CH-13: Another pirate ship

The next morning dawned crisp and clear, the sea shimmering under the early light as we prepared for our journey. Lucy was busy packing her things. Her collection of herbs, vials, and medical instruments were carefully placed in a sturdy leather satchel, each item wrapped in soft cloth to prevent breakage. Her face was a mask of concentration, a stark contrast to her usual cheerful demeanor.

"Got everything you need, Lucy?" I asked, watching as she meticulously arranged a bundle of medicinal herbs.

She glanced up and nodded, a small smile tugging at her lips. "Yes, Dante. Just making sure nothing gets damaged. These herbs are hard to come by."

Kosuke was nearby, checking our provisions. He had a serious expression as he counted rations and secured water barrels for the long voyage ahead. His attention to detail was as sharp as ever, ensuring we were well-prepared for whatever lay ahead.

As for me, I was bustling about, double-checking the ropes and sails, making sure everything was shipshape.

By mid-morning, we were ready to depart. We loaded the last of our supplies onto the ship and with a final wave, we untied the ropes and set off, the sails billowing as they caught the wind.

The island slowly faded into the distance, and we turned our attention to the open sea. The journey stretched ahead, a vast expanse of water and sky. For a while, we sailed in companionable silence, each of us lost in our thoughts.

Suddenly, the lookout called out from the crow's nest. "Pirate ship on the horizon!" he shouted, his voice tinged with urgency.

The captain took out his spyglass and brought it near his eye. Squinting, he saw that their destination seemed to be the Treasure Island.

"Don't worry about them," the captain said, stroking his white beard. "The Masukeredomo Goayu Birds will take care of those pirates. They won't stand a chance."

Kosuke and I exchanged glances, not liking the idea of leaving Lucy's home island undefended. "Captain," I said, stepping forward, "trust me on this. Take us to that pirate ship."

The captain shook his head firmly. "No way. That's a fight we don't need. Besides, any damage to the ship or crew would be on you."

I sighed, knowing he wouldn't be easily persuaded. "Captain, think about it. If these pirates get past the birds, they'll plunder the island. We can't let that happen."

The captain crossed his arms, his face set in a frown. "I've been sailing these waters for years, boy. I know the dangers. Why should I risk my ship and crew for some islanders?"

I glanced at Kosuke, who gave me a nod. "Because those islanders include our friend, Lucy. She has already lost her family to pirates and if she loses her home to them too... Besides, we can handle the pirates. We've faced worse."

He still looked unconvinced, so I leaned in, lowering my voice. "Captain, you've seen us fight. You know what we're capable of. We'll take full responsibility."

The captain studied me for a long moment before finally sighing. "Alright, but on one condition. Any damages to the ship or crew come out of your pockets."

I grinned, relieved. "Deal. Ummm… can you identify their Jolly Roger and the pirate captain's bounty using those posters you carry?"

He sighed again and rummaged through his pockets, pulling out a stack of bounty posters. "Let's see... Ah, here it is. Captain Kazuki 'Tigerclaw' Arashi. Bounty: 20 million Beri. And his first mate, Hideo 'Ironjaw' Sato, worth 10 million Beri."

I nodded, examining the posters.

"Kazuki was a Major in the Marines, and Hideo was a Lieutenant. They've just started their pirating career after Kazuki found a Zoan Devil Fruit. No information on the fruit, but he's new to it. Probably can't fully utilize it yet," added the captain.

I wondered at how he got his information, but didn't say anything.

As our ship drew near, I sent Taro and Lucy below deck for safety along with the rest of the crew. Only Kosuke, the captain, and I remained above.

The captain steered the ship and we closed distances quickly.

The pirate ship was close now, and I stood in the middle of the ship's bow. I called out, "Kazuki Arashi! Today's the day you go down!"

"You dare to confront our captain? Don't you know the captain is the man with 20 million berries bounty? Shabababa!" A fatty laughed while holding his stomach.

"You have a death wish?! Thank you for delivering yourself here so easily!" Kazuki cackled from his deck, his crew laughing along with him.

I identified him from the face on his wanted poster but this was the first time I came face to face with him.

The man was 6 feet 4 inches tall, towering over everyone around with a commanding presence.

But he was still somewhat shorter than me.

His eyes were piercing blue and his jet-black hair was long and tied back in a messy ponytail, giving him a rugged, untamed look. His face was chiseled, with a strong jawline marked by a few battle scars that hinted at countless fierce encounters.

He carried a finely-crafted cutlass, clearly a relic from his marine days, and a flintlock pistol was tucked into his belt. His coat was a fascinating blend of his past and present life, fashioned from his old marine uniform but now adorned with gold trimmings, tattered edges, and a large, tattered skull emblem on the back.

