Entrance to the Feast!
The Deadliest Soldier Awakens!
"Please pardon my manners," said Kentan as he sat down in a large chair and picked up a bottle of champagne and poured two glasses. He handed one over to Sage, "it's a rare delicacy to have visitor down here." Kentan was large. He wasn't particularly tall, fat, or anything like that. He was probably six foot two, weighed around 190 pounds or something. But he just gave off this giant aire. He was stocky and his hands were large. He had on a Hawaiian-esque shirt and shorts. His hair was styled into dreadlocks and he wore a friendly smile.
Sage timidly accepted the glass. But she didn't drink any of it. She stood there with the hand in her glass and was shaking like a leaf.
"Good ahead drink it," said Kentan with another smile.
"I'm sorry," said Sage, "but…I mean, you are a Marine. I'm a pirate. What if you poisoned it?"
Kentan's smile disappeared. "I'm a chef. Food and drink are sacred. If I was so rotten as to poison another person's meal, I should be tenderized and boiled alive." His smile returned, "so drink up!"
Sage put her lips to the cup and drank. The wine was delicious. She wasn't for drinking and as a matter of fact, this was probably the first sip of alcohol she had had in years. She downed it quickly. Kentan laughed.
"Its nice to see someone else with such an appetite," said Kentan as he poured her another glass.
Something suddenly struck Sage as odd. "What were both you and Kai doing down here?"
"Kai was probably following you and the other guy you were with," said Kentan as he downed his glass. "I, on the other hand, actually had business down here. The prisoners need to be fed."
"So, you were taking care of the prisoners," asked Sage.
"Indeed," said Kentan as he reached around and grabbed a long loaf of bread. He cut into it. "See, despite many people's thoughts, I actually do care for the prisoners left in my care. I feed them, comfort them, anything they need. I sometimes even fetch the paper for them. Just cause they are in prison, doesn't mean they should be treated like its hell."
"I guess so," said Sage. She watched as Kentan prepare a large sandwich.
"There is one specific prisoner I have taken a liking to," said Kentan, "an ex-Revolutionary. Conversation with him is such a delicacy." Kentan picked up an apple from the table along with knife.
"An ex-Revolutionary?" asked Sage, "why is he no longer a Revolutionary?"
"He was a Revolutionary," said Kentan, "until certain events went down within the core. He immediately turned himself in to the Marines. Well, it was too late. He was already branded a criminal…the Marines wouldn't allow him to continue to live in modern society so instead they imprisoned him here."
"Wait!" shouted Sage, "that's not right! He doesn't want to be a criminal anymore! Shouldn't he be allowed to repent for what he's done? Why didn't you guys just give him community service or something?"
"We did, but he's a criminal," said Kentan as he began to peel his apple, "now matter how much spices you add to a dish, there's always the original flavor there."
"I think I'm going to get going now," said Sage as she stood up and turned around. She began to head for the door. A stainless steel kitchen knife whizzed by her head and stuck into the wall just behind her.
"I am one of the deadliest warriors," said Kentan as he stood up, "stationed here in this Marine Base. As you could probably tell from Kai's reaction to seeing me, I am probably the deadliest…actually…make that the second deadliest."
"Second?" whimpered Sage as she backed away into the wall, her hand fumbling for the door.
"Of course," said Kentan, "that ex-Revolutionary I told you about…you asked me if he did community service to atone for his crimes…and I said that he did. He is our clean-up crew. Whenever things get out of hand here, we let him out of his cage. Anyone who we failed to kill or anyone who is not in a sanctioned room is game to him. Marine, prisoner, or uninvited guest."
"But asides from him, you are the strongest," said Sage.
"I'm afraid that won't matter in a minute," said Kentan, "he's about to be let loose. Bushou, Shion, and Kai are all going to be reported as defeated. Then there's another three who have been killed during this day. The place is in a state of panic. Six of the ten undefeatable warriors have been killed. He's going to be let loose."
"So, I got to get going," said Sage. She turned around and grabbed the door handle. Kentan grabbed onto Sage's head and tossed her back.
"I said anyone in a non-sanctioned room will be killed by him," said Kentan, "right now this is one of the sanctioned room. Leaving here will be your death." Kentan wandered over to a chair and sat down. He poured another glass of wine and set on the table next to Sage. "You'll stay in here until tomorrow when the Revolutionaries are dead, then I'll sneak you out on a boat and you can continue living. That's my deal."
"Why?" asked Sage.
"Food gives people life. Chef makes food," said Kentan, "its against my moral code to watch a chef walk off into her death."
"Thanks," said Sage questioningly as she accepted the glass of wine. Something about Kentan seemed off. She'd trust him for now, but…something was just wrong. Then a loud siren pierced the air.
(-With Enma-)
"Crap," said Gou as the siren filled the air. "He's being released already. I wonder how many of my allies have been taken down." Gou quickly dodged to the side as a long ivory spear blasted past him. "Aren't you even the least bit interested in what's going on?"
"No," said Enma as he brought his hand up, "I told I'd kill you in 3 seconds. I plan on seeing that come true."
