One Piece: Path to Power

Chapter 95: [95] Storming the Base (II)

[3055 words]

Check Discord for a new giveaway to add a Super Rookie into the story who will meet a bad ending.

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G-2 was laid out in a simple form—a giant outer platform which houses 10,000 troops. A wall separating this outer area from the inner core led to the Research Station. 

The inner part was where Vice Admirals, Bollox, Velvet, and LaGuardia were, facing the Fourth Division. 

On the other hand, the edges of the outer shell were lined with tents and army barracks with tools, supplies and beds. Six Vice Admirals at the head of the troops, three of them, Giants. 

The Marines had little room to breathe due to the recent inferno and distant rumblings.

The most veteran soldier present, Vice Admiral Lonz, took to the helm. "Looks like there is a disturbance in the inner plaza, but our duty remains to block up the threats from the front!"

The giant's voice bellowed through the mass of soldiers, calming them down.

The thousands of marines raised their weapons, crying out with spirit.

Explosions and eruptions went off in the background, though it did not leave the outer marines to waver, after all, they had a more menacing task before them.

.

*Gulp* A marine heaved a shaky breath, his eyes glued to the sole human figure within vision.

Even under the hazy fog and the smoke from the fires behind them, they made out the person—a towering man standing a good 500 meters from their formation.

The intruder did not move, however, his voice somehow carried over and resounded in the minds of the sea of marines. "I don't enjoy taking life… I'll give you 30 seconds to move out of my way."

The ultimatum brought a mix of emotions to the thousands present. 

The duty of the marine was to serve and die for their sole purpose: maintain the authority of the World Government, even if it meant rushing into sure death.

The mortality rate was sky-high, especially in recent times.

It was therefore the purpose of the Captains, Commodores and Rear Admirals to reinforce the spirit of their armies.

"F-For the good of mankind!"

"Death to the pirates!"

"He's only one and we're ten thousand strong; justice will prevail!"

.

Lonz was fairly satisfied by the response and waved his giant axe around, generating a burst of air.

"The enemy is the Sin Incarnate of the Rocks Pirates, no matter what, he will not pass through us!"

Thousands of hearty roars went off as the marine morale was scraping the clouds.

…

The battlefield spanned half a kilometer, 1 vs 10,000.

Damien, who felt the drizzle on his skin, could not help but shake his head.

The truth of the matter was that most of these men were about to die. Their families and friends would never see them again.

*Vvooo~*

The ominous clouds brought the ambience of impending disaster. The wind picked up, sending shivers down the Marines' back.

At the same time, Damien's stationary body began to move.

From a slow walk to a hearty stride. Moments passed as the pirate's speed picked up, zooming through the wide patch of wet grass.

Five hundred meters of distance was covered within moments.

"He's comi–"

The marine could not even finish his yell before he was swept away from the sheer momentum of the pirate, sending him to the sky!

Hundreds of bodies went flying, almost like a bowling ball mowing down a sea of pins! Blood sprayed, limbs tore, bones broke.

"Aughh!"

"Ahhh!"

"Euuugh!"

A collection of grunts and cries echoed through as Damien's towering body ran them all down, resembling an unstoppable force!

Bam!

A single punch without any Haki was enough to send a man flying a good hundred meters, bursting past dozens of his comrades.

*Swish!*

A courageous marine tried to slash at the pirate, only to see his trusty sword shatter into pieces.

"A penny for your thoughts," Damien muttered, grabbing the marine from below. With a little bit of force, the soldier's body was picked up from his feet and into the air.

*Fwwm* 

A deep metallic light went off as the pirate wrapped his human-whip in a coat of Haki.

*Vururu*

Damien spun the dangling seaman, eliciting a sharp whistle and released him like a boomerang, sending flying and toppling hundreds of marines on the way.

.

"I won't let you destroy my justice!" A brave Rear Admiral rushed ahead, his arms shining with basic Haki.

Boom!

He slammed the fists onto Damien's chest but to no avail.

The pirate lost interest as he saw the marine try the same thing again. Instead, he grabbed his arm, dislocated it at the bend and used the protruding elbow to jab it into the throat of another marine who had snuck in behind him.

*Splatter*

The torn carotid sprayed a geyser of blood, dousing the wet grounds with a fresh coat of scarlet.

