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Chapter Text

The Story of Daemon

Art by Takehiko Inoue "Vagabond"

20 Years before Luffy sets sail
The Island of O’hara

“I’m so bored, can’t we do something else..” Daemon the young child with wild dark hair whined to his friend and tutor Nico Robin.

The eight year old girl had met Daemon in O'hara's library since both of their parents were frequently busy off working as archeologists.
Since her mother had left the island in search of ‘The True History’ and Robin’s uncle had made it clear to her she was not welcome in their home, Daemon had invited her to live with his family.

“Daemon, I’m sorry I need to focus and study, my archeology exam is tomorrow.” She replied to
the dark haired lively five year old seated next to her at the table who promptly flopped his head
in his hands and pouted. She was grateful for Daemon’s invitation, but like most things Daemon
did he did not ask anyone first and when she had returned home with him it was much to his
parents' surprise. Fortunately, his mother Freyja had only requested that she watch over the
young boy during the day in exchange for staying with them. She was glad to finally have some
company even if he could be hard headed sometimes.

“Do you really need to study more, you’re like the smartest person I know.”
Daemon replied with a devilish grin. He was old enough now to know sometimes flattery could help influence people more than whining.

Robin patted his head and smiled, “Both our parents are way smarter than me Daemon, I mean
your mom is the one who finally figured out how to read the Poneglyphs.”

“I know and that's all her and my dad talk about, but they won’t even tell me what the heck is on
those giant rocks!” Daemon replied clearly now venting frustrations that he had hinted at to her
before about his parents. It was something that had always bothered her about archeologists on
the island, they had always seemed so reluctant to discuss their findings with any other people.

“Okay, let’s make a deal Daemon, if you help me study and I pass the exam tomorrow. You can
be my assistant until you pass the exam. That way we can figure out what’s on all the poneglyphs together.”
Robin said, trying to appease the young boy’s impatience.
She wasn’t entirely sure he would make a good assistant but he was her only friend on the island and when he actually sat and focused he was honestly smarter than most of the adults she knew.

“Nah, I don’t want to be an archeologist anymore.” Daemon said, but his voice was much lower and softer than before.

Robin looked up from her book quite shocked, “Why not I thought you wanted to be like your Mom and Dad.”

Daemon shook his head, his wild dark hair rattling side to side, “No, I mean it’s not that, it’s just
there is something else I want to do instead, more than archeology.”

Robin was still puzzled, ever since she had met Daemon two years ago he had always told her
that he wanted to be the greatest archeologist ever and surpass his dad. “Well what is that you want to do then?”

Daemon reached in his pocket and pulled out a piece of newspaper with jagged edges that
showed signs he had clearly torn out a specific article. He unfolded the paper and smoothed it
out gently as a small nervous smile grew at the corners of his lips. He carefully slid the paper
over to Robin and then looked at her proudly with his trademark grin.

“This” he declared pointing his finger at the figure in the center of the photograph.

She looked down and saw the article was about a pirate. She had noticed him reading about
Gold Roger, Whitebeard, and the Golden Lion Shiki from time to time but she had never even
heard of the name in this article before... Captain Rocks.

“Do you want to know a secret Robin, but you have to swear not to tell anyone, okay?” She heard Daemon say as her eyes quickly scanned the article.
The story told of how the pirate captain and his crew were considered a terrorist group that attacked some island she had never heard of before either.

“Why would you want to be a pirate Daemon, they are bad people that hurt others.” Robin said
sort of hoping this was still just him having a normal five year old fantasy of adventure as kids do.

However, Daemon’s grin grew wider, so she gave in. “Okay I swear Daemon” and held out her pinky.

Daemon locked pinkies with her, “Robin, my Dad is the one who taught everyone how to read
poneglyphs and he learned from my grandfather. You see...” he paused and looked at the
paper again with admiration... “My true name is Rocks D. Daemon and I'm going to become the king the world!”

Chapter Text

Library of Ohara

The day began like any other, as Daemon had found a new book of maps to study while he sat with his friend Nico Robin. She had passed her archeology exam and was now working on her first research project.

“Robin… psst Robin” the dark haired eight year old looked up from her work turning her attention to Daemon as he asked, “Why is no one else in the library today?”

Robin glanced around, she must have been so absorbed in her work she didn’t even notice. She recalled a conversation she had with Jaguar D. Saul earlier in the week about marine warships heading towards the island. “Daemon get up, we need to find your parents okay?”

Daemon felt his heart sink at the seriousness of Robin’s tone. He immediately feared something was wrong. As the two stood up the entire library began to shake right from under their feet. Robin reached out and grabbed his hand squeezing it tight. “Stay with me Daemon, everything will be okay, I promise.”

The two kids escaped the library as books flew around and shelves collapsed. When they got outside they saw all the other scholars were lined up in front of the library. In front of them stood several men with guns pointed at them.

One of the men with a gun was speaking with Clover. While another one of them held down a woman with white hair that Daemon had never seen before. Then he heard Robin barely even whisper, “mother?.”

“You must be Professor Clover, Ohara’s lead archaeologist.” The den den mushi held by a pale slim man with wavy lavender hair said as he pointed his gun at him. “You’ve made great contributions to the study of world cultures. I’m quite familiar with your work, and surprised to find even you have strayed from the path…”

Professor Clover stepped forward, his arms cuffed behind his back, “The past belongs to the people” he declared. “No one has the right to stop those who wish to learn about this so-called forbidden history!”

“The ability to read Poneglyphs enables the resurrection of the ancient weapons.” The voice in the den den mushi responded. “It is a significant danger to the world’s peace.”

Clover’s voice deepened, “No matter what the past holds, it is our history. If you study it openly, you can prepare for anything.”

“That’s pure idealism professor!” The den den mushi shouted back as tensions rose.

Professor Clover’s eyes narrowed, “That’s the entire reason the Poneglpyhs were created in the first place, and why we are so interested in deciphering their contents. What were the people of the past so intent on passing on to the future, through monolithic texts? They inscribed their history on indestructible rocks and scattered them throughout the world. They must have known if they wrote the message on paper it would have been destroyed. Therefore the authors of these texts must have had an enemy!”

“What exactly are you implying, Professor?” The den den mushi asked.

“If we suppose those people were hunted down and eradicated by that enemy, whomever it was, then that enemy still exists in subsequent history. And coincidentally it was 800 years ago, right after the Void Century, that a certain organization known as the World Government came to be.” A cloud moved in front of the sun darkening the island, “If those people’s enemy happened to be today’s World Government, it would make perfect sense for the Government to bury the inconvenient events of the Void Century.”

The tension in everyone was climbing higher and higher. ‘These were the secrets my parents discovered..’ Daemon thought, ‘but why don’t I see them among the others.’

“By decoding the ancient history inscribed on various Poneglyphs, we quickly discovered the existence of a certain kingdom. The writings outlined the nature of this vast kingdom. It seemed to have once been proud and powerful, but the records of its existence were systematically wiped out. The culprit was most likely an allied force calling itself the World Government. Sensing defeat, the kingdom’s people inscribed all their knowledge and ideals in stone and entrusted it to future generations. That is precisely what the Poneglyphs are!” Professor Clover finished.

“I see, perhaps I thought too highly of you Professor. It seems you’ve fallen for the lies of that pirate you decided to hide from us…. Vladimir.” The voice responded.

“It’s true Vladimir helped further our research but we all reached our conclusion independently. While the ancient weapons are certainly a threat to the world. However, regardless of that, the history itself is problematic. Knowledge of that kingdom’s existence and its ideals is what truly terrifies you - the World Government. We have yet to decipher the exact details, but the name of that once flourishing kingdom, which held all the answers, was…”

Bang!

“Professor!!!” Robin cried out in terror. Daemon felt his heart beating faster and faster pounding in his chest as the gunshot made his ears ring.

Professor Clover dropped before he could finish as the man holding the den den mushi put his pistol back in his jacket.

“Commence the attack, leave no one alive. Make sure the pirate is delivered to Vice-Admiral Sakazuki.” The voice said in the den den mushi.

“As you command, the pirate is already aboard his ship along with his wife.” The slim lavender haired man replied as he ended the call on the den den mushi. Then he pulled out a second one, that was completely covered in gold, and pressed the small button on the back of its shell. “Commence the Buster Call!”

Blaring sirens began to echo across the island, and immediately cannon blasts were fired upon the island, several hitting the tree of knowledge. Robin and Daemon raced down to the other scholars hand in hand still.

Professor Clover looked up at them as blood began to soak through his clothes. “Robin… Daemon, kids, you need to get out of here and take the evacuation ship as fast as you can.”

Daemon looked over at Robin and her attention had once again turned to the woman with white hair who was being picked up to be led away.

Another round of cannon fire hit the island sending flames crawling up the Tree of Knowledge now. The professor urged the other scholars to save what books they could.

Robin stood back up and turned to the men leading away the woman with white hair, as they began to fear for their own lives. Daemon watched as Robin did her best to fight back tears, “Are you… my mom?”

One of the men leading her turned around to Daemon and Robin, “I didn’t know you had a kid, Olvia?”

The woman with white hair buried her face in her hands, she paused as another round of cannon fire hit the island. “No, I’m sorry… you must be mistaken.” Then the group continued the head away.

Daemon felt Robin’s grip on his hand tighten as tears began to fall. He didn’t know what to think, how was he going to get to his parents, how was he going to get to safety, was that really Robin’s mom, she was never wrong.

Robin choked back the tears and spoke again, “It’s me! Robin! I got bigger, that’s all. Don’t you recognize me? I’ve been waiting for you! Are you really, not, my mom?”

The woman with white hair fell to her knees crying. Robin continued, “I’ve always wanted to hold your hand...and go for a walk. I studied so hard and became an archeologist. I can even read the Poneglyphs!”

Bang! Bang! Bang!, the cannons continued to destroy the island. “Stop Robin” Professor Clover had called out.

“Please let me be with you, Mom!” Robin cried out. “Don’t leave me again!”

The dark haired man turned back around, “Did you hear what that kid said?”

The slim man with lavender hair turned as well, “I did, I guess we should take her with us too.”

Daemon heard a weak “no….” from Professor Clover behind him. He could feel all of Robin’s emotions as she squeezed his hand tighter. She didn’t deserve this, Robin was kind, smart, and his only friend. Everyone else on the island ignored him but she never did. She even taught him to read.

A voice spoke in his mind, it was dark and angry, quiet but somehow louder and more commanding than cannon fire. It spoke only a single word, but it was if that word freed him, no it unleashed him. ‘FIGHT’

Daemon understood, and he gave Robin’s hand one last squeeze. Then let her go and he charged forward at the three men. He jumped into the air and the same hand that had been holding Robin’s for comfort moments ago was now a fist that slammed into the face of the man that had shot Professor Clover, knocking him to the ground.

