Chapter 38 - [32] Thoughts On The Future
[2232 words]
I had some time so might as well upload it. Finished my chem review early so it's all good.
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[Memory Shard 1/3]
[Collect all 3 shards to play a message left behind by the original System User.]
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"Huh?"
[Remember when I said you were the second Host of this world? And that the original host was betrayed and killed. Well it seems that the host left behind a message in the form of a memory shard.]
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"Right, right, the original host and all. But this message means they made it at least to Fishman island. Even with the help of the System he or she died..."
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"Where can I find the other 2 shards then?" I asked.
[I have no clue. The original system died with the host but somehow I was reborn from its ashes.]
[I entered the Grand Samsara of Systems and a new host was selected, you.]
[As for the other 2 shards... I assume you will find them somewhere around the world. It could be with someone or buried somewhere, I can only tell if you are in close proximity of it.]
I thought over her words.
"I see, well then I guess I'll find them eventually."
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Pocketing away the shard, I left for another area before meeting up with the crew.
It was a large cave within one of the mountains on this Island.
I had made it with my crushing powers to train and whatnot.
*Thud*
I landed on the balcony that slightly protruded from the area.
I walked in and saw a purple-haired girl who had her eyes closed as purple energy fluctuated around her.
I smiled and looked at her,
"You still haven't told me exactly why you seek strength."
Over the past 6 months, she had given a few hints.
It seems like she was a royal member of some kingdom that was razed to the ground.
She now needs money to take revenge against the perpetrator.
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Aurora closed her eyes as she thought over what to say and spoke,
"I-I used to be the crown Princess of my home... But one day I lost everything."
"My entire family, my parents, my sister, they were all killed."
"My father's right-hand man, the Right Minister, betrayed us to the neighboring kingdom. We knew he was up to something from the beginning, but he had used his schemes to get the support of the people so we couldn't remove him without absolute evidence."
She then shook her head in frustration.
"We should have killed him when we had the chance."
"He incited a rebellion against the Royal Family, something that he planned for 10 years. He then sold this information to the rival kingdom so they could swoop in and take over."
"At that time, both the kingdoms were under the World Government. Yet they did not intervene."
"He seemed to have been looking for things to use against our family, and after many years he finally found it."
"Under the castle were the catacombs in which there was a giant blue stone locked, our family was tasked to guard this stone yet over the centuries, our priorities shifted."
"He used this forbidden relic to plea for the Navy's aid as it was considered a major crime to own these stones."
She looked into the dark sea and sighed.
"We couldn't do anything. Our allies chose to look the other way since the Government itself had abandoned us. They even sent an Admiral to 'aid' the rebellion!"
She clenched her hands in anger.
"My entire family was executed while I escaped after eating a fruit I found near the forbidden object."
"My family was already caught by the Admiral then so I chose to escape."
"I used the Night Realm and ran away. But I also hid the stone in the Night Realm before escaping, it remains missing ever since."
"And now our kingdom has assimilated with the neighboring kingdom and the traitorous minister got away with a high and prestigious position."
"The marines even made the base G-4 in the kingdom!"
I looked at the girl, she was shaking in anger.
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"This forbidden relic... it was a Poneglyph, no?" I asked her.
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She looked at me with red eyes and nodded.
"I-I need to kill them. I don't care about the kingdom... but I must kill that traitorous scum and that entire family. Since the age of 9 when I ran away, I only had one reason to live, to destroy the ones responsible for what happened to my family."
"But ever since the Navy built their base there, no one is willing to attack."
"They use seastone to coat their castle entrances so I cannot sneak in with my Night powers. I cannot just waltz in either. I was lost in despair for the next 3 years until I found some hope."
"Someone heard of my fruit powers and offered to help me bypass the security."
"He is one of the Underworld Emperors. Black Fish Baro."
"He asked for 3 billion berries in return for his aid. And I, in desperation chose to agree. So since the age of 12 to 15, I have been hunting down pirates to make up this money."
"I also couldn't show my face as we were labeled criminals due to that Stone. Our family is known for our distinct hair and eye colour, my only choice was the become a bounty hunter and hold on to the sliver of light that still remained in my darkness."
Aurora was now clenching her fist so hard that it was drawing blood.
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"I-I have to kill them... no matter what! My father, mother, my sister, they all died under his hands..."
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I looked at her for another minute, it seems like this is the first time she opened up and admitted her weakness.
"My family too was betrayed by someone close, or at least to my mother. You know what I did to him?"
She looked at me with teary eyes.
"I killed him. And not with a quick death but rather I tortured him in front of his own people, I then made him rot for 7 days as his life slowly drained away."
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Aurora's gaze flickered with resolve.
"You should forget about the 3 billion berries. If you want to kill someone, you should do it yourself. Those rats who hide in the shadows and make deals cannot be trusted. But with your strength and mind, you should be strong enough to take your revenge with your own hands."
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Our conversation was then interrupted by a loud noise.
*SHATTER*
I looked into the distance and saw a cobweb in the sky, it was Whitebeard giving his signal as the Titanic began to sail.
I then looked at Aurora once more.
"This Poneglpyh of yours, it seems quite interesting. Hehe, either way, my ride is about to sail away. Heed my words, if you can bide your time well then I'm sure you will get what you seek."
"We will meet again."
I turned around and walked to the balcony.
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"Good luck, little girl."
'Geppo'
The air popped as I made my way to the ship.
Aurora looked up and saw the wind rustle as I vanished to the far horizon.
