Chapter 15: Tamatoa's Horde

Chapter 15: Tamatoa's Horde

Kisame had this nagging feeling. Something about the crew's whole situation was off. Having a good idea about what it was, the Ninja eyed one of their latest passengers. Oh, Silver was the perfect gentleman and cook to everyone, helping out around the ship whenever asked. Still, Kisame couldn't help but recall the incessant tapping he did during their Den-Den Mushi call. With his time in the Hidden Mist Cypher Corps, he knew a pattern when he saw one. Granted, the tapping didn't match up with any code from the Ninja World, so he wasn't 100% sure.

It was dinnertime, meaning Silver, Mira, and Sanji were in the kitchen. Halibel was currently on duty guarding Circe, who hadn't woken up. So, seeing a chance, Kisame turned to Jinbe.

"Can I talk with you…alone, for a bit?"

Noting the unusual seriousness, the Fishman obliged.

"I'm just going to ask, straight-up? How secure are Den-Den Mushi lines?" the Ninja posed the question, wanting to be absolutely sure.

Jinbe sighed. "I figured you'd be suspicious. In my world, there's a subspecies of Black Den-Den Mushi. They were expressly bred for the purpose of eavesdropping."

Kisame pondered that. "And how easy is it to get one?"

"Black Den-Den Mushi are incredibly hard to breed and maintain," Jinbe explained. "Only purebreds would have all the necessary functions, leading to all sorts of issues when the snails had no other option but to inbreed for a time. The only people I know of who had the knowledge and resources for dealing with that was the World Government. Although, I'm sure each of the Emperors got their hands on a few."

Kisame's eyes narrowed. "So what you're saying is that only someone really powerful in your world had these things?"

"Yes…and that's why I haven't simply kicked Silver off this ship," Jinbe growled.

"Hold on…you knew he was spying from the very beginning," Kisame realized.

Jinbe simply nodded.

"Was the code he used from your world?" the Ninja wondered.

"No…I couldn't make heads or tails of it," the Fishman admitted.

"Does Halibel know?"

"Yes, I informed her when she shared her own suspicions, and she's the only other one in the know so far. I'd like to keep it that way," Jinbe spoke in a way that invited no argument.

"Oh…were you just gonna leave me hanging in the dark? Still don't really trust me yet?" Kisame gave a teasing grin.

Jinbe's pause was telling.

"Let me be absolutely clear," the Fishman calmly replied. "The only reason you're still on this ship is because I'm trusting you with a chance. I would throw you off with my own two hands if I actually thought you would endanger my crew. But understand that I'll only go so far with someone accused of killing comrades…at least for now."

Kisame's grin immediately turned into a carefully neutral expression. "Fine, I get why you wouldn't tell me or Sasori, but why keep it from the others?"

"Because Halibel is the only other person that has a 'poker face' good enough for what I'm planning," Jinbe put it simply.

Kisame couldn't help but think of the overly-fearful Usopp and Hanataro, the overly-expressive Franky and Brook, the trusting Tsuyu and Juvia, and the perpetually-angry Apacci, seeing that Jinbe had a point.

"Not even trusting your own student?" Kisame raised an eyebrow.

"I'm not sure how good she is at being deliberately unsuspicious," Jinbe justified. "And Silver absolutely can't know we're onto him, if I'm going to root out whoever from my world is backing him. I'm sure that Silver will slip up, and the best way to take advantage is him not knowing we caught that slip."

"Regardless," Kisame interrupted. "I don't like the idea of just letting that liar walk around the ship."

"I get the feeling we won't have to deal with it for long. Whoever Silver is in contact with, I'm sure they'll be making their move, probably when we reach our destination," Jinbe concluded.

"Great," Kisame mumbled. "On top of Cipactli and Tiamat, we'll be dealing with an entirely unknown interested party. I still say we string up Silver and pump him for everything he knows."

"No," Jinbe firmly set his foot down. "I don't want to do anything hasty until I figure out who's backing Silver. Besides, there will surely be other underlings heading for Tamatoa's Horde, rather than this supposed enemy, and I'm sure they'll have more answers if they're higher up. Plus, I'll make sure Silver's story is straight with whatever this other player reveals."

