Chapter 154: [154] The Last Stand (V)
I decided to speed up chapter uploads this week so we can end God Valley Arc by Friday. It's also frustrating when some people jump to conclusions and mess up the process. For other thoughts, consult Disclaimer #6 in Chapter 0 of the auxiliary chapters. Thanks.
[3300 words]
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"Whitebeard shall be allowed to retreat. Your remaining mission is to ensure the immediate capture of Einar D. Damien."
Sengoku's golden jaw almost hit the ground.
"But Sain–"
"The Rocks Pirates shall no longer exist past today. Einar D. Damien is the inheritor of Rocks' will and must be brought to justice." Saturn didn't take 'no' for an answer: "Do as you're told, Sengoku. Do not make me repeat myself."
The Admiral glanced at the distant Whitebeard, who was gulping down a barrel of saké that he had seemingly pulled out of thin air.
"With all due respect, sir," he slowly spoke. His voice was not too submissive nor too bold. "Edward Newgate isn't the type of pirate to leave even if we allow him to."
Saturn nodded, his face lacking emotion. He leaned on his cane and said, "I will convince Whitebeard myself. Now go and inform Kong of my orders."
The Buddha sighed and relented, rushing toward the faraway Kong.
Garling and the God's Knights also exited through Phantom's portals, leaving a confused Whitebeard.
.
"You think I'll let you get away?" Newgate threw aside the barrel of alcohol and aimed his Murakumogiri at the retreating Buddha.
Yet the name of a particular island forced the man to hesitate: "Sphinx."
The furious eyes of Whitebeard fell onto the unmoved Saturn.
*Rumble* An overpowering weight burst from the pirate, falling onto the world before him. It came in a light-green colour, quaking through the plains of God Valley.
Phantom fell to his knees, his mind throbbing, ready to explode from the Haki of Whitebeard.
Saturn, however, stood tall and proud. "We heard that some insurgents were spotted on the island. Do you not wish to know more, Whitebeard?"
The towering pirate growled, his body bursting with earthquakes. Bloodthirsty eyes fell upon the Overseer—a glare that no man had survived to tell the tales of.
"You want to drive me away with this!?"
BOOM!
The earth below cracked apart, shattering into widening ravines. God Valley shrieked in pain, threatening to sink at any moment.
"We know that you send back entire ships of resources to your home island, Newgate." The Elder continued with a calm voice, "Considering your distaste for wild pirates, I'm sure you see the serene Sphinx Island to be your haven."
"Some in the World Government think that a band of criminals is budding there; I believe a Buster Call is warranted."
Whitebeard's grip at the glaive was firm enough to snap quality blades in half. The smouldering eyes came with a wave of Haki that sent Phantom to the floor.
If not for the thuds of Kong, Sengoku and Garp arriving, there was a good chance of Saturn being torn apart.
…
Thud!
On Whitebeard's side was also some support in the form of a roughed-up Damien.
He was constantly massaging his left jaw. 'Garp's fist is like being run over by a train pulling a dozen mountains. That bastard actually developed his own version of Black Bones off me!'
In fact, Damien cared little for Garp's 'Black Knuckles.' He was probably the only man in the world who could learn it with his unmatched talent in Armament Haki.
"It's a pity I couldn't take Kong's head," he sighed, looking up to meet Whitebeard's eyes. "Anyways, Newgate-san, I have a plan."
The older pirate raised an eyebrow, already shaking his head. "No plan's good enough to walk away from this. I'll just sink God Valley, and we'll let the seas decide our fate."
Damien chuckled, shaking his head in return. "Don't be so dramatic. I told you, I'm not done with God Valley. There are bigger things at play here… but I do need you to get the others out."
There was a flicker in Damien's eyes, something hidden beneath his words. It was as if the battlefield itself wasn't his real concern. Something deeper was driving him, a move that no one else could see yet. Whitebeard caught that glimmer and frowned but didn't press further.
He spared a glance at the silent Pablo next to Solomon, who carried an unconscious Indra over his shoulders. Turning back to Damien, he saw the familiar crimson pupils shining bright with ambition.
In Newgate's eyes, Damien was a rather unique pirate.
His ambition matched that of Rocks, and he had decent enough morals that a man like Whitebeard could nod at, an anomaly in one of the most dangerous eras in known history.
Finally, he gave a tired sigh. "Fine."
He glared at the distant Kong, slowly walking up to the pirates, followed by Sengoku and Garp.
Damien's hand went to a pocket, taking out two things. One was a transparent water bottle with the Suicidal Rambo inside. While the other was a heavy bag of what seemed to be rocks.
The Drug Lord looked at his Commander with questioning eyes.
"Throw the bottle in the sea, and it'll transform into a bigger one," Damien explained. "As for that," he glanced at the inconspicuous bag, "it's the legacy of the Fourth Division, alongside yourself."
Pablo clenched his jaw, knowing what was awaiting his Commander. "Patrón…I, too, am willing to die like my brothers!"
