed Captains to report to headquarters before they take up their position. Sengoku initially thought this was a simple case of reporting in. But seeing this newly appointed Captain he couldn''t help but re-evaluate him. This man before him had a strong life force. The aura around him was calm like a still pond. He looked like a scholar rather than a fighter. However Sengoku knew this was only a facade. This kid is powerful. He also noted the young woman standing next to Leo. According to reports she is his wife. Though her presence isn''t as overbearing as his, she is also strong. "Leo Heart... 25 years old. Place of birth, unknown. Merit, C class. Number of arrests, thirteen 10 million, one 20 million." "Current position, Captain." Sengoku read out what was known about Leo and said, "Your merits only warrant you a Captain title, but considering your strength it''s not enough." Leo didn''t know where this was going, so he asked, "Meaning?" Sengoku tapped the table with his finger, "You have the strength of a vice admiral. A Captain position is unworthy of you." Oh, so that''s what it was. Leo said, "It''s alright. As long as I can travel around freely, it doesn''t matter what title I have." Sengoku thought for a moment and asked seriously, "Why join Navy? You are a capable young man, if you want to you could settle down and live comfortably." Leo lightly smiled, "Someone I consider as family once said that this world is vast and the sights to see and people to meet are worth living for. So if I settle down and live comfortably, it would be a waste of my life." Sengoku raised an eyebrow, "And now?" Leo replied honestly, "I am no saint. I won''t go out of my way to help people but, I won''t turn a blind eye to evil infront of me either." "I wish to travel and see those wonderful places people always talk about. Elbaf, Fishman Island, Sabaody, Wano, Thunder Island, Water Seven... I want to visit all of them." "And transportation, food, lodging... everything is gonna be a hassle if I am alone. And it''s easy to come across pirates, and considering my character I will definitely interfere when I see one." "However when I was working as an acting Captain, travelling was easy and life was comfortable. There was a fine cabin to sleep, stable food, a crew to navigate through the seas." "So I thought, why not get an official position. The benefits of one will make it easier for me to travel. And if I see sc.u.ms I can take care of them along the way. It''s a win-win situation." Sengoku face twitched. This was the first time he was hearing about someone wanting to join the Navy for the purpose of convenience. However his heart was in the right place so Sengoku found no need to deny him his wish. He nodded and said, "Your reason is a bit unusual but I can accept it. You ship and crew will be ready tomorrow." Leo nodded, "Thank you, sir." Sengoku suddenly turned his sight to Shinobu and asked, "I got a report that you are good with poison." Shinobu nodded. Sengoku thought for a moment and asked, "Do you want to join a medical team or continue as his ship''s medical officer." Shinobu shook her head without hesitation, "I want to join his crew." Sengoku nodded and send them away. He leaned on his chair and smiled. He is an odd one but his heart is in the right place. Looks like I picked up a gem this time. Oh, yeah, someone recommend him. I should reward him generously. ... The next day. Leo met his ship and his crew. Sengoku got him a war ship with a fully capable crew. Leo grinned when he saw his ship. Now I can live comfortably and travel freely. Ah, life truly is a bliss. "Captain, where to?" A uniform officer saluted and asked. Leo looked at his second in command and said, "Mace, get me details of the nearest pirates with bounties ranging from 50 million to 100 million." Mace nodded and went off. A few minutes later he back with a stack of bounties. Leo spread them on the table and said, "A total of 26 bounties. Mace, order them from nearest to the furthest and map out a route." Mace was an efficient guy. He cross checked all the pirates, their activities, last seen location, active areas and created a route plan within three hours. Soon a plan was placed before him. He looked at areas where he was supposed to find his bounties and saw several islands in the vicinity. Very good. Me and Shinobu can spend a day or two in those islands before setting off to the next target. He patted Mace''s shoulder and said, "Great work. Did Fleet Admiral Sengoku tell you something?" Mace hesitated but still nodded in the end. Leo reassured him, "Don''t worry. I am not mad about you not telling me. In fact I am glad you included all those islands for me and Shinobu to sightsee. Thanks." Mace was overwhelmed when Leo thanked him. He hastily shook his head and said, "It''s my job, sir." Leo chuckled, "Alright. Get the crew ready, we are setting off!" Chapter 118 - 118. Famed Weapons "Round them up." Leo dusted his palms and ordered his men. Infront of him were several pirates that lost consciousness. Mace and several men came forward with cuffs and locked them up. A woman came forward, she had a box in her hand. She took out a syringe from the box and injected the pirates. After she was done the others carried them back to the ship. Mace reported to Leo, "Captain, the brig is full, we need to wait till the prisoners can be transferred." Leo nodded, "Alright, make the arrangements." Mace saluted, "Enjoy your time, sir. I will be off." Shinobu grabbed his arm and said, "Let''s go. I saw some good stores." Both of them walked around for some time. Leo suddenly stopped his steps and looked at a particular shop. Lake Weapons. "Let''s check this one." Both of them stepped inside and saw different types of weapons placed orderly in separate cabins. Good work. Leo praised. He picked up forging as a hobby when he visited the swordsmith village. Over the years he practiced whenever he had time or needed to calm his mind. He wouldn''t call himself a master blacksmith however he was still experienced enough to know the qualities of these weapons. "Welcome, what kind of weapons do you need?" An old man greeted them. Leo replied politely, "We are just looking around." The old man nodded and went behind the counter. He sat down comfortably and stared to smoke. Leo checked the swords. He saw slim swords, heavy swords, curved blades. All sorts of swords were displayed. And they all had good quality as well. While they couldn''t be compared to his sword, they would still fetch a good price. The old man suddenly caught sight of Leo''s sword. His eyes went wide, he choked on his cigar and coughed. "Are you alright?" Leo asked. The old man coughed a couple of times and calmed down. He pointed at Leo''s sword and asked, "Customer, can I take a look at your sword?" Leo wasn''t surprised. He could see that this man was a blacksmith. He nodded and gave his sword to the old man. The old man carefully checked the sheath and pulled out the sword. A red blade with a dragon engraving on one side of it''s blade and a tiger engraving on the other side revealed itself. A fanatic expression came over the old man''s face. He pulled out a wooden box and took a book from it. The book looked like it saw some years. It had less than a hundred pages, and the pages were yellow and crumbling in some areas. "Not this one, not this one, not this either... The old man was mumbling as he carefully turned the pages. Shinobu was also attracted by the old man''s peculiar reaction, "What''s wrong with him." Leo shook his head, "I don''t know. He seems very interested in my sword." After flipping through the entire book. The old man carefully placed it back into the wooden box. He traced the sword''s red blade and said excitedly, "Wonderful! Another Great grade sword! Haha, I knew it! There are masters who can still make Great grade swords!" Leo''s curiosity was aroused, "Sir, can you tell me more about what you just said?" Only now did the old man realize that they were still there. He coughed in embarrassment and said, "Sorry about that." Leo smiled and waited for him to explain. The old man coughed and said, "Weapons are classified into Skilled Grade, Great Grade and Supreme Grade. Together they are called famed weapons." "There are 50 Skilled Grade weapons, 21 Great Grade weapons and 12 Supreme Grade weapons." "However each of these weapons were created years ago. Not a single weapon was added to these three grades in the last century." "That''s why I was so shocked to see your sword. It is a Great Grade sword! One that was made no more than a decade ago." "Masters that could create swords like yours never appeared in the last century or so. But here you are with a sword that is less than a decade old. This news would definitely rouse a storm through the seas." Leo was surprised. The old man sheathed the sword and handed it back to Leo, "If I may, can you tell me the name of the master who made this?" Leo didn''t mind, "Awataguchi Sakon." "Awataguchi Sakon... never heard of him. Must be a reclusive master!" The old man mumbled. Leo laughed when he heard him. Of course you wouldn''t know him, he is in a different world. Shinobu whispered to him, "Looks like a red blade from our world is equal to a Great Grade weapon here." Leo nodded. From the old man he got a rough understanding of how weapons were classified. Nine by One to Nine by Five equals Skilled Grade. Nine by Six to Nine by Eight equals Great Grade. And Nine by Nine equals Supreme Grade. Leo''s sword was a masterpiece. Though it wasn''t a Nine by Eight sword it was still a red blade and can be considered a Great Grade weapon. The old man bowed and apologised, "I am sorry, my store doesn''t have any weapon that matches your requirement." Leo waved his hand hastily, "Sir, it''s alright. We are just looking around. And your store has excellent weapons." The old man nodded. He was quite happy when he heard Leo praise his store. "Feel free to look around. I will give a 20 percent discount for anything you take!" Leo thanked him and checked the other cabins. He turned to Shinobu and asked, "Since we departed abruptly your sword is still back home. Why don''t you buy one from here?" He had a habit of placing his sword next to him. This was also a form of training. Shinobu however wasn''t excellent in sword skills. And she refused to always have a sword by her side. She wasn''t a brute. Hearing him she nodded and checked every weapon in the store and finally she chose a set of three inch long needles. Leo raised a question, "Are you sure you want this one?" Shinobu said, "Sword skills aren''t suitable for me. I am trying to create a different set of skills suitable for me." Leo nodded and said to the old man, "Sir, we will take this." Chapter 119 - 119. Ambush Leo and Shinobu were strolling through the streets. They found it comfortable to take a stroll then and now. And the change in environment and people evoked a sense of curiosity in them. Leo suddenly asked, "I am very curious as to why you took those needles. Though they are very well crafted it''s still a Nine by Two weapon. It won''t do any real damage." Shinobu shook her finger and explained, "I don''t have your brutish strength. And I am not well versed in sword techniques. I need a different method of attack." "Right now I can only deal damage when an enemy is within ten meters." Leo rubbed his chin, "Hm, you are right. With your talent in poison and your peculiar ''Breath'', it''s entirely possible to create a new set of skills." Shinobu smiled, "That''s what I was thinking as well. And don''t forget, you promised to make me a good weapon." Leo laughed, "Of course." ... Both of them had their fill and informed Mace to ready the ship for departure. "How is everything?" Walking onto the ship Leo asked Mace. Mace replied, "Everything is on track. The prisoners were injected with mistress''s drug. They were woken up one time a day for meals." Leo nodded. During their journey it became a hassle to imprison pirates in their ship. Those bunch of brutes never calmed down and always tried to make trouble. Leo couldn''t always knock them out so Shinobu developed a drug to make them sleep. It was potent enough to last for a day. Only a counter drug could wake them up during this time. The ship set sail. Their destination was a nearby island where a Navy ship was waiting. They would transfer the prisoners to them. After they set sail Leo and Shinobu went to their cabin. Mace''s face changed, "It''s an Ambush! Inform the captain! Men, to your stations!" The crew got busy. Guns were loaded and cannons were set. Leo walked out with Shinobu and saw the situation. He frowned. There were three sh.i.p.s. Even if he could take care of one the other two might sink his own. Suddenly Shinobu said, "Let one ship get close. They must be here for those pirates we caught." Leo''s eyes brightened. Right, with Shinobu here close combat will become useless. "Mace! Focus fire on the one on our rear. I will take the right flank." Mace heard his commands and asked hurriedly, "Captain, what about the one on the left?" Leo smiled, "Shinobu will take care of it." "Fire to the rear side!" Bang! Bang! Canon balls whizzed through the air. Most of them missed due to strong wind but some fell on the rear ship''s deck and exploded. Leo stood on the deck and pushed off on his feet. He shot out like a canon towards the ship on the right. However he was too far. Just when he slowed down he kicked the air with incredible power. His body fired off in the direction of the ship. Meanwhile, on the pirates ship. "Captain, they are focusing fire on the rear ship." A pirate reported to a bulky man with a scar on his cheek. "Hmph! They are trying to clear a path so that they can retreat." "Captain, is it alright to blatantly attack the Navy? Won''t they come after us?" Rhode glared at his subordinate and punched his c.h.e.s.t. The man flew out and fell into the sea. "Why the f.u.c.k should I care!? One of those f.u.c.kers they captured stole my treasure map. I will get it back even if I have to slaughter all of them!" Just as he finished his words. Bang! Something crashed into their ship. The ship lost it''s balance and slightly tilted to it''s side. Rhode held onto the railing and steadied his body, he yelled out, "What the f.u.c.k happened? Did we get hit by canon?" He stared at the deck. A huge hole was blasted into it. Just as he was wondering what was happening a shadow jumped out of it and landed steadily on the deck. Rhodes was shocked to find someone new on his ship. He turned his head and saw the Navy ship in the distance. How did he get on my ship? Of course the knew this person. After all he was attacking his ship. "Since you helped me save my time I will give a swift death. Fire!" Rhodes yelled. His men immediately drew out their pistols and fired. Leo swayed his body and doged the bullets. He got close to the first one and knocked him out. The pirate fell down with his eyes rolled into the back of his head and foaming from his mouth. Leo acted fast and took down the rest. Rhodes couldn''t react to what was happening. Suddenly he felt a cold sensation on his neck and reacted. Something flowed into his neck and strengthened the muscles. Leo''s palm struck it''s target. However he raised a eyebrow when he saw that his opponent was only slightly dizzy. He had calculated his opponents strength and delivered a strike with appropriate power. However he failed to knock him down. Interesting. Rhodes felt as if he a giant hammer knocked into his head. He felt the world turn, and he couldn''t stand steadily. Leo delivered another blow with slightly stronger power. This time Rhodes fell down and fainted. He joined his men and laid on the ground like a dead fish. Finishing his part Leo looked over to his ship. Shinobu should have finished her side as well. Chapter 120 - 120. Haki On the other side. Mace and the crew focused fire on the rear ship. The canons kept firing non stop. An average pirate ship couldn''t hold a candle against a Navy Warship. Very soon the rear pirate ship was sunk to the bottom of the sea. While they were focusing on the rear ship the one on right flank drew near. Several large harpoons were shot out from it and pierced the warship''s deck. Mace yelled, "Cut the ropes!" Using the harpoons as an anchor the pirate ship got close. Before the crew could cut down the ropes pirates jumped off of their ship and landed on the deck. "Prepare for battle!" Mace drew out his sword and pistol. Soon they were engaged in a heated battle. Shinobu was among the crowd and walked leisurely. A faint mist was starting to spread out from her body. Just as he was about to deliver an attack, his opponent fell down face first on the ground. Mace also felt weak. His knees gave out and he fell down as well. A terrible pain assaulted his mind. On the ground, he strained his eyes to see what was happening. Every person on the ship, be it the pirates or the navy, they were laying on the ground like dead fish. Only a single person was standing. Mistress? Mace was relieved. He knew this was his Shinobu''s doing. Shinobu walked to him. She took out a bottle and opened the cap. She then opened his mouth and poured out a single drop of amber green liquid. It slid down his throat. A second later the powerlessness and pain he felt disappeared. He stood up and checked his body. He was absolutely fine. Shinobu took out another bottle and handed it to him, "Go help the others." Mace hurriedly did as he was told. Soon the crew was cured and got up. They immediately cheered. Just at that moment Leo came back. He stared at the twitching pirates on the ground and asked, "Is this that same paralysing poison?" Shinobu nodded, "Yeah. But for it to be used on a wide scale I have to increase the potency. However there is a side effect, the muscles will be numbed beyond a point and will start to shrink. This can cause pain." Leo looked at the pirates and felt pity for them. They were now guinea pigs for her drugs. The pirates were rounded up after two hours of work. Leo asked Mace to bring the captain of those pirates, Rhodes to him. Rhodes was brought to him. Leo slapped him twice and woke him up. Rhodes felt his cheeks burn. He groggily woke up to see Leo''s face. His body trembled as he still remembered how this man knocked out his entire crew in seconds. Leo smiled and asked, "When I was trying to knock you out, you did something. Whatever you did offset a portion of my power. What was it?" Rhodes developed a fear for Leo, hearing his question he immediately asked, "Haki! It was Haki!" Haki? This was the first time Leo was hearing about it. Mace standing beside him was surprised when he heard Rhodes. Leo saw his reaction and asked, "You know about this Haki thing?" Mace nodded. However he was confused, "Captain, did you not check the items list?" Navy provided a list of items that can be traded for merits. Leo was startled, he smiled in embarrassment, "Erm... ahaha... I forgot." Mace sighed, "Haki is a mysterious power that lies dormant in all of the world''s creatures. Most people live their entire life not knowing about this power." "Haki can be trained. However there are some who awaken this power under harsh conditions. Then there are some who are born awakened." "There are three types of Haki. Observation, Armament and Conquerer." "Observation Haki grants it''s users a sixth sense of the world around them. Users of this Haki can sense people''s presence, strength, emotions, and intentions. An advanced level of Observation could even allow it''s user to see a short period into the future." "Armament Haki allows it''s user to form an armor to defend against attacks, as well as make their own attacks more potent. A person can apply armament to a section of their body, over their entire body, and even apply it to their weapons." "An advanced level of Armament allows it''s user to emit the armament a short distance without a medium. An even higher grade of advanced Armament allows the user to make the emitted Armament flow into a targets body and destroy it from the inside out." "The last one, Conquerer Haki, grants the user the ability to overpower the will of others. This results in their opponents being knocked unconscious, or becoming temporarily subservient of the Haki user." "However Conquerer Haki is a very rare and, only one in several million people maybe be born with it." "Most people who can use Haki tend to have one type that they are better at, and, as a result, focus on training and fighting with that type primarily. However, a person can improve their abilities with all the types of Haki, it just requires more work." To see into the future sounds incredible. A person with such an ability could dominate in battle. As for Armament, it sounded awfully similar to his proficiency training in ''Breath''. Right now he could barely bring out a piece of his ''Breath'' outside his body. This small piece alone increased his attacking power several fold. If he could incorporate this form of training then he could bring out his ''Breath'' at will. Leo couldn''t imagine what heights he would reach if he succeeded. He was excited, "Mace, how many targets are left?" Mace answered, "Five." Leo nodded and said, "Transfer the prisoners ASAP! And set course for our next target. I want to return to headquarters in one week!" Mace stood straight and saluted, "Yes, sir!" Chapter 121 - 121. Exchange Leo was sitting comfortably on a chair on the deck under a big umbrella and humming a tone. Shinobu was right next to him and reading a book. "You sure are excited." Shinobu had a teasing smile on her face. Leo grinned, "Of course I would be. I always knew our Breathing Techniques were flawed. Otherwise why would I not be able to advance to the next realm?" Shinobu asked curiously, "You really think this can help?" Leo nodded seriously, "Absolutely." She smiled and went back to her book. Few hours later they saw the shadow of Marineford. Docking the ship Leo asked Mace to accompany them. "Captain, your merit is more than enough to exchange for Observation and Armament Haki training method." Leo asked, "How long will it take?" Mace thought for a moment and replied, "Usually it would take a day. But I know someone inside so the process will be shortened. You can get it within five to seven hours." Leo nodded and thanked him. They went to a floor below the base. There weren''t many people here. Just a few guards. Leo was surprised at how the security was lax here. Mace seems to have known what he was thinking and said, "This fortress is made of the hardest stone there is. Kairoseki are used to reinforce the walls as well. There is only one entrance and that entrance is placed right in the middle of the ground floor. No one can get in or out without anyone noticing." Leo nodded. He spirit sense did pick up a strange fluctuation from these walls. Soon they reached a remote corner. A person was sitting behind a counter. He was dozing off. Mace coughed. The man suddenly woke up and straightened his back. Seeing it was Mace he calmed down. "It''s just you, Mace. That scared me." Mace shook his head in resignation, "Can''t you atleast take your job seriously?" The man shrugged, "Hey, not many comes to trade." Mace didn''t dwell on it and introduced Leo, "This is my Captain, Leo Heart. He is here to exchange for Observation and Armament Haki training method." The man looked at Leo and Shinobu before nodding. He checked the doc.u.ments for a Leo Heart. Captain Leo Heart, merits - 267. The man nodded. Both types of Haki rounded up to a total of 180 merits. Mace suddenly said, "Can you speed it up?" The man raised his head and smiled, "The usual?" Mace nodded. Leo and Shinobu were silent while they were speaking. He suddenly asked, "What are the other items for exchange?" The man heard him and pulled out a stack of papers. "You still have 87 merits." Leo nodded. He looked over the list. There were many interesting items on the list. After looking for a while Leo asked Mace, "What would you recommend?" Mace flipped through the list and pointed an item. Rokushiki. "I have seen your battles, Captain. You have immense speed and strength, however I believe your techniques are very crude when utilising it. You should train several of these skills." Leo looked over the list. Rokushiki. A set of six skills. Moon Walk and Shave. Both of these skills are related to speed. Leo''s movement technique was crude. He simply used brute force to achieve extreme speed. Leo nodded and checked the merits for both of them. Moon Walk, 45. Shave, 40. Luckily his remaining merits were enough for these two skills. Finalising what he wanted they left the exchange area and headed for a meal. After filling their stomach they returned to their quarters. Five hours later an officer came by to deliver him his purchase. Looking at four books neatly placed before him Leo grinned. He didn''t immediately go for Haki training and read the books for Moon Walk and Shave. Moon Walk allowed it''s user to fly by kicking air. Shave is a skill for instantaneous movement. He read them carefully and understood the basic theory. Placing them down he first checked Observation Haki. He took his time and carefully read it. Ten minutes later he closed it and started reading the Armament Haki book. After reading both methods a painful expression took over his face. Shinobu asked, "What''s wrong? Is it difficult?" Leo shook his head, "It''s not. It''s just that these manuals are a way to train in spiritual energy. Observation and Armament are simply two unique methods to use spiritual energy." "So it''s useless?" Leo shook his head, "No. In fact it''s very important to us. I finally figured out why we can''t reach the next stage. It''s because our spiritual energy is too weak." Leo patiently explained, "I told you before, our Breathing Techniques are flawed. I don''t know how many flaws it has, it''s more than a couple." "The first stage is Gathering Breath, Next Stage is Refining Breath, followed by Breath Core and finally Life Formation." "Until now we were training our ''Breath''. It''s now as vast as an ocean but our spiritual energy is sparse compared to it. Even for me with an abnormal spiritual energy it''s too weak." "Only after going through the Haki training method did I understand how to proceed." "Gathering ''Breath'' stage is about breathing in life from the world. Refining Breath stage is about making this Life Breath our own." "I short we need to increase our spiritual energy and form an equilibrium with our ''Breath'' before merging them as one." Shinobu suddenly got why Leo had a painful expression on his face, "I see. Your ''Breath'' is so vast so it''s gonna be hard for you to form an equilibrium in a short time." Leo smiled wryly, "If I had known I wouldn''t have tried so hard." Shinobu chuckled, "Well, it''s fine isn''t it. We don''t know how long we are here for so we got plenty of time. And Haki training can increase spiritual energy as well as our control over ''Breath''." Leo nodded and agreed. "Then I better get started." Chapter 122 - 122. New Targets Marineford. Leo was inside a special training room made of kairoseki. Several small holes lined the walls of the room. Whoosh! Iron balls were shot out from these holes. Leo had his eyes closed as he carefully tracked every one of them. His body swayed as he dodged them. Ten minutes later the firing stopped. The ground was filled with iron balls. Huuu... Leo opened his eyes and let out a breath. Four months had passed since he returned to Marineford. During this time he dedicated his mind to master the four skills he obtained. And after four months he gained sufficient experience in them. He clenched his fist. It turned slightly dark. This was the result of four months of training. His spiritual energy had increased by a large margin. He could now channel it out and cover small parts of his body. Along with the improvement in his spiritual energy the connection between it and his ''Breath'' was growing stronger. The door to the room was opened and Mace walked in. "Captain, everything''s ready." Leo nodded and went out. He washed up and changed his clothes. Wearing a black pant and white shirt he donned his white long jacket. The word justice was written on it''s back. He walked towards his ship. Along the way many females turned their head to take a glance at him. "~Sigh~, only if hewas single... Soon he reached his ship. The crew was ready and Shinobu was waiting for him on deck. "How many this time?" He asked Mace. Mace gave him several bounty fliers and said, "Bounties worth 100 - 200 million are rare in this half of Grandline. These are all I could find that we could track." Leo counted them and nodded, "13 will do. Let''s go!" "Yes, sir!" The ship set sail. ... East Island. Leo walked into an inn and asked the man behind the counter, "Have you seen this man?" He pulled out a bounty. A man with a scar on his right eye was on it. The innkeeper was startled, he looked at the young man and figured out he was a Captain. He lowered his voice and said, "Young man, don''t mess with him. He is part of the underworld." Leo said, "Thank you for your reminder, sir. But tell me if you know about him." The innkeeper sighed and said, "Who doesn''t know that bastard. Him and his crew kill, loot and capture young girls to be sold as slaves." Leo frowned, "Slaves?" The innkeeper nodded, "Yeah. These guys have a powerful background so no one dares to mess with them." Leo asked, "The Navy didn''t do anything?" "They did. They sent several Captains to capture him but he defeated them easily." "I see... Leo pondered for a moment, "Where is he now?" The innkeeper sternly said, "Young man, are you sure?" The innkeeper could only consent to him and said, "He came here yesterday and left after causing a ruckus. He is a wanted man so he doesn''t dare to stay at a place for too long, so I guess he should be at far end of the island. That''s their hideout." Leo was surprised the innkeeper knew so much, "How do you know this?" The innkeeper pointed to the dining area and said, "I run a restaurant as well. He came here and filled his belly but refused to pay a dime. One of his men accidentally mentioned it." Leo thanked the innkeeper and left. Not long after Shinobu joined him, "This guy is pretty tricky. He has the strength of a Captain and he seems to have some connections above us or rather the ones behind him do." Leo narrowed his eyes, "His name is on the bounty and that''s all that matters." Shinobu nodded. They relayed the information to the ship and gave instructions to block the pirates retreat. Leo went towards the far end of the island. A small cliff came to their view. He stood at it''s edge and looked down. A ship was anchored right below. "That''s them. You stay here." "Alright." Leo told Shinobu and jumped down. He fell down like a meteor and crashed into the ship. Bang! "What''s happening!?" "Was that a canon ball?" The pirates on board were shocked at the sudden explosion. Leo accidentally crashed inside the ship''s cargo hold and was stunned. However his face turned cloudy the next moment. Animals!! The cargo area wasn''t filled with food and necessities instead it was occupied by shackled women from age 10 to 20. Leo jumped up and landed on the deck. The men were already checking out the hole when he jumped up. "Kill him!" However before he could blink Leo moved. Shave! His body flashed forward and reached the one eyed man in an instant. His fist dug into his gut and threw him flying into the captain''s cabin. Leo turned his head and stared at the pirates. He took a step forward and crashed into them. This time he didn''t knock them out and used his fists to teach them some pain. By the time he was done the pirates were on the ground writhing in pain. He walked into the captain''s cabin and pulled out the one eyes man from the broken wood pieces. Pereperepere... When he was dragging the man out a transponder snail rang from the rubble. Leo put the pirate down and answered the call. "Where are you?" A cold voice was heard through the line. Leo asked back, "Who the f.u.c.k are you?" No response was heard from the other side for a few seconds. "Where is Connie?" Leo kicked the bleeding unconscious one eyed man and said, "He is taking a nap. Now that I have answered your question, tell me, who the f.u.c.k are you?" A cold response came for Leo, "I am Doflamingo." Chapter 123 - 123. Doflamingo Doflamingo? Who is that? Sounds like a bird''s name. Leo scoffed, "And I am supposed to know who you are?" The other end became silent again for a few seconds and spoke, "Marine, mind your business and leave. Otherwise, you may become food for fish." Leo raised an eyebrow when he heard the blatant threat, "Heh, food for fish? Very interesting. Would you be kind enough to mention where you are right now." A cold laughter rang out, "Ehahaha, very good. I will be waiting for you in New World." Kacha! The connection was cut. Leo put away the den-den mushi and thought for a moment. Why the hell was this guy in New World interested in some punk here? He looked at the bloody pirate on the floor and was lost in thought. Just then he sensed his ship drawing close. He walked out while dragging the pirate. He saw Mace command the crew to tie up the pirates. Seeing Leo he said, "Captain, I will take care of the rest. Have a good day." Leo shook his head and said, "Not yet. Check the cargo area, there are captured women there. Also, relay to headquarters and check this guy''s background in detail." Mace asked, "Why Captain?" Leo threw the den-den mushi he found and said, "Some guy named Doflamingo called. He said to leave otherwise he would kill me." Mace''s face paled when he heard the name Doflamingo. Leo saw his unusual reaction and asked, "Is he that famous?" Mace nodded, "Captain, you should seriously read more. That guy is one of the Seven Warlords!" Warlord? Leo was confused. Shinobu standing further from them heard Mace and said, "Warlords, a system put forward by the World Government to balance the powers in Grandline. " Mace nodded and explained, "The first half of Grandline isn''t scary. Navy''s presence here can keep off most pirates but the latter half is different. As you know people call it the New World." "That half is ruled by the Yonko! Each of them is a force to reckon with. Navy alone can''t keep them at bay. So a new system was formed, The Seven Warlords." "Famous pirates are granted immunity by the Navy and the World Government. They can plunder legally and keep what they find for themselves. They only have to pay a part to the World Government to keep their status." Leo frowned, "Why is the World Government providing immunity to pirates? That''s just not right." Mace sighed, "Nothing can be done about that. Most marines don''t want the system to exist, but it''s something the higher ups decided." Leo didn''t comment. "Captain, come take a look at this." One of the marines yelled out. Leo, Mace and Shinobu went over. The captured women were freed. However they seems to have been injected with some kind of anesthetic. Among these women were two furry creatures. Both had human physique but their bodies were covered in glossy black hair. Cat ears stuck out of their head. What the? Leo was stunned. Shinobu seems to have thought of something and asked, "Minks?" The marine nodded, "Yes, ma''am." Leo asked Shinobu, "You know about them?" Shinobu nodded, "They are a special race found in New World. I am surprised we got to see one." Mace had his head down, he was in deep thought. Leo saw him and asked, "What are you thinking?" Mace raised his head and said, "Captain, I think I understand why Doflamingo asked you to leave." Oh? Mace pointed to the Minks, "These guys are hard to find. Their home is a moving prehistoric animal, our intelligence only know the name of it, Zou." "They are like a rare diamond. Rich people and nobles have weird hobbies and one of them is collecting various races. They must have been reserved for some rich tycoon." "Where is this Doflamingo?" Mace felt a jolt in his heart, "Captain, don''t! That guy has strong connections above. Otherwise it is impossible for him to survive this long." Leo frowned, "So? Are you saying I have to turn a blind eye here?" Mace hesitated and said, "Please don''t take any rash steps Captain. Haven''t we rescued them, that counts for something, right?" Leo didn''t reply. Shinobu smiled and pulled his arm, "Let it go for now. When we step into the New World, we can always look for him." Leo was still thinking. Mace suddenly said, "Captain, it isn''t impossible for you to make a move on him." Oh? Mace continued, "Your rank now is Captain. If you can rank up to Vice Admiral, then your words will have weight." Vice Admiral? Leo never thought of ranking up, since it didn''t matter. However if he wanted to mess with some people he needed higher authority. Well... Vice Admiral it is. Leo decided to rank up. Having made his decision he ordered Mace, "After these two wake up, bring them to me.'' "Yes, Captain." ... New World. Doflamingo was quite tall, well built and wore a sun glass. He wore pink pattered pants and a feathered coat. "Interesting fellow." He chuckled. "Doffy, what about the client? He offered a high amount for those pair of minks." A man whose body looked as if it was covered in snort asked. His nose was runny and a trail of snort hung from it. "Didn''t we capture men from the Long Armed Tribe, give them to the client for free." The snort nosed man nodded. He then asked, "What about that Marine?" Doflamingo started to laugh, "Ehuhuhu, find everything about him. It''s been a while since a brave marine opposed me." The snort nosed man also laughed. They didn''t put Leo in their eyes. They were kings here in New World. The rule makers. Why would they worry about a Captain from the first half of Grandline? Chapter 124 - 124. Zou It took Leo a week to round up his other targets. During this time the minks woke up. Both of them were quite scared when they saw them, however Shinobu was able to calm them down. The minks were a pair of twin brother and sister. They were panthers, named Zeke and Zena. They were curious about the world and set out to explore. However they didn''t expect pirates to attack and capture them. If it was a frontal attack it would have been fine but they were drugged. By the time they woke up they were already rescued by the marines. Finishing his mission Leo returned to Marineford. The Minks followed him and they were awed by the humongous fortress. The marines stared at the minks as they passed by. They were quite nervous being stared by many pairs of eyes. Shinobu smiled and comforted, "It''s alright. They are just curious." Zena asked, "Leo, are you really going to New World?" Leo nodded, "The first half of Grandline is alright but New World... that''s an entirely different place. Even your home is there, isn''t it?" Zeke nodded with pride, "Our home, Zou is on top of a prehistoric animal, her name is Zunisha." Leo''s eyes sparkled, "I would love to visit there?" Zena smiled, "If you have time we can take you there." Leo smiled, "That''s a deal." He reported in and an officer recorded his merits. After knocking on the door Leo entered. "Fleet Admiral, I want to go to New World." Sengoku was surprised by this sudden request, he said, "Hm, you have been doing well for the past few months. I guess you can take some time off." Leo nodded, "Thanks." Sengoku suddenly said, "I heard you spoke to Doflamingo." Leo wasn''t surprised Sengoku knew about this. As it was an important matter Mace must have reported it to him. Sengoku sighed and said, "Try to let it go. There only so much we can do." Leo stared at him and said, "He was selling women, as slaves." Sengoku went silent. Leo shook his head, "I told you before, I won''t seek out trouble. But since I came across it, I can''t look the other way. Also, he wanted to make me fish feed, I have to meet him." He said his piece and left. Sengoku rubbed his forehead. Leo was a model marine, so he couldn''t scold him for trying to uphold justice. The guy basically cleaned out pirates below 100 million in the first half. Sengoku was very happy that the Navy was able to recruit such a good marine. Hai... let him do what he want. Since Doflamingo wants trouble, let him get some. ... "Leo, you will absolutely love Zou." Zeke was excited to return home. That last incident kind of scared the both of them. They had a vivre card of one of their friends back home so all Leo had to do was to follow where it pointed. Leo held his breath. As the warship got close he clearly saw what Zunisha was. A giant elephant. Holy... that''s huge. Zeke and Zena''s tails were swinging back and forth when they saw Zunisha. The warship moved parallel to one of Zunisha''s legs that looked like a pillar. Zeke and Zena took out a whistle and blew on it. No sound came out but Leo could sense the air vibrate. Not long after a small platform came down. Large ropes and bearing were used to hold it in place. A monkey sat on it. As soon as it saw Zeke and Zena it jumped up and down. "Thank god you guys are fine. Do you know how worried we were when you snuck out!?" The monkey noticed the others and took a step back nervously. Zeke calmed him down, "It''s alright. They saved us from a bunch of pirates who captured us." The monkey nodded. However it was still vigilant against Leo and the rest. Zeke and Zena jumped onto the platform and waved at Leo. "Leo, Shinobu, here." Leo took Shinobu''s hand and helped her get on the platform. He also jumped up. He looked at Mace and said, "After we go up you guys can also come if you want ." Mace nodded. The crew were also curious to check out the legendary mink tribe. As it got higher Leo could see the vast seas stretching across the horizon. It was marvelous. Soon they reached the top. A wall with an arch appeared before him. Zeke and Zena jumped off and pulled Leo and Shinobu as they ran towards the arch. A vast forest lay behind the arch. The ground was rough and soft. Well, they were standing on the back of an elephant after all. They walked further in and not long after Leo heard the bustling sound of people. He trained his eyes to look further and saw a beautiful city. The buildings were quite old but they looked to be in good condition. There were a lot of minks walking around. Lions, dogs, cats, panthers, giraffes, monkeys, goats... there was a lot of minks! Many of them turned around curiously to watch Leo and Shinobu. Zeke and Zena led them through the curious crowd and went towards the chief''s building. Before he got there an old mink was already waiting for them. He had a peaceful smile on his face. "Chief!" Zeke and Zena yelled and rushed towards him. They hugged him and rubbed their heads on his c.h.e.s.t. The old mink shook his head and said, "Atleast give us a head up if you are heading out." Zeke and Zena cheekily smiled. The old Mink could only sigh and shook his head. He then turned his focus on Leo and Shinobu. "Thank you for bringing them here." Leo slightly bowed, "It''s alright elder." The old man smiled, "Welcome to Zou." Chapter 125 - 125. Pedro Leo and Shinobu were welcomed warmly by the minks. Zou was unique. A forest growing on the back of a prehistoric beast and a tribe taking it as their home. They had lots to see and experience. Minks weren''t barbaric, they were in fact quite civilized. They had their own culture and traditions. The food here was also worth notice. The fruits were sweet and delicious. And they had a wine brewed from fruits indigenous to Zou. Leo really like it and requested for a few bottles. Now the minks looked like an amiable tribe however Leo''s spiritual sense picked up strong vitality from every single one of them. Even little kids were extraordinary. Zou had two leaders. One ruling the day and the other during the night. The day ruler was a dog mink, Inuarashi. The night ruler, a cat mink, Nekomamushi. These two represented the highest authority. Below them were the guardians and tens of warriors. Leo met all of them. He was impressed by their battle strength. Each of the guardians had the strength of a vice admiral. He suspected the rulers to be somewhere in between a vice admiral and an admiral. Among the warriors of Zou Leo got along well with one named Pedro. He was a quite guy, but he had a sharp mind. Leo found common ground with Pedro. They sparred sometimes and pointed out each others weakness. On this day. Leo hesitated for a while and asked, "Pedro, I know it''s rude but I gotta ask. What happened to you? Why is your spirit so weak?" Pedro was chugging on a bottle when he heard Leo. He paused for a second and continued to drink. After finishing the bottle he put it down and said, "That''s the price I paid to live." Hm? Leo looked at him confused. Pedro watched the setting sun. His face was clouded with emotion, "I ventured out to the sea years ago with my friend. We were searching for Road Poneglyphs." Leo frowned, "Road Poneglyph?" Pedro nodded, "The World Government rules our world. They appeared 800 hundreds years ago. However their entrance was abrupt in the flow of history. Before their existence was a void of 100 years." "No one knows what happened in that period. However their are this artifacts called poneglyphs, these artifacts hold records from that time. Among these artifacts are four special ones, called Road Poneglyphs." "Each of them contain coordinates to different uncertain locations. Connect those locations on a map, those lines will cross at the center." "That''s where the last island is. Only the King of Pirates and his crew were able to step on that island in all these centuries." "And that''s Raftel!" Leo was stunned. He was familiar with the story of the King of Pirates. However was confused, "What does that have to do with your spirit?" Pedro calmly said, "The Road Poneglyphs leads to Raftel where the secret of the void century lie. Every tough guy of the sea are searching for the end of the Grand Line." "One of the Road Poneglyphs is in the hands of Big Mom, a Yonko. Me and my friend tried to get a copy of it but, we were captured. My friend he... died. As for me, I was spared because a mink in Big Mom''s crew begged her." "However she took my right eye and half of my life span." Leo went silent. Pedro looked at the last wisp of light fading away and said, "Someday, someone will come, to repeat that man''s glory." The night went by. Leo and Shinobu were preparing to leave. The minks loaded their ship with fruits and several items found only in Zou. "Thank you for your care for the past few days." Leo bowed slightly to show his gratitude. "Haha, it''s fine. Come back whenever you want." The one speaking was a big dog. He wore a sunglass and a blue cape. This was the day ruler, Inuarashi. Leo turned to Pedro and nodded. Soon the platform was lowered. ... Leo''s mood was down. Shinobu chuckled when she saw him like that and said, "You know there is a way to help him." Leo raised his head and asked curiously, "How?" Shinobu rested her head in her arms and said, "Don''t you know resonance?" Leo''s eyes sparkled. Right, how could I forget that. By resonating his spirit with Pedro''s he should be able to heal his spirit to a certain extent. He rubbed her cheeks and said grumpily, "Why didn''t you say this when we were in Zou?" Shinobu swatted his hands away and said, "I only thought of it now." The ship moved towards it''s next destination. Mace knocked on the door. "Come in, Mace." Mace walked with a bunch of papers. "Here is the information you asked for." Leo took the papers and read it over Mace hesitated and asked, "Captain, are we really doing this?" Leo smiled, "Why not? You are the one who said I should rank up. This is the fastest way." Mace laughed bitterly, "But those are that man''s business." Leo shook his finger and grinned, "It''s all illegal, so it''s fair game." Mace resigned to his fate and went out. After he was gone Shinobu smiled, "This won''t be easy." Leo shrugged, "I know. Anyway, I am hoping they would interfere." He had improved tremendously after coming to this world. He wanted test how far he had came. So he was hoping someone with a high bounty would come after him for what he was about to do. Leo looked out to the sea and grinned. This is going to be fun. Chapter 126 - 126. Threat "You! Do you know who this place belongs to!?" A man was yelling at Leo. However after he finished a palm slapped him across his face and send him flying. Leo was inside a crumbling building. Across him were rows of boxes filled with ammunition. "Mace, take everything!" "Yes, Captain!" Marines marched in and took everything. They didn''t spare a single bullet. The man Leo slapped earlier woke up. His mouth was bloody and his head felt dizzy. However when he saw the boxes being taken away the colour on his face drained. "You! You don''t know who you are messing with, marine!" Leo''s mouth curled up, "I do know who I am messing with. Donquiote Doflamingo, a.k.a Joker." The man was stunned, "And you still dare to make a move!?" Leo asked back, "Why wouldn''t I? He is a pirate who sells weapons illegally. I can barge in any time I want." The man was incensed. He spurted out a mouthful blood from anger, "You will regret this. Don''t think the Navy can shield you, you are just a mere Captain! Joker will have his way with you." Leo grinned, "I look forward to that day." He ignored the man and left. Back in the warship. "Captain, what should we do with the weapons?" Leo replied, "Dump them into the sea." Mace sighed. He expected this answer. They had been busy the last month destroying a lot of Doflamingo''s camps. Whatever they found Leo ordered them to dump into the sea. This was the ninth one. Doflamingo must be fuming right now. Mace did as he was ordered. Boxes of Arms worth millions of bellie was thrown to the depths of the sea. "On to the next target." The ship set sail towards their next destination. ... New World, Dressrosa. "Nine base, 2.9 billion bellie worth weapons lost." Doflamingo listened to the report in eerie silence. However one could see veins sticking out on his forehead. "That captain has guts." He stayed silent for a moment and said, "Trebol, send Diamante." The snort nosed man named Trebol smiled, "Finally, this issue is over. You should have done this from the beginning." Doflamingo had an evil smile plastered on his face, "Fufufufu, I never imagined that a marine could be so bold. Well, it doesn''t matter now. He will be dead in a few days." ... Leo''s ship was docked on a small island. "Stock up on food and water and wait for my contact." Leo said to Mace before stepping out of the ship. Mace said, "Enjoy your stay, Captain." "I will." They left the dock and went to find an inn. The town wasn''t crowded since it was a small island. They soon found an inn. After taking care of their stay both of them went out to have some food. In a building at a remote corner of the town. "Sir Diamante, they are here." A tall lean man wearing a red cape stood up. "That bastard has the audacity to mess with us. Hmph! Go, kill his men and sink his ship." "Yes, Sir!" Dozens of men holding swords and guns rushed in the direction of the warship. Leo was with Shinobu trying to select a good shawl for her. It needed to match her character. However there were too many to chose from. As he was seriously considering which one to chose his spiritual sense trembled. He frowned and looked out into the distance. He caught sight of a tall man dashing in his direction. Oh, he should be Diamante. Leo already identified who it was. After all know thy enemy and know yourself. Boom! Diamante crashed into the store. Leo quickly pulled the store owner and a couple of civilians out of the way. He waved his hand. His domain shattered the debris flying everywhere from the crash. Oh? A serious expression took over his face. The Intel said nothing about this man being a swordmaster. It''s common sense to not mess with someone who was a swordmaster. As even the weakest would have the strength of a vice admiral. "So you do have some skill to be arrogant. No wonder you messed with our trade. But that''s the end of it!" Leo looked at him with a smile, "I am never arrogant. Weak who flaunt non-existent strength is arrogant, to the strong, it''s confidence." Diamante scoffed. He didn''t wait around and pierced his sword in Leo''s direction. Leo dodged it easily and struck the blade with his palm. Diamante felt a tremor through his sword. He nearly lost his grip just then. His heart turned cold. This guy is powerful! Leo took a step forward. He instantly appeared before Diamante and punched. His first was aided by his intent. The air was sliced away as his fist moved forward. Diamante raised his sword and parried the attack. However the force behind that strike was too strong. He slid through the ground and crashed into a building. Standing up from the rubble Diamante turned solemn. Their intelligence about this man''s strength was wrong. He wasn''t a captain level marine! Diamante shook his sword and rushed forward. Armed! His sword was coated in busoshoku haki as he sliced down. Leo raised an eyebrow. He clenched his fist and punched out. The sword and fist met. A shockwave rippled out. The buildings around them shook and cracked. Diamante took a step forward and increased his strength. His sword hummed. Leo stood calmly. His fist suddenly turned black. Break! A tremendous force erupted from his fist. It slammed into Diamante''s sword and pushed him back. Diamante used all of his strength to keep his body steady. But the power behind that punch was too strong. He lost out and flew back. Bang! He crashed through several buildings before losing momentum. Ugh! His c.h.e.s.t felt stuffy and he vomited blood. Blood threads covered his eyes as he stared at Leo. This guy... I must remove him. He is a threat to Doffy! Chapter 127 - 127. Defeat Diamante gripped his sword tightly. He rushed forward and swung his sword. Leo was about to meet his sword with his fist when he sensed several small objects fly in his direction. He took back his fist and used soru to move back. Bang! Boom! The ground cracked and caved in suddenly. Dust flew everywhere but Leo saw what exactly caused the ground to cave in. It was several large iron maces and iron balls. Devil Fruit. Leo said to himself. He was curious to see what kind of power Diamante had. He used soru and flashed towards Diamante. Armed! His fist was coated with busoshoku haki as he struck out. The air started to twist and turn when his fist passed through. Diamante suddenly pulled his cape and placed it infront of him. Leo''s fist landed on the cape. Oh? His fist struck a steel cape rather one made of cloth. Diamante coughed out blood behind the steel cape. Though he was able to stop the attack the aftershock from the strike still shook his internal organs. This time Leo didn''t retreat. He advanced and struck the air several times. The iron ball enlarged in mid air and fell towards Leo. But they were met with his fist coated with busoshoku haki. Cracks formed on it''s surface, soon it burst apart. Diamante was starting to panic. His cards were useless against his opponent. Escape! He didn''t hesitate and made a decision. Leo watched him run away and shook his head, "You can''t escape." Soru! He flashed towards Diamante. In an instant he was right behind him. A black fist enveloped by his intent struck down on Diamante. Boom! Like a canon ball Diamante was blasted away. He crashed through a building and fell hard on the ground. Crack! The ground cracked and caved in when he fell. Diamante spewed out blood. He felt several of his bones break. A sense of powerlessness washed over him. Leo landed beside him. Diamante coughed out blood and suddenly grinned, "Haha, bastard! So what if you defeated me, your ship and crew are done for." Leo looked at him with a teasing smile, "Well, lucky for you my wife left something on the ship. She went back to get it." Diamante didn''t understand what Leo was saying. Leo didn''t explain. He grabbed one of his legs and started to drag him through the ground. They soon reached the deck and saw dozens of men on the ground twitching. Diamante''s eyes flew wide open. What the hell was happening? Shinobu walked out from the ship and asked, "Is he their leader?" Leo nodded, "Yeah." He called out Mace and asked him to chain Diamante. Mace nearly fell down when he saw Diamante. He swallowed his saliva and asked, "Captain, what should we do about him?" Leo rolled his eyes, "What else? He attacked me, I beat him. Cuff him kairoseki and throw him inside the brig." Leo patted his shoulder and said, "Don''t worry. I broke several of his bones, he won''t be able to move, much less make a ruckus." Mace was about to cry. My dear captain, that''s not the issue here. He sighed at his bleak future and dragged Diamante to the brig. The other pirates were also rounded up. Leo set their course for marineford. With such a huge catch his salary should see a large increment. Just as they docked at marineford Leo''s Den-Den Mushi rang. Kachak! He answered it and from it came Sengoku''s voice, "What happened? Why did you capture Diamante?" Leo replied, "He attacked me and I caught him. I will give you a detailed report later." Sengoku said, "Alright. Try to be careful when you go out next time. Doflamingo isn''t gonna take this lying down." Leo smirked, "I know. I do hope he will come personally. I would like to see how he is gonna make me fish food." Sengoku brushed off the topic and said, "Diamante will be collected by Doflamingo later this evening." Leo suddenly went silent. Sengoku expected his silence and said, "Let it go. Some things can''t be helped." He hung up after saying that. Leo shook his head and brushed off the topic. ... New World, Dressrosa. Doflamingo looked out the window. His face was clouded by a cold expression. "I didn''t expect Diamante to fail. This marine, he isn''t simple." Trebol asked, "What next Doffy? Should we send someone else?" Doflamingo shook his head and smiled, "No need. When the time comes I will deal with him myself." ... Leo was training inside a kairoseki room when Mace walked in. "Captain, Diamante was released." Leo stopped what he was doing for a second. Mace sighed and said, "That''s why I told you captain. I know you are strong, but those guys have connections all the way to the World Government. Even if we capture them, at the end we have no choice but to give them back. It''s not like we can kill them as we like." Leo didn''t comment and continued to train. When he got home Shinobu was waiting for him with a table full of dishes. "Trying to cheer me up?" Shinobu smiled, "And why would you need that? If something this small could influence you, you wouldn''t have come this far." Leo laughed. She was right. He wasn''t bothered by what happened. Though he didn''t like it, it couldn''t possibly influence his mood. He sat down and ate heartily. Sitting outside he pulled out the Dragon - Tiger medallion. He stared at it for a while and injected some of his spiritual energy into it. He could feel a faint connection between it and him. But it was far from enough for him to understand how it worked. ~sign~ it gonna be while before we can go back. He put the medallion away and closed his eyes. Immediately he entered a trance and started training his spiritual energy. Chapter 128 - 128. Smoker Kairoseki training Room. Leo was going through the dragon-tiger forms. After he was done a frown was etched on his face. Too weak. The forms can''t keep up with my intent. After he had reached the pinnacle of sword intent he couldn''t fully release his power through the dragon-tiger forms. The dragon-tiger forms were a door that led him to understand the essence of sword and to create his own domain. My sword will is stronger than the dragon-tiger forms, I need to create something better if I want to unleash my full strength. As he left the training room he came across Mace. "Captain, when are we setting out?" Leo said, "Tomorrow." Mace nodded. He glanced at Leo''s sword and hesitated for a moment before asking, "Captain, I know you are a swordmaster but I have never seen you use your sword seriously." Leo smiled traced the hilt of the sword, "Cause I haven''t met an enemy I have to take seriously." Mace asked no more and left. Leo was walking back to his quarters when he saw a man with white hair with two cigars in his mouth. He walked towards him. "Back from a mission, Smoker?" The white haired man was called Smoker. He was also a captain like Leo. He had a natural angry looking face but he was a chill guy. Smoker nodded, "What about you?" Leo shrugged, "My enemy seems to have vanished." Smoker puffed out a cloud of smoke and grinned, "You got guts. To mess with Doflamingo''s forces like that. Aren''t you afraid he is gonna come after you personally?" Leo smiled when he heard him, "I sure hope so. That guy sounded very arrogant. I want to see if he has the strength back it up." Smoker shook his head. He got to know Leo some time ago. His initial impression was that he was like a scholar, a well educated man. However later he heard about him running everywhere and capturing pirates left and right. He even messed with Doflamingo and smashed one of his cadres into pulp. He was nothing like the scholar he looks to be. "Wanna have a spar?" Smoker asked. Leo nodded, "Why not?" Both of them went to the training room and got ready. Leo flipped a coin. The moment the coin landed both of them attacked. Smoker turned his entire body in smoke. The training room was blanked by smoke and limited Leo''s vision. However it couldn''t deceive his spiritual sense. Leo found out his position and pushed forward. Armed! His hands turned black and he punched out. Smoker hidden inside the cloud of smoke raised his fist. His fist also turned black as he punched back. Fists collided. Leo stood tall like a mountain while Smoker was thrown back. He used this chance to disperse his body. Leo turned his head and punched out again. Smoker emerged from that direction and blocked it. They threw out punches back and forth. Smoker was using his Logia smoke-smoke fruit''s ability to aid him in the battle. However Leo was able to locate him. They fought for half an hour and stopped. Smoker was slightly panting while Leo wasn''t even sweating. Though it wasn''t a life and death battle the winner was obvious. "You win." Leo corrected, "That was a spar, not a match." Smoker looked at him oddly and said, "You improved your haki mastery again." Leo laughed, "I have been stuck for a long time before I got the haki training notes. So I am bound to have exponential growth. But you, you should really consider mixing up your fighting style." "By dispersing your body you are painting a bigger target on your back." Smoker shrugged and said helplessly, "My fruit doesn''t have any offensive ability." Leo didn''t argue and said, "You should try to grasp the core of your ability." Smoker frowned and asked, "Core?" Leo nodded, "Devil fruit ability can be developed, right? Their development is related to understanding the nature of their fruit. Say, Aokiji''s Ice-Ice fruit, he can freeze the sea for miles. In my opinion he must have grasped the core of his fruit, temperature." Smoker asked back, "Then what about mine?" Leo rubbed his chin and said a while, "I don''t know, suffocation? Hey, how about this, lock yourself in a room and fill it with smoke. That should give you an idea about what smoke is." Smoker asked back dubiously, "You want me to lock myself in a room full of smoke?" Leo shrugged and said, "There is no need to think so deep into what your core is, just experience it yourself and understand through that experience." Well... Smoker didn''t find anything wrong with what he said. It did sound reasonable. Leo suddenly said, "Oh, and remember to not use your haki or your ability. In fact shut down even your logia body as well, otherwise the experiment would be a waste." Smoker nodded and left. He didn''t hold any hope but he wouldn''t lose anything by trying. So, why not? However the title of the book caught his attention. Sky Island, A Myth? "Interesting title." Shinobu raised her head and said, "I thought the same. However the book is simply fantasy, it describes about an island up in the sky." Leo shook his head, "This world is different from ours. Maybe it does exist." Shinobu commented, "Maybe." They brushed aside the topic and talked about simple matters. The day went by. A warship was traveling on the vast sea. Suddenly a shadow covered their ship. Leo noticed the change and looked up. His eyes could see very far and he saw what it was. It was a huge ship. His eyes shrunk. It would be disastrous for that thing to fall on them. He took out his sword. Black colour climbed on his red sword and turned it black with a red hue on it''s edge. The crew went pale when they saw a giant ship falling from the sky. Leo took action. He jumped up, however he didn''t fall down. He kicked the air and rushed into the sky. Geppo! He raised his sword and harshly pulled it down. A large sword ray flew from his blade and struck the ship. Chapter 129 - 129. Clues The sword ray didn''t pause swept past the ship, cleaving it in two. The crumbling parts of the ship fell first followed by the ship. The sea rose and fell as the ship fell on both sides of the warship. The crew held onto the helms to steady themselves. Leo fell back on the deck and said, "Check the wreckage!" Mace and the crew got busy. Shinobu walked beside him and looked at the broken ship, "Is it a devil fruit?" Leo shook his head, "I don''t know. Let''s wait and see what Mace finds." After some time Mace came back and reported, "Captain, we found several dried up corpses inside. Initial assessment concludes that they died of hunger and thirst." Leo raised and eyebrow, "What happened for them to starve to death?" "Mace, what do you think? Is it some kind of Devil fruit ability?" Leo asked. Mace thought for a moment and said, "No, captain, I don''t think so. I believe this might be related to Sky Island." Leo frowned, "Don''t tell me the legends are true." Mace shook his head and explained, "I don''t know if it really exits. But it is a fact that whenever someone pass through this area the log pose will point to the sky." Leo was surprised, "There is such a thing?" Mace nodded, "Yes. But we haven''t been able to find anything so far." Leo pondered for a moment, "How far is the nearest island?" Mace replied, "Couple of hours." "Alright. Set sail for it. Since it''s close there might be some clues about Sky island there." "No, captain. We tried it before. Everyone there only knows that the log pose always points to the sky near this area, other than that they are as clueless as everyone else." "Won''t hurt to take a look." Mace said no more and set course. Two hours later they reached their destination. "Hey, look." "Whoa, a navy ship. Are they here for those pirates?" The islanders watched curiously as the warship docked. Leo and Shinobu stepped out with Mace and several men. Leo told the men, "Split up. Check for clues related to Sky Island. It doesn''t matter what, as long as it has a connection to Sky Island report back to me." "Yes, Sir!" As soon as they stepped in the bar went quite. Everyone turned to stare at them. Many pirates were seated around. However Leo ignored them and went to the bartender. "Beer." The bartender was quite nervous. He hastily took out two big beer glass and filled it to brim before sliding it to Leo and Shinobu. Taking a swig Leo asked, "What do you know about Sky Island?" The already silent atmosphere got even more quite. Suddenly someone laughed. Following it the bar erupted. "Haha, he wants to find Sky Island! That''s goddamn funny!" "Another dreamer. Guys like this pop up now and then." "Sonny, just go back to your mama. You ain''t gonna find shit here." The men inside the bar were mostly pirates. They ridiculed him for coming here in search of Sky Island. The bartender was nervous and didn''t speak for a while. "You didn''t answer my question." Leo''s voice woke him up. He hastily said, "Sir, many tried to find Sky Island but came out with nothing. No one knows where it is or how to get to it." Leo wasn''t disappointed that he couldn''t find any clues. If it was this easy others would have found it by now. "I don''t know if it will be helpful but there is a man on this island who might know something." The bartender suddenly spoke. Leo''s eyes sparkled. "What''s his name and where is he?" "His name is Cricket and he lives at the edge of this island." He then stood up and took a good look at all the pirates. "You guys are lucky." He left those words and walked out. "Hey, pretty boy, what the f.u.c.k does that mean?" A pirate with a fierce look on his face blocked Leo''s path and asked coldly. Leo didn''t bother with him and simply punched out. "You are looking to die!" The pirate raised his sword and met Leo''s fist. "That''s Helck, his bounty is 35 million. That marine is done for." Helck was sent flying through the air while spewing blood. He. crashed through the bar door fell outside. Leo coolly walked out. This time no one dared to block his path. After he was gone the pirates broke out into a commotion. "Who was that?" "He took out Helck with a single punch! Powerful!" They were animatedly discussing who Leo was. However the subject of their discussion was on his way to the edge of the island. Pereperepere... Leo''s den-den mushi rang. Kachak! "Captain, there are no information about Sky Island. However I found a guy who might know how to get there." Mace''s voice came from the other end. Leo smiled and asked, "Is his name Cricket?" Mace replied, "Yes, Captain." "Wait there. We are on our way." After walking for a while Leo and Shinobu came to the edge of the island. He saw a small hut. However the hut looking from the sea showed a huge mansion. Interesting guy. Leo thought to himself. Mace was waiting for him. Beside him was a big man, he had a bun shaped haircut and wore no shirt. "Captain, this is Mont Blanc Cricket." Leo sized up Cricket and asked, "Why do you believe in Sky Island?" Cricket was also sizing up Leo. He didn''t answer and asked, "Why are you looking for Sky Island?" Leo chuckled, "It''s exciting to find new and interesting places." Cricket smirked, "I see. So you are the adventurous type. Alright, come in." He led them inside the hut. There weren''t any furniture so all of them sat down on the ground. Cricket said, "If Sky Island exits it''s way up in the sky?" Leo nodded. This hypothesis sounded right. "How do we get there?" Cricket said, "Knock up stream." "Knock up stream?" Cricket explained, "It''s a pillar of water shooting up into the sky due to volcanic eruption down on the sea bed." Mace asked seriously, "That stream will destroy our ship if we try to ride on it." Cricket shook his head, "No, it won''t. I can modify your ship, that should help you guys ride it." Mace turned to his Captain and said solemnly, "Captain, please think this through." Leo rubbed his chin. He looked at Shinobu and found her smiling back. He laughed and said, "Let go to Sky Island!" Chapter 130 - 130. Sky Island!! "Captain, please consider again!" "Captain, I have a pretty wife back home, please let''s not do this." "God, I am just 20 this year. Why do I have to die?" Leo rubbed his forehead when he saw his crew bawling their eyes out. "I won''t change my mind. Get back to work!" He declared loudly and went back to his cabin. The crew left despondently. Cricket modified the warship and with the help of the crew he added wings to the ship. It took a day to make sure the modifications were upto a certain quality. Today was the day they would ride the Knock-Up stream to get to Sky Island. Cricket informed the crew about the time of the next Knock-Up stream. "Leo, I wish you luck." Cricket said. Leo nodded, "Thanks for your help." Cricket waved his hand, "You are a marine. I have only seen pirates be this adventurous, however you are different. I can''t let a rare guy like you stop here." Leo thanked him and boarded the ship. The crew had a lifeless look on their face. Some of them were even muttering some gibberish. "Look strong, you fools. We are going to ride the Knock-Up stream, the tiniest mistake will lead to death. So, perk up!" Leo loudly spoke to his crew. That seems to have put some life into them. The Warship slowly left Jaya Island. It stopped after moving some distance and waited. Not long after the water started to seethe forming a terrifying whirlpool. However it disappeared in an instant. Leo''s spiritual sense picked up something stirring beneath the water. "Steady!" The crew grabbed the railings and wrapped a chain around them. Leo held Shinobu by her waist and waited. Boom! The water swelled up like a balloon and blasted into the air. The Warship was drawn in towards it. The ship started to climb up the pillar of water. In an instant it picked up speed. Leo drew his sword and struck out. A rope was cut and the wings on the ship stretched out. When the wing was stretched out the wind pressure lifted the ship from the water surface. Whoosh! The ship flew forward with incredible speed. The crew had a pale face and started praying to the gods. Leo yelled loudly. His heart was beating faster as the wind blew past his face. Soon their ship got close to the sea of clouds and was swallowed by it. Leo couldn''t see anything infront of him. It was white everywhere. Before long they broke free from the clouds and emerged. The ship harshly landed on the clouds and rocked for a few seconds before stabilising. Bleh! The crew started to vomit their guts out. Only Leo and Shinobu seemed alright. Mace held onto the main mast and tried his best to orientate himself. His gut churned and he started to vomit. He felt slightly better after letting it all out. Raising his head he was stunned by what he saw. A sea of clouds. They did it! They were riding on clouds! The crew was excited however they didn''t have enough strength to cheer so they could only smile foolishly. They drifted through the sea of cloud and reached something like a gate. Rows of pillers stood on both sides of it. The word ''Heavens Gate'' was written on it. Click! A flash of light came from one side. Leo looked down and saw an old wrinkled woman holding what looked like a camera. The flash of light was from it. "My name is Amazon, keeper of ''Heavens Gate''." Leo asked, "Could you tell us how to get to Sky Island." The old woman pointed to a long winding path made of clouds and said, "Take the winding cloud road and you can get to Skypiea." Leo thanked her. However the old woman wasn''t finished, "The pass fee for one person is 1 billion extol." Leo and the crew were stunned. 1 billion extol? What''s an extol? Shinobu said, "We don''t have any extol. Can we still pass?" The old woman replied, "You can." Huh? They were all stunned. They can still pass even if they don''t pay? "Alright, thank you. We choose to go forward." Leo thanked the old woman and gave his answer. As soon as he said those words a pair of gaint claws came out from the white clouds. Everyone clearly saw what it was. It was a giant lobster. Leo didn''t take action. He felt no malice from it. The ship was tightly held by it. It started to move towards the winding cloud path. They were yet again taken through a wild ride. Leo and Shinobu were fine but the men were far from it. They just gained some strength to stand up when they were again thrown into a mad ascension. This time what was infront of them wasn''t vast white clouds but an island. They were finally here. Sky Island! Their ship got close to the shore. Leo jumped down onto the sea made of clouds. His feet sunk in. It felt soft and fluffy. Shinobu joined him. She was excited to walk through clouds. She buried her face in it. Leo laughed when he saw her. The crew was pale and wretching their gut out. They didn''t have an ounce of strength left. First the monstrous Knock-Up stream then the winding cloud road... their mind and body were spent. Looking at their Captain and the mistress they felt admiration. They went through all of that and still had energy to laugh and roll around on the clouds. Meanwhile down below at the ''Heavens Gate''. The old woman took out a shell and pressed a button before speaking into it. "This is Heaven''s Gate inspector Amazon. Attention, almighty God and His priests, 27 illegal entrants into God''s Land, Skypiea." "Give unto them Heaven''s Judgement!!" Chapter 131 - 131. White Berets The ship was anchored on the shore of Sky Island. The crew gained some strength after resting for a while. They set up camp and started to prepare meals. Leo and Shinobu were resting under a small open outhouse. It was already on the beach when they got there. "Captain, the ship''s been damaged and it would require two days to be fully operational." Mace reported. Leo nodded and said, "For now let''s not move around. From that inspector it''s evident that people live here. Since she is an inspector information about us must have been transferred to people up here." "They will come to us." Mace agreed with Leo''s suggestion. In a foreign land it''s always best to abide by their rules to avoid conflict. And as Leo expected people from Skypiea did come for them. However the ones that came were weird. They were a group wearing white cloud pattered pants and violet t-shirt with a white cap on their head. They were crawling on the ground and only got up after reaching the camp. "So you guys are the illegal entrants who came from the Blue Sea!?" Illegal entrants? Leo raised an eyebrow when the heard the man leading this group of weirdos. Mace couldn''t help but ask, "Sir, what do you mean by illegal entrants?" The leader among the group pulled out a bunch of photos and said, "No need to deny. Amazon, the inspector of Heaven Gate sent up pictures taken by a Vision Dial." Shinobu asked, "Is this about the extol fee?" Leo nodded, "Seems to be so. That old hag didn''t mention anything about becoming a criminal because of that." The bunch of men infront of him loudly said, "We White Berets will bring Heavenly Judgement upon you!" Leo stepped forward, "We are terribly sorry for trespassing but is there any way for us to resolve this issue?" Seeing his amicable attitude the leader softened, "This problem isn''t completely unresolvable. Right now, you guys are 11th degree criminals. If you pay 10 times the entrance fee, you can become tourists on the spot." Mace couldn''t help but ask, "How much is 1 berry to extol?" The leader replied, "10 thousand extol is 1 berry." 10 times the entrance fee. 27 of them, so 27 billion. Ten times that is 270 billion extol, change that into berry... 27 million! F.u.c.k! Why don''t you go Rob a bank!? All of them cringed when they calculated in their minds. "Is there no other way?" Leo asked helplessly. He really didn''t want any issues to crop up here. The leader heard him and shook his head, "That''s the only way." Sighing Leo said, "I am sorry. We don''t have that kind of money." The leader''s face hardened, "Then I will have to arrest all of you!" The crew got angry when they heard him. "Hey, your entrance fee is ridiculous! Even top countries down below doesn''t require any fees!" "Yeah! Is your island made of gold!? For god''s sake, you want us to pay 27 million berries or go to jail? Dream on?" Curses flew everywhere. The sky island men''s expression turned ugly. "Silence!" Leo said softly. However his words reverberated through the air. The crew immediately toned down. Staring at the leader Leo said seriously, "The entrance fee is ridiculous, you solution is even more ridiculous. I don''t accept such nonsense, so, sorry. We won''t be going anywhere!" Oooh! The crew cheered when they heard their Captain. The White Berets leader clenched his fist and said, "Since you don''t comply... men, take them down." The men behind him took out bows and arrows when they heard his order. They took aim and fired. The arrow whizzed towards Leo and his crew. Their tail end gave out purple clouds that hardened in mid air, creating a long trail of solid path. The White Berets expected the illegal entrants to panic however all of them were calm and dodged the attacks. Who were they joking. They were marines, they were trained to take out ruthless pirates. Startled at their opponents strength the White Berets immediately took action. Their boots were replaced with small boat shaped shoes. They used the purple cloud path created by the arrows and rode towards the marines. Mace led the men and clashed against them. The battle didn''t have much suspense. The marines crushed the White Berets. Their leader stood there stunned upon seeing this sight. He took a step back and ran away. However he yelled back as he ran, "This isn''t over! You have obstructed and harmed official officers. You are now 2nd degree criminals. You will be judged and executed by Priests from Upper Yard!" His men saw their leader escape and followed his lead. The marines didn''t chase them. They felt as if they very rejuvenated. They got to release their pent up frustrations on those guys. Mace asked, "What now, Captain?" Leo said, "We will camp here for our stay here. Patrol the area in a group of three, take turns every three hours." Mace nodded and asked, "What about you Captain?" Leo looked into the distance. He saw white steps in the distance which seems to be leading to the inner area of Sky Island. "We will look around." He walked away with Shinobu after saying that. Mace shook his head and got to work. Along the way Shinobu said, "It''s not going to be easy to gather information. Atleast not without trying some unconventional methods." Leo nodded, "I remember you made something like a truth serum awhile back. Do you still have it?" Shinobu pulled out a small vial from her robes and handed it to him. "It''s a good thing you keep certain samples with you." "Hehe, force of habits. Anyway, I am surprised you are willing to use such a forceful method." Leo shook his head, "This is a foreign land and we are criminals now, so it''s not gonna be easy to get information. Under such circ.u.mstances it''s better to try some unorthodox methods." Chapter 132 - 132. Gods Punishment Leo and Shinobu were walking through a street. People with wings on their backs walked past them. "Let''s find someone way past his or her years. Having lived that long they should be able to give us valuable information." Shinobu suggested. Leo nodded and they searched the crowd. They soon found an old woman selling fruits at the far end of the street. "Grandma, can we ask you something?" Shinobu smiled sweetly and asked the old woman. A faint fragrance escaped from her hands. The old woman breathed it for a moment, her eyes immediately glazed over and she nodded. "Can you give us a detailed understanding of Sky Island?" The old woman nodded. She guided them inside her small store and pulled out a map. "This is Skypiea and this is the Upper Yard. Skypiea is under the rule of our God who resides in Upper Yard. The rules here are very similar to the ones down in Blue Sea." "The currency here is Extol, 10 thousand Extol is 1 Berry. Skypiea is a peaceful island. If there are any offenders they will be taken care of by the White Berets. But crimes above 3rd degree are judged by the priests in Upper Yard." "By judging I mean execution. Any offender with a crime of 3rd degree and above will be executed by the priests." Leo frowned and asked, "And what about your God?" The old woman said with fear, "God is omniscient. He resides in a temple at the heart of Upper Yard. He brings judgment upon those who don''t obey." Just as she said those words the clouds started to rumble. The people outside were startled and looked at the sky. Their faces went pale and someone muttered. "It''s God''s Judgment!" "God is bringing down his wrath!" "Run!" Leo heard the commotion outside however his attention was on the clouds above. He could sense a terrifying power brewing in the sky. Thunder? Leo drew out his sword. His sword intent poured out, sword rays shrouded the entire store and everyone within the beam''s attack range. Shatter! He swung his sword upwards. A sword ray sliced through the store''s ceiling and struck the blue beam. Bang! Crack! The sword ray and the thunder strike were even for a second before Leo''s sword attack cleaved through it. The clouds above were parted by his sword strike and dispersed into the air. Sheathing his sword Leo had a solemn expression. God? How did this ''God'' find us? He turned to look at the old woman. She was unconscious, Shinobu made her fall asleep when the attack fell. They made sure the old woman was fine before walking out. A crowd was present when they walked out. Leo sighed and walked back to the ship. They got the information so it didn''t matter whether they stayed here or not. Mace saw his Captain return and asked, "Captain, what did you find?" Leo explained what happened and Mace showed a pondering expression. He thought for a while before saying, "I might know what happened?" Huh? Leo was surprised. He waited for Mace to continue. "That blue beam... it must be a devil fruit. And not an average one, it''s a logia. The Rumble-Rumble fruit." Leo asked, "How can you be so sure?" Mace explained, "Several centuries ago there was a pirate who ate the rumble-rumble fruit. Overnight he gained the strength of a vice admiral. But he died because of that same fruit." Shinobu was curious and asked, "How?" "The rumble-rumble fruit is particularly strong even among all the other Logia. It''s destructive capability is off the charts. But it''s also a double edged sword." "If the user doesn''t have enough control he will burn himself to death. That pirate who ate the fruit before fought against an admiral at that time. To defeat his opponent he tried to increase the power in his attacks." "In the end his body couldn''t handle the load and was burned to ashes." I see... Leo understood what happened. It''s just like passing electricity through a wire. If you pass too much the wire will overheat and burn. "So the islanders think he is a God because of his fruit ability, huh. And this said God just tried to kill us." Leo''s eyes turned cold. This God or whatever didn''t care about the casualties and struck down at a place where people were gathered. He held no value for life. Leo turned his gaze and looked over the horizon. The White sea stretched far as the eye can see. Shinobu smiled and said, "Don''t be late." She went back to the ship after saying that. Leo smirked. Soru! Leo flashed and shot towards the island he saw. Whenever his body slowed down he lightly tapped on the clouds to accelerate. Mace didn''t find his actions surprising. After all, that God tried to kill mistress and his captain. It would be strange if his captain let it be. ... Upper Yard. A man with drooping ear lobes and wearing a white bandana sat upon a golden throne. He had a wheel with drums on his back. God was frowning at this moment. He heard someone talk about him and sent down his punishment but he didn''t expect someone to disperse his strike. Who was that? Four people kneeled before him. He looked at them and said lightly, "Find those illegal entrants and kill them." "Yes!" These four were the priests from Upper Yard. They were directly under the command of God. Just as the priests were about to leave God frowned. He looked in a particular direction. A dot could be seen far in the distance. After some time it became clearer and clearer. It was human being! And he was flying! Chapter 133 - 133. Enel Leo was surprised when he reached the island. It was enormous. There were huge trees that lined the edge of the island like a fence. Leo spread out his spiritual sense and saw different animals twice or three times larger than their original size he knew of. It wasn''t surprising for him since this world defied certain natural orders. He jumped up into the sky and searched the vast island. His spiritual sense swept away in all directions and found a direction where the animals were sparse. He rushed forward. Not long after he saw a temple. Inside were several people. A man was sitting on a large couch. He had droopy ears with golden earrings with a red hen inlaid on it''s center. He wore a white skullcap and had a grey ring with drums on it on his back. Four figures were kneeling before him. They showed reverence and respect towards the man seated on the couch. So that''s God. Leo scoffed inside. He picked up speed and stopped infront of this so called God. Enel looked at the intruder and turned solemn. He checked him out and found no flight dials on his body. How was he able to fly? "Bastard! How dare you desecrate God''s temple!" "Kill him!" "Execute!" "Die!" The four men kneeling before God shouted angrily at Leo and attacked. One man drew out a long slender sword as tall his body. A large pale yellow dog rushed out from the jungle and jumped at Leo. Another one who looked like a ball bounced up and struck out with his palm. A man wearing pilot hat with wings on both sides jumped on a large bird and rushed at Leo with a spear in his hand. The last one jumped into the air with the help of some kind of equipment that blew out milky white clouds. They boxed in Leo from and gave him no chance to escape. So these must be the Priests. Blood splattered. The priests were slashed and made into bloody figures before they reached Leo and were thrown out of the temple. They spewed out blood and fell down unconscious. Taking care of the unwanted Leo turned his head to God and said, "Why did you attack when there were people around?" Enel stared at Leo and smiled, "It doesn''t matter if one ant dies or several die." Leo calmly drew out his sword, "You call yourself a God, let''s see if God can bleed." He moved and appeared infront of Enel. Shocked by Leo''s speed Enel hastily dodged. His body turned into specks of thunder and disappeared. Leo''s sword slashed through the specks of thunder and drew a drop of blood. The thunder gathered some distance away and Enel emerged. He was deeply shocked and looked at his c.h.e.s.t. Leo turned his head and said, "Looks like God does bleed." Enel grounded his teeth when he heard Leo. He placed his palm on the ground and pulled out a golden staff. "Million Volt!" A bolt of lightning fell down from the sky. Leo was standing directly beneath it. He slashed with his sword. Sword rays cleaved through the lighting and dispersed it into countless tiny sparks. Soru! Leo instantaneously appeared before Enel and swung his sword. Enel didn''t dare to look down on Leo. He dodged Leo''s strike and stepped back. However Leo followed him closely. His sword was already on it''s path to slice him down. How can he follow my movements!? Mantra isn''t working! Enel placed the golden staff infront of him and blocked Leo''s sword. When the strike fell on his staff Enel felt a tremendous power crush his arms. He was blown away. The staff in his hand was cut from the middle and a long gash appeared on his c.h.e.s.t. Leo raised an eyebrow and said, "Your kenbunshoku haki is quite refined." He followed up on his attack and struck again. 10 Million Voit! Enel grabbed the air and pulled down. Thunder rumbled from above and struck down. Leo turned solemn. Rumble-Rumble fruit was dangerous like Mace said. This bolt of lightning was ten times stronger than the last attack. Leo focused his sword will and struck out. An azure dragon manifestation emerged and struck at the incoming thunder strike. The thunder strike was cancelled out by Leo''s attack. Enel was shocked to his core. No one was able to take his thunder head on in the past. This gave him an inflated ego and that''s why he proclaimed himself as a God. He turned to stare at Leo and brought his palms together. A lightning ball was formed between the space separated by his palms. His entire body was starting to glow with blue sparks. Leo''s face turned solemn. He sensed danger from Enel. Taking a step forward Leo rushed towards Enel. However before he could reach him Enel slammed down his palms. 100 Million Volt! The sky turned dark. A flash of lightning much thicker than the ones before fell down on Leo. Leo was startled. He raised his sword. Black colour started to climb on his red sword. Turning it into a shade of black and red. His sword will was fully focused as he struck at the thunder bolt. An azure dragon coiled around him. It was filled with the an air of arrogance. The thunder bolt struck down. Boom! The ground was reduced to ashes. Everything within a radius of 200 meters were reduced to nothing. Enel was sure his opponent was dead. He heaved a sigh and was about to relax when his kenbunshoku haki picked a presence. His expression froze and he looked towards the center of the charred pit. Leo stood on a small piece of ground that was still intact right at the center of the hole. The sleeves of his shirt was slightly burned. Apart from that he looked fine. Enel took a step back. His eyes that were full of arrogance before started to show panic. Chapter 134 - 134. Defeating God Enel took a step back. He for the first time since gaining his abilities felt helpless. Even a 100 Million Volt attacks nly burned his sleeve a little? What kind of person is he? While Enel was shocked and stared dumbly at Leo the other was also deeply shocked. He finally realised what kind of terrible power devil fruits possessed. If a person can control and develop their fruit abilities then the kind of destruction they can bring out will be unimaginable. This was especially true for certain devil fruits, like the rumble-rumble fruit. Stomping on the air Leo shot towards Enel. His sword turned blackish red as he swung it down. The atmosphere seems to have been cleaved in half as it moved towards Enel. Enel quickly elementised his body and dodged. Leo followed him closely and struck again. Enel focused his kenbunshoku haki to its pinnacle to catch the movement of Leo''s sword. But Leo seems to have gotten stronger after that last attack. His sword left no trace as it lashed in his direction. His kenbunshoku haki couldn''t catch Leo''s sword! Enel hastily elementised his body to dodge. But he was still a step late. Slash! Blood spewed out. Leo slashed through Enel''s c.h.e.s.t, leaving a long wound. After crashing through a couple of trees Enel shakily stood up. He didn''t have the grace and arrogance he had before. His body was covered in blood and dust as he glared at Leo. "How can your sword hurt me!?" He bellowed out. Leo scoffed, "What God? Your are just a frog at the bottom of a well. By eating a logia and awakening kenbunshoku haki you thought you were God. How hilarious." He pushed off of his feet and rushed forward. Enel knew he lost when the other party injured him. He didn''t think anything else and elementised his body before escaping into the distance. Leo sneered. Geppo! He followed closely. Gritting his teeth he increased his speed. Blue lightning glowed around his body as he sped up. Leo frowned. Rumble-Rumble fruit not only gave Enel high offensive power but also incredible speed. They soon reached Skypiea. The people down below saw something flash through the sky. Everyone looked up. Leo''s breath circled furiously inside him. His spiritual energy rumbled as black colour started to climb on his legs and only stopped when it reached his knees. His sword domain stretched out as sword rays gathered around him, it formed a white tiger that enveloped him. Soru! Like a flash of lightning he blinked through the air. In a split second he overtook Enel and stood infront of him. Slash! The white tiger formed from sword rays raised it''s menacing paws and slammed it down on Enel. Damn! Gritting his teeth Enel had no choice but to block it. A Thunder net formed infront of him, blocking Leo''s sword. Crackle! The thunder net held out for a second before it was sliced through. Enel crossed his arms to defend. Spurt! Leo''s sword sliced through Enel''s arms and threw them into the air. Blood poured out his now vacant arms. Thud! Thud! The two arms fell down on the ground. People down on the ground were shocked, they screamed and ran away. Aaah! He screamed loudly. With bloodshot eyes he stared at Leo. "I! Will! Kill! You!" On the verge of madness he raised his now vacant arms. Thunder started to rumble. Dark clouds converged above the them. Streaks of lightning rumbled through it. 800 Million Vo- Before he could finish, his vision shifted to the side. He saw Leo stand infront of him, he was sheathing his sword. "Only idiots would give their opponents time to release their trump card." Enel''s head slowly slid off of his neck and fell down, his body followed right after. The thunder clouds lost their power and dispersed. Leo descended and stood where Enel''s body fell down. Sky islander''s crowded around the street. They stared incredulously at Enel then at Leo. "He-He killed God!" "Finally... sob..." Leo looked around and found the Skypieans crying. All of them had an expression of relief on their face. Well, Leo understood what they were feeling. He didn''t wait around and was about to rush into the sky when his spiritual sense was triggered. He turned his head and looked towards the end of the street. It was the store of the old woman he and Shinobu asked for information. His eyes focused on a sack placed in the corner of the store. Using his spiritual sense he saw an apple change. It trembled for a moment and started to change. The red colour turned light blue with it''s entire body having swirls. A yellow stem sprouted from it''s top. For a second a spark of lightning flashed on the surface of it''s body before disappearing. Leo stunned. He flashed into the store and took it in his hands. He checked it for a second before placing it into his jacket. Without any further ado he went to back to the camp. After he left the islanders erupted into a cheer. They were finally freed from the terror of God. ... Leo returned to the camp. He ordered Mace to send men up. Since he took care of God and his Priests it was safe for his crew to walk around Skypea. He returned to his cabin and saw Shinobu waiting for him with lunch. "You are late." Leo smiled, "That guy was tougher than I expected." He sat down and ate with her. After they finished lunch Leo took out the rumble-rumble fruit and showed it to her. "Hey, what do you think we should do with this?" Shinobu was surprised when she saw the fruit. She took it from him and checked it for a moment before throwing it back to him. "Hm... just keep it for now. Unless you want to eat it." She gave it back to him and smiled. Leo shook his head, "No thank you, I still want to swim." They pushed the fruit to the back of their mind and started to mind their own business. A while later Mace came back with a bunch of Skypeans. Chapter 135 - 135. Dials Leo was surprised when he saw Skypeans accompanying Mace. He walked out of his cabin. Mace came to a stop before him and said, "Captain, these people want to express their gratitude for killing God." The Skypeans nodded unanimously and one of them said, "Thank you for what you did." All of them placed their right hand to their left c.h.e.s.t and saluted. Leo shook his head and said, "There is no need for this. That man tried to kill me and my wife. He blatantly attacked where people gathered, ignoring the casualties he may cause. I only retaliated." The Skypeans still expressed their thanks and said, "It doesn''t matter why you did it, sir. You have helped us greatly, if there is anything you want, please don''t hesitate to ask." Well... Leo pondered for a second and said, "We came here to experience Sky Island, can you take us around?" The Skypeans agreed immediately. They happily brought them to a dwelling and showed them interesting items solely belonging to Sky Island. One of them was very interesting. It was called Dials. Seashells found in White Sea is used to make Dials. There are different types of Dials, like Recording Dial, Impact Dial, Heat Dial, Wind Dial... Recording Dial is used to record voice. Impact Dial stores impact or force falling on it and at a later time this force can be used. Leo fumbled with all kinds of Dials. He was intrigued by the novelty of such a thing. Apart from that he also learnt about different types of clouds. Sky Island floats on Island clouds. There was lots to see, different kinds of food, many types of drinks. Leo and Shinobu were fully occupied by what they saw. This lasted for about three days. On this day Leo got a call. "Where the hell are you!?" Sengoku roared from the other end of the den-den mushi. Leo held the receiver far and only brought it close when Sengoku calmed down. "I am at Sky Island." The other end went silent for a while. "How did you get there?" Leo said as a matter of fact, "I rode the Knock Up stream." Sengoku who was in Marineford slapped his forehead, "You fool. You rode that monstrous wave!? One mistake and all of you could have died!" Leo could hear the concern in his voice, he smiled and said, "I am alive and well, aren''t I?" Sengoku sighed and asked, "When are you coming back?" Leo thought for a second, "Well, I saw everything there is to see, so I will be returning in a day or two." "Alright. Be safe." Sengoku cut the call and leaned on his chair. This darn kid went to Sky Island. He is more of a pirate than a marine. Sengoku valued Leo. He was a strong addition to their force, his growth in the last few months can be summed up to one word, astonishing. However he was also worried about Leo''s character. He was adventurous and abhorred evil. He didn''t know why but Leo hated evil. It''s only a matter of time before he meets them. I hope he would consider the bigger picture. ... One day later. The crew was preparing for their descend. They filled the ship with food, water and some items from Sky Island. Skypeans came out to wave them off. Soon the ship set sail. The way to get down was much easier. They just had to free fall. The departure point was called Cloud End. It was a waterfall made of clouds. Leo''s ship slowly entered Cloud End and reached a slope. The ship slid down a cloud path and reached a breaking point before falling down. As he expected a huge shadow shot out from the cloud sea and grabbed their ship. It was a humongous octopus. The crew nearly wept when they saw this. They thought they were going to be eaten. However they realised that they slowed down. Looking up they saw the octopus''s head swell up like a balloon. Mace had a pale face, he wiped the cold sweat on his forehead and mumbled, "The entering and exiting methods are crazy." The ship slowly descended. However, after they travelled a quarter of the distance the ship started to pick up speed. Leo looked up and frowned. The octopus was shrinking. He looked at Mace and asked, "Will the ship break from this height?" Mace nodded his head like a woodpecker, "It definitely will! Unless we can slow it down for half the remaining distance it will definitely break." Leo nodded and jumped off the ship. He used Geppo and got beneath the hull. He placed his hands on the hull. The entire weight of the ship fell on his arms. ''Breath'' rolled inside him like a tide, his hands turned into a shade of black and blue. He used Geppo to stay in air as he offset the descent. Veins bulged on his arms. After a while the ship slowed down. With the reduction in speed the pressure on Leo was eased. The ship slowly descended. When it got to a point Mace yelled from the deck. "Captain! This is enough!" Leo let go of the ship and pushed himself out of its path. The ship suddenly accelerated, causing a few of the crew to lose footing. "Brace for impact!" The ship picked up speed and fell down like a meteor. The blue sea got closer and closer. Crash! Soon the ship stabilised and they were able to breath out a sigh of relief. Mace thanked the gods for saving him from this ordeal. His legs were still shaky as he tried to stand up. However when he checked out where they were his shaky legs gave out and he fell down. Right beside their ship was an even larger ship. It had the shape of a whale, the jolly roger it flew was a pirate skull with a beard. Mace''s voice was shaking, "Whi-White Beard!" Chapter 136 - 136. Colour Of The Supreme King Whitebeard! One of the Yonko! The strongest man in the world! Mace gulped. His knees went weak. Leo also saw the flag and knew who it was. He was stunned but unlike Mace he didn''t show any fear. A man walked to the rails of Whitebeard''s ship and said, "Whatcha doing here, marine?" Mace saw the man and said out loud, "First Division Commander of Whitebeard pirates, Marco, The Phoenix!" Leo raised his head and said calmly, "Just got down from Sky Island." Oh? Marco was surprised, he then said, "What should we do now?" Leo said, "Once my crew stops barfing we will leave." Marco smiled when he heard Leo, "Do you think it''s easy so easy to leave after trespassing on our territory?" Leo said, "Sorry to disturb you, we will be taking our leave." He turned to Mace, "Check the ship''s condition and get the crew to move." Mace turned to look at Marco who wasn''t bothered by Leo and nodded. "Brat, you disturb my sleep and now you want to leave scott free!?" A loud bellow rang from Moby D.i.c.k. A terrifying presence washed over Leo and his crew. His crew passed out instantly. Leo felt as if someone was smacking his head with a hammer. He stumbled and nearly fell down. Shinobu wasn''t doing any better either. Her forehead was sweaty and she was holding onto the railing as a support. Colour of The Supreme King! Leo knew what happened. It was the third type of haki only seen in one in a million people. It was the haki of a King! Holding onto his head Leo found it hard to stay awake. That powerful presence was crushing his mind. Colour of The Supreme King... haha, so this is what it was. His head still felt dizzy but it was slowly subsiding. He stood up as straight as a mountain. Crack! Boom! It clashed with the presence from Moby D.i.c.k. The air trembled and the sky turned dark. Their clash of wills resulted in lighting flashes and raging seas. Leo stood straight, his eyes focused on Moby D.i.c.k. "What the!?" "That marine has the Colour of The Supreme King!?" Several exclamations came from the pirate ship. Because Leo erupted with his will Shinobu and the crew got free from Whitebeard''s will. "Gurarara, interesting. Brat, come up!" Suddenly Whitebeard took back his will, his voice echoed from Moby D.i.c.k. "You stay here." Leo said to Shinobu and jumped onto the deck of Moby D.i.c.k. The moment he set foot his eyes focused on a person. He was huge with defined muscles and scars on various parts of his body. The most noticeable feature was the white beard on his face. This was the strongest man in the world, Whitebeard! "Gurarara, it''s been a while since I saw an interesting brat like you, and you are a marine! Gurarara!" Whitebeard chugged on a bottle of alcohol and said while laughing. Leo walked towards him under the eyes of his crew. He didn''t stand on ceremony and sat down infront of him, "Why did you ask me to come up?" Whitebeard laughed, "Gurarara because you surprised me. Why would a King work as a marine?" Saying that he threw the bottle to Leo who caught it and took a swing. "I am no King. Just curious about the world but too lazy to organise a crew and a ship to go around it." Whitebeard heard him and laughed. He drank again again and threw the bottle away. "You can go." Leo nodded and got up. He paused for a moment and threw a vial to him, "It can numb the pain." He jumped back to his ship. The crew had stopped barfing and was ready. Soon their ship became a shadow and disappeared into the distance. Marco stood beside Whitebeard and stared at the vial in his hand, "Father, be careful. He is a marine." Whitebeard lightly smacked Marco''s head and said, "He is a King! A King has no need for such deception!" Saying that he pulled out the stopper and downed the liquid inside. After few seconds Whitebeard felt a cooling sensation spread through his body. He felt extremely comfortable. The pain and discomfort he always felt because of the wounds he sustained in his younger days seems to have slightly healed. The corner of Whitebeard''s mouth curled into a smile. ... Leo stood on the deck and looked into the distance. He was thinking something when Shinobu nudged him, "What are you thinking?" Leo snapped out and said, "Whitebeard... that man is of a different breed. His spirit is like a bright sun, arrogant and proud. But there is this sense of closeness and kindness in his spirit. And his crew... they are more like a large family than a pirate crew." Shinobu took his hand and asked, "So you are conflicted that both of you stand on different sides?" Leo nodded, "Though my purpose is to travel and being a marine makes it easy I still despise evil, this maybe because I am a demon slayer. That''s why I take my job seriously. Whitebeard is a pirate, but he is a good man. If push comes to shove what should I do if when there is conflict between us?" Shinobu didn''t speak for a moment and said, "Just do what you think is right, no matter what kind of decision you make I will always be here." Leo nodded with a smile. On an island. Several groups of people were having an intense battle. The location of their battle was a small town that was now in shambles. "We found it first! Give it back or die!" A man with a lion''s head and limbs roared at a tall woman standing opposite to him. She had long legs and white hair. "Get lost!" The woman had no intention of backing down and coldly spat. She then raised her sword and jabbed it at the man with the lion head. Corpses littered around them. The two of them didn''t care one bit about their surroundings and started another round of battle. Chapter 137 - 137. Dispute Leo''s ship was sailing towards an island in the distance. As they got close Leo''s spiritual sense picked up an intense battle. "Let''s go Shinobu." He jumped up into the air and drew a beeline towards the island. Shinobu used Geppo and followed closely. Mace realised something was wrong and shouted at the crew to pick up speed. ... On the island. The battle between the lion headed man and the tall woman was still intense. The small town bore the brunt of their battle. Buildings were torn down and corpse lay scattered throughout the area. However they gave no mind to it and continued. The lion headed man roared and punched at the tall woman. His large fist clad in busoshoku haki tore through the air. Armed! The tall woman responded. Haki was attached to her sword as she jabbed her sword. The sword whistled as it pierced through the air. The fist and sword met. The shockwave forced away everything near them. Both of them retreated and stared at each other for a moment. Just as they were about to attack again their kenbunshoku haki picked up someone rushing in their direction with incredible speed. Boom! Before they could react someone landed right between them. The next second a tremendous force bore down on them and blasted them away. They crashed through several buildings and left a long trail of dust and rubble before slowing down. Damn! He turned his eyes and focused on the ones who caused this. A powerful will erupted from him and pressed down on the two of them. Haoshoku Haki! Argh! The lion headed man and the tall woman grunted. Their faces went pale, they raised their head and looked at the owner of this powerful will and was stunned. A man wearing white shirt and black pants stood before them. He wore a navy coat of justice. A marine!? They were stunned to see a marine having the Colour of a Supreme King. "Give up and surrender or... die!" The lion headed man roared and shot towards Leo. "So you chose death. Let me send you on your way." Leo pushed off of his feet and clashed head on with lion head man. The lion head man sneered. Competing with me with strength? Fool! The muscles on his arm swelled up as he punched at Leo. Black colour gleaming with a hint of red cladded his arms. Leo didn''t bat an eye. His sword turned blackish red as he slashed his sword. Slice! Sword rays flashed. The lion headed man was stunned. He glared at Leo with blood shot eyes. He wanted to speak but he couldn''t as his head slowly slid down his throat. Her pride didn''t allow her to surrender but if she doesn''t she will die. Unwilling to surrender she chose to escape. "Hello, it''s a p.l.e.a.s.u.r.e to meet you." Who!? When she was rushing away from Leo a sweet voice rang near her ear. The tall woman felt her hairs stand on it''s end. Out of instinct she swung her sword towards the voice. But she hit nothing. Before she could spot her enemy her body went numb and she fell down powerlessly. The forward momentum made her body roll on the ground a fair distance before she stopped. Fear filled her eyes. She couldn''t move! Her body wasn''t listening to her. She even tried to use her devil fruit ability but it failed. When she was trying to gather her thoughts a beautiful face got close to her and smiled. "Don''t worry. This one won''t kill you, since I don''t know you if you have some peculiar ability I upped the potency so you might feel a bit of pain later." Leo flashed beside her and asked, "The islanders?" Shinobu said, "The crew is on it. They have my drugs so anyone that can be saved will be saved." Leo heaved a sigh. He turned to the tall woman and snorted before saying to Shinobu. "Let''s split up. These two shouldn''t be alone, find the rest of them. If they refuse to surrender, kill!" After an hour Leo and Shinobu rounded up the rest of the tall woman''s and the lion headed man''s crew. They were either killed or arrested. Mace checked their identities and found out they were subordinates of a Yonko. The lion head man was the subordinate of Hundred Beast Kaido. The tall woman is one of the four sweet commanders and daughter of Big Mom, Smoothie. Mace frowned when he got the information. He reported it to Leo who waved his hand. "It doesn''t matter which faction they belong to. Their dispute led to the death of innocent people. Throw them to the brig!" Mace did as he was told. Smoothie had a wretched expression when she was carried to the brig. Her face was pale and she was sweating a lot. The crew involuntarily trembled when they saw her. They knew this was the handiwork of their captain''s wife. Thinking back to how she experimented new drugs on prisoners sent a chill down their spine. They were glad she was on their side. They stayed at the island for a couple of days. Shinobu helped with the wounded while the crew provided help to build temporary relief buildings. With Shinobu''s excellent medical capabilities even life threatening wounds were taken care of. The islanders were full of gratitude towards her. After making sure the island was on the right track they left for Marineford. On the ship Leo held a devil fruit. This was the cause of the dispute between two Yonko subordinates. Paramecia, Devil-Devil Fruit. Chapter 138 - 138. Big Mom Reacts New World, Totto Land, Whole Cake Island. This is the headquarters of one the Yonko, Big Mom! Currently Big Mom was listening to a report with a cold smile on her face. "A marine dares to capture my daughter?" She spoke slowly but everyone listening to her felt their scalps tingle. "Cracker, take a fleet and bring back Smoothie." Laying on her comfortable couch Big Mom said loudly. A man with a tank body walked out among the people there. He held a long sword and wore an armour around his body. "Yes, mama." ... Leo was checking the devil-devil Fruit. According to the encyclopedia this fruit was a special paramecia. It''s user will be endowed with the body of a devil. Superior regeneration, speed and strength are also a part of it''s benefits. However most importantly it allows a transformation. To turn completely into a devil! He thought for a while and called out Mace and threw the devil-devil fruit to him. Mace was stunned. "Eat it. As of right now you are weak, your kenbunshoku haki and busoshoku haki are barely satisfactory. That fruit should upgrade your strength by a level." Mace was grateful that Leo gave such a valuable fruit to him. Bleh... Mace started to barf his gut out. After several minutes he calmed down and apologized to Leo before checking his body. Visibility he looked no different from before however Leo sensed his body become firmer and more resilient than before. "Not bad. Try to transform, let me see how special this paramecia is." Mace nodded and focused. His skin started to wiggle turned into a tan colour. Two small horns grew out his forehead. Strange marking appeared all over his body. And his hair grew longer and turned blood red. Ooh! Leo was startled. He did expected Mace to get an upgrade in strength, after all he is a marine with solid foundation in Marine Rokushiki and Haki. However this was beyond his imagination. This transformation increased his strength by atleast two times! "It''s a special paramecia alright. No wonder those two fought over it." Such a convenient way to get stronger. Leo mumbled inside. Just as they were checking out Mace''s new powers the ship rocked. "Captain, emergency! We are being surrounded by Big Mom''s fleet!" Leo stood up and walked outside. Shinobu was already on the deck watching the hubub. He walked to her side and saw ten sh.i.p.s surrounding them. In the leading ship was a man with a tank body, he wore an armour and held a long sword. Mace identified that man and said, "That''s one of the four sweet commanders, Charlotte Cracker!" Cracker saw Leo and glared at him, "Marine, bring out Smoothie." Leo said in response, "She ignored the consequences and fought in a public place. Destroying a small town and killing many innocents." Cracker pointed his sword in Leo''s direction, "I don''t want to hear your excuses." Leo smiled, "Don''t be so smug, I wasn''t finding excuses. I was just stating a fact. For her crimes she will be spending her time in Impel Down. If you try to take her away, well... you aren''t a good one either so I will be forced to kill you. So surrender like a good boy." Cracker couldn''t help but laugh when he heard Leo, his eyes turned sharp and cold the next instant, "Fire!" Volleys of shots flew immediately towards Leo''s ship. If this was before Leo would have found it straining to protect the ship and take care of the enemy but not anymore. "Mace, Shinobu, I leave the ship to you." Swish! Leo disappeared after saying that. Shinobu smiled and fluttered like a butterfly as he flickered away the incoming volleys. Needles coated with busoshoku haki danced around her, at the end of every needles there was a faint thread connecting to her finger tips. Mace immediately used his fruit ability and transformed into a devil. He blocked the attacks as well. He used Geppo and Soru to move around the ship and block stray volleys Shinobu missed. "Fire at will!" Ooh!! The crew got pumped up. They returned fire. For a moment it looked like Leo''s ship was covered in flames but none of it touched the ship''s body. Leo kicked the air with incredible speed as he flashed towards a ship. He drew out his sword, it turned blackish red as he sliced it down. Crack! A long wisp of sword ray flashed past with incredible speed. The ship was split in two. Leo turned around and flew towards another ship. He swung his sword again and split it apart. Crackers face turned ugly. He wasn''t proficient in air battle so he was powerless to stop Leo. "Focus fire on that bastard!" Immediately the remaining sh.i.p.s focused their canons on Leo. Facing that many canons Leo looked calm and cold. Volleys flew past him and blew up. Leo advanced forward and struck again. Another ship joined the seabed. Because firing was focused on Leo Mace and crew got a breather and took down one of the ship nearer to them. Shit! This can''t go on! Cracker realised the severity of the situation. He ordered the ship to close the distance between each other. That way even if Leo found got near to one of them he would be able to stop him. The sh.i.p.s were in a close formation now. Cracker could jump from one ship to another and reach Leo should he try to sink any of them. However he underestimated Leo''s battle prowess. Leo was still some distance from them when he suddenly took a stance and swung his sword. Sword rays condensed to form a white tiger, it leaped out as he slammed his sword down. It clashed head first into the crowd of sh.i.p.s and broke them to pieces. Cracker cursed inside his mind and used his ability. Shields appeared out of nowhere and covered their entire ship. Boom! The white tiger slammed into the shields and shook them. Cracks started to form on the shields. Chapter 139 - 139. Vice Admiral Cracker ate the biscuit-biscuit fruit. He is able to create biscuits that can act as a shield. The ship Cracker was in was fully covered in biscuits. However against Leo''s attack cracks started to form on it''s surface. Cracker''s face started to change. He expected his opponent to be powerful as he was able to capture Smoothie. Normally a fleet should have been enough to sink their ship and rescue Smoothie but this marine he was facing was not normal. Crack! One of the biscuit shields crumbled. Soon like dominos the other shields also broke down. Slash! The ship was torn in two. Cracker was fast enough to dodge the attack. However they were not on land, his biscuits would lose it''s hardness once it touch seawater. Leo turned his attention towards him after he sunk the other sh.i.p.s. He shot forward with incredible momentum. As he wasn''t proficient in air battles Cracker could only brace himself and defend. He raised his biscuit shield to block Leo''s sword. Leo''s sword was pitch black with a shade of red, it sliced down towards Cracker''s biscuit shield. The sword met it''s target and paused for a split second before it ran through it. Cracker''s arms went numb when the sword struck. He failed to react when his shield was broken in two. Leo took a step forward and punched out. His fist was tainted with black as he sunk it inside Cracker''s gut. Bang! The sound of fist hitting something solid rang through the air. Cracker took a step back, his gut was filled with cracks. Leo wasn''t surprised when he saw cracks appearing on a human body. He increased the strength on his fist and pushed through. Crackers body was thrown away. As he flew through the air his body cracked completely and burst apart. A shadow flew from Cracker''s body and fell into the sea. Leo stepped through the air and went where Cracker fell. A man with violet hair was struggling to stay afloat. His head and body were bleeding. So this is the real Cracker. He created an armour around him using his ability. Even the bounty posters have the image of his armour incarnation. Leo smiled and went down. He picked up Cracker who retaliated when he was out of the water. Leo kneed his gut. Cracker''s body bent like a shrimp and coughed out blood, then he lost consciousness. Leo went back to his ship and threw Cracker on the deck. "The brig." "What''s the damage?" Leo asked Mace. "The hull was damaged, however it''s within manageable range. We can set sail in three hours." Mace reported. Leo nodded and went back to his cabin. Shinobu was inside playing with several needles. He asked, "How did your weapon testing go?" Shinobu threw a needle at Leo who caught with two fingers. He saw a fine thread extending from the head of the needle, it was connected to her finger. "Very good." He commented. With her exquisite control these needles would become extremely dangerous. "You captured two of the four Sweet commanders." Shinobu said with a smile. Leo shrugged, "Hey, who asked them to find trouble." Both of them looked at each other and laughed. ... Marineford. Sengoku was listening to a report with a frown. "So he is here with two of the four Sweet commanders?" Sengoku rested his elbow on the table and thought. After a while he said, "Alright. You can go." After the reporting officer left Sengoku smiled. He never expected a casual reference from East Blue would turn out to be such a treasure. Now that his strength has been exposed it''s ok to give him a better position, vice admiral should do. Leo was inside a building hammering down a piece of fine metal. It looked like a needle. He asked for a building for himself to forge when he was free. Sengoku found no reason to deny him his request since he was raking in so much merit. After several hours Leo used his haki to perfect the body of a needle. He wiped his forehead and let out a smile. With the help of his spiritual sense and his haki Leo was able to create Nine by Five weapons consistently. Only on rare occasions would he fail. This much should be enough. He thought to himself. He was keeping his promise to Shinobu and made her a batch of needles. It should be known that Nine by Six weapons come under the category of Great Grade weapons. Now he was giving Shinobu a bunch of Great Grade category needles. Of course the raw power of swords and other weapons outclass a needle. But what about several dozens of them used ingeniously? Placing the needles on a wooden box Leo washed up and went to his quarters. Shinobu was practicing with her new style when he got back. He beckoned to her. "As promised." He pushed the wooden box to her and smiled. He then opened it and picked the needles one by one. He started to stack them in different angles. Shinobu was confused but she didn''t disturb him. Under her watchful eyes the disorderly stack of needles started to take form, it turned into a beautiful piece of butterfly hairpin. Leo waved his arm. The hairpin rose from the table and started to float. Shinobu covered his lips and let out a light gasp. "Do you like it?" Leo asked with a teasing smile. Shinobu suddenly hugged him and buried her head into his c.h.e.s.t. "I love it." Chapter 140 - 140. A Yonkos Rage Leo was called into Sengoku''s office. He was officially promoted to the rank of a vice admiral. No one objected to this, Leo had shown he was capable by destroying a small fleet of Big Mom pirates and captured two of their Sweet Commanders. However this capture wasn''t without consequences. When Big Mom got the information about their capture she went nuts and destroyed half of Whole Cake Island. A Yonko mustn''t be provoked! Big Mom ordered her men to kill every marine they come across. The few sparse Navy bases in New World were destroyed. Luckily Sengoku was wise enough to order an evacuation when he got the report about their capture. Capturing Cracker and Smoothie had it''s pros and cons. The pros were simple, Navy''s prestige was heightened. As for cons, they were now barred from entering the New World. ... New World. In an unknown island. This was the one of the bases of Beast Pirates. This was the captain of Beast Pirates, A Yonko, Hundred Beast Kaido! "Kaido-sama, Nest was killed." A pirate trembled and reported. Kaido paused for a moment and continued to drink. After finishing the bottle he threw it to the ground. The bottle broke to pieces. The pirate was shaking from fear. Kaido turned his head and asked, "A marine killed Nest and took the devil-devil Fruit? And you couldn''t do shit?" He asked casually but those who were listening felt a chill down their spine. "Kaido-sama, we-we... The pirate started to explain but he was finding it hard to say anything. Kaido flung his hand and struck him. The pirate felt as if an iron pillar smashed into his body. He was thrown away while coughing blood. He fell down far away and didn''t get up. Gulp. The rest of the pirates didn''t dare make a sound. "No one takes my stuff!" Kaido bellowed. ... Marineford. Leo and Mace were having a spar inside the kairoseki training room. Ever since Mace ate the devil-devil fruit his physical attributes kept improving constantly. Boom! Mace was blown away by a sudden kick from Leo. He crashed into the wall causing it to shake. "That''s enough for today. Your sudden improvement is due the effects of the special paramecia, it should have peaked and you will receive no more upgrade from now on." Mace got up from the ground and rubbed his head and shoulders. That last one packed quite the punch. "Yes, sir." Leo nodded and walked to the door while saying, "Train the basics all over again. A good foundation is the key to improvement." Mace listened intently. He suddenly remembered something and said. "Sir, we found an island according to your requirements." Oh? Leo was surprised, "That was fast." Mace explained, "Marines do have a wide network, so it isn''t that hard to find one." Leo accepted that explanation. After he was promoted to vice admiral he decided to take it easy and asked Mace to find a small uninhibited island. He wanted a place without any disturbance. That place would be his training ground as well his workshop. Mace continued, "Sir, that island however is home to vicious beasts. It''s not easy to live there unless you remove all of them." Leo shook his head, "No. Just leave it as is. Gather resources and manpower needed and start construction as per the plan." Mace said no more and excused himself. Leo was on his way back when he came across a tall man. He wore white suit with a blue inner shirt. He was slightly tan and had an eye mask on his forehead. Man, he is tall. Leo stared at this man and moved slightly as to not bump into him. "Arara, you are Leo, right?" This man suddenly stopped and spoke to Leo. Leo nodded and asked puzzled, "How do you know me." The tall man said, "You threw two Sweet Commanders in Impel Down, which Marine doesn''t know you?" Ah, right. Leo suddenly realised who this guy was. He was one of the three powerhouses of Navy, an Admiral. Codename, Aokiji. "You free? I have some great tea." Aokiji asked. Leo thought for a moment and nodded. He was free anyway so might as well enjoy high grade stuff. It''s nice to be an admiral. Should I become one? While Leo was having a ridiculous thought Aokiji made some tea and offered Leo a cup. Taking a whiff Leo could tell it was a high grade one. He took a sip and tasted a bitter but sweet flavour. "Nice." Aokiji nodded and calmly drank his tea. They didn''t speak and enjoyed their cup. After finishing his cup Leo stood and said, "I will be going. Thanks for the tea." Aokiji followed his figure, his eyes were deep as he was thinking of something. ... One month later. Leo stepped on an island. Mace led him in further through a cleared path. Soon they reached an open place. A small house and a slighter larger building to it''s right was before them. The building to the right had a chimney. To it''s left was a glass house filled with different kinds of plants and a small laboratory. There was a small fence surrounding the three structures. "Very good. Where is Shinobu?" Mace replied, "Ma''am got news about some rare plants and left with the crew to procure them." Leo nodded. Just as he was about to enter the house his den-den mushi rang. Kachak! He answered it and from it came a cold murderous voice. "You are that marine who caught my daughter and my son?" Leo frowned and asked. "Big Mom?" Chapter 141 - 141. Silent Death A shrill laughter came from the other end. "Mamamama, you took my people so I am going take something from you. You love your wife, don''t you? It looks like she is very interested in rare plants." Mace was shocked, "Sir!" Leo''s eyes turned cold, "So?" Big Mom''s hearty laughter came from the other end, however it was filled with strong killing intent. "When I get my hands on her I will take away her life force and let you watch her die. Then if I am in a good mood I will send you her head, Mamamama." Kachak! The call was cut. Mace was panicking. He took out his den-den mushi and tried to reach the crew but the call didn''t connect. "Sir, what should we do?" However Leo wasn''t nervous nor was he panicking. He turned his head and suddenly smiled. "Relax. As long as Big Mom herself doesn''t make a move Shinobu will be fine." Mace calmed down after listening to Leo. Right, Ma''am is proficient in drugs and poison, maybe she will be fine. Leo suddenly thought of something and said, "Right, get some people to bring body bags, a lot of them." He didn''t explain further and walked inside the house. Mace hurriedly followed him. ... On some island. Shinobu was walking through a dense jungle with a bag in her hand. It was a purple plant with purple spotted leaves and a purple flower. "Let''s pick up pace. I want to get back before sun down." Shinobu said to them and walked briskly. Just as they were about to get out of the forest Shinobu paused her steps. "Come out." She said softly. Her voice travelled through the air and echoed through the silent forest. The people with her were confused for a second before raising their guard. All of them looked around warily. "Should I say as expected of that man''s wife?" An arrogant voice came from the forest. Shinobu looked in a particular direction and saw a man walk out. He had orange hair and wore a coat over his shoulder. Another figured walked out with him. It was woman, she was tall and slim and wore a large hat. She had a cigarette in her mouth and a sword on her waist. "My my, Oven and Amande of Big Mom pirates." Oven swept his eyes over the crew and said coldly, "Capture her and kill the rest." As he said those words many shadows jumped out from behind the thick forest and assaulted Shinobu and her crew. Back on the island. Leo was checking several equipments for forging. Mace was standing beside him as he stared at the den-den mushi. "Sir, will ma''am really be alright?" Leo didn''t turn back and said, "Relax would ya. She will be fine." After making several rounds he walked out of the workshop. As he saw Mace staring the den-den mushi nervously he chuckled. "You really underestimate my wife. Sure, she is weak in a direct confrontation but when it comes to pure killing... even I don''t dare say I can outclass her." ... The shadows pouncing of Shinobu and the crew fell down like dominos. All of them had their eyes rolled to the back of the heads and was foaming from their mouth. Their skin started to turn reddish purple. The crew stared wide eyed at what just happened. They gulped as they looked at the smiling Shinobu. A chill ran down their spine when they saw her smile. Devil! She is the devil! Oven and Amande were startled, then their faces turned ugly. Their eyes locked onto Shinobu''s slim figure and couldn''t figure out how she had done it. Amande kneeled down beside one of her subordinates and poked his skin. The man''s skin broke easily and purple blood seeped out. It carried a heavy stench with it. "It''s poison!" Amande turned solemn. She looked at Shinobu and said, "You are good." Shinobu chuckled and said, "You have very strong poison resistance, but you shouldn''t be too confident about it." Amande frowned and was about to say something when she felt her hand go limp. She tried to raise it but it didn''t move. Boom! Oven saw the situation turning grim and attacked Shinobu. His hands glowed bright red like a hot iron as he punched at her. Shinobu nimbly dodged him and waved her hand. Oven''s kenbunshoku haki picked up several projectiles flying in his direction. He stepped aside and rushed forward. He intended to close the gap between them. However halfway through his legs went limp and he lost balance. He rolled through the mud and settled right before Shinobu. Half squatting Shinobu said with a beautiful smile on her face, "It finally kicked in." Oven was horrified. No matter how much he tried he couldn''t move. Suddenly a wave of pain hit him. He could feel his blood freeze and slow down. His muscles were starting to shrink and tear. It felt as if countless ants were knawing on his body. Amande who was trying her best to fight the poison in her body froze when she saw Oven fall down. Her heart started to beat wildly when she witnessed Oven turning purple. They checked all the information regarding Shinobu and knew she was proficient in using drugs. However this was beyound being good at using drugs. Amande used her remaining strength and rushed towards Oven. Shinobu shook her head and said, "You really shouldn''t move." Amande just ran a few steps when she suddenly coughed out blood. She was feeling disoriented, her vision was starting to get cloudy. Suddenly her haki went out of control and the poison erupted. Her expression froze and she fell down. The crew drew in a sharp breath when they saw Amande fall. They could see her face was pale and devoid of life. Her eyes were empty. She was dead! Chapter 142 - 142. Shinobus Breath Years ago when demon slayers awakened their ''Breath'', each of them gained an attribute connected to their breathing techniques. Rengoku obtained explosive power, Gyomei got powerful defence, Uzui got sonic power, Iguro obtained muscle dexterity... however Shinobu''s ''Breath'' only gave her the base benefits, accelerated healing. Only years later did she accidentally find the peculiarity of her ''Breath''. She was able to absorb energy from vegetation. Every time she absorbed energy her ''Breath'' got stronger, and it would absorb a part of that energy''s attribute. In this manner, when she absorbed several poisonous herbs her ''Breath'' also absorbed it''s poisonous trait. Her ''Breath'' was special, it was unlike like Leo and others whose attributes were physical. She is able to combine her ''Breath'' with drugs and increase it''s potency by several fold. If it''s a healing drug then it would become an incredible cure, if it''s poison then it would become a devastating calamity. Oven, Amande and their men didn''t know this. They fell head first into the grinder. "Alright, let''s go." Shinobu picked up the bag with the plant and walked away. The crew took a second to snap out of their daze. They trembled when they saw dead bodies everywhere and quickly caught upto Shinobu. After they walked out of the forest Shinobu ordered the men to count how many enemies were dead. She got an answer very quickly. 