下載應用程式
42.22% One Piece: Path to Power / Chapter 72: [72] Embracing

章節 72: [72] Embracing

[2000 words]

My finals are coming up this month, the first one in 9 days so things are gonna get a little choppy. Chapter 73 was also released just now.

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

The conversation with Sukiyaki went on as planned, eventually reaching a new topic.

"So this 'sea prism stone' can inhibit those who utilize these Devil Fruits you mentioned?" Sukiyaki asked for confirmation.

Damien nodded, "That's right, and Wano is home to huge deposits of such ores. There's a good chance that you have already used it in your metal products without even knowing of its power."

Sukiyaki understood the concept and found it quite useful.

"I see, so it may be of great use for the other Kurozumi Survivors in the area, if anything, we can use it to ensure their sorcery does not escape our eyes."

"I take it that such an ore is quite valuable to the outside seas?"

Damien nodded, "For sure, just about anyone would want to get their hands on Seastone, including myself."

Sukiyaki raised an eyebrow at the last part.

"As per your aid, naturally we can provide you as much of this ore as you need, Damien-dono."

The pirate smiled, accepting the gift.

"I will send our miners to locate the ore, we can talk more about it later."

.

Beyond that, there were some small things to be addressed, though it concluded the day with both sides leaving satisfied.

Oden alongside his retainers, left for Kuri right away, preferring those warring lands over the calm Capital.

Leaving the office, Damien ended up meeting an old man.

"Raizen-sensei, been a while," he greeted the short old man.

"Looks like you got your wish for that weapon, though you nearly gave me a heart attack in the process with that ruckus you caused."

Damien returned a wry smile, "Well, it wasn't my intention. If anything, I will probably need your help to become more fluent with the weapon now."

The old man nodded, "You're welcome to find me tomorrow. I too wish to see the might of a Supreme Blade."

The tranquil capital had welcomed news of a powerful blade being forged by the late Katsuyoshi, hailing him as a hero all over the land.

Damien's Ryushi was also officially inducted into the Meito Records by the Shimotsuki Clan, signed by Sukiyaki and Ushimaru.

It was a truly historic moment for the Land of Samurai.

Under the veil of the joyful capital was the immediate deployment of the more hidden forces under the Shogun.

Sukiyaki had sent out all his Ninja and top samurai to scour from the Capital to the edges of Wano in an attempt to find the remaining traitorous Kurozumi.

[Later that Night]

Darkness had arrived at Wano, and most of its people were now asleep. A calm atmosphere fell at the Capital, all under the Shogun's Estate.

"Have you enjoyed yourself here so far, Toki?" Damien asked the girl leaning on the balcony rails with her hands.

She breathed in the fresh air, not averting his gaze at the bright moon that had arisen.

Damien stood behind her, their height difference had grown somewhat closer.

She had already reached a respectable 8' 7" from the highly nutritious diet of the Calm Belt Sea Kings (2.62 m).

"I enjoyed Wano a lot, Damien-san. There was a time when I thought reaching here was nothing but a dream," she whispered into the veil of the night.

Damien took in the gentle breeze.

"Hmm?" though he soon found a weight resting on him. Tracing his eyes down, he saw the green-haired girl leaning the back of her head onto his chest.

"I feel at ease around you, Damien-san," she murmured. "I haven't felt this comfort since I began my journey over seven centuries ago."

Toki turned around, looking up at the silent pirate and continued, "Through all those years of travel, seeing the worst of humanity, visiting Wano was the only thing that kept me going. I held onto that desire, blindly jumping through epochs."

Toki's bright eyes reflected her deep desire to make that wish true, locking on Damien's crimson ones.

"You brought me home," she stated with a heavy voice. "I know you have your reasons for helping Wano... but I'm really glad you did. Now I just want to wait for the day where this land can freely and safely open its walls to the rest of the world!"

She then gave her usual shining smile, "You said you would do it and I believe you... I also hope to stay by your side to see it happen!"

The passionate words echoed in the empty room, further amplified by the silence of the night.

.

Damien turned his gaze to the bright moon as if yearning for the starry heights.

"One day, I will put up my own flag, one that will reign across the seas," he mused. "I need reliable members on my ship." 

He then turned to the enthralled girl, "I welcome you aboard as my ship doctor, Toki."

The joy on the girl's face was evident as she felt that her remaining goal within reach, though distant, was no longer an impossibility.

She could not help but laugh at the happiness she felt. At that moment, another emotion entered her eyes as she glanced at Damien.

The girl narrowed her eyes, almost as if to study what she was seeing.

"..." 

