The time of the festival had come in Wano. In the flower capital's palace, nerves were high as food was to be served to the heroes of the day.
"Oh, look at this platter. Hell yeah!" Rayleigh said.
"Thank you for waiting." the server nervously said. "I am proud to serve our esteemed guests a traditional Honzen-Ryori meal worthy of a shogun! It's been mashed, firmed in hot water, and tasted for poison thrice! Do enjoy…!" But when the server presented it, he only found Jimbei and those among the groups who were more patient, waiting and refined. "Uh…"
"Wahahahaha! No one but us could wait even two hours." Jimbei said.
"Indeed, and I must say, are most members of your groups always like this?" Constance asked.
"More so than you might think." Nesma said. "It kind of adds to their charm."
"Balthus went with the others. Even though he comes from royalty himself, I can't really blame him." Yuri said. "I'm more surprised you'd be interested in trying this, Hapi."
"Hey, I have some manners. Plus, it's interesting trying dishes from other worlds." Hapi said.
"And that's what makes you so different from the rest of the rowdy bunch, my dear Hapi." Constance said.
"Absence of the idiots aside, this does look delicious. It really was treated with care." Noelle said.
"Yes, though the server certainly seemed nervous." Ren said. "Guess they're not used to serving so many people."
"Perhaps." Spade said, before turning to Rime as he removed one of the rings from his necklace.
"Hmhmhm. You always had a way to charm me." Rime said as Spade slipped it on her left ring finger.
Loud sounds could be heard from outside.
"Hmm. Seems lively outside." Jimbei said.
Outside the castle in the capital grounds, things were an entirely different story. It was one big party with all sorts of things going on.
"Looks like the party is going at full swing today." Sachiko said. "By the way, you ladies didn't go with the others. Honzen-Ryori didn't suit your palates?" she asked the jungle cats that were gathered.
"Do we look like the types for fancy meals, Yukimura?" Cheetah asked.
"Heh. No, I guess not." Sachiko said. "Still, though… Look at the crowd gathered here. Pretty much every major group has assembled here, and we just took down two of the most fearsome figures that have ever lived. I don't blame everyone for being in a state of euphoria right now."
"Yeah, no doubt. And look who's havin' the most fun." Balthus said, pointing down the road.
"Everything's free today! Freeeee!" the voice of Luffy yelled as he came closer. "Shooting Games! Goldfish Scoops!"
"Choco Banana!" Viktoriya added.
"Yakisoba! Takoyaki! Grilled Squid! Candied Apple!" Luffy listed as he was rushing down the streets with all sorts of food in hand with a few kids, Chopper and Yamato right besides him.
"Cotton Candy!" Chopper chimed in, having two sticks in hand.
"It's my first festival! So much fun!" Yamato was loving every second of it.
"Heh, these guys seem to be having a lot of fun." David said.
"Not just them. Everybody's getting caught up in the atmosphere." Shirou stated.
"Might as well start taking a look around." Moltar said as the group strolled around the festival, seeing all the allies they had made across their journey interacting with one another.
"It's too bad Siege and his friends couldn't be here. Hope told me they just got a new mission and just ran off." Gemini said.
"Eh, what they do is their own business. Not everyone is the party going type." David said.
"They were really a big help though. I don't think he and Mark could have beat Big Mom without Seige's help." Gemini said. "But hoo, am I still in shock. Hope's got himself a big bounty on his head now."
"2.5 billion. Lot of the guys can't even believe it themselves." Hope said.
"Eh, a bounty is just a number to me. Those World Government pricks can think whatever they want." David said.
"Honestly all they seem to care about is maintaining their image rather than helping people." Ace said. "Sometimes I can't even understand the government of this world."
"You don't have to." Clone!Richard answered back, crossing his arms. "These Celestial Dragons don't even have two brain-cells to rub together between them all when it comes to empathetic or logical matters. Hell, the only reason they survive is because of the fact that the Gorosei are the only competent Celestial Dragons, and that's saying something, and that they have a leader who's actually got what it takes to handle matters. Oh, and the Marines backing them are one factor too."
"Oh don't even bring those Celestial bastards up, I find it hard to believe they're descended from a god." Ace said.
"Well, not all of them are bad." Hope said. "There's still some good in the marines."
"Of course." Clone!Richard nodded back. "I know there are. I only hope that they don't die a miserable death or continue fighting for an unfair cause… Those kinds of people are what Marines should strive to be, even the ones that are a little pragmatic."
"So, again. It's best not to let those opinions bother you. At the end of the day, that's all they really are. Opinions that none of us give a damn about in the first place." David said.
