Here is the twenty-eighth chapter released in accordance with my upload schedule for this story, albeit later than I'd have wanted due to being busy over Christmas and the New Year. Anyway, the world now knows of Luffy's lineage and who his father is, which is almost as big news as who Ace's father was, but at Marineford all that did was slightly pause the fight. Now it has resumed and the war to save Ace continues unabated with Luffy leading the charge and everyone else either backing him up, fighting the Navy, or whatever Buggy is currently doing. Let's see the next stage of the War of the Best. That is all the administrative stuff that I have but there is a guest review that need a response and a question to answer that will clarify something that I haven't full clarified yet so I will do that now starting with the question. Do keep the reviews coming as your support is the best motivation for me to keep producing chapters at this kind of rate.
What are the sizes of the new crews? I know I didn't address this directly, mainly because most didn't need it, but two of them aren't due to either additional members beyond the basis of the crew due to the need for their specialties or less than in their series so I'll clear it up here. As of this point in the story, the 5 new crew sizes are: Might – 22, Fairy Tail – 15, Black Bull – 15, Night – 10, Rose – 8. All but one of the crews will add between 2 and 4 members during the time skip with at least two of them adding more in the aftermath of Wano and the concurrent arcs to it. This is subject to change depending on the crews as it's only based on my current plans and those are always evolving.
To Anon (guest), glad to see that you enjoyed the last chapter and the reactions of some of the other Super Rookies, the remaining ones will be seen during the aftermath were both the Black Bull and Might Pirates will get chapters showcasing their reactions to what happened at Marineford. As for future meetings between the new Warlords and their respective series' heroes, well those are coming with some being in the time skip and others later in the New World, it just depends on who the Warlord is and how to best adapt them to this story to fit with the development of the respective opponents so there's a lot to look forward to there. Do keep reading and enjoying my work.
That is it for this really longish pre-chapter note so sit back and enjoy the twenty-ninth chapter in The Ultimate Worst Generation.
Disclaimer: I own nothing related to these great franchises.
Chapter 29: Backup Straw Hat
"Do not let their forward group come any closer to the plaza!" Sengoku ordered over the speaker system, his voice cutting over the battlefield as Luffy returned to normal following his use of 3rd Gear. "Hold them back and put the two rookies who are making fools of us in the ground!"
The call stilled Akame and Tatsumi as they were about to reach a batch of marines that were hesitant to engage them. Thanks to that, they realized that because of where they'd ended up, Straw Hat, who they'd not noticed getting tiny after whatever he did to enlarge his fist and knock out the last giant, was now surrounded by a ring of marines several ranks deep with the giant he'd defeated on the ground before him.
However, Luffy wasn't alone so it wasn't a pressing issue. That was because many of what Tatsumi could only presume were either people who bucked societal expectation or perverts of some kind, Akame had seen enough queer people like that in her time to just roll with it, had met up with him but they were separated.
That was fine with them though because Tatsumi's plan was merely to support Luffy, not actively fight by his side, at least not at this moment in time. Straw Hat was clearly their best bet for reaching the plaza, his connection to Ace was fueling him in ways no one else could match except possibly Whitebeard, where Tatsumi and Akame could properly get to work taking out corrupt marine officers. So, Tatsumi was going to do all he could to ease that path for Luffy with Akame doing the same by his side.
"The plan hasn't changed." Tatsumi said as a marine officer ordered his fellow marines to make the pirates pay which triggered the full resumption of hostilities including the batch that were before them though it was clear with that lot that an officer who was behind the grunts was all but forcing them to engage the pair. "In fact we're in a better position not being near him at the moment as it will give us a wider view of the threats amassing against him. For now we'll shadow him from the behind and protect that lunatic's ass as he charges."
"Understood, boss." Akame said with a small smile at Tatsumi as she spun Murasame in her hands before holding it to her right hand side in a one handed grip before she glared at the hesitantly approaching marines. "He is a bit too focused to see the wider picture at the moment anyway."
"That's a good thing for him; it will propel him on towards his goal so let's cull the distractions that would prevent that as that's where we'll be of the most use at the moment." Tatsumi said as he set off at the marines before him who had come to a stop the moment that he'd taken the fight to them but at least didn't back away despite the fact that he was the other of the two rookies causing issues. "We are here to thin the numbers of their corrupt officers as much as possible though with these meat shields, just cut through them as they're fair game for blindly following orders. It's the officers not on the 'Do Not Kill' list that we must ensure die today."
"You're thinking like a commander, Tatsumi." Akame said as she fell into step next to him while a series of blades shot from her chest and into the front rank of marines before them to let the marines know that they meant business. "Just direct me and I'll make the rest in pieces."
Tatsumi just nodded as he and Akame reached the ranks of the marines and plowed into them in a fury of blazing steel. Their movements were in synch as they played off each other the way only they could, their swords flashing in a whirlwind of blood and death as they pushed on.
What Tatsumi didn't mention was that Akame wasn't the first to make that assessment of him to his face, Esdeath was. The psychopathic Admiral had openly admitted to Tatsumi that he had the potential to be an Admiral if not Fleet Admiral during their first meeting, something that she reiterated both during their second meeting and again today when she'd defied orders to enter the fray and find him. However, it meant a whole lot more coming from Akame than it did from Esdeath.
It boosted his confidence to hear if from Akame but Tatsumi pushed her words from his mind as he fell into the now familiar haze of battle and for the next few minutes he and Akame charged through the marines before them, cutting down any that tried to opposed them as they pushed towards the plaza. Luffy's defeat of the giant and determination to save Ace had carried on to the others and all over the battlefield and everyone was giving their all as they pressed on.
