Disclaimer: I do not own anything related to One Piece. I own only some of the OC's in this fan-fiction, and any place I make up.

Italic - Someone thinking

Italic and Underline - A flashback or Location shift

Bold and Italic - Terms that will be explained

Bold, Italic, and Underline - Journal entry, Bounties, Author notes, or Chapter

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Chapter 20: The War in New Lobby- The Beast Unleashed! Goodbye Rayo!?


Excerpt from Shidyk's Journal, Date being October 10th:
Rayo, Nick, and I are now nearing New Lobby, the former Eneis Lobby, the Judiciary Island. From what I could gather from Rayo, things aren't going to be easy for us with the Marines, Officials, and the CP9 stationed there. What's more, Rayo doesn't know why they took Emma of Water 7. So why did they take her? She's important sure, but taking her in the middle of the night is still strange. In any case, with her life on the line, I know that Nick will be counting on us...

Lucci looked at the body of his former nakama with some dissatisfaction, and to his surprise, resentment. Long had he waited for the return of Rayo Verrani to test himself as he knew Rayo would look for him somehow. Now that Rayo lay in a pool of his own blood, the CP9 member was sadden to see that his former nakama was now close to death.

"You were supposed to be my greatest rival," he told Rayo, "And even now, you fail at that."

Lucci soon turned around and began to walk towards the door that Rayo had entered through with his trademark frown, It's strange…why do I feel disappointed…? I knew I was the stronger one, yet…yet it feels as though I was awaiting a true test of my strength since Mugiwara defeated me.

That was when the sound of shuffling came and broke Lucci from his thoughts, and he turned to the surprising sight of Rayo standing, his head bowed down while his body slightly trembling. The CP9 member cracked his neck as he inquired, "You really are persistent, aren't you?"

Rayo didn't answer as he began to look up before his eyes met Lucci's and to the World Government agent's surprise; Rayo's pupils were now both slits and a strangely familiar look had entered his face as he grinned maliciously. That was when Rayo opened his jaw and let out a beast-like roar at Lucci and his body began to grow.

As Rayo's jacket burst from the new muscles and size, his legs and arms soon took the shape of lion's legs as a tail sprouted from a little above his waist. Rayo's hair soon became free from the hair-tie that Rayo had put it on and wrapped around his face to create a mane as several muscles crack as they realigned and fitted to the large body. Once Rayo stopped growing, Lucci could see that the thing now before him was at least fifteen feet in height and almost just as long.

The creature soon looked at Lucci, who was somewhat disgusted when he saw that Rayo's face had been disfigured with several lion parts. The creature's breath was visible as a small cloud of steam when it breathed and licked its lips, "Finally…after all this time…"

Lucci decided to shift back to his half-leopard form and got into a stance, knowing that something was off with his former nakama. As he studied the creature Rayo had become he asked, "So is this your half-lion form, Rayo?"

"Rayo?" the thing asked before it laughed, "Don't tell me you still think I'm that loser human that resides in this body!"

Lucci was confused, he was sure that the thing in front of him was Rayo. As he prepared to use Tekkai, he asked, "Then who would you be, exactly?"

The creature soon began to pace around the room in a predatory manner, licking its lips every now and then, as it explained, "I'm a…person that this fool tried to keep under wraps. In the long history of Devil Fruits, the Zoan type has always been special."

"How so?" Lucci asked.

The thing smiled as large dagger-like teeth glinted in the light, "The Zoan type are the only Devil Fruits that house a kind of "inner beast" that can be released in a few…interesting ways," the thing licked its lips again, "In other words, if you eat a Zoan of any kind, then you will inherit that animal's instincts and that "inner beast" that lays dormant."

"So," Lucci asked, somewhat interested in the conversation, "would that mean I too have this "inner beast" you speak of?"

The creature stepped on one of the chairs and crushed as it grinned, "Yes, you do. However, it's probably an idiot when compared to me. You see, although all Zoan Devil Fruits have the "inner beast," only a select few are intelligent enough that they know right from wrong or can distinguish friend from foe."

That surprised Lucci as he had never heard of this and he had a long experience with Devil Fruits of all kind, including his own. To hear that there was a powerful, if perhaps brutish, creature in him was perhaps the most surprising thing he had heard as of yet. Even Dr. Vengapunk, the renowned scientist that worked with the World Government, had never made any theories that sounded like this.

The creature gave a cruel smile, "But I'm afraid my explanation is at an end as I have little time in this body and much to do…and killing you is on the top of the list, trust me."

Lucci grinned sadistically, "Let's begin then!"

With those words, Lucci and the creature soon charged at each other.

With Shidyk, Kibo, and Nick…

"Are you sure this is the way?" Shidyk asked as he and Kibo followed Nick down as the redhead rushed through the halls at a speed both found quite fast even for them.