Daemon turned and faced the two other men, just a boy half their size. The one on his right side had turned his rifle around and hit Daemon with the butt of the gun in his face. The one on the left simply kicked the boy in his ribs as he fell. He could feel the blood run down his face as he looked up. His right eye was already swollen shut but in his left he saw the white haired woman running and hugging Robin.

“What’s wrong with this crazy kid, who in the hell would attack three armed Cipher Pol agents?” The man Daemon had knocked down said as he stood back up. Then he looked down and saw Daemon’s red eyes.

“Where are my parents?” Daemon said as he spit blood from his mouth while trying to talk. “Which ship?”

The man with lavender hair grinned wide, “I see this is the kid the Vice-Admiral was looking for. That pirate had a kid as well, go figure. Let’s take him to the Vice-Admiral, he’ll be far more valuable, let the buster call take care of these scholars.”

One of the CP-9 agents hit him with a gun again across the side of his face. Then they put the sea-stone cuffs on him, the same that had been on Olvia. Robin looked up from hugging her mother and saw him as he forced himself to stand back up while the two men held him from running away.

Daemon grinned with that trademark smile that always made Robin smile as his face was covered in blood behind his dark hair. “Robin!, don’t worry, everything will be okay. I promise!”

Earlier on the Island of Ohara….

Vladimir walked into the library followed closely by his wife Freyja. “Clover, have everyone gather up all the most essential documents and books, hurry we don’t have much time”
The dark haired archeologist's eyes cut sharply across the room, “That means now, everyone get moving, the navy is here and they’re setting up for a bombardment the likes none of you have ever seen.”

“What can I do to help?” Olvia asked, “Our ship is in the nearest port, we just docked this morning.”

Vladimir glanced over at his colleague, “You and Freyja prepare the ship for escape, it’s small but there is a chance they’ll let scholars leave. Make sure the kids get aboard.” The man made his way over to an old dark trunk covered in a mass of dust as he unlocked it. From inside he pulled out a massive blade, It was too big to be called a sword. Massive, thick, heavy, and far too rough. Indeed, it was a heap of raw iron.

“Saul, you’re our last resort, whatever information Clover puts together, take it to Elbaf, the World Government won’t go there, not with Harold protecting it.” Vladimir continued as he turned to the Orange hair giant, standing near 9 feet tall.

“Vladimir, I can't, I’ve never been to Elbaf, what if they don’t accept me. I’m not an ancient giant like them.” Saul retorted, remembering the strict rules of Elbaf.

“You’ll do it and they will, you’ll tell Harold, this is my final request on behalf of my father.” Vladimir looked at Saul sternly. “You left the Marines for a reason, this is your fate to protect the ancient knowledge saved here for centuries.”

The other archaeologist all looked at Vladimir with fear of the future. The young man that had showed up on their shore years ago was now mature and the leader of their research. Many even idolized him for being the one to finally decipher the poneglyph texts.

“Vlad, don’t go fight by yourself, are you crazy?” Freyja said her eyes were misty.

“Hey, it’s been a while, but I’m sure I can still swing this thing.” He replied and took off his necklace with a charm shaped as an anchor key. “Give this to Daemon, tell him…I’ll be proud if he’s a scholar or a pirate.”

Vladimir hugged and kissed Freyja knowing this may be the last time he sees her and smiled reassuringly as he headed out toward the shore.

O’Hara Coastline

“This is Admiral Zephyr!, we’re here for Vladimir. If we don’t see him here soon we will begin a buster call.”

Sakazuki and Kuzan organized the battleships around the island as the Admiral made his way to the port. When he reached the beach he saw a monster clad in heavy black armor, with a helm that looked more like a wolf than a man. On his back was the legendary blade ‘sword killer’ named for the number of swords it had broken with its excessive size and weight.

“I’m right here Zeph! I’m the one you want isn’t it, then let’s settle this blood feud right here and right now.” Vlad shouted back as he approached the Admiral standing on the beach. He unsheathed the massive sword from his back and rested the steel on his shoulder.

‘Vlad the Scourge’, Son of Captain Rocks,…. The purple haired admiral gritted his teeth till his gums bled. “I have waiting quite a long time for this day to come. The day I finally destroy the family of the pirate that destroyed mine.”

Chapter Text

The battle between Rocks D. Vladimir and Admiral Zephyr would change the future of the world for years to come. The two titans of their era fought with equal rage and hatred for one another. One was protecting both his life’s work and his family standing firm as a wall upholding the legacy of Ohara and its research. The other seeking his revenge and blood lust for the destruction of his past by the same man’s father. Each clash their armament haki echoed across the island like the sound of cannons… like the drums of war.

From the shoreline, the marines on their ships watched on their viewing screens and prepared their weapons. Their orders were strict, to capture the former pirate at any means necessary, if Zephyr were to fail. Three Vice-Admirals stood at the forefront of the marine fleet, waiting and ready to engage the second stage of their assault as they watched their mentor fight. At this time their names were Sakazuki, Kuzan, and Borsalino.

The fight dragged on and was a ferocious bloodbath between the two warriors. The normally calm and strategic admiral fought with an impassioned rage and desperate need for vengeance… for his justice. Meanwhile Vladimir, years since his last fight in his pirate days, quickly found muscle memory again. The slashes of his blade cut through the docked landing ships and even rocks on the nearby cliffs. In his wolf-like steel armor he moved with the ferocity more akin to a beast than a human.

“Zephyr, you damned fool, who gave you the order to come here. This is an island for research and historical studies. What is it that the world government is after with us?” Vlad called out to him and regained their energy.

“For me, it doesn’t matter what this island is, the fact is you’re a pirate, and your blood is evil. As for who sent me,” he paused and bared his teeth with an evil mocking grin, “I didn’t even ask, Fleet Admiral Kong told me you were here, and that’s all I really needed to know.” Zephyr replied and the two continued their fight, weapons clashing with a thunderous echo.

As the fight continued, sky darkened black, the two both knew they were beginning to exhaust each other and this would soon become a war of attrition. The two both began to summon all their remaining strength. The two launched forward with killing intent both knowing it could be their end.

‘Father, lend me your strength just one more time….’ Vlad prayed as he willed himself forward into a great fiery battle. Perhaps just, someway…somehow, he had bought enough time for Saul to get the research away..

As the purple lightning charge dust began to settle and Rocks D. Vladimir laughed “Rohohoho” the menacing sound as he pulled off his helmet and tossed it on the ground. The steel landed beside the body of Zephyr. It was the blade of Vlad the Scourge that had struck first. The massive iron blade had chopped off the right arm of the Admiral like a guiottin and his body he fell to the beach as blood pooled around him.

As soon as the former pirate lifted his blade again he was surrounded by two Vice-Admirals Kuzan and Sakazuki.

Just as he was about to summon the strength to fight the young marines next he felt a feeling that he had almost forgotten, a haki so dark and evil, the air around the island felt encumbered by it, this suffocating power. With that knowledge he realized it was time for the next phase of the plan. Instead of fighting all he did was smile as the two vice-admirals both used their devil fruit powers. Kuzan using his ice powers froze his legs still from moving and Sakazuki used his magma powers to encase his arms locked in hardened molten lava rock.

“I’ll get him to the prison ship Kuzan, we continue with our secondary plan and take Admiral Zephyr to the medical ship. We need to be ready when Bonsorillio returns with the wife.” Sakazuki said.

Kuzan scoffed, “Don’t give me orders Sakazuki” but went over and began to wrap the wound of the admiral. “We’ve got the target, let's clean everything up and get out of here. Fleet Admiral Kong didn’t say anything about his wife.”

Sakazuki tossed his cigar on the ground letting it burn out, “You believe her innocent in this situation, harboring and enabling someone of his ilk. Evil must be rooted out in its entirety, there is no other method of justice.”

Back to Daemon:

When Daemon had awoken from his confrontation with the cipher pol agents his swollen eyes looked and found himself beside both his parents. They were chained up in a prison cell, his father more tightly chained with both his shoulders dislocated as he slouched forward. In the same room stood the cipher pol agents that had caught him and spoke with two marines with dark hair while one with purple hair stood nearby.

It was his father that looked over and noticed him awake and spoke solemnly, “Daemon” his voice in a cold calm tone said with all the weight of the world behind “Don’t worry everything will be okay, I promise. You wanted to be a pirate right, well you are one now, I’m proud of you for fighting.”

Daemon felt utterly lost and confused as if time was both sped up and stood still. Despite the horrible situation, for the first time ever a part of him felt happy, that his dad was proud of him. ‘A pirate fights’ it was just what his instincts told him to do. To stop those who had shown up to cause him or his friends harm.

Before he could respond the dark haired vice-admiral spoke into a transponder snail as the other marine nodded to him. “This is Vice-Admiral Sakazuki, speaking with the authority of Admiral Zephyr beside me, I’m giving the order, to the entire fleet, begin the buster call and that specifically includes taking out the scholar’s evacuation ship.” Then in the blink of an eye and without hesitation cannons fired and blasted out thundering and echoing around the prison ship as the explosions bombarded the island of O’hara.

“You monsters are destroying the world’s history. What kind of justice is that! Who are you really protecting by destroying all of our work!” Freyja cried out. Her fury righteous as her arms shook at her chains.

Turning around and glaring at her, Zephyr replied, “You allowed this man who became your husband to irreversibly taint and spoil the work of this island. His bloodline is only associated with pure evil and anything it touches must be destroyed.” The Vice Admiral glared menacingly as he instructed the Cipher Pol agents to leave and then he walked over to the three prisoners with the other marine at his side.

Freyja cried salty tears of anger and frustration as Vlad looked up and smiled ear to ear in almost a state of nirvana, “Freyja don’t cry, you don’t understand but this was always meant to be our end. We’ve done all we can both as archaeologists and as parents.”

Sakazuki snarled as Zephyr scoffed at the pirates fanatical remarks, arrogantly, assuming the exhaustion of the battle had turned the pirate to delusion. Just then a different transponder rang, and Sakazuki looked to Zephyr to answer it. The Admiral picked up the snail with his left hand and said nothing, his eyes firm then set the transponder back down in its box, locking it away.

Zephyr looked to his protegee, “Execute all of them” he relayed the order in a tone as dark as the night’s sky. The vice admiral lifted his arm and his powerful hand turned to molten hot magma. Stepping forward he reached out and seized Rocks D. Vladimir by his chest. As the magma enveloped him he still needed to use all his strength to crush the former pirate with his lava.

“Any final words Vladimir” Zephyr asked as he picked up a cigar and leaned against the counter. His hand held his shoulder where his arm once was. “I’ll concede you got the better of me today, but your life ends here.”

Vladimir laughed maniacly as he resisted the magma’s heat and pressure as the vice admiral tried to crush his chest, his arms breaking further as he pushed forward. He glanced at Daemon, as his last words called out “I was always a fan of Davy Jones! So I’ll borrow his, ‘Just wait! One day I’ll be back!’ Then his chest melted and caved in as his body burned.

