One Piece: Curse of Immortality

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The Awakening of a Devil Fruit. Advanced application of Armament Haki, known as Ryou. The infusion of Conqueror's Haki. 

The vast disparity in knowledge regarding these abilities is one of the most crucial factors influencing an individual's strength. 

Their talent may limit some and never progress beyond a certain point, but for those unaware of these concepts entirely, the consequences are self-evident. 

For someone like Doflamingo, who has struggled and fought through the Grand Line, these three pieces of information were nothing short of a revelation. 

Though he still lacked an exact method to train in them, he now had a general direction.

"When one's personal strength reaches a certain level, intense battles and the pressure of life-and-death situations will accelerate their understanding of power," Arashi remarked. 

His journey to this level of strength had been forged entirely through his efforts. "Rosinante."

"If you can't even master all three forms of Haki, then this is as far as you'll ever go in life!"

"Devil Fruits may be powerful, but Haki is the foundation of true strength."

"For anyone standing at the pinnacle of the world, you'll find it nearly impossible to identify a weakness."

"They are all at their peak in almost every aspect."

Arashi spoke calmly. Law took his words to heart while Rosinante nodded solemnly. A contemplative glint flashed in Doflamingo's eyes. 

Comparing this to his abilities, he realized that the power he had once taken great pride in now appeared to have several shortcomings. 

Perhaps he might have discovered these truths on his own through battle over time, but that would have cost him immeasurable time and brought unpredictable risks.

Yet, he was still deeply curious—what did power at the absolute peak of the world truly look like?

Fixing his gaze on the man before him, Doflamingo's expression revealed curiosity and desire.

Conqueror's Haki infusion! Did this man also possess it? He must. Otherwise, he wouldn't have stood among the world's strongest ten years ago.

"Heh."

Arashi, of course, noticed the curiosity in Doflamingo's eyes. Rosinante had witnessed his punches countless times, so his expression remained unchanged.

"Then let me show you—this world's peak, a power that any true strongman must master."

His casual voice sent a shiver down Doflamingo's spine. He stared intently ahead. The next second, he saw Arashi slowly raise his hand.

"Crackle!"

Black and red lightning erupted, instantly coiling around his arm. 

At that moment, Doflamingo felt an overwhelming force, vast and unfathomable, as if it exceeded even the ocean in depth and breadth.

"This man's Conqueror's Haki… its sheer volume alone can be described as an ocean of Haki!"

Doflamingo trembled internally. But what shook him even more was Arashi's complete mastery over his Conqueror's Haki—his control was so precise that it reached a level Doflamingo could not even comprehend.

Then, Arashi swung his fist toward the sea.

"Boom!"

Black and red lightning shot out, barely grazing the ocean's surface before surging into the distance. 

The sheer force behind it seemed infinitely amplified. Time itself seemed to freeze for two seconds before an awe-inspiring sight unfolded. 

Law trembled, his small eyes widening as cold sweat dripped from his forehead.

"Is this something a human can even do?"

Doflamingo's expression was grave, a heavy weight settling in his heart. The point where Arashi's punch had grazed the ocean's surface had split open, forming a massive chasm. 

And where the punch ultimately landed, nearly thousands of meters away from the warship, an enormous depression appeared. 

Tens of millions of tons of seawater were violently pushed back, sending ripples across the ocean that culminated in a tsunami.

"So this is Conqueror's Haki infusion…" Doflamingo murmured.

He stared at the man before him, an overwhelming sense of dread flashing through his mind. Arashi had yet to use his full strength. 

Their earlier battle had been a child's game to him.

"The gap between me and the world's peak… is this vast?"

The realization struck Doflamingo like a hammer blow, leaving him with an unsettling sense of powerlessness. He had never felt so lacking.

"Only by knowing the gap between yourself and others will you develop respect—and with that, the drive to improve."

"Do you want to become stronger, Doflamingo?" Arashi grinned, his smile somewhat eerie.

"Of course!"

"Then what must I do?" Doflamingo asked without hesitation. The sheer allure of such power was irresistible. He was more than willing even if he had to pay a great price.

"The price?"

"No, no, for now, you only need to do one thing," Arashi said, smiling. Then, his gaze fell upon Rosinante. The latter tensed up, sensing something ominous.

"And that is—to try your best to kill your own brother in the upcoming training."

