ONE PIECE: NEN MASTER - CHAPTER 11 (Patreon)

It was getting very dark, meaning my time to meet with Nekomamushi to train for the first time was approaching by the second. 

I sighed, bored, looking at the forest from the high branch of a tree nearby the city as I patiently waited for the sun to finally come down, wondering how training with Nekomamushi would be.

Perhaps training with him would help me create my first Hatsu.

As the seconds went by with me musing about what was to come, the sun finally came down, officially declaring the end of Inuarashi’s shift, and the beginning of Nekomamushi’s rule. Smiling, I stood up from the branch I was sitting on, as a loud cry erupted from deep within the forest, agitating the birds all around who flew away in panic, “NYAAAAAA!”

“That has to be Nekomamushi,” I muttered with a small chuckle. 

In accordance with his letter, he would send someone for me when the night came, so now all I had to do was wait.

“Valor!” cried a familiar voice behind me.

Ears turning towards the sound, I looked down to see no other than. Leo, my friend, ungracefully jumping between branches trying to reach me. Balance was not his thing.

“What are you doing here, Leo?” I asked, jumping towards him to save him the trouble.

“I was told you were going to start training with Lord Nekomamushi!” Leo muttered in concern.

“Yeah, I am,” I nodded.

“Do you have to?” Leo asked, shifting uncomfortably as his tail went down.

“Why are you so worried about it?” I asked, frowning. Sure, Leo was usually an easy to frighten guy, but as far as I knew, he worshiped both Inuarashi and Nekomamushi. So, I really didn’t understand why he was acting like he was right now.

“I’m joining the Musketeers,” Leo muttered in a low defeated tone, “And, if you join the guardians, well… you know how things are between the lords.”

I blinked, taking a second to process what he had said before I started laughing, putting a reassuring paw on his shoulder, “Leo, I’m not joining the guardians, or the musketeers for that matter.”

Leo blinked, giving me a befuddled look, “You aren’t?”

“No, I have no interest in any of those things,” I chuckled, scratching behind my ears, “So if that was your concern, don’t worry.”

Leo sighed in relief, happily smiling, however, his expression soon turned into one of horror as he looked at me, “D-do the lords know this?”

“Leo, my own mother doesn't ask me that many questions,” I replied, briefly. “But do you really think me that suicidal to trick both lords into training me under the false promise I will join either?”

“I… no,”

“Exactly,” I deadpanned.

“I’m sorry, I know I bother, but I can’t help but worry,” Leo sighed, his ears dropping in embarrassment, “Someone in this group has to, I mean. Marushi is always, as he said, chilling, and Sakura and you seem to have death wishes.”

I sighed, as annoying as he could at times, his heart was in the right place, so I couldn’t be mad with him, annoyed sure, but mad, hardly.

“It’s okay, and for the record, only Sakura acts that way,” I replied, “All I do is train, that can’t hardly be considered suicidal. Heck, if anything, it’s the contrary, I mean, the stronger I am, the less likely my ideas are to come as suicidal, not that I have any ideas that come as such.”

“Can’t argue with that,” Leo chuckled, tail wagging.

“So, musketeer huh?” I asked, curious as to why he wanted to join them.

“The day the slavers attacked, I felt useless,” Leo muttered, his tail coming to a full stop, “Everyone helped, Sakura called the guard, Murashi assisted you when you needed him, everyone did something. But me? All I did was throw up, be scared, and guard a guy that had both his legs and arms broken.”

I sighed, looking at him with concern, “Leo, your reaction was normal, you have to come to terms with it, I came to terms with mine a long time ago, don’t punish yourself for it. It won’t do you good.”

“No!” Leo growled in anger, “I didn’t even have the balls to help you guys release those who had been captured! I… I had to stay back, guarding a paraplegic!”

“Leo, I can’t help you come to terms with what happened, but you have to stop this behavior, it isn’t healthy,” I replied.

“I know, I know,” Leo sighed, his ears flattening as he looked away, “I know it’s not healthy, but I can’t help it. I look back at that memory, and feel nothing but disgust at me, so, I decided I will change, so that next time, I won’t cower under someone else. I know I’m not as strong as you, or as talented, but I will make the best of it with what I have.”