Daemon was sick with horror of this nightmare come to life, ‘his father executed, his home being destroyed, was Robin okay? She was on the ship that the marine just said to destroy!’ His mom was going to be killed too, then him!’ His thoughts ran wild as he looked up at his mom who was crying as she looked at the charred corpse of her husband.

With little pause Sakazuki moved over toward her, his hand still covered in molten magma as the prison room ship began to be unbearably hot as sweat ran down daemon’s bloody and swollen face.

“Please, just leave Daemon out of this, he’s only just a boy! He’s done nothing wrong!” She shouted. Cutting off her plea, the marines hand reached out and began to grip her throat and started to melt her too. With the last of her strength she looked to Daemon, “I love you” she breathed out as she died.

Daemon’s eyes were dark with fury, fear, and tears as he looked up at the marine. “Why……. Why….. my Parents…..Robin and her mom…… my home…..”

Zephyr stood still holding his shoulder where his arm once was, “Go ahead and tell him Sakazuki”

Sakazuki nodded back to the admiral, “Your father was a pirate, one that we’ve been looking for, for quite a long time. He had done well to hide himself here, and disguise himself as a scholar. But the knowledge he unleashed on this island is unforgivable and would destroy any chance of peace among the world. More than that, your grandfather was a pirate, the captain of the crew your father served on. That man and the path of destruction he led, threatened peace and justice in a way that no pirate ever has before or since. That is why every member of his family must be executed and removed from this world. To prevent his legacy from returning.”

The vice admiral stepped forward towering over Daemon who sat shocked and numb. “I’m surprised you don’t recognize me, I visit my family on this island occasionally. I can remember when you were born. To imagine your family hid your lineage so well I hadn’t even noticed until just a month ago. When I heard you, a naive young boy tell to his friend that his name was actually Rocks D. Daemon, the grandson of Captain Rocks. At that moment, my blood ran cold…”

Daemon felt hopelessly lost because everything he loved was gone, all because of his dream. An innocent childhood dream. Then he remembered his father’s pride, and looked up, his eyes a mess of black rage, spitting out blood, “Yeah, I’m a pirate just like My father and my Grandfather before him.”

He wasn’t sure what happened but that voice spoke again “Fight”

Then there was a burst of energy that came from him that was so powerful it knocked back both the marines who looked shocked and disturbed at what they felt. The power was so strong the young boy knocked himself out. Before they could respond the locked transponder snail rang.. pele pele pele… Zephyr picked it up and his face went pale as a ghost…

“Sakazuki, put him in chains, the order has changed, we are to bring him in. Do not ask questions, if you value your life.” The admiral said his voice was almost shaking. The Admiral stood and looked at the boy, “Trust me, killing him would have been a mercy for him…compared to where he is heading now.” The Admiral who had arrived wanting nothing but vengeance for his family’s murders now felt only regret and sorrow for what would next come to this boy.

3 Years Later

Mary Geoise - Underground
17 Years before Monkey D. Luffy sets sail.
Rocks D. Daemon: age 8

Cling... Clang… Stomp… Stomp

Cling… Clang… Stomp… Stomp

Cling… Clang… Stomp… Stomp

Daemon’s shackles rattled as he worked, this day was like every other day for the past year. He had been taken to Mary Geoise, the home of the Celestial Dragons and branded into slavery after his home, the island of O’hara had been destroyed by a buster call. Everyday since he had worked with the many other slaves to power the Travelators in the city that allowed the World Nobles to move through the city without walking.

His sweat soaked clothes were stuck to his body and his hard and blistered hands pushed a giant wooden beam in front of him turning a massive gear. He had been getting stronger physically for the last year but the constant toil on his body often left him exhausted.

“NO BREAKS! KEEP PUSHING!” The warden named Aeries shouted. Daemon grimaced as the loud snap of Saint Aeries’ wip cut across his back. He fought back the urge to look and glare at the warden as his fingers dug deeper into the wood and he pushed harder.

“I wish they would just kill us,” Tobi said. The boy next to him was easily ten years older than Daemon, who himself had only just recently “celebrated” his eighth birthday. However, this was still Tobi’s first month as a slave, and he had been assigned to learn from Daemon. Unable to see any purpose to his constant whining, the boy frustrated Daemon to no end.

Daemon looked up, whipping the salty sweat from his brow, and though the small cracks in the ceiling or ground depending on your position in life, he could see the glimmering Pangea Castle. Whether from the month of frustration or the pain of the whip’s cut, Daemon finally snapped back. “Just shut the hell up!” he barked at Tobi, then pushed the beam harder causing Tobi to lose balance and fall flat in the mud.

The older boy got himself back up and whipped his hands off on his pants. Looking over he met Daemon’s fierce dark eyes, but only briefly before looking back away, his head dropping down in regret and despair, “Look kid, I was supposed to be getting married this year to a beautiful girl, named Kisara, from the East Blue… You’re just too young to understand what you’re missing out on being trapped here… what THEY have really taken from all of us.”

“Rahaha” the small chuckle escaped from Daemon as a sly grin pulled at his mouth. “So what, I bet she’s happy now she doesn’t have to marry a loser like you.” His fingers dug into the wooden beam so deep it began to splinter.

Tobi looked back at Daemon in a mixture of shock and anger. At first it looked like he wanted to scream at him, but then his anger turned to only grief as he started to weep. “Screw you…brat, you’ll be trapped in here forever too.”

Then Daemon shook his head, his wild and messy black hair moving with it, “Not me! I’m going to escape, I’m a Pirate!”

Chapter Text

Mary Geoise - Slave Quarters
17 Years before Monkey D. Luffy sets sail.
Rocks D. Daemon: age 8

Later that night, Daemon was finally returned to his cell in the slave living quarters. As his body collapsed on the bed the building’s lights were shut off and the entire floor was dark, and his eyes could barely see across the hall. For just a moment Daemon’s eyes closed and relaxed, and he let himself remember his parents and home. ‘This really sucks’ he thought to himself as his hand grabbed his chest and he fought back the tears.

After a deep exhale Daemon regained his composure and sat up. Knowing time would be limited till the guards came back by, and he got up, reached under his mattress, and pulled out a wooden spoon. He’d stolen it four months ago after a festival where the slaves were forced to work as a clean up crew.

He knelt down by his toilet and used the back end of the spoon to carefully and quietly unscrew it from the wall. Behind it revealed a small concave indentation on the wall where the concrete had been carved away.

“Back to it” Daemon whispered to himself as he started using the spoon to continue digging through the prison’s walls. He had to work slowly and quietly just barely scraping away at the wall to avoid creating any noise that would alert the guards.

“No matter how long it takes, I will get out of this damned hell.” Daemon muttered as he worked. Like most nights before he sat and thought of life at sea, being the captain on a great pirate ship leading his crew into battle. Calling for cannons to fire on the marines and pirates alike. Plundering their ships for both treasurers and resources.

“I will not die here. I will not die here. I will not die here. I will not die here. I will not die here. I will not die here. I will not die here. I will not die here. I will not die here. I will not die here. I will not die here. I will not die here. I will not die here. I will not die here. I will not die here. I will not die here. I will not die here. I will not die here. I will not die here. I will not die here. I will not die here.” He softly whispered the phrase, the chant, the prayer over and over as he worked quietly and determined.

Mary Geoise - Slave Quarters
15 Years before Monkey D. Luffy sets sail.
Rocks D. Daemon: age 10

Just as Daemon had gotten back in bed the building's lights turned back on. However when Daemon got up he saw one of the guards standing at his door. “Slave RK-5, you’ve been assigned personally to one of the Celestial Dragons today. The guard opened the small window on the cell door and slid through a pack of clothes. “Put those on and follow me.”

As they led him to a large manor in the heart of the Holy City, he found himself in front of yet another cell, this one darker and uglier than his normal one. “This is your home for the day” the guards said as they threw him inside. “He… will be with you when he is ready. Until then don’t even think of doing anything stupid.”

“Get up!” the voice commanded, as Daemon looked up from his waiting he saw a man dressed in regal armor entering the room. Daemon felt himself instinctively glaring at the man as he stood up to his feet. The man removed his hood revealing his long red hair tied back. His eyes glared back at Daemon with equal disdain for the boy.

“My name is Saint Firgarland Shamrock, but you will address me as master.” The man said as he unlocked Daemon’s caged prison and gestured for Daemon to step out. “I am the captain of the Knights of God, here in Mary Geoise. Follow.”

Daemon followed despite the arrogant attitude of Shamrock which seemed staggering even by Celestial Dragon standards. Seeing the sword on the knight’s hip was at least intriguing enough, perhaps if he could steal it he could escape using that. After some time of going down stairs they reached a heavily locked room that Shamrock opened as it had already been unlocked before they had arrived.

Inside the door awaited two others, a man and woman in similar armor as Shamrock. They nodded to Shamrock and grabbed Daemon by his arms. “What the hell is this! Put me down!” Daemon shouted but their strength forced him into a chair where they sealed his arms and legs down with iron clamps. He tried to move but he felt the tight iron wrap around his wrists as he pulled and pulled, the sense that he was trapped drove him mad.

It was Shamrock who replied to him, “This will be your life from this day forward, or at least until the proper corrections are made. Now silence, only I will ask the questions here. Gunko, turn on the generator." Shamrock commanded in a dark voice.

Daemon heard a heavy switch flip and the loud ancient machine began to run on the other side of the room. Then from behind him Shamrock pulled Daemon’s black hair and clamped his head to the back of the chair with another steel trap. Daemon felt his heart start to pound in his chest faster and faster anticipating what was coming.

Thump thump... thump thump... thump thump

"Daemon, it was five years ago you attacked two marines with a power that got the attention of Mary Geoise. As you are aware your lineage is one of most horrid bloodlines, however there is potential for you to be of use to the Knights of God. First though, your will must be absolutely broken.” Shamrock spoke as he walked away into an adjoining room with the other knights.

Gunko flipped another large switch. Daemon felt all of his muscles tense up and then begin to spasm as his body was electrocuted from the high voltage generator. After a few seconds Shamrock tapped his sword twice and Gunko turned the machine off.

Daemon’s arms and legs were shaking and pulsing as the electricity flowed through his body conducted by the iron cuffs around his head, arms, and legs. His breath was heavy and tired as his hair damp from sweat clung to his face. He managed to look up again and was able to see another figure’s masked silhouette beyond the light.

"Daemon, tell me again, why were your parents killed that day on Ohara?" Shamrock said from behind the glass wall.

Daemon let out a deep breath as he gathered his strength. 'So this is his style... torture.'

"They said it was because they feared my grandfather." Daemon answered finally.

Shamrock tapped his sword twice.

