AN:
Hey there
This is definitely the biggest chapter I've posted and I really enjoyed writing it. It was a fun one. I debated on splitting it into two separate chapters but eventually decided that I liked the way it was and I hope you guys do too!
Thanks for all the love and support and keep the comments rolling in, you know I love reading them!
Without further ado, Chapter 36!
Chapter 36: Dawn
Luffy poked at the three unconscious forms lying next to his chair in boredom.
"Where the heck is this guy?!", the boy moaned. He'd been waiting for what felt like forever… He had nothing else to do so he'd dragged the unconscious bodies of his defeated opponents over to his seat to give himself something to pass the time with… What?… He'd never seen a fishman before, and they looked weird!…
Luffy removed his finger from the octopus fishman's forehead with a curious glance. It was a really strange place for a tattoo, but besides that, he really liked it! He thought the sun design was way cool and it kind of made him want one of his own… Maybe he'd get one if he ever got the chance.
The pirate captain shrugged and turned to poke at the other two unconscious figures at his feet, his hand practically vibrating as he reached toward Kuroobi. The anticipation was killing him… Just as the tips of his fingers went to pinch one of the strange fins on the back of the fishman's elbows, a loud rumble coming from the port stopped him and his eyes shifted in its direction.
A massive sea monster suddenly burst through the water and Luffy couldn't help but think he'd seen it somewhere before… However, before he could begin to think on it, his vision was drawn to the figure who looked to be riding the beast, his heart seeming to skip a beat as his navigator's words drifted through his head.
"Who, Nami?", the pirate captain asked again, rain dripping from the brim of his straw hat.
The orange-haired girl took a deep breath. Trust… That was what it came down to. She had to trust in him… Because… He was her friend… And friends trusted in each other. It was just like she'd said back then… "Arlong.", she finally answered with a small sigh, "Really long, jagged nose… You can't miss him…".
"What the hell's going on here?", Arlong spat, jumping down from Momoo's head. His feet slammed into the concrete and his eyes peeled into a glare, his angered gaze shifting through the wreck that was his park.
The fishman growled to himself, the anger in his chest beginning to rise… What the hell had happened?… He'd gone out to go find Momoo because the damn beast wouldn't respond to his calls and it had taken far longer than expected… He resisted the urge to turn and glare at the creature. He'd been so frightened by something that he'd just kept swimming away, no matter what he did to try and calm the beast… He shook his head in irritation, his gaze continuing to sweep through the park.
"You Arlog?", Luffy questioned with a frown, his loud voice carrying through the pouring rain as he stood from the broken throne he sat on… The name still didn't sound right…
Arlong turned toward the voice and what met his sight made the fire in his chest ignite, his whole body tensing in rage. "Who the hell are you?", he seethed, eyeing the three unconscious forms of his crew members resting at the human's feet… It had to have been him that destroyed his park… The thought made his fists clench, his eyes still glued to the bodies surrounding the boy… How had this brat managed to overpower three fishmen by himself?…
Luffy stepped out into the pouring rain, a smile rising to his lips as he approached… That long nose… This was him… Ar… Arloog?… Nope. Still not it… "My name's Monkey D. Luffy.", he said, stopping a short ways away from the long-nosed fishman, "And, whatever your name is… ". His fist smacked into his palm and he sent his soon-to-be opponent a grin, "I'm about to kick your ass.".
A long silence accompanied the sound of the pouring rain before it was suddenly broken by laughter, Arlong holding his stomach in humor-induced pain as his insulting gaze met the boy's stare. "A human brat like you could only dream of defeating me!", he exclaimed.
"Well, that's a good thing then.", Luffy replied, his own laughter rising to his chest. He returned the fishman's look and continued to let the giggles leave his lips, his toes curling into the soles of his sandals, "Because I'm gonna make all my dreams come true!". The sound of shattering concrete filled the air as he sprinted toward his opponent, pulling his fist back as far as he could. He was going all out right from the start.
"Pistol!", the boy screamed, his arm shooting forward with a crack.
Arlong's laughs immediately ceased but he made no move other than wrenching his hand forward. He was confident he could catch the kid's punch, he was just a human after all… It only took a moment, but, as soon as he felt his skin begin to ripple before the impact, he realized his mistake, eyes as wide as saucers.
Luffy's knuckles met the blue of Arlong's palm and the fishman's arm buckled as a shockwave shot through his right side, blowing him off his feet and sending him careening into the massive sea creature still floating in the water behind. The two collided with enough force to send them both splashing through the water and the boy stood still for another moment, smoke wafting from his fist. He lifted his head, eyeing the water with a small pout… Was that it?… As soon as the thought crossed his mind, the water in front of him began to ripple and a smile once again rose to his lips… What a relief… He wasn't even close to satisfied yet.
"Shark Darts!", Arlong roared, breaking the surface of the water while he rapidly spun through the air like a drill.
The teen's eyes widened at the speed of his opponent's approach, just barely managing to drop to the ground in time. Without so much as a thought, he immediately sprung back up and the top of his head found the fishman's stomach, a grunt of pain leaving the larger form as the two rose upward in the air. Before, their descent, he wrapped his arms around Arlong's middle and, as they began to fall, leaned backward while trying to keep a firm grip on the slippery figure in his arms.
