One Piece : Wild Hunt

Like many of the islands in the Grand Line, Little Garden had a river running through its center. Explorers in the distant past carved such channels to ensure their ships could moor safely, outside the influence of Sea Kings. Thus, after sailing around the island's perimeter for several minutes, the Merry began making its way inland, propelled by Caenis's power.
After reaching an area with a suitable clearing, Zoro dropped the anchor, prompting Lucy to remark, "This place smells like adventure...!" from her perch atop the Going Merry's figurehead. Before running off, however, she turned back and shouted, "Tom! Can you ask Beni to prepare me a lunch? I'm going to go explore the island...!"
As Benienma served under Thomas, Lucy rarely told the petite sparrow girl what to do. Instead, she always went to Thomas first, respecting the peculiar yet well-defined hierarchy within the crew.
Nodding his head, Thomas turned to Benienma, asking, "Do you mind preparing a few bentos? We're going to be stuck here a few days, and I imagine Zoro will want to go hunting or training while we're here."
With the amount of damage the Merry had sustained, it would take at least a week for Caenis to complete the repairs. Zoro had already donned his bandana/blindfold, so it was obvious he planned to use the delay to hone his Observation Haki against some of the most ferocious creatures from the Prehistoric Era.
Thumping her non-existent chest, Benienma responded with a curt, "Understood, dechi!" before hurrying to the kitchen. In the process, she nearly ran into Karoo, Vivi's horse-sized duck. It had been sleeping inside the lounge when the explosion occurred and was just now poking its head out since the ship had stopped.
As Karoo made its way over to Vivi's side, the blue-haired Princess gave it an affectionate caress before looking to Thomas and asking, "Will you be going ashore? If so, may I accompany you...?"
Adopting a wry smile, Thomas replied, "I will be going ashore, but I don't plan to explore just yet. I'm a fairly cautious guy, so there are a few things I want to confirm before heading out."
Inserting herself into the discussion, Nami asked, "Does it have anything to do with those giants you mentioned...?"
Shaking his head, Thomas revealed, "Broggy and Dorry are honorable warriors from Elbaf. Unless we go out of our way to attack or antagonize them, they'll probably greet us as guests. Being trapped on an island for a hundred years makes them pretty accommodating to guests..."
Before Nami could ask why the duo had been fighting, Thomas went on to answer her initial question, stating, "I'm more concerned about Baroque Works. With the amount of time that's passed, we should expect at least one or more groups of agents to surprise us."
Agreeing with Thomas, Vivi supplied a nod and appended, "Mr. 3 and his partner, Miss Goldenweek, often spend their free time at a nearby resort island known as Kyuka. If the Unluckies spotted us while flying overhead, there's a good chance they arrived at Little Garden before us."
Undaunted by the news, a vicious grin developed across Zoro's face as he remarked, "Sounds interesting," before leaping off the Merry and onto the shore, still blindfolded. He had already mastered the basics of sensing his surroundings and detecting life forces, so he was fairly confident he could hunt and fight without removing his bandana. Rather, even if he received a critical injury in the process, he was 'determined' to do exactly that...
Though he trusted that Zoro could care for himself, Thomas called out, "Watch out for ticks! And if you encounter a member of Baroque Works, send out a signal! Even if you can take care of them yourself, it's better to be safe than sorry...!"
Without turning around or responding, Zoro raised his hand to indicate he had heard Thomas's warning before disappearing into the dense jungle. In his wake, Nami asked, "Is there a particular reason you warned him to be cautious of ticks...?"
Adopting a slight deadpan, Thomas replied, "Nah, I just say random stuff for no reason whatsoever..."
"..."
Narrowing her eyes, Nami was about to call Thomas out for being rude but ultimately decided against it. Fortunately, he wasn't the only person onboard the Merry who was knowledgeable about the Grand Line. Once Vivi heard Thomas mention ticks, a specific species popped into her head, prompting her to divulge, "There is a type of tick native to the surrounding isles known as a Kestia Tick. If you get bitten by one, there's a possibility you'll contract a rare illness known as Five-Day Disease. It got that name because, without treatment, you'll be dead within five days of contracting it..."