35 pirates were killed! Shinobu simply looked at him once and went back to the ship. The whole island was blocked from outside communication. The crew ran around and after two hours they were able to take care of that problem. "Ma''am, are you alright!?" As soon as the connection was restored Mace yelled through the den-den mushi. Shinobu held the receiver far from her face, only after the voice died down did she speak. "I am fine, why would I not be?" "Haha, I told you didn''t I?" She heard Leo''s voice and said, "There are a lot bodies here." Leo grabbed the receiver from Mace and said, "Don''t worry. I have send some people to take care of it." "Ok. Seen you soon." Kachak! The call was cut. Mace sat down in a daze. Leo curled his lips and said, "What did I say? No one can get close to her without getting poisoned to death, much less capture her, haha." The news of Shinobu killing one of Big Mom''s officers and 34 pirates spread quickly. When Sengoku got the news he was shocked. He never expected that charming lady to be so vicious. She poisoned 35 people to death! He was overwhelmed when the heard the news however he broke out into a laugh later. He didn''t pick up a single treasure but two! Since Shinobu had shown her capabilities he had no problem raising her rank as well. With that Shinobu''s rank was raised to a vice admiral as well. New World, Totto Land, Whole Cake Island. Big Mom was raging through her castle. She destroyed everything she could get her hands on. No one stopped her, no one dared to. "Leo Heart! Kocho Shinobu! Aaaahh!!" She howled and banged her fist on the ground. Cracks spread through the ground like a spider web and caved in. For several hours Totto Land was shaking from her anger. ... Leo was walking through the sandy beach of the island. He enjoyed the cool breeze from the sea and the constant waves splashing on his feet. Just as he was in the midst of his walk he sensed a sea king far in the distance. As he was about to take walk away he paused and raised an eyebrow in surprise, a peculiar light shone in his eyes. He used Geppo and rushed towards the sea king. The sea king sensed Leo and opened it''s mouth wide to take a bit at him. Leo used his palm as a sword and slashed it down. The sea king paused midway and was sliced into two. As both half of it''s body sunk into the water he sensed a small presence slip out of one of the sliced half. He waited up in the sky and soon that presence swam back to the surface. It was a woman, she had short hair and wore a sleeveless shirt. However she didn''t have legs but a fish tail! A mermaid! This thought came to his mind. Leo smiled and said, "Hello." The woman was stunned she subconsciously replied after hearing his polite, "Hello." Leo chuckled and asked, "How did you get eaten by it?" In response to his question she laughed dryly and avoided the subject. "Thanks for saving me." "It''s alright. My name is Leo." The woman said, "My name is Cami." "Are you heading back to Fishman Island?" The lady nodded, "Yes." Leo''s eyes sparkled, "Can you bring me with you?" The woman didn''t mind and said, "I can but you have to first coat your ship otherwise it''s impossible to dive down." Leo have heard about this before. He nodded and said, "Give me two days. When my wife comes back we will immediately set off to Sabaody Archipelago." "In the meantime you can stay here. I will arrange for your accommodation and meals." Cami waved her hand hastily, "No, there''s no need. You saved me, I can''t ask more of you." Leo shook his head, "It''s fine. You are my guide, it''s rude of me if I don''t take care of you." Cami reluctantly agreed. Leo got back and ordered the ladies in his crew to take care of Cami. When it was close to evening Shinobu came back. She was startled when she heard about a mermaid. She immediately went to the shore and made acquaintance with Cami. They talked for a while about irrelevant topics and when it was time for them to set sail Shinobu and Cami seems to have gotten close to each other. The ship set sail when the sun was going down the horizon. Fishman Island, here I come. Leo smiled and said to himself. ... Somewhere in New World. "Kaido-sama, his ship has set sail towards Sabaody Archipelago." Kaido who was listening to a pirates report snorted. "That kid made a name for himself by taking out Linlin''s crew. Hmph! Tell Jack to bring his head back!" Chapter 143 - 143. Fishman Island Leo and his crew docked near grove 9 at Sabaody Archipelago and found a person to coat their ship. To reach Fishman Island they have to coat their ship with a special resin found here to bear the immense pressure of the sea. A day was enough for that work to be done. Looking at his ship covered in a glossy layer Leo marvelled at the wonder of this world. Even the most advanced submarine in his previous life could only dive a few hundred meters at best. But this fragile looking layer was able to bear the pressure below 10,000 meters under water. He got onto the ship. The crew started to work. Soon the layer of resin sticking to his ship swelled up like a balloon. It got bigger and finally looked like a huge round bubble and his ship was encased inside it. Leo pressed his hand on the bubble and felt it stretch. He put some more strength and his hand pierced through the bubble but it didn''t break. He pulled his hand back and the bubble still remained intact. Amazing... The ship slowly sunk down. Fishman Island was 10,000 meters directly below Sabaody Archipelago. As they got further down the light became sparse. "Camie, can you really see in this darkness?" Shinobu asked the mermaid. Camie puffed her c.h.e.s.t and raised her chin proudly as she said, "Of course! I am a mermaid, I am made to travel these waters. Just follow my lead." She jumped out of the ship into the water. Leo ordered the men to steer the ship and follow her. Camie held a luminous stick in her hand so that they won''t lose track of her. After a while the surrounding got pitch black. The only source of light was from their ship and from Camie. After traveling through the darkness for a while they reached a huge pit, it looked like a deal abyss. The bottom couldn''t be seen. Camie pointed to the abyss and dived down. The ship followed her. When they entered the pit an underwater current picked them up and their speed sharply increased. Luckily the crew already had a crazy experience going up to Sky Island coming back down, so this time they didn''t go pale and barf. After a while the current slowed down and their ship returned to a slow descend. Leo walked to the edge of the ship, his lips curled into a smile as he said, "We are here." Their ship rocked for a second. The crew lost their balance and fell down. Leo, Shinobu and Mace stood tall and looked up. From the darkness they emerged into a space of light. The light this deep into sea had a peculiar beauty to it. Leo was taken back by it. His eyes couldn''t hide his excitement as he looked around. "Look there." Shinobu pointed up. Leo raised his head and saw a huge bubble floating several hundred meters above the sea bed. Looking closely he also saw a smaller bubble above the huge bubble. Fishman Island! Camie swam back to them and said, "See that hole on the large bubble, that''s the entrance to the island." Leo nodded. The men started to work and their ship rose up from the ground to the entrance. From his ship Leo could see many people with traits to marine life walk around the island. They were looking curiously at Leo and his crew. When they reached the entrance several guards came down. They were blue skinned and wore an armour. "Welcome to Fishman Island. Dock your ship here and pay a fee to enter. There are only few rules here, don''t injure any islanders, don''t try to capture any islanders, don''t trespass onto Ryuugu Palace." The guard explained a few rules to which Leo nodded. Just as he got off the ship he saw a flag flying on top of the guards tower. The flag was painted with a skull with a white beard on it. Leo''s pupils shrunk when he saw it. Whitebeard! It was Whitebeard''s flag! Standing in the midst of a crowd of merman and fishfolk Leo felt increasingly curious about the wonders of this world. Camie took them to a cafe, it was called Shirley''s mermaid caf¨¦. Inside the cafe were beautiful mermaids. The drinks they served were very tasty. Camie excused herself and went through a door to the side. Leo and Shinobu didn''t mind her absence and enjoyed themselves. As they were trying out several pastries Camie came back and said, "Shinobu-san, Leo-san, madam Shirley wants to meet you two." "Who?" "Madam Shirley. She is a clairvoyant, a great one at that. No predictions she has ever made has failed." Leo and Shinobu looked at each other and nodded. Camie led them through a door and reached a spacious hall. They saw a beautiful mermaid, there was a crystal ball infront of her. Seconds passed by. Beads of sweat formed on her forehead, after a while she sighed and took back her gaze. "Excuse me for my rudeness. I couldn''t help but look into your past, and your future." Leo was curious, "And what did you see?" Shirley looked at them with a deep gaze and said, "Both of you went through a life a battles and fought a great evil." Oh? Leo and Shinobu looked at each other and smiled. She was right! "And what about our future?" Shirley shook her head, "I couldn''t see your future, it was clouded and filled with uncertainty." Leo nodded. They were not of this world and they didn''t know how to get back, so technically their future was still not set. "Why did you want to meet us?" Shinobu asked. Shirley looked at them seriously and said, "Because both of you will shape Fishman Island''s future!" Chapter 144 - 144. Ryugu Palace Shape Fishman Island''s future? Leo was bewildered when he heard her. He couldn''t help but ask. "How would I do that? And, why me?" Shirley shook her head and said, "I don''t know how. Looking into the future isn''t simple, all I can get are some vague impressions. But I am sure about one thing, you are the opportunity we have been waiting for." Leo was so confused right now. He was just a guy travelling around the world to see interesting stuff. What''s this about deciding a country''s future? "Sorry, I think you have got wrong man." Shirley didn''t cling to the topic and said to Camie, "Show them around the island. I am sure they will really like it here." Camie nodded enthusiastically, "Leave it to me madam Shirley!" Shirley had a deep look in her eyes as she watched their receeding figure. After leaving the cafe Camie led them around the island and introduced them to Fishman Island''s peculiar products. As they were strolling around several merman and mermaids gasped. Leo looked around and found them looking up into the sky. A shadow was coming down from above. With his excellent eyesight Leo made out the appearance of that shadow. It was a huge merman, he had a grizzly beard and wore a crown. Shinobu narrowed her eyes, "That should be the king of Fishman Island, right?" Her question was directed towards Camie who was standing beside her stunned. Camie mechanically nodded her head. Although they were surprised by the king''s appearance, it had nothing to do with them. They were about to be on their way when a voice interrupted them. "Vice admiral Leo, vice admiral Shinobu, I hope both of you can accept my invitation and come to Ryugu Palace as my honoured guests." What?? The crowd was stunned when they heard their kind. Their king Neptune was inviting these humans to the Ryugu Palace? Who were they? Leo found no reason to reject a sincere invitation so he agreed. "Ok." The crowd was again stunned. That''s it? Do you not know who this was? Shouldn''t you atleast show a humble expression before a king? Neptune was surprised for a second and laughed it off. He liked honest straight forward people. He took out a coral stick and blew it. An air bubble flew out and encased Leo and Shinobu. They were lifted off from the ground and flew away with Neptune, leaving a stunned Camie behind. Leo was again fascinated by these peculiar trinkets from Fishman Island. A stick that looked like a coral could blow out bubbles that had the same function as their ship''s coating. Fascinating. They rose through the air and went through a passage connecting the Ryugu Palace and the Fishman Island. A majestic palace appeared before them. Neptune brought them inside and ordered his subordinates to prepare a feast. Just as he stepped into the palace Leo raised his head in astonishment. He looked in a particular direction and found a pair of eyes peeking out from behind a wall. When their gaze met that pair of eyes panicked and hid. Neptune who was leading them saw Leo halting his steps and followed his gaze. When he saw who it was he showed a gentle smile. "It''s alright, Shirahoshi. Don''t be afraid." Neptune''s words seems to have some effect as a figure came out from the shadows. It was a huge mermaid, she was very beautiful. Shirahoshi rushed to Neptune''s side and hid behind him, though Neptune was unable to hide her massive figure. "Haha, this is my daughter, Shirahoshi." Leo and Shinobu bowed slightly and greeted Shirahoshi. After all she is a princess. Shirahoshi yelped and hid her head behind Neptune. Leo and Shinobu were amused when they saw such a huge girl being so timid. "It''s alright, we don''t bite." Shinobu walked over and said with a smile. Maybe because they were both girls Shirahoshi raised her head and looked at Shinobu. "He-Hello." Shinobu smiled sweetly and said, "Hello to you too." Seeing her beautiful smile Shirahoshi calmed down and said sincerely, "Your smile is so beautiful." Leo laughed when he heard her. His abrupt laugher scared her and she immediately shrunk her head. Shinobu stared at him to which he raised his hand. Like coaxing a child Shinobu said some sweet words and comforted her. Not long after Shinobu was sitting on Shirahoshi''s shoulder, they were speaking about irrelevant matters and laughing from time to time. Neptune was surprised when he saw them. "Your companion is truly gentle. A great woman." Leo smiled and accepted the compliment. He was proud inside. Soon a grand feast was placed before them. Leo no longer stood on ceremony and tried every dish on the table. Though he was trying everything his actions looked calm and refined. Neptune secretly nodded to himself when he saw Leo''s bearings. After having their fill Neptune ordered his men and they brought out what looked like cotton candy. "This is our islands famous cotton cloud candy. Only a limited amount is made every year, have some." Leo took some. The candy was soft and looked like a cloud. He took a bite and his eyes widened. So sweet! Shinobu was also addicted by the taste. Shirahoshi was beside her and nibbling on a huge piece of candy as well. She had pure bliss written all over her face. While Leo and Shinobu were having a feast and enjoying candy, the New World was in chaos. Two of the Yonko were on the move! Big Mom pirates led by Katakuri and Beast pirates led by Jack The Drought sailed with a full fleet towards the exit point of Fishman Island. They surrounded the entire sea area. "Katakuri-sama, we don''t know how long that marine will stay in Fishman Island." A man with a shawl covering the lower half of his face was seated on Big Mom''s pirate ship. He had his eyes closed at the moment. Hearing his subordinates report he opened his eyes and said, "He is a marine, three days max. He will come out." Chapter 145 - 145. Surrounded Fishman Island. Leo was resting on the shore of a small pond. Infront him were Shinobu and Shirahoshi who were happily swimming. Shinobu was wearing a swimsuit that accentuated her curves and her ample bosom. Her body was perfect and evoked d.e.s.i.r.e in whoever looked at her. Leo was enjoying the sun and the beauties before him. Pereperepere. The den-den mushi beside him rang. He picked up the receiver. "Leo, you got trouble." Sengoku''s dignified voice came from the other end. Leo raised an eyebrow and listened. "Big Mom and Kaido''s fleet are waiting for you to come out. They have blocked an entire sea area." Leo was stunned, "That''s a big move." Sengoku said solemnly, "It''s best if you spend some more time in Fishman Island. They will eventually tire out and leave." Leo thought for a moment and agreed. Putting down the receiver Leo leaned back on his recliner and rubbed his chin. Just then Shinobu swam to the shore. Water dripped down her flawless body. Leo grinned and pulled her into his arms. "Shirahoshi is watching." Sensing Leo''s arms wandering on her body Shinobu scolded him. Her cheeks were slightly flushed. "Don''t worry, she is way too innocent to figure out this kind of stuff." Leo smirked. Shirahoshi swam to the shore and watched them curiously. "Leo-san and Shinobu-san are very close." She said with a smile. Leo laughed and shook his head while giving a knowing wink at Shinobu. Shinobu let him be and asked, "Who called just now?" "Sengoku-san." "Oh, what did he say?" "It seems like Big Mom and Kaido made their move. A grand fleet is waiting for us on the surface." Leo said as a matter of fact. Shinobu frowned, "That''s no good. What did he suggest we do?" Leo shrugged, "What else? We stay here until they get tired." Shinobu shook her head, "We have already been away for a three days. My garden needs attending to, nobody else even knows how to differentiate them, much less take of them." That was a problem. Her garden had a lot of rare plants, it would be a loss of all of it died. Shirahoshi who was listening to them asked, "Leo-san, someone''s trying to catch you?" Leo heard her and said, "Yeah. We need to get going if it is possible." Shirahoshi rested her head on her hands and said, "There is another way to leave." Both of them looked at her surprised. This innocent girl knew a way to get them out of their predicament? "Father can help you. He knows a secret passage that leads to the outside world." This girl... did she just give up the escape route for royals? It''s common sense that royals would always have a back up plan incase something unexpected happens. Leo hesitated for a moment and decided to ask Neptune. Ryugu Palace. Neptune heard Leo''s request and rubbed his forehead. Shirahoshi was too innocent, she gave away a royal secret. "There is such a path. However only us merfolk can go through it." Leo asked, "Why?" Neptune explained, "That path is connected to an underwater current leading to the Redline. However that current usually has a lot of sea kings in it. Merfolk won''t be attacked by them however other races are a different story." Leo pondered for a while and said, "We will take it." Neptune warned again, "Are you sure? Survival rate for you guys is less than 10 percent!" Leo replied, "Thank you for you concern but I have my ways." Neptune said no more and ordered his men to lead their ship to the back of Ryugu Palace. Once the ship was ready Neptune and his sons, Fukaboshi, Ryoboshi and Manboshu led their ship through a narrow tunnel made of bubble. At the end of the tunnel was the said underwater current. Neptune pointed to the front and said, "That''s the current. Once you enter you can''t get out, are you sure you will be alright?" Leo smiled, "Relax, I never play with my subordinates lives." If this was anyone else maybe the crew would be emotionally moved but Leo''s words fell on deaf ears. They were now getting numb to these kind of terrible situations. Won''t play with his subordinates lives? What a joke! He rode a monstrous wave to Sky Island and nearly killed them. Their descend back to the ground was no less terrifying. Won''t play with their lives? Hmph! Leo could feel their gaze on his back and coughed lightly, "Let''s get moving." Just as they were about to enter the current Shirahoshi rushed at them from the distance. Her big watery eyes were tearing up. "Will you come back?" She asked with tears in her eyes. Leo nodded his head seriously, "Of course. We will definitely come back!" Shinobu also nodded and reassured her. Neptune had a gratified smile on his face. "Take care." Leo and the rest said goodbye and entered the current. Their ship was swallowed by the monstrous waves and disappeared. Fukaboshi, Neptune''s eldest son comforted his sister and said, "Don''t cry, Shirahoshi. They will definitely come back." "Um!" Shirahoshi hummed in response. ... Inside the under water current. Leo and the crew were moving at very high speed. The bubble around the ship was trembling and it stretched from time to time. At that moment Leo picked up a strong presence. A giant sea king was making it''s way to them. "Get lost!" Leo''s eyes gleamed sharply. His haoshoku haki rumbled and spread out in every direction. The sea king rushing towards them struggled for a second and lost consciousness. Several more sea kings tried to make trouble but ended up like the first one. After a long time they saw a faint wisp of light above them. The current carrying them started to slow down. Soon they were moving up without any external force. Hulalala. The ship emerged from the water and rocked for a second before it stabilised. Chapter 146 - 146. Alabasta "How long till the log pose locks onto the nearest island?" Leo asked Mace. "Two hours." Leo nodded. They had no idea where they were. Two hours passed by. The needle on the log pose rotated and it settled on a particular direction. Their ship set out in that direction. When the sun was almost sinking into the horizon an island''s shadow was seen in the distance. Once they docked on the port Mace got to work and checked where they are. "Sir, we are in Alabasta." Leo was familiar with this country. It was located on the first half of the Grandline. A desert country. The crew settled in. Leo reported to Sengoku about their situation and rested for the day. When the sun broke through the sky the crew was prepared to leave but Leo gave them a day off to which all of them cheered. As Leo and Shinobu were walking through the wide streets they saw a group of pirates making a ruckus. Leo frowned, just as he was about to make a move the sand beneath their feet started to move. Oh? Leo looked up. Some distance away, on a tall building, a man was standing there wearing a cloak. He was missing an arm and in it''s place was a golden hook. He knew who this was, one of the Shichibukai, Crocodile! Their skin was cracked and they looked bony. Heh, he s.u.c.k.e.d out the moisture in their body. Leo thought to himself. His gaze never left Crocodile. Sensing someone looking at him Crocodile turned his head and saw Leo. For a moment he was startled. He was a Shichibukai and a famous pirate, so he knew about the recent appointment of two vice admirals who were a couple. Taking back his gaze Crocodile''s body dispersed into sand and flew away with the wind. Devil fruits sure are convenient. Thinking to himself Leo and Shinobu walked around for a bit. When it was close to noon they chose a restaurant to have lunch. When he walked in he was surprised to find someone he knew inside. "Smoker, what are you doing here?" Hearing someone call his name Smoker turned around and saw Leo. He puffed out a cloud of smoke and said, "I have been chasing a particular group of pirates. They should be here in this country." Leo was surprised, "Are they that strong?" Smoker shook his head, "They ain''t that strong." "Then?" Smoker didn''t know how to explain and said vaguely, "I am annoyed whenever I see their Captain." Ha? Baffled by his response both of them sat down and ordered some food. Suddenly Smoker''s attention was drawn to a man seated further inside the restaurant. He was chomping down on plates of food, while eating he fell asleep occasionally and would wake up immediately and continue to eat. He had a tattoo on his back. A pirate skull with a beard on it. It was Whitebeard''s insignia! "Fire Fist Ace, what are you doing in Alabasta?" Ace looked back and saw Smoker, he grinned and said, "I am having a meal." He continued to eat. Smoker spoke no more, he took out his jutte and stabbed at Ace. "Whoa!" Ace jumped up and dodged the attack. Smoker turned his body into lumps of smoke and attacked. In response to Smoker Ace''s body started to change. Flames surged from his entire body and blocked Smoker''s attack. Bang! Both them collided and was thrown back. They crashed through the wall and fell on the streets. "Ace!?" "Luffy!" Leo was watching all of this from the restaurant. He looked in Ace''s direction and saw a guy about 16 or 17 with a straw hat on his head. Several others stood beside him. "Strawhat!" Smoker saw Luffy and yelled before charging at him. However Ace blocked him and said. "You guys run, I will catch up later." "Ok!" Luffy ran with his friends and disappeared into the distance. "Damn!" Smoker cursed, he turned his body into smoke and rushed after them. But Ace blocked his path and said. "Wait a while." Ace smirked. Flames rose from his body and blocked the entire street. Smoke and Fire collided against each other and came to a standstill. Neither of them got the upper hand! "What''s your purpose here, Fire Fist Ace?" Smoker calmed down and asked again. Ace tipped his hat and said, "I am just visiting my brother." Brother? Strawhat Luffy is his brother? Smoker was startled, his face turned solemn. If Strawhat Luffy is his brother then the situation is quite tricky. Fire Fist Ace is not a nobody. He is the Second Division Commander of Whitebeard Pirates! He is the subordinate of the strongest man in the world! He doesn''t have any malice, in fact his spirit is very pure. Is he really a pirate? Leo thought to himself. He then walked towards Ace and said, "You destroyed the restaurant, pay for the damages." Ace was surprised when he heard Leo. Then. he turned to look at the restaurant and felt embarrassed. He ran to the owner who was fuming and bowed repeatedly. He then gave him a stack of cash. The owner beamed when he looked at the cash in his hand. This was more then enough for the repairs. Ace smiled bitterly when he turned around. His cash reserves were running low after that episode. Leo chuckled when he saw Ace. He was amused to see a pirate act in such a way. Wasn''t pirates greedy, unreasonable andcruel. Then what kind of pirate was this guy Ace? I guess birds of the same feather flocks together. He had a good impression of Whitebeard, he was arrogant and proud and would never stoop low and hurt other people. Seeing Ace he knew they were the same kind of people. Smoker didn''t pursue Ace. He turned to Leo and said, "What was that?" Leo raised an eyebrow, "What?" "Why would you speak politely to a pirate?" Chapter 147 - 147. Strawhat Pirates Hearing Smoker Leo smiled and said, "I speak politely to good people." Smoker had a strained expression on his face, "He is a pirate!" Leo shook his head, "I won''t judge a person because of a title. He has a good heart and that''s all that matters to me. I won''t arrest him just because he is a pirate." Smoker didn''t know what to say. He stared at Leo for a while and said, "You will find yourself making hard choices in the future if you think that way." Hm? "We are marines, our purpose is to keep the peace and protect. Our job is to go after pirates and criminals. If you let go of one pirate because he is a good person what kind of message are you sending to the world." "He is a pirate! We are marines! We keep peace! Their kind destroys it!" Leo didn''t reply to him and stayed silent. Smoker didn''t continue and left. Shinobu nudged him and asked, "Did he hit a nerve?" Leo nodded, "Slightly." Shinobu thought out loud, "Hm... he isn''t wrong but he isn''t right either. How can we arrest a person just because he is a pirate?" Leo sighed and said, "The term pirate has sunk into everyone''s mind as cruel and vicious. That won''t change, to keep the world in order their kind must be put behind bars." "People like Ace and Whitebeard became pirates to seek out adventure. They are of a different breed." "However the vast majority of pirates are as Smoker said, they destroy order and bring chaos. That''s why marines and the Navy exist. Their very existence deter these unruly people." "So what I did just now can be considered wrong when looked from the angle of law and order. But from my perspective I did the right thing." Shinobu smiled and said, "It''s enough as long as you do the right thing." Leo laughed and gave her a kiss. They continued to stroll around. Alabasta as a desert country didn''t have much to offer when it came to exotic fruits and food. "Hm, if I remember correctly Crocodile should own a casino, shall we go there?" Leo suddenly said. Shinobu had no problem with that, "Sure, let''s go there tomorrow. I am tired after walking around all day." The next day. They left early to Rainbase where Crocodile''s casino was located. Rainbase was bustling with activity. Unlike the port town they were in this place had a lot of energy. They found the casino and walked in. The inside looked similar to the one Leo knew of so he wasn''t that surprised. And she won almost every game! Is she that lucky? Leo had his doubts. He was half wondering whether she cheated using her spiritual energy or not. After playing around for a while day Shinobu walked out of the casino with a bag full of cash. Several malicious eyes were locked onto them as they left the casino. Leo shook his head and smiled. She was way too lucky. The ones lurking in the dark were silently dealt by Leo. He only gave them a small lesson and left after giving a thorough beating. As they were nearing their lodging a group of people were running in their direction. Hm? Leo was surprised to see who they were. At the front was Luffy and Usopp, and behind them was Smoker. They rushed past him. Smoker also saw Leo but he didn''t stop and chased after Luffy and Usopp. Leo shook his head and returned his room. Shinobu placed the bag full of money down and asked, "Aren''t you curious as to why they are here?" Leo smiled and nodded, "I am, but not enough to follow them all the way back to the casino." "Oh? They went to the casino?" Shinobu was surprised to hear that. Leo''s spiritual sense could cover a distance of ten miles so he clearly saw where they were headed. When they were about to grab some food Leo''s spiritual sense was triggered. He looked in the direction of the casino and saw a portion of it collapse. Don''t tell me those guys did that. Leo rushed towards the casino. Shinobu followed him.. Just as they got there the pool surrounding the casino started to rumble and several figures jumped out. After they got out of the water another one emerged. Leo was fairly curious about this crew. The one who popped out after Luffy and the others was Zoro, and he was carrying someone. It was Smoker. Leo went forward and helped them out of the water. Smoker coughed for a while and spat out some water. He saw Leo and gave a nod before turning to Zoro and asking. "Why did you help me?" Zoro pointed to Luffy and said, "I didn''t want to, but my captain ordered me to." Smoker stared at Luffy and his crew for a while and said, "Just leave." Leo smiled. This was Smoker, this guy didn''t want to owe anyone so he who never allowed a pirate to escape his grasp gave this crew a chance to run. Luffy grinned at Smoker and ran away with his crew. "What happened?" Smoker pulled a cigar, lighted it and took a puff. "Crocodile, that guy... he is trying to start a war." Leo frowned. Smoker continued, "You may not have realised but this country is on the verge of war. The rebel army is against King Nefartiri Cobra and his rule." "And Crocodile is behind everything. His intelligence agency, Baroque Works created skirmish all over the country and turned the people against the king." Leo raised an eyebrow and asked, "What for? Why did he go through so much trouble to incite the people? And how does their crew fit in all of this?" Smoker replied, "I don''t know. As for Strawhat, he is here because of a girl with them, Vivi. She is the princess of this country." I see... Chapter 148 - 148. To Alubarna Leo''s frowned when he heard Smoker. He couldn''t help but ask. "Then why aren''t you deploying our forces?" Smoker shook his head and explained, "We have no authority to meddle in a nation''s affair." Leo stared at him and turned around, "Shinobu, I am very interested in the capital of Alabasta, wanna go?" Shinobu narrowed her eyes and smiled slyly, "I am also interested, let''s go." Smoker had his usual grim expression when he listened, however a gleam flashed through his eyes. ... Alubarna. The Rebel army was ready to make war. Alabasta King, Cobra used rain powder to produce artificial rain in the capital. However this came at the price of drought on other regions. The people had no idea they were being played by Crocodile. He orc.h.e.s.trated the rain powder incident, turning the people against their king. He pushed them towards war. However the Rebel army was not aware of this. On the edge of the palace walls stood Crocodile, he held Vivi by her neck and hung her down. She had tears in her eyes as she glared at him. "Your worthless ideals only created more unnecessary victims. Let me tell you something... you can''t save this country." "Goodbye, princess." Crocodile laughed. His hand turned to sand. Vivi''s started to fall down. Just as she accepted her fate she heard a scream. "Crocodile!!" "Luffy-san!" Luffy was riding on a giant eagle. It flew down and Luffy caught Vivi. She cried in his arms and said, "There isn''t much time before the square blows up. Everyone... already is down. My voice... can no longer reach them. At this rate, this country will... Her voice choked up. Luffy smiled with confidence and said, "Don''t worry, we heard you." They landed on the ground. Luffy put down Vivi and his eyes focused on Crocodile standing high up on the palace walls. He grinned, "I... won''t lose again!" As they were preparing for a grand battle Leo and Shinobu were making their way through the streets of Alubarna. The place was deserted. They couldn''t spot a single person. "They must have all marched towards the castle." "That''s for sure. Oh, what''s happening over there?" Shinobu pointed towards the distance. Leo followed her finger and saw Zoro from the Strawhat pirates battling against a bronze skinned man. The bronze coloured man was able to turn his body into blades. Battling would be an understatement. Zoro was getting thrashed. "Aren''t you going to help him?" Shinobu asked Leo. Shaking his head Leo answered, "At his age he hasn''t even achieved initial mastery in his sword. Unless he come across some fortune I doubt whether he will ever become a grandmaster." Just as they were speaking Zoro''s opponent punched Zoro. His arm had blades spinning on it, creating a drill. The punch landed on Zoro and made a long grievous injury on his c.h.e.s.t. He was flung away and crashes into a pillar. Zoro coughed out blood. His entire body was soaked in blood. Zoro grunted and spewed out even more blood. The pillar he crashed into was sliced to several pieces. The rest crumbled and fell down on him. Leo was about to lend him a hand when he stopped. His face showed a surprised expression. The bronze coloured man turned around to leave, however his steps paused. A ghastly expression took over his face. In the midst of the rubble stood a bloodied figure. He was breathing harshly but his eyes were sharp and focused. "How could you be still standing?" Zoro was a bloody mess. His clothes were dyed red, he looked like a beast on it''s last leg. "Did he just master his sword?" Shinobu asked Leo. Nodding his head Leo said, "I didn''t expect him to advance under such grievous condition. Looks like I looked down on him." "Hehe, even you can make mistakes." Shinobu teased him. Leo pinched her cute nose and said, "I am human, humans err. Oh, looks like the battles coming to an end." Zoro picked up his sword and took a drawing stance. His spirit was stretched to it''s max. One sword style, Lions song! Both of them attacked at the same time. A light flashed. Both of them stood with their back to each other. A second later the bronze coloured man fell down spewing blood. Zoro also lost his strength and fell down. Shinobu tiptoed to him and placed her palm on his c.h.e.s.t. Leo walked over and said, "How is he?" "Blood loss and fractures, however it''s already starting to heal." Hearing her Leo said, "This world is different from ours. People here have stronger bodies and even stronger recuperative ability. For some people, like him, they have a strong will and tenacious body. To them these kind of wounds ain''t grievous as long as they receive treatment on time." As a slayer Leo''s body is enhanced in every way possible. However he attained this enhancement through his Breathing Technique. The people from this world was different as they naturally had a stronger body. And to those who venture out to the sea they can be considered monsters among these normal people. "Done." Shinobu used her ''Breath'' to speed up his recuperation, and used some drugs to stop bleeding and inflammation. "Will he be alright if we leave him here?" She asked Leo. Leo waved his hand, "It''s fine. There are no more enemies with a ten mile radius. Let him be, his friends will find him. Our priority is to get to castle. I want to see what Crocodile is upto." Both of them used Geppo and took to the skies. They could see the castle in the distance. Leo''s eyes turned sharp, "For whatever reason that f.u.c.ker decided to plunge this country into war." "I made some new drugs. A logia is a good piece to experiment on." Shinobu said with a smile, however there was a hint of coldness in her words. Leo smirked when he heard her. Whoosh! They shot off towards the castle. Chapter 149 - 149. Leo Enters "Crocodile!!" Vivi screamed from the top of her lungs, her voice was filled with hatred. She was standing inside a tower, infront of her was a bomb. One set to destroy the entire square. As she was crying in despair a man wearing white robes with diamond dots landed on the tower. Vivi saw the man and started to explain but he didn''t listen. He spoke about the past and what he stood for. When he was finished he stared at Vivi and said, "I feel proud from the bottom of my heart that I was able to serve you, the Nefertari family." His body suddenly started to transform. He turned into a giant eagle and pulled out the bomb. His eyes showed no fear, only a firm will. He flew up high into the sky with the bomb. Vivi felt powerless as she looked up in despair. Pell had a peaceful smile on his when the last second on the bomb''s timer went off. I am Alabasta''s guardian deity... Falcon! Boom! The bomb exploded. A blinding flash of light spread out in all direction. "Pell!!" Vivi covered her face and silently sobbed. Zoro, Sanji, Nami, Usopp and Chopper stared dumbly at what happened. "No way... "He... They couldn''t accept what happened. "Damn! That was close." Just as everyone was wallowing in sorrow a voice snapped them out. All of them raised their head and saw a man and women floating high in the sky. The man was very handsome and while the woman was extremely beautiful. However what they focused on was what that man had on his shoulder. Dr.a.p.ed in white robes and with bruises all over his body... it was Pell! Leo and Shinobu descended with Pell. Once they landed Leo placed Pell on the ground. The Strawhat crew immediately rushed to Pell. Chopper checked his condition and said excitedly. "He is alive! He is alive!" Hahaha... They started to laugh boisterously. Leo also smiled when he saw their genuine laugh. "Shut it, you idiots!" He growled. A ripple spread out from in every direction. Colour of The Supreme King! The king''s army and the rebel army were stunned before they fell down like dominos. Leo coughed lightly and said, "Alright, that''s taken care of." Zoro, Sanji and the rest gulped when they saw thousands of people fall down unconscious. Who the hell is he? Inside a crumbling hall. An intense battle was on the way. Luffy had bruises all over his body, and blood soaked his body. Crocodile wasn''t doing any better either. He face was bruised and blood leaked from the corner of his mouth. In a corner was Nefartiri Cobra. He had wounds on his shoulder and bruises all over his body. Far away from them was a woman who was also stained with blood. Luffy huffed and stared at Crocodile, "You can''t... defeat me!" Crocodile''s face twisted into a smile, "Is that all you can say. That bluff suits you well, a loser who''s about to die at any moment." Luffy''s eyes had a sharp glint in them, he loudly proclaimed, "I am the man who''ll become the king of pirates!" Crocodile grinned, he spread out his arms and said, "Listen brat, the more a man knows about the sea, the less he would make such thoughtless remarks." He raised the hook on his left arm. It had several holes in it with a purple liquid coating it''s body. "I thought I told you that there are a tons of rookies like you in this sea. The more you learn the level of this sea... the more you''ll give up on having such dreams." Crocodile rushed at Luffy and pierced it towards Luffy''s head. Luffy bent his spine and raised his leg before stomping it onto the hook. He slammed it down on the hard stone ground and broke it''s blade. His eyes gleamed as he said, "I will... surpass you!" He stretched out his fist far and slammed it into Crocodile''s gut. Spewing out blood Crocodile was thrown into the air. Luffy followed closely and punched his face to the ground. He then picked him up and threw him to a wall. Crocodile smashed through the wall and fell on the cold hard stones. Feeling the coldness his mind raced back to when he first heard of him. He dismissed him as a rookie. But from that point they destroyed his plans one by one. And finally here they were. He felt humiliated, and rage boiled inside him. Veins bulged on his forehead as he stood up. "You''re just a brat who comes from who knows where! Who the hell do you think I am!?" The broken part of his hook turned into blade as he rushed at Luffy. Ducking his head Luffy dodged the attack and kicked him high into the air. "I don''t care who you are... I''ll surpass you!!" Crocodile was struck and he flew high up spewing blood. He had blood shot eyes as he glared at Luffy. "Be buried with this sacred temple!" He raised his arm. A sand tornado took form in his palms. Sable Pesado! He swung it down. A shockwave hit the crumbling hall. Luffy felt an overwhelming pressure crushing down on him. He gritted his teeth and held on. After it passed he drew in a deep breath. His body started to swell up like a balloon. He twisted his body like screw and suddenly blew down. The pressure threw him up. He clenched his fist and stretched it far. Tremendous amount of power was being built up in his body. Gum Gum no... Storm! He threw out his fist. Crocodile yelled and swung his arms. Desert La Spada! Sand blades rained down on Luffy. Wooooryaa! Roaring from the top of his lungs Luffy pushed forward. The sand blades was forcefully destroyed as his fist sunk into Crocodile''s face. Guah! Crocodile grunted. He lost control of his body as numerous fists fell on him. He crashed into the ceiling, numerous fists slammed into him and buried him to the walls. The buildings above started to tremble. Crash! Finally it gave way. The ceiling crumbled. Crocodile was thrown high into the sky. His eyes lost it''s focus. Chapter 150 - 150. To Marineford Crocodile was defeated. The war came to an e end. Though everything came to a good end it did came at a price, a lot of people had died. However Alabasta chose to look at their future rather than dwell in the past. Cobra held a banquet for Vivi''s friends. All of them were now seated inside a hall, infront of them was a long table filled with food. Leo and Shinobu sat on one end and watched as Luffy stuffed his mouth full with food. It amazed them how he was able to eat so much. Unlike Luffy the rest of the Strawhat looked at Leo and Shinobu from time to time. They had a wary expression on their face. Especially Sanji, he had a bruised face and swollen eyes. Leo chuckled as he looked at them, he sliced a peat of meat and chewed on it. A day ago he rushed to the palace to take care of Crocodile but found Luffy already on it so he decided to let him take care of it. Then he accidentally found out about the bomb, when he rushed there Pell had already taken it far into the sky. He got to him just in time and used his domain to shred the explosion around them. When he came down Luffy''s crew was curious about who he was so they straightforwardly asked and Leo answered them honestly. Sanji even tried to hit on Shinobu. Leo had a good talk with him and he understood it was wrong to hit on other people''s wife. Hence this awkward atmosphere. Leo continued to eat while the Strawhat crew sat on pins and needle. They were jumpy even when Leo slightly adjusted his chair. Cobra suddenly asked, "Vice addmiral Leo, what about Crocodile?" Leo put down his knife and said, "He will be thrown to Impel Down." Cobra expected such an answer. After the feast was done Leo stepped out of the palace, but before he left he turned to Zoro and said, "You have already stepped into the stage of mastery in sword, take some time and grasp it completely, only then would you be able to go further." Zoro was taken back for a second, before he could ask what he meant Leo and Shinobu used Geppo and left. "Phew, he is finally gone." "I thought he would arrest us." Luffy asked confused, "Why would he do that? He looked like a good guy." Sanji smacked his head, "Idiot! He is a vice admiral, a vice admiral! From Marine Headquarters! He is on a completely different league. If he was bent on capturing us we would already be in cuffs." Luffy rubbed his swollen head and asked excitedly, "Is he that strong?" This time Nami smacked him, she stretched his cheeks and said, "Don''t even think about it!" ... Leo and Shinobu got back to their ship. Mace was already waiting for them. "Set sail for headquarters." The ship left the docks. Leo saw another ship in the distance, a girl wearing glasses was escorting a cuffed Crocodile to the ship. Oh, Smoker left Tashigi behind. Leo thought to himself and went to his cabin. The ship sailed through the seas. Halfway through Leo who was resting inside his cabin opened his eyes. Soon a vague shadow could be seen in the distance. It got clearer as time went by. Mace joined Leo at some point and watched the shadow become clear. When it was near enough he saw clearly what it was. It was a small boat, enough for a single person. On it was a man wearing black coat with flower pattered sleeves. He wore a ceremonial hat and had a large black blade on his back. "That''s... Mace had a startled expression on his face. Leo mumbled, "One of the Shichibukai and the greatest swordsman in the world, Hawkeye Mihawk!" Mihawk also noticed the ship. His yellow eyes locked onto Leo. He sensed a powerful presence from him. The small boat was close enough when Leo drew out his sword. His battle intent was raring to have a go at Mihawk. He wanted to test the limit of his sword. Mace had a pained expression on his face, "Sir, this... can you... please don''t fight! The ship will be destroyed." Leo replied while staring at Mihawk, "Tell the crew to stand far, you too as well." Mace rubbed his forehead, he felt a headache coming. "I never expected to find a swordsman of your calibre here." Mihawk spoke. Leo replied, "Thank you for your compliment." Both of them suddenly released their sword intents. The domain formed from it clashed against each other. They stood against each other for a while. Neither of them made a move. When a wind blew by Mihawk disappeared. He flashed before Leo and swung his black blade down. Leo wasn''t startled and replied in kind. Haki cladded his sword as he met the black blade head on. Slice! A part of the deck was sliced down. Leo took a step back and redirected the after shock down to the sea. The sea rumbled as it was divided in two. Leo sweeped his leg at Mihawk making him retreat. He then jumped into the air and held his sword with both hands. His intent was focused and he slashed. A sword ray swept down at Mihawk. Standing on his small raft Mihawk was exceptionally calm. His sharp eyes gleamed as he raised his sword and jabbed. As their attack met a violent gale was formed, one filled with sword intent. The sea raged and the wind howled. Leo landed back on the ship, he stared at Mihawk and said, "This won''t work, we might battle for days without a winner. Let''s settle it with the next move." "Alright." Mihawk calmly nodded. Leo placed his foot forward and grabbed his sword with both hands. His sword was coated with haki as it turned into a shade of black and red. Mihawk also readied himself. He poised his sword high above his head. Chapter 151 - 151. Victory and Defeat The ship swayed violently amidst the raging sea. Mace and the crew held onto the rail for their dear lives. Shinobu stood steadily outside their living quarters with a calm look on her face. She wasn''t the least bit worried. Leo''s sword intent was converged and condensed on his sword. His red sword turned increasingly blacker with a shade of deep red on it''s edge. Mihawk''s black blade was raised up high, his intent was fully retracted and his haki was completely released. Now! Both of them moved. Claaanngggg! Their swords clashed against each other. The air trembled for a split second before a loud shockwave spread out in every direction. The sea was split in half, a long trench was formed. Crash! The sea collapsed into it. Water gushed inside the trench creating a strong suction force. "Brace for impact!!" Shinobu yelled at the crew. All of them immediately held onto ship. They didn''t want to be buried under water. The ship heaved up and down amidst the tumbling waves. When the waters calmed down all of them heaved a sigh and cheered, they were still alive! "Who won?" Someone asked. All of them turned their heads and saw Leo standing on the deck. Not a drop of water was on his body, however there was a small wound on his face. They swallowed their saliva and looked in Mihawk''s direction. That small shaft was still there, floating calmly. Mihawk stood on top of it like before. "You win." Leo said plainly and sheathed his sword. Mihawk placed his black blade on his back and said, "Your technique couldn''t contain your intent." "A loss is a loss." Leo shook his head and said before walking back to his cabin. Mihawk''s eyes had a deep look in them. He turned the raft and left. Walking back to his crew Leo said, "What are you standing around for? Get to work." The crew immediately rushed out. However everyone had an excited look on their face. Vice admiral Leo fought against Mihawk! Mihawk comment clearly implied vice admiral would have won if he had better techniques! Big news! This was big news! Walking inside his cabin Leo wiped the blood from his face, the wound had already stopped bleeding. At this moment Shinobu walked in and said with a smile, "So, did you figure it out? Leo sighed, "No. That technique is still flawed it held out for a split second before breaking down." Leo''s sword intent was too strong for his techniques. Whenever he used his full power, his intent would break free from his techniques and disperse. As he got stronger his techniques could no longer hold his intent got shorter. He knew his problem and already had developed a technique but it wasn''t complete. He needed to practice it more to rough out the edges. Once it''s complete his strength would rise by a tremendous margin. Shinobu expected this and said, "But you did improve it from this battle, right?" Leo nodded, "Yeah. A few more revisions and it will be complete." Shinobu smiled when she heard him. She tiptoed and kissed him. Leo grinned and wrapped his arms around her waist. Their lips were locked and passion overflowed. ... Marineford. Just as he was having some peace an officer rushed into the office and yelled. "Fleet Admiral, something big happened!" "What''s the matter?" The officer collected his breath and said excitedly, "Vice admiral Leo fought Hawkeye Mihawk!" Sengoku choked on the rice crackers, he sat up straight. His face turned serious, "How the hell did that happen?! Did they have some kind of conflict?" The officer shook his head, "No, sir. They fought as swordsmen. According to what was reported vice admiral Leo was no worse than Hawkeye. In fact Hawkeye commented about vice admiral Leo having weaker techniques!" Sengoku stared when he heard him, a second later he burst out laughing. The officer was stunned when he saw Fleet Admiral laugh so happily. After all he was always so serious. "Alright, I got it. You can go." The officer saluted and ran out. Sengoku grabbed a handful of rice crackers and ate happily. "It won''t be late before another Admiral comes out. Buhaha!" ... Leo returned to the island and took some time off. He needed to revise the technique he was working on. On this day it rained suddenly. Wasn''t surprising considering how unpredictable Grandline''s weather is. Leo was at the training field located behind his house. He stood silently without moving, the rain drenched him completely, he had his eyes closed as he sensed the flow of nature around him. His domain was released. Whistling sounds could be heard as the water drops moved at high speed. However if one looked closely they would see that these water drops were filled with sword rays. Po! Suddenly the rain drops popped and splashed on the muddy ground. Still some ways to go. After cleaning himself he came to the kitchen and saw Shinobu making food while humming. "What''s for dinner?" Shinobu replied, "Red lobster." "I can''t wait." He sat down and watched her work. He really enjoyed seeing her like this, it filled his heart with warmth. After a while Shinobu walked out and placed a large red lobster on the table. Hot air drifted from it''s body, it looked very delicious. With each other as company they ate heartily. "Your cooking is getting better by the day. If I continue to eat like this I might end up as a fatty." Shinobu smiled sweetly, "Fatty Leo is also good." Haha. The next day. Leo was inside his workshop when his den-den mushi rang. Kachak! He picked it up, and from it came Sengoku''s stern voice. "Immediately set out for Impel Down. Big Mom is headed there with her fleet!" Chapter 152 - 152. Crazy Big Mom Leo immediately set off towards Impel Down. His face was cloudy all the way, he never expected Big Mom to make such a move. A Yonko personally making an attack is not a joke. These were the people standing on top of the world, they were the strongest pirates! It was noon when he got to Impel Down. Several warsh.i.p.s were already docked and in formation, ready for battle. He saw several vice admirals as he got down. All of them had severe expressions on their faces. "Leo, you are finally here." A man wearing a checkered suit walked upto Leo and said. This was vice admiral Momonga. "How can I not be? This is all because of me." Leo said with a guilty tone. Momonga patted his shoulder and said, "Don''t be so hard on yourself. You did your job, if it was me or any other marine, they would have done the same." Leo was relieved to find that none of them blamed him. He spoke with the other vice admirals and waited for their commander. Not long after admiral Aokiji''s ship docked on the port. "Only one Admiral?" Leo asked Momonga. A Yonko is far stronger and needed atleast an admiral to battle them. Momonga said, "There are three Admirals. Two would be busy with work and one would stay back as backup in case of emergencies, like this one. Sparing one is all the headquarters can do." Leo nodded. Aokiji stood infront of them. His lazy attitude was completely gone as he stood straight looking into the distance. Soon a long line of shadows could be seen in the distance. "They are here." The leading ship was very large. Big Mom stood on it''s helm and stared right at the marines. Once the fleet was close Big Mom jumped down. However she didn''t fall down, instead a cloud picked her up. So those are homies. Her soul-soul fruit is incredible. Leo had read information about Big Mom''s abilities. She had top notch busoshoku haki, her kenbunshoku was average, however her physique was special. And her devil fruit ability was powerful. It''s said that she is always accompanied by natural phenomena. Big Mom scanned the crowd of marines and paused on Leo. Her eyes were filled with infinite murderous intent. "Hateful marine, you dare put my children in prison!?" Her voice thundered. In an instant a powerful ''will'' was released from her body. Some of the weaker marines fell down while vice admirals frowned. Against a Yonko''s haoshoku even they felt stifled. Only Leo and Aokiji were standing without any change in expression. Leo wasn''t the least bit intimidated by her presence and said, "You daughter nearly destroyed a small town in her battle, your son wanted to kill me. What''s wrong with putting them behind bars?" Big Mom suddenly laughed. However her laughter was filled with coldness, "Mamama, Perespero, give my little present to him." A thin man wielding a cane cane walked out from behind her and threw down a big bag. The bag hit the floor and opened up. From it several objects rolled out. Leo''s eyes widened when he saw what it was. Heads! The bag was filled with bloody heads! "Mamama, I love presents, how about you? These are all those people from that town, Mamamama!" Big Mom was laughing without restraint. She was very happy when she saw the shocked look in Leo''s eyes. Leo stared nimbly at the heads that rolled out. All of the faces showed despair, hatred and unwillingness. She killed them all? For what, to simply smite me? His emotions were unstable. Leo broke out of his trance and said in a low voice, "It''s all because of me." Shinobu shook her head, "You did nothing wrong." Big Mom had a cruel smile on her face, "Marine, you dared to capture my children. I will have to know the consequences of your actions. I will make you understand the terror of offending a Yonko!!" When he heard her words something clicked inside his mind. His churning emotions suddenly calmed down. "Consequences... terror... I see... it''s because you fear nothing, that''s what gave courage to commit mass murder." Leo''s words were soft but Shinobu who knew him better than anyone else felt a tinge of ruthless in it, something that was never there before. "Warden Megallan, bring Cracker and Smoothie here." A tall man wearing a jailers uniform frowned when he heard Leo. He was the chief warden of Impel Down, Megallan. Megallan looked over at Aokiji. "Do it." He said to Megallan. Megallan left the crowd and after a while he brought over Cracker and Smoothie. Their hands and feet were cuffed with kairoseki. Megallan brought them to Leo and handed them to him. Leo looked over to Big Mom and said, "You came here for them, right?" Big Mom grinned when she saw Cracker and Smoothie, "Marine, It''s too late to make amends." Leo suddenly smiled when he heard her. Katakuri who was standing beside Big Mom suddenly shuddered, his eyes widened in shock. He yelled. "Stop!!" Before anyone could react a red light flashed. Two heads flew up high into the air and fell on the deck of Big Mom''s ship. "There, you now have your children back." Leo said softly. Everyone was stunned. The marines never expected such a drastic change. Aokiji was also shocked. His eyes turned solemn when he looked at Leo. His hunch was right. Before when he met Leo he felt that he was too forgiving. He lacked a certain viciousness. He seldom killed, only when he met a truly vicious character would he resort to murder. When out in the sea if you aren''t vicious enough, certain things will come back to bite you. Like now. Big Mom killed people from that small town because she feared no one. If Leo was a vicious character who stopped at nothing and feared nothing, she would hesitate to anger him. And right now Big Mom triggered a tremendous change in him. Her actions gave birth to a certain ruthlessness in him. Chapter 153 - 153. Katakuri Vs Leo The atmosphere was eerily silent. The marines stared at the astonishing scene before them. Big Mom stood stunned as she looked at her children''s decapitated head. After a moment of silence her complexion changed to one of extreme fury. Her eyes turned red from rage, her haoshoku haki rumbled and swept in every direction. Even her own crew felt stifled. The marines were sweating, they were finding it hard to keep themselves awake. The vice admirals, Aokiji and Leo stood at the forefront. They stood as steady as a mountain. Big Mom glared at Leo, her mind was bordering on insanity when she saw her children''s head getting chopped up right infront of her. Humiliation! She never felt so humiliated before. She is a Yonko! One of the four who rules the New World! A marine dared to humiliate her! The man standing beside Big Mom had veins sticking out of his forehead. Katakuri couldn''t believe what just happened, he was raging inside. "Kill them all!" Big Mom spat out those words and rushed forward. The cloud beneath her feet started to turn black. Lightning flickered on it''s body. "Prometheus! Nepolean!" Another cloud rushed towards Big Mom and merged with her hair. A second later her hair turned into flames! She suddenly pulled at the bicorn on her head. It turned into a sword with a mouth on it''s blade. Aokiji had a strained expression on her face, "She is coming at full force." He jumped up and swung both his arms at Big Mom. Ice age! Two streams of cold air blasted towards Big Mom. In response to him two streaks of flames extended from her hair and collided with the cold stream. Fire and Ice collision made a small explosion, sending out a shockwave. Leo wanted to step in to help but he was blocked by Katakuri. "Die!" He pulled out a spear from his body and pierced it straight at Leo''s heart. Leo raised his sword to block. However the strength behind that strike was so strong that his feet sunk into the cold hard floor. A gleam flashed across Leo''s eyes. He took back his sword and swung it down. His sword intent was condensed into several thin rays and fell upon Katakuri. "Strength Mochi!" Katakuri clenched his fist. His fist started to swell up like a balloon, it turned black with a hint of purple as he struck back. Bang! The sword rays struck his fist and caused a small blast wave. Katakuri took a few steps back and stared at Leo "Sweet Commander, Charlotte Katakuri." "I heard your kenbunshoku haki had reached a point where you can see into the future." Katakuri scoffed and rushed forward, "Whether I can see into the future or not doesn''t matter, you will die today." His hands turned squishy and started to rotate, the spear in his hand also started to rotate at high speed. He jabbed it at Leo. "Tsuki Mochi!" In response to him Leo slashed his sword. Both of them shifted their body to dodge. However their attacks didn''t cease. The spear in Katakuri''s hand took a sharp turn and went for Leo''s back. Leo seems to have had eyes on his back as he shifted his body. The spear brushed past his c.h.e.s.t. He suddenly sliced his sword up. His sword coated with Haki went through the spear shaft and sliced it in half. Katakuri wasn''t the least bit bothered by it and loosened the grip on his spear. He then clenched his fist. The air rippled and fists made of mochi appeared in mid air, he compressed them till it got a square shape. "Kaku Mochi!" The mochi fists blasted in Leo''s direction. Innumerable fist shadows rained down on him. Leo didn''t back away and replied in kind. In an instant both of them traded hundreds of blows. Their battle shook the ground and made others back away. Sword rays slashed down at Katakuri''s fists and made him retreat. Leo had no mind to give him time to gather his strength. He swung his sword and a sword ray swept in Katakuri''s direction. Katakuri took a punching stance, his arm inflated with incredible force until the pressure caused it to explode, propelling his Haki embedded fist at Leo. The speed of his fist was so high that it caught fire due to friction. "Grilled Mochi!" The sword ray was destroyed. Leo retreated and dodged, however Katakuri predicted where he would land. His fist took a steep turn. A huge fist was inches away from Leo. He raised his sword and blocked it. Bang! The power behind that strike threw away Leo. Katakuri didn''t stop, his entire body turned into mochi and rapidly spuns towards Leo in a donut-like shape. "Sliced Mochi!" Leo twisted his body in mid air and steadied himself before slammed his sword down. When Katakuri was close enough he returned to his normal form, by using the momentum from the spin he slammed his enlarged mochi arm covered in spikes and hardened with busoshoku haki at Leo. Leo''s sword struck at his mochi arm and sliced it down. Halfway down his sword lost it''s power and got stuck in the mochi arm. Leo was pulled along with it. The tremendous spinning force and the fall from a very considerable height crushed him into the cold hard stone ground and created a large crater. A trail of blood trickled down Leo''s mouth. Katakuri took a rapid turn and shot towards Leo again. Getting up from the crater Leo grabbed his sword with both hands. Katakuri wasn''t surprised, "I already predicted that." Leo''s expression didn''t changed as he asked back, "Really?" Suddenly his intent started to change. Sword rays converged and condensed into his blade making it tremble. Katakuri was startled then a grave expression took over his face. Armed! Both his arms turned glossy black and he crossed them across his c.h.e.s.t. Leo''s sword intent was extremely focused. The edge of his blackish red blade started to hum. A ripple spread across the air from his blade. Chapter 154 - 154. Fighting A Yonko! Leo''s sword hummed. The blackish red blade sent out a ripple across the air. A ruthless glint flashed in his cold blue eyes as he slashed down. "Merciful Rain!" His sword swung down incredibly fast. A blue line followed his sword and appeared in mid air. Katakuri''s eyes widened when Leo slashed his sword. An incredulous look appeared in his face. Slash! Before he could react a blue sword ray flashed through the air and fell on him. It collided with his arms clad in busoshoku haki and created sparks. How can this be!? Katakuri roared at the top of his lungs and pushed forward. His arms swelled up as he used every ounce of strength he had. His busoshoku haki turned took an even darker tone as power surges through his arms. However the blue sword ray pushed forward with tremendous momentum. Puff!! Katakuri couldn''t hold back anymore. The sword ray forcefully broke through his defence and slashed across his c.h.e.s.t. The incredible power behind that slash send him flying. He crashed into the walls of Impel Down. The walls of Impel Down made from the strongest of materials and lined with kairoseki stones shook, it cracked and caved in, forming a pit. Katakuri spewed out blood and slid down from the wall. He crashed onto the ground and didn''t get up. Big Mom pirates were shocked when they saw Katakuri fall. "How is this possible?" "Katakuri-sama was defeated... Disbelief and shock were written across their faces. Their morale dimmed. "Oooh! Men, kill these pirates!" However the marines seems to have been injected with chicken blood as they cheered and rushed forward. The officers of Big Mom pirates who were just below Sweet Commanders had an ugly expression on their faces. "How could he defeat big bro Katakuri?" "Let''s go kill that bastard." "Yeah, I am sure he must be drained after fighting big bro." Several officers rushed at Leo however a figure swiftly blocked their way. "I would prefer if you don''t interfere." Shinobu had a smile on her face as she stopped their advance. A hardened expression came over everyone''s face, "Vice admiral Shinobu!" "Get the f.u.c.k out of our way!" One of the officers rushed at Shinobu. Perespero was startled and yelled, "Don''t!" The officer fell down the next moment. His body turned purple and he lost consciousness. "Get back! She is proficient in poison!" Shinobu''s ability was already known to them after she killed Amande and a whole crowd of pirates. They were scared to have her as an opponent as they wouldn''t even know when they would be poisoned. With Shinobu holding back the officers Leo didn''t have to worry about the marines being on the back foot. He turned his focus onto Big Mom and Aokiji. Big Mom deserved the title of a Yonko. She had the upper hand while fighting Aokiji. He kicked the ground and rushed at Big Mom. He was joining their fight! Aokiji noticed Leo. He let out a breath of cold air as he stabbed with his hand at Big Mom. "Ice Spike!" Big Mom simply slashed at Aokiji''s attack. Her tremendous power and Haki broke the ice spike and pushed back Aokiji. Right at this moment Leo rushed at her. A wisp of sword ray cut across the air and flew towards Big Mom. "Lightning!" The homie Zeus beneath her feet grew bigger and spat out a piece of lightning. Crackle! Leo''s attack was destroyed by the lightning. Big Mom turned her head and glared at Leo. Her eyes were extremely menacing. She suddenly drew back her sword. Aokiji''s expression faltered when he saw it, as did Leo''s. Both of them sensed a tremendous amount of power building up on her sword. When her power peaked she swung her sword. Aokiji elementised himself and retreated. Leo wasn''t fast enough and couldn''t only use his body to block it. A powerful blast of air fell on his body. He was flung away and crashed into the main tower of Impel Down. Boom! Crack! The blow was so strong that the incredibly sturdy walls of Impel Down cracked. Leo spewed out blood. He could feel his bones tremble and his organs rattle from that strike. His white shirt was dyed with his own blood. However Leo''s eyes were extremely focused even under such conditions. He glared coldly at Big Mom and rushed at her. Aokiji minimised the damage he took and joined Leo. "Prometheus!" Big Mom yelled. Her flame hairs started to burn wildly and whipped a long strand at Leo and Aokiji. "Merciful Rain!!" Leo''s busoshoku haki was focused and his intent was condensed as he sliced down his sword. "Ice Age!" Aokiji punched with his fist and blasted a stream of cold air at Big Mom. Boom! Boom! A line of blue sword energy and a stream of cold air struck at Big Mom''s flaming hair and created a shockwave. Aokiji and Leo were thrown away while Big Mom took over dozens of step back. She was shocked inside, then a wave of rage hit her. How dare a puny marine push me back! She raised her sword again and swung it down. Ikaku Sovereignty! Having been hit once Leo didn''t want to experience it again. Soru! He moved incredibly fast and dodged the attack. It missed him by a hair breath. Aokiji was an admiral and a logia fruit user, he was able to dodge it with ease. Both of had solemn expression on their faces. Big Mom was far stronger than they could handle. Leo was injured and Aokiji alone wouldn''t be able to make her retreat. If Leo also fell then it would be impossible to contain this monster. As Aokiji was thinking for a solution when he Leo spoke "Get me an opening." Aokiji was taken back and asked solemnly, "How confident are you?" Leo had his eyes on Big Mom, his eyes were sharp as he said confidently, "100 percent!" Chapter 155 - 155. Big Mom Injured! Aokiji stared at Leo for a few seconds and nodded. He shot towards Big Mom with incredible momentum. As he got close he clenched his fist and created a jagged sword of hard ice. He sliced it down on Big Mom''s head. "Scram!" Big Mom growled. She grabbed Zeus beneath her and pulled. A ball of thunder was extracted from it, she threw it at Aokiji. Crackle! The ball of thunder flew with incredible speed and exploded upon reaching Aokiji. A rain of thunder fell on Aokiji making holes in his body. However the holes filled itself with ice and healed in an instant. Soru! Aokiji flashed before Big Mom and slammed his palms together. "Ice Block: Partisan!" He created several spears of ice by solidifying the cold air around him and launched them at Big Mom. The spears were noticeably refined in shape, and numerous. Big Mom growled and pulled back her sword before slamming it in Aokiji''s direction. "Ikaku Sovereignty!" Aokiji''s elementised his body, he took the strike head on and was broken down to ice pieces. "Ice Block: Avalanche!" Mid air the ice pieces merged back and Aokiji let out an icy breath. He froze the water moisture from above into a giant block of ice, and dropped it down. "You think an ice cube can block me!?" Big Mom howled. The flaming hair on her back rushed forward and slammed into the ice block. Boom! The ice block was destroyed and vapour enveloped the area. "Ice Block: Pheasant Beak!" Aokiji rushed out of the vapour mist and released a massive wave of ice in the shape of a pheasant. She was thrown off Zeus and fell down. "Mama!" Zeus rushed down and caught her. "Ice Ball!" Before she could steady herself. Ice converged in her direction and encased her in a ball of ice. Soru! Armed! Aokiji flashed beside her and stabbed his arms into the ice ball. "Ice Time!" However her physique was too strong to make any impact. Ripples spread like waves through her skin and dispersed force from the blow. Big Mom grinded her teeth, her flaming hair danced wildly and wrapped around Aokiji''s arms. Just as she was about to burn him an icy wave blasted out. Her flaming hair was turned to ice. Ice climbed onto Big Mom''s body and turned her into a ice statue. "Ice boy!" Big Mom growled. Suddenly a terrible momentum rumbled from Big Mom''s. Her haoshoku was at full force. Aokiji grunted as he bore the impact. A trail of blood leaked out from the corner of his mouth. Before he could react Big Mom broke free from the ice and punched at him. "Ice Block: Partisan!" Ice spears were created from the water content in the air. Dense, numerous hard ice spears rained down on Big Mom. Bang! Bang! Big Mom clad her body in Haki and took the ice spears head on. "Aokiji, it barely to tickles." Big Mom grinned at Aokiji. Hearing her Aokiji wasn''t the least bit bothered, on the contrary he grinned, "Arara, you forgot someone." Hm? Suddenly Big Mom''s face changed. Her arms were immediately clad in busoshoku haki and crossed it across her c.h.e.s.t. A figure flashed infront of her. His blue eyes were incredibly cold and contained madness. Leo''s vast spiritual energy rumbled and converged on his sword. Jis sword turned increasingly blacker and looked like a dark abyss. Their was a shade of red, like waves, running through the edge of his blade. Every ounce of his ''Breath'' churned and reinforced his bones and muscles. A tremendous amount of power was converging on the sword, causing it to hum. Countless sword rays flashed around him and finally fell on his sword. Big Mom felt tremendous pressure from Leo''s sword. She had only felt this way when facing Whitebeard''s bisento. However he was the strongest man in the world, who was this marine? A nobody! A wave of rage boiled inside her. Her haoshoku haki was fully released and her busoshoku haki stretched to it''s limits as she cladded her entire body with it. A sheen of black flashed on her body, she now looked like a black statue. Leo wasn''t the least bit bothered her rising momentum and swung his sword. "Merciful Rain!!" His sword cleaved through the air with incredible speed. Even Aokiji failed to capture his movements. All he saw was Leo swinging his sword and bring flash of sword ray. Boom! Slice! A faint line of blue sword ray crashed into Big Mom. Her busoshoku haki held out for second before the blue line of sword ray cut through it. Puff!! Big Mom coughed out blood and was blasted through the air. A long gash appeared on her steel body, blood spilled down as she flew back and crashed into one of her ship. Aokiji was stunned. Big Mom known for her incredibly sturdy body was injured! He turned to look at Leo and saw the other party turn pale. He lost the grip on his sword and fell from air. He was about to make a move when a slim figure rushed up to the sky to catch Leo. Shinobu said to Aokiji, "He used up all of his strength." Aokiji nodded and focused on Big Mom. His face turned solemn when he saw her stand up. Blood dyed her body and she looked horrible but her presence was still as strong as before. Her bloodshot eyes focused intently on Leo. Madness was starting to seep into her mind. She, a Yonko was injured by a nobody! "Brat, Die!!" She rushed at Leo like a lunatic. Aokiji intercepted her. "Scram!!" Big Mom waved her sword. A loud sound of thunder crackling was heard. Aokiji was assaulted by a streak of lightning and pushed away. Damn! He was only stopped for a second but it was enough for Big Mom to reach Leo. Her eyes filled with madness locked onto Leo as he grabbed at him. Leo was still consciousness and felt as if something was being pulled away from him. His felt immense pain assault his brain. She is pulling away my spirit! He realised what was happening and snorted. This might work on others but not him. Halfway through pulling out his spirit Big Mom lost control and failed. She was stunned and her rage only boiled even more. "Die!" She spat out hatefully and swung down her sword. "Ikaku Sovereignty!!" A loud blast of air crashed towards Leo. Shinobu had a solemn expression on her face, she pushed Leo behind her and got ready. Just as they were about to be hit someone flashed infront of them and punched out. "Iron Fist!!" Chapter 156 - 156. Garp, The Fist! "Iron Fist!" Accompanied by a thunderous voice a fist clad in busoshoku haki punched out towards Big Mom''s attack. Boom! The fist and the powerful blast of air clashed against each other. Both the attacks were equal and contented to triumph over the other. The sea beneath them rolled over from the aftershock. Finally the fist clad in haki pierced through. It dispersed the powerful blast of air. Leo still had a bit of consciousness and he saw who saved them. It was an old man with white hair and white beard. He had broad shoulders and wore a white suit. The cloak of a Vice Admiral hung on his shoulder. Aokiji flashed beside the old man, "Arara, Garp-san, you are late." The old man named Garp laughed, "Buhaha, dozed off for a bit." Aokiji wasn''t surprised to hear him and turned his focus on Big Mom. Garp yelled at her, "You old hag, where do you think your are!? This isn''t Totto land, get the f.u.c.k out or be prepared to be thrown into Impel Down!" The marines below were stunned. Vice admiral Garp dared to call a Yonko a hag, they were sweating bullets. Big Mom growled, "Garp! That kid must die!" Her eyes were filled with madness and hate. Garp was finally angry, "Damned woman, you want to kill a marine right before me!? Get the hell out or we are gonna have a brawl right here!" "Ikaku Sovereignty!" Garp clenched his fist, busoshoku haki climbed onto it. "Bwahaha, it''s been a while since this old body of mine got some exercise. Let''s have a good fight!" He shot forward like an artillery. Sonic booms echoed as he kicked through the air. "Iron Fist!" His fist clad in busoshoku haki struck forward. He didn''t use any sophisticated or complex techniques. He simply used a fist. This simple fist pierced through Big Mom''s attack like it was paper. "Old hag, with that kind of injury you still have the guts to act so overbearing?" "Iron Fist!" It was a simple fist again. However a grave expression took over Big Mom''s face. Garp became famous before the Great age of pirates. Him along with Roger fought against the strongest pirate crew at that time and defeated them. Among that pirate crew were Whitebeard, Kaido and Her. He fought against all of them at that time and defeated them with the help of Roger. He is a marine hero. He is Garp, The Fist! Big Mom used busoshoku haki and met Garp''s fist. Crack! Garp took a step back but Big Mom took three. "Do you really want to continue, you old hag. That brat''s sword energy must be wrecking havoc inside you. Are you sure you can take me and that rookie Kuzan at the same time?" Hearing him the madness in Big Mom''s eyes toned down. She glared at Garp for a second and flew back to her ship. "Retreat!" Her voice echoed through the area and all Big Mom pirates immediately retreated. Before leaving Big Mom shot a glare at Leo and said, "You won''t be so lucky next time." Leo scoffed. Soon Big Mom pirates retreated and Garp let out a sight of relief. "Your bluffing is getting better, Garp-san." Garp glared at him, "Shut it, rookie. No matter what, she is a Yonko. If she is determined to continue the kind of destruction she can create is unimaginable." Aokiji didn''t respond and looked over at Leo. Garp also turned his head. "This brat is good. He actually managed to injure that monster." Aokiji nodded, "Though he lost his battle capacity after that, it''s still shocking." Garp agreed. To injure Big Mom is a tall order and this kid had done it. "Looks like Sengoku lucked out." He mumbled to himself. Aokiji pretended like he didn''t hear anything and ordered the marine to take care of the injured and check the casualties. And like that the battle came to an end. Leo was seriously injured and had used up every last drop of his strength, he lost consciousness the moment he saw Big Mom retreat. Marineford. A battle report was placed before Sengoku. He was serious as he looked over the numbers. "Luckily we didn''t lose any of the vice admirals. And that kid actually managed to injure Big Mom!" Right at this moment Garp walked in like it was his backyard. He pulled a chair and sat down before taking out a pack of rice crackers and chomping on it. Sengoku asked, "How was the new kid?" Garp had his mouth filled with crackers as he said, "He is quite terrifying. His sword realm has obviously reached it''s pinnacle and he has basic haki mastery but his techniques are subpar." Sengoku nodded, "So you think the same way." Garp suddenly said, "Sengoku, let me give you a warning. Make sure that kid doesn''t meet any world nobles." Hm? "Why?" Sengoku asked puzzled. Garp got serious, "He is quite easy going and loves to travel but his sense of justice is very strong and pure. If he sees the how world nobles treat others, he might kill them." Sengoku waved his hand, "Don''t worry. He is clever, he wouldn''t do something so reckless." Garp shook his head, "That was true before but not now." Sengoku waited for him to continue. "Big Mom killed an entire town because he arrested her daughter there. She wanted him to know the consequences of his actions.This had tremendous effect on that kid, and it changed him." "I read his record, of all the pirates he arrested he only killed a very few. It can be seen that he will only kill when there is absolutely no other option. He is a sane and thoughtful person." "And Big Mom put a big dent on that character of his. You did read the report right? When he saw those decapitated heads he didn''t go crazy, rather he became calm and ordered the men to bring up Big Mom''s children. He then swiped their heads off right infront of Big Mom." "His purpose for that was simple. He wanted her know the consequences of her actions. His eyes contained ruthlessness, madness and murderous intent. However he didn''t lose his sanity, he controlled all that emotions and battled like it was normal." "He is someone who follows the rules, and he will enforce those rules. He know that certain things can''t be helped, and that there is a dark side to this world." "Now it''s different. He might still follow the rules, but he won''t look the other way anymore." "A certain ruthlessness and lawlessness grew inside him in this battle. He will enforce justice, be it a pirate, a civilian, a marine, or... even a celestial dragon. He won''t hesitate anymore, he will kill anyone who cross his bottom line, irrelevant of their status." "You should understood how dangerous such a person is." Chapter 157 - 157. Changed After a day of sleep Leo woke up groggily. He found it a bit hard to breathe and his body ached all over, but it was bearable. "You are awake." He heard Shinobu''s voice and turned his head to see her walk in with a bowl of clear amber coloured medicine. "I fell like a wreck." Shinobu sat down near the bed and gave him the medicine. "If it was anyone else they would be in bed for weeks, or even dead. So don''t complain." Leo chuckled lightly and drank the bowl of amber coloured water. It felt a bit bitter. He could feel it flow down his throat. When it reached his stomach a wave of warmth spread out and soaked his entire body. He felt really comfortable. "Your ''Breath'' is getting stronger." Shinobu raised her head proudly. Leo laughed and pinched her nose. By soaking the drugs with her ''Breath'' Shinobu is able to increase it''s potency by several fold. Leo leaned on the bed and said, "I was naive, Shinobu." She heard him and didn''t speak. "That many people died because of me." Shinobu shook her head, "It''s not your fault. That woman was crazy." "Maybe." Leo closed his eyes for a second before opening them, "Pirates... they fear nothing. That''s why they kill and loot. It''s time to put fear into them." Hearing his words Shinobu smiled. Leo looked at her and asked with a smile, "Do you think I have changed?" Shinobu shook her head, "No, you didn''t. It''s where we stand that''s changed. In our world, there are no devil fruits, no haki, no giants, no mermaids. Our world did have some peculiar species and people with abilities, but it was normal and not as exaggerated as this one." "Here there are those who could destroy a mountain with a single punch. There are sea kings that can swallow even the largest ship from our world in a single bite." "Rules made by normal people are only able to keep other normal people in check." "It''s different here. In this world everything depends upon who has the bigger fist. Your mind is still hardwired to our world, following the rules set by normal people. Against those monsters in this world, those rules mean nothing." "If you want them to follow the rules, you must have enough strength to deter them." Leo was stunned when he heard her, then he suddenly laughed. "Haha, I never imagined you to understand this so easily." "Hey, I am a doctor, I can save a life or take it, I have seen more of life than you, it''s in my profession. So it''s easier for me to understand this." Leo shook his head and smiled. At this moment he felt relaxed, the weight on his mind was gone. "So what are you gonna do next." She suddenly asked. Leo said, "Train. If my technique was complete I could have chopped that old hag into two pieces." "But that technique uses up all of your strength." "That''s because it''s not complete. Most of my strength leaks out when I use it, if it''s complete I can use it three to four times. When I get stronger the number of times I can use it will also increase." Shinobu nodded, she got up and said, "Rest for now. You should be able to completely recover in a couple of days." Leo nodded. With a clear plan in mind he closed his eyes and laid down comfortably. While Leo was unconscious the world was in shock. Big Mom attacked Impel Down! Two Sweet Commanders were killed! Marine Hero, Garp, The Fist made a move! Big Mom was injured and Big Mom pirates retreated! Every piece of news stunned the world. Especially the part were Big Mom was injured. Sengoku didn''t miss out on a single detail and let the whole world know of the battle. To raise the prestige of marines he especially emphasized Leo who injured Big Mom. A vice admiral injured Big Mom, a Yonko! Pirates all over world trembled when they heard the news. The navy was already a domineering presence that bore down on them. Only the Yonko dared to fight them. A now an additional person appeared among them who can injure a Yonko. He was young and hadn''t reached his peak yet. Thinking upto this many people were shocked and scared. Marineford. Sengoku was in a good mood. So much so that he didn''t even mind Garp making a mess out of his office while eating rice crackers. "Momousagi, Tokikake and now that brat Leo. You have three Admiral candidates, aren''t you lucky." Garp chided while eating. Sengoku ignored him and drank his tea. Garp suddenly stood up. Sengoku raised an eyebrow and asked, "Where are you going?" "To see that brat." Sengoku didn''t mind and continued to drink his tea. But as Garp was about to exit he said. "Your grandson is causing problems." Garp paused for a second and laughed, "Bwahaha, he is just like me when I was younger!" Though he was laughing it was full of powerlessness. ... Leo was out on the practice field. His blackish red sword was humming as innumerable amount of sword rays converged on it''s edge. A powerful, much stronger sword ray was being condensed. With each passing second the sword ray got clearer and more refined. But it hit a limit after some time. Leo focused and used even more spiritual energy. The sword turned darker and the wave of red on it''s edge gleamed. The condensed sword ray fluctuated for a second and dispersed. Still some ways to go. Leo thought to himself. He made progress and was nearing completion of this technique. It just required some time. Putting his sword back into it''s scabbard Leo was about to walk back to his house. Hm? His spiritual sense picked up an incredible presence coming in his direction. Garp? He already saw who it was and was surprised. "Vice admiral Garp, what brings- holy shit!" Just as he was about to ask why he was here Garp rushed out from the jungle and punched. Leo''s heart nearly leapt out of his c.h.e.s.t. "Iron Fist!" A simple fist clad in busoshoku haki clashed in his direction. Leo hastily drew out his sword. Though it was a simple fist without any overly complex techniques Leo felt suffocating pressure bearing down on him. "Merciful Rain!" Innumerable sword rays condensed on his sword and formed a much larger one as he swung his sword down. Chapter 158 - 158. Shameless Boom! Garp''s iron fist clashed against Leo''s sword attack. Fist and sword energy collided against each other and created a blast wave. Garp''s fist contended against Leo''s sword strike and came to a stand still for two seconds before it forcefully scattered the sword ray. His fist continued on it''s path and shot at Leo. Shit! Shit! Holy shit! If this fist falls on him he would atleast be bedridden for two days. He clad his sword and arms in busoshoku haki and defended. Bang! Garp''s iron fist landed on his sword. A tremendous force was transmitted through the blade and threw him into the air. Leo did a somersault in mid air and fell down steadily. However he slid across the ground leaving two long trenches and crashed into the trees behind. Getting up the pile of broken trees Leo glared at Garp. "What the f.u.c.k are you doing!?" Garp started to laugh, "Bwahaha, not bad kid. Your reaction speed is good." Leo didn''t know what to say and simply sighed. He had heard about Garp''s character from the other vice admirals and found it a bit hard to believe at that time but now... He is every bit unruly as the rumours say. "Why are you here?" Leo asked unpleasantly. Garp walked to the house and said, "Come on, let''s go inside and talk." That''s my house! Leo couldn''t deal with these kind of people. He sighed once more and walked towards his house. Shinobu was in her laboratory when she heard the noise. She came out and saw Garp. She was surprised, she came beside Leo and asked curiously, "What''s he doing here?" Leo shook his head and said, "I don''t know." When they stepped inside they saw Garp going through the shelves. Leo''s mouth twitched when he saw this. "Is he really the same old man who pushed back Big Mom?" Shinobu asked with skelptically. Leo didn''t answer. He couldn''t really bring himself to overlap that heroic old man to this dumb old one. Garp suddenly turned his head and asked, "Where do you keep the rice crackers?" Leo shook his head, "We don''t have them." Garp asked, "Why not?" "Because we don''t eat it." Garp grumbled, "What kind of idiot doesn''t have some rice crackers?" Leo clearly heard him and was speechless. It''s my business whether I like it or not, why the hell are you grumbling? "Why are you here?" Leo asked. This time he pulled Garp and threw him on the couch. "Hey! Show some respect, I am your senior!" Leo curled his lips and didn''t reply. Garp let it go and made himself comfortable before saying. "Thanks kid." Huh? "For what?" Leo asked confused. Garp laughed, "For not arresting my grandson." Leo was again confused, "Why would I arrest your grandson? It''s not like he is a pir- Halfway through Leo stopped and asked, "Is he a pirate?" Garp nodded and said, "Monkey.D.Luffy. He is my grandson." Leo''s eyes went as wide as saucers. Then he laughed out loud. "Hahaha, the Marine Hero, Garp''s grandson is a pirate! Haha, that''s gotta be the biggest joke I have ever heard." A vein popped on Garp''s temple when he saw Leo laughing without restraint. Shinobu was also laughing, but hers was quite soft. "You done?! You stinking brat! Garp flared up. Leo was satisfied after a while and said, "Your grandson is quite interesting. In name he is a pirate but he doesn''t have one quality a pirate should have. If anything he is more like an explorer to me. Also that kid has a strong sense of justice, shame he isn''t a marine." Garp was quite happy inside when he heard Leo but then he was down again. "He is still a pirate." Leo waved his hand, "Let it be. He is a good kid, as long as he doesn''t do anything that goes against your conscience, it''s fine. Garp stared at Leo for a while and let out a sigh, "He is a pirate and I am a marine." His words held a hint of powerlessness. Leo didn''t say anything. After a few seconds Garp cheered up and asked Shinobu, "Young lady, what do you have for lunch?" Leo frowned, "You are staying for lunch?" Garp laughed, "It would be rude If I don''t accept a meal from you." Shameless old man! Shinobu smiled and got up. She put on an apron, rolled up her sleeves and swiftly prepared a table full of dishes. Garp nearly swallowed his tongue when he ate. "You won''t die if you eat slowly!" Leo growled, he couldn''t eat as Garp was grabbing everything from the table and stuffing his mouth full of food. "Young lady, you are a wonderful chef!" Garp praised Shinobu. However he was still stuffing himself with food. "Thanks." After storming the table Garp patted his stomach and let out a small burp. "Ah, I am stuffed. It''s been a while since I ate like this." He leaned comfortably on the couch and closed his eyes. In an instant he fell asleep. Seeing him sleep so soundly Leo nearly wanted to choke him. This old man was the most shameless person he had ever met in his life. When it was close to evening a man wearing a long coat came by. He saw the sleeping Garp and lifted him on his shoulders. "Thank you taking care of vice admiral Garp." Leo wanted to say to never bring this old man here but it wasn''t good to cuss when someone was being polite. "It''s alright." Closing the door Leo let out a sigh of relief. Shinobu chuckled and said. "He is an interesting old man." Leo rolled his eyes, "You find this amusing?" Shinobu smiled and said, "You aren''t good with these kind of people. So it''s kind of fun." Leo suddenly grinned. He swept her off her feet and kissed her deeply before slamming the door to their room. Chapter 159 - 159. Snow Falcon As usual Leo was at the practice field trying to complete his new technique. The air around him was filled with sword rays, each of them moved swiftly and formed a torrent encasing him. After Garp left Leo found a few books on the couch the next morning. It was notes from sword grandmasters. He didn''t expect the shameless old man to give him something like that. Going through the notes Leo was able to correct a lot of mistakes in his technique. He also learnt some basic techniques for swordsman. It helped him further improve his sword realm. Right now he was trying to increase his mastery over sword intent. By condensing his intent into sword rays he made them move incredibly fast within a circle he drew around him. Phew! Letting out a breath he dispersed the sword rays. He took out a few notes and went through them. That shameless old man really helped me this time. My technique is getting close to perfection. "Hm, what''s that?" Leo''s spiritual sense picked a living presence inside the basket. Shinobu showed him what was inside the basket. It was a snow white egg with blue patterns on it. "What is it?" Leo was curious. He had never seen such an egg before. Shinobu shook her head and said, "I don''t know. You know the cliff out back, there is a peculiar plant that grows on it''s edge. When I got down to pick some I saw this." Leo frowned, "Why did you take it?" "I initially didn''t plan to but when I saw the condition the nest was in I decided to take it back." Hm? "The nest was mostly filled with the plant I wanted to pick. Considering how the plant was almost filling the nest, I can say for sure that no birds have been there for months." Leo understood. He then asked, "What are we gonna do with it?" Shinobu said, "I am gonna try hatching it." Leo also agreed. Knock. Knock. Just then a knock was heard. "Come in, Mace." "Excuse me." Mace walked in. He saw Leo and Shinobu standing beside a basket. He was curious and looked inside. Then a stunned look came over his face. Leo noticed his expression and asked, "You know what this is?" Mace nodded with excitement, "Yes. I like birds and can be considered as an ornithologist." Leo was surprised. He never expected Mace to be an ornithologist. "Which species does this egg belong to?" Shinobu asked. Mace walked around the egg and nodded to himself before saying, "This egg is from an extremely rare species, a snow falcon." Leo asked, "Rare species?" Mace nodded and explained, "Male and female snow falcons mate for life. They lay one egg every three year and this cycle repeats three times. So in their lifetime a snow falcon pair will only lay three eggs." "However once the egg are laid the parents will leave the nest and the egg. Because of this the number of snow falcons got reduced over the years. The last one was sighted over thirty years ago." Shinobu was surprised and asked, "If the a.d.u.l.t snow falcons leave how does the young survive after they hatch?" Mace said, "Snow falcons are herbivores. They only eat leaves and fruits. Once the a.d.u.l.ts find a place filled with a certain type of plant they will make their nest and lay eggs." Leo was fascinated by what he heard. Suddenly he realised something and asked. "What''s the incubation period for a snow falcon egg?" Mace answered, "Five months." Leo nodded. This was in line with what Shinobu said. If that was true then this was about to hatch. "How long before this one hatch?" Mace carefully checked the egg and said, "According to doc.u.ments, snow falcon eggs will have blue patterns appear on it''s shell two days before hatching." Leo and Shinobu were stunned. "That is to say, this one may hatch at any moment." Mace nodded, "Yes and it''s said that snow falcons are absolutely loyal creatures. They have high intelligence and takes whoever it first sees as it''s closest kin." "Wha-what?" Leo smiled and said, "Get out." Before he could react Leo picked him by his collar and threw him out. "Sir, can I watch from the side. I absolutely won''t come near it before you say so." He begged from outside the house but Leo and Shinobu didn''t bother to reply. Both of them sat around the egg and waited. Second turned to minutes, minutes turned to hours. The sun slowly sunk into the horizon and the stars lit up the sky. Night slowly passed. Leo and Shinobu sat like statues and stared at the egg. They weren''t the least bit sleepy. Mace was also staring from the corner of a window with bloodshot eyes. His eyelids were heavy but he didn''t dare close it. When the sun''s first ray of sun broke through the air a cracking sound was heard. Leo and Shinobu''s eyes lit up. Faint cracks appeared on the white shell with blue patterns. Crack. Crack. The cracks started to spread. Soon a big piece of it was broken and a tiny head peeked out. Two crystal clear clue eyes full of innocence looked at Leo and Shinobu. Shinobu couldn''t help but trace it''s tiny little head. The little snow falcon was happy and rubbed it''s featherless head against her finger. It tried to move but the egg shell restricted it''s movements. Before Shinobu could help, it used it''s tiny beak and broke the remaining shell. Freeing itself from the egg the little snow falcon tried to stand up but it''s tiny little legs failed to give strength. It tried a few more times before finally succeeding. Leo chuckled and rubbed it''s head. The little guy seems to have liked it and closed it''s eyes in bliss. "Should we give it a name?" Shinobu asked. Leo agreed, "Sure." Shinobu thought for a moment and said, "Let''s call it Snow since it''s feathers are as pure as snow." Chapter 160 - 160. Snow Leo and Shinobu were amused to see the little fellow stumble from time to time. Kiiii. Suddenly Snow flapped it''s featherless wings and started to make noise. It looked around for something and cried out loudly. "What''s going on?" Leo and Shinobu were confused. "It''s hungry." Suddenly a voice was heard from behind. Both of them turned around and saw Mace crawl out from the fireplace. His white suit was now smoky and his face was black. Though his face was black his eyes were bright as he stared at the little snow falcon. He got to his feet and said, "Snow falcons build their nest in places with certain vegetation. This is so that the young could eat as soon as they hatch. Ma''am, do you by chance have that particular plant?" Shinobu nodded, "I did collect some for my research." She went to a cabin and took out a small bundle of vibrant plant with dense cl.u.s.ter of leafs. The little snow falcon immediately got excited and flapped it''s wings. Kiiii. Kiii. Shinobu unwrapped the bundle and placed it infront of the little fellow. The little guy pecked with it''s little beak and grabbed a mouthful of leaves before swallowing. It pecked a few more times and ate half of the bundle. It then yawned and fell asleep. "Snow sure has an appetite." Mace was wiping his face clean when he heard Leo and said, "Snow falcons have extremely small growth phase and a relatively long maturing phase. In two to three days this one''s feathers will be fully grown and it will be able to walk around without stumbling." Leo nodded slightly and looked at him with a strange expression, "You sure are crazy about birds." Mace shook his head, "My interest is very normal, it''s just that this one''s species are very very hard to spot." "Oh, why?" Mace explained, "Snow falcons are very rare, there are only a few of them out there. This particular species fly at an extremely high altitude and with the colour of their feathers as white as snow it''s almost impossible to spot them. So to an ornithologist like me it''s extremely lucky to see one." Leo nodded and suddenly thought of something, "Hey, is Snow a male or a female?" Mace didn''t immediately reply and checked the little snow falcons crown. He found a tiny little tuff of white feathers. "This one is a female. Males have a tuff of blue feathers on their crown and females have white." Pereperepere. Just as they were talking Leo''s den- den mushi rang. He picked up the call. "Leo, I have a mission for you but it might be a bit dangerous." From the receiver came Sengoku''s solemn voice. "What is it?" "There are reports about fierce beasts attacking East Blue." Sengoku said. Leo was confused and asked, "What''s so dangerous about that?" After a moment of silence Sengoku said, "Golden Lion Shiki, I believe this has something to do with him." Golden Lion, Shiki! Leo''s eyes narrowed when he heard that name. Like the pirate king he was also a legend. He was captured after he attacked the navy headquarters. After a great battle Sengoku and Garp defeated him and threw him in Impel Down. However he escaped by cutting off his legs and disappeared from there after. Leo asked, "Why do you think Shiki is the one behind this?" Sengoku paused for a moment and said, "His traces could be seen in East blue, so I suspect he is behind all of this. Shiki ate the float-float fruit, he can make inanimate objects float. Considering how these things appeared out of nowhere, it''s a very narrow guess as to who is behind this." Oh? A glint flashed in Leo''s eyes, his lips curled into a smile and said, "I''ll take it." This came at the right time, he grew a lot after his fight with Big Mom so he wanted to test how far he had come. A legend? Just right. Sengoku paused for a moment and agreed, "Alright. Set out tomorrow." He hung up after saying that. Mace who heard everything was nervous and asked, "Sir, this is Shiki! He is on the same level as Whitebeard and Roger!" Leo waved his hand, "It''s alright. We can handle him." You can handle him but what about me and the crew? Leo chuckled to himself when he saw Mace and turned his attention to Snow. The little snow falcon was sleeping soundly. If one looked very closely they would be able to see tiny feathers growing out of it''s body. Creatures from this world has abnormal vitality. Leo said to himself. Shinobu carefully placed Snow inside a blanket and set aside the rest of the bundle near it. When it was close to noon Snow woke up. She was much more spirited and was able to stand steadily. Her head bobbed around, seeing Leo and Shinobu was still there she started to eat with relish and went to sleep. "Looks like I need to make a trip to the cliff again." "Or you can give her some fruits." "No. Mace said young snow falcons consumes plants during their growth phase, giving anything else might do it harm than good." Leo didn''t argue and agreed with her. Anyway she was a doctor so he let her decide. Snow didn''t wake up again and slept through the rest of the day. The next day Leo set out. Shinobu stayed back since Snow was still sleeping and she had her own research to do. Standing on the helm of the ship Leo asked Mace. "What''s the latest report?" Mace said solemnly, "Nothing new, sir. The last appearance of those fierce beats were two days ago." He hesitated for a moment and asked, "Sir, if this is Shiki, what should we do?" Leo curled his lips, a cold light flashed through his eyes, "What else? Kill!" Chapter 161 - 161. Fierce Beasts East blue. Leo was currently on an island where fierce beats were last spotted. However even after searching for a whole day they didn''t find anything. "Troublesome ability." Leo was annoyed by Shiki''s ability to fly as well as his ability to make any inanimate object float. He is practically a moving fortress. "That''s enough, let''s head on to the next location." He ordered his men. The ship sailed towards the next nearest location where fierce beats attacked. "Sir, do you really think it''s Shiki?" Mace couldn''t help but ask. He had heard about Shiki and his legends. This was a man who cornered the pirate king once. Leo didn''t immediately reply and thought for a moment before saying, "There is a high chance it is. Even Sengoku-san thinks this is his work." Mace still had his doubts, "Just because he was seen in this sea area doesn''t necessarily mean he is behind this." Leo replied, "That''s true. But considering the damage those fierce beasts have done it''s impossible for them to vanish without a trace. Unless, there is someone with an ability to make that happen." "And Golden Lion Shiki is one of them. Putting it all together, it can only be him." Mace didn''t refute Leo''s words and kept silent. Just as they were halfway through their journey the water rumbled and a huge disgusting fish popped out. The crew were stunned and immediately steered the ship to dodge it. Leo was in his cabin when he heard the commotion. He came out and saw the large fish. "Is this one of those fierce beasts?" He asked to himself. Mace jumped of the ship and shot towards the huge fish using Geppo. He had already transformed into his devil mode. He had a long heavy sword in his hands. He slashed it at the huge fish. A bloody sword ray shot towards the fish. The huge fish was sliced in half. "Not bad, you grasped a bit of sword intent." Leo continued, "Devil-Devil fruit isn''t an ordinary fruit, do your best to dig out it''s potential. Simply using the strength amplification brought by your mode isn''t enough.* "Raise your own strength. Devil mode is your strongest form, it should stay that way. Using it in every battle will not do you any good, it should only be used when you truly have no choice." Mace understood what he was saying, "A trump card." Leo nodded. Devil-Devil fruit was simply made for battle, it gave Mace accelerated healing, stronger defence and finally incredible strength and speed. They soon reached their destination. After asking around they found the sight where fierce beasts attacked. It was outside the town, on a small piece of land owned by a family of four. The place was a mess. The house was destroyed and the field of crops were destroyed. Leo frowned. These attacks doesn''t seem like they were planned, rather it looked messy and in chaos. Suddenly a thought struck him. His face clouded over. Is that lunatic taking these people as test subjects to know the attack capability of those beasts? As this thought came to his mind he couldn''t shake it off. The more he thought the more he felt he was right. Mace also seems to have realised something after all this time. He wasn''t looking good either. "Sir, beasts are attacking the town!" Suddenly Leo''s den-den mushi rang and one of his men reported. "Let''s go!" Leo rushed towards the town and Mace followed. When they reached the town they saw a huge wolf and a giant crab destroying everything in their sights. Leo rushed towards the wolf. It had the highest battle power. Mace took the crab. He immediately used devil mode. They were in a town, it was no time to hold back. Merciful Rain! Leo''s sword shimmed with a sharp gleam as he sliced down. The wolf was a wild animal and it''s instincts warned it about the threat Leo''s sword possessed. It immediately dodged but the sword suddenly disappeared and appeared before it''s eyes. Slice! Leo put the sword back into it''s scabbard and rushed in Mace''s direction. The wolf fell down behind him. It''s head slid off from it''s neck and blood spurted out like a spring. Mace was swinging his heavy sword, trying to crack open the crab''s hard shell. After three strikes he was able to make a crack. Just as he was about to swing once more Leo shot past him and slashed with his sword. The hard shell of the crab failed to stop his sword. It gave no resistance as Leo slashed it in half. After finishing off both beasts Leo turned his attention towards a ship floating in the sky. A cold gleam flashed in his eyes. Geppo! Kicking the air he shot towards the ship in the sky. There were several people wearing lab coats and some other men inside the ship, they panicked when they saw Leo rushing in their direction. They were simply here for a live test and didn''t expect to encounter marines, especially a vice admiral! "F.u.c.k! Get us out of here!" Hearing his order the men immediately reacted and steered the rudder and started to ascend. Boom! Suddenly the ship rocked and a hole was blasted in it''s hull. Leo swaggered in, he looked around and locked his eyes on the man wearing the open vest. "Where the f.u.c.k is Shiki?" Chapter 162 - 162. Base Leo''s words were soft. However the disposition of the Supreme King bore down on the captain. He was already kneeling, his breath was ragged and he was finding it hard to stay awake. "Where is Shiki?" Leo''s words rung again. The captain of the ship caught his breath and looked up with fear. He never imagined he would encounter a man with possessing haoshoku haki. "Shi-Shiki-sama is on a base up in the sky several miles from here." He squeezed out every bit of strength he had and said. Leo nodded and took back his ''Will''. The man gulped for air greedily. After a while he managed to gather his strength. "Take me there." Leo said to him and took a seat. The captain was startled when he heard Leo and paled. "No. No! He will kill me if I take you there." Leo looked at him indifferently and asked, "And that''s a problem for me in what way?" The captain clenched his fists and said, "I can take you there but you must make sure I won''t be killed." Leo curled his lips, "Understand one thing, you are not negotiating. Either you take me there and live for some more time or you don''t and die right now." The captain''s face went pale. He was stuck between a rock and a hard place. After a long internal struggle he accepted. "I''ll take you there!" Leo didn''t reply and waited. The entire crew wasn''t incapacitated. Some of them were barely awake. The ship started to ascend and reached the white clouds. After traveling for a while Leo saw a huge land mass floating in the sky. Shiki''s ability is very dangerous. Leo''s expression turned grave. If this large mass of earth fell down it would absolutely be devastating. The ship docked near the boundary and Leo stepped out. The captain heaved a sigh when he saw Leo leave. However just as he was about to order his men to turn the ship around to escape a sword ray swept past them. The ship was cleaved in half. The captain saw the lower half of his body fall down to the blue sea. But I brought... His eyes lost it''s light and he died. Leo didn''t turn back and walked forward. He spread out his spiritual sense to find someone. However all he found were extremely large animals, same as the ones that attacked the islands in East Blue. He chose a direction and walked. Though he was walking each step covered ten meters. Not long after Leo came across a building. It looked like a green house. He saw several types of plants and trees inside. Suddenly his spiritual sense picked up a presence. It was big red gorilla. A giant, dressed gorilla. Well, compared to all the other weird things I saw after coming to this world, this seems normal. Leo went towards the gorilla. The gorilla had a large torso and massive arms, almost reaching down to the ground. His legs, in comparison, were quite little. He had big fangs, and wore a pair of round-shaped glasses. He was also wearing a pink jacket, with large buttons on the front and what appears to be a light blue beads necklace hanging from a pocket on his c.h.e.s.t. He wore a green, polka-dotted bermudas, and a flamboyant light blue hat with the same pattern. Sensing someone the red gorilla looked over and saw Leo. A surprised yelp left it''s mouth. Leo was sure this one was part of Shiki''s crew. How else would you explain a gorilla wearing clothes inside a building. Suddenly the red gorilla attacked. It raised it''s massive arms and swung it at Leo. Bang! The fist smashed on the ground and created a pit. What incredible strength! Leo was astonished by it''s sheer physical power. Armed! His hands turned pitch black and he punched out. In an instant he appeared before the red gorilla and sunk his fist into it''s gut. The gorilla''s body bent like a shrimp and was blasted away. It crashed into the stone walls and created a hole in it. Leo casually walked inside and saw it laying on the ground unconscious. Blood seeped out of the corner of it''s mouth. Leo heard footsteps and looked over. A very tall man with a clown-like appearance, indigo hair appeared. His face was white, with purple lines near his eyes, presumably some sort of make-up. He was pot bellied, with thin limbs, and a muscular torso. He wore a large yellow polka dotted indigo scarf and indigo-striped shoes which was making noise as he was running over. He also wore indigo overalls that exposed his c.h.e.s.t, with two lines of buttons on the front, and a lab coat over them. When the man saw the red gorilla unconscious on the ground with blood on his mouth he immediately attacked. "Chemical juggling!" Several orbs resembling will-o''-the-wisps were thrown at Leo. Leo effortlessly dodged them. The orbs flew past him. Boom! Boom! The orbs blew up and created a small explosion. The clown man was surprised and reacted immediately. He retreated and threw orbs at Leo. Leo was like a leaf gliding through the air as he moved around the orbs. "How did you get here, marine?" The clown opened his mouth and asked. Leo didn''t reply and asked, "Where is Shiki?" "You want the captain?" The clown was surprised then he grinned. "Not telling." Leo didn''t mind his words and took a step forward. His speed increased by several fold. Oh, no! Before the clown could react a fist smashed into his face. His nose was broken and his teeths were knocked off as he flew back. He crashed through the stones walls and was buried under the rubble. Leo casually found a place to sit down and said, "It''s alright. This is his place, right? I''ll just wait for him to come." Chapter 163 - 163. Golden Lion, Shiki! A large ship was floating alongside the clouds. "Shiki-sama, we-we lost contact with ship #5." A man said nervously. Seated infront of him was a large man. He wore traditional red and black kimono with a tattered haori. He had hair like a lion''s mane. The most eye catching feature were his legs, he had swords in place of them. This was one of the three legends of the past era, Golden Lion, Shiki! Shiki raised an eyebrow and asked, "When?" "Just half an hour ago." Shiki went silent for a moment and waved his hand, "Forget about it. Let''s return." "Ye-yes!" The man heaved a sigh of relief and immediately left. The ship sailed through the clouds and finally reached a huge piece of land floating above the clouds. It didn''t stop and continued on in it''s path. Soon large buildings appeared in their view. Shiki who was resting in his chair raised his head. His kenbunshoku haki was picking up a strong presence inside his base. He immediately flew out the ship and yelled, "You got balls to attack my base and injure my men, get the hell out!" Under his furious gaze a good looking young man walked out. A pair of piercing blue eyes stared at Shiki. "A baby marine?" Shiki noticed the justice cloak Leo wore and was stunned for a second. "Golden Lion Shiki. It''s an honour to finally meet you." Leo said apathetically. Shiki glared at Leo, "Baby marine, what gave you the courage to come here? Let alone attack my base?" Leo pulled out his sword and replied, "We will find out soon." He suddenly waved his hand. Two streaks of light flashed. Blood sprayed. Shiki''s subordinates, that clown and the gorilla were killed instantly. Shiki wanted to block him but Leo''s attack was sudden and incredibly fast. In a split second his strongest cadres were killed. A vein popped on Shiki''s temple. His eyes narrowed and they were filled with murderous intent. "Good one, baby marine." Just as his voice faded haoshoku haki burst out of his body and crashed towards Leo. Leo was calm and stood straight against the incoming storm. "You are not the only king." Boom! An overbearing haoshoku erupted from Leo and clashed against Shiki''s. The sky darkened and lighting flashed. Shiki was momentarily taken back and said, "Haoshoku haki? A marine has the markings of a King? Shing! Leo''s sword hummed. The blade turned pitch black with waves of red on it''s edge. Shiki also turned serious. Both of them stared at each other for a moment and attacked. Shiki swiped with his legs. Sword rays flew at Leo. Leo also slashed out. Sword rays collided and created a storm, destroying the building and it''s surroundings. Shiki was forced back as was Leo. In a frontal collision both of them were evenly matched! His physical condition isn''t that great and his sword realm isn''t at it''s peak either. He is far from his strongest and yet I can only evenly match him. Leo said to himself. He grew incredibly after his battle with Big Mom, however even still he could only tie with a damaged relic from the past. Battle intent sparked in his eyes. He wanted to trample this legend, he wanted to break and surpass him. Only by defeating the strong could he go further. Geppo! Leo kicked the air and shot towards Shiki. "Don''t get c.o.c.ky marine!" Shiki grabbed towards the earth below. The ground trembled and cracked apart. Pieces of earth started to float towards him. "Stay down, boy!" He waved his hand. The pieces of rocks shot at Leo like bullets. Shiki suddenly appeared behind Leo and kicked with the swords. Leo''s kenbunshoku haki had already captured his movements. Using Geppo he dodged. Soru! In a flash Leo closed in on Shiki and slashed down his sword. Clang! Shiki slashed with his leg. One of the sword clashed with Leo. He grinned and spun in mid air before slashing with the other. Soru! Leo kicked the air and dodged. Shiki clenched his fists. The earth down below cracked apart and floated towards him. It took the shape of two lion heads. "Lions Roar!" Shiki slammed his fist down. The rock lions flew at Leo with incredible momentum. Leo barely dodged one when the other fell upon him. He crossed his sword infront of his c.h.e.s.t and blocked it. Bang! The rock lion crumbled upon impact and Leo was thrown far away. A trail of blood leaked out from the corner of his mouth. Somersaulting in air Leo managed to gain his balance and slashed out. Sword rays shot at Shiki. "You ain''t the only sword grandmaster around here, kid!" Shiki swiped with his legs several times. Sword rays filled the sky as they clashed against Leo''s sword strike. Soru! Leo kicked the air and flashed towards Shiki. Ha! Shiki laughed arrogantly and clenched his fist. His fist got clad in busoshoku haki, the black colour had a hint of purple to it as he punched out. Top class armament Haki! Leo''s eyes turned solemn. He focused his intent on his sword. The black colour on it deepened as he swung it down. Slash! Fist and sword met. The air cracked. A storm brewed with them at its center. Shiki took a step back and Leo was blown back. "Ha! Kid, I ruled the seas when you were s.u.c.k.i.n.g titties!" Leo didn''t reply and blasted forward. He completely withdrew his sword rays and converged them on the edge of his blade. A terrifying power was being condensed on it. Shiki suddenly stopped laughing. His eyes grew solemn. He felt threatened by that sword. "Looks like you got some tricks up your sleeve." Chapter 164 - 164. Defeated Legend Shiki raised his arms. The ground trembled before cracking, large pieces of rocks floated towards him. The pieces crumbled and formed an incomparably large lion head. Armed! The lion head turned pitch black with a hint of purple. "Lions Roar!" Shiki punched out. The lion head pounced towards Leo with tremendous power. Leo had a calm look on his face. His sword was turning blacker by the second. An overbearing sword intent was condensed on the edge of his blade. "Merciful Rain!" When the lion head was a feet away from him, he waved his sword. Swish! A sword ray flashed. The incomparably large lion head filled with power was sliced in half. It crumbled and fell apart. The overbearing sword ray wasn''t the least bit weakened and continued on it''s path. Shiki had a solemn expression on his face. "Lion''s Rage!" He moved incredibly fast and slashed with his legs. Sword rays covered the sky and welcomed Leo''s sword strike. Boom! Crack! The sword rays collided and a shockwaves spread out in every direction. The air was twisted and torn apart, the ground below was shredded to pieces. Leo''s sword strike was stronger and forced it''s way through the sky full of sword rays created by Shiki. This brat! Shiki grinded his teeth. Armed! He clad his legs in busoshoku haki. He slashed across the sky and struck at Leo''s sword energy. Shiki felt as if he crashed into a rain of sword rays. His body was being subjected to innumerable amounts of condensed sword energy. "Break!" He roared and pushed forward. His busoshoku haki gave off even more frightening power and forcefully slashed through Leo''s sword strike. Shiki felt his c.h.e.s.t getting stuffy. He felt something sweet in his mouth. I am gonna kill that brat! He was furious and about to rush at Leo when he lost sight of the latter. Suddenly he felt cold on the back of his neck. Leo emerged behind him. His sword was darker than the darkest night, the edge was painted deep red in wave like pattern. Tremendous amount of energy was condensed on his sword. Merciful Rain! Coldness flashed across his eyes as he slashed down. An arc of blue sword ray flashed. Armed! Shiki immediately used busoshoku haki to protect his entire body. Slash! With no resistance Leo''s sword energy cut into his body and drew blood. Bleh! Shiki spat out blood. He raised the strength of his haki to resist the sword ray but it was useless. The sword ray only paused for a second before cutting deeper into his body. How can I be defeated... Leo put the sword back into it''s scabbard. His face was pale and he was breathing hard. "Your era has passed." Shiki had an unsightly expression on his face. A thin red line extended from his temple, his body split in two and fell down with a rain of blood. Shiki''s death caused the island to tremble, whatever power that was keeping the land mass in the sky disappeared. It slowly started to drop down. Leo used the remainder of his strength and used Geppo to control his descent. Crash! The huge land mass crashed into the sea and created large waves. For a while the sea churned before settling down. Leo landed on the island and raised his left hand and on his wrist was a small watch type den-den mushi. "Mace, follow my vivre card and come get me." "Yes, sir!" Mace''s voice rang from the other side. Leo lost all power and laid down on the broken ground. His eyelids felt heavy and he slowly closed his eyes. When he opened them again he found himself in his cabin. The small wounds on his body was treated and he found several plates of grilled meat and soup on the table. He cracked his neck and started to eat. He felt empty inside and wanted to fill it up as soon as possible. After having his fill Leo walked out and saw Mace. "Sir, you are awake!" The crew reacted and greeted him. "What''s the status?" He asked Mace. "Sir, after your left several more of those beasts appeared. I took out men and took care of them, though none of our men was killed some were seriously injured." Leo nodded and said, "Let''s go back. Once we are on my island Shinobu can patch them up." "Yes, sir!" Mace suddenly said, "Sir, you defeated Shiki." Leo didn''t react much and said, "No, I defeated a broken relic of the past. He was old and weak, in his heyday I wouldn''t be his match." "But sir, this is Shiki! The Golden Lion Shiki! He was a legend in the seas. No matter what, you defeated him. Even if he was not at his best, there aren''t that many people who could battle him." Hm. Leo tersely acknowledged and sat on the helm of the ship. After a day of travel they got back. Just as Leo got off a white figure rushed at him from the sky. Leo was surprised to see who it was. "Snow?" On his shoulder was a snow falcon about a meter big. It had soft white feathers and pure blue eyes. Snow rubbed her head against Leo''s c.h.e.s.t and let out a satisfying yelp. Mace was excited when he saw Snow. "It grew so much in a several days! I knew it had a fast growth phase but I never imagined it to be so fast." Leo nudged Snow''s head and saw Shinobu coming from the distance. She had a bag on her shoulder. "Get the injured men." Leo said to Mace. Immediately several men wrapped in bandages and groaning in pain was carried out. Shinobu checked them one by one and mixed several bottles of drugs together before applying them over their wounds. She then used her ''Breath'' to treat the wounds from inside. "Have them take this once every three hours. Give them some light food as well, they will be alright after a day of rest." Leo didn''t bother her when she was working and waited on the side. After she was done she asked Leo, "You coming?" "In a minute." Leo answered and called Mace over. "Mace, our crew is weak. The top ranks are alright but the middle and lower ranks are a problem. Select a few with better performance, it''s time to groom some fighters. I don''t want to take care of every single task." Chapter 165 - 165. Basic Strengthening Two days later. Mace pointed to three people and said to Leo and Shinobu, "Sir, madam, the three of them are the best among our crew." Leo looked at the three infront of him. Two were men and one was a woman. The two men were called Dali and Flare and woman was called Violet. Dali and Flare focused on sword while Violet had excellent marksmanship. Leo said, "The three of you will be trained by Me, Shinobu and Mace. By the time the trainings over all of you will have the ability of an average vice admiral." Dali, Flare and Violet stared when they heard Leo. Violet couldn''t help but say, "But sir, our potential ain''t that great." Leo smiled, "You don''t have to worry about that." Shinobu came forward and explained, "Your talent is average but we can go around it as long as you can bear some pain, can you?" The three of them looked at each other. A flame seems to be burning in their eyes. If this training can raise their abilities to the level of a vice admiral, what''s a little pain? "Yes, we can, madam!" The three of them stood straight and shouted, their voice mixed with excitement. Leo muttered to himself. "Alright, Mace will teach you the basics of kenbunshoku and busoshoku haki. Shinobu''s job will be to strengthen your physique. I will take care of your sword skills. And Violet, since you focus on marksmanship you will need a custom made weapon." "Let''s start." Shinobu walked to them and took out three syringes filled with some kind of blue liquid and injected them with it. The three of them felt something flow through their arm to their c.h.e.s.t. It stayed there for a moment before spreading out through their body. At first they only felt a slight itch but soon it felt as if something was crawling through their body. Soon all of them fell on the ground and twitched from time to time. They felt as if their bodies were being burned. Mace swallowed when he saw their wretched appearance and asked, "Ma-madam, what did you do... I mean what''s happening?" Shinobu checked their condition and explained, "Their talent is average and it will take a long time for them to improve, and even if they improve, it will be negligible. Talent is decided by birth, it won''t change as one grow up." "So, I am strengthening them from a cellular level. By destroying their base and rebuilding it, their foundation will be more solid. This will change their talent and improve their physique." Mace exclaimed, "This can be done!?" Shinobu nodded, "Theoretically, yes." Theoretically... A cold sweat ran down his sideburns. Thank god, I had enough talent otherwise... Leo suddenly asked, "This is enough?" Shinobu shook her head, "No. This is just the basic strengthening. There are two more rounds. Only when they have fully assimilated the changes could I move onto the next round. After the next two rounds they would reach their max potential." Leo nodded. The three of them writhed on the ground for two hours before stopping. After that round of torture they didn''t even have the strength to speak. Luckily the drink wasn''t a torture potion and it restored a bit of their strength. "Alright. Your body has gone through a round of strengthening. Take the next two days off and train modestly to fully digest these changes." Shinobu instructed them. After her part was over Leo said, "Two days later, meet me at the training ground. Dismissed." The three of them saluted and left. On the way back Mace said, "Be prepared, there are two more rounds of that tort... strengthening." The three of them shuddered and immediately ran off. Mace oversaw their training the following days. After two days they had accustomed to the changes in their body. All three of them were astonished. Their strength went up by a notch! A fire burned in their eyes, however it soon died down when they thought of the pain. On the training field. "Dali, Flare, here are notes from master swordsmen. Compare the notes and spar with each other. After that do strength training, there are weights over there." Dali and Flare listened attentively and looked at where Leo pointed. Their faces turned ugly when they saw the weights. At a corner of the field was several sets of black metal dumbbells. The smallest was their height and the largest was three times their height. Ignoring their crying expression Leo turned to Violet. "You are weaker when it comes to raw strength so we need to focus on your speed. How is your Rokushiki?" Violet answered honestly, "I am proficient in Geppo and Soru, the rest are mediocre." Leo nodded, "Good. You know your limits. Since strength isn''t your forte you developed your speed, that''s good." He then turned to Shinobu who was watching from the side and asked, "Can it be done?" Shinobu walked towards Violet and checked her body. "Well, the basic strengthening improved her physique considerably. It shouldn''t be a problem for her to start taking it." Violet trembled when she heard about ''taking'' something again. She was prepared for another round of pain when Shinobu gave her a vial of purple pills. "Eat one after training." Violet was surprised and asked, "No injections?" "No. Do you want one?" Violet mmediately shook her head, "No! Definitely no!" Suddenly she thought of something and asked, "What does this one do?" Shinobu explained, "This drug will slowly change your constitution to that of a speed type. Your muscles will have tremendous explosive power and flexibility." She thought of something and asked in a soft tone, "Will it... um... change my body... you know, in a..." Shinobu smiled and reassured her, "Don''t worry. It won''t give you bulky muscles, in fact it will turn your body slimmer and more proportional." Violet smiled like a blooming flower. Leo clearly heard them but chose to ignore it. He said, "Mace will teach you the basics of kenbunshoku and busoshoku haki. After that is done we will focus on your marksmanship." Chapter 166 - 166. Snows Ability Marineford. At the top floor. Four people sat infront of Sengoku. Three of them were tall men wearing suits and the last one was an old woman. The three men were the top powers of Marineford, Admirals. The woman is not one to be looked down upon either, she is from the same era as Garp and Sengoku. Her official position is tactical officer, Tsuru. Sengoku said, "Shiki is dead. Leo has done great merits and I want to place him on the list of alternative admiral candidates. What are your opinions?" Aokiji was the first one to speak, "I have no problems with that." The other two didn''t reply immediately. One of them wearing a yellow checkered suit said in a lazy tone, "Isn''t this way too fast. He was only a captain for several months, then was promoted directly to vice admiral." The other admiral wearing a red suit with a flower tattoo on his neck said in a rough voice, "He is too imm.a.t.u.r.e to be placed as an alternative candidate." Sengoku didn''t refute any of them and listened calmly. He then turned to Tsuru and asked, "What do you think, Tsuru?" Tsuru said, "I think it''s fine. He has proven himself over the past several months, and him being able to defeat Shiki means that he is qualified to be placed on that list." "Hmph! An old man from the past, Shiki was nothing more than that." The admiral wearing the red suit scoffed and said. Sengoku stared at him and said solemnly, "Akainu, Shiki may not have been at his peak but he was still someone who contended with every top powers in that era. No matter how much he has regressed he was still be a force to reckoned with." Akainu didn''t reply. Kizaru and Aokiji also didn''t speak anymore. With none of them raising anymore objections Sengoku said, "It''s settled, Leo will be placed as an alternative candidate." ... A woman was running through a forest. She had two pistols in her hands. Whoosh! Suddenly a small rubber ball shot at her with tremendous speed. She agilely dodged it and raised a pistol and fired. Bang! The rubber ball was hit and it burst apart. Whoosh! Whoosh! Before she could relax several more shot at her from every direction. She kicked off the ground and disappeared. With incredible speed she dodged the shots and fired. Pop! Pop! One by one the rubber balls were hit and smashed into bits. However she failed to dodged one. Her body faltered for a moment, before she could steady herself several more rubber ball struck her. Ow, ow, ow... She cried out in pain and ducked her head. The rubber balls stopped shooting at her. A figure walked out from the trees. "Not bad. Your marksmanship and kenbunshoku haki has gotten better, however your busoshoku haki is still lacking." The woman rubbed her back that was still aching from pain and said pitifully, "Sir, no matter what, I am still a woman, can''t you be gentle?" Leo ignored her and said, "Only one more strengthening to go, with that your busoshoku haki should reach an acceptable level. Go rest for today, tomorrow is going to be a hard one." Violet faltered for a moment when she thought about the strengthening process. However the benefits from it was astounding. It had only been a week since the three of them started training, however a week completely changed them. Their strength reached a new level. Their base strength shot through the roof. With the strengthening of their body, all other aspects also got upgraded. Their kenbunshoku haki and busoshoku haki had already reached basic mastery. They now only lacked real time battle experience to completely assimilate these changes. Leaving Violet Leo walked back to his residence. But he didn''t head in and turned to the laboratory. As he got in he saw Shinobu working with a table full of test tubes filled with different coloured potions. "Is that the advanced strengthening drug?" He asked. Shinobu didn''t turn around and replied, "Yes. I had to make a modified one for Violet since she is more focused on speed, though the pills I gave her would slowly change her physique, it''s always better to have a better foundation. For the guys, well, just an ordinary strengthening would do. However three vials took me my entire collection of precious materials." Leo sat down and listened to her. He was surprised and asked, "All of it?" Shinobu placed the test tubes down and looked at him with a smile, "Do you think I can whip up something out of nothing? It took me many experiments just to come up with a formula. Then I had to adjust it over and over again so that it won''t be harmful in any way. My entire collection is now gone, who''s going to compensate me?" Leo grinned and pulled her to him, then he kissed her, "I can compensate you." Shinobu pushed him away and said, "I am working, don''t disturb me." Leo laughed and kissed her once more before leaving. Just as he got out Snow glided from above and sat on his shoulder. She got even bigger this past week. Her feathers were as soft and pure as snow. Kiii. Snow rubbed her head against Leo''s cheek and let out a happy yelp. Leo scratched her chin and said, "You are getting bigger by the day, I am afraid you might crush my shoulder the next time." Leo was shocked when he saw what happened next. Snow started to shrink. Her body got smaller and smaller and finally stopped when she was just thirty centimetres or so. Leo eyes stared at what just happened. His mouth was hung wide open in shock. A second later he snapped out. Holy shit! Chapter 167 - 167. Setting Out Leo was shocked when he saw Snow''s ability. He went back into the laboratory and said to Shinobu, "Hey, turn around and look at this." "What?" Shinobu put down the materials in her hand and turned around. When she saw Snow she was startled and had her eyes glued on her. She briskly walked to him and took a good look at her, "How did this happen?" Leo showed a confused expression and said, "A moment ago I said she would one day crush my shoulder if she is growing like this and the next second, well, like this." Both of them looked at Snow with interest. Leo asked, "What do you think?" Shinobu shook her head, "I don''t know. I mean, this isn''t my area of expertise, maybe Mace knows something." "Right, I forgot about him." Leo took out his den-den mushi and called Mace over. A while later Mace came by. When he walked inside the laboratory his eyes instantly locked onto Snow who was standing on Leo''s shoulder. He was shocked and asked, "Is that?... Leo nodded, "It''s snow." Mace suddenly got all excited and said, "So, the legends are true." Shinobu was curious and asked, "What legend?" Mace toned down and explained, "Well, there is this legend that snow falcons had a peculiar ability. However, since these guys are rare no one was able to confirm it so far. Now that I think about it, this ability might be the major reason why they are so hard to spot!" Mace was very excited and paced around Snow. He was recording something on a small notebook. Leo didn''t stop him and let him do what he wanted. After he was done with his stuff Mace turned to Leo and said, "Sir, I got some news about that crew you told me to keep an eye on." Oh? Mace continued, "They were spotted inside a navy base." Huh? Leo was confused, "Inside?" Mace nodded and said, "The reports say that they fell from sky." Leo raised an eyebrow and understood. Looks like those kids went to Sky Island. Did they take the Knock-Up stream as well? Very daring. "Dali and Flare has a basic grasp over both kenbunshoku and busoshoku haki. Their physique is improving by leaps and bounds as well." Leo nodded, "Good. After tomorrow''s strengthening is over we will set out. Select some good targets." Mace acknowledged and left. The next day. Dali, Flare and Violet laid on beds as Shinobu injected them with a vial of red serum. This one was different from the previous two serums. Just by injecting it into their body they felt as if a fire was running through their veins. Sweat oozed out of their skin and completely soaked their clothes. Shinobu walked to each of them and placed her palm over their hearts. A wave of ''Breath'' seeped out from her palm and slowly drilled into their hearts. The three of them felt a bit relaxed after she did that. "It''s done." Shinobu said and walked to the three of them. She checked their condition and relaxed when she found no problems. The three of them were tired mentally and physically after that torture and dozed off after Shinobu was done with her check-up. "Mace, have them rest for a day and prepare to set out." Leo instructed Mace and walked off with Shinobu. Mace had some of the crew take care of the three and prepared a lot of food for them when they woke up. The past two rounds of strengthening was followed by a round of ravenous eating, this was final round so it''s bound to result in a massive consumption of food. They were walking back to their house when Leo asked, "You coming this time?" Shinobu nodded, "Yeah. I am bored and need a breather." Leo smiled, "So you do know how to take a break once in a while." Shinobu rolled her eyes, "I am not like you who has a one track mind." Leo laughed. A day later. Dali, Flare and Violet stood beside Mace with glowing faces. They felt as if they were filled with energy. "Lieutenant Mace, where are we going?" Violet couldn''t help but ask. Mace shook his head and asked, "I don''t know. Sir just said to prepare." As they were speaking Leo and Shinobu walked over from the distance. On Shinobu''s shoulder stood Snow. Getting on-board Leo threw a wanted poster to Mace, "We are hunting this guy." Mace caught the flier and looked at who it was. His eyes nearly popped out his sockets when he saw the name on it. "Sir! This-This... we can''t go after this guy!" Leo asked back, "Why not?" Mace hastily replied, "Sir, this will anger a Yonko! Please think of the consequences of your actions!" Leo narrowed his eyes, "He is pirate and that''s all I need to know. I have seen the reports, the number of people he killed is probably more than I have met in my entire life. So what if it angers a Yonko? Do I look like I fear one?" Mace tried to change his mind, "Sir, this guy takes care of all the business of a Yonko. You go after him, you are destroying their channel for money making." Leo smirked, "That''s just what I want. A Yonko has a large troop of people, fear isn''t the only thing binding them together, there is also money. If they don''t even have the money to buy resources then they will slowly crumble." A cold light flashed in Leo''s eyes, "That woman killed an entire town because she wanted me to know the consequences." "Now, I want her to know the consequences of her crazy action." Chapter 168 - 168. Battle On an island somewhere in New World. Several people were carrying big boxes into a ship. A man holding a candy cane stood on board and yelled. "Hurry it up! We are already behind schedule." This man is one of the officers in Big Mom pirates, Perespero. Four