Arlong struggled against the extremities holding him captive, a growl leaving his lips when he realized he wouldn't be able to break free… His first reaction was shock followed by blinding rage… A human was stronger than him… He was revolted with himself for even thinking such a thing… Of course, he had no leverage and they were falling through the air… But, still… He shouldn't have had a problem breaking his grasp regardless…
Luffy roared, extending his back moments before the two impacted the concrete. With all the strength he could muster, the teen slammed the fishman's face straight into the ground, a loud boom erupting into the air. Debris showered the two as they cratered into the earth and he immediately rose, already lifting his enemy once again.
The teen firmly held the ankle in his hand and wasted no time in launching his foe toward the building in the middle of the park, watching the large figure fly for a moment before his attention was grabbed by a loud roar coming from the port. He turned in its direction, just as the crack of a stone pillar sounded into the air, and his vision was met with the creature the long-nosed guy had ridden in on. It was strange, but as soon as their eyes met, the massive beast seemed to start sweating.
Before Luffy could get so much as a word in, the sea monster practically vanished back underneath the water. He stared at the spot it had previously occupied in bewilderment for a moment before shrugging and turning back toward where he'd thrown his opponent.
"Water Darts!", Arlong screamed, violently slapping his hand through the rain. Every droplet his open palm connected with shot off toward the port like a bullet, a piercing scream accompanying each one.
Luffy's hair stood on end just as what sounded like a volley of whistling arrows grabbed his attention and he turned to find a large but tight grouping of liquid projectiles headed directly for him. Without a second to think, he bent his knees, launching himself into the air, over the volley, and in the direction they had come from.
Arlong growled at seeing the attack miss, his eyes following the human's ascending figure… So, he was fast and strong… The thought only seemed to make the sound coming from his throat deepen.
"Gatling!", Luffy screamed, shockwaves scattering the rain around his fists.
The fishman's foot cratered into the concrete and he sprinted out of the radius of the incoming attack, just barely making it far enough before the ground behind him ruptured. Concrete flew into the air as the air bullets nipped at his heels and uprooted the ground at his back, his legs never stopping in their movement.
Luffy's arms began to slow when he felt himself falling back to the ground and he let gravity do its work, deftly landing on his feet. Almost immediately after he felt his soles hit broken concrete, his hair stood on end once again… Just what exactly was that feeling?… Before he had the time to think on the question, a fist entered his vision from the right.
The teen shifted his head backward and grabbed the arm careening past his face, using the extremity's forward momentum to his own ends. The muscles in his arms tensed as hard as they could and he rotated in the direction the fishman was moving, pulling him into a circular motion. With every turn their speed seemed to increase, all the way to the point where their figures began to blur.
Arlong desperately struggled to push against his own weight and reach the person treating him like a rag doll, however, a gasp left him when his arm was suddenly released. His body sailed through the air on a direct course for the place he'd just removed himself from and he barely had enough time to brace for impact, curling his body slightly before smashing straight through the second-story wall.
Luffy huffed while he kept his eyes locked onto the cloud of dust surrounding the building's new window, taking a moment to regain his breath. It wasn't long before the sound of shifting debris grabbed the boy's attention and he watched intently as his adversary stepped into the opening with rage consuming his light blue eyes.
Arlong stared down at the human below him with absolute contempt… He was strong… Stronger than a human had any right to be, let alone a human child… As the fishman continued to glare, one thought made itself known more than any other… This human had to die… He couldn't let an abomination such as him continue existing in the world…
The shark fishman grit his pointy teeth and steeled himself, getting ready to do something he hadn't done in so long he was almost surprised he even remembered how… He let his rage become the fuel he needed and immediately felt heat beginning to gather in his blood, a manic grin rising to his lips as he let it spread throughout his body. Without another thought, he pushed on the power flowing through him, the heat intensifying for a moment before it seemed to pop out of existence.
Arlong broke his staring match with the brat and closed his eyes, relishing in the coolness covering his skin… It was something he hadn't felt in close to ten years… Ever since he'd left the Grandline… There had never been a need for it in the East Blue… His eyes drifted back open and met the human's gaze once again, his grin growing wider at the thought of the coming fight…
He was going to slaughter this freak of nature.
Nami pushed her legs to move as fast as they could. She had to get to Arlong Park. She had to watch him… To know for sure that she'd made the right choice…
The orangette sprinted her way through the town, uncaring of the wide-eyed glances she received along the way, until her eyes met what used to be the gate of Arlong Park, slowing unconsciously as shock took over her features… She couldn't have been out for that long… And he'd already done all this?… She shook her head and her steps resumed their previous pace… She shouldn't be that surprised… It was Luffy after all…
"What the hell?…", Nojiko questioned, eyeing the destroyed gate of Arlong Park. She turned to the man walking beside her, his face wearing a similar expression, "What the hell's going on, Genzo?".
