Chapter 13 Strange Pirate group

" Aokiji? Another Admiral?" It seems like my freedom has been greatly restricted. However, what can I do? Without proving myself or becoming stronger than an admiral, there is not much I can do at the moment. 

" This is great. I feel like since I have been coming into this land, my strength has been stagnant. If I follow you, I will be facing much stronger pirates, am I right?" 

The two chuckled, Aokiji smiled as he looked at Garp and rubbed his chin, " You sure picked up a strong one this time Garp. Also as expected of you." 

Garp stepped forwards as he continued to grin like a happy child and unlocked the cell and the cuffs around my arms and legs. 

Once the cuffs around my body was released, I finally felt free again as I felt power return to my body. I followed them closely as I tried to hold my excitement in, finally able to go outside. 

Once I stepped one foot outside, I immediately flew to the sky. I spread out my wings as I embraced the full energy of the sun. I can finally move around. I can finally feel the power in my body and around me. 

I spread out my large wings as I opened up my arms as I continue to feel the sun on my face. 

I then calmed the excitement as I flew back down and looked towards the two and the surrounding marines, " It's good to be out... but... I... I won't be going back. No matter what." 

Hearing the underlying threat, the surrounding marines took steps back as they brought their weapons out, ready to attack. 

However, Garp and Aokiji simply smiled as they saw my reaction. Garp once again laughed and said, " Yeah, boy. I could imagine how someone like you would feel to be imprisoned so long. Even I would feel like I've gone crazy. As long as you don't attack another celestial dragon, I would do everything I can to keep you going back in that cell." 

Aokiji laughed as he saw my actions. He looked towards me and said, " Let's go, we have much to do." 

We reached towards the shore when we reached a small bike. 

I looked at him questioningly, " Where's the ship?" 

Aokiji laughed and said, " Ship? Besides orders from Fleet admiral Sengoku, I and most admirals have free rein. Besides fighting against the four emperors, we can do whatever we want." 

I smiled at the idea of being an admiral. " So, what will we be doing?" 

Aokiji rubbed his chin as if he was thinking. Then rubbed his head as if he was too tired to think, " Hmm well, nothing for now. I'm sure things would come along then way once we just traveled the sea. You're fine with flying long distances correct?" 

I became a bit speechless at his words and action. He is an admiral right? One of the strongest people in this world? " hmm, I'm okay with flying long distances. Flying for months would be no problem for me." 

Aokiji, " Good, let's go then." 

He began to ride his bike. I was wondering how he plans to ride a bike on the sea. I mean, the sea negates our devil fruit powers right? 

But just when he reached the sea, the path that the bike treaded on was frozen, allowing the bike to move unhindered. 

" Ice? Is that a logia ability?" 

Aokiji, " That's correct young man. I ate the ice-ice devil fruit, giving me the ability to turn my body into that of an ice." 

Ice huh, one could freeze anyone who touches this man. Since Ice possess more of a solid nature, I won't be able to negate his powers and damage him. 

" Aokiji. My powers allow me to do all sorts of things. But I've already feel like I've reached a limit for the current me. Do you have any ways for me to advance?" 

Aokiji continued to bike on the sea as I flew at his side, " Hmm have you heard of haki? Oh wait, from where you are from, it is called mantra." 

" Mantra? Yeah, I've mastered the basics of mantra. My father said that there was a more advance form of Mantra that allows you more than to just read your opponents." 

Aokiji smiled as he said, " Yes, that's correct. It seems like your father taught you only one form of Mantra or haki as we call it here. There are mainly two forms of haki. Observation haki which gives you the sixth sense to read your opponents strength and lifeforms given your area. But, there is another form that strengthens you and gives you the ability to hurt any kind of logia or special paramecia ability. The advance form would be to slightly tell the future. But I feel that you are not ready for that just yet. The second form of haki is called armament haki. Think of it like coating yourself in armor. It can also allow you to hurt and damage those who gain the ability that is untouchable to ordinary weapons materials." 

" So, admiral Aokiji, will you be teaching me this form?" 

Aokiji rubbed his head, " Yes, why not. But first I want to learn more about your strength. Once I find your strength strong enough, I will teach you." 

" My strength? Even though I am strong enough to fight a vice admiral?"