Blinking in surprise, Nami asked, "Seriously? And there are ticks like that on this island...?"
Since it was a good opportunity, Thomas gave a curt nod, appending, "Indeed. For that reason, and many others, we should prioritize finding a Doctor before reaching Alabasta. Sir Crocodile is known to store poison in his hook, and Alabasta is home to many poisonous plants and animals. I can summon Asclepius in the event of an emergency, but we shouldn't be overly reliant on him and the other members of the Wild Hunt..."
As she was waiting for Benienma to return with food, Lucy decided to join in on the conversation, stating, "Tom's right. Caenis and the others are too powerful. Before we enter the new world, I want to recruit a Cook, Doctor, Musician, Shipwright, and Helmsman. We can't always rely on Tom and his Spirits."
Though he wanted to say they 'could' rely on him, Thomas knew there was a reasonably high probability that his path would diverge from the Straw Hats, at least for a short while. Lucy and Zoro were growing much stronger, much faster than he was. He was training hard to keep up, but his ability to peruse his status made it clear his progress was stagnating. Unless he achieved a major breakthrough, such as obtaining a Divine Core, he wouldn't be able to keep up with the monsters awaiting them in the New World...
Exhibiting a startling amount of awareness, Lucy adopted a broad smile as she confidently asserted, "If the people in Alabasta need him, I think Thomas will stay and lend them a hand. Once he's done, he can always fly over to us on Astolfo's Hippogriff. It's a lot faster than our ship, so he can catch up to us in no time."
Surprised and elated by Lucy's words, Vivi grabbed Thomas's arm and asked, "Is it true, Tom? Will you really be staying in Alabasta...!?"
Smiling wryly, Thomas admitted, "I have given it a bit of thought. Alabasta will take time to recover, so I was thinking about training there and giving you a hand in restoring your Kingdom..."
Reading a little too much into Thomas's words, imaginary hearts appeared in Vivi's lilac eyes before she narrowed them and clung happily to his arm. The thought of him departing shortly after Crocodile's defeat had worried her greatly. Now, even if he just stuck around for a few weeks longer, she was confident she could 'convince' him to return there once he completed his journey abroad.
Interrupting the awkward tensions that were starting to build, Benienma emerged from the galley with a large rucksack of neatly wrapped onigiri, passing it over to Lucy and cautioning her not to eat anything she hadn't checked for poisons or parasites. In response, Lucy just snickered before bounding into the forest, ultimately disregarding Benienma's warnings as she swung from tree to tree with her stretchy arms, collecting any fruits and vegetables she happened to pass...
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With nothing better to do, Thomas enjoyed a lengthy lunch with Vivi, Nami, Astolfo, and Atalanta before spending a few hours revitalizing the damaged tangerine trees.
Though Reinforcement Magecraft couldn't really 'heal' things, it could promote growth and natural recovery. The amount of Mana required was tremendous, but with a functionally infinite amount, Thomas only needed time.
Observing Thomas's actions alongside Nami, Vivi muttered, "Your power truly is miraculous. Not only can you turn sand into fertile soil, but you can even promote the growth of plants and animals..."
Adopting a smile, Thomas responded, "This is just the tip of a very large iceberg. Once I master this power, anything becomes possible. Right now, I'm primarily focused on strengthening my body and learning how to alter my size at will..."
Raising her brows, Vivi asked, "Why would you need to change your size? I think you're fine just the way you are."
Since Benienma was present, sitting between the two beauties, Thomas's smile became wry as he asked, "Do you want the honest answer...?"
Though she could already guess where things were headed, Vivi adopted a 'serious' expression as she replied, "I would..."
Inhaling a deep breath, Thomas ceased pumping Mana into the tangerine trees, facing the trio before answering, "Though I honestly wouldn't mind settling down with a single good woman, I've decided to live 'freely' until I reach the end of this journey..."
