One Piece: Path to Power

Chapter 69: [69] Shifting Scales

[2760 words]

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The Balance-Balance fruit would enable its user to ultimately attain anything as long as item(s) of equal value was traded.

[You only have two tokens left, Damien,] Sibyl cautioned him.

"Rahaha! Those tokens are like money, worthless if they aren't used. It's better to make up my mind and go for it rather than to rethink every single choice."

Damien pondered about the strict nature of the token and added, "Plus, both the Deprive fruit and Balance fruit are fitting auxiliary abilities."

Damien's lax expression soon sharpened as he thought over something. 

"On top of that, the Balance fruit can also be a contingency…"

[What for?]

Before he could think any further, a booming voice echoed through the surrounding area.

"Damien!" 

Loud footsteps went off as a towering samurai walked toward the pirate with a wide grin and wild nature.

"Oden, you here for another beating?"

The man replied with a thundering laugh, not considering any of it.

He had arrived with both his retainers, Denjiro and Kin'emon.

The former was quite skinny donning a yellow kimono, sunglasses and a blue ponytail while the latter had spiky blond hair and a blue and yellow kimono.

[Their Images (in Discord)]

.

"Wahahaha! A samurai who fails to get up after a loss is nothing but a disgrace to Wano!"

Damien rolled his eyes and saw an annoying future.

"Stop reaching for your swords, I can read you like a book."

Oden paused, he looked down at his hand that was moments away from moving to unsheath his blades.

"You… Can you see the future?"

Damien smirked, "Not only can I see you charging at me, but I can also see you being shot back all the way to the Flower Capital with a punch of mine."

The Samurai laughed in the face of the threat, "Wahaha! Good, I want to see the look on Lord Shogun's face when I crash into his mansion!"

Though his mind switched interests disturbingly fast. "Say, I heard you come from outside Wano, is it true!?"

The man's face was bright in smiles, waiting in expectation and excitement.

Damien started walking to the Daimyo Building once more, with Oden trailing him.

"That's right."

The words filled the exiled man with fire as he declared with anticipation, "Good! Take me with you when you leave!"

"Oden-sama!" the two retainers gawked with fear; leaving Wano was a capital offense!

Damien turned his eyes to the grinning fool and scoffed, "I refuse."

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[Later that Night]

Damien and Toki had been given a grand room for their stay.

The girl was busy in the history of the region, leaving Damien alone. He sat on a cushion, playing around with a brown fruit.

"There's no time to hesitate; let's do it."

Damien then brought out a golden token, holding it in his left hand while the fruit was in the other.

*Crack*

He crushed the golden coin-like item as it burst out in a golden spectacle. The shiny mist swirled around Damien's hand as he then grabbed the fruit.

The energy surrounded the Devil Fruit as it was slowly drying up.

It took but a moment till the item was sucked up, leaving behind an ordinary fruit, devoid of any design or swirls.

The golden energy soon returned to Damien, flooding its way to his heart.

Damien deeply sighed while a ding went off in his mind.

[One {Fruit Ability Transfer Token} has been used. The token has materialized into the following ability: ]

[{Equal Exchange} – Grants the auxiliary ability to exchange for anything as long as item(s) of equal value are given in its place.]

Damien absorbed the details of the power, it was fairly simple.

He then willed some thoughts together that, with the help of Sibyl, created an interface of sorts in his mind.

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

{Equal Exchange Menu}

[X = Y]

[Please input the X value and the System will generate the required items to most efficiently exchange for it.]

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

Damien understood the concept and pitched his thoughts.

*Ding*

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

{Equal Exchange Menu}

[X = Ore needed to craft a Supreme Grade Blade.]

[Loading…]

[Loading…]

*Ding*

[Items required for exchange have been calculated.]

…

[Exchange Offer #1: Requires 5 Great Blades.]

[Exchange Offer #2: Requires 2 Great Blades that have both become Black Blades.]

[Exchange Offer #3: Requires 3 Great Blade & 1 Great Sword that has become a Black Blade.]

[Exchange Offer #4: Requires 4 Great Blades & 4 Skillful Blades.]

[…]

(A/N: I rewrote 'Great Grade Blades' as 'Great Blades' as it was a mouthful to say "Great Grade Blade" every time.)

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

The list went on for dozens of offers.

The idea was simple, as non-Supreme Meito were considered failed replicas of Supreme ones, if brought together with appropriate quantity and quality, they could be traded for the desired ore.

"One Supreme is equal to five Great Blades while one Great Blade is equal to four Skillful Blades," Damien concluded.

The dilemma that plagued him was so simply resolved.

It was a good day!

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[The Next Day]

It was time for breakfast.

Unfortunately, it was crashed by a certain someone.

"*Munch* Damien, *Munch*, why won't you take me, *Munch*, with you?" Oden unloaded a barrage of questions, lacking any manners.

Damien disliked talking while he ate so he simply ignored it.

…

After the meal, Oden finally received a reply, though in the form of a question.

"Oden, how do you see the current Wano?" 

His face scrunched up with irritation, "A prison! Leaving these borders is my life's goal!"

