Practice

Mikoto gritted his teeth, digging his forefangs into his lip as he slowly leaned forward. His hair was standing on its end and his eyes were growing vibrant as he was ready to burst forward, but he was smart enough not to. Or maybe smart was the wrong word. What was preventing Mikoto from rushing at the Marine wasn't something like intelligence, it was his instinct. His instinct, which screamed at him that he would lose his head if he tried something. And it was because of that voice that made him keep his feet planted on the ground.

The black powder was beginning to speed up around the Marine as he took a step forward, already swinging his sword around and resting it on his shoulders and snarling at his opponent, already beginning to grind his own foot into the ship. It looked like he had a similar sense of worry.

If anything Mikoto already had his confirmation that he was faster. Which was all he really needed to worry about.

So it seemed like there wasn't much to hold Mikoto back. It was risky, but it was also Mikoto. Keeping his head down, Mikoto lowered his body down and tucked his arms in close to his sides. His elbows as tight against his body as he could get them, and his fists on either side of his face. Suddenly he began to swing his entire body around and get some momentum going for him.

From there Mikoto rocketed from his spot suddenly taking off and putting as much of a spin behind his legs as possible, taking off and slamming his entire body against Victoria's ship and blasted himself off of it. Screeching around in the air Mikoto whipped himself around firing a quick kick right down at his opponent.

However, the Marine Admiral didn't move and for good reason. Mikoto quickly recoiled backwards, throwing himself backwards with a Geppou, using his first attack as a feint, but it seemed like the Marine Admiral wasn't about to fall for such a simple trick. He still had his sword out and at the ready, but the real worry wasn't the sword, it was the Devil Fruit.

The black powder was still gathering around him, solidifying into a heavy series of spears all around, ready to strike out the next time Mikoto got in close. It was the only warning that the Marine Admiral was going to give Mikoto. But that didn't really matter to the wild captain as he rushed down and appeared right in front of Marine Admiral and one of his spears, one of Mikoto's fists suddenly turning into a bright red glowing hammer. And he was not pulling his punch this time.

The Marine Admiral reacted quickly to this, he wasn't a bit worried. The black powder spears were still around and Mikoto had to get through it first, but Mikoto wasn't worried about it at all. Mikoto stomped his foot down and spun all of his body around, slamming his foot down and firing a powerful punch right down the line, like a bolt of lightning, lit up with his bright red flaming fist. "Hellhound Left Fang!" Mikoto cut his punch in sharply, a powerful hook, aimed low and his attention suddenly locking onto the Marine Admiral's gut.

It was a quick sharp snapping pain right into his opponent, causing the Admiral to slip slightly, his leg being pushed back slightly, but the Marine Admiral didn't seem upset at all. The burning sensation in his side was definitely difficult to handle, but he was already preparing to counter-attack.

Of course, it would have to come to the next attack as Mikoto was already jumping backwards, careening through the air and gritting his teeth, tightening his knuckles and pressing his legs against the air with another Geppou, preparing to keep his speed up and active through the rush of attacks he had planned.

There was a good couple of feet away from Mikoto and the Admiral, Mikoto continuously kept himself on his heels, pressing against the walls and blasting off again and again, keeping himself going at maximum speed, building it up as well as the flames that began to eagerly jump from his fists and feet. All of his power beginning to build up behind it, suddenly starting to kick himself up into his next gear.

Rushing forward Mikoto instantly put the pressure onto his opponent. Lowering his head down and pivoting right into a second attack. Carrying his fist around in a circle Mikoto was coming in from below.

The rapid spinning of his hips and legs Mikoto fired another punch, coming in from below, obviously aiming for the Marine Admiral's chin. But the Marine Admiral was clearly a step ahead, leaping into the air, his legs turning back into the black powder the same as before as he was catapulted into the air to avoid the punch. He spun his sword around, aiming it for Mikoto's head and gritting his teeth he fell right back down upon him. Bringing the brunt of his blade down on Mikoto.

Whether it was just due to Mikoto's instincts or need to keep moving he was already blasting upwards, eager to meet with the Marine Admiral's attacks, tucking one of his arms down and against his side, readying for one tremendous shot. His arm puffing itself up as it cloaked itself in a thick red haze of pure heat.

The Marine Admiral lagged behind a bit, but he was still a dangerous opponent, indeed old age did seem to be getting the better of him. Mikoto was already right behind, already closing in on him and readying a tight fist. The Marine Admiral flinched slightly, he had to get away and quickly, but the best way to create distance between them was to go one the offensive.

"Pitch Black!" A dark spray of the black powder came surging down upon Mikoto. But this didn't seem to deter the wild coyote at all he just kept on going up, even if he was half-blind he could still get a firm grasp on the Admiral's position with Haki. He brought his arm down and prepared to fire it forwards. But the Marine Admiral had one last trick up his sleeve, "and End."

