A.N: OH MY GOD! OH MY GOD! OH MY GOD! It seems like it's been ages, hasn't it? Well, it has. I grew a beard. Shaved it. Grew it again. Shaved it again. You know how it goes. But anyway, Five Worlds War is back with the One Piece Campaign! I know I said I was going to release this on the anniversary of when the Fairy Tail Campaign originally came out, but then I remembered that day is during finals week. Oh yeah, I'm about to graduate from college. Holy crap, time to find a job.

Anyway, because of my increasingly busy schedule, I won't be doing any recaps, so let's just get right into it!

Chapter 1: Chitsujo's Dream

In the dark, dreary throne room of Rakuen's palace, Konton, Lord of Chaos and King of Rakuen, calmly sat on his throne, gazing at the screen before him. This screen was another piece of tech from Sagi's Research Department. The screen displayed the proverbial "highlights" from the previous campaign in the Wizard World. Next to the screen, one of Sagi's many research assistants stood calmly, allowing his king to observe the results of their research.

These Zetsu Clones, mixed with Ulquiorra Cifer's DNA are another stroke of genius from Master Sagi. The assistant noted. Unfortunately, we could not give the clones Ulquiorra's spiritual power, but they did inherit his ability to record everything with his eyes. What the Alliance doesn't know, is that we have almost every moment from the previous campaign recorded, with the exception of the two infiltrations of Mercurius.

The current battle Konton was watching was the final battle between Monkey D. Luffy and Zeref Dragneel. The dark king laughed in amusement, noting Luffy's growth in comparison to the beginning of the war. The assistant looked somewhat uncomfortable with his king's laughter. Those who had certain positions in Rakuen were privy to their king's true nature, and were sworn to secrecy as a result. Some convinced themselves that Konton was simply stressed from having to deal with so many enemies, and had to put up a front of a vicious conqueror to cope. They convinced themselves the man would return to the "benevolent" king they all saw at the end of the war.

Oh the lies we tell ourselves to feel better, and oh the power of a cult of personality, while we are at it…

"Look at him," Konton spoke up, "fighting so hard. Not only that, but he evolved during the fight, and has now covered up his most crippling weakness: the toll Fourth Gear takes on his body."

"Utterly splendid," Konton sounded disturbingly cheerful, "when Brother told me he placed his trust in four lifeforms, who's creation he had interfered with, by giving them limitless potential, I thought he was an even bigger fool than I gave him credit for."

"But now," Konton continued, "I think I'm beginning to understand the benefit of it. If allowed to grow, a seed can grow into a mighty tree."

"However," a dark look adorned Konton's face, "this only applies if you allow the seed to grow, and not uproot it. Potential means nothing if you're not alive to reach it. And frankly, it's a waste of time to invest it in the one who could become great rather than the finished product."

"That is why my Acts of Chaos were naturals, prodigies in their respective fields, and I must say, it makes the fact that Zeref lost…rather irritating. There are fewer things worse than when my brother is proven right."

Konton took a deep breath to compose himself. He then chuckled darkly. "It's so adorable, really, how you think what you do actually makes a difference." He noted, referring to his brother and the Alliance. "You stand stubbornly against the violent winds of change, trying your best to weather the calamity that dooms you."

"And you manage to last, for a few hopeful moments, because you are able to put your faith in the possibility that you will one day become strong enough to fight back against the calamity. But true calamities are ones you cannot beat. Otherwise, they're simply trials, challenges that you overcome."

"So by all means hold onto the hope you can weather the calamity. Continue to resist. But be warned, destruction is the only way a calamity can end. There will be no victory, there will be no survival. Your 'alliance' will not save you. Death is all that awaits you."

"So just try to entertain me, Brother, because nothing makes me happier than watching you fail."

(Meanwhile, in Menou)

In solitude, Lord Chitsujo rose from a prayer and prepared to leave for the Alliance's new headquarters. "It's regretful that you've become so twisted, Brother." Chitsujo lamented, as though he were beginning a rebuttal to a speech he did not realize had just occurred.

"You've created a conquering army with the shared goal of conquest, and yet there is nothing about your Coalition that says: 'we are a united front.'"

"You've forgotten, Brother, forgotten one of the most important things that we, as children, should have learned from the life of our father. Unity can change the future. It can weather even the most powerful storms."

"But more importantly, Brother, you've forgotten that true strength, comes from effort. A person becomes stronger, when they refuse to accept that they have reached their limit. You will never win, because to the Alliance, limits are a state of mind."

And so, with a wave of his hand, Chitsujo opened a portal to the Pirate World. Taking a deep breath, Chitsujo stepped into the portal and immediately found himself on the other side: the country of Dressrosa.

Dressrosa had rebuilt itself as a country very quickly after the fall of Donquixote Doflamingo. Chitsujo guessed that the people were buoyed by the return of the popular Riku Dold III as king. And when Riku returned to the throne, the spirit of the country seemed to return with him.

Chitsujo could not help but worry. This country has been through so much, and now they need to serve as the home base for a war.

Chitsujo returned every single polite, respectful greeting from civilians who knew of him with a curt nod of his own. At least they all seem much happier now. He added. The light of this country that shone during Doflamingo's reign was as false as can be, a perfect model of what this world truly is, the false utopia run by the World Government and the Celestial Dragons. The happiness of this country, the peace of this country, it was all nothing but false light.

Even if it wasn't your intention, Luffy, you're a hero, you did a wonderful thing for this country.

Chitsujo then arrived at the palace, and was immediately greeted by the guards, who also recognized the King of Menou. "Welcome to Dressrosa, Lord Chitsujo." They said in unison.

Chitsujo gave both men his usual, pleasant, kingly smile. "At ease, men." He said. "I'm just here to meet with Supreme Commander Dragon and the Intelligence Division Commanders. I believe I was expected back today?"

"You were, Milord." The guard on the left responded. "They are expecting you in the meeting hall."

"Wonderful, is there anyone in the meeting hall?"

"All Fighting Division Commanders are present as well, sir."

"Ah, that works out perfectly," Chitsujo nodded, satisfied with Dragon's foresight to adding the Fighting Division Commanders to the meeting, "keep up the good work, gentlemen."

With that Chitsujo entered Dressrosa's castle and was quick to make his way to the meeting hall, greeting everyone politely and curtly. When he reached the meeting hall, he was greeted by a large table, much like the one in the meeting hall of Mercurius, with ten others sitting at the table, five to a side, and one chair at the head of the table.

"Good day, my friends," Chitsujo greeted them all pleasantly, but in an all-business tone, "I thank you for your patience these past few months."

