One Piece : Wild Hunt

Though Smoker initially tried to usher him to a bar, Thomas insisted they have their discussion in a nearby alleyway. The spirits and wines of One Piece didn't suit his palate, and he had no intention of allowing himself to be entrapped or sedated into a confession.
After reaching said alleyway, Smoker crossed his arms and asked, "Who are you, and what brings you to Loguetown?"
Mirroring Smoker's posture, Thomas replied, "Thomas Jensen. As for the reason I'm, it should be fairly apparent. I'm preparing to enter the Grand Line to hunt down Pirates with higher Bounties."
Furrowing his furrowed brows further, Smoker asked, "So, you're a Bounty Hunter?"
Nodding his head, Thomas appended, "I used to belong to the Wild Hunt, the Bounty Hunting company responsible for turning over Arlong and his crew. There aren't any notable Bounties left in the East Blue, so I'm going to enter the Grand Line to test my strength and try to make these seas a bit safer."
"If that was your intent, you could always join the Marines..." asserted Smoker.
Resisting the urge to roll his eyes, Thomas replied, "Don't look at me as if I'm some snot-nosed brat who doesn't know how the world works. While the average Marine is undoubtedly on the side of justice, corruption runs rampant throughout your ranks. Besides, if I have the option of being paid a fixed salary and earning tens of millions hunting Pirates on my own, why would I willfully place myself in the service of others?"
Exhaling a large plume of smoke, Smoker's expression hardened as he said, "No long-lasting organization is free from corruption and nepotism. So long as you're powerful, you would be able to rise through the ranks and change things from the inside..."
Shrugging his shoulders, Thomas replied, "I wish you the best of luck doing exactly that. As for me, I relish my freedom and the prospect of increasing my wealth. More importantly, my position as a Bounty Hunter allows me to target Pirates that are considered 'off-limits' to the average Marine. Your organization drafted a provision that legalized piracy for the Seven Warlords, and some of those asshats are at the top of my shit list in terms of Pirates who deserve to be put behind bars."
Suspecting that Thomas may have been victimized by one of the Seven Warlords, Smoker gave up trying to convince him to join the Marines. The minds of people who sought revenge were nearly impossible to change, so he exhaled a plume of smoke from his nose and said, "Fine. You seem like a decent enough guy, so I'll let you off with a warning this time. Next time, don't run away from the Marines. You'll only cause an even greater misunderstanding."
Smiling wryly, Thomas replied, "I can't make any promises. I mean, just look at me. I don't exactly give people the impression of a disarming and reasonable person. And you know how 'sensitive' young Marines can be, especially when you put a rifle in their hands. When they feel threatened, they would rather shoot first and ask questions later."
As there was a considerable amount of truth to Thomas's words, Smoker exhaled a thick plume of smoke in the form of a sigh. Thomas was around 40cm taller than him and possessed a broad, muscular frame, sword-like eyebrows, sharp, hazel-brown eyes, and overall rugged features. He was far from the tallest and most physically intimidating man in the world, but it wasn't difficult to imagine poorly trained Marines shaking in their boots when they encountered him.
Shaking his head, Smoker decided to change topics, asking, "That power you utilized before...was that Haki? Have you already traversed the Grand Line?"
Raising his hand, Thomas condensed a small amount of Magical Energy around his fist as he replied, "I am familiar with the concept of Haki, but this is the power of a Devil Fruit, the Mana-Mana-no-Mi. I'm not going to go into the specifics, but it functions similarly to Armament Haki against inexperienced Logia users. No offense."
Exhaling smoke through his nose, Smoker turned around and said, "Stay out of trouble," before taking off like a rocket toward the city square. He now had all the information he needed to complete a profile on Thomas, so he would leave it to the higher-ups to decide whether or not the man was a threat that needed to be apprehended or eliminated...
Immediately following Smoker's departure, Benienma appeared out of nowhere, revealing, "Nami is safe back at the Going Merry, dechi. Shall we return to our companions, or does Master have other matters to attend...?"
