Hello Readers!
This is a story I wrote for all the lovers of the show "One Piece" by Eiichiro Oda. One Piece is my favorite fiction story, and I wanted to create something that mirrors my love for it.
This all started as a joke between a friend and me, and it just expanded to something way larger. Honestly, I liked the direction this story was taking place in when I started to take it seriously. So I decided, why not post it and see what others think?
My story follows the main protagonist "Lucian Xebel" as he goes on a journey to discover the secrets the World Government has been hiding all this time!
The Dreadnought Pirates takes on a darker tone of the One Piece world. It is an 18+ story as it explores adult issues/themes, so just fair warning.
You will also notice, reading this story, that I will be introducing my own theories about what is occurring in the One Piece manga today that is relevant to my storyline, such as ties to the Void Century, power scaling between characters, Imu, and the Five Goresei, etc.
Remember that these are my opinions that I believe will benefit my story and the vision that I am aiming for. It MAY not be correct when Oda releases more manga chapters, but for the purpose of the story, I WILL ALLOW IT.
But if you disagree with them, that's fine. Post a review and give me suggestions. I am open to your thoughts.
**DISCLAIMER**
- My story will consist of long chapters in the range of 6-8k words per chapter(some chapters less than 6k, some more than 8k). This is my style of writing, as I like to add a lot of content to my work that I believe will pace the story consistent with my source material as well as putting out quality chapters. So, I would like to use a time frame that would be convenient for the average reader (30-45 min per chapter). It may seem like a long time for one chapter, but I put my heart and soul into this story and believe it is worth reading.
I`ll stop my yap session now.
I only ask one favor from my readers on this website, and that is to write a review on any chapter or anything you like/or dislike. Reviews and messages will benefit me tremendously and allow me to measure how my audience views my story. So please leave a review!
All credit to Eiichora Oda :)
Enjoy
Chapter 1: The Rusainka Island Incident
"Hey, finally, it looks like I have arrived," he says as the boat creaks forward effortlessly near the empty, destroyed port. The fog thickens in the background of the mountainous forest ahead of him. As he inhales deeply, he takes in the fresh air of the new island.
"So," he said again, reassuring himself of the challenge ahead. "That aura, so intense."
The man nears the broken port, skips onto the creaking woodboard, and ties his boat to the pole. He knew the New World was difficult to navigate but he would never expect to arrive at Rusainka so quickly, as he continued to walk sheathing his sword at his side and adjusting his clothes to match the environment, he entered the island. The thunder and darkening of the clouds appeared quickly. The stale air suddenly turned a little windy, and in the background, he heard the crashing of the waves as he tried to settle his nerves.
He wondered about the next step, how he would confront him. A legendary pirate feared throughout the world now lies only a couple of miles away from his reach. He feels his aura so powerful. With each step he took away from the beach and into the forest, he wondered to himself, 'Am I ready?'
The New World is insanely dangerous. He understood that walking on Yonko territory was suicidal enough, but he was no ordinary pirate. Weirdly enough, the island looked deserted. He calmed his nerves as he walked, and it started drizzling a bit.
After a couple of hours, the man approached the middle of the island, took his bag, and set it down. He lay down on a comfortable patch of grass and then began to stargaze. He kept thinking to himself as thoughts plagued his mind; the state of the world seemed to shift.
Pirates and Marines were constantly at battle, but what a fight for a war that was, and yet he never considered himself a true pirate nor a marine.
Instead, he fell in the middle.
Well, he was a pirate, but he never acted like a true pirate. He did no ill-doing to innocents but also resented the oppression of the World Government. Someone he remembered once said, 'Perspective matters; it`s all subjective at the end of the day.'
So, he chose the easy side, and piracy, he guessed, was easier than obeying some dickhead that would order him around. He hated orders and the World Government. The world always baffled him, and how the affairs of interest always changed regarding those in power to fit their greedful nature. Pirates are often looked down upon as scum, but he was a pirate, yet he did not regard himself as scum, so why did others do as well?
Perhaps it was because of their reputation, or perhaps it was because Pirates were known to rape, pillage, murder, and desecrate towns and villages.
Fuck the standards, he always knew this, he saw the world for what it was… a shit show.
Marines are mindless, whereas Pirates are evil; they don`t all fit the same stereotype, but then again, neither did he. The New World was tough, yet he hadn`t experienced it all yet. The Grand Line was magnificent—beautiful and sad, sort of like a double-edged sword that can easily hypnotize or skewer you.