Adopting a serious expression, Thomas revealed, "It should be obvious by now, but I'm not originally from this world. In order to trespass this one, I had to form a contract with a righteous yet devilish entity. He's the person who gave me the Mana-Mana-no-Mi, and, in exchange, I need to do him a favor once I attain my dream of standing at the pinnacle of the world..."
Meeting Vivi's surprised gaze, Thomas's expression and tone softened as he added, "I'm not sure what he will ask of me, so I intend to live this life to the fullest. To that end, there are people I'd like to encounter, places I'd like to explore, and, as shameless as it sounds, women I'd like to sleep with. That's one of the reasons I tried to discourage you...while I sincerely want to help people, I don't consider myself a good person..."
Before Nami or Vivi could respond, Benienma adopted a frown, asserting, "Master is a very kind and considerate person. You should not speak ill of yourself, dechi."
Recovering from her momentary stupor, Vivi gave an affirming nod as she placed her hand over her chest and added, "Benienma's right. Even if you have a somewhat...passionate nature, it doesn't change the fact that you desire to help others. So long as you remain the good and honest man I know you to be, I will support you with all my heart..."
As Thomas had expressed his intention to sleep with other women even before they had sex, Vivi wasn't going to condemn him for it now. She was a little surprised by the revelation that he was from another world and had made a deal with the Devil, but it was far from the strangest thing she had heard or experienced.
Hearing Vivi's heartfelt words, a discernible layer of moisture developed across Thomas's eyes. She was the best woman he had met and infinitely more than he deserved. If she asked it of him, he would probably give up his ambitions completely. What made her so exceptional was the fact that she never would...
Shattering the rosy atmosphere, Benienma gave an approving nod before asserting, "You will make a good Seishitsu, dechi. Once Master becomes one of the rulers of this world, you will serve him well as his official wife."
Surprised by Benienma's statement, Vivi issued a confused "Eh...?" before tilting her head adorably to the side. She had considered asking Thomas to become her consort, but the notion that she might be the one to marry him seemed so...outlandish. That, and a little exciting...
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(A/N: Benienma best wing-birb...)

In the middle of Thomas's discussion with Vivi and Nami, Astolfo returned from surveying the island, leaping from her Hippogriff before it landed on the deck.
"I'm baaaaaaaack~!" shouted the bubbly pinkette, leaping toward Thomas before he had the chance to return her greeting.
"Oof..."
As he had been sitting cross-legged, Thomas ended up on his back as a result of Astolfo tackling him. His hand instinctually moved to her head, but it soon ended up on her rear end as she crawled up his body to steal his lips.
Observing Astolfo's antics, Nami exhaled an exasperated sigh while Vivi covered her mouth and giggled. Then, with narrowed eyes, she remarked, "Thomas's Spirits are very devoted to him..."
With a skeptical look on her face, Nami questioned, "That's your takeaway from this...?"
Maintaining a calm, unperturbed demeanor, Vivi softly replied, "Everyone has their own circumstances, Nami. Thomas left behind his past life to live in our world for a reason. Until he has found what he is searching for, I will continue to support and wait for him..."
Exhaling a tired sigh, Nami leaned back and stared at the dimming sky above as she muttered, "You're a much stronger woman than I am, Vivi..."
Adopting a sad smile, Vivi replied, "I have borne the responsibility of more than ten million lives since I was a child. Once people have something to protect, they can endure anything..."
Hearing Vivi's silent utterance, Nami couldn't help recalling her adoptive mother, Bell-mere. If the latter had lied and said she didn't have any kids, Arlong wouldn't have killed her. Instead, she proudly announced she was the mother of herself and Nojiko, utilizing the 100,000 Berries that would have ensured her survival to protect them...
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After Astolfo had gotten her fill of kissing, Thomas sat with the bubbly pinkette on his lap as she gave her report. She easily managed to find the camps of Broggy and Dorry, each occupying the skulls of the Sea Kings they had slaughtered. More importantly, she found two ships concealed within a grotto and a house made of wax on the far side of the island.
