(Here's a extra chapter, thanks for sticking with me! :>)
"Still as dependable as ever."
Click.
Ozz hung up the line. A small smile lingered. He could not explain it, but Mihawk's word always settled something in him. If the Hawk said the sea would not fall into chaos, then while Ozz was gone, it truly would not. At the very least, nothing would go wrong on Ozz's turf.
That is the charm of a reliable right hand.
He called Crocodile, Sami, Enel, Donquixote Doflamingo, Gild Tesoro, and the underworld bosses one by one. The official story was simple. He would be on vacation for a year or two. If anything came up, find Mihawk. Aside from a few like Little Croc, he did not tell anyone the truth. None of them were what you would call strictly honest.
They needed the illusion that Ozz's eyes were always on them. Not that he expected any of them to dare rebel while he was gone.
"Seagull King, spend this stretch of time training on the open sea."
He stroked the bird's head and let it go. With flight, control over wind, and both shades of Haki, nothing short of disaster could catch the Seagull King. Real growth comes from real fights.
The big bird looked back three times, then dwindled to a speck over the water. Ozz watched it go, then slipped out of sight and reappeared in Vegapunk's lab.
"I am ready. Start it up."
"Set the coordinates for one year before God Valley."
His excitement made his shoulders tremble, which made Vegapunk nervous. Tongue peeking out, the scientist tuned the device and offered a final warning.
"You are really choosing that dangerous an era. Very well. Be careful. If you die there, it is a true death. And once we fire this up, it will be at least ten years before the instrument can be used again."
Ozz nodded with a grin. He did not take it to heart.
"Fine, fine. I got it."
If he wanted to run in this world, even meeting Rocks in the past would not be a death sentence. Not for him.
Resigned, Vegapunk activated the machine. Color washed over Ozz from head to toe.
This feeling.
Ozz's eyes flickered.
He had felt it before, in Wano. He had watched Lady Toki send Momonosuke and the others forward. The sensation now was nearly the same.
"The power of time really is something."
He vanished before he could finish the thought.
…
"Hey. Gick. Quit dragging your feet. We are casting off."
"Coming."
Sea Circle Calendar 1483.
God Valley was still a year away. Rocks was still the terror of the seas.
This year the Roger Pirates reached Sabaody's Star Lily Isle and learned it was not the end.
"The Log Pose is completely scrambled. I am convinced this is not the final island."
On a fog-bound shore, Roger's face was unusually grave as he checked the needles on his wrist.
"Of course it is not. The true last island only shows itself to those who can read the Poneglyphs."
"Who is there."
"Enemy."
The voice out of nowhere made the crew stiffen. Swords slid free. Roger drew his saber Ace. Haki skated along the blade. He flashed that trademark grin and scanned the mist.
"Could not sense a thing. It is like he appeared out of thin air."
"Long time no see, Roger."
A tall figure stepped from the white. Black cloak. Dark red suit. Eyes burning the color of fresh blood. Ozz almost said captain.
He was taller than Roger now. Roger was young, scruff on his chin, and at certain angles you could see entire pieces of Ace in his face.
"Long time no see. I do not remember meeting you."
Roger laughed. Something about the man tugged at his memory.
Deja vu.
Ozz barely glanced at the drawn weapons around him. His eyes itched instead.
It really had been a long time, all of you.
Compared to when Ozz had joined, they all looked a shade greener. Not just Roger, but Rayleigh, Gaban, and the others too, though not by much. Only the three little brats from his memories were missing.
"Who are you."
Ozz only smiled at Roger's question.
"Me. Just a pirate for the fun of it."
"A pirate."
Roger's grin widened. Power rolled off him in a black-red tide. The air cracked with the static of a king.
"Which means you are an enemy."
"Let me go first."
Gaban grumbled. "Being captain does not give you dibs on every fight."
Roger did not hear a word. A strong opponent had appeared, and the only thing he cared about was crossing blades. His Conqueror's Haki exploded. It was the sea itself bearing down. It made the blood sing.
"What a terrifying Conqueror's Haki."
Ozz's hair streamed in the pressure. There was no fear in his face.
"Starting with a fight. That is a pirate for you."
"Which suits me just fine."
He lifted his chin and his eyes flashed scarlet. His will thundered out to meet Roger's and the world split at the seam where they collided.
"You have got to be kidding."
"That kid's Haki is matching Roger's."
"How. How can there be a man like that without a name on the sea."
Sweat beaded on every brow. Rayleigh widened his eyes and readied himself. If Roger needed help, he would move. But he also knew better than to butt in when Roger faced a monster.
Roger himself was shocked, but more than that he was delighted.
"Strong. Hey.
Why do you not join my crew."
"Save the invitation for after you beat me."
Ozz reached to his hip and drew Ace. He raised the blade to mirror Roger.
And Roger's mind went blank at what came next.
"Kamusari."
"Kamusari."
-----------------------------------------------------------------
The tides are shifting, and secrets linger in the dark... Step into the shadows early on P@treon, where the next chapter awaits before the world sees it.
[email protected]/_theon
Change @ to "a"