The King of Pirates and The King of Fighters.
Chapter 1: The second member, becoming the strongest.
22 years have passed since the death of the legendary pirate.
Gold D Roger
His name was widely known all over the world as he conquered the seas for many years, facing powerful pirate rivals and marine foes. The tales of his battles against his pirate rival Whitebeard and marine enemy Monkey D. Garp were also known as the stuff of legends.
Even his battles against devil fruit users were legendary.
The Devil Fruits were mysterious fruits that had appeared during the first and second pirate eras. Their origin is unknown, but it is known that each Devil Fruit grants a unique ability to its user.
There was a price for consuming one, though. The user would be vulnerable to the ocean if they were submerged in water. It was risky for pirates, as traveling across the ocean isn't the brightest idea, but it's a risk they're willing to take.
It was speculated that Roger had even consumed one but some that knew the man personally shut that down to be false. But the one thing the man was mostly recognized for by civilians, pirates and Marines was for one thing only.
The One Piece
A legend that was said to hold unimaginable value, including many treasures that had been lost for years and supposedly collected by Roger.
After this declaration of the legendary treasure and his execution, this event came to be known as The Great Pirate Era. This sparked a new generation of pirates to set sail on the seas in search of the One Piece.
Many great pirates have fallen but some have not given up and to this day continue to look for the treasure. For whoever finds the treasure will also earn the title that every pirate wants to be and the last to use it was Roger himself.
The Pirate King.
That was not the only title that was being sought after. It was something brutal and intense, and could only be won in combat by defeating all of the strongest fighters in the world.
The King of Fighters
Only three people have held that title for decades. The first was Kenji Katsu.
Kenji was someone that no Marine or pirate would want to have as an enemy. He had been given multiple nicknames by them, but there was only one that was mostly recognized.
The God of Fist.
The second person to hold the title was also the last to defeat Kenji.
Ryu Sato
This was another fighter whose reputation was recognized by the public. Before he became well-known, he was just an ordinary man who had been looking for challenges and defeating the top-known strongest fighters; later on, he became a pirate hunter, bringing in many famous names.
It earned him the nickname the "Bloodhound."
Years later, the same man would become a pirate himself and join Rogers' crew. It was unknown whether he joined willingly or not, but what was known was that they had indeed battled, and only one person knew the outcome, as he had witnessed the event; however, that story was for another time.
In short order, he gained a reputation as the strongest hand-to-hand fighter in the crew, which soon earned him another nickname. The "Iron Warrior," Ryo Sato.
It was said that when Ryu and Kenji battled, their fight became so fierce that it caused the seas to quake. Both fighters were evenly matched in terms of strength, speed, and power. The battle reportedly lasted for three days straight, with neither giving up. In the end, Ryu emerged victorious, earning him the title and the win
Then after Rogers' death, Ryu was never heard from again for many years, until the news of his own death appeared in the newspaper. He was defeated by someone, and the person never revealed himself, but had given his name before vanishing.
Daku.
An eight-year-old lightly tanned boy with short, dark brown hair stood on a meadow field, staring at a body. It was bruised and lying in a pool of blood; its face was on the ground.
Looking up, the boy saw the figure turn to look back at him. Purple eyes broke the darkness as they stared at him.
Green eyes snapped open as an 18-year-old young man woke from memories. Looking around he remembered where he was at. he sighed at this before he stood up.
Standing at 5'7, he displayed an impressive muscular physique. His hair was still short and shaggy, with some curls framing his face.
(A/E:Baki's physique)
His name was Kyro Sato, a young fighter who has traveled to many places in search of challenges.
He began to do his usual basic exercises and stretches to warm himself up before starting his daily training.
Surprisingly it's been quiet here on the island for the last couple of weeks. To be honest it was kind of disappointing. He wasn't gonna get stronger if he got no challenge or kept beating the same weak pirates.
If he wanted to get stronger, he needed to leave soon. He looked at his hand and stared at it. He had a mini flashback of his younger self's hand, covered in...'his' blood.
He snapped back to the real world and shook his head. he went to begin his training, but it seemed God had other plans. He saw a pirate ship sailing towards the island. He sighed, "Well, I'll just make quick work of them before I start." He slipped on a white tank top and a pair of shoes before heading toward the destination.
(Couple of minutes before the pirate ship arrived)
"Hey Zoro, I see an island!" A voice called out. it was revealed to be a 17-year-old slim young man. He had a scar under his right black colored eye, black shaggy hair, blue shorts, a buttoned up red vest, sandals, and finally a straw hat on his head.
