[2200 words]
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[The Very Next Day]
A huge operation unfolded following the events at G-2.
A large meeting at Marineford, accounting for all the top-level marines in action.
Fleet Admiral Kong stood at the head of the table. Big names such as Admiral Kurowashi, Vice Admiral Garp, Admiral Candidate Zephyr, Director of the MCIS Hakuchō and Great Inspector Tsuru were all present.
Sengoku's transponder snail sat at the center, burrowing into the wooden table from the tension that filled the room like a wet blanket.
"Tell me once more what happened at G-2."
The afroed snail answered immediately, keeping his reply concise, "On the thirty-first of January, a raid took place at Grand Line Branch Two. It accounted for six pirates of the Rocks Crew, exclusively their Fourth Division."
"Under the command of the Sin Incarnate, they freed the guinea pigs: Arai and Kaido, laid waste to G-2, and left Basara in critical condition, even costing him an eye."
Kong sat perfectly still—his body made no movements yet his eyes were shot open, seething in anger.
"And what delayed your arrival? Wasn't Raito's ability enough to catch them off-guard?" he questioned with a grim air.
The man across the snail returned a defeated sigh, "I met an obstacle in the shape of Patrick Redfield, he left clones of Roger, Whitebeard and Basara and flew away."
A vein popped in the Fleet Admiral's forehead. "Redfield, that elegant bastard has a knack for pissing me off!"
.
"Ahem, Kong-san," the Admiral cleared his throat. "I also crossed paths with Phantom of Cipher Pol, he was there under Xerxes' orders."
The commanding officer gnashed his teeth, mumbling a low growl under his breath. "Xerxes, another bastard always snooping around without any prior warnings… And, did Phantom tell you anything?"
"According to Phantom, the Sin Incarnate now wields the destructive power of a Supreme Blade, Added to the nature of his ability and being son to the God of War makes him an unignorable threat."
*Bam!* Zephyr lightly slammed his metal arm, exclaiming, "I agree! That pirate is on a path to becoming a threat equaling that of Rocks!"
"What do you think, Tsuru?" Kong asked the sole woman.
The woman eyed a paper sheet listing a few events, analyzing the fine details.
"The young pirate has been involved in many world-shaking events in the past couple of years. Mora Island, Encephala Island, Amethyst Kingdom & G-4, Jaya and now G-2. I agree, the World Threat Index needs updating."
Kong slowly nodded, expressing his agreement.
.
Masao, aka Kurowashi, pointed out another problem, "This failure, alongside many, has left a vacuum of troops, whittling away our numbers and budget; let alone an incapacitated Admiral. If not for the deal with Fulcrum, we would be in far more trouble."
The Fleet Admiral naturally knew of this as well. "I have called the Five Elders and they agreed to increase our budget and announce a World Military Draft immediately!"
"Masao, go island to island, I want you to express your 'Elegant Justice' and garner as much favour with the people as you can."
The dark-clothed Kurowashi nodded, accepting the task.
"Tsuru, call the World Economy News Paper. Although we cannot stop them from reporting the incident, inform them that keeping their newspapers marine-friendly is in their best interest."
Kong continued, showcasing why he was deemed a Fleet Admiral in the first place, "Hakuchō, increase the number of informants at Hachinosu, I want to know everything they're up to!"
He then stood up and addressed the table, "Everyone, I need your full support for what's to come, the seas show no signs of calming down!"
"Yes sir!" they loudly responded.
"..."
Kong's brows twitched and a vein popped across his forehead. He glared at the one person who seemed to be in his world, a Vice Admiral who had been doing nothing but munch away at rice crackers.
"Garp! You brat, did you hear a single thing I just said!?"
The heroic marine paused his eating and shared a thought, "Hmm, I just realized that the Sin Incarnate kid likes to take away body parts when he defeats marines. Isn't that right, Zephyr? Bwahahaha!"
The purple-haired Vice Admiral just shook his head in dissatisfaction, "If you weren't always so mad to hunt Roger then maybe the threat of the Rocks Pirates would be less glaring to us!"
The clean-shaven Garp shrugged—what went in one ear came out the other. The only sense he was currently using was taste, one thirsty for more rice crackers with tea.
