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74.86% One Piece: Path to Power / Chapter 130: [130] Twist of Fate

Kapitel 130: [130] Twist of Fate

"Seastone does affect Haki." Chapter 935, page 8: Luffy laments not being able to use Haki while in seastone cuffs. Later, Queen would have his cuffs removed to fight the fodder; Hyogoro would unveil Ryuo then. I can't provide any strong evidence that it affects non-fruit users, but if it didn't, how else would the Navy imprison the top dogs in Impel Down, Level 6? 

TL;DR: Seastone restricts all Advanced forms of Haki (Future Sight, Emission, Infusion) for this fic; basic applications remain. This only holds for restraints (Zephyr's arm is not a restraint).

[2745 words]

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"A white coat draped over his shoulders, labelled with the word 'Justice' upon it! How damnable!"

"A marine did all of this?!" Damien jumped from his seat. Many things could have surprised him, but the revelation was genuinely shocking to the core. 

Choro didn't answer; he was still lost in his devastating memories, giving way to the other man present: "What is a 'marine'?" Solomon asked with a dangerous glint in his eyes.

The question left Damien to pause. "Right, a closed-off society like this wouldn't know…"

He turned to the taller man and briefly summarized: "The seas are ruled by an organization called the World Government," he began. "They hold the peace and balance of the seas with the Navy as their fist to knock down the pirates that plague their waters."

"The marines are the soldiers of this Navy, usually seen with those white coats over their shoulders."

The Chief blew up in anger, his facial tendrils jumping to the sky: "Peace!? Is this peace? Such a horrendous life we've been doomed to live!"

Damien narrowed his eyes at the ironic twist of fate. He leaned back into his seat, shaking his head. "The innocents of such islands are collateral. As long as balance exists and the World Government holds strong, those at the top are content with how things are. That's just how it is."

*Boom!* The jug in Solomon's hand exploded to bits. 

The black mist appeared again, emanating from his body alongside ripples of overwhelming weight.

"My mother was torn apart from the sandworms. I still remember coming across her ripped-apart corpse! We lost everything because of what that man damned us with!"

The bushes and trees nearby began to wither, losing life and rotting away. Damien saw the effects and waved his hand, cancelling everything the Haki with his own.

"Calm down now. Although it was in the hands of the Marines, I have no right to preach what is right and wrong," he cleared up. A single thought of Shiki or Rocks made it clear who the true villains were. 

"I'm a pirate who does as he pleases. Some pirates are far, far worse than that marine. Though the Navy has plenty of bad apples, it would be wrong to say the entire tree is rotten." Damien shrugged at the irony of the situation, "If anything, those at the top of the World Government are the truly evil ones."

Solomon gnashed his teeth, "Then what should I do with this anger!?"

The undying pirate turned toward him, seeing a familiar glint in the furious man's eyes, amplified by the chaotic Haki. It was a whirlwind of hatred, hatred toward the people who damned his home to hell.

"You remind me of myself," Damien calmly stated, looking into Solomon's dark eyes. "But you're too weak to do anything."

'Too weak,' the words echoed in the man's mind. He slumped to the ground in broken vigour, helpless in his rage. 

Damien thinly smiled at the sight, finding an interesting possibility. But first, he wanted one final question answered: "Chief Choro. The Great Change, did it also affect your community?"

The old man nodded with a light chuckle, raising his pale arms. "We looked much like you back then, but that day changed us just like it changed the beasts. In fact, my dear nephew is one of the rare cases of non-mutation, much like his mother."

The thought of his deceased sister brought some emotion to the man's eyes. Still, he continued with a firm voice: "Many of our people turned inhuman, with a beast-like appearance. With that came a great boost in our strength and understanding of our Extinct Plating."

*Fwwm* Choro showcased what he meant as he wrapped a solid-metallic armour over his arm, giving off a dull luster. "All our children were born with great talent in this technique. It has saved me on a great many occasions."