"True." Ace said.
"Wait, Gorosei?" Glimmer asked.
"He's talking about the Five Elders. In the World Government, they're the highest possible authority." Adora said.
"So they're the ones behind everything going on here." Ace said. "But even they must have someone pulling their strings."
"Someone pulling the strings of the highest authority of this world… Yeah, how about you get back to us when you find them?" Zenji said.
"Well, there's a clue about who ACTUALLY leads the World Government. Although it will have to be cut down to whispers, because that secret is something that the World Government would be willing to initiate a thousand Buster Calls, I kid you not, to exterminate all rumors of that statement." Clone!Richard remarked, lulling his head to the side.
"They're that paranoid?" Ace asked in a whisper.
"Hard to say. But if they really are keeping it hush-hush, then it's probably best not to let theories like that out in the open." Mayumi said.
"But their's also their interest in the Ancient Weapons, why would they even want them?" Ace asked.
"Don't know. But I believe we should keep quiet about it regardless." Cheetah said.
"Right." Simon said.
"For now, let's enjoy the party!" Hope chuckled as everyone advanced to join the festivities.
They came to one of the towers as Brook and Hiyori were performing together on top of it.
Down below the castle, Robin and a couple of the inquisitive ones were snooping around as they saw a collection of dolls.
"Are you curious, Nico Robin and company?" a voice asked as approaching them was a man in a red tengu mask.
"Oh…uh…Mr. Tengu…uh…" Raine said.
"That is my Kokeshi Doll collection. Aren't they cute?" he asked.
"Not really." Robin said.
"Hm?" The masked man asked back.
"Why would your collection be down here?" Robin asked back.
"This is the room where I kept all my secret hobbies and where I was imprisoned when Orochi took over." he said.
"What? Why would they imprison a blacksmith?" Raine asked.
"Blacksmithing was only a hobby." he said as he removed his mask. "Ruling a country can be so tiring." he said. "Allow me to introduce myself. I am Kozuki Sukiyaki…the father of Kozuki Oden."
"Unbelievable! And right under Momo and the Scabbard's noses. Wait, do they…?" Frosta asked.
"No. Nor do I have the intention of telling them. It was because of me that Orochi was able to take over. How could I live with such shame and declare my survival?" he said. "By the time I escaped, Oden was dead and Wano had changed. I had thought several times about committing Seppuku."
"You shouldn't have to beat yourself up like that." Blake said.
"Besides…there is something I know you might know. Back in Alabasta…that Poneglyph said it was here…the ancient weapon Pluton." Robin said.
The mask fell from Sukiyaki's hands, as he was shocked for a moment, before regaining his calm.
"...Aye, that is right. It is indeed here." Sukiyaki answered back with a slow nod.
"Wh-wh-whaaaaaaat?!" Frosta asked in shock. "Then that means back then in Alabasta… you intentionally lied! And right to Crocodile's face! Crocodile!"
Robin did not answer back to that, as Sukiyaki then moved over to a wall, revealing a secret passage downwards.
"Follow me." Sukiyaki told the group.
"Ooh, this should be good!" Entrapta said.
Back at the festival, everyone continued to enjoy themselves as best they could as not too far away, Ryokugyu approached.
"The thing about influence is when you really want it, it can be hard to get." he said to himself as each footstep created lush greenery before he stopped. "Any reason you're in my way, kid?"
Richard was standing right before Ryokugyu, as Magina herself kept herself in the air to observe the situation, as Richard was silent for a moment, before a faint smile appeared on his lips.
"So you're Ryokugyu. With Fujitora, that makes all five Admirals in play, or should I say four, now that Akainu has promoted himself with Sengoku's leave." Richard stated, before seeing the trail of flowers. "A man of nature, I see how you Admirals go with your elements. Akainu with the magma, Kizaru with the light, Aokiji with the ice, Fujitora with gravity, and now you with nature."
"You know your stuff…guess there's no need to hold back…Richard of the Magic Blade." Ryokugyu said as his fingers turned to roots as they dug into the ground as multiple trees started to pop up towards Richard, forming a forest around him. "I am a forest man with the power of the Woods-Woods Fruit! I'm a force of nature that rivals the sea!"
'Richard, you best know what the hell you're doing. If you keep this up, the World Government will put a bounty on your head and Siege will still have it on his plate…' Magina sternly looked down.
"Oh, so the one who got away already left an epithet for me." Richard stated, before he then cracked his neck. "Although, that epithet won't fit me in a few moments. I know what you want, and frankly, you're not getting either of them. Luffy's not going to be yours… And neither will David or Hope."
