One Piece : Rise Of The Merchant Clan

A young teen with dark hair and deep blue eyes, was finishing studying with a serious expression a book on medicine.

"I guest I'm coming to the end of what I can gain here." He said as he looked around the library, gently closing the book he was reading.

For the past four years he stayed down in the dungeon/library, he'd been pleasantly surprise that they hadn't bother in finding a replacement for him. This cult was being lead by a truly ignorant individual, as a consequence the member became a bunch of morons. They had exceeded any expectation he had on them being semi functional, hell at this point he consider the fact that they still existed a miracle. He figure that they had some kind of backing, or they we're just plain lucky.

The knowledge they had down here was definitely ban from the public, so he was certain that they at the very least had protection from one of the celestial familly. His best guest was, some celestial kid decide to play puppet master. His dad probably called the marine to let them know, giving orders in ignoring this sad play. So he figure that he had about as long as whoever run this place, got bored and found something else to amuse himself with. As for the rest of the cult, they were no doubt the scape goat prepared in advance.

During his time down in the library he soak up everything he could, first he focus on anatomy. Learning how the whole body function, by manipulating his power he could increase his own body. On paper it wasn't much, but if he added up all those little upgrades the result was a superhuman base form. He found that his body could potentially be boosted by ten time a healthy trained marine base form. But for now he still had to be careful, if needed he could push himself in that stat. The backlash he would suffer would last 48hrs of not being abel to move a muscal.

Zen had found that his power had a impressive passive, just like Edward L Centrum, had gone trough his body adapted a little to excessive tempering. Edward had cut himself over a year, the answer his passive gave him, was the ability to shoot blood trough a new vein created just for that. He also found that their are limits, when he grew his nails, he tried over a long period in making some bone claws come out. Unfortunately his body refuse this mutation, he could still grow his nails. The only down side was he then had to cut his nails himself, using outside tools or breaking them on a wall or something, their wasn't any retraction function.

Zen had tweak his body in every possible way. His potential for growth was un match, of course to see all that result would still take years. But if he was to compare just his physical body against the world, very few could match it.

His mind also went trough an upgrade, he tried to give himself photographic memory. He was disappointed in finding out that it wasn't possible, and frankly it turn into more trouble then it was worth. So instead he settle on a mind that had heighten senses, plus store memory and knowledge, if he wanted to go over something he'd seen or read, he just entered his mind palace to peruse until he was satisfy.

He had tried to increase his mind by using more of it, just like that movie about that girl who got high on a drug an by the end became a sort of god. Sadly he found he wasn't able to go to far, but he could bypass his limits for a time in exchange he would be in a vegetable state for a few hours.

He also recorded how to train haki, all tree form. Now he wasn't even sure if he had conqueror haki, but he figure it couldn't hurt having it. He also found a guide for Rokushiki, the main issue he had with both haki and rokushiki, was that sadly his body was just not up to it. In the guide it explain that one could train all these technique at a young age, the requirement was for one to take certain mixture of herbs order for the body to recover. Zen did realize that his body might not need this mixture, but he was still vague on if his body could take the strain without any consequence.

"Even with all my training, my body can only take, tree times boost for now. Sigh! The potential I have for growth is monstrous, but on the other hand, the training i need to get there is even more so." Zen had given up any delusion of quick power up, this devil fruit power seem to go the route of slow and steady. In exchange the limit of this devil fruit, if given enough time would shake the world, once he unleash his full potential.

"Im going to miss this place." Zen looked around, for the past four years he had train and tested his power with almost no interference. A few time he even snuck out, for food, the amount he ate far surpass what was ration out to him every week. He even manage to make some money on the side.

"To bad that whoever protected this place should soon be abandon it. Can't even take one book, or else they'll hunt me down even harder. Ok time to go, got to find a new place." Zen got up, he remove his occults robe. He clean up the place one last time, and made his way to the staires. Making sure on his way, that he had nothing that could mark him as a member of this cult of sad misguided individuals.

Zen stop in his tracks as he heard hurried steps coming his way. His hearing had twice the range as a normal persone. He frown, with a sigh, he hurried back to the desk, putting the robe back on, he sat down and waited for his guest. As he was plotting how to get his visitor to leave quickly. He spotted the man hurrying down the stairs as if all hell was behind him.

"That not good." He mumble to himself.

