Chapter 15 - Departure

*Clang*

"You dirty fishman!"

"You lowly human!"

The early morning air echoed with the metallic clang of Raiden's swords meeting Ronan's steel like fins. The two young warriors faced off, spewing out racial slurs from time to time, on the sunlit beach, their forms blurred by the speed of their movements. Waves crashed rhythmically against the shore, a backdrop to their intense spar.

Raiden's swords moved in a blur as he launched a rapid series of strikes, aiming for the gaps in Ronan's defense. Ronan, with his enhanced strength and agility, parried each blow with his fins, their sharp edges gleaming in the sunlight.

"You've gotten faster, Raiden!" Ronan grunted, deflecting a thrust aimed at his shoulder and countering with a powerful swipe of his own.

Raiden grinned, his eyes gleaming with excitement as he twisted to avoid the strike and retaliated with a spinning kick. "You've gotten stronger too, Ronan! But you still can't keep up, even though you are a fishman? Pathetic!"

"You fucker!" Ronan yelled, mostly playfully.

Their banter was punctuated by the clash of metal and the occasional grunt of effort. Raiden pressed forward relentlessly, testing Ronan's defenses with calculated strikes and feints. Ronan responded in kind, using his superior reach and strength to push Raiden back towards the water's edge.

"Soru!" Raiden yelled, and with a sudden burst of speed, closed the distance between them, his swords flashing in a complex pattern designed to overwhelm.

"Tekkai!" Ronan grunted in response, and met his onslaught head-on, deflecting each strike with precise movements of his steel fins. He had found a unique way of using the Rokushiki skill to harden his fins even more and make them as powerful as actual swords.

The spar intensified, both boys pushing themselves to their limits. Sand kicked up around them as they danced across the beach, their movements becoming a blur to any normal person.

Finally, Raiden seized an opening, ducking under a wide swing from Ronan and delivering a swift kick to his midsection. Ronan staggered back, momentarily winded, as Raiden capitalized on the opening, pointing his sword at his throat.

"I win!" Raiden declared triumphantly, his chest heaving with exertion as he lowered his swords.

Ronan grumbled, rubbing his side where Raiden's kick had landed. "Well fought, Raiden. You fucking monster."

"Look who's saying that." Raiden retorted back with a grin.

Ronan shook his head and sat down on the beach. "Well, I'm supposed to be strong. I'm a fishman. We are stronger than humans. YOU are the anomaly. How the fuck did you even get this strong?"

Raiden just shrugged and sat down next to him. "I don't know. You've trained with me all the time. You know I didn't do anything special. You know what...maybe I am special. The chose-"

"Oh, shut up! You narcissistic fucker." Ronan said with a sigh.

Raiden laughed at the comment, with Ronan just shaking his head at his friend's antics. The year passed away pretty quickly and both the boys have changed significantly.

Raiden, now standing tall at 5'7" with muscles toned from rigorous training and battles, had mastered the basics of Rokushiki—Shigan, Geppo, and Soru—and even increased their level up to E-rank.

He transitioned from his twin daggers to two swords, opting for two katanas. Not like he had a lot of options. The blacksmith here on the Black Rock island would only make katanas, as he believed other swords were useless.

As for Ronan, he now stood at the towering height of six feet and had grown immensely stronger and more agile over the last year. His fishman genetics shining through. Raiden had used [Observe] on him after leveling the skill up and he learned quite a lot about his friend.

Ronan belonged to a species of rare fishman, that is coelocanth type fishman. They had natural armor over their bodies, and heck, even had an inbuilt weapon on their bodies. Once Ronan started receiving a decent amount of nutrition, he exploded in growth. His fins matured, and became the sword-like appendages he can now use. In short, he had become a fucking menace.

"One year flew by, didn't it?" Ronan remarked, looking out over the vast expanse of the sea, where their future adventures awaited.

Raiden nodded, a grin spreading across his face. "Yeah, it sure did." He said, sprawling back on the warm sand.

The duo had hunted down a lot of pirates and sea kings over the past year, mostly because they had nothing much to do.

Ronan glanced over at Raiden, a thoughtful expression on his face."Raiden, are you ready to leave?" Ronan asked quietly, his tone more somber than usual.

Raiden sat up, meeting Ronan's gaze with a nod. "Yeah, I am. It's time."