pairs of eyes were staring at the port and at Perespero. "Dali, Flare you take out the ship." Leo said. Flare couldn''t help but ask, "Sir, I don''t want to sound too arrogant but isn''t one of us enough to take on Perespero?" Leo explained, "Ever since Big Mom pirates lost two Sweet Commanders the navy has been keeping an eye of them. So they got cautious and always travelled in a pair of two. There must be another officer nearby." Dali and Flare nodded. Both of the rushed out towards the dock. Violet pointed to herself and asked, "Sir, what about me?" Leo said, "Your job is to take out the rest." "From here?" Leo nodded. Violet shook her head and said, "It''s not possible, sir. My pistols don''t have that kind of reach even with busoshoku haki." Leo smiled, "Do you think I don''t know about that?" He pointed to a large suitcase behind them and said, "That''s for you." She opened it and saw a rather large gun. It had a black body and long thin barrel. Leo said, "I made this after a lot of trial and error. It''s a sniper rifle, it''s got a long reach and tremendous penetrating power." He explained how it worked. As a gun specialist it took no more than a couple of minutes for her to understand how the gun worked. She raised the gun and looked through the scope. She also used kenbunshoku haki at the same time. She got a clear view of the docks and the position of every target. "Spare no one." Leo''s voice echoed in her ears. Violet focused. She spotted a man taking a break behind the woods, the crosshair was aimed at him and she pulled the trigger. Pa! A small sound was heard from the barrel. Violet saw her target''s head pop like a balloon. Leo was satisfied when he saw the power of the rifle. It took him a while to craft all the parts and refine them several times. Even then the gun could only be considered as a common Skilled Grade weapon. While Violet was started to put down her tragets Dali and Flare reached the docks. They were immediately spotted and several of the crew tried to stop them but all of their head popped like a balloon before they got close. Perospero immediately noted Dali and Flare. He realised they were marines and had an ugly expression. If this was the past the navy wouldn''t dare attack them. But now, having lost two Sweet Commanders Big Mom pirates were lacking in upper level fighters. "Damn, marines!" He jumped off the ship and stretched out his arm. Pink candy emerged from his palms and shot at Dali and Flare. Soru! Dali and Flare used the instantaneous movement technique and dodged. Perospero jabbed his sword at Dali. While Dali was clashing against Perospero Flare focused his attention on the ship. His kenbunshoku haki was picking up another strong presence inside. Not long after a tall figure walked out. He had broad shoulders and a shaved head. He wore blue clothes, a cape on his back and a thick belt on his waist. Flare knew who this was, an officer under Big Mom pirates, Charlotte Daifuku! "Marines! You guys really think us as weaklings!?" Daifuku glared at Flare and said. Flare ignored him and rushed forward. Daifuku scoffed and rubbed his belly. Flare focused and slashed his sword at Daifuku. Suddenly smoke came out of Daifuku''s belt and took the form of a halberd wielding genie. Flare''s sword struck the genie''s halberd and created sparks. What immense strength! Knowing his opponent had raw strength excelling his, he stepped back and created distance. Pu! Another one of the crew fell down. His head was missing from his neck. This attracted the attention of Daifuku and Perospero. "A sniper! Take cover, you idiots!" Both of them yelled at the same time. The crew immediately his behind anything that was large enough to cover their body. However... A man hiding behind a boulder had his head blown apart. There was narrow hole on the boulder where his head was a second ago. What?! Daifuku and Perospero were shocked. Even with busoshoku haki it''s impossible to accurately hit someone who was hiding behind a boulder at this distance, much less hit the head. This either means the sniper had top notch kenbunshoku haki and busoshoku haki or he had a powerful gun! Daifuku stared into the distance. He couldn''t see that far but he did sense a person far in the distance. "You are distracted!" Flare suddenly appeared behind Daifuku and swung his sword. A wisp of sword ray flashed on his sword. Kill! The genie''s murderous intent blew through the sky as it met Flare''s sword with it''s halberd. A shockwave swept out. Flare was thrown back by the sheer power behind that strike. Perospero battling Dali made candy and tried to trap him in it. Dali knew it would be over if he was caught in the candy. His busoshoku haki wasn''t strong enough to break through the candy. Bull Charge! He swung his sword and rushed forward with incredible momentum. Perospero''s candy was cut in half as Dali reduced the distance between them. "Do you think I am weak in close combat?" Scoffing to himself Perospero jabbed his candy cane at Dali. Bang! The cane struck squarely at Dali''s sword. They held on for a second before Dali took a step back, avoiding the cane. "Sir was right. We still haven''t acclimated to our newfound strength." Chapter 169 - 169. Marco The battle with Perospero and Daifuku went on for two hours. Dali and Flare found it hard to keep up at the beginning, but as time passed their reaction speed and senses adjusted to the battle and slowly they tied with Daifuku and Perospero. A week of training and strengthening did raise their strength tremendously, but without actual battle their potential won''t be dug out. Leo knew that and that was exactly what he did. He chose a perfect target for them who was not only strong but also experienced in battle. Dali and Flare were panting and their bodies were filled with wounds, but they were superficial and hardly affected their battle capacity. During the battle their use of kenbunshoku haki and busoshoku haki got smoother. Their mastery didn''t increase but they had better control over it. While their battle was going on Violet cleaned up the entire crew. The port was a mess, blood dyed the ground and bodies littered everywhere. Finishing her job she kept her eyes on Daifuku and Perospero. This is bad. Perospero was panicking inside. He never imagined he would come across marines here, much less strong characters like these two. Even Daifuku was having a hard time taking care of his opponent. Bang! The halberd wielding genie struck a docked ship and sliced it in half. Dali dodged in time and rushed at Daifuku. His body was reaching it''s limit but his eyes were bright and full of battle intent. Now! Suddenly his opponent Daifuku felt his scalp go numb. Tremendous sense of danger welled up inside him. The halberd wielding genie also sensed the danger and struck it''s halberd behind Daifuku. Clanggg!! The halberd collided with a bullet. The genie lost it''s balance for a moment and the halberd flew out it''s hand. Daifuku was stunned. He quickly used busoshoku haki and crossed his arms across his c.h.e.s.t. "Too late!" Dali flashed before him and jabbed his sword. Daifuku''s hastily made defence couldn''t hold up against Dali''s excellent sword maneuver. His sword pierced through Daifuku''s c.h.e.s.t and lodged itself there. Puff!! Daifuku spurted blood and fell back. The genie failed to keep it''s body intact after he took a serious blow and dispersed into smoke. "Daifuku!" Perospero was startled when he saw Daifuku getting injured and yelled. He lost focus for a moment and that was all Flare needed. He used one of the marines Rokushiki, Tekkai and rushed past the candy walls and traps. A sword ray condensed above his blade as slashed out. Boom! Flare''s sword struck the candy wall and crumbled a part of it. Before Perospero could sigh in relief the candy wall crumble. An object shot in his direction with incredible speed. What?! He couldn''t react fast enough and was struck by it. His shoulder was blown apart and he was thrown back. Bleh! Spurting out blood Perospero did his best not to lose consciousness. He hatefully looked in Violet''s direction. It was her who struck just now. Flare didn''t waste a moment and flashed before Perospero. Losing an arm and still reeling from the effects of Violet''s sniping Perospero failed to react in time. Flare slashed down and cut through Perospero''s c.h.e.s.t. How can I... Shock and unwillingness filed Perospero''s eyes. He never imagined he would fall here and that too at the hands of a nobody marine. At the same time Perospero fell, Dali also finished his fight. He cut Daifuku''s throat and killed him. When their opponents fell Dali and Flare sat down immediately. They were breathing heavily and didn''t have the enough strength to even lift a finger. Leo nodded from the distance and said, "Get the crew, and... He was half way through his words when he felt a presence fall down from the sky. It was a bird burning with blue flames. The bird landed infront of them. Violet immediately raised her gun and aimed at it. The blue flame bird morphed into a man with sparse hair and wearing an open shirt. He had a tattoo on his c.h.e.s.t. "Whitebeard First Division Commander, Phoenix, Marco!" Violet involuntarily yelled. Leo was also surprised by Marco''s arrival. He said to Violet, "You go ahead, I will catch up later." Violet wanted to say something but ultimately decided not to and left. Marco waited for her to leave and said, "So, you are going after Big Mom?" Leo shrugged, "Hey, she is crazy and wants to kill me. It''s fair if I kill a few of her men, right?" Marco laughed, "I guess it''s fair." Leo asked, "I am surprised, why are you here?" Marco pointed to the town and said, "Someone I know lives here. Big Mom gathers ingredients from all over the world, if they are in a good mood they might pay, if not, they will just kill and rob. He was worried and contacted me, so here I am." Leo wasn''t surprised by his words and said, "You know, you guys aren''t like pirates. You pay your bills at a restaurant, you apologize when in the wrong and you will help your friends. I find it very hard to believe that you are pirates." Marco grinned, "Pirates seek freedom and treasures. We just follow that creed." Leo replied, "Yes. But your kind also kills and loot." Marco shrugged, "That''s either idiots who are drunk with power and greed or those who hold no moral bottom line. Don''t tell me there ain''t any bad sheeps in the navy?" Leo didn''t immediately reply and stared at him for a while before smiling, "You are right. As long as one has a bottom line, it doesn''t matter whether one is a pirate or a marine." Marco also laughed and asked, "Since you are here, wanna grab a drink. My friend owns a pub as well." "Alright." Chapter 170 - 170. A Helping Hand "How long have you been in Whitebeard''s crew?" Leo sipped a glass of beer and asked. Marco chugged on his own beer and said, "More than thirty years." "And you never thought of leaving?" Marco smiled, "We are a family. Would you leave your family?" Leo had no words for that. He suddenly said, "Did that thing I gave Whitebeard help him?" Marco nodded, "Yes, it did. It''s been a long time since he slept so soundly. Thanks for that." Leo waved his hand, "Don''t mind it. I only gave it to him because of who he is." "Hm? A Yonko?" Leo shook his head, "No. I can sense a person''s character by just seeing them. Whitebeard is proud and arrogant but he is at the same time a good man. If I can help a person like that, why not." Marco went silent for a while and said, "Pops was right, you are a true king." Huh? Leo looked at him confused. Marco smiled and explained, "I told him not to drink that drug you left behind in fear that it might be drugged, you know what he said? That you are a King, a King who doesn''t need such trickery." Leo was surprised. He laughed slightly and downed the whole glass. "You know, what I gave you before only had a small healing effect, it''s major function is to numb the pain. If you want I can get you a specialised drug focusing on recuperation." Marco raised his eyebrows in surprise, "Really?" Leo nodded, "Yeah. That was something I had on me by chance. I can get you a better drug, my wife is a great doctor and an even better researcher. It''s not that hard for her to create a drug like that." Marco expressed his gratitude and said, "Thank you. Whatever you want in return just ask. As long as it''s not something that goes against our bottom line we don''t mind." Leo noticed the ''we'' instead of ''I''. He was surprised by the unity of Whitebeard''s crew. "No need. I am glad to help a person like Whitebeard. Though we stand on different ends, I can respect a man like Whitebeard." Marco firmly shook his head, "No can do. Last time father accepted what you gave as a first time meeting gift, but if you still give out stuff for free he won''t accept it. And if he knew I took something in his place, he will beat the shit out of me." Leo was taken by Marco''s words and thought about what he want and said, "There really isn''t anything I want, but if I do come up with something I will ask you, how about that?" Marco was ok with that. They raised their glasses and downed another mouthful. Suddenly Leo thought of something, "Hey, now that I think about it, Whitebeard had me drink an excellent bottle of wine. Do you have more of that?" Marco was surprised for a moment and showed a wry smile, "We do have more of it. But all of it belongs to pops. A good drink is his only hobby, and what he gave you last time was something from his collection." Leo smiled brightly and said, "Then I want a few bottles." Marco nearly spurted what he drank, "A few bottles? Some of us were beaten black and blue when he caught us stealing a single bottle and you want a few bottles?" Leo shrugged, "Hey, you are the one who insisted on giving something back." Marco rubbed his forehead for some time and finally clenched his fist, "Whitebeard pirates always keeps our word! I will get you a few bottles!" Leo smiled brightly and raised his glass. Marco followed and both of them downed their glass. After talking for some time Marco was preparing to head back when Leo said. "You know, if you can arrange a time I can bring my wife to do a check up on Whitebeard." Marco asked back, "Is it appropriate?" Leo asked, "Why would it be inappropriate?" "Because you are a marine and we are pirates." Leo smiled to his words and said, "A man is judged for his actions, not his title. I believe in my sight, being a marine won''t stop me or my wife from helping a person like him." Marco looked deeply at Leo for a moment and bowed. "Thank you." Leo waved his hand and said, "Don''t thank me, thank my wife, she is the one doing all the work." Marco laughed, "Yeah. You didn''t do anything, I should definitely thank your wife." "Hey! I was just being polite." Hahaha. They had a good laugh and Marco left. Leo also headed back to his ship. Shinobu was already on the deck waiting for him. "You seem to be in a good mood." She said. Leo held her arms and said, "I just got me some great wine." Shinobu shook her head in resignation, "Why do men like wine so much?" "Why do woman like to dress up so much?" Leo shot back a question at her. Suddenly Shinobu smiled brightly, "So you think I dress up so much?" Leo pinched her lovely cheeks, "Of course my Shinobu doesn''t need to dress up, she is so beautiful like a fairy. I am talking about other women." Though she knew it was flattery it still felt good to hear it from her husband. Mace was s.e.n.s.i.t.i.v.e enough to not disturb them and ordered the men to set sail. ... Moby D.i.c.k. Marco returned to the ship and secretly gathered the Commanders. "What''s wrong Marco? Why did you ask all of us gather so secretly?" "Is there a problem? Did anyone mess in our turf?" Hearing several of them grumble Marco gestured for them to be quite and said. "I saw that marine who helped father before." Whitebeard''s second division Commander Jozu said, "That guy? He is not bad for a marine. But how does he fit in you calling as of us here so secretly?" Marco explained, "He said he can get a specialised drug to help father recuperate from his old injuries. Though not completely I presume that this drug could heal atleast 20 percent of father''s injuries." "Really!?" The Commanders were stunned and excited. "When can he give it to us?" Jozu asked. Marco said, "He can give a stronger drug than last time but if we want better results he needs to examine father''s body." "So what? Let''s arrange a time for him." The Commanders saw Whitebeard as their father, to them nothing more important than their father and their crew. Marco has a wry smile on his face, "The problem is that, I told him we won''t take something for free and he asked for a few bottles of wine from father''s collection." The Commanders went silent for a while before one of them asked. "So, how do we convince father to give up a few bottles?" Chapter 171 - 171. Whitebeards Treatment A lone ship was sailing through the sea. It wasn''t very large and only had a few people on board. "This is such a pain in the a**. Couldn''t you guys have become a pirate?" A man asked a couple seated on the deck of the ship. Of course this couple was Leo and Shinobu. Leo heard the guy and chuckled. They were enroute to see Whitebeard and due to their status they couldn''t travel openly. So they had to transfer several sh.i.p.s before reaching their destination. Shinobu was feeding Snow who was comfortably resting on her l.a.p. Soon the ship entered Whitebeard''s territory and reached Moby D.i.c.k. Leo saw the division commanders standing on the bow of the ship. When he saw them he raised an eyebrow before smiling. "Good to see you again, Marco. Oh, by the way, what''s wrong with your face?" The division commanders had a strained expression when they heard Leo. Marco touched his right cheek where a bruise was and grumbled, "Just get on board." Leo grinned and jumped on, Shinobu followed right beside him. Once again he saw that giant man, he was lazily sitting there while drinking from a big bottle. Whitebeard narrowed his eyes when he saw Leo, "Brat, you got guts to eye my stash!" The colour of the Supreme King burst out of him and crushed against Leo. Leo smiled, "Hey, it''s a fair transaction." Showing no weakness Leo released his "will" as well. The collision between their wills cracked the air and changed the weather. This continued on for several seconds before both of them withdrew their "will". "Gurarara, cheeky brat." Whitebeard laughed and said no more. "Shinobu." Leo looked at her. She nodded and stepped towards Whitebeard. She needed a comprehensive understanding of Whitebeard''s health to create a treatment plan for him. "Hey, Marco. How many bottles do I get?" Leo asked Marco. Rolling his eyes Marco said, "Three." "Only three?" "Don''t be so greedy. Pops collected them over decades. The number of bottles made every year is less than twenty, and they are mostly reserved for celestial dragons. Even with your status you won''t be able to get one even if you tried to." Leo nodded in understanding. He suddenly asked, "Can I ask about your face?" "No." Marco replied plainly. Leo smirked. "His body has acc.u.mulated a lot of wounds. Though they have healed the damage was done, as his body deteriorates with age it will cause pain. My simplified healing drug only healed less than one percent of his injuries." "Even if I give him a more potent drug it won''t help, he isn''t young anymore. We need a slow treatment, that way I can improve his health and take care of those troublesome wounds." She explained it to Marco and the other commanders. Jozu hastily asked, "How long will it take? And how about the results after?" "Three years. In three years I can get him back to normal." The division commanders were relieved when they heard her. Shinobu wasn''t finished and said seriously, "However, in these three years he must not get involved in battle. Otherwise the treatment will be useless." That... The division commanders didn''t know how to respond. They couldn''t agree with her since this was Whitebeard. If he decide to do something, then even if hell froze over he would do it. "Brats, I agreed to have her treat me in exchange for my stash and you want me to lay on a bed like a useless old man!?" Whitebeard who was listening to everything bellowed. The division commanders could only laugh bitterly and didn''t dare say anything back. Leo suddenly nudged Marco and stretched out his hands. Marco was speechless when he saw this. He still had the nerve to ask for his commission under such circ.u.mstances. Why does every person with haoshoku haki have weird characters. He sighed to himself and went inside the ship. After a while he came out with three large bottles of wine. Leo grabbed it from him and immediately jumped back to the ship they came from. Shinobu shook her head with a smile and gave Marco a bottle and a list of materials. "Give him this. It''s a stronger version of the drug he gave you before. And here is a list of materials I need for your father''s treatment." Whitebeard chugged on his bottle and saw them sail away from the corner of his eyes. Back on Leo''s ship. Storing away the bottles safely Leo hummed happily. When he came out he saw Shinobu playing with Snow. "Three years, huh. How much can he recover, I mean in terms of strength?" Shinobu was rubbing Snow''s furry head when she heard him. She thought for a moment and said. "Well, he is old. No matter how good my medical abilities are, it won''t be able to bring his body back to it''s prime." True. Body is the foundation to strength. How much power one can exert depends on the strength of their body. As he was about to take a seat a news bird flew by. Leo signalled with his hand. It flew down. Leo threw a coin to it and took a paper. The news bird cawed once and flew away. Oh? He hummed in surprise. Shinobu looked over and saw what he was looking at. She raised her eyebrows in surprise. "These guys... they got guts." Leo smiled. On the front paper was a row of very big bold letters. STRAWHAT PIRATES STORM ENIES LOBBY! Leo read the details and frowned. The paper stated how the government arrested a criminal and the strawhats stormed Enies Lobby to save her. Well, the world government sure knows how to twist black and white. Leo has seen the strawhats and he knew they weren''t the type to do such things. There must be something else. "Shinobu, let''s take a detour and visit Water Seven." Chapter 172 - 172. Water Seven Whitebeard''s crew dropped Leo and Shinobu on an inconspicuous island. They contacted Mace and had him pick them up. "Captain, you can''t disappear like that!" Mace grumbled. Leo ignored him and said, "Set course to Water Seven." Knowing he would never get a response Mace sighed helplessly and did what he was told. After several hours the ship docked on Water Seven. Leo took a good look at the island said to be the paradise for shipwrights. Even the pirate king''s ship was made here. As he was getting down he sensed something and looked into the disable. There he saw the shadow of a ship approaching the harbour. Hm, well, I guess it makes sense for him to come here. Leo smiled to himself and waited for the ship to dock. "What are you doing here?" "Garp-san, your grandson is something." This person was of course Garp. Hearing Leo Garp glared at him. "Are you mocking me, kid?" Leo raised his arms in defeat and said, "Hey, I said nothing wrong." Garp sighed and said helplessly, "I don''t know what I would do with that kid." Leo smiled and gestured, "Shall we?" "Let''s go! I am gonna beat the crap out of him!" Garp cracked his knuckles and took large strides. Shinobu chuckled from the side and said, "Garp-san is so cute." Leo laughed. Along with a team of marines Garp, Leo and Shinobu went straight for a lodging under the Galley-La Company, a prominent company of shipwrights. Leo already saw Luffy and his crew inside. He was really looking interested in this motley crew. However he facepalmed at what happened next. Garp rushed forward, he destroyed a section of the building and rushed in before punching Luffy''s head. "He sure has an interesting way to showcase his care." Shinobu said and Leo agreed. "Grandpa, what are you doing here!?" Luffy held his head in pain and yelled. Garp cracked his knuckles and said with a glare, "You cause trouble everywhere you go and you ask why I am here!?" "Luffy''s grandpa is a Vice Admiral!?" "The marine hero is his grandfather!?" Different reactions came from Luffy''s crew. Garp punched Luffy''s head a few more times before he was satisfied. Leo didn''t know what kind of expression he should show to everything that just happened. Hm? At this moment he sensed someone and turned his head. A man with three swords was rushing towards the marines. Ah, it''s that swordsman. Not bad, he has grasped sword intent. Leo was surprised when he saw Zoro. He didn''t plan to make a move and see where this was going. Before Zoro got far someone rushed out from the marines and blocked him. "Zoro!" By now Luffy also rushed out but someone suddenly attacked him. Very skillfully Zoro and Luffy parried the attacks and defeated their opponents. "Coby?" It seems Luffy and Zoro knew these marines. They went on talking when Nami and the rest walked out. Nami immediately spotted Leo. Her face changed when she realised who it was. However Sanji showed a completely different reaction. "Mademoiselle!" He rushed to Shinobu and gave her a gentleman''s bow. "Mademoiselle, it''s my luck to meet you again in my life." Leo said to Garp. "You shouldn''t destroy public property so carelessly." "Haha, I thought it looked cooler that way." Leo rolled his eyes and turned his head to Robin, "Looks like you found your light." Robin was surprised for a second when Leo suddenly spoke to her. She didn''t reply and merely smiled. Leo already knew Robin from Alabasta. When he first saw her her spirit was dull and dark, her emotions were clouded by despair and sorrow. However now, her spirit had a tinge of light. The grey cloud of despair and sadness had cleared. "You guys sure made a ruckus in Enies Lobby." The strawhats went silent when they heard him. However Luffy grumbled. "Those guys took Robin." Leo laughed, "Relax. I am not here on official capacity." The strawhats heaved a sigh when they heard him. Zoro suddenly asked, "You fought with Hawkeye?" Leo answered, "Yes, and I lost." Garp smiled when he heard Leo, "Don''t be so modest, kid. If your techniques were better the winner would be uncertain." Zoro''s eyes turned sharp, "Fight with me." Nami and Chopper immediately punched his face when they heard him. "Ma, don''t it so seriously." "Yeah, yeah. He has a serious condition." Nami was pulling his hair while Chopper was covering his mouth. Zoro seems to be saying something but those two tightly closed his mouth, all Leo heard was some mumbles. "Ok, I will fight with you." Nami and Chopper helplessly let go of Zoro. They sighed to themselves for getting involved with this crew. They found an open space. Zoro directly used his strongest style. However one of his sword was broken and looked rusted. Leo simply drew his sword and took an easy stance. Luffy and the rest were very curious as to how this would turn out. Zoro moved. He raced to Leo and struck. His sword intent was spread across his sword as he swung down. Leo casually deflected his attacks. Zoro increased the strength he put in his strikes and attacked ferociously. Leo stood rooted on his spot and deflected every attack that came onto him. How is this possible!? Zoro was shocked. After his fight with Hawkeye he knew how weak he was. Thus he trained harder every day. His enemies got stronger and so did he. He thought he was atleast strong enough to make someone of Hawkeye''s caliber to take him seriously but he was sorely mistaken. Am I that weak? Can I never reach them? His spirit was shaken. His sword intent started to distort. Doubt crept into his heart. No! I made a promise! His eyes focused again. The doubt in his heart disappeared, what replaced it was an unyielding will to strive forward. The sword intent on the verge of breaking condensed again. This time it was stronger and sharper than before. Leo''s stared at him in shock. This guy... Chapter 173 - 173. A Wandering Spirit Leo stared at Zoro in shock. A second ago his sword intent was on the verge of collapse, and now it was stronger and sharper than before. In fact his sword intent was now fully formed, it was not as half baked as before. Clang! Zoro''s sword grinded along Leo''s sword and created sparks. His eyes portrayed a tenacious will to strive. This guy... Narrowing his eyes Leo released a bit of his murderous intent. Zoro faltered for a moment before rushing at him. Swords flashed around Leo, trying to get past his defense. With each strike Zoro''s sword intent was growing. Each sword strike made it more firm and sharp. Curling his lips Leo let out his "Will". A formless power crushed upon Zoro. He staggered in his steps but quickly stabilised his body. Sweat started to flow down his cheeks. His eyes were bloodshot and veins popped on his temple. Garp narrowed his eyes. He already saw through the changes happening to Zoro. He was stunned, but at the same time he sighed. Why can''t he be a marine? "Grandpa, that guy is strong." Luffy who always fooled around had a serious expression on his face. Garp grinned, "He is a great marine." On the field Zoro was struggling to stay on his feet. His head was feeling light, it was hard for him to focus. His vision was starting to blur, he was seeing doubles. Dammit! Zoro was unwilling to go down like this. He bit hard on the sword in his mouth and squeezed out every ounce of power he head. Three Sword Style Secret Technique, Three Thousand Worlds! He suddenly disappeared from his spot and shot towards Leo. The distance between them was pulled closer in a second. Shhiiinggg! "You took a step back." Saying those words he fell down and lost consciousness. Leo curled his lips. Nami and the rest immediately rushed out and took him inside. "You helped a pirate." Garp grumbled at Leo. Leo shrugged, "He had already grasped sword intent. It was only a matter of time, I just sped things up." "~sigh~, Luffy has damn good luck to have companions with such talent." "That''s for sure." Luffy was dumb and always took everything as they come straightforwardly. Such a character was not suited for this treacherous seas. However his friends made up for his deficiency. Hm? Leo was about to grab a glass of water when he sensed something. Well... He released his spiritual sense and found a blob of energy floating around the room. Why didn''t I sense it before? He was surprised he didn''t notice this before. Wait? Is that... a spirit? Leo was stunned. He focused and found it to be the case. He thought to himself. A spirit can''t exist outside without it''s vessel. It would quickly disperse and disappear once the vessel is gone. But this one is fine. Oh wait... He checked again and found wisps of energy slowly vanishing from the spirit. I... want to... sail... Leo was thinking what to do when he heard a voice in his head. He quickly understood that it was from the floating spirit. "Who are you?" He asked through his spiritual sense. It took several seconds before the voice replied. Merry? Isn''t that the name of their ship? Leo was familiar with the ship of strawhats. It was included in the reports he got. He was confused for a while before he thought of something. His eyes widened in surprise. Shinobu who was beside him sensed the changed in him and asked, "What''s wrong?" Leo didn''t reply, he stared at Luffy and his crew before saying, "These guys are really something." He told her what happened and Shinobu also widened her eyes in surprise. "Their ship gave birth to a spirit?" Leo nodded, "The conditions for an inanimate object to birth a spirit is very stringent. There are no set rules to follow, however there is one one concrete rule that is a must. The object must be deeply attachments to it''s owner." "The chances for an object to birth a spirit is very high when the emotions it''s owner has for it is pure and unconditional." Shinobu asked back in surprise, "Then how is it possible for the emotions of several people give birth to a spirit?" Leo stared at the strawhats and said with smile, "That''s why I am very interested in this crew. Their attachment to their ship is so pure and unconditional that it resonated with each other, and created a spirit." "Ah, spirit resonance. That explains it." Leo opened his palm and grabbed at Merry''s spirit. His ''Breath'' gently flowed through his palms. No one saw his action. He grabbed Merry and walked out. "Garp-san, see you later." Garp looked at Leo curiously. He saw what Leo did but he didn''t know what he did and frankly he was too lazy to ask about it. He waved his hand, "Yeah, just go away." Leo smiled and left. Right after Leo left Zoro woke up. He felt a sharp pain in his head. A second later it faded away and he looked around. "Where is he?" He asked. Chopper was standing close to him and heard him. "Zoro, you woke up!" "Chopper, where is he?" Zoro asked again. Chopper said, "He left." Zoro didn''t say anything and laid against the wall. He thought back to the moment when he pushed Leo to take a step back. I finally took a step forward. Walking back to the docks Leo stared at Merry''s spirit in his hand. Only he could see it through his spiritual sense. To others he was just walking around with his palms spread out. "What are you going to do with it?" Shinobu asked curiously. Leo grinned, "Since this spirit separated from it''s body, it''s safe to assume that their ship is gone. So they must need a new one. I am going merge this spirit with their new ship." Chapter 174 - 174. War Congress Leo and Shinobu walked around the shipyard and finally found what they were looking for. A large magnificent ship was before them. "Excellent craftsmanship." Shinobu commented. Leo strode forward. He held his palm out and whispered, "Go, your fate with them hasn''t come an end yet." Merry''s spirit floated from his palm and flew towards the ship. Like melting snow it disappeared once it touched the ship. Leo released his spiritual sense and covered the entire ship. He provided the ship with spiritual energy and helped Merry''s feeble spirit to merge with the ship. Thank... you... When the merging was complete Merry''s voice rang out in Leo''s mind. Leo smiled and took back his spiritual energy. "You hurt yourself." Shinobu walked to his side and said seriously. "I will recover in a few days." Leo hadn''t reached a point where he could discharge his spiritual energy from his body. What he did just now was to forcefully separate a part to help with merging process. Shinobu grumbled and pinched his waist, "Don''t do stuff like that." "Yes, madam." Leo chuckled and said. Pereperepere. Leo''s den-den mushi rang. "Fleet Admiral?" Leo asked after picking up the call. "Leo, return to the base immediately." "What''s wrong? Why the urgency?" "You will know when you get here." Sengoku didn''t explain and hung up. "Well, what was that about?" Leo asked Shinobu. "Who knows?" She shrugged. Both of them got back to their ship and set sail for Marineford. A while after they left the strawhats were led to their new ship by their shipwright Franky. "Wow! What a big ship!" "Looks great!" "And it has tangerines planted on it." "What''s wrong, Luffy? Do you not like the ship?" Chopper asked. Luffy was still staring at ship as he said, "I love it. It''s just... the ship... it feels like Merry." Merry? Chopper also stared at the ship but he didn''t find anything. After a few seconds of thinking Luffy gave up and jumped onto the ship and joined the others. Marineford. Leo and Shinobu got off the ship and took a beeline towards the conference room. When they got near the room a ruckus could be heard from inside. Hm? Leo saw threads extending from the rear admirals body. It was these threads that controlled them into attacking each other. He followed the threads and saw a man with pink hair and sunglasses sitting on the edge of a window. His fingers kept moving as he watched the rear admirals fight with wicked grin. One of the seven Warlords, Donquiote Doflamingo. Leo grinned. He took a step forward and disappeared. Doflamingo who was having fun suddenly felt his heart grip with terror. He clad his arms in busoshoku haki and crossed them against his c.h.e.s.t. Slice! A bright red light flashed before him and crashed into his arms. His busoshoku haki was sliced through. Blood spilled. He quickly retreated. However a shadow quietly appeared behind him. The shadows of death covered him. "Leo, that''s enough." A calm voice echoed through the room. Sengoku stood outside the room as he stared at Leo standing behind Doflamingo. His sword was pointing at Doflamingo''s throat, just a hair breath away. Leo took back his sword and put it back inside the scabbard. Beads of sweat flowed down Doflamingo''s forehead. The wicked grin he had on his face was gone. He turned around and faced Leo as he traced his neck. A small wound was there. Drops of blood seeped out. Anger erupted in his heart. He was about to speak when Leo suddenly kicked out. Doflamingo failed to react. Leo''s feet sunk into his gut. His body slumped like a shrimp and he was thrown back while spilling blood. His body crashed into the walls and made a human shaped dent before sliding down and losing consciousness. "Be glad you are on the ground of Marineford as a Warlord." Leo smirked. Sengoku said nothing and said, "Take seat." Leo and Shinobu sat down. There were a few others seated around them. An old woman wearing a justice overcoat was seated right next to Sengoku, Tactical Officer, Tsuru. A rather big man with a book in his hand, Warlord, Bartholomew Kuma. Just as Sengoku was about to speak the door was pushed open and a man walked in. Leo was surprised to see who it was. The man carried large black sword on his back and wore an open coat and a ceremonial hat. Warlord, Hawkeye Mihawk. Hawkeye saw Leo and nodded at him. Leo returned the gesture. After Hawkeye was seated Sengoku got on to the topic, "We are going to war." Leo was surprised and turned serious, "Against a Yonko?" With the power the navy had only a Yonko was qualified to be their opponent. Sengoku nodded and said, "Our enemy will be the strongest man in the world, Whitebeard!" Leo felt a tremor in his heart. However his face looked unchanged. Only Shinobu seated beside him sensed the tumultuous emotions in him. Sengoku explained, "The latter half of the Grandline is ruled by the Yonko. Because of them our presence in the latter half is basically nonexistent." "We now have a chance. Whitebeard is getting old. He isn''t at his peak." One of the rear admirals couldn''t help but speak, "But Fleet Admiral, this is still Whitebeard. Is it really possible to fight against him." "Yes, Fleet Admiral. There is a reason why he is called the strongest man in the world." "If we send out a fleet against him, he could wipe them out by simply raising a tsunami." "Please think this through Fleet Admiral." Several marines spoke up against Sengoku''s announcement. Sengoku knocked on the table. The sound was light but the everyone toned down almost immediately. "I am aware of the risk. However, who said we are taking the fight to him? He will come here." Chapter 175 - 175. Whitebeards Answer Sengoku''s words made the marines shut up. He looked at all of them and said. "New World is the domain of Yonko. If we take the battle to them our chances of victory are slim, however, if the battle is here on Marineford, then who would win isn''t absolute." One of the marines asked, "Fleet Admiral, Whitebeard is no fool, he has no reason to come here, much less start a war." Sengoku took out a bounty poster and raised it for everyone else to see. "Fire Fist Ace, second division commander of Whitebeard Pirates. He is in our custody now." Damn! Leo clenched his fist under the table. Whitebeard considers his crew as his family, his closest kin, he wouldn''t take it lightly if the marines caught one of them. "We will hold a public execution of Ace. Whitebeard will come to rescue his son." Sengoku said with absolute certainty. The other marines also agreed. They were all familiar with Whitebeard Pirates. After a couple of hours the meeting was adjourned. Leo walked out solemnly. "This isn''t good." Shinobu said with a frown. "War is never good. We gotta move fast, Whitebeard must have gotten the news about Ace''s capture. We have to stop him." Shinobu agreed. They were familiar with the route and had a vivre card. So after a day of travel they reached Moby D.i.c.k. The atmosphere on the ship was slightly off. "Leo, it''s best if you leave. Pops ain''t in a good mood." Jozu stopped Leo and said. Leo pushed him aside and said seriously, "This is important Jozu, move." "Alright, go at your own risk." Jozu gave way. Leo stood before Whitebeard and said, "I can save Ace. I will find some way, don''t move out." "Boy, I don''t need the help of a marine to save my son!" Whitebeard was truly angry. His haoshoku was fully released. Leo didn''t retaliate and stood straight like a mountain. "I know you don''t, but think about your body for one second. You are in no condition to start a war." "Are you looking down on me, brat!? I am Whitebeard! I haven''t gone senile enough to be worried over by a fledgling!" Whitebeard growled and said. His voice boomed through the air. The seas rumbled and the skies turned dark in response to his anger. Leo stared straight at Whitebeard and mumbled, "You will die." Only Whitebeard heard him. The anger he showed disappeared in an instant. "It''s a father''s duty bring back his son." Leo didn''t know what to say. He turned to Marco who watched everything in silence. "Say something you idiot." Marco shook his head, "Sorry Leo. I am with pops on this one. Ace is our brother, we will bring him back." Leo covered his face with his palm. He couldn''t get through this bunch of stubborn oxes. Marco patted Leo''s shoulder and said gratefully, "Thanks for you help before. Please leave, a pirate ship is no place for a marine." Leo stared at Marco for a moment. He took one last look at Whitebeard and sighed. He took out a vial from his coat and gave it to Marco. Marco didn''t push it back and accepted it, "Thank you." Leo said no more and left. Looking at Moby D.i.c.k he felt down. Shinobu hugged his from behind and said, "You did your best." Leo didn''t say anything. He stared off into the distance for a while and said, "He reminds me so much of my father. To outsiders he was proud and arrogant but to his family he was a calm and caring. I just don''t want someone like him to die." "I know." She didn''t say anything and just stayed by his side. Leo returned to his island and busied himself with training. He wanted to take his mind off everything. Days passed. The news of Ace''s execution was spread through the seas. Every major power was focusing on the upcoming war. On this day Garp visited Leo. "What''s wrong Garp-san?" Leo asked. Garp was smiling as usual but he seems to be in confusion and pain. "Sometimes I think it was best if I didn''t become a marine." "What''s this about?" Shaking his head Garp didn''t explain. The old man stayed till the sun was setting and left. His figure looked lonely and tired. "It must be hard for Garp-san. After all he did raise Ace." Shinobu suddenly said something. Leo raised his eyebrows in surprise and asked, "Garp raised Ace?" Shinobu nodded, "I heard this from grandma Tsuru, Ace had no family and it was Garp-san who raised him. Ace can be considered as his grandson." I see... Leo understood why Garp looked so out of place. It must be hard for him, on one hand was his family, on the other was justice. For a man like Garp it must be torture when he is compelled to choose one. Leo''s den-denen mushi rang. He picked it up and from it came an emergency message. "All forces deploy immediately to Sabaody Archipelago. All forces deploy immediately to Sabaody Archipelago. Strawhat Luffy assaulted a Tenryuubito. Capture or kill on sight." A frown climbed on Leo''s face. This kid, couldn''t he give it a rest? First Enies Lobby, now assaulting a Tenryuubito. Anyway, he got guts. I am free, might as well take a look. "I am going over to Sabaody for a bit, you coming?" Shinobu shook her head, "No. I have some experiments to do. You have fun." Leo called over Mace and set sail for Sabaody. His Island wasn''t that far from it. Hm, Merry''s spirit should have recovered by now. They had quite the adventure after the last time I saw them, I am curious to see how far they have grown. He had high hopes for this crew. Each one of them is talented in their own field and they are growing very fast. He was looking forward to see their current status. Chapter 176 - 176. Strawhats Fate Sabaody Archipelago. Luffy and his crew were running towards their ship when a huge form blocked their path. "Another Shichibukai!? Didn''t we bust the same guy just a second ago!?" "What''s going on? How come there are two of the same Shichibukai?" Before they could process what was happening a beam of light was shot from the huge figure''s mouth. They dodged it and immediately assaulted the huge figure. Luffy, Zoro and Sanji took the lead and struck the huge figure back to back. Nami created a thunder cloud and bombarded the huge figure with lightning. Chopper changed form and used Kunfu Point to strike at the huge figure''s c.h.e.s.t. Franky and Brooke delivered their strongest blows as well with Usopp finishing it with a fire bomb. Their coordination was seamless and perfect. With back to back attacks the huge figure fell and stated to tremble before emitting smoke and sparks. "What the hell is this guy?" "The last one was also a robot?" "There is no time, let''s get to Sunny!" Luffy yelled and rushed off. However they just moved several meters when a blinding flash of light stopped them. "Admiral!?" Luffy and his crew paled. "Oooh, I can''t let you run away~" Kizaru lazily spoke and flashed away. He kicked Zoro with blinding speed. Blood spurted from Zoro''s mouth as he was flung away. "Zoro!!" Before any of them could get to him Kizaru flashed again and stomped Zoro beneath his feet. Guhah... Blood leaked out from Zoro''s mouth. His eyelids were getting droopy and he was losing consciousness. "You can''t get away~." Kizaru flashed again. He appeared beside Zoro and crushed him with his feet. His other leg was slightly raised, rays of light were being condensed on it. "Stop that!" Luffy yelled and rushed towards Kizaru. "Yelling won''t help you." Kizaru faintly looked at Luffy and stomped his foot down. "No!" The strawhats felt their heart go cold. If that kick strikes Zoro then he is dead. However, just as Kizaru stomped down a shadow flashed in his direction and kicked out. Kizaru''s strike missed. It flew far away and struck a groove. Boom! The laser light destroyed a good portion of the huge mangrove and created a scene of chaos. "Rayleigh, you are stepping out of your bounds~" An old man wearing casual clothes and a glass laughed and said, "Their journey is just starting, I can''t have you pluck these young ones so early." Kizaru stared at Rayleigh for a second and closed his palms like praying before separating them. A sword made out of light was created by him. "Let me see how strong the Dark King is~" Rayleigh pulled out his sword and got ready for a fight. "Luffy, go, now!" Luffy knew he would be of no use staying around. He took one more look at Rayleigh and ran off. "They can''t escape~" "Haha, we will see." Luffy and his crew rushed off. They were one step away from their ship when several figures stopped them. "How many of these guys are there!?" Standing in front front of them was one of the seven Warlords, Bartholomew Kuma! However there were three Kuma''s! "What the hell is happening!?" Sanji grabbed his hair in exasperation. "Go all out!" Zoro was out of the fight after their bout with Kizaru. With three Kuma''s there chances of escape was dwindling down very fast. While the strawhats were putting their lives on the line for escape a person was watching them from the distance. "Robots. Man, even in my world this kind of technology wasn''t m.a.t.u.r.e enough to be placed in battle." As the battle progressed the strawhats were put in a dire situation. Well, guess I should make a move... hm? Just as he was about to give them a hand, he saw another person join the battle. This was also Kuma, however this one was human or atleast part of him was. Kuma joined the battle and easily took care of the other Kuma''s. He then struck each of the strawhats. The moment his paws touched them the strawhats disappeared one by one. Leo frowned. What is he doing? Where is he sending them? Though it seemed as if the strawhats disappeared, Leo''s spiritual sense picked up a paw shaped bubble carry them out of Sabaody. After sending away every one of them Kuma put his globes back on. "What are you planning, Bartholomew Kuma?" Kuma was slightly shocked when he saw Leo suddenly flash before him. His face looked calm and collected as he replied, "I took care of a pirate crew, that''s all." Leo rubbed his chin, "Is that so?" Kuma said no more and disappeared into the mangrove. This guy ain''t simple. Leo thought to himself. Pushing the issue to the back of his mind he walked around Sabaody. The place was crawling with marines. There were so many of them. Luffy wouldn''t harm someone without reason. If that''s the case then this Tenryuubito must have done something that pissed him off. As he got to the town square he saw a team of agents standing around a man wearing strange clothes. Leo''s eyes froze over when he saw what that man doing. He was kicking a marine! "What are you imbeciles doing!? You still haven''t caught those wretches who injured my son!?" The marines didn''t dare raise their voice and just lowered their head as the Tenryuubito yelled. "Useless! Useless!" He kicked the marine on the ground and pulled out his pistol. "Dogs should know their place!" Some of the marines wanted to stop him but didn''t have the courage to do so. Just as the man was about to pull the trigger the pistol was sliced into several bits. "Who the f.u.c.k are you to point a gun at a marine?" Chapter 177 - 177. His Justice The Tenryuubito was frightened when his pistol suddenly crumbled. He looked around and found who spoke. Pointing his finger at Leo he yelled, "A damned marine has the courage to attack a Tenryuubito, kill him!" The agents standing beside the Tenryuubito hesitated for a moment before plunging at Leo. "You sold yourselves to such a wretched human being. A man can not have many things in his life, but he must absolutely have dignity." He stepped forward slowly. The agents rushed at him in an instant. The Tenryuubito expected Leo to be beaten to death but nothing happened. Leo walked past the agents who came to a stop just inches away from him. Thud! Thud! One by one they fell down. "How... The Tenryuubito took a step back in shock. Leo''s eyes turned sharp as murderous intent leaked out of him. "You called a marine your dog. What gave you the courage to trample upon men who risk their lives to protect peace?" "You look down on ordinary people and are disgusted by them. You are human, as are we. You walk with two legs, as do we. Your blood is red, as are ours. You breathe the same air, as do we." "Then what the f.u.c.k makes you so arrogant? Or are none of what I said right? Shall we find out?" Like a ghost Leo appeared before the Tenryuubito. His sword was already on it''s path to his neck. The marines standing around paled. They never expected Leo to attack a Tenryuubito! "Vice admiral Leo, don''t!" They yelled to stop him but Leo didn''t falter. His eyes were cold as an ice tundra. Suddenly a blinding ray of light flashed and stood infront of the Tenryuubito. "Oooh~ You should calm down." The light condensed and everyone saw who it was. Admiral Kizaru! "I am very calm, Admiral Kizaru. Now, if you would please step aside. I need to check whether he is different from us or not." Leo calmly stared at Kizaru and spoke. His voice was very soft but Kizaru could feel the danger in his words. "Leo, you are very clear about the consequences of those actions." Kizaru said back. Leo pointed to the marine who was trampled by the Tenryuubito and said, "Do you understand?" Kizaru rubbed his forehead in annoyance. He could roughly figure out what happened. Leo wasn''t in the wrong to get angry, but that and attacking a Tenryuubito was completely different. "Just calm down, let''s not make a fool out of ourselves. We will talk about this back at headquarters." Leo stared at Kizaru for a good one minute and sheathed his sword. "What are you doing!? Capture that man!" Just when everyone thought everything was over, the Tenryuubito flared up and yelled at Kizaru. Kizaru frowned. Why can''t these imbeciles stay still for a moment. Leo glanced at the Tenryuubito for a second and walked away. The marines saluted Kizaru and dispersed as well. "What are you doing!? Where the hell are you going!? Capture him! Capture him!" The Tenryuubito pointed at Leo and yelled out in anger. "The Tenryuubito is quite tired and fell asleep, take him back to Mariejois." A couple of marines obeyed and took away the Tenryuubito. Marineford. Kizaru gave a report of everything that happened to Sengoku. Garp was also there snacking on rice crackers. "I told you, Sengoku." "Shut up!" Sengoku threw a stack of paper at Garp and yelled. He let out a sigh and said, "Let Leo get back to his island. Don''t send any more missions his way till the war is over." An officer saluted and left with Sengoku''s instructions. "Garp, look at the mess your grandson made!!" "Bwahaha, he is a lot like me when I was younger!" Sengoku grabbed Garp''s collar and growled at him, "You have cheek to smile!?" "Maa, calm down. Here, have some crackers." Sengoku grabbed the packet and emptied it all into his mouth. "Not all of it!" ... Leo was in a bad mood when he returned to his island. Just as he got off the ship Snow swooped down from the sky and landed on his shoulder. She rubbed her snowy head on his cheeks and let out a happy yelp. "Look at you." Leo''s mind eased up a bit when he saw Snow. Kiii, Kiii Snow waved her wings and made sounds at Leo. "Hm? You found something in the forest?" After spending so much time with Snow Leo was able to understand her somewhat. Right now, Snow said she found something out in the forest. Curious as to what it was Leo followed her. After walking for while he came across a stretch of broken trees. Right in the middle of these broken trees was a peculiar pit. Leo had spiritual sense, so he got an eagle view of the pit''s shape, it looked like a paw. What was interesting wasn''t the pit itself but what was in it. It was person. What''s happening? Why would that guy send him here? Who else could it be other than Zoro. Kiii, Kiii Snow circled around Zoro and made sounds. She was waiting for Leo to praise her. "Haha, you little rascal. Do you who this is, a pirate." Snow tilted her head in confusion. Leo shook his head and picked up Zoro and his swords. "Well, first things first, this guy lost a lot of blood. Gotta give him emergency treatment. Luckily he fell here." Leo and Snow went back home. Shinobu was inside her laboratory when Leo walked in with Zoro. She was surprised when she saw Zoro and looked at Leo. "Don''t look at me, I found him out back in the forest." "Put him there." Shinobu pointed to an open space. Leo put him down. Shinobu came out with a bunch of bandages and drugs. She started her work, since he had no place here Leo left. He couldn''t help but think about the true purpose behind Kuma''s actions. What the hell is that guy thinking? Chapter 178 - 178. Kumas Goal After treating Zoro she asked Leo to get him to their house. Leo placed him on the couch. "Why is he here?" Leo shrugged and explained what happened. Shinobu had an amused smiled on her face, "This is getting interesting, a Shichibukai helps out a pirate wanted by the World Government." Leo had no clue about what was happening. So he pushed it to the back of his mind and asked, "What''s his condition?" Shinobu said, "The people from this world have extraordinary constitutions. This man, Zoro is particularly special, he has got four broken ribs, torn muscles, ruptured lungs and internal bleeding but his physique is so strong that it''s already mending itself." Leo showed no surprise as he had seen cases like this before, "How long till he regains consciousness?" "In a couple of hours. By the way, are you really gonna hide him here?" Leo nodded, "They may be pirates but their hearts are in the right place." Shinobu smiled. She hugged him and gave him a kiss on his cheek. "I''ll be out with Snow to check on a few herbs I planted inside the forest." "Alright." Leo sat down comfortably and thought about recent events. Huuu, it''s all messed up. He closed his eyes and tried to forget about everything, his mind wandered off and he lost focus. After a while he heard some noise and looked over to see Shinobu walking in with a basket filled with wild fruits. Snow was happily munching on one on her shoulder. "He hasn''t woken up?" Leo turned to look at Zoro and found him sound asleep. "Hm, anyway, I am gonna prepare dinner." Just as she placed the basket down they all heard someone groaning. Zoro woke up groggily and found himself in an unfamiliar place. He tried to sit up but felt terrible pain all over his body. Where am I? His eyes took some time to focus. The moment they did he saw Leo and Shinobu along with Snow staring at him. It''s him! "Why are you here?" Leo was amused when he heard him, "That''s what I should be asking?" I took serious damage. Admirals are really strong. Leo strode towards him and asked, "Now do you understand where you stand in this sea?" His question struck a soar spot. Zoro had no answer. Shinobu at this moment gave Zoro a small bottle filled with blue liquid and said, "Drink it." Zoro looked at the vial for a moment and did as she asked. He felt a cooling sensation as the liquid flowed down his throat. After several seconds he felt his body get a bit more loose. He wasn''t as constrained as before. Shinobu placed her palm on top of his heart and nodded, "It''s good. Your body is safely recovering. I am going to make some food, eat and get lots of sleep. Your body needs rest." Zoro shook his head, "No. I have get back to my friends. Thank you for helping me." He tried to get up and stand on his feet. "That wasn''t a suggestion." Shinobu suddenly tapped two spots on his head. Zoro fell down uncontrollably. "What-what did you do!?" Leo picked him up and threw him inside their spare room. "Give up, she is a doctor. You can''t leave till you get her say so, and don''t try to sneak out. You can try, but I warn you, if you don''t want to lay on a bed till you get fully healed, I suggest you try nothing." "I need to find my friends!" Leo walked out, before he closed the door he said, "Your friends should be fine." He closed the door. Zoro couldn''t move a finger, he could only lay on the bed and stare at the ceiling. I am too weak... He was powerless against his enemies. He wasn''t able to protect his friends. "What do you think about what''s happening?" Shinobu was cutting carrots to fine pieces when she heard Leo. She paused for a moment and said, "A Shichibukai helped out criminals wanted by the World Government. Either he has some plans for them or he was really trying to save them." "Considering their strength I don''t think these guys could have any impact on everything that''s happening, so I am leaning towards the second possibly." Leo nodded, "I think so as well. But why? He has no reason to help out Luffy and his crew." Shinobu pondered for a moment, "Maybe he has and we just don''t know about it. Maybe he didn''t want to just save the crew but help a particular member and the crew was just a convenience for him." Leo rubbed his chin and thought hard for a while, "Among his crew, Nami, Usopp, Chopper, Robin, Franky and Brooke have a clear past. Only Zoro and Luffy have a blurred past. Atleast that''s what we know. We know nothing about Zoro''s parents, this is the same for Luffy... As he spoke upto here Leo stopped. He didn''t speak for a while and suddenly smiled. "Haha, I don''t know for sure but there is a high chance that Kuma was there for Luffy!" Shinobu resumed her work and asked, "Why do you think so?" "We know his grandfather, as for his parents... I have a feeling that Kuma is related to his parents in some way." Shinobu smiled, "That''s all just theory." "Hey, it''s sound reasoning." "Sure." "Are you making fun of me again?" Seeing her toothy smile Leo grinned with a hint of evil. He wrapped his arms around her from behind and nipped her ear. Shinobu giggled and turned around. She kissed him deeply. After a minute she separated herself from Leo and said, "Don''t mess around, I making food." Leo threw his hands in the air and laughed, "Yes, yes, madam." Chapter 179 - 179. Luffy Breaks Into Impel Down Leo was training in his backyard like usual. Zoro wrapped up in bandages was watching him and trying to figure out something. Having an audience didn''t really matter to Leo, anyway Zoro had already understood sword intent, it''s only a matter of time before he forms a domain. Him observing Leo would speed things up. Spreading out his hands Leo punched the air slowly, his fist was very slow but the air seems to be moving with it. When his hands were stretched out he opened his palms and pulled them back. His movements were slow, steady and had no interruptions. It was very smooth and Zoro sensed tremendous power behind them. How does he do that? Zoro is someone who''s aspiring to become the strongest swordsman, it would be insulting if he couldn''t even sense what was happening. After an hour of practice Leo was done. Pereperepere. "The captain of strawhats broke into Impel Down and has caused a rebellion. You are closer to Impel Down, so get there, immediately." Kachak. Sengoku''s instructed from the other end and hung up. This kid, why can''t he stay still. Leo shook his head. He looked at Zoro who was immersed in his own thoughts. ... Impel Down. "You aren''t going anywhere, Strawhat!" A giant man wearing a prison uniform yelled at Luffy. Sludge slipped off of his body and fell on the floor. The ground was corroded by the sludge and gave off toxic fumes. "Don''t touch his body, he is highly toxic!" A man with a big head with curly eyelashes and wearing a leotard shouted at Luffy. "Dammit!" Luffy cursed and jumped back. Megallan raised his fist and punched out. His arms turned into poison jelly and shot at Luffy and the big headed man. "Ivanko, we need to get out, fast!" Luffy said to the big headed man. Ivanko racked his brains to try and come up with a solution. "You are not going anywhere!" Megallan shot forward and attacked. His body turned into poison jelly and blocked every exit. Ivanko looked around and found a small crack on the wall. He counted the prisoners with him, there were too many. We still have a chance! Throwing caution to the wind Ivanko jumped up and winked at Megallan. Hell Wink! He blinked once. Megallan who was about to attack was struck by something and thrown back. Sizzzzle... Poison fell off of his body as he flew back and charred the ground. "Let''s go!" The other prisoners followed. They have been squatting down in Impel Down for many years, their thirst for fresh air was unbearable. "Sc.u.ms, where do you think you are going!?" Megallan bounced back up like nothing had happened and rushed in the direction of Ivanko and Luffy. However Ivanko was fast. He reached the exit before Megallan caught up. Death Wink! Ivanko turned back and winked at the exit. A formless power struck and destroyed it. Some of the prisoners managed to make it out while the others were trapped outside. Megallan fumed when he saw Ivanko and Luffy escape. He took out his anger on the remaining prisoners. By the time he was done only a few remained breathing, the rest ended up dead. "Check the surveillance snails, find Strawhat Luffy and Ivanko!" Megallan took out a den-den mushi and ordered. Ivanko swiped the sweat from his forehead and put down Luffy. "We need to join the others. Since they know we are headed down to level 6 they will definitely be there." Luffy clenched his fist. Ace, just hold on, I am coming. As Luffy and Ivanko were making their way down a riot broke loose inside Impel Down. Megallan grounded his teeth when he checked the surveillance snails. Every level from 1 to 4 was a mess. The guards were killed and their keys were robbed. He had no idea how many prisoners were lose. Damn! He slammed his fist on the table. Suddenly a message came through the den-den mushi placed on his table. "Warden, headquarters send back up!" Megallan''s eyes lit up, "Who is it?" "It''s me Megallan." A familiar voice came through the den-denen mushi. Megallan broke out into a smile, it looked ferocious. After a while Leo walked in through the doors. "It''s good that you are here." Leo nodded, he asked, "I thought there were two wardens, what happened to the other one?" Megallan had a annoyed expression on his face, "Shiliew is locked up for torturing and killing prisoners." Leo raised an eyebrow, "Well... he is twisted. The last time I was here, he was locked away as well?" Megallan nodded, "That guy is unpredictable, and too c.o.c.ky. He isn''t suited in a joint battle." Leo didn''t ask further and looked through the surveillance footage. His face hardened when he saw what was happening. A cold light flashed through his eyes as he said, "I will take care of the lower levels." Megallan nodded. He was well aware of Leo''s strength, it wasn''t a problem for him to take care of these guys. ... The freed prisoners were wrecking havoc through the lower levels. "This guy is dead." A pudgy guy kicked a guard who was bloodied all over and walked away. "Ptui! Ain''t so arrogant now." Another guy who was thin but very tall spat at the guard''s dead body and stepped over him. Several more prisoners who were standing at a respectable distance quickly followed these two. As they were moving towards the path leading to the upper levels a silhouette walked towards them. The pudgy man and the thin tall guy narrowed their eyes. Soon they saw who it was and grinned. "Look, a pretty boy." The prisoners laughed heartily. "Hey, nice clothes you have there. Wanna trade?" The pudgy guy grinned and walked towards Leo. However he only took three steps before his head slid down his body. His body didn''t react and continued to move forward. It took two more seconds for his body lose it''s strength and fall down. Blood spilled out like a spring and dyed the ground red. Chapter 180 - 180. You Know Nothing Silence. Absolute silence. The arrogant laugh of the prisoners came to an abrupt halt. They stared at the headless body of the pudgy man and gulped. Leo raised his head and stared at the group of people, "Go back or die." His words woke them up from their shock. The thin tall man was hesitating, however he looked at the crowd of prisoners behind him and gritted his teeth. "What are you afraid of? He is just one man, let''s kill him and get out of this god forsaken place!" With his words he managed to rouse fighting intent in the prisoners. Leo''s eyes turned frosty, "Ashes to earth, death it is." He took a step forward and vanished. The sound of sword going back into the scabbard rang through the air. The prisoners were stunned. They turned back to see Leo walking further away from them. He walked away? The tall thin man was startled. He was imagining why he did so when his body slanted to side. No. It wasn''t his body, it was his head. The last sight he caught was the crowd of prisoners falling down like dominos with their heads hitting the ground first. Megallan who was getting a live report of the happening in lower floors was stunned. Does he plan to slaughter everyone? He had a nagging feeling that this was the case. But so what? These prisoners were locked up for a reason. If they had just stayed put, they could have lived. But they chose to rebel, so their end will be the same, death! Leo created a path of blood as he went down each floor. The prisoners were given a choice each time he attacked, those who made the right choice lived, those who didn''t died. The scene on each floor was bone chilling. Headless bodies and heads were strewn all over the place, creating a scene from hell. Standing infront of the entrance to the lowest floor Leo thought to himself. Why is this kid causing so much trouble? He kept to himself and entered. ... "Get me out, I can help you." An eerie voice spoke from one of the cells. Ivanko looked over and saw who it was, he was slightly surprised and said, "Crocodile!" Luffy and one more person was with him. They also stared at Crocodile before Luffy said. "Alright." Ivanko immediately stopped Luffy and said, "Strawhat boy, Crocodile is someone who dared to attack Whitebeard, he can''t be trusted." Luffy stared back and replied, "I''ll kick his a.s.s if he do that." Ivanko didn''t reply for a few seconds before making way. Crocodile was released. Just when they were about to depart a voice reached them from one of the cells. "Take me with you." Four pairs of eyes stared at the speaker. This time Ivanko was shocked to see who it was, "Jimbe! They locked you up here!?" "Who is he?" Luffy asked confused. "One of the Seven Warlords, Knight of The Seas, Jimbe!" Ivanko replied solemnly. Jimbe who was locked in chains stared at Luffy and the others, "Please, let me help you. I want to save Ace!" Ivanko grinned, "Jimbe is close to Whitebeard, he is definitely a strong helper!" With Jimbe out as well the group was headed for the elevator leading to the upper floor. Wrooo... Just as they reached the elevator the door opened and a person stepped out. "It''s you!" Luffy recognised who it was and yelled. Leo scanned the whole group and focused on Luffy again, "What are you doing, Luffy?" Luffy replied seriously, "I am saving Ace!" Leo''s eyes turned frosty, "Releasing prisoners, creating a riot, is this your way of saving someone?" "I just want to save Ace!" Luffy yelled at Leo. Ivanko saw the situation and immediately pulled back. Hell Wink! He blinked at Leo. A formless power struck him. However it didn''t even scratch him, much less blow him away. Leo glanced at Ivanko for a moment, "One more and you are dead." Ivanko was sweating bullets. That did nothing? Who is this marine? Leo turned to Luffy, "You want to save Ace and that gives you the right to do whatever you want? Do you know what kind men are kept in this place?" "Those people you set free, they have looted, killed, burned and much more. Do you know what kind of disaster it would be if their kind was set free?" His voice turned colder as he spoke. Wild murderous intent poured out of him. "You think nothing of the consequences of your actions. Of course that''s cause whatever they did have nothing to do with you. Tell me Luffy, if I kill every one of your crew, would you forgive me?" His words sent a chill down everyone''s spine. No one doubted him, as the murderous intent he released was a testament to his words. "I... Luffy struggled for words. Leo''s pressure bore down on him like a mountain. It was suffocating. Gritting his teeth Luffy raised his head and glared at Leo, "I just want to save Ace!" Leo took a step forward and reached Luffy in an instant. Shit! Ivanko, Jimbe and Crocodile immediately attacked. Ivanko blinked at Leo. Death Wink! Jimbe took a horse stance and punched out. Fishman Karate! Crocodile raised his palm and swung it down. Sables! Amidst the incoming attacks Leo stood calmly, his hand rested on his sword and never left it. Vrooom! A formless ripple spread out. All the attacks coming at him were forcefully dispersed. Jimbe, Crocodile and Ivanko were thrown away. The last one among them rushed in. His hands turned into scissors and sliced the ground beneath Leo. However he was halfway through when a foot stomped on him. Bleh! He spewed out blood and was thrown away. Leo stopped infront of Luffy, his eyes were ice cold as he said "You want to save Ace? Do you really believe you are still up and running because your abilities? Kid, you know nothing." Chapter 181 - 181. The Medallion Reacts Leo''s words echoed through the silent floor. Ivanko and the rest tensed up and was ready to move. Keeping his eyes on Luffy Leo said in a scornful tone, "You gotta thank your grandfather, Luffy. No marine above the rank of a captain came after you because of him. Sure none of the marines know that you are his grandson, but the top dogs know it." "You are still free because of him. Without that name you would be rotting away here like the rest. You want to save Ace? Know your place kid. Without power words mean nothing!" Leo''s words stunned Luffy. However that firm light in his eyes didn''t waver. He stared at Leo, not intenting to back down. Leo sighed inside his mind. This kid has an iron will, it''s such a shame that he is a pirate. He turned his eyes over towards Ivanko and the rest and finally settled on Crocodile. Crocodile''s body tensed up when he saw Leo focusing on him. Sand swirled around him and protected him. "Your sins are far too much, Crocodile. Stay or die." Leo''s voice reached Crocodile like a whisper. His body froze over, he turned his eyes and saw Leo standing right behind him with his red sword resting on his neck. How did he... Crocodile failed to capture Leo''s movement. "Desert Spada!!" Without a moment of hesitation Crocodile jumped up and attacked. Sand gathered and slashed in Leo''s direction. "Death it is." Leo slashed his sword in return to Crocodile''s attack. He was several feet away from Crocodile when he slashed, however he seems to have teleported and stood before Crocodile when his sword was half was down. How!? Without giving him a chance to breathe, Leo''s sword slashed through Crocodile''s c.h.e.s.t. Spurt! Blood flowed down from Crocodile''s c.h.e.s.t like a spring. The tremendous power behind the strike rattled his insides as well, he coughed out blood and kneeled down. One strike! In one strike Leo took down a former Shichibukai! Slash! Leo had no intention to stop. His blazing red sword sliced through the air and chopped off Crocodile''s head. Crocodile never imagined his life would be over so swiftly. Expression of shock and unwillingness was written over his severed head. Sheathing his sword Leo looked at Luffy and threw a key to him. "For the sake of Garp-san, I''ll let you off. Get the f.u.c.k out of my face." Luffy grabbed the key and stared at Leo and the dead Crocodile. "Let''s go!" He took off with Ivanko and the rest. Leo didn''t stop them. Pereperepere. "What is it, Sengoku-san?" A roar came from the other end of the line. "What are you doing, Leo!? Why did you start a massacre in Impel Down?" Leo waited for him to finish and said calmly, "I gave them a choice, get back or die. They chose the latter." "It''s not about whether you gave them a choice or not, it''s about the consequences of your action. The reason we kept them there is that some of them have very annoying abilities. If they die their devil fruits will appear outside and create trouble. And now you have gone and killed them!" Leo wasn''t bothered by it and said, "Don''t worry, Sengoku-san. Just take a report of the men who died, find out how many had fruit abilities, and have our men keep a look out for those fruits." "You think I don''t know how to do my job!? Finish up there and get back to headquarters, I will deal with you later!" Kachak! The call ended. Hm? A chilling light flashed in his eyes. Somewhere in Impel Down. A group of people lead by a large black man with braided beard and some missing teeth were walking through a wide corridor. "Captain, are we leaving?" The large black man laughed, "Zihahaha, this many men are enough. Let''s go, a war awaits us, and our future. Zihahaha." They made way through several floors and reached a secret corridor. Just through here and they would be able to retreat. "Blackbeard, you got some nerve to break out this many level 6 prisoners." Just as they crossed the secret door a voice was heard from behind. Blackbeard and his crew looked back and saw Leo. "Zihahaha, if it isn''t the upcoming star of marines." Blackbeard laughed arrogantly. He didn''t place Leo in his eyes, as someone with the strongest devil fruit, only admirals and Yonkos were a worthy opponent for him. Leo''s voice turned cold, "Since you chose to forego your Shichibukai title, die." "Zihahaha, I would love to stay and chat, but I have somewhere else to be. Laffite!" Leo lashed out with his sword. His sword intent soared and sword rays filled the sky and crashed down towards Blackbeard and his crew. Just as he attacked a man wearing a hat with a cane in his hands stepped forward. He pulled out a large black cloth out of nowhere. It got big and enclosed everyone of them. Sword rays flashed and sliced the cloth into pieces but Blackbeard and his crew was gone. Hm? Leo was surprised. He looked at the spot where they disappeared and was deep in thought. Why didn''t they use this ability from inside? Is it because of the sea stone lining the walls? Must be. He injected his spiritual sense into it. Some kind of energy seems to have been absorbed by it. It looked more active than before. Leo was excited. After so long the medallion finally showed some activity! What happened? Is it because of that man''s ability? Must be! Haha, finally there is a lead! Chapter 182 - 182. War Approaches Having culled the riot in Impel Down Leo reported back to headquarters. Sengoku blew his top when he reported back, Leo took whatever he had to say with a calm look. "What''s wrong with you, Leo? I don''t believe you are such an impulsive person." Leo replied, "I don''t enjoy killing, and those I kill, they deserve it." His words were short however Sengoku found no response to it. Finally he sighed and asked, "Leo, you are a great man, you are calm and collected, but lately you have been on the edge, why?" "Take it as a senior asking." Leo didn''t speak for while. Sengoku calmly waited and finally he got a reply. "Why are we going to war with Whitebeard?" Hm? "He has never killed innocents, he is too proud to do that, and the same goes for his crew. The territories he claimed for himself, he doesn''t rule with power, he doesn''t extort people. In name he is a pirate, but in my eyes, he is a great man, worthy of respect." Sengoku''s face turned solemn, "Leo, do you know what you are talking about?" Leo didn''t reply. He stared at Sengoku waited for an answer. Sighing to himself Sengoku walked towards the balcony of his office and said, "Whitebeard is a great man. However, one man cannot represent everyone. Pirates are sc.u.m of the sea, they kill, loot, burn and destroy. Their kind is pure evil." "Whitebeard is truly great, he is befitting of the title Yonko. But, what about the others? There are four Emperors. Apart from Whitebeard, Shanks is also different. He is indifferent to money and fame. They are a different breed of pirates, very rare." "However, can it hold true for Big Mom and Kaido? You experienced first hand the cruelty of a pirate. You know how easily Big Mom killed off an entire town just to irk you." "And Kaido, he kills on a whim. Whitebeard is a great man, but he is still a pirate, and we are marines." Leo didn''t speak. He had a calm expression, however his emotions were in a turmoil. "Is this justice?" He asked. Sengoku turned around, "Yes. For a better world, it is." Leo turned around and left. Sengoku stood there and watched him leave. Walking out of Sengoku''s office Leo felt lost. If this was a war between good and evil, then he would try his best, but was it? To him Whitebeard is a great man, as for the navy, they represented justice. Their battle will lead to unnecessary deaths. He sighed at his powerlessness, if he was strong enough so much so that everyone took his words seriously he could prevent this battle. But he wasn''t. As he walked he saw marines rushed about, some were carrying large cargos, some were taking inventory... he saw how tensed they were. By this time tomorrow who knows how many of them would be alive. With a heavy heart Leo left the base. He didn''t return home and stayed at his quarters in Marineford. Pereperepere. His den-den mushi rang. "Are you alright?" Shinobu''s sweet voice rang from the other side. Leo let out a breath, he leaned on the chair and got himself comfortable, "I am fine. Just, a bit helpless." "Don''t worry too much. Whitebeard is a proud old man, he would rather die out on the battlefield than on a sickly bed. Maybe this is what he wants." Shinobu spoke with care. She understood Leo better than anyone else, and her words did have some effect on Leo. He wasn''t as depressed as before. They chatted for while before hanging up. Leo sat out in the backyard and closed his eyes. He was tired mentally, within no time he fell asleep. After several hours footsteps could be heard coming from his door. Leo opened his eyes and saw Garp walking in. "Buhaha, getting a good rest before the war?" Garp laughed loudly and spoke. Leo stared at him. Garp cheery smile was just a facade. He raised Ace, it would be a lie if he didn''t feel anything to see him get executed. "Don''t blame yourself." Leo said. Garp stopped laughing. He dragged out a chair and sat down. His mighty figure seemed weighted down right now. "That brat... he never did listen." "You can''t deny someone his dreams." "It''s not a dream to become a pirate!" Garp scowled at Leo. A second later his anger vanished. He sat there silently. Leo sighed. He felt bad seeing a legend so defeated. Everything will be decided tomorrow. Both of them spoke no further and sat outside while keeping each other company. Today was the day. Second division commander of Whitebeard Pirates will be executed for the whole world to see. There is no doubt that Whitebeard will come. A paramount war is about to start. Tens of thousands of marines dressed in white stood orderly in front of the plaza. Their guns resting on their shoulder and the swords on their waist. Canons were placed all over the crescent shaped bay with fifty sh.i.p.s surrounding the whole island. And in front of the marshaled forced that can be seen from the sea stand 5 who hold the key to the war, The Seven Warlords! A scaffold stood at the center. This is where Ace will be executed. Projection snails transmitted everything that was happening to the world. "Will Whitebeard show up? I mean this is Marineford." "He will. He is a Yonko and he is Whitebeard, he will definitely come." People all around the world were discussing the coming war. "Admirals!" "The Admirals are taking stage!" The marines below the scaffold looked up with pride. Three tall men walked to three designated seats right below the scaffold. One was dressed in yellow checkered suit, Admiral Kizaru. One wore white suit, Admiral Aokiji. The third one wore a red suit, Admiral Akainu. The Navy''s greatest powers, the three admirals! Every force of justice imaginable is now waiting for the Whitebeard pirates, to stop them from rescuing Ace! Chapter 183 - 183. War Of The Best "Look, they are bringing up Fire Fist!" Someone somewhere in the world pointed at the projection. Ace was brought up to the scaffold and chained there. Two executioners stood beside him with their swords at the ready. Sengoku along with Garp approached the scaffold. "Okay, Garp? I will tell them everything." Garp turned his head and said, "Do what you want. I''ll be downstairs." Garp broke away from Sengoku and walked down. Leo and Tsuru was already there watching the marines down at the bay. Leo watched silently as Sengoku took stage. Tens of thousands of marines stood nervously on the plaza. How many will die for this pointless justice? He didn''t know. Crackle... "I have something to tell you all." Every marine stopped at once and listened. "Portgas.D.Ace... the death of this man today holds great significance." Garp had a complicated expression on his face. Tsuru sighed, "It''s not your fault, Garp." Garp suddenly cheered up and laughed, "Buhaha, women are sweet at times like this, Tsuru-chan." Tsuru didn''t say anything and shook her head. As someone who worked and fought alongside Garp for decades she knew him better than anyone. Sengoku spoke, "Ace, tell them the name of your father." Ace said without hesitation "My father is Whitebeard." Sengoku denied his words calmly, "No." Ace shouted, "Yes, he is! Whitebeard is my only father!" Sengoku didn''t refute him and said, "We looked for you with our eyes wide open at that time. Because we heard that there might be a child of that man on some island." "Based on a small amount of information from Cipher Pol, we checked all newborns, and preborn children and their mothers, but we couldn''t find you." "No wonder." "Your mother risked her life to bear you. She used a trick that can be called as a mother''s pride. That misled us... no, the whole world." "There is an island called Baterila in South Blue. Your mother''s name is Portgaz.D.Rogue. She did something that completely defied natural law." "She kept her baby inside her w.o.m.b for 20 months! And as soon as she gave birth to you, she lost all of her strength and passed away." "A year and 3 months after the father''s death, a child was born with the blood of the world''s most henious man in his veins." Sengoku''s eyes turned sharp. He looked at Ace. "That was you." Ace didn''t speak. However he clenched his fist as Sengoku spoke. "You know it, surely?" "Your father is... "The King of Pirates." "Gold Roger!" A hundred thousand men stood below, but no one made a single sound. Not just them, the whole world turned silent. "Fire Fist Ace is the son of Gold Roger?!" Every single soul watching the projection was shocked for several seconds before erupting into chaos. The marines were even more shocked. "So it still exists. The bloodline of the King of Pirates!!" "The legend of Gold Roger continues!" "This is turning out to be a good show. Haha." "I am glad they got him. The son of the Pirate King, surely he must be evil." Many were shocked, relieved and excited. Garp had a forlorn expression. He looked at Ace and couldn''t help but think back to that fateful day. He sighed and shook his head helplessly. Leo had an inscrutable expression on his face. He heard everything without an ounce of emotion on his face, however a storm was raging inside him. He could feel the emotions of everyone down below. Except for one person everyone else wished for Ace''s death. This is messed up. Garp who was next to him closed his eyes powerlessly. That legend who chased after cruel pirates looked defeated at this moment. Sengoku continued, "It was 2 years ago. You took over your mother''s name and rose up in the world as the captain of the Spade Pirates with your exquisite speed and power." "And that''s when we noticed that Roger''s blood still flowed." "But Whitebeard also noticed that at the same time. And to make you the next King of Pirates he let the son of his old rival onto his ship." "You were protected by Whitebeard." "If we continue to let you roam free, you will one day become the next King. That''s why it means a great deal to execute you today." "Even if it means an all-out war with Whitebeard!" The marines roared in response to Sengoku''s words. Suddenly a marine ran over and reported, "Fleet Admiral, I have a report. The gate of justice is opening without order. And we can''t make contact with the control room." "What?!" Sengoku was startled. The lookouts suddenly exclaimed. Sengoku looked over the horizon. Shadows of sh.i.p.s appeared one after another without any sign. "They appeared so suddenly! How did they get in?" Sengoku asked himself in shock. "It''s a vast fleet of pirate sh.i.p.s!" "They are all big-time captains well known in the New World!" "43 sh.i.p.s on total! We can''t find Whitebeard or his commanders!" Reports came one after another. Leo who was watching from above suddenly frowned. He looked down below to the edge of the plaza and muttered. "He is here." Hm? Garp and Tsuru heard him and followed his eyes. Garp said, "That''s an impressive way to make an entrance." Tsuru robbed her forehead, "We got the line up wrong." Suddenly a marine yelled, "I see a shadow in the bay!" His voice grabbed everyone''s attention. The calm sea started to roll over. Ripples spread out from the bay. "I get it now. They all coated their sh.i.p.s and approached from underwater!" Sengoku spoke to himself. The water rose up like a giant tide. A huge ship coated with a glossy layer burst out and crashed into the sea. "Here comes Moby D.i.c.k!" It was Whitebeard''s ship! Two more sh.i.p.s modelled like Moby D.i.c.k broke out of the water. "They have infiltrated the bay!" Someone was looking at the sh.i.p.s through a binoculars and exclaimed. "That''s the first division commander, Marco. The 14 commanders... they''re all here!" Clang! Clang! Footsteps came from Moby D.i.c.k. The marines held their breaths and waited. A tall figure walked up the steps and came onto the deck of Moby D.i.c.k. He held a bisento in his right arm and faced the entire marine army with an arrogant smile. "It''s been a while, Sengoku." Sengoku spoke solemnly, "Whitebeard." Whitebeard''s gaze turned shape, "You better tell me that my beloved son is all right." Sengoku clenched his teeth, "I can''t believe we let him get this close." Whitebeard narrowed his eyes and said, "Give me a second, Ace." He pierced the bisento onto the deck of the ship and clenched his fist before throwing it back. Cracks started to appear where his fist met. It spread through the air. "He cracked air?" The marines found it unbelievable. Suddenly the calm sea started to rage. Tides rose up like leviathans and overshadowed the entire bay. "The tides are way too high!" The marines were panicking. However the sea calmed down soon. It appeared as if nothing happened. "It''s over?" "It''s way too quiet." The marines whispered among themselves. Whitebeard grabbed the bisento and looked at Ace. Ace kneeling beside Sengoku clenched his teeth, "Pops... everyone... I ignored your words and took off on my own! I will accept the consequences of my recklessness." Whitebeard clearly heard him and said calmly, "No." "I told you to do so... son." Chapter 184 - 184. Fierce Battle "I am the who told you to go... son." When Ace heard Whitebeard he clenched his fist and yelled, "That''s a lie. You told me not to... Whitebeard cut him off, "I am the who told you to go! Isn''t that right, Marco?" "Yeah. That''s what I heard. I am sorry we put you through so much, Ace." Marco''s gaze turned sharp as he overlooked the marines, "Everyone in this world knows. What will happen to someone who mess with our crewmate!" "We won''t let anyone hurt you, Ace!" "Just wait there, we are coming!" "Prepare yourselves, Navy HQ!" On one side is the Navy HQ, The Seven Warlords, a hundred thousand elite marines and fifty warsh.i.p.s. On the other side is Whitebeard pirates with 43 allied sh.i.p.s. "Things seems to have quieted down all of a sudden." "Are they waiting for Whitebeard''s command?" Some of the marines were wondering why Whitebeard Pirates weren''t making a move. One of the marines who was at the edge of the bay said, "Look, the water level is rising again." Someone next to him saw something in the distance and used his binoculars to get a clear view. However his face paled when he saw what it was. "That''s!!... Suddenly the whole island started to shake and rumble. Garp who was standing beneath the scaffold said solemnly, "It''s coming! The seaquake he set up before!" "Coming in the form of a Tsunami!" The water crashed against the bay and shook it. The marines standing close to it started to lose their footing. The sea rumbled and giant water waves rose from it. The whole island was closed off and overshadowed by the sheer size of it. Sengoku grew serious and said, "Don''t think that our superior forces will guarantee us victory. We could all well fail today." "Because that man has the power to destroy the world!" Leo watched the gigantic tsunami crash towards them calmly. He was wondering what would happen. Shing! Aokiji seated below the scaffold suddenly moved. He flashed into the sky and spread out his arms. "Ice Age!" Two spikes of ice extended from his palms and pierced the tsunami. The water started to freeze. The gigantic tsunami was frozen! Whitebeard looked at Aokiji with a smirk, "Aokiji, you young squirt." Aokiji pointed his right arm at Whitebeard. "Partisan!" Whitebeard simply knocked a fist in response to the incoming attack. The ice spears were destroyed. "Arara." Aokiji raised his voice. The remaining power from Whitebeard''s attack broke his body into pieces. He fell down to the sea. However his body quickly reformed itself and started to freeze the sea. The entire sea surrounding the bay and the whole island was frozen in seconds. "He froze the bay. Our sh.i.p.s can''t move now." Some of the Whitebeard Pirates spoke. Seeing Aokiji unharmed by Whitebeard''s attack the marines morale was raised. "Fire! Destroy the Whitebeard pirates!" "Let''s show the marines what we are made of!" With that the battle started. Canon fire rang everywhere. Marines outnumbered Whitebeard pirates but with several commanders at the forefront their advantage was nullified. Suddenly Mihawk took a step forward. His yellow ringed pupils focused on Whitebeard. "Ufufu, I thought you would sit this one out." A voice filled with evil was heard. Doflamingo looked at Mihawk with interest. Mihawk didn''t turn back and said, "I just want to understand the distance between us and that man who seems to be right in front of us." He took out his sword, Yoru and swung it down. Tiing! The air rang as his sword fell. A long sharp sword ray was shot in Whitebeard''s direction. The ice was cleaved as the sword ray closed in on Whitebeard. However before it could reach him a man blocked it''s path. Boom! Crack! The air exploded as the man grabbed the sword ray with his hands. His feet sunk into the ice and cracked it. Hmph! He let out a deep scoff and threw both his hands into the air. The sharp sword ray was deflected and thrown into the sky. "He deflected an attack from the world''s strongest swordsman!" The marines were shocked. "Diamond Jozu." Leo knew who this was. The 3rd division commander of Whitebeard Pirates. He looked at Sengoku who was giving order to the artillery division to fire at the pirates and their sh.i.p.s. This was effective against normal pirates however the commanders easily dodged them and continued to make their way through the marines. "Oh boy. The commanders of Whitebeard Pirates are true to their reputation. All of them are monsters." Kizaru stood up from his seat and walked towards the edge of the stage. He looked in Whitebeard''s direction. "To finish this with minimal damage, we just have to cut off their head nice and quick." His body glowed and he disappeared into arcs of light. A portion of the battlefield was suddenly covered in bright lights. The light converged and reformed. "It''s Kizaru!" Kizaru crossed his arms. Two points of light lit up on his finger tips. "Yasakani no Magatama." Innumerable balls of light shot out from his finger tips against Whitebeard. However before they could make contact Marco rushed out. His body was covered in blue flames as he took everything head on. "He warded of admiral Kizaru''s attack!" Marco bathing in blue flames smirked, "You can''t reach for the king so easily, oi." Kizaru put on a startled expression, "So fearsome, these Whitebeard Pirates." The marines were shocked. "The rumours are true!" Kizaru spoke calmly, "It''s even rarer than a Logia. Zoan type-Mythical Creature." The marines spoke in shock. "No matter what kind of attack he receives, his flames will heal them." "Marco, The Phoenix!" Kizaru crossed his arms and prepared for the same attack, "I have never seen a bird like that before." Marco''s body was engulfed in flames and took the form of a blue phoenix. He rushed against Kizaru''s attack and took them all head on. In a flash he reached Kizaru. Doing a flip his legs turned back to normal and slammed down. Boom! Kizaru was blasted back. He crashed into the plaza. "I can''t believe it! He kicked away admiral Kizaru!" Bright light shone from where Kizaru fell, the light blinked and Kizaru took form. "This won''t be easy." Marco and Kizaru stared off against each other. "You guys move away!" Jozu jumped up and smashed his fist into the ice. Cracks ran along where he smashed. Grabbing the edge Jozu put strength to his arms and threw his arms up. "Stop this if you can!" Chapter 185 - 185. Oars Falls A enormous piece of ice was dug out and thrown towards the marines. "Run!" Even the Giant Battalion was startled and paled when they saw the enormous piece of ice falling from the sky. "Damn! Those two... if they leave their position who would cover for them?!" A grumpy voice was heard. Akainu who hadn''t moved till now rose to his feet. His right arm turned red and magma flowed out. "Great Eruption!" He voice was tinted with anger as he punched out. A huge fist made of magma crashed into the enormous chunk of ice and smashed it to pieces. "That gigantic piece of ice disappeared... "Dammit, get away!" Volcanic rocks started to fall on them. Boom! Boom! The battlefield was lit up in flames. Chaos. Utter chaos. Leo closed his eyes. He didn''t want to see such pointless slaughter. With Akainu''s move every top power joined the battle. The commanders carved out a bloody path while the marines stopped anyone crossing them. Bodies were starting to pile up, both from marines and the pirates. "Ace-kun!" A roar broke through the battlefield. When everyone looked over they saw a gigantic shadow. "Haha, get them all, Oars!" The Whitebeard Pirates laughed as they raised their swords. Tsuru commented as she saw this giant shadow, "He must a descendant of the Continent Puller Oars." "He is way bigger than common giants." "The Giant Unit is on the move!" Several giants rushed at Oars. "Here I come!" Oars picked up a warship and threw it at the bay. Boom! An opening appeared on the bay. "Oars made a path for us!" Whitebeard Pirates rushed into the bay. "Fall back and tighten the defensive line!" Whitebeard Pirates poured into the bay. The battle between marines and pirates went up a notch. Oars led the attack and battled against the Gaint Unit. With his massive size and strength he stomped through the giants. The Seven Warlords also joined the battle. Oars was getting close to the scaffold. Bartholomew Kuma, one of the Seven Warlords looked on coldly at Oars and raised his arms above his head His palms had paw imprints on them. It pulsed. The air started to congeal and took the shape of a huge paw. As his palms pulsed the air paw started to shrink. A second later it was the size of his palm and pulsed with incredible power. Kuma pushed his palms at Oars. The air paw floated towards Oars and submerged into his body. Oars was about to take another step when a shockwave burst inside his body. It spread out from him and created a ripple that spread out. "Oars!" Ace yelled when he saw Oars in the middle of the shockwave. When everything died down Ace widened his eyes in horror. Oars was covered in blood. A crater formed around him. Oars coughed out blood. His eyes were getting blurry as he looked over at Ace. "Can he still move?" Sengoku was slightly surprised. "Ace... Gathering his strength Oars got back on his feet and moved forward. "Focus fire on Oars!" The marines aimed the canons at Oars! Bang! Bang! Rain of shots fell upon Oars. "Oars!" "Dammit!" The Whitebeard Pirates were angry and rushed forward for help. Getting hit by tons of fire Oars lost the last of his strength and fell down. "I still... can''t reach him." Thud! If I am falling I am taking one of you with me! He punched at Doflamingo. "Ufufufu." Letting out an evil smirk Doflamingo easily dodged Oars and jumped up. His fingers moved. Fine threads appeared out of nowhere and bound Oars leg, the threads were sharp and sliced into Oars''s flesh. However before he could chop it off a fierce gaze landed on him. Doflamingo blanked out for a moment before breaking out a cold sweat. He turned his head stiffly and saw a pair of ice cold eyes looking at him. His hands stopped moving, the threads disappeared. Only then did Leo''s eyes turn away. Why is that monster saving a pirate? Doflamingo was sweating bullets. The last time they met Leo attacked without so much of a warning and nearly killed him. He was very afraid of such an individual. Garp who was beside Leo noticed what he did. "Leo, you... Leo cut him off before he said anything, "I will never let a such pure spirit die before me." Garp opened his mouth to say something, in the end he didn''t. Back on the ground Oars stretched out his fingers ever so slightly towards Ace. "Shishishishi, what a great body!" Another one of the Seven Warlords, Gekko Moria laughed and stood before Oars. "Doppelman!" His shadow spread out and covered the shadows of several marines before taking the form of bats. They joined together and formed a long spear. A cold light flashed in Leo''s eyes. His spiritual energy spiked for a moment and slammed into Gekko Moria. Argh! Moria grabbed his head in pain and slouched down. Without his control the bats lost form and dispersed. What''s happening?! Unimaginable pain assaulted his brain. Moria held out for a moment before his eyes rolled to the back of his and fell down. Oars was oblivious to everything else. His eyes were focused on Ace. "Ace-kun... He reached out for Ace. Several breaths away from him Oars lost consciousness and fell. Whitebeard Pirates stood still in shock. Whitebeard was calm as he looked at Oars. His gaze was so calm that it was terrifying. Suddenly a giant snuck upon him and swung a giant axe. Crack! Whitebeard punched and destroyed the axe. He grabbed the giant''s head and flung it down with brute force. The iron helmet the giant was wearing crumbled and a white halo covered his head. Whitebeard let of the grunt. With a loud thud the giant fell over with his head covered in blood. The marines took a step back as they caught sight of Whitebeard''s eyes. A Giant vice admiral was defeated. No! He was crushed! "Oars... Anger lit up in Whitebeard''s face. "Get back Oars and advance!" Oooooohhhh! Whitebeard Pirates advanced with rage. Chapter 186 - 186. Attacked From The Rear! The brutal battle moved to the next stage. Whitebeard pirates slaughtered through the marines. A marine reported to Sengoku. "Fleet Admiral they have broken through bay head 2. If we don''t do something pirates will flood the bay!" "No problem." Sengoku said and picked up the transponder snail and said, "Tsuru-san, let''s put it into action." Tsuru replied, "It''s a suitable time." She replied through the snail, "Connect to all sh.i.p.s and soldiers." Pereperepere... The entire battlefield started to ring. Garp also received notification. He hardened his face and walked up the scaffold. Sengoku asked, "Why are you here? Disagree with the strategy?" Garp replied, "No, they are pirates. There''s no room for pity!" "Then... "Shut up!" "I just wanna be here." He sat down without a word. After a long silence... "I have no pity for villains but... family is a different story." "What am I supposed to do?!" Garp''s voice cracked as he spoke. The mighty marine trembled as he spoke with tears. "Ace, you fool! Why didn''t you lead your life as I said?!" Ace closed his eyes painfully. He didn''t have the courage to see the mighty old man in his memories cry. Sengoku standing beside them said with no sympathy, "If you are having doubts at this moment, I take no pity in you, Garp." "Shut up. If I had doubts I would have done something already!" Suddenly he frowned and looked up. He widened his eyes in surprise and slight shock. "I said that you were doing too much!" "Doesn''t matter, we''re gonna die! It''s frozen all over down there!" Loud noise echoed from the sky. Aaaaahhhhh! "I shouldn''t have listened to you, Mugiwara!" Bang! A ship along with several people crashed into the sea. Leo rubbed his forehead, "This kid, can''t he just b.u.t.t out when he is way in over his head." "Aceeee!!!" A loud voice broke through the battlefield. Luffy stood on the ship''s deck and yelled at the top of his lungs. The marines finally noticed the ship. "Oi, don''t tell me that''s... "What''s with that line up?!" The marines were startled when they recognised the kind of people that stood on the ship. "Ace, we are coming to rescue you!" Luffy shouted again. Sengoku raised his voice and said, "Garp! It''s your family again!" Garp grabbed his hair, "Luffy!" Standing beside Luffy was, Knight of the sea, Jimbe! Revolutionary Army, Ivanko! And with them were a number infamous pirates! Luffy''s entrance caused a chain of reaction among the pirates and the marines. Whitebeard also noticed Luffy. However his eyes were focused on the straw hat on Luffy''s back. "Brat, that straw hat... it looks like the one that ''Red Haired'' was once wearing." Hearing Whitebeard''s voice Luffy looked over and asked, "Old man, you know Shanks?" "Oi!" A man with red nose grabbed Luffy and whispered, "Mugiwara! What the hell are you doing?! That''s Whitebeard, don''t talk to him like that!" Luffy ignored most the sentence and said, "So he is Whitebeard. Ace talked a lot about him." Whitebeard narrowed his eyes, "Squirt, do you know who you are messing with?! Get out of here!" Luffy frowned and shouted back at Whitebeard, "Shut up! That''s not upto you to decide!" Shhh. Ivanko and The red nosed pirate named Buggy grabbed Luffy and shut his mouth. "Hmmhphps... Luffy was still mumbling something. Ivanko and Buggy were sweating bullets. After struggling for a moment Luffy broke free and yelled at Whitebeard, "Oi! I know what you''re upto! But I am the one who''ll become the Pirate King!" Ivanko and Buggy nearly passed out when they heard Luffy. They immediately pulled him back and punched his face. "I am gonna be the Pirate King!" Ivanko and Buggy nearly spat out blood. Why doesn''t this kid realise where he is and what he is saying?! Whitebeard''s aura spiked for a moment. All of it was directed at Luffy. Ivanko and Buggy felt as if a mountain weighted on them. However Luffy remained unperturbed and glared at Whitebeard. After a few second Whitebeard laughed, "Gurarara, don''t get in my way, you cheeky brat!" "Hmph! I''m gonna rescue Ace!" Luffy suddenly thought of something and said, "Old man, I heard a while on the Navy ship that they are moving up Ace''s execution." Hm? "I am only saying this because you wanna rescue him too!" Whitebeard thought for a moment and said, "Hm, got it." "It''s alright." Ivanko and Buggy were flabbergasted when they witnessed this. He is talking on equal terms with Whitebeard?! Ivanko looked at Luffy with an admiring gaze. Only ''His'' son could have the courage do that. Luffy jumped down and rushed towards Ace. "So that''s Ace''s brother. He''s got guts!" Encouraged by Luffy''s courage Whitebeard Pirates rushed through the marines. "Pops, I heard they are moving up Ace''s execution." Marco flew down to Whitebeard. "I heard. How''re Squard and the others doing?" "They are held up by the marines at the bay. I am gonna head up there and help them out." Whitebeard stopped him, "No, wait. Sengoku is no fool, he wouldn''t let his enemy know of his strategy so easily. This must be a part of his plan." The marines suddenly stopped firing and was slowly retreating. Whitebeard spoke through a transponder snail, "Sink the sh.i.p.s around you, I got a bad feeling about this." "Got it, pops." Whitebeard Pirates agreed immediately and followed. Canons were fired towards the incoming sh.i.p.s. The battle was slowly shifting to new gears. Sengoku ordered the marines to shut down the transmission snails. "What''s about to happen next, the world doesn''t need to know. The news that will go around the world afterwards should be our victory and only that!" Boom! Boom! Suddenly Whitebeard Pirates sh.i.p.s at the rear was attacked and destroyed. "Our sh.i.p.s!" "Look at the bay head! There''s something!" When the smoke cleared everything saw who attacked the ship''s. "That''s!... Whitebeard faintly said, "That''s the Government''s human weapon I heard of." Pacifistas! Sengoku finally makes a big move! Chapter 187 - 187. Whitebeard Makes A Move! Pacifistas. The World Government''s human weapon modelled after one of the Seven Warlords, Bartholomew Kuma! "They were trying to trap us from both sides." "Pop''s saw it coming, that''s why he told us to sink the ship''s first." Sengoku spoke through the transponder snail, "Take care of those pirates who gets far from the enclosure." A bulky man with a giant axe on his shoulder received the order and asked through the transponder snail, "Uncle, is it alright if a few marine sh.i.p.s gets caught in the cross fire?" Kizaru was the one who responded, "Keep it to minimum." "Alright." The bulky man was called Sentomaru and he was the one in charge of the Pacifistas. With a clear order the Pacifistas took a formation and attacked. Laser beams were shot from their palms and their mouths. Some pirates tried to destroy them but the materials used to build the Pacifistas were nothing ordinary. The tides of battle turned. Whitebeard Pirates were on the back foot. With overwhelming fire Power the Pacifistas took care of ordinary pirates. Only the commanders were able to hold them off. Suddenly a commotion broke out on Whitebeard''s ship. One of Whitebeard''s captain''s tried to attack Whitebeard! Marco was raging as he rushed to the ship. He slammed Squard, the captain who attacked Whitebeard. "Why did you do that?! Answer me, Squard!" Squard gritted his teeth and said, "Shut up! You made me do it!" "What did you say? Do you know what you''ve done...?" "Let him speak, Marco." Whitebeard spoke calmly. "Pops... Marco let go of Squard and waited. Squard got to his feet and pointed at Whitebeard, "I know about your deal with the Navy! You have their assurance that Whitebeards and Ace will remain safe!" "What''s Squard talking about?" Whitebeard didn''t respond. Squard raised his voice, "Everyone, listen very closely! We''ve all been trapped. You never told me... that Ace was the son of that hateful Gold Roger!" "When you first found me, I was all alone. You know why I was all alone. Because Roger killed all of my crew who had fought alongside with me for so long." "I despise Roger and you know it. That''s why you should have told me that Ace was Roger''s son!" "But I didn''t know and I even befriended him! I must have looked stupid. And then your dearest son got caught!" "With the Whitebeard Pirates all inside the bay and we allied pirates on the outside. You have sold the lives of 43 captains of the allied pirates to the Navy, in exchange for Ace''s life!" "The allied pirates will be vanquished and Ace will be safe! That''s your deal with Sengoku, isn''t it?!" "Those monsters approach from the back and the ice is blocking us on both sides. We have no way out now!" "Pops, is he telling the truth?!" "Say that he''s lying, old buddy!" "Say something!" Squard stared at Whitebeard, "I didn''t wanna believe it, I couldn''t believe it! I never thought you would betray us!" "You fool!" Marco grabbed Squard''s collar and yelled, "You''ve been deceived, Squard! Why couldn''t you trust pops?!" "Don''t play innocent, Marco! You''re the 1st division commander, I know that you knew about Ace and the deal with the Navy!" Squard glared at Marco and yelled. "It''s true that Ace is Roger''s son." Finally Whitebeard spoke, "They used that fact and tricked the one man who would be angered by it the most. Their strategy was one notch above us." Marco was trembling from anger. If Pops hadn''t received treatment from Leo''s wife... He didn''t think further. Whitebeard had recovered slightly after he took Shinobu''s drugs. Therefore he was fast enough to catch Squard''s sword. Otherwise... Tiing! Whitebeard stomped his bisento on deck. An overwhelming pressure emanated from him. "You know what you have done, right, Squard?" "You attacked your father!" Whitebeard raised his hand. However what he expected didn''t come. Whitebeard slowly patted his head. "You fool." "You sold our... Whitebeard cut him off, "Who pulled your upright and loyal heart into darkness?" Squard hesitated for a moment, "Akainu. He said he would save us allied pirates if I stabbed you." Akainu... A cold glint flashed in Whitebeard''s eyes. He looked at Squard and said, "I know you hate Roger. But, Squard, it''s ridiculous to lay blame on a child for his father''s sin." "You and Ace weathered agony, pain and joy together, you were brothers." "I don''t give a damn about who Ace''s father is. It''s by fate we met each other on this vast seas." "All of you are my son''s! "So, Squard, treat your brother kindly. You all the same to me, I will wage a war for any one of you." "You''re all my family!" Whitebeard walked past Squard who stood stunned. "Anyway, he hasn''t changed at all, that Sengoku." A ridiculous amount of pressure radiated from Whitebeard. "How ridiculous to say I sold out my sons!" He let go of his bisento and crossed his fists over his c.h.e.s.t. Overwhelming strength coursed through his arms as he threw them back. Crack! The space on both his sides started to crack. This one was far bigger than the one he made when he entered the bay. The ice walls trapping them was destroyed. Even a part of the bay was blown to smitherines. "The ice wall is gone!" "The Navy sh.i.p.s are in good condition, we can get away any time!" Whitebeard Pirates cheered. "If you are pirate, choose what you want to believe in!" Squard finally lost his mind and roared. Tears kept streaming down his face. "I knew it was a lie! Pops would never betray us!" "Damn the Navy!" "Old buddy would never betray us!" Whitebeard raised his head and stared at Sengoku. "How great you are, Sengoku. To turn my son against me. Well done, very well done." His voice was eerily calm as he spoke. However it made those whose heard it tremble. Whitebeard took large strides and jumped down. Sengoku turned solemn and shouted, "Be ready! He is gonna run wild!" "The strongest man in the world is on the move!" Chapter 188 - 188. Besieged! Whitebeard moved! Seeing that huge form jump down every marine felt an inexplicable thump in their c.h.e.s.t. Bang! The ice cracked when Whitebeard landed. A pair of cold arrogant eyes focused on the scaffold. Sengoku''s face was solemn. He knew the terror this man represented. What''s happening? Whitebeard is in a far better condition than we thought! Sengoku couldn''t figure out what was happening. Raising his bisento Whitebeard pointed it at the scaffold. Whoooooaaaa!!! Whitebeard pirates raised their swords in cheer and advanced bravely. "Fire!" A vice admiral gave command. Several canons were instantly focused on Whitebeard and fired. Hmph! Whitebeard snorted and punched. The air cracked. The canon ball flying towards him slow down and was shot back with double the speed. Sengoku turned back to a marine and asked, "Are we not ready yet?!" The marine saluted and said with panic, "The ice is thicker than we thought, we need time Fleet Admiral!" Sengoku calmed down. In a war not everything goes according to plan. "Move! I will buy you some time!" A Giant vice admiral rushed towards the Whitebeard Pirates. "It''s vice admiral John Giant!" The marines cheered. The Giant vice admiral pushed through the pirates. Soon he reached Whitebeard and swung his huge sword down. Tiing!!! What?! The Giant was stunned. Looking at the ease at which Whitebeard blocked his strike shocked his heart. "You''re blocking my view. Move it." Tiing! Whitebeard pushed the giant sword away. He let go of his bisento and grabbed the air before pulling it down. Vooomm! The earth shook and trembled. The marines, the pirates, everyone lost their ground and fell down. "The sea is... "I can''t believe it... "Not just the island but the entire sea is... tilting!" Whitebeard shifted the entire world. This is the power of the world''s strongest man! The sea raged as tides rose and fell. The island looked as if it would sink at any moment. Leo''s pupils shrunk when he witnessed this scene. This was the first time he was seeing such an apocalyptic scene. When everything settled down the marines were shocked and scared at what they saw. The fortress was damaged! Marineford, built with the strongest materials and kairoseki was damaged! A large part of it was in ruins. "What deadly power!" The Giant vice admiral was in awe of what happened. However as a marine he couldn''t let Whitebeard advance. He raised fist. Whitebeard turned his eyes over to the Giant and jumped up. When he was on eye level with the Giant, he punched. The air cracked like glass and shattered. Guhah! The Giant coughed out blood and was pushed back. His eyes rolled to the back of his head and he fell down. It didn''t end there. The aftershock from that strike went past the Giant. "It''s going for the scaffold!" "Continue and destroy it!" Boom! It struck the scaffold. Rubble flew everywhere. The pirates were looking expectantly. However when the dust cleared the scaffold was still standing. Beneath it were the three Admirals. All of them had their hands raised. "The Admirals!" "They blocked pop''s shockwave!" Aokiji said, "This happened because the walls didn''t raise." Akainu retorted, "Your damn ice is blocking the way!" Kisaru tilted his head and said lazily, "Sakazuki, can''t you just melt it?" Sengoku frowned, "Is it not done yet?" A marine replied, "I''m afraid... Sengoku cut him off and said, "Divert power from the city and pass it to the walls!" "Yes, sir!" The marine saluted and ran off. Luffy was running towards Ace. "Ace!" He yelled and stretched out his hands. Grabbing the bay walls he propelled himself upwards. Suddenly the ground shook. The ice broke away and steel walls popped up. Luffy was thrown off and fell on ice. "What''s that?" The steel walls continued to rise. It stopped when it rose several meters above the bay. The pirates were trapped inside the crescent bay! "Dammit!" Some of them fired at the walls but it hardly left a mark. Just as they were wondering what to do thick dark barrels came out of the gaps from the steel walls. "Shit!" "Take cover!" As they were running back one of them stopped and looked over in a direction. "That''s... Sengoku asked a marine, "What''s wrong? It should be fully activated!" A marine pointed at a vacant spot where the walls weren''t raised. That''s where Oars fell down. "Fleet Admiral, the walls can''t lift the giant body of Oars! Moreover his blood is running through the wall system, making it less powerful!" Sengoku was calm when he heard the marine however he cursed at Oars, "Damn that giant." Whitebeard stared at Oars. Marco stood beside Squard who seems to have lost his mind and said, "Even now Oars is giving his best, what about you, Squard?!" "Oars opened up a path!" "Let''s go!" Whitebeard Pirates advanced. Sengoku turned to Akainu, "Do it, Akainu." Akainu stepped forward. Both his arms turned into surging magma. Some of it fell on the floor and burned it. "Meteor Volcano!" He raised both his fists and aimed it at the sky. Bright beams flashes on his arms. "What''s that?" The pirates noticed Akainu''s movement and looked at the sky. Soon their faces turned pale. The clouds split apart. Fists formed from scorching magma fell down like meteorites. Boom! Boom! The pirates and their sh.i.p.s were bombarded with Akainu''s attack. In an instant the bay was filled with burning sh.i.p.s and broken ice. The ice was melting. The foothold the pirates had was shrinking at a fast rate. Whitebeard glanced at the bay and clenched his fist. His fist was coated in Haki as he struck out. Boommmm! The shockwave from his fist struck squarely on the steel walls. Creeaakk! The walls caved in however it didn''t break! "Pop''s attack didn''t work!" "It''s no ordinary wall!" Akainu narrowed his eyes, "Whitebeard, your era is gone." Whitebeard was slightly surprised at Akainu''s words. Booomm! A blast came from behind him. "Moby D.i.c.k is... Whitebeard Pirates stood still. They couldn''t believe what was happening. Whitebeard''s ship, Moby D.i.c.k was struck! The ship was burning and sinking. "The ship of our glory... "Damn the Navy!" Rage filled the hearts of Whitebeard Pirates. That was the ship that carried Whitebeard through the seas! Whitebeard turned around and faced Moby D.i.c.k. His eyes contained unspeakable emotions. "I''m sorry old friend... Those were the only words he spoke. He closed his eyes seeing Moby D.i.c.k sink and opened them again. The vast emotions he held was gone. The battlefield was completely ruined by Akainu''s attack. A major part of the ice was gone and the magma started to boil the sea. Water vapour filled up the entire battlefield. Sengoku was calm in the face of all of this and said, "Execute Ace immediately." His voice reached everyone. "Ace!" Marco and the other commanders paled. Whitebeard was about to make a move when he saw a form jump over the steel walls. "Gurarara, that brat is just as reckless as his brother." Thud! Beneath the scaffold Luffy landed with half a mast in his arms. "You finally made it to this stage." Aokiji commented. "However this stage is still a little too big for you." Luffy ignored him and threw the mast. Aokiji''s arm turned into ice and caught the mast. Gum-Gum no Stamp Gatling!! Luffy kicked out with incredible speed. The mast which was turned to ice by Aokiji was stomped into pieces. The admirals were calm in the face of Luffy''s relentless attack. The ice pieces simply passed through the three Admirals. Hm? The three Admirals looked up. Luffy rushed past them and was moving towards Ace. "Too slow." Kisaru flashed beside him and kicked him with light speed. Luffy coughed out blood and was thrown away. Garp who was watching from above clenched his fist. Sengoku glanced at him from the corner of his eyes and said, "Get ready." "Yes!" The two executioners raised their swords. "Do it!" The swords fell. The battlefield stood still for a moment. However when it was inches away from Ace the executioners paused and fell down with their eyes rolled to the back of their heads. "What?!" Sengoku was taken by surprise. He looked at the executioners who had foam coming out of their mouths and looked around. What happened? The battlefield also went silent before breaking out into chaos. Only a single person noticed what was happening. Garp glanced at Leo and said nothing. Sengoku looked at Garp with doubt, but seeing him show no obvious sign he let it go. Whooooo! The pirates trapped inside the bay cheered and started to swim across the sea towards the bay. "They are getting desperate!" "Don''t give them a chance and focus fire!" Chapter 189 - 189. Whitebeards Illness The canons focused fire on the pirates swimming to the bay. "Don''t give up!" "Swim towards Oars!" Shots after shot were fired. The pirates were free game for the marines and yet they didn''t give up. "What are they doing?" "How can their morale be so strong in such a dangerous situation?!" The marines were shocked and startled when they saw the pirates swimming across the bay with no regard for their lives. Suddenly the water started to move. A faint shadow could be seen beneath the sea. "Shit! We have a problem!" "Another coated ship is entering the bay!" The pirates flocked towards the ship''s shadow. Burst! A ship popped out of the water and flew towards Oars. The pirates swimming across the sea was caught by the ship. Whitebeard was standing at the helm of the ship and laughed, "Gurarara, I don''t remember saying that that was all of our sh.i.p.s." Sengoku gritted his teeth. The marines immediately aimed the canons at the ship. "Fools! Aim at Oars!" What? Oars who was on the ground till now rose up and caught the ship. He dragged the ship through that one opening on the steel walls. Bang! The huge ship filled with Whitebeard Pirates entered the bay! "We made it to the plaza!" "Wait for us, Ace!" The Whitebeard Pirates cheered. Sengoku narrowed his eyes. Whitebeard looked at the plaza, "I am coming, Ace." Thud! The marines took a step back. One of them yelled, "Whitebeard has descended on the plaza." Staring at the thousands of marines Whitebeard showed no fear. "Stand back." The commanders and the other pirates stepped back. Whitebeard flung back his bisento. A huge amount of power was being condensed at the edge of it''s blade. Boom! The air cracked and shattered. Whitebeard raised his fist, "Sons, rescue Ace and destroy the Navy!" Whoooo!!! Sengoku rolled up his sleeves, "Garp, I don''t think we can get out of this unscathed." Garp didn''t reply and just stayed silent as he watched the Whitebeard Pirates advance. On one hand he wanted Ace to be rescued, on the other hand he didn''t want justice to fail. Whitebeard moved. His bisento had a white halo condensed on it''s edge. "Ice Ball!" Aokiji made a move. When the icy mist was cleared Whitebeard was encased in an ice ball. "We got him!" Some of the marines cheered. "Arara, vibrations can''t be frozen." Aokiji rushed at Whitebeard. Hmph! Whitebeard snorted and attacked. His bisento moved with incredible speed and pierced through Aokiji''s body. "Admiral!" However the next moment the bisento started to ice over. "Ice Block: Partisan!" Aokiji spread his arms. Ice spears formed in mid air and aimed at Whitebeard. Bang! But before he could attack Jozu came out of nowhere and punched him. Aokiji''s body crumbled. "Pop''s, you go ahead." Whitebeard stepped forward, towards Ace. Aokiji''s body reformed. "Diamond Jozu." On the other side of the battlefield was Luffy. He was surrounded by marines and attacked from all sides. Facing Vice Admirals who had gone through tons of battle Luffy was being crushed. Garp stood up. His hands were clenched into a fist and veins popped on them. Sengoku glanced at him, "Garp, you''re one of us. Don''t forget that." Luffy was down on the ground. He was exhausted and bleeding. Kisaru stood infront of Luffy. "Courage alone isn''t enough to save your brother." He raised his leg which glowed with light and kicked. "Why don''t you get lost." Whitebeard who was walking towards Ace caught Luffy. Half unconscious Luffy muttered Ace''s name. "Oooh, you''re commanding has dulled, Whitebeard. Letting a piece of trash like that, who is reckless take the lead." Kisaru spoke lazily. However his words were filled with scorn. Whitebeard didn''t speak and threw Luffy in a direction. "Keep that brat alive." Ivanko who managed to sneak inside the bay caught Luffy. Whitebeard stepped forward. His bisento was raised high, a white halo covered on the edge of it''s blade. "Gurarara!" Boom! He swung it at Sengoku. However Akainu shot out from the distance. His leg turned to magma and was clad in Haki as he met Whitebeard''s attack. Boom The air cracked from their collision. "I can''t have you create chaos here." "Gurarara, then why don''t you try to stop it!" Boom! They clashed again. Blasts of hot air and shockwave spread out. Slowly the war was shifting to its final phase. Suddenly a cl.u.s.ter of blue flames flew towards the scaffold. "It''s Marco!" The marines raised their guns and fired. But the bullets simply created holes and passed through him. Sengoku clenched his fist. He was about to make a move when Garp jumped up. His right fist turned a shade of bluish black. Boom! Garp punched. Marco grunted and was thrown back with incredible speed as he crashed into the plaza. "Marco!" The Whitebeard Pirates were stunned. However the marines cheered. "It''s vice admiral Garp!" Ivanko gulped, "The marine hero... Monkey.D.Garp!" "He finally made a move." "The legendary soldier." Whispers rang among the battlefield. Garp fell down and took one of the seats for the admirals. The morale among the marines were high. Marco rose from the rubble and looked at Garp with a hardened expression. Whitebeard raised his voice, "Don''t be tripped up by his name, you fools! He is just one old man!" Akainu scoffed, "You should focus on your opponent!" Inugami Guren! A magma hound pounced on Whitebeard. Whitebeard simply swung his bisento and crushed it along with a portion of the plaza. "Get a substitute, immediately!" Sengoku ordered the marines to bring substitute executioners. Whitebeard heard him and swung his bisento with even more power at Akainu. However just at that moment Whitebeard paused. His face turned hard. Marco just started a round with Kisaru when he noticed Whitebeard''s expression. Pop''s! Chapter 190 - 190. Colour Of The Supreme King! Marco paled when he noticed Whitebeard''s change. The other commanders also caught sight of Whitebeard. All of them were stunned for a moment before a scary thought surfaced their mind. "Arara, you should focus." Aokiji who was fighting Jozu took the opportunity when he was distracted and dealt a heavy blow. Marco rushed at Whitebeard, however Kisaru who was looking for an opportunity fired two lasers and injured him. Akainu walked towards Whitebeard who had a painful expression on his face, "Your era ended long ago. Now, you are nothing but a dying old man." His fist tumbling with magma struck Whitebeard''s c.h.e.s.t. Ugh! Whitebeard was too much in pain to dodge. He was struck head on. A large wound appeared on his c.h.e.s.t, the blood and flesh around it were burned to a crisp. "Magma brat!" "You are off guard, again." Kisaru shot another round of laser through Marco. Stumbling while coughing out blood Marco gathered his strength and rushed at Whitebeard with incredible speed. Blue flames ignited his body and healed his wounds. However one of the Vice Admirals, Onigumo, ambushed him and cuffed him with kairoseki. Kisaru took this moment and fired two laser beams at him. With kairoseki restraining his body Marco took damage and fell down. "Commander Marco!" The Whitebeard Pirates cried out. "Oh no! Commander Jozu also fell!" Aokiji used the moment when Jozu was distracted to freeze him. Morale was high among the marines. Many of them attacked Whitebeard who was down on his knee after Akainu''s attack. Whitebeard was taking attack from thousands of marines. Some even managed to sink their swords into his flesh. His eyes were getting blurry. His body was starting to slow down. The strength he had was slowly seeping away. When the last light was about to die out he saw Ace, and his sons. His falling body came to a standstill. "I! Am! Whitebeard!" He managed to find that last wisp of strength to make his body stand up. The marines standing around him were startled. Before they could react Whitebeard''s bisento came down crashing on them. Boom! The ground shook and was overturned. Many marines fell. He forcefully created a path! "Monster!" "He is a monster!" Sengoku raised his voice and commanded, "Don''t retreat, he is wounded!" The marines who were starting to tremble before Whitebeard found a strand of courage to raise their head. Whitebeard looked at Sengoku, he was grasping for breath as he said, "Wounded?... I won''t die... from such a small wound! For I! Am! Whitebeard!" "Fire!" "Bring down Whitebeard!" Thousands of marines stood behind Whitebeard. Their guns were raised and their swords at the ready. However before they could attack several figures crashed into them. They forcefully paved a way and stood behind Whitebeard, guarding his back. "Are they nuts?!" Some of the marines were stunned. Right now every marine''s attention was on Whitebeard, standing beside him was equal to facing them all at once! "Do it!" Sengoku gave command. The substitute executioners raised their sword. The situation was turning dire. Garp seated beneath the scaffold closed his eyes, tears were streaming down his face. Leo had his hand placed on his sword. He helped Ace the first time without noticing, but now Sengoku was cautious. Just as the swords were about to fall a loud voice broke through the battlefield. "Stop ittttt!!!" A heavy momentum blasted like a shockwave through the battlefield. It pushed past the marines and the pirates and slammed into the scaffold. The executioners lost their grip on the swords and fell down. Sengoku was startled as was everyone else. The battlefield stood still for a moment. Someone fell down. Thud! Thud! Like a domino marines and pirates started to fall down unconscious. Whitebeard and everyone focused on a person amidst the vast number of marines and pirates. Luffy who was standing among a number of unconscious marines was relieved when he saw the executioners fall down and continued to run towards Ace. "That brat... Whitebeard muttered. "Colour Of The Supreme King!!" "The same as pop''s!" Whitebeard Pirates were stunned when they realised what happened. "Oi, oi, seriously?!" Aokiji was startled. Among the admirals he had the most contact with Luffy and he was surprised when he saw the kid possess Haoshoku Haki! Whitebeard stared at Luffy for a moment and raised his fist, "Back up that brat with everything you got!" He struck down and blew away the marines standing near him. Whoooo! "Take care of him now!" The marines yelled and rushed at Luffy. Vice admirals blocked his path with every step he took however the commanders and the allied Whitebeard Pirates surrounded him, opening a part for him! "Dammit!" "They are protecting him!" Leo had an inscrutable expression on his face. What makes you so special, Strawhat Luffy? Why do these people gather around you? Why do they protect you? Suddenly a man popped out of Ivanko large stuffy hair. His hands turned into scissors as he ran past Luffy. Crash! He sliced the plaza ground and created a foothold for Luffy to climb the scaffold. "That''s Inazuma from the Revolutionary Army! He created a path for Strawhat!" Kisaru had a wretched expression on his face as usual when he saw Luffy running towards Ace. "Never expected Whitebeard to use you as a trump card." His figure started to brighten up. Just as he was about to flash towards Luffy Whitebeard''s huge silhouette appeared behind him and swung his bisento. Kisaru stopped what he was doing and dodged. "Why don''t you stay quiet and watch?" Kisaru narrowed his eyes. Whitebeard was locking down the admirals from attacking Luffy. Boom! Suddenly someone smashed into the stone path and blocked Luffy. "Grandpa! Move out of the way!" Garp had a stern expression on his face, " I have been fighting pirates long before your were born. If you wanna go further, you have to kill me first!" "Strawhat Luffy!" Chapter 191 - 191. Whitebeards Final Order! Luffy kept running. Many memories flashed through his mind. For a moment he fell in confusion, but his eyes restored clarity in an instant. "Grandpa! Move out of my way!" Vapour started to pour out of his body. He stretched his fist far behind him and punched at Garp with incredible strength. Garp also raised his fist. However he found it difficult to bring it down. His eyes contained innumerable thoughts before he closed them. Sengoku narrowed his eyes. Garp! Luffy''s fist connected. Garp was punched and throw from the bridge down to the plaza. "Ace!" Sengoku shook his head and said, "You''re their parent after all, Garp." Luffy jumped through the crumbling bridge and landed on the scaffold. "Ace!" Luffy showed an innocent smile and tried to unlock Ace''s handcuffs. Suddenly golden light shined upon the scaffold. Sengoku was glowing with a golden light. His body was starting to swell up as his skin turned gold. "Look, the Fleet Admiral is using his ability." "I''ve never seen it before." Sengoku was now several feet big. He was like a golden buddha. "You can''t get away from me!" Luffy ignored Sengoku and trying to put the key inside to unlock the cuffs. "You even have such a thing, Strawhat Luffy." Kisaru watching from down below raised his finger and fired a laser. The key was struck and snapped in half. "What... Luffy was stunned. As he was wondering what to do one of the executioners woke up. "What happened? I passed out all of a sudden." The man grumbled. However the first sight he saw after waking up was Luffy. "San! Why are you here?!" The man code named San was about to react when he saw the giant golden buddha behind Luffy. His soul almost flew out his body when he saw the giant buddha punching in his direction. "Oi, San, protect Ace with a wall!" Luffy bit his thumb when he saw Sengoku attack. Gum-Gum no Giant Balloon! Sengoku''s fist slammed into Luffy who blew up like a balloon. Sengoku was shocked for a moment. However the strength behind that strike was so strong that Luffy coughed out blood and lost his balloon form. The scaffold they were standing on couldn''t hold on and broke in two. All four of them were free falling. San said, "I will make the key! Uncuff him right away!" Luffy was stunned and immediately nodded. "Oh, no!" Suddenly a rain of canon fire hit them. Boom! An huge explosion took place. "Strawhat!" "Ace... "Fire Fist was wearing kairoseki cuffs, he shouldn''t be able to dodge that." As the marines were confidently speaking to themselves the smoke was burst open. A tunnel was formed inside. "You always do reckless things, Luffy." Ace surrounded by flames rushed out of the smoke with Luffy and San. "Stay alert, Luffy! Let''s split up for now!" Oh! Flame Commandment! Ace bathed in flames crashed into plaza. The marines couldn''t stop their decent and was blown away. "Let''s hurry, Luffy! We gotta get out of this place!" "Alright!" The Whitebeard Pirates cheered and confronted the marines to make a way for Ace and Luffy. Suddenly the last remaining ship of the Whitebeard Pirates rushed through the battlefield. "The ship''s running on ground!" Squard and his crew were on top of the ship. "What are you doing, Squard?!" Squard was looking through the marines at Whitebeard''s figure. "I can''t let things end this way. What I am about to do won''t make amendments but I must do it!" He said to himself. Whitebeard who was besieged by the marines looked at Squard, his eyes turned into one of rage. Boom! He stood before the ship and stopped it with one hand. Raising his head Whitebeard roared, "Do you understand how ungrateful it is for a child to die before his parents, Squard?!" Whitebeard didn''t wait for a reply and said, "Children make mistakes, you made one, that''s all Squard." Pop''s... Squard hung his head down. Whitebeard took back his hand and faced the marines and roared, "We accomplished our goal here!" "Listen here, you brats!" "This is my last order as your Captain!" "All of you and I will split up from here!" "Everyone, survive at any cost and go back to New World safely!" The Whitebeard Pirates were stunned. "No way, you are joking, right? old buddy?!" "P-Pop''s, are you planning to die here?!" "I refuse to obey!" Voice of discontent rang among the pirates. Whitebeard raised his fist and said, "I''m a remnant from the old era. There is no ship that can bear me in the new one!" His arms were starting to tremble. Incredible amount of strength was being focused on his fist. The air was cracking and it spread like a spider web. "Go, you fools!!" Bang!! The cracks shattered like glass. The walls of the fortress, and the plaza was broken and split in half! "Pop''s... "No... Whitebeard looked lonely as he stood before the marines. He glanced back, "Don''t look back! The era is changing." His eyes contained vast emotions as he said, "I''ve been traveling for a long time." Suddenly his eyes turned sharp and a cold smile climbed on his face, "Let''s get it over with, Navy!" Whitebeard''s momentum increased. The shockwave he set off before started to take effect. The whole island was starting to rumble. "He is gonna sink the island!" "Kill Whitebeard!" The marines started to attack with abandon. It''s either they die or Whitebeard does. "Pop''s!" "Hurry, let''s get out of here!" "How dare you?! You don''t mind leaving Pop''s behind?!" Some of the pirates were holding down their companions from rushing to Whitebeard. All of them were crying as they were being held down. "Shut up and move! Don''t step on Pop''s determination!" One of the commanders yelled with misty eyes. With the commanders pushing them along the Whitebeard Pirates started to retreat. Whitebeard laughed wildly and clenched his fist before punching towards marineford. Leo hadn''t moved since the battle started. He didn''t know what to do. If he chose to help the marines then a great man and his crew will die. If he chose to help Whitebeard then the symbol of justice will fall. Sengoku obviously knew what was going on with Leo and didn''t ask him of anything. It was fine as long as Leo didn''t do anything that would tarnish the reputation of the marines. Finally after seeing Ace free Leo stared at Whitebeard and came to a decision. He took a step forward and instantly appeared before Whitebeard. A terrible blast wave was sweeping through the marines and crashing towards marineford. "Merciful Rain!!" A bright blue sword ray swept through the ground and clashed against Whitebeard''s attack. Chapter 192 - 192. Whitebeard And Leo Boom! The shockwave and the sword ray collided, the air shook and the earth trembled. Dust and rubble were thrown in every direction. "It''s vice admiral Leo!" "He finally made a move!" Leo''s prestige among the marines were quite high. After all he did defeat Shiki and repel Big Mom alongside Aokiji. "Gurarara, brat, you finally made up your mind!" Leo stared at Whitebeard and said gloomily, "I can''t let you take anymore lives." "Gurarara, then try to stop me!" Whitebeard raised his bisento. It turned to a shade of blue and black with a metallic gleam to it. Leo also readied his weapon. The blazing red colour on his sword turned pitch black, only the edge had a wave of deep red to it. Whitebeard placed one of his foot forward and cleaved down. Compared to Whitebeard''s massive body Leo looked tiny. However an overbearing momentum was gathered on his sword. Merciful Rain!! Crack!! The bisento and sword clashed. Space started to twist from the sheer power their weapons contained. The ground they were standing on cracked and caved in. Whitebeard stood tall as a mountain. However, Leo took a step back. In their confrontation Leo fell short. "Leo... Sengoku narrowed his eyes as he looked at Leo. He didn''t know what Leo was planning but there seems to be a huge change in the presence he gave off. Whitebeard was finally set free. He didn''t need to care about his sons anymore, they were already far away and retreating. "Gurarara, I can let lose after all these years!" With bisento in one hand Whitebeard laughed loudly. The momentum around him was rising. Shockwaves started to pulse out from his body. If this goes on the island will be destroyed! Leo''s face turned solemn. Suddenly a bright light flashed beside Whitebeard. "Yasakani no Magatama!" Kisaru had his arms crossed. Countless balls of light shot out from his body and fell on Whitebeard. However the shockwaves coming from Whitebeard''s body forcefully dispersed a vast majority of it. "Monkey brat!" Whitebeard raised his head and stared at Kisaru before punching out. This time he didn''t hold back, his fist was covered in busoshoku haki and a white glow surfaced on it. "Uh-oh." The air cracked and shattered in Kisaru''s direction. Boom! The blast wave struck Kisaru and threw him away. A hole was punched through the clouds! "Is this his true power?!" "So this is the strongest man in the world, Whitebeard!" While Whitebeard was occupied by Leo and the admirals Ace and Luffy were being relentlessly pursued by Akainu. Leo had an eye the entire battlefield. Several thoughts flashed in his mind as he saw everything. However his sword wasn''t the least bit weak as he fought Whitebeard. "Come, Navy!!" Whitebeard was acting with abandon. He didn''t even defend himself against Leo''s and Kisaru''s attack. His only goal was to cover the retreat of his crew and for that he was prepared to thrown away his life. Akainu who was chasing Ace glanced at Whitebeard from the corner of his eyes. A peculiar glow flashed through his eyes. "Whitebeard is nothing more than a loser from the old era." His words were light but it reached Ace and the other commanders. Their steps halted. All of them turned around and looked at Akainu with bloodshot eyes. Ace clenched his fist, "Take that back." Akainu adjusted his cap and said, "Why don''t you make me?" Ace was still a hot headed youth. His body was engulfed in flames as he threw a gigantic fist at Akainu. Fire Fist!!! Akainu smirked. His right arm turned into scalding magma. A huge fist made of magma clashed against Ace''s fire. Bang! A blast of hot air rushed at the spectators. Their collision left the earth in shambles. The temperature was rising and starting to burn the very ground beneath their feet. This went on for a several seconds before Akainu''s fist smashed through Ace''s fist made from fire. Ace coughed out blood and was thrown back. "I ate the magma fruit, I can even burn fire. My fire is far stronger than yours!" Ace was too weak to respond to Akainu''s taunt. Suddenly Akainu spotted Luffy. "Gold Roger, the King of Pirates and Dragon, the revolutionary. Both of you have bad blood in your veins. It doesn''t matter if others get away, but not the two of you." Akainu''s eyes turned gloomy, "Watch what I am going to do." He spoke to Ace and shot towards Luffy. Jimbe was near Luffy when he saw Akainu rushing towards them. His face turned pale. Akainu''s fist was clad in haki and burning with magma as he punched out. "Luffy!!" Flames erupted from Ace and he flashed before Luffy with incredible speed. Marco and the other commanders turned pale. Jimbe wanted to reach out to pull them both out of the way but he was too slow. A hair breath away from Ace Akainu suddenly paused and jumped back. Swissshh! Crack! The ground before him was split in half! A long gully was formed, separating Akainu from Ace and Luffy. Akainu raised his head and looked in a particular direction. His eyes were gleaming with coldness. "Leo Heart!!" Leo made contact with Akainu''s eyes for a second and looked away nonchalantly. "You should take a look back." He was far away from Akainu but his words still reached him. "Sakazuki, watch out!" Sengoku yelled at Akainu. It was only then Akainu sensed that huge figure standing behind him. A pair of cold and brutal eyes focused on him. "Dai Funka!" Akainu didn''t lose his cool and immediately attacked Whitebeard. Whitebeard didn''t dodge. He lifted his arms and grabbed the magma fist. Shockwaves blasted from his palms as he firmly held down Akainu. Shit! Akainu roared inside. Glowing with a white halo Whitebeard''s bisento slashed Akainu in half! Spurt! Akainu couldn''t fully nullify the attack by turning his body into magma. He coughed out blood while still being held up like a ragdoll by Whitebeard. "Arara, cool down." Aokiji used soru and flashed before Whitebeard. His icy arms pierced through Whitebeard''s c.h.e.s.t and froze him into an ice statue. Akainu was finally able to break free from Whitebeard''s grip. However the ice shattered. Whitebeard emerged with blood leaking from his mouth, but the momentum he had didn''t weaken. "Die." An extremely cold voice rang out. Whitebeard''s fist smashed down on Akainu who just broke free. Aokiji wanted to help but was repelled by the shockwave coming from Whitebeard. Akainu was smashed into the ground. He coughed out blood and found it hard to reform his body. Dammit! My body is severely wounded! A gleaming bisento trembling from shockwaves it condensed fell down on Akainu. Akainu turned his body into magma. He merely wanted to reduce as much damage as possible. Swish! Suddenly a bright sword ray flashed. It clashed with Whitebeard and slowed down the bisento for a few seconds. Whitebeard lifted his eyes and locked onto Leo''s figure. A smile crept onto his face. "Gurarara, come!" Chapter 193 - 193. A Legend Falls! Whitebeard and Leo clashed. Their collision made the ground crack up and cave in. Leo fell short when it came to raw physical strength and haki, he was thrown back after several seconds. Kisaru and Aokiji joined the battle. With their ability they were able to offset a portion of Whitebeard''s strength. However, they were taking damage. Akainu''s magma body reformed in the distance. He coughed out blood. A wild rage burned inside his c.h.e.s.t. He glared at Leo for a second and looked in Luffy''s direction. By now Luffy and Ace was far and could retreat at any moment. Damn! Akainu smashed the ground and burned it to a crisp. Boom! The battle between a lose Whitebeard and the marines were shifting to it''s final gear. That part of the battlefield had already become a danger zone. Even vice admirals didn''t dare enter. With each passing second the wounds on Whitebeard''s body was increasing. "Pop''s... The Whitebeard Pirates looked on with heavy hearts. They were devastated, if they were stronger Whitebeard wouldn''t be facing that many strong marines alone. Whitebeard glanced back at his crew and smiled. Live well, my sons! The bisento was raised high. Haki and tremors started to condense and stack upon it. "Arara, that''s not good." Aokiji spoke. His voice was very solemn. "That takes too much time, Whitebeard." Kisaru flashed infront of Whitebeard and raised his finger. "Amaterasu." Two shot of laser struck squarely on Whitebeard''s c.h.e.s.t and came out from his back. Whitebeard coughed out blood. But a wide smile hung on his lips. "Gurarara, sink to the bottom of the sea, Navy!!" He cleaved down. The bisento moved with incredible speed, the air cracked and shattered along it''s path. "Whitebeard!!" Sengoku and Garp immediately rushed forward. Sengoku transformed into his golden buddha form and slammed his fist in Whitebeard''s direction. Garp''s fist was clad in busoshoku haki. An overbearing amount of strength was condensed in that simple fist. Both of them struck out at the same time. It didn''t end there. The shockwaves followed that devastating strike and rumbled towards the fortress. Sengoku and Garp took the lead. Their attacks slammed into the shockwaves and held it off. The earth was starting to crumble. The sea was overturned as giant waves started to appear! The sky turned dark and thunderclouds were formed! Sengoku and Garp held off a majority of the shockwaves, however the rest fell on the marines. Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh! Three forms spread out and covered a corner of the battlefield. The three admirals turned into their elemental form and took the brunt of the attack head on. Whitebeard coughed out even more blood. His eyes were starting to lose focus, and his body was starting to slow down. It''s time. He said to himself and looked ahead. "Gurarara, I am satisfied to die by your hands, brat!" Leo''s handsome face had a few traces of blood and his clothes were slightly teared as he flashed before Whitebeard. An overbearing sword intent was condensed on the edge of his blade. His eyes weren''t as cold as before. Whitebeard laughed, "Gurarara, this is who I am!" His back suddenly straightened up. A heavy pressure was radiating from his body. Leo''s eyes betrayed his cold face. He lowered his head. "Yes, this is who you are." "Farewell, Emperor Whitebeard!" Slaaasshh!!!! He swung his sword. Time came to a stand still. Blood spurted from Whitebeard as a long wound appeared on his c.h.e.s.t. "Oyaji!!!" The Whitebeard Pirates cried out. Whitebeard didn''t take a single step back. His body stood straight as a mountain as the final wisp of life left him. His sword was trembling. For the first time he took the life of an innocent man. For the justice of this world. At that moment something changed in him. His sword stopped shaking. His haki receeded like a tide, however the blade didn''t turn red. Leo looked at the wide smile on Whitebeard''s face and remained calm. His eyes were incredibly cold. This world needs to change. "Zihahaha, even you can fall, father!" Suddenly a group of people appeared. The one leading them, a large man with a few missing teeth laughed evilly and spoke as he looked at Whitebeard''s corpse. "Blackbeard! What''s this bastard doing?!" Sengoku glared at Blackbeard and thought out loud. Blackbeard and his group walked towards Whitebeard''s corpse. Leo finally turned his head. Blackbeard who had a haughty smile on his face froze when he saw those eyes. A pair of blue eyes were staring at him. Those pair of eyes were incredibly cold and devoid of any and all emotion. "F.u.c.k off!" Leo spoke slowly. His voice was calm and clear. However everyone slightly trembled when they heard him. Garp gazed at Leo and said, "He finally broke." Sengoku knew what Garp meant. He sighed. Leo only killed when he absolutely had to. He wasn''t extremely kind but had a bottom line and never crossed it. However right now he snapped. His eyes and the air he gave off was extremely cold and contained a deep and strong murderous vibe. Blackbeard stared at Leo silently for a moment before smiling again, "Vice admiral Leo, same words, move aside or die." Leo stared calmly at Blackbeard. Without any sign an overbearing pressure erupted from him. He pointed his sword to the sky and said. "Merciful Rain!!" He waved his sword. The air shook. Sword rays started to swirl, it filled the sky and blocked out the sun. ''Merciful Rain'' is a technique Leo developed after watching the rain for a long time. It wasn''t completed all this time, it lacked something. Finally when his sword washed away the last speck of light in Whitebeard Leo understood that last missing part. "Rain masks the sorrow in our hearts." His voice echoed. The sky full of sword rays fell. Chapter 194 - 194. Leos True Strength! The countless sword rays fell like rain drops. Blackbeard had never seen a technique like this one before. However he was experienced enough to realise how terrible it was. "Dark Tide!" He raised his arm. A black tide surged out of his palms and covered the sky. The countless sword rays fell on it and disappeared. Leo raised an eyebrow and scoffed. Suddenly the sword rays blinked and got bigger and sharper. Shit! Blackbeard cursed. His ability wasn''t able to contain those sword rays. It tore through the dark tide and fell on him and his crew. Slash! Bang! The others with him reacted. One of them wore a jailer''s uniform. Leo glanced at him. He knew this guy, Shiliew of the rain. He was a warden at Impel Down, now it seems like he joined a pirate crew. Under the hail of countless sword rays Blackbeard who appeared with grandiose looked pitiful. When the sword rain was over Blackbeard and his crew were sweating and some of them were even bleeding. Leo stepped forward. His figure flashed and he appeared infront of Shiliew. "So you chose to be a pirate, die." His black sword sliced down. Shiliew was extremely serious. His kenbunshoku and busoshoku haki were working to their limits and yet he failed to react in time. Spurt! A large wound appeared on his c.h.e.s.t and he was thrown back. Bang! Tilting his head Leo dodged the bullet and vanished again. This time he appeared beside another man who was three times larger than an ordinary person. The guy couldn''t react in time. Sword light flashed and an arm flew up. "You should have stayed in Impel Down, atleast that way you could live a few more years." Leo''s voice was heard. Those words felt as if it came from hell. Blackbeard finally reacted and pointed his arms at Leo. "Black Hole!" A vortex formed infront of him. Leo felt a powerful attraction from it. However he stood as steady as a mountain. "You are very confident to be this lax when facing me." A cold voice echoed near his ear. Before Blackbeard could react a powerful force struck his back. His spine slightly cracked and his body felt as if it was being burned. Ahhhh! Blackbeard rolled on the ground due to pain. His back was bloodied and his blood dyed the ground. Leo raised his sword again. However before he could bring it down several figures assaulted him. In the face of several strikes aimed at his vitals Leo stayed calm. "Merciful Rain." However the end results weren''t different. Blackbeard''s crew found it hard to keep up. They were being tied down and sliced apart by countless sword rays. Even their armament haki was sliced through! Suddenly a huge man bigger than the marine fortress emerged from behind the island. "Die!" The man slammed his fist down on Leo. Swish! Leo''s figure disappeared. The man''s fist struck the plaza and broke it to pieces. Leo standing high up in the air spoke, "Sanjuan Wolf, level six prisoner. I know you. You murdered an entire village because it was noisy. How great of you." Sanjuan Wolf clenched his fist. Busoshoku haki coated his fist. Leo placed his sword infront of him. A crazy amount of haki was being transmitted to his sword. The black colour of his sword was turning even blacker and the red shade on it''s edge turned even deeper. "Merciful Rain!" Dense cl.u.s.ters of sword rays blanketed the sky. It enveloped Leo and Sanjuan Wolf inside. Armed! Sanjuan Wolf was startled, he took back his fist and hastily coated his body with haki. The cl.u.s.ter of sword rays surrounded him. He was like a lone ship amidst the turbulent seas. A line appeared on his neck, blood was seeping out like there was no end. Suddenly Leo flashed before him. His sword was raised high. "Fall." Slash! Slash! The sword rays blanketing the sky fell. Under the assault of numerous sword rays Sanjuan Wolf''s huge body was torn to pieces. Gulp. The marines swallowed nervously when they saw such a huge form getting torn to pieces. Garp sighed. Sengoku also didn''t know what to say. Leo was ruthless and every single strike contained deep murderous intent. Leo slashed his sword and got rid of the blood on it. He turned his head and focused on Blackbeard. "Here is Marineford. This is not a place for a sc.u.m like you." Blackbeard was on his feet, however his face was twisted in pain. How can this be possible? I have the strongest fruit, why isn''t it working against this guy?! Leo bowed slightly and shot down with incredible speed. The air created sonic booms as he moved. Blackbeard was unwilling to leave just like that. He had a plan when he came here, and if everything worked out he would have stolen Whitebeard''s fruit ability, but this man was blocking his oath. "Shit! Let''s retreat! Lafitte!" A pale man wearing a top hat and holding a cane came forward. He pulled out a cloth and blocked Leo''s path. Hm? Leo was suddenly wrapped by the black cloth. He felt a strange sensation, as if his body was being thrown around. Suddenly the medallion resting inside his spirit trembled and absorbed the power that was throwing him away. What?! Lafitte was startled when he sensed Leo absorbing his ability. Before he could react a sword came down on him. Lafitte immediately reacted and wrapped himself with the cloth before disappearing. "Tch. He got away." Leo clicked his tongue and looked around. He was falling down to the sea. There was a shadow in the distance. "Marineford." Leo kicked the air and shot forward. Back on the battlefield. Lafitte disappeared for a second before reappearing. However he wasn''t as tidy as before. There was a long wound extending from his right shoulder to his waist. One could even see the bones. "Captain, we should retreat. That guy is a monster." Lafitte spoke in a shaky tone. He was finding it hard to keep himself from losing consciousness. Blackbeard looked at Whitebeard''s corpse for a second and decided. "Let''s go!" Boom! Suddenly sonic booms rang out from the distance. Though the distance was great Blackbeard could feel a pair of eyes locking onto him! This guy... Lafitte used the same black cloth again and wrapped them all with it. "Die." An extremely cold voice broke through the air. Slashhhhh! A large blue arc of sword light cleaved through the sea and reached the bay before falling on the black cloth. Shred! The black cloth was sliced in half. But there was no one inside. Leo landed steadily on the plaza. He looked at the sliced black cloth for a moment and ignored it. By the now the marines and the pirates were stunned to their core. "Was vice admiral Leo always this strong?" "He sure is strong if he could take out Shiki, but I didn''t expect him to this monstrous!" "Looks like we will have a new admiral in the future!" The marines whispered among themselves. Boom! Suddenly a part of the battlefield blazed with fire and magma. Chapter 195 - 195. Courage Leo''s eyes chilled when he saw Akainu chasing after Ace. A great man has already given up his life for this meaningless war. Akainu, you are asking for death! Swish! Leo''s figure flashed towards their battle with incredible momentum. "Arara, that''s no good." Aokiji frowned when he saw Leo moving towards Akainu and Ace. His instincts told him that Leo''s target was not Ace, but Akainu. Leo''s sword was humming with power. However before he reached them a young marine blocked Akainu''s path. "Please, stop this! Too many has already died!" Leo halted his steps. He looked incredulously at the young marine. He was in tears and shaking from fear standing up against Akainu. However his eyes were firm. Watching the young marine countless thoughts flashed through his mind. "Move aside!" This marine was blocking his path. Across him was Ace who was kneeling and on the verge of collapse. The young marine gritted his teeth and stared at Akainu silently. "No one can stand in the way of justice, even if it''s a marine!" Akainu wasn''t all that bothered even if he killed a marine. His arms surging with burning magma ruthlessly punched at the young marine. "Coby! Sakazuki, stop!" Garp yelled with rage and flashed towards Akainu. Coby was scared out of his mind. His legs turned to jelly, he couldn''t find any strength to move. Leo raised his sword and swung it down. Sword rays condensed above Akainu and fell down like a rain. It formed a wall of defense against Akainu''s magma fist and tore it to shreds! Akainu turned his head and glared at Leo, "This is the second time, Leo Heart!!" Leo had a cold smile on his face, he looked slightly crazy, "Oh yeah?" Both of them stared at each other. Their momentum was increasing by the second. Sengoku suddenly rushed towards them and stood in the middle. "What are you doing?!" Akainu said gloomily, "You know what he did, Fleet Admiral!" Sengoku had a headache coming. He wasn''t blind. Leo moved against Akainu twice, both times it was to help a pirate. "Move aside, Fleet Admiral. That wild dog needs to be put down!" Akainu''s rage boiled up when he heard Leo. His body started to surge with magma and a huge amount of haki was being infused into his fist. Leo also readied his sword. It hummed when his haki flowed into it. The gleam on it''s black blade increased. "Do the both of you want to rebel?! You are making a joke of yourselves!" Sengoku raised his voice and shouted at them. Akainu''s momentum slightly dimmed, however Leo''s was steadily increasing. He didn''t care and had no thoughts of backing down. When the situation was at an impasse a large ship docked near the bay. No one noticed it getting close. Only when it docked did everyone saw it. "That''s... "Yonko, Red Hair Shanks!!" The marines recognised the ship and the flag it was flying. Their faces paled. Garp gritted his teeth when he saw Shanks, "Red Hair! He is the one who put Luffy on the wrong path!" Under everyones watch Shanks jumped down the ship. Several more joined him. "Ben Beckman!" "Yasopp!" The big names of New World appeared one after another. Shanks stood before thousands of marines and the Whitebeard Pirates and said, "I''ve come to stop this war!" Hearing him the marines yelled out. "Stop this war?!" "How dare a pirate proclaim that?!" "Get the hell out of marineford!!" However contrary to everyones expectation Sengoku said, "Alright. This war ends here!" He was trying to find a way to get out of this embarrassing situation when Shanks entered. With the presence of another Yonko it is justified if he puts an end to this war. Shanks was also taken back. He didn''t expect Sengoku to readily agree, he turned to look at Akainu and Leo, he understood what was happening. "Thank you for your understanding. I also want to take Whitebeard''s body and bury him in peace." "I agree." Sengoku didn''t even think for a moment and agreed. Akainu''s face turned blue. He glared at Leo, then at Ace and Luffy before walking away in anger. Leo also sheathed his sword. He took a glance at Ace and Luffy then he focused on the young marine who nearly lost his consciousness facing Akainu. A peculiar glint faced in his eyes before he walked away as well. Sengoku raised his voice and yelled, "Gather the fallen and retreat, this war is over!!" With that the war came to an end. The world was in shock. Many cheered and celebrated. The papers glorified the battle and never mentioned the matter of Ace. They focused on Whitebeard and his death. It was as if Ace''s execution had nothing to do with the war. Leo put down the paper and scoffed. Shinobu placed a cup of tea on the table and said, "What are your plans?" Leo took a sip and said seriously, "The justice of this world is twisted. I didn''t care before as it never crossed my path, but now... "Celestial dragons... World Government... the world revolves around them. What they say is justice. If I want to change everything then they must die." He said nonchalantly. However the coldness in his words was real. Shinobu chuckled, "You are acting quite... wild. I like that." Leo grinned and pulled her into his embrace before kissing her cheery lips. Click. The door to the hall was opened and Zoro came in to see them kissing. His face turned hard for a moment before he bowed and stepped out. Leo had an amused smile, "He is quite shy." "Hehe." Shinobu giggled. Kiii! A snowy figure rushed inside through an open window and buried itself between Shinobu and Leo. "Haha, Snow, you are getting heavy." Leo laughed and picked up the snow falcon. Kiii! Snow rubbed her head against Leo''s cheeks and let out a satisfied yelp. Shinobu grabbed some fruits from the kitchen and started to feed her. Leo smiled at them and walked to the window. This world need to change. He said to himself and pulled out a den-den mushi. Pereperepere. He called someone. After a few seconds the call connected, however no words were spoken from the other end. "Monkey.D.Dragon, we need to talk." Chapter 196 - 196. Zoros Request "Sir, I''ve brought him." Mace saluted Leo and said. Leo was drinking from a small bottle filled with wine that exuded a particular fragrance. After he thoroughly savoured the flavour he nodded to Mace, "Bring him in." Mace went out and came back with a young marine. The young marine stood straight as a rod and saluted Leo. "Coby, reporting!" Leo waved his hand and smiled, "Dispel with the formalities. Ah, that will be all Mace." Mace nodded and left. After he was gone Leo stood up, "Come with me." Both of them left the house and went to the backyard. "Coby, why did you stop Akainu from killing Ace?" Leo suddenly asked. Coby was taken back by the sudden question and hesitated for a moment before replying firmly, "I just want to catch bad guys, that war... isn''t the justice I want." Coby was tailing behind Leo so he didn''t see the smile on his face. "Zoro-san! What are you doing here?!" Zoro was practicing with his sword when he heard Coby. "Oh, Coby, I am training." "How can you be so carefree?!" Coby looked around nervously. Leo patted his shoulder and said, "This guy saw today''s paper and suddenly started to train." Today''s paper? "Ah, Luffy-san!" A few days after the war Luffy returned to marineford. He simply went there, offered some flowers and left. When Zoro saw Luffy''s picture on the paper he gave up trying to leave and started to train. This kind of surprised Leo. Coby had no idea what was going on and asked, "Sir, why did you summon me?" Leo smiled and said, "To confirm something." His answer confused Coby even more. Leo put his hand into his jacket and pulled out a strange fruit. It was blue and had thunder patterns on it. "This is the rumble-rumble fruit. Eat it." Coby''s eyes opened so wide that they almost popped out of his sockets. "A logia! And it''s the rumble-rumble fruit! Sir, this-this... Leo wiped his smile and said seriously, "I need someone with your justice inside the Navy. Akainu''s justice is twisted, Aokiji is doubtful of his own but isn''t resolute enough to question it, as for Kisaru, he is lazy and doesn''t care about justice, he just follows order." "You had the courage to step up to Akainu for your justice. You didn''t try to capture Zoro when you saw him." "You have a kind heart and recognise what''s right and wrong rather than blindly following orders." "If you want to realise your dreams, if you want to follow your justice, then you need power." "Only the strong has a say in this world." Coby clenched his fist when he heard Leo''s final words. He became a marine to catch bad guys. That war wasn''t his justice, catching pirates like Luffy who had immense kindness wasn''t his pursuit. But this was how the world worked. If he wants to change it, he need strength. After Garp took him in, he trained crazily to pursue the justice in his heart. But he realised how tiny he was when he stood on the battlefield. He couldn''t change a thing. Coby said nothing. He grabbed the rumble-rumble fruit and stuffed it inside his mouth before swallowing it whole. Bleh. A few seconds later Coby stopped. A strange power was flowing through his body. It was overbearing and ferocious. He tried to stand up only to lose control of his body and disperse into tiny arcs of blue lightning. This?! "Congratulations. You are officially on the path of a powerhouse." Leo smiled and said. Coby bowed in his state again and again to express his gratitude. "Stay here and try to get a hang of your powers. Once you are done, go to Garp. When it comes to body training there is no one better than him in the Navy." "Rumble-Rumble fruit is extremely overbearing, only with a strong body can you bring out it''s full potential." Leo said to Coby and left. "What is it?" Leo asked. "Teach me the way of the sword!" Leo was surprised by the sudden request, "Why?" Zoro stared at him and said solemnly, "I get the feeling that you are stronger than Hawkeye." "That''s it?" Zoro nodded, "Teach me. I want to get strong, to have a say in this world." Using my own words, huh. Leo didn''t immediately agree and said, "I don''t teach just anyone." Zoro got on his knees and bowed, "Teach me, teacher!" Leo was amused. This guy wasn''t as dumb as he thought. "Alright. Rest today, we will start tomorrow." Leo walked away. Zoro clenched his fist, a fire light up in his eyes. Coby was seriously trying to get a hang of his new found powers. After a while he was able to move his body without changing into lightning. He once again thanked Leo and left to find Garp. The day passed. Leo woke up early. Zoro was already waiting for him in the practice field. "Very eager, aren''t you? Anyway, before we start, show me your sword domain." Zoro nodded. He picked up his swords and closed his eyes. When he opened them again a faint ripple spread out from him, but it was fluctuating. Leo shook his head. "You have a firm will and your basics are extremely solid but, your advanced skills are far from satisfaction." Zoro asked, "How?" Leo explained, "Do you know why those top swordmen are called grandmasters? It''s because they have understood the very essence of the way of the sword." "I''ll break it down for you. Mastery of sword is divided into four levels. First level, you just pick up a sword and swing it with brute strength with no techniques or discipline." "Second, you have technique, discipline and brute strength to utilize it." "Third, you understand the rhythm of nature and form your intent or will. What you want to cut will be cut, what you don''t want to cut won''t be cut." "Fourth, you form a domain using your intent or will. The range of your domain will be very small but it will increase with your understanding of the way of the sword." Zoro listened very carefully. When it came to practising he wasn''t dull or dumb, in fact he is very astute. "You have already understood the rhythm of everything and formed your will. However you just stumbled on it and have no idea on how to train in it." Leo went on to explain the most basic form of training to get started on mastering the rhythm of everything and to form a domain. After leaving Zoro to practice Leo went back home. He had an unexpected guest. "Garp-san, why the sudden visit?" Garp was munching on some rice crackers when Leo came in. With crumbles on his beard Garp said, "Just passing by." "Oh, you are returning to East Blue?" Garp nodded, "I am taking Coby with me." Leo understood and smiled, "He is a good one." Garp suddenly grew silent, after a while he said, "Thank you." Leo waved his hand and said, "I don''t like this side of you, go back to being that silly old man." Garp raised his head and stared at Leo for a moment before bursting out into a laughter, "Buhahaha, then don''t mind me!" He suddenly went to the kitchen and started to rummage. Seconds later he returned to the dining table with a handful of plates filled with food. "Oi! Don''t eat everything!" Leo grabbed a few plates from him and started to fill his stomach as well. In a while a lot of empty plates filled the table. Garp was picking his teeth and Leo was drinking some tea when Shinobu walked him. She had a bunch of bags in her hand. Looking at the table full of empty plates she smiled, "How was it Garp-san?" Garp gave a thumbs up to Shinobu, "Very delicious. How about this? You join my ship." Leo picked up an apple on the table and threw it at him and said, "Don''t casually try to poach other people''s wife." Garp caught the apple and ate it, "Worth a try." Shinobu smiled and went to the kitchen and started to clean up. After resting for a while Garp got up. "Alright, I won''t disturb you any longer." He has the cheeks to say that after eating all of our food. Leo grumbled inside. Before he left Garp said, "I don''t know what you are planning but, be careful." Leo paused for a moment and said, "Just train that kid and mind your own business." "Buhaha, see ya." Chapter 197 - 197. Trail The consequences of the paramount war started to appear throughout the world. The other Yonko and their subordinates clashed several times over Whitebeard''s territory. Conflicts broke out and flames of war started to engulf the New World. Marines were still unable to place a firm foothold in New World. However they finally stepped into the bigger stage. The Yonko were busy fighting to bother with them, and the Navy was more than happy to use this time to stabilise their position in New World. Another important information to note was Sengoku''s retirement. After the war Sengoku stepped down willingly. Right now the position of Fleet Admiral was vacant. A vote was taken among the marines to decide who would take up the post. Popular candidates were Akainu and Aokiji. However the decision was tied and this was a headache for the World Government since that position couldn''t be vacant for too long considering how crucial this time was for them. "I prefer you over that bastard." Leo sipped on a cup of tea and said. Aokiji was seated opposite to him. He was relaxing under the shade of the balcony with a piece of cake in his hand. "Arara, Leo, he is still an admiral." Leo scoffed, "That guy is arrogant and his justice is twisted. He is no different from a pirate and would do anything to achieve his goals. Admiral, my ass!" Aokiji had a peculiar expression on his face, "You changed a lot after the war." "Didn''t we all?" They stayed like that for several seconds before Aokiji leaned on his chair and sighed, "Leo, what is justice?" "Are you talking about mine or yours?" "Does it make a difference?" Leo''s mouth curled up, "Of course. Everyone has eyes and how they view the world is upto them. But... "The justice the Navy showcase sometimes is shit!" Leo spoke no more and enjoyed his tea. Aokiji had a lot going on in his mind. After a while he stood up, looking at the vast sea, he said, "I am withdrawing from the run for Fleet Admiral." Leo was surprised, "Why? If you persist you can definitely get the position, moreover, isn''t this what you want? You can change a lot of things." Aokiji turned around, "Yes, I can change a lot, but I will also be tied down. I plan to train a few subordinates who will only be loyal to me." Leo raised an eyebrow, "That''s rebellion." Aokiji vaguely smiled, "Aren''t you the same?" Leo placed the empty cup on the table and got up, he had a brilliant smile on his face as he left. Aokiji withdrew from the race for Fleet Admiral! This news came as a shock to the marines. Many of Aokiji''s subordinates raised their voice, however Aokiji simply said he wasn''t interested and liked being an admiral. Most knew it was a ridiculous excuse but what could they do? With that Akainu took over Sengoku''s position. The first thing he did was to summon all vice admirals and rear admirals. Leo smiled faintly when he received the summons. Wrong move, Akainu. Vice admirals and rear admirals were seated orderly around a large table. At the head seat was Akainu. Aokiji and Kisaru were also present. They were seated near Akainu, this was in accordance with their position. "I''ll get straight to the point, this is a trial." Akainu said. As soon as his words died down whispers broke out among the men and women present. Leo smirked inside. Akainu focused his eyes on Leo, "In the war against Whitebeard vice admiral Leo''s actions were questionable and he is under suspicion of aiding pirates!" His words stunned the marines present. Chief strategist, Tsuru glanced at Leo who was indifferent to Akainu''s accusations and narrowed her eyes. "What do you have to say for yourself, vice admiral Leo?" Akainu slightly raised his voice. Leo was leaning on his chair. His expression was anything but caring. "I have nothing to explain to you, Fleet Admiral Akainu." Suddenly the atmosphere turned serious. Akainu''s body was giving off a heavy pressure. "You are admitting your crimes?" Leo grinned slightly, "You just warmed up that seat and you are already trying to stir up the pot, Fleet Admiral." Leo''s final words were stretched out. Those words Fleet Admiral sounded jarring to Akainu. He could hear the disdain in them. "Fine! You want to hear your crimes? You saved Strawhat Luffy and Fire Fist Ace from being executed. One, the son of the Pirate King, the other, the son of revolutionary Dragon!" "Both of them represent the evil in this world! You denied justice!" Akainu''s voice rumbled through the room. Every marine in the room felt a stifling sensation when Akainu spoke. Leo got up, a faint ripple spread out from him as it enveloped the room. Akainu''s momentum fiercely clashed against Leo. A sharp glint flashed in Leo''s eyes, "Justice? You don''t qualify to use those words, Fleet Admiral!" "I know a lot about your so called justice." "Ohara." Aokiji''s expression fluctuated when he heard the word Ohara. Leo continued, "How great you are, fleet admiral. You killed harmless innocent men, women and children because they were able to read ancient scripts." "An entire island was destroyed. Why? Because they were proclaimed evil by you." Suddenly Leo''s presence started to change. If before he was like a sheathed sword, now he was like cold sharp blade that hung over everyone''s head. "Your words mean shit to me. I follow righteousness, not your made up justice. With my strength I could''ve travelled the world as I liked, but I chose the Navy because it represents something." "So, fleet admiral, go f.u.c.k.i.n.g preach your justice to someone else." Chapter 198 - 198. Suspended The atmosphere was tense. Akainu''s face got gloomier by the second. His right arm had already turned into burning magma and destroyed a part of the table. Leo didn''t back down. His sword came out of the sheath with a hum. Countless sword rays radiating with sharpness hung above the room. Tsuru didn''t plan to interfere and sat with her eyes closed. Akainu was ready to attack when Sengoku walked inside. "Hai hai, that''s enough." Akainu glanced at Sengoku and scoffed. His arm returned to normal and he sat down. However the countless sword rays kept on increasing in number. Their power was starting to build up and caused the walls of the room to crack. "Leo, back down." Sengoku said lightly. Taking a long look at Akainu Leo sheathed his sword and walked out of the room. "You are already a retired old man, why are you interfering with in this?" Akainu asked coldly. Sengoku was calm in the face of Akainu''s anger and said, "The higher ups have decided to suspend Leo indefinitely." "That doesn''t cover up the fact that he helped pirates!" Sengoku''s gaze suddenly grew sharp, "He is a great marine, and he held back Whitebeard from destroying marineford! He was also the one who dealt the final blow to Whitebeard!" "These merits are enough to turn a blind to towards what he did! This suspension is only to please you, Sakazuki!" Akainu huffed and said no more. Sengoku suddenly sighed, "I won''t lecture you on how to run things, but make sure you don''t turn our own men against us." He said those words and left. The room was abnormally calm before Tsuru coughed and said. "Since that''s taken care of, let''s decide on our new base in New World." Tsuru changed the topic and all of them started to discuss several details about their new base in New World. ... Leo walked out of marineford and met with Mace. "Sir... Mace hesitated and gave Leo a letter. It was branded with Navy''s official seal. Leo didn''t need to open it know what it was. He had a light smile on his face. "Well, I can take a break for a while." Mace didn''t know what to say and simply ordered the crew to get back to the island. When he got home Shinobu was preparing lunch. "I got suspended." Shinobu turned her head and said, "That''s good. We can relax for a while." "Snow?" Leo asked. Shinobu pointed to the woods out back, "She is making sure Zoro doesn''t get lost." Zoro had zero sense of direction. Hell, he could even get lost on a straight path. After a while Shinobu placed several dishes on the table. When they were about to sit down Snow whistled through the window. She landed on the table and screeched lightly. The door opened and Zoro also walked in. "He got lost so many times?" Leo had an amused smile as he listened to Snow. Zoro had a strained expression on his face after being sold out by a bird. "The woods are confusing." Shinobu chuckled. Zoro''s was starting to get embarrassed. "Alright, stop teasing him. Sit down and eat." They started lunch after Zoro sat down. Snow had her own place. A plate full of different fruits were especially prepared for her. She happily munched on it. Chewing on some grilled meat Zoro commented, "This is as good as that shitty cook." Leo asked, "Sanji?" Zoro nodded. The lunch was delicious and everybody silently enjoyed their food. Leo took care of the plates and cleaned up the table. After he was done, he picked up his sword and went out with Zoro to the far end of the Island. "Have you formed your domain?" Zoro nodded and focused. A faint ripple escaped his body and covered a distance of 4 meter around him. 4 meter? Impressive. Leo was satisfied with his improvement. "Attack with the intent to kill." Zoro hesitated for a moment. Leo chuckled, "2 years is very short. If you want to be the sharpest sword that defends your captain and your friends you need get far stronger than you are right now. And some wish-wash training ain''t gonna cut it." Suddenly a heavy murderous intent started to pour out of Leo. Zoro involuntary took a step back, however he quickly adjusted his mind and raised his sword. Teacher, what are you? Why is your killing intent so heavy? Zoro bit on one of his sword and took a stance with his strongest style. "This is the first time we are sparring, so I will go easy on you." Leo said. After his words died out Zoro lost sight of him. A chill ran through his spine, he immediately rolled on the ground. Before he could get up a foot sank deep into his gut. Tremendous force rattled his innards and he coughed out blood. Guhah! Zoro shrivelled like a shrimp and twitched on the ground in pain. Leo walked to him and said, "I taught you the basics of kenbunshoku haki and busoshoku haki, why didn''t you use either one?" Zoro wanted to reply that he didn''t have time to do so, but he coughed out blood as soon as he opened his mouth. Leo kicked his swords to him and said coldly, "Get up." Zoro swallowed the rest of what he was gonna cough up and got up while stumbling. They started another round. Zoro fell down within a second. Third round. Zoro held on for 1 second. Fourth round Zoro held on for 1 second. An hour later. Zoro was on the ground which had turned red with his own blood. Leo casually picked him up. While they were walking back, he said, "Don''t worry, my wife can fix you up as many times as possible, as long as you are alive." Zoro lost the last bit of his consciousness after he heard those last few words. Chapter 199 - 199. Kenbunshoku Haki Zoro woke up groggily the next day. His head was ringing and his body was aching all over. He saw Shinobu working on something at the desk. He gathered strength and tried to sit up, only to fall off the bed. Shinobu raised her head and saw him fall. She walked over and helped him sit straight. "Your body is still recovering, try not to move." She said and picked up a vial of drug from a nearby cabinet. Without asking for Zoro''s permission she injected it into his body. Zoro frowned, "What''s that?" Shinobu raised the empty vial and said, "A drug I made. It will accelerate your healing process by several fold. With the latent potential you have, your body will recover by sun down." Zoro tried to move his body but immense pain assaulted him as he did. "Just lay down and rest." Shinobu didn''t take her eyes off of her work and said. Zoro hesitantly obeyed and laid down. His mind was filled with his fight with Leo. "I couldn''t even catch a glimpse of him... He muttered. Shinobu heard him and raised her head. "You and him are not on the same level. From where he stand you are not worth mentioning, it would be a surprise if you could catch his movements." Zoro clenched his fist. Shinobu continued on with her work and said, "Anyway why do you need to catch his movements?" "How else would I fight him." "Hm... Shinobu hummed to his reply and said after a while. "You know, all wild animals have a sense for danger, the moment they are about to get hurt they will react subconsciously. Why do you think that is so?" Zoro didn''t answer. He wasn''t great at analysing so he waited for her to continue. "It''s their spirit. When danger approach, their spirits will recognise it before they could. Kenbunshoku haki works the same way." "Don''t try to actively sense anything, when you haven''t even gotten to the basics that''s the wrong way to go." "Let your spirit tell you what to do. Your spirit is part of the world, when you are in danger it will sense it before you could. And if you preoccupy your brain with sensing something else you will miss the warning it is giving you." Zoro was trying his best to reorganize what she meant. He thought for a couple of hours and couldn''t come an understanding. He is finding it that hard to understand? He really is dumb. It was at this time Leo walked in. He saw Zoro''s contemplating expression and looked at Shinobu for an explanation. "I tried to help him with kenbunshoku haki, and this is the result." Leo slightly smiled and shook his head, "He is the type of guy that learns through battle, it doesn''t matter how simple the explanation is, he wouldn''t get it." Shinobu chuckled, "I know it now." The day passed by very quickly. Like Shinobu said, Zoro made a full recovery by sun down. However, Zoro''s didn''t rest and went to the woods out back to train. He wanted to understand what Shinobu said. When the sun rose up the next day Leo found Zoro sleeping under a tree. Snow was perched on top the tree. She chimed when she saw Leo and landed on his shoulder. "Good work." As Zoro had zero sense of direction someone had to be there to watch over him. Leo walked upto him and gave him a kick. Surprisingly Zoro dodged it. His eyes slammed open as he looked around, seeing it was Leo he eased up. "That is kenbunshoku haki." Leo said. He didn''t explain and started to attack Zoro with full force. And like yesterday Zoro was drenched in blood a couple of hours later. "When you were sleeping, your spirit was completely relaxed, it became a part with nature, there was a harmony. I was not part of that harmony, that''s why your spirit sensed it as something disruptive." "It gave out a signal to your brain, and since you didn''t have any other thoughts at that moment, your battle instincts kicked in and you dodged." Leo explained the entirety of their battle slowly for a bloodied Zoro to understand. And since Zoro experienced it first hand he understood some of it. The rest would require time and some more battle. Days went by without any suspense. Leo''s time was spent training Zoro and trying to figure out another technique for his sword. On this day Leo was training Zoro as usual when his den-den mushi rang. "Who is it?" Leo picked up the call and asked. "It''s me." That voice was all too familiar to Leo. "Garp-san! It''s very rare for you to use a den-den mushi!" "Brat! You looking for a beating?!" Garp roared through the den-den mushi. "Haha, go on, why did you suddenly call me?" Garp wasn''t the type to beat around the bush and said, "Coby needs some specialised equipment for his training, I need you to get it for me from the headquarters." Leo asked confused, "You didn''t take anything with you?" "Buhaha, I forgot." Leo kind of expected that answer. He sighed and only hoped that Coby hadn''t lost his will to live. Well, it''s been boring anyways. He got back home with a bruised Zoro. A couple of months training did bring some improvements. Zoro wasn''t drenched in blood anymore. However a lot of his bones did break on a daily basis. "I have some errands to run, so Shinobu will spar with you for the next month." Zoro frowned. Leo saw his expression and curled his lips, "Do try to stay alive." Huh? Zoro looked at him with an odd expression while Shinobu just smiled. ... A warship was moving towards East Blue. Leo was laying comfortably on the deck as he looked at the vast seas. "Captain, a couple more hours and we will reach our destination." Mace reported. Leo simply nodded and closed his eyes. Two hours later their ship docked on an island. Leo used his spiritual sense and located Garp deep in the mountains. Apart from Coby there was another person with them. Now, this is a surprise. He smiled to himself and instructed the men to carry the equipment and follow him. After trekking through a large part of the mountain they came across a wide field with a small house. Garp was sleeping leisurely with no mind of his surroundings. Coby was carrying a lot of weight on his shoulder as he did push-ups. This damn old man! Didn''t I tell him to train him properly?! Chapter 200 - 200. The Blind Man A vein throbbed on Leo''s forehead. Just as he was wondering whether to give Garp a ''welcome kick'' he sensed a person coming out of the forest into the open field. It was a young man. Many of Leo''s crew gasped when they saw who it was. Mace who was standing next to Leo muttered, "So this is where you were, ''Fire Fist'' Ace!" Ace saw the visitors and was slightly surprised. He nodded to them and gave Garp a kick to his head. "Smelly old man, there are marines here to visit you!" Guhah! Garp was thrown off the ground. He grumpily woke and roared at Ace. "Which grandson would kick their grandfather so ruthlessly?! Was my care and love wasted on you?!" Ace smiled with disdain, "Care and love? You threw me and Luffy to fight against wild beasts and left us alone inside the forest for days! Care and love, my ass!" "What would you know?! That''s called training!" Listening to Garp Leo doubted if it was a wrong choice to leave Coby''s training to him. Coby seems to have gotten immune to their bickering as he continued to train with focus. Leo walked up and pulled away the grandson and grandfather duo who was about to fight it out and said, "Have some manners when you have guests." Garp scoffed and went towards the marines. He grabbed the equipment they were carrying and checked them. Leo watched the extremely focused Coby and nodded. If he doesn''t have this much determination then Leo chose wrong. After an hour Coby got up from the ground while trembling. He squeezed out a smile and said, "Sorry about that." Leo smiled, "Don''t worry kid. Focus is a key aspect in training, keep it up." Coby sat down and closed his eyes. Before long he dozed off. Leo had his doubts about how these three men took care of their meals, however he was relieved when he met a fat woman named Dadan. She was a bit rude but she was kind to Ace and Coby. When night fell Garp and Leo found a silent corner and started drinking. "Will the kid be alright?" Leo asked. Garp took a swing from the bottle and said, "He can handle it. Rumble-Rumble fruit has high destructive power, if his body ain''t strong enough he would burn out." Hm. Leo hummed. He took the bottle from Garp and said, "Ace seems to have m.a.t.u.r.ed a bit." Garp sighed slightly, "Going through all that, who wouldn''t? I am just glad he is alive." Leo finished the bottle and got up, "Don''t worry, the day will come when he can walk freely without being called the son of an evil man." He walked away saying that. Garp glanced at him deeply for a moment before shaking his head, he continued to drink his worries away. ... "Fire lance!" Ace spread out his arms, flames condensed and formed two lances before flying towards Leo. Against the incoming flames Leo stood tall like a mountain and waved his sword. Sword rays danced around him and chipped away the flame lance. In an instant the flames were dispersed. Ace raised his arms and pointed his index fingers at Leo. "Finger pistol!" However like before they couldn''t reach him. The flames were slashed and dispersed by his sword rays. After half an hour Ace backed up and said indignantly, "Your sword is annoying." Leo grinned, "Now, do you understand human potential? Devil fruits are great, but the potential of our bodies are no weaker. You have developed several techniques for your fruit but you still haven''t developed it''s core concept, nor have you unearthed your body''s potential." Hearing his lecture Ace scoffed and walked away. Leo smiled and shook his head. Kids nowadays are so troublesome. He sheathed his sword and got back to the house to check upon Coby''s training. However, he was shell shocked at what he saw. Coby was chained with kairoseki and each of his limbs were tied with a particular material that was ten times heavier than it''s original body. So right now Coby was tied with atleast 500 kg on each limb. Along with the powerlessness from kairoseki it''s a miracle that the kid could even stand. "You damn old man!" "Ah, Leo, come, sit here. It''s quite relaxing under the shade." Leo nearly cursed out. "This might kill the kid." Garp said nonchalantly, "He doesn''t have great talent, if I don''t dig out his potential he will remain weak." Leo wanted to say something, but in the end he knew Garp was right and could only hope Coby won''t break. "I am leaving today." Garp nodded, "Alright, thanks for bringing the stuff." Leo waved his hand, "Yeah, yeah, happy to help." He got up and waved at Coby before leaving the mountain. Without further ado they left the island. ... The warship was docked on an island to gather supplies. Leo was walking around and saw a casino. His interest was piqued, he stepped inside and saw crowds of people seated around tables yelling their hearts out. Gambling is the same everywhere. He said to himself and got to a table. He looked at the other participants. There were three men wearing luxurious clothes and ornaments. The last one was a blind man with a cross scar on his face. Interesting. Leo''s spiritual sense trembled slightly as it swept past the blind middle-aged man and he smiled. "Black." The middle-aged man said a single word and waited. The roulette spinned for several seconds and came to a stop. "Black!" The middle-aged man won. Leo was slightly taken back and looked at the bind man with a serious look. The extremity of kenbunshoku haki. Who would have thought I would meet someone like that here. Chapter 201 - 201. Issho Leo''s eyes focused on the blind middle-aged man. The latter amiably smiled at Leo and slightly nodded. The roulette was spun again. And like before the blind middle-aged man won. Leo also joined in on the fun and won a few rounds. However casinos will never allow a player to win unconditionally. Not long after, a man wearing a tuxedo came out of the top floor and stood beside their table. His eyes contained a bit of ruthlessness as he focused on the blind middle-aged man. "How about I join you all?" The man asked. The blind middle-aged man smiled amiably and said, "Please." The man sat down. The other players except Leo got up and left. The man glanced at Leo and frowned. He had been in this business long enough to understand people from their bearings. This young man infront of him had a superior elegance to him. He wasn''t the least bit intimidated by him or his subordinates. This guy... Taking a mental note of Leo the man focused on the blind man. The dealer spun the roulette. "White." The blind man called out. The roulette came to a stop. It was white. The man grinned and said, "It''s black. Looks like I won this round." The blind man scratched his head in embarrassment, "Aiyah, it seems my luck is running dry." The man laughed lightly and told the dealer to go again. "White." The roulette came to a stop. It was white. "Sorry old man, it''s black." The man grinned and said. The blind man simply scratched his head in embarrassment. They played a few more rounds before the man collected every coin the blind man had. "Do you wanna go all out? I can loan you some money, who knows, maybe you can win everything back." The blind man smiled and said, "Please do, this Issho thanks you for your kindness." The man and his subordinates laughed quietly at Issho''s foolishness. Leo had an amused smiled on his face. Though the blind middle-aged man seemed amiable, Leo sensed arrogance in his every movement. The man was playing with fire, soon he would be burned. The roulette came to a stop. The man grinned, "You lost." Issho suddenly smiled. The man had enough of him and signalled his men. Both of them came forward and tried to grab Issho. They just stretched out their hands when they suddenly stopped. Their bodies fell down with a bang. The ground cracked and caved. Two deep holes without end appeared on the floor. The two men was gone, nobody knew whether they were dead or not. "You-You... The man who had a smug smile on his face suddenly turned stiff. He knew he messed with someone he shouldn''t. "This Issho is blind, however, please don''t try to invert black and white before me." Issho tapped the cane in his hand on the floor. The man suddenly felt as if he was being crushed by a mountain. He couldn''t even get out a squeak before he fell into a dark abyss. Issho swiped the table and took the money. He glanced at Leo and said, "Sir has a bright spirit." Leo chuckled, "You too, why did you take away your eyesight?" With Leo''s experience he knew the scar on Issho''s face was self inflicted. Issho paused for a moment, "I grew tired of this world''s darkness." Leo paused for a moment and suddenly smiled, "Then we have a lot to talk." Issho opened his eyes and stared at Leo. His white eyes devoid of light was scary, however Leo didn''t mind it. "I know a great place for a drink." Leo got up and said, "Let''s go then." ... "What do you think?" Leo asked while downing a large glass of booze. Issho held a small sake cup and drank lightly. He didn''t immediately reply to Leo and asked, "Do you think this world''s darkness can be cleared?" Leo finished his glass and said seriously, "Light cannot exist without darkness, and darkness won''t be born without light. Trying to vanquish it completely is impossible, but, we can hold it back." Issho took a small sip and thought for a while before saying, "I agree. I will join you." Leo smiled and raised his glass, "To the future." Issho also raised his sake cup and smiled, "To the future." ... The crew was looking at Issho with doubt. This guy was directly recruited by the vice admiral? Mace also had his doubts and couldn''t help but ask, "Sir... is he really that strong?" Leo was resting comfortably on his chair when he heard Mace. He had a mysterious smile on his face, "You''ll see." Their ship soon reached marineford. As soon as they docked Leo had Mace submit the papers for Issho''s appointment as a captain under Leo. This raised a lot of questions among the marines responsible for adminstration. The news even reached Akainu. "This guy is even appointing unknown people as captain?!" The report Akainu was holding was burned to ashes. "I want to see what''s so special about this Issho guy!" Akainu rose from his seat and went down to the testing grounds. Issho was facing vice admiral Momonga. "Though Leo vouched for you, I won''t go easy." Issho smiled, "Thank you for your consideration." Leo was yawning from a corner. He wasn''t the least bit worried. It was at this point a commission broke out. Akainu walked out and stood on the balcony while staring at Issho. Sensing a hostile gaze Issho looked up and smiled. Akainu snorted. "Start!" Someone gave the go and Momonga took action. He used soru and flashed beside Issho. He was about to draw his sword when a heavy pressure fell on him. He lost balance and crashed into the ground. Momonga tried to put some strength into his limbs, so that he could move. However he was utterly crushed by this pressure. Issho still had that amicable smile as he said, "Thank you for letting me win." Chapter 202 - 202. Undercurrents Issho''s words woke up everyone. They stared dumbfounded at what just happened. Momonga wasn''t your average marine. He was a vice admiral, and one who ranks among the top as well. For him to lose so miserably... Issho''s strength was evident. Akainu snorted and left without a single comment. The one''s in charge of Issho''s appointment as a captain under Leo was relieved when they saw Akainu leave. They were worried this would turn into another fight between the two. "Let''s go." Leo said to Issho and led him out. The papers were already submitted and the test was done. It was only a matter of time before Issho officially becomes a marine. The warship sailed slowly through the sea and reached Leo''s island. When he stepped out Snow swooped down from above and landed on his shoulder. She happily let out a hum and rubbed her head against his cheeks. "You have a great friend." Issho smiled and said. "Snow, this is Issho. Issho, Snow." Leo simply introduced them. Snow''s pearl blue eyes sized up Issho for a moment. Though Issho''s eyes were blind he looked straight at Snow and smiled politely. When they got home Leo saw Shinobu dragging Zoro through the ground. His skin had a weird purple colour and he was foaming from his mouth. Leo''s footsteps slightly paused when he saw Zoro''s condition. He sighed and shook his head. "Oh, you are back. Wait a moment, I will make lunch." Shinobu smiled at Leo and Issho before dragging Zoro to her laboratory. "That must be your companion." Issho said. Leo nodded, "Yeah. She is a great cook and an even better doctor." "So that man will be fine?" Leo''s mouth twitched, "He won''t die under her watch." Leo led him inside and got him some tea. "Issho, that man you saw is a pirate." Leo said as he sat down. Issho was about to take a sip when he heard Leo, his hands paused for a moment and continued. After several seconds he asked, "Why would you help a pirate?" Leo didn''t answer his question and said, "Your kenbunshoku haki is extremely powerful, why do you think I would do so?" Issho took another sip and suddenly smiled, "I understand." Leo swirled the cup in his hand and said, "Their bunch are pirates, but they are far too kind to be called that. If we want to make changes, we need to stop judging people like them because of their title." When they were finished Shinobu walked in and went straight to the kitchen. "This is Issho, he will be a captain under me from now on." Issho got up and slightly bowed, "It''s nice to meet you." Shinobu put on an apron and smiled, "Nice to meet you as well." She then got busy with making lunch. After half an hour several dishes were neatly placed on the table. "Your craftsmanship is excellent." Issho praised after having a bite. Shinobu smiled and Leo raised his chin slightly. As they were having a hearty meal the door to the house was opened and Zoro staggered in. His skin still had an unnatural colour to it, but he looked better than before. "You are finally back." He dragged his body to the table and grabbed some of the roasted meat and stuffed it down his throat. Leo looked at Shinobu and asked, "You nearly broke him." Shinobu shrugged, "I fight that way. I am not a brute like you, I am a feeble lady." Zoro choked on his food and nearly spat out everything on Issho. Feeble lady?! Feeble lady, my ass! The kind of torture he went through this past month would have killed or made anyone else mad. It was through sheer willpower he was able to pull through. Day after day he was poisoned. It was pure torture. Leo placed a piece of meat in his mouth and slowly chewed as he said, "Well, that round of training should have strengthened your poison resistance. Get some rest, I am back on from tomorrow onwards." ... New World, Dressrosa. Doflamingo was deep in thought as he looked out through the window. "Ne, Doffy, are you sure you want to stir up that guy?" Trebol asked him with slight hesitation. Doflamingo''s mouth curled up into an evil smile, "Fufufufu, that monster nearly killed me that day, if I don''t show him atleast this much courtesy, won''t our family''s name be thrown into the mud?" Trebol thought for a moment and nodded, "Alright. Which of us should lead this attack?" "Have Diamante go. He should be very interested in revenge." "Hehe, that''s true." Doflamingo picked up a bottle from the table and chugged it down. Fufufufu, vice admiral Leo, let''s see what you think of my present. ... "I''ll be gone for a week." Shinobu said to Leo. She then pointed to the fridge, "I have packed several dishes and placed them inside, it should get you through the week." Leo walked her to the ship. Mace, Flare, Dali, Violet and Issho were waiting for them. "Have a safe journey." He waved them off. On the ship Mace placed a map infront of Shinobu. He circled three islands and said, "Ma''am, according to the description you gave us and comparing it with our data, these three islands should have what you are looking for." Shinobu studied the map. The three islands were quite some distance from each other. She turned to Issho and asked, "Can we get back in one week?" Issho showed a calm smile, "Hoho, madam, it''s not a problem." He tapped his wooden cane on the deck of ship. Suddenly the ship started tremble. The crew were startled and grabbed onto whatever they could to stay on their feet. The ship slowly started to rise from the sea. It levitated several meters above the water and started to move forward. Mace and the rest were dumbfounded. "Captain Issho has devil fruit powers?!" Shinobu smiled and said, "Thank you for your help, Issho." Issho scratched his head and said, "It''s nothing worth mentioning, madam." Chapter 203 - 203. Ambush The warship reached their first island within a day thanks to Issho. "Issho-san, Mace, Flare, Violet and Dali, take a party and search these areas. If you spot something that matches the description I gave you, mark that area and take some samples." "We will regroup here after three hours." Shinobu gave out instructions and took three marines with her and all of them went their separate ways. After three hours they regrouped. Several samples of different plant species were placed before Shinobu. She checked them one by one and separated two from the group. "Who found this?" Flare and Violet raised their hands. They immediately showed the marked area on the map. Shinobu led a group of marines carrying all sorts of containers to that area. After a while they returned with bags full of research materials. It took them several more hours to scour the rest of the island before leaving for the next one. While they were enroute to their next destination a small ship was following them from far behind. "Captain, they are moving again. Their coordinates seems to be... A man with a wretched face spoke through the den-den mushi. After sending out information he sat down comfortably on a chair and grinned. "Joker made such a huge move for a single warship? Looks like whoever is on that ship really pissed him off." ... Shinobu and her crew reached the next island the second day. This one was larger than the one before and it took them even more time to scour the island. Even with Mace, Issho, Violet, Dali and Flare, it took them a good half day to fully scout the island. Shinobu had a bright smile on her face as she watched the marines load the ship with samples. "I never expected these islands to have this much specimen." She commented. Mace said, "It''s not that surprising, ma''am. After all, these islands are uninhabitable, and it is untouched by the outside world. So it''s reasonable that something rare outside can be found here." Shinobu agreed. As they were finishing the last of the samples the lookout suddenly let out a gasp and shouted. "Captain, we got company. A fleet is approaching us!" Mace narrowed his eyes, "How many?" The lookout checked again and said with slight panic, "Ten sh.i.p.s. And half of them belong to-to Yonko Kaido!" Kaido?! Mace trembled for a moment. His face turned ugly. "Don''t panic." Issho tapped his wooden cane on the floor and said lightly. However his voice reached every marine and calmed them down. Mace and the rest were confused as to what he did. They didn''t have to wait for long to know the answer. The sky suddenly started to brighten up. Several red dots appeared among the clouds, they were falling down with tremendous speed. "Meteorites?!" Mace was shocked, as were the other marines. Even more shocked were the pirates. Diamante was standing on the deck with an unsightly expression on his face. "When did that marine''s crew have such a character?!" On one of the other ship was a large man. His eyes were cruel and his body continuously leaked out chilling murderous vibe. "Jack-sama! What should we do?!" This man was one of the three disasters under Kaido, Jack The Drought!" Jack pulled out the two tusks on his shoulder, revealing two oddly shaped swords. "What else?! I''m gonna destroy it!!" The meteorite fell on them. Jack jumped high into the air and slashed his sword several times like a lunatic. His eyes were bloodshot as he did so. Diamante also jumped up. His long sword turned black as his jabbed it forward. Two of the meteorites falling for the center of the fleet was stopped in mid air. Cracks formed on it''s blazing surface and burst apart. Chunks of burning rocks fell down like rain. The other pirates were strong enough to take care of those falling pieces. However the last meteorite fell directly on a ship and swallowed it whole before sinking to the bottom of the sea. Another ship near to it was also caught up by the crash and fell apart. Veins popped on Jack''s forehead as anger rushed to his brain. "Kill everyone!" Issho didn''t use the same move again as they were too close to them now. "Get ready for battle!" The canons on the warship was aimed at the pirates. "Fire!" Mace gave the signal and volleys of shots were fired. "Fire!" The pirates returned the fire. The marines were able to get a few of them since there was a lot of sh.i.p.s. However the pirates failed to reach their target. When they were close to the island Diamante and Jack jumped off of their ship and rushed straight for the marines. "Die!" Jack''s bloodshot eyes oozed out tremendous murderous vibe. His sword gleamed as he swung it towards a marine. Before he could reach his target Issho blocked his path. "Let this Issho be your opponent." The sword hidden in his cane was drawn out and blocked Jack''s sword. Issho stood tall like a mountain against Jack''s attack. Even though Jack was crazy, he wasn''t stupid. "Then you die." Knowing his opponent was strong Jack went all out. Diamante on the other hand was blocked by Mace. Both of them clashed against each other and no one came out on top. By now the other pirates have landed on the island and engaged with the remaining marines. Dali, Violet and Flare led the attack and held off the pirates. Shinobu had her arms locked behind her as she looked towards the opposite end of the island. "Such a huge line up just to kill me?" She asked with no one else in sight. However as soon as she spoke several figures walked out of the woods. Taking a head count there was atleast a hundred of them. The person leading the group grinned and said, "Joker sends his regards to your husband." Chapter 204 - 204. Queen Mystique The man leading the hundred men spoke politely, however his voice was ice cold. Shinobu simply glanced at the men. All of them were wearing protective suits and had a gas mask. "You came prepared." The man smiled, "Of course, against Queen Mystique, we have to atleast show this much courtesy." After Shinobu''s battle with Big Mom''s subordinates she was nicknamed Queen Mystique by her enemies because of her diverse and unimaginable abilities. The man raised his hand and signalled for the men to move. With the others already occupied Shinobu was facing a hundred enemies alone. However the man didn''t see any panic in her eyes. If anything there was a hint of teasing flashing through them. Why is she so confident? The man was cautious. He didn''t attack directly and ordered his men to surround her and attack from all sides. Rows of guns were pointed at Shinobu from every direction. "It''s a good time." She suddenly said which surprised the man. "Fire!" Bang! Bang! Shots after shots were fired. Like a butterfly Shinobu dodged the bullets gracefully. Soon she reached an enemy closest to her. Her opponent raised his gun and was about to shoot when he suddenly lost control of his body. His eyes got dizzy and soon he lost consciousness. "Not bad." She flicked her finger and jumped back. After her retreat dozens of bullet struck where she was and left egg sized holes on the ground. The man leading them watched from the distance as one of his subordinates fell, his eyes narrowed and a faint premonition of danger shrouded his heart. His kenbunshoku haki was focused to it''s extreme as he followed her movements. Enemies fell with each passing second. Shinobu never touched them, she gracefully moved around to dodge the bullets. However her enemies fell with no sign of getting attacked. The man leading the attack was drenched in cold sweat. Only after half of his men fell did he realise how she had done it. Each time one of his subordinates fell Shinobu would move her fingers, the range of movement was very slight, if not for his excellent eyesight and kenbunshoku haki he wouldn''t have noticed it. Following her finger movement needles as thin as a hair strand would shoot towards his men and pierce through them. Very thin strings almost invisible to the n.a.k.e.d eye connected the needles to her fingers. At first her movements were a little sluggish, but with each falling enemy, she got better. She was like a silent reaper, no one knew who would be the next to fall. The man''s eyes were getting bloodshot. He never expected his target to be proficient in throwing weapons! He was well prepared considering the nickname she had, they were all wearing air tight suits and masks which would effectively block out her poison. They even took several drugs that suppressed any foreign elements intruding into their body. So the only way for her to attack was close quarter combat or long range weapons, and from the information they collected she wasn''t strong in either aspect. The man was hesitating, he knew it was over the moment Shinobu started killing his men. However he couldn''t retreat, Joker would kill him if he did! Shit! I don''t believe you can take all of us together! "Cover me!" The man broke out into a mad run towards Shinobu. He pulled out a dagger and coated it with busoshoku haki before jabbing it at Shinobu. "Such a cruel man." Shinobu lightly commented and smoothly avoided the dagger. At this moment a bullet was shot at her by one of the surrounding men. Ting! Something clashed against the bullet and broke it from it''s original path. The man gave no breather and attacked with abandon. It''s either he dies or she dies, there was no third option. "Well, I got a good feel to it, thanks for your help." Shinobu suddenly smiled very sweetly. Her smile was particularly bright, she was genuinely happy when she said those words. However the the leading man felt a chill down his spine when he saw her bright smile. Run! He didn''t hesitate and jumped into the dense collection of trees. Shinobu spread out her arms and tapped the air like she was playing a piano. The men surrounding her aimed their guns at her, however before they could pull the trigger their bodies lost control and limped on the ground like a dead fish. A second later their eyes lost colour forever. She shot a look at the woods and flicked her finger. A needle hummed and floated around her, it''s pristine body was coated in busoshoku haki as it shot forward at the dense collection of trees. A second later a faint thud was heard and the needle was pulled back to her side. A beautiful lady was standing gracefully among a hundred corpses. What kind of sight was that? Shinobu tapped her foot on the ground and went towards the marines who were holding off the pirate fleet. A few of them were dead and many of them were severely injured. Violet, Flare, Dali and the marines immediately retreated when she got close. They didn''t want to burden her by being in her light of sight. The pirates had also seen what happened to those hundred men. They subconsciously took a step back. Shinobu glanced at the dead bodies of her crew and raised her head towards the pirates. "Since you had the courage to attack... die." Her fingers danced across the air. Some of the pirates were brave enough to raise their swords and rush at her. However they fell down almost at the same time they took a step forward. Like a crumbling castle the pirates fell, their bodies lost it''s warmth and lay on the ground with shock and fear in their eyes. More than hundred men lay ice cold on the ground. Diamante felt as if he fell into an ice hole when he caught sight of her looking at him. Guhah! It was at this moment he heard Jack''s wretched scream. He turned around, only to see Issho sinking his sword into Jack''s heart. "You are one of Doflamingo''s crew, right?" A sweet but chilling sound reached Diamante''s ear. Chapter 205 - 205. Provoked Jack had a lot of wounds on his tough body. Even if he ate a rare zoan fruit, it still couldn''t nullify the brute strength contained within Issho''s sword. He had already lost an arm during their battle. Jack had a lot of stamina when it comes to battle but against an overwhelming opponent his stamina was as worthless as roadside trash. Issho''s cane sword sunk into his c.h.e.s.t. An overbearing power erupted from the sword and crushed his heart. Ugh! Jack spat out blood and fragments of his internal organs. How could this be... He never imagined a simple mission to be end of him. Why did so many monsters appear among such a small crew of marines? His mind was boggled by this thought as he breathed his last. Diamante''s heart almost leaped from his c.h.e.s.t when he saw Jack die. "You are one of Doflamingo''s crew, right?" A sweet but chilly voice broke him out of his trance. His body turned stiff, he turned around with much difficulty and saw Shinobu standing just several steps away from him. Behind her laid a long path made of ice cold bodies. Though Diamante was a cruel man and had taken many lives, it was his first time seeing such a harrowing sight. "My husband didn''t come out to kill your captain because he isn''t worth that much trouble. It seems he really wants to die." Even someone like Diamante who had tremendous battle experience felt a tremor in his heart when he heard her. Shinobu raised a finger and slightly curled it. Diamante''s iron shirt and his busoshoku haki was broken as a needle lodged itself into his heart. His body suddenly felt limp. He lost the strength to stand up and fell face first into the ground. As the last of his life left him he finally regretted. If they had just stayed put and forgotten everything then he wouldn''t have had to die here, nor would Doffy bring trouble to himself. Shinobu glanced at the battlefield and at their ship, "Gather our fallen, and check the cargo." She instructed Mace and went to check on the seriously injured soldiers. After a while Mace returned, he had an angry face as he reported, "Six men died and a part of the samples were destroyed." Shinobu didn''t pause and continued to treat the injured. "Issho-san, if we make a detour how long would it take to get back?" Issho replied, "A day more." Wiping her hands Shinobu said, "Alright. Let''s go to the next island." Issho, Mace and the others complied and got the crew ready. They preserved their comrades body and reported what happened to the headquarters. When Akainu received the report he banged on his table and almost broke the entire floor. "Damn that pirate!" Aokiji also heard the news. His killing intent shot through the roof. "So pirates now got the courage to attack marines?" Sengoku was retired and no longer bothered with matters concerning pirates. However, even he was angry when he heard about what happened. "That guy is a former celestial dragon, his courage comes from that. The things he know can be used as leverage. But this time he messed up." He was concerned that Leo would do something stupid. So he send someone to personally give an account on what happened. It was Aokiji who went to Leo to give him a formal report. He was also there to make sure Leo didn''t rush to cut off Doflamingo''s head. However when Leo got the report he actually laughed out loud. "That guy, he really is stupid." Aokiji was really surprised when he saw Leo so laid back about the matter. "I thought you would be fuming." Leo curled his lips, "Oh, please. My wife isn''t so weak for me to worry about her. If someone wants to kill her they have to atleast be at the level of a Yonko." Aokiji raised an eyebrow. Leo smiled, "Don''t think I am overpraising her. Her combat ability isn''t that great, but when it comes to poison she is absolutely the best out there. I dare say that even Megallan would be poisoned by her." Aokiji suddenly smiled, "She is great doctor." Leo shrugged, "Both profession require deep knowledge about the human body as well as how every drugs work, so being good at one would naturally imply being good at the other." Aokiji sipped on his tea and said, "What do you think she would do after such an attack?" Leo thought for a moment and said, "She hadn''t said anything to me, but, the report says six men died. Now, Shinobu is someone who is extremely protective of her friends and family." "After all this time she already considers the crew as her friends. What would you do if someone harmed your friends, not to mention Shinobu." Aokiji placed the tea cup down and said, "So... he is dead?" Leo nodded, "Absolutely. He provoked somebody he really shouldn''t have." Hearing his words Aokiji smiled. He leaned back on the couch. The couch was a bit small for his tall body. "I didn''t like that guy from the beginning. Anyway, it''s about time the Shichibukai saw a change in it''s members." Leo laughed at his words. Aokiji also smiled. "Doffy... the fleet was destroyed. Jack and Diamante were killed." When trebol reported to Doffy he was trembling. Doflamingo heard everything very calmly. However a bead of sweat trickled down his side burns. He rubbed his forehead and said, "We need to prepare. A storm maybe on our way." ... A warship was docked on a unknown island. Marines were busy loading the ship with large craters full of samples. Shinobu watched everything from the ship. After a while Mace walked to her and reported, "Ma''am, everything has been loaded." Shinobu lightly hummed. Looking out to the vast sea she said, "Let''s go to Dressrosa." Chapter 206 - 206. Dressrosa A warship docked at the port of Dressrosa. The crowd was curious as to why the marines suddenly appeared. However they soon lost interest and continued on with their business. Shinobu walked through the crowd with Mace and the rest walking beside her. She saw happy smiles and content people everywhere. For a country governed by someone as insidious as Doflamingo, it was surprising. What was even more surprising was the fact that she saw actual toys walking around laughing with people. There were all kinds of toys, soldiers, clowns, dogs... Shinobu narrowed her eyes when she saw these toys. Her spirit wasn''t as strong as Leo''s and she didn''t have spiritual sense as well but her spirit was still stronger than most people in this world. She could feel immense sorrow and despair from these toys. "Issho-san, these toys... Issho''s amiable smile had disappeared from his face a long time ago, "Yes, ma''am. They are definitely living." "Devil fruit." They all came to the same conclusion. Only something like that could make something so ridiculous happen. Shinobu said plainly, "Issho-san, find the one responsible and, kill." "Mace, you can act alone. If you come across any of Donquiote cadres, kill." "Violet, find a sniping point and, kill." "Dali and Flare, you work together. Any cadres you come across, kill." "Yes, ma''am!" Five of them split off and disappeared. Shinobu nonchalantly strolled around the bazaar. Her kenbunshoku haki was active as it captured every creature focusing on her. One, two... eight. It looked like she was walking around aimlessly but every turn she made took her closer to one of the person watching her. As she moved around the bazaar these people fell one by one. At King''s Plateau. Doflamingo was watching a projection and listening to live information from his subordinates. However soon the reports started to die down one by one. Soon everyone keeping an eye on Shinobu went silent. "She is very dangerous, Doffy." Trebol said from his side with an unusual seriousness in his voice. A small figure was also standing beside him eating gr.a.p.es. "What''s so dangerous about her? I can turn her into a toy and be done with it." Doflamingo stared at Shinobu who was strolling through the bazaar and said, "Trebol, take Sugar and retreat underground. Even with the preparations we made, I don''t think it might work." Trebol didn''t argue and left with the little girl named Sugar. Doflamingo got up and walked to an open window, "I never expected you to force me to this extent." His voice didn''t contain any of his usual playfulness. It was unusually serious and slightly tense. Shinobu was still strolling leisurely through the bazaar when she was stopped by two people wearing white suit and masks at a desolate corner. "Vice admiral Shinobu, you are to return to your island immediately." Shinobu slightly raised her head and said, "Move aside." The other man started to speak, "If you don''t comply we will have to use force." Shinobu ignored them and walked ahead. Both men immediately took action without another word. However they suddenly felt the world turn, their heads were ringing and their vision was blurry. "I won''t kill you, however stay paralysed for two days as a small punishment." One of the men found some strength to speak, "You are you against the orders from World Government." Shinobu slightly paused, "Six men from my crew died, those responsible for their death must be buried with them." She said no more and continued on her way. As she continued to walk many pairs of eyes were keeping check on her. However they all fell one by one and drew their last breath. She left a trail of corpse as she inched closer to the King''s Plateau. By now Doflamingo was slightly frowning, "She is vicious." He stepped out of his castle through an open window and flew towards her. Shinobu was getting close to the castle when she sensed something. She looked up and saw Doflamingo standing high up in the air. "I never expected a marine to be so cruel and merciless." "They chose to serve you, since they made their choice then they should have expected an early departure." Shinobu lightly commented. Doflamingo started to laugh, "Fufufufu, you are not your husband. Your poisoning ability maybe strong but it''s useless against me." Shinobu stared and him and suddenly smiled, "We''ll see." Hm? Doflamingo had a vague premonition when he heard her words. Suddenly a heavy pressure fell on him. He lost his footing and fell down like a canon ball. Issho walked out of the shadows and stood beside Shinobu. "Get the civilians out." Issho nodded and stabbed his sword into the ground. Rumble... A ripple spread out from Issho''s sword and disappeared into the distance. Soon after the ground trembled. "What''s happening?!" "An earthquake?!" The entirety of Dressrosa was rumbling! Soon every living creature in Dressrosa started to float up. "Wait!" "I am flying?!" Issho pushed his devil fruit ability to it''s utmost. Beads of sweat started to form on his forehead. Slowly the residents of Dressrosa were moved to one side of the country. "Fufufufu, do you think it will be that easy?!" Doflamingo rose from the ground and smiled. A hint of viciousness flashed in his eyes. The ground where Issho stood started to rise up. As he was focused on moving everyone Issho was powerless to do anything else. Shinobu gazed at the rising ground and placed her hand on it. "Do you really think stacks of soil can protect you from my poison?" A faint mist escaped from her palm and submerged into the ballooning earth. The earth''s movement stopped. Somewhere far beneath the ground, a large figure watched in horror as his arms turn purple. How can she poison me through soil?! Pika had no time to think, he immediately drew out his sword and cut off his right arm. Blood spewed out like a spring. Losing so much blood Pika felt slightly dizzy. He rose from the ground and regrouped with Trebol. Watching a wounded Pika Trebol was shocked. "Oi oi, this is getting out of hand. Can Doffy handle it?" Chapter 207 - 207. Crushing Donquiote Trebol had a bad feeling when he saw the injured Pika. They underestimated their enemy, not just by a small margin. She was even able to poison Pika through such dense layer of soil. On the surface the battle was just starting. Doflamingo was stunned when he saw the deforming earth crumble under a simple palm. Shinobu turned her head and said, "Any more surprises?" Doflamingo didn''t reply and went silent. He was completely suppressed by this seemingly feeble woman. "I have one more trick up my sleeve." As he said so someone walked out from the shadows and stood beside him. "It''s a p.l.e.a.s.u.r.e to meet you, vice admiral Shinobu. I am No.18, an executioner from CP0. I hope you can withdraw and return." Shinobu glanced at him and said, "Sure. Just step aside, after a kill him and every one from his crew I will retreat." No.18 stared at her through his mask and asked, "Are you really disobeying orders from the World Government?" "I am a marine, I received no such order from Navy HQ." They stared at each other for several seconds before No.18 said, "It seems we can only use force." Swish! His figure flashed as he shot towards Issho. Shinobu raised her hand and flicked her finger. No.18 stopped dead in his tracks and retreated. He kicked the air and jumped up. He kicked out with incredible speed. Two arcs of compressed air slashed towards Shinobu. However before it could get close a figure flashed infront of Shinobu and slashed with a sword. Boom! The attack was forcefully dispersed. Mace stood infront of Shinobu and narrowed his eyes. "Captain Mace, your combat ability is different from the records." Mace snorted. He stepped forward and swung down his large sword at No.18. Against Mace''s attack No.18 clad his arms with busoshoku haki and punched out. Their attacks met in mid air and caused a shockwave to spread. "Since the nuisance is gone, shall we?" Shinobu asked Doflamingo. A vein popped on Doflamingo''s forehead. He has never been pushed so far before, even the chief of staff at that time, Tsuru, couldn''t, but right now infront of this woman he was falling short. Both of them stood still for a moment before Doflamingo shot to the sky. He raised his arms and swung it down. Strings cut through the air and slashed at Shinobu. Like a graceful butterfly she dodged the attacks. Geppo. By kicking the air she shot to the sky as well. "You are leaving his back wide open." Doflamingo grinned. This was an executive, Gladius. As he got close to Issho his right arm started to bloat. Shinobu merely glanced down and curled her lips, "Idiot." As soon as her words died down Doflamingo''s face changed. He immediately rushed down. The wind whistled as something pierced through the air with incredible momentum. Puff! A cloud of blood sprayed through the air as Gladius fell down. His head was completely shattered. Doflamingo stopped in his tracks. He clenched his fist so hard that his nails dug into his flesh. He looked far into the distance and saw a woman laying on the ground with a large black weapon aimed in their direction. "You are not the only one with capable people by your side." Shinobu''s voice reached his ears. His kenbunshoku warned him of danger and he jumped back. A needle almost invisible to the eye whistled past him. He raised his head and saw Shinobu looking down at him. Her beautiful face was filled with ice cold murderous intent. Anger clouded his face. "Overheat!!" A large number of strings twisted into one and shot out from his palm. Geppo! Shinobu was already talented when it came to nimble movements before she came to this world. Geppo and Soru further increased her proficiency in her movement techniques and added a touch of unpredictability to it. Doflamingo missed her by a wide margin. Suddenly the number of needles increased exponentially. Busoshoku haki climbed onto their pristine body and accurately struck the strings, creating a path for her to retreat. This woman... Doflamingo thought she only knew poison techniques, however he was wrong. Her close combat ability wasn''t strong enough for her to go head to head against him, but, it was enough to create opportunities for her to poison him. I better finish this fast. The longer this goes on the more disadvantaged I will become. White Out! Suddenly he placed his palms on the ground. The earth started to turn white. It surged like a wave. Doflamingo raised his hand. He wasn''t pointing at Shinobu but at Issho. However before he could make a move his kenbunshoku haki was triggered. He immediately retreated. A bullet pierced through the air and blasted the ground where he stood before into pieces. That damn sniper! He looked between Issho and Shinobu for a moment before rushing at Shinobu again. She was the bigger threat, he could always take care of the rest as long as she was out of the game. Many strands of needles floated around Shinobu and deflected the threads sneaking upon her. Seconds stepped into minutes. Doflamingo had veins bulging on his temples. After all this time he couldn''t make a single scratch on her. Shinobu on the other hand was able to create multiple openings to get near him or shoot her needles at him. If not for his mastery in kenbunshoku and busoshoku haki he would have died several times. As he was about to make another attack someone flew past him and crashed into several buildings before stopping. Doflamingo''s face changed. It was No.18! He had several large wounds on his body. His white suit and mask were in tatters. He looked very miserable. Mace wasn''t all that better either. His shoulder was bleeding and his breath was slightly forced. Damn! Doflamingo cursed and swiped his fingers down at Mace. Strings cut through everything in it''s path as it shot at Mace with terrifying force. "Ma''am, you have to testify for me, I had no other choice." Mace yelled at Shinobu. Having a sweet smile on her face Shinobu said, "Alright." Chapter 208 - 208. Death Mace grinned as he heard Shinobu. His body started to change. Black markings appeared over his skin, his hair turned red and started to grow. It only stopped when it was at waist length. Ashura! Doflamingo was slightly taken back. Mace curled his lips and brought down his sword. It slashed through the air and struck at the incoming attack. Boom! Their collision caused a shockwave. Doflamingo was pushed back. Just at that moment Doflamingo felt an intense feeling of danger assaulted his mind. His quickly wrapped his body with threads. Bang! Bang! Two shots rang. Doflamingo was bound inside a ball of thread. He looked down at his shoulder and his right arm which were shot. He was bleeding. Damn that sniper! Rage spilled out of him. He slammed his palm onto the ground. The ground and the buildings around him turned into threads. His eyes narrowed as he locked onto Violet who was laying on top of a building in the distance. Thread Bullet! The strings condensed and turned into bullets. He was about to shoot it when Shinobu silently appeared behind him. "Focus." Needles as thin as hairs floated around her. If not for his kenbunshoku haki Doflamingo wouldn''t even have noticed. The ground turned into strings and rose up. It formed a wall behind him and blocked her needles. Before he could act again Mace appeared and swung his sword. He was still in his Ashura form. His sword cleaved through the wall of strings and reached Doflamingo. Spider Net! Doflamingo raised his arm. Strings stretched out and formed a net. It stopped Mace''s attack, however the strength behind the strike stretched the net very far. Bang! At this moment another shot rang out. Dammit! White Out! He roared inside his mind. Everything around him turned into strings and flooded in every direction. Mace and Shinobu backed out. His shoulder and his right arm was bleeding. And he was out numbered. He raised his head and looked at Shinobu. There was no running away from her. Then go to hell! Madness filled his eyes, a creepy laughter escaped his mouth. "Ufufufu... Bird Cage!" He raised his left arm and pointed it to the sky. A thick line of strings shot into the sky. When it reached a certain height it exploded and spread out in every direction. The strings took an arched path and fell on the ground. It dug deep into the earth, from outside it looked exactly like a bird cage. Shinobu''s kenbunshoku haki picked up the strings slowly inching towards the center, leaving deep scars on the ground. Under these circ.u.mstances this must be his final resort. She thought to herself. Doflamingo had an evil grin on his face, he stared at Shinobu and said, "What will you do know, vice admiral Shinobu? The bird cage will close in, it will slice apart everything in it''s path, including people you want to protect. Now, what will you do?" At this moment Issho rose from the ground. He sheathed his sword and reported, "This Issho didn''t fail, ma''am." What? A bad feeling rose in Doflamingo''s heart. He spread out his kenbunshoku haki and didn''t find a single soul aside from his enemies and his remaining cadres inside the bird cage. That blind man really got them all out?! A vein popped on his temple. He clenched his fist so hard that his nails dug into his flesh. Shinobu suddenly let out a mesmerising smile, "Do you know why I tied you down all this time? With your ability and speed you can dodge my poison, and if you really bet your life you can escape from here." "That is unless I use something you can''t dodge. Now, with the civilians out of the way let''s get the party started." Swish! Issho, Mace and the rest flashed and disappeared far into the distance. What is she doing? Though Doflamingo had no idea what she was doing he knew for sure that the red mist was poisonous. He used the strings and pulled himself far. When he looked back his pupils shrunk, a cold sweat dripped down his cheeks. Red mist flooded the entire bird cage. Like a tidal wave it crashed towards him, he wanted to move faster. But the red mist was spreading fast. Dammit! Doflamingo cursed. He clenched his fist and crossed them over his c.h.e.s.t. Strings poured out from the ground and started to wound around him. In a second he was enclosed by a dense collection of strings in the form of a ball, it had closed him off from the outside world. The red mist soon swallowed the ball of strings. Shinobu stood high up in the sky. When the red mist filled the entire bird cage and swallowed Doflamingo she raised her right arm. Like a vacc.u.m the red mist started to receed. Soon it disappeared, along with the bird cage. Mace slashed the ball of strings. It was split in half and Doflamingo rolled out. His skin had turned red like blood, and he was bleeding from all his orifices. Shinobu shot a needle through his head, just to be thorough. Mace reported, "Only Pika and Trebol slipped out." Shinobu asked, "And the toys?" Mace shook his head, "Still toys." Issho spoke, "Which means the devil fruit user is still alive. The only place where they could hide from madam''s attack is here." He tapped his cane sword on the ground. Every agreed. They moved towards the King''s Plateau. When they got there Issho found path leading underground. They followed it and came across a large steel door. Issho taped his sword on the door, it crumpled like a piece of paper. "That''s Trebol and Pike. And the last one is... a little girl?" Pike and Trebol stared at the intruders. Their heart fell when they saw them enter. Doffy died? This sounded inconceivable but judging by the fact that all of them were here... "You bastards!" Pika roared angrily. With his remaining arm he punched the floor. The ground started rumble and swell up. "That''s enough out of you." Mace flashed before him and slashed his sword. Pika had lost an arm, even though he sliced it off very fast a portion of the poison still remained in his body. He couldn''t react fast enough. Mace sliced through his c.h.e.s.t, he sunk his sword into his c.h.e.s.t. "Bastards... Pika coughed out blood. His eyes lost focus and soon fell down in his own blood. Trebol reacted in time. He was about to run away with Sugar when Issho flashed before him. A heavy pressure fell on Trebol. His body felt as if it weighted a ton. He lost strength and was crushed on the floor. Issho sheathed his sword very slowly. The pressure increased exponentially. Trebol could hear his own bones being crushed into powder. He was being crushed into meat paste. Issho fully sheathed his sword. He walked away and stood with the rest. Sugar was trembling. Her face was pale and devoid of colour. Shinobu walked to her, he kneeled down and said with a smile on her face, "You devil fruit stunned your growth, so you are not a kid but an a.d.u.l.t woman." Sugar''s mouth opened wide. How did she know? How did she know?! Shinobu traced her finger across Sugar''s cheek, "I am excellent doctor." After saying that she stood up and walked away. As they walked out Mace asked, "Ma''am, since she ain''t a kid why not I... Shinobu asked back, "Who said I didn''t?" Huh? She spoke with a light smile on her face, "There are immediate reacting poisons as well as slow reacting ones." Ahahaha... Mace let out an awkward laugh and didn''t speak anymore. Back inside the room Sugar was on the floor. Her breathing slowly came to a halt. Chapter 209 - 209. Kaido!! Donquiote Doflamingo was killed. The leading presence in the weapons industry, Joker, was dead. This piece of news made the New World churn. Many intelligence agencies and underground organisations worked nonstop and dug out how and why such a prominent figure was killed. And the results shocked them. Doflamingo organised a fleet led by one of the disasters and his own top executive diamante to attack a vice admiral. Not only did they fail, Jack and Diamante, along with their entire fleet was destroyed! One of the disasters, Jack The Drought, died!! As it happened on a remote island this piece news was still only known by the marines. But which organisation can be said to free of spies? It didn''t take long before Jack''s death reached every corner of New World. Doflamingo dying is one thing, but Jack... his death would have serious consequences. He was Yonko Kaido''s subordinate! ... Somewhere in New World. "Kaido-sama... A man meekly called out. The one he was speaking to was Yonko, Kaido!! Kaido was a large man. He had tattoos on one of his shoulder and had a scar on his waist. Right now he was chugging on a bottle of sake. Several of his subordinates were standing nervously around him. "Jack''s dead. That useless fool Doflamingo is dead. My SMILES are also gone." Each word he spoke made his subordinates tremble. They knew Kaido was mad. Kaido suddenly stood up and punched out. His fist smashed into a pirate standing next to him. Guhah! The man crashed into the stone walls and spewed out blood. His body slid down to the floor and never got up again. "We are going to Dressrosa!! I want that snarky marine dead!" Just as the New World was getting rowdy from Jack''s death another piece of news hit them. A large fleet was moving towards Dressrosa. Kaido was on the move! Marineford. Akainu listened to the report and thought deeply. Suddenly the den-den mushi on his table rang. Kachak. "Fleet admiral Akainu, I am already on my way, so don''t send anyone else." Leo''s voice came from the other end. He said those few words and cut the call. Akainu had an angry expression on his face. That bastard is doing as he please again! However he couldn''t do anything to him. After a while he calmed down. ... Dressrosa. After the death of Donquiote executives the toys returned to their original human form. And shockingly they were actually residents of this very country. It took a while before the dark truth about this country surfaced. Doflamingo sabotaged the previous king of Dressrosa and took over the country. The leverage he had over the World Government and his identity as a Shichibukai covered any tracks he left behind. When Doflamingo fell the previous king Riku was found among a few colosseum warriors. Understanding the truth from the past as the residents of Dressrosa apologized and asked him to be king again. Listening to everything Shinobu felt surreal. The darkness of this world exceeded her imaginations. "Like he said, this world needs to change." She muttered to herself. "Ma''am, should we leave? Kaido is on his way." Mace hesitated for a moment and asked. Shinobu glanced at him and asked back, "And leave this country to face his wrath?" "I didn''t mean it like that!" Mace immediately tried to explain. Shinobu waved her hand, "It''s fine. He is on his way." ... A lot of eyes were on Dressrosa at this moment. Kaido was coming. Beast Pirate''s fleet was inching closer to Dressrosa. The marines were keeping an eye out for the appearance of Kaido. "H-He is here!" A marine was trembling as he looked through his binoculars. He was visibly trembling when he saw that large figure leading the fleet. Yonko, Kaido! Shinobu came out from her quarters. Her eyes focused on that vague shadow over the horizon. As time passed the shadow got clearer. Even without binoculars she was able to see far. As expected of a Yonko. She commented to herself. Her kenbunshoku picked a terrible presence from that man. When the fleet got close enough Kaido jumped from the ship. Boom! He crashed into the shores of Dressrosa. Where he landed the ground cracked and caved in, forming a pit. Kaido walked out leisurely. He glanced at the marines infront of him and slightly paused when he saw Issho. Oh? A light flickered in his eyes. Taking back his sight he focused on Shinobu. "Worororo, I only know one other woman who is as ferocious as you!" Shinobu curled her lips, "That''s because you are ignorant, idiot." Silence. A gust of wind blew by. The marines as well as those keeping an eye on Dressrosa almost had their hearts leap out from their c.h.e.s.t. Who would speak to a Yonko like that?! Kaido started laughing, "Worororo, you are interesting but you must still die!" A powerful momentum burst out of his body. The sky turned dark and lightning flashed. A huge fist clad in busoshoku haki was falling towards Shinobu with incredible speed and power. Shinobu wasn''t the least bit afraid of Kaido. On the contrary, she smiled. When she saw the huge fist inching towards her, there was even a hint of teasing in her smile. Suddenly another burst of powerful will rushed to the skies. It clashed with Kaido''s haoshoku and caused the sky and the sea to rumble. Slash!!! A fierce sword ray swept through the sea, cleaving it in half as it rushed in Kaido''s direction. Boom!! Kaido''s fist and the sword ray collided. The raging sea and the churning clouds paused for a moment before a shockwave spread out from their point of collision. Crack! The shores of Dressrosa was cracking and falling off to the sea. Kaido took back his fist and watched as a figure descended from the skies. "Why attack a feeble woman, I''ll be your opponent, Yonko Kaido!" Chapter 210 - 210. Leo Vs Kaido! Leo landed lightly beside Shinobu. A pair of piercing blue eyes focused on the menacing Yonko. Feeble woman? Feeble, my ass!! It was only now the others woke up from their shock. The first thing they thought wasn''t about his arrival but the words he said. Shinobu slaughtered an entire fleet that attacked her. She went to the mastermind''s lair and killed every one of his subordinates and poisoned the mastermind to death. Such a woman was feeble? Everyone wanted to cuss. Kaido stared at Leo and grinned, "You are that marine who killed one of my subordinates a while ago. Good, now I don''t have to search for you." Leo curled his lips, "Hundred beast, Kaido. They say you are the strongest creature in the world. How about we take this somewhere more private." "Worororo, fine." Issho took a step forward and slashed his wooden cane. The ground beneath Leo and Kaido cracked and started to float. "Quick! Follow them!" "Why are you imbelices standing around?! Move!" The forces keeping an eye on Dressrosa moved towards the vicinity of their battlefield. When they reached the island they saw Kaido rushing towards Leo. He grabbed the bagua hanging on his waist and swung it. The air produced sonic booms as the bagua slammed at Leo. Leo raised his sword and slashed. His domain was fully released and sword rays flew everywhere enhancing his every move. When their weapons met the air cracked and the sky turned dark. What incredible power!! A massive amount of raw strength was transmitted to Leo when their weapons collided. Leo slightly loosened the strength on his sword and used the force from the bagua to twist in air. He went past the bagua and slammed his foot down. His feet was clad in busoshoku as he struck down. Kaido just raised his head when a foot landed on his face. Bang!! Though Leo seemed tiny when compared to Kaido his kick was anything but weak. Kaido flew through the air and crashed into a small mountain. Rumble. Leo landed on the ground and stared at the mountain. Kaido pushed shrugged off the rocks that fell on him and walked out without a single scratch on his body. "You need to put more strength into your attacks. It barely Itched." He said with a grin. When he first came to this world. He was at best the level of a captain. However after months of training his strength increased exponentially. Dragon-Tiger breathing constantly circulated ''Breath'' within his body, invigorating his cells and strengthening his body. When he fought against Big Mom his physique, haki and sword mastery was inadequate, he couldn''t match her. But now, now it was different. His physique, haki and the way of the sword was far stronger than before. All of them had reached a certain peak. Before he wasn''t qualified, he didn''t have the strength to stand up to a Yonko. But now he was! He was now qualified to battle a Yonko! A flame burned in his eyes as he watched Kaido. Vrooom!! Soru! He flashed infront of Kaido and slashed. Kaido grinned and raised the bagua. Their weapons collided. Haoshoku haki exploded from their bodies. The sky turned dark as clouds churned above. Winds raged and Lightning flashed as they collided. The ones watching from the distance were shocked. Haoshoku haki! Haki of the king''s! Who is this marine?! However he had perfect control over his body. Whenever he was overpowered Leo would disperse the force and use it to get past Kaido''s weapon. Before their battle started the island was full of large and small trees and vegetation. But now the ground was razed and overturned. A couple of small mountains had holes in them, it looked like they could crumble at any moment. Sword rays filled the sky as Leo rushed at Kaido. Merciful Rain! Like a heavy downpour countless sword rays fell down on Kaido. Armed! Busoshoku haki climbed onto Kaido''s body and his weapon. Thunder Bagua! The air shook and created bursts of popping sounds as the bagua moved through the air. The countless sword rays paused for a moment before bursting. However several of them shot past the bagua and crashed into Kaido''s body. Apart from the sound of metals colliding nothing else happened. He deserves the name of the strongest creature in the world. Leo thought to himself. Leo''s sword intent was extremely refined, and he had compressed the air to it''s limits when he used those sword rays. Any other person would have been seriously wounded if they took that attack directly, however Kaido was fine even after taking several of them head on. Boom! Kaido slammed the bagua on the ground. The ground trembled for a moment before it was overturned. He grabbed a large piece and threw it at Leo. Slash! Leo slashed through the large rock. Just right behind it was Kaido with his bagua poised for an attack. Boom!! The ground caved in when their weapons met again. Leo slid his sword through the bagua''s body and slashed at Kaido''s arm. However it only left a white mark. Kaido changed the direction of the bagua. Leo took a step forward and went past Kaido''s arms. He was now several inches away from his c.h.e.s.t. Merciful Rain, Revised!! The sword rays hanging over the sky merged with Leo''s sword. A beautiful blue sword ray condensed on the edge of his sword as he swung down. Kaido''s c.h.e.s.t was clad in haki when his sword fell. Sparks flared as his sword struck Kaido''s c.h.e.s.t. Leo stomped on the the air and exerted more strength on his sword. The pressure beneath his feet caused the air and the ground to crack, it spread out like a spider web. Spurt! A long gash appeared on Kaido''s body as he staggered back. Blood seeped out. Three hours into battle, Kaido was injured. Chapter 211 - 211. Silent Wind. Kaido was injured. Leo held his sword in a relaxed position, however his mind and sword will was extremely focused. Kaido rubbed the wound on his c.h.e.s.t. The blood on his fingers made him smile. It looked a bit deranged. "Ah, you are finally getting into it. Let''s battle!" Kaido raised his bagua and slammed it down. Taking a step back Leo planted his foot firmly on the ground. He grabbed the sword with both hands and slashed out. Their weapons caused the air to shake and the ground to tremble. Sparks flew as their attacks met. Leo was slightly pushed back, however he used the rebounding force to disperse the remaining strength and countered. By now the wound on Kaido''s c.h.e.s.t was completely healed. Leo was astonished. Though it wasn''t a serious wound, it still cut through Kaido''s body. For his body to repair such a wound so fast means that his cells were incredibly active and full of vitality. He thought to himself as he met Kaido''s attack with one of his own. Their battle raged on. The island was now in shambles. The forest was replaced with broken trees and crumbling earth. Several small mountains were levelled, even the bigger ones had considerable damage and on the verge of collapsing. Leo raised his sword and pointed it to the sky. Terrifying amount of power erupted from his sword. ''Breath'' rumbled through his body causing his muscles to pulse with power. His haki erupted as it strengthened his sword will. Sword rays flashed and covered the sky. The dense collection of sharp sword rays made the onlookers take a step back in fear. Merciful Rain!! Like a downpour the sword rays fell on Kaido! Rooar!! Kaido loosened his grip on the bagua and roared to the sky. His body started to swell up and stretch. His skin turned blue as shimmering scales covered his body. In a second his body turned into a long serpentine creature with flames burning on it''s limbs. There was a cross shaped scar on it''s fore limbs. A dragon?! Leo was shocked when he witnessed this transformation. Roar! The droconofied Kaido roared. He opened his mouth and spat out a blast of energy. It was scorching hot. The sword rays collided with the energy blast. Both attacks contended for supremecy for several seconds before destroyed each other. Kaido''s dragon form floated in the sky. It coiled like a great serpent. Leo''s battle intent tore through the skies as he focused on the great dragon in the sky. ''Breath'' started to revolve faster through his body, every inch of his body was starting to pulse. Veins sticked out of his muscles as power filled them. Geppo! His legs dug deep into the ground. The ground cracked and spread out like a spider web as he disappeared. Armed! Kaido used busoshoku haki and defended. Leo flashed again before appearing on a different part of his body. He slashed out and disappeared again. The outsiders only saw burst of sword rays all around Kaido. "Such a large body is very disadvantaged against a grandmaster swordsman." Someone among the onlookers said. The others agreed. They were numb at this point. At first they were shocked to see a marine matching Kaido, then Kaido transformed into a dragon. Now dragon form Kaido was being attacked from every side. As expected, Kaido wasn''t a Yonko for no reason. He returned to his normal form and continued to battle with his bagua. A day passed. Two days passed. Kaido and Leo fought for two days and two nights. Both parties were waiting for a victor to emerge. On the island. Kaido and Leo were trading blows for blows. Leo shoulder was slightly bruised. He was out of breath and sweating, and there was a bit of blood on the corner of his lips. Kaido on the other hand didn''t have a single wound. But he was out of breath like Leo. Two days of continuous battle was draining on their stamina. Leo''s eyelids were drooping. He was very tired and his body was aching all over. His ''Breath'' was completely drained, even his spiritual energy was near at it''s end. He focused on Kaido and said, "You are a monster." Kaido raised his head to the sky and laughed, "Worororo, we are both monsters!" He lifted the bagua and channeled the last bit of haki he could muster on it. The bagua turned a shade of black with hints of red on it''s body. Leo also focused. The remaining ''Breath'' inside him rotated with incredible speed. His spiritual energy gushed out like a broken damn and climbed on the blade of his sword. It''s not complete yet, but it should be enough to settle this. He thought to himself. His sword domain was stretched to it''s limits. Suddenly the wind around the island turned slow, sword rays moved around in a bizarre manner, it stirred the wind and settled on his sword. Then he did something that slightly surprised Kaido. He sheathed his sword. The remaining sword rays fell on the scabbard and sunk into it like a sponge absorbing water. His foot slid back as his body bend down. "Worororo, Die!" "Thunder Bagua!!" Kaido slammed down his bagua. The ground cracked and the air crumbled at it drew an arc towards Leo. Leo had his right hand on the sword''s hilt. As he watched the bagua get close his mind turned slow as a peculiar sensation took over. When it was an inch away from him, he moved. Swoosh! Leo disappeared. He completely vanished from Kaido''s sight. Even his kenbunshoku haki failed to capture him. Argh!!! The moment Leo disappeared a long, deep wound appeared on Kaido''s c.h.e.s.t. Blood spilled out like a fountain. One could even see the bones! Leo landed softly behind him and sheathed his sword. Silent Wind! This was a technique he recently developed. It wasn''t complete, but it''s attributes lie in it''s speed and unpredictability, completely different from ''Merciful Rain''. Leo kneeled down. He was spent. The last attack wiped out every ounce of strength he had left. His eyes were focused on Kaido. The latter was also spend, however Leo''s spiritual sense was able to see the horrible wound on his c.h.e.s.t wiggle. This monster can still heal! He narrowed his eyes. Luckily Kaido didn''t have any strength left, otherwise he would be in big trouble. "Kaido-sama!!" "Sir!!" Two groups of people rushed into the island. A lot of men dressed like a bunch of thugs rushed towards Kaido and formed a circle, they raised their weapons and aimed it at the other group. Two among them were especially noteworthy. The other two disasters, King And Queen. Issho, Mace, Shinobu and the rest stood before Leo. They were ready for another battle. "Let''s go." Leo said as he struggled to stand up. Shinobu helped him up and started to walk away with a lot of marines guarding them. Kaido had his eyes trained on Leo as the latter left. "Worororo, after all this time someone really came out who can hurt me!" He laughed loudly without a care. His muscles twitched when he laughed causing more blood to flow out. ... On the warship. Leo laid down and closed his eyes. In a matter of seconds he fell asleep. Flare asked with doubt, "Why didn''t vice admiral order us to attack. Kaido was spent, though we couldn''t do anything to him we could still destroy his fleet." Violet smacked his head and said while glaring at him, "You idiot, do you know how many forces are keeping a watch on this battle. The moment we start a battle, everything will be thrown to chaos. There is even a chance for another Yonko to appear!" Flare rubbed his head and laughed in embarrassment. Shinobu waved his hand, "Keep quiet, he is sleeping." Everyone immediately shut up. They left the cabin quietly. After going out Shinobu said to the crew, "Let''s head back." Chapter 212 - 212. A True Swordsman The battle between Leo and Kaido raised waves in the New World. A marine made a draw with one of the Yonko!! Who were Yonko? They were the top figures in the world. Each one ruled a part of the latter of half of Grandline. And now came a marine who could battle them? The Navy''s prestige shot through the roof after this battle. When Sengoku received the news he laughed out madly. He always worried for the navy''s future. No strong marines came out in these recent years, so Leo''s appearance was like a timely rain in a dry desert. While the world was rolling over from shock Leo had woken up after one whole day of sleeping. The first thing he did after waking up was to eat. He ate till he couldn''t move anymore. "You fought with a Yonko?" Zoro asked incredulously. After the battle at Sabaody Zoro learned how weak they were. To him admirals and Yonko represented the peak. And now, shockingly, his teacher was able to make a draw with one. Leo stretched lazily and found a comfortable position on the couch. When he heard Zoro an amused smile climbed on his face, "Did you think your teacher was weak?" Zoro shook his head, "I knew you weren''t weak, but... I didn''t know you were this strong." Leo chuckled and said, "I am not that strong, well, not yet." He raised his right hand index finger and drew it across the air. Swish! His sword was drawn out. It floated infront of him. "Kaido was strong. His physique was tyrannical and his busoshoku haki was overbearing, though his kenbunshoku was slightly on the weaker side he was still nevertheless the strongest opponent I have ever faced." Sliding his finger across the black blade Leo continued, "It''s not been long since I started training in haki. My mastery over it is excellent but it''s power is nowhere compared to Kaido. Then do you know why I was able to tie with him?" His words made Zoro think for a moment before his eyes fell on the sword. "Your swordsmanship?" Leo smiled, "Half right. With my sword will and haki, I was able to injure Kaido. However the crucial factor that allowed me to battle him was my ability to control my body flawlessly." Zoro didn''t interrupt and listened very attentively. "I''ll explain simply for a dumbass like you to understand. When you throw out a punch, you have to slightly twist your waist and plant your feet firmly to deliver maximum strength." "It''s the same principle. Each of my attacks are very focused, every muscle in my body works at the same time for the purpose of delivering my strongest strike." "Likewise, when I take a hit, I adjust my body to disperse the force coming at me. Every muscle fibre and every bone in my body absorbs the damage I take and disperse it, as a result reducing the overall damage I take. If an enemy can''t give out damage then he is no trouble at all." "Thus, with a weaker haki and a weaker physique, I was able to battle a peak existence thanks to my sword mastery and body control." Hearing his words Zoro sunk into a deep contemplation. Leo smiled when he saw this and put the sword back into it''s sheath. He then closed his eyes and slept. After a while Shinobu came back. She saw Zoro deep in thought and her husband sleeping like a log. She faintly smiled and went on with her work. ... Mariejois. Five men held a meeting within a spacious room. These five men held the highest authority in World Government. "It''s shocking that a marine fought Kaido to a draw." "Hm. Though what he did at the Paramount War is questionable, he has proven himself from this battle." "However, he is still a variable. He is like Garp and doesn''t follow the norm." All of them turned silent. After a while one old man with a sword said. "Anyway, he has done something noteworthy for the marines. It would be questionable if he is not rewarded." "He is suspended, indefinitely. He wasn''t ordered to go to Dressrosa." "What do you propose?" "Lift his indefinite suspension. That should mark out his punishment and reward." "I agree." "Seconded." "That woman, Shinobu... she is dangerous." One of them suddenly changed the topic and said solemnly. "Yes. Her danger level is far higher than her husband." "What should we do about her?" A silence fell over the room. "Hm. For now, nothing." "Yes. She hasn''t done anything all this time that we should take note of. She only made a move once, and that was when she was provoked." "Right. However, let''s keep an eye on their movements for now. What did the personnel from CP0 report?" "It''s useless. No CP personnel was able to step into the island. They were all poisoned. I presume only vice chiefs and above can traverse that island, though not for long." The island Leo and Shinobu lived was obviously under extreme protection. The entire island was covered by a air system that circulated a particular drug Shinobu developed. Without a counter drug no one can take a single step inside. "What did Sengoku say?" "He said everyone should have some privacy." "Hmph! He will of course favour a marine!" "Anyway, since he showed his stance, keeping an eye on the island will be enough." ... Several days later Leo got word from HQ, his suspension was lifted. Well, he didn''t care either way. Right now he was training Zoro on body control. "When you swing your sword, every muscle should coordinate with each other and deliver maximum strength." Zoro''s had many thin blue strings wrapped around various parts of his body. "Complete this set of movements without going to the red line. Each time you do... Leo held out a steel pole and swung it once. Zoro held onto his three swords and very slowly did the set of movements he was told to do. As he completed the first movement, one of the blue strings stretched and turned red. Thud! Before he could react and adjust his posture he felt a burning pain on his back. Zoro g.r.o.a.n.e.d, but he still stood ramrod straight and continued with the set of movements. When he was finished he had bruises all over his and he was on his knees. Leo smirked, "Not that easy, right? You have great strength, and your will is very tenacious. These are important qualities for a swordsman. However you have a lot to learn, swordsmanship isn''t just about swinging your sword, it''s a disciple." "I will dig out that potential sleeping within you. It will take time, but when I am done, you will have truly become a swordsman in every sense." Chapter 213 - 213. Two Years Sabaody Archipelago. Leo was chewing on a piece of skewered meat as he sized up the people around him. "Pirates still got the guts walk around Sabaody?" Mace who was walking beside him replied, "Ever since our headquarters was shifted to New World this place became a lot more lawless. Of course it''s not to the point where people are killed left and right." "Hm... Leo took a bite and slowly chewed as he walked without aim. "Sir, when we left him there was no one else there. Do you think he might have gotten bored and decided to take a stroll?" Mace asked. Leo paused his footsteps and thought for a moment, "It''s possible." Mace rubbed his forehead and said, "Should I search for him?" "Hm... no. Let''s see how everything goes, he is a lot stronger than he was before, he won''t get caught that easily." Mace nodded and followed Leo as he went from one stall to another. As he was smelling the fragrance from a roasted meat stall his expression paused. He turned to look in a particular direction. His blue eyes seems to have pierced through the grooves and locked onto to something. What the?! A wry smile came onto his face. Mace also seems to have sensed something, he looked in that direction and asked with doubt. "Sir, is that... Leo nodded. "Did they... Leo facepalmed and nodded again. Mace was dumbfounded and failed to find the right words to speak. After a moment he smiled wryly. "Their ability to get into trouble is really a talent." Leo shook his head and said, "Let it be. Let''s go see how the rest are doing, I am very interested in seeing how far they have grown." ... On the other side of Sabaody Archipelago. Luffy, Zoro and Sanji were running from a bunch of marines. "Mosshead, that''s the wrong way!" "I know!" Sanji and Zoro were growling at each other as they ran from the marines. Suddenly a bunch of overgrown insects rushed over and blocked the marines. Luffy and the rest were wondering what was happening when a giant bird dived down and landed infront of them. "Luffy!" A small figure jumped off from the bird''s back and hugged Luffy. "Chopper!!" Luffy smiler foolishly like a kid when he saw Chopper. "Hurry, get on. Everyone is waiting!" Luffy, Zoro and Sanji jumped onto the back of the bird and flew away. Soon they reached a secluded corner and saw Sunny. "Hey, he is here!" "Luffy!" Nami, Brooke, Robin, Franky and Usopp excitedly yelled as they landed. "Everyone!" Leo was watching this small crew from the distance. When he saw their smiles he also involuntary smiled. "They are an interesting bunch." He lightly said. Mace standing beside him nodded. "Do you want to go over and say goodbye?" Leo shook his head, "Nah. I would put down that cheerful mood they got there." He got one last look at them and left. Zoro who was laughing with his friends seems to have sensed something and looked in Leo''s direction. He caught a glimpse of his fading figure. Thank you for your guidance these two years, teacher! "Mosshead , what are you doing?" Zoro stood like that for a second and got up. He looked at Sanji and said, "Curly eyebrows." "You looking for a fight?!" "Tch." Zoro turned away and clicked his tongue. Sanji was about to flare up when a canon ball flew by their ship. "It''s the marines!" "Franky, get us out of here!" Leo was on his ship. His part as Zoro''s teacher was over. "Sir, Issho is already in position." Mace came upto him and reported. "Hm. Is HE in that fleet?" Leo asked. Mace shook his head and said, "Not confirmed. Issho only reported two division commanders." Leo was leaning on the rails. The wind swept past his face as he looked out into the sea. "Tell him to cooperate with Shinobu, I don''t want a single one of them to escape." A cold glow flashed in his eyes. Mace curled his lips and said, "After two years, we are finally making a splash." Leo laughed as he heard Mace. ... Somewhere in New World. A small ship was docked on an inconspicuous island. The forest was lush and many beasts roamed through it. At this moment Issho was having a bowl of plain noodles over a fire. "Captain, their fleet will leave at any moment. Should we attack?" Violet asked Issho. Sipping the soup and letting out a satisfied breath Issho said, "The right moment to attack is when we are ready. Ma''am is still on her way, so we can''t attack just yet. Sir''s order was complete annihilation." He spoke leisurely like what he said was some common topic. However the content was far from common. Violet nodded and ate her bowl of noodles. Pereperepere. Their den-den mushi rang. Issho picked it up. "Did you see him?" He asked. Flare''s voice came from the other side, "No. However it''s not two division commanders but four. It''s still doubtful if he is there, if he is... then it''s gonna be trouble even if ma''am joins us." Issho was calm as he listened, "Sir is done with his errand, he will be joining us soon." "Sir is coming?! Then this gonna be a easy. Haha, two years later we are finally gonna make a big rumble! Haha!" Flare laughed excitedly from the other side. Issho smiled. The glow from the fire added a peculiar air to him. ... On a different part of the island was a large fleet of twelve sh.i.p.s. All twelve sh.i.p.s were filled with pirates. Within one of the ship were five people. "Captain, I fell uneasy. It''s like there is a wild beast staring at us." "Yeah. We should get out of here soon. I get a bad feeling the longer we stay here." "So it''s not just me. All of you felt the same." "Yeah." Three men and a woman spoke to a large bellied man seated across them. The larged bellied man thought for a moment and said. "Let''s leave." Chapter 214 - 214. Blackbeard The Paramount War was his chance to make waves in the world. However Blackbeard fell short, a marine wrecked everything. Even after two years his forces weren''t comparable to Big Mom''s or Kaido''s. "Let''s head back to base." After hearing his commanders Blackbeard said decisively. He came with such a large fleet for a purpose. There is a ship travelling to Mariejois carrying tributes for celestial dragons. The cargo they were carrying was very valuable and could help him to further develop. He was reluctant to just leave like that but he was feeling restless for the past couple of days. Considering how his commanders felt the same way, it''s best to leave while they can. Their fleet got ready and was about to set sail. Suddenly the sea started to churn. Waves rose up and pushed their sh.i.p.s towards the island. "Damn!" Blackbeard cursed. The waves were pushing them against the rocky edge of the island. If they didn''t stop every ship would be sunk to the bottom of the sea. Waves of darkness spilled out of Blackbeard. It dived into the sea and rolled towards the island. Immediately whatever power was dragging them through the sea weakened. After several seconds the waves died down and the sea regained it''s calmness. Blackbeard and his commanders didn''t relax. Through their kenbunshoku haki they sensed several strong presence coming closer to the edge of the island. Soon three people walked out from the forest. A strained expression came over Blackbeard''s face, "Captain Issho, I never expected to see you here." Issho had an amiable smile as he said, "This Issho is just following orders, please don''t mind." Blackbeard squinted his eyes and asked, "And what are these orders?" Issho lightly laughed, "Haha, that is of course to kill you all." Blackbeard stared at Issho for a good while before bursting out into a laugh, "Zihaha, you seem very confident." Issho raised his sword to his c.h.e.s.t and said, "This Issho is but one man, I can''t possibly take on all of you at the same time." As soon as he finished his words Blackbeard''s face changed. He turned around and stared off into the distance. In the distance was the shadow of a ship. "You came prepared." Issho smiled, "That is a given. You are after all a rising Yonko, we have to be sincere if we want your head." Blackbeard Pirates commanders were slightly panicking. They didn''t know who was on that ship, if it was that guy then they were in trouble. They might very well all die here today. It didn''t take long for the ship to reach them. Shinobu was leisurely leaning on the rail, she smiled at Issho and the others before focusing on Blackbeard Pirates. Holy sh*t! It''s Poison Queen! The Blackbeard Pirates started to tremble, cold sweat dripped down their side burns. Shinobu jumped over the rail when they were close enough. She stepped through the air and blocked Blackbeard Pirates from the rear. "Looks like it''s gonna be a bloody battle, captain." Catarina spoke. There was slight panic in her voice. "Shall we, ma''am?" Issho raised his head and stared at Shinobu with his white eyes. "Go ahead." Shinobu gestured and gave them the go ahead signal. The moment they got her permission Violet retreated to the forest with a large box strung on her shoulder. Flare and Dali unsheathed their swords and locked onto two of the commanders, Avalo Pizarro and Jesus Burgess. The last commander Van Augur retreated to the back and raised his sniper rifle before aiming it at Shinobu. Just as he was about to pull the trigger a grave sense of danger assaulted his mind. He immediately withdrew his aim and rolled on the deck. Boom! A bullet shot past him and smashed into the ship. The deck was destroyed by the sheer power behind that shot. He raised his head and looked towards the island. As a sniper his kenbunshoku haki was very strong and covered a large area. He sensed a strong presence lock onto him from deep inside the forest. Damn! With a sniper keeping him in check he won''t be able to assist the others. Flare and Dali shot through the air towards the two commanders. Burgess and Avalo prepared themselves and welcomed their opponents. Like a meteor both of them crashed into the main ship and slashed their swords. Claangg! Burgess and Avalo coated their body in busoshoku haki and defended. If they fought out in the sea under the sight of that devil they would be in a severe disadvantage. Both of them brought their opponents and ran far from the fleet. "Looks like it''s out turn." Issho said and slowly drew out his sword. The ground beneath his feet started to crack. A small section of it broke and lifted him up. "Zihaha, this place is a bit small for us." A mass of darkness spilled out of Blackbeard and lifted him up. They had a tacit understanding and landed further inside the island. With most of the main battle strength gone only the fleet full of ordinary pirates and Shinobu remained. Shinobu had a sweet smile on her face all this time. However the pirates beneath her were all trembling. Augur was stiff, he tightened the grip on his sniper rifle. He couldn''t move, the moment he did that sniper would make her move. A faint purple mist started to spill out of her palm. It''s spread out and rolled over towards the pirate fleet. Shit! Augur was scared. He gritted his teeth and resolutely shifted his body before breaking out into a mad run. Bang! A shot whistled through the air. In a split second it was right infront of him. Augur roared inside and twisted his body. The bullet grazed his waist and continued to move forward. It smashed through a pirate''s body beside him and left a large hole on the ship. Augur felt a burning pain on his waist. He could feel his shirt get wet, he knew he was bleeding. However he didn''t care and rushed out towards the forest. He needed cover. Otherwise it was only a matter of time before he is killed. Shinobu slightly glanced in Augur''s direction before taking back her vision. Chapter 215 - 215. Issho Vs Blackbeard At the core of the island. Issho faced Blackbeard calmly. His cane sword was drawn out, a purple aura covered it''s blade. The air stirred around the purple aura. Blackbeard grinned, "Zihaha, your devil fruit powers are useless against my darkness." As he finished those words a dark tide swept out from him. It rolled over and surrounded Issho. The purple aura around Issho''s sword fluctuated the moment the dark tide got close. Issho slightly frowned and sliced his sword down. The ground trembled and cracked. Chunks of rocks floated up and shot at Blackbeard. Blackbeard raised his arm and made a grabbing motion. The dark tide surrounding them churned. It swallowed the rocks in an instant. Issho raised his sword. A faint ripple covered him as sword rays started to converge. Blackbeard frowned. He never expected Issho to be a grandmaster swordsman. His domain and sword rays surrounding him were incredibly powerful. When the sword rays converged around his blade Issho swung it down. A purple sword ray flashed. The ground and the air trembled as it shot towards Blackbeard. He combined his sword attack with his devil fruit ability! Blackbeard was shocked. It wasn''t easy to combine two completely different system of powers as one. His carefree attitude changed, he started to take this battle seriously. Darkness spilled out from him and started to rotate. It formed a vortex infront of him. Dark Hole! The sword ray fell inside the dark vortex and disappeared. The vortex trembled for a second and dispersed as well. "Zihaha, you truly are a monster." Blackbeard commented. His darkness fruit is able to nullify every devil fruit ability there is, however it''s not able to completely ignore other abilities, like sword attacks. This guy analysed his ability in an instant and attacked accordingly. How