"Quick, you need to hide me!" The man said, as he was gasping trying to catch his breath, his eyes scanning his surrounding in a panic. Bob really didn't want to be here, but right now this might be his only chance.

The old librarian had been a violent, sadistic, pervert, but the new librarian. Well he was a exercise nut, at first it didn't sound too bad, that is until someone started to interact with him. Any time anyone wanted to get anything from this library. Zen would force the person in joining in his workout routine. Oh one could easily refuse, then Zen would give them the cold shoulder.

He would ignore any future interaction, stubbornly refusing to help. That was until the person cave and did the workout from hell. Trying to find anything in this library, was difficult since the person who had built it. Had a terrible sense of direction, in the end the library turn into a maze. It could take weeks in finding anything, luckily their was a map, unfortunately the only person who had access to it was the librarian. So most just gave up and did the crazy workout, just to limp away, swearing to never return down in that hell.

"Why? Are you here for a..." Zen started in a grumbling tone as if he was in a bad mood.

"They're no time! You f.u.c.k.i.n.g quack, their are coming here! You need to hide me now. Look il do all the workout you need just hide me please." Bob yelled in panic and stress. He grab Zen robe as he shook him, or at least he tried.

Zen looked down at the man unmoving, as Bob move back and forth under his own power, as he tried to shake Zen. An eyebrow from Zen went up, this was serious, something was going on and it looked like he was the last to know. He had a sinking feeling in his gut, but he had to be sure.

"Ok, calm down, follow me." Zen said in his most calming commanding voice. He then got up, the motion took the other man by surprise as he stumble back and nearly fell.

Bob would have yelled at him normally, but right now he needed to hide, in the deepest hole he could find. He just nodded and quickly keep pace with the muscle for brains.

As Zen lead the way, he tried asking question. But the man keep quiet, rounding a turn Zen figure if he wanted answer, he would have to force them out. He stop, the other man bump into him.

"Why did you stop? Were wasting time you need to bring me into hidding." Bob said, his voice was urgently filled with panic, his face had cold sweat coming down, on his head and spine. He was twitching nervously, as if he was expecting a sudden attack.

Zen turn and stared at the man. There was a menace in his eyes, he was barely taller then the man. Maybe an inch or two, but the way he looked at the man he seem larger.

Bob took an unconscious step back. "Wh.....wha.....what are you doing?" His voice tremble as he had a sudden foreboding feeling of dread.

"Tell me what going on now." Zen said in his best threatening voice.

"What do....do...you mea.." Bam!

Zen shove his left fist into the man gut, even before he could finish. He could feel his fist impact the poor sob, an unease feeling came over him. For all his tough talk, he was still uncomfortable bullying weaker people. He much prefer a good fight, but just because he didn't like it, didn't mean he wouldn't do it, if the situation called for it. He had tried asking question nicely, but the guy had clamp up. And if his gut feeling was right, then he needed to know now.

Zen bend down closer to the man, the man was on ground coughing in pain. "Il ask one more time, if you don't tell me what going on. If you stay silent or try saying something else, beside answering my question. Il start breaking your fingers then your thumbs, your toes will be next. In short, il keep hurting you, until you tell me what I want to know. So again, what is going on?" As Zen said the last part, he grab the man right hand and brought it up to him. All the while his face reman blank, leaving nothing for the man to read into.

"Please don't, you needed to hi...." Crack! "Aaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhh! You fuc....." Crack! "Aaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhh!" Bob scream in pain, tear and snot came down. The pain was to much, he wouldn't resist anymore.

"Now looked what you did, I had to break two fingers. Sigh, looked I'm really trying to be nice here. You need to help me friend. Okay, so once more from the top. Whats going on?" Zen spoke in a almost bore tone. Only he knew, that he was using his power in masking the shaking in his voice.

"The marines, they are coming, to kill use all! Now please don't hurt me anymore."

Zen release the man hand, as Bob curl up in pain cradling his broken fingers. Muffle sobs could be heard coming from him. Zen push down his emotion, he couldn't allow any time for self loathing or surprise he needed to move.

"Well shit." Zen got quickly back up, he started running toward the exit, he need to escape fast. He Just hope that whoever was coming wasn't to strong. Hell he couldn't even use any haki yet. He just prayed that, who ever was the clean up crew, that was coming didn't have a to strong or clever commander. It would be best if he could slip by unnoticed by everyone. But with his luck, it would no doubt turn into a shit show.