"Damn it, I just hope Jin can handle that guy!!" Chris commented, as she ran from the Library. Carrying the unconscious Aven with her, Chris used her acrobatic skills to climb the Library's building. She then carefully laid Aven against one of the upper pillars of the roof, while taking out a few bandages she had in her pockets. Quickly, she bandaged Aven's hands and the many cuts around her belly.

"C'mon Jin, I know you can do this!"

"W-Where is he?" Aven asked weakly, as she tried to lift herself up, though the pain still restrained her.

"C'mon, don't try to pull any useless effort! He's alright!" Chris assured her, as she smiled. "Jin is very strong, in case you're unaware!" She then took a brief pause, before asking. "Didn't you try to save Jin earlier today?"

"I tried, and I did save him! The marines had him cornered…"

----------

"… and I thought he was gonna get killed!"

The scene then changes to the moment earlier that day, where Jin was cornered by five marines. Jin then braced himself for the bullets, grinning at the five marines armed with rifles.

Aven then did a few hands movements, and a transparent glow flowed through the docks, as she muttered: "Tricks…".

The bullets, however, passed through Jin. The marines, having been affected by Aven's illusion, though that they had seen Jin getting killed, so they left the scene, happier than ever. Jin, dumbstruck, looked up at the building where Aven was and looked at her square in the eye. Aven then took a step back and ran away, with Jin chasing after her.

----------

"I used the powers of my Meimu Meimu no Mi, giving me the ability to conjure illusions!" Aven told her, groaning at the pain she was feeling.

"Wait, why did you run away? I'm pretty sure he was just going to ask you how you did that…" Chris then took a brief, comical pause. "… or yell at you for spoiling his fun…"

"Well… to be honest… men scare me in general…" Aven said, while Chris sweat-dropped.

----------

"Very interesting!" Genkoumaru said, as he dusted his clothes off while he lifted himself up from the pile of wreckage. The wall he had crashed against thanks to Jin's attack had gained a hole to the outside, as more and more wreckage spread on the streets. Genkoumaru then grinned, as he took out his double bladed stick. "I presume you have the ability to control water, am I right?"

Jin nodded. "Well, then that just makes things more fun, then! It's been a while since I've had a decent fight! I might as well enjoy it while it lasts… After all, once I'm finished with you, I'll deliver that girl along with you, Devil Fruit user!" He then maneuvered the weapon like it was a harmless toy, dancing with it as he stepped forth to Jin. "I'd like to introduce you to my… special lady!"

"Special... lady?" Jin stuttered, as he took a look at the large stick in Genkoumaru's hands. The weapon had, on each edge, a round blade that spun at the slightest movement.

"Yes, that's right! Her name's Belleza, and she's gonna be the cause of your demise!" Genkoumaru said, as he pointed one of the round blades at Jin.

(A/N: Belleza = Beauty, translated from Spanish)

"You treat your weapon like a woman?" Jin asked at the very awkward man he was fighting, as he stepped into his Jujitsu stance.

"That's right! I'm a gentleman to the women who deserve to see that façade of mine! Even to my weapon!!" Genkoumaru replied, grinning like he was completely demented.

"Well, wouldn't that mean that you're… hiding behind your woman's skirts?" Jin mockingly asked, whilst this time, Genkoumaru's grin had turned into a sadistic glare, as he ran up to Jin, taking a firm grip at his weapon.

"BELLEZA: ESPINAS DE LA ROSA!!!" Genkoumaru yelled, as he did a rapid, double swing with his weapon, striking the two spinning blades on Jin's shoulders, leaving two large cuts along the sides of his collarbone, as his jacket was ripped and blood now poured from the wounds, trailing along his chest. The movement was so fast, Jin's eyes couldn't even record the speed, and all he saw was a blur.

(A/N: Belleza: Espinas de la Rosa = Beauty: Thorns of the Rose, for those who can't understand Spanish)

The Way of the Kaizoku

I. Dentity Crisis (IV)

Jin vs. Genkoumaru, FRIENDS OVER BOUNTIES

"ARGH!!!" Jin screamed, holding on to his shoulders. But the thing is, the slightest movement he did with his arms caused the wounds to send more and more furious jolts of pain throughout his body. Genkoumaru smirked at the sight of Jin kneeling down, holding on to his blood-soaked shoulders.

"That's the price you pay for stopping a Bounty Hunter from doing his job!" Genkoumaru said, as he began cracking knuckles and neck, as he stood near the hole made by Jin's attack. "And I thought this was going to be a good match!" Genkoumaru started walking up to the kneeled down Jin, as he raised up Belleza, and lunged it down, ready thrust it into Jin's head.