"AHHH!!!" this time the electricity felt twice as strong causing Daemon to cry out in pain from the voltage. Finally it ended and he could smell a faint hint of smoke whether from him or the machine he wasn't sure.

"Now tell me again, why you think your parents were killed that day in O’hara." Shamrock asked again, this time more anger in his voice.

Daemon gasped for breath as he tried to understand what it was Shamrock was asking. "You all feared what they would reveal!" Daemon answered more firmly this time. Then he heard Shamrock tapped his sword, again followed by another burst of electricity through his body sending him spasming from the shock.

Tap Tap

"Why were you brought to Mary Geoise!" Shamrock said furiously.

Daemon looked up beads of sweat running down his face with a cold look in his dark eyes. "I was too weak to kill." Daemon responded in a dark malicious tone.

Invisible to Daemon, a small grin tugged at the corner of the masked figure’s lips. "There you go. You were born of the lineage of Rocks but you were still too weak, because you lacked both knowledge and strength." Shamrock replied to him.

Tap Tap

"AAAAHHHHHH" The electricity was ten, no twenty times higher than the last burst and Daemon's body activated his conqueror’s haki as a defense mechanism.

"Gunko turn on the freezer. Daemon, you will remain here until I return in six hundred and sixty-six hours and we will see if you still have that evil will. It's going to be cold... so cold your body will begin to tell you are going to die. You must only say the word’s ‘I submit’ and Gunko will release you and the next phase of your life will begin as a Holy Knight."

Daemon felt Gunko undo the iron cuffs around his head then both doors shut as they left. It didn't take long before Daemon could see his breath in the air as he was still breathing quite heavily. The electricity had left his muscles exhausted, but the cold was at least helping slow down his heart rate though that would become an even greater problem before too long.

72 Hours 30 Minutes

Daemon sat still in his seat. The room was pitch dark, silent and cold with the only sign of life being the chattering of Daemon's teeth. He could feel hunger beginning to eat away at the walls of his stomach. Worse than that was the splitting headache he had from dehydration. His lips cracked and bled as the frozen snot that had run from his nose irritated him.

Then a voice called out from behind the glass window. Daemon couldn't see the person but he was able to recognize the voice as Shamrock's.

"Daemon, you don't look too well, but it's good to see you've at least survived this long." The holy knight said in an arrogant tone. "Now, we don't want you to fall asleep so every hour the generator is going to turn on and run at say fifty times as strong as the initial voltage to help keep you warm." He tapped on the glass twice, "You'll have to keep count, Gunko and I have work to do so we won't be able to use the signal."

Daemon wanted to scream, yell and shout, but he didn't have the strength. The electricity hurt and his body reacted involuntarily. Then he heard the door close, and every hour after hour after hour Daemon's body and mind continued to deteriorate. He could smell his hair burning he thought but his senses were so dull he didn't feel anything.

After a few more days his mind grew blank and his body numb from the cold and electricity. His eyes barely opened and all control had been lost of his motor functions. In his mind only one word repeated, weak.

'Help me...'

225 Hours 45 Minutes

The concept of time had been lost upon Daemon as his body clung to what little of life it could. The world was nothing but darkness, pain and cold to him at this point. Then he heard the door open again and from behind the glass he was just able to faintly hear the voice of Shamrock.

"Daemon" he said in his usual sinister tone "You've now survived three times the limit the rest of our non celestial dragon recruits received, but you're only a third of the way through yours."

He tapped his sword twice, but instead of electricity Daemon was drenched in scalding hot water from above. Steam exploded off of him from his frozen skin upon contact. Even though he could barely feel anything anymore the new sensation seemed to awaken his dulled senses.

"You will need to abandon that foolish pride of yours, do not think you can simply endure this training or you will die." Shamrock said then left.

The burning hot water came down on Daemon each hour, a half hour off from his electrocutions. As the burning finally died down from each bucket, the water would cool then leave him wet and even more frozen than he was before. This was torture... this was hell.

Several Weeks later

Daemon sat alone in his normal cell still recovering from his weeks of torture, waiting for his next round to begin. As he sat and thought he saw a guard leading three girls looking around his age being led to the cell across from him. The two in the back were crying and sulking as the one in the front was clearly afraid but doing her best to stay strong for her sisters.

Daemon used all the strength he had recovered to stand and push himself up to the front of his cell and called out, “You there, what’s your name?” His tone was darker harder after his torture his eyes more chaotic but his mind and will remained.

The older girl looked up and cleared her throat, “Hancock, Boa Hancock and these are my sisters. I’m sorry they’re loud, they’re just scared. We’re…. We were just out sailing around Amazon Lily when we were kidnapped and taken here. Is this… is there nothing we can do to go home?” Her voice was scared and trembling despite her strong appearance.

Daemon remembered his dream, to be pirate…and his father’s words ‘A pirate fights’ that was the answer to the final piece of the puzzle his mind had been solving during all those hours of torture. It would require a crew to escape hell… a pirate crew.

He locked eyes with her, “Tell them everything will be okay, I promise” That phrase he hadn’t said since that day over five years ago.”One day we will all be free to sail the seas.” Then he started to stomp his foot and bang his hand against the cell door in a steady rhythm.

Bang Bang, Bang Bang, Bang Bang, Bang Bang, over and over making it echo through the slave quarters in the middle of the night.

“Hancock, My name is Rocks D. Daemon, I swear, I will make sure you get out of here one day. When the guards come and beat you, when you miss your home, when you don’t think you can take another step… or when you just don’t think you can live anymore…” Daemon’s voice darkened, “You look at me..and I’ll get you through it.”

He started stomping again, Bang Bang, Bang Bang, Bang Bang, Bang Bang.

“SHUT THE HELL UP KID!”

“KNOCK OFF THAT RACKET I NEED SLEEP!”

“QUIT THAT BANGING BRAT!”

“HEY GIVE IT UP BOY, YOU’RE TRAPPED LIKE THE REST OF US!”

The other slaves all shouted at him as he kept up the banging. Hancock’s eyes looked at him as tears fell down her face. “Thank you…” and she patted her hand on her thigh with him.

Mary Geoise - Slave Quarters
13 Years before Monkey D. Luffy sets sail.
Rocks D. Daemon: age 12

Daemon sat in his cell again at night plotting his plans, and imagining he was at sea. Again the warden arrived, this time the slave they brought was a fishman and they led him right to Daemon’s cell.

At twelve, Daemon barely looked like the boy that had first arrived. His body was stronger and muscular from his work. The torture had yet to break his will, but his hair was even more wild and strayed. His eyes and mind were so chaotic even the adult slaves were reluctant to look at him.

“Looks like you better make room in there RK-5, you got a new cellmate, a transfer from the fishmen slave quarters, for bad behavior.” The pushed the fishman into the cell then relocked it. “Try not to make him angry, fishmen have a terrible temper, that one especially.”

Daemon looked him over; his skin was red, and he was bigger and stronger looking than a human, just like the stories had told. His eyes weren’t afraid, just angry. ‘He’s the one’ Daemon thought as he spoke up to the fishman. “What’s your name? I’m Daemon.”

“Shut up human or I’ll eat you!” The fishman snapped back at him as he took a seat on the other side of the cell. “Just leave me alone, I want nothing to do with your kind.”

Daemon grinned, “That’s a shame, I was planning to help you escape.” Daemon watched closely to see his reaction.

“Shut up boy, I told you to leave me alone.” The fishmen replied cruelly as his eyes cut over at Daemon then paused when he saw the darkness reflecting in Daemon’s eyes back at him.

Several hours later a group of celestial dragons made their way through the slave’s quarters clearly looking for new slaves to fill their household. The man in the front of the group stopped at each cell with a girl locked up inside, inspecting each closely. Finally he reached Hancock’s and her sisters’ cell.

Hancock hugged her sisters as she looked up definitely at the celestial dragon. “Leave them alone, take me if you have to!” she said but her voice cracking at the end. Then she looked over and met Daemon’s eyes. He knew.

The noble looked them over and licked his lips, “Oooh I want all thre…..”

He was cut off as Daemon reached his arm through his cell door bars and grabbed him by his neck. The noble gasped for air as Daemon pulled him tighter, his fingers digging into the suit the noble wore and his helmet cracking against the cell bars. “Lay so much as a hand on any of them, and I’ll eat you alive…” Daemon growled at the man then lowered his voice.. “And just so you believe me, I carry the secret name of D.”

The Noble’s face went ghostly pale as the guards ripped him away from Daemon and used their electric batons to force him back into his cell. “I want him executed immediately, how dare you let a slave touch me!” The Celestial Dragon shouted as he stood, his eyes still terrified as he looked at Daemon.

“Wish we could Saint Charlos, but that one belongs to Saint Shamrock, we can’t do anything without his permission. We’ll make sure he knows to punish him appropriately.” One of the guards spoke as the other continued. “Last I spoke with him, he said the boy was turning out to be a waste of time and will likely execute him in the next few months anyway. Did you still want to see these three he asked?”

“No…..ugh…. Second thought, they aren’t what I’m looking for.” Saint Charlos replied then the group continued down the barracks.

Bang Bang, Bang Bang, Bang Bang… this time Daemon started stomping and Hancock and her sisters joined in, then the other slaves.

Bang Bang, Bang Bang, Bang Bang, Bang Bang…..The sound echoed through all the barracks, a thunderous roar. Almost like cannons on a pirate ship… the sound of fighting back, the sound of defiance against the so-called gods.

Daemon turned back to the fishmen who looked at the boy almost bewildered, “The name is Fisher Tiger… Now let’s hear this plan of yours, human.”

Chapter Text

Mary Geoise - Room of Authority
13 Years before Monkey D. Luffy sets sail.
Rocks D. Daemon: age 12

St. Juu Peter traced his fingers through his goatee calmly as he eyed the four other members of the Five Elders. The five men sitting in the Room of Authority formed a council that ruled over not only Mary Geiose, but the entire World Government as well. Effectively they were the highest authorities in the world in all matters of state. “St. Warcury and St. Saturn, I’m sure it's not lost on either of you two just how troublesome this news is. A slave escaping Mary Geosie not only makes our security look weak, but it may encourage the other slaves… it may give them hope…” St. Juu Peter said in a stern but professional tone.

It was St. Saturn who replied first, “I’ve already doubled our guards around that slave’s living quarters as well as replaced the warden there with someone more diligent. I acknowledge the incident is troublesome, but a single rain drop can not flood a castle.” His tone was equally stern and logical, as the Minister of Science and Defense took in most conversations.

St. Warcury, the Minister of Legislation folded his hands together, eyeing the wrinkles in his skin, then looking back up at the group. “Very well then, then the only matter left to determine is if we should send the Knights of God after him. Perhaps it’s better to not acknowledge this blemish, to call attention to it would exaggerate it to the world.”

