A Messy Situation

**Date Started:** January 3rd, 2020
**Date Completed:** December 24th, 2022
**Location:** Sad August
**Users Involved:** User:Starving Skeleton, User:Dal101, User:DamonDraco, User:Ash9876
**Characters Involved:** Ogre, Ghoul, Marisa (Mentioned), Rena Argo (Mentioned), Phim D. Sera, Churchill Winston, Aries Ovis, Brisei Augus, Catarina Quinn (Mentioned), Beata Maria (Mentioned), Jean Van Jean (Mentioned), Berkley Andre, Jazzman G. Nathaniel (Mentioned)

## Stolen Land

***Rights of Man: Book 3 Chapter 7***

*And so we are often forced to choose between two evils. The devil we know or the devil we don't. But isn't that borderline pessimism?Accepting something as black or white. Red or blue. Up or down. As is or not as if living creatures aren't walking beings of complex emotions and infinite experiences constantly intertwining with one another. Eliminating any potential chance of an alternative pathway.*

*Denial of ones ability to fight for good is a tool of oppression. Either you side with us or deal with a supposedly greater threat. But would you rather work with a hungry lion to defeat the starving wolves?*

*However, I often find myself pondering one simple question. What if we, instead of subjecting ourselves to either options, work together to fight for good. To disregard the horrific notion that there are only two options and become strong enough to make our own option?*

Ogre closed the thinned skinned book and placed it back on his desk. He moved to the edge of his bed and sat up with a stretch. Thomas Ita's words echoed on in his mind.

"Master Ogre," Ghoul called from atop their ship. "We're approaching SAD August."

"I'll be right up." Ogre stood up and put his book inside his desk's drawer. The ten foot tall giant of a human with a sculpted body of muscle. He kept his hair flowing, wearing nothing but a clothed skirt around his waist. "A wolf and a lion..." He repeated before joining his crew on Theseus's deck. Men and women on both ships worked with vibrant smiles and laughs. They shared tales. Practiced their combat. A true army but more importantly a family brought together from various countries under one goal.

"Sad August...it fits its name." Ghoul said with a sigh. "We need to do something about the Hunting Pirates." He wore his signature hoodie over a tank top as well as white pants. His gold brimmed glasses shining brightly.

"We will. I heard there's a girl claiming islands for them." Ogre replied, arms crossed in thought. "But the person behind the poisoning of this island is why I haven't made any plans to go after them yet."

"Rena Argo." Ghoul answered. "Is the MIGHTY Great Uniter finally afraid of someone?"

Ogre glared at his closest friend and broke out into a smile. "I would love to take down that monster. It'd be a fight worth both our ships weight in gold." Ogre felt his blood boiling at the mention of fighting Argo. He didn't care about winning or losing either. People often forgot that Ogre was a martial artist before a diplomat. He truly pursued diplomacy only due to his belief that there existed few capable of actually exchanging fist with him.

"Alright calm down you overgrown muscle i was just playing." Ghoul lit a cigarette and pulled from it. "Can't have you catching too much attention from the World Government."

"Really? I thought getting a bounty would be cool. Maybe one of those epithets!! SUUUJIJIJIJI!" Ogre laughed heartedly. Still, the idea of fighting someone who could change an entire island...he almost stile a rowboat and made a straight line to Argo

"Are we close to the southern river. It's the only one reported safe for us to go through." Ogre asked

"Yeah. We can get in through there and scope the island out. I'm sure it's deserted...the perfect place as a base for that old coot."

"It'll keep our more infamous friends hidden from prying eyes. So we don't have another incident like Mystoria Island." Ogre said. Remembering the headache that came from dealing with the birdbrained marine. "Have our sister wait out here and keep an eye open. Tell them to use our den den mushi at first sight of trouble and to hide immediately." Ogre ordered. His ship continuing into the island.

A scratch could be heard at the heart of the small town that had sprung up at the center of Sad August, a poisoned island towards the beginning of this New World. The work of one Rena Argo, this island had been taken over by a small crew from paradise around three months ago. Normally inhospitable to life, the Feather Pirates had managed to clean the interior of the island, rendering it a perfect base for the young crew.

Phim D. Sera, the captain of the crew, was illuminated by the light of the lit match as she raised it to the cigarette on her lips. Taking a brief drag, she studied the table in front of her. The crew had been busy after emerging from their Hiatus, at least those that returned. She still hadn't figured out what happened to a couple of subordinates, but that wasn't something she could dwell on and she knew it.

Right now she had people on half a dozen islands, gathering supplies and people here and there, a bit at a time as to not draw suspicion. It was far too early for her to make a play, especially with how volatile the world had become. But if there was anything that the Angel was, it was persistent. And that was one advantage she'd use to its limit.

Her planning in the depths of her current home was interrupted by a loud knocking on the door.

"Enter," Sera sighed deeply, sinking back to her seat as the door opened up to reveal Churchill Winston. "Did something happen Winston?" She asked quietly.

"A ship has been spotted approaching the southern river."

"Tch... I had hoped no one would notice." Sera said as she bit her lower lip. "I'll take care of it. Move the ship to the western river, I'll intercept them before they reach the lake. How many?"

"One ship, no idea about the design. Ferguson had never seen one like it before. Low to the water and covered with oars. Sorry Mam, that's all I know."

"It's fine Winston, thank you for letting me know. Just make sure everyone is ready for a fight if they make it that far, and move the ship. I'd rather the buildings get destroyed than the De La Cruz getting damaged. We can leave this island worst comes to worst, but not without the ship."

"Agreed Mam, good luck My Lady."

"God Winston, making me feel old aren't you?" She grinned half-heartedly as the Sergeant moved back out the door.

"I would never Mam," Was all the soldier had to say before he closed it behind him.

Setting down her half-smoked cigarette, Sera picked herself up and hopped over to the other side of the room where a pair of bluish-green boots sat neatly along the wall. Sliding into them, she wrapped the cords of them around her calves, tying them down tightly to make sure that they wouldn't going anywhere.

"Well," The angel said to herself as she picked up her cigarette and took another small drag. "I guess it's time to go see what they want."

The island was different from what he expected. Ogre rubbed his chin. "Seems like we're not alone."

"What do you mean master? We haven't seen any signs of life." Ghoul responded.

"Surrounded by poison except one entrance located at the bottom of the island. That's not a natural phenomenon." His eyes squinted as his ship approached Sad August's center. "Why would Argo go around toxifying islands?"

"Could be the same reason you chose the islands and kingdoms you did. To create a foothold early in the New World. Whose to say he isn't gunning for one of the two vacant Yonko positions."

"Meaning whoever he left behind was meant to keep this under wraps." Ogre crossed his arms. "Ghoul, protect or our men and women. You guys stop the ship here and investigate the island.

"And you?"

"I'm going to the main hub of the island to keep whoever's in their busy." Ogre smiled. They exchanged one final look before Ogre leapt high into the air. He trusted no one more than his closest. Ghoul barking order relaxed Ogre's excitement. Allowing him to focus as his feet landed on Sad August's center.

"Sad August. Once known as Glorious August but its name changed after Argo's attack." He recited to himself. Pirates are known for the destruction they cause. Yet islands join them just for protection against the World Government or other pirate crews.

"The lion or the wolf..."

Sera's eyes easily noticed the giant of a man as he descended from the sky, the intruder landing on the far side of the lake from their little town. She herself had just finished crossing the eastern river, the light from her footholds fading from across the river as she took another drag of smoke. Her boots crunched softly across the ground, the course stone that remained of what she assumed had once been fields giving way underneath her riveted feet.

"He's got at least some physical ability. I expected to meet the ship halfway down the river even at this pace," The angel observed as he impacted into the stone, small puffs of dust rising from the earth as rock was displaced by the Man's weight. "Flying? No... He jumped..." She spoke to herself as she walked ever closer, analyzing this intruder patiently. "Well, that just means he has to get past me to do anything, he tries to jump the lake he's dead."

"Well, I guess it's time for a warning," Sera sighed to herself as she raised the burning end of her cigarette towards the interloper. A soft light formed for a second above her head before falling dark, her halo only half forming in the instant it took for the deep red flame in the smoke to turn golden.

A ray of golden fire struck out from her outstretched hand, the simple blast of flame approaching Ogre, easily half Sera's size. While a blast capable of felling a normal human, she figured that even if he was dumb and took it head on he'd be fine. After all, anyone paying attention would notice that he wasn't what she was aiming for.

Sera cleared her throat for a second before raising her voice, speaking with clarity as she announced, "I don't know who you are, but this is your one and only warning. You aren't welcome here, interloper. Leave."

Ogre let the blast of flame go by him, understanding the intention of a warning shot. How nice of a pirate to be so considerate. It almost warmed his heart...except Ogre knew nothing good ever came from a scoundrels kindness. He turned towards the voice's direction and kept his third eye open. An attempt to at least size up his opponent. What he *could* deduce was that she wasn't some pushover. No. But the prospect of someone finally giving him a battle worth remembering...well he couldn't help the grin creeping onto his face.

"A thief dictating whose welcomed on stolen land is always hilarious." Ogre teased. He dropped his next step forward in great defiance. "I'm here to expunge all evil from this island. Show yourself!"

"A maniac..." Sera almost cursed to herself as she continued to openly walk towards the giant of a man, "So Haoshoku's out. It'd just excite him..."

"And what claim do you have to this abandoned island? Nobody's lived here in years," Sera responded, hostility in her voice. Continuing her walk towards the man, she didn't even bother hiding her presence or even presenting a defense towards him. "So if anyone is the thief here it's you."

Reaching about two dozen paces from the man, she stopped, taking another drag of smoke before flipping the remains to her side, golden flames burning up the butt before it even reached the ground, leaving naught but ashes behind. She stared nonchalantly at the intruder for a moment before giving her ultimatum. "So I'll be kind and give you one final warning. Leave now before I make you."

Ogre looked at the beautiful woman with a slight smile. She exhibited a radiance one might call divine. And while he might tower over her, Ogre knew that this girl was no pushover. This is what sailing among New World is like. Encountering people of all shapes and size capable of gigantic things. Ogre crossed his arms tightly. Muscles bulging at every movement. His blue skirt waving lightly from the beach's wind.

"You'll have to make me. Considering that we're both two thieves arguing over a destroyed island. After all, my claim to this island is the same of yours, power." He brushed his hair back and took a stance. One foot before the other. Arms up in a defensive guard.

"Iya Thomas writes that good or evil falls between those who can and those who cannot. You were able to take this island and so it is yours. Now I'm taking it from you and it will become mine."

"It always has to come to this..." Sera said wistfully as her Halo ignited in full, the pale light spreading across the area. "Well, it's your funeral." She sighed, her fingers leaving trails of golden light as she raised her hand up to chest level. Moats of light coalesced around the woman, gathering into a hearty flame blazing in her outstretched hand.

"Let's see how you handle me at this speed," Sera commented dryly as the world went gold, a pulse of golden light expanding from her hand as she poured life into the flame. A wall of force sprung to life between the pair, the golden light cutting the sight between them with its brilliance. It scraped along the ground, a wall of dust flowing around the encroaching wall of light as it raced towards Ogre.

But there was more than one pulse, as the light flashed again and again, wall after wall shooting from the orb of golden flame. Each intervening in the space between the pair as it followed its brethren in an attempt to batter against the intruder.

*"Another light user?"* Ogre asked himself. For the brightness she wielded reminded him of the knight from Raijun Island. *Is the New World just filled with shining stars stealing islands and blowing shit up?!* His eyes closed. Ogre had to adjust to blindness during his fight when he fought the Knight back on Raijin.

He met each wall with a strike. Palm. Elbow. Punch. Following the rhythm from its brilliant pulse. Combat is a dance. Each step answered by an equal or greater response. But more importantly a true martial artist can time the battle's pace. From its breath to the amount of time between each attack. And that's just what Ogre did. For he followed his palm strike with a strong straight punch. Thrown with tremendous concentrated strength which launched a blast of air pressure capable of crashing through the oncoming light constructs without losing ferociousness. Soaring at Sera with the power to cleanly puncture through a ship's hull.

**Fujin Shirohebi: Tama!**

The cracking of her light walls was obvious, Sera didn't even have to think to realize that. Though she wasn't very surprised. Anyone worth her time would be able to quite easily overpower her base form. While able to handle most threats even without her powers, Sera was only human. She wasn't born with any superhuman abilities or special lineage. No unrivalled potential or grand destiny. But she was a human with quite a few tricks up her sleeve.

Sera's barriers tilted as a glow formed on her back, the golden energies shifting to the side even as one after another pierced. Knowing this wouldn't stop an attack of that caliber, Sera didn't even try. Instead all she did was shift it further and further to the side as each wall it punched through shifted it further and further over.

Sera twisted out of the way of the blast, leaning back as it punched through the last barrier, the cannon of air grazing her shoulder to leave a shallow cut in spite of her efforts.

A pair of snowy wings protruded from the back of her vest, the black-lined backs merging into the cloth her form attire shifted to match her form.

The wings wrapped the angel for a moment before expanding outwards, mixing a hail of razor sharp feathers in with the newly empowered walls of light, providing yet another concern for the man before her to have to deal with. Sera wasn't quite done seeing how he fought just yet.

The walls so bright that Ogre had to move his eyes closed. Forcing him to rely on his remaining four senses to deal with the troubling pirate. *"Seems like I missed.* Ogre noted. Sera's brilliant power illuminated even Ogre's dark world. Which alerted him that she was continuing her onslaught. He continued his strikes. Palm. Fist. Elbow. Palm. Fist. Elbow. He felt liquid pour down his arms. Palm. Fist. Elbow. Down his forehead. Palm. Fist Elbow. Dripping from the top of his hamstrings. Covering his upper body in cuts. Maybe if Ogre had his vision, he'd see the razor sharp feathers. But unfortunately he needed to rely on touch.
*"There's something else there."* Ogre realized.

