One Piece : Wild Hunt

After being tossed unceremoniously onto the deck and left to dry out in the Sun, Thomas pushed himself to his feet to get a better glimpse of his surroundings. There wasn't much to see on the deck itself, so he walked over to the bow to look at the sapphire sea below.
Noticing Thomas's actions, Drake narrowed her eyes and said, "If you fall overboard, I'm letting you drown for a few minutes before saving you. I'm not against taking a dip in the ocean, but doing so fully clothed is a good way to get an infection in places the Sun doesn't typically shine."
Though he nodded his head, Thomas didn't step away from the bow as he mentioned, "We'll need to be careful when we enter open waters. There are giant creatures in this world known as Sea Kings, some of which can exceed five kilometers in length. I'm not sure how powerful you and the other Servants are, but I can't imagine taking out such a massive creature with the cannons we have available..."
Raising her brows slightly, Drake questioned, "Are you being serious? Five kilometers...?"
Nodding his head, Thomas added, "There are whales the size of islands, turtles with active volcanoes on their backs, and a colossal elephant that exceeds 35km in height. Beyond that, there are islands floating in the sky, places where tens of thousands of lightning bolts strike continuously, and a carnivorous plant so large it's classified as an Archipelago..."
"..."
Realizing she may have underestimated the world of One Piece a bit, Drake took a moment to consider how she might deal with the threats Thomas was referencing. Her Noble Phantasm could level entire islands if she had enough funds or was supplied with sufficient Mana, but if there were monsters as powerful as Thomas suggested, there had to be people capable of dealing with them. If not, there should be weapons capable of doing so.
While telepathically piloting her ship, the Golden Hind, around the island, Drake turned to Thomas and said, "Tell me about the people who stand at the peak of this world. For you to aspire to stand among them, you should have at least a basic understanding of their strength, right?"
Nodding a second time, Thomas revealed, "Those standing closest to the peak, at least on the surface, are the Four Emperors. Among them, there is a man called Whitebeard, known as the Strongest Man in the World. He consumed a Devil Fruit that lets him create tremors, not just through the ground but the sea itself. At full power, he can flip islands or produce tidal waves more than a thousand meters in height. When he traded blows with another of the Four Emperors, a man named Shanks, their attacks caused the clouds tens of thousands of meters in the sky to split..."
"..."
Sensing no falsehoods in Thomas's words, Drake fell into a lengthy period of silence before stating, "We may need to put a pin in our plans to sail to Laugh Tale. If there are threats like that lurking about, we'll need to focus our efforts on stockpiling wealth and increasing our strength. Fortunately for you, I happen to have 'incredible' luck, so gathering funds shouldn't be an issue. I have a sixth sense for treasure and booty."
As Drake had never donned her captain's jacket after jumping in to rescue him, Thomas's eyes lowered to her voluminous and shapely ass. Her white trousers were almost like yoga pants in their texture and quality, so there was very little left to the imagination...
Though she could sense Thomas's gaze, Drake just shook her head and exhaled a faint sigh through her nose. If he were an ordinary member of her crew, she would have drawn and quartered him. However, as he was her 'Master,' she had to tolerate his presence for the sake of her dream...
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While the average frigate would struggle to reach 30kn, Drake's Golden Hind had a cruising speed of 65 knots, roughly 120km/h. This was 'much' faster than any non-powered vessel in One Piece, so it only took them a few minutes to circle the fairly small island Thomas had been marooned by Zelretch. Unfortunately, there wasn't so much as a single port or town in sight.
"Looks like we got ourselves a deserted island," mused Drake. She was a little annoyed they hadn't found a town, meaning no alcohol, but after learning about the perils that awaited them out at sea, she was marginally more cautious than usual.
Turning to Thomas, Drake asked, "What do you think about mooring here until we've finished assembling our crew? At the bare minimum, we need a cook, a doctor, and a navigator if we want to set out to the open seas. If you want to stick around for the rest, that's up to you."
As it had only taken him half a day to summon Drake, Thomas figured it would only take around 4-5 before they could completely assemble their crew. That would give them considerably more options moving forward, so he didn't hesitate to reply, "I say we stick around until everyone has assembled. Who knows, maybe I'll get lucky and summon someone who can fodder even the largest Sea Kings...?"