Damien turned to see himself being surrounded by a good hundred soldiers. 

.

"Obliteration Pulse."

.

It took almost no effort as nearly five hundred men were turned to bits and pieces of meat. The huge crimson bubble spreads further and further, turning anything in its path into particle-sized debris.

One of the Giants named Aegor ran forward, sending tremors through the ground, "You're mine, Sin Incarnate!"

*Fwooo!*

The air cried as the giant sword slashed down, leaving a trail of ripped air.

Damien lightly hummed, letting go of Rear Admiral's remains while reaching out with his other hand.

Clang!

It took little difficulty to hold the momentum of the giant who weighed a good 40 tonnes. 

'L-Let go!"

The pirate did the opposite—he pulled the blade with a huge burst of force, causing the giant to stumble forward.

Damien then grabbed Aegor's arm with both of his hands, using the man's inertia to his advantage.

"Up we go…"

Under the shocked eyes of the spectators, the 60-foot Giant (18.3 m) was picked up off his feet and into the air!

With a show of force, the Sin Incarnate went on ahead to toss the overgrown marine, shooting him toward the distant wall.

BOOM!

The giant mass of the Vice Admiral mowed down a good thousand marines before being engraved into the high walls, leaving it in shambles.

.

"Omega Beams."

.

Another hellish nightmare arrived before the Marines could recover.

They watched as the twin beams of destruction zoomed out from the pirate's eyes.

"He missed me!" a man cried out in relief as the rays zoomed past him.

Though before he could even understand what happened, he was already dead.

Boom! Bzz! Sizzle!

The omega beams bounced and ricocheted off the air in all sorts of awkward angles, cleaving through a mass of marines in the process.

The casualties piled up, reaching four figures right away.

.

Alas, his slaughter spree had finally bore fruits. 

"!!!" A red flash went off in Damien's eyes, halting his actions and forcing him to retreat a few hundred meters.

BOOM!

The very ground underneath where he stood suddenly trembled, resembling an earthquake. It was like a sinkhole, causing the very foundation to collapse on itself!

It took all but five seconds before a giant pit spanning 100 meters (328 ft) was all that remained.

"..."

The Sin Incarnate stood unfazed and glanced at the silhouette which had appeared.

"I was wondering how many marines I had to take out before you'd show up."

A thin smile appeared on the infamous pirate's face as the shadow cleared up. Naturally, it was the true powerhouse stationed at G-2.

Sporting uniform-brown coloured clothing and bulky frame. Topped with a well-ironed white marine cape draped over his shoulders. 

A simple, short hairstyle, slicking back his dark hair that mixed well with the perpetual scowl etched on the marine's face.

"Did I catch you at a bad time, Admiral Basara?"

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[The Ruins of the Communication HQ of G-2]

A dull rumble shook the earth.

Bollox gave a rejoicing grin, "You hear that? The Admiral's on the move. No matter who you brought, it's over for you."

Majin, who was in his Ankylosaurus form, did not seem to care.

.

"Whiplash!"

.

He whipped his spiked tail which was more of a thick club than anything.

In return, Bollox raised his arms in an X-shape right before he was swatted back a good dozen meters.

Bang!

His Observation spiked, dodging an incoming bullet.

"I told you, you aren't facing just one enemy."

Bollox growled, looking at the unassuming Pablo.

The drug master gave a wretched grin, aiming both his pistols, "These bad boys are named 'Mustang' and 'Sally', say hola to them!"

Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! 

The pistols unleashed a flurry of bullets, shooting ahead at the speed of an automatic rifle!

To make things worse, Majin soon arrived behind the Vice Admiral, lessening the space he had to work with.

"Dammit!"

Alongside the brutal assault of the gargantuan dinosaur and hail of bullets, it wasn't odd when one such projectile embedded itself in Bollox's thigh.

His eyes instantly widened, falling to his knee, "What the hell!?"

"Numbing bullets, mi amigo."

"Ugh!" Bollox held the wound as it began to sizzle.

"With a pinch of venom."

.

"Whiplash!"

.

Majin did not wait, swiping his ginormous tail at the downed Vice Admiral.

As expected, Bollox was shot across the ruined room, smashing into a solid steel wall.

'I'll kill them both!' he cursed in his mind, forcing himself to stand.