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[Pirate Paradise of Hachinosu]
A bad day for the Navy was a day of celebration for the scum of the seas. The only way the Rocks Pirates celebrated was in blood!
Rivers of red flowed through the dusty ground of the Beehive Island, soaking the air in a red mist while adding a tint of crimson to the nearby seas, inviting many monstrous sea creatures to feast.
A man with long blue braids licked the blood from his rapier, enjoying the metallic taste. "Kruh-yayaya! Look at that, the bounty of the Fourth Division is rivalling the top three divisions with just seven members!"
His crazed eyes were locked on the rotten board that was pinned with fresh bounties. It was one of the many bounty bulletins littered through the Pirate Paradise, not for pride, but to add targets to their fellow comrades.
It was simply another reason to stab a fellow companion in the back.
"Just the lowest bounty is over a hundred million!" A bald man howled with a manic grin.
-----< WANTED >-----
< DROGA⋅PABLO >
< 'Drug Lord' >
< 𝔅 111,000,000 - >
< DEAD or ALIVE >
-----< WANTED >-----
< ARAI >
< 'Stone Serpent' >
< 𝔅 154,000,000 - >
< DEAD or ALIVE >
-----< WANTED >-----
< MAJIN >
< 'The Rampage' >
< 𝔅 179,000,000 - >
< DEAD or ALIVE >
-----< WANTED >-----
< IGNIO⋅KAEN >
< 'The Inferno' >
< 𝔅 193,000,000 - >
< DEAD or ALIVE >
-----< WANTED >-----
< VOYD⋅NOMU >
< 'True Pirate' >
< 𝔅 215,000,000 - >
< DEAD or ALIVE >
------------------------
[Muerta Bar]
"Jihahaha! Eat up fellas, things are about to get wild!"
"Ma-Ma-Mam-Ma! This cake isn't half bad! How much blood did they add?"
Dozens of clinks echoed through the rotten establishment, splattering the rusty floors with fresh booze.
The legendary Golden Lion had put together the jolly atmosphere for a few days now, all in hopes of preparing for the future hell they would wrought.
It was so boisterous that the Evil Spirit Charlotte Linlin had come too, ordering a mind-numbing amount of sweet treats.
.
*Bang!* The sorrowful doors opened, inviting a gasping burly man with an orange buzzcut. With another thud, he fell to his knees in front of the drunk Shiki.
The golden-haired man chuckled at the pathetic state of his subordinate and asked, "What's got you all riled up?"
"L-Lord Shiki… look here…!" He pulled out a newly printed paper.
Shiki placed his giant jug of saké and grabbed the papers with a hint of intrigue.
"!!!" His eyebrows were raised to his forehead showcasing his surprise which was enough to drop the cigar tucked at the edge of his lips.
"What the hell is this!?"
A few other pirates reached for the tray of newspapers which were being updated by a worker-slave, each thirsty for the news.
"The Raid at G-2!" a man echoed the headlines, jaw-dropped.
There were many visuals of the mighty base going from a beacon of authority to a sea of ruins, slowly sinking into an enormous crater.
"Oye, Oye, the Mountain was surmounted!?"
Basara's miserable corpse-like state was also unveiled, a picture Damien had personally sent to Morgans.
A larger-than-life woman licked her lips, "The Seventh Division's Commander was also released, hehe, looks like Hachinosu is 'bout to get cheerful!"
-----< WANTED >-----
<KAIDO >
< 'Hundred-Beast' >
< 𝔅 961,110,000 - >
< DEAD or ALIVE >
------------------------
"Shy of a billy, they must really hate him for stealing those Heavenly Tributes!"
.
The voluptuous Linlin cackled at the sight of the papers, "Ma-Ma-Mam-Ma! Who cares about that idiot Kaido, I'm more interested in this one!"
A strand of desire washed by the woman's orange eyes—a grievous look born out of greed.
-----< WANTED >-----
< ZENORA⋅INDRA >
< 'Hellspawn' >
< 𝔅 966,600,000 - >
< DEAD or ALIVE >
------------------------
Indra's bodily markings were called into question once more by the papers, leaving the ever-hungry Linlin enraptured by the revelations.