Shaking his head, Thomas answered, "Nah, I've seen enough. And thanks for looking after Nami for me."
Puffing out her non-existent chest, Benienma replied, "Of course. There is a possibility that Nami-dechi will become one of my Lord's Seishitsu in the future. Benienma will do her best to ensure her safety."
Hearing yet another new word from the petite sparrow, Thomas raised his brows and asked, "What's a Seishitsu...?"
"Seishitsu is the official wife of a high-ranking official or Lord, positioning them above Sokushitsu, the designation of concubines and mistresses. It is only a matter of time before Master becomes a Lord, so there is a need to secure your successor, dechi."
Though he had learned to appreciate Benienma's 'dedication,' Thomas couldn't help smiling wryly when the petite sparrow mentioned securing a successor. If he wanted children, he would have had them long before he turned thirty-six. He was also twice Nami's age and 'much' larger than she was, so he only hesitated for a brief moment before asserting, "If I'm to have a 'Seishitsu,' it will likely be a woman named Yamato. I still want you to ensure Nami's safety, but don't say or do anything to pressure her into becoming my wife..."
Lowering her head and cupping her hands together, Benienma replied, "Understood, dechi." It didn't matter to her who Thomas's first wife was, so long as he had plans to marry and produce a successor. He could also adopt one, but she considered it one of her duties to ensure at least one person existed to perpetuate his line...
Unaware of Benienma's thoughts, Thomas was about to suggest they return to the Going Merry when a deep, gravelly voice caused both him and the petite Oni to tense as it remarked, "The two of you are not of this world...how curious."
Accompanying the voice, seemingly materializing out of thin air, was a man wearing a dark-green cloak. The moment Thomas met the man's piercing eyes, it was like every nerve in his body tensed, freezing him in place. At the same time, Benienma appeared in front of him, hand on her sword as she warned, "Withdraw your intent, or I will be forced to cut you down, dechi..."
Instead of taking offense to Benienma's words and actions, the man adopted a wolfish smile as he remarked, "Good spirit. However, I am not your enemy. Stay your hand, young one."
While advising Benienma to calm down, the cloaked man retracted his Haki, relieving the tension on Thomas's body. Then, as they were standing in an alleyway, he removed his cloak to reveal an unkempt mane of spiky, obsidian black hair and a ferocious countenance. Most notably, a crimson tattoo adorned the left side of his face, resembling diamond-shaped eyes running from above his brow to his jawline.
Noticing the 'recognition' in Thomas's gaze, the man adopted a menacing smile as he asked, "You recognize me...?"
As if compelled by the man's words, Thomas instinctually nodded. The former was Lucy's father, also known as Monkey D. Dragon, the Supreme Commander of the Revolutionary Army and the most wanted man in the world. As such, even when he had retracted his aura completely, Thomas felt as though there was a hand grasping his heart, ready to squeeze it the moment he gave an unsatisfactory answer.
Maintaining his inherently malicious-looking smile, Dragon mused, "Relax. You're one of my daughter's precious crewmen. So long as you answer my questions honestly, I will not harm either of you."
Without waiting for Thomas to respond, Dragon got to the heart of the matter, asking, "How did you come to be in this world? Are you visitors from the outer system, or did you enter into our world using some other means...?"
Before Thomas could answer the Dragon's question, a familiar-looking gateway appeared behind him. Dragon reacted by spinning around and unleashing a powerful burst of Conqueror's Haki, forcing Thomas to his knees and knocking out nearly every civilian within Loguetown. However, despite his immediate reaction, he was powerless to escape the gate as it overtook his position and transported him tens of thousands of kilometers away in an instant...
"..."
While Thomas was struggling to process what had occurred due to the effects of Dragon's Conqueror's Haki, Benienma was largely unaffected, a concerned expression on her face as she cupped his cheeks with her tiny hands and asked, "Are you okay, Master...?"
Swallowing despite his throat feeling drier than a desert, Thomas took a moment to collect himself before replying, "Yeah, I'm fine. I'm just a little shaken, that's all. Dragon showing up was one thing, but Zelretch yeeting him was outside my expectations..."
