This fic was begun during the two year time skip, so I didn't know what had happened to the other Supernova's and so there's a little alteration or two been put in there to accommodate that. I don't deal with all the characters but I didn't want to write the end and the round up, just the battle. As a result, this is AU.

Summary: The final battle against the Blackbeard Pirates changed history, revealing the Second Pirate King. Side by side they fought: the Marines, the last Yonkou, the Revolutionaries and the Straw Hats but it was only at the end did the world truly understand and come to fear the Will of D.

Meanings:

Yonkou – the four Pirate Leaders to rule over the New World
Shichibukai – the Royal Pirates, a group of 7 Pirates sanctioned by the World Government and used to attempt to persuade people not to become pirates.

Thank you to Lynn D. Mariza and Snow Ryder for the excellent beta-ing job they have done.

Author: Jade Tatsu
Title: The Will of D

-o-n-e-p-i-e-c-e-

Have you ever watched a man die?

I don't mean a man cut down, or sickening from disease. I mean a perfectly healthy man fighting with every ounce of his will to live. A man whose fingers claw at his neck, whose throat you could see convulsing and whose chest was labouring, struggling to draw air into his lungs. A man whose heart you can almost hear, hammering, straining to beat and whose eyes are screaming, begging for mercy from the man killing him.

Except that there is none. Black eyes watch the man die with quiet detachment. The decision was made and the order given. I don't mean the order to kill; I mean the order to die. Three simple words and the will to back them up.

'Marshall Teach. Die.'

That's all it took.

In the instant after they were spoken, I think most assumed they were a threat, a promise, then as Teach's eyes widened, the realisation dawned. The words had been spoken quietly, not growled, not snarled, not whispered or shouted. They'd been said forcefully and the will behind them had been focused, as had his eyes, so that no one but Teach truly felt the will that was there.

It was terrible to behold and the raging battle silenced as the realisation of what was happening spread.

To kill a man is one thing.

To order him to die and to have such will that he obeys, despite his efforts and his will screaming its denial, that is quite another. That will is what makes a pirate the most feared man in the world.

After Teach had choked on his own breath, I don't think that man saw much of anything. He didn't see the remains of Teach's crew bend their knees, those who could anyway, he didn't see the visual den den mushi's that were tracking his every movement, relaying to the world the horror of the day. I know, however that he did see the body of the man he had worshipped for years, the man who had put him on his path and step by step he made his way to that man's side.

Red Haired Shanks was old enough to be called gramps, but had been still spry enough to be one of the most powerful men in the world. Teach had not been kind to him. Though perhaps, that was because of the fact that out of all of them, Shanks had been the one who was aware of Marshall's sick plans for the longest. Of the Yonkou the Blackbeard Pirate's had planned to take down, the Red Hair Pirates had stood defiant the longest, had fought the hardest and had pulled no punches. They'd been unofficially at war for years; two Yonkou manoeuvring for position, dancing around each other, the World Government and Marines with ease.

Until it ended.

Blackbeard launched his bid to become the Pirate King. It's almost ironic that his bid ended with the acknowledged crowning of the King.

It really started off at the end of the Whitebeard War. After one Yonkou fell, most would have expected it to be chaos on the seas, but it was remarkably calm. There was a bit of upheaval and redistribution of territory, Whitebeard was dead after all, but a new Yonkou rose very quickly to take his place, the hastily appointed and recently resigned Shichibukai, Blackbeard. Some expected the former Whitebeard Pirates to object, but they had other concerns. Marco had managed to keep them out of Impel Down by accepting a position as a Shichibukai, leaving the others roaming free. Most joined the Red Hair Pirates and some reformed their old crews. They were free, but each and every one of them would always go to the aid of another, should the call come and there be need.

For a couple of years after that war, there was relative peace. The new Fleet Admiral of the Marines established his control and agenda, the Gorosei seemed content with the world and the occasional assassination that they ordered in their chess game with the Revolutionaries. The battles for territory settled down. There were always a few conflicts going on, younger pirates challenging those established, those established fighting each other, but they were of no consequence. Even the return of the Straw Hat Pirates had only caused a brief stir of interest before things settled into almost tranquil times.

For anyone looking back, you could see hints of the events to come in that time. While there were no major battles for territory. Within the territory already claimed, battles were raging every day. The Blackbeard Pirates were not easy overlords. They had a goal and they were ruthless. Devil Fruit users were hunted down and assessed. Civilian, Marine, Pirate, Revolutionary, it didn't matter, all were hunted. The lucky ones were let go, dismissed as being too weak. The unfortunate ones were stripped of their powers, usually dying in the processes as their Devil Fruit power was forcibly extracted and combined with another to make one of the Blackbeard Pirates even stronger. And the unlucky ones were allowed to live, yet forced to help the abomination that was sweeping the seas. Blackbeard himself was content with his two Devil Fruits – the Dark Dark Fruit and Tremor Tremor Fruit. The others of his crew, once it was established that having more than one Devil Fruit power could be attained by anyone willing to pay the price, weren't so restrained. They wanted them all. Being a logia was a death sentence. Zoans were usually lucky, assuming the zoan type was not a predator, though Zoans were forced to serve, so perhaps death was preferable. Paramecia devil fruit holders' fates were mixed, some had their power ripped out immediately and others were forced to serve until one of Blackbeard's core crew found their power desirable.

