[2488 words]

It took me a while to write this chapter, I wanted to alter the tone of the story and finally finished the good copy. ​​

I hope you enjoy it.

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(Damien POV)

I look at the cloaked girl as she went over my words.

her eyes... they reminded me of myself.

That desire... that greed for power.

The desire to oppose the fate of the weak.

But I know that millions of others have the same story yet all that awaits them is an early death.

If she can't endure the road to strength, then she will die. Special Logia or not, there's no hope for such a narrow-minded approach.

.

The girl then jumped up from her seat and slammed her right palm onto her chest and cried out,

.

"Please let me stay here! I will cook, clean or whatever! I want to become strong... Please, teach me to become strong!"

.

'Damn? Does she want to join Xebec's crew? If she knew who the captain was then I think she would rather jump into the sea now...'

.

Then I felt something familiar.

The deathly aura from Freedom Isles.

.

'This damn old man. He did the same thing with me!'

.

Xebec waltz into the eatery and looked at the girl.

His black aura of utter despair raged out and pressed upon the bounty hunter.

And immediately she felt the suffocating presence of our humble captain.

.

Blood spurted out from her mouth as her eyes bulged.

Her knees quivered in denial.

She looked like she would collapse any second.

.

I looked at her terrible appearance, she's trying her best to hold on.

'Xebec just doesn't hold back. I could save her but why should I? She wants strength, but she will only find herself as a corpse or worse if her mind is not strong enough.'

---

Aurora was in and out of her consciousness.

Xebec's aura was filled with hopelessness and despair.

It causes one to give in to the smallest of weaknesses.

The moment you yield to it is the moment you fall.

But she was still desperately holding on.

.

'Too bad...'

.

I shook my head as I saw her close her eyes.

.

*Thud*

Her knees gave in, she folded forwards and collapsed onto the floor.

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"You're harsh as always, Taichou," I said as I shook my head in pity as I saw the girl.

.

"Hmm? Xahaha, she had a fire in her eyes but it burns too dull..., I don't need dead weight on my ship."

"This is the ship of the future 'King of the World!' My goal is to turn this world upside down!"

"Not take a bunch of kids on an adventure."

.

He then gazed at me.

.

"You best remember that too, brat!"

.

BOOOM!

.

His eyes turned pure black as a wave of haki stemmed out and wholly descended upon me.

"XAHAHAHA."

Xebec's laughter droned on as he released his suffocating pressure, tens of times more oppressive than the one he used on me before.

.

My eyes turned red in opposition... but it was useless.

The pressure...

before it was an absurd amount of weight that pushed me down in suppression,

Now it focused on, not only attacking, but utterly destroying my mind in sheer despair and helplessness.

An ounce of hesitation and my mind would literally explode!

.

"Ahhh!"

.

I grit my teeth in frustration as blood seeped down my mouth.

.

I clenched my hands till they drew a grim red.

.

My entire body felt like giving in as the weight of a thousand mountains weighed me down.

...

Then something happened.

Time slowed down as my mind clicked and I realized something...

------

'The Rocks Pirates... The scum of the Seas. This isn't some adventure for fun...'

'Death is not uncommon on this ship.'

'The one who commands it is a monster in flesh... he will kill and burn all those who get in his way.'

'I have my own beliefs but I need to remember, being on the Rocks Crew is the same as walking on the edge of a cliff, if I get in his way then he will kill me without a second thought!'

'One Piece... it's not a fun world. It's hell itself. I have been living it as if it were the story mode of some game. I need to wake up!'

'I was impulsive with my actions on Sabaody.'

'I saved those slaves partially out of pity.'

'I thought that I too could have been fated to be born like them, but regardless, I chose to yearn for power, most of the slaves have already resigned to their fate.'

'But in reality, there was another reason present...'

.

'It was simply because I still viewed this world from the eyes of my previous life!'

.

'We had wars, yes, but it was mostly peaceful. At least where I lived.'

'But in all honesty, we had long forgotten the amount of effort it took to reach the peace we had.'

'This world... it is different...'

.

'Justice? Hope? Freedom?'

'The manga showed this world as a happy-go-lucky adventure, a fun time with friends to enjoy the wild seas and reach impossible heights.'

'But it is way, way worse than that.'

.

'This world... the weak are crushed and thrown away, the strong are the only ones who can survive here.'

'If I don't fix this soon, then I will just end up as another fool who died an early death.'

'I have an enormous advantage in this world, but it will be all for naught if I continue with this perspective!'