"Oh, come on!" Kisame was about to argue further, but Halibel opened the door from below. "Circe's waking up," she abruptly revealed. Both men quickly followed the Hollow.

OoOoOoO

After grabbing a bowl of dinner from the kitchen, the three were looking at the chained and bound sorceress. Hanataro was on standby in case their captive's injuries acted up. Her hair ragged, her midsection bandaged, her eyes narrowed at her captors. "What do you want?" she asked in a hoarse voice.

"Information," Halibel simply put it.

Deciding this was the best way to ensure her survival, Circe feigned compliance. "On what?"

"Poseidon…who is he?" Jinbe asked.

Circe found herself on the edge of a knife, metaphorically speaking. She knew something substantial would have to be given, but she absolutely couldn't afford to divulge anything on her master's current activities. So, she settled on the compromise of retelling an old legend, with the added benefit of buying time for her.

"Long ago, beings called the Titans used to rule my world. Their King was Kronos, who had overthrown the previous King, his father Ouranos. Over time, Kronos turned on those who had aided him, paranoid about keeping his throne. Then, he heard a prophecy about a child that would usurp him, just as he did his own father. His wife Rhea gave birth to three daughters, and three sons. Kronos ate them."

Jinbe looked green around the gills. Halibel narrowed her eyes in disgust. Kisame smirked, eager to hear how this backfired on that asshole.

"But Rhea managed to save one child, Zeus, leaving a decoy in his place to be eaten. Years later, Zeus returned as a powerful God, and forced his father to vomit up his siblings, who were all fully grown, having protected themselves from Kronos' digestion with their own incredible magic power from birth."

Circe took a breath before continuing. "Zeus and his siblings rallied everyone wronged by Kronos, starting a war. Once Kronos lost, having been chopped to bits with his own scythe, the Gods drew lots on how to divide the world amongst themselves. Zeus himself gained dominion over the Heavens, becoming King of the Gods. The oldest brother, Hades, was named Lord of the Dead and Underworld. The middle brother was Poseidon, and he was crowned God of the Seas."

The three stood silently, processing what they just heard.

"What a bloody beginning," Jinbe couldn't help but note.

"How do you know all this?" Halibel asked.

"Because my father, Helios, was one of those Titans that turned on Kronos," Circe simply put it.

As fascinating as this all was, Kisame couldn't help but note how little Circe was giving away on Poseidon specifically. "What about his abilities?"

The demigod began to laugh. "You ask as if this information will help you. Poseidon IS The Sea, with power beyond your comprehension. His mighty Trident has granted him complete dominion over the ocean and all its creatures. You three would be squashed flat in an instant," Circe gave an ugly sneer.

Before they could continue, a shout came from above. "LAND HO!" Usopp bellowed.

"Hanataro…stay with Circe for now," Jinbe ordered before leading the others up.

The witch gave a twisted smirk to the Soul Reaper.

OoOoOoO

A small mountain peeked its way over the horizon, with a humble beach surrounding it. Once close enough, the crew spotted a small sloop anchored on the other side of the island.

"Someone else got here first?" Usopp sounded anxious.

Silver zoomed in with his mechanical eye. "Not ringin' any bells."

"Give me a minute," Halibel closed her eyes, and reached out with Pesquisa.

Inside the mountain, she felt something startling. One presence was very faint, probably a human. Two of the others felt strange, giving off a vibe similar to Kisame and Sasori. "So, Chakra…and quite a bit from both of them." One being was a whole lot bigger than the others...and was reminding her slightly of the genuine Samebitos (not Circe's botched experiments). But the last presence was what surprised her.

"Grimmjow."

"WHAT?!" Apacci screeched. "That asshole?!"

"Who?" Jinbe pried.

"Grimmjow and I were both Espada, the ten strongest Hollows ever created."

"Hehehe, another Hollow at your level. I might just get to go all out. This must be my lucky day," Kisame laughed.

