One piece :I open the locks of the heart

From my vantage point, I scanned the ship's deck. Morgan and his son, Helmeppo, were chained, their faces bloodied, crimson streaks running slowly down their cheeks. Even from this distance, I could sense their terror. Eisah stood at the center of the scene, gesturing mockingly as his laughter seemed to echo even to where I was. He spoke loudly, openly ridiculing Morgan before striking him with a brutal backhand, knocking him unconscious. Helmeppo attempted to protest, but a single icy glare from Eisah silenced him immediately.

I narrowed my eyes, studying the ship. It looked no different from a simple merchant vessel—a perfect disguise for their nefarious activities. However, their supposed subtlety wouldn't protect them for long.

As the ship began to drift away from the island, I focused my energy, forming several blazing fireballs. With calculated precision, I launched the projectiles directly at their sails.

The fireballs struck with resounding force, instantly setting the main sail ablaze. Panic erupted from the deck as the crew scrambled in disarray.

"Fire on the sails!" someone screamed, their voice trembling with fear. "Get buckets, put it out quickly!"

"Who did this?!" another shouted, desperately scanning the surroundings for the attacker.

Eisah, standing amidst the chaos, straightened up with a grim expression. His eyes scanned the horizon, searching for the source of the assault. His fists clenched tightly as he realized the attacker remained out of sight.

"Put out that fire, you useless fools!" he bellowed, his voice chilling and commanding. "If this ship burns, you'll all regret it."

The crew scattered in all directions, some fetching water while others tried to cut away the flaming portions of the mast. Yet, the fire spread rapidly, its flames licking at the canvas of the sails and threatening the ship's rigging.

Hovering high above, I observed the scene unfolding below with icy satisfaction. This was a warning—a demonstration of my resolve. If Eisah thought he could escape after belittling me, he was gravely mistaken. And this was only the beginning.

Diving silently into the water, I kept myself hidden from view while preparing my next attack. Once at an advantageous distance, I summoned several Aquatank accompanied by their Torpedo counterparts, massive aquatic Heartless resembling enormous pufferfish. I commanded them to strike the ship's hull with brutal force from below.

BOOM!

The impact made the entire ship tremble, prompting terrified screams from the bounty hunters. The Aquatank repeated their assault, sending waves of water crashing through the ship's already weakened structure.

"The hull is giving way!" a crewman shouted, running frantically across the deck in a desperate attempt to organize a response.

Eisah, standing amidst the chaos, tried to maintain his composure, but his face betrayed growing anxiety. "Abandon ship!" he roared. "Jump into the water and swim back to the island!"

The bounty hunters didn't hesitate. One by one, they leapt overboard, frantically swimming toward the island in erratic movements betraying their panic. Even Eisah begrudgingly followed, diving into the water to save himself.

In their haste, however, the bounty hunters left Morgan and his son chained on the burning deck, their fate sealed by the flames spreading rapidly. Both screamed, but their cries were drowned out by the sinister crackling of the consuming fire.

That's when my gaze was drawn to a huddled figure near a barrel, half-hidden by the smoke. An elderly woman, her face covered in soot and her clothes soaked with sweat, trembled violently. Her hands clutched the edge of the barrel, frozen in fear. But what caught my attention most was the immaculate glow of her heart, shining with a rare purity amidst the chaos.

Wasting no time, I emerged from the water and climbed aboard the burning ship. The heat was nearly unbearable, but I forced myself to ignore the hostile environment. I moved swiftly toward the woman, navigating through the flames. Kneeling beside her, I saw her tear-filled, terrified eyes rise to meet mine.

"Are you alright?" I asked gently, my tone calm but firm, hoping not to frighten her further.

She opened her mouth to speak, but no sound came out. Her lips trembled before she managed a faint nod. I noticed a wound on her leg, likely from a fall or a piece of debris.

"You're safe now," I murmured, placing a reassuring hand on her shoulder. I conjured a dark portal beside us, leading directly to Luffy's village clinic. "Don't move. I'll get you out of here."

Carefully, I lifted her into my arms, ignoring the flames inching dangerously closer. Passing through the portal, I set her down gently on a bench outside the clinic. Spotting members of the medical staff approaching, I raised my voice: "Help her! She's injured her leg and inhaled smoke. Take good care of her."

