This is the 44th and the final chapter of the first volume of the story 'Straw Hats Dragoon'. Thank you guys for reading this story and the support. As promised, this is the first volume of the story, but don't worry, I'll be working on the second volume of the story 'Straw Hats Dragoon' which it's a sequel of this story.
So anyway again, thank you for reading this story.
I don't own the series of One Piece.
Cross the Red Line! Anna vs Eric!
Warship Island, Dragons Nest
After hearing scream of agony that was coming from Commodore Nelson, the Straw Hat pirates and Apis turned their attention to the source that was none other than Eric. The mercenary responsible for killing the Commodore Nelson for his own greed and betrayal.
"You don't know when to quit." Luffy stated.
"Quiet fool! You might have stop temporarily, but you'll never defeat me." Eric retorts with a smirk, looking at the scene. "My, my, what a most exquisite view. It's positively radiating with potential."
Of course, all he's ever looking at are the flock of Millennial Dragons and the skeletons of the Millennial Dragons wrapped in coral.
"The Dragonite completely surrounds us, it's everywhere. It's so beautiful." Eric proclaims.
"So what?" Nami asks. "Broke up an every dragon fossil on the island, it won't yield your precious elixir."
"Well then, I'll just improvise." Eric shrugs. "Maybe, instead of wasting my time with old fossils, I'll just use some of the fresh supply right in front of me. Surely, you must realize that fighting me would be an exhausting less than futility. Let's keep things simple and split the treasure."
"No thanks." Luffy refused simply.
"Fool! You're Turning Your Back On Eternal Life!?" Eric shouts.
"Yep." Luffy answered again.
"What's wrong with you?! There's no one who passed up a chance to stave off dying! Don't let the fact that you have Devil Fruit powers and all of your illusions!" Eric exclaims, tried to reason with them. "That you can somehow cheat death without the elixir of immortality! Even you have to be afraid of dying!"
Unfortunately, Eric failed to reason with Luffy since the rubber captain smiled and he'd rather die than live forever. They already knew that the elixir of immortality is all but a stupid rumor and Eric is pretty much delusional about the elixir.
"I wouldn't bet on it." Zoro told him with a smirk. "Luffy will die smiling if he accomplishes what he set out to do, so back off."
"Very well. I can accept that you dragon lovers won't share the elixir of immortality." Eric told them. "But you should still bare witness as I rip the Dragonite from their bodies."
"NO! DON'T!" Apis shouts as she rush towards him.
"Stop right-Aaaahhhh!?"
Eric wasn't able to use his Devil Fruit power because Anna fires her arrow at the mercenary. The Straw Hat pirates and Apis turned their attention to the ranger, which she had a scowl on her face.
"I will kill you if you hurt her." Anna threatened him with killing intent aura, placing her bow on her back and drew out her twin swords. "Luffy, leave him to me. I've been waiting long enough for this fight."
Luffy was about to protest, but seeing that Anna is serious about fighting against Eric as he give her a nod.
"So, you continue to insist on defying my every word?" Eric asks impatiently, but already knew the answer. "Fine! For that, all of you can die!? Sickle-Sickle: Whirlwind"
Eric then unleash his wind slash, but Anna jumped in front of Apis.
"Whirling Defense" Anna then twirled her twin swords, deflecting the wind slash and sent it right back at Eric, leaving him shocked as the wind slash head straight to the mercenary which he was able to react quickly by dodging that attack. Eric then lands on the ground with shocked expression on his face, seeing that Anna is not fooling around.
"How?! How were able to deflect my wind slash?!" Eric shouts.
"Like Ventus who rides with the wind, I read the winds." Anna answered with a smirk. "You see, I combined my twin swords with wind magic in order to redirect the wind slash to you."
Eric then grunts, didn't like her answer but also because Anna had her magic affinity measured, between wind and light. Anna then charges after Eric with her twin swords ready.
"Sickle-Sickle: Whirlwind" Eric then unleash the series of wind slash, but Anna deflect the wind slash as she got close enough to attack.
"Rage of the Maiden" Anna then raise her twin swords, slashing the center of his chest, causing Eric to scream in pain and revealed an X-slash mark on his chest.
