Infinite Anime [200-202] (Patreon)

Chapter 200: Aramaki's Pursuit

Even if Gusion were at his peak, let alone now when he's seriously injured, he wouldn't stand a chance.

With just one glance, all of Aramaki's stats were question marks. The invisible pressure he exuded frantically triggered Gusion's danger alarms in his mind.

Aramaki was incredibly fast, needing only a few breaths to nearly catch up with Gusion on land, forcing him to the edge of Birka Island.

Gusion didn't hesitate for a second and jumped straight into the White Sea, using Shunpo within it to dive downward.

Aramaki anticipated this, and at the shore, he manipulated tree branches to probe downward, shooting into the White Sea like a dense web.

A powerful Devil Fruit user can briefly make their abilities work in seawater if standing on land, and Aramaki was a master at this. His massive branches spread out, nearly the size of a city, stirring up the White Sea, aiming to fish Gusion out.

Holding his breath, Gusion dodged left and right using Shunpo, barely escaping the thick layer of the White Sea. But at the last moment, due to the relentless attacks, a branch pierced his arm.

Like a fish caught on a hook, Aramaki sensed this immediately and started pulling up, trying to reel Gusion in.

Gusion summoned Mazuko in his hand, instantly releasing its first form. With Ryuo and Armament Haki, he slashed at the branch.

Clang!

A dull sound rang out, leaving Gusion grim-faced. Aramaki's branch was far tougher than he'd expected. He nearly forgot that even Yamato, twelve years later, couldn't hurt Aramaki. After catching him, Aramaki had even reinforced the branch with Armament Haki, preparing for an attempt to cut it.

Seeing himself on the verge of being pulled back, Gusion made a split-second decision. With Mazuko, he sliced off his own left arm, blood spraying through the air as he sprinted downward in pain.

Above the sky, the thick clouds looked like an inverted earth, with branches poking out like a dense, downward-growing forest.

Not daring to stop, Gusion used Shunpo to accelerate downward, diving three or four hundred meters before the branches finally stopped extending. Turning back, he couldn't help but marvel at the strange sight of this upside-down forest.

Clearly, Aramaki's power had limits. After passing through the White Sea, his trees grew slower and eventually stopped.

But Gusion didn't dare relax and kept descending.

Sure enough, only moments later, the trees stirred the White Sea and split open a huge hole.

Aramaki himself jumped down from the hole. He could use the Marine Six Powers, so with Moonwalk, he didn't have to worry about falling to his death. Even if he had to jump off Sky Island after Gusion, he'd chase him to the end.

Gusion didn't look back, using Shunpo to drop straight down, far exceeding freefall speed—something Aramaki couldn't match.

One had to buffer with Moonwalk, the other risked everything with Shunpo to accelerate downward, quickly widening the gap.

High in the sky, Gusion deliberately darted through cloud layers to confuse Aramaki's line of sight. Once below 4,000 meters, he finally escaped Aramaki's lock-on.

Still, he didn't dare let his guard down. He'd need several hours to return, and would have to keep playing hide-and-seek with Aramaki.

He only slowed once he reached Blue Sea, to avoid a violent collision with the surface.

He wasn't worried about dying or being badly hurt from the impact. Rather, he didn't want to make a scene and get caught by Aramaki, who'd be falling from the sky.

After slowing down, Gusion completed his final chant: "Bakudō #73. Tōzanshō."

A pale blue triangular prism-shaped barrier appeared around him—a defensive kido that could repel physical and energy attacks. The downside was that its defense wasn't as strong as Danku, so he hadn't used it in battle before.

But right now, it was a lifesaver. After deploying Tōzanshō, he dove underwater, stopping only five or six hundred meters down.

Because the barrier's color was similar to seawater, once deep enough, he nearly blended in. With little light penetrating that deep, even a god couldn't spot him.

Inside this independent space, he could breathe. The space was small, but as long as he conserved energy and kept his metabolism low, he could last several hours.

Gusion took out a Supreme Bandage from his storage space and wrapped his severed arm. His healing ability wasn't that miraculous—he could only reattach or regenerate small wounds, not regrow entire limbs.

Besides, his soul energy was limited, and maintaining the barrier in deep sea consumed it, so he just used the bandage for emergency treatment.