**Damysus**

The flesh under legs skin started to shift. Moving in a manner similar to hundreds of snakes swiftly dancing before settling. His legs were several inches larger and wider. With sharp, extremely defined muscles. A slight tap and Ogre vanished. Reappearing high into the air further than he was initially. *"I can finally see! A-are those angel wings?"* Ogre asked with sudden shock. He looked at his wounds with a slight annoyance. They weren't deep. Ogre's thick muscles were able to stop bullets from piercing his body. Yet they were deep enough to actually hurt. *"I need to close the distance."*

There are few who can say they bested Ogre in a battle of fighting styles. And so far, they're all masters back on Kamekame. However, such a claim becomes harder to make when it comes to those with powers which stretch well beyond themselves. And so, Ogre twisted his body so as to realign his descent into a raging fall. Transforming his heavy body into a living missile. Readjusting himself at the last minute so his deep dive would end with the massive man's giant fist flying at Sera. Or more outside her immediate flank.

"So telegraphed..." Sera grunted as she released her orb, the falling fist above her being something she couldn't block with the level of barriers she was currently producing. Not that she needed to. *He's either vastly overestimating himself or is toying with me, and frankly I'm not sure which annoys me more.* She thought to herself as she braced her legs, watching the giant of a man's descent.

Two more wings flowed from the angel's back, the four appendages wrapping around Sera's body like a second skin. She rotated, shifting to the side as she twisted away from the blow. Her wings shifted down onto her right leg, the snow-white feathers covering her teal boots even as she spun on the left.

Sera dodged Ogre's punch as close as possible, the wind from his passage flowing past her as the fist flowed past. Sera kept Ogre close, not dodging such an obvious attack outright for one simple reason. Like the giant before her she was far more proficient in melee. As Ogre continued his fall, Sera brought her leg up, rotating her entire body as she began to bring it up in an attempt to strike the giant at the base of his neck with a devastating Axe Kick, an attempt to disable him with a single hit, "Downy Bardiche!"

*"More wings?!"''* Ogre asked himself. But he hadn't the time to truly access the situation. The punch was obvious for a reason. It didn't serve as a warning or an insult to Sera like she'd believed. Instead, he used the punch's momentum as a method of adjusting his body. Throwing his weight forward to twist himself forward and around, well past Sera, while carrying his legs with it. Also, Ogre banked on Sera twisting away from his punch as it would bring her closer to his suddenly higher and rapidly approaching lower body. Something he aimed to draw away from her attention by having his opponent focused on his punch. The Kitsune Style is one of trickery, after all. Only second to the Oni Style in regards to its difficult nature.

So while her kick would collide with the giant muscles his oblique muscles. Ogre, still carrying the force of falling from such a height, would slam the back of his leg against her chest. A powerful backwards kick meant to also slam her into the ground. Bringing the both of them down with a earth rumbling shockwave.

Ogre smiled. *"She's strong."* He thought. *"No way her body should be able to hit that hard. She's barely has any muscles!"* Surely her counter would've completely destroyed any of his men. *"And she aimed at the base of my neck with perfect accuracy...She wanted to end it right then and there. Sujijijijiji! You're not some rank and file pirate.*

Sera's eyes widened as Ogre maneuvered in mid-air, the force of his punch sufficient to flip the man around so it was now her that was in danger. It had been sloppy of her to take this fight so lightly, assigning incompetence where it wasn't deserved. Her kick was stopped cold, impacting on Ogre's far more durable leg. This left her in an awkward spot.

There was no time to dodge, Ogre was far too close at this point. Taking the hit wasn't an option either. While Sera was confident an attack of this calibre wasn't enough to put her down, getting injured this early into a fight with an unknown opponent was the height of a risky proposition. So that meant that Sera had to block this aerial attack.

And unfortunately for her opponent, Sera was an expert at fighting in the air.

Four more wings sprouted from her back as she raised her arms across her chest to take the impact. Layer after layer of gold sprouted between the pair as Sera threw up as many hasty barriers as she could, barriers that were shattered like glass as the kick impacted through each one in an instant.

But Sera had never expected them to hold.

There was one thing that few people realized while fighting off the ground. Strength mattered a hell of a lot less than momentum when you have nothing to brace yourself on. And once you start losing momentum in mid air, there is no getting it back. Sera didn't need the barriers to stop the attack, there was enough force behind the kick that a hastily crafted one would never be enough to stop it completely. What each and everyone accomplished was bleeding off more and more of the power behind Ogre's kick.

Sera grunted as the reduced strike hit her arms, pain shooting up and down the limbs as she was hit hard. Her single leg flexed, muscle working overtime to arrest the momentum crashing into her.

Sera's back was pushed closer and closer to the ground, her wings impaling themselves in the earth as she kept resisting the force pressing down upon her. But resist she did, her leg remaining under her as the force downwards receded.

But she wasn't going to let Ogre remain laying on top of her as Sera shoved her arms to the side, hugging Ogre's leg with all her strength as her other leg came down. The Angel's leg slid along the ground, Sera flipping over as she began to pull on Ogre's leg. Her foot impacted the ground, digging into it as she pulled with eight times her normal strength, the giant of a man spinning around her torso as she spun him in a half arc, throwing him back in the direction he came from with a heavy grunt of effort.

Golden light coalescled on the edges of Sera's wings as she brought herself back into her stance, her aching arms raised up in front of her in preparation to strike as her wings flapped forward, the golden light releasing from them as she unleashed another wave of razor feathers in Ogre's wake, the golden light enhancing the size of each one in the hopes of increasing the damage.

"Going to feel that one in the morning..."

Sera was right. In fact, its one of the reasons why Ogre preferred not to practice the Tengu Style back home. However, regardless of footing, clashing against Ogre's oncoming attacks without her barriers would've still been foolish.

There are two ways to strike an opponent. One uses technique and the other depends on strength. And while beginner martial artist are taught to abandoned strength as it can only generate a small percentage of power in proportion to proper technique, Ogre developed a unique muscular system that made him a special case. He has an extremely large trunk and stronger, more sharpened abdominals. In other words, Ogre possesses a body built for extraordinary raw strength. Capable of circumventing the required foundations of perfect technique while still generating tremendous force. Granting Ogre the unique ability to fight in awkward positions and deliver catastrophic blows. Although, like Sera brilliantly deduced, the potential power of his attack was greatly lessened by the lack of proper form.

But this concept also tied to Ogre's maneuverability. Although nowhere near as fluid in the air as the winged beauty, Ogre's powerful muscles are able to push and pull himself with neither proper footing or foundation. And thus, he was able to continuously readjust himself out of pure strength. So while Ogre soared back, he tightened his muscles and managed to catch his body. Pumping the massive trunk he called a back to and fro. Colliding his fist into the approaching feathers. Smashing against them with considerable power.

Ogre finally felt his feet slide against the sand. Hunched over as blood dripped from his fist. The Martial Artist picked himself up and smiled at Sera. "You used the barriers to lessen the power of my kick...Your understanding of fighting is...pheromonal." Ogre said. "Not to mention catching me in that throw. God Mami's kicking my ass if she ever finds out I got countered like that. OH GOD, not even thinking about Master Kitsuki!!!! She might appear in my nightmare tonight."

*"Still, its a pain in the ass that she was able to force distance. And those wings...attempting an aerial approach wasn't the brightest idea."* Ogre's eyes focused. *"Close distance and long range attacks. I'd be lying if I said she isn't a headache. That kick...even after her barriers should've had her down for the count. But she's still standing."* Ogre bit down. *"Dammit. I can't start enjoying this. I'm here for a reason."*

**Accession - 55%**

Ogre's muscles appeared to grow. Bulging. Pumping as they became more shapely. A wave of heat shot through his body as he felt certain areas of his muscle activate. His overall power, including the created muscle from previously, empowered further. *"She's better at movement than me. Those wings'll probably give her completely control of three dimensional space."* Ogre smirked. *"I can't make myself a bigger target than I already am.* Ogre vanished in an extremely swift dash, leaving a shockwave behind with his initial step, before appearing in front of Sera. Thrusting a palm strike down at her. Yet he pulled his back leg more behind him.

Sera smirked at her opponent's response as her wings folded themselves behind her, "You're not bad either, I was careless there, but I didn't expect you to be able to punish it that hard." rubbing her forearm for emphasis as the angel rolled her shoulders, "But I've been in my fair share of scraps. More than my fair share.

Sera lowered her stance with bent knees in preparation for her opponent's actions, knowing that he'd have to close to realistically threaten her. A look of disdain crossed her face as the man's body mutated under the effect of his devil fruit, his muscles expanding out underneath his skin as his form grew slightly. \*That explains it, a devil fruit.\*

The angel slowed her breathing as the man began to step forward, her center of balance low and steady. Golden filaments of flame began to flow from her fists, the pirate focusing her flaming powers into them as she prepared for the next bout.

Sera stood strong as the man shattered the ground with his step, disappearing from view as he charged forward. A screaming palm approached her face, aiming to put her down with one solid thrust, but the Angel didn't shy away.

She had moved at the same time he did, rotating to the edge of the strike even as she rocketed her outside fist forward in a tight arc, her entire body working into the rotation as she pulled her power from her stance all the way into her strike. She struck Ogre on the wrist, the flaming fist burning the surface of his body with its heatless flames, but more importantly the empowered strike pushing Ogre's fist inwards, allowing her to slip to the outside. A location that didn't favor the much larger man.

Sera quickly reversed momentum as she brought her left foot forward to step further into Ogre's space as she continued to the outside, using the explosive force of her own step to her advantage as she rammed her other fist forward, aiming to punch the flaming fist right into the Revolutionary's side in a powerful cross. "Burning Shortsword."

The fist collided against Ogre's wrist. But his palm which he already threw from an awkward position, still possessed the power to send a shockwave across the beach. Creating waves well into the sea. *"She's adapting to my fighting style?"* Ogre thought to himself. He felt his blood start to boil. That inner ball of flame starting to swell. *"Shes..."* His face crept into a smile. *"an angel!!"* Absolutely unaware of her Devil Fruit.

Ogre's front foot slid into position. Carrying his body back into its proper alignment. But Sera was correct in her prediction. He deliberately sabotaged his thrust in order to set up the followup. A straight cross of his own using the rotational force generated from fixing himself. Meant to hit Sera with enough force to break through the jeopardized block or catch her during an attempt to dodge. But when she slipped to the outside of his strike, Ogre knew she'd manage to see through the punch.

*"This is why I came to the New World!"* Ogre exclaimed. He knew her small body put her in a most advantageous position. Yet he didn't panic. His muscles tightened. Using his biological armor to protect him from the initial impact. However her punch still possessed considerable power. Causing Ogre to nearly regurgitate from the intense blow to his side. He felt its force shake within. Not to mention the intense burning sensation searing Into his flesh. It excited Ogre.

Ogre grounded himself while her punch deepened. Then, in one swift movement, he jerked into action. Hoping to catch Sera's fist before she retracted it. Ogre readjust himself with a sidestep while throwing his other arm at her wrist from across his body. But although it might've seemed deadly, he would only use it to pull her in. Meanwhile grabbing at Sera's approaching neck with his other, much closer arm. He wanted her to focus on him grabbing her wrist so as to draw her attention way from the snapping grasp of his hand.

A single maneuver driven by the desire to eruptively pick Sera up and immediately slam her body back down into the ground. His deadly grip tightening around her throat. Amplified by his exponential boost in physical power.

**BIG Shichi Tobuka!**

A realm where Ogre bridges the principles of his martial arts. Creating his own style where he is in control within his wingspan.

The ground cracked when Sera impacted it, the breath being driven from body as she was thrown to the earth beneath her feet. Ogre's attempt to send her to ground had worked, but not in the manner he had expected. He had dismissed the same thing that all to many people had about her fruit. Her wings.

Even as Sera had continued with her swing as it slid off the side of Ogre's torso, pulling her arm away from the hand attempting to grab it, she had noticed more movement out of the corner of her eye.

Movement she was ill-positioned to deal with, her momentum moving in the opposite direction even as she momentarily showed her back to her opponent's attack. At least ill-positioned to deal with her hands and feet. Sera's wings unfolded once more, spears of downy feathers streaking off her back as they curled themselves inwards to strike Ogre's open palm.

Barely breaching the skin if at all, the wings didn't accomplish much in terms of stopping his hand, what they did do was allow Sera to retreat from the grab attempt.

At least if Ogre hadn't grabbed her wings instead, slamming the angel to the ground as she was ripped back towards the giant of a man with a cracking thud, bloody spittle flying from her lips..

Pushing off with her feet, Sera flipped backwards with her momentum, retracting her wings as she demanifested them in order to escape from Ogre's grip even as the large man punched deep into the ground in the space she had just occupied.

She bounced on her feet to create some space, at the same time slamming her flaming palms together as she made a cluster of flaming bolts pepper the area in front of her, a hail of burning flames impacting the ground, sea, and air as she sought to distract Ogre for the few moments it'd take for her to grow out her wings once more. "Burning Blunderbuss!"

Ogre missed his follow up punch. A sloppy strike of course. But he wanted to make up for failing to crush Sera's neck. Still, he was somewhat glad she escaped. It's rare that he could enjoy such a battle. Most people would've died from that technique in his base form. And now, with his increase in physical power, her body sent a shockwave outward.

"You have a troublesome power." He teased. "Using your wings as additional limbs while I'm stuck with 4." But the burn was still fresh on his side. And it hurt like hell whenever Ogre moved. Every time he struck a flame. Every punch. Kick. Palm. Elbow. It served as a reminder that, for the second time in their bout, Sera managed to see through his entire ploy. She took control from him and revealed just how many steps ahead she was. Attacks that put thousands to sleep. She countered the very keepsakes passed onto him by the most important women in his life. He hated Kitsuki. But that hate was nothing more than love and admiration she wouldn't let him show.

And yet, Sera so easily saw through them both. Two Kitsune maneuvers and his own Shurado technique born from his mother's love.

But surprisingly, Ogre looked more alive than ever. It wasn't anger driving Ogre. No. His heavy breathing. That Chesire grin. Its excitement! Ogre slapped away another flame. *I'm right.* He stated. *That punch probably left a tattoo. But these are-they're weaker."* Ogre brought back his leg. *"Figuring you out is making this more exciting, angel!"* Veins in his legs bulged as he felt his body command muscle well beyond his natural limitations.

**BIG Seken Kudaija**

Ogre connected his last strike to an upward kick. A kick unlike others as he increased the amount power it exerted well beyond natural limits. Tapping into the dormant potential hidden within living creatures. His massive leg commanded the wind with a rotational path. Generating a rapidly spinning twister which grew in size just as fast. It approached Sera like a coiling snake meant to consume all in its path. Bringing up clouds of sand in the process. The whirlwind would suck in the nearby flames and use it as decoration. Turning into an inferno meant to consume Sera should the violent wind not tear her apart or at the very least suffocate the angel.

