CH-18: The Running Man

A man sprinted down a crowded street, his face and body hidden under a jumble of clothes flapping wildly as he ran. The bustling market ground to a halt as bystanders turned to watch the chase. Their eyes widened, tracking the mob hot on his heels.

The mob's faces were twisted with rage, clutching flintlocks, pistols, and swords, ready for a fight. The man's breath was ragged, but he didn't slow down. Instead, he darted into a narrow alleyway, his heart pounding wildly.

Then something bizarre happened. Like bacteria undergoing binary fission, his body split into two identical copies, right down to the clothes. They gave each other a quick nod, one of them sprinting out of the alley to lead the mob away, while the other stayed put, slipping deeper into the shadows in search of a hiding spot.

The decoy did its job perfectly, drawing the mob's attention as they chased after it, shouting threats and curses. Meanwhile, the original man crouched behind a crate, ears straining to catch the sound of the mob's shouts fading into the distance.

Once it was quiet enough, he rummaged through his clothes and pulled out a snail with a telephone dial on its back, a Den Den Mushi. He picked it up, and it started to ring.

"Purupurupurupuru *GACHA*"

An annoyed voice came through the snail. "What happened now?"

The man, his voice trembling and frantic, explained, "You guys didn't give me the full info! I'm being chased by a big crew of pirates worth 60 million Berries! I came here for a small-time pirate worth 5 million, but he swore loyalty to Captain Skullcrusher Flint! Now his whole crew is after me!"

The voice on the other end sighed, clearly irritated. "We didn't have that info either. Must be a recent development. So? What do you want?"

"Take responsibility and send someone to rescue me!" the man pleaded, his desperation palpable through the Den Den Mushi face.

The voice on the other end laughed, a harsh, mocking sound. "I don't have time for childish jokes. Remember the contract you signed? The guild isn't responsible for any deaths caused by our information. We punish those who give false info intentionally, but we can't track every change."

The man's fear escalated, his words tumbling out in a rush. "I still have the head of the dead pirate worth 5 million Berries. I'll give it to whoever saves me."

The voice snickered, dripping with disdain. "With your reputation as a coward and a miser? No one's going to believe you."

Panicking, the man made one final, desperate promise. "I'll serve whoever saves me loyally and eternally, as long as they treat me right."

The voice laughed again, a cruel edge to it. "Alright, I'll see if I can get someone to come get you. Just stay alive for at least a day."

With a GACHA sound, the call ended, leaving the man to his anxious waiting, his heart pounding as he crouched behind the crate, praying for a miracle.

—--

A black caravel with intricate gold designs and a golden dragon as its bowsprit floated serenely on the wavy ocean. Its three tall masts held white sails furled, fluttering gently in the breeze. On the deck, four people lounged on beach chairs.

The men wore shorts, while the woman relaxed in a bikini. Beside them, a glass of juice sat on a small table, along with a Den Den Mushi, who was also sleeping peacefully.

Seagulls squawked in the sky, and the ocean breeze whispered around the ship, creating a scene of perfect tranquility.

Suddenly, a man with long black hair and red eyes rolled off the beach chair just in time to avoid a splatter of white liquid hitting where he was sleeping. That man was no other than Dante.

[Dante POV]

"Damn bird!" I muttered, spotting the seagull responsible for interrupting my nap.

I stood up, shaking my long black hair out of my eyes, and glared up at the sky. "I'll roast you for dinner!" I shouted, pointing a finger at the offending bird.

The seagull squawked louder, as if answering my challenge, and another barrage of droppings rained down on me, this time from a whole flock. "Oh, you've got friends, huh?" I growled, using my Haki to dodge the volley of droppings.

With a surge of energy, I leaped up, the force shaking the entire ship and waking up the others. "Wake up, everyone! Aerial assault incoming!" I called out, my voice tinged with a mix of anger and amusement.

While in midair, I fired a Rankyaku towards the group of seagulls, a sharp wave of energy slicing through the air. "Let's see how you like this, little shits!" I shouted before landing back on deck.

The seagulls sensed the danger and scattered, narrowly avoiding the attack before flying away in a hurried, chaotic flurry.

"Yeah, you better run, shitters!" I yelled after them, shaking my fist at the retreating birds.

The others, now fully awake, looked at me with a mix of confusion and amusement. "What the hell, Dante?" one of them asked, chuckling.

"Just teaching those birds a lesson," I replied, grinning. "Nobody messes with my nap and gets away with it."

As I put my foot forward, I suddenly stepped on the seagull shit that had dropped after the barrage. My foot slipped on the nasty white liquid, and I was about to fall headfirst onto the deck, which was now a minefield of bird poop.