As such, the battle on the ice quickly returned to its chaotic nature as Tatsumi and Akame cut their way through the marines who opposed them. At the same time their friends did the same wherever they were as reaching the plaza was the general goal so they could regroup when they got there.
Elsewhere the subordinate crews of the Whitebeard Fleet pressed the Vice Admirals with Mine now taking the occasional pot shot at one when she got the chance though her main focus was officers closer to the plaza as that would benefit their forces in the long run. Meanwhile Whitebeard easily detonating some bazooka rounds with his Devil Fruit power with the after shock knocking down the marines who'd fired them and Luffy was just punching his way through all who opposed him.
All the while Ace looked on from the scaffold questioning why Luffy, Pops, and everyone else was doing this for him and why they cared so much to rescue someone like him. He didn't feel like he deserved any of this, he deserved to die like this but they weren't giving their all to save him. It was in that moment that he finally accepted it be it help that was offered or punishment for his actions as a pirate, whichever came first. He said as much to Garp as he sat next to Ace on the scaffold. He was ready for this to end either way and so Ace just watched as the battle raged on below him.
Naturally this wasn't noticed by those on the ice, they were just focused on reaching the plaza and saving Ace, or helping those who wanted to save him to reach it so that they could do their own thing. What was noticed, by Tatsumi at least, was how little bombardment they were getting from the cannon emplacements around the harbor and one glance up easily revealed why.
"Looks like Mine's done her job well." Tatsumi said as he cut a marine across the chest while another fired a shot at him that hit him in the side and bounced off his naturally toughened skin thanks to his Devil Fruit. "We're not getting blow up from above as much."
"She is the best at what she does." Akame said as she pulled Murasame out of the chest of a marine and ducked under a volley of shots that she returned with blades shot out of her body at the marines downing most of them with hits to their chests and guts depending on their height. "There are some even she can't reach, no one can bend bullets and she doesn't even use bullets, but she'd taken care of all the ones that she can reliably hit and blow up or at least take out their gunners. I expect no less from her."
"She is the best sniper out there so of course she'd succeed." Tatsumi said as they moved forward and noticed that Luffy was getting closer to one of the Warlords, Gecko Moria. "And thanks to Mine's support we can pick it up a bit, I get the feeling more than just grunts are about to test Straw Hat."
Akame nodded at that and she rushed ahead of Tatsumi to unleash several blades from her body that cleared a path for them as they moved. They were still a fair bit away from Straw Hat but they were near enough that if he ended up in trouble they should still be able to reach him in time.
As they did, and unbeknownst to the Night Pirates on the front lines, Whitebeard was also making preparations. He'd been challenged by the foolish clown who'd shown up with the other escapees from Impel Down, a clown that he vaguely recognized, and easily manipulated him into aiding in the war.
The main reason for that was simple, the clown had the loyalty of what looked like 200 hardened Impel Down escapees who were a serious force in their own right. The clown may not be much of a threat to anyone but he had some strong subordinates who Whitebeard was now putting to good use by having the clown use them against the Navy rather than bothering him with them.
With that out of the way, Whitebeard was free to give his orders. Those were given to the DeCalvan Brothers, mainly because Squard wasn't reachable for some reason, and they were to focus on sinking the suddenly approaching Navy ships.
Sengoku had ordered that when the time came, those near the front of the bay to fall back slowly while they continued to fight, an order one of the officers there gave when he saw the pirates getting closer. That was part of the plan as it would draw the pirates into the bay and leave their flanks open for the ships that he'd sent around Marineford from where they'd been hidden behind the island to open fire on Whitebeard's fleet.
However Whitebeard had had a bad feeling about those ships hence why he'd ordered the subordinate Captains to focus on sinking them. This may be their best chance to join the frontal assault but Whitebeard felt this was more important and so he gave the order which was followed by all the Captains except Squard who was still MIA.
Even Najenda agreed to help when it was relayed to her and had Lubbock use Cross Tail to fire the cannons when the time came though Mine was to continue targeting officers on the ice using the cover of the battle to hide her shots. After all, Mine had more important targets to focus on and Lubbock could defend the ship just fine on his own so this strategy worked best for them.
Because of his orders, Whitebeard's actions had called Sengoku's bluff and the plan failed but there was still a lot going on and the Navy held the numerical advantage in the battle which was slowing down the attack. Sengoku wasn't worried that his cheap trick failed as things were still going according to his plan.
Again all of this was beyond Tatsumi and Akame's sense of the battle. They weren't focused on the wider scope of it, they were just plowing through the marines that were in front of them. However, unless Tatsumi transformed again they'd not make much of a dent and it was becoming clear that the sheer number of marines were proving useful in slowing down Straw Hat's approach.
"Tatsumi, do you think you should use your power again?" Akame asked as she cut a marine in half as the pair rushed past him. "Because this is turning into a war of attrition and they have enough expendable meat shields to hold us back for a while."
"I can but only if absolutely necessary." Tatsumi said. "I used my fire on Ryuko so that aspect of my power is still resetting. On top of that I fully transformed twice and partially once to block Kizaru so the duration I can hold a full transformation is going to be shorter than usual. A power like mine comes with some drawbacks even if I'm working hard to overcome them."
"Understood well we'll just have to keep this up." Akame said as she shot blades out of her body, sweeping her left arm to add to the arc and catching several marines though most were not fatal. "I'll do what I can but a spray and pray attack with my blades isn't ideal. Without taking the time to aim all I can promise is to wound those who can't block them."
"Agreed." Tatsumi said before he grinned as he saw it. "But remember we're not the only ones aiding Straw Hat, he has allies he actually knows about who are currently by his side. Allies that just so happen to have strong area of effect attacks."
"Huh, oh you…" Akame began.
"Death Wink!"
