CHAPTER 42
Psycho stared at Luffy as the latter stared at the crack that Hancock was dropped inside of to fall into the waters below. Hancock, being a devil fruit eater, had zero chance of survival. Luffy hadn't felt this intense about something like this since Ace died two years prior and do make matters worse, Hancock and Ace both met their fate at the exact same place.
"Han…cock…" Luffy said softly.
Psycho had a calm face.
"The death of someone you love… at the hands of your enemy breeds true hatred. Do you hate me? Monkey D. Luffy?" Psycho asked.
Tears began to fall from Luffy's eyes.
Psycho's DEATH generals: Lucci, Kaku, Doflamingo, and Kuro all stared at Luffy with straight faces, waiting to see what he was going to do next. Robin was still comatose from Psycho's earlier confession that he was her paternal father. Frank G. looked on with a smile, having seen Luffy this upset before.
"The cons of producing this kind of hatred would limit your critical thinking in battle and cause you to make too many predictable moves that would only make our fight easier, but… you and I both know you needed this motivation… am I right?" Psycho asked.
Luffy's tears started to fall even harder and he began to shake. He slammed his forehead on the ground which cracked under him.
"Until you have no reason to hold back against me you'll never surpass me." Psycho said.
Luffy's tears fell at max now. Drenching the ground around him. He slammed his fist into the ground.
Psycho shook his head and turned around.
"Thanks for wasting my time, Straw-hat. I had high hopes for you, but it looks like even death won't give you the motivation to rise above your adversary. Shame on you." Psycho said calmly, turning around.
As Psycho began to walk away, Luffy stood to his feet. His head was low. Psycho sensed this and turned around slowly. Luffy huffed and puffed and looked up at Psycho with pure rage in his eyes.
"Making a tough face doesn't change my opinion of you. In fact, I'm less worried than I was a few moments ago." Psycho taunted.
Luffy held up his left arm and coated it in haki. He bit into it and blew his arm up.
"GEAR… FOURTH!" Luffy yelled.
Psycho turned around to face Luffy.
"Gear fourth again? You don't learn your lesson." Psycho said.
Steam trails with the forms of snakes surrounded Luffy and covered his body. They even lifted Luffy off his feet, removing his sandals. Haki tattoos covered Luffy's body, legs, and arms. His hair even got longer and pointed outwards. Inside the steam Luffy was floating, his right arm raised and cocked back, and his left outstretched. After a moment he spoke.
"Snake Man!" Luffy yelled.
Kaku, Lucci, Doflamingo, Kuro, and Frank G were surprised at the form. Psycho stared at it with no emotion.
"Snake man? So there was some hidden power hiding within him." Psycho said out loud, "Tell me, Luffy. What do you intend to do now?"
Luffy growled.
"Now… I DEFEAT YOU! I'VE HAD IT WITH YOU! I'M GOING TO KICK YOUR ASS HERE AND NOW!" Luffy yelled.
Psycho face palmed.
"Someone doesn't use their listening ears… I'm immortal in more ways than one. Kicking my ass won't solve your problems and trying to kill me won't either. What is your game plan?" Psycho asked.
"I don't need to kill you!" Luffy said.
Psycho was mildly surprised.
"I'LL JUST BREAK EVERY BONE IN YOUR BODY SO YOU CAN'T MOVE!" Luffy yelled and began winding up his fist.
Psycho got ready for the punch.
"Kong gun hm? No… it's going to be something else, but what?" Psycho asked himself.
"GUM GUM: JET CULVERIN!" Luffy yelled, blasting his fist towards Psycho at an insane speed.
Psycho's eyes widened momentarily and swayed to the side just barely.
"What the hell was that? That was incredibly fast… but not fast enough. This won't be too much harder." Psycho thought to himself.
Psycho's thoughts were interrupted by sensing something behind him. His eyes widened and he ducked. He looked up to see Luffy's punch had missed him just barely again.
"What!?" Psycho asked.
"GET HIM! PYTHON!" Luffy yelled.
Luffy's fist curved and turned in midair coming towards Psycho again. Psycho pushed off the ground with all fours and did a series of side flips in the air as Luffy's punch crashed into the ground.
"BLACK HOLE!" Psycho yelled.
Psycho spread darkness across the ground and sent it towards Luffy who jumped into the air to dodge it. Luffy then flew towards Psycho.
"He can fly in that form too?" Psycho asked, surprised.
