CHAPTER 20 - Nightmares: Part 4 - Bursting Slash! Zoro vs. Hawkins!

The Straw Demon came back to life. The ladies were injured. The target was Roronoa Zoro, a man from the East Blue known for his sword skills and infamy. He drew his blades, confronting Hawkins' demon made from Devil Fruit powers. He lashed out like a beast, long hungriness for a payback.

"Nigiri - Tower Climb Ripple!*" In a matter of an instant, the burst of slash tore down the Straw Man in two. Chaos was heard amongst the Beast Pirates, one of whom was taken down as a substitute from the attack. Hawkins checked his cards once again. There was no improvement in his fate. Intimidation shrouded his mind. The Pirate Hunter rushed in for a hunt.

"Demon Bear!" Zoro pounced onto the Magician with the demeanour of a demon pouring rage and grim intent upon his opponent. Hawkins turned the remnants of the Straw Man back to a sword, blocking Zoro's fearsome blow. The force let out a shockwave. The Pirate Hunter retorted for playing dirty against him.

"Not so tough now, are you?" Zoro roared, glaring upon his prey. He won the rally, sending Hawkins' sword knocking off his grip. The former made a pursuit, giving no chance for Hawkins to regain hold of his blade.

"Rhino Cycle!" Zoro whirled his blades cutting Hawkins into the air. The attack took out another two of the Beast Pirates. Three men fell since the moment Zoro began his carnage. Shinobu and Kanae observed the human, rampaging with his demonic moves. Shinobu knew that they had given a good fight, managing to reduce Hawkins' puppets. The struggle on their side was gruesome, and not without damage. Compared to their ordeal, Pirate Hunter Zoro toyed with his enemy. He was serious. He was on land, he was pissed and Hawkins had no innocent prisoners, perfect conditions to go wild.

Hawkins transformed himself into his straw form, pouring nails down with his elongated arms from above. Zoro sensed his moves. He was found as a silhouette in front of the moon above Hawkins and the trees. The bystanders saw the silhouette of an executioner ready to pour judgement upon the felon. Holding his two swords above his head, he poured down with a somersault.

"Tower Climb Return!" Two raging slashes ripped through Hawkins. Two more of the pirates fell, taking their numbers down into single digits. Shinobu couldn't fathom that Hawkins held his companions as a substitute all this time. A cowardly move for a leader, she believed. Hawkins dodged on the ground, leaping aside avoiding Zoro, pouring fire from above. A magnificent demonstration of Zoro's Two-Sword Style, Kanae believed. Despite his Shusui, the Pirate Hunter was ferocious as ever, more so than she had ever seen on Moria's ship. A terrifying time for anyone who's not expecting to die.

Hawkins got hold of his dropped blade. Half of the pirates rushed in seeing their losing side. They hoped to gang-up on the enemy.

"Fools!" Hawkins retorted their action. He couldn't stop them. And they couldn't stop Zoro.

"Hawk Wave!" The gust of slashing wind cleared Zoro's path off the riff-raffs that stood in his way. Hawkins wasn't to be spared. Zoro's eyes never left his glare, his mind calm and composed, yet filled with wrath. He lowered his Kitetsu, swinging his Wado Ichimonji.

"36 Pound Phoenix!" He swung out a Flying Slash. Hawkins leaped dodging the attack. Shinobu observed the projection was slowed than usual, similar to when Zoro used his Shusui against Oars. The 108 Pound Phoenix decelerated due to Shusui's potential weight. But in contrary to Thriller Bark, Zoro had mastered the Shusui and his Flying Slashes over the two years. Hawkins thought not to allow Zoro to gain a mid-air advantage. He soon realised that his opponent was one step ahead. The Pound Phoenix was just a bait. Zoro was above him, making a vertical slice from high.

"Horse Ogre!*" The Wado Ichimonji was imbued with Armament Haki. For the first time, Zoro made a pure melee attack in the fight, slashing Hawkins with a long cut. Unlike the previous damages withstood, Hawkins' Devil Fruit Powers somehow failed, due to the direct contact of Armament Haki and the shock released from the Horse Ogre. He bled for the first time, taking true damage.

"Looks like this fight won't last much long." Kanae said, "This is a slaughter."

"It would've been a one-sided slaughter if Shinazugawa had goaded the man into this." Shinobu said, "I guess Kibutsuji is after the right man to get his own faced wiped on the ground. This fellow can give the best demons the run for their money. I believe monstrous cutthroat battles in the high seas is the reason for making true monsters out of them. And he's not even the Captain of his ship."

"Monkey D. Luffy, the Captain, I wonder what he'll be like, to be leading a man like Roronoa Zoro." Kanae couldn't fathom.