Damien hummed at the outburst, his eyes curious. "Rahaha! Don't throw your life away to look brave, Pablo! Those four died to let me get up, so it only gives me more reason to go through with my plan."
He placed his massive hand on the drug maker's shoulder; after all, Damien was almost twice Pablo's height. "The Fourth Division lives within you now."
Pablo saw his Commander nod toward the bag in his hand and nodded with a heavy heart. "Don't worry, Patrón. I'll take good care of it."
.
Damien then turned to the silent Solomon with a probing gaze.
"It's eerie to see you so quiet. Anyways, get a move on."
The Wendigo user blinked under the casual orders but couldn't form any words.
Damien turned around to face the Navy side, sparing a final few words to the Extinct: "I promised you all that I would come back to Mortem, didn't I?"
"You…did."
Damien hummed, still staring down at the monsters in the distance. "I'm counting on you to remind the girls of that, too. No more than a month."
Solomon, with a defeated sigh, could only nod. He felt the weight of the unconscious Indra and relented to the orders.
Whitebeard slammed his glaive with a bang, forcing the Navy to shift its focus from Damien's subordinates.
"Good luck, kid." He decisively turned around and walked away with firm footsteps.
"Wait for me, Newgate!" a bubbly voice boomed from a distance, coming from a gorgeous blond Stussy. She frantically waved, skipping across the hellacious lands of God Valley.
"..."
Kong narrowed his eyes, looking at the band of pirates walking away. Letting them get away would stain his career, but this was beyond his control.
"Looks like you were left behind, Sin Incarnate. Now, there is no escape," Saturn scoffed with disdain. His words were also an order for the top Marines to move.
Damien slightly smiled, his Haki picking up the colossal presences surrounding him like an iron triangle.
To his left was Admiral Sengoku. To his right was Vice Admiral Garp. And in front of him was Fleet Admiral Kong.
'Escape? If only this old geezer knew how easy it was to escape,' Damien scoffed.
As fun as dropping two Big Bangs and swimming away sounded, there was something else he was after, and the Marines were the key.
Now, as a target for three absolute monsters, the pirate did what any pirate should do—he grinned. Meanwhile, the bright light of dawn flooded the God Valley, bathing the sole threat with warmth and marking the tenth day since the war began!
.
Saturn looked past Kong, his voice ever-confident. "The Rocks Pirates have been destroyed, and Hachinosu should be in flames as we speak. You will follow suit."
"Hehe, It's nice to see one of you in the flesh finally," Damien laughed, peaking around Kong's burly figure to tease the Supreme Authority that was an Elder. "Should I consider this an honour?"
Saturn scoffed with annoyed eyes. "An element of disorder like yourself cannot be allowed to persist; your end is nigh."
The words were blunt and carried an air of authority, leaving the Marines silent.
"Rahahaha!"
Ryushi bubbled with crimson vapour, matching its master's ridiculing laugh. It was a blasphemous scene, disparaging the almighty words of an Elder.
The Supreme Blade was then pointed at the aged man, caring little for the iron triangle around him.
"Don't get too comfortable on your golden pedestal, Saturn," Damien blandly declared. "The Authority of the World Government spans a long chapter over history, not the story's end. Seeds of rebellion have already been sown in the ashes of the Rocks Pirates. The story will continue, and its twists will forever defy your control."
Such words uttered to a force that had survived for over 760 years could be considered laughable, but to Saturn, they were a grim reminder of the cursed clan they had tried too hard to surmount.
The grip on his cane grew stronger as cracks formed, conveying Saturn's anger.
"Enough!" he roared, seething with the Colour of Supreme Kings. "Kong, I shall away to Mariejois. I leave the task of his capture in your hands."
With that said, Saturn resolutely walked into Phantom's portal, visibly angered.
.
"Your fate has been decided, Sin Incarnate," Kong spat. His stump still throbbed with pain even after being cauterized with fire.
Sengoku remained silent, but his mind was working hard. He was stuck figuring out what Damien was after.
'He should still have Jigoku Ore with him that he can surely use to escape... so why doesn't he?'
The Resourceful General studied the expression of his foe. 'I know that look... Just like Roger and Rocks, he fully intends to fight us here. But why? Why go through the trouble of having Xebec killed only to enter a fight he has no hope of winning?'
While the Admiral remained quiet on the outside, the same could not be said for everyone.
"Psst, Kong-san, the three of us aren't needed here. Why don't I go chase down Newgate?" Garp hissed from the side, ignoring the Elder's orders.
A thick vein popped across the Fleet Admiral's face. "We have orders, Garp, follow them!"
The Vice Admiral crossed his arms, turning to the side with a frown. "It will leave a bitter taste in my mouth to gang up on a kid around the age of my own boy!"
Kong gnashed his teeth from the abject insubordination.
"You heard the intel. The world is in chaos! The Celestial Dragons' transport is under attack, while Shiki has left Mariejois wide open. If not for the Nobles, at least do it for the era of peace that's to come with the destruction of the Rocks Pirates!"