"I think I speak for all of us when I say we needed a break." Shunsui Kyōraku noted.

Chitsujo took his seat at the head of the table. "Very well then, I hereby declare our very first meeting for the Pirate World Campaign has officially begun."

Everyone fell silent at Chitsujo's words. "Now then, we'll skip the pleasantries and get right to it. First, has everyone taken the time to consider my proposal from a few weeks ago?"

Everyone nodded in unison. "We have," Dragon said, "I have to admit, Chitsujo, you surprised a lot of us with this proposal."

"Indeed," Mavis Vermillion nodded, "you know, a lot of people would consider your proposal to be impractical."

Chitsujo had to agree with Mavis's words. "You are correct, Mavis, my proposal at first glance is extremely impractical."

"You proposed to completely rejigger the organization of the divisions for this campaign alone." Shikaku Nara could not help but smile at the man he had pegged as by the book, going completely against the grain. "You're absolutely right, Lord Chitsujo, your proposal was incredibly impractical."

Chitsujo smiled knowingly. "you say that, but judging by the tone of your voice, you seem to have accepted my proposal regardless of how impractical it was."

"Indeed, we've spent a good part of our past several weeks, doing just that. We've rejiggered all five of the Fighting Divisions into fleets that have soldiers from every single division." Shikaku revealed.

"I think you'll be happy with the people we've placed, Milord." Kisuke Urahara spoke up, "We tried to keep in mind past reports on how people have interacted in their current divisions and how they've behaved in the past with allies from their world."

"Very good, Kisuke, I knew I could count on you all." Chitsujo nodded in satisfaction. "And thank you all for accepting my proposal."

"It was good of you to propose it, Milord." Benn Beckman said. "Even if it seems asinine to change up the divisions, after everyone developed chemistry with each other before, this particular situation actually requires us to alter them."

"Perhaps you could provide insight into the matter, Beckman?" Shunsui requested. "Honestly, I myself am still a bit uncertain of the matter."

"That's because you spent most of your time during our preparations drinking and sleeping." Jellal Fernandes gave the 1st Division Commander a deadpan expression.

"That's the only way to spend your time when you've got as much time off as we did." Shunsui grinned, flashing Jellal the peace sign.

"But we weren't technically on break." Kakashi Hatake reminded Shunsui.

"YOU SPENT ALL YOUR TIME READING PORN!" Jellal yelled at Kakashi's audacity to make such a statement.

"What? That is not a waste." Kakashi corrected Jellal before adding in an angry tone. "And do not criticize Make-Out Paradise: Hot Springs Edition as mere porn. This is art."

"Well, even if it is art, it could technically still be porn. After all, a lot of art can be argued as such." Byakuya Kuchiki spoke up. "There have been plenty of nude paintings and sculptures over the years."

"I…cannot believe those three sentences just came out of your mouth." Sabo admitted.

Chitsujo then clapped his hands together, getting everyone back on track. "As happy as I am to see that you are all speaking so familiarly with each other, it seems I owe an explanation to anyone who still doesn't understand the benefits of my proposal."

Shunsui chuckled sheepishly. "The reason why I wanted to rejigger the structure of the divisions for this particular campaign is quite simple: a big part of this campaign will be island hopping. That means every island we visit will be a miniature campaign." Chitsujo explained to his comrades.

"That means," Chitsujo continued, "we need soldiers from every division on each island, so that we do not have any weaknesses our enemies can exploit. Each division was formed to have various specialties. We were able to get away with it before because our battlefield was only a single country. We could position each division based on where they could best maneuver."

"However, this time, it's different." Chitsujo reminded them. "Each island could very well have troops positioned that could very well capitalize on the weaknesses of any of our divisions if we let them remain the way they are."

Kakashi nodded. "It definitely makes more sense, hearing it all laid out in front of us like that." He noted. "We send a highly specialized fleet to an island, they could very well become bogged down by enemy forces that they are incapable of besting due to being a mismatch, especially if the enemy has caught onto how we organized the divisions."

"So, just to confirm, you took the opportunity to reorganize the divisions into our new fleets, correct?" Chitsujo inquired.

"That is correct, sir, we also decided that for the sake of a bit of familiarity, the current Fighting Division Commanders would remain in command." Mavis replied. "Commander Kyōraku will command the 1st Fleet; Commander Sabo will command the 2nd Fleet; Commander Hatake will command the 3rd Fleet; Commander Kuchiki will command the 4th Fleet; and Commander Fernandes will command the 5th Fleet."

"Will there be any issue with you four?" Chitsujo asked of Shunsui, Kakashi, Jellal and Byakuya. "None of you have ever been to sea."

"That's what we have our fellow pirates for." Shunsui pointed out. "I'm sure they'll be happy to share their seafaring knowledge with us plebs."

"Shunsui, stop trying to be hip." Jellal deadpanned.

"What about the Support Divisions?" Byakuya inquired. "Their roles are quite important as well, are they not?"

"Intelligence and Defense Divisions will remain stationed here, like before. And the Medical and Stealth Divisions will be divided up and placed among the fleets." Shikaku replied.

"The Stealth Division is sticking with the Fighting Divisions this time?" Sabo was surprised.

Chitsujo nodded. "The element of surprise will be lost this time. The Coalition will no doubt be positioning troops on all of the shorelines. The Stealth Division will mainly be focused on sabotage during this campaign." He explained. "So, it makes more sense for them to break away from the main force to conduct any sabotage missions that are necessary."

"But one last thing I would like to add, this is also because I am keeping the long game in mind." Chitsujo revealed. "Eventually, we will be marching on Rakuen, and we will be doing so together. So, I expect every soldier to be able to work well with their comrades, regardless of what division they are in."

"That makes sense too," Kisuke spoke up, "the sooner everyone can build a rapport with each other regardless of the divisions they are in, the better."

"And the better chemistry we have, the better shape we'll be in when we face off against Rakuen." Beckman added.

"Now, I will ask once more, does anyone have any objections to this plan for troop placement?" Chitsujo inquired of everyone.

One by one, everyone shook their heads. "Very good, what's next on the agenda?"

"So, this campaign is all about island hopping? You do know this is going to be difficult, right?" Sabo pointed out. "Remember, we're fighting our way out of the New World and then the Grand Line. Navigating the Grand Line isn't exactly a walk in the park you know."

Chitsujo nodded. "And that is why I managed to procure log poses for you all." He revealed. "There are multiple paths out of the first half of the Grand Line that takes you through many different islands. We can't visit them all, but I'm confident we can take out enough of the Coalition's forces that they will be forced to retreat."

