'How long can I actually maintain the Flying Nimbus with my current stamina? Since I haven't set off yet, I might as well test it out.'
Bardock coughed out a puff of cloud and hopped onto the Nimbus, but he suddenly realized a flaw in his plan.
He absolutely had to bring supplies—food, fresh water, luggage, and the mountain of Berries he had accumulated over the past month. All of that added extra weight and took up space.
'I suppose I could eat while flying to replenish my stamina. Once the food is gone, it'll free up space.'
He tapped his chin. 'But I also need a place to rest out on the open sea. Should I bring a whole ship with me? Something like Hawkeye's coffin boat would be perfect. It can float on the ocean, and it's light enough for me to lift into the sky with the Nimbus. Anything heavier would just be a burden.'
What was supposed to be a romantic, spontaneous journey of one man, one sword, and one cloud had slowly and inexplicably mutated into a snail-paced moving day—one man, one sword, a boat fully loaded with luggage, and a heavily overworked cloud.
Mind made up, Bardock immediately sprang into action. He headed straight for the shipyard districts; he was going to buy a boat.
Groves 50 through 59 in Sabaody were packed with shipyards. While massive galleons had to be custom-ordered and built from scratch, small boats didn't require any wait time. You could just slap down the cash and sail away on the spot.
However, Bardock quickly noticed something off. He had avoided this area previously to steer clear of pirates, but there was no way this many men in black suits naturally hung around here. Unless he was terribly mistaken, these guys were World Government agents.
This really put into perspective why Rob Lucci, Kaku, and the rest of CP9 were considered absolute elites. When they went undercover as shipwrights, they literally became the best shipwrights in the world; nobody suspected a thing until they revealed themselves. These guys lurking around Sabaody, on the other hand, looked less like secret agents and more like minimum-wage security guards.
After a moment of thought, Bardock realized they were likely hunting the slaves who had just escaped from Mary Geoise. Judging by their frustrated, empty-handed expressions, the fugitives had probably hidden somewhere else—likely in the chaotic, lawless zones between Groves 1 and 29.
Bardock quickly secured a boat. It was a single-mast sloop, completely different from Hawkeye's gothic aesthetic. It boasted a sleek, beautiful design. While it wasn't carved from the legendary Treasure Tree Adam, it was still built from top-tier lumber. Apparently, a wealthy merchant had commissioned it as a custom gift for his child. Sadly, the merchant had a fatal run-in with pirates, leaving the boat orphaned at the shipyard. At a staggering twenty million Berries for such a tiny vessel, it was a terrible bargain for regular sailors.
But money was no object when you found something you loved. Bardock fell for it the second he saw it and bought it without a moment's hesitation.
He was briefly interrogated by the black-suited agents during the purchase, but he brushed it off easily, playing the part of a cooperative civilian and promising to report any suspicious activity.
Bardock actually had no idea how to sail a ship, but he had a cheat code: using the Flying Nimbus as an engine. By keeping the sail furled, spitting out the Nimbus, and manipulating its shape to wrap around the hull, he could effortlessly push or pull the boat in any direction.
'Take that, Hawkeye. Now I don't have to look like an idiot paddling my boat with a sword.'
'The Flying Nimbus really is the ultimate utility tool!'
Bardock had even managed to develop a makeshift Ruyi Staff technique. While the Nimbus looked like a fluffy cloud, it was actually a tangible construct that he could warp to his will.
If he ordered it to form a staff, it became a staff. He could make it expand, shrink, lengthen, or shorten on command. It could even function as a telekinetic weapon—a flying staff, or even a flying sword. There was just one glaring issue he hadn't solved yet: hitting someone with the makeshift Ruyi Staff felt a bit like smacking them with a dense pillow.
'I wonder if I can harden it by coating it in Armament Haki?'
He navigated his new boat back to Grove 46, then commanded the Nimbus to lift it out of the water and fly it straight to his rental house. Perfect. It barely drained any stamina.
As his house came into view, an invisible sledgehammer suddenly slammed into Bardock's mind. He instantly recognized the sensation: Conqueror's Haki. Triggered by the sudden pressure, Bardock's own Conqueror's Haki flared up in an automatic, defensive counterattack.