Bang!

The next bullet nailed the marine in the chest and moments later, his furious disposition turned a full-180.

"I'm sorry I exist…"

"..."

Pablo smirked, pinching his moustache, "Depressants."

He turned to his hulking partner, "Now, Majin!"

Loud steps broke out as the dinosaur raced on ahead. Every step left 10-inch deep craters from the sheer weight, singing a tune of imminent demise.

Boom!

A far wider crater appeared under the hind legs of the extinct herbivore as he launched into the air, spinning at great speeds and sending torrents of air out.

.

"Majin Missile!"

.

Bollox did not even look up while his entire body was nailed by the odd dozen spikes, each driving deep into his body.

His heart, lungs, liver, everything was pierced moments before his body collapsed from the weight and momentum, resulting in an instant death.

Pablo blew at the smoke emanating from his pistols, "Let's go meet up with Señor Indra."

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[Nearby]

"Do you think you can take us both, pirate?"

Velvet and LaGuardia stood side-by-side, their glorious capes cast a wide shadow.

Indra, their sole opponent, stood across from them both, a single ravine of his craft separated the two sides.

"You would be wise to remain on the other end of the chasm."

Velvet's face scrunched up at the threat, his flintlock shining a vibrant black of Haki.

.

"Justice Barrage!"

.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Hundreds of shots hollered, soaring through the air and at the trajectory of a headshot. They totalled a good three hundred bullets!

*Shing!*

With a single, elegant motion of his sword, Indra popped every oncoming projectile.

.

"One-Sword Style: Beautiful Death."

.

A gorgeous image of a peacock was born, falling through the sky under Indra's blade.

It screeched out, furling the razor-sharp feathers and driving them forward.

In response to the incoming threat, LaGuardia growled and his body began to change. Fur exploded from under his clothes, large claws and powerful teeth—a grizzly bear!

Boom!

The two animals clashed, sending out a booming shockwave to echo through the plaza.

Indra then shifted his weight while mid-air, using LaGuardia's power to weave through the sky, all the while dodging Velvet's bullets in the process.

.

"One-Sword Style: Dance of the Dead."

.

He took on the embrace of wind, weaving through the air at a speed faster than the human eye could track.

*Swish!*

*Splatter*

LaGuardia roared out in anger as tens of cuts began to appear all over his furry body. Blood splattered and skin was torn open with clean cuts that increased in depth and frequency.

Velvet, a ranged fighter, huffed a frustrated breath, using his Observation Haki to pinpoint the target.

"He's too fast!"

"!!!" However, at that moment, he felt dread as the world froze around him.

Indra had appeared a meter from him, the sword in his hand was pitch black with Armament Haki. It carried a beautiful air of vibrant nature, even a tune of forestry ambience following the blade.

The wolf-like face and his eyes indicated the final part of the hunt. 

"You're target was me…"

Indra did not wait for Velvet to react, slashing without mercy.

.

"One-Sword Style: Theory of Life."

.

The Vice Admiral saw a bright flash of light, followed by a welcoming sensation.

The sun suddenly shone on him, gracing him with a warm ray of light. Birds flew around, grass grew and trees bloomed; a fresh breeze assaulted his dazzled face.

Velvet was suddenly in a mangrove, one especially gorgeous cherry blossom tree at its center, shining bright. 

*Drip* *Drop*

Water gently fell from the roots of the tree and into a pond below—a breathtaking image.

"How beautiful," he muttered, his eyes closing for good.

At the last moment, the water turned red, followed by the collapse of the Vice Admiral—death from decapitation. 

[Attack Image (in Discord)]

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LaGuardia froze at the sight of his dead brother-in-arms, "Velvet! You bastard, I'll kill you myself!" 

Indra, instead, sheathed his sword.

"Huh, you think I'll let you get away!?"

"Majin, Pablo, take on the Vice Admiral while I go secure the package," Indra directed without giving LaGuardia any more of his time.

"Si, Señor."

"Okay, boss."

LaGuardia roared, attempting to chase after the disappeared Indra.

"Majajaja! You can fight us, teddy bear!"

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[Nearby]

"I should have found a way to kill you when you were still a rookie, Sin Incarnate."

The Admiral stood tall, his arms crossed over his chest. The very air around the man was heavy, filling all enemies before him with a sense of dread.

