Separating from Luffy and Zoro, Leo's journey turned out far more peaceful than expected.
On the third day of his voyage in search of adventure and perhaps a prosperous town, Leo arrived at an uninhabited island. It was small, devoid of any visible human civilization, yet with nothing better to do and supplies to restock, Leo stepped ashore.
Climbing to the highest peak among the four hills, he surveyed the island, searching for signs of life while studying its layout. From above, the land resembled a bear's paw and that was when he noticed it.
Smoke rising in the distance.
By the time he reached it, he found a group of six tribal figures gathered around a fire, roasting animal meat. Their instincts were sharp; they sensed him almost immediately, turning toward the outsider observing them from afar.
Leo had expected hostility, an attack for trespassing, but what he saw instead twisted his expression into one of disgust.
They licked their lips, saliva dripping, these weren't ordinary tribesmen.
They were cannibals.
Their clothes were crude and mismatched, likely stripped from past victims and the broken weapons in their hands told the same story.
Yet despite their savage appearance, they moved with coordination, some form of wild martial art honed for survival.
They attacked Leo without thinking.
Three minutes later, all six of them lay at Leo's feet, their heads shattered, their bodies no longer a threat to any helpless soul that might drift ashore.
Leo didn't dwell on it.
He ate some of the roasted meat they had prepared, hunted a little more for himself, and spent the night in a cave on the island. By morning, having found nothing else of interest, he left the island.
Taking out the map he had stolen from Garp's ship, Leo set his course toward the next nearest marked island, Sixis Island.
But as it came into view, the sea turned violent.
Waves rose without warning, diamond-like coral formations jutted above the water surface, tearing into the ship's hull splintering it. Massive whirlpools formed and collapsed unpredictably, dragging anything nearby into the depths.
Leo wasn't an experienced navigator, but even he could tell, If he kept going like this, the ship wouldn't last.
The vessel he had stolen from Alvida was not particularly sturdy to begin with. By the time he finally escaped the worst of the chaos, the ship had already taken significant damage. The patched hole beneath the hull had loosened again, letting seawater seep inside.
'Travelling alone is such a drag… you have to do everything yourself…'
Letting out a quiet sigh, Leo guided the battered ship into a shallow stretch of water. Without wasting time, he climbed below the deck to repair the damage.
He remained beneath the hull for half an hour, focused on the repairs, when suddenly the sharp crack of cannon fire rang through the air.
"What is it this time… Marines again?" Leo muttered. "Well, unless it's Garp, that might actually be good news. I can just take their sturdy ships and ditch this thing."
Stopping his repair work, Leo slowly surfaced, keeping himself low as he peeked over the edge of the deck.
An unusually long Marine ship approached his, its sides lined with large paddle wheels and rows upon rows of cannons. The World Government's insignia was emblazoned across its sail, yet it looked nothing like a typical Marine vessel.
'What mess have I gotten myself into this time…'
Slipping back beneath the deck, Leo moved quietly and watched through a small hole in the wood wall as the ship drew closer.
Soon, four Marines boarded his vessel.
Armed with swords and rifles, they began searching every corner. It didn't take long before they found five bags full of berries inside the cabin.
Leo stayed hidden.
He slipped into his shark Sub-Ski and crawled into a hidden compartment he had built behind the rear seat. The treasure was pushed forward to fill the visible space, while his smaller frame fit perfectly into the concealed section. He shut it tight, holding his breath.
Two of them moved below deck while the other two remained above, scanning the edges of the ship, watching for any sign of movement.
"What is this weird vessel?" one Marine asked.
"It looks damaged, but I've never seen anything like it, not even in the Grand Line," the other replied, inspecting it closely. "Look… I think it can even dive underwater, if we can get it working."
"Hey, there's treasure inside!" The first Marine peered through the darkened glass panel, then began smashing it open, with repeated strikes.
Inside the compartment, Leo clenched his jaw, silently cursing them.
They examined every part of the vessel, even trying to force open the hidden section but it held firm.
Soon, the noise drew the remaining Marines below deck.
Together, they hauled the shark-like vessel up onto the deck.
