I Am The Villain Of Destiny

"The world gradually became familiar.

In the underground base on Amazon Lily, Kahn looked at Monkey D. Dragon's wanted poster, whispering to himself so only he could hear.

Having travelled to the end of Roger's era, if it weren't for the start of the game, Kahn would definitely have felt panic and confusion.

After all, he was unfamiliar with that era.

For an adult who had lived peacefully for over 20 years, accustomed to travelling by car or plane, suddenly being thrust into a pirate world full of islands and dangers would undoubtedly be overwhelming.

But fortunately, fate was kind to him.

A fortunate start gave him the strength to survive, even in the most dangerous seas.

Being familiar with the story gave him an advantage, and after entering the Grand Line, it only took ten years to build the "Cross Family" into the world's number one family, rivalling even the Whitebeard Pirates.

Now, it's only the Sea Circle Calendar 1514. There are still six years left before the start of the story and six years before the troubled times begin.

Kahn was confident that he could sit securely at the top.

Once the final step is complete, the perfect creation of the "Cross Family," Kahn would have the power to easily change the world.

In this world, where fate and luck are considered real forces, if anyone could see luck, Kahn's would certainly be astonishing at this moment.

Maybe it was his good fortune.

Just as Kahn tossed aside Monkey D. Dragon's bounty poster and continued working on the "Cross Family," a phone rang suddenly.

"Pere~Pere~Pere~Pere~."

Very few people knew Kahn's number.

Only three kinds of people had it: his own people, the Five Elders, and contacts in the underworld.

Of these, the majority of calls Kahn received were from his own people.

But this time, it was someone from the underworld, bringing Kahn some thrilling news.

"Moshi moshi... Your Excellency Kahn, there's news about the Logia Dark-Dark Fruit you've placed a bounty on."

Upon hearing this, Kahn almost crushed the receiver in his excitement, but he suppressed his emotions and asked calmly, "Are you certain? Has this news leaked?"

"The ones who found the Logia Dark-Dark Fruit are a group of pirates. They know how valuable 10 billion berries are and are hiding in a place even we don't know."

The contact from the underworld continued, "We're unsure if the Dark-Dark Fruit is genuine. They only sent a photo, not the actual fruit, so it's difficult for us to verify its authenticity."

"Get in touch with them and tell them I'm the one who placed the bounty on the Logia Dark-Dark Fruit. I was also the one who put up the bounty for the Paramecia Op-Op Fruit back then."

Kahn said in a deep voice, "Tell them, if the Logia Dark-Dark Fruit is real, I promise they'll receive 10 billion berries, and there will be no harm to them. However, if it's fake, I won't hold a grudge if they cancel the deal now. But if they're trying to scam me, even if they flee to the Calm Belt, they won't escape death."

"I understand, Your Excellency," the Den Den Mushi imitated the person on the other end, nodding as it spoke. "I'll relay your message word for word."

With that, the contact from the underworld hung up on their own.

"Pere~Pere~Pere~Pere~."

Not long after, the Den Den Mushi rang again. 

As soon as Kahn answered, the person from the underworld said, "Your Excellency Kahn, after the other party learned that it was you offering the bounty for the Logia Dark-Dark Fruit, they immediately requested a transaction."

"Where's the location?" Kahn asked urgently.

"They're in the Golden City."

The Den Den Mushi's expression shifted slightly, almost appreciative. "The pirates realized the Golden City is a place where even the strongest powers are restricted, so after obtaining the Dark-Dark Fruit. They hid there."

"That's a smart move," Kahn said, smiling. "In that case, tell them to head directly to the Gold Hotel. I'll contact Sonia and have her make the deal in person."

"Understood, Your Excellency Kahn."

The Den Den Mushi nodded before hanging up.

Immediately, Kahn coordinated with the people from the underworld and Sonia, contacting the pirates in the Grand Line's New World.

"Pere~Pere~Pere~Pere~."

Half an hour later, the phone rang again.

"Master, the item is here," Sonia's voice came through.

Her first words brightened Kahn's mood, and he quickly asked, "Are you sure it's real?"

"It is," Sonia confirmed. "I extracted their blood and confirmed the authenticity by reading their memories. The pirates did indeed find the Devil Fruit, it's not a fake."

"You didn't kill them, did you?" Kahn frowned slightly.

"No, I handed over the 10 billion berries as instructed," Sonia quickly responded, knowing her master valued his reputation.

"You did well," Kahn said approvingly. "No need to destroy the reputation we've worked so hard to build over some money."

"Exactly, Master," Sonia replied obediently.

"This deal is a prime example. If our 'Cross Family' wasn't so credible in the underworld, they wouldn't have dared to trade with us so decisively. In the underworld, we can be ruthless in other aspects, but in transactions, we must maintain credibility."

"Yes, Master," Sonia replied, following his wisdom.

"Wait for me there. I'll come to you now."

With that, Kahn ended the call. After speaking with Monet, Kahn left the underground base, soared into the sky, and transformed into a full dragon form, heading toward the Grand Line's New World.

A human-like smile crept onto his dragon face, clearly reflecting his joy.

In just a few phone calls, Kahn had not only secured the most dangerous Logia Dark-Dark Fruit in history but also confirmed something critical.

He had become capable of influencing the so-called "fate."

In the original story, Luffy and Blackbeard were clearly destined enemies. Their growth paths, personalities, and even Devil Fruit powers were opposites. The Straw Hat Pirates and Blackbeard Pirates were rivals, destined to clash.

Even though Kahn only saw the beginning of the final chapter before he travelled to this world, he was certain there would be a grand battle between Luffy and Teach—between the Straw Hat Pirates and the Blackbeard Pirates.

In the language of stories, if Luffy is the "protagonist of destiny," then Teach is the "villain of destiny."

And the key to transforming Teach from a mere opportunist into the villain of destiny is the Logia Dark-Dark Fruit.

Without it, Teach would just be an exceptionally strong pirate. Without the Dark-Dark Fruit, he'd lose his villainous aura and wouldn't become what he was in the original timeline.

But now, with Kahn in possession of the Dark-Dark Fruit, he had effectively replaced Blackbeard—becoming the true villain of destiny.

------------

You can read advanced chapters here: patreon.com/GregariousLion