The scarred man had a sneaking suspicion that the boy they'd seen earlier was somehow involved, but didn't voice his opinion, staying silent and motioning to continue following. They were about to find out anyway…
Just as Nami stepped into the stone wreckage surrounding the entrance, a body flew past her and she rooted in place. She almost wasn't quick enough, but her wide eyes followed and caught a glimpse of the blurring figure, a gasp leaving her mouth… She was almost certain she'd seen a red vest…
Luffy grunted when his back hit the ground, rolling to his front and slamming his fingertips into the wet soil to slow himself down. He slid through the mud before he slowly came to a stop and was immediately back on his feet, a wide smile consuming his face... This fight had just gotten a lot more interesting...
"Luffy!", Nami screamed, rushing toward her recovering captain.
The teen turned toward the voice and his eyes lit up when he saw who it was that called his name, "Nami!".
The orangette skidded to a stop beside him and before she could even ask if he was ok, the straw hat she'd been left with her was lifted from her head.
"Thanks for bringing this to me.", Luffy exclaimed, happily pacing his treasure back where it belonged. He saw the worried look on his navigator's face and a light laugh left his lips, his hand tenderly landing on the top of her head. "Don't worry, Nami.", he said, stepping past the girl and toward his grinning opponent. His hand dropped from the girl's head and he sent the fishman his own grin in return, "I'm gonna win.".
Arlong looked past the boy and to the girl he was talking to, his grin growing wider. "I'm so glad you came, Nami!", the fishman laughed, "It's been too long since I last saw my favorite little navigator.". He watched the orangette's form hunch and his grin only seemed to grow larger, "You barely come home to see me anymore… Some might even say you're avoiding me…". His eyes drank in the sight of his human's form continuing to curl in on itself, the manic smile never leaving his face, "You're not avoiding me… Are you, Na-".
"You're not her captain anymore, Long-Nose.", Luffy interrupted, his wide smile still firmly rooted in place. His grin continued to grow when he thought about sailing the open seas with his pretty orange-haired friend, "She's my navigator now.".
Not for the first time, goosebumps rose up all over Nami's skin and her back straightened as she made to reply. However, before she could get a word out, the sound of cracking concrete filled the air and she whirled around, watching her captain take steps so large and fast it looked like he was practically flying. His straw-hatted figure met Arlong's and her eyes widened when a small boom erupted around their figures, rain scattering in every direction.
"Just who exactly is that, Nami?", Genzo asked, his feet stopping next to the orange-haired girl while he tried to follow the fight beginning to unfold before them… The two were moving unbelievably fast…
Nojiko couldn't help but wonder the same thing as her form stilled at the scarred man's side, her eyes glued to the scene with a similar amount of shock.
Nami followed every move she could, her eyes never leaving the titans creating shockwaves with almost every blow they traded. It was honestly sort of surreal watching something she'd only ever dreamed of happening right before her eyes…
Nervousness and anxiety were making the girl's stomach want to curl into knots… But… He said he'd win… And that was enough to make another feeling shine brighter than all the others… Hope. A smile began to rise to her lips and she turned to give the man behind her an answer, the feeling in her heart making her eyes glitter like a pair of diamonds in the sun, "That's my captain.". She turned back and her smile grew when she found the bright yellow of a straw hat that seemed to shine like the sun even with the dark, rainy skies above, "Monkey D. Luffy, of the Straw Hat Pirates.".
Luffy's fist met Arlong's in the air and the shockwave it created knocked them both back, feet skidding across the wet and broken concrete. He pushed off his left leg, ignoring the ache in his hand, before darting in the direction of his opponent's open right side, his fingers still curled into a fist.
Arlong grinned as he watched the brat move into his guard, making no move to defend against his attack.
The straw-hatted teen wrenched his arm forward and his knuckles found their target, "Pistol!". A violent crack ripped through the air, however, he was the one who recoiled in pain, pulling back the pulsing extremity with a hiss. He ducked under a punch directed at his face and slid through the fishman's legs, standing when he made it safely through.
"How the heck do you know how to use haki?!", Luffy complained, jumping over his foe's diving form. He hadn't been sure at first, but the last blow had confirmed it. Long-Nose knew how to use at least enhancement.
Arlong jumped up from the ground and burst back in the boy's direction, the wide grin never leaving his face, "Oh, so you know about haki, do you?". His fist flashed forward and met the brat's guard as he roughly pushed against it, his smile beginning to lessen when he realized they were at a standstill.
Luffy groaned at the feeling of the enhanced knuckles digging into his forearms… Yep, definitely using haki… He pushed against the larger form with all of his strength and just barely managed to fend the attack off, shoving his opponent away while he slid back a good way himself, "Yeah! How the heck do you know about it?!". Shanks had said that not many people from the blues knew it even existed, let alone how to use it.
"I could ask the same question of you, brat.", Arlong growled, his leg flashing out toward the human's side. When the extremity was knocked away, he moved with its momentum and hopped off of his other leg. Before he could move to block, his enhanced leg smashed into the boy's side and sent him shooting through the air, a grunt of pain leaving his mouth.
