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Three days.
That was how long Rael had stayed on the island of Dawnshore, and in that short time, the very foundation of the town had changed.
Corrupt Marines who had extorted poor fishermen were now lying in the dirt, groaning and bruised. Their uniforms were tattered, their once-proud faces pale and battered. The same Marines who had collected tribute from the villagers for years now found themselves humbled by a stranger who spoke not a word.
Pirates who had tried to drag women from taverns and markets found themselves shattered and broken, their weapons scattered like twigs. Their eyes wide with disbelief, their limbs mangled in ways that suggested the work of a force far beyond human reach.
The Marine Captain, a pompous brute named Harvick who had ruled the port with an iron fist, was left dangling upside-down from the town bell tower, a rope tied around his feet. Across his chest was a sign that read:
"Try touching an innocent again."
The people whispered. It wasn't a celebration—they didn't know who this stranger was. Some called him a demon hunter, others a fallen Celestial Dragon, and even a few dared to whisper that he was a vengeful god, a spirit of justice sent to right the wrongs of the world.
But Rael never spoke to them. He took no reward, claimed no throne. He simply walked into the night, as if his actions had no consequence. He was like a storm—destructive and decisive, yet transient.
The next day, Rael stood on the deck of a small ship, stolen—no, reclaimed—from a pirate who had once used it to smuggle weapons. The ship's name had been lost to time, and now, it bore no flags, no banners, and no trace of its past crimes.
Rael named it "Ashen Gale."
The wind was steady, the sky clear, and the sea vast. As the ship sliced through the waves, Rael leaned against the wooden railing, his golden eyes gazing out over the endless horizon. His thoughts were far from the past. He didn't dwell on the violence that had occurred on Dawnshore. What mattered now was where the wind would take him next.
Two hours later, the Ashen Gale docked at Windspire.
The port was busier than Dawnshore, but the atmosphere was just as charged with tension. The island of Windspire was a lively place, known for its exotic markets, bounty hunter dens, and the constant stream of travelers. This was a crossroads between the East Blue and other regions. People came and went with purpose, but Rael could feel it in the air—the tension, like a storm waiting to break.
As Rael stepped off the ship, heads turned.
He was barefoot, his feet firm on the sun-warmed planks of the dock. His black pants were tattered, torn from the constant wear of his journey, but they hung loosely from his frame in a way that suggested purpose rather than neglect. His sleeveless coat, dark and open at the chest, was adorned with silver trim that gleamed faintly in the sunlight. Beneath it, his muscular torso was shredded—rippling with muscle, yet covered in strange black lines, ancient symbols that ran like tattoos across his arms and chest. The markings pulsed slowly, almost as if they were alive, throbbing with a rhythm that seemed to match his heartbeat.
His hair was pitch black, messy yet majestic, flowing in strands even when there was no breeze to carry it. His golden eyes glowed faintly beneath thick lashes, giving him an otherworldly, almost predatory appearance. His presence commanded attention, even without him speaking a word.
Women blushed and quickly looked away. Children stopped their play and stared with wide eyes. Even the burliest of dockworkers instinctively moved aside as Rael passed, as if the very air shifted when he walked by.
"Who… is he?" someone whispered from the crowd.
"He's not from here… I heard he crushed a whole garrison of Marines on Dawnshore."
"I heard he took down thirty pirates in one night…"
Rael's eyes narrowed as the whispers reached him, but he ignored them. His attention was on the rumors, fragments of information pieced together in hurried voices.
"…they say the Straw Hats are out there…"
Rael paused, his brow furrowing. The Straw Hats? The name had been mentioned twice now—first by a sailor on the last island, and now again here. Who were they?
"…I heard Luffy's got a crew of misfits. He's got a rubber body or something?"
Rael's golden eyes blinked in surprise, then narrowed. Rubber? He'd heard strange things about people with bizarre powers during his travels, but a man made of rubber? That was new, even for him.
A flicker of curiosity crossed his face, but he quickly dismissed the thought. He wasn't here to chase after rumors or legends. His path lay ahead, somewhere far beyond these islands, but there was something about these whispers, these fragmented stories that intrigued him.
[System Notice]
Quest Available: Learn about the Straw Hat Pirates
Reward: Map Fragment | Information Boost | Temporary Skill Seal Lift
Rael's mind snapped back into focus. Straw Hat Pirates. The name burned in his mind. He didn't know why, but it felt… significant. He accepted the quest with a thought, his eyes scanning the crowd once more.
Rael wandered through the streets of Windspire, moving among the bustling stalls and noisy merchants, but he was aware of the stares on his back. The island was more vibrant than Dawnshore, filled with traders, travelers, and bounty hunters. Exotic fruits, rare weapons, and flashy clothes lined the stalls, and the smells of fried seafood and spicy food filled the air. There was a certain… chaos to Windspire, a mixture of lawless energy and unspoken tension.
It wasn't hard to see why.
Pirates were watching from the rooftops, their eyes following every movement, their hands near their weapons. Marines, too, patrolled in tight formations, their presence just as palpable as the pirates'. The civilians, for their part, kept their heads down, moving quickly through the streets, avoiding eye contact with the armed men and women who ruled the island's shadows.
The world was boiling beneath its skin, and Rael could sense it—like a brewing storm on the horizon, waiting for a trigger to set it off.
As night fell, Rael found himself standing at the edge of a cliff outside the town. The moon hung high in the sky, casting a silver glow over the vast ocean that stretched endlessly before him. The sound of the waves crashing against the rocks below was soothing, and for a moment, Rael allowed himself to close his eyes, letting the cool night air wash over him.
[System Notice]
Presence Detected – Unknown Observer. Risk: Minimal.
Do you wish to engage?
Rael's eyes snapped open. He could feel the presence—someone, or something, watching him from the darkness. He didn't turn around, didn't need to. Whoever it was, they posed no threat to him. He simply whispered to the night.
"No," he said quietly, his voice carrying in the still air. "Not yet. Let them watch."
He could feel their eyes on him, but he didn't care. The night was his, as it always had been.
His golden eyes swept across the sea once more, his mind far from the presence behind him. The name "Straw Hat Pirates" echoed again in his thoughts.
The rumors were vague, but the name Luffy kept surfacing.
A crew that defied the odds. A captain who could stretch his limbs like rubber? What kind of power was that?
Rael smirked, a soft chuckle escaping his lips. There was something undeniably… interesting about them. Could they really be as dangerous as the rumors said? They sounded like a group of misfits—people who might even be foolish enough to challenge powers beyond their control. That, in itself, was intriguing.
But the question remained: Were they just another group of rebels? Or was there more to their story?
Rael rose to his feet, his gaze fixed on the distant horizon. Windspire was a fleeting place for him, a waypoint on his journey. He didn't intend to linger long. But the Straw Hat Pirates—Luffy—perhaps they were worth learning about.
He couldn't shake the feeling that their paths would cross someday.
And when that day came, he would be ready.
[System Notice]
Quest Updated: Learn about the Straw Hat Pirates - New Information Detected
Rael's lips curled into a slight smirk, the thrill of the unknown rising within him.
"I wonder… what kind of storm you'll bring."
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