The rain was a comfort. The coldness of each drop refreshed his already tired body, and his dreams started. Each dream was different, not as comforting as the last. Memories of the past always come rushing back, either to haunt him or to remind him of lessons he should never forget.
His eyes awakened quickly, and he could sense no one around him. His Observation Haki was so elite he could sense everything from hundreds of miles away. Yet the presence lingered on, besides that animals were in large amounts. He could sense how close each individual was in proximity, along with their feelings. He woke up and continued on his journey through the forest, but he had no time to waste.
He moved his head ever so slightly to the left, across the oak tree, and saw a bullet hole still smoking out of the tree. "You missed," he grinned.
The shooter behind him starts laughing, "I knew you were the real deal kid. I have read a lot about you. The captain was expecting you to come by sooner or later."
As he turned around and met the shooter in the eye, he returned his gratitude. "Next time you shoot me, make sure you do it more discretely, okay?"
The shooter looked unfazed, and he laughed again, "HAHAHA, you are a funny kid. I'm just testing you. I don't miss for your information. Now, come on, you want to meet the captain, right? I mean, that`s what you came all this way for."
"Yeah, that's why I came," he said. "You must be Yasopp, the legendary sniper."
"Yeah, that's me," Yassop assured him.
"Don't get it twisted. I would have hit you if I felt like it," Yassop continued.
"Oh, I agree," the man said.
As they continued to walk down, he could feel the aura intensify through the humid mountainous terrain. He was nearing him.
"Hey, kid," Yassop said. The man turned his head towards Yassop.
"What does a kid like you do to exact a bounty of 1.5 billion berries?"
He stopped and thoughtfully said, "Enough to anger the World Government, or perhaps I just know too much." Yassop laughed heavily, and it made the man feel better.
"I heard stories, you know, stories I am not sure are even true, yet you think you can become King of the Pirates." The man stopped walking.
"You think I`m an idiot," the man said.
Yassop turned around and grinned. "No, but isn`t that every pirate's goal at some point in their career?"
"Maybe, but it never crossed my mind. I don`t need to be a King to be free, and my actions don`t demonstrate a need for a meaningless title. I only want to make a real impact, and that`s all."
"Ohhhhhhh, I see, kid. So you think talking to our captain will change that, or maybe he will just kill you where you stand?" Yassop kept a serious tone.
The man uttered no response. Yassop grinned and understood. With each walking step, the aura began to intensify more and more. He turned to Yassop and wondered how he could withstand this level of Haki. He might have underestimated him.
"Feel good, kid," Yassop muttered. "Never better," he replied.
As they turned the corner of the forest into a waterfall encompassing a beautiful view, he saw a party. Pirates jumping around and singing, and the campfire was aflame, yet he doesn't remember seeing the smoke rise into the sky from before. The Pirates were laughing and drinking alcohol and roughhousing until he saw him. The aura never left the area and he heard the giant say "Yassop where have you been, do you have more alcohol?"
Yassop responded annoyingly, "No, I was patrolling. Remember, drink your alcohol, you idiot."
"Hey kid, there he is," Yassop said, pointing to the campfire.
He turned and saw a man wearing a cape with red hair tending to the campfire. According to the legends, he was immensely tall, perhaps 6`6", and extremely lean. He had one arm and a scar on his left eye, and his aura was rumored to be so powerful that people died from it.
"Hey, Yassop," the red-haired man uttered.
The whole band of pirates quieted down. "Is this him"?
Yassop did his usual grin and shook his head in a nod of approval. The man stepped forward, and the whole crew looked at him. So this is him, the legend Red-Haired Shanks.
"Pleasure to meet you, Red-Haired Shanks; sorry for interrupting your party."
Shanks looked at the man and smiled, "Hey, you idiots, get back to drinking. Hongo hasn`t drunk enough." The crew roared, the music returned, and the celebrations resumed.
Shanks approached the man. "And you must be Lucian Xebel, I assume, the pirate who led the Grand Line astray with my former master?"
"I am," Lucian replied.
"Heard a lot of great things about your crew," Lucian said.
"Rumours say the same about you," Shanks replied. "I expect no less from a student of Rayleigh`s."
"Uncle Rayleigh taught me well," Lucian said.