With an affirming nod, Drake controlled the Golden Hind toward the shore, laying anchor in a remote, crescent-shaped bay. She could take the Hind 'much' further inland but didn't think Thomas's Mana would hold out at its current levels. Thus, after ensuring the ship wouldn't drift too far with the changing of the tides, she taught Thomas how to lower one of the ship's two dinghies into the water before having him row them to shore.
Though he suspected Drake could steer and propel the dinghy with her mind, Thomas did as she instructed. He wasn't in the best condition, so if he was serious about standing at the top of the world, he needed to begin training his body immediately. People like Zoro could casually lift tens of thousands of tons post-time skip, and monsters like Kaido could 'erase' small mountains with a single Boro Blast. Struggling to row a boat placed him closer to the bottom in terms of strength in One Piece...
Seeing through Thomas's thoughts, a faint smile adorned Drake's face. Being weak wasn't a sin, but 'remaining' weak, especially in a world filled with monsters, was asking for death. She and the other Servants would do their best to protect him, but only a handful of them might be willing to die for him. After all, doing so meant the end of their dreams, negating the reason they agreed to summons in the first place.
If they had to choose between him entrusting everything to them and doing his best to improve, Drake and the other Servants would obviously prefer Thomas to be as powerful as possible. His knowledge gave them an edge if they bided their time and didn't introduce any drastic changes, so, depending on where they were in the timeline, they were incentivized to sit back and do a bit of training. Not just Thomas, but all of them...
After making landfall, Drake instructed Thomas to drag the dinghy ashore before saying, "You stay here and focus on summoning our cook. I'll head inland and see if I can't hunt something. Try to steer clear of the forest's edge, even if the temperature rises. For all we know, there could be tigers, lions, bears, or wild boars inside. If you get attacked and I'm not around, it's game over. Others could flee into the sea to escape, but you'll sink to the bottom even in knee-deep water."
"..."
Looking to the dinghy, Thomas seriously considered flipping it over and just concealing himself underneath. Drake immediately saw through this, asserting, "It's not a terrible idea, but the mentality of hiding away will not permit you to get stronger. Just stay alert, and if you feel like you're being watched, you probably are. If that happens, shove off with the dinghy and just float around in the bay until I return."
Finished with what she had to say, Drake materialized a pair of ornate flintlock pistols before making her way into the jungle with a predatory smile. Thomas had told her guns were fairly common, even among the most powerful pirate crews, so she was confident she could deal with most threats. If someone were willing to wager with her, she could shoot the wings off a fly from 20m. She also didn't have to worry about ammo, as, much like her pistols, she could materialize as many as she needed. It just consumed a bit of Mana...
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With nothing better to do, Thomas stood near the edge of the dinghy, ready to shove off at a moment's notice. Instead of just paying attention to the jungle, however, he periodically shifted his gaze to the sea, wary of any amphibious creatures that might lurk up from the depths. There were even humanoid Fishmen in the world of One Piece, so caution was always advised.
Fortunately, nothing disturbed Thomas's contemplative vigilance besides the periodic sound of pistol fire. That was a good thing, as he had a lot to think about now that he was absolutely sure he wasn't simply dreaming or having a very realistic hallucination. More than a day had passed since his arrival in One Piece, so unless he had spontaneously awakened the ability to have prolonged and incredibly lucid dreams, this was his new reality.
Though he had considered what he would do if he found himself in the world of One Piece, several times, actually being inside of it left Thomas feeling uncertain. He had imagined himself having all kinds of Systems, assembling a harem of all the most attractive women from the series, and going toe-to-toe with people like Kaido as if they were beneath him. Now, with the power of a relatively normal human, he felt so far out of his depth it was difficult to decide his next course of action.
The most obvious thing to do was simply focus on his training, scratching and clawing his way to the top inch by inch. However, if they were already post-time skip and events like the Paramount War had already happened, Luffy and the rest of the Strawhats may very well discover the One Piece before he had even a fraction of the strength needed to set sail. As for his 'dream' of creating a harem...he could go to a bar every night for a month and maybe only pick up a single woman. Unless Zelretch had blessed him with an insanely handsome face or something, attempting to woo world-class beauties was simply that, a dream...