“I think we are all in agreement in that course of action. However, we are also aware of who the slave’s cell mate was prior to his escape, St. Mars you suggested to me earlier a course." St. Nasujurou, the Minister of Finance replied as his fingers gripped the sheath of his katana tighter.

“Indeed, I believe Shamrock is out of options with that slave, it’s time he is moved onto the Garling. If the father can’t break him, then he’ll execute him. We don’t know if he had any involvement or not in the breakout, the time has long since passed to determine if that plan still has merit. Either he submits or dies by the end of this week.” St. Mars said as his bushy eye brows moved down with his eyes narrowing.

“I don’t disagree with your premise St. Mars, but there is one other more drastic option. Due to his bloodline, it was preferred to have broken his will before trying. However, we have no evidence that it would be a failure, particularly given his conqueror’s haki is still far from mastery.” St. Saturn replied. “If you all are in agreement we can make agreements.”

“We agree.” They all replied understanding the time was now for enacting the long held plan for Rocks D. Daemon.

Mary Geoise - Slave Barracks
(One Week Ago)
Rocks D. Daemon: age 12

“Why the hell do you think I would come back, once I’ve escaped this nightmare.” Fisher Tiger retorted back at Daemon who sat across from him. The fishman was much larger than the boy but he was taken aback by the boy’s presence, as far as humans go, the boy was like no one he had ever met before. “Why do you think I’ll come back, and if this plan of yours is so good, why not escape yourself?”

Daemon grinned, “It can’t be me, I’m not strong or big enough to climb back up the Red Line Wall Side. Like you said, I’m just a human.” His eyes met Fisher Tiger’s, “For seven long years, I’ve been their slave. I’ve watched them, measured their movements, and studied every inch of this place. My plan will work, and once you’re free, you’ll come back, I know it!”

Fisher Tiger looked over the hand made map Daemon had offered him. “The odds of me escaping this place is at best, one in a thousand. However, that is a chance, so if somehow, miraculously it works, I return and get caught. You have to be crazy to think I’d risk my freedom to come back here and try to free the rest of you all here.” Daemon’s eyes flashed again at the fishman, who nodded in acceptance of the fact, “Fair enough, I suppose no disputing that part then.”

Daemon looked at him fiercely, “You’ll come back, it’s not freedom I’m offering you…it’s vengeance, for you and all the other fishman that have been taken here as slaves…”

Fisher Tiger snarled in his face, “Even if that is true, it just makes no sense to return here, at this point I’m not even sure why I’m arguing with you…”

Daemon laughed, “Rahaha, you’re not arguing with me, you’re arguing with yourself.”

Fisher Tiger laughed back, “There is a story some of the older slaves told me, about when you’re getting beaten, you pray to Nika. Apparently he’s some legendary warrior Nika The Sun God, that slaves for centuries have prayed to for liberation. I wonder if this is what they have been praying for…”

Daemon’s eyes flashed red and his voice darkened, “My name is not Nika… but I will tell you this, the only way to live is to fight. Since the day I was born this is who I am, if someone tries to steal my freedom from me. I’ll take theirs first without a second thought. I came into this world ready for a fight.”

Fisher Tiger shook his head in disbelief, “Just what are you suggesting boy?”

Daemon grinned devilishly, “That we remind them, they were right to be afraid.”

Mary Geoise - Slave Barracks
(Present Time)
Rocks D. Daemon: age 12

“Hancock, do you remember what I told you years ago. That we would all one day escape this place.” Daemon said as he called out to the girl and her sister across from his cell.

Her eyes met Daemon’s as she looked over at him. “Daemon are you serious, everyone is on high alert after Fisher Tiger’s escape…. I just wish we could have gone with him.” She replied her tone was a bit solemn and hurtful, as if she felt mistrust to Daemon.

“Good, the more they focus on us the better. There is something I need you to get for me from the tailor you three help out at.” He slid a note across the ground over to her cell. “I need you to make it exactly as the instructions say, the bigger the better. Put it in my cell, under the bed, and be ready. The day is coming soon and we all will be free again.”

Mary Geoise - Slave Barracks
Rocks D. Daemon: age 12

Three days later…

In the bleak of the night came a sound…a thunderous boom that would change the course of history for all the world…

BEEEEP BEEEP BEEEP BEEEP, The alarms rang out across the Holy City. Then in a blink the lights in the slave barracks were out and darkness covered the room.

“EVERYONE to the frontlines, The City is under attack!” One of the guards shouted and in minutes the room was cleared out of all of them. BOOM! Another explosion went off somewhere in the city as the guards rushed out. BEEEP BEEEP BEEEP the alarms continued to blast throughout the area deafeningly loud.

Daemon grinned, ‘I knew he would be back for blood’ he thought to himself as he got out of his bed. “Everyone listen up!” Daemon shouted from his cell as he reached under his bed and put the large fabric in his makeshift backpack. “This is the day we all escape this hell! Use your bed and break down the cell bars on your doors!” Daemon pushed the legs of his bed in between the bars and used all his strength to open it wide enough.

Then he went back and pulled the toilet away from the wall. Behind it the hole had started carving all those years ago. ‘It was naive to think I could dig out, but it still came in handy’ he said to himself. The boy pulled out a second bag much heavier and threw the strap over his shoulder and headed out of his cell. Freedom was near.

The stronger prisoners were able to do the same and they helped the smaller ones as well as Daemon instructed them all. As the prisoners began to gather around him Boa Hancock and her sisters stayed near him. The red light and alarm was over bearing most of the communication of the group but gave enough light they could see each other. “Here everyone takes one, it’s the best we’ve got.” Daemon said as out front the bag fell a slew of metal and wooden shanks.

As the large group moved towards the hatch door Daemon held up his hand for them to stop. He turned and spoke, “Everyone, when we get out this door, all hell will break loose!” Move quickly and stay low. Anyone who can fight, take down a guard and steal their guns, the better weapons we can get the better our chances.”

He paused and continued as red his eyes met Hancock’s, “Remember, we all have our own reasons for being here. Lives we want to get back to, People we want to get back to, Dreams we want to get back. Those people out there treated us like animals, worse than that less than bugs. We have a right to live in the world we were born to, so let’s kill anyone who gets in our way, and no matter how ugly it gets, keep moving forward, and Fight like hell!”

Hancock felt the hair standing up on her arms as in one hand she held one of the metal shanks, in the other she held one of her sister’s hands. This boy in front of her, four years her younger, the way he spoke so much confidence she could feel everyone in the room inspired by his voice. In her heart she knew she was afraid but his eyes, those red eyes, those are the ones he had told her to look to for strength. ‘To challenge the world nobles, to risk his life with such belief, how could such a wonderful fool exist in this world.’

Mary Geoise - The Holy City
Boa Hancock: age 16

The streets of Mary Geiose ran red with blood of slaves and world nobles alike. The three Boa sisters moved quickly and quietly through the city as they did their best to make their way to Red Line wall to escape down to Saobody. Her fingers gripped the gun she had picked up so tightly her hand was bleeding down her arm.

“Stay with me you two, we’re nearly there now.” Hancock said to Sandersonia and Marigold. Explosions and gunshots rang out from around them as voices cried and screamed. “I don’t see Daemon, did either of you see where he went?” She asked and they both quickly shook their heads replying no. Hancock’s heart ached but she remembered his words, ‘keep moving forward’

Two guards covered in blonde and injured were in front of them and called them out. Her eyes glanced over and without a second though she fired the gun she had picked up. The group kept moving, unsure if her shots had even hit the two nobles.

‘This is the madness that Daemon had been plotting’, she had seen Fisher Tiger amidst all the calamity carrying a massive bag of grenades, tossing them and causing all the explosions. He had come back, that must have been part of the plan, for him to somehow sneak out. Then with all the guards focused on securing our cell block, he snuck back in, insanity, and now the perfect diversion for everyone to run.

Run the did and run like hell, but escaping was no easy task. In a matter of minutes the Holy City had turned from the most protected place in the world to a bloody battlefield. “We’re nearly there just keep going,” Hancock encouraged her sisters’ as she felt them getting tired behind her. “If we stop, we die” She said, reminding them of the danger of the task at hand. She quickly blinked and pictured Daemons’ eyes. ‘I need to speak like him’

As they kept running, a building to the right collapsed and a family of world nobles were crying in the rubble as they tried to escape. Their daughter must have been the same age as her as their eyes met. She could hear her cry out to them, “Please help us! The building fell on my sister!”

Hancock wanted to go help, everything in her body told her to go help the girl. Then in her mind she saw Daemon’s fierce eyes glaring at her. “Keep moving forward!” She commanded her sisters. They obeyed and kept running with her. The group turned the corner and immediately were met by the new Slave Warden, and over twenty guards all fully armed.

“Captain, three slaves right there!” One of the guards shouted and the group all aimed their rifles at them. The three sisters halted in their tracks, eyes widened shocked as their hands trembled at the guns aimed at them. “Let’s take them down.”

“On my mark” The Captain said

“Ready”

“I love you Sandersonia” Hancock whispered as she could hear her sisters crying.

“Aim”

“I love you Marigold” Hancock said her lip trembling as she shut her eyes and pictured Daemon…and his promise…

“HEY YOU DAMN WORLD NOBLES!!!!!” a voice shouted from the large bridge above in front of Pangea Castle, high enough for the city to see.

When Hancock opened her eyes she looked toward the voice as the guards had all turned to as well. Tears rolled down her eyes through the dirt on her face.

Upon the bridge stood Daemon, holding the World Government’s flag in his left hand balled up and throwing it off the bridge. In his right hand he held the fabric Hancock had made for him.

A Jolly Roger… the Flag of Pirate, flying

“MY NAME IS ROCKS D. DAEMON, I WANT EVERY ONE OF YOU CELESTIAL DRAGONs TO KNOW, THIS FLAG STANDS FOR FREEDOM! I LIVE FOR WHAT IT STANDS FOR! NOT ONE OF YOU CAN ENSLAVE ME AND STOP ME FROM LIVING LIFE ON MY TERMS!!” Daemon roared, his voice echoing across the city.

Hancock realized this was the moment he wanted, to get all the attention on himself, so they all could escape. She tugged the arms of her sister as they followed and continued running as the guards fired at Daemon. She wouldn’t know if he lived or died, but she knew she would never forget the name Rocks D. Daemon.

Mary Geoise - Pangea Castle: Room of Authority
Rocks D. Daemon: age 12

St. Firgarland Garling in front of the Five Elders, beside him Daemon in both leg braces and handcuffs and his mouth sealed as well. “Here is the kin of Captain Rocks, it seems he played an integral role in today’s disturbance. For my son’s failure to get his will to break and have him become a Holy Knight, I will execute the demon myself.” Garling stated matter of factly to the Five Leaders.

St. Nasujurou was the first to reply, “Thank you for bringing him to us, St. Garling, however The Great One has already determined his fate.”