The black powder suddenly exploded, destroying Mikoto's concentration and momentum. And during that brief moment of when his guard dropped the Marine Admiral scooted forward and brought the tip of his blade forward, slamming it right into Mikoto's forehead and sending him flying back to the ground.

And the Marine Admiral simply floated back down to the ground, already sheathing his sword.

Mikoto, however, still dragged his own body up and onto his own two feet, "that's not even a real sword," Mikoto muttered, "just some kind of chunk of a metal bar. You're not a swordsman."

"I don't need it to be," the Marine Admiral answered, lightly tapping the hilt of his sword with one hand while lifting his other hand up and opening the palm, letting a blitz of black powder swirl around it. "I ate the Kayaku-Kayaku no mi*. In other words I am a Gunpowder man. If you hadn't learned Haki this fight would already be over with," the Admiral swung his weapon around and prepared to strike, tightening his fingers around the blade and smiling broadly, taking one smooth step forward and at his opponent. The 'metal bar' of a sword was swept up and into the air, taking aim at Mikoto. The Marine leaned forward, pressing all of his weight forward before rocketing himself at his opponent, placing as much power behind the tip as possible.

But Mikoto was already swinging around, dipping beneath the forward thrust of the blade, tightening his fist and sweeping all of his speed around, closing his left fist in on the Admiral's liver. Neither Marine nor pirate seemed to have the inclination nor sanity to stop their attacks, even if it meant taking one in exchange.

Mikoto's fist erupted into the Admiral's liver.

The Admiral's blade slipped into Mikoto's shoulder slamming it backwards.

They were both thrown backwards and they were immediately throwing their entire weight around, but Mikoto rotated around, placing both of his legs against the walls of the ship, ready to rocket himself forward, but it was much more troublesome than that, even in his aged and weakened state the Admiral was already preparing a counter attack. The black powder that his Devil Fruit granted him was aiming at Mikoto, beginning to fly at him in an explosive finishing attack.

"Stop!" a voice suddenly cut in as Victoria stepped out of her ship, her own sword already drawn, ready to blast right at the two of them. Whichever one of them made their first move, she would strike down, even if Mikoto moved she would indeed try and take him down. He may have been her golden boy, but she would be damned if she let him ignore her superiority.

"Can you blame me, Vicky?" asked the Marine Admiral as he took a step forward, but he was immediately forced to a halt as Johnathon whipped his arm around the Admiral with his sword drawn.

"Her name is Victoria. She's not a kid."

"Everyone is a kid compared to me," the Admiral coughed as if feigning old age, "I'm pretty much one hundred years old."

"You're seventy," laughed Johnathon, "I remember reading your feats in the newspaper when you promoted at the ripe age of thirty. Surprised they hadn't kicked you off the force by now, you are too old to be competent against either me or Victoria."

"If I was only thirty years younger," muttered the Admiral as he brought his sword back around and silently sheathed it, "but I'm not so I'll relent. I just needed to check out the man who is supposedly taking my head. Give him another five or ten years and it may just be feasible, cause by then I'll probably be a skeleton!"

"Which is all the more reason why we are bringing him here," stated Johnathon as he nodded up to Victoria, "he'll get stronger. But we don't have the five or ten years to spare. He'll either get strong enough to do it now or he'll die trying."

"I'm not a fan of that second option," stated Mikoto as he rolled his shoulder. It was a sign of his immense distrust towards both Victoria and the Admiral that he was still in his hybrid form. Although to be fair if he had learned anything from their brief fight, it was indeed that he was outmatched. His Devil Fruit should've given him superior strength, speed, and instinct, but the Admiral wasn't struggling at keeping up. He was overpowering Mikoto and his experience was even outmatching Mikoto's instincts. Mikoto was basically being tossed aside after an exchange or two of blows.

Overwhelmed was putting it simply. Mikoto was simply outclassed. Not that he was going to say it out loud and given how the Admiral was talking to Victoria, Mikoto had a strong feeling there was another two to six people who would roundly kick his ass.

"They say the best way to get stronger is to fight opponents who are way stronger than you," explained Victoria, "I guess that gives Mikoto two excellent sparring partners."

"He's going to need it," stated the Admiral as he shook Johnathon off and walked forward, extending a single hand to Mikoto. "Nonetheless I do intend to carry out our deal. I'll take my fall in our real battle. Until then though, do you wish to continue where we left off?" The Admiral put his hand back onto the hilt of his blade, tightening his fingers upon the weapon as he brought himself to a halt.

"Colt," concluded Victoria with a hefty sigh, "you haven't changed at all in all these years."

"I've spent all my life enforcing Justice and whenever the Marines won I've celebrated with victory and yet, here I stand in my old age, looking back and I see nothing but defeat for Justice. Even if it must be with my final breath I will ensure that Justice wins."