Of course, it could not continue forever. Word got out. Devil Fruit users avoided Teach's territory at all cost and the Blackbeard Pirates' prey became scarce. Pasifista's picked off the weaker Pirates, but against Teach and his core crew, only PX-0 ever got away.

No one knew what to do; no one knew if anything could be done. It's generally agreed though, that the choice to do nothing is the weakest choice of all. But Teach had already struck out the other options before they were even attempted, futile though they might have turned out to be.

There was no warning; there was no declaration when the Blackbeard Pirates attacked. They simply struck out, targeting their peers. Big Mom had the most territory adjoining Blackbeard and her forces were struck first. They were already struggling due to a string of attacks from the Straw Hat Pirates and did not fare well. Charlotte Linlin herself, despite her reputation and prowess, did not even slow them down. Her eviscerated body was thrown to the sea.

At that point, everyone took note and tales of blood spread around the world like wild fire. The Gorosei ordered the Marines to deal with it. The Revolutionaries paused to consider. The two other Yonkou called in all their allies. Kaido was the next to fall after he rejected an offer of assistance from Shanks. He fought in the traditional way and as the Blackbeard Pirates attacked his territory, Kaido launched his counter attack back on Teach's original territory. It's unclear which the biggest slaughter was; the Blackbeard Pirates on Kaido's unprotected territory or Kaido's attacks on the Blackbeard Pirates' territory.

The ocean of the New World ran red with the blood of innocents and the predators grew fat and lazy.

Kaido expected Blackbeard to protect his territory. He never expected complete apathy. Teach cared nothing for territory. He cared only for power and his campaign was giving him that. Stretched thin and caught unaware Kaido's forces fell, their great strength meaningless before those who seemed inhuman.

The Blackbeard Pirates paused then. They had no choice. Both the Marines and the Red Haired Pirates had used the time Kaido's demise had bought them to reinforce their positions. It was never official but a temporary truce was in effect and Marines and those ships allied to Shanks sailed together or at least without firing upon the other. The Gorosei gave orders, but for the most part, they were ignored. This was beyond their power. This was beyond anything anyone had ever seen. Even the Revolutionaries were more helpful. They realised that despite their desire to overthrow the current powers, allowing Marshall Teach to rule as the Pirate King would only be replacing one tyrant with another. They sent fighters into the New World and agents to help evacuate refugees from the remains of the attacked islands. And for all that they were Revolutionaries, their actions gained them the thanks and legitimacy of many of the watching Sub Governments.

Through it all, the Straw Hat's kept sailing towards their goal, fighting when they were attacked, but generally uninterested in the bigger picture. The few islands they had claimed as territory, which they had liberated from Big Mom were of no interest to anyone, having wholly civilian and predominantly farming populations.

In the interval between battles, the Shichibukai shattered. They had never been the most cohesive force and their power lay predominantly within the individuals. They had been weakened in the past, but had survived because the Gorosei kept replacing members. While they could fight Blackbeard, they could not stop him and so when one defected and two openly threw their lot in with the only remaining force they considered honourable, the Shichibukai were finished.

Bartholomew Kuma never noticed. He had lost so much of himself that it was unlikely he remembered anything. Boa Hancock didn't particularly care either. The Kuja Pirates were one of the most well controlled crews but they were in the service of their nation. That didn't change. Trafalgar Law, had specific desires and he saw them accomplished. He was allied with the Straw Hats, though neither side were particularly loud with their announcement. The paper more than took care of that for them. Buggy ran. Most thought it was cowardice but since he was alive at the end of it all, perhaps it was merely good sense. Besides, the Clown had only ever been interested in treasure. Fighting for his life was done only out of necessity.

It is somewhat amusing to note, that Don Flamingo's first mission, on behalf of his new crew had led to his demise. He was sent to find the Straw Hat Pirates and bring them to Blackbeard. He found them, but none were inclined to listen and using force against the Straw Hats was akin to lighting a fuse of unknown length while standing at the bottom of a mine. Sure, you might run fast enough to escape the explosion, but the collapse would kill you. Don Flamingo was defeated as soundly as his former underlings, those of the Auction House and the Bellamy Pirates, had been. He had the sense of mind not to return to Teach, after all Blackbeard did not take failure lightly. Except by that stage Trafalgar had found him, and that was the end of Joker.

His demise changed nothing. It didn't even delay things for a day. Marshall Teach was set on his course and believed that by defeating the other Yonkou he could claim the title of Pirate King. It was Aokiji who summed it up best and had attempted to explain Teach's folly to him.

"Killing the Yonkou does not make you the King. That merely makes you the tyrant, and the true King will rise."

Shanks summarised it even more succinctly.

"You aren't fit to be the King."

