Chapter 10 A Conquerors Will

''Fuck…..'' That one word pretty much described my current situation to a tee. Looking at Vista's smile widen at my recognition of him wasn't a good sign either. 'Of all the commanders that could've showed up only Marco would've been worse. This man fought with Mihawk and the Admirals during the war, he got out basically unscathed. Possibly the runner-up for the best Swordsman in the world title'

"Well, this is very interesting." Vista said from behind me, my eyes widen and sweat falls from my forehead in waves. 'I was looking at him the whole time, is my reaction speed that bad?'

"Uhhh, what is that" I asked to which he answered quickly.

"Why did you send your crew away and waited for us by yourself" He asked curiously with a hand on his chin.

"Because you allowed it"

"Obviously kid, answer the question," Vista said sounding impatient.

"I figured you guys would understand being the 'Whitebeard' pirates and all. That crew is my only family, hell I had to knock one of them out because I knew he wouldn't listen to it" I said with a smile while Vista gained a new look in his eye, giving me a small nod at the decision.

"Ha, just as I suspected." He said with a smirk. "Turn around bounty hunter I have a few questions for you" Taking that as permission I turn to face the hardened pirate.

"First turn your Observation off, you're just wasting your stamina" He said sounding annoyed.

"What?" I asked confused. 'I thought it was a passive ability'. He gives me a wide-eye look before chucking at my ignorance.

"Let me guess, you just unlocked it huh? Probably haven't even thought to turn it off, while that is impressive you seem fine it's not optimal" He advised. I tried searching for that energy and shutting it off like a valve, like magic a strain I didn't even realize I was under was released.

SKILL LEVEL UP

OBSERVATION HAKI-7(8)

"Uhh, thanks?" I said unsure if was meant to help me or if my Haki going everywhere was annoying him. He seemed mildly surprised I figured it out in 5 seconds before shifting his posture and looking at me with vigor.

"Well, I'm here looking for a lass at this exact location" He said with a minor scowl seemingly expecting me to have something to do with her not appearing.

"May I ask why?"

"A black market deal for a special sword, seeing as you are here with your ship and the fact I can smell blood in the air I can only assume the supplier is dead" He said looking at me for any sign of lies or false truths I may say. 'Like I'm that fucking stupid' I say before holding my arm out in a non-threatening manner, instantly a golden Rapier is in my grasp. He jumps slightly in surprise seeing it appear out of nowhere.

"Hm, that's a useful devil fruit ability, seeing as you're now the supplier I guess I'll give you the payment," he said before reaching into his jacket at least until I stop him.

"I don't want anything, just leave me and my crew alone," I said throwing over the Rapier.

"Do you even know what this is kid"

"Torienu, one of the Ryu Wazmono swords. A one of fifty" I said backing away slightly to give him space to look over the blade.

"So you're a swordsman huh? Even more interesting" He said guessing because of my knowledge. "And it seems you're already well equipped. That's the bastard sword 'Tengoku' a Ryu Wazamono itself" He said finally giving my sword embedded in the ground a careful look.

"Who the hell are you?" He asked the big question, probably wondering where a kid with a skillful grade sword and novice Observation Haki came from.

"Fate Kal" I said but just as I finished the last syllable the rapier was at my throat, I could only widen my eyes at the speed.

"Kid, lie to me again and I won't stop it" He said referring to the blade that was touching my Adam's apple. 'Fuck, why the hell did his observation Haki have to be so high that he can tell I'm lying'

"Fate D. Kal" I said in resignation knowing I'm completely fucked when word spreads.

"Hm, why were you so keen on hiding your middle initial, we have one or two guys on our crew with the same, it's not too uncommon." He said looking confused.

"I can't answer that, ask your 'father' I'm sure he will know." I said to which he gained a scowl before it turned to a smile and sheathed the rapier's blade. He disappears towards the ship to deposit it before returning back in a few seconds. He doesn't say anything for a while so I decided to ask the big question.

"Are we cool, can I leave?" I asked hopefully. He seems to think it over before he smirked to my dismay.

"Sorry kid, you see them boys over there?" He said pointing toward his crew, turning to look I notice all of them with their blades and guns drawn at the ready.

"Yep, super menacing. Half of them could probably kick my ass" I replied.

"Yep, so here's how it is. My boys want to raid your brand swanky new ship, but I'll call them off if you fight me right here right now, to the death of course" He said like it was no big deal. 'Obviously, I'd say fuck that ship. The problem is I have no communication or Idea where a town is. And this is my fucking ship!'

"So you just want to stroke your pride?" I asked with a tick mark on my forehead to which the bastard smirked further.

