18 Chapter 018 – Aftermath

[Kaienreki Calendar 1506, January]

Lupin reappeared where he had left the Boa sisters and his belongings in the tree, but the three sisters were gone already and only his swords and his bag was still in the little crevice.

Of course he could find them with his Haki, but it seemed like the Boa sisters had made a decision and that was something he respected.

He didn't save them in hopes of being thanked, he just saved them, because he wanted to. The same reason why he had confronted and battled Sakazuki, even though he could have escaped easily.

Lupin simply grabbed his belongings with his hair and used Kamisoru to leave the Archipelago at his fastest speed. Not forgetting to protect his body with a shield of spiritual energy, so his injuries wouldn't worsen.

Even though he himself was very exhausted and injured at this point, he didn't let that stop him. Knowing that the Marines were sure to send at least one Admiral, afterall he had killed four Vice Admirals today.

Granted the three he confronted at first were on the lower-end of the spectrum power-wise when it came to Vice Admirals, but he had defeated them in a one-on-three battle and even killed them rather easily.

Sakazuki on the other hand was a Vice Admiral with very great strength, that mainly came from his devil fruit.

Luckily Lupin's mastery over Haki was incredible at this point, as that was the only way to win against an opponent with Sakazuki's powers, besides having devil-fruit powers that directly countered the man's own.

The accomplishment of his victory over Sakazuki, was something that gave rise to true exhilaration in Lupin.

He finally had managed to attain enough strength to hold his own ground even against top fighters like Admirals, as Sakazuki had indeed been an Admiral-level fighter. Even though at this point he hadn't reached the peak strength of an Admiral, but still.

This victory also sent a clear message to the World Government and the Marines, which amounted to pretty much that he wasn't to be messed with. Of course a healthy dose of payback had been mixed into it for forcing him to leave his home in the East Blue.

Lupin hadn't forgotten about them sending Cypher Pol agents to kidnap him and harm his family.

Still, now it was time to find some quiet island and let his injuries heal for a few days.

Given his healing factor, it wouldn't take that long with sufficient nutrition.

…

"What an incredible youngster, even Roger would have been impressed... It seems things are going to get a little rowdier around the world. Let's see what role you will play in it, kiddo.", a silver-haired man sighed to himself as he looked at the remnants of the battle that had taken place on the Archipelago.

…

As Boa Hancock together with her sisters Marigold and Sandersonia ran through the forest of the Sabaody Archipelago, she involuntary thought back to their saviour. Especially the moment when he appeared in the mansion's torture chamber at the exact time she had been defiled by the World Nobles, while her sisters had been tortured nearby.

Hancock was horrified that he had witnessed her greatest humiliation and shame. This horror had even overshadowed her hope of finally being able to escape that hellhole.

But as she had seen the boy, she thought of as nothing, but a strong and strangely polite thief, unleashing a massacre upon those Celestial Dragons, that picture of him had shattered forever.

Now, whenever she thought of Lupin, all she saw was a figure covered in dark blue lightning with burning eyes standing up in the sky, while exuding the aura of a god of war.

His mighty figure and tyrannical strength had made it even more impossible for her to accept his continuous help in their escape. So she had taken her younger sisters with her and fled on her own, even though she knew it to be a foolish decision.

Still, even as she ran through the thick vegetation in search of safety, his words rang in her head all the same.

'I am free.'

…

[Marine Headquarters, Conference Room, Several hours later]

There was a big conference table inside the Conference Room, seated around the table were all Vice Admirals and higher ranked individuals inside the Marine Headquarters at the moment. While the Rear Admirals stood alongside the walls of the room.

In total there were less then two dozen people in the room at the moment.