Eric was able to dodge just in time when Anna was about to finish him as he backflipped a few times and landed on the ledge.
"Damn you! You'll pay for that!?" Eric cursed the ranger with anger. "Let's see you deflect this!? There's no escape for you! So, you'll accept your defeat and your death!"
Anna wasn't even fazed of his threats as she charges after the mercenary.
"This guy is pretty tough." Zoro stated.
"But Anna can stop him, right?" Usopp asks with worry.
"She will, we just gotta have faith in her." Ventus assured him seriously.
As Anna continues to charge Eric, the mercenary readied his fighting stance.
"Sickle-Sickle: Wind Slash, Rapid Fire" Eric then unleashed the series of wind slash and form a whirlwind. Everything is his way got cut into shreds which Anna has had enough of his arrogance and greed as she cast a wind magic to deflect the wind slash.
"Deflect all you want, but it won't be pretty." Eric said arrogantly.
Anna was able to deflect most of the wind slash, but she got some cuts as she jumps after him in mid-air.
"Traverse Cut" Anna then lunge after him, cutting him three times as Eric coughed a bit of his blood and scream in pain.
"Whirlwind Slash" Anna finishes him off as she slashes him, unleash the whirlwind and sent him flying towards the sky. "It's over."
The Straw hat pirates and Apis were amazed of Anna's capabilities and happy that the ranger have won this fight. Apis widened her eyes with a smile as she spoke.
"You did it!" Apis shouts with a cheer.
Few minutes later, the locals from the Warship Island look at the Dragons Nest and the flock of the Millennial Dragons. The people from Warship Island couldn't help but feel stunned with awe, thought that it was a legend but it's not just a legend, it's real when they saw the Millennial Dragons with their own eyes.
"Does anyone have an idea how long this island will stay at the surface?" Nami asks.
"Not long, since this island will sink again." Anna told her.
"Well, when it does sink again, the Millennial Dragons are probably gonna leave too, right?" Usopp asks, placing his hands on the back of his head.
"They'll all fly away, including the baby dragon. I'll never see them again." Apis said sadly, leaving Bokuden placing his hand on her shoulder.
"Well now then that's done, how about a helping of my special pork buns before you go?" Bokuden offered.
"Ah no, thank you but no, we've gotta get back to our journey right way." Nami told him hastily. "Right?"
"I'm hungry." Luffy said. "I could use something to eat-AGH!?"
Nami then punched him in the head, causing him to wince in pain. Though his body is made of rubber, which Nami's punch made it look like it will kill a normal person.
"Guess we'll just take the recipe if you don't mind." Sanji suggests politely.
"What a shame, it won't take long. Well I can past the time by telling you the legend of Lost Island." Bokuden said.
"Um, didn't you say it'll take a couple of hours to make it?" Ventus asks with a sweat drop.
Bokuden didn't listen as he begin to tell a history of the Lost Island which the Straw Hat pirates didn't want to hear it since he already told them last night. Several minutes later, the Straw Hat pirates all went towards the ship and getting ready to set sail to the Grand Line.
"Alright, time to set sail for the Grand Line." Luffy said happily as he and his crew got on the ship, turned his head to Apis. "Apis, are you sure you don't wanna come?"
"I've become friends with each of you and I love be apart of your next adventure." Apis told him with a smile. "However, my place is on this island. Grandpa Bokuden can teach me all the rituals and customs I need to protect the Dragons Nest. Just as my ancestors did before me, that would be the absolute best honor. And someday, the baby Millennial Dragons that are hatching now will return as full-grown adults."
"Yeah, that sounds nice-Hey, hold on! These baby dragons won't be back for another..." Usopp said, counting his fingers. "...Another thousand years, that's crazy."
"Give the girl a break." Sanji scolds him. "Why do you have to be so damn cynical?"
"Come on guys, Apis knows she won't live long to see them." Anna told them with a sigh.
"It's okay, I understand and it's exactly what I'm expecting." Apis corrects the two. "I won't live long enough to see these dragons grow up, but my children's children will. That's why I have to stay and guard them until the next generation comes along to relive me."
"Apis, that's pure crazy talk." Usopp said.
"It was you guys who taught me acting a little crazy isn't such a bad thing." Apis told him.