I sighed, poking his forehead while using Electro, making him yelp in pain, “There are many ways to be useful, Leo, don’t think for a second that fighting is the only thing that matters. I might have defeated those two slavers, but had it not been for the medics that came to help those who had been hurt, everything would’ve been for naught. So, before you commit to a life you might not want, think about what you want, and how that can help others, you will be surprised to find you can help in more ways than one.”

“I… I will think about it,” Leo muttered, rubbing his forehead with a small smile, “How come you are so mature? I’m the old one here, yet here you are, giving me existential lessons.”

“I’m awesome,” I shrugged, playfully smirking.

Leo chuckled, “Well, if your fan club is anything to go by, then yes, yes you are.”

I chuckled, scratching the back of my ears as my tail twitched around, “I’m still getting used to that, and the fact my dad is now apparently the president of the club, and! The biggest buyer of my merch.”

“Do you even get money from that?” Leo asked.

Hm, well now that was a good question, shouldn’t I be getting royalties or something?

“No idea,” I sighed, musing over that thought, “I will ask my dad later, he probably knows.”

—-----------------------

After my talk with Leo ended, I continued to wait for Nekomamushi to come as he had instructed on his letter, sitting down in the coarse grass, thinking about random stuff.

When all of a sudden, a movement in the far distance behind some trees caught my eye, it was then when I realized I was being preyed on. Realizing this, the fur on my spine prickled, as I stared ahead, getting into a low crouch position as I moved toward the unknown.

Nen bursting to life ferociously, I rocked my haunches from side to side, preparing to leap for the attack.

I had no idea who was behind those trees, but he or she had to be an enemy, there was no scent, no sound, nothing, but the clear feeling something was prowling towards me. 

Senses strained ahead I kicked at the ground as hard as I could, leaping towards the unknown. Flying through the air, my body blurred through the dense forest in a feat of speed. As an instant, I reached the unknown, realizing now that I was close, that it was one of the guardians.

Freezing at the sight for what could’ve been half of a second in a rush of hesitation, I flew past the guardian, landing a few meters behind him, in a crouched position, as my ears twitched detecting a new noise coming from behind, confused as to what was happening, especially considering the fact a guardian had been prowling on me, I swiveled my ears backward to focus on the sound, as I kept my eyes fixed on the guardian, who by this time had turned, giving me a look of utter shock.

“Why were you prowling on me?” I managed to ask, when all of a sudden, something hit me like an explosion from the back throwing against a tree, giving the attacker no time for a follow up, I jumped high into a tree, looking around to find the attacker, another guardian.

I couldn’t feel any ill will towards me within them, which made the situation a bit confusing, meaning this had to be some kind of test, or initiation for them. 

I stared at the second attacker, who had successfully managed to sneak on me, delivering an attack and smiled. The attack had done nothing, my Ren had absorbed the entire thing, which explained the look on his face, that of a man going through overwhelming confusion.

Seeing this was a combat test of some kid, it was more than obvious they expected me to retaliate. I, however, would undoubtedly have to hold back my punches, because now that I scrutinized him even more, I could see he had broken his hand during that attack.

Yet, even with his hand broken, he seemed to be ready to continue with the test, it was commendable of his part.

However, before I could jump to attack them, fully intending to end the test without harming them any further, a familiar laugh boomed across the forest drawing my attention, “Goronyanyaya! Goronyanyaya!”

“He passed! Let him be!” From the shadows, no other than the Lord of the Night himself, Nekomamushi jumped into view, pipe in mouth, grinning in a pleased manner. 

“But, sir, he hasn’t proved himself battle worthy!” The attacker who had his hand broken protested.

At this, Nekomamushi turned to face the guardian, giving him a firm and menacing look as he replied, “You broke your hand attacking him, what do you think will happen when he attacks you?”

“I… my apologies sir,” 

Nekomamushi laughed, his entire demeanor changing as he waved his guardian off, “It’s good, it’s good!” then, he turned his gaze on me, and grinned once again, “It seems that dumb dog didn’t ruin your talent!” 

I sighed, I had a feeling I would hear them insulting each other for the entire duration of my training.

“I learned a lot under his tutelage,” I replied, jumping off the tree.

“But you will learn twice as much from me!”