As the gate that swallowed Dragon was visually similar to the one that had deposited him on the beach, Thomas was certain its appearance had something to do with Zelretch. He seriously doubted anyone in the world of One Piece could deal with the legendary Revolutionary with such ease, so it was the only thing that made sense.
All but confirming Thomas's suspicions, the logbook he generally kept in his room abruptly appeared above him, hitting him on the head before falling onto the ground and opening of its own accord. Then, as he and Benienma stared blankly at the exposed page, several lines of text slowly materialized, stating, 'It appears there are a few individuals in that world who can interpret the flow of fate. Worry not; I will ensure your paths do not cross again in the near future. Also, as you have diverged from Drake, I have modified your tome to allow you to view the Parameters and Skills of yourself and your Servants. You will find the information you seek in the back of your journal.'
"..."
Instead of questioning the old vampire's intervention, Thomas picked up the logbook and turned to the last page. What he saw caused his eyes to light up as the backmost page resembled a character profile/status page from a typical RPG. There was even a full-body image of the person in the upper left-hand corner of the page. In this instance, the person on display was himself, so Thomas's eyes practically exuded flames of intrigue as he read his status for the first time. The smile on his face cramped when he read certain sections, but it was still exciting to know how he compared to his Servants...
----------------------------------
[Profile]
Name: Thomas D. Jensen
Species: Human, Mana Progenitor
Gender: Male
Age: 36
Height: 221.8cm
Weight: 127kgs
Blood Type: O
Likes: Anime, Manga, Beautiful Women, and Thick Thighs
Dislikes: Himself
Talents: None
Natural Enemy: Himself
[Parameters]
Strength: E(13)
Endurance: E(17)
Agility: E(13)
Mana: EX(*)
Luck: EX(*)
NP: Unknown
[Class Skills]
N/A
[Personal Skills]
Wayward Traveler(EX), Mana-Mana-no-Mi(EX), Self-Doubt(C), Monstrous Strength(C-), Cooking(D), Lesser Regeneration(E)
Wayward Traveler(EX): A unique but ultimately useless Skill denoting the bearer as someone who has transcended their original world and chanced upon another by happenstance.
Mana-Mana-no-Mi(EX): The bearer has a unique constitution capable of generating and emitting a functionally infinite amount of Mana.
Self-Doubt(C): The bearer is plagued by a lack of confidence, sabotaging themselves and diminishing their capabilities.
Monstrous Strength(C-): The bearer is capable of drastically increasing their strength, speed, and durability but lacks proper control, causing him to damage himself in the process.
Cooking(E): Barely qualified to help prepare ingredients, dechi.
Lesser Regeneration(E): After consuming highly nutritious food over a lengthy period, the user has gained the ability to regenerate faster than an ordinary human.
----------------------------------
...
..
.
(A/N: I will most likely be posting an AUX Chapter that includes the profiles and parameters of each character, as well as an explanation of how Paramters function. If not today, then sometime in the near future.)

Once Thomas finally returned to the Going Merry, Nami and Caenis were there waiting for him, the former pointedly remarking, "You sure took your sweet time. Were you the one that caused that strange phenomenon that knocked everyone out...?"
Doing his best to appear more confident than his status made him out to be, Thomas adopted a relaxed smile as he replied, "My path was blocked by a Marine Captain named Smoker. And no, that was caused by someone else. If I possessed that kind of power, I would already be standing at the pinnacle of the world."
As everyone else on the deck had walked over in response to Thomas's arrival, Zoro, now wearing two new swords on his hip, asked, "Anyone we need to worry about?"
Shaking his head, Thomas replied, "Not anytime soon," before adding, "And nice swords. I was a little worried you wouldn't be able to locate them. Did you also meet Tashigi...?"
Furrowing his brows slightly, Zoro answered, "Yeah...I was going to ask you about her. She isn't who I think she is, is she...?"