Yasuie, who had remained quiet, suddenly grew angry.

"Oden, you fool! You are the son of the Shogun and the future of Wano! How can you be caught up in such childish thoughts!?"

The young Samurai scoffed in return, "Uncle, don't try to convince me out of it! I'm already exiled from the Capital, I want to see the outside world!"

.

Kozuki Oden at his current age, simply put, was a failure as a leader, unbothered by his home. However, his future excursions would change that, though ultimately it would be too late.

"If tomorrow a huge fleet of pirates were to arrive at Wano, what would you do?" Damien questioned. "Will you use the opportunity to escape your 'prison', or will you stay and protect your home?"

Oden was about to refute but Damien did not plan to stop.

"Wano is a beautiful paradise for many. However, it bears great resources and is a natural fortress; a perfect place for a powerful pirate to conquer."

The Sin Incarnate continued, "Many centuries ago, the Sword God Ryuma protected Wano's borders from its attackers, but do you think the current Wano can do the same?"

*Tut*

Damien placed his empty tea cup down, opting to drink some saké instead.

The crimson pupils locked onto the silent Oden and examined every shiver on the swordsman's face.

"I know it's your dream to venture abroad, but first, you should consider the safety of Wano otherwise you will lose it faster than you can imagine."

The words took everyone, Yasuie, Oden, Denjiro, Kin'emon, even Toki, into a reverie.

Wano was powerful, very much so. But they were also ignorant of the fantastical reality of Devil Fruits. Centuries of isolation had left them susceptible to well-coordinated attacks. 

.

Damien then gave the aspiring pirate a small grin, "You can hear its voice too, can't you?"

"!!!"

Oden's eyes widened as he heard the question and made an audible gulp.

"Y-You can hear it too?"

Damien nodded, "Wano's voice is calm, but for whatever reason it feels like it's harbouring great secrets. These walls won't protect you forever."

Boom!

He then shot a burst of Conqueror's Haki, sweeping at the ex-Noble.

"You're entirely ignorant to the conniving voices in this very building; open your ears!"

Damien's words echoed in Oden's mind, every syllable ringing within.

The Voice of All Things was something they both shared. It was not hard to observe the overarching emotions of others. 

Oden did as told: he opened his mind to the whispers of the world. 

"..."

He could hear the critters and crawlies nearby, deciphering their thoughts.

However, he also heard another voice plagued with vile thoughts and insecurities, originating from a small room in the Daimyo's Estate.

Oden, who had his eyes closed, could not help but show a scrunched-up expression as he heard the hidden snake-like existence. 

It was slippery with dangerous teeth, much like a snake waiting to pounce. But it leaked a voice of betrayal and endless greed. 

"That voice…" Oden woke up. 

He shot up from his position, running to the far side of the manor. 

Yasuie was about to chase after him, but Damien gestured to him to remain seated. 

"There's a parasite in your home."

The daimyo was a little confused but gave his guest the benefit of the doubt. 

…

"O-Oden-sama! Pl-Please let me go! I-I haven't done anything!" a pathetic voice cried out. 

The main party watched as Oden threw a weepy, purple-haired boy onto the center carpet. 

"Uncle, I don't know why, but this kid is harbouring a lot of hatred in his heart, it's creepy!"

Yasuie squinted his eyes, glaring at the boy. 

"Y-Yasuie-sama, please! Help me, I-I've served you for a year and am deeply grateful for everything you've done for me!"

The Daimyo then glared at Oden as if demanding him to explain further. 

At that time, another voice went off, "Yasuie, both Oden and I can hear the Voice of the Universe," Damien said. "It's telling us that this kid holds deep malice for both you and all of Wano."

"""Voice of the Universe?""" 

Even Oden was not sure what his ability was, joining in on the unanimous question.

Shing!

The exiled prince broke out his swords, pointing at the little snake's throat. "Orochi, who the hell are you?"

Yasuie seemed quite angry though he reined it in as he still looked at Oden as the next Shogun.

The quivering snake, on the other hand, was shaking like a baby. Snot dribbled out from his wide nose and tears swamping out from his eyes.

"O-O-Oden-sama, I-I-I…!"

The wild aura being released from Oden was enough to force the teenager into a severely shocked state, unable to form words.

Damien stood up and grabbed Oden's shoulder, pulling him back.

.

Yasuie shot up as well. Glaring at the three. Eventually, he gazed at the messy servant, "Speak up, Orochi, I'll allow you to tell your side."

Orochi gulped, slowly inching to the exit.

*Thud*

Though his body collided with the duo of Kin'emon and Denjiro who had removed their weapons as well.

The influx of such hostility made Orochi run to the nearest source of light… Toki.

 He tried crawling to the girl who was originally shining with kindness and warmth but was met with cautious eyes.

"Damien-san wouldn't say such things without reason," the green-haired girl firmly stated. "Your best choice is to be honest."

Instead of bringing relief to the boy, the words made him angry.

The weak and timid appearance was overtaken by eyes filled with malice and pure hatred.

