[2954 words]

Cue to the 'Noice' train! ​​

A cringe warning has been issued for the latter half of the chapter!

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(Damien POV)

Zephyr has finally fallen.

Our battle lasted almost 30 hours.

My condition wasn't too bad actually.

I was tired but if I gobble up 2 Healing Solutions then I would recover most of my injuries while leaving some aches and pain, the only difference is stamina. Something that ought to increase soon.

.

That aside, it was quite an exhilarating fight.

Now, what to do with him?

I can kill him right now, heck it would be pretty easy.

Even though I took his right arm, he is bound to find a way around it so it isn't anything crazy.

Zephyr has already begun to challenge the Government and by 41, in 7 years, he will lose his family and that will be followed by more tragedy.

.

I look at him and smile, 'I won't kill you, I have bigger plans for you...'

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(Clone POV)

Marine Base, G-4… it's loaded with goodies!

I see quite a few beacons of fruit concentrated within one location.

I suppose it was their storage or warehouse.

.

The lights were clustered so I wasn't sure what I had so I just brought all of them together and then counted them.

.

The result:

1 Logia

4 Paramecia

5 Zoan

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

[Zoan]

[Bird Bird Fruit: Model Goose]

[Bird Bird Fruit: Model Pigeon]

[Insect Insect Fruit: Model Ant]

[Dragon Dragon Fruit: Ancient Model Titanoboa]

[Cow Cow Fruit: Model Yak]

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[Paramecia]

[Flint Flint Fruit: Allows the user to light fire to other objects]

[Glue Glue Fruit: Allows the user to produce strong adhesives from the body]

[Kilo Kilo Fruit: Allows the user to change their weight from 1 to 10,000 kilograms]

[Bender Bender Fruit: Allows the user to freely switch their gender]

[Balance Balance Fruit: Allows the user to freely switch anything of equal value]

---------------

[Logia]

[Saké Saké Fruit: Allows the user to create, control, and transform into saké at will]

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

From these fruits, 3 of them were of interest to me.

First, the Titanoboa, from what I recall from some animal documentaries I watched, this snake was the largest snake to exist and could grow up to 12.8 meters long; not something I want to meet if I go camping.

.

Secondly, the Logia which was alright, I guess. It's a Logia so it's already quite good but the element of alcohol is very weak to heat and fire so it has its drawbacks.

.

Now the third one, the Paramecia fruit, Balance Balance Fruit.

This was actually one of the fruits I could have claimed nearly 65 chapters ago!

As in, it's guaranteed to be at least 6.5 stars on the Fruit Scale of 7.

In other words, it's a great find.

Considering the idea of switching anything of equal value, I may have a few uses for it and is a candidate for my Mimic tokens, but that's for later.

-----

Another thing I found in the room; swords!

1 Great Grade Sword and 2 Skillful Grade Swords.

There were also some Seastone shackles which I picked up while storing away the rest.

"Alright, follow me now," I tell Aurora as she happily does as I ask.

---

[10 Minutes Later]

.

[Merge]

*FWOOOO*

A bright light flashes as my two bodies walk into each other and become one.

I crack my shoulders as I feel whole once more.

.

"Damien!" Aurora yells as she jumps into my arms.

I was a bit surprised by her actions, "Hmm, you didn't react like this with my clone."

.

She just shook her head while nuzzling in my chest like a cat, "hmm, clone or not, there is only one you."

She then looked up as I saw the 2 purple gems peer at me with many emotions.

.

"Thank you for coming for me..."

With that, she fell asleep in my arms due to the exhaustion from before.

My healing solutions can mend injuries but cannot replenish stamina so it was understandable.

.

I ran my fingers through her silky purple hair as I heard a cry from above.

"Caw~ Caw!"

A black crow landed on my shoulder as it saluted me with one wing.

He had an eyepatch over one eye and a bald head.

(General, I'm here to report.)

.

I didn't mind the character as all living things have their own quirks.

{{Go ahead, Nick.}}

(We have just received reports that the human monkey is en route and due to arrive within 12 hours.) He said.

I was a bit shocked by the speed.

.

"Only 12 hours? It should take 4 days to get here from Marineford, it's only been 30 hours so far..." I thought out loud.

"Caw!"

(The human monkey threatened 5 Sea Kings to pull his ships otherwise he would cook them for dinner; they agreed and are towing his ship as we speak with great haste.)

I nodded, Garp will be Garp, though it is time for me to leave.

.

I then turned to the side and saw G-4 in the distance, it had been evacuated but still stood strong.

.

'Art is an explosion.'

.

BOOOOOOOOM!

A giant mushroom cloud formed as the huge base erupted in a grand explosion, the sound itself caused much of Amethyst Island's windows to shatter.

Great amounts of flames danced into the howling winds as the ground rumbled in shock.

.

I had my clone leave behind some time bombs in the form of small Pulverization Orbs that activated upon my will.

Seeing the ruined base, I nod in satisfaction as I bring out my Sea Skimmer and leave the island.

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[20 Minutes Later]

.

I am on my way to a certain place that I had wanted to visit, it was quite close so I might as well.

