Chapter 8 Future, Present, Past

-Cocoyashi Village-

After a long night of partying the villagers of Cocoyashi Village are all exhausted and have fallen asleep with merry expressions. In a more secluded area are a pair of sisters who've surrounded their recent hero. With his daughter in arms who had long fallen asleep, he bravely faces his most current ordeal.

Nami put on a seductive smile while slowly approaching me, until she affectionately put her arms on my chest. "Come on mister hero, we're so grateful to you just let us show you how thankful we are."

Nojiko also follows her sister's example, getting close she whispers into my ear. "Yes mister Luci, it's not everyday that someone gets to take two sisters together."

Even with their cooperative assault, I've already made my mind and steeled my resolve. "Like I already said the answer is still no. Besides, what would my daughter think?"

While drawing circles with her finger Nami was quick with her rebuttal, "Don't worry she's still asleep, she won't even know a thing by the time she wakes up."

"*sigh* I've already told you both, I can't take you with me to sea. As much as I respect your talents and appreciate your desire to help me. My journey is going to be dangerous and I can't look after you both. I already have my hands full with Silk. I'm sorry but you guys just aren't strong enough to follow me onto the grandline."

(A/N: What were you guys thinking? Get your minds out the gutter.)

Immediately they both backed off with indignant expressions. Nojiko emotionally responded, "I know I'm not strong, but I'll get stronger along the way. Just like you said, surpassing the challenges you face it doesn't matter if I'm weak right now. If something happens to me I don't care and you don't have to feel sorry because it was my choice to follow you!"

Nami didn't respond, obviously agreeing with what her sister stated. While I internally sighed for what felt like the umpteinth time. "I know what I said, and I don't doubt that you can't grow stronger as long as you have the will. It doesn't change the fact that I will care if something happens, because if you come with me I'm responsible for the both of you."

They both put their heads down with disappointed expressions, they tried everything they thought of to convince me but to no avail. It's not like I don't want company on my voyage, but in my heart of hearts I know they aren't meant to come along with me on my journey. "Haaaaaa, you guys really aren't making it easy on me. Don't get your hopes up, but work on improving your strength and when you think you're ready seek me out on the sea. If you manage to find me then I won't reject you."

They both gave their own incredulous looks for the ridiculous condition I gave, but eventually just sighed in acceptance. Knowing that I wouldn't change my mind they retreated to their home to call it a night. For me it was just another day, but for them it was an emotional roller coaster and they're surely tired.

-The next day-

After last night I had a small epiphany, besides my pursuit of power I don't have any sort of goal. At some point I thought about possibly joining the marines, but I'd lose my freedom and my ability to see Silk. Bounty hunting will only last so long, eventually people will view me as an enemy because I'm not with the World Government or the Marines. Being a revolutionary isn't an option either, spending my life in hiding doesn't sound ideal. So, I've decided that I'll make a dynasty with enough power that it won't matter if I'm declared a criminal, and everything else that happens on the way is just gravy.

Which is why I woke up early in the morning so that I could spend my Infamy Gems.

'Roulette your Life'

[Welcome to Roulette your Life, spin to test your luck and maybe win a fabulous reward.

Infamy Gems: 340

┻━┻ ︵ヽ(`Д´)ﾉ︵ ┻━┻

⚪

12 IG/Spin x1 <~

120 IG/Spin x10 (A grade or higher x1 guaranteed) <~]

Huh, it seems that after every ten spins the cost increases. I should've expected that it wouldn't be so easy to gain power, but it doesn't matter. I still need to get even stronger to fight bigger, better and badder enemies. 'Spin x10'

[Spin… Spin… Spin… Ding!"

Five Star Candy (Grade B) x1

'The' Slipper (Grade A) x1

END Candy (Grade D) x1

STR Candy (Grade D) x1

AGL Candy (Grade C) x1

Month Supply of Cooked Sea King (Grade C) x1

Book of Short Stories (Grade D) x1

AGL Candy (Grade D) Rank x1

Armored Compression Shirt (Grade C) x1

Skill Manual: Moon Breathing Style (Grade A) x1]

That was an alright spin, I'm more interested in the skill manual. Breathing styles were from an anime called Demon Slayer, where swordsmanship created illusions with their sword forms. They were capable of performing superhuman feats through their breathing styles. Anyway, there's still one more 10x spin I can do. 'Spin x10 with 140 IG'

[Spin… Spin… Spin… Ding!!"

Protective Pendant (Grade C) x1

Fancy Shades (Grade D) x1

Telescope (Grade D) x1

Five Star Candy (Grade B) x1

Five Star Candy (Grade D) x1

Medicine Pill (Grade D) x1

Skill Manual: Kyotouryuu (Grade A) x1

FIve Star Candy (Grade D) x1

Empty Fruit Vessel (Grade B) x1

History Fragment: Origins #1 (Grade S) x1

Infamy Gems: 80]

What? My first S rank spin and it's just a way of seeing my body's past? I can't help but feel slightly cheated, while I'm curious about my origins there are other things that would've been more helpful. Oh well, no use crying about something that's already happened, let's start doping. *Crunch* *Crunch*

[Name: Ars-Re Luciano (A/N: The pronunciation ARZ-RAY LU-CHI-AN-O)

Stats:

STR: 31 ~> 47

END: 26 ~> 42

AGI: 32 ~> 51

STA: 37 ~> 51

WILL: 19 ~> 33

Skills:

Intermediate Swordsman(B)

~> "NEW" Moon Breathing(D): A breathing technique that supplements a sword style that mimics the moon with its sword forms. Each form is supplemented by chaotic crescent blades.

