One Piece: Starting in God Valley as a Slave

Carl's body trembled. If things were really as Darian said, then with his father's strength back then, it would have been absolutely easy to take over his body.

Seeing Carl silent, Darian sneered and said,

"Do you know what the first thing my father said to me when he found me was? He asked me if I was willing to sacrifice my life for him!"

This time, he didn't wait for Garling to speak and continued on his own.

"I naively thought he was going to give me something important, but he told me how to crack the Blood-Blood Fruit's out-of-control state. What he wanted was my body!"

At this point, Darian's facial expression twisted again. He pointed at Carl and said hatefully,

"If it were just this, I wouldn't hate him, because he at least gave me a chance to choose and didn't force me to take it. But he didn't even mention it to you! From the beginning to the end, he only wanted to use my body!"

This sentence pierced through Carl's heart like a sharp sword. He shook twice, and the sword in his hand fell to the ground with a clang.

At this moment, Carl, whose will was as hard as steel, was at a loss, but Carl stepped forward and said in a deep voice,

"So, you have been thinking of using the Blood-Blood Fruit to take my body since the day I was born?"

Darian burst into a surge of blood energy as he walked towards Carl and Garling, smiling evilly.

"No, my initial target was Garling. I wanted my father to pay the price for his partiality! But I didn't expect you were so talented..."

Before he finished speaking, Darian's figure gradually became illusory. Carl's eyes narrowed, and he instinctively activated his Haki.

The next second, Darian appeared beside Carl, smiling darkly, before his entire body suddenly exploded into a thick blood mist that enveloped the dazed Carl.

Carl's face changed drastically, realizing too late that Darian's target had shifted from Garling to him!

Darian knew Carl too well. The reason he used his last moments to talk to Carl was to break his psychological defenses and seize the opportunity.

Darian's sinister voice rang out through the blood mist:

"Carl, since you won't give your body willingly, I'll just take it! After I'm done with you, I'll deal with your friends in the Navy. Let's see if you can still hold back then!"

The Five Elders had varied reactions. Warcury was stunned, he hadn't expected that Carl, whom he had loathed but could never eliminate, would end up this way!

Saturn's expression turned grave, as a black flame cloud began to form behind him, ready to act. The other three elders watched coldly. For them, this was purely an internal affair of the Figarland family. As long as Darian's possession kept the Blood-Blood Fruit from going out of control and didn't threaten Mary Geoise, they remained unconcerned.

Carl couldn't let Darian possess Garling. Seeing the blood mist seeping into Carl's pores, he acted swiftly, his Haki-infused hand piercing through the remaining mist.

One of Carl's eyes had turned blood-red, but when he took action, the color in his eyes quickly receded. Darian's mocking voice came from Carl's mouth,

"Hahaha! You've been fooled!!!"

Huff!

The blood mist that had just seeped into Garling instantly sprayed out, merging with Carl at an astonishing speed.

Garling regained clarity at that moment, turning sharply to Carl and shouting,

"Carl!"

Carl's face looked pained, yet determined. Just like Darian earlier, his features were lined with veins, his Haki flaring intensely. He forced a smile and said,

"Garling, you helped me so much before, let me help you now."

Suddenly, Carl's body began to tremble violently. Garling's heart broke as he rushed to support Carl, only to be halted by Carl's desperate shout:

"Stay back! Don't come any closer!"

In an instant, dark red spikes erupted from the ground around Carl, emitting a terrifying aura. He let out a twisted laugh.

"Ho ho ho... Looks like my son's body is even more perfect for me. This vessel is truly ideal!"

Darian's voice echoed from Carl's mouth. Garling's grief was overwhelming as he clutched his sword, which trembled in his grasp.

"What's wrong, Garling?" Darian taunted, his voice a twisted sneer. "You can't even lift your sword now? This is your chance! Kill me, just like you killed your father! Hahaha!"

At that moment, Saturn's clothes ripped open, and the other Five Elders gasped as his body transformed. Six black spider legs emerged from his lower half, with black horns sprouting from his head. He brandished his weapon and shouted,

"Saint Darian, your actions have gone too far! Saint Carl is the rightful heir of the Figarland family!"

Hearing this, Garling's eyes flashed with determination. He raised his sword high and blocked Saturn's attack, black lightning crackling around the blade.

"Saint Saturn, I appreciate your support," Garling said, his voice steady, "But Darian... but he is still Carl now."

"But he won't be for long!" Saturn urged. "If you don't act now, it will be too late!"

Garling turned his back on Saturn, his voice soft but resolved, "Then let it be. When the time comes, I will die with my nephew when the time comes."

"Nani?! Carl! Are you really going to betray Kazan Saint like this?" Saturn shouted in disbelief.

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+115 chapters on p@treon/tambeerg