World Most Darkest Man (One Piece) (Hiatus)

10

Before they reached to the dock, Shanks feel something from the certain island.

He slowly let out his Haki to reached out and almost stumbled but regain himself as he felt something he've never felt before.

An eerie sound with a strange humming and a slight of dark emptiness as if it doesn't have emotions. But oddly enough, it's very powerful - much powerful than him - and not very humanlike.

Shanks now know there's a very powerful presence but here in East Blue? The weakest sea of all blues? This is something he need to find who and why.

Usually those powerhouses are normally from Grand Line or even the New World but this is different.

This is something he's looking forward.

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"Aniki! Aniki!"

Luffy turn around, just in time for Ace tackled him and wrapped his arms around him as the boy cuddle a little. Behind him is a blond kid who's staring at the man before him.

'That's him,' Sabo thoughts silently with wide eyed. A man is now kneeling down, cuddle back with nose rubbed against the boy's and the same eyes held blank, soft and kind.

He would never forget those eyes.

"Welcome back Ace," the same voice spoke with quiet and tender. "I didn't expected you to be back so soon."

Meaning the boy usually came back by the afternoon and Luffy was hoping to finish the book before him.

Ace pull back, brought his arm to rub the back of his head. "I want you to meet my friend!" He said.

"Oh?"

Luffy looked up and doesn't surprised to see a familiar blond kid with black top hat and goggles after felt two presences approaching him.

Noticing how nervous the boy is, he sent him a smile eyes for confort which Sabo blushed and looked down shyly, unused to this.

"Don't be afraid," Luffy waved his hand, gestured him to come closer.

Nervous but excitiment, he slowly walked toward them till he's in front of them and sent him a small polite yet shy smile.

"H-Hello, I'm Sabo," he introduced himself, taking a bow. "Nice to meet you." Luffy nodded as greeting, curve his eyes into smiled.

"I'm Luffy, nice to meet you as well."

Sabo hesitated. "...It's been awhile."

The man nods. "That it is."

Ace spin his head to stare at him with wide eyes. "Sabo, you know aniki?" He asked curious yet bit suspicious.

"I only met him once," he answers.

Luffy feel his lips twitched at his brother's stiff form. He knew that Ace is a bit protective of him but this is a little much.

Then a loud growls coming from their stomachs making the boys blushed with embarassed.

Luffy hummed silently, pat the black wavy hair and stood up. "You two must be hungry," he spoke. "Come along, I will take you two to the bar."

Ace grinned, take his hand and tug his friend's coat to come along which he stumbles but caught himself as he went along, mentally thanked for his own stomach.

He may have met Ace few hours earlier in the forest but something tells him that his life is safe. For now.

Once the group of three reached to their destination, they went inside the bar and made it to the front where the boys take their seats on the stools.

"Where's Makino?" Ace asked.

"She's running on groceries since the vegetables are low so I will taking her place temporarily." Luffy answered, walked around while tied his hair into small ponytail. "So, what can I do for you?"

"The usual!" Ace grins and Sabo shyly nodded. "Coming right up," Luffy then walked to the kitchen leaving the boys behind.

Ace remember something, swing his bag on front, unzip it and pull out a dark blue book. "Hey Sabo, check it out!" Sabo titled his head and stared curiously. "What?"

"This is aniki's journal about his journey." Sabo looked interested, scoot closer and found himself read with him after one or two pages.

Few minutes passed, the boys are intriguing at the adventures the man has been through and chatting a bit before Luffy walked out from the kitchen, balancing the dishes on his arms and on top of his head.

"Order up," he carefully yet effortlessly placed them on the counter, his eyes glinted with amused after seeing Ace drooling and Sabo poorly wiping the saliva from his mouth. "I also tried a new recipe I came up with and hopefully with your excellent taste, I will get a high score."

With a slight tease, they immediately dig in and moaned at the taste. "So good!" Ace said in his mouth full, cheeks puffed like a squirrel. Sabo nodded and holding a meat.

"I am glad you two liked it," Luffy patted their heads, politely ignoring how stiffened the blond one is before relaxed and pull his hands away.

He suspected that Sabo is not used to these affectionate gestures since he's used to be a noble. He simply brushed it off since he know the boy will tell them eventually.

"Luffy!"

He looked up to see Makino running toward the bar, holding the brown paper bag and the troubled expression.

"What is it Makino-san?"

"Pirates! Pirates are coming!"

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Sabo just hopped down, walked closely to Luffy and his friend as they walked outside to see bunch of crowds gathering around the docks.

What draw his attention was the ship.

A pirate ship.

Showing the awed and amazed glints in both boys' eyes, they noticed a lone red hair is standing out among the crowd.

He could hear Luffy hummed, also caught the sight of the hair and seems to be recognized him. "Do you know him?" He couldn't help but asked and blushed at the sudden attention from the man with those blank green eyes.

"Only rumors," he grunts. "That man is Red Haired Shanks, emperor of the sea." Sabo looked completely awed after hearing this and Ace only frowned, gripped the pants tightly.

As commotion come to an end, the crowd stepped back to make a path, letting the pirates walked passed them and walked toward the bar.

Shanks glanced at the masked man and immediately recognized the eerie presence coming from him with two boys hiding behind his legs.

Green toxic eyes locked with his before broke away and distance from each others, silently fascinating at the sheer powerful force coming out from him.

Luffy feel his lips twitch, knowing that he has overpowered him and walked toward the bar with two boys stick closely to him.

Looks like that trip will have to wait.