"Besides, didn't we do crazy things everyday?" Ventus added with a question. "And all because of a certain someone."
"I'm not crazy." Luffy said innocently, but being simple-minded, causing them to drop their jaws.
Decided to let it go, they then unfurl the sails and set sail to the Grand Line.
"See ya! Take care!" Luffy shouts, given her a thumb up.
"Apis, I want you to do me a favor! Never forget about Usopp, the bravest warrior of the sea!" Usopp added with a smile, waving his arms.
"Bye, bye!" Nami shouts, waving her hand.
"Until me meet again, Apis!" Ventus shouts with a smile.
"Good bye, guys! Take care!" Apis shouts with a smile, waving her hands as she runs. "So long!"
With that, the Straw Hat pirates wave their goodbyes to Apis as they set sail to the Grand Line. The Straw Hat pirates are watching the island grew smaller in their view.
"Do you really think she'll be able to protect it all by herself?" Usopp questions.
"I'm sure she'll keep the nest safe. Apis is maybe little, but she's fearless and determined to protect the dragons." Nami answered. "Yeah, she'll be alright."
"Nami's right, as always." Sanji agrees.
"She'll be okay." Luffy assures with a smile. "She was like a full-blooded member of this crew."
"She sure was." Zoro agrees, leaving Ventus nodded.
Meanwhile, Apis and Bokuden are watching the Straw Hat pirates sailed off as the view of the pirate ship grew smaller.
"Are you sure didn't want to join them? It's perfectly natural, my dear." Bouken asks.
"No, I've made the right choice." Apis answered. "If I gone with them, I'd only be in the way. Besides, I found my purpose, something that I really want to do."
Bouken then nods with an understanding as she continues.
"Before Luffy and the others, I don't know if I would've been able to take on the responsibility of protecting the Lost Island." Apis said. "At first, I didn't believe in Lost Island, either. I thought it was just a story and that's a fear I didn't even comfortable saying to myself. So for strangers like Luffy and his team to risk everything helping Grandpa Ryu, it taught me what it means to sacrifice for a cause you truly believe in and commit yourself to saving a life, even if it means losing your own. And now they've sailed off to find what they believe in, and pursue it together at any cost. I've never seen people that were so driven and loyal to each other and the fact that they accepted me, filled me with such confidence that I'm sure of one thing. I know I can achieve anything I put my mind to."
Of course, Bokuden is snoring which he didn't listen to what Apis is telling her.
"Ah, he's asleep?!" Apis exclaims with her bulged eyes, disappointed when the seagull landed on her shoulder. "Hey there, so will you help me make my dream come true?"
The seagull screeched as she spoke.
"Thank you." Apis thanked the seagull. "Together, we can make this happen."
"If you're going to protect Lost Island, you'll need to learn about your ancestors." Boukden told her, leaving her face paled as she slowly turn her head to him. "But luckily, I can tell you all about it. Well, in the beginning-"
Apparently, Apis doesn't want to hear that story because she already heard it last night, but not the entire thing. Bouken protests and tried to reason with his granddaughter since it's very important to know about the history of Lost Island, which it'll be a while before Apis could ever give up on running.
Somewhere at sea
Few hours later, Sanji and Zoro are on the lookout at the crows nest to find the entrance to the Grand Line while Anna are on the lookout at the deck, Usopp is steering the pirate and Nami and Ventus were going over the map. Anna and Sanji noticed a black clouds in the sky and Ventus sniff the air, smelling a rain straight ahead.
"Nami, my love~! I have a report!" Sanji shouts from the crows nest, looking through the binoculars. "Major cloud cover ahead, big rain clouds! There's a storm coming!"
"Oh well, at least we're back on original course." Nami shrugs, looking back at the map. According to the map, we should be spotting the Red Line anytime now."
"We should, cuz' I can smell raindrops a couple of miles away." Ventus agrees, sniffing the air. "No doubt about it, we're getting close."
Nami then nods, seeing that his sense of smell is keen and putting dogs to shame which she's impressed.
Luffy then launches himself with a smile on his landed on the crows nest next to Sanji as he spoke.