Luffy hit the ground and rag-dolled before sliding to a stop, his hand tenderly holding his ribs as he stood back to his feet as quickly as he could. Again, the hair on his neck stood, and he wildly searched the area, looking intently for what might be giving him the feeling while a part of him still wondered what it might actually be. His gaze was suddenly pulled upward and his eyes widened when he saw the tip of a very pointy nose growing larger with every moment that passed.
"Nose Piercer!", Arlong roared, screaming through the air with his sights set on the spot directly between his adversary's eyes.
With almost no time to react, Luffy was barely able to shift his body out of the way. However, he did not escape unscathed. The sharp point of the enhanced nose dug into his shoulder and slashed straight through the two cuts already there, reopening them as it slid all the way down the length of his arm before the body it belonged to smashed into the concrete, blasting him from his feet. Blood fell from the sky like the rain it was surrounded by as the gash running down his skin bled, his body crashing roughly into the surrounding debris.
Arlong ripped himself out of the ground and whipped his head around the area, his grin returning when he found his now bleeding opponent making to stand back up. He made to do the same but paused when his eyes caught the rocking waters of the port, an idea coming to him. He was suddenly back on his feet and sprinting in his opponent's direction, hoping to reach him before he could recover.
Luffy had only just gotten back to his feet when the hair-raising feeling rolled through him yet again, his head quickly shifting in the direction of a pair of rapid footsteps. A fist suddenly consumed his vision and he threw up a hasty block, confusion rolling through him went he felt no impact. He suddenly felt a hand gripping his ankle and his feet were ripped out from underneath him, the air leaving his lungs when his back hit the ground.
Arlong twisted his body before ripping his core to the right and releasing the prey caught in his grasp, sending his smaller form on a direct course for the port. A manic glint appeared in his eye as he watched the brat sail through the air toward what would be his grave, feet already moving in the same direction.
Luffy's form wildly whipped through the air while he tried to get his bearings and was soon met with the cold waters of the ocean. He splashed through the surface, hissing at the sting of salt water soaking into his cut, and it took a moment for his head to stop spinning before he was able to swim back up, his extremities cutting through the water to push him to a much-needed breath of air.
A gasp left the teen's mouth when oxygen flowed into his lungs, quickly followed by another when a long sharp nose consumed his vision for the second time. His eyes widened and he ducked back under the water, the fishman's large form splashing above his head. Without another thought, he dove deeper before turning in place at the sound of a loud voice.
"This is where our little bout ends, brat.", stated Arlong, relishing in the feeling of the water surrounding him. He caught the scent of blood in the water and his heartbeat began to quicken, "Because there's a difference between us.". He smiled insultingly at the human floating in the water below him, "Do you know what it is?".
A long moment of silence hung between the two adversaries before it was finally broken by Luffy's muffled voice. "Nose?...", the boy guessed, bubbles floating from his lips. He thought it was a pretty good guess. He definitely didn't have a nose like that… His blurry eyes caught sight of a red cloud forming around his left arm and they widened… That couldn't be good…
A growl rose from the shark fishman's throat at the unintentionally cheeky comment, "No.".
Luffy pulled his eyes away from the growing cloud of blood and thought for another moment, seemingly unbothered by it. "Our chins?", he guessed again. Long-Nose had a pretty pointy one… Not as pointy as his nose though…
A louder more animalistic sound left Arlong's mouth, the iron scent filling his nostrils continuing to make his heart rate rise, "No…".
The teen's hand rose to his chin and steam began to rise from his head, the now heated water floating upward to the surface. His eyes caught a glance of the shark fishman's feet and a light bulb went off in his head. "Webbed toes!", he exclaimed. That just had to be the answer!… Right?…
"IT'S SPECIES!", Arlong roared in anger, shooting through the water like a speeding harpoon. He'd had enough of the brat's jokes. It was time for him to die. With his jaws open and ready to bite, he sped through the red cloud now obscuring his foe's form, sharp teeth violently snapping through open water. A growl left his throat as he searched for the brat, his eyes finding a trail of cloudy blood leading downward. The corners of his lips rose and he shot in the direction it led in, his mind consumed with bloodlust.
Luffy veered off to the right when the hair his hair stood up again. He was getting better at reacting to the feeling faster now that he was focusing on it a little more, however, more red colored the water when an enhanced nose opened up a small cut on the skin covering his left hip. He held back the instinct to hiss, trying to save as much oxygen as he could, and shifted the rest of his body to safety before turning to watch his opponent slow to a stop. He needed to be faster…
Luffy kept himself curled and tensed every muscle in his lower body… One more… One more would get him there… He'd need to push even harder this time. The water wasn't solid like the sea floor, so it was definitely going to be a lot more difficult… With every ounce of energy left in his body, the black-haired boy desperately uncurled his body and his legs shot out below him, his feet smashing against the water so hard that the liquid compressed for a split second.
The memory was fleeting, surrounded by the fog of almost drowning, but it made a smile rise to the boy's lips… If he could do that again… His legs almost immediately bent and he flashed his teeth in the direction of the quickly approaching fishman He hoped this worked… Otherwise, he was probably going to get skewered… With his body parallel to the sea floor and his opponent about to turn him into a shish kebab, his feet exploded outward, violently compressing the water behind him.