Hearing Astolfo mention wax, Vivi's expression became serious as she said, "If it's really made from wax, it must belong to Mr. 3, Galdino. His Bounty is only 24,000,000 Berries, but he is a skilled tactician and one of the more terrifying members of Baroque Works. When it hardens, his wax is said to be more robust than steel..."
Nodding his head, Thomas demonstrated his own knowledge, adding, "And his partner, Miss Goldenweek, can hypnotize and control people by painting symbols on their bodies. She possesses no combat ability, but she's more dangerous than Galdino if she manages to leave her mark on you. If given time to prepare, she can even create an army of animals to overwhelm her opponents."
"So, what will you do?" asked Nami, her voice uncharacteristically calm.
Shrugging his shoulders, Thomas replied, "I can't reach the pinnacle of the world sitting on my ass. I'm going to at least 'try' fighting them."
Though she wasn't surprised by Thomas's response, Nami crossed her arms and asked, "You don't want to wait for Lucy and Zoro to return first?"
Shrugging a second time, Thomas replied, "They went out to experience an adventure. Sending Astolfo to locate the members of Baroque Works was something I decided. I wouldn't mind backup, but I'm not going to tell Lucy and Zoro how to spend their time. Besides, unless they fell into a trap, opponents like this are nothing to them."
Following his response, Thomas rose to his feet, picking up Astolfo as he did so. At the same time, Vivi asked, "Can I come with you? My strength might be lacking, but I'm sure I could be of assistance."
Since he was planning to take Astolfo and Benienma with him, the latter concealed within his shadow, Thomas answered, "Sure, but you'll have to leave Karoo behind since we'll be taking Astolfo's Hippogriff."
Hearing Thomas's words, the nearby Karoo exhaled a very human sigh of relief. It might be as fast as a leopard, but plenty of creatures were faster and stealthier. In a jungle dominated by dinosaurs, it barely qualified as a snack to a Tyrannosaur...
Nodding her head, Vivi adopted a smile and was about to respond in the affirmative when Nami asked, "What about me? Can I come along...?"
Before Thomas could respond, Astolfo responded, "Due to Master's size, three people is already pushing it. The weight isn't an issue, but there isn't enough space on Griff's back for four people."
Thinking of potential solutions, Astolfo proposed, "If you insist, our best options are to make two trips or have Griff carry Master with his talons."
"Yeah, I'll pass on that second one..." responded Thomas. He was no longer as afraid of heights as he used to be, but the thought of being transported in a Hippogriff's claws unnerved him.
As she didn't want to be left out or forced to cower back at the ship, Nami surprised everyone by stating, "I don't mind being carried. Either that or I could ride on Thomas's back. So long as we don't accelerate too quickly, I'm pretty confident I can hang on."
Scratching the back of her head, Astolfo's smile became awkward as she exhaled a nervous laugh and replied, "If anyone is going to ride Master, it should be Vivi or myself. You kind of missed the boat on that one..."
Crossing her arms, Nami narrowed her eyes and gave Thomas a side-long glance, asking, "Really...? So if I invited him back to the woman's cabin to have some 'fun,' he would refuse?"
Without missing a beat, Thomas replied, "Probably not. I just can't see our relationship developing any further than 'fuck buddies.' Not as you are, at least..."
Though she was tempted to ask what was wrong with her, Nami returned her gaze to Astolfo, affirming, "See? It's fine."
Smiling wryly, Astolfo awkwardly replied, "Well, if Master's okay with it..." before bringing her fingers to her lips and whistling loudly. As she did so, her Hippogriff burst out of the void, veiled in rainbow-hued light before it manifested completely and landed on the deck. Then, with Astolfo and Vivi seated in front of him and Nami pressing her voluminous breasts into his back, Thomas enjoyed the short flight over to where the unsuspecting members of Baroque Works were waiting...