"30 minutes and no Armament Haki, you land a hit before the 30 minutes are up you automatically win. Hell, I'll even give you some advice if you win plus I'll only speak your full name to 'Pops'" He said with a smile drawing both of his blades. 'Not a bad deal, If he wasn't 10 times faster than me at the minimum'

"You know, this is bullshit right?" I said grabbing 'Tengoku' and giving it a twirl before pulling up my status and dumping every extra point to dexterity. 'If I can't even react to him I'm fucked'

LVL 10 (40,300/192,000XP)

TITLE:

NAME: FATE D. KAL

STR-119

END-169

WILL-154

INT-35

DEX-135-(230)

STAT POINTS:95-(0)

GACHA COINS:40

BERRIE COUNTER:17,330,000

QUEST ACCEPTED

A SWORDSMAN'S PRIDE

OBJECTIVE: SURVIVE 'FLOWER SWORD' VISTA FOR 30 MINUTES.

BONUS: LAND A HIT.

REWARDS: 1,000,000XP,???,???

BONUS REWARD: 10,000 GACHA COINS.

'Fuck, I need to hit him. Just once…..' I thought before a large air blade came flying at me, barely ducking under it, I turn just in time to parry a dual slash. 'Of course, a master swordsman knows 'Rankyaku', I'm screwed if he just decides to spam it'

''Hm, you got faster" Vista said smirking. ''Good, I didn't want to pull my punches" He said before slamming the back of his sword against my cheek, sending me crashing into a tree.

"You've died once"

Jumping to my feet just in time to block his overhead slash, I fail to foresee his other sword that took two of my fingers.

"AHHHH" I screamed in pain as my pinkie and ring finger fell to the ground. To focused on my hand I missed his sword smacking into my cheek again. Sending me flying through the tree I only hit before.

"You've died twice"

"Focus boy, you have the Observation, focus it on me or you will die on my next attack."He said with gritted teeth.

Following this bastard's advice I turn my observation Haki onto him, directing all my hate and will to survive something strange occurred.

{STAB-HEART}{STAB-BRAIN}

Barely turning my head to the side as his sword cuts an inch deep into my cheek, simultaneously turning my blade onto its flat I block his stab that was aiming at my heart. He seemed impressed but only for a moment as I had barely half a second to dodge his doubled horizontal slash, completely missing the front kick to my chest. 'Fucking god dammit, I haven't even had a chance to swing my sword' I thought while mid-air from his stab.

'I need more speed, can I even do it. Drake did but he gets a 7X boost to his stats from his Zoan, and I couldn't see my dexterity being more than 5 times higher than his base.' I thought before trying to kick the ground 10 times on my landing, surprisingly I underestimated the number of stat points I used. In half a second I'm in Vista's guard sending a stab at his chest.

SKILL LEARNED

SORU LVL 1/100: ONE OF THE SIX SECRET AND POWERFUL MARINE TECHNIQUES, SORU IS A MOVEMENT TEQNIQE MEANT TO HELP IN HIGH-SPEED COMBAT. IT IS SAID THAT THE MORE STEPS A USER CAN MAKE THE FASTER HIS SORU.

MAX STEPS:10

CURRENT MASTERY: PASSIVELY BOOST SPEED BY 10%.

"Ho, ho. You wouldn't happen to be a government agent would ya?" Vista asked while parrying my high-speed stab with the guard of one of his swords. "No, that wouldn't make much sense, you've probably seen someone do it. Still Soru, I'm impressed" He smiled at me before again backhanding me with his blade.

"You've died three times kid" He said while I was again flying through a tree, this time it was four. Barely getting to my feet I wiped the blood running down the new horizontal scar on my right cheek.

'Looks like I have no choice, the operation fruit isn't an option. Luckily the Blood fruit will triple my dexterity' I thought before sneakily taking out the fruit and bringing it to my lips.

*SWIPE* *CHOMP*

"FUCK!" I yelled in pain as I bit the hell out of my hand. Turning my head down to my empty hand I realize how well and truly fucked I am. 'He's been toying with me completely, that was 5 times faster than anything he's shown so far'

"Hmmmmm, a devil fruit? So that ability you showed earlier was just a magic trick." Vista said with an eyebrow raised before throwing the fruit to one of the hundreds of pirates watching the 'fight'.

"Why are you such an asshole?" I said with a sigh before reading myself and refocusing my Haki on him.

"Heh, you'll thank me for stopping you one day. Decisions made in distress aren't always the best option" He said before appearing next to me.

{STAB,LEFT FOOT}

With the new warning, I flashed backward with Soru, only to be followed almost instantly. Barely getting my sword up in time to parry a stab to the face.