"I'm dead sure!" Nick shouted back, "Since I used my Luck Up ability, and since I can still smell her perfume, I'm dead sure that they took her this way!"

Shidyk looked at Kibo, "Do you really think he can smell her perfume?"

Kibo shrugged somewhat, "If it's Nick, and it involves women, I wouldn't put it past him to know what kind of shampoo, soap, and toothpaste she uses…"

Shidyk laughed at that, "Ze he he he he he! I didn't think that guy would be both funny and useful."

Kibo decided not to comment on that statement as they continued to follow Nick. Soon the redhead stopped in front of a wall and looked to the sides before he scratched his head in confusion.

"Weird…"

"What's up?" Kibo asked.

"The perfume smell is coming from here," Nick said as he touched the wall, "Only thing is…"

Shidyk cracked his knuckles before he tapped the wall slightly with the back of his hand. After listening for a moment, he nodded to himself and pulled his fist back before letting it fly. The stone disappeared in order to reveal a steel door with a giant lock at the dead center of the bottom. Although now, thanks to Shidyk's punch, it had a rather large dent on the left side.

"Figures," Kibo said as he looked at the lock, "Well, now all we need to do is use one of these keys."

Shidyk raised a hand before the Spotted Eagle Ray Fishman and looked at Nick, "How long 'til that Luck Up thing of yours wears off?"

Nick looked thoughtful, "I think five minutes, give or take. Why?"

Shidyk nodded as he handed Nick his keys before looking at Kibo, "Give him the key you got."

Kibo blinked in confusion for a moment, but did as the grey-haired human asked and handed Nick the key he had gotten from Kalifa. Nick soon looked at the keys before he looked at Shidyk, "So what exactly do you want me to do?"

Shidyk looked at the door, "Something behind that door is making me uneasy, so I figure it's a trap. If we use your powers, though, we should be relatively safe. Plus, I got a plan that should get us Emma-chan, though you might not like it…"

Nick soon looked determined as he clenched the keys in his hands, "I'll do anything, just tell me what I need to do!"

Shidyk soon explained his plan to both, with Nick nodding at the end as he walked towards the door and used one of the keys on the door. Soon a deep rumbling was heard as Kibo, Shidyk, and Nick prepared to enter through the door.

With Lucci and Rayo(?)…

Lucci breathed heavily as the creature began to pace around him, seemingly enjoying the fact that Lucci couldn't hurt him at all. This…this "Beast" was not only impossibly strong, but its movements were far beyond that of Rayo's or Lucci's own. Not only that, but when the creature combined Rayo's Rokushiki techniques with its strength and speed…needless to say the fight was one sided.

"What's wrong?" the monstrosity asked as it licked its lips again, "I thought that you were the strongest CP9 member in the history of the group. Did the battle with Mugiwara wore you down so much that you can't keep up?" it smiled cruelly as it lowered its body, ready to pounce, "Or maybe you are trying to hurt yourself so you can have an alibi for when I kill you. Either way, I'm getting bored and I don't like wasting time…"

"Soru!"

The creature became a blur once more and charged at Lucci. The CP9 member, however, was ready this time and performed Soru as well as he dodged and struck the creature. All of his strikes were useless, however, as no visible mark appeared on the creature's body. That was when the "Beast" ran up the wall before it was on top of Lucci, standing on the ceiling for a moment as its mane began to take the shape of hands and each pointed at Lucci.

"Dance, human, dance! Shigan: Hanabi!"

Lucci had to keep performing his Soru and Kami-e as he dodged the continuous volley of "hands" that struck at lightning-like speed. As Lucci dodged the last of the "hands," he performed a Rankyaku as he somersaulted backwards. The creature laughed as it jumped downwards, dodging the attack as well as landing on its feet before raising one of its claws.

"Not bad, but let us see if you can dodge the strongest Rankyaku in existence! Rankyaku: Godaikoku!"

As the monster's claw became a blur, five large and focused "airblades" suddenly flew towards Lucci, who barely had time to dodged them and got nicked on the arm by the left most "airblade." Lucci held his arm as the pain coursed through it and the wall behind him shattered at the might of the "airblades." Lucci growled at the creature, who began to pace towards him in a leisured manner.

"To tell you the truth," it told him, "I'm quite thankful that you were the one that freed me all those years ago."

"Freed you…?"

The monster laughed as it dug one of its claws into the floor, "Oh, I see. I need to enlighten you on another part of the Zoan Devil Fruit. As I said before, there are ways to awaken one's "inner beast" from its slumber. The most common way is to take some very powerful drugs," it sneered at Lucci as it stopped a few feet away from the CP9 member, "the second most popular way is for a person who has eaten the Zoan Fruit to undergo a very emotional stress that results in the body's own transformation."

Lucci's eyes widened in realization at what the creature was getting at, "The death of Annette…"

The "Beast" nodded, "That was the key that guaranteed my freedom from then on," the creature's face turned sour, "Or it should've had this fool not consumed that accursed Angel's Fruit!"

