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Hey! This has been elected as the 55th Featured Role-Play.
"Proving Grounds" has been featured, meaning it is awesome.
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| Role-Play |
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| Proving Grounds | ||
| Date Started: January 11th, 2025 Date Finished: Ongoing Setting:
Previous Role-Play: Crimson Waves
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| Participants | ||
| User:YANZ OP • User:Haraxmant • User:DazzlingEmerald • User:TheRedFang06 | ||
Four years have passed since Yoann D. Kytaro experienced the tragedy and misery of losing his crew, the Fire Hair Pirates. Since then he has trained relentlessly and at long last he aspires to enter the Grand Line's raging inferno, its so-called "New World". But there is danger at every step; death looms at every corner. Without his crew beside him, how far can the "Fire Haired" boy hope to go in a sea where only the strongest are fit to survive?
Kingdom of The Deep[]
Beneath the crystal-clear waters of this world, hidden like buried treasure, remained a kingdom worthy of the legends of Atlantis, Fish-Man Island. The island acted as a kind of toll booth in the world of piracy, an inescapable passageway in the life of any pirate wishing to enter the New World from Paradise. The stone streets were filled with members of underwater races, Fishmen, Merfolk and others, all contributing a little to the well-being and functioning of their community.
This semblance of peace was, however, disturbed by the presence of certain humans, pirates. And among them was one with vibrant fiery hair and red eyes, one who had apparently returned from the dead after a long absence of almost 3 years, the one called Yoann D. Kytaro. Having come down from the surface to this island, he was now exploring it, looking at every nook and cranny in wonder.
He was amazed by the island's mystical appearance. He didn't mind fish-men; he'd seen them before, even come face to face with one. But the island itself was mystical. He had just arrived by didn't waste any time doing what he does best, wander.
"So this is Fish-Man Island... We’re really under the sea… and this place is huge! I’ve never seen anything like it!"
Beyond the excitement of his first visit to the home of the Fish-Men, another man was re-emerging publicly, Finwind. After his capture Finwind had not had much downtime, first being drafted to the Expendables, and then participating in a large-scale war. This being Finwind's choice of vacation, at least for the time being until his next mission.
Finwind would approach Kytaro from behind, standing near double the man's size. "I'd take care to stifle your excitement, young man." he suggested, calm and quietly.
Kytaro turned his head slightly, glancing up, way up, at the massive figure behind him. It was a fish-man. His excitement didn't diminish, but his expression changed from a broad smile to a confused look, with a slightly raised eyebrow.
"Stifle my excitement? Nah, not gonna happen." he said, spreading his arms like a salesman displaying his wares to a potential customer and grinning. "I mean, look at this place! How could anyone not freak out?"
He tilted his head, sizing up Finwind. "And what’s it to you, big guy? You here to enjoy the sights too, or ??"
"Look closer." Finwind clarified. He glanced around the area at various locals, who were shying away or avoidant of eye contact with the young pirate. "Your excitement is causing a scene. Disturbing the peace." he added.
"They don't take too kindly to humans. Even less so, one who smells as you do." he said, giving a chuckle. "Young, excited, the smell of the sea air about you, I'm surprised one like you has yet to have the adventure snuffed out." he smirked.
Kytaro frowned, his grin fading slightly as he looked around, finally noticing the way the Fish-Men were avoiding him. He scratched the back of his head, a little annoyed but not entirely shaken.
"Tch, what’s their problem? I’m just lookin’ around..." he muttered before turning back to Finwind, crossing his arms. "Some people just don't like seeing joy, I guess..."
"Also, what's wrong with my smell? And why are you so pessimistic? Maybe you should learn to just take a step back, and chill. I'm just making my way here to the New World, after all." He spoke, with a light smile and a raised eyebrow. He'd reach into his bag, pulling out a bag of chips. He'd make sure to take a certain number first, before handing the package over to the Fish-Man.
"Here, a bag of chips."
Finwind shook his head, walking past the boy. "Our existence is not a show, and your vacation is our home." he explained. "No matter how you feel about it. The fact of the matter is, our kind have been gawked at by yours for far too long. We've been side shows and possessions, and even here, in our home, you treat us like your personal eye candy." He continued.
He took a deep breath before looking back to the boy "New World?" he asked. "What there holds your interest?"
Kytaro looked at Finwind, now with a slightly more serious expression as he listened to the Fishman's words. He raised his hand, shaking it from side to side as he rolled his eyes.
"Yeah... I don't give a damn about your story, and I don't feel like listening to it either." He says, just as quickly trying to move on to another subject. But the man's last question caught his attention, his eyes flaring with passion as he eyed the man defiantly. "It's simple, I'm going to the New World..." He began, the scene becoming comically more illuminated as if the sun had decided to focus on him and him alone.
"Because I'm going to become King of the Pirates!"
"Yeah, that's what I thought..." Finwind responded calmly, taking a few steps away from the boy. "Well, King of the Pirates...." he said, turning and pulling Kiribachi from his back, holding it out with Kytaro's neck placed between two of the teeth. "You'll have a long way to go, and I intend to stop you." he confirmed, giving a smirk.
As the blade caressed his neck, Kytaro kept his cool. A sneer appeared on his lips. "A lotta guys have tried to do it before..." He raised his hand, forcibly pushing Finwind's Kiribachi. "So far, no one's succeeded, though." His grin grew wider as his eyes seemed to burn with enthusiasm. He raised his other hand, getting into position. One hand in front bent into a fist pointed at the Fishman, the other hand back at his head, relaxed, and both legs slightly apart. He was ready. The breeze would pick up, sending his medium-length hair flying in all directions.
"If you really want to do this, then let's do this! I'll kick your ass!"
Pulling back his Kiribachi, Finwind then thrust it forward, twisting his wrist into and upwards angle, a simple attack at close range, which would be able to gnash at Kytaro's flesh with the teeth of the blade.
Kytaro's eyes would light up momentarily. It was the use of Observation Haki. For a fraction of a second, he had an internal prediction of the attack, a precognition. He would dodge the attack, twisting his body upwards as his spine seemed to bend backwards. He would follow in his stride, placing his hands on the ground and lifting his feet into the air before imbuing them in Armament Haki. He would push himself with the strength of his arms towards the Fish-Man, aiming to hit him full force in the torso. A simple counter-attack, but a good one.
Finwind hardened his own body in response, standing firm at Kytaro's attack and grabbing the boy's ankle. "I'll give you, Haki is a start, but it's unrefined." He commented, tossing Kytaro backwards in an attempt to give them space. "The King needs to be better than that, kid. I was trained by one of the best, why should you deserve to rule?" he asked, prompting Kytaro to attack again, waving him on.
Kytaro would be thrown off, getting back on his feet quickly as he expected a counter-attack. He would jump back slightly. Finwind's question came to him and made him smile as he continued to hop in place. "I just do it for the fun of it, I don't wanna rule anything, and I never said I deserved to be King of the Pirates." He began, placing his hands in front of him like a boxer.
"I said I'll become King of the Pirates. I think becoming King of the Pirates is just a matter of luck and being in the right place at the right time. And as long as I'm alive, my chances are infinite!" He proclaimed before propelling himself from the ground towards his opponent, his hand remaining behind as if his arm were stretching.
"Fai Fai no..."
He would imbue his arm with Haki, before bringing it back with tremendous speed and incredible force towards Finwind, aiming for his belly. Shouting, he would pronounce the name of this technique.
"Cannon!"
Finwind took a stance, prepared to defend himself, pulling up Kiribashi and imbuing it with Armament Haki, placing his hand behind it for stabilization and tanking Kytaro's attack once again. Kytaro's abilities were strange, but the physical difference between the two of them was apparent. Finwind had trained his whole life as a martial artist, meanwhile Kytaro was hardly half of his age, he'd need a lot more than some stretchy abilities to overpower him.
Finwind pushed off, trying to knock Kytaro backwards before gathering water in his hand. He thrust his hand toward Kytaro, sending a cluster of water-droplets flying with the strength of bullets toward him. "Uchimizu"
Kytaro was jostled backwards as the bullets raced towards him. But he hadn't said his last word yet. From his back emerged a hand, a hand made of muscle, which planted itself in the ground and pulled him down, effectively dodging all the bullets.
"I've seen that move before, I can't remember where, though..." He thought, before the vision of a Fish Man suddenly came to mind. He grinned. "Obvious answer."
Once the wave of bullets had passed, he'd use his hand on the ground to push himself back, or rather to place himself on his two hands, the real ones this time. Following quickly, he'd push himself up, starting to spin on himself. "I'm going to kick it into high gear if you don't mind!" He'd send both hands toward the Fishman as a feint, looking totally engaged.
The fact that he had generated this hand behind his back where he could have steadied himself with his real hands or even used his Kenbunshoku Haki to dodge was strategic, he didn't want to give Finwind any more information about his power. Although the fact that he was able to stabilize himself and stand up with his back against the ground was strange, but there were far stranger things to be seen in this sea.
He expected it to fly under his opponent's radar.
So, while Finwind would probably have all his attention focused on the pirate's two hands, the other hand that had emerged from Kytaro's back, now imbued with Haki, would return to impact him full force on the side of the head, probably by surprise. This would mark Kytaro's first successful strike in the fight, a smashing one!
Finwind continued as normal, preparing to block the boy's attack. However, it was true, that he had a power that Finwind had yet to expect. While the initial block was easy, the surprise attack made contact with Finwind, causing the man to quickly widen his stance, catching himself from the force of the attack.
His brow furrowed, and he slammed Kiribachi into the ground. Slowly balling his fist, cracking his knuckle, Finwind threw a punch at Kytaro, stopping mere centimeters from the man's face, the air around his fist beginning to fluctuate, before opening his hand, making contact with the man's forehead and unleashing all of the power of his attack in a single point. "Fish-Man Karate Ogi: Shuushi no Kiritsu", an attack that reverberates through water vapors, intended to shoot through an opponents body, causing internal damage while also knocking them away.
Before Finwind's palm could touch his forehead, Kytaro instinctively hardened it, generating muscles around it and contracting them. The attack struck the fiery-haired pirate. For a moment, his mind went blank. His eyes widened and his nose suddenly began to bleed profusely, more like a spray than a steady trickle. Then his pupils would return straight to Finwind as he threw his arms back, leaning on them to propel himself further into the area, aiming to create distance between the two.
"What the—!? That hit me even though I blocked it! And it hurts like crazy, too! What’s goin’ on!?"
He would slide across the floor, wiping the blood from his nostrils. But he won't get up. He'd keep one knee on the ground while bringing his right hand toward his heart, pressing hard against his chest. "No... Not yet..." He thought, pausing in his maneuver. "I need to understand how it works! I need to understand how he fights!"
Kytaro would get back on his feet. He would raise both hands in front of his head, folded into fists, before lifting his right foot very slightly off the ground. It was a Muay Thai fighter's stance, but he had the guard of a boxer. "If I want to become King of the Pirates, then I shouldn't let myself be intimidated by this kind of power! I shouldn't let myself be intimidated by anything!" His eyes returned to Finwind, the pirate killing him with his gaze. It was as if his expression was shouting at Finwind to come again. No, not shouting, daring.
"I'll use everything I've learned in training to overcome this challenge !"
Finwind wrapped his fingers around Kiribachi's hilt once more, pulling it from the ground. There was a craving, a desire, for the blade to spill Kytaro's blood. Shooting Busoshoku haki up the length of the blade, Finwind rushed forward, pulling back the blade, he slashed forward at Kytaro, aiming to rip right through the boy.
Kytaro's eyes would glow, he would have used Observation Haki. As the blade advanced towards him, he would imbue his right leg in Haki and harden it, before sending a well-placed kick towards the side of Finwind's leg, at knee level. He knew that the Fishman would have no way of defending himself against such a blow, and that the brute force behind it would almost certainly force him to bend to the side, deflecting the trajectory of his slash just enough for the blade to miss him completely, continuing its way in a diagonal and leaving Finwind completely exposed for a follow-up, while maintening the risk of injury.
Finwind would get caught up by this, the blade following suit and slipping by Kytaro, but the sheer force behind the blade would tear through the ground itself, leaving a scar not only in its path, but far beyond as well. Now leaving a slashing-trail through the earth for roughly 50 feet beyond Kytaro.
Following suit, while Finwind was still bending to the side, Kytaro imbued his arms with Haki, before sending his fist uppercutting with tremendous force towards the side of his opponent's chin. A simple yet powerful attack, designed to inflict immense damage, while aiming to simply lift the Lost Calamity off the ground. But even then, the offensive wasn't over, as Kytaro still had one more to come.
Kytaro would lift his foot before planting it in the ground a little further away, cracking the floor beneath it. His stance was now lowered, but he was looking straight ahead. He would extend his arm backwards, contracting it with all his might before stretching it to a huge distance. "Fai Fai no..." He would bring his arm back with tremendous speed, the distance between Kytaro's fist and Finwind melting like snow in the sun. So fast that Kytaro's fist would turn red, then bright yellow from the friction, despite the Busoshoku Haki, before possibly impacting Finwind in the stomach, still in the air, aiming to send him waltzing further across the island.
Nothing short of a deadly three-piece combo.
"Blazing Cannon!"
Finwind wouldn't fly too far from the ground, given the size difference between the two of them, letting go of his blade, he repositioned himself to meet Kytaro's punch with one of his own. Finwind's fist would turn to bronze, then heated to a bright red color, and finally covered in Busoshoku haki. "Grothiá Tou Íliou."
Clashing his own punch against Kytaro's, Finwind stopped the attack completely, it'd be almost as if punching a steel wall, even with Haki. "You think your fires burn hotter than mine, kid?" he asked, before the heat around his fist began to intensify and eventually burn away at even the air around it. Pushing his fist harder against Kytaro's, he began to smirk. "The New World is beyond you and I refuse your entry!" he shouted, finally attempting to push through and knock Kytaro backwards again.
Kytaro's attack would be stopped. The power and hardness of Finwind's blow was surprising. He hadn't expected it. Then he would be sent tumbling backwards, rolling on the ground but getting up almost immediately. He breathed hard, and grabbed his fist in pain. He clenched his teeth. "Damn... He's strong... Not only strong, but he's fast, too, and tough!" He thought before rising to his feet, settling back into a pose. He'd start moving forward, fast, vascillating his body from side to side in a maneuver that looked like a modified Dempsey Roll, before coming from the side and sending a super-powered punch, imbued with Haki, towards Finwind's liver!
