[142] One Shall Remain

[2865 words]

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Solomon was now dead asleep with a good chance never to wake up—a pool of deep red blood had formed around him, stretching for three meters in all directions.

The cut Indra left behind was intense, even cutting through his rib cage and slicing and kissing the lungs.

"The toughness of a Mythical Zoan never ceases to surprise me. That attack should have at least opened up his heart," Indra commented, unsheathing his sword once more. 

Indra raised the blade over the spurting chest of Solomon, aiming its tip at the heart of the injury. A light hum later, and he lowered the katana to barely touch the core of the gash.

*Crackle* White lightning burst around the blade once more, gracing the charred region with its sacred light.

The living corpse trembled under boiling heat and the blinding light before things began to settle, unveiling a Solomon with a cauterized chest and a huge scar.

The scar snaked across his chest like a bolt of lightning frozen in time, jagged and erratic. It stretched from just below his left shoulder, crackling toward the center of his chest, where it struck deepest, right over his heart and down to his right hip. 

The tissue had been violently torn apart, as though the lightning itself had ripped through his body, leaving deep, uneven grooves that were forced to close.

The scar would serve as a permanent reminder of the immense force that had struck him down, both chaotic and deliberate in its devastation.

[Scar Image (in Discord)]

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Damien nodded in satisfaction. Solomon would surely remember this day, waking up to the indicator of his weakness.

"I'll leave him under you for no– hmm?"

"!!!" The Division Commander felt a disturbance coming toward him as he looked to the sky, his eyes flashing red.

"Let me take care of this, Indra," he sighed, calming the swordsman to the side.

Boom!

An overwhelming presence arrived, floating in the air, bringing turbulence alongside him.

"Jihahahaha! So all that ruckus was your doing, Damien!"

The Sin Incarnate glared at the floating enemy. He was right at the center of the warm sun, making it difficult for most to make out his identity.

"What do you want, Shiki?"

The Golden Lion grinned, his eyes vicious. "I'm bored and felt like playing around."

He then directed his hand toward the younger pirate, almost as if he were extending an invitation.

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"Universal Pull!"

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Damien's eyes widened as he felt an arm grab around his body. Then came the howling winds as his 11.5-foot frame was hauled to the sky.

Shiki laughed at the sight, licking his lips. "Jihahaha, let's see what you got!"

*Fwooo!* Damien ignored the shrieking winds echoing in his ears. He flexed his left hand as he neared the floating enemy.

"That's a dangerous weapon!" Shiki leaned into the chaos, grinning at the sight of Damien directing Ryushi. The clawed blade was at most one meter away from ripping his chest open! 

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"Almighty Push!"

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Damien clicked his tongue as his body was once again shot through the sky, though this time away from Shiki. 

Boom!

The momentum suddenly ended as the Sin Incarnate paused midair, his legs turning into crimson particles. He scanned the surroundings before glaring at the Golden Lion.

"Your Float-Float Fruit doesn't apply to living things, bar yourself… in other words, this is your Awakening."

Shiki laughed once more, "Jihahaha! That's right! I can control the air molecules near me… So get over here!"

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"Universal Pull!"

.

Damien embraced the attraction force, using it to boost his momentum. 

"Ryushi Combat Arts…"

The Golden Lion felt a crushing Haki divert into the bubbling blade and felt like playing it off.

He pointed his palm toward the incoming pirate, hoping to shove him back again.

"!!!" For some reason, he couldn't push Damien away as he had done just moments ago. The man gave a vicious grin in realization, "Hehe, you crushed my air; looks like you've Awakened too!"

Shing!

He unsheathed his two blades, meeting the attack without hesitation.

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"Lion Two Sword Style: Tornado Strike!"

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"Crimson Comet!"

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Black lightning crackled along their weapons, giving birth to island-rattling shocks. 

The sky rumbled as the morning sun disappeared under their clash, bringing about a red and golden spectacle!

Booom!

The explosion arrived with cataclysmic shocks, rippling through the sky and seeping into the island's core. 

The ground shook uncontrollably, cracking buildings and forcing the pirate to cower. A giant gash appeared in the sky above their collision, leaving it in shambles. 

Yet even under all that force, the two had to actually touch!