However Ogre smiled at the familiar sight. "A technique used against me by the first person who gave me this feeling. Someone else in this grand world whose fire shines brighter than the sun!"

Sera was frankly glad that Ogre hadn't decided to follow up on her escape, choosing to defend himself against a level of fire that couldn't do more than leave superficial injuries. Frankly put with the level of power he was putting out, she wasn't sure she could take very many hits from the guy. She just wasn't durable enough in her current state. So a hit from him could prove devastating, and that wasn't even taking into account that with how he was acting, Sera was pretty certain that Ogre hadn't been fighting that seriously yet.

"Why thank you, they are pretty useful," Sera shrugged politely in response as she fell once more. "Muscle-mass on demand isn't the worst either. Though I daresay it doesn't seem as flexible.

Two more wings adorned the angel's back as she settled down once more onto the ground, the distance opened up again. But Sera didn't have to wait long this time for Ogre to make his move, no watching as he went through some transformation sequence to amp up his strength even further, though the change in how his attack scaled up was equally as surprisng.

Sera realized how bad riding this one out was going to be by the time Ogre was halfway through his kick. Her ten wings speared into the ground, rays of gold and snow anchoring the angel to the ground as a whirlwind whipped up under the power of Ogre's strength.

Roaring wind, sand, and flames met a shell of burning gold, Sera compressing her fire around her body, creating barrier after interlocking barrier out of her holy fire to shield her from the vortext even as layer after layer of it was scoured clean by the whipping wind. Sera had long since stopped assuming her barriers were invincible, Drax had put a stop to that. But frankly put she wasn't entirely sure a mid-battle barrier was going to be up to the task. So she simply used a lot of them.

By the time the whirlwind passed, golden fragments hung around Sera's form, the barriers finally succumbing as the storm made its last gasps.

Sera breathed a sigh of relief when she saw that Ogre had stayed still while she defended herself from the whirlwind, that was one problem she didn't have to worry about yet. "Guess I probably should work on the strength of those... Been a while since I've had to rely on them for defense this much, I've gotten a bit rusty."

"That being said," Sera said as she folder her wings onto her back once more, only taking a defensive stance,"and not to be a feather or anything about it. I can appreciate some banter during a fight, it livens things up, but do you plan on taking this seriously any time soon? I appreciate the compliments, but to be honest that last attack is the only one you look like you put any actual effort into."

"A keen eye." Ogre said cheerfully. "Fine. I'll admit it. I noticed that you got stronger each time you got another wing. And then it dropped after they disappeared. I'm also talking about your fire and speed." Ogre revealed while rubbing his chin. He thought back to that moment when she scurried away. It would've been easy for Ogre to continue into another combination.

Ogre stepped forward with soft and warm eyes locked on Sera. "I don't know what kind of power you have yet. But we both know I would've ended the battle if I continued." He revealed. His amber eyes were valuable tools for they allowed him to perceive things often unsaid. Ogre was known for his ability to argue. A ferocious power he often likened to actual combat. Listen. Watch. Locate the weakness or wavering strength in an opponent's argument and strike. And now he demonstrated where his negotiation prowess came from. He wasn't just blindly attacking Sera. He was analyzing.

"But I'm sure Ghoul'll kill me for that...Though I trust him and the others to do what we came here to do." Ogre grinned. "Meaning we can have more fun." Though Sera's perceptiveness was just as impressive, she made a mistake in assuming Ogre had powered up. He still kept his body's output at 55% of his maximum power. Although Damysus increased the muscle mass in his lower body, using Accession allowed him to moderate his muscle usage. Ensuring efficient utilization by focusing on the newly created tissue while drawing from his natural fiber as needed. Ogre vanished again. Leaving but a shockwave with the initial step. He would reappear before Sera. This time aiming a simple forward punch at the smaller girl's head. It carried enough force to upset the water behind her. Causing the distant ships to dance atop its seas.

Sera's eyes widened for a moment in shock at Ogre's statement, his claims simply unbelievable. She froze for a second as she thought, *How stupid is this man if he hasn't figured out my power, he literally said it thirty seconds ago...*

Though this was a thought that was short lived, as Ogre's next statement unreasonably pissed her off.

Sera's gaze darkened at Ogre's claim that he could have ended the fight there if he had wanted. For it was a line she had heard way too many times before. "You really think you could have taken me down just because my wings weren't out?" The pirate uttered as Ogre moved once more, disappearing with nearly the exact same punch as before.

However, unlike last time. Sera made no effort to block it as the punch drilled directly into her forehead.

The smaller fighter's feet furrowed into the ground as she slid back, the ground not being able to easily sink the momentum imparted to it by the force of the wing. Dirt and gravel flew from the backlash of the strike, stripping the decayed earth down to rock beneath the touch of its pressure. But the angel stood motionless even as she slid, coming to rest with the water nipping at her heels.

She stared Ogre straight in the eyes as a line of red ran down her face, dripping to the water below. "If you could take me down with one punch, that would have been it... My wings don't make me tougher..." She stated with certainty in her voice. "But you won't get a clean shot like that again."

Flames marked where the angel had stood as she began to walk forward, back towards Ogre. "But some third-rate nobody showing up out of nowhere..." She continued as she picked up the pace, small panels of light cracking from the force of her step as her walk turned into a run. "Doesn't get to profit from MY work." Flames billowed from her wings as she twisted right, jumping to the side of ogre, "Doesn't get to threaten My crew," she continued as a panel of light shattered in air, the glowing shards the only presence of the Angel's passing as she danced from panel after panel around Ogre, "Doesn't get to try and take MY Home," A pillar of golden flames was all that could be seen of the pair as they billowed out from the angel's wings, golden fire swirling around the giant of a man as the angel shattered panel after panel, dancing from sky to ground to air once more as she ran a chaotic dance around the bodybuilder, "and DOESN'T get to claim that he can beat ME!" She practically yelled as Sera appeared above his head, the a triple layer of light shattering under the force of her step as she shot downwards on burning legs. Shooting down fast, she flipped over as she aimed a devastating axe at the back of Ogre's neck, an effort to bring the man down in one ruinous blow.

"BURNING LABRYS!"

## Goddesses and Devils

Ogre's eyes narrowed as she tanked his punch. He felt it send a shockwave through her body but more importantly, felt the sheer intensity of her resolve against his fist. That should've certainly put her out for the count. And yet, not only did she seem perfectly fine, Sera remained standing without the slightest tremble.

Unfortunately Ogre hadn't time to come to properly analyze what exactly had happened since she vanished into thin air. Then without a second wasted, Ogre found himself in a world of glittering light. Explosions of golden glass shards popping into glistening dust just as quick as they came. *"I can't follow her."* He thought to himself. His eyes darted to and fro. Zipping around as he tried to at least get a glance of his angel. But he could only see the falling stars that she created up above. *"Yes!"* Ogre grinned. "*Yes!"* He twisted and turned with each shattering pane, utterly mesmerized by the angelic show of divinity.

"YES!" Ogre screamed. And at that moment, the martial artist felt something he hadn't since coming to the New World. An explosive sensation described by all who sailed the seas before. Some were said to freeze when it happened. Others begged for mercy. But Ogre...well Ogre was always different. Even on Kamekame, he'd be the first to jump off boats and fight Seakings. Even his master Kitsuki often noted how much her unique metaphor towards battle fit Ogre. Yes. Ogre felt death approach like a falling star in that bright instant. And all he could do was smile maddingly.

The only move he could make in enough time to avoid the kick from demolishing his neck. But in that moment of silence one would see Ogre's arm shoot up around the back of his neck. Skin, flesh and tissue stretched as it began to deform into a monstrous limb that looked more tumorous than muscular. Turning what was once a well sculpted arm with bulky and extremely defined muscles into a makeshift shield of hardened flesh. But her kick burning through the hard substance would reveal it to be massive clumps of muscle. Continuously repairing itself despite being cut and burned.

**BIG Aegis**

An extremely painful situation for Ogre's eyes widened. "AH!" Her intense flames immediately cauterizing the flesh as it continued to spread. An arm raised for defense meant an awkard strike, so Ogre brought her to his level as the atlas of a man shrugged.

Sera feathered internally as Ogre intercepted her kick, the burning strike slowly losing power as it attempted to sear through his upraised arm. Not only that, but he seemed to almost be regenerating the damage as well, which wasn't a pleasant combination.

Her foot slid to the side with his movement, grating down the surface of the giant's back as he shrugged her to the side. Sera herself took no effort to redouble her strike, instead shifting to the side as she crossed her arms, Ogre's far elbow striking them dead center. Having brought her down to a level he could more eaisly strike, she realiezed that Ogre had taken advantage of the short period of time after a failed attack to retaliate with one of his own.

Sera's bones creaked as Ogre's arm struke her full force, the angel being ejected out of melee range in an instant under the force of his blow. Panels of light formed behind her, slowing her egress with each one shattered as the blurred angel righted herself. Burning soles hit a wall of light far stronger than the others, the construct cracking underneath the angel's weight as she arrested her movement, but not shattering like the others. Sera couldn't afford to fly much farther, not right now.

After all, Sera wasn't about to let Ogre escape her range.

The wall of light shattered as the angel bounded back into combat once more, bouncing in an erractic pattern from panel to panel, aiming to confuse Ogre with every motion even as she sought to bring him down to her level. She simply wasn't going to let him have time to recover as she swept low, burning soles scrapping along the golden flames beneath the angel's wings.

Sera slid across the earth, going as low as last time she went high. Going low as she sought to bring him down to her level as her burning leg sought to meet his ankles with a bonebreaking crunch. "Burning Pickaxe."

But sending the angel flying back was all the time Ogre needed to readjust his body. The damaged muscle vanished as he returned to his previous state. Well with the addition to a terrible burn running down Ogre's body. Still, the smile on his face might've caused someone else to think that Sera's attack didn't do anything. Which would be wrong since Ogre felt his body scream in pain.

"I'm used to this..." Ogre said in an almost trancelike groan. "I love this this..." His body bulked up further as he contracted his muscles which activated more of the hardened tissue. "This...is nothing new." Veins bulged from beneath Ogre's skin while he seemingly grew in both size and definition.

**"58%"**

This was the highest Ogre had ever gone since developing this technique. Demanding himself to surpass the natural inhibitors stressed his body and caused a familiar wave to shoot throughout. At some point the feeling became indistinguishable between himself and Sera. He could feel it explode and tear throughout his body during the slightest twitch. But he loved this feeling. A sensation he experienced after every bench press, squat, deadlift and pullup. Each time he lifted a ship and pressed it over his head with one arm. It transformed into a signal of growth. That he'd come back better. Stronger. Able to protect more and thrive in hell itself.

"Your fire is nothing compared to the burn of growth!" Ogre roared. It's what becoming strong required. Facing challenges where one's body has to rise to the occasion. It started with iron. Then steel. Boats. Ships. Boulders. Mountains. Soon Ogre started fearing that he'd one day run out of options. But Sera unknowingly reassured Ogre that, as long as she breathed, there'd be someone filling the role.

Ogre brought his body into a slight turn as he slammed his front foot against Sera's kick. A shockwave erupting from the force of their strike. He followed with a downward haymaker at her shoulder. Pulling on his massive abdominals to enhance the power behind his the attack.

Sera barely had time to react as her opponent bulked up even further, the speed of his punch belying his increased size even as the angel was fully committed to her attack. Bereft of time to dodge by the sudden increase in speed, she instead focused on bulking up her defense instead.

Golden light flowed along her feathers, the downy wings wrapping themselves around the angel's form even as the golden light sought to reinforce them even as mote after mote of light was shattered in an attempt to blunt the hammerblow coming her way. But all she really could do was blunt it.

Fist met feather as the giant's fist impacted Sera's wing, Ogre's knuckles slamming into his opponent's side as he brought his might to bear. If not for the crackle of shattering rock and stone, the groan of pain might have been heard as the angel was slammed to earth, her forward momentum stopped by the spear of a rock solid punch embedding her deep into the ground.

The earth around the pair cracked, dead earth giving way to living flesh and feather. Rolling waves of broken stone telling the tale of the cratering impact.

By the time the stone settled, the angel laid ten feet down, a cocoon of snowy wings surrounding a still form after Ogre's punch had sent her down low into the earth.

But it was a form that wouldn't stay still for long.

A shining light rose for the crater as Sera's flames once again came back to life, bidden to burrow through the earth as the spiderweb of shadowy cracks became filled with golden light.

Where Ogre's fist had sent shockwaves billowing through the island, Sera's light saw the earth began to swell upwards as her golden flames and light pushed back against the rock, raising a mound of golden stone as she blew apart her faux grave.

Rock and stone flew in every direction as she ascended, carried along on snowy wings even as she tossed a giant bolder high into the sky.

Sera looked worse for the experience as she followed, flying up despite a third of her wings no longer sharing the same shape, the appendages broken blunting Ogre's fist.

But Sera didn't let her injuries slow her down, the angel flipping as her foot impacted the bolder easily ten times her size. Rings of gold flowed from the top of her boots as she pressed into the stone, the golden glow surrounding the stone growing brighter with each moment as she imparted far more force than her kick would suggest, creating a golden meteor of light and stone that aimed to smite Ogre in kind.

"Try this on for size!" Sera gritted through her teeth, her angelic appearance marred by an obvious streak of anger, "GOLDEN STRIKE!"

"Brilliant!" Ogre roared. He'd cover himself from the explosion of rock and stone which caused him to miss Sera's angelic rise. And when everything settled, well, he was facing a gigantic meteor covered in a heavenly radiance. But Ogre could only grin when faced against something normal people would run or cower.

*"There aren't many things bigger than me. Most people are broken by my weakest punches. But finally I can see if I'm strong enough to crush mountains"* Ogre thought to himself as he lowered his body slightly. The ground shattered beneath his feet when he leapt into the air. Ogre flew at the makeshift meteor while releasing a roar filled of enjoyment. His arm drew back before he twisted his body forward. This technique would carry far more power on the ground where the traction allowed him to generate more rotational force. But Ogre decided to supplement it with a mix of momentum and the insane power he carried in his body.

