The Castle of the Imperial Dragons burned as everyone watched from outside. Luffy, Sanji, Zoro, Brook, Franky, Robin and Pikachu helped complete the rescue of the children, mermaids and princesses. All that was left was Ash who was inside with Rosward, Shalria and Charlos. "Ash has to know the castle's on fire!" cried Onami. "He's gotta get out!"

"So, why did he stay and let Pikachu go!?" complained Franky.

"He must have heard about what was ahead and wanted to teach those demons a lesson!" guessed Robin. "Still, with the castle burning, he doesn't have a lot of time to escape!" Shirahoshi, Rebecca and Ocarrot began to pray.

'Ash, come back to us,' Shirahoshi wished.

'Youteia have us, which is all youteia need,' Ocarrot minded.

'Even I have seen your resolve,' Rebecca wanted. 'Please, return…' They watched, waiting to see Ash appear.

Fire! Ash vs. the Imperial Dragons

Rosward, Charlos and Shalria scampered upstairs in fear of Ash as he walked calmly towards them with a serious grit on his face. Ash learned of his parents' deaths from Rosward after it was learned that they opposed the Imperial Dragons' rules and authoritarianism. Now, he waited nearly his life to exact revenge. The family soon arrived at the top floor which was a room full of weapons. Shalria scrambled to grab katanas and chucked them to her father and brother. Ash soon arrived. "We made the mistake of not ending your life when we had that chance," Rosward growled. "Now, we won't make the same error." Ash never batted an eye. Shalria charged.

"Die, you brat!" she snarled as she raced after Ash. He brought out his jitte as Shalria slashed. Ash caught the strike with the jitte before delivering a backhand punch to her face. Shalria staggered as Charlos came chasing after. Again, Ash's jitte parried the strike. He swung back with a punch to the cheek. He staggered as Rosward swung diagonally. Ash sidestepped before Rosward swung again. Ash ducked before striking with his jitte. Rosward stumbled as Ash started to draw his katana. Charlos recovered and seemed to attack Ash from behind. Ash leaped back and tripped Charlos, flipping him over. Charlos slowly recovered and everyone stood still.

"What's up with the Summoner?" he complained.

"I don't know, but how the hell can he do that?" whined Shalria. Ash stood straight up when he sniffed the warming air.

"Fire?" he guessed. Before long, flames appeared. They started to realize the castle was engulfed in flames and would not be able to stand much longer. "I had a much easier time destroying Nelson's castle, but here… at least I didn't start it."

"Even if you didn't, you still led your army here!" proclaimed Rosward.

"Technically, it's the Boss who led," Ash lied.

"Matters… NOT!" shouted Rosward as he charged. Ash unsheathed his katana as Rosward swung him. They clashed, no give on either side. "Your strength… You've received some intense training."

"What, did you think all I did was practice summons for all these years?" taunted Ash.

"Well, why else were you named the damn Summoner?" snapped Shalria. Ash opened his palm, a few ofuda slips in his hand.

"This would seal my powers," he spoke as he threw the ofudas into the fire. Charlos raced after Ash, his katana raised high. Ash sprinted in, jamming his jitte into Charlos's stomach. Charlos gawked in pain as Ash followed it up with his katana's hilt into the same gut. He staggered a few steps back. Ash punched Charlos in the face. He flew back a foot before landing back first. Ash pointed his katana at Charlos's face. "Maybe I should do you in first for going after my mom like you did." Charlos swung his body to where Ash flipped before they reset.

"It doesn't make sense!" complained Shalria. "There's three of us and one of him! We shouldn't be struggling like this!"

"He's highly skilled, I'll give him that much," Rosward groaned. Charlos leaped before trying to literally steamroll Ash by rolling like a ball, but Ash punted him back. None of the three were able to land a strike on Ash as they appeared bruised. Rosward rose his hand. "That's enough!" Ash stopped as he glanced to Rosward, tears sprawling down his eyes. "Look, we're sorry for all you've gone through. If we knew this is who you would be, we would've adopted you, help make you become an enforcer of the law." Ash didn't look convinced. "We only go after those who've caused sin among the people. You're a good kid. I don't think you want to kill us. I should be the one you should fight. Please, leave my children alone." Ash took a moment to ponder as he still had his katana trained on Charlos.

"You know, you have a point," Ash started. "I'm not the one who killed Nelson… and I'd rather not have to draw blood without a reason." He pulled back on his blade. "Instead, I should leave you with an idea."

"And that idea?" wondered Shalria. Ash turned to the daughter.

