"Got awfully daring when you retired huh? You know what I'm capable of and yet you challenge me?"

"I don't fear you, like I did back then. You're a very strong man, I know for sure. You don't have a devil fruit, yet you've defeated hundreds of people that use them. I'm quite surprised they didn't send YOU after the straw-hat pirates.

"Remember, our only targets are usually only rouge agents, but we'll gladly go after anyone who helps them. At this point, I'd say you could qualify for both of those."

"Thats a bit of a stretch honestly. Either way, I really don't care. When I'm done with you, I'll find out where you came from, and mail your body back to it, Springer."

"You know my name then? Well that's interesting."

"I've always known your name. I'm about as nosey as Fukurou."

"Well then Serenity. If you plan on "mailing me back" then you'd better put your money where your mouth is!" Springer clasped his hands together! Like a sudden wind, several bookshelves around him instantly fell over. The force was strong enough to sway Serenity's hair and jacket.

"You won't scare me with that", Serenity said as she dashed towards Springer. Both their fists collided, and knocked over more books. They each threw punches, only to be countered by the other blocking. "You're going to pay for what you did!"

"Why are you suddenly feeling bad about this now? I killed your comrade years ago. Is it because I plan on killing another one?"

"Maybe. Then again, you also disappeared once you killed Benson, so I never even got the chance to confront you. Now that I've got the chance to, I feel surprisingly excited. BAD SEED!" Serenity threw multiple seeds from her hands. They were exploding seeds, but hey seemed to only have little effect on Springer once he used his iron body."

"You think your little party tricks are going to beat me? I'm aware of all the things you can do."

"Just because I retired, doesn't mean I didn't learn new tricks and tactics over the years."

Just then, there was the sound of a snail transponder going off. Springer quickly picked answered the alarming snail. "Come...Come in. T-this is Hatchet! "Everyone! If you can hear me...we have a problem. The danger isn't our targets! There are people helping them! If you see anyone around them, kill them as well! The mission for this island has...been..."

"Well I'll be damned. I didn't think their friends would be helping them...though this sounds pretty silly. Does Hatchet expect me to believe that he was defeated by some random shmoe?"

I knew it. I told him everything would work out...they just needed to put their trust in others", Serenity said with a smirk. Maybe I overhyped you so called silencers?

"Hmph! MACH WING!" Springer charged forward at the speed of light and bashed Serenity with his arm spread out like a wing. "Not so tough NOW, are you?"

Serenity was forced backwards, but she managed to stop herself from crashing into the desk. "You tell ME! VIDICTIVE HUG!". Thorny vines broke through the floor, and wrapped around springers legs! The second they latched on, there were small drops of blood falling to the floor. I wont let you go."

"Tch! You don't have to." Springer grabbed the vines with his bare hands, and ripped them off. The thorns didn't seem to bother his hands in the slightest. The sudden tactic threw off Serenity's guard, and she didn't react fast enough to Springer vanishing before her very eyes. Like a sudden impact, he tackled her! It was strong enough to knock them both through the wall of the library. Many people around all jumped in surprise at the sudden crashing.

Serenity quickly tossed Springer away from her before they hit the ground. "You idiot! There are people all around us now!"

"So what? The missions already been compromised anyway! And besides, you heard what Hatchet said. Kill anyone around them. That includes you and...", he began to say as he looked around at the dozens of people staring.

Serenity gasped. And quickly raised more vines to ensnare Springer's legs again. "If you value your lives, then RUN", she yelled out to the crowds of people. They weren't quite used to seeing violence on this island, but they knew danger when they saw it. The area was now a battlefield, and they didn't want to get involved. They each scattered in different direction, in hopes of avoiding the conflict.

This time Springer ripped the vines out of the ground simply by lifting his legs. "You know, I could actually use these." Instead of discarding them he removed them, and wrapped them around his hands.

"What are you doing", Serenity asked.

"Adapting!" the vines around his fists began to turn black. He enveloped them with haki! "My very own boxing gloves!" He threw a punch at Serenity, but she ducked under it.

"Chill out. "HUMEROUS SPRAY!" A yellow grew out of her hand, and sprayed a yellow mist!"

Springer backed away and wiped his face. He didn't feel any pain...but he did feel some kind of tingle. A little water? Is that all you got. He...hehe. Bahahaha! Bahahaha! Haaaaah! Heh?" It would seem he started laughing uncontrollably. "What is this? What did you do to me?"

"Laughing gas. Are you having fun yet", she asked.

"Its NOT haha...supposed to make you...hahaha...laugh!"

"And that's the FUNNY thing about it." Serenity's hand warped into what appeared to be a thick tree branch. CRANKY TREE!" She swung the branch like a baseball bat, and smacked Springer, swatting at him like a fly...though miraculously, even through the laughs, he managed to catch the branch.

Catching it seemed to have hurt his arms, evident by his facial expression, be he stopped the branch from sending him away. "Nice try Serenity! Bwahahaha!" He pulled her closer by the branch, and threw a punch right into her face, knocking her over.