Damien nodded in understanding, piecing together the earlier strength he saw from even the likes of a young boy, let alone an old man—It seemed their disasters did come with some silver lining.

.

Finally, he turned to the shaken Solomon: "Let's make a deal then."

The words demanded the other's attention; Solomon listened attentively. 

"Like I said, I'm a pirate." Damien looked into Solomon's eyes and offered, "I will be raising my flag very soon. But I need more powerful men at my side. You ate a mighty fruit, and I like the look in your eyes. You get what I mean, Solomon?"

The Sin Incarnate looked up and onto the bright moon in the middle of the night sky. "You have lived here for your entire life. Haven't you ever thought about what lies beyond these seas, the greater world?"

The tattooed man gulped, his eyes showing deep desires buried years ago. He finally shook his head, "I am indebted to you… but I can't leave my people to die to the beasts outside!"

Damien couldn't help but laugh, "Rahaha! What, you think I can't handle a bunch of rabid dogs? If you come under my flag, I will deal with the beasts' infestation."

The words came in a calm tone yet carried great confidence in the hauling task.

"…" The other two men were left with widened eyes; their minds felt the pursuit of strength echoing from the young man before them. 

Choro looked at Damien, then at Solomon's expression and firmly demanded, "Nephew, go."

He ignored the look from the zoan user and continued, "You have lived for over two decades protecting us in the shadows. If young Damien can clear those beasts, you have nothing to worry about! Live freely!"

Solomon heard the words and faltered, his mind shifting to ponder what lay beyond Extinction Valley's mountains.

Damien felt his thoughts immediately, knowing he needed a little push: "Give me a second."

The pirate reached into his coat, brought out a transponder snail and dialled a number. 

[Sabaody Archipelago]

On top of a root found in the lawless region of the Archipelago sat a small bar. 

Inside were a dozen customers, each trying to hide their fear of the bartender. A few bodies lay on the floor, beaten to a pulp and robbed of their goods. 

A sole woman stood at the bar, smoking with one hand while dusting the countertop with another. 

"Clean up your buddy's mess," she sharply said. 

Another man by the side frantically nodded, jumping to action. He scrambled about, picking up his dead brother-in-arms and left swiftly. 

"When you said you were washing your hands from pirating, this is not where I expected you to end up-nyo."

The one who spoke was a gorgeous young woman with white hair. She wore Amazonian clothes with a lot of skin, which showed off a desirable figure wrapped up with a female snake. She was roughly the same height as that of the barkeep. 

"Shakky, come back to Amazon Lily already. How can you spend your youth here-nyo?"

"Ufufufu. You know you can't convince me, Gloriosa."

[Gloriosa Image (in Discord)]

Shakky turned to the beautiful woman, also the Empress of Amazon Lily. "I like it here. It's nice, it's quiet, and it's peaceful."

Gloriosa looked at the bloodied floorboards and the cracked windows with a defeated expression. 

"Puru," "Puru," "Puru."

Shakky picked it up with a "Katcha~!" "This is Shakky. How may I rip you off?"

The snail warped into a familiar face, bringing a warm smile to the woman. "Yo, Shakky-nee. Been a while."

"Ara~! It's been a few months since I heard your voice, Damien-chan. I was thinking you forgot about me."

The snail chuckled, and the woman also returned one. Gloriosa watched from the side with curiosity. 

"Looks like you have company."

Shakky smiled, "It's just Gloriosa."

"Oh, the Empress?" The snail's eyes turn to the white-haired woman. "It's nice to meet you."

Gloriosa saw a few bounty posters by the wall, and matched the features of the snail to one said reward: "Damien the Undying… you're close to Shakky-nyo?"

The snail hummed, "She helped me out a lot when I was a newcomer, I owe her a lot."

The Empress narrowed her eyes in speculation, almost as if trying to zoom into Damien's soul through the snail. "Well, it's much better than that pestering Rayleigh."

The snail felt a little curious at her words: "Rayleigh found Shakky here?"

