One Piece : Wild Hunt

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...
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[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...
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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...
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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.
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(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)...)

After telling everyone else he would take care of it, Thomas spent nearly an hour trying to get Crocus to answer the door while Lucy explored the surrounding cape. When the man finally opened his door, he had the same grim expression as before, stating, "You're starting to get on my nerves..."
"That wasn't my intention," replied Thomas. "But we kind of 'need' a Log Pose if we're going to get out of your hair. Beyond that, there is something I wanted to ask you..."
Instead of responding to Thomas's words, Crocus removed his circular glasses and gave them a length cleaning using a red cloth. While doing so, he started directly into Thomas's eyes with his intense stare, his own becoming progressively more bloodshot as he didn't blink for nearly four minutes.
Once he was finished cleaning his glasses, Crocus placed them into his pocket instead of putting them on his face, questioning, "Well, what are you waiting for? I might be a Lighthouse Keeper, but I have better things to do than stand around waiting for you to ask your question."
"..."
Suppressing the urge to smack the elderly man upside his balding head, Thomas adopted a cramped smile as he questioned, "Has anyone from Baroque Works come around to badger the Island Whale in the last few weeks?"
Narrowing his eyes slightly, Crocus replied, "Not yet. Though I suspect they'll show up within the next month or so. The real question is, how do you know about that? You were foolish enough to enter the Grand Line without a Log Pose, but know about something only a select few passing through the Twin Capes are aware of..."
Maintaining his smile, Thomas replied, "I know many things. However, I'm not here to interrupt your retirement. Once you sell us a Log Pose, we'll be on our way."
Opening his eyes wide, Crocus issued a seemingly startled, "Hmmm!?" as he stared up at the slightly taller Thomas. Then, after another inordinately long and awkward silence, he remarked, "I can't see without my glasses," before removing them from his interior breast pocket and donning them to get a better look at Thomas's face.
"..."
As he was fairly certain Crocus was trying to goad him into attacking or losing his cool, Thomas took a deep breath through his nose, doing his best to remain patient. Fortunately, he didn't have to wait several minutes for the man's reply as Crocus abruptly stated, "100,000 Berries." in a firm, no-nonsense tone.
Nodding his head, Thomas reached into his own pocket to pull out a stack of 10,000 Berry notes. When Crocus saw the thick stack of paper, his eyes briefly widened as he supplanted, "100,000 Berries for each minute of my time you've squandered. The Log Pose, you can have for free."
Instead of trying to reason with the seemingly senile old man, Thomas exhaled a sigh through his nose before handing Crocus all the Berries he had on hand. In response, he pulled out a peculiar compass with a needle suspended in a glass sphere. Unlike a standard compass, it didn't record the cardinal directions. Instead, it synchronized with the magnetic fields produced by the various islands in the Grand Line, allowing the wielder to traverse one of seven routes until they reached the endpoint of 'Paradise,' Sabaody Archipelago.
Seeing the needle of the Log Pose pointing directly to the East, Thomas asked, "Does this lead to Whiskey Peak...?"
Narrowing his eyes, Crocus remarked, "Someone's well informed..." before extending his hand and stating, "If you expect me to answer more of your questions, you'll need to pay..."
Shaking his head, Thomas replied, "Then forget about it. I already gave you all the money I had on me. I'm not going to tap into the crew's funds to sate my curiosity..."
Turning around, Thomas began to walk away, raising his hand in a gesture of farewell as he added, "See you around, old man Crocus..."
"Hmmm...!!"
As he hadn't introduced himself, Crocus's eyes genuinely widened for the first time. However, instead of calling out or attempting to stop Thomas, a thoughtful glimmer reflected across his wisened eyes as he remarked, "I never thought I would encounter yet another person without Haki..." before retreating into the interior of his Lighthouse...
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After using Reinforcement to strengthen the glass housing the Log Pose's needle, Thomas handed it over to Nami, the latter questioning, "This is a Log Pose? It doesn't even show the cardinal directions..."
Shrugging his shoulders, Thomas replied, "As I explained before, ordinary compasses spin randomly within the Grand Line. Trying to navigate based on directional headings is next to impossible. Also, the Log Pose is formed into a bracelet because you need to check it often to avoid getting turned around. There are a bunch of random currents produced by colossal Sea Kings swimming around the seafloor, so you could be traveling toward your destination one moment only to find yourself turned 180 degrees in the opposite direction less than a minute later. Also..."
Looking toward the skies on the horizon, Thomas added, "Nearly every island within the Grand Line possesses a unique climate. One even has a waterfall that produces literal ramen and plants that resemble ice cream shakes. As such, the weather can go from sunny and incredibly humid to completely wintery during a storm..."
Raising her brows, Nami focused on Thomas's mention of an island with a ramen waterfall, questioning, "How can an island have ramen flowing like water? That makes absolutely no sense..."
Recalling one of the theories from his previous world, Thomas explained, "Concerning Devil Fruits, there is a concept known as Awakening. Once Awakened, a Paramecia or Logia Fruit user can affect their environment with the properties of their fruit. A Logia User with the ability to produce Lava could turn a previously ordinary island into a chain of volcanoes. If I had to guess, there is a Devil Fruit out there with the ability to turn regular plants and animals into various food products. As strange as that sounds, it isn't too difficult to believe. One of the Four Emperors, Big Mom, lives on a literal island-sized cake where a lot of the food is capable of singing and dancing..."
