The next Chapter will conclude the Water 7 arc, and it will be released very soon. Sorry for the long wait.
Chapters 9 and onwards will take longer to perfect and edit so until then I will only post this and the next chapter within the week.
I hope you all enjoy and let me know your thoughts :)
Chapter 7: The Dark Past of Jory the Giant!
So, Lucian thought. Where was the mayor's office?
It was nearing midnight, and Lucian began patrolling the island looking for Iceberg. He walked around aimlessly until he reached the trader's market. He had no clue how he had found them, but he was sure glad he did.
Lucian began asking for directions. On the third attempt, he got lucky when he approached Blueno`s Bar, and one of the customers pointed him in the right direction. As he walked calmly to the location, he realized the potential danger this could raise for him and Rayleigh. Nonetheless, he hated being left in the dark. It's been over three years since he left home.
Promising Ilir and Mikasa that he'd make something of himself, he had to honor that promise by stepping up and taking risks.
People loved to keep secrets, which was the problem he faced. However, if he had to evaluate the last 3 years, he`d say they were amazing. The knowledge and power he had obtained by far were impressive, but he also hated how his emotions also changed, he felt he had developed more hate in his heart. With every passing day, he felt his hate for the World Government grows only stronger.
He despised that fat dude, the Celestial Dragon named Saint Fitzgerald that came by Aragonia to offer his 'condolences' when he was the epitome of scum.
He hated how innocents suffered because of the evil actions of others. But most of all, he hated the suited man, well, to be fully transparent. Ever since he began to understand Haki and how it operated, he had more fear than anger toward him.
He understood that night more clearly for what it was. Lucian remembered the aura that came out of the suited man.
He'll never forget it.
It felt as if his soul was being drained from his body, and the immense fear that plagued him paralyzed him in his tracks. It was pure agony from head to toe. He had never felt that aura again, and all Lucian knew was that he was a Holy Knight.
And even then, he knew that term was dangerous. He remembered the words of the suited man.
"You have my regards, worms, from the celestial dragons," he had said that night. That line solidified his opinion on the Nobles of the world.
So he had asked Rayleigh, but the old man always avoided the question. Maybe Rayleigh was protecting him? But as Lucian`s Haki abilities grew stronger the more he understood the experiences he endured along the way, the pain and suffering had meaning, and it opened his eyes to the truth.
So, in the end, there were two things Lucian could never mention, no matter what.
Mother Flame.
Lucian had no idea what that meant, and he had never asked Rayleigh; it was something he wanted to discover for himself. Right before his brother Karas disappeared, the suited man had asked him if Karas had discovered it. Then, it must have been what made Karas betray the Marines.
Holy Knights.
Those words were death sentences if uttered. Lucian had his theories, though. He tried to talk to Rayleigh about it, but he never told him. The suited man was a Holy Knight, so Lucian's theory was that they were a powerful unit that operated for the World Government. He wondered if the suited man was their leader.
These were the dark thoughts that often impeded his mind. As hard as he tried to push them away, they always came back to remind him of why he left home in the first place.
Pluton was a close call, too, so he needed to know what Iceberg knew. He continued to walk until he finally reached a building with iron fencing around it. It was quite hard to miss the massive estate before him. It was beautiful and elegant.
He rang the bell.
Finally, after what seemed like forever, the door buzzed. He pushed past the fence and walked to the front door, where he turned the knob and he was in a receptionist area. It was empty as it should be, it was the middle of the night. Then a blonde woman with glasses appeared. She was very attractive and seemed to be in her 20s. She was wearing casual business attire, which is the best way Lucian could describe it. She was holding a clipboard and had one of those stern looks on her face as if his presence was an inconvenience to her.
Lucian spoke up, "I'm here to see Iceberg," The woman looked down at Lucian, she was pretty tall. "At this time, you couldn't wait until the morning."
"Rayleigh sent me," he lied.
The woman finally tensed up, she readjusted her glasses and motioned for him to follow her. They went up a couple of hallways and stairs until they finally reached a large wooden door.
The woman knocked, "Iceberg, an associate of Rayleigh`s, is here to see you." After a moment of silence, the door swung open, and a tall man with blue hair and a suited attire stepped out. "Thanks, Kalifa. That will be all for tonight." The woman nodded in approval and left.
"You must be Lucian. Rayleigh speaks highly about you. Come in." Lucian walked into his office and sat in the chair across from Iceberg.
Iceberg began to focus his attention on his paperwork until he said, "What brings you to my office so late at night? I heard you wanted to take your business to the scrap yard, and I'm quite disappointed to hear that."