Before that, I couldn't help but recall the Poneglyph I read in the catacombs below Amethyst Castle.

.

What did it entail?

A map. A guide to a great treasure, if you will.

What did it lead to?

It was written around 800 years ago so it used some odd words but I understood it right away.

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[Flashback - The Catacombs]

.

The blue Poneglyph started speaking.

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(To those that seek life shall always be brought down by the curse of death.)

(Time is the enemy of man, creature, beast, and all that draws life from the world.)

(Is it truly so?)

(The following shall enlighten the young, the aged and the old!)

(The treasure of eternity lies in the brightest of gold.)

(The heaviest of metal.)

(The ore that holds the soul of its master, to protect them from the great curse that is death!)

(Seek it! The answer lies in the 'Ore of Gods' in where the islands fly and the humans grow wings, where the rain forms and where the gods reside!)

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[Present Time]

It wasn't entirely clear but I could tell it was telling me how to overcome the curse of time, in other words, ageing!

.

As for the references to gold and metal and ores, one thing came to mind from a One Piece movie,

Pure Gold!

.

A metal created over 160 years ago by a scientist on the island of Alchemi for his daughter to cure her of her illness, spoiler alert, it worked.

It is capable of halting the ageing of anyone close to it, effectively making them eternal, and the stop in ageing also means the stop of any sickness spreading in the body.

Even the scientist who made it, Myskina Acier, still lives after 160 years.

.

Why not go and find the island myself?

It was swallowed by a giant anglerfish and resides within its stomach.

Said anglerfish is of the few species I cannot control, one even bigger than Leviathan-Class Sea Kings, the Titan Class!

.

These beasts dwell in the deepest parts of the ocean, impossible to find. And the only reason it may surface is if it finds Pure Gold, as it is deeply attracted to it.

In other words, if I can find something that emits the same energy as Pure Gold then I can bait the anglerfish and find the scientist who created the metal that resides in its stomach.

.

But now with these hints, there may be a remedy to change all that and it seems to lie somewhere in a Sky Island, I'll be sure to look for it later.

.

[A/N: According to Gan Fall, Skypiea was around long before Jaya got thrown up into the sky. At those times, treasures from the Blue Sea would be knocked up into the sky, and the Skypieans would collect the spoils.]

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[30 Hours Later]

.

*Yawn*

A quiet and lazy yawn awoke me from my rest as I saw the purple-eyed girl look around with slight confusion.

'Was it all a dream...' The girl in question thought as she felt herself drifting upon a lone boat.

.

"I see that you're up," I said as I saw her widen her eyes at me.

.

"Damien!" She squeals as she brightens up like a lamp.

"That is the name... now, I guess we have some catching up to do."

She nodded and started speaking with great excitement.

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[20 Minutes Later]

.

I was bored as we sailed so I did listen to her story of how she spent her time after I left her at Fishman Island.

A summary.

- Trained.

- Scouted the castle and marine base.

- Trained.

- Found a way to sense things at great distances.

- Worked on her fruit.

- Waited for the right moment to strike.

Well, a bit monotone but I certainly understood her persistence.

.

She reminded me of myself during both lives.

Back on Earth, I spent 12 years after the 'accident' when I was 4 to avenge my family.

And then in this life where I spent a few years to avenge my mother as well.

.

Of course, the difference was that, before meeting me, Aurora was just aimlessly holding herself afloat in the sea of despair by chasing after a large amount of money to satisfy an Underground Emperor's ruse.

At that point, she was just waiting for death as shown by her failure to stand before Xebec.

Yet, now, her eyes were different, they were clear and free.

She seemed like a bird who had finally learned to fly.

.

All but one slight impatience swam in her purple eyes, one that I made out instantly.

"Go and finish what you started."

.

She nods with a solemn expression as she disappears into the Night Realm.

She went to 'deal' with the Prabta Family and the Minister that she had locked away before Zephyr showed up.

All the while I went over her stats.

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

[Ametyst Aurora]

[Age: 17 ½]

[Height: 8'5]

[Devil Fruit: Night Night Fruit (High-Intermediate Mastery) [Special Logia]

[Fruit Rating: 6.5 Stars]

[Haki: Mid-Intermediate for [O], Mid-Basic for [A]

[Strength: Low-Tier Yonko Commander*]

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

'Interesting...' I smile as I hum over her stats.

Her strength was not that high but that's due to her Haki.

I never trained her in the Colours of Haki so all her training was primitive and instinctual, something easy to fix since I am now here.

-----

[30 Minutes Later]

.

*VWOOOOM*

A purple circle forms below as she appears before me with a small smile and no longer carrying that last bit of resentment.

"It seems like you have finally wrapped up that chapter of your life," I said as I studied her expression.

.

The girl nodded, "Yes, it's all thanks to you, Damien. If you hadn't trained me those 6 months and helped open up my eyes then I would have died with regrets."

I saw the gratitude in her eyes as she looked at me with a pretty smile.

.

"That aside, what will you do now?" I asked her, though I could guess her words, I still wanted to see what she would say.

.

Aurora then beamed a huge smile as she slightly lowered her head, "Please let me accompany you from here on!"

