6 The 4th Will - Psychokinesis
The next day I woke up with the bloodied arm of a Monkey next to me, my body in so much pain I couldn't even move, I was scared, to say the least.
It took me a while to tend to my injuries, was the risk profitable? no... I almost died just to get the bloodied arm of a humandrill. It wasn't profitable at all... while the risk didn't beat the gains in that sense. I know I woke up with some sort of weird power in me.
'Conqueror Haki, no doubt I used it...' I groaned and laid down on the bed without any regard that it would get bloody or not.
At that time I saw how some of those humandrills lurking among the bushes passed out, the smallest ones. I read Luffy do that in Marineford, it was conqueror haki.
But that was only half of my concern, the other half was... I 'moved' the sword of that humandrill before it could impale my head. I would be dead by now. I don't know how I did it, but I did it... it wasn't a mistake or a reality glitch so to say.
'I don't know what this power is, but it feels more familiar than any other form of strength' I clenched my fist in front of me.
Armament Haki and Observation Haki have been an utter failure so far, I haven't awakened them... and yet I managed to use Conqueror and whatever this other Haki is.
'Perhaps it was introduced later during the story, there is no way to know until I have Mihawk in front of me to ask her'.
...
*CLAANG!*
It has been two uneventful years, I'm pleased to say that my first attempt to secure humandrill meat was by far the most dangerous I encountered during these two years. In the last two years, I have gotten stronger... Mihawk is not back yet; I never expected it to take her so long. I'm thankful that I stood up for myself instead of waiting for her, otherwise, I'd be malnourished and at the border of collapse.
*CLAAANGG!*
I'm currently fighting three humandrills in the northernmost region of the island. There is no place around here that I haven't explored but there are boundaries. One of those boundaries is the cave belonging to the leader of their tribe, that gigantic humandrill that has a copy of Mihawk's sword.
I can't defeat that creature, yet.
There are also a group of skirmishes taking place around the region, those are my underlings taking possession of the opposite party's loot. They have just come back from hunting a sea king at the shore of the island and we're here to rip off the goods.
Yes, you read well... I have underlings.
Humandrills on this island imitated humans in more than just their despicable ways of doing war and slaughtering their enemies. They have a society in this forest, a society that befits the strong and yet they also take care of the weak in their way.
I don't want to kill them if I can help it. There is plenty enough fish for all of us to eat... the moment I approached them with those intentions, they accepted me. Well, it took a bit more beating and slicing than that but it worked in the end.
You can tell right now the Humandrill race is divided into two tribes, my tribe which lives in the region where the mansion is, and Larry's tribe which is in the north.
I named that humandrill Larry since I used to know a big bad bully back in high school whose name was Larry and they just resemble each other. Also, when I finally manage to defeat that humandrill, it will feel as if I'm beating Larry and having some retribution from those times.
Anyway... I shouldn't get distracted in the middle of a fight.
*CLAANG!*
My sword was now clean; I parried the strike from the first humandrill with my sword, a knife came plunging from my back but then my eyes shone in red light.
<Deviatus! >
The hand of the humandrill moved on its own accord, ignoring my body as if I was made out of butter, it was a basic technique I developed using my Haki which I had called 'Psychokinesis'.
I focused on the knife that I just evaded while parrying another strike from the third humandrill, the knife unbound from the creature's grasp and floated on its own as if controlled by a ghost. I got it in position and kicked it; it shot right against the animal's neck, slicing a gnashing wound that made it fall in defeat, unable to continue.
The other two humandrills fell just as quickly, it is difficult to defeat an opponent you can't even hit.
I left their bloodied but alive bodies there, glaring at them profusely while emitting my Conqueror Haki.
They passed out. I hope by the time they wake up they realise that I pardoned their lives and come running to my tribe.
'Soon you will be on your own, Larry...'
**
**
It wasn't flawless… it was a battle style that focused on survival and efficiency. He took his profit and so did his underlings, tonight everyone would eat delicious sea king flesh.
Upon arriving at the mansion, on the outskirts of the forest there were at least a hundred humandrills, not all of them were combatants, there are also 'civilians' that needed to eat as well just like any other living being.
In exchange for the protection, Veyron had them keep the exterior of the mansion cleaned and disposed of all the garbage and leftovers left from the previous war fought on this island. He was happy that at least when Mihawk came back, she'd come back to a cleaner home.
All of the humandrills rejoiced when they saw the group coming back with the spoils of war, the immense carcass of a sea king serpent, enough to feed the whole group for several months.
Bonfires were prepared while Veyron sat, tired... he'd usually just have his meal and then head back into the mansion to sleep on his and Mihawk's bed.
'If it wasn't for this power, I would be dead'.
He had achieved a lot and yet his body was that of a five years old infant. In these two years, the most difficult thing to do rather than kill the humandrills was to feed on them. He couldn't live with just fruits forever... but he also couldn't constantly slaughter humandrills just to feed himself, hence... the only option was to work together with them. With enough incentive, sea kings could be lured close enough to the shore, that's all he needed to know.
'Protein is also important'.
He finished his meal afterwards and departed the 'banquet' rather early, the humandrills couldn't speak but they were sad that the 'leader' had left so quickly as always.
Veyron passed by the main dining room when going on his way to the bedroom, so tired and sleepy that he didn't pay attention to the tables filled to the brim with food and exquisite dishes as the silhouette of a lady sat on her chair, reading the newspapers while tapping her foot.
"Welcome back".
"I'm back".
"Eat your dinner before going to sleep, Veyron".
"Ye- huh!?".
She put the newspaper aside and delivered the briefest of smiles (as much as she could muster) towards the gasping five years old kid she had personally seen from the distance during the whole day. She was shocked, to say the least at how much the dynamic of the island had changed in just two years... because of his involvement.
Seeing no response from the kid she hadn't seen for two whole years after coming back from the new world, she thought he might be upset due to her delay. It didn't matter how strong he had become, or even if he was the leader of the tribe or whatever... he was at the end of the day, a kid.
"I travelled as fast as I could…" She said, hugging the boy into her embrace softly, the biggest form of affection she had shown yet.
A pair of arms wrapped themselves around her waist, she could feel his increase in strength even if just in this action. Originally a person who lived independently, she couldn't switch her agenda all of a sudden, even with his presence.
'But I did say… if you managed to fend for yourself this long. I'd acknowledge you as my son. You have exceeded my expectations completely.
She expected him to survive... she didn't expect him to form a tribe of his own while shamelessly plundering the hard worked goods from the tribe on the opposite island like a pirate all for the sake of feeding his tribe.
This five-year-old kid looked more dependable than her captain!
...
Veyron exhaled deeply and took a full whiff of her scent, usually, she'd smell like wine but now she smelled like the sea, salty and refreshing.
"I have… become stronger" He stated with confidence.
"I can tell".
"I thought you'd be away for two months, Mom…"
"I didn't expect it to take so long, son".
!!!
He looked up at her agape and found her grinning, playing with his hair. A rush of warmth engulfed his very being with a single thought in his mind: 'It was worth it'.
"Should we have a shower first before eating?"
"I-I'm full already, sorry… If I had known" He cursed inwardly, if he knew he'd be able to eat Mihawk's food then he wouldn't have stuffed to the limit with fish.
"Nevermind... I can cook for you again".
"Really?!~"
"Yes, after you defeat me..."
"..." His smile never dropped any quicker.
"This was a special occasion, but since you're full-"
"I can eat it! I'm not full at all!".
