[92] A Pirate's Greeting

[2760 words]

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[Near the East Coast of Hachinosu]

*Thud!* The ground cracked apart as a shadow landed from the sky, crashing hard into the barren soil.

It was a man with golden hair and sharp eyebrows, sucking on a cigar, standing nearly ten feet tall. He had changed his look by a bit, growing out his sideburns to his chin in all their golden glory.

"Jihahaha! It's been a while since I've smelled this much blood!"

A man who was sleeping nearby awakened with fear as he muttered, "The Second Division Commander—Golden Lion Shiki!"

Another pirate nearby nodded with fright, "A bounty of nearly three billion berries!"

[Image (in Discord)]

...

[Near the West Coast]

"Hey-Hey, there's a huge fleet coming, raise the alarms!"

A man's voice resounded from the outpost.

This was a wooden tower put together with trash and debris, barely holding itself up.

"Alarms? Why let the rats take our prize!?" another man thundered. "Here, give me that!"

He grabbed the monoscope and peered into its dusty glass.

"Dammit it, they're flying our banners. I say we act like we didn't see it and blast it to pieces!"

"Locococo! Let's do it!"

"Wait," a fourth pirate suddenly called out, "there's a giant ship at the back, let me see if I can find who's leading it…"

"..."

The man was half-drunk, barely able to make the silhouettes out.

Alas, he saw a shadow.

His body shook as he saw a ginormous and voluptuous woman on the deck of the gargantuan ship.

She donned a pirate hat and Captain's Coat, loose burgundy-coloured pants, topped with a polka-dot bikini which displayed her assets rather loudly.

A giant pie was held in one hand as the woman sported a wide grin.

"Who is it?" the other lookout asked.

His companion lowered the monoscope, gulping in a mix of arousal and fear, "I-It's the Evil Spirit… Charlotte Linlin!"

A few grizzly men laughed amongst themselves, licking their lips.

"She is in a dimension of her own… no wonder the Government would pay 2.188 billion berries for her!"

[Image (in Discord)]

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[Near the North Coast]

A man was fishing in the sea when all his money was robbed by a higher-up in his division. He had developed a habit of sleeping with one eye open. 

His name was Chiron.

"Binkusu no sake wo, todoke ni yuku~"

"Umikaze kimakase namimakase~"

"Shio no-"

Chiron stopped midway as he saw a large silhouette on the distant horizon, "Hmm?"

It was a giant ship followed by many, many more.

One Galleon with over 20 smaller ships trailing behind.

*Thud*

The ramps fell upon the beach one by one.

Chiron was afraid to move, afraid to sing and afraid to breathe as the men walked off.

Thousands of them appeared, talking, laughing, and joking around.

*Gulp* The sole fisherman felt deep-rooted fear as one giant ramp fell only 40 meters in front of him.

He could not help but crawl as far as possible, only to be graced with a booming voice, "You! Is Captain Rocks back yet?" 

 It came from a towering man with a simple green shirt and white trousers. He also had glorious blond hair, a wide, distinct mustache and a pirate hat, all the while grasping an equally gigantic glaive at his side.

The man talking was Edward Newgate, the First Division Commander of the Rocks Pirates!

A bounty of 2,446,000,000 berries!

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[Skull Rock]

Slowly but surely the pirates began to gather here from all over the island. The word was out that all Three Titans had arrived!

Whitebeard was making his way inside of the giant skull until he abruptly paused.

"..."

His eyes narrowed, looking up to the sky.

"What's wrong, Commander?" One of his division mates asked.

"Someone out of the ordinary…"

"Hmm? The Golden Lion and the Evil Spirit are already inside, who else could it be?" the man asked once more.

However, the man was blown away as Whitebeard issued a bellowing call, "Gurarara! Make some space, you all!"

And instantly, the flocks of pirates jumped back, clearing an open platform. Perhaps it was out of habit or instinct but they were awfully quick to scatter.

.

