[3000 words]

Drop stones before I start dropping word count 👀 ​​

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Join Discord as well, I post updates as soon as a chapter drops, plus, there are also many channels detailing the Devil Fruits, Damien in general and all the images so far.

There is also a Top-15 Leaderboard based on the current top powers for a better idea to understand where the MC is.

https://discord.gg/DSPpVvnz4c

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[1 Month Later]

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Another month had passed, it was only a month till the year 1485!

It's been almost a year since I had been gone on my vacation and I intend to return soon.

.

Over the past month, I had continued to train in Armament as I neared the Grand Mastery Level while also upgrading my fruit mastery as I was a step closer to Awakening.

What else happened?

.

The World News Agency was officially renamed to 'World Economy News Paper'.

The 4 Directors have been campaigning to further open the truth to the world as new papers were sent out, elaborating on the past.

.

They were detailing the parts left out by 'request' of the Government as some truths started to surface.

It was mostly about disasters, deaths and other problems that were hidden by the Government, the political side of the world.

---

This month, however, was to be devoted to piracy!

The main goals were to elaborate on the 3 Overlords and their fates, the other stronger crew like the Roger Pirates and the Valkyrie Pirates.

And lastly, the 'Big News' portion, the Rocks Pirates!

Soon, detailed yet unbiased, points that were either hidden or removed will be shared.

.

It was objective writing, for now.

The Gorosei did not intervene either, though CP-9 continued their search, only to find nothing.

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The past aside, another big thing happened.

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The Overlord Escanor has been making huge amounts of movements all over the New World, his forces have been looting and attacking everything in their way.

The Underworld was barraged with warfare as the prideful ruler was not at all discreet with his actions. Demanding huge amounts of gold, goods, food and other things.

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Fulcrum who was quite annoyed by the chaotic tides had worked with the Government and the other Underworld Emperors to slow Escanor's advances.

And it worked, the seas calmed down as a piece of news was learnt.

.

Something big was soon to occur and Escanor was at its center!

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"Aurora-san is returning today?" Toki asked as we sat for breakfast.

The boys were listening from the other side of the room.

.

I nodded, "I no longer need her to carry out her work at the moment, I thought it was time to give her a little break."

Toki smiled, "Yes, I'm sure she will be excited to reunite with you once again."

.

Mihawk was eating with one hand while the other was slashing down a kitchen knife, trying to use some sword attack.

Kuzan had mastered the art of 'Sleep and Eat.'

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[Later On]

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"Sit Mihawk, I'll tell you more about the path of the sword," I said as I patted the bench before me.

The chibi-swordsman nodded as he hurriedly sat down.

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I had learned many things in Wano, the path of swords was one of them.

---

"There are 7 stages for a swordsman." I started as the boy listen attentively.

.

"1. The Breathing Stage. I have already shown you how to properly use your breath to maximize your output."

I gave him a breathing manual that I used years back and he had learned it by now.

.

"Then it is the 'Cutting Stone Stage'. Simply put, the ability to cut a normal boulder with a clean slice and no difficulty."

"This is followed by the 'Cutting Steel Stage'. Being able to cut all simple metals easily."

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"The fourth one is the 'Throwing Sword Stage'. You subconsciously used this back at Yozora Island when you threw an attack at me." I said as I smiled at him.

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"These then lead to the 'Coating Stage' and the 'Cutting Diamond Stage'. And lastly the 'Black Blade Stage'." I said. "You don't need to know much about them as they are quite far away from you."

He nodded in agreement.

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"You are in the Cutting Stone Stage right now, not too far from cutting steel. I will leave this island soon to resume my adventures, I hope you will continue to train diligently, Mihawk." I said as I ruffled his hair.

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He squinted his eyes in deep thought, "Mhm, I'll put thrice as much effort."

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*Poke*

I tapped his forehead with 2 fingers as I chuckled, "Good kid, but don't push yourself too hard, alright?"

"What do I say about training?"

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He replied immediately,

"As long as you are breathing by the end of the workout, you can always do another set!"

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I nodded with a smirk as I sent him off to train.

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[A/N: You can map out the stages I made by Zoro's progress. PS. Mihawk can easily beat Jozu.]

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*Bonk!*

"Ow-OW!" Kuzan yelled out as he squatted on the ground with some tears.

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"How many times did I tell you not to sleep inside a Sea King's mouth?" I scolded him.

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He seemed remorseful.

I picked him up by the back of his neck and flashed away.

"You mastered Soru and Geppo. Your body is being trained constantly. Your fruit is the only thing that remains." I said as I read him like a book.

.

He complained with an annoyed voice, "I tried to freeze the lake but the water current is too fast to freeze! I was so tired that I ended up sleeping where I stood, and it turned out to be in a Sea King's mouth."

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I rolled my eyes at the ice-boy, "It's because you are too caught up with range and not depth. It matters little if you freeze only the top 5 meters for 5 kilometers out. It is far better to freeze 25 meters down and only 500 meters out."

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Kuzan was lazy and so he gave up fast and chose to take a nap instead.