The attack cry, which they knew came from Emporio Ivankov, interrupted Akame and they saw that the Queen of the Queers had finished whatever he'd been doing with Kuma and come back to aid Straw Hat once again, this time using his Death Wink to knock back several marines. As he did, Jimbei lent his own strength by preparing his Fishman Karate that would also able to affect multiple enemies at once given the whale shark fish-man's raw strength.
"Just let them do their thing, they'll take the next few rounds for us while we use their actions to close the distance." Tatsumi said as he pushed on not noticing that Straw Hat too was joining in on the large scale attack. "That way if they get held up we can take whatever the next major obstacle that appears in Straw Hat's path."
"Right." Akame said with a nod. "Play off the other allies, got it."
Tatsumi smiled at that. Akame may be more one note than most and her skills tended to be limited to things involving killing or the cooking of meat from the animals that she'd killed but she did understand battle better than a normal assassin and he was glad to have her by his side. He knew that they'd have to support Straw Hat more directly, and soon, but until then they'd let his other allies assist him first before they no doubt had to step in as well given all the forces that were lining up to keep Straw Hat from Ace.
That was shown a moment later when Iva unleashed his Death Wink, Jimbei a Five Thousand Brick-Fist attack, and Luffy his Gum-Gum Bazooka all at the same time and in the same direction. The results of the trio of powerful attacks were instantaneous, devastating, and impossible to ignore.
"Well that is one way to clear the path." Tatsumi said as he and Akame were forced to stop as wind wiped around them and causing Akame's long hair to billow while marines flew through the air from the attack though Iva did grab one of them by the crotch for some reason. "Hit as many as you can, Akame. No need for precision, just make sure they either won't get up or are at least slowed down by having your blades lodged in them."
"Understood." Akame said as she held up her left hand as marines flew before them. "Blade Gatlin!"
At that a stream of sharp blades large enough to do noticeable damage if they landed but not large enough to prevent a rapid fire burst from Akame's palm as fast as she could produce them, which after years of practice was pretty fast. Akame proceeded to spray her blades in an arc at the marines as they flew with many taking hits that they didn't initially notice as they were dealing with being tossed like ragdolls by the force of the triple attack.
"Good work." Tatsumi said as the marines crashed to the ground and Luffy, Iva, Jimbei, and their allies charged forward in the aftermath of the chaos that the first three had caused. "Now's our moment, let's move and cut them down as they try to get up."
Akame nodded and the pair set off, both using Shave to boost themselves forward and follow in the wake of Straw Hat. The marines who'd been caught up in the triple attack, at least those who'd not taken bad hits from Akame's sneak attack while they were in the air, tried to get up while an officer ordered them to not let the pirates get any closer and tried to encourage them until one of Akame's blades took him the throat. That had been incidentally though as the words were was lost on the pair as they cut down any marines they passed, their position such that many heads rolled as they pressed on behind Straw Hat.
As they did, Tatsumi noticed that the Warlord Gecko Moria was still in the area and was now directly in Straw Hat's path. While the Warlord was a large target, Tatsumi didn't order Akame to go after him. Instead he noticed who was getting ready to face Moria and left it to him.
"Don't stop or use your power as it looks like Jimbei will handle Moria." Tatsumi said. "Best not to get involved in two Warlords going at it. We'd only get in Jimbei's way if we did."
"Agreed." Akame said though she was certain that either of them could take Moria at least if it came to a one on one battle. "Good thing Jimbei is on our side in this battle, I'd rather not deal with one of the strongest fish-men so close to water."
"Yeah I wonder why he's siding with us and not the World Government as this has cost him his Warlord status." Tatsumi mused as they continued on leaving things to Jimbei. "Oh well, we can ask the boss later as she might know why Jimbei sided with Whitebeard. For now, onwards!"
Akame just nodded again as they rushed past Moria and Jimbei and closed in on Straw Hat and Iva. As such they didn't see the brief fight between Moria and Jimbei where the former took a bunch of marine shadows to boost his strength as he threatened to turn Jimbei into sushi only to release said shadows a few moments later after taking one throat punch that Jimbei landed. It wasn't even a fight but they didn't know that as they pressed on as their focus was Straw Hat.
In that vein they saw Straw Hat quickly take down three marines with at least somewhat notable weapons before there was a sudden burst of smoke and a large, metal, jitte slammed into Straw Hat's face and sent him tumbling back over the ice. That got Tatsumi to pull up short and as he did Akame did as well, while sending a few blades at nearby marines for good measure though only a few landed.
"This is why we kept an eye on him." Tatsumi said as Straw Hat recovered by flipping over in the air and landing on all fours and slid several feet over the ice. "Unless he knows how to use Armament Haki, which he might, that's not someone he can face easily."
"Yeah and he's on the list." Akame said as she took in the sight of the White Hunter, Commodore Smoker, standing before Straw Hat. "I take it that he's mine."
"Yes, my Armament Haki isn't consistent enough yet to handle a Logia type and it would take too long for my beast form to adapt to his power to bypass its natural defenses." Tatsumi said as Kuma appeared and sent Iva flying with a laser from his mouth thus ensuring that Iva would be of no help with Smoker as he and his followers reengaged the Warlord. "Don't worry, I'll back you up so you can focus on containment."
"I know you will, I fully trust you Tatsumi so I'll focus solely on Smoker." Akame said as she tensed and Luffy did what he did to avoid Hina and made his skin pink before unleashing a series of punches at Smoker that did absolutely nothing but punch through his smoke body to no effect as they weren't imbued with Haki. "Er, I guess he can't use Armament Haki."
"Appears so which means you have to go, now." Tatsumi said. "Smoker's known to get fixated so the moment his guard is down, almost certainly when he's got Straw Hat pinned, attack."
