One Piece: Path to Power - Chapter 128

[2380 words]

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“How very interesting.”

“What is it, Damien?” Aurora asked from the side as she saw her lover’s grin.

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“It details the existence of 3 islands capable of determining the fate of the world – The Three Endpoints!”

Damien then began to summarize the records of the Poneglyph.

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“It states they emerged during the end of the Void Century when the untold horrors and major taboos took place.”

“A powerful man who had the ability to mould the world commanded an exuberant amount of subterranean magma and sealed it in 3 islands of the New World. Aka, The Three Endpoints.”

Damien tapped his chin in thought, “Should all three islands be destroyed, the seal will be undone, releasing enough magma to wash away the entire world in molten rocks and the lives within.”

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Aurora took an audible gulp, stepping back in shock.

“So… it can end the world?”

“Yep,” Damien replied. “Anyways, let’s see what fruits we have here.”

“…”

Aurora was left speechless as Damien casually went on to analyze the fruits.

>=-=—-[]—<>—[]—=-=<

[Zoan]

[Bat Bat Fruit: Model Horseshoe Bat.]

[Cat-Cat Fruit: Model Lynx.]

[Human-Human Fruit: Model Otaku.]

[Bird-Bird Fruit: Model Hawk.]

—————

[Paramecia]

[Fix-Fix Fruit – Allows the user to fix all material faults determined by the user’s thoughts.]

[Author-Author Fruit – Allows the user to write significantly faster.]

[Hair-Hair Fruit – Allows the user to fully control all hair follicles within their body.]

[Truth-Truth Fruit – Allows the user to harvest the truth from anyone.]

>=-=—-[]—<>—[]—=-=<

‘Well, one of them has some use but the rest aren’t overly impressive. It’s a gamble after all.’

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Damien then moved to the 3 Famed Blade.

“A trashy Skillful Blade, I might make a spoon out of it,” he said as he tossed one of them to the side.

“Hmm, this isn’t bad…”

Damien inspected the Great Grade Sword.

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Aurora, who had recovered from knowing about the 3 switches of death, turned her attention to Damien.

A playful smile appeared on her face as if she was waiting for something.

*Clank*

Damien threw another Skillful Grade Sword, next to the pile of useless fruits harvested from earlier.

Though at this point, he had noticed Aurora’s proud expression.

“What’s up with you?”

“Ahem… well I found another treasure that Sol had stored in his private collection,” she said.

“I was saving it for last.”

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Damien raised an eyebrow as a small smirk came to his face.

He vanished from his position and appeared behind the purple-hair girl and tied his hands around and over her shoulder and across her body.

“Oh? Don’t keep me in suspense.”

Aurora’s face reddened slightly as she waved her hand as a storm of purple energy rained down from above.

*Vooo*

It was a vortex of night energy that hid a powerful artifact.

“This feeling…” Damien uttered as his eyes widened in surprise.

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“You’ve found quite the treasure for me, princess,” he kissed her cheek and walked ahead into the purple mass of energy.

*Creaking*

A familiar sound breached Damien’s ears as he heard ice form and expand around the object.

*Fwoooo*

It floated with grace and beauty, exuding both strength and power.

A katana-like sword with an uneven blade, as if carved by a child. And yet it sent out a feeling of unfound sharpness.

Apart from the glacial-blue colour and uneven blade, it also released white mist, as one exhaling during the cold.

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“Well considering it is the ‘Holy Terror’ prized possession, it would make sense for him to have this,” Damien muttered.

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As the sword before him was one of the 13 Supreme Blades – the ‘Blessed Blade’ – Hyōga!

[A/N: Image of the Sword.]

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Aurora who admired the blade from afar took out a small book called the ‘Famed Blade Records’.

It detailed all of the known 50 Skillful Grade swords, the 25 Great Grade Swords and the 13 Supreme Grade Swords – It was only recently updated to include Ryushi.

*Fwah*

She flipped through the pages and found it.

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“The ‘Blessed Blade’ Hyoga,” she read off. “According to the historians at Ohara, the sword was forged in the icy plains of the Everwinter Island over 650 years ago. It was made with Heavenly Ore that was bathed in a frozen lake to ward off devil fruit users.”

She went on to say, “According to the text here, the blade of the sword supposedly gives off a wavelength that is the same as the sea itself. With this power to fight the devil, it was given the label as the ‘Blessed Blade’.”

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Damien nodded at the information, “Hmm, let’s test that theory.”