"Hm… the captain's going to like this," a higher-ranking Marine said, eyeing it with interest. "He wants it taken aboard, along with the treasure. But are you sure you didn't find anyone?"
"There's no one," one of the soldiers replied.
The officer frowned slightly and inspected the entire ship himself, but found nothing at all while Leo thought.
'Berries bag with the Marines — check.'
'Treasure inside the Shark Sub-Ski — check.'
'Devil Fruit and dagger in my pocket — check.'
Peering through a small hole he had carved into the vessel's body, Leo watched as the Marines transferred the heavy Sub-Ski onto their ship. Moments later, they turned their canons toward his broken pirate ship, the one he had stolen from the pirate Alvida and destroyed it without hesitation.
"No… my pirate ship…"
The voice came from somewhere on deck. Leo heard it clearly, but from his cramped position, he couldn't see who had spoken.
"Silence, pirate. Speak again and you'll regret it," a Marine snapped only to stiffen abruptly and salute to the incoming captain.
"Tap… tap… tap…"
The sound of footsteps descending the stairs echoed across the deck.
"So this is the vessel you were talking about?" the man said, his tone filled with disappointment.
"Nothing but a piece of trash. You should've thrown it into the sea after taking the treasure."
Inside the compartment, Leo's heart began to race, but he forced himself to stay still, choosing to observe a little longer.
"We apologize, Captain! We thought if we could repair—"
The bullet shot rang out before the marine could finish the sentence.
The Marine collapsed to the deck holding his bleeding stomach while Leo's eyes widened.
The captain hadn't used a gun, he had fired something with his finger.
'A Devil Fruit ability? No… something else, too fast. I couldn't even track it…'
"Lock him below with the rest of the prisoners." the captain said coldly, deciding the marines fate on a whim.
"Send him with the other prisoners to Tequila Wolf labour camp. He can work on the bridge for the rest of his miserable life. I have no use for an incompetent fool on this ship who can't find an enemy hidden in plain sight."
The man was old probably in his 40s or more, his body aged yet tall and solid.
"How long do you plan to keep hiding, Rat?" his voice cut through the air. "Or should I tear that junk apart and drag you out myself?" Leo's eyes widened.
A moment later, he burst out laughing.
Walking out of the hidden compartment, he stepped out into the open.
"What kind of trash luck is this? Running into old fossils like you one after another…"
Leo glanced at the strangely long, paddle-driven World Government ship. It was far larger than a normal vessel, more like the pirate motherships he had seen in newspapers.
Prisoners lined half the deck, bound in cuffs, their faces filled with hopelessness as Marines stood guard around them.
Leo didn't need to look below deck to know the rest, this wasn't just a ship, it was a transport for prisoners.
"You... you stole my ship! How dare—"
The woman's voice cut off abruptly as a soldier silenced her with a brutal shove from the butt of his rifle, but her eyes, burning with pure hatred, never left Leo.
Clad in a white bikini and an unbuttoned shirt, she stood out among the other prisoners.
"Lady, I don't even know who you are." Leo replied flatly, dismissing her without a second thought, he turned his attention back to the old man.
"Hm…" The captain studied him calmly. "You're the boy from the newspaper a few days ago? The one captured by Garp, I see you managed to escape."
His gaze shifted briefly to Leo's wrists, still bound in seastone cuffs.
"Does it make you feel any better knowing who kicked your ass?" Leo said.
At once, the surrounding Marines raised their guns, aiming straight at him.
"Stand down," the captain ordered, lifting a hand. "I'll deal with him myself." A slow, unsettling grin spread across his face.
"I heard a rumor that a Celestial Dragon has placed a bounty on capturing you alive in the black market. Seems they've taken quite a liking to that pretty face of yours. I was annoyed when Garp got to you first… but now? You've come to me yourself.. How could I let an opportunity like this slip away?."
Leo's own smile twisted, something darker surfacing behind it.
"Good. I've been wanting to take my frustration out on someone like you… though I doubt you'll survive when I'm done with you, Marine."
The moment the words left his mouth, the old man vanished.
"Shave."