"All of you and the Imperial Dragons will leave," he demanded. "Let Grand Jipang be independent. We can thrive without you sticking your noses in. It's probably the only noble thing you can do." Rosward seemed relieved to see Ash drop his threat.

"LORD ROSWARD!" a Dragon shouted from outside. "THE FIRE! HURRY!" Ash turned to the door that the fire was soon approaching. Charlos rolled up and slashed Ash in the back. Ash turned and tried to jump, but the slash was too fast that he felt the blade cut through his clothes and his back. He screamed in pain before Charlos smashed his body into Ash's wounded back, sending him into the wall. Blood splattered as Ash felt the pain from the strike and collision. He writhed as Shalria rushed in with her sword. Ash pulled out and flung a kunai that forced Shalria back. It was enough time for Ash to recover his dropped katana before slashing back, but his and Shalria's swords clashed. The pain in Ash's back began to bother him when fire from the ceiling started to fall. Shalria swung her leg, but Ash pushed away to avoid the falling embers. Ash felt blood pouring out of his back. Rosward laid his katana near the fire.

"Things are certainly heating up, boy!" he taunted. Ash turned to see Rosward's sword aflame. He swung at Ash who leaped back again. However, Charlos was behind and slashed with his katana. Ash saw and quickly guarded with his jitte, but Charlos's strength overpowered Ash's block as he flew into burning debris. Embers got into his eyes. He screamed in pain as his eyes were burned, his face reddened.

"My eyes!" he cried. Seeing the pain and his hands covering his new injury, the family realized that Ash was defenseless.

"Ooh, I think his face got some fire on him," Shalria teased.

"That means he's an open target," Charlos sneered.

"Let's make sure the Summoner doesn't recover," Rosward ordered. Hearing them, Ash turned to his foes, not able to open his eyes a centimeter.

'Oh no, I can't see!' he gulped. Charlos came to and punched Ash in the face. As Ash was lifted by the strike, Charlos caught him before slamming his body to the ground. Bones seemed to break inside of Ash.

"Good shot, my son!" applauded Rosward. "Now, set him ablaze and watch him burn alive!"

"Sounds good, Dad!" mocked Charlos. He hoisted Ash up before throwing him into the burning wall. He slammed hard at the wall as he felt the fire burning him. Shalria grabbed a knife and approached Ash as he reeled in agony.

"Oh, is the poor Summoner feeling hurt?" she taunted. "Soon, all the pain will go away… REAL SOON!" She lunged to stab Ash in the chest, but Ash shifted himself to dodge the blade. Shalria gawked to the sudden dodge. "Hey, you're not supposed to move!" His eyes burned shut, Ash glared to Shalria.

"You think Rayleigh would let me stand still!?" he reminded. Rosward heard and recalled the name.

"Rayleigh, one of the masters of Haki," he remembered. "That means he taught the Summoner his Observation Haki."

"But how can he use Observation Haki if he can't see?" wondered Charlos.

"It's not about the eyes, it's the environment around!" corrected Rosward. Ash felt his jitte that was dropped. He heard footsteps. He lunged and scored an elbow into Shalria's ribs. She fell back and coughed a little blood. Ash stumbled to the floor. He found breathing hard and his body aching in pain. Blood leaked from his mouth.

'It hurts…' he mulled. 'I can't see, I'm losing blood, my ribs are busted… I don't know if I can make it.' Suddenly…

"My son…" a young woman's voice echoed. "My son… You can overcome anything." The voice made Ash think.

'Who's there?' he wondered.

"My son…" a young man voiced. "My son… Do not give up. You have never been someone who falls." The new voice made Ash think.

'Dad?' he guessed. 'Mom?'

"Yes, Ash," the woman voiced. Appearing in a yukata was a young mahogany-haired woman. By her was a tanned, black-haired man in a samurai robe. "Ash, you were always special from what the other villagers determined when they visited you."

"Yes, because deep inside is a power that has been within my family for a long time, and you have it as well," the man spoke. "It is a power that allows you to become able to see without the use of eyes. It is the power of ki. Use it, and it will become your greatest weapon."

'My ki?' repeated Ash.

"Yes, and we can help you," the mother offered as the two palmed Ash's head. A moment later, Ash's body began to glow. A blue veil cocooned him. Outside, the family saw Ash began to glow as he stood on one knee.

"Now, what?" wondered Rosward.

"I'm not sure…" shrugged Shalria. Charlos stood in front of Ash. A blue outline of Charlos appeared in Ash's compromised vision. He "looked" up to the large Dragon.

"It won't matter as you die!" he roared as he swung his sword at Ash's head. Ash spun out and scored a kick to Charlos's gut. The sword struck the ground and Charlos reeled from the kick before he fell to his knees. Ash retrieved his sword and jitte.

