Chapter 12
The Continent Puller, Oars
"You sure you're going to be alright?"
Usopp was currently giving Maxwell a piggyback ride while he recovered his equilibrium. It had stopped being funny the third time Usopp saw the mage fall over, so he offered to carry the Maxwell. All that spellcasting had set off Maxwell's inner ear again, triggering the dizzy spells from his mana imbalance.
"I'll be fine Usopp." Honesty, he should have stuck to more low level spells, like his arcane bolts. Those barely used any mana. However, fending off a swarm of beady-eyed ghosts didn't quite allow for that. "I just need to rest and get my head straight."
"Okay, good! 'Cause you're kinda heavy, man…" Usopp readjusted his grip on Maxwell's thighs. The mage wore gauntlets, vambraces, knee guards, a pauldron, gambeson, and a chainmail mantle. Of course he was heavy! No one else in the crew wore any armor, and Franky didn't count as he was a cyborg!
Usopp kept carrying Maxwell. They were trying to find an exit out of the mast so they could determine their next move. "…You think Luffy and the others are okay?"
"…They'll be alright," said Maxwell. He had faith in his comrades.
Zoro was always looking to test himself against strong opponents. A zombie samurai seemed to be just the kind of fight he'd be looking for. Plus, Zoro had Franky to back him up! Though, Maxwell doubted he would want help. Brook was in safe hands, whichever the case.
Sanji was positively on fire. Literally! He had been so outraged at Nami being captured and possibly being forced into marriage his anger had produced an inferno! Not to mention Absalom's misdeeds towards the women of their crew. No, Sanji would beat that invisible-man within an inch of his life then acquiesce Nami's every whim.
Robin and Chopper were still at the top of the staircase. They hadn't fallen down with Sanji and Usopp when Oars broke the stairway. Maxwell hoped they were safe. They wouldn't be fighting Moria with Luffy. Their captain wouldn't want that anyway. Moria was his fight!
…Perhaps they had found Dr. Hogback? Chopper definitely had reason to confront the surgeon. Maxwell wasn't one to question the practice of necromancy, but it should never be confused with resurrection. Not like Hogback had. Augmenting a dead body then animating it could not be considered life.
"At any rate, I've just got to tell everyone about how I just beat that hollow chick when they didn't stand a chance against her! I can't wait to see their faces!"
"I'm sorry—" Maxwell looked down at the sniper, "'I beat that hollow chick?'"
Usopp shrugged, "Well~ you helped too, I guess. However, I'm not the one who's jelly-legged this time, am I."
"'Ha Ha,'" the mage deadpanned. Usopp had the famous habit of knocking his knees whenever he was scared. Maxwell did see the irony though, see as he couldn't walk straight.
"PERONA-SAMA!"
"Oh crap!" That wasn't anyone they both knew. Usopp and Maxwell looked for a place to hide. Usopp spotted a cabinet that was a little ways from the wall and threw Maxwell into the space. "Oof—ow!" He landed at an odd angle, between his head and shoulder, with his hips kinked.
"Quiet!" Usopp whispered as he climbed in on top of him. He wasn't going to fit, so he quickly looked around again. There he saw a picture frame. So, hoping for the best, he poked out the photo, and held the frame in front of his face. His head was in corner, so Usopp hoped the zombies wouldn't notice him as little more than a photo.
Unfortunately, he was also sitting on top of Maxwell's head. "Really!?" He could only see out of one eye, and his view was squarely beneath the cabinet legs.
The Wild Zombies came around the corner, running through the hall. Maxwell couldn't see much, but guessing by their feet, paws, or hooves, they were all horribly burnt. Maxwell even saw some charring on their limbs.
"Do you think she's okay?" One zombie asked as they ran past.
"Of course!" yelled another. "Captain Kumacy and lieutenant Gentleman Hippopotamus went after her! By now, Mr. Negative Nose is the one crying like a baby!"
"But what about the Magister?" another asked, referring to Maxwell's epithet. "He went after Lady Perona just like that weakling!"
"Are you saying Lady Perona is weak!?" Another zombie barked. Thankfully none of them stopped to notice their surroundings then and there. They all just kept running trying to find their mistress.
Usopp looked around he he thought they were gone, "…Phew, that was a close call!"
