[139] Beneath the Surface

This is a significant AU chapter. Make sure to read the Author's Corner, which contains some critical notes. 

[3230 words]

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"I respect your outlook on knowledge, Clover."

The historian heaved a sigh of relief.

Ohara was undefeated in its knowledge warehousing but lacked any firepower to protect that knowledge. A pirate worth three billion berries was far beyond their capabilities!

…

The band of three pirates was welcomed to the giant tree without any real supervision; they each went their separate ways to check out whatever they wanted.

The inside of the Tree of Knowledge was extraordinary.

The air itself felt archaic, almost as if it were blessed by the endless shelves of books dating centuries back. The chamber was vast, leaving the trio to space out into different sections.

Soon enough, Damien was invested in knowledge.

"Huh, so my guess was true," he muttered, holding a thick book on anthropology.

The title read: "Humans and Giants."

According to the proposed work by a chain of researchers, the human race had a direct connection to that of Giants! It was to the point that giant genes were found in almost any human, though it varied from 0.1% to even 70%!

"So these genes are what allow normal humans to grow to absurd sizes such as Whitebeard and Linlin."

Damien then picked up another book. "A Talk about Sea Kings," he read the title.

It wasn't anything revolutionary but rather another dot that Damien had connected himself.

"Sea Kings get more nutritious the further along the Grand Line you go. Even people with low Giant genes can grow far beyond their limits by consuming high-end meals... Enigma's research notes came to the same conclusion."

…

Damien was entirely invested in the books.

There were some crazy ones, like a theory that proposed that the ancient user of the Sperm-Sperm Fruit mated with animals and fish to spawn Fishmen and Minks.

At the same time, some held merit.

"Devil Fruit Theory," he read over the words.

Some references included the Devil Fruits to be birthed from a Devil Fruit Tree, much like the Tree of Knowledge, Treasured Tree Adam or Sunlight Tree Eve.

This was the most cited and developed hypothesis for the origin of the fruits, but there was another section with random thoughts on the same subject.

One such thought was that Devil Fruits were born from humanity's deep and earnest desires and imagination. But they came with a price: Mother Ocean would turn her back to any who consume such fruit. Yet this lacked any support and was primarily a tale rambled on by a drunk fellow and stored in the archives.

.

Damien even found a book that documented the Meito (Famed Blades)!

It listed every blade, ranging from the Skillful 50 to the Great 21 and, finally, to a recently updated page, the 13 Supreme Blades!

Two significant updates of the index were the birth of the Thirteenth Weapon, the 'Pulverizing Blade' Ryushi and the transfer of ownership of the 'Sacred Blade' Tenmei to Zenora Indra.

Wano was often cited as a place of incredible artisans, a genuinely significant location for the world of swordsmanship.

…

[Four Hours Later]

Damien soaked in a plethora of knowledge until he encountered an interesting sight. It was Kuzan seated on the floor across from a table, holding up a book, but he wasn't alone.

"I see you made a friend."

The boy was nose-deep in a book when the voice shook him. "You startled me! Couldn't you be more tactful?"

The pirate hummed at the boy's scowl and glanced at the dozen thick books laid out on the wooden table, all fashioned with either Navy or World Government flags. Some were opened halfway, while others were waiting to be read.

He turned to the other party, a young girl, and asked, "Have you been helping him find all these books?"

"Y-Yes, sir."

She was probably in her mid-teens, with long white hair and bright blue eyes. She shrunk under the heavy weight of Damien's eyes, unable to meet them.

"Hey! Don't throw your Haki around like a pirate!" Kuzan exclaimed, standing up as the chivalrous ten-year-old he was.

"I'm not doing it on purpose," Damien lightly responded before actively reining in the natural dread that leaked from his body. "Anyway, it's good to know your enemy... That is why you're so interested in these Navy Records, right?"

Kuzan gulped as he saw the smirk at the edge of Damien's lips. He glanced at the tower of books with Navy emblems and returned a dry laugh: "A...ha..ha... Right, that's right. Olvia just happens to know Ohara like the back of her hand, so she's helping me around."

The girl quiveringly matched the notorious pirate's eyes, the same pirate responsible for so much havoc and even forcing Ohara to write it down as history. 

Damien studied the white-haired girl before turning away, "Well, do as you please. Just be ready to leave in an hour or two."

His attention then fell on another piece, titled "The World Government's Top Brass."

Damien walked away from the academic duo and scanned the abstract: "So it outlines the entire World Government hierarchy. Let's see what we have..."