Fortunately, while his prospects of getting together with women like Nami and Nico Robi were fairly slim, Thomas was fairly certain he would have at least a little luck if he ventured to Zou or Wano. He didn't consider himself a furry, but some of the members of the Mink Tribe were pretty cute. They were also 'very' affectionate, so he might be able to manage something if he lent them a hand during a time of need.
While thinking of the women he had dreamed about forming a harem with, one stood out among the rest, largely because she was a relatively recent addition to the series, Yamato. She had a fairly exotic appearance, but she was his favorite female character in One Piece, even if she identified as Kaido's son. He didn't know how the mechanics of fucking a woman more than two and a half feet taller than him would work, but he was more than willing to try...
Freeing Thomas from his reverie, Drake emerged from the jungle dragging a leaf-green tiger that was more than 4m in length and had a unicorn-like horn protruding from its head. Seeing it caused a powerful shudder to run through Thomas's body as, for a brief moment, he believed that Zelretch might have deposited him on a safe island.
What Thomas didn't know was that he 'was' on one of the safer islands in the South Blue. A few hundred kilometers away, a 4m long tiger may as well be considered a cub...
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(A/N: The MC is 6'2'', roughly 187 cm. Yamato is 8'8'', roughly 263cm xD...)

Though it was an incredibly brutal sight, Thomas couldn't help admiring how casual Drake was as she showed him how to skin and butcher her prey with a relaxed smile on her face. It, unsurprisingly, wasn't her first time killing and dismantling a tiger. However, as she tore the monstrous creature apart, she remarked how the organs were placed differently and how the flesh and tendons were much stronger than the animals she had killed in the past.
While observing Drake's lesson, Thomas continued channeling his Mana into the Cook Card. Drake conceded she wasn't the most skilled chef, so, for both their sakes, Thomas did his best to summon their Cook as quickly as possible. He wasn't able to do so before the sun went down, but Drake knew how to salt-cure using salt harvested from pools of seawater, so they ate what remained of the fruit in the satchel before transporting the sun-dried meat, pelt, and sinew of the tiger back to the ship.
As she had neglected to do so earlier, Drake gave Thomas a tour of the Golden Hind's interior, explaining the purpose of each room and facility. There were quarters for ten ranking crewmates, including the Captain's quarters at the back of the ship, a surprisingly modern shower, a cargo hold that seemed much bigger on the inside than it had any right to be, a small greenhouse that could be used to cultivate plants, and, of course, a brig(prison). There was also a small rec area with a lounge and bar, but it was currently unstocked, much to Drake's chagrin.
What Thomas found curious was that the Hind didn't actually allocate space for its canons, not even the four artillery batteries at the front of the bow. The projectiles it fired were a form of Projection Magic, mana constructs that materialized at the mouth of the cannon ports. To power them, and the rest of the Hind's facilities, there was a rather futuristic engine room at the heart of the ship, a place Thomas would apparently be spending a lot of time in the future.
Patting the luminous golden engine, the front of which resembled the firebox of a steam train, Drake explained, "This bad boy here is called an Equivalence Engine. You feed items that have value into it, and it converts them into energy that can power the Hind's cannons and even permit it to fly. It accepts everything from organic matter to manufactured items such as bank notes, but the most 'efficient' source of fuel we have available, at least for the time being, is you."
Following her explanation, Drake added, "Once we finish assembling our crew, you will spend around 4-8 hours a day feeding your Mana into this engine. If the threats in this world are as powerful as you suggest, we'll need to accumulate as much Mana as possible. The strength of my Noble Phantasm, the Golden Wild Hunt, is entirely dependent on the amount of energy stored within the Hind. With enough, we can level entire islands or circumnavigate the globe without touching the ground."
Though he had already known the Hind could fly, as it often did so in the media it was depicted, Thomas couldn't help smiling. The ability to fly was a near-absolute advantage in the world of One Piece. Not only would it let them fly over the Calm Belt without risk of encountering Sea Kings, but if they had enough power, they could soar up to Skypiea, pass over the Red Line, and even conceal their ship inland, hidden from passing pirate ships and Navy vessels.