Luffy loaded up both arms this time and sent them blasting towards Psycho. Psycho jumped over one and spun past another then charged a burst of aura and began to fly himself. He flew away from Luffy at quick speeds.
"DON'T THINK YOU CAN RUN! THEY CAN SPEED UP EVEN AFTER THEY'VE BEEN LAUNCHED!" Luffy yelled.
Psycho looked back to see Luffy had told the truth. His arms continued to pick up speed and caught up to Psycho who now dodged the curving and twisting punches in the air. Psycho used his sharingan to look for an opening and found one straight down. Psycho nosedived and spun to pick up speed. He slammed into the ground on his hands and feet. When Luffy's punches followed him there he quickly blasted out of the way causing the punches to land into the ground, cracking and shaking it. Psycho then used the opportunity to fly towards Luffy.
"I've got you!" Psycho yelled, ki blast charged in his hand.
Psycho punched Luffy in the stomach causing the rubber man to cough up a little blood. Psycho turned into light and moved above Luffy and charged a light speed kick. Luffy saw it coming and moved. Psycho kicked straight down sending the light beam into the ground blowing the battleground to hell.
"PSYCHO-SAN IS GOING TO DESTORY THE ISLAND! EVERYONE GET TO THE BOATS!" A DEATH member yelled.
The other DEATH members agreed and ran to get to the safety of the sea.
"MINGO-SAN, LUCCI-SAN, KAKU-SAN, CROCODILE-SAN! PLEASE GET ONTO A BOAT SAFELY! WE CAN'T HAVE YOU DEVIL FRUIT EATERS FALLING INTO THE SEA!" Another DEATH member said.
The DEATH generals agreed and got onto boats quickly. Frank G smiled as he backed up ran towards his own boat.
"MEN GET ONTO THE BOAT! GIVE THESE TWO THEIR SPACE!" Frank G ordered.
"AYE! FRANK-SAN!" A coated pirate said.
"SOMEBODY GRAB NICO ROBIN! THAT'S THE BOSSES DAUGHTER!" A DEATH member ordered.
As a DEATH member went to grab Robin he looked up to see Luffy launching two punches at Psycho who flew in between them and back handed Luffy back towards the ground.
"AHHHHHHH! HE'S COMING RIGHT FOR ME!" The DEATH member yelled.
"HEY! GET YOUR HANDS OFF HER!" Luffy yelled.
Psycho saw Luffy about to attack his subordinate and clenched his teeth.
"I don't think so Straw-Hat!" Psycho yelled, flying down towards Luffy.
Luffy clenched his teeth and threw a jet culverin at Psycho who dodged easily.
"Too easy!" Psycho said.
"Wasn't aiming at you!" Luffy yelled.
Psycho became surprised and looked up to see a fist coming down at him. Psycho blocked his chest with two haki covered arms and was forced hard into the ground causing it to explode and crumble shooting dust into the air. Luffy landed next to the DEATH subordinate who attempted to cut him.
"NOT A CHANCE! STRAW HAT!" The DEATH member yelled.
Luffy easily grabbed him and threw him into the sea. Luffy went to grab Robin who's eyes were wide open, but she was unconscious.
"Come on, Robin. Let's get out of here!" Luffy said.
BOOM!
An explosion got Luffy's attention and he looked over.
"VORTEX!" Psycho yelled, pulling both Luffy and Robin towards him.
Psycho caught Luffy by the neck and Robin by the collar in another hand. He choke slammed Luffy with incredible force cracking up the ground beneath them.
"I'll admit you've got some skills in that form Monkey, but it isn't enough." Psycho said.
Luffy growled.
"AAAAAHAHHHHHHHHH!" Luffy yelled.
Psycho looked up and back but was too late to react and was slammed in the back by Luffy's python fists. Psycho coughed up blood as he was launched towards the water. Luffy stood up and set Robin down.
"Yes! He's going towards the sea!" Luffy said.
"PSYCHO-SAN! HE CAN'T SWIM WITH A DEVIL FRUIT!"
"SOMEBODY SAVE HIM!"
"I'M ON IT!"
Some of the DEATH members and generals got ready to help but were stopped by Cyclone.
"Don't. He's got it covered." Cyclone said.
"Cyclone-san!"
Everyone looked on as Psycho fell towards the water, seemingly unconscious. Psycho looked up to see the water. Luffy ran over to the end of the battlefield and was shocked as much as everyone else. Psycho was on one knee on the water.
"How…" Luffy asked.