This was Captain Monkey D. Luffy. Not long ago, he had set sail on his journey to find the One Piece and become the King of Pirates. You would think someone like him would have been prepared to embark on such a voyage with a crew by his side, but Luffy was...a special kind of person.
Though he managed to recruit his first member, the infamous swordsman and former bounty hunter "Pirate Hunter" Roronoa Zoro.
He was to be executed by a corrupt Marine Captain and his son, but with the help of Luffy and another, they defeated the duo and were allowed to leave without incident.
He was a green short-haired man close to his twenties. He wore a plain white shirt, black pants, a haramaki sash that held his three swords, a black bandana tied around his left bicep and three piercings on his ear.
"About time, my ass was starting to fall asleep." The swordsman said as they had been traveling for hours on a fishermans boat since their departure.
Luffy laughed. "Maybe there's food on this island." He started to paddle quickly towards it.
Zoro sweat dropped at this. Did he remember they were flat broke?
As they neared the dock, they saw a bearded man who looked to be 40 sitting there and appeared to be fishing. He was wearing a sleeveless white shirt, half rolled up light blue pants and sandals. He turned toward them and gave a friendly wave and smiled. "Hello, I take it this is your first time here?"
"Yeah, how do you know that?" Zoro raised an eyebrow.
The man laughed. "Young man, once you live long enough, like I have, you'll be able to read anyone's facial expressions like a book."
The duo climbed up the dock and tied the boat to it.
"Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Riku. I'm happy to welcome you both to Saint island."
"I'm Monkey D. Luffy, this is my crewmate Zoro," the young man said, smiling widely as he introduced them both. His expression then shifted to one of confusion. "What kind of island name is that?" he asked.
Zoro punched him in the back of the head hard, making his neck stretch. "Baka, shut up!" he said. "Sorry about him." He didn't want to get kicked off the island because of his captain's bluntness.
The older man laughed. "It is alright, it is a strange name, yes, but you see there's a story behind it. Why don't I walk you two into town and I'll tell you both?" he offered.
"Sugoi, let's go!" Luffy cheered, and Zoro sighed at his captain's carefree attitude but followed him anyway.
"Long ago, during my late grandfather's time, this island was ruled by a powerful man, a tyrant named Poison Fang Yamu."
"Wait. Was he a pirate with a crew? asked Luffy.
"He wasn't, he was just one man." The fisherman told them.
This answer had surprised them. "Wait, for real? How strong was this guy?" the swordsman questioned.
"Very strong. He has defeated many pirates, marines, bounty hunters, and even those who dared go against him with his poison style; hence the nickname "Poison Fang."
The guys were now deeply into the story as they listened on.
"It was then that a man had arrived on the island one day and challenged him. The battle was watched by the people who had no hope for the man as they had thought he would be finished just like others before him.
"Buuuuut." Luffy like a little kid was excited at what was to come.
"It was the opposite at first, but it had then changed around in Poison Fang's favor. The people of the island, including my father, had cheered for the man to keep fighting because they were given hope."
Luffy had a huge smile on his face as he listened to the man's story, while Zoro nodded in respect for the man's determination.
"In the aftermath, he had won but had soon departed from the island. People called him a savior, hero, a legend, and many other names; they all agreed on one thing, though – that the man was a saint."
"Which is why the island is name Saint in honor of him." Zoro figuring it out.
The fisherman nod. "That is correct, look at that were here already here." The man said.
The town looked nice with some people in the marketplace browsing around that sold a lot of stuff. Clothes, weapons and food etc.
"Is there anywhere we can grab a bite?" asked the straw hat.
"I happen to know a good place; follow me," the fisherman said as he led them to a nearby location and entered the establishment through the batwing door.
It was a nice-looking bar with some people eating or drinking. Luffy's mouth watered as he smelled the food, while Zoro looked behind the bar and saw various kinds of drinks, making him quench for one.
"Hey Asuka, I've got a couple of customers here." The man called out.
A young lady had come out from the back; she was 18 at most, had light skin, black long hair, and pink-colored eyes.
"Ok dad." The girl smiled
"Wait, if your her dad, then aren't you.." Zoro trailed.
"Well, technically I'm not the true owner; my wife was the one who had actually ran the place. Sadly, though, she passed away last year, so I have been taking care of it since then, with the help of my daughter, of course. Now, I should be behind the bar counter; she'll show you to your table."
