One Piece : Wild Hunt

Though it felt wrong, Thomas left Vivi collapsed on the roof, leaping off of it and down to the streets below. Then, since most of the Baroque Works members were focused on Zoro, he started sneaking up on several from behind, doing his best not to splatter their heads as he knocked them out.
Upon realizing that Thomas was attacking them from behind, most of the remaining Baroque Works members began to flee. His presence indicated that the Numbers had failed to stop him, so they didn't favor their odds of taking him down.
Ignoring the thirty or so people fleeing, Thomas made his way over to where Zoro was taking a break, asking, "How was it? Did you get to test your swords...?"
Shaking his head, Zoro replied, "People like this aren't proper opponents. A few wielded swords and daggers, but they just flung them around like fools..."
Shrugging his shoulders, Thomas asked, "What did you expect? They are dubbed millions and billions for a reason. Their only redeeming quality is their numbers."
"Fair point," replied Zoro. Then, after looking around, he asked, "So, what now? Knowing you, you must have some kind of plan."
Nodding his head, Thomas replied, "We're going to chase out the Bounty Hunters and occupy the city for a few days. I'll explain the specifics once Lucy and Usopp are awake."
Instead of questioning Thomas's decision, Zoro rose to his feet and gave one of the people littering the ground a kick to the face, just hard enough to wake them up. The man held his nose and shouted, "What the fuck...!?" but quickly lost his vigor when he looked up to find Zoro staring down at him, his expression demonic as he said, "Wake your friend and then get the fuck out of our town. Anyone remaining after an hour will be buried here. Got it?"
With sweat streaming down his face, the large and muscular man began waking his colleagues, passing along Zoro's message before moving on to the next person. Some were hesitant to flee the city, viewing it as a death sentence, but the presence of Thomas and Zoro was more than enough to convince them. They couldn't defeat the duo with 50:1 odds, so there was no way they could oppose them while injured.
As the members of Baroque Works gradually left the city, Thomas left the body of Miss Monday to Zoro before returning to where he had left Mr. 9 and Vivi. The former had managed to crawl his way several blocks before concealing himself in a small residence, but the trail of blood made it easy to find him.
After tossing Mr. 9, Miss Monday, Igaram, and the 'unconscious' Vivi into the city's underground prison, Thomas and Zoro returned to the tavern to find Nami waiting for them, fully awake. Upon seeing them, her hazel-brown eyes briefly lingered on Thomas before returning to her drink as she asked, "So, how'd it go? I tried sneaking out to have a look, but Beni materialized out of thin air and asked me to stay inside..."
At the mention of her name, Benienma stepped out from behind Thomas, a serious expression on her face as she said, "I can't be in two places at once, dechi. It's easier to protect everyone when they're together."
"Yeah, I heard you the first..." replied Nami in a half-hearted tone. Then, after emptying her mug, she slammed it onto the table before staring at Thomas and Zoro, repeating, "So, how'd it go...?"
With Zoro splitting off to grab a drink for himself, Thomas was tempted to do the same. Fortunately for Nami, Astolfo had convinced him that being standoffish probably wasn't the best way to handle the situation. Thus, as he made his way over to sit across from her, he responded, "Everything went pretty much as planned. We chased off the low-ranking fodder and placed all the Numbers in individual prison cells. There are presumably a few people lurking in basements or hidden away in secret compartments, but Beni should be able to chase them out."
Without needing to be told directly, Benienma promptly disappeared to carry out her Master's 'order.' She quickly found a few people attempting to ransack storehouses and pillage several private vaults, so she chased them off or killed them, depending on how they reacted to her presence. Those that simply sought to preserve their lives were allowed to take rice, water, and other supplies before fleeing. Those that viewed her as a child and attempted to take her 'hostage' were never seen again...
While Benienma was off terrorizing the more opportunistic members of Baroque Works, Thomas detailed his plan to Nami and Zoro. They were surprised to hear that he could convert ordinary sand into arable soil but quickly accepted it after he demonstrated the ability to transmute a glass of water into wine.
Unsurprisingly, Nami promptly asked, "Can you turn minerals into gold...?"
Smiling wryly, Thomas answered, "It's possible, but doing so without a suitable catalyst is exceptionally difficult. Like, it's a hell of a lot easier to turn silver into gold than it is to transmute something like lead."
Hearing that Thomas could create gold, Nami's valuation of him changed slightly. She had a deeply ingrained obsession with money, so someone that could produce gold from comparably inexpensive minerals had high value.