Hawkins was falling, but Zoro had landed sooner whilst withdrawing his blades.

"One Sword - Iai - Lion's Song!" The Wado Ichimonji cleaved through Hawkins, making his predictions true. The battle ended the Beast Pirates group with mortifying bloodshed. Two men of the same bounty, and yet there was a clear winner that night. Carnage and nightmares indeed prevailed under the moonlight.

Her eyes couldn't fathom the happenings. She knew those shockwaves meant trouble. A single-sided savagery. Kanao observed the remnants of the battlefield. Only three pirates survived on the other side. They seemed pretty insignificant for Zoro to finish them off. They believed, the Pirate Hunter wanted them to inform the rest of their crew so that he could cut them all down just as he butchered his opponent.

A battle between two members of the Worst Generation, with an ugly defeat on one side.

Zoro observed Kanao at a distance and signalled at her. Shinobu and Kanae turned around and found the person they'd least wanted on a crimson field.

"Kanao!" Shinobu bellowed.

"Sister." she went ahead and hugged her. She also found someone she wasn't expecting.

"Hello there, Kanao." Kanae said with a smile.

She had known the truth, but a piece of her mind did not expect to see her eldest sister alive. Kanao fell back in disbelief.

"Sister K... Kanae!" she muttered.

"The circumstances could've been better for a family union." Zoro walked in, wiping off Hawkins blood from his face.

"You destroyed him." Shinobu told him.

"That's right. He had it coming." Zoro showed no remorse to the rage he had poured.

Kanao regained her senses as Kanae held her hands.

"Now that you mention it your names do sound alike. Kanae and Kanao." Zoro chuckled. Kanae returned an amused smile. Kanao hugged her long lost sister after many years.

"At the least, Kanao met the people she came to meet." Zoro told.

"So it seems." Shinobu made a content reply.

Tears in Kanao's eyes. She nodded in approval.

Sumi knocked on the door and entered.

"A lady named Tamayo is here." she said.

Law couldn't recognise the said person. Within his mess of sea charts, he found an unread letter on the table that went past his notice. The sender was named Tamayo (to his surprise) written on the envelope. He made a quick read.

"Hmm… she mentioned having helped that kid Tanjiro and his sister Nezuko. I wonder what she wants. Do you know her?" Law asked.

Sumi shook her head.

"Alright, I'll meet her." he said, getting up from his chair, "Speaking of those brats, did they leave for a mission or something?"

"Tanjiro left for a nearby town with the others. He mentioned that demons were sighted." Sumi said.

"Those brats will get killed jumping around like morons right after their recovery. I heard they crossed path with an Upper Moon-demon and went near comatose." Law remembered the context from his first Pillar meeting, "A Pillar was killed in that incident, I guess."

"Kyojuro Rengoku, the Flame Pillar."

Law looked at Sumi and nodded. He walked out. He met Mitsuri in the living room along with the guest, Miss Tamayo.

Law met the people inside the living room. Mitsuri met the guest before his arrival and began a conversation. Closing the door he sat down alongside Mitsuri, opposite to the guests, laying down the letter. He found two of them. The lady Tamayo and her companion, a young boy who introduced himself as Yushiro.

But before he could begin, Law's Observation Haki set off a hostile sensation. Tamayo observed him.

"You are not a human." Law made a blatant statement.

Yushiro began drawing his claws. Mitsuri was shocked by the sudden tension. Law prepared his blade on his side.

"Yushiro, behave yourself." Tamayo retorted the boy's actions.

"He knew about you." Yushiro replied.

"I well expected to." Tamayo replied, her brows creasing from his acts.

"Is Yushiro your son?" Mitsuri blatantly asked.

"Huh?" the boy blushed.

"He's not my son." Tamayo answered Mitsuri, regaining her calm demeanour.

"You are a demon." Law revealed, "And so is that unsettling brat."

Mitsuri was shocked.

"I'm not a brat!" Yushiro retorted.

"Yushiro!" Tamayo glared at her companion. Yushiro calmed down and apologised.

"I believe you must be appalled?" Tamayo asked looking back upon Law.

"Not really." Law replied. He looked at the letter, "I heard you are adept with medicine, and you were associated with that kid, Tanjiro."

Mitsuri listened with surprise.

"Is he here?" Tamayo asked with interest. Yushiro was not so pleased. After all, his infatuation for the lady was hindered by the presence of Tanjiro and his sister.

"No." Law replied, getting back to the point, "I couldn't get the context of this letter."

"I received word that Kibutsuji is making a move. Kagaya Ubuyashiki wanted me to assist you in the absence of Shinobu Kocho, to help you with the demon research, and to stop Muzan Kibutsuji." Tamayo explained.

