CHAPTER 43
Navy admiral, Monkey D. Kraken, stood atop the Marineford fort staring down at the heavily beaten Psycho who stared right back.
He looked up and around at the damage again. Many dead marines rest on the damaged island. Some floated in the waters around the fort because of the constant explosions and shockwaves, not to mention the marines in the actual building from Psycho and Cyclone's massacre of the island just a day earlier.
Kraken let out a soft sigh.
"Sorry you all… I was too late to save your lives… allow me to make it up to you." Kraken said to himself.
Kraken looked down at Luffy.
"Luffy…"
EARLIER IN THE DAY
Kraken walked through the Sakura Kingdom as it was being repaired by the people. One of the men noticed him.
"Hey! A marine! Looks like the government didn't ignore us thank goodness!" The man said.
A crowd of people became excited and crowed Kraken who was genuinely shocked.
"Hey hey hey! Take it easy." Kraken said, smiling awkwardly and rubbing the back of his head, "What happened here?"
The man backed up smiling.
"There was a big battle here! Between DEATH and the Straw hat pirates! They also had some other friends who could use devil fruits! It was intense but they got it done!" The man explained.
Kraken became shocked.
"Straw hats and their friends huh? What did the Straw hat's friends look like?" Kraken asked.
The excited crowd all began talking at once.
"THEY WORE WEIRD HEADBANDS!"
"ONE HAD SPECIAL EYES!"
"DID YOU SEE THE GIRL PUNCH THE GIANT ACROSS THE ISLAND!?"
"OH PLEASE THE LIGHTNING ATTACK WAS THE BEST!"
Kraken lowered his hat and smiled.
"Headbands and special eyes huh? Are the straw hats still here?" Kraken asked.
"Oh for sure! They're in the amusement park district, at our most expensive hotel resting. They deserve it after their hard work!" A woman said.
Kraken smiled.
"Alright thank you!" Kraken said, beginning to walk.
"You're!" A man yelled.
Kraken looked out the corner of his eyes.
"You're not trying to capture them are you? They just saved us!" The man said.
Kraken breathed out a breath of relief.
"No, I don't have any intention to catch them. I promise!" Kraken said, walking off.
"Uh wait!" A man said.
Kraken turned around.
"You don't want any transportation Mr. Marine?" The man asked.
Kraken smiled again.
"No, that won't be necessary sir. I'll be fine." Kraken said, crouching.
The people watched as Kraken got into a running position. Kraken looked up and zoomed off into the snowy forest blowing a huge amount of snow back at the villagers.
"Oops! My bad!" Kraken yelled back as the people awed at his amazing speed.
Kraken sped through the forest for a few more minutes and up a hill where finally looked over the amusement park district on the island. The sun was still just coming up as it was pretty much daybreak. Kraken sighed.
"Well, no surprise Luffy would be in this part of the island." Kraken said, looking around, "The lady said they'd be at some sort of hotel… ah, there it is." Kraken said, noticing the large hotel in the middle of the village.
As Kraken walked through the village he pulled Luffy's wanted poster out of his pocket and looked at it.
"Oh boy… whoever would've thought my squishy little brother actually would've become a pirate. And such a notorious one at that. I'm so proud of you for following your dreams. I can't wait to see in person how strong you've become. I'm sorry that… I haven't been around for so long." Kraken thought to himself.
As he got closer he began to hear arguing. He jumped behind a tree and saw a group of people at the entrance to the hotel. He looked at them closely and gasped.
"That's them!" Kraken said, pulling out a small folder with the Straw Hat's bounties in it, "Chopper, Usopp, Brook, Franky, Nami, Sanji… looks like Zoro and Nico Robin aren't out here yet. Who's that guy with the cloak? He's arguing with someone." Kraken said.
It was revealed to be Sasuke, who was arguing with Luffy about going to Marineford to save Zoro and Robin, whom he thought were there.
"The only thing we can do is wait for them to get back. We'll give them five days. If they're not back by then, we'll storm Marineford and make Psycho tell us where she is. For now, I'd like to find a nice open island to do some training." Sasuke said.
"Five days?! With a freak like Psycho? What if he kills her!" Nami yelled.
Kraken shook at Psycho's name.
"Psycho…" Kraken muttered, touching his burn scar that covered half his face.
Kraken looked back out.
"No!" Luffy yelled, "I want to go to Marineford now! And save Robin and Zoro!" Luffy yelled.
"What happened at Marineford!?" Kraken said softly to himself.
"We don't even know if they're even there Luffy. That's what I'm trying to tell you. What if you get there and it's nothing but DEATH members? DEATH generals? You heard Sabo, the foot soldiers may be small fry, but the generals are about as strong as Psycho and Cyclone! What will you do then?" Sasuke asked.
