Chapter 10: A Captain's Resolve
The village was still buzzing with the aftermath of the battle against Arlong and his crew. The cheers and shouts of the liberated villagers had barely begun to settle when a new, ominous sound filled the air—the rhythmic pounding of boots on the cobblestone streets. The villagers' celebrations died down as they turned toward the source, fear creeping back into their eyes.
The Marines had arrived.
Not even five minutes had passed since Arlong's death, and already the village was swarming with marines. At the head of the procession, Commodore Nelson Royale was carried on his throne-like chair, his massive bulk perched atop a platform supported by several struggling marines. His beady eyes gleamed with malicious glee as he surveyed the scene, his lips curling into a greasy smile.
"Well, well, what do we have here?" Nelson's voice boomed across the square, dripping with mockery and arrogance. "Looks like someone's been playing hero and made quite the mess. The Marines barely saw you as a small inconvenience before, but after this little stunt… well, I imagine they'll start paying closer attention."
Draven, battered and broken, sat in the middle of the street, his body barely holding itself together after his brutal fight with Arlong. Blood trickled down his face, and his limbs hung heavy at his sides—broken, yet his eyes still burned with a fierce determination.
Nelson continued, his laughter grating and cruel. "A pirate without a bounty to his name, and yet here you are, causing all this chaos. Consider yourself lucky that I, Commodore Nelson Royale, have decided to come here personally to bring you in."
Nojiko, still on the ground and struggling to catch her breath after her brief burst of speed, could barely lift her head. Her muscles screamed in protest, every part of her exhausted. She knew instinctively that she couldn't activate her fruit again—her energy was completely drained. But when she heard Nelson's words, something inside her refused to give up. Despite the overwhelming fatigue, she forced herself to move. Her body trembled as she pushed against the ground, slowly pulling herself up to her knees. She wasn't going to let them take her captain.
Nearby, Nami's eyes widened with a strange mix of fear and determination. She had just watched Draven and her sister risk everything to save their home, and she couldn't let it end here. Her hands trembled, but she balled them into fists and moved in front of Draven, standing tall despite the fear in her heart. She felt the heat of adrenaline coursing through her veins. "You'll have to go through me first!" she shouted, her voice wavering but strong. "If you want to take my captain, you're going to have to fight for it!"
What Nami didn't even realize was that she had called him "her captain," acknowledging him without hesitation—something they hadn't even discussed. She had subconsciously inserted herself into Draven's crew, her determination stronger than the fear that gripped her. She was scared, yes, but more than that, she was resolute. Determined to protect what they had fought for.
Behind them, a weak chuckle escaped Draven's bloodied lips. He slowly began to stand, his body shaking with the effort. His bones were broken, his muscles torn, and his skin bruised and bloodied. This was the most he had ever been injured in his life, and yet, despite the pain, a grin spread across his face. His eyes gleamed with a wild, untamed light, and a soft, mirthful laugh bubbled up from his chest.
His laughter was quiet at first, but it grew louder as he pushed his broken body upright. His legs trembled, but his will—his indomitable will—held him upright. It was his sheer determination alone that kept him standing.
"Draven…" Nojiko whispered, looking back at him with wide eyes.
Draven continued to laugh, his voice low and broken but filled with a strange joy. He slowly pushed past Nojiko and Nami, his battered form hobbling a few steps forward toward the gathered marines. Every step sent waves of pain through his body, but he refused to falter. He stopped a few feet ahead, standing alone against the sea of marines.
He locked eyes with Commodore Nelson, his gaze burning with the fury of a predator ready to strike. His lips parted, and though his words were barely a whisper, they carried through the silence, reaching the ears of every soul who bore witness.
"You don't deserve to sit on that throne," Draven said, his voice low and menacing. "In fact, I doubt you can even stay conscious in my presence." Each word carried a growing intensity, thickening the air around them.
