The next day, we moved to the promised duel location, a wide open field. The Shandia warriors came out heavily armed. Upon closer look, they were equipped with guns made from Dials and shoes like skates that allowed fast movement, but I just came out holding a wooden club. Seeing that, Wiper had a dissatisfied expression, but since the duel was imminent, he didn't say anything.
For this duel, except for a few guarding Skypiea, all the villagers and the Shandia tribe came to watch.
"Wow~ Is that the new God Cassian? He's so handsome!" "Does he have a girlfriend?" "Thank you for freeing us from Enel!!" "Marry me~ Lord God!"
It felt strange to keep being called God. They do this because they don't know the true God, but since I know of God's existence, it was a bit uncomfortable to hear. So I should change the title later or something.
The Shandia warriors and I took our positions facing each other in the center of the field. Gan Fall agreed to be the referee.
"Is everyone ready?"
"Yes."
Wiper, still seemingly dissatisfied, said with a frown.
"Don't regret it after we start!"
Gan Fall, standing in the middle, said.
"For this duel, victory will be achieved by taking all the headbands worn by the opponent. If you have any objections, speak now."
"None.""None."
"Then let the duel begin now!"
As Gan Fall announced the start of the duel, the Shandia warriors began quickly circling around me as if skating. Seeing them circle without colliding, they seemed to have good coordination.
Bang!
Then, perhaps testing the waters, one warrior fired a shot at me. I just stood there. Naturally, since I have the Logia Devil Fruit ability, the bullet simply passed through my body. There was no way an attack without [Armament Haki] would work.
"Gasp! Lord God!"
Seeing that, the villagers screamed thinking I was hit, and the Shandia warriors made bright expressions, but when the hole in my body disappeared instantly, their expressions rapidly darkened.
"How..." "No way..." "It's impossible."
Both Skypiea and Shandia seem completely hopeless at gathering information about enemies. In the original work, they didn't even know that Enel could turn into lightning, so that says it all.
"What are you doing? Attack as much as you want."
"Eek!!"
Bang! Bang! Bang! Boom! Boom!
The warriors began firing rapidly with their guns, but they only kicked up dust and dealt no damage at all. I slowly walked towards one warrior.
"Uwaaaaah!!"
Bang bang bang bang!!
I raised the club wrapped in [Armament Haki] and struck his head with enough force to knock him out. Since I have the [Control] ability, such force adjustment was easy.
Thwack!
"Gah"
"Braham!!!"
As I took the headband of the knocked-out warrior and was about to approach the next one, Wiper shouted.
"Everyone, spread out and attack!"
At that instruction, the Shandia warriors quickly spread out and began shooting.
"It's useless."
I immediately teleported and in an instant, struck the heads of four warriors like whack-a-mole, knocking them out.
Thwack! Thwack! Thwack! Thwack!
"Gah!" "Ah!" "Ugh!" "Ah!"
Of course, I didn't forget to take their headbands.
"This can't be."
The Shandia warriors who saw that had expressions of disbelief and just stared, having stopped their attacks.
"Frogs in a well, why aren't you attacking? Have you given up?"
Then, a large warrior approached close to me and fired a weapon that looked like a bazooka.
Boom!
For this attack, since I saw a future where the villagers would be harmed if I just let it pass, I caught the shell with my hand.
Snap!
"Gasp!"
I immediately teleported in front of that large warrior.
"Hey! This attack could have hurt people. Be careful."
Thwack!
Thud!
Whether from surprise or despair from being unable to do anything, he couldn't resist at all and was struck on the head and knocked out.
"Genbou!!"
"Now four left."
"Dammit!!"
Perhaps one had already given up due to the overwhelming display, as he was doing nothing, so I easily approached and struck his head, knocking him out this time too.
Thwack!
"Now three left."
"Uwaaaah!"
This time, one screamed, threw away his weapon, and tried to run, so I immediately teleported and struck the back of his head, knocking him out.
Thwack!
Thud!
"Now two left. Give up."
Wiper and the warrior wearing sunglasses, seemingly not having given up yet, were whispering something. I just waited.
"Let's start! Wiper."
"Yes, Kamakiri."
The two spun around and fired. But it still didn't work. Then Kamakiri approached with a spear and began thrusting continuously.
"Uwaaah!"
"Stop it, you should know that such things don't work, right?"
I dodged a bit and then grabbed the spear. Then suddenly, Kamakiri let go of the spear and strongly hugged me.
"Now! Wiper!"
Wiper placed his hand on my back and said.
"Thank you! Kamakiri." "Reject!!!"
Boom!!
Due to the aftermath of Reject, Kamakiri flew forward, and a large hole appeared in my back.
"We did it..."
But that hole quickly disappeared.