Akame obeyed and pushed off the ground with Shave intent on closing the distance and getting between Straw Hat and Smoker to intercept his next attack. However, just as she set off he launched himself into the air the way most Logia types could by turning his lower body to his element, in his case smoke, and flying around. As he did, his subordinate and protégé, who the pair only recognized from the news reports on Smoker's successful take down of Crocodile's illegal actions in Alabaster, something that the boss was certain was a lie, tried to attack Luffy.
Luffy, however, ignored her and shot up and into the air to repeat his attack on Smoker a second later. It was as effective as it was before but Akame expected that as she kept an eye on the aerial battle as she rushed past, ignoring the subordinate as well as the woman wasn't worth Akame's time, tracking the battle the entire time so as to position herself to move as soon as it was clear that Straw Hat needed help. Tatsumi on the other hand just held back and kept an eye on the subordinate just to be safe as she may be competent enough to be a problem if she saw an opening.
For her part Akame didn't have to wait long as she watched Smoker easily evade Luffy's attacks while marines gave her a wide berth because after only a few moments of letting Luffy's attacks ineffectively hit him, Smoker seemed to turn into several streams of smoke, minus the jitte, before he reformed right before Luffy in midair and slammed the top of his jitte into Luffy's throat. That was all that it took and Akame watched as Smoker grabbed Luffy's right arm with his left hand, the end of the jitte still pressed on his throat, and slammed Luffy into the ice with a boom that kicked up dust and ice that hid them for a moment.
As it did, several marines just watched and Akame took that time to send blades into the backs of heads and necks as the marines, all of whom were wearing officer cloaks, gawked, and commentated on what they'd just seen. They didn't know what hit them but they fell easily.
"Never turn your back or get distracted in battle, especially one like this." Akame said coldly as the smoke and ice dust cleared to reveal Luffy looking normal with his tongue lolling out and pinned on his back by Smoker, the jitte still firmly pressed into his throat and making it clear that Luffy was at his mercy. "And that's my cue."
With that Akame set off to rescue Straw Hat and wound Smoker enough that he was forced to withdraw from the battle. The aerial fight between Straw Hat and Smoker had put them a bit further away and too far for her to hear what Smoker was saying to him but Akame didn't care, she had her orders from Tatsumi and she rushed to fill them, Armament Haki coating her hands and extending over Murasame as she ran with it low and to her side.
"Get your filthy hands off him you disgusting man!"
The yell brought Akame up short right as she was about to use Shave to close the final distance and she blinked in surprise as Boa Hancock suddenly shot in from the side and kicked Smoker in the face with the sole of her healed shoe. Clearly she was using Armament Haki as it made contact with Smoker and blasted the marine off Luffy, right when he'd told Luffy that no one was coming to save him this time, and sending him several feet over the ice though he landed and slid on his feet before coming to a stop in a crouch.
"Guess Tatsumi was right." Akame muttered as she stared at Hancock stood on one leg before Luffy and between him and Smoker with her snake coiled around on the ice around her with it's head up next to Hancock's while the marines nearby tried to process what was going on and muttered in confusion at Hancock's actions including how she'd managed to kick Smoker. "She must be into him because I can't think of any other reason why she'd save a man."
What Akame didn't add was that it was good for her as this meant that there was no way Hancock would fall for Tatsumi so she wouldn't steal him from her. Of course that opened up a different box in Akame's chest that she needed to keep closed during this battle so she forcefully shut it as Hancock shouted at Smoker her tone filled with unbridled fury while he pointed his jitte at her. All that was just noise to Akame as she closed that box and set off while Luffy thanked Hancock which caused her to go from said unbridled fury to sweet love in a split second as she turned and blushed at his thanks.
Akame missed that as she used the distraction to close in while elsewhere Iva was dealing with Kuma who'd just sent many Newkamas that followed Iva flying with a laser blast. Akame had her focus and she rushed in closing on her target just as Hancock stood before Luffy who had managed to get to his feet after recovering from the sea prism stone that tipped Smoker's jitte.
Tatsumi would watch what happened between Hancock and Luffy and relay it later but Akame was purely focused on using the moment to her advantage as the marines joined Tatsumi in watching the Warlord and Super Rookie face each other. Distraction happened in battle and Akame used that to her advantage as she leapt high into the air and spun sending blades raining down on Smoker and the marines around him.
"What the…" Smoker began as a blade passed through his smoke body getting his attention and he looked up to see where the attack was coming from while several of those around him let out yells of pain and Tashigi leapt away barely avoiding the attack from above. "Damn it! What are you doing here Blade Princess!"
Akame didn't say anything as she brought Murasame down in a two handed, overhead, Haki infused slash. Smoker barely got his jitte up in time to block with a gong as the metals clashed against each other sending air around in a similar fashion to how she'd entered the duel with Esdeath.
However this time Akame just pushed off the jitte, the thick metal of it ensuring that it withstood her blade but a small, almost imperceptible, crack appeared where Murasame had made contact with it, and used that and a kick off the air to backflip off it. Smoker swiped his jitte at her but Akame made sure to flip back out of range of it before landing in a crouch in front of Smoker while behind her Luffy hugged Hancock after she'd secretly given the key to Ace's handcuffs.
"Helping Straw Hat reach his brother." Akame said simply as she held Murasame out to her right hand side in a one handed grip but remained in her crouch. "What else would I be doing here when you're on the 'Do Not Kill' list?"
"Great another obstacle preventing me from stopping Straw Hat." Smoker growled as he glared at the rookie pirate with one of the highest confirmed marine kill counts out there and considered by many to be the third most deadly Super Rookie behind her crewmate Tatsumi and Eustass 'Captain' Kid. "Since when do you know Straw Hat?"