Other men of note were killed. The Pirate King's former First Mate was assassinated and when Raleigh looked up at the stars as he died, he spoke the words which proclaimed his loyalty to the true King.

"I have seen the Crown, I have felt the Will and I know the King. Long live the King!"

To those who understood the words spoke of the man who had yet to claim his title, of a man who knew he was not yet ready for his destiny but travelled toward it with a passion. For Teach and his crew the messages made no sense. They were the blathering of men who remembered former greatness. The Blackbeards really should have listened, or at least asked for clarification. But that would show weakness and when the world was not to Teach's liking he tended to rework the world. That worked a lot of the time. No one denies his power, but when you use force, force eventually pushes back.

Such was it with the battle against the last of the Yonkou. The Blackbeard Pirates were the unstoppable force and Shanks and his allies were the immovable object. The Whitebeard War had been called the War of the Age. It wasn't, it was merely the Battle of the Beginning. This was the Battle of the End. The war had been fought in between and it had all been leading to this. It was the turning of the age, from the Age of Dreams, to the Reign of the Second Pirate King.

Once the battle was known to be unavoidable, Shanks had taken position and his allies had gathered. The Marines sent forces, over the Gorosei and their Fleet Admiral's stringent objections, but the more realistic of the Marines knew the battle had to be won then, or nothing would stop the Blackbeard Pirates. The Revolutionaries also sent forces, those who had been attempting to rescue civilians from the Blackbeard Pirates gathered at Red Hair's call. Every pirate in the New World knew the battle was coming and some ran screaming, others holed up in port, claiming it was not their battle. There was no name worth mentioning amongst those who would not fight. Those of honour, those of courage, they gathered with each side and prepared to fight.

While battle plans did not suit Pirates, Blackbeard was arrogant enough to believe that he could simply allow his allies to take out most of Red Hair's defences. What they learned that day was that you should never rely on those you consider dross. The slaughter was senseless and the water around the island ran red. The lower tiers fought with sword, bullet and cannon ball. Most would never be known, being those who merely signed on with whichever pirate crew took their fancy, but they knew that they had participated in the final battle and they fought with fiercely, because of that knowledge. The Commanders fought with sword, bullet and will. The power of the Devil Fruit users flashed across the field, giving advantage one way and then the other. And all the while Shanks and his men stood firm. They fought, but they did not engage in long battles. They usually appeared where they were the most needed, shoring up a line, driving back a foe, before they spun away, going to another part of the battle. Yet all who were present felt the force of the Red Haired Pirates' will. They knew he would not be defeated.

It is an unfortunate habit of men that they will often do what is easy, rather than what is right. Teach took advantage of this. His forces were swelled with those he considered garbage, yet even garbage could fire a gun, even garbage took a moment to defeat. There was no end to the forces the Blackbeard Pirates had called upon. Those islands they conquered had been conscripted and there were others who sought to serve in their fear of death. They should have gotten it in writing. Shanks and his allies were only too prepared to cut through the trash, though they were careful as they knew that the real battle had yet to come.

Eventually the Blackbeards had no choice but to fight for themselves. That was when Shanks, his crew and their more powerful allies took to the field. Teach and Shanks never actually came into direct conflict. You would think someone who had two of the most powerful Devil Fruits as his own would not hesitate to fight someone who had none, but Blackbeard was wary. Shanks may have been aging, he may have not ever had the power of a Devil Fruit to call upon, but he had years of experience, monstrous strength despite the loss of his arm. He had haki and was a master in its usage. Though the three scars over Shanks' eye had been caused by Teach in his youth, Blackbeard had not walked away from that battle unscathed. And he remembered, he remembered the near crushing defeat he'd suffered that day. He remembered the desperation that had lead him to make the move that had allowed him to escape. It was only because he had been a member of Whitebeard's Crew that he had survived. Red Hair had not cared enough to hunt him down.

No one will ever know if Shanks regretted his decision. That was not a consideration which was important. Once the Blackbeard Pirates themselves committed to the battle, all the Red Haired Pirates and their allies were busy fighting. At first the battles seemed even, Shanks' crew was experienced and they were specialists at what they did. His allies were also strong. They had fought equally against the Blackbeards for a while and in the area of their specialty, they won.

But the Blackbeards no longer specialised. They all possessed a multitude of abilities and after tasting defeat with their primary skill they were not inclined to show mercy. The tide of battle changed back towards them, but despite their efforts they could not catch the Red Haired Pirates in defeat. It became a battle of survival, of strategy and of making hits where you could, while avoiding further damage. The Blackbeard Pirates had been frustrated, but their jubilation had gradually grown. They knew they had won.

When the cavalry arrived, most didn't even realise the significance of the events. A single ship sailed into the midst of the battle, the eyes of its crew hard. Even its figurehead somehow looked disapproving. There was very little discussion amongst the crew as they disembarked from their ship speedily, threading their way through the battles with ease, before heading towards the struggling commanders.

In hindsight, perhaps their arrival was noticed because Teach had begun to push Shanks harder, took him further away from the battle and isolating them in the middle so that any assistance had to go through the entire gathered forces.