It was a feint.
For, despite his air of total commitment to the gesture, he knew that Finwind was fast, and that he would be parried. So he would follow up with a right overhand, then a left, and so on, aiming to catch the Fishman totally off guard.
Finwind, for the first time in this fight against Kytaro, had to rely on his knowledge of Kenbunshoku Haki, utilizing it in combination with his greater speed to dodge around Kytaro's attacks, all the while he was slowly backpedaling while heating up his feet, turning the ground beneath them into a scorching earth. Eventually, the ground itself would start to give, liquify, and turn into a boiling hot form of magma beneath their feet.
The pain would go straight to Kytaro. After the Fishman had avoided all his attacks, now he was turning the ground to lava. It went from surprise to surprise. He cried out in pain. Kytaro wanted to jump, but that would only cause him to sink a little deeper into the molten ground, damage he didn't want to take in the middle of a fight. He stretched out his arm, grabbing hold of a nearby building and immediately pulling himself back towards it, retracting his arm.
He would land on the tin roof, barely able to stand due to the pain. He would bring the bottom of his feet up to his mouth in succession, blowing on them. The lava had totally melted his shoe and had begun to attack his skin, leaving the bottom of his foot burnt. "What the hell is this? He can generate heat, too? If he keeps doing that I won't be able to get near him..!" He thought, gritting his teeth. Then he had an idea. What if he lured the Fish Man to him. He himself, before and even now, somewhat, was often controlled by his emotions when he or the people he loved were disrespected.
Then, why wouldn't Finwind, who seemed to love his people more than anything else, fall for it?
He chuckled a little, barely managing to make it look like a short breath. "Weren't you’re all about protecting the island? 'Cuz it doesn’t look like it from here, kinda feels like you’re wrecking it yourself."
...Magma cools... Finwind thought, personally excusing himself of the damage he was causing. Though, he calmed himself nonetheless, utilizing his teaching from Killigrew Khan to maintain his composure. As his heat dissipated, he lightly crossed his arms to form an 'X' over his chest. He gathered water around his arms before electricity shot through them.
Finwind thrust his arms outwards toward Kytaro, sending a volley of erratic water-bullets toward him and around his general area "Yabusame:..." Finwind started, before reaching out his hand and clutching it in the air. "Denryuu!", suddenly the electricity in the droplets would spread outwards, connecting to one-another and shooting electricity through the entire area, and through whatever was in the area as well.
The attack was devastating, powerful, unstoppable. Or almost. Although the attack would have made short work of an ordinary pirate, Kytaro was no longer one. He wasn't a pirate who spent his time fighting, as many did these days, Kytaro also took time to cultivate his mind. Like his physique, the pirate's intelligence and adaptability had also improved. And with this progression came many ways of attacking, defending and retaliating.
As the electric water bullets approached him at high speed, Kytaro wouldn't take the expected route against such an attack; flee or hide. On the contrary, he would go directly against it, but with a twist. He would stretch his right arm back before bringing it forward in a Haki-imbued punch that would be super-powerful, but above all, very fast. Too fast.
"Fai Fai no..."
The fist shot forward at breakneck speed. A hiss would sound, the noise growing louder as the speed increased. The air would vibrate and distort. The brute force of the movement compressed the air ahead, crushing it into a hard, superheated shell that clung tightly to the fist. Then, in an instant, flames burst to life around the knuckles, wrapping the fist in fire. For a moment, it burned white-hot. And when the pressure reached a threshold, what was bound to happen, would happen.
BOOM! Just before the fist stopped, right in front of the wall of water, the air exploded outwards in a shockwave. Flames would be ripped from Kytaro's fist, spreading out in all directions with the shockwave, making it scorch. For any water droplets that managed to survive the heat of the fist when it arrived, then the shockwave would be too much, sending them all waltzing off into the distance at dizzying speeds, while vaporizing them, plain and simple.
It was a variant of an attack Kytaro had used earlier, only this one was much more powerful, and above all, explosive. For Finwind who probably wouldn't expect to be affected by either the heat or the fist itself, given that it'd stopped at a distance, the shockwave would come as a painful surprise.
"Blazing Mortar!"
Finwind turned his body to brass, remaining at his regular size, as the shockwave approached him. A loud 'gong' sound radiated from their position as the explosive shockwave met with the man of brass, alerting the entire area of their fight. Finwind rolled his eyes, the kid had determination, but he was a damn fool.
Finwind suddenly began to grow in size, shifting from his hybrid form into his full colossus form. Growing from ten foot tall, which was already nearly double the size of Kytaro, to a towering one-hundred-fifty feet tall brass statue of the sun god Helios. Finwind leveraged his foot and aimed to squash Kytaro under.
As the shadow of Finwind's colossal brass titan form engulfed Kytaro, he likely saw his life flash before his eyes. All things considered, being crushed under the might of such vigorous power was eminent death. This was a vengeful welcome in the Grand Line's formidable "New World".
Among the memories that flashed in Kytaro's mind was a common phrase used by his parents each time the young lad had been rejected by his crush. "There are plenty of fish in the sea, Kytaro," they would say. And they were right. There were plenty of fish in the sea. One fish, two fish. Blue fish, green fish. Small fish, big fish.
Finwind was one big fish. One really, really big fish. However, there were even bigger fish in this "New" world; a reality Finwind had once been forced to swallow and a reality that he had intended to impart upon Kytaro. But lost in the moment of his vigor, he could have never sensed the blow that he had been dealt. His eyes, fixated upon Kyato beneath him, focused on the golden man that materialized in front of him.
Who was it? What was it? No... when was it? When did this man possibly even appear on the island? Finwind's question was lost to the pain that he suddenly was made aware to. Blood fountained up his throat and forcefully expelled itself from his mouth like an erupting volcano. All at once he was forced to sustain the pain which he had been blind to, but not a moment too soon and he felt his eyes begin to betray him. Finwind's body was reverting to his regular size against his wishes. At the cause for this was none other than the mysterious golden man who had appeared out of seemingly nowhere.
At the same moment, the golden man welcomed Kytaro's attack head-on. His fist slammed into the golden man's chest, yet all he did in return was stare back at him. His body didn't budge from its position, not even by a centimeter. The force dispelled itself, the heat lost upon contact. On the contrary, it was Kytaro's hand which was left damaged due to contacting the insanely durable muscle that comprised this Wotan that stood before him.
Standing tall as the figure of Finwind lost consciousness behind him and slowly collapsed, the golden man's prestige and reputation spoke for itself, presenting his status to the island which he called his home.
2,710,000,000"Fighting is not permitted on this island. Not of any kind," Olympus commanded. The aura which exuded from his pores spoke volumes. Olympus, who had been born and raised within the Fishman District, spoke from experience. He had seen the violence and gang-life that persisted there and he had resolved to change it. He had long since amassed the power to reinforce that. Whether it was a fellow fishman like Finwind or an ambitious rookie such as Kytaro, he didn't discriminate. He wouldn't allow Fishman Island to be a product of pointless conflict.
"If you'd like to show off how tough you are, then come. I'll be your opponent." Olympus' statement was not a challenge. It was a promise for Kytaro's end. The last the world had seen of Olympus, he had ripped off both arms and a leg from the body of the Shichibukai, Hide, making extremely light work of him. And Kytaro was no Shichibukai.
Kytaro suddenly found himself in pain, but not his whole body as he'd expected at this point, rather his hand. He felt as if he'd just hit the hardest of walls. "GAH!" He ducked momentarily, collecting himself into a ball as he caught his right hand with his left, massaging it. But this only took a moment, the pirate immediately lifting his head to see what had happened.
The change of scenery that had taken place in this small moment was more than surprising, to say the least. The now gigantic Fish-Man was no longer there, in the sense that he was now unconscious, falling from the sky. In his place, another Fish-Man, yellow this time, with a very imposing physique. He looked more like a giant, in fact.
"Uh? What the hell?" Immediately, the two neurons that sometimes activated in the pirate's head to give him an illumination did so again as he understood directly what had happened. Finwind crashed down, the wind blew across Kytaro's face and into his twirling hair; his eyes widened and his mouth opened wide. This person, this beast, had just defeated Finwind in a single blow, accidentally saving his life. Olympus's words were heard, but not listened to, as a single emotion filled the pirate's heart.
Astonishment.
He pointed at Finwind's body, then at Olympus, in succession while his other hand rested on the side of his head. "How did you do that, unc?!" He exclaimed, shocked. He stepped forward slowly, circling the imposing figure as he contemplated him, but there was no hostility emanating from him. He made one turn, then two, before coming back in front of the man smiling, the receiver of his words so large that he had to totally lift his head just to see his face. He put one hand in front of his eyes to block the sun's rays, the other having his index finger pointing at the man.
"You look really strong! Wanna join my crew?"
Olympus' visage was tense; the look of his cold, refined wrath torching his facial muscles. He stayed silent, his aura protruding from his body relentlessly. It was not Haki, yet many a time it had been more than sufficient to render the scums of the sea unconscious. If nothing less, it forced them to retreat with their tails between their legs.
Olympus held his expression ever still, as the naive, juvenile pirate surrounded him one time after another. Yet, Olympus didn't sense any dangerous intentions. This child, this novice, was simply astonished, visibly so. As Kytaro stood lapped around him again and again, a small chisel formed in the armor that was Olympus' resolve. A bead of sweat trickled down the side of his face, as if to suggest Kytaro's behavior confused him.
Silence loomed over the island following Kytaro's outrageous request. Olympus' face was obscured; a dark shadow cast over it as it to signify his anger, his disapproval over this immature brat's eagerness. And then, out of nowhere, the Wotan began to laugh. "Apapapapa!!"
Olympus threw his head back and gripped his stomach. He let out a hefty laugh in its entirety. "Aaaaaapapapa!!!! Aaaaaaaapapapa!!!!" After what felt like minutes of endless laughter; each hiccup trying to distinguish whether or not Kytaro was actually being serious or not. Finally, Olympus found a grip over himself and retaliated with a response of his own.
"You truly are naive, you know that? Asking someone you just met whether they'll join you or not. When you have no crew to even show for yourself! Tell me, brat. What is your name? Why would anyone wish to service a man without merit or any proper reputation? Do you have any idea where you are a this moment?" Olympus crossed his arms across his chest. His muscles clenched; veins rippled tightly as he gritted his teeth and his tone shifted into a darker, heavier voice.
"You may know my strength, however before him I am nothing but an ordinary man who serves the Strongest Man in the World!! If that is my precedent, how could you possibly hope to compare?"
Kytaro stood erect as the man burst out laughing at his proposal, listening attentively to his words. One thing he was sure of, however, was that this was not mockery, but rather incredulity. A sneer formed on his lips. He crossed his arms. "What you’re sayin’ ain’t wrong. I ain’t got a crew, I ain’t got a name here, that’s true. But that don’t mean I can’t stand next to the greats." He began. "And that’s ‘cause I got ambition. Big ambition. And that’s what makes you strong. Ain’t that what pirates always say?" He paused, letting his words hang in the air for a moment. "My ambition is to sail every inch of the sea and dig where even legends are too scared to—into the past."
"Ain’t you ever thought about the world around you? Why your kind, the Fish-Men, are stuck under the sea? Why some folks get hunted down and others are born sittin’ on piles of gold? I’ve been askin’ myself those questions since I was a kid." He relaxed his pose, but clenched his fist in front of him. His pink eyes lit up. "Name's Yoann D. Kytaro', and simply put, I'm the man who's gonna be the Pirate King! I'm gonna uncover the truth of the past, learn the secrets this world's been hidin', and leave my mark on history. And I want people who see things like I do, people who join ‘cause they want to, not ‘cause of some big title or name. People who get me, y'know? People who’ll fight and die for their own dreams. That’s how the best crews are made, ain’t it?" He'd pound his fist on his chest, raising his voice as he declared his dream before the Wotan. The craziest dream. "Not someday. Not maybe.' I'm doin' it! And i'll have the time of my life doing it, too! That's why I can compare. 'Cause I ain't just chasing strength, I'm chasing the whole damn world!"
He stopped once more, staring at the giant figure firmly and fearlessly, exuding unshakeable confidence. He would take a sharp breath. "And about what you said earlier… I already know enough to decide if I want you on my crew or not." He held his hand out toward Olympus, sure of himself. "Maybe I sound dumb, but I pick up on things quick, y’know? You stepped in when that other guy got too dangerous for the island. That’s what it is, right? You care about your own. That’s all I need to know." He was now smiling warmly at her, the confidence he emanated replaced by relativity and appreciation. "So, you comin’?"
Gone was the laugh from Olympus' face. In its place was a sincere smile born out of pride. There was more to this kid than he had expected. He paused, closing his eyes for just a moment to rekindle an old memory.
"Yoann D. Kytaro," said Shimizu, sitting within the dark depths of the Fishman District. "He... was among the pirates storming into the Grand Line. He got the better of me. Please forgive me, Olympus-sama."
Olympus stood with his arms crossed, studying Shimizu's worn out form. He sighed, bubbles flowing out of his mouth as they were underwater. "Shimizu. You didn't let anyone down but yourself. When you chose to join the marines... was that not your decision? Marine, pirate. Regardless, a Fishman is a Fishman and someone who I'll always act to protect. However, you have only your pride to blame for this."
Shimizu, whose body was encased in a thick and durable bubble, could hardly look up to see Olympus. He held his head low, reflecting on that battle.
"You are a Devil Fruit user, Shimizu. And in order to disrespect your opponent, you attempted to defeat him by holding back your true power. What did the get you, in the end, Shimizu? Defeat."
Shimizu knew that Olympus was right. He didn't have anything left to say.
Olympus opened his eyes. "So you're the brat that defeated Shimizu, eh? Now I can understand why he acted as he did. Your words, they're bold. They remind me of an old friend of mine."
He tightened said hand into a fist, and rose it, as if aiming at Mengis. "NO!!!...even if your strength is absurd like an elephant trying to waltz through a swamp-" Damon rose his right leg, standing on both feet now, his breathing was too erratic at this point. But, it didn't hinder him from adopting an intense glare at Mengis' eyes. "Bring it on." He said in a husky tone, almost whispering. His pupils almost fading, yet his spirit standing even fiercer.
"Hey," Apu said, addressing Damon who was beside him without daring to look away from Pine, "how much fight do you have left in you? Since you're not a marine… why don't we team up against this guy? I need the marines out of my hair if I'm to have a chance to look around the island for what I came for in the first place. What do you say?"
