One Piece: Emperor of Knowledge

Sabaody's market district was crowded, filled with the lively clamor of vendors hawking their wares, children darting between adults' legs, and travelers loading goods onto their ships. Sunlight filtered through the massive mangrove roots overhead, casting dappled patches of light onto the bustling scene below. The air was thick with the smell of smoked fish, drying herbs, and freshly baked bread.

Mirabel and I moved through the narrow, winding paths between the stalls, carefully picking out our supplies for the journey ahead. My eyes traced the rows of sturdy ropes hanging on display, coils of fishing line, compact tools, and thick leather pouches that would keep our belongings dry even beneath the depths of Fish-Man Island's currents.

"Extra rope," Mirabel reminded me, giving a pointed nod to the selection on the vendor's stall. "We don't know what the current's like down there, and I don't trust just one anchor."

"Good call," I replied, adding a length of thick, waterproofed rope to our growing pile of supplies. "And we'll need some extra tarps to cover our provisions."

While she was busy haggling with a vendor over the price of salt-preserved meats, I took the chance to check through our other supplies, retrieving a small, nearly weightless box hidden deep within my satchel.

Tucked safely inside were a few traces of DNA I had managed to gather, stray silver hairs that Rayleigh had left behind on our ship, along with a small, sweat-stained cloth I'd secured during the coating process. They were small, nearly imperceptible remnants, but enough to serve my purpose someday. This box was a secret, like the rest of my knowledge of this world, and one I had no intention of sharing.

'One day, this could be invaluable,' I thought, feeling the weight of my plans settle over me.

"Orion, I've got the dried meats, let's keep moving." Mirabel's voice broke into my thoughts, and I closed the box, tucking it securely into my bag. She was grinning, clearly pleased with herself after a successful bargain.

"Anything else you think we need?" she asked, eyeing the bags piled around us.

"Just a few more tools, and we're good." I gestured toward a vendor selling compact repair kits and waterproof matches, items that could be critical once we reached the deeper, colder waters of Fish-Man Island. We packed up the last of our supplies and turned to leave the market, navigating through the knots of people crowding the pathways.

As we approached the main street leading toward the docks, the buzz of conversation around us died down, a tense silence falling over the crowd. The people on the road moved to the sides, stepping back as if swept away by an invisible force. I looked ahead, my expression hardening as I caught sight of the figures emerging from a grand, marble-pillared building nearby.

Celestial Dragons.

Their gaudy outfits were unmistakable, each one swathed in luxurious, clashing fabrics that shimmered in the afternoon sun. Glass bubbles encased their heads, their heavy, jewel-studded clothing making them appear more like bloated idols than actual humans.

At their lead was a corpulent man with rings glinting on nearly every finger, his posture exaggerated in its self-importance, his gaze sweeping dismissively over the crowd.

Trailing behind them, bound by heavy iron chains, was a line of slaves. Their clothes were little more than rags, and the collar of each was clasped with a thick iron ring connected to the chain linking them together.

Their faces were hollowed by exhaustion, their skin bruised and scraped from previous blows. The sight of them, their weary eyes fixed on the ground, their steps heavy and resigned, twisted something deep in my chest.

The largest Celestial Dragon stopped abruptly, casting an irritated glance over his shoulder at one of the slaves who had stumbled over his own feet.

The man's hands trembled as he tried to pull himself up, his face hidden beneath a tangle of matted hair. Without warning, the Celestial Dragon raised a jeweled scepter and struck the slave across the back, sending him sprawling face-first onto the dirt.

"Get up, you wretched thing!" the man snarled, his voice high-pitched and filled with disdain. "You're nothing but filth. Be grateful I let you walk at all."

The crowd remained silent, eyes averted, heads bowed as the man's shrill laugh rang out. Around us, no one moved or said a word. People barely dared to breathe.

Beside me, Mirabel's hands clenched into fists, her gaze fixed on the scene with undisguised disgust. "How can people just… watch this?" she murmured, her voice low but laced with fury. "They treat them like animals."

Her words mirrored my own thoughts. A deep, simmering anger burned within me, my muscles tensing as I watched the Celestial Dragon taunt the fallen man, kicking at him with an almost bored expression. Everything in me wanted to step forward, to make him feel the same helplessness and fear he inflicted so casually. My fists tightened, and I felt the familiar urge to act rising in my chest.

But I knew better. I forced myself to weigh the situation, scanning the nearby Marines, their hands resting calmly on their rifles as they stood guard over the scene. Any attempt to intervene would mean immediate retaliation, and the consequences would be disastrous, for Mirabel and me both. Still, the thought of standing by as this man paraded his power sickened me.

Mirabel looked up at me, her eyes sharp, sensing my inner struggle. "Orion, don't," she whispered, her voice firm. "I know what you're thinking, but it'll only make things worse."

I didn't answer, my gaze locked on the Celestial Dragon as he motioned for his guards to drag the slave to his feet. "Pathetic creatures," he sneered, his voice dripping with contempt. "You exist to serve. That's your place."

Mirabel's hand touched my arm, grounding me as the anger pulsed within me. "I hate this as much as you do," she murmured, her voice almost pleading. "But if we act now, we'll only end up in chains ourselves. We can't do any good if we're dead or captured."

She was right, and I knew it. But the helplessness grated against me, my mind racing with memories of every other moment when people like this, people who held power without compassion, without purpose, had trampled over those weaker than them. Today, I couldn't intervene, but I made a silent promise that this would not be the way of things forever.

"We need to be smarter," Mirabel continued, her voice steadier now. "One day, maybe, but not here. Not now."

Finally, I nodded, letting the tension ease from my hands. The Celestial Dragons and their entourage moved down the street, their procession cutting through the crowd like a knife, leaving only the silence of a shaken crowd in their wake.

As the figures disappeared around a corner, the marketplace slowly returned to life, people drifting back into motion, though the air remained heavy. I took a steadying breath, forcing myself to look away from the path they'd taken.

"Let's get back to the ship," I said quietly, my voice betraying none of the anger that lingered within me.

Mirabel nodded, giving me a quick, understanding glance as we made our way toward the docks. The setting sun cast long shadows over the mangrove roots, glinting off the water as we walked in silence, each lost in our own thoughts. The scene we'd witnessed was a grim reminder of the road that lay ahead, of the forces that would stand in our way.

At the docks, I looked out at the ship, its newly coated hull gleaming in the light. The path to Fish-Man Island stretched before us, a dark blue line meeting the horizon, beckoning us toward the unknown. Despite the bitterness of the encounter, the thought of what lay ahead reignited a fire within me, a thrill of anticipation for the journey yet to come.

One day, the power to change things would be within reach. And on that day, the arrogance of those who ruled through fear would meet the strength of those who fought for freedom.

With a final glance at the crowded marketplace, I stepped onto the deck beside Mirabel, the weight of my purpose anchoring me as we prepared to leave Sabaody and head into the depths, toward the New World and the promise of what lay beyond.

----

This chapter is a focal point on Orion journey, as it could have two different endings.

And in this story i choose this one.

Who knows.. when i will finish this story and it will have success...

I might write what would have happened.