Garling’s eyes widened just slightly at the mention of The Great One. “Very well, please assure him today’s incident will be handled by the Knights of God with the utmost care.” The Five Elder nodded smugly and gestured for him to leave them.

A woman shrouded in a veil with heterochromatic eyes entered the room and took the unconscious Daemon onto an elegant stretcher and rolled him into another room. The Elders kept the heads lowered toward the woman.

Mary Geoise - Pangea Castle: Room of Flowers
Rocks D. Daemon: age 12

“Your Holiness St. Imu, I’ve brought him to you. He has the bindings St. Garling placed him still and he was unconscious after receiving half a dozen bullet wounds.” The woman with the veil said.

The figure she spoke to was completely cloaked in black robes, black hood, and a complete black veil revealing only two red eyes.

“MU was arrogant to try to make him a useful slave like you, MU will end this tarnished lineage, this Legacy, once and for all.” The figure spoke then from under his cloaks revealed an ancient book with a pentagram on it.

“Domi Reversi” A pentagram appeared under Daemon

Before Daemon fell into the Hellish Portal under its dark contract a powerful Haki appeared. So strong it destroyed the pentagram. The haki was not from Daemon…but from the anchor necklace given to him by his mother, on behalf of his father…

”That haki….Mu knows it, Davy D. Jones!”

Chapter Text

Mary Geoise - Pangea Castle: Room of Flowers
Rocks D. Daemon: age 12

“YOU’RE DEBT MUST BE PAID!” a wretched and evil voice uttered from the dark abyss. “YOU MUST PAY THE DAVY BACK TOLL!”

Imu dropped to his knees holding their head still covered by the black veil and hood, their red eyes full of shock and fury as they glared over at the unconscious boy. The conqueror's haki still emanating powerfully from the anchor charm on his necklace. Imu willed themself back to his feet as the heterochromatic eyed, veiled woman beside helped them up.

“EVEN AFTER ALL THESE YEARS…..DO YOU STILL FEAR DEATH?” The voice asked Imu in a tone so sinister the haki swirled throughout the room. “THE DAVY CLAN WILL ALWAYS COLLECT, YOU KNEW THIS WHEN YOU MADE THE DEAL!”

IMU’s eyes narrowed in hatred as the conqueror’s haki finally relented, “Take him away, send him to Marineford for the Marines to execute. That haki….if he has that charm… It’s too dangerous to let a celestial dragon execute him…”

Gunko nodded and began to wheel the boy out of the Room of Flowers. Before she left the room Daemon awoke just for a second, catching a glimpse of Imu, thinking a thought from the depth of his spirit, ‘I will come back’.

Grandline - Prison Ship on route to Marineford
Rocks D. Daemon: age 12

Daemon awoke and his chains around his limbs rattled as he sat up from lying on the cold concrete floor. After being captured during the slave revolt in Mary Geoise, he had been brought aboard a prison ship to be sent to execution at Marineford. His new cell was freezing cold and completely empty. There was one improvement though he had to admit, feeling the ship rock against the waves, it almost felt like he was a real pirate now.

“Worororo, you’re finally up, brat. I’ve been waiting all this time to figure out how a brat as young as you, ended up on the same ship as me. What’s your story?” A deep voice boomed out from across the hall.

As Daemon’s eyes adjusted to the light he shook his disheveled dark hair from his face and looked across the hall. The expression on his face quickly changed from tiredness to complete and utter shock. In the prison cell across from him was a man nearly the size of a giant with fearsome horns on the side of his head. There was no doubt about it, he was one of The Four Emperors of the Sea, Kaido.

“You’re… Kaido!!!” Daemon exclaimed as he sat up and pulled himself over to the front of his cell.

The great beast grinned at Daemon as he reached up and rubbed his beard, “That I am, now hurry up and explain to me how a brat as young as you ended up in a cell across from me on the Navy’s most protected prison ship.”

Daemon nodded as he brushed his hair back, then wiped the dried blood from his nose and nodded, “I’m Daemon” he answered grinning, “I was the one who planned the slave revolt on Mary Geoise.” he replied with a tone of arrogance.

Kaido’s expression changed from disdain to curiosity as he reached up and ran his hand through his dark beard. “If you organized it, why were you the one who ended up getting captured?”

Daemon looked down at his hands, “I wanted to make sure they understood that they should fear pirates. Even if they try to make us their slaves they can never feel safe around us. I wanted to kill as many of those damn Celestial Dragons as I could.”

“Wororo” Kaido chucked in a low tone. “No wonder they’re so angry with you, it’s been a long time now since someone seriously threatened the lives of the world nobles.” The great pirate captain said as he thought back to his former captain. As his eyes studied the boy it was as if he could see a reflection of his mentor. “I’m impressed brat, but what’s your plan to get out of here then?”

Daemon used his upper body to pull his chains and pull himself to stand up before the Yonko. His dark eyes looked up at the Beast Pirates captain squarely, “I don’t have one yet, but I’ll think of something. I won’t be executed yet...” Daemon responded confidently. “Not until I achieve my dream…”

Kaido grinned and laughed, he asked curiously, “then tell me brat, what is your ambition?”

Daemon paused solemnly his mind returning to all those days he was tortured, all the nights he worked to escape slavery. More importantly, the way the celestial dragons looked down at him, how they sneered and spat at his existence. He thought back to the marines that killed his parents and destroyed his home. He thought of the Nico Robin and Boa Hancock and the world they were now forced to live in. Then he remembered that figure he saw in the Flower Room…that feeling he felt. Daemon’s dark eyes looked up and narrowed, “One day, I will become the King of the World.”

Kaido’s eyes widened in shock. This time there was no mistaking it, the boy had said the same words as his old captain. That was when it finally clicked, “brat, what is your father’s name?”

Daemon furrowed his brow and frowned; he tried his best to not remember those times, “Vladimir, my father’s name was Vladimir.” He responded withholding the surname. Daemon enjoyed flaunting it, but it felt weird to say it with his father’s name given he hid it for so long.

“Wororororo” Kaido roared as his massive arms pulled at his chains, easily snapping them as he stood. “I knew a Vladimir once, he was my crew mate years ago, when we were apprentices together on the Rocks Pirates. That Vladimir was the son of Captain Rocks…”

“You knew my father.. and my grandfather then!?” Daemon said cutting him off as he was unable to hide his own excitement.

Kaido nodded, “Captain Rocks.. he was an ambitious monster and a damned fool, but he taught me much of what I know about being a pirate…”

Daemon stood up eagerly as if his wounds were healed, “Then I want to go with you, I’ll join you as an apprentice! I want to be a pirate too, I want to conquer the seas like him…like Captain Rocks!” The excitement in Daemon’s voice was a tone he hadn’t felt since he was five years old with Robin in O’hara.

“Even if you are his kin, why would I let a brat like you join my crew. I’m an emperor, why would I waste my time with some meager child that wants to play pirates as if it were a game.” Kaido retorted in arrogance, despite his curiosity over the boy.

“I don’t want to play at being a pirate, I want to fight. I know what’s at the peak of the world, and I want to go back there and take everything from them,everything that they took from me. My home, my family, my name…” Daemon said profoundly, his eyes burning with pain. “That slave rebellion… it was just a warning shot…I’ll change this rotten world... Besides the way I see it, you owe my family a debt.”

“Worororo, Very well, I suppose the debt must be repaid then. You will be my apprentice as a member of the Beast Pirates. I will show you the full power and knowledge of the sea… If you’re capable of what you say you did in Mary Geoise perhaps you’ll make a worthy protégés after all.” Kaido then easily broke Daemon’s chains, freeing him upon the world as they escaped the prison ship and returned to Wano in Onigashima, the base of the Beast Pirates Operations.

Wano - Onigashimi Training Grounds
Rocks D. Daemon: age 13

Kaido and Daemon stood in the center of the large sparring ground in the back of Onigashimi, the main base of the Beast Pirates in the heart of Wano Island. Kaido standing nearly 9 feet tall in front holding his giant kanabo of the 13 year old Daemon looked down at his apprentice holding a basic pirate cutlass. “Listen here brat, in this world there is one rule, and that is survival of the strongest. If you want to be a pirate and survive you have to be strong enough to kill anyone that gets in your way.”
Daemon grinned as he rolled his wrist of the hand holding the sword getting used to the weight of it. Looking up at Kaido he studied the monstrous Oni wondering how he could possibly stand against him. He wasn’t going to let his new captain know that though. “I’ve known that all my life, to be a pirate is to fight.”

Kaido grinned and raised his kanabo in the air, “I know you know how to fight, but I’m going to teach you how to fight and not die.”

One of the other pirates banged a drum signaling the start and Daemon lept at him swinging his blade with all his anger and strength. With just the flick of his wrist Kaido used his club and swatted him away with ease. Daemon landed on his feet using his opposite hand to balance himself in a three point stance.

Daemon grinned after getting knocked away several more times, “You’re not concerned about this, teaching me how to fight?”

Kaido snarled, “Why the hell would I be concerned?” he replied, moving to his right to keep Daemon from getting stagnant.

“They say everyone fights differently don’t they, especially devil fruit users. If you’re the one teaching me to fight, then aren’t you really teaching me how to defeat you?” Daemon asked as he wiped the blood from his mouth.

“Worororo, I’ll take my chances brat, and don’t get too eager about devil fruits either” he said. Then he morphed into a giant azure blue dragon with flames coming off his body as he swirled in the air. “When I was a few years older than you, it was Whitebeard that told me ‘Choose wisely when you pick a devil fruit power, you’ll be stuck with it the rest of your life.’

Daemon nodded then fearlessly leapt into the air attacking the giant dragon only to get blown away by Kaido’s fire breath leaving his skin with burns on his arms as he covered his face. “Then how the hell am I supposed to fight against monsters like you and Whitebeard.” Daemon retorted as he stood back up and picked up the flimsy sword he had dropped as he fell.

“A devil fruit power alone can’t conquer this world. Gold Roger wasn’t a devil fruit user, only Haki can transcend all!” Kaido said as he morphed back into his Oni form then swung the massive Kanabo at Daemon who tried his best to block it but was knocked into the cement wall.

Daemon winced as he used the sword to help himself stand back up. “Haki, what the hell is that!”

Kaido walked forward, “There are three types of Haki, and you’ll need to master all three if you want to achieve that lofty goal of yours.” Kaido reached to his arm and tore off a piece of the sleeve of his shirt. Setting his kanabo at his side, he tied the fabric around his head using it as a makeshift blind fold. “Now try to hit me.”
Daemon squinted his eyes in confusion then shrugged and used his remaining strength to launch another attack. Rather than swatting Daemon away Kaido dodged him so effortlessly that Daemon plummeted straight to the ground. As he stood back up he turned at looked at Kaido who removed his blindfold.