The first of the Blackbeard pirates to fall was Van Auger. Of all of them, the sniper had been the most selective with the Devil Fruit powers he had acquired. The power of flight and the eyes of a hawk, but the extra power did him no good as he was shot from the sky by another sniper. This was not to say that he was easily taken. However with Van Auger grounded, the occasional burst of air support that the other Blackbeard pirates had been receiving, when he had managed to shake off Yassop, was ended. Once grounded, Van Auger pulled his trusty rifle and there began a bout of shooting which had not been seen before or since then. It's always joked that a truly great sniper can shoot the bullets from the air, but in their hearts snipers knew that it could not be done. Each sniper in that battle was capable of that feat and proved it to the others many times. Still, it wasn't sniper skill that decided that battle. Van Auger made a mistake. Looking through his scope, targeting the bullets, he lost when both opponents moved forward, bringing the battle to him. Snipers are only snipers because they keep their distance and Van Auger's distance was destroyed.

Yassop didn't hesitate and a single shot, point blank between the eyes was the end of the Blackbeard sniper. Not even a logia devil fruit can save you from a sea-stone bullet.

That started a small collapse of the Blackbeard Pirates, not that anyone would say that in the future, since they did not go down easily. What was most telling was that the Blackbeards were still defending their Captain. In most battles, the path to the Captain is open, it takes a dedicated crew to make sure that you have to fight through them to get to the Captain as most Captains want to fight. Most Captains take out the head and while Teach was fighting Shanks, the rest of his crew were making sure that no one else could reach them, no one else could help either combatant.

It's wrong to say that only the weakest went down but that's what it seemed like. In reality, all it meant was that those who were the heavy hitters took longer in their battles. Those who fought with skill were quick, even when their skills were equal, the battles tend to be faster simply because one usually tricked another.

Laffiette had cornered Benn Beckman and had discovered why the man was considered the smartest from East Blue. The tall Blackbeard Pirate from West Blue considered himself to be intelligent but for all his skill and all his wit, he had yet to score a hit on the older pirate. Well...not a definitive one. Shank's first mate was trapped in the space Laffiette allowed him but he was still spry and capable of attacking, though he had not once fired his rifle.

The Blackbeard Pirates Navigator did ask about that and had only received a smile as his reply. A quiet soft smile that spoke volumes, but Laffiette had not pushed his query. The man would be dead soon, so what did it matter?

It mattered, though Laffiette didn't know that until his wings were sliced through by a gust of hard wind and his body plummeted to the ground, driven there by crackling lightning.

He looked around and saw for the first time a woman as she seemed to step out of a mirage, a black staff whistling through her hands.

"The weather warning is for biting winds," the red haired woman said and as Laffiette got back up he vaguely recognised her as one of the Straw Hat Pirates.

They exchanged a few blows, enough for the Blackbeard Pirate to know he was more skilled, though she was no slouch and with that odd staff of hers, he was fully prepared to give up playing. But just as he was about to take her down, a new voice intruded.

"Forgetting someone?"

And the booming noise of a riffle was heard.

The last thing Laffiette saw was the wisps of smoke coming from the muzzle of Beckman's riffle and the gentle smile on his face. And as the Blackbeard Pirate lay, his hands having fallen from clawing at where his throat used to be, his blood sluggishly ebbing to the ground below him he heard the whispered words:

"Only idiots die by this gun."

The Blackbeards lost their navigator and Doctor at the same time. Doc Q had been fighting one of the lesser known Red Hair Pirates but had found that despite the lack of fame, the man was as resilient as his crew mates. He was though a somewhat stock standard fighter, engaging the Blackbeard pirate with his fists and the sickly man had suffered some damage. But Doc Q always looked on the verge of death and it had not graced him with a visit yet. Only he knew why and he did not share the information. All others who knew had died for their knowledge.

It was simple really. Life force is life force and that's what the Blackbeard's Doctor used. He took the life force of others to sustain his own. Sometimes life force is passed, willingly, from one to another; to give comfort, strength, to show love, devotion and in those cases the given force strengthens and embraces its new host. When it is ripped from one unwillingly, it screams, it rages, it hates the new host and thus the host is sick. But life force is life force, it cannot kill and so it reluctantly sustains. Doc Q had never had life force willingly given to him. He had taken it all, and thus it fought him, and though he looked near death, he was far from it.

The Red Hair Pirate did not know Doc Q's secret, the Straw Hat Pirate Healer didn't either but he was in a far better position to determine it. And determine it he did.

Most saw Chopper as the pet of the Straw Hat Pirates. Anyone with any sense knew he had to be more, but most never bothered to look deeper. The Straw Hats themselves often saw their doctor as a fluffy person who was gentle and strong. Someone who could wrap a full length arm bandage in 1.5 seconds flat and who could miraculously keep Zoro and Luffy contained while the worst of their wounds were healing. They forgot that he had been trained by one of the best doctors in the world, one of the toughest and one of the most knowledgeable. The Doctors of Drum Island were always known for their skill, but they had also been known for being in the employ of the corrupt king, Wapol during Chopper's training days. Consequently, Kureha had spent more than a bit of time drilling her young protégé in the various ways that doctors could cheat their patients. She never expected him to come across one who could steal life force, but she had covered the possibility.