Imagining Drake bombarding Marineford from thousands of meters in the air, outside the range of ordinary Marines and pirates, Thomas replied, "I'll do it. Exhausting my Mana should help increase the quantity I possess, so I'll do my best to fill the engine as much as possible."
Clapping Thomas's shoulder, Drake mused, "Good answer. It seems you might actually have a backbone under all that excess flab. Now, return to your quarters and get some rest. You can continue trying to summon our Cook in the morning."
Without waiting for Thomas to respond, Drake made her way for the exit of the engine room, departing without sparing him a second glance. As for Thomas, he just stood there for a little while, frowning as he looked down at his slight paunch. He was a little over 6'2'', around 188cm, so his weight of 238lbs, 108kgs, wasn't 'that' bad. However, if he was to have 'any' hope of wooing some of One Piece's more famous beauties, he 'had' to improve his figure. His face wasn't bad looking, at least in his opinion, so he should clean up nicely if he put a bit of effort into it.
Determined to do exactly that, Thomas returned to his simple quarters and cycled between doing push-ups, planks, squats, and crunches. He was a little annoyed when he couldn't even do twenty complete push-ups without 'cheating,' but every path to power had to start somewhere...
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"Ugh..."
Though Drake had assigned him the room closest to the center of the ship, Thomas couldn't sleep due to the constant rocking of the boat and the sunburn he had accumulated sitting under the Sun for half the day. The Hind was fortunate enough to have a regulated climate, meaning it was a lot cooler inside than it was outside, but that actually made things worse for Thomas as he felt like he was freezing despite it being around 72&deg;F, 22&deg;C.
Giving up on sleeping, at least for the time being, Thomas sat up in his bed before reaching for the logbook given to him by Zelretch. When he opened it, he was a little surprised to find that it had recorded many of his actions throughout the day, even keeping track of the amount of time and the number of exercises he had done.
Reading the entry about his aspirations of building a harem, Thomas's left eye twitched a bit. He had just transmigrated to a world that he previously thought to exist only in anime and manga. He had also been reading One Piece for more than twenty years, so it was natural to have at least 'some' expectations for the world and its characters...right?
Exhaling a sigh, Thomas picked up the rather old-fashioned pen slotted into the log's spine, formalizing his plan by writing it down. Most of his actions would depend on 'when' he was in the canon timeline, but there were a few things he had to do. There were obvious ones, such as visiting Skypiea, Fishman Island, Zou, and Wano, but if the opportunity presented itself, he would at least try to save people like Ace and, if he was far back in the canon, characters like Bell Mere and Kuina...
While it would be easier to bide his time and let canon events unfold until the defeat of Kaido, Thomas wanted to 'experience' the plot that had left such a profound impression on him over the past 23 years. A part of him didn't want to damage the integrity of the plot, but a much larger part of him wanted to change things for the better. After all, he was supposed to be fighting against fate. Why shouldn't he change things...?
Though he genuinely wanted to improve things for the better, Thomas would be lying to himself if he said he didn't have ulterior motives. If he were to have 'any' chance with someone like Nami, he would need to do something pretty major to catch her attention. Even if he just liberated her village while she was traveling around the East Blue and gathering funds, he could leave an everlasting impression that would 'compel' her to seek him out...
By the time he was finished drafting his plan, Thomas was beginning to feel at least a little sleepy. Focusing on something had allowed him to get over his motion sickness, at least for a short while, so he jumped at the opportunity to get a bit of rest before the start of a new day...
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After less than four hours of sleep, Thomas dragged himself out of bed to use the restroom before making his way up to the ship's deck. He needed some fresh air, so, while continuing to channel Mana into the Cook's Card, he made his way outside to greet the day.
Though he half-expected to find Drake standing on the bowsprit, Thomas wasn't too surprised to find her absent. She had her private quarters for a reason, so he suspected she was either still asleep or lounging about until breakfast. The Sun had barely started its ascent&mdash;
Noticing a group of derpy-looking white birds with large beaks, black-tipped wings, sailor's caps, and newspapers tucked under their wings flying overhead, Thomas immediately tried to flag them down. Luckily, the group of News Coos had noticed him long before he noticed them, so one of them immediately swooped down, perching on the edge of the portside taffrail(the handrails that prevent people from falling off a ship).