And the result was a punch that, when it connected, would shatter the rock into a shower of dust. Creating an explosion of pure force from within. Ogre's signature punch.

**Diplomacy!!!**

Ogre bit down. Since the fire expanded outward and started to spread across his arm.

"Persistent," Sera bit down on her lip in annoyance as Ogre smashed her meteor, "but foolish. You shouldn't have left the ground..."

"You really are a persistent one, aren't you. Constantly shouting out praise, even as you get burned over and over again," Sera said out loud, her gaze directed at the earth below. "If I didn't know better I'd assume you were mocking me. I don't mind the compliments, but if you really think I need to be praised, you're sorely mistaken. But that's neither here nor there, this waltz isn't over yet after all."

"So now, it's time to dance..." She sighed as her wings spread once more outwards. Golden light poured along her injured wings, straightening the damaged appendages as they were set back into a proper position. They'd hurt later, but now wasn't the time to care about that.

The angel soared into the sky further, rising high above the giant as her back was ringed by the sun. "You know, jumping was about the worst thing you could have done. Bravo for breaking my meteor, but pardon me for cutting this dance short, it's time to end this," She called out with a bit of a grin of her own as her feet impacted another panel of gold, leaving the angel pointed like a missle straight back towards the giant of a man.

Snow-white wings wrapped themselves around Sera, reinforcing her legs even as her golden flames billowed out from beneath her wings. A soft glow that grew ever brighter as more and more of her holy fire engulfed her legs until they were naught but two more suns swathing the pirate's feet. Two suns hidden in a star's glow.

"Golden Cannon..." Sera announced as she burst forward in a flash of light, gouts of flame shattering the panel behind her even as they added more and more speed to the golden burst of light racing toward the falling giant.

A line of light sliced past Ogre, impacting another panel as Sera once again began her chaotic dance. However this time she did it from far closer as her dance wove around the revolutionary twice her size.

Thread after thread of light flowed towards Ogre as golden panels shattered faster than the sound could reach the giant's ears. As Sera pounced from panel to panel on pillars of light, each shattering became faster and faster, each thread closer and closer together, each slicing kick sharper and sharper. Within moments countless threads were drawn around the giant as Sera's cage closed inwards, her dance of a thousand cuts aiming to bring down the giant in countless blows. If one big blow failed to fell this goliath, then she'd simply bleed him until he could stand no more.

"DANCING IRIS!"

She looked like a masterpiece crafted by the same artist who created the heavens. The unparalleled glow of the world's sun nearly blinded Ogre. Shining with such radiance it almost looked like it came from the enchanting silhouette hovering above Oge. He couldn't help but smile and chuckle at her remarks. Although she might've missed it from the intense barrage of attacks that followed.

There's a popular saying on Kamaekame. The salmon who jumps out the same river as his its ancestors will get caught by their father's killer. It seemed like nonsense to those who weren't privy to martial arts. But it possessed an extremely important lesson in regards to combat. And to a warrior like Ogre, his body evolved to take advantage of enemies who failed to understand it. Of course the sheer speed of Sera's movement made it more difficult to exploit it. But he noticed something from earlier.

Shattering glass behind him proceeded an attack from his front. Yet unlike before, these movements were so fast and swift they outpaced the crumbling light. Still, it possessed the same mechanics as her **Burning Labrys**. Which included the same fundamental weakness. Its insane intensity meant her strikes were linear. **Dancing Iris** might've been created to overcome this downfall by increasing its speed, but drawing a connection between the two wouldn't pose a challenge to an experienced fighter.

Although he couldn't shift into a counter position before Sera began her attack, Ogre started to guess the trajectory of her continued onslaught. So if he heard an eruption of glass behind him, then that meant she was about to attack from the front. To the left, she's now about to jump from his right. So on and so forth until he started to match her dance. Sera might notice, midway through her attack, a startling discovery.

Ogre's eyes met hers before each attack.

Unfortunately it was a futile pursuit to actively try to defend. And instead, Ogre tensed his muscles in an attempt to minimize the damage despite the burns starting to accumulate rather rapidly. But Ogre chose to enter a battle of attrition for a reason. Left. She's coming right. Right she's coming down. A pattern. He needed to time it so that his body would start shifting as her final kick came. His body suddenly pulled away using force generated from her kick and amplified by his massive muscles. He'd hoped to catch Sera's leg as it flowed by him. Which would lead to another revelation.

Sera wasn't the only person analyzing and learning from her opponent. He aimed to steal her momentum from her final strike and, using a bit of his strength, guide it downwards into a full slam back into the earth. One that incorporated twirling in order to steal away her gathered power and turn it against it.

"A dance ends when both partners are satisfied!" Ogre roared.

Sera had begun to realize that maybe she wasn't the one taking the fight seriously at around the seventh kick, as her opponent's reactions became sharper and more focused with each pass as he endeavored to keep up with her movements. She kept dancing, moving faster and faster with each and every step in her wild procession even as her opponent reacted faster still. And despite her best efforts, she couldn't up her own speed indefinitely, not without running into the limits of her wings.

She was internally debating breaking off her technqiue when his reactions finally caught up to her, the giant of a man finally managing to get the grip he had been so intently searching for this entire battle.

Sera had only moments to react as she felt the Giant's pull, Ogre swinging her back down to the dirt as he added his own immense strength to her momentum.

An alabaster hand flashed out, dragging itself through the golden fire and flames as the angle pulled from the hurricane of light and fire that had been surrounding the two, the arcing flames drawn into the angel's waiting maw even as she impacted the ground.

Earth and stone shattered as the holy flail struck the ground. Red and gold ushered from her lips a moment after the impact, the golden suns from her legs fading as her wings spread wide to lessen the impact. An almost fitting sillouhette remained as Sera groaned from the crater in the earth. Her body was bruised and battered, her broken wings and shaken bones sore. But even as her body took in this new damage one thing remained uncracked about the angel roiling in the dirt.

The fire in her eyes was far from out.

Fire poured from ashen lips as the angel said three simple words, each tinted with anger and pain, blood and fury. "Let go. Now."

The battlefield lay quiet for a instant as the angel raised her hands to the heavens. Her index and thumbs met as she framed the sight, the giant standing above her even as he tightened his grip ever further.

"Bright..." Sera said as fire poured further and further from her mouth, her wings igniting under the holy light as they were engulfed by the flames.

"CANNON!" She yelled as the flames changed from a squall to a hurricane, holy fire exploding from her form as she backed up her demand. A downpour of faith and fury aimed to burn away that which dared to harm its master, a cannon of golden light to scorch away the giant above and the sky beyond.

A furnace whose bright light threatened to incerate all before it.

"Sanrō..."

Ogre cocked back his free arm with a flirtatious grin. Whereas she controlled the air, Ogre finally had her in his realm. He dug his feet down and started to pull his obliques. Starting the twisting motion from the earth he rooted into. Generating an energy that circulated upwards like a whirlwind within his body. The chain ended in a devastating straight cross.

**BIG FUJIN: SHIROHEBI TAMA!**

Ogre roared. His body commanded the surrounding wind into a massive bullet more akin to a bomb. Exploding against the mystical blaze before melding into a seemingly never-ending column of fire that reached high above the clouds. He released the angel's leg of course, hoping to use the sudden blast of power and fire to send him backwards. Creating some much needed distance between the two warriors.

The silence that followed allowed Ogre to gauge the situation. This was possibly the most fun he'd had since crossing the Red Mountain's famous tunnel. But more importantly, his body ached and groaned. Burns. Deep cuts. Blood poured from various wounds. Anyone else would've probably died by now. However that burning sensation still burned as brightly as...well...as she did.

"I'm not...mocking you." Ogre finally said. "I rarely get to have this much fun. I'm a warrior at heart. The son of a warrior and child of a nation of martial artist. But I sail these seas as a uniter because power and strength could never do what comprehension and understanding can."

Ogre smiled. "I would never disrespect someone whose allowed me to push myself like this. You're an angel and I'm actually grateful." His voice was soft yet powerful. The same voice he used to speak to leaders, council and other countries. One capable of soothing nations wounded by greedy, self-serving rulers. Those privy to history could see that Ogre was indeed a conqueror.

The holy flamethrower had pushed the angel further into the earth, breaking new ground in the crater that she resided in. Burning wings impaled the edges, their strength pulling Sera to her feet as she lept backwards to create distance once more.

A deep sigh roiled flames across Sera's face, each breath spitting more of her holy fire forth. Where once had stood a refined knight, now stood a much more wild one. Gone was the straight blond hair, replaced by a scorching mane as her burning breath rolled through it. Wings of snow gave way to spans of flame. Her inner flame had now begun to express itself on the world around her.

Bright Furnace, also known as Sanrō, was a rather unique expansion devised by Sera to enhance her abilities beyond the limits her body imposed on her fruit. While she couldn't manifest further wings without strain, it didn't mean she couldn't enhance her own prowess in other ways. Instead of simply strengthening her body, Sanrō sidestepped the problem and allowed her to overcome the limitations of her flames.

Normally, to utilize her light and flames without them dissipating, Sera had to expend significant amounts of concentration, preventing her from utilizing her fruit on a larger scale. But by using her body and its natural resistance to her own powers to contain the fire, she could generate far greater amounts of fire without undue focus. Turning her body into a living furnace that belched nothing but righteous fire.

"Heh... maybe I misread you then..." Sera responded diplomatically, the tone of voice out of place with her newfound appearance, "But then again I assume you are still here for the fight at this point, so I won't disrespect you with another demand to retreat... Maybe there is an advantage to enjoying conflict, though it's not one I share."

She shrugged for a moment, content to continue speaking for the time being, "Though I have to admit that I'm surprised, with the number of times you've referred to me as an Angel, I'd have expected you to figure out who I am by now."

Ogre scratched his head. More confused about the last comment than by her new righteous appearance since he actually expected this from her. In fact it sorta made him want to keep fighting. He found himself forgetting just **why** he'd come here in the first place. From the destroyed shore to the surrounding debris. This felt more like the ultimate sparring match. One he'd been forbidden from having for far too long.

His body still bulged with veins. Each muscle sharp and cut as if made by the creator himself. He stood as the epitome of human physiology. Physically perfect in every way. One might think this scene was created from an artist of old. Man and that which man was modeled after.

"I'm sorry about that. I'm still learning about the New World myself, Angel." Ogre said. "But I do know that I want you to join me. Forget being a pirate...don't waste your talents and holiness on such a horrible life. Join me in creating something brilliant!" Ogre said vibrantly. His long red mane flowing behind him from the sheer force of Sera's massive power.

"And we can have more fights like this in the future!" Black liquid flowed throughout Ogre's arm. Slithering around like a snake which enveloped his two fist. He felt a grew power coming from the woman and was preparing his own defense. "Plus...I'd like you to meet my mother! Because we're going to get married one day!" He said with a joyous laughter.

Yes. He'd decided that would be the next step in their fate!

Sera almost smiled for a second, it had been a while since someone had tried to save her from the path she found herself on. It was kind of touching. However, she knew from the pit of her stomach just how necessary her resolve to tread this path was to her dream. A dream of a place where the shadows of the monsters at the top of the world couldn't reach. Being a rogue of the sea was the only path that had been left to her, ever since the false king's lies had struck down her lord. It wasn't a path she would willingly leave no matter how sweetly someone tried to offer her salvation.

She had her retort ready, an explanation that simple words were never going to be enough to dissuade her from her goals, her dreams. Though she respected him for trying.

Then Ogre's next statement completely shattered her line of thought.

Sera flinched back at the words coming out of the giant's mouth, her focus broken. That was the last thing she ever expected someone to say out of the blue, and confusion was written across her flabbergasted face as clear as day.

"... What in the feather are you going on about? Where did that come from?" she asked as her brain tried to piece together the last 30 seconds once again.

"My mother was never able to marry because she scared away all her suitors. But more importantly there wasn't anyone capable of capturing her heart." He smiled at the thought of watching countless men fall victim to her seemingly endless might. Even the other Legendary Warriors failed to properly court her. "And besides...you remind me so much of her, so it only makes sense that we're destined to be." Ogre announced while flexing his muscles.

"So let us solidify this proposal!"

"Solidify this proposal? I'm flattered... But who in the bloody feather even are you, let alone your mother?" Sera's eye twitched as she responded. Taking a deep sigh, she simply added, "Oh feather, I'm fighting an idiot."

Ogre was already dashing at Sera during her confusion. His massive body a bullet piercing through the wind at speeds which even the most veteran would have trouble following. He leaned into a deadly clothesline. Aiming to transfer the momentum of his sprint and the strength conjured from his massive trunk into a devastating blow. One that'd slay the mightiest beast in a single blow. Yet he knew better for Sera.

Sera raised her arms to block as Ogre moved. In her exasperation at the rev's actions there was little time to block, let alone dodge. So she had to make the best of what few moments she had to work with. That meant taking this blow head on.

An obsidian sheen spread across her suited arms, her own will rushing to reinforce the Angel's defense as she solidified her stance with every moment she had to spare.

The ground shattered beneath the angel's feet as the giant of a man's lariat slammed into her upraised arms with a resounding crack. Trenches streaked across the earth as Ogre was barely slowed by her block, let alone stopped. Sera dropped further and further into her stance in an effort to match the giant power to power, but between the ache in her arms from the force of the blow and the rapidly approaching lakebed behind her she had to make a decision.

"Not going to lie, you feather near got me there..." Sera grunted as the pain from the impact began to worsen as her guard was slowly being broken through. Her wings spread wide behind her, the burning appendages arcing around the angel as they silhoutted her sliding form. "So I got one word for you stranger," she continued as her wings began to glow ever brighter.

Sera leaned in slightly closer to Ogre as she uttered a single word with sincere finality, "Boom..." Then the world went gold.

The entire island shook at the detonation, the fires contained in her wings unleashing their fury upon the pair as a point blank firestorm shattered the lake shore. A miniature sun lit up the horizon, the blast easily visible from across the island. A bit of a implusive attack, Sera focused every ounce of power she could spare at Ogre in an attempt at least break the impact, even if it didn't put him down completely with one furious burst.