"So I presume you are here for either two reasons: you need help, or you want to fight," Shanks responded.
"I'm not an enemy."
Shanks laughed. "From what I`ve heard, I`d be a fool to battle you, kid."
"You flatter me too much, but I only came for information," Lucian stated.
"How about this: You beat me, and I`ll tell you everything I know," Shanks said.
Skeptical, Lucian responded, "And if I lose?"
Shanks replied, "Sometime in the future, maybe I`ll call on you for a favor. " Lucian thought this through and accepted the proposal. Shanks analyzed Lucian and saw his sword.
"The Shodai Kitetsu, what a legendary sword. No doubt Rayleigh passed it down to you, right." Lucian looked down and saw Shanks's sword.
"The Griffon is legendary in itself. I heard great things about it."
"Perhaps, we`ll see," Shanks jokingly responded.
Standing before Shanks, you can tell he is a Yonko, and the Four Emperors are no joking matter. But Shanks seems not to resemble the part and seems to play the role of a humble man, but his aura is the most intense he has ever experienced in his life except for the Admirals, and even then, it lacked in comparison; Lucian thought he may have finally found a worthy opponent.
"Listen, kid, any friend of Rayleigh`s is a friend of mine. Sit down for now, enjoy, eat, and drink. We may not have any beautiful women around here as of now, but we still have fun."
"Tomorrow, then we battle," Lucian asked.
"Oh sure, kid, no problem," Shanks said.
Shanks began drinking and letting loose around his crewmates. "This man is a Yonko?" Lucian said to himself. But he knew better than to judge. Shanks was a legend, after all. He rolled up and slept through the festive night.
Post duel...
"Hey, Kid," Shanks uttered. He was broken down and bleeding from his mouth, and his body looked ravaged. But Lucian didn`t look any better.
"You are the real deal, you know that," Shanks said as he coughed up blood, barely being able to stand over Lucian.
He had lost. How did he lose?
Lucian lay there with a torn-up body. His Haki was just too powerful. Lucian thought no one could`ve matched his Conqueror`s Haki, yet he could not be completely mad about losing to a Yonko, could he?
Shanks readjusted himself and offered a hand, and Lucian accepted and pulled him up.
The crew left shocked and amazed, their faces never dropping from the beginning of the battle to the end. Most of the island was destroyed, and the once beautiful forest that populated it was nearly gone.
"WHAT A FIGHT RIGHT!" the crew roared. "COME ON LET`S CELEBRATE."
Lucian mustered up a smile; he was still fucked up but held his ground against one of the strongest men in the world. The crew was so ecstatic that they would not stop talking about the legendary fight that just occurred.
"So fast, so fast the clash was so strong it sent shockwaves thousands of miles away," said a crewmember
"Yeah, Yeah, I didn`t know the kid had such strong Haki on the same level as Shanks," said another.
Lucian ignored the compliments. He was mad he lost to Shanks but proud of himself. Shanks did not hold back, and Lucian respected him more for that.
After the doctor tended to him, Lucian realized he owed a debt to Shanks. But first, he wanted payment on his original request. Hopefully, even though Lucian lost to Shanks, he would be kind enough to indulge him.
Then, first mate Ben Beckmann appeared. "You kids, the younger they get, the stronger they become, or maybe we`re just getting old," he said, handing the kid a piece of folded paper.
"Don't open it yet; just wait." Ben Beckmann was everything they said about him: He looked like a killer, the perfect first mate, and he reminded him of Ilir.
"I have to hand it to you, kid. That level of Haki control is unseen. How old are you?" Beckmann asked.
"Only 19, sir," Lucian replied.
Ben Beckmann's eyes widened, and for a second, he looked surprised. Lucian didn`t think he looked older than 19, hell he thought he looked his age.
He then managed a forced laugh. "Oh, kid, I see what Rayleigh did here."
What did Rayleigh do? Lucian thought.
Beckmann seemed to read his mind. "You have some insane potential, kid; I've never seen someone move faster than our captain. Hell, he won only off experience, but your combat abilities are incredible. I expected nothing less from a student of Rayleigh."
"Thanks, Mr. Beckmann, it means a lot coming from you."
Beckmann looked over to Yassop and gave him a look that he seemed to understand. The crew began to settle down, but they wouldn`t stop talking about the battle they had just witnessed.