"I know… Now get off me!" Maxwell pushed on the sniper trying to get his head out from Usopp's buttocks.
They were a tangle of limbs for a moment. Maxwell trying to scoot through the crevasse, while Usopp tried to find his footing without stepping on Maxwell's head. "Yeow!"
"Sorry!" Usopp had accidentally stepped on Maxwell's fingers.
Anyways, the two were able to get out behind the cabinet. Usopp had jumped on one leg, going over it, while Maxwell used it to pull himself up. Both were standing now, looking down the hall where the zombies went. And where they had just been!
"Best not to linger here…" said Maxwell. Even if he thought this level was purposely designed as a maze, he did not want to encounter another animal zombie right now.
"Yeah. I agree." Usopp nodded. While they had been walking through the floor, they noticed some of the arches had been sealed up. This created little hallways people had to get around. Likely meant for the spider mice to snatch up intruders. "You going to be alright to walk?"
"Yeah, I should be fine." His head wasn't spinning now so they should be able to find an exit quicker.
Usopp nodded, "Good, good! All my hard work would go down the drain if I got taken down now. And there'd go my bragging rights."
"What bragging rights?" Maxwell quirked a smile at the sniper.
Usopp spun on the spot, "Moving on! Sanji! Guys!" He immediately then started jogging down the hall, mock-shouting to find the others. Maxwell shook his head, but smiled seeing Usopp in such good spirits. Not that Maxwell had any.
"We heard that!" Maxwell's familiars retorted at the thought. That brought a smirk to his face, knowing he could make fun of himself.
"Yeah, yeah— Whoa!" They had barely gone ten paces before the building shook again. Their had been multiple vibrations throughout the evening, but nothing quite like this! Pieces of stone and mortar were starring to shake out of position, making them fall from the ceiling.
Usopp and Maxwell made a break for it, "Whoa-whoa-whoa—! What's going on!?" not knowing if the ceiling was going to collapse on them or not. "That quake was way worse than any of the ones before it!"
Maxwell gasped in sudden realization, "You don't think it's—!?"
Both men skidded to a halt when a fist the size of a grain silo punched through the ceiling. They looked up, and their fears were realized. Oars pearled down from the hole he had made into the level below. He was on his hands and knees as if digging for something. And that something might just have been them!
"DAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH! LUFFY'S ZOMBIIIIIIIIIEEEEEE!" Usopp turned on the spot and dashed like a bat out of hell, leaving a trail of dust in his wake. Maxwell didn't stick around either! Damning the consequences, he dashed into the Fade Step following after Usopp as they both ran away.
That was Luffy's zombie, and it didn't seem to have his usual carefree attitude anymore. It was clamouring through the tower, digging a path for some reason! And Maxwell didn't stick around to find out why!
Coincidentally, they finally found an exit out of the tower. They exited the foyer into a garden, stretching across a breezeway. It was full of fruit trees, freshly cut grass, and trimmed bushes. Rose covered arches and wood carved gazebos. It gave off an air of elegance the rest of Thriller Bark didn't have. This must have been Perona's Wonder Garden that Usopp had been talking about. Another route, connecting the mast with the mansion.
Oars burst out of the tower with a roar! A horrid wordless bellow, much like when Luffy whenever he fought. The special zombie had punched his way out, creating a massive hole in the mast. Thankfully Oars hadn't spotted them then and there. He was still chest level with the bridge, standing as tall as the mansion's central tower!
"Hmm…" Oars seemed to be looking for something, checking his forearm as if for a guide.
"Wait—! Usopp, what's that!?" Maxwell pointed to Oars' bandages on his left arm.
Usopp took a pair of binoculars out of his bag and looked at the giant's arm. "Oh crap!" The sniper immediately wheezed out a breath of fear and started shaking in terror.
"What? What is it!?" Maxwell asked, hiding behind a parapet.
"Ah! Max! Usopp!" Both boys looked behind them to see Chopper and Robin running through the garden. They had slowed down once they spotted their fellow crewmates.
"Robin!" "Chopper!" Both men called to their friends.
"Guys, w-w-we're in big trouble!" Maxwell looked back at Usopp as the sniper began to stutter. "O-O-Our wanted posters are all on Zombie Luffy's arm! He's totally coming for us!"
"COME! OUT! STRAW-HATS!"
