Flames of the Sun God
A One Piece Fanfic by GreyNimbus
(Author's Notes will be placed at the bottom of the chapter from now on.)
OP/Luffy, Mature/Luffy, EarlyDFAwaken/Luffy, NoPairing
Disclaimer:
One Piece is owned by Eiichiro Oda. I do NOT own anything One Piece related. Obviously(!)
Chapter 10 — Drums of Liberation
It's been six months since Garp's departure.
With the full mastery of Haki under his belt, Luffy was now on the path to Awakening the Human-Human Fruit, Model: Nika.
Rayleigh explained to his student that, to Awaken a Devil Fruit, the user must master their ability, but they must also wait for their body and mind to catch up to their power. So, Rayleigh gave Luffy plenty of opportunities to master his powers. He needed to know how to control his powers, use them in various situations, and adapt to different challenges.
Luffy had already mastered the basics, but he still needed to focus on expanding his abilities, pushing himself to the limit, experimenting with new techniques and strategies, and finding new ways to use his powers to their absolute limit.
The most important step was to develop his Haki. Haki was the key to unlocking the full potential of his Devil Fruit. It allowed him to control his powers with greater precision, to imbue them with greater strength and speed, and to tap into new abilities that he never knew he had.
This was why mastering Haki was the first step in Luffy's training.
After more than a year of living in the hard climates of Luscaina, Luffy became adept at Observation, Armament, and Conqueror's Haki. All that was left was finding a way to forge his newfound power into the key that unlocks his Devil Fruit's true power.
The colossal animals of the island were now completely submissive to Luffy, treating him like their king. The sheer magnitude of the Rubber-Man's growing power quickly dwarfed the instinctive strength of the beasts. But Luffy wasn't the type to rule over anything since he won't be staying on the island for much longer. He always believed that freedom was the greatest aspiration, and he refused to take that away from anyone, even animals.
To their relief, Luffy chose to befriend the beasts instead of eating them.
During the last few months, Rayleigh had set up Luffy to spar with him every day to push him to the limit.
Luffy stood atop a rocky outcrop, his eyes closed in concentration. He took a deep breath and focused his mind, calling forth the power of his Devil Fruit.
"Fourth Gear!"
Suddenly, his body began to swell and bulge, growing larger until he was nearly twice his normal size. His muscles bulged and rippled, his black hair long and flowing like a flame, and his skin turned a deep shade of red. The steamy substance that coiled around his shoulders became noticeably less opaque, becoming more like a cloud.
"Snake-Man!"
Usually, Luffy would have to bite into his arm to inflate his muscles, but after constant use of this transformation, he eventually gained the ability to make the biting, as well as the constant bouncing in place, redundant. He was now able to inflate any part of his body at will.
As he stood there, Luffy felt a familiar burning sensation in his chest. It was the same feeling he always got when he used Fourth Gear - a feeling that told him he was pushing his body beyond its limits.
But Luffy was determined. He knew that if he wanted to Awaken his Devil Fruit, he would need to master this technique. And so, he forced himself to ignore the pain and continue practicing.
"Are you ready for this?!" Rayleigh called out from the clearing below.
He jumped from the rocky outcropping and landed on the ground with a thunderous boom. The ground shook beneath his feet, and he grinned as he felt the rush of power coursing through his veins.
Luffy stood across from Rayleigh, his muscles bulging and his red-shaded Armament Haki reflecting the sun's rays. He was ready to once again spar with his mentor and show off his new abilities.
"Let's go, old man!" Luffy shouted, his voice ringing across the clearing.
Rayleigh chuckled and cracked his knuckles. "Careful, Luffy, the old you is showing. Remember, this is an all-out brawl. I'm not gonna hold back even a fraction of my power, got it?"
Luffy nodded with a grin. "Hit me with your best shot!"
The two men charged at each other, their fists flying. Luffy moved with incredible speed, darting back and forth as he tried to land a blow on Rayleigh. He felt lighter than air, his movements almost too fast for the eye to follow.
But the old man was just as fast, dodging Luffy's attacks with ease. He moved with fluid grace, his body seemingly made of water as he flowed around Luffy's punches.
Luffy grinned, enjoying the challenge. He knew that Rayleigh was one of the strongest fighters in the world, and he was determined to show him what he was capable of.
He took a deep breath and focused his mind, feeling the power of his Devil Fruit surging through his body.
"Gum-Gum…"
Then, with a fierce shout, he launched himself into the air, his arms extended in front of him.
"...Hydra!"
With a fierce shout, Luffy unleashed a flurry of omnidirectional attacks. His fists flew like lightning, each blow striking with the force of a sledgehammer.
But Rayleigh was unfazed. He blocked each of Luffy's punches with ease, his body moving like a well-oiled machine, thanks to his Observation Haki.
Luffy continued his onslaught, his punches becoming faster and more powerful with each passing moment. Eventually, they became too fast for even Rayleigh to endure. He felt a surge of excitement as he pushed his limits, his body humming with power.
