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Seizon No Honō III
🕑 Added 2022-10-10 14:54:58 +0000 UTC.................
Chapter 41: Seizon No Honō III
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About two weeks passed since then. The lockdown ended as Iceburg knew there isn't much he could do to retrieve the blueprints... It was hopeless.
The only thing he knew was that Franky was restricted by some kind of white matter, probably a result of a Devil fruit.
He would keep lockout for that, but otherwise, he could only continue with his life, living with the regret that he couldn't keep the blueprints safe from the World Government's hands.
He put his focus on creating what's basically Yovan's dream ship. The Marines titled him a pirate for a good reason, so he responded with why not?
He was an adventurer before, seeking the most dangerous of places to venture into, and now he was thrown into his most dangerous adventure yet where the odds are against him.
Iceburg estimated it'd take two weeks to build the galleon ship, a miracle even with the help of his team of men, but perhaps that's why Water 7 is called the home of the best shipwrights in the world.
Either way, Yovan wasn't allowed to look at the progress, Iceburg preferring to leave it as more so a surprise.
So while the ship was being built, Yovan and his crew were discussing something very important, "What's our goal?" Their pirate crew was formed naturally, something undiscussed, thus their doubts.
It was specifically Capone Bege's question. It was something he wondered about a lot and a question that needed to be asked eventually, especially since he's the kind of person that plans ahead.
"I have no goal really... Besides watching others suffer, just for a bit. I think it's interesting, for example..." Laffitte started absentmindedly speaking until he was cut off by Bege.
"Ok, stop!" Bege kept his calm, a bit, "I asked Yovan."
"Our goal?" Yovan closed his eyes, contemplating what was always his goal and passion in life, but he didn't say it because he didn't think he had the luxury to, "I just want to survive, then I can think about what I truly want."
"I'm still confused about what exactly you mean by survival, but let me make a guess."
Capone Bege narrowed his eyes as the air around him changed, entering his Don persona, "Your unlucky nature is in fact a result of your Devil Fruit or something of similar nature. Perhaps it's a cost of having such a power, for you at least."
And he wasn't done as his deduction continued, "Moreover, at some point, perhaps one time a year, you'll become extremely unlucky which explains why you required my help in our first meeting.
The circumstances against our confrontation with the Chinjao family kid were very odd, further augmented by your unlucky nature and desperation to become stronger tells me that fortune isn't on your side."
Laffitte quieted down, perking up from his previously lazy posture, his eyes going wide as he focused on hearing every single word of Bege, knowing their importance.
"I don't know exactly how your Devil fruit works, but I know crows are often synonyms to misfortune, so perhaps your powers come at the cost of that... Only, there must be an end goal to make up for that misfortune."
Capone Bege started by fisting his right hand before raising his index finger, "One, you know a lot about your Devil fruit and what it may turn into. Two, your Devil fruit is special to the point you're certain you'll be able to stop Aqua Laguna just about 9 months from now. Three, Your Devil Fruit is a Mythical Zoan, but it's somehow testing you!"
By this point, three of his fingers were already raised, so he went on to raise another, "Four, you aren't worried about losing your lifespan either because you don't think you'll survive for long, or you can compensate for your low lifespan somehow."
The fifth finger was raised, "Five, you can see fortune and misfortune because you saw something no one could, something so valuable it caused the city to be on lockdown."
That wasn't something Capone Bege would normally voice out in fear of some kind of weird Devil fruit hearing them from afar, but they were in the outside world... They're in his fortress-like body, having tea within.
"I'm making a point. I'm not stupid, and I'm very observant, so hiding things from me is useless, but I'm also not to be trusted unless I give my word, so let me do that. I swear by my name as Capone Gang Bege to never betray you unless you do so first."
The Bege of the past was just chilling along with Yovan and Laffitte. Not this one because he stole the scene, "Now let me talk about my goal, and why I allowed myself to be dragged to such an odd crew..."
Throughout Bege's long speech, Yovan remained silent and calm, paying full attention to his crew because he realized that he isn't a good Captain at all.
The title of Pirate Captain is the title given to an individual in control of a pirate crew at sea, someone with the responsibility to lead and keep their crew at bay.
He cared not for his small crew at all, even noting that Capone Bege is a better Captain than him because he has his own men, dozens of individuals living inside him.
He's their leader who they call Father as per the usual customs in West Blue of Mafia families. He's also a castle that never leaves anyone behind, always protecting them within him just as they listen to his every word.
They're loyal, and he worked hard to make them so whereas Yovan did nothing of the such. He realized that, so he stayed silent, listening to Bege ending his speech.
"I saw something in you across our journey. There is potential there, and you're definitely pushing yourself... It's just that you're ignoring other fields.
The most important reason, however, is that you're extremely unlucky, meaning that we'll face a lot of hardship, and we'll likely end up bringing down the... There will be chaos, sounds lovely in my ears, no?"
"Sounds lovely indeed... Why didn't I think of that? I just wanted to follow him because it's interesting." Laffitte commented, his eyes sparkling with brilliance.
"I see," Yovan murmured, seeming thoughtful, "I'm confused... I thought myself mature, but it seems not. I always had a childish side in me, but I never let it overwhelm me.
Perhaps I was too anxious to think about anyone else other than myself because I'm that selfish. I focused wholeheartedly on survival, and pretty much ignored everything else."
Yovan started tapping the table, going into a daze while speaking his mind out, "I like adventuring into various places, and making a mess out of them, basically conquering them by surviving whatever they throw at me.
It feels nice to survive and push boundaries. I also like to make those memories unforgettable with my hobby, painting. Otherwise, I never really cared about anything else but survival."
His words neither confirmed nor denied Bege's statements, and he didn't seem to be willing to expand or explain anything.
"I was already shown to do anything for survival, and I think I pretty much blinded myself to normal human emotions for that reason, so feel free to be yourself around me."
Afterward, Yovan stood up with a bit of a frown, "I... Yeah, I'm confused. I feel like I have yet to adapt, so just give me some time to find myself, I guess."
He doesn't remember himself to be like this, so the stress must've got to him. He managed to hold up against a lot, but he seemingly forgot his free wild nature in the process.
And he doesn't see himself getting it back any time soon... Not unless something changed.
Either way, Bege seemed to be satisfied with his response as he allowed them exit from his fortress-like body, his clone in his body dispersed as a result, allowing him to open his eyes again, and regain perfect control of his body.
They walked out of their ship and made their way to the depths of Dock One as they were summoned by Iceburg.
Their ship has been built and it was certainly to their liking because they froze in their place, a bit speechless.
Yovan kept the blueprint or the painting of the ship secret from the other two, keeping it a surprise, but even he was surprised.
It was fascinating yet intimidating at the same time. A gorgeous colossal Galleon, reeking of nothing but perfection. It was all black, inky black only brightened by the stripes of gold traveling through it.
The strips of gold weren't aimless because they traverse the dark ship to reach its head where the figurehead lies... It was the head of a dark crow, carved to perfection, and it had a fire in its eyes, golden fire.
"Seizon No Honō (生存の炎)." Yovan muttered, a spark speaking of hope and persistence emerging in his eyes.