First Form: Dark Moon, Evening Palace

Beginner Unarmed Combat(C)

~> "NEW" Kyotouryuu(D): A bare-handed fighting style that focuses on using strikes in the likeness of blades and breaking the enemy's weapons. It is a swordsmanship style also referred to as the swordless form.

Chrysanthemum: sword catching

Peony: A powerful leg strike]

I now have more variety in my fighting style but unfortunately I was only able to understand a few techniques and stances for them. Well, if I was able to instantly learn them and use them then it wouldn't feel like I earned my strength. Using those candies is already hurting my pride, but I would rather sacrifice my pride than be weak in these seas.

Before I look at the History Fragment I should check out the other items I spun that are interesting…

['The' Slipper(A): A slipper that can't inflict any physical damage, has a strong knockback, and can inflict emotional damage.

Armored Compression Shirt(C): A black short sleeve compression shirt. It's woven in a special way that allows it to act like a dense armor against most attacks. However, the wearer will still feel impacts of attacks taken.

Protective Pendant(C): Creates an invincible barrier around the wearer when in danger, and will remain for 20 minutes or until the danger is gone. Once activated it has a 2 week cooldown.

Empty Fruit Vessel(B): A fruit that will take on the shape of a devil fruit when around a recently deceased devil fruit user.]

The slipper is questionable, what even is emotional damage? As for the pendant, I can give it to Silk and that way I won't have to worry about her safety as much. The shirt is definitely useful for me, it'll protect me as long as I'm not facing someone strong like Marine Hero Garp. The Fruit Vessel is basically a free fruit of your choice, I'll just hold onto it for now.

Time to take a peek into the past…

*FWISH*

//Entering History Fragment\\

-Sometime millions of years ago-

Somewhere inside of a luxurious ancient palace, there are a group of leaders in a heated discussion about an issue that could be the end of their very race. Their appearances, while mostly human, have other inhuman and demonic features. They are known as the Diavolo, one of the first races created by the Gods to walk this world. Gifted with immense strength from birth and supernatural abilities they are at the apex of the food chain. They were meant to be the protectors of the mortal realm, the envoys of the Gods themselves. However, now they are on the brink of extinction because of an event known as the God Rebellion.

In the realm of heaven on a different plane of existence from the world, there was one God known as Aviditas who wanted everything for themself, to be the one True God. However, a battle amongst those Gods would destroy their realm and the mortal realm, leaving nothing. So Aviditas came up with a forbidden sealing technique to deal with them instead. By sealing their powers into fruits, there was no one in the realm of heaven who had the ability to stand up against the murderous God. With victory achieved, Aviditas would consume their fruits and gain their powers, becoming the strongest being. Fortunately, things didn't go as planned for them. The fruits that sealed the power of the fallen Gods still retained their ego and managed to flee to the mortal realm and hide away till the day they might be unsealed.

With the disappearance of the Gods the realm went into chaos, for they were the ones who provided everything in the mortal world. The infinite resources that had been provided now turned finite, and the races had to develop new ways to maintain their resources. However, this wasn't the greatest disaster. The rebellious God Aviditas had set their sight on the strongest creation of the Gods, the Diavolo. Turning them into fruits, which when consumed will give power to whoever consumed them. However, filled with resentment against the one who consumed them they left behind a powerful curse for whoever ate them.

Continually being hunted, the Diavolo used a powerful artifact given to them by the Gods known as Neptune. It created a vast ocean, sinking various lands deep underwater, but it managed to hide them from Aviditas for the time being. Now the remnants of the survivors were concocting a plan to save their compatriots and stop Aviditas. However, it wouldn't be easy now that they stole the abilities of their brothers and sisters.

Now the remaining leaders were discussing their plans for the future, their luxurious palace was no more. Now they hide in underwater caves, barely surviving with meager scraps and primitive housing.

*BAM*

"Damn that Aviditas, how could a God be so evil to kill so many in the name of their greed."

"We can't waste time lamenting over what's already happened, the crux of the matter is what we will do now?"

"What can we do, our Gods are no more and they were our creators. How can we even hope to win?"

The room was quiet and the spirits of everyone there was low, all except one. "I have a plan."

"We will use the artifacts that we managed to save in our retreat, if we're all going to fall under Aviditas cruel hands then we might as well do it while fighting. We will use Patera Dromonem and Pandora…"

*SWISH*

//End of History Fragment\\

What? Devil fruits are the remains of the Diavolo people? But what happened to the rest of them and how did they deal with Aviditas? I now have more questions than I began with. I also don't know if I can willingly eat a devil fruit now, wouldn't it be technically cannibalism if I do?

Well there's no use fretting over what I don't know. I'll just have to focus on my journey and wait until I obtain another History Fragment. Making my way out of my bed I take the curled up Silk on the way. We've already spent enough time in Cocoyashi, it's time to set off onto our next destination, Loguetown…