Though there was 'a lot' of speculation about Tashigi and Kuina being the same person, especially after the reveal that Sabo had survived, Oda, the creator of One Piece, had gone on record saying they were different. They just happened to look identical, had a similar obsession with swords, and were around the same age as one another...
Shaking his head, Thomas replied, "I'm not omniscient. You'll have to find the truth to that question on your own."
Clicking his tongue, Zoro seemed dissatisfied by Thomas's response but didn't press him further. Instead, he split off from the group to continue testing his newly acquired swords, the cursed sword, Sandai Kitetsu, and one of the 50 Skillful Grade swords, the Yubashiri. He felt like the pair of katanas were made specifically for him, but he still wanted to familiarize himself with their weight and balance before fighting a proper opponent.
As Zoro walked off to do his own thing, Nami suggested, "We should set sail as soon as possible. I don't want to be here when the Marines begin searching for someone to blame for the citizens losing consciousness..."
Before anyone else could reply, Lucy responded excitedly, "Yosh! Weigh anchor and unfurl the sails! Next stop, Reverse Mountain! After that, the Grand Line...!"
Though everyone had varying degrees of enthusiasm, even Caenis responded with a half-hearted, 'Aye aye, Captain..." before moving to her assigned position. She had been tasked with piloting the ship, so she moved to the interior steering column while Thomas coiled the anchor and Usopp unfurled the sails alongside Astolfo and Zoro. Atalanta was already in the crow's nest, so Nami made her way onto the quarterdeck, the location of five tangerine trees, while Benienma moved to the kitchen. The only person who didn't have anything to do was Lucy, who, as usual, moved to her perch atop the Going Merry's sheep-like figurehead, a broad smile on her face as she gazed toward the horizon...
...
..
.
[Six Days Later]
Seeing the 'legendary' Reverse Mountain for herself, Nami couldn't help remarking, "Incredible...I've heard the stories, but I never expected to see the sea flowing up the side of a mountain like this. Even if the current is exceptionally powerful, it shouldn't be able to drive water ten thousand meters at such a steep angle..."
Despite originating from an era of myths and Gods, Caenis found herself agreeing with Nami, retorting, "It's fucking ludicrous. Even with my power over the seas, a feat like this is impossible. This is clearly manufactured in some way..."
Though she could generate massive tidal waves with enough prep time, Caenis couldn't fathom the force required to push a 100m, 50m deep river up a steep incline at more than a hundred knots(185km/h). Not even Poseidon could pull off such a ridiculous feat with his power alone, so she was convinced there was a hidden mechanism driving the feat. She even suspected the entire mountain to be artificial. Otherwise, such a powerful current would have cut through it long ago.
"We'll worry about that near the tail end of our journey," said Thomas. "For now, our immediate objective is to ensure the Going Merry isn't destroyed as we ascend the mountain. It's rumored that more than half the ships entering the Grand Line are destroyed before they reach the Twin Peaks near its entrance..."
Snorting through her nose, Caenis asserted, "With me on board, we don't have to worry about crashing into any walls. Just don't fall off as we make our ascent. If I have to choose between the ship and rescuing your dumb ass from drowning, it isn't much of a choice."
Though Caenis's words seemed to suggest she would prioritize the ship, both Nami and Thomas knew she would readily abandon the Going Merry to ensure his safety. Thus, while Caenis manipulated the currents to keep them from crashing into the walls, Zoro and Usopp teamed up to control the steering column, just in case. Nami had proposed having Thomas stay inside the ship, but there was no way in hell he was going to miss such an incredible view...
As the Going Merry was invariably drawn toward the Reverse Mountain, the strength of the current increased to the point it became impossible for them to turn around. The only way they could go was forward, so, while Lucy shouted, "Yahoooo~!" at the front of the ship, Thomas clung to the rails of the quarterdeck hard enough to leave indentations in the wood as the Going Merry began its steep ascent towards the clouds. Of course, as exciting as the two-hour ascent was, it was comparably boring compared to their six-minute descent...
...
..
.
