To this day no one knows what happened to the members of Pounce's legendary crew: probably because they were still being hunted by the World Government, they had gone into hiding, scattering to all corners of the globe. Many became superstitious, even believing that they had disappeared under suspicious circumstances or that a terrible curse hovered over the crew of the "King of Explorers," cast by the gods themselves, angered by the discovery of treasure that then began to be considered nefarious and malignant.
A maelstrom of infamy and fear swallowed up the true history of the world forever, turning it into legend. Legend soon became myth, until every form of knowledge about Leon's last journey was secured to a deep oblivion.
Yet, there were those out there who still believed in their return, or in the appearance of phenomenal characters who would undertake the same journey that Leon undertook, arriving on Diatidur and beginning a new and sensational era. An era free from fear and torment.
But that is another story. Now among the streets of Hilyra, voices echoed from all directions, children playing in the middle of the roadway or adults talking standing still on the doorstep.
«Hurry up Rey!» shouted a short brown-haired boy addressing his friend, an energetic man high 6 ft 5 who due to his enormous size had fallen behind and was struggling to extricate himself from the narrow alleys of the city, in contrast to the other, more petite and slender boy who slipped through them as if it were the easiest thing in this world «Or we will be late for the show. I don't want to miss for any reason in the world the appearance of my great myth, Admiral Higuma or I might regret it for the rest of my life. So hurry up, lazybones!» he continued, assuming a rather sullen expression.
«Give me a break Francis» replied the second exasperated «The ceremony is supposed to start in a few minutes and the square is right in front of us. I really don't understand where all this commotion comes from, moreover for an event called by the Navy. When I then think that today is also the day the great Leon gave his life for a dream he believed in, the anniversary of his defeat should take a back seat, don't you think?»
«Shhh...have you lost your mind?» the young man scolded him, turning and shifting his gaze left and right, even checking up, lest someone had heard them «There is a huge Marine contingent on the island, what if someone had just heard what you said? Do you maybe want to pop over to Impel Down or whatever godforsaken hole they send traitors to? Or maybe you want to be executed?»
The boy uttered no words, perhaps terrified of ending up in the places mentioned by his companion. The thick mop of unruly purple curls that fell over a pair of sea-blue eyes began to rise upward, driven by a breeze that became more and more bursting by the hour.
«Answer Barrett!» Francis urged him. But before he could add anything, numerous murmurs rose from the north, where the two were headed, interrupting what was sure to be a heated discussion «We'll pick this up later, but know that I will try my best to make you see the truth. Leon was a bloodthirsty, pillaging demon responsible for slaughtering and murdering numerous Marines and civilians. Should we forgive such a monster and forget everything just because he died trying to pursue a dream, as any man worthy of the name should?»
Barrett lowered his head, as if ashamed of what he had stated just now, shaking his head in denial «Well, I'm glad we agree on that. Know that I want to become a hero like Higuma or Kosaiusagi, that has always been my dream. Someday, I will join the Navy and you will go with me, whether you like it or not» concluded the boy as he raised a fist toward the sky, still preventing his companion from replying equally
The voice grew louder and louder, a sign that the party was going to start any minute «Now we'd better get a move on, or risk your great myth not noticing you. What will become of your great dream then, if a ten-foot-tall Marine Admiral can't spot a five-foot-two leprechaun in the crowd? Poor us» retorted Barrett ironically.
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One Piece: The Natural Enemies Of The Gods
Adventure"We did not understand what we were attracted to until it was before our eyes." Beyond the Grand Line, one of the world's greatest explorers unearthed something that should never have been found and could have thrown the world into chaos if it had f...
Chapter II
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