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*****
The shattered fragments of the metallic spear that I had just disintegrated with my sword attack reformed almost instantly, swirling back together under Scarlett's expert control. It was evident from the fluidity and precision of her manipulation that Scarlett had fully mastered the powers of her Devil Fruit—and likely beyond, reaching an awakening that made her abilities terrifying. She wasn't just a simple magnetic manipulator anymore; she was a force of nature.
In contrast, I was still struggling to unlock the true awakening of my lightning Logia. The frustration gnawed at me. Doffy had long awakened his Flame Logia, using it to deadly effect, but I had yet to cross that threshold with my power. Lightning should be even more devastating—yet, I still couldn't tap into that full potential.
Scarlett's eyes narrowed as she attempted to control the metal on the warship again, trying to tear it apart, but my Haki completely coated the ship. I infused every inch of it with my Conqueror's Haki, repelling her magnetic manipulation. Her frown deepened. This wasn't something she was used to.
"Tell me true, kid—are you some kind of old monster in a young body?" Scarlett's voice held a mix of amusement and seriousness. Her tone was teasing, but her eyes betrayed her true curiosity.
She wasn't used to being pushed back like this—especially not by someone barely in their twenties. My Conqueror's Haki wasn't just resisting hers; it was matching her intensity. Her bloodlust radiated from her, but I could sense something else: excitement. The last time someone had pushed her this far, it was during the era of legends.
"I don't know about old," I replied with a smirk, "but I'll show you why they call me the Lightning Demon."
Scarlett's lips curled into a grin, but her eyes blazed with a hunger for battle. She manipulated the magnetic fields around her, staying aloft in the air without effort. The only other people I knew who could fly like this with Devil Fruit powers were the Float-Float Fruit users and those with gravity manipulation. But Scarlett made it seem as natural as breathing.
"Interesting... I should thank the Donquixote family for helping me come up with something like this. It's not quite the same as what you might call a 'railgun'—but close enough."
The magnetic pulse rippled out from her, and metal fragments in the air began to twist and shape at the atomic level. In seconds, a massive weapon—a monstrous 10-meter-long spear-shaped railgun—materialized. The hum of power around it sent a chill down my spine.
Scarlett had managed to replicate the basic principle of a railgun: a weapon that could launch a projectile at near-lightspeed using magnetic force. I cursed under my breath.
Through my advanced Observation Haki, I saw it all happening in slow motion. I knew what was coming—the devastation she was about to unleash—and my instincts screamed to dodge.
But I couldn't. If I moved, Dora and the others would be defenseless against that kind of attack. The sheer force of it could obliterate the entire island, let alone the ship. I had no choice. I had to stand my ground.
The skies above responded to my will as I channeled lightning from the thunderclouds I had summoned earlier. My blades crackled with power, black lightning coiling around them like living serpents. Scarlett's railgun crackled with raw energy as well, magnetic fields crackling and distorting the very air around her. This was no ordinary fight; this was a clash of titans.
"Let's see if you can survive this, Lightning Demon!" Scarlett shouted, her voice booming like thunder itself. The railgun weapon she had created began to glow, the projectile charging with devastating magnetic energy.
I could feel the tension building in the atmosphere as the weapon charged. It was aimed not at me, but at the ship—Scarlett knew I couldn't abandon the others. She wanted to force my hand, to see how I would counter her devastating strike.
"World's End…!" she roared as a world shattering attack fired from the weapon.
Lightning surged through my body, amplifying my reflexes to the max. I didn't hesitate. With both Akatsuki and Shusui infused with haki and lightning, I prepared for the incoming blast. There was no room for error.
"Twin Sword Style: Twin Dragon's Descent!" I roared, unleashing the power of my blades. Two enormous, ethereal black dragons formed from pure lightning descended from the skies, spiraling forward to meet Scarlett's railgun projectile head-on. The force of their ascent split the sky, the ground below rumbling under the pressure of the attack.
"BOOOOM!!"
The collision was cataclysmic. The railgun projectile met my lightning dragons in midair, and the impact sent a shockwave so powerful that it created tsunamis in every direction. The sea itself seemed to bend under the force of the explosion, and the clouds above were blown apart as if they were nothing.
The entire ship rocked violently, creaking under the strain of the explosion's force. The railgun projectile shattered in the sky, but the destructive energy Scarlett had unleashed still tore through the heavens. I gritted my teeth as I absorbed the force of the blow, the black lightning around me flickering but holding strong. The sheer power of Scarlett's attack sent ripples of pain through my body, but I didn't falter.
