Chapter 35: This is my spot now, go and take another one.

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As the straw-hat crew landed on the ship and escaped at full speed from Loguetown, Smoker finally managed to arrive at the dock after being blown away by the giant gust of wind some minutes ago.

When he saw the Going merry escaping in the distance he ended up letting out an exhausted sigh before he turned to look at his subordinates that were finally starting to arrive to the dock.

"Smoker-san...! What in the world happened?"

"I'm still not sure by myself... However, that wasn't just pure luck, I'm sure of it"

As he looked at the departing ship in the distance, he remembered the moment when Luffy was about to get executed.

'He smiled...'

He turned to look at his subordinate, this time with a more prominent frown than usual as he asked curiously while massaging his shoulder.

"Tell me... has ever a pirate smiled when he is about to get executed?" 

"N-no, most of them no matter how brave and courageous they are, they always end up crying in desperation at the fear of death. Except from the most fearsome pirates who just usually stay silent or look into the air blankly as if reminiscing their time alive, no pirate has ever smiled previous to their execution since the Pirate King Gol D Roger."

"I see..." Smoker looked into the cloudy sky as he took a smoke on his two cigarettes while he smiled faintly before he started walking away.

"I'll be going to the Grand line to capture Straw-hat, I'll also be taking some soldiers with me so prepare everything for my departure."

"But Sir, this island is under your jurisdiction, the authorities are not gonna be pleased with this!"

Smoker, who's face twitched after hearing that, looked back at his subordinate with a terrifying expression on his face.

"Then tell them that no one gives me orders!"

"Y-yes!!"

Tashigi, that just arrived some seconds ago, walked up next to smoker and grabbed his shoulder before looking at him with a determined expression on her face.

"Allow me to follow you captain, I won't forgive Roronoa, he made a fool of me by making me think he was a good person!" She yelled in frustration while grabbing tightly her katana.

"Very well..." Smoker just nodded and then looked at the seemingly infinite sea tremble under the strength of the storm.

...

When smoker was about to turn around and leave, he suddenly heard a very deep voice coming from on top of the ceiling of the house next to him.

"If that's how you're gonna live... Then be free as the wind and follow the breeze of--"

However, the voice was suddenly cut off out of nowhere. And when Smoker looked to see who spoke, there was no one there.

Suddenly, in the opposite house next to Smoker while the rain poured down heavily and many lightnings struck the sky, a dark and mysterious figure emerged from the shadows before it opened its arms widely in the air while a lightning struck the ground behind him. Giving him a majestic yet terrifying aura as he looked at the sea with its arms opened completely unperturbed by the surrounding storm.

"Yes! This is the beginning of a new age in this world, the forces of evil and good will clash once again as they make the whole world tremble before their presences!"

"T-that's Shadow raven!"

"I-impossible! Why here?!"

Suddenly, as he saw the arrival of the new foe, something clicked inside Smoker's mind.

"So it was you who helped that kid... Why? Why did you help that brat Shadow Raven?!"

"..." 

The mysterious figure, who stayed silent for some seconds, looked high into the air before a giant lightning struck the ground behind him once again.

*Boooom!!*

"Why should I stop the call of Destiny towards the future? If the wind cries for the death of that kid, Then it's my duty to change it all for the sake of this act that we all play"

And out of nowhere, from inside his robes, suddenly dozens of mechanical crows started surrounding his body while letting out ominous cries that filled the minds of the present marines with a dreadful feeling.

*Caw caw caw caw!*

And finally, after some seconds the crows finally dispersed, leaving nothing but empty air where the infamous pirate stood just seconds ago.

"The call of destiny, huh?"

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Sid POV:

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"Hyaaa~ It's finally over!"

After many hours of arduous work in order to prepare everything to make this day perfect, It's finally over.

Though, the call of destiny?  I think I could have improvised something better...

*Growl...*

'Oops, I think the call of "Nature" Is calling for me now... Sigh, I better hurry up or won't make it to the bathroom.'

Though I should probably disappear from here fast or Dragon might find me. After all, he must be pretty angry at me after I kicked him and sent him flying into the distance so that I could be the one to make an ominous speech.

I mean, who does he think he is? Giving ominous speeches and making the important characters think deeply about its contents it's my job. Thus, when I saw that he was planning to give his speech in front of smoker right in under my nose, I kicked him away and soon took his place.

Sorry Dragon, but this is my spot, you can go and do your speech another time.

Suddenly, I saw Kuina standing on an alley silently with a pensive expression on her face, probably waiting for me to finish with my business.

"Yo, what's with that face?" I waved at her as I approached.

"Oh Sid, well... It's just that Zoro... he... was weak" Kuina, who until now was looking at the empty air with a blank look, turned to look at me with a complex expression.

"Duh, that was obvious from the very beginning. I deem that it will take him at least 2 more years to reach a level similar to yours now, unless of course that I teach him personally."

"But... I feel like I'm cheating"

"What nonsense are you spouting now? He trained in his own way and he reached that level, you trained under MY way, and now you're in THAT level. It's not like you drugged yourself in order to increase your physical abilities, so It's completely fair."

"Huh..." Kuina, that heard my words, looked into the air once again while seemingly remembering something before she ended up shuddering with a terrified look in her eyes.

"You are right, I ended up going through that horrible training in order to become this strong, so It's completely fair" This time Kuina nodded confidently after reminiscing all she went through in order to become stronger.

"Oi, what do you mean with 'Horrible training'...? Just so you know, your training was at least three times easier than mine, so don't start complaining"

"Ugh... that's because you're not human"

Was that an insult or a compliment?

"What's that supposed to mean? Well whatever, go home. I still have some business to attend as a normal marine anyways" I turned around and started walking in the direction of my group so that they could not suspect that I was gone while they were unconscious.

"What business could you have now? Your little play has already ended after all..."

"It's too complicated for you to understand"

Now I wonder... Will I be able to go to the bathroom before they wake up?

Heh.

"I like challenges anyways."

Kuina, that was next to me glanced at me with an incredulous expression, before she just shook her head and walked away.

Good grief.

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