Psycho looked up and breathed in and out heavily. Cluching the hole in his chest from Akainu's attack just moments earlier. Psycho then stood to his feet.
"HOW IS HE STANDING ON WATER!?"
"THAT'S OUR PSYCHO-SAMA! FULL OF SURPRISES!"
DEATH members cheered Psycho on as he stared at Luffy.
"I have to truly admit that I'm surprised by this power of yours Straw-hat… you've done more damage to me today than I ever would've thought…" Psycho said through heavy breaths.
"How are you standing on water!? Devil fruit powers shouldn't work in water!" Luffy yelled.
Psycho chuckled.
"You must have forgotten…. I'm not from this world of yours… I'm a shinobi from the ninja world… and one of our basic techniques is chakra control." Psycho said.
"Chakra? Control?" Luffy asked.
"By focusing chakra to my feet I can walk on water, walls, etc. Very handy don't you think?" Psycho said.
Luffy was dumb founded.
"What a surprise." Lucci said.
"Whoever would've thought they had tricks like that over there hm hm hm hm." Doflamingo chuckled.
Kuro continued to stare.
"Speaking of which… you're far too used to devil fruit powers. It's time I showed you the true power of a shinobi." Psycho said, pointing to his headband.
Luffy looked at the headband and noticed it had the same emblem that Naruto and his friends wore.
"You're from the same place Naruto and the others are from?" Luffy asked.
Psycho became a little surprised.
"No, I'm not actually. I resided in the Village hidden in Rain. I trained in the leaf thought and they gave me this headband as a momento." Psycho explained.
Luffy clenched his teeth.
Psycho created three other shadow clones of himself.
"This fight is about to get a lot harder, Straw-hat Luffy. Let's see how good your memory is." Psycho said.
Luffy became confused as Psycho began to switch places with each clone. Like a human game of finding a ball in a cup. Luffy kept his eyes on the real Psycho until he started moving faster and faster and then they all began to sidestep at insane speeds that no one in attendance could keep up with. When the Psycho's stopped they all stared at Luffy.
"Let's go." Psycho said.
All the Psycho's flew up and charged Luffy. The landed around him and tried to attack him. Luffy dodged and swayed out of the way for a bunch of attacks.
"So… snake man is a long-ranged fighting form? I should've known." Psycho said.
A Psycho attempted to punch Luffy, but Luffy flew out of the way and into the air. Luffy charged up two jet culverin and sent them flying at the Psycho clones. The clones flew into the air and dodged the punches. Luffy yelled as the punches flew faster until a Psycho clone was hit, but instead of smoke, the clone blew up in a huge explosion.
"AHHHHHHHH!" Luffy yelled as he was blown away a little.
Out of the cloud the other three clones charged Luffy.
"The explosions are powerful… but thanks to my haki it doesn't damage my arms at least!" Luffy thought, sending more punches at the clones hitting another one of them and causing a major explosion in the air. Luffy brought his arm back and threw another but was choked from behind.
"I've got you." Psycho said.
Luffy struggled and choked while in Psycho's grasp. The other clone flew towards them both and attempted to punch Luffy in the face, but Luffy saw this coming and flipped over. Psycho smiled as he was punched in the back. Luffy's eyes widened.
KABOOOOOOOMMMMMMMM!
A giant explosion rocked the waters and ships below. The shockwave was so powerful it even blew away some of Marineford. Luffy fell from the explosion bruised and bloody and crashed into the ground.
"HA HA! GREAT TRICK PSYCHO-SAN!"
Luffy struggled to get to his feet as Psycho slowly settled on the ground.
"You know Straw hat… I've been thinking." Psycho said.
Luffy tried to punch Psycho, but the latter caught it and kneed Luffy in the gut and elbowed his head back into the ground and stepped on it.
"I actually considered you and Naruto as the ones to save this world… but how could you be worthy for that position? You're all killers." Psycho said.
Luffy forced his head up a little.
"We're the killers!? What do you call the people you've killed in cold blood!?" Luffy asked.
"You and Naruto have taken the lives of people who mean to enforce peace and justice. Even thought their ways may seem extreme. As for the innocents… well, some of them weren't my first call, but… in the real world sometimes you're faced with tough choices." Psycho explained.
Luffy growled.
"You and Naruto aim to protect this world, but you won't allow it to change… how can this world truly be saved if it isn't allowed to grow and evolve?" Psycho asked, "Listen… I know you truly meant well by coming here… but you just didn't think it through." Psycho lectured.
Luffy growled again.