The liquid surrounding Luffy rippled with the sound of a muffled boom and he shot off to the left just before Arlong's sharp nose would have ripped into him once again. A trail of blood followed his figure, but he paid it no mind, widely grinning at the prospect of how fast he was moving through the water… Maybe he'd be able to race Levi for real now!… He shook the thought away when he heard a growl following him and glanced over his shoulder to see his blurry opponent catching up now that he was beginning to slow down. However, the grin never left his face, nor did his movement halt, his legs shooting out to the side and creating another shockwave that sent him screaming through the water.
With every boom, the teen seemed to get more and more used to the feeling of moving at high speeds, his ability to maneuver in the all-encompassing liquid getting better with each passing moment. His legs cracked through the water over and over again as he was chased relentlessly, his blood leaving a zigzagging trail of red. The more he pushed himself, the more his lungs began to tighten, a dizziness slowly sneaking its way into his head. More than likely, it was due to all the blood he was losing…
A roar came from behind and Luffy's hair stood on end, his legs shooting out behind him once again. He felt his opponent's nose pierce the bottom of his sandal before the fishman was consumed by the shockwave radiating from his feet, his figure speeding toward the surface. Just before he would have broken through, the strange feeling hit him once again and he suddenly redirected himself off to the side before immediately shooting downward.
Arlong hissed in anger as his hand shot out at his now descending foe, the brat somehow managing to shift his body around it and find his way underneath him. The same sound left his lips once again when he turned to pursue, but it was suddenly replaced by a choked breath, a fist ramming into the underside of his pointy chin.
An animalistic growl rumbled from Luffy's throat as the two shot upward, his fist still buried into the fishman's skin. When they broke through the surface, he heaved his arm the rest of the way forward, and a crack ripped through the air, a large blue form screeching high into the sky. Instead of watching the flipping body fly higher and higher, he let his feet land back on the concrete before almost immediately launching himself back into the air.
The pirate captain rocketed through the sky on a direct course for his opponent and within moments, was slamming his shoulder into the fishman's back, pushing their forms to rise even higher. They stilled for a moment, momentum halting while they violently grappled with each other, before Luffy suddenly let go and shoved his opponent downward. He pointed the tips of his sandals as he continued to fall and a thought wormed its way into his head, hand drifting into his vision… He wasn't sure he could break through Long-Nose's armament without it… If there were ever a time for it to come back…
Luffy cautiously stoked the heat that constantly resided in his heart and could almost immediately feel exhaustion begin to course through his body. He quickly let the power cool back down and the feeling faded away while he continued to fall, toes still pointed downward. It looked like he'd have to find some other way to break through his opponent's defenses... He shook his head and a grin rose to his lips… He'd figure it out.
Arlong couldn't help the fury bursting from his chest as he fell, his back facing the ground and his eyes locked on the toes being pointed in his direction. Much sooner than he expected, his back cracked into something solid and his breath left him. Without even a chance at moving, a pair of sandals slammed into his stomach and, for the first time since he'd started using haki, he groaned in pain.
The rooftop shattered underneath the two when Luffy connected with his target and they violently crashed through to the floor below, a boom ripping through the small space as their momentum carried them through that floor as well.
The straw-hatted teen heard his opponent grunt when their momentum finally stopped a cloud of dust and papers rising into the air as they cracked into the floor but not quite all the way through. He immediately stepped off his opponent and cocked his fist back before the fishman could regain his bearings, preparing to send it into Long-Nose's face. Just when he went to throw his arm forward, however, he stopped, his eyes curiously glancing around the room he found himself in.
It was filled with papers and books but one thing more than any other caught his attention. The table resting at the back wall… It made him think of the one in Nami's room. "What is this place?", Luffy asked, stepping over his opponent and in the direction of the table.
Arlong groaned while he removed himself from the floor, holding his stomach tenderly. He was getting tired from using so much haki. He'd forgotten how much energy it took to cover his entire body and was now feeling the effects. "This is Nami's room.", the fishman answered, taking the pause in their battle as a chance to recover some stamina.
The boy froze in place at the words, his eyes glued to the drawing table that he could now see had various dark red stains marring its surface. "What?…", he asked carefully, an edge appearing in his voice where the wasn't one before.
The change in his enemy went unnoticed by Arlong, a satisfied smile coming to rest on his lips as he glanced around the room. "I said… This is Nami's room.", he repeated, smugly, "This is where I make her draw my maps.".
The words made Luffy's fists clench, "Make her?…".
The shark fishman laughed at the question before peering insultingly at the back of the boy's head, "Yes… I make her… And I will continue to do so for the rest of her miserable little life… Because she belongs to me.".
Luffy's teeth ground against each other, his eyes glued to the bloodstained desk in front of him, "So you're saying… This room… It's her prison.".
"I guess that's one way you could look at it.", Arlong replied, his manic smile growing at the tenseness he could see entering the human's shoulders.