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

Tree of Authority:

1. The Five Elders.

2. Commander-in-Chief of the World Government.

3. Head of Celestial Dragon Houses (19 may hold this position).

4. Fleet Admiral of the Navy Headquarters || Chief of Cipher Pol || Supreme Commander of the God's Knights.

5. Celestial Dragons.

6. Admirals of the Navy Headquarters (3 may hold this position) || Commissioner of the RTB.

7. Admiral Candidates (3 may hold this position) || Director of the MCIS.

8. Vice Admirals.

9. Rear Admirals.

.

Glossary: 

RTB = Revenue and Taxation Bureau.

MCIS = Marine Criminal Intelligence Service.

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

"If only this were fully accurate," Damien muttered, chuckling at the irony.

At the end of the day, the greatest weapon of the Navy were the Admirals, followed by the Admiral Candidates.

He hummed at the passing thought, "I've seen neither hide nor hair of the Candidates besides Zephyr, which means they are probably stationed at Mariejois!"

Damien then went through a few pages and came to a more exciting topic: details on Fleet Admirals! The only ones he cared about were the ones still alive, of which there were two.

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

Name: Endou.

Age: 70.

Epithets: Great Disaster, Pirate Butcher.

Personal Code: Dominant Justice.

Position Before Fleet Admiral: Admiral of the Navy Headquarters.

Feats: --n------d '--e G-- -- -a-' ----; Vanquished 'Bloodspawn' Mors; Stabilized the Navy for three decades.

Reigning Period: 1450-1480.

Current Position: Commander-in-Chief of the World Government.

.

Name: Kong.

Age: 46.

Epithets: Strange Beast, Titan.

Personal Code: True Justice.

Position Before Fleet Admiral: Admiral of the Navy Headquarters.

Feats: Oversaw the Destruction of the Three Overlords of the Sea; Oversaw the capture of 'Fallen Angel' Herja.

Reigning Period: 1480-Present.

Current Position: Fleet Admiral of the Navy Headquarters.

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

"One of Endou's feats has been scrubbed off. Is it classified?" Damien thought to himself.

However, his open thoughts were picked up by a nearby person who chimed in immediately: "Cipher Pol marched here a while back and erased certain truths while I was still a pirate."

Damien glanced at Clover with a hum, "I wouldn't expect anything less of them." He then gestured to the blue elephant in the room: "Looks like you're still doing some rather delicate research."

Clover trailed the pirate's eyes and reached the giant blue stone at the base of the entrance.

"Oh, you mean the Poneglyph?" He returned a meaningful smirk, "Researching Poneglyphs… that would be forbidden."

"…"

"Rahahaha! I'm the only one here, and you can be honest with me, Clover. If I didn't know any better, you are as much of a D as I am…"

.

The two soon found themselves before the giant stone. A blue hue was given off, bleeding into the surroundings and even the large bookshelves nearby.

[Room Image (in Discord)]

"Have you deciphered the language?"

Clover paused, looking around to ensure no one was listening. "You should know the grave danger you put yourself in if the World Government fin–"

Damien looked away from the rambling man and instead turned toward the stone. Each word seemed to resonate with the past as if the stone held whispers from a world long gone.

"The Great Kingdom alongside Joyboy ruled over the World before it was destroyed by the First Twenty during the Void Century, later forming the World Government as it is known henceforth."

"..."

"You can read it as well!?"

Damien shook his head. "It looks like gibberish to me," he answered. "Although I can't read it, I can hear it."

Clover blinked, realization dawning on his weathered face. "Voice of All Things? I thought that was a myth."

Damien grinned at the man's words, patting his back. Although their height difference left Damien twice as tall as the historian, leaving the exchange to look somewhat comical. "Don't get hung up on the details, old pirate. Say, where do you keep the more forbidden knowledge?"

Clover felt his mouth dry up. Damien's antics left him speechless. Ultimately, he caved in: "This way."

…

Damien stood in front of a rotten shelf holding a few thick books, their pages visibly aged beyond the reach of the historians' preservatives. Surely, centuries had passed since these texts were written!

"I'll take my leave. Do as you please," the head librarian told him. He ran off before being dragged around any longer.

The undying pirate shrugged and browsed the tantalizing collection of knowledge. His eyes landed on a fascinating section.

"As Clover explained in the anime, a Great Kingdom existed until the end of the Void Century. The First Twenty emerged from their ashes to create the World Government in the year 724."

He paused at a passage detailing their technology, reading aloud, "The great civilization, before their annihilation, had machines far more advanced than today's—Iron Giants, robot-like creations the size of Ancient Giants, powered by a mysterious energy source."

