Demon Slayer Virgil [Isekai One Piece]

"Get lost, you fat pig. You're in my way." Zavia's cold gaze fell upon the pirate blocking his path, not giving the man an ounce of regard.

"What did you say? Who are you calling fat?!" Hearing Zavia's words, Kalus swung his massive blade, the rushing wind whistling past Zavia's ears as the blade came to rest against his neck.

"..."

Zavia remained still, saying nothing.

Seeing Zavia's lack of response, Kalus subconsciously assumed he was afraid. An arrogant smirk crept across his face as mocking laughter erupted from the nearby pirates.

"Tch, I was going to let you live, but it seems I'll have to kill you instead." Zavia let out a resigned sigh, brushing his unchanged hairstyle back with one hand, a hint of exasperation on his face.

"Kill me? Running your mouth again? You're just a puny Navy brat!" Seemingly provoked by Zavia's nonchalance, Kalus swung his massive blade in a vicious arc towards Zavia's head.

The speed of this strike was immense. Kalus's tremendous bulk lent overwhelming power as he committed his full might, even the sounds of slicing air audible to Zavia.

But it was too slow. While blisteringly fast to any outside observer - something the surrounding pirates could never hope to evade - to Zavia, it held no challenge whatsoever.

The reason was simple: Zavia had mastered Observation Haki. Not that he even needed it - this strike was riddled with openings.

Just as everyone expected Zavia's head to roll, a crisp metallic ring echoed out.

DIIING! Five meters away, a severed blade clattered to the ground.

"How...how is that possible? How could someone deflect a blade with their bare hands? And my blade, it's broken?!" Kalus's expression contorted from arrogance to sheer terror upon seeing not only had Zavia remained unharmed, but his own blade lay ruined.

Catching Kalus's reaction, a cold smile spread across Zavia's face.

(As expected, few pirates in Paradise know the Six Powers.)

"Are you...are you a monster?!" Kalus's terrified gaze bored into Zavia, his voice trembling as if he beheld a true monster.

"You've got a 37 million bounty just for killing people indiscriminately? That's none of my concern. Remember this - if you draw your blade, be prepared to be cut down." Zavia paid no heed to Kalus's fear, viewing the man as little more than an overfed pig.

"Wait! I have money! Lots of it! I can-" Before Kalus could finish, a blade wreathed in dazzling silver light flashed across his vision. In the next instant, he saw his own body.

THUMP!

Kalus's corpse crumpled to its knees before collapsing, kicking up a cloud of dust that the pooling blood rapidly stained crimson.

"AAAAHHHHHH!!!!"

The grisly scene provoked terrified screams from nearby sightseers - simple tourists never meant to witness such brutality.

Their cries of horror snapped the surrounding pirates from their stunned reverie, prompting a frantic retreat.

Not out of fear of Zavia, but of someone else on this island - someone whose ire this disturbance would surely incur. A 55 million bounty, they dared not risk it.

"Finally, some peace and quiet." Flicking the fresh blood from his Yamato blade, Zavia spun the hilt and re-sheathed it, continuing on his way.

Ten minutes later, a group arrived at the scene of Zavia's skirmish.

"So this is where it happened. This guy Kalus Qis with the 37 million bounty, huh? Good riddance."

The man at the front of the group spat disdainfully at Kalus's corpse before turning to address a nearby pirate.

"Hey, where'd that Navy guy you mentioned go?"

"Uh...well, he was definitely here before..."

The pirate's demeanor turned clearly anxious under the man's questioning gaze.

"Tch, useless scum. Hey, anyone else see where he went?" Dissatisfied with the pirate's response, the man barked at others lingering nearby.

"He...he headed into the f-forest..."

Those bystanders instinctively shrank back from the man's harsh inquiry until noticing the flintlock pistols gripped by his subordinates.

"The forest, huh? Going to see that old man maybe? Alright, let's go check it out."

A sinister grin twisted the man's features as he realized Zavia's path, motioning for his crew to follow into the woods.

"Well, this island won't be staying peaceful for a while, that's for sure..."

Some pirates grimaced worriedly after the group departed.

***

Within the forest of Jaya Island, Zavia darted between the ancient trees with blurring speed.

