Hi guys Azza here!
Sorry for a lateish upload but I've been flat out at work and haven't had much time to write but boy this ended up being quite an interesting chapter for me to write so I hope you guys enjoy it!
Also keep in mind I may take a bit to upload the next chapter for the same reason so if I don't upload for more than a week that's why.
Anyway onto the reviews.
Shadow465 – I'll PM you once I've uploaded this regarding your question.
Emerald Rose nee Potter – Nice to see you finally caught up haha! I'm gonna try and answer your questions from where I think they start so firstly the Foreigner Class is a legit class in Fate/Grand Order, the stories at the end are more expansions to the story that could probably warrant their own fic but for now I put them into this story just as an added bonus for everyone.
Some do hint at future content such as the ending of Aizen and Salem's journey where baby Harry absorbed some of Aizen's Shinigami power mixed with Devil's Aura but not all will be like that.
And yeah Deltora is from a series called Deltora Quest by Emily Rodda it has heaps of books as well as an anime adaptation if your interested in that. The scenario you mentioned reminds me of the book City Of The Rats and the Rithmere Games though I could be wrong on that one.
If you have any more questions or ones I didn't answer feel free to ask them!
Dragonborn2704 – I'm not too familiar with the Percy Jackson series I never really got around to reading the books or watching the movies but I'll see if I can get around to it to include him.
Anyway on with the story!
I do not own Fairy Tail, One Piece or the Nasuverse.
The Darkness Of Water Seven
/Natsu's POV/
"The kids said this guy comes at night to get them didn't they?"
"They did say that however keep in mind that it has only just gone dark, people would likely still be heading home at this hour so the target would likely not strike until the coast is well and truly clear."
"So we could be stuck here until who knows when," Natsu sighed as he adopted a more relaxed sitting position. "Guess I'd better make myself comfortable."
As Natsu assumed his new position Ahnkseram manifested opposite him taking a seat in the opposite wall groove seemingly still in awe that he was now able to perform such an action.
"You look troubled?"
"I'm trying to figure out why an Evil Of Humanity would want to help it, doesn't that seem even slightly suspicious to you?"
I'll admit I did have my doubts when it came to all this but then I thought about it and decided that Beast III/R must have some kind of personal connection to you in the future, perhaps that connection is what allowed Beast III/R to make such a decision in order to gain your favour … or affection?"
"But she was being nice to the orphans here, Beast of Pleasure she may be but that doesn't mean her inherit disgust for humanity would be put aside would it?"
"I have no doubt that should any adult human have come here they would have been devoured but perhaps there is a certain purity to children that staves off the Beasts, a certain type of protection granted to them which is designed to allow them to evolve beyond the concepts the Beasts embody and despise?"
"So like a grace period? They grow up and are sculpted a certain way which in turn pushes back the Beasts?"
"This is only a theory," Ahnkseram replied before snapping his neck to the right, looking down upon the entrance to the abandoned building. "Heads up Natsu."
Both stood up with Ahnkseram lazily jumping off of their hiding spot and vanished from view leaving Natsu to silently observe the newcomer with his glowing Hybrid's eyes. The figure was indeed clad in an all white suit and wore a strange mask; clearly this was the man the orphans spoke of.
Taking a step Natsu appeared behind the man who ceased moving instead choosing to remain in one spot, fingers twitching slightly as he began to speak.
"You made a mistake confronting me stranger."
"I could say the same to you, I don't take kindly to kidnappers," Natsu replied as the man turned around to face him.
"You are aware of my movements I see, not that it matters any because you won't live long enough to tell anyone about them."
The two stared at each other some more before Natsu suddenly found himself instinctually dodging the index finger of the man clad in white which sent a shockwave into the building behind him causing it to collapse in on itself.
'This guy has surprising speed and strength for a mortal …'
Spinning around Natsu kicked the man in the side, though it was blocked by his right forearm, and he was sent skidding backward for several metres before doing a flip and landing on the ground creating two large craters beneath his feet.
"Interesting, you are not like the others who reside here," the man said as he clenched his fists. "I had to actually try to block that attack."
"And you aren't normal either, a kick of that strength should have broken your arm."
"Perhaps any untrained fool would have suffered an injury however I am not so easily trounced," the man replied. "However it is also clear you have no idea who I am so I shall give you this one chance to surrender."
Taking off his mask revealed a medium length shaggy black haired man with a large claw like gash taken out of the side of his face. The man had eyes faintly glowing Galaxy Blue which unnerved Natsu slightly.
Right Hand Of The Celestial Dragons
Cipher Pol Aegis Zer0
Agent Maddox
"Cipher Pol," Natsu asked in confusion prompting the man to sigh and shake his head.
"You really don't know anything do you? Cipher Pol are the special agents of the World Government numbering from Cipher Pol Aegis One to Aegis Nine with Nine being the strongest known branch however the Celestial Dragons and the Gorosei command an even higher form known as Cipher Pol Aegis Zer0."
