Chapter 18. I know this will sound a little corny but………
LLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLet's Get Ready to Rumblllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllle
For all of the bravado that Usopp had shown when Kuro first challenged him, he found it rather hard to keep it up when the fight actually started.
Usopp was clearly just trying to survive this fight with his old nemesis from his village. And Kuro seemed to be playing with the man, and thoroughly enjoying it.
Kuro use his incredible speed to move around the area and keep Usopp from targeting him. Every now and then he would move in close to Usopp as if he were moving in for an attack, only to back off leaving Usopp scared witless.
Usopp decided that using his own sharp shooting style would not be enough to take down this man, so he had to think of something that was outside his usual game plan. That's when it hit him. He was still inside of the industrial district. He had a near unlimited supply of resources that were at his disposal. But which one could he use to at least slow down Kuro?
He ran to one of the shop and took a quick look, only to turn right into Kuro, who sent him flying with a stiff kick to the gut.
"Really now Usopp. Your captain was barely able to beat me himself, and he is a devil fruit user. What do you think you could possibly do to stop me?" He readjusted his glasses and faced Usopp.
Usopp, who had been doubled over clutching his stomach, stood and took aim on his target. "A hell of a lot more than he could ever do to you. Hissatsu gunpowder star." He took aim and fired. Kuro didn't even need to move as the shot went directly past him.
"And you call yourself a sniper?"
But Usopp smiled. "Who said you were my target?"
At that the building behind Kuro, which had been interestingly enough a gunpowder store, erupted into a huge explosion sending Kuro flying forward.
"Got ya." Usopp stood, extremely proud of himself. Then he looked at the store. "Man, I hope there is another gunpowder store here. I really needed some."
"That should be the least of your worries now, Usopp." Kuro rose from the ground, his jacket removed from his body. "Because now I am done playing games with you." He let his arms go limp, held his head down, and began to sway from left to right.
Usopp watched him with a concerned look on his face that only seemed to grow more and more as Kuro continued to sway. He finally decided to attack while he had the chance. "Hissatsu…"
"Stealth Walk." Kuro disappeared from Usopp's vision. Usopp looked around for him with no luck. Then…
"Ahhhhh." Usopp screamed as four claw marks appeared on his arm. Another four came on his leg and then his chest and then his back. Usopp fell to his knees in pain as his cut started to bleed out a little.
"And now to end it." Kuro appeared before Usopp and attempted to stab him right in his heart. Usopp brought up his hand to block the attack, but instead was sent flying back towards a building. A large stone that was sitting at the top of the building, set off balance by the force of Usopp's body hitting the building, fell down. Usopp held his hands up and screamed as the boulder landed on him.
Kuro readjusted his glasses once again and turned to leave. "Hmm, just as I had planned it would go" 'Except why didn't my blades pierce his hand when he tried to block it? He should not have been thrown back like that.'
"Kuro!" Usopp stood in front of the fallen boulder. "I am not done yet. And now I have the means to take you down once and for all."
Kuro turned around almost in a state of shock. "How are you standing up right now? That boulder had to have weighed a ton at least."
"Please, that was nothing. You should have seen when I took a 4 ton bat to the face. "But that was then and this is now. And now, I will finish you."
Kuro smiled at this. "Oh, well then let's see if I even give you the chance." He assumed his swaying position and readied himself.
'Let's see if you see this one coming, Kuro.' Usopp got his slingshot ready. "Hissatsu….."
"Stealth Walk." Kuro vanished.
"Smoke Star." Usopp fired a shot at the floor and a huge cloud of smoke appeared. Four slash marks appeared in the smoke where Usopp was standing, but there was no more Usopp. Kuro stopped and looked to see what had happened.
"Super Glue Stars." Usopp fired another two shots at Kuro's feet, and when they hit his feet glue spread out all over them.
Kuro tried to move before the glue dried, but he found that he couldn't. "What is this? I should still be able to move."
"I altered the glue so that it dried the moment it made contact." Usopp explained as he got his next shot ready. "Flash Star." He fired another shot at Kuro's face and looked away as it exploded, making a brilliantly bright flash of light.
Kuro was temporarily blinded, but it was enough for Usopp to get in close enough to him without Kuro slashing him. When Kuro finally did get his vision back he was met with the image of Usopp's hand, and on it was something like a shell with multiple little holes on it.
"This was how I survived your stab, this was how I survived the boulder, and this will be how I defeat you." Usopp reared back and shoved it straight into Kuro's face. "Impact!"
Kuro was suddenly hit with a force that he had only felt once before, when straw hat had given him that deadly head but. Only this was far worse than that. It actually sent him flying backwards, ripping his shoes right out of the glue. He landed on the ground, completely knocked out.
Usopp had also been knocked back by the blow, although it was considerably less than Kuro. His arm felt like it was about to be ripped right out of his socket, but he ignored it long enough to observe his work. And slowly the realization hit him like he had just hit Kuro.
"I did it. I did it. I DID IT! I beat Kuro all by myself." He was extremely happy and proud of himself, and he had the right to be. This was his first completely unassisted victory ever. Everyone else was perfectly capable of fighting their own battles, but up until now he had always needed someone there to assist him with his. He couldn't wait until he told everyone else.
"Wait. Everyone else." 'I don't think that Kuro was the only one here. Everyone else might be in danger.'
Leaving Kuro's limp figure behind him, he stood and made his way back to the Going Merry.
Ok, one down. Way to go Usopp. I hope you liked that fight. I plan on making one for everyone so please tell me how I can improve. You know, make the fights a bit more interesting. So, R&R.
