Pangu had never been to Hong Shidao, but the city was massive. The gemstone warriors traveled in aw, except Ji Gong, who just looked at the sky. Yu Di led them to the gates of the great Jade palace, which itself was a series of palaces connected like it was its own micro city.
A silver handed man stood with pale eyes stared at the group. He was built like an expert martial artist, Pangu had heard of him, Kiran the Onyx.
“Young prince, you have returned.” Kiran said with disinterest in his tone. “Your father has been awaiting your return.”
“Kiran! Meet my Warriors!” Yu Di began.
“I have no interest. Please, come along. You know I don't like to repeat myself.” Kiran said, turning to guide them inside. Yu Di followed, which then sparked the fight.
Kiran shot back, drawing to sword blades from under his robes, and lunged at Yu Di. Yu Di blocked the strike with just his hands, not drawing the Emperor's Fang. It was a technique he had learned from Pangu, unhanded defense.
Kiran didn't let up, even with his arms pushed apart he instead chose to strike with his feet, jumping up and having two blades emerge from the toes of his boots. Yu Di matched it with his own jump that kicked Kiran’s feet up over the man's head, forcing Kiran into a spin. Yu Di lunged out with a swift spin to bring his hands into the man's face. Kiran had caught the hand at the last second, a millimeter away from making contact.
“It seems you have improved somewhat.” Kiran said, standing up right. “If we took this serious I am not sure I could beat you.”
Yu Di smiled. “That means a lot, master.”
A standard test amongst the royal family from what Pangu was told. They were guided by the now impressed Kiran, and entered through several palaces to reach the Emperor's attendance chamber. The king, Fuxi, satregally upon his throne. To his left and right were the other gemstone warriors.
Sun Quan was a bulky man whos fist was said to crush boulders, he had a rugged appearance but it was clear that he was beginning to slack in his training, a bulge in his stomach showing his lax nature.
Liu Shan was a scrawny man who was known for his throwing knife skills, yet he was using them to pick his teeth of the meat that was caught between them.
Shima was known for his massive to handed hammer that he used, yet now leaned on it like it was a pole.
In truth, all these warriors aside from Kiran were given false titles. They were strong yes, but not as strong as a gemstone warrior should have been. Sun Quan was a well known Merchant whos wife, Aunty May, ran most of Chongking port. Liu Shan was known as the head warden of Shan Prison, his brother ran it as sub warden in his absence. Shima was a head policing officer in Guangzola that got his position by connections his father had made for him. None of them were true warriors.
They settled into the castle after Yu Di was given a lecture about stealing the Emperors Fang. Before long time passed.
“Your engaged!” Pangu said one night a year into their stay at the palace. It was during a training session with the other warriors.
“Yep.” Yu Di said. “Her name is Wangmu. We have known each other for years.” Yu Di Laughed. “We only just made it official.”
“Why are you surprised, you're not the only one keeping a secret lover, Pangu.” Ji Gong said, slapping Pangu’s new blade out of his hands.
“Woh you got one too!” Yu Di said, suddenly interested.
Pangu sighed. “Her name is Chun, she is a daughter of a fisherman at my home town.”
“Invite her to the palace! Come you can wed her as a true warrior, i'll be taking over in two years, so you'll be honored!”
“I would not take her away from her home.” Pangu said with a sigh.
Shangdi looked towards the royal audience chamber. “Something happening in there?”
The group followed as Yu Di headed into he chamber, seeing two marines standing before the Emperor.
“I am asking again, please join the world government.” the lead man, the pirate king killer Nekure said.
Pangu caught the other man, Adam S Nash, the government had sent two of the strongest members of the marines here? The hero of the Marines, and his up and coming Rear Admiral protegee.
“They want us to join.” The Emperor said after the marines had left in defeat, again. “We cannot, but I fear they will take our country by force soon.”
“My lord.” Sun Quan said, not kneeling as he spoke, as was proper. “They see our weakness, what should we do?” the venom in his tongue was clear, the weakness was the emperor, a man who had grown fat upon a throne.
“If I may offer, perhaps we should seek allies from across the sea.” Kiran stated.
“Who would we ask?” The Emperor asked.
“Leave it to me, my lord.” Kiran said with a bow. “I am an outsider, I know my way around the grandline.”
The Emperor thought for a moment. “Very well.”
Kiran left the next day. Yu Di stood before his father, his warriors behind him.
“I have decided we need true strength.” the Emperor said, his warriors looking confused by this sudden meeting. “As such, Yu Di, you shall take my throne. For you are a true warrior, one that our people need now.”
The Emperor's warriors were surprised by this, complete awe on their face. Within the next year the Yu Di had been upon the throne as a truly great warrior, he married in the spring, and had his first child, Nuwa, by the next spring. The old guard remained at the previous Emperors side, but after seeing that their influence wasn't enough to sway Yu Di they became more reserved, working on their business on the other parts of the island.
The rebellion was ended, brought under Yu Di’s banner, a jade Phoenix that represented his beliefs. They found his strength of character and power worthy of their dedication, truly uniting Yoichi under him. In just one year Yu Di had proved himself to be an Emperor deserving the title.
That was when Kiran returned. He was surprised to see Yu Di sitting upon the throne, and his father standing to his side as an advisor.