"So you're a super secret special agent, big deal," Natsu scoffed in response.
"I don't think you fully comprehend the situation you're dealing with here," Maddox growled as Natsu felt a sudden surge of power from the man as his muscles began to expand altering his slim build into one similar to his own.
"A Devil Fruit then?"
"Got it in one," Maddox snarled as his body stopped expanding just as cracks began to appear in the ground beneath his feet. "I ate the Muscle Muscle Fruit making me a muscle human, combined with my perfected Six Powers I'm nigh unstoppable!"
"Six Powers?"
"Tch, are you some kind of idiot? You know what instead of telling you what they are how about I just show you … Muscle Muscle: Soru Hammer!"
Natsu found himself blocking a punch from Maddox however the amount of strength behind it was significantly greater than he'd predicted as he found himself being sent crashing through at least ten walls before rolling out onto a rooftop in a nearby district.
"What the hell-!"
"Muscle Muscle: Shigan Cannon!"
Throwing himself off of the building Natsu was shocked to see the entire thing obliterated with nothing more than a finger flick, unable to comprehend a human performing such a feat.
"You seem confused," Maddox replied landing atop the ruined building, crushing the hand of a dead civilian who happened to be inside it at the time. "The powers of the Rokushiki, the Six Powers Techniques, grant the users the ability to perform superhuman feats however thanks to my Muscle Muscle Fruit my attacks when using the more offensive Powers are amplified greatly!"
"You do realize you just killed a whole bunch of innocent civilians right?"
"They die in the name of Absolute Justice," Maddox replied firmly as Natsu rose to his feet.
"You World Government dogs truly are trash … that person didn't deserve to die, none of them did!"
"Who are you to dictate what is and isn't Justice, you aren't anything more than a criminal yourself!"
"Define criminal for me then because the only one I've seen performing what constitutes as crimes are the World Government for the most part," Natsu retorted before narrowly dodging a punch from Maddox who vanished and appeared in front of him using one of the Six Powers.
"Enough of these games," Maddox spat as he began firing off several powerful shockwaves from his fingers before surprisingly taking flight by continuously jumping in midair.
"That's an interesting ability, kicking the air so hard it emulates steps."
"This is no time to be impressed Ahnk this guy could cause some major damage!"
"Then stop screwing around and destroy him already," Ahnkseram sighed. "You know you can easily do it."
"Causing major damage to the entire area in the process!"
"And?"
"Though I may not like it those kids have built themselves homes in this area and I won't be the one to destroy them!"
"Seems like this guy is doing a good enough job of it himself."
Blinking in confusion Natsu flew up into the air and sure enough with each and every step Maddox took in the air it sent large cylindrical shockwaves down into the buildings below.
"Son of a-!"
"You can fly!"
Spinning around Natsu delivered a swift kick to the side of Maddox who rearranged his muscles to block the impact though he was still knocked into the side of a large metallic chimney, the force behind Maddox and his subsequent impact knocking the first chimney into the one next to it as the agent tore himself free.
"Such raw strength!"
"Since its clear you plan on trashing the place regardless then I don't have to feel guilty about doing this …"
Vanishing from view Natsu warped behind Maddox, leg already raised high above his head as he struck the agent on the top of the skull knocking him straight down into the ground below. Warping again he appeared several metres above Maddox with his missing leg morphed into a sharp blade, the leg positioned high above his head primed for a critical strike.
"Do you really think I'll make it that easy for you, Muscle Muscle: Tekkai!"
Natsu's attack connected with Maddox's neck however to his shock the sharp blade like protrusion snapped, unable to cut through the man's skin.
"Confused," Maddox asked as he grabbed onto the stump that was Natsu's leg and slammed him through the ground. "The power of Tekkai focuses on condensing one's muscles to nullify damage however when combined with my Devil Fruit it can be condensed to such a degree that my body could block the force of a hundred Shigan Cannons!"
"Yeah … good for you," Natsu grunted as he pulled himself out of the hole he'd been forcible sent into. "But if you think that's gonna be enough to stop me from finding out what I want to know then you're about to learn a thing or two about just how big this world truly is."
"A pathetic criminal like you wouldn't know anything about the real world," Maddox snapped back as he clenched his right fist, his arm expanding several times over before he charged toward Natsu. "I don't know who you are but I'm ending you here and now!"
Easily avoiding the punch it struck the building behind him blowing it apart and firing a powerful shockwave that tore through several others in the area. Vanishing from sight Natsu appeared behind Maddox and landed a punch to the back of his neck only for his hand to explode into a bloody paste.
"This Tekkai Technique is actually rather annoying …"
"When in doubt-."
"-get flashy, yes I know."
Ducking to avoid a punch Natsu brought both his hands together and clapped setting off a large explosion right in Maddox's face. The attack itself didn't injure the man however it did serve its purpose of getting Natsu away from him to prepare his next attack as he reappeared atop the tallest chimney in the area.