Damien smirked under the weight of the heavy attack and had no intention of falling short. Shiki cackled from above, and his blades swarmed with dense Haki. 

BOOOM!

…

Dust rained from the ruined streets of Hachinosu. 

Men were buried under the broken hell, trying to claw out from the debris before suffocating. Blood dripped from unpredictable collapses of nearby terrain, leaving the pirates in a wreck. 

"Jihahaha! Looks like you've arrived at the big stage."

The pirate in question seemed relaxed. He waved his hand as his weapon dissolved into the air and reformed around his finger.

"That blade of yours makes me jealous," Shiki snickered. His envious eyes were locked onto the draconic ring around Damien's left index finger. 

"It's too bad you'll never be able to realize its true power…"

The words brought a frown to Damien's face. He subconsciously rubbed the ring with his thumb, 'I would pass it off as Shiki's rambling, but he is one of the three greatest swordsmen alive… But what does he know of Ryushi?'

The Golden Lion quickly lost interest in the prized weapon and brought up another matter. "Since you're the last one here, you'll have to go get the Captain back."

"Why don't you send one of your useless commanders?" The younger pirate made a face of recalling distant memories, and he said, "Oh wait, they're dead."

The Golden Lion scoffed, "Respect your elders, brat!"

He then zipped away, flying to god knows where, leaving behind an annoyed Damien.

>=-=----[]---<>---[]---=-=<

[Shiki]

[Age: 40 years, 7 months, 12 days]

[Height: 10.5' ] (3.2 m)

[Status: Thriving]

[Devil Fruit: Float-Float Fruit (Grandmastery (I))]

[Weapon: Oto and Kogarashi of the Great Grade Series]

[Skills: Great Talent for Swordsmanship, Conqueror's Heart, True Pirate]

[Haki: Intermediate Mastery of Observation Haki, Grandmastery (I) of Armament Haki, Conqueror's Haki (Grandmastery (I))]

[Strength: Top Tier Yonko] 

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[Conqueror's Heart: Nothing will ever faze the user's heart, granting them endless confidence and patience.]

[True Pirate: Convert greed and envy into Conqueror's Haki.]

(A/N: I will make a glossary for these unique skills in Discord.)

>=-=----[]---<>---[]---=-=<

"He must be a late bloomer, considering his Conqueror's Haki and Fruit Mastery haven't reached their potential," the Sin Incarnate surmised.

Shiki was quite old already. 

Although the strength of a Top Tier Yonko put him near the top of the list, Damien estimated that he would go even further. After all, he was one of the few touted as equals to prime Roger and Whitebeard!

"Gurarara!" A laugh broke Damien from his thoughts.

"You put on quite the show."

The Fourth Division Commander turned to the side and met the mighty guest. "Do we really gotta go out of our way to call back the Captain?"

Newgate shrugged, paying no mind to the carnage. "Kaido went to get him a week ago but got caught by Zephyr. Lucky for that brat, Linlin broke him before reaching Impel Down."

Damien smirked in deja vu, amused by the intel. "Which island did Rocks even go to visit?"

"Seigi Island." Whitebeard saw the curious glint in Damien's eyes, "What, you want to check it out?"

The younger pirate cupped his chin in thought.

"I kind of want to see what might interest our humble Captain." He looked to the far North and said, "North Blue is pretty close; I know a shortcut."

"Indra, make sure Solomon wakes up—get some Forsaken to clean up the mess too."

…

Damien transformed into red particles, crackling through the air with his weightless body that defied gravity. A crimson trail of broken air followed in his wake as he headed to the Calm Belt.

It only took a day to reach the edge of the New World and into the Calm Belt that led straight to the North Blue.

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"Xahahaha! What a nice smell."

The feral voice erupted from a towering man standing tall across a ruined island, smoke and dust filling the air.

Blood stained the earth for great distances, leaving a look of a field of war. Plumes of smoke littered the skies from devastated buildings and homes; they were thick enough to leave the entire island in darkness.

Lightning crackled from the sheer heat, bringing about an apocalyptic sight.

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Under a shadow of despair and misery in his eyes, Rocks glanced to the side.

A dashing pirate had arrived with a light thud, donning a red shirt and dark pants. 