Opening her mouth, Nami wanted to call Thomas out for making such a 'ridiculous' claim but couldn't find the words to do so. He sounded even more unbelievable than Usopp, but the expression on his face indicated he was telling the truth.
Interrupting Thomas's and Nami's conversation, Lucy returned from her brief exploration of the surrounding cape, groaning, "There's nothing to do here. The ground and cliffs are hard and super jagged, and all the plants are the same kind of prickly bush."
Nodding his head, Thomas replied, "I'm not surprised. There is evidence to suggest that the Red Line was 'created' several hundred years ago by an ancient race of winged beings. They likely constructed it to make living along the periphery and climbing it impossible. The only person known to do so was the Great Fishman Adventurer, Fisher Tiger. Several years ago, he ascended the Red Line and entered Mary Geoise with his bare hands, freeing countless slaves before forming the Sun Pirates."
Opening her eyes wide, Lucy remarked, "Wow, this Fisher Tiger sounds pretty cool. I hope we'll be able to meet him in the future."
While Nami had a thoughtful look on her face, Thomas shook his head, revealing, "The original Sun Pirates disbanded ten years ago, following the death of Fisher Tiger. Jinbe, one of the Seven Warlords, inherited the position of Captain but had the group become the protectors of Fishman Island while he, alone, became a 'dog' of the World Government..."
Scrunching her face into a frown, Lucy remarked, "The way you speak of the World Government makes them seem like the bad guys..."
Nodding again, Thomas asserted, "If you believe in the notions of good and evil, the Celestial Dragons and the World Government are probably the most intrinsically evil beings this world has to offer. They look down on anyone who isn't a Celestial Dragon, kill people on a whim, and enslave those they take an interest in. Even worse, any country that isn't a part of the World Government is considered to have no rights, an excuse that lets them justify all kinds of inhumane treatments..."
Looking up at the Red Line, Thomas was tempted to inform Lucy that she would probably need to destroy it if she wanted to become the 'free-est' person in the world. He didn't mind telling her about the atrociousness of the World Government and the Celestial Dragons, but he wanted her to be able to make her own decision about whether or not to oppose them.
Following Thomas's gaze, Lucy appeared to fall into deep thought before asking, "Want to try climbing it...?" a few moments later.
"Huh...?"
Returning his gaze to the petite Pirate, Thomas adopted a wry smile as he replied, "I actually considered climbing it as a form of 'special training' in the past. Now, I'm more interested in experiencing this journey we're on. I don't mind training, especially knowing what dangers await us in the New World, but it gets pretty mundane repeating the same actions every single day. Besides, unlike you, I would die if I fell from such an extreme height. I'm not made of rubber..."
Scratching the back of her head, Lucy gave her characteristic "Shishishi~" laugh before responding, "Your Magical Energy is pretty useful, though. If I could fire off beams, I would never get bored."
Emulating Thomas's actions, Lucy squared her feet, lowered her hips, and brought her hands near her waist in the iconic stance of a Kamehameha. Instead of firing out a beam, however, she launched her hands forward a good twenty meters before snapping them back and stating, "It just isn't the same..." with a melancholic smile on her face.
Resisting the urge to point out that her Devil Fruit could likely fire off beams if she 'really' wanted to, Thomas earned a disproving look from Nami as he ruffled Lucy's hair, saying, "If we could swap Devil Fruits, I would happily accept your Gomu-Gomu-no-Mi. When combined with an active imagination and Haki, it's probably one of the most versatile Devil Fruits in the entire world."
As no one had ruffled her hair since the day Shanks sacrificed his arm to save her, Lucy's mind momentarily blanked. Nami, however, was quick to swat his hand away, warning, "Keep your hands to yourself, or I'm going to tell Caenis. I know how 'close' the two of you are. If she learns you're playing around with other women, she'll beat the crap out of you..."
Though he retracted his hand from Lucy's head, Thomas raised his brows, issuing a confused, "Huh?" before furrowing his brows as he remarked, "I think you have a severe lack of understanding about Caenis and myself..."
Crossing her arms, Nami's expression and tone became defiant as she asked, "Oh? Care to elaborate...?"
Nodding his head, Thomas explained, "First of all, Caenis doesn't care if I have relationships with other women. She has even asked me if I wanted help with 'wooing' the two of you, but I refused. Not because I don't think the two of you are beautiful women, but because I'm not as perverted as you seem to think I am. I'm fairly content with spending time with Caenis, but her nature as a Spirit means our paths will eventually diverge at some point. I'll eventually have to find someone else if I ever want to have kids, so our relationship is intimate but unrestrictive..."
Blinking in surprise, Nami asked, "Spirits can't have children...?" as if it was the only part of Thomas's statement that carried any value.
"Not without some kind of miracle," replied Thomas before inhaling a deep breath and exhaling it as a sigh, admitting, "I won't lie, Nami. There was a time when I considered you as a potential partner. You're a beautiful and capable woman, and I thought we would make a good pair exploring and mapping the world together. However, with my height steadily increasing, I've already given up on pursuing you. As for Lucy...she is too innocent for me to view her with such intentions..."
Tilting her head to the side, Lucy questioned, "What do you mean? Aren't we already partners...?"
Realizing they shouldn't be having this discussion in front of Lucy, Nami pulled the obsidian-haired girl to her side, asserting, "I'll tell you about it later." before giving Thomas a thoughtful yet 'warning' look. In response, he just smiled wryly, resisting the urge to point out she was the one that broached the subject. After all, even in a world based on anime/manga, attempting to reason with a stubborn woman was harder than reaching the absolute pinnacle of the world...
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(A/N: Thomas just unintentionally whipped out his Chad card o_o...)

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...
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[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.
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(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.)

Chapter 37: Twin Capes