Noticing the glimmer in Nami's eyes, Thomas's expression morphed into a deadpan as he pointed out, "You're a part of the future Pirate King's crew. Once we reach the point where we can rival the Yonko, do you think you'll have problems with money...?"
Adopting a wry smile, Nami replied, "Unless we go around robbing people, then yes. Lucy doesn't care about money, and Zoro is a muscle-brain that only thinks about swords and getting stronger. That's why I'm in charge of the crew's funds. If Lucy could purchase whatever she wanted, the Going Merry would be filled with produce from bow to stern."
Shrugging his shoulders, Thomas asserted, "Well, we won't have to worry about that in a few years. Drake agreed to set aside 30% of whatever she plunders using the 'knowledge' I shared with her. On the absolute lowest end, that's several tens, if not hundreds of billions in pure gold."
While Nami's eyes became as wide as someone that had just won the mega jackpot on a slot machine, Zoro spat out the wine in his mouth. A few million Berries was enough for the average person to live comfortably for the rest of their lives. Hundreds of billions was comparable to the GDP of a nation...
After swallowing the knot in her throat, Nami asked, "And you're going to share that with us...?"
Reverting to his deadpan expression, Thomas replied, "Like Lucy, I don't care about money. I do, however, understand its importance. Lucy's path will invariably bring us to a head against the World Government, so we'll need 'trillions' if we're to oppose them and expand our forces. I'm leaving most of that to Drake, but I would never neglect saving to cover personal expenses..."
Realizing how 'short-sighted' she had been, regret hit Nami like a truck. She had planned to exploit Thomas's knowledge to accumulate the funds they needed for their voyage. Now that she knew he had been preparing their finances in advance, she couldn't help feeling a little guilty...after all, even before her altercation with Vivi, Lucy had insisted that Thomas just wanted to help...
Recalling Thomas's words about her using him, the excited smile faded from Nami's face. An impulsive urge to apologize welled within her, but before she could, Thomas offered the words he had prepared earlier that afternoon, stating, "Relax. I am well aware of the reasons you have trust issues. That's why I decided to prove I can be trusted through my actions rather than just feeding you information..."
Adopting a faint smile, Thomas added, "Instead of hearing you apologize, I would rather hear you say 'thanks' once we reach the end of our journey and you're able to achieve your dream. Until then, feel free to doubt me all you like. It helps to keep me honest..."
Rising to his feet, Thomas prepared to leave the tavern but stopped when Nami called out to him, expressing, "Vivi was right...you're a good person, Tom. I regret not noticing it sooner..."
Regaining his smile, Thomas offered a casual shrug as he replied, "That's life. Now, unless you've something important to discuss, I have a Princess to attend to and a soft bed calling my name. We'll finish this discussion in the morning."
Though Nami looked like she had something to say, Thomas turned away and promptly departed the tavern. He had already decided to 'ignore' her until after they regrouped at Sabaody and set sail for the New World. Until then, he was going to be doing his own thing...
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After 'dragging' Vivi from her cell and escorting her to her room, Thomas removed the cuffs from her wrists, asking, "Was that really necessary...?"
While massaging her wrists, Vivi replied, "One of my dreams growing up was to be an actress. It's what allowed me to maintain my cover and become a Frontier Agent of Baroque Works, so I take it pretty seriously..."
Nodding his head, Thomas replied, "I see..." before adopting a wry smile as he asked, "How's your stomach...?"
Instead of simply answering Thomas's question, Vivi hiked up her blouse to reveal a smooth and toned abdomen befitting an exotic dancer. More importantly, there wasn't a single sign of blemish or bruising as she gave it a few light smacks and said, "I'm much tougher than I look."
Though manners obligated him to look away, Thomas stared intently at Vivi's exposed navel and stomach. The latter noticed this, but instead of fixing her blouse, she adopted a faint smile and traced her fingers along the line of her abdomen as she said, "You were even more powerful than I expected. I never once imagined you withstanding bullets and cannon fire without suffering at least a minor injury..."
As Thomas was still shirtless, Vivi allowed her gaze to wander. She hadn't been lying when she said she had a preference for tall and muscular men, and Thomas was built like a 'palace.' He exuded a certain 'majesty,' and simply looking at him gave the impression he could protect anything with his powerful arms and perfectly sculpted physique...
