Primal Swordplay!
Beast of the Forest Versus Terror of the Sea!
Zesiro surged forward his two swords meeting and parrying with the two blades with Daimyo's hands and they even managed to catch and stall the blade in Daimyo's mouth, seemingly holding off his attacks. Daimyo's tailed appeared, it was wrapped around another blade. Daimyo thrust it forward aiming beneath Zesiro's blades and at his underbelly. Zesiro pushed off of Daimyo's blades with his own sending him backwards and out of harm's way at least for a couple of seconds.
Daimyo brought his left foot upwards with another blade in tow aiming at Zesiro neck. Zesiro brought his blade up and parried with the deadly slash. Daimyo brought the rest of his body upwards and into the air doing a barrel roll in midair just bring his right foot around and bring the sword hammering into Zesiro's blade again. Zesiro stumbled backwards from the force, nearly being knocked off of his feet.
"Monkey Emperor's Stance!" shouted Daimyo as he twisted his body around to land on his hands. He was using pure upper body strength to stand on his hands and prepare to fight. His feet and tail in the air ready to launch another salvo of slashes.
The idea and practice behind Daimyo's Devil Fruit was certainly making him an interesting challenge for Zesiro. First off, him wielding six blades made him a Rokutoryu user, something Zesiro had only heard of octopus Fishmen being. The two blades in his hand, the two blades in his feet, and then a blade in both his mouth and tail. No matter how this guy landed on the ground, Zesiro would have to parry four or more blades. Zesiro brought both of his swords up and rested them both on his swords, parallel to each other. He eyed Daimyo, not leaving his stance.
Daimyo mouth twisted into as much of a smile as it could with the blade in there. He charged forward in a foolish almost awkward manner. He swung his right foot forward in a thrust. Zesiro brought both of his swords down on top of the blade sending it to the ground and further disrupting Daimyo's balance, then Zesiro brought both of his swords upwards climbing up the blade towards Daimyo's body. Daimyo's tail blade snaked down and blocked the blow holding Zesiro's sword at bay.
Daimyo flipped backwards and regained his balance on his two feet. Daimyo brought both of his blades out and in front of him. "Seems like you are not just a guppy in the big fish's pond, are you?" Daimyo straight both of his arms straight out and away from his body where he formed a cross.
Zesiro went down onto one knee, almost in a sprinting position if it wasn't for his two swords that were being held parallel to the ground and at his sides. "That's a bad analogy. I'm the shark in the lake, you are nothing more a drowning ape." Zesiro launched himself from his spot as he brought both of blades around aiming for two concise and clean swipes across Daimyo's chest.
"Monkey Cymbals!" Daimyo brought his two bladess inwards clamping them together on Zesiro's swords, Daimyo's superior strength holding Zesiro's swords in place. "TAIL!" Daimyo's tail once again sneaked forward at impressive speeds aiming for Zesiro. Zesiro tried to dodge to the left, but with his swords being held in place he couldn't put any really distance in between them. The blade in Daimyo's tail surged forward into Zesiro tossing him backwards. Zesiro's hands left his swords behind.
Daimyo separated his blades allowing Zesiro's swords to clatter to the ground. Daimyo looked down at Zesiro, who was desperately clutching his bleeding shoulder. Daimyo had a cruel and somewhat sadistic smile over it. He wasn't just doing his job trying to kill Zesiro, he was having fun while doing it.
"This is the greatest thrill," said Daimyo as he brought his foot down upon Zesiro's arm, squeezing the blood upwards and towards the wound. "Fighting to the death. Feeling the excitement, the thrill, the sheer adrenaline as you fight on the edge of life! Even one mistake could have your life taken or help you take the life of another. I hope you enjoy death!" Daimyo brought his blade up and plunged it downwards.
Zesiro reacted quickly. With his free hand he grabbed a hold of Daimyo's tail and dragged it forward. Quickly gripping the blade in his own hand and blocked Daimyo's downwards thrust with it. Zesiro then brought Daimyo's own tail back around into Daimyo's leg, sending him screeching like the howler monkey he was backwards. Zesiro didn't wait for Daimyo to recover from the wound. He was up and running towards his two swords.
