13 Trickster

"Why didn't you pay your tab?! Hell, I would have paid it!!"

Rayleigh laughed as we ran away from the bartender who was chasing us with some meat cleaver, "I would feel bad having a kid pay my tab. Besides, you want me to train you, right. Just think of this as an exercise."

I glared at the old man, "I need you to teach me Haki, not how to dine and dash." Rayleigh just laughed some more, and I started to regret ever seeking out the man."

After leading the bartender on a goose chase, I followed Rayleigh back to Shakky's the entire time the old man was laughing. I couldn't believe that this man was supposed to be a disciplinarian.

I would have had a better mood if I hadn't spent all day looking for him, and all the funnel cake had started to take its toll. Shakky stood at the door, smoking her signature cigarette, "Did you boys have fun."

"Your husband has gone senile, in his old age. He just laughed the entire time." Collapsing at the bar, I sighed as Shakky poured me a glass of water.

Shakky smirked at her husband, "What was it this time? Did you lose all your money again?"

"That only happened once, and those guys cheated. You don't pull a royal flush out of nowhere like that."

Rayleigh sat next to me as he complained, "But I digress. So kid, what's your name."

Grinning, I pointed at myself with my thumb, "My name is Soren D. Arvil. My dream is never to be forgotten by the world. No matter what it takes."

I watched Rayleigh's eyes widen when he heard my name, "That's a bold thing to say, Soren. I hope they aren't empty words."

"Don't question my resolve Ray-san. It's been tempered through constant fear and death. To get where I am today, I've killed men and women for the enjoyment of others. And one day, I will kill the people who thought they could control me."

There was a heavy silence after my declaration, and I waited for the Dark King's response. Smiling, Rayleigh eye's locked with mine, "Forgive me for my insult. We'll start your training tomorrow. But for now, get a good night's sleep."

Retiring to the couch, I closed my eyes, falling asleep when my head touched the pillow.

-General POV-

Rayleigh looked over at Soren. There were two reasons he agreed to teach the youth. The will of D, those with D. in their name, played a vital role in the world's history for better or worse.

And in all his years of piracy, he had never seen someone with so much potential, and with Soren's trouble past, it was a miracle that he hadn't ended up a mindless monster filled with rage and hatred.

Rayleigh would mentor Soren, hopefully healing the hidden wounds from his past, "Shakky, what do you think of Soren."

"He's been a slave for the past four years. His family must be dead or abusive because he doesn't seem to plan on returning any time soon. When we first talked, he was careful with his words, never giving me the upper hand.

He's also learned Observation Haki on his own. He has the making of a future king or a tyrant, and I'm leaning more towards the tyrant. I think fate has brought him to us."

Rayleigh smiled at his wife, "So we agree, we'll mentor Soren for the good of humanity-nay the entire world."

-The Next Morning-

Outside Shakky's bar, I limbered up as I waited for Ray-san to start my training, "Good, I don't have to teach you the importance of stretching."

Ray-san stopped in front of me. His usual cloak swapped out for a set of pants and short sleeve shirt. Rayleigh started to stretch himself, his body releasing substantial cracks as his body seemed to fill with vitality.

"Okay, Soren-Kun, I want you to attack me with all your strength. The fight will end when you force me to use my left hand. You have ten minutes. Begin!"

[Body Art: Danchō]

Jumping into the air, I outstretch my talons to grab Rayleigh, I wasn't fast enough, and the Dark King jumped back, and I formed a crater in the ground.

"So you're a devil fruit user. How long did you plan on keeping that a secret?" Ignoring his taunt, I kicked at his head, but he ducked, letting my leg pass over his head.

Dropping low, Rayleigh jumped over my sweeping kick, but when he was in midair, I pushed off the ground aiming for his head again.

Bringing up his right arm, Rayleigh blocked my kick, but I was ready. Spinning, I brought my other leg overhead in an ax kick.

I felt something in Rayleigh move, and his arm turned pitch black. This was the first time I encountered Armament Haki, and it lived up to its reputation. It felt like a metal wall as my leg rebounded off of Rayleigh's arm, doing no damage to him.

"You almost had me there for a second."

Running away from the old man, my legs deflated as I pointed my hand at Rayleigh. Another limit of my devil fruit was I could maintain two transformations at once.

[Bone Art: Bōngan]

I shot three bone shards at Rayleigh. He deflected all of them into the ground. Kicking off the dirt, I flew towards Rayleigh as I pulled back my right arm.

My right arm bulged with muscle, and Rayleigh shook his head, "Brute force won't win you this battle!"

"But I've already won, Ray-San!" Using my Observation Haki, I locked onto the bone shards in the dirt around Rayleigh.

Reaching out to my cells, I had my bone move to encase Rayleigh's feet, anchoring him to one place. Looking down, Rayleigh tried to break free, but my trap held firm.

[Body Art: Massugu]

I punched Rayleigh, my arm twice it's average size. I could hear my bones crack as Rayleigh used Armament Haki, but I had him.

My bone trap gave out as I sent Rayleigh flying, but the Dark King was no pushover. He kept his footing as he crashed into a mangrove tree.

When the dust cleared, I smiled as Rayleigh was holding up both his hands in an X, "I told you, Ray-San, don't test my resolve."