He felt extremely frustrated. Since entering this dimension, it was the first time he'd been hunted with no escape. If not for his kido and ability to hide in the deep sea, he'd have been impossible to evade.

Aramaki, just you wait—next time, I'll be the one to cut you down.

At that moment, Aramaki finally arrived from the sky, a full minute later than Gusion. As he neared the sea, he used Moonwalk again to slow down, scanning the surface for any sign of Gusion.

Although Gusion had repeatedly hidden from him in the clouds, Aramaki had still estimated his general landing point. He was sure Gusion was in this area.

But looking around, he saw only endless sea. Not even a small island nearby. Where could Gusion have hidden?

Could he be underwater?

Thinking this, Aramaki smiled, "Let's see how long you can hold your breath."

He knew Gusion wasn't a fishman. As long as Gusion was human, even with amazing lung capacity, half an hour underwater would be the limit.

Aramaki, full of stamina, patrolled the sea leisurely using Moonwalk, waiting for Gusion to surface so he could cut him down.

Capture him alive? Too troublesome. The Five Elders only wanted Gusion dead. Capturing him would almost guarantee all-out war with Kaido, but killing him might not.

So Aramaki waited. Half an hour passed with no sign of Gusion. His composure faded—had he guessed the wrong spot? Had Gusion gone elsewhere?

Impossible. There were no islands for hundreds of miles. Even a god couldn't have escaped his sight and traveled that far in such a short time.

Could Gusion really have abnormal breath-holding talent?

Aramaki told himself to be patient. He'd wait a bit longer.

An hour passed...

Aramaki's face was full of confusion. Could anyone really survive suffocation and stay underwater for this long?

No human could hold their breath and survive this long at the bottom of the sea.

"Tough kid."

Aramaki sighed. "Even without a body, I guess my mission's accomplished."

He figured after an hour, Gusion had either drowned or been eaten by sea kings.

He took out his Den Den Mushi, which could directly connect to the Five Elders. That was how he'd received his mission.

"Moshi moshi, I've forced Gusion into the deep sea. He hasn't surfaced in an hour—he should have drowned."

He reported in.

Soon, relieved laughter and praise came from the other side.

Aramaki was in a good mood. He felt he'd be promoted to Admiral soon, maybe even faster than Borsalino.

Thinking of this, he smiled even more. Borsalino hadn't dared to kill Gusion and got nothing in return. According to intel, Borsalino was seriously wounded by a Yonko and was still being hunted.

In the end, Borsalino accomplished nothing, losing a battleship and many subordinates, while Aramaki had actively completed the Five Elders' mission.

One merited, one demerited—who'd get promoted was obvious.

To be safe, Aramaki decided to wait another hour, patrolling a few more times.

Another hour passed, and seeing nothing unusual, he left using Moonwalk, ready to return and enjoy the Navy's cheers.

…

Meanwhile, underwater, Gusion meditated, lowering his vital signs to the minimum, waiting for extraction.

When the time was up, a formless white light descended and enveloped Gusion—extraction began.

The next day, earth-shattering news exploded in the world of One Piece.

News birds flew across the world, spreading the shocking story.

The Beast Pirates' Fourth Calamity, the Thunderstorm Gusion, had fallen!

The killer: the Navy's new hero, Vice Admiral Aramaki!

There were rumors he'd already been given the "Green Bull" codename, and everyone in the Navy knew that color codenames meant you were a candidate for Admiral.

There was no doubt—Green Bull was a rising superstar in the Navy. His promotion was only a matter of time.

But while some in the Navy were excited, most marines and people around the world were worried. They realized the world's balance might shift.

For twenty years, the Navy had never directly clashed with the sea emperors, let alone killed a core officer in a Yonko crew.

What's the position of a Calamity in the Beast Pirates? They're the Yonko's right hand!

With such a heavy-weight killed by the Navy, one could imagine how furious Kaido would be.

…

Boom—

In the New World, at a temporary base on a small island, Kaido blasted a mountaintop away in rage.

Kaido, holding his kanabo and a newspaper, growled, "Green Bull!!!"

All around him, no one dared make a sound. Kaido was like a volcano about to erupt, ready to unleash disaster worldwide.