"Don't be so eager, Kisame," Halibel burst his bubble. "There are two Chakra-users in there too…and they seem to be around your and Sasori's strength."

"That so?" the puppet raised an eyebrow.

"Aside from that, there's just a human and some massive creature. I'm assuming it's the guardian," Halibel finished. "And given how much it feels like the Samebitos…I can assume it truly is Tiamat's (if she really is responsible for those brutes)."

"Guess things are gonna be kicking into high gear," Kisame looked excited.

"Alright…Usopp, Franky, Tsuyu…you three stay with Sasori and Hanataro on the ship. Call us if anyone else approaches the island," Jinbe declared.

"Yes, Sensei," Tsuyu bowed her head.

Jinbe sighed. While he knew that Franky and Sasori worked best with the ship, and Usopp would be suitable as long-range/lookout, the Fishman desperately wanted to keep his young student out of fights with Kisame and Halibel's equals.

"As for the rest of us…we're going in. Silver…lead the way," Jinbe beckoned the one-legged man forward, doing his best to conceal his suspicion.

OoOoOoO

Once at the shore, Silver gave a perplexed look. "The entrance is gone!" he exclaimed while stomping forward. The pirate put his mechanical hand over the rock.

"Wait a minute," Kisame had an unusually serious expression. He pushed Silver aside, gave the wall a close look, and lightly tapped Samehada. It chittered, confirming his thought. He recognized that Chakra.

"Shit," he whispered. "Halibel, you said there were two Chakra-users, right?"

"Yes,"

"Great, just perfect," Kisame grumbled. "Damn Zombie Combo."

Everyone else froze at how uncharacteristically on edge the Ninja was. Although, Kisame suddenly grinned as he eyed two of his comrades.

"Say, Brook, Juvia…how do you two feel about fighting an Akatsuki?"

Said comrades trembled in fear at the mere prospect. "Wha…?" Brook couldn't even finish a word.

"You honestly think we can take on someone that strong?" Juvia did her best to remain calm.

"Yeah," Kisame answered nonchalantly.

"Why them specifically?" Halibel quickly asked before Jinbe could pop a vessel.

"Because they don't bleed. That means they're the only ones who can face Hidan without any fear," Kisame sounded certain. "He'll be the one with the scythe," he added in response to the confused looks.

"What about the other Akatsuki?" Apacci piped up.

"You wouldn't last five minutes against Kakuzu," Kisame turned back to serious. "That greedy bastard is dangerous. And he got nearly a century of experience fighting Ninjas before he kicked the bucket. It'll have to be Halibel or Jinbe who faces him. He'd drag out a fight with me, but he won't know how either of you two fight. Plus, you're strong enough to actually match him. Just don't let his threads get you…and be prepared for multi-elemental assaults."

Kisame raised Samehada. "The second I break his Jutsu…Kakuzu will know I'm here. Are you ready?"

With no more than brief hesitation, everyone nodded. Satisfied, Kisame brought Samehada down. With a CRASH, cracks quickly formed as the Jutsu crumbled.

For a moment, the revealed tunnel was completely dark. Then, light burst forth.

"THUNDERBOLT TEMPO!"

"SHIT!"

"LIGHTNING STYLE: FALSE DARKNESS!"

The Straw Hats froze when they heard the scream.

OoOoOoO

(Earlier)

After walking a fair distance, Grimmjow, Nami, Hidan, and Kakuzu all had to squint. They had stumbled into the heart of the mountain. It was a massive open space filled to the brim with glittering jewels and precious metals, with a single hole above that allowed the sunlight to reflect off of them. The ceiling had stalactites with all manner of rubies, emeralds, diamonds, and sapphires embedded. Silver and pearls beckoned under pools of clear water. Not a single strip of natural rock could be seen on the floor, there were so many riches.

"Holy Hell!" Hidan couldn't help but exclaim. "It's a literal shit ton!" Even he was impreseed.