.

There was no hesitation nor any wavering in her voice.

Though her heartbeat was nearing 150 bpm as she awaited my answer.

I was leaning on my fist as I looked at the former princess with amusement.

I then did what Xebec did to test one's resolve.

.

"And what makes you think that you can actually stand beside me?" I asked her as my eyes grew cold and distant.

A crimson bubble pulsed out of my body as it wholly concentrated upon the girl before me, pressuring her with my Haki.

.

"Uhh!" She groaned as she continued to stare into my eyes.

She gritted her teeth as some blood flowed out and replied with difficulty.

"I-I know that I am not strong enough yet but I one day, one day I will be worthy to stand by your side!"

.

With her declaration came a stream of repulsion.

A purple field of diluted pressure started to form along her body as it flowed out with every word she uttered.

It was a weak counter but it held her up.

.

'She actually awakened Conqueror's Haki with this declaration of hers?' I was shocked on the inside.

.

I would have recruited her anyways but this did surprise me.

The thing with the Colour of the Supreme King is that it usually flows free when someone challenges your words or ambition.

Like when I was suppressed by Xebec, my ambition to reach the peak responded and freed me from his Haki, allowing me to hold myself before his pressure.

.

And now Aurora had awakened her own, but what was the ambition?

I reined in my Haki as she started huffing and puffing and recovering her breath.

.

"Why? What is it that you seek? Your revenge has ended and now you seek something, what is it that you so dearly desire?" I asked her.

She calmed her breath and replied with a simple smile,

.

"I told you, to forever be at your side!"

.

I had invested in a future crew member as I valued her fruit powers and determination but I didn't expect this emotion to be mixed in as well.

I trained her to secure her loyalty and this went a bit further than planned...

.

"Listen here little girl, I trained you so that you could be of use to me as I valued your powers, you should know that there weren't any other emotions mixed in."

.

She nodded but kept her beautiful smile, "I know."

She then shook her head slightly,

"I know, but I can't help it, you were the only one who helped me up when I was at my worst. I don't care how you use me or how you see me but I cannot lie to my heart."

.

"I realized it when I saw you depart those years back at Fishman Island. I felt a hole in my heart. It made me remember something my mother told me."

Aurora then gazed to the far east as she looked at the clouds and the evening dawn, painting quite the poetic picture.

.

"My mother said that every princess had their own prince."

"A prince who would save them. A prince who would care for them. And a prince who would always be there for them."

"And that I would one day find my prince as well..."

She then clenches her fists in sadness and goes on to say,

.

"But after everything was ruined by that traitorous minister, I felt like I could no longer seek such distant dreams, until that day you left that day,"

"And I knew right away that you were that prince."

.

"And as my mother advised me, I should never let go of my prince lest I regret it for the rest of my life!"

Tears escaped out of her eyes as she finished her words and gazed at me with happiness, joy, nervousness and affection.

.

I was caught off guard.

I mean, I know she was a teen with her darkness and it was normal for teen girls to get infatuated by boys, but this was something more.

.

'Romance eh...' I thought in my head.

I had never really thought about it.

Both this and my previous life, I had lost all those I held dear and ended up empty so I never really tried to seek love.

Lust was different, my body needed stress to be relieved at times and I did so with some random women but I never even thought of relationships.

I always found love to be a fool's errand.

Something that will inevitably leave you broken and hurt.

And now seeing a beautiful girl break open with such words, well it was definitely an odd feeling.

.

I looked at the crying girl as I reached out and wiped away her tears and asked, "You know that I don't love you right?"

.

She seemed hurt by my words but then melted to my touch,

"I know... but my entire life so far goal could be considered an impossible mission yet I completed it somehow, no?"

.

She then lightly laughed, "If I could terminate an entire monarchy with years of hard work then I will just do that once more until I find a way to change how you see me, no matter how long it takes."

Aurora opened her eyes as I stared at the purple gems,

.

"So please, let me stand by your side."

--

With that, she drifted to sleep once more.

Girls are quite hard to understand...

But I would be lying if I said I wasn't moved by her words. I don't know whether I could become the one she seeks but it wouldn't hurt to try, right?

Then there's also Toki who has started to see me in a different light...

*Sigh*

.

If there's one thing I've learned recently, it's that love and romance are quite troublesome concepts.

.

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[The following is excluded from word count]

Author's Corner:

Pure Gold is a thing and was brought in to One Piece in a movie. I didn't want some 'fountain of youth' serum as it was stated that the {Shop} does not grant out-of-world things so I used this instead.

.

And oof, that last part quite brutal to write. How was it?

I didn't want an empty MC who ends up reaching the peak but is left lonely and unfulfilled.

Damien had only tasted the sweet taste of love from his parents which were followed by sadness and despair so he never opted to grasp it.

But I also didn't want some cringy romance with some beauties so I tried to write some actual and somewhat plausible scenarios that developed over time.

Now it's just a wait to see how MC deals with the same thing that once haunted him for years.

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Random Trivia:

Would you rather always get stuck in traffic or always have a terribly slow internet connection?

Thanks for Reading!