Hello,

News around One Piece has been so hype and I'm enjoying being a fan. The live-action looks like it will be a fun watch and Gear 5th will debut in the anime soon. The manga chapter 1088 was amazing, leaving me feeling a mix of happiness and sadness. It's a good time to be a One Piece fan.

The story continues as the Viper Pirates continue to do their best to free their ship and leave the island. But they're running out of time...

7/30/2023

Log 14: Last Chance! Free the Ship

Scrambling up the last bit of the icy slope, Yuuna managed to pull herself out of the hole she slid down. Slipping across the ice to behind a rock, she checked her surroundings. The drunken hunters were still partying by the machine. Yuuna had no idea how she was going to break the machine with all the bounty hunters nearby. In the distance, explosion could be heard. Yuuna assumed it was Mary destroying her machine.

One of the hunters hazily looked around. "Did you guys hear that?"

"Hear what?"

"Why are they still here? Sorry Mary, but this is the only way." Yuuna pulled up her hood and ran out. "Emergency! Pirates have invaded!"

One of the bounty hunters pouted when he split his sake. "Hey, what's the big idea?"

"Pirates overran the other ice machine! They're trying to destroy it! We need back up right away!" She yelled and fell to her knees. "They're extremely strong and too many to count!" Another distant explosion sounded, carrying weight to her words.

A lookout came sliding down to their level from the upper floor. "She's right! I see smoke across the lake!"

"I thought the brat said there was only a handful!"

A bounty hunter wobbled to her feet, "Let's go men! We can't let pirates do as they please on our home turf!"

The others cheered in agreement and slide down the stairs, leaving Yuuna with only two guards and one passed out bounty hunter. She was happy she was able to trick so many of the hunters into leaving. She did feel bad about sending reinforcements to Mary but she was incredibly strong. She could definitely handle some grunts.

"Mind if I warm up?" Yuuna asked.

The guard shrugged and let her approach the machine. The waves of heat were a blessing in this frigid island. As she warmed up, Yuuna studied the machines, examining the cogs and mechanism that kept it going. It was intricate but breakable. Taking one of her lead bullets she flicked into through the grate. The cogs jammed and Yuuna was able to sit back and watch the machine break itself.

"What's going on? Did the machine break again?"

"No.. it was you. Wasn't it?!" The guard accused.

"Oh crap." She should have ran while she could. Yuuna backed up and took aim with her slingshot. "Take another step, I dare you! I've taken down devil fruit users."

The bounty hunters stopped their advance but the third one was waking up from his drunken stupor. He stood, fixing the fedora on his head. "What's going on?"

"Good, you're awake. We've got a pirate."

The fedora bounty hunter glanced around and pulled out a pistol, "I got the gist of it." He shot the other bounty hunters.

Yuuna was shaken when the hunters dropped, moaning in pain. "What are you doing? Those were your comrades!"

The fedora man snorted. "Comrades? What gave you that idea?"

Yuuna dived for cover when he opened fired. As he reloaded, she slide on the ground and shot the pistol out of his hands. The pistol skidded across the ice for an unnaturally long time and fell down the hole. "Ha! How do you like that?"

"You disarmed me." The man shrugged. "Big deal."

She huffed in annoyance, "You're unarmed. If you didn't shoot your buddies, maybe you'd have a chance at winning."

"They would have just gotten in the way. Can't risk cutting you up." he said and took off his jacket. "You said you've faced devil fruit users before? Have you faced a zoan?" As he asked, his body began to shift and transform. His face elongated and hardened into a beak, black feathers sprouted to cover his skin and his legs became talons.

Yuuna gulped as she realized she somehow got into a fight with a zoan user, a bird model to make matter's worse. At least she was a ranged fighter. The hybrid flapped his wings and took off. Yuuna sent flying across the room when the crow hybrid slammed into her. She fired a lead bullet but the gust generated by his wings was enough to send it off course.

"Oh crap."

The crow man hooked his feet under her arm pits and lifted her into the air, Yuuna struggled to be freed. She stabbed the ice pickaxe into his foot, the pain allowed her to drop but she hit the ice hard.

Yuuna gasped and curled up into a ball. Any higher or if she landed on a stalagmite, she could have died. "Are you trying to kill me!?

"I am~" The bird man said, simply. "Though I should be careful… Don't want you to spill too much blood."

"WHAT IS YOUR PROBLEM!?"

The hybrid man smiled and flapped his wings, the motion swirled the air around Yuuna like a typhoon. Yuuna gasped and struggled to breathe as the vacuum the man was creating started to take effect. She had to get out of the typhoon, if she didn't, she would suffocate. But her strength was leaving her and soon enough so would her life.

-VP-

Gurge was hit by Mary's hammer but the layers of coats cushioned the impact completely. Mary distanced herself, taking a smack at bounty hunters arriving as she did. They were at a stalemate, she was too strong for the mechanic to take down but his coats absorbed all blunt attacks. The fighting also gathered bounty hunters from all over the base, bringing more people for her to hit but delaying her fight with Gurge. Whenever she aimed for the machine itself, Gurge would block it with his body.