But the crowning eye catcher was in the direct center of the room. It was a mound, and it had all the gold in the room on it. Coins, shields, swords, statues, and crowns made for an uneven slope up the mound. Nami and Kakuzu both quickly calculated what 100 square feet worth of gold could bring them…and that was lowballing it. They then proceeded to moan in pleasure, much to Grimmjow's disgust.

Still, their eyes were drawn to the summit of the mound. There was an ancient stone chest, with Aztec carvings evenly repeated along the sides. Symbols of their Nahuatl language were spread across the massive slab that served as a lid. Most disconcerting of all, the four would swear to their dying day that they heard something from the chest.

As enticing as all this was, the four weren't idiots…well, three of them weren't.

"What the Shit?!" Hidan shouted. "Where's the son of a bitch that's supposed to be guarding this thing?"

"Could you, just for once, shut up?!" Kakuzu yelled back. "If he isn't on his way thanks to your obnoxious shouting, approaching that chest will probably alert him."

Grimmjow closed his eyes…but his Pesquisa was going haywire. Apparently, the enemy's energy was all around them.

"He's already here," the Hollow realized.

Nami brought out her Clima-Tact, fully extending it. For a moment, all four stood still. It was utter silence for a full minute.

"Well," the Navigator came to a decision. "I'm going to stuff my pockets as quick as possible…and get the hell out of here." She walked up the gold mound, with a voice in the back of her head suggesting she open the chest. Erring on the side of caution, Nami instead bent down to pick up the gold on the floor. She had scooped up enough coins to fill her pockets, before trying to bring up a pure gold shield. No matter how hard she tried, it just wouldn't budge.

The others had walked onto the gold mound, and noticed that all the significantly sized pieces of gold weren't budging an inch.

That is, until the entire mound started to tremble. Without any other warning, the entire mound of gold began to rise. Nami was sent on her side, off-balance. Hidan and Kakuzu quickly sent Chakra to their feet. Grimmjow simply took a few steps up into the air.

"I get it now," the Hollow thought to himself. "I couldn't narrow down where the guardian was…because he's just that big!"

5 legs popped out from beneath the mound, with the 6th one already cut in half. Two massive claws moved faster than they had any right to, snapping repeatedly to try and find the insects stomping around on its back. Nami tumbled off, while the Akatsuki duo leaped onto the nearest stalactites.

Grimmjow moved with Sonido, getting his first good look at the guardian as his head poked out of his gold-encrusted shell, the Aztec chest still perfectly centered on his back. It was a Coconut Crab…with eyes as big as Grimmjow himself. Said eyes narrowed as a slight frown crossed the crab's mouth.

"Such a drab getup," the crab said in a slightly effeminate voice. "White is just such a plain color. Still…a snack is a snack."

Grimmjow slightly exerted his Spiritual Pressure, but the crab didn't even flinch. That reaction earned a smirk from the Espada. "You're no pushover…what's your name?" he raised a hand.

"Surely you already know," the crab gave an impatient huff. "It is MY horde after all."

"Right, dumb question," Grimmjow started gathering energy. "Well, Tamatoa, I'm not just gonna let you eat me…so, come and get it!" He quickly fired off a Bala. The mighty crab shielded his face with one claw (not even singed), and struck with the other.

Grimmjow drew his sword and blocked. Tamatoa hit with such force that the Hollow was pushed back a few yards.

"I'm gonna enjoy this!" Grimmjow declared.

"You can try, try, try," Tamatoa retorted in a sing-song voice.

The two clashed again and again with claw and sword, their very blows giving off shockwaves thanks to the sheer power behind them.

Down below, Nami was backing away from the stomping crab legs, earning a disdainful scoff.

Hidan was already in a foul mood with his lack of sacrifices recently. Seeing the 'bitch' making her way to the exit was the final straw, so he leaped to intercept. "I hate cowards," he mumbled mid-Body Flicker. "They're shitty sacrifices, but she'll do."

"Going somewhere?" came a decidedly un-amused voice behind the pirate.

She saw the scythe coming out of the corner of her eye. Nor surprised by this turn, Nami found herself grateful for her foresight and prep. "Mirage Tempo."