"And over the course of this battle I've realized… that there's only one path to peace." Psycho stopped.
Luffy looked up.
"The straw hat shinobi's extinction." Psycho said.
Luffy raged and forced Psycho off him. Psycho back flipped away and stood up.
"LIKE HELL WE'D EVER DIE TO YOU! GUM GUM!" Luffy yelled.
Psycho squinted.
"BLACK MAMBA!" Luffy yelled.
Suddenly, hundreds, no thousands of haki covered fists came raining down on Psycho. Psycho closed his eyes and opened them again with his sharingan activated. As the punches rained down Psycho stood in one spot and dodged them at supersonic speeds. Luffy continued to throw punches regardless of this and Psycho continued to dodge with ease. After a few moments Luffy stopped suddenly but didn't know why. Then he saw that both his hands had been caught.
"Still too slow." Psycho said.
Luffy forced his arms back and blasted at Psycho. Psycho closed his eyes and spread his legs. He circled his arms and then forced them in different directions. His right arm in the air and his left arm down towards his side, both his hands open and his eyes still closed.
Frank G stared at this form with shock and began to sweat.
"Frank-san! Are you all right?!" One of the coated pirates asked.
Frank slammed his fist on the side of the boat.
"THAT DAMN STANCE! IT'S THE SAME ONE HE USED TO BEAT ME!" Frank yelled.
His crew looked over at Psycho, confused.
"The Tenchimato stance! An extremely over powered maneuver that allows the user to counter ANYTHING!" Frank yelled.
Luffy yelled as he charged Psycho. Luffy threw a regular punch with his snake man arms, but Psycho ducked, crossed and circled his arms. One clockwise and the other counterclockwise until they met again.
"Tenchimato…." Psycho said.
Luffy looked down with surprise.
"BURST!" Psycho yelled as he slammed his two fists into Luffy's body.
A huge shockwave shook the island and the waters around it. Air blasted out of Luffy's body and dust blasted into the air. Luffy coughed up an unhealthy amount of blood as he was blown away. Luffy landed quite a ways from Psycho, his eyes rolled in the back of his head. Frank G stared with anger. Psycho stood up and walked towards Luffy.
"I'd be lying… if I said I didn't enjoy fighting you Straw-hat… you've shown true growth in such a short amount of time… when you awake… leave this island. You've earned that from me." Psycho took off his head band and put it in his pocket.
As Psycho walked away everyone thought the fight was over… until. Psycho heard heavy breathing behind him. He looked back with surprise to see Luffy, still in snake man, standing, his arms up ready to fight. Psycho couldn't believe it. Neither could Frank G.
"How the hell is he standing when that move put me away! DAMN THAT STRAW HAT!" Frank yelled.
"Just what the hell are you? What the hell is keeping you going?" Psycho asked.
"YOU THREATENED THE LIVES OF MY FRIENDS! I'LL NEVER LET YOU GET AWAY!" Luffy yelled, charging his punches.
Psycho lowered his head and formed two Chidori. One in each hand.
"You've truly earned my respect Monkey D. Luffy. It'll be an honor to kill you with my own hands." Psycho said, charging Luffy.
Luffy cocked back with all of his might and sent both of his jet culverin at Psycho. The two fists twisted around each other and took the form of a king cobra. Psycho was a little surprised.
"THIS WILL BE THE LAST ATTACK! GUM GUM! KING COBRA!" Luffy yelled.
Psycho yelled as well, as he charged Luffy with his two lightning blades.
"PSYCHOOOOOO!" Luffy yelled.
"STRAWWWWW HATTTTTTTT!" Psycho yelled.
The wind from their powers shook everything for miles. Everyone could barely hold on to their surroundings. As the two got closer to each other Psycho extended his arms, but suddenly his chest throbbed. The hole Sakazuki punched in him started to ache and he coughed up a lot of blood, the pain made him clutch his chest and cancel his attack. Cyclone noticed this.
"PSYHCO!" Cyclone said.
Psycho looked up, but it was too late.
"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" Luffy yelled as his punch struck Psycho right in the stomach.
"GUUUUUAGGGHHH!" Psycho groaned as he coughed up blood.
Luffy's attack sent Psycho straight into the Marineford wall.
BOOOOOMMMMMM!
"BLOW AWAY!" Luffy screamed.