"BELLEZA: EJECUCIÓN !!!" Genkoumaru yelled, though the weapon never reached its target, as in the last second, Jin rolled out of the way. Genkoumaru smirked at Jin's escape.

(A/N: Belleza: Ejecución = Beauty: Execution)

"You're a slippery bastard, that's for sure!" Genkoumaru commented, as Jin lifted himself up. "Though you're not far from getting killed." Genkoumaru then swung his weapon in Jin's direction, unleashing the same mass of air that struck Aven, only this one was bigger.

"BELLEZA: ESPÍRITU DE PERDÓN!!!" Genkoumaru yelled, as the mass of air rapidly neared Jin. At the last second, pulling a lot of effort, Jin moved out of the way, as the mass of air collided against one of the walls, literally slashing through it, cutting it to bits of stones, resulting in more wreckage.

(A/N: Belleza: Espíritu de Perdón = Beauty: Spirit of Forgiveness)

"I can't keep running from his attacks! I'll just be wasting my energy in vain! I need to find a way to strike him…" Jin thought to himself, and at that instant, he noticed that one of the holes in the wall had a few dislodged pipes that were leaking water. "Pipes, huh? Hmm…" Jin wondered, as he was hit dead on with another Espíritu de Perdón, bruising and opening cuts all around his body. Jin struggled not to collapse, though Genkoumaru walked towards the blood-soaked Jin, whose head was down.

"Had enough? You should NEVER take your eyes off your opponents, or else things like these happen!" Genkoumaru said, as he chuckled. "Once I'm finished with you, I'll find that Aven girl, and deliver you along with her to the Marines…"

Jin's fists then tightened their grip, as a sudden flow of rage snapped from his heart and ran through his body.

"… And maybe I'll deliver that other kid, too, for maintaining relations with Devil Fruit users! I'm sure the Marines will find a way to incarcerate you three, and maybe my reward will grow in value, and…"

"N-N-No…"

Genkoumaru then raised an eyebrow at Jin's sudden response. "No… what?"

"You won't take us… I won't let you… Take away my friends, I won't let you…" Genkoumaru then burst out laughing at Jin's comments, as his laughter echoed through the library.

"SHIKAKAKAKAKAKA! YOU? WHO THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU ARE?" Genkoumaru commented arrogantly, wiping the tears of laughter that fell from his eyes. "You aren't the one to decide here, in case you still haven't noticed! You're a failure as a logia user, a failure as a pirate, and even a failure as a… "friend"!" Genkoumaru spat the last part with piercing disdain, as Jin suddenly raised his head at Genkoumaru, a truly sadistic glare that could fright the Devil itself was plastered in his face.

"You can call me a failed logia, you can even call me a failed pirate…" Jin then reeled his fist back, encased in water, and rapidly thrust it in Genkoumaru's face, throwing him against a near shelf, as he crashed through one shelf, and kept crashing through more and more shelves until he hit a wall in one of the other sides of the building, leaving numerous cracks in it. "… BUT NEVER DARE TO CALL ME A FAILED FRIEND AGAIN!!!!"

Jin then ran to the other side of the Library, where a fallen Genkoumaru stood. Jin then grinned, as a clear aura started surrounding his body, as he jumped in Genkoumaru's direction, who started to slowly lift himself up.

"Weren't you the one who told me to never take my eyes off my opponents? Well, I guess this applies to you…

MIZU MIZU NO TORPEDO!!!" Jin yelled, as he took the form of a torpedo, lunging each second closer to Genkoumaru. The tired Genkoumaru then grinned, as in a swift movement, he picked up Belleza, and side-slashed Jin multiple times, the speed of each movement resulting in a blur, ending with both fighters standing with their backs turned to each other. Seconds passed, until a black spot started to form around Genkoumaru's stomach, a clear sign of internal bleeding. After spitting a bit of blood, Genkoumaru muttered:

"Belleza: Traición de la Alma Gemela…"

(A/N: Belleza: Traición de la Alma Gemela = Beauty: Betrayal of the Soul Mate)

Suddenly, three large, parallel cuts ripped through Jin's back, as blood gushed violently from those three wounds. Genkoumaru chuckled, as he just stood there, turning around to face the, once more, kneeled down, blood-soaked Jin.

"Did you really think that sending me crashing through bookshelves would take me out? Kid, I've crashed through MORE THAN ONE BUILDING!" Genkoumaru then cracked his neck. "You know, if I ever had a Devil Fruit like that, believe me, I wouldn't drip a single drop of blood! You rely only on your brute strength, and forget to forge strategies! A good fighter is the one who can explore his fighting style to the limits, and can master each limit! You, however, possess a powerful Devil Fruit, and yet, you do nothing with it! I guess a person like you, delusional with all of these "friendship" philosophies, can never have a taste of true power!" Genkoumaru then took a step in Jin's direction, raising his weapon up in the air. "Let me finish you off, so I don't waste my time any longer.

