One Piece: Path to Power

Chapter 156: [156] The God Valley Incident

[2910 words]

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"It came at the cost of the Chief of Cipher Pol, an Admiral and one hundred thousand marines… But I can say without doubt that the Rocks Pirates have been utterly annihilated!"

The booming voice came from the Fleet Admiral's very core, carrying an air of absolute authority over the forsaken God Valley.

"Well done, Kong. Your meritorious service will be aptly rewarded."

"Katcha~!"

Kong placed the receiver back into place, breathing in a deep breath.

"Haaaaah," he sighed, his tone mixed with relief and contentment. "This war lasted ten days; things will be turbulent for a while, but they should settle down."

Yet there was one last thing he thought was imperative for him to do.

"The Titanic, the vessel that carried the most powerful pirate crew in history," he muttered. "It's only fitting for you to sink here with them."

The Fleet Admiral erupted with a vigorous aura, growing to a towering 50 feet in height, bearing the form of the primal ape.

With a single furry arm, he brought down all the built-up stress from the endless wars of the past. His desperate call for liberation rang hard across the majestic vessel:

.

"Drums of Liberation!"

.

BOOOM!

It took barely five minutes for Kong to barrage the already-cracked ship with enough explosions to leave it in tatters. The water burst and bubbled as the behemoth of a ship was slowly swallowed up into the eternal depths of the ocean. It was indeed a devastating sight but a new hope for the rest of the world.

Kong hummed in satisfaction, returning to his human form. "I expect great things from you two," he gestured to the two other marines, "Don't let me down."

The overpowering marine turned around, rushing back to Marineford.

.

Garp seemed annoyed, glaring at Sengoku. "So it's over?"

The Admiral hesitantly nodded, "The Pirate Era should end today." He then glanced at the fallen Damien, "Both of us will transport him back to Impel Down immediately."

Though Garp seemed dissatisfied. "Enies Lobby adjudicates such sentences; why go straight to Impel Down?"

"Don't be stubborn, Garp. The order of the Five Elders one-ups our criminal system, and you know that." He seemed indifferent to capital punishment for the Rocks, "It came at the cost of an Admiral, 100,000 marines and over 200 warships—it was a heavy loss for us!"

Garp grumbled a bit, crossing his arms and relenting to reality.

"What about him? Do you think he's truly done now?"

Sengoku looked at what his colleague meant: it was Damien's condition.

Many thoughts fired through the Resourceful General's mind. "...I don't know."

"He's been after something all this time. He wanted Rocks dead, so he let Zephyr and Basara live. But he could certainly have escaped when his Division Mates were holding Kong-san off…"

Garp blinked with question marks written all over his face.

He looked down at Damien with speculation. "Well, his chest injury is already healing. You don't think he'll wake up any moment now, right?" 

"..."

Thinking too much made Garp peckish as he brought out a bag of rice crackers from thin air. "Whatever, just get a few warships over so we can secure the transport," he said while munching a handful of crackers. "I'm gonna catch up on my sleep."

Garp's departure left Sengoku alone with the unconscious Damien. He thought some more, working through dozens of possibilities.

"God Valley is already ruined. There's nothing of value left here. So what do you want from here?"

He talked to Damien as if he was still conscious. The state of not knowing haunted him.

"It can't be because of God Valley's special lifeforce…and it can't be about killing the Nobles…"

Sengoku suddenly felt a great chill run down his spine at one absurd thought: "Unless what he wants was never at God Valley, to begin with!?"

…

[An Hour Later]

A small fleet of five Warships arrived. They housed 3,000 marines from G-14.

Dozens of marines scrambled about, securing their sole prisoner with 100% purity Seastone handcuffs, dense tranquillizer serum and sleeping gas.

One of the marines was in the process of connecting the cuffs to five solid-steel anchors at the center of the ship, essentially nailing down the pirate from all sides. However, their meticulous antics were interrupted by a calm voice: "Hey, hey, that's a little tight."

"…"

"Ahhh! H-He's awake!"