As the smoke and dust began to clear, Scarlett hovered in the sky, her eyes alight with admiration and bloodlust. She was thrilled—her blood was boiling, and she hadn't even gone all out yet. "Not bad at all, kid. Garp sure knows how to raise monsters. Bogard was impressive, but you... you might someday even grow up to match that man."
I was on the defensive now, forced to push my Observation Haki to its absolute limits just to keep pace with Scarlett. Her power was overwhelming—so far beyond anything I had faced before—and I could sense she wasn't even going all out.
The only real advantage I had was my advanced Observation Haki, which allowed me to react a fraction of a second faster. But it was a thin margin, and I was being stretched to my breaking point.
Suddenly, Scarlett pulled back her Haki, her lips curling into a smirk.
"Tell me, kid... would you like to join hands with me?" She asked with an amused tone, her words almost playful. But I could tell from the way she said it that she was serious.
My grip tightened on the hilts of Akatsuki and Shusui, my blades still pointed directly at her. I didn't lower my guard for a second.
"Tch... you're no fun," she scoffed, her voice light but with an edge of disappointment. "Relax, I'm not petty enough to go after someone I don't have a personal grudge against. Even if you are Garp's student, my score with him is between us. I need to settle that head-on."
Scarlett chuckled softly as metal fragments around her swirled together, forming a floating platform under her feet. She stepped onto it casually, as if this battle had been nothing more than an amusing test of skill. She walked across the platform in the air with the grace of a queen surveying her kingdom.
"So why are you here, then?" I growled in frustration, my mind racing. From her demeanor, I had to assume I had passed whatever twisted test she had in mind; otherwise, she wouldn't have offered to join forces. But that didn't change the fact that she had put my family at risk, and for that, I would never forgive her.
I would make her regret it one day—once I was strong enough. But today... today was not that day. Even going all out, I wasn't sure I could beat someone on Garp's level, not yet.
Scarlett's smile widened, as if she could read my thoughts. "Oh, the World Government thought it'd be clever to rile up my hatred for Garp by targeting you," she said with a lazy wave of her hand.
"They wanted me to take it out on his protégé. But, honestly? I was more curious than anything. I wanted to see who could make those old geezers so desperate. Last time, it was Roger. Before that? Only Xebec ever got them that rattled."
Her chuckle was dark, and I could feel the weight of her words. She was reminiscing about an era of legends—names that still shook the world to this day. The fact that Scarlett could mention them so casually spoke volumes about the kind of monster she was.
Her words also made it clear that she held no allegiance to the World Government, despite being a Shichibukai. There was no loyalty there—only her own agenda. It made me wonder what her true motives were for joining the Warlords. Whatever it was, it wasn't simple.
Just then, her gaze shifted slightly, a knowing glint in her eyes. "Looks like your prey is being taken away from you," she mused, her head tilting toward the island behind us.
She didn't need to explain. My Observation Haki was already picking up what she had sensed. A Cipher Pol agent had appeared out of thin air, stepping through a circular door into the crater where Agana had fallen. Without hesitation, he grabbed her limp body and vanished back through the same door. The Door-Door Fruit, no doubt.
I clenched my teeth. Agana had already been defeated, but the Cipher Pol's intervention made it clear: she was still valuable to the World Government. As much as I wanted to go after them, I couldn't afford to leave Dora, Robin, and the others defenseless in the face of Scarlett's terrifying power. They were still at risk, and I couldn't abandon them.
Scarlett let out a light laugh, seemingly amused by the situation. She casually tossed me a transponder snail, her eyes glinting with something like admiration—or perhaps amusement. "Let me know if you change your mind, kid," she said with a smile that was far too predatory for comfort.
"I like you. It'd be a shame for someone like you to die too young. This world... it's not as simple as you seem to think it is."
She left her words hanging in the air, a cryptic warning, and then—without another glance—she manipulated the metallic platform under her feet, rising higher into the sky. In moments, she was gone, vanishing into the horizon, leaving only the faintest ripple of magnetic energy in her wake.
As the tension faded and the sea returned to its quiet, I stood there for a long moment, the transponder snail in my hand. My mind was still racing, replaying every word, every movement.
Scarlett Lachlan, Bloodsteel, a legend from Garp's era. She had tested me—pushed me to the edge—and I had survived. But I knew, deep down, I wasn't ready to face her, not yet.
One day, though. One day, I would settle this.
