Chapter 124

"What are you doing here, Azure Ken?"

"Calm down. I didn't know that you were here. I just sensed someone strong and got interested. So take your sword back, Dracule Mihawk."

He looked at me for a couple of seconds before taking back his sword, but he still kept his guard up, ready to attack or defend at any time.

"So this is where the strongest swordsman in the world is hiding. Kinda pathetic, but you seem like the kind of guy that likes to be left alone."

"And whose fault is that?"

"I see, you're smarter than I thought. Well, you know that it would have happened sooner or later."

"I don't care anyway, so just leave me alone."

He turned around and was about to walk back into his home when Mura and I walked past him before he could stop us. I could hear an audible sigh from him. We walked into his hideout, and I was surprised by how big it was. 5 people could live here comfortably, and he is living here alone. He must have got this made when he was still a Warlord.

I said down on the biggest chair, and Mura stood beside me. Mihawk looked annoyed, but he picked up a book from his bookcase and sat down to read it.

'He isn't a talker, huh.'

"Shanks has told me that the two of you are rivals and that the two of you fight a lot. Apparently, you've never won."

He kept quiet. Not even a trace of anger or anything like that could be seen on his face.

"But even then, it's amazing to be a Yonko's rival. Too bad that your title as the strongest swordsman in the world is fake."

"Sigh. Only an idiot would take him seriously."

"So you're saying that you've beaten him before?"

"I've never lost in a swordfight ever since I've gotten my title as the strongest swordsman in the world."

"As I thought, you're amazing. So how about you join my crew."

"No."

"Ouch, that was fast. Why not? If you join me, it would be even better than being a Warlord."

"I'm a solo pirate."

"What would it take to have you join."

"Even if you made me Captain, I wouldn't accept."

'Tsk, a real lone wolf.'

"Then I'll treat you as a pirate crew. Become part of my fleet."

"Like the Snake Princess did? No, thank you."

I could sense killing intent coming from Mura. I put my hand up, and she immediately stopped.

"Then why did you become a Warlord? Isn't this the same thing?"

"Because they have the power to back up their claims. Unlike you whose power I don't know anything about. Everything you did against the marines was by using your head. But I don't know much about your actual power. Unless you're at Yonko level, I won't even consider it."

I stood up.

"I see, then just come and find me after you've seen enough."

I started walking away, and Mura followed me.

"You should tell the Snake Princess to be careful. She'll soon be a dead snake."

I smiled.

"Worried about your former colleague?"

"The enemy of my enemy is my ticket to peace."

"Sigh, goodbye Hawkeye. I hope to see you as an ally one day."

Mura and I walked out of his hideout and back into the snowstorm.

"Why did you stop me, Captain?"

"Because he'd kill you."

"But still…"

"Forget it. I don't need anyone on my crew that doesn't want to be there. Let's quickly go back to the rest. And forget about what happened here. If someone asks you, just say that we went to explore the island and found nothing."

"Yes, sir."

We disappeared.

[5 minutes later]

We arrived back at the building, and we saw something stupid. The building was utterly destroyed, and Ace, Robert, Paulie, Brook, Urouge, Perona, and the triplets were unconscious on the ground. While the rest are surrounded by dead bodies of soldiers. Sabo is strangeling the Elder.

"Sigh, to think almost half of us would actually fall for this shit. Sabo, let the old bastard go."

He let him go, and the old bastard fell on his behind. The ground suddenly started shaking, and I looked at him.

"Start explaining. If you lie, I'll kill you."

He was heavily trembling.

"I, I'm really sorry, sir! We lied about not knowing you. We were so inviting because we wanted to take your bounties. If we had just one bounty, we could live well for the rest of our life!"

The ground started trembling even more, and the old bastard got smashed into the ground and lost his consciousness. I smashed his head into little pieces without blinking. I looked at Robert and Deuce.

"Robert, take us back to the ship, and Deuce, find a way to wake those idiots up."

"Yes, sir!" x2

"KEN!"

I turned around and looked at the brat that tried to kill me twice. He just glared at me and didn't rush towards me. As I'm slowly sinking into the shadow portal, I looked at him and smiled.

"It seems like you've matured a little and realized that you're weak. You looked to be close to the old man. I wonder if you'll become strong enough to take revenge for him or also end up smashed under my foot."

He just kept glaring at me as I disappeared into the shadow portal. The next second I found myself back on the ship with everyone that didn't fall for the poisoned drink, except for Deuce, who got sent to his office with the idiots.

"Why did you make yourself look like the bad guy? Except for the Elder and the 30 soldiers we killed, no one knew about the poison. You could have just explained yourself." said Sabo

"Two reasons. One, they'll never trust pirates. And two, I saw that the boy had potential."

"I expected nothing less from Captain. You were worried that there would be no one who would be able to beat you, so you've given the boy a reason to want to kill you with everything he has. He'll probably join the marines and rise the ranks till he is worthy to face you." said Laffitte

"Isn't that how a hero is born? The villain kills everyone he is close to and leaves the Hero alive, who will end up killing him in the future." said Robin

"Calling me a villain hurts, but how can I call myself the best if I'm scared of a 'hero'?"

"To me, it looked more like you felt bad for him. It was written all over your face." said Jinbe

"Tsk, are you drunk or something, uncle?"

"So that's why I was confused when I sensed your feelings and compared that to what you said. I knew that Captain was a nice guy." said Tani

"Of course, Captain is the best! After all, he gave almost all of us the opportunity to make our lives better. None of us would be here if it weren't for Captain." said Akari

"I'm sorry, Ken. I shouldn't have called you that." said Robin while bowing

"Ey, ey, stop this disgusting shit!"

"It's definitely true that Captain changed my life and that I would have probably been dead or in prison without him." said Laffitte

I smiled.

'It feels good to know that my crew actually cares about me. But I can't show any weakness!'

"If you bastards don't fuck off, I'll show you how much of a villain I am."

They immediately ran away while smiling.

"Please spare us, Captain! Hahahaha!"

They started laughing.

'These lovely bastards.'

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"I can't come alone and I don't want to come here alone. I, unlike you guys, am not alone! Soon, the rest of my Nakama will come here!"

- Monkey D. Luffy (One Piece)

"I have Nakama who are not strong. But I still want them to be with me! So I have to be stronger than anybody else or I'll lose them all!

- Monkey D. Luffy (One Piece)

"This is someone that I must meet again. And until that day… not even Death itself can take my life away!"

- Roronoa Zoro (One Piece)