[175] Renaissance

[3000 words]

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Einar D. Ares passed away at the age of 66. He was once known as the 'God of War,' a man who alone stood against the esoteric might of the World Government. 

*Vvoooo* Damien remained seated, his eyes shut. The only sound in his ears was the passing nightly breeze.

Before he knew it, five minutes had almost passed.

"..."

[Damien!] a voice echoed in his mind.

'...Sibyl?'

[His fruit power will soon respawn if you wait any longer.]

Damien found Sibyl's concise and straight-to-the-point tone rather refreshing. He nodded and once again looked at his resting father—a fellow member of the D who was always smiling, even in death.

"Don't worry, old man. I'll make them remember your power."

With a slight smile, the young pirate directed his open hand, exercising his ability: the arm went gray as a white fern-like pattern emerged, pulsing with energy. It took but a few moments before a rather odd-shaped fruit appeared.

The War-War Fruit resembled a durian with a crimson and gray exterior covered in sharp, natural-looking spikes. Dark red swirls etched across its surface like ancient scars. Its ripened, organic texture gave it an ominous yet alluring presence.

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

[War-War Fruit (Sensō Sensō no Mi)]

[Paramecia Fruit]

[Fruit Rating: 6.5 Stars]

[Allows the user to siphon energy through all forms of combat, making them a Warmongering Human.]

[Expanded: Any combat will grant energy that can replace the human need to eat, sleep or rest for the entire duration of the altercation with no future repercussions.]

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

[A/N: War-War Fruit Image (in Discord)]

He glanced at Ares once more and then back at the fruit, then took out a golden coin-like item. Crushing the token, it burst out in a golden spectacle as it swarmed to the War-War Fruit, covering it whole.

"..."

Moments passed as the golden energy slowly absorbed the Devil Fruit's power, leaving it as a dulled husk of its former self. The energy retreated and flowed to the undying pirate's heart, blessing him with its mind-bending power.

Damien sighed deeply while a ding went off in his mind.

[One {Fruit Ability Transfer Token} has been used. The token has materialized into the following ability: ]

[{God of War} – Grants the auxiliary ability to reap energy through combat.]

A satisfied smile appeared on the young pirate's face: "It's a fitting name."

.

Damien's auxiliary fruit tokens had now been used up: The Deprive-Deprive Fruit, the Balance-Balance Fruit and the War-War Fruit.

'With these powers in hand, there aren't many obstacles that can get in my way,' he brazenly thought, clenching his fist with zeal.

.

"Damien-san!"

Toki suddenly came from the sea of forests, hopping down from a tree with the cat-like movements of a kunoichi.

The warm-hearted girl ran toward the pirate, gently holding his arm. Her green eyes looked up to meet Damien's red ones, "Are you okay?"

*Purrup* At the same time, the shadow below the young man's feet began to squirm, quickly materializing into the shape of a woman.

"He seems at peace," Aurora whispered, leaning into Damien's arms.

Damien hummed, stroking the girl's silky purple hair while embracing the quiet Toki, "He died without regrets; many would envy that."

…

It didn't take long before a funeral of sorts was held at the usually tranquil Renaissance Island. Ares was laid to rest in front of Nadia's arboreal portrait—husband and wife together.

Damien stood at the forefront with the girls to his side while the rest of his unnamed crew were huddled around.

Kuzan, usually chipper, had quieted down and, like Indra, was left staring at the newly buried grave.

A fellow escapee, Kraft, shook his head, unsure of how to feel. He was joined by Solomon and Mihawk, who felt complicated by Ares's death. They had known them for barely a week yet felt downcast.

The island was plunged into darkness and silence, and all but a few torches hung from the trees to add an amber glow.

"I resented him for quite a while," Damien admitted through the silence. "Now that I got to know who my father was, all I can say is that I'm glad he can rest in peace."

Though his face warped into a smirk as he chuckled, "Rahahaha! He would probably rather us drink and celebrate his life than mourn his loss!"

Solomon was the first to join in, and he loudly proclaimed while pumping his fists, "Kuhuhuhu! I wouldn't mind drinking in the monstrous old geezer's name!"

"Hehe, I'll join in as well then," Kuzan grinned, throwing a thumbs up. Though Toki quickly burst his bubble, "Don't even think about it! You're way too young to drink."

