One Piece: Deriving All Things

A cold voice echoed, making Diamante freeze in place.

Shachi and Penguin looked up at the sound, eyes widening with joy as they saw their captain, Sanders, floating in the air, arms crossed.

"Captain!" They called out, faces lit up with excitement.

Law, upon seeing Sanders arrive, let out a sigh of relief. At the same time, a wave of powerlessness washed over him. He couldn't put up any resistance against the Donquixote Family's top officers—he didn't even have the strength to protect his own crew. If it were Doflamingo himself… he'd be helpless.

He was still too weak.

Diamante turned, looking up at Sanders, a drop of cold sweat sliding down his forehead. It really was Sanders! But what was he doing here? Could Law and those "insignificant ants" actually be members of the Thunder God Pirates?

"I dare you to try touching them!" Sanders' eyes lowered, his gaze cold. His Conqueror's Haki burst forth, radiating from his body. All of Diamante's men collapsed, eyes rolling back as they fainted on the spot.

"M-misunderstanding!" Diamante forced a strained smile. Confronted with Sanders, he had no will to resist.

A joke! This was someone capable of going toe-to-toe with an Admiral. Diamante knew that even if Doflamingo himself were here, he'd have to bow down. The Admirals might refrain from acting due to Doflamingo's status as a Shichibukai, but Sanders was different. He wouldn't care whether you were a Shichibukai or a Celestial Dragon.

"Misunderstanding?" Sanders landed on the ground, his voice calm. "Weren't you just saying you'd take my ship's doctor?"

"I…"

Diamante tried to speak, but in a flash, Sanders appeared at his side, delivering a devastating kick. Diamante's face contorted as he was launched across the space, slamming into a distant wall, which cracked into a spiderweb of fractures. He was knocked unconscious on the spot.

"Can you move?" Sanders asked softly as he walked over to Law.

"Yes, Captain." Law struggled to his feet.

"Then let's head over. The others are waiting on you," Sanders said calmly.

"Sorry for the trouble, Captain," Law replied, an apologetic smile on his face.

"Trouble?"

Sanders raised an eyebrow dismissively and said, "This is what you call trouble?"

"But there's one thing he got right—you're still too weak and need to train harder." Law had impressive potential, even possessing a rare fruit ability, but he was still very young, two years younger than Sanders. Being weaker was only natural at this stage.

"I understand, Captain. I'll work hard to improve!" Law's face was filled with guilt. If he had been stronger, he might have been able to protect his crew and escape. Now, he was determined—once they got back, he would dedicate himself to training. Sanders had agreed to help him seek revenge, but it wouldn't mean much if he couldn't even handle members of the Donquixote Family himself.

Shachi and Penguin were also ashamed. Even Bepo had managed to stay on his feet against the enemy's abilities, while they were left lying on the ground, helpless and shooting like sitting ducks.

"There's no need for you to put yourselves down," Sanders reassured them. "You're only in your teens or twenties; Diamante is decades older. It's normal not to be a match for him yet."

At this point, Law and his crew had only recently set sail and had little combat experience. Diamante, on the other hand, had been a pirate since Doflamingo's youth and had fought across the seas for over a decade. His Haki, physical abilities, and Devil Fruit powers were all highly developed. Against Law's fledgling crew, it was no wonder they were overpowered.

Law flushed slightly with embarrassment. Sanders, the captain standing before him, had already reached heights Law could only dream of.

Sanders led the crew back to the Thunder God. By now, everyone had gathered on board.

"What happened? Why is Law all beaten up?" Nami asked curiously when she saw their battered state.

"Just a minor problem. It's taken care of," Sanders replied casually. "Where's Rayleigh?"

"Rayleigh left us a little guide before he departed," Robin answered.

Sanders scanned the crew assembled on the deck. "Is everyone here?"

"Yes, we're all here. Ready to dive to Fish-Man Island whenever you are," Nami replied.

"Perfect. Get ready—take out the buoyancy bags from the bottom of the ship."

Ships coated with the special membrane could withstand intense pressure, so by removing the buoyancy bags supporting the hull, the ship would naturally sink due to lack of buoyancy.

"I'll do it!" Hachi volunteered, grabbing tools and diving into the sea.

In a short time, the membrane coating the ship began to inflate and expand.

"The bubble is inflating like jelly!" Bepo exclaimed with awe as he watched.

Soon, the entire Thunder God was enveloped in a transparent bubble.

