One Piece: Path to Power - Chapter 79

[2360 words]

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⭐ Crew Update – Doctor ⭐

I said that I would use a Frankenstein-inspired template for an OC,

BUT!

That may no longer be the case as I have changed some things after introducing the Pure Gold last chapter.

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*DING*

[Your Crew Template has been updated!]

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We are a few hours away from reaching our destination as I hear the notification.

>=-=—-[]—<>—[]—=-=<

[{Unnamed Crew}]

[Core Index] ⏬

1. Einar D. Damien // Captain

2. Kuzan // Lookout

3. Amethyst Aurora // Assassin

4. VACANT

5. VACANT

6. VACANT

7. VACANT

———-

[Associate Index] ????

———-

[Subordinate Index] ⏬

[Yonko Level Pirates: 1]

[Yonko Commander Level Pirates: 1]

[Yonko Crew Level Pirates: 1]

[Fodders: 2]

[Total Pirate Count: 5]

—

[Fleets: 0]

[Divisions: 0]

>=-=—-[]—<>—[]—=-=<

She was added in as a core member, her position is quite fitting as her fruit is perfect for an assassin.

—–

[Few Hours Later]

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*Nudge*

I slightly tapped the girl on my right as she was sleeping while leaning on my shoulder.

“Mhm…5 more minutes…” She mumbles.

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“Wake up, we’ve arrived.”

She opened her eyes with confusion.

She then smiled at me with clear eyes as she asked, “Where are we?”

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I look at the island before me and smile in nostalgia.

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“Yozora Island, the land that forever sleeps in darkness.”

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She was quite intrigued by the special condition of the island as she looked at it with interest.

“Wow…are we here for something?”

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I nodded, “Someone. We are here to meet someone.”

———————————————-

[Yozora Island]

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*Vwoooo*

A whisper of the wind howls as I place my ship into my {Inventory}.

“Let’s go.”

—–

It was a long way through the forest as I asked my companion.

“Tell me, Aurora, what do you think about the World Government?”

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She thought for a bit and said with some difficulty, “At first I thought them to be villains when I saw that Admiral execute my parents…”

She sighed, “But after seeing Vice Admiral Zephyr, I do know there are still a few ‘decent’ marines out there. But that isn’t enough. Every time I see that marine in those propaganda fliers, it fills me with anger.”

“I know he was following orders but he himself shows to me just how corrupt these seas are.”

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I nodded, “You want to revolutionize our system?”

She shook her head, “No, justice is decided by the strong, so I will vie for that strength till I attain it.”

She then smiled, “And hopefully, by then I can stand beside you too.”

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I just shake my head at her bold words with a small smile.

——-

[Few Minutes Later]

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As we track towards the forest, I feel a few presences over the island.

3 humans of which 1 was gazing intently from hundreds of meters away.

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“You returned, boy.”

The voice was of an older man as I saw his piercing yellow eyes in the distance.

“Vlad-san, it’s nice to meet you again,” I greeted him as he was someone I would consider an old friend.

The man nodded, “I’ve heard about your feats throughout the world, I’m glad that the treasured ore is being used nicely.”

I laughed, “Oh, you bet, if it wasn’t for the Blood Ore, our ship would be in ruins by now.”

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We continue a little chat as we enter the gothic-themed mansion.

—–

[Inside]

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*Creak*

The ancient doors open as I am greeted with the same style as before, red carpets, old furniture, creaking boards and green candles.

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We move into the living room.

A middle-aged woman with some creases on her face gets up with a big smile.

“Ara~! Damien-chan, you actually came for a visit!” Vlad’s wife, Dracule Mina said.

She then hugged me as if I was a nephew or something, though a bit surprising, I did hug her back.

“It’s nice to meet you again, Mina-san.”

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She then looks at Aurora with her sharp eyes as she raises her eyebrow in inspection,

“Ara ara~ Damien-chan you actually brought such a beautiful girl with you. I’m proud of you.” She said as she clasped her hands in joy.

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I was about to correct her words but then the girl in question spoke.

“It’s nice to meet you, my name is Aurora.”

I just sighed as I knew not to intervene once an ara-araer enters the chat.

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“Ara~ come with me, little Aurora, the men can chat here while we have our girl talk elsewhere.”