Zesiro dipped down and grabbed a hold of his blade, skidding back and retaking his stance, ready to parry Daimyo's next ferocious attack. Daimyo's hand quickly traced over his own leg feeling it to see how badly damaged it was. It was good enough to stand on and walk with, but he was starting to doubt how long it would hold up if he had to run. He was too busy focusing on his injured leg, he had failed to notice Zesiro striking up a different stance. He had brought his two swords up and around his body.
"Twin Thresher Shark Wave!" Zesiro spun around and pointed both of his blades outwards towards Daimyo. His swords hammered into the air creating a wave of pure air that was sent flying through the room at Daimyo. The wave slammed into Daimyo creating a clean cut across his chest and throwing him backwards.
Daimyo cursed and huffed as he stood back-up. His calm green eyes vanished. They were replaced by menacing almost evil bloodshot eyes. His entire body lurched over, his arms and blades swaying by his sides. Blood dripping from both his chest and leg. He began to laugh. His howler monkey-like lungs echoing the laugh throughout the room.
"You almost got me," said Daimyo, "I mean two hits right in a row. One in my leg the across my chest. You are true swordsman! You are truly one of the few swordsman whose skills could possibly rival my own! With that being said I am fully obligated to kill you! To make sure you have the best fight you possibly could! THE BEST FIGHT TO YOUR DEATH! I will hold back nothing!"
"Blade Jungle!" Daimyo slammed his blade, thrusting it deep into the ground with his impressive strength. He jumped into the air and pressed himself against the blade, leaping from it and across the air past Zesiro. He slammed a second blade into the ground almost opposite from the previous blade. He leapt atop that blade. He jumped from that somersaulting across the field, barely sailing above Zesiro's head landing at another place away from both of his precious blade. He slammed a third blade into the ground. He repeated this process two more times slamming all, but one of his swords into the ground until the five blades he slammed into the ground formed a pentagon.
"I was perfectly fine with the background," said Zesiro as he looked around him at the blades sticking up out of the ground. "You didn't have to try so hard for a change of scenery."
"Oh," said Daimyo with a slick smile, "but I did. I told you I'd give you the best fight. And that's what I'm doing! I'm doing this all for you! All for the swordsman who wounded me!" Daimyo dashed on top of one of the blades balancing on top of it. His last sword in his left hand. "Its all necessary! I wanted to give you the proper send-off and this is the best way possible! Hanuman's Call! Banquet for the Beast!" Daimyo leaned back on the top of his blade, air feeling his lung as he let out a mighty howl. Daimyo leaned back on the blade, bending it backwards. He leapt from it, the hard steel catapulting him forwards towards Zesiro. He vanished in the air, reappearing on the blade opposite of him.
Zesiro twisted around to reface Daimyo. Daimyo remained stationary on the blade, his cocky grin present. "I see what you mean. If it wasn't for this technique, I'm afraid this fight wouldn't be any fun."
"That's what I want this fight to be like!" shouted Daimyo, "two men having a real fight! Let it begin!" Daimyo disappeared from his blade again, leaping forward. Zesiro brought his swords up to block, but he only felt a glancing and fleetingly short slash, before it was gone. Zesiro turned around just as Daimyo disappeared from the blade again, leaping forward with both improved speed and force. Daimyo's blade dragged across Zesiro's swords. Zesiro stumbled backwards loosing his balance from Daimyo's power.
Daimyo quickly leapt from his new blade again towards Zesiro. Zesiro brought his blades up and blocked the slash. Zesiro was forced backwards and onto the floor. His blades clattering out of control. Daimyo dashed and appeared on another blade. "Do you hear it?" asked Daimyo.
"Hear what?" asked Zesiro as he picked up his swords. He was hunched over and breathing heavily. His muscles were racing, first with Shion and now with Daimyo. His entire body was convulsing. This place was nothing like all of his previous homes. Days of training in and out, fights, and now today. Two times in one day he's been pushed to such extremes. Is this what the Grand Line is going to be like?