"Wyper, raise the sails," Nami instructed, reading from the guide Rayleigh had given them.

Wyper nodded and leapt up to the sails.

"Sails? We're underwater—do we really need sails?" Penguin asked, confused.

"I heard coated ships use ocean currents instead of wind to propel them," Robin explained.

"I thought we'd just sink to the bottom and end up at Fish-Man Island," Shachi said, surprised.

Soon, the sails were unfurled, and the entire ship was now wrapped in its protective bubble, ready to dive into the depths of the sea.

Hachi climbed back onto the deck, dripping wet. As the crew watched eagerly, Sanders rose into the air and announced, "Set sail! To Fish-Man Island!" The entire ship began to sink, slowly vanishing beneath the waves.

In the distance, Rayleigh sipped from a bottle, watching the scene with a smirk. "Looks like the New World's in for another storm…"

Meanwhile, Marines assigned to monitor the Thunder God quickly reported the crew's dive towards Fish-Man Island. The Marine commander stationed at Sabaody Archipelago finally breathed a sigh of relief.

Elsewhere on the archipelago, Diamante slowly regained consciousness. He looked around in panic, relieved to see that Sanders was nowhere in sight. Without wasting a moment, he pulled out a Den Den Mushi to report to Doflamingo.

"Buru-buru-buru…" As soon as the line connected, the Den Den Mushi morphed to resemble Doflamingo's face, complete with his trademark sunglasses and exaggerated grin.

"Fuffuffuffuffu! Diamante, did you find our little 'Heart' of the family?" Doflamingo laughed on the other end. He was eager to have a word with Law, confident that capturing him would be easy. After all, how much could Law have grown in just a few years?

"Doffy, the mission failed…" Diamante replied, his swollen cheek making his words slurred.

The Den Den Mushi's expression froze.

"Fuffuffu… Really? Law's already strong enough to escape from you?" Doflamingo said, surprised. "How unexpected!"

"No, Doffy. Law is still weak, as are his crewmates—I defeated them easily," Diamante explained quickly. "But the problem is… Law joined that crew!"

"What did you just say?" Doflamingo's tone sharpened. "Law joined the Thunder God Pirates? Are you talking about Sanders' crew?"

"Yes, Doffy. Law is now the doctor of the Thunder God Pirates," Diamante confirmed. "I had them beaten, but Sanders showed up out of nowhere, kicked me once, and I blacked out. By the time I woke up, Law and the others were gone."

Doflamingo fell silent, gripping the Den Den Mushi tightly. This was a serious problem. If Law had joined Sanders' crew, he would never have the chance to bring Law back into his own ranks. His plans for immortality were slipping away.

Doflamingo knew better than anyone how powerful the Admirals were—their strength had solidified the Marines' dominance over the seas. And if the Marines couldn't touch Sanders, then Doflamingo stood no chance either.

"I understand, Diamante. Return to base," Doflamingo finally said, then disconnected the call.

In the palace at Dressrosa, Doflamingo leaned back on his sofa, a cold smile on his face.

"Young Master, with Law joining the Thunder God Pirates, will they come for revenge?" asked Trebol, who had overheard Diamante's report.

"Who knows…" Doflamingo replied, his smile widening. "It all depends on how much Sanders values Law."

The Thunder God continued its slow descent toward the ocean depths, and silence enveloped the crew. Massive roots stretching down from the surface became visible, a reminder of just how far they were from the world above.

"We're really leaving the surface far behind," Robin murmured, holding a book as she glanced upwards. Everyone was captivated by the undersea world unfolding around them.

"It's amazing! I feel like we're getting further from the human world, and it's… exhilarating!" Nami said, gazing in awe at the fish swimming just outside the bubble.

"It's incredible!" Law exclaimed, gripping Kikoku. Although he had experience with submarines, they couldn't compare to this view—every angle visible through the transparent bubble.

"Hey, hey! Are we sure this bubble won't break?" Penguin asked nervously, tapping the thin membrane with his finger.

Hatchan reassured him, "Don't worry, Rayleigh's coating skills are top-notch. These bubbles can withstand immense pressure. As long as we don't hit a reef or get chomped by a big fish, even bullets wouldn't break them."

Nami nodded, holding up Rayleigh's manual. "That's right, everyone! These bubbles are durable enough to handle deep-sea pressure and flexible enough to let objects pass through without rupturing."