The soon-to-be Hero clicked his tongue, seeming quite annoyed by the orders. He looked at Damien with an apology on his face: "Sorry about this."
The pirate returned a tired smile, "Do what you gotta do."
Kong scoffed, bursting with power. A giant, one-armed ape soon appeared, followed by an equally glorious Buddha. Garp clenched a fist, flooding it with incredible Haki.
Damien deeply exhaled and held up Ryushi. One pirate against three powerhouses of the Navy Headquarters!
'Although with more bumps in the road than expected. At least we finally got to this point.'
No pirate in living history could stand against their combined might; one could say that the outcome was obvious. Yet such a force only brought out a grin across the unruly pirate who rushed into hell itself.
BOOM!
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Ten days of conflict at God Valley, two at the Pirate Paradise. It was a tandem attack: Kong would ensure the annihilation of the Rocks Pirate at the Cradle of the Gods, while Kurojū would do the same at their home base.
And he certainly did not fail.
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[Hachinosu]
Two days of war had left the Pirate Island in ruins.
Once rich with the essence of piracy, the streets were nothing but rubble. Corpses were laid out everywhere, all belonging to pirates. There had to be thousands of them!
As the camera moved closer, it became evident that this was done by a handful of personnel under the Navy Headquarters—no more than a handful!
…
Clang!
A hardened fist landed on a young pirate with magenta-coloured hair.
"Devil Fruit user," the boy, Katakuri, muttered.
His enemy had black hair and was wearing dark marine attire.
*Fwooo* Powerful winds raged around the fist, swallowing the creamy-white substance coming out of the boy's body.
Katakuri crashed into a wall, pain echoing through his back.
"Your mother can spare you from our raid only so much. And your Mochi certainly isn't enough to take me down."
The panting pirate gazed up and roared defiantly, "Monkey D. Dragon, I won't let you hurt my siblings any longer!"
BOOM!
Another fight took place nearby.
Perespero licked a candy staff while launching candy arrows at his enemy. Yet every projectile rotted away before meeting its target.
"Shinrai, the user of the Fix-Fix Fruit, what did you do to my candy, Perorin~?"
The star rookie waltzed forth, a glob of pink still on his fingers. "Your candy has too much sugar, so I fixed that problem."
The gelatinous substance rotted away from his hand at the drop of his words, sizzling out of existence.
…
Nearby, various ill intentions were aimed at a sole marine.
"Damn marines, let me slice you up!"
"Once I kill you, I'll take you to my quarters and make you play my favourite tunes!"
"Leave the woman for me!"
Hundreds of pirates soaked in sweat and blood raged on. They were like a pack of rabid dogs; their eyes were red in fury, and their mouths foamed up from their vile spirit.
They belonged to the Seventh Division, each rushing toward one of the three primary invaders—a rare and delectable treat for any lust-driven pirate—a female marine.
The woman was blond and beautiful, with shoulder-length hair and olive skin colour. Her face was that of a woman in her thirties, quite lovely at that.
She wore a black-coloured sarong skirt along her hips, with a yellow design down the left side. A black bra wrapped around her chest, connected to the skirt with a fishnet cloth piece.
She held a pipe in one hand, smoking elegantly.
"I don't like persistent men~!" The woman gave a sultry smile past the pipe she elegantly smoked. Her untainted appearance stuck out like a sore thumb with so many scum nearby.
The woman put the pipe to her mouth, gently inhaling smoke. Without further ado, she exhaled the smoke in a hissing cloud.
*Fuuuuu* The weirdest part of the smoke was that it was purple and moving around like it had a mind of its own! Within moments, an amethyst blanket up to the pirates' knees appeared.
And suddenly, the pounding gravel, the rowdy roars and the heavy footsteps all stopped at once.
"..."
Nearly 200 men just froze, their heads buckling forward and eyes shut. Resounding snores echoed out as they all had fallen asleep!
"You," the woman pointed at a random sleeping pirate, seductively asking him to take a few steps ahead. "Do you know who I am~?"
The man slowly nodded and spoke dreamily, "Yochou Reina…an Admiral Candidate of the Navy Headquarters…user of the Dream-Dream Fruit… Holding the position as the Head of the Torture…and Interrogation Division."
The woman smiled beautifully, but her gaze betrayed a cruel grin. "Then why don't you use your dagger to pry out your eyes and eat them?"
"Okay…"
The man raised his blade, fully intending to do it.
"Go to the corner. I hate blood on my clothes."
"Yes…"
The man strolled away; his steps were wobbly.
Reina bloomed into a comfortable smile. If not for her inhumane orders, one would think her to be a fairy: "The rest of you, go dig yourself a grave and lay there till you die."
They rushed to the dirt fields without any hint of disagreement and began digging.
.
A distinguished voice tore then broke the enchantress' eyes from her fine work: "Reina-chan, you really are a rose with sharp thorns; no mercy at all."
The words earned a scoff from Yochou, "I'm helping the vegetation grow with their corpses, Gomon."