"I thought it was just some nonsense in his previous bounty but after that day…"
A memory came to the giant woman's find. It was when she waltzed into the Fourth Division's headquarters five months ago and ran into the Evil Omen, now known as the Hellspawn, and some fresh fodder.
Indra's unshaken glare that had met Linlin left her impressed.
"Don't be fooled by these vultures of the newspaper, Linlin," came a dismissive voice from Shiki.
The Golden Lion looked at the caption of the 'Hellspawn' with disdain, "He shows no signs of activating his greatest power; don't forget, the Warborns were exterminated 25 years ago!"
The skimpily-dressed pirate grinned at the irate Shiki, easily spotting his frustration. "You're just angry that you lost the bet! Ma-Ma-Mam-Ma, Damien really slapped you in the face with this!"
Another bounty poster was slammed onto the wooden countertop under the titan's enormous hand. Its young figure seemed to be mocking the majestic Golden Lion with a signature pirate smirk.
-----< WANTED >-----
< EINAR⋅D⋅DAMIEN >
< 'Sin Incarnate' >
< 𝔅 2,487,600,000 - >
< DEAD or ALIVE >
------------------------
Shiki clenched his fists in recollection of the agreement made a month ago. His sharp eyes were studying the youthful Damien, spinning the gears in his head.
"Hehe, Indra will be hailed as another Tragedy under the no-good Rocks and Damien will be the Fourth Titan, there's nothing you can do about that!"
Linlin gulped down a five-layer cake, sheepishly enjoying the succulent taste.
"!!!" Then came a sound of liquid slapping the floor. It immediately silenced the jolly Muerta Bar.
The Evil Spirit felt some movement in her lower abdomen and shot up from her seat, "Hmm, my water broke at the right time…" she whispered, ready to give birth.
"I can't wait to get a refill with Damien's seed when he comes back!"
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[The 111th Branch Base in the West Blue]
A modest room with warm colours with a garden at its back. An orange carpet with two seats facing a wooden desk. At the other side was another chair, the chair of the commanding officer of the 111th.
The room was dimly lit with one light, barely enough to boast the landscape paintings on the sides, but just enough to show off the banner of "Merciful Justice."
The Marine at the head of the desk wore a black t-shirt and grey trousers with a marine coat draped over his shoulders, decorated in golden cuffs. He also had a buzzcut, stubble, and a few scars on his face.
"Captain Raiden, is it true that you met the Sin Incarnate in his younger years?" a childish voice asked.
The weathered man leaned into his seat, drawing his eyes away from the news. "That's right, Atlas. He came here many years ago."
The face of the bold and ambitious young lad came to Raiden's mind, followed by the endless news of the chaos thereafter.
"Look what he did to Basara-sama, it's evil!"
The teenager balled his fist, sporting a frown, "It's a good thing Kurowashi-sama has been running across the world, calming the seas from this mess."
.
Raiden heard Atlas' chipper voice, lightly smiling at his youthful spirit. "Don't be so quick to judge, Atlas. No one is born evil, they're shaped by their past and surroundings."
He looked at the boy's innocent eyes and continued, "Us Marines must protect them from such damning childhoods… These pirates show just how badly we fulfill that obligation."
The older man's tone started like that of a teacher, but it warped into one of guilt near the end.
Atlas wasn't mature enough to fully understand Raiden's sorrow but he could feel the honesty in the words and nodded.
"Well, at least the World Military Draft was launched under Admiral Masao's directions. Maybe we can get more people to help the seas!"
"Hararara!" Raiden burst into laughter. "Yes, perhaps we can spare some pain in these seas."
Atlas gave a proud thumbs up before running out, wishing to spread the good work of the Black Eagle.
"..." Raiden absently gazed at the open door, his eyes distant from the previous joy.
His scarred hands reached for the transponder snail at the corner of his desk.
*Click* The receiver was raised in the man's grasp while his other hand froze at the dial. 'It's my duty,' he told himself, leaving him to chew the inside of his cheek.
With great difficulty, the dial was spun and the snail woke up: "Puru," "Puru," "Puru."
"Katcha~!" A woman's voice followed, "You've reached the Marine Criminal Intelligence Service. Please report your credentials."