The black-haired woman puffed out a cloud of smoke, "Mhm, he tracked me down somehow. I think he's trying to court me, Ufufufu," she giggled.

"Huh, the Dark King is sliding into the Black Death's bar, not what I expected."

Gloriosa nodded with contempt, her pet snake mirroring her contempt. "A big-time pirate trying to befall a Kuja Empress. He thinks too highly of himself-nyo!"

"Former Empress," Shakky corrected.

"Hmph, it's the same thing."

The ex-pirate then addressed the elephant in the metaphorical room: "So, Damien-chan, how can I help you?"

The snail beamed a familiar smile, one looking for some intel, "I want to know about someone from around 45 years ago…"

[The Haven, Extinction Valley]

Damien was on call with the former Head of Intelligence of the Rocks Pirates. Meanwhile, Solomon and Choro gawked at the talking snail, marvelling at its magical nature. The pirate had already imbued it with his Voice of All Things for translation.

"A marine with powerful Devil Fruit from then. Black hair and a bearded, scarred face. Ring a bell?"

"..." a pause ensued before the snail responded, "Oya, there is such a marine who made quite the name for himself over four decades ago. I wonder what you want with him."

Damien ignored Solomon's angry eyes and continued his query, "I have a future ally here who wants to know."

The snail's voice was curious: "Oh, I see. Are you thinking of breaking away from Rocks?"

Damien thinly smiled, feeling the woman's thoughts through the snail's speculative eyes. "I don't like putting all my eggs in one basket, Shakky-nee."

"Well, whatever. I'm sure you know what you're doing. As for the marine you want to know about, well, just be careful around him. He has quite the weight in the Navy." 

Damien waited as the snail's demeanour became more solemn, "After all, he reigns over both the Navy and even Cipher Pol with an iron fist…"

"...The man you're looking for is the current World Government Commander-in-Chief, Endou!"

"..."

"Pfff, to think such a person would cause this," Damien snorted at the absurdity of the situation. "Truly a twist of fate."

His voice was picked over the receiver, leading Shakky to elaborate, "Although he is older and much weaker now, be wary of taking action against him. He was known as a 'Pirate Butcher' in his prime, and his powers earned him the title of 'Great Disaster.'"

"I'd guess that from just his title," Damien nodded. "For those Five Geezers to give him such power, he ought to be quite the challenge."

"No, Damien-chan, you don't get it," a solemn Shakky interjected. Her serious tone brought tension: "His power spreads havoc and disharmony everywhere. It rips apart the very fabric of anything it touches, leaving nothing but chaos in its wake. In some ways, it's similar to yours."

The Sin Incarnate looked at the snail with narrowed eyes.

In all his readings and intel-gathering, the tales of Endou rarely described his powers in detail. At the time, the World News Agency was a stooge under the World Government, and they wanted to showcase their top dog in a bright light, hiding away the devastating details from all books.

"...You left me with some thoughts. Thanks for the intel. I'll talk to you soon."

The snail conveyed the woman's smile, "Mhm, come visit me at Sabaody when you're free. I promise not to rip you off too much."

"Katcha~!"

The pirate turned to Choro and asked, "Were you able to see the man use his power when he ate the fruit?"

The Chief frowned and returned a half nod. "He 'spared' us by using it near the edge of the Savage Lands. I didn't see it with my own eyes, but the scar he left there tells me enough of the monster he was."

Damien's eyes widened in realization. 

He recalled some weeks ago when he went past Tremor District and ran into a wasteland of utter devastation compared to the forest-y Savage Lands. The ground was fractured into jagged pieces, glowing with ominous red light as though the very earth was bleeding. Spires of rock jut out at unnatural angles as if they'd been violently displaced from deep within the earth. 

'I concluded it was a fruit ability that caused it then,' Damien mused, cupping his chin. 'So that was Endou's trial run of his fruit power.'

