"I should warn you. I'm am an assassin of high caliber", Montague said as he stretched his arms.

"And I'm a champion martial artist. I know several forms of fighting; my main method being boxing. You know, as long as we're giving fair warnings", Borya replied, as he cracked his knuckles. "If you don't mind explaining, what did she do to make you go after her?"

"To put it simple, she is also an assassin. She's had quite the secret life before she became a waitress. Though she and her friends, failed to assassinate a group of pirates, which led up to one big mess for the government. They were supposed to be arrested, but they fled from custody.

"A bit extreme, just for not killing someone don't you think?"

"Failing to kill them wasn't the problem. It was their attempt to flee that brought this heavy hammer down. They did this to themselves, basically. Knowing all this, do you still wish to defend her?"

"Yes. Whatever she did before being employed by me is of no concern. HOWEVER, she is still employed by me, and no one hurts my employees."

"Reasoning won't work with you huh? Very well. Your funeral...and I mean that literally. I'm well versed in combat myself; you know.

"Then whenever you're ready", Borya said as he held his fists up. The battle began with Montague, using his shave technique. He attempted to stab Borya right in his forehead, but his hand was caught. "Cripes, I've gotten rusty! JAB! Borya punched him in the face, but it didn't seem to do much.

"Hm? Do NOT insult me. If you're going to fight, then fight. I don't need to be tested"

"Alright then...here's a better one for you", Borya said as he threw another punch.

"Too slow", Montague moved out of the way and threw his own punch. The fist impacted right into Borya's face. "How's that?"

"I thought you said you wanted to fight, not play around, Borya replied. "That almost tickled. Too slow you say? Fine, I'll speed up." Just like that, Borya threw another punch, and this one moved faster than the first one. The impact was even enough to make Montague stumble. Well that's much better! Now... get ready to die", Montagues said as he smiled. He reached down and grabbed a handful of sand and used it to erect a wall. "Behold the power of the Wall-Wall fruit! SANDSTONE SHATTER!" He punched the very wall he created, and shattered it into large sand shard. Each shard flew at Borya!

"What in the world!?" Borya dodged the first three shards, but the 4th and 5th one stabbed him him his arm and chest. After that he was able to dodge the rest of them. "I can only assume with the name of the fruit, it lets you make walls? That's an interesting one."

"Very good for mutilating my opponents. Lets see if you're lucky enough to dodge the next round. Montague made another wall of sand...but before he could shatter this one, a fuzzy fist made a hole through it. The hand grabbed onto his shirt and pulled him out, before slinging him across the sand. Montague quickly recovered however, only to see a Borya's appearance had changed.

"You're faster than I thought you would be...but that's to be expected of an assassin, I guess. While I'm transformed, my speed more than doubles. Not only my speed, but so does my power. Meet MY devil fruit. The Hop-Hop fruit!"

"And how is turning into a Kangaroo going to help you?"

"Like this. MOJAVE kick!" In the blink of an eye, Borya zoomed forward punted, him away with a kick!

Montague was sent back a few feet, but he was tough enough to stop himself. "Gah...you DID get faster, AND stronger." Montague rubbed his stomach, which was where the kick impacted. I don't have time for games though. I'll have to get serious! SEDIMENT BLOCK!" Montague stomped on the ground! But this time it wasn't just one wall that erected. It was multiple walls this time. It formed almost somewhat of a roofless building around the two.

"A fighting ring? I'll be right at home in this."

"Its just to make sure no one else can interfere. This one is made of stronger sand. Plus. I can use it to my advantage." "PINCUSHION!" Multiple spikes shot out of the wall! The first one grazed Borya's stomach, but he quickly caught on and hopped out of the way of other incoming spears. "It's doesn't matter how much you run, as long as your surrounded by the wall, they'll keep coming at you."

Borya broke an incoming sand spear, but he had no choice but to continue to hop out of the way of the constant attack. If I can just get close enough to him I can...", Borya began to say. He was going to attempt to knock Montague out of the attack. Before his own punch could land however, another incoming spear shot up in front of him, and grazed his cheek this time, causing him to jump backwards.

"No matter where you go, I'll be able to get you! Especially in this sand ring. It benefits me way more than just keeping out the unwanted!"

"Damn, your right. I thought this would make things more familiar for me, but it helped you a lot more...hm...I know what will help", Borya said as he reached into his pouch.

"What? Some sort of weapon", Montague asked.

"Nope. Its time for a coffee break. It always helps me think in the most important times." He pulled out a mug, and pot of coffee. "Hm, Arabian bean. One of the best kinds" He sipped at the mug. "Care to have some?"

"Do you think this is a game? You have the nerve to sip coffee in the middle of a fight", Montague asked. He was frankly quite annoyed at this, but couldn't quite tell from looking at him. "You really don't enjoy living, do you?" Montague stomped his foot and made a sand spear pierce the mug in Borya's hand. The black coffee leaked out onto the sand.

"Well that was a waste of good coffee. Are you angry now?"