"I don't, this is only the second time I've ever been in the same vicinity as him in fact, we're here for our own reasons and Straw Hat is just a convenient means to accomplishing them." Akame said her tone neutral. "And if you can't tell, White Hunter, unlike Straw Hat I can use Armament Haki so don't think of trying to get past me because I'll either cut you down or skewer you with my Blade-Blade powers. If you want to stop Straw Hat then you'll have to go through me."
"Of course you have a Devil Fruit power, all you damned pirates seem to have them these days." Smoker said. "Well, whatever, that's fine with me as I'll take you down as well. I'll just get Straw Hat later."
With that Smoker launched himself at Akame as she did the same at him. He knew that the threat that the Blade Princess posed was serious, Kizaru had a bandage on his cheek after Sabaody thanks to her, so he was going to focus on her for now as he brought his jitte around in a sweeping swipe as he neared her. He did want to arrest all pirates so for now he'd arrest the Blade Princess and then go after Straw Hat again.
Akame saw this coming though and came to a stop and got Murasame up in time to block it with ease. Still, there was a clang and as Smoker was naturally stronger than her so the force of the blow tossed her sideways but she flipped in the air to land on her feet and slid over the ice, twisting so that she was always facing Smoker. As Akame did, she send several Haki infused blades out of her body and at Smoker forcing him to either parry them away with his jitte or dodge though one got through and scored a line along his side that drew blood but was nothing more than a scratch to him.
"Damned Haki users." Smoker muttered as Akame used the distraction to push off the ice and close on Smoker so he couldn't launch at her again. "Since when did a rookies like you know it?"
"Since I was trained to kill by the World Government back when I was one of their slave assassins." Akame said as she sliced Murasame through the air and forced Smoker to block it, changing the angle at the last moment to make sure that she hit as close to the spot she'd hit when Smoker had intercepted her attack, her blade still infused with Armament Haki. "And now I use what they taught me to ensure they pay for their crimes."
At that Akame pressed on, her attacks hard and fast and forcing Smoker on the back foot. He had to use his Logia powers to move his jitte around in a way only he could manage in order to block her strikes. He was skilled with his jitte but against a swordswoman and assassin like the Blade Princess he was at a disadvantage.
As such he'd have to focus on defense until he could find an opening to use the sea prism stone tip and take the upper hand in this duel. The entire time they were dueling Hancock was several yards away on the ice in a fantasy about Luffy after he hugged her as there was no one to distract her from it all while Luffy continued to run towards Ace and thanking Hancock for the key she'd given him.
Tashigi wanted to yell at Smoker to be careful as he engaged the Blade Princess in a duel but she knew that she couldn't lest she alert the Blade Princess to her location, especially now that she had her back to Tashigi. As such all Tashigi could do was watch as Akame pressed Smoker with her swift, skillful, blade strikes that Smoker was able to block or evade with his Devil Fruit. Still, that did occupy the Blade Princess and ensured that Tashigi could get in the right position behind the Night Pirate.
Her commander and mentor was a skilled marine but he was facing an expert swordswoman and ruthless assassin who could use Armament Haki, hold her own against Admiral Shirokami and wielded a Supreme Grade Sword. He'd need all the help he could get so Tashigi was making sure that she could do just that.
It may be dishonorable to strike a fellow swordswoman in the back but as far as Tashigi was concerned the Blade Princess was nothing more than an evil pirate who sullied the legendary blade she carried; she wasn't worthy of Tashigi's honor. Well that and if she realized that Tashigi was going to attack she might use that deadly Devil Fruit of hers and Tashigi wasn't sure if she could do what Shirokami could when it came to defending against the power of the Blade-Blade Fruit.
At least that was the plan but as Tashigi ran at Akame's while she engaged Smoker someone else who'd been watching the same duel that Tashigi was watching as he slowly made his way towards it saw Tashigi's attempted attack. Without hesitating the person used Shave to kick off the ice and put himself between Tashigi and Akame as Tashigi swung her sword at Akame's back.
Tashigi didn't even have time to notice that someone was about to intervein as she swung her katana down in a diagonal swing just as the air whipped around her. That was until there was a thud and her blade slammed into something hard and unmoving that wasn't Akame's back.
"Now, now, is that any way to treat a fellow swordswoman." A man's voice said as Tashigi registered the block and realized that her attack had failed. "I know that most marines lack honor these days but I would have expected Smoker's protégé to have some at least. Otherwise, well, I may just kill you as a dishonorable marine is one that doesn't deserve to live."
Tashigi grunted before her eyes went wide as she saw the shirtless, brown haired, teen standing before her with a grin on his face. His left arm was up and that had been what had blocked Tashigi's attack, stopping it as if his arm had been made of steel and showing not even a bruise from intercepting her sword. There was no mistaking the Adaptive Monster, the rookie who'd caused so much chaos early in the battle as he stood before her while the Blade Princess pushed Smoker back behind him thus putting distance between Smoker and Tashigi.
"What does a murderous monster like you know of honor." Tashigi snapped as she tried and failed to cut Tatsumi let along break his block. "You're a pirate who kills marines whenever you get the chance regardless of whether or not they're armed, you don't have honor. You sully that legendary blade that you carry."
"Oh I know a lot more about honor than you'd ever know, especially after what the Navy did to my homeland." Tatsumi said as darkness flashed in his eyes and his voice grew a few degrees colder. "It is because of what I went through, of the power that I can now harness thanks to that day, that I can even wield this legendary blade. Only someone like me could tame Incursio, could honor it the way it deserves, so it's not sullied at all."