Mary smashed an ice rock and the projectiles pelleted Gurge. He smugly stood there as the pieces bounced off his coat but one of the pieces hit him in him square in the forehead. He flailed like a helpless turtle on its back, trying to stand up. With her opponent occupied, Mary ran for the machine but was cut off by bounty hunters.

"Catch!" Mary tossed her hammer at them. The heavy weight of her hammer pinned some of the hunters, but a couple got around and attacked. She dodged and transformed into her sheep form, ramming her horns into their gut. She rolled into Gurge and the bounty hunters who were trying to stand him upright and reset their progress.

Before she could go after the machine, a hoard of new bounty hunters arrived. "Where are the pirates?!"

"There's one!"

"Get her!"

Mary confronted the overwhelming number of hunters. Her fur puffed in anger.

"My friends are counting on me to destroy this machine!" Mary stated, transforming into her hybrid form for speed. "Get outta my way!"

-VP-

The Marina was slowly being buried in the snow storm, Sib tried to nestle himself in his coat. Valker wasn't moving and Sib wasn't sure if he was still alive. It would be easier if the pirate died. Then Sib wouldn't have to make a choice because for the first time in a long time, he felt hope.

He had to remind himself he chose to be a bounty hunter, he would get enough money to set sail on his own and find his family. He couldn't throw everything away just because one guy said he would help. He wasn't a stupid, naïve kid anymore. The pirate said he would help him find his family but had nothing to prove he would. Sib couldn't risk it.

"You're running out of time," said Sib. "The hunters may have retreated but they'll come back with the boss and then you're screwed."

Valker slouched and fell over, heaving and coughing up blood. He took a moment before pushing himself to his feet and surveyed the area beyond the ship. His Observation haki was unstable because of the poisoning but over the howl wind, he knew something large and ominous approaching.

"Something dangerous is coming."

"That's probably the boss," Sib said.

Hebi slithered up his master until his head rested in the crook of his neck. Sib couldn't hear the order Valker told the snake. He stiffed when Hebi slithered over to him and with its sharp fangs, cut the rope? Sib rubbed his sore wrists as Hebi returned to his master.

"What are you doing?" he asked.

Valker glanced down at the frozen blood. "The poison's slowed me down. If you get caught up in the fight, it's likely I won't be fast enough to protect you. You have to be able to dodge."

"You're crazy, I'm going to run away." Sib said, heading towards the side of the ship.

"That's not a bad idea." Valker replied.

Sib frowned, fingers ghosting over the railing. "I don't get it."

"I promised no harm will come to you." Valker stated and glanced back at Sib. "I intend on keeping my word."

There was a determination in Valker's eye that Sib had never really seen.

It made him want to believe in him.

It made him want to hope.

A dark fur mass suddenly collided into the ice covered cove. The ice splintered and water splashed up – instantly freezing. The hulking figure rose to full height. At a glance she could have been mistaken as a bear, dressed in brown furs that hid the bulging muscles underneath. Her hands were covered by furry gauntlets with spikes on the knuckles. Several scars from pervious skirmishes marred her skin. Furious eyes glared at the Marina's occupants.

"You're Backstabber Valker, worth 30,000 beris. You gave my crew an awful lot of trouble for a bounty like yours." The boss said.

"And you are?"

"I'm Boss Kanga. I lead the Icey Peak Bounty Hunters." She introduced and raised her gauntlets. "Sib, you brat, why haven't you killed this pirate yet? Are you good for anything?"

Valker took a fighting stance. "I have no intentions of dying today."

"It's funny when the prey thinks they have a chance." Kanga chortled and leapt at the Marina, drawing her gauntlet back for a punch. Valker jumped off the Marina to meet her in mid-air, stepping on her gauntlet and landing a kick on her face. They both tumbled onto the ice.

Kanga recovered first and landed a punch into his gut. Valker coughed up blood but grabbed her arm, locked his hip to her side and threw her over his shoulder. The ice cracked from the impact but didn't give completely.

"Grizzly Pummel!" Kanga roared like a bear. Valker backed away to avoid enduring a wild and violent walloping. She repeated her assault but he was ready, he jumped, landed on Kanga and put her into a choke hold.

Reaching around, Kanga grabbed him by his torso and pinned him to the ground. She went to crush his skull, but Valker stopped her attack with haki covered hands. Hebi slide through his coat sleeve, up Kanga's arm, and bit into her. Annoyed, she grabbed Hebi, tossed him away, and continued to beat Valker. Valker was able to keep his hands up to take the brunt, he was getting beaten deeper into the ice. On her next strike, he parried, sending her off balance and allowing him to flip her over, but was smacked away.

