---- Chapter 2: Retreat ----
Iful smirked defiantly. "You? Beat me? Don't make me laugh!"
As a reply, Luffy stretched his arm back, and shot it forward - "Gomu Gomu Pistol!!!" The attack was blocked with both of Iful's twisted hands, as he coiled his arms around Luffy's.
"Gomu Gomu...."
Uncoiling his arms, Iful leapt into the air with Luffy, and released, throwing him downward.
".... Screw!!"
Luffy hit the deck hard - but on his own two feet. He jumped back up, above Iful, and called out, "Gomu Gomu...."
And he stretched his arms far back.
"Bazooka!!!"
The attack slammed Iful back down to the deck, but he also flipped to his feet, as Luffy landed. He leapt back into the air.
"Gomu Gomu Shotgun!!!"
His launched arm narrowly missed Luffy, who replied back, "Gomu Gomu Pistol!!!"
This time, his attack hit fiercely, slamming Iful into the deck. He panted slightly, and called over to his comrades.
"You guys, get out of here."
"What?!" shouted Sanji. "We won't leave you here!"
"Gomu Gomu...."
"Rocket!!"
Luffy's arms stretched back over to the Going Merry, and he motioned for everyone to go. They complied, but hesitantly. As Iful got to his feet, he wiped the blood from his mouth.
Damn.... He's stronger than I thought. We're equal. So why is he retreating.... ?
When everyone was safely onboard the Going Merry, Luffy turned for a moment to Iful.
"I'm letting you live because I want to kick your ass at your best. You've been holding back.... Don't do it again. Let's meet again."
And he rocketed over to the Going Merry, which took off at top speed.
"Should we go after them?" Mina asked quietly. Iful shook his head decisively. "We don't stand a chance. We'll need more training, all of us. Reppohc, tend to Rozo's wounds, and mine. Let's get right down to training...."
=== Going Merry ===
"What are you doing back?! Weren't you going to take care of them?"
Luffy said nothing, and went inside of the ship, as Zoro followed. When inside of the Men's Quarters, Zoro asked quietly, "Is he related to you?" Luffy shook his head.
"No. But he comes from the same village as me. His name's Yeknom Iful. He used to live next to me, but he moved away a few years before I went to sea. Why he looks so much like me now, I dunno...."
Zoro nodded. "I want to fight that swordsman of theirs at full strength. He wasn't putting everything he had against me.... I want to beat him with full power, not the way I did today."
"Fine. We'll just train, and wait."
For a moment, Zoro hesitated. Then, he asked, "Why was it that we attacked them again?"
"Because we're pirates, remember?"
And so, many days pass. Both crews spend their time training, further enhancing their skills. Until....
"It's them!!"
All eyes turned to the far east, as they saw a ship approaching. No doubt - it was them. Luffy got off the bow of the ship, and stretched his arms forward.
"Gomu Gomu Rocket!!!"
Within seconds, he was on the enemy ship. Everyone was too stunned to react, before he walked towards Iful.
"That island over there. Five minutes. BE THERE."
Iful nodded, and Luffy Gomu Gomu Rocketted back to the Going Merry.
Both ships sailed over to the nearby island, and the crews exited. The island was mostly desert, with a few palm trees scattered about.
Each crewmember stared down their double, and Luffy stepped forward.
"Let's rock...."
Iful smirked defiantly. "You? Beat me? Don't make me laugh!"
As a reply, Luffy stretched his arm back, and shot it forward - "Gomu Gomu Pistol!!!" The attack was blocked with both of Iful's twisted hands, as he coiled his arms around Luffy's.
"Gomu Gomu...."
Uncoiling his arms, Iful leapt into the air with Luffy, and released, throwing him downward.
".... Screw!!"
Luffy hit the deck hard - but on his own two feet. He jumped back up, above Iful, and called out, "Gomu Gomu...."
And he stretched his arms far back.
"Bazooka!!!"
The attack slammed Iful back down to the deck, but he also flipped to his feet, as Luffy landed. He leapt back into the air.
"Gomu Gomu Shotgun!!!"
His launched arm narrowly missed Luffy, who replied back, "Gomu Gomu Pistol!!!"
This time, his attack hit fiercely, slamming Iful into the deck. He panted slightly, and called over to his comrades.
"You guys, get out of here."
"What?!" shouted Sanji. "We won't leave you here!"
"Gomu Gomu...."
"Rocket!!"
Luffy's arms stretched back over to the Going Merry, and he motioned for everyone to go. They complied, but hesitantly. As Iful got to his feet, he wiped the blood from his mouth.
Damn.... He's stronger than I thought. We're equal. So why is he retreating.... ?
When everyone was safely onboard the Going Merry, Luffy turned for a moment to Iful.
"I'm letting you live because I want to kick your ass at your best. You've been holding back.... Don't do it again. Let's meet again."
And he rocketed over to the Going Merry, which took off at top speed.
"Should we go after them?" Mina asked quietly. Iful shook his head decisively. "We don't stand a chance. We'll need more training, all of us. Reppohc, tend to Rozo's wounds, and mine. Let's get right down to training...."
=== Going Merry ===
"What are you doing back?! Weren't you going to take care of them?"
Luffy said nothing, and went inside of the ship, as Zoro followed. When inside of the Men's Quarters, Zoro asked quietly, "Is he related to you?" Luffy shook his head.
"No. But he comes from the same village as me. His name's Yeknom Iful. He used to live next to me, but he moved away a few years before I went to sea. Why he looks so much like me now, I dunno...."
Zoro nodded. "I want to fight that swordsman of theirs at full strength. He wasn't putting everything he had against me.... I want to beat him with full power, not the way I did today."
"Fine. We'll just train, and wait."
For a moment, Zoro hesitated. Then, he asked, "Why was it that we attacked them again?"
"Because we're pirates, remember?"
And so, many days pass. Both crews spend their time training, further enhancing their skills. Until....
"It's them!!"
All eyes turned to the far east, as they saw a ship approaching. No doubt - it was them. Luffy got off the bow of the ship, and stretched his arms forward.
"Gomu Gomu Rocket!!!"
Within seconds, he was on the enemy ship. Everyone was too stunned to react, before he walked towards Iful.
"That island over there. Five minutes. BE THERE."
Iful nodded, and Luffy Gomu Gomu Rocketted back to the Going Merry.
Both ships sailed over to the nearby island, and the crews exited. The island was mostly desert, with a few palm trees scattered about.
Each crewmember stared down their double, and Luffy stepped forward.
"Let's rock...."