"Just remember that our main objective is to find Blackbeard and have him either eliminated or captured." Chitsujo reminded them all. "Cut off the head of the snake and the body dies. We know he is hiding out somewhere in either the first half of the Grand Line or one of the Four Blues."

"That actually bothers me a little, why would he vacate his own territories in the New World?" Kakashi asked.

"For one thing, it's because many of our own comrades are knowledgeable of Whitebeard's old territories." Sabo pointed out. "And even if it was the easier path to becoming one of the Four Emperors, Blackbeard made a horrible mistake in thinking it was a good longterm strategy."

"There are also the other two emperors that need to be taken into consideration." Jellal pointed out. "Kaido and Big Mom; Blackbeard was smart to vacate his territories in the New World. Either of those two could see that as an opportunity to attack and take some of those territories."

Byakuya nodded. "I'm sure he's confident he can regain whatever territories he lost." He noted before adding disdainfully. "The fool, he's not going to survive this campaign. We will make sure of it."

"Damn, that was surprisingly dark of you, Byakuya." Shunsui said fondly.

"Speaking of which, Jellal brings up a good point." Sabo pointed out. "Kaido and Big Mom are something we need to worry about. Those two are wild cards. If they get involved, things could get bad real quick. To be frank, I worry for the safety of the people of Dressrosa. They are not equipped to deal with an attack from any of the Four Emperors. Doflamingo was a monster, but his deals with Kaido definitely kept Dressrosa safe."

"We won't have to worry about the Four Emperors." Chitsujo smiled knowingly.

"Err, why is that?" Dragon asked, confused. "With all due respect, Chitsujo, didn't one of your boys piss off Kaido when he went to save Kidd?"

"And once you end up on Big Mom's radar, she won't just let you go." Sabo added.

"Both statements are very true," Chitsujo revealed, "but you see, my friends, there was a reason why I allowed the so-called 'spies' from Kaido and Linlin to remain active without any opposition."

Sabo's eyes widened in realization. "You let them remain active to pass on the information of our strength to the Four Emperors and intimidate them into staying out of the battle!" He exclaimed.

Shikaku smiled. "Remind me never to call you naive. In reality, you are quite the magnificent bastard when you want to be, Milord." He complimented.

Chitsujo chuckled. "Never forget what my job is. I knew from the very beginning, Drake, Apoo and Bege would be spying for Kaido and Linlin. Those two think they are playing me for a fool, but in reality, I've been playing them the minute all three men realized the difference in power between Menou and the Four Emperors. Bege, Apoo and Drake know better than to give any actual reports on our military intelligence, because then the Beasts Pirates and the Big Mom Pirates will be compelled to attack, and they know that won't go well for either crew. The only information Kaido and Linlin will be getting, is that this is one foe they should not try to face."

Dragon could not help but grin. "A man who can brush off the threat of any of the Four Emperors. Thank God you're on our side, Chitsujo."

Chitsujo chuckled again. "Don't worry, I have no intention of shaking up this world by starting a full-on war with either of them. As long as they stay out of our war, they'll be left alone."

"You assume they'll stay out of the war." Dragon pointed out.

"I'm not foolish," Chitsujo assured Dragon, "worry not, the line between Dressrosa and the territories of Linlin and Kaido will be held."

"I have sent for two of Four Arch Generals." Chitsujo revealed. "They will be arriving shortly. General Fūgetsu the Graceful Winds, and General Suiken the Stormy Seas; two fine upstanding generals who are perfect for sinking naval fleets. If Kaido and Linlin think they will be allowed to play the role of…opportunist, they are severely mistaken."

"The reports we're getting from King Toma back in the Wizard World about General Raika are very positive so far." Mavis spoke up. "Raika's display of power seems to have not only deterred the Alvarez Empire, but King Toma claims that the general has been nothing but affable and friendly."

Chitsujo nodded. "Raika is like a friendly old uncle." He explained. "I knew I was leaving Fiore in good hands with him. He's exactly what the country needs to help heal its wounds and protect it at the same time."

"And General Fūgetsu and General Suiken?" Shikaku inquired curiously.

"Friendly enough, although they are both serious tacticians. They might come across as a bit prickly at first, but they are good people at heart. Fūgetsu has a bad habit of acting cold to strangers, but once she gets to know you, she's fine. Suiken has tremendous pride in himself and his abilities, but his loyalty and kindness cannot be questioned. Just…well, be sure to give him credit when he thinks he's done something worthy of it, otherwise you'll never hear the end of it from him."

"A guy who's kind but has tremendous pride, huh?" Shunsui muttered.

Everyone then turned to Byakuya Kuchiki, who frowned at them, realizing what they were implying with those gazes. Chitsujo chuckled in amusement. "You'll become friends with them soon enough. Now, let me think here, we've discussed our new fleets, how we will deal with Kaido and Linlin if they decide to get uppity. Now, is there anything else on the agenda?"

"The Mink Tribe has agreed to throw their support in with the Alliance in return for the medical aid we provided to their two chieftains." Sabo told Chitsujo. "I honestly feel bad that we have two big advantages in Orihime and Hacchi on our side. Having healers like them allows us to win quite a few allies with ease. It's honestly not fair."

"Alliance morale is incredibly high." Kakashi continued. "No surprise there."

"Luffy and Naruto are on day ten of their fight at Green Bit." Shunsui said casually.

"Of course there's no surprise that morale is incredibly high." Chitsujo smiled. "We are coming off a great victory. Their spirits are high and ready for battle once again."

Chitsujo's mind then registered the third statement. "Wait, what?" He said flatly.

Everyone else then either gave a sheepish smile or an embarrassed blush with the exception of Beckman, Shikaku, Dragon and Byakuya. "We didn't want to say anything because we were sure it would be over by the time you returned to Dressrosa." Jellal admitted. "But they've been at this longer than we expected."

Chitsujo face-palmed. "Why am I not surprised?" He muttered, already feeling a headache coming on. "What are they fighting about?"

"Well, it went like this," Kisuke began, "ten days ago, Luffy went up to Naruto and was like…"

"Guess what, Naruto, my Son Gokū is way stronger and cooler than your Kurama!" Mavis declared, playing the role of Luffy. "And Naruto said…"

"What the hell are you talking about?" Kisuke shot back, playing the role of Naruto. "There's no way Son is better than Kurama! He's the Nine-Tailed Fox! The strongest of the Tailed Beasts! And Luffy said…"

"No way! It's all about quality over quantity! Having five more tails doesn't make Kurama better than Son!" Mavis continued.

Chitsujo heaved a tired sigh. "And let me guess, it just spiraled out of control from there?" He asked. "Also, I'm surprised Luffy knows the phrase 'quality over quantity.'"