Lucci, despite himself, grinned, "So in the end, Rayo was able to beat you for the time being…and you call him a weakling."

Now the creature roared in fury as it slammed Lucci into the ground and held him there with one of its claws. The creature soon got close enough that Lucci almost gagged from the things breath, which was rotten, "YOU INFERIOR, NAKED APE!! YOU THINK THAT THAT WEAKLING COULD EVEN COMPARE TO ME!?"

Lucci sneered at the thing as he choked out, "You tell me who's stronger…the one that needed the anger to come forth or the one…the one that stood calm and was able to hold something like you back?"

The creature's eyes shrank in anger as it raised its other claw and yelled, "DON'T GET COCKY WITH ME, YOU DAMNED APE!!"

Lucci watched as the claw came down quickly towards his face.

With Nick…

Nick rushed through the hall at top speed, hoping that the good luck that he had charged himself with hadn't worn off just yet. Even though they were following Shidyk's plan, Nick wondered for a moment if the plan would go according to the assassin's words. As he ran further into the hall, he began to feel a bit tired, which was odd since he wasn't that tired from his fight with Kaku and he knew that his wounds weren't serious enough that he would lost too much blood.

"What's going…on…?" Nick mumbled before he stumbled and fell face first.

As Nick groan from the weird lag that he was feeling, a loud laugh soon erupted from the end of the corridor the redhead had been heading towards. Soon Spandam, the leader of the CP9, and some Officials appeared before the young redhead. Spandam grinned from his wheelchair as a couple of Officials snapped a pair of cuffs on to Nick's wrists.

"You really are an idiot, aren't you?" Spandam sneered, "To think that the very person I wanted has come…thankfully, even if that so called "World's Greatest Assassin" came he wouldn't expect the entire hall to be filled with Seastone!"

So that's it… Nick thought as the men lifted him up, I guess that was Shidyk's bad feeling…

"Now!" Spandam continued, "Let's get you to your "sister" now and then on to the main headquarters of the World Government!"

Spandam laughed again as his wheelchair was pushed and the men that had cuffed Nick dragged him to the end of the hall. Soon Nick felt a little of his strength returning when he and the group exited the hall and there standing with several men pointing their guns at her was Emma.

"Emma-hime!" Nick shouted, "You okay?"

"More or less," she answered, as she looked at him, "You shouldn't have come, Nick-kun. It was obvious that it was a trap."

Nick grinned, "Come on, Emma-hime, I would fall for every trap in the world for a woman and you know that."

Spandam looked at Nick with a sneer, "Idiot! You're trapped and you still smile!? Men, give him a few kicks and bruises but don't kill him!"

The men, however, tremble as though they were unable to move which made Spandam confused until he heard a voice from behind him, "Rule one on how not to fall for a trap: always have some bait that you know the idiot that set the trap will fall for."

Spandam was soon wheeled around forcefully only to have Shidyk's boot stop him by smashing into his manhood. Spandam cried out in pain as Shidyk growled, "Rule two: Never piss off the guys that you know won't fall for the trap in the first place."

Kibo soon walked over to Emma and began using the keys they had gotten before from the CP9 members. Soon an audible click was heard and Emma's handcuffs fell to the floor with a dull thud. Emma massaged her wrists before she gave Spandam a hard glare that made Shidyk grin before removing his boot from Spandam.

"You want to do the honors, Emma-chan?" he asked.

Emma cracked her knuckles as she stepped closer, "I think I will tell Spandam-san how much he owes…"

Nick and Kibo looked worried as they backed off and Nick murmured, "She's not going to…"

Kibo gulped, "I think so…she's only been this mad once…"

Shidyk looked confused as Emma begin to tell Spandam, "Forced kidnapping at night, rough pushing, making the people I cherish come and get hurt, and then trying to take away my Nii-san…total price: one billion Belli. Can you afford that?"

Spandam looked incredulously at Emma, "WHAT!? I CAN'T PAY SOMETHING LIKE THAT!!"

Emma cracked her knuckles, "Then there is only one way for you to pay…Pay-Up Punch: Maximum Charge!"

Suddenly Emma let Spandam have to what Shidyk would later recount as the "strongest and hardest punch ever to be spawned by human kind." Spandam was sent through his wheelchair, the wall, and onwards to the horizon before becoming a dot and then vanishing in the distance.

Shidyk whistled at the damage Emma had caused to the wall and looked outside of it grinning, "You should've been an assassin, Emma-chan. That punch was worthy of being one of mine."

Emma shook her hand slightly as she took a few deep breaths, "Damn…that mask on his face really hurt my hand…"

Shidyk soon looked through the whole that Spandam had made and grinned a little as he murmured, "Looks like that idiot actually was smart enough to bring back up…"

Nick, Emma, and Kibo looked through the hall and gasped when they saw several ships coming their way and each of them were armed to the teeth. Shidyk crack his knuckles as he grin turned savage, "Alright! This ought to be fun!"