"I-I got attacked by them both, not on my best condition, but- I'll help!!!" He entered a fighting stance once again, standing beside Apu. "I'm fully willing to help, Sir- er, Apu!" Though he was wounded, determination filled Damon's eyes.
"But, being bold isn't nearly enough to survive where you're headed. Beyond this island resides... the New World! Where monsters far less forgiving than me exist. You brat, your words of wisdom will never be able to reach them for they are not willing to listen to reason. They'll tear you apart, limb from limb and feed you to their wits."
Kytaro hadn't attacked Fishman Island. Olympus had no reason to punish him. On the contrary, he couldn't help but compare him to his fellow Horseman, Damon, and it made Olympus almost root for him. He smiled.
"Tell you what, kid. I'm going to help you get out of here. I'll tell the guards to let you through and I'll even coat you a ship with my own hands. But after that, you're on your own. I want to see you put your heart where that big mouth of yours is. If you're able to survive... maybe we'll meet again some day."
Kytaro frowned, but it wasn't anger; it was more a manifestation of his determination. These words were not provocation, but advice, an instigation. Some might call it, tough love. The pirate loved this kind of interaction, feeding off it as a source of motivation. It was what kept him going, the wills and advice of others being entrusted to him. He extended his hand a little further toward Wotan. "Tell me, what's your name?" He asked. His eyes never left Olympus'.
"Let's bet, on the future, y'know?" He continued. "When I become, uh..." He paused, rubbing his chin with his free hand, then his eyebrow as he thought of a title only the great could occupy, a huge condition he'd put on himself. Then, with that same hand, he raised a finger as he had an idea. "When I become a Great Pirate, I'll come back here and pick you up." He exclaimed loudly, right in front of Olympus's face, or rather down below. A strong statement, which fully expressed the young man's character. His eyes blazed.
This statement was not only ambitious, it was totally absurd. Every experienced pirate in the New World knew what a "great pirate" was. A pirate so powerful, with so much influence, that he was recognized as a global menace, a threat to the balance of the world as a whole. The kind of pirate who could sit at the same table as emperors, or emperors themselves. That, was what a "Great Pirate" was.
"You're on?"
"Apu," said the Wotan, giving Kytaro his simpler name which only his closest allies knew him by. This way his reputation would be protected from Kytaro, keeping Kytaro from actually realizing how famous he truly was. "Well. If you can become that great, then I'll consider it. You'll know where to find me."
Kytaro gritted his teeth and clapped his own hand. Now he was a little annoyed. Not so much with the answer as with the fact that his plan hadn't worked. He turned and stamped his foot on the ground, trying to vent his frustration. "Okay, okay! I'll leave now..!" He exclaimed, starting to move forward. Then, just a few seconds later, he would find himself turning once more to face Wotan. "Uhh... How do I get out of here, anyway? I was brought here and I'm not sure how to navigate..." This was a lie. Kytaro totally didn't know how to handle a ship. Matter of fact, every time he has tried to handle a ship by himself, it ended up in him violentlu colliding against something and, therefore, wrecking the ship. Every. Single. Time.
He actually needed help.
"Surely, you'll find a way to figure that out, 'Pirate King'." Olympus smirked. He gestured for someone to assist and began to walk off, taking his leave. It seemed that Olympus was a highly respected figure on this island. A merman came and took Kytaro to his ship, but that still left him without a navigator or even a helmsman. What was he going to do?
"Yooohoo! You there!" came a voice out of nowhere. "You! Little man! Could I perhaps hitch a ride on your terrific ship?"
Kytaro stopped as he climbed into his boat, taking a moment to look at the person who had spoken to him. The man's words were heard. At first, Kytaro was puzzled about letting someone he'd seen nothing of board his ship. But at the same time, he wasn't expecting the situation to escalate due to the very presence of this 'Apu' on the island. He just had to make sure.
"'Sup, dude!" He replied, rather calmly. "Who are you??"
The swordsman approached Kytaro after letting his presence be known. "Apologies, friend. My name is Soldarian. I was keeping watch over your battle earlier. I must say, I am quite impressed with what I saw. Is it true that you are in need of a crew? I hear sailing the waters of the New World alone is akin to suicide. There aren't too many who would dare such a thing. However, I'm eager to lend you a hand if you'd allow it."
Soldarian was dressed in a long, double-breasted coat with a sash tied around his waist. He had a sword sheathed at his side. "Before you think to question my capabilities, you should know that I am a bounty hunter frequently contracted by the Black Coffin guild. I happen to know my way around the sword."
Kytaro looked unimpressed, his face keeping the same expression as he raised an eyebrow. But this was not due to any lack of consideration or criticism. It was just that Kytaro had no idea what the Black Coffin was. Even so, he nodded, acting as if he knew what the guy was talking about. "Eh. Aight! Can you navigate, though? I'm kinda in need of one right now, y'know?"
"Aye, enough to get by, mate," said Soldarian, lifting his hand to showcase the Log Pose strapped to his wrist. "So then, I take it you'll accept me aboard your vessel? For as long as we share the same ship, I shall consider you my captain."
Kytaro smiled, but he wasn't convinced. After all, the man had mentioned that he was a bounty hunter. Also, this was the first time in his pirate career that someone had come forward voluntarily to join him, without being in need. And Kytaro wasn't a stranger to treason, anymore. Most people considered the fire-haired pirate's methods to be too loud or too reckless. He was pleasantly surprised, but the doubt remained. Even so, he didn't try to show it too much, just in case this Soldarian was genuinely of good faith. He extended his hand forward, bending it into a fist. His face was warm.
"Guess that makes you a Fire Hair now, huh? Welcome aboard, bro!"
Soldarian smiled back, touching his fist to the man who was now his captain. "'Fire Hair', eh? I like the sound of that. Now, where to Captain?"
With Soldarian as the crew's navigator, the ship would take off and set sail from Fish-Man Island. The next destination was up for Kytaro to decide.
Pirates At Heart[]
Anchoredge Island originally had only one season. The cold reigned supreme on the island, never relinquishing its grip. But that wasn't why this island was so well known, no. It was the territory of one of the newest members of the Warlords, the renowned Selkirk Geryon.
At the island's port, a ship had docked, a Navy vessel. Since Geryon's ascension to the rank of Shichibukai, such appearances would not be out of the ordinary, far from it. In fact, they would be somewhat frequent. But at the helm of this gigantic vessel, so large that pirate ships appeared minuscule, was no mere individual, not even a Marine.
With the boat moored in port, the crew stood silent and motionless, which was strange. But the cause of their silence would soon be noticed, with a shattering sound. The ground would crack as dust rose into the air, veiling the figure that now resembled nothing more than a silhouette, but it would quickly be blown aside with a sweep of the arms. A tanned, muscular body. Vibrant rose-red eyes. Flaming hair. It could only be a person.
52,000,000Yoann D. Kytaro had arrived on the island after kidnapping a Navy crew and stealing their warship, having emerged victorious in a duel against a captain. He had then set out on a quest for a certain man, and not without significance. Kytaro had made inquiries about the island, and had learned that it held a hidden treasure. A poneglyph. These stones, some of which contained information about the past. For someone like Kytaro, who wanted to learn about the past and had found himself in such a fortuitous situation, this island was a real gem. And he was ready to acquire this treasure, whatever the cost.
"What a freakin' surprise!" He exclaimed loudly. As soon as he arrived on the island, his suspicions were confirmed. The man in town, Geryon, was in the square. "Turns out the big man's here, after all! It's alright, though. It's better like that!"
Sigh
The sound of a man that had been through the same song and dance - one that was bound to repeat itself - a dozen different times was heard in the plaza.
His Mind's Eye had picked up on the arrival of a new presence on the island. Due to Anchoredge not being an especially large island, and Kytaro being close enough to see him, it was far from difficult for the much more experienced pirate to perceive him in kind - though his own method of doing so was far more graceful.
"Get inside." He uttered to the citizenship of the island, a clear warning to be heeded. They listened - running back inside their homes and barring the doors. They knew better than to defy the orders of the man that held the island as his territory.
And then... he vanished.
In an instant, shorter than what it takes for one to blink, Kytaro would feel a presence looking down upon him. Quite literally, it turned out, as the menacing figure of the man stared down on him from the top of a rooftop.
Up close, there was no mistaking him. That figure, shrouded in his jet-black captain's coat. Those azure eyes, staring into his very soul. The disapproving visage of a man whose child had just stepped out of line. He, undoubtedly, was...
"You're new here, aren't you?" He said, leaping down from atop the roof and landing in front of the younger pirate, making no sound at all - as if he was gliding on the wind itself.
"Who are you? A brat here to try and do me in?" He spoke with exasperation, as if he had been through the same occurrence more than enough times for it to get old.
"If that's the case, don't bother saying your name or going into some grand proclamation. I'll forget about it by the time I've buried you."
However, Kytaro was far from alone. By his side was none other than Soldarian, a man who had recently been appointed as the navigator of his crew. Holding steady beside his captain, he grew unnerved at the spectacle of Geryon's awesome speed. So... fast!
Without hesitation, Soldarian's hands moved to his sheathed weapon, grasping it tightly. He skid out in front of Kytaro as the Shichibukai who seemed to be toying with them landed from the roof above. "Buried who? Don't be so quick to judge. You'll find that my captain is more than capable of doing you in, but the likes of you isn't worthy enough to die by his hand!"
The prospect of a Shichibukai was nothing new to Soldarian, who had crossed blades with Sadis in the past. Due to such experiences, his word wasn't entirely faulty. No, there was some degree of merit to it. He pulled his wakizashi out from its sheath and lunged forward, hoping to catch Geryon off guard and take him by surprise. His attack came in the form of a horizontal swipe seeking to bisect Geryon.
Geryon barely even budged. He cared not for some fool's grandstanding. But when the strike came...
It did hit something, that much was true. But it was not flesh or bone. Rather, it was the barely unsheathed blade of one of Geryon's swords - the sabre Amatsukami of the Meito. The Shichibukai had barely even raised it up to block, clearly showing how little he was concerned about the attack. And now, his eye was turned towards the man.
And in a second, the very world surrounding Soldarian ceased to matter.
It was sudden, unforeseen, and utterly dominating. A presence so far above the common man, that its domination of the environment felt less like an intended purpose, and more like a mere consequence. The presence of a true king bearing down on the man, not to overwhelm him fully, but merely to show him the gap between them.
"Shut your mouth and mind your place." He said, his voice heavy and echoing as if him and Soldarian were in the middle of a cave. "You do so much as whisper another word. Another syllable I do not permit you to say. And I'll rip out your throat."
As their swords met, Soldarian pushed his full weight behind the metal in an attempt to keep his enemy from overpowering him. However, it mattered little in the face of his conquerous spirit, which began to wither away at Soldarian's lower resolve. Put simply, Geryon was among those chosen by fate. He bore a power Soldarian could only ever dream of.
"This is..." A nervous bead of sweat trickeled down the side of Soldarian's face. His hands began to tremble as he felt Geryon's sword overtaking his own. He clenched his teeth; more than his sword, it was his mind which was overwhelmed. "The Color of the Supreme King...?!"
Though he retained consciousness, Soldarian lost his will to continue. He stepped down, sliding his blade slowly back into its scabbard until there was an audible click. He leaned back, standing up to his full height. He stepped off to the side, casting a knowing glance towards his captain. "He's on a whole different level from what we thought," Soldarian admitted. He didn't intend for his words to dissuade Kytaro, of course. "Seems to me like he's only interested in fighting you. So, this guy's all yours, Kytaro."
Calmly, Soldarian returned to his place. He would continue to observe and analyze in silence. Knowing how hot-headed his captain could be, he planned to be calculate for him.
"Come ON, Shichi!" Kytaro exclaimed. He would jump up and down. Color of Supreme King's display was surprising, almost paralyzing, but Kytaro still felt ready to duel. Geryon's speed was high, but not something Kytaro couldn't handle.
"You already unsheating that-"
instantaneous. In what would be a lapse of time shorter than a blink. Kytaro would find himself in front of the Shichibukai, or rather, behind Soldarian. He'd put his hands on the ex-bounty hunter's torso, spinning his foot on the roof as he and his crew member swapped places, one circling the other. He let go, letting Soldarian fall further to the ground.
His back would be to Geryon, but the distance was such that no offensive could be unleashed before he himself could react; the Shichibukai's blade was still in its scabbard, yet the length of the saber would mean that trying to draw it would just end with it hitting the pirate's back before it was even fully out of its scabbard. He would use his right leg as a support, pivoting on it to bring his Haki-imbued elbow, with the energy of his whole body, against Geryon's face.
An extravagant way to start a fight, yes, but an effective one.
"I don’t take kindly to people messin’ with my crew."
Instantaneous? An attack bearing such moniker may have fooled many people.
But not Geryon. No, Geryon was a man who had made speed his calling card since he had started pirating. Such movement, to his honed senses and experienced eye, was perfectly visible - and just as predictable.
Kytaro's elbow would hit nothing at all as Geryon easily moved out of the way, the grace and speed of it almost supernatural as he spun around Kytaro to end up at his side. Ever since he had gotten his hands on a certain manual, oh so many years prior, he had taken the time to learn some more tricks a pirate wasn't supposed to.
This, the ability to move his body as if it was weightless, was one of them.
And as he twirled around Kytaro, his hand still resting on Amatsukami, he shot him a look. Not of rage or hatred... but of utter disinterest.
He unsheathed. Flames and lightning erupted from the sword as it flew out of the scabbard, as its power, courtesy of the Dials merged within it by the Keto Keto no Mi years prior, was activated. Geryon went to slash at Kytaro, a swift one-handed slash enveloped by the elements, aimed less towards mutilating him and more so towards striking him with the fury of the elements that coated the blade.
It was not a serious strike at all. Merely a retalliation that he felt was proportional to Kytaro's attack.
"Slow." Was all he commented on the matter as the strike flew out.
"You sure don't a lot, dude..!" Kytaro was initially surprised, but that would only make his smile wider. Like Geryon, speed wasn't the driving force behind Kytaro's fighting style, although it had been for some time. What made Kytaro's style unique was his creativity, but above all, his unpredictability. Kytaro's style was good, but it was erratic, which made fighting him more of a puzzle than a real fight. An ordeal. He saw the attack coming, but it was surprisingly slow and lacking in commitment. It was a test. A sumple attack. Aimed perhaps at playing with him? He didn't know. He wasn't thinking. He just wanted to fight.
