The Warden's Strength
Taisho was a little taken back by Mikoto's rather outrageous actions. He broke through six layers of his vines, they weren't particularly thick, but due to the fact that Taisho had woven them in and out they should've been fairly strong enough to absorb a simple punch. He guessed the kid really did have the makings of the Shichibukai. None the matter…Taisho drew his sword, a massive Zweihander, and prepared for the fight. In the end he didn't care that Mikoto broke out of the cell whether his execution was done by the Marines on a stand…or done by Taisho and his blade, it didn't matter. The only thing that mattered was one pirate was going to wind up dead. Taisho stepped forward and let his roots slip out of his body and into the ground. An omni-directional attack. Mikoto's speed didn't matter, he couldn't avoid an attack if it came from all directions all at once. "All Root Pierce!" The roots from the ground shot up at impressive speeds and all of them in synch there wasn't a single one lagging behind in the assault. They would all break Mikoto's flesh and draw blood at the exact time, but all of them would strike at a different point. Mikoto was trapped…no amount of speed was going to help you escape from this…power, speed, intelligence once more all of it was useless.
"Probably shouldn't risk trying to use Geppou again," thought Mikoto as he jumped into the air to avoid the roots, "but that doesn't mean I'm going to fall and meet your attack!" Mikoto fired another kick, slamming it into one of the roots and forcing Mikoto to the side where there was a wall. Mikoto twisted around and kicked off of it, sending his body careening forward for his next target. "Leg Whip!" Mikoto twisted around once more, planting his hand on the ground and twisting himself around firing his leg straight out for Taisho's face. Taisho gritted his mouth and prepared for the impact.
"If you want to scratch my face with your weak attack feel free," schemed Taisho as he looked down at the ground, preparing another wave of roots this time aiming for Mikoto's hand. "Cause I'll be taking your arm as an exchange!" Mikoto's legs let out a dull echo as it smashed into Taisho's head and forced him back another inch. "Root Constrictor!" Taisho tried to summon another root to embrace and freeze Mikoto in his track, but Mikoto wasn't a one-trick pony. Mikoto kicked up using his leg that was currently embedded in Taisho's cheek along with his arm to throw himself up a bit higher into the air and away from the ground and Taisho's roots. "It doesn't matter if you are on the ground or in the air," shouted Taisho as he prepared his large blade for the first time since they fought, Zweihänder Schrägstrich!" He leaned forward and brought his sword around like an axe, slicing through the air with enough power to obliterate steel. Mikoto twisted around, bringing one arm out and balancing it on the Zweihander, and pushing himself up from there. A technique nearly impossible for any normal human, but with Mikoto's instincts and speed it was almost a walk in the park. Mikoto landed a few feet away. He was doing more than well in his mind. He had avoided each strike from Taisho so far no matter how many traps he laid Mikoto would find his way through them with speed and wild instincts. Speaking of which…time for round two. Mikoto lowered his head and charged in.
The arm he had used for the Rapid-Fire was already starting to heal, it was still numb, but Mikoto assumed that due to his constant reliance on that weapon and his training to master it he had probably built-up a slight immunity to the regular backlash. He should have it back sooner than he had planned on it until then he would just have to pin Taisho back with the speed of his legs and the number of his punches. Mikoto began firing quick and sharp punches that cut through the air at Taisho. And more remarkable than the speed of the punches was the fact that it actually seemed to be working. Taisho backed up and tried to ball-up protecting his face from the series of punches. Mikoto smiled and increased both his speed and the number of punches. The punches were like bee stings, numerous, painful, and with no end in sight. Mikoto would just keep this up until he saved up enough power to launch another Rapid-Fire to end the fight with. It looked like Taisho had no say in the how the fight went.
"Zweihander…" Mikoto noticed Taisho tensing up, it looked like backing up was a smart choice in order avoid this next move. Mikoto took several steps separating himself from Taisho and getting a full view of his body. However, Mikoto wished quickly he hadn't done that. His sword was gone! "Stich!" It took Mikoto mere seconds to realize what was going on, he quickly tried to dodge to the left, but he found himself unable to completely dodge it. Taisho's blades were in the 'hands' of one of his roots! That root had taken its distance behind Mikoto and prepared to land the blow! When Mikoto was in position, in front of the root, Taisho declared his attempt to attack with a feint, knowing Mikoto would back off in order to protect himself…however, as the saying went it was out of the frying pan and into the fire. Mikoto had indeed pulled himself away from Taisho, but he had forced himself towards the root carrying the sword! In other words, Mikoto had ran headfirst right into an attack!