And so Chopper had recognised what the Blackbeard's Doctor was doing. However, recognising it was not the same as stopping it, but it did give him enough of an advantage that he was not manoeuvred into a position where his own, not inconsiderable, life force was stolen.

Doc Q had laughed when he realised that the little reindeer before him recognised his ability. He cursed the name Kureha, spitting upon the memory of a young woman he had met many years ago. A woman, he had been infatuated with, one he had shared his secrets with. A woman who lacked the courage to take the strength that was before her, yet still lived.

It was the last mistake he ever made. Wapol had disregarded the strength of the pirate flag, the promise it represented, the blood that had been given to it and the life it embraced. And like the King of Drum Island whom had suffered for his arrogance, Doc Q suffered for his now. It's almost ironic what killed him. The power to heal for the doctor of the Blackbeard Pirates was also the power to kill and as the medicines screamed through his system, Doc Q's shrieked his pain to the world, his body burning from within before it fell into nothing.

Chopper looked on with wide eyes and collapsed, but the Red Haired Pirate recognised his saviour and caught him. And the Blackbeards were down another fighter, even if it was a fighter who was meant to heal.

While the battles raged around them, the other Blackbeards were encountering the Straw Hats and they were beginning to realise that they should not have ignored them for so long. How would the world be if Teach had gone after Luffy instead of Ace all those years ago? But what might have been didn't matter now.

The dross were still fighting. Their howls and screams and cries of pain echoing over the battle field. The Revolutionaries stood side by side with Marines and Pirates alike. And while the Commanders of the Marines, the World Government and the Revolutionaries were not present, they knew this battle would change the world...had already changed the world.

Elsewhere everyone fought and it was shown that in some cases, the Straw Hats were just as vicious as any other pirate crew. Robin fought Catarina Devon and the two women almost spat and hissed at each other. Reputation preceded them, though Catarina's had been buried when she had been imprisoned in Impel Down's Sixth Level. Robin was a woman who knew the past, she knew what crimes had been committed. For all that she was called a Demon Child, she was a saint compared to Devon. Even the Gorosei would admit that.

They fought a vicious battle and after losing two crewmates to the Red Haired Pirates, one might have thought that the Blackbeards would take more notice of their enemies. Though apparently it was not so, for Catarina fell in much the same way as Laffiette. Though this time, it was a sword through the back, delivered by Mushibana. Every Pirate had at least two weapons, a cutlass and a gun, though for those with Devil Fruits, these simple weapons were sometimes seen as crude. But they were the most basic of a pirate's arsenal and had proven many times that despite their seemingly simpleness, they were no less deadly. The Red Haired Pirates were prepared. Their bullets and cutlasses had been sharpened with seastone. And though the edge was not quite as sharp as one ground from whet stone might have been, the effect was much more important.

And it appeared, the Blackbeards had forgotten the effects of seastone on those with Devil Fruits. They battled on land, but the sea rose against them. Though to be fair, much of the Red Haired Pirate's strategy was based on the effects of seastone. They knew their enemies and that the Blackbeards had spent an inordinate amount of time collecting Devil Fruits, but had not spent much time in attempting to minimise the one great weakness of a Devil Fruit user. The Blackbeards had also downplayed the effects of teamwork, for while the Red Hair Pirates and the Straw Hat Pirates had never worked together before, they fell into the motions of a honed team with relative ease.

Franky worked with Lucky Roo as if they had been born together and the two of them made quick work of Jesus Burgess, strapping him down with nets of sea stone, curtsey of the Marines. Brooke and Rockstar seemed to be constantly competing with one another and during the course of their competition, they took out many of the small fry pirates. Vasco Shot never knew what hit him when two walls of sound, one icy and the other burning hot came at him. No matter how many Devil Fruits he possessed, he was knocked cold with his ears ringing and his soul torn asunder.

In the air above the island, another battle waged. Once Van Augur was gone, the air was relatively clear save for many stray bullets. But, those bullets didn't bother those who danced in the air. Black Leg Sanji fought there, dodging in the air as if he had wings, though his opponent proved to be equally as nimble. Avalo Pizzaro fought and the two of them were scarcely seen, for the speed they were fighting at was incomprehensible to many. Most of the Pirate Commanders present could have followed that battle, but they were too engaged in their own to have the time to gawk. The former Shichibukai, Marco the Phoenix flew there as well, helping the Straw Hat Pirate as they worked together. After the war at Marineford, Marco had taken the position to protect the remaining Whitebeards. Some of his comrades had been killed by the Blackbeards, but he was proud that none of his brothers and sisters had joined them. They still wore Whitebeard's mark and carried his pride in their hearts as they had gone down fighting, but he would avenge them.

