CHAPTER 41

Robin and Luffy stared at Psycho with wide eyes. Luffy's mouth agape from the shock of finding out his crew member's father was their main enemy at the moment. Robin was almost comatose with shock. Robin's shocked eyes slowly lowered lower and lower and her mouth closed even slower until her face was completely neutral. She wasn't any less shocked. On the contrary, she was more shocked than anyone there but was unable to show that kind of overwhelming emotion. Frank G of the coated pirates stared with a smile. Lucci and Kaku looked at each other then stared back at Psycho with straight faces. Crocodile took a puff from his cigar. Doflamingo smiled and licked his lips, and Kuro stared straight ahead. Hancock couldn't believe it, she didn't know much about Nico Robin other than what she was led to believe from the government, but still, to be this maniac's daughter? It was almost too much.

Psycho continued to stare at Luffy with a neutral look. He looked over at Robin's emotionless face that hid a plethora of different feelings. The battle ground was silent. All that could be heard was the cool wind that bounced off the waters below the island. Fires raged in a few different areas as well. The news made everyone forget that a war had just happened at this place. Psycho let the tension die a little more before he finally broke the silence.

"I understand how you feel." Psycho said calmly.

Luffy's face straightened up.

"I'd feel the same way if an enemy of mine was related to my friend, but I assure you I have nothing to lie about… I wouldn't even lie about something like that anyway." Psycho continued.

Luffy looked past Psycho and at Robin who wasn't even looking at Psycho anymore. She just stared off into the distance, still. Luffy looked over at Lucci, Kaku, and Crocodile. Three men who also had been involved with Robin in the past, but not for the good.

"What kind of father hires men who hurt his child!? Even if Robin truly is your daughter she's OUR friend! And the same men who work for you have hurt her! Croco guy even almost killed her!" Luffy yelled.

Psycho glanced at the men Luffy talked about and back over to Luffy.

"Yes. They did play a role in Robin's life didn't they? And not for the good either. Unfortunately for you, Straw-hat Luffy, I hold no personal grudge against them. Can you guess why?" Psycho asked.

Luffy growled.

"It's simple. Their mindsets two years ago are different at this present moment. The men of today wouldn't even dream of touching Robin, for what reason would they? I befriended these versions of the men you see here, not their former selves." Psycho explained.

Psycho wiped away some of the blood that ran down his face.

"This is all a little too much for you right now I'm sure, but I promise you everything will be alright. I hope that clears up any confusion with how I've acted towards Robin lately." Psycho said.

Luffy continued to boune, staring at Psycho.

"And I must offer my thanks to you as a man, Straw-hat Luffy, for what you've done for my daughter. I've seen it all." Psycho confessed.

Luffy became shocked.

"Wh…what?" Luffy asked.

"Oh yes. Saving her from that collapsing temple in Alabasta, I was there." Psycho said.

FLASHBACK

Luffy and emerged from the collapsed temple, Cobra and Nico Robin in his arms. In the distance on top of a building, Psycho and Cyclone watched.

END OF FLASHBACK

"Fighting an impossible battle against Kuzan on Long Ring Long island to secure her safety… I was there!" Psycho said.

FLASHBACK

Aokiji sat Indian style and spoke to Luffy, who was frozen solid. Luffy lost, but Robin was able to be taken back to the Merry to be thawed out. Psycho and Cyclone watched from the forest, leaning against the trees.

END OF FLASHBACK

"And one I'll never forget… when you showed up to Enies Lobby and declared war on the government all on that troublesome girl for the sake of your friendship… I was there!"

FLASHBACK

"I WANNA LIVE! TAKE ME TO THE SEA WITH YOU!" Robin yelled.

Luffy and the rest of the Straw Hats smiled. On a distant building, Psycho watched Robin scream those iconic words. Shock on his face.

END OF FLASHBACK

Psycho lowered his head and shook a little. When he composed himself he let out a big sigh.

"Luffy." Psycho said.

Luffy gulped.

