Ch. 36- S.A.D.
One Piece © Oda
Blizzard, Aika, Kumi, and Jupiter © Me
Caesar's minions stared in shock at Caesar getting punched by Luffy, again! Caesar, shocked and in pain, staggered up to his feet and glared at Luffy.
"You brat!" he shouted, although his word rather strange due to his broken nose and missing teeth. "Were you even listening to me?! I have the support of the twisted pirate Doflamingo! He is the man who controls the darkness of the New World! Guns, weapons, drugs; if it's dangerous, then he has a hand in it, you idiot!"
Luffy and Blizzard just calmly, yet angrily approached Caesar, not caring for his threats.
"He's the root- no, the very SPARK of evil!" Caesar shouted. "He has connections to every criminal mastermind there is! I'll offer you mercy as long as you get down on your knees and beg for your life! You need to consider how enraged those powerful monsters will be when they learn that you attacked me! GOT THAT?!"
When Luffy and Blizzard didn't answer him, Caesar growled and opened his mouth.
"GASTILLE!" he shouted before BOOM! He let out a huge burst of flames from his mouth, which burned half the room!
"SHULOLOLOLOLO!" Caesar cackled. "SERVES YOU RIGHT!"
"There it is!" said one of Caesar's followers. "Master's steel-melting gas burner!"
"Ha…haa..!" Caesar panted. "I blew him right to…"
WOOF! Blizzard, with Luffy sitting on his back, barked, causing to shriek in surprise, but then he turned to face them, attempting to sway them once more.
"Figures!" Caesar said. "I should've known the scale of my point was way over your head, but there's already a monster here in the lab…Vergo! Shulolololo! His Armaments Haki is unstoppable! Smoker, Law, and Jupiter will soon perish, and once they're dead, you and your friends will be-"
"SHUT YOUR MOUTH, ALREADY!" Luffy roared before he and Blizzard landed a dual-Haki punch to his face!
"SHUGOOOOGH!" Caesar coughed.
"Yeah!" Aika shouted. "Go, Luffy! Go, Blizzard! You can do it!"
XXX
Concurrently, the fatal petrifying gas, Shinokuni, continues to flow into Building B, bearing down on the Straw Hats, the Marines, and the children…and there are only five minutes left until the gas filled the whole room!
Right now, Zoro and Tashigi are still running for their lives!
"I don't understand!" Tashigi cried. "We should've caught up to them by just going straight, and yet we're lost?!"
"Will you shut up?!" Zoro questioned. "You're giving me a headache, and it's hard enough to think with that gas chasing us!"
The survivors are heading for the island's only escape route through the 1st floor of Building R, where Luffy, Blizzard, and Caesar are fighting.
XXX
"C'mon, kids!" Nami called as she, Robin, Sanji, and the rest of G-5 led the kids to safety. "Hurry! We have to keep running!"
"My head's so foggy," Synd said. "It's like I just woke up from a bad dream!"
XXX
Meanwhile, Kin'emon in still searching for his lost son, Momonosuke. For some reason, though, he is in tears…and running back in the direction of Shinokuni!
"What a terrible mistake I have made!" he cried. "Momonosuke had transformed into a little dragon and I cut him down with my own blade?! WHAT IN THE WORLD HAVE I DONE?! MOMONOSUKE, MY SON~!"
"No! Stop, Mister Kin'emon!" Brook cried as he tried to hold the samurai back. "YOU'RE RUNNING RIGHT BACK TOWARD THE GAS! YOU'LL BE KILLED!"
XXX
On the 2nd floor of Building R…Usopp had somehow had ended up there with all the guards!
"W-what the hell is this place?!" the sniper questioned. "I was only looking for sea stone shackles, but instead, I end up in here?!"
"Enemy attack!" cried one of the guards.
"It's one of the Straw Hats!" exclaimed another. "What's he doing here?! Master said that the Straw Hats would be gathering in the 1st floor!"
XXX
Meanwhile, in the S.A.D. Manufacturing Room, Smoker and Vergo are still battling. However, it still looked like they are in a bitter stalemate.
"Tell me, Smoker," Vergo said. "Why do you insist on utilizing your powers? It's so unlike you to fight like this."
Smoker didn't answer him. Instead, he responded by turning into smoke and flying towards Vergo again.
"This is just what I mean," Vergo said. "Against an opponent with superior Haki, into smoke and expanding your volume only makes for a bigger target! With my Armaments Haki, even a simple bamboo staff is a formidable weapon, as you've surely known. DEMON BAMBOO!"
CRUNCH! Vergo slammed his bamboo staff in Smoker's gut…and even snapped his sea stone jutte, which had been imbued with Haki, as well, in half! And even then, the force of Vergo's attack actually bent the rails to the right of him with a great pressure!
Smoker coughed up blood before he fell to the floor…defeated.
"If you really wanted to get rid of a man who makes a mockery of the Marines," Vergo began, "you need a bit more talent than that, Smoker. Your men can only have so much respect for bravery without strength behind it."
