Chapter 40: Magic Battle
Northern Village
Luffy and the other guys were startled that Laffitte managed to get to Elbaf so easily especially due to its current crisis.
"He's here by himself.," Jinbe noted. "Teach must have a lot of faith in him."
"So he's with Blackbeard? What's he want with Minerva?," asked Luffy.
"I was able to complete my secret mission at Mary Geoise- getting certain intel on a power she possesses.," replied the pale-skinned man.
"What kind of intel?," asked Sanji.
"It's supposed to be for my captain...but admittedly, Umi's plan is expediting things faster than expected. And we can't take the world if there's nothing on it. So...," he said as he glared at suddenly the men were paralyzed much to their confusion.
"Damnit. He has weird powers like the spider bull! Can't move!," shouted Luffy.
"Letting a lady down like this is not a manly thing to do. And I'm planning to reunite with Nami Swan and Robin Swan after this!," Sanji cursed.
"Damnit, I was starting to like her too!," Chopper cursed.
"Shit! Again! Being so helpless!" Usopp shouted.
"Run, miss! There's too much danger here!," shouted Jinbe.
"Don't try and be a hero. Just get out of here.," Zoro told her.
"Must use Ghost form!," Brook yelled.
"Wait...she's...," Galahad said before Laffitte see Minerva just punch him with extreme force with her arm covered in runes.
"Lalala. You're a Magus. Your Bounty is 6 Billion by the World Government. You're quite popular with them.," the pale-skinned man noted.
"Yes, with a noose and an executioner as my backstage director. I was having a good time for the first time in years with some of the few people I could actually speak with my mouth.," Minerva responded.
"Wait, that bounty... it's more than King and even Roger and Whitebeard! You're hiding from the World Government on this island this whole time?," asked Zoro.
"Hold on. I know about the Rocks Pirates but didn't know everything about them aside from the members that became more infamous over the years.," spoke Jinbe.
"How'd you do that?," asked Luffy, the only one she actually paid fully attention towards.
Minerva fully expected that outside of certain individuals on the crew she used to be on that it would commented as freaky.
"Just accept what he has to say.," she spoke aloud. "Even if it's been called a freak-"
"Even if you are one, it's still really cool!," Luffy said.
Minerva was stunned by the response.
She covered her head with her hat as she blushed underneath it. It clearly meant something to her as it was a very long time that anyone outside of a select few viewed her as not a thing to loathe.
Laffitte didn't waste any time in attacking before she said in a tone that was alien to Luffy and the others.
"Detorquere et converti, torquere et urere-," She said before she got tongue-tied as the pale-skinned Blackbeard Pirate stopped in confusion.
She then paused, went outside and hit her head against the wall. She then turned around to look at her enemy with a deadpan look as she said-
"Sorry, I forgot they made it a taboo to use it. It's still effective."
"Lalalalala. Of course, the World Government made a lot of things taboo, more concrete than others. I would ask you to join, but you don't seem to be the type that's going to cooperate.," Laffitte remarked.
"Sorry, but I don't follow someone who's relies on ideas of fate and luck as a crutch to avoid responsibility for their actions.," she replied bluntly.
Being a heavy believer in fate and luck, this struck a nerve in Laffitte as an angry vein appeared on his forehead.
"Being a sheriff for half a century was a hobby I took before resuming being a pirate- there is something I carry over from those days...people who talked like I had a choice in how I chose to maintain order...as if you can override your instincts.," he said.
"You're 41 aren't you? That statement seems suspicious...," Minerva noted.
Laffitte grinned while his expression darkened.
"You're too smart for your own good, little lady.," Laffitte said as suddenly one of the tendrils outside was blasted apart as it screamed, with it roaring with the stump burning.
Laffitte unfurled his wings and proceeded to sprout golden iris eyes on those wings as they all looked at Minerva.
"What kind of Bird Zoan is that?," asked Chopper.
"Paramecia, Logia, and Zoan are three official types, but there's another set that's deliberately obscured by the ones in charge- Meta, Tempora or Chrono in later texts, and...Theo. The last allows you to become something above the Mythical Zoan highest tier of Demi Gods...," she explained.
"Turning into a divine being- Gods, Devils, Eldritch Beings, and...Angels!," Laffitte spoke as he leaped out of the room, his form expanded in mass as it continued to glow.
Wano
"What in the?," asked Kawamatsu as he rushed all the way from his territory.
