Chapter 13: Trial of Strength
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Emi, though skilled in combat and confident in her abilities, did not wish to comply with Law's demands. Moreover, she knew the captain well enough to know that he analyzed and used everyone's strengths and weaknesses to his advantage. This gave her enough reason to keep her cards close to her chest until she deemed it absolutely necessary.
Determined not to be drawn into an unnecessary fight, she slipped out of the navigation room, heading to her cabin to hide, hoping that the general commotion would be enough to mask her temporary absence.
However, her plan for discretion was quickly compromised. Shortly after she settled into her cabin, the door abruptly opened to reveal Jean Bart, his face stern and slightly irritated.
"Law asked for you on the deck," he said in a tone that brooked no refusal.
"Jean Bart, I'd really prefer not to..." Emi began, trying to find a plausible excuse.
Jean Bart interrupted her. "The captain insists. Don't make it worse for yourself."
With his imposing stature of over three meters, he was not the type to easily accept a refusal, especially when it came to a direct order from his captain. Without further ceremony, he lifted her as if she weighed nothing, carrying her on his shoulder like a sack of potatoes.
Emi, though surprised and slightly indignant at this method, couldn't do much to resist. The difference in strength was too great, and she knew it would be futile to attempt to physically struggle against Jean Bart. She resigned herself, not without voicing a few verbal protests that were more a formality than a real attempt to escape the situation.
"Jean Bart, this is ridiculous! Put me down right now!" she demanded.
Jean Bart, however, did not respond and continued his way to the deck. His stride was firm and determined, clearly indicating there would be no turning back.
Once on the deck, Emi was set down rather abruptly but unharmed.
Irritated by the manner in which she had been brought here, she searched for Law with her eyes. When their eyes met, she shot him a furious look, a silent protest against his decision to force her to participate.
Law, unperturbed, did not respond to Emi's accusatory glares, his attention fixed on the approaching enemy ship. A heavy silence fell over the deck as the pirate ship drew nearer, its cannons already aimed in their direction, ready to fire.
Emi, at the end of her patience, opened her mouth to confront him openly, but before she could utter a sound, Law's action abruptly cut off any verbal confrontation.
With a fluid and precise movement, he drew his Nodachi. With speed and great precision, he slashed the air, cutting the incoming cannonballs in half as they hurtled towards their ship. The pieces of metal fell into the ocean, their deadly trajectories diverted by the captain's skill.
Emi, though still angry, couldn't help but be impressed by Law's ability to handle the situation with such calm.
Tension reigned on the deck as the crews of both ships prepared for a direct confrontation. Bepo was already in action, using his strength to deflect the cannonballs with precise kicks and punches, creating an effective defense against the enemy fire. Meanwhile, Sachi and Penguin had joined the fray, ready to defend their ship with determination.
As the two boats dangerously approached each other, allowing the enemy pirates to start shooting with their pistols, the atmosphere on the deck grew increasingly tense. Emi, realizing the gravity of the situation and not wanting to be involuntarily involved in the fight, attempted to quietly return inside the submarine to take cover.
However, just as she reached the entrance, Law spoke in a calm and clear voice:
"Room."
Instantly, a large translucent sphere enveloped their ship as well as the enemy's, signifying that Law had activated his power, allowing him to manipulate everything within this area.
Emi stopped dead, trapped inside Law's sphere. She turned to see Law looking directly at her, his cold and calculating gaze leaving no room for escape.
"Shambles," he said next, and before Emi could react, she found herself forcibly teleported onto the pirate ship.
"Damn it, Law, what did you do?! Put me back on your ship now!" she shouted, shocked.
Emi's anger boiled over as she continued to shout at Law. "How dare you do this to me! I'm not just some tool for you to use whenever it fucking suits you!" she swore, her voice mixt with fury and frustration.
Around her, pirates, surprised by her sudden appearance, turned, weapons in hand, ready to attack. Quickly, she had to dodge a saber strike, her combat training taking over despite the surprise and anger she felt toward Law.
Emi realized she had no choice but to defend herself if she wanted to survive. She pondered how to handle the situation without revealing too much. She needed to skillfully navigate between showing enough competence to avoid being killed by the pirates and keeping her methods and strategies secret. It was a delicate balance to maintain, especially under the scrutinizing gaze of Law, who had a disturbing ability to decipher those around him.
Trying to steady herself and focus, Emi closed her eyes, took a long breath, then exhaled and faced the pirates with fierce determination. She dodged nimbly, her combat training allowing her to stay mobile despite their numbers. Her movements, fluid and precise, resembled a dance around her adversaries, striking with an efficiency that betrayed her mastery of pressure points and close combat techniques.
However, the intensity of the confrontation was beginning to weigh on her, and the heavy blow she received to her stomach from a pirate's brass knuckles made her stagger. The cold metal against her skin and the sharp pain that followed drew a muffled cry from her. But far from terrifying her, it ignited her anger. Ready to retaliate with even more force, she straightened up, her eyes blazing with rage and defiance.
Channeling all her fury and determination, Emi charged at the pirate with lightning speed. Just as her kick seemed about to hit the pirate's front, she suddenly vanished, a movement so swift it almost seemed like she had evaporated. In the blink of an eye, she reappeared behind him, out of his direct line of sight.
Without giving the pirate time to turn around or understand what had just happened, Emi struck precisely at a specific spot on the lower back of the pirate. The pirate yelled, momentarily paralyzed by the well-placed blow, his body faltering under the pain.
On the deck of the ship, Law watched the action with furrowed brows. She had struck where a crucial nerve was exposed. It was a point known to few and even fewer could target in the heat of battle. Law briefly wondered where Emi had acquired such knowledge and mastery.
