Chat Group For The Dead : Start From One Piece

At the experimental base on Punk Hazard, Lucas was active in the chat group.

Senju Tobirama frowned in confusion.

Senju Tobirama: "Didn't you already place the Flying Thunder God mark on Kaido of the Beasts? Sending a clone over there feels like a waste of time."

As long as someone triggered the mark, Lucas could instantly teleport to Kaido's location. Tobirama couldn't understand why Lucas needed to send clones at all.

Lucas explained calmly,

Lucas: "The mark only ensures that Kaido won't be rescued, but it doesn't guarantee that the whole situation won't spiral out of control. What if those idiot sons of Whitebeard get wiped out?"

Whitebeard immediately bristled.

Whitebeard: "Don't underestimate them. They're strong."

Lucas : "Sure, they've got strength, but their character flaws are glaring. Do you remember what happened during the Summit War?"

Whitebeard grunted. "What about it?"

Lucas : "Phoenix Marco was holding off Admiral Kizaru, and Diamond Jozu was handling Admiral Aokiji. They were doing fine until you got injured. The moment that happened, they got distracted. Marco took a hit, while Jozu lost an arm and got chained up with seastone."

Golden Lion Shiki burst out laughing.

Golden Lion Shiki: "No way! They got distracted while fighting Marine Admirals? Who do they think they are?"

Pirate King Roger chuckled,

Pirate King Roger: "That's not just reckless—it's downright foolish. You don't take your eyes off opponents stronger than you. That's not courage; that's stupidity."

Whitebeard huffed,

Whitebeard: "What do you know? It's called family. We look out for each other."

Lucas : "Yeah, the Whitebeard Pirates have a strong bond. But sometimes, that bond can be their undoing."

In favorable situations, the Whitebeard Pirates could rally together and unleash incredible power. But when things turned against them, their concern for each other became a liability, causing hesitation and mistakes that weakened them in battle.

Outside the Chat

Buru Buru Buru!

The Den Den Mushi's voice buzzed again, this time connecting to Black Arm Zephyr.

As soon as the call connected, Zephyr's angry voice blared through. "The Big Mom Pirates' fleet has entered our waters and attacked one of our islands. On top of that, there are a bunch of unidentified forces looting and causing chaos in our territory!"

Lucas's face remained calm, his voice steady. "That's not surprising. I took Fish-Man Island, and the Big Mom Pirates were bound to see us as enemies."

Fish-Man Island had once flown the pirate flag of the Big Mom Pirates, effectively making it part of their territory. Lucas had taken it without even notifying Big Mom, which was a blatant insult. While she hadn't retaliated immediately, it was clear she hadn't forgotten the slight.

Lucas chuckled. "Looks like the Big Mom Pirates saw an opening and decided to take revenge."

Black Arm Zephyr growled in frustration. "Is this really the time to be cracking jokes? Get back here and help! With my old bones and these busted-up hands, I can't hold them off forever. And these unknown forces… they've got their eyes on me too."

Zephyr was old, and his body carried numerous battle scars and hidden injuries. While he was confident he could hold his own against a Marine Admiral or even a Pirate Emperor for a while, his stamina would run out eventually. His condition was a bit better than Whitebeard's during the Summit War, but unlike Whitebeard, he lacked the sheer overwhelming power to fend off multiple intruders at once.

What made things worse was the nature of the unidentified forces. They weren't there to fight; they were there to pillage, destroy, and sow chaos. The moment they saw Zephyr, they scattered, making it impossible for him to engage them effectively.

Zephyr felt helpless, but he knew Lucas wasn't someone who'd leave a situation like this unchecked.

Lucas chuckled lightly. "Relax. I'll send someone to help."

Zephyr was confused. "Send someone? Who?"

Lucas's forces were mainly composed of two groups: Zephyr's Neo Marine and the remnants of the Whitebeard Pirates. But with the Whitebeard Pirates busy fighting the Beasts Pirates in Wano, there was no way they could provide support.

Zephyr's eyes narrowed. 'Does Lucas have another ace up his sleeve?'

Fish-Man Island

Deep within the Whitebeard Pirates' territory, on Fish-Man Island, Shirahoshi was playing joyfully in a massive swimming pool.

Suddenly, a figure materialized right in front of her.

"Ahhh!"

Shirahoshi let out a startled scream, splashing water everywhere.

"What's wrong, Shirahoshi?!"

From a distance, King Neptune heard her scream and rushed over, his trident at the ready. 'Who dares scare my precious daughter?'

But when he arrived, he froze in confusion. There, hovering casually in front of Shirahoshi, was Lucas.

King Neptune blinked. "Lord Lucas? What… what are you doing here?"

Just moments ago, Black Arm Zephyr had called him, saying Lucas was stationed on an island in the front section of the New World. How could he be here so quickly?

Lucas answered nonchalantly, "To prevent anyone from targeting Shirahoshi or trying to abduct her, I left a mark on her. I can teleport here anytime."

King Neptune's eyes widened in shock, his expression shifting from confusion to concern. "Then… you appeared here because someone tried to hurt Shirahoshi?"

Lucas shook his head. "No, no one's targeting Shirahoshi. I just needed to use the mark to return to my territory quickly."

King Neptune relaxed slightly but still looked troubled. "Is it because of the Big Mom Pirates and those unidentified forces? Zephyr called me earlier. Jinbei has already set out with the Fish-Man Pirates, and I'm gathering our army to assist."