Emma looked at Shidyk in shock, "You can't expect to finish all of them!?"

Soon shadows formed around Shidyk's feet as he looked at Emma and answered, "I got my title for a reason," he then looked at the shipwrights, "See if you two can find a ship or something to get out of here. I'll take care of those guys and get Rayo."

Before anything else could be said, a large explosion was heard that rocked the entire room they were in. Shidyk didn't let that faze him as he became a complete shadow and sped off towards the ship while the others regained their sense of balance.

"We better hurry!" Kibo shouted with Nick and Emma nodding and following him as they made their way up a staircase and what they hope would be a way out.

With Lucci and Rayo (?)…

Lucci stared at the giant paw that hung a few inches above his face as the creature that was his former nakama looked in pain. He didn't know what was happening now, but from what he could tell that Rayo maybe was trying to return in control.

"It seems," Lucci smirked, "I was right and that "weakling" you spoke of is now beating you."

"SHUT UP!!" the monstrosity shouted, "YOU NEED ME, AND YOU KNOW IT FOOL!!"

Lucci was now confused but deduced that within Rayo's mind, both the "Beast" and him were speaking to each other. Lucci then saw his chance as he quickly lifted the creature's paw off of him and performed Soru to get to the other side of the room. He soon got up and watched as the creature shook its head and moved around demolishing things with its body and claws as it fought Rayo within the man's mind.

Within Rayo's mind…

Rayo jumped back as several "hands" made from the "Beast's" mane struck the ground of the dark hall that was Rayo's mindscape. Rayo had never wanted to return here as several of his worst memories laid before him: the moment of Annette's death, the subsequent awakening from his fit of rage to find his entire island destroyed, the death of his sensei who protected him, the loneliness and anger that had spanned for many years was bared to the very bone.

"I have…to…fight it," Rayo grunted as he covered a hole that the monster had made with an earlier attack, "I must fight the rage…I must…fight the rage!"

The creature landed before him and roared, "YOU NEED ME TO DEAL WITH THE PAIN!! YOU NEED ME TO HIDE YOUR OWN EVIL!!"

Rayo shook his head as he closed his eyes and remembered the few good things in his life that still existed: Jinko and Shidyk, his best friends, were still alive. His first student, Axe, had survived many things and was now a Captain of a pirate crew he found interesting. His second student, Kodji, from what he had heard was doing well and was planning on entering the Grand Line as well.

The "Beast" roared again but this time instead of anger, it sounded as though it was in pain. Rayo opened his eyes and saw that now the creature was beginning to sink into the floor as though it had transformed in to quicksand. The monster looked at Rayo as it shouted, "YOU WILL NEVER GET RID OF ME!! I WILL FOREVER HAUNT YOU UNTIL I AM THE ONLY ONE LEFT IN THIS BODY!!"

Rayo watched as the last of the creature sank into the floor and Rayo turned around, "Then until we meet again."

Back in the room…

Rayo breathed heavily as he looked at his claw-hands and grinned, realizing almost at once that he had returned to his true half-lion form and that he was back in control of his body. He looked up to see Lucci getting into a fighting stance and took his own as he jokingly told him, "Sorry I'm late, Lucci. I had to get a few things straight before I fought you honestly."

Lucci smirked, "I have been waiting for this for nearly ten years…now we will finally know who the better master of Rokushiki is."

Rayo and Lucci began to circle each other for a moment, looking for an opening in order to strike at the other. Though Rayo was hurt badly, the transporter knew that he would have to push his body to the limit that it was reaching.

It's time, he thought, I have to use those moves…

With that Rayo stopped circling and bent his legs slightly as he placed each hand on one of his knees and lowered his head. Lucci seeing this and thinking he had an opening performed Soru to stop Rayo from finishing whatever it was he was trying to finish. However, the CP9 member's claw-hand passed through his former friend as Rayo reappeared and hit Lucci straight across the face with a right hook.

As the CP9 member regained his balance and growled at Rayo, the transporter took the same stance again. This time Lucci was ready, and instead of striking the afterimage, he spun around and performed a Shigan behind him, where Rayo was forced to jump back before he was struck.

"That's an interesting Soru technique," Lucci commented, "Does it have a name?"

"Soru: Semi," Rayo answered, "Just like the cicada in the summer, once I perform Soru I leave an afterimage or a former shell for you to strike thinking I'm still there."

Lucci cracked his knuckles as he took a deep breath, "Sei Mei Ki Kan…Kami-e: Bushin."

Suddenly Lucci's body began to shrink until he was the size of a regular human again. Rayo smiled, "I see…so you can do it as well, eh?"

"Do it as well…?"

Rayo soon took a deep breath, "Sei Mei Ki Kan…Kami-e: Tanshuku."