Fire spread across the sky in sheets, blazing blue, red and yellow as they fought. But Marco was not to be denied and he was fuelled by the souls of those Whitebeard Pirates that had been killed by Blackbeards. Some say a phoenix is a merciful being because it dies and then re-embraces life so it can see rebirth and the light in everyone. The phoenix that day possessed no mercy. There was to be no rebirth, just death and the almost black fire burning in Marco's eyes was the proof of that. It finished with what seemed like a fluke move and neither Sanji nor Marco had ever confirmed otherwise, but it did not matter. A series of devastating kicks from Sanji had Avalo dodging and the Blackbeard pirate was so consumed that he had missed the phoenix moving into position. A burst of flame taught him a harsh lesson and he had screamed when the fire of Marco's powers had burned him. That wouldn't usually have been enough to kill him, but Avalo had been careless and had allowed Sanji to rise above him. No cook is afraid of fire and with a single kick, the Florentine Shoot, he had propelled Avalo like a meteor diving into the waves. The splash was spectacular. The burning blue flames trailed in the air and the spray of water droplets fell like tiny diamonds with rainbows arching between them. It was beautiful.

The water was a curse and Avalo, like all devil fruit users, could not swim. He had struggled to remain afloat, but all that did was to allow the water to cool his burns and the fire that remained to re-establish itself. There were long minutes of screaming before he gave up and finally sunk beneath the waves. Someone from the Blackbeards might have moved to save him, but the dross were all too busy fighting for their own lives and the other officers were either dead or still fighting. They had never cared for each other, so there was little chance that his presence was missed.

Not all of the Shichibukai were fairing as well. Mihawk had been a Shichibukai for what seemed like forever and hardly any remembered his career as a pirate. It was even said that he had maintained his position through other means. No one remembered or feared him as a pirate, but they more than feared him for his skill. A single stroke of his sword could take out a Galleon. It was not a devil fruit power, it was simply skill. And that was what many feared.

When power comes from a devil fruit it can be shrugged off. Not the effects, no they were always feared, but the actual power. Devil Fruits were not something that could be copied and if people were honest, the using of a devil fruit was almost the easy way to power. That's why so many cocky pirates died. Only those who were prepared to fight, those who were prepared to be strong without their fruit were those we considered great. But those individuals who had the skill and the will to be great without a devil fruit? They were truly respected.

Mihawk was respected and known to the world as the best swordsman. Shiliew of the Rain was fighting him. The former Warden of Impel Down wanted that title for himself and he was not unskilled. Like all Blackbeard pirates, he lacked humility, compassion and basic human decency, but he did not lack skill. Most pirates were rather selfish, but few were as selfish as the Blackbeards. It was therefore a moment of levity in the entire fiasco that was the Blackbeard War when Mihawk laughed at Shiliew of the Rain. The former Warden wanted to claim the title of the 'World's Strongest Swordsman' and his anger was terrible when Mihawk admitted to already losing it.

"Now I will be the strongest!"

"You are too late." Mihawk's voice was quiet but it held an inner strength that few could match.

"What?" Disbelief rang heavy in his words.

"I've already lost that title."

"Yet you are still alive!" Shiliew stuttered, almost incoherently.

"The challenger was skilled enough to let me live." Mihawk shrugged. It was only then that the wind blew open his shirt to reveal the criss-cross of scars on his chest. They ran down the length of his torso and as Mihawk reached up to pull his jacket close again, his hand fell back and he gestured, indicating that they went all the way down. The scars had not slowed him down. He may no longer be the strongest, but he still remembered his pride.

"Don't pretend that you have the skill to do the same. He holds the title now."

"Who?"

"The First Mate to the man who will be the Pirate King."

Mihawk stood calmly, his sword, the great Black Sword Yoru re-sheathed across his back as Shiliew raised his weapon.

"Who's that?" The Blackbeard pirate asked, swinging his blade through in a vicious downward arc.

Steel met steel in a resounding note.

"That would be me."

What followed then was a display of sword virtuosity that few had ever seen before and that most didn't see. The power and speed displayed by Zoro and Shiliew were far beyond what most could detect, but it became apparent as three katanas danced against one that Zoro was more skilled. But that is not to say that he did not take wounds, Shiliew had managed to cut him, but was cut in return and the uniform of the warden became soaked with his own blood. The two of them didn't dance in the air, instead they ran around the battle field, almost ignoring the rest of the combatants. Though as time went on and their swords continued to ring against the other, Shiliew became more desperate. Zoro kept moving evenly, his speed remained unchanged and his skill was unparalleled. Mihawk watched, a slight smile on his face as the battle progressed to its inevitable end.

Wado Ichimonji, not known for being the most violent of swords, drew a thin red line across Shiliew's neck but that sword did so in defence of its master. Shusui pierced through Shiliew's hand, causing him to drop the blade that had served him and Sandai Kitetsu drank deep. It was not as forgiving as Wado Ichimonji and only one price could ever be paid to it. Sandai Kitetsu is an aggressive sword and it does not forgive or forget. It's said that it is cursed and it might be, but it is also capable of choosing its own master and once it did, it was vicious in their defence. Roronoa Zoro had impressed Sandai Kitetsu when they had first encountered each other and he had bet his luck against its curse. In the intervening years, he had earned the sword's respect and it named him master while acting in Zoro's defence.

