One Piece: Lost in the Tutorial #68

The agent handed a copy of the incident's report to each of the five elders before taking his leave. The room fell silent again as they began to read through the reports, their expressions growing grimmer with each passing moment.

Saturn was the first to speak, muttering, "Thorne was born from a noble family."

The other elders all seemed to have their own considerations at the revelation.

Peter leaned forward, a calculating look in his eyes. "Thorne being born a noble of Lvneel makes things easier..." he said. "We can use this to our advantage. I propose a solution that would not only eliminate his threat but also provide us with a useful tool."

Mars looked intrigued. "And what might that solution be?"

Peter's eyes gleamed with a hint of cunning. "We can frame his actions as a reclamation of his rightful heritage. Secretly we frame his actions as a heroic vengence..."

He paused, scanning the faces of the other elders before continuing. "In the meantime, we offer him a chance at redemption—a way to leverage his strength for our benefit. He becomes our tool, doing the dirty work we need done in the shadows.

Warcury rubbed his chin, considering the proposal. "We could pardon his crimes, offer him the chance to claim the throne of Lvneel for himself, and slowly put him under our thumb... but that would spurn displeasure from other royals under the World Goverment umbrella...."

Nusjuro nodded slowly. "Rather than a pardon, we can offer him reprieve, in the form of a Warlord title bound to the service of the World Government... that won't alleviate all the possible dissatisfaction from other royals, but it should lessen it to manageable levels..."

Mars put on a thoughtful expression. "That is a sound plan, but we already have seven Warlords... we'd have to discard one of them, which would complicate things."

Warcurry's face seemed troubled. "Indeed. We can't simply eliminate one threat only to replace it with another... what's more all seven of the Warlords serve a purpose, even wastes like Moria contribute to culling the number of pirates successfully reaching the new world..."

Saturn steepled his fingers, deep in thought. "If that's the case, then we have a warlord who is easily replaceable, someone who will continue to do our bidding and not become a threat even if we strip him of his title..."

Peter offered a cold, calculating smile. "The Tyrant Kuma... indeed, he'll lose himself sooner or later, so I don't imagine he'll object to a different arrangement..."

Nusjuro let out a thoughtful hum. "That sounds like a good plan, but in the end, it depends on whether this youngster agrees or not."

He trailed off, his finger tabbing at the armrest. "Should he refuse, we can simply hide his motives, and incite other royals against him, using their forces to crush Thorne and his crew without moving the Marines or the Chipher Pol."

The five elders exchanged nods, the plan taking shape in their minds.

Saturn reached for the Transponder Snail once more, ready to set their plan into motion. "I'll contact Kong and instruct him to proceed with our plan. Thorne will be given a choice—serve us or be destroyed. Either way, we maintain the status quo and ensure the stability of the world."

As Saturn made the call, the other elders continued to discuss the finer details of their scheme, their minds working in unison to weave a web that Blake Thorne would soon find himself ensnared in.

The balance of power was delicate, but they were determined to maintain it at any cost.

...

I sat on the deck of my ship, the salty breeze ruffling my hair as I took a long swig from the bottle of rum in my hand. The taste was sharp and fiery, a comforting burn that helped me think more clearly about the whirlwind of events that had transpired in the throne room.

The sun was setting, casting a golden hue over the waters, but my mind was far from the serene scene before me.

Blake. The original owner of this body. His name echoed in my mind, a presence that had always been there, lurking just beneath the surface. When I faced the King of Lvneel, something inside me had snapped. It wasn't just me standing there; it was Blake too.

I could feel his rage, his need for vengeance, as if they were my own. In that moment, he demanded control, and I, almost instinctively, had stepped aside.

The memory of the king’s terrified eyes as Blake exacted his revenge played over and over in my mind. I could still feel the raw rage, the sheer will, that surged through me—or rather, through us—at that moment. And then, just as suddenly as he had taken over, Blake was gone.

He didn't simply step aside and return to lurking in the shadows. He was well and truly gone, and It felt like losing a part of myself, a part that had become so intertwined with my existence that its absence now left a hollow void.

Blake had always been there, a vague but constant presence. He had manifested in subtle ways—certain feelings, sensations, impulses. When I first arrived on this island, it was his memories, his emotions, that guided me. His burning need for revenge, his sorrow, his anger—they had been my compass.

During my solitary time on Tutorial Island, his presence had been a lifeline. I didn't feel truly alone back then, because he was always with me, a silent companion in my mind.

The wander he felt whenever I came upon a beautiful sight, the nervousness at the sight of a strong enemy, and his excitement upon achieving victories that intertwined with mine helped me survive and pushed me to endure.

It wasn’t just my strength and willpower that kept me going; it was his too.

Now, though, it seemed Blake was fully gone. His thirst for revenge had been sated, his unfinished business concluded. And with that, he had faded away, leaving me feeling somewhat hollow.

The quiet in my mind was unsettling, like a room that had once been full of life and was now empty.

I took another swig of rum, letting the burn chase away the cold feeling of emptiness. It was strange, really, to miss someone who was never truly separate from me. Blake had been more than just a presence; he had been a part of me, shaping my actions, guiding my decisions.

As I stared out at the horizon, I wondered what the future held now. Without Blake's presence in the back of my mind, would I still have the same drive, the same purpose? I couldn't help but wonder, and yet I knew I had to keep pushing onwards, for his sake too.

In any case, It had been three days since the incident at the royal castle, and not much had happened since then. Kiera had taken her leave not long after, muttering something about needing time to consider a few things.

Whether she was still on the island or if she had already set sail, I had no idea. But I had a gut feeling our paths would cross again, sooner or later.

As for me, despite having concluded my business on the island, I found myself lingering. The chaos my actions had sown in the wake of the king's death couldn't be ignored. With the king gone, the nobles were already vying for the throne, their ambitions threatening to spark a civil war.

While I had no desire to involve myself in the petty squabbles of nobility, I knew the potential for bloodshed among the civilians was too great to ignore. So, I decided to stay, at least for a little while longer, to ensure a smooth transition of power and prevent needless deaths because of me.

I took another swig from the bottle of rum, the liquid fire burning its way down my throat. "That’s enough sulking for one day," I muttered to myself, standing up.

However, Just as I was about to head below deck to find Law, something caught my eye. A strange bat was flying towards me, its erratic movements contrasting sharply with the otherwise serene evening sky.

I paused, curiosity piqued. The bat wasn't just an ordinary creature. Its eyes glowed with an unnatural light, and as it drew closer, I could see it carried an envelope its claws.

It circled overhead once before descending, landing deftly on the railing beside me.