(Third Person POV)
Five years have passed. Once again, his effect on those who were supposed to torture and experiment on him had been discovered. This time, it took five whole years to come to light, since the island was remote and the scientists sent misinformation. Not only did they not hurt Sid, they helped him, taught him and protected him in some twisted way. Needless to say, though, after the Elder found out, shit hit the fan.
So today, Sid was to be transferred to another island. His DNA had proven useless to them, leading them to believe he was a normal human with unusual teeth and a strong will. His silence, which once enraged them, was too much for the Elder to bother with. The Elder had another thought, of course. He asked Sid for his name, but didn't believe him when he was told. There was no D. in his name... Still, he ordered Sid to be shipped to a special island, where he would surely be dealt with.
At seven years old, it was at last time for change. And Sid could feel the change which was about to arrive.
On the Navy Prison Ship that carried him and other slaves, the Cipher Pol agents were ordered to keep him in solitary confinement... but that didn't happen. Sid walked through the ship with a marine and passed the communications room.
"Hm?"
"What is it, John?" Sid asked.
"I could've sworn I saw someone..." the man said.
"Saw someone? Surely you are mistaken," Sid said with a smile.
"Heh, yeah, guess so. Say, aren't you hungry or anything? I haven't actually accompanied a sla--"
"Yeah, I could eat something. I'm just going to head back, and you get something."
"Sure, let's do that. You'll find the way back, right?" John asked, as though Sid were a guest and not a slave.
"Sure."
In the slaves' room, a young girl of 13 years of age made it back from the communications room without being seen. She had an important job to do and was now back. She had freckles and a missing tooth, with short, messy light hair with bangs that framed her face, a sleeveless shirt, dark shorts, and light shoes.
"Big bro!" she whispered.
"Ginny! You're safe! Vhat a relief!" a slightly taller boy with a big head whispered back as he saw his friend return.
"I did it! Now it's up to the informant to relay it," Ginny whispered excitedly.
"Don't be loud... You two... and don't do anything rash..." another slave whispered nervously.
"You'll get us punished too..." another one said.
"Punished?" the taller boy no longer whispered. "Moron! Do you vant to die vith no knowledge of vhere they are takingk us?! You need to try if you vaant to be saved! Miracles are not so easy to come by!"
"Big Bro!" Ginny held him back from attacking the other slaves.
"He's right."
The slaves turned around and looked at Sid, who had just entered the room without them realising it.
"Freedom, if you want it, you will have to take it for yourself. The moment you no longer strive for something as fundamental as that, your spirit dies."
Everyone looked at Sid with different expressions.
"What's your name?" Ginny asked.
"Siddharta. But you can call me Sid. And you?" Sid asked.
He smiled at them, feeling that at least thee among them were special children. He studied them with interest, feeling their speciality at once. The girl had a warm feeling to her, as did the others, but she was special. She had understood something fundamental, Sid realised it at once. Why four children were being transported together with adult slaves was unclear, though. Perhaps they were to be brainwashed, or worse.
"I'm Ginny. The quiet one is Kuma. And this is my big bro, Ivankov," She grinned, her energy a contrast to the gloom. "So are you a slave too? Where were you kept?"
"I spent a few months in Mary Geoise with Amanda and then something over five years on a separate island, where the scientists and the former inmates walked the path of enlightenment with me for a time," Sid said.
"What's enlightenment? Also... what are you doing on this ship?" Ginny tilted her head, confused.
"I was to be experimented on, on that island, for years. Things changed after a week, and we got to enjoy ourselves."
The slaves stared at him, stunned.
"...So you were a slave then," Ginny said softly.
"If you want to call it that."
"I don't understand. It sounds like slavery to me. Why are you so happy?"
"Hm? You seem to be under a misconception. Happiness is not something that can be given or taken away forcefully. You have to find it on your own! And it seems that you understood that, haven't you, Ginny?" Sid asks.
Ginny wasn't quite sure what he was talking about, and neither were the others. Still, they were intrigued. Especially the young Buccaneer named Kuma, who listened intently, thinking about his parents and what his father told him. 'Could it be?' he asked himself.
Sid sat down in the middle of the room, among the other slaves and shared some of his experiences. They were horrified. All of them doubted they could have endured or acted the way he did through what he had experienced, despite it not taking very long every time. His strength, he explained, was mental more than physical.
"Tell me about yourself, Kuma," Sid said, feeling his gaze and the emotions the young one felt.
"Uhh... me?"
"Yes!"
"Oh, well... I was born in the Sorbet Kingdom, in South Blue. When I was four, the government came and captured my family and sold us to the World Nobles. My mother... *sniff sniff*..."
"It's alright, Kuma. You don't have to say if you don't want to," Ginny said as she and Ivankov comforted him.