As there was a convenient little tab that showed the cost of a newspaper, Thomas handed over a 100 Belly coin, slotting it into the red satchel tied around the News Coo's neck. In response, it used its black-tipped beak to fetch one of the papers from its newspaper tote, handing it to him before flying off to join its companions.
After watching the flock of News Coos fly away, Thomas opened the wax-covered newspaper to try and make sense of its contents. There were a few fliers listing updated bounties for pirates in the South Blue, articles related to rebellions in distant kingdoms, and recruitment notices asking for brave and righteous individuals to join the Navy. However, the thing that caught his attention were two articles, one with the title 'Spade Pirates Enter the Grand Line!' and 'The Birth of a New Supernova!'.
As the Spade Pirates were the crew founded by Portgas D. Ace, Luffy's blood-brother, Thomas immediately deduced that the canon events had yet to start. Ace would join the Whitebeard Pirates shortly after the Spade Pirates' debut in the Grand Line, and he was with them for at least a year before Luffy set out from Foosha Village. In other words, he had at least a year to travel from the South Blue, his apparent location, to the East Blue.
Fortunately, while he couldn't remember the exact layout of One Piece's world, Thomas knew the East and South Blue were sister seas. They were separated by the Calm Belt and the Grand Line, but with the Hind's ability to fly, they may be able to circumvent both. If not, they could always sail up the Reverse Mountain and simply fly down in the direction of the East Blue...
Though he doubted things would be that straightforward, Thomas felt it would be worth it so long as he could cross paths with the Strawhats at least once before the Paramount War. He had no plans to accompany them on their voyage directly, but establishing rapport with them early on would make things much easier for him. If he was serious about Nami, he could even track down the location of Weatheria and just happen to meet her there when Kuma sends her flying over from Sabaody.
Interrupting Thomas's thoughts, the Cook's Card suddenly flashed white, disappearing from his hand as what could best be described as a magic circle appeared beneath him. He was startled by its abrupt appearance, but he was far more surprised by the diminutive, 130cm tall little girl that popped out. She had auburn, reddish-brown hair that was cut in a bob, a long ponytail that nearly reached the ground, and an outfit that resembled an apron formed of white feathers. A large blue and black ribbon was tied around her waist, red and gold sleeves resembling the oversized sleeves of a Japanese Shrine Maiden adorned her arms, and she had white tabi covering her feet, each elevated atop platform shoes. However, the thing that stood out the most about her, other than the black beak protruding from her forehead, was the creepy-looking bird nested within her hat. It was nearly spherical, and its red, ostensibly lifeless eyes seemed to peer directly into Thomas's soul...
While Thomas was staring at her with a stupefied expression, the little girl was staring up at him with an earnest and curious look on her face. Then, increasing Thomas's feelings of incredulity, she suddenly lowered herself to the ground, sitting on her knees before bowing forward with her hands touching the deck as she said, "Benienma greets her Master..."
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(A/N: Mascot acquired?)

Despite the Sun descending over the horizon, Thomas continued pumping Mana into the Captain's Card. With what he knew of Zelretch, the elderly man was a massive troll, but he was also a 'good' guy. He was the kind of fellow who hated villains but laughed in the face of those that struggled to oppose fate. Once he took an interest in you, there were only two fates that awaited you: excellence or becoming a cripple.
After living a mundane life filled with regrets and failures, Thomas was determined to turn things around. One Piece was a world where even a weak cabin boy with absolutely no talent could become a Captain, on the verge of becoming a Rear Admiral, in just three years. So long as you had a strong enough will, you could even reach the point of slicing mountains in half or destroying entire islands with the force of your punches...
Though he didn't know what 'fate' awaited him at the end of his journey, Thomas intended to make the most of the situation he had found himself in. He had stumbled into a scenario that most people could only dream of, and, if given a chance, he was certain that many would forsake even their families and friends for the opportunity to swap places with him.
Determined to change his fate and experience a thrilling adventure he could only imagine previously, Thomas continued channeling his Mana into the Captain's Card late into the evening and into the early morning. He eventually passed out after eating some of his rations, but he held the card and logbook close to his chest as he curled up atop a makeshift bed made from palm leaves...
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Stirring Thomas awake, a deep yet feminine voice asked, "How long do you intend to sleep? It's already past noon."