As the Going Merry escaped the Reverse Mountain's current and entered far stabler seas, Thomas joined everyone onboard in celebrating despite feeling confused. In the timeline he was familiar with, Laboon, a massive, island-sized whale, was waiting for the Straw Hats during their descent. It was also where the Straw Hats first encountered Crocus, the doctor of Gol D. Roger, and Nefertari Vivi, the disguised Princess of the Kingdom of Alabasta.
Noticing the conflict in Thomas's eyes during their celebration, Nami waited until things began to calm down before approaching him to ask, "What's wrong? We just entered the Grand Line. Shouldn't you be a little happier...?"
Choosing to believe they were a little early, as the opposite would almost certainly mean that Vivi was dead, Thomas forced a smile as he replied, "I was hoping to see the Island Whale that has been known to linger around these parts for the past fifty years."
Narrowing her eyes slightly, Nami moved a little closer to Thomas, her breasts nearly touching him as she asked, "What's the 'real' reason you're disappointed? For someone who flew over the Calm Belt and witnessed Sea Kings the size of islands, I refuse to believe you're this troubled over a simple whale..."
Instead of answering Nami's question directly, Thomas suggested, "We should moor the ship near the coast and speak to the Lighthouse Keeper. As useful as Astolfo's ability is, we should get in the habit of navigating the Grand Line properly. Without a Log Pose, we're bound to get turned around in one of the region's many storms..."
Rolling her eyes, Nami replied, "Fine, then. Keep your secrets. Just know that I'll hold you personally responsible if something happens to Lucy or anyone else in the crew..."
"..."
With Nami turning and walking away from him, Thomas followed her with his gaze until Astolfo approached to ask, "Lover's quarrel~?" in a teasing tone.
Exhaling a sigh, Thomas forced a faint smile as he replied, "I wish..." in an ingratiating tone. He liked to think he and Nami had grown closer the past two and a half months, but there was a particular 'distance' between them that never seemed to shrink. She came to him for advice and to probe him for information, but that was about it. Unless Lucy was around, they never simply 'chatted.'
As there was quite a substantial difference in their heights now, Astolfo had to stand on the tips of her toes to pat Thomas on the head, saying, "There, there..." in a comforting tone. She was only 164cm in height, so Thomas was nearly 60cm taller than her.
"..."
Gazing down at the smiling, pink-haired Paladin, a number of conflicting thoughts crossed Thomas's mind. His updated logbook recorded Astolfo's gender as female, but he lacked the courage to 'confirm' whether or not it was true. He would be stepping on a rather sizeable landmine if it wasn't, but he would have to be a massive cunt to take advantage of the situation if Astolfo truly were a woman...
Shaking such thoughts from his mind, Thomas issued a faint "Thanks..." before 'rewarding' the petite trap with a headpat of her own. The size of his hands had increased with his height, so he covered nearly the entirety of her crown as he gently ruffled her silky smooth hair. That was another reason he had yet to extend his clutches to the petite pinkette, as, even at 174cm, Caenis was beginning to have difficulties accepting all of him. She argued she could easily endure 30cm, but Thomas had serious doubts as he was nearing 24 and felt like he was pushing up her guts...
...
..
.
While Thomas's thoughts wandered all over the place, the Going Merry carefully pulled up to the cliffs surrounding the Twin Capes. There were at least 40m between the surface of the sea and the lowest ridge, but Lucy was able to use her Gomu-Gomu-no-Bazooka to propel herself up without issue. Then, using her stretchy arms, she pulled up everyone who wanted to go ashore.
As he wanted to speak to Crocus about Vivi, Thomas accompanied Lucy, Nami, and Zoro while Usopp, Atalanta, and Benienma protected the ship. Caenis and Astolfo used the opportunity to collect food, the former diving into the seemingly bottomless sea while the latter boarded her Hippogriff to search the surrounding cliffs for fruit-bearing trees.
Fortunately, while Crocus was initially encountered in the belly of Laboon in the original series, the flowery man eventually answered after they rang the doorbell at the entrance to the Lighthouse.