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After reaching their destination in less than a minute, everyone alighted Astolfo's Hippogriff. Once they had, Thomas directed his gaze to Astolfo, saying, "Keep them safe." in a firm tone.
Reacting with a salute, Astolfo replied, "Leave it to me~!" in a voice that was a little too loud for comfort. This was one of the downsides to her Evaporation of Reason(D+), as she rarely considered the consequences of her actions.
Fortunately, even though Astolfo's outburst had garnered the attention of his enemies, it didn't matter. Thomas had decided to borrow a page from Lucy and Zoro, forgoing a plan entirely. If he had wanted to play it safe, he could have just gathered a ton of Magical Energy from a distance and nuked the wax house without getting close...
Immediately causing Thomas to regret his lack of preparation, four people promptly emerged from the wax house. There was a lanky, bespectacled man with his hair styled in the number three, a dark-skinned man wearing sunglasses and a trenchcoat, and two girls. The first was a fairly tall and attractive woman with bobbed blonde hair, a blue and yellow parasol that resembled a target, a yellow cap, and a pale yellow dress with a pattern of lemon slices. The second was a petite girl with reddish-brown pigtails and a very 'peculiar' outfit that consisted of a wide-brimmed pink hat, a jacket resembling a cloudy sky, a turquoise undershirt, a dark pink skirt, striped leggings, and an apron suitable for a painter. She looked like an art-obsessed 10-12-year-old, but she was fairly 'famous' within the One Piece Community for being a 'legal loli.'
Though Thomas took note of the little girl, Miss Goldenweek, she was like a background character compared to the attractive blonde, better known as Miss Valentine. Under more 'opportune' circumstances, Thomas might have attempted striking up a conversation with blue-eyed, lemon-themed Bounty Huntress. Instead, he removed his shirt normally before tossing it to Vivi as he said, "Hold that for me. I'll be back in a few minutes."
Hugging Thomas's shirt as if it were a bouquet, Vivi replied, "I believe in you, Tom..." before observing silently as he made his way toward a group that would have terrified her days prior...
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Seeing Thomas approach, Galdino snorted in contempt as he remarked, "Another brutish lug with more brawn than brains. Does he really think he can take on the four of us on his own? Such arrogance..."
Markedly more amused by the situation, Miss Valentine, also known as Mikita, issued a unique "Kyahahaha~" laugh before remarking, "He really is a hunk, though. If he manages to survive our onslaught, I think I'll take my time crushing him~."
Pushing up his sunglasses, Mikita's partner, Mr. 5, remarked, "Remember. The boss ordered us to take him alive. Don't get ahead of yourself, Miss Valentine..."
Instead of responding to Mr. 5, also known as Gem, with words, Mikita issued another one of her characteristic laughs before jumping well over a hundred meters into the sky with extreme ease. At the same time, Mr. 3, Galdino, said, "If it's capturing prey alive, you can leave it to me..." before the three on his head suddenly ignited like a candle's wick.
Waving his arms forward, Galdino shouted, "Candle lock...!" as torrents of candle wax emerged from his body at high speeds, crisscrossing as they attempted to ensnare Thomas's feet. Fortunately, while Galdino probably wouldn't make his Top 100 One Piece characters, Thomas recalled most of the man's moves and, more importantly, his weaknesses.
The moment Galdino launched his attack, the hazy white aura around Thomas's body became flame-like as he charged forward, leaping over the waxy torrent and propelling himself toward the group like a meteor.
Rather than contempt, Galdino's expression became one of shock as he exclaimed, "He can manipulate flames!? Why wasn't this mentioned in the report...!?"
Instead of answering Galdino's question, Gem aimed an ornate revolver at Thomas, pulling the trigger to discharge invisible projectiles that exploded on contact. The resultant explosions failed to penetrate Thomas's barrier, but they were able to slow his momentum enough for Mikita to drop down from above, shouting, "10,000 Kilo Press~!"