Black Arm Zephyr's forces weren't enough, so he'd reached out to King Neptune, requesting reinforcements from Fish-Man Island. The Mermen were naturally strong and could survive underwater, making them ideal for naval battles.

King Neptune had originally agreed to Black Arm Zephyr's request to send reinforcements. But now, with Lucas—who held a higher rank than Zephyr—standing before him, he felt obligated to explain his actions.

Lucas, however, simply waved his hand dismissively. "You don't have to go. Leave it to me."

King Neptune and the soldiers of Fish-Man Island possessed formidable combat abilities. Under normal circumstances, they could hold their own against most threats. But now that Lucas had returned, there was no need for them to exert themselves unnecessarily.

With a mere thought, Lucas summoned a hundred Shadow Clones. In an instant, the sky above was filled with dense, identical figures. Both King Neptune and Shirahoshi stared in astonishment, their eyes wide as they tried to comprehend what they were witnessing.

"Go!" Lucas commanded, his voice echoing across the island. "Find those invading bastards and wipe them out. If you can't handle it, lead me to them—I'll deal with it myself."

The Shadow Clones scattered in all directions, disappearing into the horizon like a swarm of locusts. As they soared through the skies, they spread out their Observation Haki, scanning for any signs of the intruders who had dared to invade Whitebeard Pirates' territory. Once located, they would strike with ruthless precision.

Having fully absorbed the biological knowledge from Punk Hazard's research base, Lucas had pushed the limits of his abilities. Now, he could create hundreds of Shadow Clones, each capable of acting independently and executing his commands with deadly efficiency.

While the Shadow Clones possessed all of Lucas's skills, their strength didn't quite match that of his main body. But that was to be expected—if his clones were as powerful as he was, the very idea would be terrifying.

Standing off to the side, King Neptune watched in awe, his curiosity getting the better of him. "Lord Lucas, is this… is this a new ability of yours? I've never heard of a Devil Fruit that allows someone to create so many avatars."

King Neptune's mind raced. 'Is there some kind of Clone-Clone Fruit I've never heard of?' In all his years, he'd never encountered or even heard of a Devil Fruit with this kind of cloning power.

Lucas chuckled, his eyes gleaming with amusement. "It's normal you've never heard of this ability. It's not something you'd understand."

Without offering further explanation, Lucas waved Neptune off, signaling that he had more important things to attend to. He hadn't seen Shirahoshi in quite some time, and now that the immediate threat was being handled, he wanted to catch up with her.

King Neptune quietly withdrew, though his heart was heavy with worry. The external threat might have been neutralized, but Lucas himself was becoming an internal concern. The way Lucas hovered around Shirahoshi made Neptune uneasy, like he was slowly losing his daughter without even realizing it.

The mere thought of Lucas being able to appear at Shirahoshi's side at any moment sent a chill down Neptune's spine. 'Right now, Shirahoshi's still a mermaid with a tail, so it's not a big deal. But what about when she can transform into a human? What then?'

The idea of a man being able to pop in and out of his daughter's life without warning was unsettling. 'What man would be okay with his wife having someone like that hanging around? Ugh, I'm thinking too much!'

King Neptune sighed deeply, resignation settling over him. From the way Lucas looked at Shirahoshi, it was clear—no other man stood a chance.

The Edge of Whitebeard Pirates' Territory

At the farthest edge of the Whitebeard Pirates' sphere of influence, a pirate ship with no flag was anchored near an island. One by one, pirates armed with swords and guns disembarked, their faces twisted with excitement as they stormed the island under Whitebeard's protection.

Onboard the pirate ship, a burly man stood at the bow, his palms unconsciously morphing into sharp blades as he flexed them. This was Daz Bonez, also known as Agent No. 1, a loyal subordinate of Crocodile and former officer of Baroque Works.

During the Summit War, Daz had escaped alongside Crocodile, fighting by his side in the chaos. Now, the two were carving out their own path in the New World.

Beside Daz stood a figure shrouded in a hood, a cigar clenched between his teeth. The smoke curled around his face, partially revealing the unmistakable scarred features of Crocodile, the former Seven Warlords of the Sea.

Daz glanced nervously at his boss. "President… are you sure this is a good idea? If we do this, won't we risk Lucas coming after us? The Whitebeard Pirates are under his command now."

Crocodile let out a slow, deliberate laugh, his signature cadence echoing across the deck. "Kuahahahaha…" He took a long drag from his cigar, exhaling a cloud of smoke before answering casually, "Let the people talk, Daz. You think Lucas will dare come after me? There are too many forces involved in this assault on the Whitebeard Pirates. He can't go after everyone."

Crocodile's confidence radiated off him. He wasn't just a brute force fighter—he was a strategist, a manipulator. In his mind, this was all part of the grand game.

"I, Crocodile, am one of the few masterminds in the pirate world!" he declared, his grin widening as he watched his men ravage the island below.

Daz, still uneasy, nodded reluctantly. He'd seen Crocodile's cunning firsthand, and while he trusted his boss's instincts, the thought of crossing Lucas sent a shiver down his spine. Lucas wasn't like other pirates. He was unpredictable—and that made him dangerous.

But Crocodile was betting on something bigger. He knew that in the chaos of so many factions attacking at once, Lucas wouldn't be able to single him out. The plan was to strike fast, cause enough damage to shake Whitebeard's territory, and then vanish before Lucas could retaliate.

What Crocodile didn't account for, however, was just how quickly Lucas could adapt.

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