"Damien-san, can I ask you something?" she suddenly asked.

"Go ahead."

The green-haired girl was rather frank with her question, "Are you afraid to love someone?"

The question brought the pirate to a halt, catching him off-guard.

Toki blinked in thought, "I called Aurora-san in the past few months and she warned me that it wouldn't be too long before I... fell for your charm."

"She said that it would be easier for me to break the walls in your heart than for her. I wasn't sure what she meant then but now I do."

"So are you afraid to love someone, Damien-san?" 

"..."

Damien could not help but breathe out a dull breath.

Aurora's confession over three months ago had unveiled a few scars from his past. The pirate lightly sighed before locking eyes with the green-haired girl and airing his thoughts.

"When I was seven years old," he began, drawing Toki's attention, "my mother, alongside everyone I had ever known, was slaughtered within moments. It came out of nowhere, destroying every fabric of my reality."

Damien subconsciously clenched his fists in the images flashing through his mind, his strong memory made it far worse.

Toki wanted to speak but was silenced by the young pirate's gaze.

"That was the first time I felt such weakness. I laid in a dry well for hours, staring into the abyss with nothing more than my mother's final words echoing in my head."

He exhaled once more as the room fell silent.

*Vvooo~* A quick breeze graced the two as Damien continued.

"Ever since then, I decided to grab my destiny with my own two hands; driving my entire being to focus solely on that goal. Marines, pirates, it didn't matter; I wanted to claw my way up no matter the cost."

"I thought I had moved on from that night... but I guess it still left behind its scars."

Dozens of memories rolled by once more, spanning from his mundane yet disastrous life to entering the hellish One Piece world of its most hellish era.

The months spent living in the abyss of Hachinosu, surrounded by the worst humanity could offer. Hearing the deafening cries of slaves and prisoners being played with and tortured, day in and day out.

.

"I thought I finally became true to my nature as the Sin Incarnate... living amongst the scum of this world. And then I faced Enigma where he conjured an illusion of her again..."

The pirate's voice lightly trembled, a moment of weakness he hadn't felt in a long time.

He subconsciously looked at his left palm which shook in memory. The same hand he used to strangle his mother.

"I know she wasn't real but... it didn't make it any easier."

Damien's path to power began at the death of his mother, though it came at the cost of the thick wall surrounding his heart.

The pirate noticed some tears in the girl's eyes, waking up from his reverie. 

"To answer your question, Toki," he slowly said, feeling her sympathy. "I'm not afraid to love someone, I'm afraid to lose the one I love."

"..."

Toki wiped away tears as she felt a new side of Damien.

She beamed her usual smile once more, this time, reaching out to grab the young man's hand. Her actions caught his attention, pulling him out of his memories.

"Such a big world can't be explored alone, Damien-san. If you continue your journey alone, it will run you mad."

She tightened her grip to drive her point and continued.

"I'm the daughter of a proud Samurai, he raised me to be a strong woman. My mother taught me to be kind and faithful to my husband," she explained. "Love is not a weakness, it makes life worth living."

"Over the centuries, I lost that strength, but you helped me regain it. So let me help you this time around."

Damien heard her heartfelt words, unable to look away from her bright green eyes.

A certain understanding dawned on his mind, forcing him to take a breath of fresh air. 

At the same time, he echoed a few interesting words, "Husband? You sure do move fast."

Toki lightly coughed, trying to mask her embarrassment.

Another breeze came and went, bringing clarity to the Sin Incarnate's eyes.

"I can see why Aurora was relying on you to 'open my heart'," Damien muttered. "It was quite convincing."

He paused for a moment before repeating some familiar words, gazing at the moon once more, "Gather those who you can trust with your life. Marry a beautiful girl. Treasure them deeply for they will be your greatest strength."

"Those were my mother's last words, at first I thought they were something to worry about a long time later."

He returned his gaze to Toki, who quietly listened.

"Looks like my mother knew of my future troubles all those years ago," he couldn't help but admit with a wry smile.

Toki smiled in return, lightly laughing, "She sounds like a wonderful person."

Then she felt Damien's hand trace up from her chin and onto her cheek, she closed her eyes and leaned into the warmth.

"It's been in the back of my mind since Aurora brought it up," he said, looking at the girl. "But you should know that we pirates are greedy."

The Sin Incarnate waited a moment and got no reply, feeling a form of affirmation in the silence.

"Toki," he muttered, "if we do this, you'll be stuck with me forever from now on…"

The girl finally opened her eyes, feeling Damien's breath lean closer to herself.

"Then it's good that I have the power of time on my side," she softly answered, returning a playful smile.