Despite feeling a little unnerved by Vivi's 'intense' gaze, Thomas resisted the urge to turn away, forcing a smile as he joked, "Let's not get ahead of ourselves, Princess. I still need to save your country..."
"Ah..."
Hearing Thomas's words, Vivi immediately averted her gaze, a crimson hue spreading through her cheeks and ears as she replied, "Forgive me. I momentarily forgot myself..." in a polite tone.
Shaking his head, Thomas teased, "I worked hard to acquire this form 'specifically' for beautiful women to admire. It's just that if you were to give me the green light right now, I probably wouldn't be able to refuse. Not after what happened this morning..."
Though he was tempted to point out that Vivi's words had saved him from a state of mind that had plagued him for years, Thomas felt that would be a little 'too' cringe. Fortunately, his playful remark appeared to be more than enough as Vivi looked up at him with a gaze that caused his heart to skip a beat as she softly replied, "I don't mind..." while staring directly into his eyes.
Seeing Thomas open his mouth and stare at her with a stupefied look on his face, Vivi narrowed her eyes and smiled as she said, "I said it before, but you're a good man, Tom. I believe that, even without the promise of a reward, you wouldn't abandon my people and me to our fates. I trust you with my life..."
Punctuating her words, Vivi slowly removed her white, form-fitting shorts without breaking eye contact. Afterward, she pulled her hypnotic blouse over her head, freeing her large, milky white breasts. She still had a bit of growing to do, but her three sizes were already 90/55/88. In other words, she was firmly within the realm of an F-Cup...
With Thomas frozen like a statue, Vivi took the initiative to approach him, tentatively touching his left pectoral as she softly mused, "I 'really' don't mind..."
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(A/N: This isn't a sailing ship...it's a fucking battle cruiser xD...)

With the last vestiges of his self-restraint thoroughly quashed, Thomas surprised Vivi by picking her up by the pits of her arms and placing her on the bed.
"Lay on your back...I'll take care of the rest..." said Thomas, his voice deep and expression fiery.
Though she suddenly felt a lot more nervous, Vivi gave a curt nod before lying on her back and habitually covering her breasts. This was her first time, so while she was confident she had made the right choice, she was still a little worried...
Peeling away Vivi's pure white panties, Thomas took a moment to admire her faintly glistening vulva and sparse blue pubes before squatting down and prying apart her legs. He used to hate going down on women, but he had gotten over such inhibitions during his time with Caenis. She refused to suck his dick unless he returned the favor by eating her out, so he had gotten fairly used to having the bronze-skinned beauty sitting on his face.
Surprised by Thomas's actions, a startled "Hyaaaaan...!?" emanated from Vivi's throat as she instinctually grabbed his hair. She had 'researched' the relations between men and women, but it still felt wrong to have someone put their mouth and nose near the place she peed...
Despite her misgivings, Vivi did not attempt to stop Thomas. She trusted that he knew what he was doing, so she did her best to endure, even as his tongue invaded her folds. She instinctually closed her thighs around his head, but Thomas was able to pry them open without much effort, holding her in place until the sounds emanating from her throat became tinged with pleasure.
Though he didn't bring her to climax, Thomas spent several minutes ensuring that Vivi's immaculate pussy was prepared to receive him. He was also beginning to feel a little impatient, so he rose to his full height, surprising the blue-haired beauty as he shed his pants and whipped out his cock.
Seeing Thomas's penis, Vivi's eyes widened as she softly inquired, "I-Isn't that a little too big...?"
Adopting a smoldering look, Thomas replied, "I'll be gentle..." as he began lubricating his cock against Vivi's glistening folds. She eventually propped herself onto her shoulders to get a better look, so Thomas took his time ensuring his dick was coated thoroughly before parting her vulva with his glans and sinking a few centimeters into her surprisingly accommodating depths. There was a brief sensation of rigidity around his glans, but Thomas pushed through it with unexpected ease, prompting Vivi to issue a faint, "Whoa..." as her eyes widened in shock.
As it was his first time having sex with someone native to the world of One Piece, Thomas was just as surprised as Vivi. He had expected the loss of her virginity to be a bloody and painful affair, but he managed to sheathe himself in her pussy in a single go. She was pleasantly tight, as could be expected of a virgin, but it was almost like her body was made to accommodate even larger appendages...
Attributing the peculiar revelation to 'anime logic,' Thomas began to move his hips while supporting Vivi's legs. The ease at which he had penetrated her caused most of her apprehensions to evaporate, so she laid back with a smile, her purple eyes focused on him as her fleeting discomfort quickly turned to pleasure.