Doflamingo's pupils shrank before he suddenly laughed.

"I'd be more than happy to do that!"

Rosinante and Law's expressions changed drastically. Smoker, Buggy, and the others simply smirked, watching the scene unfold as if they were enjoying a show.

The Marine warship was preparing to leave port. The crew members raised the anchor. At that moment, a figure came running toward them at full speed.

"Wait! Wait for me!"

The voice shouted frantically. Buggy peeked over and quickly recognized the man.

"Oh? Isn't that the guy we just saved?"

"What's he doing chasing after us?" Smoker shook his head, puzzled.

Arashi turned to look at the man, finding him oddly familiar.

"Don't leave me behind! Take me with you! I want to become a Marine!" the man shouted between heavy breaths.

"I already told you, Drake—I don't have the authority to recruit people at will!" Buggy yelled back.

"Lieutenant Buggy, please take me with you! I have nowhere else to go!" Drake pleaded.

Arashi froze, his gaze locking onto the man once more. "What's his name?" he asked.

Buggy was slightly surprised but quickly responded. "Drake. We saved him earlier while sweeping the pirates off the island."

"To be precise, his full name is X Drake," Smoker added.

"Let him aboard," Arashi smirked.

"Huh?" Buggy was dumbfounded.

"What 'huh'? The officer gave an order—let him on!" Smoker laughed, smacking Buggy on the head.

Moments later, Drake was brought aboard the warship. His first act was to bow deeply to Arashi. "Thank you for taking me in! I want to become a Marine!"

Arashi nodded with a smile. "Very well. From today onward, you are a Marine."

Drake was stunned. "That easy?"

"Yes, it's that easy." Arashi chuckled.

Drake glanced suspiciously at Buggy and Smoker, unsure if they were subtly rejecting him. But the outcome was clear—he was now a Marine.

"Sir, may I ask for your name?" Drake asked hesitantly.

"Arashi."

"You can call me Officer/Commander Arashi, like the others or Vice Admiral Arashi."

Hearing the name, Drake's heart trembled. This man… he was that Arashi?

He had heard his father mention this name countless times before.

Doflamingo sneered as he struck even more ruthlessly. Nearby, Law and Drake were also enduring unbearable torment. 

Smoker and Buggy subjected them to the same grueling training they had once suffered. 

The entire Marine warship echoed with relentless screams of agony.

"Doflamingo is going too far. If this keeps up, Rosinante will die," Eveya said anxiously.

Arashi chuckled lightly. "If he can't even survive this, then let him die."

Such merciless words left Eveya stunned. But she knew very well that this officer valued Rosinante greatly.

"Doflamingo is a smart man. He knows exactly what my real objective is," Arashi said calmly.

Eveya was taken aback, deep in thought. Moments later, Doflamingo pinned Rosinante down, mercilessly pummeling him until he lost consciousness.

"Tie him up with a rope and throw him into the sea," Arashi ordered expressionlessly. 

"Oh, and make sure the rope is tight. If he gets lost, it'll be a hassle to find him."

Doflamingo grinned and complied. Rosinante's body arced beautifully through the air in just a few breaths before plunging into the ocean.

Almost instantly, his terrified screams rang out. Doflamingo held onto the rope tightly, staring down at his struggling younger brother with a glint in his eye.

"That man sure values you," he muttered.

Such brutal torment between life and death—its true purpose was likely to push his brother's potential to the limit and awaken his Conqueror's Haki. 

If Rosinante did awaken it, the gap between them would close alarmingly.

"This brat… he's really latched onto a powerful backer," Doflamingo clicked his tongue in frustration, feeling envy.

Meanwhile, Eveya's expression turned serious as she pointed a Transponder Snail at Arashi.

"It's someone from Marine Headquarters!"

Arashi raised an eyebrow. "Who?"

"Vice Admiral Tsuru!" Eveya uttered an unexpected name.

.....

In Marine Headquarters, those close to his teacher, Garp, included Sengoku and Zephyr; naturally, Tsuru was also among them. 

Their camaraderie had endured since their youth. If one were to categorize the Headquarters' various factions, Arashi belonged to Garp's, which meant he was also somewhat close to Sengoku and Tsuru. 

Though they rarely contacted each other, it didn't hinder their ability to communicate.

"Arashi, I know a little about the situation between you and Headquarters," Tsuru said seriously.