As Sanders looked at the enormous roots stretching deep into the ocean, he realized the limits of his powers. Threatening Aokiji with raising the Sabaody Archipelago now seemed bold but unrealistic. His Devil Fruit abilities could damage the surface, but lifting the entire archipelago was impossible.

"Whoa! Look at the size of that fish!" Bepo's startled voice broke the silence as he stared wide-eyed at a massive fish wedged between the roots, seemingly lifeless.

"It's huge—almost as big as a Sea King! But it looks like a normal fish," Shachi commented, marveling at the scale of the marine life.

"The ocean is amazing. Imagine how big these fish can grow down here," Penguin said, still in awe.

Sanders laughed and turned to Issho, saying, "Hey, Issho, it's too bad you're missing this beautiful view."

"Captain, don't say that! You shouldn't tease Issho like that!" Nami scolded Sanders.

Issho simply chuckled, waving his hand. "I've seen it all before when I was younger. The beauty of the ocean is something I'll always remember."

The crew continued to enjoy the ocean's wonders as they descended deeper. Soon, they reached a point where the sunlight couldn't penetrate. Darkness swallowed the ship, bringing an eerie silence that filled the crew with unease.

"Click."

The crew lit up a series of Lamp Dials, special lights from Skypiea, casting a soft glow across the Thunder God. The illuminated surroundings brought everyone a sense of relief.

With Hatchan's guidance, they navigated smoothly, eventually reaching the ocean floor at a depth of ten thousand meters.

"There it is—Fish-Man Island!" Hatchan pointed to a distant, glowing sphere ahead.

"It's incredible," Robin whispered. "Even at a depth of ten thousand meters, there's sunlight here…"

In the distance, within a giant bubble similar to the coating on Sabaody, stood Fish-Man Island. Fish swam in dense schools around it, and several gigantic Sea Kings prowled nearby, guarding the bubble's perimeter.

Nami looked down at her wrist compass, grinning as the needle pointed straight toward the distant Fish-Man Island. "There it is, Fish-Man Island! It even has clouds above it… maybe even air!"

The crew buzzed with excitement, marveling at the mysteries of the island ahead. Except for Hatchan and Issho, none of them had ever visited Fish-Man Island. For those from the Sky Guard, who had come all the way from ten thousand meters above sea level to ten thousand meters below, the place seemed like another world.

Suddenly, a group of enormous sea beasts blocked the Thunder God's path—a walrus, a sea lion, and a sea rhinoceros, among others.

"What do these huge creatures want?" Penguin asked, his face pale with fear.

"It looks like there are fish-men riding them," Shachi noted.

"It's the New Fish-Man Pirates!" Hatchan exclaimed, visibly distressed.

"What's the New Fish-Man Pirates?" Nami asked.

"They're led by Hody Jones, a group formed after Arlong's death, supposedly carrying on his will. They're known for their hatred of humans… but it's strange to see them here," Hatchan explained, then quickly glanced at Sanders. "I didn't tip them off, I swear!"

He was terrified that Sanders might suspect him of betraying the crew to help the New Fish-Man Pirates.

"Are they here for revenge on Arlong's behalf?" Nami's expression turned worried. At ten thousand meters deep, the Devil Fruit users in the crew, including the captain and first mate, would be vulnerable in a fight against the sea beasts.

"Calm down. They're just a few sea beasts," Sanders said nonchalantly, stepping onto the deck.

On the neck of a tall, giraffe-like sea beast stood a fish-man with a scruffy appearance. He wore a hat, sported curly hair with a slight wave, and had a small beard. An "Arlong Pirates" tattoo marked his lower right abdomen.

"It's Hammond, one of the New Fish-Man Pirates' fighters!" Hatchan recognized him immediately.

"Hammond!" Hatchan yelled out, voice firm. "What do you want?"

"Isn't it obvious? We're here to avenge Arlong!" Hammond sneered. "Imagine—killing a pirate with a 2.8 billion bounty! The New Fish-Man Pirates would make a name for themselves, and no human would dare look down on us again!"

"Step aside, Hammond!" Hatchan shouted, invoking the name of Jinbe. "If he hears about this, he won't spare you!"

"Jinbe?" Hammond scoffed. "Our boss is Hody Jones, not that traitor who sides with humans! Jinbe isn't fit to lead fish-men!"

Hammond then turned his gaze to Sanders. "So, you're Sanders? Since you killed a Celestial Dragon, our captain wanted to recruit you. But you're too strong—he doubts he could control you. So instead… you're all going to die here!"

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T/N:

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