"I'M DAMN TIRED OF YOU, YOU LITTLE BITCH! KAKUZU'S NOT GOING TO STOP ME NOW!" Hidan roared as he slashed. It looked like he had cut her in half, only for the image to shimmer and dissipate.

"The hell?"

Kakuzu rolled his eyes at his old partner's antics, and focused back on the stomping Tamatoa. Now that the guardian was occupied with Grimmjow, the old Akatsuki took the initiative. A white mask surrounded by black threads emerged from his sleeve. He aimed at the back of the crab. It opened its mouth.

"Wind Style: Pressure Damage!"

The concussive blast managed to make a small crack on the exoskeleton, causing a slight stumble in Tamatoa's stride. Grimmjow paused his attack, and glared at him. "Stay out of my fight, Kakuzu!"

"Hmph," Kakuzu clearly wasn't impressed with the attempt at an honorable fight. It was beneath him as a Ninja. Still, he'd let Grimmjow lie in the bed he made. And Tamatoa would surely be weak enough for an easy kill on Kakuzu's part afterward.

Seeing Kakuzu with his creature aimed elsewhere, Hidan futilely searching for her, and Tamatoa occupied, Nami saw the perfect opportunity. Having only ever seen Kakuzu use one creature, she assumed that was all he was capable of. She aimed her Clima-Tact at all three…knowing she'd only have one shot.

"THUNDERBOLT TEMPO!"

"SHIT!"

"LIGHTNING STYLE: FALSE DARKNESS!"

Initially, it looked like things were working out for Nami. She hit Hidan without issue, hence the loud cursing. But she realized that the shouting sounded more annoyed than anything else. As for Kakuzu, she was not expecting the second masked creature. Nor for it to counter her lightning strike like nothing. The ensuing blast sent the Pirate flying back into the wall.

Still sparking, Hidan heard the impact, and lunged forward. "Just stay still, you little bitch!" He slashed and she screamed, all the better to sell the act.

"HAHAHA…what the…NOT THIS SHIT AGAIN!" Hidan began to frantically look again after the Fata Morgana faded. That is, until he noticed something. There were a few bits of blood on the edge of a diamond jutting out of the wall. 'The bitch must've scraped herself when she slammed back. Perfect!"

Hidan quickly drank the blood and started drawing Jashin's symbol. His skin turned black and white.

Nami, having never seen this ability, and not knowing she'd lost blood, decided that hightailing it would be preferable. However, everyone paused when they heard a shout.

"Hidan!" Kakuzu yelled. "Hurry it up! We've got company!" 'That Chakra,' Kakuzu realized. "It can't be!"

CRASH!

A massive white object pierced through the floor, destroying Hidan's circle. With no other choice, knowing full well what would happen if the bandaged blade hit him, the cultist leaped back closer to his old partner. Whatever damage would've been done to Nami, Hidan would be far worse off with Chakra depletion, and he knew it. To his irritation, his skin faded back to normal thanks to the circle's utter destruction.

"YOU!"

At this point, even Grimmjow and Tamatoa paused in their duel, wondering what all the fuss was about.

Nami froze at the sight of the newcomer. The blue skin, sharp teeth, and beady eyes with an insane glimmer brought back some particularly bad memories. Still, she came back to the present when realizing just how different this 'Fishman' was. "Wait a minute, Hidan and Kakuzu recognized him. Were there Fishmen Ninja in their world?"

"Wow," came the stranger's sardonic voice. "Picking on a little girl…you two have sunk even lower than I remember…quite the accomplishment."

"Kisame Hoshigaki," Kakuzu growled. "Your Earth Style has improved, since you got here so quickly after breaking my Jutsu at the entrance."

"Fish-faced Bastard!" Hidan exclaimed. "I've got a sacrifice to make…and you RUINED IT!"

"Calm down Hidan," Kakuzu removed his cloak. "What are you doing here, Hoshigaki?"

"Enjoying the sights…making new friends," Kisame teased, amused at how much he was irritating the 'Zombie Combo'.