The older gentleman sighed, shaking his head with a smile. "I suppose this setting is a little beyond me; I'm used to my office."
He was a bespeckled man in his late fifties with long silver hair pulled in a ponytail. The man donned a finely crafted black suit with a silver-coloured shirt inside. Oddly enough, a cybernetic pattern on the left side of his face, including the eye, almost as if it were a tattoo.
Such a design was found also on his fingers and the cane he used with his left hand.
His tone of speech made it evident that he was of the same rank as the woman. Codename: Ginrou, another Admiral Candidate!
He held the position of the Navy's Minister of Internal Affairs.
[Yochou Reina Image (in Discord)]
[Ginrou Gomon Image (in Discord)]
[A/N: "Yochou" meaning "Night Butterfly"; "Ginrou" meaning "Silver Fox."]
…
[Later that Day]
"Ma-Ma-Mam-Ma!"
The towering Linlin stood alongside her self-proclaimed younger brother, Kaido. The two were huge, casting a giant shadow upon their three Marine opponents.
"You killed ten thousand of our men. Did you line up so that I could kill you?" Big Mom questioned with a dangerous glint in her eyes.
The lead marine stood a foot in front of the other two.
He was fully concealed, his body covered in black clothes and armour, a hood draped over his head that hid the gas mask.
Deep breathing echoed out from the mask, adding to the creepiness of the man, his burning eyes doing the rest. An Admiral of the Navy Headquarters—Kurojū!
"Looks like Damien really broke you, WORORORO!"
Though the atmosphere turned morbid fast as Linlin thundered, "Ginrou, return my children now!"
The woman was beyond angry, pointing Napoleon, her weapon, at the much smaller silver-haired man.
Ginrou raised a hand and seemed to tap the air.
*Purrup* *Kurrrr* The air began to warp, turning into a mix of green and dark green. The space revealed the voices of dozens of children, though the noise seemed to originate from lines of symbols and numbers:
"Mama!"
"Save us, Mama!"
"It's so weird here. I feel like I'm going to vomit!"
Charlotte Linlin growled after hearing her wailing babies. She slashed her weapon with rage.
.
"Ikoku Sovereignty!"
.
The attack came at supersonic speeds, blazing at the man without mercy.
"Oh my, such devastating power reminds me of the comfort of Mariejois," Ginrou said. His calm eyes turned sharp as his hand shot out, grabbing at the coming attack.
A green hue emanated from the extended arm. *Kurururu* As the attack went on, it began to lose power, slowly dissolving away into tiny green-coloured bits of symbols.
"Not bad for an Admiral Candidate," Linlin cackled. "A digitizing human, was it?"
Ginrou landed back in his position next to his fellow veteran soldiers.
He wiped a few dust marks over his monocle while matching the Evil Spirit's gaze. With a curt bow, he introduced himself, "Your chain of information is said to rival the Black Death's—you are indeed correct. I ate the Cyber-Cyber Fruit and became a Digitizing Human. I can digitize anything I touch and lock it away in my Cyber World."
Gomon's gaze sharpened, allowing an ominous flash of light to reflect off his monocle. "Would you like first-hand experience with being turned into a string of data, young lady?"
To Be Continued…
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Author's Corner.
You have now met the last two of the three Admirals Candidates, the first being Zephyr. Meanwhile, a defiant Damien has butt heads with an Elder, now facing the team-up of Kong, Garp and Sengoku. What do you think his plan is?
Images are available on Discord alongside other niche details: https://discord.gg/aJHHHPvb6q
Chapter 155: [155] The Last Stand (VI)
[3650 words]
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While the mess at Hachinosu was closing in on its climax, another massive confrontation occurred in the stretch of water from the Calm Belt to Mariejois, exiting from the West Blue.
...
Bang! Bang! Bang!
The pistol fired cold and hard rounds, covering the assault of a band of violent women. They wore rather revealing outfits that belonged to the Amazonians of the myths—equipped with wooden bows that fire Hali-clad arrows.
Boom!
Bam!
*Rumble*
It was upon a red-coloured ship with two giant snakes in the Calm Belt. "Continue firing!" a towering woman yelled across the ship's deck.
The volley of hardened arrows continued, raining down at a distant ship.
Boom!
Blazing fires began forming across the enemy ship, releasing a cloud of black smoke.
"Shakky, we've done significant damage to the ship!" a beautiful young woman reported, her eyes filled with desire to learn.
They reached a short-haired woman who casually leaned on the railing, one hand holding a cigarette. At the same time, the other fired a hail of bullets from a revolver. Around her body was a crimson-spotted snake with a bandana, hissing delightfully.
[Shakky Image (in Discord)]
Shakuyaku hummed at the information, nodding at the slim young woman. She had shoulder-length, straight dark hair curly at the ends, bold lipstick, an orange V-neck blouse and a pale yellow skirt.
"Get used to these annoying World Government guys, Toritoma. You'll need to when Rocks' influence dies out."