Serenity stood up and wiped her lip. She had two holes in her cheek, courtesy of Springer's haki embued weapon. "So you broke through it. Big deal... I'm still going to crush you."

"I have myself to blame for this. I kinda forgot you're one of the strongest cipher pole members in history...even after all this time has passed. You clearly haven't gotten any smarter though. Do you know that you will be an official target if you keep this up? Is it really worth running away for the rest of your life, just to protect that big blabber mouth...speaking of which, I suppose I let him get far enough." Springer turned his head and concentrated into the distance. Thanks to his haki, he could see Fukurou still running towards the beach. "He probably thinks that we didn't know about their little gathering spot.

"What do you mean?" What are you planning?"

"In about three...two...one...and..."

Fukurou sprinted upon the ground still trying to make his way towards the beach located on the west side of the island. It was where everyone agreed to meet up if they ever felt like they were in danger. With Serenity holding him off, it would be a cinch! Or at least that's what he thought at first... "Almost there! When Serenity meets up with us at the beach, we can dis... -BOOM-

A loud explosion could be heard in the distance. Serenity looked past Springer, only to see smoke rising from the woods in the distance. "You booby trapped the forest?!"

"Not entirely. Just the path that he took the last time he met with them on that beach. Its about the only way he can get there discreetly from here. That explosion should have taken him out...ergo I hope you don't have any hope of him surviving.

"While that was a hefty explosion, I doubt it would have killed him. That's one trait they definitely have going for them... they're survivors. Just like you and I...or should I say...just like I", she said as she gave a very grim stare.

"Still think you're going to kill me huh? Well I'll have you know, I have done something that even you yourself have not done."

"And that is?"

"I have mastered ALL six powers skills! From what I know, only Lucci and I have done such a thing so far."

"How uninteresting. Let's get this over with, I have a meeting to get to."

"If you insist! I'll end you Serenity! Just like I did Benson!"

That lit a fire in Serenity! She clenched her fists and charged forward. They each collided again, seemingly on equal footing. This was more than about survival for her at this point. She was doing this to put Springer in his place. He was starting to get a little too uppity for her. "Then do it!" She jabbed him right in his eye, and made him stumble.

"Alright then! Shave!" He vanished into thin air.

"Two can play at that game!" Shave!", she said. For a moment, it looked that the two had vanished from the field, but they were moving too fast to see. While Springer had an easy time keeping an eye of Serenity, she found it increasingly hard to see him. It was as if he was speeding up by the second. "I have to get him to slow down!" Serenity stopped, to prepare her next attack, but the moment she stopped, Springer appeared in front of her.

He had both of his hand held out towards Serenity. "This move will blow you away!"

"Wait...is this...it couldn't be!"

"Six Powers! Six king Gun!" A shockwave erupted and went through Serenity's body. The shockwave was so strong, that the sand behind her flew up into the sky, as if a landmine had exploded behind her. Blood shot out of her mouth! "Game over Serenity!" Springer stood panting, after the attack took a huge chunk of his energy away. Serenity fell onto the sand...but she still didn't look like she was finished. "What!? How are you still alive!?"

"I'm a tough old bird as you know. I've never been hit that hard before." Serenity stood up, though she was heavily injured.

"Well you cant take another one of those!"

"Really? You look like you cant even do it again without passing out." There were flowers growing all around her on the sand. "Why don't you take a breather?"

Springer prepared for another repeat of the attack. He was determined to kill her this tie, even if it took the rest of his energy...though for some strange reason. He found himself suddenly calm. As if he wasn't even in a fight. "Thats funny...I... suddenly feel at peace." He was actually smiling now.

"Is that so? Silly man. Giving in, is a bad habit. Then again, it's kind of MY own fault. I should have known you'd lose the will to fight once I used my MELLOW BLOOM on you. There were now flowers around both of them now."

"Mellow? Bloom? Doesn't that..."

"That's right. It instantly calms any raging soul that is surrounded by the flowers. Well except me of course. It's only an option for me!" She clasped her hands together, and formed an even bigger branch this time. "Now die!" -Wham-! She slammed the tree right down onto Springer! She must have put all her anger into the slam, because the slam left an imprint large enough for a tree twice the size! "Huff...huff...huff." She walked over towards the now unconscious and crushed Springer. "That was for Benson. And this is for Fukurou!" She pointed her finger, and prepared to stab Srpinger right in his heart, but her finger was caught by someone's hand.

"Fu-Fukurou? You came back? Why!?"

It was indeed Fukurou. He was pretty dinged up and covered in soot, but he was still moving. "Sorry. I know you told me to leave, but I came back to help you fight! Especially since he blew me up! I'm a little late from the looks of it."

"Its not over yet. He's still breathing", she said as she removed her hand from Fukurou's grip.

"Serenity...its over. Even if you kill him, it won't really accomplish anything. Plus, he may be of some use to us. We have some things to figure out."

"Your right. I think we might be able to coax our friend here into giving us some information."