The young lady led the boys to an empty table and took their orders.
Luffy ordered a lot of meat, while Zoro ordered some sake.
She wrote it down and told them it would be ready and left.
The doors swung open, and a group of men entered. Luffy and Zoro saw this and knew immediately that trouble might be coming. Both could see that these men were pirates, as they carried swords and guns, and their identities were obvious.
Riku frowned at this but remained professional. "Can I help you gentlemen?"
"Yeah, we need the best table you've got, the best food, and the best drinks," the pirate said. He was a muscular and hairy man who stood seven feet tall. He wore an open brown vest, a skull-and-crossbones symbol embroidered on the back. The skull was in the shape of a bear's head.
The owner didn't like the man's attitude, but he kept his cool. "Alright then, please follow me." He led them to a large table.
Luffy and Zoro's orders arrived as Asuka returned. Luffy had started to chow down on his meal, eating at an incredible pace, devouring a bunch of meat.
"Your friend seems to have an appetite." The young girl giggled as she set his drink.
"Hey sweetheart come over here." The hairy pirate called to her. Zoro saw they were calling to get her attention and could tell she was uncomfortable.
She hesitantly walked over to the group. "Um, can I help you with something gentlemen's?"
The captain suddenly pulled her to his lap. "Yes, yes you can sweet cheeks." He
"Let go of me!" She exclaimed which earned the attention from people around in the bar.
"Hey! Let go of my daughter!" Riko angrily approached them.
"What was that?" The pirate leader and the others stood up.
You heard what I said. Let her go, take your thugs and get out of here," Riku said. He was not afraid of these punks. The leader threw Asuka into the arms of another pirate who held her tight. The leader walked up to man, everyone could see the size difference as Atsumi stood at 6'2.
"Maybe I should tell you who I am. I am Goro 'Big Bear' Gozo, and I have a bounty of fifteen million. I have destroyed all those who have dared go against me; do you want me to add you to the list?" The leader smirked.
"I could careless if your bounty was a billion, I will not ask you again-" he was stopped when he was hit across the face by a bear hand that belonged to the pirate leader as his hand transformed.
Riku crashed onto Luffy and Zoro's table which broke. The guys quickly checked to see if he was alright.
"Dad!" Asuka cried out as tears were forming.
The crew was laughing as they're boss showed the man who he was dealing with. Suddenly a chair flew and crashed hard into the face of the pirate who was holding Asuka which allowed her to escape and ran to her father's aid
The pirate was unconscious as his face was damaged and nose broken with some teeth gone.
"I don't think that's any way to treat a lady." Everyone looked to see the owner of the voice
(Baki: Confrontation extended)
Standing close to the door was a person with his arms folding across his chest giving a glare to the pirates.
He stepped forward and was revealed to be Kyro
The civilians had felt safe when they saw the young man. Luffy and Zoro saw everyone relaxed and wondered who this guy was?
"Hey, who the hell are you!?" Questioned another pirate.
"Who me? I'm just someone who happens to be this islands protector." Kyro told them.
The crew was silent as they had progressed the information. they had than started laugh. One of the men took out a gun and pointed at him. "Oh yeah?"
"You sure you wanna end it like this?" The young man questioned.
"Huh"
"Your pointing your gun at me but not pulling the trigger."
Luffy knew what he was asking. It was almost the very same thing Shanks had said to the bandits that had kidnapped him when he was a little kid
"What the hell your rambling about?" The pirate became irritated.
"The moment you pull that trigger you will be forfeiting your life, it will be the last thing you'll ever do. It is not a threat, it is a promise." Kyro said and grinned as a light red aura was shown around him.
No one could have seen it but Zoro and Luffy did. What was this aura? why did it make them uneasy? It was not in a way evil or bad but it was like they wouldn't want to be in the pirates crew's boots.
The pirate with the gun started to shake. Why was he shaking? This was just some wannabe tough guy; there shouldn't have been any reason for his body to act like this.
Having enough he fired his gun.
Bang
The loud sound scared the customers and they all looked at the young man. Shockingly, Kyro was still standing with no wounds. He had his right arm up and was holding something in his hand. Opening it, he showed a lead ball safely in his hand before squeezing it with force, turning it into dust.
This amazed the customers, even Luffy was impressed while Zoro had to admit that it was impressive.
"That's the biggest mistake you've ever made," said Kyro as he vanished and reappeared in front of the pirate.