I let out a deep sigh, watching the horizon to ensure Scarlett was truly gone. The tension of her presence still lingered in the air, but for now, the immediate danger had passed. Turning my attention back to the ship, I saw the aftermath of the confrontation written on everyone's faces.
Dora and Leo were the only ones still steady, but even they were visibly shaken. Robin, normally so composed, was trembling, her arms wrapped around herself as she tried to keep her composure.
Mansherry, however, was completely broken down, curled into a ball, and sobbing uncontrollably. Leo knelt beside her, gently patting her shoulder, whispering words of comfort, but it was clear he was barely holding it together himself.
"Are you guys alright?" I asked softly, knowing the answer but needing to hear it—needing to reassure not just them, but myself. My voice cut through the tense air like a lifeline, though it was met with silence at first.
Robin managed a nod, though her eyes were still wide with lingering fear. Her breath was shallow, as if Scarlett's oppressive Haki still clung to her like a shadow. Mansherry didn't even look up from where she was curled on the deck, her small frame shuddering with each sob.
I had shielded them from the brunt of Scarlett's Haki, but even so, the effect was obvious—especially on Mansherry, whose fragile heart couldn't bear the weight of that monstrous presence.
Leo met my eyes, his usual bravado replaced with concern and helplessness. "I'm trying," he whispered, his hands trembling slightly as he continued to comfort the princess. "But that... that was something else."
I gave him a nod of understanding. No words were needed for what we had just faced.
Dora, however, was the one who seemed most affected, though not from the Haki itself. She stood near the mast, staring down at her hands, her expression filled with a mixture of anger and self-blame.
It wasn't hard to tell what she was thinking. She had grown close to Robin and Mansherry over time, treating them almost like family, and now, seeing them so vulnerable—so rattled—was eating away at her. She was furious at herself for not being strong enough to protect them.
"Dora..." I called out gently, hoping to pull her from the dark spiral of self-blame I could see forming. But she didn't respond. Her fists clenched, and her body trembled with suppressed frustration.
"Dora!" I called again, louder this time, stepping toward her. "Don't let it get to you!"
Finally, she turned, her eyes filled with frustration and guilt. "How could I not? I couldn't even move to protect them. I froze... I—" Her voice cracked slightly, and she bit her lip, her anger directed at herself. "I wasn't strong enough."
I stepped closer, placing a hand on her shoulder, forcing her to meet my gaze. "It's not your fault," I said firmly.
"Scarlett Lachlan is on a completely different level. None of us expected her to show up. You did your best, and that's what matters. But blaming yourself for something like this... it won't help anyone."
Dora's eyes flickered, searching mine for some reassurance. "But..."
"Listen to me," I said softly but firmly, cutting off her protest. "I felt the same thing, that helplessness. But standing there and letting it eat at you won't change what happened. We're going to get stronger together, and next time, no one will make us feel like this."
She took a shaky breath, her gaze lowering for a moment before she nodded. "Yeah... you're right," she whispered, though the frustration still lingered beneath her words.
Leo, having managed to calm Mansherry down slightly, stood up and joined us. "Dora, don't be so hard on yourself," he said, offering a small, encouraging smile. "We're all still here, thanks to him—and to you, too. You did what you could."
Dora gave a faint smile, nodding at Leo. His attempt to cheer her up, however small, seemed to ease some of her guilt. Mansherry's sobs had quieted, though she remained in a fetal position, shaking slightly. Robin, too, seemed to relax a bit, drawing comfort from the sense of unity we were trying to restore.
I gave them all a long, hard look. We had survived, but this was a reminder that the seas we sailed were filled with monsters beyond our current strength. It wasn't just about us anymore. It was about the people we needed to protect—people like Robin and Mansherry. We couldn't afford to falter.
But first, I needed to vent this rage burning inside me. Scarlett had toyed with us, pushed us to the edge, and then left like it was nothing. The anger churned in my gut, and my attention shifted back to the island behind us.
The World Government thought they could manipulate us, use people like Scarlett as pawns in their games. They never learned. They were about to get a reminder of why picking a fight with the Donquixote family was a mistake.
I turned toward the horizon, the silhouette of Kano Country faintly visible in the distance. "I'm going to make them regret ever crossing us," I muttered, more to myself than to anyone. But Leo and Dora heard me clearly.
Dora clenched her fists, her expression hardening as she looked toward the same horizon. "Then let's teach those World Government bastards a lesson."
Leo grinned, the fear from earlier replaced by a fierce determination. "I'm with you! Let's show them they picked the wrong fight!"