He waited.
Kytaro's body stirred in a moment, his torso ducking almost by instinct. His right foot would stay closed in place as his left arm slid just above the roof, bumping and shattering it beneath the Shichibukai's feet before arcing back up to his ankles. Thus, with the ground beneath his feet obliterated, Geryon would have no concrete surface on which to land, and wouldn't even have time to realize it before his ankles took the devastating kick.
Following this, he would deliberately throw himself to the ground, sending his right foot towards Geryon's right ankle, applying pressure.
"Hang on!"
Immediately, using the strength of his arms, he would bend his back forward, bringing both feet up in an effort to literally launch the Shichibukai into the distance.
Kytaro may have prided himself on some apparent creativity. But he seemed to be prone to assuming his plans to be foolproof. As Kytaro went to smash the ground, he assumed that would remove the footing from the ground of the Warlord...
Ignoring that the man who was known as the "Ruler of the Winds" was not named such due to empty platitudes. The ground was not a vital component of Geryon's combative arts. Rather, it was a shackle that separated him from his true kingdom.
For as the ground broke under him, Geryon leapt upward - with the air itself as his footstool, he took to the skies, soaring above Kytaro and gracefully landing behind the man. Once more, the challenger would hit nothing, while Geryon kept that same, unimpressed stare.
"I hoped you were going to make me sweat, at the very least." He spoke, his tone flat and thoroughly bored. He raised a single finger as he resheathed Amatsukami.
"I'll give you one last shot at impressing me, kid. One last chance to prove to me why I should take you with a modicum of seriousness. You challenged a Warlord. Give me one reason that would make me get why you had the balls to do it. Because thus far?"
He shrugged, casually putting a hand in his pocket.
"All I've seen is the flailing of just another arrogant prick who assumes willpower alone can win him wars. Exactly the kind of idiot I am here to keep in line."
Even as Geryon dodged, even as Kytaro lay on the ground before rising, he was just taking a deep breath of air. His eyes had seen everything, and were still seeing everything that had happened. The maneuver Geryon had just used only confirmed the doubts Kytaro had already had since the start of their confrontation. This put a big, petty smile on his face as his eyes crinkled.
"Would you shut up, bro? Who is you? Oh my fuck, bro, I hate people like you who spend their time spitting on others!" He spat on the floor. "Fight!" He ordered. It was provocation. He now knew that Geryon could use Rokushiki, a fighting style he'd already confronted enough to know how to handle. He wanted to draw him in. But he wouldn't necessarily wait for that to happen before attacking. No. Kytaro was the type to rush headlong into action. He would charge towards the Shichibukai in a zigzagging trajectory, seeming to appear and disappear. He'd send a strike towards Geryon, his arm breaking the sound barrier as his fist flew towards the latter. A strong right. Fast. Hard. The attack had power behind it, and could be destructive if it hit its target.
That's when the real punch would come.
Indeed, what would have hit Geryon would not have been Kytaro's fist, but rather the shockwave emanating from the point where it became supersonic. From the outset, Geryon had relied on putting distance between himself and Kytaro, dodging or parrying his attacks. What would he do now that he was faced with an attack that spread over a large area? An attack he couldn't parry? An attack without intention? An attack that would have neither sound nor warning. Kytaro had deliberately slowed down his fist, just out of range for Geryon to reach, after it had broken the sound barrier, letting the shockwave take the lead, which could open Geryon's body to a follow-up strike. Kytaro would wait no longer. As soon as he thought the shockwave had struck, he'd strike. Stronger. Faster. Harder. A devastating right jab imbued with Haki designed to send the Shichibukai tumbling into the background.
Geryon was always a man drawn to great battles. His lust for combat was an unflinching presence in the back of his head, constantly motivating him to seeking greater heights of the ecstasy of battle. Once, years prior, it motivated him towards finding the best in every fight he had, trying his best to look for something, anything that he thought would make it worthy of being remembered.
But that era had been left in the dust a long time ago. And where once, he hoped to make every fight worthy of his time...
Now, he merely sought to end every last skirmish that proved undeserving of it.
Kytaro's attack most definitely proved where he fell on that spectrum. Zig-zag? It was a predictable tactic, one he himself had employed prior. All this... for one punch.
So much, for a fighter that made creativity his strong suit.
The shockwave connected, creating a dust cloud from the impact. But Kytaro would, in turn, feel like he had just punched a block of solid steel, rather than flesh.
And when the dust settled... Geryon stood. Unflinching. One blackened hand raised to block Kytaro's fist...
A fist that did not touch it in the first place. The shockwave had been matched and ultimately nullified by a perfectly fine-tuned and opposite force, all without even eliciting a bead of sweat from the Warlord.
"Who am I?" Geryon said, his other hand gripping the other sword at his hip. A more ornate, more rarely seen one. The blade Goriyaki.
"I'm your executioner, and that is all that matters."
The slash was fast. Faster than anything Geryon had done until then. Compared to this, the prior one may as well have been performed in slow motion. And if Kytaro tried to dodge, he would be in for a nasty surprise, as a blade of wind would erupt outward from the blade, radiating in a wide arc that was clearly meant to cleave him in two at the waist.
The Ruler of the Winds was done taking it easy. Kytaro had been on the offensive, insulting him and his status, while he casually gauged how much effort would be required to show him his place. He had had all the chances to pull back, and still spat on his choice not to end it all in an instant. That all ended now. This would not be a duel - it would be a lesson.
One that would teach Kytaro to be ashamed of his last, pathetic hours.
"That's what i'm TALKING ABOUT!" Kytaro roared with laughter. He wasn't used to being so subdued in a fight. He was more used to taking his opponents by surprise. But here, all his attempts were parried by the Warlord. But that didn't make him panic. He loved it. He thrived on this kind of situation. It was this kind of fighting that thrilled him and made him better.
As the sword slash came towards him, Kytaro ducked back quickly, bending his body rapidly. To match the speed, hands emerged from his back, masked by his body but planting themselves in the ground itself, before pulling Kytaro towards it even faster. He avoided both attacks, the iron blade and the wind blade, seeming to have exceptional speed and reaction time. This was another facet of Kytaro's style: he let his opponents gain confidence by not showing all his abilities right from the start. This way, when he began to unveil his full offensive panoply, the surprise would be all the greater, and that would be exactly what he planned to do to Geryon.
As his back hit the ground, the hands under Kytaro's back pushed him straight into a standing position, so fast that the attacks seemed to pass through an afterimage. Kytaro would generate a hand from his torso. It would meet the back of the Shichibukai's blade, or rather, the shockwave, giving it even more momentum and potentially dragging the Shichibukai's body into a frenzied maneuver. Now would come the opportunity to attack, an opportunity Kytaro would gladly take.
His hands would curl into fists and become soaked with Haki, staying close to the pirate's torso as if he were loading punches. But the movement itself would never happen, Kytaro's body would not move, but the fists would hit the Shichibukai's sides. Indeed, Kytaro had forcefully generated muscles in his wrists, sending the pirate's fists rocketing towards Geryon. This was another manoeuvre to take Geryon by surprise. Kytaro aimed to impact the Warlord with this attack and ultimately send him tumbling into the background.
Kytaro seemingly prided himself on not putting all his back into the fight as soon as it stared. Geryon could not say the same. His lack of effort was not motivated by some point of pride - it was, rather, exactly what it said on the tin. He was simply not trying because he did not feel like the fight deserved any more effort. In his eyes, adjusting one's own power based on the opponent was not something to call a cornerstone, but rather mere common sense.
But if this brat wanted a taste of just how deep he had dug his grave... then so be it.
As the hand went to grab Geryon's sword, it would grab nothing. Where Geryon once stood, now only air remained. And then...
A devastating slipstream engulfed the street the fight was taking place on. For a short, ephemeral while, Geryon bestowed upon Kytaro a display of his true speed.
It was a mix of techniques Geryon had mastered in his five years of piracy. The principles of Soru, further amplified by what was now almost half a decade of continuous improvements over his original version into what was now an even faster variation - especially for closing comparatively shorter distances - were the basic foundation. Then, Geppo was added to the equation; its principles of kicking the air with enough force to move the user were, instead, applied on the ground, making each of the many steps required to perform Soru each exponentially stronger. Finally, Emission, the advanced form of Haki he had come to wield and master, would be used at the very end, emitted through his feet the second he dashed forward to push himself against the ground, achieving even greater speeds. Fast enough, that the very wind was forced to follow along, creating violent, cutting gales that followed in Geryon's wake.
He came barreling towards Kytaro at speeds so unprecedented, that his foe's additional hand had barely even finished clenching around nothing before he was right in front of him. Goriyaki, its blade already reinforced with Seastone, was further blackened by Haki, and surged forward with enormous power and fury, an aura of Emission surrounding its edge to further multiply its cutting power, making the devastating slash a strike that one could only define as utterly apocalyptic.
And if, by some miracle, Kytaro managed to dodge, the slicing winds Geryon had gathered behind him through sheer speed would catch up, buffeting his body with uncountable cuts from all directions. This was more than just a killing move - it was a statement, a true display of the difference between them. It was...
"Sword of Everlasting Valor - Heracles Marmyadose."
Geryon was accelerating towards Kytaro, displaying a speed that no one had yet been able to achieve in their confrontation. It was already a fact that in his current form, in his current state, Geryon would have been faster than Kytaro. But that wasn't all he had to show, either. Kytaro wasn't slow.
In much the same way as Geryon had thrown himself at Kytaro, the flame-haired pirate would accelerate as the air around him literally exploded, his body moving more by pure instinct and skill than by any thought. Having already begun his offensive, Kytaro couldn't stop himself, but instead redirected his attack towards the air, striking the air with all his might as a second explosion occurred. He would bring his fists back. The shockwave would propagate in all directions from the point of impact, advancing in such a way as to exert some resistance on the pirate's saber. Despite this, the attack would still come down on him, a cut appearing on his skin even though the sword would never touch him. The wound was somewhat deep, but the worst had been avoided. Despite the fact that his body had taken damage, his dilated pupils were fixed on their target, the pirate almost drooling in concentration.
His feet were pounding the ground, but the sound of their footsteps simply couldn't keep up with the pirate at the moment. Kytaro's leg muscles had been given an enormous boost of power, explaining the considerable increase in his speed of movement. The distance between the two men was only a few inches, a distance that Kytaro's left fist would seem to cross in a lapse of time that would seem, in the truest sense of the word, infinitesimal. The fist, gleaming metallic black, would go for Geryon's liver in a hook at breakneck speed, faster than anything the young man had shown so far. Right before any impact could occur, thick spines sprout from all around the fist, making it resemble a club. This technique would allow the pirate to inflict not only devastating external damage but also severe internal injuries.
His right fist, meanwhile, would strike the air at the same time as the left fist began its advance, aiming to cause another explosion that would nullify the Geppo's effectiveness, as the air would become far too unstable and turbid for any movement. Indeed, this offensive was truly,
Inevitable.
However, the catch with this attack was that this was only the fun part. Every martial artist knew the true danger of a liver blow; Kytaro was no exception. The most worrying thing about a liver blow would be the pain that followed. Indeed, shortly after receiving a liver blow, most victims would experience pain that could be so excruciating that they would lose control over their own bodies, and a particularly effective shot could instantly neutralize a person. And as soon as the opportunity arose, Kytaro would seize it. All in all, an offensive that was truly,
Lethal.
Kytaro, indeed, was not slow.
But he was not fast enough, either. Compared to the speed of someone like Geryon - someone that could outrun the wind itself - he was simply lacking. For while Kytaro was simply fast, the Ruler of the Winds was a master of speed.
And as the fire-haired pirate's strike was still moving, aimed for his enemy's liver, and his right was about to create a shockwave to try and unbalance him... Geryon's slash connected at his chest. A blade's greater reach, his superior speed, and his opponent's total disregard for defense in an attempt to match him on even terms with a multipronged offense that led to each part being individually slower, made such an outcome possible.
The very wind behind Kytaro was cleaved in half as Geryon's masterful strike connected. The sea behind him shook for a fair distance as the blade of wind producdd by such an almighty strike left a visible mark in its waters - a wound that, however, would vanish quickly, leaving behind no scar.
The same could not be said for Kytaro.
The young pirate would be sent flying backwards, thrown towards a building from the raw power of the hit, with a bloody trail chasing in his wake.
His attempt at a counter had kept him alive, weakening the attack enough to keep him from being cleaved in two. But it was still an utterly devastating strike - an emblem of Geryon's martial supremacy.
And all the Shichibukai would do at the sight of such a grand result...
Was sneer, as he stared at the blood that coated his blade.
Yes, Kytaro had indeed been hit. Yes, Kytaro had indeed been propelled into the building. But as he'd demonstrated many times before, Kytaro wasn't the type to be put down so easily. Geryon was clearly no ordinary pirate; he had to give it his all. These were his thoughts as he lay wounded beneath the wreckage of the building. He immediately got to his feet, pushing the debris with the strength of his arms, with ease. From the outside, the view would be just a cloud of dust being blown sideways from the inside. This would reveal Kytaro. He had a light smile and a piercing gaze, despite the fact that his face was bruised and bleeding from his nose and mouth. On his torso, a bloody trail.
"No more playin’ nice, I’m bringin’ the heat!"
Suddenly, the sand around him began to melt, while the air around him began to vibrate. He took off his top, which was a blouse adapted to the cold climate, letting out a consequent amount of steam. There was now no doubt about it: Kytaro had put everything on the line and was going for it. It was his Jumbo Mode. Enveloped by a scorching aura, Kytaro would put one foot in front of the other, raising one hand in the air as his pupils dilated.
There was no longer any reason for him to limit himself and stop going all out. Geryon had so far proved superior in every physical and skill department. What else could he do but give him his best?
"Let’s end this for real!"
Geryon stared at Kytaro with a newfound intensity. Did he now see the pirate as a neefound opponent? As someone actually worth his time?
He gritted his teeth. The vein around his eyes bulged. Not in excitement...
"You really don't know when to quit, do you?!"
...But in fury.
Dark sparks of Busoshoku Haki emanated from his body as he reached for Amatsukami. In a flash, both swords were now drawn and imbued with dark Haki. The wind swirled around Geryon, stirred into existence by his Haoshoku Haki. His gaze made one thing clear.
Kytaro had given it his all and was now pushing himself further. Geryon had not even started trying until that very last hit.
And now... he was no longer feeling merciful.
