Greatest scam
King POV
I can just ignore all of it, right? I'm just a guy in a lab making a game. As I read and heard, Marineford is like THE place where it's supposed to be secure, the biggest military base in the world means something. What can I help with?
"Edison, dude, what the hell?"
"Man, just come there and stand around and then leave."
"What?"
"You are not working under anyone technically, so they just want you to make enemies with pirates, so you have no choice but to join the World Government. Easy peasy lemon squeezy."
As Edison said that he waved his hand in reassurance.
Why would I even go then? I don't get it.
"I get it."
"Yeah. Say you've been injured while protecting Marines and ask for money, easy. Cha-ching."
Oh, I'm working with a scammer.
"Man, just call them back and say I have a headache or something."
Edison suddenly had a rare serious look on his face.
"I see how it is. King, are you...."
Oh no. Did he figure me out? We are buddies, aren't we? Can I just explain everything to him peacefully?
"... a pacifist?
Deep breaths. Slow and deep.
"Yes. But there is more to that."
"King, I heard you killed thousands of pirates. Being a Hero of justice and all." his face showed confusion.
"...accidents."
Lots of them. I feel very sorry for it. Monsters is one thing, but a lot of people died because of me. Yeah, they were criminals, but still...
"You didn't use your Conqueror's Haki?"
"Uh..."
I don't have a clue what Conqueror's Haki is. I heard people say it, I just figured it wasn't important.
"So how did you do it?"
No matter how silly Edison can be at times, he is still a powerful and insightful person. He always asks me questions about which I can only lie or avoid, and he knows I do.
There is no escaping it. I must tell him everything. Lying further, like I did before, will get me in even more trouble.
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King and Edison sat quietly. It seems like even the countless machines producing the constant noises of this lab decided to take a break.
The conversation that just took place took a lot from both. It took them about half an hour to sort everything out. Edison asked a question every now and then but stayed mostly silent as King carefully and slowly explained everything that had happened to him so far, including how he became a hero.
When Edison abruptly leaned back in his chair and stared upwards at the lab's dome with a blank stare, King became even more nervous.
"It's a shame..."
King almost forgot how to breathe.
"... that my predictions are so far off." said Edison with a disappointed look on his face. "I have built twenty separate theories about what power you have. But compared to actuality, they are all so far off.
I mean, luck? I wonder how that will work if that girl with Raki Raki no Mi does something, is there a limit to it? Nah, it's too much of a bother getting her or her devil fruit just for some tests."
As soon as he finished talking, he placed his hands behind his head and closed his eyes, thinking.
"Edison, bro, you are not going to dissect me?"
"What for? You promised me a lot of money will be made from games, and we are still not done." Edison smirked as he looked at King.
*Gulp*
King, visibly terrified, asked: "And after?"
"Who knows. You are not the most interesting testing subject in the world, you know? I wouldn't get out of my way to experiment on my friends."
"Friends?" Kings face became more relaxed in an instant.
"Let's all be happy that they didn't send you to Punk 02, Lilith as CP4 originally wanted. She would have stolen all of your super soldiers and fed you to the mechanical sea kings."
King breathed out and dropped in his chair. King feeling more peaceful than ever having a person knowing all about his lies said:
"Thank you, du-."
Without waiting for King to finish his sentence, Edison interrupted, slapping his knees and standing up:
"So, to Marineford you go!"
"Huh? What? No."
"King. For two weeks, I was having nightmares about my lab being blown up by you. Two weeks. That super armored pod for greetings was a big deal! That energy field was capable of taking multiple Admiral-level attacks and you just broke it with your whatever. With your luck, King, you can just stand in the middle of the battlefield and you'll be fine."
"And what does it have to do with it?" King face became serious.
"Scam them. It costed half a billion." Edison followed up with the most serious face King ever saw him do.
"Once we publish the game, it will be paid off."
"Pay for my mental damages now, you damn scary unknown man from another world. Have a fun weekend participating in a war and let me work in peace."
Edison shed a single manly tear.
"Dude..."
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Later King managed to negotiate down to him staying in Marineford for a couple of hours and then leaving with an excuse of an injury. Perfect plan.
So he announced it to the crew, who at the time drew a logo on their giant suits of grey armor and on the ship. This logo looked like a letter "K" wearing a simple outline of a crown.
They gathered on the deck in a line. This is the first time King called them like that.
King gathered all the courage he had, as well as his desire to be done with this as soon as possible, and loudly said:
"Team. We will be leaving this place for some time to a place called Marineford. I hope you are prepared."
Because they had no helmets on their faces, they showed recognition upon hearing the name of the greatest Marine fortress to ever exist.
"I suggest you don't think much of it. This should be easy for all of you."
The faces of the Grey Guard showed absolute obedience.
Their bald leader asked:
"King, what are we needed to do there?"
"Ah, I think it's like a attack of Whitebeard or something, but they keep calling it a war."
The Grey Guard didn't even flinch at hearing the name of Whitebeard. They were certain that King saw him as nothing more than an eyesore and is not a threat.
"It will be a quick trip." King slightly smirked, thinking of his plan.
After that King left. The Grey Guard patiently waited in line until he left the ship's dock area.
"TIME TO SHOW OUR BEST!" shouted the bald giant.
"YES!" they all replied with brutal screams.
(AN: Yeah this chapter is all talk, but I don't think this story can go without it, so there you have it. Next chapter begins Marineford War. I need to rewatch the anime for that.
I'm sure there will be complaints making King spill out his story, but other option is so much lamer. Edison has already shown that he is quite scared of King and looking at his every move, so it wouldn't make sense him being fooled endlessly. And I really think it adds depth to the character of King with that. Saitama learning that King is actually weak had an effect making King want to become stronger but I want to have a diffrent path.)