"You said you wanted to end this Mister super secret special agent, let's end it then …"
Holding his right hand out at a forty-five degree angle it exploded into pitch black flame as Maddox's body began to rapidly expand rendering him larger than any normal human.
"I'll give you credit where it's due, a Devil Fruit based on the Muscles themselves wasn't something I'd expected to face but everything has its weakness. It's true that when you use Tekkai your body can deflect powerful attacks however you've forgotten one critical point."
"And what would that be!?"
"The human body is a fragile form and is riddled with imperfection; to place blind faith into it when it is still flesh and blood will lead you down the path of ruin. Sure you can block over one hundred Shigan Cannons however that implies that there is a limit beyond with which your enemies can take advantage, a limit that this right here should be able to pierce."
"Y-you wouldn't know anything about such a powerful style criminal scum," Maddox replied shakily as he vanished from view, explosions all around Natsu indicating that he was dashing around the area using the walls and ground as his own personal jumping pads. "Prepare to face Justice, Muscle Muscle: Shigan Compact Buster!"
"Hybrid's Aura: Fire Dragon Monarch's Piercing Claw!"
Spinning around faster than the eye could see Natsu plunged his attack into Maddox's chest, a sadistic smirk on his face as the man's body seemed to deflate like a balloon. Blood began to pour from Maddox's mouth as he weakly grabbed onto Natsu to try and shake him off.
"Ah ah, one wrong move and the tip of my Piercing Claw will plunge right into that pathetic little heart of yours …"
"What … are you!"
"Someone far beyond you, beyond the filth you serve," Natsu replied as he used his free hand to hold Maddox's head in place. "Now to find out everything you've been hiding …"
In the real world the exchange took but an instant however in Maddox's mind Natsu was given flashes of the man's memories as he gouged a path through them. The deeper he dug the more disgusted he became as he watched Maddox perform unspeakable crimes for the World Government and the Celestial Dragons in the name of Justice.
Eventually he came across the memories he was searching for as he watched Maddox kidnap the first set of children taking them back to a place called Enies Lobby before taking them through a set of massive gates known as the Gates Of Justice. From there they were taken to a place called Mariejois where they are then handed over to be … put into service.
His hand slowly withdrew from Maddox's chest as he let the now terrified man drop to the ground clutching his wound, his eyes shadowed by his bangs with only the Crimson Red and Galaxy Blue light peeking through as he glared down at the man.
"You took them to Mariejois, to a life of slavery under the Celestial Dragons."
His words weren't a question and Maddox knew it if the pressure bearing down upon him was any indication, he knew that Natsu was furious at what he'd seen inside his mind however he wouldn't let the man gain any more classified information from him.
Before Maddox could even comprehend moving he received a brutal blow to the throat as his body smashed through several floors until it finally came to rest in a dusty and abandoned room that didn't look like it'd seen any visitors in decades.
Attempting to try and move he found the pressure of a boot on his neck, his airways being forcibly cut off, as a low growling sound prompted him to open his eyes only to wish he hadn't.
Steam was rising off of Natsu's form, razor sharp teeth presented in the form of a snarl as Natsu used every last ounce of willpower to hold himself back.
"I have the perfect punishment for filth like you."
"Wh-what the fuck was that-!"
The last thing Maddox saw before his vision momentarily vanished was Natsu placing a hand on the katana at his side, flicking it out of its sheath before suddenly feeling a pain unlike any he'd ever felt before, thus causing his vision to distort momentarily as he cried out in pain.
As his vision began to return he realized something had been done to him and sure enough as he looked to his right he saw his arm had been cleanly severed. Moving his left arm to try and stem the bleeding revealed that it had also been severed prompting him to try and use his legs to crawl backward.
Until he realized those had also been severed.
"WHAT THE FUCK HAVE YOU DONE TO ME!"
"Yours won't be an easy death nor will it be the most easy thing on the conscience however I believe in time I will come to approve of what I'm about to do."
Maddox felt himself be kicked in the side and suddenly he was back where the orphans lived, their shocked faces looking between his disfigured form and Natsu's own. Maddox couldn't help but be confused and it appeared he wasn't alone as many of the orphans began to voice their confusion.
"This is the man that was taking you all away," Natsu replied as all eyes turned toward Maddox with a mixture of anger and shock. "However had he simply been taking you away to some orphanage I would not have brought him here however you all deserve to know the fate this man had in store for you."
All the orphans froze as the images of the kidnapped children entered their minds, their new fates as they were branded with the mark of the Celestials before being reconditioned into mindless machines to serve their every whim.
"Do you see what this man has done, what he will continue to do?"
"W-was all that real?"
"Were those kids really …"
"Yes," Natsu replied softly as he turned to face the orphans with a stern gaze. "This man kidnapped your friends and condemned them to a life of slavery under the Celestial Dragons believing it to be another step on the path of Justice."
"B-but what can we do?"
"There's only one thing you kids can do if you want to make sure this fate never befalls you or any of the other poor souls that fall into your little family."