.

'It's time I wake up and accept reality!'

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BOOOM!

A countering crimson wave of haki burst out of my mind as I went over my newfound conclusion.

.

My legs which were shaking stopped.

My mind cleared.

My eyes finally opened.

.

'This is not a game nor some story! My Path to Power is that of blood, sweat, and tears!'

.

BOOOOM!

The original crimson wave radiating out of me had now changed...

Before it carried raw perseverance and a certain yearning for power.

But now...

It had grown.

Black sparks of realization thundered through as the aura grew wilder and more opposing.

The weight increased as it became more controlled.

More dominating.

.

The air vibrated in a frenzy as the auras clashed.

The ship itself was naturally fine, after all, it was built to withstand such things.

.

BOOOOM!

A loud sound resounded in the huge eatery as the clash finally ended and the air calmed down.

.

Xebec though, had a feral grin on his face as his eyes widened in raw surprise.

.

"XAHAHAHA!"

"I WASN'T WRONG ABOUT YOU BRAT!"

"XAHAHAHA!"

.

And then he turned around and disappeared from the vicinity.

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"Huuuh, Haaah, Huuh..."

My breath was uneven and my face was pale.

.

"It seems like you have finally woken up Damien-chan."

Shakky looked at me with a smile as she said in a soothing voice.

.

"Gurarara, looks like the Navy will need to prepare for another little monster..."

.

After speaking their peace, the both of them got up and left.

It seems like they too had noticed and allowed me to realize it on my own rather than for them to tell me.

It is a bit harsh but it is only right.

.

I then turned my gazed to the collapsed girl and picked her up once more and left the area.

Though a certain sound echoed in my head.

.

*DING*

[Your Conqueror's Haki has entered the (Intermediate Stage). Congratulations!]

.

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[2 Hours Later]

I am now in my room.

It is in the main housing area where the main crew was.

It was on the first floor beneath the deck.

It had a separate entrance near the back of the ship.

...

The girl, she was still unconscious, laying on my bed as I sat at the seat nearby.

My body was perfectly still.

My breathing was calm and focused, yet every breath drew in a small vortex of air.

My eyes were closed as I was completely focused on my newfound realization.

I had started to accept it.

A different world.

'How odd It is to think like this now...'

*VWOOM*

My hand whizzed as a white flash occurred and something appeared in my hands.

It was my mother's fruit, the Dryad Model of the Human Zoan fruit type.

'I made a promise to my mother. To reach the peak and to have all others kneel at my feet. To burn everything to get to that point.'

'It's time I truly accept my words.'

*Groan*

The sound of a girl groaning was heard as I put the fruit back into the {Inventory}.

I looked at the girl.

She had blood all over her face before from Xebec's haki attack.

In fear of her suffocating from her blood, I had taken her mask off and removed the slightly baggy cloak.

She was quite the beauty.

She wore a purple dress that strapped up to her shoulders and ran down to her thighs.

Her arms were covered, revealing her shoulders as he long leggings.

Her purple hair laid gently under her head.

.

Though her youthful beauty was hidden under her current pathetic state.

Her clothes were bloodied, some rips and tears along.

Her hair was dishevelled, her face marked with dry blood.

.

She slowly opened her eyes, the amethyst-coloured pupils looked around the room as she got up and at straight.

.

[A/N: Aurora's picture. Her fruit power also works with it and appears like such]

.

"It's good that you covered your face. A beauty like you would have been enslaved by those Nobles had they ever seen you."

A cultured man like me naturally knew how to appreciate beauty.

Though my words made her jump in surprise as she finally understood her current situation.

"W-Where am I?"

'I guess waking up not knowing where you are with a male in close proximity could be rather alerting.'

'Perhaps I should be a little less insensitive? Nah who cares.'

I gazed at the purple-haired girl.

"Hmm, well you are in my room and on my bed. Shouldn't I be the one to ask why you are here?" I countered.

"Ah! B-But.."

She was flustered for one, and her mind was probably still scrambling for answers.

After all, she did come after me for my bounty but ended up receiving Xebec's Haki, poor girl.

"Well, I'm sure you want to know what happened."

I smirked, "Hehe, well our Captain used his own little method to test you."

"Guess what...

.

.

you failed."

She wants strength, if I hold back then she will only go back to her ignorant self.

.

"I-I...", she tried to form words but I cut her off once more.

.

"It's not that your will is weak, it's just that it is misdirected."