Who was Gusion? He was a Calamity, a strategist, and though he hadn't been with them long, his contributions were massive.

Even the most uneducated pirate believed Gusion was a big deal, helping Wano develop rapidly. The Beast Pirates were growing stronger thanks to him.

"Men, we're returning home—prepare for war."

Kaido's voice was low. At first, he considered Gusion just his daughter's friend, but then came to value his talents and the benefits he brought.

As time went on, with Wano's growth and their adventures together, he came to view Gusion as a trusted right hand.

Now the Navy dared sever his right hand—he'd make them pay!

This wouldn't just be a few bases destroyed. He'd reorganize the Beast Pirates, mobilize all their might, and attack Marineford directly!

Chapter 201: Shocked World

"Hahahaha..."

Elsewhere, unlike Kaido's rage...

In Dressrosa, laughter echoed from the balcony of Doflamingo's castle.

Doflamingo lounged in a rocking chair, legs crossed, slapping his forehead as he read the news, "That guy finally died."

"Doffy, it is good news, but isn't it a problem who killed him?"

A family officer reminded him.

Doflamingo's smile faded. Clearly, after the initial glee, he realized the seriousness.

Kaido was his biggest buyer. He knew Kaido's temper. The Navy openly killing Gusion—how could Kaido not retaliate?

If war broke out, Kaido couldn't defeat the World Government. Doflamingo would lose his biggest client and a powerful backer in the New World.

He wanted Gusion dead, just not at the Navy's hands. It would've been better if some unknown like Black Lily assassinated him.

Now, things were complicated. Doflamingo frowned, "That Vice Admiral Aramaki is bold..."

"According to intel, he hasn't left the New World yet. Our people spotted him this morning. Doffy, what should we do?"

Trebol asked.

"Give his whereabouts to Kaido. Consider it a favor."

Doflamingo replied. He wanted Gusion dead, but wouldn't thank Aramaki. Actually, he hoped Kaido would catch and kill Aramaki, then let the matter drop.

That way, there'd be temporary peace and he could continue building up his strength.

…

"Mama, mama, mama, mama..."

On Cake Island, the gigantic Big Mom laughed in her unique voice, "They actually killed Kaido's Calamity? That's impressive!"

"Mama, Kaido will probably go to war with the World Government. We may get dragged in."

Katakuri said worriedly, being the thoughtful type.

He knew the Four Emperors' balance was stable. If Kaido went to war, they might get swept up, shattering the New World's delicate equilibrium.

"Isn't that interesting? Let them fight. We'll head to Sky Island for the Poneglyph."

Big Mom laughed, unconcerned with world changes. She didn't believe the Navy would dare attack Totto Land.

"Mama, you should stay here. I can go to Sky Island alone."

Katakuri replied, afraid his mother would get involved. There shouldn't be any strong enemies left on Sky Island, so he could handle it.

From the intel, the Beast Pirates hadn't found the Poneglyph, and maybe Sky Island didn't have one at all—he'd just go check.

…

At the junction of the New World and Red Line, Fish-Man Island.

"Gurararara..."

A huge man with a crescent mustache and black hat sat drinking by the bubble wall, "Not enough booze! Get me more!"

"Pops, your health—plus, you should see this."

Marco approached Whitebeard, handing over a newspaper he'd gotten from pirates arriving below.

Whitebeard glanced at it, his expression turning grim, "The Navy's got guts."

Marco gave a wry smile, "They killed Kaido's Calamity, his strategist. This time, war is inevitable."

King Neptune of Fish-Man Island waddled over, worry on his face, "Will it affect Fish-Man Island?"

Above Fish-Man Island was Sabaody Archipelago, very close to Marineford. If war broke out, they'd be at the center.

Pirates traveling from the New World to the World Government would have to pass through, meaning many dangerous pirates would invade.

"Don't worry. I protect this place. Kaido won't dare act up."

Whitebeard said boldly, easing Neptune's mind, though he personally found it troublesome.

He never wanted to be Pirate King or wage war, but felt responsible for protecting those under his care.

But how to prevent war now? He knew Kaido well—he always avenged his own.

If his own son were killed or captured by the World Government, he'd go to war too.

He could only blame the World Government for taking the risk. Did they think Gusion was the son of the Pirate King?

