Disclaimer almost everything belongs to Eiichiro Oda that genius of a man
The Strawhats had arrived to see the mob of villagers from Cocoyashi Village being stopped by something, upon closer inspection they notice that they were stopped by Johnny and Yosaku who were a bit worse for wear. Once they set their eyes upon the Strawhats they move aside to allow them to reach the gate, Luffy cocks his fist back and smashes it into the gate.
"WHICH ONE OF YOU BASTARDS IS ARLONG!"
Arlong looks over at them in annoyance,
"What is it to you?"
"I'm here to beat him up!"
Arlong laughs,
"I'd like to see you try, through a punch kid I'm Arlong. I'll enjoy kill-"
Arlong is interrupted by a punch from Luffy which sends him flying into the wall to his right, the fishmen and the villagers of Cocoyashi Village are in shock.
"You bastard what did you do to Arlong!"
Luffy embeds his feet into the floor,
"Gomu gomu no Kazaguruma!"
This attack had knocked back most of the fishmen and Usopp.
"AHH Luffy don't hit me too!"
"Shishishi sorry Usopp."
Sanji sweatdrops at this and Zoro groans before rubbing his head they were both thinking the same thing he should have dodged that attack and why the hell do they have this idiot as their captain. Zoro walks forward, wincing a bit while doing it,
"Pull yourself out of the ground already you can't fight like that."
Luffy is silent which is weird for him, Zoro looks at him.
"Luffy what are you doing, pull yourself out already."
Luffy looks at him,
"I'm stuck."
Zoro looks at him in annoyance before muttering under his breath,
"Not again."
He calls out to Sanji and Usopp,
"Cover me I'm gonna try pull him out!"
He doesn't wait for them to respond, he sheaths his blade and runs over to Luffy. Grabbing him by the sides he tugs to no avail,
"Damn your rubbery body."
Luffy just laughs at him before he's silenced by Zoro's blade being dangerously close to his neck, Zoro gives up on pulling Luffy out and unsheathes Wado Ichimoji.
"I can't pull you out so I'm going to try cut you out."
He's about to cut into the concrete before he feels something about to hit him, bringing his blade up to block the strike he looks to see Arlong standing in front of him with a grin filled with annoyance. The wounds from Mihawk must have been getting to him cause he didn't even notice Kuroobi to his left land a strike to his shoulder sending him back. He growls before standing up and dusting himself off a bit,
"Now, now did you really think we would just let you take your friend out without putting up a fight."
He sighs before taking his bandanna off of his arm and puts it over his head,
"I'll take the octopus, Sanji you take the ray fish and Usopp take out the fish with lips."
They simply nod at him before readying themselves or in Usopp's case trying to ready himself while shaking in fear, Arlong calls out to his officers.
"Shahahaha Kill them all!"
Sanji launches himself forward landing a kick onto the forearm of Kuroobi, Chew rushes at Usopp. Usopp responds by running away, stupidly Chew follows Usopp right out of Arlong park. Zoro sighs to himself before setting his sights on Hatchan who had just brought out his six swords, he calls out.
"Johnny, Yosaku let me borrow your swords."
"Hai aniki!"
They toss him their blades which were a far-cry from his usual katanas but they will have to do for now, he rushes Hatchan his three blades now in hand. He grimaces his wounds still weren't healed enough for him to go full out in this battle, he should be careful of what happens now. He looks at Hatchan to see him taunting him, Zoro simply grunts in annoyance before deciding that he shouldn't waste anytime rushing forward not giving Hatchan any time to react,
"Tatsumaki!"
In less than a minute one of the Arlong Pirates officers was defeated, they were all shocked and Arlong well he was mad that a human had not only injured one of his brothers but had defeated him. Arlong grabs Luffy pulling him along with the concrete entrapping his legs and throws him into the water,
"AHH Zoro hel-"
Zoro snarls at Arlong,
"Why do you play such dirty tricks can't you fight like a man!"
Arlong laughs,
"Why should I fight like a man, I'm beyond a man I am a fishman! We are above you wretched cur, we are the superior species! Shahahaha!"
Zoro simply groans in annoyance, but he was worried. Luffy was down and Sanji can't save him in this current situation since he was still dealing with Kuroobi and if he were to enter the water himself Arlong would follow him most likely killing him. Making a quick decision he calls out to Sanji,
"Oy love-cook, go save Luffy I'll deal with them both."
Sanji gives a glance at Zoro before responding,
"We know you're strong but in your state even you won't be able to take them both at once."
"I know that! But we have to save Luffy somehow, now go!"
Sparing Zoro another glance before reluctantly complying, he runs over and dives into the water. Kuroobi seeing this follows him seeing this as an opportunity to defeat Sanji since he had entered the water a fishmans domain. But he is bared from entering the water by Zoro who strikes at Kuroobi's head, Kuroobi blocks the strike but is still sent back a bit. Heaving and exhausted Zoro speaks,
"I'm your opponent now turn your back to me and I'll cut you down faster than you can imagine."
