Demon Slayer Virgil [Isekai One Piece]

"Hey, Arthur, put this on," Zavia said, tossing a mask to Arthur as they steered the ship towards Fishman Island.

"Hmm? A mask?" Arthur caught the mask with a puzzled expression.

"Yes. We've been traveling the seas together for a year now. Even though you weren't well-known before, the world must be aware of your existence by now. Though I'm a bit surprised the newspapers haven't reported on you yet."

Zavia explained his reasoning as he put on his own mask, simultaneously changing his attire to a vibrant red, transforming into the Red-Clad Vergil.

His mask was no longer the V for Vendetta one but the one worn by Uncle Hei from Darker Than Black during his initial appearance.

"I see." Arthur nodded and donned the mask.

With preparations complete, they arrived at the entrance to Fishman Island.

After a series of simple inspections and questions, Zavia and Arthur were granted entry, successfully reaching the island.

Steering the ship towards the harbor and securing it, they disembarked and set foot on the island that was hailed as "paradise."

"Wow, the people here look different from us, just like the guard we met earlier," Arthur exclaimed, his eyes wide with curiosity and excitement as he took in the surroundings. His mind was filled with questions about the differences between humans, fishmen, and merfolk.

"Of course, they're fishmen and merfolk, so their appearance is naturally different. But don't look down on them because of that. I don't want you to develop any racial prejudices."

"Racial... prejudice..."

As Zavia spoke those words, a flicker of sadness crossed Arthur's eyes before his expression returned to normal.

It was clear that he had been reminded of something from his past. Zavia, however, chose not to pursue the matter.

With the help of the Legacy of the Demon God, his Observation Haki had reached a level where he could sense the emotions of others. Although he couldn't see Arthur's expression, he could feel the boy's momentary sadness.

"There's a restaurant up ahead. Are you hungry?"

Seeing the restaurant, Zavia decided to distract Arthur. While he couldn't do much to alleviate the boy's past trauma, he could at least ensure that he was happy in the present.

"Yes."

"Alright, let's go."

Seeing Arthur nod, Zavia took his hand and led him towards the restaurant. This sight drew some attention from passersby.

A masked adult and child walking hand-in-hand down the street was an unusual sight, to say the least.

Of course, if Zavia and Arthur removed their masks, they would appear as brothers.

Although some people glanced their way, Zavia paid them no mind and entered the restaurant with Arthur.

"Welcome... Wel..."

As they entered, they were greeted by a beautiful mermaid waitress. She had long, flowing black hair, her chest covered by two seashells. Her lower body was that of a carp, with a small bubble near her waist.

At that moment, the mermaid's expression was hard to decipher. It shifted from an initial smile to something else entirely.

Anger? Annoyance? Resignation?

It was unclear. All that was certain was that the beautiful mermaid waitress didn't seem to welcome Zavia and Arthur.

"Hmm, could we have a serving of what those humans are having? But hold the alcohol."

Zavia took a seat and glanced towards a nearby table where a group of pirates were enjoying their meal. Their behavior seemed tolerable, but their eyes held a hint of disdain.

Among them was a man who eyed the mermaids in the restaurant with a look of greed. Zavia guessed he was either a slave trader or simply someone with a lust for beauty.

"... Alright." The mermaid waitress, momentarily surprised by Zavia's polite demeanor, hurried away.

"Hey, you brat, acting all high and mighty, huh?"

Shortly after the waitress left, one of the pirates from the nearby table approached Zavia. Although his outward appearance seemed calm, his tone was anything but.

Zavia guessed that these pirates had initially intended to cause trouble but were deterred by the reputation of Whitebeard, the protector of Fishman Island. They were likely holding back their frustration, and Zavia's words had triggered their outburst.

It seemed Whitebeard's influence was still effective, Zavia thought. But it was only temporary.

"Calling us humans? Hey, who do you think you're looking down on? You're a human too!!"

One of the pirates, wearing a pirate coat, shouted at Zavia with dissatisfaction. His outburst startled the fishmen and merfolk in the restaurant. Some even fled in fear.

"Hmph, wearing a mask, huh? I bet you're trying to hide your true face while doing something shady."

To the left of the pirate in the coat stood another pirate with a red bandana and two scars on his left cheek. His voice was filled with disdain.

Upon hearing his words, the two lackeys behind him chuckled, mocking Zavia.

"Yo, there's a kid too. Let me see if it's a boy or a girl. If it's a girl, I'll... Ah—!"