"The best way to defeat…dismantle and destroy a man's instinctual fighting style is to overcome it with pure tactical planning," Taisho said as he took a step forward, "use their instincts against them is also another method. You thought I was going to attack and stepped back right into my blow." The roots passed the Zweihander back into Taisho's hand. The roots didn't quite have the same strength or speed as Taisho did. "How does it feel? I gave you an option back then, either be trapped in my cell or be trapped right in the palm of my hand? You choose the second option! I hope you don't regret it now!" Taisho stepped forward an thrust his blade inwards, aiming for Mikoto's head.
Mikoto dodged backwards, swaying with his whole body for a split second before releasing the tension and letting his entire body drift backwards. "I don't know why you explained your trick to me. It seems like it would've done you a lot better to hold it back for a few more minutes rather than blab about it! If you think you can just outthink my natural instincts-" Mikoto's body shrunk down to his small coyote form as he burst across the ground at Taisho, "GO AHEAD AND TRY!" Mikoto charged inwards, carrying his entire weight for Taisho's leg. Taisho brought his sword around and smashed it into the ground causing Mikoto to dodge to the left at just the right time. Mikoto morphed back into his hybrid form and fired a quick punch straight for Taisho's unguarded head…only to be met with another wall of roots. Mikoto pulled back and kicked away turning around and increasing his running speed as he continued to circle Taisho, he wouldn't stop after just one punch! Another rapid-fire succession of blows flew out from Mikoto's arms as they all shot towards Taisho. Taisho created another wall of roots to protect him from the vicious attacks. Mikoto broke free, spinning to the side of Taisho. Mikoto tightened his fist…the numbness of it had disappeared. He had complete control of it once more. In other words, it was time for Mikoto to finish thi-
Mikoto looked down and noticed another mass of roots all around, this time all curved downwards like slots and his foot just slid into one. Taisho smiled at his latest trap…with the kid's speed gone all that was left was to take his head off along with it. Taisho rotated around, bringing his sword crashing through the air. It was absolutely ridiculous to believe an attack like this would normally connect, but…Mikoto's foot was stuck. He couldn't kick it up another notch to dodge the blow…and what kind of idiot would try to block a sword with his bare arms? Mikoto yanked himself down, using his own foot trapped within the roots to do so. Mikoto ducked beneath the homicidal swing and quickly planted his feet. Mikoto immediately froze up as he felt Taisho slam his right palm into his body. "Root Bindings!" Numerous roots exploded from Taisho's hand, exhibiting his true power as a root man. If Taisho was allowed to firmly plant his roots all around Mikoto's body it would surely be his win. Mikoto needed to knock him off balance for just a second. Luckily, Mikoto had the perfect attack to do so.
"Rapid-Fire x 10!" Mikoto's punch sliced through the air and found itself a nice cozy spot in Taisho's side, forcing the Warden off of his body with that blow and freeing himself. Mikoto took a few steps back and tested out his arm. The numbness of it was quickly subsiding he would be back up to full-power in no time. However, even with that comforting thought Mikoto didn't know if he would make it to the end of the fight.
"All Root Pierce!" Another explosion from the ground as the roots came shooting up, all with the same force and power aiming to skewer Mikoto in one go. Mikoto jumped into the air to avoid it again. This would just be a repeat of last time… Mikoto looked up and say Taisho wasn't staying out of it this time. He was charging in behind his roots his body ready to go left or right at a moment's notice. If Mikoto didn't react fast enough than this would be it. Left and right were both blocked off by Taisho, so Mikoto assumed he only had one direction left to go. Up!
"Geppou!" Mikoto pumped is legs forward and threw himself even further up into and forward, completely slipping past Taisho. Taisho's jaw hung in wonderment as he watched the kid fly by him. Mikoto twisted around, time for another burst of speed, this time right for Taisho's head! "Geppou!" However, despite Mikoto's desire and determination this one didn't work. Mikoto fell a little bit further to the ground, Mikoto tried to balance himself out and with that he barely managed to land on his feet. "Damn, it looks like I still can't do those in rapid succession. Oh, well, a double jump ain't bad."