Whitebeard chuckled, shaking off the absurd thought. He remembered Roger retired years ago—if Roger had a son, he'd be under ten now.

He didn't see himself as a mediator, so he'd just watch events unfold. If war came, he'd protect his own.

…

New World, Elbaf, land of giants.

The red-haired man drinking with giants was interrupted by his crew, "Okashira, look at today's paper!"

Shanks put down his huge mug, glanced at the newspaper, and his smile vanished.

He said seriously, "War is coming."

"What do we do?"

Benn Beckman, the first mate, approached with his gun, "Do we intervene?"

Shanks looked troubled, then sighed, "It's hard to get involved. I can't just ask Kaido to let it go, right?"

Their territory was mainly Elbaf, deep in the New World, so war might not reach them.

But he didn't want to see war, as it would disrupt his plans.

After a long silence, Shanks stood up, "Everyone, prepare to set sail."

Beckman looked puzzled, "Where to?"

"Wano."

Shanks replied.

"I thought we weren't getting involved?"

Beckman looked amused.

Shanks smiled wryly, "I have to at least try. I want to meet Kaido in person and see what he's thinking."

…

On Birka Island, the survivors were tending to the wounded and rebuilding.

Amidst the somber mood, a shadow landed at the dock.

King folded his pteranodon wings behind him, his expression serious as he surveyed the devastation.

He knew he was late—everything was already over.

He hurried forward, pulling out a wanted poster to ask a local, "Have you seen this man?"

"The Savior of Birka? Why are you looking for him?"

The Sky Islanders wasn't as scared of King as of Aramaki, since he had wings like them—just black.

"You've seen him? How is he?"

King was delighted, thinking that calling Gusion the "Savior" meant he'd won the battle.

But the local's face fell, "The Savior saved us from Enel's lightning, but after the battle, a plant-man came and tried to kill him. The Savior jumped off—he might be dead."

King's face darkened behind his mask. "I was too late..."

Not knowing which island Gusion had gone to, he'd searched several in recent days. He finally arrived at Birka, only to find Gusion had been killed by Aramaki.

He assumed the worst because he knew Gusion was no match for Aramaki—neither in fight nor flight.

"Is that you, King?"

A woman's voice called, then more confidently, "Page One, come out! It's King!"

King's eyes lit up as he turned to see Ulti running over, with Page One behind.

"You two are alright?"

King crouched to check on them.

Ulti shook her head, eyes glistening with tears, "We're fine. Brother Gusion hid us, but he... distracted wood guy himself..."

Page One looked miserable, "If only we could've helped..."

King didn't blame the kids—Kaido had them brought along so they wouldn't get caught up. Taking kids to sea was risky; not every Oni was Kaido, who was the strongest at ten.

They were lucky, saved by Gusion's efforts. Otherwise, they'd be dead.

"It's fine. I'll take you home."

King comforted them. Ulti and Page One were like Kaido's adopted children, so he treated them well.

"This is for you. Brother Gusion gave it to me before he left."

Ulti took out a metal box from her sash and handed it to King.

"Something from Gusion?"

King was interested. He opened it, flipping through the contents, then looked shocked. Though not a scientist, he was literate enough to recognize the blueprints for a dangerous weapon.

"Brother Gusion said to give this to you or Kaido-sama. It's the blueprints for Uranus."

Ulti didn't know what Uranus was, just repeating Gusion's words.

King was stunned. As a pirate with years of experience, he knew the legendary Ancient Weapons, and Uranus was mentioned in the Poneglyphs—a weapon that could destroy a nation.

Gusion had gotten the blueprints? Was the rumor true that Sky Island held the Poneglyphs or secrets of the Lunarians—or perhaps the Ancient Kingdom?

Whatever the truth, these blueprints were invaluable to the Beast Pirates—a trump card against the Celestial Dragons.

Realizing Gusion had been planning for their future, even at death's door, King's tough exterior almost cracked.

"Aramaki..."

He muttered, wishing he could kill Aramaki right then for revenge.

Ulti, tears in her eyes, choked out, "Brother Gusion also said—don't rush to avenge him. Wait until we're strong, then go to war."

She clearly hated this idea—kids don't think ahead, and as a pirate's daughter, she believed in immediate payback.