"I'll figure it out when I get there!" Luffy yelled.
"Luffy hasn't changed a bit… I don't know who that guy is but he's certainly levelheaded. Are these the friends the villagers told me about?" Kraken asked.
"Luffy… we do need to train. We can't have what happened to you and Naruto happen again. Robin and Zoro will be okay. They have each other!" Nami said.
Luffy looked down and shook with anger.
"So Luffy has experienced Psycho's power too then? From the sound of it he didn't fare too well." Kraken noted, Kraken was interrupted as someone came flying towards the tree he was hiding behind.
Luffy yelled and hardened his other arm throwing a punch at Sasuke's face. Sasuke back flipped out the building and Luffy launched at Sasuke, who was still landing from the back flips and knocked him into a tree.
Kraken froze in place.
"Damn! What the hell is Luffy doing? They aren't wrong in this situation. Maybe I should…" Kraken was interrupted.
The island shook from the intense fight between former friends. Naruto and Luffy clashed together, their hand clasped against each other. The two stared at each other full of anger. The others watched the feud, not wanting it to happen, but knowing it had to.
"Why… why don't you just listen!" Naruto yelled.
"Shut up! You dumb ass!" Luffy yelled back.
Kraken took a peek to see what was going on and was shocked to see what Luffy and this blonde-haired kid were doing. Naruto held out his arm and a clone formed a rasengan. Luffy blew his arm up and solidified it, turning it into a giant metal fist. Naruto jumped towards Luffy and Luffy threw his punch at Naruto.
"HEY HEY HEY! THEY'RE GONNA DESTROY THE VILLAGE!" Kraken got ready to move out until he heard a yell.
"STOOOOOOOOOOOOOPPPPPPPP!" Hancock yelled.
The area around them shook and the straw hat shinobi passed out one by one. All except for Luffy, Boa, and Kraken.
Before Kraken could make another move Luffy and Boa ran off.
"I guess they're going to Marineford…" Kraken said, walking out of his hiding place and walking up to the fallen straw hat shinobi.
Kraken kneeled by Naruto and inspected him. He looked at his headband.
"Leaf shinobi.." Kraken said softly.
Kraken stood to his feet and pulled out a piece of paper and a pen.
"No doubt about it… they'd go to Marineford to chase Luffy and Hancock, but I can't let that happen. You're all still far too weak to face the troubles that lie ahead." Kraken said.
Kraken finished writing his note.
"I'll protect them. Go train."
Kraken put his pen away and placed the note in Kakashi's pocket.
"Well. Off I go. Got quite a way to go before I get there, I'd better start moving." Kraken said, running off.
END OF FLASHBACK
Kraken was still looking at Luffy then over to Jimbei.
"Good thing I ran into Jimbei… who knows if I would've made it here in time." Kraken said to himself.
"Kraken…" Psycho said.
Kraken jumped, being caught off guard.
"What's a big shot like you doing here? And after so long away…" Psycho asked.
Robin stared up at the man who called himself a navy admiral.
"L-Luffy's brother?.." Robin said to herself.
Kraken looked down at him.
"Well, as an Admiral in the marines, I couldn't ignore the news about what happened here." Kraken joked.
"Sure.." Psycho said.
After some silence, Kraken spoke.
"But I think you know the other reason I'm here, Psycho." Kraken said.
Psycho looked up.
"Just give me Monkey D. Luffy and I'll be on my way." Kraken said.
Psycho looked over at Luffy, who was behind the still ready Jimbei, and then back up at Kraken.
"Why give him back when I could end this right now?" Psycho asked.
"Well.. you did just tell him he could leave." Kraken said.
"That was before he sent me through concrete hell and then up through a building and out of consciousness..." Psycho said.
Kraken winced.
"Oh, right." Kraken said, rubbing the back of his head.
Psycho stared at Kraken with an annoyed glare.
"What'll you take for him?" Kraken asked.
"You're really trying to bargain with me?" Psycho asked.
Kraken nodded. Psycho chuckled.
"That desperate to get him back I see?" Psycho said.
"So, what do you say? What do you want?" Kraken said.
Psycho looked back at Luffy and up at Kraken again then lowered his head to think. Jimbei used this opportunity to pick Luffy up and walk him to safety. As Jimbei got next to Psycho, Psycho spoke.
"Did I give you permission to leave?." Psycho said, charging a chidori.
"Shit!" Kraken said vanishing.
As Psycho got ready to pierce Luffy and Jimbei his arm stopped. Psycho looked over to see Kraken grabbed his wrist. Psycho smiled.
