"Hi there" Normal Speech
"Hi There" Thought
"Hi There" Biju and techniques
"Hi There" Biju thoughts and techniques in head
Flashbacks
"Hi There" Normal speech
"Hi There" Thought
"Hi There" Biju and Techniques
"Hi There" Bijuu thought and techniques in head
Chapter 14: Dance with the Devil
Estella sneered, standing up and dusted the sand from her clothing, including the jacker that was worn, "You brats may have a few tricks up your sleeves, but it won't do you any good. I'm going to end your lives here and now. You can only blame yourselves for interfering where you didn't belong." Barked out the mad dog of a woman as she pressed a hand down onto the sand. "But your not the only one with tricks kiddies." The woman smirked as the sand began to ripple shifting around her before exploding out towards both Odin and Shiina. The sand transformed into two tidal waves of metallic axe blades that headed towards the two children like a stampeding herd.
Both Shinobi looked on in surprise being caught off guard by this sudden transformation. From their understanding of devil fruits and the way Estella used her abilities, she should have been a close-range fighter, but the sudden appearance of this wave of axe blades transformed from sand startled them. But what they couldn't have known as that Estella was an awakened Devil Fruit User allowing her powers to not only affect herself but also her surroundings. As the wave of axes grew closer, the two regained their bearings and began to act.
Shiin was the first was she extended both arms out the side, the sleeves of her Kimono glowing as they began to spread. Seals glistened lighting up making an appearance down the length of her sleeves; the seals began manipulating the chakra within the material of her clothing. The kimono had been a gift from her sensei created from his chakra and embroidered with seals to manipulate it for her purposes. The sleeves grew tens of meters and began overlapping one another into an intricate crisscrossing pattern forming a defensive wall in front of her. The chakra within the material hardened the sleeves making them as tough as the strongest metals.
Odin followed suit, flipping both swords into a basic grip both katana to his right, wakizashi to the left. Lightning sparked between the two blades as his chakra was circulated. A rush of adrenaline coursed through his veins as a flash of lightning appeared within those affection chocolate brown hues. The power of a fierce storm began to rage within the boy's body as the power was channelled into those twin blades that had accompanied him since the academy. The metal had been reinforced with help from his teacher to create an even stronger set of swords for Odin to wield. Lightning erupted from his body raging with the fierceness of an unrelenting storm. The loud cry of a hawk erupted from his body as lightning engulfed the swords. Odin raised the twin swords high as lightning danced around his body untamed with the strength of a wild beast. The sword user eyed the incoming wave of axes and swung both blades down with all his might.
"Tenraitouryu: Sandahoukusukurai (Heaven's Lightning Sword Style: Thunderhawks Cry)!" Lightning rushed out as the tip of the two swords touched. A loud cry echoed from the swords that blew sand away as lightning morphed into the shape of a giant Hawk. The hawk grew in size until it stood tens of meters tall, its wings expanding to full length as it flew up touching the edge of the barrier around the three. The hawk released an ear-shattering cry as it dived down towards the wave of axes, lightning dancing long its bright yellow body. The thundering hawk released another shrill battle cry as it slammed head-on into the wave of axes it's giant body protecting its creator.
On the other side, Shiina stood fast behind her defensive technique as the blades collided. The young woman felt the force behind the wave as it brushed against her sleeve wall. Shiina's expression remained steadfast showing not a shred of fear or worry, focusing all efforts on her defensive wall. The kunoichi dug heels in as she began to slid back across the beach, the strength behind the wave of axes forcing her back inch by inch. As she was forced back all she could hear was the grinding of metal and the cry of a hawk, followed by the crackling of lightning. The girl bent her knees and extended arms out focusing chakra into the soles of her feet reinforcing strength allowing her to come to a stop but at the edge of the barrier.
The kunoichi funnelled chakra into her arms that flowed to her fingertips using a method learned from the shinobi academy from her studies at the academy to enhance physical strength. Shiina collapsed the defensive wall. As the wall collapsed and sleeves retracted the wave of axes without anything to impede it continued its approach. Her defensive technique had slowed and weakened the wave of axes down allowing the young woman to punch out with both fists. Her fists struck the incoming wave as chakra released on impact using her version of Tsunade's Enhanced Strength. The technique clashed head-on with the metallic wall as the force behind Shiina's punch created a shockwave of explosive punching power. The shockwave rippled through the incoming waves of axes and brushed them aside expelling them from Shiina's sight, obliterating them.