"But what I'm about to tell you is something you must carefully consider. If possible, I want you to return to Headquarters soon."

"Vice Admiral Tsuru matters at Headquarters don't seem to concern me much," Arashi replied calmly.

From her tone, he had already guessed that whatever she was about to say was no trivial matter.

Sure enough, Tsuru's next words confirmed it.

"This concerns the upcoming selection of the next Fleet Admiral! It affects every Marine, and even if your stance toward Headquarters is ambiguous, you cannot detach yourself from this matter."

"And…"

She paused briefly before her voice grew heavier. "This also involves Sengoku—and there have been some complications."

"For the succession to go smoothly, the higher-ups must see that Sengoku can command the Marines."

"Of course, I won't waste time with superficial explanations."

"Simply put, certain individuals need to see that the Marines support Sengoku's ascension, and he needs a strong team of subordinates to back him up."

Hearing this, Arashi narrowed his eyes. A major event like selecting the next Fleet Admiral—no wonder Tsuru had reached out to him directly.

A change in Marine leadership was no small matter. Despite the obvious outcome, obstacles always arose before the final decision.

After the incident at Mary Geoise, Arashi sensed something unusual was at play from Tsuru's words.

"Do you understand now? Although Sengoku already has a group of supporters, if you appear at Headquarters, it will undoubtedly solidify their confidence."

Tsuru's voice carried a firm tone. Arashi's eyes flickered as he fell into deep thought.

Honestly, he wasn't particularly interested in the Fleet Admiral selection. Sengoku's rise was an inevitable shift in the times.

Moreover, as the Supreme Commander of the West Blue, his relationship with Marineford was ambiguous at best. 

He did not desire to step into that territory unless necessary. However, Sengoku's stance toward Mary Geoise impressed him.

If he could help, he wouldn't mind supporting Sengoku's promotion. After all, in some ways, Sengoku was on his side.

After a brief moment of contemplation, Arashi gave his answer.

Tsuru nodded before casually asking, "Did you capture Doflamingo?"

"Yeah. He's on my ship right now."

Arashi glanced at Doflamingo, still holding the rope, tormenting Rosinante without restraint. A smirk played on Arashi's lips.

"I had my eyes on that guy for a long time, but you managed to capture him," Tsuru sighed.

"Looks like our generation is getting old. You and Garp are still in your prime, Vice Admiral," Arashi said with a chuckle.

"The times will always give way to the younger generation. It's been eleven years since you left Headquarters, right?" Tsuru mused.

"Yes," Arashi nodded.

"A long time indeed. You've changed a lot. The young ones at Headquarters have changed as well."

It almost sounded like an offhand remark, but Arashi caught the deeper meaning behind her words.

"I know you've done well in the West Blue," Tsuru continued, "but if you truly want to change something…"

"It's still far from enough. In the end, you'll have to return to Marineford."

Her words carried weight. Arashi pondered for a moment before offering a slight smile.

"Thank you for the reminder, Vice Admiral Tsuru."

The Transponder Snail call ended. Eveya, standing beside him, widened her eyes in shock and excitement.

The selection of the next Fleet Admiral was a storm that would shake the entire world.

A new Fleet Admiral meant new policies, a new era, and eliminating or reformating outdated, decaying structures.

Sengoku, a highly respected strategist within the Marines, had the unwavering support of Garp, Admiral Zephyr, and Vice Admiral Tsuru—figures who formed the organization's backbone.

Once he took office, he would swiftly unify the Marines.

"Are you going to Headquarters for the Fleet Admiral selection ceremony?" Eveya asked, blinking expectantly.

"I'm still considering it," Arashi replied faintly.

He hadn't made up his mind yet. Strictly speaking, he wasn't keen on getting involved with Headquarters.

The situation in West Blue stabilized under his command, operating almost as his force. 

Over nearly a decade, he established a fully independent recruitment and training system. The West Blue Marines upheld a sense of justice vastly different from that of Headquarters.

But his forces had yet to reach their full potential—they still hadn't met his ideal standards. Arashi needed more time to recruit and train powerful subordinates.

If he returned to Headquarters, any reassignment or restructuring could create complications.

Moreover, Marineford was not the same as the West Blue. Shaking his head, Arashi temporarily set the matter aside.

He looked ahead at Doflamingo, who was tormenting Rosinante, and a satisfied smile appeared on his face.