Damien could not help but smirk in return for the bold answer.

Toki closed her eyes as Damien met her with a kiss to seal the deal, finally losing the final few chains that locked his heart away.

"..."

They both were lost in the loving moment, their exchange grew heated as the seconds ticked by.

A soft gust of wind boomed as Toki was swiftly lifted off her feet and into Damien's grasp.

Toki yelped as she was carried into the room, the balcony doors closing in their wake, "D-Damien-san, isn't this too fast?" she quivered, a hint of both nervousness and anticipation lingering in her tone.

The pirate plopped her onto the bed, giving her a grin.

"It might be the tradition of Samurai to wait and formulate everything out but we pirates are impatient by nature."

The girl could not give out any rebuttal as a scene of passion fell in the grand room. No matter what, it was going to be a long night.

To Be Continued…

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

Author's Corner.

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


next chapter

章節 73: [73] Times of Disorder

[2340 words]

Both Chapters 72 and 73 were released together, make sure you did not accidentally skip the latter.

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

[Four Months Later]

[An Island in the Grand Line]

"They're here! Get the goods ready!"

"Roger!"

Dozens of people scrambled at the port of a suspicious island. They each looked both distinguished and wily. Donning black suits as if a code to appear elegant. 

"Ward-sama will kill us if even a single package goes missing, at least with the new channel, it's practically impossible to happen."

A man by the side also chimed in, "Yorororo! The Styx Passage has brought us so many options that we are hardly even satisfying the demands in time!" 

"Seirahaha! Even the World Government looks jealous of our business!"

A man overlooked the entire exchange. 

Tall stature with a full-black suit and tie to match his dark hair and stubble. He was an Underworld Emperor: The King of Loans—Aizen Ward!

"Business is really good… too good," he thought to himself. 

"Raawr!"

A giant Sea King soon appeared at the port, boasting a giant backpack-like crate strapped to its back. 

The men quickly ran around, filling the beast's inventory with their goods. Five other Sea Kings also appeared, each with the same device to their back. 

"Controlling these weaker Sea Kings to transport contraband through the Calm Belts, I wouldn't believe it if I hadn't seen it with my eyes."

Ward's dark eyes scanned the beasts readying to swim away. 

"I wonder how the Government will respond…"

[Unso Island]

The once glorious Fish Tank had been destroyed; a new building taking its place. 

Not only that, the entire island that was once littered with filth and disease had been entirely terraformed. 

The once proud Fish Tank had been demolished only for a new grand structure to be built.

Nearby land was set to match the overall design, all under the massive white pyramid where the main headquarters of the Shipping Magnate stood.

It was both grand and gargantuan; white, polished stone was imported from some shady channels for its outer, sleek look. A circular door that spanned at least fifty meters in diameter was built to welcome any guests.

The structure was given the name of the "Tomb of Storms".

[Pyramid Image (in Discord)]

.

It had been over half a year since the death of Barro, and the rise of the new King of Shipping—Fulcrum. 

The profit count had exploded under the new Emperor's rule to the point where it was enough to warrant the attention of some special characters.

The terraforming of Unso Island was an indicator of the success that had been achieved, much to the envy of the nobles around the seas.

[Hell's Peak]

At the very top of the pyramid was a room with huge windows spanning dozens of meters across, wide enough to observe the entire island.

The contrast between the shady Underworld and such a majestic stronghold was uncanny.

The interior was incredibly pure and majestic. It had white marble flooring with equally white walls that formed the triangular tip of the Tomb of Storms.

A semicircular staircase of a few steps led up to the seat that controlled the Empire of Unso Island.

[Peak Image (in Discord)]

.

A single, dark figure looked down past the spanning glass pane at the masses of people scrambling to fulfill their quota.

The lithe figure belonged to that of a woman, standing nearly ten feet in height. The reflective mask wholly hid her face, further accentuating the mystery of who was within.

Though under the majesty of the grand hall was a tense atmosphere, all due to the uninvited guests present.

They donned a full-white attire, poise and distinguished. The classy and formal clothing came with their masks of various designs. 

Naturally, they were Cipher Pol 'Aigis' Zero!

"Fulcrum, we simply come bearing the words of the World Government," the head agent reported. "We were sent to investigate the rather interesting method of transporting your goods through the Calm Belt."

"I'm sure you've come to understand that such a revolutionary route is beyond your abilities. It is in your best interest to share your methods with us."

The calm voice hid the underlying warning that came from the masked man. The five other agents beside him were just as tranquil.

"..."