The Marine Captain heaved a sigh, relinquishing any further thoughts and spoke with a firm voice, "Eleos Raiden at Greta, West Blue. Please direct my call to Asah– pardon me, Director Hakuchō. I have some important intel he must be made aware of."
The woman on the snail paused momentarily, possibly running a few checks on the agent's name. "One moment please…"
"..."
Raiden saw the reflection of his "Merciful Justice" in the painting at the back of his office as an older man's voice came from the receiver.
"Raiden, my old friend. What do you have from me?"
To Be Continued…
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Author's Corner.
The Fourth Division has made a name for itself, each fodder making the papers.
Some mystery surrounds Indra but Damien remains the main character of the raid, earning a hefty reward on his head.
What intel do you think Raiden is sharing?
Images are available on Discord alongside other niche details: https://discord.gg/aJHHHPvb6q
[2050 words]
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[Fourth Division Standard Ship, New World]
[One Week Later Later]
Damien was more than satisfied with what happened at G-2. The fall of Basara had already made its way through the seas, ringing the world with shock.
Meanwhile, the Fourth Division welcomed a new member: Arai, or as Damien liked to call them, Elite Fodder.
A few clanks broke the pirate from his thoughts, coming from someone's feet. "You've made quite the name for yourself, Indra."
The swordsman looked at Damien and simply nodded, then went off to his own devices, probably to train.
"Well, I'm sure there are people out there who would be celebrating for gaining such a high bounty," the Commander muttered with a wry smile.
Indra had graduated from being seen as a simple subordinate under Damien. He was once the "Evil Omen" whose presence indicated the arrival of the Sin Incarnate, and now he was the "Hellspawn"—a Tragedy under the Rocks Pirates alongside Silver Axe, Captain John, Shakuyaku and Kaido.
'Sibyl, outline Indra.'
[Okay.]
>=-=----[]---<>---[]---=-=<
[Zenora Indra]
[Age: 24 years, 30 days]
[Height: 11' ] (3.35 m)
[Status: Thriving]
[Devil Fruit: None]
[Weapon: Kyoran of the Great Grade Series]
[Skills: Great talent in swordsmanship, Dormant Skill (???), One Sword Style, Moonwalk, Shave]
[Haki: Observation Haki (Nigh-Advanced Mastery), Armament Haki (Intermediate Mastery)]
[Strength: Top Tier Yonko Commander]
>=-=----[]---<>---[]---=-=<
'It's interesting, an ability that lies dormant,' Damien pondered.
It was not hard to connect the dots; Indra had been written as a 'Warborn' many times in the papers—an extinct tribe known for some rather unnatural origins.
It piqued the Sin Incarnate's curiosity, to say the least.
…
[Later that Afternoon]
The Fourth Division and Kaido docked onto Hachinosu, getting off the tired ship.
Their arrival was marked with quite the reception.
"Scumumumu! The Fourth Division is worth over four billion berries! It's amazing!"
"Hehe, it's worthy of a Titan-led Division, they even brought down an Admiral! It would've been better if they brought back Basara's corpse… I want to try his liver!"
"I heard the head now holds the Thirteenth Supreme Blade, I want to cross swords with him!"
…
The boisterous pirates continued their chatter. Most were relishing the fall of an Admiral, cheering the ones behind it. In their devious eyes, Hachinosu was one level stronger and their group was one step closer to world domination!
However, it would not be right if there was some kind of disruption along the way, shaking the earth for its sheer weight.
"Ma-Ma-Mam-Ma!"
Damien eyed the towering woman who had crashed onto the street before him. "What now, Linlin?"
The woman grinned, licking her lips, "I just gave birth a few days ago… come now, I'm ready for the refill you promised me!"
The female pirate did not take no for an answer. Her eyes suddenly changed shape, turning into orange rings.
*Fuuu* A black mist burst out from her body, reaching out to the ends of the street.
A menacing grin was etched on her face as she demanded with a magnetic tone: "LIFE or SEED?"
"T-That's the Soul Pocus, ru-!"
Damien narrowed his eyes, looking at the hundreds of pirates around him who had been knocked out to the reddish floor.
Indra got halfway in drawing his sword before being stopped by Damien. "You should know that little technique of yours holds no power over me. Do you really want to do this right now, Linlin?"