As he hadn't simply forgotten about Mikita's presence, Thomas dodged to the side as the lemon-themed blonde impacted the ground like a meteor, shattering the ground beneath her and causing a large explosion of dust and debris. Her Devil Fruit drastically increased her durability and allowed her to adjust her weight from 1kg to 10,000kgs in an instant. This was well beyond Thomas's lifting capabilities, so he needed to be careful not to get caught under the blonde-haired beauty's admittedly perky-looking ass.
Instead of waiting for the dust column produced by Mikita's attack to dissipate, Thomas charged directly into it, surprising the cackling blonde within with a lariat to the throat. Striking her was like clotheslining a metal statue with incredible inertia, but he still managed to inflict some damage to her since she wasn't expecting him to 'sneak attack' her.
Falling onto her butt, indenting the ground beneath her, Mikita massaged the front of her throat as she shouted, "You asshole! You're going to pay for that...!"
As the cloud of dust still hadn't settled, Thomas aimed his hand in the direction of Mikita's voice, firing off a continuous blast of Magical Energy that hit her like a truck and prevented her from rising. She could endure falling from hundreds of meters while weighing 10,000kgs, so he assumed she would be okay even if he unleashed a fully charged blast right at her. If she couldn't, well, it wouldn't be the first time he had killed someone...
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(A/N: Feminism, ho...!)

To ensure things wouldn't be too awkward when they set sail and invariably had to share the same quarters, Thomas introduced Caenis, Astolfo, Atalanta, and Benienma to Vivi. He had already told her about them, but meeting them directly, especially after they had sex, was an important step forward if he wanted to establish a harem in the future.
Fortunately, Vivi was a very 'diplomatic' woman, so she had no trouble getting along with the other girls, even Caenis. Rather, since they knew she was the reason for the shift in his behavior, they had a much better impression of her than Nami.
Speaking of Nami, the orange-haired woman had attempted to make amends with Thomas by inviting him for drinks the evening of their third day in Whiskey Peak. He accepted but only stuck around for half an hour before parting ways to spend the remainder of the evening with Vivi and Astolfo.
With Vivi effectively giving him 'permission' to sleep with other women, Thomas no longer felt an inclination to try and impress upon someone like Nami. A few months prior, he would have readily abandoned the notion of pursuing a harem if he could be with a woman of her caliber. Now that she had treated him like an enemy and tried to control him, he wouldn't be the one making concessions if they were to enter a relationship...
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As preparations to set sail had been completed, Thomas entered the prison containing Igaram, Mr. 9, and Miss Monday, spinning a ring of keys around his finger as he revealed, "You guys are lucky we're magnanimous. We're about to set sail, so I'm going to release you and permit you to flee. If you're smart, you'll find a different career path."
Opening the door to Miss Monday's cell, Thomas's smile cramped when the muscular woman cupped her hands over her lap and gave a demure bow, expressing, "Thank you for sparing my innocence. I don't know what I would have done if I could no longer be married..."
Suppressing his momentary stupor, Thomas answered, "You're welcome?" before opening the door to Mr. 9's cell. The latter's injuries had closed up and begun to heal on their own, but he was still a little sluggish, requiring Miss Monday's aid to flee the prison. In the process, he stared daggers at Thomas as, much like the other men in Baroque Works, he had a crush on 'Miss Wednesday.' Being assigned as her partner gave him hope that they would become more, so he resented Thomas deeply for stealing her away from him...
Once the other two had departed, Thomas stopped in front of Igaram's cell, staring into the man's beady eyes as the latter looked at him with a grim countenance. Vivi had apprised him of the situation during one of his designated bathroom breaks. During that conversation, the blue-haired Princess had clarified that she was the one to 'seduce' Thomas. Despite this, the wig-haired man couldn't help thinking that Thomas was the one to take advantage of her, resenting him and feeling like he had failed her father, King Cobra.
With Benienma materializing behind him to declare, "They're gone, dechi," Thomas stated, "The Princess will travel with us until we reach Alabasta. You're welcome to escort her, but only if you agree not to make a scene..."