"In addition to that form...he has...?," asked Momonosuke as he saw Teach as a massive purple turtle with a serpentine tail ending in a snake head facing off against a currently obscured Zoan that the other figure transformed into- a massive tiger with indications that it was all white.
"I don't feel as comfortable using Madden against this kind of guy...Hmph?," asked Teach as he saw a light in the distance.
"Damnit, who's on there? Is there someone that pissed you off enough to force you to use it? Guess, fate intends for us not always to keep our cards close to our chest.," spoke the Admiral of Pirates before noticing the black sea even expanding towards Wano.
"What's going on there?," asked Momonosuke.
Skypiea
The Skypieans noticed that the clouds below were darkening with unnaturally inky substance.
Aisa immediately sensed it and cried much to Konis' immense concern.
"Down there...is a really terrible creature that's is full of...nasty ambition to suppress will and dreams!," she spoke.
"How would you know that?," asked Raki.
Suddenly, it began to spread upwards as it began to cause the skies up there to darkened and the darkness nearly sprouted tendrils to grab Konis...
When a bolt of lightning obliterated the darkness, Wyper and Gan Fall arrived in time to see blackened ships arrive from the visible moon in the sky.
"Yahahaha! Fairy Vearth was truly an irony to discover! Our ancestral home- reduced to a desolate sphere due to that kind of creature that caused us to be sent down here in the first place. The true Vearth is down below for a God to take for his own!," shouted a familiar voice.
Across the World
Dragon, Sakazuki, Sengoku, a barely conscious Garp, a barely conscious Kaido, a barely conscious Big Mom, Law, Apoo, Urouge in an undisclosed location, X-Drake, Smoker, Issho, Issho, Bege, Gaimon, Shanks as well his crew keeping their distance from this demonic tree, King Riku and Kryos looking for Rebecca, Shirahoshi, Iceberg, Paulie, Kong, the draconic leader of the group Pan Bell belonged to, a blue-hared cowgirl, Momonosuke, a shadowed mafia boss, etc. all noticed the skies that were blackening starting to shrink back.
Elbaf
The botanical abomination hollered in pain as Mother Caramel went to console it as the blackened creatures piled on Kidd. The darkness caused immediately retreated as the blackened creatures looked in horror as the sun began to shine- forcing them to retreat inside the tree.
"Something affected Epi...he's gonna pay whoever he is!," the false nun snarled.
He got to his feet as he stared with an annoyed look.
"Itai-tai-tai-tai-tai! I've been wondering what's been going on downstairs!," shouted a deep voice.
The originator of the voice leaped from the cloud as Kidd looked in shock at who saved him.
"You...," he said.
Then everyone there paid attention to what Laffitte turned into.
In place of his tall, but pale-skinned humanoid form, he was now a humanoid black raven with a set of wings covered in golden iris eyes with white X-shaped pupils on his black instead of his arms, which were long and gangly. He was now shirtless and wore a black kelt with the Blackbeard Pirates symbol with crow hindquarters with tail feathers with the same eyes as the back wings. He wore an Indigenous headdress with black feathers, a white/blue triangle stripe pattern, and a halo on his head. The eyes on both back wings and tail feathers actually blinked like functional eyes.
Sanji and Zoro were subtly shocked at the sight while Chopper, Usopp, and Brook gave comically exasperated expressions.
"He's a giant crow guy now!," Luffy observed.
"No, this looks like a depiction of a crow demigod worshipped in non-World Government nations- ones chosen for a game.," Galahad noted.
"Seeing this, makes me think that there is no way Humans no matter how advanced could create Devil Fruits like this!," Jinbe grunted.
"I have to appreciate Luffy becoming Nika. I was only able to manifest the wings previously. Now I'm free to enact My King's justice onto heathens who dare to step off their fated path.," spoke Laffitte in an echoey tone of voice.
His presence was causing the false Adam to writhe in agony as the holding for the villages was becoming unstable. A part of the blackened plant cracked open to lead to a purple-colored, visceral chamber.
Minerva then reached out into her sleeves to pull out a microphone as she said,
"Guess we use the alternative method."
She then began to sing-
Joka in the Jungle
Yo, they call him Usopp, master of disguise,
With a heart full of dreams, and a fire in his eyes.
From the village of the brave, where the legends arise,
A liar turned hero, watch him rise to the skies.
He's the next Joka, forest king in the making,
Tales of his courage keep the weak hearts shakin'.
With that slingshot loaded, and his crew by his side,
He's a mark of inspiration, got the world open wide.