The thought of a fruit causing such mayhem with its first-ever usage brought the pirate to a solemn spirit. Oddly enough, the result did indeed resemble the effects of Damien's Pulverize-Pulverize Fruit.

"You have quite the prey on your dish, Solomon," he called out.

The man in question reined in his emotions and sighed, "I take it he's well out of my league." Though his words maintained an ounce of hope.

"He's left you in the dust." 

Damien then stood up, done with the conversation. "I'll be at No Man's Land for another little while. My offer remains till the–"

"I agree!"

Solomon's declaration surprised even himself. His heart pounded with a mix of apprehension and conviction. 'The only way to avenge her… to avenge us is by killing Endou with my own hands!'

He could feel Damien's confidence in every word—he also wished for this. Solomon's resolve hardened. He wasn't just joining a pirate crew—he was stepping into a new life, one where he wouldn't be defined by fear alone.

The sheer strength shown by Damien was also a wake-up call. The ambition in Solomon's eyes was burning in a fiery light, 'This is my only chance to set things right for my people!'

"..." The undying pirate returned an undisguised gaze, almost as if peering deep into Solomon's soul and excavating all his secrets.

>=-=----[]---<>---[]---=-=<

[Solomon]

[Age: 25 years, 9 months, 25 days]

[Height: 14' 5"] (4.39 m)

[Status: Healthy; Enraged]

[Devil Fruit: Mythical Model Wendigo (Intermediate Mastery)]

[Fruit Rating: 6.5 Stars]

[Skills: Primitive Shave, Inborn talent in Armament Haki]

[Haki: Armament Haki (Intermediate Mastery), Conqueror's Haki (Awakened)]

[Strength: Pseudo-Yonko Commander] (Bege, Hawkins level)

>=-=----[]---<>---[]---=-=<

Raw, untamed power—that's what Damien thought of Solomon, a rough stone with the potential to become a gem.

The Zoan user waited no longer for the pirate and loudly declared, "I know you wield incredible strength. Teach it to me!"

The undying pirate's crimson eyes carried an air of amusement, almost as if seeing Solomon's hopefulness as a toy to test out. "Alright then," he casually answered. "I just hope you are ready; my training is rather… gruelling."

Solomon unconsciously gulped, though he reined in that uncertainty immediately, returning Damien a determined nod.

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While the Haven at Extinction Valley continued to celebrate their hometown hero, a far more solemn fleet was sailing the seas of Paradise—one that carried the name of justice but, in some eyes, did anything but.

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"We will arrive at Yozora Island in five hours. You're both in charge of the recovery operation!" a booming voice said. 

It originated from a man donning a Vice Admiral coat addressing two young men.

""Yes, sir!""

"Be careful. This won't be like Cactus Island, Jaya, or even Banaro Island! Unlike those three, we have zero intel from Yozora Island—it exists only on paper!"

The lead marine's face grew malicious as he thundered a new order, "Beyond that, the nature of our mission has changed from recovery to a military takeover!!!"

The words garnered some doubts in one of the Star Rookies' faces. "But Vice Admiral," he objected with confusion. "Yozora Island has no history of criminal actions. Shouldn't we go in peacefully as the Fleet Admiral instructed?"

The towering marine did not agree, and he was confident in showing that disposition, "Listen up, greenhorn. These orders were issued by the Commander-in-Chief, overruling the Fleet Admiral." He glared at the rowdy star recruit, "As a soldier, you do not ask 'why,' you simply do it!"

The answer was blunt and crass, but it was enough for the leading Vice Admiral. A final command was issued, one lacking humanity: "If the natives resist, you have the authority to cut them down as you please!"

To Be Continued…

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Author's Corner. 

Endou has been name-dropped in the past; now you know more about the OC who resides in the Holy Land.

While Damien gains an ally, a marine fleet threatens another high-potential lad. What do you think they want from Yozora (Night Sky) Island?

Note: I will be in England for a week, so expect no chapters till next Friday.