Maxwell covered his ears and flinched as the beast roared. His shout was like a blast thunder!
"YOU CAN'T HIDE FROM ME FOREVER!"
"Shitshitshitshit…!" Maxwell looked back again at Oars, considering their options. Moria had finally gained control of Luffy's shadow, and Oars was now subservient to the Warlord!
"Come on Luffy, you bastard! Are you really going to crush your own crew!?" Usopp whimpered looking at the titan.
"Someone must have issued the order," said Robin.
"I hope the real Luffy's alright…" Chopper wondered.
Another voice called out in the din, "Hey! Usopp is that you down there!?"
Usopp looked around, "Huh? …I thought I heard someone calling my name—" then he saw where the voice had come from. "What—!? Zoro! Why are you on the roof!?
Robin, Chopper and Maxwell looked up at the mansion's central spire and saw their wayward swordsman on top of it. Though, the tower's pyramid roof was missing it's apex, like it had been cut clean off! There were numerous gashes in the spire itself, but it didn't look to be in danger of collapsing.
"Franky! And Brook's okay, too!" Chopper cheered, seeing the cyborg and the skeleton with Zoro.
Robin nods, "It looks like we can cross the skeleton off our list. But it too soon to check Nami off. Look." She down into the courtyard below, where Oars is standing. There, in the rubble, was Sanji looking up at the undead giant.
"Hey, move your ass! What are you doing interfering with us, Luffy!?"
"What is that idiot doing!?" Maxwell leans over the rails, incredulous to see their cook their. Had he not found Nami yet? Or had he been caught up in Oars tunnelling through the mast? Either way, he shouldn't be confronting Oars right now!
"…Luffy?" The titan looked down at the cook without recognition, "He is my enemy. My name is Oars. Nice to meet you!"
"Th-th-this is bad! Sanji is in a bad position!" Usopp took note of courtyard below. What was down there. How much space they had to move around in.
"This is unexpected. I had thought they were only interested our shadows. I wonder if we got a little carried away?"
Maxwell blanched, not appreciating Robin comment about their fights. Oh, it was true no doubt. They had uprooted the political machinations of several islands now. But that was usually the result AFTER the battle!
"It's like they only cared about Luffy's shadow," Usopp grimmaced. "W-We should leave this to Sanji so we don't trip him up."
Chopper agreed. "Yeah! It's too scary! We can't fight against that!"
Usopp nodded, more to reassure himself than the little doctor, "Don't worry. He should be able to escape without too much effort."
"…I don't think escape is a viable plan anymore, Usopp." Maxwell watched as Oars checked his forearm again. He thought back to megafauna of Thedas. Trolls were usually enough to destroy a small village. Dragons could bring a city low. Maxwell imagined a giant could take down a kingdom if they wanted. However, Oars was well above any of those other beings. And on a small island like Thriller Bark? —He may well just destroy the island in order to find them.
Oars nodded, looking between Sanji and his wanted poster, "Completely alike. So you're one of the pirates too!" Oars reached back, "GOMU-GOMU NO~"
"It's an attack!" "No way, is it going to stretch!?"
"KAMA!" Oars swung his arm like a pickaxe, his fingers pulverizing the stone and mortar like a shovel. Thankfully, their cook had jumped out of the way.
Chopper and Usopp were slack jawed at the display. "It… It didn't stretch!" "But with that huge reach and destructive power, it doesn't matter!"
"Oars…! Where have I heard that name before…?"
"Robin…?" Maxwell looked over at the archeologist as she was thinking.
"…No way! Could he be the Continent Puller from Kunihiki legend? The Devil, Oars!?
"'Continent Puller!?'" Maxwell balked. We're they really dealing with a titan? No, no, but that thing was too large to be an ordinary giant! He could ask about dwarves in this world, later!
Sanji ran at Oars, jumping up to kick the giant in the chin, "Collier Fri—!"
But Oars met Sanji's attack with a headbutt, knocking the chef down back onto the ground. Sanji bounced from the momentum, stones digging into his back. Then Oars quickly followed up with a slap, swatting Sanji into the nearby mansion like a ball in a tennis match. That attack had been way too quick!
"Sanji!" Maxwell watched as Oars plucked Sanji out of the air as the chef was falling. Oars now had him hanging upside in his fist, the chef likely unconscious.
Oars wasn't done with him though. "Die. Puny pirate!"
