One Piece: Path to Power - Chapter 121

[2919 words]

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“Aren’t they supposed to be enemies?!” Sengoku exclaimed as he saw the newly arrived criminals.

Basara grimaced, “Scum tend to come together… and they can die together too!”

—

Garp who floated in the air with his Rokushiki could only give out a grin.

“Bwahaha! You caught us off-guard again, Damien-boy!”

He raised his right fist as it visibly shook.

“But they can’t stop me from teaching you a proper lesson…”

*Fwmmmm!*

A night-black colour appeared around it as the fist was coated in Armament.

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Damien eyed the marine in intrigue.

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*Purrup*

A red bubble then swam out of the man’s chest as it started to cover his entire body!

It was a bright-red bubble that seemed to wrap around Garp’s entire 9’5 frame with boundless power.

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“Hehe…” The man gave out a grin in glee as his right arm was reeled back.

Every movement caused the air around Garp to bend and whirl around him, the air particles shook endlessly.

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Boom!

He then shot forth with his dominant arm pulled back in a prepped fashion as broken skies were left behind in his advent.

Damien who floated 15 meters away in his Empyrean Form had his eyes widened.

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Ryushi, which boiled in a mix of red and black shuddered as its wielder flooded it with enormous power.

Damien brought his weapon down in a flawless diagonal that had the power to slice mountains.

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“Broken World!”

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A streak of red followed the blade as it cut the very air into pieces.

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Garp’s single fist shot forth as torrents of air currents were left in turmoil.

The crimson bubble around the man flooded towards the fist in a show of great mastery. Sparks of Haki went off as the fist looked like an immovable mountain!

BOOOOOM!

Ryushi, that slashed down, had some defensive aspect as well.

Damien had sent great amounts of his fruit powers upon the very blades of Ryushi. This caused a black space around it which pummeled the very air into powder.

The space around the weapon was utter void.

This should mean no sound waves were able to pass through… yet that was not the case…

“Uhh!”

“M-My ears!”

“It hurts!”

Hundreds of men near the clash covered their ears as a deafening cry of literal destruction echoed in their eardrums.

It drilled through and even left a few with mushed brains as the vibrations were mind-numbing!

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Garp’s fist shook in the sky as it pushed towards the Supreme Sword that sent out the screeching sounds.

Cracks formed around the clash as both sides raged out.

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Even the Admirals and the pirates glared at the collision.

Shakky gave a worried glance as she saw Damien.

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Waves of energy ruptured everything nearby as the 2 forces seem to reach a tipping point.

Damien was surprised as he saw the seemingly unstoppable fist start to inch forwards as Ryushi edged back.

*Creak*

His eyes widened as he felt his weapon seem to bend by a few degrees. Something he thought was impossible.

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His mind clicked, ‘…This is grandmastery of Armament Haki!’

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“Take this Fist of Love!”

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Garp gave out a roar as his biceps and forearm popped in great power as the veins too became visible.

The unstoppable fist pushed ahead as Ryushi was blasted out of the youth’s grip as it shot at a random pirate ship and caused it to instantly sink.

Damien flooded his chest with as much as Haki as he could muster as he felt the weight of a thousand mountains smashed upon his person.

His ribs audibly cracked as the fist was drilled forth, causing blood to shoot out of his mouth.

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*Fwoooo*

Like a shooting star of spiralling red, the young man was sent flying through the air as a crimson streak followed his body.

BOOM!

Damien was nailed into the mountainous wall as his body was left tens of meters deep in the thick rock.

Nailing and drilling his way through.

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The marines were silent as they saw the scene, and then…

“Oughh!”

“AMAZING!”

“That’s the invincible Garp-san I know!”

“So handsome!”

“The Fist that can subdue all is on our side!”

It was a morale booster that fully countered the arrival of the fresh pirates.

Grand applause ensued as the marines felt reinvigorated. Their minds are clear.

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Garp clicked his tongue with a small smile of disbelief.

