Seaside System - Chapter 11.1 (Patreon)

Nami watched as the blonde former marine hopped off the glittering orange cloud he was riding on and then stared gobsmacked as he pointed up…and the cloud rose high up into the sky out of sight.

"You said turning into a dragon and controlling elements," she noted, even if she didn't believe him, "What's with the clouds?"

"They're just part of being a dragon," he gave her a cheeky grin, "Dragons don't fly. They run through the air on clouds." he said as he began walking towards Arlong Park

"That explains absolutely nothing," Nami rolled her eyes drily, he was trying to be smart she assumed. Though it at least gave her an idea of how they worked she supposed, "If you can turn into a giant dragon like you said you could and blow away an entire mountain, which I really don't believe by the way. Then why not just do it from here and blow away all of Arlong Park and all the fishmen at once?" she asked as her legs automatically began following him.

"I thought about that," he shrugged and turned to look over his shoulder at her with a grin, "But Arlong Park is a pretty awesome looking place admittedly, he might be an utter weakling and failure as a pirate but he's got some serious skill as an architect. I'll make this place into a holiday home or something. Besides, if I did that, I'd destroy all the treasure Arlong probably has hiding there."

Nami paused.

That was very sound logic, she couldn't deny. Very smart of him. He went up a few notches in her book from thinking that far ahead alone.

It did bring her curiosity back about what he said earlier, about the devil fruits he had on hand and how casually he'd said it.

"…Just out of curiosity, how much cash are you sitting on, besides those crazy devil fruits?" she asked.

He stopped and raised an eyebrow at her, and for a moment, Nami thought she'd overstepped, before he shrugged, "A bit over three hundred million beri, and like thirty million in bounties I've picked up over the last few days in the East Blue," Kaden shrugged, "A decent amount I suppose for now, but I've got plans for way more."

….Three hundred million raw cash? That was seriously bullshit! That was different from the devil fruits, she only had his word to go on and she obviously didn't know much at all about things like that. But raw cash was a completely different matter.

It made the casual way he talked about the prices of those devil fruits, way more believable in a way to her.

He continued on, walking towards Arlong Park and Nami could only just stare after him.

Ah.

She could feel jealousy stirring in her. Not just because of the money, even though that was a crazy amazing amount. In any other situation, she'd try her best to seduce it out of the kid, flash a little skin and dip before he realised what was going on.

But she felt…small wasn't the word. Lacking perhaps? Maybe. Lacking in comparison to the way he casually talked about such vast amounts of money, about the way he casually derided Arlong's strength.

The difference between him and her was obvious.

It was strength. It was power.

What he claimed to have in spades, she had not a lick of.

"Hey," she called after the blonde teenager, "Why do you want to be a Warlord?"

If she knew why he wanted to achieve his goal, could she maybe understand him more?

Kaden stopped once more, before shrugging, "A lot of reasons. I've got so much knowledge, I've got so many options open to me, but I'm also due for a lot powerful enemies as well. Becoming a warlord is just a stepping stone for me to get some breathing room to rise up enough where I can stand shoulder to shoulder with the very strongest in the world," he mused, before turning to look over his shoulder at her, "Beyond that, I'm a dumb idiot teenager that wants everything this world has to offer really. Money, power, gorgeous and amazing women like you and more, the finest things this world has within it."

The same position that the guy he claimed casually tossed Arlong out of his crew and sent him packing, and it was just a stepping stone to him huh? "Gorgeous, huh?" Nami laughed despite herself, she did like to think so, "But amazing? You've known me for all of ten minutes kid, you know nothing about me."

"I suppose, though I'd probably surprise you on that part," he grinned, "Eight years you said you'd been dealing with Arlong and his cronies right? And considering you were coming from his park and the guy is a massive racist towards humans, it means you must have some crazy talent that makes him overlook how much he hates humans. He enslaved you just like the rest of the people here, but I could feel your emotions remember? Hatred, longing, sadness for sure. But a fierce determination, and a will power that overshadows Arlong's own and his entire crews put together. You seem pretty damn amazing already. Considering that's only a small part of the package, you're probably a one in ten million kind of girl easily."

Despite herself, Nami felt her cheeks warm up a bit, "You're a bit of a sweet talker huh?" she snorted, "Sure you aren't just trying to get into my pants?"

"I mean, I do, but I wouldn't have the first clue in how to seduce an amazing babe like you," Kaden just laughed, "I'd probably just end up offering to buy my way into bed with you, cuz I've got no chance normally."

…Well considering how much money he had, and how desperate she was for money to free her village from Arlong, Nami was woman enough to admit for the right price, she would have done it.