"Sanji!" Oars raised his hand as if to throw Sanji into the ground. But before Oars hurl the chef, Usopp brought out his kabuto, "FIREBIRD STAR!"
His shot connected with the giant's head, setting Oar's hair ablaze. But compared to Oars immense size, that bonfire may as well been a candle wick on the giants head. All it ever did was make Oars pause!
Oars had spotted them, deciding to ignore the chef in his hands. The giant threw him away like a piece of litter. Oars may not have thrown Sanji as hard like he was going too, but it was still enough to see an impact crater on the ground! "SANJI!"
"Guys! We have bigger problems!" Maxwell shouted, immediately casting a Barrier on all of them. Oars had shaken the blaze off his head and was consulting his itinerary. He was likely seeing his, Robin's, Chopper's and Usopp's wanted posters!
…Wait, if Oars recognized Sanji's bounty photo, would that mean he wouldn't recognize Usopp as Sogeking? Sanji's sketch artist had only captured the basics of his appearance, and Luffy still believed Usopp and Sogeking were two different people. And Oars had Luffy's shadow…
…Well, that didn't mater, because— "HE'S COMING OVER HERE!"
Gunfire rattled from the tower, raining down on Oars. Maxwell instinctively knew it was Franky providing cover fire, but the distraction proved rather ineffective. Oars had simply ducked under the bullets as they crashed into the mast. Again, the giant had proven to be far too quick!
And that agility had proven even worse as suddenly Oars had his leg kicking the spire! The tower was collapsing, and Maxwell couldn't see Franky or Brook!
He could see Zoro though. The green haired swordsman racing along Oars' mass to take the giants head!
At most, Zoro had cut a tusk off, because the giant threw back his head, "Gomu-Gomu no~! KAZAN!" and followed up with a skyward kick.
"ZORO!" Usopp yelled in concern, "ARE YOU ALIVE!? …No! He'll die if he falls from that height!" Zoro had been kicked well above Thriller Barks main mast, well over a hundred stories tall.
Franky had tried shooting at Oars again. An explosion from Franky's "Weapons Left" went off, but had missed Oas again! The giant had done a backflip, jumping out of the way! "That shouldn't be possible!"
Oars had decided he had enough of being shot at and grabbed another tower, breaking it off the mansion. The giant then jump up and jammed the improvised spike into the mansion, right where Franky and Brook had been standing.
The attack had connected. How could it not? A gapping hole of dust and rubble had been made in the mansion, and Brook and Franky came tumbling out of it. "WAAAAAH—FRANKY!" "BROOK!"
Chopper then looked up, remembering their other comrade, "Zoro is falling!" The swordsman's flight had already reached its apex and Zoro was hurdling back to earth!
Robin had a solution though, "Cien Fleur! Spider Net!" Arms grew out of arms from the breezeway's battlement. The limbs grabbed onto one another, creating a fishing net for Zoro to fall into and save him from crashing down to earth.
Zoro was alright, but they were not! Oars stood before them, holding what was left of his piece of tower raised above his head! He was going to crush them with it! "AAAAAAAAHHHHH!"
Thinking he had a chance, Usopp aimed his slingshot of a staff, "Eat this! You're a zombie too, right!? CERTAIN KILL: SALT STAR!" and fire his special made salt balls into the giants mouth.
The behemoth had no lips. His mouth was right in front of them! It was an easy shot!
…But no shadow rose out of Oars. The giant simply looked at Usopp confused. Usopp had named his attack. Oars tasted the salt in his gullet, but he wasn't sure what it was supposed to do.
"It… It wasn't enough! Not for his giant body!" Usopp stumbled back.
Having a fight or flight response, Chopper transformed into his human form, "HEAVY GONG!" prepared to punch the giant.
However, Oars just swung his stone down on them, also creating a hole in the bridge.
Maxwell had braced as best as he could. He had donned the Fade Cloak. Tried a Fortifying Blast to buffer against the impact. But there was no getting around a building crashing into them. Or falling off the bridge for that matter…
…
…Honestly, the next thing Maxwell knew he was about to cry out in pain.
"Quiet!" He could hear Mordred his in his mind, "That brute is still able to hear you!"