Astonished by the inhuman speed, the young man delivered a hard uppercut to the pirate's chin, breaking his jaw and sending some of his teeth flying out. The pirate was sent into the air before crashing back down, unconscious.
"You son of a bitch!" A pirate swordsman attacked with a saber, swinging the blade like a madman. Kyro evaded the wild slashes with ease before connecting a hard left punch to the liver, causing the man to hunch over in pain. A high axe kick came down connecting to the back of the head sending his face crashing to the floor.
Another went for his gun, but Kyro snatched it. He examined the gun for a few seconds and then began to bend the metal weapon. It was now no longer useful.
Throwing it up in the air and letting it come down, he performed a 360 tornado kick, sending the object flying so fast that it didn't give the former owner enough time to move before being struck in the face, knocking him out. The ball then ricocheted off of another pirate, hitting him directly in the face, breaking his teeth and nose.
(End song)
Kyron turned to the last two crew members who were now shaking nervously as they witnessed everything. The young man turned to the leader who expressed annoyance.
"Punk, you must want to be sent to death's doorstep." Goro's expression darkened and his transformed bear hands popped out claws.
Kyro chuckled at this. "Funny, I don't know how many times I've knocked on Death's door, but somehow he never answers."
Zoro hearing this knew that things were about to get serious. You don't often hear phrases like those and just from the looks of this Kyro, he could see he was not lying, especially with the scars that were on his arms.
"Guess I'll have to have you knock again, and this time he'll be answering!" Goro snarled as he started to transform.
He started to grow in size, and white fur grew all over him. His muscles bulged up, and his face morphed as his jaw stretched and large canines grew.
Everyone was terrified by what they saw; Asuka helped her father up, now worried. Meanwhile, both Zoro and Luffy continued to watch.
Kyro watched as a frosty mist came off the man, covering him.
A deep laugh was heard. It was revealed that the pirate was no longer a man.
No.
He was now a huge fifteen-foot-tall white polar bear. His claws were big enough to slice a human being in two, and his jaws were powerful enough to crush bones into dust.
A deep laughed came from the transformed pirate. "What do you think? I ate the Bear Bear fruit: model Polar Bear, I am now ten times stronger." the transformed pirate destroyed a table with a ease.
Kyro looked up at the huge Zoan fruit user. His face looked down, which made the pirate smirk; he thought he was scared, but that was gone when he heard what sounded like a chuckle.
And that's what it was, Kyro chuckled until it turned into a laughter that confused everyone. He stopped and brought his fist up, which shook with anticipation.
"I never thought I would face a devil fruit user; this is the kind of challenge I've been looking for." He got into his fighting stance.
(A/E Ohma's stance)
"Come on Big Bear! Show me what you got! Show me your strength!" Kyro's aura grew more dense and his eyes glowed red.
Enough of this, the pirate captain charged towards the young man who stood his ground. He swung his huge claws to slice apart Kyro, who easily dodged them. The pirate captain then swung again, but Kyro blocked the paw with his forearm and delivered a straight right punch, which sank deep into the pirate's chest.
The pirate bear stumbled back from this. He felt his sternum slightly crack. "What in the hell was that?" He thought to himself. "It felt like I got struck by a cannonball!" He was forced out of his thoughts as his side knee was kicked hard, dropping him to the floor.
No matter how many times the people of Saint island have seen it, it always amazed them by the sheer strength of Kyro. Even Luffy and Zoro were so far impressed with this guy.
Goro got up, but he slightly winced as he felt his knee was damaged. He looked at the brat, who had a smirk on his face. His vision was clouded by anger.
He will not be made a mockery by some no-name trash. He is Goro 'Big Bear' Gozo, the leader of the Bear Pirates; all those who have stood before him, he has left broken and dead.
And he will show that now
He roared as he again swung a huge swipe with his claw, but this time it was much faster, and Kyro barely dodged it. Looking down, he saw his tank top had torn..
Kyro ripped it off with ease and threw it to the side.
The ladies blushed at the sight, while the guys were envious. Zoro and Luffy's jaws dropped when they saw the physique of the fighter. There wasn't a single trace of fat anywhere on his body; it was as if a bodybuilder had sculpted him. But what really surprised them was something else they saw.
Scars.
Many of them were on his body, back and arms.
Zoro examined the scarred wounds on the back. He could tell that these were not self-inflicted. No, these were done by a wild animal. A tiger? A lion? It was hard to tell, but he knew one thing for certain.
This guy was seriously holding back.