"With a combination of me being in a good mood and the deeds you've done for my daughter… I'll offer you this." Psycho said, "I'll let you go back to your friends right now with no issue at all. This may not seem like much, but I'll also guarantee Robin's safe return to your little group after the trip to the library, you have my word."

Luffy frowned. Hancock looked over at Luffy.

"Luffy…" Hancock whispered.

Luffy looked around at all the big names. Lucci, Kaku, Kuro, Doflamingo, Cyclone, Crocodile, Frank G and his coated pirate crew, and Psycho. Not only did he have Psycho to worry about, but all of these guys were tough enough by themselves, now they all have each other and are probably way stronger after 2yrs. Luffy thought about it. If he said no to this offer he'd most likely have to fight Psycho and those guys could jump in at any moment. Even in gear 4th Psycho didn't look even a little intimidated. Luffy looked over at Robin who was still comatose and lowered his head. Psycho became a little surprised.

"HELL NO! ROBIN COMES BACK WITH ME!" Luffy yelled at the top of his lungs.

Hancock wasn't surprised at Luffy's answer but was at the same time. Psycho face palmed.

"Luffy… please stop trying to be tough and consider my offer. Look around you. Marine officers, dead. Those among them include a few familiar names. Smoker, Tashigi, and Coby for instance." Psycho said.

Luffy became shocked and looked around to see their bodies.

"I also made short work of Teach and the fleet admiral. Two men who you aren't even remotely close to being able to beat, what makes you possibly think you can turn down my offer?" Psycho asked, starting to get upset.

Luffy noticed Akainu and Blackbeard's bodies laid out as Psycho said it. Akainu looked to just be unconscious though.

"Think about this seriously, boy. Remember what happened to you just two days ago. I also commend you for taking out Eneru and Onawagi, but if you think you've come close to anybody here in terms of strength then you've seriously overestimated your abilities. I'll give you one. Last. Chance. To take my offer." Psycho lectured.

Luffy stared at Psycho with rage. After a short moment, he spoke.

"I don't care about any of that! I came to get Robin back and that's what I'm going to do even if I have to kick your ass to do it! I'll never quit or give up!" Luffy yelled.

Psycho slowly walked in front of Robin.

"My previous offer has now expired Straw-Hat. If you want to get Robin back now… then you'll have to break every bone in my body." Psycho said.

Luffy stared at Psycho who stared back at him. The two waiting for the other to make even the slightest move. You could feel the energy the two gave off. Luffy was surely stronger than he was two days ago thanks to his gear fourth. As the two stared at each other Psycho suddenly charged a blue beam of energy in his right arm, cocked back, and blasted it with great force and speed at Luffy. The air around him shook, as well as Marineford.

Luffy was able to jump out of the way and charge straight for Psycho, the blast blowing away dead marines and a few DEATH members. Luffy charged at Psycho and recoiled his arm.

"GUM GUM: KONG GUN!" Luffy yelled, throwing a punch.

Psycho merely moved his head to the side as Luffy sped past him and punched a wall on the Marineford building.

"Too slow." Psycho said as a giant explosion from Luffy's punch sounded behind him.

Psycho turned around to see Luffy charging at him from the cloud of smoke the impact made. Luffy loaded up another kong gun. Before Luffy could throw the punch Psycho kicked him in the chin, Luffy's eyes rolled in the back of his head and he was sent flying straight into the air. The impact shook the island.

"Too light." Psycho commented.

Luffy flew into the air with too much force to move.

"Grgh! How hard did he kick me! I can't move!" Luffy noted.

Suddenly Luffy stopped in midair. He looked down to see Psycho stretched his arm to grab Luffy's ankle. Luffy came speeding down as fast as he went up and was whipped around in circles.

"Gear fourth was it? I have to admit you had me a little worried Straw-hat! But I haven't seen anything remotely impressive!" Psycho yelled before slamming Luffy into the Marineford building.

BOOOOOOMMMMMM!

The building shook from the impact. Psycho's arm snatched back to him and he looked up at the hole in the building. After a few moments Luffy came charging again.

