Disapointment #24

Author's note: speacking of disapointments... have you seen they story's rank in the weekly power ranking? I mean come on, my dudes, just donate those power stones. It's not like they're coming out of your wallets....

...

After trekking through the forest for about 15 minutes, we finally arrived at our destination: Wolf's house. I couldn't help but marvel at how ordinary it looked despite its remote location in the woods. 

The house resembled the townhouses in Pleasure Town, with its yellow walls, square windows, and a red slanted roof, though it appeared much larger. 

However, what caught my attention was the adjacent large building that resembled a greenhouse, filled with various plants. Feeling intrigued, I wanted to ask Bepo whether such things were common in Swallow Island. 

However, Before I could voice my curiosity, a voice interrupted our thoughts with a questioning tone lacking any hints of warmth or friendliness, "Who are you? What brings you here?" 

I turned to see a thin, tall young man emerging from the house. He wore a spotted fur hat and carried a katana almost as tall as himself, suggesting he was ready for action at any moment. It didn't take me long to recognize him as Trafalgar Law.

Bepo's sudden panic at the sight of Law caught me off guard as he hurriedly positioned himself between us. "Um, Law, let me introduce you. This is..." Bepo trailed off, realizing he hadn't even asked for my name. 

He turned to me with an awkward expression, scratching the back of his neck. "Excuse me... but who were you again...?" He sheepishly admitted.

I couldn't help but chuckle at the situation. "It's Blake," I replied with a grin, amused by the mix-up.

Before I could say more, Law's tone turned stern as he scolded Bepo. "Quit stammering and step aside, Bepo! Bringing a stranger here without even knowing his name? Just how reckless and stupid can you be!?" His hand hovered near the hilt of his katana, indicating he was ready for action.

Bepo's face darkened, clearly depressed by the chiding as he complied with Law's order and stepped aside, his lowered and his shoulders slumping down. "I'm sorry..." 

Raising an eyebrow at Law's hostile demeanor, I weighed my options. I hadn't come looking for trouble, then again I also hadn't had a chance to test my strength outside of Tutorial Island. 

While I had defeated all the beasts there, I had no idea how I would fare against opponents in the outside world, and there was a strong-looking opponent right in front of my face. 

I continued to contemplate for a moment before Sif's growl brought me back to reality as she edged toward Law, clearly ready to bounce on him. "Easy there, girl. Let me handle this," I reassured her, giving her head a gentle pat. 

She seemed to relax at my touch, taking a step back.

Turning my attention back to Law, I couldn't resist a grin. "Hey, pal, I don't know what crawled up your ass but that thing in your hands isn't a toy you know," I remarked, nodding and gesturing his katana. 

Law's gaze sharpened at my words. "And what's that supposed to mean?" he shot back, his tone turning icy.

"Well, it's a dangerous weapon, you know?" I replied, meeting his gaze steadily, my grin widening slightly. "Someone might end up dying up if you take it out of its sheath at every god-given opportunity..." 

Law's grip tightened on the katana hilt. "Oh? And who do you reckon would die?" he challenged, his body tense with anticipation.

I met his gaze evenly and casually began picking my ear with my pinky finger. "How should I know? I'm not a fortune-teller," I retorted, giving him a deadpan look. "Just stating the obvious here," I added with a nonchalant shrug.

Law's initial shock was quickly replaced by action as he drew his sword with lightning speed, the metallic *shing* echoing through the forest. "Bwahahaha! Quick on the draw, aren't you?" I taunted, a smirk playing on my lips as I activated Soru, evading his swift strike and reappearing behind him in a blur of motion.

With no hesitation, I swung my fist towards the back of his head, aiming for a swift strike. But Law was faster than I anticipated; he leaped forward, narrowly avoiding my blow. 

Mid-air, he twisted his body to face me and launched another attack with impressive agility.

I could only be impressed by his quick reflexes and sharp instincts but didn't hesitate to act. Reacting swiftly, I leaped back to avoid his strike, landing lightly on the forest floor. 

As my feet touched down, I wasted no time in initiating my next move.

With a quick "Soru," I vanished and appeared less than a meter a meter (three feet) away from Law, who was still suspended in the air. "Shigan!" I exclaimed, focusing my energy and hardening my index finger's muscles to deliver a devastating blow.