"Yeah, they've been at Green Bit since the argument began." Sabo sounded exasperated at his little brother's behavior.

"Yeah, for the past few days they've been like 'Ora Ora Ora'!" Mavis yelled while punching the air.

"And 'Muda Muda Muda'!" Kisuke added.

"I seriously doubt they were shouting that." Chitsujo deadpanned. "Neither of them are the type to shout battle cries."

"Well, yeah, we did add a little bit of dramatic flair to the story." Mavis admitted. "But, other than the battle cries, it was all true."

Chitsujo heaved another sigh. "I always knew their competitive natures would sometimes get a bit out of hand, but this is just petty." He said in annoyance. "You said they were at Green Bit, right?"

"Yeah," Kakashi Hatake heaved a sigh, "Ichigo and Natsu went with them just to make sure neither went overboard. Considering we haven't heard from any of them over the past ten days, I guess they haven't gone overboard yet."

"And we're never going to find out." Chitsujo said in a surprisingly dark tone. "This argument ends now."

Chitsujo got to his feet. "If that is all, I'm bringing this meeting to a close. I have some children that I apparently need to discipline." He said calmly.

He sounds so cold when he talks like that. Everyone thought in unison.

"Dismissed, everyone," Chitsujo said, managing a smile for everyone else, "I look forward to seeing you all off, and then eventually seeing you all again as victors of this campaign."

He shouldn't force a smile like that when he's about to discipline Naruto and Luffy like two bratty children. Everyone deadpanned inwardly.

Chitsujo then clapped his hands together and teleported away from the war room. Kisuke immediately took out his fan and exclaimed: "Taking all bets! What is Chitsujo going to do to those boys?"

"He'll let them off with a warning." Byakuya quickly said. "It's pretty much his fault they are the way they are in the first place."

Beckman laughed in amusement. "Chitsujo does often come across as the kind of dad who will sneak an extra $5 into his kid's allowance, doesn't he?"

"Anyone else want to get in on this?" Kisuke inquired. "Shikaku, Mavis, any thoughts?"

"He'll punish them," Shikaku responded without hesitation.

"Yeah, but he won't be too harsh." Mavis added. "But still, those boys aren't going to get out of this without a few lumps on their heads."

Meanwhile, at Green Bit, Ichigo Kurosaki and Natsu Dragneel sat cross-legged in what appeared to be an impromptu picnic, courtesy of Black Leg Sanji. "I have to admit, that Sanji is one hell of a cook." Ichigo admitted, munching on a sandwich.

"Yeah, I always thought Mira was the best cook," Natsu said, "but Sanji is on a completely different level."

An explosion rocked Green Bit. The two barely reacted, having grown used to it over the past ten days. "Sure was nice of him to provide us these snacks while we kept watch of this spat of their's." Ichigo noted, taking a glance at the two figures at the center of the explosion.

"Man, if it weren't for all these delicious meals, I'd be totally joining in." Natsu admitted with a grin. "I'm getting fired up just watching them."

"Yeah, please don't." Ichigo deadpanned. "I need you here with me in order to stop those two if things get out of hand. I can't do that if you join in."

Another explosion rang out. Ichigo sighed. "I guess I shouldn't be surprised. Ten days of fighting sounds about right with these two." He noted.

"Tailed Beast Rasengan!" Naruto Uzumaki yelled, forming a Rasengan with Kurama's Chakra.

"Gum Gum Māhukona Bazooka!" Luffy responded, firing the palms of his hands into Naruto's Rasengan.

The two were blown back by a third explosion. They quickly recovered and glared at each other. "I'm gonna win!" Naruto declared. "And then you're going to bow down to Kurama's amazing superiority!"

"No way!" Luffy shot back. "You're gonna lose and bow down to Son's superiority, you and your dumb, fuzzy fox!"

"Could do without their pissing contest in between these attacks though." Ichigo admitted. "They just keep reminding me that they're fighting for one of the dumbest reasons in history."

Natsu could not argue with that, then again, he was rarely any better. Suddenly, Chitsujo appeared in between them, causing the two of them to leap in surprise. "Gah! Hey, Chitsujo!" Natsu was surprised. "When did you get back?"

Chitsujo frowned. "Just awhile ago," he replied, "and imagine my surprise when I hear that two of you are arguing."

Ichigo sighed. "We were hoping they'd resolve this stupid argument before you got back." He admitted. "But no, they've been at this for ten days and have shown no signs of slowing down."

Chitsujo watched as the other two Acts continued to violently clash in their childish spat. Neither of them noticed his arrival. "Okay, I'm putting a moratorium on this." He said. "First, Metamorphosis."

Ichigo and Natsu both gasped as Chitsujo's Reiki became Chakra. He then held his hand in the familiar sign. "Shadow Clone Jutsu." He said as a clone of Chitsujo appeared by his side.

Natsu pouted. "That power of yours is cheating."

Chitsujo and his shadow clone then sped towards Naruto and Luffy, appearing behind the both of them in an instant while they tried to attack each other, not noticing the approaching danger. Then, with two quick punches to the head, Luffy and Naruto were both knocked to the ground, unconscious. "ONE PUNCH!" Natsu and Ichigo screamed, horrified.

The two Chitsujos dusted their hands off. The shadow clone then popped out of existence. "As much as I enjoy hearing that you two are pushing each other like this, I'd rather you didn't do it because of dumb arguments like these." He told the downed fighters.

Natsu and Ichigo looked at their two downed brothers for a moment. Ichigo then spoke up. "Umm…I think you might've hit them a bit too hard."

"No, I didn't," Chitsujo was quick to deny.

"They're…not moving." Natsu pointed out, surprisingly attentive.

Chitsujo looked down at Luffy and Naruto and came to a realization. They had been at this for ten days…and he had just punched them both like he would if they were at a hundred percent. Hence the reason why they were currently out cold. Chitsujo heaved a sigh, now frustrated with himself. "Damn it…" he muttered.

Five minutes later, Luffy and Naruto were revived. The two looked down at the ground like two sad children who had just been scolded. "Look at you two, we're about to begin our second campaign and you are arguing about which Tailed Beast is superior." Chitsujo scolded them.

Chitsujo heaved a sigh. "I'm not mad that you two are fighting and pushing each other to your very limits. I want all four of you to constantly push each other, because that's how the four of you are going to continue growing stronger, which is exactly what I want for you. But childish arguments like these are not productive."

"I'm sorry," Luffy and Naruto said in unison.

Chitsujo shook his head and gave both boys a smile. "You should devote your energies elsewhere. And for the record, a Tailed Beast is incredibly powerful, the rankings of tails or anything like that means absolutely nothing."

