One Piece: Path to Power

Chapter 25 - [20] Water-7 (1)

[1836 words]

Sorry about no update in the past 2 days. ??

A black cat was camping outside my house so I thought against hitting the publish button.

In all honesty, I will probably switch to a chapter every 2 days for another 3 weeks till me exam has concluded.

Enjoy.

https://discord.gg/A2KQAkyCvm

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South of Water-7 is facing a rather odd predicament.

A ship was sailing towards the island.

It would be quite generous to even call it a ship...

The masts were broken apart, the sails ripped, and the hull was cracked.

Hell, it was even split in the middle but was being held together by a beam of metal that looked as if someone had tied it on like a rope.

*FWOOOOO*

*FWOOOOO*

*FWOOOOO*

Tens of cannonballs were whizzing by the already broken-down ship, barely missing it.

The cannonballs were... too quick, too fast, and carried way too much momentum for a normal shot from a cannon.

"XAHAHAHA! You'll have to try harder than that Garp!" A deep and wild voice emanated from the broken ship as a tall man with dark red dreads of hair stood.

A huge grin plastered to his savage face.

The broken ship was being tailed down by... a lot of marine ships.

10 marine warships and another 15 standard marine ships were in a speedy pursue.

This was literally a force greater than a 'Buster Call!'

2 of the marine warships were rather unique.

One with a dog figurehead, while the other had a bear figurehead.

On the former ship stood a tall man with open sleeves with a marine uniform.

'Marine Vice Admiral Garp!'

What was he doing you ask?

"BWAHAHAHA! Hurry up and bring me more cannonballs!" He roared on as he casually picked up basketball-sized balls and pitched them like a baseball, nearly breaking the sound barrier per throw.

*Heavy Footsteps*

The soldiers on board were not as boisterous as their vice admiral, but rather they were bruised and tired as if they had been fighting for the past 5 days.

The warship beside Garp's was the other unique ship.

Another man stood on the bear-faced figurehead.

A tall, maroon-haired man with a buzzcut.

He stood at around 9'8 with a diagonal scar crossing his right eye and another scar running down the right side of his mouth.

He had olive skin and a lean body, looking to be around 45 years of age.

He was wearing casual gray pants and a black shirt, dawning a marine overcoat, draped over his shoulders.

'Marine Admiral Basara!'

[A/N: Basara the Mountain's image]

"Garp, you are having too much fun chasing a group of notorious criminals," Basara said with a deep voice, one reflecting slight exhaustion.

"Bwahahaha! Basara-san, you are always so stiff! If you don't have fun chasing these pirates then you will grow old like Kong-san!" Garp's responded with a laugh.

But at that moment both powerhouses shifted their gazes to Water-7.

Their eyes glowed red as if they had seen something arrive.

Garp scratched the back of his head and commented, "That ship is a bit too big..."

Basara squinted his eyes, "Hmm, this is not good."

After their words did something finally appear.

A huge ship with a dark crimson body and golden frame appear from the side of the island.

The black foresail read one word,

[ R O C K S]

"And here I thought we could finally catch Xebec when his ship gave up... who knew he was just playing around while his other crew came here..." Basara gritted his teeth in frustration.

"BWAHAHAHA! He sure got us this time!" Garp laughed on while Basara just frowned.

----- Back to the Broken Ship -----

A giant Whitebeard stood at the helm, though he couldn't steer the ship much as the rudder had gone missing a few days back.

He then had to improvise on how to direct the ship.

His solution:

'Tilt the ocean floor so the ship goes where you want.'

Yep, he was grasping the air in his hand and using it to steer, causing the land underwater to shift, creating a swift current that guided the ship.

Whitebeard then looked to the far left and saw a large ship.

"GURARARARA! The new ship looks quite nice, Xebec." He laughed heartily.

Xebec too turned to the side, "XAHAHAHA!"

"GURARARARA!"

"XAHAHAHAHA!"

The 2 men continued their 'laugh duel' as another giant man walked near the edge of the ship.

"WORORORO! Now I can finally duel Damien... WORORO!"

----- To the Unnamed Ship -----

(Damien POV)

I stood on the figurehead of our new ship.

I could hear echoes from afar.

'Sounds like.... laughs? The hell? 3 'unique' laughs... These guys are being chased by two Admiral-levels figures and laughing like idiots, *SIGH*.' I shook my head with a wry smile.

Shakky was behind me where the steering wheel was, manning the helm.

"Ufufufu, those 3 never change."

Her eyes then glowed red as she looked to the side.

"It seems like we have company Damien-chan, I'll leave him to you okay?" She asked while puffing on her cigarette.

I follow her gaze and see what she means.

We were sailing parallel to Water-7, on the outer wall that encased the populace was a young man with arms crossed over his chest.

He had a solemn look as he gazed right at me.

'Dragon.' I smiled as I saw him make a move.

*POP*

*POP*

The sound of air popping was heard as the young Rear Admiral leaped from his position, Geppo-ing his way to our ship.

"Hehe, I'll be back soon, Shakky-nee." I waved her goodbye as I too started to Geppo towards him.

---------------

(3rd POV)

Dragon, a recently promoted Rear Admiral was currently standing face to face with a tall youth.

"Monkey D. Dragon. Son of 'The Fist.' I wonder if your strength is worthy to be his child," Damien said.

