One Piece: Path to Power

[2023 words]

All the core members get the same buffs: ​​

[Kuzan's fortune has been increased by 100%. Overall talent has been raised by 60%. Karmic Backlash has been reduced by 50%. Task efficiency has been increased by 80%.]

The same applies to Aurora but not Toki nor Mihawk as they haven't officially joined. Yet.

All 'Associates' get a washed-down version, with little increases.

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

[New World Sea]

[10 Days Later]

(Main Body)

.

Toki and I are en route to Wano.

Going from the center of paradise to Wano was a bit annoying as it took too long and I have yet to find a mount.

I could theoretically mould my own with my powers but Toki would not be able to accompany me so I used the Sea Skimmer instead.

.

Going through the Calm Belt was quite fast as I could ignore almost all the obstructions in the way as the Sea Kings would pull me through it.

The only problem was the Calm Belt was calm… very calm.

As in, there was no wind, no beasts, no islands, so boring!

.

"Say, Toki, you look quite on edge for a while now," I said as I looked at her with an amused expression.

The green-haired girl looked to the side in some conflict, perhaps thinking over what to say.

.

"Are you thinking about the future?" I asked.

She nodded, "Yes, for 820 years I have sought to venture to my home country but even now I am unsure of what to do next."

.

"You know, both Kuzan and even Mihawk are fond of your presence. Plus, I am a fan of your cooking as well. If you don't have any other place to go then naturally you are always welcome here." I told her as I yawned.

.

Toki just blinked a few times and then started giggling.

"Hmm, what makes you laugh so much?" I asked in confusion.

.

She smiled, "You can be very kind at times, Damien-san, without even meaning to be so."

I just scoffed, "Kind? Please, girl, they call me 'Sin Incarnate' for a reason."

,

Toki covered her mouth with a hand and continued to giggle at my stoic expression causing me to sigh, 'Troublesome.'

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

[3 Days Later]

.

{{Keep pulling us up.}} I ordered the koi as they dragged us up the Wano waterfalls.

Wano was actually a lot higher than the sea level, at least a mountain height up, forcing us to quite literally scale it.

[A/N: Wano Kuni Entrance]

*Splash*

The Sea Skimmer violently steadied itself as we were finally clear of the rapids.

Let us go now to the Country of Samurai.

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

[Kuri, Wano]

.

This region of Wano can be found South of the Flower Capital.

[A/N: Wano Map]

.

Kuri is a hellish land of corpses.

A lawless area, home to Wano's biggest scum and criminals.

-----

(Damien POV)

.

So, Kuri, eh?

I would have expected to land at Kiri but the currents displaced the Koi fish further South, landing us here.

My goal, for now, is to go to the Flower Capital as that is probably where I can find the answers to my questions as well as masters of Haki.

.

"Stay by my side," I tell Toki as we start moving in, it seems we landed at the coastal area, many forests before us.

Toki nodded with a small smile as she took her place slightly behind me and to my right.

.

We venture through the forest as I hear new voices.

Wano is an isolated country and therefore the trees here are unique and rare.

.

"Welcome, Great Foreigner."

"Hello There."

"I welcometh thee to Wano!"

.

Joseph, Obi & Shakes-pear said as I nodded at them.

{{Show me the way to the Flower Capital.}}

.

And so they did.

------

[20 Minutes Later]

.

The smell of unpolluted air is quite refreshing.

Though this area is anything but peaceful, the air is something else!

.

Toki was wholly captured by the place as we walked through the forest. Like a child finding a new place to play.

I laughed at her expression, "You seem quite impressed by a few trees, Toki."

.

To which she pouted, much like Hiyori, "Damien-san, you shouldn't tease me, I am just excited to finally see my home."

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

[2 Hours Later]

.

I found a large crocodile that was quite friendly, courtesy to me {Ancient Voice} as he lent us his back to travel to the Flower Capital.

.

Zooming past the wasteland, we near the border.

My eyes then glow red as my vision changes.

.

Time halts in place as a red field appears around me as I start envisioning the future.

I see attacks coming from all directions, arrows laced with poison.

I see some attacking the crocodile and a few going after Toki.

I then see a fat guy in the center as he waves his sword.

.

The future was around 6.5 seconds away from me right now so I turned to Toki, "Sit tight."

.

*Vooosh* *Vooosh* *Vooosh*

Around 30 arrows zoom towards us as we enter a clearing with giant logs to our sides.

They come around 10 feet of me as they suddenly stop and fall to the ground, clattering into millions of small cubes as I used a very quick domain to crush them apart.

.

I span my Observation and feel around 120 men.

They were confused by their attack failing but continued nonetheless, not expecting someone powerful enough to threaten them

.

I just tapped the crocodile as he halts to a stop, unshaken by the nearby threats.

.

I just stood up and looked in no particular direction as I raised my voice,

"If you choose to forfeit your lives, please, continue. But on the off chance you prefer life, then I suggest you leave."

.

I like giving one chance to those who aren't really in my way as I did back at my home island. Not that I feel pity but I like to see those eyes of regret when they inevitably choose the wrong option.

.

And, almost on cue, I hear hundreds of snickers and laughs as I shake my head.

.

"Omega Beams."

.

*Vzzzzm*

2 beams of destruction blasted out of my eyes as they buzzed around my body and danced in the air.

Giving them a bit of my will, they suddenly explode and rush to the left.

"Ahhh!"

"AUGH!"

"TASKETE!"

And cue the screams.