"And besides," Chitsujo continued, "what matters is the bond between the Jinchūriki and the Tailed Beast, which makes both stronger. Who's stronger doesn't matter. Do we understand?"

"Yes, sir," Luffy and Naruto said.

Ichigo and Natsu both snickered. "That goes for you boys as well." Chitsujo looked at them. "I looked the other way when you four sparred in my palace gardens, because that was the only way for the four of you to properly get to know each other, but this is just shameful."

"Yes, sir," Ichigo and Natsu said.

Chitsujo gave them all a smile. "Now that we've gotten that out of the way though, let me say that I am proud of the progress the four of you have made so far." He told them. "Examining your power levels now and comparing them to what they were before the war, you are leagues above what you were at the beginning."

"Good work, all of you, as your leader, I am proud to call you my comrades." Chitsujo told them.

At that moment, Luffy got to his feet. "If I've grown, then give me a match, Chitsujo!"

This surprised Ichigo, Natsu and Naruto. "Huh? Luffy, have you lost your mind?" Ichigo asked. "You do know who you're challenging, right?"

"No fair!" Natsu yelled. "I wanted to challenge him first."

"I called dibs." Luffy stuck his tongue out. He then turned his attention back to Chitsujo. "So, what do you say, Chitsujo? You up for a match?"

Chitsujo raised an eyebrow for a moment before giving Luffy a smile. "I knew one of you would challenge me eventually." He noted. "Tell me, Luffy, what brought this sudden desire to challenge me?"

"It's just like you said, we've gotten so much stronger since the war started!" Luffy pointed out. "And now that I've beaten Zeref, I've gotta know how much further I'm from Konton! You're his twin, right? That means you two are equally strong."

"Luffy, that's not how being twins works." Ichigo deadpanned.

Chitsujo chuckled. "A fair statement; I suppose I do owe it to the four of you to show you the scale of the mountain you boys are to climb if you are to challenge not only Konton, but every other warrior from Rakuen who's going to be standing between you and him."

Chitsujo walked ten paces away from Luffy and turned around, facing him. "Ichigo, Natsu, Naruto, I advise the three of you to stay back." Chitsujo told them.

Luffy laughed in excitement. "This is going to be so awesome!" He exclaimed.

This is not going to end well. The other three thought in unison.

Luffy started stretching while Chitsujo simply stood with that usual calm expression on his face. "Alright, Luffy," he said with a smile, "go ahead and come at me with everything you've got."

"Everything I've got?" Luffy wanted to confirm that.

"That's right, everything." Chitsujo told him. "Hold nothing back. I want you to hit me as hard as you can."

"You sure you can take it? You're actually pretty old, right?" Luffy grinned. "I'd hate to make you break a hip or something."

"Is Luffy trash talking?" Naruto was surprised. "I thought that was Ichigo's thing."

"Hey!" Ichigo yelled.

Chitsujo chuckled in amusement at the jest. "Oh no, don't worry about me." He said. "I may be an old man, but I promise you, several millennia of training my body to the absolute limit in order to be the most reliable king possible is nothing to sneeze at."

Luffy grinned. "Excellent!" He exclaimed, raising his arm up. "I wouldn't have it any other way."

Luffy then bit into his forearm. "Muscle Balloon!" He yelled, blowing into it.

Chitsujo watched as Luffy's body expanded. "Fourth Gear: Bounce Man!" Luffy declared as he entered the mighty Fourth Gear.

"Oh? You're not going to use Son Gokū?" Chitsujo was surprised. "Are you sure you're not taking me lightly, Luffy?"

"No, you did say you wanted me to hit you as hard as you can. And Fourth Gear is just about tied with my Lava Style Chakra Mode in punching power!" Luffy revealed. "And most importantly, I want to see just how much I can do before tapping into Son's power!"

Chitsujo sighed. "Very well," he said, "let us begin."

Luffy immediately rocketed towards Chitsujo, who calmly stood his ground. Luffy immediately blew into his right arm, inflating it even more. "Whoa, right off the bat?" Natsu was shocked at the sight.

"Luffy knows he can't let this fight take too long. How this fight goes depends on what his first attack does to Chitsujo." Ichigo pointed out.

"Gum Gum King Kong Gun!" Luffy yelled, launching his fist at Chitsujo.

The sudden shockwave created a massive dust cloud that obscured both Luffy and Chitsujo from the sight of the three spectators. Several trees were uprooted from the ground from the force of the attack. "Holy crap, that's nuts!" Naruto yelled. "I know Chitsujo's practically a god, but are we sure he didn't at least feel that one?"

"We'll find out once the dust settles." Ichigo said calmly.

Shortly after Ichigo said that, the dust began to settle. First, a frustrated Monkey D. Luffy was revealed, with his giant fist still stretched out. Then, Chitsujo was revealed, smiling with victory as he held back Luffy's King Kong Gun with his bare hand.

Natsu and Naruto's mouths both dropped open in disbelief. The attack that KO'd Donquixote Doflamingo and almost took out Zeref Dragneel was just stopped effortlessly. "You've gotta be kidding me." Luffy said in frustration.

"Luffy, since I am a man of courtesy, I will allow you to throw another attack at me. However, I expect you to hit me with Son's power this time." Chitsujo told him. "Use the power you gained at Tenrou, and show me the full extent of your growth."

Luffy growled and bounced away from Chitsujo, deflating his body to his regular form. "You heard him, Son, let's do this!" He yelled.

With that, Luffy's body was covered in lava. "Okay, Chitsujo, just remember you asked for this!" Luffy yelled.

Luffy then charged the King of Menou, inflating both of his fists. "Here's a little something new I picked up after Tenrou!" He yelled. "Gum Gum Mauna Loa Gatling!"

With that, Luffy fired his two, gigantic, volcanic fists at Chitsujo. Chitsujo gave Luffy an impressed smile before crossing his arms in an 'x' out in front of him. The three spectators watched in shock as Chitsujo stood his ground and took all of Luffy's explosive punches without even flinching.

"Umm…I think it's safe to say who's going to win this one." Natsu muttered in utter disbelief at how powerful Chitsujo was.

Even Ichigo was shocked. It's not even fair, he thought, he's on a completely different level from all of us.

Naruto shook his head in disbelief. No doubt about it, he thought, he's the strongest man in the Alliance. Forget Dragon, forget the Five Kage, forget everyone, Chitsujo is undoubtably the best.

Luffy surprisingly kept punching, intent on making Chitsujo feel at least one punch. Chitsujo, however, had other ideas. "I think I've made my point," Chitsujo said, "it's time to end this."