"And what's that," one of the orphans asked before a loud clanging sound prompted many of them to jump back in shock as dozens of blades began to fall from thin air around Natsu.
"There's only one thing you kids can do if you want to survive in this world, show the world that you all have fangs of your own."
The room was dead silent for several moments as many of the kids looked at Natsu like he was joking before quickly coming to the realization that he wasn't. Looking into his eyes they saw a look of understanding as if he had once made the same choice somewhere down the line though beyond that they couldn't really understand it.
Slowly but surely some of the older orphans who were in their early to mid teens stepped up and grabbed some of the blades Natsu had dropped at his feet before looking over to the horrified Maddox who was unable to move.
"Y-you can't teach these kids to do this, you're a monster!"
"Can't I? It's because scum like you come after them that they need to face such harsh realities this early on and besides you would force them into a life of slavery so what difference does the execution of sub human trash make?"
"You won't get away with this; the World Government will come looking for me!"
"No they won't," Natsu replied shaking his head. "I'm gonna make sure they know exactly what happened to you, without the children involved of course."
"You've got no idea what you're doing; the forces you'll get on your ass will destroy you!"
"Let them try," Natsu replied monotonously as he drew the War Titan's Sword once more and lowered it to gently tap against Maddox's neck. "For they shall receive a fate far worse than yours if they try."
Maddox felt a blade pierce his side as one of the older orphans stabbed him in the ribs on his right side. His eyes darted around the room as he noticed all the orphans including those as young as seven looking at him in a way no child should be capable of as they began picking up the knives on the ground.
"I leave his punishment up to you but always remember what he took from you," Natsu said as he began walking toward the exit. "Grow stronger from this, become more than you ever possibly dreamed."
"Are you sure this is the right thing to do Natsu, forcing these kids to kill someone?"
"They have nothing, are nothing, however this lesson will teach them a valuable life lesson and in time they will grow stronger from it. They are orphans that even this city ignores, in time they will eventually face another like Maddox and they need to be prepared to do whatever it takes to survive."
"I suppose …"
"Enough about this I want to go and check out that place Maddox landed," Natsu snapped just as Maddox's screams began. "I think I saw a few things in there worth checking out."
"Aren't you going to reign in the Devil's Aura you released in the air around here to get those kids so revved up?"
"It will dissipate in time," Natsu replied dismissively. "And if not I have to return for the bastard either way so I'll absorb it later."
Ahnkseram merely hummed in agreement as Natsu vanished leaving Maddox to his fate, a fate that was fitting for a man who would kidnap children and condemn them to the worst form of slavery under the Celestial Dragons.
Death at the hands of the very children he'd targeted.
/Luffy's POV/
"So you came."
"Yeah."
"Are you sure you really want to do this Usopp?"
"I have to," Usopp replied through grit teeth. "Someone has to stick up for the Merry Luffy, you might have abandoned her but I won't!"
"Usopp it isn't like that-."
"Just save it," Usopp snapped as he grit his teeth. "I'm not gonna back down on this!"
"I thought you wouldn't," Luffy sighed. "For what it's worth Usopp I'm sorry for what I'm about to do …"
Luffy dashed toward Usopp who had already seemingly prepared a shot for his slingshot however to his shock Luffy easily dodged the attack and punched him in the face sending him sprawling to the ground kicking up dust.
"If you really want to do this Usopp then I'm not gonna hold back."
Usopp was struggling to rise to his feet, the punch from Luffy clearly had power behind it and it showed as blood began to escape from his mouth.
"You aren't weak Usopp despite what you might think but you aren't ready to fight someone like me."
"To hell with you," Usopp growled as he quickly spun around and fired an attack. "Usopp Special Attack-!"
He didn't even have a chance to attack as Luffy struck him again sending the sniper sprawling to the floor once more, his slingshot sent flying off into the distance in a similar manner to when it was torn from his grasp in Franky's House.
"Stand down."
"NO!"
"You can't win Usopp, not only are you weaker than me but you're heavily injured so the chances of you winning are next to none."
"STOP LOOKING DOWN ON ME!"
"Like I said Usopp I'm sorry for what I'm about to do," Luffy sighed as he clenched his right fist before striking the injured sniper in the face knocking him out with ease as the rest of the crew members present watched on with mixed reactions.
After the initial shock died down Chopper sprinted out to heal Usopp leaving Luffy to look down at his unconscious form, a grim look evident on his features.
"When he wakes up Chopper tell him he can have the Merry anyway even though he lost."
"Did you really have to hurt him like that Luffy?"
"He challenged me to a fight Chopper remember? When a man puts everything on the line for what he believes in you don't spit in his face, to deny Usopp the chance to fight for the Merry or to hold back against him would only further solidify his belief that he was weak and useless."
"B-but I don't get it I mean wouldn't Usopp only feel worse being beaten by you with no effort at all?"
"It's the opposite," Sanji said as the rest of the crew arrived on the scene. "Sure he might feel sore about losing like that but instead of moping around about it he'll look back on things and grow stronger."
