Chapter 27 - Syrup Village 06.
[Chapter Size: 1937 Words.]
Third Person POV
Syrup Village, East Blue.
...
...
The explosion occurred on a hill near the island's Syrup Beach. The hill was covered with low vegetation and scattered trees, providing natural cover. The ground was uneven, with small stones and rocks scattered around. The vegetation, though not dense, added a touch of green to the surroundings.
The explosion on the hill caused visible damage. Vegetation was uprooted, rocks were displaced, and the ground was churned and scorched. Fragments of grenades and debris were scattered across the rugged terrain, making the area chaotic and marked by the battle that took place between Usopp and Kuro.
The smoke from the explosion rose into the air, obscuring the view and contributing to a tense atmosphere. Kuro had been caught in the midst of the explosion, and the hill was the backdrop for the surprising turn of events in the showdown between the two.
"You bastard!" Kuro shouted with pure hatred, his expression a mix of anger and pain after being caught off guard by the grenades and the ensuing explosion. His body was marked and bloody, his clothes in tatters, but he remained standing, glaring at Usopp with a look of disdain and determination.
When the smoke cleared, Usopp found himself facing the wounded figure of Kuro. The former captain of the Black Cat Pirates was visibly shaken, with his bandages in plain sight and his face bloodied. However, his menacing presence hadn't diminished, and he stared at the long-nosed boy with a mixture of anger and contempt.
Yet the fear that Usopp had initially felt upon seeing him soon gave way to renewed determination. He knew that Kaya's safety depended on him and that he couldn't back down now. "According to Luffy, Kaya's life depends solely on me. I must face the man in front of me and defeat him at any cost!" Usopp thought, strengthening his resolve.
The butler, watching the scene closely, didn't like the new determined look on Usopp. Kuro, on the other hand, wasted no time and proclaimed in fury, "You wretch, I'll send you straight to hell!" With that, he advanced toward Usopp, his claws ready to attack, despite having only one usable hand.
Usopp, planning his strategic attack, had prepared a bag full of C4 explosives to use against Kuro. He strategically placed the bag at the top of the hill, where he was positioned before jumping to dodge Kuro's attack.
The explosives were carefully arranged in the bag, ready to be detonated with a remote control that Usopp carried with him. The bag contained a substantial amount of these powerful explosives, meaning the impact of the explosion would be devastating.
Usopp, agile and determined, quickly evaded Kuro's attack and leaped from the hill, avoiding his deadly claws.
As Usopp hovered in the air, he pulled a remote control from his bag and, without giving Kuro time to react, pressed the button. The bag that Usopp had left behind contained C4 bombs, and when the buttons were pressed, all the bombs detonated.
A deafening blast echoed across the entire beach, and the sound reached the village several kilometers away. Usopp was also caught in the explosion, as he was relatively close, but he didn't retreat. He launched the attack, risking his own life even though he was aware of this fact, which made him fall to the ground, panting and seriously injured.
With dust in the air, Usopp asked with difficulty, "Did I get him?" However, before he could react, a man even more injured than before appeared in front of him. Kuro moved with pure hatred and attacked. Usopp felt excruciating pain when his left shoulder was pierced by Kuro's claws after the surprise attack.
A cry of agony escaped Usopp's lips as the pain intensified following Kuro's attack.
"I'll make you suffer for all of this!" Kuro snarled with insane malice, as if he were losing control.
"I WON'T LET YOU LAY A FINGER ON KAYA!" Usopp shouted with determination, drawing a pistol from his hip and catching Kuro off guard. With a point-blank shot, the bullet struck Kuro's leg, which was already too wounded to dodge easily. The impact of the bullet caused his claws to release Usopp, and Kuro vanished, reappearing in a corner, kneeling with his wounded leg oozing blood.
"YOU WRETCH!" Kuro roared again at Usopp amid the excruciating pain.
Meanwhile, on the other side, Luffy, Nami, Zoro, and the others observed the situation closely.
"Are you the famous Roronoa Zoro?" Jango finally broke the silence, watching Zoro quickly defeat the pirates who had tried to face him in the last few seconds. Anger was beginning to overwhelm Jango, as he couldn't see Captain Kuro's fight but heard the explosions in the distance. He was starting to realize that things weren't going as planned.
"Yeah!" Zoro replied with conviction, untying a cloth from his waist and tying his iconic green bandana to his head. With one of the three swords between his teeth and the other two wielded in each hand, he looked determinedly at the group of pirates.
"I will be your opponent," Zoro concluded, his eyes reflecting pure determination as he prepared to face his opponents.
"Don't underestimate our enemies! Everyone, pay attention!" Jango ordered, and the pirates approached, surrounding Zoro in this crucial moment.
Jango took out his hypnosis medallion and began to swing it in front of everyone present.
"What is he doing, Luffy-Sama?" Shirahoshi, beside Luffy on the more distant hill, asked as she watched the ongoing battles. She had been worried about Usopp when he faced Kuro but was relieved to see him exit the fight, even though injured.
"He's about to use hypnosis to strengthen everyone," Luffy explained, keeping his cool as he watched Jango's medallion sway.
"Hypnosis? Will that really work...?" Nami asked beside them, expressing doubts about the effectiveness of this method.