"Oh yeah?! Let me tell you something! Mankind has lasted throughout the ages by creating and defining the inferior! The rest of us can look down on this unaffiliated country! Discrimination creates solace!" Ryokugu said as he soon turned into a gigantic tree-man. "After I take you down, it doesn't matter how many lives I gotta take in this country, because the law doesn't apply here!"
"Spoken like a true lapdog of the World Government, loyal to a fault." Richard stated, before he then scoffed. "Actually, I take back what I said, saying you're loyal or a lapdog is an insult to those words, doubly so for the word 'lapdog', which is already an insult by itself."
Richard then floated into the air, before a white aura began to form around him.
"You want to claim the World Government as gods? Fine by me, call yourselves whatever you wish, it does not matter when words mean nothing without action." Richard declared, as the aura began to coalesce onto his arms, forming gauntlets of pure magic. "But only a government that gives results deserve hierarchy as a excuse for discrimination. I have witnessed countless civilisations that are the same as yours, but never have I seen such an inept government called the World Government, who throw lives for the sake of throwing lives, who ruin what's good in this world, for the sake of spite."
Suddenly, a pair of prismatic wings burst from his back, as they seemed to be shaped like feathered wings. "There are only a few Marines in here that I respect. And two of them are Admirals." He declared. "One is Fujitora, who is the very embodiment of what the people should truly see the Marines as. Another is Aokiji, or Kuzan as he now calls himself, who represents how a marine should deal with a situation with pragmatism. And even the retired Sengoku deserves respect, since he was a man who chose justice with the right values, despite his pragmatism. But there is one existence that I truly hate: His name is Sakazuki, or Akainu."
Richard then looked down at Ryokugyu with eyes filled with no warmth or kindness.
"One look at you, and I see someone akin to him. Congratulations, Ryokugyu, you are the second Marine to have earned my ire this far." Richard smirked without mirth. "Whatever your reasons for claiming those heads for, you will come back empty-handed, and beaten to an inch of your life as you deserve. A rotted sapling like you… has no place in sapping the nutrients of this world for other saplings that actually make the world a better place, to rid it of the pollution that is your World Government. So I hope you made your prayers to the one above the Gorosei… because this is my message to them."
Cue BGM: Unwavering Belief (Phase 1/ Lost Judgement)
"So come and get me, you upstart son of a weed." Richard taunted, gesturing with his hand using a 'come hither' motion.
"Rahahahaha! Just try to stop me! I'll kill you and make you into mulch! Even you can't stand against nature itself!" Ryokugyu said as multiple roots came at Richard.
Richard merely scoffed, before he then snapped his finger, as several magic circles appeared to create rays of light that seemed to burn right through the roots like laser-cutters, before he then swiped his hand, firing a barrage of wind blasts that cut right into Ryokugyu's trees.
However, Ryokugyu immediately snuck a root behind Richard, as it shot towards Richard. It managed to hurtle towards Richard, before Richard noticed the air shifting behind him, causing him to swiftly jerk to the side, as the root overshot him.
"Nice try, but I can feel your attacks." Richard stated, before he then grabbed the root with both hands, before then tearing it off with a jerk of his hands. He then immediately froze the root into deep ice, before hurling it right into Ryokugyu's face, dazing him.
"Why you…!" Ryokugyu exclaimed, before he then plunged his arms into the ground. "Flexing Forest Muscle!"
Richard then watched as Ryokugyu fired off a barrage of wooden fists at Richard from the ground, as he was forced to bob and weave rapidly, before one of them caught Richard, sending him tumbling back.
"Not bad." Richard remarked, righting himself, before he then drew out a spell-card. "If you want to compare techniques, here's my own! Declare Spell Card: Fire Sign 'Ifrit's Wrath'!"
Richard then began to launch a merciless barrage of fire-balls that began to burn away on Ryokugyu's forest, as the flames stuck onto the trees.
"Yeah…nah. Fire Break Forest!" he said as he huffed away the flames. "You think I'd be an Admiral if I fell prey to such an obvious weakness?"
"Heh, you think that's the only way to kill a tree?" Richard stated. "Then allow me to try this the old-fashioned way then. Declare Spell Card: Metal Earth Sign 'Blades of the Round Table'."
Richard then conjured hundreds upon hundreds of short blades, as they rained down on the forest, as their force was enough to cut down many of the trees, and the blades piercing through a part of Ryokugyu's hide.
"Urgh…!" Ryokugyu grunted. "What… how is this blade harming me…! My wood is stronger than even Wootz Steel!"
