[129] Solomon

Two Notes:

1. This is a reminder that Damien can swim because of the Underwater Breathing and Maneuverability skills he acquired as he reached certain strength levels (combined to become Fishman-hybrid Anatomy). It has nothing to do with Seastone Resistance.

2. Seastone Immunity was changed to "Seastone Resistance" in previous chapters as it only removes the weakening feeling from being touched by it, alongside the nulling of Haki. He still can't use his fruit power with them on. This was always the case but I suppose "Immunity" was giving the wrong idea.

[3175 words]

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[Three Weeks Later]

[The Haven, Extinction Valley]

"Guest, here, try our delights!" a man with horse characteristics proudly declared. He passed a few skewers of beast meat to the far taller male before him. 

Damien, naturally the person in question, smiled and took the food.

*Munch* He wolfed it down before the beast-man could even blink!

"Say, don't you get a little iffy on eating animal meat," Damien mused. "You know, considering your… heritage."

The horse-man broke out in laughter and slapped his thighs, "Neigh-Neigh-Neigh! We only eat the meat of the forsaken beasts in the Ring of Untold Horrors."

Damien hummed at the news, devouring thirty more skewers.

…

Sometime later, the pirate walked through the Haven, soaking in the rich culture of the Extinct, enjoying the fresh air of the relatively untouched island.

Hours went on as night was upon them, the darkness creeping into the village. Distant cries and roars of the beasts echoed throughout the surrounding land, though it was ignored by the folk.

They gathered up once more, celebrating their peace before a large bonfire. Totem poles stood tall, enclosing their dance within a large area.

Damien sat by the side, his hand holding a few rocks.

"Mister Guest, look at this flower!" The pirate turned to the chipper boy with the appearance of an owl, Fukuro.

The boy held up a primal flower of a beautiful purple colour. Damien humoured the boy's enthusiasm and took it with grace. 

"Here, watch this…"

*Zwip* A dull sound broke out from the pirate's hand, that of pixelation and dismantling.

Fukuro watched in awe as the palm-sized flower was split into thousands of different pieces, some of the stem, some of the petals and some of the roots.

Each of the 2,394 pieces floated over Damien's palm, gently spinning in a circle. The torches nearby amplified their magnificence.

Another sound resounded as each piece began to move.

Fukuro's jaw dropped as he saw what happened next: the thousands of pieces came together. They formed into the beautiful flower again, gently swaying in the breeze.

"Wow…!" The boy snatched the flower and ran off to check whether it was real or not.

.

"Although I can restore most things now, I can't bring life back to something that has been reconstructed," Damien surmised as he laid down on a patch of grass, glancing at the moon.

Naturally, the flower that had been picked was no longer alive, allowing it to return with temporary brilliance. In other words, Damien could bring together a dismantled person or animal. Still, it wouldn't bring them back to life, leaving empty shells.

"But all of this goes well beyond pulverization. Crushing things is only a portion of its power," the pulverizing human complained.

[Fruits are named based on a simple idea. I would hypothesize that no one has reached your level of mastery before,] Sibyl explained in her usual straightforward voice.

Damien breathed in the cool nightly air and hummed in acceptance, "I suppose so. Only at Advanced Mastery was I able to restore things, beginning with Ryushi. Hadean Release amplified it further."

The topic of fruit mastery naturally led to thoughts of the final stage.

If it hadn't been for No Man's Land, there was a good chance that Damien would take another year or two to figure things out on his own.

[If you wanted a percentage, I'd say you're 99.9% of the way to Awakening your ability.]

Damien smirked, slowly standing up. 

He had already spent the past three weeks living off of random animals and sleeping ten hours a week to reach microscopic reconstruction.

"It'll take another month or so of grinding away at rocks, trying to reform them at the atomic level," he sighed. "Dammit, me and my edgy inclination toward destruction… if only I had prioritized reconstruction a while back."

"Hmm?" the pirate paused, feeling a distant concentration of emotion. "Looks like we have a guest."

He shot up, walking to the large bush where he sensed the eyes.

…

A man stood, hidden in the veil of foliage nearby, great longing present in his eyes. He watched the celebration at the center of the Haven, feeling their happiness, yearning for it.