She did not answer, simply cackling a dull melody.
"Napoleon!"
Her pirate hat jumped into the air as if answering her call. With a poof, it transformed into a fully-fledged bicorne!
"Ryushi."
Damien extended a hand, commanding the blade to appear, and it did. "How about it, the winner gets to demand a favour from the loser of anything."
Big Mom mirrored Damien's smile with her own. "Fine by me!"
*Krrrr* Black lightning echoed from their blades, crackling at the loose earth below, leaving it in ruins. The Haki leaking out was enough to dull the bright sun, befalling the island with an eerie glow.
The two sprang out from their positions, charging ahead with no care of their surroundings and leaving spanning craters every step.
A shockwave was unleashed as the two blades crashed upon one another, echoing through Hachinosu's core.
The sheer explosion left glass to shatter, nearby buildings to shred away, and give birth to massive waves to the sea nearby.
"T-They aren't even touching!" a veteran pirate mumbled, before being swept away by the torrents raging through the island.
A collection of opposing Conqueror's Haki was sent to the darkening sky above, leaving a giant scar in the heavens.
"Rahahahaha!"
"Ma-Ma-Mam-MA!"
The pirates shared a wide grin, not withholding any strength—a gesture reflecting in the uncontrolled release of their Haki that had left Hachinosu groaning in pain.
…
"How long do you think they'll be at it?" Kaen asked from the side, a hand covering his face from the blasting winds.
Indra stood tall and was not entirely sure either, "Who knows, but it will take a while."
He looked around: the pirates who could withstand the influx of chaotic forces were few in number. Meanwhile, Kaido was laughing like a madman as the Haki from the clash was drilling into his pores.
…
Time went on.
A flurry of conditions had left Hachinosu in shambles, yet the maddened pirates of the Rocks received it well.
They found it exhilarating, at least the ones that survived did.
Pablo cleaned his pistols, glancing at the hell being waged at the far corner of Hachinosu.
A location that had been left in ruins, nothing but fine dust and broken earth remained. "How long will the Patrón fight for… it's already been thirty hours!"
Nomu drank some saké, sucking it out of his thumb, all the while commenting on the subject, "Looks like the Commander got a lot more energy after Basara, it's pretty incredible!"
It was more than noticeable. Damien's survivability had blossomed and was reflected in the collision with the Evil Spirit.
"Neither of you see it; the Commander is not satisfied."
The two looked at Indra, unsure of his words. "The likes of Newgate and Shiki have clashed for days on end, it isn't odd to see them go for at least a week with an unending fight."
Indra narrowed his eyes at the chaos far away.
"Usually Logia fruit users have the most impressive stamina as they are perpetually in a state of intangibility. On the other hand, Paramecia requires experience in years of combat, a mighty vitality and body."
"Last I checked the Boss took on mountains and walked out with a few scratches," Nomu uttered.
Pablo blew out some smoke, sharing his thoughts, "And now he is a Titan of the Rocks, that's as big of a target on someone's back as it gets, mi amigo. Patrón wants to be able to fight endlessly!"
Indra stood up, the hell being wrought in the background of his steps, "That target is on our backs as well, you both would be wise to step up or be swept away."
He walked away, intending to double his training.
…
[Five Hours Later]
Boom!
Damien landed on some ruined soil, his feet sinking deep. He took a deep breath of air, smelling a mix of ash, dust and blood.
The sun shone on his ruined attire, leaving him nearly shirtless and exposing some superficial bruising and cuts.
"Rahaha! Linlin, the island won't take much more, why don't we end it with a grand finale?"
His tired words echoed through the torn-up land, reaching the voluptuous pirate.
Her hair was currently bursting with a giant flame while wielding her elongated bicorn and a thunderous cloud at her side. All but her polka dot bikini had been obliterated from the duel.
[Linlin Image (in Discord)]
Her orange-ringed eyes locked onto the pirate, "Ma-Ma-Mam-Ma! You look tired, Damien! But fine, get swallowed by the Spear of Elbaf!"
The woman swung her mighty blade, aiming to crash it onto Damien's neck.
.
"Ikoku Sovereignty!"
.
The pink slash soared through the sky, crackling with black lightning. Its sheer size was enough to inhale entire battleships and leave ravines in its wake—a simple yet devastating strike.