Oh crap, how'd he know Lucian wanted Jory to build his ship. Well, he is the mayor. After all, he would've figured it out eventually.
"No offense to your Galley-La employees, but Jory is my guy," Lucian proclaimed.
Iceberg's expressions were hard to read. "Well, he is talented, but you do know what he did, right?" Lucian figured it was just bad luck as a slave.
Iceberg sighed. "He used to be an employee of Galley-La, but one night, Jory decided to betray us. He sabotaged one of our customers' ships, and then those same pirates came back for revenge. They found out Jory was the culprit, so they demanded his death."
Lucian sat and listened. He barely knew Jory, but that did not seem like something he would do. He could sense he was a good-hearted man, so why would he sabotage a ship?
"Why," Lucian asked.
"We do not know. Jory gave no reason. All we know is that he disgraced the Galley-La name. You see, we have a reputation throughout the Grand Line. It doesn't matter if you're a pirate, marine, or a sailor. Everyone gets their ships built here if you want the best. So there was only one solution: to save face. They wanted him dead, but instead, they sold him to slavery since his shipwright skills were still amazing and proved profitable."
Lucian always knew Galley-La felt weird to him, and weirdly enough, Jory seemed innocent in his eyes. He always knew to trust his gut. "So, which Pirate did he piss off," Lucian asked.
"One of the seven warlords, Crocodile." Lucian was shocked; his expression was visible, and Iceberg caught on to Lucian's realization.
"So now you understand," Iceberg asked.
Of course, it all made sense now. Robin worked for Baroque Works which Rayleigh told him is under Crocodile's command, Lucian wanted to smack himself. How did he not remember that crucial bit of information when he met Robin? If Robin was interested in Pluton, it must make sense that Crocodile is as well, so did Jory know about Pluton and try taking Crocodile out of the picture? His brain began to hurt.
That is where his theory ends for now.
But screw it. Let`s break the ice.
"Hey, Iceberg, the reason I came here is to discuss Pluton."
This time, Iceberg was stunned. Before Lucian could let Iceberg speak he said, "I don`t know how much Rayleigh told you about me. But my country was nearly wiped out for information regarding Pluton. I would love answers."
Iceberg took a deep breath. Lucian didn`t want to mention the cursed book.
"I should have known a disciple of Rayleigh`s would know, but it is complicated."
"Then explain it to me, sir."
He began to describe Pluton's origins and its significance in the world's history. Lucian knew the history lesson; what he needed to know was where Pluton was and if it even existed. Iceberg continued his speech, describing how Pluton's importance is a secret of Water 7's history.
It was passed down from shipwright to shipwright until it came down to his mentor, Tom. Tom understood the dangers of Pluton, so he decided to keep it secret.
So it was here! It logically made sense for it to be on the greatest shipwright island ever.
"So Iceberg, tell me, can it be built again."
Iceberg nodded in approval, "Only me, Rayleigh, and Franky know about Pluton's existence."
Franky, he must be referring to the Franky Family. Rayleigh explicitly advised Lucian not to go near them about 14 times. He was serious about that.
"So now that you understand the dangers of Pluton, you can understand why the Marines would want this power. They wanted to use this weapon…to end the Great Pirate Era," Iceberg proclaimed.
Of course, this was exactly Lucian's thoughts. The World Government would want it for this purpose. Iceberg spoke again, "I'm only telling you this because you are a pupil of Rayleigh's. Never mention this conversation to anybody. Or else you will be marked for death."
Lucian promised Iceberg he would never mention this to anyone. When Lucian got up from his seat, he still had one more question to ask.
"Why didn`t Crocodile kill Jory? Why make him a slave."
Iceberg responded "Crocodile never actually stepped foot on Water 7, his subordinates were ordered to kill him. But I managed to convince him that death was too cruel for someone of his skills, so he settled on making him suffer through slavery."
This Crocodile character sounded delightful. "How long ago was this," Lucian asked.
"2 years ago," Iceberg responded.
Lucian was shocked, as it occurred around the same time as Aragonia`s genocide. Crocodile must have been gunning for clues on Pluton, just like the suited man. These two events had to be connected. Lucian opened the door, and just as he was about to close it, he said, "Thanks, Iceberg."
Iceberg gave a faint smile. "Before you go, Lucian, just be careful. There are interesting characters on this island. I don`t want you to get caught up with them."
Lucian nodded and left the mayor`s office. He had his work cut out for him, and he was going to do what Rayleigh told him not to.
Cause trouble.