BELLEZA: EJECU… what the hell?!" Genkoumaru tried to move, though it seemed like something was restraining his body, as he became paralyzed in that position. "Why can't I move? What the…?" Glacing around, he noticed a few jets of water connecting to his limbs, assuming that this was the cause of his sudden paralysis.

"How did you do this?" Genkoumaru asked, while Jin slowly turned around, and pointed to the holes on the walls and on the ground. Genkoumaru then forcefully turned his head to those different sights and noticed the peculiar thing that connected each sight: every each jet that paralyzed him came from dislodged pipes that sprouted from the holes on the walls and on the ground. Genkoumaru, once again forcefully turning his head, looked straight at Jin, who slowly smirked.

"Well? Where was that crap about how I can't design strategies, or being incapable of taking advantage of my Devil Fruit powers?" Jin said, his cocky side slowly returning to his fighting spirirt. Genkoumaru then closed his eyes, smiling at the scene.

"I see… you made several jets of your water travel through the pipe channels, and using the fact that they were dislodged, placed me in this mess!" Genkoumaru concluded, as Jin only nodded. "Though there is still one thing that bothers me… how come you did all of this without me noticing, and without feeling the jets touching me?"

"Well, that's easy… All the water I drip through my sweat doesn't really disappear… it's still a sentient liquid, and I can control it at will…"

"… That's just gross!"

"Hey, that's life for you! Getting your ass kicked is my priority right now!" Jin said.

"Then tell me why I couldn't feel your… sweat touching me…"

"Because if you felt it, I knew my strategy would go down the drain…

(A/N: NO PUN INTENDED!!)

… So I did the only thing that came to my mind…" Jin plainly said, as Genkoumaru then slowly burst his eyes open, now understanding the full extent of Jin's plan.

"… You connected your jets to my own sweat, didn't you?" Jin smirked at Genkoumaru's conclusion, as he cracked his knuckles.

"Yep, that's what I did, alright! My jets connect to your sweat, and keep you restrained by infiltrating AND expanding in your pores, all through your own sweat; cause after all, sweat is water! I call this creation… the Mizu Guuzou!" Jin said, as he reeled both of his fists back.

(A/N: Mizu Guuzou = Water Statue)

"MIZU MIZU NO PISTOL!!!" Jin yelled, as two fist-shaped, watery projectiles were launched towards by him towards Genkoumaru, hitting its target square in the stomach, though he remained trapped in the Mizu Guuzou.

"ARGH!" Both fists seemed to have connected with Genkoumaru's black spot, resulting in Genkoumaru spitting even more blood. Jin then stretched himself, and turned around, walking away. Genkoumaru looked up to Jin, in surprise.

"And where the hell do you think you're going?" Genkoumaru asked, struggling to free himself from the Mizu Guuzou.

"I'm walking out of here! It's obvious you won't free yourself from that so soon, and once the marines arrive, you'll have to respond to crimes, such as disturbance of the peace, involvement in vandalizing activities and all that other crap…" Jin said lazily, as he began walking out of the building through one of the holes on the wall.

"Don't think this is over, I'll go back after your friends! I will never stop until I capture each one of them! I'll catch you and your stupid friends…"

Jin then suddenly turned around, a burning glare visible on his face. "I wouldn't keep talking if I were you!"

"Any person who thinks high of himself because of having friends is a clear moron!" Jin then slowly walked towards Genkoumaru, practically ready to tear his limbs apart. "Don't think that I never had… "friends", as you call it! ALL were obstacles, in the end."

At the comparison of friends with obstacles, Jin suddenly stopped in his tracks, looking straight at the broken-down Genkoumaru.

"You consider your friends… obstacles?" Jin asked, though this question didn't come off as furious. It was mostly a confused question, though a small portion of venom could still be felt in his words. Genkoumaru laughed at Jin's question; it sounded so naïve when heard by him, the Man of Small Philosophies.

"Of course! Better yet, I would most precisely consider them… TARGETS! Yeah, that's it!"

"T-Targets?" Jin asked, practically stuttering on each word he pronounced. Jin, who had depended on friendship throughout his whole life, part of which he had now forgotten, now had a burning feeling deep inside of him that told him that this man was no good. Friendship, to him, even after losing part of his memories, still felt like a decisive factor in his life. "What kind of person would consider his friends TARGETS?" Jin roared that last word with the most powerful hatred he could summon forth, giving Genkoumaru the more reasons to laugh.

