"Poor Poor Violet…But that's not even your name…Is it?" He said walking up to her. Looming above as the Lantern light casted large stretching shadows. "Azalea Raven."
The Name caused the woman to shudder, a bead of sweat rolling down her face as she looked up. The cold disposition cracking "Y-You knew?"
"Tch! Of Course I knew! ฿118,380,000 bounty's a hell of a lot to Overlook! Though, not as much as my own ฿170,900,000 Bounty…" He Boasted with a snarky grin "And Who else would get Hired for the Ability to Decipher the Ancient Text! Too bad though. The History will die with you" He gave a false pout.
Raven just grit her teeth as she listened. Thinking to herself. 'I knew I was too clumsy. Of course he knew! Why wouldn't he know…
"Well…It's been nice knowing you! Ah-hahaha…" He chuckled that deep baritone laugh as he turned to walk.
But Something stopped him again. And it was the power of the dying woman behind him. It was a noise, it was getting closer. Louder. They were quick, and coming close.
Hornigold looked up to the Main archway of the far entrance.
It was Someone running. Running right for Hornigold Rackham.
'Move! Move!' Leroy screamed to himself. He couldn't hear or see anything. Everything around him was dark, like a cloud of black encompassing his very being. A sheer, utter void.
His breathing was becoming harder and harder to achieve. The little air pocket that he had ran out the minute Hornigold left, leaving him to asphyxiate alone. Defeated yet again.
"Fuck! Damnit C'mon !C'mon!' He screamed internally as he attempted to move his muscles, but with them forced into place and with such weight upon them in such a disadvantageous position. Soreness and pain roared through him at every moment he attempted to move.
The Audacious Captain attempted to put as much effort into the task as he could. And yet, with every passing moment, it became more and more fruitless with his Oxygen being sapped and thieved from him by his muscles in the Desperate attempt to fuel him
'My muscles…My body. All my En-Energy…' He could barely string two thoughts together into a coherent sentence in his internal monologue 'It's all, F-Fai-Failings me…!'
Moments continued to pass. Minutes. Far past any normal amount a Human would be able to hold their breath. His vision began to produce stars as he attempted to stay as conscious as possible, head becoming light, dizziness and nausea taking over.
Many more seconds passed as the Captain continued to walk the precipice of unconsciousness. His mind racing with thoughts, body wracked with anxiety as the realization of the idea that again, within mere days, he might just…
Die
'I'm go-going to die…Aren't I? I'm never gonna see the crew again…Azar…Kirk…Kále…Jeanne…Noir…Dezzi…Mamtha…Granpa…Sparrow!'
Tears began to well into the Captain's eyes as he felt as though he was on the cusp of tears and sheer utter failure. He hadn't come thisclose to grasping the cold skeletal hands of death, even when he was left bleeding on the Ground. There was a sense back then that he was going to be okay. But now-
For the Strangest of reasons, he began to smile. Even encased in gold, he felt his flex into what would be a smile. 'Ha…Hahaha…I'm going to die. Maybe. Hornigold was right…'
Moments passed as he contemplated the Idea before suddenly being shot away, like a hand ripping away a cloud to show the sun. 'No! He was wrong! I'm the Man Who's going to become king of the Pirates! And like Hell I'll be put down this…Easily!' He utterly screamed internally.
They say when a person is close to death. At the stairway that leads to the Gates of the underworld. A person's life Flashes Before their eyes.
Leroy thought back to his Past, the days where he would stay inside with Mamtha. The Days he'd Go Explore with Azar and Sara. The days he'd be trained to the bone, all the good, and all the bad. The days he'd cry, the nights he'd smile. Memories of Sparrow flooding in, even if he'd only known him for a few months that man shone bright like all the others.
Then there was the Day that Sara Died, The Day Azar left. But then, there was also something else. Something that pierced through the already shining light in a ray of brilliance
His First Day on the Sea. Then when he met Kirk during the Storm of Shells Town and When he Agreed to become his Navigator. His First interaction with Jeanne and How she Joined the Crew and with that Acquiring their Ship the Horizons Palm.
He then Remembered the Moment he Freed Kále from his Cell. The Meal on the Rose Arbor and Noir Agreeing to join them and set sail. And when he saw Dezzi's Face for the first time, and when they agreed to Join the crew.
But there was the Bad too. Ruger, Frock, The Trafficking Ring, Káles Defeat and Close call, Kirks departure, The Entirety of Shells and how the Marines on their tail. Cactus and His first defeat…And the Destruction and Close call of Drumvolc.
But above even those. Were the Actions and Words. Sparrow giving him his Sash. 'His astonishment at the ingenuity of Jeanne when she Made the Jolly Roger. Noirs Departure from the Rose Arbor and the Thanking of Ducasse.
Dezzi's realization of Leroy and Just who he was. 'Thank you.' The Words spoken by Kirk and The Downfall of Barnum. Then there was Káles Declaration 'Is that Okay? King of The Pirates!?'
All of it Fueled him to move past the Pain and Suffering that wracked his body as his soul nearly was consumed by the Valley of Death, and he Willed his Muscles to Move!
Force Pushed against the Golden plating, his teeth gritting against one another! 'C'mon!' He bellowed! It took moment but it felt like an eternity when finally, CRACK! The sound of Snapping Metal! Pressure against it causing it to deform! "Hrng! AHHH!"
SNAP, CRACK! TH-RACK! The Sounds of the Gold totally giving away vibrated through his very being as he forced himself free! First was his arms!
Shattering from the Precious metal, the outside shell giving way, letting beams of light shine against his Gold Plated face as it to began to crack, the light of the dim outside world piercing through the darkness, shattering and falling away! "HRNG!"
That's when the weight of the Massive orb of gold on his back began to make itself present, with the outside shell no longer bearing its weight! "Huff…Huff…" Leroy panted hard, veins bulging in his face as slammed his hands into the golden surface of the Sphere.
With a few more forceful pushes, his legs cracked through their encasement and caused the surrounding pieces of gold to be pushed away with heavy force! Clattering hard against the sandstone. All that was left was his Torso.
KA-RAK! The Gold shattered around his torso, Freeing himself in totality. Only Problem now was the Giant Ball of Gold he had bearing against his arms and shoulder, tilting his head forward. With a final Pushes of astonishing force that he could taste blood in his mouth from pushing against his teeth so harshly, he threw the Golden Ball!
It landed with such a mighty crash so hefty that it cratered the ceiling and fell through the roof! Then cratered against the floor of the level below!
"HAHH!!!" Leroy let out a primal scream as clenched his fist out to the side, his head tilted back as he bellowed so loud that the entire Town Square behind them had to pause for moment amongst the war as they heard it! Almost as though they were all frozen from a sheer presence!
"HORNIGOLD! ! !"