2 weeks later…
As Lucian started to become more accustomed to Water 7, he spent almost every day hanging out with Jory. They started to connect more, which made him happy. In the meantime, Lucian and Rayleigh had worked on a ship design for months before they arrived at Water 7, and when Lucian showed it to Jory, he loved it.
Although, he made a lot of changes. But the changes were great. Jory`s artistic vision was to be appreciated. Lucian finally convinced Rayleigh that Jory was worthy to build their ship. In his words, "I dont care, kid, it's your ship."
That was all the permission he needed. Jory was always fun and cracked jokes. They just hung out messing about in the scrapyard, and they didn`t care what the masters thought. However, the masters began to disdain Lucian. It's not exactly a good thing to keep a slave happy in their eyes.
But they didn`t make any moves, they were to weak-minded to retaliate back.
Lucian was astonished at Jory's ability to keep the mood lighthearted despite his predicaments. He was a slave, yet he acted as if he were a free man. Jory told him he was from Elbaf, an island full of Giants, and believe it or not, Jory is the runt of the family at only 15 feet tall. How funny was that!
Lucian wanted to ask Jory about his past and why he betrayed Galley-La but he needed to tread carefully. They were friends but he couldn't bring himself to ask a difficult question like that. But he wouldn`t be here forever so better now than later.
Whilst Jory was working on the base of this ship Lucian decided to speak his mind.
"Hey Jory, once you're done building my ship. I'm going to free you and we can sail together."
Jory usually matched Lucian's energy, but this time he was stern, "No don`t do that."
Lucian was confused, "Why not Jory, I spoke to Iceberg and you don`t deserve this treatment, a shipwright of your caliber. No way!"
Jory expressions stayed the same "Yes, I do," Lucian didn`t believe his words.
"Listen, Lucian, what I did to Galley-La was deemed unforgivable." Lucian felt as if Jory was holding back some truth to his words. Lucian hopped off the ship, "Jory I sense the fear in you."
Jory looked pale, "I am not your enemy, you can tell me stuff," Lucian said. Jory didn`t respond instead he continued to work on the ship.
Don`t worry Jory you will be free eventually, Lucian thought as he smiled.
A few more days passed, and he found Rayleigh at the infamous Blueno`s Bar, and for once he wasn't drunk. Round of applause!
Over these last few weeks, Lucian and Rayleigh have been planning for the future. His training has been going well, Lucian`s Observation Haki has increased drastically but his armament abilities were practically non-existent.
With Haki, there are so many possibilities he didn`t even know where to start, but he realizes it takes time to hone those skills. He had a gut feeling something big was going to happen. Iceberg has been keeping a close eye on them ever since their convo so Lucian had to maintain his cover.
No promises.
Rayleigh's main concern since their extensive stay at Water 7 was someone recognizing them and having a navy pursuit placed on them. Lucian understood the risks of staying in one place for a long period, but he was finally starting to enjoy the place.
He spent a lot of time with Jory and honestly, Lucian wanted to free him, but doing that would cause a massive problem with Galley-La, and that's the last thing they wanted. Keeping a low profile was one of Rayleigh's long list of priorities.
Lucian wished he could see Rayleigh in his prime, he was definitely a monster he bet no Marine would step up to him.
But he kept asking Lucian for updates on Jory's work on their ship, honestly, Jory was making amazing progress. Lucian also expressed his desire to free Jory after their ship was done being built. Rayleigh wasn't happy about that idea mainly because Iceberg told him what Jory did.
But Lucian began to not care about others' opinions, if he was going to be a pirate he was going to need to act independently. Ever since he left Aragonia he has been accompanied by Rayleigh, so the truth was Lucian's life was never really at risk at any point during their journey.
At one point he knew Rayleigh would let him go on his own, whenever he deemed Lucian strong enough.
Lucian knew that he was never going to leave Water 7 without helping Jory out first. He left in a hurry to meet Jory as he remembered that he required a favor from him.
When Lucian finally arrived at the scrapyard he saw his ship. It was almost complete, it was large. Like really large, over 50 feet tall. It was a sleek build with an all-black design and the figurehead resembled a scary-looking dragon.
It was the stuff of dreams.
What was the favor Jory needed?
Since Jory couldn't leave the scrapyard, he needed a piece from the Galley-La area to complete the ship. Lucian listened closely to Jory's instructions. He needed a certain set of masts. These masts were carved by him years ago, and he believed they would be a perfect addition to Lucian's ship. Lucian didn't want to go back to Galley-La, but he wanted his ship to be perfect, so he agreed.
He would sneak in whilst they were working, easy peasy.