Ronan didn't say much in response, just nodded. The playful banter was gone, replaced by a sense of anticipation. They talked about it everyday. They both wanted to go out, to see the world, to explore it and most of all, to be free.

"When do we leave?" Ronan asked after a moment of silence, his voice steady.

"Today," Raiden replied, standing up and brushing the sand off his clothes. "Get ready."

Ronan stood as well, nodding again. "Alright. I'll pack my things."

Raiden nodded and vanished from the spot. Ronan knew where he was supposed to meet him, so didn't have to bother about things like that. Right now, he had something else he wanted to do.

_____

Raiden headed back to Rock's home. He wanted to have the conversation with them too. Mary began spending a lot of time with Rock, after the Blood Fang incident. He was happy for them.

As Raiden approached the door, he took a deep breath and stepped inside. Mary was bustling around the kitchen, her usual morning routine, while Rock sat at the table, sipping his tea.

"Grandma, Grandpa," Raiden began, his voice steady but his heart pounding. "I need to talk to you."

Mary looked up, raising an eyebrow in surprise. "Raiden, what is it?" she asked, concern lacing her tone, seeing his serious expression.

She expected him to be at his beach, training or out on the sea. The boy had proved his strength on multiple occasions, so she wasn't really worried about his safety.

Rock's gaze too, turned serious as he put down his cup and leaned forward, his eyes never leaving Raiden.

"I've decided to leave the island," Raiden said firmly. "I want to explore, see the world, before Vice Admiral Garp comes back to pick me up."

Mary's reaction was immediate. "What?! Raiden, you can't just leave! Where will you go? How will you manage? You're just eleven!" She bombarded him with questions, her voice rising with each one.

"Mary, let the boy speak," Rock said, his tone quiet but firm. Mary fell silent, though her worry was still evident in her eyes.

"Grandma, I promise I'll be careful," Raiden said, taking her hands in his.

"Ugh! Why are you rushing with things so much, Raiden. Can't you just stay here?" Mary said, tears welling in her eyes. Raiden was her grandson, just as much as Bob was. And no matter how much she tried to convince herself that the boy was strong, she couldn't help but feel she might lose him too, just like her son.

Mary's hands trembled as she held Raiden's, her eyes searching his face for any sign that he might heed her plea.

"Grandma...I need to do this." Raiden said quietly. He knew her past trauma and he expected such a reaction from her too. "I'll come back at least once a year to see you. And I'll write as often as I can. I won't do anything reckless. Please understand."

Mary sighed in resignation, tears welling up in her eyes, but nodded after a moment. "You have to promise me, Raiden. Come back safe. And remember to eat well. Don't skip meals. And... and stay away from dangerous places!" She said, pulling him in a tight embrace.

Raiden nodded, a soft smile on his face. "I promise, Grandma."

They stayed like that for a few moments before she let him go. With Mary somewhat reassured, Raiden turned to Rock, who had been watching the exchange in silence. The old man sighed heavily and stood up.

"Come with me, Raiden," Rock said, motioning for him to follow.

Raiden raised an eyebrow, before nodding. He followed Rock to the cellar, the air growing cooler as they descended the steps.

'He never allowed me to come here. What's going on?' Raiden thought, scratching his head.

The cellar itself was a pretty small place. Rock once told him that it contained some of his personal belongings and no one was allowed to enter this place.

Rock opened the door and walked to a corner. He rummaged through the things there, before pulling out an old, dusty box.

Raiden watched as the old man looked at the box with a mixture of nostalgia and pride, a small smile tugging at the corners of his lips. "You know, Raiden. This thing has been in our family for over a century," he said softly. "My grandfather found it during his time as a marine. He just said that I would know when the time to give it to its rightful owner would come."

He pushed the box towards Raiden, his expression turning serious. "This belongs to you now, Raiden."

Raiden's eyes widened in surprise. "But... are you sure, Grandpa? It's a family heirloom. I don't know if I should take it."

Rock placed the box firmly in Raiden's hands. "I'm sure, Raiden. Like I said, my grandfather told me that I would know when the person this belongs to is nearby. I felt...that it rejected me, when I tried to open it. The same happened with my son. But with you, it's different. This is meant for you, Raiden."

Raiden hesitated for a moment, then nodded. "Thank you, Grandpa. But, what's inside it?" He asked curiously.