Despite his advanced age, Crocus gave off a fairly intimidating aura due to his intense gaze, 208cm height, and muscular, scar-covered body. His strength had weakened greatly, but he was still a former comrade of the Pirate King. In the anime and manga, he tanked several cannonballs with his body, barely sustaining any injuries despite being in his 70s and acting as a Lighthouse Keeper for 50 years.
With an intense gaze that looked like he was about to activate a powerful Conqueror's Haki, Crocus glowered at Thomas, Nami, Lucy, and Zoro for several intense moments before stating, "Whatever you're selling, I'm not interested...!"
While Lucy made an off-handed remark about the literal flower petals growing from Crocus's head, Thomas adopted a wry smile as he revealed, "We were actually hoping to purchase something from you. Do you have any spare Log Poses...?"
Opening his eyes as if he were shocked to his core, Crocus stared directly at Thomas, the atmosphere around him nearly becoming palpable until he replied with a curt, "I do...!"
Before Thomas and Nami could sigh in relief, Crocus abruptly closed the door to his Lighthouse, locking it behind him as he added, "Not for sale...!" in a loud, codgerly tone.
"..."
"..."
"..."
"..."
...
..
.
(A/N: For those that are concerned, the Straw Hats are quite a bit ahead of schedule due to the time spent reconstructing Nami's village in canon. I wouldn't kill someone as significant/popular as Vivi just to spice things up...at least not off-screen (O w O)...)

Immediately following Benienma's warning, Thomas's eyes widened as a tall and curvaceous woman approached the execution platform wearing a white cowboy hat and a pale pink cloak covered in hearts. As she moved through the crowd, men and women alike parted like Moses splitting the Red Sea, not because of the massive spiked club resting on her shoulder but because her beauty had compelled them to make way.
"Holy shit..."
Though the woman had yet to identify herself, Thomas recognized her as Alvida, one of the first Pirates Luffy faced during the version of One Piece he was familiar with. She started as a nearly ball-shaped woman with a horrendously ugly face, large feet, massive lips, and freckles, but after eating a Devil Fruit that turned her into a 'Smooth Woman,' she shed all of her weight and became one of the most beautiful women in the world...
While Thomas was momentarily awed by her beauty, much like the rest of the crowd, Alivda approached the base of the execution platform before calling out to Lucy, declaring, "I finally found you, Monkey D. Lucy. You're going to pay for what you did to me...!"
Unlike her original counterpart, who had become infatuated with Luffy for being the first man to strike her, the current Alvida hated Lucy to the core. She had nearly succumbed to dehydration after being stranded on a deserted island, and one of the only fruits she discovered ended up being a Devil Fruit that tasted like dog shit.
Not recognizing Alivda, Lucy tilted her head to the side and asked, "Do I know you...?" with a confused look on her face.
As she was incapable of telling how much her beauty had improved after eating the Sube-Sube-no-Mi, Alvida's expression darkened as she asked, "You forgot about me, Iron Mace Alvida, the most beautiful woman in East Blue...?"
Blinking in surprise, Lucy replied, "Huh? Alvida was a fat old hag covered in freckles. You look nothing like her."
"..."
Hanging her head in a way that allowed her cowgirl hat to conceal her face, Alvida smashed her gigantic mace into the ground, her voice a low growl as she asserted, "I will never forgive you..."
Interrupting Lucy's and Alvida's reunion, a bunch of men dressed in grey outfits, Loguetown's local militia, approached the execution platform, led by a mustached man with a bullhorn. His eyes widened when he noticed Alvida, but he eventually managed to return his gaze to Lucy, raising his bullhorn to shout, "Get down from there! This is a special execution site under the jurisdiction of the World Government! If you refuse to remove yourself, you will be apprehended and placed under-"
Before the man could finish issuing his warning, Alvida attempted to bat him aside with her spiked mace, aiming for his head. Even without her superhuman strength, such an attack would be fatal against an ordinary human. Thus, the moment the group appeared, Thomas moved forward, intending to intervene. The moment Alvida swung her mace, he emerged from the gathering crowd, intercepting her mace with his bare hand as he said, "Not today..."