"A Rokushiki technique?" asked Taisho as he hefted his sword onto his shoulders, "I'm surprised a pirate has ever even seen one of those let alone is capable of using it. It took me by surprise, so I didn't have any counter measures in place. No news of you using that technique has appeared anywhere, so I wasn't able to prepare any counter measures I thought of it as a waste…I suppose now I'll just have to really show you your doom! I'll seal off the sky as well as the ground!" Taisho lifted his free hand upwards and let his roots embed themselves in the ceiling as well. "This will be the end of you…True Omni-Directional Root Pierce!" Mikoto prepared himself for it again this time jumping into the air already preparing himself for the moment of impact as the roots shot upwards as well as downwards, trapping Mikoto between them. Mikoto leapt forward again using his Geppou to send himself flying forward and away from the gaping jaws of the roots. "Did you think I wouldn't seal the front as well?" laughed Taisho as he charged in with his sword. "Zweihander Stich!" Taisho's large sword was thrust forward, spinning about within his grip as he brought the blade forward. That was the same technique that had hit Mikoto last time. Mikoto didn't have much of an option he was flying towards him on his own accord and the sword's blade was tilted at him…he couldn't just grab it, he'd be sliced up into ribbons! Mikoto brought his arms forward and pulled them tight over his head. Taisho slammed the sword into Mikoto's guard and pushed him back letting him fly backwards again. Mikoto's arms were torn up from the attack, but he had managed to protect the rest of his body. That was a good thing. He could still fight! "All Root Pierce!" Mikoto's eyes flew open as he heard those words being repeated! Another attack, give him a break, Mikoto still hadn't landed on the ground yet! He couldn't just pull another win out of his hat. The roots from the ground beneath shot upwards ready to take Mikoto down. Mikoto tightened his arms, the last attack had ruined them! He doubted he could generate a Rapid-Fire attack with his arms in this bad of a shape. It looked like he had to rely on his legs to get him out of this tight spot. Mikoto flipped around, managing to land on one of the roots and press off of it. Mikoto jumped, moving between root to root at high speeds. It appeared just because he was bleeding a little didn't mean he would be slowing down.
"I admire you for still having the audacity to come at me with your arms shredded, but don't forget without your greatest weapon you can't escape from this! Go, Root Cell!" Once more seven layers of Taisho's roots shot up both in front and behind Mikoto, sealing movement in either direction and trapping him once again within them. "Speed and power, your two greatest assets mean nothing against me! You can't defeat me like your other foes the ones who rushed in like bulls! I'm not an animal like them, I'm not some sleazy pirate, I'm a defender of justice this jail was meant to imprison people like you! So it is just fate that you are trapped here, unable to ever escape! And you know what they say, you can't escape fate! Just like you can't escape from my prison! Now! It is time to deliver the death penalty! Root Constrictor!" The walls that Mikoto was trapped in began to shudder free and move inward at an incredible speed, tearing up the ground as they went. "You should've taken your chance and become a Shichibukai when you could've…you wouldn't have had to die at such a young age." The walls slammed shut completely flattening off, trapping the poor pirate captain within.
"Rapid-Fire…" began Mikoto trying to break free one last time with all of his strength. Taisho just smirked and laughed it off.
"Did you forget? Your arms were destroyed by my attacks! You don't have the strength in them any more to break free!" shouted Taisho, "and even if you could the backlash would shoot through your destroyed arms easily! They just can't absorb the blow anymore! Your entire body would be ripped to pieces as a result! Face it, you lost! Just admit defeat and die!"
"I don't care! Rapid-Fire x20!" shouted Mikoto firing his punch into the wall. The wall inflated itself, but it didn't break it held on strong the force had opened it up a little, but it was by no means broken. Taisho breathed a sigh of relief, the kid's never-ending spirit almost made this a fight to remember. It was too bad, infinite spirit didn't make up for the fact that he was on the wrong side of the law. He would be defeated and the Marine's idea of justice would be upheld. That was the only right thing that could happen here. "And again! Rapid-Fire x 20!" shouted Mikoto as he brought his other arm forward and blew it open, again the walls were stressed and it was obvious the captain was trying his best, but he couldn't exert his full-power while he was trapped and his arms were bleeding like that. His hands were probably numb by now…his 'infinite' spirit crushed. He had lost, Rapid-Fire was an attack that put too much strain on his arms. Despite its name it wasn't built for multiple shots in a row. Both of his two arms had become exhausted. Taisho had won this fight. Justice had prevailed.
"Rapid-Fire-" continued the captain's voice, forcing Taisho to turn around. It couldn't be! His arms were destroyed, firing another Rapid-Fire under those conditions! What did he want to do break his limbs? There was no way he could survive that his body wasn't made of rubber! "-x30!" Mikoto's punch stressed the roots again and this time without any worry the plants had been blown away…just like Taisho's confidence. Taisho had studied this punk, ever since he had heard that he might've been in his jail he had done research! Examining him for weaknesses! Geppou wasn't in that repertoire and neither was using Rapid-Fire three times in a row! It was impossible! His arms couldn't handle that much stress! Wait a minute…was it even a possibility?