As the wave of axes was split apart, up the middle charged none other than Estella in her hands a giant battle axe over three meters in length and wider than it possibly should be. The pirate lifted the massive axe three times the woman's own size as she charged towards the young kunoichi lightning dancing behind her in the shape of a massive hawk as it devoured its way through another axe of waves released by the woman in an attempt to split the two. Estella aimed to deal with the girl first before finishing off the boy. The woman's own attack had blocked out the girl's counter-attack. To Estella, the girl was the physically weakest of the two and would be easy pickings.
Shiina looked up at the incoming foe, with a swipe of her hands through the air a sealing tag was drawn from her sleeve. Shiina held it between her right index and middle finger before tossing the seal out into the air. The tag flew out and came to a halt in mid-air. The seal lit up as a flash of light was released blinding Estella making her cry out in anger raising a left hand in an attempt to shield her eyes from the blinding light. With the woman blinded Shiina kicked off the ground, shooting forward, Shiina may not have been the fastest amongst the squad, but regarding physical strength, she was the strongest. Chakra funnelled its way through her right arm as she drew in close to the pirate. Shiina drew her fist back and punched out aiming for the woman's chest. As her fist closed in the effects of the blinding technique wore off allowing Estella to see a blurred vision of Shiina approaching.
The pirate woman reacted encasing her chest with Busoshoku Haki: Koka (Colour of Armaments: Hardening) turning it metallic black to protect herself from the incoming blow. A smirk graced itself onto her vicious features, expecting for the young girl to break her fist on impact with her colours of armament, but what happened next was completely outside her scope of expectations. Estella gasped for air feeling the girl's fist make contact as an explosive force released itself on impact. A dent appeared in her chest in the shape of Shiina's tiny knuckles. The woman's body was propelled backwards as a wave of sand engulfed her figure as it was sent flying across the beach. Blood flew out of Estella's lips as it felt like her chest had caved in from the impact.
As Estella flew through the air the wave of axes behind her broke apart as the thunderhawk dissipated. Charging forward from behind was Odin moving with a thundering step. He had witnessed the figure of the flying woman, immediately knowing his comrade had taken action and decided to follow up. Twin blades gleamed under the blistering sun as he closed it on the older woman. Lightning danced along the razor sharp edges of the oriental swords. The young shinobi sped across the beach, closing the distance between himself and the flying woman coming up behind her.
"Tenraitouryu: Rai Issou (Lightning Sweep)!" Odin swung his swords crossing one over the other as lightning flooded out sweeping through the air with the strength of a ferocious wind. The lightning swept out hitting Estella square in the back. The woman released a shrill scream that could shatter eardrums as lightning surged vicariously through her body without mercy. Smoke began to flow rise her figure as the lightning chewed its way through the back of the jacket leaving a gaping hole. The force of the attack sent her flying back in the opposite direction from Odin back towards Shiina like a lightning encased missile.
Shiina spread her legs, allowing her left side to face the incoming lightning missile. Chakra surged through muscles and into her right fist clenching it hard enough that knuckles turned pale. The young kunoichi released a loud battle cry as she pulled her fist back and as Estella came into range, punched forward with a vicious hook. Shiina's fist connected square with Estella's chest once more as chakra released on impact. A loud boom echoed out from Shiina's fist blowing sand away and shook the ground as the devil fruit wielding woman was sent sailing up into the air. Blood flew out of Estella's lips as she crashed into the roof of the containment barrier causing web-like cracks to fan out from the impact. The woman cried out as she fell to the earth and crashed onto the beach. Cracks began to spread out from the point of impact in all directions, flowing down the main walls of the containment barrier.
Shiina stumbled slightly; she had used a little too much chakra in that last blow making her a little woozy, combined with the two barriers that had to be sustained, it was putting a serious strain on the young girl's reserves. The kunoichi wiped a bead of sweat from her forehead and contemplated on speaking to sensei when they returned from the mission on ways that could increase her reserves. While Shiina had slightly larger than normal chakra reserves, plus almost perfect control, the high-level techniques she used just consumed too much chakra for her to sustain for long periods of time.
Odin retreated to Shiina's side sheathing his twin blades and put an arm around her shoulders, "O-Odin-kun!" cried out the startled young woman, being in such close proximity to him made her blush like a tomato, but the boy didn't seem to notice at all.
"I wonder if all pirates are like this, all bark and no bite ha. Wonder if she has a bounty on her head, if so how much." The lightning user released a barking laugh as he pulled his female teammate in closer, causing steam to blow out her ears.