“That’s called Observation Haki, it makes your senses sharper, allowing you to see even an invisible enemy and read the intent of a blade before it is swung. More importantly, the strongest can even see into the future, and predict every move of their enemy. Without a basic level you’ll be cut down by someone who may not even truly be faster than you.” Kaido explained. Then he held out his hand, now I want you to stab me in the soft palm of my hand.

Daemon nodded and raced forward charging with his sword as if it were a spear. As the edge of the blade reached Kaido, the Captain’s skin was coated in a seemingly metallic black armor like power. When Daemon’s sword came into contact with it the blade shattered and an explosive force knocked him backward.

“That one is called Armanent Haki, it hardens around your flesh like armor. It can be used as a defense over your body, as well as used to coat your weapons and fist. Attacking with it will let you tear through even the hardest shields. Most importantly logia devil fruit users, who can turn into elemental like ethereal forms can’t defend themselves from it. Without those types of enemies it will be impossible for you to fight against it.” Kaido explained as he flexed his hand.

Daemon nodded, “Okay Observation and Armament Haki, got it. So what is the third form then?” Daemon brushed the dirt off his adrenaline and curiosity keeping him upright at this point.

Kaido raised his brow at the boy as he looked down at him. “Curious, I thought you were aware of this one. The final type of haki is called Conqueror’s haki, it's the most rare form that cannot be awakened with training. Instead only one in a million, or better said, only those chosen by the heavens themselves that possess the qualities of kings can use this power.”

“So how do I know if I have it?” Daemon asked eagerly. ‘A power like that conqueror’s haki, I have to have it right, I have to become King of the World.’ he thought to himself.

Kaido shook his head, “You damned brat, it’s dripping off you more than the blood from our training. You just don’t know how to control it yet.”

Daemon’s eyes widened as he smiled wide, “REALLY! YOU MEAN I HAVE CONQUEROR’S HAKI! Wait a minute, you never said what it does?”

Kaido narrowed his eyes and focused his strength. Daemon watched as all the pirates around them collapsed unconscious. Then he felt it, it was an overwhelming sense that surrounded him, a feeling more painful than any hit he had taken. It was as if his body was consumed with fear. Then it stopped.

“It’s a power that allows one to assert their own will over others, to completely dominate their spirit. For the weak willed this can cause those of inferior spirit to be intimidated or to lose consciousness. For even the strong willed well you felt its effects well enough and I was being careful” Kaido replied.

Daemon nodded eagerly, “That one is amazing, I need to train that one for sure.”

Kaido shook his head, “Training alone won’t help, a power like that can only be trained and controlled in true battle. When you find yourself in a life or death situation that is when you will learn how to wield the power of kings.”

The New World - Underworld Market
Rocks D. Daemon: age 14

After his first year with the Beast Pirates, Kaido assigned him to the group that travels to the various hidden dark markets of the Underworld. The Underworld, Was sort of a collective term used for the collection of illegal businesses, institutions, and connections that elude the World Government's control. The Pirate Emperors used these markets to buy and sell their goods to stay out the reach of the World Government. For Kaido, the control of the devil fruit market was one of his top priorities in maintaining the strength of his crew.

Daemon walked through the market quietly and calmly as he was taught careful not to cause any conflicts or troubles with any of the brokers and dealers as he made his way to the Devil Fruit Dealers that worked for Kaido. After a year with the crew he had finally upgraded his outfit to an all black pants and long shirt he wore loosely buttoned. His hair had been trimmed but remained a wild mess as uncontrollable as his own spirit.

He finally reached the devil fruit market where Joker sat smoking a cigar, the primary broker that worked with Kaido. He was talking to a large fat man wearing an old shirt and pants with black hair.

“Sorry, no Logia Fruits this month. Try again next time fatty.” Joker said to them, who then glared back at him then but turned to leave catching Daemon’s eye as they crossed paths.

Daemon stepped up to him next, “Name’s Rocks D. Daemon, I’m here for Kaido’s order.”

Joker nodded, sliding his sunglasses down his nose just a bit to eye Daemon as he bit down on the cigar and the veins in his forehead tightened. “All Zoan Devil Fruits again, as per usual, I’ll have my team get them loaded onto your crew’s ship.” Kaido’s Beast Pirates were made up solely of zoan devil fruit users, a type of devil fruit that the user to turn into an animal species. Joker’s voice darkened “Just make sure you get the order to him brat. The last guy he sent got killed and robbed. Don’t go causing issues with our arrangement.”

“Just do your part in fulfilling the orders, and there won’t be any issues.” Daemon shot back, meeting his stare.

“Zehahaha, Daemon was it? I like your spirit kid.” The fat man said as he waited for him at the door, holding it open for him. “The name’s Teach, Marshall D. Teach. It must be fate that you and I met here today” he said with a devilish grin.

Chapter Text

The New World - Underworld Market
Rocks D. Daemon: age 14

Daemon followed Teach into a nearby bar as he led him to the backroom where they sat down at a secluded table. A waitress brought two glasses full of rum and Teach signaled for her to shut the door behind her. He took a long gulp of the alcohol and then slammed his glass down and his dark eyes lowered till he met Daemon’s.

“So you’re sailing with Kaido, good, very good, you’ll do well to stay with him till the time is right.” Teach said in a deep tone. “I sail with Whitebeard, Y’know I’m surprised we haven’t crossed paths before today, you must be new to his crew then, just an apprentice I bet.”

Daemon’s dark eyes narrowed as his left hand slipped down to the hilt of his sword. “Teach was it? The hell is the point of this conversation anyway? Why bring me here for a drink if you’re just going to try and rob or kill me?

“Zehahaha, Kill you huh? I suppose I could see it from your side of things, but don’t get arrogant. Why the hell would I waste my time killing a welp like you. Best case scenario I’ve killed a fledgling apprentice pirate, big deal no one cares. Worst case it pisses off Kaido…”
Teach’s voice lowered deeper, “I suppose then old Vlad never mentioned me to ya then… well he never mentioned you to me either, so we have that much in common. Daemon, I’m your dear old Uncle, Marshall D. Teach.”

Daemon’s eyes widened and his head visibly shot back with shock, for so long he had believed he was all alone, with no family remaining. Now here in the Underworld Market he found himself sitting across from this man claiming to be his own blood. Deep deep down, part of him that he had buried long ago wanted to cry, but he was a pirate now, those feelings were killed off long ago in the bowels of Mary Geiose.

“My uncle? Well then yes, my father, he never mentioned having a brother.” Daemon thought back to when he met Teach in front of Joker. “You introduced yourself as Marshall D. Teach, if you’re my uncle why aren’t you Rocks D. Teach then? Daemon asked the logical question then felt a dark surge of Teach’s haki so sinister it felt as if the room was shrinking around him.

“If you understood the history of that name you may not carry it around so brazenly. From what I heard you already caused enough trouble with it. And it caused plenty for me as well growing up, so I took the name Marshall instead.” Teach said in a solemn and deeply serious tone. “There is much and more to that story, but we would need a hell of a lot more rum to tell it.”

Daemon nodded, “They’ve tried all they can to erase me and that name… I don’t care how much trouble it causes me, I’m going to wear it and remind them to fear it.” Daemon replied unconsciously letting his own haki flow in the room. “I’m a pirate…just like him, and one day I will rule the world.” The words spilled out of Daemon’s mouth without thinking, but this was his uncle, I mean at least he claimed to be and…that feeling, Daemon recalled, the pride his father had for him calling him a pirate… part of him wanted to feel it again desperately.

Teach’s sinister grin widened revealing a mouth full of yellow teeth only broken up by missing gaps. “Zehahaha, this new era the Underworld keeps talking about down here is a load of shit. The dreams of pirates will truly never end!” Teach laughed heartily till he nearly fell out of his chair, “Listen here Daemon, no nephew, meet me again here in the Underworld in two year’s time. If you can survive at sea that long, then I’ll introduce you to someone important here, and reveal the truth behind that name you carry so boldly.” Teach stood and gestured for Daemon to leave with him as the two headed back to their respective ships.

The New World - Seas
Rocks D. Daemon: age 14

The powerful waves splashed over the sides of the ship, Daemon looked out over the bow of the ship as it cut through the waves toward their destination. A clear blue sky shown above him with the warm sun beating down on the pirate crew. On all accounts it was a beautiful day to be out at sea. ‘This is the life of a pirate’ he thought to himself with a satisfied smile. It was simply everything Daemon had dreamed of all those years in Mary Geoise, those years of being held captive, beaten, and tortured to near death day after day after day. This was the beautiful world he had so longed for.

Then the cannons rang and the sky darkened.

“Gun crews at the ready!” King, the vice-captain of the Beast Pirates ordered out across the deck of the ship. The crewmates raced across the ship as they pushed the cannons into place and prepared them. All the members moved in perfect unison as the cuss and swore at each other over each step.

“Cannon balls!” Another crew mate ordered as the gun crews loaded the cannons with the heavy cannon iron cannon balls. Daemon grabbed one feeling its weight in both his hands as he rolled it down one of the massive cannons. The sound of the iron rolling down the chamber, echoed with the coming ferocity.

“Heave!!” Queen, the crew’s master of arms and technological genius, ordered as he walked up the deck of the ship. His heavy footsteps were a warning for every pirate to keep in line, as they pushed the cannons into firing position. To make sure not a single cannon was misaligned.

“Hoist the Colors!!!” Kaido roared out, lifting his giant kanabo in the air. The crew followed suit and raised the beast pirate's black flag up the ship's mast pole. The fearsome flag flew high and flapped gently in the winds, as the ship sailed into firing distance of its target, The Vodka Kingdom.

“FIRE!!!!!” Kaido shouted as he gave the order, and hell was unleashed with it.

The salt water from the sea splashed across the deck as Daemon gripped on to the wooden post to stabilize himself as the two military ships returned cannon fire at the Beast Pirates The wooden decks splintered and blasted into the air with each shot received. The blasting sound echoed across as the pirates from both sides received fatal wounds from the pirate battle.

The Beast Pirates tore through the island's defensive blockade and rained down cannon fire upon its port coast. The thick smell of smoke as the buildings caught flame filled the air, as the sounds of the island’s citizens screamed echoed in terror.

“Pirates!……Pirates are here, call the Marines for help!” Their civilians and military alike cried out in misery and horror as the Beast Pirates ship came ashore and docked at the port.

The crew stormed the city, Daemon hurrying and following in their wake, as they all moved and fought their way toward the castle atop the hill, where the Vodka King lived. The Beast pirates' ferocity was legendary on the seas, and proved why as they made their way there and killed anyone that dared stand in their path, robbing and looting as they proceeded. ‘This is piracy…taking what you want by the force and strength of your own will’ Daemon thought solemnly to himself.

