The Abyss Walker sailed beneath a new sky—clear and unforgiving—while the weight of its latest treasure lay hidden beneath the deck. But even as Darius stood on the upper deck, feeling the wind against his face, a sense of dread filled his chest. They had taken something precious—something dangerous—and now the world would want it back.
---
The World Government's Response
Deep beneath the Celestial Dragon's holy city of Mariejois, the Five Elders convened in their ancient council chamber, the air thick with tension.
"The Abyss Walker," one of the Elders muttered, his eyes narrowed in distaste. "They've taken something from us."
A figure draped in a long black cloak—their intermediary with the World Government's dark arms, Cipher Pol—stood before them. "Our sources confirmed the ship. It's the one from the reports. Darius D. Xebec, the Rift Reaver."
The lead Elder's hand trembled as he adjusted his glasses. "He's the son of Rocks, isn't he?"
Another Elder, a tall woman with hair that seemed to shimmer with artificial grace, spoke up. "The Abyss Walker raided Isla Runea. We've lost contact with the island. The vault has been opened. The Genesis Ark has been disturbed."
"Impossible," the cloaked figure said, his voice cold. "That facility was sealed. The data we collected from Ohara and other ancient sites—there's no way anyone could have accessed the Ark."
"Darius D. Xebec disagrees with your assessments," the lead Elder said darkly. "We will need him contained. This is no longer a matter of just the pirates."
The other Elder's voice grew low. "This has been his plan all along. The Void Century… he knows about it."
A chill fell over the room, and the cloaked figure seemed to shift uneasily. "Then it is worse than I feared. The Ark is not just a weapon. It holds the secret of the world itself."
---
Back on the Abyss Walker
Aboard the Abyss Walker, the crew stood around the main hold, surrounded by the relics they had salvaged from Isla Runea. Ancient scrolls, broken weaponry, strange glowing stones, and metal fragments, all locked away in reinforced containers.
Maria sat cross-legged, her long spider legs folded beneath her, eyes scanning over a delicate scroll she had managed to salvage. "This doesn't look like anything the Government has seen before," she said, unrolling the parchment carefully. "This language… it's older than the Void Century. Maybe older than anything we've encountered."
Selene leaned over her shoulder, eyes flickering as she read over the text. "It's an ancient dialect, but these symbols—" She stopped, her finger tracing one glyph. "This isn't just a record. This looks like a map."
"Map?" Darius asked from the doorway. His voice carried the weight of the night's previous actions, a glint of uncertainty clouding his usually determined gaze. "Where does it lead?"
Selene's eyes flickered to him. "I don't know yet. But it's not just geographical. This map... It might be pointing toward something else. It could be pointing to what the Genesis Ark really is."
Yamato stepped forward, her kanabo resting lazily against her shoulder. "So, we've found the Ark. Big deal. The Government will come after us in full force once they realize what we have. They already know about the Ark."
Darius's expression hardened, his voice cutting through the air like a blade. "The Government doesn't know anything about it. Not truly. They're just chasing shadows. We'll turn the light on them."
Maria laughed softly, her smile dark and dangerous. "Always straight to the heart of it. I like that."
---
Cipher Pol Prepares
Back in the shadows of the Government's labyrinthine intelligence network, Cipher Pol went into full mobilization mode. CP-0, the most elite of the Cipher Pol agents, was already gathering intel on Darius's movements, and Rob Lucci, the former CP-9 member, had been sent to track him down.
Inside the cold, sterile halls of Mariejois, the Five Elders met once more, their plans shifting into high gear.
"This is more than just about retrieving the Genesis Ark," one of the Elders said, his hand stroking his chin. "We cannot allow Darius to pull apart the very foundation of the world. If he understands what the Ark is… it could end us all."
The cloaked figure spoke again, his voice barely a whisper. "The Ark contains the truth of the Void Century, but it also holds something far more dangerous: the birthright of the true rulers of the world."
Another Elder's eyes glinted with greed. "Then we must destroy it. We can't risk it falling into the hands of a son of Rocks."
"Not destroy," the cloaked figure corrected. "Control it. Harness its power."
The lead Elder nodded slowly. "Then we move. Send Lucci and a fleet. Secure the Ark at all costs."
---
Unlocking the Secrets
Onboard the Abyss Walker, the crew worked feverishly. The old relics, once dormant and locked away, now seemed to pulse with new life. The team pieced together what they could, but the closer they got to understanding the Genesis Ark, the more they realized just how far-reaching its influence was.
Selene hovered over a console, her fingers flying across the screen as encrypted data poured in.
"This can't be right…" she muttered, her eyes wide in disbelief. "The Ark is not just a weapon… It's a creation device."
"A creation device?" Maria echoed. "You mean it can make things?"
"No," Selene replied, "it's connected to the Void Century's lost civilization. It's… it's like a machine designed to reshape the world itself. It can manipulate the elements of life and time."
Yamato stepped closer, her gaze shifting between Darius and Selene. "This thing… it can make or break civilizations. It's a weapon."
Darius walked forward, his eyes hard. "It's more than a weapon. It's the key. And we're going to use it to unlock the truth about the Void Century."
Maria looked at him, her smile broadening. "Now I see why you're dangerous, Darius."
Darius turned toward the crew, his gaze burning with a fierce intensity. "This world is full of lies, built on the bones of forgotten truths. And we will bring those truths into the light. The Genesis Ark is our key. And with it, we will destroy the world they've built, and create a new one."
---
The World Moves
Far away, on the seas surrounding the island, the World Government's fleet had already begun to mobilize. CP-0 agents gathered intel. Their eyes were trained on the Abyss Walker.
Back on the ship, the crew braced for impact. They had what they needed—the truth of the Ark—and now, they had to face the storm that was coming.
"You're all ready for this?" Darius asked, his voice steady but full of the weight of what lay ahead.
"We were born ready," Yamato said, a fierce grin on her face.
"Let's give them a show," Maria said, her voice dark and sultry.
Selene nodded. "We'll make sure they know who's in charge now."
The Abyss Walker turned, heading straight into the heart of the storm—the storm the World Government had sent after them.