With a sudden shockwave of Reiki that actually travelled all over Green Bit, Luffy's arms were blown back to him. Luffy's mouth dropped open and his eyes widened when he fully realized just how outmatched he really was. Chitsujo then appeared in front of him in an instant, ready to flick him across the head. "Apologies," he said before flicking Luffy.

The three spectating Acts face-faulted in utter disbelief as Luffy was sent flying all the way across Green Bit from a single flick to the forehead. Chitsujo then gave the boys a smile. "So, would any of you like to see how far you are from my level, while we're at it?" He inquired.

"No, we're good!" The three said in unison.

Chitsujo laughed in amusement. "I'll go get Luffy. I'll be right back."

Chitsujo vanished for a brief moment before returning with an unconscious Luffy. He gently laid him on his back before slapping him gently a few times to wake him up. The other Acts gathered around him, slightly worried.

Luffy groaned as he stirred awake. "What happened?" He asked groggily.

"You got your ass kicked, idiot." Ichigo told him.

"I did?" Luffy asked before remembering. "Oh yeah, I did."

Luffy then noticed Chitsujo. "Man, you're on a totally different level, Chitsujo." Luffy complimented. "And I thought my grandpa hit hard."

"It's not just the fact that he beat you with a finger that's got me worried." Naruto admitted. "He took two of your best attacks and wasn't even fazed."

"No wonder Acnologia got his ass kicked." Natsu realized.

Chitsujo sat down, cross-legged. He invited the Acts to sit with him. "Boys, this is the inevitable result of thousands of years of dedicated training. Training with the goal to become a king my people could rely on, a king they could look up to."

"When I was a lot younger, I had dreams just like the four of you did. Whereas Luffy wants to become King of the Pirates, and Naruto wants to become the next Hokage, my dream back then was to become just as I have told you. A king who could serve as a symbol of peace, wisdom and strength for his people. I wanted my people to always be able to look up to me and feel safe, feel that fighting for and with me is worth the trouble."

"It may seem like an easy dream, considering the kind of pedestal kings are sometimes put on by people, and sometimes by themselves, but I had quite the act to follow."

"Your dad," Naruto realized.

Chitsujo nodded. "Father was the greatest king and the greatest man I ever knew. He was a true symbol of all of those things I mentioned. To become what I wanted to be, I had to either match or surpass him."

"But, it is never enough for me, because no matter what I do, nothing will ever compare to him." Chitsujo admitted. "But I am not discouraged, so I continue to train my body, mind and spirit, trying to reach him."

"Listen to me, all of you," Chitsujo told them, "no matter how strong you become, there will always be someone greater than you. That is simply the rule of this universe."

"And that is why, with the paths you have chosen, you will always have two choices to make: to settle, or to push yourselves even further."

"If you truly wish to become what you hope to be, then you can never choose the former. You must continue to push yourselves to newer, greater heights. That is how achievements are made. That is how men like myself and my brother got to where we are. We started at the very bottom, and through diligent training, we reached amazing heights."

"But for me, it is never enough, because I want to surpass my limits and reach even greater heights." Chitsujo admitted. "Because to me, the only way I can achieve my dream is to surpass the man I always viewed as perfect. But how can you surpass perfection? I don't know, but I'm going to keep trying and find out."

"My point is, as you all are, the mountain you see before you. The mountain that is my brother and the Kingdom of Rakuen is not one you can hope to climb. At your current limit, there is nothing you can do."

"So tell me," Chitsujo said, "what will you do now that you know this? Will you accept your limits? Will you settle for what you currently have."

"Hell no," Luffy declared, "this dumb mountain I've gotta climb is in the way of the One Piece, I can't not climb it."

One by one, the other three Acts nodded in agreement. Chitsujo smiled proudly. "Exactly," he said, "never stop training. Never stop improving yourselves. Never stop trying to climb the mountains that stand before you. Surpass your limits again and again, and keep climbing until you've reached the very top. And after that, climb even further until you reach the heavens."

"Limits are only a state of mind, boys." Chitsujo told them. "Always remember that, and you will be able to climb this mountain before you."

All four boys bowed in respect to the man. "Thank you for the lesson, sir." They said in unison.

Luffy then grinned, already back to normal. "You just wait, Chitsujo, I'm going to surpass my limits again and again, and when I'm ready, I'm going to challenge you to a rematch!" He declared.

Ichigo smirked. "Maybe we should focus on taking down Konton, first?" He suggested playfully. "He'd be a good steppingstone to finding out if we're ready to challenge Chitsujo."

Naruto and Natsu both nodded in agreement. Chitsujo smiled with pride. This was the effect he was hoping to have. He knew all four boys were insanely competitive. So, if he gave them a very difficult goal to obtain, one that would take them a great deal of effort, that would span this war in its entirety, they would continue to grow past the limits that remaining confined in their own worlds would impose on them.

He would be that goal, that benchmark for them to reach. People become stronger when they have a goal or benchmark to reach. And so, he would remain the mighty, unbeatable King of Menou for as long as it was required for them to reach the level needed to survive the coming trials.

At that moment, Chitsujo became the subject of a one-sided rivalry with four different people. Exactly as planned.

Then, two new figures appeared behind Chitsujo. One was a beautiful, young-looking woman with green eyes, silver hair, a variation of the Menou military blazer—colored black and blue—with a miniskirt, knee-high socks and blue shoes. A naginata was strapped to her back.

The other was a red-eyed man with teal hair wearing the black and blue military blazer. He also had a katana strapped to his hip. "Lord Chitsujo," he addressed the king, "you can't just go running off and shirking your responsibilities to discipline children. We were hoping to be greeted by you when we arrived at Dressrosa."

Chitsujo smiled. "Apologies, Suiken," he said before addressing the woman, "and apologies to you as well, Fūgetsu. However, this matter did require my immediate attention. Besides, considering I was able to turn this into a teaching moment for these boys, I don't think I can call this 'shirking my responsibilities.'"

Arch General Suiken gazed at the Acts of Order for a brief moment before nodding. "I shall trust your judgement then, Milord." He said.

"So then, I guess these four are Lord Chitsujo's Acts of Order." Arch General Fūgetsu realized. "Interesting, I'd never seen them in person."

"And you two are." Ichigo could not help but be a bit wary of them because of how cold they seemed. That, and he could also tell that they were both quite powerful.

Chitsujo smiled. "Boys, I would like to introduce you to two of my Four Arch Generals, the warriors whom I have entrusted with command of my armies in my absence." He said. "This is Suiken and Fūgetsu."

"Wait, your name means 'drunken fist?'" Naruto asked Suiken in disbelief.