Mina then grabbed the purple-eyed girl’s hands and dragged her away.

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“Come, boy, tell me how you have been,” Vlad said in a refined manner as he gestured towards the olden sofas.

———————————————-

[20 Minutes Later]

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A little small talk ensued as I then asked the swordsman,

“I take it that Mihawk is training away.”

Vlad nodded, “That boy had been pushing himself day in and day out 16 hours a day. *Sigh* The only time he converses with us is either when it’s about training, dinner time or some news about his older brother.”

.

I smiled as I remembered the little boy who I met over 2 years ago, he was only a few feet tall and already carrying a small wooden sword.

“I have to gather some firewood for dinner, would you mind fetching the boy?” He asked.

I nodded, “Of course.”

———————————————-

[In a Clearing Nearby]

(3rd POV)

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It was an open field, 200 meters away from the Castle.

Torches surrounded the large green field rained on with eternal moonlight as a few shadows flash around near the center.

*Clang* *Bang*

A 3-year-old child with short black hair and a wooden sword was currently clashing with a young humandrill, nearly 3 times taller than the former.

[A/N: Chibi Mihawk Image]

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*Clang!* *Clash*

*Slash!*

Both were moving quite fast, the boy used quick and powerful slashes as the monkey responded with fury.

“Haa, Huuh, haah,” The boy was breathing quite fast as his body was simply too small to hold up to such an opponent.

*Slash!*

“Ugh!” He groaned as his opponent’s sword slashed upon his own, shattering the wood into pieces as Mihawk was sent flying back 10 meters with little control.

He was about to crash into a tree until he abruptly stopped.

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“Hmm?” He opened his eyes, ignoring the aching pain, as he felt someone holding him.

“Yo kid, your dad tells me you’ve been training quite hard these days,” A casual voice entered his ears as his eyes widened in surprise.

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“That voice… N-Ni-san?!”

——

(Damien POV)

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I was currently holding the little kid by the collar of his black shirt as I held him 4 feet in the air, his feet dangling. Like a cat holding a kitten.

I then study his body and see quite a lot of bruises and cuts from prolonged battles.

He’s been training quite a lot…

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“N-Nii-san?!”

His piercing yellow eyes widen as a small shocked smile appears on his childish face.

“The one and only, missed me?” I asked as I turned his body around and placed him down while crouching on my knees to his eye level.

“Mhm! But, I-I didn’t think I would meet you so soon…” He muttered as he remembered what I said last time.

I saw his hesitant face as I extended my hand.

*Pat*

I ruffle his jet-black hair as he looks up with some confusion.

“I know I said we would cross blades one day, but that doesn’t mean I can’t come to visit you till then, now does it?”

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My words seem to work wonders as he gives me his small smile, though just like last time, he still has trouble showing his emotions to others.

I then get up and gesture for him to follow, “Come, your father is readying dinner, you seem quite famished.”

He nods as I feel some hesitation once more,

“What’s up?” I ask.

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He looks up with his hawk-like eyes and says with a stutter,

“Um, after dinner, c-can I show you what I learned recently…?”

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The last part seemed to carry the hidden excitement and a bit of nervousness.

I laugh and then ruffle his hair once more, “Of course you can.”

———————————————-

[After Dinner]

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For one, it seems like Aurora had automatically been accepted as a niece of Mina as she now sees her as my girlfriend and seems to chat with her like a teenage girl.

I could only smile wryly as it seems like she went on to scold me for letting her get hurt from Zephyr’s duel.

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Vlad also told me about Mihawk’s routine and their sword style.

It was their creed passed down over 750 years from the Void Century, every generation hailed geniuses of the sword, yet only a few ventured out of Yozora Island.

The one thing that had remained constant was that no one except the progenitor of the Dracule Family has ever held the Blade Blade Yoru.

And that it had been lodged in the black stone outside the castle for nearly a millennium.

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Vlad and Mina both believe that Mihawk may be the one to change that and show the world why these swords are reputed as the strongest.

I, of course, concurred, not only because of the future knowledge I had but also because of Mihawk’s drive and his craving for strength as it was so incredibly intense that he simply won’t take no for an answer.

———————————————-

[The Hedge Maze]

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All of us were now at an open area near the hedge maze.

Mihawk was slashing down his metal sword towards me as I blocked it with my index finger.