Rock smiled faintly. "You'll find out when the time is right. Just know that it's something special, something that will help you on your journey."

Raiden nodded again, his curiosity piqued but willing to wait. "I'll take good care of it."

Rock patted him on the shoulder, his eyes filled with a mixture of pride and sadness. "I know you will. Now go, get ready for your journey. And remember, no matter where you go or what you face, you always have a home here."

Raiden's heart swelled with emotion as he hugged his grandfather. "I won't forget, Grandpa. Thank you for everything."

"Raiden, you don't have a ship, do you?" Rock asked.

Raiden shook his head. "No, Grandpa. I was planning to figure something out once I got to the port."

Rock nodded thoughtfully. "Come with me," he said with a smile leading Raiden towards the harbor.

They reached the place fairly quickly. Rock gestured proudly towards a particular ship. "This will be your vessel, Raiden. I knew you would be leaving soon, so I had it prepared beforehand."

Raiden's eyes widened in surprise. There, docked neatly at the pier, was a small, sturdy ship. Its wooden hull gleamed with a fresh coat of paint, and a white sail fluttered gently in the breeze. It wasn't large, but it looked cozy and well-maintained.

Raiden stared at the ship in awe. "Woah. It's perfect."

Rock smiled warmly. "It's not much, but it will serve you well. Take care of her."

Raiden couldn't contain his excitement as he quickly hopped onto the ship. He dashed around the deck, inspecting every detail. The ship had a sturdy wooden hull that gleamed under the sunlight, and its white sail was emblazoned with a simple, elegant emblem of a soaring bird.

Rock yelled out for him from the sidelines, "Go and take a look inside too, Raiden. Tell me if you want to change anything alright?"

Raiden nodded and entered the cozy corridor that led to the various rooms of the ship. The interior was warm and inviting, with polished wooden walls and soft lighting that created a homely atmosphere.

The ship was pretty small, but had everything one would need on a journey. A couple of rooms, a bathroom, a kitchen and a storage room. Each room was small but comfortable, with single beds, storage chests, and small round windows letting in natural light. Enough for Ronan and him.

As Raiden returned to the deck, satisfied with the interior, he heard a familiar voice calling out to him.

"Raiden!" Mary's voice echoed from the shore.

Raiden rushed to the side of the ship and looked down to see Mary standing there, holding a small bundle. Without hesitation, he jumped down to greet her.

"Grandma!" he exclaimed, his face lighting up with joy.

Mary smiled warmly and held out a pair of finely crafted katanas and a pouch of bellies. "These are for you, Raiden. Take care of yourself out there."

The swords had a similar intricate pattern on their hilts, and had a blade nearly 32 inches long.

"They are slightly longer blades. You were supposed to get them a year later, when you became taller." Mary said with a pout.

Raiden smiled and accepted the gifts with a grateful nod. "Thank you, Grandma." He said, hugging the woman tightly.

Mary pulled him closer into an embrace, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. "Promise me you'll stay safe."

"I promise, Grandma," Raiden said softly, his heart swelling with emotion.

"All the best! And take care." Bob appeared next to Mary and patted Raiden on his back with a nod. He gathered a few fishermen, who were with Raiden on his first fishing trip and they all came to say their farewells.

Raiden climbed back aboard the ship. He looked back at the shore one last time and saw Mary, Rock, Bob, and the fishermen waving at him, their faces a mix of pride and sadness.

With a wide grin, Raiden cupped his hands around his mouth and yelled, "Goodbye, everyone! I'll be back soon! Take care!"

He waved energetically, his heart pounding with excitement and a touch of melancholy. The wind caught the sail, and the ship began to move, slowly at first, then picking up speed as it glided out of the harbor.

Raiden continued to wave until the figures on the shore became tiny specks in the distance. Just then, a splash came from the side of the ship, and Ronan emerged from the sea, water dripping from his fins as he landed on the deck with a wide grin.

"Miss me?" Ronan asked, shaking off the excess water.

Raiden laughed, clapping his friend on the back. "Took you long enough, you fucker. Ready?"

Ronan nodded, his eyes gleaming with excitement. "Absolutely."

Raiden looked ahead, feeling the thrill of the journey to come. "Now then, onto Shimotsuki Village."

_____