Walking over to Galley-La was very lively. People always crowded the area to see the famous shipwrights get to work on constructing some of the most beautiful ships you'll ever see. Lucian remembered that Jory said the masts were near the rear of his former workshop. They were wrapped around in chains and had intricate detailing of carvings on the surface. Keep that in mind, Lucian thought.
As he entered the yard, he saw the Galley-La employees working tediously. They were all running around, focused on their tasks. This was a perfect opportunity to get the masts. He wandered around for a couple of minutes until he found the large workshop. After a considerable time of snooping around, he found the masts in the back. In a split second, he felt a presence behind him. Lucian quickly turned around to see a large man with a disappointed face.
"What are you doing here?" the large man said. Lucian gulped. Why did this always happen to him?
"Jory sent me to retrieve his masts. Is that a problem? " Lucian suddenly regained some newfound confidence. He was done playing nice with these Galley-La shipwrights.
"Jory has no authority in these parts anymore. Now leave." Lucian stood his ground, and he wasn't going to let anyone push him over anymore.
"Not without those masts. Let me have them. And I'll be on my way," Lucian said.
Until he heard another voice from afar. "Hey, Blueno, who's here."
It was the man with the large nose who told Lucian to bring an adult back because, apparently, he was too young.
"Caught this kid trying to steal our merchandise," Blueno said. Lucian looked at both of them now, he could sense one thing for sure. They were powerful.
"Oh it's you again, so Jory sent you to retrieve the masts. That's a name I haven't heard in a long time," said the long-nosed man. Blueno started to laugh.
"Oh, Kaku, what should we do with this brat? You think Jory told him about us," Blueno stated.
Lucian stood as still as possible and analyzed the situation. He was facing Blueno and Kaku, who were 5 feet away from him. A couple of feet away, to his left, were the masts. They were long and heavy, so he couldn't just steal them and outrun them.
He had to retreat. These shipwrights always gave him a bad feeling, and that feeling started to re-emerge again. He needed to get out of there quickly. Maybe Soru would work. Both men were talking amongst each other. If he had an opportunity, he needed a split-second window to escape. He stayed still and hid his intentions as best he could. After what seemed like forever, the opportunity finally presented itself!
"Soru," Lucian said.
He disappeared and dashed for the door. He moved so fast that it caught both men off guard. In a split second, he traveled nearly a thousand feet and was at the Galley-La entrance gates.
Home free let's go!
But before he could take another step both men appeared in front of Lucian angrily, What how! How did they get there so quickly? They are faster than him, no way!
Kaku punched Lucian in the stomach. He didn`t even have the chance to block it. The pain was immense, and he crashed backward into the crates beside the gates.
Kaku and Blueno walked toward Lucian, "How the hell does this kid know Rokushiki at such a young age."
"Maybe we underestimated him, Kaku," Blueno said. Lucian got up his stomach was on fire. These shipwrights packed a punch, he knew that they were hiding something.
"What the hell is Rokushiki?" Lucian asked.
Blueno's eyes widened. "You're telling me you learned this skill without knowing what it's called. Only a select few people in the world can utilize this ability. Even the most advanced masters struggle to use this technique correctly, yet here you are, almost a master of an amazing ability. So tell me who taught you this."
Lucian coughed up a bit of blood. Better not to lie. "My uncle taught me." He struggled to breathe. Ah, these guys were pricks!
Kaku let out a surprised gasp. "Blueno, this kid. He's with Dark King Rayleigh". Bleuno`s mouth dropped. "NO KIDDING."
Kaku nodded in approval. "I saw them together talking to Iceberg. He`s the former first mate of the Roger Pirates, and now we have his apprentice."
Lucian was nervous now. He wasn't strong enough to take them both on, and he couldn`t even take one on individually.
"Hey, look, all I want is the masts for my ship. I don`t want to cause any trouble," Lucian panicked.
"But you already caused us trouble kid don`t you get that, We should've killed Jory when we had the chance. Now the kid knows. We need to tell the boss."
Again, Lucian's nervousness began to bother him. These guys were not messing around. Kaku and Blueno were discussing whether not to kill Lucian or Jory first. He stood there controlling his breathing, damn that punch stung as he grabbed his stomach. They were discussing something, but he couldn`t hear them.
"We've decided then not to kill you unless our boss deems it fit. But make no mistake, if you don`t cooperate, we will have you killed," Kaku said. Lucian could do nothing but nod in agreement. He began to follow the two men into an underground entrance. He was so fucked.
After walking in deafening silence for a while, he decided to ask the two men what their beef was with Jory. "You're a nosy brat, so answer me this. Why do you think Jory works as a slave in the scrapyard? Because it's either that or death. We will never allow him to leave Water 7. He knows as do you."