Ever since awakening his Haki, Bardock had been actively trying to train it. The results were... well, better than nothing, but he still couldn't control its exact targeting. His house sat isolated on its own mangrove root, meaning he didn't have immediate neighbors, but there were plenty of residents living a bit further out. Over the past month, those people had experienced phenomenally deep sleep. Sometimes, couples would be in the middle of getting intimate only to inexplicably pass out simultaneously, waking up the next morning staring at each other in utter confusion. It wouldn't be long before bizarre urban legends started spreading around Sabaody. Thankfully, Bardock was leaving soon anyway, even though his lease wasn't up yet.
The opposing Conqueror's Haki retreated almost instantly. Bardock scratched his head. 'Hey, that's not fair. We're both obviously beginners, but if you tap out that fast, I can't reel mine back in time!' His oppressive aura continued to wash over the area, but the other presence completely vanished, offering zero resistance.
His curiosity piqued, Bardock decided to go check it out.
He found a group of people passed out in a nearby clearing. The area looked like a war zone, and several of the unconscious figures were bleeding heavily.
'Oh, they're the black-suited agents. Well, nothing of value was lost,' Bardock thought, scanning the bodies. 'Wait, where's the person who unleashed the Haki? Ah, are these three the ones who were being cornered?'
He stared at the three young girls huddled on the ground. 'Those distinct hair colors... and the timing of the Mary Geoise breakout... Don't tell me it's them?'
Bardock immediately pulled out his Video Transponder Snail. He had missed his chance to record Hawkeye's dark history, but he absolutely wasn't going to let this golden opportunity slip by.
Buying this little guy had been his very first major purchase after striking it rich. It boasted high-definition recording, easy printing capabilities, and was incredibly easy to feed.
He floated around the scene on his Nimbus, snapping several close-up shots from the perfect angles. 'Shocking! The Pirate Empress Knocked Cold by Random Fodder!' he chuckled internally.
After confirming the area was completely secure, Bardock dragged the three sisters aboard his sloop. Thank God they were still kids—once the two younger Gorgon sisters hit their massive growth spurts, this tiny boat wouldn't even be able to hold them.
'Should I drop them off at Grove 13?' he debated. 'Nah, better wait until it gets dark.'
Hancock bolted upright, her heart hammering in her chest. Her mind was a hazy blur. The last thing she remembered was trying to reach Grove 13 to seek help from Shakky—a name she had heard the elders mention back on the Kuja Pirates' ship. But they had carelessly exposed themselves and were chased down by a mob of government agents. Her younger sisters had been overpowered almost instantly. Pushed to the brink of absolute terror and fury, her Conqueror's Haki had violently erupted, knocking their attackers out cold. But then, another overwhelming wave of Conqueror's Haki had crashed into her from afar. Already pushed past her physical limits, the second wave had been the final straw, and she had blacked out.
'Oh no! My sisters!'
She frantically spun around. Thank goodness, Sandersonia and Marigold were both lying right next to her. But wait—that wasn't good. They weren't in the forest anymore. Had they been captured again?! A violent, uncontrollable trembling seized her body.
In her panic, she completely failed to notice the Video Transponder Snail pointing a lens right at her face.
"Hey, you're awake. Want some food?"
Bardock pointed to the spread of food on the table. He watched Hancock zone out, then start violently shaking, having no idea what was running through her head. This woman's inner world was notoriously dramatic, and her imagination was entirely out of control.
Hancock finally snapped her attention to Bardock, shrinking back. "Who are you?! Did you capture us?! What do you want with us?!"
"Whoa, whoa, relax. I just picked you guys up off the—wait, I mean, I saved you!" Bardock quickly corrected himself, playing dumb. "You guys were passed out on the ground, so I brought you here. Why did you pass out, anyway?"
'So... someone saved us, but didn't kidnap us? He just pulled us away from the battlefield?'
Hancock quickly checked herself and her sisters. Their clothes were torn and scuffed from the fight, but thankfully, the fabric on their backs was still fully intact. She let out a massive breath of relief. The slave crests were still hidden.
"Thank you for your help," she said, her voice still trembling slightly. "Why haven't my sisters woken up yet?"
"Not entirely sure," Bardock shrugged. "They're probably just exhausted."
"Then... where exactly are we?" she asked, looking around the strange environment. "Why is everything wrapped in a giant cloud? This is a cloud, right?"
"We're on a boat! A boat currently flying through the sky, to be exact. Pretty cool, right? It's mine!" Bardock grinned proudly, pointing to himself.
Unfortunately, Hancock was far too weighed down by her own anxieties to give him the impressed reaction he was looking for. She bit her lip, debating internally whether she could trust this strange boy enough to ask him to fly her and her sisters to Grove 13.