One Piece: Path to Power - Chapter 123

[2493 words]

This chapter was originally ~3800 words but, for your delight, I split it into 2 as it was simply too much going on.

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Indra who was acting as a tide-reversal took a moment to recall what happened nearly 40 minutes ago.

‘The Commander wants to do more than just hold back the Navy and gave me quite the mission,’ he thought.

It was a difficult task but as Damien’s current right-hand man, Indra would certainly complete it; even at the cost of his life.

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Explosions lined up the horizon as the 3 men took off with Indra in the lead and Andor and Wang Zhi near his side.

The marine battleships continued their fire across the giant rocky landscape as the pirates returned fire in great passion.

*Slash*

*Crunch*

Andor slashed a volley of tens of cannonballs while Wang Zhi crushed them with great strength.

*Voosh*

They flashed through the battlefield as most of the marines’ attention was turned towards the bigger problems.

Crossing nearly 80% of the way to the marines’ side, they were finally blocked.

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*Thud*

3 people landed in front of Indra’s like an entourage.

“Vice Admiral Toro, and Rear Admirals Pretzel and Decarther,” Indra recited out loud as he saw the marines.

Toro was a 12-foot tall marine with a feral face and horn-shaped hairstyle.

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“Surrender yourselves, pirates!” The Vice Admiral roared as he turned into a bull-human hybrid.

“WAWAWA!” Wang Zhi bellowed out. “A little cow with horns, maybe I should pull out a red cloth to deal with you?”

Toro growled in anger as he raged on ahead with his subordinates’ support.

*Boom*

Sliver Axe smashed the bottom of his shiny weapon onto the ground as it was coated in thick Haki.

“Indra-kun, your mission is key to turning the tides in our favour, let us hold back these marines.”

The pirate known as the ‘Swift Death’ could only nod as he disappeared from his spot.

*Wooosh*

Like a ghost, his body simply flashed right through the 3 marines who were too slow to even react.

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Before they could try and halt Indra, Andor and Wang Zhi had already acted!

BOOM!

The blackened axe smashed upon the raging bull while Wang Zhi’s ginormous sword was thrust upon the 2 Rear Admirals leading to a deadlock.

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Indra who had eaten the Swift-Swift fruit could be considered to be the one of, if not, the fastest man alive!

His speed was equal to Damien in Hadean form and was enough to break the sound barrier.

Even though the 3 pirates made it ⅘ths of the way across the rocky landscapes, they were still noticed by the higher level marines, yet none acted as they thought Toro was enough to stop them.

Yet now Indra was rocketing through the marines’ ships and entering deep into their formation.

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“You’re speed will leave them in shock and give you the opportunity to fulfil your task,” Indra recalled Damien’s words.

Indra’s eyes were filled with a certain excitement.

He then grasped the object Damien had given him and stored it in his pocket as he neared his destination.

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*Thud*

His black boots let out a resounding thud as he reached the very core of the marine formation.

His target had been reached; the Ox Llyods Warship!

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He was about to act until a soft yet strict voice went off:

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“Shigan Shower.”

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Bam! Boom! Kaboom!

Tens of sharp and condensed bullet-like pockets of air rained down on the unsuspecting Indra.

They were sharp and thick globs of air.

*Shiing*

Indra took out his Great Sword – Junketsu as it shined a beautiful black.

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“One Sword Style – Dance of the White!”

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In a mesmerizing spectacle, the tens upon tens of air bullets were cut in small explosions as Indra’s soft yet sharp sword techniques broke out.

“Hmm, not bad. As expected of the Sin Incarnate’s top subordinate,” The same voice from earlier was heard.

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Indra looked up at the shadow not so far away and muttered, “Marine Admiral Kurowashi.”

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Sengoku and Rayleigh were currently in a duel.

The giant Buddha drifted his eyes to the giant ship at the heart of the marine formation and then to Damien who was currently in a fight with Garp.

“What is his goal, sending his subordinate to fight Kurowashi? There’s no logic in such a move…” He mumbled in thought.

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Rayleigh saw his enemy in thought and laughed, “That young man seems to get stronger a little too fast.”

“He’s already reached quite a level, don’t you agree, Sengoku?”

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The giant golden Buddha then focused on the Dark King before him.

“Einar D. Damien… he causes quite the mess every turn he takes,” Sengoku drained on as his fist was covered with a golden bubble.

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“Impact Wave!”

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A golden shockwave of pure power raged out from the Admiral’s palm as it branched out with endless momentum.

Rayleigh gave out an appreciative hum as his saber was coated with a fresh coat of armament.

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“The Starry Night!”

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In a beautiful silver slash of excellent swordsmanship, the advancing golden attack was cut through the center causing it to implode on its self in a dim fizzle.