Rayleigh seemed to be the only one to notice that Luffy was in full control of the trajectory of his attacks, giving him more mobility, speed, and freedom to his elasticity. He saw it as a sign that Luffy was on the right path to Awakening.
Luffy always enjoyed the challenges that the old man gave him. He knew that Rayleigh was one of the strongest fighters in the Grand Line, and he was more than determined to prove himself.
But no matter how hard he tried, Rayleigh was always one step ahead of him. He seemed to anticipate Luffy's every move, dodging his attacks with ease and counterattacking with devastating force.
After a few minutes of non-stop punches, Luffy ceased his attack. He knew that using the same attack over and over wasn't gonna get him anywhere, but he refused to give up.
Luffy felt a thrill of excitement as he realized that he did manage his own against Rayleigh so far, even in his Snake-Man form.
But then, something happened. Rayleigh began his next attack, his movements becoming even more intense and ruthless, and Luffy found himself struggling to keep up.
Suddenly, Rayleigh's Haki-coated fist connected with Luffy's side, sending him flying across the clearing. He crashed into a tree, his body bouncing off the trunk and landing in a heap on the ground.
Luffy groaned, feeling a sharp pain in his side. He struggled to get up, but his body refused to cooperate. He looked up at Rayleigh, his eyes wide with shock.
The old man was standing a fair distance from him, a smug look on his face. "Don't tell me that's the best you can do!" he taunted.
Luffy shook his head, trying to catch his breath. "Not…even close." he gasped.
He felt a surge of anger and disappointment. He had thought that he was ready to face anyone, but now he realized that he still had a long way to go.
With fierce determination, Luffy pushed himself back to his feet. Even after one punch, he was bruised and battered, but he refused to give up.
"I'm not done yet," he said, his voice low and determined.
Rayleigh nodded, a look of pride in his eyes. "Then, show what you're made of!"
The two men charged at each other once again, their fists flying. Luffy was still in pain, but he refused to let it slow him down.
He dodged and weaved, his movements more fluid than ever. He could feel his strength and speed returning, and he knew that he was getting closer to reaching the peak of his power. However, Rayleigh blocked, deflected, and evaded each blow effortlessly, his movements smooth and fluid.
Finally, after what seemed like hours, Luffy delivered a powerful blow to Rayleigh's abdomen. The old man stumbled back, his eyes wide with surprise.
With a final shout, Luffy charged at Rayleigh, ready to show him what he was truly capable of.
"Gum-Gum…"
Pulling his arms forward, he coils them together tightly like a drill. And then, with a fierce shout, he released a rifle-like punch at high speed, unleashing an unstoppable frontal attack at his opponent.
"…DRAGON CULVERIN!"
Distracted by the steamy image of a serpent forming around Luffy's arms, the old man summoned as much Haki as he could to soften the blow. On impact, Rayleigh was sent flying in a spin, his body coming to a stop as he crashed into a few trees.
Retracting his arms and letting out a relieving exhale, Luffy grinned, feeling a surge of pride. After many months, he had finally done it - he managed to land a solid blow on Rayleigh.
Before Luffy could celebrate his self-proclaimed victory, Rayleigh appeared in the air in front of him. "Who says we're done yet?" he said before delivering a Haki-coated leg into Luffy's face, sending him flying toward a mountainside.
The old man wasn't exactly happy about it, but Luffy asked him to treat him as his enemy while they sparred so that there were no reserves of strength between them.
Even after mastering his Observation Haki to the point that he could see brief seconds ahead of time, Rayleigh was still faster and smart enough to not let Luffy get used to his teacher's fighting style and changed it randomly every time they sparred.
Luffy wasn't the only one getting stronger.
The Rubber-Man recovered mid-flight before he made contact with the mountain. With a new technique he created by combining the principles of Moonwalk and his elasticity-power flight, he rocketed towards Rayleigh like a speeding bullet.
But then, without warning, Rayleigh's expression changed. His eyes narrowed, and his Conqueror's Haki washed over Luffy's soul. He was prepared to strike back at Luffy with even greater force.
The old man disappeared in a blur, his arms flashing with Haki. Catching Luffy off guard, he delivered a sucker punch to Luffy's gut, which the Rubber-Man was too distracted to evade. Luffy writhed in pain, gasping for air, and struggling to catch his breath.
Rayleigh was not holding back at all.
He brought down a devastating kick atop Luffy's head, sending him crashing towards the clearing, his body slamming into the ground with a sickening thud that created a massive dust cloud on impact. Once the dust settled, Rayleigh saw Luffy laying on his back in a large crater with his limbs spread out, his scalp bleeding heavily and running down his face.
Luffy groaned, feeling the pain spreading through his body. He tried to stand, but his legs wouldn't support him. He looked up at Rayleigh, his eyes flaring with perseverance.