Kyro jumped high into the air as he dodged another fast swipe. He connected a hard left kick to the neck followed by a right cross to the face, causing the polar bear pirate to stumble back and be momentarily dazed.
"How disappointing. I had thought you would be a longer challenge, but that proves it."
Goro growled as he regained his clearing.
"You're just a waste of a pirate who just picks on the weak, never fighting to grow stronger, never improving your own strength. If there's one thing that pisses me off more than anything else..."The aura around Kyro became clearer and his hair moved.
"Is weaklings like you!!" He called out.
Goro snarled and roared in rage; he had had enough of this. He stood on his four legs and assumed a defensive posture before charging forward at full speed.
Kyro decided to finish this and took his stance again, his fist clenched, covered in the red aura. As the pirate was inches away from him, Kyro quickly sidestepped and threw a powerful left uppercut.
The attack shattered his jaw in pieces, and teeth flew out.
'Sato style: Rising Demon.' The body was lifted up from the impact.
Before it hit the floor the captain was struck by a mighty right cross which dug deep into the chest and made a shockwave.
'Sato style:Dragon Spear'
The pirate leader flew back before falling hard on the floor; he transformed back to his regular self, revealing his blank eyes and open mouth, indicating that he had been knocked out.
The pirate crew could hardly believe it. Their captain had been beaten, defeated by someone who wasn't even a bounty hunter, Pirate or a Marine.
They looked at Kyro who turned to them and gave a vicious smile revealing his grown canines.
They almost shit themselves as an image of a what looked like a red giant version of the fighter formed and gave them the same vicious smile; its eyes glowing.
(A/E I wanted to make it like a Titan if that makes sense and no he will not eat a devil fruit)
Not wanting to be on the receiving end of another beating or worse, they quickly grabbed their unconscious captain and got the hell out of there.
Kyro's grin slowly faded away, along with his aura. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. After regaining control, he opened his eyes and was greeted by the crowd of people applauding and cheering for him.
He scratched the back of his head and chuckled a little embarrassedly.
Riku walked on over with Asuka who kept pestering him to let her check his injuries. "Thank you Kyro."
"It's no problem." Sigh. "Just another weak pirate that needed a reality check. Didn't even stand much of a chance."
Riku rolled his eyes. "Your always looking to find someone to give you one. I've never and probably won't again see anyone get this strong especially without a devil fruit."
Zoro and Luffy were surprised by this. The guy didn't even have a devil fruit and yet he was able to take down a crew and a huge opponent with ease.
"But one day, either a pirate, bounty hunter or marine will issue you a challenge, and they may be stronger than you."
"I know that," Kyro said, pausing and looking down at his right hand, which he had been balling into a fist. "I gotta get stronger... I promised someone I would be the strongest fighter in the world."
Silence hung in the air at this saying until..
"Sugoi!!"
The three jumped and saw Luffy who had his neck stretched out to face Kyro. "You, become my Nakama!"
Father and daughter were dumbfounded at the boys declaration. Kyro was taken back by this and stood back. He took a look at Luffy.
'Devil fruit user' "Ugh I'm sorry what?"
Zoro pulled his captain back. "Sorry about him."
Kyros's eyes widened for a moment as he saw the swordsman. "You're Roronoa Zoro, aren't you?"
Zoro raised an eyebrow. "Yeah?"
Kyro started to grin at this. He had heard rumors of a strong bounty hunter swordswoman who was not only known for capturing many pirates but for his three-sword style as well.
His expression dropped and he raised an eyebrow at this. "Wait... You're a pirate now? Who's your captain?"
"Shishishishi, me Monkey D. Luffy!" the straw hat pointed at himself with his thumb.
The young fighter raised an eyebrow. "Really?"
"It's true." Zoro confirmed it.
Kyro looked at Luffy who had then picked his nose. This caused a sweat drop from the fighter.
"Well, sorry to ruin your lunch. Hey Riku, they're bills on me. I gotta get back to my training." he said and was about to leave when he was stopped by Asuka.
She said, "You're gonna need something in your stomach." She smiled and handed him a basket of food. He took it and smiled in appreciation, causing her to blush.
Just as he walked and was about to the exit.
"Wait!?" Luffy called out.
Kyro stopped.
"Join my crew"
No reply came from the island protector as he was asked again. "Come try to find me if you can." Kyro exited.
"What does he mean?" Luffy
"Oh boy, you guys may be in for a ride," Riku said as he set a new table.
"What do you mean?" Zoro asked.