Chitsujo almost face-palmed at that statement. Suiken narrowed his eyes and was in front of Naruto in a second, instinctively drawing his sword and aiming it right at Naruto's throat. The Acts gasped in disbelief at how fast he was. "Suiken," Chitsujo spoke up, "please put your sword away, Naruto didn't mean anything by it."

Suiken's eyes widened, realizing his mistake. "My apologies, Milord." He said, sheathing his katana. "It appears I still haven't kicked that old habit of mine."

"And if you are Naruto, then that makes you Naruto Uzumaki." Suiken noted before bowing apologetically. "My apologies to you as well, you've drudged up some old memories I'd prefer forgetting. I know you didn't mean to. Also, for the record, my name can also mean 'water sword' if you write it with different characters."

"So," Ichigo quickly decided to change the subject, "you brought two of your Arch Generals here, Chitsujo?"

Fūgetsu narrowed her eyes. "I don't care about your connection with him," she said, "you will address Lord Chitsujo with the proper titles."

Ichigo looked at her in disbelief. It was like he was looking at a female Byakuya. "Its fine, Fūgetsu, the boys never have been one with formalities. If anything, the only time they call me 'sir' is when I'm done teaching them something." Chitsujo told her. "And that is good enough."

Fūgetsu then walked up to the Acts of Order. "Part of Lord Chitsujo's plan to win this war involves making you four, along with the rest of the Alliance, strong enough to stand against Rakuen." She told them. "I was opposed to this plan because it forces us into a war of attrition, and wars of attrition always cost more lives."

"Unfortunately, I had to concede the notion because I was unable to offer any alternatives, arguably a tactician's greatest shame." She said. "A lot of good men and women have died, and will continue to die as we wait for you Otherworlders to become stronger."

Ichigo then noticed Fūgetsu's expression soften. "So tell me," she said, "do you really think you are capable of reaching that level? Are you capable of making all of that sacrifice meaningful?"

Tell me, and I shall reconsider my doubts. She added inwardly.

At that moment, Ichigo realized that with all of her coldness, Fūgetsu was hiding an incredibly kind, but also burdened heart. "Hell yeah we can do it!" Natsu declared before he could reply. "You just watch, we're all going to get stronger and stronger! So strong even you Arch Generals won't be able to beat us!"

Fūgetsu gazed at Natsu for a moment before nodding. "I look forward to seeing your growth." She said. "Don't disappoint me, or the dead for that matter."

Suiken folded his arms. "It's a shame we will be far too preoccupied with our orders." He mused. "I would very much love to see the Acts of Order, that Lord Chitsujo has placed so much faith in, in action."

"Huh, you're not going to join us for this campaign?" Naruto was surprised.

Suiken shook his head. "Fūgetsu and I have been assigned to guard the waters from Kaido and Big Mom." He said. "A tall order for you perhaps, but I can assure you, we are up to the task."

Before they could respond to Suiken's confident statement, he continued. "I do hope you show the proper gratitude. After all, considering both of those Emperors are big opportunists, they will no doubt try to attack you while your backs are turned. But thanks to us, those backs will be kept safe without fail. Well, go on. Thank me. It seems like the least you can do, don't you think?" He ranted.

Chitsujo face-palmed. Suiken was the only member of the Arch Generals that was somewhat eccentric, but nowhere near the level his Saint Warriors were. He was definitely the eccentric one of the four, what with his tendency to go off on long rants about how people should be grateful to him whenever he did something. The fourth Arch General simply had a hot temper. However, what set Suiken apart was that he was all business once he was on the job, and also incredibly popular with his troops, whom he made an effort to learn all of their names. Oddly enough, he kept this habit of his under control when on the battlefield.

Chitsujo then decided to cut in. "They are all very grateful, Suiken, as am I." Chitsujo told the man. "Without you two, and Raika holding the border in Fiore, we could very well be fighting wars on multiple fronts, which we cannot have."

"Another one of your Arch Generals is back home?" Natsu was surprised.

"Long story," Chitsujo replied, "but all you need to know is that your homeland is safe, Natsu."

Luffy then spoke up while counting on his fingers. "But that's three," he said, "where's the fourth guy?"

Suiken and Fūgetsu heaved an exhausted sigh simultaneously. Chitsujo folded his arms. "General Tsuchimaru the Great Inferno, has chosen to remain locked inside of Menou's deepest prison for the time being, until he feels he has calmed down enough to join the fight." He explained.

"Wait, he's in jail?" Naruto was surprised. "What did he do?"

"Oh, you misunderstand, he did nothing." Chitsujo revealed. "Tsuchimaru entered that cell of his own volition."

"Who enters a jail cell willingly?" Ichigo deadpanned.

"Apparently, Tsuchimaru does." Suiken responded.

"The man is a fantastic general whom is capable of commanding a great deal of love and respect from his troops, but he also has a very violent temper." Fūgetsu explained. "One that could've forced a direct conflict with Rakuen much sooner when this war started. When the war began, he wanted to engage Rakuen immediately."

"But Tsuchimaru also recognizes that his temper can be detrimental to the kingdom, especially now." Chitsujo was quick to defend the man. "So, he decided to lock himself in a prison cell and had his power restrained until he calmed down sufficiently."

"He sounds like a badass." Natsu was quick to say.

"A badass with just enough self-control to recognize that he would do more harm than good to his kingdom." Fūgetsu pointed out. "Still, he'll be quite a boon to our alliance's strength once he feels he is ready to rejoin us."

"Well, anyway, these guys must be pretty strong if they're going to hold Big Mom and Kaido back." Luffy noted.

"Not to brag or anything like that, but yeah, we are quite powerful." Suiken flipped his teal hair back with a confident smirk. "That and we were specifically given this job due to our powers."

"Well, what can you do?" Natsu asked.

Suiken smirked. "A smart man wouldn't reveal his powers so freely." He teased.

"Actually, we're all allies so it's no big deal." Chitsujo spoke up. "Besides, I already told Alliance leadership about yours and Fūgetsu's powers."

"HUH?!" Suiken's mouth dropped open. "That's not cool, Your Majesty! Secrecy is key to strategy!"

Chitsujo laughed in amusement. "I'm sorry, Suiken." He said. "I just think people deserve to know why I have such faith in you and Fūgetsu."

Fūgetsu nodded. "Indeed, Milord, even if it is tradition for the one who bears the soul of one of the Founding Emperor's five most trusted warriors to serve so closely to you, what is tradition in Menou is not necessarily understood in the other worlds."

"Huh?" Now Naruto was really confused.