The future Empress nodded with starry eyes; she saw Shakky as her idol.
[Toritoma Image (in Discord)]
"Keep firing now. But keep it superficial."
…
On the blazing ship were booming noises that quickly overpowered the hail of thick arrows.
Clang!
Boom!
BAM!
A Haki-clad saber crashed hard against a metal fist, eliciting dull explosions from the clash of Haki. It was enough to spark the air as they collided, raining a frightening tune.
"Damn it, Rayleigh, why are you here!" the defending Marine questioned with evident irritation.
The swordsman returned a smirk, "Don't be so uptight, Zephyr. How about this: we act like we're duelling and sink the Celestial Dragons; the world is better without them."
Zephyr narrowed his eyes and shook his head, "Then what? Who do you think controls the budget of the Navy? At the end of the day, we are the only things standing between order and anarchy."
With another thunderous bang, he slammed hard on Rayleigh's blade, forcing him back. Irritation flashed in the Black Arm's eyes—a mix of anger and helplessness. "I have to live with how things are!!!"
BOOM!
The swordsman grunted under the heaving weight. Looking at the Admiral Candidate with reluctance, he said, "Very well. Then I suppose I can give you the excuse to not save them directly."
*Purrup* Both used dense Armament Haki that flowed in Emission, forcing the deck below them to tear apart.
"Ahhh, I broke my pinkie!"
"Fire, fire, I'm on fire!"
"Trash marines, protect us!"
"Ouchie, a splinter!"
"Commoner air is disgusting; I want my helmet!"
The background noise was rather distasteful to Rayleigh and Zephyr, but they could only pretend not to hear it. Alas, a small collection of ships was seen on the horizon.
"It seems you can rest assured," Rayleigh muttered, turning in the distance.
Zephyr sighed, leaning away from the minor skirmish. "It shouldn't be this way, but it is the only way to keep the seas peaceful."
A few Dragons saw it, too, rejoicing at the majestic vessel in the distance.
"Saint Garling, our champion!"
"Damn those pirates, they even took Sant Garling's well-deserved prize!"
"Holy Knights, finally here!"
Under the blanket of reignited hope was a young Noble with messy white hair, grinning to himself, "Ahahaha! I'm glad I came along to God Valley; it really was fun!"
"Shut up, Vadin! I'm still angry that I couldn't make the Sin Incarnate mine!" Roxia cried out, her perfectly whitened teeth gnashed together.
…
"Shakky, it's time. We managed to pull away a decent force from God Valley; this is all we can do-nyo."
The black-haired woman glanced at her dear friend's warning.
"You're right, Gloriosa," Shakky nodded. "It's too bad we can't kill some of them too… but that would probably damn Amazon Lily."
The current Empress Gloriosa rolled her eyes. It had taken a lot to convince Shakky not to kill the Nobles. Although she appreciated Damien helping her friend, it didn't mean she was willing to put their island in harm's way.
'Good thing Rayleigh strung along. He does well to bear the anger of the Nobles from this. I doubt Roger would mind, either,' the white-haired woman thought. For once, she saw some use of the Dark King being friendly with Shakky.
"Hmm, what's that?" Gloriosa suddenly asked, gesturing to the item in the smoking woman's hands.
Shakky responded by waving a Devil Fruit that had a stone-like colour, sporting hundreds of gray swirls in the shape of serpents.
"It should be the prize for the winner of the Nobles' little game, replacing the stolen Azure Dragon Fruit," she muttered, holding the fruit up to her eyes.
"Zoan-type, Model Medusa," she explained. "I hear it allows its user to turn anyone to stone as they please; quite the treasure."
However, the boons were of little care to the Black Death as her mind was busy with something else. "I hope you can get out of that mess fine, Damien-chan. Whatever it is you're up to."
"Kuja Pirates, fall back to Amazon Lily!"
[Medusa Fruit Image (in Discord)]
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As the pirates fled from the turbulence against the World Nobles, the Navy at Hachinosu felt the same haste.
...
"Ma-Ma-Mam-Ma! Kaido, let's try that move out!"
The hulking brute grinned and lifted his kanabo club. The marines felt an ominous breeze, their instincts blaring. With a thundering roar, the tag team of Napoleon and Kaido's club swung forth, creating a torrent of destruction.
.
""Conquest of the Seas!""
.
It spanned a large radius, hot enough to melt through islands—an unstoppable attack.
The trio of marines jumped to the side, their bodies moving subconsciously. Lucky for them, the attack was slower than expected and raged at a pace they could dodge: Ginrou and Yochou dove rightwards while Kurojū flickered to the left.
BOOOOM!
The stream of destruction howled onwards, not stopping even after hundreds of meters beyond its origin.
It lit through the entirety of the Pirate Paradise, bursting beyond its borders and stretching as far as the eye could see.
"Cheh, Kaido, you're too weak to keep up with my power; that was way too slow!"
The Hundred-Beast grumbled, slamming his club on the ground. "Don't piss me off, Linlin, or I'll rip out that brat cooking in your belly!"