Though she was 6'6''(198cm), Alvida had to look up at Thomas, her green eyes widening slightly as she asked, "And who the hell are you supposed to be?"
As he didn't want to ruin the rapport he had painstakingly established with Nami, Thomas's expression remained serious as he replied, "In this instance, your enemy..."
Without elaborating or providing his actual identity, Thomas destroyed Alvida's mace with a burst of Magical Energy. Then, even though her Devil Fruit provided her immunity to most physical attacks, causing them to slide off her body as if she was a frictionless surface, he grabbed her left wrist without issue, pulling her off balance before planting his knee in her lower abdomen.
Despite possessing superhuman strength, Alvida was ultimately a Pirate whose Bounty had stagnated at a mere 5,000,000 Berries. Thomas held back considerably, but she ended up stumbling forward like Cell after getting his guts punched in by Gohan, eyes bulging out as she held her stomach.
Though Thomas's actions earned him the ire of nearly everyone in the crowd, including the man he had just saved, their protests were promptly silenced by the sound of an explosion. At the same time, the large group wearing beige cloaks charged forward, led by a man with a shiny red nose that was visually indistinguishable from a clown's prop nose.
While the crowd rapidly dispersed, the red-nosed man, Buggy the Clown, shouted, "Get them! Don't let them escape, even if it kills you...!"
Removing their cloaks, Buggy's crew charged at Thomas like a rogue circus troupe. The former had originally intended to capture Lucy and execute her in public, but his plans changed when Thomas incapacitated Alvida. Not because he had any particular fondness for the remarkably smooth and beautiful woman, but because the man he sent to capture Lucy was effortlessly avoided due to the latter's burgeoning mastery of Observation Haki.
Grinning like a demon, Thomas's excitement compounded as he smacked his chest and shouted, "Bring it on, bitches...!"
Though Thomas didn't possess Conqueror's Haki, those closest to him immediately backed down when they saw the excitement on his face. His muscular frame and height of 220cm were also fairly intimidating, so none of them wanted to be the first to approach.
"You damn cowards...!" exclaimed Buggy before kicking out and pointing the tip of his shoe at Thomas, completely ignoring the presence of Alvida as he shouted, "Eat this! Secret Muggy Shot...!"
Having imagined how he would deal with Buggy, Thomas responded to the man's 'secret attack' by erecting a trio of convex barriers layered on top of each other. When the tiny red ball came into contact with the first shield, it immediately exploded into an enormous plume of fire. However, while the explosion was able to shatter the first barrier with ease, it barely affected the other two.
Before the fire and smoke cleared completely, Thomas charged forward with his barriers intact, emerging from the other side like a paladin about to execute a shield bash. Buggy, not anticipating this, went wide-eyed as Thomas barreled toward him like a runaway train. He crossed his arms in a defensive posture but was sent flying by the force of the blow, crashing through several of his men.
While his attack was successful, Thomas blinked in surprise as he didn't push Buggy back nearly as far as he expected. The moment he impacted the much smaller clown, it was like he had struck an exceptionally sturdy tree. Buggy was sent flying, but the man showed no visible signs of injury as he pushed himself to his feet and threatened, "You're going to pay for that..." with an expression that could humble Pennywise.
Following his words, Buggy reached into his cloak and pulled out eight custom-made knives, wielding them between his fingers. However, before he could launch himself at Thomas, a fist moving fast enough to generate shockwaves slammed into his face, propelled by a thick trail of smoke. At the same time, a small army of Marines wielding flintlock rifles surged into the square, surrounding Buggy, his crew, Thomas, the downed Alvida, and the execution platform.
Though he hadn't done anything wrong, a group of Marines aimed their rifles at Thomas, some shouting, "Hands in the air!" while others shouted, "No sudden movements...!"
"..."
Before Thomas could point out the contradiction, a pair of diminutive yet powerful hands gripped his shoulders like a vice, causing his eyes to widen as he was abruptly lifted off the ground and flung high into the air. He instinctually bolstered the veil of Magical Energy protecting his body, but it was ultimately unnecessary as Lucy leaped up to catch him, smiling broadly as she remarked, "You did well by saving that old man. I panicked a bit when Alvida swung her club at his head."
