This Won't Blow Over Easily

Being transported into the world of Pirate King should have been something interesting. He knew this world's background and history well, and he possessed the special status of a Celestial Dragon.

He should have enjoyed the scenery, then pursued extraordinary abilities he would never have dared imagine before being transported here, and met rare, beautiful Merfolk and members of the Mink Tribe.

But the first person he saw after arriving here had actually been killed just like that?

He felt deeply regretful, and deeply uncomfortable.

Especially when he saw the Merfolk's final smile. The education he had received made him deeply despise this utterly meaningless slaughter!

In silence, Gawain's heart began to beat faster and faster, his blood gradually quickening.

Before him, adventures, people, and death awaited his fear.

But he would not fear them!

And the more he thought about it, the more he felt that some kind of power was about to surge out from within him.

Though Gawain remained calm, veins bulged across his forehead, and his breathing gradually quickened!

The Merfolk's pupils slowly dilated until all color had completely vanished from them.

Gawain exhaled heavily, then bent down slightly.

He wanted to touch the Merfolk's face, at least helping this beautiful Merfolk close her eyes.

But the instant he bent over, a thunderous boom suddenly rang out beside his ear.

At the same time the sound erupted, someone appeared before Gawain at a speed even faster than sound.

"Saint Gawain!"

The speaker wore a black suit, with a crimson mohawk atop his head and two purplish-red scars across his face. He looked like he should have been fierce and dangerous.

But right now, he was kneeling on one knee before Gawain with utmost respect.

"It was this subordinate's failure to protect you! I actually allowed this filthy, stupid Fish-Man to touch and even injure your noble body! Please, Saint Gawain, punish this subordinate severely!"

As his words fell, his face was filled with terror and barely concealed fury. He nervously awaited Gawain's judgment, while the anger showed whenever he glanced at the dead Merfolk.

Just as he looked toward the Merfolk, he noticed that Gawain had been about to bend down toward her.

So he abruptly rose to his feet and darted between the Merfolk's corpse and Gawain.

"Saint Gawain, I know you are furious, but with your great and noble status, you truly should not touch this damned, lowly, insignificant slave merely to vent your anger!"

After saying that, the scarred man in the black suit launched a kick and viciously sent the Merfolk's limp body flying into the distance.

How fast was the man in black? He could step on air to move forward, and his speed had long surpassed the speed of sound several times over!

Before Gawain could even blink, the Merfolk had been kicked away by the man in black.

And just as her corpse streaked past the distant forest, the man suddenly shouted.

"Guards, go grind that damned slave's corpse to dust! Do not let that filthy thing pollute the eyes of the Celestial Dragons!"

"Yes!" The armored guards around them hurriedly answered.

"Wait!" Gawain suddenly called everyone to a halt!

Everything had happened too quickly, far too quickly!

The Merfolk had already traced a long arc through the sky...

Seeing that, Gawain's expression hardened. He raised a hand and pointed into the distance, shouting angrily.

"Go. Bring the Merfolk back before me!"

"This...?!"

The man in black froze for a moment. He knew he was finished!

He had buttered him up the wrong way!

But before his mind could consider what fate awaited him, his body instinctively obeyed the order and rushed out.

The man in black became a streak of darkness in an instant. His feet stepped on the air as he sprinted into the sky, reaching the Merfolk's corpse before it could fall.

The arc of the Merfolk's descent came to an abrupt stop. The next instant, the man in black returned before Gawain with her in his arms.

He held the Fish-Man up with both hands and knelt down respectfully on one knee.

Only after the man in black returned did a series of thunderous booms reach Gawain's ears.

He looked at the pitiful Merfolk, no longer beautiful after that kick and now only horrifying to behold.

He looked at the guards and slaves around him, none of whom dared make the slightest sound.

Gawain's gaze grew colder and colder, yet his heartbeat became more frantic. The fire burning within his heart was now about to burst forth!

"That was Geppo, wasn't it?"

Gawain pursed his lips and asked slowly.

"Yes, my lord. As Cipher Pol members tasked with protecting you and all Celestial Dragons, Rokushiki is a fundamental skill that we ought to, and must, master!"

The man in black answered nervously.

Hearing the man in black's words, Gawain closed his eyes and took a long breath through his nose.

The Merfolk's death, and Geppo. Heh.

These things were proving to Gawain just how real the world before him truly was!

After a moment of thought, he slowly placed his hand on the man in black's shoulder.

"Tell me your name," Gawain said.

"This... this subordinate is called Walter!"

"Oh, then, Walter..."

As Gawain spoke, he pressed down hard on Walter's shoulder.

With that pressure, Walter began trembling even more violently. An immense pressure spread toward him like mountains and seas.

In Walter's eyes, Gawain's mere six-foot figure gradually grew as towering as a celestial palace piercing the clouds, with thunderclouds gathering around it, ready to strike at any moment!

Walter no longer even had the courage to look at Gawain.

Only when Walter lowered his head in increasing humility did Gawain pat his shoulder instead.

"Remember this."

Gawain spoke heavily, one word at a time.

