Chapter 8: Locke Dar Lost
Ace saw the foot stretch out in front of him, but with his usual recklessness, he didn't slow down, confident no one could catch him But the moment he made contact, inertia betrayed him. He tripped and hit the ground face-first like a dropped sack of rice.
Moran stood calmly and said,
"You're still too green."
The restaurant owner jumped on the dazed Ace and pinned him.
"Captain! We've got money now! Why do you still dine and dash?"
Just then, Masked Deuce Ace's first mate—arrived with the Spade Pirates crew. He looked at Ace, pinned under the furious shopkeeper, and sighed.
Ace looked as if he'd been hit harder by embarrassment than the pavement.
Deuce handed over the payment. "Apologies, sir."
Ace stood up and brushed himself off, shooting a glare at Moran.
"What's wrong, Captain?" Deuce asked.
"He's the one who tripped me!" Ace said, pointing. Deuce also turned toward Moran.
Moran blinked, raised a brow.
"Oi oi, why're you staring at me like that? I'm not some damsel. You all pervs or what?"
Acedes nearly doubled over laughing beside him.
"Master Moran, you're terrible," Chitong said with a giggle.
Ace's crew instantly turned blue in the face.
"Pervert pervert—pervert x10!" they shouted in unison.
"That's it, I'm fighting you one-on-one!" Ace yelled, charging forward.
At this point, Ace was still new to the world, more hot-headed than battle-tested
(Alas, our protagonist isn't exactly mature either.)
"Flame Commandment: Fireflies!"
Ace leaped high into the sky, flinging two fiery projectiles downward toward Moran.
"Shave"
Moran vanished and reappeared instantly behind Ace in midair, coating his foot in Armament Haki and smashing down.
Ace slammed into the stone street, creating a crater.
"Captain Ace!!"
Deuce and the rest of the Spade Pirates looked horrified at the smoking pit.
Before the dust settled, Ace leapt out, bruised but still grinning. He now looked serious—this opponent wasn't normal.
"Try this, then"
"Fire Fist!"
He launched a searing punch of concentrated flame.
Before it could reach, Moran intercepted it with a flat palm, diverting the explosion. The redirected fire engulfed a large chunk of the street.
"Careful, kid. Any more of that and you'll owe more than your life in damages."
Moran shaved again, reappearing high above, then unleashed a whipping leg laced with Armament Haki.
It cracked across Ace's head, sending him flying into a row of buildings. He crashed through several walls before stopping.
"Captain Ace x10!"
The Spade Pirates panicked. Moran looked at the groaning Ace and waved dismissively.
"Don't worry. He's not dead. He can take this much."
Then, turning away
"Acedes. Chitong. Let's go."
"We're heading to Rainbase in Alabasta. It's time we meet a certain Warlord—Locke Dar."
"Master Moran x2!"
Chitong looked up as they walked.
"Master Moran, what're we doing with a Shichibukai?"
"Replacing him."
"Replacing... You mean us becoming Warlords?" Why?"
"The Shichibukai title makes movement easier—less trouble from Marines. Also... we could use the government's resources for our goals."
"And it's easier to make money too..." Mou Lan muttered bitterly from behind, holding their dwindling coin purse.
As a pirate, most of the pirate groups encountered at sea don't carry their full bounty's worth in treasure it's too slow to make money just by robbing pirate crews
Some pirates may carry a bounty of tens of millions, but their actual net worth might only be a few million Berries at most.
Moran, having grown up in the Blue Star's Dragon Country a place with strict codes of honor—couldn't bring himself to loot innocent civilians or destroy settlements
So instead, Moran set his sights on the Shichibukai system. It offered legitimacy, autonomy, and most importantly—opportunity.
—
(A few hours later – Rainbase, entrance of Rain Dinners Casino)
The trio of Moran, Acedes, and Chitong entered the casino noise, lights, and clamor enveloping them.
"Acedes clear the room."
"Receive!"
Acedes stepped forward, emanating a chilling queenly aura—her pupils flashing blood-red.