It took less than an instant for it to form. A veritable tornado around Geryon, infused with fire and lightning from his second sword. The pirate spun on himself to create the storm, and just as swiftly, it was fired towards Kytaro, cleaving through absolutely anything in its path. Geryon was done giving him chances - if he wanted to die so badly, he'd die. Slowly. Painfully.
If Kytaro tried to dodge the hurricane, he would find its slicing winds a pervasive and omnipresent obstacle. If it tried to block him, he would not have come out unscathed. And if he tried a suicidal charge to break through...
He would find a nasty surprise for himself inside.
Dodge? Flee? It wasn't in Kytaro's language, either verbal or physical. He was a lover of offense, and enjoyed difficult situations like this. And to be used against a guy like the fire-haired man, this attack had one weakness. It was only wind and the effect of speed. Two elements Kytaro knew not only how to counter and disrupt, but also how to use to his advantage. It was time for him to show his strength.
He clenched his fist, lifting it into the air. In an instant, the fist would move back and forth, flashing in and out of view as Kytaro struck the air. Dead silence would follow, for a moment. And then would come the sound of the world ending as a cataclysmic explosion occurred where his fist had suddenly lost its momentum. The explosion was powerful and the shockwave that would follow would be insane. Trees in all directions would topple over and the surrounding houses would shake. A simple tornado like Geryon's would simply be no match for it. Geryon might have been able to keep spinning despite the force of the shockwave, but the elements orbiting him would be scattered like dust in a storm wind.
Now would be the perfect time to attack, Kytaro would stay put but dozens of hands would emanate from his torso, moving towards Geryon at similar if not greater speeds. They would all execute the same striking motion as Kytaro was doing now, doing so with their palms and keeping a comfortable distance. Very fast. Too fast. From an ordinary human's point of view, Kytaro would simply appear to be doing nothing, repeated explosions passing in front of his face for no reason at all. Those arms were too fast to see.
Thus, Kytaro had truly created a death trap for Geryon if he found himself trapped inside, dozens, even hundreds of shockwaves coming towards him at any given moment, regardless of direction. His wind may have been strong, but when faced with hundreds of equally powerful attacks, what would be the result?
The explosion created by Kytaro was powerful, deadly, almighty. It could've killed most people, maybe even eviscerated "a simple tornado".
But this was not just any tornado. Shockwave or not, it held as Geryon spun inside, its elements still going strong. Because no matter how powerful or deadly the strike, his fire and lightning would just not care. They were being poured relentlessly from Amatsukami, immediately nullifying Kytaro's hard work. And to make it worse, Geryon now had a feel of where to look - one that allowed his Kenbunshoku Haki to lock onto Kytaro.
Slowly, the tornado advanced towards the Fire-Haired, its strength and intensity intensifying. If Kytaro tried to retreat, he would find the violent currents produced by the vortex would make it difficult.
And then, just as swiftly as it was made... It would be revealed why Geryon had created the tornado to begin with.
In a flash, it expanded. Faster than even Kytaro. This wasn't just a tornado, no.
It was a gigantic, omnidirectional, dramatically enhanced Flying Slash. One that would expand tremendously far and high, ensuring that Kytaro had nowhere to run or hide.
He assumed he was stronger. Faster. Better.
He was not. And he would soon see it.
Soldarian stood calmly away to the side, watching with intense focus as his captain battled against the Shichibukai. Geryon's fighting style is similar to my own. He's a better matchup for me than he is for the Captain --if only I was stronger! Soldarian's eyes adjusted onto Kytaro for a moment as steam emanated from his pores and flesh. Kytaro has already resorted to using Jumbo Mode... which means the 'timer' has already activated. There's no telling just how long he'll be able to keep it up. He's got to finish this within the next few blows.
Soldarian's hand trembled at his side. He didn't want to intervene, but as his Kenbunshoku signaled the danger behind Geryon's latest attack, he couldn't help but shout out to Kytaro. "Kytaro!!! Don't let that hit you!!!!" Soldarian tightly gripped the handle of his blade.
The attack was big, impressive, frightening. A true feat of skill. However, Kytaro was not forced to take the attack upon himself, to absorb it. As he sensed the intention behind the attack, Geryon's very thought, Kytaro's eyes flashed white. Kenbunshoku Haki. Geryon wanted to fight displaying all his techniques and just showing how "superior" he was.
Kytaro would face him with his instincts.
A breath. An intention. An action. Three things that would happen simultaneously to the pirate. As soon as the tornado started coming, Kytaro would bring his muscular hands to the side of his body. If Geryon thought he'd cower, if he believed this tempest would break him-he was dead wrong. Kytaro had made a liar of him.
"Fai Fai no..."
As the tornado began to spread toward the pirate, Kytaro would do what anyone watching the interaction would have thought unthinkable. Escape was an option. An option he wasn't considering. He'd go for the clash. A special clash. A strong clash. An explosive clash. The tornado would expand, but would be directly nullified by Kytaro's attack; a concentrated attack, dozens of hands repeating the same shockwave maneuver. A super-powerful attack, as if ten Kytaro were striking at the same time.
And the hands wouldn't just do it once, they'd repeat the same maneuver several times, ensuring not only that the tornado would be totally nullified, but also that Geryon simply couldn't attack Kytaro from any direction, at the risk of taking the full brunt of the strike, as the shockwaves propagated in all directions.
A monstrous pillar of fire erupted outward, colliding with the incoming slash with the force of an erupting volcano.
Kytaro simply wasn't giving up.
"HIJŌ EN!"
Kytaro's attempt at holding back a veritable typhoon took time and effort. It would be far from instantaneous - it would create an opening. The shockwaves may have been omnidirectional, but they were also individually much weaker than his foe's single tornado. Ergo, a powerful surge of flying slashes from Geryon, each masterfully created by the pirate with tremendous skill, would nullify the already weakened strikes, that already had to pass through a hurricane of monstrous power to try and make it.
And as the powerful pillar of flames manifested itself...
It vanished. Consumed entirely by one item that had been specifically built to withstand enormous heat and fire, and that after the creation of the hurricane, had plenty of space to fill back up with flames.
Amatsukami. A sword crafted through the merging of blade and dial. And that had this attained the latter's element-absorbing properties. But how was it close enough to allow for-
It was then, as Kytaro reared back for another hit, that he saw it.
He saw his death.
Even earlier, when Geryon had dashed at him fast enough to create a slipstream, he was not using his maximum speed. He was using his usual one, the one at which he usually fought to avoid wasting energy. It was greatly enhanced, yes, but it was not his maximum.
This was.
A veritable horizontal tornado was spawned in Geryon's wake as he dashed towards Kytaro. It was exactly like he had done earlier - except even faster. Kytaro had managed to push the pirate to that point - not through combative prowess or by deserving it...
But merely by causing him to reach the end of his patience.
Two slashes in an X-shape followed, each much faster and more powerful than the Marmyadose that had left a gaping hole in his chest. Geryon's hate-filled gaze was the cherry on top - the very definition of having no mercy left to give.
And if Kytaro tried to do his cute little shockwave trick, he would find that it would simply not work. The horizontal storm Geryon had not only isolated them from the outside world - lest any interloper be sliced to shreds by the sheer force of the winds surrounding them - but it had resulted in one additional trick.
They were in the eye of the storm.
And inside a hurricane, for that short moment exactly coinciding with the strike...
There was only a vacuum. With no air to propagate the shockwaves. Any attempt to intercept earlier would fall flat - Geryon was just too fast for any form of strike to land - or try to - before that fateful instant.
This... was the end.
Or was it?
As Geryon seemed to materialize in front of Kytaro, he would notice first and foremost the lack of air that had taken place around them. He seemed to be in a vacuum and his lungs were moving but receiving no air. It was compromising, but Kytaro would once again use his wits to turn the situation to his advantage. The Shichibukai's blade would advance towards him. Time would seem to slow down as a clash was bound to happen.
At the same time, fire-haired Kytaro would close his fist and pull him back with explosive intent. It was his real fist this time, the one on his right arm. It would explode forward. At the same time, Kytaro, already engaged in a barrage maneuver with his fists of muscle, would simply redirect it towards Geryon, the muscle fists accompanying the pirate's real fist in a clash for Geryon's blade, the whole thing best described as a gigantic unit moving together like a Haki-imbued block.
But just before flesh could clash against iron, Kytaro’s real fist came to an abrupt stop, while the others shot forward like bullets. Too fast. Way too fast. The sudden burst of speed was so extreme that predicting it would seem out of the question. And the cause? Geryon himself. In his attempt to erase the air around them, he had unknowingly erased the phenomenon of friction, in the vicinity, itself. With no resistance to slow it down, Kytaro’s strike had only one limit, his own strength. And he had more than enough to spare.
The pirate’s muscled fists seemed to materialize around Geryon, mirroring the very technique the Shichibukai had just used against Kytaro, but on multiple parts of his body at once. For each of the Shichibukai's cheek, an uppercut at the ready, aiming to shatter his cranium. For his neck, a dragon-head fist, ready to crush his throat. For his torso, two strikes—one hooking toward his liver, the other jabbing at his heart, set to shatter his ribcage. For each knee, a fist, poised to bend his legs so far back they'd resemble a flamingo’s, turning bone into pulp.
With this, Kytaro had placed a bet, a gamble with only one possible outcome: his victory. Why? Because no matter how this clash unfolded, every path led to the same result. He would win, one way or another.
If Geryon chose to continue his attack, his body would be struck in an instant, if not before his own hit, destructed. Complete and utter destruction. Despite his incredible speed, he had unknowingly turned the odds against himself. Kytaro had stopped his fist at the perfect moment, ensuring that only Geryon’s own speed would factor into the hit he would take. On the other hand, both Geryon's speed and now, the extra acceleration he had accidentally granted himself—would factor into the impact Geryon would have to take.
Of course, the force of the collision would be devastating for Kytaro as well. His arm would be reduced to little more than shredded flesh and splintered bone. But it wouldn’t be fatal. And that was a risk he was willing to take. After all, wasn’t that why Geryon was so furious? If it was just pain, Yoann D. Kytaro wouldn’t stop.
Could the same be said about the Warlord?
However, if Geryon managed to evade this barrage with yet another trick, he would have unknowingly proven Kytaro’s point and contradicted his own beliefs. This would be his so-called superiority. From the very start, Kytaro had been driven by a determination to shatter Geryon’s illusion of being above everyone else, to break that nonsense bias. If Geryon dodged, it would mean he had acknowledged the threat. That even someone he saw as insignificant could stand against him. That even a single grain of sand could shift the tides.
It was an invitation to a draw, or an invitation to forget one's beliefs and fight freely. The choice would be Geryon's.
Kytaro assumed Geryon was in any way willing to play his game. Or that they were in any way comparable. In that assumption, that gamble, he had signed his own death warrant.
Geryon barely had to move at all. Merely to redirect some of the strength of his movement to his heels, and use Geppo through them to expel it sideways and forward simultaneously.
If what Kytaro had done was instantaneous, what Geryon had just done would simply... happen.
He'd enter a perfect spin on his own axises, slashing his emission-infused Meitos - one infused with Seastone, the other imbued with deadly lighting - in every conceivable direction in a flurry of . Where Kytaro had conceived a lethal, multi-pronged assault...
Geryon only saw more targets.
And by the end of it... Kytaro would have nothing to hit him with. Not even the arms he had started with in the first place.
He had turned what would've been a simple, if obliteratingly powerful slash, into a lifelong mutilation. Because he assumed Geryon and him were on the same level.
Kytaro's eyes flashed white again, but it was too late. He could just have to save his real arm by cocking it back in; the pirate's muscle arms, unable to stop his attack, would all be turned to shreds. Kytaro spat blood from his mouth as the electric current ran through his body for a moment, as if he'd just been tased. But if Geryon thought this was to be a permanent mutilation, then he was in for a very nasty, painful surprise.
This was simply because, just when he thought they were gone for good, he had forgotten that they could be generated. It was true that he didn't know what Kytaro's devil fruit was, an ignorance that could prove fatal.
And so, just as the arms seemed to have disappeared, new ones were swiftly, instantly created. And then, despite the fact that Geryon might have thought he'd finished with Kytaro's counter-offensive for good, and was even getting closer to him, new fists imbued with Haki would appear before his eyes, in the same pattern and aimed at the same parts as before.
The barrage would continue.
Geryon did not think Kytaro would continue, but he was prepared for it. After all, someone who could sprout that many arms once could do it again, no matter how ravaged. He merely took for granted Kytaro wasn't dumb, or suicidal enough, to try.
But even if he wasn't prepared for that eventuality, his solution was quite simple.
He simply went to stab Kytaro with the Emission-infused Goriyaki now that he was close to him. The blade's Seastone lining would do the rest and sap the weakened pirate of his remaining energies.
Truly, Kytaro's trick was once more, in his eyes, just another suicide note.
Kytaro only grinned. Going for the stab was a smart move, but Geryon had miscalculated—both the minuscule gap between them and the sheer speed of his opponent’s fists. He had also underestimated the pirate’s endurance and mastery over his own body. Kytaro had no intention of moving; that would ruin his chances. But he wanted, needed to create distance as the attack was coming too fast for either of them to fully avoid.
So, he would rely on his flexibility. As the blade shot forward, he simply leaned his upper body back. But this wasn’t just a simple bend, his torso seemed to collapse inward, while his head remained perfectly still.
Without moving an inch, he had created space.
It wouldn’t stop the inevitable, but it didn’t need to. Kytaro had just set the terms of this fight. If his last move was a proposal—this was an order. This was truly the end. At such a speed, in such a short span of time, stopping abruptly to parry was all but impossible. Geryon believed he would land his strike, and he would, but far too late. By bending in that precise way, Kytaro had sealed the outcome. It was no longer a gamble but a certainty, an inevitability, a guarantee. By the time Geryon’s blade reached him, draining his energy, Kytaro’s fists would have already found their mark.
This fight... was over.
And in the face of the onslaught...
Geryon merely sighed, his entire body blackening with Haki.
In a flash, he Emitted. A pinpoint blast of power that wouldn't just repel the fists. But obliterate them, piercing them like an invisible arrow. What few had landed would deal comparatively little damage thanks to his infusion of Busoshoku - his mastery over the form of Haki bestowing upon him supreme hardness. He had been barely damaged the entire fight - with his Haki defending him, he could definitely endure quite a bit of punishment.
And as for the distance Kytaro created, it simply did not matter.
