Chapter 94: The Pantheon

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"The Godfather."

Capone Bege mulled over the codename before breaking into a smile. He quite liked it. 

As for the other members of the organization and further details, he wisely refrained from asking. 

Years in the Mafia had taught him the importance of knowing what to ask and what to forget.

"Is the underground fighting ring in Toroa yours?" Arashi asked suddenly.

"No," Bege replied, startled by the unexpected question. He quickly shook his head.

"Take me there," Arashi ordered.

During his earlier observations, Arashi had noticed a peculiar boy in the underground arena. 

The flames burning around the boy intrigued him, raising suspicions about his possible lineage from a powerful bloodline.

"Yes, of course!" Bege responded hastily. Though unsure why Arashi was suddenly interested in underground fighting, he wasted no time complying.

Moments later, under Bege's guidance, Arashi found himself seated in the front row of the underground fighting arena, where he had an excellent view of the ring. 

Inside the octagonal cage, two dark-skinned, muscular men were exchanging brutal blows.

To Arashi, their techniques were nothing more than child's play. Any trained Marine officer could easily overpower them. 

He viewed these fights as little more than a means to incite gambling and stir up the crowd's excitement.

His gaze shifted to a corner where a silent, towel-wrapped boy with a robust physique sat quietly. Flames flickered intermittently behind him, swaying unsteadily.

"That's Demon Ashura," whispered a spectator nearby. "They say he's only 14 years old."

"What a joke," another replied. "There's no way a 14-year-old could have that kind of physique. He's nearly three meters tall! And those flames constantly burning behind him..."

"Some say he has a unique bloodline," someone added. 

"Such people tend to mature early. Ashura himself claims he's a Devil Fruit user, though he admits he hasn't mastered his powers yet."

Hearing the whispers, Arashi's attention sharpened. The boy's imposing three-meter height and brooding aura of violence made it hard to believe he was just 14.

A roar from the ring announcer interrupted Arashi's thoughts.

"And now, we welcome the undefeated champion with 58 consecutive wins—the Demon, Ashura!"

"He's a beast in chains, a pawn abandoned by the gods, and a predator ready to devour his prey! But in the cage, he's an unstoppable demon!"

The crowd erupted in cheers, chanting Ashura's name in unison. Arashi remained silent, watching intently. 

Meanwhile, Bege occasionally whispered to his subordinates who came and went.

When Ashura entered the ring, the audience noticed that his hands and feet were bound by heavy chains.

"Sea Stone?" Bege muttered, surprised.

"I've heard his name," Bege continued. "He's become quite famous in the underground fight circuit recently. But as a slave fighter, his fate is bound to end tragically."

Arashi narrowed his eyes at those words.

The fight began swiftly. To the audience, every match was a gamble, a source of entertainment. 

Ashura's opponent was a massive, equally imposing man skilled in combat and known for his aggressive attacks.

After just a dozen exchanges, Arashi noticed the flames behind Ashrua flicker out. In the same instant, the boy's speed increased dramatically.

At that moment, Arashi's eyes gleamed with interest, and a faint smile appeared on his lips.

"Capone Bege," he called.

"Yes, Vice Admiral!" Bege replied, ready for instructions.

"No matter the cost, I want that boy—Ashura—to stand before me today," Arashi declared, rising to leave the arena.

"Uh..." Bege hesitated for a moment, glancing at the ongoing fight. Then, gritting his teeth, he issued cold orders to his men.

By dusk, a group of black-clad men cautiously escorted a bound figure into a secluded courtyard. The figure had a sack over his head.

"Vice Admiral, your orders have been carried out," Bege reported with a bow.

The sack was pulled off, revealing Ashura, his expression cold and unreactive despite the change in surroundings.

"Your name is Ashura?" Arashi asked, his gaze fixed on the boy.

"Yeah," Ashura replied curtly.

"These chains—they must be uncomfortable," Arashi said, stepping forward to examine them.

"These are indestructible Sea Stone shackles," Ashura explained. 

"The keys were destroyed. No one in this world can remove them. It's my fate... inescapable."

"Is that so?" Arashi murmured before chuckling softly.

His right hand tightened, and Haki surged from his body. "Fate is the most unreliable thing," he said.

In the next instant, under Ashura's astonished gaze, the chains shattered and fell to the ground. Arashi crouched to break the bonds on Ashura's legs as well.

"You're free now," Arashi declared. "And so is your fate."

Ashura stared at Arashi in disbelief before testing his newly freed limbs. A childlike smile of joy broke across his face.

"They chained me for another reason," Ashura said, his tone turning cold again.

"Oh?" Arashi raised a curious eyebrow.