"Our crew... it isn't exactly a place you can survive. Xebec is the type of guy to burn the world down if that's what it took for him to reach the top. He cares little for anyone else, even we, his crewmates."

"I'm sure there is a group of people where you will fit in, but this isn't the one."

.

I finished my little spiel, if it weren't for the long and boring ride down then I wouldn't waste my time like this.

She opened her mouth to speak but no words came out.

she closed her eyes in denial and grit her teeth in frustration.

'Haaaa this girl is so damn stubborn.'

"I can't help you much. I suggest you broaden your horizons. Understand your fruit powers. Learn Haki. Only then can you accomplish what you so desire." I said plainly.

She then looked up with a hint of desperation.

"I want what you say, but it all feels so... far."

"The money... it was all but a distraction. A way for me to lie to myself and try to get over my past. But after your captain's... enlightenment, I now understand that in the face of absolute power, all else is irrelevant."

I studied her expression.

Before when she asked for help, there was nothing but desperation and despair. She saw us as a final lifeline.

Though after Xebec's little show, it seems she too, had slightly opened her eyes.

'Her fruit power is strong. She is young and still naive of this world. Perhaps an investment would work well. With her ability, I can easily gain an eternal element of surprise.'

Though my train of thought halted as I scratched my chin.

'But I can also mimic her fruit's ability...'

'Sibyl, show me the mimicked version of her power.'

[Here ya go.]

>=-=----[]---<>---[]---=-=

[Night Night Fruit (Yoru Yoru no Mi)]

[Logia Type - Special Elemental Type]

[Fruit Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟⭐]

[MIMICKED ABILITY - ]

[Allows the user to open a realm that spans a large yet defined radius.]

[User CANNOT be detected while in the realm, however, a slight intent will leak before exiting, allowing anyone nearby with superior Observation's Haki to notice your presence.]

[User can only stay in the Night Realm for 5 minutes before being forced out.]

>=-=----[]---<>---[]---=-=

'Hmm. Like the Split-Split fruit, there are many little defects. As for this, I mean, it's not bad. It can be Observed and has a time limit but it's more like an 'Active' ability from an RPG game.'

'But it's far better to have her on my side, or I could take her fruit. Well, let's try this first...'

.

"From what I can tell, it seems so that Xebec intends to stay in Fishman Island for a while, if you are up for it, then I will help guide you for the little time we have. It will be up to you if you can keep up though." I pitched the ball.

Her eyes slightly widened at my words as she looked at me with hope.

'Looks like it was a strikeout!'

"My training is synonymous with torture. I will literally break you and put you back together. You will wish for death yet it will evade your pleas. It will be hell on Earth."

I smiled evilly as I gave her a little teaser of what's to come.

.

She looked into my eyes, there wasn't any fear but slight hesitation.

.

"Your fruit is powerful. That's a given. But your body is weak. Very weak. Not only are you a woman but also quite ignorant."

"You cannot use your fruit powers without understanding your body first."

.

'That's all I'll say. If she still hesitates then I will take her fruit away. After all, she did try to kill me so it is perfectly a reasonable compensation for my PTSD from that near-death experience to take her powers.'

Aurora went over my words and immediately responded,

.

"I will do it! Whatever it takes, I will do it!"

.

She was now with a resolute gaze, void of any hesitation from before.

I couldn't help but smirk. 'Perhaps this little meeting was more beneficial than I expected.'

She lowered her gaze and said with a slightly low voice,

"Thank you."

.

"Well, let's begin your torment- *COUGH*, your training."

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[The following is excluded from word count]

Author's Corner:

Well, there it is. His realization, I needed to add this.

He got his 'resolve' after his mother's death, however, he never changed his view on the world. He saw it as a story, one where you get to alter it as you wish. But it isn't as simple as that, and that was what I wanted him to figure out.

As for Aurora, her fruit powers are quite nice. Damien is also seeing this differently, not out of appreciation but rather out of its potential. He has become a bit manipulative, he is taking things more seriously. It is a change of tone that was needed considering the crew he's on.

I hope you all found it satisfying and that your previous issues are laid to rest.

Other than that I also wanted him to level up his Conqueror's, and just like Luffy, when he too accepted the reality of Ace's death is when he would have unlocked this level. In this same way, MC also unlocked the next stage as he accepted his new reality.

Thanks for reading!

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Random Trivia:

Would you rather be the person who flips the switch during executions or be the judge who decides who should be executed?

Thanks for Reading!