"As fast as ever…" Psycho said, snatching his hand away.
Kuro, Kaku, Lucci, and Doflamingo all stared with straight faces at the admiral showing his incredible speed. Psycho held his wrist and thought. Robin was mesmerized by it.
"My men are surely tuckered out from this war as well as myself. Cyclone is probably the only one who can face him, but a battle between those two would destroy this island.." Psycho thought.
Psycho looked at Luffy.
"Maybe… just maybe... you are the one I've been waiting for." Psycho thought.
Kraken stood tall, more serious now. He looked over to see Robin sitting on the battlefield, very visibly injured.
"Nico Robin? Maybe I should get her out of here too if I can…" Kraken said, looking over to see Sakazuki laid out, "Sakazuki!? What is he doing here? Guess it'll only be right if I get him too." Kraken thought.
Psycho looked over at Robin and Sakazuki and chuckled.
"You can take Straw hat with you, Kraken, but those two are off limits." Psycho said.
Kraken clenched his teeth.
"Your boss killed an entire boat of innocents.. that could've easily been my little girl on that boat. He will die here." Psycho said.
Kraken sighed.
"Come on Psycho.. there's been enough fighting!" Kraken asked.
Psycho stared at him with a straight face and thought about Kizaru losing his fruit abilities.
Psycho looked back up at Kraken. Kraken straightened his face.
"Okay Kraken." Psycho said.
Kraken waited.
"I'll let you take Straw hat and Sakazuki, but Robin isn't going anywhere. Non. Negotiable." Psycho asked.
Kraken clenched his teeth.
"Fine." Kraken said, making his way for Sakazuki.
"Hold it." Psycho said.
Kraken stopped.
"I said you can take Sakazuki… but not Akainu." Psycho said, walking past Kraken and over to Sakazuki.
Psycho stood over him and stared then grabbed his head and forced Sakazuki onto his knees. Psycho stood behind the unconscious fleet admiral.
"Hey hey hey!! what're you?" Kraken started to ask.
"Be silent." Psycho said, "If you want to take Luffy and this man back safely then you'll sit there and keep your mouth shut."
Robin became scared, knowing what Psycho was about to do. Kraken clenched his teeth and backed away.
"If you're going to take this man with you, then you'll take him as he truly is… a man." Psycho said, closing his eyes and focusing.
After a few moments dark red lights shone out of Sakazuki's eyes and mouth and a blue light shone out of Psycho's eyes and mouth.
After a few minutes Psycho dropped Sakazuki's face back into the ground and backed up slowly. Psycho grabbed his head.
"What the hell did he just do?" Kraken thought.
Jimbei was visibly nervous too.
DEATH members cheered Psycho on.
"YEAH THAT'LL SHOW THEM!"
"YOU'RE SO SMART! PSYCHO-SAN!"
"YEAH WE'VE GOT THE POWER OF MAGMA ON OUR SIDE!"
Kraken turned towards the man that said that.
"The power of what?!" Kraken asked, looking at Psycho in shock.
Psycho's arms were slowly covered in molten lava and smoke gracefully blew away from his body. Psycho chuckled.
Kraken stared with complete shock, Jimbei as well.
"He… he just took Sakazuki's powers!" Jimbei said.
Psycho dispelled the magma and returned to normal.
"What do you think he will do when he finds out he lost his powers? Hopefully he does me a favor and kills himself anyway. Either way, he's no threat now." Psycho laughed.
"Leave this place." Psycho said.
Kraken grimaced.
Kraken frowned and kneeled to grab Sakazuki. He threw the big man over his shoulder and held Hancock in his other arm still.
He looked around at the scene. Psycho stared at him, bloody, bruised, hole in his chest, etc. His organization spread out in boats and his DEATH generals watching.
He then motioned to Jimbei to leave with him and the two jumped up and over the Marineford fort. Psycho looked down, thinking about Luffy.
"How lucky that boy is." Psycho said, smiling.
Psycho looked over at the deceased Teach and frowned, "Disgusting. Somebody come get this trash out of here as well as the rest! When you've all docked get to cleaning and rebuilding our new base." Psycho instructed.
The men cheered and brought the boats back in. Psycho walked over to Robin and held out his hand to help her up. Robin was reluctant at first but took it and stood up. The two then walked into the Marineford fort in silence.
JUST WANTED TO TAKE A QUICK MOMENT TO ACKNOLWEDGE MY REVIEWER THAT SAID THIS WAS THEIR FAVORITE FANFIC! THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE COMPLIMENT! COULDN'T MESSAGE YOU PERSONALLY SO I HAD TO DO IT HERE! Ha ha!