I knelt gently in front of the elderly woman to meet her at eye level. "You're a strong woman. Stay here and recover. Everything will be fine now."

She weakly grabbed my hand, her eyes filled with gratitude and tears. "Thank you… thank you…" she murmured in a broken voice.

I offered her a reassuring smile before standing. Without wasting another second, I disappeared once again through the portal, returning to the burning ship.

Back on the deck, I quickly faced Morgan and his son, still chained, screaming their rage and despair. I wasted no time, plunging my Keyblade directly into their hearts. Morgan transformed into a massive Darkside and a Simili Berserker, while his insignificant son gave rise to nothing more than a simple Shadow. I absorbed them into my shadow, leaving behind an even more desolate scene.

Diving back into the water, I summoned my Aquatank to surface and glide over the sea. I then released a group of Yellow Operas, commanding them to target Eisah and his men, who were desperately trying to swim back to the island. Bolts of electricity surged from the Operas, electrifying the water and knocking each of them unconscious.

A smile crept across my face as I watched Eisah completely at the mercy of the Heartless. Approaching in a small boat, I decided to spare five of them, including Eisah. I dragged them out of the water and placed them in the boat, tied up and helpless, before turning the rest of their crew into various types of Heartless. As the smoke from the burning ship rose into the sky, I cast a final glance at Eisah, contemplating what I could gain from this man who had defeated me so effortlessly.

Taking a deep breath, I put on Sora's necklace, feeling the transformation take hold immediately. My appearance shifted to that of the legendary Keyblade wielder: tousled brown hair, elegant clothes blending red and black, and a distant, almost icy expression. The transformation granted me an imposing aura, as if I were no longer entirely human.

I hovered in the air, about fifty meters above the boat. Eisah was the first to regain consciousness, slowly opening his eyes. His expression shifted from confusion to visible terror as he met my gaze. Struggling to sit upright, he roused the others with rough shakes, but his eyes never left me, as if fearing I might vanish and reappear behind him. Despite his efforts, his men remained unconscious.

I allowed a heavy silence to settle, observing each of them. My lips didn't move, but my cold, calculating eyes pierced their souls. Fear seeped into their hearts, making their movements nervous and hesitant.

"I observed your fight," I finally said, my voice sharp and devoid of emotion, resonating with chilling authority. My gaze locked onto Eisah, and I noted a faint tremble in his hands.

He swallowed hard but tried to maintain his composure. "You're… impressive." His attempt at flattery was obvious, but I dismissed it with a single glare. "You wield Observation Haki, don't you?" I asked, my voice descending into a near-menacing whisper.

Eisah weakly nodded, unable to lie under my presence. "Yes," he finally admitted, his voice slightly trembling. "I unlocked it after stealing a Marine training manual."

A spark of interest flashed in my eyes, visible even from my elevated position. "Do you still have this manual?" I asked, my tone as cold as ever. "I might consider letting you live if you can offer me that notebook."

He seemed to latch onto a faint hope in my words. Moving cautiously, he pulled a tightly sealed leather pouch from his coat. "Of course, here. It's in here."

I gestured, summoning an enhanced Green Requiem, its ethereal and luminous form standing out against the darkness of the scene. It floated gracefully toward Eisah to retrieve the notebook. That's when I noticed a fleeting smirk on Eisah's face—a smile that vanished almost instantly under a mask of submission.

I narrowed my eyes, staring intensely at him. "Don't try anything foolish, Eisah," I warned, and his false smile disappeared completely, replaced by a look frozen in fear.

The Green Requiem floated back toward me, clutching the notebook tightly in its glowing hands. I descended a few meters, extending my hand with a mix of anticipation and caution. The book appeared intact, and I opened it to examine its contents.

My eyes scanned the first pages rapidly, and my expression darkened immediately. It wasn't a Haki manual but a collection of standard Marine sword training exercises. A shiver of anger coursed through me. I raised my eyes to Eisah, who was watching me with a nervous smile, hoping I wouldn't notice the deception.

"You dare… lie to me?" I asked in a low, trembling voice of fury. Sora's glacial tone resonated with a chilling authority.