Turning a few pages, he found another crucial entry.

"Within a few years of the founding, the Lunarians were killed off, and their home claimed by the First Twenty. The royals would leave behind their kingdoms, moving to the top of the Red Line. Among the First Twenty were Imu of House Nerona at the helm, Tnaryt of House Amas-Rohtua, and Lili of House Nefertari as Imu's close companions."

[A/N: The 't' in Tnaryt is silence; pronunciate it as "Na-rit."]

"Sometime later, Lili of House Nefertari would depart Mariejois to return to Alabasta."

The pirate mulled over the pieces of the grand puzzle he had just uncovered. "Imu of House Nerona… so that's the one pulling the strings alongside the Five Elders. And Lili is obviously Vivi's ancestor."

A few silent minutes passed as Damien pondered before returning to the text.

"Sixty years later, in the year 786, most of the founders had grown old. It was then that one of the remaining Nineteen, Tnaryt, would bring up the thought to cement their divine right to rule and for their descendants to be coined as Celestial Dragons."

A grin appeared on the pirate's face as his eyes landed on the following section that was important today: "Tnaryt would host the canonization ceremony in his abandoned kingdom of God Valley. Here, the Nineteen and their children were declared Gods of the World and Mariejois as their sacred capital. Since then, a grand event has been held every century to commemorate the official birth of Celestial Dragons."

Damien's eyes flickered as he continued reading.

*Clack* Damien closed the aged book, sinking into thought. "It's late 1485, which sets next year for another celebration. And it also coincides with this Triennial Native Hunting Competition I've been hearing Morgans talking about."

He looked around, peering at some other books Clover had collected in his years as a pirate. 

A quick ten-minute check revealed one thing: There was nothing about the century before the World Government was established, not even a sliver of useful information.

"The secrets of the Void Century remain uncovered. Maybe a future Clover or someone else can piece it together," Damien mused, cupping his chin. "Imu, Lili, Tnaryt, Joyboy, Poneglyphs, Ancient Weapons, Iron Giants, Lunarians, Shandora… all pieces of the same, incomplete puzzle."

Damien sighed, massaging his forehead, answering one question only for two more to take its place. 

"Finding the remaining Poneglyphs may shed light, but the complete answer surely rests in Laugh Tale, waiting to be found!"

…

[Elsewhere at Ohara]

[Some Time Later]

.

"Divine Remedy."

.

A green glow went off from a few Scholars.

They watched in great astonishment as a broken arm was easily mended back into perfect shape, healing within moments.

"What an incredible power!" 

They marvelled at the ability, and a small line formed before the young doctor. It took the young girl an entire hour to fix the residents' various problems. Yet Toki would graciously heal every single one of them.

…

"Your kindness is refreshing to see, Toki."

Two arms suddenly grabbed the girl from the back, locking her in a warm grip.

"D-Damien-san!"

The pirate held onto the green-haired girl and her little collection of books.

"Ancient Medicine, A History of Viral Outbreaks in the Past Millennia, A Dive into the Amber Lead Syndrome, An Almanac of Remedial Plants, Lost Medical Techniques… Quite the collection you dug up."

Toki smiled, leaning her head onto Damien's chest. "The people of Ohara gifted me these books to heal them; they are nice and curious."

"Sometimes one's curiosity can be their downfall," Damien hummed, pitying the historians.

"You have a habit of saying mysterious things, Damien-san."

…

The couple waited for another half an hour as a speedy Kuzan exited the divine tree. Damien noticed the boy's thoughtful expression and spoke nothing of it.

The trio were quick to leave, masking their travel with haste—Clover, a D himself, made sure to have his fellow historians keep the news of Damien's visit under wraps; he felt he owed it to the bold Sin Incarnate—once a pirate, always a pirate.

…

[Ohara]

"I take it you enjoyed our little outing, Kuzan."

The boy nodded while drinking some of his favourite coffee before disappearing into the marine lounge for further exploration.

Toki smiled from Damien's side, carrying a stack of her collection of books. The three had officially left the scholarly island, still using the stolen Warship as a means of transportation.

"Are we headed back home?"

Damien shook his head, "We'll make a small stop at an island in Paradise along the way."

The pirate quieted down after answering the question—his eyes seemed a little distant as he stared into the familiar seas.

They were leaving the West Blue.

Toki hummed to herself, placing the books aside and walking up to the taller male. She took in the salty sea air, lightly grasping Damien's right arm. She watched the calm waters rise and fall by the passing wind.