As the reality sat deeper, Daemon felt the world spinning around him. He did his best to keep up with his crew, but eventually lost sight of them and stopped to regain his courage. Taking in the devastation around him, becoming just a mere spectator of the violent scene taking place. He quickly moved into a small barn to calm himself. Then as he tried to get his bearings he was approached by a father and young boy both clutching small kitchen knives for their own protection.

“Dad! He's a pirate!” The boy said as his teary ears and runny nose turned to anger and rage. He snatched his arm away from his father and ran at Daemon, the knife raised high. “You pirates killed my mom and my baby sister! I hate you!” He shouted as his salty tears ran down his dirt covered cheeks.

Daemon looked over and didn’t even think, his observation haki moved his hands before he could. When he looked he had knocked away the boy’s knife with his left hand, and with his right hand, his cutlass sword sliced through the boy’s throat, just as Kaido had trained him. Daemon’s dark eyes looked up at the father, with a sick and twisted look of horror and regret in his eyes at the realization of his own actions.

“You damned pirates.. Now you have taken everything from me!” The father cried out. Raising the knife high he ran forward with eyes that wanted to devour Daemon in vengeance. Eyes Daemon knew all too well.

Daemon’s arms were too heavy now to move the world spun around him at a frenetic speed. Death was nothing new to him. ‘I killed before during the slave rebellion In Mary Geoise, and I led others to their death. I know plenty didn’t survive. But this ... what I am even fighting for, for plunder and riches of some island I have never seen before. This boy that now lay dead at my feet, was he any different than me on that day on O’Hara. Is this really what it means to be a pirate?’ His brain reflected as he dissociated rather than processing his impending death at the hands of the boy's father.

Then a crash came down as the giant kanabo swung by Kaido crushed the man in a single blow. “What’s wrong brat, do you still think you’re just playing pirate? The weak willed die and leave nothing behind.” The captain kept moving forward toward the castle with an endless rage and strength in his eyes.

Daemon looked at the two bodies and felt a cold sweat run down his face. Turning he hunched over on the nearby table, his fingers digging into the soft wood as it broke in his grip. Seeing the father and son laying dead out of the corner of his eye, he wretched out every morsel in his stomach. Heaving and heaving till nothing but his stomach’s acidic bile came out of his mouth.

“I’m a pirate…” Daemon muttered to himself as he wiped his mouth and spat out the acidic taste, “I have to fight… I have to keep moving forward… no matter how dark the path leads…till I get back to that castle…” Daemon reached down and picked up his sword, feeling its true weight in his hands now. “Fight” He spoke those fateful words that had always led him in his life…he spoke them, like a mantra.

“Fight”

“Fight”

“Fight”

Over and over he voiced the phrase as he marched forward through the lines of soldiers that had surrounded him after Kaido had moved on ahead forward.

Gripping the leather hilt of the sword till his knuckles whitened, his blade cut down the soldiers one by one by one. All his training began coming to fruition. His observation haki allowed him to see all their moves before they made them easily countering their movements. His armament haki strengthened his blade, smashing through the steel blades of the Vodka Kingdom’s military like a hammer to ice.

Then the commander called out to hold and surround him, his troops obeyed as they understood. One on one they would easily continue to be defeated, but as a unit they would win.

Daemon looked around and saw Kaido in the distance waiting and watching… ‘So this is what real training is like, a real life or death situation. He needs to see me survive, or die trying to continue to be his apprentice. No help is coming…’

Then he remembered his fathers final words, a quote from someone named Davy Jones. ‘Even in the face of death, my father said he would come back…for revenge. It isn't in my blood to surrender. I won't break, I remember who I am now, in the face of my fears and doubts.’

He pushed his dark wild hair back and looked around at the Vodka Kingdom soldiers surrounding him and roared, “RAAAAAAAAH” as spit and drool flew in the air like an animal chasing its prey. “I AM ROCKS D. DAEMON, YOU ALL KNOW YOU CAN’T KILL ME! I WILL LIVE FOREVER!” His fury was relentless as he sliced through two at a time, three at a time, four at a time. His face and clothes were coated in the blood of his enemies as it ran down into his eyes.

Then red lightning exploded around Daemon and the soldiers began to collapse like dominoes unconscious and foaming at the mouth. Those that remained eyes were wide with fear and dread as their weapons dropped from their hands. Their trembling terror was clearly evident as they looked at one another wide eyed and fearful.

“Rahahaha” Daemon laughed maniacally, ‘This is it, this is who I am, who I was born to be, The Devil.’ After that, the pirate simply walked forward till he caught up to his Captain standing at the entrance of the castle. Kaido grinned and kicked the castle’s massive door down with ease and proceeded further as Daemon along with King, Kaido’s Vice-Captain, followed him toward the throne room.

The king of the Vodka Kingdom sat terrified on the throne as his knights stood in front of him shaking as they stared down the three pirates as they entered. King made quick work of the commanding Knight as Daemon cut down the other knights posing only slightly more challenge to him than the soldiers outside.

“Archibald, I warned you didn’t I” Kaido said as he approached the shaking king sitting upon his throne. “How many Kings of this kingdom do I have to explain this too, the Vodka Kingdom will never have another king as long as I’m alive.” Kaido said in a vicious bloodthirsty tone marching forward with murderous intent.

“Lord Kaido….. You misunderstand… I’m no king no… no… the world government… they forced me.. They made me take the throne…” Archibald stuttered as he jumped off the throne and knelt down at the foot of Kaido. “We’ve worked together before, you know me Lord Kaido, I would never betray you.”

“Worororo, look at this King, the World Government’s puppet groveling at my feet.” He laughed and mocked the noble king as he hoisted his Kanabo onto his shoulder. “What a pathetic legacy you’ll leave this world, a sniveling rat, soon to be forgotten forever! What do you think of this poor excuse for a ruler King?”

King responded, “Human’s are weak and greedy, I’m sure he thought he could finally realize his dream and rule this forsaken country with the protection of the World Government. Now he's learning the truth about pirates…we back up our word.” King approached closer looking down at Archibald, through his mask.

Kaido roared with laughter again, “You said it well, Archibald, you want to know the true difference between Pirates and the World Government. They can vilify us all they want, but the only difference is The World Government robs the poor under the cover of their own laws, while we rob the rich under the cover of our own courage.”

Daemon’s eyes widened as the words sat on his heart, the philosophy Kaido had shared with him before. But now to see its truth played out in front of him. This is what he was after, this is why the killing, the plundering, this was all of it… this was being a pirate.

Kaido raised his kanabo in the air as red lightning rippled off of it. “You sealed your fate the day you sat in that throne. You were warned and now you and your country will pay the price.” The weight of the spiked club came crashing down.

The New World - Wano Country - Onigashima
Rocks D. Daemon: age 14

Daemon stepped into Kaido’s office in Onigashima, the monstrous war room with the crew’s captain sitting behind his desk with his sake nearby as always. Kaido looked up from his maps as Daemon entered, “It’s about damn time” he said casually. Then he took another gulp of sake, “have a seat there,” Kaido said, gesturing to the chair across from his desk. “That was your first raid right, I’m sure you have questions.”

Daemon nodded and thought back to the events of the raid, “Alright yeah, I’ve got a few then, why that kingdom?” His thoughts went back to the kid and his father, the rage behind his young eyes as he tried to kill Daemon with his knife. “It seemed like it was mainly just civilians to me.”

Kaido snarled his nose and ran his hand over his beard, “What does it matter why I chose that island? We’re pirates, we take what we want.” His eyes glanced down at the map where he had marked the Vodka Kingdom through with a red “X”. When he looked back up at Daemon his expression was colder. “That island… that place was where I grew up, that was where I learned the one truth of life, ‘a person’s worth is only determined by war’.”

Daemon’s eyes narrowed at the change in his captain’s tone. “You grew up in the Vodka Kingdom? The king, Archibald, it seemed you had previously made an agreement with him before.. I suppose the history there runs deep then?”

Kaido nodded, “Back in my youth, before I met your grandfather. The Vodka Kingdom was made a member of the world government, but could barely afford to pay its Heavenly Tribute to Mary Geoise with its lack of natural resources. Instead it took to the battlefield, and I even as just a child.. I was its strongest soldier.” Kaido grinned with pride as he reflected back to his youth.
He continued, “Then at thirteen, the king, Archibald’s father Armanon, sold me to the marines.”

Daemon’s eyes widened in surprise, “He sold you? Why would he sell his strongest soldier?” Daemon asked the obvious question without thinking, but it made no sense for a country to sell its strongest asset.

Kaido folded his strong arms as he leaned back in chair, “He wanted to be able to attend the Reverie, its a council formed by the World Government which consists of around fifty of the world's leaders out of the over one-hundred and seventy nations affiliated with the World Government. It takes place every four years, and is considered the most important gathering for any king or queen to attend, with deals made between them that can shape the course of history.”

Daemon, “I think I recall one taking place when I was there.” Daemon internally winced at the pain of remembering his time as a slave. Though still on occasion the information he gleaned from that time was useful.

Kaido nodded in reply, “Needless to say I never became a Marine, I escaped and turned to piracy eventually meeting your grandfather on Fullalead Island a few years later.”

“What was he like, my grandfather?” Daemon asked reflexively. It had been something he had longed to ask for so long, but the timing never felt right. Kaido had never sat down with him like this before, this felt like his best chance to finally find out the truth.

“Rocks was…many things…” Kaido replied in a solemn tone. “He was flippant, egotistical, Hell Linlin even used to say he was a good for nothing fool.” He took a deep sip of his Vodka, but above all else, Captain Rocks was a force of nature that set out to Rule the World, and when the time came, he was willing to go to war with the World itself…”

It was such a vague and simple response to any normal person they would have been frustrated with the Captain’s ambiguity. For Daemon, it was exactly what he needed to hear after being faced with so many doubts during the raid, it was justification for every thought, every feeling, and every decision he had made in his life. “It’s the same dream I’ve had since that day in The Holy Land…in that case it must be my birthright.”

“Wororo, well at least that arrogance of yours is, you’re nowhere close to being able to chase that dream. I’m sure you think that display of haki was impressive at the raid, but your skills are far from what you’ll need if you’re to face the battles he faced.”

Daemon’s face hardened, his pride hurt as he did feel impressed by his skills in the battle. “Then I need to be stronger… I need to keep training right, what else can you teach me?”

Kaido shook his head, “I already told you, the only way to train your conqueror’s haki is to use it in battle.” He thought further for a moment, “The samurai of Wano, they were a formidable foe even for me when I took over this country, and have their strong teachings. Even now, nearly all these years later they mount strong resistance groups amongst their dojos. Your next task is to travel across Wano Country’s Islands as a Ronin, and take down the three major Samurai Clans, don’t return to Onigashima till alive till that is completed.” Kaido grinned sinisterly, “Rocks D. Daemon, become Invicincible under the Sun, then I’ll show you the true power of Haki.”