The minitature sun was beginning to fade as the angel shot out of the smoke and fire, her armored feet scraping on panels of gold as she sought to slow herself down, eventually coming to rest just before the new shoreline. While she seemed fine from the flames, the angel rapidly flexed and relaxed her forearm muscles, trying to loosen them up after the impact. "Feather... his armament's tougher than mine..." She grunted to herself, watching to see what had become of her opponent as the fire and smoke began to settle.

**AEGIS!**

Ogre brought his arms before him in a crossed guard. His limbs twisted and contorted as if millions of miniature snakes danced upon one another. And soon his arms ballooned and contorted into a fleshy, tumorous shield of hardened muscle clumped together. Changing his arm's shapes completely so that it resembled something akin to a wall. A powerful defensive technique which protected Ogre from the explosion's initial force. But unfortunately left him victim to the intense pain that accompanied the sudden explosion. Ogre bit down until things died down. His flesh regenerating as he replaced damaged muscle tissue as quick as she incinerated it.

From within the smoke he noticed a flower near his foot completely unburned despite loose flames passing over it. Almost dancing upon its petals like morning dew. It caught his attention while he fought off the blast's intensity. "Fuck!" He groaned. Reverting his arms back to their normal form when her miniature sun finally died. Albeit with burned and scarred tissue. It looked like he took a stroll through hell itself as opposed to a fun sparring session.

Yet his attention remained on the flower...that is until he remembered what he was doing. He bent down and jumped forward. His massive leg's propelling Ogre like a missile through the smoke at Sera. His body twisted so to aim a dangerous left hook which he fed with momentum. So much that his body slightly turned away from his target.

**Blackened: Yamata no Orochi!**

Sera frowned as Ogre emerged from the sun at full speed, not even slowed down by the hefty injuries he had sustained from her flames. But that didn't matter, she had to put him down no matter what. The angel bent her knees as she stretched out her left leg, watching the smoke swirling around the mountain of a missile aimed straight at her.

Golden flames roiled down her outstretched leg, igniting her heel as the pirate began to twist, burning foot arcing towards the air on a jet of burning light. Like before, an obsidian sheen covered her teal boots, the burning meteor of a kick impacting on the outside of Ogre's arm with a hefty crack as Sera shifted the blow to the side.

Continuing with her momentum, Sera twisted further and further as she rotated outside of the Giant's arc. Her other heel ignited to add even more power, her other leg swinging all the way around to follow her first with a roundhouse kick directly to Ogre's jaw.

There was a giant crack alright. His arm shattered by the goddess's unholy might. Ogre wanted to bite down in pain but he couldn't for she had kicked her way right into where he wanted her. He bent his head in order to avoid the oncoming kick to his jaw. But swiftly brought it back to position while turning around. It was then that his swinging body which moved away from her exposed his true plan. From his mouth shot a giant meaty tentacle covered in black.

The tongue is nothing more than a complex matrix of muscle separated into eight sections. A powerful appendage often believed to be one of both humans and animals strongest tools. And with Ogre's power, he was able to completely manipulate its length, size, and strength. Even spawn additional tongues for assistance. It became a weapon he could use against an armada. He wrapped it around her leg as he started spinning away. The blackened rope growing large enough to allow some distance before suddenly tightening. His twisting body and the momentum from their rapid descent added onto his monstrous muscles.

Ogre yanked his body. Aiming to pull Sera high into the air before slamming her back down into the earth. He would then follow by swinging her up and down once more.

Surprise after suprise after surprise. Just when Sera thought she had begun to figure out the limits of what Ogre could do, he'd come up with some new random plan that caught her completely off guard. Whether it be his initial trap, the proposal out of nowhere, or now his frankly disgusting technique of throwing the angel around like a rag doll, he kept surprising. And frankly Sera hoped he was beginning to run out of them.

Sera curled up an instant before she hit the ground, her wings wrapping her form in burning light as the shock roiled through her body. She tensed, ready to burst free and strike back, though the opportunity wouldn't come as Ogre pulled once more, arcing the angel through the air to slam down again with a painful crunch.

*Feather, this isn't good...* Sera groaned to herself as her train of thought was broken once more by the impact. She attempted to call her flames forth to cushion the blow, but by the time they responded her concentration was broken once more by the earthshattering impact. Again and again, she attempted to call forth her power to her defence, and each time it was just a little to late as Ogre relentlessing threw her to ground again and again.

*I have to break out, I can't take much more of this..* She grunted internally at the seventh slam, each one reverberating through her body as lines of pain shot through her wings and back. But repeatedly cracking the planet was not something that helped with the concentration required to call her fire to her aid.

Around the fifteenth slam she came up with a plan, one idea to attempt to break out of this bone-shaking situation.

At the height of the next throw, the angel's wings flew open once more as she brought her plan to fruition, the drag of the burning feathers slowing her down ever-so-slightly.

Sera's fist glowed with her darkened will as she threw it out, an instant before she pulled her arm inwards to slam into her own gut with all her might. Grim scenarios required grim plans.

Sanro was a technique initiated by swallowing her own flames and letting them flow throughout her body to use a natural container. But that also meant it did have one crippling weakness. One that Sera was more than willing to take advantage of in this situation. A gut full of fire was pretty easy to throw up.

Sera's fist impacted hard as she wretched, the fire from her body being purged by the impact coming up in one massive burst. All the flames that she had stored so far would be released at once, expelled from the angel's body by the strike.

Expelled from her mouth directly on top of the giant below.

The world turned gold once more as the drop of flame roiling from Sera's mouth expanded into a hurricane, the pillar of gold stretching hundreds of feet into the air as she sought to burn away this giant in her attempt to get away from his grip in one massive explosion.

And for a split second, Ogre was without a tongue. He stood on the ground and held his mouth shut as he avoided the approaching fiery blast. He focused on regrowing his appendage...albeit back to its normal size. "That was a great response!" He roared while looking up at the angel.

"But...I'd be lying if I said I can keep fighting at this level." He grumbled. One thing about his Accession technique is that it allows him to draw out the latent power of his muscular system. To regulate just his maximum output for a variety of reasons. One being to ensure he is being logical in his stamina usage. However, there's a reason nature made it impossible for even the most veteran of warriors to operate at high capacity.

Every movement. Each twitch. Even the slightest pull, he could feel his body tingle as if lightning struck between his nerves. Living creatures are nothing more than a bunch of electric bolts piloting meat. And although he can create as much muscle or morph his musculature as much as he desired, it was all connected to his central nervous system in the end. And overloading it meant utter fatigue.

The first time Ogre drew out 100% of his maximum power, It felt like a massive blast as his strength, speed, and overall physical capabilities received a spontaneous explosion in power. Yet his body quickly fatigued and he needed weeks to fully recover. Its why Ogre made sure to focus on regulation. However this fight drew out his love for battle. Anything less than 100% would be an insult to a warrior like Sera.

Ogre took a stance and breathed. *"I'd access my 100% state if this was just a battle between the two of us. But my men might need me if this doesn't finish you off"* He thought to himself. *"Although now might be the perfect chance to try this out."*

**"Partial 100% - Prometheus!"**

He pulled his arm back in a flex as to prepare for a punch. His muscles bulging as giant veins started to crawl beneath his skin. It became obvious just how strong this behemoth of a human really was as his musculature sharpened. Muscles quivering and shaking atop one another. He felt lightning strike beneath his skin but bit down in perseverance. His muscles vibrated. Shivering at such a frequency the entirety of his arm starting to burn, engulfing it in a giant flame.

"Come on Angel, let's see whose fire burns HOTTER!"

"You haven't noticed yet, have you Giant?" Came the angel's harsh reply.

Sera's feet impacted the earth hard, the angel's sore body crouching to absorb the impact of touching the earth once more. Sera was beat up, that much was certain, heavy breathing, a bruised body, and dishleveled appearance belying the calm demeanor she still tried to project. Her arms ached and her stomach roiled as she collected herself. Sera might have landed far more blows onto the giant than vice-versa, but she was nowhere near foolish enough to assume she had landed much more than superficial injuries. Each one of Ogre's blows had been bone-shaking, and while few had connected, each had done far more.

The angel's obsidian fist lay clenched, a large portion of the pirate's concentration focused on one spot as she willed the golden flames around her to not fade. Now that she had disengaged Sanro, it required far more effort to keep the ocean of fire burning. Her wing;s light was fading, and her burning mane had fallen still. But she still had need for a bit more fire.

*Keep Burning, just for a little bit longer...* Sera willed, the fires that burned across the dead earth of this corpse of an island slowly drawing themselves back towards her.

"My flames aren't hot," She continued, motes of light coalescing around her fist as she pulled it back. "They're barely even warm. After all, my fire doesn't burn, it purifies. A burning light that erases all of those that would dare invade MY home." She gritted, a burning light encasing her darkened arm. "Now you have my respect, so as I said before I won't insult you with another chance to leave," Sera added, the inferno flowing from her arm as a small ocean of flame coalesced around her burning fist, "But one way or another, this ends now!"

Always the one to charge in, trails of flame traced the path of the angel as she shifted forward, each molten step burning itself into the ground beneath her feet as she brought the full power of her body to bare. There was no build up, no slow increase in speed as she brought up her momentum. Sera wasn't going to give Ogre any more chances to come up with new tricks, no more chances to dig deeper into his well of strength. No more tricks, no more plans, no more dances. All she sought to do here was to put the giant down once and for all.

The sound of light shattering echoed across the valley their dance had made as the angel became a blur, a blur that came in low before leaping up with a burning star at its back.

Sera pulled her fist back, focusing all of her fire and anger into the dark star that marked her fist, a dark star propelled by a jet of gold.

"HEAVENFALL HAMMER!"

Ogre's lower body was still operating at 58% efficiency, which was a helluva amount of power considering the massive branches he called legs. He needed to keep the rest of his body regulated in order to sustain his Partial State. For even the slightest twist of his arm took an extreme toll on his stamina. He felt his Central Nervous System violently spark as he clenched his fingers into a tight fist. His arm burning from the resulting flames emanating from the sheer heat produced by his muscle's activation. Ogre's leap rivaled Sera's flight. A dash so powerful it created a massive cloud of smoke in his wake.

His gigantic fist flew towards Sera's shooting star. Their gaze met for a brief second followed by an exploding force rapidly approaching their center. A brief moment. Ogre's face filled with glee. His eyes perhaps the happiest they'd ever been in decades.

"Jenny. Ovis! Stop them!" A voice roared from a distance.

## Meanwhile...

"Seems like they're getting serious." Ghoul said, looking into the direction of their beach. The Army of Sparta's soldiers docked their ship near the other side of its center. An followed after Ghoul. He pushed his glasses back and sighed. "We need to see what's going on with this island."

"Shouldn't we help master Ogre?" One of the soldiers asked.

"We'll probably get in his way. Hopefully he's grabbing everyone's attention." They made their way around. Each with their senses ready.

Farther away from the sea and the beach had been the Dead Forest, wherein the base Sera once resided in was. However, the building was not empty one bit, in a room to the side of Sera's office, one with a massive glass window and a dark curtain, were two other members of the Feather Pirates.

Rather, more than mere two other members, they were among their most important: the Helmsman of the crew, Aries Ovis, worth 226,000,000, and the First Mate and Historian, Brisei Augus, valued 239,000,000. A pair of noises filled their room... snoring.

With how hidden the area was, few sun rays illuminated the village at all, but with the curtain, it was completely dark. Very much suited for the two pirates sleeping, even during the day.

Though, only Ovis was visible at all in the dim darkness, however it was that he slept and whatever it was he slept on.

Still, this lasted no longer, for the curtains moved inwards, revealing their true shape, wings. Augus served as the curtains whilst hanging from the top side of the window area, gripping it with his claws.

"UAAAAAH," Augus stretched his arms, having been in his Hybrid Form of Human and Flying Fox, he blinked repeatedly. While he usually slept with his wings folded, he wished to give a better room for Ovis himself to sleep. "My... aaaaah," God, so much yawning, "...bat sense... is tingling... Ovis-kun..."

Ovis woke up slowly, wiping his eyes. "Ugh..." He complained a little, before standing up. He wasn't the perkiest of the bunch. However, he was fairly infamous in Paradise and among other Rookie pirates as the **"Black Sheep"** for his ships consistently crashing onto unexpected islands because he, and his crew, fall off to sleep while manning their ship.

In fact, it was because of this sleepiness that the Feather Pirates landed on this island in the first place.

"Should we go...then?" Ovis asked.

"Not... even a question... UAAAH," More than Augus' mouth widened with another yawn, his wings spread open, he hunched forward and lazily slid the glass off to the side of the window. Enough area for Ovis to stand upon, "We... getting them from above, Ovis-kun!"

As Augus and Ovis flew above the badlands that had surrounded their small base, Ovis could narrowly tell that tracks were forming. They were moving quite quickly, so it meant that there was at least another group besides the one that their Captain was fighting against.

"Hmmm...I think...they're close..."

Augus hummed in response to Ovis, managing through the loud sound of the wind. At least something to keep him awake. "That's right!" This Haki ability that they discovered into the New World surely was something else, it seemed to greatly complement his echolocation ability. It was not like in Paradise, Augus, Ovis, their captain, they had all discovered new things. Even if they wanted to sleep still. "I will approach them, be ready, Ovis-kun!"

"Mista Ghoul!" A woman's voice called from within the ranking. A tan skinned beauty with gold hair to compliment. She was dressed in a somewhat revealing black dress that blessed her figure. "Someone's coming!"

"I know....Waitaminute.." Ghoul turned around. "Jenny?! What the fuck are you doing here, I told you to remain back on the ship! Who's protecting it?"

"Yeah...about that," Jenny said while hugging her staff tightly. "I only take my orders from master. Annnnnd I kinda got bored. And I felt master fighting all the way from here. And I got worried for you two. But don't worry, I left Robi in charge of the ship."

"My god its like having two master's here." Ghoul grumbled. "Fine. There's two people coming...Your presence might be needed. Men stand behind us." He ordered. Jenny and Ghoul stood side by side facing the direction of their oncoming visitors. In the distance, a tornado of fire illuminated the bright sky.

"Sounds like someone's having fun!" Jenny teased.

"Keep your guard, Jenny. We don't know who made this island home."

"Um...that's us." A somewhat timid Ovis walked up. Not timid in the sense of afraid, but timid as in literally having a soft voice because he was half-asleep. Although he was part of a pirate crew, he barely had the aura of a Pirate. But Ovis stood against Ghoul and Jenny fearlessly, as his comrade came up behind him.