Solomon smirked and slapped the boy's back, mocking, "Don't worry, kid. At the very least, I can slice you up into ice cubes to chill up my saké!" 

"Huh!? How about I freeze you into an ice sculpture to decorate Old Man Ares' grave!"

The exchange invoked a boisterous environment as the others joined in, bringing new life to the island.

Meanwhile, a mysterious light passed Damien's eyes as he whispered, "Death is not always the end…"

…

[Later that Day]

The feast in the War God's name had ended, leaving others to their own devices.

Damien took the time to go over some thoughts regarding the coming future.

He sat atop a spanning cliff, enjoying the night chill under a soft drizzle, pondering, "Without a doubt, the next four to five years will be quiet in terms of piracy, but beyond that will be a new era of unrest."

The lonesome pirate reviewed some old plot points, nailing down his imminent actions. "Whitebeard, Big Mom, Shiki and even Kaido will begin recruiting their ships and building their influence. There's no way I can miss out on that."

He thought over his current forces with light rain dripping from his hair.

Indra was indeed his strongest card. Yet even his strength was fragile against the masters of Haki since his own was weak. Solomon and Aurora were in the same boat, while Kraft, Kuzan and Mihawk had negligible strength. Toki had a rather unique power but was not a combatant at heart.

"Suffice to say, everyone needs a handful of years to prepare for the coming era… the Era where the One Piece will surface!"

The rain drizzled lightly, pooling into a small puddle near Damien's feet. As he gazed into its dark reflection, a face stared back at him—not his own, but the scarred visage of Rocks D. Xebec.

"Whether you like it or not," the Abyssal Sin's voice echoed in his mind, "all your strength, your ambition—everything—was born from my shadow. And in it, you will forever remain! You will avenge me!"

Damien's jaw tightened as the venom of Xebec's ambition clawed at the edges of his mind. 

The young pirate raised his dominant left hand. Clenching it, he felt a surge of violent Haki at the thought of Rocks.

"So go on, defy the fate I couldn't escape. Tear down the Government, destroy all they hold dear, and bring tyranny to the seas in my name! Einar D. Damien. You are the incarnation of my sins, and my will is yours to inherit… You will avenge me!"

"Inherit Will?" Damien lightly scoffed, feeling the venom along his Haki. But as the darkness of the corrupted Haki was doing its thing, another voice came to mind—his father's voice, gentle yet resolute: "That ambition can guide you, but it can also consume you. It happened to Rocks… he thought he could master it, but in the end, he became its slave."

The storm within Damien calmed, the rain's cold touch grounding him. Slowly, he unclenched his fist, watching as the face in the puddle warped. Xebec's domineering grin dissolved, replaced by Ares's warm, weathered features.

"Xebec was the loser of his era, dragged into the abyss by his own ambition," Damien murmured. His crimson eyes reflected the clarity of his newfound resolve. "I'm done letting his words drag me with him."

As he exhaled, the oppressive darkness in his Haki began to recede, shifting from its venomous rage to a refined, steely resolve. A faint glow of moonlight pierced through the clouds, illuminating the vibrant green of the cliff's edge. He could feel the grass around him rustle and glow while Ares's voice steeled his resolve—his mother's grace around him and his father's words within, both calling out to neutralize Xebec's venomous touch.

"This new era… I'll make it mine," Damien declared softly, the weight of Xebec's shadow lifting at last. The arcs of black lightning along his arms now flowed with clarity, manifesting his unwavering conviction.

*Ding!*

[Conqueror's Haki Mastery has reached the Grandmastery (II) Stage.]

The strands of controlled Supreme King's Haki were thicker and more dominant than ever. A grin appeared on the pirate's face as he basked in the newfound power. Empyrean Haki, the War-War Fruit and now something just as special!

…

[Sometime Later]

The remnants of the light rain had long sept into the soil, leaving a glow along the island's grass. The smell of fresh water mixed in with the salty sea air from the coast filled the central grove.

Dawn had begun to break; it would undoubtedly shower the island in orange any minute now.

"Why did the Boss call us here so early?" a yawning Solomon asked out loud, still in his usual shirtless get-up.

"For once, I agree with your words," Kuzan yawned with him, glancing at the skies that had begun to wake up.