Lucian was confused. He decided to ask Kaku again what he knew that was so secretive.
Blueno laughed, "Dead men tell no tales, Kaku," Kaku shared in the laughter with his friend.
"Our identity—he discovered the real reason we are here. We are Cipher Pol 9, the assassination sector of the World Government," Kaku said.
Lucian's heart skipped a beat, now teeming with rage. "CP9, huh? These guys are dangerous, and just because Jory found out about them." He stopped himself from thinking his hopeless thoughts.
"So tell me, assholes, if Jory found out your identity, why not kill him immediately, it doesn't make any sense."
BOOM! Lucian felt Blueno's fist connect to his face, sending him flying back to the wall of the underground tunnel.
He hated these pretentious douchebags as he slumped down for the second time.
"You talk too much; shut up." Blueno muttered angrily. Lucian took a second to catch his breath, then stood on his feet.
Kaku turned his head to meet Lucian's gaze, "Do you really want to know why Jory is suffering."
Lucian nodded in agreement. Kaku grinned, "Not only is it a shame to kill a talent such as him, but we need him. You see, when Jory originally discovered our secret, it ruined our plans. Let me explain…
We have been on this island for years in search of one thing. We were told by our superiors that the blueprints to the ancient weapon Pluton were here. So our disguise as shipwrights seemed plausible. But after a while of solidifying our identities within Water 7, our first real clue emerged.
It was Jory.
You see Jory was a giant from Elbaph with some connections to the mafioso of the underworld. Why he was involved in that business, I have no clue. But one night at Blueno`s bar we all were partying after completing a large order of ships. Jory got so drunk he started to reveal discreet information that the public shouldn't know about.
He raved on about his dream as a shipwright: to find the blueprints to Pluton. That gleeful idiot didn`t want the power the weapon provided; he was just amazed at the design. Jory loved designs, and he loved the history behind that ship. So naturally, CP9 thought they had their first lead. Jory might be able to lead us to Pluton.
But here's the problem: after that drunken night. He never mentioned it again. We started to drop hints around the workshop to see if he would take the bait but he never did. So, we decided to take matters into our own hands. Me and Blueno planned to get him drunk again, so we threw a party just for Jory. Jory drank and drank and drank. Up until the point that he was so drunk that he became delirious.
He rambled on about all the ships he built for the mafioso. Apparently, they wanted to find the blueprints as well, which immediately made them a target. But what caught us off guard was that Jory was building a ship for someone behind our backs, our competitor.
One of the seven warlords of the sea, a man known as Crocodile. He also was after the origins of Pluton. So he employed Jory to not only build his ship but to supply him with information. We were on our way to kill Jory for betraying us, but it was too late. He discovered our identity from Crocodile, that dickhead put CP9 in such a bad position, he gained a level of immunity from Crocodile as well so that hindered us to punish him," as Kaku finished telling his story.
Lucian took some time to process this information, he couldn't believe Jory sold out CP9. He liked him more because of that. Screw these government rats. Lucian then started to laugh uncontrollably.
"So you're telling me that Jory found out your identities, and you still let him live. What a weak move."
Blueno, enraged, rebutted, "You idiot, if we kill Jory, we risk a battle with Crocodile that will impede our mission and our identities. So, the best way to punish Jory was to sell him into slavery. So he can suffer every day for his betrayal without dying to trigger the wrath of Crocodile."
Lucian blinked in awe. "Oh, I see. So, the most dangerous assassination group in the world is scared of a warlord. Copy that." Kaku and Blueno's anger started to rise… until he heard a voice from behind him.
"You think you're funny, boy," the voice said from afar, his tone serious as could be.
Lucian turned around, and his smile disappeared. There was a large man in a suit with long hair, a goatee, and a pigeon on his shoulder. His aura was magnificent and powerful. He must be the boss, Lucian thought to himself.
"Lucci, we were just about to bring the kid to you."
Lucci raised his hand to silence his subordinates. "Take care of the Dark King. Leave me with the boy, " Kaku and Blueno obeyed and disappeared into the darkness.
Lucian was now face to face with what he presumed to be the leader of CP9. He worried for Rayleigh. Could he handle both Kaku and Blueno?
"I am not like my comrades. I hate games, so tell me the truth, and I will only ask once." Lucci removed his large coat, and his pigeon flew away. "Where are the blueprints for Pluton? Answer wisely."
Lucci assumed a fighting position. If he told the truth, Iceberg, Rayleigh, and the rest of the city would suffer, but if he lied, that meant he'd die. Lucian knew he couldn't tell Lucci the truth, so he'd just take the blueprints and kill Jory. But could he beat him in a fight? It was highly unlikely. Still, it was worth a try. Lucian assumed his fighting stance; he focused on all the aura he had built up inside and unleashed it.
