One Piece:The Merchant King of Grand Line

The Merchant King of the Grand Line

Chapter 15: Rising Tensions

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A Brewing Storm

The Grand Line was never still. It was a place of constant conflict, where alliances were forged and broken in the blink of an eye.

And right now, I was at the center of a brewing war.

The World Government wanted my artificial Mythical Zoan project shut down.

Big Mom wanted me under her control.

The Revolutionaries saw me as a potential asset.

Three of the most powerful factions in the world were watching my every move.

I couldn't afford a single misstep.

Which was why I was about to make my boldest move yet.

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The Hidden Facility

I had sent scouts weeks ago to locate the rumored secret marine research facility—one that had been abandoned after the fall of a former admiral.

And now, I finally had the coordinates.

The facility was hidden in the Calm Belt, protected by a natural barrier of Sea Kings. The World Government had built it as a black site—a place where they experimented on classified projects that never saw the light of day.

And if the rumors were true…

Inside that facility was the technology to control Sea Kings.

If I got my hands on that?

I'd have a naval force unmatched by anyone, even the Emperors.

King, as usual, was skeptical. "You're going to storm a classified marine base just to get some old experiments?"

I smirked. "Not just any experiment, King. A way to control the very seas themselves."

He exhaled sharply. "This is insane."

I patted him on the shoulder. "That's why it'll work."

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The Heist Begins

We set sail under the cover of night, my elite crew accompanying me.

The Calm Belt was a death trap for normal ships. Without the ability to navigate past the Sea Kings, most vessels never made it through.

But I had something special.

A custom ship fitted with a prototype Sea Prism Stone hull, designed to mask our presence from the creatures lurking beneath.

As we approached the island where the facility was hidden, I could already see the remnants of old marine defenses. Half-sunken battleships, rusted watchtowers—this place had been abandoned in a hurry.

But something was off.

"This place isn't as deserted as it should be," King muttered, eyes narrowing.

I noticed it too. There were lights still on inside the compound.

Someone was already here.

I signaled to my crew. "Prepare for a fight. We're not alone."

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A Deadly Encounter

The moment we stepped onto the island, gunfire erupted from the facility's entrance.

"AMBUSH!" one of my men shouted as we dove for cover.

The attackers weren't marines. They weren't pirates either.

They were Cipher Pol.

And not just any agents—these were from CP0.

I cursed under my breath. The Government knew about this place. And they were protecting it.

Which meant whatever was inside… was even more valuable than I had thought.

King drew his sword. "We don't have time for a full fight. What's the plan?"

I gritted my teeth. We couldn't afford to get bogged down in a battle.

We needed to get in, grab the research, and get out.

I turned to my most trusted engineer, Marcus. "You brought the explosives, right?"

He grinned. "Always."

"Good," I said. "Blow a hole in the side of that facility. We're making our own entrance."

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The Race Against Time

The explosion rocked the island, sending debris flying as we charged through the new opening.

Inside, the facility was a maze of abandoned labs and half-destroyed research notes.

But I didn't need everything.

I needed one thing.

I scanned the ruined computers, searching for anything useful. And then I found it—a secured vault, still intact.

King covered me as I worked on the lock. "Hurry it up!"

"I'm trying!" I hissed, fingers working quickly.

With a final click, the door slid open, revealing the files and prototypes I had been looking for.

I grabbed as much as I could, stuffing the documents into a waterproof case.

But then—I felt it.

A presence.

Someone was watching us.

I turned, and standing in the shadows was a man I hadn't expected to see.

A Cipher Pol agent. But not just any agent.

Rob Lucci.

He stepped forward, his Leopard Zoan form flickering beneath his skin as he studied me.

"You really thought the Government would leave something this valuable unguarded?" he said, voice cold.

I tightened my grip on the case. "I was hoping they'd be too slow to stop me."

Lucci smiled. "Unfortunate for you, I'm never slow."

And then—he attacked.

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The Fight Against Lucci

King moved to intercept, but Lucci was fast—faster than almost anyone I'd seen before.

I barely dodged in time as his shigan tore through the air where my chest had been.

King swung his blade, forcing Lucci back. "Get the research out of here. I'll handle him!"

I hesitated for only a second.

I wanted to stay and fight. But I knew that if we lost the research, this entire mission would be worthless.

I made a choice.

"Fall back!" I ordered my men. "King, don't die!"

I ran, dodging past Cipher Pol agents as I made my way back to the ship.

Behind me, I heard the sounds of battle—King's roars, Lucci's brutal strikes.

I didn't know if King would make it out alive.

But I had to trust him.

I had bigger things to worry about.

Like the fact that, as we made our escape, I saw something far more terrifying than a CP0 agent.

I saw a World Government battleship approaching in the distance.

They weren't just protecting the facility.

They were here to kill me.

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Next Chapter: Escape from the Calm Belt

(Victor must escape the Government's forces while dealing with the aftermath of his heist. Meanwhile, King fights against Rob Lucci in a battle of strength and skill.)