"Fool. What good will charging like that do for you?" Psycho asked.

Luffy tried to punch Psycho, but missed, as Psycho jumped up, and punched the ground, destroying it and shaking the island. Psycho charged a light kick and tried to axe kick Luffy but missed when Luffy jumped backwards. A giant explosion rocked the island once more and Luffy used this opportunity to finally hit Psycho, but he saw this coming and swayed to the side. Luffy flew past Psycho again, but was grabbed and brought back, where Psycho had loaded up a tremor punch and slammed it into Luffy's face. The air around Luffy cracked and a shockwave blasted towards more DEATH members who were blown away. Luffy went flying shortly after and bounced in the air towards the ocean, but Psycho teleported behind him and kicked him back to the battlefield, teleporting again, over Luffy this time and punching him back into the ground. Luffy bounced back up and Psycho grabbed his collar, spun him around and forced him back into the ground. Luffy coughed up blood and spit.

"What the hell do you expect to accomplish with this power!? Staw-hat!" Psycho yelled.

Luffy coughed up blood and looked up at Psycho. Who stared down at him with what almost looked like pity.

"You want to save Robin so bad but look at you! YOU'RE TOO WEAK TO SAVE ANYTHING!" Psyho yelled.

Luffy cocked his arm back and punched Luffy in the face. Blood slpat over the ground.

"I GAVE YOU THE OFFER TO LEAVE AND YOU WANT TO ACT TOUGH! WHEN WILL YOU REALIZE WILL POWER ISN'T ENOUGH YOU FOOL!" Psycho yelled.

Psycho gave Luffy a few more punches and more blood spilled. Hancock stared with fright for Luffy's wellbeing.

"I'll give you the option to leave one more time… WHAT WILL IT BE!" Psycho asked.

Luffy breathed in and out, his head cocked back. He slowly looked at Psycho and spit in his face.

"Like hell I will…!" Luffy said softly.

Psycho became surprised.

"ROBIN COMES HOME WITH US!" Luffy yelled, "I DON'T CARE HOW WEAK YOU SAY I AM OR HOW MUCH GROWTH I NEED! I'LL KEEP FIGHTING UNTIL I CAN'T ANYMORE! EVEN THEN! I'LL FIGHT WHILE I'M UNCONCIOUS IF I NEED TO!"

Psycho's face became full of shock. Luffy stared back with anger and determination. In the background, Sakazuki slowly started to come to and saw Psycho standing over Luffy. He looked over to see Crocodile had joined the other DEATH members in watching the fight.

"Psycho…" Sakazuki said softly, "You've embarrassed me for the last time!"

Psycho lowered his head and a small water droplet hit Luffy's chest. Luffy became surprised and looked up into the sky thinking rain was falling. Luffy looked back at Psycho and was shocked to see him crying. Psycho smiled with tears running down his face.

"You never cease to amaze me… Straw-hat." Psycho said.

Luffy couldn't believe what he was seeing.

"But I'm afraid my answer still hasn't changed. Robin will still be staying here." Psycho said, wiping the tears from his eyes.

Luffy became angry again.

"Then let's finish this!" Luffy said.

"Agreed." Psycho said, loading up a chidori.

Psycho held the chidori over Luffy and after a moment he attempted to pierce Luffy's chest.

"DARK DOG!" Sakazuki yelled.

Psycho turned around and was punched square in the chest by Sakazuki's dark dog.

"GRRRRAHHHHHH!" Sakazuki yelled, blowing up his fist in Psycho's body, melting his organs.

Psycho coughed up a massive amount of blood. Luffy looked up in horror.

"You let… your guard down again… Psycho!" Sakazuki yelled.

Psycho groaned and wheezed from the attack burning his insides.

"I don't think it's been 15 minutes since the last time you pulled that trick! You're about to die right now! How does it feel to know you were killed by a marine! Fool!" Sakazuki taunted.

Psycho looked up at Sakazuki and smiled.

"You think… It looks like someone didn't listen to what I told them…" Psycho said with a chuckle.

Sakazuki stared with confusion.