She thought the Navy killed Brother Gusion, so they should attack right away—otherwise, how could they call themselves a Yonko crew?

Chapter 202: Return and Settlement

King fell silent at Ulti's words, imagining the scene.

Gusion must've realized he couldn't escape Aramaki and said those things to protect the Beast Pirates, fearing they'd rush to Marineford in fury and die for nothing.

King's eyes were moist, "Gusion, you thought of us till the end..."

He blamed himself—if he hadn't been late, Gusion wouldn't have died.

Gusion, did you resent me in your last moments?

King shook his head, sighing as he put away the blueprints. "Let's go home."

With newspapers spreading the news below, Kaido had probably already heard of Gusion's death. To avoid Kaido attacking Marineford in anger, King needed to return quickly with Gusion's last words.

Personally, King wanted to attack Marineford, but reason told him they'd be slaughtered by the Navy's might.

Garp, Sengoku, Zephyr, new powerhouses like Aramaki and Borsalino, plus the unfathomable Five Elders—Kaido couldn't win.

Even if King could share Kaido's burden, Kaido would still be beaten to death.

So he had to stop Kaido and urge him to follow Gusion's advice—wait and grow stronger in Wano.

When they built Uranus, then they could go to war and avenge Gusion.

…

In Wano, after the country's initial opening, the news gulls flew in.

Yamato, in the shogun's office, was rubbing her forehead, overwhelmed by paperwork. She hadn't expected being shogun to be so hard.

Reading Oden's journal, she thought it would be easy—just be worshipped by the people.

But sitting in this seat, the daily paperwork alone was enough to drive her mad.

Still, following Gusion's teaching, she was patient, learning from Yasuie to make Wano a better place.

"Shogun! Bad news!"

Fukurokuju burst in, paper in hand, face shocked.

"What is it? Didn't Gusion-dono tell you not to panic over everything?"

Yamato scolded, thinking this ninja was far from steady.

But as she read the newspaper, her face changed instantly, "Impossible!"

Fukurokuju stood by, silent as a mouse.

He'd been just as shocked when he saw the news—no Navy had dared challenge a Yonko in decades, let alone kill a core officer.

But this was the World News, highly credible, especially for such a world-shaking event.

Yamato stood up, staggering back and bumping into her chair, "No, no way—Gusion-dono promised me we'd go on adventures together!"

Her eyes filled with tears as she shredded the paper, "This must be fake!"

"Shogun... this is the World Ne—"

Fukurokuju tried to explain but, seeing Yamato so distraught, fell silent.

Yamato rushed to the balcony, gazing out to sea, muttering, "You said, when I make Wano a land where everyone is well-fed and happy, you'd take me on an adventure. Are you lying to me again?"

Facing the damp wind, she sighed, then firmed her resolve, "No, I'll make Wano prosperous. Then, you'll appear."

Fukurokuju stood behind her, not knowing what to say. He thought she'd mixed up cause and effect.

Gusion had said he'd take her adventuring if she fixed Wano—but only if he was alive then.

But Yamato didn't care—she stubbornly believed Gusion would appear if she did her job.

Fukurokuju sighed, deciding not to break her illusion. Maybe it was for the best—giving her hope and motivation to govern Wano well.

…

In the One Piece world, Gusion's death caused massive upheaval, while Gusion himself, sheltered by the white light, returned to the End Space.

[Detected severe injuries on Pioneer. Treatment will cost 3,890 End Coins. Start treatment?]

"Treat me."

Gusion wasn't stingy—treatment costs scaled with injury severity and his growing strength, so higher costs were normal.

If he tried to heal himself, his heart wouldn't recover perfectly, nor would his lost limb, so he let the End Space handle it.

After confirmation, he was floated into the air as unknown substances turned into crystal liquid, enveloping his body for healing.

After a while, Gusion landed, his pain gone, feeling great.

He didn't settle rewards immediately but dragged himself to his bedroom and collapsed onto the soft bed.

The last day's battles in the One Piece world had exhausted him—he wanted to sleep before tallying rewards.

After a dozen hours' rest, Gusion woke up refreshed, showered, grabbed a cold Coke, and lounged on the sofa. "End Space, settle up."