Usopp, the Joka, in the depths of the green,
From the roots to the branches, he's living the dream.
A warrior of the heart, with a spirit that beams,
In the jungle of struggle, he's the king of the schemes.
Through the storms and shadows, he's carving his path,
A dreamer with vision, making haters do the math.
Tell me who's gonna stop him? No fear in his chest,
In the tales he tells, you can feel he's blessed.
Got a voice like thunder, a mind like a trap,
In the land of the lost, he's the one holding the map.
With the courage of a lion, he's breaking the mold,
This forest god rising, watch his story unfold.
Usopp, the Joka, in the depths of the green,
From the roots to the branches, he's living the dream.
A warrior of the heart, with a spirit that beams,
In the jungle of struggle, he's the king of the schemes.
A hero in disguise, braver than he knows,
Turning pain into power, watch the legend grow.
In the forest echoing, hear the heartbeat of the land,
Usopp the Joka, united we stand.
So keep your eyes open, he's the hope we need,
With a story to tell, sowing wisdom like a seed.
In a world full of darkness, he'll light up the night,
Usopp, the Joka, is ready to fight for what's right.
From dreams made of jade to reality's test,
He's the voice of the voiceless, giving all of his best.
So turn it up, feel the rhythm, let the power flow,
Usopp, the next Joka, let the whole world know.
SSanji, Zoro, Jinbe, and Galahad as well as Kidd in the distance gave cringy faces in reaction to Minerva's rap. The plant creature seemed to be getting more agitated. The remnants of blackened creatures were retreating as fast as they could.
Usopp glowed with an emerald light as he rocketed into the purple opening just Biblo and the crow released the opening to have it closed.
"Shishishshi! That was a fun rap! Yo, she be really neat for the crew, ya dig!," Luffy spoke like a rapper. Zoro facepalmed in disgust.
"Luffy...don't do that ever again. Nami would say that thing.," Zoro told his Captain while looking to the side in embarrassment.
"Hold on! That was Sorcery Haki!," Laffitte noted. "The ability to channel Haki and knowledge of the ancient language translated into a common tone to cast musical spells. Impressive, but you missed your target by a mile."
"Not everything has to be spelled out, sucka.," Minerva said as she did an attempt at a cool rapper pose, but it was awkward. Sanji gave a forced smile due to liking her as a woman but it showed his uneasiness to accept this peculiar side to her.
"Wait, ancient...language...does that mean the Poneglyphs can let you do magic spells?," Jinbe asked.
"Yohohoho! So amusing.," Brook remarked before realizing. "Wait! Usopp's in the plant! He might be disgusted."
"Joka...that's the name of...," spoke Galahad before noticing Luffy's smile.
"Don't worry, I have a feeling Usopp's ain't gonna die.," Luffy said aloud, trying to keep the mood light as the group watched the plant creature convulse.
Mother Caramel looked at the plant convulsing and then noticed Minerva in the Northern village castle as a realization of a suspicion of her subconscious but something egging in the back of her mind for several decades became fully aware as she twitched and grew an angry vein that increased in quantity as the seconds went by and her old woman face contorted to a demonic visage.
"All this time! All this time! (BEEP)! You were hiding a Magus all these years while I had to take care of filthy urchins robbing me of my beauty and future?" the ghost of the woman asked herself as she underwent a mental breakdown.
She then morphed into a flaming feminine-bodied monster with fiery hair as she began to crawl towards the Magus girl, ignoring how the flames were hurting the plant she was supposed to be nurturing.
Minerva noticed her and switched out her song tune-
In the shadows where you dwell,
With a gaze that haunts like a beckoning to Hell,
Your whispers slither through the dark,
A twisted smile conceals your mark.
Cloaked in secrets, forged by countless children dead,
Under your kind words, Your malevolence is scarlet red,
We stand united, we'll break your spell,
In this battle, we will rise and rebel.
Mother Caramel, your empire will fall,
Your wicked grasp can't hold us at all!
We'll shatter your deceit, we'll silence your screams,
Now feel the fury of our broken dreams!
With a cauldron brewing guilt and fear,
You weave your lies like a puppeteer,
But the chains you've forged, we will break,
The echoes of your past begin to quake.
Cloaked in secrets, forged in dread,
Under the veil of a saint, your soul is blood red,
We stand united, we'll break your spell,
In this battle, we will rise and rebel.
Mother Caramel, your empire will fall,
Your wicked grasp can't hold us at all!
