One Piece: Curse of Immortality

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West Blue, Marine Headquarters Base

"Is that so?" Arashi's face lit up with a smile as he spoke softly, "That's certainly good news. I'll head over immediately."

Not long ago, a message arrived from Vegapunk's experimental facility: Seraphim Zeus had returned with Kozuki Oden. 

This was the first name on the list Arashi had written.

The importance of Kozuki Oden was undeniable. As the most formidable samurai of Wano in his time, his strength was unquestionable. 

When Whitebeard took him aboard, he served as the First Mate of the Pirates. 

Later, Roger borrowed him to help secure the title of Pirate King. As for Kaido and his crew in Wano, Arashi had no immediate plans.

"The more chaotic the world's future, the better," Arashi thought. 

In other words, the existence of Kaido, Big Mom, and the future Yonko served as a counterbalance to the World Government. 

This relative equilibrium allowed Arashi to grow his influence quietly.

Whether it was expanding his forces, building his organization, nurturing talent, or advancing Vegapunk's technology, all of it required time to mature.

However, Vegapunk also brought troubling news: Kozuki Oden was gravely injured.

Half an hour later, Arashi arrived alone at the experimental facility and saw the renowned samurai of Wano.

Oden's body was riddled with burns, and his withered, scarred skin resembled decaying wood.

"Is he still alive?" Arashi frowned.

"Barely," Vegapunk replied. "Right now, I have two options.

"The first is to wait for him to die, study his body, extract his Lineage Factor, and create a new Seraphim." 

Vegapunk's eyes sparkled with excitement as if the thought had unlocked a new realm of possibilities.

It amazed Vegapunk that his leader could obtain such powerful individuals in such a short time. 

The Lineage Factor of the Golden Lion had already inspired breakthroughs. 

Zeus, who had recently returned, also exhibited many areas for further improvement.

"The second option," Vegapunk continued, "is to immediately perform partial modifications on his body and completely transform him into a stronger artificial being."

Arashi frowned slightly. "After the modifications, will he retain his consciousness?"

"Consciousness?" Vegapunk paused, pondering the question. 

After a moment, he answered hesitantly, 

"That I cannot guarantee. And I must ask you a question in return: do you want a Kozuki Oden with consciousness or a purely obedient artificial being?"

The question gave Arashi pause, but he quickly made up his mind.

"A man like Kozuki Oden would undoubtedly be more useful with his consciousness intact," Arashi replied firmly.

Machines and artificial beings could not wield Haki. And in the combat hierarchy of this world, Haki was undeniably crucial.

"I understand," Vegapunk nodded. "I'll do my best."

Arashi scanned the laboratory, taking in his surroundings. 

Zeus lay motionless on an operating table, his body already dissected for further modifications.

Nearby, the corpse of the Golden Lion Shiki floated in a tank of formalin.

In a far corner of the lab sat an unusual fruit, its surface adorned with intricate patterns.

"Is that a Devil Fruit?" Arashi asked, surprised.

"Something like that," Vegapunk replied without turning around. "But it's not mature. Eating it would be fatal."

Arashi sighed in exasperation. Vegapunk's endless experiments—ranging from Lineage Factors to artificial Devil Fruits—never ceased to amaze him.

"By the way," Vegapunk added, "there's something else." 

"My experiments require certain rare materials that are hard to acquire through your current channels." 

"I'll need to arrange exchanges with... other parties."

Arashi narrowed his eyes. "Be careful not to expose your movements."

"Don't worry," Vegapunk assured him. "Once my Seraphim are complete, they'll easily handle the missions.

"Additionally, the Skypieans and Shandians you've gathered can also be of use." 

"With my improved weapons, their combat capabilities have greatly increased."

Arashi smiled faintly. He knew Vegapunk would one day create weapons capable of annihilating entire islands.

After staying a while longer to review the project's progress, Arashi turned to leave. 

Modifying Kozuki Oden would undoubtedly be a complex process, consuming a significant amount of time and resources—even more than Bartholomew Kuma. 

However, once successful, it would tremendously boost Arashi's forces.

Time passed swiftly, and a year slipped by.

-In 1505 of the Sea Calendar- 

Arashi received a joyous call from his mentor, Garp. 

Garp excitedly announced the birth of his grandson and reassured Arashi that Ace was being well cared for.

That same year, the Marine headquarters base in the West Blue was officially completed.

The grand West Blue Base dwarfed the G-18 fortress, its imposing structure suspended 500 meters above a steel seaport. 

Countless warships and airships moved between the base and the surrounding islands.

"At present, the headquarters has 15,000 new Marine recruits," Eveya reported. 

"Rear Admiral Bullet is rigorously training them."

"And what about Buggy, Smoker, and Ashura?" Arashi asked.

"All three have mastered the Rokushiki, and their strength has grown significantly over the past year." 

They now rival officers of the rank of captain," Eveya replied with a smile.

"Excellent," Arashi nodded. He was pleased with their progress.

"Our recruitment efforts across the West Blue continue, but the headquarters has a capacity of 50,000 troops." 

"There's still some way to go before reaching that goal," Eveya added.

Arashi acknowledged her report with a slight nod and said no more.