"There are many "friends" out there. The same way that there are many obstacles out there to surpass!" Genkoumaru said. "That's one of my philosophies…"

"THE HELL WITH YOUR PHILOSOPHIES! YOU ARE NOT THE ONE WHO'S GONNA GIVE ME A SPEECH ABOUT FRIENDSHIP!" Jin yelled, as Genkoumaru kept laughing.

"Let me tell you something, kid…"

----------

Every person I became friends ended up taking the life of a pirate… And with a pirate life, comes a bounty… I guess you know the rest.

The scene shows an alley, where a younger Genkoumaru is talking to man. The man had messy, blue hair and was dressed in casual clothes.

"So Genkou', what do you think about joining my pirate crew?" The man asked, as Genkoumaru raised an eyebrow.

"Join your pirate crew? YOUR pirate crew?" Genkoumaru asked, disbelief crossing his mind.

"Yeah! I even got a bounty, look…" The man then took from his pocket a poster with his picture and bounty, which was 5.000.000 belli. "So, what do you think?"

Genkoumaru then remained silent for a few seconds, before grabbing Belleza, and raising it in the air.

"I think… I'm in the need of 5.000.000 belli right now… BELLEZA: EJECUCIÓN!!!" Screams could be heard throughout the town they were in.

. EVEN the woman I loved soon gained a bounty of her own.

The scene changes to a room in an apartment, where Genkoumaru was in bed, kissing a woman dressed in traditional clothes, and who had long, blonde hair tied in a ponytail.

"OH Genki', I love you so much! I wish I could stay with you forever!" The woman told Genkoumaru, who looked at her with a questioning look.

"W-What do you mean?" To answer his question, the woman showed him a bounty, which had her picture and her bounty, which was 1.000.000 belli. "S-Since when did you become a pirate?"

"Ever since I met you, darling! My crew leaves tomorrow, and I thought I could leave with a pretty memory. What do you think?" The woman asked, smiling at the silent Genkoumaru.

Genkoumaru said nothing, before he rapidly pulled out Belleza, as screams filled the night in the town.

More and more people fell by my Belleza. My weapon was the only one that was sure to keep my trust. I never told anyone about my job as a Bounty Hunter, so no one would suspect. It was easier to gain someone's trust that way.

A metaphorical scene was shown, where we see Genkoumaru walking through a path of darkness, and many flashbacks of people being killed by Genkoumaru is shown in the background.

Now you tell me…

----------

"… what are these friends useful for, anyway?" Genkoumaru asked Jin, who remained looking at him with a blunt look, letting every bit of information sink in. Suddenly, his rage and fury burst through him like an explosion, as he glared at Genkoumaru as intensely as possible.

"WHAT THE HELL DO YOU THINK?!" Jin yelled, as the liquid jets that restrained Genkoumaru soon dropped to the ground, into simple puddles of water.

"AH, I knew that after a while, the effect would wear off! And now, to take care of YOU!!!" Genkoumaru replied, as in the blink of an eye, he jumped forward, and raised Belleza high up in the air, ready for an attack.

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"See, this is what awaits you once you join us!" Chris told Aven, as they were both hearing Jin's speech from one of roof's chimneys.

Aven, smiling, knew that joining them had been the best decision she had ever made.

"And I'm glad that that's what awaits me!" Aven said, as she randomly hugged Chris, who while laughing, kindly returned the hug.

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"NOW TO FINISH WHAT I STARTED!!

BELLEZA: EJECUCIÓN!!" The weapon then dropped to Jin's head, piercing it. The thing is, it seemed that the weapon just passed through Jin, while to Genkoumaru, it felt like he had sunk his weapon into water.

"I won't let you draw more blood from me anymore! You won't be able to touch me!" Jin said, keeping that fierce glare of his, as for the first time, a frightening look grew in Genkoumaru's face.

"W-W-What the hell? What the hell is wrong with you? Minutes ago, you hardly knew how to use that power of yours, and now you…"

"I need to… I need to control this power better than I do now…" Jin replied, as he raised his head, looking straight in Genkoumaru's eyes, as he watched fear flow into his mind. "… IF I WANT TO BEAT THE SHIT OUT OF YOU!!!"

!TO BE CONTINUED!


WOOSH, it's done! I hope it didn't bother any of you, though it took me one long time to finish it. I wanted to get a quick update.

Anyways, don't miss the next chapter, as it's the heated conclusion to this arc, and the decisive finale of the battle between Jin and Genkoumaru!! Read and review, folks!