Sengoku’s eyes squinted solemnly as his enormous 25-foot tall frame jumped into the air.

The atmosphere groaned as the buddha fell with great flare, palms opened.

“Big Buddha Impact!”

The Dark King responded with equal passion.

“The Coming Storm!”

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[Elsewhere]

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“Dreaded Devastation!”

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2 giant swirling swarms of mountainous rocks raged out with deafening grace.

“Ma-MA-Mam-MA! Your rocks have grown softer, Basara!” Big Mom yelled out as she extended Napolean into its greatest form.

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“Ikoku Sovereignty!”

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A grand slash of raiding-pink sword energy rippled out as the Spear of Elbaf shot ahead at the coming attack.

The 2 fluid mountain attacks were shredded apart as Linlin raced ahead.

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“War Dominion!”

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The black flintlock in her left arm aimed ahead at the floating Admiral as a powerful bullet clad in Haki shot out.

The air swarmed around it like a powerful wave as the single attacks exploded with great energy.

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Basara raised both hands in the air.

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“Grace of Gaea!”

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5 thick and solid wall-like mountains extended from the seas below providing a power shield.

Boom!

Bang!

*Rumble*

The bullet cut through the first 4 and was finally stopped by the last wall.

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Linlin didn’t halt, however.

She raced ahead as she pocketed her gun, leaving an empty hand.

*Fwmmm*

Armament coated her fist.

“HA!”

She smashed it upon the final obstacle.

BOOM!

The wall shattered like glass as the beautiful pirate continued her advance.

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“Trembling Earth – Excalibur!”

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A humungous rocky sword made of pure earth blasted out from sea below as it thundered its way to the Evil Spirit.

*Crackle* *Blaze*

Big Mom grabbed a thundering cloud and a blazing sun, her strongest Homies as she replied to the Admiral in equal fervour.

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“Matriarchal Tyranny!”

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[Nearby]

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“Fist of Pain!”

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A mountain-crumbling fist raged on as it met a cracked-black fist that swirled with crimson energy.

The two fists persisted in absolute stubbornness and both sides traded incredible amounts of energy.

The shockwave released caused the nearby men to have their eardrums explode as the sound waves echoed in their cranium.

Damien gritted his teeth as he felt the strength of absolute armament from his opponent.

Like being struck by a mountain, Damien felt an instantaneous transfer of force as his black bones seemed to shake from within.

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His head ringing, the young man said, “Damn Garp… your fists hurt even more than Newgate-Ossan’s quakes.”

Garp just smirked as a sharp breath was released from his slightly bloodied mouth.

“Hehe, you’re not half bad either, Damien boy!”

He then shook his head in disbelief, “Even Roger and Newgate don’t eat my fists as you do… just what kind of monster did Xebec find? Bwahaha!”

The 2 shot forth once more into another clash.

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“You know, Garp. I can feel sparks of Conqueror’s Haki from you… But they feel empty and hollow.”

“Wanna tell me what that’s about?”

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Damien was questioning the man as the 2 continuously traded heavy fists in the air.

Boom!

Garp took a punch infused Conqueror’s Haki with a loud grunt.

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The Vice Admiral then gave a big grin with some blood decorating his white teeth.

“Hehe, don’t worry about that kid. I just made a choice a while ago that I ended up regretting.”

“But don’t think it makes my fists any lighter!”

BAM!

A powerful punch slammed Damien’s core as he was sent soaring back 20 meters.

The Sin Incarnate cracked his stiff neck as he regained his balance.

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“A regretted decision eh?” He hummed. “Well, I won’t ask anymore but I hope you can show me something more ’cause I’m only getting started.”

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Damien then changed to a high-offensive combat strategy relying on his absurd bodily strength to hold up against the enemy’s power.

In a burst of air, Garp jumped up into an arc as his blackened foot slashed down like a battle-axe upon Damien’s head.

Boom!

In an x-shaped shield, Damien held on.

His arms shook uncontrollably from the absolute strength of the marine, yet his bones remained strong.

A quick current of air raged as Damien shot open his crossed arm, causing Garp to be pushed back.

The Vice Admiral regained his balance and burst ahead once more as his Haki-ed fist dug into Damien’s stomach.

BAM!

A loud bang went off as Damien ate the attack with a pained groan.

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Garp was hunched down with a grin, putting more and more power into his fist as it dug even further, knocking the breath out of his adversary.

However…

BOOM!

Damien raised his hands and interlocked his fingers, adjoining both hands.

He then smashed it down upon the Vice Admiral’s wide back, sending a mix of Haki and pulverizing energy into the man.

Seeing Garp reeling in slight pain, Damien tried to make some distance, however…

*Grab*

A powerful grip held onto Damien’s right leg as he was caught in mid-air.

BANG!