*Clang*

Sounds of metal hitting metal echoed through the dim forest as he kept up with great speeds.

He was only 43 inches in height (3’7) and compared to my height of almost 10 feet, it was quite difficult for him to reach me.

Yet, he fully utilized his lesser height by trying to sneak around my blind spots and using his speed to outmaneuver me, not halting for a second as he rained down quick and fatal attacks.

Of course he would never be able to hit me unless I allowed it simply because my Futuresight would activate whenever something nears me with hostile intent.

It was unfair, but from his eyes, I can see no disappointment but rather an excitement.

I saw a boy waiting to be praised for his efforts.

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*Clang* *Slash*

I smiled as he continued his barrage of attacks.

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“Haa!” He grunted as he switched his stance and raised his blade behind his back and slashes down towards me.

I was dumbfounded as I saw his attack.

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*VWOOO*

A very thin green slash of sword energy was sent at me with decent speed.

‘He can actually throw his attack!’ I almost said out loud.

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Swords have their stages that I had known for a while and a separate branch of those stages is linked to sword energy in which the bladesman would quite literally throw their attack.

It required great mastery over the weapon and was considered an intermediate-level attack, but for a 3-year-old to use was simply absurd.

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I just raised out my left hand as the sword attack slashed towards me.

*Grab*

It landed in my palm as I simply squeezed it as it dimmed away. Completely absorbing the energy into my body.

Of course, there wasn’t much power in it but it was shocking all the same.

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*Thud*

The boy landed on the cobblestone as he breathed heavily from his stamina being nigh-fully consumed.

I looked at his eager eyes, knowing what he was waiting for.

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“You have reached a height even beyond my expectations. Great work kid.” I said with all honesty as he had truly surprised me.

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He then opened his mouth slightly as it stretched into a small smile.

“Mhm!” he then rubbed his nose with some embarrassment.

He then went back to his expressionless face as he declared, “Just wait, Nii-san, I will become the Strongest Swordsman in the Seas and duel you with everything I have!”

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I was gonna accept his challenge but a black flash whizzed forth and grasped the boy.

“Ah! My Hawk-chan, you sound so cute when you talk like that.”

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Mina has hugged the dear life out of the child as he waved his hands in suffocation and embarrassment.

Aurora and I laughed as I saw the mother and child while Vlad was smiling like a proud father.

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Mihawk was now grumbling in his mother’s arms until something odd happened.

“Aaagh!”

Mihawk’s eyes popped out as they turned red with blood. His voice cried out in great pain as he started squeezing his ears as he rolled on the ground.

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“Hawk-chan!” Mina yelled in horror as she covered her child as tears flowed out.

“Mihawk!” Vlad jolted as he looked around for any attacks.

The two parents held down the boy as he continued to wail in agony, his childish voice echoing through the dark forest.

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“Damien…” Aurora asked in worry as she pulled my cloak.

I hummed as I directed my eyes to the artifact at the core of the maze, the thing lodged within a black rock.

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{{What is it that you want?}}

I asked as I used my Voice with some aggression.

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The weeping Mina was too caught up with her child as only a shaken Vlad looked at what I was speaking to.

“…”

Silence prevailed as I lost my patience.

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Boom!

My Haki blasted out of my body as it rained down up the sword lodged in the stone.

The clouds started warping as my Will focused down upon the weapon before my eyes.

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{{I know you can speak, blade, so speak!}}

My words were enough to stop Mihawk from his screaming as he gasped for air, though with blood coming out of his ears.

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*Step* *Step* *Step*

I walked towards the Black Blade as I eyed it with suspicion and cold intent.

…

(We seek nothing from you, King-spawn!)

I heard the voice of a genderless entity.

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{{State your wishes, blade.}}

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(The boy…)

{{What about him?}}

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(He is worthy of us!)

A huge blast of sword energy erupted and slashes upon everything nearby as the voice roared out.

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(Long have we waited for the rightful wielder… we will wait no longer!)

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[The following is excluded from word count]

Author’s Corner:

Reunion met with aggression?

I find it only fitting that the Supreme Grade Swords have their own ‘will’.

As for Mihawk, it would be odd if he couldn’t listen to their voices.

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Random Trivia:

Would you rather be in a bad relationship for the rest of your life or be single forever?

Thanks for Reading!