"As expected, he's a smart guy. He knows exactly what I want to do."

At the ship's stern, Doflamingo gripped the rope in his right hand and swung it left and right.

"Corazon, is this all you've got? You're too weak. As your older brother, I've always felt ashamed to have a little brother like you."

"Look at yourself—do you have even the slightest bit of a Celestial Dragon's demeanour? You're nothing but a coward, sneaking around by my side for years like a rat!"

"Pathetic!"

Grinning, Doflamingo continued his cruel taunts.

"Even now, you're still suffering under my hands, being trampled on and humiliated. You're nothing but a weakling. A complete failure!"

His words were like sharp blades, stabbing into Rosinante's heart. Even as he endured the excruciating pain, fury surged within him.

As a Devil Fruit user, submerging in seawater rendered him powerless. Worse yet, his body was already battered and broken. 

At this moment, he couldn't even struggle—only the overwhelming sensation of drowning and the creeping shadow of death remained.

"Damn it!! Am I really that weak? Am I truly a disgrace to my brother? A Marine who can't even complete his superior's orders..."

"Someone who can't even protect a single child... Arashi must be disappointed in me, too. That's why he handed me over to Doflamingo..."

The endless torment and cruel words crushed his will. A deep sense of despair filled his heart. Maybe... he was just a complete failure.

The same blood ran through his veins, yet Doflamingo was so powerful while he remained pathetically weak. 

Even possessing a Devil Fruit ability—what was the point if he couldn't use it?

The Marine warship sailed forward, waves continuously crashing over his body.

Rosinante had completely lost track of time. All he knew was that his life was slipping away. His body was growing colder, his consciousness fainter.

Then suddenly, just as his world was about to be swallowed by darkness—

A spark ignited within him.

"No!"

"I'm not some useless failure—I'm not weak! Even if I am now, I will never allow myself to remain this way in the future!"

"What is my dream? What is my purpose?"

Questions flashed through his mind at lightning speed. Forgotten memories surfaced once more.

His childhood. The gentle smiles of his parents. Doflamingo stands before him, furiously berating the kids who bullied him before unleashing his wrath.

He had been a coward back then, always hiding behind someone else until he met Arashi.

Through countless battles and countless reprimands, he had slowly grown stronger.

Their first encounter. His first promotion. The first time, he witnessed Arashi's overwhelming strength.

"I never forgot!" Rosinante's eyes snapped open.

The waves continued to pummel his body, and the sun above was blinding. But at this moment, everything around him became eerily silent.

For the first time, he could perceive everything with absolute clarity. The chaos, the fear, the loss of control—everything slowed to a crawl.

"The past, the present, the future! I've always wanted to become that! A Rosinante as strong as Arashi!"

A wild grin stretched across his face. Strength returned to his body. His spirit burned brighter than ever before.

Then—

A formless pressure erupted from within him, sweeping outward in all directions with an unstoppable force. A mighty, domineering aura exploded from his being.

"I am no longer that cowardly boy who only knew how to hide behind others! I am someone who can protect others, who will sacrifice himself if necessary to save lives!"

"My conviction has always been there!" His voice echoed within his mind.

At this moment, Rosinante's eyes were fierce and sharp, filled with unshakable determination. An even more overwhelming Conqueror's Haki surged outward.

The ocean's surface trembled. Schools of fish near the ship floated up, unconscious from the sheer pressure of his presence.

Doflamingo, still gripping the rope, narrowed his eyes. His heart sank slightly.

"He did it?"

"My foolish little brother..."

A complicated mix of emotions swirled within him. Never in his wildest dreams had he expected his brother to awaken Conqueror's Haki.

"This is what happens when someone has proper guidance."

"If only I had been trained by that man as well..."

Doflamingo took a deep breath, his sunglasses flashing ominously. Advanced Armament Haki. Conqueror's Coating. Devil Fruit Awakening.

These were all things he desperately wanted to master. Slowly, he turned his head and looked at the figure seated calmly in the distance.

For the first time, an intense desire took root in his heart. Arashi—he was like a demon, possessing everything Doflamingo yearned for.

"Conqueror's Haki, huh?"

"Pull him up."

At that moment, a smile finally appeared on Arashi's face.

"If you want to stand among the world's strongest, Conqueror's Haki is almost necessary. It determines one's ceiling."

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