A large circle around a hundred meters wide was created with Whitebeard at the center.

Boom! Boom!

Newgate banged the bottom of his glaive, sending tremors through the earth below, it looked like he was loosening up his muscles for an incoming battle.

The pirates spectating looked up and saw a black shadow so incredibly far up, alongside a whistling noise.

*Vwooooo*

The air was shrieking and the shadow was getting bigger!

*Fwoo!*

The air howled once more as the strange figure came closer and closer, cutting through the wind.

The sheer screech of the air came with a trail of torrents which shattered nearby glass and was akin to a disastrous omen.

BOOM!

A deep rumble followed by a massive dust cloud so large and voluminous that the base of Skull Rock was practically unable to be seen through.

*Rumble*

The ground nearby started to break into cobweb-like patterns, the tremors spreading deep into the streets.

Huge crevices and chasms opened up following the hellish scene.

"What the hell was that!?" a man cried out.

"Could it be a person?"

"Don't be stupid! The Skull Rock is as high as a mountain, you think someone can survive that fall!?"

Their conversation ended when an explosive laugh echoed through the streets.

"Gurarara!"

The dust began to clear as the two figures were made distinguishable.

Black hair with distinct crimson strands running down one side; a tall and muscular frame that stood a good three and a half meters. Donning a dark trench coat of high quality, all while sporting a wide grin.

"T-That's the Sin Incarnate!" 

*Thud* A drunk man instantly sobered up as he fell to the ground.

Other whispers went off.

"The youngest Division Commander with a bounty of 1,987,600,000 berries!"

The number came with a surge of memories to the spectators.

The North Blue Massacre.

The Amethyst Kingdom Crisis.

The Jaya Island Snooze.

"He's the one who spawned that crazy dog Zephyr who has been going crazy the past little while!"

"The Fourth Division Commander—Einar D. Damien!"

…

The two men locked eyes, ignoring the conversations around them.

And instantly, a deafening silence prevailed.

The tension alone would send the average human into a state of shock. Whether it was from the leaking Haki or the presence of two apex predators, the situation was hectic!

Nothing but bated breaths and hushed gulps were heard as the pirates on the sidelines waited with apprehension.

Alas, the silence ended.

"Gurararara!"

"Rahahahaha!"

"Newgate-san, it's been a while!"

The towering Whitebeard smashed his weapon onto the ground, further deepening the cracked ground.

He grinned at the young pirate before him, "Looks like you've grown up, Damien!"

The younger pirate of the two returned the same spirit, opting to greet one another in a more pirate-esque way.

The ruby ring on the Sin Incarnate's left hand suddenly began to tremble. A bright flash graced the streets, bringing howling winds with it.

The once empty hands of the pirate were now grasping an equally tall weapon of unique design.

A long staff-like grip led to a broadsword core that diverged into a pincer-shaped blade. The entire weapon pulsated as if it were alive, leaking crimson mist from its blood-red blades.

.

Newgate narrowed his eyes at the sight of the weapon.

No words needed to be said as the two charged on ahead, slashing with their treasured blades.

Two unstoppable forces meeting head-on.

BOOOM!

The sheer collision was loud enough to leave deep scars in nearby buildings. The torrents sent out forced the weaker pirates into the clouds and their cries were overshadowed by the explosion.

Cracks seeped down, crumbling the earth below.

The scarred island screamed as miniature earthquakes caused the buildings nearby to threaten collapse.

*Rumble*

Black lightning rained from the heavens, evoking a terror beyond one's imagination.

Boom!

Another explosion went off as Whitebeard's Murakumogiri pressed hard against its competitor, neither wanting to give up momentum.

""Hehe…""

Both pirates grinned at one another, lost in the moment and caring little for the hell they had wrought.

The clash sent the two backwards in opposite directions. *Grrr* Their boots dug into the blood-ridden ground, slowly coming to a stop.

.

"Looks like you forged that weapon you wanted, Damien!"