"Interesting," Law murmured to himself, a faint smile appearing on his lips.
Emi, breathless but determined, found herself facing a new challenge in the form of a massive pirate wielding a heavy sword that glinted menacingly under the sun. She dodged his attacks with agility, though each movement drained a bit more of her energy. In a swift exchange, she was less vigilant and received a glancing blow on her thigh, leaving a painful gash that made her wince in pain.
The pirate sneered cruelly, taking pleasure in her apparent suffering. However, Emi, far from being intimidated, pushed through the pain with a grimace. She took a deep breath, gathering what strength she had left, and charged once more at the imposing adversary.
Her movements were swift, but fatigue made her attacks less precise than usual.
Just as she seemed on the brink of being overwhelmed, Sachi, Jean Bart, and Penguin appeared on the deck of the pirate ship, teleported by Law, who had decided that Emi had proven enough courage and skill to warrant reinforcements. Together, they formed a united front, ready to support Emi and take control of the situation.
Law, watching the scene from his own ship, couldn't help but smirk, satisfied with Emi's performance. Although she had areas for improvement, he now recognized not only her abilities but also her tenacity in the face of adversity.
As the battle intensified on the enemy ship's deck, Law remained vigilant and ready to intervene if necessary.
For Emi, the arrival of her allies was a relief. Together, they pushed back the enemy pirates, each strike and block bringing them closer to victory.
The battle between Law's crew and the enemy pirates raged on, but the advantage was clearly on the side of the Heart Pirates, and the enemy pirates were quickly subdued and defeated.
As the fight subsided, the captain of the pirate ship, a weathered man with harsh features, was brought before Law. The two captains faced each other, a tense silence hanging between them.
"You should have chosen your enemies more wisely," Law declared, his tone calm but carrying a palpable threat.
The enemy captain spat on the ground, a defiant gesture despite his desperate situation. "And you think your power gives you the right to judge my crew?"
Law's smile was joyless. "The weak don't choose how they die," he replied simply.
Recognized among the 11 Supernovas, exceptional pirates who had all proven themselves on the Grand Line, Law had a reputation that preceded him. His power was well-known, and, as such, he saw the less experienced pirates of the Paradise as little threat to his crew.
Without further ado, he activated his power again, "Room," enveloping the entire deck of the enemy ship.
"Mess," he then announced, making a precise gesture with his hand.
Instantly, every pirate still standing on the enemy ship froze, terror etched on their faces as their hearts were extracted from their chests, floating in the air, wrapped in the glowing energy of the "Room." The screams of horror filled the air, a macabre sight that left Emi deeply shocked.
Law, unperturbed, collected the hearts in a bag. Once his task was complete, he turned to his crew. "Search the ship. Take anything useful: medicine, money, food," he ordered.
Emi, still in shock from the brutality she had just witnessed, looked at Law with a new perspective. The power he wielded and the ease with which he decided others' fates sent shivers down her spine.
As the crew members busied themselves carrying out the captain's orders, Emi remained on the deck, trying to process the reality of the world she had become a part of.
Although momentarily lost in her thoughts about the harsh reality of their life at sea, she suddenly remembered Law's act of forcibly sending her onto the pirate ship. The anger, which had been tempered by pragmatism in the face of the emergency situation, resurfaced with burning intensity.
Without further thought and driven by a surge of rage, she rushed toward Law. She crossed the distance between them with fierce determination, her face marked by indignation. As she reached Law, she raised her leg to deliver a kick.
Law, always alert to his surroundings, caught Emi's movement out of the corner of his eye. Rather than completely deflect the kick, he shifted slightly, which lessened the impact of the kick that struck him in the side. His expression remained measured, his steel-blue eyes meeting Emi's fiery gaze.
"You're the worst, Law!" Emi exclaimed as she withdrew her foot.
A smirk appeared on Law's face. "I'm part of this generation, journalist-ya," his calm voice contrasting with the evident tension of the situation.
Emi, catching her breath, took a step back, staring at Law intensely. "You had no right to do that. You can't just manipulate me as you please!"
Law watched Emi for a moment, his impassive face giving little away about his thoughts. "You're more than capable. You've proven it. It was an opportunity to show you can handle even the most unexpected situations."
"I want to be informed and consulted, Law. I may be on your ship, but I'm not one of your subordinates," she declared firmly.
Law fixed Emi with an intense gaze. "Be more accommodating next time," he said in a tone that was meant to be neutral but carried a hint of command. "If you had agreed to come on deck voluntarily, I wouldn't have had to use these methods."
Emi gritted her teeth, irritation palpable in every line of her body. Law's response, far from acknowledging his part in escalating the situation, seemed to place the blame on her, as if her refusal justified his actions without her consent. She felt a wave of frustration rise within her, but she knew continuing to argue would lead nowhere with someone as stubborn as he was.
Instead, she took a deep breath and chose to remain silent. Emi turned her back on Law and walked away, letting the open space of the deck and the sea air give her a moment of respite.
She knew that navigating with Law would require considerable patience and diplomacy, skills she would need to continue developing throughout their journey together.
As Emi walked away, Law noticed her slightly uneven gait, a sign that she might have been injured more seriously than he had initially thought during the battle. Her normally confident and fluid posture now showed a slight tension, indicating pain she was trying to hide.
After a moment's thought, Law called out to her.
"Journalist-ya," his voice carrying clearly despite the distance that now separated them.
She stopped and turned around, an inquiring look directed at him.
"Come to the infirmary when you're done here. I'll take a look at your injuries."
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