Images are available on Discord alongside other niche details: https://discord.gg/aJHHHPvb6q


Kapitel 131: [131] Siege

Chapter 130 had a slight edit. Damien had imbued his Voice of All Things with the snail to translate Shakky's words to Solomon and Choro.

[2810 words]

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"This is all wrong…" a defeated voice said. It came from a young male still in his mid-teens, around sixteen. He had medium-length black hair and a serious face. He wore dark-coloured clothing, black and blue.

The other person in the room heard his words, but he had different thoughts: "Missions change all the time, but we can't falter because they clash with our morals," the other young marine bluntly added. Orders are absolute."

This one was of similar age and height of around eight feet (2.44 m), but he carried a vastly different air around him.

He wore a white coat over his white trousers, leaving his chest bare. His black hair messily ran down his face and around his bright, turquoise-coloured eyes. A scar ran down his left eye.

Both of them were bruised and bandaged up from previous battles that seemed to have occurred only days ago.

Their combined faction was known as the Marine Super Rookies, Monkey D. Dragon and Shinrai. Much like the Pirate Supernovas, these two had great potential, even enough to grasp the rank of Admiral!

[Dragon Image (in Discord)]

[Shinrai Image (in Discord)]

.

The two were chatting in a small room onboard a Standard Marine Ship en route alongside five other such ships. "I saw you once at Marineford. You seemed compassionate and timid. Just what made you so reckless?" Dragon questioned.

Shinrai deeply exhaled. His eyes narrowed at the memory of endless flames and great destruction around him. "I saw hell close-up and felt so pathetically weak," he cursed himself, clenching his fists. "I could only watch as a beacon of justice crumbled from the attack of pirates!"

Shinrai locked envious eyes with his colleague: "You have a strong stand in the Navy with your father being as powerful as he is. I don't have that. The only way for me to rise through the rankings is by completing missions without question!"

The young marine burned with conviction, passionately declaring, "I'll become an Admiral and lead entire fleets to ensure the world is peaceful!"

Dragon heard the bold words and had no intention of admonishing who they came from. Instead, he focussed on Shinrai's quest: "We both have very different views on peace."

Meanwhile, determination fueled the fleet as it sailed relentlessly toward the dark island of Yozora. Their mission: a military takeover for reasons shrouded in secrecy. Yet, even in their wildest imaginations, they could not foresee the ordeal that awaited them…

[Five Hours Later]

[Yozora Island, Dracule Estate]

"Hawk-chan, stay here. Your parents will protect you!"

The middle-aged woman led the child to the uppermost room, hugged him, and ran off on her own. Her mind had only two things to focus on: her child and her husband.

The woman's haste was warranted as five marine ships had arrived off the coast of the dark island. They dropped their thick metal anchors to the depths below, stopping completely.

Five hundred troops made their way down, holding a packed formation. They were greeted by a shroud of utter darkness, broken only by the occasional flicker of fireflies and the silvery gleam of moonlight reflecting off the still waters. 

The air was thick with the stench of swamp and death, a nauseating mix that clung to their senses. The only sounds that reached their ears were the incessant chirping of crickets and the slow drip of water from the towering trees, creating an ominous symphony that made the hairs on their necks stand on end.

The marines looked toward Shinrai, the operation's deputy commander, and saluted: "Yes, sir!"

The half-thousand men began spreading out, a single battalion of a hundred troops staking the island sector by sector.

The supervising Vice Admiral nodded from the side, "Good work, Shinrai."

He then looked up and felt the perpetual darkness with speculation, "Such thick darkness makes everything eerie," the decorated marine murmured. "But where did all the pirates go? There aren't even any bodies."

Yozora Island was one of the many land masses outside of Navy jurisdiction that had been hit with the new wave of pirates spawned from the Scorched Sea War. Naturally, the Navy was on the island of darkness to liberate them of their troubles until the new orders arrived.

.

