One Piece Space Fruit - Chapter 42

“‘Akatsuki’ organization?”

Crow tilted his head, clearly not understanding the meaning.

“Yes, ‘Akatsuki’ as in the light of dawn, symbolizing the break of dawn after a long night.”

“All the pain, disaster, and killing will awaken in the dawn, and then we will protect and create the best things.”

“We will not take any sides, staying above it all, guided by our own free will. That is Akatsuki.”

Evan’s eyes burned with determination. Though the goal seemed incredibly difficult and unimaginable, his resolute presence made it even more appealing, naturally inspiring trust and commitment.

Evan was a man who meant what he said.

“I don’t fully understand, but whatever you say, Evan, I’ll do it!” Crow agreed without hesitation.

Snow’s silver eyes flashed with a fiery light that quickly subsided. She looked up at Evan with her usual cold expression, yet there was something more in her gaze.

“I still can’t beat you.”

She smiled faintly, her silver eyes curving into delicate crescents and her pink lips forming a beautiful arc. Like the sudden melting of ice and snow, her smile was as fleeting and precious as a night-blooming flower, pure and noble.

Under the bar’s soft light, Snow’s smile was as stunning as a summer bloom, breathtakingly beautiful.

Evan was momentarily stunned, not expecting Snow to smile, let alone smile so brilliantly.

Beside him, Crow stared, captivated by the stunning transformation of the usually cold and terrifying woman into someone incredibly beautiful.

“Alright then, if you both agree, the Akatsuki organization is officially founded today.”

Evan raised his glass, smiling.

Crow and Snow also lifted their glasses, lowering them slightly to clink against Evan’s.

“Clink~”

Red wine splashed, and the three of them downed their drinks.

Little did Evan know that the future Akatsuki organization, which would stand like a god above the world, subduing enemies on all sides, and commanding respect from all powers and strong individuals, would be born in this humble bar in the Sabaody Archipelago, sparked by a sudden whimsical idea.

But that was a story for another time.

“These days, the hottest topic is Evan escaping from Impel Down.”

The pirates in the bar shifted their conversation, catching Evan’s attention.

Crow nudged Evan, whispering, “Hey, boss, they’re talking about you.”

Evan shook his head with a wry smile, just as a burly man raised his head, speaking as if he were the protagonist, “They say this Evan, the Impel Down escapee, is only about sixteen years old, and he was imprisoned five years ago. No wonder the Marines dubbed him ‘Demon.’ His initial bounty is a whopping 500 million!”

“Heh, nowadays, who hasn’t heard of ‘Demon’ Evan? After the old-timer Golden Lion’s escape, he’s the next big escapee from Impel Down, and so young too. The Marines’s fear is obvious with a 500 million bounty. If he forms a pirate crew, I’ll be the first to join!”

“Get real, with your skills, you wouldn’t even qualify as a lackey. Haven’t you heard? The ‘Black Armor’ and ‘Hell Wolf’ who escaped with him have bounties of 180 million and 290 million respectively.”

The bar buzzed with chatter, making Evan raise an eyebrow.

‘Demon’? Not a bad title.

“Black Armor? Is that me?” Crow asked excitedly, “That’s 180 million! Maybe I should sell myself…”

Evan smacked Crow on the head, hoping to knock some sense into him.

Then Evan’s gaze fell on Snow. The bounty discrepancy was curious…

Snow’s strength was certainly greater than Crow’s, but it shouldn’t warrant an additional 110 million.

Was it due to Snow’s true identity?

Evan pondered.

Crow gradually joined the pirates’ conversation, keen to gather information after years of isolation.

The bar’s dim lighting and their corner seating made it difficult for others to see Evan and his companions clearly. Even if recognized, Evan and his group were strong enough not to fear exposure—unless two Admirals showed up.

Having left Impel Down, Evan’s space powers were fully unleashed, even surprising him with their potential.

While Crow chatted, Evan relaxed in his chair, enjoying the peaceful moment.

Unbeknownst to him, Crow was steering the conversation towards women.

“I’m telling you, mermaids from Fish-Man Island are top-notch. Just looking at them makes you want to capture and play with them.”

“Yeah, but Fish-Man Island is heavily guarded against outsiders. It’s tough to capture even one mermaid. Even if you did, it’s better to sell them to the Celestial Dragons…”

“True, Celestial Dragons don’t care about money. Top-quality mermaids fetch millions at auction here.”

“Quiet down! Talking about Celestial Dragons like that, do you want to die?”

The reminder made the slightly drunk pirates lower their voices.

These pirates, who feared nothing, showed apprehension at the mention of Celestial Dragons.

Celestial Dragons, the World Nobles!

Known as the descendants of gods, they stood above everyone else! Their status was supreme!

Especially in the Sabaody Archipelago, near the Marines Headquarters and Mariejois.

No one dared provoke the Celestial Dragons here; the only outcome would be death.

“Forget mermaids, just the other day, the Black Poo Pirates captured a black-haired girl at sea, selling her for a price rivaling top mermaids.” A burly pirate remarked casually.

Bang!

Evan’s hand clenched, shattering his glass, and spilling red wine everywhere.

“Evan, you…”

Crow was shocked, about to speak, when an invisible and oppressive aura erupted from Evan, sweeping through the bar.

Like a sovereign, the overwhelming presence engulfed the entire bar, suffocating everyone.

The lively chatter abruptly ceased, and the pirates collapsed like wheat being harvested, unconscious.

Only one pirate remained conscious, terrified as he looked around at his fallen comrades, his face pale and body trembling.

Crow and Snow watched Evan. Despite his calm demeanor, he silently wiped the glass and wine from his hand.

For some reason, compared to the five years in Impel Down, this was the first time Crow and Snow saw Evan so silently furious, exuding a deep, soul-crushing fear.

“I’ll ask, you answer.”

Evan left his chair, approached the pirate, with Snow and Crow standing silently beside him.

The pirate’s scalp tingled, understanding he had angered a powerful individual.

“You mentioned the Black Poo Pirates capturing a black-haired girl. What happened exactly?” Evan asked calmly.

The pirate, sweating profusely, quickly spilled everything, “It’s not my fault! A few days ago, I saw the Black Poo Pirates return from sea, clearly with a haul. I snuck a peek and saw they had a black-haired girl, who they later sold to the Celestial Dragons for a high price.”

“What were the girl’s features?” Evan asked, suppressing his rising anger.

“Features? About thirteen years old, long black hair, big eyes…”

“Enough!”

Evan cut him off, eyes sharp. The pirate immediately fainted.

“Let’s go.”

Evan walked out of the bar silently.

Crow and Snow exchanged glances, not understanding but quickly followed.

Become a Patron to read chapters ahead of public release and support me 😉

Read up to 40 chapters ahead on p atreon.