The girl's soft voice broke the pirate from his thoughts, "How long has it been since you came back to your home sea?" 

"I never came back ever since I joined the Rocks Pirates," Damien breathed, putting aside any memories burning up. "I thought it wouldn't bother me coming this close to home..."

Toki watched Damien carefully, feeling the weight of his words and the burdens he carried. She could see the subtle tension in his shoulders and the quiet way his eyes flickered with unresolved pain. He was always like this—strong, unshaken on the outside, yet battling a storm within. Knowing how much he had endured, how much he still carried alone, made her heart ache.

Toki reached out to hold his hand, smiling at his foresight. "By keeping away, you protect her rest."

Toki could feel the weight of Damien's words—his unspoken fears, the tension in his body. He always took the world on his shoulders, even when it crushed him from the inside. Toki knew he wouldn't show it, not to anyone but her.

Her grasp over his hand tightened as she firmly said, "What are the chances they know about it?"

The Sin Incarnate narrowed his eyes. He thought over his previous excursions and chats with Aurora to protect Renaissance.

"I had Aurora place operatives in islands near Renaissance some time ago. If the Government does know, they've yet to make any moves. But I can't be sure."

Uncertainty flashed in his eyes. "The only traces I could have left behind were at either Greta Island or El Pavor. But El Pavor was long in ruins when the other Mafia Families struck; all the Gambino members were killed and their wealth absorbed."

Toki remained quiet, allowing Damien to think while she acted as a hearth to comfort his unease. 

"Greta Island is the only link that can connect me to Renaissance, but there are over five dozen tiny and primitive islands neighbouring it… It would take a huge operation to try and narrow down to my home without alerting Aurora's agents."

Damien's eyes became firm. Although he was somewhat reckless in assaulting an entire Mafia Family all those years ago, he couldn't think of any specific person who could tie him back to Renaissance.

"But there's something else, isn't there?"

The male pirate leaked a smile, knowing he had been read. The look in his eyes grew thunderous over one truth that has remained constant since his mother's death: "I still don't know the person behind it all, Toki. The one who forced Gambino Delago to raid my home, the one who killed her with a borrowed knife."

"Did Aurora-san not find anything?"

Damien shook his head. "Which is what makes me anxious. There's someone out there, someone who knows of my home turf. Someone who hasn't acted upon it for over eleven years now. But with the fateful day approaching, I can't help but fear for Renaissance."

"Eleven years is a long time," Toki's soft voice drew his attention, soothing his troubles. She returned a smile, "Damien-san, you're the most incredible man I have ever met. But you have a tendency to get hung up on every little thing—to control it from going wrong."

"If Aurora-san's network failed to find the dark hand, then maybe it wasn't as deep as you think? Maybe there was no dark hand, and Delago was spouting nonsense to get you to spare him."

Damien silently stared into the pair of vibrant green eyes, hearing her soft voice continue: "I have tried to force the world away from its darkness. But even with the power to bend time to my will, it always went awry." 

The girl entered his embrace, speaking into his crimson shirt with a muffled tone, "Worry won't rob tomorrow of its sorrow, but it will empty today of its strength. Sometimes, you have to find peace in the chaos."

The Sin Incarnate absently ran his fingers through her hair, smelling the fresh aroma. He pondered her words and exhaled away the trepidations in his heart. 

"You're right, Toki," he mumbled in resolve, his eyes sharpening toward the coming storm. "I'll come back home when everything's done with. Until then, there's no use trying to control everything to my will."

He saw the girl return a bright smile, prompting him to kiss her forehead. "The final countdown has begun, and I already have my key to survival. The World Government, the Rocks Pirates… I look forward to shaping the era from their ashes!"

To Be Continued…

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Author's Corner.

The lore I envisioned for God Valley was far before the Egghead Arc was published. This is where the AU warning in Chapter 0 comes into play, as I can't rewrite over 70 drafts to align with every new detail revealed in the manga.

Summary: Imu, Lili, and Tnaryt were the prominent figures from the First Twenty. After Lili's departure, Tnaryt would invite the aging founders and their descendants to his previous kingdom of God Valley (that he left behind for Mariejois) in 786. Here, they were declared Celestial Dragons. Every century, the Gods return to the island in celebration, setting up the coming arc. Naturally, Amas-Rothua Tnaryt will be crucial for later, so keep his name in mind.

All the World Government information, alongside that of the Fleet Admirals and the newly revealed plot are on Discord: https://discord.gg/aJHHHPvb6q