We'll shatter your reign, we'll silence your screams,
Now feel the fury of our broken dreams!
Your tapestry of torment fades,
With every scream, your power is betrayed,
We'll burn your lies, release the chains,
Reclaim our future, and erase your stains!
Mother Caramel, your empire will fall,
Your wicked grasp can't hold us at all!
We'll shatter your crimes, we'll silence your screams,
Now feel the fury of our broken dreams!
So tremble now, as shadows break,
This tide will rise, it's more than fate,
Mother Caramel, you've lost your fight,
As we reclaim the endless light!
As she sang, the flame monster saw arms grabbing her. She noticed it was the orphans she sacrificed to conduct the ritual in order to possess Linlin for years to avoid dying. Caramel snarled as she realized-
"These illusions are supposed to make me feel guilty? Bah, I only came here to help turn this tree into a beacon to turn this stupid world to the chaos as we live above it all as a World Noble descendant!," she cried out as the blackened hands began to pull her in, but she tore through them.
"Jorul and Jarul were becoming very dubious of me the longer I stayed. They began to know my motives for using the Sheep's House to gain better quality children, especially when they refused each time to allow me to take their orphaned Giants to my other branches. How'd they know I had connections to allow saps like John or Saul or any of you oversized evolutionary rejects to become Marines? Well, I showed them when I dosed their drinks in curse Sorcery Haki only we World Nobles know of. It was a Godsend in disguise when that brat went on a rampage and killed one of them when they were weakened by my curse!," she gloated.
She then stopped as she stood in paralyzed horror as she saw Jarul, the remaining of the Giant duo arrive to see the commotion and overhear her confession. The giant looked at her with a mix of genuine betrayal of a breach of trust and tear-filled agony, his eyes filled with the pain of his lost friend.
Mary Geoise- Empty Throne Room
As the other Elders continued to wait in the throne room for Umi to conclude her fight with Koby, Ruth stepped out of the shadows to show her fully revealed self-
An obese woman with a long pointed nose, greying pink hair with a distinct curl on top to denote her World Noble status as well as on the sides of her head and sides of her face. She wore a long-sleeved, old-fashioned blouse of a dull pink, a dark maroon skirt with an apron, a purple handkerchief around her neck, and pink high heels. She had a dark magenta long coat draped over her shoulders. She was nearly the size of a Giant and the same size as a Nidavell Dwarf.
Charlotte Ruth- Warrior God of Education (Public)/World Noble Emperor Representative of the Underworld
Her eyes were seemingly always closed and she gave a genial smile. Yet there was an undercurrent that it was hiding a bottomless depravity, sadism, and lunacy.
"How long is Umi going to take? My goodness, being revived after THAT incident- I've missed out on so many things.," she complained.
Ruth's reaction towards the bald samurai was exceedingly violent as she turned to him and grabbed his skull to repeatedly slam it against the floor.
To anyone else, it was extremely disproportionate and murder from the force she was exuding. But, since they were conventionally immortal, it was just a minor tantrum to suffer through.
Byakuo got up and fixed his glasses with the side of his hand as his head regenerated.
"That temper of yours hasn't changed, has it?" Byakuo groaned, his head already reforming as he pushed himself off the marble floor. The room echoed with the sound of his skull colliding against it, but no blood spilled, no bones cracked. The resilience of the Celestial Dragons was a grim reminder of their immortality.
"Rurururu. I've still got it.," Ruth remarked, self-assured of herself, her smile never fading. She picked a piece of lint off her apron, flicking it away with the same nonchalance she had shown in her display of power.
"That wasn't a compliment. Acting that way to our subordinates of the Marines will cause friction if you were to act this way in their presence.," spoke Darwin, the Elder with the massive mustache.
"That's not going to be a problem. Epimetheus- the tree planted over 800 years ago on the island those gigantic hicks to replace their old tree. They're so gullible and thick-headed, they haven't realized that they've been living on a parasite sucking their lives away. At this point, we'll only have mindless sycophants as we live like we want.," replied the plump woman.
"Irererere. It seems like you're not sharp enough to detect a lightning strike of a deliberate nature lessening its effects. Among other things.," Irene replied.
Ruth opened her closed eyes to reveal bloodshot, fully pink eyes with black pupils with no sclera and her mouth revealed rows of yellow fans as her pleasant face contorted into a warped visage.
"Beririririri. You seem to be losing control of Plan A of Umi's design. We should move to Plan B instead.," Midas spoke.