[Settling rewards from derivative world…]

Large Derivative World: One Piece

Difficulty: lv3~???

World Exploration: 91.73%

[Settling Pioneer 008's mission results…]

No main quest. Settling side quest: Devil Fruit Hunter…

[Side Quest: Devil Fruit Hunter completed. As per Pioneer's choice, Enel's fruit selected as reward. Rumble Rumble Devil Fruit chest granted.]

[Side Quest: Fame at Sea settled in world; not repeated here.]

[Hidden Quest: Beast Pirates' Strategist settled in world; not repeated here.]

[Hidden Quest: Sky Island's Redemption completed. Reward: Rumble-Rumble Fruit x1.]

[Settling Pioneer Mission…]

[Pioneer Mission: Chaos Origin Seed completed. Reward: Golden Pioneer Medal x1. Chaos Origin Seed obtained. Awakening available in End Space.]

[Note: Uncertified items in storage. Please certify soon. If not certified before next mission, items will be reclaimed.]

All missions outstanding—overall evaluation increased.

Settling overall world performance…

Detected Pioneer's mark level below this world's difficulty—bonus granted, experience increased.

Overall Rating: S+

Received S+ Honor Medal (can be exchanged for special privileges).

Pioneer level increased to lv.20 (must pass promotion trial to advance further).

[Based on performance, select 6 out of 9 rewards:]

A. 15 Free Attribute Points

B. 100,000 End Coins

C. Epic Random Chest (Strawberry drop compensation)

D. Legendary Random Item Chest (guaranteed perfect score item)

E. Inheritance Crystal (mid) x4

F. Special Title: Fourth Calamity

G. Random Mastery Scroll (rare)

H. Random Legendary Bloodline Chest

I. World Positioning Item: Legend of Calamity (special)

[]

The choices were clear, as some were unique to his in-world actions. He'd just pick the high-value options.

First, he checked the details for Option F.

[Special Title: Fourth Calamity]

Rating: S- (E-~SSS+)

Source: In One Piece, you became the Beast Pirates' fourth Calamity. After your fall, your deeds became legendary.

Effect 1: When dealing damage, gain Calamity boost—30% extra magic damage. If the damage matches disaster traits (fire, wind, lightning, etc.), this bonus doubles.

Effect 2: When entering certain worlds, you can select a special identity matching this title.

PS: In One Piece, this title gives 5,000 base reputation.

[]

This effect was simple and strong. With the Rumble-Rumble Fruit in hand, if he ate it, the damage boost would be massive.

He wasn't sure yet if he'd eat it—he'd wait until awakening the Chaos Origin Seed to decide.

Option I, he checked briefly. It was a world positioning item, awarded for high exploration in One Piece. Use before entering a mission to swap the target world for One Piece.

But it required being Tier 4, and might place him in a very dangerous place or timeline—exactly what he wanted.

After reviewing, Gusion selected options A, C, E, F, G, I.

Option B was just the value of a perfect legendary item—less valuable than an epic chest, which could also yield high returns.

He'd made a huge profit this world. He still had five Devil Fruits to certify, plus three earned from missions.

Epic items' value was unknown, but as bloodline items, Devil Fruits could sell for 200,000 or more—his looted unverified fruits were worth at least 100,000 each.

So just selling the five would net half a million—unimaginable for most Tier 2 explorers.

Plus, the ancient T-Rex and Shadow Fruits could fetch another 40–50k. Altogether, Gusion realized he was about to become a millionaire.

On top of End Coins, he had 10 Inheritance Crystals (mid) to upgrade his Haki or soon-to-be-acquired bloodline.

High-level Wano was a goldmine; as a Calamity, he'd raked in massive benefits.

But his biggest gain was the Chaos Origin Seed from his Pioneer Mission—a golden cheat.

Origin Seeds were game-changers. With or without one, explorers were on entirely different power levels.

Body Killer had been tough—Gusion guessed even other Pioneers would struggle against him at the same tier, mostly due to his Chaos Origin Seed and multiple bloodlines.

The stat boost was fast enough, but the weird powers those bloodlines brought were trouble for any strong foe.

Full of anticipation, Gusion didn't rush to strengthen his stats, but made a request to the End Space: "End Space, help me awaken the Chaos Origin Seed."