"!!!" Kaido's eyes suddenly widened as he felt a rush of air by his side—a dark shadow had appeared.
.
"Six King Fallen Gun!"
.
The resulting explosion was faster than the two pirates could see as it befell the weaker link, Kaido.
"Aughhh!" The Oni rocketed through the air, soaring across Hachinosu until he was nailed to the Skull Rock with a large boom.
Linlin's burning eyes fell on the dark enemy, raising her arms against an incoming punch.
BAM!
"Ugh!" Linlin groaned, feeling the aching pain. "Seastone again! That damn Fulcrum is really giving you guys too much!"
But her anger was interrupted by a cane poking at her towering back.
She looked down at her body and saw green strings of data running all over her arms and even her clothes. Her entire body was fizzling.
.
"Malware Plague!"
.
A feeling of weakness fell over the notorious pirate, eating away at her energy. *Vvoosh!* Kurojū appeared once more, his entire hand straightened like a blade.
.
"Fallen Spear!"
.
The Seastone-encrusted gloves shot forward and nailed the woman's face, sending ripples of aching pain through her mind, evoking a shrieking cry.
…
"Damn, he sent me far!"
Kaido slowly rose from the crater that happened to be at the nose of Skull Rock. He wiped some blood off his mouth, feeling a headache.
"Huh?"
He looked around, seeing a purple haze surrounding him.
"Smells funny…" The pirate felt doozy, his mind slowing down.
"Tell me, Hundred-Beast, what is your deepest fantasy?" The voice belonged to a woman bouncing within the amethyst cloud. Slowly but surely, Kaido fell in and out of conscience.
"Fantasy…? I want… to usher in… a world of violence…"
"One where a… person's worth is… measured from their strength…"
"Also… I want to… beat up Damien…"
Yochou tilted her head at the second wish, somewhat surprised. "Your wish is my command~"
The woman breathed out a thicker fog of energy, which floated into the beast's mind, resulting in a devious smile. His thoughts warped into his greatest desires.
"That's it, now be trapped in your fantasies forever~" Yochou seductively whispered into his ears, resembling a demoness.
*Rumble*
The trembling island attracted the female Marine's attention. One glance at an area a kilometer away left her breathless.
"A natural disaster!"
Reina's words were confirmed as Charlotte Linlin's cackling voice erupted across the Pirate Island.
.
"God of Lightning Tenjin!"
.
The roaring voice bellowed, unleashing a cloud of lightning that spanned half the island! The thick and dense electricity was an agent of destruction, obliterating entire buildings with a light tap.
"Hehe," Linlin laughed. Her angry eyes turned to the side, falling at Yochou near Skull Rock.
"You!"
*Vvoooo!* Reina gasped while the Titan rushed atop a thundercloud, covering a kilometer within seconds. "Return me my children!"
With speed beyond what her size should be able to rush at, the Evil Spirit slashed down her living weapon without mercy.
.
"Ikoku Sovereignty!"
.
The Spear of Elbaf, Charlotte Linlin's signature move, came with a vengeance and quickly swallowed Yochou whole. The female marine couldn't even react before her body was obliterated into dust.
Boom!
The attack continued, digging through Skull Rock and opening a two hundred meters wide hole.
[A/N: If you've seen the anime, Big Mom's Ikoku Sovereignty is op as hell.]
.
"Ma-Ma-Mam-Ma! That's one down!" She then turned to the side and readied a fist. "Wake up, brat!"
The Haki-clad punch shot at Kaido's face, drilling into his cheek and sending tremors through his skull, sending him bouncing across the dry land.
"Is it morning already?" the Hundred-Beast murmured, shaking his head.
"Rocks is dead, Kaido! I see you as my little brother; come with me, and we can rule the seas!"
The hulking pirate clawed out from the ground, standing tall against the even taller Big Mom.
"I refuse!" he spat, heaving a scorching breath.
Linlin grumbled, then broke out in a laugh, "Ma-Ma-Mam-Ma! I expected as much…"
She then took out a tiny box from under her bikini and tossed it over. It arched through the air, landing in the pirate's grasp.
'What is she up to?' Kaido absently thought before opening the box to see the treasure within. "Hmm, a Devil Fruit?"
The female pirate widely smiled, licking her red lips. "You want to get stronger faster? Eat it!"
The tempting voice left Kaido suspicious. However, a glance at the inviting fruit was enough to convince him—the blue-scaled fruit was calling his name!
…
"Ara~!"
A sultry voice resounded from the mind of a sleeping pirate nearby, slowly escaping his thoughts.
The purple cloud of smoke materialized into the voluptuous figure of a blond woman. Her heels clacked onto the ground, inhaling a healthy dose of her pipe.
"So many depraved men here… it's not hard to make them fantasize about me," she muttered, kicking away the drooling pirate.
She then popped through the air, rushing to the distance where her allies were regrouping.
Thud!
Not only Yochou but Ginrou and Kurojū also landed simultaneously, only to see Kaido inhale a Devil Fruit in a single gulp.