"You mean to tell me, that we have absolutely no idea how and why a ten year old was simply able to kill two World Nobles protected by Cypher Pol agents on the Sabaody Archipelago, then scale the Red Line in only an hour! Bypass the Marines that were sent to deal with him and slaughter a few dozen more World Nobles, while freeing all the slaves! Only to then kill three Vice Admirals, roughly three thousand Marines and destroy three battleships that were sent to once again stop him! And afterwards go and kill Vice Admiral Sakazuki, who until then had been held up by 'The Dark King' Silvers Rayleigh! IS THAT WHAT YOU ARE TELLING ME?!"

Admiral Sengoku's shouting was directed at the kneeling figure of Spandam, who had come from Enies Lobby to report on the intelligence they had about one Lupin D. Black.

Sengoku's wrath made for a very tense atmosphere in the room, as the rest of the attending officers didn't even dare to comment on him losing his temper.

Well, except Garp who was simply eating his crackers and made loud crunching noises without any care in the world.

"Ad-Admiral, I-I have alre-eady submitte-ed all the in-intelligence, t-that could be-e found a-about Lupin D. Black."(Spandam)

"You expect me to believe this story you had concocted, about the boy just attacking your agents without any reason and then fleeing to the sea with that girl in tow?! GARP! You have met the boy, would he do something like this unprovoked?!"

"Haah, ahh. Yeah yeah, I met the brat. Rude little monster, but certainly not the kind to just kill someone unprovoked. I wonder, what these idiots in Mary Geoise did to make him so angry? Bwhahah-"

Garp taking a moment to shake off the surprise at being addressed, remembered back on his meeting with Lupin and gave his honest assessment. He didn't seem to care all that much about Lupin killing the World Nobles or the Marines, but was more curious as to why he did it in the first place.

"Shut your trap, Garp!"

Sengoku, after silencing Garp, turned his sharp gaze back towards Spandam, who was at this point heavily sweating in nervousness.

"The truth, Spandam! I want you to tell me what really happened. It don't care about who gave the orders or what those orders were, but for the only intelligence we have on the boy to be lies. I won't accept that!! NOW!"

Gulping down heavily several times, Spandam answered.

"After Vice Admiral Garp's report about the potential of the child, it was decided to try and recruit him for Cypher Pol. Two agents from CP5 were sen-"

"The CP5, who you are the chief of, correct?"

"Y-yes."

"Continue."

"They were instructed to use 'convincing methods' in their recruitment, but they didn't report back at the agreed upon time. When the local Marines searched for their whereabouts, they discovered their half-eaten corpses in the forest near the village - a regular training ground of Lupin D. Black. Charles Kindred and the former slave girl Ina, who were the only ones close to the boy, were also nowhere to be found. Afterwards a bounty was given to the child for killing the two agents, and we haven't heard any news about him since then. Well ... until the attack today."

Sengoku was resting his forehead on his folded hands, while thinking about all he had heard from Spandam for a moment, before he replied with a furious expression on his face.

"YOU ABSOLUTE FOOL! Your foolish act has cost the lives of thousands of people!", the enraged Admiral screamed, before he continued, "SCRAM! Out with you! All of you too!"

After a short lull, all the individuals in the room left, except Garp and Kuzan.

"This is a disaster. Someone with such potential driven to be a criminal because of that idiot Spandam! Damn, that kid even killed Sakazuki in a one-on-one match, someone with the battle power of a new Admiral.", Sengoku lamented with a heavy heart.

Sakazuki was supposed to get promoted alongside Kuzan, as he, Kuzan and Borsalino should have been the new generation of Admirals.

Sengoku was also supposed to replace Fleet Admiral Kong in a few months with Kong already being promoted, another Admiral being forced to retire due to an injury sustained in battle in the new world and Zephyr having resigned from his post a few years back.

Sakazuki was supposed to fill one of these spots alongside Kuzan and Borsalino, but now that obviously wasn't going to happen.

In a rare moment of seriousness Garp added.

"That boy, we shouldn't try to go after him Sengoku. He doesn't care for the Marines, Pirates, not even for the World Government. He just wants to be free, said it himself when I met him several years ago."