"Hmm, tall, black hair with red streaks on the left side of the head, young face... It seems you are the new member the old man warned me about." Dragon said in his youthful voice.

Damien smiled as he pulled a quick stats check of his opponent.

-------

[Monkey D. Dragon]

[Age: 16 || Should be 13 but I am the boss here]

[Height: 7'10]

[Devil Fruit: Weather Weather Fruit [P]

[Fruit Rating: 6.5 Stars]

[Haki: TBD]

[Strength: Low Tier Yonko Commander]

-------

'His strength is a level higher but I have reached the peak of my stage, meaning we are quite close.' Damien thought to himself.

*FWOOO*

Both youths dashed forwards with blackened fists.

*BOOOOOM*

A shockwave was sent out as the fists collided.

"Not bad."

"Same to you."

*FWOOOOP*

Both shaved the air and appeared a few meters to the side.

*BOOM*

*BOOM*

*BOOM*

Small explosions sounded out as they continued a simple exchange of fists while shaving through the air.

All their attacks seem to cancel the other ones out.

.

Both once again appeared 10 meters away from each other.

Damien smiled as his left fist was covered with a red glow.

Seeing the dangerous aura behind his opponent's move, Dragon makes his move.

He spread both arms 30 degrees down from his shoulders as the clouds in the air gathered around his arms.

*RUMBLE*

Whirling grey fog, with sparks of lightning within, all wrapped around both arms. Releasing quick thunderous sounds as they gathered strength.

"All Crush!"

"Storm's End!"

A crimson fist that seemed to crushed all the air around it collided with another fist wrapped in stormy clouds.

*BOOOOOOOOM*

A significantly large explosion resounded as both fists pushed back, giving no room for the other to move forward.

Their clash, though not enough to split skies, still sent out quite powerful shockwaves, as tides of water were sent out in all directions beneath them.

(Damien POV)

'He's strong alright! He's using lightning from the clouds around his arms and shooting it into my nervous system, causing my hand to become numb.' I concluded.

'His physical strength is higher than me but my devil fruit is superior in close combat. With this, we are practically equal.'

*BOOOOM*

Our clash ended as the both of us were pushed back 60 meters away from our initial position.

Neither of us was really injured, just a few skiffs and that's it.

"Nay, Dragon. What are your thoughts on the Celestial Dragons, the ones you must obey at all time?" I asked him, wondering how he would respond.

And to my amusement, he did twitch a little and then squint his eyes.

'A silent yes?'

"Hehe, did your father tell you to look away as they beat their slaves and walked around as if they owned everything?"

Dragon, who is usually calm and composed, was gritting his teeth hearing my words.

"So much for 'justice' right?"

"Enough!"

"I-I will change it, change it from within! A pirate like you has no right to question my conviction!" He yelled out in frustration.

I was amused by his words,

.

"Change from within?"

.

.

"RAHAHAHA!"

.

"What kind of world have you been living in!?"

.

"The World Government has stood strong for 750 years! Do you think it's that easy to change the world?!"

"And if you did somehow gain the strength from within the navy to actually do something, could you go against the 'Gods' that reside upon their golden throne?!" I roared out.

He gritted his teeth as his fruit power subconsciously caused black clouds to wander in.

Seeing his silence I continue,

"Tell me, would you fight your own people if they were ordered to stop you, or to kill you off?"

"Basara?"

"Kong?"

"...Garp?"

"A single order is what it takes for them to send islands to burn and thousands to die!"

"They take, kill and enslave countless innocents."

"All the while you all go around with the balls to wear capes with 'JUSTICE' stamped on your backs!!"

"HOW LAUGHABLE!!"

I thundered out as I couldn't help but be pissed at how this world worked.

Waves of Conqueror's Haki were rippling out from me as the air itself grew heavy with my fruit powers.

My crushing energy was leaking out of my body, everything within a large radius was subconsciously being pulverized into bits.

The air itself was screaming.

All the while I kept staring at the young 'Heinous Criminal' to be.

'Hmm... I never really thought about the slaves and the 'gods'. But now that I have said it out loud, I can't help but be pissed! What if my mother was taken in? What then? Isn't it the same as my previous life? Where justice itself was actually a crime?'

'My goal may be to reach the peak of strength in this world...but I can't just sacrifice all rights and wrongs for that! These gods are in the way of my goal and my ideals. As someone who opposes the 'fate' of the weak, there's no way I can let these wastes of human flesh continue their tyranny.'

Thinking all this I eventually reach another conclusion.

'It seems I have another goal in mind.'

.

*DING*

[You have unlocked a new World-Level Quest!]

A sound went off in my head as I squinted with interest, all the while the Rear Admiral before me stood frozen, going over my words.

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[The following is excluded from word count]

Author's Corner:

Okay, another purpose for the MC.

The idea of slavery and the fact that some people had the 'right' to rip apart families for their own amusement... Damien had never thought of that so far.

He was caught up with his revenge and thirst for strength that he never sympathized with the victims.

All the 'lesser humans' in Mariejois, they are weak, no?

But so was he and his mother.

So yeah just giving him another purpose, I hope you like it.

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Random Trivia:

Would you rather have really oily skin or really dry skin?

Thanks for Reading!