The beams bend and twist in odd angles, chasing after their targets with extreme haste.

.

[3 seconds later]

The presences have been reduced to 70 as I purposely stop the carnage.

*Thud*

A shake of the earth resounds as a fat youth with long, pink hair stands before me.

He wears an open kimono with flowers on it that leave his chest exposed. He has floral tattoos on his arms and upper chest.

.

"Y-You! You slaughtered my people, how dare you!" he yells as he unsheathes his sword.

.

I look at him with disinterest, "You are the leader of all these fleas?"

The youth grits his teeth, "I am Ashura Doji, Ruler of Kuri!"

.

[A/N: Young Ashura Doji.]

.

He was only 15 or so but had decent strength for his age.

"Toki, let me see how strong you have gotten," I said to the girl on my right.

.

She stood up and looked at Ashura and nodded.

'Soru'

She shaved the air and appeared in front of the boy.

"If you can beat her then I will leave you alive," I said as I sat comfortably back on my seat.

.

Ashura grew pissed, "You think some weak girl can defeat me?"

Toki just stood with a neutral expression, "Wano is my home and I do not like seeing it like this. I will fight you."

He just scowled, "You look like one of those that grew up pampered in the capital, you have no right to judge us who live in hell!"

.

Toki did not respond as she took out her sword.

And the 2 charged ahead.

.

Toki had learned to use her sword that was seemingly passed down to her by her parents.

*Clang!*

A strong sound echoed as she clashed blades with the boy.

The two started to use simple sword strikes to gauge one other's strength as they continued a monotone duel.

Both were using movement techniques, Soru for Toki and something similar for Ashura.

*Clang!*

The blade struck once more but this time Toki was pushed back.

Ashura Doji's sword was now shining black as he imbued Armament Haki upon it.

Toki saw this immediately as she responded with her own simple coating, though relying more on her Observation.

.

The fight went on, Toki was dodging the heavier hits and parrying the fast ones, using her small body to maneuver around the huge opponent.

.

"I do not know what you have been through but that doesn't give you the excuse to use it to hurt others!" Toki said.

To which he grumbled, "Hmph, you don't understand anything!"

His anger spiked as his blade glowed black as he brought down his sword with great momentum.

*CLANG!*

"Ugh," Toki grunted as she felt the great increase in strength from her opponent.

'His Armament is nearing Advanced levels already, the Nine Scabbards have a great talent for Armament…' I concluded as I saw him.

.

The blades recoiled as the green-haired girl jumped back and regained her balance.

She then moved her sword to her right as it started to shine a bright green.

.

"Time Enchantment."

.

The katana was now glowing a vibrant green as Toki returned to her attack stance.

Boom.

She then shot forth, her green sword raging towards the young criminal.

.

Ashura hummed at her attack and responded with a similar movement, a duel-ender where both sides rushed at the same time to decide the winner.

.

The black sword then clashed with the green one as odd sounds were sent out.

One side had the normal booming sound generated by the release of energy, but Toki's side had a weird ticking noise that seemed to accelerate as time jumbled around her.

Boom!

The duel ends as the 2 end up in opposite spots.

Ashura was now where Toki started and vice versa.

"Augh!"

A groan resounded as the huge youth fell to his knees, his sword falling next to him.

Toki was cut on her wrist as some fresh blood flowed down, though she remained standing.

.

"""Ashura-sama!""

The remaining stooges yelled in worry.

.

I nodded at their fight as I flashed towards Toki.

"Nicely done but your sword skills require significant work," I said as I gave her a healing solution, fixing her injury.

.

I then looked at the kneeling youth.

He grimaced and yelled out, "Just kill me already!"

.

I gave him a mysterious smirk as my Conqueror's Haki exploded out as it was concentrated upon everyone but us.

The men and the boy huffed as they collapsed on the ground, unconscious.

.

Toki and I jumped on the crocodile as we began our journey once more.

.

Toki was confused, "Damien-san, you are letting them go?"

I smiled, "Yep," I then grinned at her, "do you think of me as a villain who slaughters everyone?"

.

She just tapped her chin and gave her radiant smile, "Hmm, nope! Since you gave them a chance to escape then it's perfectly fine to slay him. That is the way of the samurai!"

I raised an eyebrow at her words, "Is that so? What would you do if I were to go and kill the people of the Flower Capital?"

I was curious to see her stance.

She froze for a second and then smiled once more, "I don't need to worry about that as you would not do such a thing."

I scoffed at her, "Oh really? And what makes you think you know me so well?"

.

She just shrugged and gave me a mysterious smile, "I can just tell."

She then looked to the distant mountains and started to hum a tune.

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

[Few Hours Later]

.

It took a while but we went through the Kuri mountains and finally reached the Flower Capital as we saw it from a distance, over a large hill.

It is also the home of the current Shogun of Wano, Kozuki Sukiyaki.

.

I'll be honest, I was quite enraptured by its beauty.

Colourful houses, large waterfalls, beautiful sakura trees, great energy and mesmerizing scenery.

.

Toki was even more surprised.

Her eyes were practically shining as she saw the capital of Wano.

[A/N: The Flower Capital.]

.

"It's beautiful...This is Wano... my home."

.

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

[The following is excluded from word count]

Author's Corner:

He doesn't want to kill any of the loyal Scabbards as he has other uses for both, them, and for Wano...

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

Random Trivia:

Would You Rather Work For Someone Who's Always Angry Or Work For Someone Who Always Gets You Angry?

Thanks for Reading!