Aokiji, " indeed you are strong. But that is only when you are enhanced by your devil fruit correct? We will first strengthen your base strength. Then with that, once you are enhanced by your devil fruit, then you will become even stronger. Though you beat a vice-admiral. There is a big difference between him and other vice admirals. The pirate Portgas D. Ace is also able to fight such the vice-admiral and he was just an upstart pirate who has not seen the strong in the world just yet." 

" I understand." 

Like this, we continued to travel through the seas for a week. Nothing but flying and traveling together. He was never one to talk too much but I learned a lot more about this world. The kind of powers that existed and threats that exists. 

However, that was all that we did. Just endlessly traveling. It seems like we were traveling randomly as if we had no direction of where to go. 

I was beginning to grow frustrated at the thought of not fighting or training but then a news bird fell into Aokiji's lap. 

We stopped in our tracks for awhile before reading the newspaper. 

Aokiji looked and read the papers curiously before he put it down and changed directions. 

" Admiral Aokiji, where are we going now?" 

Aokiji, " Hmm, I'm going to go wait for a certain pirate group that I want to check out." 

" Hmm a pirate group that you want to check out specifically? Must be a pretty strong group." 

Aokiji, " Hmm. At their current level they are nowhere near my level let alone yours. Well... you will find out once you meet them, or their captain persay." 

Curiosity and excitement started to rise as I was finally able to do something. 

After traveling for another few days, we reached a small unhabituated island. There were only small animals and critters on this little island. Too small to hold any kind of human civilization. On this small island, I also noticed a group of people, both adults and children alike were hiding in the woods. It seems like they were too wary of us. I haven't received my navy uniform yet as I was still in casual clothing and was still in a probationary status. Aokiji also didn't wear the traditional navy uniform. 

" Aokiji is this the place? I sense a group of people nearby, it seems like they are stranded. Shouldn't we help them?"

Aokiji rubbed his head once again as if thinking. " Hmm looks like we are a little earlier than I expected. But oh well. We can rest here while we wait. About those people... it seems like they are cautious of us, well once they are ready, they should be brave enough to come and ask us for help." 

Nodding in understanding. I sat down as I meditated. I thought about how I can raise my strength. The current flaw in my strength will be bringing out the instantaneous strength of amplifying my power by 25 at 25 was still my current limit. Anymore, it will cause a backlash on my body. 

I've noticed that I still had to 'charge' up per say that takes a short time to gather. Using small amount of energy to form it didn't take up much time thanks to my training since I received the devil fruit powers. 

I started to train in my own ways the next few days as I continue to cause rise in amplifying my abilities. Rising from one power to the next. 

I looked towards Aokiji as he was sleeping standing up. He has slept for these past few days in this position which was quite confusing in my opinion. How could someone sleep like this, doesn't this defeat the whole purpose of the term resting? Shouldn't resting be in a position that allowed the body to be in a resting position where they consume the least energy? 

Well to each their own, I guess. 

During my training, I sensed a group of people coming to the shoreline of this small island. I noticed that on this ship, there was a flag on it with a skull and a straw hat on top of the skull's head, it was then that I noticed that it was a pirate group, since only they dared to used this kind of flag. Since I noticed them, I'm sure Aokiji also noticed them. I sat down as I rested my body, next to Aokiji who was still sleeping while standing. 

Soon I 'watched' as this small group of pirates dock their ships and walk out ready to explore a new island. However, as I watched this pirate group, I sensed no form or feeling of animosity or bad energy that I would feel from most pirate groups that I have faced before. They walked closer and closer to the center of island. It seems like that wanted to restock some of their supplies for their ship. 

They were quite a loud group that seems like a group of kids playing around and not the insidious pirates that causes harm and chaos to innocent people.

They soon reached the center of the island where me and Aokiji was waiting. The group was a small raccoon like animal, a woman in purple and black hair, another wearing casual clothing with orange hair. Three young men, one with weird green hair, carrying three swords, and another man with blond hair wearing some kind of cheap black suit. Another young man wearing light clothing and had curly hair. The last one but loudest of them all was a young man wearing a straw hat, judging from the similarities in his characteristics and the pirate flag, he seems to be the captain, but to me, he looked like a complete idiot. More childlike than the others. 

They small raccoon animal seems to be able to talk which caused me to be quite curious, as I have never seen a talking animal before. He bumped into the sleeping Aokiji as Aokiji finally woken up from him sleep and looked at one particular woman in particular. 

Aokiji " Ara Ara, look who we have here. It seems like you have grown into quite a beautiful woman. Nico Robin."