Despite the rather large disparity in their sizes, Lucy touched down on top of a building while casually supporting Thomas in a princess carry. She immediately set him down, but that didn't stop him from furrowing his brows and appearing embarrassed as he replied, "It was no big deal..."
Amused by Thomas's reaction, Lucy was about to tease him a bit but was preempted by him stating, "We need to regroup with Nami and the others. We didn't do anything wrong, but that won't deter the Marines from trying to arrest and interrogate us."
Nodding her head, Lucy attempted to pick Thomas back up, but he raised his hand while moving away from her, smiling wryly as he asserted, "I can run on my own..."
Shrugging her shoulders, Lucy replied, "Suit yourself," before leaping from the building they were standing on, easily clearing several others. Thomas followed suit, but he had to leap from building to building, not because he wasn't capable of jumping much further, but because he couldn't properly control his strength. If he made a mistake and overshot the roof he was aiming for, he would end up crashing through the building on the opposite side or landing heavily on the pavement. The latter wouldn't harm him, but the thought of destroying someone's house or business deterred Thomas from being too reckless...
Spitting in the face of Thomas's good intentions, a fast-moving stream of smoke attempted to overtake him by passing around his body. Instead, it crashed into him with the force of a small car, surprising the ashen-haired Marine that tried to obstruct his path. Shortly after that, the two of them crashed through the exterior wall of a bakery, destroying several displays containing fresh bread and pastries.
Bounding to his feet, Thomas's expression morphed into a scowl as he exclaimed, "Are you serious!? Couldn't you have flown around instead of attempting to pass around me for dramatic flair!?"
Rising to his feet alongside Thomas, the Marine that had crashed into him had a comparably ugly expression on his face as he pulled out several cigars from his jacket, lighting them up before asking, "Was that Haki? I didn't expect an upstart Pirate from the East Blue would have access to something like that..."
As he had yet to do any actual pirating, Thomas snorted through his nose and asked, "What upstart Pirate? I stepped in to save that Police Captain from having his head splattered and then repelled Buggy the Clown. Your men surrounded and aimed their rifles at me for no reason, and now we've ruined someone's business because you wanted to show off...!"
"..."
Though his expression became even uglier, the bare-chested man, better known as Captain Smoker, didn't lash out or attempt to refute Thomas's words. Instead, he looked around at the destroyed bakery, narrowing his eyes at a middle-aged man standing behind the register with a mortified look on his face.
Despite wearing an expression that made it appear as though he was about to skin the man alive, Smoker's gravely voice was calm as he said, "Send an invoice to my office before the end of the week. I'll see that you are properly remunerated for the trouble we've caused you."
Without waiting for the man's response, Smoker turned his attention back to Thomas, revealing, "I am Captain Smoker of the Marines. If you're truly not a Pirate, you'll follow me outside. I have some questions for you."
Shrugging his shoulders, Thomas replied, "So long as you don't ask me to accompany you down to your headquarters, I don't mind answering a few questions. I'm having trust issues after having a dozen men point rifles at me for no fucking reason..."
Exhaling an enormous plume of smoke, Smoker remained silent for a few seconds before replying, "Fair enough. Once I ascertain your identity and confirm you're not a Pirate, I'll lower my head and publically apologize on my men's behalf."
"..."
Though he vaguely recalled a scene of Smoker apologizing after a little kid bumped into him with her ice cream, Thomas didn't expect him to be so...agreeable. He was originally thinking about how he could escape the man's pursuit, but, as there wasn't a thunderstorm raging outside, he doubted that Dragon, Lucy's father, was present. Even if he was, there was no guarantee the man would step in to save him. Thus, after several seconds of deliberation, he replied, "Fine, let's talk..."
...
..
.
(A/N: Thomas is a feminist, confirmed...)

Chapter 36: Peeling Back the Veil