"Luffy showed him the gap between their strength yet he also showed him that although Usopp was far weaker than him his concerns were important enough to get Luffy to act seriously," Zoro continued as all eyes turned to Usopp's unconscious form. "He might never rejoin the crew but he'll definitely take a few lessons from this loss and become stronger."
"So Usopp isn't gonna get depressed from this?"
"If he's half the man he claims he wants to be one day this won't be enough to stop him," Sanji said as he lit a cigarette. "If he truly does want to become a brave warrior of the sea then he'll get what he needs from this."
"So don't baby him when he regains consciousness Chopper," Zoro said as everyone began walking toward the city. "Just pass on Luffy's message and come find us."
And with that everyone save for Chopper left the unconscious Usopp in the dirt after one of the shortest yet most meaningful fights of Luffy's Pirate career.
/Elsewhere In Water Seven/
"Mayor Iceburg I'm heading home now."
"Is that so, goodnight Kalifa I'll be sure to lock up on my way out."
"Of course," Kalifa replied as she closed the door to Iceburg's office leaving the man alone to his thoughts as he turned to face the dimly lit city.
'Another day down, how many more before things finally return to the way they used to be I wonder?'
Opening a draw at his desk Iceburg pulled out a tumbler glass and filled it full of whiskey before downing the entire lot in one go without so much as a grimace. Sighing he raised the glass to the window and shook his head.
"To you Tom …"
Iceburg's sad gaze morphed into one of anger as he threw the glass at the nearby wall, the shattering going unheard due to the lack of workers in the building as Iceburg slowly rose from his seat.
"It's been so long since you were here Tom, so long since things felt right in Water Seven. Tomorrow is the Aqua Laguna and yet I can't find the strength to care, every day feels like another pointless struggle to remain free …"
"Then allow us to fix that for you Mayor Iceburg."
Spinning around Iceburg didn't even register the newcomer before collapsing to the floor as a lone gunshot rang out, the bullet striking him straight in the chest. Struggling to look up Iceburg's eyes widened in surprise as four masked figures stood over him as well as a familiar woman.
"Y-you!"
"Me," the woman replied as she pointed the gun at Iceburg and shot him several more times with the Mayor soon blacking out from the pain.
"Let's go," one of the masked figures said as three vanished leaving one alone with the woman who looked down at Iceburg's wounded form with a hard gaze. "Come."
"Understood," the woman said through grit teeth as the man placed a hand on her shoulder before both vanished just as the door to the office burst open as a janitor found Iceburg's unconscious form.
/Natsu's POV/
"Did you find anything interesting Ahnk," Natsu asked as Ahnkseram shimmered into existence sitting atop a dusty bench.
"Secret compartments all over the damn place, most filled with cash and worthless trinkets though there is one room you might find interesting."
"Room?"
"Follow me," Ahnkseram said as he shimmered and warped over to a nearby wall. "Tap the wall here."
Doing as Ahnkseram instructed Natsu gently tapped the wall and sure enough a faint clicking sound could be heard before the wall slid backward revealing a hidden section of the abandoned bar.
The moment the door slid downward Natsu could sense why Ahnkseram thought he'd find it interesting as the faint presence of Devil's Aura coated the room indicating that it had been used here at some point in the past with it centralized on a bookshelf at the far end of the room.
"I hope you don't need me to point out which book is the correct one?"
"Shut up Ahnk."
"How rude," the first Hybrid replied as he floated over to the bookshelf and took a seat atop its dusty surface. "All my hard work and you tell me to shut up?"
Ignoring him Natsu walked over to the bookshelf and withdrew the book that was emitting the faint Aura and was surprised at the rough writing etched onto its surface.
Captain's Log – Year ####
"Is this-?"
"I think it is but you'd have to read it to find out," Ahnkseram replied as Natsu walked over to a nearby stool and sat down, turning to the first page eagerly.
1st Of #### Break
I've got a good feeling about this one, Rayleigh is confident about it too so we're gonna give it a shot. After weeks not finding a single scrap of info about treasure this woman told us about a vault hidden away on an island out in the Grand Line!
The weather in the Grand Line is crazy, the second half can be sunny one minute and stormy the next I mean hell once it actually rained cats and dogs if you could believe it! But weather aside some of the crew are a little worried about the ship and think she won't make it but I swear she'll get us to this vault and back, Captain's honour!
"No names I know of mentioned yet," Natsu said with a frown. "Just talk of some vault."
"Skip a few pages; the first few aren't usually that important anyway."
Following Ahnkseram's advice Natsu flipped through over twenty pages and began to read again.
1stOf #### Dawn
We're almost out of supplies; Bolton and Clarke went to find food and haven't come back. Douglass says if it hits nightfall they're goners but I'm not gonna lose faith just yet.
We arrived at the island the woman mentioned and almost right away things went up shit creek as our ship got struck by a stray bolt of lightning though Crocus swears by his Mother it came from the mountain itself. Some might think the guy's crazy but Rayleigh and I know better.