As time passed, the strength of the West Blue Marines grew exponentially. Elite officers emerged like bamboo shoots after rain. 

After the destruction of the G-18 Fortress by the Golden Lion, the surviving soldiers honed their skills, producing a large number of officer-level fighters.

-In 1506 of the Sea Calendar- 

Arashi sent a letter of congratulations and a lavish gift to Alabasta.

"To celebrate the birth of my dear niece, Nefertari Vivi," the letter read. 

"Due to pressing duties, I regretfully cannot attend this joyous occasion. Please forgive me, brother."

Cobra held the short letter in his hands, tears streaming down his face as he wept joyfully.

Arashi's efforts to consolidate power in the West Blue had led to the region's rapid growth. 

That same year, the Marine headquarters in the West Blue welcomed a powerful recruit.

"Her name is Hina," Eveya reported excitedly. 

"She's the user of the Cage-Cage Fruit and a formidable fighter. She's the first female officer with Devil Fruit powers we've recruited in recent years."

Arashi nodded approvingly, his gaze falling on the straight-backed female officer standing in the plaza outside his office. 

"Designate her as a top candidate for focused training."

"Understood!" Eveya replied enthusiastically.

"And what about Crocodile?" Arashi narrowed his eyes and lowered his voice.

"A few days ago, Crocodile contacted headquarters to report on his activities," Eveya began. 

"He's assumed the identity of a pirate and has already assembled a group of intelligence operatives. He's currently operating in the New World."

"Heh, back to being a pirate, is he?" Arashi chuckled softly. "Chasing a dream, perhaps?"

He didn't dwell further on the matter. Crocodile had been sent on a mission to establish a global intelligence network, which would later become Baroque Works. 

This was well within his expertise and posed little difficulty for someone like him.

However, it seemed that the freedom of movement had made Crocodile a bit too lax, even drawing the attention of Sengoku himself.

"Crocodile of the Desert, bounty: 81 million berries," Arashi muttered, shaking his head with an amused smile. "Still the same old bounty."

Placing the bounty poster aside, he returned to his endless pile of paperwork. 

Managing the operations, appointments, and logistics of the entire West Blue left him with little free time.

"Sometimes I just want to quit," Arashi sighed. 

"Oh well, I suppose this is good preparation for becoming the Fleet Admiral someday."

-Sea Calendar Year 1507-

The seventh year of Arashi's tenure as West Blue Commander.

New World.

"Boss, just ahead is Whitebeard's territory!" A scar-faced, burly man on a pirate ship flying a skull flag spoke nervously.

"Whitebeard?" Crocodile exhaled a puff of smoke from his cigar, the ember glowing brightly. "So what? Just hearing his name makes you tremble?"

Since leaving the West Blue, Crocodile had relished his newfound freedom, completing Arashi's assignments while indulging his long-dormant pirate instincts. 

Now, back in familiar waters, nostalgia and excitement coursed through him.

"That's Whitebeard, boss!" the crewmember stammered, his nerves on edge.

"And?" Crocodile sneered, his gaze sharp. "I want to see for myself just how far I stand from a legend like him."

His eyes gleamed with determination as he calculated his chances. Years under Arashi's command had honed his skills immensely. 

His mastery of Armament Haki and Devil Fruit powers had reached new heights.

Even if he couldn't defeat Whitebeard, Crocodile was confident he could escape unscathed. 

Most importantly, he wanted to measure the gap between himself and the world's strongest.

The fleeting thought of challenging Arashi crossed his mind but was quickly dismissed. That man was a monster beyond comparison.

"Set course ahead!" Crocodile ordered sharply. "Let's see just how strong this so-called legend is!"

The crew exchanged uneasy glances but reluctantly complied, gritting their teeth as they steered the ship forward.

Three days later, news spread across the world:

"Rookie pirate Crocodile challenges Whitebeard and suffers defeat."

Aboard the Moby Dick.

"Kurararara!" Whitebeard roared with laughter, sitting on the ship's railing with a fishing rod in hand.

"You're just a kid, and you dare challenge me?" he mocked.

Behind him, Marco and the other crew members chuckled as they watched the scene unfold.

A bound and humiliated Crocodile hung in disgrace at the end of the fishing line.

"Bite down on that hook, boy," Whitebeard said with a grin. 

"You're Crocodile, right? If you reel in a fish, I'll let you go. Otherwise, you'll meet your end at the bottom of the sea."

The entire crew erupted in laughter.

Crocodile's face was dark with shame. His teeth clenched around the golden hook as fury burned within him. 

This man's strength—this monster—was beyond anything he had imagined.

Suddenly, a voice rang out from another captive tied to the deck.

"Crocodile is under the command of Vice Admiral Arashi!" the man shouted desperately. 

"If you dare treat him like this, Arashi won't let you get away with it, even if you're Whitebeard!"

The declaration silenced the ship. Whitebeard's grin froze, and a heavy tension settled over the crew.

For a long moment, no one spoke. Then, Whitebeard threw his head back and laughed.

"Gurarara! Arashi, is it? Then let that brat come and get you himself!" Whitebeard declared, his eyes gleaming with amusement.

Turning back to Crocodile, he smirked. "Until then, help me catch some fish, kid!"

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