Before Thomas could open his eyes, he received a face full of hot sand, startling him awake and compelling him to shout, "What the fuck!?" as he glared at the person responsible. Immediately afterward, his face and jaw went slack as a woman who transcended the traditional beauty standards appeared before him. She had wavy, crimson-pink hair, fierce blue eyes, and while there was a large scar that ran across her face, it only served to give her a 'heroic' appearance.
Lowering his gaze from the woman's face, Thomas's eyes widened when he got a good look at her massive tits, practically on full display beneath a stylish red captain's jacket. Below that, she had on a leather corset that hugged her slender waist, form-fitting white trousers that emphasized her wide hips and plump thighs, and dark boots that extended past her knees.
Instead of chastising Thomas for his rather overt ogling, the pink-haired woman crossed her arms under her breasts, the two enormous melons threatening to burst out of her vest as she mused, "It seems my Master is a bit of a deviate. Not that I mind, mind you. We just have more important matters to attend to right now. First and foremost, the name's Drake, Francis Drake. I'm the Captain of the Golden Hind and Commander of the Wild Hunt. I'd say it's a pleasure to meet you, but you don't seem all that reliable with those scraggly arms and your indolent appearance..."
Catching Drake a little off guard, Thomas practically jumped to his feet, punching the air as he shouted, "Jackpot!" He had already expected the cards to summon characters from the Fate series, but he never imagined his first ally to be Drake, a legendary pirate and an absolute bombshell of a woman.
Raising her left brow, Drake asked, "Has the Sun cooked your head? You had best get ahold of yourself. You might be the Master who summoned me, but don't think I won't beat you into shape if you keep behaving like a fool."
Calming his excitement, at least on the surface, Thomas managed to meet Drake's gaze as he said, "Sorry, but you have no idea how happy I am to see you. Yesterday, I could only imagine something like this in my wildest dreams. To be here, in this place, and to see you, standing right in front of me...I feel like the luckiest man in the world..."
Narrowing her eyes slightly, Drake mused, "You have a glib tongue. If you're truly grateful, you'll work hard to shave off that fat and become someone reliable. I hate incompetents, so don't expect me to go wagging my ass or spreading my legs unless you can prove yourself worthy of my time."
Blinking rapidly, various thoughts raced across Thomas's mind. He would be lying if he said the thought hadn't crossed his mind, but the notion he might actually be able to fuck Drake left him at a complete loss for words. He wasn't sure what he looked like after being thrown through a cartoony filter, but she was 'way' out of his league...at least, she would have been if a certain Kaleidoscopic Mage hadn't given him the chance to seize hold of his destiny and change his fate...
Feeling more motivated than ever, Thomas's expression was more serious than it had ever been as he stated, "I might be weak now, but I'll prove to you I can become stronger. Just you wait..."
Looking to Thomas's right hand, Drake questioned, "Is that an order, or are you expecting me to save myself for a greenhorn that probably hasn't even sailed on a ship before?"
Following Drake's gaze, Thomas's eyes widened when he saw a pattern resembling a blood-red skull and crossbones on the back of his hand. He immediately understood what they represented, his expression becoming incredulous as he whispered, "Command Seals..."
As their name implied, Command Seals were a special form of contract magic that permitted a Master three claims of absolute obedience when dealing with their Servants. They had other functions, such as healing all wounds, empowering attacks, enabling Noble Phantasms, or summoning a Servant across vast distances instantly. However, their most common use was compelling a Servant to obey an order they might have otherwise refused. If the Master was especially malicious, they could even deprive a Servant's free will altogether...
Though he had read 'a lot' of Doujins where errant Masters ordered their Servants to become cum dumps or living onaholes, Thomas shook such thoughts from his mind, lowering his hand as he stated, "It's not an order, but I will make it clear...now that I'm in this situation, one of my goals is to make you my woman. I know how 'free-spirited' you are, so I'll do my best to become strong enough that you readily stand beside me..."
Narrowing her eyes in amusement, Drake playfully retorted, "Well, you certainly know how to talk. Once you become a real man, you'll let your actions speak for you. Now, tell me, what's the plan? Based on what I've been 'informed,' you should have advanced knowledge of this world. My job is to get you to a place called Laugh Tale, so how do we get there...?"