"Well it wouldn't be cheap," Nami couldn't help but smirk, "I'm apparently pretty amazing, one in ten million and all that."

It was weird, but she felt herself getting totally caught up in the kids pace.

"Ten million an hour?" he offered her with a grin.

Eh?

She practically felt beri signs pop up in her eyes from the offer. This kid was seriously something else, just offering that crazy amount for an hour with her! If he offered to sleep with her before he dropped everything on her, they'd be having a completely different discussion right now.

God this kid really was an idiot, wasn't he?

"Arlong tormented me and my village for eight years, killed my mother in front of me and hundreds of others after forcing me to join his crew and branding me with his mark to make maps of the sea for him," she found her mouth moving on instinct, "If you really deal with him and his crew right here and now and free me and everyone else from his tyranny, and forget the money, I'll be your women if you want kid."

She was being utterly truthful. She would be forever grateful, and at the same time, he'd opened her eyes to what seemed to be a whole new world far beyond what she was accustomed to.

With this kid…she could be free from Arlong, and she may even be able to accomplish that long forgotten dream of hers. To map out the entire world.

Kaden was silent for a moment, before shaking his head, "Amazing as that sounds, no," he denied bluntly, "A night is one thing. But, being my woman? I'd prefer you to do it willingly and want to do it. A relationship built on me doing this to make you my woman would never be genuine. You wouldn't be free at all, and that pisses me off. I already decided on my way here, that even if the cons outweigh the pro's for me, I couldn't stand the innocent people here suffering and not being free like me."

Nami blinked, stunned silent by his denial of literally what he just said he wanted handed to him on a silver platter, willing to please him anyway he wanted.

Because her being free and wanting to do it, mattered? Because it wouldn't be genuine?

…Was the kid who seriously said he wanted money, power and gorgeous women a literal romantic at heart? That was so weird.

Smirking at her gaping at him, the boy turned on his heel and proceeded in his walk towards Arlong park, reaching the massive multiple ton and heavily decorated gate that lead into it-

Before swinging out his fist.

And Nami's eyes almost bugged out of her head as with a thunderous boom the gate was torn straight off the hinges and multiple tons of metal was sent flying inwards of Arlong Park.

…He wasn't lying about his physical strength at all.

She caught sight of Arlong sitting at his 'throne' which was really little more than a white reclining beach chair, Chew and Kuroobi were standing on either side of them and she heard a multitude of voices shouting.

"So you're Arlong, right?" Kaden grinned at the massive fishman clad in a yellow hawaiin shirt.

Arlong, didn't seem all that bothered at all, "Indeed I am," he smirked back at Kaden, "And who might you be filthy little hu-"

That was as far as Arlong got in his words before Kaden outright disappeared from Nami's vision and then a split moment later, appeared in front of him, his fist smashing into Arlong's jaw with so much force he was bodily lifted up and sent flying over thirty feet, slamming into the thick marble white wall on the other side of Arlong Park….and then going right through it as if it were made of paper mache with a thunderous boom, tons of debris raining into the air from the force his body smashed through it with.

"Arlong!" Chew's eyes widened in shock, and Nami's were not far behind him as she gaped at the boy.

…Had he just moved so fast he'd disappeared?!

"You little bastard of a hu-" Kuroobi roared and lunged towards the boy, but never got to finish.

In a flash that Nami couldn't even see, one of the twin swords disappeared from the blonde teenagers back, and was suddenly in his hand.

And Kuroobi's head toppled from his neck in a shower of blood.

And then Kaden moved again, so fast Nami couldn't see anything of him, only as Chew's body suddenly backflipped through the air and then was slammed with incredible force into the ground with concrete shattering force.

Only then did she notice a moment later, Kaden had his forearm wrapped around the tall fishman's neck, and had…clotheslined him with it and smashed him into the ground?

Either way, Chew went limp and unmoving.

…Nami thought he might have been dead. Did Kaden just break his neck!?

Swallowing heavily, Nami couldn't tear her eyes away and found herself creeping towards the entrance to get a closer look and peer around it, just out of the way.

"You filthy little human bastard how dare you….." Arlong came stomping back through the hole he made in the wall around Arlong Park, only to trail off and stare wide eyed at the bodies of Chew and Kuroobi, "Chew!? Kuroobi! No, what have you done to my brethren human!?"

"Nothing more than they deserve," Kaden shrugged as he flicked his sword, Kuroobi's blood flicking off it and splattering against the ground, "And the same thing I'm about to do to you, weakling. You're an absolute disgrace to Fisher Tiger's name and he's been rolling in his grave for eight long years for the actions you've pulled. I'm here now to free the poor people you've been tormenting, take your filthy head and let Fisher Tiger get the proper rest he deserves."