This was not a feature often seen in such a blade. Zoro was a truly great sword master proven again by the fact that he could restrain the bloodlust of his blade, but this time he let it run free and one of the last Blackbeards fell.

They didn't all fall. Some were skilled enough at running that their battles were not concluded when their leader fell and when that happened, they knelt because that was the only way they could live.

Their leader was fighting Shanks. The Captain of the Red-Haired Pirates was old but still spry and of all the Yonkou, he had best understood the danger Teach represented. Historians could only wonder what might have happened if Whitebeard had taken Shanks' advice and called back Portgas D. Ace. It's one of those questions you ask on rainy days when you wile away the time, but it's also one of those pointless questions which should be left alone. Some things would have changed, but others would have remained the same. Blackbeard was set on his path and even then, he had had decades to plan.

His fight with Shanks was vicious. The two of them had history before this and neither backed down. The unstoppable force versus the immovable object. Teach succumbed to the habit that most of those with delusions of grandeur suffered from. He would not shut up. But Blackbeard had the strength to back up his delusions so perhaps his pronouncements were forgivable. Still Shanks wasn't interested, but he still replied to the statements that were patently false, a habit Teach found frustrating. But if he'd paid attention, if he'd listened to the Red-Haired's words, he would have learned so much.

"And when I kill you, I will be the Pirate King."

Surprisingly Red Hair laughed.

"You will never be the Pirate King, Teach," he declared in a voice like iron that reverberated over the battle.

"Ha, that's what you think!"

"That's what I know! Did you ever wonder why I have never made claim on the title Teach? I have all the qualifications and I have been to Raftel and can get there again but I have never once named myself the Pirate King, never once laid claim to a title I know is not mine."

"That's your weakness."

"No."

Shank's voice was soft, but still powerful.

"In my hands lies a different power, a power that was given to me by Gol D. Roger. He gave me the Crown and he bade me to crown the next King."

"Then you will crown me."

Red Hair laughed again, scorn evident.

"I've already crowned the King. Seventeen years ago, I looked into his eyes and I knew that he was the one. I told Whitebeard I bet my arm on the future, but I gave it in the service of the King. Raleigh knew who I crowned. Buggy knows. Even Whitebeard knew! They all saw the crown and they all respect that. You've seen the crown, you've seen the man, but you have no respect and you have no claim on that title. The world might call you the Pirate King but you will know in your heart that you can never be."

Teach roared at the pronouncement, the sound animalistic and desperate as he rushed towards Shanks. All finesse was forgotten. Blackbeard was a large man and while some of his mass was comprised of fat, he carried himself well enough that it made no difference. He was not the strongest nor was he the fastest, but he had both qualities in abundance and he utilised them well. While Blackbeard was not averse to violence, much of his success had come from planning or from having others fight his battles. He was enraged and anger fuelled his ability. The entire island quaked and the sky overhead blackened. He didn't take Shanks by surprise. The red-haired pirate saw him coming. What took Shanks by surprise was the way Teach had shrugged off his attacks.

Seastone bullets lodged in his flesh but Blackbeard did not falter. Shank's sword lashed out, biting deep, but Teach ignored the gashes in his arms. Shanks retreated, but Blackbeard was relentless and he thrust his hands forward slamming into the red-haired pirate at full force.

There was nothing that Shanks could do. When Teach hit him, his hands were covered in his devil fruit power and that power had flowed through Shank's aged body. Tremors raged through his guts while darkness spewed from his mouth. Blood followed, splashing thickly on the ground as Shanks convulsed. His sword dropped from his hand as he fell and Teach laughed.

"I will be King!"

"You will be nothing," Shank's gasped as he fell to his knees.

Teach wasn't satisfied and slammed his fist down, smashing Shanks into the ground.

It happened in a moment. The crash between the Yonkou had drawn the attention of all. Most of the Blackbeard pirates had fallen, but their leader was victorious. The dross sent up a cheer, but it was short lived as a wave of haki passed over the island.

For some it was a familiar feeling, but the embedded rage was not. Some of the marines recognised it, as did Whitebeard's former crew. They had felt it before, at Marineford, but the feeling of this haki eclipsed what they had previously known. Those who fought for Blackbeard shivered, most collapsed. Those who didn't, heard the footfalls of one man as he walked towards Teach.

Blackbeard heard them as well. He turned with a laugh.

"Straw Hat!" He greeted the other pirate captain. "Come to bow?"

The question hung over the battlefield. Black eyes bore into black and the silence spread outwards. Their glare was broken when Luffy slowly reached up, pulling his Straw Hat from where it hung at the back of his neck and set it on his black hair.

Shanks laughed but it was more of a choked gurgle that brought Teach's attention. Blackbeard's foot lashed out catching the aged pirate in his chest. A fresh wave of blood spewed forth and the force of haki spread on the island increased. Teach didn't appear to notice, but everyone else did. The visual den den mushis' focused on the two Captains and those with sharp eyes could see the way Luffy trembled.