*Purrup*

Like a bubbly mass, pulverizing energy appeared in Damien’s hand.

He directed the energy towards the sword.

As the crimson haze neared the blade, it started to vibrate, seemingly alive as white mist exuded out.

*Sizzle*

And like water on a hot pan, the entire crushing-red power was removed and utterly disintegrated.

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“Hmm, theoretically it shouldn’t even be able to be in this World of Night since it is made from a devil fruit but I guess being the ‘Blessed Blade’, it has its own mind.”

*Step*

Damien walked up and grabbed the brown hand.

As expected, the weapon shook while endless icy breaths raged out and into Damien’s hand. His palm creaked as the cold feeling ran through his body.

Ice formed upon the young pirate’s wrist as if trying to freeze it straight to the marrow!

“I’ll find you a fitting wielder to showcase your grace and strength, until then, sleep.”

.

Being a sentient blade, Damien expected continued resistance.

However, the blade stopped its initial struggle and sat softly in the young pirate’s hand. Calm as day.

Damien raised an eyebrow in interest, wondering why the blade gave up like so, almost as if it recognized him.

But he didn’t think much of it as he stored the icy sword into his {Inventory}.

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The Sin Incarnate then turned his attention to the purple-haired princess behind him and gave a wolfish grin.

“Now, Aurora, since you tried so hard… it’s time for your reward.”

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Damien walked forwards with a smirk that caused the girl to freeze.

“D-Don’t you have to return to Hachinosu…?” She gulped under the boy’s gaze that seemed rather hungry.

Damien moved the purple strands of hair in front of the girl’s face as he grasped her in a powerful hold.

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“There’s no real, we’ve got all the time in the world.”

Aurora could no longer resist as her lips were taken and her mind drifted elsewhere, outside of mundane thoughts.

———————————————-

[Later on]

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More than half a day had passed as the marines had invaded the country.

It wasn’t a surprise when the Admiral’s found the destroyed forts and walls alongside the majority of the Prideful Pirates being dead.

What did surprise them was that so many of them were cruelly drained of life… turned to bones and nothing but fleeting minerals.

A horrifying image to say the least.

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Over the 12 or so hours, Sengoku, Garp and Zephyr went scouring the entirety of Superbia, clearing endless collapsed buildings, landmarks and even mountains.

In the wake of the Pirate Fest, huge waves and tsunamis had graced the island, leaving it in dust and rubble.

Of the 300000 civilians, at least 40% died from such causes while many were left injured and in a critical state.

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The 10000 of Fulcrum’s men and remaining marines went through and helped bring the injured and dead into a single place.

It was a long process, but with Basara the Mountain, transportation wasn’t difficult.

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Tsuru used her Wash-Wash Fruit to ‘purify’ the pirates that remained while the Vice Admirals rounded up the few veteran pirates who survived.

It was a long process but it was necessary, after all, the marines were the good guys.

———-

“Kong-san, I didn’t ask then, but the Celestial Dragons… what’s going on with them?”

Sengoku asked over the snail.

“Why would they support Fulcrum so much?”

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Kong’s usual stern voice responded, “A very grand and secretive event will happen soon, Sengoku. The leaders of each of the 19 Royal Families have voiced out the desire to calm the seas as soon as possible.”

“And so, Fulcrum, the man who controls much of the Underworld is being favoured by them. With Sol dead, lord knows what hell is to follow, but one thing is for sure – the World Nobles are afraid!”

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The Fleet Admiral sighed in resignation.

“I see you as my successor, Sengoku. Just do as you’re tasked, don’t ask too many questions and my seat will be yours eventually.”

———————————————-

[Room of Authority, Pangaea Castle]

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5 men rest in the Room of Authority.

They are the Supreme Authority of the World Government.

—

The Sword Elder slightly unsheathed his Supreme Sword – Shodai Kitetsu.

“Balance has been tipped. The world is left hanging by a thin thread of order that weakens .”

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The Blond Elder sighed as he massaged his temples.

“With Sol’s downfall, a vacuum of power has appeared in the New World. From one D. to another. Xebec, Roger, Damien. All of these are far too dangerous to be left alive any longer.”

The Scarred Elder raged out, “All our efforts have been voided by that damn Rocks Pirates! The fateful day approaches and we lose more and more control by the passing second!”

*Shiing*

The Sword Elder fully releases his sword as his eyes grow heavy in distress.