[A/N: I literally yawned as I wrote this in.]

"What's wrong, Kuzan-kun? Doesn't the lifting night feel fresh?" Aurora commented, enjoying the cold embrace of the dark sky.

The boy clicked his tongue, crossing his arms in protest. "That's only because your fruit power thrives at night! I, on the other hand, was born with Need-More-Sleep Disease and always feel sleepy!"

"I had the same problem when my old man used to force me into studying the intricacies of every ship that graced the seas," Kraft commented while tinkering with some gears as he leaned on a tree.

Kuzan nodded thrice, recalling all the studying Damien had forced onto him. The boatload of homework that was set for tomorrow left the boy in tears.

"What about you, Mihawk, aren't you tired?"

The jet-black-haired swordsman showed no signs of fatigue, returning a sharp response as always: "I like the night."

The answer left Kuzan facepalming. "Why did I ask the guy raised on an island literally called 'Night Sky?'"

But his gloom was replaced with warmth. He saw a freshened-up Toki bring over a steaming cup: "Here you go, Kuzan-kun. It will wake you up."

Toki was shining bright, just like the sun which had crept from the horizon, blinding the boy as he reached for the drink. "Ooh, coffee, just the way I like it!" 

Boom!

With the roar of thunder as his background music, another person appeared. His arrival sent tiny pops through the air from the heat.

"You're late, Indra," Solomon smugly said, glancing at the swordsman with a condescending look.

Indra gave the Zoan user a side glare.

"I long dissolved my electricity into the atmosphere. Hence, I am ubiquitous within the island," he calmly replied. "In other words, I was here before you even thought to arrive."

"..."

"Tch! Damn Logias," Solomon grumbled, somewhat envious of the universal attributes of the dominant fruit type.

*Zap* Though a trial of crimson of innumerable red particles broke apart any other conversation as the Captain appeared at the center of the gathering.

He stood tall, facing the others with the arboreal portrait and Ares' grave behind him.

"Looks like everyone's here." Damien's words drew all their attention, a new day and a new vibe around him.

Indra was the first to raise an eyebrow and thought, 'He looks… different.'

Aurora had similar thoughts but looked deeper. 'He hasn't worn such bright-coloured clothes since he returned to Mortem.'

Damien wore a striking turquoise shirt adorned with intricate, lattice-like patterns along the shoulders and sleeves. The tailored fabric clung tightly to his muscular frame, accentuating his broad chest and powerful build.

'Not only that, but his Haki has also cleared up!' Aurora exclaimed. Her eyes widened in relief while exposing the amethyst glow.

[Shirt Image (in Discord)]

.

Damien returned the smile, knowing full well what the girl was thinking.

"I called you all here to let you know we will lie low for the next few years. But I also think it's time we finally dub our little group."

The simple sentence elicited quite a reaction. 

Kuzan's eyes turned starstruck, and he nearly tossed aside the coffee. "Are we finally getting a name!? I call dibs on making the Jolly Roger!"

"Your drawing is at the same level as my singing; it's trash!" Solomon countered. He turned to his soon-to-be Captain, pounding his chest in a declaration: "Instead, I think I should be left with making our flag!"

Damien smirked at their argument and waved it off. He held up his right arm as if to invite someone to him: "I had Aurora craft up a few Jolly Rogers, so forget it."

"Ehh, Aurora-nee knew all along?" Kuzan slumped, turning to the woman while feeling betrayed eyes.

Aurora patted the shoulder of the boy. "Many Underground artists run entire businesses by piecing together flags and ship designs. Don't worry, I made them work until they gave me something nice."

She rolled her eyes at the thought of the lazy artists: "Those parasites get whiny working two hundred hours a week. Isn't it their fault for taking so long to make something I could present to Damien?"

Kuzan blankly stood, seeing Aurora stroll ahead while taking out a folded-up black fabric and handing it over.

"Rest assured, I think you'll like what they came up with."

Damien grinned, slowly unwrapping the pristine cloth but ensuring that he took his time to allow the suspense to build up.