But my instincts kicked in, saving me from the embarrassing situation. I used my palm to find a clear spot amidst the poop and flipped back up, landing with as much grace as I could muster.

"HIRO!" I screamed, my voice a mix of anger at the birds and frustration over my near embarrassment.

Hiro sat up from his chair, blinking sleepily at me. "What now, Dante?"

"Clean this shit!" I ordered, pointing at the mess.

He whined, "Ahh! Why always me?" His voice trailed off when everyone started looking at him with raised eyebrows.

Under our combined gaze, he crumbled. "Come on, I know I agreed to clean the deck for three months if you guys let me come aboard a month earlier. But cut me some slack, alright? It's been a month already. Can't you guys lower the time to just half a month more?"

Kosuke, Lucy, and I exchanged glances before saying in unison, "No!" We then looked at each other and snickered, while Kosuke just smiled.

Hiro finally sighed, dragging himself to fetch a mop. "Fine, but you guys are cruel," he muttered, clearly resigned to his fate.

Suddenly, the Den Den Mushi on the table came to life, its eyes snapping open and looking straight ahead before it started speaking in its monotonous voice.

"Purupurupuru purupurupuru."

I moved forward and picked it up. "GACHA."

The annoying voice of one of the officers of the bounty hunter guild rang out through the Den Den Mushi. "Dante, are you and your team up for a rescue mission?"

I glanced at Kosuke and Lucy, both lounging in their chairs but now fully attentive. "Depends," I replied, my curiosity piqued. "What's in it for us?"

The man's expression, as transferred by the snail, turned to one of amusement. "The rescuee promises eternal loyalty to his savior. Plus, he's a Double Double Fruit user. And to sweeten the deal, he has the head of a pirate worth 5 million Berries with him."

Lucy and Kosuke nodded, signaling their agreement. "Alright," I said, leaning in closer to the Den Den Mushi. "Where is he, and who's after him?"

The snail's face shifted into a smile. "He's on Mamizu Island, hiding from a crew worth 60 million Berries, led by Captain Skullcrusher Flint."

As he spoke, a grin spread across my face, teeth gleaming in the sunlight. The thrill of a challenge was hard to resist.

I calmed myself, my tone turning serious. "Tell him to hold out for a day. We'll be there by tomorrow noon. Also, give me his contact info so I can reach him once we get to the island."

The voice on the other side provided the details before the line cut off with a GACHA sound, and the snail returned to its dormant state.

I turned to Lucy and Kosuke, ready to discuss our plan, when Hiro emerged from the cabin with a mop and bucket in hand. He sensed the tense atmosphere and looked around, confused. "What's going on?"

I sighed at his timing and then took on the task of regurgitating the information we got. "We've got a rescue mission," I said.

"A Double Double Fruit user on Mamizu Island, hiding from Skullcrusher Flint and his crew."

Hiro's eyes widened with anticipation. "Skullcrusher Flint? That sounds like a serious challenge."

Kosuke chuckled, his eyes glinting with amusement. "Nothing we can't handle, Hiro. Just make sure the deck is clean before we set off."

Hiro grumbled as he started mopping, while Lucy stood up, stretching her arms. "Finally, some real action. I've been itching for this."

I nodded, feeling the familiar rush of adrenaline. "Let's get ready then. We leave as soon as the deck is clean."

As Hiro worked, muttering about the unfairness of it all, the rest of us began preparations for the upcoming rescue.

—-

I had to run again, sprinting for what felt like forever to shake off the pirates. The island was too small to hide from hundreds of them searching everywhere. My hiding spots were running out, and they were starting to catch on to my trick of creating a double.

Those guild bastards! It had been over a day, and still, no rescue. Frustration gnawed at me as I crouched inside a cramped, musty barrel, trying to think of a way out. Then, my Den Den Mushi started ringing.

"Purupurupuru Purupurupuru."

My heart jumped. If the pirates heard it, I was done for. I frantically dug through my jacket, finally grabbing the snail and picking up. "GACHA."

Holding the lid of the barrel with one hand, I covered the snail's mouth with the other, muffling its sound. I peeked out, scanning for any sign that someone had heard. No one was around. I sighed in relief and slumped back down inside the barrel.

Suddenly, the snail bit my finger. I yelped and dropped it. A deep voice came from the other end.

"Hey! Speak! We are here to rescue you."

Hope surged through me as I quickly grabbed the snail again, ready to finally get out of this nightmare.

—-

A/N: Vote, Vote, Vote and also comment. I like talking to you guys, it makes me motivated to write more.