One Piece: Starting in God Valley as a Slave

The boat had been sailing at high speed across the sea for some time. Tiger, who had recovered a bit of his strength, sat upright, watching Carl, who lay opposite him in a deep sleep.

Suddenly, a strange phenomenon appeared around Carl. White smoke rose from his right arm, and his sleeve began melting under intense heat, exposing his arm, where a scarlet light flashed beneath the surface. Spirals of black lines, like living things, slowly crept along his arm.

Tiger's eyes widened, holding his breath, but as the area under Carl's right arm started to show signs of melting, Tiger was forced to try to wake him. Yet, despite Tiger's desperate shouts, Carl remained deeply asleep.

In a last-ditch attempt, Tiger reached out to touch Carl, but as soon as his hand met Carl's body, a burning sensation shot through his hand, accompanied by a sizzle. Enduring the pain, he gave Carl a hard shove and quickly pulled his hand back. His palm was already covered in blisters, looking frightening.

Fortunately, the push managed to wake Carl. When he opened his eyes and removed the Bible from his face, his right arm returned to normal. He raised his hand to his forehead, then slowly looked up at Tiger, frowning.

"You just pushed me... what happened?"

Tiger pointed at Carl's face, stunned. "You... your eyes..."

Carl was taken aback for a moment and then, without a word, took out a mirror from the Bible and looked at his reflection. In the mirror, he saw that the pupil of his right eye had turned a bright gold, a change that even puzzled Carl himself.

Tiger filled Carl in on what had just happened. Carl raised his scarlet right arm, looking at it with a solemn expression. It seemed that these strange changes had begun after he'd used the power in his right arm during his last fight with Whitebeard.

Maybe a check-up with Vegapunk would be wise.

Pondering this, Carl subconsciously prepared to use Kamui, but then noticed Tiger watching him with a hopeful expression.

"Where are you headed next?" Carl asked. "Continuing your travels?"

Tiger shook his head. "No, I want to return to Fishman Island to rest for a while."

Fishman Island, located just below the Red Line, was conveniently on Carl's route. Though slightly fatigued and experiencing a strange golden eye, Carl wasn't in any hurry to conclude his journey.

"Alright," Carl said, "I can take you back, and you can come with me."

Tiger's face lit up with gratitude. Though he had recovered somewhat, the idea of returning alone after recent events was daunting. He hadn't expected Carl, an Admiral, to offer him a ride back, especially after saving his life.

Tiger knelt and said, "Thank you so much!"

Carl waved dismissively. "No need for that. As the saying goes, a life saved…" He trailed off, grinning. "Hang on tight, I'm speeding up."

Without giving Tiger a chance to prepare, the flame behind Carl's neck intensified, and the speedboat veered around. A thick, powerful jet of flames burst from the back, its high temperature vaporizing seawater instantly. Deafening sonic booms echoed, and the speedboat shot forward, leaving a blazing trail in its wake.

Standing coolly at the bow with one foot propped up, Carl looked entirely in control, but behind him, Tiger was clinging to the boat, caught in the powerful gust. His mouth stretched open wide, unable to close against the intense airflow rushing past.

Fortunately, Tiger's physique endured the extreme speed. Apart from some initial discomfort, he adapted well to the rapid journey.

This speedboat had been custom-built by Navy Headquarters for Carl, crafted from remarkably resilient materials, and designed to handle powerful speeds. Carl simply had to ignite it to launch forward.

In just half a day, they arrived at the edge of the Red Line. Carl stretched his muscles and turned to address Tiger, who was lying flat on the deck.

"Alright, we're…" Carl began, but was cut off as Tiger suddenly scrambled to the edge of the boat, retching until he was nearly empty.

When he finally finished, Tiger lay limply, resembling a dried-out fish. Carl shrugged.

"The speed might've been a bit much, but you should be more comfortable in the seawater."

"Yes… I'll… I'll head down…" Tiger muttered weakly, nodding.

"No, I'll go with you. You'll need to show me the way."

With that, Carl stepped firmly on the bow, sending the boat into the water, reigniting the flames as they descended.

Once underwater, Tiger perked up immediately but couldn't shake an odd feeling. Then, the realization struck him—Carl was a Devil Fruit user, and the speedboat wasn't coated!

He spun around, only to see Carl standing at the bow, calm and unaffected, his hair floating upward in the water. To Tiger's further astonishment, Carl opened his mouth and spoke clearly, despite being submerged.

"Don't just stare, point me in the direction."

Tiger, barely able to believe his eyes, started questioning reality. Devil Fruit users weren't supposed to function underwater—let alone speak! And why hadn't Carl's flames gone out?

Had humans evolved to this extent?

-----------

+115 chapters on p@treon/tambeerg