Taisho swung his sword back around and held it high up in the air as if baiting Mikoto to come in and duke it out as close-range. Mikoto didn't move, he was breathing heavily trying to buy time for his arms to recover…or…Taisho smiled. It wasn't his arms that were damaged. Taisho's data had been incomplete, not incorrect. Taisho had about ten minutes he presumed…ten minutes of pure paradise against his latest opponent.
Taisho charged in bringing his blade around, sweeping it through the air as he closed in. Mikoto managed to dodge slightly to the left and underneath it barely making it away. He had definitely slowed down from all of Taisho's attacks…or was there another reason? Taisho charged in again and again, ready to exchange blows with Mikoto. The ten-minutes would seem like an eternity, especially without Mikoto's life-saving speed. His power and speed had certainly been sealed and all for what? For Mikoto to break out of that one cell? Was he really that cocky and believing that hard that he could win just because he escaped! Escaping from the cell is one thing, escaping from the prison and Taisho was something else! Taisho wouldn't allow such a travesty! He would finish him off! Taisho's blade cut through the air again and again. Mikoto wasn't moving as quickly and a few of the cuts had gotten close, nicking his hair, clothes, and at times his skin. But he was still staying alive. His speed and power may have disappeared, but Mikoto still had one unique talent that separated him from that! Mikoto had his instincts! Wild instincts were the true gift of his Devil Fruit, not the speed or power. Mikoto had to rely on that to pull himself through. Taisho's next powerful blow, forced Mikoto back and down onto the cold hard ground. Mikoto struggled, obviously it was hard for him to get up and onto his own two feet again. Taisho lifted his blade up and brought it down on top of him. Mikoto rolled to the side and collided with the wall in a desperate attempt to escape. Another close call…Taisho rotated around and brought his sword forward, thrusting it for Mikoto's chest. Mikoto scrambled forward trying to escape, barely avoiding the deadly blade's powerful forward attack. His arms were slowly starting to feel better in a few seconds he may be able to use them to move about with, but he still couldn't make a fist with them…besides it wasn't his arms he was worried about.
"How's your leg feeling?" laughed Taisho shifting his weight again as he brought his sword around. Mikoto grimaced knowing his trick was found out. "Rapid-Fire an attack that requires incredible speed to fire multiple punches all in a split second and a shoulder capable of withstanding the recoil of each built-up punch. Firing them back-to-back would almost be impossible for someone of your skill level to do so soon…so that means you either got a third arm hidden somewhere on your body…or you used your leg."
Mikoto's face hardened. Taisho had found him out. He had fired the first two Rapid-Fires with his arms, figuring no matter how much stress they put on him he would just use his legs to break free, but that was soon proved to be wrong. He couldn't break free with just those two attacks…he needed something extra. He had to rely on his leg to break him free. However, while people say the legs are three times stronger than the arms that was only true because it was used for supporting your entire weight and walking! The recoil had shot up through his leg and damaged his hip…in other words, he couldn't kick anymore, but worse he couldn't run anymore. He had paid a high price just to break free…he would have to hope that the pay-off was worth it…
Taisho sprang back grabbing his weapon and holding it tightly. He was ready for this, a complete and total beat down. Mikoto couldn't avoid him forever! Taisho rushed forward, already brandishing his blade and letting the light shine off of it. The blade sliced effortlessly through the air as it zeroed in on Mikoto's head. Mikoto rolled onto the ground and beneath the blade, avoiding it by a hair. Mikoto wasn't out of it yet! He wasn't about to admit defeat! Mikoto stretched upwards, sending his kick sailing up and knocking it into Taisho's hand forcing him to relax his grip and let go of his blade. Taisho reeled back for a second, before moving back in and clasping his hand around Mikoto's neck. "Nice try!" Taisho hefted Mikoto into the air and slammed his entire body into the wall. The roots began to move out again, this time coming out of the wall and wrapping themselves around Mikoto, holding him there. "I could just leave you there like that, a permanent accessory to this prison until the day you die, but…" Taisho went over and collected his sword. Mikoto noticed that his glasses had fallen off during that last exchange they had, Mikoto had inavertedly knocked them aside along with the sword. Taisho turned around, now brandishing his blade once again. "I really don't want there to be any pirates left standing anywhere, including in my prison." Mikoto's attention was brought straight to Taisho's eyes rather than his blade. His eyes were pitch-black!