Rayo's body soon shrunk until he was the same size as Lucci, and looked similar to his former nakama. Rayo opened his eyes as he got into a stance, "Lucci, I will finish you off with the greatest Rokushiki techniques in my arsenal…"

Lucci smiled sadistically as he charged at Rayo, "Then let's finish this!"

"Soru: Raikou!" Rayo shouted before he completely disappeared, stunning Lucci who lost track of Rayo completely.

Lucci looked around the room, trying to locate Rayo, only to hear a sudden explosion come from behind him. The CP9 member was soon thrown forward as something fast and hard hit him on the back then once more he was struck but this time he flew upwards. Right before he touched the ceiling, he was blasted back towards the floor in a diagonal path. Soon the cycle of being struck forward, upward, and downward repeated itself continuously until Lucci was slammed into the floor, and Rayo reappeared a few feet away from him, breathing hard.

Rayo soon fell to one knee as he coughed blood and try to hold it together, Damn…bad idea to use that move…I need to…finish this!

Rayo soon turned around to see Lucci not only back up, but too close for Rayo to dodge as Lucci's arms became a blur while he performed his Shigan.

"Shigan: Madara!"

Rayo soon turned and began to dodge as a barrage of Shigan poured him, though it proved to be difficult as several of the Shigan struck him. Lucci smiled as he licked the blood away from his fingers, "You seem to be losing, Rayo. That move was incredible…I doubt I could achieve a feat like that...but it seems I now have the upper hand again."

Rayo panted as his claw-hand formed into a Shigan and became a blur. Suddenly the air around the finger shimmered for a second before a large "bullet" sped towards Lucci. The CP9 member dodged just in time and watched as the bullet destroyed everything in its path before a large hole appeared on the wall.

Damn it! Rayo swore in his mind, If that Shigan: Hakoku had just hit!

Lucci looked serious as he turned to Rayo, "Your Rokushiki has grown, Rayo. That time when you went berserk and even now, you still impress me on the level of power you're exhibiting."

Rayo just continued to pant as he readied another Shigan, though his hand trembled badly from his body nearing its limit. Lucci merely snorted as he charged again, "However, my skill far surpasses yours!"

Rayo, however, wasn't listening as he closed his eyes and his arm became a blur as it soon began to create several smaller "airbullets" that flew towards Lucci. The CP9 member dodged the "bullets" as best as he could but several of the flying missiles hit him and soon he was forced to jump back and hide behind a piece of the ceiling that had fallen to the floor.

As Lucci breathed heavily, his thoughts turned to the attack he had mostly dodged, It was similar to the first technique he had launched but it was far faster and on a much smaller scale as well…He's reaching his limit though, so if I can dodge a few more of his attacks and hit him with a Roukougan, I will win.

Rayo was having somewhat similar thoughts, He dodged most of my Shigan: Hakoku Ran…I don't know how much longer I can keep this up…I have been pushing it but if I could just hit him with that technique…I can't combine use the Raikou again…I guess there's no choice.

Lucci same came out and freed himself from the Sei Mi Ki Kan as Rayo did as well. Lucci soon cracked his neck as he asked, "So…you have prepared yourself?"

Rayo took a stance as he answered, "Lucci…this is something I didn't want to do to you. I won't kill you…but I will never allow myself any peace if I can't outdo you!"

Lucci frowned as Rayo charged at him and kicked the air with a swirl creating a spiraling "airblade" before launching it at his former nakama.

"Rankyaku: Hyoubi!"

Rayo merely jumped over the spiraling blade and continued his charge at Lucci, who this time cut the air as he shouted, "Rankyaku: Gaichou!"

Rayo spun in place to let the bird-shaped blade passed him, and continued knowing that if he didn't land this particular strike then it was over. Lucci slowly panicked as Rayo was dodging his strikes and seemed ready to launch the Roukougan or something similar. The strongest member of the CP9, however, would not allow himself defeat after he and the others had gained from the World Government.

Then it's time I finished this…

Rayo soon was a few feet from Lucci, who put his two fists on Rayo's chest and grinned, "It's over…Rokushiki Ougi: Roukougan!"

Rayo took the full force of the blast, and although he spat out blood, he didn't stop. That action forced Lucci to stop as Rayo's arm became a blur and suddenly Lucci saw Mugiwara no Luffy, the very man that had defeated in Rayo, as the air around Rayo's arms burst and several punches began to smash into him.

"Oiuchi Shigan: Shishi Danmaku!"

Lucci's body was unable to put up a Tekkai in time as the punches suddenly landed and the floor caved in on them. Rayo and Lucci soon fell into the room below them, one similar to the one they had been and landed with two audible thuds. The floor, or rather the ceiling, caved in around them as Rayo smiled somewhat and murmured quietly, "I did it…I was able to beat them both…"

With Shidyk aboard one of the ships…

Shidyk looked towards the tower; the weird sense in his gut now disappeared as the last rays of light were doing so. He grinned as he punched the deck and split the boat in half, Looks like I was worried for nothing. Good job, Rayo.