"This constant bickering is something I don't miss.," Germain remarked.
Platinum reappeared, still cloaked in darkness.
"Prararara. Laffitte managed to see something...and leave. It seems he wasn't after the treasure after all.," spoke Platinum.
"What could he see?," asked Acala.
"Let's bury "Elbaf in a hole and try to make improvements on Gigantification. It's not worth the trouble of raising the Giants to be our foot soldiers. He's there so it's two birds with one stone.," Platinum replied.
"It was already a huge risk to use it last time. I suspect that it might be dangerous...our pseudo-Ancient Weapon might be...demolished.," spoke Darwin.
Cortez, Talos, Mugen, Madara, Yoru, and Lucci appeared in the throne room and bowed to the Elders.
"We all left in time as the tree took on a mutation, which you all don't seem shocked by...In case, everything is going to be settled. Namae is still there to do cleanup in case everything else fails. No one will remember the ones who botched everything.," said the dreadlocks agent. Mugen gave a subtle look of hostility in his direction when Namae's name was mentioned in the context of him being left behind.
Lucci, however, was less subtle as he said, "Why did the Adam Tree in Elbaf suddenly turn into something out of a nightmare? The way it was reaching out before we left in time- hinted it was going to eat us all."
"Lucci. This isn't a debate. It's a report. And we go with whatever they ask of us.," Yoru, the more plump of the two elderly agents spoke.
The tension in the room grew thick as the mention of the Adam Tree's transformation echoed through the grand chamber. The Elders exchanged glances, the gravity of the situation etched on their ancient faces.
"You're Charlotte Ruth, correct? Your Ladyship?," asked Lucci to the obese woman.
"Yes, young man.," answered the woman, having resumed her grandmotherly guise the moment the doors opened.
"Charlotte Linlin...and your family name...is it a coincidence that you share something in common?," Lucci asked.
"Oi, Lu. Stop pestering Her Ladyship, alright?," asked Mugen.
"Charlotte means Petite or Free Man. Not something that one would associate with a near gigantic and a slave to her instincts.," replied Ruth. "And besides, that could belong to any random family of the lower class."
"Oi, Lu. This isn't funny.," Mugen retorted, his gaze stern as he placed a firm hand on Lucci's shoulder. "You know the rules about questioning the lineage of World Nobles."
"Tell...When I got back...We ended up in the Domain of the Gods...And I saw the most curious thing.," Lucci spoke.
"Careful. Curiosity killed the cat.," Ruth said with a subtle anger.
"He's one of our finest agents. Just rough him up a bit-," Darwin argued.
"The whole Charlotte Family of Pirates being corralled into a barn house...and one of them accidentally touches an odd circle with the words- El-," Lucci spoke.
Ruth instantaneously disappeared. Abraham also noticed that Alister had vanished at the same time, when he realized the implications of the aforementioned tree being harmed.
What's going on at Elbaf now? It must be a maelstrom of sorts..., thought Lucci.
Elbaf
Mother Caramel panted as she removed the last of the "phantoms" as Jarul continued to cry.
"All of this is her fault. My pathetic, goodie-two shoes of a half-sister left her giant gluttonous oaf of a daughter on Elbaf thinking it was a way to keep her from being further corrupted by the family after the incident in that kingdom. It was nice to how Mom helped kill her after I forced her to watch as I slit his throat. And she ended up being corrupted by me and my little stooge anyway. Cararararara...Eh?," the flaming demon remarked before pausing to see a pink light had dimmed behind her.
She turned to see a still-recovering Big Mom looking at her with initial longing but then turning into a look of utter devastation of this revelation.
Linlin had based her dream of all races living together in peace on her island, even if she turned a blind eye to the horrendous actions to do it- on what Caramel had taught her. The nun admitting to the betrayal of her family was something she never expected.
She turned to see the hideous tree that the place she once visited had turned into a living affront to nature and then turned back to see Caramel as a literal hellfire monster.
Linlin then cried and wailed like a child as her mind broke.
Next Chapter: The Origin of the World
Author Notes: The last chapter with Minerva thinking was just an early weirdness to the character before I truly solidified her as a true bloodline D Clan member.
Sorcery Haki typically operates like incantations but due to a certain power, Minerva can't use that right now, so she has to resort to a funnier method involving singing.
A certain god-complex god with lightning returns and Linlin is forced to confront her literal demons. I really have to thank Oda for canonizing teleportation because it makes things so much easier to make characters move round.