Usually, his days were spent in silence, yet a voice boomed in his ears: "Are you gonna live the rest of your life watching from afar in your fear, or will you confront it like a man?"

The man watching recognized the voice. He glared at the young man who had appeared next to him, "This has nothing to do with you!"

Damien smirked in return, clicking his tongue mockingly: "You're such a fearsome entity, and yet you're scared of what they'll think of you."

Solomon was slightly shaken; his breathing hitched, unable to respond. 

"You're a native of this village, no?"

The words invoked quite a deep breath from him.

Damien shrugged, "I can sense your emotions. And the waves of longing and despair from you are like a bright light in this night sky."

Solomon seemed stumped and couldn't form any words, though he didn't need to, as Damien gave him no time to react to what happened next: "You'll thank me later for this."

The undying pirate's hand shot out, grabbing the unsuspecting Solomon, and dragged him out from the bush.

"W-Wai–!"

…

Fukuro, who had come to see more magic tricks with a band of his friends, saw Damien pulling a man clawing at some ripped branches. "Another outsider?" the boy muttered, blinking his owl-like eyes. After all, Solomon did not resemble his fellow Extinct much.

"Not exactly."

Damien flung Solomon ahead, his body soaring across the Haven and landing near the dancing folk with a loud thud.

"…"

Solomon jumped up, looking at the crowd that had surrounded him. They watched with a mix of curiosity and apprehension. The only sound was the flickering flames mirroring the state of the man's heart.

'No…!' Solomon's thoughts raced as he looked around at the faces staring back at him. 'They're all afraid… just like before.' His heart pounded in his chest, each beat echoing with the terror of being damned to live as a monster in the shadows. 'I shouldn't be here… I should've stayed hidden.'

He could feel the sweet, magnetic pull of their fear, an instinctive urge to harvest it surging through him. His hands clenched into fists, trying to suppress the dark hunger that had become second nature. 'I can't… I can't let them see me like this.'

Solomon exhaled loudly; all the while, the Extinct readied their weapons from his sudden movements. But it was one elderly yet resounding voice that stumped them all: "You, a-are you Solomon!?"

The few hundred Extinct looked uncertainly at their shocked leader, Choro.

"I-It is you!" the old man broke out in tears, slowly raising his quivering hands as if to grasp at the strange man. 

'He remembers me? He still remembers us?' The shaken voice reduced the throbbing in Solomon's heart. 

Choro's following words broke his drumming heart: "You are Liona's child!"

'Mother…' Solomon's mind reeled as memories of his mother's gentle face flooded back. The name, spoken aloud, brought with it a torrent of emotions—grief, longing, and bitter loneliness that had gnawed at him for years. 'We weren't forgotten…'

He looked at the pale man and, with great difficulty, nodded.

Choro was immediately swamped with emotion. His bright yellow eyes dripped with tears, forcing him to drop the cane in his hand and almost fall with it himself. "Y-You were alive this whole time…?" the man questioned with a broken voice. "Where have you been, nephew?"

Solomon subconsciously clenched his fists, looking to the floor in shame and indignity. His one and only blood relative was weeping his eyes out, and he was unable to respond.

Damien's voice broke the lost man: "He was always here."

The comment evoked a few hushed whispers amongst the crowd. It didn't matter their age or size; they each looked at Solomon in confusion.

The lost Extinct absently looked toward the casual pirate, who replied with a gesture to continue. "Haaah," Solomon deeply exhaled, letting out any further hesitation.

*Vvvooo!* An ominous wind blew as black fog erupted from Solomon's position, bringing about a frightening change. It crept out from his shadow, spreading its unholy gloom to the ends of the Haven.

*Snap* *Crack* The sound of branches being split boomed out, flooding the man's body as it grew in size, reaching a whole 6 meters (20 ft)! Thick antlers and the face of a cow's skull; just the creepy presence of the beast alone would send shivers down a person's back—the personification of fear—the Wendigo.

Kids began to scramble, and the women yelled while the men gulped in dread. Some of the senior Extinct raised their weapons, clad in Haki, ready to fight for their home.

Solomon sensed the blanket of fear, his instincts firing to harvest it immediately. He took a step back, sending tremors through the earth.