"Vice Admiral Orlov, there's a manor in the distance," Dragon's deep yet straightforward voice resounded, reporting the strange sight.

"Hmm, if there are natives, then that's where they'd be," Orlov concluded. He zoomed in on the distant structure and ordered, "The two of you are leading. I'll watch from the side."

Dragon and Shinrai nodded, and the two began a march to the castle, catching up with a hundred men. Along the way, they were graced with remnants of a vast fight with crimson soil, but once again, no corpses.

[Fifteen Minutes Later]

"Augh!"

"Euughh!"

"Guaaahh!"

"Kwauuah!"

Dozens of miserable cries echoed from a snail in Shinrai's hands. The young marine looked serious as his grip over his snail receiver tightened to almost breaking it: "That was the Fourth Battalion. We lost contact with them entirely!"

Dragon heaved a dull breath. He could feel it; someone was watching—a predator stalking his prey. The same enemy who had already taken out a battalion.

"!!!" The instincts drilled into the lad by his father spiked, zooming onto a sole shadow that had appeared atop a tree a few hundred meters away. 

The hundred marines cocked their weapons, waiting for the order with hidden fear. Before they could speak, the distant figure's voice arrived: "You would be wise to turn around. Only death awaits your men here."

It was a cold voice lacking emotion. The sharp words sent chills down the marines' backs, forcing them to take a step back.

The walk to the forest had already been graced with battle, and now the marines were on the platter. Naturally, they were shaken up by this significant threat.

"Don't get panicky," Shinrai yelled from his position. "It's just one of him and a hundred of us!"

Dragon, however, took a more peaceful approach and called out to the distant figure, "If you lower your sword, we can all get out of this unharmed."

The star marine didn't know who the person was, but he felt the piercing vision fall upon him like a waterfall. Just the gaze alone could force someone into a panic.

'I won't let any more men die.' Dragon knew the enemy was inspecting him and stood tall in return.

"A man must stand up for his values," the swordsman lightly spoke, but the hissing wind carried over his voice. "I will not watch as my home is taken away by the likes of you."

*Shing!* A bright flash went off, blinding the marines, followed by a loud grinding sound. But by the time they looked back, the figure had disappeared.

However, the Marines were more focused on the scar on the earth before them. As one of them pointed out, "I-It's a line!"

"Is it a warning?" Shinrai murmured, gnashing his teeth. "He's trying to intimidate us, push forward!"

"We don't know his capabilities," Dragon disagreed, waving his hand and halting the assault. "We should scout him out first, or we risk the lives of hundreds of men!"

Though his words only evoked a scoff from Shinrai: "You can barely see through this thick darkness. There's no point in sending scouts ahead." He then turned to the waiting marines and gave the command, ignoring his fellow super marine, "Continue onwards!"

"All other Battalions converge on the manor!" Shinrai finalized through his snail, much to Dragon's dismay.

The disappearing shadow had sent the marines with racing hearts. Still, they continued moving ahead—the ominous silence amplified the dread plaguing their minds. Soon enough, they had arrived at the castle with reinforcements imminent.

[Dracule Manor]

"And here I thought the Navy was on the side of the people," a disdainful voice graced the hundred marines.

Dragon, on the other hand, was left shocked. He looked past the thick darkness, making out the sole figure standing in opposition to the dozens of guns, swords and cannons. The man had all but one arm grasping an oddly thick katana, reflecting enough of the moonlight to unveil the aged face and chill-inducing yellow eyes.

*Drip* *Drop* Blood slipped the hold of the weapon, creating a dooming melody in the soldiers' ears—the blood of their fellow brothers-in-arm.

"Navy high command has seized this island and all of its assets," Shinrai proudly declared, matching the old man's eyes with his equally bright turquoise ones. "Do yourself a favour and stand down, or you will be taken down!"

Dozens of other marines roared alongside him, bolstering their morale; this was a mission of justice. Vice Admiral Orlov was present as well, looking at Shinrai with appreciation.