"So…", the straw-hatted pirate captain slowly turned and his glaring black orbs met the light blue of his enemy's, "Nami can't be free until this room is gone.". His fingers folded into the top of his palm and his bicep tensed to its max.
Arlong's eyes widened at the implication, reaching forward to stop the boy from doing what he was about to do.
Without another word said between the two, Luffy tore his eyes away from the figure jumping in his direction and slammed his hand into the floor, "Sun Palm!". The action was followed by the sound of shattering wood and ripping paper, the two adversaries falling through to the floor below. They both landed on their feet as everything from the room above crashed around them.
"My maps!", Arlong panicked, watching the papers shower down from the hole in the ceiling.
Luffy jumped through the wall of falling parchment and in the direction of the shark fishman with a roar, uncaring of the blood painting his arm red. His crimson-colored fingers curled into the top of his palm and his hand shot forward, cracking through the air.
"Sun Palm: Bloody Buckshot!", the teen improvised. When his palm made contact with Long-Nose's guard, a shockwave forced the fishman's arms apart and the rivulets of blood dripping from his gash shot off his skin like speeding bullets, ripping straight through the gaping hole in his opponent's defense.
The breath was forced from Arlong's lungs when the small gathering of crimson projectiles blasted into his chest, painting his blue skin red before he skidded backward through the entrance of the building. He came to a stop when the back of his heels hit what was left of his broken throne and made no move to retaliate, gasping as he tried to steady his breathing. His enhancement had saved him from taking any real damage but it had put even more strain on his stamina… He could feel his haki beginning to weaken from exhaustion… This human was pushing him further than he'd had to go in a long time… Maybe further than he'd ever gone… The thought made a growl rise to his throat, matching the roar coming from his approaching foe.
"Pistol!", the straw-hatted pirate captain screamed, his fist aimed at the fishman's face. The appendage cracked through the air and met a sharp white pair of clenched teeth, a rippling shockwave blowing through his opponent. The two hung in a standstill, battling for dominance over one another before cracks began to appear in the makeshift guard. Not a moment later, he felt the teeth give and a roar left his lips as he finished his punching motion.
A second boom sounded right after the first and Arlong's face rippled even through his armament haki, his feet leaving the ground before he flew back out into the pouring rain. His body crashed into the ruined courtyard and smashed into the concrete, a grunt leaving his lips as debris erupted into the air. He didn't stay down for long, however, spitting out the remains of his teeth before he flexed the muscles in his jaw, a new pair seemingly popping into existence where the broken ones had previously resided. These were stronger, more resilient, and wouldn't need as much enhancement to keep from breaking. Hence why he left the first pair unprotected.
"Water Darts:", the shark fishman roared, a maniacal grin finding its way to his face, "Gatling!".
Luffy's eyes widened and he skidded to a halt, sending himself off to the right as a barrage of water bullets began to nip at his heels. He pumped his legs as fast as he could to stay ahead of them when the onslaught suddenly stopped, the cracking of concrete making him whip around to find his enemy sailing in his direction holding two sets of teeth like a pair of hand-held bear traps.
"Unbreaking Tooth Attack!", Arlong roared, snapping the enhanced weapons down on where his opponent's shoulders should have been while the teeth in his mouth snapped forward at the same time. Instead of tasting blood, all three sets met empty air, his the boy sliding underneath his flying form and lifting from the ground. With his momentum still carrying him forward, a foot mashed into his back and he was sent flying much further than originally planned, a splash echoing from the port.
Luffy had only just landed on his feet when a familiar feeling screamed at him to move, another loud splash of water coming from the port only moments after the first.
"UNSTOPPABLE SHARK TOOTH DRILL!", Arlong roared, breaking through the surface of the water like a speeding torpedo. His body spun through the air while he kept his weapons pointed forward and, with every rotation, his speed increased, his form beginning to blur into a vortex of blue and white.
Luffy sunk to the ground and the fishman's form flashed over his head, quickly rising back to his feet. The sound of skidding feet sounded from behind before it was followed by the cracking of stone and he turned just in time for his hair to stand on end, his head shifting to the side. A pair of teeth shot past his face and he winced when it glanced at his cheek, small drops of blood falling from the new cut. However, he paid it no mind.
With his opponent so close to him, it only took a single step for the teen to find himself inside the shark fishman's guard. He wrenched his arm back before ripping it forward and his palm found the center of his opponent's chest, "Impact!".
Not for the first time, the air was expelled from Arlong's lungs and a shockwave ripped through his body. His enhancement once again saved him from the brunt of the attack, however, it did nothing to lessen its impact. Even though his armament held, his body buckled underneath the blow, folding over the boy's hand before he shot off toward the building at his back.
Luffy huffed in exertion and his hand dropped to his knees, the dizziness from all the blood he'd lost finally beginning to make itself apparent. However, he couldn't help the grin spreading across his face… He'd felt it with the last attack. Long-Nose's enhancement was getting weaker… And, if he could hit him hard enough, he might just be able to break through it…
The thoughts were suddenly wiped from the boy's head when he found the recovered fishman sprinting at him once again, his eyes glowing with a fiery rage.