Catching Thomas a little off guard, Vivi's smile became more prominent as she calmly remarked, "You don't have to be gentle..."
Moving his hands from Vivi's thighs to her waist, Thomas began pistoning her with greater but controlled force, causing a satisfying 'clapping' sound to echo through her room. As he did so, Vivi took the initiative to raise her legs in an M pose, linking her hands behind her knees to make it easier for him to move before extending her tongue and giving him a playful wink.
"..."
As he wasn't knocking against Vivi's pelvic wall, Thomas decided to stop 'playing around,' surprising the blue-haired Princess by lifting her from the bed, stealing her lips, and fucking her in a standing position. The sudden transition caused her pussy to clench, but it did little to hamper Thomas's movements.
With his pelvis completely flush against Vivi's, a realization donned upon Thomas. Despite his tremendous size and girth, enough to cause even Caenis a bit of discomfort, he could not reach the deepest parts of Vivi's vagina. She also had no trouble accommodating him, almost like he was 'just average' despite packing more meat than most porn stars...
While doing his best to bring Vivi to climax, Thomas thought ("I'm starting to understand how someone like Toki was able to be in a relationship with a monster like Oden...").
Though Thomas couldn't recall their exact heights, he knew that Oden was at least twice the height of Toki, somewhere in the realm of 12'6'' feet, or roughly 382cm tall. Despite this, the two were happily married and able to produce offspring, a reality that had confounded many within the One Piece Community. Now, seeing Vivi gobble up his 24.6cm without any discomfort, Thomas was starting to understand just how 'monstrous' the women in One Piece were...
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Despite the sky outside beginning to illuminate due to the rising sun, Vivi exhibited no obvious signs of fatigue as she sat atop Thomas in a cowgirl position, hands over her head as she 'danced' atop his cock. Losing her virginity was significantly less painful than she anticipated, and the longer she and Thomas went at it, the greater the pleasure she felt. Thus, even after several hours had passed, her body completely caked in sweat, she continued grinding against Thomas's cock with an enraptured expression on her face.
Feeling Thomas twitch inside of her, a naturally bewitching smile adorned Vivi's face as she narrowed her eyes and asked, "Are you about to cum...?" in a sensual, throaty tone. She had already taken a contraceptive, so she didn't mind if Thomas came in her once, twice, or even ten times. Instead, she leaned forward and began licking his nipple, allowing Thomas to sink his fingers into her ass and piston her at his discretion.
Though it was his thirteenth time cumming, Thomas's ever-increasing Mana Capacity, combined with the Lesser Regeneration he had gained from eating Benienma's cooking, allowed him to produce semen at a rate comparable to a Doujinshi protagonist. He couldn't have imagined doing such a thing a year ago, but his continual Reinforcement and his 'training' with Caenis had paid off tremendously. Had it not, he wouldn't have been able to keep up with Vivi despite the fact she was a virgin just a few hours prior...
Feeling Thomas's warmth fill her insides, a pleasured shudder permeated Vivi's body, eliciting a soft yet sonorous moan from her throat. She never knew how pleasant 'creampies' could be, so she was eager to receive her next. Unfortunately, just as she rose to a seated position and was about to suggest a change in position, Thomas preempted her, expressing, "I need to get cleaned up and meet with my crew. As enjoyable as this is, we can't keep fucking the entire day..."
Though Thomas's words caused her to feel a little embarrassed, Vivi suppressed her shame to inquire, "Can we continue just a while longer? I've never felt this way before..."
Without considering his response, Thomas nodded his head and replied, "We'll continue in the bath..." before rising to a seated position, cradling the blue-haired beauty, and scooting off the bed with his cock still inside of her. Then, as she clung to his body like a koala, he made his way to the bathroom, enjoying a nice, nearly two-hour 'bath'...
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At Vivi's insistence, Thomas handcuffed her to one of her bedposts before parting ways to meet up with Lucy, Nami, Zoro, and Usopp. By the time he reached them, they had already been waiting for several hours, prompting Usopp to ask, "What took you so long? We've already eaten breakfast and loaded most of the supplies we'll need onto the Merry."
Without missing a beat, Thomas replied, "I was gathering information and hashing out the details of our plan with Miss Wednesday. The person we'll be taking down is one of the major players in Paradise, so it never hurts to be cautious..."
