Cipher Pol Ship, Sailing in Paradise
The white ship, a silent and deadly messenger of the World Government sailed smoothly through the calm waters of Paradise.
It had been four days since they had left the North Blue, four days since their commander, the mysterious and powerful "Umi" had shut himself in the captain's cabin.
The elite agents of CP0, the most dangerous spies in the world went about their duties. They were disciplined and patient.
They had their orders: "Do not disturb my sleep, no matter what happens." And they followed them perfectly.
But as the fourth day began to end, a small feeling of worry started in their mind.
Stussy, the beautiful agent with a mind as sharp as a razor, stood on the deck looking out at the setting sun. She was a veteran of the underworld, a master of secrets and lies. She was not a woman who worried easily.
But four days of complete silence from their new, incredibly powerful commander was... unusual.
Rob Lucci stood nearby, as still as a stone statue his pet pigeon Hattori sleeping on his shoulder. He too.....was looking at the closed cabin door. His cold killer's eyes showed no emotion, but inside his mind he was thinking.
'Four days,' Lucci thought. 'Is he meditating? Recovering his strength after the mission? Or is something wrong?'
He remembered the feeling of Umi's hand stopping his Finger Pistol. It was a power on a completely different level. A being that powerful should not need to rest for four days.
The thought that something might have happened to him, an injury or a sickness was a strange and unsettling one.
Kaku and Jabra were playing a game of cards but they kept glancing at the door.
"Gyahahaha....I win again" Jabra laughed, throwing down his cards. "Maybe the commander is just really.....really sleepy!"
Kaku, who was always more thoughtful looked at the door with a frown. "Or maybe he's in some kind of deep training. A person that strong must have some strange habits."
They were all trying to make sense of it. Their new Vice Admiral, the hero of the newspapers was a complete mystery.
Stussy announced to the others her voice calm and clear."We will reach Mary Geoise in one day, If he does not come out by then, we will have to report the situation."
She was worried. What if something had happened to him?
If he was sick or hurt, and they had just let him stay in his room for four days, they would be in serious trouble with the Five Elders. Her professional reputation was on the line.
Just as they think about different scenarios in their minds a certain sound was heard across the ship. It was the sound of person unlocking the door.
Click.
It was the sound of the captain's cabin door unlocking.
Every single agent on the deck froze. The card game stopped. Lucci's eyes snapped towards the sound. Stussy turned around, her heart giving a small jump.
The door slowly swung open.
Imu stepped out onto the deck.
He looked… rested. His dark robe was perfectly straight. His black hair was neat. His red eyes, which seemed to hold ancient secrets were calm and clear. There was no sign of sickness or injury.
He looked like a king who had just woken up from a pleasant nap.
A collective silent sigh of relief went through the CP0 agents.
"Umi-sama," Stussy said, being the first to recover. "We were beginning to grow concerned. We are glad to see you are well."
Lucci just stared. The sheer presence of the man was overwhelming.
The doubt and worry he had felt just moments before now seemed foolish. This was not a man who could get sick. This was not a man who could be hurt. This was a force of nature.
Imu looked at the faces of his elite agents. He could see the questions in their eyes.
"I apologize if my long rest caused you any worry," he said, his voice smooth and calm. "The mission in the North Blue required a great deal of… mental energy. I am fully recovered now."
He walked to the edge of the ship, looking out at the now sea.
"Where are we?" he asked.
Stussy stepped forward. "We are in Paradise, Umi-sama. We are currently sailing near the Jaya island."
When Imu heard the name "Jaya," a small, almost invisible smile touched his lips. Inside his mind, felt a jolt of excitement.
'Jaya,' he thought. 'The home of Mock Town. The place where Luffy gets punched by Bellamy. The place where Blackbeard gives his famous speech about a man's dream.'
"I see," Imu said out loud turning back to his agents. "Then this is where I will leave you."
They were all surprised.
"Leave us, Umi-sama?" Kaku asked with confusion. "But Mary Geoise is only a day away."
"I have a personal matter to attend to on Jaya," Imu said, his voice leaving no room for argument. "You will continue your journey. Report back to the Five Elders. Tell them the mission was a success."
He looked at them all, his red eyes seeming to see right through them. "You have all performed your duties well. I am pleased."
Coming from a man like him, these simple words of praise felt like the highest honor. The agents all stood a little straighter.
"Thank you, Umi-sama," Lucci said, bowing his head slightly.
Without another word, Imu turned his back to them and faced the open sea in the direction of Jaya.
A low, rumbling sound came from his back. Then, with a sound like tearing shadow, two magnificent leathery wings erupted from his back. They were not the wings of a bird or a bat. They were the wings of a fallen angel which was glowing with a purple energy.
Imu gave them one last, unreadable glance over his shoulder.
Then, with a single, powerful flap of his monstrous wings, he launched himself into the beautiful morning sky. He rose quickly, becoming a speck in the distance before vanishing completely.
The elite agents of CP0 were left alone on their ship, staring at the empty sky in stunned silence. They had just spent days in the company of a living legend, a man who was a hero and a new Vice Admiral.
Their journey back to Mary Geoise would be a very quiet one. They had a lot to think about.