Fulcrum slowly turned away from the giant window and onto the bold guests. The agents' reflections peered back at them through the black mask.

Months of residing in the shady waters of the Underworld had skyrocketed the woman's confidence in dealing with such things.

"Are you threatening me?"

The head agent exhaled a deep sigh as he felt the waves of pressure ripple through the illustrious halls.

"Conqueror's Haki," he muttered under his breath. "As expected of the one who brought such change to the Underworld."

"However, you must surely know that the New World, especially in these times of disorder, is swamped with dozens of Conquerors. Can you survive their onslaught?"

Fulcrum remained silent for a few moments. Even leading the agents to believe that their words had quite an impact.

Though under their false beliefs, they simply heard a light chuckle.

"Hmm?" the head agent frowned under his mask, trying to decrypt the situation.

*Thump* *Thump* *Thump*

Fulcrum calmly walked to the main throne-like seat that sat under the grand window overlooking the island.

"Perhaps it is the World Government who is overreaching their hand," the distorted voice resounded.

"From what I know, your entire structure has been hit quite hard since hell broke loose in the New World from the death of two Overlords, further amplified by the mayhem at Amethyst Kingdom."

"The Reverie which had been postponed for over three months now has finally been finalized," the mocking voice stated.

"Now it is a 'Remote Reverie', one that is conducted through transponder snails linking every one of the fifty members."

The information caught the agents off-guard. Their breathing hitched momentarily, naturally, it was quite the confidential news that had yet to be sent out.

The visor-like mask remained as indifferent as before, echoing out the slightly robotic woman's voice.

"You think you can come here and make demands when your very own summit of stability has to be thrown aside? You have no resources to waste on me."

Some senior members under Fulcrum were also present, watching from the side. Revelling in the glaring pause of the menacing CP Agency.

The masked agent sighed, reining in his previous demeanour.

"..."

"Very well then. Perhaps we can reach a profitable agreement."

Fulcrum did not respond as if telling the man to continue.

The CP-0 Agent went on to say, "The Five Elders would like to impose tariffs on the goods being brought into any nation under the World Government. Your route has led to an influx of arms, drugs and blood money that is throwing the economy of many kingdoms into chaos, it cannot continue," he finished. 

"What do you propose?" Fulcrum questioned.

The agent cleared his throat and answered.

"We want you to bring the other Underworld Emperors into an agreement. We, the Government, will legally allow their goods to arrive in aligned countries, within certain bounds. In return, we receive a portion of the profits."

He paused for a moment before continuing, "Beyond that, the Navy will be given access to your Styx Passages to transport resources and materials."

.

The Underworld existed by bringing in all the goods through smuggling routes. They paid a huge sum of money and time to illegally bring in all the materials, but with the Styx Passage, this was no longer a problem.

If anything, the increasingly strict measures being imposed by the countries had been a nuisance, and the recent spike in wealth would surely soon plateau.

"I can agree to your tax but there is no way I will allow for the latter condition."

The agent hesitated for a moment, opting to think.

"I'm afraid the Five Elders are adamant of both conditions."

The man raised his hands as if to show a helpless expression, one that Fulcrum paid no mind to.

"Then that brings our discussion to a close."

The agent seemed uncertain and defeatedly uttered, "We will take your words to our superiors."

"..."

Fulcrum watched in silence as the six figures disappeared from the hall in an instant.

.

"Boss, their words weren't bad, it will surely bring in more profits!"

Fulcrum looked to the side and saw the bald man approach her.

She shook her head, "It's not enough."

Though her tone became slightly annoyed, "I told you not to stand in front of the window, your head reflects too much light, it's unsettling."

The man grasped his hairless dome and gave a wry smile.

"I can't help it, I was born with no hair…"

[A/N: Keep my wife's name…]

.

However, he stopped speaking as Fulcrum gave a quick statement that wholly diverted his attention.

"Ebi, you've worked quite well these past months."

Fulcrum reached to the side and brought out a piece of treasure from the darkness of her armrests.

The man gawked as he saw the item fly through the sky and into his hands—a dark-coloured peach with swirls.

"Boss, this…!?"

"Consider this a reward, now go."

Ebi gulped, clenching the Devil Fruit tightly, he bowed his head and ran off and the room was emptied momentarily.

Fulcrum sat in the bright sun's rays. Her dark attire left quite the contrast with the shining white architecture.

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

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

"Katcha~!"

"Yo, Aurora."

The girl removed her mask and hood, allowing her silky hair to cascade down. The purple eyes gleaming at the figure mimicked by the snail.

"Damien, they came as you thought. Cipher Pol is very interested in the Styx Passages."