"Does this answer your question? Another wall raised in front of Borya, and it already had spikes sticking out of it. "FLY SWATTER!" The hazardous wall fell directly forward.

"Yikes! He's trying to crush me like a fly!" Borya reached out and placed his hands on the wall. Luckily his Armament Haki was able to prevent him from being skewered by the attack. "Nice try! It almost caught me by..." his sentence was interrupted by two sudden blades of air cutting through the wall, and cutting him right in his chest. "Gah!"

"TEMPEST KICK! TRAP DOOR SPIDER!" Blood shot out of Borya's chest, as he fell backwards onto the sand. "The wall was meant to crush you, but I knew it wouldn't, so I used it as a distraction instead. All part of fast thinking. Now get up!"

"You don't have to tell me twice", Borya said as he slowly got up. "You're not the only one...", Borya said. Before he finished, his fist collided with Montague's face. "who can move fast!" THAR PUNCH! "A sudden zap of electricity erupted and blew Montague through the sandy wall. "How can you still move so fast after taking a direct attack!?"

"I already told you, I'm tougher than you think." Borya began to make his way out of the sandy ring.

Without raising up, Montague clasped his hands together, and with an instant, the walls closed in, trapping him like a toy between two angered hands. "You know...for the first time in quite some time...I believe I found an opponent that I cant beat with physical strength alone. This means nothing however. There are all kinds of ways to kill someone. Mutilation, drowning, burning...CRUSHING!" The strong sand walls tightened, around Borya...but crushing didn't seem to be the plan Montague had. "The sand isn't strong enough to squish you to death, but it can still hold you still."

"We have to go back. He wont stand a chance against that man", Kalifa said. She was sitting at a table at the café."

"I already told you, you don't have to worry about him. He's fought dangerous enemies before. Sure sometimes, his lax nature can get in the way, but he's no pushover. I'm more worried about that wound. Hold still so I can wrap this around it", Heaton replied. He was attempting to stop her leg from bleeding. You sure do cause a lot of trouble huh? The place has gotten a lot more exciting since you got here."

"My friends and I tend to bring more excitement than we wished. Its all part of a past we cant seem to escape. In fact, it seems like the harder we try to escape from it, the harder it becomes to do so...is this how its always going to ne", she asked herself.

"I don't quite know what you mean Kalifa, but...If something is troubling you, we're here for you. Borya and I. Not to mention the other friends you were talking about...tell us whats going on."

"Very well Heaton...but don't be surprised if you don't like what you hear", Kalifa said as she smiled.

"Dont worry, it will be quick. Just a fast puncture into your brain and it will all be over." Montague held his hand up, preparing to pierce Borya right in the forehead.

"Ack! Eh...I cant break out of it! How can a wall be THIS strong?!"

"You should have walked away like I told you to...now you're going to have to pay the price. If I may say, you had a very good business going. Best omelet and coffee I ever had."

"Oh...so you were a customer at some point then? I take it you were spying on her then?"

"Indeed. I was also there the day she quit. Come to think of it, I guess I was the reason she quit. Anyway, even if she manages to get away, her and the other ex-cipher pol members will simply be pursued again. They have a permanent mark on them now. Even if you managed to beat me, she still wouldn't have been safe. Not only that, but you too would also have a mark on your head. Its as I said. You were doomed the moment this battle started.

I used to have a knack for getting in dangerous situations. I was pretty hasty back then, but I guess it never really left. Hehe." Borya smiled, though it was hard for Montague to see it under the muzzle.

"Even in your death you still decide to smile? I applaud you...but now its all over!" Montague pulled his arm back, and prepared to force his finger through Borya's forehead! "FINGER PISTOL!" SHING...the finger was supposed to pierce...but...something happened. It didn't pierce at all. In fact...it bent! Montague gritted teeth, as a sudden pain plagued him.

"Whoops. Did I forget to mention that I can use Armament Haki? That was probably important." There was a big black spot on his forehead, where he focused his haki.

"Grrrr! What a pain in the ass!" Montague bent his finger back into place.

Borya used this opportunity to break free of the sandy prison. "It weakens when you don't concentrate from the looks of it. I won't give you the chance to use it again. TAKLAMAKAN FLURRY!" Borya sprang forward and released a flurry of punches and kicks at Montague. Each hot connected, and pushed Montague backwards. Montague tried to block the attacks, but Borya moved too fast. "Now have a good day!" One final punch, right into Montague's chest.

He froze for a second, before falling over. "Heheh. Well, I guess that was the outcome huh? You gonna kill ME now?"

"Nope. That would make me no better than you. Besides, you already lost."

"Big mistake. You may have won this round, but I wont stop pursuing her...AND you! As I said before, you're going to be one of our targets now...along with anyone else who helps them.

"If it's a rematch you're after, then that fine. I'll be more than happy to knock you down again."

"Heh...hehehe!" Montague fell silent. He fell unconscious from the last strike.

"Ugh...I hope those two made it back ok", Borya said as he sat down on the sand.