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Though Damien seemed to have missed a beautiful smile that blossomed upon the young girl's face upon his leave.
[A/N: Of course he will have a few birds keep track of her. As for the Poneglyph, it will be quite important, it is still in the catacombs below the castle BUT in the Night Realm which is in a different plane than that reality. As in, the position is the same but it isn't there at the same time.]
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The ship was preparing to sail.
Xebec had already coated it with death so it was safe and sound in the sea.
We began sailing up, Whitebeard was using his powers to direct the ship.
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I am now in my room as I heard a voice from outside.
(My King. It is I, Jimmy.)
My eyes smiled as I soru-ed to the top of the ship.
I turned to the side and saw the giant Sea King.
{{Talk to me, Jimmy.}}
Jimmy nodded and spoke.
(We have found what you seek.)
(2 days prior, our amphibian unit had sought the child named Morgans and left for an Island. Upon entry, they found an odd human that looked more like a bird than a human. We believe it is the one you seek.)
My eyes widened at his description.
'So he has the fruit already. Interesting.'
{{Where is he?}}
The Sea King groaned and went on.
(In the Paradise Sea, the island of Néa.)
[A/N: Néa meaning News in Greek.]
*DING*
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['Operation Nexus' has been updated.]
[ Find the World News Agency Main Base - ❌ ]
[ Find Replacement President - ✔ ]
[ Bring the replacement under your control - ❌ ]
[ Have the Agency exit the World Government's Grasp - ❌ ]
[Time Limit - 1486]
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{{Very well. Now focus on finding the News Agency main Base.}}
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Jimmy nodded with reverence and swam away to carry out my orders.
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'The Agency Base should be found soon. They do use seagulls to distribute news however it's not like the seagulls are released only from the Agency main base, but rather their sub-bases which I could care less about.'
I sighed with a smile as I got closer to my goal.
Xebec is bound to call for another break, he is focused on his fruit which will take a while to Awaken so there is a good chance that I will get a while off to finish this Operation.
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[12 Hours Later]
A ginormous ship, 600 feet in length popped out of the sea as it regained its buoyancy.
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The Titanic has officially entered the New World!
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The seas here were chaotic.
Though that was an understatement.
The current was messed up.
The weather was terrible.
It rained on one side and snowed on the other.
Even the fish below were carnivorous and would easily devour a human in seconds.
I was standing near the steering wheel with Shakky within the navigational cabin.
There was a rectangular counter around the wheel, it had 10 eternal poses glued onto it with another three, 3-needle log poses affixed as well.
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"Where to, Shakky-nee?" I asked her.
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*PUFF*
She blew out a cloud of smoke with one hand on the wheel and her eyes on the logs.
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"Hmm... Xebec-san wants to find an Island to Awaken his fruit. But it is difficult to go anywhere without a proper map."
She then gazed into the sea.
"The best place to go would be either a well-developed Island that has a good reputation for its intel."
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"Or perhaps robbing one of the 3 Overlords of the Sea." She concluded.
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My eyebrow furrowed as I heard the second option.
"Overlords of the Sea? I have my fair share of intel before the New World, but not beyond it." I indirectly asked.
Shakky responded,
"The 3 Overlords of the Sea are the current top pirates of the previous era that still live today. The Navy's grasp of the New World is quite weak, thus giving way for these top-level pirates to rule these seas as Emperors."
She then began to list names:
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"Thaddeus Enigma."
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"Esso Borealis."
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"Leo Von Escanor."
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[A/N: Yes, yes I am a bit lazy with names but the fruit he has works perfectly with his name]
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"These are the current rulers of this chaotic sea." She explained.
I had a small smirk on my face as I nodded at her words,
'Of course! There's bound to be some pirates ruling the New World before Xebec and Roger, then, of course, the original Yonko.'
"Shakky-nee, can you tell me more about these big names?" I asked her.
She took a strong gulp of her cigarette as she nodded.
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"Thaddeus 'Medulla' Enigma."
"He is quite strong but he is known not for his strength but rather his fruit power."
"He ate the Mind-Mind Fruit, a paramecia type that allows you to entirely control another's mind. He can also use mental-type attacks that can corrode your mind away. There is no defense from this attack apart from a strong mind."
"The biggest threat that stems from this man is that he can control all his subordinates. As in there is no betrayal, no infiltration, no spying. Due to this, he can stay true to his name, "
" he is truly an 'Enigma!'"
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"Esso Borealis. He is known for his brutality. He kills his people and burns down islands for the smallest of reasons."
"He ate the Logia type - Wind-Wind Fruit. He has reached the Awakened stage. His crew is powerful yet small. He has the smallest territory of them all but his strength is quite impressive."
...
"Lastly, Leo Von Escanor."
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"Also known as the 'Sin of Pride.' He claims that he stands at the pinnacle of all races. His pride is as high as the Sun in the sky!"
"He ate the Special Logia type, the Sun-Sun Fruit. His pride may be high, but his strength can justify it."
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Her next words made my jaw drop in surprise.
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"At the correct time of the day, he can most certainly rival even someone like Xebec!"
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[The following is excluded from word count]
Author's Corner:
Kay, so these Overlords.
They are the current Yonko (Sanko?).
Well, I won't focus too much on them but the seas can't just be empty now can they?
They will be the 'stepping stones' for Roger Pirates and Rocks Pirates.
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Random Trivia:
Would you rather Be in jail for 10 years or be in a coma for 15 years?
Thanks for Reading.