"Kyro is a fighter, I mean a real fighter. No devil fruit, no tricks, no drugs, 100% natural. He arrived here on the island about a year ago, before we had pirate problems. Don't get me wrong, I have nothing against pirates, but it seems like a lot of the good ones that tried to make a difference aren't around as much anymore.
Zoro saw Luffy's grim expression, which was surprising, but who could blame him. They both knew that the man's words were true. Many pirates today couldn't care less about civilian lives, as long as they got what they wanted.
Not only does Luffy want to find the one piece and be Pirate King but to show that there are still good pirates too.
"Anyways, Kyro has been offered by many pirates, but he always turned them down on the spot, sometimes even through force if that individual wouldn't accept his answer. I'm surprised he didn't turn you down."
"Where does he live?" Luffy asked.
Riku scratched the back of his head. "Well…he doesn't live in an ordinary place."
"What do you mean?" Zoro raised an eyebrow.
You see, there's a special place that he lives in. Actually, it's the most dangerous part of the island. Riku told the two.
"What is so dangerous about it." Zoro curiously asked.
Well aside from getting lost in it, as the place is like a jungle," Zoro eye twitched at this. "It holds some of the most dangerous animals on the island; it's said that some of these are much larger, stronger, and faster than their counterparts."
"Wow! He must be really strong then." Luffy said with excitement. Now the straw hat boy really needed this guy on the crew. "Do you know where it's at?"
"Well, I can take you there but I'm afraid I'll have to pass on your little adventure to find him." Riku gave a small laugh.
"Alright, let's go Zoro!" Luffy cheered.
Zoro sighed. He had a feeling that, even if they found him, he wouldn't join them so easily.
The two followed the man as he led them.
Kyro was currently sitting in a lotus position with his eyes closed in the middle of the clearing surrounded by a forest of trees.
Growl
Out from the shadows, a Sabertooth tiger was stalking its target. The tiger did not have an ordinary size; it weighed 2500 pounds and was about ten feet tall. Its color was also unique, consisting of white fur mixed with black and silver.
Suddenly, it jumped out and roared as it prepared to pounce on its prey. Swiftly, Kyro turned and delivered a swift, low kick to the face, knocking the animal back.
The tiger recovered as it stood back on its four legs. Kyro stood up to his feet.
It charged, roaring and extending its claws. Kyro barely managed to dodge the attack, but the tiger had leapt onto a tree and was using its momentum to launch itself back down.
Kyro stood in his stance and stared down the sabertooth who stared back. The animal launched itself once more towards him, but it didn't even get close as Kyro charged forward with inhuman speed and landed a powerful right punch to the head.
The tiger flew back and hit the ground. It quickly recovered, shaking the daze off. It growled, looking at the fighter. It leapt onto a tree and leapt into another, repeating this maneuver over and over again, making the sabertooth look like a blur as it circled around.
Kyro still stood in his stance. Closing his eyes, he concentrated. As everything around him faded away, the scene transformed into an empty void.
'Focus, listen, know your surroundings'. A bead of sweat fell down from his temple and hit the ground, creating a ripple.
An image of the Tiger was shown launching at incredible speed
This triggered the young fighter's eyes to snap open and perform a roundhouse kick that left a red streak of energy; the attack connected with the face of the sabertooth, sending it crashing into the tree.
Kyro held the position for a minute to see if his opponent will continue.
He sighed after and fell on his butt.
The sabertooth managed to recover and stood back up on its legs. It walked over to the young man and stared at him for a few seconds before it then gave a lick to his face.
Kyro laughed at this and patted the head of the sabertooth. "Looks like I'm not the only one who has been training to get stronger."
The Sabertooth and Kyro have actually known each other for a couple of years ever since his arrival on the island. They both encountered each other and were on opposite sides, resulting in them fighting.
What amazed the animals was the monstrous strength and speed of the young man; no animal or human had ever given him any trouble.
After the battle, both respected and acknowledged one another. Sogo was what Kyro called him.
"That was awesome!" A shout startled the two; Kyro recognized that voice.
He saw the strawhat boy from earlier. Wait where's the swordsman?
Sogo growled but Kyro gave the signal to relax. He lays down but still didn't take his eyes off the pirate.
"I'm surprised you found me." He raised an eyebrow.
Luffy pouted. "I would have found you faster, but all those big animals kept getting in the way. I had to knock out a few of them."
"Wait, what did you say?" Kyro asked in surprise at the boy's last statement.
Luffy repeated the sentence with a confused expression. "I had to knock out a few of them?"