"Damn it!" a Marine shouted, "All ships open fire at this ship! I don't care if there are others or myself, shoot him down!"

Shidyk's mind snapped back as he jumped into the air and shot his "arm" towards the next ship and let the one he had been on get blown to bits.

With Rayo and Lucci…

Rayo looked at the roof of the room above, a little loss on words since his body was now incapable of moving and he had defeated Rob Lucci, the man who had been his greatest rival and the first real "friend" he had ever made. He closed his eyes as a grin played in his face remembering for some reason how he had as a young teen always wanted to beat Lucci who had been his superior in almost every way.

"If Annette had been alive," he thought to himself aloud, "this would almost be like the old days…"

A quiet chuckle soon came from where Rayo knew Lucci was laying. His eyes widen, and although he wanted to turn and verify it, he knew that Lucci was still alive.

"Yeah…it would've been exactly like the old days," Lucci answered.

Rayo was surprised at the tone that Lucci was using as it sounded…normal, almost resentful. The transporter decided to humor the CP9 agent, "How many fights was it now…?"

"Ninety-nine in my favor," Lucci responded, "and one win for you."

Rayo laughed, "Damn, I only had one? All this time and you still kick my ass."

Lucci laughed at the comment, "I beg to differ…those ninety-nine times never counted."

Rayo was confused, "What are you talking about? Of course they counted."

Lucci's tone told him otherwise, "At the time, I never took you seriously and so I never used my true strength. If I had, you would've been dead several times over by now."

Rayo snorted, "Oh yeah? You try shortening your Rokushiki training into four years and then we'll talk about being nearly killed!"

Lucci's voice now sounded surprised, "You were able to master the Rokushiki in four years?"

Rayo smirked knowing somehow that Lucci had taken longer, "Yeah, it took me only four years."

Lucci snorted, "You took your sweet time."

If Rayo had been standing up, he would've likely face-faulted at the comment as it was a jab at his pride. Rayo decided that he shouldn't let that bother him and continued, "So…why the friendly chat? From what I remembered, and from right now, I expected you to be a sadistic, cold-blooded killer who cares little for human life."

Lucci was quiet for a moment before he replied, "When I met you all those years ago, I thought you were weak and useless, someone I should kill immediately. Then after that first year had passed, you began to show signs of someone who I would consider a rival. Even though you didn't know Rokushiki, you still showed excellent form and power."

Rayo was silent as Lucci continued, "Then the orders to kill you came and I was on a difficult position: kill you and continue my work or leave the World Government and try to have a new life. That was when you told Annette she loved you…and when she revealed herself to be an assassin."

Rayo's eyes widen as he whispered, "What?"

Lucci took a deep as the tower shook, "Annette was a member of a special hit squad of the World Government that even I didn't know about. They were secretive to the point that only Fleet Admiral Sengoku and the Admirals themselves knew of them."

Rayo's eyes became blur as tears fell, "So in the end…neither of you were my friend."

"You're wrong," Lucci answered, "Annette did in fact love you and knew of me, and so had intended to finish me. I proved her wrong by stunning her, but she decided that if you saw her in a state of death, then you might have a chance at defeating me."

Rayo couldn't help but cry in both sadness and joy after those words, You meant those words, didn't you, Annette?

The tower shook again as an explosion outside was heard and Rayo looked up to the roof, "This place is going to fall soon, isn't it?"

Lucci answered, "Likely. A fleet of Marines was called when we realized that Shidyk D. Shade was amongst you by that fool, Spandam."

Rayo sighed, "So we'll both die here…funny, I always pictured myself dying in a bed in old age after having many adventures and finding that woman that would replace Annette."

That was when Rayo heard some scuffling and Lucci towered over him. To his surprise, Lucci grabbed his arm and put it across his shoulder before he dragged him towards a window. Lucci looked outside of it and asked, "Nakama means you trust each other, correct?"

Rayo was having a bad feeling as he answered, "Yeah…"

"Then I hope you find others that you can trust as much as you did me back then."

Suddenly Lucci jabbed Rayo in the back of his neck, knocking him out before throwing him out the window. Lucci then fell to the floor, the last of his energy having been spent in saving his one time friend. A large piece of the roof soon began to cave in before it fell downwards and straight at him.

"Goodbye…Rayo Verrani."

With Shidyk…

As Shidyk finished off the thirtieth ship that had come, he noticed that several of them had just shot the tower. At first, he thought it was because they had misfired, but then he realized that the gates had been closing and the waters began to swirl.

Shit! Why the hell did they leave them open if they are closing them!?

That was when he noticed that someone had just jumped out of the tower and he realized that that someone was none other than Rayo. However, the assassin cursed when he saw that the transporter wasn't moving.

