As the distance closed, Bardock finally got a clear view of the vessel. It was a pirate ship—and one he recognized immediately. The black sail bore a grinning skull marked with three distinct scars over its left eye, backed by a pair of crossed swords. It was the flagship of the future Emperor of the Sea, "Red-Haired" Shanks. And true to form, the crew was right in the middle of a massive, raucous banquet.
"Hey, Shanks!" Yasopp called out. As the crew's elite sniper, he was naturally the first to spot Bardock rocketing toward them. "Something's coming in fast. Should we be worried?"
Shanks casually tipped his straw hat up. "Ah, don't sweat it. Whoever it is, we can handle it. Hey, Roux! Stop hogging all the grub and bring some of that meat over here!"
Even though he was only in his early twenties and the Red Hair Pirates weren't officially a Yonko crew yet, they were still one of the most formidable forces on the sea. Shanks had absolute confidence in his ability to handle any threat, even if their opponent happened to be Whitebeard, Edward Newgate, the strongest man in the world.
"Mmph, comin', comin'," Lucky Roux mumbled around a massive hunk of meat on the bone. He effortlessly balanced a towering platter of food in one hand while continuing to stuff his face with the other. He weaved through the chaotic, drunken pirates sprawled across the deck without missing a beat—he truly was the most agile large man on the seas.
Once the fresh food hit the barrels, the crew dug in with renewed vigor, laughing, shouting, and aggressively clinking their mugs together in drinking contests. Shanks blended right into the chaos. He was loud, rowdy, and lacked even an ounce of typical captain's majesty as his crew mercilessly egged him into chugging mug after mug of ale.
Leaning against the ship's rail, Benn Beckman quietly took a drag from his cigarette, his sharp eyes locked onto the boy riding the bizarre flying cloud. He had already confirmed it wasn't the monster of the New World, Big Mom, Charlotte Linlin. But regardless of whether the kid was a threat, anyone who could conjure a cloud to fly across the ocean had a tricky Devil Fruit ability, making him worth a bit of attention. Beckman glanced back at Shanks and the others partying like idiots and sighed inwardly. 'Who's actually the captain here? What a bunch of morons.'
Bardock started shouting from a safe distance. He wasn't taking any chances; if Yasopp or Beckman decided to take a potshot at him, he wasn't entirely sure his body could tank it. "Hey! Hello! My name is Bardock! I'm from the West Blue, I'm eight years old, and I'm a Devil Fruit user! My ship got wrecked by a storm! Can I hitch a ride to the next populated port? I've got some local specialties I can trade for the fare! If that's not enough, I can work! I'm a seriously good cook!"
Beckman raised an eyebrow, genuinely amused. "Kid, you do realize we're pirates, right?" It wasn't every day someone actively asked to board a pirate ship, considering the vast majority of them were bloodthirsty criminals.
"Yeah, I saw the Jolly Roger!" Bardock slowed his Flying Nimbus, keeping pace alongside the galleon as he shouted back over the waves. "I can feel the vibe over there! You guys are different from normal pirates. My gut tells me you wouldn't mind a temporary barbecue chef!"
'I mean, I can't exactly tell them I've read their manga and know they're decent guys,' he thought dryly.
Beckman glanced at Shanks, leaving the final call to him. Shanks perked up the moment he heard the words "good cook." He grinned at Lucky Roux. "Looks like you've got some competition, Roux." Turning back to the rail, Shanks yelled out, "I've got an appointment to keep, but we'll be stopping at the Sabaody Archipelago after that! If you're cool with that, climb aboard and join the party!"
Bardock blinked in surprise. The Sabaody Archipelago... that was exactly where the original Bardock's family had been heading for vacation before the storm hit.
"Then let me show you my skills as a thank you!" Bardock leaped onto the deck and immediately dispelled his Flying Nimbus. He shifted out of his Beast Form, dusted himself off, and marched straight for the grills.
Unlike the magical cloud in Dragon Ball, his Nimbus was a one-time active ability. If he wasn't riding it, he had to dispel it, otherwise it would constantly drain his stamina. To fly again, he just had to cough up a new one, adjusting its size based on how much energy he poured into it.
"Hey kid, are you really eight?" one of the pirates asked, eyeing him up and down. "You're huge for a kid."
Thanks to a brutal six months of survival training, Bardock stood at nearly 1.7 meters tall and was packed with lean muscle. If his original parents were still alive, they would probably be bragging to everyone that their son had the physical makings of a Marine Admiral.
"One hundred percent genuine," Bardock replied cheerfully. "I just spent the last six months roughing it on a deserted island with wild beasts."
"You're a pretty handsome kid, too," another pirate chimed in. "Where in the West Blue are you from? Our captain is from there as well."
"Really?" Bardock feigned surprise. "I'm from the Ilusia Kingdom."
'As if I'm going to bring up the fact that Roger found you in a treasure chest at God Valley,' he mused silently.
Handling the crew's casual interrogations effortlessly, Bardock triggered a partial transformation, shifting only his eyes. With the microscopic precision of his Fiery Golden Eyes, he got to work.
Before long, the rich, mouth-watering aroma of perfectly seared meat wafted across the deck. The Red Hair Pirates threw banquets practically every other day, so they all considered themselves culinary critics. Just from the smell alone, they knew the kid wasn't bluffing—he really was a master chef.
"Oh man, Roux, this is terrible!" one of the pirates teased, clapping the large man on the shoulder. "Once little Bardock leaves the ship, we're never going to get barbecue this good again!"
"Yeah, you better think of a solution, Roux!"
Lucky Roux didn't even look up. He had meat in both hands, taking massive, rapid-fire bites. Right now, it was a race against time; whoever ate the fastest, won.
"Yo, Bardock!" Shanks laughed, walking over with a sloshing mug of ale. "Wanna join my crew? Your cooking is incredible, and everyone already loves you!"
Shanks never recruited based on strength—nobody was stronger than him anyway. He only cared if someone fit the crew's vibe.
"Hahaha! Shanks, I'm only eight! Give me some time to think about it!" Bardock replied with a bright grin.
'Think about it' was a polite way of saying no, but Shanks just laughed it off, not minding the rejection in the slightest, and went right back to partying with his men.
As Bardock flipped the steaks, his mind wandered back to the countless hours of boredom on the island where he had mapped out his future.
Option one: The Marines. That was a hard pass. Leaving aside the fact that they were essentially the guard dogs of the Celestial Dragons, Bardock wanted true freedom on the seas. Taking orders from superiors and bowing to the Five Elders just wasn't his style. Though, he did desperately want to learn their Rokushiki martial arts techniques.
Option two: Pirates. Bardock wasn't a fan. Most pirates were absolute scum who ruined lives and caused endless tragedies. The few who were actually just "adventurers" in name still caused a ton of collateral damage and spent their lives running from the Marines. If he had to be a pirate, Shanks' crew was easily the best choice. The captain was laid-back, the crew felt like a family, they were monstrously strong, and they were guaranteed to become a Yonko crew. But at the end of the day, a pirate crew's freedom was tied to the captain's freedom. If Bardock had a choice, he wanted to be his own boss.
Option three: Something else entirely. Gourmet hunter, world traveler, scientist, doctor, journalist... there were so many paths he wanted to explore. But right now, the absolute most important thing was getting strong enough to actually survive long enough to choose.
He cast a subtle glance at the rowdy crew. 'Now... how exactly do I con Shanks and his officers into teaching me Haki?'