A/N :
Dear Readers,
Thank you so much for your continued support and enthusiasm for my One Piece fanfiction. Your comments, reviews, and power stones mean the world to me and motivate me to keep writing. If you would like to support me further and gain early access to up to 25 chapters ahead of the regular release, you can do so by joining my Patreon. Your support there would mean the world to me and help me dedicate more time to writing and improving the story for all of you.
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[Silent_stiele]
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Shanks, by the side, remained silent, contemplating everyone's words. While he understood the appeal of strength in a world as chaotic as ours, he couldn't shake the feeling that there had to be another way. Perhaps there was a middle ground where strength could be used to protect and empower others, rather than oppress them. But for now, it seemed that Doffy and I were firmly entrenched in our beliefs, unwilling to compromise on our visions for the future.
"I am going after the One Piece," Shanks declared while the rest weighed their options. His goal was influenced by Roger; the former captain had shared certain details with Shanks before disbanding the crew, leaving him with hints about the truth of the world. Buggy, standing by, was surprised by Shanks' declaration. He had admired and followed Shanks all this time, even after the disbandment of the Roger Pirates.
"Thank you for the offer, Ross, but I don't think I will be able to join you guys. I would like to carve out a path of my own and find certain answers on my own," Shanks declared. Buggy's expression turned a bit sour; Shanks had said he wanted to find answers on his own, without mentioning Buggy. Despite feeling hurt, Buggy chose not to confront his friend in front of others.
As another day passed, Dragon disembarked on a sparsely populated island, leaving Shanks and Buggy to make their decision.
"Buggy, are you sure you don't want to join us? Your safety will be guaranteed," I remarked, offering him the opportunity to join. I knew that soon enough, Buggy and Shanks would likely have a disagreement and part ways. But Buggy remained loyal to Shanks, who gave him a light smile, as if conveying that he was okay with whatever decision Buggy made. After a moment of thought, Buggy finally answered.
"No, Ross, I'm going to stick with Shanks. The bastard will make a fool of himself if I'm not there to help him out," Buggy declared, unable to let Shanks venture out into the world alone.
"Fine, if that's what you truly wish for, I won't stop you," I commented as both Buggy and Shanks left to continue their new journey. However, I knew that our paths would cross again in the future.
"So, what's next?" Mihawk questioned. Although he had a goal set in mind and wanted to be a Maverick, now that he was my friend, he wanted to know if he could do anything to contribute.
"I want you to continue doing what you do, Mihawk, but you need to become even more infamous than you already are. Soon enough, the World Government will come looking for you," I remarked with a smile on my face.
"The World Government will come looking for me? That seems a bit troublesome. I already have my hands full with the Marines chasing me around," Mihawk commented. He did not doubt my words; rather, he was already contemplating the implications. He was not afraid of the Marines; rather, he thought of them as an inconvenience, and he was lucky that he had yet to come across any Marine powerhouses.
"Yes, soon enough, the Marines will be overwhelmed due to the sheer number of pirates that descend due to the allure of One Piece, and the word will spread to the entire world. So, the World Government will create a new system to use notorious pirates to curb the influence of pirates," I shared the information that I had on the Shichibukai system.
In this life, Doffy was not going to be a part of the Warlords, but for Mihawk, this would be a good opportunity. I wanted to have someone I could trust within the Shichibukai so that I would have information in the future if the Marines made any big moves.
"Why would the pirates work for the World Government and the Marines?" Mihawk was confused because the idea itself seemed absurd to him.
"Of course, it's all a way to make pirates kill pirates, but the Shichibukai will be given certain privileges. The Marines won't chase them anymore; they'll have the right to legal plunder, among many other considerations. However, sooner or later, they would be disbanded once the situation is under control. However, you can hold on to the privilege for a decade or two and grow without any restrictions. It's better the World Government doesn't know about our connection," I commented. I had to make sure that when we were truly ready to fight the World Government, we had to have quite a few strong fighters by our side.
Especially with how much power the World Government has hidden, my initial estimate was way off, so I needed to make more preparations. Having Shanks join us would have been ideal, but then he had his own path set. He wanted to focus on protecting the balance of power in the world.
"There were also many other things that I needed to tell Mihawk, especially about the Seraphim project. That's something he needed to look out for if he joined the Shichibukai," I thought to myself, considering the intricate web of information I had to carefully share with my friend.
"Well, if my joining the so-called Warlords will help you and keep the Marines off my back, then I don't think there would be an issue. But are you sure it's necessary?" Mihawk questioned me, his sharp gaze probing for answers. My friend had no idea how deep the World Government's true strength went.
As of now, I chose to keep such information from him so that he wouldn't feel too pressured. I had only shared about Imu with Doffy, who then started realizing how much of a secret the World Government was keeping even from their own descendants. The empty throne was not so empty as it seemed; there was an absolute ruler in this world who had ruled for over eight centuries.
"Then you should disembark once we have reached the New World. From my estimate, the entirety of the New World must be burning right now, and we need to capture our new territory at the earliest possible time before it gets damaged beyond saving," I shared. Mihawk was intrigued.
He was already aware of my grand ambitions, so he knew that I wouldn't let such a good opportunity slip by. Territory was crucial in the New World. Looting alone would not help any faction grow; they needed a fixed source of income, and the protection fees from kingdoms and islands within one's territory were a good way to assert authority and power.
"So mind if I ask where you guys want to establish your powerbase?" Mihawk questioned, his gaze shifting between the two brothers. However, it was Doffy who answered first.
"Dressrosa. We have quite a few reasons to take over this country. After all, it once belonged to our Donquixote family. It's only right if we take it back," Doffy chuckled, his tone carrying a hint of amusement. There were indeed numerous reasons why we chose Dressrosa, but it was better to create such a facade. As long as myself and Doffy knew the truth about the matter, it was well and good.
