Chapter 2 - This Won’t End Easily

Crossing into the World of One Piece should have been an exciting adventure.

Gawain knew the world's lore and history like the back of his hand, and on top of that, he now possessed the rare identity of a Celestial Dragon. He should have been enjoying the beautiful landscapes, chasing after extraordinary powers that were mere fantasies in his original life, and meeting exotic beings like mermaids and the Mink Tribe.

But the first person he encountered in this world had been killed right before his eyes.

The death of the mermaid left a bitter taste in his mouth. Her final smile haunted him—it wasn't just regret, but something deeper, a grim satisfaction in death. Gawain's upbringing made him despise senseless slaughter, and that disdain welled up inside him now, festering like an unseen wound.

His heart began to race, and he felt the blood surging in his veins. Ahead of him, fate beckoned—encounters, people, danger, and death lay waiting to test his resolve. But fear had no place in his heart. No, Gawain wouldn't falter. The more determined he became, the stronger the pressure inside him grew, as if something deep within was struggling to break free.

Though his mind remained calm, a vein bulged on his temple, and his breathing became heavy. He watched as the mermaid's pupils dilated, the spark of life extinguishing before him. His breath came out in ragged gasps. Slowly, he bent down, intending to close the mermaid's eyes.

But just as he leaned forward, a sudden explosive noise rang out in his ears.

Before the sound had fully registered, a figure appeared in front of him, faster than the speed of sound.

"Lord Gawain!"

The man before him wore a black suit, his bright red mohawk contrasting sharply with two jagged scars on his face, giving him a ruthless and dangerous appearance. Yet, despite his intimidating look, he knelt before Gawain with the utmost deference, his head bowed low.

"I have failed in my duty to protect you," the man stammered in a trembling voice. "To think that such a filthy and ignorant fish-woman would dare touch, even harm, your noble self! Please, Lord Gawain, punish me severely!"

His face was a mixture of fear and fury—fear of Gawain's wrath, and fury toward the dead mermaid. As his gaze drifted toward her lifeless form, a flash of rage flickered across his expression.

Noticing that Gawain had begun to lean toward the mermaid's body, the man shot up in alarm, positioning himself between Gawain and the corpse.

"Lord Gawain, I understand your anger, but your exalted status makes it unworthy of you to sully your hands on such wretched scum!" he pleaded, desperation lacing his voice.

Without waiting for permission, the man kicked the mermaid's lifeless body away with terrifying speed. His movements were so fast that he seemed to step on air, his foot slicing through the air at supersonic speed.

Before Gawain could even blink, the mermaid's body was sent flying across the sky, a distant arc tracing her path. As the man's shout echoed, he barked at the soldiers nearby:

"Guards! Retrieve that filthy slave's body and make sure it's destroyed—burn it to ash! That filth must not pollute the sight of our esteemed lord!"

"Yes, sir!" the armored soldiers responded instantly, rushing to carry out the order.

"Stop!" Gawain's sharp voice cut through the chaos.

The command halted everyone in their tracks. But the mermaid's lifeless body had already been flung high into the air, sailing toward the distant forest.

Gawain's face hardened. His voice turned cold, a reflection of the fire building within him. "Bring her back. Now."

The black-suited man froze in place, realizing his grave mistake—he had acted presumptuously. In his eagerness to please, he had kicked the mermaid away, unaware that Gawain had other intentions.

"Yes… of course, Lord Gawain!" the man stammered, panic in his voice. His body reacted on instinct, leaping into the air and sprinting across the sky, his feet tapping against the air with each step.

In the blink of an eye, the man reached the mermaid's falling body and caught her before she hit the ground. In the next moment, he returned, kneeling before Gawain, holding the lifeless mermaid with utmost care.

The delay between the man's actions and the explosive sounds of his movement only emphasized how fast he had been. Gawain's expression remained impassive, though his heart pounded fiercely in his chest.

He gazed at the lifeless mermaid—her once-beautiful form now marred by violence—and then at the silent soldiers and slaves surrounding him, their heads bowed in fear.

A chilling calm settled over Gawain as the anger inside him burned hotter. This world, with its cruelty and power, was too real. And he was determined to confront it.

"That was Geppo, wasn't it?" Gawain asked quietly, referring to the man's ability to walk on air.

"Yes, my lord," the man responded nervously. "As a member of the CP organization, it is our duty to master the Rokushiki techniques to serve and protect the Celestial Dragons."

Gawain closed his eyes and took a deep breath. The scent of blood, the rush of power—it all confirmed the reality of this world.

He opened his eyes and placed a firm hand on the man's shoulder.

"Tell me your name," Gawain commanded.

"My… my name is Wott, my lord!"

"Wott, huh?" Gawain muttered, pressing harder on the man's shoulder.