"How come you want to fight Kibutsuji being a demon?" Mitsuri asked.

"I broke off from his control long ago, so you can consider Yushiro and me as independent and a thorn to our common enemy."

"Very well." Law replied without hesitation, "I hope that Ubuyashiki knows what he's doing. You are free to make yourself at home."

Tamayo, Yushiro and Mitsuri were surprised that Law consented without much thought.

"I know the Master consented but are you sure?" Mitsuri asked.

"Yeah, and besides I don't own this place. She said she can help with the Demon research and tend to the wounded." Law replied looking back, "I hope you won't kill us while we sleep."

"I won't." Tamayo reassured with a smile. She could tell that Law made a jest.

"I'll share the work accomplished till now. I hope you'll take a step ahead from what I could've."

Tamayo nodded.

"Thank you." she appreciated his trust.

"Wait, wasn't that your responsibility?" Mitsuri asked in childish tone.

"I'm doing the best I can. But turning a demon back to human is something that cannot be achieved in a few days. You can enquire Kocho-ya if that should put you into a reliable insight." Law turned his gaze upon Tamayo, "And speaking you both being demons, I believe you can use some kind of Blood Demon Arts?"

Tamayo and Yushiro nodded. That didn't settle well with Mitsuri.

"We might have some trouble against Kibutsuji's demons. Ubuyashiki believes they might show up. If that is to happen, we must expect to fight back." Law said.

"Of course." replied Tamayo, "Ubuyashiki told me that you had messed up Kibutsuji's plans? I couldn't be happier."

Yushiro was surprised, but condemned Law's deeds. Tamayo seemed happy.

"That was all coincidental. To tell the truth, the Demon leader is of lesser concern to me."

"What do you mean?" Mitsuri asked.

"I have planned a course out to sea. We plan to drag out Kaido's men along with us. And I got in contact to receive a ship for that." Law revealed.

"You are leaving?" Mitsuri was surprised. She was shocked to mention his leave.

"I'm waiting for Zoro-ya. We both are not part of this realm, and we should better leave before we cause more trouble out here."

"So the rumours were true. You are a pirate." Tamayo looked at him.

"It's no rumour." Law replied, "We are considered the scum of the sea."

Tamayo made a light chuckle at his statement. Yushiro wasn't pleased.

"I'm sorry. I just found your words very honest." Tamayo simpered.

"It would be another hassle if those demons follow us to the sea when the time comes." Law replied.

Law concluded his conversation, leaving the room.

Unlike Law, Mitsuri had to mistrust a demon from her experience. Yushiro observed.

"I know the Master has given his trust, and I'll act in accordance. It's just that you are some of the rare demons I've met that are not controlled by Kibutsuji." Mitsuri said.

"I can expect your doubts. And it's alright. That monster has lived for far too long. He should be put out of his misery." The words sounded unlike of the calm lady. Tamayo was eager to end Kibutsuji's reign.

"I heard Law and his pirate friend fought the highest Upper Demon Moon, and lived. That should put Kibutsuji's mind at unease." Tamayo said, "It's been a while since humans caused such an uproar. And Tanjiro, as young as he is, faced Kibutsuji and survived. I believe this is a sign."

Mitsuri agreed, "We might be able to succeed this time."

The pirates fled, leaving their enemies alone in the forest. Shinobu checked on Kanae's situation, realising that her ribs were damaged.

"Those wounds won't heal, you know. Don't you think you should put down your sword to rest?" Zoro asked.

"I can yet fight if that's what you must ask." Kanae replied.

"What do you mean?" Kanao asked.

Shinobu glared back at him.

Zoro realised that it wasn't the best time to bring the topic. Shinobu knew his thoughts. He restrained from mentioning it.

"If that's what you want, then so be it. Not my responsibility." Zoro looked at Shinobu.

Kanao couldn't understand the point, deciding to let it go for the moment. She gave Zoro the Shusui that he had left behind.

"Thank you for saving me from that demon." Kanao reminded.

"I could've appreciated the same thing if you hadn't dropped the ropes." Zoro retorted.

"I'm sorry. I got..."

"But that led me here, and everything worked out. So it's fine." Zoro said content with the result, "We have spent quite some time out here. I hope to get back to the castle. Kanao, I expect you to know the way?"

"Yes, sir." Kanao nodded, leading the group back to the town of Shi-niju. Troubles awaited. The night was long from over.

TO BE CONTINUED...

Footnotes:

*The Sword techniques are named from the Funimation English Dub/English translations. Horse Ogre = Ittoryu: Baki.