MARINES - A ONE PIECE story (ENGLISH) - Part I

CHAPTER XCVII - The missionaries' visit

From the deck of the Seagull, Arthur was watching the Ziz drifting away into the sky. Already, its shiny golden hull was beginning to disappear into the white sea of clouds. Everyone had hurried back to their posts : Haru was teaching Lola to look out in the crow's nest, Jorge was at the helm, Jun was preparing the meal in the kitchen, and Zell was resting in preparation for his night watch. Twilight was already falling and the vice-admiral wanted them to be back at the headquarters before dawn.

As Arthur was dreamily gazing at the sky, his mentor approached him. His clear, wise eyes rested on the yellowed parchment he held in his large, gruff hands. Jane's quill had drawn a large J on it, the calligraphic finesse of which left Myr dreaming.

- I wasn't sure she would accept, but it looks like the Warlords order finally has a new member...

A thoughtful smile appeared on his face.

- Could have been worst...

- Do you think we can trust her ? Arthur asked him, gently caressing the head of little Peck, nestled against his neck.

Myr shrugged his shoulders with a weary gesture.

- Who knows ? I've never had the slightest respect for those scum who put themselves at the mercy of the Government without denying their pirate past. But this kid is powerful, clever... curious too, maybe a little too much.

Arthur questioned him with his eyes.

- I don't think she's dangerous, Myr explained, but her curiosity and her willingness to travel the world will quickly worry the Government. There are a lot of things the Elders want to keep hidden... If she goes too far, they won't hesitate and revoke her title.

Arthur, thoughtful, was looking at the wind that was making the waves dance. It was impossible for him not to think of Jane and her powers.

- Vice-admiral, I've always wanted to ask you... I know the only way to deal with a Logia is to find its specific weak point or to master the armament haki, but... how do we know if it has awakened in us ?

Myr looked at his student with attention. Arthur was so gifted he wanted to go too fast and was sometimes missing steps, but the vice-admiral remembered with pride the fight that had pitted his student against Hana in the tournament finals a few weeks earlier. If what all the high-ranking officers had perceived was indeed an innate and overpowering haki, it was not impossible that this young soldier had already mastered the other forms of this ability. With the right mentor and training, he would be an unrivaled fighter.

- Hard to say, Myr replied hesitantly. It's a feeling, deep inside you, that I can't describe with words. I am not a literary man, you know... What makes you think you have awaken it ?

Arthur stared at the horizon to concentrate. Images of his duel in the catacombs came back to him in bits and pieces.

- Nephila's exoskeleton was extremely strong, so much that even my blade had trouble penetrating it. As she took over, I thought of Jorge and his Iron Body and the strength it gave him. With that kind of power, the body becomes as hard as steel, so I thought maybe if I used it offensively, I could break through her defenses.

- Ingenious ! nodded Myr, full of admiration for his young student. Few people use the Iron Body technique offensively, as this approach requires superhuman powers of concentration.

- Precisely, Arthur continued. As I tried again and again, my fist began to vibrate with a strange energy... I felt as if all my strength was concentrated in this precise point of my body.

- And did it work ?

- Yes, it did. My blows managed to pierce the resistance of Nephila's exoskeleton, I felt like I was fighting against a mere doll...