Chapter 6 - Zoro vs. Kuranji
Sanji was out cold.
Nami sat the cliff edge staring out at the sea.
A strong burst of wind rose upwards.
Nami reached out her hand and grabbed the item that had been blown upwards.
She clutched the Straw Hat to her chest and stared down the mountain as tears fell down her face.
"Luffy." she said
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"Let's go." laughed Kuranji and Zoro rushed at one another.
Zoro felt his blades connect as he sliced passed Kuranji.
Zoro looked down and noticed that his upper left arm was bleeding "What the!"
Zoro spun round to and saw a shiny brown armour around Kuranji's arms and torso.
"What are you?" asked Zoro
"I ate the Mushi Mushi Fruit (Insect) Model Kuwagatamushi (Stag Beetle)" answered Kuranji
"So your a bug." laughed Zoro
"Don't underestimate me, a beetle's shell is very strong it can survive even if a human steps on it." snapped Kuranji "I've trained so that my armour is as hard as steel."
"Then it's a good thing that I can steel." smiled Zoro as he crossed his arms over his swords.
"ONI GIRI!" cried Zoro as he rushed straight through Kuranji.
Kuranji spun around and kicked out at Zoro's leg, Zoro tripped and fell.
"Are you trying?" laughed Kuranji "You won't cut through my armour with that kind of attack."
Zoro pushed himself to his feet and raised two swords to his head like horns "Bull Charge!"
Zoro executed a flurry of blows which connected to every part of Kuranji's body, Kuranji flew back and slammed into the wall.
Kuranji fell to one knee and smiled at Zoro "Your stronger than I thought."
Kuranji rose to his feet and his arms transformed into shiny brown bladed, he and Zoro clashed several times.
Zoro jumped upwards, kicked of Kuranji's shoulder and cried "Hawk Wave!"
Spinning his sword Zoro created a small gust of winds that blew Kuranji backwards.
Kuranji laughed as he came to a stop a few feet away "This is fun."
Kurani rushed at Zoro who blocked his left arm, Kuranji's right arm sped underneath the two fighters, Zoro jumped back but not far enough, the arm blade tore upwards and left a shallow cut from his stomach to his shoulder.
"Damn it." snapped Zoro as he sliced at Kuranji but the blades just slid of his armoured torso.
Kuranji's leg turned to a blade and he kicked Zoro across the cheek, Zoro flew backwards and hit the wall.
He wiped bloodfrom his cheek and slammed his sword into the ground in order to regain his balance.
The wall near Zoro suddenly broke apart and two people jumped down in front of him.
"Shoro, Toshio." snarled Kuranji "The treasure is in the mountain, leave me alone."
Shoro turned to look at Zoro and laughed
Zoro rose to his feet and tried to stop them but Shoro leaped towards the mountain, he rapidly moved his arms around in a circle and drove his way through the mountain's bottom, Toshio followed after he had made a large hole.
"Usopp and te others." snapped Zoro to himslef "I better finish this quickly."
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"There it is!" laughed Usopp "The entrance!"
The three of them found an opening in the bottom of the mountain.
"It's so dark!" exclaimed Chopper
"Don't worry." laughed Usopp as he handed each of them a dial.
"A light dial" smiled Robin "Very clever."
They walked into the darkness and used the light dials to navigate there way through the winding tunnel.
They entered into a small room that had no special features only another tunnel.
"How long is this tunnel?" moaned Usopp
They continued forwards and entered into a well lit chamber.
"Why is there light in this place?" asked Usopp as he turned of the dial.
"It's strange." answered Chopper
They had no time to think about it as the room began to shake, a large chunk of wall fell apart and two figure emerged.
"TOSHIO!" cried Usopp
"REINDEER!" cried Toshio a she shoulder charged Chopper straight into the wall, they fell through the wall which collapsed.
"Chopper!" cried Usopp but he stopped as four strange tentacles wrapped themselves aroound him.
"W-w-what the hell." cried Usopp.
"Robin get going." snapped Usopp
Robin looked startled but she saw how serious Usopp was through his eye's, she turned and ran forwards into the tunnel.
"You should've kept your little friend long nose." laughed Shoro
"What are you?" asked Usopp
"I ate the Mushi Mushi Fruit (Insect) Model Mimizu (Earth Worm)." answered Shoro
"That's gross." replied Usopp as he pointed the light dial at him.