Orochi looked around, every exit blocked, and exploded in his fury, "Y-You! I had to live through hell because of Wano! All because of my grandfather's actions! I won't be hunted down like a dog any longer!"

Boom!

With his vicious comments, the boy erupted with a vile light.

His body began to grow and transform. Thick, reptilian legs took over his limbs as his body grew larger and larger.

*Fwooo*

His neck elongated like a snake as seven other separate heads sprouted from his chest, totalling eight.

Orochi's body took on a dark green colour as serpentine faces appeared at the top of the heads, forming a fearsome spawn.

A hydra-like beast, the Yamata-no-Orochi!

[Image (in Discord)]

"Gufufufu! I've wanted to kill you all!"

Each of the heads soon shot out in different directions, their maws widening to devour the others whole.

"What a monstrous creature!" Kin'emon reacted as he slashed at the head.

Yasuie drew his blade as well, taken aback by how things turned out.

Oden growled, "Orochi, your slimy snake always gave me the creeps, I'll cut you apart!"

.

"Oden Two-Sword Style: Samurai Great Spirit!"

.

His Haki-clad blades shot forth at the collection of heads, slashing and cleaving them one by one.

*Thud* *Splutter*

One by one, each of the heads fell, beheaded. Blood shot out from the open throats as the beast roared out in pain.

"Auughh!"

Orochi's body thumped to the floor, reappearing as a feeble boy once more.

*Shing!*

A thin cut appeared on his remaining head, threatening to chop it off at any second.

The boy frantically waved his hands, as if asking for mercy, "Stop! Stop! I-I surrender, please!"

Oden snorted, unfazed by the cries for help: "Speak, who are you?"

Orochi gulped, his Adam's apple touched the edge of the blade while some droplets of blood leaked out.

"M-My name is Kurozumi Orochi…."

Yasuie's eyes widened as his body started glowing in anger.

"No wonder he is so vile at heart, Semimaru, that bastard who sought to take over Wano decades ago is his grandfather! The same man who killed the heads of every other Major Clan but the Kozuki!"

"Kurozumi…," Toki muttered, recalling the tale Shogun Sukiyaki had told.

The story concluded with her entire lineage being cut in Wano by the hands of the traitorous Kurozumi.

Damien saw her anger spark for the first time, watching the turn of events from the side.

.

"Why are you here?" Oden continued the interrogation.

Orochi began tweeting like a bird as he felt his life on the line, "I-I want to be the Shogun of Wano, to make those who hunted me down since my birth into my dogs! I am owed that little!"

Denjiro, who had disappeared to check Orochi's, soon came out from the back carrying a sack of items.

The thick bags hit the ground as the contents leaked out: bars of gold.

"That's the gold Orochi accused Oden-sama of stealing!" Kin'emon declared. "You bastard, you tried to turn Yasuie-sama against us!"

"P-Please spare me!" Orochi cried out as the blades got closer to his head. "I'm just a kid!"

Oden scoffed.

"When I was your age, I was carving rivers to help the drought-ridden Flower Capital so that the people had fresh water to drink!"

'And flooded it,' Yasuie thought to himself, recalling Oden's exploits.

*Swish*

Not even the air was forgiven as the two swords slashed down and decapitated the enemy, the fat head of Orochi spinning off.

Blood dyed the ground, as the fallen body could only twitch in the final embers of life.

"..."

A momentary silence arrived as the beast-like body of Orochi remained immobile, dripping with fresh blood as it seeped into the wooden floorboards.

The emergence of the hydra-like creature had already left the Estate with shredded wood and ripped walls.

.

Damien's heavy boots walked across the bloodied floors as he reached down and placed his hand on the beheaded Orochi.

"A waste of a Mythical Fruit, I'll give you a better user," Damien muttered under his breath.

The extended arm turned gray as white fern-like patterns appeared, shining brightly. The body began to twitch, almost as if it was feigning death, under Damien's powers. 

Not long after, a purple fruit with a lime-green stem was pulled out.

[Fruit Image (in Discord)]

Damien tossed the fruit up and down, then pocketed it away. Regardless of the outcome, Orochi was a hundred percent dead.

.

The pirate's intimidating eyes fell on the others, leaving his final piece of advice, "There's no way this fool could hatch such a plan, he probably has people helping him."

It was a shuddering thought. The same clan that almost took over Wano a while back was close to rejuvenating itself right under the nose of a Daimyo. 

What they didn't know was that Damien long knew the identities of the other snakes hiding in the gutters, planning the fall of Wano. Such pieces of information he chose against unveiling just yet. At the end of the day, he was a pirate, not a saint. 

.

Oden sighed as he eyed the corpse.

"Damien, I owe you thanks for opening my eyes, or my ears in this case," he lightly chuckled. 

Though his seriousness warped into a gleeful smile.

"So, can you take me out of Wano now?"

The words resulted in a giggle from Toki, a sigh from Kin'emon and Denjiro and an audible facepalm from Yasuie.

To Be Continued…

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Author's Corner.

Realistically the greatest threat to Wano was Kaido and not Orochi.

Images are available on Discord alongside other niche details: https://discord.gg/aJHHHPvb6q