Chapter 19: The Reward and Laboon Reverse Mountain
The Going Merry climbed Reverse Mountain's ascending current at terrifying speed. The water defying gravity, rising toward the sky as if physical laws no longer existed.
"HOLD ON!" Nami shouted at the helm.
"THIS IS SO COOL!" Luffy yelled.
Walter squeaked with excitement on my shoulder. Mr. Fish gripped the mast, eyes wide.
We reached the summit. A suspended moment. Then...
The descent.
The water roared around us as the Merry plummeted down the waterfall at insane speed. The wind howled. Waves exploded.
"NAMI! WE'RE GOING TO CRASH!" Usopp cried.
"TRUST ME!"
She adjusted the helm with millimeter precision, navigating between deadly currents.
And suddenly...
BEEP. BEEP. BEEP.
[ALERT: COMPLETE SYMBIOSIS]
[SCP-006: FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH]
[FUSION: 100%]
[IMMORTALITY: TOTAL]
[MAXIMUM CAPABILITIES REACHED]
My body shivered. Heat spread through every cell. Then... nothing.
Just a sensation of fullness. Of perfection.
"It's done," I murmured.
[CONGRATULATIONS, DIRECTOR]
[YOU HAVE ACHIEVED COMPLETE IMMORTALITY]
[REWARD UNLOCKED]
"Reward?"
[IN RECOGNITION OF YOUR EFFORTS]
[AND IN ANTICIPATION OF GRAND LINE'S DANGERS]
[YOU MAY CHOOSE ONE SCP]
[RESTRICTIONS:]
[- INANIMATE OBJECT ONLY]
[- WEIGHT TRANSPORTABLE BY AVERAGE HUMAN]
[- UNIQUE AND FINAL CHOICE]
My heart raced. An SCP of my choice?
"I... I can choose any?"
[WITHIN RESTRICTION LIMITS: YES]
This was a blessing. I was immortal, but could only defend myself passively. Having an anomalous weapon would change everything.
But I had to choose carefully.
The O5 Archives
I excused myself from the crew and entered the Foundation. The empty corridors echoed with my steps as I headed to a place I'd never been.
The O5 Archives Room.
A huge library filled with containment documents. Every SCP catalogued. Every capability described. Every danger detailed.
I sat at a table and began browsing.
Document 1: SCP-018 - The Super Ball
A red rubber ball that retains 200% of its kinetic energy with each bounce. The more it bounces, the faster and more destructive it becomes.
"That fits the conditions. And it has weapon potential..."
But I thought about it. Too long to wait for it to gain speed. Impossible to target a precise target. In a quick fight, it would be useless.
"Rejected."
Document 2: SCP-034 - Obsidian Ritual Knife
An obsidian knife capable of transforming its user into any person whose flesh they consume. Perfect transformation – appearance, voice, physical capabilities.
"Versatile. I know how to handle a knife, unlike a saber..."
I imagined myself transformed into someone like Zoro or Sanji. With their physical capabilities.
But doubt seized me.
"Does it work with Devil Fruit users?"
Probably not. Devil Fruits modified the body at a fundamental level. And even if it worked, I didn't have anyone with a Fruit in a cell.
"Rejected."
Several Hours Later
I had gone through dozens of files. Each had its advantages. Its disadvantages.
Then I found it.
SCP-609
I read the document carefully.
Description: SCP-609 is a collection of identical green billiard balls measuring 57.15 mm in diameter. These objects are immaterial manifestations of a concept – they do not exist physically in the traditional sense.
Properties:
Impervious to all damageDetectable only by naked eyeDo not conduct heat (always cold)Not governed by physical laws
Main Capability: Mental Control
When a conscious being makes direct visual contact with SCP-609-1 (an instance), it simulates the actions the subject imagines. This includes:
Instantaneous movementDuplicationManifestation at a visualized location
Observers cannot alter SCP-609-1's appearance or erase it from reality.
Class: Keter
Danger: Extreme in wrong hands
I leaned back, thinking.
"It's perfect."
The plan formed in my head:
Carry the collection hidden on me (in a box) When an enemy appears, take out a ball Look at it and imagine it in the target's head The ball teleports instantly The head explodes Repeat for each enemy Put the balls away
"Lethal. Precise. Instant."
[CHOICE: SCP-609?]
"Yes. But there's a limit – it probably won't work on Logia. They can disperse into elements."
[CORRECT]
[BUT AGAINST EVERYTHING ELSE: MAXIMUM EFFICIENCY]
"I'll take it."
[CONFIRMATION]
[SCP-609: INTEGRATED INTO YOUR INVENTORY]
A small metal box appeared on the table before me. I opened it.
Ten green billiard balls. Perfectly identical. Cold to the touch.
I looked at them. They didn't move. Waiting for my mental orders.