"I said it wouldn't work."
Thwack!
Thud!
"Wiper!!!"
"Now one left."
I retrieved Wiper's headband and slowly approached Kamakiri. Kamakiri, perhaps still suffering from the damage of Reject, couldn't get up and was sitting there with difficulty.
"This was a fight we couldn't win from the start."
"Yes. That's why I was going to come without arming myself."
"I see..."
This time, instead of hitting, I took the headband. Kamakiri didn't resist.
"God, Cassian's victory!"
Wah wah~~
The chief approached me, knelt, and said.
"From now on, Shandia will follow Lord Cassian. But please protect the light of Shandora."
Simply put, it was a request to protect our identity and culture.
"I understand."
The next day, I allocated areas for the Shandia to live. And I provided various supports so they could build houses. Except for Wiper and Kamakiri who self-destructed due to Reject, no one was seriously injured among the warriors. Of course, I healed them.
I received Dials from the Shandia that were extinct and hard to obtain, analyzed them, and returned them. And I also found Enel's ship, the ark 'Maxim', but its design was so ugly that I decided to remove all the gold and fix it up.
Pururururu
"What is it?"
"Boss, a pirate crew that knows you has arrived? I don't know who they are. They're not even on wanted posters."
"Really? Understood."
I returned to the Merchant's Island. Looking down, I saw the Going Merry, so I sent down the lift.
"Oh~ It's Luffy's crew."
"Luffy? Who is Luffy?"
Nico Robin didn't know about Luffy. Does this mean we meet earlier than in the original? But she won't become a crewmate.
"Yes, Vice Admiral Garp's grandson."
"He has two grandsons? Last time, Ace came too."
"Yes, two."
"Ah... It's going to be noisy again."
Nico Robin touched her forehead as if getting a headache and shook her head side to side. Thus, the lift came up, and the Going Merry entered the port.
"Hey~ Long time no see."
"Candy bro! Long time no see!"
I moved with Luffy's crew to the restaurant and personally cooked for them. Fortunately, they all ate well and enjoyed it.
"Wow~ Your cooking skills are similar to Sanji's. It's delicious."
"Since I studied ingredients, my cooking improved too."
At those words, Sanji agreed and said.
"Well, if it's Cassian bro, you've studied ingredients for a long time, so it makes sense. Good cooking comes from good ingredients."
Suddenly, Zoro said to me.
"Fight me, merchant! I've got all three swords now."
Looking at the swords Zoro was wearing, I saw the Three Great Swords and Yubashiri. It seems he obtained them in Loguetown as in the original. But since we were still eating, I hit the back of Zoro's head and said.
Thwack!
"You kid, eat first. After eating, I'll play with you."
"Ugh... You promised."
"Yes."
While we were eating, female employees rushed in. Come to think of it, it was lunchtime. Seeing that, Sanji couldn't take his eyes off them.
"Huh! This is indeed heaven!"
Usopp saw that and said.
"Wow~ It's true. Sanji kept insisting we come, and there are really many beauties."
"Right? There are many beauties here. Honestly, if it weren't for the All Blue, I'd work here too."
Since Sanji was saying strange things, I told them the reason why there are many beauties. I thought they needed to know.
"Shall I tell you why there are many beauties? They are all people who were captured as prisoners of war or by pirates and were being sold as slaves. I rescued them and hired them as employees on the Merchant's Island. That's why there are many."
Luffy's crew all said in surprise.
"Is that true?"
"Yes. The world is more cruel than you think. Almost all of them have dark pasts. So you guys should be careful not to make mistakes with them."
"Such circumstances... I understand."
After finishing the meal, we went outside. I guided them and showed them around the Merchant's Island. Zoro knew the master of the Isshin Dojo branch, so he briefly met and greeted him. After touring the village and even the orphanage, Luffy said.
"Bro, you're really a good person."
"Hahaha, that's embarrassing? Since I earn a lot, I should spend that much."
Nami, who was listening, said.
"Indeed... Strong, handsome, incredibly rich, cooks well, kind, a perfect man."
"Why? Little girl, want to marry me?"
Nami suddenly blushed and said flustered.
"Wh, what! I have a dream."
Usopp said from behind.
"Uwa~ That guy's face turned red."
"Shut up!"
Nami punched Usopp in the abdomen.
Wham!
"Gah!"
"Hahaha, I see. Let's go to the playground first. There's something to show you."
We arrived at the playground. I plucked a reed and brought it.
"Zoro, you wanted to fight, right? Come at me."
"Good! But aren't you drawing your sword?"
I showed the reed and laughed.
"This is enough."
"Damn... Since what happened with Mihawk, I can't say anything. Fine, I'm going for real!"
