Chapter 15

West blue, Ishiria island, roku town

After gathering a bundle with a few necessities from their home, namely: a knife, some food, a bottle filled with water enclosed in strings to be carried or tied onto the bundle, a blanket, some candles, a compass, a map, a sailors telescop from his past, a book on medicine and its practical application for idiots, a stone to sharpen the knife and the c.h.e.s.t old man Bai was still carrying around with himself, obviously not fitting inside the bundle, old man Bai decided it was time that he told his disciple what was about to go down and what he had planned for this occasion. Taking a last look around his small home old man Bai remembered all the years he had spend here alone and how it had changed him taking on his disciple. Grabbing his best sake along with everything else, old man Bai stepped outside, closed the door and walked away, only his disciple remaining on his mind. The rest was a forgone conclusion anyways!

Soon afterwards old man Bai stepped out of the forest and onto their makeshift training field where his disciple was sitting with crossed legs and waiting for him to come closer. After the old man had reached him, Azul couldn't contain the uneasy feeling inside himself anymore and spoke: "master, what is going on? My spirit has been uneasy since this morning. At first I thought it was another spiritual growthspurt but it still hasn't settled down! And what is all that stuff you are carrying there?" Azul asked with worry clearly written on his face.

Smiling at his disciple old man Bai put down all the stuff next to his disciple.

"That is yours now. Some of the stuff I put into the bag belonged to me when I was traversing the grandline a long long time ago. The c.h.e.s.t, open it." Old man Bai said while taking out to sake cups and putting them down between master and disciple next to his best sake bottle.

Doing as he was told Azul opened the c.h.e.s.t and what entered his vision made his breath hitch in his throat. A devilfruit! A real f.u.c.k.i.n.g devilfruit! Never had he thought he would get to see one, not so soon at least. He could practically feel the altering power the fruit was radiating.

"Where did you get this master?" Azul asked, eyes still wide.

"Broke into the facility under the market place and stole it. I may also have damaged a few walls so it might collapse in a few hours but who cares about that old thing anyways." old man Bai said with a grin.

"Only you master, only you would do something like that on a whim hahaha" Azul said while laughing at his masters bullheadedness. Now only one question remained.

"Why though? I am strong already and will only grow stronger over time. What is there to worry about with you alongside me master?" He asked which made the light in old man Bais eyes dim which worried Azul even more seeing the reaction his master had to his words.

"There is time, right?"

"Sadly Azul, time has run out. I have made the most of the time that was given to us after you entered the stage of the journeyman and you indeed have grown strong, stronger than I expected in fact, but not strong enough for what will happen today and in the future. Cipher pol has arrived on the island and are looking for us, for you especially which is an encounter you are not yet ready for. The CP9 may not be a problem individually for you but as a group you would stand no chance, let alone the CP0 that roams in the new world and fullfills the orders of the Gorosei. Those old f.u.c.ks always had it out for us Sanga, so be warry of them! They are willy old foxes with a power at their fingertipps to plunge this world into alot of problems.

That is why I sought out that devilfruit for you. It will change you and I don't know into what, which is usually the case since not many have been discovered and doc.u.mented yet. It is a shot into the dark but sometimes you have no choice but to rely on luck. But it is not nescessarily a bad thing. You have to understand that the human body has limits. Yes you may train yourself but in the end you will always have the same possibilities as every other human besides you, given the chance to grow the same way of course. A devilfruit bestowes upon you the needed individuality and flexibility to cover more ground or strengthen abilities you already have or even go beyond that, at a high cost though. Never to be able to swim again, and sinking like a stone in the ocean are strong limitations that you should always carry at the back of your mind!

But no matter, the choice is still yours of course. Now to the fun part." old man Bai said with a kind smile and took the sake bottle and opening it.

"This is the best sake I have found on my journey and I safed it for a special occasion, one just like this. Today disciple you will embark on your official journey as journeyman and go where ever your breath takes you. Do an old man the favor and share your first glas of sake with him, will you?"

"It would be an honor master." Azul replied with a smile that showed how happy he was at this very moment, sitting alongside his master under the clear blue sky, the seaguls crowing in the distance and the fresh air ruffling through his dark grey hair.

Taking the sake bottle and filling both cups to the brim, both of them raised them in salute towards the sky and afterwards towards each other while speaking "to the Sanga" while old man Bai murmured softly to himself "and to you, Azul" after which they both took a taste of one of the best brews they had ever had and probably ever will.

'Truly, it doesn't matter where the sake comes from, as long as you have someone important to you share it with you it will taste better than the drinks of the gods.' old man Bai said while a grin formed on his face after which himself and his disciple started to laugh in happiness, seemingly not caring about everything else at this very moment. The slight tipsiness Azul had gained after his first cup may also have played a small part in it but who cares about semantics anyways.