His mastery over his powers was increasing slowly and I could only do so much; I am not a Logia after all.

---

Toki was flourishing though.

Usually, an Ultimate-Class Fruit is far, far harder to train.

And it was, until just recently.

After she officially joined my crew, her talent doubled and her task output exploded, allowing her to greatly increase her prowess.

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[On The Edge of Mortem Island]

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I stood by the edge with Toki and the boys around me as we saw a herd of Sea Kings swim towards us.

A single shadow in the far horizon.

.

I saw her face briefly as it suddenly turned into a purple mist.

In just a quarter of a second, the purple mist was already in front of me as it raced forth.

.

And now I had a purple-haired girl in my arms as she buried her face in my chest.

Toki just beamed a small smile.

I rubbed her back while patting her head as I heard a low whisper, "I missed you, Damien."

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After Aurora went on to greet the boys, only the 3 of us remained.

.

Aurora was about to speak as she saw Toki hold my hand while giving her a grin.

'A cheeky girl,' I thought as I saw her tease the former princess.

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Aurora squinted her eyes as they darted back and forth from Toki to me.

And then to my face.

"Damien…" She muttered as I saw seemed quite shocked.

I sighed at her expression, her face had matured since I last saw her and now it was being ruined by her thoughts.

*Flick*

I flicked her forehead with my finger.

"Ouch!" She grunted as she looked at me with a wronged expression.

.

"Don't make that face, let us talk elsewhere."

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We moved to a more fitting place under the shadow of a large tree.

Aurora was a bit fidgety while Toki had gone with the boys elsewhere, just 2 of us remained.

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"So… you accepted Toki?" She asked with a pause.

I nodded, "Indeed, she is mine now."

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Aurora's mind was working a hundred times faster as she seemed to be lost in thought.

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I moved forwards as I felt a bit perplexed on how to continue so I gently patted her head and wrapped her waist, "I haven't forgotten about what you said 6 months ago which is why I asked you to return."

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She looked up with her purple gems for eyes.

"I decided to accept Toki after spending many months with her. As for you... I first trained you to be a weapon for me, but after your words at Amethyst Kingdom, I was hesitant to move forwards. After what happened in my past, I decided to forsake all forms of endearment but now…"

"Now things have changed."

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My words seemed to wake her up from her melancholy. She did say that she saw me as her final light and somehow thought the worst.

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"I will always protect you as I am your captain but if you are willing then it can be something more. However, I will not leave Toki, no matter what." I told her.

I see Toki as my lover while Aurora, currently, is not that dear to me.

I saw her as a weapon before, now I hope to see her as a person.

.

Aurora's eyes seemed to blink in confusion as she processed my words.

She then seemed to smile widely as she buried herself once more in my embrace,

"I will be happy as long as I can stand on your side. I-I just thought you would leave me alone afterwards so I felt heartsick…"

.

She had grown pessimistic over her life after seeking vengeance for half a decade, before meeting me.

Even after her revenge was done, she still was plagued by loneliness, added to being away from me for 6 months as Talon, she became quite gloomy.

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I sighed at her jumping to conclusions as I stroked her silky hair, "I am your captain so naturally you will always be at my side."

She just nodded, enjoying being petted.

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She then looked up with shyness, "A-About what you said before…"

I raised an eyebrow and grinned, "What did I say before?"

"A-About being something more…" Her words grew quieter and quieter with every passing second.

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I smiled at her nervous face, "I won't say that I love you like I do Toki but I am fond of your presence."

She just gave me a huge smile as her amethyst eyes teared up with joy, "That is enough for now."

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She grinned and muttered to herself, "Toki is a nice girl and I am happy for her but I will not let her stay in the lead..."

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I shook my head in amusement as she schemed something, if anything, I was glad that the two had no problems with each other, toxic relationships are not my cup of tea.

She then turned to me, "C-Can I spend some time with you?"

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I thought for a second, "I have to get something from somewhere, you can come with me then. We will be gone for a little while."

She nodded with a small smile as her eyes glowed with joy.

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"Where are we going?" She asked in curiosity.

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I hummed, "To the Sky Island of Skypiea."

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[Later On]

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"Aurora-san, it's nice to see you again." Toki smiled as she hugged the princess.

"Mhm, you grew so tall, Toki."

The 2 girls went on their little chatting frenzy while I thought over some things.

(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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These were the words I heard.

It seemed to be detailing Skypiea, not necessarily the part broken from Jaya, but an island at least 800 years old, dating back to the time the Ponegyphs were made.

.

I will probably find something there.

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[Few Hours Later]

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I had left the boys in Toki's care.

My clones were still busy.

The Fooljack Clone will arrive by the time I return.

Fulcrum is busy with Underworld business while I sent a new clone to help him in Aurora's absence.

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We were in the Sea Skimmer, heading to the Calm Belt to make our way to Mock Town.

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[4 Days Later]

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We were due to arrive soon.

Aurora was asleep as she leaned on my shoulder, I heard her gentle breaths every few seconds.