"Who gave you permission to touch him with your filthy hands?"

To the right of the pirate in the coat, the one with the greedy eyes turned his attention to Arthur and slowly reached out towards him.

Due to Arthur's slender build, fair complexion, and the mask concealing his face, the pirate assumed he might be a girl disguised as a boy.

However, in the next second, the greedy pirate's right hand vanished. In its place was a spray of blood and a severed hand flying through the air.

Zavia had initially planned to avoid causing too much trouble. He just wanted to enjoy his visit to Fishman Island before heading to Raijin Island in the New World to retrieve the Lightning Core. Then, he would wait a year before going to Skypiea to investigate the unknown presence he had sensed.

But this pirate had dared to touch Arthur, and that was something Zavia wouldn't tolerate. He had promised never to let Arthur come to harm again.

"Ah————!! My hand!!!"

The greedy pirate let out a bloodcurdling scream. Due to the speed of Zavia's attack, it took him nearly 1.33 seconds to register the pain.

"You... You bastard! Who the hell are you!?"

The pirate in the coat was the first to react after the greedy pirate. He stared at Zavia with a look of terror.

Most pirates who reached this point in the Grand Line were no pushovers; they were the elite among the pirates of the first half.

Therefore, upon seeing his comrade's hand severed in an instant, the pirate in the coat instantly recognized Zavia as a formidable opponent, far stronger than himself.

"It doesn't matter who I am. All you need to know is that you're going to die."

Zavia's voice was cold and menacing. He had no habit of wasting words on small fries, unless there was a specific purpose.

"What are you..." The pirate in the coat was about to retort, but in the next second, his vision flipped 90 degrees. Zavia, who had been standing on the ground, seemed to be standing on the wall.

"Heh, sorry about this, Arthur. It seems we won't be able to enjoy this meal after all." Zavia flicked the blood off the Yamato blade and sheathed it, then turned to Arthur.

Thud.

As he spoke, the sound of a body hitting the floor echoed through the restaurant – the pirate in the coat, along with his four companions, had fallen lifelessly.

"It's alright, big brother." Arthur waved his hand dismissively, indicating that he was fine.

Seeing Arthur's reaction, Zavia paused for a moment before taking the boy's hand. He activated his spatial ability, distorting the space around them to conceal their bodies, and left the restaurant.

As for the other customers? They had all fled the moment they saw blood, including the owner and staff.

…

Thirty minutes after the incident at the restaurant, Zavia and Arthur found themselves in another eatery on a different street. This place was much better, at least without any annoying humans.

Although the food wasn't particularly impressive to someone like Zavia, who was accustomed to high-quality cuisine, it was still edible.

"So, how's the food?" Zavia asked Arthur after taking a sip of juice.

"Hmm, it's not as good as the food you bring, big brother." Arthur's assessment mirrored Zavia's own.

"Is that so? Then I guess we'll stick to our own supplies from now on."

"Yeah." Arthur nodded in agreement.

Creak—

At that moment, the wooden door of the restaurant creaked open.

"Hey, welcome... Wel..."

The staff member greeted the newcomer with a practiced smile, but then froze in surprise.

All eyes in the restaurant turned towards the man who had entered, their expressions mirroring the staff member's astonishment.

"Mind if I join you?" The man ignored the stares and walked straight towards Zavia.

"This is... an unexpected guest. Of course, you may." Zavia glanced at the man briefly.

"Hmph, a glass of red wine for me." The man sat down and ordered a glass of red wine from the owner, who, having recovered from his initial shock, hurried to fulfill the request.

"So, what brings you here?" Zavia asked after taking another sip of his juice.

"A duel." The man's response was direct and to the point, without any unnecessary pleasantries.

"A duel with you? Please, spare me. I just want to enjoy my travels in peace." Zavia shook his head, declining the offer.

"Name your terms." The red wine arrived, and the man elegantly swirled the glass before taking a sip.

"Even if you offer me something, I'm not interested in fighting you. I'm quite 'weak,' you know. If you were to kill me with a single strike, I'd be done for." Zavia, surprisingly, cracked a joke. He rarely indulged in such lightheartedness since arriving in this world.

"Kill you with a single strike? If that were the case, you wouldn't be known as the 'Sword Demon' Urizen, Zavia." The man took another sip of his wine and looked at Zavia with his hawk-like eyes.

"Ho~ It seems you know quite a bit, Hawkeye Mihawk." Zavia rested his cheek on his hand, a smile playing on his lips.