"Fūgetsu, Suiken, Raika, and Tsuchimaru all bear the souls of four mighty warriors who served as my father's trusted confidantes." Chitsujo explained. "Before their end, they cast a ritual that transferred their souls and powers to new bodies. Fūgetsu and Suiken, for example are the latest to bear the souls of the mighty warriors, Fūjin and Suijin."

Suiken snickered. "I always knew Fūgetsu was tomboyish at heart." He muttered, making Fūgetsu turn red with rage.

Taking out her naginata, Fūgetsu slammed the butt-end of it into the back of Suiken's head, downing the man and then striking him in a rage. Note to self, do not comment on that. Ichigo and Naruto noted while Luffy and Natsu laughed at Suiken.

"The point is, the Arch Generals have as much of my trust as the Saint Warriors." Chitsujo said. "I would trust these two with any task. If Kaido and Linlin do try anything against Dressrosa, and by extension, the Alliance, they will have no issue in showing them what for."

Suiken recovered from his beating. "With our power, they won't even get to see the ports of Dressrosa." He vowed with a smirk. "I hope you are grateful."

Fūgetsu flicked her wrist and smacked Suiken in the head with the blunt end of her naginata again. "Sorry about him, I swear, he's not like this while he's on the job." Fūgetsu said. "Try to keep in mind what I said to you four. A general should care about the lives under his or her command, because the best strategy is the one that only makes the necessary sacrifices to win. I need you four to prove to me that the strategy we currently have is worth the sacrifices my kingdom has to make."

One by one, all four Acts of Order nodded. Fūgetsu gave them all a smile. "For what it's worth, I hope you all can back up your talk. I know I risk sounding like a broken record, but everyone wants to win this war. Nobody wants to fight forever, even Tsuchimaru."

Luffy stood up with a determined look on his face. "Hell yeah!" He yelled. "Let's go back and get ready to kick some ass, guys!"

"Yeah!" Naruto and Natsu cheered in agreement while Ichigo simply pumped his fist into the air.

Luffy, Naruto and Natsu then started walking towards Green Bit's shore with Ichigo following them. Chitsujo smiled with pride. "They really are amazing, aren't they?" He inquired of his generals.

Fūgetsu nodded. "I have to admit, Milord, I am still a bit uncertain of your strategy revolving around their growth, along with the growth of our allies, but they have a way of making you believe in them."

Suiken rubbed his head and watched the four walk towards the shore. "They don't have a way back, do they?" He inquired with a deadpan expression.

Chitsujo sighed in exasperation. "No, they do not." He muttered, "If you'll excuse me."

While Chitsujo walked towards his Acts of Order to transport them back to Dressrosa, Suiken addressed Fūgetsu with a serious expression on his face. "How do you really feel, Fūgetsu?" He inquired.

"I am nothing but honest with my king, if that is what you're implying." Fūgetsu frowned at Suiken. "I do want those boys to prove me wrong. Until then, I'm going to remain a healthy skeptic. A lot of good people have and are going to have to die in this war of attrition while the otherworlders grow strong enough to face Rakuen. Tsuchimaru may be temperamental, but he has a point. The quickest way to win is attacking Rakuen directly."

"Mmm, but that means leaving the other worlds to fight alone. I understand yours and Tsuchimaru's skepticism, but I fall more into Raika's line of thinking. There comes a point where morality and justice must outweigh a sense of strategy. You know how Raika has always talked about how a good tactician is one who doesn't treat war like a game or a simulation but the cruelest of realities?"

Fūgetsu nodded. "When he became a general, he pushed for the removal of simultations from the military academy. Said it gave prospective leaders an unrealistic view of tactics. After all, it's easy to sacrifice lives when it's a simulation."

"Even if good tacticians must take the lives of our men seriously," Suiken said, "good men and women also take the lives of innocents into consideration. And good soldiers of Menou do everything we can to try and save as many as possible."

"Besides," Suiken continued with a smile, "the more I save, the more I get to hear the words 'thank you.'"

Fūgetsu gave a deadpan expression. "You really are a piece of work, you know that." She muttered. "Listen, it's not that I want to sacrifice otherworlders to save our soldiers. It's just that our soldiers are people too, just like the otherworlders. They also have lives, and families too. I just want our sacrifices to be worth it, and Tsuchimaru does too."

Suiken nodded. "That's how we all feel. And even if it is a bit optimistic, our universe post-Rakuen will be worth the sacrifice. That's what I believe."

"You always were the most optimistic of us." Fūgetsu noted. "In fact, you have an optimism to match the king's."

Suiken nodded again. "You shouldn't feel so indebted to His Majesty that you fall 100% in line with his optimism for a better future." Fūgetsu told Suiken. "You're your own person, Suiken. And besides, His Majesty wants a healthy amount of skepticism from all of us."

"Perhaps, but His Majesty gave me a new life. I don't do this out of a sense of obligation. I do this because his optimism and beliefs are what put me in the position I am in today. So, I choose to believe in his vision for the future." Suiken said in a firm tone.

Fūgetsu could not argue with that logic. Almost every high ranking soldier in Menou had a personal connection to the king in some way. Her family had loyally served the kingdom for generations. Raika personally impressed Chitsujo with his merits before he was even discovered to be the successor for Raijin's power. Suiken…well, that story was complicated, and not something he liked to talk about. The same went for Tsuchimaru.

Then there were the many Golden, Silver and Bronze Gates, and even a Saint Warrior—Jun the Chastity—who had come up through Takara's House, the orphanage inside of the palace grounds. The fact is, their undying loyalty to their king did not come out of obligation, they had all personally found a man who was worth serving with every fiber of their being. He deserved to be called their king through his actions, not his bloodline.

If Chitsujo truly knew how much his people loved him, he might not push himself to be a king that surpassed his father. But until then, his greatest dream would remain as such. However, that dream needed to be put on hold for the time being, because the campaign to take back the Pirate World was about to begin…

A.N: And we are back into it. Just as a reminder, we won't be doing reactions anymore due to my increasingly busy schedule. And as a reminder, for the time being, I don't want people to be too upset if I can't post at a more consistent pace like I used to because of my schedule. Believe me, guys, I'm going to try my best, but I can't promise anything, I need to focus on my job hunt, which is going well so far.

Also, I'll be posting stuff for the Multiverse Tournament and RWBY: Wild Hunt, because those are also two projects I really want to write. That actually reminds me, for all my RWBY fans out there, check out Wild Hunt. It's really great, I'm having a ton of fun writing it with Ryuzaki 007, it's been something I've looked forward to for years.

I hope everyone enjoyed the first chapter of the One Piece Campaign. I'll see you next time!