The sheer density of doom under his every step evoked a thunderous bang, further amplified by his urge to reap the horrors.

Chaos broke out in the Haven once more, but it was silenced by an authoritative yell from the village chief: "What are you doing!? Put down your weapons!"

The people seemed unsure as they looked at their elderly guardian, but they did stop in their tracks. A tense atmosphere fell upon the Haven, blanketing it with its eerily glow.

.

"He is the Spirit of Fear that has protected you for so long," Damien commented. He was the only one whose expression had remained unchanged since the drama began.

His words earned a glare from Solomon, one of anger, gratitude, and ambivalence.

*Snap* The Wendigo began shrinking, shedding its thick branches and returning to Solomon's human appearance. The fog dissipated just as quickly, sparing the crowd a time of hell.

"I should have known," Choro sighed in a trembling voice, using his cane to push himself up. His facial tendrils were all over the place, conveying the man's shaken heart. "You disappeared into the forest during the Day of Reckoning when beasts attacked, the same time as the Spirit of Fear appeared. A child with such a power developed a fear of his own people."

The old man raised a weathered hand to wipe his tear-stricken eyes, "I failed my sister, your mother, to let her child bear such a painful life!"

Solomon froze at the name of his mother. He had spent a lifetime being a monster in the woods, living day in and day out as a beacon of terror, hunting beasts that would give most people nightmares, and now, he was lost for words.

The spectators remained quiet, leaving all but Choro's broken voice to pervade.

"..."

Solomon suddenly felt warmth in his hand: "Huh?" Looking down, the owl-like boy from before was smiling at him.

The sight left Solomon taken aback, forcing him to take a deep breath of air.

For the first time in two decades, he felt something other than fear from his own people looking at him, all from the innocent smile of a young boy.

Fukuro's childish actions immediately calmed the Haven as the others reined in their emotions. The air of fear began to disappear, surprising Solomon.

"Let's welcome Solomon back home!" Buta roared from the side, raising a barrel of unhealthy delights.

The others joined in, blooming in gratitude and joy.

Choro smacked his cane to the floor and loudly declared, "Let's begin the feast all over again! To commemorate the return of my nephew, who has also been our protector for over twenty long years!"

Cheers erupted as a far more boisterous round of celebration commenced, sweeping away any strands of worry from Solomon's face.

His perpetually tense face showed a thin smile, embracing the change.

…

[Few Hours Later]

"It looks like a happy ending," Damien said with an ironic chuckle. He had returned to a distant corner, away from the noise, to enjoy some Extinct saké.

[I didn't expect you to help someone reunite with his home without reason.]

Damien rolled his eyes, "What is that supposed to mean? I've always been a warm and approachable person. I take great pride in that."

Sibyl no longer talked, calculating that logic was no longer part of the discussion.

.

Damien then felt a presence walk toward him. Considering the height of 14' 5" (4.4 m), it was easy to guess the person.

Solomon took a deep breath and opted to address the pirate.

"You're welcome."

"I came here to tha–"

Solomon paused in surprise.

Damien shrugged, "Consider it one of my powers."

"How did you do-"

Damien flashed a grin, "Indeed."

"You can see the futur–"

Solomon failed to continue speaking, opting to slump down to the ground, "My head hurts…"

Damien threw a jug of saké at the man, who gladly gulped it down.

One voluminous sip later: "I always dreaded how they would see me, turning into a monster at the age of five," Solomon sighed, staring into the little saké left in the cup and swirling it around. "I still can't believe that it went this well…"

Damien nodded from the side, lowering his cup to glance at the taller man, "You did look quite hideous. I'm surprised you didn't scare away the kids, let alone give one of the geezers a heart attack."

Solomon froze midway through a sip, blinking at the words echoing in his head. They made him question the desire to show his thanks.

"Rahaha! I was in a good mood, so I helped you out. Don't think too much about it."

The two didn't speak any longer; they busied themselves with the alcohol and enjoyed the peaceful night.

…

"Young Damien, I am endlessly thankful for you reuniting my long-lost nephew with his people!" came a chipper exclaim from the Chief.

The pirate felt waves of gratitude as bright as the sun and asked, "If you want to thank me, why don't you give me a history lesson about this island?"