Blinking in surprise, Thomas parroted, "Laugh Tale...?" before asking, "Why is it your 'job' to get me there? Don't tell me there's a Holy Grail among the One Piece's treasure..."
Leaving Thomas a little speechless, Drake nodded her head, revealing, "If there weren't, why would any of us bother answering the call? We all have hopes and ambitions that drive us, so in exchange for helping you achieve your dream, you will help us attain ours. That's the only reason we're here, so if you can't fulfill your end of the bargain..."
Pulling out an ornate-looking flintlock pistol embellished with gold, Drake aimed it at the center of Thomas's head, adding, "Then you're wasting our time..."
Raising his hands on instinct, Thomas's pulse and breathing accelerated as he exclaimed, "Calm down! I have no problem heading to Laugh Tale, okay!? I was just surprised to hear you bring it up...!"
Adopting a teasing smile, Drake retracted her pistol from Thomas's head, adopting a casual posture as she mused, "Then it seems we've reached an accord. Now, tell me, where is the Laugh Tale? And is there anything you want to accomplish before we make our way there?"
Though he was still recovering from the shock of having a gun pressed to his head, Thomas managed to reply, "I want to become strong enough to stand at the pinnacle of this world. Reaching Laugh Tale will require all of us to possess such strength. As for where it's located...we would need to find all of the Road Poneglyphs and have someone translate them if we're to locate it..."
Since she had no idea what a Road Poneglyph was, Drake just nodded her head, trusting that Thomas knew what he was talking about as she asked, "Do you know anyone that can translate them for us?"
Returning a nod of his own, Thomas replied, "There is a woman named Nico Robin who possesses the ability to translate them. Other than her, there is a boy called Momonosuke. The problem is, I have no idea where we are, much less 'when' we are. We need to find a town or flag down one of the seagulls that distribute the news. By monitoring world events, we can plan our actions accordingling."
Nodding her head in approval, Drake said, "Sounds good." before turning around and abruptly walking over to the shore. Before Thomas could ask what she was doing, the pink-haired woman extended her hand toward the sea, shouting, "Come forth, my fated vessel! It's time to set the Sun anew...!"
Following Drake's shout, a large wooden vessel breached out of the sea like a whale before crashing down. It would appear diminutive next to the larger ships in the world of One Piece, but its spear-like bowsprit, sleek hull, twin masts, and numerous cannons gave it the impression of a swift, exceptionally fierce vessel that could cut through larger vessels like a hot knife through butter. After all, despite having a modest length of 37m, it was outfitted with four artillery cannons near the bow and fourteen flank cannons along its port and starboard sides.
Turning to the stunned Thomas, Drake narrowed her eyes in amusement as she mused, "You have my permission to come aboard. We'll sail around the island and see if we can't find a harbor or port city. If there isn't one, we'll lay anchor somewhere and come up with a different approach."
Without waiting for Thomas to respond, Drake casually leaped the more than sixty-meter distance between the shoreline and her ship. She was far from being considered the most powerful Heroic Spirit, but her power and agility were beyond anything a normal human could hope to achieve. As for Thomas, thanks to his Devil Fruit, he couldn't even swim...at least, he 'assumed' he couldn't.
With Drake watching him from the bowsprit with a teasing smile on her face, Thomas inhaled a deep breath, placed his logbook into the water-tight satchel, and stepped into the sea. He didn't feel anything at first, but the moment the water reached past his knees, he felt like he had chugged an entire bottle of tequila. What little strength he had immediately left his body, his legs giving out and his vision swimming as he sank beneath the gentle waves...
Nearly as soon as Thomas submerged, Drake removed her hat and jacket and dove in after him. She already knew he couldn't swim due to the Devil Fruit he had consumed, but she was curious to see what its actual effects were. Now that she had confirmed that Thomas was a stone that couldn't even tread water, she would either need to keep a close eye on him or tie a rope around his waist during inclement weather. If he fell overboard and plunged to the bottom of the ocean, they were all sunk...
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(A/N: This is a weak-to-strong story, so don't lose patience if the MC isn't tea-bagging Whitebeard by chapter 5.)

Chapter 3: A Hint of Caution