"My father was a pirate, you know," brought up Taisho as he walked forward, aiming for Mikoto's exposed body. There was no rush to his steps, he seemed to be perfectly in control of his body as he came forward. "My father was a pirate and yet, my mother was a Marine. A twisted love story, you would say. When my father was captured, my mother swore never to let me see him again. And she tried her best to hold herself true to her words. She was a Marine and Marines don't lie about things like that…however, even she couldn't stop the unthinkable. My father escaped from the third-rate prison they had trapped him in and he came to my house…of course, he didn't come for me. He came for my mother. He was a vengeful man and he was upset, he apparently blamed her for letting him get caught. He said it was all her fault. Now I'm sure you are wondering how I know this. How I know what my old man said when I wasn't allowed to see him ever again, right? It is simple. I saw him that night…muttering to himself over my mother's freshly killed corpse. And that is why I'm here…to this day in this prison, working day in and day out to make sure no prisoners ever escape! My prison breaks the pirates' spirits, they won't escape from here! Their thoughts of escaping! Their will! All of them will be crushed after a year or two here! If the prison housing my old man had followed a similar manner than he would never have escaped! My goal isn't to create a perfect prison! My goal is to eliminate all PIRATES!" Taisho screamed that last word, lunging forward with his blade bringing it all the way forward towards Mikoto's head, aiming to split his skull straight down the middle.
He instead found his blade piercing nothing, but the wall. Mikoto had slipped away, shifting into his coyote form once more to give him enough wiggle room to escape. Mikoto collapsed onto the ground. His arms were good to go…he could fight again. He stood up and at first was a little bit shaky, but soon he found himself on stable feet. His legs were okay…he should give them another few moments to rest, but he supposed he didn't have the time. Taisho ripped his blade out of the wall and turned around, staring at Mikoto. His will and ambitions revived. This fight wouldn't last much longer. The two of them set out for each other, each one equally interested in winning the fight. A normal human being would've died just from hearing the sounds of the mighty blade whiz by your eardrums, growing closer with every swing, each and every single one of them capable of killing a man, Mikoto just barged right in and fired several of his one punches in between. The two of them seem fated for a draw, neither side willing to budge or back down.
"Zweihander Schragstich!"
"Wolf Cutter!"
The two powerful attacks shot by the other one's head, both of them off, by just a hair's breadth. Mikoto pounded his foot into the ground and moved forward, unwilling to relent to this man's impressive power. He would aim for an exchange no matter what. Mikoto tightened his fist and leaned in, weaving and stepping closer each and every time. He carried his weight all the way in, without stopping. He quickly spun around and launched a powerful forward fist aiming for the warden's head. Taisho bumped his fist aside and brought his blade down, apparently choosing to settle this man-to-man without his Devil Fruit aiding him. Mikoto danced to the side, watching the sword cleave through the air next to him. Mikoto moved forward aiming another punch straight for Taisho's gut. Taisho's blade cut through the air like butter, not leaving a trace of anything that got caught in it way remaining, including any unfortunate pirate captains. However, Mikoto was not. Mikoto dodged backwards just in the nick of time, relying on his fast fully healed legs and bolting back inwards ready for another round. The two titans continued to exchange blows, neither side retreating. Both of them showing off their strength that had gotten him this far and their determination to complete their dreams. Suddenly the tides began to shift in favor of one of them. Taisho brought his blade arching through the air, brining it straight through Mikoto's neck with tremendous force.
Afterimage! Mikoto had managed to weave beneath the slice and avoid getting his head chopped off as well as create a powerful distraction for Taisho, the instant the tension left his shoulder as he thought for a moment he had won was the same instant Mikoto plowed his fist through the air and into his gut, forcing the giant to take a step back. Mikoto wasn't slowing down. Mikoto's fist came through the air like lightning striking from the left, right, and from below. Each attack shuddered in and threw Taisho to one side or the other, slowly Mikoto pressed forward. "Root Constrictor!" shouted Taisho summoning up a massive root that wrapped its way around Mikoto in just mere moments. Another Afterimage! Mikoto was already sweeping in from below readying his next punch. Taisho brought his sword around and plunged it downwards, piercing Mikoto's back and slamming into the ground. Taisho ripped his sword out of the ground and quickly looked around, frantically trying to find his disappearing opponent. Suddenly he felt it. That last Mikoto who back had been pierced hadn't been an afterimage! That one was the real thing! And it was launching its attack right now! At first it was only a soft punch jabbing into his abdomen, as if Mikoto was trying to find his opponent and then it sped up…his arm pumped forward, massive amounts of power was applied into it as thirty punches assailed their target.
"Rapid-Fire x 30!"
A Letter of War
Hmm...so...I got nothing to say...still writing. Got this going, Iron Hammer, got bored and got seven chapters of a third story written just for fun...yeah, I'm writing a lot of crap 'just for fun'. Anywaaaaayyyyssss...I'm bored, so here's the chapter be free.