Kyro looked into Luffy's eyes for any lies, but all he saw was the truth and...determination. This is interesting. "How strong are you?" He questioned.
Luffy blinked when he was asked this question. "How strong am I?" He thought about it for a moment. A few minutes passed in silence.
After another minute he gave an answer. "Ah, I'm pretty strong." Luffy giving his big grin trademark.
Both man and animal had sweat dropped at this
The tropical bushes behind the group moved in which revealed Zoro who looked a little fatigued.
"There you are, Zoro," said Luffy. "What happened?"
"You ran off without me! I was completely lost!" Comically, Zoro's teeth sharpened as his eyes turned white, expressing his anger.
Kyro stared at the two, wondering if they were really pirates.
Still this was an opportunity.
"Zoro! Roronoa!" He called the swordsman out, seeing him give Luffy a headlock.
Drawing the swordsman's attention, he said, "I challenge you to a fight!"
This took Zoro and Luffy by surprise as they didn't expect that. The swordsman looked at the young man and could see he really meant it.
"Why me?" asked Zoro.
"I've heard rumors about a pirate bounty hunter who was known for his three sword style. I've always pushed myself to find new, stronger challenges." Sogo nudge his head to the hand earning a soft scratch behind the ear.
"Getting stronger is what I'm trying to accomplish; I know there are more out there who are stronger than me, but that doesn't make me scared... it excites me... to know that there are others that can give me the push that I need to get."
Zoro and Luffy didn't say anything; they just listened intently.
"I'll be closer to my goal," Kyro said. He looked up, thinking back on his past.
"What's that?" Zoro couldn't help but ask.
Kyro said with determination. "To be the King of Fighters." He looked at Zoro. "So will you accept my challenge?"
The swordsman stared at him. although he would prefer to face another swordsman, this will give him the chance to see how strong this guy really is. "Alright then," he said. "But I'm not gonna hold back." Zoro agreed.
"Good, but you better have the Intel to try to kill me". Kyro said with a serious look and tone.
Now this really took back the two especially Zoro.
"This battle will be pointless if you don't go all in. You would be insulting me and my goal, and I'll warn you...I'll take it personally."
Zoro understood this. It sounded extreme, yes, but he could tell that Kyro meant it.
Luffy stood back to watch as the sabertooth too was prepared to watch the event that was about to unfold...
Zoro took off the black bandana that was tied around his arm and wrapped it around his head, tying it. He then pulled out a sword, put it in his mouth, and pulled out the other two.
"So that's the style you use," he said. "Interesting." Kyro acknowledged the sword style; it actually reminded him of a triceratops. He could see the blades as the horns. He took his stance.
Both stood still, not making a move. "Here I come," Kyro said as he burst towards the swordsman at inhuman speed, almost catching Zoro off guard and just in time blocking the punch with his sword.
Sato style: 'Bursting Steel.'
The force behind the punch send the swordsman flying away before regaining his landing back to his feet. Kyro proceeded to dash forward and threw rapid jabs pushing Zoro back forcing his feet to drag.
'This guy…he's definitely not holding back…how's his hand able to withstand my blades?'
Kyro suddenly shifted his movement and threw a surprised left hook catching the swordsman off guard. The punch connected the face in which dazed the swordsman causing him to almost drop his sword but he quickly shook it away.
Just in time he saw a roundhouse which he blocked with his swords but just like the punch it sent Zoro away hitting a tree back first which cracked before it toppled back.
Zoro grunted and fell to his knees, he used his sword to hold him up.
Kyro sighed. "So far your disappointing me. Was everything I heard about you just a fluke. If this is the way of your three-sword style….then it's a disappointment."
Zoro teeth clenched hard to the sword handle and gripped his other two. He stood up. His eyes were shadowed until he looked up to Kyro who could see the switch in the eyes of the green swordsman.
Standing back on his feet. Zoro took his stance once more. Kyro resumed his fighting style.
Immediately the swordsman burst toward his opponent with newfound speed taking the young fighter aback and immediately putting his arms up blocking the barrage of attacks. This continued on as he was now the one being pushed back
Zoro suddenly swung and slammed two of his blades into the exposed lower stomach sending the fighter crashing into the ground skidding across it.
Both straw hat and sabertooth winced at this
Kyro had soon stood back up to his feet. His arms were bleeding from the multiple slashes and his stomach bled a little from a deep scratch, but he paid no attention to it.