Shanks began to come over, all bandaged up; he smiled. "Join us for a drink, kid."
Lucian followed Captain Shanks and First Mate Beckmann to the campfire. They sat down and handed Lucian a drink: it was a shot. Now, he didn't like alcohol, but he couldn't be disrespectful, so he drank it, and it was damn strong; Shanks laughed, "Can't stomach your alcohol, kid."
Lucian's face adjusted back to normal. "I can, just not a normal drinker."
"A 1.5 billion berry bounty is impressive, kid, so tell us," Beckmann said. "I heard you caused trouble in Marie Jois. What does one do to acquire a bounty like that?"
"Not much. I just had to handle some business," Lucian replied. "Secretive, huh? Now tell me, kid. You didn`t come all this way to fall short. What did you want from me?" Shanks said.
Lucian smiled, "The World Government hates it when you know too much about them; I guess you could say I lurked around."
Shanks and Beckmann shared a look, but Lucian wasn`t naive; he knew a Yonko would know a lot more about the World Government than him. But what was Shank's end goal? He seemed to be a mysterious man, but he didn`t want to push his luck.
"For reference, what do you know about the World Government?" Beckmann stated.
Lucian took a moment to collect his thoughts. He then started to explain his situation, and Shanks and Beckmann looked serious. They listened closely to everything Lucian said, and when Lucian finished his story, he waited for their advice.
"What you did in Marie Jois, even our crew wouldn`t have committed an atrocity like that. On top of that, there was the stunt you pulled at the battle of Shugoshina. You new generation of Pirates have some backbone after all," Shanks said.
Lucian was shocked. "Shugoshina got no media coverage. How did you know about that?"
Shanks and Beckman exchanged looks and laughed, spilling their beers in the process.
"You think we wouldn`t know? I like to keep an eye out for specific world events, but Marie Jois really made you infamous and feared," Beckman added.
Lucian stared at both men; they knew everything, huh? Can`t keep secrets from a Yonko.
"Marie Jois was all my idea. My crew just followed my orders. Helps that Marineford drew the focus away from the Admirals and the bulk of their force."
"I had to ask when I read about it in the paper. I was beyond shocked. I didn`t know you had that in you," Beckman muttered.
Lucian understood that he had made many questionable calls in the past that angered the nobles but ask him any day of the week, and he never regretted any of them. Shanks and Beckman seemed to understand, hopefully.
"Don't mess with the World Government again. Trust me, you don`t know what you`re getting yourself into," Shanks said seriously.
"No offense, Captain Shanks, but I`ll do whatever I want. I have a score to settle with them, and I won`t rest until it`s done," Lucian said. Beckmann's expression was hard to read, but he glanced over to Shanks.
"But if you're so set on taking them down, why not just join the Revolutionary Army?" Shanks said.
Lucian scoffed, "Like I`d like to take orders from anyone."
"Spoken like a true captain". Beckmann replied.
"Before you ask your question, just know that the more anyone knows about the World Government, the worse. I may not even be able to answer your question," Shanks said.
"God`s Valley," Lucian said.
Shanks and Beckmann tensed up. He knew God's Valley was a secretive operation conducted by the World Government 36 years ago. Only a select few people in the world knew about it.
"I want to identify someone from that event, or more likely, a symbol I saw that confirms my suspicions of their involvement in a related activity to me," Lucian said.
"Which is," Shanks said.
He looked at both men in front of him and hoped he wouldn`t be killed for saying this.
"The Gorosei, but specifically a member related to them. He is known as a man who whispers of the winds the promise of death and carnage. That phrase was disguised as an alias and spread throughout the New World," Lucian continued to say.
Shanks' eyes widened. He knew that Shanks understood his intentions and feelings and was kind enough to reciprocate them.
Beckmann looked calm, too calm. "So, captain, what's our move?".
Shanks stopped and stared Lucian in the eyes, not moving for a minute or so. The wind began to blow lightly, and the light from the setting sun began to illuminate the sky.
Shanks took a deep breath. "Well kid, I must commend you, you are in some deep shit but just understand you are on your own with this. I can`t help you once you go down this path."
"There's no turning back for me, guys. Not a chance. I can only go forward from here". Lucian replied.
"Give us a name, kid, don't leave us in suspense," Beckmann said. Lucian looked at Shanks and Beckmann and decided to trust them.
"His name is Saint Lucius; what do you know about him."