terrifying. Blackbeard raised his arms and made a grabbing gesture towards Issho. Darkness swelled up like a balloon. It blanketed the entire battlefield. Issho was like a small boat sailing against raging storms. Darkness rose up around him and fell down. He stomped his feet, sinking it deep into the ground before raising his sword and slashing it down. A shockwave spread out as his sword fell through the air. Sword rays flashed, carrying with it a hint of purple. The ground started to rumble. The dust and pebbles shook and started to rise from the ground. Gravity Dome! Sword rays moved around him with incredible speed, creating a dome with hints of purple fading in and out. The dark tide fell. A strange power nullified the gravity power fading in and out of the sword ray dome. Issho was fully submerged by the dark tide. That part of the battlefield seems to have fallen to darkness. Blackbeard clenched his fist and pulled. The dark tide moved and caved in. As the darkness rolled up and compressed itself the ground finally fell apart. With a loud crash an explosion took place. Darkness spilled out from the center of the explosion and spread everywhere. Standing amidst the dark tide Blackbeard squinted his eyes. When the dark tide completely receeded Issho''s figure could be seen. He looked no different from before, except for a tiny would on his arm. A solemn expression took over Blackbeard''s face. What is up with this guy? Are captains from headquarters nowadays so strong? As he was having random thoughts he saw Issho raising his sword and swinging it to the sky. The air rippled for a moment and disappeared. Blackbeard frowned and looked up. As he focused he saw a red spot quickly getting bigger in his sight. It took him a moment to understand what it was. A meteor?! "You are mad!" Blackbeard yelled and raised his arms. Darkness spilled out of him and spread out. It increased in size and quickly submerged the entire area in darkness. The moment he completed this course of action the meteor fell. Boom!! A burst of terrible heat expanded for several miles when the meteor fell on the island. The forest was set ablaze. The dark tide that protected Blackbeard rolled out and submerged the meteor in a split second. It took several seconds before the darkness was finally able to consume the meteor. When it was extinguished the dark tide receeded and revealed Blackbeard. The ground where he stood was destroyed and it turned black. Even with the power of darkness he wasn''t able to completely disperse the power from the meteor. Blackbeard looked ahead and saw Issho standing far from him. The ground around him was gone, only a small patch of earth around him remained. "You are very scary." Blackbeard said. Issho raised his sword in response. He was pointed it to the sky and was about to slash again. Suddenly Blackbeard let out a smile, "Zihaha, it''s about time to end this. I don''t want to drag this around, who knows when that terrible woman would appear." As soon as he finished those words three figures rushed out from the dark tide behind him and surrounded Issho. Issho faintly looked at the three newcomers. "Commander of the 2nd division, Shiryu." "Commander of the 3rd division, Lafitte." "Commander of the 6th division, Vaso Shot." The three remaining commanders have gathered and surrounded Issho. "Zihaha, goodbye, captain Issho." "Black Hole!" Blackbeard laughed and raised his right arm. Dark tides rumbled and formed a vortex. A terrifying force constricted Issho and pulled him towards Blackbeard. Issho narrowed his eyes. Sword rays flashed around him and formed a dome. "It''s no use." Shiryu rushed at him and slashed with his sword. Sword rays flashed and collided with the Issho''s sword ray dome. Issho and Shiryu were swordsmen and had similar understanding towards the ''way of the sword''. Issho''s sword ray dome was destroyed. Vasco Shot raised him gun which was coated with busoshoku haki and fired. Lafitte also fired using an exquisite gun. Shiryu continued to step forward and slashed. Suddenly Issho was attacked from all sides. However he didn''t panic, his face was calm and collected as he raised his sword. Purple aura climbed onto his sword along with busoshoku haki. A heavy pressure spread out from him, for a moment he was released from the force tying him down. Gravity Blade! He delivered a simple sword strike. The two shots fired at him were deflected and his sword fell on Shiryu. The moment their sword met Shiryu felt like a mountain was pressing down on him. He immediately retreated and got out of the blade''s attack range. Issho''s sword swept past the ground and made a large trench. It separated him and the Blackbeard Pirates. Chapter 216 - 216. Death Issho and the Blackbeard Pirates stared off for several seconds before Blackbeard spoke with a grin, "Since the players increased in numbers it''s won''t be fair to you, so let''s call it a day." As he spoke the dark tide surrounding them started to shrink into his body. Issho''s pupil less eyes stared at him for several seconds and said, "What makes you think only your side players increased?" The grin Blackbeard had on his face disappeared. He felt a bad premonition when he heard Issho. However his kenbunshoku haki wasn''t picking up anyone else so he doubted whether Issho was bluffing or not. "You should look up." Issho pointed to sky and said. Blackbeard and his crew raised their heads and looked up at the sky. Their pupils shrunk the moment they did so. Wearing his white cloak of justice Leo stood high up in the sky, his pair of blue eyes were focused on them. Mace was standing next to Leo with his large heavy sword resting on his shoulder. Dammit! Blackbeard cursed. He was very unwilling to meet this monster here. "Your motley crew is as unimpressive as ever, Marshall.D.Teach." Leo spoke slowly. Blackbeard forced himself to calm down and let out a small laugh, "Zihaha, two years can change a lot of things, vice admiral Leo." Leo nodded, "True." "Two years is enough for a lot of change, but trash will always be trash." How did he?! Blackbeard stiffly turned his head and saw Leo standing right next to him. He was just inches away from him! Dark Tide! Without a moment of hesitation he attacked. He knew this man''s appearance here meant that he was here to kill them. There is no way out of this, either he dies or they die. Shiliew, Laffite and the rest joined the attack. They just started their journey, New World awaited for them to conquer. Having tasted the sweet taste of power and authority, they were unwilling to give up everything. Leo had an impassive look on his face as they plunged towards him. His right hand was resting on his sword''s hilt. "Merciful Rain." As his voice died down the air changed. A heavy pressure fell over his Blackbeard and his crew. Sword rays started to swirl and condensed above them. One, two, three... ten... hundred... The numbers kept increasing. In a split second the sky above the island was covered with sword rays, the sun''s rays were blocked out as cold sharp intent fell over everyone down below. "You should have ran the moment you saw me. Atleast that way you could have made it to the edge of the island." Leo said calmly and knocked his thumb on the sword''s hilt. Time seems to come to stand still as he spoke. Shiliew, Laffite and the rest attacking him froze in mid air. Their bodies were impaled with several sword rays and nailed to the ground. Blood spilled out from their wounds as their body lost it''s warmth. Blackbeard was slightly better. He sensed danger and covered his entire body with darkness. However there was only so much he could block. He was still struck by several sword rays and bleeding profusely. And due to the special nature of his devil fruit the pain he was experiencing was beyond words. "That day, you wanted to desecrate his corpse." He put some strength into his feet. Blackbeard''s skull fractured and some of his teeth fell out. "Don''t... kill... Before he could finish those words the sword rays fell from the sky. Blackbeard was assaulted by innumerable amount of sword rays and torn to pieces. Leo turned around and faced the rest of the Blackbeard Pirates. His eyes instantly focused on Laffite. He pulled him up from the ground. Unlike the others Laffite''s wounds were less severe. He said to Issho, "Pirates subordinated to Blackbeard should be around these waters, take care of them." Issho asked, "Dali and Flare are already on it?" Leo nodded, "We found some on our way. I left them to take care of it. Take Mace and go. We will set off once you return." Issho nodded and left with Mace. Leo dragged Lafitte with him to their ship which had just arrived and threw him on the deck. Dali and Flare looked curiously at Lafitte, they didn''t know why the vice admiral was so keen on capturing just this one guy. As they were wondering the reason Violet came back with a large box slung over her shoulder. "Sir, what do we do want with this guy?" In a way Leo was her teacher so she wasn''t that restrained around him like Dali and Flare and directly asked. Leo smiled mysteriously and said, "Guess." He waited for Shinobu to get back. After a while she got back and saw Laffite bleeding on the deck. Her lips curled into a smile and said, "Finally got him." She bent down and helped him with his injuries and made sure he wouldn''t die immediately. After that she gave a pat on his c.h.e.s.t. Laffite who was unconscious coughed out blood and woke up. When his eyes focused he saw Leo and Shinobu staring at him with a smile. His body trembled and cold sweat started to drip down his sideburns. "Demon Sheriff Lafitte, I will get straight to the point, two years ago you used a space ability to move your crew from Impel Down and tried to throw me off somewhere in the Paramount War." At this point he took out the medallion and said, "I want you to use that same ability on this medallion." Lafitte didn''t immediately reply. His mind was churning fast. After a couple of seconds he asked, "I can do it, but what about after?" Leo squatted down and patted his face, Lafitte didn''t dare to move. "Understand your current position. We aren''t asking, we are telling you to do it. But don''t worry, since you are helping us tremendously I or my crew won''t kill you." Chapter 217 - 217. Space Map Lafitte had no choice. It''s either death or imprisonment, and he chose the latter. Coming to an agreement Shinobu patched him up, just enough for him to use his powers. Leo held out the medallion. Lafitte pointed his right arm index finger at it. The air rippled as a strange power enveloped the medallion. As soon as this power touched the medallion, it absorbed it greedily. Lafitte was taken back, the amount of power he exerted just now was enough to throw an a.d.u.l.t human being tens of miles away, however it was cleanly devoured by this small medallion. He used his powers again and this time he kept it running. The medallion was like a black hole as it absorbed his power. The rate of absorption was terrifying, in less than a minute Lafitte was drained of his strength. Seeing as how Lafitte was running dry Leo took back the medallion and checked it with his spiritual sense. He could feel the medallion was more active than before. If we consider the medallion as the lock and Lafitte''s ability as the key, then the key was at most turned 3 percent inside the keyhole. "Rest. We will continue after you recover." Leo said and walked away. Flare cuffed Lafitte and threw him inside a cell. He was given food and medicine to recover as quickly as possible. Leo fiddled with the medallion and was lost in thought. Shinobu walked beside him and asked, "This will take atleast a week." Leo nodded, "No other way around it. The medallion''s appetite is far bigger than I thought." "So what now?" Leo shrugged, "What else? We wait. Anyway, Issho and the rest are on clean up duty, it will take a while before they join us. We can take it easy and wait for them while filling the medallion." A whole week passed by. Lafitte was feeding the medallion as usual. Leo expectantly looked at the medallion. Just when Lafitte was going to be s.u.c.k.e.d dry the medallion hummed. Leo gestured at Lafitte to stop. He then pushed his spiritual sense inside the medallion. This time his spiritual sense found no obstructions and easily entered the medallion. A rush of information spilled into Leo''s mind. A map? Within Leo''s mind was a map. Well, it was farfetched to call it a map. It was a blank space with five dots of light. And one of them was shining brightly than the other. Several seconds later he understood what the map was. "How was it?" Shinobu asked with expectation. Leo frowned slightly, "It''s worse than we thought." He didn''t elaborate. Mace who was with them understood and left with Lafitte. Only then did Leo explain, "We didn''t just jump one planet, we jumped several. Accurately speaking, five. After absorbing that much of Lafitte''s power the medallion formed a connection with this world''s space." "If we want to get back home, we need to repeat the same process and fill the medallion with space power, and make a connection with the closest planet." Shinobu mood took a hit when she heard Leo and asked, "How long will it take?" Leo shook his head, "I don''t know. Lafitte isn''t a pure space ability user, his help is limited. But if we can find someone with a much stronger ability then we might be able to fill the medallion quite quickly." Shinobu nodded. Suddenly she thought of something, "Are we doing this till we fill the medallion for a complete jump or just the first planet?" Leo shook his head bitterly, "Just the first jump. Inter world travel is very dangerous, the medallion could at most guarantee the safety of one person, if I stretch my power then two, but that''s it. Anymore, the barrier protecting us will shatter and we will be torn to pieces by space storms." Shinobu paced back and forth and asked, "If we can only make one jump then how are we supposed to get back?" Leo was also bogged down by this problem, he thought for a moment and said "There is a solution. If one of us can find a space type devil fruit then charging the medallion for a jump won''t be a problem." Shinobu thought this was possible. She finally let out a relieved sigh. Leo hugged her and said seriously, "I promise I will get us back." Shinobu hummed and rested in his arms. ... A couple more days later, Issho and the rest returned. Finally they were ready to head back. The world had no idea about what happened. Maybe some had noticed but they couldn''t confirm their doubts. Leo and his crew set sail. As they were passing through a certain sea area Mace came upto Leo and reported. "Sir, a ship was spotted ahead of us. It''s the one Blackbeard was after." "The one carrying the tribute to celestial dragons?" Leo asked in confusion. According to intel this ship should have reached Mariejois by now. Did they change their schedule? Must be. World Government is no fool to strictly adhere to schedules when there are a lot of people eyeing their stuff. "Alright." Leo nodded. Mace left after his report. As the distance between them reduced Leo was able to see the ship clearly. Well... When his spiritual sense swept past the ship he raised an eyebrow in surprise. Mace was startled when he saw who was on the ship. Not just Mace the other marines were also startled. A man wearing white clothes and a transparent bubble head mask was standing arrogantly on the deck of the ship. "So that''s a celestial dragon." Shinobu standing beside Leo commented. The celestial dragon glanced at the navy ship without much interest. But when his eyes fell on Shinobu he paused. "Not bad. Bring her to me." Chapter 218 - 218. Attacking A World Noble A peculiar silence fell over Leo''s ship when the celestial dragon said those words. Mace sighed and shook his head regretfully. You could have just ignored us and be on your way, but noo, you had to seek trouble with the devil. Issho, Dali, Flare and Violet all looked at the celestial dragon in silence. Leo had a teasing smile on his face, as did Shinobu. Over on the celestial dragon''s ship, a man wearing white clothes with a black and white mask walked out. He walked to the edge of the ship and jumped. Using Geppo he instantly flashed beside Shinobu and stretched out his hand towards her. However just as he was about to grab her his body lost control and fell down. Mace shook his head. There goes another fool. The man''s clothes covered every inch of his body. However through the gaps on his collar everyone saw the colour of his skin turn purple. "How dare you?!" The celestial dragon was angry, he pointed at Shinobu and said, "How dare a trash like you kill my slave?! Bring her to me this instant! Capture her now!" Complying to his order several more men wearing white clothes flashed out from the ship. All of them went straight for Shinobu. However like their predecessor all of them were poisoned. Their bodies turned purple and soon their breathing came to a sudden halt. "Dear, I don''t want to play anymore." Shinobu turned her head and said to Leo. Curling his lips into a smile he said, "Fine. But leave our guest a memorable gift." Sword rays condensed over the sky and blanketed the area. The celestial dragon was oblivious to his situation, or rather he was ignorant. However, not everyone was a fool in that ship. A man wearing white suit walked out from the ship and stared at Leo, "Vice admiral Leo, there is no need for such extreme actions." Leo focused on the white suited man and said with a smile, "Finally out from the shadows. Why do you think my actions are extreme?" The white suited man spoke casually, "You are aiming your sword at a celestial dragon." Leo smirked, "I have nearly killed one before, what makes you think I care?" The white suited man went silent. He stared at Leo calmly. The celestial dragon however was fuming, "Kill him! Kill everyone! And get me that woman!" An unnoticeable sigh escaped the white suited man, he said to Leo, "That''s that then." "You overestimate your capabilities." Leo smiled coldly. Suddenly the white suited man found himself surrounded by a crowd of sword rays. How is this possible?! He was shocked and in disbelief. He tried to flash out but wherever he moved the sword rays followed. Here lies the terror of a grandmaster swordsman. Within his domain there is no escape. What he wants to cut will be cut, and what he doesn''t want to cut, won''t be cut. Spurt! The man held out for a second before he was swallowed by a crowd of sword rays. When everything calmed down a bloodied body fell into the sea. Leo stood calmly on the deck and pointed his finger down. The sword rays hanging over their heads fell on the celestial dragon''s ship. Miserable cries rang out. After dozens of seconds everything went quiet. Apart from the celestial dragon, everyone was dead. "Let''s go." Leo said to Mace. Their ship started to move and soon left the celestial dragon''s ship far behind. "Sir, I am surprised you didn''t kill him." Flare said with a smile. Leo said mysteriously, "Oh, he is gonna get something much more gracious than a swift death." The crew got an idea about what happened and looked over in Shinobu''s direction. Like always she had a sweet smile on her face. However, if you consider certain situations, that smile can be very similar to that of a devil''s. ... On the celestial dragon''s ship. Dead bodies littered everywhere. The only breathing person on the ship was the celestial dragon. However at this moment, the arrogance he had before was nowhere to be seen. His face was pale and he was trembling as he stood amidst the pile of corpses. Still reeling from shock he took out a den-den mushi. His hands were shaking, he dropped the den-den mushi a few times before he was able to make a call. "What is it son? It''s been a while since you left to have some fun, don''t spend too much time among those filthy things." A condescending voice came from the other side. The celestial dragon opened his mouth to say something, but no words came out of him. His body was still in shock, he wasn''t able to respond. "Son? Are you there? Why aren''t you speaking?" After a while the young celestial dragon was finally able to squeeze out a few words. "Fath...er... help... As he said those words he lost the remaining sanity he had and lost consciousness. "Son! Son!" The other voice panicked and yelled through the den-den mushi a few times but he got no answer. ... Several hours later a fleet consisting of three warsh.i.p.s rushed to the location of the young celestial dragon. A middle aged, pot bellied celestial dragon was standing on the deck of the leading ship. When they reached their goal all they saw was a broken ship and a whole lot of corpses. "Damn those bastards! How dare some lowly creatures attack a celestial dragon?!" The man yelled at the top of his lungs. Several CP agents rushed to the broken ship and searched for their leader''s son. And they found him very quickly. Seeing his son without any sort of injury the other pot bellied celestial dragon was relieved. However a ruthless glint flashed in his eyes. "I am gonna skin those wretched low lives!!" Chapter 219 - 219. Found Mariejois. After the pot bellied celestial dragon returned he immediately had dozens of doctors check on his son. "Tell me, what''s wrong with my son?!" He roared at the doctors. One of the doctors said, "My lord, the young lord''s muscles have entered a state of inactivity." The pot bellied celestial dragon slapped the one who spoke and said, "Just say what''s wrong! I don''t want to hear any other nonsense." The doctor was scared to anger him any further and explained, "The young lord is poisoned." The celestial dragon paused for a moment before breaking out into a series of curses. He broke everything in the room. "What the f*ck are you waiting for?! Save my son!" The doctors looked at each other, they were helpless and scared. "Why aren''t you moving?! Do you want to die?! Save my son!" He pulled out his pistol and roared, "Now! Help my son now!" The doctors immediately rushed to check the young celestial dragon. They worked for several hours and came up with nothing. "My lord... the poison is too strong. We can''t make an antidote." Bang! As soon as one of the doctors spoke a loud voice rang through the air. The doctor fell down in his own blood. The pot bellied celestial dragon aimed his gun at the other doctors, his eyes turned red as he roared at them, "Make the antidote!" The bunch of doctors didn''t know what to say. They were helpless against this kind of poison. "Argh!" Suddenly the young celestial dragon grunted and woke up. However he didn''t speak, his face contorted, as if he was in immense pain. "Son! Son! Speak to your father! Who did this to you?! What''s wrong him?! Why is he in pain?!" The man yelled at the doctors. "The young lord''s body is in a complete state of paralysis. Even the slightest movement will bring him immense pain." They knew this answer might anger the pot bellied celestial dragon and he might kill them all in his rage. However they had no choice, no answer also meant death. As expected. The celestial dragon got angry and shot his pistol till it was empty. Several of the doctors fell down in a pool of blood. "I''ll kill them! I''ll kill them!" The pot bellied celestial dragonwas going crazy. His only son was paralyzed and being tortured every second. At this moment a CP agent walked in. His entire body gave off tremendous pressure. "Lord, we found the navy ship." As he heard those words the pot bellied celestial dragon yelled in rage, "Go! Capture them and bring them back! Once they cure my son I will let him have his fun with them." The CP agent bowed in response and left. He took a fleet consisting of five warsh.i.p.s and an elite group from CP including two vice chiefs. ... Leo was comfortably resting on the beach. Snow was prooning her feathers while enjoying the shade under the outdoor umbrella. As for Shinobu, she was taking a dip in the sea. Hm? It was at this moment Leo sensed something. He opened his eyes and looked towards the far end of the sea. The vague shadow of sh.i.p.s could be seen. Leo''s lips curled into a smile. Faster than I thought. "Can you guess what they are going to do?" She asked. Leo smirked, "Knowing those arrogant pricks I would say they ordered for our capture." Shinobu smiled when she heard him. They didn''t plan to move and just waited for them. "Sir." Mace, Issho, Dali, Flare and Violet joined them on the beach. Leo and Shinobu laid back and watched as the sh.i.p.s got closer. A man wearing a white suit and a white mask stood on the deck of the leading ship. Behind him were two more people in white suit and masks. "Vice admiral Shinobu, you are charged with the crime of injuring a world noble. Surrender." The CP chief spoke calmly. Shinobu smiled without a care in the world and asked, "When did I ever do such a thing? Dear, do you know?" Leo shook his head, "I don''t remember. Maybe they got it wrong." The CP chief''s eyes under his mask narrowed, "Vice admiral Leo is charged for the murder of CP avents, and for the attempted murder of a world noble. Surrender now, maybe you might get a lighter penalty." Leo curled his lips, "Oh, generous offer, but I refuse." The CP chief''s body started give of pressure, "You are making an enemy of the World Government. Don''t think you can are a big shot just because you tied with a Yonko." Leo sipped on his iced drink and said, "I never thought of myself as someone important, and I don''t seek trouble proactively. That shit of a young lord tried to kidnap my wife right in my face, then he ordered his men to kill my crew. The state he is in is because of his recklessness." The CP chief stared at Leo, "You dare insult a world noble?" Leo put down his drink. The look in his eyes started to change, "World nobles, trash that can do whatever they want, snatch whoever or whatever they want, kill whoever they want." The air started to get heavy. Leo raised his head. His blue eyes focused on the CP chief. The chief felt a tremor in his heart when he locked his gaze with Leo. His body involuntarily shuddered. How can this be? Just his spirit is enough to shake me fear?! Leo rested his head on his right palm and said coldly, "Since you guys are running for such trash, die." That last word invoked his terrifying haoshoku haki. Like a surging tide it swept past the five sh.i.p.s. Many of the elites on the ship lost their consciousness. Only a very small group of people were able to hold onto their sanity. "You really plan to fight us?" The CP chief asked gravely. A smile climbed onto Leo''s face, "Since our battle is destined, why not? And don''t be mistaken, this isn''t a battle, it''s a slaughter." The chief already knew he would answer as such. But when he heard it, he shivered. "Now!" The chief and the two vice chiefs attacked almost immediately. Following them several elites also jumped out. "Make it quick." Leo said and laid back down. "Yes, sir!" Mace and the rest acknowledged. Chapter 220 - 220. Leos Crew When Leo and Shinobu started as marines they were alone in their endeavours. Every problem that came their way had to be taken care of by them personally. Frankly with their level of strength it was like using a hammer to break an egg. Now it''s different. Mace, Dali, Flare, Violet and Issho. These five represent strength equalling to a Yonko subordinate, the three disasters, the sweet commanders, Beckman, Yasopp... With their strength they can stand proudly in New World. And as marines, their discipline is without doubt. Gravity Blade! Issho raised his cane sword and swung it down. A purple glow covered the blade of his sword. The island trembled for a moment and settled. Huge waves started to roll over, blocking the fleet''s retreat path. Strength erupted from his body. He flashed before Mace and jabbed his finger. Mace gripped his large broad sword. Sword rays started to condense on his blade as he countered the chief''s attack. Bang! The CP chief deserved his title. His finger fell on Mace''s sword and pushed him back. "Sir said to make this quick, he won''t blame me if I use it from the get go, right?" Mace muttered to himself. The chief was about to move in for another attack. Mid way through he saw Mace''s body change. His hair grew longer and turned into a deep shade of red. His skin had many black markings. A savage aura spread out from him. What the?! A devil fruit!! As a veteran fighter the CP chief immediately identified what caused Mace''s change. So what if you transform? The chief scoffed. He clad his arms in busoshoku haki and jabbed at Mace. Mace took a deep breath. His mouth was like a vacuum as it s.u.c.k.e.d in all of the air around him. His c.h.e.s.t started to swell up like a balloon. A sense of danger took over the chief. Ashura''s Wrath! Mace roared. He spat out a long column of red fire towards the CP chief. Tekkai! Armed! The CP chief didn''t have enough time to dodge. He used Tekkai as well as haki to block it. A loud eruption took place. The sea was set ablaze for a short moment before vapour blocked everyone''s sight. The two vice chiefs were startled. They lost focus for a moment. Dali and Flare closed in on them and cleaved down with their swords. Dammit! The two vice chiefs cursed and blocked it using Tekkai. It was at this moment they felt a sense of danger envelope their bodies. Their heart trembled from fear. Spurt! One of the vice chiefs looked down at his c.h.e.s.t in shock and disbelief. Blood was starting to dye his white clothes. Flare grinned at him and said, "There are five of us, you idiot." "Goodbye." Flare waved his sword and took away the last bit of life in him. The other vice chief was sweating behind his mask. He saw what happened a second ago. That split second when they were distracted and pushed back, a bullet pierced through the air and dug a hole in the other vice chief. His eyes darted around, trying to find the sniper. From the information they had the woman seems to be the sniper, however they had far underestimated her abilities. She was able to perfectly utilize a moment of fault during combat and perfectly land a strike. That kind of precision and decisiveness put her on the same level as those famous snipers all around the world. "Focus." Dali flashed before him and slashed with his sword. The vice chief blocked it with his right arm and kicked out. Dali dodged it and countered. Flare wasn''t worried about Dali losing so he sheathed his sword and waited. On the other side. Mace placed his broad sword on his shoulder and waited for the vapour to clear. His kenbunshoku haki was still picking up the chief''s presence. Well, It would be embarrassing if he died so easily. Mace said to himself. When the vapour cleared the chief''s body became visible. His neat suit was now torn in some places and his right arm had a large burn on it. "You hid your strength well." Mace could sense the underlying tone in his words and smirked. His body suddenly flashed. The chief took a deep breath. His body also disappeared from sight. Boom! Two vague shadows flashed through the air and clashed from time to time, creating loud bangs through the sky. After several minutes both shadows separated. Mace was slightly panting however he was fine apart from that. As for the CP chief, he had a wound on his c.h.e.s.t. "What are you planning? Hiding such battle prowess from the navy as well as the World Government." His eyes were focused on Leo who was enjoying the sun. Leo grinned and didn''t speak. Mace curled his lips and attacked again. This time someone else joined him. Issho waved his sword glowing with purple colour. The CP chief knew his end was near. He gritted his teeth and took Mace''s attack head on. By doing so he managed to dodge Issho''s sword strike. However just as he managed to avoid certain death his kenbunshoku haki picked up an object whistling in his direction. Oh no! Spurt! The chief looked down and found a hole in his c.h.e.s.t. He laughed bitterly as the last of his strength left him. He fell down and crashed into the sea. "Tsk! She always manages to take the spot light." Flare clicked his tongue. Dali looked at him in disdain, "If you have her marksmanship you can take the spotlight all you want." Flare shrugged at his response. Issho landed on the beach and sheathed his cane sword. The waves blocking the warsh.i.p.s crashed into them and buried them to the depths of the sea. Chapter 221 - 221. Akainus Threat An entire crew of elites along with two vice chiefs and a chief from Cipher Pol fell. The sea returned to it''s calmness. Only a few broken wreckage indicated that a battle took place here. "What do you think they will do next?" Shinobu asked curiously. Leo rubbed his chin and said while smiling, "If the top dogs know of the situation they might find a way to put pressure on us. However, if only that guy''s family know about it, then it''s different." Issho heard Leo and agreed, "I think that to be the case as well. We can expect another round not too long from today." Leo had an impassive look on his face as he said, "It doesn''t matter how many comes our way, just kill." ... Mariejois. It''s been two days since the fleet left. They lost contact a day before today. The pot bellied celestial dragon was pacing around in his room. He turned towards a CP agent and yelled, "What is taking him so long?! It''s been two days!" This CP agent was different from the others. He didn''t cower or tremble when he was yelled at. "We lost contact with the chief a day ago. It''s most likely that something happened to them." The pot bellied celestial dragon grabbed a glass decoration on the table and threw it at the CP agent. The glass decoration struck his face and shattered into several pieces. "Then gather more troops and bring those dogs to me!!" The CP agent nodded and left. On his way out he saw another CP agent and said, "The chief and two vice chiefs are most likely dead. I never expected that marine to actually kill a CP chief. More surprisingly he is strong enough to kill an entire fleet of elites and the two vice chiefs as well." The other agent said, "There is nothing to be surprised about. He fought to a standstill against Kaido. This was two years ago, who knows how powerful he is now." The CP agent pondered for a moment and said, "This has gone beyond our capabilities. We should report it to the Gorosei." ... These five represented the highest authority in World Government, the Gorosei! An old man wearing glasses said solemnly, "He actually dared to kill a celestial dragon''s entourage, he even poisoned him." "Not him, her. It was that woman who did it." "Does it make a difference? They actually dared to harm a world noble." "What now? Blatantly arresting a marine will make the other marines jumpy, especially someone like him." "It''s better to deal with this by the book. Contact Navy HQ and have Sakazuki deal with him." "But will he obey? He already has conflicts with Sakazuki, will he obey an order from him?" "It doesn''t matter whether he agrees or not. In the end he must obey, otherwise he will be going to war with us." "Correct. His only option is to obey and come forward to treat that celestial dragon, otherwise he would be marked as a criminal, both by marines and the World Government." "This is good. I agree." "Same here." "I concur." After a long discussion the Gorosei came to a decision. ... Navy HQ. Akainu hung up the den-den mushi. A scowl formed on his face. "That damn guy!" He slammed his table in fury. After calming down he picked up the den-den mushi and called. "This is a surprise. What''s the special occasion, fleet admiral?" When Akainu heard the words Fleet Admiral his face turned unnatural. Every time he could hear the scorn in those words. "Did your wife poison a celestial dragon?!" It was of course Leo on the other side of the call. Hearing Akainu Leo answered, "Now why would you think that?" Akainu was getting annoyed, "Don''t play with me! I know this was your doing! Immediately get your a.s.s to Mariejois and treat that celestial dragon!" A derisive scoff came from the speaker, "Fleet admiral, don''t order around someone else''s wife. That''s unbecoming of your position, fleet admiral." Akainu gripped his fist, "Leo Heart! Your wife poisoned a celestial dragon! A world noble! Her crimes deserve death!" "And you! You killed a celestial dragon''s entourage, destroyed a fleet carrying elites from Cipher Pol along with a chief and two vice chiefs!" "There is no more room for your mistakes! Either haul out to Mariejois or else!" By end of his sentence Akainu was practically shouting. The speaker went silent for a second before an icy voice travelled over. "Or what?" The officer standing beside Akainu felt a tremble in his heart. Akainu also noticed the change in Leo''s tone. Before he could speak Leo cut him off. "Marines safeguard justice, we are the hammer striking down on evil." "An absolute failure of a human being brazenly wanted to take away my wife right in front of me." "My dear fleet admiral, that''s absolutely wrong. I am a marine, I did what was right. I safeguarded justice." "If you want to bootlick those trash and be their l.a.p dog, be my guest." "But don''t ever f**king order me around!" "Understood, fleet admiral?" Akainu narrowed his eyes. His body was already starting to give off a murderous vibe. "So you refuse?" Leo''s laughter came from the other side, it was full of disdain, "Yes, I refuse!" Akainu pulled the speaker close, his voice was filled with rage as he said, "As of now you and your wife are removed from your office as vice admirals, you are charged with the crime of assaulting a celestial dragon!" A careless reply came from the other end, "Is that all, fleet admiral?" Akainu curled his lips, a cold smile climbed on his face, "From the moment you helped those pirates I knew you would betray us one day. Your mistakes would have gotten you the death penalty but Sengoku covered for you, as did Garp." "But now Sengoku and Garp isn''t here to protect you." Leo laughed when he heard Akainu, "Haha, oh almighty fleet admiral, what makes you think they were protecting me?" Kachak! Leo hung after he spoke those words. Chapter 222 - 222. Criminals The whole office fell into a deadly silence. Akainu was holding the speaker with a stunned expression. His face kept changing several shades of blue. The officer behind him didn''t dare to breathe. After a while Akainu grunted and crumbled the speaker. He stood up and ordered, "Leo Heart and Kocho Shinobu are charged for the crime of assaulting a celestial dragon." "Vice admirals Momonga, Strawberry, Onigumo and Doberman will set out immediately to capture the criminals!" The officer behind him was startled. He couldn''t believe what he just heard. "What are you standing here for?! Go!" Akainu said towards the officer. Saluting Akainu the officer left. Soon the entire HQ knew of Leo''s arrest. All of them were stunned and in disbelief. "How could this happen?" "Vice admiral Leo is charged with the highest penalty?" Voices of doubt were raised among the marines. The four vice admirals had a short discussion after they got the order. Momonga had a strained expression on his face, "The situation is complex." Doberman scoffed, "Complex? No, it''s very simple. A celestial dragon tried to take away a vice admiral''s companion and a vice admiral herself. It''s as easy as that." Strawberry shook his head, "Doberman, what that celestial dragon did is very wrong, that I agree. But Leo and Shinobu were too impulsive." Onigumo nodded, "They could have just repelled them and left, but they killed off the other party''s crew and poisoned that celestial dragon. And that too with a devious poison, I heard that the celestial dragon is in tremendous pain every waking second. Even breathing is painful for him." Doberman was slightly anxious, "What should we do?" Strawberry thought for a moment and said, "We follow our order." "Strawberry!" "You want to move against a model marine?!" Momonga spoke up, "Calm down Doberman. What Strawberry said may be a good way for us." Doberman looked at Momonga for an explanation. Momonga continued, "Leo''s island has been modified by lady Shinobu. Without permission no one can enter, otherwise you will be poisoned. Only top powerhouses can step into the island without getting poisoned to death." "And considering the situation the celestial dragons would definitely want her alive, so an attack on the island itself is out of the question." "We don''t have to capture anyone. We can just patrol the island and report back that we can''t enter because of the poison." Doberman''s eyes brightened up. Strawberry and Onigumo also had a smile on their face. They had been marines for a long time, they have seen the ugly side of the celestial dragons. They have tolerated them for all these years. But now they want to move against a future admiral candidate? One that may become the strongest admiral in all of history? ... Mariejois. The pot bellied celestial dragon was looking at his son who was laying on a bed. He was being fed with the most delicious food in the world. But the painful expression on his face showed how much he was hating this moment. "Why haven''t you caught those imbeciles yet?!" He suppressed his anger and asked the CP agent standing behind him. The CP agent replied respectfully, "Lord, the island they are living on has been modified to be poisonous, without an antidote very few individuals can enter and leave." "So what?! Get me that wretched woman! Can''t you see how much pain my son is going through?!" The CP agent looked at the young celestial dragon and drew in a cold breath. He knew the condition he was in. A poison that retained every bodily function but brought immense pain even with the slightest movement. "Lord, the Gorosei and the Navy HQ has already declared them as criminals. It''s only a matter of time before they are brought infront of you in chains." The pot bellied celestial dragon slightly calmed down after he heard him. However his mood worsened again when he saw his son''s condition. "Be fast with it!" The CP agent nodded and left. ... On Dragon-tiger island. Leo was practicing some fist techniques when Shinobu walked out of her laboratory. "Wanted criminals. This is a new feeling." She commented. Leo finished a round before stopping and said while shrugging, "It is what it is." Shinobu sat down on the green grass and asked, "You really plan on making this big?" Leo walked to her side and sat down before replying, "It''s a good distraction, don''t you think?" Shinobu curled her lips into a smile, "I knew you wouldn''t do something so silly." As they were speaking Leo''s den-den mushi rang. He picked it up. "Arara, Leo, looks like you are in a mess." Aokiji''s voice rang from the other side. Leo laughed, "Haha, Aokiji-san, are you calling to gloat?" "Hm, if I hadn''t know you any better I would be worried for you." "And you aren''t?" Aokiji asked back, "Should I be?" Leo shrugged and didn''t comment. He asked, "Why the sudden call?" Aokiji''s voice suddenly turned serious, "Should I... Before he could finish Leo cut him off, "No. This is a good distraction. Anyway, it''s just some monkeys jumping around." Aokiji spoke after several seconds of silence, "If you are so confident then I''ll ask no further. Take care." Kachak. The call ended. Leo smiled and just put down the den-den mushi when it rang again. "Hm, two calls back to back? Who is it this time?" Curious as to who it was Leo picked up the call. Shinobu also listened in. As soon as he picked up the call two imm.a.t.u.r.e voice came from the speaker. "Big bro Leo, Big bro Pedro left!" "Big bro, Pedro left!" Zeke? Zena? Leo recognised the voice, "Slow down you two. What do you mean Pedro left?" It was Zena who explained, "Big bro Pedro left with Luffy-san. He was going to help them get something from Big Mom!" Leo''s expression turned grave when he heard Zena. Chapter 223 - 223. Pedro Leaves Pedro is headed towards Big Mom with Luffy? Leo had a bad feeling when he heard Zeke. He knew Pedro very well, he was his first genuine friend in this world. He knew of Pedro''s past as well his loss. But what he didn''t understand was, why would Pedro suddenly decide to leave with Luffy? "Zeke, Zena, when did they leave?" "Just a few hours ago? Big brother, I... I don''t know why but-but I feel like big bro Pedro..." Leo cut her off and said solemnly, "Zena, nothing will happen to Pedro. I will bring him back to you, I promise." "Hm." Zena hummed in response. Leo hung up. "Knowing Pedro he may not have plans to come back." Shinobu said. Leo had an angry look on his face, "I didn''t spent all that time mending that fool''s spirit just so that he could go off on a suicide mission!" Shinobu had a questioning look on her face, "Why would Pedro leave with Luffy?" Leo stood up. He grabbed his sword and said, "I don''t know. But I am gonna find out from that bastard." Shinobu smiled and waved him off, "Don''t beat him too hard." As Leo rushed off the island he ordered through his den-den mushi. "Flare, get the crew. We are going to Totto Land!" The den-den mushi was a connected one. Issho, Mace and the rest heard the orders as well. "Totto Land!?" All of the were surprised when they heard the order. "Sir, what about the rest of us?" Leo said, "Right now we have been declared criminals by Navy HQ and the World Government. The marines won''t move against us but that won''t be the case for the World Government." "I need the rest of you stay here, before I come back not a single soul must step foot on my island." "Yes, sir!!" Leo put away the den-den mushi. A cold light flashed in his eyes. Big Mom, if anything happens to Pedro, I will bury you with your kingdom. ... While Leo was rushing towards Totto Land, something interesting was happening there. Luffy and his crew along with Pedro and Carrot were running through a forest that seems to be alive. "Run faster! That monster is catching up!" Nami smacked the tree they were riding on and yelled. Far behind them was Big Mom chasing after them on Prometheus. She had a crazy look on her face. Suddenly she pulled back her sword and slammed it forward. Vroom!! A blast of air shot out with incredible speed and momentum. It carved out a path through the forest. "Ahh!! Dodge! Dodge!" Nami and Chopper were in tears as they yelled from the top of their lungs. The tree beneath them also seems to have sensed the danger. It''s short stubby legs worked faster and picked up speed while jumping to the side. Boom!! The shockwave just barely missed them. It made long trench through the forest and ended up creating a large hole through the buildings upfront. "Big Mom is strong!" Luffy commented with a serious look on his face. Nami smacked his head and glared at him, "If you have any funny thoughts, I''m gonna kill you!" Her red eyes poured a bucket of cold water on Luffy. He immediately sat down obediently. "Move! Move! I can see the Sunny, just a bit more! You can do it!" Nami and Chopper tried to encourage the tree who seems to be paralysed in fear. Watching Big Mom get close the tree shivered. It immediately got up and ran. This time the forest around them started to sway. The trees, big and small blocked their path. "Block them!" "Mama will get angry!" The forest rang with voices. This was Big Mom''s devil fruit ability. She had made an entire forest into her homies. Suddenly the tree they were riding on grew angry. It growled and increased it''s speed. Like a mad bull it ploughed through the dense cl.u.s.ter of trees. "Yay! Keep it up!" "We are almost there!" Nami and Chopper cheered. However it was at this moment they heard the sound of an explosion. A huge force rocked the tree they were on. The tree they were on lost a big chunk of it''s body. The shockwave blasted through the forest and crushed everything in it''s path. Pedro grabbed Nami and landed safely. Brooke saw how close Big Mom was and spoke seriously, "This is bad." Big Mom looked like an insane beast. Every step she took made the earth rumble. Suddenly Nami got an idea. She took out her Clima Tact and waved it at a Zeus, a homie made from Big Mom''s soul. A thunder egg was released to the sky. Zeus''s mouth watered when he saw the thunder egg. He immediately left Big Mom and swallowed it. His cloud shaped body gave off sparks when he ate it. Nami''s eyes lit up. She released a whole bunch of thunder eggs before running towards Sunny. "Let''s go!" The rest didn''t know what was happening. However they trusted Nami and ran to Sunny. Zeus ate every single thunder egg and let out a loud burp. However lightning came out of his mouth when he burped. "You idiot!" Prometheus, the other homie, cursed when he saw Zeus. Zeus was now the size of a small hill. His body had turned dark with sparks emerging from time to time. However that wasn''t the end. His body kept on swelling up, as his body size increased lightning flashed on his body constantly. "Shit! He ate too much!" Prometheus cursed. Zeus was made of lightning. When his body acc.u.mulated a certain amount of lightning he would have no choice but to release it. And that was exactly what was happening right now. Lightning rumbled. Zeus''s body flashed for a second before erupting. Lightning flashed everywhere. And Big Mom was right in the middle of this eruption. Chapter 224 - 224. I Will Gladly Do So The sky rumbled. Lightning fell like rain. Big Mom was buried by the crazy release of lightning. "Nami, that was awesome!" Chopper yelled excitedly as he ran towards the Sunny. Nami smiled proudly. "Don''t relax. She is a Yonko! There is a reason why they rule the latter half of Grandline." Pedro poured a bucket of cold water on their conversation. They soon reached the Sunny. Just as they boarded the lightning rain behind them came to a stop. Right on the heels of that a loud roar echoed. The forest of homies trembled and gave way. A hug pit was formed where the lightning fell. The ground was charred and a whole part of the forest was burned to a crisp. From the hole Big Mom climbed out. Her eyes were red. "She doesn''t even have a scratch!!" Chopper took a step back in shock. Pedro said solemnly, "Big Mom is known for her incredible defence. Now that she is in her hunger pang she won''t stop at nothing until she gets what she wants." Suddenly Carrot cried out in surprise, "They are surrounding us!" Big Mom''s soldiers ran out from either side of the forest and aimed their guns at them. "Luffy, Pedro, Carrot, you take care of them!" Nami yelled and rushed to operate the Sunny. Every second of delay would further reduce their chances of escaping. Gum-Gum no Gatling! Luffy punched out incredibly fast. The sky was filled with numerous fists. He pushed through the crowd of soldiers. Pedro and Carrot were minks. Their speed and reflex allowed them to sort through the soldiers. However there was just too many of them. "This won''t work." He suddenly pulled back Carrot and threw her to Luffy. "Get back to the ship. I have a plan." Luffy grabbed Carrot and jumped onto the Sunny. As they were fighting Big Mom had already reached the shore. "Pedro, retreat!" Luffy yelled from the ship. However Pedro didn''t respond. He took out a cigarette and lit it up before taking a deep breath. Carrot had a bad feeling as she looked at Pedro. She was about to jump off when a commotion broke out within the ship. "Strength Mochi!" "Watch out!" Luffy pushed Carrot out of the way and crossed his arms across his c.h.e.s.t. Boom! Luffy''s slid through deck and crashed into one of the cabins. He got up and lowered his arms before taking a look at the newcomer on their ship. "Katakuri!" Nami was raising the sails when she saw Katakuri. Her face turned pale. When did he get on? She shook her head and went on with the preparations for setting sail. She had confidence in her captain. "Give up. You can''t escape." Katakuri stated calmly. Luffy stared at Katakuri, "Get off!" Gum-Gum no Pistol! His fist shot out with blinding speed. However Katakuri didn''t move. Luffy''s fist punched a hole through his body. Hm? Taking back his fist Luffy saw Katakuri''s body swirl and restore his body. "Is it logia? But why didn''t haki work?" Luffy wasn''t much of a thinker. He immediately rained down a barrage of punches at Katakuri. "Dammit! What is it?" Luffy cursed. His body gave off vapour as he flashed towards Katakuri. Katakuri raised his fist and slammed it down. As his fist moved through the air it increased in size. Bang! Luffy barely dodged the attack. Before he could react Katakuri appeared before him. "Strength Mochi!" His fist rumbled. It landed squarely on Luffy''s face and threw him back. A trickle of blood appeared on Luffy''s face as he stood up from the floor. "Pedro!" It was at this moment he heard Carrot''s cry. He turned to look at the shore. Pedro stood infront of Big Mom. He puffed out clouds of smoke as he stared at the wild beast walking towards him. "Oi! Pedro! What are you doing?!" Luffy yelled at him. "Focus on yourself." Katakuri suddenly attacked. His right arm increased in size and trapped Luffy. "Dammit! What the hell is this?!" Luffy struggled to get out of Katakuri''s attack. Brooke and Chopper wanted to attack Katakuri but another one of Big Mom''s children walked out of a mirror and blocked them. The situation was turning grim. Big Mom''s body towered over Pedro. The pressure she was giving off was incredible. "Cake... wedding cake... She mumbled. The red in her eyes increased with each passing moment. "Cakeee!!" She howled towards the sky. Pedro puffed out one last time. He had a serene smile on his face. "The future is yours." He opened the jacket he was wearing. There was a lot of explosives strapped to it. "Stop it! Oi, Pedro, stop it!" Luffy yelled and struggled to get out of Katakuri''s grasp. Carrot wanted to jump off but Chopper held her down. Nami closed her eyes in pain. She knew he was making a chance for them to escape. Suddenly Katakuri trembled. His eyes went wide as he abruptly turned around and looked towards the far end of the sea. Pedro brought the cigarette b.u.t.t and was about to light up the explosives. But before he could do so a heavy pressure fell on him. Not just him everyone felt the same pressure fall on them. Suddenly the sea started to churn. A brilliant sword ray swept through the sea, cleaving it in half! It rushed past the sh.i.p.s trying to surround the Sunny. It split the shore in two and crashed into Big Mom. Boom! The ground trembled. Dust and rubble flew everywhere. Big Mom''s huge body was lifted off the ground and thrown far back. "Mama!" Katakuri yelled. Luffy used this moment to get out of his grip and kick him. He looked into the distance and saw a shadow shooting through the sea. In a split second that shadow rushed past Big Mom''s sh.i.p.s, destroying them. Luffy couldn''t track who it was, it was moving too fast. "It''s him!" Chopper pointed at Pedro''s direction and spoke. "Vice admiral Leo... Luffy muttered under his breath. Pedro was staring at his friend who appeared out of nowhere like a clap of thunder. "You got some nerve, Pedro!" Leo spoke slowly. His words were filled with rage as he looked at the explosives strapped on Pedro''s jacket. Pedro didn''t speak. "Tell me! Why? Why sacrifice your life for people you barely know for less than a week?!" Pedro stomped on the cigarette b.u.t.t and stared at his friend. "I told you before. Someday, someone will come, to carry on his legacy. He is the one I was waiting for." "Their journey can''t end here." "And If my life can be traded a safe passage for them... "I WILL GLADLY DO SO!!" Chapter 225 - 225. Leo Vs Big Mom Leo glared at Pedro for several seconds. After a while he sighed and shook his head. "Go then. See it to the end. I''ll take care of this. Also, leave that jacket here, I don''t want you getting any more suicidal thoughts later." Pedro took off the jacket and threw it away. "Thank you." Leo turned his head away. He was still angry. He needed to vent this anger somewhere. His eyes focused on Big Mom in the distance. She was already up on her feet, and she had a small wound on her shoulder. Pedro took a deep breath and jumped on the Sunny. He knew his friend''s true ability, he wasn''t worried something might happen to him. When he got on the ship he saw Luffy confronting Katakuri. He wanted to help but Luffy stopped. "He is mine!" Saying that he rushed to Katakuri. Katakuri was slightly distracted when he saw Leo. Even with his extreme kenbunshoku haki he could only see a couple of seconds into the future. When he was distracted Luffy grabbed him and rushed into one of the mirrors. They smoothly went through the mirror and disappeared. Brooke and Chopper managed to capture the one manipulating the mirrors, Brulee. "We need to set sail, now!" "What about him?" Nami asked back. Before Pedro could reply another voice replied. "You guys staying here would only make things worse." Who?! Brooke and Chopper immediately got into a battle stance. Pedro saw who it was and said, "Flare, only you came?" Flare nodded, "There is some trouble back home, the rest are staying back to take care of it." Brooke asked, "You know him?" Pedro said, "It''s alright. He is a friend." Nami looked at Flare for several seconds before raising the sails. The sail caught the wind and the Sunny started to move. Since Leo destroyed a part of the fleet surrounding them when he arrived they had no problem getting out of the encirclement. Back on the island. Leo narrowed his eyes. Ripples spread through the air as his domain expanded to it''s limit. Big Mom was like an insane beast. Fire and lighting surrounded her as she walked. Leo took a step forward and reached her in an instant. His black blade gleamed with a shade of deep red at it''s edge as he swung it down. Even though Big Mom was in a state of madness, she was still a Yonko. She raised her sword and blocked it. The moment their swords met the air cracked. The sky turned dark and lightning flashed. Haoshoku haki exploded from their bodies and spread out. Big Mom grunted. She took a step back and put more strength into her sword. Prometheus floated behind her and merged with her hair. While Zeus increased in size and rained down lightning. Sword rays condensed and swirled around Leo. It sliced apart the anything that came near him. Big Mom howled. Tendrils of flames rose from her hair and shot at Leo. Leo pulled back his sword and twisted his body. The flaming hair missed him. However it turned back as if it were alive, trying to bind him. Leo swiped his sword. The sword rays surrounding him condensed on his blade. The flaming hair was slashed apart. Big Mom was going crazy. Her haoshoku haki was constantly being released. Lightning and flames covered her entire body. A sharp look flashed in Leo''s eyes. He sheathed his sword and took a drawing stance. Silent wind! Leo disappeared from Big Mom''s sight and from her kenbunshoku haki. He seems to have merged with the wind. Slash! A split second later he appeared before Big Mom. His sword hummed as it slashed at her throat. Big Mom howled. Her throat was instantly covered with busoshoku haki. Diinngg!!! Leo''s sword struck her throat, producing sparks. Hmph! Spurt! Big Mom''s busoshoku haki was slowly sliced through. Blood seeped out from her throat. Aahhh!!! Already in madness Big Mom roared when she saw her blood. Flames and lightning erupted with her at it''s center. Even with his domain and sword rays Leo had to take a step back. The redness in Big Mom''s eyes intensified. Right now she was fueled by her emotions. She was running wild with a single purpose, to get what she was craving for. Leo raised his sword and attacked. He used Soru and Geppo in a perfect combination as he flashed around Big Mom. He slowly chipped away the flame and lightning armour around her. As he was fighting Big Mom, her subordinates had assembled and formed an army. Leading them were the officers. They had surrounded Leo and Big Mom. A cold light flickered in his blue eyes. He stepped through the sky using Geppo. Looking down he saw Big Mom staring at him, she still hadn''t woken up from her crazy state. Leo pointed his sword to the sky. His sword domain started flicker. Dense collection of sword rays started to condense in the sky. 1, 2,4... 10... 100... 1000... 100000... Sword rays filled the sky and covered the sun like a blanket. However it didn''t stop. Crazy amount of spirit erupted from Leo. His ''Breath'' was furiously circulating through his body, providing him with strength. The sky full of sword rays trembled. In an instant they quadrupled in number. Leo''s eyes flashed with intense murderous light. The sword rays started to move. The closest ones merged to form an even stronger sword ray. This continued till the every sword ray merged four times. Each merger refined the appearance of the sword rays. The body of energy filled with Leo''s sword will was refined. It''s form became clearer. A few seconds later the merging was complete. Big Mom pirates went pale as they watched the sky. Their weapons fell out of their hands and onto to the ground with a ding. "Im-Impossible... "How can we fight against that?... Their eyes were filled with despair. The sky was still blanked by sword rays. However the sword rays had completely changed. They were now shaped like swords! A sky full of exquisite swords! Just looking at it was enough to pull out the horror in one''s heart. Leo stared calmly at Big Mom and said, "A Yonko. The same title as Whitebeard." "However, looking at you now, you are nothing more than a mindless beast. To sit on the same throne as he used to... "You.Don''t.Qualify!!" His voice turned colder. Haoshoku haki exploded out of his body. The swords hanging above the island resonated with his haoshoku and hummed. Leo sliced his sword through the air. The innumerable sword hanging above the sky fell down like rain. Merciful Rain!! Chapter 226 - 226. To Wano "Hey, aren''t you worried?" Nami asked Flare. Flare asked in confusion, "Why should I be worried?" Nami said, "I mean, that''s a Yonko!" Flare had a smile on his face as he said, "Sir is far stronger than you think. You should ask Pedro, he is very clear about sir''s strength." Nami, Brooke, Chopper and Carrot turned to Pedro for an answer. "When I first met him he wasn''t that strong, I could battle him on equal grounds. However as time passed his ability grew exponentially. Frankly, it was scary." Pedro thought back to the past and said. After pausing for a second he continued. "I don''t know where his limits are, but a Yonko is no problem for him." When everyone heard his words they exclaimed. A Yonko is no problem for him? What kind of monster was he? Flare suddenly commented and pointed to Whole Cake island, "Man, Pedro. You really made sir angry. Look." Everyone looked towards island. Though the island was very far they could still see what was happening. A sky full of swords! Their hearts felt cold when they saw it. "One more Yonko." Flare said offhandedly. Nami caught onto his words and asked, "One more Yonko?" Flare curled his lips and said, "We killed Blackbeard." "What?!" Nami, Brooke and the rest were shocked. Blackbeard rose up in New World after the Paramount War. Rumour was that he had the strongest devil fruit. But he was killed? And no one knew about it? Pedro turned serious, "Is he moving?" Flare nodded, "Yeah." Nami asked in confusion, "What?" Pedro didn''t reply. He was lost in thought when he realised something. He stared at Flare and asked. "Is he really going to kill Big Mom?" His words shocked Nami and the rest. Flare nodded. Pedro took a deep breath and said, "But that''s not the plan." Flare replied, "If you hadn''t been so impulsive, this wouldn''t be happening." Pedro said nothing. He hung down his head silently. Flare waved his hand and said, "Dude, don''t worry. Something happened, so either way the world would come to know of sir''s true strength." Pedro nodded. He asked, "What happened?" Flare said nonchalantly, "It''s nothing. A celestial dragon wanted to take Lady Shinobu as his wife. Sir killed his crew and Lady Shinobu poisoned him so that every waking moment he would experience incredible pain." Pedro expected as much. He was very clear about Shinobu''s expertise. Flare suddenly thought of something and said, "By the way, you are lucky Lady Shinobu is busy, otherwise for what you were about to do, she would have... Pedro silently shuddered. Boom!! A loud explosion rang from the distance. Everyone looked over and widened their eyes in shock. Half of Whole Cake island was gone. It was split in half along with the sea. The cut surface had many sword scars, and the remaining other half was slowly sinking to the sea. The sea rolled over as it filled the vacc.u.m made by the missing part. "He-He did that?" Chopper asked with a stutter. However no one answered because they all knew the answer. It was at this moment a shadow flashed through the air. It landed on the Sunny. "Sir!" Flare saluted Leo. Pedro had an apologetic look on his face as he said, "Sorry." Leo gave a light punch to his face and said, "Next time you want to die, think about your friends." Pedro rubbed his cheek and said, "That really hurt." Leo scoffed, "Be glad she is not here." Pedro immediately shut up. Leo checked the Strawhat pirates. Atleast they didn''t waste these two years. "Where is Luffy?" It was Brooke who answered, "He went into the mirror world along with Katakuri." "Mirror world?" Brooke pointed to Brulee who was cuffed and said, "Her devil fruit ability is to travel between mirrors. Every mirror is connected to a common point, the mirror world." "Heh." Leo was intrigued. Some devil fruit abilities were weird and almost impossible to believe. Like this one. As long as one can pinpoint two mirrors separated by a large distance, it''s a convenient method to travel. As the Sunny moved no more sh.i.p.s blocked their path. Flare said to Leo, "Sir, with this the World Government will know of your true strength." Leo nodded, "It''s fine. Let them focus on us." He wasn''t worried. Two years was enough for him to reach a height where no one touch him. His initial sword stances weren''t strong enough to contain his sword will. And with his increasing strength he had to come up with stances that could perfectly blend his sword will and his haki. Two years. In two years, he refined the sword stances he created to even further heights. Their lethality was taken to another level. A sky full of swords, that was the true form of the sword stance, Merciful Rain. Wherever it fell nothing shall remain. "Where are you guys headed?" Leo asked. "Wano." Wano? Leo''s eyes lit up. He had heard about this country before. But he wasn''t able to make a trip there since that country was closed to the outside world. "How do you plan to get there?" Nami explained, "We know people from there. One of them, Kinemon, told us how to get there. The rest of our crew is already there, we will be joining up with them." Flare knew what Leo was thinking and asked, "Sir, what about... Leo took out his den-den mushi. It rung for a few seconds before someone picked it up. "Is that idiot alright?" Shinobu''s voice came from the speaker. Leo laughed lightly, "He is alright." "Oh, then why did you suddenly call?" "Change of plans. I will be making a short detour, it might take me a month or two to get back. Think you can handle that?" Shinobu chuckled. Leo got her answer, he smiled and said, "Alright. Take care." He hung up after that. Flare shook his head. He knew Leo''s curiousity towards new places. After nearly a day of travel they got out of Big Mom''s territory. During this time Luffy got back. He was in a sorry state but had a wide smile on his face. Leo was surprised the kid could win against Katakuri. His potential is no worse that Zoro''s. Leo thought to himself. Sanji also joined them before they got out of Big Mom''s territory. However he brought an extra luggage with him. "Charlotte Pudding? Why is she with you?" When Pudding saw Leo her face paled. She saw what he did. That sky full of swords, the decimated Whole Cake island and Big Mom''s death. She still couldn''t wake up from that horror. Sanji stood infront of Pudding and said, "She has nothing to do with Big Mom. She is her own person." Leo rubbed his chin in amus.e.m.e.nt. Did this sucker finally fall for someone? "I don''t care. It''s your ship, it''s not like I have a say in whoever you decides to bring." Sanji was relieved to hear that. Pudding and him were trying to make a wedding cake to settle Big Mom''s craving and pull her out of her hunger pang. Who would have thought she would be killed when they were half way through. Leo settled down and closed his eyes as he sat in meditation. In a couple of seconds he fell asleep. "He fell asleep?" Flare smiled when he saw everyone''s surprise. Soon the Sunny ran into a storm. The sky darkened suddenly and the sea started to churn. Leo opened his eyes, he looked at the bad weather and asked dubiously, "Oi, navigator, did you strand us in the middle of a storm?" Nami grumbled, "Don''t question my skills as a navigator!" She crossed her arms infront of her c.h.e.s.t and explained, "We are here, this is the entrance to Wano." Leo looked around and asked, "This is the entrance to Wano?" She nodded and explained, "Wano is perpetually surrounded by bad weather. This is also the reason why the outside world is unable to access this country." Chapter 227 - 227. Attack Everyone agreed with Nami. Leo asked, "Where is the entrance anyway?" Nami looked out to the sea and saw a waterfall. She pointed to it. "That is the entrance." Heh. Intriguing. Strong tides pushed the Sunny towards the waterfall. "Hey, carps!" Luffy yelled as he pointed to the sea. Giant colourful carps jumped through the sea and rushed up the waterfall. Suddenly Luffy grinned, "Hey, I got an idea." He stretched out his arms and grabbed two craps. He then wrapped his legs around the Sunny. "Baka, what are you doing?!" Nami was shocked and shouted. Hahaha. She only got an excited laugh as an answer. Suddenly the Sunny rocked. It burst into a terrible speed. The carps jumped into the waterfall and started to climb it. They pulled the Sunny with them. "Haha." Leo lightly laughed. He was finding this very exciting. Suddenly he turned around. He saw an octopus wearing a headband on the ship. What the hell? He was flabbergasted. However the creature was harmless, so he let it be. The carps pulled the Sunny through the strong tides. After a while they saw a break in the waterfall. Whoosh! The carps sped through the waterfall and jumped out. The Sunny was pushed out of the waterfall and thrown in air. "Hahaha! We are here!" Luffy spread his arms and laughed excitedly. Leo grabbed onto the main mast, as did Flare. "Sir, should we jump out?" Flare asked. Leo shook his head, "Why? We can swim even in that whirlpool. And, don''t you think it''s exciting this way." Flare smiled. He had to admit that this journey was very exciting. Crash! Sunny fell into the whirlpool and was swallowed by the strong tides. ... While Leo was taking a detour to Wano, the outside world was rolling over in shock. And the one who did it was a marine! This news shocked the world. Every force around the world reeled in shock. Yonko were apex existences roaming the seas. And now, one of them fell. Navy HQ. Akainu just got the Intel, he went silent for a while. Kizaru who was seated before him said, "Now it''s impossible to have any marine move against him." Though he spoke without a care in the world, he was still shocked to his core. This was a Yonko! It would take two or more admiral level marines to take one down. However, at this moment one person managed to kill Big Mom and her entire crew. Akainu sorted himself and said, "Let the higher ups worry about it." Frankly he was a bit worried. At first Leo was someone he could defeat, but he got strong in the blink of an eye. He reached a height which others thought impossible. ... Mariejois. The Gorosei held an emergency meeting. "This is terrible." "Yes. He has already reached such heights, and that too right under out nose." "He is a threat now." "I agree. I propose to send two admirals and the CP after him." "I second." "No objection." "Where is he now?" "Indefinite. He hasn''t returned. The ship he used to get to Totto Land returned missing him and his captain." All of them fell silent for a moment before one of them said. "This is actually good." "Yes. With his strength and that women''s terrifying poison it would be impossible to kill them when they are together." "That''s true. Now we can pluck them one by one. His island maybe tightly guarded and impossible to step foot into but there are ways to go around it." "Right. Kill that women and his crew. Without their help he is just one man, what can one man do?" The Gorosei came to a decision. Fleets of sh.i.p.s set out from Mariejois. Orders were relayed to Navy HQ to send two admirals to help the fleet. Aokiji didn''t simply pick up his den-den mushi and took a rare vacation. Kizaru on the other hand tactfully declined stating he was busy with work. The elders were obviously angered by their half hearted reaction. But there was nothing they could do about it. After all they were admirals. On Dragon-Tiger island. The crew was as usual. They trained, ate and slept comfortably. Since their superior was deemed as a criminal they too would be marked as such. Without official duties they had a little too much time on their hands. As for the main combatants... Issho was always fishing. Mace spent most of his time training. Dali was lazy for once since Leo wasn''t here. He slept most of the time. As for Violet she helped Shinobu with some work. Today was as usual. However Issho and the rest were looking sharp and ready for combat. The rest of the marines stood orderly behind them in a group of five. There was several large canons beside them. Shinobu was also with them. Snow was resting on her shoulder. Not long after they saw faint shadows in the distance. "They are here." Issho said. He raised his arms and made a gesture. The marines behind them calmly and orderly marched to the front while dragging the large canons with them. When the ship''s were at firing range Issho gave the command. "Fire." Bang! Bang! Volleys were shot at the fleet coming for them. The shots fired burst apart into a cloud of dark green mist. The dark green mist blocked the fleets path. And the wind blew the mist towards the fleet. In a few minutes dark green mist swallowed a large portion of the fleet. Not long after those sh.i.p.s lost control and steered off of it''s course. They rammed into other sh.i.p.s close to them, creating chaos. Several shadows jumped out of those sh.i.p.s and rushed to the sky. The marines kept firing. Soon most of the sh.i.p.s were taken out of action. The remaining stayed far from the dark green mist. Men dressed in white jumped out of the sh.i.p.s and rushed towards the sky, they flew past the mist towards the island. "Retreat." Issho commanded. The marines calmly retreated. The canons were dragged out of the way. After that all of them took out their rifles and stood straight, ready for battle. Soon those shadows rushing through the sky reached the island. All of them were wearing white suits or the like. "As expected of Queen Mystique." One of the man wearing a white hat said. Shinobu was lazy to even reply to any of them. She turned around and walked towards her laboratory. One of the men in white saw her movement and acted. However before he could reach her Mace blocked his path. He wasn''t courteous and slashed his large sword at the man. His sword hummed as busoshoku haki covered it''s blade. The man''s face changed. He immediately used Soru and retreated. His eyes turned sharp as he looked at Mace. Mace pointed his sword at him, "We are your opponents." Chapter 228 - 228. Decimated The CP agents looked serious. That simple swing just a moment ago would have seriously injured that man if it had connected. "We thought your leader and his companion was strong, but never did we imagine that all of you were hiding your strength." Dali smirked, "You thought wrong." He raised his sword and attacked. There was no reason to drag it any longer. There was more than fifty CP agents. Three chiefs, eight vice chiefs, and the rest being elite agents proficient in rokushiki and haki. This was going to be a hard battle. However Mace and the rest had no fear, in fact all of their eyes contained a bit of excitement. Issho drew out his sword. A weird purple glow covered it''s blade. Gravity Blade! He slashed his sword at the CP chiefs. "Take care of him first!" The chiefs recognised the threat Issho possessed and immediately surrounded him. Dali and Violet took on the remaining vice chiefs and the other agents. It was a downhill battle and they were outnumbered. However their battle intent soared when faced against such odds. Sword rays shot out from Dali''s sword as he clashed against the vice chiefs. His opponents used Rankyaku to deflect his attacks. They closed the distance using Soru and attacked using Shigan. "Haha, don''t you have any new tricks?!" Dali wasn''t fl.u.s.tered. His sword danced as he deflected the attacks. Mad Rush! His sword flashed as he slashed at the nearest opponent. Tekkai! His opponent used Tekkai and blocked it. However the strength behind Dali''s attack was far stronger then he expected, it cut through his defence and left a long wound. Dammit! Wounded, his opponent immediately retreated. The other vice chiefs looked at each other. One of them said, "Don''t take his attacks head on." Dali laughed, "Do you think that''s gonna work?" Along with his voice his body started to change. His body grew larger. Golden fur grew on his body. His head started to morph, in a second it turned into that of a lion''s. Zoan Fruit, Model Lion! The vice chiefs were shocked. This was never mentioned in any of the info they got before! Before they could react Dali moved. His body flashed and appeared infront of one of the vice chiefs. Tekkai! Armed! The vice chief was experienced in battle. He immediately used his strongest defence and crossed his arms over his c.h.e.s.t. Dali''s lips curled into a smile. His mouth filled with razor sharp teeth gleamed with cruelty. Spurt! A sword ray flashed. The vice chief had an unbelievable expression on his face. The light in his eyes dimmed as his body separated into two. Looking at the transformed Dali and the bisected body a chill ran down the other CP agents heart. Mace caught Dali''s movement from the corner of his eyes and grinned, "Looks like he is gonna finish soon. Can''t have a subordinate reach the finish line before me!" Mace used his devil transformation. The vice chiefs and the agents surrounding him took a step back, they all looked at him warily. They had seen the reports about Mace''s transformation. But the details were vague. Till now they didn''t have a clear understanding about what this transformation entail. Ashura''s Wrath! Mace took a deep breath and blew out a breath of fire. "Dodge!" The vice chiefs used Soru and got out of the way. However the agents weren''t lucky enough One of them was caught in the fire. His body was ignited in a split second. Before any of the other agents could help a hole was blasted open in his body. The agents went limp as his burning body fell into the sea. The chiefs had an ugly expression on their faces. One of them just retreated when a large figure appeared behind him. It''s shadow loomed his body. The vice chief was startled and hastily used Tekkai. However he underestimated Mace''s raw strength and overestimated his defence. Mace''s sword sliced through his body and smoothly cut him into two parts. Damn! The other vice chiefs saw one of them die and cursed. They surrounded Mace and attacked. Mace smirked and swung his sword again. The vice chiefs had no choice but to dodge. Mace lowered his body and burst into a sudden rush. He focused his eyes on one of the vice chiefs. Rankyaku! Shigan! The vice chief used Rankyaku. The other agents also did the same. They wanted to delay Mace so that the others could find an opportunity to strike. Without wasting any time he flashed infront of the vice chief and slashed with his sword. The vice chief dodged and retreated. By now the others closed the distance between Mace and them. Rankyaku! Shigan! Several attacks pierced at Mace''s vitals. Suddenly Mace grinned, "Gotcha!" One of the vice chief suddenly trembled. Blood bloomed as a horrifying wound appeared on his c.h.e.s.t. Dammit! We forgot about her! Violet scanned the battlefield through the scope. Her kenbunshoku haki was far stronger than the others and only weaker than Issho. She was able to cover the entire battlefield, nothing escaped her. She once more pulled the trigger. One of the chiefs grew angry and disengaged from Issho. He spread out his kenbunshoku haki and found Violet. Sneaking b**ch! He was rushing towards her when a sword slashed in his direction. Mace blocked his path. He s.u.c.k.e.d in large volumes of air. Ashura''s Wrath! A blast of fire shot of his mouth. It left a scorched trail as it shot towards the CP chief. Hmph! The chief coated his arms in busoshoku haki. A strange repulsive force spread out from his fist as he punched at Mace''s attack. Boom! A small explosion took place. When the smoke cleared the CP chief was fine. Mace flashed towards him and slashed with his sword. "Overreaching!" The CP chief snorted and grabbed at Mace''s sword. By now the other vice chiefs reacted and surrounded Mace. Mace didn''t show any panic. His eyes were sharp as his battle intent soared. Ashura''s Rebellion! A horrifying strength erupted from his body. His sword was covered in red flames as a heavy pressure fell on his opponents. He swung his sword. The CP chief got serious. He pushed his busoshoku haki to it''s limits and used Shigan. Bang! When his finger and Mace''s sword collided both of them took several steps back. The CP chief was startled. He narrowed his eyes and was about to attack when a sword pierced towards his heart. Soru! He moved instantly and retreated. Issho stood where he was a moment ago. His sword glowing with purple colour. The other chiefs caught up and they restarted their four way battle. Mace engaged with his opponents as well. His sword burning with red flames slashed through the air leaving a burnt trail. His opponents found it hard to stay alive. And soon another one fell. They were running wild among the CP agents. Every few minutes one of them died. Slowly their opponents number fell. Chapter 229 - 229. Wano and Attack Watching their subordinates die one by one the three chiefs felt stifled. They imagined the battle to be hard fought but never did they image such strength and coordination from these people. These four were incredible individually, however they were even more horrifying as a whole. Dali killed the last vice chief and turned his attention towards the three chiefs. Mace was already dashing towards the three chiefs. Gravity Blade! Issho slashed down his sword. The three chiefs immediately retreated. However before they could move far Issho slashed his sword again. Gravity Domain! The ground trembled before sinking in. The three chiefs felt they bodies getting heavy. Their speed got reduced considerably. Ashura''s Rebellion! A flaming sword slashed at them at this moment. One of the chief reacted. Tekkai! Armed! He steeled his body. Busoshoku haki climbed covered his c.h.e.s.t and his arms. He crossed them and blocked the incoming sword. Boom! Flames surged as the chief was blown back. It was at this moment a bullet whistled through the air. The chief was hardly prepared for it. He hastily put up his defence. Bah! However the bullet pierced through his arms and fell squarely on his c.h.e.s.t. The chief could feel a couple of his internal organs shift. He coughed out blood. "She does that all the time." Before he could steady himself a voice came from behind him. He was about to turn around when he felt a prick in his c.h.e.s.t. He looked down. A sword was sticking out of his c.h.e.s.t. "Damn you... The chief coughed out more blood. His eyes became blurry and soon lost it''s colour. Dali pulled out his sword and flicked it to remove the blood. "Issho-san, do you want help?" Issho said without much emotion, "No." Dali shrugged and stepped back. His body reverted back to normal. Mace also reverted back to normal. He knew Issho had his own pride. Both of them immediately took to the sky and escaped. "Please stay." Issho spoke slowly and slashed his sword several times. Gravity Fall! Swish! Purple sword rays flashed around the sky before falling. The air got heavy. The two chiefs faltered for a moment. That was all Issho needed. The purple sword rays struck them. Boom! Like a meteor both of them crashed into the ground, leaving a deep pit. Busoshoku haki climbed on the stone swords. Right on the heels of that purple light covered it''s body. Cough! Cough! The two chiefs found it hard to breathe. They coughed out blood and tried to stand up. Just as they found their footing a strong sense of danger assaulted their minds. Soru!! Both of them moved instantly. However Issho simply waved his sword. Gravity Domain! The gravity around them increased several fold. The chiefs paused for a moment. Spurt! Issho released his ability and sheathed his sword. The chiefs knew they were done for. Both of them stared at Issho, and finally one of them said. "It seems it wasn''t your superior who destroyed the last fleet. It was all of you." Issho commented, "Accurate deduction." "What are you plotting? Hiding such strength?" Issho didn''t reply, nor did anyone else. Soon two more bodies occupied the ground. "What now?" Mace asked. Issho said, "They won''t send another fleet so thoughtlessly anymore. We can expect a much harder battle." Violet was walking back to them from her hideout, "How long?" "Can''t be sure. But if I have to make a guess, two weeks. That''s enough time for them to plan." The rest nodded. ... The battle between Leo''s crew and the World Government couldn''t be hid from the world. Everyone drew in a breath of cold air when they got the news. Mariejois. The five elders had solemn expressions. "An entire fleet, three CP chiefs, more than half a dozen vice chiefs and dozens of elite agents. All dead." "In the blink of an eye they grew beyond our control." "There is no point talking about it now. What''s next?" "This is the best time to take them out. However it''s impossible to get close to that island." "Then sink it. Initiate a buster call." "Agreed." "Seconded." ... Wano. Leo and Flare stood on a sandy beach. He looked at Sunny which had washed ashore. When they were swallowed by the whirlpool the Strawhats were separated and thrown to different parts of the sea. Leo walked towards Luffy who was unconscious and knocked on his forehead. "Ow!" Luffy woke up and rubbed his forehead. He looked around and asked. "Where are the others?" "Gone. The whirlpool threw them off to different parts of Wano." Luffy was confused for a moment before cheering up. "I am in Wano!" He raised his fists and cheered. Well, it''s a fortune to be so carefree. Leo thought to himself as he looked at Luffy. Just at that moment all three of them picked up movements coming from the jungle behind them. Two shadows jumped out of the jungle and clashed against each other. "A baboon and a dog? Why is the baboon holding a sword?" Leo looked on curiously. The dog and the baboon growled at each other. Luffy was curious and rushed towards them. As he got close the ape turned it''s eyes at Luffy and growled. "Huh?" Luffy shot a glare back. The ape paused for a moment before sitting down obediently, it scratched it''s head and let out a silly grin. "He has got a good grasp on haoshoku haki." Leo nodded approvingly. At this moment he raised an eyebrow and looked to the forest. Bang! A shot rang out. The bullet whistled towards Leo. He tilted his head, the bullet grazed past his ear. Pirates? He frowned. Several figure rushed out of the forest. They were all riding on a variety of large animals. And alll of them were pointing their rifles at Leo and company. One of them was about to pull the trigger when he saw Leo raise his arm through the scope. He straightened his finger and slashed down. The assaulters didn''t know what happened. All of them felt a sting in their c.h.e.s.t, they lost strength and fell down from their ride. Leo put his hand down and walked upto the dead men. He picked up a sack from one of the animals. When Leo attacked he released his haoshoku haki as well. It scared the large animals, they all had their head bowed down as he walked past them. When he opened the sack a tiny head popped out. It was a girl. She had bright eyes and looked adorable. He smiled lightly and asked, "Who might you be, young lady?" The girl looked at Leo for a second and said, "I am Tama." Chapter 230 - 230. Miserable Land Of Wano Leo smiled at Tama and let her out. Of course he brought her far from the pile of corpses before letting her down. Tama bowed and thanked Leo. Seeing how serious she was Leo was amused. He smiled and asked, "How did you end up in a sack?" Tama raised her hand and said, "Wait." She suddenly ran up to the large ape and pinched her cheek. Her cheek puffed up, and she pulled out a small ball. "Kibi Dango." A devil fruit? Interesting. Leo looked on curiously. He saw her feed the dango to the large baboon. The baboon ate it reluctantly under Leo''s glare. A few seconds after eating it the baboon let out a cheeky grin. He allowed Tama to pat his head. "Yay! I did it! I defeated the vicious beast!" Leo was curious and asked, "Interesting ability. Now, can you tell me how you ended up as a captive." Tama rubbed her head and smiled embarrassedly, "I was selling in the market when they suddenly appeared and snatched my only coin. I was angry and yelled that the Kozuki family will take care of them. And then... Flare was lost in thought as he listened to her. "Sir, I think Wano is in trouble." Leo nodded. He figured as much. He asked Luffy, "How are you going to regroup with your crew?" Luffy tilted his head and thought for a few seconds, "Guess... we will find them?" I shouldn''t have asked. Leo shook his head. Tama suddenly raised her hand and said, "Um... please come to my house. I want to thank you for saving me." "Alright." Leo agreed readily. They had no idea where to go so going with her was a start. They rode the large dog which was named Komachiyo by Tama through the forest. Not long after they reached an abandoned village among large cl.u.s.ter of trees. The village seems to have been abandoned for a while, moss had grown all over the buildings. Tama led them to her home. She immediately rushed to the kitchen and prepared food. She came out with three bowls half filled with rice. "Please eat, big brothers!" Luffy was starving. He was about to grab a bowl when Leo slapped his hands away. "Why did you do that?" He grumbled. Leo ignored Luffy and stared at Tama, "You eat first. We ate just before we found you, so we aren''t that hungry." Tama hastily put up her hands and shook her head, "No. This is my gratitude for saving me!" Leo bend down to her height and patted her head, "Eat, Tama." His voice was gentle and soft. Tama stared at Leo''s blue eyes for several seconds before she hung her head down. Beads of tears fell down. Flare didn''t speak. Luffy was surprised and was about to ask what happened when Flare gestured for him to keep silent. After a while Tama wiped her eyes and smiled. Her eyes were a bit red however her smile was genuine. Leo also smiled. He sat down along with their other two. Tama picked up a bowl and started to eat slowly. When she finished the first bowl Leo pushed the second one to her. She hesitated. "Eat. Flare isn''t hungry, right Flare?" Flare smiled. He patted his stomach and said, "I am still full." Leo smiled, "See. You shouldn''t waste food." Tama''s eyes turned blurry. She picked up the second bowl and ate slowly. Finishing the second bowl she seemed satisfied. Seeing she was full Leo said, "You can eat now, Luffy." Luffy grabbed the last bowl and ate quickly. He licked the bowl and was about to ask for more when he noticed Leo''s smile. He gulped and swallowed what he was about to say. It was at this moment someone walked in. He was wearing a robe and had a mask with a long nose on his face, he also had a pair of wings on his back. Seeing three new people inside the house he was startled. He yelled. "Who are you?!" He was about to draw his sword when Tama ran out. "Master, they saved Tama from Kaido''s people." Leo''s eyes narrowed when he heard Kaido''s name. That guy is here? What''s happening in Wano? "Oh, in that case, thank you." He bowed and thanked Leo and company. Leo waved his hand and said, "It''s fine. What''s this about Kaido?" Before he could answer Luffy cut him in, "Kaido has taken over Wano with the help of Orochi." Hm? Kaido has taken over Wano? This stunned Leo. "Yes. More than two decades ago this country fell in that monster''s hand. This village was once flourishing, but now the waste from Kaido''s weapons factory has polluted the rivers. Slowly people abandoned this place." Luffy asked, "Who are you again?" "I am Hitestsu!" Leo started to think. Flare asked, "How did Kaido come into the picture?" Hitestsu spoke solemnly, "Kaido had help from inside. Orochi, the current shogun allied with him and pushed out the true rulers of Wano, the Kozuki clan! They killed everyone who stood up against them." "Even Oden-sama was... He spoke of the past, the betrayal, Oden''s death, Toki-sama''s prophecy... Leo and the rest listened quietly. "That Kaido! I''m gonna beat that bastard!" Luffy clenched his fist. Tama heard him and said, "But-But he is strong... Luffy grinned and said, "Don''t worry. I am strong!" Leo shook his head. He suddenly pointed to the wall and asked, "Can I take a look at that?" Up on the wall was a sword. It had an evil presence to it. Hitestsu looked at Leo carefully. He had a different air to him. Of course he also noticed the sword he was carrying. "You are grandmaster swordman." Hitestsu nodded and took down the sword. He handed it to Leo. Leo pulled out the sword. The blade had a sharp gleam to it. He traced the blade and nodded his head. "A great sword." Hitestsu raised his head proudly. "Of course! Most of the famed swords out there was made by blacksmiths from Wano." "Anyway, can I take a look at your sword? It''s not one of the famed swords out there, right?" Chapter 231 - 231. Conversation Seeing Hitetsu''s enthusiasm Leo smiled. He handed his sword to him. Hitestsu drew out the sword. He traced it''s blade slowly with his index and middle finger. He then pulled the sword very close to his eyes and looked at it for a while. "Excellent craftsmanship. Only a select few individuals within Wano could create something like this. May I ask the name of it''s creator?" Hitestsu spoke respectfully. "Awataguchi Sakon." Hitestsu thought for a while before speaking, "I have never heard of him before. And from what I see your sword is barely a decade old." Leo smiled and didn''t reply. Hitestsu didn''t ask further. He sheathed the sword and handed it back to Leo. "But it''s such a shame that such craftsmanship is wasted." "Oh, why?" Leo asked curiously. He wasn''t as excellent as Sakon since he did smithing as a hobby however with his knowledge and experience he knew for a fact that his sword was an excellent weapon. Hitestsu explained, "Your sword is excellent, top among the Great Grade famed weapons, that''s without a doubt. However, it could have reached Supreme Grade." Leo raised an eyebrow in surprise, "Supreme Grade?" Hitestsu nodded, "Any swordsmith who had achieved mastery in forging and has a lifetime of experience can create Great Grade weapons with ease." "However then why is it that only 21 weapons are famed through the world?" Hitestsu paused for a second and said, "Skilled Grade, Great Grade and Supreme Grade. Every qualified weapon falls into one of these grades. And each weapon within every grade is further ranked into low, high and perfect." "Only perfect ranked weapons are known as famed weapons. Which means these weapons are perfect in their grade, there is no more room for it to grow." Hitestsu pointed at Leo''s sword, "Your sword isn''t perfect rank, it''s a high ranked sword. However your sword was forcefully raised to perfect rank." Leo was surprised. Hitestsu was able to understand all that in such a short time. He is an excellent swordsmith, maybe even on a higher level than Sakon. "You are right. My spirit resonated with it and thus raised it''s level. But why did you say my sword could have reached Supreme Grade?" Hearing Leo Hitestsu sighed, "With the ability of your sword''s creator he only needed better materials and time to create a Supreme Grade weapon." Leo said, "But the main element used in my sword is extreme rare, it tough, flexible and able to absorb recoil." Hitestsu was slightly surprised by Leo''s words, he asked, "Are you a swordsmith as well?" Leo thought for a second and replied, "I wouldn''t say I am a veteran swordsmith, but I do forge." Hitestsu nodded, "Then you should know, the core materials and the supplementary materials play a vital role in a weapon''s potential." "No matter how great someone is at smithing, a great weapon can''t be made from inferior materials." "The core element of your sword is rare, and it is very strong in many aspects but it is still lacking if one wants to create a Supreme Grade weapon." "Do you know the biggest difference between a Great Grade weapon and a Supreme Grade one?" Leo said without a moment of thought, "Spirit." Hitestsu nodded, "Yes, a spirit. You can''t expect inferior objects to give birth to a spirit, especially in a weapon. A spirit will qualitatively change a weapon." "Only certain elements under strict conditions are capable of creating a spirit. A Supreme Grade weapon must have such an element as it''s core. As for the supplementary elements, those must have nurturing abilities." "The moment a Supreme Grade weapon is made a spirit embryo will be born along with it. Once it''s wielder transfers his or her spirit to it a spirit will be born." "That will be the moment when a true Supreme Grade weapon is born." Hitestsu explanation gave Leo enlightenment. He now understood why his sword wasn''t growing. "You guys have an interesting method in categorising weapons." Leo spoke. Hitestsu was very interested in Leo''s experience. "From where we come from we use the number of strikes as a method to understand the quality of a weapon." Leo explained the different levels in weapons and how they forged. After Hitestsu heard him he said, "Interesting. It is a peculiar method, but in my opinion it''s still lacking." "Please don''t get me wrong. I respect your abilities, especially after seeing your sword. But I believe your methods can be further improved." Leo rubbed his chin and nodded. He wasn''t a staunch believer in traditional methods, he is always willing to learn new knowledge and further improve himself. Both of them spoke for a long time. Hitestsu explained forging techniques used by Wano swordsmiths and his own personal experience in smithing. They shared their knowledge and from time to time came up with some inspiring thoughts. Luffy, Flare and Tama were sidelined. They had no clue as to what they were talking about. Tama said excitedly, "Big brother is great! Master rarely speaks so long about forging with others." Flare grinned, "Of course. Sir is an excellent swordsman, the greatest. His forging skills maybe lacking, but it''s because he doesn''t spend much time on it." Leo and Hitetsu forgot about the time. They spoke till the sun was setting over the horizon. "Thank you." Hitestsu waved his hand, "It''s alright. You saved Otama. Take it as my thank you for that." Leo didn''t stand on ceremony. He looked outside and saw the sun setting. Hitestsu saw the light fading away and said, "Spend the night here. It''s Otama''s birthday today, I brought some sweets for her, let''s eat it together." Otama cheered. She hugged Hitetsu, "Thank you, master!" Leo smiled, "Happy birthday, Tama." "Happy birthday!" All of them gave their wishes to Otama. This made her very happy. Leo stood up. He walked to the door and said, "I''ll be right back." Before anyone could speak he disappeared. "Otama, have some sweets." Otama was looking at where Leo disappeared when Hitestsu gave her a small cloth bag filled with sweets. She grabbed one. Her mouth was already watering, she gulped and ate it. A blissful smile came onto her face. Hitestsu, Luffy and Flare smiled. However they also felt sad. A kid should always have that smile, not only on their birthdays. Not long after Leo came back. In his hands was a large piece of meat. "Let''s have a barbecue for the birthday girl!" Chapter 232 - 232. Prophecy Everyone stared at the large piece of meat in Leo''s hand. Hitestsu was surprised and asked, "Where did you hunt that? Is it poisonous?" Leo shook his head, "No, it''s not poisonous. As for how I found it, well, I have my ways." After two years Leo''s spiritual sense had grown tremendously. It could now cover 20 miles in every direction. Though it wasn''t easy to find a wild animal that wasn''t poisoned, it wasn''t that hard either. Flame made fire and started to grill the meat. Hitestsu brought out what little condiments they had left in the house. Soon the meat turned glossy. Oil dripped dripped from it into the fire, making sizzling sounds. The glossy meat gave off a wave of aroma. Tama gulped as she stared at the meat. Leo laughed lightly tore a small portion before giving it to her, "Happy birthday, Tama." Tama took the meat from Leo and smiled widely. She bit into it and immediately showed a blissful expression. However the next moment she opened her mouth and blowed out hot steam. Hitestsu and the rest laughed. Luffy''s mouth was watering. He wanted to eat as well but Leo stared at him the whole time. Flare looked at Leo who didn''t show any particular reaction. He then got another portion for Luffy. A while later everyone had a satisfied look on their face. Tama was laying on the floor, fast asleep. Hitestsu picked her up and placed her on a patched mattress. He pulled the blanket over her. His eyes contained sorrow as he looked Tama. He went up to Leo and bowed deeply, "Thank you. Words cannot express my gratitude." Leo got him to stand up and said, "It''s fine. She is a kid, kid''s should be pampered, especially girls." Hitestsu sat down. He heaved a sigh as he spoke, "If the Kozuki clan were still the rulers of Wano then she wouldn''t have had to go through this." When Leo heard him he replied, "Kozuki clan is the reason this country has reached such a state." Hitestsu was startled and immediately replied, "What are you speaking? Kozuki clan and Oden-sama ruled Wano righteously. Everyone had full bellies and smiles on their face when they watched over us." Leo curled his lips, "Being righteous and being a great ruler are two entirely different things. A great ruler without any sense for his enemies is worthless." Hitestsu wanted to speak but Leo raised his hand and said, "Let''s end it here." Leo turned to Luffy and asked, "So, what are you going to do now?" Luffy scratched his head and said, "Search for my friends. I am sure they must have regrouped." Hitestsu asked, "Your friends?" Luffy nodded, "Yeah. We can here to help Momo take down Orochi." Hitestsu seems to have been struck by lightning when he heard Luffy, he went silent for several seconds before asking solemnly, "Take down Orochi? Who is this Momo?" Luffy replied, "His father is that Oden guy you guys were talking about a second ago." Hitestsu nearly passed out when heard Luffy. He sat still like a stone for several moments and muttered, "It''s true... it''s true! Toki-sama''s prophecy... Leo heard him clearly and asked, "What prophecy?" Hitestsu snapped out of his trance and said excitedly, "Twenty years ago, Oden-sama was killed, his vassals life and death unknown. Kaido burned down Oden-sama''s castle, but before the castle fell, Toki-sama, Oden-sama''s wife prophecised that one day the nine red scabbards would return, on the night of the fire festival." Leo couldn''t make heads or tails about what he was talking about. He turned to look at Luffy and shook his head. It''s better to find his friends and ask them what was happening. Only they can give me a clear picture, this idiot would only make everything confusing. He asked Hitestsu, "How long to the nearest town?" Hitestsu replied, "It''s several hours from here." Leo nodded. He said to Luffy and Flare, "We''ll leave tomorrow. Get some rest." Flare and Luffy accepted the decision and went to sleep. Hitestsu was still in thought. Leo didn''t bother him and went to sleep. The next day. Leo and company were ready to set out. Tama was reluctant to part with them. Leo saw her reluctance and asked. "Wanna come with us?" Before Tama could answer Hitestsu replied, "Absolutely not. It''s dangerous to go anywhere near the towns." Leo said, "Don''t worry. I''ll take care of her." Hitestsu shook his head and didn''t change his decision. Flare suddenly spoke up, "You know, before coming here sir killed someone on the same level as Kaido." Hitestsu was shocked by the sudden info. He calmed down and asked dubiously, "Really?" Flare smiled, "Absolutely. Out there Kaido is known as a Yonko. Sir killed a Yonko, called Big Mom. So don''t worry, under his protection even Kaido himself couldn''t harm her." Hitestsu hesitated for a while. He looked at Tama and her expectant eyes, finally he caved in. "Alright. But please don''t let anything happen to her." Leo nodded seriously, "I promise." Tama jumped up and cheered. Leo smiled and picked her up. "Let''s go!" They rode Komachiyo towards the next town. Hitestsu watched their figures fade into the distance. His eyes had a hint of hope. ... Leo and company travelled for several hours before they saw the shadow of a town in the distance. But before they reached the town several people rushed out from the cover of a huge rock. Rifles were aimed at Leo and the rest. A man with bat ears and holding a bow with several arrows on his back stood infront of the men. "Hand over the little girl." "Sir, let me take of them." Flare stood up and jumped down. He landed infront of the men. Leo patted Komachiyo. It started to run again. "Bastard!" The bat eared man cursed. He pulled out an arrow and aimed it at Leo. Before he could let the arrow loose a grave sense of danger invaded his mind. He ducked instinctively. A bright sword ray flashed. Spurt! Several of the men around him fell down in their own blood and breathed their last. Flare grinned and said to the man, "I can''t have sir cleaning up trash every time." Chapter 233 - 233. The Happiest Day Of Her Life The bat eared man glared at Flare for a moment before flying up. "Die!" He nocked three arrows and shot them at Flare. "Haha, you have to do better than that!" Flare laughed and slashed his sword. Sword rays flashed out, it cut the arrows and continued towards the bat eared man. Hmph! The man scoffed and knocked a couple more arrows. This time he used busoshoku haki. Flare took care of the remaining pirates and dodged the haki coated arrows without looking back. After he was done he focused on the flying opponent and grinned. "Hey, I can fly too." Geppo! He used Geppo and flashed infront of the bat eared man in an instant. The man was stunned. He immediately raised his bow and defended. Flare cleaved down with his sword. Busoshoku haki coated his sword as it tore through the air. The man didn''t feel any pain. It was over in an instant. Flare''s sword slashed his bow in two and cut through his body in a flash. Blood spilled out as the two halfs of his body fell from air. Fl.i.c.k.i.n.g his sword Flare got rid of the blood on it. "Komachiyo is really fast." He said before disappearing into the distance. ... Tama was worried as she looked back from time to time, "Big brother, is Flare big bro going to be alright? They are really fierce." Leo patted her head and said with a smile, "Don''t worry. Flare is also very fierce." Just as he spoke Flare flew down from the sky. He landed lightly on Komachiyo''s back. Leo didn''t say anything. Tama was relieved to see Flare return safely. "Flare big brother, did you really beat them?" She asked excitedly. Flare nodded, "Of course. If I didn''t have this much strength then I am not qualified to accompany sir." Tama asked, "Big bro is very strong?" Flare smiled. He didn''t know how to answer that question, he thought for a second and said, "Let''s say that there are very few people who can actually fight sir on equal grounds." "Really?!" Tama was very happy to hear that. She giggled happily for a while. Soon they reached the town. It''s worse than I expected. Leo thought to himself. The town was devoid of any sort of activity. People walking by had skinny bodies and wore patched clothes. Just as they got down from Komachiyo they heard a rumble. Boom! A second later several houses near them were destroyed, two figures jumped out from the it. One was a man with green hair and holding three swords. He was carrying a woman in his arms. His opponent was a blonde haired man with black markings below his eyes. He held a sword that seems to be made from straws. By now Zoro noticed them. "Teacher?!" He was shocked when he saw Leo. Leo stared at Zoro and said coldly, "I don''t remember teaching you to be so weak." Zoro trembled for a moment. The lazy attitude he had a moment ago disappeared. His aura spiked in an instant. He threw the woman down on a pile of straw. Hawkins was startled. His opponent was retreating a second ago, however now he seems to be a completely different person. Before he could react Zoro moved. Three streaks of sword rays moved with incredible speed and at impossible angles. What?! Hawkins hastily raised his sword to defend. However his straw sword was slashed in two. His body was thrown back as he spewed out blood. Two scars criss crossed on his c.h.e.s.t. Blood seeped out from it. How did this guy get so strong in an instant? Hawkins stood back up and narrowed his eyes. He gripped the handle of his sword. It started to squirm and grew from the sliced off part. He was about to attack when he lost sight of Zoro. When he reacted his body was already slashed. A thin line of blood seeped out from his neck. Hawkins fell down. His body lost all of it''s strength. Zoro sheathed his sword and walked towards Leo. He bowed and said. "It''s nice to see you, teacher." Leo nodded and finally smiled. "I knew we would meet again someday, I never expected it to be so soon." Zoro asked, "Teacher, why are you here?" Leo waved his hand, "Long story, let''s leave it at that. I''m more interested in knowing why you guys are here." Tama was curiously looking at Zoro. Zoro also noticed Tama. "Ah, forgot to introduce, This is Otama, you can call her Tama." Tama sized up Zoro''s swords, "You have three swords." Zoro nodded, "I use three sword style, so it''s obvious I use three swords." Cough! Cough! Suddenly they heard someone coughing and turned around. The woman Zoro threw down a second ago got down from the pile of straws when a stack fell on her. Zoro walked to her and helped her get up. The woman bowed and thanked them, "I am Tsuru, thank you for helping me." Leo nodded and asked, "Why were they after you?" Tsuru explained, "Because they are rumours about me being a remnant of the Kozuki clan." Leo raised an eyebrow in surprise, "Are you?" Tsuru nodded, "Yes." Leo was surprised, "Should you be telling that out so causally?" Tsuru smiled, "I shouldn''t, but not to you and your friends. Please, let me attend to you." Leo nodded. Tsuru led them through the dying town towards her home. They soon reached a small tea house. "Please." She invited them in. As they stepped through the door they saw a tall woman inside. "Ma''am, I am glad you are safe." Tsuru said, "Kiku, these people saved me." The tall woman immediately bowed towards Leo and party, "You have my gratitude." Tsuru went inside and brought out some tea and a large bowl of soup that was red in colour. "Please, have some. I only have this much to show my gratitude." Leo didn''t stand on ceremony. He picked up a small bowl and poured some soup before giving it to Tama. He then picked up a bowl and took some for himself. "So tastttyy!" Tama''s cheeks puffed up as she broke out into a cheerful smile. Her eyes were starting to tear up. She swallowed a bit more and ate blissfully. At some point Leo and the rest stopped eating. Finishing her bowl Tama smiled, "This is the happiest day of my life!" Chapter 234 - 234. Stealing Food Everyone fell silent when they heard Tama. Leo reached out and rubbed her head, "Every day from now on will be the same." Tama giggled. She liked it when Leo doted on her. "Eat your fill, I need to get some fresh air." He got up and went outside. Flare followed him. Walking out Leo''s face changed. The air around him changed visibly as cold murderous intent filled his eyes. "Flare, I changed my mind. We are gonna kill the Beast Pirates." Flare nodded. He was also angry. What kind of hardship must a child go through for her to be so happy by eating a bowl of red bean soup. He didn''t know. But the thought of it filled his heart with murderous intent. "What should I do, sir?" Leo said, "Find the other strawhats. If they are here to help that Kozuki clan kid then they must have a plan. We''ll provide support." Flare frowned, "Sir, isn''t it much simpler if you just take care of Kaido. Cut off the head, that''s cleaner." Leo shook his head, "Oden''s idiocy led this country into what it is now. If it is won back so easily people won''t understand it''s value. If rhey want their country back, they need to bleed." Flare nodded. Leo thought for a second and said, "Also, find which town has lots of food." At this moment Tsuru came out. She heard Leo and asked, "Why do you need to know that? Don''t tell me you plan on snatching food." Leo replied, "That''s exactly what I plan to do." Tsuru said seriously, "I know you are strong but Kaido and Orochi has been ruling this country for years. They have eyes and ears everywhere, if you snatch something from them they will know and they will come after you." Leo grinned when he heard her, "Let them come, I am right here." Tsuru saw the look in his eyes and knew she couldn''t persuade him so she said, "It''s better you know where to go rather than fly around headlessly." "Go in that direction. You''ll reach Bakura town, that''s where the officials live. Tributes pass through that place every day." Leo nodded. All of them headed back inside and saw Luffy and Tama stuffing their mouth full. Leo turned to Zoro and asked, "Now tell me the situation around Kozuki Momonusuke." Zoro nodded and explained, "Twenty years ago Momonosuke''s mother threw them to the future... "So you guys plan to gather the rest of Oden''s vassals and form an army before storming Onigashima." Zoro nodded. Leo suddenly asked, "What do you make of Kaido''s strength?" Zoro frowned. For his teacher to ask such a question, it means he is not confident of their plan. Leo shook his head and explained, "No matter how greatly you overestimate Kaido''s strength, you will always underestimate it." Zoro asked, "Is he that strong, teacher?" Leo nodded, "Kaido is beast, a true monster. His body is tough and has incredible healing ability. His busoshoku haki is top notch, his kenbunshoku haki is on the weaker side but he makes up for it with his brute strength." "If there is a ranking for Yonko then he would be at rank 2 with Big Mom and Blackbeard coming in at 3rd and 4th. Don''t think it''s a small difference, at their height a single level means an insurmountable mountain to normal people." Zoro tuned solemn. His teacher had fought Kaido two years ago, he knows first hand about Kaido''s strength. Leo stood up, "Anyway, you don''t have to worry about Kaido anymore. Just play your part and take care of the rest." Zoro asked, "Teacher, you mean... Leo nodded. Zoro let out a breath of relief. With his teacher''s strength it''s a guaranteed win. Leo asked, "So what''s your next plan?" Zoro said, "Head to the next town. Our friends are in different parts of Wano recruiting people for the army." Leo nodded, "That''s good. Let''s go together." Zoro had no problem with that. Tama was resting on the floor when she heard Leo. She got back on her feet and ran to him, "Big brother, are you going to the next town?" Leo knew why she was asking that, he smiled, "We are going." Not long after they said goodbye to Tsuru and left for the next town. It didn''t take them long to reach there. Leo''s spiritual sense spread out and combed through the town. A lot of information flooded his mind, his mind automatically filtered irrelevant information and focused on what he was looking for. Not here. Guess I''ll have to wait. Seeing that the tribute wasn''t here they decided to wait it out. Luffy, Zoro and Flare had already gone off to find the other strawhats. Leo was holding Tama as he walked around the town. Unlike before this place was lively and had life to it. Tama smelled a nice fragrance. Her mouth drooled. Leo caught her drooling and found the source of that aroma. It was a noodle shop. He walked into the shop. "Boss, two large servings." Leo gave Tama a pair of chopsticks, "Let''s dig in." Tama held the bowl and ate slowly. She looked very happy. Leo smiled as well and ate. They cleaned out the bowl and left the shop. Right on time. As they left the shop Leo''s spiritual sense locked onto a large cart filled with fruits, grains and meat moving through the streets. Leo picked up Tama and stood right in the middle of the road. Not long after the large cart appeared in his sight. He looked at Tama asked, "Tama, do you want others at that town to have more to eat." Tama nodded strongly, "I do!" Leo raised his head and focused on the large cart, "Then let''s make it happen." Chapter 235 - 235. Ashura Dogi Leo stood in the middle of the road while holding Tama. The cart inched closer to them. The pirates escorting the cart saw them and raised their guns. Leo curled his lips and lifted his right arm. He stretched out his index and middle finger and made a stabbing motion. Sword rays as thin as hairs blinked in and out of existence. The pirates escorting the cart felt a tug in their c.h.e.s.t, it felt as if something stabbed through them. Since he was with Tama Leo didn''t want the scene to get messy. He simply made his attack as small as possible and pierced through their hearts. Like dominos the pirates fell down one by one. The animals pulling the cart kept on moving. Leo narrowed his eyes. His haoshoku haki leaked out, causing the animals to come to a sudden halt. They trembled and lowered their heads to Leo. He jumped up and found a comfortable position on the cart. He then patted the animals. "Let''s go." Tama was excited, "Uwaa, big brother, how did you do that?" Leo smiled, "Haha, I am very powerful." They left Bakura town. The pedestrians who saw what happened were shocked, they whispered among themselves. "They took the tribute." "Orochi-sama is going to furious!" Very soon they reached the town. Tsuru was outside when they arrived with the large cart filled with food. She was shocked to see them come back so fast. The cart came to a stop beside Tsuru. Leo held Tama and jumped down. "Tsuru-san, can you hand out the food?" Tsuru snapped out from her shock. She stared at Leo and said in disbelief, "I can''t believe you did it." Leo shrugged. Tsuru sighed. What happened had happened. The townspeople had seen the cart full of food, they were crowding around it. However no one rushed in to get some despite their hunger. Tsuru instructed some of the townspeople and started to hand out the food. Tama also went to help, though her contribution was negligible Leo was still happy to see her smile. An hour later the cart was fully unloaded and it''s contents were distributed to the townsfolk. Tama was munching on an apple. Leo was sitting beside her with his hand supporting his chin. He looked at the smile on everyone''s face and sighed. With this they should atleast be fine for a couple of days. As he was lamenting on their sad fate a ruckus was heard from the entrance of the town. "Bandits! Bandits are here!" "The Atayama bandits are here!" He saw a group of people lead by a bulky man riding a large bull enter the town. He was chugging on a gourd of wine. Tsuru heard the commotion and came out. When she saw the man leading the group she had a complicated expression. Leo saw her expression and asked, "You know him?" Tsuru nodded. She sighed and said, "He is one of Oden-sama''s vassals, Ashura Dogi." Leo was surprised. He turned to look at the man. He had a strong presence. The man rode the bull through the streets. His men started to snatch whatever food that was handed out to the people. "Interesting." Leo had a smiled on his face as he studied the guy. He stood up and walked towards Ashura. Ashura also noticed Leo. His instinct as a samurai told him that this man was dangerous. A stern expression took over his face. He grabbed the hilt of his sword and got down from the bull. "Who the hell are you?" Leo didn''t respond to him and simply said, "Leave." Ashura was taken back for a second. He glared at Leo and said, "I should leave if you say so?! I am a bandit! I do what I want!" Leo curled his lips, "Is that so? Then why do you feel guilt?" "Guilt? What kind of nonsense are you spouting?" "It''s a good plan. Snatch back whatever you can from the people and focus the heat on you." Leo was unperturbed by his scary aura. He smiled and said. "Rest assured. As long as I am here nothing will happen." Ashura stared at Leo for a good while. He wanted to draw his sword but he couldn''t find a clear path of attack. Every path seems to be filled with death. After a while he said, "You are strong. But you can''t go against that man." Saying his piece Ashura got back on his ride and yelled, "You fools, let''s go!" His men were stunned for a moment. They then dropped what they snatched and left with Ashura. Tsuru patted her c.h.e.s.t and heaved a sigh of relief. She was afraid they would start a fight. Ashura may come off as an evil person but he was in fact a good man. Leo returned to Tama who handed him an apple, "Here you go, big brother." He smiled and took it from her, "Thanks." Very soon smoke rose from chimneys around the town. Though what they got was only enough for a day or two they were still satisfied. They could live for a few more days. And that was enough. Tsuru came out of her house while wiping her hands with a towel. "Food is ready. Come in." Leo got up and walked inside. He smelled some good stuff. "Kiku and I went all out, as thanks for what you did." There was a table filled with food waiting for them. Tama silently gulped and sneaked a few looks to see if anyone saw her. As an aspiring kunoichi it would be shameful if she couldn''t control her hunger. Everyone noticed it but no one pointed it out. All of them sat down. Leo picked up a pair of chopsticks and said, "Let''s dig in." Chapter 236 - 236. Kaido Appears The mood inside the house was warm. Everyone had smiles on their faces as they ate. Leo ate heartily. Since there was enough food he didn''t mind eating his fill. As they were finishing their meal they heard a loud rumble. Kiku and Tsuru were shocked, it was too loud. Leo put down the chopsticks and got up. Geez, one after another. Couldn''t he have come a bit later. He got outside and looked to the sky. The clouds had turned dark. And amidst the clouds was a serpentine creature that was so large that it filled the sky. It coiled around inside the clouds. The townsfolk were trembling when they saw this creature. Their faces went pale with fear. The children were sobbing, and their mothers tried to comfort them despite their own fear. Tsuru and Kiku ran out with Tama. Their face paled when they saw the creature. Both of exclaimed. "Kaido!!" As responding to them a large dragon head popped out from out the clouds. Kaido in his dragon form looked at the town. His eyes immediately locked onto Leo. "Worororo, it''s you. Hicc.." Kaido spoke slowly. His voice was a bit lazy. Leo was surprised. He is drunk? Kaido suddenly opened his mouth. A blast of energy shot down from his mouth towards the town. Leo didn''t even raised an eyebrow. He grabbed the hilt of his sword. A sword ray flashed for a second and disappeared. Boom! Kaido''s eyes seems to have gotten back some clarity as he stared at Leo. Leo had an indifferent look on his face as he stared back. After a long while Kaido let out a wild laugh. "Worororo, it looks like you got stronger. I''ll be waiting for our next battle." With that said Kaido rose higher into the sky and disappeared. Tsuru''s legs get out, she sat down on the ground and panted. Being stared at by such an existence horrified her. Leo walked back to the house. Tama was hiding behind Kiku, her face was pale. He bend down and patted her head, "Don''t worry, he is gone." Tama sobbed and jumped into his c.h.e.s.t. Leo caught her and comforted her. Kiku had a strange look on her face. When Kaido''s vision fell on them another power enveloped them, shielding them from his enormous haoshoku haki. Leo looked at Tsuru and asked, "You ok?" Tsuru nodded, "I am fine. It was nerve wracking to be stared at by such a creature." Leo didn''t say anything else and went inside the house. ... On another part of Wano. Luffy, Zoro and Flare had met up with the other Strawhats. They were now looking at the huge dragon in the sky. "That''s Kaido... A man wearing a polar hat with tattoos on his arms said. Usopp grabbed his head and said in panic, "We have to fight against that monster?! It''s impossible!" "He is coming towards us!" Everyone looked to the sky and saw Kaido flying towards them. Luffy punched his palm and said, "You guys run, I''ll hold him off!" Nami chopped on his head and yelled, "Shut up! Everyone, let''s go!" They all rushed down the mountain. But before they could run far Kaido who was getting close to them opened his mouth. A beam of light condensed inside his mouth and shot out. Luffy stopped running. As did Zoro, both of turned around to face Kaido. Luffy bit his arm and blew on it. His body started to swell up like a balloon. Gear 4! Zoro readied his stance. Busoshoku haki climbed on his sword, all three swords gleamed with power. The blast of energy had already reached them. Gum-Gum no King Kong! Zoro''s sword domain expanded. His breathing got stronger and longer as he breathed out a cloud of hot air. Three sword style, Three thousand Worlds! Boom! Luffy''s fist struck the energy blast. Right on the heels of it was a cl.u.s.ter of sword rays. It chipped through the energy blast. The air stagnated when they collided. The other Strawhats didn''t look back and ran as fast as they could. They knew if they stopped for even a moment Luffy and Zoro would be burdened. Booomm!! The energy wave exploded. Luffy was thrown back, he flew through the air for a good distance. Zoro controlled his body and landed safely on the ground. However the aftershock pushed him through the ground, leaving two long trenches. "Zoro, he is mine." Luffy focused on Kaido and said seriously. Zoro paused for a moment before sheathing his sword. "Don''t die." He said and ran off. Kaido was already close. Luffy kicked the air and rushed at him. Zoro moved with incredible speed. He soon caught up with the others. The tattooed man only saw Zoro and knew what happened. However he didn''t say anything and raised his arm. A ripple spread out from him and covered a large distance. Swish! A second after they left the mountain they were on erupted into flames. Luffy was blasted through the flames. He flew through the air and fell inside the town a long distance away. Kaido landed infront of Luffy and scoffed, "A bunch of reckless upstarts." ... A long distance away from Kaido the tattooed man and the rest of the Strawhats appeared. The tattooed man was sweating. The moment they reappeared he kneeled down and panted. "Law, are you okay?" The kimono wearing man asked. Law looked at everyone and said solemnly, "We are exposed. Right now, we need a safe place to regroup and plan our next move." Usopp immediately asked, "But where? Orochi and Kaido''s men are everywhere, and there are wanted posters of some of us all around the town." Law stood up and said, "We don''t know what happened to mugiwara-ya, however we have to assume he was captured. We have to plan our next move and break him out when everything is ready." Everyone nodded. "But where should we go?" Everyone looked at each other for an answer. At this moment Zoro said, "I know a place." Chapter 237 - 237. Enemy? Kaido returned to his base, Onigashima. He threw down the bagua and sat down on the floor before taking out a big gourd and chugging it down. Sake dripped down from his mouth. He finished the entire gourd in one sitting. Pereperepere. At this moment a small den-den mushi next to him rang. Kaido threw down the bottle and picked up the call. "Kaido-san, there is news from New World." From the other side came Queen''s voice. Kaido grumbled, "When did you start stammering? Just say it already." Queen went silent for a while before saying slowly, "Big Mom is dead." Hm? Kaido''s eyes went wide. He was truly shocked this time. "Who killed her? It can''t be those Navy dogs, was it the World Government?" "Neither. It was that marine you fought two years ago." Kaido sat up straight. A strange light flashed through his eyes. "When did this happen?" "A few days ago." Kaido rested his chin on his arm and thought. He killed Big Mom and hitched a ride to Wano? "Kaido-san, I heard he is here." Kaido scuffed, "So what? Should I be scared of him?!" Queen replied, "Kozuki remnants are trying to make a mess. Oden''s son seems to have returned to Wano with his vassals, they are gathering an army." Kaido nonchalantly said, "Then kill them all. I don''t need disobedient dogs." After saying that he hung up. Though he spoke rather carelessly Kaido was thinking a lot about what was currently happening and what Leo''s goal was in Wano. ... Leo was sitting on a bench. He was leaning against the wall of a house and meditating when his spiritual sense picked up a group coming towards the town. "Oh, a big group." He looked at the town entrance. After a while a group entered the town. Luffy and company saw Leo. They weren''t surprised. Since Flare was here it was obvious he would be here as well. Zoro saw his hesitation and said, "Don''t worry. If you were evil in teacher''s eyes you would be dead even before we entered the town." Law nodded and walked forward. "They have food?" The man wearing Kimono suddenly said. He saw several children eating fruits as he walked through the streets. Chopper asked, "I thought only some towns had food." Flare explained, "Sir got some food from the officials." Officials? Aren''t they Orochi''s men? That is to say... he snatched food? A marine being a thief? All of them had peculiar expressions on their faces. When they reached Leo he asked, "Where is that idiot?" Flare said, "Kaido was onto us. He stayed back for us to escape." Leo frowned. After a second he said, "It''s fine. He won''t die that easily." He led everyone inside the house. When they walked inside Kinemon saw Tsuru and Kiku, he was shocked and yelled out happily. "Otsuru! Kiku! You guys are alive!" Tama was sleeping. She woke up when she heard him yell. She rubbed her eyes and looked at the group of people, she spotted Zoro and Flare. So she asked. "Where is big brother Luffy?" Kinemon who was happy to see Tsuru and Kiku turned silent. The rest didn''t speak as well. This time Flare hesitated to speak. Leo smiled lightly and said, "He had some other business. He will come back in a few days." "Oh, ok." Tama went out to wash her face before coming back in. Tsuru gave her a glass of fruit juice. She happily sipped on it. Seeing Tama was taken care of Leo asked, "You know him?" Tsuru replied, "He is my husband." Ehhhhh?! Everyone looked at Kinemon incredulously. "What?! Why is it so hard to believe?!" Hearing his angry retort everyone smiled awkwardly. Leo ignored them and asked Zoro, "When do you plan to attack? How many men you got so far?" Zoro replied, "Teacher, we plan to attack Onigashima on the night of the fire festival. So far we got over a thousand men. Kinemon and Kanjuro are preparing to meet up with the other vassals, we are hoping they might provide help." Leo rubbed his chin. This is the same as that prophecy. That woman, Toki... is her powers solely dependent on her devil fruit or was she born with it, like Shirahoshi. At this time Chopper nudged Zoro and asked, "Why do you keep calling him teacher?" Zoro replied, "Because he taught me for the last two years." "He taught you?!" It wasn''t just Chopper. The other Strawhats were shocked as well. What does it mean for a marine to teach a pirate, and an infamous one as Zoro. They were wanted by the World Government, The World Government! Law had a peculiar look in his eyes. Usopp patted Zoro''s shoulder and said, "That''s great. He won''t catch us now since you are his student... right?" Zoro was lazy to respond to him. Leo raised his head and said, "Alright, I understand your plans. If it might help, one of Oden''s vassals, Ashura Dogi was here earlier." Kinemon was startled to hear that and stood up excitedly, "Sir, where is he now?" Leo shrugged, "How would I know?" Tsuru spoke up, "He went to the mountains. That''s their base, you will certainly find him there." Kinemon nodded and stood up, "We can''t lose a single moment. Me and Kanjuro will seek him out, in the mean time I leave lord Momonosuke in your hands, Otsuru." Tsuru nodded. Just as he was about to leave with Kanjuro Leo spoke. "You can go, but he must stay. I have some questions for him." Leo pointed to Kanjuro. Before Kinemon could ask why Flare flashed infront of Kanjuro and sunk his fist into his gut. Kanjuro bent down like a shrimp. Flare grabbed his head and slammed it on the ground. "No blood here. Tama is watching." Flare pulled back his strength and grabbed Kanjuro by his neck before cuffing him with kairoseki. The strawhats, Kinemon, Momonosuke and the rest were shocked. They didn''t expect such a drastic change. "I thought he was your teacher! Why is he attacking us?!" Usopp was panicking and asked Zoro. Contrary to his expectations Zoro didn''t reply and asked Leo, "Teacher, is there something wrong with him?" Leo curled his lips, "Of course there is. He is a spy." Chapter 238 - 238. Plans A spy?! Everyone was shocked. Nami covered her mouth and asked in disbelief, "How is that possible?" Kinemon was panicking, "Is there a mistake? He had gone through many dangers with us, we even faced death together!" They all waited for Leo''s response. "He is a spy. As for evidence... you''ll get that soon." Leo spoke slowly. He nodded to Flare who dragged Kanjuro outside the house. He then disappeared from everyone''s sight. "Sit down. It''s gonna take a while." The Strawhats were confused. The situation hit them out of nowhere. However Zoro wasn''t as bothered as they were. He sat down and closed his eyes. "Oi, Zoro. Aren''t you worried he is lying?" Usopp asked softly. Zoro barely opened his eyes and said, "Teacher doesn''t need to go through so much trouble, he would just cut us all down." With that Usopp shut up. Tama was curious as to what happened and asked, "Big brother, what happened?" Leo explained to her, "That guy was working for the enemy, so I had uncle Flare take him far away for questioning." "Oh!" For some reason everyone trembled when they heard the word ''questioning''. After a hour Flare came back. Kanjuro wasn''t with him, however Zoro, Law and Kinemon spotted a speck of blood on the corner of his uniform. "Sir, he was sent by the current shogun, Orochi. His job was to send intel at regular intervals. Last delivery was a day ago." Flare reported. Leo nodded, "Good work. Since he is taken of your movements from now on will be invisible. Go do your own thing." Speaking upto here he turned to Chopper and threw a small box to him. Chopper caught it. He opened it and found several small vials filled with different coloured liquids. He looked at Leo confused. Leo explained, "That''s all the drugs I have on me. Poison resistance, faster recovery, healing... there are a few samples of those inside. I heard you are an excellent doctor, those might help you." Chopper widened his eyes in surprise and thanked Leo. After that episode Kinemon took Usopp and went to find Ashura. Tsuru arranged a house for them to stay temporarily. It wasn''t big, but it was enough. Once they settled in they combed through their plan. "Law, where is your crew?" Law leaned on the wall and said, "They will meet up with us soon." He then said to the others, "The flier meant for those with the half moon mark have spread throughout Wano. Our next step is to bring them all together on the night of the fire festival, but the only problem is, we don''t have enough weapons." Flare cut in when he heard Law, "I''ll take care of the weapons." Everyone looked at him, Chopper asked, "How?" Flare curled his lips into a smile, "Orochi has a number of armouries." Oh, they are gonna rob again. Why does it feel as if they act more like a pirate than we do? Shaking off irrelevant thoughts Nami asked everyone, "What about Luffy? We need to save him." Zoro rubbed his chin for a second and said, "I say let''s take it easy. The more we plan the easier it''s to lose some details. Let''s just keep it simple." Chopper was worried, he asked, "Will he be alright?" Zoro waved his hand, "Don''t worry, he''ll be fine. Anyway, where is Brooke, Robin and Franky?" "They are collecting intel on the enemy. Right, we should meet up with them." Since most of the plans were laid out Flare got up. He threw a den-den mushi to Nami and said, "I''ll inform you when I get the weapons." Nami caught the den-den mushi and asked curiously, "Why are you guys helping us?" Flare was about to leave the room when he heard her. He paused for a second and said, "Orochi and Kaido made Tama''s life miserable." He left after saying that. Everyone looked at each other lost in thought. Zoro grabbed his swords and walked out, "I''ll be leaving as well. Call me if you need something." Chopper asked, "Where are you going?" Zoro tilted his head and thought, "I don''t know. I''ll just look around. Don''t worry, teacher is here. Even Kaido himself won''t be able to hurt anyone of you with him here." With that Zoro also left. Law said to Nami, "With that marine our plans are much more guaranteed. I''ll go get my crew. Inform me if something pops up." Now most of them were gone except for Nami and Chopper. At this moment Tsuru came inside, "I see your friends are gone." Nami smiled and said, "They have some things to do. Thanks for giving us a place to stay." "Don''t worry about it. You are here to help us, this is the least I can do." Nami asked, "Is there anything I can help you with. Now that most of the things are taken care of I have a lot of free time." "Is that so? Then why don''t you help me with some chores." Nami was happy to help. She asked Chopper, "You coming?" Chopper shook his head, "You go ahead. I have to replicate those drugs he gave me, it''ll take a lot of time." Nami nodded and left with Tsuru. When he walked outside she saw Momonosuke practising with a wooden sword. "He is working hard." Nami spoke with a smile on her face. Tsuru nodded. She turned her head and saw Leo with Tama. He was helping her to adjust her posture. Tama looked clumsy as she made a rough pose. However Leo was very calm and patient as he helped her. "He is really good to Tama." She mumbled. Tsuru was right next to her, so she heard her and said, "Yes. He really dotes on her. And I am glad he is, she has gone through a lot." Nami turned to face her and said seriously, "Don''t worry, this will all change. We''ll take down Kaido!" Tsuru nodded and said, "I hope so." Chapter 239 - 239. Outside World Leo''s hearing was excellent. He could hear what they were speaking and smiled. He slightly adjusted Tama''s foot and said, "A stable footing is very crucial. It can increase your strength as well as train your core." Tama was a just a kid. Her short arms and legs didn''t have enough strength to perform the stances for long periods of time. Seeing her working so hard Leo asked, "Why do you want to be a kunoichi?" Tama replied seriously, "As a warrior it''s an honour." Leo smirked. You are just a kid. Why are you speaking about honour at your age? "But is that where you talents lie?" Tama tilted her head in confusion. Leo laughed lightly. He picked her up and explained patiently, "Kunoichi is just one path you can take. I don''t know if you have the talent for it or not. If you do have talent, then that''s great but if you don''t... Tama asked in a soft voice, "If I don''t have talent... Leo smiled and said, "Don''t blindly follow others, Tama. You are a kid. Kid''s should have imagination. So imagine whatever you want to be, don''t just focus on one. And when you feel like something is really right for you, grab it." "Did you also do that, big brother?" Leo thought for a moment, "Well... I didn''t try out a lot of things. The first thing I did try was the one I am very good at." "My situation