The marine saw crimson eyes studying him, sending a shiver up his spine. With a thud, the soldier fell, his face dripping with cold sweat.

The nearby marines were just as shocked.

"Oye, Oye, back up, fledglings can't remain conscious in front of this guy," Garp's lax voice came from the exit of the inner cabin.

He waltzed out with a teacup and a bag of crackers.

Thud! Boom! Bang!

A few hundred marines that were on the main prisoner ship collapsed, their eyes white and their mouths leaking foam.

"Ahh, it's too late now."

Garp walked up and sat on the deck floor, his marine coat flying in the wind. They had already sailed from God Valley, heading to the Calm Belt that ran around West Blue.

"Can't you rein in your Haki," he grumbled at the sight of the downed marines.

"I'm not doing it intentionally," the battered-up prisoner helplessly smiled. "I guess your supply of elite marines ran dry."

Garp shrugged, holding up two ceramic cups: "Want some tea?"

Damien was about to nod until a banging voice broke out: "Garp! Don't make small talk with prisoners!"

The Vice Admiral rolled his eyes, "Don't get your rice crackers in a knot, Sengoku."

The Admiral scoffed, glancing at the prisoner. "Tell me, Einar D. Damien. Just what the hell are you after? Why do you want to get locked up?"

Damien blinked at the sudden question while Garp was gobsmacked.

"Huh!? What the hell are you on about, Sengoku! Why would anyone want to go to that hellhole…" The Vice Admiral looked to Damien, hoping the pirate wasn't missing any screws. 'Did my punch screw up his head?'

"Rahahaha! Garp has a point. Why would I want this?"

Sengoku clenched his jaw solemnly. As much as he wanted to believe that things were over, something in the back of his mind said otherwise.

"...No matter your purpose at Impel Down. Don't even dream about breaking out. All our cuffs are a hundred percent pure now; you can thank the Devil's Architect for that."

Sengoku's spirit continued into his following declaration: "The Rocks Pirates have been annihilated; the Overlords are dead; the remaining scum have chosen to run, and they will eventually be wiped out. This is the end of the Pirate Era!"

Resolve flashed in the Admiral's glasses as he calmed himself with another absolute: "And as I told you years back at Borealis' Auction, you get what you sow; your future is nothing short of a cold cell!"

"Rahahahaha!"

Black lightning crackled under the booming laugh, silencing the marines. Damien smirked devilishly, leaning into the conversation. "'You reap what you sow?' Perhaps, but Sengoku…are you prepared for the harvest?"

"…"

An unsettling atmosphere arrived, leaving the ship quiet. Even the nearby warships were without words. 

…

It would take a few days to ensure the transportation of the infamous pirate to Impel Down. The World Government took no chances in their actions.

In the meantime, the World Economy News Paper was having a field day.

The barrage of news was beyond anyone's expectations, leaving the Star Reporter: Morgans, drooling.

He flapped his wings as fast as he could, throwing together a truly incredible piece of news and sending it on its way.

Just the afternoon following Damien's defeat, the papers arrived. They rained down across the globe, bringing pure shock to its readers.

…

[A Remote Village in West Blue]

A roughed-up man waddled down the streets, his hands grasping at a muddy teddy bear. If one looked close enough, one would notice dry blood decorating the brown fur, reflecting the sadness in the man's face.

Though the bright afternoon sun suddenly turned dark, something was blocking the light.

"Wha–!"

The man saw an army of seagulls. With them came a volley of papers wrapped in a roll, raining cats and dogs.

"Free paper? It must be something big," the man muttered, picking up a copy that landed next to his feet.

He opened the bundle and saw the thick, bolded letters that read the title: "THE GOD VALLEY INCIDENT: ANNIHILATION OF THE ROCKS PIRATES!"

"I-Impossible!"

A couple nearby were just as shocked, "It must be some kind of prank!"

The husband frantically nodded, "All those monsters, how could they be brought down!?"

.

The roughed-up man suddenly felt a ray of sunlight grace his body.

"I-I can't believe it…" he muttered, falling to his knees. Tears of joy swam out from his eyes as he hugged the bear, weeping in his relief.