"No good," he muttered, "Even with Alma Correre, I wouldn't be able to reach him in time!"

As he let a sword go through him, he then remembered the thing that had been with the key he had picked up earlier. After rummaging through his pocket, Shidyk pulled out a small whistle, took a deep breath and blew as hard as he could. The Marines near him cried out in pain from the loud and sharp note Shidyk played. After that, Shidyk became a shadow and headed towards Rayo just as Mr. Rey, Rayo's King Bull appeared between Shidyk and Rayo.

"Quick! Get him before he falls into the water!" Shidyk shouted at the King Bull.

Mr. Rey then saw Rayo falling and neighed as it used its mouth to catch him and tossed him to Shidyk, who grabbed Rayo's limp body and landed on the roof. Shidyk looked at the unconscious man, "You really need to work on your timing, Rayo."

He then looked towards the dock away from the tower and shouted, "Head for those docks! We gotta pick up a few more people!"

The giant King Bull neighed again as it turned and sped off towards the direction that Shidyk had pointed towards, avoiding cannon blasts as it did so.

With Kibo, Nick, and Emma…

Nick roared as he took down another score of Marines that had been waiting for Spandam at the docks. Emma, Kibo, and him had taken care of most of them but one of the ships had come to the dock and several more Marines had appeared.

"I don't know how long we can keep this up!" Kibo shouted as he fired a powerful fireball from his Surprise Cannon.

"Just keep going!" Nick shouted back, "We just have to wait until Shidyk-senpai and Rayo get back here!"

"Senpai?" Kibo asked as he punched a Marine into the air.

Nick grinned, "Yeah, you got a problem on who I call a senpai, Kibo-temee?"

Kibo decided not to answer as he helped Emma, who was being surrounded by Marines. As the three from Water 7 continued to fight, however, they realized that they wouldn't last very long.

That was when a pair of large black fists hit the Marines surrounding them and they saw Shidyk coming on top of Mr. Rey.

"Sorry I'm late!" Shidyk called out, "I needed to make a quick pick-up!"

Nick grinned, "Finally! Let's get out of here!"

Kibo soon picked up Emma, who grabbed Kibo's neck as the Fishman jumped in the air and performed Geppou. Nick, on the other hand, jumped and began to run atop the Marines who were still conscious and getting back up. Soon the three entered the house-ship that belonged to Rayo, before Shidyk entered the building and closed the door.

Mr. Rey neighed as it dove into the water and began to make its way back to Water 7.

Inside house-ship…

Shidyk panted as he looked up at the ceiling grinning, "Looks like we gave them the slip…"

Nick laid on the floor laughing as he half-shouted, "We did it! Just like Mugiwara and that Axe guy!"

Kibo sighed in relief, "Thank Kami we got away…"

To everyone's surprise, and to Nick's complete shock, Emma kissed Kibo and smiled, "Thank you."

Kibo blushed as he looked away scratching his head, "Err…you're welcome…"

Nick soon got up and punched Kibo, "TEMEE!! HOW DARE YOU LET EMMA-HIME KISS YOU AND JUST SAY YOU'RE WELCOME!?"

Kibo soon got up and shouted, "YOU DAMN ERO-SHIPWRIGHT!! WHY THE HELL DO YOU CARE!?"

Both soon began to argue as Emma and Shidyk watched on. Shidyk looked at the young woman and asked, "Should we stop them?"

Emma shook her head, "I think I'll let them go ahead and argue."

Shidyk shrugged and headed towards the room upstairs to check on Rayo.

In a dark room…

The Black Crow reappeared into his office, having just come back from a meeting with the Blood Countess, Kairi Lumina. He had offered her quite a decent deal: if she could obtain for him Kirsty Chambers of the Axe-Head Pirates he would in turn reward her handsomely.

However, the Revolutionary didn't plan on rewarding Kairi.

"Fools are fools no matter what you tell them," he murmured as he took off his mask. He looked at the reflection before him via a mirror that he had put there before smashing it with his fist.

"The pieces are all coming together," he said as his eyes shrank a little and an insane look came to his eyes, "And soon…soon he will come!"

END OF CHAPTER 20

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Translations and Explanations Section:
Okay this is where I tell you a little bit more about the terms I used for my fan-fiction. They may or may not be perfect, so please comment if I had done some sort of error. This is also where you'll find out more about the next chapter.

Luck Up: Nick uses his right hand in order to use his Unsei Unsei powers to increase his luck. He can use this technique to increase others' luck as well. The pun of this attack is that it sounds just like "lock up."

Shigan Hanabi: Literally, Shigan "Fireworks." It is simply a rapid fire version of the normal Shigan technique.

Rankyaku Godaikoku: Literally, Rankyaku, "The Five Powers." In his berserk form, Rayo unleashes the most devastating Rankyaku in his arsenal. Rayo strikes the opponent with five very large Rankyaku cuts at his opponent. These "air blades" have not only a wide range but are more focused and can cut steel with ease.