Geryon merely had to narrow and extend the Emission he already had around Goriyaki. Instead of a surrounding coat, he turned it into an extension of the blade proper that gave it a significant boost in range.
Enough to make up for the distance Kytaro had made and then some.
It would be over alright. Just not in the way Kytaro sought.
The explosion would happen. Powerful. Incredible. Kytaro's fists would simply be pushed back, hardened with Haki and made of hardened body tissue. Yet, for the first time, Kytaro had hit him. Now, it was just a matter of pressing forward and claiming total control. This would be no easy task, after all, Geryon had demonstrated countless times his prowess with the sword and his ability to adapt and even manipulate everything around him. This entire island was his territory, and Kytaro was merely a visitor. Different from the others, of course, but a mere visitor, first and foremost.
Which was, of course, how Kytaro liked it.
Kytaro simply followed the momentum provided by the explosion, leaning backwards until his body made a perfect bridge, his face exposed to the sky. It was a movement born purely from instinct. He knew—without a doubt—that Geryon would take the stabbing route. That he wouldn’t let this chance slip away. He was right. Geryon would emit his Haki, but it would never reach its target. Kytaro would take a deep breath, his cheeks puffing out. His teeth were clenched as his concentration became palpable, his eyes almost glittering. Then, with his hands and feet firmly planted on the ground, he pushed—no, launched—himself to the side like a missile, escaping in the blink of an eye.
The fiery-haired pirate wouldn't be running away, however, far from it. Once he'd reached a comfortable distance, he'd place his hand on the ground, pivoting around it like a breakdancer. His body was building up momentum, which he was obviously planning to transmit to his leg, which bent so much that his heel hit the glutes. And then, as it began to glow anchor-black, he would strike, his leg extending like a whip as it pierced through the air.
The strike came like a lightning bolt. If Kytaro’s attacks had been fast before, this one seemed to... Just happen. As the length of his leg extended, the speed multiplied. And with speed came force, every ounce of it concentrated into a single point—the exact spot that would collide with Geryon. But if Geryon was expecting a quick but normal kick, then he'd have made a mistake. Instead, he would be faced with something much larger.
A gigantic foot.
Kytaro had studied him well. He knew Geryon relied on agility, slipping past attacks with crazy speeds. He ought to take that option away. Thus, his foot wasn’t just hardened—it was reinforced with layers of dense, compressed muscle, expanding its size to that of a giant’s. And like a titan slamming its best kick into a ball, Kytaro aimed to drive his most devastating blow straight into Geryon’s entire body.
This wasn’t just a strike to hurt. It was a strike to shatter. To destroy.
And it was coming in even faster than anything before.
Kytaro had assumed Geryon would not read him like he did. Just like he did when Kytaro had first arrived on the island, his Kenbunshoku told him the exact distance between them and gave him a sufficient idea of Kytaro's current movement.
And when the attack came, fast as lightning...
Geryon's mind alone proved faster than lightning itself.
From his perspective, time seemed to slow down. Not because of speed, not initially, but because of how swiftly he was processing the event. Ever since the Blues, and even more so now that experience had sharpened him, Geryon had boasted an ability to think much faster than others. To process information and elaborate strategies in the time one takes to snap his fingers. The knowledge of Kytaro preparing a big attack - not like any other one of his had been small - gave him time to enter that state of enhanced focus.
Truth be told, with how quickly and obviously the solution came to him, he may not have needed to.
He simply angled his sword. And dashed.
Kytaro was still assuming that, in terms of speed and agility, they were comparable. Geryon was on a whole different level, one that could rival even the speed Kytaro boasted of. So, reacting to his kick - especially by using such simple maneuvers - would be far from difficult to him. He would let Kytaro stab his enormous foot on the Buso-infused Goriyaki, the Seastone blade, and then simply dash forward, dragging the weapon along the length of his gigantic foot, sapping his energy all throughout, and ending with a thrust of Amatsukami with his other hand.
And if Kytaro could realize what was going on, he would realize his folly. He had committed to a large attack with an enormous body part - one that would take time to dissipate, and could not easily change directions.
All he had done was give Geryon a bigger target.
Everything had gone according to plan.
Kytaro would prove once again just what a skilled fighter he was, and what a genius he was at predicting and reading his opponents. If fighting was art, then Kytaro was a fine painter. He knew just how contemptuously the Warlord looked down on him. He knew that Geryon would go for something simple enough just to show how Kytaro was no threat to him. He would have been wrong. The hairy pirate had read him like a book.
Kytaro was committed to the attack, true. But that didn't mean he couldn't change its properties. Once again, Geryon had failed to realize that Kytaro had used his devil fruit. That was the one aspect Kytaro would always surpass him in, no matter how hard one might beg and cry. As the Shichibukai unsuspectingly pointed his blade at the pirate's gigantic foot, the latter would reveal why he had covered it with so much muscle, making it a huge target in the process. Indeed, even before the blade met the flesh, all the layers of muscle would be reabsorbed by Kytaro's foot in the blink of an eye.
Geryon's target would go from gigantic to miniscule, just like that. Kytaro would flex his support arm, lowering his body to the ground, thereby ensuring his foot passed beneath Geryon's blade, the-said foot accelerating even more, given that its mass had been reduced. The stored energy would then be concentrated in this small foot, which was literally bubbling with energy. Energy that would be transmitted to the Shichibukai's legs in an effort to destroy them, quite simply.
It was a simple trap, but one that Geryon... would have fallen for.
...Ok. Geryon had to give Kytaro his (admittedly rather wilted) flowers. That was... relatively smart.
Ultimately useless. And coming from someone he still thoroughly thought nothing of. But still smart by Kytaro's standards. A broken clock was still right twice a day.
Kytaro had seen it before and had forgotten it. Geryon needed nothing to move. He needed only to activate Geppo, casually leaping over the deadly attack without much effort and landing a small distance away.
"Alright. Fine spectacle and all that. The most you've shown me is that your brain isn't as empty as I thought."
He mimicked a slow clap.
"But I'm bored, boy. It's been the most boring few minutes of my life. I've given you every last glimpse you needed to realize just how fucked you and your lot are. But you? Oooh no, you didn't fucking listen. You REALLY wanna die here today, boy?"
His Haoshoku flared around him. Whereas before it was a frustrated outburst, and even before that it was a threat, now it was a sheer manifestation of domination. As if something greater than everyone in the island combined had turned his gaze towards the Fire-Haired.
An ill omen of what was now going to befall Kytaro.
Geryon simply stabbed his Amatsukami into thr ground. He placed Goriyaki's pommel on top of its own, and...
"Alright then. You'll die here. THE BOTH OF YOU."
The blades joined together at the handles with a click. Where two once stood now only one remained.
And when Geryon raised the merged, two-bladed sword from the ground, the wind howled and screamed, a small vortex creating itself around the Warlord through even that simple a gesture.
A sign that Geryon had unilaterally withdrawn any possible plea - and chance - for Kytaro to leave. Before he would've been content with him simply bowing his head in shame and leaving Anchoredge, never to return. He was trying to kill him, sure, but in the same way one tried to swat a fly that still hadn't left the room. Merely out of annoyance and frustration.
Now? Now that Kytaro had committed the cardinal sin - one even more outrageous than simply angering him - of boring him, of definitely proving that even his master plan was nothing more than a generic bait and switch?
He had most definitely proven he did not deserve his mercy. For he did not deserve to be on that island to begin with, like many others before him and many others who would follow.
And so, Geryon would bestow upon him a glance of truest swordsmanship. So he would have something to boast of, at least in the afterlife.
For he would have been the first... to taste the evolution of Geryon's Divine Sword Style.
DIVINE SWORD STYLE: AEOLIAN DANCE.
And with his merged blade, the Shichibukai slowly marched towards Kytaro. His Haoshoku flaring with every step, his blade dragging against the ground and leaving behind scars on the very earth, he advanced. Unlike Kytaro's activation of Jumbo Mode, this came with no grandstanding. No puns. No boasts.
He came bearing Kytaro's end. And that was no promise, or threat.
It was simply... a fact.
"Freakin' shit!"
Kytaro rose to his feet. Seeing Geryon's Supreme King activated, bathing himself in a regal aura, he was stunned, his skin tingling. This only served to fuel his determination, and his smile couldn't have been wider. However, he was irritated. Geryon's words irritated him. Not the words so much as the fact that Geryon was talking down to him. That, irritated him.
"For fuck's sake, brother! Will you stop thinking you're a fuckin' god? God damn!" He spoke loudly, putting his hands in front of his face in exasperation.
"You're taking the freakin' fight out of me! Can't you just shut up, swallow your edgelord crap or whatever, and fight?"
"Fight?" Geryon sneered. He cared not for Kytaro's childish insults. To him, they were most akin to the buzzing of a particularly annoying fly.
"This a fuckin' tuesday for me, boy. This is pest control. You just so happen to be an annoying pest with a death wish."
He twirled his merged sword in one hand.
"A proper fight' should get my blood boiling. I should not want it to end. This? Ever since your first punch, my biggest desire has been to see you off of this bloody island so I can get back to doing things that actually matter. This is no fight."
He spat on the ground.
"And you're no worthy fighter. Just a kid flailing his arms demanding I get into the mud with him. I would call you a pig, but that would be an insult to them."
Geryon shot Kytaro a final glare.
"So. Are you going to try and kill me or not? Come on and get this over with."
Kytaro listened attentively to Geryon's words, and with every word the Shichibukai uttered, Kytaro's face became darker and darker, as more and more drops of sweat appeared on his face. It wasn't fear, it was confusion, disgust, concern, all mixed into a single bath of emotions. He turned slowly towards Soldarian, his face still masked by shadow just like earlier, and his thumb pointed at Geryon.
"So-Soldarian. Are you hearing this?" He muttered under his breath.
He turned back to the Shichibukai, running his hands through his hair before grabbing it as if he were about to pull it out. His eyes twitched, his patience having come to an end. "Dude, please-for the love of the sea-shut up already!" He practically begged, speaking as if he were on the verge of tears, or rather the verge of madness. "It's not that fucking hard!" He swung his hands out in frustration.
"Okay, see, I ain't here to kill you. I didn't know who you were until about three weeks ago, aight? I'm just here for your freakin' poneglyph but you're clearly not about to give it to me, right? So, please, fight without introducing a fuckin' monologue every two freakin' seconds, I beg you."
"Really? Because this monologue has given me more satisfaction than kicking your arse. At least it's somewhat more dynamic." Geryon waved him off. Kytaro was a nobody. An ant. For him to not know about him, was a matter of simple ignorance.
"You should look at your face, boy. It's almost laughable. Almost."
His utterly unimpressed face made it painfully obvious he was being sarcastic.
"But as you wish."
He reared back his sword and assumed a stance. A clear invitation for Kytaro to resume the fight - made all the more poignant by two fingers being waved in provocation. All to say three simple words.
Come. At. Me.
Kytaro would turn one last time, staring into space with an expression of pure annoyance but flashing a forced smile, as if looking into an imaginary camera. He stretched, then put his hand on his chest as he took a deep breath of air. When his eyes returned to Geryon, his nose bled profusely and his whole body trembled momentarily. He'd given too much, there wasn't much time left. "Shit... Not now..."
He pounded his fists on his knees before rising to his feet, pounding his chest next. He wiped the blood from under his nose. "Okay! This is boutta go really fast!" His heart, which was already beating as hard and fast as it was becoming audible, would now sound like a jackhammer. "Fuck being rational, I'll give you what you asking for!" Immediately, limbs would emanate from his back.
--
Jumbo Mode was essentially a state that rapidly accelerated Kytaro’s heart rate, and consequently, his metabolism. The result was a dramatic enhancement in his physical abilities, particularly his strength and speed, for as long as the mode was active. However, this duration was limited, as the speed at which his metabolism worked also led to an accelerated depletion of nutrients in his body. Additionally, his body temperature soared to a dangerously high level, so intense that Kytaro’s sweat evaporated the moment it touched his skin.
That’s why Kytaro had deliberately set a cap, a limit, on his heart rate, ensuring the mode would remain effective without tipping over into something harmful and damaging for his body. He had done so since the first time he used it.
Kytaro had just removed this limit. From now on, the temperature would be so high that his body would start to boil from the inside, while his body would beat so hard it would look as if it were on the verge of exploding. But that was alright. After all, if Geryon was going to give it his all, then Kytaro had no choice but to do the same. A minute. One minute was the absolute maximum time Kytaro could maintain this form before he would collapse, completely drained, his nutrients entirely depleted.
In one minute, this fight would be over.
--
He wouldn't waste any time. Kytaro went for the strike, moving along the ground more as if he were sliding. But his movement wasn't normal; it was as if his speed had been multiplied, and the air around him vibrated like the sky in a desert. Arriving at a comfortable zone, though it would only take a moment, he would crouch before putting both hands on the ground, bending over as the momentum of his run was transferred to his leg, sending a devastating, Haki-imbued kick towards the Shichibukai's liver. But the kick wouldn't come alone, as all the pirate's muscular hands bent into fists that would shoot towards the Shichibukai's body at an equally high speed.
"Counter that and I might actually freakin' blush!"
And as Kytaro went to strike, a barrage of strikes both swift and strong... would be matched and crushed, as Geryon - who, much like earlier, was keeping track of Kytaro due to his own enhanced senses, reflexes, and if necessary, Kenbunshoku Haki - performed something he had not done the entire fight.
He went to block.
He parried the kick with a Buso-infused blade of his merged swords, tilting his body and extending his arm to make contact with Kytaro's leg before his fists could hit him. The force of his foe's attack travelled through the merged weapon...
And was redirected. Geryon had just used Geppo through the blade. Using the power of Kytaro's attack as the 'fuel', he would redirect it through the other blade of his weapon, something that - when combined with his own tremendous speeds - allowed him to outmatch the speed of the man's assault.
Geryon would enter a spin, using the momentum Kytaro had given him to cut all around himself dozens of times with two Emission-coated blades. Lightning arched and flying slashes were sent in every direction, as each spin generated more and more momentum, dramatically increasing the already tremendous power of each subsequent myriad of slashes. It all made for a devastating attack.
One meant to ravage and mutilate every last limb Kytaro had just used to attack him.
"Sick!"
Even as he was blocked, Kytaro would take a deep breath of air. He could see everything that had happened. He was frankly... stunned. Geryon had seized on Kytaro's momentum to fuel his own movement. It was masterful. It was as if he were dictating the offensive.