Though she narrowed her eyes slightly, Nami didn't call Thomas out and divulge what he was actually doing. Instead, she stated, "I already gave everyone a barebones explanation of the plan. Any idea of the response time of our enemies...?"
Nodding his head, Thomas replied, "The lower-ranking members each possess steam-powered paddle ships, so they could reach us within seven days if departing from the nearest base. If they decide to play it safe and form a blockade, however, we're looking at a timeline of around a month."
Hearing 'one month,' Lucy's expression immediately morphed into a frown as she replied, "I don't want to wait that long. We should just set sail and fight them as they appear. If they don't, we'll beat them up once we reach Alabasta."
Instead of trying to argue that it was 'safer' to wait, Thomas adopted a smile and replied, "Few plans survive contact with the enemy, so I don't mind going with the flow. It's ultimately your decision to make, Captain."
Adopting a toothy smile, Lucy immediately shouted, "Then let's set sail! I'm not going to become Pirate King by sitting on my butt and waiting for the enemies to appear! Let's go, go, go~!"
Before Lucy could get too excited, Nami interjected, saying, "According to that Igarappoi fellow, it takes five days for the Log Pose to attune to the next major island. He gave me an Eternal Pose that can take us directly to Alabasta, but our ship is too small, and we would run out of supplies long before we reached it."
Nodding his head, Thomas appended, "That will be a recurring issue until we upgrade or acquire a new ship at Water 7. Entering the second half of the Grand Line with a Caravel is impossible since we'll need to dive under the Red Line to reach it. The currents in the deep sea are too strong for any ordinary ship, so we'll need something made from Adam's Wood if we want to avoid a watery grave."
Though he was originally going to protest the acquisition of a new ship, Usopp swallowed his words when he heard Thomas mention how they would be entering the New World. Fortunately, Thomas had factored in his protests, adding, "If our new ship is large enough, it might be able to house the Merry within it. If that proves impossible, we can incorporate some of its parts into our new ship or moor it at Water 7 until we complete our journey. It all depends on how much money we have saved before we reach the legendary shipyard."
Hearing there was a possibility of incorporating the Going Merry into their new ship, a contented smile developed across Usopp's face. At the same time, Lucy issued one of her characteristic 'Shishishi~' type laughs before remarking, "You think of everything, don't you, Tom?"
Adopting a smile of his own, Thomas replied, "I just want everyone to be happy and to make the most of our time sailing together. Besides, Merry is as much a member of our crew as everyone else. Even if it's just a piece of her keel, I'm sure she would like to accompany us till the end."
While Nami adopted a somewhat thoughtful expression in response to Thomas's words, Zoro, Lucy, and Usopp smiled approvingly. The former wasn't nearly as attached to the Merry as Usopp was, but the thought of abandoning it just because it was 'weak' made him uncomfortable. As for Lucy, the Going Merry's sheep-themed figurehead was her favorite place to sit. If given the chance, she would gladly recycle the wood to make an actual chair...
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(A/N: One Piece is a very magical world (O w O)...)

Once Thomas and the rest of the Straw Hats had fallen 'asleep,' the members of Baroque Works met up outside the tavern to discuss how they would deal with them.
Unable to suppress her discontent, the pink-haired, incredibly muscular Miss Monday asked, "Why did we waste two days of food and supplies on these people? We're already running low on supplies, and that Captain of theirs was able to put down enough to feed thirty people."
After clearing his throat in his usual 'Ma-ma-ma~' manner, Igaram replied, "This was a necessary precaution. According to the information obtained by Miss Wednesday, members of that group were involved in the downfall of Buggy the Clown, Black Cat Kuro, and Saw-Tooth Arlong, Pirates worth 15, 16, and 20 million Berries. Furthermore..."
With Igaram shifting his attention to her, Vivi adopted a sly smile as she added, "According to that big lug I have wrapped around my pinky, they have more than a hundred million Berries worth of supplies and treasure hidden in a secret cache on their ship. Thanks to my efforts, I now know where it's hidden."
Though the other Numbers had been dissatisfied with the delay caused by Vivi's selfishness, they immediately forgave her when they heard more than a hundred million Berries were at stake. As for Igaram's claims about the Straw Hats taking down several infamous Pirates groups, they simply didn't believe him. If that were true, at least someone in their crew would have a comparable Bounty.