As he unveiled the flag to the world, it embodied his legend, commanding awe and dread in equal measure. The centrepiece was a grinning, angular skull crowned with jagged black spikes that formed a dark, chaotic crown—a reflection of Damien's inevitable dominion over the next era. Its glowing crimson eyes mirrored his fiery ambition, piercing through any who dared oppose him. Separate from the crown, crimson wings spread outward, sharp and defiant, symbolizing his unyielding rise above the world's constraints. Beneath the skull, crossed bones stood as a grim testament to the fate awaiting his enemies. 

Indra cupped his chin and slowly nodded. Mihawk was never overly fond of piracy but felt intrigued by the flag.

"It's perfect!" Toki said, bringing her hands together. Meanwhile, Kuzan was forced to put aside his frustrations and murmured under his coffee-stung breath: "It's a little better than what I had in mind."

"Kuhuhu, I'll work hard to make sure everyone in the sea will shake in fright when they see that flag!" Solomon commented, unveiling his reckless nature. 

Kraft scratched his head, playing with his goggles. "If I saw this Jolly Roger pulling up to our old shipbuilding island… Well, let's just say I would walk the other way."

This flag was a dark emblem against the twilight skies. A symbol of conquering the incoming Era of Pirates!

[Jolly Roger Image (in Discord)]

.

Damien then said, "Though they aren't set in stone, I did draft the crew positions." He began listing them out:

"Vice Captain – Indra." "Combatant – Solomon." "Ship Doctor and Cook – Toki." "Head of Intelligence – Aurora." "Shipwright and Sniper – Kraft."

Indra, the perfect Warborn, returned a firm nod to his Captain. The responsibility on his shoulders had just spiked compared to the Fourth Division. 

On the other hand, Solomon was left with a sharp glint in his eyes. He felt the scar across his chest throb. A look at Indra, and all he could do was accept. 'Cheh! I guess I'll have to prove myself as the tank of the crew then!' he exclaimed.

But there were a few inconsistencies…

"A-ra-ra!" Kuzan looked around as if he was the only child who didn't get his test back. "Uhm, what about me?" 

Mihawk was also left glaring at Damien, blinking in confusion.

"The two of you are still kids. You'll remain as apprentices for now," Damien casually said.

Kuzan was about to refute but suddenly had an epiphany. 'No direct position means I can laze around as I please… this is a blessing!' he thought.

"I agree. I need at least another hundred years of apprenticeship before graduating to any cemented position!"

Damien rolled his eyes along with others in response. But it was Mihawk's voice that brought up an equally important topic: "What about the crew name?"

"..."

"It's a name that will become more fitting as the years go by…" Damien allowed another moment of suspense to build up, enjoying their impatient looks. Alas, revealing the name firmly: "We will be The Undying Pirates."

As dawn washed the seas of darkness, Damien stood tall, the Captain of the Undying Pirates, before his crew. Rocks' era had long cast its shadow over the seas, but its echoes were finally beginning to fade, leaving behind scars and lessons for those who dared to inherit its chaos. 

The nefarious Golden Lion Shiki. The aloof Patrick Redfield. The overwhelming Whitebeard. The fallen Herja. The unpredictable Roger. The mad Mors. The hungry Charlotte Linlin. The wild Kaido. The undying Damien. Each set their sights on the horizon, ready to carve their legend into the times to come.

While the World Government remained steadfast in its pursuit of peace and order, its focus sharpened with the approaching Reverie in two years. Yet, the keen ones understood that the next five years would be a quiet storm—a deceptive calm before the world erupted into chaos. Unknowingly, it was bracing for an age of piracy, ambition, and the race for the ultimate throne.

END OF PART ONE…and…To Be Continued…

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Author's Corner.

One Piece has a knack for simple crew names: Straw Hat Pirates, Roger Pirates, Red-Haired Pirates, Whitebeard Pirates, Big Mom Pirates, etc. Much like Indra, Damien has been reborn, freeing himself from the ghosts of his past. Now with his Undying Pirates, he has chosen to go dark at Renaissance.

This marks the end of Part 1. I initially planned for two parts, but splitting it into three—one per era—feels more fitting. While Parts 2 and 3 will likely be shorter than Part 1 combined, the journey will hopefully get there. For now, I'll be taking an extended break. Yes, a "hiatus," as mentioned on Discord. After my finals, I'll post an update chapter around New Year's to clarify what's next, and I can't promise it will be very satisfactory. Otherwise, thank you all for reading!

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