“I have brought allies to assist this country.” Kiran stated, the sleeves of his robe cut off, a symbol of a rolling breeze tattooed on his arm. “They come under Emperor Fuxi.” He approached the throne, standing before the past emperor.
Pangu looked out the door, his eyes growing wide. The rolling breeze was a pirate symbol, and marching towards the castle was the head of that pirate crew.
“Yu Di!” Pangu yelled out suddenly, but it was to late.
Kiran had struck, his blade deep in the heart of the previous Emperor. Yu Di’s eyes widened. Suddenly, chaos erupted. The previous Gemstone warriors struck, Sun Quan and Liu Shan attacked Shangdi, while Shima attacked Tian. The pirates moved into the chamber, the great Mink pirate Baihin side by side with his crew.
Ji Gong struck at Kiran, punching the air, sending the moisture to lash out at the traitor. Kiran the Wolf, the title he had when he emerged on the island, now Pangu realized the true meaning of the name, the wolf in sheep's clothing.
Pangu drew his blade, striking out at the Mink, his vision distorted, and suddenly his blade was blocked by a tarot card, wielded by a man whose clothes liked like diamonds of strings, revealing most of his chest.
“Unlucky, I gotta fight this guy.” The card man sighed. The card was laced with Armament haki.
Yu Di drew the Emperor’s Fang. “Traitor!” He yelled out.
Kiran stood from his attack against Ji Gong, then smiled. “I serve my captain.”
“Your the captain I take it.” Yu Di said, raising a blade to Baihin.
Baihin smiled, the scar across his eye was well known, earned recently after his defeat of the pirate Roark ‘Free bird’. “That I am, I hear you should be strong, then let us go!”
The Emperor of the Sea, and the Emperor of Yoichi clashed, causing the palace to shake with their Haki impact. Pangu clashed with the tarot wielder, he recognized him as Osumare ‘Twisted Fate’, or the bear lord.
Kiran struck at Ji Gong, palm hitting him in the middle of the fore head. Ji Gong looked at Pangu, muttering ‘only you’ then his eyes went wild, and he began to laugh hysterically.
“Kiran!” Pangu yelled out. “What have you done to Ji Gong!”
Kiran smiled. “It's the power of my Devil fruit, the Mind-MInd fruit. I have broken his mind! He is as good as a Fool!”
The battle raged, Pangu fought Osumare furiously, but was cut off by another member of the crew, a boy. Erlang ‘Third Eye’.
Yu Di was turning the battle against Baihin in his favor, Cristoff ‘Opulent’ Lanky leaned against the wall, watching the events. Baihin was smiling broadly as the battle continued.
“Yu Di!” Kiran yelled out, Pangu spared a glance, panic crossing his face. Kiran stood with one of his blades to the throat of the baby Nuwa, who sobbed as she was held upside down by one foot.
Yu Di lost focus at the worst moment, Baihin’s claw slammed into the Emperor’s stomach, claws emerged from his back, blood dripping from the tips of his claws.
“NO!” Pangu yelled out.
Kiran laughed, dropping Nuwa, who vanished into mist. His devil fruit power!
Pangu did not care about his fight, he charged Baihin, who stood with disapointment on his face. Yu Di stood with a large smile. “A trick, good, my daughter is safe. Then.”
Yu Di rose, one hand on his bleeding wound, one lifting his massive blade. “Very well, let us go Baihin!”
Baihin smiled broadly. Pangu was close, his blade ready. Tian and Shangdi had matched him, the gemstone warriors and the Jade Emperor entered their final clash, as Ji Gong laughed in the background hysterically.
The battle lasted a whole evening. By the end, Emperor Yu Di stood dead, his blade having hit Baihin’s side, creating a deep wound with his final breath. He did not die on his back, nor on his knees, the Jade Emperor died standing his ground as a proud warrior. Electricity danced off Baihins body, the wind was so intense that Pangu and the other warriors were pushed back, only Yu Di had pushed through and had faced the might of the Mink.
“I won't stand down!” Pangu yelled, charging, using all his might to break through this wind. He broke thru, but only for a moment. A claw ripped at his stomach, and he went flying. Carried by the force and the wind Pangu went flying out the door of the palace, and out to the sea, his internals trailing behind him as he flew. His intestines, his stomach, his lungs, all abandoning his body.
Baihin captured the other Gemstone warriors, taking Ji Gong as his fool and tattooing his face in motley. Shangdi was imprisoned in Shan Prison, and Tian was hidden below the frozen river. Only one allowed to go free was Pangu.
Pangu laid in an alley as his devil fruit took effect. His body became a liquid, a shell formed around it. It was almost instantly that he hated it, he had grown a set of feathers atop his head from the effects of his devil fruit, the Egg-Egg fruit kept him alive from certain death, but he became more bird-like.
He tried to save his fellow warriors, but when he arrived at the Palace Baihiin had already sent them off.
“If you or your warriors match a move against me, I will have no choice but to kill the daughter of Yu Di, however if you leave now then I will allow her to live.”
Pangu bit his lip, but he accepted. He had to, Nuwa was the last of his best friends, of his Emperor. When Nuwa was old enough he would rescue her from Baihin’s grasp, and take the emperor's head. He returned to his home, where he found the fisherman’s daughter, and together they ran off to hide on the edge of a lake, where Pangu trained for the day he could strike again.