"Wow, we're almost there to the Grand Line at last!" Luffy said excitedly as he pats Sanji's back, which the cook is annoyed. "Isn't this exciting?! We're finally going! We did it! We did it!"
"Cut it out!?" Sanji shouts with annoyance when he kicked him in the face with a tick mark on his head.
"Sorry." Luffy apologize as he then pats Zoro's back, leaving him annoyed as well.
'Can this be right? Is the path to the Grand Line really as perilous as its drawn here?' Nami mentally questions while looking over the map.
Few minutes later, the Straw Hat pirates were inside of the room which it's going to be some serious discussion while Usopp is busy steering the ship, but the helm shifted on the left.
"Take a look." Nami told them when she placed the map on the table, earned their attention. "I'm familiar with the rumors and these drawings confirm it. As unimaginable as it may seem, the entrance to the Grand Line is a mountain."
"A mountain?" Luffy repeats, holding a glass on his mouth.
"So what? Do we crash into it?" Zoro asked.
"You've gotta be kidding." Sanji said.
"I didn't believe it, but the maps clear. The mountain appears to be riddled with small canals." Nami explains. "So, we might have to go up and over it."
"Oh, sounds like fun." Luffy said excitedly.
"What are you talking about?" Zoro questions. "Even if there are canals or whatever, a ship can't up a mountain."
"Well the map says otherwise." Nami retorts.
"That's right! If Nami thinks something can be done, then it can! Got that?!" Sanji shouts, supporting Nami.
"Yeah, but remember that map was stolen from Buggy the Clown." Zoro reminds them. "So, can we trust it?"
"In case you haven't notice, the rudder is stuck!" Usopp shouts with a grunt. "A little help would be nice!?"
Usopp then tried to move the helm, but no avail. Ventus then walked over to him and helped him move the helm. As soon as the two are working together tried to move the helm, it still won't even budge an inch.
"Nami! We have a problem!" Ventus shouts, earned their attention. "The helm! It won't budge!"
"This is ridiculous." Nami said with annoyance. "Sanji, would give those two boys a hand? Can't think with all this shouting."
"Right away, Nami." Sanji complies happily as he tried to move the helm with their support. Unfortunately, it still won't move.
"Uh, is this currents seem unusually strong to anyone else?" Usopp asks with a blush.
"Usopp, what did you just say?" Nami asks, making sure that she heard right.
"I ask if any of you notice the insane strength of this current?!" Usopp exclaims.
"The current...That must be!" Nami said, realized.
"What is it?" Luffy asks curiously.
"The canals do go up the mountain." Nami answered, looking at the map.
"Oh come on, how could that possibly work?" Zoro asks with annoyance.
"Look right here." Nami instructed them. "You see, the guiding light was directing us toward this spot on the Red Line. Notice how its labeled here, the Reverse Mountain."
Both Sanji and Ventus went over to their side to listen to their conversation.
"Hello?! A little help over here, thank you!?" Usopp exclaims with his white eyes and shark-like teeth.
"These green lines represent canals or artificial waterways." Nami explains. "If major currents from all four oceans flow towards this mountain, what do think is going to happen? The currents would force water up these canals, collided the top and then flow straight down into the Grand Line. Now reverse mountain is a winter mountain, so it's cold right? That means any surface currents that don't flow up the canal will be force down as they go. Anything riding these currents will be pulled down as well. If we screw up and miss the entrance to the canal, the Going Merry will be carrying straight in the Red Lines rock face and likely be destroyed. Ship and crew will be sucked to the bottom of the sea, understand?"
"Yeah basically, a mystery mountain." Luffy ponder with a smile, chuckled.
"No, that's not my point at all." Nami told him with a sigh. "Anyway, since we're positioned on this current, we shouldn't run into any problems getting to this summit of reverse mountains. Only thing that would hurt us now is that something went wrong with the rudder."
"Nami, you're a genius~!" Sanji compliments, went goo-goo eyes.
"Call me skeptic, but ships do not climb mountains." Zoro told her skeptically.
"I heard of something like that from those pirates I've encountered during my travels." Ventus said, trying to help Usopp with the helm. "They said that the currents at the entrance to the Red Line is so strong that many of them died before they even get their to the Grand Line, but some of them are very lucky. So lucky, they actually climb up to the Red Line."