Psycho was dragged through the building left, right, up, down, straight, up, left, straight, down, his body being beaten and damaged the more he was sent through the stony structure. Then he was finally sent up and straight out the roof of the Marineford building in a huge explosion blowing the top off the temple that sat atop the fortress. Psycho fell slowly with a sky full of debris falling with him. Luffy slowly transformed back to normal, smiled and passed out. Psycho continued to fall, his eyes rolled into the back of his head, signifying his defeat. Nobody present could believe what they had seen. Everyone stared in shock.
"PSYCHO-SAN!"
"IS HE DEAD?! HE'S IMMORTAL ISN'T HE!?"
Psycho slammed into the ground a little away from Luffy. Frank G. strared with disgust.
"No way that little boy beat you! NO WAY!" Frank yelled.
Psycho was still motionless on the ground, his mouth agape, and his eyes rolled in the back of his head. Everyone still stared on. The DEATH generals watched from a DEATH boat in complete silence. After a few moments they all stared in shock as Psycho started to move. His body jiggled and shook until he coughed up a huge amount of blood. He slowly turned around and got on his hands and knees and coughed some more. He huffed and puffed heavily. His eyes never leaving Luffy's unconscious body.
"PSYCHO-SAN! I KNEW THAT WASN'T ENOUGH TO BEAT YOU!"
The DEATH generals all smiled in relief.
Psycho stood to his feet slowly. One of his legs were broken. He stared down at Luffy with an emotionless face, blood running down his mouth and face. Luffy lay with his eyes closed, exhausted from using gear fourth. Psycho slowly limped towards Luffy.
"You've… done quite… the… number on me straw-hat… but it looks like… you've reached your limit." Psycho said through raspy whispers. He charged up another Chidori and stood over Luffy.
"Let's see how lucky… you get this time." Psycho said.
"YEAH FINISH HIM OFF PSYCHO-SAN!"
"KILL HIM!"
Robin suddenly woke up from her short coma and looked around to see everything destroyed and obliterated. She hurried and got to her hands and knees and looked out to sea and saw everyone on boats, over at the Marineford building which was almost completely destroyed, and… a clearly beat down Psycho standing over her captain with a lightning attack ready to pierce his heart. Robin choked up and tears fell.
"NOOOOO! STOP!" Robin yelled.
Psycho raised his hand.
"F… F… FATHER!" Robin yelled.
Psycho stopped suddenly and looked back at Robin, who was in tears. Flashbacks to her screaming she wanted to live at Enies Lobby plagued his head and he closed his eyes. Suddenly a big dark figure jumped in front of him.
"5,000 BRICK FIST!" A beast yelled.
Psycho turned around and was blasted in the chest from the punch. Psycho tried his best not to cough up any more blood but failed as the liquids inside his body were punched out of proportion. Psycho fell onto his back and slowly sat up to see the fishman, former warlord of the sea, Jimbei standing over him.
"Jimbei…" Psycho said softly, "What brings you here?"
Jimbei took a stance.
"I won't allow you to lay another hand on Luffy-kun! Psycho-kun!" Jimbei yelled.
Psycho slowly got to his feet and stared at Jimbei.
"How many times must I tell you not to call me that…" Psycho said, covering his arm in darkness.
Jimbei stayed in his stance.
"Straw hat has to die here. I don't mind sending you to the graveyard as well!" Psycho said, jumping towards Jimbei.
"Hey hey hey." A smooth voice said.
Psycho and Jimbei stopped in their tracks and looked up to the top of Marineford. A man in black shades, black camo cargos, a long sleeve black T shirt, black boots and gloves, and a marine hat and jacket strung over his shoulders like a cape, his arms not in the sleeves, held onto Hancock and stood with his free arm on his hip. He also had a burn scar that took up half his face.
"So you finally showed up! You were supposed to attack him with me!" Jimbei said.
"Sorry, I couldn't figure out where to put Ms. Boa." The man said.
Psycho stared at the man until he was visibly shocked.
"You… the powerful navy admiral who went missing twelve years ago…" Psycho said softly.
The DEATH generals stared in shock as well. Especially Kuro, Kaku, Lucci, Flamingo, and Crocodile knowing this man because of their ties with the government. Even DEATH members, as most are average men and women who were influenced by Psycho's word and knew this man from years ago.
"IT… IT… IT… IT'S THE MISSING NAVY ADMIRAL…! MONKEY D. KRAKEN!
As a random DEATH member yelled this sentence. Monkey D. Kraken stared down at the battlefield through his shades. He looked over at a particular rubber boy lying on the ground.
"Luffy… don't worry. Little brother… I'm going to get you out of here." Kraken said softly.