"Now i'm actually freakin' blushing!" Kytaro burst out laughing as he faced an impasse. Striking Geryon was within his grasp, but he'd be cut down by the Shichibukai's sword. He might counterattack, but he'd be read like a book. He would have to find a way to mitigate Geryon's senses, while ensuring that his next blow would hit its target.
So, without further thinking, he let his body speak for him.
Once again, Kytaro trusted his instincts. As Geryon committed to his movement, rather than pulling his limbs away to minimize the damage, he let Geryon strike them again. His muscles were torn apart once more, before retracting them. The electric current surged through him again, momentarily locking up his body. His eyes went blank for a brief moment before regaining their shininess, their light. He was waiting for an opening—right now, Geryon was using his blade defensively, and Kytaro anticipated that its rotation would become "flatter," shifting from a vertical motion to a horizontal one. He was right.
While Geryon would begin to spin his blade horizontally, Kytaro would use both hands on the ground to propel himself through the air, upside down. He'd keep one hand on the ground, and with it, he'd push off to start spinning in the same direction as Geryon's blade, at a relatively great distance. But he would be surprisingly... Slow. This was to catch Geryon off-guard. He was now parallel to Geryon's blade, spinning as he brought his knees close to his torso. Then suddenly, he would relax, sending his feet like cannonballs towards the Shichibukai's torso.
By rotating slower than Geryon’s sword, Kytaro effectively allowed the blades to pass him as he turned, without ever touching him. As the sword spun, there was always a brief moment when no blade was aimed directly at him—a perfect opening. A shooting window. The instant that gap appeared, Kytaro would strike with cataclysmic force and mind-boggling speed, unleashing a devastating blow before quickly tucking his knees in again, preparing for the next opportunity. Then he would strike again. And again. And again. And again.
Geryon had committed to an offense, but Kytaro had completely and effectively turned it to his advantage.
...Or so he thought.
Because Geryon, perceiving Kytaro's movement with his Haki - as his spinning made it more difficult to keep an eye on him - acted accordingly. A shooting window would become a gateway to an early grave.
Much like he had done with the momentum of Kytaro's first attack, Geryon applied Geppo through his sword.
To abruptly, and explosively, change direction. Channeling all the momentum he had gathered in a single, expolsive burst of power.
And as Kytaro went to strike... He'd only find an even faster, single strike aimed ay his body. All the momentum of the barrage - condensed into a single, thunderous, Emission-infused hit. A slash as fast and strong as all the prior strikes combined.
A slash meant to cut him off. Literally and metaphorically. Producing not just a flying slash...
But a tornado, with Kytaro right next to it. To finish him off if the slash itself somehow failed.
And even when death came for him... Kytaro would simply show that it could not reach him.
Even as he spun through the air, Kytaro saw and felt everything unfolding. Geryon's intent behind the attack was crystal clear—it wouldn't slip past him. "DAMN! DO I PISS YOU OFF THAT MUCH?! THIS FREAKIN' BREAKS MY HEART!" he declared. Then, suddenly, Kytaro seemed to vanish, replaced by a massive black sphere that expanded to match the immense size of his earlier gigantic foot, with pillars emanating from it. It was a cocoon, suddenly wrapping around the pirate’s entire body. But it wasn’t just any cocoon, it was a massive, hardened sphere, formed by dozens upon dozens of layers of hardened muscle, all imbued with Haki. At this point it was less like muscle and more like obsidian.
Geryon's strike clashed against the sphere, unable to be fully drawn. The loss of momentum, combined with the sphere itself cutting down the draw distance, prevented the attack from reaching its full potential. Despite this, the blade still managed to cut in, though never deep enough to reach the pirate’s body. The tornado only served to amplify the damage—but the sphere endured.
Then, as soon as it had appeared, it would disappear, or rather be absorbed by the pirate's body, revealing itself once more. On his thigh, a deep cut had appeared, going right down to the bone. But it too would suddenly disappear as Kytaro generated muscles inside his body to fill the hole. The pillars from earlier transformed into hands, moving at incredible speed around Geryon before returning from behind, converging into dozens of strikes aimed at his body—a birdcage of attacks.
Meanwhile, Kytaro continued his offensive, spinning in the opposite direction to the one before. He had used the force of Geryon's attack to effectively reverse his own rotation, recycling the momentum. Then, with a sudden release, he exploded outwards like a spring, his feet speeding toward the Shichibukai at incredible pace.
Should the strike land, Geryon would be thrown backward, his back slamming into Kytaro's extra fists. In the case that the kick would he countered somehow, the fists would still impact him from the behind.
Much like Geryon’s earlier attack, Kytaro had crafted a omnidirectional offensive that left no room for evasion.
Kytaro truly did not learn.
The very same 'mistake' Geryon had made earlier, he had done now. He had committed to an offense, and Geryon would see to it that it was his last.
His feet had not left the ground throughout the storm of strikes. And Kytaro, from the sheer amount of wounds on him, was probably on his last legs.
The distance between them was short.
And then it was none.
The very first technique to wound the Fire Haie repeated itself. An Emission-enhanced dash forth, performed at breakneck speeds thanks to dozens of Geppo leaps a second. The shortet distance between them meant the distance would be closed even faster and more suddenly. Geryon artfully weaved around the leg strike with Kami-e...
And went for a spinning strike, which produced a devastating Flying Slash, by applying Geppo through his heels. He intended to cut off the legs of his enemy - and by the time Kytaro's fists could connect, either they would have been shredded already, or it would have been too late.
For Kytaro had committed a fatal mistake. He had performed an omnidirectional attack that went inward, and thus gave the foe the ability to attack him. Geryon's earlier attack went outward, and made approach difficult.
A mistake that may as well have spelt his end.
This was truly the end of this fight, but Kytaro wanted to make it go in his favor.
The movement was barely perceptible—Geryon seemed to materialize next to Kytaro, his extra arms falling once more as he spat blood. Despite the ticking clock, it was clear that Kytaro’s stamina was running out. He was no god, no unstoppable force. He could push himself beyond his limits, but even he had a breaking point. The heat in his body from the strain, the toll his metabolism had taken—it was all catching up with him.
But just as Kytaro was no god, Geryon wasn’t one either. And the latter had arrived just in that area where Kytaro shone so brightly, in close quarters. It was now or never.
As Geryon’s attack came, Kytaro twisted his body, bending in an almost inhumain way before exploding toward Geryon—his upper body leading the charge. Where the attack had been aimed at his midsection, Kytaro used his torso as a shield, enveloped in the familiar black hue of Busoshoku Haki. His severed extra arms meant their point of origin was now closer, and new fists rapidly materialized, flying toward Geryon from every direction. No matter where the Shichibukai looked, a fist was hurtling toward him.
Kytaro, now up close, unleashed the Dragon’s Head Fist with both hands, aiming them directly for Geryon’s throat. The strike was meant to collapse the Shichibukai’s windpipe, a final, all-out retaliation. With all his strength, speed, and soul behind the assault, Kytaro pushed forward harder, faster than ever before. The two combatants were now locked in a deadly game of mutually assured destruction, with only one possible outcome:
A draw.
Geryon glared around himself. Kyraro seemed to be a fan of all-encompassing attacks. He was pushing himself.
Well. It was time to slam him against the wall.
His swords unbound each other. Aeolian Dance came to an end. And with terrible swiftness, he struck, using Geppo to propel himself in continuous spherical motiona.
His two blades and blade-like legs struck around himself with the grace of Kami-e. Once again, Geryon surrounded his body with a tremendous storm of true slashes. A barrier of blades reinforced by Emission, all meant to brutalize and annihilate every strike. Anything that got close would be cut to ribbons by steel, leg and wind - a true onslaught of strikes that matched Kytaro blow for blow. Even the Dragon's Head Strikes would be parried snd repelled, smited by Geryon's obliterating defense. A defense that had a single, burning purpose.
To cripple Kytaro's offense until he fell. Because for as much spirit as Kytaro had... it meant nothing to the Ruler of the Winds.
For the Warlord's spirit was just as unerring. And no matter how much dedication Kytaro put in, Geryon would match and surpass it.
For Kytaro was a man who possessed similar qualities of his own. But he was someone who had learned to master them, and make them his own.
His was the unyielding spirit of a true Conqueror King.
Kytaro's body was giving out and his strength was waning with each passing second. Geryon’s counterattack came at the perfect moment when the pirate was at his absolute limit. His arms were forced back, and Kytaro began to descend slowly toward the ground. "No... Not yet... I can’t stop now..." he thought desperately, pushing through the pain.
Gritting his teeth, Kytaro gathered what little strength he had left and brought all his fists together in a single, massive block, just as he had earlier. With sheer willpower, he hurled it toward Geryon, his speed unchanged despite his weakening body. "I will defeat you here and now!" he shouted, knowing full well that this was likely his final stand.
As the block of muscle advanced toward Geryon, the Shichibukai's sword cut through the air in every direction. But Kytaro had planned for this; just as the block got within reach of the blade, it erupted into smaller blades that sliced through the air. As it would pass the sword, the blades reformed into fists, speeding toward Geryon from all angles. It was no longer an omnidirectional attack; Kytaro had forced Geryon into a position where he had no choice but to strike everywhere, in the same instant. An impossibility.
Despite this, he lay on the ground, barely conscious. He had exhausted his last strength.
An impossibility for all. But for Geryon, nothing in that moment was impossible. Nothing that Kytaro could do was out of his reach to counteract.
He merely had to emit his Busoshoku Haki all around himself. A powerful, sustained burst that would intercept and block all of Kytaro's small - and thus individually weaker - fists.
Just like he had done earlier.
Once again, Kytaro had been felled by his inability to learn. He may have parroted some of Geryon's techniques - but he had failed to learn from them. Again and again did he allow the Ruler of the Winds to counter him exactly like he had done before.
And since Geryon felt him fall, he saw no point in conserving stamina in that final display of his supremacy.
Kytaro had failed. And that was that.
There was no reason to go on, no possibility of continuing. Kytaro had given his all. He barely had energy for vital functions. He was conscious, but unable to move. Lying on his back, arms open and looking up at the sky, breathing hard, he saw Geryon in front of him. He could barely muster up a small smirk. He was no longer angry, just grateful. "Well... Shit." He muttered under his breath. "I'd still like to have... taken you with me... you know?" He looked into Geryon's eyes.
"I hope at least... I made you swallow your words..."
Geeyon crept closer. His step was calm and relaxed. The step of a victor.
He squatted next to Kytaro, his bloodied swords inches away from his face.
Amatsukami was dug into the ground. Geryon merely grasped Goriyaki tightly in one hand.
With his free one... he wiped the blood off of the blade and into the pirate's face, aiming for his mouth. He repeated the deed with his other sword. A clear sign. A clear message.
"You don't even deserve to be a stain on this blade. You've got strength. You've got wit. But that is it."
He got back up, spitting on the body of the pirate, then looking down at him.
"This is the New World. Either you break the board, or you don't play. And this was the most boring, predictable game imaginable. Good technique, and nothing new to do with it. Pathetic."
He turned his back on the man. And turned towards Soldarian.
"Get this pathetic twat on a boat and leave this island. Forever. You have sixty seconds. If I see you, or him, in any one of my territories, now and to the end of time. I'll not be nearly as merciful."
He slowly started walking away. His swords, slowly resheathed.
This was the power of a Warlord. The power of a King.
One that Kytaro could, at that time, only dream of.
"You…" Soldarian gritted his teeth, watching as his captain fell to the might of the Shichibukai. But there wasn't a moment to lose. He'd seen first hand how strict Geryon's demands could be. He knew that each passing second could only spell danger to their crew.
Appearing by Kytaro's side, Soldarian heaved him over his shoulder. Then he turned to Geryon one final time. "The arrogance which you displayed here today will not be forgotten! The New World is nothing but one big pond. And while we may be small fish compared to you, there are monstrosities who'd do to you far worse than what you did to my captain. Geryon! Mark my words. We will be back. And next time, I'll be the one to take your head."
Soldarian took his leave, making haste to the ship that they had used to sail all this way.
Kiss of the Sea[]
It had been one full day since the Fire Hair Pirates had disembarked from Geryon's territory. Along the way, Soldarian was entrusted with a multitude of responsibilities all while Kytaro remained unconscious. Soldarian had to navigate the ship, nurse Kytaro back to health, and ward off all seams of danger that anticipated their vessel. Fortunately, because the ship was a marine vessel, its lower sea-stone lining rendered it immune to being attacked by sea kings. This was a big break for Soldarian as he was working by himself.
Soldarian emerged from the innards of the ship out onto the deck at the sound of a thump. The sun burned his eyes, forcing him to raise his arm as cover. He spotted the rolled up newspaper which had been dropped on the deck in front of him. He scooped it up and had a look over its contents. His eyes widened and he soon returned to the inside of the ship.
Inside, Kytaro lay bandaged and bruised upon a small mattress. Soldarian had been doing his best to help his captain recover, but it was evident that the crew was going to need a proper doctor for him to rehabilitate fully. "If it wasn't for your Devil Fruit, you wouldn't be awake so soon," Soldarian said as he sat down beside where Kytaro was laying down. "Hey Kytaro, check this out. It may surprise you."
Soldarian handed the newspaper to his captain. The Fire Hair Pirates were mentioned in the third page of the article for their recent actions, spearheaded by Kytaro. Mentioned were Kytaro's battles with Kuramoto Kenzo, Archen, and Blurberry as well as the crew's attack on a marine base from which they came away with the ship they were now sailing upon. Also mentioned was the following: "The Fire Hair Pirates are reported as having survived tumultuous encounters with the likes of Kenway Olympus and the Shichibukai Selkirk Geryon".
Kytaro's bounty was increased to 102,000,000 as a result, while Soldarian gained his first bounty of 33,000,000 mostly due to his association with him. "Your bounty has gone up, captain! To reach the 100 million belly mark is no small feat. Looks like they've gone and issued me one as well."
Kytaro finally awoke. After days of unconsciousness, the young pirate was back on his feet, stirred further by Soldarian’s words. He sat up slowly, blinking in confusion, his head pounding. With a groan, he placed his hands against his temples.
"Uh? New... Bounties...?" he muttered sluggishly, his mind still catching up. But then, as if struck by some kind of revelation, his eyes snapped wide. In an instant, he went from barely awake to fully alert, launching himself out of bed. He grabbed the newspaper and rushed outside, pressing it to his face as he ran. His eyes shone through the paper, and he skidded to a stop on the deck, barely keeping his balance.