"Is your boss fighting our..." Ovis yawned, "Captain?" Ovis wiped his eyes. "It's getting...kind of annoying..." He slurred briefly. "We didn't even mean to get here..."

Their men quickly drew their swords. Holding shields high just in case they were surrounded. Jenny, who towered over everyone before her, kept her attention on the rear pirate with Ghoul watching the vanguard. "Yes that is. You can end the fighting by telling your captain to stand down. If you truly arrived here by accident, I'm sure my master will let you all depart peacefully."

"Let... we depart?!" Augus questioned while tilting his head, wings flapping so much that the wind hissed away, all directions around him. First these people woke them up, now they demanded some kind of... simply handing the island away? "No, you tell your Captain!" He pointed at them, still trying to keep Ovis steady on his back side.

"Captain Sera has HELPED this island as soon as we found it-" Memories of the three Feather Pirates crashing into August went by, Augus shook his head, "-She is the one being disturbed!"

"Helped it?! How can a pirate help an island!?" Jenny screamed. "It's not exactly in the pirate guidebook to be helpful ya know?" But Ghoul was a bit more calm. His eyes watching Augus to ensure he didn't reveal anything with some sort of unconscious tell.

"Jenny." Ghoul said calmly. "I'm sorry. You said she's helped this island? How so?"

"We don't know who did it..." Ovis commented, droning slightly. "But the person who was here before...completely ruined the place..." Ovis mentioned. "Our Captain..." Ovis yawned, "She's been cleaning it with us...but it's tiring work..."

Ovis looked at the battlefield. "She's so tired...and you're fighting her..." Ovis looked at Ghoul, "That's...not fair...is it?"

"WELL HOW THE HELL ARE WE SUPPOSED TO KNOW. Y'ALL THREATENED US!!" Jenny screamed.

Ghoul sighed while rubbing his forehead. "I'm sorry this must be a misunderstanding. We're the Army of Sparta. Protectors of the Delian Alliance. We just thought this island was abandoned and wanted to use it as a base for some of our more....important members. What are your plans for when this island is finished? I'm sure Master wouldn't mind even helping you guys out."

"Psh...we're supposed to be revolutionaries not a damn cleaning crew." Jenny grumbled.

Dust flew from the beat of wings, which swiftly weakened. "R-Revolutionaries?" Augus quivered, momentarily kept from his attention on the Captain's situation, he narrowed his eyes upon remembering some of the books he had back home. "I see..." To think those that opposed the so called gods still existed, led by this leader that fought Captain Sera.

"I heard that Revos do not really sit well with... pirates." Augus noted, hovering lower to the ground, yet with his eyes dead set on the Revolutionaries before him and Ovis, the latter of whom he made sure to guard.

"Well....we aren't the normal kind of revolutionaries." Ghoul groaned while sideeying Jenny. The revolutionaries were a myth. Destroyed during the horrific Sparna Incident. So going around claiming they were revs...well thats asking for trouble. Especially considering how close they worked with the fledgling alliance.

"Anyway if you're here to clean the island then we have no problem leaving you to it. Pirates. Marines. We don't care about titles. Just intention." Ghoul rubbed his chin. Ignoring the massive explosions booming from the beach.

"What're your intentions with this island afterwards?"

Blinks. "...So you do admit that's the normal for Revos," Augus felt a sweat drop go down the back of his head. He shook it and looked on with half-lidded eyes, then, gave a look around himself, rather, at the island, "After cleaning it, Captain will make sure it stays like this and prospers on."

"Captain will make sure it stays like this?" Wicked Jenny repeated almost mockingly. "As if a pirate would care about the wellbeing of an island. Ghoul! You know thats pirate talk for claiming this territory right?"

"I'm aware, Jenny." Ghoul responded. "You know this island is within confines of the growing Delian Alliance. Are you aware that this might lead to further battle? Though I don't feel anything beyond tiredness from you...Are you guys even pirates?" Ghoul asked with inquisitive eyes.

Even more blinks, though slower. "This- This is us as we are, just-" Augus shook his head several times, gaze nowhere, he slapped his eyes, also stopping his head. If he looked sleepy, then if Ovis took over the conversation... "-Look we don't need you to believe us right now." Augus pushed his large palms in their direction lightly, "Stick around to fight us later if you reaaaaaaa-" Yawn, "-lly want to."

A gigantic explosion filled the sky with a light just as brilliant as the sun.

"Ugh. That idiot's having too much fun." Jenny growled.

"We don't want to fight....any more than my Master is fighting." Ghoul groaned. "Listen, why do you care about this island being peaceful?"

Such words seemed like an invisible slap on Augus' face, eyes bloating off his skull as he spoke, "...We need a reason?" He scratched the side of his shoulder. "These people have been barely living. It does aid us with our connections too..."

Ghoul took a second and smiled. "As long as you're doing this for others then...You're fine by us."

Another island shaking rumble. "But it won't matter if we don't stop them. They'll destroy the island at this rate. Come on!" Ghoul said as he, Jenny and his men started towards the source of the thunder.

## A Warm Flame

**Cursed Mirror - Blast!**

A giant panel of pink light emerged between Sera and Ogre's approaching fist. "W-what?!" All he could utter as a blast of light overwhelmed the two of them. Suddenly Ogre found himself in a familiar state. They still approached each other. Although it would feel as if something heavier than the universe itself pulled at their bodies.

The sudden explosion of pink calmed the earth shattering rumbling beneath and between the two of them as their immense power slowed as well. What would've resulted in a massive explosion was now a tranquil freeze frame.

"Are you two done...?" Ovis asked, preparing an orb of wool in his hand in case the battle attempted to continue. "If you aren't...I'll make both of you sleep." He paused before yawning. He really was bad at this whole scare tactic thing. "We're all...tired..."

"Tiiiiiiiired!" Augus yelled along, his wings flapping slowly as he approached the area behind Ovis. "Why don't we all just have a sleep-over..."

Ovis sighed. The two didn't stop, as expected. Augus did give him a good idea. A sleep over would definitely calm the nerves.

"Mofu Mofu Sleep Over Bomb..." Ovis tiredly said, as he pushed his arms softly outwards. The sphere of wool in his hands was also pushed out, reaching the center of Sera and Ogre.

It exploded, releasing enough wool to blanket both of them and wrap them completely. Ovis stayed back and yawned, hoping that they'd fall asleep from the effects of his powers.

Sera was actively confused as she was slowed down, the voice creating the pink being lost as she focused on maintaining the flaming fist to her right and the giant of a man whose fist was slowly approaching her. This wasn't something he should be able to do. His power was muscle manipulation, not beam generation...

Sera's mind was working overtime as she shifted to the side, her punch reaching out ever so slowly towards her opponent who seemed to be moving slowly as well. That's when she noticed the ball of wool. Her eyes widened in shock and surprise as she rotated further to see three figures standing off to the side, even as the wool began to envelop her. All she had time for was a single word before the oblivion of sleep overtook her, the Mofu Mofu no Mi showing once again just how potent it was at subduing the Angel.

"Ovis?!..."

Sera bolted awake in her bed, the captain having been carried there since the end of her confrontation with the giant. Looking around, she noted she had been returned to her room. Her injuries bandaged, Sera rubbed her forearms as she sat up.

"Ovis... Augus... what the feather is going on?" She swore to herself as she patted down her jacket, eventually pulling out a small box. Pulling another cigarette out, she put the box back in her pocket before giving the loose stick a light. "Oh... you two are in trouble now," She grumbled before standing up, a stream of smoke following her path.

"It's time for a wake-up call..." She said as she walked out of her room and into the hall, passing by several doors to find herself standing in a small clearing. Feather Village as the crew called it was the settlement that Sera and her compatriots had established on Sad August. While nothing approaching a city, the small village had been built up from some lumber they had brought with them and that which could be harvested from the surrounding area without giving away their position. About forty buildings strong, it could house the entirety of the crew, and even manage their two subordinate crews, albeit it was a bit cramped when the entirety of the organization was here. A dozen bunkhouses surrounded the main building, with numerous other structures stretching their way towards the shore. Rounded out with a few small logging camps and the dock on the lake, complete with the Feather's main ship, the Santa De laCruz, Feather Village was all in all a rather comfortable place for the somewhat seasoned crew.

Seeing one of her crew members walking back from the well with a bucket, Sera calmly walked over and relieved the pirate of it. "Sorry, I need to go talk to Ovis about something," She said sweetly, albeit the annoyance was clear in her voice. The man just nodded slowly and swiftly retreated to fetch another bucket as the angel turned towards the main street of the village, whistling slowly as armored steps swiftly picked their way down the street.

The various crew members cleared the street with haste as the Angel walked down the road, the pirates quickly reading the room as they realized their captain was mad, fuming even. And none of them wanted to be around when she found the object of their ire.

Sera paused for a second at the front of the village tavern, a large board covered in paper catching her eye for a second as she stopped.

Numerous requests, trades, and notes were strewn on the board as people left notes for the things they wanted or needed, at least the stuff that wasn't handled directly by the quartermaster. But at the top, several papers stood alone, underneath the small roof that protected the board beneath.

Ten posters in total, the visages of the crew's most notorious members stood out. Three belongs to the crews that the Feathers had brought to their side during their adventures in paradise, her Aunt Beata Maria at 118,000,000 and Jean Van Jean at 101,000,000 among them. Sitting next to those two sat Andre and Winston, her ever loyal knights. Their calm demeanors belied their achievements, the two spouting prices of 71,000,000 and 70,000,000 respectively. Going down the list, next came Nathaniel and Quinn, her musician and quartermaster. Two eccentric individuals, but they fit in well with the band she had assembled over the years with their bounties of 200,000,000 and 97,000,000.

Sera's eyes tightened a bit as she remembered her annoyance as her eyes drifted across the next pair. Augus and Ovis, her right and left hands. The sleepy idiots who had decided to interrupt her fight right as she was about to put that giant down. She trusted her crew with her life, but even those two would need a reason to get out of this one unscathed. Their exhausted eyes were apparent even in these posters, staring out over their bounties of 226,000,000 and 262,000,000.

Then last she looked at her own. A pirate captain who had sailed all the way from the depths of North Blue, defeated the marines guarding Reverse Mountain, helped a country get out from the under the thumb of a corrupt king, raided the spoils of those that would called themselves Gods, broke the back of the strongest crew in paradise with less than two dozen people, brought the Pack Pirates to heel, and even survived drawing the ire of one of the monsters of the New World. She had a price on her head of 417,000,000 if she was brought back alive, her powers to purify the poisoned and diseased parts of the world having drawn enough interest among those at the top of the food chain to the point where they decided she was of no use to them dead.

The angel moved on, walking past the tavern as she reached one of the buildings with heavy cloth covering all of its windows. Known among the crew as the Sleeping Hut, it was a favorite haunt of just who she wanted to see.

Adamantine heel met wood as she burst the door open with a heavy kick, the bucket's worth of water following through the open portal as the angel growled, "Oh Ovis!, You've got some explaining to do..."

"Hey, hey..." Ovis began to try and calm Sera down, motioning with his palms as he did so. "The whole thing was a big mistake..." Ovis tried to explain. "That big guy attacked..." Ovis yawned, "Because he thought *we* caused the island to go all funky..."

Ovis yawned again. Explaining this much exhausted him. "We met...his crew...and sorted some stuff out. That's why we stopped you..."

Ovis then bowed regardless. "But...sorry."

Sera sighed heavily as she scratched her head, flicking the cigarette behind her as it burned up in golden flame before looking at the rest of the people in the room. "Anyone else got anything they want to add?"

Ogre held his arm up in the room's flickering candlelight. It felt...different. Not like sore or overly exhausted but instead like could catch a lightning bolt on a clear sunny day. This wasn't the first time that this happened. One might say Ogre was simply testing out his technique for reassurance. When he fought the Monk's knight and first pushed his body to its utmost limitations, Ogre was nearly bedridden for weeks. And his body felt like hell to move around afterwards. But after proper rest and nutrition, he soon realized that his body had grown stronger. That the previous limitations his body had had now moved forward.

*"So this happens even if I use Partial Activation."* Ogre thought to himself.

"You're up." Ghoul's familiar voice interrupted Ogre's train of thought. The massive warrior turned and smiled as he laid on what he'd easily call the most comfortable bed in all Grand Line. Ogre turned his head as the glasses wearing man entered his dimly lit room. "You know we came here for a mission. So how exactly did we end up in this mess?"

"Yeah. But they're not bad people." Ogre answered with a slight smile.

"I know that. Well...we know that now. But for you to make that kinda call during a battle?"

"At first it was a battle...But then it started to feel familiar." Ogre sat up. "We didn't talk...Well not like how one would an enemy you're trying to beat. We didn't discuss this island or our business here. We just fought. And more importantly, she made sure to keep me from advancing forward."

"That's what people do when they want to protect their islands." Ghoul said with a cocked head. "Still don't see-"

"She wanted to protect the people on it." Ogre responded gleefully. "She fought to defend not to win. She really only started getting serious when I pushed her to that point and even then the amount of control she kept far surpassed what I'd initially thought. But at no point did I ever feel incredibly overwhelmed...even though I'm sure she had a lot more in the tank."

"Well...while your Kenbunshoku sucks...You're not entirely wrong." Ghoul admitted. "These people are pirates. But they're here to fix the damage caused by other pirate crews. They heard what the Hunting Pirates did to this island and came to heal it."

"Doesn't sound very piratey to me." Ogre rubbed his chin.

"Master Ogre-"

"Do you think?"

"I doubt it...But it wouldn't hurt to ask. I've received word that their captain has awoken. They sent someone to take you to her. I'll go and make sure everyone is okay while we await further orders."

"Thank you, Ghoul. And tell Jenny I said good job. She's gotten much better with her power since Chinmon Kingdom." Ogre got up and followed Ghoul out. He clenched his fist slightly before closing the door behind.

Outside the door another feather waited, a piece of straw dangling from his mouth. "You must be the giant I've heard so much about," Andre said cooly. "I'm Andre, the Sleepy Duo asked me to take you to the Captain once you woke up."

"S-sleepy duo?" Ogre asked. Each step ached. Like his muscles were begging him to just lie down and rest. He recognized this feeling. The sensation of an amazing workout!