"But is it stronger than a blade empowered by magic? The equivalent is a high-powered Armament Haki on each and every blade." Richard declared. "You won't find your defenses so strong against my magic."
"Dammit! Don't think you've got me beat. I've got way more!" Ryokugyu declared, before a salvo of flower-like cannons appeared on the ground. "Sakura Massacre!"
The flower cannons then began to fire a barrage of razor-sharp petals that Richard tried to block with a magical shield, although the petals still managed to graze his body, leaving gashes and cuts everywhere on his limbs, and one across his cheek.
"Trying to shoot me down? Not happening!" Richard exclaimed, before he then fired off a barrage of yellow lasers that honed onto each and every flower cannon, blowing them out with small explosions. "I'll give you credit, those flower cannons are a smart improv, I actually got hurt trying to block that. But a few scratches is far from enough to bring me close to defeat, just as my blades aren't enough to take you down first!"
"Rahahahaha! No matter what you throw at me, I'll just keep comin!" Ryokugyu said. "Don't you get it yet?! It was because of Kaido's presence here on Wano that prevented me from even setting foot here!" He explained as he and Richard exchanged powerful attacks one after the other, as the entire area was being crushed from both of them manipulating the very land to fight. "As sad as it is to admit, Kaido's rule was a deterrent that kept enemies from coming here. It may be miserable, but that's just how it is! Now, are you gonna move aside already so I can take Straw Hat Luffy away? I only need him, and I'll be on my way!"
"Dream on, why would you not collect three birds with one stone with David and Hope?" Richard growled. "Don't act like you're winning. Even if I cannot win, I can keep you at a standstill long enough that they alone, no matter how injured they are, will be enough to send you crashing right back to where you belong. I made a promise to stand by their side, and I don't intend to run away. What would a Marine like you understand, to tell lies like flowing water, and to speak of such atrocities without a sense of regret or remorse. You'll have to kill me first, but you better first manage a way to even wound me severely first!"
Magina only watched, gripping her fists tightly as she seethed watching the fight happen. 'Dammit, no! The longer this fight goes on, the more chance the World Government has to put Siege back on the bounty despite the legal warnings I gave… Richard, quit playing and finish this!'
Richard eyed Magina, before he then turned back to Ryokugyu.
"And it seems that I have little time to be idle either." Richard stated, before he then immediately pressed both of his hands together, as a mixture of coloured magic balls began to appear from behind him, as they began to slowly merge together. "If I cannot penetrate your defense with normal magic, then I'll show you the reason why you can never win unscathed. My personal trick for dealing with defenses as thick as yours."
He then raised his hand, before the prismatic orb moved into it. "Declare Arcanum! Almighty Sign 'Morning Star'!" He roared, as the orb began to shudder in his hand, before he threw it at Ryokugyu, who immediately raised a shield of thick bark to try and block the attack.
However, as soon as the orb hit the shield, it suddenly exploded into a dome of pure magic that seemed to erode anything in it, as Ryokugyu disappeared into the explosion, before it then faded, revealing a massive crater where Ryokugyu was, as Richard lowered himself to the ground.
"...If you're smart, you'll stay down." Richard said, as if he still knew Ryokugyu was alive. "You'll have a hard time recovering when I evaporate a large part of the earth you were standing on.
From the ground came a small sprout as it soon started to grow into Ryokugyu, who was worn by the attack.
"Ugh..damn you're tougher than you look." he groaned. "Looks like I gotta…" he said as a sensation came over him as he cried out in fear. "What is this?!"
"Heh, it seems that's another reason you're going to have to throw your mission out." Richard stated. 'Because if you can't even handle me… then would the other Emperor out there be enough to satisfy you?"
"This Haki…no…it can't be." he said looking far out to see a certain flag. "The Red Haired Pirates!"
Magina gasped. "Red Haired Shanks is here?!" she said as she too, saw the ship of the very man who inspired Luffy to begin his journey all those years ago, the Red Force. And standing on one side of the ship, emanating the powerful Conquerors Haki, was the man himself.
"I won't call you Marines cowardly… or under-handed for this, but…" Shanks stated, his voice echoing through the area from the ship. "But… wouldn't you agree it's bad form to go after these worn-out saplings when they're exhausted from making pirate history? And the fact that you have been beaten by one of those very saplings? Tell me, does the new age frighten you that much?"
"Ugh…now is not the right time to fight them. Fine. You both win. I'll leave." Ryokugyu said.
"Catch this." Richard stated, before pulling out the piece of paper, and tossing it like a shuriken to Ryokugyu. "Here's a little address from me to the Gorosei, since they won't be leaving me alone after what I handed to you."