Choro looked at the sharp eyes of the young man and nodded. "It's the least I can do."

The village chief took a seat, plopping down, hoping not to break his back.

Then came the lore Damien wanted to hear.

"It all began 47 years ago. I was but a vigorous young man enjoying the peace of our land. The island was nothing but peace and serenity. The beasts of today were docile and small in size; they even helped us during sudden storms and mishaps."

Choro shook his head, unable to let go of the serenity of his past. "One day, it all changed. The peace, the joy, the warmth, it all changed!"

Hands balled into fists as the chief continued, "Our land was plagued with disasters, swarmed with all kinds of natural disasters. The changes in the land also affected our people and turned the friendly animals into savage beasts; even the plants grew carnivorous…"

"And finally, twenty-six years after the Great Change, the beasts attacked our Haven in endless hoards, ripping apart everything in their path and dropping our population from tens of thousands to mere hundreds."

The elder looked to the sullen Solomon with heavy eyes: "My nephew was lost in the woods then, his worried mother following behind. I thought them both dead… but it seems he was our saviour all along."

"The Day of Reckoning," Damien muttered, recalling the phrase from earlier.

Choro nodded, and his grasp over his cane grew stronger from the pain of his memories.

"Only the older ones like myself remember, but most of those my age died from the Change." Tears ran down Choro's wrinkly face as he voiced his most painful frustration: "All of that done by the hands of an outsider!"

Damien raised an eyebrow in surprise, though the third person present was not the same; Solomon shot up from his seat with a blazing expression, "You always told us children that it was a natural occurrence that brought this change, uncle!" he roared.

The Chief glanced at his last remaining blood relative and felt the furious confusion in his eyes. Choro sighed and slowly shook his head, "We brought upon this lie so that your children needn't live in vengeance in such conditions."

"We couldn't change it… so why damn our children with such painful truths."

.

Choro still remembered the days when he would share his stories of exaggerated conquests through the Ring of Untold Horrors or when he slayed a 50-meter viper to the brats. Just the thought of it brought a smile to the man's face.

He looked at the two young men and admitted a shocking truth: "We had a treasure. It was passed down from Chief to Chief, and we protected it every generation. But one day, that man came here. He waltzed in with no respect for our people and our practices. He demanded that very treasure, and we refused… earning his ire."

Solomon's eyes brimmed with blaze as his body leaked the cursed fog. "What treasure could be worth so many of our peoples' lives!?"

Choro clenched his hand, drawing blood from his anger, "We called it the Box of Woes. Our ancestors believed that if the box were ever opened, it would bring endless disasters to our home! We warned the man of this, but he did not falter! Such a dreadful person!"

The cane exploded into bits, showcasing the older man's rage and strength. 

"He opened the box right in front of us and, without care, released the calamities! It brought plagues, frost, heat, tremors, violent tides and storms upon our humble land, leading to the Day of Reckoning!"

Choro's breathing grew turbulent from his memories, his facial tendrils spiking up in anger.

Solomon felt the grief of his uncle and quieted down, allowing the chief to collect his thoughts. However, the zoan user couldn't hide seething rage building up inside from Damien.

"..."

After a brief silence, Choro continued in a defeated voice, "Aside from the disasters, he also took a fruit out from the box. I remember it like yesterday. It was such an odd thing, yes..."

Damien's eyes clicked at the man's murmurs, 'A Devil Fruit?'

"He then left, leaving us with our island like it is now," the Chief finished, his breathing was all over the place from the previous emotional surges.

"Do you recall what the man looked like?" Damien questioned, his eyes carrying great haste.

"How could I ever forget…" Choro looked to the dark sky, almost as if he could see the face of the man responsible for Extinction Valley in the clouds above. "The man had black hair and a thick beard, a scarred face and the body of a monster. Unbelievably strong!"

His following sentence brought more tremendous shock to the Sin Incarnate's eyes: "A white coat draped over his shoulders, labelled with the word 'Justice' upon it! How damnable!"

To Be Continued…

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Author's Corner.

The lore of Extinction Valley isn't that long but is vital to exploring Solomon and a particular enemy. 

Who do you think is this mysterious justice-clad man?

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