“Don’t be too cheery now… that kid has some thick skin.”

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The thousands of marines looked at what the Vice Admiral glared at. It was the shadowed cave-like hole that was left behind in the cracked mountain.

*Gulp*

Tens of gulps went off as they saw a pair of crimson eyes that shined through the darkness of the cave that was at least 10 meters into the structure.

The 2 eyes carried a hint of excitement and glowed with confidence.

They seemed to get closer as,

*Creak*

A single hand shot out of the shadow, causing some rumbling.

*Grip*

The fingers dug into the mountain, leaving visible cracks all over that caused giant boulders to roll down.

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A few steps went off as a humanoid body walked out of the cave.

Black armour-like pieces fell off the body as human skin was visible.

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Damien’s rather handsome face appeared with a wide grin.

Even with the gaping hole in his upper chest.

The injury caused a few of the younger marines to puke.

*Plop*

Pieces of black and red flesh fell off as Damien’s very ribs were observable. Those with good eyesight could see the cracks in the bones.

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“Even Garp-san can’t take him down…?”

“Is he some kind of monster?”

“Can he not die!?”

Yet there was a more glaring problem.

“His bones… they’re black…!”

“I-Is that Haki!?”

“Don’t joke around… it’s not possible to imbue Armament Haki inside the body!” A veteran said in denial.

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Garp’s mouth widened comically as he saw the pristine-black bones that were seen in all their glory.

Zephyr, who subconsciously grabbed his metal arm, was shaken as well, “Haki in the bones… it’s supposed to be a fictional tale.”

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Rayleigh laughed as he saw his younger friend/enemy with another ridiculous power. All the while Kaido grounded his teeth in annoyance.

“The commander has some absurd means of strength…” Indra mumbled.

Shakky just shook her head with a sigh of relief, “That boy always makes me worry.”

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Damien didn’t care for the commotion he caused and was in his own world.

‘Grandmastery of Armament Haki seems to actively ignore all forms of defences, including both fruit and that of bodily means!’ He concluded.

If not for Damien’s [Ultimate Body] of the 6 Supreme Arts, that attack would have done quite a lot more.

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Then something even crazier happened.

*Crack* *Crunch*

Under the eyes of thousands, Damien’s ravaged chest started to warp.

The black bones creaked back into perfection as the cracks were mended together.

The obliterated muscles and flesh warped back into existence as they too gave out a black lustor.

The skin grew back around the injury as it was fresh and new.

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Damien’s chest was left spotless as if nothing had happened!

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Sengoku gave out a shaken voice, “Even Garp’s open attack didn’t take him down… Just what kind of recovery is that!”

Basara grabbed the left side of his face as he felt the empty eye socket, “He cannot be allowed to leave here alive!”

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Damien was left shirtless as his attire slowly reformed. He then jumped out of the cave and landed back on the Suicidal Rambo. The female pirates who were crazy enough to sail with the Rocks Pirates took a deep gulp as they saw the powerful body of the Sin Incarnate that brimmed with endless power.

—

*Fwoo*

The seas howled as the Titanic and the Oro Jackson had also arrived beside Damien’s ship.

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The Oro Jackson and the Suicidal Rambo were of similar size as the two ships floated side-by-side.

“What a mess,” Damien said as he saw the tens of wrecked ships from Basara’s earlier attack.

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Rayleigh, who stood parallel to Damien at the helm of Roger’s ship, nodded.

“I suppose it’s about to get slightly messier now.”

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Many people nodded to the words as both sides seemed to slowly prep for a greater battle.

*Step*

*Step*

*Step*

Melodious sounds went off as the eyes of the major pirate powers drifted to the main marine ship.

The Ox Llyods Warship.

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A single man walked ahead and now stood beside Sengoku who was with Basara as well.

Under the reverent eyes of the thousands of marines stood 3 men.

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A young yet vigorous man roared out, “The 3 Admirals are here!”

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[Nearby]

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“Solar Flare!”