"..."
The young pirate burst out with a grin as he felt the power surging through his veins.
His arms turned thicker, blue metal-like scales springing out. His body began to transform, exploding with thundering energy. Kaido's face warped into something monstrous, his jaw growing out, sharp teeth shooting in place.
Two more yellow horns protruded from his head as his hair flapped wildly. His arms extended out, growing dozens of meters long. The body followed, and the legs formed a thick, bushy tail.
*Rumble* Boom!
A dense storm arrived in the pirate's wake, raining lightning down.
"WORORORO! I like this power!"
Kaido rolled around in the sky, seeing his snake-like body. The size was a good kilometer in length, more than enough to wrap around a mountain!
Linlin cackled by the side, breathing in its power."Ma-Ma-Mam-Ma! Fish-Fish Fruit – Mythical Model: Azure Dragon!"
[Dragon Image (in Discord)]
…
The Admiral and Admiral Candidates were shocked.
"Mythical Zoan!" Ginrou remarked, popping his monocle back into place. "That must be the stolen treasure of God Valley."
Kurojū clenched his fist, glaring at the creature. "Such an ability is unprecedented!"
"He looks terrifyingly fitting to wield such power!" Reina remarked, her eyes flooded in surprise.
Soon enough, a terrifying duo appeared before them.
Big Mom sat on her thundercloud, holding a sword in one hand and a sun in the other. Kaido coiled around Skull Rock, looking at the tiny enemies below.
"WORORORO!"
A scorching heat began to build in the dragon's maw, lighting up the sky. Linlin matched her ally's energy as well.
.
"I'll just call it Blast Breath!"
.
"Ikoku Sovereignty!"
.
Their combined assault was beyond devastating, equalling that of two natural disasters.
*Bam!* Kurojū readied a punch and smashed forward.
*Swish!* Ginrou slashed his cane, sending a flickering collection of digitizing energy.
*Fuuu!* Yochou exhaled a plume of purple smoke, reaching a horde of pirates asleep nearby. The dream-locked pirates rampaged their way forth, jumping into the coming attack headfirst.
BOOOM!
The widespread explosion easily detonated Hachinosu, turning the streets below into ashes.
The only natural land left on the island was Skull Rock, blanked with a thick cloud of dust.
*Cough* *Cough* An elegant cough resounded, escaping the bloody mouth of Gomon. He opened his numb eyes to feel the cold grasp of death around him.
He was effortlessly lifted off the ground, eventually locking eyes with the face of the giant Big Mom.
Orange-ringed pupils, gazing into his soul. A monstrous smile etched across her disastrous beauty.
"Give me back my children!"
Linlin squeezed the life of Ginrou and proceeded to smash him into a small stream of seawater, fully dipping him in the liquid.
*Vvooo* A green crack appeared in the air, expelling twenty or so young brats.
"Mama!" they rejoiced with tearful faces.
"Ma-Ma-Mam-Ma! My cute babies are back!" The world's best mother danced alongside her relieved children, humming a tune.
But it was then that her face warped into a scowl. "Kurojū, you still want to keep going?"
The dark figure of the Admiral appeared, standing tall, his armoured body lacking scratches or cuts.
"Charlotte Linlin, look around."
"Hmm?" She spanned her Haki and felt distant threats.
"Buster Call!"
An annoyed look appeared on her face, glaring at Kurojū. "You came here just to stall us until your cavalry arrived? But they must be nothing but fresh recruits from the Outer Sea."
She looked at her wounded and injured children. Then, she examined the surroundings. Ten thousand pirates, that's how many were stationed here. And now, there were none left.
The woman sighed, feeling the tides of the era shifting out from the pirates' favour. "That no-good Rocks... His death will return control to the Government."
She couldn't help but remember a sentence from her former Captain: "Xahaha! Even in my death, my secret weapon will keep the seas out of their clutches! My Will can never be crushed, not even with death!"
"I'll wait and see this weapon of yours," Linlin whispered under her breath, turning to her self-declared younger brother. "Kaido, let's retreat."
The giant, menacing dragon lowered its head, its snake-like pupils filled with annoyance. "Why should I listen to you?"
"Isn't it natural to listen to your elders?"
The two bickered on and off.
"Mama!"
Katakuri appeared, his face bruised all over. The others came, too, rounding up the children.
*Fwooo* The duo of Shinrai and Dragon landed by the Navy's side, just in time for Linlin to call for her Homies.
"I can't safely take my babies away with you five breathing down my necks…"
She grabbed Zeus and opened him up. Prometheus, the Sun, was tossed in the mouth, making the cloud fiery. Napoleon was also infused into the creation, turning it into something truly fearsome.
.
The appearance of the Super Duo reinforced the Marines' side. Yet their arrival was met with alarm.
Kurojū glared out from under his darkness, feeling a budding threat. "Retreat, now!"
The star marines didn't question, quickly rushing back where they came.
Yochou grabbed Ginrou from the water, disappearing into a dream of a nearby scum.
