With Observation Haki leveled up, Creed's perception changed in kind.
He could now sense movements more than six miles away with ease; if he spent stamina to push it, his range stretched to over twelve miles—and farther.
In Kokoro Yomi (Reading the Heart), something had shifted as well. When he focused, he could not only read good and evil, but also "see" ripples of emotion—joy, anger, sorrow, and more.
One glance over the deck laid out everyone's hidden hues:
Brook's thin thread of sadness buried deep;
Shirahoshi's confusion, curiosity… and a shy hope;
Redfield's blazing, heroic fervor;
Ain's tender affection whenever her eyes found him;
Perona's warring urges—mouthwatering over the food, fretting over her waistline;
Robin's calm happiness—yet, like Brook, a shadow lingered where her gaze sometimes fell…
Creed closed the sense at once. He didn't intend to pry any further.
Redfield possessed a similar knack; peeking too much might draw his notice, and Creed had no desire to unsettle his own vice-captain. Besides, rummaging through hearts isn't "fun." Divine as the technique might be, bathing in others' shifting feelings tugs at one's own spirit. A handful of minds was fine; a crowd's storm of seven emotions could shake the unseasoned—or break them.
"Hm?"
Soon, a disturbance from two pirate ships astern pricked his interest.
After the undersea route, both ships had tailed the Creed.
Creed meant to sail longer to see whether they were truly stalking him—when the two started fighting each other.
The attackers' flag bore a green, flame-haired skull with a shocked expression. The other flew a skull biting a red rose.
Creed didn't recognize either crew.
He was about to withdraw his senses when a towering, near-invisible barrier—dozens of meters tall and wide—flashed up from the green-flame side, catching every incoming cannon shell from the rose-skulled ship.
"Boom, boom, boom!"
The shells slammed the clear wall, not stirring even a ripple.
"So sturdy… that kid? But Luffy hasn't even set sail yet—how is he already in the New World?"
A face came to mind. Bartolomeo—the Barrier-Barrier Fruit user.
In the original flow, he was the underworld boss of over a hundred streets in Loguetown. After witnessing Luffy's miracle escape, he became a zealous fan, went to sea, and turned pirate just to follow in Luffy's wake.
Creed exhaled. His presence really was bending history's rails.
"Cavendish! You trashy leek-head! With that pitiful skill you dare raise a hand against Creed-senpai? Get through me first!"
On the green-flame ship's deck stood a two-meter-tall punk—grass-green cockscomb hair, nose ring, a purple coat with a skull pattern, a face like a grinning ogre—jabbing a finger at someone opposite and cursing.
His target wore a fur-trimmed cowboy hat; long, golden waves draped over one eye; an elegant noble's outfit framed an undeniably handsome face.
A devil and an angel, squared off.
Cavendish—the pirate dandy? The one with the split personality?
Creed's interest stirred. He motioned to Redfield, in mid-sip of red wine, to ease the Creed's speed.
Bartolomeo and Cavendish both commanded serious crews; bringing them under his banner would be a clean power boost. Once he entered the New World, Creed planned to rendezvous with Crocodile's group and then move on Big Mom—after that, Kaido in Wano. In subordinates, there was no such thing as "too many."
Rumble…
Trading blows, the two ships drifted closer to the Creed. Bartolomeo had begun withdrawing his broader barriers—their plan was to storm Cavendish's deck and counterattack.
Cavendish, however, spotted the Creed not far away, laughed aloud, and abandoned Bartolomeo—water-skating toward Creed with rapier in hand, intent clear: board and kill.
"Crafty bastard! Ryūdō Shōheki (Flowing Barrier)!"
Bartolomeo sprang up, crossing index and middle fingers. A transparent barrier shot out, forming steps across the sea up to the Creed. He sprinted up to cut Cavendish off.
Neither expected what came next.
Ching!
A soft sword note rang out. Cavendish, mid-approach, burst into a spray of blood and tumbled into the sea. Bartolomeo's flowing barrier, too, could not approach within about twenty yards of the Creed—as if a boundless pressure walled the ship.
"Creed-senpai!!"
Stars flared in Bartolomeo's eyes; a flush climbed his cheeks; his breath hitched.
Creed hadn't even shown himself.
Seeing the kid's fervor through Kokoro Yomi, Creed instantly knew why he'd tried to block Cavendish.
So the fanboy who should have worshiped Luffy… had switched idols to Creed.
Swish, thump, clang-clang-clang!
Cavendish exploded back out of the water like a reversed gale. Mist lifted—and a storm of sword lights howled forth, slashes crackling like lightning… yet none could pierce the formless sword intent that ringed the Creed.
"So fast! Terrifying swordplay! If I don't set a massive barrier, I can't match him at all… I didn't expect this leek-head to be this strong." Even fangirl-mode Bartolomeo was shaken. That sword was a shapeless squall—ordinary swordsmen would be swept away.
The next instant, his worship flared hotter. "Cavendish, you're so lame! You can't even lay eyes on Senior Creed's shadow and you think you can beat him? Hahaha—uh…"
His laugh cut off. Cavendish had heard the taunt—and snapped a look his way.
One glimpse of Cavendish's face and Bartolomeo almost yelped. "What the hell—!"
(End of Chapter)
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