"Nah, no thanks," Lucian responded, eyes sharp, waiting for the perfect moment.
With a quick breath, he vanished in a blur. "Soru!" He shot forward, aiming a fierce punch at Lucci's ribs. But Lucci twisted, dodging with ease. Damn, Lucian thought. He's fast.
Then, a flash of pain shot up his spine. Lucci had slipped behind him in an instant, landing a precise strike that sent Lucian reeling forward. Gritting his teeth, he forced himself upright. He pivoted, lunging with renewed speed, using his own Rokushiki to match Lucci's pace. They clashed, fists flying in rapid succession—right punch, block, left kick, deflect. Every movement became a blur of brutal precision.
Lucian staggered back, breathing heavily, blood trickling down his lip. Lucci smirked, wiping a speck of blood from his mouth. "You have some power."
As Lucci advanced slowly, Lucian recognized the disdain in his eyes. He wasn't taking this seriously, and that thought ignited a spark of fury.
Lucci closed the distance, and Lucian barely had time to register his approach. In a split second, he raised his left elbow, blocking an attack that sent a shockwave through his arm. The force threw him backward, crashing into the wall as pain exploded across his body. Panting, he knew he had to rely on every ounce of his Observation Haki to keep up.
Lucian darted forward, channeling the little Armament he had into his fists. He unleashed a fierce combination—a right hook aimed at Lucci's jaw. Lucci blocked it with his left hand, but Lucian immediately followed up with a sharp kick to Lucci's knee, forcing him to drop down.
This was it. Lucian gathered every ounce of strength into his left fist, aiming a decisive blow at Lucci's head.
But Lucci moved like a ghost, dodging effortlessly and grabbing Lucian's wrist in a vice-like grip. Lucian's eyes widened just as Lucci twisted, cracking his wrist and hurling him into the wall with devastating force.
Pain shot through him, his vision blurring, the world spinning. "I haven't gotten hit in a while. Thanks for the challenge," Lucci taunted, his voice calm as could be.
Lucian forced himself to his feet, coughing up blood, every breath a fresh agony. He knew he couldn't afford even one more mistake against this monster.
"You must be Lucci, leader of CP9, huh?" he managed to say, steadying his stance.
Lucci's gaze was cold, his expression unchanging. "Yes. But too bad you won't live to tell anyone about it."
Lucian barely had time to react before Lucci blurred out of sight. Then, an impact slammed into his chest with the force of a lightning bolt, sending him crashing into the wall again. This time, the pain was different—deeper, sharper. Blood trickled down his lips as he doubled over, fighting to stay conscious. He probably had internal bleeding, yup it sure felt like it.
"If you had more time to train, you'd be fun to fight with," Lucci stated.
"Shut up. I know why you're here. You better kill me, or everyone will know the truth," Lucian said.
At this point, he was on his knees, holding his broken ribs. Taunting the stronger opponent was a dumb move, but he had to let him know his true feelings. Lucci didn`t move; instead, for the first time, he grinned.
"I know it's here, and I will have it soon. Do not worry, boy. Your suffering will end now." The battle didn`t last long, only a couple of minutes. He was too weak, and he overestimated his abilities.
Lucci approached Lucian, who was about to deliver the final blow. This was it, huh? His journey was over before it even started. Lucian was defenseless and vulnerable. He reassembled a weak, dying man, but he wouldn`t beg for mercy. Lucian closed his eyes, waiting for the moment to pass—until Lucci gasped.
"You remind me of someone," Lucci said. Lucian was too hurt to understand.
Lucci retracted his offensive stance, "What is your name, boy."
Lucian forced his head to meet Lucci's gaze; he was basically paralyzed at this point. "My name is Lucian."
Lucci grabbed Lucian and raised him by his bloody shirt, "Surname?"
"Xebel, Lucian Xebel," Lucian managed to spit out.
Lucci dropped him, "Yes, yes, I see it now. A marine soldier, he resembled your looks. He was also looking for Pluton." Lucian's mind went blank, he couldn't be talking about Karas.
"I assume… you're… tal-king about my… brother" Lucian managed to say.
Lucci's eyes widened, and his demeanor reverted to normal. He scoffed, "I see; it runs in the family." Then, he started to walk away.
What the fuck? Lucian was confused.
"Hey," Lucian called out.
He was pushing his luck now. He was stumbling towards Lucci now, which didnt make sense. "Why don`t… you… kill me," he managed to yell.