"Really?!" Luffy chimed with excitement, earned a nod from the young Dragoon as he turn his head to Zoro.
"As for you Zoro, unless if you want to go cross the Calm Belt to get to the Grand Line and eaten by the Sea Kings, be my guest." Ventus told him, leaving Zoro's face paled. "I think there's a dingy around here somewhere on the ship so you can use it to get there. If you can survive from the strong currents, that is!"
"On second thought, I think I'm better off being here." Zoro said, scared of the decisions he gave him. As soon as he answered, rain fell on the ship and its coming in fast.
"Sanji, could you get the sail?" Nami ordered.
"Anything for you, Nami." Sanji complies happily. "Luffy, help me!"
With that being said, both Sanji and Luffy were working on the sail while Ventus and Usopp are doing whatever they can to get the rudder moving. Luffy then saw something at the mountain when the fog clears, widened his eyes as he spoke.
"Hey! I can see the mystery mountain!" Luffy yelled, causing the Straw Hat pirates got to the deck.
"That's insanely huge!?" Usopp exclaims with shock.
"Wow, the entrance to the Grand Line." Nami muttered.
"Oh wow! Awesome! It's bigger than I thought!" Luffy said with his big grin.
"Huh-uh-I-uh-I can't see the top! I-I-I-It's taller than the clouds!?" Usopp exclaims with fearful expression, looking at the entrance of the Red Line.
Usopp is right that the entrance to the Red Line is way taller than those clouds and the currents are really strong, so strong it'll be hard to get to the canals. Until, the Straw Hat pirates got caught in another current, causing them to stumble and Luffy grabbing hold of the sail.
"We're getting sucked in! Hold the rudder steady!" Luffy shouts with an order while holding on the sail.
"WE'RE ON IT!?" Sanji, Ventus, and Usopp shouts in unison, holding the helm.
"Nami!" Luffy shouts her name. "Where's the entrance you're talking about?! If we keep this heading, we're gonna crash into the rocks!?"
Ventus then use his Dragon Sight to search long and hard at the mountain, trying to find the entrance. He spotted a crack of the cliff, assumed that it's the entrance to the Grand Line.
"Nami! I saw a crack in that cliff!" Ventus shouts.
"A crack?" Nami repeats.
"He's right, look." Anna told her, points the crack of the cliff as Nami look at where she's pointing. "It must be the entrance to the Grand Line."
"Nami! Give us the direction!" Usopp shouts.
"Keep heading, straight ahead!" Nami ordered.
"You can't be serious!" Usopp exclaims.
"Trust me!" Nami told him as Luffy landed on the deck next to her.
"Have we made it? Is that the canal entrance?" Luffy asks, holding the straw hat.
"More than likely." Nami answered, leaving Luffy grinned.
"I've gotta be dreaming." Zoro muttered, looking through the binoculars. "That's impossible, the ocean really is flowing up the mountain."
"Not at the Grand Line, but we're seeing something that's unheard of." Anna muttered in awe.
"We have to make our way through those water gates just right!?" Nami ordered. "Or we'll crash into the Red Line and be smashed into pieces!?"
Despite the effort, the pirate ship is drifting to the left side.
"We're drifting off course, gotta go more to the right! Right!" Luffy shouts with an order.
"Hang on, I'm coming!" Ventus shouts, bringing out his lance. He went to the left side of the ship and readied his weapon, channeled his lance with wind magic. "Tornado"
Ventus then use the wind to conjure a tornado, which the plan is working until the they heard a 'CRACK' sound.
"THE RUDDER!" The Straw Hat pirates, except Ventus, screamed in unison with panic.
"Ventus, can't you make it stronger?!" Nami shouts with a question.
"I'm trying, but I'm getting exhausted!" Ventus told her. "Even when I keep generating the twister, my magic is draining!"
"What do you mean by 'magic draining?" Nami asks.
"Exactly as Ventus said!" Anna cuts in. "He's good with magic and combat, but he's still has a long way to master his talents and magic!"
"So then..."
"He's getting tired and used up too much wind magic!" Anna finished her sentence.
"That can't be!" Nami screamed with panic.