We moved inland and almost straight away we lost Thorne, Terrance and Higgs to these crazy statues, boy were those things crazy strong! If Rayleigh and I didn't know how to use Haki we'd have been goners ages ago since we were the only two who seemed to be able to destroy those things, but why is that when Douglass can use Haki too?
After we get set up I'm gonna talk to Rayleigh and Douglass about it and try to figure out what the hell we've walked into.
"Crazy statues …"
"Ring any bells?"
"A few but-no they couldn't be what I'm thinking," Natsu replied with a shake of his head as he turned a few pages and continued reading.
9th Of #### Dawn
That fucking bitch tricked us! Days of fighting and dying to reach the entrance to this vault only to find out that what lay within it wasn't any kind of treasure, no the damn vault was a prison!
The moment that thing got out half the crew were killed now it's just me, Rayleigh, Douglass, Shanks, Crocus, Buggy, Oden, Cat Viper and Dogstorm. If anyone else is alive right now I pray that thing doesn't get a hold of them.
We've all agreed to try and get the hell off of this island before that thing kills us and if we do we're going back to teach that woman a lesson she'll never forget!
No one messes with the Roger Pirates!
"And there's the name drop."
"What do you think the thing Roger is talking about is?"
"Probably some wild beast that lives in the second half of the Grand Line that was sealed away a long time ago."
"It definitely does sound like that doesn't it."
Nodding in agreement Natsu skipped several more pages until he reached what was essentially the end of the journal so he began from the third last page.
27th Of #### Dawn
I don't really know where to begin with all this and to be quite honest I don't think I ever will. We reached the beach only to find our ship torn in half by the monster and although that should have been the worst of it there was someone standing next to its remains.
I still remember those glowing red eyes, the eyes that I sometimes saw in myself whenever I finished going through a really tough fight or if I get really mad, he had the same eyes and now I know why!
He called himself Rodin and apparently he's some kind of liaison for people like me though he said he sometimes forgets we're out there and naps instead. Apparently there are others like me who get the strange glowing eyes and the powerful surges in strength and he said I was destined for greatness.
Obviously to begin with I didn't believe a word of his shit until he showed me some of what it could do, Devil's Aura. The guy literally opened up a portal to my hometown and it actually worked, legit teleportation without the use of a Devil Fruit!
I asked the guy how I could learn to control my powers and he said there are others like me who are also learning how to use them and I'd fit in well in some place called Tartaros though he also said I had plenty to do here.
After some back and forth our conversation soon turned to the thing released from the vault and boy do I wanna kill that woman more than ever though that'll have to wait assuming any of us survive this shit!
Rodin said he's coming back tomorrow and he'll have something that will help me drive that thing back into the vault it came from.
"Rodin helps introduce new Devils to the higher realms? Why didn't he ever appear before me?"
"Your situation was unique remember, Achnologia and me running around and all that."
"Oh yeah …"
28th Of #### Dawn
So I can use it now, this Devil's Aura stuff, at least properly. Rodin came by and placed a hand on my shoulder and suddenly it was as if the entire world was clearer. My Observation Haki, Armament Haki and Conquerors Haki drastically increased to levels I never thought possible too.
We talked a bit more about the woman who tricked us into coming here and as it turns out she's a God, God Of Chaos to be more precise Supposedly she's meant to go around and perform her namesake though it appears she's done some questionable stuff lately, something about a force outside anyone's comprehension or something.
Anyway he told me a bit more about the thing we're about to try and fight, the thing that destroyed our ship, killed most of our crew and left us stranded here. Apparently this thing is a Super Weapon created during a war between the Gods, Devils and a race called the Titans.
Apparently this thing was made by the Titans to combat Aura users but if that is the case then why are we even trying to fight it? Apparently Rodin is gonna stay and help us fight the thing but I still don't understand everything yet.
If we survive this I'm gonna find some answers …
"A Titan Super Weapon," Ahnkseram hummed in thought. "Yes I suppose there would be quite a few of those floating around wouldn't there."
"Do you have any idea what this one is?"
"Not a clue."
Sighing and shaking his head Natsu turned to the final page and began to read.
31st Of #### Dawn
We're in Water Seven now to get a new ship, Rodin assured me that this place was the best and boy was he right!
I made a new friend today, a puffer fish Fishman by the name of Tom. The guy is a master at building ships and he was more than happy to help us out over a drink, a shame he didn't want to join my crew I think he would've fit in perfectly.
Apparently he's building it out of something called Adam Wood, the strongest yet also rarest material available in this world or so he says. Anyway those of us who survived are trying to think of a name for the new ship though it's not going too well, Buggy wanted to call it Big Top Battleship can you believe that?
I have a few ideas myself but I want to see what the others come up with before any decisions are made, after the mess it took to seal that Titan weapon away those of us who survived all deserve a fair say in things going forward.
