Respect Amongst Enemies

The two huge monsters immediately went to town, fiercely exchanging blows. Shigoro had to admit whatever had caused that fire to come back beneath Zesiro was indeed a force be reckoned with. The difference was only a little bit minor, but Shigoro could feel Zesiro pushing back every bit as ferociously as he had been before.

"Guffaw Palm Bomb!" Commanded Shigoro, slamming the brunt of his hand, where the wrist and the palm met against Zesiro's chin. The collision of hard bone against hard bone, which was won out in Shigoro's favor as Zesiro's head, jerked back, his chin probably being shattered. Nonetheless though Zesiro stayed standing.

But that attack more than confirmed it for Shigoro. Zesiro may have had a second wind, but that wind didn't blow any stronger than his first. Zesiro was still weaker than him. Shigoro was still the pirate of a Yonkou. Zesiro was just some two-bit pirate that was struggling already. For that reason Shigoro couldn't let him beat him. Shigoro brought his arms together, he was still coated in the water, Zesiro still struggled to cut through it. So Shigoro was confident in just keeping up the offense and providing very little energy to defense.

Of course, all offense was a type of defense as well. Gritting his teeth, Shigoro rushed right at his opponent and let loose a powerful kick into Zesiro's gut, followed by a spinning elbow right into Zesiro's already broken jaw. Zesiro was sent sprawling to the ground. Before he could get back up or right himself, Shigoro smashed his heel into the back of his his calf, keeping him pinned. And with the occasional twist of his heel he could spin Zesiro's muscles and cause immense pain.

"Should we really be surprised that this is how we ended up?" taunted Shigoro with a wide smile, "me, on top, and you beneath my heel? This is the natural outcome of events, the strongest predator stays strong and stays on top of the food chain! For the longest time humans acted big and tall, but I'll tell you what...being a predator has nothing to do with species. It has to do with one's individual power!

"Some Fishmen are cut out for it!" Shigoro boasted, bending down and lifting Zesiro off of the ground. With one powerful swing of his arm he tossed Zesiro across the ground and right into one of the walls. Zesiro's heads bent up against the wall, his skull probably getting heavily damaged from that single swing.

Walking over to the fallen warrior Shigoro loomed like a giant above Zesiro's battered body. "Some aren't."

With a beastly growl Zesiro pivoted about, lashing out with a single sword into Shigoro's sturdy leg. Just like before Shigoro's leg didn't suffer any cutting damage, but the force of the swing was enough to cause Shigoro to lose his balance for a brief second, which was all that Zesiro needed to manage to clamor up onto his own feet.

"I have no intentions of hunting you," Zesiro stated as he brought his sword around, "my goal isn't something as petty as being on the top of the food chain. The reason I'm standing before you today is that I have all of the intentions of cutting you down. That is my only goal! Not to be superior to everyone, but to be superior to you!"

Shigoro grasped both of Zesiro's swords with one hand each, the water armor surrounding his hands, keeping him safe from getting cut up quite easily.

"How shallow." Shigoro lifted his leg and performed a directly upwards kick even from this awkward position. Zesiro's head jerked back, but with Shigoro's hands still frozen on the blades, Zesiro wasn't allow to fly away. "Now, now, that won't do. Your head is higher than mine. Let's fix that!" From there Shigoro fired a second wind-milling kick that came in from above into the back of Zesiro's head and knocked him down back to the ground.

"Barracuda Surf N' Slash!" bringing his body back up and in the same moment, bringing his entire blade around in a continuous chain of powerful swings, the two blades danced about, several feints being mixed in with the attack. The first attack came right upwards from the ground and at Shigoro's open palm, Shigoro blocked it cleanly. Shigoro pivoted around to block the next one, which was coming from above as well, but it turned out to be another feint.

The real attack was a much lower blow, a spinning blade, which swept its way around and right at Shigoro's leg, this time it managed to pick-up enough speed to actually pierce the armor, but Shigoro's skin remained un-cut. "Is this really the most you can do?" laughed Shigoro with a cruel smile as he stepped forward and slammed his free knew into Zesiro's head, which was now at perfect height.

Though Zesiro still didn't go to the ground this time. He was still standing, remaining on his own two legs, just like the monster he was. Although it was still obvious that he was uneasy on his own legs.

"I'm not done here," Shigoro stated as he brought his hands together and rubbed them viciously together, the two hands slowly forming a miniature whirlpool between them.

"Twin Disc Shark!" Shigoro threw his hands forwards and the whirlpool that had formed between them was forced out like a flattened disc that was composed of twin sharks with their fins sticking out of the ground.

Stepping forward Zesiro brought his two blades arcing through it, dispersing the disc with a mighty wave, sending droplets all around them. However, Shigoro smiled with the water droplets still in the air, he stepped forward.

"Shotgun Shower Fist!" Shigoro threw a forward punch and the shockwave from the punch, hit the droplets and made them twist around and instead of falling harmlessly to the ground they were redirected towards Zesiro, almost becoming as hard as bullets as they hammered into Zesiro's body.

Though Zesiro still refused to take knee. He stayed strong and brought his two swords together. "I hope you enjoyed your winning streak so far, cause I promise you this will not continue," growled Zesiro.

"And who is going to stop me?" bellowed Shigoro and once again Zesiro could feel the man's intimidating pressure surround him, almost engulfing him in it. Shigoro may not have once shown the ability to use Haki, but Zesiro was confident in the man didn't need to. His presence was suffocating enough.

"The man whose ass I've been kicking for the past few days?" Shigoro walked right at his opponent, no urgency behind his steps, he was just that confident and as he had pointed out earlier. He had no reason not to be. With a snap of his wrist Shigoro brought a powerful forward punch right at his opponent. However, this time Zesiro didn't fall down, quickly lifting one of his blades up he used the very tip of it to blocked the water and just like before it had managed to slip through the water.