Lucci stopped and turned around. "Are you begging for death? Leave this city immediately. If I see you again, I won't hesitate to kill you." Lucian looked down at his hands. They were bloody. His head started to spin, and the vertigo intensified. His vision began to go black.
"Hey, asshole," Lucian had called out again as he forced himself to his feet.
Lucci stopped in his tracks. "You were about to gut me, then you mentioned my older brother. What's the connection there? It doesn't make sense. Jory's intentions. Your mission. None of it." He fell on his knees again, grasping at his already punctured stomach. The pain was too much to bear.
"Your brother… was a fool. A powerful one like you. But he lacks something you don`t. That willpower to transcend limitations. He found Pluton's whereabouts and then gave up on it. We dont know why.
But his discovery led CP9 to Water 7. So we have him to thank for his time in the Marines for doing us this favor. He has a dark history whose details are vague, but I am only letting you live because of him, as a favor for doing us a great service. Beating you up was just for you running your mouth to my subordinates. Now leave before I change my mind." Lucci explained.
Damn it, Karas, what secrets were you hiding this whole time. "What about Jory? Is what Kaku and Blueno said true?"
Lucci gave Lucian one last look and then disappeared from the tunnels. Lucian collapsed to the floor, now crawling to the exit, whichever way that must have been.
Rayleigh. They are coming for him, if they find out Iceberg has the plans for Pluton it's game over. Galley-La dont suspect him, so hopefully, they have no reason to go after Iceberg. He wouldn't give up information that easily.
His senses started to weaken. He was bleeding out of his ribs. Lucci got him good. If what CP9 said was true, then Jory was a rat. He didnt want to believe it, but it seemed to be the truth. Regardless, he had to hear his side of the story. He kept his right hand on the bleeding wound and started using his left to crawl. The underground tunnel was long, and the flickering lights of the overhead passageways began to flicker until he blacked out again.
Lucian woke up in bed.
The first thing that came to his mind was… why was he always blacking out? Seriously, it happened too much. But jokes aside, he realized something very important. Ever since he left Aragonia and began his training with Rayleigh, Lucian knew his power threshold had exponentially increased. But he also realized his biggest downfall.
His ego.
He had been too overconfident the entire time, thinking he could take anyone on. Lucci humbled him, he knew confidence was important but in truth, he was just being arrogant. Other than that, he just realized he was in bed. He remembered passing out in the underground tunnels. So, who saved him? He also examined his body; it was covered in bandages, and he now just processed the pain. Damn, it hurt. The room looked cozy, though. But it looked unfamiliar. He then heard a clanging noise. Lucian was hesitant to step out of bed, but he got up.
Each step started to hurt as he walked to open the door. Once he opened it, a ray of sunshine temporarily blinded his eyes as he stepped foot outside. All he saw was half a completed ship and then the vast horizon of the scrapyard.
Then, a familiar face emerged. "Hey, you shouldn't be up," Lucian said, turning around to see Jory, the giant, right before him.
This must have been the ship that Jory was building him. Jory forced Lucian back into bed.
"How did you find me?" Lucian asked. Jory was working away on the ship, he took a while to respond.
"I didn`t… a local did, and they brought me to you."
"Why."
Jory put his tools down and came beside Lucian. "Because you were severely injured and the workers in the tunnels were old friends of mine, they were right to bring you to me. So tell me, did CP9 do this to you."
Lucian gasped. Jory knew, "Huh, that makes sense since he had a rocky history with them." Lucian nodded in approval to Jory's question. His expression never changed from the gleeful persona he loved to emit.
"This is my fault; I am sorry, Lucian. For asking you to do such a task," Jory said helping Lucian back into bed.
"No time for apologies, to be honest. Our meeting would`ve been inevitable. Just explain yourself."
Jory took a deep breath and said, "I know. They have been trying to get rid of me for years. But truth be told, I have been trying to contain them." Lucian, now confused, wanted answers.
"They told me you were working with one of the warlords and the mafioso of the West Blue and how you betrayed them."
Jory scratched his nose. "To keep it simple, I lied about it all."
Lucian was shocked. What so who's telling the truth?
"Listen, I never had any connection to the mafioso or Crocodile. I made it all up. My employer sent me to fool the greatest branch of World Government assassins just to put them off." Lucian was shocked. Who was his employer?
Lucian then began to explain the story that Kaku and Blueno told him about Jory, and all Jory did was let out a large laugh. Jory then cleared his voice and began to explain.
"Every day, there is internal conflict within nations and people, especially those after powers beyond imagination.