"My father... told me to keep going and not give up. That some day, the Warrior of liberation Nikka would come and save us..."
Kuma had lost his mother and saw his father being shot in front of his eyes. He was holding out hope that Nikka would one day come and save him. Hearing the story, Sid spoke up.
"Your father was wrong. I already told you this: Happiness isn't something someone else will give you; It comes from within. You need to find it yourself. How about it, Kuma, care to reach enlightenment with me?"
Kuma looked at Siddharta with wide eyes. He saw Sid almost glow in a bright light and felt his words reach the deepest parts of him. For some reason, he had the feeling that Sid must be the man his father talked about, Nikka. Could he find happiness in this dark world? Seeing the bright and most confident smile of Sid, he became certain that he could. He started smiling as well and nodded.
"So do you know where we're going?" Sid asked. "I think the Elder wants me to be sent to some island where they'd try to kill me. But seeing you all, I understand that there's more to it."
"We know..." Ginny's voice faltered. The air grew heavy again.
"Will you tell me?"
"We're going to the West Blue. An island called... God Valley," Ivankov answered grimly.
Sid scoffed at that. He laughed and shook his head.
"Amusing. These names are ridiculous. They couldn't be farther from godhood. And what are we to do there?"
"There will be a 'Native Hunting Competition,'" Ginny whispered. "The nobles will hunt the people who live there, and kill them all."
The Native Hunting Competition is an event held on the island of God Valley, organised by certain Celestial Dragons, intended to annex islands that are outside or unaffiliated with the World Government. It's a cruel 'sport' where the Tenryūbito and the God's Knights hunt down and kill the native inhabitants of the island —the indigenous people who originally lived there, and slaves who are sailed in. And this happens every three years.
These natives were treated as prey, and the Tenryūbito pitted them against animals or even personally 'hunted' them for amusement. It highlighted the brutality and decadence of the World Nobles, who saw anyone beneath them as disposable entertainment.
Sid looked at them. He was appalled at this. During his time at Saint Amanda's mansion, he naturally understood their cruelty, entitlement, and indulgence, but he wasn't aware of everything and least of all the Native Hunting Competition.
"Those pathetic individuals dare!"
Ginny looked at him cautiously. "Wait— when you say they'll 'try' to kill you? What do you mean?"
"It means that I was sent here for a reason, and hearing what you told me, I understand why. It seems I will have to make a stand. If no one fights against the injustice, I will! And if anyone stands against me, I'll kill them," Siddharta declared with a loud voice.
There was something in the way he said it that made everyone believe him. The young boy, who was supposed to be a slave but didn't act like it, spoke like a strong and powerful man. Willing to stand against the disgusting disregard for life.
"You're serious?" Ivankov gaped. "No vone escapes ze Vorld Government or fights them. It's impossible."
"Eh, then I'll be the first. We'll force our way out."
"We?" Kuma whispered.
Sid smiled at him.
"Of course. It is time to fight for your happiness and freedom. Or do you have something better to do?"
"N-no, b-but how are we going--"
"Kuma, relax. Things happen as they should. We'll contact someone outside. Aren't there Den Den Mushis? We could use one to record the nobles speaking. That will work."
"Hm. Ve already did zat," Ivankov said proudly.
"Of course you did. With a group like ours, it will work out," Sid said, lying back with a smile, waiting for the right time. He was unconcerned about the chaos and danger about to unfold. He would deal with it when the time came.
.
When the 'Native Hunting Competition' began, the Celestial Dragons announced it with glee. The king of God Valley protested against the atrocity that the World Nobles were about to commit —only to be cut down by the God Knight Figarland Garling before the hunt even started. Fitting to the outrage of the event, all that happened was that points were docked for Garling's impatience, but the slaughter still began a moment later.
Ginny, Ivankov, Kuma, and the other slaves stood with Siddharta, determined that he would help them and feeling that what he planned would succeed. Sid was not an idiot and understood that the prizes—two powerful Devil Fruits—were the key to getting a commotion on the island, which he used to send the word of their location outside and attract Pirates.
If they could seize them, escape an idea, but Sid wouldn't want to trade those tools of power for freedom, he would take freedom on his own. But having the technological marvels would help them nonetheless. For some reason, Sid felt that it was necessary for them to get them. Ginny had revealed that she had already stolen a Den Den Mushi weeks earlier. So, using the Den Den Mushi, the group had leaked information, before the 'Native Hunting Competition' started, to the outside world. And due to this action, the Pirates would surely arrive.
Ivankov, Kuma and Ginny went ahead with he plan, while Sid moved in the opposite direction, towards the approaching World Nobles.