"Hebi!" Valker called and held out his hand. Hebi went to him, coating himself in haki. Valker braced for another Grizzly Pummel, parrying and blocking her strikes but one connected and sent him flying onto the deck of the Marina.

Valker grabbed Sib and tossed him off. "I told you to dodge!"

Moments later, Kanga landed where the teen once stood, destroying part of the railing. Realizing the Marina was in danger of being destroyed, Valker took the brunt of her next attack, allowing himself to be flung off the ship so that the bounty hunter would follow. It worked but he was caught up in another pummeling. Hebi was struck from his hand and Valker was sent careening to the ground.

Kanga huffed. "And stay down."

Coughing, Valker refused, swaying back to his feet and raising his haki covered fists.

"You don't know when to die." Kanga attacked again and Valker parried.

Sib watched as Valker was put on the defensive. This pirate could have run away but he was standing his ground, protecting Sib and the ship. Even if he wasn't strong enough to defeat Kanga, he fully trusted his crew to destroy the ice machines. Sib decided right then. He was willing to take a risk and have a little faith in someone.

He scooped up Hebi and threw him, "Valker!"

Valker caught the snake and effortlessly smacked Kanga across the cheek. Kanga glared at Sib, "What this betrayal, you ungrateful brat!? I saved your ass and took you in!"

"You're full of crap! You only care about my navigation skills! You never intended on helping find my family or letting me go!" Sib yelled back. "Valker! I'm holding you to your promise! I'll be your navigator so take me home!"

Valker grinned. "You have my word."

"Like I'll let you steal my navigator! You'll leave here in an icy casket." Kanga roared and Hebi was shoved right into her forehead.

Full of new determination, Valker stated. "I refuse to die. I'm taking my crew and we're leaving this island!"

Taking advantage while Kanga was off-balance, he hooked Hebi under her ankle and tripped her. Jumping up, he brought the snake down. A crater formed from the impact, burying Kanga deep into the ice.

Water leaked into the crater and froze against her skin but Kanga's muscles bulged, shattering the ice. She grabbed chunks of ice and threw it at Valker and Sib. Sib screamed and dived for cover and Valker, too weak to move, punched his way through.

Though the damage was averted, Hebi was unable to use his haki, going limp in Valker's hands. Knowing that Hebi was falling into hibernation, Valker tossed Sib the snake again. "Keep him warm!"

Sib swiftly followed the order and stuffed the old snake down his jacket. Hebi was safe for now but an already weakened Valker was fighting alone.

Kanga grinded her gauntlets together and said, "Poor choice in weapon."

"Hebi isn't a weapon, he's my partner." Valker refuted, clashing with Kanga with his own haki.

"Grizzly Pummel!"

Valker made to dodge but his body seized. The poison was doing its job and all strength left him, leaving him to take the full brute of Kanga's attack. Sib screamed out for Valker as he disappeared in a plum of snow and ice. When Kanga finally stopped, she frowned. His coat and vest was destroyed, revealing shinning black skin.

"You used haki to withstand my attack." She acknowledged. Valker could only struggle to breathe. She grabbed a fistful of his hair and dragged him into the air. "How long can you keep it up?" she wondered and continued to use him like a punching bag. Valker coughed up blood.

Valker let out heavy gasps and said brokenly, "I… don't feel… a thing..." His eyes shadowed by Kanga's palm, the white of his eyes glared down at her.

Kanga didn't like the defiant look. She went to punch him again but stopped inches from his chest when ice loudly cracked.

The sound was louder than the storm, echoing through the cove. Everything on the island seemed to quiet as the pounding took up their senses. Mary took a moment to catch her breath as the bounty hunters tried to pinpoint the noise with uncertainty. Even Yuuna's opponent hesitated, sensing danger approaching.

It continued like clockwork and then the intervals between the cracking shortened.

Kanga searched the storm. "What is that?"

Sib was surprised when Hebi shook off his lethargic state as the air warmed. A wave of heat brushed by them after the next crack, thinning the snow clouds. They could see a figure by the ship. The ground beneath them shook as the ice cracked and melted. Steam erupted from each sizzling punch.

Valker grinned at the flash of an orange hair and red vest.

Agni had arrived.

To Be Continued

CHARACTER SPOTLIGHT

Name: Kanga
Species: Human
Occupation: Bounty Hunter, Boss
Affiliations: Icey Peak Bounty Hunters

Description: Kanga is the harsh, unyielding boss of the Icey Peak Bounty Hunters. Thanks to her leadership, the guild has had a perfect success capture record. What is even more impressive is her raw strength, capable of leveling buildings. What makes her very frightening is her temper, the smallest inconvenience can send her into a rampage, not even her allies are safe but the bounty hunters respect her for her strength. After fights, she tends to fall into a deep sleep and hates to be awoke up too early.

Techniques:

1. Grizzly Pummel – A devastating fury of blows that can pulverize a block of ice is seconds

Trivia:

- Loose name inspiration from Genghis Khan. Honestly, it was a place holder name but it stuck