At that Tatsumi swiped Incursio up from where he was holding it in his right hand by his side in an almost lazy slice but the power and speed was clearly there and Tashigi was forced to jump back and out of the way of the Supreme Grade sword. Tatsumi grinned, the girl had good reflexes and her blade work was clearly good enough to earn her the title of swordswoman. Of course he'd still test that out a bit more while Akame handled the White Hunter behind him.
"Come on then." Tatsumi said as he pointed Incursio at Tashigi as she stood before him her katana in a two handed grip in front of her and a scowl on her face. "Show me what you got marine. If you can get through me then you might be able to strike my partner from behind. Course that's a big if on both fronts as Akame now knows that you're behind her and with her power and command of Haki, well she doesn't exactly have a blind spot if she's aware of your presence."
"Why you…" Tashigi said as she grit her teeth to stop herself from cursing. "I'll take that sword from you! You don't deserve to have it!"
With that Tashigi charged and swung her katana at Tatsumi. It was a good strike with more power behind it than Tatsumi would have expected but to him it was slow and weak compared to Akame's swordsmanship. He spared with a swordswoman who amongst the top tier rookies on the Grand Line and currently ranked between first and third for sword skills depending on who you asked so a marine with decent skills was nothing to him as he easily raised Incursio and parried away her slash with just enough power to knock the blade back and away from him.
"That all?" Tatsumi asked a taunt in his voice as he stepped forward and swung Incursio at Tashigi again. "Because I train with the Blade Princess, that's nothing compared to what she can do."
Tashigi just grunted as she got Autumn Rain up to block the strike but was forced to roll with the force of the blow given Tatsumi's superior raw strength and leap back to avoid being knocked over. Still she wasn't done and she pressed forward and engaged Tatsumi with all she had.
Honestly, her skills weren't bad at all and Tatsumi enjoyed the duel as Tashigi pressed him while he easily parried and countered, their swords clanging and sparking as they met. Naturally Tatsumi was fighting with the one handed style that he preferred to use when dueling but not moving much while Tashigi gave it her all. There was plenty of room for the woman to improve her skills but Tatsumi could safely say that she was better than most pirates, even New World ones, when it came to the sword but she wasn't as good as he was with it.
That was something that Tatsumi could tell that quickly even as he took the duel more seriously as a sign of respect to the woman's skills. However, with the difference in qualities of their blades it was only a matter of time before hers shattered, he even noticed the nicks in it and a small crack forming, and that wasn't adding in the differences in their levels of strength or skills with a sword.
"Not bad marine, you know how to wield a katana well enough to make me put in effort." Tatsumi said. "Other than Esdeath you're the first person who I've faced today who can hold a duel against me. Well, without needing a Devil Fruit to fight me in my beast form that is."
"Please, I know you're toying with me and not giving your all." Tashigi grunted getting pissed at how, at least to her, he wasn't taking her seriously at all. "I'd say that it was because you can't harm a woman but, well, we saw what you did to Rear Admiral Ryuko, Lieutenant Yu, and one of the giants, you have no qualms hurting women who engage you in a fight."
"Well of course I don't, only a fool in this day and age would hold back against a woman in battle, too many of them are stronger than most men, especially on the Grand Line." Tatsumi said as he easily parried a strike and launched one of his own that Tashigi opted to leap back from rather than try to block so that she could bring her longer blade to bear quickly in return. "But yes, I'm holding back just as Esdeath did with me, I won't deny that. Still, I'm doing more than I would with other marines here, you're skilled with the sword so I actually have to make an effort against you. That said, when you're trained by the Blade Princess, few can match up to that."
"Bastard, this is insulting treatment, you dishonor the title swordsman with this." Tashigi grunted, she knew she was at a disadvantage and if the Adaptive Monster used his Devil Fruit she'd really be in for it but she didn't care, she couldn't stand that he wielded a Supreme Grade sword and so she had to do all she could to try and defeat him. "But that's fine, if you won't give it your all then I'll just beat you."
"You're passionate, I'll give you that." Tatsumi said. "Something's driving you? What? You said that you wanted to take my sword but why? Clearly you've got some reason or else you wouldn't have trained so hard to reach the level you've currently reached."
"Simple, I can't stand to see such swords in the hands of evil men and women like you and the Blade Princess." Tashigi said which hit Tatsumi because while he and Akame were certainly morally gray he didn't consider them evil because they didn't relish or enjoy killing, they were just good at it and could do so without hesitation because of what they'd been through in life up to this point. "I want to collect all the swords that have fallen into evil hands. The fact that you and the Blade Princess wield Supreme Grade swords is especially unforgivable. Evil like you shouldn't have them, swords are not meant to be used for selfish ambitions!"
That was it for Tatsumi and he decided that their duel had gone on long enough. Straw Hat was long gone and dealing with who knew what and Akame likely had figured out what she needed to do to get rid of Smoker so it was time to ensure that she got that opening. What better way to create that opening than to teach this ignorant swordswoman the true meaning of swords and ensure that Smoker had a good reason to stay out of the fight at the same time.
"I do no appreciate you calling the girl that I love evil because she's not." Tatsumi said his voice getting cold as he pressed Tashigi with a few quick slashes that forced her to first block and then leap back when it became clear that he was about to breach her defenses. "Yes, she's a murderer with more blood on her hands than most of us will see in 10 lifetimes but she was forced to do evil things by the corrupt World Government. Now she uses what she was taught against those who made her into the weapon that she is today."
"That doesn't excuse the crimes that she's committed since she became a pirate." Tashigi spat as she countered with a flurry of blows that briefly put Tatsumi on the back foot as he intercepted them with a series of clangs and sparks from their swords. "She's killed countless marines and government officials, many in cold blood, that makes her evil in my book. The same goes for you!"
