Bandit Fight I

A/N: First of all I'd like to apologize in advance for the next couple of chapters. I have seriously messed up the power scaling of the MC and the bandits. It's just that, I was a new writer at that time and in order to make the fight more engaging I nerfed Zephyr way too much. I will rewrite it after I have finished the currently running volume. 

Just take this fight as a reflection of the swordsmanship style that Zephyr focuses on. I apologize again for my mistake and hope that you stick around a bit longer. It will get better in the later chapters. 

Thanks for giving a chance to my work. Happy Reading!

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When I first laid eyes on the group of bandits in front of me, I instinctively knew I could take them—if it were a 1v1 situation. Unfortunately for me, reality was far less kind. It was a 1v5, and if I faced them all at once, I'd be royally screwed. Especially that big guy with the club—he could skewer me easily if I gave him the chance.

I didn't want to throw my life away in some suicidal brawl. So, I did the smart thing—I decided to even the odds. My fingers brushed the hilt of my sword as I prepared to strike.

Unsheathe. Sheathe.

'Quick Flash.'

One.

Two.

The nearest bandit's body hit the ground, a gush of red-hot blood spurting from his abdomen.

It was fast. So fast that it was almost invisible to the naked eye. The technique put a lot of strain on my body, and I could only use it once as a surprise attack. But it did its job perfectly.

The remaining bandits realized what had just happened, their eyes flickering with anger and a thin layer of fear. The mockery and arrogance were gone.

Good. Fear makes people reckless. Anger makes them stupid. They'd attack one by one instead of all at once.

Just as I'd hoped, one of the bandits, blinded by rage, started charging at me. But before he could reach me, the big guy with the club yanked him back by the collar.

Tch.

Smart. Just one more step and I'd have cut him down.

"Use your fucking heads, morons!" the leader barked. "He's baiting you! You think you can charge in like that and not get sliced up?" He turned his focus on me. "You might've gotten the jump on one of us, kid, but we're the "Tax Bandits", and we don't tolerate people who hurt our own. Prepare to die, vermin."

Tax Bandits? Seriously? What kind of fucking name is that?

Also, how was I the villain here? They tried to extort me! Hypocrites!

But I kept my thoughts to myself. I needed to focus. The bandits had surrounded me. Three of them wielded cutlasses, while the big guy held a club the size of a small tree.

I tightened my grip on my katana and took a deep breath, centering myself. I activated the pseudo-observation Haki I could manage. It was nowhere close to a full Haki, more like a heightened sense—barely there, but enough.

I felt the warning of a cutlass coming for my side.

I spun quickly, using the momentum to redirect the attack. The bandit wasn't prepared for the shift, losing his balance and exposing a huge opening. I could've taken him down right then and there if it weren't for the other two swords aiming for my vitals.

I drew my katana in an instant, deflecting the sword aimed at my throat while using my free hand to redirect the one aiming for my heart.

SHAAANG!

Now all three were off balance, leaving them wide open for a follow-up strike. But that's when the leader swung his massive club, aiming to crush me.

BOOOOM!

The ground cracked beneath the impact of his swing, missing me completely.

This wasn't looking good. They had solid teamwork, and I was outnumbered. I couldn't afford to hold back any longer. One wrong move and I was dead.

Gripping my sword tightly, I took a deep breath and muttered,

"Flash Step."

In an instant, I was right in front of the first bandit who had attacked me. My sword, fast and deadly, pierced his heart even before he could react.

But I wasn't done.

Yanking my sword free, I pushed off with all my strength, launching myself toward the remaining three. The leader, moving on instinct, raised his club to guard his vitals.

Too bad for him; he was never my real target.

He realized it too—but it was already too late.

I dashed past him in a blur, my sword sweeping in a wide arc. It wasn't as fast as my earlier strike, but it was much more powerful. The force of the swing cut through the air; the aftershock caused clothes to flutter.

Then came the silence.

THUD! THUD!

The sound of two heads hitting the ground echoed in the air.

My breathing was ragged. My muscles ached. I had wasted too much energy with unnecessary movements. My stamina, my footwork—everything could use improvement. So many mistakes ran through my mind, but I shook them off.

'The fight isn't over yet.'

I stared at the leader, the only one left standing. His eyes were wild with rage, veins bulging under his skin. Then, with a primal roar, his body began to shift—growing larger, more feral.

'No way,' I thought, dread creeping into my stomach.

This guy had a Devil Fruit.

'Seriously?! Devil Fruit powers? Fuck my luck...'