SailorStar9: So with Chapter 268 uploaded, this is Chapter 269 of this fic. . For everyone who put this fic on your favorited and followed lists and/or story alerts, thank you, but remember everyone, a lot of authors (myself included) sustain on readers' reviews.
Pairings: Married!Ace/Sasha, Sibling!Luffy/Sasha, Sibling!Sabo/Sasha, Background Protector!Law/Sasha
Disclaimers: One Piece belongs to Oda EiichirÅ-sensei. Me, on the other hand, own absolutely nothing, except my OC, the pairing and the fic idea.
Chapter 269: Arc 16: The Strongest Man - Shutenmaru, the Bandits Brigade Chief!
Meanwhile in Flower Capital...
Usohachi was walking down the streets as he secretly looked out for the crescent moon on his targets' ankles. "Hi." he covertly pulled over one of his targets. "It's been a while. Don't tell me you've forgotten about me? We played together like every day since we were kids."
"It's been a while..." the secret rebel stammered.
"Yeah, we bumped in each other for a reason." Usohachi nodded. "Bye." he bade his target farewell after passing on the folded flyer.
Later...
"How's everything going with you?" Usohachi asked his gathered comrades. "Is it going well?"
"Yeah," Orobi replied as Sahiko served up her sasa dango. "If t hings go well, we'll be summoned by Orochi soon."
"That'd be nice." Usohachi grinned. "Franosuke, have you obtained the blueprints of Kaido's mansion?"
"No, not yet." the cyborg replied. "That master carpenter is kinda of tricky. What's up with you?"
"I handled the flyer to a guy who had the mark of the moon today." the toad oil seller smirked. "While doing so, I got good news. It's the name of the one said to be the strongest man alive today; the chief of the Atamayama Thieves Brigade, Shutenmaru."
Back at the Oden Castle ruins...
"Kin'emon, I understood your plan." Sanji noted. "But there is one thing that I couldn't quite get. You said that Oden brought down Ashura Doji 20 years ago. Then why is he among the allies that you want us to find?"
"That's a legitimate question." Kin'emon grinned. "Ashura Doji mended his ways after being defeated by Oden-sama and pledged his loyalty to him. But..."
"We heard that now under the name of Shutenmaru, he became the chief of the Atamayama Thieves Brigade and is doing wrong again." Okiku supplied.
"By the way, is he strong?" Luffytaro asked.
"Perhaps, it's not much to say that he is the strongest of all samurai." Okiku answered. "As an ally, no one is more reliable than him."
In Okobore Town...
"I finally got to meet you, the head of the thieves brigade." Jack crash-gated Shutenmaru's raid. "I know a pirate named Straw Hat Luffy came around here."
"If I say 'I don't know', will your attitude change?" Shutenmaru asked.
"Don't push your luck." Jack warned. "We are keeping you alive only because Kaido wants yo have you as a subordinate. I don't have to pay you any respect."
"Then, I'm gonna tell you: my answer to that request is just this." Shutenmaru charged straight towards Jack and the two fighters clashed with their blades. Cutting off one of Jack's shotel blades with his sword, the oversized swordsman shot past the Disaster and a single slash wound appeared on Jack's bared chest. "Don't mess with samurai." the outlaw growled.
"Damn you!" Jack hissed and jumped off his alligator stead to take on the samurai.
On the ground, the two adversaries clashed once again, with Shutenmaru dodging Jack's slash and the two opponents met each other blow by blow. That was, until Jack gained the upper hand after Shutenmaru blocked off two of his aerial blasts and the Beast Pirate managed to land two slashes on Shutenmaru's body. With Shutenmaru defenseless, Jack proceeded to released a rain of slash attacks on the samurai.
"Ever since he died, I was looking for a way to die." Shutenmaru withstood the relentless attack. "But getting killed by an underling like you is not it."
"Cut the crap!" Jack hollered, firing off a cross-shaped air blast at the charging Shutenmaru.
Said samurai deflected the aerial attack and landed another slash on Jack's body.
A flash of purple lightning broke the stalemate.
"He came in person." Hawkins realized who was in the billowing clouds. "For what?"
At the Oden Castle ruins...
"Why, all of the sudden..." Penguin wondered.
"Is it gonna rain?" Shachi pondered.
"No." Law's senses went on high alert. "Straw Hat, come here now!"
"What the..." Luffytaro gawked at the darkening sky.
"I've never seen this kind of change in the weather before." Nami winced at the sudden strong gust of winds blowing.
"Momonosuke-sama!" Kin'emon instantly consoled Momonosuke who had turned into his dragon form after witnessing the looming shadow behind the clouds; Kaido's dragon form.
"We're in trouble, Straw Hat." Law hissed.
In Okobore Town...
"No way..." Shutenmaru gasped as Dragon Kaido descended from the clouds. "Why?"
"Hey, Jack." Kaido droned. "Bring those brats here now."
At the Oden Castle ruins...
"A dragon?" Luffytaro was shocked by Dragon Kaido's appearance. "What's that?"
"Things cant' get any worse." Law spat. "That's Kaido."
SailorStar9: Any OOC-nes is regretted. *Sighs* Don't you just hate plot bunnies sometimes? Reviews are much appreciated.