"My sharingan does go dormant for 15 minutes after it saves me from death that's absolutely true… but it saves me a painless death." Psycho explained.

Sakazuki was still confused.

"Meaning…" Psycho whispered.

Suddenly Cyclone appeared behind him, eyes hidden behind shadow and his sword drawn. Cyclone cut straight through Psycho to slice Sakazuki with armament haki coating the blade. Hancock and Luffy were in shock.

"GUAHGGH!" Sakazuki spit out.

Psycho coughed up blood as well and growled because of the pain. Psycho walked over to the bleeding fleet admiral and stood over him.

"If I "die" when my eye is activated I escape death painless… but… do you know what escaping death with the pain is called?" Psycho asked.

Sakazuki knew but was scared to answer.

"Immortality." Psycho said, looking over at Luffy. Sakazuki fought with everything he had to stay conscious, but his eyes rolled in the back of his head and he was out again.

Psycho begun to walk towards Luffy, who finally started to turn back to normal.

"Well would you look at this…" Psycho said calmly, "I almost thought you could stay in that form for as long as you liked… I should've known better… you're not that good yet." Psycho said.

Luffy huffed and puffed as he looked up at Psycho. He looked over at Cyclone who walked back over and sat down, reading his book, although he looked up at Luffy for a second then went back to reading.

"Do you see now why I say you're not ready? I've been alive for far too long… there's nothing that surprises me anymore." Psycho charged a beam of light and shot it through Luffy's chest.

BOOOOOOOMMMMMMM!

Luffy flew away from Psycho and landed face first. Hancock stared with concern. Psycho, a hole in his chest and bloody all over, walked up to Luffy.

"I want to apologize for my outburst earlier… I just had so much high hopes for you. I finally give you something to fight for and you still can't even so much as touch me. If fighting for your friend doesn't give you enough strength to beat me then what will?" Psycho asked.

Luffy huffed and puffed.

"No… I don't think it's that you don't have the strength… it's that you don't want to use it against me. Tell me… were you holding back?" Psycho asked.

Luffy choked. Psycho was a little surprised.

"So you were. Why? What reason do you have to do that? Tell me!" Psycho demanded.

Luffy thought back to when Psycho helped Shanks defeat the bandits that tried to kill him and clenched his teeth. Psycho stared on.

"Oh… I see. You still see me as a friend don't you?... You still have that much love for me?" Psycho asked.

Luffy still couldn't answer.

"I knew it. You don't have enough hate for me. Not like you hate Sakazuki or the hate you have for Blackbeard. The hate you had for Ceaser and Doflamingo, Lucci and the government." Psycho picked Luffy up.

"What do I have to do to get you to hate me!? So I can fight Monkey D. Luffy at his full power!" Psycho asked.

Luffy, one eye closed, coughed up blood and struggled to stay conscious. Psycho made a disappointed face.

"Maybe I trusted the wrong person to take care of this world after I'm gone… I'm very disappointed in you." Psycho said, lifting one hand and charging another chidori.

"No one will be able to save you this time, Monkey D. Luffy… it's over. I'll tell your friends you died trying."

Before Psycho could pierce Luffy, Hancock flew in.

"PERFUME! FEMUR!" Hancock yelled, kicking Psycho in the face.

Slowly Psycho's body started to turn to stone. Psycho looked over at the pirate empress and frowned.

"DAMN YOU!" Psycho said, completely becoming stone.

"Go to hell!" Hancock yelled, breaking the stone statue of Psycho.

BOOOOMMMMM crackle…

Hancock broke the statue and looked around. Nobody moved a muscle. They didn't even react. Weirded out, Hancock hurried to grab Luffy so they could leave.

"Luffy come on! We have to go!" Hancock said.

A body behind Hancock suddenly started to move.

"Leaving so soon? Boa Hancock." Psycho said.

Hancock slowly became shook with fear. She turned around to see Psycho getting to his feet. Hancock's mouth was agape with confusion, fear, and shock.