Zoro drew all three swords and began to attack. I wrapped the reed with Armament Haki and lightly blocked.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
"This can't be, with a reed..."
I immediately hit Zoro's head with the reed.
Thwack!
"Ugh!"
"You're dead, man!"
Zoro, more surprised by the reed blocking his sword than by being hit, asked me.
"How is that possible?"
I demonstrated and explained to Luffy's crew about Haki, as I did with Ace.
"So there's such a thing..."
"When you go out to the sea of strong people, almost everyone has mastered it. You should always train in Haki while sailing. Otherwise, you won't be able to endure. And since it works against Devil Fruits with strange abilities, it's almost essential to learn."
"I understand."
There was a reason for teaching them Haki. Since Nico Robin isn't here, I taught them in advance in case variables arise.
Then Hina ran to the playground.
"Hey boss! A pirate ship has entered our island, what are you doing!"
"Whoa, calm down. It's these guys. Luffy, Vice Admiral Garp's grandson."
"What? Last time, Ace came too. There's another one?"
"Yes, he has two grandsons."
"Hina is confused, but they're pirates."
"Cut them some slack. These guys don't even have bounties yet."
Because I dealt with Nezumi in Cocoyashi Village, Luffy's crew still don't have bounties.
"But... Sigh... I understand."
Hina glared at Luffy's crew and said.
"You guys! Since you don't even have bounties yet, I'll let it slide, but quit being pirates or something."
Luffy saw that and said while sticking out his tongue.
"Hah~ I don't want to!"
Hina saw that and immediately used the Cage-Cage Fruit ability to capture Luffy.
"Gasp!"
Hina immediately approached Luffy, who was tied up in the cage, and gave him a knuckle sandwich. And with [Armament Haki].
Thwack!
"Ouch, it hurts!"
"You kid, your grandfather is a Marine hero!"
Sanji, who was watching, said in surprise.
"Hey hey, it hurts... Luffy is a rubber man."
"That's the effect of Armament Haki."
"Ah! I see."
Perhaps because they heard the explanation, they understood quickly. Hina returned to the orphanage while saying.
"Anyway, quit while you're ahead."
As Hina left like that, Luffy touched the head where Hina hit him and asked me.
"Did Ace come too?"
"Yes, about three years ago? He came and played back then."
"I see."
Nami asked Luffy urgently in a surprised voice.
"Luffy, what does that mean? Vice Admiral Garp, the Marine hero, is your grandfather? And you have a brother?"
"Vice Admiral Garp is my biological grandfather. And I have a sworn brother named Ace."
Luffy's crew seemed surprised at those words. While talking, they found out a bit earlier than in the original, but it seemed fine.
"What??? The Marine hero is your biological grandfather?"
"Yes."
Usopp asked again.
"You, is it okay for you to be a pirate?"
"What does that matter? Gramps is gramps, and I am me."
Nami sighed at those words and said.
"Sigh... Should I say that's typical Luffy..."
I guided Luffy's crew to their accommodations. Since Nico Robin was also out, I introduced her.
"This is my secretary, Robin. We're from the same hometown."
"Ah~ That's why your eye and hair colors are the same."
Sanji hurriedly came out and greeted. Since Nico Robin is a beauty, that seemed to be why.
"I'm Sanji. You're a beauty. Nice to meet you, Miss Robin."
"Oh my~ Calling me a beauty, hehe! Thank you~ Sanji~"
Nico Robin laughed at the compliment and replied.
"Sigh~ Bro, should I really work here?"
"Hahaha Sanji, don't you hear something?"
"Huh? What sound?"
"Boss Zeff cursing."
"Damn!"
Luffy's crew was assigned accommodations, and after unpacking, they headed to the bathhouse. Since they've been living at sea for a long time, bathing probably wasn't easy. According to the author's note, Luffy washes once a week. Others might think it's dirty, but I fully understand. Washing on a ship without modern facilities is not easy. Bathing during long voyages where drinking water might be scarce is not a simple matter.
Of course, laundry is the same. Ordinary pirates just wear clothes and when they get dirty, they throw them away and wear new clothes. It's not that laundry is bothersome. If there's enough water, they might do it, but this is also not easy. In the One Piece sea, since you never know what might happen, the amount of fresh water is always important.
When Luffy's crew finished bathing and came out, they asked for laundry and were given new clothes. Since I can handle it easily with [Life Magic], it wasn't very difficult. However, I don't handle all the laundry from the island. On the Merchant's Island, I pre-made several large washing machines for the residents to use freely, so there was no inconvenience with laundry problems.
Since the schedule sped up by a few days due to my intervention, it seemed fine to rest here a bit before leaving. No, it was better to rest. That way, we'll meet Vivi too.