"I won't deny that she's killed people cold blood, nor will I deny that I've done so as well." Tatsumi said as over his blocks. "We've killed unarmed officials, surrendered marines, mercenaries, and bounty hunters after we captured them when they attacked, and sneak and surprise attacked countless targets. There is no doubt that we're criminals, we just do what we do is necessary to remove evil. The way I see it, we distribute true justice to those who actually deserve it be they marines, part of the World Government, or fellow pirates."
"There you go justifying your evil under the guise of justice." Tashigi said as she kept up her assault but she wasn't getting through at all. "That's just what people like you do."
"Perhaps but it ain't no different to how the World Government dresses up their atrocities." Tatsumi said as he sidestepped as Tashigi brough her katana down for an overhead, diagonal slash at him just as she'd tried against Akame that had caused Tatsumi to intercept her. "I know that first hand given that they executed everyone in my homeland down to the babe born yesterday and my story is just one of many. At least we don't pretend to be doing good when we kill but someone like you who has a good and true sense of justice wouldn't understand those of us in the shadows. That's fine, we need people like you in the marines as it gives us hope for when we destroy everything, but don't pretend that you understand me when you clearly don't."
As he spoke, Tatsumi raised his left hand and caught Tashigi's katana in it, his raw strength easily stopping it and allowing him to grip it while his enhanced physiology easily withstood the, at best grade grade, blade. This was nothing to him and he just held it there as Tashigi tried to either cut him or free her blade but to no avail on either front.
"Shut up pirate scum!" Tashigi shouted as she continued to try and free her blade. "No matter how you dress it up you're still evil. Swords should not be wielded by the likes of you that is why I will make it my mission to retrieve all swords from evil hands. They're not for me, just to prevent you from using them!"
"There is no such thing as swords being used by evil people or hands or whatever bullshit you've concocted in your head about the nature of swords." Tatsumi said as he held firm while Akame fought Smoker from behind him but now she was keeping Smoker from aiding Tashigi as it was clear Tatsumi wanted to make a point, that and he was defending her honor and she really liked that. "A sword is nothing more than a weapon whose sole purpose it to kill. At the end of the day, it's just a tool that is neither good nor evil. Sure it can be used for wanton killing but it can also be used to kill those who would harm the innocent."
"As a swordsman who wields a Supreme Grade sword you should know better than most that swords have personalities and that is why they shouldn't be used by the likes of you!" Tashigi said as she struggled. "I will reclaim all the swords that are in evil hands!"
"True, the higher grade swords are different, they tend to be unique with special personalities and even properties in some cases, I won't deny that." Tatsumi said. "I know that I could never master Murasame, she's a blade for assassins who understand her eerie beauty like Akame but in turn she could never truly master Incursio for it is a blade that can only be tamed by one who understands it's monstrous nature, which I do. Someone like you couldn't even wield a Great Grade sword at the moment. This notion of yours is utter bullshit and the only one who doesn't know it is you."
"Shut up!" Tashigi shouted now pulling back as hard as she could. "I'll…"
"If you don't understand the true nature of the blade." Tatsumi said interrupting Tashigi as he yanked her towards him by the blade in his left hand. "Then you'll never master the sword."
The last bit Tatsumi said as a whisper into Tashigi's ear so that only she could and while she did hear it and would in time dwell on the words that Tatsumi had said to her, she didn't really process it at the moment. That was because the moment that Tatsumi had yanked her towards her he'd thrust upwards with Incursio which was still in his right hand and held low by his side.
The sound of flesh rending was loud as he drove Incursio almost to the hilt into Tashigi's gut causing it to burst out of her back in a spray of blood that splattered onto the ice behind her. He'd angled everything so that it didn't hit her spine or lowest rib and only went through her intestines and nothing vital but it was still a serious wound.
All that had been before Tatsumi had whispered to her. He'd only done that after Tashigi had fallen into him and her head had come to rest was on his left shoulder. She was only still standing because he held her up with his sword, her hands going limp and falling from Autumn Rain's handle as her arms fell down.
"Don't worry, this is a survivable wound." Tatsumi whispered as Tashigi coughed blood out of her mouth and over his shoulder and onto his back and the ice behind him. "I made sure of it."
"Why?" Tashigi asked her voice weak as blood ran down her chin and onto Tatsumi's shoulder. "Why not kill me? Do you have no honor as a swordsman?"
"Because I may be a monster but I only kill those who either deserve it or are too weak to question the evil orders that they follow." Tatsumi said softly. "You mentor is on our 'Do Not Kill' list and that extends to you as his protégé as well though even if it didn't you proved to me earlier that you are a true marine worthy of keeping alive."
"I, I don't get it." Tashigi said her voice getting weaker. "You, you're…"
"You have potential both as a swordswoman and as a marine so let the scars that I've left you with one of the 17 Supreme Grade blades be a reminder of what I said today." Tatsumi said as Tashigi trailed off, her consciousness fading and Tatsumi could feel that so he hurried things along. "However, for your ignorance and what you said you don't deserve to wield this sword of yours. You've disgraced it by denying it its purpose and so I will kill it. Find the path so you can show me should we meet again. Should you do I will look forward to that day."
With that Tatsumi's left arm rippled and thickened with corded muscles as scales and plate formed over it thus enhancing his already muscular form while his hand turned into a claw. Then, as a pale Tashigi glanced over her eyes wide, Tatsumi clenched his hand and shattered the blade where he held it ensuring that it could never be reforged before he opened his hand as he turned his arm back to normal. Autumn Rain was no more.
"Tashigi! What have you done you bastard!"
"I'd be more worried about yourself, White Hunter."
Finally Smoker had been able to get a view around Akame and saw Tashigi propped up by the Adaptive Monster, her face pale, eyes now closed and blood running down her chin. Sticking out of her back on the left hand side of her body was the tip and a good portion of Tatsumi's sword, slick with Tashigi's blood.