"Fear," Ashura replied as the flames behind him roared to life, blazing even brighter than before.

Bege and his men instinctively reached for their weapons, their expressions tense.

"Is that so?" Arashi said with an amused smile. "Tell me, how old are you?"

"Fourteen," Ashura replied hesitantly before adding in a low voice, "Do you know...?"

"Those people had planned to profit enough from me before they would dispose of me," Arashi replied, smiling as he looked at the fourteen-year-old boy before him. 

Although the boy didn't look like a fourteen-year-old at all, this world's peculiar bloodlines often led to unusual growth—rapid development wasn't uncommon.

"What is your dream?" Arashi asked.

The boy, despite being only fourteen, showed maturity beyond his years. He looked at Arashi with seriousness and asked, "What's yours?"

"To change this world, to stand atop the highest peak, and to gaze upon the landscape of all beings," Arashi said calmly.

Ashura was visibly shaken. After a moment of silence, he dropped to his knees and bowed deeply. "I will dedicate my entire life to helping you achieve that dream!"

Arashi smiled faintly. "Then I'll be counting on you, boy of the Lunarian tribe."

The mention of his heritage made Ashura's pupils contract sharply, and he jerked his head up in surprise. 

Nearby, Capone Bege's expression shifted as if recalling something, his eyes widening with shock. "A Lunarian?!"

Arashi cast a glance at Bege, silencing him immediately.

Three days later, Arashi returned to the G-18 Fortress, accompanied by Eveya and Ashura. 

Within an hour, the room—small but functional—was filled with familiar faces: Crocodile, Douglas Bullet, and Vegapunk.

"As I've said before, we're going to establish an organization," Arashi began after a brief pause, his tone steady.

"With the people here, we can now finalize the framework."

Crocodile listened in silence, Bullet wore a puzzled look, and Vegapunk appeared ready to speak but held back.

"The organization will be called Pantheon"

Arashi continued, assigning each member a codename:

Crocodile: Sandstorm

Bullet: Warlord

Vegapunk: The Scientist

Once everyone accepted their designations without objection, Arashi laid out their responsibilities.

"Crocodile, I need you to establish an intelligence network. Call it Baroque Works. You'll have free reign to recruit and manage your operatives."

"Bullet, your task is to oversee all Marine activity in the West Blue."

"As for Vegapunk," Arashi turned toward him, "focus all your efforts on researching lineage factors, Devil Fruits, and other scientific endeavours."

Crocodile and Bullet both nodded, but Vegapunk wasted no time voicing his concerns.

"Arashi, what about the laboratory and equipment you promised me?"

Arashi sighed, rubbing his temples. "I'll handle it. Soon, you'll have everything you need."

Vegapunk wasn't finished. "I'll also need a team of skilled professionals to assist me."

"And where am I supposed to find them?" Arashi groaned.

"That's your problem," Vegapunk replied firmly. "You gave me your word."

"Fine, I'll make it happen!" Arashi relented, exhaling deeply. He had Vegapunk draft a comprehensive list of laboratory requirements.

"Here are the schematics for your ark ship," Vegapunk said, handing over blueprints. 

"It runs on electric power, so as long as you keep it charged, it can travel between Sky Island and the West Blue."

Impressed by Vegapunk's efficiency, Arashi admired the detailed design before shifting his focus back to the organization. 

With the framework now sketched out, the weight of the responsibilities began to sink in.

Time passed quickly. A month later, Arashi received unsettling news.

"Golden Lion Shiki has escaped from prison?" he murmured, his eyes flickering with intrigue.

What truly interested him wasn't Shiki himself but the powers of the Float-Float Fruit. 

If he could acquire the fruit or bring Shiki under his control, it would solve many logistical problems, including establishing Vegapunk's secret research base and even the new Ohara.

"Perhaps I should make a move on him," Arashi mused, his eyes gleaming with determination.

Unbeknownst to him, Shiki—now a fugitive—was also plotting revenge, and the two seemed destined for an inevitable clash.

Two months later, under the covert support of Crocodile, Bullet, and the West Blue Marines, Capone Bege successfully unified the mafia under his control.

On the seventh day of his newly established rule, Bege presented Arashi with a generous gift and pledged to fund the entire Marine operation in the West Blue.

This alleviated some of Arashi's growing financial concerns. With steady resources, the strength of his forces could only grow.

Arashi soon turned his attention to the nearby Land of Flowers.

"The Happo Navy is a formidable force," he noted. "And besides…"

He smirked. "A crouching tiger's den cannot allow others to sleep soundly."

What he wanted was a West Blue united under an unbreakable iron fist.

<End Chapter>

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