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

[Ametyst Aurora]

[Age: 18 years, 4 months]

[Height: 9'9]

[Devil Fruit: Night Night Fruit (Low-Advanced Mastery) [Special Logia]

[Fruit Rating: 6.5 Stars]

[Haki: Peak-Intermediate for [O], Mid-Intermediate for [A] & Low-Intermediate for [C]

[Strength: Mid-Tier Yonko Commander]

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

She was very close to awakening Futuresight.

She had an inborn talent for Observation, and with the Supreme Blessings, her talent only increased.

She had been training with great commitment with Fulcrum.

She had spent 8 hours training, 7 hours assassinating and killing and 8 hours sleeping.

She reined in a great amount of experience as her masteries went up along her fruit to reach Mid-Tier Yonko Commander!

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[A While Later]

.

We eventually reached the area near Mock Town, this is where the 'Knock Up Stream' would explode 5 times a month.

Of course, I could wait a few days as it happened every 6 days but I am not known to be patient.

I took out a [Fruit Dial].

*Bling!*

The boat suddenly shifted around as it floated up and into the sky.

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We reach the fossilized layer of cloud.

"Wow! How calming!" Aurora commented as she saw the white sea of clouds.

I nodded as the view had a soothing effect.

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[Heaven's Gate]

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It was a large star-shaped gate that sat in the middle of the sea of white.

[A/N: Heaven's Gate Image]

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A huge column of clouds was behind it, leading to the city far above.

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A middle-aged woman sat by the gate, "Hello, my name is Amazon, welcome to Skypiea."

It was the same woman the Strawhats will meet, just a lot younger.

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I nodded.

"You must pay-"

I cut her words.

{{Open the door.}}

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And so she did.

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[Skypiea]

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The people who reside here have small wings on their backs, though they don't seem to do much.

The daily life of sky people revolves around the use of Dials, which normally are not available in the Blue Sea. As opposed to the belly of the rest of the world, it uses extols as currency.

.

Aurora and I walked through the city and spent a few days exploring.

We went to Angel Beach. Trying out Skypiean delicacies and buying some unique items at Lovely Street.

It was a fun place. Aurora was quite ecstatic as she was enraptured by the beauty of this island.

[A/N: Angel Beach Image]

[A/N: Lovely Street Image]

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The people were quite excited seeing our 'blue sea features' and were quite kind.

It was Gan Fall's rule before Enel came about and tyrannized the populace.

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Speaking of Gan Fall, we did go to meet him.

...

A humble wooden home surrounded by much flora, including an oversized tree and a vegetable garden to raise his beloved pumpkins in.

[A/N: His House]

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Gan Fall had yet to meet Roger and so he was rather surprised by our arrival.

"Welcome, visitors from the Blue Sea."

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Gan Fall, also known as the 'God of Skypiea' was a slender old man with long facial hair and a simple cloak.

He did not have wings but seemed quite humble.

[A/N: Gan Fall Image]

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We shared some tales as he grew less wary of us with Aurora seeming quite excited about the history of this island.

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"Gan Fall-san, I came to this land for a few things that I hope you can help me with…" I said.

"What is it?"

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"I was led here by something known as a Poneglpyh, have you heard of it? It is the ore that holds the soul of its master, to protect them from the great curse that is death." I asked him.

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His eyes widened as he stared at me with shock, "Damien-kun, there was something passed down from God to God."

"The First Skypiean God found something here nearly 400 years ago. It was an odd stone that was placed in an alter that existed even before Skypiea! A separate island by the side. The alter was destroyed over the centuries of war but we kept the stone safe." He explained.

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He went to his little shack and brought it with him.

"The First God said that it was special and that we should keep it safe. It was said that one day a seeker of truth would ask for it and that we shall give it to them."

He showed me the stone.

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A yellow stone that glowed a warm sensation.

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

[Ore of Gods]

[The original version of Pure Gold. It can halt the age of anyone that wears it on their person.]

[A/N: Image]

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

I see.

It made sense, Pure Gold was made only a century and a bit ago so how could this be that exact item.

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'Sibyl, will this work?' I asked.

[You can bind an item to your soul using an item {Soul Binding Token} which can be bought for 1000 SP. However, this small piece is only enough for 1 person.] She said flatly.

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I nodded, I need Pure Gold and this is the key.

All the Pure Gold was eaten by a Titan-Class Sea King, a ginormous Anglerfish a long time ago. It can be found in the body of the fish, stored safely.

HOWEVER!

This Sea King hates to surface and prefers the deep ocean, making it impossible to find.

The only way to get to it is to bait it.

.

What is it attracted to?

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Pure Gold.

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In other words, I can use this little gem here to bait it out and gain the huge amounts of Pure Gold stored within this beast!

After all, this stone works the same way the treasured gold works.

.

The key to eternity was in my hands, I simply needed to unlock the door.

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[The following is excluded from word count]

Author's Corner:

So, I won't devote much time to Aurora as she has already given her heart to him and confessed, it's just Damien waiting to know her better which he has over this trip.

I am also speeding through Skypiea as I found it boring and it would be redundant if you have watched One Piece.