isn''t the right example here. But my wife''s is." Tama asked, "Big brother''s wife?" Leo nodded. He smiled and said, "From where we come from a woman''s strength wasn''t enough to take down certain enemies. So she found a method suitable for her. In the end she became so strong that her enemies feared and awed her." Tama''s eyes shined when she heard that, "Really?" "Of course. Out in the world no one would dare annoy her. Even Kaido would have to take her seriously." "Really?! Then I want to be like big sister." Flare who was chopping wood some distance away faltered when he heard her. A strained expression appeared on his face. One smiling devil is already enough in this sea. Sir, please don''t create a second one. He prayed silently. Leo chuckled and said, "Once everything is over I''ll take you out of Wano. Then you can meet my wife, she is very beautiful, like a fairy." Tama asked, "Will I be a fairy as well when I grow up?" Leo pinched her nose and said, "Tama is already a little fairy, I''m sure you will become a stunning fairy when you grow up." "Ehehe." Tama laughed foolishly. Her smiled was addicting, be it Leo, Flare, Tsuru, Kiku or others they would never tire of it. Leo said, "You know there are a lot of interesting place outside. Have you every seen a mermaid?" Tama asked, "What''s a mermaid?" "A mermaid is a person with upper torso like us and lower body like a fish. They are very beautiful." "There are a lot of other interesting places out there, like Sabaody Archipelago, which is a huge mangrove. Bubbles would float out from it''s ground and rise up to the sky. Then there is Water seven, which is an island that is actually floating in the sea... Leo spoke about his travels and the different kinds of people he met. Tama was listening intently. Time slipped by, soon it was time for lunch. Ever since Leo robbed Bakura town, the people from this town had enough to eat. All of them ate heartily. After their meal Tsuru brought out some sweets. Leo had a sweet tooth so he was very happy to eat some. Very soon the plate was finished. Just as they were relaxing two people walked in. Both of them were huge. Leo raised his head and said, "Inuarashi, Nekomamushi, so you guys are Oden''s vassals." The one''s who entered were Inuarashi and Nekomamushi. Nekomamushi laughed, "Yeah. It''s been a long time since I left this place, brings back memories." Leo scoffed. He glared at both of them and asked, "I don''t give a hoot about that. All I wanna know is why you bozos allowed Pedro to leave." When they heard him both of them sighed. Inuarashi said, "Pedro is a mink, and he is also a warrior. It would be insulting if we stopped him from doing what he believed." Leo replied, "He was going on a suicide mission. Don''t tell me you guys didn''t know that!" Both of them didn''t speak. After a while Leo shook his head. "I''ll let it go this time. Be glad I was there on time, if something had happened to him I would have made you two very miserable." Inuarashi and Nekomamushi laughed wryly. They believed him. Tama who was sitting beside Leo looked at Inuarashi and Nekomamushi curiously. A talking dog and a talking cat. Leo saw her curiousity and laughed, "They are from a race called minks." "Since you are here, do you plan on... Leo replied, "Oh, Kaido must go. However the battle must happen." Nekomamushi frowned, "Many will die." Leo smiled coldly, "War is like that, my friend. Kozuki lost this country because of a foolish ruler. So if they want to take it back they must bleed." Inuarashi stared at Leo and said seriously, "Oden was a great man." Leo smirked, "I''m sure he was. But he failed as a ruler. This country was his legacy, and look what it turned into. Can you say from your heart that this wasn''t because of his foolishness?" Inuarashi and Nekomamushi wanted to speak but they couldn''t find the right words to do so. Momonosuke heard everything. He clenched his fist, tears welled up in his eyes. Leo saw him from the corner of his eyes and shook his head. He was looking for something in this kid and found nothing. Chapter 240 - 240. Execution No one spoke for a while. Leo sighed and shook his head, "Anyway, where were you guys? It''s be a few days since I got here." Before answering Inuarashi reached into his jacket and pulled out a flyer, "We were busy gathering our allies. But the situation isn''t looking good." Leo took the flyer and studied it for a second before asking, "What does this mean?" Inuarashi explained, "On the night of the fire festival at Wapu harbor." Leo asked, "What happened?" Nekomamushi had a solemn expression as he said, "Somehow our enemy got wind of this. Every person with a half moon tattoo on their ankle is being arrested." Leo threw the flyer back to Inuarashi and said, "About how the enemy knew your movements, there was a spy. And he is a very close friend of yours, Kanjuro." Inuarashi and Nekomamushi were taken back when they heard Leo, they failed to react for a second. Their minds blanked out. After a few seconds Nekomamushi laughed bitterly, "I can''t believe this. He went through so much with us, how could he... Inuarashi didn''t speak. From his face everyone could understand their current emotions. As the person who interrogated Kanjuro Flare said, "Don''t feel sad about that guy. He was your enemy from the start, he didn''t betray you as that was his purpose all along." Leo nodded, "Let it go. Now your immediate matter would be to solve the crisis your allies are in." Inuarashi and Nekomamushi didn''t dwell on the matter for much long. They had a goal and stumbling was not allowed. "That ba*tard Orochi had them all locked up in the Flower Capital." Nekomamushi asked. Leo asked, "Why don''t you guys just break them out?" Inuarashi shook his head, "We can''t do that. Orochi is a coward. Once he see us in the flesh he might do something extreme out of fear." Leo asked, "So, what now?" "We move on with the plan. One of our friends is already on the it. He is very good at what he does so we can expect those men to be free before the fateful night." Leo nodded. ... Flower capital. A man with long ear lobes walked into a house. Several men dressed as ninjas followed him. "Lift him up." The man came to a stop and ordered his men. Those men followed his order and lifted a man who was chained to the walls. The man pulled out a flyer and asked, "Speak. What does this mean?" The man in chains didn''t utter a word. He simply stared at him with a silly smile on his face. Seeing as he was getting no response the man nodded. Those ninjas around him came forward and started to beat up the guy in chains. "Speak and I''ll give you a swift death." "Ahahaha... However even now all he got was a foolish laugh. Finally the man with long ear lobes lost patience. He slapped the chained man. The man spurted blood and slammed into the walls. As he crashed down onto the floor the cloth he had tied over his head came undone. The man with long ear lobes frowned. He came close to the chained man and grabbed his hair before taking a close look. "I see... it was you." His tone turned serious as he finally figured out who this was. He threw the man down and immediately left. Along the way he muttered, "He is still alive. Orochi-sama isn''t going to like this." The night of the fire festival was approaching. Leo was helping Tama practice a few easy stances. It was at this time he saw a man riding a horse enter the town. He threw out flyers as he rushed through the streets. He caught one flyer. On it was the drawn picture of a man with afro hair and a silly smile. Yasuei? Who is that? The flyer was an announcement for this man''s execution. They are making a big deal out of this man''s execution. Is he that important? Suddenly he saw Inuarashi and Nekomamushi rush out of the house in a panic. Kiku and Tsuru also came out looking distressed. "Leo, this is bad. They are going to execute Yasuei-dono!" Inuarashi said. Leo asked, "Who is this Yasuei guy?" Nekomamushi explained solemnly, "He is the Daimyo of Kuri and the closest friend to Oden-sama! Without his help Oden-sama would have never succeed in his endeavours." Hearing Nekomamushi Leo raised an eyebrow in surprise. Inuarashi was panicking, "What should we do? It will take several hours for us to reach the Flower Capital, and the execution is in an hour!" The group was starting to panic. Leo thought for a second asked Flare, "Can you get there in time?" Flare didn''t give a guarantee, "I can try." Leo nodded, "Good. Act according to the situation." Flare gave a nod and left. "Don''t worry. Though he may not be the strongest among my crew, he is still dependable. He will get your friend back safely." The others could only wait and hope that Flare would get there in time. ... Flower capital. In front of the magistrates building was a large fenced area. Inside the fenced area was a wooden pillar. Yasuei was tied to the top of the pillar. His body was filled with scars and blood. However his eyes were bright. A large crowd had gathered infront of the magistrates building. Yasuei looked at the crowd and at the land of Wano. He felt emotional. The leafs from sakura trees danced with the wind, the beautiful waterfall and the grand Mt. Fuji. Though this country was now run by sc.u.m, it still had a sense of beauty that calmed his mind. That silly smile he had all along didn''t fade as he said. "What a nice view. It''s a good day to die." Chapter 241 - 241. Surprise The large crowd of people looked at Yasuei with complicated emotions. They all respected this man, and now he was going to be executed like a common criminal. Looking over the crowd Yasuei smiled in a silly manner. He spoke loudly, "First of all, I would like to apologize to everyone." The crowd surrounding the magistrate''s office went silent. Some of them had pained expressions on their face as they looked at Yasuei. "Lately a rumour has been going around. That, Kozuki is gathering men for battle." "Sorry everyone. It''s been twenty years. I couldn''t let go of my revenge, but I realized... I couldn''t get my revenge." "So as a sort of prank I handed out those flyers. But who would have thought Orochi would be a bigger coward than I thought." "He caught every person with a half moon tattoo on their ankle. Hahaha, how hilarious. Hahaha." Yasuei''s laugh spread through the field. On one side of the magistrate''s office was the captured men. All of the clenched their fist so tight that their arms went pale. "Yasuei-sama... Their faces turned ugly. They knew he was doing this for them, to keep the plan alive. "That damn Yasuei!" This was the current shogun of Wano, Orochi. Since Yasuei was someone with his status his execution was being shown all over Wano. But he didn''t expect the damn fool to speak so much. How dare he call me a coward!? Orochi tightened the grip on the gun he was holding. A couple of veins popped on his forehead. He glared at Yasuei from afar. Seeming to have sensed hatred Yasuei looked up. His face bloomed into a silly smile. "It''s been so many years, Orochi. You are still a coward as you were in the past. All those years you hid like a rat waiting for an opportunity." "You betrayed the kindness Oden-sama showed you." "Hahaha, I am satisfied that I can see your wretched face full of fear before I die." "Those words Toki-sama spoke still rings clear in my head." "Twenty years later, on the night of the fire festival, nine red scabbards... Bang! Before Yasuei could finish a shot rang out. It was Orochi. Blood spilled. Yasuei''s c.h.e.s.t was bleeding. "Fire!" The magistrate gave his order as soon as he saw Orochi fire. Dozens of rifles aimed at Yasuei and fired. The pillar was dyed in red. Yasuei''s body trembled as the iron shells sunk into his body. At some point the binding keeping him on the pillar came undone. He fell with a thud on the ground. "Father!!" When Yasuei''s body fell an imm.a.t.u.r.e voice filled with despair rang out. A girl about five or six was running through the crowd in tears. "Toko! Dammit!" The young girl named Toko reached the fence. Her eyes brimming with tears never left Yasuei. "Father! Father... She tried to squeeze her body through the fence. And after a few tries she got through. She ran to Yasuei. "Father, wake up. Wake up... She shook his body, but there was no response. "Toko!" The woman who was with Zoro yelled in shock when she saw where Toko was. Orochi who saw Toko and shouted in anger. "It''s that brat! So you were Yasuei''s daughter!" "Die with your father!" Bang! He pulled the trigger. The bullet whistled through the air, in a split second it was right infront of Toko. However before it hit her Zoro flashed infront of Toko. He flicked the bullet to the side. Looking back at Toko Zoro''s heart felt pained. Veins popped on his temple as rage welled up inside him. He drew out his other sword. At this moment Sanji landed infront of him. "Oi, marimo, take the kid and go. I''ll take care of this." Sanji''s tone was very calm but he was as angry as Zoro. "Like hell I will. Get Toko and leave. I''ll follow you after I get that guy''s head." Murderous intent poured out of Zoro as his eyes focused on Orochi. Orochi who was standing on top of the carriage fell on his b.u.t.t when he saw Zoro''s gaze. He trembled with fright. "Kill them! Kill them!" He yelled hysterically. The men surrounding the execution grounds fired their rifles. Zoro simply waved his sword. Sword rays shredded the bullets aiming for him. Sanji raised his leg and did a sweep. Wind rose and all the bullets were deflected back. "Damn marimo! Get lost!" "What did you say?! Damn nosebleed!" They were glaring at each other. Who!? Both of them immediately went on guard. However when they looked around they saw no one. "Why the hell are you two idiots making a ruckus here?" Zoro recognised the voice and asked, "Flare? Where are you?" He was using his kenbunshoku haki but he wasn''t picking up Flare. "No time to explain. Get the kid and meet back at the base. I''ll take Yasuei." Zoro''s eyes lit up. He didn''t say anything and picked up Toko. Before he left he looked at Orochi one last time. Sanji heard everything and did the same. Orochi saw them run and yelled, "What are you doing!? Kill them! Kill them!" The men around the execution ground raised the rifles and fired. Sanji stopped running and said, "I''ll cover for you!" He turned back and kicked out. The bullets were deflected and returned to it''s owners. Before disappearing into the distance Zoro shouted, "Get to the base. Follow the vivre card." "Oi, we are leaving." Zoro grabbed the woman who was with him and rushed out. It was at this moment Flare yelled out. "F*ck! Idiot, that''s the wrong way!" Chapter 242 - 242. A Failure "Have you found them yet?" Orochi asked one of his men. His eyes were red as he did so. The man he asked had long ear lobes. He was slightly scared and replied respectfully, "Not yet, Orochi-sama." Orochi was infuriated when he heard the answer. His body started to swell and his neck split grew longer. Zoan Fruit, Model Hydra. Orochi was the user of a devil fruit. The long ear lobed man took a step back and immediately bowed, "Don''t worry, Orochi-sama. They can''t get far, in the end they will die in the same way as Yasuei." Hearing the man''s reply Orochi slightly calmed. When he thought about Yasuei''s death a gleeful smile climbed on his face. "Ehahaha, that damn Yasuei is dead. Ha! He always treated me like a servant! Serves him right." The long ear lobed man heaved a sigh of relief before retreating. Orochi returned to his normal form and sat down. He took out a bottle of sake from a nearby cabin and started drinking. ... Kibi. Leo was frowning as he looked at Yasuei. "I managed to deflect the bullets so that none of it injured his vitals. Though he lost a lot of blood he can still live." Flare said from the side. Leo nodded. He looked at Chopper who was treating Yasuei and asked. "Any problems?" Chopper didn''t turn back. He was wrapping up a wound as he replied, "Like Flare said, he lost a lot of blood." Leo raised his arm and said, "Use mine then. I am a universal donor." Chopper nodded. He started taking Leo''s blood. After a while Yasuei''s treatment was completed. He was breathing normally and some life had returned to his face. The little girl Toko was leaning against Yasuei''s bed and sleeping. Leo looked at them silently for a while and left the room. When he got outside he saw a very beautiful woman talking excitedly to Momonosuke. She had long hair and an exquisite face. "Who is this?" Zoro heard his teacher''s question and said, "This is Kozuki Hiyori. Oden''s daughter." Oh? Leo was slightly surprised. Hiyori saw Leo and immediately went forward. She bowed to him and said, "Thank you, for saving Yasuei-sama." Leo waved his hand, "Go thank him, he is the one who saved him, not me." Hiyori turned around and bowed to Flare as well. Not accustomed to this type of situations Flare laughed awkwardly. Leo rubbed his chin and looked at Hiyori carefully. He then turned to Zoro and said, "She is a good fit. Not bad, Zoro." "Huh? What?" Zoro asked back in confusion. Leo didn''t elaborate. He turned to everyone in the room and said, "Your plans are already out in the open. Better make adjustments." Inuarashi nodded, "Orochi definitely found out about the flyer." Leo asked, "What''s the status of your guy working on the prisoners?" Inuarashi shook his head, "The keys are heavily guarded. He still needs a bit more time." Leo nodded. Suddenly he asked something, "I don''t get it. Why did you follow such a useless lord?" Inuarashi, Nekomamushi were startled by the sudden question. "Leo, I know you judge him for his mistakes but don''t insult our lord infront of us." As Inuarashi spoke an overbearing pressure broke out from his body. Nekomamushi was also looking at Leo in anger. Leo scoffed, he wasn''t the least bit intimidated by their aura and said, "So what if I insult him? Look at the state of this country, can you really say that none of this is not really his fault?" Inuarashi and Nekomamushi didn''t speak. Both of them glared at Leo. At this moment Momonosuke stood up. He clenched his fist and shouted at Leo, "My father was a great man!" Leo took back his vision from Inuarashi and Nekomamushi and stared at Momonosuke. He curled his lips into a disdainful smile and said, "A great man? Let''s talk about that." "Kozuki Oden was born to royalty. It was his duty as well his responsibility to take over as shogun." "However he was rebellious and adventurous. He left home at a young age, wandered all over Wano, creating problems everywhere. And finally he settled down." "From the stories I heard he created a paradise out of a lawless place. But tell me, what did your father actually do?" "Sure, he defeated those thugs and took them under him care, but that''s it." "Because your father was the future lord of Wano his vassals didn''t want to shame him. They did everything they can to make him proud." By now Leo''s voice turned slightly cold. He pointed to the room where Yasuei was and said. "He had a friend who trusted him and gave him money unconditionally. And he was surrounded by vassals who wanted to do their best for him." "What became of that place is a result of manpower and money. Your father did absolutely nothing worthy of praise." "In fact his true mettle was tested when he was put up against an enemy with wits. And look what happened." Inuarashi and Nekomamushi didn''t speak. They clenched their fists so hard that their nails dug into their flesh. Leo didn''t plan on stopping and continued to speak. "Kid, he was the ruler of Wano, the shogun. This very land was his legacy. If he even slightly cared for this country it wouldn''t be what it is right now." "Your father, the so called great man let an unknown person into his office. He let him handle the affairs of a shogun and gave him money every he asked him. Every resource he had as the shogun, his enemy also had." "If he had even a shred of wisdom he would have suspected when an unknown person came in contact with him, the shogun of Wano. Even if that person was introduced by his closest friend or family." "But your father was so dumb that he never for once doubted Orochi." "All his enemy needed was an opportunity, and your father handed it to them on a silver platter." "When an opportunity to venture outside was presented before him he didn''t even stop to think for a moment about what would happen to this country in his absence." "He didn''t appoint a person to take charge in his absence. He was so careless that he never thought about the future of his country in his absence. He just left." "Kozuki Momonosuke, a ruler must have three virtues - charisma, strength and wisdom. A ruler can be without the first two qualities, but wisdom he must absolutely have." "Your father lacked that. He was the most arrogant, selfish, foolish imbecile I have ever heard of in my entire life." "Leo!!" Inuarashi and Nekomamushi growled at Leo. Their large bodies towered over him but Leo ignored them. He stared at Momonosuke who was trembling, his voice turned colder and colder. "Tama, she is just a kid. If your father had been less selfish and thought a bit more she wouldn''t be running around scrounging for scraps! She wouldn''t be thanking the heavens for eating a bowl of red bean soup!" "Yasuei, his best friend! Wouldn''t be on a bed barely alive and in that wretched condition. His five year old daughter wouldn''t have had to see him almost get executed like a common criminal and fall him in his own blood!" "And worst of all, his own daughter, your sister led a very miserable life for twenty years! You father''s stupidity knew no bounds, he is the reason she had nearly became someone else''s plaything!" "And look around you! Because of SMILE, You people! Those your father should have protected can only smile, even when they are burning inside!" "Why? Because your father allowed this to happen!" "Great man? Kozuki Momonosuke, your father was an absolute failure, as a ruler, as a friend and above all as a father!" Chapter 243 - 243. An Unexpected Surprise Momonosuke''s face was pale, he fell on his b.u.t.t and looked down in shame. Inuarashi grabbed Leo''s collar and growled, "That''s too much, Leo. Lord Oden was a great man, he ruled the land of Wano and it prospered. The people were happy and content under his rule!!" Leo glanced at him and sneered, "A ruler is still a failure if he isn''t even the least bit aware of danger. It doesn''t matter whether he could rule and make his country prosper, it only counts when he can protect what he brought up. In that he failed miserably." He then pushed aside Inuarashi. Their size difference didn''t matter, Inuarashi took a few steps back and nearly stumbled. "Leo, you... "Big brother, don''t be angry." Before Inuarashi could speak Tama who was sleeping inside woke up, she peeked outside and said softly. Leo turned back. His ice cold expression immediately melted away, he smiled lightly and said, "I am not angry Tama. Ah, since you are up let''s go outside. You told me before that you wanted to fly?" Tama''s eyes lit up. Leo chuckled and picked her up before taking his leave. No one spoke a word as he walked out. After a while Nekomamushi sighed, "Let it be. Our focus should be on the upcoming battle. Since Yasuei-dono is safe we should proceed with out plans." "Kinemon has some good news. Ashura is with us, he even has several sh.i.p.s to carry our men to Onigashima." Nami asked, "What about the captured men?" "Raizo is on it. It won''t be too long now." She let out a sigh of relief before asking again, "And Luffy?" Inuarashi and Nekomamushi went silent for a moment before Nekomamushi spoke up, "Luffy-dono is still held at Udon. Raizo is already on his way but it will take time. Don''t worry, before the fire festival we will get him out." As he finished Inuarashi looked at Momonosuke and wanted to speak a few words but in the end he didn''t. He sighed and shook his head. ... Leo was walking through the sky with Tama in his arms. Every step he took made a very faint popping sound. "Uwaaa... Tama exclaimed as she looked down at Wano from above. Leo laughed and went even higher. When he felt Tama''s breathing get a bit rough he stopped ascending and maintained that height. "There! There! That''s Amigasa village!" Tama pointed down and spoke excitedly. Leo also saw Amigasa village and asked, "Do you want to go down? It''s been a few days since we left your master, he must be worried." Tama nodded. She was very happy at this moment. Once in her life there was someone who gave her everything she asked for. She was very happy. Leo descended at a moderate pace towards Amigasa village. Tama giggled as the wind blew past her face. Soon they reached the sky above the Amigasa village. They brushed through the thick branches of the tall trees and landed infront of Tama''s house. Hitestsu was sitting outside in meditation when he sensed someone approaching. He opened his eyes and saw Leo and Tama landing from the sky. He wasn''t that surprised since he had seen Leo walk through the air before. "You are back." Leo nodded. Tama ran to Hitetsu and hugged him. She excitedly said, "Master, I flew! I was high up in the sky, like those birds." Hitetsu''s expression couldn''t be seen but from his eyes one would know that he was smiling. After patiently listening to Tama he asked Leo, "How is everything going?" "Normal. There was a slight hiccup but it''s resolved now." Hearing him Hitetsu nodded, he didn''t ask any more details and went inside with them. "How long are you staying for?" Leo thought for a moment, he looked at Tama and said, "Don''t know. There is nothing urgent at the moment so we might be here for a while. You okay with that?" "This is her house to begin with. It''s fine as long as she agrees. And looking at her, I don''t think she would disagree." Hitetsu watched Tama who was happily humming as she got some water for herself and Leo. Since it was nearing lunch time Leo went out to get something to eat. After a while he came back with a bunch of fruits. Hitestsu also prepared some rice he got over the few days. The meal wasn''t sumptuous but it was fulfilling. After they were done Tama pulled Leo and said, "Big brother, let''s go around the village." "Sure." He had nothing to do so he agreed. Amigasa village was abandoned a while ago. However it was located right in the midst of a large cl.u.s.ter of massive trees. Though it was abandoned the vague rays of sunlight that fell through the leafs gave a peculiar sense of beauty to the place. Tama took him around the place. There wasn''t a lot to see but walking around the village was kind of relaxing. "This is the shrine. We used to make offerings every week." Tama pointed to a small building and said. The place was a bit run down and a large part of it''s east wall was destroyed. There was a small statue of a buddha inside. When his eyes fell on the buddha Leo''s eyes slightly narrowed. He walked in. Tama was confused and followed after. Leo stood infront of the buddha and rubbed his chin. Interesting. Who placed this thing here? He stretched out his hand but paused mid way. Taking a step back he slightly bowed. "Forgive me for what I am about to do." He stood back up and lightly knocked on the buddha statue. Tama covered her mouth and exclaimed. Cracks spread through the buddha''s body. After a second it crashed with a thud. Among the crushed pieces was a peculiar green fruit. It had swirl patterns all around it''s body. Chapter 244 - 244. Hope Leo picked up the peculiar devil fruit and observed it. I don''t know which one this is. "It looks like the fruit I ate before." Tama was looking curiously at the fruit in Leo''s hand. Leo smiled, he patted her head and explained, "This is called a devil fruit. It can give people different abilities, like your ability to create kibi dangos and control animals." Tama nodded like she understood. "Let''s go back. I need to ask Hitetsu some stuff." He picked up Tama and went back to the house. By chance they saw Hitetsu returning with a bundle of twigs. Hitestsu noticed the fruit in Leo''s hand and paused, "Where did you get that?" Leo pointed at the shrine''s location and said, "From the shrine. It was inside the buddha statue." Hitetsu''s eyes slightly narrowed as he asked, "You destroyed the buddha statue?" Leo nodded. It was over and done, so there was no point in denying. After a while Hitetsu sighed, "So which one is it?" Leo shook his head, "I don''t know. Maybe Flare does." "Sir." Flare spoke from the other side. "Flare, I got a devil fruit here. I don''t know which one." "What does it look like?" Leo turned the fruit over and explained it''s characteristics. "Hm... sir, I think we might have lucked out." Hm? Leo asked curiously, "How so?" "That might be the Harvest-Harvest fruit. It''s offensive abilities are close to none, but it''s a very practical fruit. Whoever eats it will get the ability to purify anything and greatly reduce the time for crops to m.a.t.u.r.e." "What kind of shrine was it? I mean, what kind of powers was it believed to have?" Hitestsu replied, "We pray there for an abundant harvest and make offerings once the harvest period is over." Leo nodded. The conditions tally, which means this really is the Harvest-Harvest fruit! "Sir, with this fruit the poisoned land of Wano is no longer a problem." On the other side Flare said with excitement. The others overheard what he was speaking and held their breaths. This was too sudden. Inuarashi looked at Momonosuke and Hiyori and spoke with emotion, "The heavens haven''t completely turned their back on us!" By now Momonosuke had recovered. That naivty he had hadn''t completely disappeared, but he was different from before. Inuarashi and Nekomamushi nodded with satisfaction. Though Leo''s words were harsh and insulting it did have a good effect on their young lord. "Flare, who do you think should eat it? That brat Momonosuke has already eaten one." All of them looked at each other before Inuarashi spoke, "I think Hiyori-sama should have it. Leo, what do you think?" Leo paused for a second and said, "Her character is good, I''m good with it." Inuarashi and Nekomamushi let out a breath of relief. They were afraid Leo would be biased towards the Kozuki clan. It seems they thought too much. "How''s Yasuei and Toko?" Leo asked. Chopper replied, "Yasuei-san woke up once. But he was too tired and is resting now. He is recovering well. As for Toko, she is exhausted, but she is fine." "That''s good. Zoro, bring Hiyori to Amigasa village. By the way, someone who knows the way bring them here. Zoro is not fit as a guide." Leo said. Zoro''s face twitched when he heard that. Hiyori spoke, "I know the way. I''ll be there as soon as possible." "Alright." ... After hanging up Leo smiled at Tama and said, "Wait a while, I got a big surprise for you." "Really?" "Really." Yay! Tama giggled and happily munched on a piece of fruit. They waited for Zoro and Hiyori. They waited till the sun was setting before they saw the both of them in the distance. "You are late." Leo said. Hiyori''s face turned red. She looked at Zoro and pouted. Zoro showed no signs of being fl.u.s.tered and stood like a rock. Leo looked at him for a while and said, "You never change." He shook his head and invited them in. After they were seated he handed the Harvest-Harvest fruit to Hiyori. Hiyori bowed to express her gratitude. She looked at the strange fruit for a while and took a bite. Immediately her face distorted into an ugly expression. She struggled for a second and forcefully swallowed the bit in her mouth. Immediately she started to bawl her guts out. Though nothing came out, from how her face was one would know how disgusting it was. After she calmed down she felt a strange force spreading throughout her body. She could feel a strange connection with the very ground she stood. It was amazing. "What do you feel?" Leo asked curiously. Hiyori didn''t immediately reply. She gathered her thoughts and said, "It''s like I can control and change a lot of elements around me." "Let''s go outside. I want to test something." Everyone walked out except Zoro. He was looking at the sword that was hung up on the wall. Leo didn''t bother with him and walked out with the rest. With Hitetsu''s help they found a small vacant space. Leo straightened his index and middle finger and stabbed down. The ground trembled before it was uprooted and crushed into soft particles. "Can you increase the fertility of this part?" Hiyori nodded. She bent down and placed both her palms above the ground. A soft light spread out from her palms and sunk into the soil. Leo''s spiritual sense was actively analysing what was happening. In his eyes the ground didn''t move one bit, but the life energy contained in that portion below her palm increased tremendously. Beads of sweat collected on Hiyori''s forehead. After a couple of minutes she took back her palm and let out a breath. "That''s all I can do." Leo nodded, "It''s fine. I am surprised you can do so much right after getting the ability." He walked forward and made a small pit on before burying a seed. He then carefully covered it with soil and poured some water he brought with him. From his spiritual sense he could see the seed absorbing the water, and the life energy in the soil seeped into the seeds at a terrifying rate. "Tama, come close and water it." He called over Tama and gave her the bag of water. Tama poured the water slowly. 1 second, 2 second... a minute later the soil started to wiggle and a green sprout grew out. "Uwaa! Big brother, look! Look!" Tama excitedly pointed at the green shoot growing at a visible rate. Hitetsu''s eyes shrunk when he saw this. Hiyori covered her lips and exclaimed. Chapter 245 - 245. A New Beginning As they watched, the sapling grew bigger and taller. In a few seconds it grew taller than Tama. Vibrant green leaves dotted it''s branches. "Big brother, big brother, how did you do that?" Tama asked excitedly. She herself had the ability to tame animals, but this was something different. And it was amazing for a kid like her. Leo laughed, "I didn''t do anything. This is because of this girl. She has an ability similar to yours." Hiyori was slightly embarrassed when Tama looked at her with stars in her eyes. Hitetsu sized up the newly grown tree and said, " Incredible." To make a seed grow in such little time, it was unheard of. Leo heard Hitetsu and said, "Unfortunately this method can''t be used on a wide scale. Atleast, not like this." Hitetsu looked Hiyori and nodded, "Yes. It consumes too much energy. What do you suggest?" Leo asked, "Is there a water reservoir in this village?" Hitetsu shook his head, "No." Leo rubbed his chin and said, "Then we need to make one. It doesn''t have to be very large, just enough for a small plot of land." "What are you planning?" Hitetsu asked doubtfully. Leo smiled, "Water is the source of life. The river next to Amigasa village is poisoned, we need to purify it and let the earth absorb it. This will increase the vitality in the soil, allowing plants to grow again." Hitetsu widened his eyes and asked, "Will it work?" "Why not? Her ability removes unfavorable elements from the soil and increases it''s vitality. This method might be slow but it will stack and purify the poison in the soil." Hitetsu thought for a moment and said, "Let''s do it. I have my tools with me, all I need are the materials for the reservoir." Leo nodded, "I''ll take care of that." They discussed and came up with a rough plan. Leo walked into the cl.u.s.ter of trees with Tama. "This should do." His right hand and rested it on his sword. Hummm... "Uwaa... big brother, can I also do that when I grow up?" Tama looked at the rows of cut pieces of wood and asked. Leo patted her head and said reassuringly, "Of course, you can." Tama giggled happily. Leo started moving the wood to an open space near the area they chose to build the reservoir. Hitetsu was moving a large bundle filled with various types of tools. He had already sketched the reservoir and mapped out the details. When he saw the large pile of wood he started his work. Leo wasn''t familiar with carpentry and just watched from the side. Tama was helping Hitetsu by passing tools he asked from time to time. Leo smiled when he saw this. It was at this moment Zoro walked by. Leo glanced at him and asked, "So, you gonna tell me how you lost your sword or do I have to beat it out of you?" Zoro faltered for a moment and said, "I was careless." Leo didn''t rebuke him, "If you were so careless to let your sword leave your side then your enemy wasn''t an enemy." Zoro nodded, he sat down and said, "I am going back to look for it." Leo looked at him for a moment and turned his attention to Hiyori, "Can I trouble you to look after him?" Hiyori nodded, "It''ll be the least I can do for you." The sun finally set. While everyone was sleeping Hitetsu worked through the night. His body and mind were working at it''s peak. When everyone woke up the next day Hitetsu had already finished his work. His clothes were covered in saw dust and wax. However there was a bright glow in his eyes. "Not bad. You even built the platform to fill it with water." Leo commented after he saw the entire thing. The reservoir was thirty to forty meter away from the river. A high platform was built near it with a waterwheel next to it. Once the waterwheel is lowered it will start to fill the reservoir. Hitetsu raised his head proudly. "Let''s get on with it. This will be a new start for Amigasa village." He said emotionally. Everyone went next to the waterwheel. Hitetsu pulled on a level. The waterwheel slid through a few locks and submerged into the river. A second later it started to rotate. Water gushed out from the top of the platform and entered the reservoir. Hitetsu didn''t show any excitement and carefully examined the reservoir. Only after the reservoir was half full did he raise his arms in success. Watching the water fill the reservoir Leo asked Hiyori, "How long will it take for you to purify the water?" Hiyori replied, "If I take minimum rest, half a day." Leo nodded, "Then it''s no problem. Take your time and don''t tire out too much." With the success of the reservoir everyone ate food merrily. When they were finished the reservoir was filled. Leo pulled on a lever and got the waterwheel out of the river. The waterwheel itself was heavy, it would have taken several people to pull it out of the water. Hiyori climbed the ladder fixed to the reservoir and dipped her hand into the water. A second later a bright glow surfaced on her hand and spread across the water. After a couple of minutes she withdrew her hand and got down. "My ability seems to have improved." She said. Leo explained, "Devil fruit abilities gets strong the longer you use it. Harvest-Harvest fruit has great potential, try to develop it further." Hiyori nodded seriously. In her mind this ability could change the fate of Wano if used properly. "Once she is finished you can go ahead." Walking to a vacant space Leo raised his hand and slashed down. Sword light gathered where he slashed and turned the hard earth into loose soil. "Hitetsu-san, did you make those pipes as I sketched?" Leo asked. Hitetsu nodded and pointed to the side, "It''s all there." Leo checked the steel pipes which had holes stretching along it''s length with certain distance between each one. He took them and pierced four pillars on each corner of the loosened plot of earth. He then fixed the pipes with equal gaps between then over the plot of earth. There was a long piece of thin narrow wood fixed just beneath the holes on the pipe. Making sure the entire structure was firm he took out a few pipes without holes in them and connected it to a valve at the bottom side of the reservoir. Chapter 246 - 246. Fruits Leo once again checked the entire structure and made sure he missed nothing. He patted Tama''s head and said with a smile, "When the water is completely purified you can turn that lever." He pointed to a lever at the bottom of the reservoir. "What does it do?" Tama asked. Leo smiled and replied, "You''ll see." Time slowly passed. Hiyori purified the water once again after some time. This continued for several times before she stopped. Wiping the sweat on her forehead she smiled, "It''s done. The water is completely purified." Leo nodded. His spiritual sense was picking up a lot of vibrant energy from the reservoir. When Hiyori got down Leo led Tama to the lever. "Go ahead." He made a gesture and moved a bit back. Tama walked to the lever and turned it. It was slightly straining on her but not by a large margin. When she turned it for the third time all of them heard water running through the pipe from the reservoir to the structure Leo built. Sizzle... "Uwaa... Tama stared at the mist falling down on the plot of land. Hitetsu commented, "Impressive. It''s a simple design, but it''s very effective in our situation. Periodically watering in droplets would allow the soil to slowly absorb the life energy. I am guessing it wouldn''t even take a day for this small plot of land to be completely free of poison." Leo nodded and said, "If pour out everything in one go a lot of vitality would be lost. And since we are planning to plant here that method would be counterproductive." Hiyori had a moment of realisation, "I see. You want to plant the seeds and have them absorb the vitality from the soil. Once it is watered again the soil will have the ability to retain more vitality since it would have already been purified once. That way not much of vitality will be wasted, and the process would be much more efficient." Leo smiled, "That''s the jist of it." He looked at Tama and said, "Do you want to plant the seeds?" "Yes!" Leo and Tama started to plant the seeds. Dig a small pit, put the seed in, cover it with soil, done. Tama once again ran to the lever and turned it. A second later mist fell down on the planted seeds. However unlike before the seeds didn''t immediately grow out. But Leo could see the seeds shaking. It was absorbing whatever it needed to grow out of it''s shell. "Hm, it will take three to five minutes for the seeds to completely absorb the vitality in the soil." Leo said after calculating. Hitetsu commented, "It needs to be watered every five minutes." "I''ll do it." Right after Hitetsu spoke Tama raised her hand. Hitetsu laughed lightly, "Sure." Leo looked at her busy with work and chuckled. "You really dote on her." Leo didn''t turn back to see who it was as he already knew it was Hiyori. She sat down next to him and looked at Tama. A lot of thoughts ran through her mind. She shook off her thoughts and asked. "Why do you care so much for a girl you barely know? The fact that you decided to go against Kaido for her means you care for her deeply. Why?" Hearing her question Leo didn''t immediately answer. He looked at Tama for a while, his eyes were filled with care and protection as he looked at her. "I don''t know. Maybe... I see myself having a daughter someday. And... I don''t want my daughter to be sad. I want her to smile every waking moment. I want to have everything she hopes for. I want her to have friends and be surrounded by good people. I want her to eat her fill and sleep comfortably. I want her to chase her dreams and not be tied down by anything." "I want her to live in content." Hiyori was stunned when she heard his answer. She failed to respond for while. "You''ll make a great father one day." Leo chuckled, "I really hope so." Time slowly passed. The sun took a big step and was almost reaching the end of the horizon. By now the small plot of land was now filled with small trees slightly bigger than Leo. They had lush green leaves and plump fruits hanging from their branches. "It''s faster than I thought. I calculated the fruits to be ripe by tomorrow morning." Leo commented. He picked an apple which had water droplets all over it''s skin. The apple in his hand was filled with vitality. Leo handed it to Tama, "You planted it, you watered it, so you should have the first bite." Tama had a wide smile on her face as she took the apple. She bit into it''s flesh and chewed happily. "So sweet... Everyone smiled and took one for themselves. "It really is sweet. Is this the power of the devil fruit?" Hitetsu asked. Leo shook his head, "The soil and the water is filled with abundant vitality. The trees grew up feeding on it, so of course it would taste great." Hitetsu nodded. He ate the rest of the apple and grabbed a bunch. Their dinner was some roasted meat and fruits they grew themselves. It was really delicious. A tasty meal and a good sleep. That''s something everyone wished for. Tama was sleeping soundly. She had a light smile on her face, a bit of drool dripped from her mouth. Leo saw this and chuckled. He wiped her mouth and covered her with a blanket. "Sweet dreams, Tama." Chapter 247 - 247. To Udon "You are leaving today?" Leo asked Zoro. Zoro nodded and said, "The final battle is getting close. I need my sword." Leo agreed. He looked at Hiyori and said, "I''ll leave him in your care." Hiyori chuckled. Tama came out from the kitchen carrying a small sack. He handed it to Hiyori. "Big sister, I packed a bunch of fruits for you." Hiyori smiled sweetly. She accepted the sack and said, "Thanks Tama." All of them walked out. Komachiyo was resting infront of the house. "You can take Komachiyo with you. A ride from Kibi to Ringo would take too long on foot." Leo said. Hiyori thanked them and got on Komachiyo. Zoro also jumped on it''s back. "Bye, bye, big sister Hiyori." Tama waved them off. When they disappeared from their sight Leo looked at Tama and asked, "Ready for your lessons?" A day ago Leo thought about teaching Tama a Breathing Technique. After considering the pros and cons of every technique he settled on Flower Breathing. He did consider Shinobu''s Insect Breathing but he thought it wasn''t suitable for Tama. "Tama, Breathing Techniques are essentially about breathing in a lot of air and improving your body." Since she was a kid he didn''t explain in detail. He simply glossed over the basics and helped her with the stances. Leo was a grandmaster swordsman and had read tons of martial arts theories as well as trained in a lot of them. Tama was a kid. Her body was still growing so too much strenuous exercise would be counterproductive. So he improved the stances and reduced their difficulty by a large margin. Even a kid like her would be able to do diluted stances. Though it''s not as strong as the original, training in it for years will improve her physique and reaction time. With Leo''s help Tama clumsily did the stances. After doing a single set she was tired. Leo had her take a break and gave her water from the reservoir. The abundant vitality in it would improve her body''s metabolism as well as strengthen her bones and her flesh. After half a day of training she was able to do it without Leo''s help. Finishing a set she jumped up happily, "I did it!" Leo smiled, "Very good." He was slightly surprised she was able to grasp the basic structure of the stances. Though it is useless without the proper Breathing Technique, it was still something. Suddenly Tama paused and asked, "Big brother, where is big brother Luffy. You said he would come back after a few days. It''s been so many days." By the end of her words Leo sensed a bit of panic. Smiling, he asked, "You wanna see him?" Tama nodded. Leo picked her up and said, "Then let''s go see him." "Going out again?" Leo nodded, "Tama wants to see Luffy." Hitetsu shook his head and smiled inside. Leo indulged every one of Tama''s whims. "Alright, we''ll be off then." Leo grabbed a bunch of fruits and took a step. He walked through the air and took off into the sky. ... Udon. Smoke rose from iron chimneys. There were many people working tirelessly here. This was a slaves camp. People who were part of the rebellious army or admired Oden and followed in his footsteps were imprisoned here. Among these group of prisoners were two people who were particularly eye catching. They were smashing through the rocks, filling the trolley with large pieces of crushed rock. "Oi! Mugiwara! You''re in the way!" "Huh? Go somewhere else then." "Why the heck should I!? Just move you idiot!" One of the two was Luffy who was defeated by Kaido. He was thrown to work in the factory. The other was also a famous pirate. One of the supernovas, Eutess Kidd! Both of them were captured by Kaido and thrown to work as slaves. "Those two are crazy!" "How can they still move with kairoseki cuffs?" After hauling out more than their required amount they went to collect food. Both of them ate their fill and continued to work. Outside the factory. Flare and a man with a large head dressed as a ninja scanned the number of guards at the factory. "There is no sign of Queen." The man in the ninja outfit was called Raizo. He was one of Oden''s vassals. Flare nodded and asked, "About the other man you said, is it possible to break him out without anyone noticing?" Raizo shook his head, "Difficult. Kawamatsu''s cell is at an open area. I can get close because of my skills, however it''s impossible to get him out unnoticed." Flare was deep in thought after he heard Raizo. As he was thinking Flare''s kenbunshoku haki was triggered. He stared and looked up far into the sky. ... Leo was tredding through the sky with Tama. Here we are. That should be the factory. He looked down and found the factory where Luffy should be. His spiritual sense spread out. He immediately found Luffy. He was surprised to see the kid still so jumpy even after a through beating. First, let''s take care of that. Leo raised his right arm and slashed. A sword light flashed and fell on a certain area of the factory. Boom! A small building was immediately cleaved in half. "What''s going on?!" "Enemy attack!" "Where is he?!" The guards and the jailers were panicking. They looked around to find out where the attack came from. Suddenly one of the jailers sensed something. He looked up and saw a person descend from the sky. He stepped through the air like he was on solid ground and landed softly infront of them. Tama looked around. She was searching for Luffy, and she found him right away. "Big brother Luffy!" She waved her hand excitedly. She totally ignored the glares they were getting from the guards and the jailers. After spending a lot of time with Leo she grew to trust him unconditionally. With him beside her she wasn''t worried about anything. Flare was looking at the situation unfolding inside the factory with a smile. "I guess we''ll be taking down Udon." Chapter 248 - 248. Only You Can Luffy was stunned when he saw Tama and Leo descend from the sky. "Tama, why are you here?" He asked. Tama waved her hand and spoke while smiling, "I came to see you." When he heard her Luffy laughed. Leo placed Tama down. She ran towards Luffy. The jailors and the guards around Udon wanted to attack the intruders, especially when they saw how brazenly they were acting. However none of them moved. An ice cold intent seems to be looking over each and every of them. Even the slightest movement would result in death! Their hearts were filled with horror. Tama ran through the crowd and reached Luffy. She chirped like a little bird about everything that happened. "Oh... oh... Luffy exclaimed from time to time. Several minutes passed by. The guards were sweating bullets. Each time their eyes fell on the little girl that ice cold intent locking them down grew colder. Leo walked up to them. "You have spent enough time here." Luffy nodded when he heard Leo. He turned to look at the old man and said. "Old man, sorry, but I have to go." A terrifying power that seems to be sleeping. "Wait, you can''t!" As they were about to leave some of the prisoners yelled out. Leo''s glanced at them and ignored their shouts. "Please, don''t break out. They will kill us if you do." Some of them pleaded. Leo stopped his steps and turned to face the prisoners. "So these are the warriors of Wano. Disappointing." What? "Your country was taken. And you were reduced to slaves. Pathetic." "A warrior can be defeated, he can be ground to dust. But he must never lose his will to fight." "So what if you lost? What does it matter if your enemy is overwhelmingly strong?" "Try, you fools. Struggle. Reach out for even the tiniest hope of victory. Who knows, maybe you will win." "And does it matter if you lose? At best you would die. But you''ll die with dignity. When the next generation takes up their blade they will do so with pride. Pride that came from their ancestors unyielding spirit even in the face of death." "So pick yourselves from the pits of despair and fight! Fight for your childrens future! Fight for your pride! Fight! For your lost ones souls!" Leo''s words were slow, but it was filled with battle intent. The prisoners held their head down. Their bodies were trembling. Sadness, despair, rage... a lot of emotions ran through them. Finally everyone raised their heads. Those eyes filled with helplessness slowly changed. The d.e.s.i.r.e to fight started to emerge in them. "What-What are you doing!?" "If any of you rebel, you''ll all be punished!" Hearing the guards one of the laughed. He rushed forward and grabbed the guard by his neck before slamming his knee to his face. That was the fuse that lit up everything. The prisoners swarmed the guards and killed them off. Some of them were injured heavily and some of them died but all of them had a wide smile on their face as they bathed in their own blood as well their enemies. The old man next to Luffy looked at everything happening around him in shock. He looked at Leo and drew in a deep breath. Only someone who has gone through numerous battles would understand the heart of a warrior. He must have had some extraordinary experiences in his life to inspire the battle intent in everyone. The old man''s eyes contained respect when he looked at Leo. Suddenly a person flashed beside Leo. The old man and Luffy instantly went on guards. "You are here for this guy as well?" Leo asked. The one who appeared beside Leo was Flare. He nodded and said, "I didn''t expect sir to suddenly appear." Leo laughed lightly, "Tama wanted to see Luffy." Flare looked at Tama and shook his head with an amused smile. Tama, oh Tama, only you can make sir do something on a whim. Half an hour later the battle came to an end. Every guard apart from the jailors were either captured or killed. The jailors were too strong for these men who were malnourished and weak. The jailors fighting the prisoners suddenly felt their hearts tremble. Before they could react an explosion went inside their c.h.e.s.t. They all coughed out blood and fell. "Contact Kinemon and inform him about the situation here." Flare nodded. He asked, "Are you returning to Amigasa village, sir?" Leo nodded. He looked at Luffy and said, "Meet up with your friends and do what you have to do. If you miss Tama, come to Amigasa village." "Alright." Saying his piece Leo glanced at Eutess Kidd. That simple glance made Kidd broke out into a sweat. Death! He involuntarily took a step back. Those eyes were filled with death. Even when he faced Kaido he didn''t feel this way. But facing this man his courage faltered. "Tama, give him one of your dangos." "What for?" "Let''s see if you can control him." "Um." Tama nodded. She squeezed her cheek and pulled out a dango. She tossed it to the guy, who didn''t dare not eat it. After eating it he blanked out for a second before showing a flattering smile at Tama. "I am at your disposal, master." Everyone was taken back when they saw what was happening. "How terrifying." "If used properly, she can be a great variable in the upcoming battle." Leo expected this result and smiled. He patted her head and said while laughing, "See, Tama is already strong. Once you grow up you''ll be even stronger. What Kaido? He will ran far when he sees you then." Everyone laughed when they heard Leo. Tama covered her cheeks and blushed. Chapter 249 - 249. Battle Begins New World. A large fleet of fifty warsh.i.p.s was surrounding a purple mist covering nearly thirty miles in every direction. A man wearing a white suit standing in one of the warsh.i.p.s narrowed his eyes as he looked at the purple mist. "It''s been two days. There is still no sign of this mist receding." In response to him, another man in white suit said, "We''ll wait it out. She won''t be able to cover up such a large area for long. And they will need supplies." The first man nodded. They had been ordered to destroy the island owned by Leo. However before they reached their goal purple mist spilled out from the island and cloaked the island from every direction. They tried firing from a distance but not a single shot gave any response. Once it went into the mist it just disappeared. Everything was as usual. The crew was leisurely moving around and doing their stuff. Some were training, some were drinking and some were having a game of cards. None of them had any worry about what would happen once the mist covering the island disappears. Shinobu was working in her laboratory. Snow was perched on a platform made for her and prooning her feathers. Knock. Knock. "Come in, Issho." Shinobu who was looking through a microscope and answered. "Excuse me." Issho walked in. "Ma''am, that man called." Shinobu didn''t stop what she was doing and asked, "And?" "He said it would take a week more." Shinobu finally stopped what she was doing and turned around. Her lips curled into a smile as she said. "Then let''s wait it out for a couple more days before greeting our visitors." Issho nodded. He slightly bowed and left. Shinobu got up and traced Snow''s soft feathers. Kiii. Snow raised her wings and rubbed her head against Shinobu''s cheeks. Haha. "Everything''s slowly coming in place, Snow." ... Two days passed. The fleet never left. Every warship had it''s canons aimed at the purple mist. Suddenly every agent felt something. They looked forward and saw the purple mist slowly shrink. "It''s finally receding." A CP chief commented. He has been stationed in this area for several days without any result, the celestial dragons as well the Gorosei were asking for updates every passing hour. Th pressure he felt for the past few days couldn''t be said in words. Finally he saw what he wished for and heaved a sigh of relief. "Advance!" He gave the order. The other chiefs also gave the order. They slowly approached the shrinking mist. When they were twenty miles away from the island the mist completely vanished. The island came to view. On the shore of the island was several large canons. Marines stood in order and ready for battle. Issho, Dali and Shinobu stood at the forefront. The CP chiefs turned serious when they saw the trio. "Reduce speed and fire." One of them gave the order. The canons were raised. "Fire!" Spurt! However just as he gave the order blood bloomed on his head. Chunks of flesh and bones flew through the air and spilled on the deck of the warship. Some of the agents close to him were drenched in blood. The CP agent''s headless body fell down with a thud. This woke up everyone from their trance. Zzt! Zzt! Several more muffled thuds rang out. CP agents in charge of several warsh.i.p.s fell down in a pool of blood. "Be careful! That sniper is firing!" One of the CP chief''s yelled. He cursed inwardly as he saw his men die. However he was also shocked. We are twenty miles out. With the wind and the distance, how is she able to fire so many rounds consecutively and with such accuracy? His already solemn face turned gloomy. As expected this won''t be easy. We can''t approach the island carelessly otherwise a single mistake would cost out lives. "Two of you take care of that sniper. The rest of us will handle those three." The other CP chiefs and vice chiefs agreed. "Let''s go!" They took to the sky and rushed to the island. "Ma''am, I''ll be taking my leave." "Ma''am, take care." Issho and Dali spoke to Shinobu and rushed out. Both of them engaged several CP chiefs and vice chiefs. Dali immediately used his devil fruit ability and turned into a half human half lion man. He raised his sword and roared. Issho drew out his wooden sword and slashed. A purple light flashed as he blocked several CP chiefs. As he took his stance Issho said to Dali, "Dali-dono, this isn''t a game." When he heard Issho Dali smiled awkwardly, "Ahaha, you''re so serious as always, Issho-san." Dali took a step back from his opponents and let go of his sword. What is he doing? The CP chief and the other agents looked on while being cautious. Dali suddenly grinned. Shwish! He disappeared from everyone''s sight and appeared infront of a CP agent. Oh, no! Lion''s Pride!! Dali''s fist was clad in haki as it tore through the air. It pierced through the CP agent''s c.h.e.s.t. Drip. Blood dripped from the agent''s body. Dali took his fist back. The agent looked at his hollow c.h.e.s.t for one last time and fell down with a thud. Silence filled the air. How is this possible?! The CP chiefs and the vice chiefs had horrible expressions as they looked at the agent''s dead body. Shinobu slightly smiled when she saw Dali act so courageously. Dali ate a Zoan Fruit, model Lion. It gave him tremendous speed and power. Along with his haki and Shinobu''s strengthening drugs his body only grew stronger. He realised he was stronger when he was simply utilising his raw strength and techniques. Leo helped him modify a set of martial arts and Dali improved on it. Raising his fist Dali grinned at his opponents, "You guys really don''t learn. If you want to fight against ma''am atleast bring on someone on the same level as a Yonko." Chapter 251 - 251. Awakening The CP chiefs turned serious when they heard the words coming from the den-den mushi. Did she ask for reinforcements? But from whom? No matter from whom, it wasn''t good for them. "Take her down quickly!" He made a choice and acted immediately. All of them ganged upon on Shinobu. Shinobu ignored their advance and spoke calmly into the den-den mushi, "Anyone follow you?" "No, ma''am. This sea area is completely under our control." "That''s good." Kachak. She cut the call after hearing what she wanted to hear. Watching the CP chiefs rushing at her she curled her lips. She raised her fair arms and slightly nudged her fingers. However a couple of vice chiefs were a tad bit slow. The energy cover surrounding their body shattered like glass. Their bodies came to halt. A second later their skin turned blue as they fell down with a thud. Dead. The CP chief who had the power to shield from any danger had disbelief written all over his face. How is this possible?! Shinobu walked towards her enemies slowly and gracefully. "You made two mistakes. First, you overestimated your ability. Second, you failed to scale our strength. An ant can never shake a great tree. Such simple truth, how can you fail to understand it?" Her words echoed through the air. The CP chiefs lips trembled. It was at this moment an agent who was fighting the other marines shouted, "Sir, it''s the Revolutionary Army!" Out in the sea was a long line of sh.i.p.s. At the leading ship stood four people. One of them was a mink, another was large man wearing a skirt, another one was a tall man with a crow beak. As for the last one, it was woman wearing an open coat. The four generals of the Revolutionary Army! The CP chief stared at Shinobu and asked incredulously, "You are colluding with the Revolutionary Army?!" Shinobu smiled lightly, "Collude? Such a rude word. The right expression would be this, cooperating with the Revolutionary Army to remove a tumor that''s been harming this world and it''s people for centuries." "You!" The CP chief pointed at Shinobu, his fingers trembled from anger and fear. He shuddered to think what would happen if such terrifying people joined the Revolutionary Army. No! I must inform the elders. He made a quick decision and rushed out. The other chief also thought the same and rushed out. "Cover our retreat!" Before the other vice chiefs could follow they received an order from the retreating chiefs. The vice chiefs had ugly expressions behind their masks but they still obeyed the order. "Where do you think you are going?!" "Please stay." "Ha! Like hell your are scooting out of here alive." Before the chiefs could get far Mace, Issho and Dali blocked their paths. A battle ensued. Shinobu stepped on air and took her time as she went towards the CP chiefs. We can''t let her get near us! The CP chiefs looked at each other and nodded. An orb of water shot out of his hand towards Shinobu. Shinobu simply waved her hand. A bundle of mist spilled out of her palm and wrapped around the orb of water. Oh? As the mist wrapped around the orb of strange liquid Shinobu felt a certain resistance. Corrosion? Not a bad ability. Shinobu said to herself and proceeded towards her opponents. The CP chief who threw out the orb was about to do it again when he felt an immense amount of danger. Tekkai! Armed! Boom! A powerful force slammed into his arms. It threw him through the air. That damn sniper! He cursed. With his kenbunshoku haki he saw Violet aiming in their direction with a sleek black sniper rifle. The rifle was large and had a long barrel. He could see the smirk on the corner of her mouth. Shit! If it wasn''t for this group of people I would have skinned you! Just as he was about to regain his footing he felt that same sensation of danger again. However this time it was ten times stronger than before! No! He roared in his mind. Armed!! His body turned black with a faint l.u.s.ter of deep blue. Po! However his increased defence did nothing to block out the danger. A small muffled sound rang out. Blood seeped from the corner of his mouth as he fell down. His body turned back to normal as he did so. Everyone around were masters in kenbunshoku haki. They saw a very small wound on his c.h.e.s.t. Shinobu who was nearing the battlefield curled her finger. A needle as thin as hair flew back to her from the dead chief''s body. She looked at Issho, Dali and Mace before saying, "Finish this quickly." "Yes, ma''am." All of them heeded her order. Issho suddenly tapped the ground. A ripple spread out like waves on an ocean. Gravity Star! Mace raised his broad sword and slammed it on the ground. Purgatory! And Dali, he pulled out a pair of large knuckles filled it spikes. He put it on his fist and grinned. Their battle intent raged like an inferno. The CP chiefs felt the changes. They stood like statutes as they witnessed the changes that was happening all around them. The ground was shaking around Issho. The air itself felt heavy. The chiefs and vice chiefs he was facing looked on in horror. Their bodies felt as if it weighted a ton. They could hardly move. Even the slightest movement took all the energy they had. As for those around Mace. They were sweating. Flames raged around them. The ground was scorched and an intense flame kept burning above it. If not for their for powerful body and haki they would have been burned to ashes. A term they all knew came to their mind when they saw the terrifying changes around them. Devil fruit awakening?! Chapter 254 - 254. Immovable Mountain! Leo stepped through the air leisurely. His spiritual sense was stretched out to it''s limit as he observed the battle happening above the floating landmass. He is bringing Onigashima to Ringo? Leo rubbed his chin as he thought. That place seems to be burial ground of the Kozuki clan. Is he planning to completely remove the last bit of memory of the Kozuki clan? Leo changed direction and went towards Ringo. Meanwhile. The battle raged on in Onigashima. Shockwaves spread out and caused the clouds to rumble as Onigashima moved through the sky. On the top floor Kaido battled against over a dozen men. His haoshoku haki clashed against two more equally unyielding haoshoku. The resulting clash left the sky and earth in tatters. Luffy was panting as he attacked relentlessly. Each strike carried the strength to destroy a mountain. However Kaido was a Yonko. He stood at the apex of the world. He forcefully destroyed Luffy''s strikes. Zoro was also in a similar state. He was sweating and out of breath. Veins popped all over his body as he slashed his swords. As for Kidd and Killer, they looked much worse. They had many wounds on their body. They were barely able to keep themselves on their feet. Kinemon and the rest had it worst. All of them were drenched in blood. Their body and spirit were on the verge of breaking. "We need to take him down, now! Otherwise many will die!" Inuarashi roared as he clawed at Kaido. The full moon hanging up in the sky allowed him and Nekomamushi to bring out the true potential in a mink. A form that tripled or even quadrupled their combat power. Sulong! Nekomamushi growled as he pounced on Kaido. Their battle continued. "Worororo, struggle. Struggle with all your might, and fall." Kaido roared with laughter as he swung his bagua. Even outnumbered he showed no signs of defeat. His spirit and haki were at it''s peak. "Dammit!!" Luffy cursed. From their position they could already see Ringo. "What''s that?" As Onigashima flew over Hakumei people down below heard the rumble from the sky. They looked up and saw a large shadow cover the sky. "Is that... Onigashima?" "No way... They looked on in fear and shock. Pieces of rock fell from beneath Onigashima causing a few to run for their lives. Meanwhile. Leo was standing in the midst of a bunch of graves. On it were the words. Grave of Kozuki Oden, Kinemon, Kanjuro... The names of Oden and his vassals were written on it. Leo thought to himself. That woman, Toki... she had exceptional powers. He didn''t know whether she knew he would be here or not, but from her ability to send people twenty years into the future showed how capable she was. And if she factored in his presence, then it was even more shocking. He wondered why Oden fell even with such a capable woman by his side. Reaching no conclusion Leo shook his head. It doesn''t matter anyway, everything ends tonight. He turned his focus to the distant sky. A shadow with flashes of lightning blinking around it was coming in his direction. Every second it grew larger. Leo drew out his sword and waited. As Onigashima neared Ringo the people from the nearest town heard the commotion. They looked up only to be left stunned. "That''s... "Onigashima... "Kaido, that monster... Many men, women and elderly lost their courage when they saw the humongous piece of land slowly flying in their direction. Some of them fell on their b.u.t.t, their faces were pale and devoid of life. "Kaido!!" Luffy and the rest growled. Their anger reached an all-time peak when they saw Ringo. They could feel Onigashima slowing down. Kinemon''s hands trembled as he saw Ringo. That was the last piece of memory of his lord. He couldn''t allow it to vanish but he was not strong enough to defeat this monster infront of him. "Worororo, Oden died a fool twenty years ago. All of you will join him twenty years later." Kaido''s snarky voice rang through the air. All of them stopped for a moment. Only Zoro seemed to be calm. He caught sight of his teacher standing amidst the graves. Battle intent raged inside him as he said, "He will drop Onigashima either way, let''s kill him first." Zoro took a deep breath. The air around him was s.u.c.k.e.d dry. Three Sword Style Secret Technique, Tiger Pounce!! He disappeared in a flash. The next second he appeared beside Kaido. His sword intent condensed into the shape of a tiger, it roared before it pounced at Kaido. The townspeople watched numbly as Onigashima slowed down. It came to a halt above the graves of Kozuki clan. They could hear thunderous echoes from above. Kinemon and the rest paled. They knew this would happen but still when it came to that point they couldn''t accept it. "Kaido!!!" All of them howled and recklessly charged at Kaido. "Worororo, struggle. Wail. And finally die." As his words came to a stop Onigashima and started to fall. The people looking at the sky had no intention to run. Where could they run? The fall will kill everyone within tens of miles. Leo who was standing right beneath Onigashima raised his sword. Leo let out a calm breath and muttered. "Immovable Mountain!" When despair gripped everyone they saw bright sword rays flash above the graves of Kozuki clan. Four incomparably huge swords rose from the ground. It rose slowly and flew towards Onigashima. The air whistled it rose to the sky. The four huge swords parted through the flame clouds beneath Onigashima and pierced into the sturdy rocks. A moment later Onigashima came to an abrupt halt. Chapter 257 - 257. Start! Leo left the villa and walked to the north end of the island. A steep cliff came to view after he got out of the forest. He looked down and saw a ship docked down below. He jumped down. As he descended he stepped on the air and reduced the speed. Once he landed a man dressed in simple clothes came up and saluted. "They have been waiting for you, sir." Leo nodded. He walked inside the ship and came infront of a large cabin. As he opened the door and stepped inside he saw several people. When he saw them he smiled. "Gentlemen, let''s get started." ... At the same time. New Navy HQ. A report was placed before Akainu. "She dared to leave her island? And it seems her destination is Sabaody?" Akainu read the report and furrowed his brows. Though he didn''t see eye to eye with Leo and his wife he had to admit, they were strong. Kizaru was sitting on a couch to the side while drinking tea. He spoke in a lazy tone, "She is going to the backyard of the celestial dragons? That takes guts." Akainu scoffed, "Overestimating herself." "You want me to go capture her?" Akainu nodded. Kizaru nodded and got off the couch. His body turned into brilliant arcs of light and shot out of the room. Akainu just picked up another piece of report when his kenbunshoku haki was triggered. He immediately got up and walked to the balcony and looked up. Up in the sky two flashes of lights clashed. After a few collisions the two lights separated. Kizaru''s nonchalant attitude was completely gone as he looked at the blue flashes of light. "Who would have thought that the Rumble-Rumble fruit would fall in your hand." The blue arcs of light dispersed and Coby walked out. "Kizaru-san, please don''t leave the HQ for the time being." Arcs of lightning flashed around Coby as he disappeared as well. Both of them flashed above the sky and clashed a few times before disappearing. Kizaru reappeared and showed a resigned look. Rumble-Rumble fruit was a freak among devil fruits. It had horrifying attack power and immense speed. Akainu suddenly jumped up and flashed towards Coby. His right arm had turned into spilling magma as he punched out. Coby''s body flashed with lightning as he disappeared. Akainu missed. He glared at Coby and said, "You dare betray the Navy!?" Coby wasn''t fl.u.s.tered. He had seen a lot in these two years, he went through a lot of life and death battles. He had m.a.t.u.r.ed. He spoke calmly, "Akainu-san, my justice is different from yours. I can''t stand it when people are wronged by those with power. I became a marine to catch bad guys." "But I realized how dark the Navy is. Celestial dragons see us as their dogs. No matter how many innocent they kill, we can only watch despite being the keepers of justice." "That is not what I want. I''ve found my way, and I''ll change this rotten system." Akainu scoffed, "Ignorant brat!" Magma spilled out of his body as he punched the sky. Meteor Shower!! Coby was calm in the face of a sky full of meteors. A brilliant arc of lightning flashed around his body. He raised his fist and punched the sky. Thunder Pillars! Blasts of thunder followed his fist as it shattered the falling meteors. In an instant the sky full of meteors were destroyed. "Terrifying." Kizaru muttered lazily. Though he sounded lazy his tone was anything but lazy. Akainu was about to attack again when a voice broke off the tense atmosphere. "Stand down, Kizaru, Akainu." The marines who were watching from the ground were astonished when they saw the three men. "Vice admiral Garp! Sengoku-san! And teacher Z!" "I haven''t seen teacher Z for years now." "To think he would appear now... Akainu watched the three old men and asked, "What''s the meaning of this?" Garp sighed, "Just stand down, Akainu." Rage boiled inside Akainu, "You have retired, old man! Why are you messing around now?!" Sengoku''s face hardened, "Stand down!!" A domineering presence erupted from the three old men. Akainu gripped his fist. He looked at Z and asked. "I thought you left the Navy to find your own justice." Z had a rough face. He faintly looked at Akainu and said, "My justice will be realised after today." Akainu frowned. Sengoku sighed, "Let''s go inside. No matter what happens today, no marine is allowed to head out of the HQ. Instruct every marine outside not to respond to distress signals from the World Government." When Sengoku mentioned the World Government an idea came into Akainu''s mind. He trembled for second and dared not think any further. Impossible. No one can achieve that! ... Marijoa. "No news from the cipher pol." "It is to be expected. This is that woman we are talking about." "We should have killed them before they reached this step!" "No use crying about the past. Capture is not an option now." "Yes. We need to kill such dangerous elements. It isn''t worth it to take so much risk for one celestial dragon." "Hm. Anyway, she needs to be taken care of before... One of the elders who was speaking came to an abrupt halt. His eyes narrowed as he looked outside. "Space fluctuations... All of them looked at each other and disappeared from the room. They appeared outside and looked at a part of the sky. From a ripple a few people walked out. The five elders narrowed their eyes when they saw who it was. Chapter 263 - 263. Im Proud Of You After following Zoro''s vivre card for a month Leo''s ship finally caught upto the Thousand Sunny. Even from afar Leo could sense the strong spirit possessed by the ship. A smile formed on Leo''s lips as he looked at Sunny. You can finally travel with them again, Merry. When their sh.i.p.s got close Leo boarded the Sunny with Shinobu and Tama. Some of the Strawhats with certain IQ understood why Leo was here for. They all looked at Luffy. Luffy was oblivious to their expression and excitedly greeted Leo and company. He was particularly happy to see Tama. After catching up for a while Leo asked Tama and Shinobu to step away for a moment so that he could talk with Luffy alone. "Kid, I am here to recruit you into the Adventurers Guild." "No!" As soon as Leo finished his words Luffy rejected him. Leo expected this outcome and asked calmly, "Why do you so adamantly want to become the Pirate King?" Luffy titled his head as in deep thought and said, "To sail the seas." Leo stated, "You can do the same as an adventurer as well." "But I want to be the... Before he could finish Leo cut his off and said, "Luffy, pirates are synonym to evil. They kill, rob and burn, either for treasure or for their p.l.e.a.s.u.r.e." "In your journey how many pirates have you come across? How many of them truly wanted to sail the seas for adventure?" "Your lot is an exception. Each one of you have a goal, a dream." "If you continue with your dream of being the Pirate King, do you know what would happen once you reach that goal?" "Pirates would set out to follow your footsteps. Roger became the Pirate King and started the great era of pirates. Because of him countless pirates set out to the seas. In their search for treasure they killed and looted as they pleased." "Many innocents died because of one man''s reckless dream and a title. Do you want to follow such a legacy?" Luffy who always dealt things with his fist went silent. He had a good heart by nature. He won''t stand it if he became the reason for someone else''s misery. Leo was satisfied to see the kid thinking seriously for once. "I know it''s your dream to find one piece. But why can''t you do it as an Adventurer? Luffy, do you know what kind of people are qualified to be a true adventurer?" Leo smiled, "Only those with courage to set out to find the unknown, to uncover the mysteries of the world and see the truth for themselves are qualified to be an adventurer." "It''s not a simple title. And not just anyone can become a true adventurer. But your crew in my eyes are a true adventurers group." "There is you, Zoro and Sanji who are the main forces in case a battle breaks out. There is chopper who is an excellent doctor. There is Sanji who is a great cook." "Robin is proficient in archeology. Jimbe who is a fisherman who could be very helpful under certain circ.u.mstances. Nami who by the way is the best navigator I''ve ever seen in my life." "Then there is Brooke, a musician who could cheer up the mood during long journeys. Franky, shipwright. Usopp, a sniper." "Your crew is complete. You guys are a first rate Adventurer group." Hearing Leo''s praise Luffy laughed loudly. The rest also heard Leo and rubbed their nose proudly. Leo continued, "Become an adventurer, Luffy. Your grandfather had faced a lot of criticism due to your profession. For once think of him and make him proud." Luffy fell into a struggle. From a young age he wanted to be the Pirate King. It''s was his dream. How could he give up so easily. Leo smiled when he saw the kid''s plight and said, "You know, there are a lot of Adventurers but not one could be called as the King of Adventurers." Luffy paused for a moment. His eyes started to brighten. Leo stood up, "Sail the seas as you wish Luffy, but as an adventurer. Once you reach the end you''ll become the first King of Adventurers." A spark flared up inside Luffy''s eyes. Shinobu chuckled when she saw Luffy''s reaction. She felt like Leo was cheating an innocent kid by taking his candy with a promise of a better one in the future. Leo pointed to the sails and said, "And remove the skull. You only need the Strawhat as your group''s design." Luffy was fine with it. Usopp who was handy with these sort of work started to remove the skull on the sail and the black flag atop the mast. Leo handed each of them a card, "This is your Adventurer card. I''ve raised your group''s grade to class A. You can access all the services that comes with that class." Everyone checked their card curiously. Each person had a job title in their card. Nami had the title Navigator. Robin had the title Archeologist. Finishing his work Leo looked at the crew and said, "I wish you all find what you''re looking for." Everyone nodded and send off Leo and company. Once they reached their ship Leo called Garp. "Old man, it''s done. From now on there won''t be Strawhat pirates, just Strawhat Adventurers." After a moment of silence an aged voice came from the other side. "Leo, thank you.", "What''s with you? Is there any need for that with me?" "Haha, no there isn''t. But I want to." Kachak. Garp hung up after saying that. Leo shook his head with a smile. He turned to Shinobu and said, "Let''s head back to Fishman Island." ... Adventurer Guild HQ. Garp just hung up the phone and slouched on his chair. After so many years he felt like everyone that was weighing on him was gone. Just at that moment the door to the room opened and Ace walked in. He looked tired as he dragged his body and threw himself on the couch. "Haha, working hard I see." Ace jumped up from the couch and pointed at Garp in rage, "Damn you, old man! Aokiji was going to give me a class A rank, but you made it to class D!" "Look at me now! I''ve been doing class D missions tirelessly for a month and yet I''m only half way through to class C! At this rate it will take me years before I reach class A!" "Then there is class S! How the hell am I supposed to reach class S at this rate?! Damn you, stinky old man!" Garp''s face twisted from anger. He jumped from his chair and smacked Ace''s head. "You brat!! Is that how you talk to your grandpa?! Was my care and love all these years in vain?!" Ace was nearly blowing his top when he heard Garp, his head ached from the old man''s punch. "Holy sh*t! How shameless can you be?! Care and love?! My ass! You threw Luffy and me into a damn jungle when we were young!" A vein popped on Garp''s forehead. He smacked Ace''s head once more. "That was me training you!" Ace refused to budge and argued with the old man for a while. In the end he had to stop because his head was starting to swell from all that punch. Garp clapped his arms in satisfaction and slouched on his chair again. Ace grumbled from the side, "Stinky old man." Garp heard him and didn''t bother responding. After a while he said. "Ace, I''m very of proud of you." For a moment Ace paused. "Che!" He then clicked his tongue. Finding a comfortable position on the couch he fell asleep. Garp curled his lips into a smile and closed his eyes. In a second he fell asleep. Chapter 267 - 267. A Second Spirit? A couple of days passed. Hanako woke up a day after her treatment. However her body was seriously fatigued, for a full recovery Shinobu had prepared a routine medical therapy for her. Checking Hanako''s body once more Shinobu put down her hand. "Thank you." Hanako said weakly. Shinobu smiled and said, "You''ve said this so many times already." Hanako replied seriously, "No matter how many times I express my gratitude it will never be enough. If not for you, my son... Shinobu gently patted her arm, "It''s fine. Just focus on recovering." She made sure Hanako was comfortable before walking out. When she reached the hall she saw Chojo playing with a baby. The kid was very adorable. "Little Shin likes you." She commented. Chojo laughed when he heard her, "What can I say, kids love me." "Where is Leo?" "He went to the super to get some drinks." She nodded before taking her leave. Taking the elevator she reached the lobby. When she walked to the super she saw Leo walking out with several cans of beer. "You wanted something?" Shinobu shook her head, "No. Just bored. I thought I would take a walk." Leo smiled. He took her hand and started to aimlessly walk around the area. Without knowing they reached a park. Several kids were playing football. Both of them sat down and opened a can for themselves. They enjoyed the game and wasted time. When the game was near it''s end Leo raised an eyebrow and looked at the north end of the park. He saw a man floating near a tree watching the game. Another spirit? Leo was surprised. This was the second one he saw after reaching this world. Was it that easy to encounter these entities? He used his spiritual sense to observe the man and found something different. Hanako''s chain was long and had a stable space at it''s broken end, however this one was very short and crumbling. The process seemed very slow but it was happening nonetheless. The man hesitated for a moment and went towards them. "Are you dead or alive?" Huh? The man was confused when he heard Leo. "Dead. I died from a heart attack." Though he was confused he still answered. His tone was low and he looked sad. "One of the boys down there is your son?" The man nodded. He pointed to a kid wearing a green t-shirt. "That''s my son." Leo didn''t know how to continue the conversation. He was clueless as to what to do with this spirit. Just at that moment a shadow fell into park. The fall was strong and raised a cloud of dust. The kids stopped playing and looked at what was happening with a confused look. Leo''s eyes narrowed. He saw an evil presence that was very large and had a milky bone mask on its face. "What''s that?" He asked. The man shook his head and replied nervously, "I don''t know." The creature looked around and finally settled on the kid with the green t-shirt. It walked towards him. The kids couldn''t see what was happening. They all looked at the clouds of dust rising from the ground as the creature walked. The man''s son seems to have noticed something. He focused his eyes trying to capture a blurry figure walking towards him. "Who are you?" He asked innocently. However the creature didn''t reply. When it reached him it raised it''s massive arms, trying to grab the kid. Just when it was about to succeed Leo flashed infront of him. He raised his right arm and slashed down. The air rippled for an instant. The creature came to a halt. It''s body slowly split up from the middle. The split part started to crumble and disappear. Leo disappeared just as he appeared. The kids only saw a flash for a split second. All of them looked around, confused as to what happened just a second ago. But kids were kids. They soon forgot about it and started to play again. "Thank you." The man bowed and thanked Leo. "It''s fine." He picked up the empty beer cans and threw them to wastebin. "Nice meeting you. We''ll be leaving." He said goodbye to the man and was about to leave when someone landed at the edge of the park. Leo paused and looked at the newcomer. It was a young man with orange hair. He wore black clothes and had a really large sword on his back. Leo''s eyes narrowed when he saw the sword. He felt a different vibe from it. It was clearly a sword and yet it was so different from all the others he had seen before. The young man sensed Leo''s gaze and looked at him. He was surprised someone could see him. He went towards them and asked. "Did you guys see a nasty guy around here?" Leo pointed to the playground and said, "I took care of it." The young man was surprised and asked, "You killed a hollow? But I don''t see your zanpakuto." "Zanpakuto?" Seeing Leo''s confusion the young man was surprised, "You don''t know what a zanpakuto is? Then how did you kill it?" Leo asked back, "You need a zanpakuto to kill that thing?" The young man nodded, "Well, yeah." As they were talking a girl rushed to the park. She looked around and saw the floating spirit as well as the young man talking to Leo. A flicker of surprise passed through her eyes. She went towards them and asked, "Who is this, Ichigo?" The young man named Ichigo was stunned for a second. He let out an embarrassed smile and asked, "Sorry, I forgot to ask your names." Leo smiled, "No worries. My name is Leo, this is my wife, Shinobu. It''s nice to meet you both." Ichigo also spoke, "My name is Ichijo, this is Rukia." Leo nodded. He asked, "What''s this zanpakuto you spoke of? Is it the sword you have on your back?" Ichigo nodded, "Yeah. Hollows can only be injured using these things." Rukia suddenly elbowed him and whispered in his ear, "Why are you giving out such information to a civilian?" Ichigo whispered back, "He killed that hollow." "Say what?" Ichigo confirmed, "He killed that hollow we were chasing." Rukia was stunned. She looked at Leo over and over but found nothing as to how this man managed to kill a hollow. "You really killed it?" Leo nodded and asked, "Is it that hard to believe?" "Well... Rukia didn''t know where to start. Just as she was organising her thoughts Leo asked. "Can you explain what''s going on with this man?" Rukia looked at the man with the crumbling chain and said, "This is an earth bound spirit. Due to extreme regret or some other emotions he couldn''t let go of this world and move on." "I see... In that case Hanako must be an exception. She was still alive but in a coma. Her spirit was tightly bound to her body through that stable space. A lot of questions he had on his mind was answered. Ichigo spoke to man, "Sir, it''s time for you to move in. If that chain completely crumbles you will turn into that creature you saw." The man was shocked. A moment later he realised his time was up. He looked at his son for one last time and nodded at Ichigo. Ichigo raised the hilt of his sword and tapped it on the man''s forehead. His spirit glowed and disappeared into the sky. Rukia was still observing Leo and Shinobu. She couldn''t sense any spiritual pressure from these two, but if these two didn''t have any spiritual energy then how did they kill a hollow? "Say, I''ve a lot of questions. Would you mind clearing it for me?" Rukia asked, "What questions?" Leo pointed to Ichigo, "First of all, he is the same as that man, a spirit. But why does he not have any chains on his c.h.e.s.t?" Rukia asked back, "You know he is in his spirit form?" Leo nodded. Rukia was getting curious as to what this man was. "He is a shinigami. His job is to take care of wandering souls and hollows. His soul is special, that''s why he can exist outside his body without those chains." Leo captured that special word again. Shinigami. Chapter 272 - 272. Bakudo Ichigo was currently confronting another Shinigami who came with the purpose of capturing Rukia. Leo watched their fight curiously. He couldn''t find a single ounce of swordsmanship from Ichigo. He was just swinging his sword left and right. As for the other guy, well, he isn''t all that better either. He wondered whether these shinigamis even knew any swordsmanship. There was another shinigami standing not far from them. However this guy gave off a stronger vibe than these two fledglings. When Leo''s eyes fell on him the other shinigami also noticed him. A flicker of surprise passed through his eyes. As time passed Ichigo managed to gain the upper hand. "Rukia isn''t going anywhere." He pointed his sword at the two shinigamis and declared. After he spoke he saw Leo and Shinobu. "What are you guys doing here?" Leo smiled, "Just passing by. What''s going on?" Ichigo pointed at the two shinigamis and said, "These guys are here to take away Rukia!" Leo looked at Rukia standing not far from them and asked Ichigo, "Did she do something wrong?" Ichigo wanted to explain but Rukia cut him off, "I broke the rules of the soul society and passed my powers onto a human." "But that was to save my family!" Ichigo rudely corrected her. Rukia shook her head, "The circ.u.mstances doesn''t matter, I did break the rule." Leo understood what was happening and said, "It''s fine, isn''t it? Since she broke the rule isn''t it right that she is punished?" Ichigo wanted to argue, "But... Leo shook his head and said, "Rules are rules, Ichigo." The shinigami Ichigo defeated stood up and spoke loudly, "Rukia needs to return with us. Human, it''s better you don''t get involved in our affair." Leo faintly looked at the shinigami and asked, "Was what she did serious?" The shinigami paused for a second, he hesitated for a moment and said, "No." Leo asked again, "Will she be sentenced to death?" The shinigami thought for a second and said, "No." Leo asked once more, "Will her sentence be lightened knowing the fact that she did it to save humans?" "I think so... Hearing his answer Leo looked at Ichigo and said, "See. She won''t be in any danger. Let her go back." Ichigo immediately said, "Then I''ll go with her! I don''t trust these guys!" Leo heard him and looked at the other shinigami. A faint smile appeared on his face, "Don''t worry. These two won''t hurt her." Ichigo didn''t trust Leo''s words and said firmly, "I must go with her!" Leo rubbed his forehead. This kid was stubborn. It was at this moment the other shinigami spoke, "You mortals have no say in this matter." Rukia stepped out, "Brother... "You will speak no more." Rukia opened her mouth but didn''t say a word. "Bastard! Who do you think you are?!" Ichigo saw how the guy treated Rukia and yelled loudly. The guy faintly looked at Ichigo. The next moment the disappeared from everyone''s sight and appeared next to him. Ichigo saw him pop next to him and raised his sword to attack. However the sword in his hand was slashed in two by the other shinigami. "No way... Ichigo stared incredulously at his broken zanpakuto. "Hey, that''s not nice." Ichigo only felt a blur. Leo who was standing several meters away from suddenly appeared next to him. His right arm held the other shinigami''s blade which was an inch away from his c.h.e.s.t. Cold sweat dripped down Ichigo''s face. He couldn''t see how they moved. The other shinigami raised an eyebrow. Though he looked calm on the surface, he was shocked inside. A mortal was able to follow his movements! He stared at Leo and asked seriously, "Who are you?" Leo shook his head, "That''s not important right now. You can take her away, but why are you attacking this idiot?" The other shinigami stared at Leo and said coldly, "His strength doesn''t belong to him." Leo replied, "I don''t care. Rukia broke the rules, so you can take her away but don''t touch an innocent bystander." The other shinigami asked back, "What if I do?" Leo curled his lips into a smile, "Why don''t you find out." The other shinigami looked at Leo for a while and said solemnly, "My name is Kuchiki Byakuya, captain of the 6th division." Leo replied, "Leo Heart. A human." They stared at each other for a while before disappearing. Byakuya flashed infront of Leo and slashed with his sword. Leo already saw what he was going to do and stepped aside. Not bothered by his miss Byakuya changed his sword and slashed again. Leo stepped aside one more time and dodged again. They exchanged a few more rounds without an obvious victor. However there was a rare trace of solemness on Byakuya''s face. Leo was still smiling at him. He was without any panic facing him. Byakuya suddenly raised his right arm and said, "Bakudo no.9, Geki." A brilliant light flashed in Leo''s eyes. Excellent technique! He didn''t immediately break the technique and felt it''s power. It''s slightly lacking in binding ability but with stronger spiritual energy it can exhibit stronger strength! Byakuya wasn''t aware of his opponent''s thoughts. He immediately attacked seeing him bound by his technique. "Dammit!" Ichigo saw the situation and wanted to help. However he couldn''t even see them move much less catch upto Byakuya. When Byakuya was about to place his sword on his opponents neck and make him surrender Leo moved. He stretched his arms and easily broke through the binding placed on him. Before Byakuya could react he grabbed the latter''s sword and yanked it out of his hand. "Hey, that technique you just used, what is it?" Byakuya stared incredulously at his empty hand. He took my sword? The sense of pride he had as the current head of Kuchiki clan and as a squad captain of the gotei 13 was being crushed mercilessly by Leo. Rage welled up inside him. However he remembered his position and identify, taking a deep breath he stared at Leo and said, "Bakudo." Leo mumbled, "Bakudo, bakudo... After a moment he asked, "How can I learn Bakudo?" Eh? What? Ichigo, Rukia and Renji looked at this scene and was lost in thought. Byakuya stared at Leo trying to read his thought. However he found nothing, the man''s eyes showed a brilliant expression, as if he was eager to learn it. "You can''t." He said plainly. Leo asked, "Why not?" "You are not a shinigami." "Then I can become one." "You can''t." "What now?" "You are a mortal." "Mortals can''t be shinigamis? Why? Is it because I can''t have a zanpakuto?" "Yes." "Well... let''s talk terms. There must be something you can arrange." "I can''t." "Why not? Aren''t you a squad captain?" "..." Byakuya didn''t know how to react to Leo. He firmly rejected him and said, "Give me my sword." Leo sighed. He threw the sword back and said, "You can''t arrange anything?" Byakuya didn''t bother to reply. He walked to Rukia and said, "Let''s go." Rukia nodded slowly. She looked a bit down to just suddenly leave. "Hey, I''m coming with you!" Ichigo yelled from behind. He was about to run to them when Leo grabbed his shoulder. "Stay. That''s their internal problem. Why are you butting in?" Ichigo was struggling to break free from Leo''s grasp but his shoulder seems to be locked down by an iron clamp. What kind of terrible grip does this guy have?! Leo watched as a sliding door appear. Byakuya, Rukia and Renji stepped through the door and disappeared. Chapter 273 - 273. Warning Urahara''s Shop. Leo and Shinobu were seated opposite to a group of people which included Kisuke, Tessai, Ichigo, Orihime, Uryuu and Chad, a tall burly tanned man about the same age as Ichigo. Kisuke rubbed his chin and said, "Under ordinary circ.u.mstances I would say it''s fine, but this seems trouble." Ichigo, Orihime and Chad were friends of Rukia. They were worried about her and quickly asked why. Kisuke explained, "She did break the law stating that a shinigami must not transfer their powers onto a human. But I''m surprised the soul society send a captain and a lieutenant for her capture. That''s overkill." Leo faintly looked at Kisuke. This guy... Kisuke also noticed his gaze and showed a sly smile. Ichigo thought for a second and said, "We need to get her back." Kisuke shook his finger at him, "At your current level you wouldn''t even win against lieutenants, much less captains. Also, your zanpakuto is broken." Only now did Ichigo remember that, "Oh yeah, about that. How can I fix it?" Kisuke smiled at him, "I have my methods." He turned to Orihime and Chad, "You guys also need to prepare. Your current strength isn''t enough for this journey." Finally he looked at Uryuu, he pondered for a while and said, "You are a quincy, I don''t know much about your methods of training. So you are on your own." Uryuu wasn''t bothered by his words. His attention was on Leo and Shinobu. He looked like he wanted to say something. Leo say his hesitation and asked, "What is it?" Uryuu let out a breath and said, "How can I condense spiritual energy like you did?" Hm? Ah, his methods are similar to my attacks. "There are a few more days before we leave. Find a suitable place for training and I''ll show you. How much you can grasp will depend on you." Uryuu was relieved inside. He thought the man would reject his request. Kisuke clapped his hands, "Alright. That''s it for today. Tessai, bring Ichigo to our shop''s training ground. The rest of you can also follow." Tessai brought the four of them and left. Only the three of them remained. "Do you have what I asked for?" Leo spoke first. Kisuke nodded, "Information about spatial tunnels between the three worlds, I do have them." He grabbed a couple of thick books and several papers bound by threads. "These are important resources from division 12. I hope it will be of help." He handed it over to Leo. Leo picked a book from the stack and gave it a quick read. The content was abstruse and complex but it was manageable. Placing the book down Leo looked at Kisuke and said, "About Rukia, shouldn''t you be explaining something to me?" Kisuke paused for a second and asked, "You know?" Leo nodded, "Yeah. I don''t know the concrete details, but about that thing... I do. Do you suspect that her capture is orc.h.e.s.trated by someone?" Kisuke nodded, "I do think it''s plausible but there are very few people who know about it." Hm... "Well, no need to complicate things. Let it come as it may." Leo said. The three of them got up and went to the training ground owned by Urahara Shop. What''s interesting was that the said training ground was underground. It was very large and very wide. Leo didn''t have the faintest idea as to how Kisuke managed to dig out the place. Ichigo, Orihime and Chad were nowhere to be seen. Kisuke also disappeared as they reached the ground. Only Uryuu was waiting for them. "I will show it a few times. How much you learn will depend on you." Leo spoke directly. He raised his arm and slashed lightly. A sword ray formed in mid air and flew at a rock nearby. Slash! The rock was sliced neatly in half. Uryuu had his eyes trained on the sword ray. Leo waved his arm, the sword ray turned around and fell on another rock. "Why does it have such power? I can condense the same amount of spiritual energy but it doesn''t haver this much attack power." Leo smiled at him, "Your archery is good but it doesn''t have a will." "Will?" Uryuu thought silently. Leo explained, "When you can stick your will to your attacks then you can also do what I just did." Uryuu listened to him carefully. However he was still clueless to as to how to do it. Leo was ready to leave, just as he was leaving he gave one last piece of advice, "Have archery temper your mind and body. Always hitting the mark just means that you are good at it, anyone can do that with practice." "Take it slow, feel the breath of the world. Master the fluctuations of your spiritual energy. Flow your emotions into your weapons. Fill your arrows with your intent." Uryuu was a talented quincy. He had high intelligence and was m.a.t.u.r.e for his age. Leo''s words echoed in his mind over and over again. His messy train of thoughts found a clear path. Seeing the kid in a daze Leo smiled and left with Shinobu. On their way back both of them stopped by Chojo''s place. It was a high end residential area. Chojo had several villas here. He cleaned up one and started to live there. Of course Hanako and little Shin was with him. At first Hanako was embarrassed to live him. But the guy said she could only leave after he deemed her to be in full health. "You guys are here. Come in." Chojo opened the door with little Shin in his arms. Once they were seated Hanako brought them drinks. Sipping on his tea Leo''s eyes inadvertently fell on a flower pot. His hands paused for a second. Both of them stayed for a while and left. Once they got out of the villa Shinobu asked in a cold tone. "Soul society?" Leo nodded. A trace of murderous intent flashed through his eyes, "Whoever it was they knew we would find their trace. This was a warning." In Chojo''s house they felt a trace of spiritual energy on a small flower pot. Chojo, Hanako and little Shin were without much spiritual energy, so it could have only been done by someone else. Shinobu who always smiled had a very dangerous expression at the moment, "Threatening with our friends. Hehe... Leo curled his lips into a cold smile, "I wasn''t planning on messing around, but since they took the initiative it would be rude to not reciprocate." Chapter 274 - 274. Soul Society A couple more days passed. Leo was busy reading through the materials Kisuke have him. From them he got a clear understanding of how each world is connected to one another. The passage between them wasn''t that hard to access, the problem was the amount of time he could stay there. While in thought Leo''s phone rang. He picked it up. "It''s me. Come to my shop. We are ready." Leo hung up and called Shinobu. They reached Urahara''s Shop and went down to the training ground. Ichigo, Chad, Orihime and Uryuu were there. There was also a black cat with them. Leo''s eyes stopped on the black cat for a few seconds before his focus landed on Ichigo''s sword. The broken sword was gone and in it''s place was a large knife modelled zanpakuto. Ichigo''s spiritual energy seems to have grown as well. "Everyone''s here. Let''s get started." Kisuke clapped his palms. Him and Tessai started working on a square frame. Hm? Leo sensed a certain fluctuation of spiritual energy from the device. After a moment the empty area of the frame started to ripple. A second later the ripples tore apart the space, revealing a dark corridor. "Now, everyone jump on. Remember you have four minutes to get to your destination, any longer will get you killed." Ichigo asked back, "It''s that dangerous?" Kisuke shrugged, "We have no other choice." "Alright, let''s do this!" Ichigo took the lead and jumped in. Chad, Orihime and Uryuu followed. As Leo was about to enter Kisuke''s mouth moved a bit. Leo paused for a second before entering the dark corridor as well. Kisuke looked at their disappearing figures and mumbled, "I''m counting on you." ... Leo looked around the dark corridor. Both sides of the corridor had sludge flowing down endlessly. "Let''s move. We don''t have much time." At this moment the black cat talked. Leo wasn''t all that surprised when he heard it. Shinobu on the other hand looked at the cat curiously. The black cat obviously felt her eyes on it. It didn''t feel any hostility from her gaze so it ignored her. As they were running a sudden rumble came from behind. A glaring light flashed through the dark corridor. "What the hell is that!?" Uryuu who was being carried by Chad asked in shock. The black cat was startled when it saw what was coming towards them. "Run faster! That''s the cleaner, it comes through this place once every seven days!" They picked up speed. However the cleaner was way too fast. Damn! It caught up! Why is it here now of all times?! The black cat cursed inside. Leo stopped in his tracks and pulled out his sword. The black cat saw his movements and yelled, "Don''t touch it! It can disintegrate everything it comes in contact with!" Leo smiled and raised his sword. Haki climbed onto his blade as a sharp intent condensed on it''s edge. Immovable Mountain. He swung his sword down. A sword ray flashed and condensed into a large sword infront of the cleaner. Boom! The cleaner struck the large sword. The collision created ripples that caused the dark corridor to shake. The sludge flowing from the walls flowed even faster. However the sword didn''t break, it stopped the cleaner dead in it''s tracks. Everyone nearly lost their balance when the dark corridor shook. The black cat looked incredulously at Leo. Rumble. Crap! The passage isn''t going to hold. "Run, you fools!" The black cat yelled and ran as fast as it could. The rest didn''t hold up and did the same. While they were running for their life the sword stopping the cleaner started to crack. At this moment everyone saw a glimmer in the distance. Bang! The sword finally felt apart. The cleaner rushed out with incredible speed. Almost... When the cleaner nearly caught upto them Leo pushed his palm forward. A powerful force pushed the group through the glimmer of light. After taking care of them Leo held Shinobu''s waist and disappeared from the dark corridor. ... Bang! A group of people fell into a town. Cough. Cough. Ichigo got up from the ground and looked around. "Where are we?" The black cat appeared beside him and explained, "The rukonga. It''s where every soul appear after they die. This town is the outer perimeter of the soul society, the inner sanctuary is where the shinigamis live." Leo and Shinobu looked around the place curiously. They then spotted a completely different style of buildings in the distance. "That place looks different... ah, it must be where those shinigamis live." The black cat saw his movements and yelled, "Idiot! Don''t approach that place carelessly!" Ichigo heard it and looked back to ask why. It was at that moment several towering blocks fell from the sky. Boom! It fell neatly and surrounded the inner sanctuary. Ichigo was just several metres away from being squashed into a meat paste. "Phew. That was too close for comfort." The black cat heaved a sigh of relief and said, "For now let''s fall back and formulate a plan. We can''t just reckle... It was explaining when Leo and Shinobu walked towards the inner sanctuary. "Hey, what are you doing?" Leo smiled, "Going inside." The black cat was shocked. It flashed infront of them and said seriously, "Don''t joke around. Do you know how many shinigamis live inside? Not to mention squad captains, their lieutenants and even worse, the captain commander of the gotei 13! Recklessly charging in will only get us killed!" Leo ignored it''s words and walked forward leisurely. When he reached the towering walls he pulled out his sword. When was about to attack a giant shadow covered him. Leo paused and moved back several steps. Boom! A large silhouette smashed into the ground. Leo looked up and saw a giant man getting up from the ground. He held a flat axe in his right arm and wore a red cap on his head. "Who is that?" "That guy is so huge." Chad, Uryuu and Orihime looked shocked. The black cat replied, "That''s Jidanbou. The gatekeeper." Leo stared silently at Jidanbou. The latter looked at him and said, "No one can enter without permission." Leo asked, "What if I insist?" Jidanbou stared at him and said indifferently, "Then I''ll smash you." Leo curled his lips into a smile. Swish! Without any sign he disappeared. Before Jidanbou could react Leo flashed beside his head and threw out a punch. Jidanbou was fast enough to react. He raised his axe and tried to defend. Crack! Boom! The axe didn''t provide any defence and cracked. Leo''s fist smashed through the axe and fell squarely on Jidanbou''s face. The force from the punch lifted the giant from the ground and threw him far into the distance. Jidanbou smashed into the ground and rolled a good distance before stopping. His eyes rolled to the back of his head and fainted. Leo landed lightly on the ground and looked at the walls stopping him. He slid his foot back and took a stance. A powerful force broke out from his body. Armed! Haki climbed onto his blade and sword rays flashed around him. Raging Inferno! He slashed out. Zzz! A sword ray flashed. The sturdy walls that blocked his path trembled for a second before it started to crumble. A large part of the wall disintegrated into tiny specks of dust and dispersed into the wind. The black cat, Ichigo, Chad, Uryuu and Orihime had the jaws wide open. They rubbed their eyes a few times to make sure they weren''t seeing wrong. "Hey, Yoruichi, didn''t you say that this wall couldn''t be breached?" Ichigo asked the black cat. Yoruichi woke up from her shock and said, "Yes, it can''t be breached. Atleast not by any normal person. If it''s a captain then the story is different." Yoruichi looked at Leo and Shinobu. A faint flicker flashed in her eyes. Leo walked past the destroyed part of the wall with Shinobu. What greeted them was a large line up of shinigamis. All of them were staring at this shocking scene. Leo smiled and spoke politely, "I''m here to find someone. I wonder if you guys can help me?" Chapter 275 - 275. Strength Determines Attitude The seritei fell into silence. A moment later the shinigamis snapped out of their shock. Their faces turned ugly. "Who do you think you are?!" "A human dares to attack Soul Society?!" Their enraged words went through Leo''s one ear and came out from the other. He ignored their rage and waited. Sh! Sh! Just at that moment several figures flashed infront of Leo. All of them gave off a strong vibe. This was especially true for a few of them. Their spiritual energy was far higher than the others who appeared. "It''s you." Among the ones who appeared was one Leo recognised. Squad 6 captain, Kuchiki Byakuya. Leo smiled at him, "It''s good to see you again, captain Kuchiki." Byakuya frowned, "Why are you here?" One of the other captains that came with him asked, "You know this human?" Byakuya nodded, "Captain Jyushiro, this is the human I reported." Jyushiro stared at Leo and asked, "Human, why are you attacking Soul Society?" Leo stated, "I''m here to find someone." Jyushiro frowned, "Is there a need to cause a commotion like this?" Leo curled his lips into a derisive smile, "What would you do if your friends or your comrades are threatened? Would you politely knock on the door and asked for their explanation?" Byakuya asked, "What do you mean?" Leo replied, "I found a trace of spiritual energy in my friend''s house. It belonged to a shinigami. My friend is very normal, there is no way he would come in contact with a shinigami. Not to mention, this trace of spiritual energy was left there deliberately." "Tell me, if someone so blatantly threatens your soul society, what would you do?" "Tell me, sir, what''s your answer?" When Leo finished speaking he looked towards the sky. An old man with a really long white beard was standing in the sky. He was bald and had a hunched back. His lieutenant stood beside him. The man was tanned and had a strong spiritual energy as well. Hearing Leo''s question the old man faintly opened his eyes. His eyes met Leo''s. Subconsciously Leo''s hand reached out for his sword''s hilt. This feeble old man gave off a very dangerous vibe. It''s been a while since he felt the threat of death from anyone. "Captain commander!" The shinigamis and the other captains bowed towards the old man in the sky. Leo''s eyes narrowed when he heard them address the old man. Captain commander of the gotei 13, Genryuusai Shikeguni Yamamoto! The strongest shinigami! Yamamoto had his eyes on Leo. After a while he spoke, "Soul Society will give you a satisfactory explanation. Byakuya, arrange a residence for our guests." Sh! Fast! Leo''s eyes narrowed. The captains were astounded when they heard the old man. Byakuya was lost in thought for a second as he looked at Leo. A human was appreciated by the captain commander? Keeping his thoughts to himself Byakuya gestured, "Please follow me." Under everyone''s shocked and curious eyes Leo and company went with Byakuya. Not long after they were led to a large residence. Several servants were waiting for them at the door. "Welcome, clan leader." All of them greeted Byakuya with respect. The latter walked with dignity and showed Leo and company inside. "Yoruichi, what''s happening?" Ichigo who was prepared for a big fight with the soul society asked confused. Yoruichi shook her head and replied, "I don''t know." Her eyes showed immense curiousity. After showing them to their residence Byakuya left. Leo sat down comfortably. The servants served tea which he accepted with a smile. Watching him drink without a care in the world confused the rest. "How can you be so calm? We are right at the center of Soul Society." Yoruichi said. Leo sipped on his tea and asked, "Why should I worry?" Yoruichi narrowed her eyes, "We are here to rescue Rukia." Leo smiled, "That''s your goal. My purpose is different." "Still, are you not worried?" Leo crossed his legs over another and spoke calmly, "When you are strong enough it doesn''t matter. I have the capital to be arrogant infront of the Soul Society." He said his part and looked at Uryuu and Ichigo, "Do you know why your small game caused such a chaos back then?" Ichigo shook his head. Uryuu on the other hand pondered for a second before asking, "Someone deliberately did that?" Leo nodded, "Someone was watching all of us that day. Whoever it was, they directed that whole incident. I even assume they knew we would come." "So, rather than dancing to their tunes, I prefer to flip the board and level the battlefield." This man... Yoruichi''s eyes narrowed into thin slits. She thought this man was arrogant, but now... "What should we do now?" Inoe asked. Shinobu smiled, "We wait. I am looking forward to how they are going to respond." ... Seritei. All the captains were called for a meeting by Yamamoto. They stood in line on both sides. "What is the result of the investigation?" Yamamoto asked faintly. A captain wearing a straw hat spoke, "Nothing. No one was found to have left Soul Society during the past week." Yamamoto hummed and spoke, "Keep looking." The man wearing the flower kimono asked, "I say, old man, why are you so courteous towards a human? This isn''t like you." Yamamoto faintly opened his eyes and said, "Shunsui, those with strength should be shown their due respect." Well... Shunsui was taken back by Yamamoto''s words. This human is strong enough for the old man to treat him with respect? Now, that''s something you don''t see everyday. Everyone had their own guess. "Ha! An interesting opponent!" A man with a big build and an eye patch over his left eye said with a grin. He turned around and left after saying those words. "Kenpachi, where are you going?" A young man with white hair asked. "None of your damn business." The young man frowned, "This is a captains meeting." "Like a give a damn." Kenpachi left. "Toshiro, let him go." Yamamoto spoke slowly. Hearing the captain commander everyone''s eyes flashed. Chapter 276 - 276. Kenpachi Zaraki Leo was taking a stroll through the Seritei. The place was very large and had a lot of corners. If not for his spiritual sense Leo would have lost his way. As he just turned a corner he heard a loud rumble. He didn''t need to ''see'' what was happening as his spiritual sense already showed him everything. Interesting person. He waited where he was. Boom! Not long after the wall infront of him was destroyed and a person emerged from the dust and rubble. "See, I told you this is the right way." An imm.a.t.u.r.e voice rang out. Leo watched interestingly at these troublemakers. A big man with an eye patch over his left eye and a little girl who was slung on his shoulder. The big man focused on Leo and grinned, "So, you are the human that old man looked so highly upon... My name is Kenpachi Zaraki, this is Yachiru. Let''s fight!" Kenpachi rushed forward as soon as he finished his words. The little girl on his shoulder jumped back and squatted above a wall. She watched on with a smile at the crazy Kenpachi. Leo was slightly taken back by the sudden request and even more so with the sudden attack. However he was a seasoned fighter and reacted immediately. Taking a light step back he avoided the jagged sword Kenpachi was swinging down. Rumble! The sword missed. However when it struck the walls behind him the sheer force from it destroyed everything along it''s direction. Soru! Kenpachi was pulling back his sword when he saw a fist getting bigger in his vision. When it was just a hair breath away from him he stepped back. The little girl watching from afar was surprised. She muttered, "Kenny dodged an attack?" Kenpachi also paused his movements. He was silent for a moment before grinning, "Buhahaha, as I thought you can really make my blood boil!" Leo looked at his crazy behaviour interestingly. He really thought he could connect that last attack, however his opponent dodged it in the last split second. This surprised him. What Kenpachi showed just now wasn''t experience, but rather instinct. Pure instinct. Leo curled his lips into a smile. Soru! His figure disappeared. It was at this moment Kenpachi felt danger. His body instinctively reacted but he was a bit too slow. Bang! A fist fell squarely on his c.h.e.s.t. Kenpachi felt a few of his bones break from that strike. His body was lifted from the ground and shot out like a canon ball. He struck through several structures before stopping. Leo waited. Kenpachi stood up from the rubble with blood on his face. However he didn''t show any pained expression, if anything he grinned, making his already bloody face a bit terrifying. Leo faintly looked at him and said, "Why do you seal your powers when fighting?" Kenpachi was taken back before he laughed loudly, "Hahaha, you are right. I don''t need this when fighting you." He ripped out the patch over his left eye. Suddenly a terrible spiritual energy broke out from his body. It spread throughout the seritei. ... Ichigo, Yoruichi and the rest felt the spiritual storm sweeping the Seritei. "Not good. It''s that madman." Yoruichi stood up and spoke solemnly. Ichigo asked shocked, "Who the hell was that? That spiritual energy was so damn huge." Yoruichi spoke in a never before seen seriousness, "That''s Kenpachi Zaraki. A captain of the Gotei 13 and a madman. All he cares about is to fight strong opponents." At this point she looked at Shinobu who was leisurely sipping on tea and asked, "Aren''t you worried? You must have felt that spiritual energy." Shinobu put down the tea cup and looked at them with a smile, "Wait for a moment." Yoruichi and the rest didn''t understand what she meant. However at the next moment an even more terrifying pressure covered the Seritei. Their breaths became a bit rough and their knees started to shake. They vision started to get blurry. What''s happening?! Shinobu smiled at them, "You don''t understand what being a ''King'' represents. Infront of him not many are qualified to act arrogant." ... At the highest building in Seritei. The captains had a solemn expression on their faces. Shunsui spoke lazily, however his tone was anything but that, "What crazy spiritual energy." The young captain, Toshiro nodded, "It''s shocking for a human to possess so much spiritual energy." Byakuya who always showed an indifferent face had a thoughtful look in his eyes. "Show him the respect he deserves and find out who he is looking for, even if there is no answer. Don''t make him look down on Gotei 13." "Yes, sir." ... Kenpachi looked at Leo who was radiating spiritual energy that surpassed and suppressed his own with a wide grin. "Haha, I knew it! You can make me feel excited!" He gripped the jagged sword in his hand even tighter. The spiritual energy radiating from him turned stronger as he attacked. Leo silently stood where he was. Against the wild Kenpachi Leo simply raised his fist. Haki climbed on it as he punched out. The air twisted and howled as he punched. Kenpachi who was swinging down his sword felt something. His body shuddered and he involuntary stopped in his tracks before twisting his body to the side. Booommm!!! Leo''s fist missed. Kenpachi stared at where his fist fell and narrowed his eyes. The buildings inside the Seritei were stronger than normal. Most importantly some places were reinforced with spiritual energy. However right now a hole the size of a fist was punched through the entire Seritei. Kenpachi could even see the streets outside the defensive wall around the Seritei. Leo took back his fist and said, "Raw strength and pure instinct. I gotta say you are very talented, maybe one or two I''ve met in my entire life could compare to you." Kenpachi narrowed his eyes at Leo and showed a toothy grin, "If I hadn''t dodged that I would have a hole in my c.h.e.s.t by now." Leo smiled, "For opponents like you, I''ll show respect and put out my full strength." Kenpachi laughed, "Haha, exactly what I want!" His spiritual energy started to spike. Leo clenched his fist. Haki climbed over it as he locked on Kenpachi. Boom! Both of the moved. Their figures flashed for a brief second before one of them was thrown to the far north end of Seritei. Chapter 277 - 277. A Visitor The captains had long arrived at the battlefield. Their faces were solemn when they saw Leo''s speed and power. Among all of them no one could say with confidence that they could defeat Kenpachi in a head-on clash. After a few exchange they saw Kenpachi being thrown out. There was a depression on his c.h.e.s.t. He spat out blood as he sailed through the air. Crashing through a few structures Kenpachi came to a halt. This time he didn''t get up. Even for a monster like him, that head-on collision was too much. His eyes were a bit blurry as he tried to focus on Leo. Stepping on air Leo landed softly beside him. "Ha... that was great. One thing though... you didn''t draw out your sword." Kenpachi spoke with a bloody grin. Leo curled his lips into a smile, "I used my full strength in that punch. As for me not using my sword... well, if I did, you would be dead. We don''t have any deep enmity, so why would I do that?" Kenpachi wanted to speak something but his body finally couldn''t hold on and he lost consciousness. Leo looked up to the sky and disappeared. A moment after he left the other captains landed beside Kenpachi. A woman with her hair tied into a braid checked Kenpachi''s wounds. "Nothing life threatening." The man wearing a flower kimono rubbed his chin and said thoughtfully, "This human is very interesting. He can strengthen his body using spiritual energy and his movement technique is quite similar to our Flash Steps." Hearing Shunsui the other captains also agreed. The woman checking on Kenpachi held her zanpakuto and whispered something. Her sword glowed for a second before it morphed into a huge manta like creature. Unohana touched it''s body and said. "Take care of it, Minazuki." "No matter how many times I see it, it''s still... peculiar." Shunsui spoke. Unohana faintly looked at him and turned away. The other captains showed no interest in the rest of the affairs and disappeared. ... Leo returned to his residence and saw Ichigo and the rest looking at him strangely. He didn''t mind their inquisitive eyes and sat down beside Shinobu. She smiled and poured a cup of tea for him. Both of them sat calmly and enjoyed their tea. Uryuu nudged his glasses and asked, "Shouldn''t you be saying something?" Leo looked at Uryuu curiously, "Say what?" Before Uryuu could reply Ichigo spoke, "What the hell happened? How did you start a fight with a captain?" "Oh, that. Nothing much. Someone with a hole in his head started a fight, I ended it." Yoruichi rolled her eyes at him. Suddenly she thought of something and asked, "A test?" Leo smiled lightly, "Captain Yamamoto hasn''t lived for over a thousand years for nothing." Yoruichi fell in thought. The others weren''t dumb, they understood the underlying meaning behind her words. Uryuu narrowed his eyes at Leo and said, "If you had lost... Leo shrugged, "Then we would have lose our right to speak." Everyone fell silent. Shinobu clapped her palms and said, "Enough of that, let''s eat." "VIP treatment." Ichigo muttered before starting to eat. ... The day passed. When night fell a shadow flashed inside the Kuchiki residence. The shadow went straight towards the backyard. Leo was sitting calmly outside, seemingly waiting for this person. "I had hunch you would visit me." The other party didn''t immediately speak. Leo waited. After a long while the figure hidden by the darkness spoke, "The entirety of spiritual techniques within the Soul Society." Leo curled his lips into a smile, "That''s a deal." The shadow seems to have nodded it''s head. Just before it left Leo''s word echoed through the air. "You are a good person." The shadow paused for a second and disappeared. ... The next day came. Leo and his group had nothing to do so all of them strolled around the Seritei. Though they were here for Rukia, right now, they were the guests of Gotei 13. They couldn''t just act blindly. Ichigo whispered to Yoruichi, "Hey, what''s the plan?" Yoruichi raised his head and stared at Leo when she heard Ichigo. A faint glimmer passed through her eyes. "We wait. Her punishment hasn''t been announced yet. If it''s light then it''s fine, with this guy''s strength we might be able to make a deal." "If it''s not?" "Then we can only fight." Shh! Right at that moment Shunsui flashed infront of Leo''s group. "Good to meet you. My name is Shunsui Kyoraku." Leo nodded, "Leo Heart. Nice to meet you as well. What''s the word?" Shunsui shook his head, "We found nothing. Also... Kuchiki Rukia''s punishment has been decided." The group was startled when they heard him. Ichigo quickly asked, "What are they gonna do?" Shunsui faintly looked at them and said slowly, "Death." "The hell!!" Ichigo cursed out. His face exposed how angry he was. He rushed to Shunsui and tried to grab his collar. However he grabbed nothing but air. Shunsui appeared behind him and patted his shoulder, "Sorry to be the bearer of the bad news." After saying his piece Shunsui disappeared. Ichigo only broke from his shock. He turned serious and asked, "What should we do?" Leo turned around towards the direction of their residence and said, "We go back, eat and sleep. Then, we''ll go to her execution." "Hey, what are you saying?!" Ichigo was ready to erupt. Suddenly Yoruichi jumped up and smacked his head with her paws. "Idiot, he is giving us a free pass to the execution site." The group understood her words and stayed silent. Leo turned to look at Ichigo and Yoruichi, "If you have any last minute preparations, now would be the time to make a final run on it. As you are right now, none you stand a chance against those monsters in Gotei 13." Chapter 278 - 278. Reason The next day. Leo woke up and found Yoruichi and Ichigo gone. He asked Chad and company where they had gone to, but they didn''t know either. A thoughtful expression appeared on Leo''s face. When he first met Ichigo, he knew the kid was extraordinary. Three different and conflicting powers co-existed in his body. Each power had it''s own thoughts, and yet they all peacefully lived inside him. At best, the kid was only using one of those powers. If he managed to use them all at the same time... Leo had no doubt that the kid''s strength would increase exponentially. With nothing to do he decided to dig into the books that magically appeared outside his room. The first book he started introduced the basics of Kido. He took his time and slowly read through the pages. From time to time his eyes would lit up in understanding, and at other times he would frown in thought. "How was it?" Shinobu walked in with their lunch. Leo closed the book he was reading and smiled, "Though our control over spiritual energy is good, the way we utilize it is very crude. If we can master these techniques our strength will increase several fold." Placing down the food she picked up a book from the pile, "Hmm... some of these techniques are very useful for me" Leo laughed lightly when he heard her. Shinobu''s fighting style depended on her hidden weapons and her poison breath. If she could trap her enemies within a barrier then her lethality would increase several fold. As they started to eat a servant knocked on the door and reported. "Sir, Madam, captain Sosuke Aizen is here for see you." Leo replied, "Have him seated. We''ll be there in a moment." A man and a woman were waiting for Leo and Shinobu. The man wore glasses and had a cultured air about him. The woman was young and had a lively breath on her. "Captain, why are we here?" This man was a captain of the Gotei 13, Sosuke Aizen. Aizen smiled amiably, "I am very interested in meeting this human who the captain commander looks highly upon." "Is he that special?" The woman asked curiously. Aizen spoke calmly, "I don''t know. But he is the strongest human I have met so far." The woman next to him was the lieutenant of the 5th division, Momo Hinamori. As they were talking Leo and Shinobu walked out. Aizen got up and showed an amiable smile as he introduced himself, "Hello. My name is Sosuke Aizen, Captain of the 5th division." Leo replied in turn, "Leo Heart. Good to meet you Captain Aizen. Please have a seat." As he took his seat Leo asked, "May I know the purpose of your visit?" Aizen said, "After witnessing your feats I am a bit curious, that''s all." Leo smiled, "My feats aren''t that great for a captain of the Gotei 13 to pay me a visit." Aizen smiled and said, "As expected of the strongest human." Leo was confused, "Strongest human?" Before Aizen could reply Momo sitting next to him spoke, "That''s what the shinigamis are calling you now." "Heh... Leo didn''t comment on it and looked at Aizen. "Your friends... they should be here for Rukia." After a while Aizen spoke calmly. He stared at Leo, looking for something in his eyes. However he was disappointed, Leo showed no signs of change. He calmly looked at Aizen. A light flashed in Aizen''s eyes, "Thank you for your time. I''ll be taking my leave." He got up and slightly bowed before taking his leave. Leo watched his fading back with a faint smile. As Aizen walked out Momo asked, "Captain, those humans... they are here to rescue Kuchiki Rukia?" Aizen paused and said sternly, "Momo, be careful with your words." Momo immediately covered her lips and looked around cautiously. After a moment she asked, "Captain, why did you... Aizen replied, "There are doubtful parts about Kuchiki Rukia''s execution order. I intend to look into it. As for that man... I was hoping he would help me. But he seems to be not interested in the coming execution." Momo was startled, "Captain, you... Aizen turned around and said solemnly, "Keep this between us." ... Back at the Kuchiki residence. Shinobu saw Leo''s peculiar smile and asked curiously, "What''s so interesting?" "Hehe, Sosuke Aizen... a very cunning man." "Cunning?" "Haha." As they were talking Uryuu walked in. He excused himself and asked Leo. "Can you explain what a ''will'' is?" Leo looked at him and asked, "Before I answer, tell me, why do you fight?" Uryuu was momentarily taken back. He wanted to give an answer, but couldn''t find the right words. For the honour of Quincy? or for his friends? Leo saw his hesitation and said, "Learn to walk before you start running. Once you have a clear answer to that question the rest will follow." "A ''will'' is your very reason to pick up your weapon." "If that reason isn''t strong enough, then no matter how hard you try, you will never be able to merge your ''will'' with your weapon." Chad and Orihime were listening from outside the room. Chad raised his right arm and clenched it tightly. His eyes reflected a firm resolution. Orihime c.a.r.e.s.sed the hair clips on her head. Memories of her time with Rukia flashed through her mind. For a moment the hair clips glowed slightly. Leo who was inside the room was slightly surprised when he sensed the state of the two outside. Interesting bunch of kids. Leo raised his index finger and drew an arc in space. A sword ray flashed and hovered infront of him. "This sword ray is made up of my spiritual energy. That alone possess quite the lethality, but... As he spoke the sword ray hummed. At that moment Uryuu, Chad and Orihime felt a terrible threat from the floating sword radiance. "But guided by my will, it can become stronger." "From where we come from, there was an existence known as demons. They fed on humans as a sustenance." "I picked up my sword to destroy them. No matter what lay before me, I would slash through them to reach my goal." "That was my reason. That, was my conviction." "So... Find your reason. Find your conviction. Only then can you become stronger." Chapter 279 - 279. Execution Leo''s words echoed through everyone''s mind. Uryuu clenched his fist tightly. His calm demeanor showed fluctuations at Leo''s words. Find his reason? His conviction? Uryuu didn''t know. He was proud to be a Quincy. From the bottom of his heart he hates shinigamis, the very existence that destroyed his kin. However, here he was, in Soul Society, to save a shinigami. His pride as a Quincy and his decision to save Rukia... Leo saw his struggle and said, "Take some time and ponder your own thoughts." Uryuu was silent for a while before he nodded. Seeing him leave Shinobu said, "He has too many thoughts." Leo nodded, "He has his own issues, but he is good at heart." Shinobu stretched her body and said lazily, "The execution is in three days. Do you think they will come back by then?" Leo shrugged, "Who knows?" ... Uryuu who just walked out saw Chad and Orihime. His eyes flashed with complicated emotions. "Uryuu... Orihime wanted to say something, but Chad pulled her back and shook his head. Watching him leave Chad said, "This is his problem." Orihime was silent. ... When the sun broke through the horizon the next day the Soul Society erupted into chaos. Kuchiki residence. Leo was listening to a servant who was reporting an issue nervously. "Early morning, a patrol found the dead body of the 5th division captain, Sosuke Aizen. He was nailed to the top of a building with his own zanpakuto." There was no change in Leo''s face. He merely listened on calmly. The reporting servant felt even more nervous as he spoke. Shinobu was sitting next to him. She had a curious look on her face. "Is this what you said yesterday?" Leo nodded. He gestured for the servant to leave before he spoke. "An interesting game is about to begin. And we are all part of this game." Shinobu curled her hair, she had an interesting look on her face as she said, "The one who visited Chojo''s home, did you find him?" Leo shook his head, "My spiritual energy can spread wide and far. But this is Soul Society, every area and every building with the slightest importance is guarded by spiritual barriers." "Hm... looks like we need to draw him out." Leo agreed, "He will come out, eventually. Kuchiki Rukia''s execution is when it will all happen." Just as they were speaking a rush of footsteps were heard. Byakuya walked in with several shinigamis. "Why the sudden visit, captain Kuchiki?" Byakuya faintly looked at Leo and said, "Captain of the 5th division, Sosuke Aizen was murdered." Leo curled his lips into a vague smile, "And you suspect us?" Byakuya didn''t answer his question and said, "As the investigation is still going on, I advise you all to stay here under surveillance." Leo shrugged, "Fine by me." Byakuya suddenly asked, "Where is that boy?" Leo replied, "Don''t know." "When did he disappear?" "A day ago." Hearing Leo''s reply Byakuya''s eyes narrowed. However he didn''t speak anything and left. The shinigamis who came with him spread out and took position around the manor. Uryuu, Chad and Orihime were startled when they suddenly saw shinigamis surrounding the manor. "What''s happening?" Orihime asked Shinobu. "A captain was murdered." From her the group understood what was happening. "Who could murder a captain without making a sound?" Uryuu muttered under his breath. Leo heard him mutter and smiled. ... Two days passed in the blink of an eye. Today was the day of Kuchiki Rukia''s execution. Leo, Shinobu, Chad, Uryuu and Orihime were escorted to the site of execution. They saw some of the captains standing beside him. Yamamoto stood at the head of the group. And the person who brought them all here, Kuchiki Rukia was standing beneath a tall gate. Her arms and neck were sealed. In front of her was a tall pole bound by ropes on it''s entire body. The group watched as Rukia was lifted from the ground by a cube beneath her feet and on either side of her body. When Rukia reached the top of the gate, the pole bound by ropes was undone. "That''s the Sokyoku. It possess the power of a thousand zanpakutos. It can purify everything evil." Shunsui flashed next to Leo and said. Leo looked at the unbound Sokyoku. The ropes that came undone started to burn. In a split second the entire pole and the ropes burned a bright red flame. The flames morphed into a bird. It''s body burned