A loud gong-like sound resounded as Garp’s head-butted Damien’s wide a black forehead of Haki.

The young pirate’s eyes whitened as he seemed to lose consciousness for a split second.

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“Hehe,” Garp chuckled as he then readied a powerful fist to ‘dicipline’ his younger foe.

*Fwoo*

Air bounced particles around as Garp’s ‘Fist of Love’ was ready, Grandmastery of Armament Haki pouring in.

Damien regained his train of thought as he saw the coming attack.

Without hesitation, he made an unpredictable move.

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*Crack*

It was a loud crunch sound, the snapping of bones to the nth level.

Garp’s eyes widened as his jaw dropped in surprise.

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He saw Damien, who was caught by the leg like a fish in a hook, turn 360 degrees around his immobile leg, twisting wholly in a circle.

The leg bones snapped and tore apart, fresh blood spurted out as Damien spun in great speed with little care.

His free left foot travelled in a circular motion as it smashed onto Garp’s shocked face in a spectacle of red and black.

BAM!

The currents of Haki and nigh-Awakened pulverizing energy rammed inside Garp’s skull.

The Vice Admiral who was caught off-guard by Damien’s unorthodox means was sent flying into a marine warship in a spurt of red.

*Snap*

The onlookers blinked their eyes as they saw Damien’s broken and twisted leg spin around in a flurry of red as it snapped back into place.

Almost as if it were made of rubber.

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*Rumble*

Wood clattered about as Garp popped the air back into position, blood trailing down his lips, a visible bruise of purple on his cheek.

Garp massaged his face, putting his jaw back into place.

“Doesn’t that hurt?” He then questioned with a huff.

Damien smirked, “Of course it does.”

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Garp blew a cloud of dust as he shot ahead once more, caring little for strategy and relying on his brute strength like an unstoppable train.

Damien saw the crazed marine and made a move.

He extended out his hands as the winds were cut from the coming of Ryushi.

*Bang*

Like a gunshot, the weapon smashed into the young man’s grip.

The Supreme Weapon buzzed in delight.

*Fwwwwwmm*

Aside from the Ryuo flowing around Ryushi, Damien added another little sprinkle of power.

“Let’s see what’s harder; my blade or your fists.”

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*GRRRRRR*

Sounds like the grating of steel broke out as the tip of Ryushi’s Ravager Form was buzzing with powerful crimson torrents of power.

The air around the blade went beyond the usual obliteration and to the point where it was simply not.

It was a thin coat of absolute void and emptiness that covered the Supreme Sword.

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All atoms within an inch of the unbreakable metal seemed to have been utterly destroyed!

Ryushi which was born with the addition of Damien’s fruit powers seemed to have grown a step further!

Even the Ryou energy had vanished and had seeped into the metal, leaving behind a dull yet ominous shadow of void and utter vacuum around the blade.

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“Atomic Saber.”

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*Swish* *Voosh*

Like a masterful swordsman, Damien twirled Ryushi into a crimson-circular spectacle as broken cracks followed all around.

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Garp cracked his knuckles together as he gave out an audible chuckle.

Armament Haki of the Grandmaster stage danced around his steel-like fists as they seemed to have enough power to break islands in half!

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With a bang, both men shot forth with grand Rokushiki maneuvers, rocketing through the ever-chaotic skies.

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Eyes around the area drifted to the sky as they saw a spectacle of blazing red and dazzling green; the world seemed to pause.

It was a moment of pin-drop silence as the 2 powerhouses were about to collide.

The air currents themselves seemed to wrap around Garp’s fists as the raven-black Haki polished with endless emission shot out.

Damien’s Ryushi seemed to leave a trail of broken actuality as black cracks of Conqueror’s Haki in unison with impressive Ryou ran ahead.

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Alas, they touched.

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BOOOOOOOM!

An ear-rattling screech, a mind-numbing shockwave and a sea-quaking spectacle ensued.

The blue sky shifted from its original azure colour to a giant bubble of dark-red and warm-green with the 2 men at the core.

Ryushi seemed to yell out in anger as its advent simply could not be stopped!

Garp’s right fist that was smashed upon the blade shook violently as it took in the atom-dismantling energy and Infused Haki that seeped into his very bones.

The Vice Admiral’s eyes turned white in fury, his spirit remained unwavering.

Damien felt the weight of the 7 seas thrust onto his body as endless fruit energy and Haki were channelled to his weapon as he too put everything in.

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Giant waves of water exploded around the 2 men that clashed in the sky and brought about their own disaster-like presents to the ones nearby.

Thousands of bodies were lifted into the air as they cried out in fear.

Like a rainstorm, the bodies showered down onto the broken ships, shaking waters and the cracked rock platform.

It was something out of a book, simply apocalyptic.

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