Canon Fodder

CHAPTER 315 DARKNESS

I flew through the night. Still furious that I had to expose many of my secrets to the world. It had been the right decision though. Luffy had been able to potentially claim Fishman Island. Announcing to the people that it was under his protection. There was no reason I couldn’t do the same for Amazon Lily. 

My wife, our children, her sisters, those 3 slave girls, not to mention every woman on the island could have terrible things done to them if I allowed this to happen. My wife and her sisters would have a worse time as ex-slaves of the Tenryuubito. The rest of Amazon Lily would have it rough because they were women that had never lived in a man’s world. Who knew what they could be subjected to? Though One Piece was usually a carefree place, bad things happened as they did in every real world. 

Spurring me to go faster I picked up speed as I headed in the direction of Amazon Lily. Floating on my puddle I noticed my quest had been completed and a new one appeared. 

Challenger Slots were always needed, but I still hadn’t decided on a Summon. Leaving that out of my mind for now I used the other 2 items.

I was curious what Fertility Control would evolve into, but in the end decided on Body Mod Resistance, making it into Minor Body Modification Resistance. 

I clicked Y, but instead of allowing me to pick, the Item was chosen at random. 

“What the hell,” I mumbled. Still unsure what the Companion item would do, I pushed it out of my mind as Hancock became closer. 

When I got to Amazon Lily it was easy to tell that the attack had already begun. 2 large marine ships sat off the coast of the island. The island itself was fairly easily defended against. Basically in a large crater the large side walls around the island protected it from attack, but it also made it harder to attack from. Only 1 large woman-made path through the surrounding walls of the island the dock was fired upon by the marines relentlessly. 

Hancock’s ship was nowhere to be seen, but I could feel her on the island. Another ship was off the coast. Far larger than the thick tree log ship I remembered Blackbeard owning, this ship was the largest ship I had seen after Moira’s Thriller Bark. Big enough for Blackbeard’s giant crewmen it made the Sunny look like a bath toy. The black sails and jolly roger of 3 skulls on the front I didn’t see the man, but knew he would be close. 

Wanting to check on Hancock I picked ending the Marines as the bigger threat. Moving down I charged up my fist and dropped. Letting gravity take me I poured Haki, chakra, and Nen into the hit. The marines on deck manning the cannons yelled as I got close, but before they could react I hit the deck. Sending out a huge wave of chakra and my Tremor the deck burst downward. 

Like the Titanic the ship split in half from the spread out hit. People yelled out as the 2 halves of the ship folded like a taco. People thrown off deck the cannonfire from the other ship stopped but I was already on my way to Amazon Lily. Skirting the water surface I only picked up speed as I moved up and over the edges of the rocky terrain that kept Amazon Lily behind walls. 

The path to the dock only a short distance from the main city itself the women of Amazon Lily fired upon the invaders with their Haki charged arrows. Blackbeard working with a group of marines for some reason I dropped down to Hancock. 

“Weston!” She yelled, turning to me. Sweaty and scratches on her she was still as gorgeous as ever. In her skin-heavy red kimono the woman was flush as I landed in front of her. “I can’t believe it’s really you.” 

“Of course, my dear,” I said, kissing her cheek. Turning back to the attacking force I asked, “What’s the situation?”

“They appeared 3 days ago,” she admitted. Hidden behind a wall the women around us leaked fear, but I could feel some hope now. “First the marines then the Blackbeard pirates. They attacked as one. We fought from the dock, but when it became lost, I sent our ship off. Seems their target is the island.”

“When did they get on the island?” I asked. 

“Last night. They’ve been attacking non-stop. What are you doing here?” She asked, pulling my face away from the foes to look at her. 

“I heard that you were being attacked,” I said. I didn’t think she needed to know about Mariejois. “The kids okay?” 

“Yes, their nannies are ready to escape if we lose more ground.” 

“That won’t be happening,” I assured. “I destroyed one of the marine ships. We just need to push them back. I will take care of this.” I turned to go to the front lines, but she grabbed my arm. 

“You will not be fighting alone,” she warned. Her big eyes fixed on me. I frowned but nodded. 

Making my way to the front lines I stopped as I noticed one of the slave girls I had saved. Older than me she wore the skimpy armor like the other Amazons. Sensing her fear I moved to in front of her. My hand on her shoulder she didn’t shy back as she locked eyes with me. 