…

[A Town in the North Blue]

"Rocks Pirates are gone, s-someone pinch me!"

"Ouch, not that hard!"

Nearby was another conversation: "Rocks D. Xebec was killed by Vice Admiral Garp!"

"He's a hero… the Hero of the Marines!"

"He also vanquished the Sin Incarnate with Sengoku-sama and Kong-sama!"

"Long live the Marine Hero!"

Hundreds of thousands of people came together, no matter their conditions. They each read the paper once, twice, and another few dozen times.

Bated breathing echoed out, genuinely showcasing their surprise.

"T-There really is a God!"

"After so many years, can I actually enjoy the sun without fearing that pirates will invade our home!?"

"My son, you can rest in peace. The evil pirates are finally gone!"

…

[A Shipyard in East Blue]

"Come on, boys. We can finally transport our goods without the fear of pirates—even that monster Rocks died!"

"Rurururu! Hurray for the Navy!"

"Fleet Admiral Kong made us proud!"

"Hurray for The Hero: Garp!"

"Set sail; I hear the King of Goa Kingdom is looking for something we have in supply; time to get rich!"

…

[The Nation of Arkaos in the New World]

A dark-skinned middle-aged man sat on a golden throne, cupping his chin.

He looked relatively weathered with troubles. But that was expected of any non-government-aligned nation in the Grand Line.

The Sovereign of Arkaos held up the news, narrowing his eyes.

"God Valley… looks like the World Government that emerged victorious. This really is the end of an era!"

"Sovereign Kairo, will this affect us in any way?" a humble servant, Stein, asked. Although he was even older than the Sovereign, he still looked at Kairo with undying fidelity and respect—Noctis Kairo was the man who saved them from certain doom.

The respected Ruler waved his hand, analyzing the future, "The Navy will surely parade their victory… The Reverie, two years from now, will decide anything."

Stein met his master's eyes, cautiously asking, "Shall we reconsider Fulcrum's invitation?"

Kairo leaned into his seat, stroking his short white beard. The conversation between him and the Underworld Emperor came to mind quickly.

"She has set her sights on our Elastium. That's natural." Kairo hummed in thought, "I still think it's better to wait. The Government may be more interested in dismantling her Empire now that the other threats are dealt with…"

…

[Sabaody Archipelago]

A decently sized, ordinary bar stood upon a giant root. However, its mundaneness was overshadowed by the dozen bodies littered near the entrance.

"Captain Rocks, you're actually gone…"

A woman smoked, whispering to herself in disbelief.

A golden-haired man sat at a nearby stand, reading the papers. His eyes were hidden by the glint of his glasses. "Without Rocks, there is no real King of the Sea. I guess the World Government really did the impossible."

Shakky drank out of a sip, crushing her dead cigarette into a stone plate. "Looks like our involvement was covered up."

Rayleigh chuckled, swirling the saké in his cup. "Morgans, was it? He's smart enough to know that with this victory, it wouldn't be hard for the World Government to replace him. This is probably his gesture of goodwill to keep the image of the Gods high."

He then flipped the page and saw a large, high-quality image.

It detailed a hellish land that had experienced every tragedy in the book: bubbling magma, ruined terrain, and terraforming to a truly catastrophic level—it had also been sliced in half!

Yet the image focused on a single person, a pirate.

It was the pirate known as the 'Sin Incarnate,' his eyes shut as he was being locked up with thick chains made of pure Seastone. The tattered clothes and bloodied appearance painted a pretty miserable picture.

*Crack* Shakky's glass shrieked as it was decorated with web-like cracks.

"..."

A silence remained, creating a tense atmosphere.

"Calm down, Shakky," Rayleigh calmly advised, looking deeper than what the image showed. "I've fought alongside that young man. He isn't the type to not account for such a turn of events."

The woman's hand slightly shook, her grip on the paper leaving tears.

…

[Mortem Island]

*Fuuuu* A dense, chilly haze had fallen across the spirited forests of the island.