"NEW BOUNTIES!!" He exclaimed loudly, as if he wanted the whole world to know what was happening. His face was almost buried in the page as he frantically searched for his and his nakama’s wanted posters. Spotting Soldarian’s first, he grinned and gave him a thumbs-up before looking back at the paper. Then, he saw his own.
His jaw, quite literally, crashed onto the ship’s deck.
"A HUNDRED... MILLIONS??" he shouted, first in disbelief, then in pure joy, exhilaration. He rocketed into the air, his arms flailing wildly in sync with his stomping feet. It was like some sort of... chaotic, improvised dance. But one thing was sure, it was a pure expression of joy. The sea itself seemed to have smiled upon his fate that day, and he was going to enjoy every second of it.
"SICK! FREAKIN' SICK!"
Soldarian smiled. "From this point on, you're no longer a novice. But a seasoned pirate on this sea who warrants respect! Don't forget that, Kytaro. Don't let anyone ever make you feel different. I see great potential in you. And not because of that Haki I saw earlier. But because inside of you there's a storm that refuses to quit. That's what separates you from the rest. No matter who stands in front of you, you'll never back down."
Soldarian smiled again, this time warmer. He looked up into the sky, remembering his past. He had longed for a day like this where he could face the world. But he was missing the sort of companion that he'd now found in Kytaro. "And I'll be right there by your side. I won't let you go at this alone, captain." Soldarian stood up.
"Anyway, the sea we're in now is most tumultuous. Sailing it for a day by myself I've noticed a multitude of things. First off, you should know just who this sea belongs to." Soldarian's eyes grew stern. Behind him the apparition of the Sea Wolf shined bright. "This is the territory of one of the Yonko, the Hound Pirates! We're not going to be able to get out of here without a fight. I highly suggest we pick a place and lay low for awhile. That is until you're well rested. And I think I have just the place in mind…"
On an island in the distance…
In just three short days, the island of Nightmore had been crushed under the might of the Hound Pirates. Two members of the crew in particular stood out from the rest of the pack, and they now stood before the royal family. The King, his wife, and his children were brought to their knees within the courtyard of their castle. They were begging for mercy.
"P-Please, we'll swear oath to your captain," said the King, bowing his head nervously. His face was pained, pushed to this position after day and night of warfare.
"Pitiful!! And you call yourself a king? Where's that bravado you showed for all these days? After all that, you really expect us to believe you'll willingly submit? We gave you that chance already, old-man!" Opposite him was a wolf mink with dark-green fur and a bright pink mane. He snared at the sight of the weakness which the King was now exemplifying.
167,000,000Still snarling like an unchained beast, Boram barely had time to react before a powerful hand clamped onto his shoulder, squeezing just enough to make the Omega stiffen as he would turn to see the large dominating figure of one of the Hound's Hellhounds looking at him with her usual stoic expression.
755,000,000"That's enough" Faye ordered, her voice stern. "We do not destroy those who've already lost the will to fight back. Understood?" She stated.
Pent up frustration fueling his actions, Boram lashed out and slapped Lysandra's hand from off his shoulder. "The only thing I understand is that you've gotten soft! But as is to be expected of a woman. Lysandra! While you grow complacent, know that a man like me is eyeing your position!"
Agitated, Boram began to storm off. "I'm done here. Show them all the mercy you want. This is the last time I'll go pillaging with you! The next island on the list --don't even bother showing up. I'll manage on my own." He waved off Lysandra like a second thought.
Ambitions Abound[]
The Fire Hair Pirates had arrived upon the island known as Briskton. It was an island which fell within the vicinity of the Hound Pirates though had yet to be properly added into their number. It was, for all intents and purposes, and island of interest to more than one Yonko and for proper reason; the island was known to harvest a natural resource which was used to conjure SMILE Devil Fruits. This was not a fact that was known publicly, although within the Underworld it had been ushered as a fact.
Soldarian had docked the crew's ship in the harbor and set foot onto the island alongside his captain, Kytaro. Keeping his hand resting against his sheathed sword, he took in the sight of the new island, where a village could be seen from their viewpoint over the hill.
"Looks like there's a sizable population here. That's a fairly large town, isn't it, Kytaro?" Soldarian used his other hand to shield his eyes from the blazing sun above. "We should get ourselves something to eat. The ship's supplies are running low as well. And who knows? Maybe we could recruit some lackeys."
Kytaro also set foot on the island, stretching, his body still bandaged. He was looking around, having just arrived but already looking concerned. "Yeah..." He paused, letting his words float in the air. He slowly turned to Soldarian. From the moment he'd entered the island's vicinity, he'd felt a strong aura on the island. A malevolent aura. "Am I the only one who feels this way, Soldarian? I practically had the freakin' shits!"
Soldarian felt a chill run down his back. Kytaro was right; there was no mistaking it. His eyes grew stern as he felt the powerful presence which Kytaro spoke of. "Now that you mention it... yeah, you're right. Hang on just a second, Kytaro. Let me figure this out."
Soldarian stepped in front of his captain then knelt down. He touched two fingers to the ground and closed his eyes. Suddenly, Soldarian let out an invisible pulse from his body that spread out and quickly covered a large distance. This was an ability unique to him and was what made him such a stellar navigator. Kytaro hadn't seen this yet and was now being shown it for the very first time.
Put simply, this was an ability known as echolation. By emitting sound waves from his body and studying them when they returned to him, Soldarian could decipher his surroundings. This ability could be enhanced by his Kenbunshoku Haki, growing even more powerful. As the pulse returned to him, Soldarian's eyes were forced open. A nervous droplet of sweat trickled down the side of his face; he stood to his feet and faced Kytaro.
"There's a feral beast waiting ahead of us. He's laying waste to the town as we speak. This is the power of my Devil Fruit, Kytaro. I wasn't able to see his face, but I've heard his voice loud and clear. It's ringing even now in my ears." Soldarian grew silent for a moment, letting Kytaro reach an understanding over the situation. "If I had to guess... he must be a member of the Hound Pirates. What do you say we do? Remember. Should we choose to engage someone of his standing, there will be no turning back. There's no telling what sort of consequence could befall those who willingly pick a fight against the Yonko."
Listening to his nakama's words, Kytaro was excited. "Yonko's subordinates, uh...?" He thought, raising his eyebrows. An eerie grin crept across his face. He looked at Soldarian, eyes wide, his smile totally betraying his intent. "You already know what time it is, right...?" It was more than obvious. Although in the past, Kytaro hadn't been the type to always want to fight, since his appearance in the New World, this one had developed a tendency to always want to face capable fighters. A tendency to always go after the strong. He stretched his back, his body bandaged but having already more or less regained all its flexibility, before cracking his wrist, looking straight ahead with the same grin.
"It's game on!!!"
Seeing Kytaro so pumped, Soldarian couldn't help but smile himself. It was as though Kytaro's smile was contagious, forcing a smile onto his own face! Gripping the end of his sheathed blade, Soldarian took a moment to soak in the fumes of battle. It was time for the Fire Hair Pirates to earn their respect in this sea. "Heh. Just as I thought. Very well, then. I'll lead the way."
When the Fire Hair Pirates arrived upon the scene, much of the village had already been devastated. It seemed to have been struck by a cyclone, with houses and shops toppled and left in debris. Soldarian's eyes surveyed the wreckage, struggling to find reason for the mayhem. "Whatever struck this place could hardly be considered human," he professed, "no sane person could ever amount to so much vandalism. Pirates are meant to pillage for their benefit, not senselessly destroy for the sake of causing harm to others."
Soldarian kept calm, not letting his frustration get the best of him. He gripped his sword as he caught sight of a silhouette in the distance. He looked in that direction and informed his captain immediately. "Hoy, Kytaro. Over there."
Standing a few meters ahead, a wolf-mink with green fur stood over a defeated warrior. He stomped his foot against the warrior's chest while his hand was clenched around the throat of a woman that he held high above his head. "From this moment on, this entire island belongs to the Hound Pirates! Is that clear? Or do you need another demonstration, lass? Never think to ask one of our kin for compensation ever again! We'll eat to our delight and it shall always be your honor and nothing more to serve us. You can thank me now. Louder! I can't seem to hear you, lass!!"
Soldarian's hand clenched his blade tighter. "On your word… Captain."
Kytaro just stood there, his face obscured by a shadow as he gazed at the landscape ahead. He was standing in front of a house, having stayed behind while Soldarian was in front. This house, or rather its remains, could no longer even be distinguished from the surrounding ground; it had literally been reduced to dust. Bloodstains were literally everywhere, all around him. It was a sickening sight. He contemplated without expression, turning to Boram.
Inhale. He'd start moving forward to catch up with Soldarian. He put his hand on his shoulder, regaining his smile. "Relax, man. Losin’ your cool’s only gonna screw up your fighting." He wasn't entirely wrong. In the past, a situation like this would have set Kytaro off, and he'd probably already have latched at the author of this destruction. But he had changed, or rather, his fight against Shimizu had changed him. Fighting with anger had only made things easier for the Fish Man, and it was only when he had calmed down that he had managed to defeat him.
"Go at him like you're starving, Soldarian. Go wild and tear him up." It couldn't have been clearer. He had given the green light. If Kytaro wasn't the type to give orders, he wanted to compensate by knowing how to lead, knowing how to keep his head and that of his crew member, cool.
He removed his hand from his nakama's shoulder, looking at him with eyes that burned with ambition and hunger for battle. He turned in another direction, raising his fist to Soldarian, expecting a fist bump in response. He looked straight ahead.
Soldarian smirked, his resolve sharpening at Kytaro's words. He clenched his fist and bumped it against his captain’s, a surge of adrenaline running through him. No more waiting. It was time to act.
Without hesitation, he lunged forward, his sword flashing as he closed the distance between himself and the wolf-mink. The civilians gasped as Soldarian's blade tore through the air, slashing across Boram's chest in a single, fluid motion. The force sent Boram flying, his body twisting before he crashed onto the dirt road with a dull thud.
For a moment, there was silence. Soldarian steadied his stance, exhaling sharply as he watched his opponent. Boram lay on his back, unmoving. Then, with a slow, methodical motion, he lifted his hand and touched his chest where the blade had struck. When he pulled it away, dark red blood glistened against his fur.
Soldarian expected a reaction—a grimace, a glare, a snarl of pain. But there was none.
Boram simply got up. He didn’t even glance at his attacker. Instead, he turned his gaze back to the terrified civilians before him. "As I was saying..." His voice remained as casual and unshaken as before, as if Soldarian’s strike had been nothing more than a mere inconvenience.
Soldarian's eyes narrowed. What the hell was this? Was this guy ignoring him?
His grip on his sword tightened, his frustration mounting. "You're kidding me, right?" he muttered under his breath before dashing in again. His blade swung with greater force, aiming to carve into Boram once more. But this time, Boram moved.
Without turning to face him, Boram lifted a single hand, his fingers wrapping around the blade mid-swing. A harsh clang rang out as his grip halted the attack in place. His fur darkened, an obsidian sheen coating his skin -—Busoshoku Haki.
Soldarian gritted his teeth and tried to wrench his sword free, but it was like trying to move a mountain. Boram stood firm, unshaken. Still, he refused to even acknowledge Soldarian, his focus remaining solely on the civilians. Just... what is this? To generate this much force... on a whim? He hasn't even budged!
"Hoy..." Soldarian sneered, "don't make light of me... or you'll regret it."
Yawning, Boram's eyes lazily moved to focus on his attacker. "Or what? What will you do? What will either of you do to me? In case you haven't figured it out yet, you're not worth my time. I've heard of your battle with that pitiful Shichibukai. You don't impress me. Do you think Harlan-sama will give me a promotion if I killed either of you? Of course not! You're not worth acknowledging. Small ants like you who have yet to taste the New World... should learn their place!"
With a mere flick of his fingers, Boram parried the blade and sent Soldarian flying backward. Soldarian managed to recover and land on his feet beside Kytaro. He felt as though he had let his captain down with such a pitiful showing. It angered him to be portrayed in such a manner before someone he aimed to impress.
Boram punched his chest and turned to the two pirates. "What I'm after is an increase in rank! You two could never grant me that. What an idiot; did you think I'd fight you if you attacked me by yourself? You could both try and attack me at the same time and it still wouldn't make a difference! I belong to a Yonko's crew!! You haven't the slightest idea as to what that entails!"
Soldarian lowered his head, still set down on his knee. "Forgive me, Kytaro. My earlier showing was unbecoming of your nakama. I let him badmouth us. But I promise... I'll wipe his snout clean of it." Soldarian's body started to transform. His skin turned a dark brown, his golden hair grew wildly. Wings protruded from his back, and in the place of hands he now bore claws.
As he stood up to his full height, a menacing glare was found lurking in his eyes.
This was the source of the power Soldarian had showcased earlier. He had consumed a bat-type Devil Fruit which armed him with a number of abilities. In a shimmer he vanished, earning Boram's surprise. He appeared before Boram and sent him flying backward with a spiral kick to his stomach.
"DAYUMM!! SOLDARIAN?? THE FUCK?" Kytaro exclaimed loudly. His mouth was wide open and his eyes were wide open. He was in pure surprise and couldn't believe his eyes. It's true that earlier, Soldarian had already said he could use echolocation thanks to his Devil Fruit, but he hadn't paid too much attention to it and had just seen it as "cool". But now? He began to send his fist up and down in a form of celebration, while Boram was simply sent tumbling into the background. Had Soldarian really just defeated an Emperor's Commander in a single blow? Kytaro was simply delighted.
"SICK! WICKED SICK!"
Hearing the praise from his captain, Soldarian turned to look over his shoulder. Seeing Kytaro beaming with pride filled him with a certain warmth; but not a second later his eyes widened and his face was smashed into the ground. Out of nowhere, Boram's claw gripped his head from behind and crushed him into the earth.
Nothing more than a little blood spilling down from the corner of his mouth, Boram had returned. "You idiot rookies, that's the thing that always angers me the most! The theatrics. The stamina and durability you gained from eating that Zoan is something I was born with!"
Blood gushed out of Soldarian's mouth. It was clear that Boram wasn't an enemy who he could take on by himself. He had to transform just to have a chance at keeping up, and as soon as he let his guard down Boram once again seized the advantage.
Boram eyed Kytaro as he crushed his subordinate deeper and deeper into the ground. He stepped on Soldarian's back and roared. "This your sorry-excuse for a nakama? You idiots couldn't beat me even if you had ten more of you!"