The swordsman, Dracule Vlad, didn't respond. He simply watched the marine's movements with his hawk-eyed vision. He sighed lightly and said, "Very well then."

*Vvooo* An ominous wind blew as the one-armed man disappeared into the darkness, spooking the soldiers.

Shinrai and Dragon jumped into action, spanning their instincts to respond to the inevitable threat.

"Above," Orlov warned, still leaning on a faraway tree.

.

"Night Sword Style: Midnight Shadow."

.

A gray-coloured slash erupted from the sky, cleaving through the darkness and toward the battalion.

"Take cove–"

Boom!

The attack rained heavily, taking out two dozen men who didn't react in time, bleeding away their cries with the howling winds.

*Vvoosh* Thud! 

The air whistled once more as the one-armed swordsman appeared before another dozen soldiers. The marines nearby were all close-range units, choosing to charge at the man from all directions.

.

"Night Sword Style: Crescent Moon Slash."

.

The blade swung in a full circle, carrying zero forgiveness nor any hesitation. It sliced the air without difficulty, doing the same to the first neck it reached. *Swish* The fountain of blood followed behind the graceful blade before it claimed its second victim.

Blood splattered in a perfect circle, dyeing a dreadful design around the swordsman. 

Vlad remained unwavering, but he was met with some offense:

.

"Graceful Gust!"

.

A whirling torrent of raging wind erupted from the side, blasting at the sole enemy with great precision. However, Vlad's weapon was more than ready to meet it:

.

"Night Sword Style: Dimension Slash."

.

The oddly thick blade ran downward with great speed, leaving a black trail of energy soon lost in Yozora Island's darkness.

The howling winds were like rabid beasts, roaring and barking to obliterate their target. Vlad's thick blade, however, silenced the assault with a simple slash. 

"..." Yellow eyes peered past the center of the torrent as the two halves were divided past the swordsman, exploding toward the surrounding marines while leaving Vlad untouched.

Dragon clicked his tongue, seeing his attack fail. His boots dug into the dark soil, showing hints of hesitation.

"I see pity in your eyes. It will cost you." The whisper in his ears shocked Dragon to his core, but soon, his expression turned painful as he felt the guard of a blade dig into his side, jabbing at his liver and even cracking some lower ribs. 

"Augh!" The young star was shot flying to the far right, his body bouncing over the ground and slamming into a leafless tree.

"We'll take you on!" Thirty soldiers ran in, half of them unloading their clips. Their clenched jaws and sweat-ridden faces conveyed the terror in their hearts, opting for them to carelessly pull the trigger.

Vlad zoomed in on the incoming blade, his incredible eyes tracing the projectile closest to him and watching in slow motion.

Five meters away, four, three, two…

*Voosh* The man flickered upwards, leaving the bullets to burst past his afterimage and into the crowd.

With a thud, Vlad landed as ten bodies fell from the crossfire.

At the edge of the battlefield stood a hurried Shinrai, calling out to his ally, "Dragon!"

He traced his hands over the injury, hearing Dragon's grunts and feeling the broken ribs. The pained expression of his sole friend left Shinrai furious as he rushed toward the enemy: "You'll pay for this!"

"How reckless," Vlad mused, seeing past the terrified marines and locking onto the incoming Shinrai.

A light whistle as the blade was raised, dripping with fresh blood. There wasn't even a tiny chance for the swordsman to miss this strike.

*Swish!* A simple yet unforgiving slash at Shinrai's throat. Vlad felt the flesh being cut, evident from the ever-so-slight resistance in his motion, alongside the blood that followed.

But there was something else…

"!!!" The swordsman was left shocked as the slice he was making, and the separation of the head was somehow mending itself! The spurting blood died down as new flesh took place before death could arrive.

*Shing!* Vlad met air—Shinrai should have been decapitated by now, yet no head thumped to the ground.

It was beyond unnatural.

'A Devil Fruit,' the man concluded, but it was too late. 