My employer sent me to disturb that internal conflict. CP9 needed investigation. They are good Lucian, agents the public does not know about operating in the shadows like puppetmasters, orchestrating history in front of our eyes without us noticing.
Their target: Pluton.
Because of my strong admiration for shipwrights, I wanted to protect Pluton's origins from the World Government. So, I was sent to Water 7 with a fabricated story that paints me as the sad drunk whom CP9 can take advantage of.
Weasling my way into Galley-La was easy, but gaining their trust was hard. So I put on an act and pretended to be this big-shot character. I needed to know what plans they had in store for such a weapon. Oh to know the mysteries of Pluton, I wish I could see it. But I rather have it lost to history than in the hands of the World Government.
Such power will create an imbalance in the Great Pirate Era. Nations will give up their way of life and give in to democracy. But in truth, democracy is what they call it. I see it as an authoritarian regime with secrets and goals beyond our understanding.
Once I was caught, I sacrificed my future to stop them.
And I felt that if I dedicated myself to stopping them... it would wash away my sins.
Jory paused and began to look away. He then spoke up quickly. "Long story short, Lucian, my goal is to keep CP9 at bay. I cannot in good conscience leave this city. I hope you understand."
Who sent Jory, and why press the issue? Admitting this to him took strength, but Lucian knew what he wanted from him, and he wouldn`t take no for an answer.
"I still want you to join my crew, you heard," Lucian demanded.
"Did you listen to a word I said, Lucian!" Jory roared.
"But why, Jory. What's the end goal here. You're still a slave. You can`t do much". Lucian responded.
"Aren`t we all slaves, huh? My reason for lying is my own. Every choice I made here in Water 7 was a choice I never lived to regret. I'd rather die than let those scumbags have the blueprints to Pluton. Truth is, I know the blueprints resided here. I just needed to create a diversion to keep CP9 busy."
"So, you willingly became a slave for what? Logically it doesn't follow," Lucian said.
Jory smiled. "Yes, but is it truly slavery if you love what you do."
Lucian's face was stern. "I mean, yeah, dude, you're still a slave, aren't you."
"I love building ships, so I don`t feel like a slave. But ask CP9, and they'll think they have me beat. Oh, how gullible they are. For them to have an ancient weapon would be a disgrace to my work.
I have dedicated myself MY WHOLE LIFE to the craft of shipwrighting. When I first arrived at Water 7, my dream came true. But since CP9 discovered my identity, they managed to turn something I love into a meaningless chore whilst they searched for the ultimate weapon of destruction. I'm sure you noticed, but the World is an evil place. I couldn't stand by idly as they tried to take control of history."
This started to make a lot more sense now. CP9 was dispatched here to cause chaos across the world. Pluton will end the Great Pirate Era and take away the ability to be free. But one thing still bothered him, Jory had a specific reason to make the choices that he did. But why did he choose that path? It made some sense. But he knew there were repercussions for his choices. Perhaps he didnt know Jory long enough to understand his psyche.
Lucian got up once again, his legs weak and his arms burning. "Woah, what do you think you're going? If Galley-La sees you again, you'll be dead meat." Lucian took a few steps, bearing the pain.
"Hey, Jory, thanks for everything. But I need to find Iceberg and my uncle."
"YOU CAN'T. You risk putting the mayor in danger of CP9, and if they suspect Iceberg, they will sure as likely kill him. As for you, once I finish building this ship, you are out of here, kid."
Oh, so Jory doesn't know Iceberg has plans for Pluton. He should keep it that way for everyone's sake.
"How long till the ship is fully built," Lucian asked.
"I can complete it in two days, and then you need to get out of here. I won't have your blood on my hands," Jory said.
Lucian hopped off the ship. "I will free you once you're done, understood," Lucian said. Jory shook his head. "Do you want CP9 to run a rampage? Keeping me here is a large priority for them. They think I'm a threat."
"Let me handle it, Jory, trust me," Lucian said as he walked to the center of town.
He started to feel his body acclimate to the pain, and he began to walk regularly again. After a long walk, he reached the center of town, where he spotted Iceberg's office. He scanned his surroundings. Galley-La wasn't in sight. What hurt him the most was that he couldn't tell Iceberg about CP9, or else he'd die. He was the only thing holding the city together. He couldn't risk his life like that. Jory was right, he and Uncle Rayleigh should leave as soon as possible. It hurt him that he couldn't stop CP9, but they were at a large disadvantage.
Also, Lucian needed more training. His current state would be little to no help. But before he left, despite what he said, he had to free Jory. Lucian walked into the office, where Kalifa was waiting.
"Hey, I need to see Iceberg again."
Time for Round 2!