Chapter 104: The Weight of Darkness
A flicker of something unreadable passed through Saint Saturn's eyes. Perhaps he hadn't expected Ian to agree so readily, or at least not with such unflinching speed. But in Ian's mind, the calculation was simple: he was prioritizing his own path to growth.
With Blackbeard Teach eliminated, the Sabaody Archipelago held little interest for the foreseeable future. The so-called "Worst Generation" supernovas were either just setting sail or hadn't even left their home ports yet; it would be a long time before they reached the archipelago. Staying here meant stagnation. After his second awakening, Ian's blood thrummed with the desire for a real challenge, a proper test of his new limits. The Emperors of the Sea, waiting in the New World, were the perfect opponents.
"My lords, I have no objection to dispatching Ian to the New World," Fleet Admiral Sengoku interjected, seeing the decision was immutable. He immediately shifted to damage control, fighting for every advantage he could secure for his protégé. "However, I believe the credit for eliminating the murderer of a Celestial Dragon should be publicly announced across the seas. Before he departs for the New World, Ian should be promoted to 'Lieutenant General of Headquarters' and granted the authority to expand his fleet."
A promotion to Lieutenant General would come with a massive increase in both military authority and operational autonomy.
"Granted," Saturn rasped, the agreement coming surprisingly easy. "Only a Headquarters Lieutenant General is qualified to assume command of a New World branch. Ian, if you have any other requests, voice them now. So long as it aids in defeating Kaido and securing Wano Country, the World Government can provide support."
Saturn's tone was deceptively sincere, as if they were old allies. Ian, however, was not fooled. He knew the old man's true target was the resources of Wano Country itself—the isolated nation was a treasure trove of skilled warriors, abundant sea stone, and unique smelting technology. There was an even more tantalizing secret buried beneath its soil: Pluton, one of the three Ancient Weapons, a battleship of legendary, island-destroying power. Controlling Wano was the Five Elders' ultimate dream, and all their apparent generosity was merely the bait on the hook.
"Saint Saturn, what are you saying?" Ian replied, feigning humility. "Is it not our duty to serve the World Government? How could I possibly have the audacity to make demands?" He paused, letting the false modesty hang in the air for a beat. "But since you've insisted so kindly, I suppose I can offer a few ideas... Let's see, there are roughly... twenty-two conditions!"
Saint Saturn: "???"
The entire Marine leadership contingent stifled a collective gasp.
…
By dusk, Ian and his subordinates' tumultuous trip to Mary Geoise had finally concluded. The group returned to their familiar base on the Sabaody Archipelago, the weight of the finalized decisions settling upon them.
In three days, Ian would depart to take command of the G-7 branch in the New World. His rank was officially elevated from Rear Admiral to Lieutenant General of Headquarters. His crew, credited with their roles in defeating the pirates and their diligent service at Sabaody, also received their promotions:
Peacock, from Headquarters Colonel to Headquarters Commodore.
T-Bone, from Headquarters Colonel to Headquarters Commodore.
Skylark, from Headquarters Captain to Headquarters Lieutenant Colonel.
Nami, from Headquarters Staff Sergeant to Headquarters Lieutenant.
Furthermore, a dedicated Vice Admiral's warship was assigned to Ian. The Five Elders had even offered to assign a new Commodore from Headquarters to serve under him, but Ian had politely declined. Building a team of absolute trust was difficult. The deeper their bonds and the more secrets they shared, the less he wanted outsiders involved. At this stage, training his core four was far more valuable than adding unpredictable elements.
For instance... in the training ground at this very moment.
Ian had dismissed the Marines on duty, gathering his four officers in the secluded area. It was time to study the most significant change among them.
"Logia!" Peacock breathed, her eyes wide with a mixture of shock and envy as she watched the swirling, inky darkness coalesce around Skylark. After Ian had explained the powers of the Dark-Dark Fruit, its effects were nothing short of staggering. A Logia-type fruit with such terrifying properties was incredibly rare.
"It can devour anything it touches? How terrifying!" T-Bone muttered, wiping cold sweat from his brow as he observed the transformation in Skylark. He had once considered himself the third strongest in their unit, with the potential to climb to second. Now, with Skylark possessing this monstrous fruit, the gap between them had become a chasm. A top-tier Devil Fruit truly had the power to redefine strength overnight.
"So, the pirate named Blackbeard Teach originally had this power?" Nami chimed in, trying to lighten the mood. "Lieutenant General Ian, you're amazing! You even managed to take the Devil Fruit from him! Sister Skylark, don't be so sad. Isn't it a good thing to become stronger?"
She patted a despondent Skylark on the shoulder. But Skylark was consumed with guilt, her head bowed low.
"I'm sorry, Lieutenant General Ian!" she blurted out, her voice thick with tears. "I'm so stupid! I should have been more obedient! If I hadn't run over on my own, things wouldn't have turned out like this! The fruit of your hard work... was eaten by someone as useless, untalented, and undeserving as me! Waaah... I'm sorry, Lieutenant General Ian, please punish me!"
Tears streamed down her face as she fell deeper into her spiral of self-recrimination.
Ian let out an exasperated sigh. "Little Skylark, that's enough. How many times do I have to say it? I don't blame you. I don't blame you at all. I obtained that fruit with the intention of giving it to one of you anyway. Now, use this free time we have. Peacock will be your sparring partner. Let's test the fruit's other abilities."
"R-really? You... you really don't blame me?" Skylark sniffled, her tear-streaked face looking up at him. "But it's such a rare Devil Fruit... Waaah..."
"What's the point of it being rare? I can't eat it myself," Ian said with a dismissive wave. "You eating it was fate's choice! Ahahahaha! Maybe, deep down, you really are a creature of darkness." His laughter was meant to be reassuring, but it only made Skylark blush harder. "Peacock, you're up. Help Skylark practice. The next skill she needs to try is one used specifically against other Devil Fruit users."
Eagerly, Peacock stepped forward, cracking her whip. "Is it the 'Black Vortex' ability you mentioned? Just hearing about its effects gets me excited. Don't hold back, Little Skylark! Come at me!"
She gracefully leaped back, putting a good distance between them and settling into a ready stance. The inky darkness around Skylark pulsed, responding to its new user's turbulent emotions. The test was about to begin.
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