"Let me start the clock for you, then," said Gou. He bent down and picked up the clock that was laying on the ground. "There. The alarm is set to go off in exactly three seconds starting…now!" Just as the word came out of his mouth Gou felt the ivory spear jam itself deeply into his gut.
Enma brought his entire body around and catapulted Gou into the air and across the room. Gou twisted his body around and braced himself against the wall. "I still feel as if you should know what that siren signifies. It signifies that you and all of your friends will be dead before the day is over."
"But you are going to die first," said Enma. "Hone Needles!" Finger-length bones slid out of Enma's hand and in-between his fingers. Enma chucked all four of them at Gou's body. Gou disappeared from sight and reappeared next to Enma. Gou wrapped his arm around Enma's neck like it was made of rope, his leg twisted and wrapped itself around Enma's leg twice, his other hand wrapped itself firmly around Enma's arm.
"Immortality research has led me to notice how many people die of broken bones a year," said Gou. "A surprising amount. So, in order to fix that I had my bones removed and replaced with a much more malleable substance."
"Hone Spear!" A long ivory spear exploded out of Enma's back and was aimed for Gou heart. It slipped right in and out of Gou's body, leaving a long ivory stick jutting out of his body. The alarm rang out filling the room. "Looks like my three seconds are up." Enma retracted the bone spear back into his body. Gou's entire body fell off of Enma's. Enma was about to head for the door when he heard a chuckling. He spun around to see Gou standing up with a smile on his face.
"Ruptured organs are another common cause of death," said Gou, "so my body contains duplicate organs. If my heart was too be pierced, I have another one located somewhere else in my body."
"I guess I may need to take the five minutes you offered me," said Enma.
"Too bad," said Gou, "that siren that's been blasting ever since we started fighting. That signifies that the beast has been let loose. We've got maybe two minutes at the most until he comes here and rips us to shreds."
"I thought you were one of the deadliest warriors in this Marine Base," said Enma, "I'm sure you can probably defeat him."
"No," said Gou. "You see, I am probably the fourth strongest warrior here. But him and Kentan are in two separate levels far above me. They could kill me without even breaking a sweat. Kentan has actually tried. He doesn't think very highly of my…experiments."
"Sounds like I might actually like this Kentan guy," said Enma.
"No…he's just…he's just a…I guess the best word to describe him would be…a killer," said Gou, "he's a genius, though."
"Don't take this the wrong way," said Enma, "but I just don't trust you." Enma charged forward with another sweeping motion from his large ivory spear aimed at right Gou. Gou spun to the side and dodged the blow. He jumped out of the way and landed on one the patient's bed.
"Fine," said Gou, "I'll kill you quick then. Let's go, witness the power I possess! The power of the immortal." Gou leaned forward and began coughing. Suddenly a small dagger slid out of his mouth and into his hand. "Forgot what stomach I was keeping it in."
"I'll fix that problem," said Enma, "I'll just cut them all out."
(-on the docks-)
Zenmaru's men laid about, most of them half dead. A tall and lanky man wandered through the mess a smile on his face. He had been waiting for the siren. He didn't suspect many of the warriors stationed here to survive when he saw Jugo. The man was dressed in a black tuxedo. He had a smile on his face as he waded through the mountains of dead bodies. He approached the ships.
The siren had signaled that Daimyo would be let out soon. He would prowl about the base for about an hour before coming out here to destroy the ships. Why? Because in about an hour, he would've killed everyone in the base and would be bored. Destroying ships is a quick way to pass time. This man was sent out here to make sure no pirates decided it was time to flee.
The man reached up and pulled his top hat off of his head. "Death…a tragic thing. Its far from a sweet relief. But still I murder." He reached into his pocket and pulled out a long iron chain. "Steel Chain Ship Sinker. Keep these boats in their right place. Iron Rope Ship Jail." He tossed the long iron chain around all of the ships several times, until each one was wrapped up within its long and heavy body. He pulled tight, tightening many of the knots simultaneously. He slammed the chain deep within the ground. Now the ships were successfully tied in place.
"Such unknown beauty. My knots and chains do create. Bye my audience!" The man turned around and was about to walk off when he saw a figure move on top of one of the boats. He was a stocky man, big and strong-looking. The man looked down at the ground and at his shadows. The sirens hadn't been going off for that long…he still had time. One more dead man wouldn't upset Daimyo.
"Hey you on the ship," he shouted. The man looked his way. "I am the Chain Warrior. My name is Netam."
The big man on the ship reached behind his head and grabbed his neck. He looked tired as if…well, not tired. He looked like he just woke up from a good nap and was slowly going to drift again. He turned all the way over and looked at Netam. "Mine is Hiro-Shu. You know where the rest of my crew is? I seem to have lost them."
Out on the Docks!
The Lack of Immortality!
Hiro-Shu has finally woken up, but he has woken up without a crew and a powerful Marine is awaiting him. Not to mention that both Sage's and Enma's problems seemed to have been amplified with both Kentan and Gou's strength being higher then they let on. Trouble is brewing!
Also, the poll for 'Who is your favorite Saga of the Infinity Pirates is closed'! The winner? It's a three-way tie. Ridley, Enma, and Hiro-Shu with four each, Mikoto with three, Zesiro with 1, and Sage with 0.