"Rahaha! Of course, they are. Though with their resources spread thin, there isn't a single thing they can do to challenge the Underworld," the voice on the other end of the phone replied.

Aurora nodded.

"Aside from that, are you sure about giving away that Devil Fruit? It's a very rare power."

"It is indeed rare, but right now you also need some decent personnel to hold the Underworld in chains," the snail responded. "Plus, the ability isn't all that powerful but it'll go a long way in controlling the unruly ones of your Empire."

The fruit was sent on behalf of all the other Underworld Emperors as a token of gratitude to ensure better future relations between each faction.

.

The snail conveyed the grin of the person on the other side of the phone.

"You're worth more than just doing these mundane tasks, as for that Ebi, what was given can also be taken away..."

Aurora smiled. Though paying no mind to the latter words but rather to Damien acknowledging her worth. 

She then turned to the matter at hand, "Cipher Pol will probably return with a new deal and less patience."

The snail made a nodding gesture as it continued to speak, "I'm sure they will, alongside many spies and rats from other nations; be careful."

"As for the Government? I need you to add some more fuel to the fire." The snail's expression turned disdainful as it uttered, "Make them beg."

Aurora narrowed her eyes as she heard the words.

"Use the contact I connected you with, she will make things a lot easier. I'll see you soon."

Aurora nodded and bid farewell to the voice, dialling another number.

She thought over her new order and reached an idea.

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

"Katcha~!"

The snail woke up once again, linking the two people on either side.

"Ara~! I didn't think I would get a call from you so soon," The snail took the shape of a woman with a tuft of short black hair, smoking a cigar.

"I'm always amazed by the connections Damien-chan manages, it seems he's quite close to you, young Underworld Empress."

"Tell me, what do I owe this pleasure?"

Aurora lightly cleared her throat and addressed the person on the other side of the call, "I have information that may interest your Rocks Pirates."

"Oh? Go on."

Aurora leaned toward the transponder and answered, "It's the latest route of the Heavenly Tributes from ten Kingdoms under the World Government."

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

[Pirate Paradise of Hachinosu]

"Katcha~!"

The call ended as the snail went to sleep in the hands of the black-haired woman.

Shakky, the Black Death, stood up from her seat and walked out of the room, a thin smile on her face.

As she walked by, the nearby pirates all moved out of the way. It was apparent that she had made quite a few examples of some scum to achieve such notoriety.

The woman made her way through the humid street that had turned red from blood, reaching a large mess hall.

*Gurrup* Sounds of munching and devouring foods echoed through the area as a massive hulking body sat at the center of the room.

His mouth was like a vacuum that sucked up all the food before him while drinking tens of liters of saké in the process.

.

The pirate who seemed quite grumpy looked to the door and saw Shakky walk in, "Hmm, what do you want, woman?"

"Are you still annoyed that Linlin and Shiki didn't take you to the Angelic War?"

The beast of a pirate humphed, not amused with the subject.

Shakky cheekily smiled, waving a piece of paper, "I found something for you to do ~"

Kaido, who was naturally the sulking giant, was attracted to the intel and reached out. His massive hand pinched the paper by its corner, barely able to read tiny letters.

"Sink each of these targets and retrieve their goods and you can be granted the position of the Seventh Division Commander."

Kaido shot up from his seat, his hands clenched into fists.

"WORORO! Damien has been headlining everything for a long time, now it's my time to turn the world upside down!"

He picked up his trusty spiked club and ran out from the hall, leaving dull tremors in his wake.

To Be Continued…

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

Author's Corner.

Well, big things keep happening while Damien is in Wano. Some people don't like the political side but in my opinion, it adds depth to the world. It helps with revealing the complexities of governance, piracy, and trade in a world where might, wit, and the capacity for schemes determine who gets to dictate terms.

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


Load failed, please RETRY

每周推薦票狀態

批量訂閱

目錄

顯示選項

背景

EoMt的

大小

章評

寫檢討 閱讀狀態: C72
無法發佈。請再試一次
  • 寫作品質
  • 更新的穩定性
  • 故事發展
  • 人物形象設計
  • 世界背景

總分 0.0

評論發佈成功! 閱讀更多評論
用推薦票投票
Rank 200+ 推薦票榜
Stone 66 推薦票
舉報不當內容
錯誤提示

舉報暴力內容

段落註釋

登錄

tip 段落評論

段落註釋功能現已上線!將滑鼠移到任何段落上,然後按下圖示以添加您的評論。

此外,您可以隨時在「設置」 中將其關閉/ 打開。

明白了