Adopting a wolfish grin that revealed a desire for more than treasure, the orange-haired Mr. 9 asked, "So, how are we going to do this? According to our surveillance teams, the people assigned to protect the ship appear to be beauties. If we include those two passed out in the tavern, that makes six high-quality slaves to be 'sampled' and processed..."
As the Mayor of Whiskey Peak, Igaram was very familiar with how they processed female Pirates. It made him sick to his stomach, but, much like Vivi, he was willing to endure for the 'greater good' of Alabasta.
Nodding his head in approval, Igaram replied, "We will capture each of them alive. And take special care with that man, Thomas. He possesses a Devil Fruit ability that would prove advantageous to our organization. You can maim or seriously injure him, but no killing."
Before the group could ask what made Thomas special, the man himself remarked, "How thoughtful," drawing the attention of everyone gathered around the tavern. Their eyes widened when they saw not just him but the green-haired man seated next to him atop the tavern's roof.
Adopting a fearless smile, Zoro 'complained,' "You ruined the surprise. Now we'll have to fight all one-hundred of them directly..."
Feeling 'a lot' more confident than he had the previous day, Thomas adopted a smile of his own as he replied, "You can thank me later," before leaping off the roof and landing in a superhero pose with a ghostly white aura rising from his body. When he rose to his feet, he seemed even taller than usual, his eyes glowing as he tore away his shirt and said, "Those of you who prioritize your lives over your jobs, I suggest you run..."
With Thomas tearing his shirt away to reveal a remarkably ripped body, a faint red hue colored Vivi's cheeks. Unfortunately, the same could be said for the muscular Miss Monday, who cupped her cheeks as she remarked, "You have an incredible body..."
"..."
Instead of responding to the pink-haired bodybuilder, Thomas manifested two baseball-sized spheres of Magical Energy before lobbing them into the crowd to create two large explosions. That was more than enough to show the gathered Bounty Hunters he meant business, prompting several to open fire on him with their pistols and rifles.
Though he could have dodged by rolling to the side or leaping back onto the tavern's roof, Thomas stood his ground, barely flinching even as more than a hundred metal projectiles struck his face and body. Most aimed for non-vital areas, but several of 'Miss Wednesday's' secret admirers figured they could use the confusion to 'accidentally' shoot him in the face.
Snorting through his nose, Thomas remarked, "You'll need to do a hell of a lot better than that..." before leaping into the crowd and grabbing the rifle of a man that had shot him in the face. By turning his wrist, he was able to bend the barrel as if it were made of weak plastic before 'casually' kicking the man in the chest, knocking him into several others.
Voicing the thoughts of many of her fellow Bounty Hunters, one woman shouted out, "He's a monster! Switch to nets and bazookas...!"
As both Chiron and Caenis had warned him to be careful of nets, Thomas bolted toward cover the moment he heard the woman's cry. At the same time, he fired dozens of cannonball-strength projectiles, largely aiming at the ground but occasionally firing them directly at people.
Seeing the random devastation he caused, combined with the fact he could casually leap onto a building that most of them would need a ladder to climb, many of the Baroque Works agents pursuing Thomas decided to focus their attention elsewhere. Those with the classification of Millions and Billions typically relied on their numbers and firepower to take down dangerous Pirates, so there wasn't much they could do against someone who was bulletproof, incredibly destructive, and agile.
Realizing he wasn't being pursued, at least by the weaker members of Baroque Works, a frown marred Thomas's face. Before he could think to follow one of the larger groups, however, several tiny pieces of metal impacted him like buckshot, courtesy of Igaram and the shotgun he had concealed within his Saxophone.
Instead of emulating a cannonball, Thomas pointed his index finger in Igaram's direction, firing a laser-like beam from its tip. Magical Energy didn't generate heat by default, but it packed a tremendous amount of force when concentrated. Thus, like a Water Jet Cutter, he cut a deep trench in front of Igaram's feet, declaring, "Cross that line at your own peril..."
Seeing how fast Thomas's attack was, Igarama's beady eyes opened to their fullest. He was originally planning to put a bit of pressure on Thomas to test his 'caliber,' but there was nothing in his arsenal that could protect against the laser-like attack Thomas had just casually displayed...
While Igaram was lost in thought, Thomas leaped from one roof to another, peppering groups of Baroque Works members with weaker explosive projectiles. A few were able to return the favor, hitting him with cannonballs fired from bazookas, but the force of the explosions were only enough to knock him off balance, not break the barrier he had honed while sparring against Lucy...