"Do not make decisions for me."

"Yes, y-yes... yes, my lord!"

At that moment, Walter trembled even more violently, but Gawain gave him no chance to ease that pressure.

Before Walter could catch his breath, Gawain patted his shoulder again and said.

"As the person protecting me, you failed in your duty when I was injured before your eyes.

Then you made a decision for me. That was disrespectful.

Go. Properly lay the Merfolk's corpse to rest, then leave Mary Geoise.

I do not want to see you again."

"Wait, damn it, stop right there!!!"

Just as Gawain finished speaking, a panting yet extraordinarily anxious voice suddenly rang out from afar.

His words interrupted, Gawain coldly turned toward the source of the voice.

In the distance, a figure raced through countless kneeling people, charging toward Gawain.

As he ran, the man continued to shout.

"Do not hurt that poor Fish-Man! All of you, stop, stop!

Damn it, Charlos, you... you...?"

While speaking, the man came to a panting stop before Gawain.

He stared in shock at the Fish-Man's corpse held by the Cipher Pol member, his eyes filled with regret and sorrow.

"Damn it, I was too late. Who did this?!"

The man shouted angrily as he rushed before the Fish-Man's corpse and dropped to his knees with a thud!

"Saint Mjosgard?!"

Seeing the kneeling man before him, Walter, already terrified out of his wits, cried out and nearly jumped in fright.

But before he could react, the Celestial Dragon named Mjosgard had already snatched the Fish-Man from his arms.

"I am sorry, Queen Otohime!

Damn it, I was too late. I couldn't save your compatriot!!!"

Holding the Fish-Man's corpse, Mjosgard was overwhelmed with grief. He wiped away the blood staining her face with his immaculate white sleeve as he spoke in profound sorrow.

"She is mine now. I will send her back to Fish-Man Island, then personally apologize to the late Queen Otohime's husband!"

With that, Mjosgard rose while holding the Merfolk's corpse and walked toward the distance in desolation.

As he passed Gawain, Mjosgard suddenly raised his head and glanced at him.

"Gawain!"

He suddenly said.

"You... you didn't do this, did you? Was it Charlos?

I don't remember you having the same habit as them, killing people whenever you pleased. I hope you didn't do this!"

After saying that, Mjosgard did not expect any positive answer.

Ever since Queen Otohime had saved him five years ago, the kindness that had awakened within Mjosgard had long made him an outcast in the eyes of the other Celestial Dragons!

The reason he was leaving so quickly was precisely because he did not want to hear the baffled curses he assumed Gawain would hurl at him next.

Just like the curses the other Celestial Dragons threw at him whenever he urged them to be kind.

But what he did not expect was that as soon as his words fell, Gawain not only did not curse him, but instead sighed softly.

"Mjosgard, your appearance has finally given me a tiny bit of identification with the status of a Celestial Dragon."

"What?"

Mjosgard was utterly astonished and hurriedly turned to look at Gawain.

Meeting Mjosgard's hopeful gaze, Gawain nodded lightly.

Then, suppressing the increasingly violent power within his heart, Gawain leaned close to the nervous yet delighted Mjosgard and said softly.

"This beautiful Merfolk looked barely more than ten years old. She should have lived much longer. What a pity..."

As his words fell, Gawain raised a hand and patted Mjosgard's shoulder.

"I will visit your home later. Regarding the return of the Merfolk's corpse, I also hope to go with you.

But before that, there is something else I need to do!"

With that, Gawain released Mjosgard's shoulder and turned to look at Saint Charlos in the distance, his fat eyes wide.

At that moment, Gawain thought for a long while.

As a Celestial Dragon, what should he do now?

Should he continue remaining calm, so calm that he would show no reaction even after being injured by another Celestial Dragon's slave?

No, that was not a choice a Celestial Dragon would make!

At the very least, he should beat the hell out of that bastard Charlos!

If he was not angry, if he did not explode right now?

That would be the most unreasonable thing of all!

Thus, Gawain's gaze became increasingly dangerous.

Between Gawain and Charlos, the Cipher Pol member Walter hurriedly fled. He did not want to appear in Gawain's sight again.

That would truly get him killed!

And Charlos.

Under Gawain's cold stare, he was so nervous that he did not know where to put his hands.

"G-Gawain, you wouldn't... wouldn't believe that old fool Mjosgard, would you?!

We're Celestial Dragons. That damned Fish-Man was just a slave. We..."

"Shut up." Gawain snapped. "Who is 'we' with you?!"

He strode forward with a dark expression, speaking in a low voice.

"Since you do not accept my accusation that you killed someone, then I will speak to you in a way you can understand!"

With that, Gawain arrived before Charlos and seized him by the collar.

Looking at Charlos's stupid, snot-dripping face, Gawain yanked him closer and cursed darkly.

"You know perfectly well how noble the status of a Celestial Dragon is. So let me tell you, my injury, and everything that happened earlier, have made me very unhappy.

Charlos, I really want to beat you up!

Who told Old Thief Oda to draw you so disgustingly?!"