Inhaling a deep, steadying breath, Igaram replied, "The Princess says she trusts you with her life and the fate of Alabasta. I trust her judgment even more than my own, so I will do what I can to buy you some time..."
Adopting a smile, Thomas remarked, "Vivi is fortunate to have such a loyal retainer. And don't worry. Once we save the Kingdom and revitalize the Sandora River, the only people who will protest my relationship with the Princess are those who covet her for themselves."
Releasing Igaram from his cell, Thomas was unsurprised when the former suddenly threw a haymaker at him. Instead of attempting to dodge, he allowed it to connect with his left cheek, maintaining a relaxed smile as a ripple spread across the previously invisible barrier covering his body. His weakness to seastone and inability to use Observation Haki required him to be extra careful. Thus, he almost always had at least a bulletproof layer of magical energy covering his body.
Retracting his fist, Igaram's expression remained steely and unflinching despite his bleeding knuckles. Then, in a deep and somber tone, he said, "Take care of the Princess..."
Nodding his head, Thomas replied, "Of course," before stepping aside and allowing Igaram to leave the prison. The latter had been watching over Vivi since she was a little girl, so he couldn't blame the man for resenting him. Rather, once they reached Alabasta, Thomas was expecting a similar reaction from her father and childhood friend, Koza...
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After a tedious eight days on the water, requiring near 24/7 vigilance, the Going Merry approached a forested island with several volcanoes and two massive landmarks resembling giant skulls.
Instead of asking Thomas for information, Nami approached Vivi, asking, "You've traveled this section of the sea before, right? Are you familiar with this island...?"
Adopting a wry smile, Vivi replied, "Indeed. Despite its size, it's known as Little Garden, a Summer island populated by Prehistoric creatures known as Dinosaurs..."
Overhearing the discussion, Usopp's eyes nearly popped out of their sockets as he exclaimed, "Dinosaurs!? That's impossible! They're just monsters from a fairy tale...!"
Shrugging her shoulders, Vivi replied, "I believed the same when I was a little girl, but it's a 'fact' that there are Dinosaurs on Little Garden. If that wasn't problematic enough, it's rumored that a duo of bloodthirsty giants rules the island, killing anyone unlucky enough to encounter the infamous island during their journey..."
Seeing Vivi's expression become grim, Usopp and Nami began to tremble. Before they could have a panic attack, however, Thomas chimed in to say, "While it's true there are dinosaurs and Giants present on the island, they aren't the reason people never return from it..."
With Thomas willfully joining the conversation, Nami asked, "Really? Then what's the actual reason...?"
Adopting a smile, Thomas replied, "There is a giant goldfish known as the Island Eater that patrols the waters around the island. Its size allows it to swallow small islands, so most ships sailing through this region end up as fish flakes..."
Though Nami, Usopp, and even Vivi had become as white as sheets, Thomas adopted a devilish grin as he added, "Furthermore, any ship that 'does' land on the island ends up being beached for a full year, waiting for their Log Pose to calibrate. If we didn't already possess an Eternal Pose, we would suffer a similar fate."
With Thomas's reminder, Nami shouted, "That's right! We have an Eternal Pose! We can just skip this hellish island entirely...!"
Hearing Nami's outburst, Lucy and Zoro replied, "No way...!" at nearly the same time. The thought of meeting giants and fighting dinosaurs was too enticing, so there was no way they would simply sail around it.
Voicing her thoughts aloud, Lucy asserted, "I'm not afraid of some fish! We're landing on that island, and that's that...!"
Nodding his head, Zoro remarked, "We should at least stay a few days to replenish our food reserves. I'm also curious to see how my Observation Haki fares against something like a dinosaur..."
With her left eye twitching, Nami raised her right hand, forming a fist as she retorted, "Have you lost your minds!? What are we supposed to do if the Island Eater shows up and decides we're lunch!? Do you think you can take out a monster capable of swallowing entire islands...!?"