"Next time, don't be so loud!" scorned Rosward. Charlos recovered and chased Ash again.

"You cannot run from your death!" he proclaimed as he swung his sword. Ash also swung but upwards. Blood splashed upon the ceiling. Rosward and Shalria gasped. When Charlos looked, Ash was still intact. That's when he saw his right arm behind Ash and not attached to his own. He screamed as blood gushed from the severed arm. "My arm!" Shalria charged after Ash as Charlos stumbled and cried.

"That's my brother, you son of a bitch!" she cried as she swung horizontally to Ash's vertical slash. Shalria gasped to Ash's quick dodge when she felt her left arm give. It fell off her arm from the elbow. More blood spurt out of the wound. She yelled in pain from losing her arm.

"Sister!" cried Charlos as Ash grabbed his jitte that broke. Charlos used his remaining arm to swing his sword at Ash, but he countered and his jitte was skewered into Charlos's groin. He let out a shrill of agony.

"That was for your attempt on the mermaids," Ash snarled in Charlos's ear. "No one touches them." He performed a dropkick on Charlos to join Shalria. Rosward raced to Ash.

"You will die for that!" he roared as he slashed his katana. Ash spun around and struck before he shoulder threw Rosward to his children with one less arm. All three of the family members were on the ground and with one less arm each. Rosward cried in pain at losing his arm. "What the hell!? We had him dead to rights, only to have him attack us like that!?"

"And what's with that glow?" asked Shalria. Ash fell to a knee, still in bad pain.

"He'll die for sure!" shouted Charlos as all three charged. A dragon roared from Ash's katana as all three of them approached the young orphaned Summoner. Suddenly, Ash grabbed his sword, leaped backwards before spinning and slashing. Everyone froze as Ash had his sword arm straight out while rings of blood formed from the necks of the family. They appeared stunned. Ash was able to move as his sword had blood dripping. He returned the sword to its sheath.

"The only noble thing about you…" he started as the sword was almost all the way in his sheath. "...Are your deaths." When the hilt hit the sheath, the family's heads fell off their shoulders. Their bodies fell after with blood gushing from the opened wounds like geysers. Ash was on his knees, too weak to move. "Mom… Dad… you can… rest in peace." He couldn't move as the castle cracked under heat and pressure. Finally, the castle crumpled to the ground. Those outside watched in horror. Ash never made it out.

"ASH!" they cried. They reached the destroyed castle and started to look for their friend. There were many strewn bodies as they searched through the rubble.

"ASH!" shouted Luffy. "WHERE ARE YOU!?" The others dug through as they called Ash's name.

"SON!" cried Robin.

"DARLING!" shouted Ocarrot. They continued to sift through the debris.

"Come on, kid!" urged Sanji. "Where the hell are you!? I'll never forgive you if you break all of the ladies' hearts!" That's when he lifted wood to find what seemed like Ash's robe. "Wait... is that?" He pulled more of the charred wood off to see Ash's hand covered in blood. To Sanji, the size of the arm had to have been Ash's. "OVER HERE! I NEED HELP!" Blue-Nose morphed into a giant humanoid muscular form. He helped lift debris off of the body that was down. Finally, they unearthed Ash who was pale, gashed up with plenty of open wounds over his body.

"ASH!" gasped Robin as she dropped to her knees to Ash's body. She picked him up and cradled his head, his blood staining her robe. "Ash? Ash, please wake up! Please!" She continued to call his name, but Ash never moved. "Sensei, I can't let him die! He's my baby boy!" Everyone began to fear the outcome. "Baby boy, please! Don't do this to me! Please!" She bawled, unable to accept Ash's fate. Vivi and Pikachu gasped in horror. Onami and Omao were in disbelief with their faces about to shed tears.

"ASH!" cried Ocarrot. "DON'T LEAVE US! DON'T LEAVE ME!"

"PLEASE DON'T DIE, ASH!" cried Shirahoshi as Blue-Nose reverted to normal. "I DON'T WANT TO LIVE THE REST OF MY LIFE WITHOUT YOU!"

"DON'T DO THIS, ASH!" cried Rebecca. "I NEED YOU! WE ALL NEED YOU!" Blue-Nose had his toes together and peered through them. After looking and studying his body, he gasped.

"It's faint, but he's still alive!" he announced. New hope arisen to the group. "We need to bring him back home so I can start treatment!" Ash barely survived the clash with the Imperial Dragons and the castle's collapse. The group now could return the children and mermaids to their respective parties. To Grand Jipang, the crisis of the Imperial Dragons had ended.

TO BE CONTINUED...