Damien felt the buzzing threat and chose a more unorthodox maneuver.
"!!!" The future flashed through his eyes, outlining the next ten seconds like a blueprint.
His mind fired thoughts, running through different paths, and Damien found what he was looking for.
*Crack* A shift of weight spawned a spiderweb in the earth below, followed by a dust cloud from the leaping pirate.
In the shocked eyes of not only Big Mom, but all the spectators, the Sin Incarnate charged straight into the coming slash, a slash that spanned half of Hachinosu!The air was sliced into thin torrents as the Haki ground away at its physical composition, all for Damien to jump directly into.
The towering pirate's body was wholly encased in the Colour of Arms, welcoming the island-cutting attack.
Boom! *Krrrr!* The streaming cyclone-like attack roared out through the shrieking winds, drilling into the young pirate's pores.
The heat was molten-hot, firing up Damien's nervous system, it was like magma coursing through his veins. But there was little to no damage outside of some first-degree burns—his body held strong!
Linlin's eyes widened as she saw her attack thunder on ahead and part the seas into the distant horizon, leaving a flash of red behind.
"Ryushi Combat Arts…"
The blade responded, generating an influx of pulverizing energy dense enough to shatter mountains.
.
"…Broken World!"
.
The pincer-like end crashed onto the woman's core, drilling into her stomach. "Auughh!" A deafening yell broke out from Linlin, resounding the entirety of Hachinosu.
Blood poured out from her mouth, credit to the pulverizing energy and Emission of Haki. Her widened eyes reflected the pain, shock, and anger. The glare continued as her body rocketed through the skies, creating a grey trail before finally carving into Skull Rock.
*Rumble*
A deep shock pulsed through the island, creaking and groaning from the tremors. Cracks spread out all over the mountain-like skull, spreading deep into its roots and through the streets.
.
Damien deeply exhaled, feeling numb all over. Although his bones were nearly indestructive, the flesh around the skeletal system had to hold up.
Any further rejoicing from the clash was put to a halt when a shadow landed behind the Sin Incarnate, clearly quite annoyed. "Enough of that, you trying to sink the damn island!?"
Damien met Shiki's angered eyes, not showing a hint of remorse.
The Flying Pirate clicked his tongue, reining in some of his attitude, "Consider it your win, you monstrous brat. Hehe, it's been a while since I heard Linlin cry out in pain."
Damien raised an eyebrow at his expression, finding it odd.
Though any more of their chat had to be put on hold for what followed: "Haaah!? When did I lose!?"
Both Titans looked at the shadow clawing her way out of the crater.
The blazing fire in her hair was burning hotter than magma. Though even that display was not enough to hide the noticeable gorge on her chest, one that was bleeding, but lacked the depth to leave a scar.
Shiki smirked at the sight, revelling in her misery, "Any more and the island will sink, the Captain wouldn't like that. Since you've taken the most damage, I think that makes you the loser here."
The towering woman audibly gnashed her teeth so hard that sparks flew from her mouth. "Hmph, fine! I'm going to eat!"
She jumped into the sky, landing on her thundercloud: Zeus, and flew away.
.
"Maybe I was wrong about you, Shiki. You're not a complete dick."
The golden-haired pirate grinned at Damien, "She was annoying me for losing the bet with you and now I can say the same to her."
The look in the Titan's eyes then warped into appreciation, "Pirates are the kings of the seas; credit is due to those who can bring down Admirals, you've earned my respect, Damien!"
Shiki examined the young pirate, seeing his shredded clothing. The skin beneath had already healed from the time Linlin took to crash into Skull Rock, boasting no visible damages.
"Anyways, you're one tough bastard… it's almost a little scary, Jihahahaha!"
To Be Continued…
----------------------------------------------
Author's Corner.
I've tried to align the stamina thing with what we've seen in Canon. Even Gear 5 Luffy deflates in a very short time while Logia users like Akainu and Kuzan went 10 days in their clash.
Although Damien is tough and can heal from just about anything, the drain of Haki against more experienced and/or stronger enemies is hefty.
Images are available on Discord alongside other niche details: https://discord.gg/aJHHHPvb6q
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