Damien's crimson pupils examined the surroundings, feeling a shadow of death cast across its broken remains.

He then saw his Captain standing tall, his hair as wild and thick as ever. The stench of inhumanity around Xebec was as assaulting as always.

Rocks sported a manic grin, though his attention was currently somewhere else.

"A kid?" Damien muttered at the sight of Xebec picking up a young boy by his throat, lifting him far above the ground.

"That's a nice fire in your eyes, boy, Xahahaha!"

The lad was tossed aside like a sack of potatoes, bouncing across the floor with bruises and broken bones lining his body.

He happened to land at the Sin Incarnate's feet, broken and hollow in all ways.

'Such hatred,' Damien thought, seeing the fiery eyes lock onto his own.

The young victim had dark hair, a stern look and a battered-up body. He looked a few years older than Kuzan.

"What's your name?"

Dark eyes glared at Damien, hiding away the pain through the hatred in his eyes. "Sakazuki," he replied in a dead tone. "I will kill all you pirates one day!"

The Sin Incarnate hummed at his words, recalling a figure in the future. He shook his head, pitying the boy.

"If only it were that easy."

Damien then walked away, leaving behind the teenager to stare into the ashy clouds.

He ignored the broken ribs and arm, simply breathing in the hell around him. A sea of corpses littered the surroundings—the once peaceful home was left in ruins.

Sakazuki's eyes grew colder and dull, lost in the flames of vengeance. A guttural roar echoed across the broken land, filling in seething rage.

…

"Are you that bored to go around destroying islands?"

Rocks dryly chuckled in his hoarse voice, guzzling some rotten saké. "I was curious about something…"

Damien eyed the casual villain with a hint of scrutiny, "And it happened to be at Admiral Basara's home island?"

A heavy glare fell upon the Sin Incarnate, followed by a laugh. "Xahaha! I've visited quite a few places that gave birth to powerful men…"

However, the conversation dissipated as Damien's transponder snail woke up: "Puru," "Puru," "Puru." 

He looked at his captain's crazed eyes before answering the call: "Katcha~!" "This is Damien."

"Ma-Ma-Mam-Ma!"

The young male pirate rolled his eyes, looking at the snail, which had taken the form of the voluptuous woman, beaming a seductive grin.

"Who gave you my number, Linlin?"

Unfortunately, his question was left ignored. 

"Hehe, the newspaper just announced a huge thing at God Valley. Did you find Rocks?"

Damien glanced at the insane man not too far away and answered, "He's here with me."

Xebec's scarred and weathered face stretched with a hungry smile. Malice flashed through his hollow eyes: "God Valley?"

Shrieking black Haki exploded out, singing a deathly tune to the weeping Seigi Island. It was a roar of pure hatred and viciousness.

"Gather everyone at Hachinosu, Linlin!"

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[Another Day Later]

[Hachinosu]

Rocks and Damien had promptly returned to the Den of Scum. It was evident by the large fleet on standby that the other top dogs were back as well. 

The Four Titans and the Five Tragedies were seated before their Captain at Skull Rock. Something demanded their attention, spelling doom for any hint of peace in the seas.

"Ma-Ma-Mam-Ma! That little bird guy is interesting. He actually leaked everything!"

The giant, curvy woman snacked on a cake with one hand and held a newspaper with the other.

"It will be held on the first day of the second month, the same day the First Twenty came together to form the World Government 762 years ago!"

"I even received a hidden transmission that the Dragons will have two powerful Devil Fruits to give out as a prize for their little Hunting Competition!" 

Silver Axe was usually quite reserved, yet he spoke up with his gentle voice this time. "All to take place at the Isle of Deities: God Valley. A land blessed with natural reserves and serenity."

His silver eyes shone through the thick armour, conveying his interest in the topic. "From what I have heard, the Triennial Hunt will be the appetizer to their celebration. Consisting of a hunt for rabbits in the form of slaves as a game to earn points."

"WORORORO! I say we kill them all!" came a loud resounding exclaim. 

Meanwhile, Shiki grinned from the side, liking where this was going. However, Newgate was the only one who seemed visibly solemn about the grant event. 

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"Xahahahaha!" a feral laugh exploded. 