"You weren't here to hear the explanation for this ability and that's unfortunate… you would've lived longer." Psycho said.

Hancock grabbed Luffy and tried to run.

"VORTEX!" Psycho said, his arm turning into darkness and pulling Hancock back towards himself. Hancock dropped Luffy in the process, the latter thumping onto the ground. Hancock's neck landed in Psycho's hand and he choked her with great force. Luffy, struggling to even move, tried to tell Psycho to let her go.

"L…L…Let her go!" Luffy said hoarsely.

Psycho looked at Hancock in his grasp and then at Luffy, who was reaching towards them. He thought back to what he said to Luffy earlier.

FLASHBACK

""What do I have to do to get you to hate me!? So I can fight Monkey D. Luffy at his full power!" Psycho asked.

END OF FLASHBACK

Psycho put two and two together and smiled.

"Earlier I asked you what would it take to awaken your true power, Monkey D. Luffy." Psycho said.

Luffy stared out one of his eyes.

Psycho loaded up a tremor punch and punched the ground, splitting it in half to expose the roaring waters below. Luffy's eyes shot open.

"Nothing brings out the beast in a man like the loss of someone he loves… I would know this better than anyone." Psycho said.

"Don't! Please don't!" Luffy yelled.

Hancock choked and wheezed.

"IF YOU DON'T WANT ME TO KILL THIS WOMAN THEN GET UP AND SAVE HER STRAW HAT! SHOW ME YOUR TRUE POWER!" Psycho yelled.

Luffy tried to get up but couldn't. Psycho watched Luffy struggle and fight to get up but he couldn't do it. Psycho lowered his head and then picked it back up.

"Worthless… if you can't even conjure the power to save a friend from death… then you truly are a waste of space!" Psycho taunted.

Luffy still fought to get to his feet but kept falling over.

"STOP PLEASE!" Luffy begged.

"Begging your enemy to stop!? Have you no honor!" Psycho said, kicking Luffy even further away.

Luffy bouced and rolled on the ground, when he settled Psycho was holding Hancock over the roaring waters.

"Say goodbye to your friend Straw Hat… you've failed." Psycho said.

"STOPPPP! STOPPP!" Luffy yelled out.

Luffy continued to keep trying to get up and falling everytime. He kept screaming as well begging Psycho to stop.

"LUFFY!" Hancock finally yelled.

Luffy looked up at her.

"I love you…" Hancock said with a soft smile.

Luffy stared with pure shock.

FLASHBACK

"Hey, you okay? Hammock?" Luffy asked.

Hancock bit her lower lip.

"Are you going to say anything?" Luffy asked again.

Hancock still looked forward. Luffy became angry.

"Hey! What's your deal? How can you help me get away from everyone and tell me you loved me just to be quie-."

"I DON'T LOVE YOU ANYMORE LUFFY!" Hancock yelled.

END OF FLASHBACK

Why would she tell Luffy she didn't love him anymore and then turn around and say she did? Luffy couldn't believe what was happening.

"Sweet words. Don't worry Boa, with his power level you'll see him again in the afterlife." Psycho said.

"Let her go…" Luffy said softly.

Psycho looked down at him.

"LET HER GO GOD DAMN IT!" Luffy yelled.

Psycho smiled.

"With pleasure." Psycho said.

Hancock dropped slowly out of Psycho's grasp and into the crack. Luffy's mouth opened wider and wider as Hancock slowly dropped out of sight and further into the rapids below. She was already a devil fruit user and then there were rapids on top of that. All Luffy could do is stare until he heard the splash of Hancock hitting the water. Nobody jumped in to save her. All she could do was drown. Psycho looked up at Luffy.

"The death of a loved one… at the hands of someone else breeds true hatred, which breeds true power! What will you do now Straw hat? Will you cry and freak out like you did when Ace died? Or will you avenge Hancock right here and now!" Psycho asked.

Luffy continued to stare with shock and rage hidden inside him. Steam started to come off his body, much to Psycho's surprise. Eventually Luffy was covered in steam. Some of the steam trails taking on the appearance of snakes.