A ripple of invisible shockwaves radiated outward from her presence, echoing Conqueror's Haki-like pressure fused with her icy Devil Fruit.
—
People around her collapsed one by one, foaming or fainting from pressure alone.
On the first floor, Nico Robin, sitting quietly with a drink and newspaper, felt the full brunt of the pressure. She dropped to her knees, beads of sweat rolling down her cheek, her wide eyes full of dread.
"Hmm... interesting. You didn't pass out. Fragile body, but strong will."
Moran stepped toward her, eyes calm.
"Now then, Nico Robin where is Locke Dahl?"
Robin narrowed her gaze.
"Why are you looking for him?"
"That's not your concern. Just answer."
"He left not long ago. Some Sand Bandits were causing trouble in the southern desert. He went to deal with them personally."
Moran smirked.
"Hehe... perfect timing, 'Hero' Locke Dahl."
"Let's take a stroll, we'll be back."
—
Just as they exited the casino, they saw Crocodile—Locke Dahl and Daz Bones (Mr. 1) walking toward Rain Dinners.
Locke paused, noticing the downed patrons inside, Robin still kneeling, and the trio blocking his way.
He narrowed his eyes.
"So... former Marine Colonel Moran, the Ice Queen Acedes, and that girl Zhan Chitong. You really think you can cause chaos in my territory... and just leave?"
"Hehe... do I look like I'm leaving?" Moran replied calmly.
"Acedes. Chitong. Take one each. Any problems?"
"No problem, Master Moran x2."
—
Acedes stepped forward, her Queen's aura flaring again this time heavier. Her crimson pupils glowed dangerously.
Spectators nearby fainted immediately as the pressure grew unbearable.
"Hail Fury Leap!"
Acedes vaulted high into the air, snapped her fingers.and conjured a massive puck of ice coated in Armament Haki. It dropped like a meteor directly onto Locke.
Locke Dahl, caught mid-step, performed an awkward forward roll to escape impact clearly off-balance.
Acedes dashed in but Locke managed a sweeping counter-kick, sending her sliding back across the sand.
"Weak," Moran thought to himself, observing from a distance.
"No wonder the World Government put him on a leash."
"Desert Spada!"
Locke's arm morphed into sharpened sand and swung down like a blade.
The ground beneath Acedes turned into a sinking quicksand trap. She began to sink slowly, expression still calm.
"How fun... so much fun."
Slamming her palm into the earth, she summoned a spire of ice, shooting her upward into the air.
"Grey Ice Horn!"
A piercing ice pillar shot toward Locke.
"Desert Sword!"
His arm transformed again into a giant sand blade and he cleaved the icicle in two.
—
Watching the battle, Chitong felt a spark of battle lust. She drew Tong Yi, coated the blade in Armament Haki, and shaved to the upper left of Daz Bones—Mr. 1.
She brought her sword down with full force at his neck
Only for the blade to clang uselessly against his steel body.
Chitong froze, stunned.
Moran walked over and patted her head.
"Cute. But not everyone can be cut. You'll need to master Observation Haki to assess enemies before jumping in."
Chitong blushed.
"Understood, Master Moran..."
—
Just then, the ground rumbled. Locke Dahl, bleeding from multiple wounds, touched the ground with his right hand.
"Erosion Cycle!"
The ground rapidly dried and crumbled, creating sinkholes and sand traps everywhere.
"Frozen World."
Acedes responded instantly freezing the ground and Locke in thick layers of ice.
Moran walked forward and gently tapped the ice over Locke's body.
"You think he'll stay trapped?" he asked Acedes.
"His power lets him drain moisture even from ice. He's unconscious now, but once he wakes up, he can escape easily."
"Then crack the top. I don't want him suffocating before we're done with him."
Acedes nodded and shattered a portion of the ice near Locke's face.
Moran turned back toward the casino and found Robin still watching.
"Miss Robin... could you do us a favor?"
"Help me locate the Den Den Mushi Locke used to contact the Marines."
—