10 Chapter 10

"Thank you for letting us stay for the night, Mr. Koushirou," Kyle expressed his gratitude, bowing slightly as he spoke. He settled into the traditional 'Seiza' position, transitioning gracefully from kneeling to sitting with his legs folded beneath him.

Nestled within the heart of a quiet village, the Isshin Dojo stood as a venerable institution dedicated to the ancient art of kenjutsu – the way of the sword.

The atmosphere in the room shifted subtly as the man with the long, black ponytail and circular-framed glasses addressed Kyle and his crew. Koushirou, the mentor of the vice-captain of the Straw Hat Pirates, Roronoa Zoro.

Seated with impeccable posture, Koushirou held a newspaper in his hand, his gaze peering over the frames of his glasses at the group before him.

"You bunch seem well-behaved for a pirate," he remarked, his tone carrying a mix of curiosity and subtle amusement.

The crew exchanged glances, aware of the capability of the man in front of them having received a warning from Kyle before their arrival to the island.

Kyle, breaking the silence, offered a respectful nod. "We are pirates, not barbarians."

Hearing this, Koushirou nodded in agreement, Kyle's argument made sense, after all, who said that pirates cannot have manners?

The two continue a small conversation as Castiel and Hermes behave by Kyle's side, letting their captain do the talking.

And so, the group spent the night at Isshin Dojo until the night had arrived.

Under the cloak of night, when the dojo was shrouded in peaceful silence, Kyle, Castiel, and Hermes moved with the quiet grace of shadows. With utmost care, they slipped out of the tatami-floored chambers, leaving behind the tranquility of Isshin Dojo undisturbed.

Passing by the sleeping village, they arrived at a location deeply important for Koushirou, his daughter, Kuina's grave.

Every second is important as they can be discovered at any time and so, not wanting to waste any moment, Kyle thrust his right fist onto the grave, not even bothering to dig as he placed his hand on the coffin.

"Loot"

Just like in Arlong's case, an ethereal bright light escapes the tiny cracks within the ground as it floats and vanishes into the air.

*****

Congratulations to the host for looting:

Sword Heart

Genius Swordsman

*****

This is Kyle's goal in going to this village, remembering the genius girl who unfortunately didn't manage to reach her full potential, Kyle sees this as an opportunity.

And he was right, Kuina possesses two talents for swordsmanship, just a testament to her gift for the sword.

Of course, because the poor girl has long died, there are no vessels to loot, not that Kyle wants to.

Kuina was talented, yes, but she was still a child when she died!

Accomplishing their goal, the group immediately left the grave, not before fixing the hole Kyle created and paying their respect to the dead.

The trio sprinted through the forest, their silhouettes weaving between the trees like phantoms in the darkness. The dense canopy above cast an intricate pattern of shadows, and the rustling leaves beneath their feet merged with the night's symphony.

Yet, amid their hasty retreat, Hermes abruptly came to a halt, his swift, graceful form freezing in the moonlit night.

Kyle and Castiel, caught off guard by the sudden stop, turned to Hermes with questioning glances. The mischievous gleam in Hermes' eyes had transformed into a more serious demeanor.

Hermes, with a subtle gesture, directed their attention to a distance, the two saw nothing at first, but Kyle knew about Hermes' gift as he believed his crewmate.

The trio, now on high alert, readied themselves and after a while, faint footsteps echoed through the stillness of the forest, an irregular rhythm that hinted at someone or something approaching.

Then, emerging from the shadows, a figure materialized – a lone wanderer with a hooded cloak, navigating the forest with deliberate steps. The moonlight caught fragments of the stranger's face,

As the hooded figure stepped into the moonlit clearing, revealing his face, Kyle's eyes widened in a mix of surprise and disbelief. recognizing the person who suddenly appeared in front of them.

Yellow, wavy hair framed a face that had a burn scar etched across his left eye, the Chief of Staff of the Revolutionary Army, Sabo! The successor of world liberation from the cruel World Government.

"Sabo," Kyle uttered the name, a mix of awe and disbelief coloring his voice.

The man's face, veiled beneath the shadow of his cloak, betrayed a flicker of astonishment as Kyle's words reached his ears.

"How do you know my name?" The man inquired, his voice a frosty blade, speaking in a chilling tone as Kyle instantly realize, he fucked up.

Kyle stood in stunned silence, his mind racing to find words that could undo the inadvertent revelation. The weight of the man's penetrating gaze bore down on him, but Kyle remained locked in a mute struggle with his tongue.

As the seconds stretched into an agonizing pause, the ominous stillness became the catalyst for Sabo to make the first attack, in the blink of an eye, with an incredible burst of speed, he surged forward, closing the distance between them with a swiftness that caught even Kyle off guard. 

Reacting on pure instinct, Kyle's body moved with speed and precision, and in an instant, he activated Godspeed at 40% output. The surge of energy enveloped him like a fleeting lightning bolt, granting him the agility needed to match Sabo's rapid approach.

Simultaneously, Kyle's reflexes kicked in, and in a swift motion, he grabbed Castiel and Hermes. With a powerful leap backward, they evaded Sabo's lightning-fast strike, leaving only a crater from where they were standing as a result of Sabo's attack.

As Kyle soared through the air, propelled by the force of Godspeed, Sabo's relentless pursuit continued unabated. With a fluid motion, Sabo unleashed another attack, this time a powerful punch aimed directly at Kyle, who found himself suspended in mid-air, unable to maneuver away in time.

In a split second before Sabo's punch could connect with Kyle, Hermes, with his unparalleled sense and agility, twisted and contorted his form mid-air, intercepting the impending strike intended for Kyle, positioning himself between Sabo's fist and Kyle.

Kyle was spared from the direct hit as he staggered back, witnessing the sacrifice made by his companion.

The force of Sabo's punch catapulted Hermes with astonishing speed, hurtling through the air and colliding with a towering tree one of the sturdy trees that stood sentinel in the moonlit clearing.

With a deafening crash, Hermes crashed into the tree, his form colliding with such impact that the very trunk seemed to shudder under the force.

"HERMES!"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A/N: Hello guys, I am the author of this fanfiction, CryingGucci, to commemorate us reaching the tenth chapter, All I wanna say is thank you all for all the support!

I am sorry for not entertaining any of your comments because I don't want to answer questions that can spoil the later parts of the story and mainly because I am busy with school and stuff. But still, I will make sure to read every single one of them for it warms my heart to hear that people like my story.

Thank you for all the support and I hope you won't stop supporting! Love lots for all my expensive readers!♡♡♡