The pirate smiled in return, his eyes glancing at the fine weapon at his side. However, their banter was not amusing to the spectators.

"I think I cracked my knee..."

"Damn! Do they want to sink the island or something?"

"The waves sent out from their clash sank a good dozen of our ships docked nearby!"

To preserve their ego, they chose to speak out their frustrations. Yet not a single one of them was frowning.

Rather, they were smiling, almost like a pack of rabid dogs!

"Klulululu! No wonder they hold the position of Division Commanders!"

"I thought I was about to meet God, and then I remembered that I never believed in him anyway!"

…

The titanic pirates in question could care less about the extras on the sidelines.

Damien did not want to stop, shooting ahead once more.

*Vvoosh!*

Ryushi pulsed in agreement, bursting in a crimson glory!

The clawed blade stabbed at the giant Whitebeard, aiming for his throat whilst swarming with dense Haki.

The enemy smirked at the attempt, raising his weapon.

He held the glaive with both hands; the left one gripped near the bottom of the handle while the right hand was placed directly before the blade.

Boom!

Ryushi's pincer-like ends crashed directly onto the finely crafted handle of Murakumogiri with endless momentum.

"Hehe, it stings!" Newgate chuckled, feeling the tingling in his hands from a mix of advanced Haki and Devil Fruit power.

His casual demeanour disappeared, replaced with a determined show of strength.

"!!!" The veins on Whitebeard's wrist popped while the muscles and tendons were flexed, bursting with absurd levels of brute power.

His feet began sinking into the ground, deepening the cracks to the point of forming a crater. Meanwhile, the Sin Incarnate weapon and body were lifted up!

Whitebeard followed with another show of great strength, tossing Damien to the sky!

.

'What unbelievable strength,' Damien muttered as the screeching winds echoed in his ears, threatening to burst his eardrums.

'This is the future World's Strongest Man!'

A grin formed across the young pirate's face, fully embracing his ascent and using it as momentum for his next move.

His body continued soaring up, even reaching the top of Skull Rock once more.

*Fwwm!*

A burst of Haki and Pulverization energy followed as the young pirate was bathed in a crimson spectacle.

Another omen over the Pirate Island, one of incoming devastation.

.

"Ryushi Combat Arts: Crimson Comet!"

.

The Sin Incarnate's entire body turned into a single mass of red, resembling what had ended the dinosaurs!

The winds blew viciously once more, forming a giant trail in the pirate's wake.

.

"He really has grown a lot..." the older man muttered, gazing at the coming meteor.

*Purrup* A white bubble stemmed out from the Newgate's hand, pulsating like a heartbeat.

"Haa!"

Whitebeard smashed his fist forward, taking the coming astrological anomaly with a punch!

BOOM!

Literal sinkholes opened up around their collision as further devastation followed.

*Krrrr* Cracks began to form in the sky, branching into more and more cracks—the air itself resembled a shattering mirror!

"Tch," Damien frowned as he felt his attack lose momentum, drying up quickly under the earthquake against him.

*Fwooo*

He soared through the sky, using the explosive earthquake to land a good dozen meters away, untouched by the hellacious winds.

"Gurarara! How stubborn you are!"

Whitebeard decided to amp things up, tightening his grip on his famed weapon.

*Rumble*

Black lightning began to ark off from its staff, wreaking havoc in the area around it.

It was no ordinary Haki, rather it raged like the rapids of a sharp river, obliterating everything in its path—an ominous sight which was the last thing most would see before their death.

"..."

Damien's expression grew solemn as he felt the concentration of Haki in his opponent's weapon, one beyond what he could manifest.

"Don't fail me now, Ryushi…" he muttered.

Boom!

An explosion went off around the Sin Incarnate as crimson mist buzzed around.

"Empyrean."

Plates of armour and seething Pulverizing energy hissed out from the bold pirate, gracing the island of scum with its devilish presence.

Damien fuelled the treasured weapon in his hand to the point where it began to quiver and shake with fury.