Arlong could barely see through the red haze that was consuming his vision… He wanted this human abomination dead… Now.
The two met each other in the middle and began trading blows faster than any of the current spectators could keep up with, shockwaves wrecking the already destroyed courtyard even further.
Luffy pushed himself to move even faster, his arms and legs flashing out at any opening he could find. He could see exhaustion beginning to seep into his opponent's movements and instinctively knew the battle would be coming to an end soon… A pair of jaws flashed by his face and he narrowly dodged them, eyes widening when he saw a perfect opening in his the shark fishman's defense… Almost too perfect…
The boy's hair stood on end and he knew he should listen to what it was trying to tell him, but was instead consumed by the sight of Long-Nose's unguarded center... He could end it right then and there if he could reach him, he just knew it… So, he ignored the feeling and flashed into his guard, arm loaded with every ounce of power he had in his body.
"Pistol!", Luffy screamed, his fist snapping through the air toward the fishman's chest. He felt and saw the impact, the fishman's armament cracking underneath his knuckles, but, also… He felt something he couldn't see… It felt like… Tearing…
A loud crack shot through the air, accompanied by a strange ripping sound, before it was replaced once again by the pounding rain.
Luffy stood stock still, a rueful smile taking over his face, as he watched his foe violently crash into the large building… Because that was all he could really do… A cough left his mouth and it was accompanied by blood dripping down his chin... He should have listened to the feeling…
"LUFFY!", Nami screamed in distress, her eyes never leaving the boy's still form… It had all happened so fast… One second he was fine, and the next…
Blood splashed to the concrete at the pirate captain's feet in copious amounts as it flowed profusely from his left side, just above the hip. Where there had previously been tan unmarred skin, there was now a large hole filled with nothing but gushing red liquid, the gruesome injury looking as if someone had taken a large bite out of him.
Loud maniacal laughter began to echo around the area when Arlong stepped through the hole he'd made in the wall, spitting blood from his mouth while he rubbed his chest. The brat had somehow found the strength to crack his enhancement… But it made no difference now… His laughter continued and he stepped back out into the rain, his eyes drinking in the sight of the gaping hole he'd left in his enemy.
"I imagine that stings a little bit.", the shark fishman said, pointing insultingly at the wound he'd inflicted, "That's what you get for ever believing you had a chance at beating me.". He looked up to the sky and his laughter continued uninterrupted. "Look!", he exclaimed pointing toward the black clouds high above, "Even the heavens have abandoned you!". His laughter only seemed to rise as he continued, "They've forsaken you! Left you to die in this cold, wet, darkness!".
"Hey, Long-Nose…", said Luffy evenly, the brim of his straw hat shadowing his eyes, "I'm about to say something really cool…", his gaze flashed toward his cackling foe, "And you're gonna remember it for the rest of your life when I beat you… Cause you're wrong about the heavens and all that.".
The fishman's laughs came to a grinding halt and he stared at the dying boy in curiosity, part of him wondering what it was he could possibly want to say.
"Hasn't anyone ever told you?…", the pirate captain smiled a massive smile and curled his toes into the ground, taking one last look down at his mutilated side before his black gaze came up to meet the light blue of the person standing in the way of Nami's dream, large grin still firmly rooted in place, "The skies are always darkest before dawn!".
Before Arlong even got the chance to laugh at the ridiculous statement, the cracking of concrete filled the air and his eyes widened. How the hell was the bastard still able to move?! The pain alone had to be unbearable! Not to mention the blood loss!… As he watched the boy approach with blood flowing from his wound like a rushing river, he couldn't help but realize how right he was before... This human was an abomination.
Luffy took two bounds in the direction of his paralyzed opponent before he reached him… This was it… He slid through the fishman's legs and his hand found the a blue-colored ankle, roughly pulling it out from under the large figure it belonged to.
Arlong was suddenly brought out of his shock when his face slammed into the ground and his leg was roughly pulled into the air, a loud groan of pain coming from his lips. What little enhancement he could still use sprouted from underneath his skin and covered his body in a thin layer of protection, his head shifting just in time to watch his captor bend his knees.
Luffy's legs extended and pushed off the ground harder than he ever had, a crater exploding into the ground from the opposite force. His smile widened at the wind and rain blowing past his face and he couldn't help but think that it felt similar to how he'd been moving through the water earlier. His eyes widened at the thought as his sight caught a head of orange hair. "NAMI!", he screamed, hoping he'd be loud enough for her to hear over the thunder and rain.
"SORRY, BUT… I MIGHT DIE!", the straw-hatted teen admitted. If he could do it just once… He only needed to do it once to ensure his navigator's freedom… The only problem was… He had no idea if he would survive in the condition he was in… However, he knew one thing for sure. "BUT DON'T WORRY!… I PROMISE!… I'M GONNA SET YOU FREE, NO MATTER WHAT!", he finished, wind and rain continuing to howl by his face.
Luffy's grip tightened on the ankle in his hand and, when he felt himself slowing in the air, began to flip, roughly dragging his captive along for the ride.