“It will be alright,” I said. Biting her lip she nodded and I was moving back to the front. Feeling the fear all around me I knew that these women had no reason to trust me, but I would be damned if someone attacked this place. 

A makeshift wall made of carts and planks separated us from the marines. Women continuously firing over the barrier to attack the marines they slowed as Hancock and I made our way through. As they stopped, so did the gunshots from the line of marines. 

“Blackbeard! Are you there you fat bastard?!” I yelled, bringing chakra to my lungs my voice boomed in the quieting battlefield. 

“Who’s asking?!” A deep voice yelled. It had been a long time since I heard Blackbeard’s voice. Back on Jaya it felt like a lifetime ago. I was pretty sure that was his voice. Risking it I jumped up to sit on the wheel of an overturned cart. 

Looking out onto the line of marines and Blackbeard pirates I noticed that not all of Blackbeard’s crew were there. But there were enough to become worried. I recognized the pale mime looking man, another with a sniper scope for a monocle, and a wide range of other people. I guessed not all of his strong fighters were with him. 

Blackbeard was in the midst of them. Behind their own junk barrier he stood up and faced me. Blackbeard was a tall man. A scruffy beard, hardly worth his name, he had long black curly hair down his back. His thick chest open to the air he was unashamed of his large belly or chest hair as it spilled out of his black coat. 

“I am Weston Watanabe,” I said. “Of the Straw Hat crew. I am giving you a chance to escape right now. All of you. Marines!” I yelled, they jumped. I noticed Koby was with them. The purple haired friend of Luffy looked far tougher than the last time I saw him, but I wasn’t in the mood for playing games. “I have already destroyed one of your ships. The other will meet the same fate if you don’t leave now.” Koby spoke to one of his underlings and the man ran back through the cavern that went through the mountainous perimeter. 

“Watanabe, eh?” Blackbeard asked. “We met a long time ago, you and I.” 

“We did,” I said. Jumping off the cart I stepped into no-man’s land between our 2 forces. 

“What brings you here?” Blackbeard asked, doing the same. 

“Boa Hancock is my wife,” I said without hesitation. “Has been for a couple of years now.” 

“Really now, that’s too bad. I had been hoping to make her my woman,” the fat man said. I held back my anger, but not well. 

“Well she is not available,” I said, grinding my teeth. “So get the fuck out of here!” 

“I can’t do that,” Blackbeard said. “I came here for a reason. Besides, haven’t you heard? I’m a Yonko now.” He made a fist, causing a black flame-like material to emit from it. I knew that Blackbeard had eaten the Darkness Devil Fruit. I couldn’t remember exactly what it could do, but it was a strong Devil Fruit. With the ability to pull people, draw them in, he could also use it to steal devil fruits. Which was what I guessed he was doing on Amazon Lily. Trying to take Hancock’s Devil Fruit or make her one of his crew. 

“I had heard,” I said. Looking at Koby I eyed him. “Marines working with a Yonko, very shameful Koby. Especially one working with the man that had given up Firefist Ash to the marines. Luffy would probably be none too pleased.” The young Marine heard the words, but didn’t say anything. I guessed he had his own reasons working with the Yonko. 

“You collect devil fruits, right Blackbeard?” I asked. 

“How do you know that?” He asked, a little surprised. 

“I ruined your plans on Marineford, didn’t I? You wanted to fight Whitebeard and take his power from him,” I said. By the way his Haki leaked anger, I guessed I was right. Canon was supposed to stick, but I stepped in the way. “Let me tell you a secret.” I hit the air in front of me. The empty air cracked like ice and the spiderweb fractures sent a huge tremor straight ahead. The barricade in front of the pirates and marines burst apart. The vibrations in the air sending a large shockwave. Men cursed and stepped back. 

“I have the Tremor Devil Fruit now,” I said. “I heard your crewman, Jesus Burgess, was at Dressrosa to try to win it. But I stole it for myself.”

“I heard a man from the Revolutionary Army ate it,” Blackbeard said.

“I am a master of illusions,” I said, turning into Sabo with a transformation jutsu. “People see what I want them to,” I lied. Sabo did eat it, but it wouldn’t be bad to throw some confusing rumors around. Since Doflamingo was working on devil fruit research I could always start a rumor that it was a copy of the real fruit if I needed to. 