He spat out a mouthful of blood. Staring down at it seemed to trigger something inside him as his body began to shake. For the first time in a long time, someone had actually managed to make him bleed. He couldn't help but feel a rush of excitement coursing through his veins.
He started laughing in joy as he looked at the swordsman. "This! This is the kind of fight I've always wanted! This is what I love to do! This is why I fight! Show me more, Roronoa Zoro!" He grinned like a madman.
Zoro obliged and set in a stance that Luffy had seen. 'Santoryu' he launched himself at the fighter at high speed. Closing in 'Onigiri'
The three-blade combination suddenly came to a halt when it was blocked by the right forearm; a red aura formed around it, and the muscles became denser.
Kyro's eyes glowed red and shoved Zoro back with his arm. He started to circle around his opponent as his movement changed and his body became like transparent as afterimages were created.
'Sato art: Illusion flash'
The swordsman stood his ground as he tried to focus. He put his sword against another and extended them out before spinning around, creating a force like a twister, sending Kyro up into the air.
Zoro jumped up high with his blades preparing to cut down seeing Kyro could do nothing, just then he saw him smirked which confused the swordsman until it was too late when Kyro's muscles started to bulge and veins showed a little.
He crossed his arms in an X formation then threw his arms out, sending out a powerful energy force. The attack not only stopped the enemy's assault but also sent Zoro flying back, while Kyro landed safely on his feet as well, grinning.
Zoro had actually grinned too. He had to admit this was the first time someone without a sword had actually pushed him back.
"Lets finish this." Kyro suddenly bent down on four, his hands and feet. This threw Zoro off as he has didn't expect the fighter to take a weird position.
Kyro leaped from one tree to another, becoming nothing but a blur of speed. Zoro maintained his position, readying himself for his opponent's final attack.
Kyro finally launched himself with a burst of sonic speed, leaving a red streak behind him. Zoro saw him coming and tried to react, but it was too late; Kyro had already struck him in the chest, sending him flying through the air and smashing into four trees before being stopped by the fifth one.
Kyro landed on his feet but soon fell to a knee as he panted heavily.
Zoro fell off the tree and landed on his feet, using his sword to catch himself.
Kyro was surprised that this guy could stand, let alone barely. He gave a nod with a satisfied half-smile. "I guess we can call this a draw."
Recovering enough, Zoro stood up and sheathed his swords before removing his bandana.
Kyro walked up to him and extended a hand. Zoro stared at him for a moment before taking the hand and shaking it.
"Sorry about that, I just needed to test you out to make sure you're the real deal." Kyro said.
"It's alright. I gotta say you surprised me by being able to block my slashes." The swordsman looked at the arms of the fighter, which had some cuts, and his stomach.
"Don't worry about this," he said, pointing at his wounds. "It will just serve as a reminder that I have much more to to go."
"Join my crew then you'll get to fight other strong pirates!" Luffy appeared behind Zoro with his big grin, startling the two of them.
"Don't do that!!" Both men yelled
After calming his heart down, he looked at the straw hat boy. "Why are you so determine to have me on your crew? What is your goal anyways?" Kyro questioned
Luffy's expression dropped, and his hat shadowed his eyes. "My goal..."
The sabertooth joined his partner as he stood by him.
Luffy looked up with his big smile. "I don't have a goal."
The men and sabertooth comically fell.
"But I have a dream." The rubber fruit user said
Kyro raised an eyebrow. "And what's that?"
"To find the One Piece and Become King of Pirates." Luffy declared.
Kyro was taken aback by this. The one piece? He had heard about the legendary treasure; it could make a pirate rich for life, and more importantly, the one who found it would be declared King of Pirates.
Looking at the straw hat eyes, he still had that burning determination he saw back at the bar. He smiles yet his eyes tells he's determined to make his dream reality.
"Also…I promised somebody that I would." Luffy took off his straw hat showing his shaggy black hair while staring at the object
A flashing image of his master appeared in his mind.
Kyro turned to Zoro. "What about you?" He asked.
"To become the greatest swordsman in the world… and I promised someone I would too" Zoro said.
Kyro could see that these two were very much determined to make their dream real.
Just like him.
He sighed "What the hell. I'm in" he grinned.
Luffy looked up in surprise but that quickly changed into a huge smile. "Yosh!!! You hear that Zoro!? We got a second crew member!"
"Wait second member?" Kyro now was confused.
Zoro sighed. "Yeah, so far he's just starting."
"...Oh you. Gotta be. Fucking kidding me?"
End of chapter 1