“Xebec has gotten stronger and that Roger has gotten far too close to the Final Island.”

He then said, “And that boy… Einar D. Damien. His father was just as problematic as he has now become. To think his power can be used just as Vegapunk estimated, how truly dreadful!”

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Another Elder interjected, “The D. will always blow up a storm! It was a mistake on our part to let him grow. The little seed left behind by that Ares has sprouted and grown into an entity that seems to only know how to oppose order.”

The voice then grew solemn as a sharp glint flooded the eyes of the Elders.

“Perhaps it is time to extinguish another light from history once again.”

“…”

A deafening silence pervaded the atmosphere as each Elder was left solemn.

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The Bearded Elder spoke up, “What of Kong’s request? I say it may be of some use and can increase our control over the New World.”

“Kong is too reckless, if he’s given the approval to use them then it may very well blow back in our faces,” the Bald Elder voiced out his opinion.

The Blond Elder shook his head, “Then let us have Xerxes and his CP-0 oversee it. They will ensure that it stays in our hands.”

*Clank*

The Sword Elder sheathed his sword once more in agreement, “It is decided then, Xerxes will be tasked to go to Jail Island and get the excavation method himself. We put the issue aside before but their use has come early than expected.”

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The Scarred Elder harumphed, “Very well, for the greater good, the Dyna Stones shall be used to quell the disorder of the New World.”

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[Moments Later]

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In the white halls of a decorated office came a snail call.

“To think they would approve of it so soon…” A man thought out loud as he put out his cigar.

“The Dyna Stones are said to equal the Ancient Weapons! I suppose it is only natural they should belong to the reliable hands of the World Government.”

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The man talking was the Chief of Cipher Pol – Xerxes.

(Pronounced as Zerk-seez)

As for the Dyna Stones, they are found exclusively on Jail Island to which only the inhabitants know the way to properly extract them.

With the strength to rival the likes of the Ancient Weapons, well, gaining the excavation method needed some blood to be spilled.

Xerxes understood this very well, “In the name of Justice.”

———————————————-

While the orders that decided the fate of the world were being sent out, Damien was finishing up some personal ‘business’.

“Haa, huu, haah.”

Soft yet heavy breaths escaped from a purple-haired girl’s mouth. She was clearly quite spent.

“Damien… you should be gentler with girls,” She sighed in fleeting pleasure as her breathing slowly stabilized.

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The red-eyed young man gave out a smirk, “Well, both Toki and you tell a different tale during our little contests compared to what you say after it.”

Aurora turned away, her face flushed in indignation.

…

A few silent seconds later, Damien’s felt a tremor in Aurora’s body, she seemed to be in deep thought.

He quickly deduced what had taken over the girl’s mind.

“I left him in quite a broken shape. Once he wakes up he will surely wish that he’d had died in that explosion. I’ll let you kill him yourself once you’re strong enough,” Damien said as he played with Aurora’s long purple hair in a soothing voice.

It seemed to work as the girl turned over with a soft yet affectionate smile, “I know, I trust you.”

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Damien smiled as he got up to leave the World of Night.

“Be careful.”

The Sin Incarnate gave out a chuckle as he lowered his head and kissed the girl once more.

“Don’t worry, I’ll be fine,” He said. “I’ll count on Toki and you to take care of the kids. I’m afraid the seas will only get more turbulent from now on.”

———————————————-

“KWAHAHAHA! Big News! Big News galore!” A shrill voice cackled.

On the ruined streets of Helios Capital was a single humanoid bird that scribbled endless notes on a small pad in his feathery hands.

“I’ll write the most spectacular report that can be written, don’t you worry, Fulcrum!” Morgans assured the man who walked beside him.

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“Very good. I’ll leave that to you, Morgans.”

*Crackle*

In a red arc of electricity, the man disappeared.

*Bzzz*

Fulcrum then reappeared on a lonely mountain top that overlooked the fallen Overlord’s land.

A handful of posters in his hands.

They were pre-published bounty posters that Morgans had given him, they were to be sent out with the final report.

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Fulcrum gave out a hum as he flipped through the pages.

A few draft posters were laid out, supposedly sent to Morgans to include in his report.

“These bounties are rather high, I guess the World Government has become impatient with ‘that’ event due to happen soon…”

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The 3 Endpoints and Dyna Stones are from the One Piece Movie Z. the Same one where Zephyr was introduced. It is non-canon but it’s some interesting stuff.

Hyoga means “Glacier” if you didn’t know.