The cold was so intense that the nearby trees shrivelled up. Some animals even clamoured to caves and holes, beginning to hibernate.

At the center of the bone-chilling cold was a young boy seated atop a giant boulder.

His hand firmly held onto a fresh paper of news. "No way!" he muttered, gritting his teeth at the image.

The boy was shaken up and, ironically enough, frozen.

A lithe figure landed near the giant rock; a woman with green hair. 

"Kuzan-kun…"

The ice-boy didn't turn away from the paper, his eyes glued to the enlarged visual. "Big Bro Damien can't be beaten…"

The young girl was trying her best to hide the hold of her worry so as not to make the situation worse.

"You remember what he said before leaving," the girl cried. "He said he would be back when the time was right. Solomon-kun also called to confirm that!"

Kuzan slowly pried his eyes from Damien's broken figure, looking at Toki.

*Vroooo~* Suddenly, a stream of purple energy burst out from the green-haired girl's shadow, forming the shape of another young woman.

"Toki's right, I'm certain that all of this is Damien's choice."

Kuzan turned to the newly arrived Aurora, shaking his head. "How can you be sure?" the boy questioned.

His words left the girls quiet. Eventually, their eyes fell on the news, and they saw the condition shown in the photo.

Aurora clenched her hands, "Morgans isn't ballsy enough to post that photo without Damien's prior approval!"

Kuzan looked to the ground, not sure how to feel. Meanwhile, Toki calmed herself down, wiping away a few tears. 

She gently placed a hand on the boy's shoulder, saying, "They chained him with Seastone. Don't forget Damien-san's powers…"

The calming words brought a new light to the boy's eyes. His eyes shot to the paper once more and confirmed the thought. 

"But why would Damien-san choose to go to that hellhole that no one comes out from, Impel Down?" 

Aurora's eyes hid the unsettling waves in her heart. "There's nothing we can do from here. If you want to help, just keep training."

Kuzan deeply exhaled, giving the girls a nod before disappearing into shards of frost.

.

Toki sighed, feeling distraught every time she saw the picture.

"How is Mihawk?" Aurora asked her.

"Mihawk-kun is quieter than usual. He went straight to training after learning the news."

Aurora sighed, shaking her head. She glanced at the paper and then at the starry sky and mumbled, "You knew I would come for you, so you didn't tell me your plans. I just hope you can come back safely…"

Knowing Damien's resistance to Seastone was the only thing that kept the aetherial woman from raiding Impel Down with a fleet of ships.

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The transport of The Undying went well.

Many marines were unsure how it would go, especially considering the other top pirates still lived. However, the combined might of Sengoku and Garp was a strong aversion.

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[Five Days Later]

[Impel Down]

A large fleet of ships arrived, clearing past the massive Gates of Justice and exiting the Tarai Current.

It was awfully serene here; the Great Prison was located in the Calm Belt, where there was no wind.

The ships slowed down to a stop, dropping their anchors with a splash.

Hundreds of prison guards stood along the docks' edges, saluting the leading ship that housed their newest inmate.

A tense atmosphere plunged the area, forcing the guards to be at their very best.

Boom!

After what felt like an eternity, the ship finally extended its ramp, connecting the main deck to the front of the docks.

The guards' breathing spiked, their hearts entering panic mode. They watched with bated breaths as the prisoner took his first step onto the decrepit docks of Impel Down. The closer he got, the darker the bright skies seemed to become.

The crimson pupils scanned the row of guards, then slowly landed on the sturdy and inescapable prison.

'What better way to get here than having an entire Marine fleet escort me?'

He took a long and deep breath as a smile formed across his youthful face. Taking steps to the gates of hell, he remarked, "What a time to be alive!"

To Be Continued…

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Author's Corner.

The Titanic has sunk, its ashes lost to the waters of God Valley. Most of the top dogs have now declared the "end" of the Pirate Era. Although some pieces of the Rocks remain, namely Whitebeard, Big Mom, Shiki and Kaido. But with Roger failing in his mission and the other D in chains, it's only natural for the Government to enforce their authority across the seas.

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