"Attack!" he ordered, his voice echoing across the water. Muskets rang out immediately, bullets raining down on us in a relentless storm. The old captain ducked behind a barrel, seeking cover from the deadly barrage.

Kosuke and I, using our Observation Haki, deftly dodged the bullets, weaving through the deadly rain as if it were a mere inconvenience. With a shared glance and a nod, we leapt from our ship to the pirate ship.

In mid-air, I fired a bone hook from my palm, embedding it in a pirate grunt. "Get over here!" I shouted, pulling myself toward the deck as the pirate was flung forward.

Kosuke, graceful as ever, fired his flintlock with pinpoint accuracy. Each shot rang out, precise and lethal, dropping a few pirates before his feet even touched the deck.

As he landed lightly on the pirate ship, he glanced at me. I gave a quick, subtle nod. Without hesitation, he sprinted towards the mast, using its height to launch himself up to the quarterdeck in an impressive display of agility. He landed softly, facing Kazuki and Hideo.

Not wanting to prolong the fight, I summoned the power of my Devil Fruit. Concentrating, I felt the familiar shift as my bones extended and reshaped.

In an instant, sharp spikes erupted from my body, shooting outwards in a deadly radius. The pirates standing on deck barely had time to scream before they were skewered, collapsing in a gruesome, silent heap.

Meanwhile, Kosuke was already engaged with Kazuki and Hideo. His movements were fluid and precise, a deadly dance as he dodged and weaved through their attacks using Observation Haki.

Kazuki lunged forward with a fierce overhead strike, but Kosuke sidestepped effortlessly, the whoosh of the blade cutting through empty air. Hideo tried to capitalize on the moment, slashing horizontally, but Kosuke dropped low, his body moving with a fluid grace.

The sharp crack of Kosuke's pistol *bang* barked out, a bullet zipping past Kazuki's ear, forcing him to recoil. In the same motion, Kosuke's dagger flashed in the sunlight, a blur of silver as it narrowly missed Hideo's chest.

Kazuki swung again, aiming for Kosuke's midsection, but Kosuke anticipated it, twisting his body just enough to evade the blow.

Kazuki and Hideo tried to flank him, attacking from both sides. Kosuke deflected Hideo's thrust with a quick parry, *clang*, the clash of steel ringing out. Spinning on his heel, he dodged Kazuki's sweeping cut, his pistol firing another calculated shot *bang* that clipped Kazuki's shoulder.

Kazuki winced but pressed on, swinging wildly, his strikes missing by mere inches as Kosuke moved with uncanny precision.

Hideo launched a powerful kick aimed at Kosuke's ribs, but Kosuke caught his leg mid-air and twisted, sending Hideo stumbling off balance.

With a swift upward slash, *shing*, Kosuke's dagger found its mark, leaving a shallow cut on Hideo's arm. The battlefield echoed with the sounds of their clash, *clang* *bang* *shing*.

I joined him in the battle, and Kazuki smirked at me as I stepped into the fray. "So, you've got a Devil Fruit too. No wonder you were so cocky. But it won't save you."

I activated my Observation Haki, sensing the strange power within Kazuki. His vitality was astounding, his presence that of a predator. I had a suspicion that his Zoan devil fruit was that of a predator.

And soon my suspicions were confirmed when, after sustaining a few injuries, he jumped back and began his transformation.

Orange fur began to sprout from Kazuki's body, spreading rapidly and giving his form an unnatural, predatory appearance. Black stripes emerged next, stark against the bright fur, creating a pattern that seemed to pulse with latent power.

His spine contorted with sickening cracks, realigning as he dropped to all fours, his posture becoming unmistakably animalistic. His face elongated, the skin stretching and bones reshaping until his nose split, transforming his visage into that of a fierce tiger.

Whiskers jutted out from his cheeks, completing his transformation into a fearsome predator.

Kazuki had transformed into a tiger, and it happened in mere seconds. He roared menacingly, his tail lashing behind him before he leapt towards me.

Instead of backing down, I ran forward. As he jumped, I slid underneath, intending to skewer him mid-air. But his beastly instincts kicked in, and he swiped his claws at me. I defended myself with a bone shield emerging from my forearm.

Meanwhile, Kosuke was locked in a fierce battle with Hideo. The two clashed with deadly intent, their movements a blur of speed and precision. Kosuke's dagger flashed in the sunlight, each strike aimed to maim or kill.

*Clang!*

Hideo countered with his own blade, parrying and thrusting with equal ferocity.

Kosuke ducked under a wild swing from Hideo, rolling to the side and coming up with his flintlock pistol aimed.

*BOOM*

He fired point-blank, the shot grazing Hideo's cheek and leaving a smoking scar. Enraged, Hideo lunged forward, slashing wildly. Kosuke sidestepped, *Slash!* his dagger finding its mark and leaving a deep gash in Hideo's side.