Their sharp movement came at the same time as the towering Linlin's homies manifested into the shape of a giant Homie nearly four times the size of their master.
*Crackle* It was a giant genie-like woman composed of flames and lightning. She had long, flowing hair, a pointy nose, and sharp nails. A loud scratching screech, resembling a banshee, exploded from the creation.
.
"Mother's Visit Cannon: 3000 Leagues of Misery!"
.
The combination of fire and lightning stood fifty meters tall and turned the world upside down, truly showcasing the power of Big Mom.
Misery shrieked impatiently, shooting forward to obliterate her targets in an unforgiving fashion of relentless assaults.
Chains of explosions lined up half of Hachinosu, sending earthquakes through its filthy roots. The clouds above were dense with ash and fire while the shockwaves sent howling tides in all directions.
[Attack Image (in Discord)]
.
"My children, let's go!"
A giant pink ship was docked, ready to leave. The Charlotte Family climbed on and left post haste, though not before a final statement from their matriarch: "Kaido, remember you owe me big-time for that fruit!"
The deafening voice echoed through the island, reaching the dragon wrapped around the Skull Rock.
His beast-like eyes glared at the disappearing ship and the coming fleet of marines. "Cheh, it's better to leave; if Rocks is really gone, then things are about to get out of hand…"
He looked at the horizon. "That Damien guy better not die too, WORORORO! I want to see how he stands against my new powers…"
He looked to the sky, reaching out to grab the sun to showcase his great ambition.
"Hmm?"
Oddly enough, the extending hand began to emit clouds the colour of fire, and suddenly, Kaido felt much lighter.
"Worororo!" he laughed, slowly grasping the air, climbing up and disappearing into the stormy skies.
…
"This is Kurojū," The Admiral answered his snail.
Kong's voice arrived: "How did it go?"
The marine sighed in anger, "The Evil Spirit escaped, and the Hundred-Beast got his hands on a Mythical Zoan Sol robbed from God Valley. However, every last trace of the Rocks Pirates is gone."
The snail thought for a second and nodded.
"Cancel the Buster Call and set off to G-1. It needs to be protected immediately."
The snail went to sleep, but interestingly enough, the other side of the phone at God Valley was ringing up with another call.
"Katcha~!" "Is it done, Kong?"
The resounding voice was laced with prestige, naturally belonging to that of an Elder.
It was a conference call. The departed Saturn was also on the line while the other four spoke from the Room of Authority.
Kong sat on a boulder, his muscular body brimming with power, though unable to hide the bruised skin and broken ribs—the missing right arm was the cherry on top.
.
The Fleet Admiral looked around and saw devastation.
The once-spirited island of God Valley was known for its bountiful resources and natural reserves. Now, it was a hellish land bubbling with lava and molten minerals. The air was filled with the stench of blood, the soil turning red from the innumerable deaths.
Crimson dust slowly shifted across the apocalyptic terrain, hiding the giant craters littered everywhere.
The only living souls here were Kong, Sengoku and Garp.
.
Kong finally answered his esteemed superiors, "Yes, he lasted for ten whole minutes, even against our combined might."
The Fleet Admiral glanced at the collapsed body before him. The condition of the infamous pirate was near death.
"I'm sure his insufferable father would be proud..."
Kong clenched his hands with uncertainty, remembering Damien's words moments before his fall…
"I don't regret not killing Basara. If not for him, tens of thousands of Rocks Pirates would still be kicking, and Xebec may still be alive."
Kong could still remember the crimson eyes that mirrored Ares from long ago.
"The death of my Fodder was a consequence of my gamble, and I accept that. But just you wait, Kong. I'll take more than an arm from you next time."
A cold chill ran down the Strange Beast's back while the right side of his body was throbbing.
Only when Nusjuro's sharp voice came from the receiver did Kong break from his reverie: "You need not worry, Kong. You did well in vanquishing him. His life will forever remain behind the impenetrable walls of Impel Down."
Kong slowly nodded, feeling a wave of relief. "Yes… No one has ever escaped from that abyss. Devil Fruits users against a prison of Seastone, ever more so."
"He will be forgotten soon enough."
With the troubles in his heart cleared, the Fleet Admiral loudly summarized the fate of God Valley: "It came at the cost of the Chief of Cipher Pol, an Admiral and one hundred thousand marines… But I can say without doubt that the Rocks Pirates have been utterly annihilated!"
The booming voice echoed across what remained of the Cradle of the Gods, signifying the end of an era.
To Be Continued…
----------------------------------------------
Author's Corner.
Big Mom had stolen the Azure Dragon from Sol, who stole it from the God's Knights' transport. The Government took out another equally impressive fruit to replace this treasure (since it was a prize for the winner of the Triennial Hunt). Unfortunately, they lost both.
Damien assured Solomon he would return to Mortem Island within a month. What do you think will happen at Impel Down?
Images are available on Discord alongside other niche details: https://discord.gg/aJHHHPvb6q
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