"Sure! I have to thank your captain for such an amazing battle after all." He said. "And I want to ask her something."

"Augus and Ovis, the two who helped your crew members break up the fight between you and and the Captain." Andre sighed, "More or less the numbers two and three in our little outfit. Luckily it was those two who pulled off that stunt, otherwise we'd probably be in the blast radius of the reaming anyone else would get even here in one of the outbuildings." He added as he motioned towards the hut's position at the edge of the little village the Feathers had set up on the island.

Motioning for Ogre to follow him, Andre began walking towards the center of town. "Sera should be able to answer any questions you have, so I'll leave that to her discretion." He added before pausing a moment, "And we would normally do a meeting like this in the meeting hall, but I'm going to be honest, the town wasn't designed with people as tall as you in mind. Hope you don't mind taverns." He finished before moving on, motioning Ogre to enter the building.

Sera sighed for a moment as the door opened, sitting at the end of the largest table in the Feather's tavern, a wooden affair known affectionately by the crew as The Roost. She had already cleared out any potential eavesdroppers, so the two should be able to talk in peace.

Pouring a couple of fingers of an amber liquid into a pair of glasses, she simply asked her erstwhile guest, "Fancy a drink?"

Ogre had encountered that conundrum countless times in his life. All he could do was smile. The miniature giant followed his guide to the room. Where Sera sat at the longest table. But unfortunately the chairs were too small so he moved it to the side and sat on the floor in a more comfortable position. "Yes please!" He answered.

"And I wanna thank you for an amazing sparring session."

Sera filled up the second glass nearly to the brim in an attempt to make the shot more suitable for her double-sized guest. Sliding it over towards Ogre, she took a sip before commenting dryly, "Yeah, don't worry about it. I figured pretty early on that you were one of the ones who enjoys fighting. Feather knows I've run into more than a few of those. So you're welcome I guess."

"Ovis explained out mutual... misunderstanding, so I won't hold the fight against you. Though I suppose I should get this out of the way, what brings you guys out here to the feather's end of nowhere?"

"Well..." Ogre started. "We are the Army of Sparta. A group of warriors meant to unify countries by introducing them to the [{Delian Alliance]]." He took a sip from his drink.

"We have a few kingdoms who joined the cause. Majiatsuka, Prodence, the Ryugu Palace. But I figured it'd be a good idea to install some bases on smaller islands like Mystoria and Risky Red. This island's location would give us some good insight of movement deeper into the New World."

He smiled. "How about you? I've never heard about pirates who clean up other messes."

"To be fair, we're not exactly doing this out of the goodness of our hearts. Though I'd be lying if I said it didn't bother me with just how many islands we've come across that were feathered up in some manner or another. You'd think that they were an unlimited resource at the rate they seem to get destroyed. But I digress." Sera responded politely, "When we got here this entire island was a toxic wastedump, I doubt anyone who wasn't immune to poison in some manner would last for more than five minutes. Luckily, I am. " She paused a second before continuing, "So I spent 3 weeks burning away enough of the poison we could start building here, and well here we are now. A nice safe base on an island that no one in their right mind would come near, let alone land on. A perfect place to lay low until we're ready to make our move."

"Probably should introduce myself though, Sera Phim of the Feathers. You may have heard of me from the Manly Incident, though it was a few years ago at this point so I'd understand if you don't recall, " The pirate added as she outstretched her hand to shake the giants'.

"The what?" Ogre asked. Although it wasn't that it wasn't a major incident. More so, Ogre didn't keep track of pirates unless they were directly bothering people who needed to be saved. "Sorry. Well, It's definitely a pleasure. My name's Ogre. I'm the founder of the Delian Alliance and leader of the Army of Sparta."

He took a deep breath. "And...well..I think I' was supposed to find you. I mean I don't think you're just turning this island into a base for your crew...You aren't very piraty to begin with."

"To be fair," Sera replied with a drawn out sigh, not being surprised that Ogre was aware of her most infamous achievement, "If you had told me ten years ago that I would be leading a crew of ill-repute on a destroyed island poisoned by a monster while the World Government has a bounty on my head to the tune of over four hundred million, I'd assume you were too far into the tankard."

Taking a long pull of her drink, she continued, "Well Ogre, you'd probably be pretty right that we don't seem that much like pirates. Least not the ones you'd normally deal with." She paused for a second as bitterness seeped into her voice, "but unfortunately the World Government considers us to be Pirates, so Pirates we are."

"And let's leave fate out of things, if it's been guiding my path so far, I have some very angry words for the feather."

"I've heard those words countless time before. People spurned by destiny. Forgotten by history and afraid of their future. But as Thomas writes in the Rights of Man," Ogre closed his eyes in deep thoughts. Almost trancelike as the words left his lips in a poetic song.

*"The monks of Wano once believed that to live is to suffer. For it is in the fire where the impurities of iron are revealed and destroyed."*

"I know...It sucks. Why would fate or the universe create a world where you need pain to grow? Why not just let us grow? Hell our bodies, as above so below, mimic this rule. We only grow strong when faced against a stress we must overcome." Ogre's eyes opened. He met Sera's gaze with a passionate glare. "It doesn't matter what the World Government sees you as. What do *you* see yourself as? What looks back at you every time you look into the mirror?"

And so the actual battle began.

## Will of the Words

"Now isn't that a prying question," Sera sigh quickly turned into a bitter laugh, leaning back into her seat to look up at the ceiling, "Fate has nothing to do with the world. If there was any natural sense of justice and balance out there, you think that it would stand for the state of things?" She paused for a moment for a second, "The things that people have been allowed to do, the monsters who prey on others only for their own greed. If fate exists, it should be ashamed of itself for letting things get to this state. There is no fate, no god. Only people. And you can trust me on that one, I get a new church claiming that I am blessed and should lead their people to salvation every other month. All fake."

"I have watched too much be sacrified on the altar of a man's ambition to believe in anything else."

"**Niiiiikukukukukukuku**!" Ogre laughed. "Ambition is the fire which can consume the forest or provide warmth and nourishment to his loved ones. Rights of Man, Book 3 chapter 4."

"You claim there is no fate. No God. Belittle the people building churches in your name to worship you. And yet you spend your free time going from island to island. Purifying lands you don't need." Ogre leaned back. Exposing his massive frame including the deeply defined muscles etched into his body. "People don't just worship others without reason. You bring them something special. Something only *you* can conjure forth. out of 20 million islands you happened to eat the one fruit that could burn toxins from an island."

"If I hadn't eaten it, someone else would have." Sera replied dryly. "That fruit had been hanging from the tallest tree in my family's orchard for as long as anyone could remember. By my reckoning it had been there for at least seventy years. Always such an oddity that no one thought to pick it," She smiled briefly as she added, "A good luck charm, as my father would have said."

"And when my time comes, whether it be by gun, by sword, or by the passage of time, someone else will come into possession of it." She took a philosophical tone before adding back, "If there is one indisputable truth in this world, it is that all things will eventually pass."

"That being said, you mistake my actions for purpose," Sera gave a grimace before downing the rest of her drink, "I just thought it was a shame that flowers would never bloom here again."

"In one sentence you speak of how all things pass and then immediately hide your intentions behind the thought of flowers never blooming here." Ogre smiled. "If you really believed your words you would've known that the poison, too, would've passed. Allowing flowers to bloom once more...Even *without* your intervention."

"Time always passes. That's true...but its what we do with the time we have that matters. Someone else could've ate your fruit and someone else will eat it after you die." Ogre agreed. "However their legacy would've and will be different from yours. You keep denying yourself. Why? Why do you shy away from self-acknowledgement? Are you not important in the grand scheme of things?"

"And that's my point. There is no grand scheme of things. Just people. To some people I am important, to others they might as well be unaware that I exist." Sera sighed with agitation as she scratched her head. "You attribute to fate others actions, I attribute those actions to the people themselves. At the end of the day, people are responsible for their own actions. Fate didn't poison this island, Argo did. Fate didn't decide to clean it up, I did. Sure, the poison would have faded in time, but removing it suited my purposes and morals. No higher power, no fate compelled me to do that, I chose it of my own violition. And whoever ends up with this fruit after me isn't fated to have it, they chose to eat it. Assuming things are predestined removes the weight of choice from life, and that is something I find untenable."

"That being said, you chose to come to this island for a reason, my guess is to secure an outpost or something like that?"

Ogre tilted his head. "Something like that. We came to see the damage of this island and if its possible to use it as one of our hidden headquarters."

He smiled at Sera. "Although I don't mind looking elsewhere. I don't want to ruin your flowers. But more importantly I feel like I found something greater here. Something...I needed to find."

Choosing it ignore the last part of Ogre's reply for now, Sera sat back upright as she replied "I'd have to run it by my crew, but depending on what exactly you have planned an arrangement could be made. Though I'd to ask the crew on their opinion. Augus and Ovis may have vouched for you and you're people, but this is a big enough of a decision that I shouldn't make it without discussion."

Pouring herself another glass while staring the giant straight in the eyes, Sera calmly inquired, "So I guess this begs the question, what are your intentions then? I know OF the Delian alliance, and I've heard the name Army of Sparta before, but I'd be lying if I said I knew much about either." Pausing for a moment to allow Ogre to collect his thoughts, she added, "Just what do you intend to do from this hidden base?"

"Well," Ogre took another second. "I'd use this base as a fallback in case of an emergency. I'm powerful...But just in case someone bypasses my men's brilliance at least we'll have islands to escape too and recuperate." He looked down. "The worst thing that ever happened to the Revolutionary Army was when they were all on that island. I'm not a revolutionary but...I'd be lying if I said I don't share their ideals..So the last thing I want is a repeat of what happened at Sparna."

*"Don't forget who you are...*

However the serious tone changed to a more hopeful beat when his eyes met Sera's once more. "The Delian Alliance is an alternative for countries. They give one another support just like the World Government...without the extortion and egocentric worship. Our Army's job is simply to help countries when they need it. If they want to join the Alliance they're more than welcome...But our goal is to help countries first."

"An admirable goal." Sera calmly replied as she mentally mapped out what Ogre just said. "Look, I can't promise anything, but I don't see any reason why something can't be worked out. The Dragons and their lackeys has caused more than its fair share of pain. So I can appreciate any efforts to get around them to help those who can't. Though I do have question before we get into specifics, Sparna? I've... never heard of it."

"Of course not," Ogre said with a sly smile. "The so-called Gods will it and so it was erased from history...but...Sparna," He looked away. His mouth sealed shut as if to hide a deep secret. For he'd foolishly let his heart fall into the trusting warmth that Sera emitted. "Sparna was a tragedy."

He diverted.

"A tragedy where a Kingdom worked with the Revolutionary Army and thus met genocide. So to avoid that I'm going to make sure there's a fallback for those who follow us."

"Tragedies do seem to follow wherever they're involved." the angel followed with a bitter sigh. "But a similar idea is why we have a base like this. If you're being hunted, the only time you should ever stay in one place for longer than absolutely necessary is if you are confident you can not easily be found. And well, this place has served well in that regard."

"But yeah, frankly put, I don't see your presence as adding any enemies we don't have. Feather, I still have to worry about them having ordered my capture only alive. Though I'll be honest, assuming my crew agrees, if it comes down to it I'm still prioritizing them over your group. And I expect you'll do the same with your own people."

Ogre tilted his head. "Understood...But if you have good people then we'll make sure everyone is safe." His words as true and valiant as he. "This world has enough factions and groups prioritizing themselves over everyone else. The last thing I want is to draw more."

He smiled. "But I also meant more a safe haven for those caught in the crosshair. We'll keep fighting for as long as we need to. However I'm inclined to ask what sort of tragedies have they brought upon you...If you don't mind me asking."

"Just to warn you, it's a bit of a long story. I've seen more than a few things. But sure, it's rare enough that I end up in the mood to talk about it that I might as well." Sera chuckled before downing her glass once more. "Marlon's going to be annoyed that I told someone else the full story, but oh well, I'll deal with him later." She smiled a bit at what she assumed was her biographer's reaction would be.

"So, I'm originally from the Flower Kingdom, on the island of Avalonia in North Blue. A kingdom of knights, we were known for codes of honor and oath, family bonds and blood loyalty, fealty and honesty. We were a proud country, the strongest in that region of the sea. The local pirates stayed away, bandits only dared tread in the farthest reachs of the kingdom, far away from the households. For my entire childhood things were peaceful, and from what I saw, I could even say happy."

"I was born as the eldest in my family, and inherited my father's title on his passing. If I had had any interest in politics at the time, I even could have been considered one of the most powerful people in the kingdom. The House of Phim was one of the eldest in the kingdom, second only to the royal family. We were not known for our strength of arms or body, but for a level head and a kind spirit. Little did I know at the time that with the passing of the stabilizing force of my father, something had begun to fester in the hearts of the country."

"Now, since you seem like the type to find it interesting, I might as well start with explaining how things came crashing down. I frankly didn't know what was going on behind the scenes at the time, but I've had a lot of time to look back and piece it together over the years." Sera sighed deeply for a moment before adopting a diplomatic tone.

"In the Flower Kingdom, family and blood were considered sacred. A key way that tensions were diffused was by having the competing houses join forces with ties of family. Arranged and political marriages were common, and almost expected. It worked well, enemies became allies and allies became brothers, constantly forcing each generation to find an agreement instead of openly warring with each other. With thos disagreements that were so fundamental that a simple bond couldn't break it, each house maintained it's own private group of men at arms. A field would be chosen, a battle would be carried out, and the victor would be decided then and there. The loser was expected by societal convention to accept their loss and pay the penalty. The system worked extremely well. Too well."

"Stagnation occurred, and it was rare for a powerful bloodline to ever fade or a younger house to rise. The greatest of houses could afford much better training and equipment than the upstarts, and the lesser houses could never make any headway. Discontent began to flourish among those houses who felt that they were suppressed by this system. It nearly came to ahead a generation before me, but my father and the old king worked together and managed to get out ahead of it, co-opting two of the loudest voices in that faction with ties of family, raising their station far above their old level with the ties provided by my mother and the second queen. This took the wind out of their sails for the moment, and with my father deciding to work to tackle the qualms of the disaffected houses directly, the two managed to shut down the pressure on the system for a time. However, it only delayed the inevitable. The reforms that my father and the old king had tried to push through the system to make things more fair got lost in a quagmire of greedy men and women who refused to give an inch to save a mile."