"Strange, the presence I sensed was definitely around here, but I can't seem to find anything."

Perched atop a towering 400-year-old tree, Zavia's face was etched in puzzlement. For nearly half an hour he had scoured this forest - combing through concealed caves and crevices, yet found nothing out of the ordinary. Just plant life, fruit, and mundane forest creatures.

"Could it really be on that sky island? Tch, that's going to be an issue..."

Unable to uncover anything, Zavia was forced to consider that disturbing presence emanated from Skypiea itself. But the thought only gave him a headache.

Zavia's plight stemmed from his mistiming. The Knock Up Stream that bridged the sky only erupted once every five years. And currently, he found himself two years away from its cyclical return.

While alternate routes did exist to reach the White Sea besides the Knock Up Stream, Zavia remained ignorant of their locations. The manga glossed over those paths with sparse illustrations and minimal detail - leaving him utterly clueless on how to proceed.

The only option he knew was to wait for the Stream's cyclical return. But that prospect aggrieved Zavia each time he considered it.

"Maybe I should just wander the first half of the Grand Line for two years? Then I can travel to Skypiea alongside the Straw Hats when the main story kicks off."

The thought occurred to Zavia as a last resort. In truth, he loathed the notion, but knew the timing of the Knock Up Stream yet lacked the specifics. Rejoining the main plot seemed his sole recourse.

"I guess that's my only choice unless I somehow learn to fly. What a pain..."

Feeling helpless, Zavia slumped dejectedly on the branch, resigning himself to his lack of alternatives.

"Hey, old man! I'll ask one more time - did you see that Navy bastard pass through here or not?!"

A gruff shout suddenly carried through the forest, faintly reaching Zavia's ears.

"Hm? What's going on over there? Well, I may as well check it out. It's three years before the story began, so who knows what might've happened."

Roused by the distant yelling, Zavia instinctively tried recalling events from the original narrative. But quickly realizing this took place three years before the story's start - something not heavily detailed in the source - he abandoned the attempt.

Activating his spatial powers, Zavia vanished from the branch. Two minutes later, he rematerialized at the forest's edge.

Concealed behind a tree's broad trunk, Zavia observed the unfolding scene.

"Old man! Did you hear me or not? Answer me!"

In Zavia's line of sight, a blue-haired man in glasses had a wizened old man by the scruff, angrily shouting in his face.

Yet the oldster's eyes remained impassive, his tone one of bored contempt. "Get lost."

"You wretch..." The blue-haired man's pallid complexion flushed crimson upon the dismissive retort - clearly unaccustomed to such insult.

"Sarquiss, enough." Just as he raised his fist to strike, one of the man's subordinates called out.

"Tch, lucky for you, old man." Sarquiss grunted furiously, hurling the elderly man aside with disdain.

The oldster coughed twice before slowly rising, his expression unchanged as he regarded the group dispassionately.

"Hey gramps, you really didn't see that Navy guy we asked about?" The man who halted Sarquiss flashed an eerie grin towards the old man.

"That's correct. No matter how many times you ask, the answer remains the same - I didn't see anyone." The unflustered reply only deepened the disturbing smile twisting the man's face.

"I see..."

"Tch, keep this up and the geezer's done for. That'll make things difficult later for Straw Hat." Crouched in his hiding spot, Zavia decided to intervene given the old man's importance to future events.

"Well, that old guy's a goner." Noticing the man's sinister expression, Sarquiss's face warped with perverse delight - recognizing its implication all too well.

"Enough of this, Bellamy. What business do you have with me?"

Just as Bellamy advanced on the defenseless oldster, Zavia appeared ten meters away - left hand grasping his sword's hilt while his right extended outward in a menacing pose.

Bellamy halted at Zavia's abrupt interruption, puzzlement creasing his features as he turned.

"If you had business with him, you should've come to me. But if you intend to harm innocents, I'll have to arrest you." Staring impassively at Bellamy, Zavia's cold tone left no ambiguity in his stance.

"Well, well...if it isn't the Navy dog who took Kalus's head with a single stroke." A predatory grin split Bellamy's face upon recognizing Zavia - no longer puzzled, but evaluating his latest prey.

"That was me. I'll advise you to reconsider fighting because you'll only meet defeat."