"Marshall Teach," the words were ground through gritted teeth. Those who were sensitive shivered. The feel of haki on the island became cold.

"Die."

The word was simple but the entire island heard. The world heard.

Teach laughed, short and sharp, but then he felt it and his eyes widened slightly. Luffy continued to watch him, black eyes unblinking. The change in the last standing Yonkou was both impossibly fast, yet terribly slow. Arrogance slid away as his throat worked. His eyes widened further and his hands raised, going to his neck and rubbing at his flesh. Blackbeard shook, almost as if he was attempting to regurgitate something and the motion of his hands became more frenzied. One gripped at his chest, over his heart, while the other closed around his throat. The small noises he made seemed impossibly loud in the silence.

He fell to his knees as his eyes bulged and still Luffy did not move, did not blink and did not look away. By then the island knew that something was wrong. The oppressive feel of haki had not diminished, but those sensitive and were closest, began to have an inkling of what was happening. Shanks knew because he'd seen it before. On an island, far from the conflict, watching through a visual den den mushi, Buggy the Clown knew for the same reason and he bit his lip so hard that it bled with the knowledge of what he was seeing. Garp knew and in Foosha Village he broke down crying, knowing what this would bring.

If he could have, Teach would have been screaming. As it was, he was scrambling on the ground, the motion becoming weaker with every passing moment. The world changed in those minutes. The world changed forever. Blackbeard's haki was almost a tangible thing around him. It screamed where its owner could not. It struggled, lashing out at everything, but to no avail. It begged and cried and howled. Nothing moved Monkey D. Luffy as he stood watching.

To kill a man is one thing.

To order him to die and to have such will that he obeys, despite his efforts otherwise, despite his will screaming its denial, that is quite another.

That is what the world saw.

Teach died, strangled by his own body, before the end his reflexes slammed his feet into the ground and his eyes bulged. The sharp smell of blood pervaded the area as his fingers gouged into his neck. The wounds were resulted from a desperate attempt to breath, but nothing came of them and finally his body shuddered one last time and stilled. The silence that fell then was oppressive and everyone seemed to hold their breath, their eyes focusing on one man.

Monkey D. Luffy regarded Teach for several moments after he stilled. His black eyes were covered by the shadow of his Straw Hat and only those closest could see the way they glittered. Everyone else could see the grim set of his features. His expression did not change. Finally he looked away to Shanks and in that motion was his complete dismissal of Teach's body. The oppressive feel of haki lessened but it did not vanish.

The Captain of the Red-Haired Pirates was still alive. Barely. It was clear to all that he was dying. Beneath the blood he smiled, the expression most clear in his brown eyes. Luffy took quick steps towards him going to his knees beside the stricken man. Black eyes, which had recently been so cold, now screamed pain and those watching could see how Luffy struggled to speak. There was nothing that could be said, nothing in the time that Shanks had left.

Shanks grimaced as a shudder passed through his body. His throat worked and his eyes locked with Luffy's.

"Long…" the word was wet with his blood. "Long live the King," Shanks whispered before his chest stilled and the light in his eyes faded.

For a moment no one moved and then the blanket of haki that had been coating the island disappeared. It was replaced with a new wave and those with any loyalty to Blackbeard collapsed. It didn't matter how strong they were, or how far they had been, if they were involved in the fighting, they fell. Luffy rose and his crew moved, all of them approaching quietly to stand with him. Those that remained of Shank's crew moved as well. They had heard their Captain, they knew who the man still standing was and they knew the pronouncement had been seen throughout the world. No matter what the Fleet Admiral of the Marines wanted, no matter the desires of the Gorosei or the Rebels, the title had been bestowed publically while the world watched. It could not be retracted.

"Long live the King," Benn Beckmann repeated his Captain's words.

He'd seen his Captain crown the King, all those years ago but it had only been later when he'd realised exactly what had happened. It was only now, he knew the cost of what it meant.

Luffy nodded, his face grim. He turned, glancing once more at Shanks' body and walked away. His crew followed, most saluting the body of the last Yonkou. A path cleared for them. No one wanted to face a man who could kill with a word but no one was sure what had just happened. Those who remembered Roger's reign had slowly dwindled in numbers over the years. The Straw Hat Pirates withdrew to their ship without fanfare and when the sail dropped, displaying for the watching world the jolly roger of the Pirate King, all the pirates lowered their heads.

After that, it was simply a matter of clean up. By informal consent the gathered Marines and Rebels separated and the other Pirates withdrew. The surviving Blackbeard Pirates were rounded up by the Marines. The island had been the stronghold of the Red-Haired Pirates but they took the body of their Captain and left. It would be several months before they were seen again. It may seem strange that it ended like that, with the Pirate King leaving but laws and consequences were not part of his rule. They were the role of the government, a role he had no part in.

But the world had seen. The world now knew. And no matter how much anyone wanted to hide, they now knew the Will of Death.

-o-n-e-p-i-e-c-e-

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