"Then my father died. And with him the peacemaker who was holding back the coming conflict was gone. And with him gone the true level of rot in the heart of the kingdom began to come to light. You see, the family that the queen belonged to had never really settled down. They hadn't openly complained, as after all it would appear to be hypocritical. But having been handed a level of power they decided that they wanted more."

"There were many houses in faction that truly did just wish for a systematic change to allow them the ability to better themselves. I do not hate those that felt that way. But there were just as many who saw the rising frustration as a chance to strike for the top, and in the end they were the ones that called the shots. When the Old King died nearly nine years ago now, by rights the kingship should have gone to his eldest son. A kind and noble soul, I had always supported his claim, as he felt like the only king I could ever see myself serving. But his younger brother, Redrik the Bold as he's now called, refused. He called upon all of those who wished for change and power to rally to his banner, and launched an all out civil war in the kingdom. Nearly a third of the houses in the kingdom rallied to his cause, and even two of the Eight Great Houses. But what struck the strongest blow is when the general of the kingdom's standing forces turned coat, taking nearly three quarters of the Royal House's men-at-arms with him."

"My lord and commander tried to talk it out, tried to settle this using our traditions and formaltiies. They refused. He tried to arrange a contest of arms to force the point, they refused. He tried to reach out to his brother directly. They refused. It wasn't long after that diplomacy was deemed impossible, and the fighting broke out in in earnest."

"It was bloody, to say the least. No quarter asked and none given. Entire houses put to the sword and erased from existence. Families were split and infighting was everywhere. It was not uncommon to see husbands and wives take different sides, as many of the arranged bonds came undone as in the end, every single house was forced to take a side, to take a stand." She paused for a moment before adding, "Even I was not immune to it. The knight I squired under and his family joined under the rebellious faction, honor and oathbound to follow the General who had spurned his own. I was engaged to his son at the time, and that man had more or less raised me after my father died, so I can't say that one didn't hurt." Sera added almost wistfully as pain was visible in her eyes, her hand falling to the scar of where that same man had nearly run her through. Pain that quickly flashed to anger as she added, "As well as my mother and sister."

"But that is far from all that occurred. Hope that you're comfortable, this part will take a while."

Sera spoke long about the events of the war that had shattered her home kingdom, speaking of battles lost and won, of lives saved and ended. She spoke of the tragedies she had watched, the bloodlines she had seen extinguished, the agonies that the people had endured. She revealed her own failures after the events in Yenny Town where she failed to secure assistance to end the fighting, where she had arrived too late to save Andre's family, where she had failed to defeat that man she considered a second father to save those that had been entrusted to her when all else failed. The crippling of her best friend, the having to fight against her own fiance on the field of battle, the intervention of the Marines on behalf of the upstarts, and the brutal subjugation of the loyalist faction that had occurred in its wake. The final orders of her Lord and Commander and his death, and all that she had seen on that island.

And lastly, the one final truth she had learned as the conflict began to wind to a close.

That the death of her Father and the King were not natural.

Sera finished her glass as she reached the final revelation, she calmly spoke. "Shortly before I left my home for the last time, my mother and sister having long left, I found a hidden compartment in her room. Inside was a bottle full of a powder I had never seen before. I talked to the house apothecary, and he confirmed what I had dreaded. My father didn't die of natural causes as I thought. He had been poisoned. I didn't know at the time, but he and the old king had both had the same symptoms. One week they were healthy, then within a few days they were on death's door. While I've never gotten to confront her on this, but I am certain that my mother had poisoned him to prevent him from holding off the conflict any longer." Sera paused for a long moment before adding, "Looking back on it there were so many signs. Things that if only I had put it together events might have gone different. Even when she begged me to switch sides, I shrugged it off. I was oathbound to support my lord until the end, and I was not one to throw away my word lightly. Frankly put, I think she may have tried to poison me as well, but well, that doesn't exactly work on me." Sera chuckled darkly for a second as she held up the bottle, "Doesn't do a thing, I just like the taste. Same with any poison one might concoct for me."

"But to finish things off, around twenty percent of the loyalist houses still live in anything resembling an intact form, the rest are either already in their graves, so shattered that they might as well cease to exist, or switched sides at the last moment in the hopes of mercy. The rest live in exile on the various kingdoms surrounding the Flower Kingdom. Later on I found out that the Marines had been involved sooner in the conflict than I thought. We had always wondered how the other side had armed themselve so heavily so quickly, but we never found out before things came to a head. Turns out Redrik had been seeking their aid from the beginning, though to this day I don't know what he promised them to secure their support. Probably never will. And well, here I am."

Ogre had done with so few would've but what everyone needed. He listened. Without interruption. Eyes locked on Sera. He smiled when she smiled and teared up when her voice quivered with emotion. The giant wiped away tears and chuckled at her happy moments. He smelled the flowers. Tasted the wine. Heard blades clash against armor. Felt love's embrace. He witnessed execution. Massacre. Unfairness. All laid out before him. Sera sat naked and Ogre admired her beauty and strength.

"There's only so much that can be forced upon people held together by political marriages, official arrangements and martial contest. It's no different from solving problems with games and witty agreements. People who want more will try to make moves to get more. And, like you said, parties that amass greater resources will hold more power. Your father and king were men far greater than myself to be able to withhold peace for as long as they did. But sadly there are multiple ways to have a war." He danced. Carefully choosing each word like a master making his step. "You end up needing someone to play game-master. To maneuver people from household to household. Make marriages or arrange matches. To do everything but sit down and find an actual common ground where everyone has an equal and fair chance. All you need is a few ambitious people whose willing to sacrifice lives and prosperity for their own grandiose dreams."

Ogre sipped his newly poured tea. He hesitated. Almost afraid to continue. But he felt it wrong to deny Sera vulnerability after the story she told him. "That's diplomacy's greatest weakness. Without strength, power, wit or favor, you won't be able to keep it going. That's why I try to uphold it through brutal honesty and transparency. War is ugly. You don't have to like each other but there's more to gain in tolerance than in selfishness. In fact I'm sure that's how the World Government planted seeds in-"

He bit his lip. Paused.

"You ever thought about going back?" Ogre asked. "I'd love to go with you and help fix your country."

"Thought about going back? I have gone back." Sera replied with a deep sigh, the standing angel facing the burning hearth at the center of the tavern, the length of her tale having taken several hours to tell.

Changing tack for a moment, she deigned to answer Ogre's original question. Leaning her head back to stare at the ceiling, she spoke in a questioning tone. "You asked me what I see in the mirror earlier? It's simple. I see a knight who failed when it mattered."

"I went back several years ago, before I sequestered myself in the fighting pits beneath Steelworks Island. I knew who was on that island, and frankly put, the only man who lived there who could have hoped to fight me was long dead."

Losing herself in introspection for a moment, she replied in a loathing tone as her free hand tightened into a fist. "I flew there with the intent of exacting all omy pain, all my hatred, all my rage back on those who had betrayed their oaths. After all, no one could stop me. I could avenge all those who had perished, make up for all the pain. I would have ended them all."

"I couldn't do it. I stood over them as they feasted in the halls of those they had betrayed, had destroyed. It would have been easy. But I couldn't." A slight twinge of smoke rolled up Sera's balled fist, "But no matter just how badly I desired to bestow on them the same pain they had inflicted upon me, I turned away." A brief paused ensued before she added, "If I hadn't the Angel would have ceased to exist and left nothing but a devil to rule a shattered kingdom. It wouldn't have changed anything, it wouldn't have brought anyone back. And I would have lost myself forever. So as much as I want to enact revenge on that false king and my traitorous sibling of a queen. I won't. There is nothing left there for me anymore, and to go back would cause nothing but more pain."

Turning back around, Sera turned around and faced the giant head on, "So I appreciate the offer, but I'm afraid I'll have to decline," the angel replied as Sera reigned in her emotions, her voice gaining a diplomatic tone one more, "I'd rather focus all of this pain and rage on something more productive than attempting to chagne the past. All that will ever bring is nothing but more sorrow."

"Understandable." Ogre said "Countries and kingdoms rise and fall. This is just another cycle. A new birth. But there will be someone whose going to do what you didn't to bring forth change. Your calling is much bigger than that."

He smiled. Almost as if tugging multiple strings to tie all the knots together. "You underwent all of that and now you're putting your power into something productive. That thing being cleaning up toxin so to bring forth beauty once more. Because only you understand that whie things pass, we have the power to serve as catalyst." Ogre sipped his tea. "Nikukukuku!" He chuckled.

"But all revelations aside....I wonder now, what called you to piracy and not revolutionary work?"

"To be honest," Sera shrugged, "That was the label we were given, after escaping off the island the World Governmnet put a bounty down on me for having the audacity to not just roll over and die for their illegal takeover of the country. Since that meant I couldn't just stay with the exiles from the loyalist faction, Augus and I decided that if the World considered us pirates, pirates is what we must be. It was the only option I could see that would preserve some level of freedom. And well I refused to live out the rest of my days hiding."

Crossing her arms, she continued, "Frankly put it seemed the best option at the time, and since they took everything from me, I ended up returning a bit of the favor. Avoiding innocent targets, I primarily focused my attention on the big guy's transports and the like, which drew quite a bit of ire. At least one of my bounty increases was directly in response to me raiding this so called 'Heavenly Tribute' of theirs." She scratched her head for a moment before adding, "To be honest all things considering I've pretty much just been rev in pirates clothes now that I think about it, but it's way too late to change that label now."

"That being said, I guess it's time to ask a question in return, how did you wind up in all of this? Leading an army out of nowhere isn't exactly common, and knowledge of forces who the dragons deem a threat is hard to come by in the first place."

"True." Ogre said. He rubbed his chin as he thought back to where it all began. To a time before he even met her. "Well, I've always had these dreams of a far off place. I don't remember much about it but...it always made me feel warm. Until I woke up when I felt a brief emptiness for some reason."

The dreams were of the same place. A balcony overlooking the distant ocean. He could feel the cool wind and smell the waves as they splashed against rock. And then it always ended with white feathers falling besides him as he turned around as if to address a nearby presence. "I don't know if I wanted to leave home to find that place or find a place like it. But I could never just leave my mother like that."

"And then one day a woman fell from the sky. She had wings like yours but I didn't think she was an angel. Just that she felt familiar. She spoke about how the world needed to share and learn to understand one another. She introduced me to Ita Thomas and after I promised to bring forth our ideals." Ogre smiled. Fondly remembering that sacred night back home.

"It's not as eventful as yours but...it felt right. Like this was the path I was supposed to follow. To make a safer place for my *mother.*"

"Angels rarely are," Sera responded quietly before speaking up, "I would try and offer insight on your dream, but frankly put it's not my area of expertise. You'd have to ask Ovis for that one."

"But I can understand valuing family, particularly ones that cared." Sera added in bitterly, "They truly are worth their weight in gold."

"Just like understanding. Understanding is hard, the only language many who ply the sea seem to understand is raw force. This I've seen many times." Sera paused for a moment as she mulled her own words. "The vast majority are in it only for themselves, and the only way to keep what's yours is to convince all of those around you that attempting to take it is far too costly."

"Though I have to ask, as this question has been in the back of my mind," Sera shifted topics once again, "Your Delian alliance would probably help the various kingdoms maintain independence due to how long it would take to conquer an island of any size, but has it reduced the raiding at all? I can't imagine the kingdoms can react fast enough to reinforce each other against a passing crew? I consider myself well informed, and I was only vaguely aware of both of your groups. I can't imagine your Army or Alliance's reputation has provided much protection in that regard."

Ogre didn't realize *what* he'd said until it was too late. But rather than apologize, he simply smiled and nodded at her revelation. He answered her question honestly. There was no point keeping secrets from such a worldly pirate such as her. "Not yet. But there has been progress on Prodence and other close countries. But the raiding isn't our primary concern right now. There are some shipments and reinforcements that've made it in time. However we're first looking to establish that understanding. Why should we send our tax money and weapons over to some random kingdom?" Ogre repeated one of the many questions citizens would ask.

"It's important to have all hearts towards one goal. The raiding will take care of itself once the hearts stand together in comprehension. Until then I split my forces to help with the holes in the network. I hope you aren't planning anything, angel?"

"Why would I need to raid kingdoms at the start of the new world? I look forward for progress, not back. I generally don't raid kingdoms anyways. I may be a pirate, but I have standards. Pirate owned islands and ships, thieving merchants, and the tribute are my primary targets for raiding. All stolen, so they might as well be used for a more worthwhile endeavor." Sera replied more hotly. "So your kingdoms don't have to worry. I was just pointing out that the reason islands like the Yonko's were safe was because very few are brave enough to incur their wrath. You have some strength, but that means nothing for keeping places uncontested if you don't have the reputation to keep people away. That was all."

"But well, we have plenty of time to talk about it." Sera quietly added.

The conversation went on well into the evening, the pair touching on a number of topics ranging from current events to political philosophies. They talked about their organizations some as well, though neither was quite willing to lay down all of their cards. Friendly enough they might be, but there would always been at least a small hint of mistrust that both had to keep in the back of their mind, as while their goals were not in conflict with each other, they weren't necessarily aligned either.

But at least the conversation was fruitful. By the time that the angel had bid her guest goodnight, the two had agreed on a framework for an at least loose alliance with each other. Ogre was looking for a place his people could use as an extra space, and well with a bit more building, Sad August had plenty more room. In return Sera needed building supplies and food, and well the multiple kingdoms in the Delian Alliance could reasonably afford to spare what the comparatively small group need. It was an easy proposal that Sera put forward, and was equally easy for Ogre to agree to. And so the deal was struck.

Sera sat down on the bar itself after Ogre had left, just relaxing for a few moments now that the negotiations were over. It had been a long time since she had ever just sat down that long and talked. Usually if someone just wanted to talk, what they really wanted to do was for her to listen. Whether they wanted something from her, or simply wanted to talk for the sake of talking, there was nary an opportunity for the angel to just speak her piece.

Sera downed the last of her drink, looking up at the ceiling before calling out. "Well, today's been a different day, I guess it's time to see what tomorrow brings."

Setting down her glass on the bar, she paid for it before walking back out into the night.