Then it hit. A wave of crushing pressure erupted from him, a surge of willpower so overwhelming it engulfed the entire square. The air became suffocatingly thick, as if the world itself recoiled from the force radiating from Draven. His Conqueror's Haki exploded outward, crashing over everyone like a relentless tidal wave.
The villagers closest to him—those who had just been cheering for their freedom—felt the edges of that power sweep over them. They staggered back, their eyes wide with shock before they, too, fell under its influence. Though Draven had aimed his wrath at the Marines, the waves of his will were too raw, too uncontrolled. Several villagers behind him collapsed gently to the ground, unconscious, but unharmed.
The Marines, however, suffered far worse. Their wills were already shaken by the brutal battle they had just witnessed, so they stood no chance against the overwhelming force that now crushed them. The weaker among them dropped immediately, their bodies crumpling as their eyes rolled back, foam bubbling at their lips. Even the stronger soldiers, who had faced countless horrors at sea, felt their knees buckle under the pressure. Their faces contorted with effort, trying to remain standing, but one by one, they, too, fell, their bodies hitting the ground with dull thuds.
Commodore Nelson, perched on his chair, struggled to breathe, his eyes wide with disbelief. His fingers dug into the arms of his throne as his body trembled violently, veins bulging in his neck. "W-What… is this?!" he choked out, his voice weak and strangled as the pressure suffocated him. Despite his rank, despite his military might, he was utterly powerless against the invisible force bearing down on him.
Nelson was no match for the raw, unbridled power of Draven's Conqueror's Haki. His body convulsed, his eyes rolling back as he let out a choked gurgle. The last thing he saw was Draven's ferocious, defiant glare before his consciousness slipped away, and he slumped forward in his chair, completely unconscious.
The marines, who moments ago had looked so threatening, now lay strewn across the ground like discarded dolls, their bodies piled around Commodore Nelson's fallen throne. Silence fell over the village, the oppressive pressure slowly lifting as Draven's Haki subsided.
The villagers, the ones far away enough to not be affected, could hardly believe what they had just witnessed. Draven, this young stranger who had come to their village, had just defeated Arlong and then knocked out an entire company of marines with nothing but seemingly a glare. It was beyond anything they could have imagined.
Nojiko and Nami stared at Draven, their eyes wide with awe and disbelief. He was standing, barely, but standing nonetheless. His entire body was trembling, his chest heaving with every breath, but his spirit—his unshakable resolve—remained intact.
"Draven…" Nojiko whispered, her voice filled with admiration. She could barely stand herself, but seeing Draven like this filled her with a newfound sense of pride. "You… really are something else."
Draven turned his head slightly, flashing a tired but triumphant grin at his crew. "I… don't yield… to anyone." He said, his voice weak but resolute.
As the weight of what had just transpired settled in, the villagers began to cheer once more. This time, their voices were louder, more joyous than before. They weren't just cheering for their liberation—they were cheering for their new heroes.
Draven, Nojiko, and Nami had stood against tyrants and won.
But Draven knew this was just the beginning. The marines would eventually come back with more numbers and reinforcements. The news of what had happened here would spread, and the eyes of the government would soon turn to them. They needed to get stronger, to prepare for what was to come.
For now, though, they had earned this victory. He had earned his crew's trust, and together, they would face whatever the seas threw their way.
"Rest up," he murmured to Nojiko and Nami, his voice soft. "We've got a long—"
Before he could finish, Draven's battered body gave in, collapsing to the ground. Darkness closed in, but even as his consciousness slipped away, the sound of the villagers cheering faintly echoed in his ears. He knew this was only the first step on his path to becoming something more.
A ruler. A legend. A conqueror.
AN: Short chapter, obviously had some inspiration for the chapter from the Luffy Vs. Katakuri fight. Excited for the aftermath to this chapter. Should be out by tomorrow.
And thsnks so much for the comments guys! It really motivates me to keep going... xoxo