"...What makes you think I'm going to send it to them?" Ryokugyu growled.
"Doesn't matter. In a few hours, this will appear right in their little city, and it was sent regardless." Richard stated. "I'm just simply giving you a chance to save some face, Ryokugyu."
Ryokugyu crumpled the paper in his hands, although he did not throw it away. "Mark my words, Magic Blade… or whatever new epithet you will have, Richard… this is far from over." He growled, before taking his leave.
End BGM
"And both of us will be waiting for you…" Richard muttered, before he waited for Ryokugyu to leave out of their sight, and then plopping down on the ground sitting. "...Hoo, that was a real workout. That was easier than I expected, but still not something I would like to do again for quite some time."
Magina soon descended by Richard's side, very displeased with the look on her face. "Richard." Magina started off sternly.
"Go ahead." Richard stated, with an accepting expression on his face. "I made my decision, and I'm lying with it."
"Well, for the record, I'm giving you multiple demerits for your direct disobedience to orders on several accounts, as well as endangering your own teammates now due to the World Government going to likely null and void my earlier attempts to keep them out of my hair, that you so graciously gave them free will to do." Magina declared sternly.
"Even if I see solitary or punitive duty for the rest of my years, all this will not be without worth." Richard answered back. "And yes, I know what the implications of all of this have caused, and I have made my choice on it. Bit ass of me to do this, but trust me on this, the other me would have went on a roaring rampage upon all this."
"You didn't allow me to finish…" Magina interrupted Richard as she sighed. "Off the record… I do believe you did the right thing, Richard. Which is why I will waive all demerits for now. And I will deal with the issue of bounty hunters after your head. But know this: Siege won't be pleased to know you caused him this headache, given the immense amount of loss you've witnessed him take as of recent."
"Yeah! You kicked ass!" a voice called out as they saw some of the heroes watching from the edge.
"You… you were watching this whole time!?" Richard exclaimed with disbelief.
"We were thinking of jumping in, but we figured you could take him anyway." David said.
"Hm… if not for the fact he now will have the World Government on our world regardless of my legal attempt to keep them away." Magina grumbled.
"And deprive them of their contributions?" David asked back.
"It's not about the contribution. It's about sending a message that the World Government no longer has the right to do as they please, now that we have defeated two Emperors of the Sea, which they couldn't achieve for a long time." Richard responded back. "That is, a deterrent in response to their interference later. They'll still send Marines after all of us, but they won't be so brazen when the threat of a full retaliation looms back."
"And trust me. I have full intents on full retaliation the moment they step into my domain. Which is why, Richard, because of your actions you must immediately notify me of all attacks from the World Government. I will see them dealt with properly. And again, you know exactly what I should do for the things you did today." Magina grumbled as she shook her head. "But alas, I cannot say if the roles were reversed I would not have done the same thing… but don't expect Siege to have the best response when you tell him of what you've done."
"Yeah." Richard simply stated. "As much as I itch for a reason to bloody the World Government's nose a little more if they come closer… I sincerely hope they'll be either afraid enough to stay the hell away, or smart enough to know some bears don't like to be poked. And let me handle Siege, I know that all he needs from me is a lot and a lot of smacking aimed right at me. I'm used to that."
"I'll leave you to that… I suppose I'll return to my dimension now… Good Divines above I did not need this Future headache…" Magina groaned as she left.
"This will be a while before I come back. Need to pay the piper for my misdeeds." Richard stated, tipping his head. "I know that this will be a thankless job, but so long as you all can move on to save more worlds unimpeded… it's all worth it in the end. Mata ne, Hero Alliance."
Richard then fell through a sukima, as he disappeared from Wano entirely, while his clone, who was watching, poofed in a cloud of silver dust.
"Richard, what a guy." Hope said. "Risking his own neck for us against a Marine Admiral for our sakes. He did amazing, standing up against Ryokugyu."
"Still, we should still be prepared, even with the heat drawn by the other Richard." Gus stated. "I don't know whether to feel pity or to feel agitation to him. He caused a problem that his people needed to mop up, but it was premeditated with the best of intentions. Just like the one I'm used to… hah…"
"Still, what was up with that Haki? It was something else." Zoro said.
"Something about it…it just felt nice and familiar.' Luffy said with a smile as unaware to any of them, the Red Haired Pirates sailed off.
On the Red Force itself…
"So, not gonna go say hi to Luffy and his friends?" Ben Beckman asked.
"Nah. I'm not interested in seeing them right now." Shanks said. "I think it's about time we got into it….about time we found the One Piece."