with searing red flames. Rukia''s eyes betrayed a trace of loneliness when she looked at the Sokyoku. Leo who was on the ground rubbed the hilt of his sword with his thumb. Shunsui faintly looked at Leo and raised the corners of his lips into a smile. Screech... The flaming bird screamed and shot towards Rukia. Rukia closed her eyes as she accepted her fate. But the expected pain didn''t come. She opened her eyes and saw a young man with bright orange hair grinning at her. "Hey, Rukia. Sorry, I''m late." "Ichigo... Complicated emotions flashed in her eyes as she looked at the grinning young man. The Sokyoku intending to burn her was stopped by the young man''s zanpakuto. "You idiot! Why are you here?!" Rukia asked exasperatly. Ichigo said as a matter of fact, "Of course it''s to bring you back." The Sokyoku had a mind of it''s own. Seeing it''s target still alive it backed up and gathered even more strength. "Oops, looks like it''s time for me to roll." Shunsui who was next to Leo said and flashed away. He appeared at the base of the Sokyoku. Another person flashed beside him. This man had long white hair and was similarly a captain as Shunsui. "Jushiro, you''re late." Jushiro raised a large wooden shield he held in his hand and said, "Took longer than I thought to get this ready." As he said he slammed the shield down. The Sokyoku burning with flames stopped in it''s tracks. Ropes stretched out from the shield and wrapped itself around the flaming bird. In an instant the Sokyoku was sealed. At that moment Yamamoto''s aged voice rang out, "I can understand Shunsui, but you disappoint me, Jushiro." Shunsui and Jushiro looked at their teacher solemnly. "Teacher, this is wrong. Her crimes do not require her to pay with her life." Yamamoto replied, "That is for the central 17 to decide." Shunsui patted his friend''s shoulder and said, "Get ready Jushiro. The old man is gonna get serious." When the situation was turning serious a voice broke through the air. "Captain Shunsui, captain Jushiro, why don''t you leave captain commander to me?" The remaining captains looked over and and saw Leo flashing in front of Yamamoto. Chapter 280 - 280. His Path Leo strode out and stood against Yamamoto, his right arm resting on the hilt of his sword. Yamamoto showed no signs of change as he asked, "Is this how you repay my respect?" Leo bowed slightly and replied, "Forgive me, captain Yamamoto. Whatever she did, it was to save lives. That doesn''t require such a heavy penalty." Yamamoto said faintly, "So, you have decided." Leo didn''t reply and drew out his sword. Yamamoto sighed and loosened his robes. The old man''s body wasn''t emaciated as one would imagine, on the contrary it was filled with power, that''s the feeling Leo got from the scarred body of his. The captain commander held out his wooden cane in front of his c.h.e.s.t. The cane exploded, revealing a zanpakuto. Shunsui and Jushiro watching from a distance narrowed their eyes when they saw the old man''s zanpakuto. "The oldest zanpakuto." "Old man Yama is serious." Leo stared at the old man, as did the other. Their spiritual energies clashed creating howling winds and cracked earth. Ssh! Both of them moved. Sparks flew across the air as they clashed multiple times. Leo who had trained his swords arts to it''s pinnacle found it challenging to keep up with the old man''s battle instincts. Every move of his was blocked. The old man wasn''t as fast as him nor was he as skilled as he was, but he was a living legend. This man founded the Gotei 13. He was the captain commander for a thousand years. For a thousand years no one could sit in his position. A fierce glow lit up in his eyes. He shouted in his heart. Spiritual energy churned as sword rays condensed itself into countless swords. In an instant the Sokyoku hill and everything within a couple of miles were surrounded by swords. Countless swords with their blades gleaming with murderous intent pointed their blades at the Sokyoku hill. "That''s... One of the captains, Sui Feng looked on in shock. The sky filled with swords gave her a sense of dread. If all of them were to fall... Her hands dripped with sweat when she thought of it. Shunsui and Jushiro had a serious expression as well. They had imagined the human to be strong, but to such an extent... "Jushiro, we still underestimated him." Shunsui commented. Jushiro agreed with him. He raised his sword and slashed it down. The swords hanging above the sky moved with his sword and shot down at Yamamoto. The old man watched the rain of swords that was about to fall on him calmly. A light flashed in his eyes. "Everything in the world... turn to ashes." "Ryujjin Jakka." His old voice rang out. In an instant his spiritual energy spiked. A fierce glow erupted from his sword. Boom! Boom! Pillars of flames rose to the sky. It surrounded Yamamoto. The rain of swords clashed against the flames that sought to burn everything in it''s path. "That guy actually held out against the old man''s zanpakuto?" Shunsui chewed on the straw in his mouth and muttered in shock. ... At some distance away from Leo and Yamamoto''s battle. Uryuu was confronting the captain of division 12, Kurotsuchi Mayuri. Chad and Orihime were fighting against lieutenants from other divisions. Unlike Leo, their battle was hard fought. Uryuu was completely suppressed by Mayuri''s methods. "A Quincy. Prime material for research. The last one I got was an old man and didn''t contribute much to my research." When Uryuu heard him he clenched the spiritual bow in his hand. He pulled on the string and shot out multiple arrows. Uryuu dodged the attack and shot another arrow at him. However Mayuri simply swiped his sword and broke the arrows. "Just give up. You are way above your league." Uryuu clenched his teeth. He was getting tired. Looking back he saw Chad and Orihime being besieged by several shinigamis. Mayuri noticed his gaze and said, "How about we make a deal. I''ll let off those two humans, in exchange for your life." Uryuu paused for a second. Mayuri grinned. He flashed in front of him and stabbed his sword into his gut. Damn! Uryuu was taken back by the sudden attack. He couldn''t dodge in time. A wound appeared on his waist. Just as he was retreating a feeling of tiredness came over him. His vision started to get blurry. What''s happening?! Mayuri grinned at Uryuu, "It takes about several seconds for the poison to kick in. Unlike other zanpakutos, mine has been modified according to my need. It''s full of poison." Uryuu kneeled and coughed. Drops of blood spilled out of his mouth. "Uryuu!" Chad and Orihime saw his plight and wanted to help. However they were surrounded by several lieutenants. Mayuri walked towards Uryuu and came to a halt before him. "Blindly charging in, you are courageous. But without corresponding strength that kind of behaviour will result in such a situation. Anyway, let''s go." Mayuri stretched out his hand to grab Uryuu. However at the last moment he stopped. A barrier was obstructing his hand. Mayuri raised his head and saw Orihime pointing her arms at him. "Peculiar ability." Mayuri commented. He raised his sword and slashed down. The barrier was shattered. However, using the time Orihime bought for him Uryuu gathered his strength and shot an arrow at Mayuri. At that distance Mayuri couldn''t block. With no choice he retreated. Uryuu got up while coughing continuously. He regulated his breath and stared at Mayuri. His vision was getting blurry. He was struggling to keep awake. At that moment he remembered Leo''s words. Find your reason. Find your conviction. Only then can you get stronger. What''s my reason? For the pride of Quincies? What''s my conviction? To save Rukia? No. I am not that kind of a person. I want to choose where I walk to. I want to pick what I want. I want to decide my life. It doesn''t matter whether it is for the Quincies. It doesn''t matter whether it is to save someone. From the beginning I was selfish. What I do is for myself. My choices are my reason! They are my conviction! Chapter 281 - 281. Will Mayuri frowned as he watched the quincy. The feeling he gave him right now was different from before. He felt danger. Narrowing his eyes Mayuri cautiously flashed behind Uryuu. The golden sword in his hand stabbed at his spine. He forgo the idea of capturing him alive. As a cautious person by nature he didn''t want to take any chance and decided to go for the kill. A dead specimen is better than nothing. Uryuu who was finding it hard to stand on his feet raised his spiritual bow. He pulled on it''s string and let it loose. An arrow shot out with incredible speed. Mayuri dodged it by shifting his body. His sword changed it''s direction and slashed at Uryuu''s bow wielding arm. Just when his sword was about to tear through Uryuu''s flesh, a sense of danger struck his mind. Mayuri stopped his attack and flashed away. From a distance away from the Quincy Mayuri saw what gave him that sense of danger. A spiritual arrow was flashing around Uryuu. It looked no different from the ones before, but, the feeling it gave off was completely different. As a scientist Mayuri always looked at phenomena differently. That arrow had the same amount of spiritual power, however it was far dangerous than before. This was odd and interesting to him. Uryuu coughed out blood. He was struggling to stay on his feet. However his eyes were bright. Calming his breath Uryuu raised his spiritual bow again. He drew back the string, a slender arrow pulsing with spiritual energy was formed. My reason... my conviction... My will!! A fierce glow lit up in his eyes. At that moment tremendous amount of spiritual energy spilled out of him and merged with his bow and arrow. Not good! Mayuri who was the focus of that arrow felt a tremor in his heart. He raised his sword and muttered in his heart. His sword flashed with bright light. A moment later his sword morphed into a huge disgusting creature with the face of a baby. A terrible shrill came out of it''s mouth. The creature opened it''s mouth and shot at Uryuu. Watching the huge creature rushing towards him, Uryuu remained calm. He pulled on the bow harder. More and more spiritual energy merged into the arrow. This is my ''will''!! Uryuu roared in his heart as he let go. The arrow hummed and disappeared. Shhh!!!! The creature several feet away from him paused. It''s body broke into specks of light starting from it''s head. In an instant it was reduced to dust. Mayuri who was standing behind the creature cursed. The arrow was too fast. He couldn''t dodge in time. "Cough... what was that... Mayuri only managed to speak a few words before he coughed out blood and fainted. Uryuu staggered. His body was swaying left and right. He glanced back at Chad and Orihime who were being besieged by a large number of shinigamis. He used the last of his strength and pulled on his spiritual bow. A large number of arrows shot out and pinned the shinigamis to the ground. "Uryuu!" Chad broke out of the besiege and reached Uryuu. He grabbed him and yelled. "Orihime, let''s retreat!" "Alright!" Orihime nodded and moved back with Chad. "Was that what that mister said? ''Will''?" Chad nodded, "It should be." A light flashed in his eyes as he said so. He clenched his fist involuntarily. ... At a distance away from the Sokyoku hill. Ichigo was confronting Byakuya. For a while both of them were evenly matched. That was until Byakuya unleashed his Bankai. Under the assault of countless sakura blades Ichigo found it hard to move. Not long after he was injured. "Guess, I can''t beat you without using my Bankai." Byakuya frowned, "Foolish speech." He didn''t believe a human would be able to grasp the final form of a zanpakuto in such a short time. Ichigo pointed his zanpakuto at him and said, "Bankai!" Impossible! Byakuya couldn''t believe what was happening. Ichigo''s spiritual energy spiked. Blackish red energy poured out of his body and wrapped around him. A moment later Ichigo emerged. His huge zanpakuto had disappeared. In it''s place was a long slender sword with a chain hanging from it''s hilt. Tensa Zangetsu! Byakuya narrowed his eyes. As shocked as he was, he still calmed his emotions and attacked. Countless sakura blades assaulted Ichigo. In a split second Byakuya stopped. He looked down and saw a black blade pointed to his throat. "Keep your eyes open, Kuchiki Byakuya." Ichigo said and backed away. Byakuya traced his neck and said, "That was your one chance." Ichigo replied by pointing his sword at him. Both of them were ready for another bout. It was at this moment a fierce aftershock struck them. Searing heat and sharp blades struck them and blasted them away. Countless petals flew over and protected Byakuya while Ichigo slashed continuously with incredible speed. When the aftershock was over both of them looked over at the cause of it. Their pupils shrunk when they saw the state of the Sokyoku hill. A large part of the hill was cleaved off and charred! And at the sky were two figures standing against each other. The captain commander is being matched?! Byakuya couldn''t believe what he was seeing. His always calm and cold face couldn''t help but show a rare trace of solemness. Leo was calm as he faced the old shinigami. There was a trace of burn on the corner of his shirt. "Captain Yamamoto, this won''t go anywhere." As he spoke he looked at the old man''s robe. A part of it was torn. Yamamoto hummed. He didn''t speak a word and simply raised his sword. Shunsui and Jushiro were shocked when they saw the old man raise his sword. "Oi, that''s not funny." Shunsui said solemnly. "The old man is going to use it." Jushiro commented. Leo could feel a stifling sensation from the old man before him. The spiritual energy he was picking up was rising with incredible momentum. Don''t tell me... A picture came to his mind. The sense of danger he felt exploded. Yamamoto softly muttered. "Bankai... Chapter 282 - 282. Peak Battle "Bankai." Yamamoto''s aged voice rang out through the Seritei. And following it was a horrible spiritual energy that weighted down on everyone. Leo''s spiritual sense was ringing alarm bells.A palpitating feeling emerged in his heart. At that moment every person inside the Seritei felt a thirst for water. Their skin felt hot and started to dry up. Leo who was facing the brunt of Yamamoto''s spiritual energy could feel the water content inside his body disappear. Busoshoku! Spiritual energy spilled out of his body and covered him. In a moment Leo''s body was entirely covered by busoshoku haki. Doing so slowed down the effects resulting from Yamamoto''s release of his Bankai. He narrowed his eyes and focused. The flaming pillars surrounding them had disappeared. Only his opponent, Genryuusai Yamamoto remained. He held a rusty old sword with trails of ash rising from its blade. "Zanka no Tachi, East, Rising Sun Edge." Yamamoto softly muttered. Leo didn''t dare to take the old man head on. He quickly used Soru and retreated. Ssh! Retreating to a distance he looked at where he stood a moment ago. His pupils shrunk when he saw the state of it. A large part of the ground had disappeared, leaving only scorched earth. Even the air felt burnt. Leo s.u.c.k.e.d in a cold breath. From his spiritual sense he could see what that rusty old sword held. If Yamamoto''s Shikai released flames in a large scale then his Bankai focused everything in it''s blade. Not only that, the temperature of his Shikai was at best equal to the surface temperature of the sun. But his Bankai... It had the same temperature as the sun''s core!! Letting a sword bearing that much power touch his body was nothing short of suicidal. Going head on isn''t good. Calming his breath Leo focused. The ''Breath'' inside his body started to churn. His muscles, tendons, bones and organs were strengthened with each revolution. Yamamoto felt the rising strength of his opponent. An indiscernible smile crept onto his face. Soru! With his spiritual energy and his ''Breath'' working in tandom Leo''s strength reached it''s peak. Silent Wind! Along with Soru he used his swiftest and untraceable sword stance. Oh... Yamamoto was slightly surprised to find that he lost his opponent''s trail. Suddenly he felt a sense of danger from his side. Yamamoto was calm and waved his sword. Yamamoto slashed again. That feeling disappeared. He slashed for more than three times before stopping. "Zanka no Tachi, West, Remnant Sun Prison Garb." Leo was about to slash once more when he sensed danger. He stopped in his track and retreated. The moment he did so a fierce flame erupted from Yamamoto''s body. It cloaked his entire body like a garb. Leo narrowed his eyes. This way he couldn''t attack anymore. He sighed and looked at his sword. Sorry, partner, bear with me for a while... He shook his head and focused. His sword coated with busoshoku haki started to hum. An even stronger haki was infused into it. The pitch black colour turned even darker, and the wave of red on it''s edge turned deeper as well. Silent Wind! Yamamoto garbed in fiery flames sensed the direction of the attack and slashed. This time however, Leo didn''t retreat. Using his inhumane body and monstrous reaction he slipped past the rusty old zanpakuto and slashed at the old man. When his sword met the flame garb the latter erupted. A muffled explosion rang out. Leo was blasted away while Yamamoto took three steps back in retreat. Stabilising his body Leo looked at his sword. Even with his strengthened busoshoku there was still a trace of burn on it''s blade. Taking a deep breath he raised his head and stared at the old man. His fighting intent started to soar. His ''Breath'' churned even faster. His spiritual energy was like a broken dam as it reinforced his sword. Merciful Rain!! He raised his sword to the sky and roared in his heart. Sword rays flashed and morphed into countless blades. Watching the falling sword Yamamoto muttered. "Zanka no Tachi, North, Heaven and Earth End In Ashes." The rusty sword hummed as he slashed it against the sky full of swords. In an instant the sky turned dark, the clouds parted as a terrifying rift appeared in the sky. The terrifying sword intent contained in Leo''s sword stance was burned to ashes! Yamamoto just finished his sword technique when a sense of danger invaded his heart. A sword ray flashed from the corner of his eyes. The flame garb surrounding him burned wildly. A terrifying sword slashed across his c.h.e.s.t. The strength behind that strike along with the unimaginable speed of that sword caused a huge explosion. The fiery flame garb fluctuated for a second, creating a few openings. Leo''s sword went through the flame garb and fell on the old man. Spurt! Blood spilled through the air. The flames burning around Yamamoto regained it''s power after a second and pushed away the sword. Hmph! A muffled hum rang out before Yamamoto saw Leo again. The young man was coughing out blood that evaporated as soon as it came out. The sword he was holding had burnt traces all over it''s blade. "Your talent and skills... you are the only person I have seen ever in my life." Wiping his mouth and pushing down the burning pain all over his body Leo replied. "Likewise. Your experience and your zanpakuto... you are the most terrifying person I have ever met, captain commander, Genryuusai Shikeguni Yamamoto." Both of them stared at each other in silence. Leo raised his scorched sword and was ready to make another move. The flames surrounding Yamamoto also started to fluctuate. It was at that moment Shunsui flashed between the two. "I say guys, let''s stop it here. Otherwise not just the Seritei, even the Soul Society is gonna be destroyed." Chapter 283 - 283. Aizen Appears When Leo and Yamamoto heard Shunsui, they stopped in their tracks. Only now did the both of them notice the state of their surroundings. A large part of the Seritei was either scorched to nothingness or slashed into tiny particles. Yamamoto drew back the flames on his body. The rusty old sword emitting terrifying heat returned to it''s sealed state. Leo also took back his sword intent. His haki receeded. Yamamoto faintly looked at Shunsui and said, "Wait for your punishment." Shunsui smiled and shrugged, "Hey, I only did what I thought was right." Ignoring him Yamamoto said to Leo, "You helped to release a criminal about to be executed, your punishment won''t be anything light either." Leo sheathed his sword. Calming his rumbling ''Breath'', he said, "We''ll talk about that later. Right now, we have more important things to take care of." "Hmm?" Shunsui was confused by his words. However Yamamoto showed no emotion to Leo''s words. He looked towards a direction. With his exceptional sensory skills he could see the criminal Rukia being carried away by a shinigami. Leo also looked in that direction as well. But his eyes seems to be searching for something else. "There you are... Yamamoto and Shunsui looked at him in surprise. Shunsui was even more so. He didn''t sense so much killing intent when Leo was fighting Yamamoto, but now... Faintly he guessed the reason why. Leo suddenly disappeared from their sight. "Let''s go." Yamamoto spoke softly and disappeared as well. Shunsui was not slow either as he followed. ... Renji was running with Rukia in his arms. He could sense the clash between the terrifying heat as well as the sharp sword rays from the direction of the Sokyoku hill. "Renji, the others... Rukia asked hesitantly. Renji replied solemnly, "Don''t worry. They will take care of it." As he just finished his words something heavy slammed against his body. He coughed out blood and was thrown back. He rolled through the ground and crashed into a small hill. "Renji!" Rukia shouted. She looked around to find out who it was. Her eyes shrunk when she saw the person. "Captain... Aizen?" Some distance from her stood Sosuke Aizen. His scholarly demeanour and his faint smile made her heart cold. Standing on either side of him was two other captains. Gin Ichimaru. Kaname Tosen. Rukia failed to understand what was happening. Before she could think far Aizen flashed infront of her. "You... Rukia found it hard to breathe. Her body turned weak. Aizen slowly drew out his arm. In his palm was a glossy bead. "No time to waste. Let''s go." As he spoke a curtain covered the three of them. Just at that moment a terrifying sword radiance lit up the sky. It slammed into the curtain. The sharp intent contained in it stretched the curtain to it''s limit. But it couldn''t slash through in the end. Aizen faintly looked over the horizon. A figure flashed through the sky and landed steadily infront of the light curtain. "We meet again, Leo Heart." Leo stared at Aizen for a second before his eyes landed on the man standing to the left. He had silver hair and eyes like a fox. "Gin Ichimaru... Gin calmly looked back at Leo. At that moment Yamamoto and Shunsui appeared. They looked at the light curtain and frowned. "It''s a space corridor. We can''t break through." Shunsui commented. He then looked at Aizen. "So, it was you all along." Aizen smiled. He threw his glasses away and ran his fingers through his hair. Ssh!! Among them, Captain Unohana walked to Yamamoto and reported. "Sir, every member of Central 17 was killed. This was a month ago." Yamamoto hummed in response. The old man who lived for a thousand years showed no signs of emotion even when heard such a shocking report. The other captains reacted in different ways. Jushiro looked at Aizen and the glossy bead in his hand. His eyes kept flickering between the bead and Rukia. "So, your purpose was Rukia all along. Her capture, and her execution was all planned by you." Aizen smiled faintly, "Very impressive deduction, Captain Jushiro. But it''s time to say goodbye." As he spoke the light curtain covering them started to float. At that moment a rift appeared in the sky. A huge eye was peeking out from the darkness behind the rift. "Attack!!" One of the captains, Sui Feng, used Flash Steps and appeared infront of the light curtain. She used her short blade to slash at it. However her attack was blocked. Her short sword bounced back. "It''s not use, Sui Feng. No one can break through this space corridor." The other captain beside Aizen, Kaname Tosen spoke calmly. Sui Feng grounded her teeth in anger. However there was nothing she could do. Aizen who had a confident smile on his face looked at Leo for one last time and said, "You are far stronger than I imagined. We''ll meet again." Leo was calm in the face of Aizen''s taunt. He gazed at the space curtain with a peculiar expression. He took a step forward and disappeared. He seems to have skipped through space as he appeared infront of the curtain. He stretched out his hand. What happened next stunned everyone. Leo''s arm went through the light curtain as if it didn''t exist. He reached out and grabbed the glossy bead in Aizen''s hand. Stunned by the sudden situation Aizen reacted slowly. He couldn''t take back his arm in time. Leo was grabbing the glossy bead. Now both of them stood facing each other while tugging for the bead. Aizen tried to pull back. But it felt as if he was pulling on an iron pillar. The brute strength Leo was showing startled him. "So this was your goal? What''s so interesting about it?" Leo asked him and put some strength into his arm. A huge force pulled at Aizen. He felt as if his arm would be ripped out if he didn''t let go. Leo easily pried out the bead from his hand. He looked at it curiously. After a while he raised his eyebrows in surprise. Pocketing the bead he focused his eyes on Gin Ichimaru. A peculiar light flashed through his eyes. Chapter 284 - 284. Shock Silence. Absolute silence. The captains watched what was transpiring with wide eyes. The spatial curtain they thought to be unbreakable didn''t pose even the slightest obstruction to Leo. "Really... who is this guy?" Sui Feng who had tried to break through the curtain knew how tough it was. She was shocked to her core when she saw the ease at which Leo entered the spatial curtain. Even the ever so calm and indifferent Yamamoto showed a slight change in his expression. His murky eyes peered through Leo, as if trying to find something. Inside the spatial curtain. Aizen who had a confident smile on his face froze when he saw Leo pocketing the glossy bead. A wide range of emotions ran through his eyes. "Well done... Leo Heart." He spoke slowly. However every word contained deep murderous intent. "Shatter, Kyoka Suigetsu!" Without a word he drew out his zanpakuto and unleashed his Shikai. Unohana who was watching from down below had a solemn expression on her face. She immediately reminded Leo. "Be careful! His zanpakuto can control all five senses!" Aizen curled his lips into a smile, "Too late." The scene changed. Everyone saw Leo''s face turn blank. He stared dumbly at Aizen. Regaining his confidence Aizen walked towards Leo. He raised his sword and stabbed it at latter''s heart. "Dammit!!" Jushiro gritted his teeth in anger. Everyone sighed in pity knowing that the strongest human in history was going to be killed so unjustily. Clang! However the expected bloody scene didn''t happen. All of them stared in shock as Aizen''s sword failed to pierce through Leo''s skin. "How was my acting? Stunning, right?" Aizen who was frozen from shock woke up. He immediately backed away and looked at Leo warily. Dusting his shirt he smiled faintly towards Aizen, "It takes more than a simple stab to tear through my skin and flesh." As someone who had mastered a heritage Breathing Technique as well as being a human who stood at the peak of two worlds, Leo''s body was a hundred times stronger than an average human being. "How can you stay clear under my perfect hypnosis?" Aizen calmed his wildly beating heart and asked. Leo had a vague smile on his face, "Your zanpakuto is amazing, however, I am it''s nemesis." Aizen''s zanpakuto, Kyoka Suigetsu was able to perfectly control all five senses. But Leo was different. He had spiritual sense! A unique ability only he had. This is without considering his kenbunshoku haki, which combines his spiritual sense with all his other senses to achieve the highest realm of haki... Simply put, Leo was the worst match up for Aizen. Aizen chewed on Leo''s words, but couldn''t find anything. "We''re leaving." He realized it was unwise to delay any longer and decided to retreat decisively. Gin and Kaname realized the gravity of the situation as well and nodded. The three of them flashed and rushed towards the rift in the sky. "Did I say you could leave?" Leo spoke slowly and grabbed his sword. Silent Wind! Like the traceless wind, he disappeared. "It''s no use." "Merciful Rain!" Leo''s voice rang through the spatial curtain. In an instant countless swords emerged from the void. Within the limited space inside the curtain, the three of them had no place to dodge. Gin grabbed his sword. "Shinso!!" With a flash of light the blade of his sword stretched far with incredible speed. It clashed with the sword rain and blocked a part of it. The rest however fell on him. Kaname raised his hands and muttered an incantation. In an instant two captain class shinigamis were overwhelmed. Leo''s eyes focused on Aizen. The other party was better than the two other captains. The spiritual barriers he put up managed to black every one of Leo''s sword. "As expected of a captain class shinigami. However... you are not Yamamoto. That old man is of a different breed." As he spoke, a terrifying sword intent rose from his blade. His sword domain expanded to it''s limit. Aizen saw the situation getting worse and narrowed his eyes. Suddenly the rift above the sky opened even wide. The owner of that terrifying eye peering out from the darkness became visible. l It was a humongous hollow. Like a broken damn these hollows started to pour into the Soul Society through the rift. Even the several humongous hollows stretched out their body, trying to enter the Soul Society. "Get ready!" A shinigami with a wolf''s head yelled. This was the captain of the 7th division, Sajin Komamura. Hearing his yell the other captains got into battle stance. Only Yamamoto stayed where he was. His old eyes stared at Leo who was facing the large army of hollows. Leo was calm as he faced the large army of hollows spilling into the Soul Society. The terrifying sword intent coming from him rumbled. "Piss off." Raging Inferno! As he spoke his sword domain shuddered. Like a tsunami the sword radiance flooded the incoming hollows. It destroyed everything in it''s path. The hollows rushing out of the rift only held up for an instant before they were torn to pieces. In a second the large army of hollows were gone. The captains stood there, stunned. They were prepared for a battle, however, now it seems like they weren''t even needed. "No wonder he could hold out against the old man for as long as he did." Shunsui muttered. That short moment Leo took gave Aizen the time he needed to reach the rift. The other two captains who barely survived Leo''s attack reached the rift as well. Their bodies were filled with injuries. Aizen stared at Leo. A rare expression of hatred flashed in his eyes. Leo stared back at him. He didn''t chase anymore, as it would be pointless. "You run fast." Leo commented. Aizen let out a breath to calm himself. His eyes grew cold as he firmly etched Leo''s face in his mind. The rift started to close. In a split second it swallowed Aizen and the other two captains. Chapter 285 - 285. Transaction The sky cleared up. The dense army of hollows that should have created havoc disappeared like smoke. Everything seemed surreal. Leo slowly descended. When he got on the ground, he staggered a bit. Shinobu immediately flashed beside him and supported him. "You pushed it too far." Her voice contained a bit of anger. Leo chuckled. Shinobu shook her head and placed her palm on his c.h.e.s.t. Her ''Breath'' poured into his body. Leo quickly regulated his breathing and circulated his ''Breath''. Shinobu''s ''Breath'' was assimilated by his own and healed the internal injuries he sustained while fighting Yamamoto. "Thank you for your help, Leo." Shunsui walked upto Leo and bowed. He was deeply grateful for what Leo had done. Leo smiled, "That''s fine." He turned to look at Yamamoto, waiting for the old man to speak. Yamamoto was silent for while before he spoke, "What do you need in return for that object you snatched from Aizen?" A smile climbed onto Leo''s face. As expected from a thousand year old fossil. "Complete access to your spiritual techniques as well as the Book Depository. By complete, I mean full access. Not a single piece of paper should be hidden from me." Yamamoto frowned for a bit. He looked deeply at Leo, seemingly thinking of something. After a while he nodded, "Fine." "Excellent." Leo took out the bead from his pocket and threw it to the old man. Yamamoto caught the glossy bead. His eyes fluctuated for a bit when his fingers touched it. "Gather the injured, and clean up this mess." Yamamoto flashed and disappeared. But you created this mess.... The captains thought to themselves before leaving as well. Leo looked over at Ichigo''s group and said, "Let''s go back." ... Kuchiki residence. Leo was sitting outside under the scorching sun. However his body wasn''t the least bit affected by the heat. He inhaled and exhaled slowly. Every breath of his seems to have merged his being with his surroundings. If one wasn''t looking they would fail to see him. At that moment Shinobu walked out and sat beside him. She hooked her slender arms around his and asked. "How long are we staying here?" Leo opened his eyes and let out a murky breath. He looked at his beautiful wife and took her into his arms. He kissed her cherry lips and said while smiling, "I need to go through all of their records. Though these spiritual techniques can improve our strength by leaps and bounds, it''s better to use them as a guide lines." "That way we can mold our spiritual energy as we please, and create what we d.e.s.i.r.e." Shinobu hummed. She sat on his l.a.p and deeply kissed him. Ah! Suddenly both of them heard a small gasp. When they looked at the source they found Orihime standing at the corner. Her face was as red as a tomato. Leo and Shinobu chuckled. They were amused by the kid''s innocence. "What is it, Orihime?" Shinobu asked. Orihime looked down at her toes and said softly, "We are going back tomorrow, I was here to... to inform yo-you." Her words stammered at the end. "Hahaha... Seeing her blushing face Leo and Shinobu couldn''t hold back their laugh any more. ... They returned to the hall and found the rest of the group there. "Leo, we are going back." Ichigo spoke as soon as he saw them. He then noticed Orihime who was standing beside them had a bright red face. "What''s wrong, Orihime? Your face is red." Orihime''s face turned even redder when she heard Ichigo. She thought back to what she saw a few moments ago and couldn''t help but peek at Ichigo. She blushed even harder. "No-Nothing." Ichigo looked dubiously at Orihime and didn''t ask further. Leo smiled faintly. His eyes moved between the two of them with an imperceptible smile. "You guys return. We have business here, for the time being." Ichigo nodded. Uryuu who was silent till now stood up. He bowed to Leo and spoke seriously, "Please, teach me." Ichigo stared wide eyed at Uryuu, "Holy sh*t!" He couldn''t believe that the prideful four eyes would bow to someone. Leo faintly looked at Uryuu, "Looks like you found your conviction." Uryuu got up and stared intently at Leo. "I can''t take you as my disciple." Leo''s words poured a bucket of cold water on Uryuu''s fiery heart. "But, teaching you is no problem." Uryuu raised his head abruptly. He clenched his fist excitedly. Ichigo asked from the side, "What''s the difference between a disciple and a student?" Shinobu chuckled and answered, "A disciple will be taught the core teachings of his or her master''s lineage. As for a student, they will only be guided superficially." Ichigo frowned, "Isn''t that unfair to Uryuu?" Leo smiled at him, "I have three disciples, every one of them have talents far better than any of you." His words stunned them. Uryuu felt a strange emotion in his heart. Shinobu suddenly said something, "Don''t think being his student is wronging you. Back where we come from, thousands of people would queue up for a spot as his student." The black cat named Yoruichi asked, "It can''t be that exaggerated." Shinobu chuckled and didn''t bother to reply. Leo turned his focus towards Chad and Orihime. "Since I am already teaching one, it doesn''t matter if there are two more." Chad and Orihime were surprised. A moment later they were exhilarated. They saw what Leo did at the Sokyoku hill. The torn earth, the decimated hollow army, the fleeing captains... any one of this feat can make countless people flock around the one responsible, trying to get pointers from him. Not to mention this was all done by a single person. Hearing Leo, Ichigo pointed to himself and asked, "What about me?" Leo rubbed his chin and said thoughtfully, "Training you at this moment would be a waste. Go and understand your own zanpakuto first." "Huh? What the hell does that mean?" A question mark popped up above Ichigo''s head. Leo smiled and didn''t explain. A light flashed in Yoruichi''s eyes when she heard Leo. Chapter 286 - 286. Returning To Karakura A month had passed since Aizen''s betrayal. Ichigo and his group went back to Karakura town. However Leo and Shinobu stayed. Yamamoto kept to his word and gave Leo full access to the Book Depository. The entire collection of the Soul Society was opened to him, from spiritual techniques to research notes, not a single piece of paper was withheld from him. With such a treasury opened up for him, how could Leo leave? He spent most of his days reading through the dense collection of books. Even with Leo''s excellent memory and comprehensive capability, he was only able to go through one third of the total collection. It wasn''t that he didn''t want to continue, but he couldn''t. A lot of information had been stuffed into his head. He need time to digest and convert these knew knowledge into his own personal strength. Every day he spend going through these books, his understanding of spiritual energy deepened. It took no longer than twenty days for Leo to master the incantations for Kido techniques. However mastering them was different. As the grade of Kido goes up, it becomes a necessity to recite the incantations. To Leo that''s too troublesome. In a battle your opponent isn''t going to wait around for you to finish reciting. As his understanding of spiritual energy deepened he was gradually getting close to the root of the fantastical effects of Kido. Finishing his reading for the day Leo closed the book and got up. When he walked out of the library, guarded by a dozen shinigami and several barriers, he saw someone who gave him a headache. "Haha, you''re out! Let''s fight!" Kenpachi with his sword drawn out was charging madly at him. Leo sighed and used Soru. He disappeared and appeared before Kenpachi. His fist was coated in haki as threw out a punch. Kenpachi was blasted through the air and disappeared into the distance. The shinigamis guarding the library didn''t seem to be surprised. They went on with their work. When he got back to the Kuchiki residence Shinobu was already waiting for him. Behind her was a door that hung in mid air. Kuchiki, Shunsui and a few other captains were there. When they saw Leo, all of them greeted him with a smile. "That''s for all of your help this past month." Leo thanked them all sincerely. Shunsui laughed lightly, "Don''t mention it. When are you planning to come back? I am gonna miss our drinking sessions." Leo replied while smiling, "As soon as I can." He greeted the other captains and bid them goodbye. When he was about to step through the senkaimon, he raised his head and looked towards the highest building. ... "Sir, why do you show so much interest towards that human?" Chojuro, the lieutenant of 1st division asked Yamamoto. Yamamoto was silent for while before speaking, "His strength and potential." Chojuro was stunned. He, who always stood beside Yamamoto knew of the man''s strength, and the arrogance in his bones. In a thousand years no one has ever managed to defeat this old man. Even when he saw Leo fighting on equal grounds with him, he never doubted his captain. This was not his blind faint, but his confidence. Confidence that came from knowing his captain''s true horror. "Leo Heart... ... When they stepped out of the senkaimon, Leo and Shinobu had reached their home. Leo immediately found a comfortable position on the couch and stretched lazily. "That was a long month." Shinobu chuckled when she heard him, "But you enjoyed it." Leo grinned. His rewards during this trip was enormous. Even without mentioning the deep knowledge about spiritual energy, his own strength had reached a new level. He paused for a second and drew out his sword. The pitch black blade had several patches that were scorched. Even the wave of red on it''s edge looked a bit dull. Leo sighed. Shinobu sat down beside him and asked, "Are you preparing to reforge your sword?" Leo thought for a moment before shaking his head, "No. I feel like... it''s not time yet. There is still something missing." Shinobu nodded. She got up and went to the kitchen. Just as Leo was about to close his eyes for a short nap, his home telephone rang. "Huh? Who''s calling?" Though surprised by the sudden ring Leo still picked up the call. "Teacher, you''re back?!" A surprised voice rang from the other end. Leo asked, "Uryuu, I never thought you would be the kind to get shocked and yell out." Realising he was a bit out of character Uryuu coughed, "Teacher, about our training... Leo cut him off immediately, "I just got back. We''ll talk tomorrow." He hung up after saying that. ... Uryuu listened the dull tone on his phone and looked a bit awkward. Chad, Orihime, Rukia and Ichigo were standing next to him. Puu... Ichigo couldn''t hold back his laugh anymore. "Haha, four eyes got hung up." Uryuu flared up, "I wasn''t hung up! Teacher was just busy! Besides, you guys forced me to call!" Orihime and Chad looked a bit awkward. Rukia smacked Ichigo''s head and said, "Enough, you idiot." "Hey, what was that for?!" Ignoring Ichigo who was yelling at her, Rukia said to Chad and the rest, "Since he is busy, we''ll call him tomorrow. Anyway, we need to find out who attacked us." Hearing her Ichigo got serious, "Could it be Aizen?" Rukia shook her head, "Aizen barely escaped last time. He isn''t dumb enough to show his head so soon, unless he want to be hunted down by the Soul Society and that man." The group frowned. A couple of days ago Ichigo was suddenly attacked by a group of people. They were strong and had incredible abilities. "Anyway, we can''t do anything right now. Let''s take one step at a time." Uryuu said seriously. He was a bit excited when he thought about his training. He had entered that realm said by Leo. He could visibly see the changes to his strength. Chapter 287 - 287. Three Powers "You kids are way too early." Leo grumbled at Ichigo and company who were standing outside his door with an awkward smile. "Let it be. Come on in." He gave way and let them inside. Shinobu had just finished making breakfast when they entered. She smiled at them. "There''s not much, make do with it." Rukia hastily waved her hand and said, "It''s ok. It''s ok. We ate before we came." Shinobu smiled and gestured for them to sit down. Leo took a seat next her and started to eat. The room fell into an awkward silence. After a stifling breakfast Uryuu found a chance and asked, "Teacher, where should we start?" Leo gestured for them to follow him. There was a small garden behind their house. He led them there before speaking to Uryuu. "Tell me more about your Quincy abilities and techniques, no, scratch that, just do a live one. Shoot me." "Eh? Huh?" Uryuu didn''t comprehend his words for a second and stood in his spot frozen. "He is asking you to shoot him with your arrows." Rukia nudged him and whispered. Uryuu woke up and immediately gathered his spiritual energy. A bow pulsing with spiritual energy appeared in his hand. He tugged on it''s string. An arrow condensed on it''s string. Uryuu closed his eyes for a second and opened them. The arrow he was pulling pulsed for a moment. Hm... Leo spread out his spiritual sense. He was analyzing how Uryuu''s technique worked. Though the "Will" he imbued into his arrow was negligible, it still packed a punch with the overall working of his technique. Hm! Uryuu gathered as much spiritual energy as he can and imbued it with his "Will" before letting the string loose. Everyone only saw a flash. When they looked over at Leo, they saw an arrow hovering in front of him. The spiritual energy in it''s body pulsed as it tried to inch closer to Leo. Uryuu and the rest weren''t all that surprised by how easily Leo stopped the attack. Leo raised his hand and grabbed the arrow. The moment he touched it the arrow broke into countless specks of light. He looked at Uryuu and said, "Your Quincy bloodline is wonderful. Normally any weapon made from spiritual energy lacks when it''s compared to one forged through fire." "However your bloodline adds a special element that covers this hole. Your arrows are in now way inferior to a physical weapon." Uryuu nudged his glasses. He didn''t show it on his face, but he looked a bit proud. "Tsk." Ichigo clicked his tongue when he saw the proud look on Uryuu''s face. Uryuu ignored him and asked, "So... Leo smiled, "What I am saying is, your weapon''s potential to grow is very high. Every weapon has a limit, it can only contain a certain amount of your intent or "Will" before it breaks down." "Take me for example, my sword''s grade is very high. That''s why I can imbue a terrifying amount of my spiritual energy as well my "Will" on it without it breaking down." "Your bow and arrow also has a limit, but that limit is being reset as you grow. Theoretically speaking, there is no limit to how much spiritual energy and "Will" you can imbue into your weapon." Damn. Everyone stared at Uryuu. For a moment they were envious of him. Suddenly Ichigo asked, "Hey, what about my zanpakuto?" Leo replied, "It''s also a high grade weapon. And like Uryuu''s weapon, it also has no limit." "Haha." Ichigo laughed a bit and looked smugly at Uryuu. The latter ignored him and listened. Leo saw their competition and smiled. "Let''s get started. Uryuu, your task is simple." He crossed his finger and made a gesture. Spiritual energy spilled out of him and formed a golden wall. There was a small cross hair mark at it''s center. "Fire arrows imbued with your intent till your spiritual energy runs dry. Take your time and feel carefully before you fire every arrow." Uryuu pointed at the spiritual wall and asked, "Will it break?" Leo smiled faintly, "If it breaks down, you can finish for the day." "Both of you still haven''t totally tapped into your own powers, especially you, Orihime." Orihime was surprised. Leo smiled, "Your ability is very... special. I really look forward to how much it will grow in the future." He turned towards Chad, "Your ability is quite straightforward. However since your spiritual energy is quite low, it''s better for you to learn to micro-control it." Saying this he strode forward and picked up a blade of grass. "Watch carefully." He threw the blade of grass. Ssh! Everyone only saw a flash. Everyone stared at the hole on the concrete floor with wide eyes. "I didn''t use my "Will", just a bit of spiritual energy. The key lies in control. Do you understand?" Chad nodded for a second before shaking his head. Leo smiled, "That''s fine. You''ll get a hang of it with practice. Let''s get started." He was about to start with them when Ichigo raised his hand. He pointed to himself and asked. "Hey, include me as well." Leo shook his head, "Like I said before, understand your own power, then come to me." Ichigo asked, "I don''t understand. Aren''t I using it already? And what do you mean by three powers co-existing within my body?" Since the kid will just keep annoying him Leo explained, "As far as I understand the three powers inside you correspond to a shinigami, a Quincy and a hollow." When everyone heard Leo they were startled. Rukia couldn''t help but say. "Impossible. There is no way such a thing could happen. Shinigamis and hollows are opposite entities. How can they coexist within someone? Not to mention there is also the Quincy bloodline." Leo shrugged, "I don''t know either. But that''s the truth. He didn''t acquire this power, rather, he was born with it." "What does that mean?" Ichigo asked. Uryuu pondered for a moment and said, "Your parents, one of them must be a shinigami while the other must be a mix of a Quincy and a hollow. Or it could be the other way." "Either way, you are a unique existence." Chapter 288 - 288. Kekkai A unique existence? Ichigo chewed on that word. Rukia and the rest of the group didn''t talk further into that topic. "It''s better if you go to Kisuke Urahara. That man is very peculiar, he might be able to help you." Leo spoke to Ichigo. The latter nodded. "Right, let''s get started." With other matters out of the way Leo started to instruct Chad, Orihime and Uryuu. Ichigo also left since he had nothing to do. In an unmanned valley in Karakura town. The air rippled as a black hole opened in mid air. A person dressed in black garbs walked out. He was tall and had rough skin. The most eye catching thing about him was the tattered captains robe he wore. "How long has it been since I walked the living world?" The man asked himself. Leo was instructing Chad and Orihime when he sensed the arrival of this man. He frowned. This man had an evil soul, an extreme one at that. "You guys continue, I''ll be right back." He said to the group and rushed to the sky before disappearing from their sight, "What could have happened?" Chad muttered. ... The burly man was just about to walk out of the alley when he sensed someone coming towards his direction. Whoever it was, they were moving at incredible speed. Ssh! He raised his head and saw a man flash in front of him. The man was well built and had a charming face. He wore white shirt and black pants. And in his hand was a sword. The man curled his lips into a faint smile as he said, "Leo Heart." Leo narrowed his eyes, "You know me?" The man laughed, "Of course. You, as a human, matched the captain commander. There are many who are curious about you." "Uh-huh. So, what brings you here?" "Hehe, I wanted to see what''s so great about you." As he spoke he drew out his zanpakuto. "Bankai, Shadow Bind." Slash! As soon as the man drew out his zanpakuto Leo reacted. He slashed out. A sword ray flashed and cut towards the man. His opponent raised his sword that was giving off tremendous amount spiritual energy. When Leo''s sword ray touched his sword it disappeared. Hm? Leo looked behind him. He saw a portion of a building next to him get sliced off neatly. There were bystanders around when the crumbled part fell down. Leo waved his sword and shattered the falling rubble into dust. He frowned. There was a lot of people around them. Without figuring out his opponents ability, it was unwise to directly confront him. Well... Leo was surprised. His extreme Kenbunshoku Haki immediately shower him a scene into the future. He jumped to the sky and stayed there using his spiritual energy as a foothold. The place where he was a moment ago was suddenly engulfed by a flood of shadows. The burly man rose from the dark shadows. He looked at Leo and grinned, "Not bad. Not many could sense my attack, much less dodge them. You certainly deserve the title as the strongest human." Leo narrowed his eyes as he slashed out. The man again disappeared from his sight and sense. This time Leo focused his extreme Kenbunshoku within a limited area. Several scenes into the future emerged in his mind. There! Silent Wind! Leo disappeared. Ssh! The man reacted immediately and disappeared into the shadows. He reappeared several meters away. He looked at Leo with surprise, "You can sense me?" Leo didn''t bother to reply. He disappeared once more and flashed right next to the man. "Hmph! Don''t be so confident! Shadow Prison!" Suddenly the shadows around them twisted. It rose from the ground and wrapped around the man. Leo''s sword fell on him and slashed through his body. But no blood was spilt. Hm? Leo frowned. He slashed once more and took a step back. From his spiritual sense he saw both of his slashes being redirected to his surroundings. "Haha, what can you do? What can you do? You can''t touch me!" "Maybe." Leo commented and disappeared once more. Merciful Rain! Countless swords rose to the sky. All of it formed a circle and blocked the burly man inside. By now many people had noticed the commotion that was happening and crowded around the area. Leo had no choice but to limit the movement of his opponent. The countless swords blocking the burly man hummed. A trace of spiritual energy leaked out from every sword, faintly forming a seal. What?! The burly man was shocked. He could sense the area around them getting sealed. More accurately speaking, the stability of his surroundings were being strengthened! Leo flashed in front the man and slashed. Spurt! This time the man wasn''t able to redirect the brunt of the attack. A long wound appeared on his c.h.e.s.t. Blood seeped out and dyed his clothes red. "You! Aahh!! The man''s eyes turned red when he saw his own blood. His spiritual energy started to churn wildly. The seal formed by Leo''s sword stance shook for a second before it broke. The shadows around them rolled like waves. It crashed into the buildings and reduced it to dust. Leo frowned. Immovable Mountain! He used his strongest defense and pushed out the humans around them. The shadow tide swallowed everything it touched. Slowly it started to engulf it''s surroundings. A couple of buildings were gone in an instant. Leo looked around. There were still crowds of people running around in panic. He let go of his sword and slapped his palms together. "Kekkai, Celestial Prison." Masses of spiritual energy spilled out of Leo. It glowed golden and formed a spiritual cover over every human. The shadow tide fell on this spiritual cover, trying to devour it. However the golden glow only fluctuated for a second and held on. The burly man grinned. His eyes glowed with madness as he roared in laughter. "Buhaha, I admit, you are strong. You can easily kill me. But, with these pests holding you back, how are you going to stop me? This is why I hated my job." "These ignorant ants don''t understand anything. They just live and die without knowing anything. Looking at them makes me wanna puke." He walked towards Leo, step by step. "As someone who stood his ground against that old man, it''s a shame to see you die this helplessly." Leo was still holding his palms together. He was providing cover for a lot of people, so he couldn''t divert his mind for an attack. He raised his head and looked at the burly man. His lips curled up into a vague smile. "For situations like this, I have backup." The man sensed something was wrong when he saw Leo''s smile. Before he could react he saw a beautiful woman land silently beside Leo. She raised her slender palm and made a seal. "Kekkai, Poison Valley." Chapter 289 - 289. Escaped Prisoners As soon as Shinobu spoke spiritual energy rolled out from her palms. It turned into purple mist and integrated into the golden walls surrounding them. The burly man frowned. The shadows surrounding him started to rumble. It flooded towards Shinobu. Leo who had his palms clasped took a step forward. The barrier protecting the civilians glimmered for a second. When the glow dimmed, everyone inside the barrier except for the three of them had disappeared. What?! The burly man''s expression changed. He hastily withdrew the shadow tide and wrapped himself in it. Leo curled his lips into a smile, "Too late for that." As he spoke he crossed his index finger and middle finger. "Kekkai, Sealed Corridor." The spiritual barrier surrounding them mixed with Leo and Shinobu''s spiritual energy rippled. The golden glow on it''s body pulsed and released the purple spiritual energy in the form of a mist. The burly man knew he was outnumbered. He immediately made a decision and retreated. However, when he tried to merge with the shadows he found out to his horror that he couldn''t. "What did you... Leo smiled faintly, "I know your kind. You view those beneath you as ants that could be crushed at any moment. From the beginning, my purpose wasn''t to kill you." "Inside such a crowded town, it''s not a good idea to engage a person like you. If you go crazy, even with my interference, people may die." The burly man understood. His eyes turned red. He gritted his teeth and squeezed out a few words. "So you gave me the impression that you were unable to cope with me and save these people while setting up a spiritual barrier the whole time. You also concealed your companion''s presence." "Me breaking through your sword stance was also trap, right?" Shinobu stood next to Leo and smiled, "Good guess. But there is no reward." Aaahh!!! The burly man roared. His spiritual energy rumbled. The shadows surrounding him twisted and wrapped him in layers. From outside, the barrier looked like a golden cube filled with purple mist. After a few seconds the purple mist receeded. Leo and Shinobu walked forward and saw the burly man laying on the ground with a dull face. His eyes had lost it''s colour and his skin was cracked open with blood leaking out. "He was a captain." Shinobu said. Leo nodded, "With a commotion as big as this one, I assume a captain might be dispatched to deal with the aftermath." Shinobu asked, "What about the civilians? They saw what happened." Leo thought for a moment and said, "I''ll leave a spiritual mark on them. That way the Soul Society will be able to find them and deal with it." Both of them took the dead captain with them and disappeared. When they returned Uryuu and company were stunned to see a man wearing a tattered captains robb being thrown to the ground like a dead log. "Teacher... this is... Leo waved his hand, "A captain, I assume. Back to training." With a lot of questions in mind Uryuu and company continued to train. But it was a lot harder to focus with a dead body within their sight. Like Leo expected a captain was dispatched. It was Shunsui who was tasked to deal with the issue. "Didn''t think I would see you so soon." Shunsui smiled as he spoke. Leo shook his head and led the man to the backyard. "So, what''s so special about this guy?" Shunsui instructed a few shinigamis who came with him to gather the dead body. He turned to Leo and said, "Like there are criminals in the human world, there are those within the Soul Society as well." "This man was a captain several hundred years ago. At some point his mind became twisted. He killed a lot of humans during a mission, when his own subordinates tried to stop him, he killed them as well." "In the end he was captured and sentenced to a lifetime in prison." Leo asked, "Then why is he here?" Shunsui sighed, "Before Aizen''s betrayal he somehow broke into the underground prison and released a few extremely dangerous and crazy individuals." "Only after that incident did we notice this issue. By that time all traces were gone." Leo said, "So, you are saying there are some extremely dangerous individuals aiding Aizen?" Shunsui nodded, "Unfortunately, yes." At this moment Shinobu walked in with tea and snacks. Shunsui thanked her and said, "It''s a good thing you guys noticed this guy. Among those who escaped, this guy had a serious problem here." He pointed to his head. Leo smiled, "I guessed so. Aizen isn''t dumb. He wouldn''t let someone just jump right at me." Before leaving Shunsui gave a detailed information about the missing prisoners. He especially warned Leo and Shinobu to watch out for any surprise attacks. Leo sat comfortably on the couch and said, "It''s not easy to get the drop on both of us." Shinobu nodded, "Then there is only one way they could surprise us." Both of them looked at each other and said at the same time, "Chojo." Leo pondered for a second and said, "There is a type of Kido, it''s level is very high. But if I can modify it a bit... I might be able to create an artifact that could protect them. It''s use is quite limited, but it can buy us time to rush over." Shinobu nodded, "You do that. I''ll call them and ask them to stay over for a few weeks. This way we can keep an eye on them." Leo agreed. He looked to the backyard and said, "Aizen is very cunning. We must assume he is always a step ahead of us. Last time we got the upper hand because he was taken by surprise." "He may focus on these kids as well. It''s better to speed up their training, atleast they could protect themselves till reinforcements arrive." Chapter 290 - 290. Invasion Soul Society. Under the cover of night several figures appeared inside the Seritei. All of them had their spiritual energy converged. "Ha! This place still reeks of hypocrisy." A thin man with a scar on his face snickered. "Rikou, I don''t want you making trouble. If your arrogance cause a shift in our operation, I''ll kill you." Another man with a strong body spoke coldly. The man named Rikou stared at the strong man with a cold look in his eyes, "Meiji, don''t be so high up in the clouds. We''ll see who''ll kill who." Both of them glared at each other. Suddenly a woman wearing a kimono stepped between the two of them, "Enough. You guys can kill each all you want when we get back. Right now focus on the mission." "Hmph!" "When do we attack?" The woman didn''t reply. She just waited silently for a second. Boom! Suddenly all three of them heard rumbling sound from the distance. Several buildings were destroyed and caught on fire. "Let''s go." The woman said. Ssh!! The three of them flashed and disappeared. ... Yamamoto looked at the chaos down below with a calm look on his face. Hm? He sensed something and turned around. The air distorted behind him. It opened up a portal. From it an old man walked out. Yamamoto''s eyes flickered for a second when he saw the old man. "It''s been a while, Yama." Yamamoto looked at the old man for a second and said, "Yoshi, you shouldn''t have come back." The old man named Yoshi grinned, "Ever so confident, Yama." Without saying a word the old man drew out his zanpakuto. "Bankai, Thousand Snow Fall." Yamamoto rose to the sky and looked down coldly. The air started to chill as snow flakes started to fall down from the sky. In an instant a large part of the Seritei was covered in snow that chilled one to the bones. Yamamoto raised his wooden cane. The next moment the cane broke apart, revealing an old zanpakuto. "Everything in the world turn to ashes, Ryujjin Jakka." Flame pillars rose from the ground as his words echoed through the air. The cold air clashed with the flaming pillars. The shockwaves spread out creating chaos. "So arrogant, Yama. To not even release your Bankai." Yoshi spoke coldly. Yamamoto faintly looked at the old man and said, "It''s enough." The old man named Yoshi grounded his teeth. The temperature surrounding them started to get low. Even the flaming pillars were affected. "You''ll soon regret not releasing your Bankai." ... Different parts of the Seritei was filled explosions. Byakuya was confronting a man wielding a zanpakuto similar to his own. Cherry petals clashed with rose petals. Byakuya gestured with his fingers. The cherry petals swarmed towards the man who controlled the sea of rose petals. "Haha, the current patriarch of Kuchiki clan only amounts to this much?" The man laughed lightly. He crossed his fingers. What? Before Byakuya could react the rose tide pierced through his own cherry tide. He crossed his arms hastily. A wall of cherry petals blocked the rose tide. Puff! Byakuya was thrown through the air while coughing out blood. There was several wounds on his body. The cherry tide swarmed and caught Byakuya. Standing on his feet Byakuya looked coldly at the man surrounded by rose petals. ... At another part was Toshiro Hitsugaya who was confronting a woman wielding twin daggers. The woman was beautiful. She smiled charmingly at Toshiro and disappeared. Shit! Toshiro immediately created a wall of ice surrounding him. Dingg!! A black dagger slashed at the ice. In an instant another slash fell on the ice. The ice wall cracked. A second later it burst out and Toshiro''s figure became visible. Slash! An invisible slash fell on Toshiro. He reacted quickly and raised his sword. The slash fell on him and pushed him back. A moment later another slash appeared behind him. Toshiro quickly reacted and raised a wall of ice to block it. The slash tore through the ice wall. However that slight delay gave Toshiro time to retreat. He raised his sword and slammed it to the ground. Ice spread out from his sword and created a massive land of ice. Icy mist rose from the ground. It quickly lowered the temperature around them. Toshiro focused. Hmm... He sensed something and slashed his sword behind him. A powerful force struck his sword and made him take a step back. "Oh? You reacted quite quickly. Is it because of this ice mist?" A charming voice came from his surroundings. Toshiro couldn''t pinpoint the origin of that voice. "But it''s useless." Just as he thought he could finally take on the offensive, he felt pain on his lower abdomen. He looked down and found a trace of blood there. How could she reach me? "Hehe, little boy when I was bathing in my enemy''s blood, you weren''t even born. Do you think it''s easy to block me?" Toshiro gritted his teeth and clenched his sword. ... A hidden location somewhere inside the Soul Society. A glossy bead levitated in mid air. Several spiritual lights flashed around the bead. At that moment a person appeared beside the glossy bead. When the man appeared, the spiritual lights surrounding the glossy bead pulsed. The man reached out his hand. The spiritual lights surrounding the bead fluctuated before breaking down into countless specks of light. After breaking through the seals the man finally held the glossy bead in his hand. He smiled as he looked at the glossy bead. A bit of spiritual light coming from the bead reflected the man''s face. Sosuke Aizen! Chapter 291 - Hello Hi, everyone. This is me, the author. I am very happy that all of you enjoy my work. If possible please subscribe to my account, WWW.PATRE...ON.COM/SONUAMEER. This work is a much thought out one and I don''t want to stop it halfway, that would definitely weigh on my mind. Your subscription is also a form of acknowledgment that my work is worth something. So If you can, please set apart some time and check out my patre...on account. If the subscription is something you could do please do so. That would help me a long way. Thanks for all your support. Chapter 292 - 291. Former Captains (Please visit WWW.PATR...EON.COM/SONUAMEER) Aizen held the glossy bead in his palm and appreciated the beauty it held. Step. Step. At that moment several footsteps were heard. Four figures emerged from the darkness. Aizen turned to look at the newcomers, his lips curled up into a faint smile, "Four captains to deal with me?" The newcomers were Shunsui, Jushiro, Kenpachi and Sui Feng. Shunsui didn''t plan on talking. He drew out his sword and flashed infront of Aizen. The latter didn''t react to the sudden attack. When Shunsui''s sword slashed at him the air rippled and a sword emerged from the void. It blocked Shunsui''s attack. Shunsui frowned and retreated. He narrowed his eyes when he saw the owner of that sword. "Former captain of the 3rd division, Tetsu." A burly man stood infront of Aizen. His towering body gave off an oppressive aura. Shunsui was about to make a move when two more figures emerged beside the man named Tetsu. One was a thin man with a scar on his face. The other was a beautiful woman wearing a kimono. "Former captain of the 8th division, Fuko." The thin man with a scar on his face grinned at Jushiro and company. Sui Feng looked at the woman wearing the kimono and turned serious, "Former patriarch of the Shihoin clan, Shihoin Hana." The four of them stared at the three former captains solemnly. "Ha! Why the f.u.c.k are we standing around for? Let''s fight!" Kenpachi ran out of patience and slashed at the three former captains. "A barbarian." Shihoin Hana spoke softly. She raised her slender arm and made a grabbing motion. "Idiot! Get back!" Just as he was a feet away from Hana blood bloomed on his entire body. Kenpachi spurted blood and lost the strength on his feet. He stumbled and fell forward. At that moment Shunsui flashed and grabbed Kenpachi before retreating. A cold light flashed from where they disappeared. Shunsui retreated with Kenpachi. He looked down and saw a tear on his outer garb. Sui Feng explained, "Don''t get careless. Her Bankai allows her to control air. Careless get close to her, you might get shredded to pieces or you might be suffocated to death. She was the most ruthless executioner with the torture squad." Kenpachi spurted another mouthful of blood. He pushed away Shunsui and got up on his feet. The grin he had on his bloody face was a bit terrifying. Shihoin Hana raised her eyebrows at Kenpachi. "Tenacious barbarian." Aizen flipped his palm. The glossy bead disappointed. "We got the hogyoku, let''s retreat." ..... ..... ..... ..... ..... ..... ..... ..... ..... ..... ..... ..... ..... ..... ..... "Shatter, Kyoka Suigetsu." When his voice rang out a sense of danger invaded Shunsui''s mind. He immediately flashed away. However no matter how fast he was he was still a bit too slow. A large wound appeared on his abdomen. The scene infront of him shattered. The three former captains stood beside Aizen with their zanpakuto drawn out. Shunsui''s pupils shrank. He didn''t know at what point he was trapped in an illusion. "Very impressive, captain Shunsui." Aizen commented. His zanpakuto had a trace of blood on it''s edge. "We''ll see each other soon." He said a few words before a dark vortex covered the four of them. Chapter 293 - 292. Defeated Captains (Please visit WWW.PATR...EON.COM/SONUAMEER.) Boom! Boom! Boom! Explosions rang several locations around the Seritei. On part was an ice region. Flashes of radiance flew around the icy region. Toshiro flew amidst the ice region blocking flashes of radiance that flew at him. There was a large wound on his abdomen. One of his arm was also dragging loosely on his shoulder. The flashes of radiance didn''t let out. It followed closely behind. Even with the obstruction of ice shards Toshiro was struck on his back. Gritting his teeth Toshiro condensed an ice armour around him. The flashes of radiance struck the ice armour, it broke through his defence and struck his body. Toshiro slid through the air and stabilized his body. He coughed out some blood and looked around cautiously. A slender woman walked out of the void. She played with a pair of daggers and looked playfully at Toshiro. "Captains are only this much? In my time you wouldn''t even be a qualified lieutenant." ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... At this time a small cup gently landed on the table. Both of them looked up in surprise. Shinobu smiled at Shunsui and asked, "What? A lady can''t drink?" Shunsui shook his head, "Of course not. It''s just that... I''ve never seen you drink before." She shrugged and didn''t bother to explain. Leo smiled and poured three cups. "Cheers." "Cheers." "Cheers." As she chugged down the burning sake a flush appeared on Shinobu''s face. Leo hugged her slender waist and said while chuckling, "Haha, without your ''Breath'' digesting the alcohol, how does it feel?" Shinobu smiled a bit, "Not bad." Shunsui looked at them cuddling affectionately and felt like choking, "I say... can you guys at least mind the single dog infront of you." Hearing him Leo and Shunsui tilted their heads and asked, "Why should we bother about your feelings?" Shunsui found no words for that. He poured another cup and chugged it down. Haha. Leo and Shinobu laughed when they saw his defeated expression. Chapter 294 - 293. Arrancars (Please visit WWW.PATR...EON.COM/SONUAMEER.) A few days passed. Leo had Chojo, Hanako and little Shin live at their home for a few weeks. Under Leo and Shinobu''s watch it would be impossible for anyone to make a move on them. Today was just as usual. Leo and Shinobu went out for a walk and just walked in through the front door when they heard a commotion. Thud! Clang! Something seems to have been knocked over. When both of them looked up they saw Hanako standing a bit further away from Chojo with a red face. Even the root of her ears was red. Looking at both of them Leo and Shinobu figured out what happened. Seeing their knowing look Hanako blushed even harder. She covered her face and immediately ran to her room before slamming it with a thud. "Wait!" Chojo called out to her, only to be answered with a loud slam of the door. He turned around and glared at Leo and Shinobu. "Couldn''t you guys have come a few minutes later?!" Leo smiled awkwardly, "How were we supposed to know that you guys were... em... what were you doing?" Chojo wanted to grab Leo''s collar and roar at him. He had an expression worse than crying. "It took me two months to gather my courage, now... it''s all gone to sh*t!" He grabbed his hair and sat down in despair. ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... Ulquiorra bowed to Aizen, "I apologize, Lord Aizen." Aizen smiled, "You just acquired this new power, Ulquiorra. Get it under control." Ulquiorra bowed and accepted, "As you command, Lord Aizen." Ulquiorra moved away and stood to the side of the hall. Aizen looked at the remaining hollows. He raised his hand once more and woke up the Hogyoku with his spiritual energy. That blinding light once more appeared. Another hollow walked out and stood under the spiritual light. Chapter 295 - 294. Respective Growth (Please visit WWW.PATR...EON.COM/SONUAMEER. Thank you.) Huff... Huff... Uryuu was kneeled on the ground while panting. His forehead was covered in sweat. He stared at the spiritual wall with a cross hair on it''s center with a a dumbfounded expression. It''s been a month since he started to train. Every day he would shoot arrows till he ran dry, then rest and shoot again. This would continue till the sun set. However, no matter how many times he shot at the spiritual wall, it never showed even the tiniest crack. At some point he doubted if his teacher was fixing the spiritual wall every day. However when he asked his teacher''s wife she smiled and reassured him that it wasn''t the case. Then that would mean he couldn''t even break through a spiritual wall set by his master a month ago. Even though he has experienced this feeling of being dumbfounded several times, he couldn''t help it. The spiritual wall that was his practice target didn''t even have a scratch on it''s body. It looked as good as it was when it was created. Leo walked out from the house and came beside him. "Your spiritual energy isn''t condensed enough. Have you been doing what I''ve asked?" Uryuu nodded. He showed a strained expression and said, "Draw an arrow and a bow ten thousand times before I sleep. I''ve been doing that." Leo smiled and said, "Don''t look so distressed. It''s for your own good. When you condense an arrow, it should be flawless, and it should come to you naturally." "Close your eyes and imagine your weapon." Uryuu did as Leo asked. The image of a bow and an arrow appeared in his mind. The image was a bit blurry but the overall outline was there. "The image isn''t clear, right?" Uryuu nodded. Leo explained, "Whenever you create your weapons your spiritual... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... "Orihime, your offensive strength isn''t worth mentioning. But don''t be disheartened. You have a role that only you can do." "Ichigo is a fool who charge head into trouble. Chad a bit man with brute strength. As for Uryuu, he is too proud." "All of them needs someone who could cover their shortcomings. They all need a shield that could protect them at critical moments." "Be that shield." "Realise your potential and your worth. They all need you." Orihime bit her lips. Her emotions surged when she heard the recognition in Leo''s words. Leo smiled at her, "You are not weak, Orihime. Just a bit lost. Your ability is your biggest aid, protecting your friends is your greatest wish." "Those are enough for you to stand tall on the upcoming battles." "And if that''s not enough, you have me as your teacher." "That''s all you will ever need." Chapter 296 - 295. Arrival, Arrancars! (Please visit WWW.PATR...EON.COM/SONUAMEER. Thank you.) Karakura Town. At a square where a lot of people gathered, a small ball of air appeared. It twisted for a few seconds before a passage appeared in it''s place. Two people wearing white clothes walked out from the passage. One of them had a large built and had a bone mask on his lower jaw. As for the other, he was thin and had the same bone mask but on one part of his skull. "Look at all these fresh meat." The big man spoke as he looked around. "Yami, don''t forget out objective." The thinner man said indifferently. The man named Yami grinned, "Isn''t it to just check out a bunch of brats? Let''s get it over with." As he spoke he opened his mouth wide and inhaled. A strong suction force came out from his mouth. The people around them only felt a small pull before blacking out. Strands of spiritual energy was pulled out from their bodies. These spiritual energies were s.u.c.k.e.d into Yami''s mouth. In an instant a large number of people fell down. Their breathing were faint and almost on the verge of dying out. After a few seconds Yami close his mouth and chewed on it. "There are lot of humans around but their spiritual quality is sh*t." The thin man frowned when he saw the unscrupulous action of Yami. However this was a good move to draw in those kids they were here for. At that moment the thin man felt something. Shh! Something shot past him with incredible speed. The trail it left behind slightly stung his skin. Puff! The thin man looked over and found an arrow pierced inside Yami''s c.h.e.s.t. Some blood speed out from the wound. ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... Yami was already in front of him. The Arrancar punched out. His large fist created strong impact through the air. Chad roared in his mind and punched out as well. The spiritual energy around his fist finally stopped flickering. It took a steady form and glowed with spirituality. Boom!! When their fist met, an explosion rang out. Chad was thrown back. He slid through the concrete floor, leaving two long trails. As for Yami, he was blasted through the air. He broke through a concrete wall and rolled through the ground before coming to a stop. Yami got up on his feet and looked at his right arm. It was broken in a weird angle and... it hurt like hell! Chapter 297 - 296. Horrifying Presence (Please visit WWW.PATR...EON.COM/SONUAMEER. Thank you.) Hm? Ulquiorra was slightly surprised when he saw Yami on the losing end of a strength contest. He narrowed his eyes and watched the three humans curiously. "That hurts! Kid, I''m gonna tear you to pieces!" Yami who was experiencing pain growled. His eyes turned red as he watched Chad. Ulquiorra flashed infront of Yami and coldly looked at him. Yami felt a shiver when he saw the indifferent look in Ulquiorra''s eyes. He calmed himself and said. "I can''t just let this go, Ulquiorra." Ulquiorra replied calmly, "You are dumb enough to attack an opponent who was using spiritual energy, this one is one you." ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... "Haha, die!" Yami laughed wildly and punched out. However halfway through he stopped. An intense sense of danger invaded his mind. Every speck of his being was telling him to stop. Even an inch forward would result in his death. He stiffly raised his head and looked at the source of that danger. On top of a building far away from them stood a person. A man with a cold pair of blue of eyes stared at what was happening with a serene expression. When Yami''s eyes met that pair of blue eyes he shuddered. The very core of his existence started to tremble. A mere glance, from that he felt something he had never before felt. Chapter 298 - 297. Escaping. (Please visit WWW.PATR...EON.COM/SONUAMEER. Thank you.) Yami experienced the most terrible sensation ever. Death. Those pair of blue eyes stared calmly at him. He knew, he knew if he moved a single finger against these kids, he would die. His body stayed stiffened in that punching stance. He dared not to move. Ulquiorra who stood between Yami and Ichigo also felt a pair of eyes staring in their direction. His calm expression couldn''t help but change. He understood who this man was. This was the person his lord warned him about. The strongest human, Leo Heart! ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... Leo and Shinobu raised their eyebrows in surprise. Both of them looked at each other with an inexplicable smile on their face. Orihime seems to have noticed their vague smile. Her face reverted to a tomato again in an instant. Both of them decided not to tease her anymore. Leo spoke to her, "It''s not that I don''t want to help Orihime. But really, his situation is a bit special. But since you specially asked, I''ll try to find a way." Chapter 299 - 298. Attack (Please visit WWW.PATR...EON.COM/SONUAMEER. Thank you.) A few days later. Leo had a visitor. "Captain Shunsui, the captain commander has decided?" He offered a cup of tea and asked. Shunsui thanked him for the tea and replied, "Yes. One team will head to Hueco Mundo while the other will wait for Aizen, here, in Karakura town." Leo frowned, "What about the civilians?" Shunsui reassured him, "Don''t worry. We have a concrete plan, no human will be drawn to this battle." Leo nodded and asked, "And what''s my role?" Shunsui sipped on his tea and replied, "You are backup, for now. Aizen is a cunning fellow, if he gets the drop on us, we need someone to level the field." "I understand. Who are the ones heading to Hueco Mundo?" "Ichigo and his friends, captain Kenpachi and his lieutenants, captain Unohana and her lieutenant and finally Byakuya Kuchiki and his lieutenant." ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... He turned around and smirked at Leo and Shinobu, "If you want to save those humans, follow us." Saying this words him and Hana walked into the vortex and disappeared. Chapter 300 - 299. Death To Offenders! (Please visit WWW.PATR...EON.COM/SONUAMEER. Thank you.) Karakura Town. After Leo and Shinobu disappeared into the vortex two figures flashed to where they were. It was none other than Shunsui and Jushiro. Shunsui frowned a bit, "They managed to lead them away." Jushiro commented, "Well, Aizen is a cunning man." With no other choice Shunsui said, "There is no other choice. Let''s proceed with the plan." ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... Leo raised his head. His eyes reflected a cold glow that chilled their hearts. "Ants, how dare you threaten me with my friends?" As he spoke a horrible force broke out his body. Haoshoku Haki! The Kings Sign! Though Leo always showed a amiable attitude he was still prideful deep down in his bones. He was someone who stepped on numerous powerhouses! He was someone with the King''s sign! And those who threaten a King must die!! Chapter 301 - 300. A Kings Power (Visit WWW.PATR...EON.COM/SONUAMEER for more. Thank you.) Leo''s words echoed through the world of Hueco Mundo. The terrible momentum he gave off started to climb. Yoshi and the other two shinigami felt it slightly hard to breathe. At this moment they felt as if they were standing before a higher existence, someone to be awed upon. In his own world Leo was the one who the Demon Slayers. He was the one who changed their world. In Zoro''s world he trampled upon people who stood at the peak of power. He brought down a power that ruled that world for close to a millennium. He created the Adventures Guild that changed the world and the lives of countless people. In both worlds he was someone looked upon, and respected by countless individuals. He was their uncrowned King! Everyone who knew him remembers him as a kind hearted person. He always have an amiable smile on his face. However as a person who climbed to the top of two worlds, would he be ordinary? The answer is no. Dealing with everyday issues Leo will be like most people, fair and impartial. However deep in his bones, that arrogance and pride as a powerhouse, as a King, was still present. And those who offend a King? Death!! "Fall of an era!" The old man Yoshi saw the situation going south and immediately made a move. The clouds started to gather, and the temperature got low. A vortex appeared high up in the sky. The burly man Meiji raised his great axe high and slammed it down. The swirling clouds trembled before crashing down on Leo. Every speck of snow drifting in the air felt as heavy as a mountain as it fell through the air. Leo raised his head and looked to the sky. His clear blue eyes reflected the magnificent scene of dazzling white snow fall down like rain. At that moment the skinny man named Rikou pointed his transparent sword at Leo. A strange ripple spread out of his sword and shot at Leo. Before Leo could react it flew into his body. Hm? Leo felt as if some kind of power was pulling away his life force, the very root of his existence. A sneer climbed onto Leo''s face. The ''Breath'' inside his body started to circulate. As it revolved that strange power draining away his life force was pulled out before it was assimilated with his ''Breath''. Suddenly the skinny face felt a bad premonition. Before he could react he felt as if something was being torn away from him. Puff! "How can you absorb death energy?!" Leo looked at him with a grin on his face. Suddenly he raised his sword and slashed. "Immovable Mountain!" As his sword fell several giant swords rose from the ground. The swords made of spiritual energy shimmered and rotated around Leo. Boom! Just at that moment the heavy snow fell. An explosion rang out. Like an avalanche, snow spread out in every direction, drowning the desolate wasteland of Hueco Mundo. In a few seconds the desolate lands turned into a snow covered realm. However Yoshi and the other two shinigamis didn''t look relieved. From the icy mist left behind by the snow explosion, they saw faint lights that moved around. Swish! A wind blew away the icy and made what was behind it clear. How... it''s impossible... Yoshi and the other two looked shocked. They couldn''t believe a human was able to withstand their combined attack. Leo stepped out of the sword formation. The swords parted, giving way for him. "With such little strength, you dare to move against me?" Yoshi clenched his fist. Hatred flashed in his eyes. In his youth Yamamoto dominated his presence with his unquestionable power. He always hated that man. Thar pride he had always irked him. And seeing this young man infront of him Yoshi''s mind merged those figures into one. His eyes turned red. "Don''t get c.o.c.ky!" The old man raised his hand for another move. But just as he did Leo disappeared from his sight. A soft voice rang out right beside him. The sudden emergence of that voice stunned the old man. He saw a sword slashing at his waist. Clang!! Boom!! He was slow to react, however Meiji standing next to him hastily blocked that strike. But the force that was being transmitted through his sword was so great that it lifted him from the ground. He slammed into the old man and they were blasted through the air. Shit! The last guy, the skinny shinigami, Rikou, cursed. He was about to retreat when a foot slammed into his c.h.e.s.t. Crack! Something cracked. A terrible force struck his c.h.e.s.t, knocking him through the air. Blood spilled through the air as he flew. Leo landed softly on the snow. Coughing out blood the three of them got up. They looked at Leo hatefully. "Your game is really boring." Leo said lightly. Yoshi slammed his fist on the ground in anger. After a few seconds he took a deep breath to calm himself and looked at Leo coldly. "I wanted to save this for Yama, but you forced me." As he finished spiritual energy broke out from the three of them. Their strength was starting to climb. Hm? Leo raised an eyebrow. From his spiritual sense he could see a mutation happening to their souls. Even their spiritual body was starting to morph. Bone spurs started to appear on their body and face. Their zanpakuto shattered and merged with their body. Now looking at the three of them he couldn''t help but speculate. Could these three have acquired the powers of a hollow? Chapter 302 - 301. Its All The Same (Visit WWW.PATR...EON.COM/SONUAMEER for more. Thank you.) The three shinigamis were giving off incredible pressure. Their spiritual energy was climbing nonstop. Leo watched the changes happening to his opponents calmly. He didn''t rush out to attack. As a person with the inborn ability to see souls, Leo was very interested in knowing how a pure shinigami''s would change. And he was surprised to find that there was seed of energy attacked to these shinigamis souls. It contained a peculiar power, it wasn''t overwhelmingly powerful, but... it was very mysterious. Through this seed of energy a new power, one belonging to a hollow emerged in their souls. It mixed with the pure soul of a shinigami, changing the structure and nature of their soul. Is the Hogyoku that powerful? Can it really alter something as obscure as a soul. Leo was perplexed. Even in his original world, when a human became a demon, only the colour surrounding their soul would change. At it''s core their soul still remained the same. Boom! As he was in thought an explosion took place. Spiritual energy blasted out in every direction. The strong wind created by the blast blew at Leo''s face. Throwing what he was thinking to the back of his mind Leo turned his focus on his opponents. The three shinigamis he faced went through a complete transformation. The old man named Yoshi had snow white bone carcass on different parts of his body. His palms doubled in size, almost resembling a fan. The big man, Meiji grew in size, he resembled a small hill as he stood there. His entire body was covered in thick bone carcass and his right arm had turned into a huge bone hammer. The last shinigami, Rikou. He looked as skinny as before, but there was now a deathly greyish mist swirling around him. A sharp tail emerged from his spine with bone spikes extending all the way to it''s tip. "Die!" Yoshi took the initiative to attack. His figure flickered and disappeared. When he re-emerged he was already beside Leo. Boom! Leo slashed in response. A fierce explosion rang out. A cloud of icy mist covered rose to the sky. Leo shot out of the icy mist. Just as he emerged the burly man, Meiji flickered next to him. His huge body didn''t show the slightest sluggishness as he moved. ... (Visit patr...eon.com/sonuameer for more. Thank you.) Chapter 303 - 302. Impossible! (Visit WWW.PATRE...ON.COM/SONUAMEER for more. Thank you.) Haki, a mysterious energy that existed within every living organism. In Leo''s understanding this mysterious energy is spiritual energy. In Zoro''s world Leo understood the application of Haki. He came to learn a method to harness the vast ocean of spiritual energy he held in his body. However Haki had a sealing limit. Beyond that, it became obsolete. But that all changed when Leo came in contact with spiritual techniques. By learning and analysing a large number of spiritual techniques Leo deepened his understanding of spiritual energy and how it worked. As a result the previous sealing limit on his Haki shattered. If the amount and speed at which he used Haki was 10 and 0.1 respectively, then at this moment it was 100 and 0.001. His strength, speed, reflex, explosive force... each of his combat aspect shot through the roof. Leo''s body housed two powerful forces, ''Breath'' and Spiritual energy. Spiritual energy was always his lacking point. His powerful physique and his unparalleled sword skills lacked a powerful explosive force. Right now everything came to place. His ''Breath'' and his Spiritual reached a perfect balance. As his ''Breath'' circulated every cell in his body rejoiced. His skin, muscles, tendons, bones and internal organs shimmered. The vast ocean of spiritual energy rumbled and spilled out of him like a broken dam. The air started to twist and crack under the horrifying spiritual energy. Yoshi, Rikou and Meiji trembled. Their bodies were pressed on the ground flat, no matter how hard they tried... they couldn''t move. A mountain seems to be weighing down on them. "Thi-this... is impossible!" Yoshi spoke while stuttering. His eyes were bloodshot as he watched Leo slowly walk towards them. He urged his spiritual energy to move but no matter how hard he tried it couldn''t break through the pressure spamming them down on the ground. "Nothing is impossible. With your limited intelligence you might find it hard to understand." Leo came to a halt infront of the trio. His eyes were cold and held deep murderous intent. Yoshi glared at Leo. His blood shot eyes almost spewed out fire. "You! You!! Aaahhh!!!" Yoshi roared in anger. His spiritual energy rumbled and started to churn wildly. "Silence." Leo suddenly spoke and kicked Yoshi in his gut. The latter coughed out blood and crawled on the floor in the shape of a shrimp. Yoshi still glared at Leo and grinned. His bloody teeth made his grin a bit disgusting to watch. "So what if you are stronger than me, if you still want to save your friends you''ll do as I say." ... ... Chapter 304 - 303. Reversal (Visit WWW.PATR...EON.COM/SONUAMEER for more. Thank you.) "This is impossible! Impossible!!" The man with long wavy hair roared. He struggled to get up, however every time he gathered a bit of strength it would disperse very quickly. Shinobu walked towards him and stepped on his c.h.e.s.t. The shinigami who had partially undergone hollow transformation felt a heavy pressure on his c.h.e.s.t. He could feel his c.h.e.s.t bones caving in. Crack. Finally his sternum broke. Several ribs snapped in his half and pierced through his internal organs. Bleh! The man coughed out blood. He wanted to roar in anger but the pain and stuffiness he felt in his c.h.e.s.t stopped him from doing so. "Are you wondering why a poison made by a human was effective against you, a shinigami?" Hana and the other woman glared at Shinobu. Smiling sweetly Shinobu continued, "You should remember your friend, that crazy guy with a Bankai that manipulated shadows." "Well, he was a test piece. Shinigamis and hollows are different from humans, your bodies are made of spiritual energy. That is to say, your physicial body represents a completely different system." "That crazy guy gave me an opportunity to test how effective my ''Breath'' is on you guys." Hana and the other woman listened to her words and hatefully looked at Shinobu. Shinobu''s smile suddenly faded away. Her expression turned icy. "You dare threaten me with my friends? Is it because you are strong and can toy with the lives of those weaker than you as you please?" "Since you are so high up above and don''t understand what it feels like to be on the low end of things, I''ll make you." "Don''t worry, slowly, slowly you''ll come to understand what true pain is." As they listened to her words, Hana and the other women felt their scalps tingle. Fear started to creep into their hearts. Even Hana, who had spend most of her as the Captain of the Interrogation Squad started to feel unease. This woman... ... When he saw Shinobu, Yoshi''s eyes nearly popped out. "N-no, you can''t be that strong!!" His bloodshot eyes stared at Shinobu in shock and hatred. However the next moment he calmed himself and said, "You can''t kill us." ... (Visit WWW.PATR...EON.COM/SONUAMEER for more. Thank you.) Chapter 305 - 304. Growing In Battle (Visit WWW.PATR...EON.COM/SONUAMEER for more. Thank you.) Boom! Crack! Several explosions rang out inside the huge palace. Currently Ichigo and company were engaged in combat with several Arrancars. "Kurosaki Ichigo, is that all you''ve got?!" A man with blue hair and looked partially like a jaguar yelled excitedly at Ichigo. He slashed with his fingers that looked like claws. Arcs of spiritual energy tore through the air with incredible speed. Ichigo flickered and dodged. The blue haired man followed Ichigo and clawed at him. "Getsuga Tensho!" Seeing his opponent not letting up, Ichigo retaliated. The blue spiritual energy and the blackish red spiritual energy clashed. Small explosions rang out as the two spiritual energies tried to destroy the other. "Ha!" The blue haired man grinned. He disappeared from sight and flashed infront of Ichigo. The latter raised his sword almost immediately and slashed down. Clang! The blue haired man''s claws struck Ichigo''s sword, making him take two steps back in retreat. Ichigo frowned at his opponent who looked a bit crazy. He sensed the situation of his friends and found it not optimal. Uryuu and Rukia were confronting an Arrancar alone, for the moment they were containing their opponents without being on the back foot. The troubling thing was Chad and Orihime, their opponent had forced them to be on the defensive. "You got time to look away?!" Puff! A wound appeared on Ichigo''s c.h.e.s.t. Dammit! Ichigo cursed. He retreated to a safe distance and turned serious. "I''ll finish this quickly." As he said he covered his face with his palm. The blue haired man was about to attack when he sensed the rising spiritual energy of his opponent. He paused in his tracks and looked seriously at Ichigo. Spiritual energy condensed above Ichigo''s face. It fluctuated for a few seconds before turning solid. When Ichigo took back his palm a bone mask had appeared on his face. There was a red mark on the mask. ... ... (Visit patr...eon.com/sonuameer for more. Thank you.) Chapter 306 - 305. The Core Reason (Visit WWW.PATR...EON.COM/SONUAMEER for more. Thank you.) Leo was very satisfied with Chad. During the time he spend training the kid he understood his character. He was loyal to a fault. Every day he would squeeze out the last bit of strength he had before dragging his body back to his house. It''s like the kid wanted to prove something, maybe to himself. He looked at Ichigo and couldn''t help but smile. Everywhere, there are still idiots like them. Chad felt the changes to him. With every punch he threw out his opponent would retreat. The struggling battle started to turn in their favour. Byakuya narrowed his eyes when he saw the changes happening to Chad. He wasn''t unfamiliar with this power. Looking at the human beside him several thoughts flashed in his mind. Suddenly several more people flashed and appeared beside them. "Shunsui told me that only the three of you would be coming, what''s with this guy?" His question was directed to the 12th division captain of the Gotei 13, Kurotsuchi Mayuri. "The captain commander made a last minute change." It was captain Unohana who answered. Leo nodded. He knew the old shinigami wouldn''t make any unnecessary decisions. By now the three battles were coming to an end. It was at this moment... Boom! A part of the building collapsed. Everyone looked over and found Kenpachi walking over. His upper c.h.e.s.t was b.a.r.e and there was a large wound on it with blood dripping out. Leo sighed. Shinobu chuckled beside him. As for Chojo, Hanako and little Shin, they were looking around with shock and wonder. They were just normal humans. However what they saw and experienced in such a short time overturned their understanding of the world. When they saw the bloody Kenpachi rushing in their direction they were scared. Leo waved his hand and said, "Not now, Kenpachi. We have much urgent matters." Kenpachi slowed down. His face turned sour. At that moment a little girl and several of his subordinates caught up. The little girl was surprisingly the barbarian Kenpachi''s lieutenant. She jumped on Kenpachi''s shoulder and asked. "Kenny, didn''t you play enough?" Kenpachi said sourly, "Shut it." Leo shook his head and sighed. He always had a headache whenever he met Kenpachi. The guy had a few screws loose. Leo laughed inside. Kids were kids. ... ... (Visit patr...eon.com/sonuameer for more. Thank you.) Chapter 307 - 306. May You Find Peace (Visit WWW.PATR...EON.COM/SONUAMEER for more. Thank you.) A shinigami''s body was a spiritual construct. It was different from the fleshly body a human had. As such it was very difficult to make any sort of modifications. But an Arrancar and these shinigamis who were a combination of a shinigami and a hollow who called themselves, Visored, had been modified. This modification originated from the core of their being. Their soul. A seed was planted into their soul. And when it germinated, like a wildfire it spread into their soul and changed it from within. As a researcher Shinobu always thirsted for knowledge. Anything that could help her improve her medical standards would be heavily sought after by her. And as someone who had spiritual sense Leo could literally see the mutation that had happened to these hollows and shinigamis. He put his findings aside and focused on the battles around him. He saw four Arrancars. As far as he could make out these four had numbers tattooed on their bodies. Leo recognised one Arrancar. No. 4, Ulquiorra No. 3, Teil Harribel. There was an old man wearing a crown and holding a sceptre in his hand. He was fighting captain Sui Feng, her lieutenant and a big fat guy. No. 2, Barragan. Captain Shunsui and Jushiro were fighting a man wielding twin pistols. No.1, Coyote Stark. Captain Sajin Komamura was fighting his old friend, Kaname Tosen, who had undergone hollow transformation. As for Gin Ichimaru, he was being assaulted by several of Ichigo''s Visored friends. These were the main battles. Several of those shinigamis who had obtained a hollow''s power assisted from the side. Leo tuned his focus away from these battles and focused on a different part of Karakura town. Sosuke Aizen! And standing infront of him was Yamamoto. The old man was absolutely calm as he stared at Aizen. Sensing someone''s gaze Aizen looked over. Seeing who it was Aizen wasn''t surprised. "Atleast those fools stalled you for so long." Leo took a step forward. His body shot through the air and flashed infront of Aizen. The burning flames painted a red glow to his fair face. "Move aside, young man." Suddenly Yamamoto''s voice rang out. Leo turned his gaze away from Aizen and looked at the old captain. As he spoke a terrible momentum broke out of him and fell on the old captain. ... ... (Visit patr...eon.com/sonuameer for more. Thank you.) Chapter 308 - 307. Natural Enemy (Visit WWW.PATR...EON.COM/SONUAMEER for more. Thank you.) Sui Feng was confronting Espada no. 2, Barragan. Her opponent was an old man wearing a crown and holding a sceptre. Her lieutenant, a fat man wearing a lot of gold on his person was also helping her. Beside him there was also another man who held off Barragan. He was big and fat with a thick mustache. At the moment Barragan was effortlessly defending the trio''s attack. Just as he dodged a stab from Sui Feng, a sense of threat invaded his mind. He didn''t need to turn around to understand who it was. Without waiting he immediately held the great axe in his hand before his c.h.e.s.t. "Resurrection!!" As he spoke spiritual energy broke out from him. The great axe in his hand glowed with spiritual light and engulfed Barragan. Leo suddenly flashed infront of him. He didn''t directly attack and waited for the Arrancar to release his zanpakuto. When the light faded and Barragan appeared, he had completely changed. What appeared infront of everyone was a skeleton with a red glow in it''s hollow eyes. He held a sceptre in his bony hands. "Leo Heart, the strongest human. I never imagined a human could reach such heights." Barragan''s hollow eyes flickered as he spoke. Leo smiled slightly, "Interesting beings, you Arrancars. Anyway, just show me your ability." The red glow in Barragan''s eyes shone brighter when he heard Leo. "I see. That''s why you didn''t immediately attack. How arrogant of you." Leo had no mind to listen to his nonsense. He flickered and appeared beside Barragan. His sword hummed as it slashed through the air. Barragan didn''t panic. He slowly raised his sceptre and blocked Leo''s attack. When their weapons met a small explosion happened. Barragan was blasted through the air almost immediately. Leo stood where he was like a steady mountain. However there was a frown on his face. Barragan reacted quickly and blocked the slash with his sceptre. A terrible force struck his sceptre. The force travelled through the sceptre and rattled his bones. Boom! The power behind that strike send his crashing to the ground. Leo looked at his sword and his arm with a frown on his face. What is it?... There was strange force that made Leo nauseated when he struck Barragan. It was all around Barragan, however it was at it''s strongest when he touched his body. "Are you feeling it yet, Leo Heart?" ... (Visit patr...eon.com/sonuameer for more. Thank you.) Chapter 309 - 308. A Headstrong Woman (Visit WWW.PATR...EON.COM/SONUAMEER for more. Thank you.) Sui Feng and the other two looked on in shock. An opponent they were struggling with was so easily solved. This seemed surreal to them. Taking a deep breath Sui Feng calmed her wildly beating heart. A gleam flashed in her eyes as she looked at Leo. "Too bad he is married... She muttered under her breath. Leo who had inhuman perception could hear her. He simply smiler and ignored her. Right now Barragan was struggling to break free from his grip. However would he able to? "It''s better if you just pass on." As he spoke a powerful intent poured out of him. "Raging Inferno." Barragan felt as if he was standing infront of an inferno. His body and his spiritual energy was being burnt to nothingness. Slowly his body started to breakup. From the top of his skull he started to crumble into countless motes of light. The red glow in his eyes started to dim. "I... this shouldn''t be how it ended." The last bit of words before he vanished was full of unwillingness. Just as he disappeared Leo sensed something. He looked up and found Yamamoto drawing his sword. Pillars of flames rose to the sky, burning holes in the clouds. As he saw the old man release his Shikai Leo turned his focus on Aizen. However he frowned the next moment. Aizen looked calm, way too calm. This wasn''t normal. "Is he that arrogant to face the captain commander or does he have something else up his sleeve?" Leo thought for a second. He scanned the entirety of Karakura town and found nothing suspicious. "It''s better to take of these distractions before focusing on the big guy." Since he couldn''t find anything his focus turned towards the remaining Arrancars. His figured flashed and disappeared. Looking at his disappearing figure Sui Feng and the big man with a mustache felt a bit lost. "Hoo... finally, that guy is gone. Anyway, that was way too scary." Sui Feng''s lieutenant wiped the sweat off of his forehead and said in a relieved tone. Hearing him irked Sui Feng. She kicked the guy, causing the latter to roll through the ground. "Let''s go help the others." As she spoke she rushed towards Shunsui and Jushiro. (Visit WWW.PATR...EON.COM/SONUAMEER for more. Thank you.) Toshiro was having a bit of hard time fending off Arrancar No. 2, Tiel Harribel. This woman not only had crazy battle experience but also an overpowered control over the water element. The ice he created was broken down into water before it was rebounded with even more power. He had no choice but to freeze it again so as to not get injured. Just now a blast of spiralling water was shot at him with incredible speed. "Hyorinmaru!" Toshiro roared and slashed with his zanpakuto. A flash of icy spiritual energy clashed with the water gun. The resulting explosion created a rain of ice and water. Toshiro just retreated when Harribel flashed beside him. Her bone spear was poised and a blast of water wave was revolving at the tip of it. He cursed. Crossing his zanpakuto over his c.h.e.s.t Toshiro made a wall of ice. Boom! Just as the ice wall was created Harribel stabbed forward. A column of water revolving at incredible speed was shot forward. The ice wall crumbled in a split second. Toshiro was struck hard on his c.h.e.s.t and thrown fast back while coughing out blood. As he was about to crash through a building Leo flashed beside him and held him in place. "You alright?" Toshiro coughed a few more times, only then did the stuffy feeling in his c.h.e.s.t ease up. He took a few breaths and regulated his body''s condition. "Thank you for your help, sir Leo." Leo nodded at him, "That''s good. You take a seat back, I''ll take care of this." Harribel saw Leo appear and found the situation turn sour. She realised something and spread out her senses. As she had expected, the spiritual signatures of two Espadas had disappeared. Shock filled her heart. She knew this person. A human who had transcended beyond mortal limits. The strongest human, Leo Heart! As she saw the latter disappear she immediately raised her guard. At that second a faint sense of danger came from her side. She reacted almost immediately and stabbed her bone spear in that direction. Clang! Sound of weapons colliding rang out. Oh? Leo''s slightly surprised voice rang out. He was genuinely surprised that she could react to his speed. Looking at the woman in front of him a peculiar thought flashed in his eyes. "Tell me, why do you fight?" Harribel was stunned to hear his words. She clenched her weapon tightly and replied without hesitation, "For lord Aizen." Leo shook his head, "That man doesn''t deserve your loyalty. Stand down, or else you''ll get hurt." Harribel poised herself for battle, "I don''t need your sympathy. If you want to kill me, kill me. Stop with the bullsh*t." Leo''s eyes narrowed. This woman in front of him was different from other hollows. She was headstrong and loyal. Such a woman was worth respecting. Unfortunately she chose the wrong person to follow. "As you wish then." The next moment he disappeared. Harribel spread out her senses she had honed through countless battles. However, this time she failed. No matter what she did she couldn''t sense her opponent. It''s like he disappeared from existence. Her forehead was covered in sweat as he waited. Every second felt like an eternity. Just at that moment a dull pain came from the back of her head. Her entire body was shocked, even her spiritual energy was shocked to the point of almost being dispersed. Her vision went black and she fainted. However before she completely lost her consciousness she heard Leo''s words. "Your loyalty is admirable, but it''s misplaced. Sleep for now. When you wake up, the root cause that''s keeping you bound, will be gone." (Visit WWW.PATR...EON.COM/SONUAMEER for more. Thank you.) Chapter 310 - 309. Aizens Countermeasures (Visit WWW.PATR...EON.COM/SONUAMEER for more. Thank you.) Taking care of Harribel Leo was about to move towards the last Arrancar. However at that moment he heard three angry howls directed at him. "Bastard! What did you do to big sis?!" He turned around to find three Arrancars rushing towards him with murderous eyes. Having no time to take care of every single one of them, Leo made a seal. "Bind." In an instant several chained emerged from the void. It bound the three Arrancars. No matter how much they struggled the chains didn''t budge one bit. "F*ck!" "Let us go, you bastard!" "Damn, human!" Leo faintly looked at them and said, "Stay there for now. And about your big sister, she is fine and will wake up after some time." As he finished he flashed and disappeared. ... It was at that moment Leo appeared. Shunsui and Jushiro retreated and stood beside him. "That''s fast." Shunsui commented. Leo didn''t reply and gazed at Espada no.1. A peculiar glint flashed in his eyes as he asked. "What''s your name?" Espada no.1 was surprised. He already knew that the other Espadas were dead. And the one responsible for the fall of them was this human here. After a moment of pause he replied, "Coyote Stark." Leo nodded and said, "Mr. Stark, it''s better you surrender. Aizen will undoubtedly fail, and... I believe you are different from the rest. I will guarantee with my name that if you surrender, no one will make things difficult for you." Stark went silent. He stared at Leo without saying a word. "Why should I trust you?" Leo heard his question and smiled. The next moment a terrible momentum broke out of his body and fell on Stark. The huge power pressing down on him caused Stark to took a few steps back in fear. Haoshoku Haki! Having a grin on his face Leo asked, "Do I need to lie to you?" Stark looked solemnly at Leo and finally nodded. He cancelled his resurrection and surrendered. Just as Stark had surrendered a sudden change appeared on the battlefield. A huge rift had appeared behind Aizen who was surrounded by flaming. A huge creature stepped out of the rift and breathing in. The flames burning around Aizen was s.u.c.k.e.d in by the huge creature. There was another Arrancar standing next to the huge creature. This Arrancar looked like a small boy and held a large purple sword on his back. Aaahhh!!! Toshiro who was closest to the battlefield suddenly felt a gust of wind behind his back. Before he could react a piercing pain came from his c.h.e.s.t. At some point the boy had appeared infront of him and stabbed his c.h.e.s.t. Sh*t! Toshiro cursed. His injury was serious, and he was losing strength in his body. "Captain!" He lieutenant, a beautiful woman rushed over and caught him before retreating. The boy roared at the top of his lungs and attacked the others. He was incredibly fast and held tremendous power. The captains and the Visored were prepared for his attacks. However to their surprise Aizen also attacked. "Shatter!" ... (Visit WWW.PATR...EON.COM/SONUAMEER for more. Thank you.) Chapter 311 - 310. Injured (Visit WWW.PATR...EON.COM/SONUAMEER for more. Thank you.) Booommm!! A terrifying explosion rang out. Karakura town was shaking from the aftershocks. At the origin of this explosion was a spiritual barrier. From within was rumbling waves of fire that collided against each other creating a scene of chaos. The brilliance of the barrier fluctuated. Cracks formed on it''s surface. However in the end it held. The rumbling explosion within calmed down. Bang! When the explosive fire inside calmed down, the barrier fell apart. Leo and Yamamoto emerged from within. Both of them had burn marks on their bodies, especially Leo. Yamamoto looked over at Leo, a glimmer of light flashing in his eyes. When the suppressed might of his zanpakuto''s flames were about to erupt Leo covered his arm with busoshoku haki and pressed it down. His brute strength surprised Yamamoto. The old man took back his vision and focused on Aizen. Leo also looked up. His eyes were filled with murderous Intent. Aizen faintly smiled, "You took care of it better than I expected. But it''s fine, that was just a distraction after all." As he finished speaking a large barrier appeared beneath Leo and Yamamoto. Both of them wasn''t surprised to see this. They merely looked on coldly. They had already sensed this barrier just before the explosion rang out. However there was nothing they could do to stop it. "When I return, I''ll cut off your head." Aizen wasn''t fazed by his words nor by the murderous intent that pressed down on him. "By that time, I''ll have become a god." The spiritual barrier shone with light. It covered both Yamamoto and Leo and flashed. When the light faded both of them were gone. Aizen smiled. He turned around and faced the remaining shinigamis. "Let''s get this done." ... Leo and Yamamoto didn''t know where they were thrown to. They only saw darkness all around. "This is a spatial seal. One far stronger than any I''ve ever seen." Leo pressed his hand on the barrier and felt it around. The barrier was strong and had isolating properties. "I''m afraid we need to pinpoint the coordinates to Karakura town if we ever want to get out of here." Yamamoto nodded to Leo''s words. As a millennium old shinigami he was familiar with every Kido and Kekkai technique there is. ... ... (Visit WWW.PATR...EON.COM/SONUAMEER for more. Thank you.) Chapter 312 - 311. Gin Ichimaru (Visit WWW.PATR...EON.COM/SONUAMEER for more. Thank you.) Aizen and Gin walked through Karakura town. They were searching for a node to enter the Soul Society. Gin was faithfully tagging behind Aizen. His expression was unreadable as always. Just as they reached a certain point Aizen stopped in his tracks. A pained expression overtook his face. Gin didn''t step forward to help and watched everything calmly. Aizen used a wall to support himself. He took a few deep breaths and tore his coat. Gin''s eyes narrowed the next moment. On Aizen''s c.h.e.s.t was the Hogyoku! It was embedded there with wisps of spiritual energy rolled inside it. The feeling it off right now shook his heart. He wondered why he couldn''t sense anything until now. Aizen looked down at his c.h.e.s.t and traced the Hogyoku. A faint smile appeared on his lips. "The merging is finally complete." As he was enjoying the moment a sword stabbed through his c.h.e.s.t. It ripped the Hogyoku away from his body. He looked back and found Gin holding end sword. "You... Before Aizen could speak Gin flicked his sword. A piece fell out from the blade of his sword and merged with Aizen''s body. Puff! Aizen coughed out a mouthful of blood and looked at Gin with cold eyes. "Goodbye, captain Aizen." Gin spoke slowly and tool out his sword. However just as he was about to completely pull it out Aizen slashed with his zanpakuto. Fast! The slash was abrupt and too fast. Gin couldn''t react in time. Puff! A large wound was opened on his c.h.e.s.t. However he didn''t care about it and stared at Aizen. The latter stumbled forward. His body was starting to crumble into countless specks of light. "The true ability of my zanpakuto is to leave a part of it inside my enemy''s body. This piece contains a deadly poison that would break down the body into basic cells." Aizen coughed out a mouthful of blood. He stared at Gin with murderous eyes. However no matter angry he was, he felt powerless. In a few seconds his body was completely gone, broken down to basic cells and scattered in air. Gin finally couldn''t hold on and kneeled down. He was out of breath as Aizen''s last attack had reached his vitals. "I need to find the others." He looked at the Hogyoku and spoke to himself. Just as he got up on his feet the Hogyoku pulsed with spirituality. A power force was spilling out from it. What?! It stabbed through his heart. Buhah! Gin spewed out a mouthful of blood. He looked incredulously at the figure emerging from the spiritual light. It was Aizen! ... ... (Visit WWW.PATR...EON.COM/SONUAMEER for more. Thank you.) Chapter 313 - 312. A God? (Visit WWW.PATR...EON.COM/SONUAMEER for more. Thank you. Also, Bleach Arc is officially over.) "How long do you need?" Leo asked Yamamoto. The old man didn''t immediately reply. He put out some more spiritual energy towards the transparent spatial barrier, causing it to expand and then contract. "Now." Yamamoto suddenly spoke. A light shone on the transparent barrier. A second later it morphed into a door. "Hang tight, I''ll get you out once I reach the other side." Leo spoke and stepped into the door. Watching his disappearing figure Yamamoto shook his head. "Cheeky brat." ... Karakura town. Shinobu was still working on Gin''s injuries when she sensed a spiritual signature. A smiler bloomed on her face. Rangiku also noticed the sudden appearance of a spiritual signature. She tightened her grip on her zanpakuto. Shh!! In a split second that spiritual signature disappeared. Before Rangiku could react a figure emerged next to Shinobu. When she got a clear look on the person, her nervous heart eased up. "How is he?" Leo asked. Shinobu kept patting Gin''s body rhythmically. Every time she patted his body, a wisp of her ''Breath'' would integrate into him. "For the moment, he is alive. My unfamiliarity with the structure of a spiritual body is causing some delay to his treatment. But I am getting a hang of it." She looked at Leo''s left arm that was scorched black. Her face turned slightly angry. "You are being reckless again! Just because you have a strong physique doesn''t mean you can do whatever you want!" "Haha... Leo could only weakly smile and accept her scolding. After she was done she huffed and refocused on her work. Letting out a relieved sigh he turned to look at Rangiku. "Your friend is a great man." He spoke those words from the bottom of his heart. For the purpose of taking him down Aizen he deliberately left a trace of latter''s spiritual energy in Chojo''s house. He wanted to draw Leo''s anger towards Aizen. From all the information he had obtained from Shunsui, and looking at the situation right now, he could imagine why he would do so. It was all for this woman. Leo had heartfelt admiration for this man. To love someone to such extent... He shook his head and pushed back these thoughts to the back of his mind. With his spiritual sense he had already located Aizen. The latter was fighting with Ichigo. "I''ll head over." Shinobu paused her hands and turned to look at him. "If you dare to ignore your safety again... Letting out a hollow smile Leo disappeared. Rangiku looked at their interaction and felt a bit jealous. However this was only for a second before her attention went back to the injured Gin again. ... "Getsuga Tensho!!" Ichigo covered in blackish red spiritual energy slashed at Aizen. The latter looked more like a hollow than a shinigami. There were hollow like white protrusions on his body. Facing Ichigo''s attack Aizen roared from the top of his lungs. Spiritual energy surged as he attacked. Booommm!!! Their collision created a loud explosion. It leveled the mountains surrounding them, dust and rubbles fell down creating a huge cloud of smoke. However he ignored all of it and focused on Aizen. He could still sense the latter''s spiritual signature. He was still alive! When the dust settled Aizen''s figure was revealed. He was kneeling on the ground. There was a long wound on his c.h.e.s.t. The Hogyoku embedded in his c.h.e.s.t was fluctuating with spiritual light. It was mending the wound on his c.h.e.s.t! "Kurosaki Ichigo, I am a god! A god can''t be killed!" Aizen laughed crazily. The Hogyoku gave off even more light as it covered Aizen. Ichigo gritted his teeth. He wanted to get up, but he was too weak. Even moving a bit took great effort. As he was racking his brains on a solution, he heard Aizen stop. He looked at the latter and saw a stunned expression on his face. Suddenly spiritual energy exploded from his body. A cross made of spiritual energy stabbed through his body, nailing him to the ground. "Not too late." Suddenly a person flashed beside Aizen. "Kisuke!" Ichigo recognised the man. It was Kisuke Urahara. "Yo, Ichigo. Thanks for beating him so hard, if this guy wasn''t so weak right now, those Kido techniques I used on him earlier wouldn''t have worked." Kisuke shifted his focus on Aizen, "You have done enough damage, Aizen." Hearing Kisuke a look of madness appeared on Aizen''s face, "Kisuke Urahara! What did you do to me?!" Kisuke replied, "I just used a few Kido techniques to seal you." Aizen glared at him, "That''s impossible!" As he spoke he urged the Hogyoku to break free from the seals put on him. However the Hogyoku didn''t react to his call. The spiritual light it gave off was starting to dim. "How... impossible!" Aizen muttered in shock. "I invented the Hogyoku, it would be ridiculous if couldn''t take care of it. You are done, Aizen." Kisuke spoke a few words and made a seal once more. A few more shackles emerged and bound Aizen completely. With that the spiritual energy Aizen gave off was completely gone. Ichigo was relieved. "Ho, you took care of it." Just at that moment Leo''s voice rang out. His figure emerged right next to Aizen who was sealed. Kisuke was startled. He didn''t know when the latter had appeared. Leo looked over at Ichigo, his eyes flashed a bit. He then turned his focus over to Aizen. The latter was completely sealed. A cold glint passed over Leo''s eyes. "I told you before, I''ll kill you when I get back." As he spoke he stretched out his right arm. Kisuke had a bad feeling when Leo appeared, and now it was coming to reality. "Stop! If you release the seal it will be impossible to kill him again. With his fusion with the Hogyoku, he is basically a god." Leo gave no heed to Kisuke. "A god? Such a weakling dares to call himself god. Then watch as I kill this god." (Visit WWW.PATR...EON.COM/SONUAMEER for more. Thank you. Also, Bleach Arc is officially over.) Chapter 314 - 313. You Could Have Gone Far (Visit WWW.PATR...EON.COM/SONUAMEER for more. Thank you.) Before Kisuke could interfere Leo touched the seals binding Aizen. A terrifying force broke out of his arm and shattered the shackles. Boom!! A loud explosion rang out. Kisuke and Ichigo were pushed back by the shockwaves. "Dammit! He is out!" Kisuke cursed. He stared at Leo who stood tall like a mountain. He couldn''t understand why he would do such a foolish matter. Anyway, there priority now was to contain Aizen. "Haha, Leo Heart, your arrogance reminds me of the captain commander. But that''s to that, I''m free!" Aizen''s voice rang out from the center of the explosion. Spiritual energy swirled around him, the wounds he sustained before was healed in an instant. Leo watched all of this calmly. His eyes gleamed with murderous intent. "Are you done?" Hearing Leo''s indifferent question Aizen shook his head, "You still can''t understand, we are not on the same level anymore." As he finished a terrible spiritual wave broke out of his body. It fell on Leo and the others. Ichigo and Kisuke couldn''t hold on and fell on their knees. Leo, I hope you have a good reason for doing this. Kisuke prayed in his heart. Facing Aizen''s spiritual pressure Leo wasn''t startled. He stood calmly amidst the raging storm. "Only this much?" Leo curled his lips into a disdainful smile. The next moment a strong force broke out of his body. It clashed with the spiritual pressure weighing down on him. Haoshoku Haki! After a second Leo''s haki tore through Aizen''s spiritual pressure. Aizen felt as if his head was being struck by a hammer. His vision slightly turned. "Im-Impossible... how can you... Aizen was dumbstruck. He couldn''t believe what just happened. His own spiritual pressure was destroyed! Leo spoke strode towards Aizen. His momentum climbed with each step he took. "Let me guess, you made plans based on my strength you saw a few months ago, right?" Aizen who was being pressed down by Leo''s haki looked up. He was urging the Hogyoku to release more power to breakthrough this power keeping him down. When he heard Leo he wanted to nod. However his pride didn''t allow him. Leo smiled, "Let me give you a very simple explanation. My body is a reservoir to tremendous power, however, the amount I can release at any moment is very limited." "But thanks to the spiritual techniques the Gotei 13 had gathered over the millennium, this threshold was broken." "Now I can release more of this power within me. With time and my mastery over spiritual techniques, the amount I can release will only increase." "With me so far?" Leo was now standing just a few feets away from Aizen. The momentum he gave off was still climbing. Aizen glared at Leo. He urged the Hogyoku to release more power, but no matter how much it released, it still wasn''t enough! "Leo Heart!!!" He growled. Being suppressed so miserably filled Aizen''s mind with madness. As he roared the Hogyoku blinked. A force far stronger than before broke out of his body. It managed to push away the force pressing him down. Leo was slightly surprised. He looked a bit more interestingly at the Hogyoku. With his spiritual sense he saw much more than anybody else. "This is your guarantee, huh?" ... (Visit WWW.PATR...EON.COM/SONUAMEER for more. Thank you.) Chapter 315 - 314. Everything Settled (Visit WWW.PATR...EON.COM/SONUAMEER for more. Thank you.) Kisuke looked incredulous. What transpired just now was beyond his imagination. As one of the creator of the Hogyoku, he knew how terrifying the object was. The true ability of the Hogyoku is to absorb the d.e.s.i.r.es of those around, and to make it into reality. And Aizen had merged with such an object. This merger was impossible to break, not even by him, it''s creator. However Leo had done the impossible. He watched as Aizen was reduced to countless specks of dust. All is well that ends well. Kisuke said to himself. He walked to Leo and was about to ask the man to give the Hogyoku to him, so that he could seal it. Kisuke was dumbfounded to see the medallion absorb the spiritual light. Like a drop of water falling into the ocean, the spiritual energy disappeared. He saw Leo happily smile and put away the medallion. Kisuke couldn''t sense the existence of the Hogyoku anymore, it''s like it has disappeared. "Um... Leo, what just happened? Where is the Hogyoku?" Leo smiled at him, "The Hogyoku won''t ever be a problem anymore." After hearing Leo he knew it was a lost cause to ask about the Hogyoku. Well, it''s better it disappears from the world. Though I''m curious as to what that medallion is and why it could swallow that much spiritual energy. "Let''s head back. Can you move, Ichigo?" Leo asked. Ichigo nodded. However the way he was struggling to stand up said otherwise. Leo shook his head, "Don''t be so headstrong at this hour, kid." Before Ichigo could speak Leo supported the latter. He then stepped on air and started to ascend. Kisuke quickly followed him. When they reached Karakura town the captains were awake. Seeing Kisuke, Shunsui asked, "Aizen?" Kisuke glanced at Leo and said, "Dead." Shunsui was surprised. He saw Kisuke looking over at Leo and guessed what happened. "Looks like the Soul Society is indebted to you again." He said with a smile. Leo left Ichigo with his friends. He heard Shunsui and showed a faint smile. "No need for all that nonsense, Shunsui. That guy annoyed me, so I killed him. But, if you really want to show your sincerity, how about sharing some of your prized sake." Shunsui flinched when he heard Leo, he smiled bitterly, "What do you know? That sake is what I stole from the old man''s collection. I am lucky the old man doesn''t drink much, otherwise he would have already found out." He just finished speaking when he saw Leo looking at him peculiarly. Shunsui suddenly felt a pair of eyes on his back. "Say, Leo, the old man is behind me, right?" ... ... (Visit WWW.PATR...EON.COM/SONUAMEER for more. Thank you.) Chapter 316 - 315. "Rules" (Visit WWW.PATR...EON.COM/SONUAMEER for more. Thank you.) (Happy to announce that Bleach Arc is over) Aizen was dead. The crisis was over. With the high tension hanging in the air gone, everyone went their own ways and enjoyed the moment of peace they got. Leo was so generous and gave his students a vacation. In this battle against Aizen and his minions, everyone grew. This was especially true for Chad and Orihime. They broke through their previous limit. With the solid foundation Leo set for them, they will experience a rise in power. Right now they needed a break and reflect on their own gains. As for Leo, he obtained the prize he shamelessly asked from the captain commander. He was so happy that he grinned from ear to ear. Getting such fine sake he wanted to share it his good friend, Shunsui. However, when he asked his lieutenant who came to deliver the bottle, the latter flinched. Leo faintly guessed what could have happened to him. He gave a silent apology to him in his mind. Without his drinking buddy he decided to go on a vacation with Shinobu. The water''s right temperature, and the burning sensation of the sake soothed his body from inside out. Shinobu was opposite to him with water upto her c.h.e.s.t. She had her hair tied up. With how perfect her body was, the sight of her was bewitching. Leo enjoyed the sight and took a few more sips. "Right, I forgot to ask, what happened to the Hogyoku?" Shinobu who was having a comfortable time opened her eyes and asked. Leo suddenly smiled, he flipped his palm. The dragon - tiger medallion emerged from nowhere and hovered above his palm. At it''s center was the Hogyoku giving off wisps of spiritual energy. This spiritual energy was being absorbed by the medallion. A brilliant light flashed in Shinobu''s eyes, "Is that... Leo nodded with a grin, "I was just as surprised as you are right now. Who would have thought this thing could help us fill up the medallion." Shinobu''s face flushed, she asked excitedly, "With that much spirit energy, how long will it take?" Leo thought for a second and said, "The Hogyoku possess the ability to make d.e.s.i.r.es into reality. Right now it''s releasing spiritual energy that contains spatial attribute." "At the current rate... maybe a few months." Shinobu''s eyes lit up, "The Hogyoku should be able to get us all the way back home, right?" Leo nodded, however after thinking for a second, he shook his head, "I don''t know. We can''t be certain until we get to the next world. So don''t your hopes up." Shinobu''s excitement was gone in an instant. She was like a deflated balloon and sank into the water. Leo reached out and pulled her into his arms, "Don''t worry. Even if it doesn''t work all the way through, it will still get us to the next world. That''s a step forward." "I promise, we''ll get back home." ... (Visit WWW.PATR...EON.COM/SONUAMEER for more. Thank you.) Chapter 317 - 316. Dark Undercurrents (Visit WWW.PATR...EON.COM/SONUAMEER for more. Thank you.) While Leo and Shinobu were having a comfortable vacation, Ichigo was busy. He was with Kisuke, trying to find a way to unlock every power inside him without losing control. "The situation isn''t looking good. That final form of your zanpakuto... it''s drained out the core of your power." Kisuke spoke solemnly. Ichigo wasn''t that bothered by his words and asked, "There is no other way?" Kisuke thought for a while and replied, "There is. Though the core of your power is drained, it''s still there. We could jump start it, but... Ichigo quickly asked, "But?" "But we need a lot of spiritual energy, atleast ten times the amount of a captain class shinigami." "And that''s just the beginning. Even if we could get your powers back, we still need to find a way for you to use your Quincy, Hollow and Shinigami powers as one. That''s a tall order." Kisuke said solemnly. Ichigo took a deep breath and asked, "Since you are speaking so much, I''m assuming you found a way?" Kisuke nodded, "Oetsu Nimaiya." "Who?" "Oetsu Nimaiya, Royal Guard to the Soul King, also known as ''God of the Sword''." Ichigo knew nothing of this person, however he did know about the Soul King. That was the existence that kept the balance between the three worlds. "How can he help me?" Hearing him Kisuke explained, "According to what I understand, Oetsu Nimaiya forged every Asouchi there is in the Soul Society. That is to say, he forged every single zanpakuto out there." "Your situation is a bit special. He has never touched your zanpakuto, as such it is imperfect. We need to find a way for him to reforge your zanpakuto." "He is the only person who can resolve the conflict between the three powers in you." Ichigo clenched his fist. Finally, he found a way. Though this method might be far fetched, it is still something to hope for. "Right now, we need to jump start your dormant strength. For this, you need to contact Leo." "Huh? How did he get into this?" Kisuke smiled slyly, "If we want to gather spiritual energy for your need, one person is not alone. I plan to have every captain donate some of their spiritual energy. That should give us enough juice." Ichigo rubbed his forehead, "So you want to me have him ask the captains to give up some of their spiritual energy?" Kisuke smiled, "Simple, right?" Ichigo cursed, "Simple, my ass!" ... (Visit WWW.PATR...EON.COM/SONUAMEER for more. Thank you.) Chapter 318 - 317. A New Enemy (Visit WWW.PATR...EON.COM/SONUAMEER for more. Thank you.) Time passed by slowly. In the blink of an eye, three months went by. Leo and Shinobu returned to their peaceful life, as did the others. During this time both of them either trained Uryuu and company or just traveled to scenic spots. Anyway, they had time on their hands. Today was as per usual. Leo was in the backyard instructing Chad. During their battle with Aizen, he had already decided to teach him Garp''s Iron Fist. A simple and direct technique. "This technique only has one move, Iron Fist. An old man I know created it. With this single fist he suppressed those who represented an era." These were Leo''s description of the technique. Coming from a man like him, it was enough for others to imagine what kind technique it was. At the moment, Leo was pointing out the finer details of the technique. "You''ve already mastered micro spiritual control. This technique needs you to wrap your fists with spiritual energy, condense it to it''s absolute limit." "Uryuu, Ichigo and Orihime, these three have their own paths. Their limits are decided by them. However, it''s different for you. You neither have a special ability or talent." Chad looked a bit down when Leo spoke of this point. Seeing him all depressed Leo laughed, "Haha, don''t worry. You are born with a strong body, and your spiritual energy is growing every day. You just need a certain boost to stand along those three." "Iron Fist is basically tailored for you. That old man I spoke of, he was also someone with a strong body. You and him, both of you are of the same kind." "I have already explained the technique to you. During the past three months, you''ve obtained an initial mastery over your ''Will''. That''s good." "Just remember, Iron Fist require only one thought, to smash through everything. Take out everything with one fist." "If one isn''t enough, then two would suffice." "If two isn''t enough, then three." "Keep that simple thought in mind." Chad nodded. He repeated those words in his mind, over and over. Just as they were in the middle of training a rift opened up above Leo''s home. Hm? Leo frowned and looked up. Boom! The rift immediately closed up. Leo frowning as he looked at the pothole in his backyard. He didn''t need the dust to clear out to know who it was. His figure flashed. When he reappeared, he was supporting a bloody. "Espada No.1?!" ... ... (Visit WWW.PATR...EON.COM/SONUAMEER for more. Thank you.) Chapter 319 - 318. Quincies (Visit WWW.PATR...EON.COM/SONUAMEER for more. Thank you.) Leo watched Uryuu calmly. There were a lot of questions in his mind, and he chose to let Uryuu explain. Chad came forward and shouted, "Uryuu, what are you doing?!" Uryuu showed indifference towards Chad and raised his bow once more. He fired arrows filled with powerful spirituality. Leo frowned. He could sense a great increase in Uryuu''s spiritual energy. Such a sudden increase wouldn''t happen out of nowhere. He easily and calmly dodged Uryuu''s arrows. After a few seconds a light flashed Leo''s eyes. ''He is trying to... damn!'' He seems to have figured out something. His ''Sword will'' exploded and engulfed everything and everyone within. Come! He stretched out his hand. Boom! A part of the house was destroyed. His sword flew out from the opening. However before it reached him the arrows Uryuu fired formed a strange spiritual network. It formed a cage and trapped Leo inside. Leo''s sword couldn''t move forward and hovered outside the cage. He clenched his fist and punched out. Boom! Leo punched again. Boom! With each punch the cage started to tremble violently. Suddenly Shinobu flashed infront of the cage and slapped it with her palm. A ripple of spiritual energy spilled out of her palm and shocked the cage. The spiritual energy around the cage shook even more violently under her strike. Suddenly the cage started to emit bright light. The spiritual energy it gave off pulsed. Riiippp... A rift appeared right beneath the cage. Before anybody could react it swallowed the cage that held Leo and disappeared. Without speaking a single word, she disappeared. When she re-emerged, she was already beside Uryuu. She stretched out her hand and grabbed his spiritual bow. Uryuu seems to be prepared and let go of his bow. It dispersed into countless specks of light and returned to a pentagon shaped artifact that he wore on his arm. Shinobu calmly took a step forward. Her figure flashed and appeared behind him. Soru! Uryuu quickly dodged. Shinobu followed him almost immediately. Her speed surpassed Uryuu''s expectations. Her fair hand stretched out to grab his neck. Shinobu stopped in her tracks. The shadow held out for a second before it completely faded away. She stared at where the shadow was a second ago and started to think. "Ma''am, what should we do?" ... ... (Visit WWW.PATR...EON.COM/SONUAMEER for more. Thank you.) Chapter 320 - 319. Weird Abilities (Visit WWW.PATR...EON.COM/SONUAMEER for more. Thank you.) Leo walked out of the rubble. He looked down at his c.h.e.s.t and narrowed his eyes. That ability just now caught him completely off guard. Through his precognition he was able to see what''ll happen next, but he wasn''t able to dodge or block that attack. "Not bad. That tickled a bit." He looked at the Quincy with the ''X'' mark on his left and commented. The man just ignored him and raised his gun again. Leo grinned. He took a step forward and disappeared. He re-emerged right next to the man with the ''X'' mark on his left eye and slashed with his palm as his sword. The man took a step back and retreated. In his place, another Quincy flashed. He was tall and broad with light blonde hair. He had pupil-less eyes and wore a cape. He raised his weapon which was a broadsword and slashed at Leo. Busoshoku! Cladding his arms with busoshoku haki Leo grabbed the big man''s sword. His opponent felt tremendous power from Leo''s small body. Before he could react, his sword was pried away from his hand. Leo fiddled with it for a second and said, "It''s not worth anything, but it''ll do." As he spoke his ''Sword will'' broke out and encompassed the Quincies. "Silent Wind." Even the Quincy with the ''X'' mark on his left eye couldn''t locate him. Puff! Blood spilled through the air. When the other Quincies looked over, they found Leo standing infront of a thin and tall Quincy. He had stabbed through the latter''s heart. However, to Leo''s surprise, the latter just showed a slightly painful expression on his face before returning to normal. "Deathdealing complete." Suddenly the man spoke. Leo was wondering what his opponent meant when a sudden felt a sense of powerlessness hit him. The sudden loss of power caused him to stumble forward. At that moment the Quincy with the ''X'' mark fired. Leo only had time to cross his left arm over c.h.e.s.t before he was blasted by the strong impact. He adjusted his body in mid air and was about to use another stance. However before he could, the broad sword in his hand trembled and broke free from his grip. "Haha! How can a mere mortal wield the hope of my companions?!" The big man laughed loudly. He grabbed the sword and slashed down. Leo crossed his arms across his c.h.e.s.t and used haki to clad his arms. However to his shock he couldn''t move an ounce of his spiritual energy. What''s happening?! Boom! Before he could think of a solution, the big man slashed down. The tremendous power behind his strike plummeted Leo to the ground. The Quincies gathered around where he fell and waited. Before long the rubble was blasted away. Leo walked out without even the slightest scratch on him. The tall and thin man narrowed his eyes, "Even after Deathdealing, you can still stand?" ... ... (Visit WWW.PATR...EON.COM/SONUAMEER for more. Thank you.) Chapter 321 - 320. Sealed (Visit WWW.PATR...EON.COM/SONUAMEER for more. Thank you.) Leo grinned when he Jugram. "Big words. You are already down one person, how are you going to take care of me?" Jugram calmly stared at Leo and asked, "Really?" Just as he finished, Gerard who was lying dead on the floor started to shimmer with spirituality. Brilliant rays of light flashed on his body. When the light disappeared Gerard emerged without the slightest scratch on him. In fact he looked stronger and bigger than before. Leo narrowed his eyes. "Miracles can''t be denied!" Gerard roared from the top of his lungs and plunged towards Leo. His speed was inconsistent with his large build. In an instant he flashed infront of Leo and slammed his sword down. Coldly glancing at his opponent Leo used his most unpredictable sword stance and disappeared. Gerard only felt his vision turn, and then he saw his own body stumbling down to the ground. "Miracles don''t die!" Gerard''s falling head roared. In an instant his body was glowing with that same brilliance from before. When the brilliance faded Leo saw Gerard again. His head was back on his neck, and... he was taller and stronger than before. How is this possible?! Even Leo who had seen far more than anyone felt incredible. A dead man actually came back to life. And he was stronger than before? What kind of concept was that? Leo stared coldly at Gerard for a second before turning his focus over the other Quincies. Finally his gaze landed on Askin Nakk. This guy seems to be the easiest of the group. Askin also perceived Leo''s intentions and smiled wryly. He quickly took a step back and retreated. However he wasn''t as fast or as unpredictable as Leo. Before he could get far Leo flashed beside him. Just as Leo was about to attack, he stopped. He showed a thoughtful expression. Leo crossed his hands and used his "Sword Will" to shred the impact. Before he could let up, Jugram raised his sword and fired shot of condensed spiritual energy. Leo flickered and dodged the attack. He locked his eyes on Jugram and flashed infront of him. He raised his palm and slashed down. Jugram calmly faced the attack and blocked it with his shield. As a Grandmaster Swordsman, every inch of his sword realm is condensed from his "Sword Will". A simple slash was accompanied by combined might of his "Sword Will", and the suppression of his sword realm. Taking his attack head own Jugram faced tremendous danger. His shield managed to hold on, however his left arm was covered in varying degrees of wounds. Jugram was calm. He wasn''t fazed by the wounds on his arm. Suddenly he raised his shield. Leo who was opposite to him sensed a peculiar sensation wrapping around him. Then he saw Jugram''s left hand returning to normal. Like a page being turned, his hand was as a good as new. However, Leo looked down at his own left hand. At some point, wounds appeared on it. Though the wounds were shallow and recovering fast. It was still there. ... ... (Visit WWW.PATR...EON.COM/SONUAMEER for more. Thank you.) Chapter 322 - 321. Towards Leo (Visit WWW.PATR...EON.COM/SONUAMEER for more. Thank you.) Karakura town. At the moment Shinobu was having an immediate gathering with Stark, chigo, Chad and Orihime. Pointing to the sword Ichigo asked, "You are saying this sword could locate him?" Shinobu nodded. "But how? This is just a normal weapon, not a zanpakuto." Ichigo asked doubtfully. "Don''t underestimate a Grandmaster Swordsman. Though this sword isn''t a zanpakuto, it did accompany him more than a decade." "His "Will" as a swordsman is engraved into it''s body." "Weapons have three grades, Skilled Grade, Great Grade and Supreme Grade. Skilled grade weapons are stronger than it''s counterparts." "Great Grade weapons could cut through steel like paper. As for supreme grade, those are weapons that have their own thoughts." "These weapons chose their master." Ichigo and the other three listened carefully. This was all new information to them. Shinobu picked up the Dragon - Tiger sword. Her slender finger traced it''s exquisite blade. "This incredible weapon has transcended beyond Great Grade weapons, but still short of Supreme Grade." "However this is enough to locate my husband." Shinobu saw his hesitation and asked, "What is it Ichigo?" Ichigo paused for a second and asked, "How do you know that, he is still... "Alive?" Shinobu completed what he was about to say. A confident smiled appeared on her face. "I admit that there are people stronger than my husband, and there are some abilities that could pose a threat to him." "But, there is not many who could kill him. Why?" "Because he is someone who transcended beyond mortal limits. His body is hundreds of times stronger and resilient than anybody you have ever met." "That is who my husband is." "Of all those who I''ve met, only Yamamoto came close to killing him. Not because he is stronger than him, but because of his peculiar zanpakuto." "Flames burning with the core temperature of the sun, only something of that level could kill him." "And it must be done in one swift move, otherwise he would just get up again." "So, I''m sure, my husband is alive." "No one can kill in this world." The trio listened to her words and felt surreal. After a while Chad asked, "What about the Soul Society?" Shinobu shook her head, "I tried to contact Shunsui but the connection didn''t get through. Our enemy is prepared, otherwise they wouldn''t go for my husband from the get go." "Since they did, we can assume that they are one step ahead of us. From this point on, no help should be expected from the Soul Society." A solemn expression came over Shinobu''s face. "I presume they might be in a difficult situation as well." Shinobu stood up, "We can''t waste anymore time. Are you guys up for this journey? Fair warning, you might die." ... ... (Visit WWW.PATR...EON.COM/SONUAMEER for more. Thank you.) Chapter 323 - 322. Target: Quincies! (Visit WWW.PATR...EON.COM/SONUAMEER for more. Thank you.) The fragrance that drifted past his nose was faint. If not for his excellent sensory abilities he wouldn''t have noticed such a change. He quickly held his breath and retreated to the sky. However the moment he got an eagle view of the surroundings his expression turned sour. The men who were cleaning up the battlefield was now lying on the ground and twitching.Their spiritual energy was being dispersed by this strange fragrance. At this moment he remembered a piece of information he received from the higher-ups. Beware of Kocho Shinobu! This woman who is the wife of Leo Heart was someone with incredible talent in medicine and poison. Her poison could even affect the spiritual bodies of shinigamis. And her position on the Threat List was no.2! The man with the round shade of glasses looked around, trying to find Shinobu. However he found no one within a five mile radius. This discovery startled him. In other words whatever he smelled was something used beyond the 5 mile radius! "Do you only know how to hide, Kocho Shinobu!?" He shouted to his surroundings. After a few moments he got the reply he was waiting for. A beautiful silhouette was stepping through the air in his direction. Her figure was accompanied by a strange ripple. Following right behind her was Ichigo, Chad, Orihime and Stark. The man with the round pair of shades narrowed his eyes and focused on Shinobu. He didn''t sense any overwhelming pressure from her, but his years of experience was telling him that this woman was dangerous! "Nice to meet you, Mrs. Heart. My name is Quilge Opie, captain of the hunting squad." Shinobu showed no response to Quilge. She simply stepped through the air and rushed towards Quilge. The latter expected the situation and quickly reacted. He immediately used his strongest form. Quincy : Vollst?ndig! The spiritual energy around them started to move and poured into his body. His body started to grow, in an instant he reached a height of 15 feet. In his right hand was a long slim broadsword made by Quincy talent. And in his left hand was large shield made by the same talent. He also had a pair of wings on his back. Shinobu showed no change in her expression when she saw the change in her enemy. She flashed near Quilge and waved her hand. The air whistled as she moved. Quilge who was in his strongest form sensed several small objects shooting in his direction. He reacted almost immediately. The wings on his back stretched out and completely wrapped his body. Sounds of metal collision rang out. The wings protecting Quilge parted. He walked out and focused on Shinobu. Though it looked like he blocked her attacks, it was far from the truth. In reality he barely managed to came out of this round unscathed. He narrowed his eyes and focused on the objects that attacked him. Needles. ''Using needles as projectiles would need excellent mastery over the object. Moreover those things are coated with a strange form of spiritual energy!'' Quilge quickly analyzed Shinobu''s offensive ability and made mental note on it. He suddenly saw his enemy clenching her fist. Following her movement the needles flew towards her. ''This can''t go on.'' ... (Visit WWW.PATR...EON.COM/SONUAMEER for more. Thank you.) Chapter 324 - 323. Enemy HQ (Visit WWW.PATR...EON.COM/SONUAMEER for more. Thank you. Ichigo and company were standing outside the temporary base built by the Quincies. From time to time they could hear the screams coming from inside. "Isn''t this too cruel?" Ichigo asked with a frown. Stark heard him and retorted, "Cruel? Kid, showing mercy to your enemy is being cruel to yourself. Have you ever thought what would have happened if we were weak?" His question immediately shut up Ichigo. The latter looked away from the temporary base and waited. After a while Shinobu walked out from the base. "Did you get anything?" Stark asked. Shinobu nodded, "This base will be provided supplies once every three days. Lucky for us, this is the third day." Chad suddenly asked, "Is there news about teacher?" Shinobu replied positively, "Yes. However the situation is far from good." "The Quincies used several artifacts to completely seal his body and soul. They also used a special artifact to cut his connection with reality." Ichigo asked, "What does that mean?" Shinobu replied, "It means his existence is no longer part of this world. In simpler terms, he no longer exist." Ichigo frowned, "Then what should we do?" Shinobu suddenly showed a smile, "Did you kid hit your head somewhere? You are forgetting something." Ichigo didn''t immediately understand what she meant. But after a moment he thought of the Dragon - Tiger sword. Shinobu raised her hand. The sword flew towards her and hovered above her palm. "Our job is simple, get his sword to him. There is a large difference between Leo with his sword and without his sword." "In simpler words, no matter how skilled a carpenter is, his skills would be useless without the proper tools." Stark suddenly spoke up, "That''s a tall order. Even without considering the fact that Leo is sealed, our enemies are by no means weak." "And I assume the place where they sealed him must be the core area of their HQ. Only that place can provide maximum security." To his words Shinobu replied, "Don''t worry about the crowd, I''ll take care of them. No matter what we must get his sword to him." "My husband doesn''t exist in reality anymore. The only way we can break his seal is by using the connection between his sword and him." After formulating a concrete plan they waited. About ten hours later, a shadow door opened up inside the temporary base. From the door several white clothes Quincies wearing masks walked out. They carried supplies for the base. Just as they exited the shadow door some of them found the base to be a bit too quiet. Immediately all of them turned vigilant. At that moment several footsteps rang out. The Quincies looked at the source and found five people led by a beautiful woman walking towards them. "Stop!" One of the masked Quincy yelled out. However the group had no intention of stopping. The masked Quincies immediately used their artifacts. However they barely condensed their weapons when all of them fell on the floor. The group walked past the dead group of Quincies and entered the shadow door. ... Shinobu and company only took one step into the shadow door before exiting. What appeared before them was a snow covered region with snow crusted buildings all around. Shinobu quickly stretched out her senses, trying to find if they are any enemies around. After a minute she frowned. The place was deserted apart from a few Quincies worth not mentioning here and there. "What''s happening? Where did everyone go?" Shinobu''s mind quickly turned. The sudden attack on Leo, the lost connection to Soul Society... (Visit WWW.PATR...EON.COM/SONUAMEER for more. Thank you. Chapter 325 - 324. Quincy: Vollstandig (Visit WWE.PATR...EON.COM/SONUAMEER for more. Thank you.) Boom! Explosions rang out around the snow crusted building. The woman wearing white hot pants and a white hat threw out condensed balls of spiritual energy. These balls would explode whenever she willed it. Shinobu gracefully dances around the explosions. Once she gets close to an explosion a spiritual barrier would materialize and blocks it for her. "Dammit! Stand still!" The woman shouted and continues to attack with spiritual balls. Shinobu found no difficulty in dodging her attacks. In hind sight, the other woman who is dressed similar to the explosion lady was the real trouble. Her spiritual energy had the ability to change into highly destructive thunder. She used the gaps in the explosion lady''s attack to try and force Shinobu into making a firm stand. They just needed her stand still for a second. That''s all the time they needed to make the latter into minced meat. Shinobu was well aware of her opponents intent. Her eyes trailer over to the other battlefields. Ichigo was confronting the tall guy wearing a mask. He looked a bit worse facing the big guy. Chad and Orihime were also having a hard time handling their opponents. But at least they were able to hold them off As for stark, well, the latter was just using his incredible speed to dodge around the small girl who was attacking him. "You dare to look away?!" The explosion lady was pissed when she saw Shinobu diverting her attention elsewhere. She angrily threw out a large number of spiritual balls at Shinobu. "Bambietta! What the hell are you doing?!" The lightning lady yelled at the explosion lady whose name seems to be Bambietta. "Shut it, Candice! I want to burn her to ashes!" Bambietta yelled back. The lightning lady named Candice grumbled and quickly covered her body with lightning attributes spiritual energy before disappearing. Shinobu was left with a sky full of spiritual balls with incredible impact force. She calmly looked at the incoming attack and raised her palms. A purple mist poured out of her palms and morphed into countless pieces of sharp thorns. When the spiritual balls were about to fall on her, the shape thorns moved. It was fast and precise as it struck each and every one of the spiritual balls. "Fool." Candice grinned as she watched Shinobu''s method of defense. However a second later her expression turned solemn. The spiritual balls that should have exploded the moment it touched the shape thorns paused in mid air. The spiritual light in it started to dim and finally it dispersed into countless motes of grey light. "Proficient in medicine and poison. Even a shinigamis spiritual body could be broken down by her poison." Bambietta listened to Candice and showed a sour expression, "We can''t catch up to her speed, we can''t touch her, and we can''t even use long distance attacks! What the hell is with this woman?!" Candice narrowed her eyes. Lightning crackled around her body as she disappeared from her position. (Visit WWE.PATR...EON.COM/SONUAMEER for more. Thank you.) Chapter 326 - 325. 