Speaking of sealing that thing though we forced it back through the gate it came through and then Rodin used this key to lock it up, said the idea came from another world or something though honestly at this point I couldn't care less.
One key is with me and if I die Rayleigh get it. One key I handed to Newgate who was more than happy to take care of it once I told him about what happened, a real good guy that Newgate. The final key fragment though got stolen by Shiki of all people, bastard was apparently here in Water Seven when I met up with Whitebeard and snatched it while the two of us got drunk thinking it was the full key!
Newgate went on ahead to try and track the bastard down and we'll be doing the same once the ship is built and Tom says it's seaworthy. Hopefully Newgate catches that idiot before he does anything reckless with it otherwise it's all our heads.
After we sort out the key business though Rayleigh and I have decided to go to Elbaf for a bit and check out the Land of Giants, they say the strongest Pirate crew to ever live came from Elbaf so it'll be interesting to see how strong the giants living there are.
Maybe after we can visit Wano again since Oden is feeling restless, maybe its got something to do with h-
"The writing suddenly stops," Natsu sighed as he slowly closed the journal. "Why would Roger leave something like this here?"
"Well this place was built over at some point so if we hadn't come crashing through here the place would've eventually been lost to time," Ahnkseram replied as he floated over to Natsu's position. "I am worried about this vault that holds some powerful weapon from the Titan Wars and the key fragments being out there."
"Let me guess you want me to find them all?"
"We were able to stand up to Shiro so surely we could defeat whatever lies within that vault couldn't we?"
Just as Natsu was about to respond a loud alarm interrupted him prompting both to look up at the small hole in the roof.
"Wonder what that's all about?"
"Who cares, keep searching this place for anything else of value," Ahnkseram replied dismissively. "Probably just some Pirates getting up to no good or something."
"Yeah I guess so," Natsu replied as the pair continued to search unaware of the attempted assassination of Iceburg that had occurred minutes earlier.
Tales From The Tale Verse
Ainz Ooal Gown And The Great Assistant Debacle IV
The Great Overlord Ainz
/Ainz's POV/
"It was right around here," Ainz murmured as his feet touched down in the ruined city he first appeared in upon YGGDRASIL's supposed reset.
The place was still as infested with undead as ever with zombies, skeletons and other abominations roaming about though they dared not attack him due to his own skeletal appearance and status as the Overlord.
Walking through the ruined city memories flashed through his mind of a time before he was the Overlord Ainz instead being nothing more than the ordinary human Suzuki Satoru, a sad man who barely got by on his meagre salary instead choosing to spend large amounts of time within the game world YGGDRASIL where his problems ceased to exist.
"Inveria … how many years has it been since I set foot in this place?"
Pausing in his steps Ainz looked down at the ground, more specifically at a charred circle that appeared out of place compared to the rest of the area. Indeed this was the point Ainz arrived into this new world, alone, confused and inwardly frightened at what had occurred.
This was the place Suzuki Satoru, pathetic human living in a toxic world, ceased to truly exist or so he had thought. Every now and then as time went on the odd thought would always strike him about his former life, his former self and it would send him on a downward spiral that forced him from the public eye for weeks as his Overlord half battled with his humanity for control over his emotions.
Again he found himself wondering about the fate of Suzuki Satoru, of his former self, and the fate of those he once called comrade during the days he and his friends adventured through YGGDRASIL.
Of course he knew he could simply open a portal to the location of his former house however he could never bring himself to do it. To gaze upon his human form, assuming it even existed or still lived, would be disconcerting to say the least however it would also finally give him closure to a question he'd wondered about for over a millennium.
Did Suzuki Satoru die that day?
Looking down at the charred piece of earth Ainz found himself struggling to make a decision. Watching Albedo and Shalltear fight over him reminded him of the old days where his Guild would compete over trivial matters such as loot or certain roles within its ranks, memories that were slowly beginning to fade away and find themselves replaced with nothing more than Momonga, Lord Ainz, the Overlord of the Great Tomb of Nazerick.
"Perhaps … perhaps it is finally time," Ainz murmured to himself as he ran a bony finger across the charred earth. "Yes, today is the day I see it with my own eyes."
Extending his other hand a Crimson Red portal opened signalling that his former world truly did exist and with it the apprehension returned once more as the thought of discovering the truth struck him like a tidal wave once more.
"No … no I must settle this once and for all!"
Rising to his full height, eyes flashing as a greenish light emanated from his body for a moment Ainz marched through the portal, quickly closing it behind him before he could reconsider it as he arrived in what was undoubtedly his bedroom.
Several inches of thick dust coated everything within the room indicating that it had not been disturbed in years. All his possessions remained exactly where he'd left them before hopping into the game right down to a bowl which lay next to his bed.
Slowly Ainz inched toward the door to the living room, toward the room his human self should theoretically reside and after several moments to steel himself he opened it.
There was the pod, curse the universe for having it face the opposite way to his door as he walked into the living room. His eyes moved toward the window, his entire body almost collapsing in shock when he saw what lay beyond, or lack thereof.