The pressure made Wott tremble uncontrollably, as if a massive storm cloud was hanging over him. Though Gawain was only 183 centimeters tall, in Wott's eyes, he seemed to tower like a colossus, surrounded by thunderous clouds of authority.

Wott dared not look directly at Gawain, lowering his head even further.

"Remember this," Gawain said slowly, his voice heavy with warning.

"Never make decisions for me again."

"Yes… y-yes, my lord! I understand!" Wott stammered, his entire body shaking with fear.

But Gawain wasn't finished. With another firm pat on Wott's shoulder, he continued:

"As my guard, you let me get injured—that was negligence. And then, you made a decision on my behalf—that was disrespect. Take the mermaid's body and see to it that she is properly handled. Then leave Mariejois."

Gawain's voice dropped to a low, cold whisper.

"I don't want to see you again."

Wott's face paled, but before he could respond, another voice rang out from the distance, urgent and breathless.

"Wait! Damn it, stop right there!"

Gawain turned toward the voice, his expression icy.

Through the sea of kneeling figures, a silhouette sprinted toward him, kicking up dust in their wake.

While running, the man continued to shout, "Don't hurt that poor mermaid! Everyone, stop! Stop! Damn it, Charlos, you... you...?"

As he spoke, he gasped for breath, coming to a halt right in front of Gawain. His face was a mixture of shock and regret as he looked at the mermaid's lifeless body held aloft by CP members.

"Damn it! I'm too late! Who did this?"

Furious, he dashed forward and dropped to his knees in front of the mermaid's body.

"Mjosgard?!"

Seeing the person kneeling before him, Wott, who was already terrified, nearly jumped in fright. But before he could react, Mjosgard had snatched the mermaid from his arms.

"I'm sorry, Princess Otohime! Damn it, I'm late! I couldn't save your kin!!!"

Holding the mermaid's body tightly, Mjosgard's grief was palpable. As he used the pristine sleeve of his attire to wipe away the blood on the mermaid's face, he continued sorrowfully, "She belongs to me now. I will return her to Fish-Man Island and personally apologize to the late Princess Otohime's husband!"

With that, Mjosgard rose, cradling the mermaid's body, and began to walk away, a sense of loneliness hanging over him.

As he passed by Gawain, Mjosgard suddenly looked up and met Gawain's gaze.

"Gawain!"

He exclaimed. "You... you didn't do this, did you? It was Charlos, right? I don't remember you ever being like them, casually taking lives. I hope it wasn't you!"

Without waiting for an answer, Mjosgard rushed away, not wanting to hear the words he feared Gawain might hurl at him—words he had heard directed at him by other Celestial Dragons when he tried to encourage kindness among them.

But to his surprise, instead of cursing, Gawain let out a soft sigh.

"Mjosgard, your arrival has finally given me a bit of recognition for my identity as a Celestial Dragon."

"What?"

Mjosgardexclaimed in astonishment, quickly turning to face Gawain.

Meeting Mjosgard's hopeful gaze, Gawain nodded slightly.

Suppressing the increasingly restless force within him, Gawain stepped closer to the nervous yet excited Mjosgard and spoke softly.

"This mermaid looks to be only in her teens; she should have lived much longer. Such a pity…"

With that, Gawain gently patted Mjosgard on the shoulder.

"I will visit your home later to discuss the matter of returning the mermaid's body. I'd like to accompany you. But first, I have something I need to do!"

Releasing Mjosgard's shoulder, Gawain turned to glare at the wide-eyed Charlos in the distance.

In that moment, Gawain pondered deeply. As a Celestial Dragon, what should he do now?

Should he remain calm, so calm that he wouldn't react even when injured by another Celestial Dragon's slave?

No, that wasn't the choice a Celestial Dragon would make!

At the very least, he should give Charlos a beating!

If he didn't express anger and let loose at this moment, it would be the greatest injustice!

His gaze turned increasingly dangerous.

In between Gawain and Charlos, CP member Wott hurriedly fled, not wanting to be caught in Gawain's line of sight again.

That would surely mean death!

And Charlos?

Under Gawain's cold stare, he was so nervous he didn't know where to place his fingers.

"G-Gawain, you don't… you wouldn't believe that old fool Mjosgard, would you? We are Celestial Dragons! That damned mermaid is just a slave, and we…"

"Shut up," Gawain interrupted sharply. "Who is 'we' with you?"

With a dark expression, Gawain stepped forward, speaking softly.

"Since you don't accept my accusations of murder, I'll speak to you in a way you can understand!"

With that, Gawain approached Charlos, grabbing him by the collar.

Looking at Charlos' snotty, foolish face, Gawain pulled him close, scolding in a low, ominous tone, "You know how noble the identity of a Celestial Dragon is. So let me tell you—my injuries and everything that has happened so far have made me extremely displeased. Charlor, I really want to beat you up! Who told Oda to draw you so disgustingly!!!"