Basara gazed at the carnage surrounding him, a good 5,000 deaths with countless wounded in critical condition.

"Zephyr may have failed, but I will be sure to take you out!"

His anger transformed into a display of extreme power.

*Rumble*

The island groaned as pieces of earth were snatched away, accumulating into a mountain floating in the sky. It took but mere moments to become what the Admiral envisioned – a sword of Damocles.

Such was the might of the Mountain-Mountain Fruit.

.

"Trembling Earth: Excalibur!"

.

The size was nearly 450 meters tall and 40 meters wide!

[A/N: 450m ≈ Empire State Building to the tip.]

*Vwoooo!*

The atmosphere wailed in torment as the gigantic structure was sent raging down upon Damien. Howling winds erupted under its sheer size, creating tornadoes even.

BOOM!

The impact was monumental.

The dense earth sword shot down, drilling into the earth like a toothpick through bread.

Earthquakes coursed through G-2, forming thunderous tsunamis to rage through the nearby seas. It was simply beyond what could be considered the scale of a natural disaster.

,

Basara stood tall under the fog of dust and debris, narrowing his eyes. "You actually took it head-on," he muttered under his breath.

The Admiral's eyes were locked onto the giant sword wedged deep into the ground with only its grip and handle protruding out.

Boom!

An explosion went off at the mountainous sword, sending boulders over ten meters in depth in all directions. 

The nearby marines cried out as many of them were taken out by the raining earth.

"You must stop wreaking havoc on this island!" the Admiral calmly stated.

Damien appeared not too far from the Admiral, not a scratch on his regal attire.

Basara frowned before shaking his head and readying to fight, "Unlike Garp, I do not like to test my foes. Come, young pirate!"

'Shave.'

He then disappeared in a flash, and just as suddenly appeared behind Damien. All in less than a tenth of a second.

BAM!

A black fist smashed forth.

*Fwoooo* Yet it hit nothing but air, sending off a booming shockwave of its own.

Basara scowled, recognizing the application of Future Sight at first glance.

Understanding the disparity in Observation, the esteemed marine opted for a more wide-scale attack. 

*Rumble* All of a sudden the entire island below started to warp and mould at the Admiral's discretion, bending to his will.

"You think I'll just wait for you to complete your attack?" Damien murmured, shooting forward.

*Fwwm*

His arm shone a gleaming black as a bubble of Ryuo was added in and crashed upon the Admiral's chest.

'Iron Body.'

'Hardening.'

Basara used the absolute version of Iron Body as a black coating was applied onto it, furthering its defensive capabilities.

BAM!

The punch connected with a thunderous bang.

A sharp pain over his ribs was significant but the deeper tremors in his body were something unexpected.

Basara's body rocketed through the air as the dusty air cast darkness over the man's face and hid his expression.

*Vvooo!*

The air shrieked under the man's momentum, drumming at his ears. "Emission of Armament Haki," the Admiral muttered, still being shot back.

The man's eyes then sharpened enough to cut through the air like a blade as another tremor broke out from below.

*Guru!*

Giant chunks of pure earth shot out, but they were visibly liquid and unlike what one would expect.

Basara's body caved into the sheet of earth. *Boing!* The odd thing was that the rock did not shatter, rather it gave way and acted almost elastic!

A drop of blood streamed out of the mountain user's lips while his body came to a stop, "Zephyr did not report such advanced Haki."

"..." A look of conviction flashed in Basara's eyes, followed by him casually walking out from the spongy rock.

The ground below once again started to terraform as huge blotches of land were raised; giant balls of earth.

*Fwooo!*

Huge amounts of air were displaced as the newly crafted structures cast a shadow that encompassed all of G-2!

.

"Trembling Earth: Ravaging Earth Storm!"

.

Damien's face was entirely blackened from the lack of sunlight caused by the display, much to his shock.

Basara was floating in the air with dozens of mountainous accumulations of earth, hovering at the Admiral's thoughts.

They were more than enough to neutralize an island and then some, fitting the reputation of being the Powerhouses of the Navy.

'So this is an Admiral's strength,' Damien thought, clenching his hands.

To Be Continued…

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Author's Corner:

The bout with Basara begins while the Fourth Division works on a separate mission. 

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