But Law was not one to be caught off guard. With a lightning-fast motion, he drove his sword into the ground, using it as a pivot to drag his body away from the path of my attack. 

I flew past him, crashing into a nearby tree with a loud crack as it was due to Shigan's impact.

After sweeping the wood shrapnel and dust from my coat, I turned to face Law once more. Beads of cold sweat trickled down his face, and he panted heavily, his expression a mix of alarm and determination as he eyed me.

I couldn't help but grin at his reaction. "Your instincts and reflexes are sharp. You're nimble on your feet as well. Honestly, you're not half bad," I remarked casually. "But that's not nearly enough to make me break a sweat, let alone beat me," I added, my tone matter-of-fact.

Law visibly bristled at my words, his grip tightening on his katana as he fixed his gaze on me. "You damn monster..." he muttered through clenched teeth.

I chuckled at his remark. "Monster? Me? Nope, you're just not up to the bar," I replied, shaking my head. "Still, this can't be all you've got so what are you so afraid of anyway?" I asked, raising an eyebrow in puzzlement. "Quit holding back and give it your all... who knows, you might not lose as miserably if you do..." 

Law's scowl deepened. "Don't give me orders! And don't presume you've already won!" he retorted, lunging at me once more.

With a sigh, I watched him approach. "We'll see how long you can keep up that stubborn act..." I murmured to myself, preparing for his next onslaught.

...

Hearing a commotion near Wolf's house, Penguin and Shachi hurried over, their footsteps quickening as they approached the scene. As they arrived, their eyes widened at the sight before them, a mixture of surprise and concern evident on their faces.

"What's with that guy...? He's really pushing Law," Penguin remarked, his voice tinged with disbelief as he observed the intense confrontation unfolding.

"Yeah, it's like Law can't catch a break... he's barely able to defend himself," Shachi added, equally taken aback by the one-sided nature of the fight. 

Law was the strongest person they knew, and yet there he was struggling against some stranger they'd never met before. 

"But it looks like Law isn't using that..." Shachi noted cryptically.

Penguin scoffed at the suggestion. "Of course not! Don't you remember what Wolf told Law about his devil fruit power?" He reminded Shachi, his expression troubled. "He'd be in deep trouble if news of it got out," he added, his concern evident.

Frustration flickered across Shachi's face. "Then at this rate..." he began, trailing off as he turned his attention back to the ongoing confrontation. "Won't Law lose...?" he muttered, voicing his worry.

Penguin shook his head determinedly. "Not if we jump in and--" he started to suggest, but his words were cut short as Sif suddenly leaped in front of them, baring her teeth menacingly. 

In an instant, Penguin and Shachi realized they were no match for the fierce beast.

"You know... now that I take a closer look, Law doesn't seem to be struggling as much as we thought..." Penguin remarked with a nervous chuckle.

Shachi echoed the sentiment with a forced smile. "Yeah, you're right... I bet he's just waiting for the perfect opportunity to turn the tables. Let's just wait and see..."

In the meanwhile, the battle continued, though it had already devolved into a one-sided affair. 

Blake darted around Law, his movements fluid and precise, delivering blows with a relentless ferocity. Meanwhile, Law struggled to keep pace, his defenses strained as he barely managed to block each incoming strike.

As the minutes passed, Blake's frustration became apparent as he grew tired of waiting for Law to give his all to the fight. 

He leaped back, creating a gap between them, and regarded Law with a hint of disdain. "To be honest I'm a bit disappointed. I was looking forward to a good fight, but who would have thought you'd be too scared to use your own power?" he remarked, his tone tinged with dissatisfaction.

Law met Blake's gaze with a steely glare, his resolve unyielding.

"O well, I guess there's no point in dragging this fight on any longer...." Sighing in resignation, Blake stepped forward, appearing right in front of Law with astonishing speed. 

Before Law could react, Blake's fist collided with his stomach, sending him hurtling through the air until he crashed onto the forest floor, the impact knocking the wind out of him.

With a final glance at Law's prone form, Blake turned away with a shake of his head. "Looks like I wasted my time for nothing. Let's go, Sif," he said, his voice tinged with disappointment as he strode away from the scene.

...

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