"What's that?" asked Shoro
Usopp hit the button and a blinding flash of light struck Shoro.
Shoro's long tentacles turned into is arms and legs as he screamed in anger.
"Exploding star!" cried Usopp as he fired a pellet at Shoro
Shoro regained his vision just as the pellet hit him squarely in the chest and exploded.
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Sanji had finally awoke "No way down?"
"No." answered Nami softly
"Let's go." replied Sanji "We'll find another way down"
He pulled Nami to her feet but she still didn't move.
"What good is it?" she asked "There's no point in going after the treasure without Luffy."
"Luffy's fine." said Sanji "He won't die that easy, after all he' going to be the pirate king!"
Nami cheered up slightly at this "Let's go."
They ran down the field and came to another large cliff, the looked down and were amazed to sea a large mountain beneath them.
"Is that the mountain in the middle of he island?" asked Nami
"I think so." answered Sanji
"How do we get down?" asked Nami
"We use the stairs." answered Sani as he pointed to a flight of stone stairs that led straight down to the bottom.
"That's... convenient." laughed Nami as they trooped down the stairs.
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Chopper dodged as Toshio's club smashed into the ground were he had stood a moment before.
Transforming into his Heavy Boost, Chopper slammed his fist into Toshio's face. Toshio stumbled backwards lifted his club and launched it at Chopper.
The club slammed into Chopper and drove him into the wall.
Chopper coughed blood as he slumped to the floor.
The club hit the floor and the wood around it crumbled to reveal a large golden club with blue stone sin it.
""Wootz steel." laughed Toshio "With sea stone in it."
"No way." coughed Chopper as he slowly rose to his feet.
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Zoro stopped as Kuranji slashed him across the chest.
Kuranji jumped backwards laughing "You weakling."
Zoro couldn't believe it no matter what he tried he couldn't cut through Kuranji's armour.
Kuranji stood a few feet away looked upwards.
"Time to finish this." he said
Zoro looked upwards and saw a man floating down, he had huge black wings with red tips.
"Having fun Kuranji?" asked Kaito a she landed smoothly
"I'll have this wrapped up in no time." smiled Kuranji
"Where's Shoro and Toshio?" asked kaito
"In the mountain." he answered "Follow that path."
"Hurry and finish this and then catch up." said Kaito as he raced through the passage and vanished.
"Your dad is the captain?" asked Zoro
"Yes." answered Kuranji
"I don't intend to die hear." said Zoro as he sheathed all three of his swords.
Kuranji rushed at Zoro, transforming his arms into blades he sliced at Zoro
"No sword style." he spoke "Dragon Twister!"
Kuranji flew upwards in a blast of wind, Zoro kicked of the ground unsheathed his sword and slammed it into Kuranji's torso which was covered in armour.
"STEEL CUTTER!" he cried as he ripped through Kuranji's armour and landed on the ground.
Kuranji slammed into the ground and clutched his stomach, he looked down and saw that he was bleeding from a deep cut.
Zoro rose one sword into the sky and focused all his energies.
Kuranji created an armour bandage over his wound.
"LET'S FINISH THIS RORONOA ZORO!" he screamed
Zoro's eye's snapped open, he could hear it again, everything was breathing, the rocks, the plants, and Kuranji's armour.
"Single Sword Soaring Phoenix!" cried Zoro as he slashed down, the air itself transformed into a blade that struck Kuranji square in the chest and smashed him into the wall, the wall began to collapse and he was buried beneath a pile of rocks, all that remained was his arm, the armour that had surrounded it slowly fell apart.
At that moment familiar voices called to Zoro.
He sat down and felt a hand on his shoulder.
"Who was that?" asked Sanji
"A bug." replied Zoro
"Where's the others?" asked Nami
"In the mountain." answered Zoro as he suddenly realized what he said "SHIT! Usopp and the others are in danger. Kaito and another two guys are in there."
"Then let's go." said Sanji as he raced into the passageway that Shoro had created.
"Where's Luffy?" asked Zoro as he rose to his feet.
"Kaito... beat him." whispered Nami
"What." said a very shocked Zoro "He'll be back."
"I hope so." answered Nami
"Anyway let's hurry up."
Zoro and Nami chased after Sanji through the passageway.
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To Be Continued...
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Chapter 7 preview
Sanji takes over Usopp's fight, Chopper must find a way around the seat stone bat.