Chapter 8: A power in the shadows meets a main character
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When I deemed my ship to be close enough to Shimotsuki village, I turned off the propellers and changed my appearance to that of an average mob merchant. Average looking formal clothes with an obese constitution, and a bald head along with a fine mustache was my choice for my new identity.
Of course, I also brought a few goods to trade and keep my act as a merchant, at least until I managed to know where the dojo Koushirou owned was.
When I arrived at the dock, it wasn't really as big as Loguetown's main dock, instead it was just a small one that seemed to be barely able to accommodate just a small number of ships. Fortunately, right now there weren't that many ships in the dock, so I managed to park my ship without any problems.
"Isn't this a bit empty?" I looked around the dock and saw a few fishers wandering around while carrying bags full of fish, and some people buying the fish, but that was it. Compared to Loguetown's Dock, where there were dozens of people wandering around it while visiting stores, butcheries, bakeries, or even just taking a walk across the dock, this place felt very empty for me.
After I left my ship, the people around the dock just gave me a small glance and then continued minding their business. As if they weren't really interested in my identity.
Huh... I guess my Merchant identity won't be that necessary, huh?
"Excuse me!" I called someone who seemed to be a guard of the dock.
"Could you please take care of my ship while I'm away? I don't want anyone intruding in my ship while I'm at the village..." I took out a few coins from my pocket to pay him for his services, to which he nodded happily.
"Sure, it's my job to observe the sea in case there are pirates approaching, however, I can also watch your ship, are you alone by the way?"
"Yeah, just me. So don't let anyone else besides me enter my ship while I'm away"
"Don't worry, I'll make sure no one enters your ship"
"Great"
After I said my goodbyes, I started following the path that guided towards Shimotsuki village, which by the way seemed to be filled with rice plantations everywhere.
While I was midway reaching the village, I entered a nearby forest and changed my appearance to that of a normal kid with similar but simpler facial features than my original face. The same red eyes and black hair than before, but this time with a boring looking face.
My appearance screamed Mob no matter how you looked at me.
After that I once again returned to the path towards the village, and continued walking for a few minutes more until I finally arrived.
"This village is smaller of what I thought... maybe finding the dojo won't be that hard after all..."
Just as I was about to use my observation haki to try and find the dojo, someone angrily shouted from behind me.
"Move out of the way!!"
When I turned back I saw a green haired kid with a grumpy expression like me running at full speed towards my way.
That's Zoro, huh...?
Of course, I could have dodged him, However, It was my duty as a Mob character to fall when a main character bumps into me. This situation is usually used in anime to show how much hurry does a character have by showing how he just doesn't care about the mobs that fall when he bumps into them. And now, it was my duty as a Power in the shadows to fall after he bumped into me.
You are reading story One Piece: To be a Power in the Depths at novel35.com
However, don't misunderstand, this task was by no means simple. In reality, it was a very complicated technique from the art of Mob-Fu that required you to calculate the exact position at which you should receive the impact, your balance when receiving the impact, the stability of your stance, your tone of voice when letting out your groan of pain, and the exact area in which you should fall to avoid disturb his running.
And finally, all these steps must be done perfectly, in order to make your presence completely forgettable by the main character, otherwise the situation might turn into a very dangerous one where your own Mob status is endangered into becoming related to a main character.
For example, let's say you accidentally fail to calculate at what exact position you should have been when receiving the impact... Then there's the possibility of accidentally resisting the bump with the said guy and not only failing to fall, but instead making the main character trip on you and fall in your instead.
Of course, there are many possibilities after that... Whether the main character yells at you angrily for being in his way, or he just apologizes and continues running without caring about you anymore, both of these options seem to be okay, however, reality is completely different.
Whether you run into the main character later, or maybe you just walk near him after the incident. The outcome will end undoubtedly being he saying:"Ah, You're the guy I bumped into before!" instead of: "Who is that guy...?"
That's why this is an incredibly difficult technique only experts in the art of Mob-Fu can master!
[Mob-Fu] Second series: Fall of Mobness!
*Thud*
"Argh!"
"Move out of the way!"
I fell to the ground helplessly and then turned to look at his departing back that had three bamboo kendo swords hanging from it with a dumbfounded expression.
"I guess I already know how to find the dojo..."
I stood back up and silently started following Zoro while secretly making up a false past so that they could accept me in their dojo like any other Mob kid.
My idea was simple, after entering the dojo I could tell them that my father is a merchant that came to pass his holidays at this village for some weeks. And whenever Koushirou asked to meet my father face to face, I could just tell him that my father is busy while in the day, but he can come in the afternoon just after the training ends. Finally, after that I could change my appearance to the merchant one, and then meet Koushirou.
"Kuina! I want a re-match!"
Hmm...? Oh, I arrived...
Although I was a bit far from the dojo, Zoro's loud voice could still be heard from here. So I immediately activated my observation haki to watch whatever was happening there.
As the power in the shadows that I am, I can't just enter the dojo just like that. I need to calculate the perfect moment to not cause any impression on any of them when entering.
For example, let's say I enter right now and both Zoro and kuina that were about to begin their duel get interrupted by me after saying I could like to join their dojo to learn swordsmanship... That could probably cause an impression of intrigue to just in the people that were expecting to see the duel, which is unbefitting the great Mob I am!
I need to enter stealthily enough so that no one actually notices my presence about me entering the dojo except from Koushirou, yet noticeable enough so that they don't mistake me as a ninja master that appeared behind them without them noticing.
Basically, I have to be unnoticeable due to my mobness, not because of my abilities.
"Alright, here we go!"
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