Ch. 3- The Devil's Fist
Part 1

One Piece © Oda

Blizzard, Monkey D. Aika, Crystal, and Raptor © Me

Last time, the Sanji Retrieval Team had arrived on a Marine base in hopes of stealing some extra rations for themselves, but as always, things quickly go awry. Luffy's appetite had exposed the group, and to make things worse, Aika had jumped to the conclusion that the Straw Hats were really Marines all along and tries to avoid them. Thankfully, Luffy manages to clear up the misunderstanding. Meanwhile, Grount, an overzealous and hotheaded Marine captain, tries to take Luffy on himself, but every time he challenges him, he is met with defeat.

With Grount and his comrades, Bonham, Zappa, and his pet sea falcon, Raptor defeated, our heroes attempt to make their escape, but they are soon surrounded by Vice-Admiral Prodi and his men.

"I won't let you get away so easily, Straw Hat Luffy!" exclaimed Prodi. "I don't really care about that tiny amount of food you and your crew have...but since this island is the frontline base against Big Mom, if HQ finds out that we were infiltrated by a bunch of pirates, one from the Worst Generation, no less...I'll be reassigned with my retirement at hand! If I get demoted, my pension will be cut, significantly! My well-funded retirement plan will be ruined!"

"EEEEEEEHH?!" Chopper questioned.

"Such a selfish ass," Blizzard muttered.

"He can't stop speaking frankly," Nami said. "At any rate, the Mini Merry and the Shark Submerge are right there! If we can just reach them, we're home free!"

"Quite right, Miss Nami," Brook agreed. "So, let us make haste and-"

"Wait! Look!" Aika cried as she saw Prodi aim his bazooka...somewhere off to his right.

"...Wait...where is he aiming?" Nami asked before she gasped in horror. "Wait! Don't tell me he's-"

"That's right, Cat Burglar," Prodi said before he turned and fired his bazooka, which let out a powerful blast...right at the Mini Merry and the Shark Submerge!

"No!" Nami cried.

"Merry! Submerge!" Chopper shouted.

"...Bastard...!" Luffy hissed as he glared at Prodi, who smirked at the group.

"Surprised?" asked Prodi. "I actually used to clash with your grandfather a lot with this baby!"

"Huh?" Luffy muttered in surprise. "My Grandpa?"

"That's right!" answered Prodi. "Back in the day, this bazooka was easily matched against his fists!" He then aimed the bazooka at Luffy and the others. "I fought Garp with his Haki-filled ammunition! Would you like a taste of it?"

"Big Brother...!" Aika whimpered, nervously.

"Luffy, what are we gonna do?" Blizzard whispered.

Luffy only stared at Prodi, stoically in response...and just as the Vice-Admiral began to pull the trigger, the Straw Hat Captain stretched his arms and grabbed Chopper, Blizzard, and Brook on one side, and Nami and Aika on the other. Then, as Prodi fired, there was a gigantic blast and a humongous cloud of smoke. At first, it seemed like Luffy and the others didn't make it...but then, it was revealed that they managed to avoid the shot, for Luffy jumped out on Blizzard's back while holding Nami, Chopper, Brook, and Aika while Carrot jumped out on her own, to Prodi's surprise. Soon, the Sanji Retrieval Team landed before Prodi and his platoon.

"That was way too close!" Nami exclaimed as she brought her new Sorcery Clima-Tact, just as some Marines began to charge at her. "Thunderbolt TEMPO!"

She then brought down a giant thunderbolt...but to her surprise, it had no effect on them!

"What the-?!" Nami questioned.

"HAA!" Carrot shouted as she tried to hit the Marines with her Electro attacks, hitting their shields with her fists, but that didn't work either! "What's going on?! Why isn't my Electro working?!" She then kicked another Marine that tried to slash her with his sword.

"Hahahaha!" Prodi laughed. "It's been a few hours since you infiltrated the base, you fools! Since then, we had plenty of time to take some countermeasures! All we did was enforce our shields with rubber...but doesn't it work well?"

"WACHA!"

WHABAM!

Prodi looked over to see Chopper in his Kung Fu Point form, effortlessly kicking and punching away any Marines that tried to attack, and their rubber shields did nothing to stop his powerful blows!

"WACHOO~!" Chopper cried. "Shields like that won't work on me!"

"What?!" Prodi questioned.

"Nice try, pal!" Nami called. "You think thunder's my only weapon? You shouldn't underestimate me, you know! Mirage Tempo! Fata Morgana!" On that, she created four images of herself, one that looked like her as a child, one that looked rather muscular, one that looked fat, and one that looked really skinny.

"What is this?!" Prodi asked as all the Namis suddenly vanished before his eyes, then one appeared before one of his soldiers.

"Gust Sword!" the regular-looking Nami exclaimed as she hit him with her Gust Sword attack, blowing him away. However, when one Marine tried to slash her, she vanished into thin air before the skinny Nami and the fat Nami began to pummel him! Meanwhile, Chopper and Carrot were working in tandem, kicking and punching away any Marines that tried to surround them. Carrot wasn't even using Electro this time, and still, she proved to be quite the formidable fighter.

"Not too bad!" Chopper exclaimed.

"Thanks!" Carrot answered with a cute giggle.

As for Blizzard, he easily disposed of the Marines by tossing them around like rag dolls. One howl from the might wolf-dog was all it took to send them cowering in fear.

"Yohohohoho!" Brook chortled as he effortlessly cut the Marines down with Soul Solid.

As for Aika, she hid behind Luffy, who held up his Haki-imbued leg.

"Gum-Gum...HAWK WHIP!" he shouted as it went into flames, kicking any Marines in his way, much to Prodi's growing anger.

"STRAW HAAAAAAAAAAT!" he roared as he began to fire multiple shots from his bazooka at Luffy, who effortlessly dodged them while holding Aika in a fireman's carry. As the Straw Hat Captain dodged the shots, he charged right at Prodi, who kept trying to shoot at him, but he continued to miss.

XXX

Not too far away, Grount, Bonham, Zappa, and Raptor heard the commotion going on.

"Sounds like a big fight," said Bonham. "Hey, Grount! Snap out of it and get on your feet, already! We gotta move!"

Grount just sat on the ground, his legs crossed and a despondent look on his face.

"...What are you talking about?" Bonham sneered while Zappa looked back.

"Miss Nami is waiting for me," he said. "Waiting for me to kill her."

"...I'm useless," Grount said as he screwed his eyes shut, trying to keep his tears from escaping. "Too weak...I'm just...too weak!"

Raptor only stared up at his master in concern, while Bonham growled.

"What did you say?!" he questioned before he picked Grount up by the collar of his shirt. "What the hell...IS WRONG WITH YOU?!" He then punched the young man in the face and send him crashing into the wall of the food storage unit. "I thought you were better than this, Grount! No matter what foe was in your way, you never backed down?! Have you actually lost your will?! HUH?!"

Grount didn't answer him, which caused Bonham to scowl.

"Forget it," he muttered before he turned to Zappa. "Let's go, Zappa."

"Right," Zappa nodded before he looked over at Grount. "...Grount...Bonham has his Breath Qigong, I have my swords, Raptor has his Armaments Haki...and you? You have that left arm of yours. You shouldn't forget what Admiral Aokijij taught us."

On that, he and Bonham flew off while Grount sat on the ground and Raptor sat beside him.

"...What Admiral Aokiji taught us, huh?" asked the young Marine Captain.

TO BE CONTINUED IN PART 2...

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