Leo and Sekiro left the silent alley, the Tenseiryū—or rather, the light that created it—gone, but its presence was now manifested in the warrior walking beside Leo.
"Alright, Sekiro," Leo said, pulling the hood of his robe tighter. "Our plan is simple: find a safe base."
I can't take him to Shakky's, Leo thought, looking at the silent, deadly figure next to him. He's too much. His aura is too dense and too lethal.
"Sekiro," Leo instructed. "We need to find a place to rent until Luffy arrives. We have about 70 million Berries. That should buy us a decent hideout."
"Understood, Leo," Sekiro replied, his voice a low, disciplined murmur.
"Let's go back to Grove 13 first," Leo said, setting a quick pace. He needed to retrieve his money bag from under Shakky's floorboards.
The Unnerving Stillness
They reached the dense root system just outside the Rip-Off Bar. Leo told Sekiro to wait, not wanting the full force of the Wolf's presence to hit Shakky immediately. Sekiro stopped instantly, melting into the shadows of a massive mangrove root, his newly acquired sword sheathed but ready.
Inside the quiet bar, Shakky stopped polishing a glass. The movement of the cigarette paused halfway to her lips.
There was someone outside.
She felt nothing in the window, saw no silhouette moving. Just a stillness that did not belong to an ordinary man.
The air tightened. The bar felt smaller. It was the presence of a blade kept in its sheath, impossibly sharp, impossibly quiet. Not threatening—just watching. Waiting. Patient as a wolf.
Shakky's face remained neutral, but a single drop of sweat trailed down her temple. Her hand, resting casually on the counter, tensed. She was on high guard, focusing her own profound Observation Haki outward, searching for the source of the lethal calm.
The moment stretched, humming with unseen tension.
Then, a voice—familiar, easy, and completely normal—broke the spell.
"Hello, Shakky-chan!"
Leo stepped inside, pulling back his hood and revealing his tired, but unharmed, face.
Shakky visibly relaxed, letting out a sharp, relieved breath. "Oh! Leo! It's you. I thought it was someone else."
"Who?" Leo asked, walking toward the back room.
Shakky frowned, her eyes still scanning the exterior. "I felt a presence. A heavy, almost feral aura. Like a wild beast was waiting outside. It was unsettling."
Leo laughed, forcing a loud, casual sound. "Feral aura? Haha! I was outside, Shakky! I'm the only feral thing around here! You must be tired."
Shakky looked directly at him, her intense gaze cutting through his lie, but she only shrugged. "Maybe so."
Leo retrieved his heavy canvas bag from the floorboards. "Shakky-san, I need to go. I'm renting an inn until Luffy gets back."
"Why?" she asked simply. "You're welcome to stay here."
"I want to be closer to where most pirates gather," Leo explained, his reasoning suddenly sharp and convincing. "I need to observe and examine them. I need to get clarity on who the real threats are and what I should do next. Being out in the chaos will sharpen my Observation Haki."
"If that is your decision, then okay," Shakky said, leaning on the counter. "Good luck and be careful, Leo-chan. You attract trouble."
Leo grinned, lifting the heavy bag. "I know. Thank you for letting me live here, even for a short time. I'll come back to say hi!"
He left the bar, the sense of dread lifting from the bar the moment Leo stepped back out.
The Price of Silence
Leo and Sekiro moved out, heading toward Grove 22, one of the denser, rougher areas known for housing low-level crews and being far from Marine patrols.
As they walked, Leo noticed it immediately. Every pirate, every bounty hunter, every civilian they passed would instinctively flinch. They weren't looking at Leo, the famous 600-million Berry pirate. Their fear was directed entirely at the silent man walking a disciplined pace behind him.
"Everyone's eyes are on us," Leo muttered to Sekiro.
"They sense weakness," Sekiro replied, his voice a low, chilling diagnosis.
"No, they sense you," Leo corrected, a nervous pride washing over him. "They sense the high-level threat. The presence of a truly strong fighter."
Leo realized Sekiro's intimidating aura was a double-edged sword: it offered perfect protection but eliminated all possibility of stealth.
"We need to find an inn, quickly," Leo decided.
He found a dilapidated inn with a prominent "VACANCY" sign. The owner, a thin, greasy man with beady eyes, was sitting behind the counter.
"Hey!" Leo called, dropping his heavy bag on the floor with a loud THUD. "I need a room. I need three meals a day, and I need it for a month. How much is your rate?"
The owner glanced at Leo's scarred face and massive bag, his eyes calculating the risk. "A month? That's luxury on this Grove, sir. Two million Berries per day."
Leo threw his hands up in theatrical shock. "Two million?! Are you mad? That's 60 million for a month! You're not a pirate. Why are you looting us?"
"That is our rate, sir," the owner insisted, his greed overcoming his fear. "You can go elsewhere."
Leo sighed dramatically, turning his back on the counter. "Sekiro! Come inside!"
Sekiro, who had been standing guard by the door, walked forward, his footsteps silent on the wooden floor. The moment the Inn Owner saw the silent warrior, his eyes dilated in pure terror. The owner's breath hitched, the sheer, crushing aura of a killer making the air crackle.
He knew instantly that the quiet man was not a common pirate. He felt the cold touch of certain, immediate death.
"H-haha!" the owner shrieked, forcing a sudden, wide smile that didn't reach his eyes. "S-sir! I am joking! Iwill offer you a 50% discount! One million Berries per day!"
Leo grinned. A single look from the Wolf is worth one million Berries.
"Now that is a reasonable price," Leo said, pulling out a large wad of bills. He paid for a week upfront. "We'll be quiet. Don't worry about us."
"Thank you! Thank you, gentlemen!" the owner whimpered. "The room is the largest one on the third floor!"
Leo and Sekiro headed upstairs, leaving the Inn Owner shaking violently behind the counter.
The two-man crew had a base. Now, the real planning could begin.
> You can read 25+ advanced chapters ahead on Patreon if you're interested :
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