"I told you you'd pay for this!" A furious Shinrai had taken the open shot to land a fist on the enemy's chest.

BAM!

Vlad grimaced from the punch at his chest; his aged body was easy to harm as he was sent flying across the ground and slamming into a hedge bush with significant momentum.

.

An ominous silence followed until the deep voice returned.

"Such a curse aging is," the old swordsman mumbled past bloodied teeth. Even in his injured state, he never looked away from Shinrai—the piercing yellow eyes tracked the young marine as he returned to Dragon's side.

Shinrai placed a hand over the broken ribs and lightly huffed, "I'll fix you up."

"Thank you, Shinrai," Dragon thanked, feeling his ribs remedy themselves. Within seconds, he was up and running, back to new.

Vlad ignored the pain as he eyed the enemy. The two yellow-ringed pupils vibrated as if the man was zooming into every fine detail: "It's not even some form of healing ability. Rather, he is simply undoing all the damage I did…"

Orlov's booming voice broke any further standstill: "You two, step back. This swordsman's power is a little beyond you."

Shinrai looked at the towering marine and couldn't help but cry out, "I can deal with him, Vice Admiral! Please give me a chance!"

His voice was laced with desperation. He was clawing for the chance to complete his mission with as much perfection as possible. 

Orlov sighed at the star rookie's persistent eyes. He appreciated the drive toward justice, but there were limits to everything: "That's enough. Just take another look at your enemy."

Shinrai turned to the swordsman impatiently, but one good look brought pure shock to his face—Vlad's weapon was far too thick and bulky to be a katana!

"No way…" the young lad absently mumbled. "He was swinging a sword with the sheath still on!?"

Vlad, on the other hand, exhaled a tired breath. He gazed at his prized katana and the sheath that still encased it. 

A dark image of the past flashed by his weathered eyes, snippets of the previous siege on Yozora Island that claimed the lives of almost all the other Dracule people.

He even remembered killing his brother with this same sword to alleviate him from the sickness born from infection to his wounds. "I vowed never to allow blood to spill on behalf of this blade, but now it seems I cannot honour those words."

Shing!

The air was sliced and cleaned under the unleashed blade. It had dark characteristics, was flooded with stars and had a design that encapsulated the night sky. However, there were marks of wear and tear from years of neglect.

"This is 'Yozora' of the twenty-one Great Grade Swords," Vlad introduced, holding the blade up at an angle to cover one of his eyes, allowing the other to peer past the ethereal blade. "Remember the blade that will cut you down."

[Sword Image (in Discord)]

.

The Vice Admiral growled and cracked his knuckles. The sight of the old man waving his treasured blade was akin to obstructing justice, a grave sin in Orlov's book.

"I didn't think such a masterful swordsman could live on this desolate island, Orororo!" the burly man said, appreciating his target. "Considering your lack of hesitation from cutting down so many marines, it is a good thing that we found you before you chose to stand against the World Government."

"I am Orlov, Admiral Basara's right-hand man. I suggest you surrender, old man!"

Vlad showed no change of expression; he stood still, his single arm grasping the sharp blade amidst a battalion of marines, a Vice Admiral and the two star rookies.

*Fwwm* A thick coat of Haki was wrapped around the weapon, unveiling a dangerous luster. His razor-sharp yellow eyes locked onto Orlov, resembling that of a predator to its prey.

"You laid siege to my home," Vlad's indifferent voice cut the air like a knife. "Do not expect any mercy from this blade."

To Be Continued…

----------------------------------------------

Author's Corner.

Shinrai and Dragon have made their official debut as the future of the Marines. Now they buttheads with a one-armed swordsman on a small island. Naturally, this is all AU for Mihawk's childhood, which will eventually be overwritten in the manga.

What do you think Shinrai's fruit power is? Do remember he was supposed to have died against Damien at G-2.

Images are available on Discord alongside other niche details: https://discord.gg/aJHHHPvb6q


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