"You saw some of the footage didn't you, Garp? He is a true monster, absolutely ruthless and decisive, without mercy and compassion for his enemies and himself. He sacrificed his own hands to kill Sakazuki. What kind of person … what kind of ten-year old could do something like this? We can not let someone like that roam free. Especially not after what he did on Mary Geoise. The Gorosei will want his head!", Sengoku rebutted.

"If he were such a monster, he would hardly free all the slaves and protect them from recapture. He also wouldn't have risked his own life to kill that Magma-brat and stop him from blowing up the whole Archipelago, now would he?"

Garp muttered under his breath, but Sengoku didn't answer him. Both of them knowing that Garp was right. A moment later Sengoku turned towards Kuzan.

"Kuzan, don't you have other duties? Why did you stay back?"

"Lupin D. Black. I have met him almost two years ago on the Calm Belt."

"What?!", Sengoku asked in surprise, while even Garp seemed intrigued.

"Huh?"

"It was around the time the Sea Kings were acting strange and had attacked some of the new ships with seastone coating... You remember sending me to investigate the cause? It was when I just arrived. I saw the boy just walking on the water, as if it was flat ground, and recognized him from his bounty poster... That boy... he is different. You are right to fear him Admiral. I do not doubt for a second the horrors he would be willing to unleash should he feel himself be cornered and threatened. It isn't a good idea to seek a confrontation with him, not without absolute certainty that we can eliminate him."

"Sigh... While I do believe in both of your judgements, I fear it is impossible to avoid direct conflict with him in the future."

"Well, I for one am excited to trade some blows with the brat, now that he finally can take a punch. Bwhahaha!"

"...What a bother..."

…

Three days later a new bounty for Lupin was issued by the World Government, while the newspaper described his feats on Sabaody and in Mary Geoise in detail.

The new bounty poster read:

Lupin D. Black, The Monster, Dead, 1.520.000.000 Berry.

His bounty was raised by 1.5 billion Berry, such a sharp increase had never happened before and instead of 'Dead or Alive', they now only wanted his head.

The reason for this was that unlike Fisher Tiger had done in an alternative timeline, Lupin had killed every World Noble he came across and proving himself in battle against three Vice Admirals at once.

While his murder of Sakazuki afterwards was also a huge factor in the increase, as Sakazuki had been groomed by the World Government as an Admiral candidate since young and they had counted on him upholding their ideal of absolute justice.

Lupin's young age also proved his potential and therefore threat level.

The picture on the poster depicted him in a rather imposing manner.

It was the scene of him standing on the sea between the warships and the ships used by the slaves to escape.

With dark blue lightning arching from his body, while his eyes glowed so brightly it looked like they were burning and his coal black hair danced behind him in the wind. The sky was darkened and the sea itself being roused due to the pressure he exuded.

Including his rather handsome features and slightly tanned skin just made the picture perfect.

People all over the world were shocked and intrigued at his deeds. Some more than others.

…

[East Blue, Conomi Islands, Cocoyashi Village]

In a small house on a tangerine farm, a woman with fuchsia coloured hair carrying a small orange-haired child, was reading the newspaper and was getting more shocked with every word she read.

"Lupin D. Black ... confirmed to have killed two World Nobles on Sabaody Archipelago... attacking Mary Geoise and freeing all the slaves... three Vice Admirals, their crews and ships decimated after a short battle... laying waste to a huge part of the Archipelago in his battle against Vice Admiral Sakazuki, who Lupin D. Black also killed after a short battle and escaped unhindered."

For a few long minutes she was unable to process that the boy, who had saved her and her daughters more than a year and a half ago, had done all this.

"Sigh, I am sure you had your reasons, Black Wolf."

At the end she decided to believe in the character of the young boy, who had saved her family.

…

[East Blue, Shimotsuki]

"You are truly reaching for the sky, Lupin.", Ina said after reading the article.

Laying down the newspaper with Lupin's bounty poster on her desk, she took her staff and went back to training shortly after.