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A raging current of destructive flames blasted out of Sol’s palm.

The heat that radiated out was hot enough to boil the air particles as it seem to break the very fabric of space.

The golden-red flames ventured on as they came face-to-face with another power.

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“River of Death.”

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Xebec’s released a similar attack as an utterly black river of malignant darkness razed the earth on its march to the oncoming flames.

BOOOM!

In a spectacle of endless delight, golden sparks alongside black wisps clashed together.

The black energy practically ‘killed’ the air as the flames did their best to utterly evaporate it.

*Flap* *Flap*

Sol’s wings flapped in power as he launched himself into a more advantageous area.

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His hand widened as each finger started to glow a blazing gold.

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“Rain of Divinity!”

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Countless orb-like jewels rained down from the hands of the Overlord as the broken land beneath was left decimated.

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Xebec gave out a little grin as he reached for his side.

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*Shing*

The air was sliced into molecules as the ‘Inferno Blade’ Mokushiroku was unleashed.

The blade cried out in impatience, finally being used.

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Xebec slashed down with little care for any special sword movements, instead of a raw and savage attack of absolute power.

*Grrrrrr*

The air was ground apart as a pitch-black arc of sword energy was sent out towards Sol.

The 2 attacks cancelled out as Xebec then vanished into a black mist and appeared before the Overlord.

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Mokushiroku shook in delight as Xebec fueled it with endless death energy. The cracked blade that originally shined with red now leaked with black mist.

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“Forsaken Death.”

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The man raged forth with his sword as he brought it down with island-levelling strength upon his opponent.

Sol gave out an ugly expression as his powers bubbled around him.

The halo that floated behind the Overlord sent out a ray of mountain-melting light as it amalgamated with Sol’s hybrid form.

In a glorious golden road, the man rushed forth.

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“Solar Flare!”

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BOOOOOOOOM!

The sword of death smashed upon the golden light before it as the flames of the sun clashed on.

All over Glint Island that was in the process of slowly being sunk was a blinding light that seemed to carry both heat and plague.

The sky above was broken apart as the torrents unleashed left magma to boil out from below.

Glint Island was simply nothing more than bits of large rocks that seemed to have gone through endless natural disasters.

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[Back to the Naval Battle]

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Damien felt the battle that ensued beyond his region of war.

Shiki threw mini-islands while Redfield danced through them. Whitebeard brought down earthquakes while Roger sliced them apart. And of course, his humble captain that brought the very essence of death upon the walking sunbird.

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Though he was focused on another matter.

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“The 3 Admirals are here!”

Indeed so.

Basara, Sengoku and the third man, Kurowashi were ready to join in.

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Damien looked at the third Admiral.

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He was a tall and lanky man. He stood roughly 10 feet in height and was rather young.

His attire consisted of the usual white marine coat draped over the shoulders. Though that aside, he also wore a full jet-black tuxedo and gloves. A black tie and as well as a black undershirt.

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He had medium-long silver hair that was messily combed and a relaxed face.

The man seemed barely 40.

[A/N: His Image.]

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“Admiral Masao, codename ‘Kurowashi’,” Damien said. “The ‘Black Eagle’ of the marines that oversees the great Ox Llyods Warship.”

Shakky who sat on the wooden rails of Damien’s ship nodded as a cloud of smoke blew out of her mouth, “He is a problem beyond the range of combat prowess.”

Damien hummed in agreement.

—

Kurowashi raised both his arms out in the air as his eyes swam through the marines present.

Over 6 thousand had died and nearly 4000 thousand were left with injuries. The numbers had unfavourably declined, factoring in the appearance of the new pirates.

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Under the ominous silence that had invaded the war, a voice broke out.

“Rise, my soldiers!”

It was Kurowashi.

“Rise! You, the bravest of the brave, the righteous of the right, the strongest of the strong!”

He continued his soliloquy, “These pirates are the ones that even the monsters of the seas fear. Yet you come here, under my ship, to fight them off. Rise!”