Dressrosa had a strategic location and a history entangled with the Donquixote family, making it a suitable choice for our powerbase. However, there were other factors at play that we couldn't reveal to Mihawk just yet.
"So how are we going to cross over to the New World? Through the Calm Belt or through the Grand Line? I am sure the World Government would have blocked all access to Redport, so we can only take these two ways to reach the New World," Mihawk commented, wanting to know our plans for the journey to Dressrosa, as it would take quite some time.
"Well, I can always fly over the Red Line," I joked, glancing at Mihawk, who rolled his eyes at my statement. "I'm sure Doffy can do it too if he tries with his fruit powers," I added, turning to my brother to gauge his reaction.
"Little brother, have you forgotten that we have an important thing to take care of in the Grand Line before we get to Dressrosa?" Doffy interjected, reminding me of our impending task. Suddenly, it dawned on me—I had forgotten something crucial amidst the recent developments. With a sheepish smile, I acknowledged my oversight, and we set sail for the iconic Reverse Mountain, our next destination lying in the first half of the Grand Line.
Days passed as Roger's final message spread throughout the world, stirring up a frenzy among those seeking the One Piece. The seas were teeming with people hungry for adventure and riches, and our little ship had become a target for numerous pirate groups. Doffy, reveling in the chaos, took delight in tormenting these would-be assailants who had underestimated us.
Our caravel had been replaced with a medium-sized galleon, now manned by the pirates we had captured. As I sharpened Kitetsu, I shared insights about black blades with Mihawk, whose own Yoru had yet to complete its transformation.
"It's a shame I can't use such a beautiful blade anymore. But I'm uncertain if I can find a suitable replacement," I mused while channeling my black lightning through Sandai Kitetsu.
Having shared the limitations of my current blade with Mihawk, I inquired about the whereabouts of other Supreme-grade weapons. As the wielder of Yoru, he must have extensive knowledge in that area.
"Supreme-grade weapons are rare finds," Mihawk replied. "My situation was unique. However, I believe nothing less than a Supreme-grade blade may handle the strain of your lightning powers as you grow stronger in the future, especially if you want to infuse Haoshoku into your blade."
As Mihawk observed the Sandai Kitetsu groaning under the pressure of the black lightning and armament haki infusion, he mentioned his observation that the blade might not be able to handle the additional strain of Conqueror's Haki entanglement, a detail I had shared with him earlier.
"Well, currently I do know the location of quite a few Great Grade Blades, but I don't believe they would suffice to unleash my strength in the future," I remarked, pondering the whereabouts of these legendary weapons. Shusui, in particular, caught my interest, as it was a permanent black blade with immense potential.
"You know about Shusui, one of the Great Grade blades? I should be able to get my hands on it soon enough," I shared, excitement lacing my words.
"Oh, you mean the blade used by the legendary swordsman Shimotsuki Ryuma? Wait, isn't that blade in Wano Kuni? Are you planning to take it out of Wano?" Mihawk questioned, his sharp gaze fixed on me. He was well aware of the tensions surrounding Wano and the influence of figures like Kaido in the New World.
"Hehe, I don't have any intention of entering Wano anytime soon. But soon enough, a fool might get Shusui out of Wano and gift it to me." I chuckled, knowing full well that Gecko Moria would soon challenge Kaido for dominance in the New World, leading to a series of events that would ultimately result in the blade finding its way to me.
"Wait, Ross, speaking of Shimotsuki Ryuma, back during the days when I was researching supreme grade blades, I did come across an old tattered record that stated Ryuma once tried to wield a blade much more formidable than Shusui. However, it was said that due to its overbearing nature and lack of sync with Ryuma, the blade was set aside. The record stated that even Ryuma could not tame the blade," Mihawk began, delving into his memory as the mention of Ryuma brought back long-buried details.
"A blade that even Ryuma could not tame? Do you think such a blade could truly exist? After all, Shimotsuki Ryuma was hailed as the Sword God of Wano Kuni according to history. If there was really such a blade, shouldn't it have been famous?" I questioned, my skepticism evident. If a blade of such power truly existed, it would undoubtedly be renowned throughout the world.
"Well, that's the interesting part about this blade. Almost all records seem to have been destroyed. It's as if someone deliberately tried to erase all information about this blade," Mihawk commented, sharing the details he managed to recall from his memory. The mystery surrounding this blade piqued our curiosity, and we couldn't help but wonder what secrets it held.
The moment Mihawk mentioned someone trying to erase all records about the blade, my thoughts immediately drifted towards the Void Century. It seemed like more than just a coincidence, especially considering Ryuma's potential involvement in defending Wano during that time. If there truly existed a blade that even someone as renowned as Ryuma couldn't tame, it held a significance that I couldn't ignore.
"Say, Ross, do you really think Ryuma killed a dragon, or is it simply a myth?" Mihawk's question carried a rare glint in his eyes. For any swordsman, slaying a true dragon would represent the ultimate pinnacle of swordsmanship.
"Hmm, I believe it's very much possible that Ryuma killed a dragon. However, I feel there's more to the story. My theory is that Ryuma defeated the user of the Uo Uo no Mi, Model: Seiryu, eight centuries ago, thus protecting Wano. After all, it's rumored that the one who consumes the mythical Dragon Zoan fruit becomes practically unkillable. Perhaps this is why Ryuma was bestowed with the title of Sword God," I shared, offering my genuine thoughts on the matter.
Wano's history was shrouded in mystery, but I was certain it would play a significant role in the future, especially in our impending conflict with the World Government. Aligning Wano with our cause was a strategic move, and the ancient weapon hidden beneath Wano was a prize I was determined to obtain.