Daimyo smiled. "Your swords. They are screaming," he said as he hunched down and prepared for another strike, "I told you I was stronger then you and I am. So much stronger then you, my Douriki swallows yours. So far you have blocked every single one of my slashes with your swords, but I guarantee you…that will not last much longer."
Zesiro brought his swords up in front of him. "Let's see then."
Daimyo leapt from his position flying forward towards Zesiro. Zesiro brought one of his swords forwards catching Daimyo's blade. Zesiro felt Daimyo pressing against the blade the force sending him skidding backwards across the floor. Zesiro quickly brought his remaining sword upwards and into Daimyo's flesh. Daimyo didn't stop pressing forward though, his force continually applied onto the Zesiro's sword. Zesiro's arms tried to reapply the pressure and deflect the force, but he couldn't summon up enough strength.
Daimyo's blade wedged itself free and pass Zesiro's sword, digging into Zesiro's shoulder. The force from the slash forcing Zesiro backwards and tossing him helplessly to the ground. Zesiro collided with the ground. His swords wrenching themselves free from his hands and slid across the ground. Zesiro's eyes turned towards his two blades.
His first sword with the red blade and a light gray hilt was in one piece, but the blade was nicked up and down, it was damaged terribly. That blade was still usable. His second sword faired much, much worse. Its black blade was split down the middle, it had been basically cut in half. It was basically worthless in its current shape. Zesiro reached out and gripped his two blades, he was breathing heavily. He braced himself with his two swords as he stood up.
"You are not the swordsman I thought you were," said Daimyo, "a swordsman need to be perfectly in tune with his blades. A swordsman's sword is called an extension of his body for a reason. You cannot be an expert swordsman until you can hear their separate voices, I hear six different voices! All of them screaming at me to use them to shed your blood! They all want to feel it as they rip straight through your skin and organs!"
"Sorry," said Zesiro as he brought his remaining sword up in front of him. He put his broken black blade back into its sheath, "But I'm afraid your swords are going to have to wait to rip through my skin, cause I'm going to mow you down first." Zesiro rested both of his hands on his single remaining blade. His grip tightened on his sword as he prepared for another slash. Probably his last.
Daimyo smirked. He held his blade straight out in front of him preparing for another strike. Daimyo applied pressure onto the blade in the ground, as he prepared for another jump. "Hanuman's Call! Carcass Cutter!" Daimyo launched himself from his blade at high speeds swinging his sword widely as he neared Zesiro.
Zesiro brought his sword straight down upon Daimyo's blade using the muscles in both of his arms as a desperate last attempt to win. The additional pressure being applied to Zesiro's sword as it clashed with Daimyo blade proved to be vital. Daimyo stopped in his tracks and was forced to quickly defend himself from Zesiro's slash. Daimyo braced himself on the ground and quickly brought his other hand up behind his blade lending extra support to it. Zesiro wasn't relenting as he continued to apply pressure onto the his sword.
Zesiro cried out in pain. His hands went down to his chest where a different blade was promptly sticking out. Daimyo smiled. He backed away as he watched Zesiro collapse. While Zesiro was so busy focusing on the cutting through Daimyo's defenses and Daimyo himself, he didn't notice Daimyo's special appendage. His tail. His tail wrapped itself around another blade during the clash and quickly brought it around. He brought the new blade straight up and thrust it into Zesiro's chest.
Zesiro's eyes started to blur. Darkness began to cover the outside of his sights. He fell to the ground first just onto his knee, but eventually he completely collapsed his entire body splayed out on the ground. A small puddle of blood forming around him.
"Told you, it would be the best fight to your death you've ever experienced," said Daimyo as he returned his two blades to their sheaths. "And I thank you for giving me your all. It made this fight one to remember. I would love to sit and hold a wake for marvelous swordsman like you, but I got places to go and people to kill."
A Smorgasbord of Fear and Pain!
With a Side Order of Sage!
One of the hardest chapters to write if you ask me. Swordfights are not easy to write and Daimyo is insane. Anyways, with Zesiro's sword and spirit broken does he have the strength to get fight off death? Or will the Infinity Pirates lose another member? Anyways, I hope you are ready to read up on the next chapter! With Sage and Kentan about to brawl the fight promises to be one of the more interesting fights this chapter!