Before Lucy or Zoro could respond, Thomas stated, "They don't have to. I already sent Caenis to take care of it. With her strength, indestructibility, and prowess in the sea, she should be able to take care of a giant fish. No problem..."
Blinking in surprise, Nami asked, "Seriously? I know Caenis is strong but can she really take on such a monstrous creature...?"
Nodding his head, Thomas replied, "As massive as the Island Eater is, it's fairly weak compared to the average Sea King. See those two mountain-sized skulls? They are the remains of actual Sea Kings, slain by the giants occupying the island. If they were to attack the Island Eater, they could probably kill it in a single blow."
With everyone's attention focused on him, Thomas added, "Compared to the most powerful people in this world, those two giants are fodder. Most Pirates with a Bounty exceeding 100,000,000 Berries could defeat them if they avoided a physical confrontation. As for powerhouses like the Marine Admirals, they could take out both giants without moving from their initial positions..."
Directing his gaze to the presently calm sea, Thomas narrowed his eyes as he confidently asserted, "If Caenis were assigned a Bounty based on her current power, she would easily transcend a billion Berries. Unless she is pitted against Mihawk, an Admiral, or one of the Four Emperors, she is practically invincible..."
While everyone else exhibited varying degrees of shock, Vivi had a fairly pragmatic reaction, questioning, "Is she the reason you're so confident in defeating Sir Crocodile...?"
Shaking his head, Thomas looked at Lucy as he said, "Caenis is more like my personal bodyguard. Unless shit hits the fan, she won't step in or take action without my direction. As for Sir Crocodile, I genuinely believe our Captain has what it takes to defeat him. If not on her own, then definitely with our support."
Rubbing the underside of her nose, Lucy issued one of her 'Shishishi~' type laughs before stating, "You're embarrassing me, Tom. I'm not 'that' great..."
With the corners of his smile rising, Thomas replied, "Not yet, perhaps. But there is a reason Zoro, Nami, Usopp, and I have decided to follow you. You have the capacity and the temperament to make the impossible a reality..."
Feeling uncharacteristically sheepish, Lucy scratched the back of her head and adopted an awkward smile. She wasn't good with compliments or receiving praise, so she kind of wanted to punch Thomas in the face to get him to stop. Before she could, a tremendous explosion erupted a few kilometers from their position, culminating in a column of water nearly a kilometer high and several across erupting from the sea...
Reacting quickly, Thomas pulled Nami and Vivi close, shielding them with his body as both a shockwave and a wall of vaporized water impacted the Going Merry and everyone onboard. Usopp was nearly sent flying off the quarterdeck, but Lucy caught him with her outstretched arm while Zoro attempted to cut through the shockwave with a vicious, determined grin on his face. He was ultimately unsuccessful, but he managed to create a noticeable 'channel' within the wall of vapor before it promptly collapsed and impacted him like a truck...
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Nearly a full minute after the shockwave rippled across them, leaving a heavy mist permeating their surroundings, Thomas released Nami and Vivi from his embrace. The former adopted an awkward smile as he did so, but before she could think to express her gratitude, Vivi abruptly pounced at him, linking her arms around his neck and planting a kiss on Thomas's lips. Afterward, she continued dangling from his neck, whispering, "My hero..." in a sultry tone.
Adopting a wry smile, Thomas replied, "Maybe not..." before setting the confused Princess down and surveying the damage to the Merry. Their main sail had been ripped to shreds, and the secondary mast had been torn off completely. Nami's tangerine trees had also taken a considerable amount of damage, shedding most of their leaves and tangerines...
Before Vivi could ask what Thomas meant, the figure of Caenis popped out of the sea, landing on the deck with a triumphant smile on her face. The explosion was the result of her 'igniting' her Divine Core, so while it was true that Thomas had protected Nami and Vivi from harm, him asking Caenis to eliminate the Island Eater was the reason they were in danger in the first place...
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(A/N: Big boom...)

Chapter 51: Caution