Chapter 1 - CHAPTER 1 DAY OF UNFORTUNATE DAY

The Exiles of Abyss had established a camp on a rocky, isolated island. They had just annihilated a small Marine reconnaissance unit that had attempted an early landing. The remains of the battle were still smoldering.Skarn, standing amid the carcasses, watched the blackened sand.But as he turned on his heels, a scream rose from the heights."Captain! The Marines! A whole fleet!"The lookout tumbled down the slope, terrified. Skarn turned to him, eyes narrowed."When did you see them?""They… they're already too close, Captain! I didn't have time… if I had stayed up there, I would have been shot!"Skarn's face hardened. In the distance behind him, the white silhouettes of the Marine ships were already moving toward the coast. Far too close for a late warning to make any sense.Then a terrible smell filled the air. Smoke. Far too much smoke.Skarn turned and saw the unthinkable: his ship, the Abyssfall, black symbol of his crew, was already in flames. The Marines had landed on another flank of the island and set it on fire before Skarn could even arrive.A cold, almost silent rage swept over the captain."You're drunk at your post," Skarn murmured to the lookout."Captain, I… I tried to warn—"The Armament Haki spread over Skarn's arm, black as volcanic rock. One movement, and the lookout collapsed to the ground, his skull shattered, without a cry.Skarn turned to the flames consuming his ship, his symbol, his refuge. His fists trembled, and his eyes shed a tear as rare as his respect."They will pay for this."The crash of the waves suddenly changed. A crushing pressure, heavy as an invisible tidal wave, fell over the entire island.A massive figure landed on the beach, sending rock fragments flying."Skarn of the Exiles… you are surrounded. By order of HQ, you will be arrested right here," announced Veldor Kane, the vice-admiral nicknamed the "Iron Ram."Skarn cracked his neck. Towering at 2.47 meters, his body was full of muscles and scars on his forearms, hidden or rather enhanced by tattoos. His smile was dark. His forearms gleamed black."Try then, guys, charge."The pirates' cheers sounded the death knell for the war.Without another word, the two charged at each other. Each impact shattered rocks, sent up plumes of sand, and made the ground tremble. Veldor struck like a living metal hammer, his Haki solid as steel. But Skarn broke through his defenses. Each clash rang like an anvil cracking.The beach became a field of craters. The vice-admiral stumbled back, wounded, his breath growing uneven. Soon, Skarn flipped him to the ground."Don't think you'll die so easily. You will suffer and beg for death, I swear," said Skarn, raising his arm to knock him out."The hunt is over… I can't believe they sent only one vice-admiral. You really underestimate me, Marines."A flash of light tore through the air. PIUUN.A golden beam struck Skarn squarely, sending him crashing into the cliff wall and carving out a massive crater. A luminous figure floated gently above the beach."Ooh… what a welcome," said Kizaru. The Admiral had arrived.Skarn got up with difficulty and tried to attack. He sent a Haki-charged punch at Kizaru, but the admiral turned into light and dodged effortlessly."My poor boy, you're in a pitiful state," said Kizaru, looking at no one in particular. Then he moved behind me. "Come on, surrender. You've already lost."His Haki-coated kick struck my side, breaking some bones along the way. At the same time, I swung my Haki-covered fist and barely grazed his shoulder before being thrown ten meters back.Kizaru placed his foot on my chest and crushed me to the ground. I tried to strike again, feeling a kick under my chin.The beach was chaos of craters and bodies. I struggled, half-conscious, and managed to hit his leg, allowing me to slip from under his foot."Ouch, that hurts," said Kizaru in a slow tone. I got up and stared him in the eyes. "Since my Observation Haki isn't working and simple Armament won't work either, I'll go all or nothing."My arm was covered in Armament Haki. "Let it flow!" It's nearly a simple strike; I charged at Kizaru.Divine Retribution.The air compressed as if I were controlling it before exploding onto Kizaru."Impressive… but," Kizaru exhaled, his unchanging smile turning slightly serious. He countered with a light blade coated in Armament Haki, advancing.BOOOM.The impact threw me backward. "I put all my reserves into that strike."The smoke from the explosion cleared, and to my great misfortune, he emerged unscathed, with only a few scratches and torn clothing.Kizaru stepped forward, finger glowing."Can't breathe anymore? It's hard, huh? Don't worry… I'll end your efforts."Skarn looked up at him one last time, a twisted, bloody smile on his lips."We'll meet… again… ska haaas kaaa.""Sorry, I don't think so. Good night," said Kizaru.The beam pierced his chest. The light engulfed him. Then darkness.At the other end of the island, Kael, Skarn's second, faced Sub-Admiral Redd Hawkson, master of Rokushiki. Hawkson moved with brutal speed, his Tekkai hardening his body at each impact. But Kael, thanks to his Observation Haki, saw through his movements. A feint, a spin, and Kael's metallic claw pierced the sub-admiral's throat. Hawkson fell silently."One less."But before he could retreat, a golden beam pierced his torso. Kael froze, eyes wide, then fell, dead.Kizaru landed on a rock, looking bored."You pirates really are too fast to kill…"Silence fell briefly on the island. The waves still crashed against the rocks, but no cry or movement disturbed the scene.For the pirates, fear was another feeling they could not describe, but deep down they knew it was the end. The vice-captain and their captain on the ground were the sword that heralded their fate."Damn," said a pirate before his head was blown off.What followed was unanimous massacre.The corpses and smoke testified to the battle.Silence fell again on the island. The waves still crashed, but no cry or movement disturbed the scene."Brrr… brrr… puru puru puru… click."Sengoku's voice echoed through the Den Den Mushi."So Kizaru, how did it go?"Kizaru answered calmly, eyes fixed on the flames and corpses."There were more losses than expected, but the Exiles' crew has been decimated. As for Skarn… he's no longer a threat but alive. We're near Big Mom's territory… I request an immediate retreat from the New World."Sengoku sighed."I see. Retreat granted. Join the first part of the Grand Line. Even if the New World seems calm… you never know. And send this pirate to Impel Down."A sharp click echoed in the Den Den Mushi."Gacha."And thus, in the year 1537, Skarn Wortham's fate was sealed. His bounty was set at 532,000,000 berries. His crew had been wiped out, and he was captured, destined to rot deep within Impel Down.The world would not forget his name, but for now, only silence and smoke testified to his fall.