Ruining his chance to catch Thomas by surprise, Mr. 9 approached him with a series of rapid cartwheels, shouting, "Eat this, you damned ape...!" while attempting to smash him in the back of the head with a set of iron clubs. In response to his shout, Thomas spun around and thwarted the surprise attack with his forearm, barely feeling the impact as he remarked, "Seriously...?"
Instead of immediately responding to Thomas's question, Mr. 9 flipped away from him, creating a few meters of distance between them before shouting, "Talk all you like! With my agility and acrobatic prowess, all you can do is wait to be hit...!"
With a deadpan expression, Thomas pointed his finger toward Mr. 9, firing a laser-like beam through the man's left thigh.
"Aaaaaah! You bastard! What have you done...!?" screamed Mr. 9. He had been trying to sneak up on Thomas from behind, so he hadn't witnessed the latter's interaction with Igaram.
Channeling his inner Frieza, Thomas fired beams through Mr. 9's remaining thigh and shoulders, effectively robbing him of his mobility before warning, "Keep blathering, and I'll make you eat that crown..."
Demonstrating he wasn't a Number for nothing, Mr. 9 ignored the pain in his legs and shoulders, forcing himself to stand. It didn't make sense, as Thomas was pretty sure he had burned a hole through the man's bones, but it wasn't the first time he had witnessed something that defied logic in the world of One Piece.
Before Mr. 9 could say whatever he was preparing to say, Thomas blasted him off the roof with a weak explosive projectile. Then, as there were no other members of Baroque Works trying to attack him, he took a moment to catch his breath, watching as Zoro dealt with the bulk of the group.
Though Zoro would defeat Thomas pretty handily in a fight, the power he wielded made him a lot more terrifying to normal people. Zoro could slice through iron and dodge bullets without looking, but he was just a 'normal' guy in the eyes of laymen. If given a choice between an average-sized man that ran around swinging swords and a bulletproof giant that fired off lasers, 9/10 would choose the former as their opponent...
Representing one of the exceptions, Vivi scaled the roof behind Thomas, climbing onto it with the aid of a ladder. She was the assigned partner of Mr. 9, so she needed to put on a show to avoid exposing her status as the Princess of Alabasta.
Hearing the sound of Vivi's movements, Thomas turned around to find the blue-haired beauty smiling wryly as she wiped a few beads of sweat from her forehead. Attempting to keep up with him on the ground while he jumped between buildings was easier said than done, so she was a little tired after running around for several minutes. She would normally utilize her super spot-billed duck named Karoo as a mount, but she didn't want to risk him getting injured during her 'performance.'
After catching her breath, Vivi raised her hands over her head, swaying her hips seductively as she asserted, "You've done well to make it this far. Now, let's see how you fair against my hypnotic dance..."
While the swaying of her hips and the pattern of her blouse were certainly mesmerizing, it was the specialized perfume in Vivi's hands that made her dance hypnotic. It was infused with special pheromones that caused men to feel light-headed, and, unless they looked away, they would soon find themselves paralyzed as the swirling pattern on her breasts and abdomen seemed to come alive.
As he could breathe underwater with sufficient preparations, Thomas was unaffected by the effects of Vivi's perfume, filtering it out completely. He did enter a daze, however, narrowing his eyes and smiling as he muttered, "I could get used to this..."
Averting her eyes, a faint blush colored Vivi's cheeks as she replied, "Then you should burn it into your eyes...as it will be the last thing you ever see!"
Punctuating her words, Vivi pulled out a razor-sharp jewel that resembled the tip of a peacock's feather. It was attached to a ring by piano wire and had decent cutting power when spun around her pinky finger.
Charging at Thomas, Vivi trusted that he would be okay as she swiped at his raised arm. As expected, her 'peacock slasher' bounced off his guard as if she had struck reinforced metal.
As they had rehearsed their play in advance, Thomas responded to Vivi's 'shock' by planting his fist into her gut. He held back and didn't channel even a speck of Magical Energy into the blow, but she appeared to have the wind forced out of her lunge, collapsing to her knees and cradling her abdomen. Thomas felt a wave of guilt wash over him like a bucket of ice water, but before he could say or do anything, Vivi whispered, "I'm fine..." before pretending to pass out...
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..
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(A/N: I think I figured out what Thomas's epithet will be. Because he is a source of energy, possesses great durability, and can fire various types of projectiles, the WG shall label him Thomas the Tank Engine...!)

Chapter 48: Futureproofing