Arlong tried to regain his bearings and remove himself from his foe's grasp but with every rotation, it became more and more difficult as they rapidly continued to gain speed. His body rag-dolled through the air for a time that seemed far longer than it actually was before he was suddenly weightless.
Luffy screamed through the pain in his side and released the ankle he held when he felt himself begin to fall, diving after his opponent's descending form. He grit his teeth before tensing all the muscles in his legs and the appendages violently shot out behind him, nothing but a groan of pain following the action. He growled to himself as he continued to fall and tried again, to no avail.
With almost no time left, the straw-hatted pirate captain took a deep breath and narrowed his eyes on his the fishman directly below him, his arms lifting above his head to point straight downward. He folded his fingers into the tops of his palm and held the appendages to face the ground. It was going to work this time… Not because he knew it or anything like that, but simply because he believed it would... Every muscle in his body tensed to its max, blood squirting profusely from the major wounds marring his skin.
Nami, Nojiko, and Genzo, all looked on in fascination as the pitch-black clouds in the sky parted for the first time since everything began, a single beam of light making its way through the dark canopy. The occurrence wouldn't have been that unusual, however, the break in the clouds was accompanied by a boom so loud they all had to hold their ears in fear of them rupturing.
The three companions watched on in bewilderment as a massive shockwave erupted from Luffy's feet, his form shooting through the air with an absurd amount of speed. It had to have been a trick of the eyes, but, while their sights followed the quickly descending figure, he seemed to almost meld into the beam of light shining at his back and become one with it… It felt like something straight out of a storybook…
Arlong's body turned in the air and he had to squint when he looked up, light assaulting his eyes. Before they could even really begin to adjust, something else entered his sight, and for some reason, the human's earlier words drifted through his head.
"Hasn't anyone ever told you?…", the pirate captain smiled a massive smile and curled his toes into the ground, taking one last look down at his mutilated side before his black gaze came up to meet the light blue of the person standing in the way of Nami's dream, large grin still firmly rooted in place, "THE SKIES ARE ALWAYS DARKEST BEFORE DAWN!".
The shark fishman's eyes widened when a blinding white smile entered his vision, the person it belonged to moving in his direction much faster than he thought possible. Light surrounded the descending figure and his straw hat seemed to glow like a mini sun as it violently whipped in the wind. He was only able to look for a moment before his eyes were suddenly consumed by darkness, his loud grunt of pain being drowned out by the words of the person covering his eyes.
"SUN PALM:", Luffy screamed as they blasted through the roof of Arlong Park's main building. He rode his opponent through the next floor and the one after while he kept his palms firmly locked over his opponent's eye sockets, forcing the fishman's head downward with all the strength he had left. He barely even had a moment to brace himself before the bottom floor of the building entered his sight, one last growl leaving his lips before they connected with the ground.
"BLINDING LIGHT!".
A massive shockwave blew through the earth and annihilated the large building's foundations, the walls of the first floor exploding outward along with the three unconscious bodies still resting out front. As the building came crashing to the ground, floor after floor fell in on itself like a set of vertically stacked dominos until there was almost nothing left of the building that previously stood there, only a massive circular crater full of smoking rubble and shifting debris.
"LUFFY!", Nami screamed eyeing the fallen building in shock as small rumbles continued to shake the ground beneath her feet. She couldn't even move, a part of her too scared at what she might find if she searched the rubble… She scanned the destruction intently, looking for any sign of her captain and praying to the heavens above that his earlier words had been untrue.
An irritated roar came from somewhere in the remains of the building and some of the rubble suddenly exploded outward, revealing a bloodied Luffy slowly stepping out of where he'd been buried. He carried an unconscious form over his shoulder, with what looked like blood filling the entirety of the fishman's eye sockets, and as soon as he hit open air, let the larger form roughly drop to the ground… He hadn't really chosen to save him… It just kind of ended up happening that way... More than anything, it was a way of thanking his unconscious foe for taking most of the impact...
A squelch came from his side and the boy finally took the time to really look at the injury he'd received, a wave of nausea rushing through him at how much blood was coming out of him. He didn't consider himself squeamish at all... But that was a lot of blood...
Luffy pulled his vision away from the gruesome sight that was his side and tried to begin walking toward the gate, struggling to take even small steps as the dizziness in his head began to become harder and harder to deal with. Not to mention the state of the rest of his body... However, the teen continued stumbling, his eyes looking up to see his navigator wildly waving her arms in his direction. The gesture made a smile rise to his lips and he raised his hand in return, beginning to slowly move toward where she stood.
Luffy had to hold back a laugh when Nami continued to wave her arms like a crazy person and made to call out to his friend. However, he never got the chance, halting in the action when ice suddenly shot down his spin, a deep rage-filled voice sounding from over his shoulder.
"DEMON BRICK FIST!".
End Note:
I might get some flame for giving Arlong haki, but I really didn't feel like it was that much of a jump with him being from fishman island. Plus I think it made things a little more exciting. Anyways, sorry to leave on a cliffhanger, but the next chapter is under way! With that being said, hope you enjoyed it and see you all in the next one!