It carried great ambition and yearning as the sound echoed through the halls, leaking out the windows. The laugh boomed across Hachinosu, laced with Conqueror's Haki, sending chills up the pirates' spines.

All the ten big names glanced at their maniacal Captain and saw the crazed glint in his eyes. 

It was beyond what they had ever seen. 

The scarred-up face was etched with a grin that ran from one end to the other, flowing in tandem with the bloodthirst. 

The air grew sickly and a withering mess, plunging the surrounding area with its unsettling odour. 

"The World Government stole something from me… God Valley is our next destination! I can't wait to massacre those golden pigs and bathe the seas in their divine blood!!!"

…

An array of orders were dropped all across the board. They came straight from the Big Boss himself!

Rocks had decided to bring an army with him, but they differed from his past choices.

After Shakuyaku's departure, there was a change in the Rocks Pirates Grand Fleet:

1) The Supreme Leader of the Rocks Pirates – Rocks D. Xebec.

2) The Four Titans – Whitebeard, Shiki, Charlotte Linlin, Einar D. Damien.

3) The Five Tragedies – Captain John, Silver Axe, Kaido, Zenora Indra, Wang Zhi.

4) The Pillars – Shiki's new commanders, Mr. Noir, Buckingham Stussy, Ifrit, Goose.

5) The Fiends – Elite Infantry.

6) The Forsaken – Mid-Level Foot-soldiers.

7) The Condemned – Low-Level Foot-soldiers.

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After the Scorched Sea War went down, there was a complete rehaul in the Fleet, alongside a few new additions and changes.

Whitebeard's D-1 had 800.

Shiki's D-2 had 11,600.

Charlotte Linlin's D-3 had 5,400.

Damien's D-4 had 9. 

Silver Axe's D-5 had 3,300.

Wang Zhi's newly commanded D-6 had 4,200.

Kaido's D-7 had 4,400.

Captain John's D-8 has 5,300. 

Damned D-9 had 9,800. 

…

Unlike in previous wars, the fleet readying departure would not have every division setting sail to God Valley.

"I wouldn't have expected Captain Rocks to leave behind such firepower," Indra spoke on his way back to the Fourth Division's headquarters.

Damien hummed, recalling the final order that graced the unholy halls of Skull Rock: "Division Three and Seven will remain at Hachinosu."

"He wants them dead, every single Celestial Dragon," he surmised. This was evident from the black strands of hatred that swirled around Rocks at the thought of God Valley.

Indra nodded in agreement.

"The Government will do everything in its power to escort the World Nobles to safety in the case of an enemy attack," the swordsman mused with narrowed eyes.

At the end of the day, Charlotte Linlin and Kaido were to remain at Hachinosu alongside 10,000 pirates!

However, the beehive island was situated relatively close to Calm Belt with direct entry to the West Blue... 

Indra quickly picked up the true intention behind the order: "He's leaving behind a sizable enough force to hunt down the Celestial Dragons who escape God Valley through the Calm Belt!"

"That's right," Damien nodded, continuing his return back to base. "This is a once-in-a-century chance to cut off every generation of the 'gods.' A force of Linlin, Kaido and ten thousand scum is enough to take down any Admiral…"

The pirate broke out in a chuckle, "Rahaha! It's so risky but so bold! Xebec has deemed God Valley to be the climax of this era."

They returned as the sun set behind the broken headquarters, spreading somber warmth. Damien stood at the building's entrance, staring at the orange skies.

"Either the Rocks Pirates or the World Government…" he murmured, his eyes flickering with cold determination.

"...only one shall remain."

To Be Continued…

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Author's Corner.

In this story, Seigi Island is home to Basara and also Sakazuki. The proceedings at God Valley will naturally differ from the manga, but I've tried to keep some overlap. The Hunting Competition is an example.

Kaido and Linlin were temporarily left behind. Hachinosu is close to the Calm Belt, which leads into the West Blue, allowing them to ambush any escaping prey—provided things go according to Rocks' plan.

What do you think of Shiki's Awakening?

There will be around a one-week break before kickstarting the next arc.

Images are available on Discord alongside other niche details: https://discord.gg/aJHHHPvb6q