Hideo staggered but quickly recovered, his face twisted in pain and fury. He lunged again, this time feinting with his sword and bringing a concealed knife down towards Kosuke's shoulder. Kosuke anticipated the move, catching Hideo's wrist and twisting it sharply.

*Snap! Clang!*

The knife clattered to the deck, and Kosuke drove his knee into Hideo's gut, forcing the air from his lungs with a *whoosh*.

Hideo stumbled back, blood dripping from multiple wounds. Kosuke pressed his advantage, firing another shot that *CRACK* nicked Hideo's ear and left a trail of blood.

The first mate, now weakened and losing blood rapidly, tried to mount a desperate defense. Kosuke's Observation Haki guided his movements, allowing him to weave through Hideo's faltering strikes with ease. *Swish! Swish!*

Seeing his opponent's weakening state, Kosuke didn't hesitate. He lunged forward, his dagger puncturing several more wounds in Hideo's body. *Thunk! Thunk!*

The first mate's strength faltered as he tried to parry but couldn't keep up with Kosuke's relentless assault.

Finally, Hideo faltered, his body swaying. Kosuke seized the moment, plunging his dagger into Hideo's chest, skewering his heart with a sickening *squelch*. The first mate's hands dropped limply to his sides as he leaned on Kosuke, vomiting blood.

Kosuke twisted the dagger, eliciting a final jerk from Hideo before pulling it out. *Shluk!* Blood splashed onto Kosuke's face, which he wiped off with his sleeve. Seeing that I wasn't in immediate danger, he sat on the railings, watching me fight.

Meanwhile, Kazuki and I clashed fiercely. His tiger form granted him incredible speed and strength, but his lack of experience with his Zoan abilities was evident.

He lunged at me with ferocious swipes, his claws tearing through the air *whoosh whoosh*. I countered with bone blades, blocking and parrying his attacks *clang clang*. Our battle was a whirlwind of claws and bone, each strike sending shockwaves through the ship *thud thud*.

Kazuki roared, attempting to overpower me with brute force, but I used my agility to my advantage, dodging and striking with precision. I ducked under a massive swipe and leapt back, my bones forming a long spear.

With a swift thrust *shing*, I drove it into his side. He howled in pain *roar*, swiping at me wildly. I rolled out of the way *thud*, using the momentum to rise to my feet.

He charged again, but I sidestepped, slashing his leg with a bone blade *slash*. Kazuki stumbled, growling in frustration. I seized the opportunity to strike, forming a pair of bone claws on my hands.

He aimed a powerful claw swipe at my head *whoosh*, but I ducked just in time, retaliating with an upward slash *shing* that grazed his arm.

Kazuki bared his fangs and lunged again, this time attempting to tackle me. As he closed in, I twisted my body, using his momentum against him, I grabbed his neck and threw him over my shoulder, slamming him into the deck *thud*.

He roared in anger, thrashing wildly, his claws raking the air. I quickly formed a bone whip and, with a swift motion, lashed it across his back *crack*. Kazuki howled, the sting of the strike momentarily stunning him.

He recovered quickly, rising to his feet with a growl, his eyes burning with fury. He charged again, but I sidestepped, lashing his side with the bone whip again *crack*.

"Hoh! Looks like today is the day I tame you, kitty cat."

He spun around, swiping at me with his claws *whoosh*, but I ducked and countered with a low kick, sweeping his legs out from under him *thud*. Kazuki hit the deck hard but rolled away, springing back up with a snarl.

"Ooh! Did that hurt you kitty? Ooh! Come'ere, have some food here."

Kazuki gave an enraged roared before his claws came at me in a blur, each swipe narrowly missing as I parried with my bone blades *clang clang clang*. I saw an opening and drove my knee into his ribs *thump*, causing him to stumble over.

Seizing the moment, I formed a bone spear and thrust it forward *shing*, but Kazuki twisted away, the spear grazing his shoulder instead of finding its mark.

He retaliated with a powerful swipe, but I blocked it with a bone shield *thunk*, the impact reverberating through my arm. Kazuki's eyes widened in desperation, and he lunged with all his remaining strength.

Anticipating his move with my haki, I sidestepped and drove a bone spike deep into his chest with a final, powerful thrust *shing*.

Kazuki staggered, his transformation faltering. His tiger form receded, leaving him gasping for breath. I stood over him, victorious.

With one final, desperate swing, Kazuki tried to strike me down, but I blocked his fist with my palm *thunk*, then knocked him unconscious with a well-placed punch to the jaw *crack*. He collapsed, ending his reign of terror before it even truly began.

"Sleep well, kitty."

________

A/N: Check out infographics for character images.