"You'd be surprised at the results..." Luffy admitted. He recognized the value of Jango's ability, even though it wasn't his preferred style. Luffy had always felt a certain discomfort with abilities that affected people's minds, both in this life and the previous one. He would never consider Jango as a possible crew member, despite this intriguing ability, as he disliked powers that tampered with people's minds.
Returning to Jango's scene. "You'll get stronger, stronger!" When Jango said these words, they began to become a kind of rabid animals, punching the nearby rocks, even cracking them with the sudden increase in physical strength.
"This..." Nami was stunned.
"..." Shirahoshi just placed her hand on her mouth, equally stunned.
"Sharky!"
"WOOF!"
"It's impossible!" Kuina couldn't help but comment.
While the members by his side were stunned by the demonstration, Luffy turned his attention to an equally stunned Zoro and activated his Devil Fruit power.
[Moa Moa no Mi: Sound, amplify 20 times!]
"Zoro, I see you're facing a challenge. Do you need help?" Luffy spoke calmly, although his voice resonated across the entire beach with unexpected volume.
The sudden sound explosion surprised everyone on the beach, especially his close companions, who had to cover their ears due to the proximity of the captain. Zoro, however, looked towards Luffy with determination.
"NO WORRIES, CAPTAIN, I CAN HANDLE THIS ON MY OWN!" Zoro responded, his voice filled with confidence as he clenched the sword between his teeth even tighter and held the other two firmly in his hands. He was ready for battle and determined to face this challenge. After intense days of training, Zoro felt that he had made progress, and this would be the perfect opportunity to test the results of his hard work.
Jango, taken aback by the sudden sound explosion, diverted his gaze to the hill, realizing that now it wasn't just Zoro who would require his attention. Without wasting time, he immediately issued a loud and urgent command, while Zoro prepared for the showdown.
"ATTACK!!" He shouted, and with this command, the pirates launched themselves in Zoro's direction with threatening cries and roars.
With a calm demeanor and focused eyes, Zoro awaited the approach of his adversaries. He kept the sword between his teeth, while the other two were ready in his hands, poised to be employed lethally at any moment. As the pirates closed in, Zoro remained steadfast and unwavering, ready to face them all. Each step the pirates took was a step toward the imminent confrontation, and Zoro was determined to prove his progress and skill in the upcoming battles.
Slash
Slash
Slash
Slash
Slash
Zoro's katanas swirled deftly, creating a whirlwind of sharp steel as he moved in the heat of battle. He skillfully evaded punches and attacks with other weapons coming his way, using his opponents' strength against them. The metallic sound of blades colliding echoed across the battlefield, and Zoro maintained his unwavering concentration and fearlessness.
The hypnotized pirates advanced on him, blinded by their loyalty to Jango and unable to perceive the disadvantage they were in. As Zoro's blades cut through them, some pirates fell to the ground, wounded or dead. The swordsman's ability was evident, and his fight was a deadly dance of steel.
Jango, on the other hand, was growing increasingly alarmed as he saw his crew being defeated one by one. His face showed concern, and he began to understand that he had seriously underestimated Zoro's power. The smile on the captain's face on the hill reflected his pride as he watched his swordsman in action, aware that the intensive training and system bonuses were yielding remarkable results.
"He really got strong..." Kuina remarked beside Luffy, admiring Zoro's skill in battle.
Luffy couldn't resist the opportunity to tease the girl. "He's stronger than you..."
Kuina maintained her composure and responded with determination. "Yes, I'm 11 years behind, I'm not surprised. But I'll catch up to him soon!"
The captain of the Straw Hat Pirates joked with a mischievous smile. "So have you already agreed to join my pirate crew?"
Kuina laughed at his question. "Not so fast, clever boy. Our agreement is until I see my father, before making any decisions."
Luffy nodded understandingly. "I see..."
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!" However, the atmosphere changed dramatically when a deafening scream echoed across the battlefield. Luffy, Kuina, and the others turned to see Yamato screaming like an animal, her features distorted. The surprised expression on Luffy's face gave way to concern as he watched his vice-captain's strange behavior.
"EH?"
"Yamato?"
"She got hypnotized too!!!"
Holding his mace and growling like an animal, Yamato jumped off the hill and flew towards Jango and the other pirates fighting Zoro.
Hm?!
Zoro and the pirates could only stare in surprise at the shadow appearing in the sky, revealing a woman holding a mace as she prepared to blow up the ground in front of everyone.
Before anyone could react, it was already too late to dodge.
BOOOOOOM
The explosion reverberated across the battlefield, leaving everyone stunned and covered in dust. Yamato's unexpected reaction added a comedic touch to a tense situation, surprising everyone with her explosive entrance.
Jango, along with all the pirates, conscious and unconscious, was sent flying through the air, with Zoro following the scene in bewilderment and yelling.
At the same time, Luffy watched everything with a shocked look and then slapped himself in the face, muttering, "Why didn't I foresee this..."
"HAHAHA! Sorry about that, Zoro!" Yamato, who had already returned to her normal state, emerged from the wreckage and scratched her head sheepishly, laughing with a comical expression. "It was a bit more explosive than I intended!"
Zoro, emerging from the debris dirty and with his teeth making a funny shark-like grimace, shouted, "EIEIEI! Why did you attack me too!!!"
"Sorry, sorry!!!" Yamato replied, still scratching her head, while both of them were in the middle of that giant crater caused by the strike.
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