One Piece Solar Rift Conqueror!

The sea was calm, the soothing waves of the water reflecting the climbing moon. Solian stood at the controls of the little boat he had bought, his men beside him. The winds had shifted, and a new journey was set to begin. The Grand Line was still the dream that could never be, but for now, Solian's intention was to make sure he gathered the right sort of people, and that started with the powerful men he already had working for him—Ezra and Kael. But to get to truly on the brink of greatness, he needed more strength, more numbers.

This stretch of sea, the East Blue, was renowned for its unpredictability. It wasn't the most dangerous sea by any means—pirates with a bounty on them of over 50 million berries were basically myths here. Great giants with size and feats that other people could only dream of. This part of the sea was domesticated in comparison to those further out, but there was still risk involved in the sea. Bounties were modest, though most of the pirates in this place were clever, tough enough to try a captain's mettle but not strong enough to scare a person who had trained like Solian.

His new crew was small, but the potential was there. Ezra Lorne and his Rust-Rust Fruit, that could rust away nearly anything, were a force to be reckoned with. Kael Graves, whose Void-Void Fruit could control space and darkness itself, teamed up with them and they were a spectacular crew—but still more needed to be done.

"Hey, Solian, how much further to the next island?" Ezra called out, his broad hand gripping the mast of the ship.

Solian looked out over the horizon, squinting at the distant lights of a small port town. "Shouldn't be long now. We'll make landfall by dawn. I've heard of a strong fighter there—a guy with a bounty of 18 million berries. We'll see if he's worth adding to our crew."

"Another one? I'm not sure that we need additional muscle at this point," Kael replied, his tone removed and cold. He stood on the prow of the ship, gazing into the darkness of the sea.

"We need flexibility. We need diversity," Solian retorted, his eyes still gazing out into space. "The Grand Line does not have a gentle touch, and the more diverse our crew is, the greater our opportunities for survival."

Kael didn't respond, but he didn't have to. He understood what Solian was getting at. Kael was a man of few words, but his actions spoke volumes. Ezra, on the other hand, chuckled. "A man of vision, huh? Well, I'm down for whatever gets us the most loot. But don't get too attached to this pirate-hunting gig. You know, once we start taking down some of the big players, we'll be up against some serious firepower.

Solian's lips curled into a smile. "That's the plan.".

The ship sliced through the waves, the men retiring for the night. Solian sat quietly, gazing up at the stars in the sky. His mind ran riot with thoughts of the future. The Grand Line. His men. The pirates and bounty hunters that would sail through their course. The harder he trained, the stronger he grew. Yet he still had far to go.

By morning, they were on the island—a small trading town ringed by rocky shores and dense woods. The town was bustling, vessels mooring and vendors crying along the wharfs. It was a seaport town common to such locations—full of hope and danger.

Solian hopped off the ship first, his boots landing on the sandy shore with a soft thud. Ezra and Kael followed closely behind. "Stay sharp," Solian warned, his voice low. "We're not here for a vacation."

As they strode further into town, they stood in a shadier part of the market—where pirates, bounty hunters, and other low-lifes of all varieties went to meet and greet. Solian's eyes swept the sector, looking for any sign of their prey.

Ezra's hand drifted toward the hilt of his sword, his eyes darting toward the suspicious men who stood lurking in the shadows. Kael's eyes seemed to be locked on a group of pirates who stood clustered near one another, speaking in hushed tones. But they were not who Solian was looking for.

Suddenly, Solian spotted him—a figure leaning against the dilapidated tavern, a scar running down his face. His eyes glinted with the chill of an old campaigner. The reward placed on his head, 18 million berries, had intrigued Solian.

"Let's talk," Solian bellowed, walking up to the man.

The stranger turned, glancing at Solian. "And what do you want, kid? You don't exactly look like a man who's here to make a sale."

"I'm hiring," Solian replied brashly. "You've got something, and I believe we'd be well-suited.".

The man smiled, but underneath was something—an understanding of the world that they lived in. "I know of you. You have courage. But why should I obey you? What makes you think you have what it takes to lead a crew?"

Solian smiled and stepped forward, determined. "I don't need to prove myself to you. But you will find out in due course about the type of strength that I have."

Before the conversation could continue, a loud crash echoed through the market, followed by shouting. Solian's instincts flared. "Trouble's coming. Get ready."

From across the street, a group of pirates, their faces covered in tattoos and scars, came barreling toward them. They had clearly been looking for a fight—and now they'd found it.

"Looks like you're going to get your test after all," Ezra said, cracking his knuckles.

The pirate captain smiled. "We don't need your help. We're plundering this island."

Solian's eyes burned with rage. "I don't think you understand. This island is now mine.".

The battle began. Ezra led the charge, pounding his fists on the ground, sending a shockwave that sent the nearest pirates crashing to the ground. Kael's void powers followed, swamping the foe in a vortex of dark matter. Solian was close behind, tapping into his Solar Rift Fruit to dash across the battlefield, burning the foe with precision strikes.

In the heat of the fight, the pirate leader turned to face Solian, his hand gripping a heavy club. "You've got guts, kid, but it won't be enough."

Solian grinned. "We'll see about that."

A wave of fire enveloped him when he flipped on his Plasma Strike, the air crackling with heat. The pirate captain's club shattered in two when Solian's fist, its tip burning with flame, hit him straight in the chest and sent him crashing backward.

As the pirates backed away, bruised and beaten, Solian stood before the man he had come to enlist. "That's how we do it. You in?

The man wiped the blood from his lip and nodded. "You're not just all talk. Fine, I'm in."

With the fight over, Solian looked back at his crew. "Good work, everyone. Let's get ready to set sail. We've got a long journey ahead of us."

As the new member joined the crew, Solian couldn't help but feel a sense of pride. This was just the beginning. There were bigger battles to be won, more challenges, and more victories. And maybe, just maybe, this crew would be the one to change the world.

System Notice:

New Crew Member: [Name Pending], Bounty 18 Million Berries

Current Bounty: 30 Million Berries

System Points: 15

Ship: Small Pirate Ship