Beyond the window was nothing, not in the sense that literally nothing existed but nothing in the sense that one couldn't see anything through the toxic green haze that seemed to permeate through the air. It was then that Ainz realized even the apartment was full of a thinner form of the green haze making him quickly realize what had occurred.
Turning around to face the pod that held his body Ainz fell backward with his body roughly propping itself up on the wall behind him as he stared at his human body, or what remained of it.
Looking back at him was a skeleton, an old one if the colouration of the bones and lack of flesh was any indication. The body of Suzuki Satoru lay before him with his human self having died countless years ago.
"Wh-what happened …"
"So you finally came to this place?"
Ainz's neck snapped up to meet those of Lucifer who had manifested in the room without making so much as a sound, his eyes full of pity toward Ainz as he extended a hand for the Overlord to take hold of.
"L-Lord Lucifer, what is this!?"
"Isn't it obvious," Lucifer asked softly. "This is your original world Ainz, Momonga, Suzuki Satoru."
"H-how did I-?"
"Die? The world you lived in was sick, tainted by greed and industry with its ordinary citizens to weakened to fight for its survival. The day you entered the game, the day YGGDRASIL was set to reset was the day the world finally failed …"
"Failed? What do you mean by failed?"
"The people of this world didn't care for moderation, didn't care for conservation but were instead more concerned with ensuring they continued to make profit above all else. Don't get me wrong industry is vital to the survival of all sentient species and certain things one would call environmental pollutants are a necessary evil for them to survive however the people of your world … well they decided to drain this world of all it had until it finally couldn't take it anymore."
"So the green haze …"
"Is the air, was the air. Oxygen that was necessary for human life no longer exists instead replaced by a mixture of radiation and helium that fused together to form a strange new element I've yet to see replicated elsewhere."
"I-I don't understand Lord Lucifer, how can I exist now if YGGDRASIL was just a game? How can I be here now looking and the bones of my former self and my former world, world which now lies as nothing more than a dead gaseous sphere?"
"It was quite simple really Ainz, one world was fated to die and another was fated to rise from the ashes to take its place, you just so happened to be in the right place at the right time."
"I'm confused …"
"The supposed shutdown of the YGGDRASIL servers was the countdown for the birth of a new world Ainz with you being the sole survivor of the former one. You were always destined for this purpose by the One Above All Ainz, you were fated to return here to discover the truth and learn from the mistakes of your former home."
"The One Above All? So this was all ordained by his hand?"
"Indeed, for the purpose of balance you were the perfect choice to become Devil for the world succeeding this one however you first needed training in order to understand the importance of your role."
"Lord Elias …"
"An Elder Devil who taught you everything he knew Ainz, one who holds his own world yet mysteriously always lived within yours."
"So he could teach me the ways of the Devil," Ainz concluded prompting Lucifer to nod. "So the One Above All wants me to make sure the world I'm in now does not suffer the same fate as this one?"
"Precisely Ainz, you were one in fifteen billion chosen for this task therefore only YOU can accomplish it and so far it appears you have done a fine job."
"But all I've been doing is borderline bullying the people in my world by showing up and massacring those in charge so how does that help anything?"
"Those you kill hold the same greed within their hearts Ainz, your greed is one spurned by your subjects however their greed is one spurned on by their own desires. The various kingdoms would sooner sell a portion of your new world for even one piece of the technology of this one even knowing what it is capable of. You are the balance that prevents the world from becoming like this one even if you didn't realize it."
"This is a lot to take in," Ainz said slowly rising to his feet. "When I came here I figured my former self was dead but I never though …"
"That your reincarnation into Momonga, Lord Ainz, was all part of a plan by the One Above All to create a better replacement to this world?"
"Yes."
"I don't blame you Ainz," Lucifer replied placing a hand on the Overlord's shoulder. "You were always destined to lead Ainz be it directly or from the shadows, use that mind of yours and I assure you everything will work out in the end."
Ainz cocked his head to the side confused before coming to the sudden realization of what Lucifer was referring to.
"I see you are beginning to understand now which means my job here is almost done however before I go I have one thing I should probably tell you."
"What's that Lord Lucifer?"
"You might want to interact with your former self; perhaps the key to your fleeting humanity lies within?"
Before he could ask Lucifer what he meant the Devil faded away leaving Ainz alone in the room looking at the skeleton of his former self.
"Interact with my former self? I wonder if he means …?"
Reaching out and placing a hand on the forehead of his skeleton Ainz felt something shift within him as the skeleton crumbled to dust, a faint crimson light coating his body for several moments before fading away.
"Thank you Lord Lucifer," Ainz said softly as he walked toward the window once more. "I understand now how I should proceed going forward.
Opening up a portal Ainz left his former dead world behind, this would not be his final visit however he left finally knowing the first vestiges of peace he'd felt in centuries.
Hope you all enjoyed and I'll see you in the next one!