Eisah, realizing his deception had failed, collapsed to his knees in the boat. "Mercy, please! I beg you!" he cried, raising his hands. "I don't have the real journal! I sold it, I swear! I didn't mean to deceive you; it's all I have!"

I approached slowly, my Keyblade appearing in my hand in a burst of dark light. "Your lie is an insult, Eisah. And you know what I do to those who dare play games with me."

He raised his panicked gaze, his eyes desperately searching for an escape. "Wait! Maybe I can be useful in another way! I can—"

But before he could finish his sentence, his hand shot out, a throwing knife gleaming in the air, aiming directly for my throat.

My eyes darkened as I shifted slightly, dodging the knife with ease. The blade whistled past me, lost to the sea below.

A suffocating silence followed. Eisah, still kneeling, immediately realized his mistake. "It was… reflex! I didn't mean to!" he tried to justify, his voice shaking as panic overtook him.

I raised my Keyblade gently, the dark light dancing along its blade, contrasting starkly with its typical appearance outside the Sora transformation. "A reflex? Let me show you mine."

With a fluid motion, I extended my arm, and a wave of darkness surged behind me. The maelstrom expanded, and a hundred elemental Heartless in difficult mode began to emerge, their imposing and menacing forms surrounding me.

Red Nocturnes, Blue Rhapsodies, and Yellow Operas materialized in a sinister waltz, occupying the sky around the small boat. Their soft, colorful glow illuminated the scene, contrasting sharply with their implacable might.

Eisah retreated, trembling from head to toe, his hands raised in a futile gesture of defense.

"No, no… you wouldn't leave me to these monsters, right? I… I can explain everything!"

I stared at him, impassive. My thoughts swirled. Strength without will was meaningless. This petty bounty hunter had humiliated me, yet now he cowered before someone he believed stronger. I made a simple yet necessary decision.

Lowering my Keyblade slightly, its dark glow shimmered in the still air. My gaze remained fixed on Eisah, unwavering. His trembling eyes reflected sheer terror as every movement of the Heartless around him amplified his fear.

"Excuses aren't enough, Eisah," I declared, my voice cold and detached. "You chose violence, and now you'll face the consequences."

I raised my Keyblade, and the Heartless responded instantly. The Red Nocturnes soared into the sky, forming fiery spheres that spiraled around the raft. The Blue Rhapsodies unleashed icy projectiles, creating a frozen ring around their prey. The Yellow Operas, meanwhile, released dazzling lightning bolts that struck the water violently, sending ripples of electricity across the surface, making the boat tremble.

Eisah desperately tried to defend himself, pulling a knife hidden in his boot. He threw the weapon with frantic precision, aiming directly at my chest. A Yellow Opera intercepted the projectile, reducing it to ashes with a quick strike of lightning.

"No!" he screamed, stumbling as his legs wobbled under him, while the Heartless tightened their circle around him.

The Red Nocturnes attacked first. Their fireballs struck mere inches from Eisah, forcing him to dive to the side to avoid the flames. Before he could rise, the Blue Rhapsodies launched ice spikes toward his legs, one embedding itself into the wood just beside his foot.

Desperate, Eisah tried to stand, but the Yellow Operas struck next. A series of lightning bolts crashed into him, throwing him violently against the edge of the boat. He screamed in pain, his body convulsing under the electric shock.

He tried crawling away, but the Heartless gave him no respite. A final, more powerful bolt struck him directly, leaving him lying motionless in the middle of the raft. His breathing was shallow, his body trembling from the impact.

I descended gently from the air, standing before him. "Willpower, Eisah. That's what separates brute strength from true power. And you… have none."

With a fluid motion, I raised my Keyblade and pointed it at his heart. A dark aura enveloped Eisah, and his body stiffened as a burst of darkness emanated from him. The shadowy orb that emerged was larger than anything I'd absorbed before. While I didn't feel a surge of strength, I knew I had gained something far more valuable.

Eisah's mastery of Observation Haki and his swordsmanship flowed into me. I instinctively dodged when I was suddenly attacked, noticing Eisah before me once again.

(Note from the author: I know I'm rushing things a bit with the Haki, but I don't intend to overuse it since the Heartless will remain the core of his power. This is just an introduction that I can build on later. 😊 Thank you for following my story! Rest assured, a new dungeon is coming up next!)