A Joke
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One Piece: Desperate
🕑 Added 2021-10-11 19:02:48 +0000 UTCChapter 134
***
-Kureha POV-
Max, that was the man I regret having helped. He wasn't a bad guy, but when it came down to it, I didn't know anything about him initially. Now I do, and his ambition isn't something the world can hold.
Yes, I had tried contacting the World Government, using the Reverie Meeting as an excuse. But it seemed like luck wasn't on my side. Because the Celestial Dragon organizing and heading the event was… Saint Sharlia. The worst person who could have come out from the World Government answered my call.
She still reported all that to him? I told her everything, about how Max had children now and two lovers. Thinking that would dismay the young girl and make her jealous. But it seemed like she was another girl who had fallen for the Devil.
What a charming sociopath. Even I was enamored by him and thought he was a good guy initially. But after looking under some of his layers, there was nothing but a cold-hearted man.
Even though I told him that his inevitable death was coming soon, he didn't panic and only had a contemplative look on his face. Already he was trying to think of something to dodge his death. But that is impossible, Devil Fruits aren't something one could just play with and their power will eventually destroy his body.
Suddenly he looked at me, his eyes seemed to see right through my soul. "Ah, don't worry about that. I already knew that the Devil Fruits were taking away my lifespan."
What… My body froze when I heard that. He had foreseen this? How?! No, he must be lying. Even I, who had been the one to build the project, only noticed such after-effects recently. As the first test subject started displaying signs of cell degeneration and dementia.
"It seemed like you knew too," Max shook his head with an amused smile. "There are many Devil Fruits in the world, even ones that can reverse the aging process."
I… never thought of that. Devil Fruit powers were many out there, and some like that probably existed too. But finding something like that would be crazily lucky. The Legendary Ope-Ope No Mi could also save Gold Roger, but even the Pirate King didn't have the luck to find such a Devil Fruit.
"How did you stumble on something like that?" I asked him, unable to help my curiosity. Since I would die anyway, I better not do so with unanswered questions.
Max's amusement seemed to peak, as his smile became so wide it split his face from ear to ear. Though that same smile didn't reach his eyes, creating a very creepy expression.
"How else? I was just lucky." He wasn't even trying to hide the lies anymore. Seems like I am going to die soon.
"How annoying," well, hiding my complaints now would be useless too.
**
"Kureha, do you believe in God?" Max suddenly asked as I was explaining to Reiju how everything worked around here.
“No, I don’t, brat.” Did he finally get cold feet due to the belief in a higher power? Well, that would be good and he might not kill me because of it. But I won’t keep my hopes high on that one.
“Hmmm~” he laid on the cold stone ground, looking at the clones of himself on the walls of the lab. Suddenly he smirked and took out a small metallic pebble from his pocket.
Pew!
He flickered the pebble and it flew faster than any bullet I had ever seen. It broke through one of the capsules the clones were held in. They were made to be bullet-proof, but seeing how easily he pierced it, surprised me a little. “Do you know who people call God? Someone who simply is so strong that it is outside of their understanding.”
Where the hell was he going with this? I have no idea. But, his words seemed to strangely carry some weight in them. Wait… is this brat trying to manipulate me again?
“No, I am not trying to manipulate you,” Max suddenly said, making me flinch in surprise. Did he just read my mind?
“No, I can’t read minds either,” he said once more amusingly. It was clear that he was playing around. This was what scared me the most about him, he always seemed to know what other people were thinking. If it had been mind-reading then it would have been easier to deal with. But by guessing things like this, he could probably tell even if I tried to do something against him.
***
-Max POV-
By using Observation Haki, it wasn’t hard to guess what she was thinking due to how she felt. I decided to put the old hag on edge a little more, just so she doesn't try anything against me for the rest of her short life.
I also never intended to let her know that I already knew about the lifespan thing due to already having used Ain’s Return-return Fruit to reverse my aged cells. Well, I guess it was no longer fruit now and it became mind. I killed her last year, the group of Zephyr had caused a lot of problems and she started feeling anger towards me, so I killed her before she would even do anything.
Though for all the others know, she died in some mission I sent her, and that was all they needed to think about the situation and let that disaster be covered in my other achievements. Killing a subordinate before she even did anything wouldn't be good if word of it got out.
There was a high chance I could have convinced Ain to not go against me, but I wanted her devil fruit, So I killed her and took it.
***
Two weeks passed and Reiju had learned all she needed to know. We were in the dark underground lab and hadn’t gone to the surface at all during these two weeks. Kureha looked at me and smiled gently, today was her execution. “Reiju, you aren’t a bad girl, actually you are quite kind. Unlike the rest of your family. Remember my words. Max will be your downfall if you keep following a man like that.”
I would have killed her before she could say anything, but I was a little curious too. Has Reiju changed? Was she the same as a year ago when she saved me from the poison? I concentrated on my Observation Haki and tried to sense any cracks within Reiju’s feelings.
“No,” Reiju shook her head, a sad smile came to her face. “You are mistaken on one thing. Max isn’t someone you can judge just by meeting him a couple of times. He is a complicated individual.”
“Hm?” Even Kureha seemed curious at her words, and I was too.
“He is someone who understands everyone's pain. When he kills someone, he understands their despair and everything they are feeling. No, he even feels it. He puts himself in someone else's shoes and sees things from their perspective. ” Reiju swung her hand and a red rose made of different gasses was formed. She turned towards me and for the first time saw a true and gentle smile on her face.
Taking a breath she continued.
“That’s why he understands everyone so well and can predict what they will do. In my opinion, Max is the kindest person in the world.”
I was left stunned by her words. She was able to guess how I had been predicting everyone so far. Due to the information I had from the Manga and Anime, I put myself in their position and asked myself what I would do. Because of the detailed explanation of the Manga and Anime, I could roughly guess how situations will develop.
But… Reiju… you made one mistake. I am very far from a kind person.