It took all of Maxwell's willpower to keep his mouth shut. He was lying on a pile of rubble, his body being wracked by pain. It was horrible, like a thousand knifes were stabbing him all over his body. He tried his best not to move, but he could still feel his body shake in dirt.
"Mineive was able to place a Life Ward on you, but you're still badly injured. We're trying to heal the damage, but your body was never meant to fall from a 15 story bridge!"
Maxwell heard the demon, but didn't give him a response. His current focus was on working through the pain.
He could feel mana racing through his body. Mineive, Mordred, and Salem we're working in tandem to heal it, trying to make sure he wasn't left paralyzed from the fall. They must have used Revival as a means to keep them all alive. If Maxwell's consciousness disappeared then all four of them would cease be.
Maxwell was alive. But being alive also meant being in pain. He could feel his muscles knitting back together, his bones being snapped into place. Any time he fell slipped unconscious he felt one of his familiars snap him back awake.
Healing magic was never supposed to be used like this. Often a healer had to split their attention between healing the wound and soothing it. If you healed the injury without some kind of buffer, it just caused more pain. However, Maxwell was in no position to complain.
He could vaguely hear Oars through his ears. "Didn't know them." "Moria's servant." "Oars." "Straw-Hat." "Orange Woman." "Hero." And the sound of Oar giant footsteps, walking away.
By the time he felt the soothing sensations of mana follow through him, Maxwell was panting, exhausted. The mage lied on his side, vaguely feeling some semblance of control over his body again. That had not been pleasant…!
"Hey. Max. Can you stand?"
Maxwell looked up to see Franky kneeling in front of him. He was looking rather battered for having a building dropped on him. Actually, Maxwell was surprised they weren't all dead. That was not the sort of thing a human should survive…
…He laughed. He honestly laughed! "Heh… Hahahahaha…!" It looks like he was becoming a part of this world better than he thought. "Ugh…! Help me up…"
Franky reached out a hand and Maxwell grasped it firmly. The cyborg pulled him up and Maxwell stood up. He had to stand still for a moment to make sure he wasn't going to topple over again.
"…Dammit, where's my staff…?" Maxwell looked around at the rubble to see where his staff went. There had been a running joke amongst the crew that he kept getting a new staff every time there was a major event. Whether he broke it or lost it, that was not a reputation Maxwell wanted to live up too.
"Over there. Behind you and to the right," he heard Salem drone out. Maxwell looked over where Salem had been looking from his hip and saw it. His staff was sticking out from under some rubble, collapsed back into it's mace-like form.
Maxwell walked over and gasped the hilt of his weapon. He briefly faded into the Fade Cloak, letting it's energy flow into the mace. He pulled it out, raising it above his head before lowering it to eye level.
This only worked was because Maxwell had attuned every focus to his unique mana signature. Any mage could pick up a staff and cast a spell, but it took a lot more to actually master a staff, and use it correctly. He first learned this in the Circle. He expanded on this when he created Mordred, Minieve, and Salem's anchors. This was his weapon, and he was not going to lose it this time!
Maxwell looked around to see Sanji, Robin, Zoro, Usopp, and Chopper now standing as well. All them had a grim expression on their faces, and Maxwell shared in that emotion. This wasn't just a fight anymore. This was personal.
He wasn't sure who moved first, but the Straw-Hat pirates moved as one, marching towards Oars. The giant was now up on the mansion, looking through the windows upside down. "Are you here? Come on out, you losers."
"What was his name again?" asked Sanji.
"Um…"
"I think it was Ross" said Zoro, putting on his bandana.
Usopp shook his head, "No, it think it was more drawn out than that."
"Huey?" asked Chopper.
"No, that's way off!"
"Oz?" Sanji guessed.
"No, it still missing something...!"
"It's Oars," said Robin.
"That's it!" the guys all responded.
"M… My apologies," Maxwell looked down to see Brook barely crawling on the ground, "My body…"
"Yeah, we know how it is," Franky responded. He picked up a pair of pillars he found on the ground, "Can you give us some space? Try to avoid his attacks."
"Sure…"
Sanji put a foot down on a stone, "Hey Oars!"
The giant looked up to see the Straw-Hat pirates he had just beaten standing in the courtyard. "If you got Luffy's shadow in you… You shouldn't be underestimating the underlying strength of your own crew!" They stood ready to fight, on a united front this time.
It was time to get serious.