As Blackbeard stared at me I could tell he was more than tempted. His mouth practically watering, I got another quest. 

“Fuck,” I said. I had hoped for a kill quest. Still plenty left to do in the world I would have to make sure I didn’t kill him, I didn’t want the Anti-Hero role. To be honest I hoped that I could beat him. It would take everything I had, but devil fruits were weak to him. I hoped that didn’t apply to nen and chakra as well. 

“Double fuck,” I whispered. I hadn’t thought of that. The man was able to absorb devil fruits somehow. From what I remembered his fruit was described as darkness. Able to take in everything I worried he could take my chakra and awaken it in him. This wasn’t going to be as easy as I thought. 

“Then let’s make it interesting,” Blackbeard said. “Just you and I fought it out for the fate of this island.” 

“Fine with me,” I said. Pouring chakra into my body I would have to make sure not to use any unnecessary water. Nen should have been fine. My quirk as well. And my Tremor in short bursts, I had plenty of options left open. 

The big man and I staring at one another we sized the other up, but instead of a showdown between gunslingers he attacked immediately. His body dimmed as darkness appeared behind him. Instantly I was taken off my feet and pulled toward him. As I flew at him faster I pulled him toward me from the water in his body. 

Caught off guard, my 2 feet slammed right into his hockey player worthy teeth. Cursing he grabbed my feet but I pulled the heat from his body. Making him colder instantly I forced the energy out into a wave. His face scorching from the heat I kicked out of his grip and hit him in the gut with one of my punches. 

Nen, chakra, and Haki used all at once he spit up bile from the force of my hit. He tried to say something but I wasn’t interested in an explanation or allowing him to stall for time. Pulling water out I made 3 ice bullets and slammed them into him. His arm moving in their way the Haki coated limb absorbed most of the damage, but not all. Deep gashes entering him I wasn’t sure why doing this hadn’t awaken chakra yet, but I didn’t care. 

Focusing on Zetsu I pulled my lifeforce in. Disappearing from his Haki I began my hits again. Kicking and punching him for all I was worth I felt bones break as I forced tremors into his body. Anger in every part of me I had never fought harder as I let the fight take me. 

Taking a few hits of my own I ignored them and the pain as I moved to force him back. Yelling as I sent huge shockwaves at him his darkness covered fists tried to pull in my strength, but my Haki kept it back. 

The bellows of my lungs working to bring air to my limbs I acted on instinct. I was a far cry from the man who had feared fighting Hisoka. I was now fighting who I guessed was the final boss of One Piece. A man that thought him above everything because he got what was assumed to be the strongest devil fruit. 

It didn’t matter to me. I had trained for years for this moment. I had died. Given my all in fights, only to be knocked down by a mistake. I would never make that mistake again. 

My wrists connecting like I was casting a Kamehameha I sent a monstrous Tremor mixed with my Haki right into his arm, forcing the bones to shatter like dust inside of him. Blackbeard coughed up blood, knocked back by the force of it.

I ducked down just in time to be missed by a bullet. Turning to the Blackbeard pirates the man with the sniper scope monocle was firing a gun at me. Not confident to catch a Haki coated bullet I dodged back, moving to my side of the battlefield. 

Breathing in out heavily I wiped sweat from my brow as I saw the worse state the fighting field was in. Huge craters in the ground, fissures all around me. I had gone a little excessive with my force. Blackbeard didn’t say anything as he glared at me. A group of his men jumping over the barricade grabbed the fat man and retreated. 

The Blackbeard pirates moving as a group, they disappeared into the cavern. Disappointed with the outcome I knew it wouldn’t be the last time I saw him. My quest completing, I turned to Koby. 

“You too?” I asked. 

The young man shook his head. “No, I have orders that Amazon Lily is now off limits.” 

I nodded. Anger still in me I barked, “Then get the fuck off this island!” Without another word I moved to the barricade. Pushing it by I was in the midst of women. Hancock straight ahead she radiated love and I let out a sigh. Sore from my fight I sat down then and there. Ready to take a little break. Having not slept in 2 days as I traveled from my ship to Amazon Lily the fatigue hit me. But I had done it, I had protected those that counted on me.