I rummaged through my coat, pulling out a transponder snail. My fingers brushed against the one Scarlett had tossed me, but I left it where it was for now—just in case. I had bigger plans in mind, and a different call to make. As the snail connected, I leaned back, a grin tugging at the corner of my lips.
After a few rings, the familiar voice picked up. "Hello?" came the calm, deep tone of Monkey D. Dragon.
"Dragon-san," I began smoothly, "would you be interested in buying off an entire kingdom affiliated with the world government in the West Blue from my hands?"
There was a long pause on the other end, as if I had caught the legendary revolutionary leader completely off guard. The transponder snail's expression mirrored his confusion, eyes wide and frozen in place.
"Wait... what?" Dragon's voice cracked, an uncharacteristic break in his usual composure. "What are you talking about?"
I chuckled to myself, imagining his face. "You heard me. I'm offering you an entire kingdom. I wasn't originally planning on dealing with Kano Country, but now... I think I'll erase their entire power structure and hand it over to the Revolutionaries, I am sure the revolutionaries can manage it."
Another pause followed, this one more calculating than the last. Dragon was no fool, and he wouldn't bite without knowing the hook hidden beneath the bait. His voice, now composed, came through the snail again.
"Tell me, Ross—why would we openly take control of a kingdom, drawing the direct attention of the World Government? You know that would make us an even bigger target. Do you think the World Government would sit around while we manage Kano…?"
His tone sharpened, and I could almost see his intense gaze narrowing on the other side. He knew I wasn't someone to propose such a thing without having a deeper plan.
"That's where the deal sweetens, Dragon-san. What if I could offer you something in return? Something substantial that would keep the World Government from retaliating, something you will definitely need to fight against the World Government in the future."
Dragon didn't respond immediately, the silence hanging heavy as he weighed my words. Finally, he spoke, his voice a mix of curiosity and amusement.
"And what exactly could you offer that would make me risk the wrath of the World Government? You've got me interested, but I don't think there's anything... unless, of course, you're thinking of joining the Revolutionaries yourself." I could hear the chuckle in his voice, knowing full well he was only half-serious. "I can make you Chief of Staff right away if you want."
I smirked, though I knew joining them wasn't an option. "Come on, Dragon-san, you and I both know that's not happening. But how about this? Why don't you join the Donquixote family? You could work with the Revolutionaries on the side, call it a... side hustle. Imagine all the funding you'd get. The endless resources..."
Dragon went silent for a moment, and I could tell he was mulling it over, even if just for amusement. But we both knew that was an impossible scenario. Our ideals were too different. We stood on opposite sides of the board, and no amount of playful banter would change that.
His tone hardened again. "Cut to the chase, Ross. What are you really after?"
I leaned forward, letting the tension build. "Information, Dragon-san. You see, what if I were to share a peace of information that you can use to blackmail the World Government with…? It's just the start. But what if I were to tell you that the World Government's Empty Throne isn't as empty as it seems?"
There was a sharp intake of breath on the other side, followed by a heavy silence. I had hit the nerve I was aiming for.
"What did you just say?" Dragon's voice was low, deadly serious now. He wasn't laughing anymore.
I smiled, letting the silence drag on for a beat longer. "Oh, yes. The throne that's supposed to symbolize the absence of a singular ruler? It's a lie. There's someone sitting on it. A shadow pulling all the strings from behind the scenes. The World Government's greatest secret."
Dragon didn't speak, but I could sense the shift in the air, the weight of his thoughts bearing down as he processed the magnitude of what I had just revealed.
"I'm not only offering you a free kingdom, Dragon san. I'm offering you a chance to strike at the heart of the world government. Imagine how much you can achieve with this piece of information. But you'll have to trust me, and this is only the beginning. I'll leave the rest to your imagination... for now."
I could hear his breathing on the other side, steady but heavy with consideration. Then, with a final sharp intake of breath, the transponder snail fell silent.
"Dragon-san?" I asked, teasing the silence.
But there was no response. The line had gone dead, leaving behind only the echo of my words and the sense of something massive looming on the horizon.
"Tell me, Ross, is what you just told me true…" Dragon finally questioned wanting to know the truth and I knew the fish had had taken the bait so I disconnected the call.
I tucked the transponder snail back into my coat, a smirk playing on my lips. Now, the game was truly beginning. Dragon might not trust me fully, but the seed had been planted. And as for Kano Country... well, I still had business to settle there.
A storm was coming. And I was going to be the one to ignite it.