{BACK SLASH, NECK!!!}

My Haki screamed like it never had before, warning me of my imminent death if I don't do something quickly. Raising my arm with my strongest Tekai I barely block it, well block was a strong word. As I watch his sword still dig through my hardened muscle only to be stopped by what I assume is my forearm bone.

"AHHHHHH!" I screamed in pure agony as he cut his sword out of me, I sent a one-armed weak slash that he easily parried, flashing backward I barely dodge his overhead slash. 'How long has it been…' I can't help but wish I had a watch.

"15 minutes" Vista whispered from behind me, kicking me so fast that my Haki couldn't even warn me. Falling to the ground face first I can't help but rethink my life decisions, maybe I should've just found a pretty girl and settled down in Embassa city. 'Fuck that!' I thought straining with everything I had to just stand one more time.

WILLPOWER+50!

{STAB,HEART} {OVERHEAD SLASH}

Using my already destroyed arm as a shield from his stab I raise my blade above my head and activate Tekai with my last dregs of strength. He smirked at my defense before dragging the sword that was embedded in my arm into a slash that knocked Tengoku out of my grip, ending with his two swords crossed over my neck.

'I'M GOING TO DIE!' I screamed in my mind, watching his biceps twitch indicating he was about to cut my head off, I literally black out from fear and anger.

POV CHANGE… 'FLOWER SWORD' VISTA

Coming to Minion island to pick up a blade from some rookie pirates that somehow came upon a sword worth a trip to the North Blue. Skillful grade blades aren't exactly hard to find but you usually have to kill somebody powerful to get your hands on one. However Torienu isn't just any regular blade, it was the only Rapier to ever be graded that high. It was a prize any swordsman would kill for. Who knew it would just be handed to me by a rookie bounty hunter to get me to 'leave him alone'

I never suspected to run into such a prodigy. His swordplay and speed are about Paradise level, not to mention he has two stolen marine Rokushiki techniques. All of that paled in comparison to one thing, his Haki. Never have I seen a kid his age wield it so horribly, only to evolve it at a rate I've never seen. A few of my attacks I even went half speed and he still kept up for an entire ten minutes. It's not unheard of for Haki to advance during a life or death battle but it comes down to talent and who your teacher is.

Turning down to the teenager I have under the edge of both my blades in a cross pattern I can't help but smile at this boy's potential. Getting ready to take away the swords he did something I never expected. Most likely assuming I'm going to take his head he yelled with all his will.

"GET AWAY FROM ME" the boy yelled with fury, my eyes widen in fear seeing the Will of the Conquers spread from his body, it was powerful but nothing near the likes of Kaido. With my observation Haki I feel half my men instantly pass out, while the other half fell to a knee. 'New world pirates falling to the knees of nothing but a boy!' Looking down at the boy still under my swords in a new light, he slowly turned his head upwards, streaks of silver lightning coming from his lifeless eyes.

"I SAID GET THE FUCK AWAY FROM ME!" this time it was different, focused, animalistic. Directed only on me, even with my Armament my swords fell from my now nonworking hands.'What the hell is this' I haven't felt this helpless since 'Pops' kicked my ass to join his crew.

Looking into his eyes I see they've regained their light but lost their lightning, he smirks at me before raising his hand near my stomach like he was holding something. A Katana appeared in my stomach.

The kid raised his head one last time before raising his only working hand to flick me off.

"Get....fucked.." He said before falling to his side passed out.

"COMMANDER, ARE YOU OK?" My second in command yelled while running towards me with a roll of Bandages.

"Eh, don't get your panties in a bunch Haruta, it's just a flesh wound," I said while waving him off and turning the boy that almost beat me. Removing the sword with a pained grunt and dropping it near his body. 'Who the hell is this kid? It's like the world bent to his will when he thought he was going to die. Is this the true power of a Conqueror' I thought with sweat falling from my brow.

'Hm, I need to tell 'Pops' about this kid, I don't think I've ever seen so much potential in one body, he could succeed the old man if Pops takes a liking to him. Marco is plenty strong but he's missing something that I don't think he'll ever get, the drive that pushes men like this boy'

"Haruta, dress his wounds and put him on his ship" I ordered before reaching into my pocket and withdrawing a notepad to leave the kid a message along with my 'den den mushi number', I stuff it into his cloak pocket as Haruta dressed his wounds.

"But commander, he knocked out half our guys. He's too dangerous to let live" Doma said from the side walking up to me. His pet monkey passed out his shoulder showing his true reason for anger.

"Leave him, it's a direct order. Everyone that's still standing, grab our fallen comrades and board the ship. We're going home!" I yelled the order to everyone as I watched Haruta drop the boy onto the deck of his ship before joining me.

"SET SAIL!" I yelled directing my crew for our long journey back to the New World.