Every word spoken was laced in some form of power…

*Bell Clanging*

The Ox Lloyd Bell rang in harmony with the words of the Admiral.

*Flap Flap*

“With the flag of justice on our side, no one shall stand in our way!”

“Rise, my soldiers!”

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An invisible shockwave rippled out of the silver-haired marine as it bounced in the minds of the marines.

The thousands of injured marines felt strength.

Their injuries healed, bones mended, flesh returned.

The face brightened with colour as their hearts beat with renewed vigour!

The fatally injured rose in a frenzy while the uninjured were even more hyped. It was like dead men returning to life!

.

Tens of thousands of marines roared out in great morale.

Their muscles popped with power as their strength seemed to jump to a higher level.

Even the Admirals and Vice Admirals felt their stamina return.

———-

On the other side of the sea were the pirates in a dazed look.

Seeing nearly 20000 marines who were tired and injured heal and regain all strength was rather nerve-racking.

Yet the heart of the scummiest pirates was not shaken for long.

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Shakky audibly sighed, “Such a power, in the hands of an Admiral who can command tens of thousands, is rather problematic.”

Damien nodded, “The Pump-Pump Fruit in its Awakened state has the power to not only raise morale to great heights but even rejuvenate all allies.”

The Black Death giggled, “It also works to weaken all enemies in its full power.”

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And it was true, Kurowashi not only brought the marines to a new height but also caused the weaker pirates to lose strength and stamina.

“Commander… this is draining on our forces,” Indra voiced out.

“Your friend here isn’t wrong, young man,” Rayleigh who stood only 20 or so meters away agreed.

“What is our gameplay?”

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Damien gave out a wry smile, “Rayleigh, I like to dance at my own pace. Taking charge like some kind of general is not my thing.”

The Dark King gave out a teasing smile, “You might not think so but your presence is holding together a lot of these pirates. Not every pirate is keen on a sure-death.”

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*Bang*

“WORORO! Let’s just rip them apart!”

Silver Axe also spoke up, “Damien-kun, my axe will be at your command.”

*Boom*

“WAWAWA! I haven’t fought all 3 Admirals before… I will show them the power of Wang Zhi!” The elephant-man roared.

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“I’m here to fight on behalf of my lovely Newgate! You red-eyed brat better not let these marines interrupt his fight with that ugly Roger!” A short woman yelled from afar.

“The marine-mutilator Damien… My Noir Pirates have decided to join under the Rocks’ Flag!” Mr. Noir said as he combed his white hair.

…

The newly joined crews all gave out some one-liners as Damien could only sigh.

“Ufufufu, Damien-chan, they’re all yours.”

The man rolled his eyes as he walked a few steps forward.

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Damien proceeded to give out a quick plan as the rest nodded in response.

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*Step*

He then walked to the very edge of his ship and stood on the railing, his eyes burned with excitement.

Under the eyes of the tens of thousands of pirates, a rather admiring scene occurred.

The clouds that had arrived due to the very tension of the battle seemed to warp.

They twisted and churned as a single hole formed at the area directly above the Sin Incarnate. Leaving him bathed in the hue of dawn.

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The young man then extended his arm out.

*Fwoooo*

The air grumbled as the onlookers saw a streak of black and red blast out of a sunken ship.

BOOM!

A small explosion went off as Damien’s Ryushi returned into his grasp.

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Under the coming fleet of endless, reinvigorated navy soldiers headed by 5 Admiral-Level marines was a pirate of age less than 20 years.

A crimson burst of Haki went off as all the eyes were drawn to the man in the middle.

Damien held Ryushi as the flawless supreme blade was pointed directly at the Ox Llyods warship that was kilometers away.

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An ominous wind raged all around as the voices of the world were invoked.

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A small grin spread across Damien’s face as

“Take out all that bottled-up rage that you harbour for years and rip all these marines to shreds!”

“And what’s the worst that can happen?” His voice bounced over the seas. “You’ll only just die.”

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