Luffy has suffered worse damage than this, and he refused to back down when things were finally starting to heat up.
Rayleigh looked down at him, his expression serious. "In a real fight, your opponent won't hold back. You need to be prepared for anything."
Luffy knew long ago that Rayleigh was no pushover, being a legendary pirate. They were about evenly matched at this point, but Rayleigh would always outsmart him enough to turn the tide of battle in his favor.
Gritting his teeth, Luffy slowly got back on his feet, still maintaining his transformation. He looks up at Rayleigh, grinning like a man possessed.
"Thanks for the tip, old man," Luffy said. "But I'm not gonna let you win this time!"
(Several Hours Later…)
The legend and the legend-in-training were both put through the wringer all day. Before they knew it, the sun was already out of sight.
We find our two combatants in a pile of broken earth at the bottom of a large trench. The magnitude of their fight reached a critical point where Luffy's heavier attacks devastated a sizable portion of Luscaina, including the ditch they were currently in.
Rayleigh, whose body was covered all over with wounds, sat down with his back against the wall of the ditch. He panted in exhaustion while feeling reminiscent of the last time he went all-out in a fight. While catching his breath, he turns to see the state of his opponent/student.
Luffy's condition was even worse.
Luffy, out of his Fourth Gear form, was lying on top of the rubble of the destroyed earth, covered in blood that leaked out of more severe wounds. His eyes were darkened, signifying that he was unconscious. He was unresponsive and his breathing became very shallow.
As Rayleigh sat there, looking at his protege, he can't help but notice that Luffy focused more on offense rather than defence. He left himself wide open at almost every turn, which gave the old man many opportunities to strike more often.
'Maybe…he wanted this to happen…?' the old man thought.
Luffy pulled out all the stops with his rubbery powers. Throughout the fight, he extended the range of his arms to even further distances while the mobility and speed of his attacks were even greater. Rayleigh was sure that Luffy was on the brink of Awakening, yet there were still no results.
Their day-long sparring match was perilous, but the legendary pirate hoped that Luffy at least learned a valuable lesson after his defeat.
Feeling exhausted for the first time in so long, Rayleigh decided to nod off right where he sat since he just got comfortable.
Ba-dum…
…
Ba-dum…
…
Ba-dum…
…
Ba-dum…ba-dum…
Ba-dum…ba-dum…
Ba-dum…dum…dum…
Dum-dum-dum…dum…dum…
Dum-dum-dum…dum…dum…
While Rayleigh rested, something strange started happening to Luffy's unconscious form.
His chest started pulsing with a musical rhythm.
His fingers twitched.
The faint sound of a drum started resonating from his chest.
His darkened eyes clenched tightly.
He gritted his teeth.
A wide grin spreads across his face.
His hair glowed a bright white.
His eyes open wide.
His Conqueror's Haki flaring to life.
He bursts into uncontrollable laughter.
"Shiiihihihihahahahahaaa~!"
Author's Note:
Cliffhanger!
Sorry this chapter wasn't very long, but I just wanted to get back to Sabaody as quickly as possible.
Also, time's up!
I've tallied up all the votes in the reviews about me writing the movie arcs. Some chose individual movies instead of all the New World films, and here's what I counted at the time I uploaded this chapter;
One Piece Film Z — 8
One Piece Film Gold — 7
One Piece Film Stampede — 7
One Piece Film Red — 9
No Movies — 3
I hope you brought some popcorn because the Sun God is coming to theatres!
Seems a lot of people really like Film Red. I will still write it, probably after the Land of Wano arc, but I personally didn't like that movie as much as the others on the list.
Below is my honest opinion on Film Red. So, don't flame me, please. I will just ignore it.
V
-SPOILER ALERT BELOW-
All that pop-singing felt more like a was watching a Japanese version of a Disney musical rather than a One Piece movie and that just killed the whole principle of the franchise for me. That's why I didn't watch it a second time. And Uta didn't even make a decent antagonist. In my opinion, she was just a stubborn brat with abandonment issues that tried to fix a flawed reality by replacing it with an even more flawed dream-like world. I think the only parts that I liked were some of the background music, and when Luffy activated Fifth Gear for a brief moment while fighting Tot Musica, a 'Demon King' that I don't think belongs in One Piece.
-SPOILERS END HERE-
Also, let it be known that this is my first fanfic, so I'm bound to make a mistake or two that most of you will disagree with. But, with my fascination with One Piece lore, I'm confident that I can stay accurate to the original story.
Not everything I write in this story will be 100% accurate or make sense all the time. I mean, how many fanfics have you read that follow that exact same premise compared to the number of fanfics that DON'T share it?
Also, 'Gum-Gum Dragon Culverin" is a non-canon move that was exclusively shown in the video game "One Piece: Pirate Warriors 4".
By the way, I don't think I'll bother writing the filler arcs/specials that relate to the movies because they're irrelevant to the main plot point in the films.
GreyNimbus out!