This was suicide and he knew it but he had to hold out or Luffy would die. His vision was already beginning to spawn black dots he wasn't going to last much longer and he knew it, gritting his teeth he ready's himself and charges at Kuroobi unleashing a barrage of strikes most of which Kuroobi avoids or blocks. Kuroobi launches a strike back at Zoro, Zoro is too exhausted to block it properly leading to the punch sending him flying right in front of the mob of villagers. He sees a familiar face it was Nami he didn't know when she had arrived but it must have been long enough to see him being beaten down. She looks distraught he chuckles to himself he just promised to never lose again to Luffy a day or so ago and now here he was almost defeated.
"You are still far too weak and with this situation you might truly die."
"Now I can't have that happening now can I."
"No you can't ,but you can do little to stop them in your current state."
Zoro frowns at this,
"Got anything that can help me?"
Ashura doesn't respond instantly, after a few moments he finally does.
"I know of one way to help you but what that could lead to, well you may not want to take it."
"What can you do and what might it lead to?"
"I can imbued a bit of demonic energy into you early, but doing this will only lead to The Demon of the Core awakening sooner than you wish for him to."
Zoro contemplates this before giving off an insane grin,
"Well die now or die later I know my choice."
He couldn't see it but he could feel Ashura grin back at him,
"Well said mortal."
That was all the warning he got before his body was encompassed by pain, he stands up confused of how he still had the energy to do that. He looks at his arms to see that they were slowing becoming pitch black and exuding flames starting from his fingertips, he grins to himself before looking at Arlong and Kuroobi.
"Round two anyone."
Kuroobi growls at this, he wanted this man to stay down and his frustrations has peaked. He charges forward at Zoro despite Arlong yelling at him not to, Zoro seeing this feels his blood lust reach newer heights.
"Ittoryu lai: Shishi Sonson!"
A quick and decisive strike that struck down Kuroobi, Zoro smiles at his handy work before taunting the enraged Arlong.
"I thought you said you fishmen were the superior race, for a superior race they really seem to be easy to cut down."
Arlong having enough finally charges at Zoro, Zoro was no fool taking Hatchan out was easy but it had reopened his wounds, taking Kuroobi was slightly more difficult but still plausible. But taking Arlong after the demonic energy that Ashura had imbued in him disappeared that was damn near impossible all he could do now is play defensive and hope Arlong doesn't land a hit that would kill him. Much more difficult than he made it sound Arlong was relentless fueled by his anger each strike was powerful and precisely there to kill him he won't last much longer he can already feel himself fading unconscious. He loses focus for a second and Arlong strikes a punch straight to his chest, he couldn't take it he coughs up blood and falls to his knees. Arlong grabs his neck and brings Zoro up to eye level,
"You will pay for all of my brothers you had cut down toady!"
Arlong sees Hatchan stand up and smiles,
"Hatchan go and kill those damn humans that are trying to save that rubbery bastard!"
Hatchan complies and jumps into the water chasing after Sanji who was trying to get Luffy free. Arlong finally notices that Zoro was covered in bandages, curious he rips the bandages off his body to look in horror. He had managed to fight with these injuries he shouldn't even be standing at this point much less alive, he looks up to see Zoro glaring at him. This was not a look on a dead man this looked like he was staring right at a demon and considering what the person in front of him just did he might as well be. He couldn't let someone this dangerous live any longer he pulls his arm back to land the finishing blow to Zoro.
"Haha."
"Hmm?"
"If you lied down quietly those wounds wouldn't have reopened."
"How true, laughing at your sad state now?"
"I'm not talking about myself, I'm talking about that octopus!"
Arlong looks at him in horror, turning his gaze to the water he sees the water turning blood red and the body of Hatchan following not so shortly after. He looks back angrily as Zoro who was grinning at him, ready to kill him again Arlong cocks his arm back. Only to be distracted by a yell coming from Luffy who was finally free,
"That rubbery boy..."
Zoro chokes a bit,
"Took you long enough."
Zoro asks Ashura for even a tiny bit of energy so he can escape himself instead of being flung away by Luffy this time, Ashura comply's and Zoro gains the strength to crack Arlong's wrist weakening his hold. He escapes and jumps back stretching his arm out for Luffy to grab,
"Luffy get over here now!"
Luffy grins while doing so, he grabs Zoro's arm and the moment he got close enough Zoro flung Luffy straight at Arlong. Seeing his job complete Zoro slowly stumbles back to the mob of villagers before collapsing. He was going to need a lot of sleep after this before he closes his eyes he sees Nami put his head on her lap crying tears of happiness. He chuckles a bit before smiling at her.
"Your body will be the perfect vessel for me once I awaken mortal, enjoy the short time you have left before you're trapped within your own subconscious."
Zoro knew that this demonic voice was not Ashura's, he was right the with the help he got the demon was waking up sooner. Zoro would have to get stronger even faster now after this and with that thought he falls unconscious.
That's a wrap this chapter went really well in my opinion, I finished the Arlong arc with this chapter. The next chapter I'm not sure if I should have them heading straight to Loguetown or if I should have a rest chapter where they will be celebrating the defeat of Arlong and start their journey to Loguetown. I'm still kind of caught between what to do and I hope I can decide soon and get started with the next chapter. I would like to mention that to whoever had read this fanfic a day before I edited it I'm sorry that I had spelled Usopp's name wrong for like 8 chapters before I noticed. Once again if you're reading this and enjoy it thanks for reading.