The thrust was well-placed and could once again pierce the water and if Shigoro had continued with his attack, possibly even draw blood. But Shigoro was a little bit on top of things. He backed off and examined his own fist.

"Good job," baulked Shigoro, "I almost forgot that you were a worthy opponent for awhile. I'll not make that mistake again. I promise you that will be the last time you pierce my armor."

"You know what?" Zesiro stated as he rolled his blade back and looked over the tip of the blade. "I think you are right. I should stop aiming to pierce your armor."

"Giving up?"

"I just figured out the difference between us. Its as you said we are both Fishmen, but for some reason there does still seem to be some kind of a divide formed between us," Zesiro lifted his blades up, "and I think I know how to close it. It all starts with that Water Armor of yours!"

"My Water Armor? You mean the armor you've given up on piercing?"

"That's right," Zesiro heaved heavily, he was beginning to tire out. Which was to be expected, it wasn't just some run-of-the-mill pirate he had been facing. He brought his two swords up and into a threatening position. "We're both Fishmen and Fishmen are quite adept at using water as a weapon or as armor."

"You don't need to tell me that," Shigoro stated as once again he gestured to his body, which was still coated in a layer of water. "If anything I think you are the one that lacks that knowledge. Using crass metal blades."

"Exactly," Zesiro stated as he brought his two swords together to form a fine point with both of the tips, "from here on out I will no longer be piercing your armor, instead your armor will part ways for my blades."

"Perhaps if we were indeed on equal ground you may be able to do that," Shigoro laughed uproariously at Zesiro's declaration, "but this armor took years to master the formation of. Some technique you've just now planned on performing, though? The victor is clear before you even try."

"Let's test that theory!" shouted Zesiro as he lunged forward, bringing both of his blades together and bypassing the quick punch Shigoro had to throw out. The two blades slipped through the guard and pressed firmly against Shigoro's water armor. Just as Zesiro had said there was no real motion to cut the water armor and instead Zesiro stopped his attack short just before. The tips just resting against the water.

"Sea Splitter!" Alongside a snap of his two blades to the sides, expecting to see the water divide Zesiro dove forward. Shigoro didn't even seem slightly fazed. It was exactly as he suspected, the water didn't split. And the monster that was Shigoro was still every bit confident.

"Why don't you just try again!" shouted Shigoro as he lifted his arm up and took aim at Zesiro, but the Maso Shark Fishman was a bit quicker than that, dodging to the side, right beneath his punch Zesiro took up the same stance again, two simultaneous thrusts at the same point, stopping as soon as the blades hit the water.

"Sea Splitter!" Another failed attempt, although the fact that Zesiro had managed to get two attempts was already admirable. Even Shigoro had to admit that Zesiro was a threat now. If it wasn't for the Water Armor he would've lost with this attack.

Shigoro was doing a better job at hiding it than Zesiro was, but Zesiro's previous attacks had already started to pile up. He was feeling a bit weak in the knees as well. The fact that Zesiro could break through his guard, not just once, but twice now was a clear sign that Shigoro was tiring. A twisting knee lift, brought Shigoro's leg back into Zesiro's abdomen, temporarily destroying his balance and giving Shigoro enough time to bend down, pick Zesiro up by his arm and fling him to the side like a ragdoll.

Though much to his surprise Zesiro seemed to understand that if he fell down once it would be over. Zesiro managed to catch himself on his feet, bringing his two blades together he charged once more.

"This is pointless!" shouted Shigoro as he charged up a single punch, throwing it squarely into Zesiro's cheek, but this time Zesiro didn't budge. Just as Shigoro feared, his power was weakening. That punch was probably only at one-third of his power, not enough to fend a fierce opponent like Zesiro off. And once more Zesiro had his opportunity.

"Sea Splitter!"

Shigoro didn't kow what it was perhaps after realizing that his power was weakened, he had psyched himself out a bit, but he had lost control of his Water Armor during the precious second that he needed it the most. Zesiro's two swords, ripped the Water Armor off of him and to shreds. And with the last line of defense out of the way. Zesiro charged.

Lowering his entire body down he managed to put all of his strength behind his blades and Shigoro's chest was wide open. Zesiro rocketed his swords up, he managed to make it out of the corner of his eye as Shigoro's remaining arm tried to desperately come back and block the attack, but Zesiro was confident that wouldn't matter. If Shigoro wanted to try blocking his attack Zesiro would just take his arm alongside with it.

And sure enough with his rising blade Zesiro caught his opponent's arm and immediately put all of his power behind it, Zesiro took Shigoro's arm in one fell swoop. Reeling backwards Shigoro looked down at his own missing arm.

Shigoro was tired, missing his strength and one arm now, he should give up. Shigoro recognized this, but nonetheless he slammed his foot down and charged. One punch! He would put all of his heart and soul behind this one punch and...

Carefully skirting around it Zesiro brought his sword around and lopped off the man's other arm. Right before plunging the blade forward and through Shigoro.

"You may have been right," Zesiro muttered solemnly. "We may not have been just two Fishmen with nothing else in common in terms of personality and whose a predator. But I still understand the idea, to want to be struck down without any pity with your opponent's strongest attack regardless of your strength."

Zesiro drew his blade back, intending to let Shigoro collapse onto the ground. Shigoro was still incredibly strong as he fell down, his body was already breathing its last breath, but it refused to falter.

"Even in death you refuse to show weakness to your opponent," Zesiro stated as he turned his back to Shigoro. And as soon as he had his back turned Shigoro fell to the ground completely. "Yeah, I can respect that."

Erupting Flames