Pay-Up Punch Maximum Charge: Emma's strongest punch. As Shidyk puts it, this is the "strongest and hardest punch ever to be spawned by human kind."

Soru Semi: Literally, Soru "Cicada." Rayo first acts as though he is hit by an opponent's attack only to perform Soru before the attack touches him. Thus also creating an afterimage of himself.

Sei Mi Ki Kan: Literally, "Life Return." A Sennin move that allows the user to control any part of their body consciously.

Kami-e Bushin: Literally, Kami-e "Fighting Form." Using Sei Mei Ki Kan (Life Return, the same Sennin technique as Kumadori), Lucci makes his half-leopard form smaller and lighter, possibly to use Kami-e better. At any rate, he is much more agile in this form, and harder to hit - as opposed to his hulking normal half-leopard form

Kami-e Tanshuku: Literally, Kami-e "Reduction." While in half-lion form, Rayo reduces his half-lion form by performing Sei Mei Ki Kan (or "Life Return," the same Sannin technique known to Rob Lucci and Kumadori of the CP9); he makes his half-lion form smaller and lighter, possibly to use Kami-e better. At any rate, he is much more agile in this form, and harder to hit: as opposed to his hulking normal half-lion form

Soru Raikou: Literally, Soru "Lightning." Rayo basically just kicks the ground one hundred times in the blink of an eye (which as Lucci commented "is a feat that not even I could achieve"). This technique allows him to cross vast stretches of water in a single run, and can be used in battle to increase the force of any attack by a hundredfold. However, there is a catch: Rayo can only perform this technique three times a day. After the third time, if he performs the Soru "Raikou" again his body will automatically shut down, and he will be unconscious for the rest of the day.

Shigan Madara: Literally, Shigan "Spots." Lucci performs a multiple rapid fire Shigan attack, but is performed with both hands and in half-leopard form (meaning that his fingers are clawed), making it the ultimate Shigan barrage in his arsenal.

Shigan Hakoku: Literally, Shigan "Warrior Nation." Rayo performs what seems to be an ordinary Shigan, but the attack uses "Ki" in order to launch an airbullet with the same power as that of Roronoa Zoro's 108 Pound Cannon.

Shigan Hakoku Ran: Literally, Shigan "Warrior Nation Storm." It is a combination of Shigan "Hanabi" and Shigan "Hakoku," making it a dangerous projectile barrage. Each "bullet" is as strong as a regular Shigan.

Rankyaku Hyoubi: Literally, Rankyaku "Leopard-Tail." Lucci creates a large Rankyaku in the shape of a swirl, which is launched at the enemy like a razor blade.

Rankyaku Gaichou: Literally, Rankyaku "Victorious Bird" (homonym with Rankyaku "Injurious Bird)." Lucci creates a large Rankyaku in the shape of a bird, but instead of using his legs, he uses his claws in his half-leopard form. This Rankyaku has a much wider range, and is able to cleave steel - something not witnessed with other variations. The cut also seems more focused, instead of flickering and jagged like a normal Rankyaku.

Oiuchi Shigan Shishi Danmaku: Literally, "Final Shigan, Lion's Barrage." This is the strongest and fastest Shigan in existence. Rayo moves his arms so fast that they become invisible, covering the enemy with punches (each with the force equal to a Shigan "Kobushi") in a mere split second. The hits land so fast that, after a volley, they seemingly connect simultaneously, while a circle of airbursts from the punches surround Rayo.

Senpai: This means "Upperclassman" in Japanese and it is usually used for someone on a field or at school that is ahead of the person who uses it.

Emma: On the next Chapter of Legacy of the Assassin!

Shidyk: It's time to head back into that place…

Nick: Please! I want you to teach me everything you know!

Kibo: If he's going, then so am I!

Merrian: You want me to take her on my ship!?

Rayo: Next time on Legacy of the Assassin! Epilogue – The Beginning of the End! To the New World!


The 20th Chapter at last! I know you guys have been waiting for this chapter for God knows how long, but I hope you guys enjoy it. The ending I feel is blah, but it was all I could come up with at the time. As for the fight between Rayo and Lucci, hopefully it was what you guys what you were expecting. Finally, I know Lucci was a little OOC (for those of you who don't know, this means Out of Character), but I found it that not all characters don't have a heart. Even Rob Lucci had to be innocent at one point, right?

Now with the preview! Shidyk gets ready to face his greatest challenge yet and gets a new ship to head towards the New World! Nick and Kibo seem interested in joining and who is Merrian referring to!?

You will have to read the next chapter of Legacy of the Assassin in order to find out!

As for the Epilogue thing, don't worry, this isn't really the end of Legacy of the Assassin. This was just the first part and I plan on continuing the series under a different name!Shidyk D. Shade