*Grrrrr*

The air sizzled and screamed as it was ravaged into minute pieces.

.

"Try this one!"

Whitebeard charged ahead, his massive body sending tremors through the ground.

Damien bellowed a thunderous roar as a final stream of Emission Haki was wrapped around Ryushi.

.

"Broken World!"

.

Ryushi roared alongside its owner, crashing into the towering Whitebeard with every shred of power.

Newgate pressed on ahead with black lightning leaking from every pore.

"!!!" Damien felt a throbbing pain in his head from the man of quakes, yet his fearless attitude demanded him to follow through with his attack.

BOOM!

The ravaged ground became fluid, turning into the same consistency as water, taking the shape of tsunamis being born!

The spectating pirates cried out as they were swept away from the exploding hell, some taken to the skies while others were deposited into the sea far away.

Cracks rippled out from the center of the collision, shattering the atmosphere into shards of glass.

Meanwhile on the other side of the collision was a dead zone. An area that had turned into a checkered pattern, crumbling into innumerable tiny cubes.

Damien grunted as he felt the assault seep into every part of his body, shaking his blackened bones.

Whitebeard growled, pushing forward with absolute strength.

.

A blinding light followed by a booming sound and then nothing.

"..." A deafening silence was all that remained.

Hachinosu was littered with unconscious bodies, their mouths foaming while their defenseless positions were overwhelmed with falling debris.

The few that were experienced enough to stay conscious, were left with an aching headache.

"A-Am I still alive?"

A man extricated himself from a pile of debris, being graced with a cloud of dust and blood.

*Cough* *Cough*

Another few people clawed their way out, seeing the devastated streets of Hachinosu.

"Damn, I'll take back my challenge for one of the Commander seats…"

"Who won?"

A few thousand men made their way back to the center, looking for something.

A veteran pirate's jaw hit the floor while his eyes widened in shock, "No way, they're both standing like nothing happened!"

"Taking that crazy Newgate's quake punch and still standing," another older man mumbled, "just how tough is his skin!?"

The words drew the attention of the rest, and all the while the dust began to settle.

.

Damien also regained his bearing.

"Damn," he muttered, feeling the throbbing headache.

*Clatter*

The metal-like armour over his body began falling apart, clattering to the floor. The excess crimson energy dribbled down like water, mixing with the streaks of blood leaking from his head.

"So that was the Infusion of Conqueror's Haki," he mumbled, massaging the aching hell pressing on his brain.

The sheer pain was frying his nerves in an attempt to shut down the body into non-consciousness.

Yet Damien could only leak a smile past his difficulties, "I like it!"

"Gurarara! You're one persistent little bastard!"

Newgate's laughing figure cleared up, nothing more than a purple knuckle.

*Thump* *Thump* *Thump*

Damien trudged on ahead, Ryushi in hand.

Newgate did too and soon the two stood with a small gap between one another.

"We may have overdone it a little," the younger Commander thought out loud, all the while putting his dislocated shoulder back into place.

Newgate hummed with little regard, "Well, at least no innocent lives were lost."

"..."

Whitebeard's attention was drawn back to the unforgiving weapon in Damien's hand.

"That unsettling weapon," he muttered with intrigue, "it's as sturdy as my Murakumogiri."

Damien returned a smirk, flashing his prized possession, "Well that's because they are in the same grade."

"You mean…" Whitebeard realized and then laughed, "Gurarara! So Shaw was talking about you when he confirmed the news."

The Sin Incarnate swirled the indomitable weapon around, evoking a powerful burst of air. A red trail followed the blade, creating a crimson circle.

"Its name is 'Ryushi,' the Thirteenth Supreme Blade!"

To Be Continued…

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Author's Corner.

The Thirteenth Blade is still hearsay so far, let's see if that can be changed soon.

We all remember how Kaido bellamied Luffy early in Wano. Infusion is that little step Damien still has to take.

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