Smoker panted as he just lied on the floor, but then…
"The deal is done."
Vergo turned and saw Law and Jupiter, up on their feet…and the former holding his heart in his hand.
"Thanks for getting my heart back…Smoker," Law said.
Vergo gasped out of shock and anger, but before he could stop him…Law inserted his heart back into the square-shaped hole in his chest. Then, he sighed in relief.
"So? How do you feel, Law?" Jupiter asked.
"…Better," Law smirked.
"So that's what this is about?!" Vergo questioned. "Since when did you…?!"
"Now…we're even," Smoker panted, "so finish this, Trafalgar!"
Law chuckled as he held out his hand, and out of nowhere, his hat appeared in it.
"Are you really that unhappy about owing a pirate a favor?" Law asked.
"It's a stain on my honor as a Marine," Smoker answered. "I'm not worthy…to face my own men."
"Well, thanks to you, I'm still alive," Law said as he put his hat back on. "And now…it's over…Mr. Vergo."
"Well," Vergo began, "at least you've finally remembered where you stand in all of this…you miserable runt."
"Go on thinking that," Law said, "and see where it gets you. Don't assume that you people will be seated on the throne forever! I know you can hear me…Joker!"
A pause…but then, a familiar laughter came…from inside Vergo's pocket. The bamboo-wielding man reached into it…and held up a Mini Transponder Snail that looked like Doflamingo. Even the sunglasses were right.
"Very good, Law," Doflamingo said. "Sometimes, I forget just how clever you are."
"Shut your fucking mouth," Law said. "Vergo's done for, you know. You're losing your most vital pawn. Straw Hat-ya will take care of Caesar. In other words, you've lost all your S.A.D.! And you've failed to foresee this nightmare of a scenario due to your own over confidence! Think about your next move while you laugh away, like you always do! But the longer your smile continues…the less likely we'll act according to plan."
A pause…but then, Doflamingo was heard bursting into laughter, again. By now…the Mini Transponder Snail is sitting on top of Vergo's discarded coat.
"Well, well!" he exclaimed. "Sounds like our kid's got himself a bit of an attitude! Are you really sure about that, Law?! If I had to guess, I'd say you and Jupiter have got one mad Vergo on your hands!"
It is revealed that Vergo is standing before Law…his entire body black with Haki!
"Have you forgotten what happened, many years ago, when you crossed the line with Vergo?! HAHAHAHAHAHA! You were traumatized, weren't you?! You have a deep-seated fear of Vergo that will never disappear!"
Law remained quiet as he began to draw his sword.
"Neither your severing powers, nor Jupiter's bite can do nothing to the strength of his Haki! YOU'RE NO MATCH FOR VERGO BY ANY YARDSTICK!"
With that, Vergo lunged at Law and Jupiter, preparing to beat them both to a bloody pulp.
"Jupiter! GO!" Law ordered.
"Right!" Jupiter said before his wings sprouted of his back and he began to charge at Vergo, using his wings for extra speed.
'Law and I…we trust each other,' he thought. 'He has told me all his hopes and dreams…his pain and trauma! I don't care how old Law is or how long I've known him…no matter what, anyone who dares to hurt him…will never escape punishment! THESE FANGS OF MINE SWEAR BY IT!'
CHOMP! To Vergo's shock…Jupiter bit down on his right arm…and ripped it, right out of its socket!
"AAAAAAAAAAAAGGH!" Vergo screamed as blood gushed from his shoulder. "YOU DAMN MUTT!"
Jupiter smirked as he held Vergo's useless right arm in his mouth.
"He's all yours now, Law!" Jupiter said. "FINISH HIM OFF!"
"Gladly," Law said. "I've been waiting a long time for this! ROOM!"
A dome made of thin film appeared from his hand.
"Didn't you hear what Doffy said?!" Vergo asked. "You're no match for my Haki! So what if your dog tore off my arm?! I can still pummel you to death, dammit!"
"I don't think so," Law said as he charged at Vergo, who prepared to punch him in the jaw with his only arm…but then, Law ducked under the fist…and sliced Vergo completely in half! Not only that…but he cut the whole S.A.D. room…and even the WHOLE ENTIRE MOUNTAIN!
"It's been 2 years since the Paramount War," Law said, "and who exactly has been moving events? You've done nothing more than maintain peace and tranquility…Joker."
The Mini Transponder Snail frowned at this.
"Whitebeard only left his mark on our times," Law continued. "Marine HQ has bolstered itself with new strength! None of the other big players have acted…as though they've been preparing! That war…it was nothing more than prologue of what's to come. Like you've always said, Joker, a new age is coming with unmatched power…an age of the daring and might! Well, now I've destroyed the gears…AND NO ONE CAN TURN BACK!"
TO BE CONTINUED…
Yes, it's short...BUT IT'S STILL EPIC, BABY!
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