…

[East Blue, Shimotsuki]

'It seems you have finally decided to let the world experience your 'sword'.', Koushirou thought to himself, as he read the newspaper.

…

[Somewhere in the New World]

"GURARARARARARARARARARA! DO YOU SEE THAT ROGER? The Will of D, just like you said! GURARARA!", a giant of a man laughed loudly, before he took a large gulp of sake of which more than a few drops stuck to his white beard.

…

[New World, Baltigo]

"Truly a fearsome child. Such strength and ruthlessness at that age. He may be a viable recruit, so use all channels to find out his whereabouts as soon as possible!", a man with half his face tattooed ordered his subordinates.

…

[Red Line, Fishman Island, Palace]

"So this is the human that saved you and so many other fish-men, who had been captured and sold to the World Nobles, Tiger?", King Neptune of Fishman Island asked the man before him.

"Yes, King Neptune. That boy... That monster, his strength was simply unbelievable. He killed those guards and agents like cutting grass. Even the Marines stood no chance against him. I owe him my freedom, so when he comes here sometime in the future, please give him this from me. I found it on my way back here from the surface … Please tell him that I hope that part of the favour can be repaid this way."

With that Tiger placed a very special looking fruit in a bag on the ground and turned around to start walking away.

Due to the mass escape of slaves from Mary Geoise, Fisher Tiger wasn't able to hide the fact that he had been taken as a slave by World Nobles. Which left a great shadow in his heart, as the shame and humiliation he felt, made him also carry great hunger for vengeance and violence.

But it wasn't just hate that he carried in his heart, it was also fear. And this fear stemmed not from the torture he had to endure or the hell he had been made to live in for years. No, this fear crept up on his mind every time he remembered the lightning-covered figure descending from the sky like a god. His mind simply couldn't comprehend the power that figure wielded and it was something he never wished to encounter again.

Otohime, who realized the turmoil and pain in Tiger's heart, couldn't just let him go without attempting to help him.

"Where do you plan to go now, Fisher Tiger?"

"I am going to form a crew with all those who have nothing to go back to. The World Government won't simply let those with the mark of slavery go like that, so we will probably become pirates."

"..."

"..."

"..."

Afterward the three continued their talks, while Otohime informed Tiger about her aspirations towards the coexistence between fishmen and humans, but Tiger was very much opposed to that idea, after the horrors he suffered in Mary Geoise.

He witnessed the power displayed by Lupin and the Vice Admirals, which made it all too clear to him that their race would probably always be at the mercy of the World Nobles, considering the powerhouses they commanded.

As such he saw no chance for a friendly coexistence between them, at least not with their massive difference in power.

…

[Red Line, Fishman Island, Somewhere in the Fishmen District]

The moment Shyarly, managed to take a look at the newspaper and saw the picture of Lupin, a vision came to her mind.

It was the vision of a giant black wolf with crystal blue eyes standing on a battlefield surrounded by slain enemies and pools of blood.

Suddenly the wolf turned his gaze directly at her, which made her freeze in absolute horror.

The giant creature then approached her with slow and thumping steps and right before its giant maw could descend onto her own form, she reappeared a short distance away and watched in total shock as Arlong, her brother, was instead devoured by the beast.

But the beast didn't stop there and continued to chomp down on all her brother's comrades. Slowly ripping them apart or swallowing them whole.

The next moment she found herself back in her room with her crystal ball in hand and just started screaming in horror because of the life-like vision she just had.

"ARRGHHH!"

…

[Somewhere in the East Blue, Unnamed Island]

An old man with average height, with white hair and brown eyes could be seen holding a fishing rod with one hand while siting in a small boat.

His other hand held a newspaper, with Lupin's picture on the front page, the headline read:

The MONSTER CHILD, Lupin D. Black Attacks Holy City Mary Geoise.

"I knew you wouldn't disappoint me, kid."

With that, the old man laid the newspaper to the side and went back to fishing with a grandfatherly smile on his face.