However, Smoker didn't have time to fully process things because at that moment Akame sliced upwards and across her body from left to right with a savage slash. Smoker managed to get his jitte around to intercept but finally Akame's patience paid off as her Haki coated Supreme Grade sword hit the spot that she'd hit several times in their clash and the weakened point shattered breaking the jitte in two.
Akame's swing didn't end there though as she kept it up and swung through so fast that all Smoker was able to do was turn his head to the left before the tip of Murasame caught him in the middle of his temple and sliced over the right corner of his eye just barely avoiding taking it, and them over his forehead as he reeled back from the blow. The last bit exited at his hairline just above his left eye. Of course all of this was with an Armament Haki coated Akame's blade so it bypassed his Logia defense and left a deep wound in its wake.
"Ah White Hunter, good, you're just the person who can help her out." Tatsumi said as he turned while Smoker roared in pain as he recoiled from the wound, the blood beginning to pour down his face. "Your subordinate will live but only if you get her to a medic right away. Put those Logia powers of yours to good use and leave the battle with her. Now, catch!"
At that, and as Smoker turned, the blood half blinding him, Tatsumi turned with his sword still skewering a now unconscious Tashigi. As he did, he used his left hand to grab the back of her jacket and threw her at Smoker as he yanked Incursio out of her at the same time thus spraying the ice with more of Tashigi's blood.
"Catch her and get her to safety, I'll cover you!"
The voice came from off to the side and suddenly a series of projectiles were fired at Tatsumi and Akame. The ones that hit Tatsumi just bounced off him but Akame had to spin Murasame in her hands to block some of the attacks though a few got through leaving small cuts on her left bicep, cheek, and the left hand side of her neck though they only oozed a little blood.
Smoker recognized the voice as that of Commodore Gunhead, a good friend of his just like Hina, and silently thanked his fellow officer as he blasted off the ice, his lower body turning to smoke and his ruined jitte falling from his hand as he took off, and towards Tashigi. He caught in his arms bridal style and then turned to fly off as fast as he could to Marineford and where the medics were without looking back at Gunhead to see how he was faring in holding off the pair of damned rookies that had wounded him and almost killed Tashigi.
It was because of them that Smoker had more pressing matters to attend to but as loathe as he was to admit it, the Adaptive Monster was right, Tashigi would live if he got her to a doctor right away. Smoker's own wound was bad but while it would leave a scar, it wasn't fatal like Tashigi's could be so he made haste as he retreated, his time in the War of the Best officially over.
Back in the battle, Akame had responded to the attack by blasting blades out of her legs and at the marine who'd suddenly attacked them to cover Smoker. She wasn't actually going to stop Smoker, Tatsumi's plan had been perfect in getting him and his subordinate out of the fight without killing them while also leaving them with reminders that they'd been spared, but someone had intervened and so she reflexively countered.
That said, Akame didn't know who'd attacked her so she'd gone for something with a lower lethality rate so long as she didn't hit something like the femoral artery. She managed to avoid that but her blades still hit home in the marine's thighs and gut, narrowly missing his crotch, before she could even study him. However, as he yelled in pain and fell back, Akame did that while Tatsumi looked on having just ignored the attack.
The man in question, who was now moaning on his back on the ice, wasn't wearing a shirt but he had a black vest on with some strange dark gray sleeves and something similar around his abdomen, brown pants, and black boots. All this was under an officer's coat that was now turning red with his blood. However, the most distinct thing was the strange white mask with two eye holes and two holes below it near his mouth that covered his face and head while long, mint colored, hair shot out in spikes from the back of his head and under the mask.
"Do you know who he is?" Tatsumi asked as he noticed that the marine had spikes on his knuckles that were clearly part of the sleeve thing he wore. "Because he looks familiar but I can't place him and I feel like I've seen that mask recently but the hair was blond not light green."
"It's the mask, that's Commodore Gunhead and no I don't know if that's his name or a nickname." Akame said ignoring her cuts as she looked away from the marine and at Tatsumi who was clearly unharmed. "He's apparently a skilled martial artist and trainer who's close with Smoker and Hina according to the boss. He's on the list as he's good a good sense of justice apparently."
"Right then leave him, those blades of yours will likely take him out of the battle." Tatsumi said turning away from the man to look at Akame. "Let's move on, Straw Hat is now well ahead of us and who knows what trouble he's in now."
Akame just nodded as they turned and ran past the still groaning Gunhead and carried onto the plaza. It was still utter chaos but so far things were going well for the attackers and Tatsumi was prepared to keep that up as he, Akame, and all those fighting the marines continued to push closer to the plaza and Ace.
I think that's a good place to end this chapter on after the excitement of Smoker's attempt to stop Luffy, anything more would just drag it on. The battle continues to rage but slowly and surely Whitebeard and his allies are forcing their way towards the plaza with Luffy leading the charge while Tatsumi and Akame focus on backing him up. In this instance they were key to allowing him to pass Smoker while also giving Hancock more time for her fantasy. In addition, I've gone with a different take on how Smoker got his post time skip scar as it's now come from Akame while Tatsumi has left Tashigi with a few scars of her own and a few wise words to think about regarding her views on swords. Lastly, don't worry, there will be more from Gunhead in the future, this was just a small cameo for him, he'll reappear a few times in the arcs to come as will many other marines brought in from the crossover franchises. Other than that, this was a straightforward battle chapter in the ongoing quest to rescue Ace so there's not much more to say about it. As such I will leave this chapter off here. If you liked this please favorite, follow, leave a review, or let me know in a PM (I will respond either via the website or app depending on where you PM me), and if there are any questions will posed in reviews and PMs I will try to answer them as best I can. Until next time.
Stringdog