A growl soon brought their attention back to the battle as venomous words cut through the air, "Don't celebrate yet brats! I'm still going to end your lives!" Spat out the voice of Estella climbing to her feet, stumbling to the left. The two could see the woman clutching her chest in pain. The woman spat out blood as a small trickle trailed down from her lip. The woman sneered at the sight of the two children who were beating her black and blue. The woman's face was bruised and beginning to swell as blood trickled down from the right of her forehead. Estella's biker jacket was completely ruined, forcing her to tear it off and discard it.
"I'll pay you back tenfold for what you've done! Face the wrath of an awakened devil fruit user! Rampage Mode!" roared the woman standing tall, waves began to ripple from her body as from head to toe skin turned black and gleamed like metal. The woman's entire body quivered as thick curved blades burst out from her shoulder blades. Axe blades grew out from those blades and continued to multiple overlapping one another to create a pair of five-meter long metal wings. The wings expanded as blades shot out from her forehead like horns. The woman howled in pain as blades began shooting out along the length of her arms and legs. Blades sprouted from the knees pointing down towards her shin, followed by blades appearing out from her elbows. A curved axe blade sprouted at the heel of each foot like a talon. Hunching over smaller axe blades began sprouting from the woman's tailbone overlapping to create a segmented metallic tail.
The woman crouched low to the ground as she appeared like some demonic beast. Right hand clawed at the sand as her nails on both hands became elongated and sharpened to blade points. "DIE!" Her voice was heavy with an echoing tone behind her. Estella kicked off the ground kicking up a massive wave of sand behind her. The woman's metallic wings sprouted out, and allowing her to shoot out like a ballistic missile. The woman moved with such speed that it caught both shinobi off guard. The transformed pirate appeared before Odin her tail swinging out as the metal gleamed. The deadly axe blade at the end struck Odin slashing him deep across the chest. The boy cried out in pain as blood splattered the sand and his body was sent flying back into the barrier making contact with it as a loud thud resounded on impact.
"ODIN!" screamed Shiina watching her younger comrade fly back, blood spilling out from his chest. The girl turned to face Estella eyes creasing in anger. The girl bubbled with rage from the sight of her bloodied teammate. Releasing a battle cry as her left fist shot forward chakra pouring into it. Her fist sailed onward as Estella did the same. Two fists connected in mid-air as a shockwave erupted on impact. A cry followed by blood as the petite frame of Shiina sailed back crashing into her barrier. Estella slid back three steps across the sand and looked up with murderous eyes watching both her prey.
Shiina slid down the barrier clutching her left hand, fingers bent as blood spilt down her lips. The shockwave released from Estella's punch had overpowered her strength and damaged internal organs, it wasn't fatal, but it would slow Shiina down. Odin lay beside her clutching his bleeding chest, gasping for air, his body going into shock from the attack. Gritting his teeth Odin forced his body to stand while ignoring the pain. Both he and his teammate were injured before they even knew what was happening and their opponent was fast advancing.
Estella looked at her fallen prey, a predatory smile forming. The woman expanded her wings and launched her body forward to shred the two to pieces. The demonic woman raised her right hand; the entire arm began to morph into smaller axe blades that overlapped one another like segmented pieces. The arm was raised up into the air extending like a whip as the fingers at the end of her hand fused together and morphed into one giant axe blade that could cleave a giant in two.
"I'll have to use that." The lightning wield stumbled to stand on two feet drawing the twin swords. Holding them tightly, Odin looked up facing the opponent as she began to advance, her tail swaying back and forth. Odin glared daggers at her and plunged both swords into the ground. Lightning surged through his body violently like a raging storm. His entire body shook as the floodgates were released, everything was let loose.
"Tenraitouryu: Tenbihou (Heaven's Lightning Sword Style: Heaven's Armament)!" Odin released an agonising cry as his skin began to burn as lightning poured out from every pore on his body. His eyes sparkled as a storm raged within them. Blue lightning began to flow over his body encasing him from head to toe as it forced its way out than in. His own body began tearing itself apart as lightning flooded into his muscle and skeletal structure granting a significant boost in power. Odin ripped the twin blades out of the sand as blue lightning cascaded down them. The boy was covered in an aura of blue lightning that illuminated him like samurai armour. Odin raised his twin blades aiming the katana towards Estella. The shinobi released a battle cry as he kicked off the ground unleashing the thundering of drums as he stormed forward like a raging lightning beast. Lightning surged off Odin's body striking at the containment barrier wanting to break free and escape into the outside world.
