~ Thank you all very much for the support :)
The Waver was the primary mode of transportation on Angel Island. They said it took a decade to learn how to pilot one properly.
Nami, who wasn't even born yet, could hop on and ride around like a pro. Arthur didn't think his balance or skills were any worse than Nami's. Besides, after five years on Jaya, reading the ocean currents was second nature to him.
Heck, he'd even been a bit of a street racer in his past life, able to ride a motorcycle with no hands, easy.
Moreover, Arthur trained his body meticulously, focusing on control, not just brute strength. Brute force without technique was a recipe for disaster.
If he had a Waver in front of him right now, he could ride it like he'd been doing it his whole life!
He scratched at the fake bird wings on his back, frowning slightly, a headache brewing.
His least favorite thing was interacting with the Skypieans. But without interacting, how was he supposed to get his hands on a Waver?
"Thump-thump-thump-thump!"
A sound like a motorcycle engine grew closer, rousing Arthur from his thoughts.
His eyes lit up, a smile spreading across his face.
Talk about a stroke of luck! He was just thinking about how to deal with the locals and snag a Waver, and now, someone had delivered one right to him.
He sprang up from the soft island cloud sofa, hiding behind the pavilion, quietly observing the Skypiean approaching from the White-White Sea.
His far-reaching Observation Haki picked up the number of people and their conversation with ease.
"Captain Urouge, those God's Militia guys are too much. With your strength, becoming a captain should be a piece of cake. They actually refused you, the jerks."
There were two people on the Waver. One was huge, easily over eleven feet tall. He looked around twenty years old, rugged, with a thick beard. He had wings on his back.
The other was of average height, looking to be in his thirties. Yet, he called the twenty-something Urouge "captain."
"Urouge?" When Arthur heard this name, his heart skipped a beat.
From afar, he thought this huge guy looked familiar. It turned out to be Urouge! One of the future Worst Generation, one of the eleven Supernovas gathered at the Sabaody Archipelago. The captain of the Fallen Monk Pirates, with a bounty of 108 million Belly. Known as the "Mad Monk," he hailed from Sky Island. His crew called him "High Priest."
According to Arthur's memory, Urouge was indeed from Sky Island. The wings on his back were proof.
Not only that, but he was also a Devil Fruit user. The fruit's name was unknown. Its ability allowed him to convert damage received into increased size and strength. The more damage he took, the bigger and stronger he became.
In the future, twenty-nine years from now, he would even defeat one of Big Mom's Sweet Commanders.
Right now, it seemed Urouge hadn't obtained that fruit yet. Arthur was sure of it. If he had, wouldn't Urouge be challenging Gan Fall for the position of God?
A pirate captain bold enough to enter the New World and challenge a Yonko wouldn't lack ambition.
"Nah, it's fine. It doesn't matter if I become one of the God's Militia or not," Urouge said with a slight smile.
He was a monk. Whether he was happy, sad, or facing death, his expression never changed. He always smiled at the world.
Seeing that Urouge didn't care, the other guy on the Waver could only bottle up his anger.
"Thump-thump-thump-thump!"
The Waver crossed the White-White Sea, landing on the island cloud. It continued towards the heart of Angel Island without stopping.
Arthur was getting anxious. If he missed this chance to get a Waver, who knew how long he'd have to wait for another Skypiean to ride by on one. How could he let this perfect opportunity slip through his fingers?
A thought struck him. Arthur took the wings from his back and tossed them into the island cloud. He took off his shirt and covered his face. He jumped out from behind the pavilion, blocking the path leading to the residential area of Angel Island.
Rapid stomping generated a reaction force, propelling him forward. He vanished from his original spot. Before the two on the Waver could react...
A heavy punch landed on the man who was quietly fuming. It sent the unnamed Skypiean flying.
The Skypiean's physique was far inferior to Urouge's or Arthur's. He was knocked unconscious by the sudden blow.
His body dragged across the island cloud for a dozen feet, barely breathing.
He was as good as dead.
Urouge roared. He was still no match for his future self. Although he reacted to Arthur's sneak attack, he couldn't do anything else. He could only watch as his companion was killed, his smile frozen on his face.
"Vroooom—" The Waver's brakes screeched. Urouge stopped the vehicle. He picked up his dead companion. He slowly turned his head, his killing intent palpable.
"No wings, you're from the Blue Sea? Why are you attacking us?" Urouge asked Arthur, his smile still fixed on his face.
Arthur was unfazed. Killing one person didn't faze him. To achieve his goal, what did a few lives matter?
If obtaining the Rumble-Rumble Fruit required killing everyone on Sky Island, Arthur wouldn't hesitate.
"So what if I am? As for why I attacked... well, I just need to borrow something from you."
His face was covered by his shirt. Only his dark, piercing eyes were visible. His voice was cold and ruthless.
"Then you can go to hell and keep Abel company!" Urouge's expression was strange. His smile remained, but his eyes were filled with rage.
He was eleven feet tall, his imposing physique intimidating. He wasn't fast, but he moved with the ferocity of a tiger.
'Too slow. Compared to your future self, you're weak!' Arthur's Observation Haki was fully activated. He saw Urouge's every move.
His massive fist brought a fierce wind. Arthur didn't move. He tilted his head slightly, letting the enraged punch miss completely.
Observation Haki's ability to predict the enemy's moves made it impossible for someone without Haki, and who was slower, to land a hit.
Arthur took a step forward, grabbing Urouge's outstretched wrist with his left hand. His right fist was cocked. He punched Urouge's elbow joint.
Urouge's arm was broken. Arthur didn't stop there. He followed up with a sweeping kick, knocking Urouge to the ground.
That punch was originally aimed at Urouge's head. But Arthur was only thirteen, five feet tall. Unless he jumped, he couldn't reach. So, he settled for less, knocking Urouge down first!
~ Push the story forward with your Power Stones