"Gum-Gum: Balloon" Luffy tossed his straw hat to Zoro as he jumped off the ship to inflate his body and changing its course.
"Luffy!" Zoro shouts as he rush towards the wooden rail, extending his hand. "Grab a hold!"
With that, Luffy stretched out of his hand to grab his arm and launched himself back on the ship. The Straw hat pirates have made it to the entrance the Red Line without missing Luffy.
"WE MADE IT!" Sanji and Usopp shouts with a cheer.
"Now it's just a straight shot to the summit!" Nami shouts with a smile.
"I want to see! Hold on! I'm coming!" Luffy muffled as he got his head out of the deck, rushing with the others. "What I miss?! Wait for me!"
The Straw Hat pirates are looking at the view with their smiles on their faces, couldn't wait to see what lies ahead for them. However, the atmosphere was short-lived when they saw a certain familiar man on the wooden rail.
"Curse you damn pirates!?" Eric shouts with anger.
"He's back." Nami said with shock.
"It's this 'Sicko' guy." Luffy added.
"Damn it." Sanji cursed.
"I thought Anna finished him off." Zoro said.
"So did I." Nami added.
"Shut up!" Eric shouts. "I despise the entire lot of you! Thanks to your meddling, I have no chance of obtaining Dragonite! That alone seals you-"
Ventus have heard enough when he partially transform into a dragon, biting his neck as the mercenary scream in agony when blood is spraying like a geyser. He then tears off the head and the body is fallen off the ship. He then spit the head down at sea while transforming back into his human self.
"The only thing you'll be obtaining, is Hell." Ventus growled with a snarl, spitting the blood out of his mouth. "No one hurts my family and gets away with it."
The Straw Hat pirates couldn't believe what they just heard, he called his crew his family.
"Wait, did you say family?" Nami asks, wanted to confirm it which the young Dragoon give her a nod. "Ventus..."
"I don't want to end up the same mistake as I once did lone ago. Even though we've only met a while ago and...I considered you guys not only my friends, but my family." Ventus told them. "I know it's hard for me to explain, but..."
"Well, we're still your friend." Luffy interrupts, earned his attention. "And you're also part of my crew. We know you missed your parents, but they don't want you to be sad and they wanted you to be happy for your choice."
"He's right. I know your parents for a long time and I'm sure your parents would be proud of you." Anna added with a smile.
Ventus then starting to shed in tears as Anna embraced the young Dragoon.
"Ventus, it won't change the fact that we're friends and our crewmate." Usopp said with a smile. "You were able to save us a lot of trouble for...well, killing that guy and with the current so strong, it won't matter anyway."
"It maybe overkill, but we appreciate it though." Sanji added with a grin.
Ventus then give him a nod with a smile, seeing that his crew are not only his friends, but he considered them as family.
"Whoa! Look how high we are! We're in the clouds!" Luffy shouts excitedly as the Straw Hat pirates have gotten to the top of the reverse mountain. "This is insane! We're not in the clouds, we're above them!"
As soon as the Straw Hat pirates are getting close to the top, they quickly notice that some of the sea were spouting all over the mountain peak from the different sides.
"It's amazing! We've done it! We've reached the summit!" Nami shouts with a smile.
When they get closer to the summit, they notice the sea water were quickly turned into ice and then, they were flying in on the mountain peak of the summit. They then descends down to the sea that flows down to the Grand Line as they sail down.
'To be the world's best swordsman.'
'To find the All Blue.'
'To draw a map of the entire world.'
'To bring justice for my parents.'
'To bring peace for Ishgard and Dravania.'
'To become a brave warrior of the sea.'
Luffy then look at the view of the Grand Line as he spoke.
"I can see it! This is the greatest sea of the whole world! The Grand Line!" Luffy shouts with smile. "Somewhere out there, the One Piece is waiting and we're gonna find it! Let's go!"
TO BE CONTINUED!
That's it for the 44th chapter and the first volume of 'Straw Hats Dragoon'.
Thank you guys for reading the first volume of the story. I'll be working on the second volume of 'Straw Hat's Dragoon', it'll be in Alabasta Arc.
See you guys in the sequel. Later, taters!