"Ahh, there's one. Hehehehe, this one's mine!"
The World Noble takes aim with his small crossbow and shoots it at Siddharta. However, he catches the arrow mid-air. One had to remember who this was and how much time had passed. Siddharta's power had doubled each year since he was born. Meaning that now, after eight years, his strength was already ridiculous.
"You call yourselves Celestial Dragons, huh? You use the Marines as your dogs and treat human life like dirt. Since the Marines or anyone else won't save these lives, I will. And if any of you stand in my way... I'll kill you."
...
"Huuuu--"
With a flick of his wrist, Siddharta throws the arrow back at the noble who shot it at him. It shoots through the air and bursts the bubble, piercing the noble's brain and killing him on the spot. For a moment, everything is silent in the area until they realise what just happened.
"AHHHHH!!!"
"He killed Brollokki!!"
"Kill him!!"
The Celestial Dragons went absolutely mental and started to shoot at Sid with their weapons, running around like headless chickens. And Sid, who observed them apathetically, started moving. His figure appeared in front of a noble, and with his fist pulled back. He punched forward, bursting the man's bubble quite literally again and hitting his face, cracking bones. The noble is dead as he flies through the air and hits another one.
Soon, pandemonium engulfed the God Valley. The Rocks Pirates landed first, followed shortly after by the Roger Pirates. Battles erupted everywhere between the Pirates, the Marines, and the God Knights. In the chaos, Ivankov and Kuma approached the treasures and stole both of the devil fruits: the azure dragon Zoan and the paw-paw fruit. As they found it, someone suddenly shot through the air next to them and crashed through the buildings. But the two young children didn't have time to think about it, as a moment later, before Ivankov could eat the Uo Uo no Mi, Model: Seiryu, the Rock's Pirate Charlotte Linlin slammed him into a wall and took the fruit.
"That was close!" she said.
"Iva-chan?" Kuma asked, scared.
"Give me that one too!"
"No! Eat it and survive, Kuma!" Ivankov shouted.
Kuma ran out of the building and consumed the Paw Paw fruit in one go. Right after Kuma ate the fruit, however, he was attacked out of nowhere with an invisible wave of power. And in front of him, the Elder appeared, who had wanted to see Sid die.
"The Buccaneer boy... Your lot in life is to be a slave and die. It has been decided by the course of history," the Elder said.
"Are you important, Mister?" Kuma asked as he tried to stand up. "It's strange that some people are born to be important... There is no point in being born if you're a slave from birth. But I was told that was wrong. Sid told me... we all have power... happiness... it comes from within. And just like Nikka... I want to save as many of these poor people as possible! So that they also may find their inner happiness!!"
"Hahahahahaha. Well said, Kuma!!"
The voice of Siddharta is heard from behind. He appears out of the building, having been knocked into it moments before. In the vault with the Devil Fruits, Sid found a very peculiar but special weapon: an oversized prayer wheel fashioned into a staff. Somehow, he knew it was meant for him and took it. He walked forward, towards the Elder who had wanted to experiment on him.
"You... You are still alive," the Elder said.
"Oh? Who are you again?"
"..."
"Oi, Kuma. Why don't you leave and do what you just said? Let that fire burn bright inside you, my friend. I'll take care of this here."
Kuma wasn't sure what he should do initially, but seeing Sid smile at him unbothered about anything put him at ease, and he nodded. He took his small legs and started running to where the other people were. The Elder looked at the small child in front of him with a displeased expression. Arrogance and anger, as well as entitlement and more, were seen in his eyes by Sid.
"You think you can handle me, child? Amusing."
"Hahaha, I'm glad you're amused," Sid laughed.
"You, the Bucaneer boy and all the others will die. I will personally make sure of it. And I'll start with you. Today was the last day you were alive. You shouldn't have been allowed to poison others with your words."
"Enemies, allies... The good, the bad... Gods, Fishmen, Bucaneers, Lunarians, humans... Nobles, slaves... None of it matters! In this existence, I am singular. I am Gautama Siddharta, and I do what I want. "
A powerful pressure emanated from Saint Jaygarcia Saturn and pressed down on the surroundings, focusing on Sid. The powerful Elder used massive amounts of Conqueror's Haki, trying to kill the small child who was Sid. And if he had been any other child, maybe even most grown men and women in this world, he might have succeeded, but this was different. Instead of falling to his knees, breathing heavily and dying, Sid simply... stared at Saturn with an indifferent expression.
No one could make him move but himself.
The pressure suddenly ceased, and Saint Saturn's eyes widened.
"Wha--"
In that moment, Sid chose to act. In a moment that would be remembered throughout history, he replicated what Saint Jaygarcia Saturn just did and unleashed his boundless will.
*VRROOO--------*