[POV: Akuma]
When I opened my eyes, I could see the wooden ceiling painted in cheap dark black paint.
No luster, no shine, only ordinary wood. I swallowed my saliva in a habit to keep my throat fully moist.
I pondered if someday I closed my eyes to either rest or go to sleep, will I be able to open them again?
Why would that thought come to my mind? It was very simple. Very easy to reason.
I had too many enemies who would kill me at any cost. They lingered behind the front line waiting for the most appropriate time to attack me.
A chance, they needed a single chance to kill me.
"Of course I would be scared. If one isn't scared to die, they aren't living."
My mouth opened as the words flowed out with no disturbance of any other person's voice.
In the cold and dark room, I sat on the chair while my eyes shifted from one object to another with no motive.
"I… I, I have to do it after all. I planned to spread my name all around the world but is it that simple? No, it's definitely not."
The realization struck me as I shook my head left to right slowly as if music had entered my ears and I was enjoying it.
"The World Government would never, ever want a Devil to live in their bloody house. So, I have to take the house from them…"
The world wasn't that simple as one single move might be the cause of something equal to a disaster.
"I have the ability, and I know what will happen after a hundred years in the future."
I muttered in a low voice as I had stopped shaking my head and then opened my eyes to look in front.
"The three ancient weapons… Pluton, Poseidon, and Uranus. Out of the three, Uranus could be counted out as I don't know much about it."
I rested my elbows on my thighs and held my cheeks. The warm heat from my cheeks made me remember, I was alive and living.
I was no longer just a soul… I left that past long ago.
"I won't let my life end with no achievement."
I coughed to clear my throat, standing up from the chair I walked towards the window and stood next to it.
"Pluton, its whereabouts are unknown and it's an uncertain weapon I can rely on. But Poseidon, I can make use of it."
The window was not so big and the glass was slightly dirty so the view outside was a little unclear to me.
All I could see was a town, covered in a thin layer of fog under the cloudy sky. The temperature was low but not to the point of bringing snowfall.
"Red Line, to cross it and come to New World, one must go underwater through the path of the Fish-Man island."
"As long as I have Fish-Man island, I can set a trap for the World Government, Marines and any others from Paradise."
My breathing resonated in the room, the coldness in the room only increased with each of my breaths instead of heating up.
"All I need to do is, create a situation in the future where my enemy has to go through the Fish-Man island which should be under my control to deal with me. And, it should also be an emergency for the enemy or with enough time they might choose other options to eliminate me."
I ran my brain as multiple possibilities surfaced up above all the information I currently had.
Not a single one was safe, each had too much danger to it. In the worst possibility, I might be sent to hell again.
Even in the best, the Fish-Man island would be completely destroyed and everything would become history.
"A situation for, to make them so disparate that even a second is like eternity to them. And I was the danger to them… Ooh, it's very fascinating!"
I turned around and walked on the floor of wood towards the door to head outside.
Tak Tak.
The hard soles of my shoes hit the floor. I left the room and went to start organizing my new plans.
In the dark room, on a table beside a wall, there was a notebook with old pages of a slight yellow color.
On the front most page, there was a word and some numbers written in to indicate the date at the top right corner.
'Year-694'
* * *
Present___
At the edge of the Fish-Man island, Akuma opened his eyes and a smile bloomed on his indifferent face.
"It was a long setup, now it's finally time. Shirahoshi, do it. Kill them…"
Akuka turned around, and walked away while the others followed quickly, except the silent Joker.
"I, I have to do it!"
Shirahoshi encouraged herself, slapped her cheeks till they turned scarlet red. Joker watched it all with a face holding back tons of emotions.
He clenched his fists, gritted his teeth in anger and frustration. He wondered if he really could go against Akuma and take Shirahoshi away somewhere safe.
But the conclusion in his mind, it showed that there was nowhere safe on 'One' until the Devil lived.
Joker crouched down and looked at the water below, that reflected his face pounded with makeup.
Splash!
He cleaned his face, white makeup mixed in with the water and dripped down his face.
Shirahoshi, who looked down and stared at Joker in puzzlement, didn't know what happened.
Then, she saw Joker stand up and lift his head towards her. His face, which once was in white makeup, was almost completely cleaned up.
Pale skin, red eyes, elegant nose, red rosy lips and a sharp facial structure, all these joined up to give Joker a face beyond beautiful and handsome.
Even though the corners of his lips were stitched to hold on the splits of his flesh, he was magnificent.
"Don't worry, I will be with you…"
Yes, Joker had decided what he truly washed for.
* * *
On the other side of the island, thousands of pirates carried various materials and objects.
Akuma personally overlooked everything. It won't be long before all the highly worth items would be carried away by the Devil's Pirates.
"How's the transfer of the citizens of Fish-Man island?"
He asked without looking back. Irish behind him, looked at the report and explained.
Akuma nodded in satisfaction.
"Captain, what do we do about Joker? If I am not wrong, he is of no use anymore."
Irish asked with hesitation, she believed that Akuma already prepared the necessary steps needed to be taken.
"He has one last job to do for us. After that, he can have his freedom…"
Irish couldn't see Akuma's expression from behind, but with how he said it, she felt a shiver run down her spine.
'Then, what about me? What after my job is done?'
Irish thought with a grim look on her face, she then shook off those negative thoughts and concentrated back on her work.
"Get ready to leave! Time's up!"
Suddenly, Akuma ordered. It seemed he didn't want to waste anymore time here on Fish-Man island.
And so, hundreds of ships set sail out of the bubble entrapping the Fish-Man island deep underwater.
* * *
Drip.
The drop of red blood, dripped down from Shirahoshi lips leaving behind a red trail.
Her eyes were bloodshot as she used all her ability to call the gigantic deep sea kings lurking near the Fish-Man island.
"Please, help!"
Shirahoshi joined her hands with struggle, and begged to all the voices she could hear in her ears.
Joker stood next to her with a solemn expression. It was only a few times in his entire life, where he didn't smile.
Even when he killed his own blood related sister, he still had his twisted and wicked smile.
Ripple!
The water on the Fish-Man island waved from out to in, Joker narrowed his eyes and focused on the new shadows coming from behind the huge Marine Fleet.
"They are here!"
Shirahoshi stopped and said with a pained face, her forehead was covered in lots of sweat.
"But I have to call for more."
Shirahoshi corrected her posture and joined her hands again. This time, blood flowed down not just from her mouth but her nose as well.
"Stop it! It's enough! You will die if you continue any further!"
Joker shouted out in deep frustration and grief, the sorrow of seeing Shirahoshi suffer just to get to see her family made his broken heart crack even more.
But after all she is doing, will she ever get to see her family again? They were dead!
Akuma killed them long ago!
"I h-have to! They must be missing me."
Shirahoshi's weak smile, Joker couldn't watch anymore. He turned his face and closed his eyes.
'Devil! You will be responsible for this!'
Hatred manifested deep in his heart, Joker clenched his fists and controlled himself and his anger.