1 Vs 4 (Visit WWW.PATR...EON.COM/SONUAMEER for more. Thank you.) Shinobu grabbed the air. A strange force emerged around her. The needles she used as projectiles floated around her, each one of them made Bambietta and Candice wary. These needles not only possessed incredible penetrative power but also coated with fatal poison. Before the two of them could take the initiative Shinobu moved. She moved with incredible speed. In a flash she was already in between the both of them. The needles surrounding her shot out in every direction. Bambietta and Candice quickly reacted. A round of explosive spiritual energy rushed out from Bambietta, defending her against the needles. As for Candice, she used her incredible speed to get out of the attack''s effective area. "Don''t get c.o.c.ky!" Bambietta yelled. She punched out. An impressive amount of spiritual energy shot out of her fist and exploded in Shinobu''s direction. Shinobu crossed her index and middle finger. A spiritual barrier emerged in front of her. A huge explosion rang out. The surrounding buildings and earth were destroyed and blown away by the terrifying heat and aftershock. Candice was surrounded by lightning as she shot into the dust and smoke. For a moment only flashes of lightning could be seen from the outside. Suddenly a strong spiritual emerged from the smoke and dust. It immediately blew away the dust, revealing the two figures inside. Bambietta''s eyes narrowed when she clearly saw the picture inside. Candice was standing far from Shinobu. She looked pale, and there was a small wound on her smooth abdomen. From the wound one could see a shade of purple trying creep it''s way into her body. However Candice was holding it down with her spiritual energy. Shinobu had an indifferent expression on her face as she flashed in front of Candice. She stretched out her hand, and was about to tap Candice''s face when she stopped and retreated. Candice was sweating profusely. She finally couldn''t hold on and fell on her knees. Two woman appeared in front of her. One was a kid with two tiny spiritual wings floating behind her. The other was a woman wearing clothes that was bigger than her size. "What a pretty sight you are, Candice." The woman wearing baggy clothes spoke with a mocking tone. "Shut it, Giselle! Quickly help me!" The woman named Giselle''s eyes lit up. She immediately stretched out her hands and c.a.r.e.s.sed Candice''s body. (Visit WWW.PATR...EON.COM/SONUAMEER for more. Thank you.) Chapter 327 - 326. 1 Vs 6 (Please visit WWW.PATR...EON.COM/SONUAMEER for more. Thank you.) The other three Quinciy agreed with Bambietta. They were Quincies drafted into His Majesty''s elite squad, The Sternritters. Their combat skills, experience and ability made them remarkable and hard to deal with. Not many could make them as helpless as this woman in front of them. Her instant explosive power wasn''t anything worth mentioning, but she covered this hole with her fatal poison and barrier techniques. By combining her poison and her barrier techniques with that strange use of spiritual energy to coat her needles, she created an entirely different combat skillset. Be it defense, offense and killer techniques, she had it all. Such an opponent irked the four of them. Candice glared at Shinobu for a moment before turning away. She looked at the remaining Quincies and yelled. "As Nodt! Menanice! Get your a.s.s over here and help me kill this witch!" Hearing her, the remaining Quincies nodded. Orihime used her shield to "Reject" his strike. However the latter flashed away and quickly reached Chad. Chad was quick to react and raised his left arm that had morphed into a shield. However suddenly a change occured. A woman with pink hair flashed behind Chad and punched out. Suddenly Chad was pinched in between two attacks. "Stop!" Ichigo roared and shot towards the woman. His body burst out with incredible speed and appeared in front of the woman. Boom! The woman''s fist fell on Ichigo''s sword. Crack... The crisp sound of metal breaking echoed through the air. Ichigo was stunned to the point of not reacting to the fist going past his broken sword. Sshh! Before the woman could crush Ichigo''s c.h.e.s.t with her punch, Stark flashed beside him and dragged him out. "Why the hell are you panicking on a battlefield?!" Stark glared at Ichigo. The latter took a deep breath to calm down. He looked at his broken sword and gripped it tightly. Boom! Looking back, they saw Chad being thrown through the air. There was a faint crack on his shield. Orihime quickly used her ability to catch him and bring him to her side. "Watch out!" Ichigo suddenly yelled out. Orihime reacted quickly and ducked her head. A light flashed above her head, slicing off a few strands of her hair. Stark moved towards the two of them and held off As Nodt. "Get your act together! This is a battlefield!" However his words fell on deaf ears. But his pupils shrink the instant he caught sight of the two who were injured by As Nodt. Chad and Orihime had extreme fear on their faces. They wanted to stand on their feet, but the immense fear they were showing stopped them from doing so. "Hey, guys, snap out of it!" Ichigo shouted at Chad and Orihime. However there was no response. It was at this moment the woman attacked. She jumped up high and raised her leg before delivering a drop kick. As Chad and Orihime were behind him Ichigo couldn''t dodge. He gritted his teeth and raised his broken sword to defend. Boom! The kick fell on Ichigo''s sword, creating a loud explosion. He still gritted his teeth and held on. A trail of blood leaked out from his mouth. When the shocks coming from his sword faded, he fell down on his knees and coughed out blood. The woman twisted in mid air and stepped back. She glanced at Ichigo one last time and shot towards the other battlefield. Stark was tying down As Nodt when he sensed the other Quincy rushing in his direction. Not good! He quickly made a decision and retreated decisively. However As Nodt followed him closely. Both of the flashed through the air, one attacking and the other dodging. With As Nodt on his trail Stark was finally cornered by the other Quincy. Stark used his agility to dodge their attacks. However he was one man without a weapon. Soon after he was struck by As Nodt. That moment Stark experienced unprecedented fear. His body stopped working due to pure fear. At that moment the other Quincy appeared beside him. She raised her arm and punched out. Stark who was stunned didn''t react and took the attack head on. His c.h.e.s.t caved in as he flew through the air. He crashed through a few snow crusted building and was buried by the rubble. With the miscellaneous opponents out of the way the two Quincies joined the main battlefield. All six of them stood next to each other and faced Shinobu. "I thought your man was quite the character, but you are no worse than him." Candice who had a rough character said solemnly. Shinobu looked on coldly. Now that her opponents had increased in number the danger she would be in also went up a notch. She spread out her senses and found the situation of Ichigo and the rest. Though they were injured, it wouldn''t kill them. However it will take some time for them to dispell whatever that was affecting them. Her lips moved slightly. The Quincies opposite to her didn''t notice this. All of them moved at the same time. Shinobu focused. Facing enemies with remarkable abilities she dared not to slack off. Even her strongest poison worked slowly on these Quincies. It could kill them but it would take time. By then they could find some way to remove the poison. Like the little girl helping out Candice. She took a deep breath. The "Breath" inside her started roll madly. Her six senses were focused to their limits, as were her Haki. Whether she could unseal Leo depends on this battle. (Please visit WWW.PATR...EON.COM/SONUAMEER for more. Thank you.) Chapter 328 - 327. Fatal Situation (Visit WWW.PATRE...ON.COM/SONUAMEER for more. Thank you.) Facing six opponents who had certain resistance to her poison was tough even for Shinobu. From the very beginning she had released a toxin similar to the one she used on the Quincy she fought in Heuco Mundo. However she surprisingly found the effects of the poison to be limited on these people. With how potent her poison was, even a Captain class shinigami would die without even realizing how. The only edge she had right now was her "Breath''s" ability to disperse spiritual energy. ''A Quincy''s body structure seems different from person to person, or is it that they innately have a certain resistance to poison? How come I never saw these points in Uryuu?'' A lot of thoughts ran through her mind. Suddenly, her enemies moved. Bambietta took the lead. Spiritual energy revolved around her body, forming spiritual constructs which boosted her speed and power. A bright ball of spiritual energy condensed above her fist as she punched out. Shinobu faced her without the slightest panic and created a spiritual barrier in front of her. Boom!! An huge explosion rang out. The barrier shook and cracks formed on it''s surface, but ultimately it held on. Shinobu tapped her fingers in mid air. The needles infused with her "Breath" and Haki shot towards Bambietta. At that moment a few Quincies and Shinigamis jumped in front of Bambietta. They defended her using their bodies. They lost all strength when the needles pierced into their bodies. They spiritual energy became unstable and started to disperse. In a second their bodies crumbled and scattered away into dust. Shinobu narrowed her eyes when she saw this scene. She kind of understood the ability of the woman named Giselle. Shinobu took a step back and dodged. Candice missed. Shinobu flicked her finger towards Candice. However before she could finish her attack a huge mouth appeared above her. It''s size and the huge teeth with saliva dripping from it made it a disgusting sight to see. Shinobu could only stop and dodge. The mouth slipped past her and bit off a part of the ground smoothly. It chewed on it for a second before spitting it out. She looked towards the little girl responsible for this disgusting ability. Just at that moment the woman named Menanice fell down from the sky. She was holding a piece of snow crusted wall tens of times bigger than her. The sheer size of the object cast a shadow onto the ground. Taking to the skies would make her a live target. After all Quincies are born marksmen. Staying on the ground was even more dangerous. With no other option she raised her palms and quickly recited an incantation. The needles surrounding her formed a net. Each on connected to one another by a thick rope of spiritual energy. "Kekkai: Heavenly Net!" When she said those final words the ropes connecting each needle gave of a brilliant light. At that moment, Maninace arrived. Her slim body defied the laws of physics and slammed the enormous piece of wall towards Shinobu. Baangg!! A huge shockwave spread out in every direction, sweeping away the rubble and other constructs. In a split moment the entire area turned barren except for remains of the enormous crumbled wall at the center of that shockwave. A faint brilliance could be seen there. Shinobu walked out from the brilliance. There was trail of blood on the corner of her mouth. Her eyes stared at Maninace. A rare trace of anger appeared in her eyes. Suddenly a change happened. A shadow emerged from her back and stabbed at her. Shinobu snapped out. She quickly reacted and dodged to the side. However she was still a bit too slow. The weapon nicked her shoulder, drawing a faint drop of blood. Shinobu was about to retreat when she felt a shock through her mind. It rattled her entire body, leaving her stunned. Now! ... (Visit WWW.PATRE...ON.COM/SONUAMEER for more. Thank you.) Chapter 329 - 328. Dire Situation (Visit WWW.PATR...EON.COM/SONUAMEER for more. Thank you.) The wound on her right shoulder squirmed as new flesh grew out, though it was very very slow. The Quincies had their complete focus on Shinobu, when they saw her healing wounds a different expression took over their faces. "Let''s finish this, dragging this any longer is no longer an option." Candice spoke solemnly. As she spoke she charged towards Shinobu. The rest also followed on her heels and surrounded her. Shinobu let out a breath of murky air. Her eyes cleared up as he welcomed her enemies. While they restarted their battle the Quincies didn''t notice the disappearance of Ichigo and the rest. Inside the snow crusted building was the location where Leo was sealed out of reality. Ichigo and company had recovered from the influence of the Quincy''s ability and sneaked inside the building. The Dragon - Tiger sword hovered in front of them and flew towards an open area filled with crushed rocks and rubble. When th sword reached a certain area it stopped and no longer showed any movement. "This must be it." Stark said. He then pulled out a small vial filled with blood. "I hope this works." He muttered and poured the vial of blood on the sword''s blade. The wave of red on it''s edge absorbed the blood and shone with a bloody brilliance. The entire space inside the building was covered in this bloody glow. ... At the same. Soul Society was a pile of dust of rubble. The Seritei that stood for a thousand year was gone. Bodies littered everywhere and blood dyed the ground red. A man wearing white clothes and a red cape. He had a rough face and a long mustache stood at the highest building inside Seritei. This was the first Quincy and their king. Ywach! Standing next to him were his royal guards. Ywach seems to have an eye behind him as he spoke without looking back. "They managed to reach the seal. Commendable." Jugram bower slightly, "Forgive me Majesty for such an unsightly behavior." Ywach didn''t show any obvious emotion and said, "Can you solve it?" Jugram nodded calmly, "Yes." "Then go." Jugram bowed once more. A shadow emerged from behind him and swallowed him while. Ywach looked at the destroyed Seritei with a glimmer in his eyes. Stark and the rest watched as the bloody glow intensified. The Dragon - Tiger sword started to tremble. Slowly a faint threat red blood in color emerged from the void. It absorbed the bloody brilliance around them before wrapped around the sword''s blade. The sword trembled even more strongly. ... ... (Visit WWW.PATR...EON.COM/SONUAMEER for more. Thank you.) Chapter 330 - 329. You Forgot Something (Visit WWW.PATR...EON.COM/SOMUAMEER for more. Thank you.) The battle between Jugram and Ichigo''s company was one sided. They couldn''t even touch Jugram, much less hurt him. Meanwhile the rift created by the Dragon - Tiger sword reached a full six feet. There was endless darkness behind the rift. Stark and the nest looked hopefully at the rift. However soon their hopes were shattered. The six feet long rift trembled before starting to shrink. The Dragon - Tiger sword kept it''s slicing motion, trying to hold down the rift. However it was useless. Jugram glanced at their shocked expressions and spoke calmly, "Three Quincy treasures were used to seal that man. If it could be simply broken then calling them treasures would be pointless." Hearing him, Ichigo and the rest felt as if they fell into an ice cave. And now it''s gone. Jugram shook his head slightly. He vanished from his spot and appeared beside Chad. His spiritual sword stabbed at the latter. Chad broke out from his shock and quickly defended. But unlike before, he couldn''t block the attack. Jugram''s sword pierced through his shield and stabbed into his c.h.e.s.t. Puff! Chad coughed out a mouthful of blood. Orihime panicked and used her ability pull back Chad. She then tried to use her ability to ''Reject'' his wounds. However she found that she couldn''t. A stronger power was pushing out her ability from influencing Chad. This time he slashed at Stark. The latter was quick to react, however Jugram was using his full strength now. Stark without his ''Resurrection'' was not his opponent. In a few seconds Stark was blasted through the sky. His body was riddled with burn marks. Only Ichigo and Orihime remained. Jugram faced them both and finally flashed towards Ichigo. The latter quickly reacted and raised his sword to defend. Swords clashed in mid air several times before a silhouette was thrown back. "Ichigo!" Orihime yelled as she realised who it was. She used her ability to catch him and tried to heal his wounds. But like before, she was denied the right to do so. "You ability is rare and powerful. However, you lack battle experience." Orihime was helping Ichigo when Jugram''s voice rang near her ear. She hastily put up a shield in the direction of his voice. Puff! A trail of blood bloomed. Jugram had flashed in front of her before she could prop up her shield and gravely wounded her. Blood leaked out from her c.h.e.s.t like an endless fountain. "Bastard!!" Ichigo glared at Jugram. In his rage he rushed towards the latter and attacked wildly. Jugram dodged his attacks with no significant emotion on his face. He dodged a slash from Ichigo and side stepped before raising his sword to stab out. Ichigo couldn''t dodge or block. Jugram stabbed through Ichigo''s waist. A trail of blood leaked out from Ichigo''s face. He grunted and quickly retreated. After stepping back a few metres his legs finally lost it''s strength and kneeled down. Jugram swiped his sword and removed the bloodstains on it''s blade. His eyes focused on Chad once more before flashing towards the latter. "Stop it!" Ichigo roared. However he was too injured to gather any strength to attack. Jugram flashed in front of Chad and stabbed his heart. Jugram narrowed his eyes and quickly took a step back. ... ... (Visit WWW.PATR...EON.COM/SOMUAMEER for more. Thank you.) Chapter 331 - 330. *Spoiler* (Visit WWW.PATR...EON.COM/SOMUAMEER for more. Thank you.) Jugram paused in his tracks. It wasn''t that he couldn''t move, but he didn''t dare to. A pair of cold murderous eyes were locking him in place. The intent to kill was so thick that he was drowning in it. Suddenly the Dragon - Tiger sword hummed. It shot into the rift and disappeared. However this didn''t put down Jugram''s worries, instead it heightened to an all time peak. Just at that moment, a terrible momentum erupted from inside the rift. A storm of swords condensed out of "Sword Will" crashed into the rift. In an instant a huge gap was opened up where the rift was. Jugram only saw a flash. He turned his head and focused on a man he didn''t wish to have any sort of contact with. Stark and the rest let out a cheerful smile when they saw the man. However at the moment the focus of everyone was looking guiltily at Shinobu. He traced off the blood that was on her face and said, "Sorry." Shinobu smiled sweetly, "It''ll heal." "I know, but... I let you get hurt." Leo kissed softly on her lips and said, "Wait here. This will be over quickly." Shinobu nodded with a smile and retreated. Leo took back his gaze and turned around. His expression abruptly changed as a horrible murderous intent appeared in his eyes. "How dare you... His words seemed as if it came from an icy hell. "Ha! Let me see how strong you are! Jugram and the rest must have pulled their punches if they couldn''t beat a single man." Bambietta spoke loudly with a hint of eagerness in her voice. "Bambietta, retreat!" Bambietta just heard his words when a silhouette flashed in front of her. "Die!" As an elite Quincy Bambietta''s reaction wasn''t the least bit slow. She immediately reinforced her fist with a round of explosive spiritual energy and punched out. "Fool, retreat!" Jugram yelled at her as rushed towards them. Ssh! A sword ray flashed. Bambietta was still in her punching stance when a thin line of blood appeared on her body. It started from her right shoulder and ended at her waist. "Bambi!" They watched as the upper part half of Bambietta slid off from her body and collapsed into a pile of blood and flesh. Leo flicked his sword. Drops of blood slid off of it''s blade and dyed the earth red. "I''m gonna kill you!!" An enraged roar rang out. Candice was going crazy. A storm of lightning spiritual energy flashed around her. It resembled a natural disaster. Leo faintly glanced at her. The anger bottled inside him was still burning wildly. To think they dared to hurt Shinobu... the coldness in his eyes deepened as he watched the incoming storm of lightning. "Silent Wind." His sword stance changed as he disappeared like the silent and traceless wind. The storm of lightning fell, creating a huge explosion. A mushroom cloud mixed with dust and lightning rose to the sky. Looking at the huge explosion Jugram didn''t celebrate. Because he knew what kind of threat this man was with a weapon in his hand. ... ... (Visit WWW.PATR...EON.COM/SOMUAMEER for more. Thank you.) Chapter 332 - 331. Backlash (Visit WWW PATR...EON.COM/SONUAMEER for more. Thank you.) Leo flashes in front of Jugram and slashed out. A terrible momentum pressed down on the remaining Quincies. However they were elite Sternritters. All of them immediately mobilized their entire worth of spiritual energy to break away from Leo''s coercion. Jugram pointed his spiritual weapon at Leo while retreating. A bright flash of spiritual energy condensed at the tip of his sword before shooting out with incredible speed. In the face of this attack Leo stayed calm. The Dragon - Tiger sword hummed as his "Sword Will" erupted from it''s blade. It expanded and covered everything within a certain area. Jugram''s powerful blast of spiritual energy fell into this region and disappeared into countless motes if light. Strong sense of crisis rose in his heart when he saw the ease at which his attack was destroyed. "Let''s retreat. It''s not an option to stand in front of this man without at least three Royal guards." Though the other Quincies hated Leo to their core, Jugram was right. They gritted their teeth and acknowledged his decision. "Do you think you can escape?" Suddenly Leo''s voice reached their ears. They looked at the latter saw him raised his sword. "Kekkai: Chaotic Sword Realm." As soon as he spoke spiritual energy started to poured out of him. It confined his opponents and everything within five miles. Jugram could sense a powerful energy moving around everywhere inside this strange barrier. Even space itself was distorted. "You are like a completely different man with your weapon." Jugram suddenly said. Leo replied without much emotion, "Even the most skillful carpenter would fail without his tools. As a swordsman it''s only normal you guys could get the drop on me when without my weapon." Jugram stared at Leo for a second and asked, "Since I am going to die, can you tell me how you broke free from the three Quincy treasures?" Leo looked at him deeply before replying, "You actually did get me by surprise. However all of you overlooked an item in my possession." As he said up to here he raised his left arm. The air twisted for a split second before an orb glowing with brilliance came to view. "The Hogyoku!" "Indeed, the Hogyoku is capable of bringing dreams to reality, however even it also has a limit. There is very slim chance that it could break through the combined seal from three Quincy treasures." "But it is still a slim chance." Leo finally showed a different expression. He was quite surprised by Jugram''s intellect. "You don''t believe the Hogyoku could unseal me?" Jugram shook his head. Leo let out a chuckle, "You are right. It alone wasn''t capable of releasing me. But have you ever thought, would I need it to unseal me?" Jugram was surprised by the sudden question. Leo didn''t wait around for him to think of an answer and said, "All I wanted was for the Hogyoku to create a chance for me to break free." ... (Visit WWW PATR...EON.COM/SONUAMEER for more. Thank you.) Chapter 333 - 332. Ywach (Visit WWW PATR...EON.COM/SONUAMEER for more. Thank you.) As Nodt was experiencing fear beyond words. His ability that crushed countless enemies beneath his feet was now infecting his mind and body. Leo saw the latter''s expression and spoke slowly, "How regretful. I thought you would at least make me feel fear, but it seems this is your limit." As he spoke he flashed in front of As Nodt. His sword flashed and stabbed into his heart. The blade wrapped in Haki pierced through As Nodt''s c.h.e.s.t and came out from his back. "Raging Inferno." A terrible "Sword Will" broke out from the blade, instantly tearing As Nodt into countless specks of flesh and blood. Jugram sighed as he saw the death of another elite Sternritter with incredible ability. Leo''s eyes moved. He focused on the remaining Quincies. The instant their eyes met the Quincies took a step back. The anger and grief over the death of their companions were overwhelmed by the fear they felt at the moment. "We woke up a sleeping giant." Jugram muttered softly. When he fought Leo alongside the royal guards he didn''t show this much murderous intent. Every individual has a taboo. And it seems like they touched his. Jugram glanced at Shinobu who was standing far with a smile on her face. Suddenly a sense of danger invaded his mind. He quickly reacted and raised his shield to defend. He instantly used his ability, however the impact still remained. The power shook his entire body and thew him off the ground. Crack... The shield that defended his for so many years started to crack. Jugram crashed through several building and fell into a pile of rubble. Leo walked step by step towards the other two women. Countless sword rays converged towards him, paving a path for him. "You Quincies possess abilities that far surpass imagination. Luckily my sword is enough to chop up your hateful abilities." The two remaining women Liltotto and Giselle felt a tremor in their heart. Before they could react Leo flashes to their side. Ssh!! The two women were instantly cleaved in two in a single motion. Their bodies fell on both sides into a pool of blood. Fl.i.c.k.i.n.g the blood on his sword Leo walked towards the rubble that buried Jugram. Bang! As he was approaching the rubble a few rocks were pushed apart. Jugram walked out with blood on his clothes. The shield in his left hand was covered in his cracks and almost on the verge of breaking. "It seems this is it." Jugram looked at Leo calmly. His propped himself up using his sword. ... ... Chapter 334 - 333. Squad zero (Visit WWW PATR...EON.COM/SONUAMEER for more. Thank you.) Ywach disappeared along with the Quincies. Leo took back his focus and searched th Seritei. He quickly found the spiritual signature of the captains. He moved in their direction. When he reached the closest one he saw Shinobu and the others already there. "Shunsui, you guys look like hell." The captain in front of him was his close friend, Shunsui. Right now the man had small wounds on his body and an eye patch over his left eye. Hearing Leo the latter showed a weak smile, "They got us good." Leo didn''t want to speak any further of their failure and asked, "Where is the captain commander? I can''t sense his spiritual signature, did the enemy manage to transfer him away?" Shunsui''s face dimmed a bit when he heard Leo. "Don''t tell me... A faint premonition rose in Leo''s heart when he saw the latter''s change. "The old man... he is gone." Shunsui looked powerless as he spoke those words. Leo couldn''t believe what he just heard. "Impossible! I''ve met the king of Quincies. Sure, he is strong. But not enough to kill the captain commander." Shunsui clenched his fist, "Of course he isn''t strong enough. However he used one of his pawns to step in for him and battle the old man." "When the old man cut down that person Ywach took the opportunity to kill him!" As he spoke his spiritual energy started to spike. His emotions turned chaotic. Leo sighed. He patted his shoulder, that was the only comfort he could offer at the moment. Shunsui calmed down. He smiled weakly, "Everything''s a mess." "But you are here. As the old man''s proud student, get your act together." Shunsui nodded. "Ywach won''t give up. He must have another goal, attacking the Soul Society was just the beginning." After calming down Shunsui analyzed the situation. Leo agreed with him, "What we need to do now is to gather the remaining and get ready for the next round. Also, you can leave Ywach to me." Shunsui looked at Leo for a moment and said, "The old man... he really is farsighted than any one of us." "Follow me." As he spoke Shunsui moved towards the center of the Seritei. Leo followed alongside the others. Once they reached the place they saw the remaining captains and their lieutenants standing in an orderly fashion around a memorial tablet. Shunsui came to a stop. He looked at Yamamoto''s picture on the tablet with emotion. "Captain commander!" The captains and their lieutenants bowed to Shunsui. Leo was slightly surprised but wasn''t shocked. Among all the captains, only Shunsui possessed the strength and charisma to take over the old man''s position as Captain Commander of the Gotei 13. Shunsui walked to the memorial tablet and bowed. When he stood up again he reached out his hand and picked up an old zanpakuto placed in front Yamamoto''s picture. He turned to Leo and presented the sword to the latter. "The old man''s final wish. To hand over his companion to you." ... ... (Visit WWW PATR...EON.COM/SONUAMEER for more. Thank you.) Chapter 335 - 334. Its Possible (Visit WWW.PATR...EON.COM/SONUAMEER for more. Thank you.) "Here we are! Here we are! It''s been a while fledglings of Gotei 13!" A tall man with a pompeii hairstyle yell out. Apart from these two there were also other members three members among the Squad Zero. A burly man who was dressed like a monk. A woman with spider like mechanical arms. And lastly a fat woman who looked innocent. Leo was surprised. Squad Zero was definitely not like what he imagined it to be. "It''s nice to meet you all, but may I ask the reason for your arrival?" Shunsui stepped forward and asked. His presence vaguely resembled the old captain as he spoke to the five members of Squad Zero. "Looks like a lot of people died this time around." The tall man spoke loudly. Sui Feng couldn''t bear his tone and said back, "That''s nice coming from a bunch who were holed up inside the Soul King''s Palace." Suddenly the man she spoke to disappeared. He appeared behind Sui Feng and grabbed her arm before twisting it. Sui Feng couldn''t react to his speed. She didn''t even see how he appeared behind her. "Listen girly, our job is to protect the Soul King. And you are a captain of the Gotei 13." "It''s already in your title. If you can''t even do what you are supposed to, aren''t you worthless?" Sui Feng grounded her teeth in anger and shame. Bang! Suddenly the man dressed as a monk appeared beside the man and smacked his head. "That''s enough, we are here for other business." The tall man got up from the ground and rubbed his head like nothing happened. "I have gathered everyone that needs to be gathered." A voice broke the awkward atmosphere. When everyone looked over, they saw the woman with spider like mechanical arms standing there with several spheres surrounding her. One could see the figures of Byakuya and a couple of other Shinigamis inside these spheres. Ichigo even spotted his broken zanpakuto inside one of these spheres. The man dressed like a monk suddenly turned to Leo, "Per the orders of the Soul King, we are to bring you and your wife to the palace." Leo was surprised, as was Shinobu. Even Shunsui showed a startled look. He pondered for a moment before showing his previous cold expression again. "Fine by me." Leo had no objections. He wanted to speak to Oetsu Nimaiya, so it''s a win-win situation for him. ... "What is this?" Leo asked as he stared at the "Heavenly Pillar" stuck on the ground with some kind of powder beneath it''s base. The monk explained, "The "Heavenly Pillar" can only being us down, not take us back to the palace. So we need some help to fire us back." Leo showed a peculiar expression when he heard the monk. After a minute all of them got into the "Heavenly Pillar". ... ... (Visit WWW.PATR...EON.COM/SONUAMEER for more. Thank you.) Chapter 336 - 335. Nimaiyas Quarters (Visit WWW.PATR...EON.COM/SONUAMEER for more. Thank you.) Oetsu Nimaiya''s loud declaration slightly surprised Leo. He asked, "How can it be done?" Oetsu Nimaiya nudged his sunglasses and said, "Calm yourself buddy, before we get to that you have a much important matter at hand." Suddenly the tall man with a pompadour style hair flashed behind Leo. The latter had already predicted his movements and knew the other party meant no harm. This man was the first officer of Squad Zero, The Divine General of The East, Tenjiro Kirinji. He was a feet taller than Leo and had to bent down to his eye level. "You as you are right now will inevitably die if you face Ywach. It would be such a shame if someone of your caliber bites the dust like that." Leo asked back, "So what do you propose?" Kirinji explained, "Like Hyosube said, your body house two incredible powers, though we have no idea what that other power is, it''s strength is not a bit less than spiritual energy." "However your output capability is limited. Through your understanding of spiritual techniques you are slowly unwinding this limit, but time isn''t enough." "That''s where I come in. My Hot Springs will drain your spiritual energy at an incredible rate and refill it again. This cycle will continue for as long as it takes." "We are gonna tear wide open your output rate!" Leo frowned, "What about the damage to my body?" Kirinji grinned widely when he heard the doubt in Leo''s words, "My Title is th Hot Spring Demon. Usually my hot springs are for healing grievous injuries." "I am just improvising to suit your needs. So rest assured, with me here you''ll be perfectly alright!" With the details out of the way Leo and the rest followed Tenjiro Kirinji towards his living space. It was none other than one of those platforms surrounding the Soul King''s Palace. ... What is happening? Leo looked around in confusion. Right now he was in a hot spring alongside Ichigo, Tenjiro and the injured Shinigamis, namely Byakuya, Rukia and Renji. Seeing Leo''s confusion Tenjiro explained. "This is the White Bone Hell. You should''ve already felt it by now, your spiritual energy is being constantly sapped away at an incredible rate." Leo nodded. Tenjiro then pointed to a blood pool behind him, "That''s the other half of my healing springs. It will inject your absorbed spiritual energy into your body." "By repeating this process over and over we''ll tear open your current limits." Leo understood how the ability worked. "But, I gotta say, you really are a monster, much like that old man Yamamoto. It''s been ten minutes and your spiritual energy is still only half way down." "Even if you throw the current Captain Commander in here he would be sapped by now. Damn, man!" Tenjiro spoke loudly in surprise. Leo simply smiled and found a comfortable position. When his spiritual energy bottomed out Tenjiro pointed to the other spring and said. "Now go soak in there." ... (Visit WWW.PATR...EON.COM/SONUAMEER for more. Thank you.) Chapter 337 - 336. The Way To Forge A Zanpakuto (Visit WWW.PATR...EON.COM/SONUAMEER for more. Thank you.) Zanpakutos... Looking at all the women around Leo couldn''t help but exclaim. This man was really the "God of the Swords". He literally created so many swords with their own distinct traits and personalities. When Ichigo and the rest saw Leo they quickly rushed to them. Leo couldn''t help but chuckle when he saw them escaping from the group of woman like their life depended on it. "Have some guts! We are men, why are you guys running away from such beauties?!" Nimaiya couldn''t help but yell out. Leo and Shinobu shower a poker face at his words. However Ichigo and co. nearly cursed out. Nimaiya quickly went off the topic and said, "Let''s get ty party started." After saying so he led the group towards a room. When Leo stepped inside he was standing on a precipice. There was a stone platform at the edge of the precipice, and beyond it was a sea stretching out into the distance. He immediately understood the purpose of the stone platform. It was for forging. Nimaiya stepped up to the platform, on it was a broken zanpakuto. He picked up the pieces and traced his finger across the blade. "What a pity. You have so much potential, but your master is an imbecile who couldn''t see your true self." Ichigo who heard Nimaiya burned in shame. However he didn''t lash out and waited. Nimaiya put on a pair of goggles and placed the two broken pieces on the platform. Flames rose around him and wrapped the broken pieces. Bang! Bang! Each strike was precise and delivered the entire force to every corner of the zanpakuto. Sweat trickled down Nimaiya''s side burns. When he reached the final stage he stopped. He turned around to face Ichigo, "Your zanpakuto has always been imperfect. Now go, delive the last strike and make it perfect." "They have ready to truly face you now." Ichigo resolutely stepped forward. He took up the hammer and struck down as his heart guided him. Boom! When the last strike fell the zanpakuto hummed. A bright light filled the entire room. The brilliant light coming from the stone platform intensified. Suddenly the sea beneath the precipice churned. Huge tides rose up before falling towards the brilliant light. Everyone was blinded by the strong light coming from the stone platform. Only Leo, Shinobu and Nimaiya saw everything clearly. The originally single body zanpakuto was now split in two! ... ... (Visit WWW.PATR...EON.COM/SONUAMEER for more. Thank you.) Chapter 338 - 337. Senjumaru Shutara (Visit WWW.PATR...EON.COM/SONUAMEER for more. Thank you.) To merge his "Breath" and Spiritual Energy as one... This thought has been on Leo''s mind for a while now. He has been analysing and experimenting on a method to fuse these two incredible powers. However he failed every single time. These two powers could influence each other, but no matter ho hard he tried he couldn''t merge them as one. He was missing a link. And now hearing the one and only way to forge a zanpakuto was to merge these two powers and use them as a catalyst, Leo felt helpless. Nimaiya saw his helplessness and said while smiling, "Why sweat over stuff you can''t figure out? Thinking it over and over won''t give you a solution. Just leave it as is, who knows maybe you''ll find a solution in the future." Leo nodded. He wasn''t someone who would throw in the towel so easily. After chatting with Nimaiya for a while Leo sorted out the minor imperfections in the Forging Technique. He was truly impressed by the level of achievement Nimaiya had when it came to forging. The man was truly the "God of the Swords". Senjumaru Shutara. When both of them entered they saw the group standing on one side with red faces. Leo was curious as to what happened. However he didn''t inquire and went straight to the topic. "Can you tell me why we are here?" He asked the woman in front of him. Senjumaru Shutara showed an indifferent expression and replied, "You are here for me to take your measurements." "Em... what?" Leo paused for a moment before asking. Senjumaru Shutara replied once more, "To take your measurements." "No, thank you. I''m good." Leo immediately denied. Shutara suddenly showed a teasing grin, "As a man why are you so cowardly?" Leo calmly replied, "I don''t have the habit of flashing myself in front of strangers." "Is that so? But these guys did it, as the strongest human are you saying you aren''t even capable of such a little thing?" Before Leo could reply Shinobu stepped forward, "I know his measurements, I''ll help you with whatever you are doing." Shutara stared at Shinobu with a smile, "I have to take it personally to design a perfect clothing for him, and of course, you." Shinobu smiled sweetly, "I don''t want my husband to be harassed by a millennium old fossil. So sorry, either you make do with my proposal or we''ll leave as is." Shutara felt like choking when she heard her words. Millennium fossil? This woman... she got guts. Though she felt annoyed Shutara didn''t get angry. With how adamant Leo and Shinobu was she had no other choice but to go with the second option. Renji saw the situation and asked, "Captain, do you think she would have let us off if we had insisted for longer?" Of course the object of his inquiry was Byakuya Kuchiki. The latter''s mouth twitched for a second before returning to his usual stoic face. ... ... (Visit WWW.PATR...EON.COM/SONUAMEER for more. Thank you.) Chapter 339 - 338. Let me (Visit WWW.PATR...EON.COM/SONUAMEER for more. Thank you.) Seritei. Several Shinigamis were confronting Quincies amidst the crumbled buildings. These Quincies were the elites known as Sternritters. Each of them were bestowed a letter that corresponded to their incredible ability. Against them the Shinigamis were finding it hard to hold on. Even captains with their bankais fell on their back foot. "Burn!" A man with a mawhawk yelled as he stabbed his finger forward. Flames rose around him and followed his finger. Wherever the finger passed everything started to burn. The lieutenants facing him dodged the flames and tried to close the distance between them. However the flames surrounding the mawhawk man erupted, pushing these Shinigamis away. "His flames isn''t as powerful as the captain commander, but it is still a fatal threat to us." One of the lieutenants spoke calmly. "Oi oi, is that all you guys got?" The mawhawk man grinned. He pointed his index finger towards the lieutenants and said. "Burner Finger!" As he spoke the flames erupted once more. This time it covered a large area, fully encompassing the Shinigamis around him. "C*ap!!" The lieutenants understood the danger they were in and quickly reacted. Some of them used their Shikai to ward off the flames while the others used Kekkai to block the flames. Just as they thought they were safe the flames parted. The mawhawk man shot through the flames and landed in front of one of the lieutenants. His finger was burning with a wisp of flames as he stabbed at the latter. "Burner Finger!" The lieutenant barely reacted. However the finger still pierced through his left c.h.e.s.t, drawing a lot of blood. Bleh! The man coughed out blood and gathered what strength he had before retreating. The man with the mawhawk grinned. Suddenly flames rose from his finger and completely wrapped the lieutenant. Aahh!! A heart wrenching scream came from the flames. By the time the other lieutenants came forward to help there was nothing but a pile of ashes fluttering in he wind. All of them grinded their teeth in anger. They want e nothing more than to kill this man in front of him. "Ha! I like the look in your eyes, but what can you do?" The man laughed wildly. Just at that moment the sky above them started to churn. A vortex appeared above the Kekkai guarding the Seritei. "What''s that?" Everyone looked up. The Shinigamis, the Quincies, everyone was looking at the commotion outside the barrier. "They are finally here." On top of a broken building was Ywach. He was looking at the vortex outside the Kekkai with a faint smile on his face. Boooommm!!! ... ... Chapter 340 - 339. Weakness (Visit WWW.PATR...EON.COM/SONUAMEER for more. Thank you.) Leo was surprised by Shinobu''s sudden request, however he still agreed and stepped back. The sky full of swords flashed and disappeared like a puff of smoke. The crowd around the Seritei was surprised and confused by what just happened. Leo watched curiously as Shinobu invoked an incantation. With every word she spoke her spiritual energy moved. By the time she was done a vast amount of spiritual energy had surrounded the entire Seritei. The spiritual energy morphed and condensed into a cage shaped Kekkai with dense crowd of needles lining it''s body. "Kekkai: Poison Judgement." Shinobu''s soft words reached everyone looking at the cage surrounding the Seritei. When her words died down the Kekkai cage started to shake. The needles embedded on it shook free and fell down like rain. "Dodge!" The Shinigamis and Quincies quickly dodged. However there was just too many needles for them to dodge. "Could it be lady Shinobu?" "Why is she attacking both her enemies and her allies?!" The Shinigamis grabbed their hair in exasperation. Some of them even gave up resisting and didn''t bother to run. Just when they thought everything was over, the expected pain or death didn''t come. They looked at each other and found the needles melt like snow when it touched their bodies. It instantly turned sneaked into their bodies and started to heal their injuries. The comfortable feeling made their mind and body relax. "This is... The lieutenants and the captains understood what was happening. They looked over to their enemies side. "Tides are turning in our favor." Over on the Quincies side the situation was completely different. Every Quincy who was stabbed by the needles rolled on the ground screaming in pain. Their skin started to burn and their spiritual energy started to disperse. In a few seconds the weaker Quincies was set ablaze. However the flames covering them wasn''t the normal red, but blood red. The Shinigamis felt a chill when they saw this scene. Their enemies were covered in blood red flames and turned to ashes in a few seconds. Even the stronger Quincies were kneeling on the floor trying to resist the abnormal condition in their bodies. The remaining Sternritters who were engaging in battle with the Captains had ugly expressions on their face. Even they were effected by the rain of needles just now. They couldn''t dodge, nor could they completely destroy the attack, as the Kekkai cage would just spill out some more needles to cover the hole. The mawhawk man who was suppressing the lieutenants was now struggling to keep his flames ablaze. ''What the hell is this thing?!'' Though he was arrogant he wasn''t dumb. His arrogance was rooted in his strength, and now something inexplicable was killing him from inside out. This scared him. The lieutenants facing him grinned. ... ... (Visit WWW.PATR...EON.COM/SONUAMEER for more. Thank you.) Chapter 341 - 340. Strange Attack (Visit WWW.PATR...EON.COM/SONUAMEER for more. Thank you.) Shinobu''s attack killed off almost all of the Quincy forces. Apart from a few Quincies everyone else was dead. Leo''s spiritual sense picked out the few who managed to survive. Shinobu looked at him and nodded before flashing away. Leo also phased out and disappeared from everyone''s sight. Watching them leave without a word left the others in an awkward mood. "Um... seems like there not much to do?" Ichigo spoke with doubt. Byakuya Kuchiki showed his poker face and disappeared from sight. As for the others they sensed where the nearest battle was and moved towards it. Leo flashed through the Seritei and reached the location of a battle. Down below he saw the Quincy who rose up every time he was killed. Right now the man was the size of a small mountain and fighting against Toshiro and several Lieutenants. Sensing the arrival of a new enemy Gerard looked up. His pupil-less eyes stared at the latter for a moment before bursting out with incredible momentum. Gerard just raised his sword when he lost sight of his enemy. A second later Gerard''s vision tilted to the side. His vision turned as he saw his own body standing straight without a head. Leo was standing in mid air with his sword drawn out. He was looking at Gerard call, as if he was waiting for something. And like he expected Gerard''s body glowed with a brilliant light. His head Leo chopped off turned into a a beam of light before merging with his body. When the light faded Gerard was revived. His body grew big and radiated immense strength. "Miracles don''t die!" Gerard yelled and raised his sword, as if he was declaring a universal truth to the world. Leo nodded, "True, miracles don''t die. But you are a different story." As he spoke Leo took a stance. His "Sword Will" converged towards him. Toshiro and the Lieutenants watching from afar only sensed a huge sword in place of Leo. "Amazing... Toshiro softly muttered. As a Swordsman Toshiro understood what it means to erase one''s presence and merging it with a weapon. This was the highest realm of any weapon. The huge body of Gerard moved. His giant sword slashed through the air, creating vacc.u.ms along it''s path. Leo looked tiny when compared to the huge sword. "Raging Inferno." When the huge sword was about to fall on him he softly muttered. In an instant the air around him changed. A "Sword Will" that sought to destroy everything in it''s path erupted from Leo''s sword. Like a tide it flooded towards the huge sword falling from the sky. Puff! There was no explosion, no after shocks. Leo sword slashed through the huge sword. The two halves of the giant sword disappeared into countless motes of light. Gerard was shocked. Before he could react Leo''s sword fell on his c.h.e.s.t. He only felt a slight sting. Looking down at his c.h.e.s.t Gerard saw the shocking scene of his flesh and blood disintegrating into nothing. "I am a miracle! How can I die?!" However in a split second that light was tone down and destroyed by the "Sword Will" corroding his body. Gerard finally showed a scowl. He looked at the tiny being standing in mid air. Leo had sheathed his sword. He was watching Gerard with a calm expression on his face. "Did you really think I wouldn''t be able to kill you?" Hearing his words Gerard couldn''t help but recall his prior battle with him. Even without his sword this man was able to kill him several times. With a sword in hand, how strong could he become? ... ... (Visit WWW.PATR...EON.COM/SONUAMEER for more. Thank you.) Chapter 342 - 341. To The Palace Once More (Visit WWW.PATR...EON.COM/SONUAMEER for more. Thank you.) From the perspective of Leo''s Spiritual Sense he saw a peculiar power flowing out from the corners of the Seritei. It merged with the light covering them and disappeared. Those are... Leo had a faint inkling of what was happening. He was no stranger to the energy that disappeared into the light. He had felt the same power before, from the Quincies who battled him. Those strange abilities, they all had the same feel to it. When the pillars of light descending on Seritei disappeared, the Seritei began to tremble. Not just the Seritei, but the entire Soul Society started to shake. "What''s happening!?" Everyone had the same question. The spiritual energy around them started to change. It became so much saturated that Byakuya and the other Shinigamis found it hard to control the spiritual energy around them. Kisuke who saw these changed turned solemn, "Looks like the worst scenario has happened." Leo asked, "What?" Kisuke looked to the sky and said softly, "The Soul King is dead." Everyone was shocked. Ichigo immediately denied, "No way. The Zero Squad is still up there. How can those guys be defeated?" Kisuke shook hi head, "You are underestimating Ywach. That man must have had sufficient confidence if he knocked on the front doors of the Soul King''s Palace with the Zero Squad still there." Leo cut in and said, "This changes nothing, we are still going up." Everyone nodded solemnly and moved towards the direction of the second "Heavenly Pillar". The woman Leo saw before was already there with everything prepared. All of them stepped into the Pillar. Without further waiting the base of the Pillar exploded, the reaction force blasted the pillar towards the sky. The crowd felt the weightlessness that came with flying for a while before they felt the Pillar''s movement coming to a stop. As they stepped out Ichigo and company couldn''t help but cry out in shock. "Where the hell is this place?" They all had the same thought in mind. Even Leo was a bit surprised. What appeared in front of the them wasn''t the five trays that housed the five members of the Zero Squad, but a single structure that resembled a five pointed star when looked through an eagle view. Ywach... His face turned solemn. He reconstructed the entire Soul Society that naturally favoured the Quincies. Leo was just about to find Ywach when a voice echoed in his ear. ''Call out my name... Hyosube? Leo recognized the owner of this voice. It was Ichibe Hyosube. The strongest Captain among the five Zero Squad members. "Ichibe Hyosube." Leo muttered his voice as he asked. As he spoke those words he saw the air in front of him twist and form a vortex. From the vortex the figure if Hyosube jumped out. "Whoa!" "What happened?" Leo asked. Hyosube didn''t immediately reply. He saw down on the ground and said after a moment if silence. "The others are dead. Ywach killed the Soul King and assimilated his powers." His words made the others realize the gravity of the situation. Even before Ywach was someone who barely had any opponents. And now with him obtaining assimilating the Soul King''s power... no one knew how powerful of an enemy he had become. Leo traced the hilt of his sword. A sharp glint passed through his eyes. "Let''s go." ... (Visit WWW.PATR...EON.COM/SONUAMEER for more. Thank you.) Chapter 343 - 342. "Almighty" (Visit WWW.PATR...EON.COM/SONUAMEER for more. Thank you.) Leo and Ywach stared at each other for a moment. Ssh! Leo was the first to make a move. His "Sword Will" covered the entire hall as he slashed at Ywach. "Raging Inferno." A tide of sword rays with the sole purpose of reducing everything to dust flooded towards Ywach. The latter was still seated calmly in front of Leo. The spiritual energy shrouding him fluctuated for a second before it returned to normal. Leo felt a strange fluctuation all around him. He felt something amiss when he sensed it. As he stared at Ywach he saw that he has missed. His strike deviated from it''s original path and struck to the side. Hm?... Leo frowned. With his realm of understanding the "Way of the Sword" there was no way he would miss his strike. ''What''s his ability? It''s definitely not a simple deflection.'' Several thoughts ran through Leo''s mind. At this moment Ywach moved. Like a specter he appeared beside Leo with a long sword in hand. Leo had already seen it through precognition and blocked it. Clang! Their weapons clashed. Leo could feel tremendous power from his opponents sword. However it wasn''t enough to overwhelm him. Suddenly the air around him rumbled. Countless swords that radiated murderous intent filled the space around them. Merciful Rain. Ywach was completely surrounded. Leo''s spiritual sense however didn''t pick up the slightest panic from his opponent. The latter was as calm as a still pond. But what happened next startled him. Ywach was still standing there. The swords that should have impaled him missed and struck the ground around him. "You can''t defeat me." At this moment Ywach spoke. Leo faintly looked at him. "Yeah?" ''Silent Wind!'' As he spoke his figure phased out of existence. Oh? Ywach who was shrouded by spiritual energy sounded surprised when he saw Leo disappear. But it was only for a moment. Humm!! Suddenly the space beside Ywach trembled. A sword ray flashed like a bolt of lightning. It moved with incredible speed and reached Ywach''s neck in an instant. But what happened next looked unbelievable. Ywach who should have been beheaded stood to the side. The sword light flew past him and disappeared. A moment later Leo emerged. He looked solemn. "Still don''t believe it?" Leo snorted. He raised his sword to the sky and said softly. "Kekkai: Chaotic Sword Realm." Ywach who''s face was clouded by spiritual energy looked around and commented, "Impressive. Your attainments in the Sword and Spiritual Techniques far surpass anyone I''ve ever seen." Leo didn''t bother to comment. ... ... (Visit WWW.PATR...EON.COM/SONUAMEER for more. Thank you.) Chapter 344 - 343. The Old Zanpakutos Decision (Visit WWW.PATR...EON.COM/SONUAMEER for more. Thank you.) Having discovered this small point Leo immediately put his thoughts into action. Surrounded by his swords Leo pushed his speed to it''s utmost limit. Even Ywach who had reached the apex of this world could barely keep up with Leo''s speed. Shinobu also shot out projectiles, making Ywach divert his attention away from Leo. And like expected, the speed of Ywach''s sword started to decline. Or more like it couldn''t react as fast as before to the profound changes in Leo''s sword stance. Leo who was tied down grinned, "You "Almighty" is just that." As he spoke a vast amount of spiritual energy poured out of him. countless sounds emerged from the tide of spiritual energy and rose to the sky. Leo wasn''t done. He took a stance once more. His sword was sheathed as his body slightly bend forward. Ywach who was being besieged by Shinobu''s needles could hear a powerful sound from Leo''s body. That power he always felt curious about was moving along his opponents body. It was reinforcing every muscle, every bone, every organ, every cell in his body. The faintest breath he took seems to be merged with the world, as it breathed with him. ''What is that power?'' Ywach couldn''t figure out what that power was. It was strange, mysterious and unfathomable. There are only two variables that stood in his path, this couple and Ichigo Kurosaki. He waited too long to reach here, he wasn''t about to fail here at this moment. The spiritual energy shrouding him fluctuated. A moment later it spread along the ground, dying everything black. Shinobu had no choice but to retreat. She used her Kekkei techniques to guard against tendrils of shadow striking at her from blind spots. Suddenly Ywach sensed a fatal threat. "Merciful Rain!" As loud shout echoed through the space. Ywach shrouded by spiritual energy stood still as his code, "A - Almighty" was activated. The swords missed him completely and pierces into the ground around him. Ywach remained still as "Almighty" rewrote everything. The sword missed. Leo emerged from the void and stood against Ywach with a faint smile on his face. "Can u repeat what you said before, I am having trouble remaining your exact words." Ywach silently looked at Leo. Drip... A drop of blood could be seen dripping out from his right cheek. Ywach touched his face. Feeling the warm blood on his finger tips his emotions started to fluctuate. Shh!! Shinobu flashed beside Leo and faintly looked at Ywach. "Your ability is incredible. At first I thought you were omniscient, however when I saw how sluggish you were getting when the number of attacks increased another thought popped into my mind." "There are an infinite number of possible futures, every action and every choice points to one future. Your ability to rewrite future should mean you can influence the infinity." Suddenly Shinobu smiled, "However that''s not entirely the cade. After gaining a rudimentary understanding of your ability, and thinking about your battle with Captain Yamamoto... I understood there was a ceiling limit to your ability." "You can rewrite the future, but what you are rewriting require tremendous focus and power." "My husband was enough to divert a large part of your focus and power to rewrite the future. Me entering just worsened the situation, didn''t it?" "My individual attack isn''t as strong as my husband''s, but... it represents a large number of possible futures." "Can your so called "Almighty" handle all that?" ... ... (Visit WWW.PATR...EON.COM/SONUAMEER for more. Thank you.) Chapter 345 - 344. Zanka no Tachi. (Visit WWW.PATR...EON.COM/SONUAMEER for more. Thank you.) "Bankai, Zanka no Tachi!" When Leo uttered those words a terrifying amount of spiritual energy erupted from the sword in his hand. In a split second the old sword changed into a rustic one with smoke rising from it''s blade. Leo could feel the ocean worth of spiritual energy in his body being drawn towards the blade. Every bit of this energy was changing constantly, fueling an apocalyptic power residing within the sword. "Step far back, this place might not hold for long." He spoke to Shinobu. The latter nodded and flashed away. Leo raised his head. His blue eyes focused on Ywach who looked stunned. "You feared the old captain so much that you used deceit to kill him." When Ywach heard those words he snapped out of his shock, "Fear Genryusaii Yamamoto? His demise was all but destined." Leo suddenly grinned. The rustic sword in his hand trembled as a horrifying power erupted from it. "Let''s see if you are as strong as you claim to be." As he spoke Leo moved. He merged with his surroundings and disappeared from sight and sense. Ywach who had the "Almighty" ability almost immediately knew what was going to happen. A sword flashed barely an inch away from him. Wherever the sword passed, everything was burned out of existence. Suddenly the sword''s path changed. It bend in an unnatural way and stabbed at Ywach''s heart. Ywach took a step back calmly and watched the sword miss once more. Leo emerged and looked at Ywach with a grin. By now their surroundings were already starting to disappear. The walls of the palace reinforced from Reishi started to burn. Ywach looked around him in silence. "You still have the nerve to say that you didn''t feat the old Captain?" Suddenly Leo''s voice rang out. Ywach stared at his opponent and said, "Yamamoto was indeed a fearsome enemy, but you and him are not on the same level." He pointed to the rustic zanpakuto and said, "That zanpakuto is far more horrible in your hand." Leo smiled and took a step forward. Silent Wind! He disappeared from Ywach''s sight once more. Ywach has already passively activated his "Almighty". However the next moment his mind became messy. Because he was seeing a lot more than just one or two futures. Suddenly flames rose from the ground. Like a tide it flooded in every direction. Leo was amidst these flames. Not only did the flames not harm him, but they also intensified his lethality. The flames beneath Leo''s feet climbed along his feet and completely wrapped him in it. "Zanka no Tachi, Remnant Prison Garb." Leo spoke softly. One of the defensive techniques of the man''s zanpakuto. The long bow Leo saw before appeared in his hand. He pulled on it''s string and condensed a single arrow with a five point star as it''s arrow head. Leo flashed and disappeared, as did Ywach. The space was suddenly crowded with shockwaves resulting from the clash between flames and arrows. In a few moments both forces struck hundreds of times. In the end no one came out on top. Ywach''s "Almighty" couldn''t completely negate the terrible power coming from the rustic zanpakuto. Each time he rewrote future he needed a lot of time and energy to make the changes to take effect in reality. ''I don''t need to defeat him, Yamamoto''s zanpakuto is nearing it''s end. I just need to drag this out.'' ... ... Chapter 346 - 345. To The Next World (Visit WWW.PATR...EON.COM/SONUAMEER for more. Thank you.) Leo looked at Ywach lying on the ground covered in blood. The spiritual energy shrouding him started to dissipate slowly, revealing his complete body. "You won." He said weakly. Leo replied, "You are right, we met at different circ.u.mstances." "Haha... Ywach laughed softly. His voice turned softer by the second until it finally stopped. The last bit of life in him was gone. When his life came to an end his body reacted and started to break down. It collapsed into a large group of shadows and scattered into the air. Leo watched calmly as his body disappeared. He turned his focus away and looked at the old zanpakuto in his hand. Right now the millennium old zanpakuto looked feeble. It''s blade was full of cracks wisps of smoke rose from these cracks. "Thank you." Leo muttered softly. Hearing the gratitude in his words the sword hummed one last time. It''s blade started to crumble from the tip. Soon it turned to dust and was blown along with the wind. "Farewell." Leo bid goodbye to the old man''s sword. "Are you ok?" Shinobu appeared beside him and asked. Leo nodded, "Yeah... just a bit lost." Shinobu came close to him and hugged his hand, "Whatever has happened has happened." Leo smiled and pinched her cheek, "I know." Shinobu slapped his hand, "You always do that." "Haha." He laughed it off. While he was speaking with Shinobu he failed to notice a streak of light entering his broken Dragon - Tiger sword. Suddenly the space they were in started to rumble. Leo and Shinobu looked around for a moment before relaxing. "The Soul King was an existence keeping the balance of this world, Ywach replaced him. And now with him gone this world is seeking for a new balance." "This is good. The existence of this world will no longer rely on an individual." The shaking continued for several minutes before it started to weaken. Soon the palace they were in came to a sudden stop. Both of them looked at each other before leaving the place. On their way back they saw Ichigo and company. Their opponents were beaten to the ground or dead at this point. Among them was Uryuu. Seeing Leo Uryuu looked guilty. The former walked to him and asked, "You have so little confidence in me?" Uryuu didn''t speak. Leo shook his head and knocked on his head. Uryuu felt the pain and covered his head while crouching down. "I don''t need you to save me, you are still wet behind the ears for that." Ichigo was confused as to what was happening and asked, "What''s going on?" Shinobu chuckled and replied, "Your friend thought Ywach might kill us so he did a bit extra and kept a failsafe for the seal they used on my husband." Leo took out a small Quincy cross. Uryuu looked at the cross and asked, "Teac... you didn''t use it?" Leo threw the cross to him, "Like I said, I don''t need a kid to think for me. I''ll forgive you on the account that you are still in your puberty." "I am not!" Ichigo finally got the situation and grinned, "I thought so. I knew you didn''t betray us, Uryuu!" He slapped Uryuu''s shoulder while laughing. Uryuu pushed him away and snorted. "Now now, don''t be shy. Or are you still reeling from your puberty, haha." "Ichigo Kurosaki!!" Leo watched the duo bickering with each other and shook his head. ''Kid''s will be kids.'' ... Time flew by quickly. ... ... (Visit WWW.PATR...EON.COM/SONUAMEER for more. Thank you.) Chapter 347 - 346. Encounter (Grab the rest from WWW.PAT..REON.COM/SONUAMEER. Thank you.) As they travelled through the void Leo and Shinobu witnessed dots of lights far into the distance. In the void there was no sense of time, when they finally stepped out of the light barrier onto solid ground, they found themselves surrounded by a gorge. It was raining at the moment, making the ground muddy. Leo was about to search his surroundings when his Spiritual Sense picked up two life signatures on the other side of the gorge. With his ability as his eye Leo saw what was happening.. Two people were fighting against each other. Both of them held a kunai and clashed several times. As he was watching their battle Leo saw something that startled him. A strong power was circulating within these two individuals, it reinforced their body from inside out, almost like his "Breath". ''That energy... it''s similar to "Breath", but a few levels weaker... He explained the situation to Shinobu and the latter''s curiosity was immediately aroused. Both of them flashed and disappeared towards the two people on the other side. Just as they landed they saw one of them stabbing into the other''s body. The person did not sense the arrival of Leo and Shinobu, he quickly checked his enemy''s body for any information. However when he removed the mask the other party had his hands froze. The next moment a cry filled with shock and despair rang out from the person. "Sister!" From his voice it could be seen that he was a man and his opponent was a woman. The man pulled the woman to his side and called out to her while putting his hand above the wound on her gut. "Sister... please don''t die! Please... The woman in his arms weakly stared at the young man yelling at her and asked softly, "Who are you...? The man''s eyes were filled with tears as he said, "Sister, it''s me, Kabuto. Don''t you remember?" The woman''s eyes were getting blurry, however she still managed to shake her head and said faintly, "No... you are not... Leo and Shinobu''s focus immediately shifted to the energy used by Kabuto. "Is that... Shinobu asked doubtfully. Leo nodded, "Yes. That''s "Breath", but not the one we use. It''s far weaker than what we have in our bodies." Saying up to here he took her hand and flashes towards the man. Kabuto who was focused on healing the woman was shocked when he saw two people emerged out of thin air. He wanted to pull out his kunai, however his hands were occupied. ''What should I do?!'' He screamed inside his mind. Shinobu left Leo''s side and looked at Kabuto calmly before stating, "Your skills can only delay the inevitable, move aside." As she spoke Kabuto was pushed away by a strange force. The latter gritted his teeth. His eyes turned bloodshot when he saw Shinobu approach the woman. He quickly took a kunai and threw it at her. However Leo flashed in front of him and caught it. He simply applied some force and broke the kunai into pieces before speaking slowly. "Calm down, we don''t have any ill intent." Kabuto wanted to throw out another Kunai, however as he put his hand inside his ninja bag a powerful coercion fell on him. The powerful impact shook his mind, his eyes started to turn and his consciousness got blurry. Bang! Finally he couldn''t hold on. His knees buckled and he fell on the muddy ground like a dead fish. However at the last moment his eyes regained a bit of clarity as he glared in Shinobu''s direction. Leo was slightly surprised. Though he was going easy on the man, at his level there are very few below a certain level who could regain clarity when confronting his Haoshoku. "Rest ?ssured, whoever that woman is, she won''t die." Leo took back his Haoshoku and spoke to Kabuto confidently. Kabuto ignored Leo as he struggled to get up on his feet. Leo rubbed his nose embarrassedly when he saw the latter''s response. Shinobu was almost done with her treatment. The grevious wound on the woman''s abdomen was now closed. Even her internal organs cut by the blade was healed. Kabuto stared in shock. He somehow found the strength to move towards the woman and quickly held her in his arms. "This is... As he checked her he found her wounds to be completely healed. Leo looked at him and heaved a sigh of relief. Just moments before he saw the man''s emotions turn wild, it was twisting towards chaos. And those fall into chaos will always emerge as evil. Luckily the survival of that woman kept him sane. After Kabuto woke up from his happiness he looked at Leo and Shinobu. "Thank you." He only spoke two words however Leo and Shinobu could feel the immense gratitude in his words. "Let''s get out of this rain first." Leo spoke. As he was about to move he stopped and glanced to a corner of the gorge. He looked in that direction for a few seconds before looking away. Shinobu also looked towards that direction before turning away. Kabuto didn''t notice their actions and carefully picked up the woman. "I know a safe location nearby." He said as he started to lead the way. Soon they left the place. Ten or so minutes after their departure the muddy ground trembled. A small part of it rose up before morphing into the shape of a man with long hair and pupils like a snake''s. He looked towards the direction where Leo and Shinobu left and showed a solemn expression. "Who are those two?" The man muttered under his breath. He looked one last time towards their direction before sinking into the ground and disappearing. (Grab the rest from WWW.PAT..REON.COM/SONUAMEER. Thank you.) Chapter 348 - 347. Chakra (Grab the rest from WWW.PAT..REON.COM/SONUAMEER. Thank you.) Kabuto led them towards a cave hidden by vines and weeds. If one didn''t look close they would fail to notice such a cave. Once they were inside he put the woman down slowly and used that strange power once more to make sure she was alright. After he was done he revealed a faint smile, "It''s so great to see you again, sister." The woman in question frowned in her sleep when she heard him.. Kabuto made sure she was comfortable before he turned to face Leo and Shinobu. "My name is Yakushi Kabuto, may I know your names?" Leo smiled, "My name is Leo Heart, this is my wife, Kocho Shinobu. Both of us are travellers from far away." Though his words were full of doubtful remarks Kabuto didn''t mind it and said, "Thank you for saving Sister Nono. If there is anything you need, please feel free to ask." Leo and Shinobu looked at each other for a moment before Shinobu spoke up, "If it''s not too troublesome, can you tell me what that strange power you used before was?" "What I used is called Chakra. It is an energy formed by the mixing of Spiritual Energy and Physical Energy." "Chakra can be used to reinforce physical skills, or to perform ninjutsu." Leo asked curiously, "Ninjutsu?" Kabuto didn''t reply. He made several signs using both hands before speaking a bit loudly. "Doton: Mud Wall!" As he spoke the ground trembled for a moment before a wall rose up. It immediately blocked the entrance of the cave. "This is Ninjutsu." Kabuto spoke after doing so. Leo walked to the mud wall and placed his hand on it. As he felt the rich amount of earth elements a peculiar glint flashed in his eyes. He turned around and asked, "Forgive me if I am being too nosy, but how did you end up fighting this woman, who seems to be an important companion of yours." When Kabuto heard his question a look of hatred flashed in his eyes. "It must be the work of that man! He must have threatened Sister with me or the other children!" Leo didn''t intend to pry into the details. He observed the woman lying on the floor. After a while he frowned. Shinobu noticed his expression and asked, "What''s wrong?" Leo rubbed his chin and said thoughtfully, "Her spirit is disturbed." Shinobu immediately understood the underlying meaning in his words, "You mean... Leo nodded, "Someone messed with her mind. That would explain why she didn''t recognize him." Both of them didn''t lower their voice as they spoke so Kabuto heard them loud and clear. Anger flashed in his eyes as he clenched his fist. "Danzo!!" Leo didn''t have to think far to understand who this would be. "What''s your next plan?" He asked. Kabuto was about to speak when the woman next to them coughed. She struggled a bit before opening her eyes. When she saw a bunch of strangers she instinctively wanted to get up and put up a defensive stance. "Sister, don''t move! Your body is still weak." Kabuto was anxious as he said hastily. The woman frowned when she heard the way in which Kabuto addressed her. "Who are you?" Kabuto''s heart pained when he saw her look, "Sister, it''s me, Kabuto. Don''t you remember?" The woman frowned, "No. You are not Kabuto! Why are you pretending to be him? Who are you?" Kabuto turned anxious. Leo immediately stepped forward and patted his shoulder, "Tell her or show her something that could prove your identity." Yes! Kabuto''s eyes brightened up. He took off the glasses he was wearing and showed it to the the woman. "Sister, look. You gave me this because I couldn''t see things clearly." The woman seems to have thought of something. However immediately her face twisted in pain. Aaahh!! She fell on her knees and started to scream. "What''s happening?!" Kabuto immediately ran to her side. However Leo pulled him back. "Let me." Before Kabuto could react Leo flashed in front of the woman and pointed his index finger at her forehead. A golden stream of Spiritual Energy shot into the woman''s forehead. Immediately her screams came to an end, and she lost consciousness. Kabuto rushed to her and checked her for any injuries. "What happened?" Leo explained, "I told you, someone played with her mind. There was something that kept her from accessing her real memories. I didn''t expect you to trigger such a huge reaction in her." "Luckily this gave me a chance to bypass the seal and break it from the inside. Now, once she wakes up she should remember you, the real you, not a fabricated one." Kabuto had no words to show his gratitude. He simply knelt on the ground and bowed. "What''s your next plan?" Hearing him Kabuto clenched his fist, "Of course I''m going back to to that bastard!" Leo curiously asked, "Aren''t you afraid he will kill you?" Kabuto showed a derisive smile, "I''ve worked as an undercover agent for so long. The kind of intel I have on the village is something they can''t even imagine. If they think they can kill me without any repurcussions then they are sorely mistaken." Leo grinned, "So you are the vengeful type." Kabuto replied, "I am just a normal human. Beyond a certain point even a normal person might bite back." Leo shrugged, "True." Suddenly Leo thought of something and asked, "You said something about a village. What''s that?" Kabuto hesitated for a moment. However when he looked at the woman sleeping soundly beside him the hesitation in his eyes vanished. As a ninja it''s taboo to reveal his true identity. However as he remembered the benevolence these two had shown him, Kabuto decided to trust them. "Konoha. The name of my village is Konoha." (Grab the rest from WWW.PAT..REON.COM/SONUAMEER. Thank you.) Chapter 349 - 348. Towards Home (Grab the rest from WWW.PAT..REON.COM/SONUAMEER. Thank you.) The next day. The woman woke up like Leo said. She seems to have a terrible headache as she sat up. However she slowly calmed down. She looked at the unfamiliar faces around her before settling down on Kabuto. She showed a confused expression at first, however slowly it changed to one that of excitement.. "Kabuto... is it really you?!" Hearing the excitement in her words Kabuto smiled happily, "It''s me, sister." The woman was thrilled. She started talking to him about where he was and what he was doing all these years. Leo and Shinobu seems to have been completely forgotten by these two. "Well... this is a first." Leo commented. To his words Shinobu chuckled. "It''s fine." Kabuto was embarrassed for a moment. But he quickly went back to the main issue. He told the woman about what has happened and what his next plan was. The woman started to worry, "Kabuto, you don''t know about Danzo. That man has no bottom line, he will do anything to accomplish his goals." Kabuto showed a derisive smile, "I know. But I still want to go back. I don''t believe the Hokage will remain unmoved after he knows about our experience." "But... Kabuto cut her off before she could speak, "Sister, that man manipulated both of us. How many dangerous missions had we accomplished? For the sake of the village, we went deep into enemy territory and... look what he had in mind for us." "To have you die by my hand!" The woman understood Kabuto''s feelings, but she was still hesitating. "If it''s alright, we''ll help you." Kabuto was startled and asked almost instinctively, "Why? For what purpose?" He stopped for a moment and realized the tone in which he asked those questions to be wrong and immediately apologized. Leo waved his hand, "Don''t worry. As a soldier it''s natural for you to ask as such. We don''t have any other purpose, since we are already here we thought it would be better to visit Konoha." Kabuto thought for a while. This couple in front of him was mysterious. They had no idea as to what Chakra is, but they are strong. Very strong. At least that''s what he felt after spending a day with them. "Ok." After deliberating the pros and cons Kabuto agreed. "Great." The woman wanted to speak several times but she didn''t get a chance. In the end she could only agree with Kabuto. Along the way Shinobu and the woman got familiar with each other. The woman was called Yakushi Nono. She was a nun who took care of an orphanage. Kabuto was a kid from her orphanage. Due to her past occupation and threats from her previous employer she had return back to her former profession. And her former work was as a spy. All four of them trekked through the forest and got to a wide road. According to Kabuto this road leads straight to Konoha. They travelled for two days and covered half the distance. On the third day the four of them stopped. Not because of anything else, but because they were being blocked by a few individuals wearing masks. "Kabuto, your abandoned your mission?" The man leading the group asked without much emotion in his voice. Kabuto calmly replied, "Yes." The man''s suddenly showed a bit of murderous intent, "You should understand what it means to abandon a mission." "I''m well aware." "I see. It seems you want to rebel." Kabuto sneered. He didn''t plan on talking to them. "Futon: Great Breakthrough!" He printer several hands in a flash and spat out a several arcs of wind blades towards the men standing opposite to him. His opponents weren''t vegetables either and quickly responded. There bodies flickered as they disappearing from sight. Kabuto made a few more hand signs and planted his palms on the ground. "Doton: Elevated Earth!" As he spoke the ground started rumble. The earth around him started to rise up. It immediately destroyed the path they were in. The disappeared men didn''t have any other choice but to re-emerge. A few of them made of few hand signs. "Katon: Great Fireball! "Katon: Phoenix Fire!" "Suiton: Water Bullet!" A large ball of fire was spat out by one men. Several orbs of flames were fired by another man. One other person spat out water bullets. In an instant Kabuto was surrounded by several attacks. Bang! However when the dust cleared all the men saw was a pile of wood. "He used Substitution Jitsu!" One of the men commented. Swish! Suddenly the wind whistled. The leading man saw blood spill in his vision. Two of his subordinates had their neck slashed. Blood seeped out as both of them fell on their knees and slowly struggled to death. "Kabuto!" The leading man growled. With the remaining men by his side he launched a complete offensive. However Kabuto was ingenious and whittled away his enemies one by one. Seeing their numbers go down the leading man turned his focus towards the three standing in the distance. He knew about the woman called Yakushi Nono. Even if he launched a sneak attack he had no confidence in winning against her. So his focus shifted to the two remaining people. One was a stunning male with short hair and ice blue eyes. The other a beautiful woman with long hair up to her waist and exquisite features. ''You then!'' The man his from Kabuto. When the latter was killing off one of his subordinates he snaked behind the woman using "Doton". He reigned in his aura and quietly approached her. When he felt the moment was her he emerged from the ground beside her and stabbed at her heart. However, before he could completely take an offensive his body stopped in it''s tracks. ''What?!'' He couldn''t move. No, it''s not that he couldn''t move, but he was trapped. His eyes shrunk when he realized what was happening. At some point he was completely entangled by strings. His entire body was wrapped by fine threads almost invisible to the eye. ''Since when?!'' The leading man didn''t know. However what he did know was that it was over. He was caught, his only end was death. Knowing so the man bit his tongue savagely. Boom!! A devastating explosion rang out. (Grab the rest from WWW.PAT..REON.COM/SONUAMEER. Thank you.) Chapter 350 - 349. Konoha (Grab the rest from WWW.PAT..REON.COM/SONUAMEER. Thank you.) A devastating explosion rang out. Kabuto was shocked when he saw the leading man making a suicidal move. He was too late to warn Leo and Shinobu and could only watch as the explosion take place. However the next moment he saw something amazing. The explosion that should have spread out was blocked by some kind of barrier.. He could clearly see the powerful bursts of flames banging against the barrier. However the barrier stood still like a mountain. ''Sealing technique? No, it seems slightly difference.'' Kabuto thought to himself. Knowing they were safe Kabuto focused on the remaining enemies. Soon he killed off the last one and returned to the group. When he saw the explosion site he drew in a cold breath. The ground had a deep pothole that was scorched black! "You guys still want to come with us?" Leo smiled, "What do you think?" Kabuto knew his answer and nodded. Along the way they were intercepted several times by people from the same group. However Kabuto took care of almost all of them. Some blind ones took a shot at Shinobu and Leo and ended up dying without even knowing how. Through out their journey Leo and Shinobu were observing the mechanism of releasing Chakra. Chakra release is done through hand signs. This part is essential for any jutsu. There are twelve hand signs. The combination of two or more hand sign will mold the Chaka accordingly. Leo tried to duplicate this method, however the "Breath" in him hardly reacted. ''Am I doing it wrong?'' After two more days of travel they reached their destination. A wall several meters in height appeared in front of them. The wall was surrounding a large area. And the only entrance was the big gate right in front of them. "We are here." Kabuto muttered softly as he looked at the gate in front of him. Nono looked troubled as she stared at the entrance in front of her. Leo and Shinobu also looked towards the entrance curiously. This is the first time they are seeing such an arrangement. This should be a village but it looks more like a fortress. "Is there anything we need to provide to enter?" Leo asked. Kabuto nodded, "Any foreign individual needs to show proof of identity before entering." Hearing him Leo rubbed his chin, "That''s troublesome." As he spoke he stretched out his Spiritual Sense actively. In an instant the entirety of Konoha was mapped in his mind. Within in his mind he spotted several strong people inside. He also saw a barrier encompassing the entire village. Any and all foreign individual will be detected by this barrier. Suddenly he saw one of the men he registered as quite strong moving in his direction. ''Hm... looks like this might be easier than I thought.'' Kabuto saw his silence and thought he was disappointed. He was about to say something when several people emerged and surrounded them. He quickly raised his kunai and guarded Nono behind him. "Kabuto, Danzo-sama wishes to speak with you." Kabuto sneered, "I don''t wish to speak to him." The man replied indifferently, "This wasn''t a suggestion, but a reminder. Take care of those two first." As he spoke the men surrounding them flickered towards the group with their weapons. Their prime target was Leo and Shinobu. Kabuto''e lips curled into a smile when he saw the men attacking Leo and Shinobu. One of the attacking men was faster than the others. He flashed behind Leo and slashed at his neck. However mid way through he paused. The others looked at him in confusion. A split second later everyone saw a shocking scene. The man who had his kunai raised towards Leo fell down, his body split apart into countless pieces of blood and flesh. Buh... "Retreat!" The man who spoke before yelled, however he was too late. The other men who were moving towards Leo collapsed into a pile of mess. Their forward momentum carried their bodies that was dismembered and painted the ground red. Now only the man who spoke to Kabuto remained. When he looked at the bloody scene in front of him his heart chilled. Terrified as he was he still suppressed it to the bottom of his heart and asked, "Who... who are you?! Why are you interfering with the matters of Konoha?" Leo chuckled when he heard him. Humm... The man was looking when he suddenly lost sight of Leo. "You attacked us and got the nerve to ask such a ridiculous question?" Suddenly Leo''s voice rang close to his ear. Along with it a terrible murderous intent locked onto him. It felt as if he was being at by a fierce beast. The man''s body was trembling from fear. The brutal sight before and the terrifying strength of this man planted a seed of fear in the depths of his mind. "Go. Tell your master that if any of those children are harmed I''ll return the favor a hundred fold." When Leo''s voice rang out the murderous intent on him disappeared. The man finally lost the strength in his legs and collapsed on the ground. Leo flashed back to Shinobu''s side and looked towards the entrance. By now several people had gathered. Almost all of them were wearing the same clothes. ''They should be part of the military here.'' Leo thought to himself. As he was thinking an old man wearing a white and red outfit flashed in front of these men. "Your excellency, can you explain this?" Leo smiled lightly, "Why don''t you ask a man named Danzo that question, after all these are his men. Also, I want an explanation as to why they attacked me and my wife." The old man frowned. After a second he said, "I would like to invite you two as my guests. As for what happened here, I''ll investigate and give you an explanation." After saying that he looked at Kabuto and Nono. "Come to my office after escorting them to their stay." Saying so the old man nodded to Leo and walked away. Leo grinned. ''Not bad. He handled the situation well. Let''s see what the after play is.'' (Grab the rest from WWW.PAT..REON.COM/SONUAMEER. Thank you.) Chapter 351 - 350. Danzo (Grab the rest from WWW.PAT..REON.COM/SONUAMEER. Thank you.) Leo and the rest were escorted to their temporary residence. Along the way the ninjas leading them would look back from time to time. Leo could even see them unconsciously placing their hands over their weapons in a way that would enable them to react as fast as they could if a situation pops up. He wasn''t bothered by it and looked around curiously. Konoha had the setting of a miniature version of a small town.. There were shops lining both sides of the street, and people could be seen coming in and out of them. After walking for five minutes they reached a house separated from the other structures around the area. "Please stay here for a while. One of us will be outside at all times, if you need anything just call out to us." Leo nodded. He opened the door casually and entered with Shinobu. Kabuto also entered with Nono. After he settled them down he was prepared to go meet the old man. "Sit down. There is no need for you to meet that old man." Leo suddenly spoke. Kabuto was taken back for a moment before shaking his head, "No, I can''t do that. That person is the Hokage." Leo nodded in understanding and said, "I know. Still, you are not leaving." Kabuto asked, "Why?" Leo looked at him and asked, "Are you a fool or are you acting like one?" Kabuto remained silent. Leo sneered, "Your Hokage didn''t show any reaction when I mentioned the person responsible for the mess at the entrance. Either he is exceptionally good at hiding his expressions or he wasn''t all that surprised by that name popping up." "And I am inclined towards the latter. I am sure you''ve thought of the same." He looked at Kabuto and saw him sigh slightly. "Who is this Danzo guy?" Leo asked. Kabuto sat down and explained, "Danzo is the Hokage''s friend. Both of them were students of the 2nd Hokage and was in the squad." "I see... you Hokage must know the character of this Danzo guy well. Hm..." Leo stretched his body and slumped on the couch in the hall. "Anyway, just stay put. Since we can be considered acquaintances I''ll help you out." Kabuto wanted to say something but ultimately he didn''t. As the both of them were talking Shinobu led Nono to the kitchen to see if they could make something. Luckily there were some basic ingredients inside. They made do with what they had and cooked up a simple meal. While they were eating the Hokage was having an emergency meeting with the high levels of Konoha. An old man and a woman alongside a man with bandages wrapped around his eyes were seated in front of him. "Danzo, give me an explanation." The bandaged man was apparently the Danzo guy Leo had heard about. "There is nothing more to say. Yakushi Kabuto abandoned a high ranked espionage mission and returned with strangers." The Hokage frowned, "You know that''s not what I''m asking." Danzo looked at his old friend and said calmly, "Hiruzen, that man killed eight Tokubetsu Jounins without blinking an eye. He should be apprehended and interrogated. Who knows, he might be a spy send by the other villages." The Hokage was deep in thought. Before the massacre at the entrance he sensed someone observing him, and it was coming from the direction of the entrance. He understood someone capable had arrived. This man didn''t bother to hide his presence and was announcing that he was here. Such a person could either be a crazy person or he is confident in his strength. And he was more inclined to believe the latter. Thinking up to here he shook his head, "Without understanding their limits it''s not a good option to be in conflict with them." Danzo tapped the wooden cane in his hand on the ground lightly, "You are getting soft Hiruzen. After the death of the 4th Hokage the other villages are eyeing us like wolves. We need to show a tough stance to deter them." The Hokage shot back a question, "And if your tough stance backfires?" Danzo was silent for a second before answering, "It''s better than groveling in front of them." The Hokage was dissatisfied with his friend''s brainless suggestion. He looked at the other two and asked. "Koharu, Homura, what do you guys think?" The old woman named Koharu replied, "I think we should take a lighter approach. That ninja named Kabuto abandoned his mission, that is a fact but there should be a reason for this." "Jumping to conclusions will not serve us any better. I don''t want to see another "White Fang" situation happening." The Hokage turned silent when he heard her. "I think Koharu is right. Let''s find out the facts before thinking of a solution." The Hokage nodded, "Alright. Then I''ll visit those two." Suddenly Danzo asked, "Kabuto should have been ordered to report to you, why isn''t he here yet? Has he forgotten his duties?" The Hokage faintly looked at his friend, "Someone as strong as that man is bound to be proud and arrogant. You blatantly attacking him must have dissatisfied him. So he must have stopped Kabuto." Hmph! Danzo scoffed. He got up and walked out after displaying his attitude. The Hokage looked at his friend and shook his head. He didn''t know when his friend had changed, he became ruthless and cold to everything and everyone around him. Once Danzo was out of the Hokage building, his eyes turned cold. "Fine an opportunity to kill Kabuto and Nono." He said softly. As he spoke the several figures flashed out of a dark corner and disappeared. Danzo look towards the direction of Leo''s and company''s residence and said to himself. ''Kabuto, I never imagined you to break the seal I put on Nono. You have gone beyond my control and are a variable. You must not exist!'' (Grab the rest from WWW.PAT..REON.COM/SONUAMEER. Thank you.) Chapter 352 - 351. Naruto (Grab the rest from WWW.PAT..REON.COM/SONUAMEER. Thank you.) The Hokage visited Leo and company after he was done with the meeting. As soon as he sat down he said, "I''m very sorry for what has happened, as compensation both of you can stay here for as long as you want. Moreover this house can also be transferred to your name. If you are ok with it." Leo looked at the old man and said, "You are not a good leader, but I can''t say that you are an imbecile either. Fine, I''ll accept it.. Also... He pointed to Kabuto and Nono, "These two people, their life experiences can be said to be tragic. All because a man wanted to manipulate them for his own gains." "Now, I don''t care as to what happened in the past but, I seriously request that none of those children from that orphanage to be hurt or dead. If so... At the end of his words a cold glow flashed in his eyes. The Hokage understood the meaning behind his words and nodded. "Right. Thanks for coming by." As soon as everything was settled Leo shooed away the man from the house. He looked at Kabuto and Nono after closing the door, "Everything has been settled, sort out your affairs and start life anew." Kabuto couldn''t believe what was happening. He thought he would have to threaten the village with high level Intel to obtain certain advantages, but now... Everything seemed so easy. Shinobu grinned at them and asked, "Did you think everything went far easier that you thought?" Kabuto and Nono nodded. Leo smiled at them and spoke, "When you have reached a certain level you''ll naturally be respected by everyone." Kabuto nodded in understanding. He thanked Leo and Shinobu before taking their leave. Looking at their new home both of them smiled. After tidying up a bit both of them decided to take a stroll outside. The streets were busy packed with people. Both of them saw many things unique to this world and wanted to buy them. But unfortunately they had no money. Leo still had a few rubies he collected from zoro''s world. He decided to sell a couple of them to get some pocket change. ... A while later both of them walked out of an accessory shop under the flattering smile of it''s fat boss. "From his wretched smile I''m sure he profited a lot from us." Shinobu said with dissatisfaction. Leo laughed lightly, "Sure he did. But does it matter? We have enough money to buy anything we want now." Shinobu nodded and smiled, "True." They walked around the village and went to a lot of shops. When it was nearing lunch time Leo was carrying a lot of bags. Only then did he remember something. Men shopping with a woman = wallet + coolie. Leo could only laugh bitterly in his heart. As they were on their way back home both of them noticed a small shop at a corner. "Ichiraku Ramen." "I''m hungry, let''s eat something." Shinobu said as she dragged Leo towards the shop. Once they were there both of them saw a man in his middle ages standing behind the counter wearing a chefs uniform. "Welcome, what type of ramen do you want?" Leo thought for a moment and said, "Give me your best." The man opposite to him grinned. He immediately went to work. Soon two bowls of steaming ramen was placed in front of them. "Two special extra large pork ramen!" Leo breathed in the aroma drifting from the bowl in front of him. He couldn''t help but swallow a bit when he smelled the dish in front of him. ''Smells good!'' Ggrrr... He heard a sound and looked back to see a child about the age of five or so peeking inside. The sound was naturally from his belly. When Leo looked at the child''s eyes he felt a sense of serenity. In his mind he saw the kid''s Soul bright like the sun, pure and untainted. Such an innocent child... however... Leo muttered in his heart. From his Spiritual Sense he also saw three other Souls residing within the kid. One complete and the other two segmented. What kind of past does this kid have? As Leo was lost in thought Shinobu who also saw the kid beckoned towards him. "Come here, let''s eat together. Sir, one more bowl of your best please." The man behind the counter smiled heartily, "Come inside, Naruto. This big brother and big sister wants to treat you to a meal." It seems the kid''s name was Naruto. Naruto was obviously elated to hear that and smiled happily. His smile seems addicting as everyone laughed with him. The man quickly whipped up his special ramen and placed it in front of Naruto. "Eat up!" Naruto happily ate the food. Leo and Shinobu smiled when they saw him eating so happily. They too started to eat. After they were done both of them watched Naruto as he let out a content smile. "Naruto, where are your parents?" Leo asked. The man behind the counter sighed lightly. However he didn''t interfere with them. Shinobu seems to have understood his silence and softly stroked his head, "Sorry, Naruto." Naruto looked blankly at Shinobu. He could hear the kindness in her words, she wasn''t looking at him like a monster. "You don''t hate me?" Shinobu was taken back by his question before letting out a soft smile. "No." Naruto blinked for a moment before a wide grin appeared on his face. "Haha, since you don''t have anything else to do, come with us. I need some help carrying all this stuff." Leo laughed and pointed to the bags on the side. Shinobu looked back at him and asked while smiling, "You think it''s a bother to carry them?" "Of course not! Am I not finding a reason to have him tag along with us?" Shinobu narrowed her eyes for a second before looking away. "Sir, the bill please." The man the counter smiled and passed them the bill. "My name is Ichiraku Teuchi." "You cook great food, Teuchi-san." "Haha!" Teuchi laughed happily and saw them off. (Grab the rest from WWW.PAT..REON.COM/SONUAMEER. Thank you.) Chapter 353 - 352. I Cant Leave Him Alone (Grab the rest from WWW.PAT..REON.COM/SONUAMEER. Thank you.) Leo thought he could share some of his load with Naruto, but who would have thought Shinobu would deny him outrageously, saying that he was still a child. Well, she was right. But these bags weighted far less than they look. He could only silently complain in his heart. As they moved along Shinobu bought many more items, especially those Naruto glanced over.. By the time they reached home Leo''s body was completely overcast by the number of bags he was carrying. Just as they were about to enter a ninja wearing a mask flickered in front of them. "Please stop, sir." Shinobu looked at him and frowned, "What?" The ninja hesitated for a second before stating, "I''m sorry, but it''s not convenient for this child to enter your home." Shinobu wrinkled her eyebrows, Get out of the way." When the man spoke Naruto who had bright smile turned dim. He slightly tried to pull his hand away from her. The ninja was hesitating, he was given explicit instruction not to offend these two in any way. "This boy is... Before the man could complete his words Shinobu cut him off, "Get out of the way." This time her words were slightly chilly. A deep intent fell on the man. The ninja trembled for a second before giving way. Shinobu smiled and happily pulled Naruto into the house. Behind them followed the mountain of bags. Bang! The door shut with a bang. The ninja heaved a sigh of relief and immediately disappeared. ''I need to report this to Hokage-sama.'' Back in the house. Leo settled down everything he was carrying and let out a bitter laugh. "Here, here, take this one too." As she took out one item after another she handed it to Naruto. The little kid was laughing happily as he counted the toys in his hand. ''Who was lucky enough to have such an innocent child?'' He thought to himself. After sitting on the sidelines for a while Shinobu finally stopped what she was doing and went to the kitchen to prepare some snacks. Leo had nothing else to do and decided to make out a rough sketch for the reforging of his broken sword. Naruto curiously looked at the drawings on the paper and asked, "Big brother, what are you drawing?" Leo smiled. He grabbed the air. The next moment his sword flew out from a corner. "Wow!" Leo grinned, "This is my sword. It''s broken now, so I''m sketching a rough draft for it''s reforging." Naruto tilted his head for a second in confusion before nodding. Leo laughed lightly when he saw the kid''s sluggish response. He rubbed his head and said. "It''s ok if you don''t understand." Naruto grinned happily. Leo went back to work and Naruto dragged a chair to his side and watched him without making a fuss. After a while Shinobu called out to the two of them. Several dishes were placed on the table. There plates were arranged neatly with chopsticks and the like to the side. "Let''s dig in." Naruto was a bit small for the table so they had to get a cushion for him. Both of them placed a lot of food on his plate. For some reason they really liked him. They wanted to protect him and give him everything he missed out on. Naruto laughed happily as he ate. When they were done Naruto looked bloated. He burped from time to time. "Haha... Leo and Shinobu laughed at this scene. Leo helped Shinobu clean up. As they finished washing the dishes both of them saw Naruto fast asleep on the couch. Shinobu gently picked him up and put him on a bed before covering him with a quilt. She could see the smile that hung on his face. A gentle glow appeared in her eyes when she saw him sleeping so soundly. Leo was seated on the couch drinking some lime tea. Knock. Knock. At the moment someone knocked on the door. Leo didn''t look surprised and went to open it. The Hokage was standing outside with a couple of his guards. "Come in." Leo led him inside. Hiruzen walked in and sat opposite to Leo. Shinobu also joined them. "I''m sure you must know the reason for this late visit." Leo nodded, "It must be for Naruto." Hiruzen nodded, "Naruto is very important to the village and can''t be allowed to come in contact with strangers." Leo curled his lips into a smile, "Is it because of that entity sealed within him?" His question startled Hiruzen. A sharp glow flashed in his eyes as he asked. "How do you know that?" The tone in his words started to change. Leo wasn''t bothered by his change and said causally, "It doesn''t matter how, all I want to say at this moment is that it''s not possible for me to stay away from the kid. At least not anymore." Hiruzen squinted his eyes, "Do you really believe I''ll concede to your every whims?" Leo shook his head with a smile, "Of course not. But I believe you won''t antagonize me either, at least not when I''m at the center of your village." Hearing his answer Hiruzen looked at him for a long time and asked. "Why are you so interested in Naruto? Are you... Before he could complete his words Leo cut him off, "I don''t care for whatever that resides within him, I just don''t want to leave such a kid alone." Hiruzen was startled by his reply. He went silent for a while before letting out a sigh. "It''s impossible for me to believe someone I only knew for a day but, I don''t have a choice, do I?" (Grab the rest from WWW.PAT..REON.COM/SONUAMEER. Thank you.) Chapter 354 - 353. Warning (Grab the rest from WWW.PAT..REON.COM/SONUAMEER. Thank you.) Hiruzen looked at Leo with complicated emotions. "If there is nothing else, please leave." Leo wasn''t polite to him and showed him to the door. Hiruzen sighed and left. Before leaving he said a few words, "I can at least try to understand your good intentions, but there are those who won''t.." To his words Leo grinned, "As long as they make the first move, I will kill them. That can be counted as self defense, right?" Hiruzen shook his head and left. ... The next day. Naruto groggily woke up. The moment he opened his eyes he was stunned. This wasn''t his room. Suddenly he remembered what had happened yesterday. He quickly got off the bed and ran out. Leo was on the couch drinking tea and Shinobu was in the kitchen preparing breakfast when he ran out. "Good morning, Naruto. Wash your face and teeth first. I put a clean towel and a new toothbrush inside." Shinobu pointed to the bathroom while keeping an eye on the food she was making. Naruto stared blankly at them for a moment before letting out a wide grin. He skipped to the bathroom and quickly washed his face and rinsed his mouth. Naruto turned red from embarrassment. Shinobu just laughed it off and pinched his nose lovingly. Leo smiled all this time. He was really happy to see the kid smiling so heartily. After a satisfying breakfast Shinobu and Leo grabbed Naruto and went to a nearby clothing store. What Naruto wore was old and worn. Both of the chose clothes they thought suited him and had him try it on. In the end they bought everything he tried. Along the way many looked at them curiously. Especially at Leo and Shinobu, they were the perfect partners. But what they didn''t understand was that, why would these two ?ssociate themselves with the demon fox? Though Naruto was a kid he was very perceptive towards others emotions. He understood what everyone was thinking and shrunk behind Leo. The latter saw him hiding in his shadow and said, "Naruto, never let anyone get you down. You don''t owe anyone anything. Lift you head high and live with pride." As he spoke he slightly pushed Naruto to walk beside him. Though he still shrunk back Naruto did show some courage. As they were walking through the streets Leo stopped at a corner and said. "I just saw something I needed. I''ll be right back." Shinobu nodded, "Make sure you pay them generously." Leo grinned and walked away. After turning a corner the smile on his face disappeared. His body flashed and disappeared from sight. Just after his disappearance several figures emerged from the surroundings. They surveyed where Leo had disappeared and found nothing. "Are you looking for me?" Suddenly the men heard Leo''s voice. All of them immediately got on guard. "Your master must be Danzo, this guy doesn''t learn." The men watched as Leo''s figure emerge out of thin air. "Attack." The men immediately moved. Leo shook his head, "Don''t you guys have any intel on me?" As he spoke his "Sword Realm" emerged and covered the attacking men. In an instant nearly a dozen men were slashed to pieces. Only one man, the leader, remained. Leo flashed in front of him and said, "Go and tell your master that I have limited patience. If I ever see one more of you trailing behind my wife and Naruto, I''ll make visit to your wretched base." As he spoke up to hear Leo flicked his finger. The leader thought he had escaped when a mind shocking pain ?ssaulted his mind. Ahhh!!! A heart wrenching scream escaped from his mouth. The noise got the attention of the crowd outside the alley. "Ah! Murder!" Someone yelled out when they saw the bloody scene inside. Soon the area was cordoned off. The village guards quickly informed Hiruzen about the murder. He could only sigh when he heard the report. This strange individual is mysterious and makes him feel dread, as such he couldn''t use force to deal with him. "Clean up the mess and ask Danzo to come meet me." Hiruzen spoke softly while going through the report. A man wearing a mask emerged from the shadows and disappeared in a flash. ... There was this kid who was training alone in the training ground. He was doing weight training. Leo couldn''t sense the faintest amount of Chakra in him. However the kid still persisted through sheer will. ''Interesting kid.'' He watches for a while before leaving. Soon he joined Naruto and Shinobu. They were almost finished with their shopping and was waiting for him. Once they reached home Shinobu sorted out the stuff she bought and placed everything she bought for Naruto inside a room. "From today onwards this will be your room, you can use it for as long as you want." Naruto widened his eyes and asked, "Really?" Shinobu smiled, "Really." Naruto jumped up in excitement and quickly went off to organize his room. Suddenly Shinobu asked something, "What''s the next plan?" Leo stopped laughing. He thought for a moment before saying, "We can''t leave him alone like this." Shinobu nodded, "My thoughts exactly." Leo raised his palm. The air twisted for a split second before the Dragon - Tiger medallion emerged. At the center of it was the Hogyoku which was constantly releasing wisps of spiritual energy. "After we reached this world the recharging speed has slowed down. It will take time more time than we had calculated. So let''s take our time and... Just as he was speaking his expression changes abruptly. He looked at the medallion and focused on the Hogyoku embedded to it with a hint of shock. Crack... The Hogyoku that looked fine till now was starting to show cracks on it''s glossy body! (Grab the rest from WWW.PAT..REON.COM/SONUAMEER. Thank you.) Chapter 355 - 354. Shattered (Grab the rest from WWW.PAT..REON.COM/SONUAMEER. Thank you.) Crack... The Hogyoku started to crack without the slightest sign. Leo panicked. He quickly used his Kekkai techniques to try and stop the cracks.. But it was futile. He could only watch as the Hogyoku crumbled into countless pieces. Damn! Leo clenched his fist angrily. For a second his enormous Haoshoku broke out. The ninjas keeping an eye on his house felt as if their heads were banged by a hammer. All of them rolled their eyes to the back of their head and fell down unconscious. Hiruzen who was going through a few documents also felt the heavy pressure Leo leaked out. His expression changed. What happened?! He quickly rushed out. Just as he got out the heavy pressure spreading everywhere disappeared like a puff of smoke. He didn''t stop moving and quickly reached the street near Leo''s house. When he sensed the ninjas he put in charge of surveillance he frowned. ''Was he dissatisfied?'' Hiruzen didn''t know. Several possibilities ran through his mind. Back inside the house. Leo reigned in his chaotic emotions and looked at the crumbled pieces on the floor with a defeated expression. "Big brother, what happened?" Suddenly he heard Naruto''s voice. Leo quickly adjusted his face and showed a faint smile. "Nothing. I accidentally broke something. It''s alright, you go rearrange your room." Naruto nodded and went back inside. Shinobu sighed slightly and sat beside him. "Why did this happen?" Leo thought for a second and replied, "The Hogyoku doesn''t belong to this world. It cannot alter the rules of this world, as such the energy within it was quickly depleted and... this happened." Shinobu hung her head down in understanding. After a while she raised her head and softly hugged him. "Maybe this is all destined. Now we don''t have to worry about leaving him behind all of a sudden." Hearing her words Leo felt a bit better. He pulled her into his arms and softly embraced her. "You are right. This may all be destined." ... The next day. As usual the trio woke up and had a sumptuous breakfast. Since their return ticket was toasted both of them wanted to find something to pass time. And both of them already had something in mind. Leo decided open a Dojo, and Shinobu was prepared to start a small Medical Practicing Center. And since both of them had enough money they bought the two neighboring house next to them for double the price and started renovations. Unknowingly a week passed by. During this time there was no more eyes staring at them from the dark. This slightly surprised Leo, however he didn''t think much into it since it was a good thing for him. Money works wonders. The only problem was Shinobu''s medical license. If she wanted to start a Medical Practicing Center she needed the approval from the village medical unit. After going in and out of the department for several days and with Hiruzen''s hidden help she finally got a certificate, making her eligible to practice medicine. They found a good day and opened both their business without much commotion. Leo cut the ribbon for Shinobu''s Medical Practicing Center and she cut the ribbon for his Dojo. They only had Naruto as the witness. A few people walking by would look curiously from time to time. They were aware of the new couples living here and knew they bought the two houses next to them. However they didn''t know thy were starting a business. Leo and Shinobu went to their respective businesses and took a seat. Both of them made Naruto their first customer. Shinobu gave him a complete check up and made sure he was perfectly healthy. Time passed by. Soon the day was about to end. However not many came by. After all, it was quite impossible to gather clients if you don''t have the required reputation. Just as they were about to close the doors a woman walked in whole holding a bay girl. The child in her arms looked a bit pale and unhealthy. "Are you closed?" The woman asked softly. Shinobu smiled, "No. Please come in. Let me take a look at her." The woman nodded and stepped inside. Naruto was watching curiously from the side. As the woman passed by she saw Naruto. Surprise flashes through her eyes for a second before disappearing. Shinobu noticed her change and didn''t say anything. Soon her a grown appeared on her face. Seeing this the woman couldn''t help but ask, "Are you now able to help my daughter?" Shinobu shook her head. When the woman saw her shake her head her expression turned into one of sadness. However Shinobu''s next words stunned her. "Not immediately. But I can help her." The woman raised her head abruptly. She looked at Shinobu with doubt, expectation and hope. Seeing her look Shinobu explained, "Your daughter''s illness originates from her genes. She possess incredible talent, with time this talent will start to show itself. But, her body cannot handle such burden. This is the core reason for her pale complexion and weak body." As the woman listened to Shinobu her face changed from doubt to shock, then to hope. Hope for her child. "Please, help her! Money isn''t a problem!" The woman grabbed Shinobu''s hand and pleaded. Shinobu comforted her and said, "Rest ?ssured, I''ll do my best." After saying so she used several needles to pierce the little girls fatal areas. She then proceeded to place her hand over the child. As the woman watched a faint green mist that looked full of vitality started to spill out from Shinobu''s palm. When it touched the needles it disappeared like melting snow. The woman looked incredulously at the scene in front of her. She was truly shocked to her core. (Grab the rest from WWW.PAT..REON.COM/SONUAMEER. Thank you.) Chapter 356 - 355. First Client (Grab the rest from WWW.PAT..REON.COM/SONUAMEER. Thank you.) As a powerful ninja she has seen many incredible sights, however this was a first. She could sense the similarity between the power this woman used and her Chakra. However both these powers were different and couldn''t be measured on the same scale! After five or so minutes Shinobu stopped. By now the little girl looked a bit better, her complexion looked a bit more rosier than before. The woman was exhilarated upon seeing this. "Thank you. Thank you... She kept thanking Shinobu. "It''s alright. I have to do this treatment once every week to obtain maximum results. Come back tomorrow, I''ll prepare a customized prescription for her. Make sure she takes it every day." The woman listened attentively. She was afraid she would miss something important. After speaking a few words Shinobu saw the woman off with a smile. She turned back and saw Naruto counting a stack of money on the counter. "20...50... It was funny to see the kid counting so seriously using his ten fingers. She chuckled and lightly tapped his head, "Let''s close up and go home, Naruto." Naruto raised his head and said, "But, what about the money? There is so much... Shinobu pinched his small nose and said with a smile, "It''s alright. Put it inside, your big sister doesn''t lack this much money." Naruto wasn''t sure what she meant, but he still obediently put the money inside the drawer and locked it. He made sure the drawer was locked several times before stowing away the key inside his pocket. When they reached home they saw Leo already inside drinking tea with snacks. Naruto hopped over and grabbed a few bites. Then he remembered something and quickly went to the cupboard in the hall before placing the keep inside the far corner of it''s drawer. "What''s he doing?" Leo asked curiously. Shinobu sat down beside him and said while smiling, "He is making sure our money is safe." She told him what happened. Leo couldn''t help but smile a bit when he listened to her. Suddenly he thought of something and asked, "What do you think of the little girl?" Hearing him Shinobu replied, "She is human, however she possess a blood factor." Leo was surprised, "Something passed down from her ancestors? Quite interesting." "I know. My curiosity as a researcher is being rekindled again. However the kid is my patient and I can''t step beyond that line." Leo chuckled. Naruto came back after completely his task. Leo rubbed his head, "Good job." "Hehe... Naruto grinned foolishly. Kids were like that, they would get happy at the slightest praise, especially from those they care about. The next day. The woman came by early. This time she along with a middle aged man. The guy looked imposing and had the temperament of a leader. Shinobu welcomed them both inside and went to the medicinal cabinet to get a few bottles. "These drugs was customized according to your daughter''s condition. The treatment I did yesterday would clear out a lot of faults in her body." "But since it''s a sudden approach her body needs to recuperate and strengthen from the inside. These are exactly for that." The man stood up before bowing towards Shinobu as well. "Thank you." He didn''t speak much words, however Shinobu knew his words came from the bottom of his heart. She smiled, "Please don''t be so courteous, she is my patient, it''s my duty." The man nodded. "Forgive me for the introductions, my name is Kurama ... and this my wife..... Shinobu smiled, "Good to meet you. My name is Kocho Shinobu." After some pleasant talk they were about to leave when Shinobu spoke. "If I may, can I make a suggestion." "Please." Kurama ... nodded. Shinobu pointed to the Dojo next door and said, "That''s my husband''s dojo, if you trust me you can enroll your daughter there. He is an excellent swordsman and a great teacher. It would be beneficial for your daughter to be under his guidance." Kurama ... hesitated when he heard her. When he was hesitating his wife tugged the corner of his shirt and gestured with her eyes. Even then he didn''t immediately agree. After thinking for a few moments he made a decision. "Thank you for your suggestion, I''ll come back with my daughter tomorrow." Shinobu smiled and nodded. Once they were gone she headed to the Dojo and saw Leo teaching Naruto a few stances. Leo had already seen her coming and just nodded. After ten to so minutes Leo came back and asked, "What happened?" Shinobu curled her lips into a smile, "I got you a new student." Leo raised an eyebrow in confusion, however he quickly thought of something, "Is it that child you mentioned yesterday?" Shinobu nodded, "Yes. Her father will bring her here tomorrow." Leo nodded. Shinobu suddenly grinned, "How are you going to thank me. I got you your first student." Leo replied, "That''s Naruto." "You know what I''m talking about." Leo stared at her and leaned forward. He whispered something in her ear. After a few seconds Shinobu''s fave turned red, even her ears turned red like a tomato. Leo smiled smugly. At the moment Naruto rushed over, "Big brother, I did the... whatever you showed me. Huh? Why is big sister so red?" Shinobu broke out from her embarrassment and glared at Leo. The latter simply shrugged and laughed. "Naruto, tomorrow you are going to get a fellow student. As my dojo''s first student, make sure you take care of your junior well." Leo tapped the boy''s head and said. Naruto was in a daze, "Junior... Then he suddenly woke up and yelled excitedly, "Um! I''ll take care of my junior!" Seeing the boy''s enthusiasm the two of them laughed happily. (Grab the rest from WWW.PAT..REON.COM/SONUAMEER. Thank you.)