"Welcome to the arsenal," I murmured, closing the box.
I slipped it into my pocket and left the Foundation.
Twin Capes and Laboon
When I returned to the deck, the Merry had already passed Reverse Mountain.
Grand Line stretched before us.
But something blocked the way.
A black mountain. Immense. That moved.
"WHAT IS THAT THING?!" Usopp screamed.
"A whale..." Nami murmured, jaw dropped.
Laboon.
The island-whale. Bigger than a warship. Marked with scars and wounds.
Luffy, without thinking, climbed on its head and began painting the Mugiwara Jolly Roger with blood and black paint.
"LUFFY! WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!" Nami cried.
"I'M MAKING HIM A FLAG!"
I watched the scene with a smile. It was exactly like in the manga.
On the shore, an old man observed. Crocus. The lighthouse keeper. Former doctor of Roger's crew.
And tied on the Merry's deck...
Two people.
A man with a ridiculous crown. Mr. 9. Baroque Works agent.
And a girl with blue hair and elegant outfit. Miss Wednesday. Alias Nefertari Vivi, princess of Alabasta.
And a giant duck struggling in its bonds. Karoo.
I approached silently, appearing like a ghost beside them.
They jumped. "WHO ARE YOU?!" Mr. 9 shouted.
I observed them calmly. I knew the story. Vivi was infiltrating Baroque Works to discover Mr. 0's identity. Crocodile was planning to steal Pluton and overthrow Alabasta. She was a potential ally.
But...
[CURRENT CLASS-D: 4]
[AVAILABLE RESEARCHERS: 0]
[CRITICAL NEEDS: ADDITIONAL PERSONNEL]
My priority wasn't Alabasta. Nor Vivi. Nor her noble intentions.
My priority was the Foundation.
And I needed Class-D. Test subjects. Personnel.
I looked around. Luffy was on Laboon. Zoro was sleeping somewhere. Usopp was talking with Crocus. Nami was checking the sails.
And Sanji? He wasn't on deck.
Perfect.
No knight in shining armor to defend the damsel.
"Sorry," I said simply.
"Sorry for wha...?"
I struck Mr. 9 in the temple. He collapsed, unconscious.
Vivi's eyes went wide. "WHAT ARE YOU..."
I hit her too. Less hard – just enough to knock her out. She collapsed on the deck.
Karoo squeaked in panic, trying to free himself.
I knocked him out too with a sharp blow.
[TARGETS NEUTRALIZED]
"Sorry, princess," I murmured, summoning the Foundation door. "But the Foundation comes first."
I dragged the three unconscious bodies inside. The guards took charge immediately.
"Standard cells for the two humans. Animal enclosure for the duck."
[CLASS-D +2]
[ANIMAL SUBJECT +1]
[TOTAL: 6 CLASS-D, 1 ANIMAL]
I came back out on deck. No one had noticed. Everyone was still busy with Laboon and Crocus.
"Good," I murmured, closing the door.
The Promise
Crocus told Laboon's story. A young whale who had been waiting for Brook's crew's return for fifty years. Alone. Desperate. Smashing his head against the Red Line hoping to find them again.
Luffy listened in silence. Then he smiled.
"LABOON! I PROMISE! WE'LL COME BACK! AND WE'LL FIGHT AGAIN!"
The whale moaned – a sound that resonated across the entire sea.
"It's a promise!" Luffy shouted.
I watched the scene. It was touching, yes. But my mind was elsewhere.
In the Foundation, two new Class-D would wake soon. Confused. Terrified. Prisoners.
Vivi would discover she would never see Alabasta. That her kingdom would fall without her. That everything she'd fought for was lost.
Did it bother me?
...A little.
But not enough to change my mind.
[ALIGNMENT: CHAOTIC NEUTRAL]
[PRIORITY: FOUNDATION > EVERYTHING ELSE]
"The end justifies the means," I murmured.
[ANOMALY DETECTED]
[DISTANCE: 500 METERS]
[WHISKEY PEAK]
[MULTIPLE PROBABLE ANOMALIES]
I turned toward the horizon. Grand Line stretched before us.
Full of dangers. Full of opportunities. Full of SCPs to capture.
And now, I had a weapon.
"Let's go."
Grand Line had just begun.
And with it... the real hunt.
[END OF CHAPTER 19]
[ANOMALIES CAPTURED: 6]
[SCP-609: CONCEPTUAL BILLIARD BALLS (EQUIPPED)]
[SYMBIOSIS SCP-006: 100% - COMPLETE IMMORTALITY]
[CLASS-D: 6 (ARLONG, KUROOBI, CHEW, HATCHAN, MR. 9, VIVI)]
[ANIMAL: 1 (KAROO)]
[NEXT DESTINATION: WHISKEY PEAK]
[WARNING: BAROQUE WORKS DETECTED]