Odin charged across the sand as if hell itself was on his tail, moving to meet the giant incoming blade head on. The lightning encased shinobi released a mighty cry raising his katana channelling everything he had into it. What remained of his chakra reserves plummeted at an alarming rate as the blue lightning circulating his body left and was focused into the sword.
Odin brought the katana downwards from overhead all the while giving a mighty cry, "Tenbihou: Reihai (Heaven's Armament: Rend)!" Odin slashed down with all his might as lightning surged forward. A bright light erupted from his body as the screeching of a Thunderhawk encompassed the sky. The entire barrier shook as lightning rocketed forward cutting through the air. A giant sword slash formed in mid-air created from electric blue lightning that was brimming with overwhelming power. The blade cut through the ground tearing it apart. Lightning consumed the inside of the containment barrier as it collided head-on with the demonic woman. Lightning met her giant blade and shattered it on impact tearing her right arm off in the process, blood pouring into the blue lightning from her body staining it red. The woman sailed back as she was pushed to the edge of the barrier from the divine lightning blade. The blade carved through the barrier-shattering it. The moment the barrier broke the lightning blade dispersed releasing lightning up into the heaven's and dropped the scorching woman to the ground. Estella collapsed to the sand returning to her normal state, blood flowing from the stump that was once an arm.
Odin stumbled, vision began to darken, breathing was a chore, a struggle on its own, his reserves were at less than zero, while his body battered from the technique as skin flaked away revealing third degree burns all up his arms. The clothing on his back had been burned to pieces revealing charred black skin as smoke wafted into the air along with the terrible smell of scorched human flesh. Odin swayed unable to hold on any longer before he collapsed to the ground out to the world. The moment he collapsed Shiina hurried over helping to sit his fallen form up, holding him close, the boy was barely breathing.
"Odin please wake up, speak to me," cried out Shiina cupping Odin's chin raising up his head as tears began to form. She had always felt a warm affection for the younger boy and seeing him in such a state broke her heart.
"If he's not dead, he soon will be, as will you!" Battered and exhausted venomous words cut through the air like a knife drawing Shiina's attention as an unbelievable sight stood before her. At the end of what was once, a cube barrier was Estella on her right knee, the woman's entire body charred black with third-degree burns, if it weren't for the use of Rampage mode which utilised the hardening ability of Busoshoku Haki to encase the body she would be worse for wear, perhaps even dead.
Ashened flesh fell away at what was once her right arm now was only a stump. Climbing onto two feet, those grey eyes glared at the two shinobi with an ungodly amount of hate. If looks could kill, Estella's glare could incinerate the God's themselves. Estella took a single step forward before her body fell over and she landed in the sand again. The woman gritted her teeth, only pain could be felt coursing through every fibre of her body The pirate forced herself up with her left hand and climbed back up to two feet. The woman's left hand began to ripple morphing into a cracked axe blade that was breaking apart at the sides, her damaged state was taking a toll on her powers.
"You two I will enjoy taking your lives!" roared Estella raising her left arm up into the air with every advancing step. Approaching the two the woman loomed over them and with a swing axe arm was brought downwards. Shiina cried out and used her body to shield Odin's meeting the blade with her back. The axe sliced open white flesh as blood trickled out staining Shiina's beautiful kimono red. The young kunoichi buckled under the pain, she was already exhausted and could barely hold on. Estella gritted her teeth and swung the axe again. The blade broke away losing its edge as it became a blunt instrument. The weapon struck down hard on Shiina's young body. The kunoichi refused to scream in pain all the while clutching onto her teammate's body, Estella continued swinging the broken axe anger continuing to climb with each swing. The final swing came down and as it landed the entire axe shattered on impact forcing Estella to stumble back as her hand reformed bloody and broken, fingers bent at a wrong angle. The final blow had caused Shiina to fall and collapse atop her teammate.
Estella growled using teeth to bend fingers back into place. Each finger snapped loudly as the bones were forced back into place. Estella ignored the pain to stretch out the newly fixed fingers, turning her attention to the two bodies, the woman took a deep breath regaining her calm. Turning focus towards her captain in the distance as he battled the fire crazed youth an idea came to mind. While taking the children's life would be entertaining, doing it while watching the agonised expression of their comrade more so. Estella picked the two up by the scruff of their necks with her only hand and dragged them, heading over towards her Captain.