"Hmph…you and that damn Uchiha always had a habit of pissing me off," Kakuzu narrowed his eyes. "Hidan…we're going to have to work together. He is another Akatsuki after all."

"I know, I know, I'm not a damn idiot," Hidan cursed and pointed his scythe at Kisame.

"Says the only man I know who let himself get decapitated…repeatedly," Kakuzu deadpanned.

"OH SHUT UP!"

"The usual, Hidan," Kakuzu got him back on track.

"Right, right," the cultist grumbled in response.

"You two seem to be mistaken," Kisame gave a crooked grin to his former co-workers. "I'm not the one you're fighting."

Before either Akatsuki could react, two figures instantly appeared behind them.

"Sharkskin Palm Thrust!"

A massive blue palm slapped Kakuzu in the side, sending him flying into the cave wall.

"Gavotte: Bond en Avant!"

Hidan was cut with such force that he was pushed in the opposite direction. "The hell?!" he exclaimed when he saw his wound freeze.

And just like that, the Immortal Duo had been separated. "Heh…they always were a bit more careless than the rest of us," Kisame couldn't help but snicker. He had known they would focus on him if he revealed himself, watching every move that he would make. So, he deliberately had them face away from the entrance to look at him, allowing the others to quietly rush in.

"Now then," Kisame turned to Tamatoa and what he instantly realized was the Espada (the flying was a dead giveaway). "I'm getting some ideas for dinner."

Towards the back, Nami was stunned as she realized who this 'scary Fishman-looking dude' had brought along. She couldn't believe her eyes at first.

"NAMI-SSSWWWWAAAAANNNNN!"

And that killed all of her doubt.

"Wha…Sanji!" For once, Nami wholeheartedly accepted the cook's embrace.

"Aww…you two look so cute together," a white-haired woman joined them. "Name's Mira, pleasure to meet you," the Wizard quickly shook her new friend's hand.

"Don't worry," Sanji got back into serious mode. "These guys are all with me. You won't have to worry about those two bastards."

Nami felt utter relief at finally being reunited with at least some of her crew, having spent weeks scrounging and making whatever deals she could to get west, in the long-shot hope of finding the Straw Hats. True, she'd been mildly distracted by the prospect of Tamatoa's Horde. Even now, she felt her eyes drawn to the Aztec chest on the top of the crab. She wasn't the only one.

Silver was zooming in with his mechanical eye. "That's it! At least we got here before Cipactli or his rotten blighters. Now…how to get it out of here." The cyborg gazed around at the fights brewing.

For now though, Sanji, Mira, and Silver stood back. They had been told to only intervene if a fight started turning towards the worse. Plus, there was always the possibility of more 'uninvited guests', so they were the reserve for now.

Up above, Halibel and Apacci appeared close enough to Grimmjow for him to notice, but not too close to startle him. Surprisingly enough, he gave the two a grin. "Well…I was wondering when I'd run into you."

Halibel narrowed her eyes. "Grimmjow, it's been a long time."

Before he could reply, he blocked a backhanded (or is it back-clawed?) strike with his blade. The Hollows then quickly used Sonido to avoid the follow up with the other claw snapping.

"Hmm, hmm, hmm…more tasty treats," Tamatoa grinned at all the newcomers. That cheery mood didn't last long. The crab grimaced in sudden pain, because Kisame had cut off the very tip of a right leg. Granted, Tamatoa was still able to perfectly balance himself, but it still hurt.

"Are you kidding me?!" Grimmjow started raising his voice. "Is it too much to ask for me to have a decent one-on-one after spending weeks with those morons to get here?!"

"If I may," Halibel spoke up. "I can vouch for Kisame's strength. He'd be a far better fight for you than this monstrosity."

"Hey!" Tamatoa protested, his claws still snapping as the Hollows had a conversation while dodging. Grimmjow couldn't help but raise an eyebrow at Halibel speaking so highly of someone.

"Besides…he won't just sit around as everyone else is fighting…so the only fair fight possible for you today is with him," Halibel spelled it out. "I promise I won't damage Tamatoa too much. That way, you can have a fair fight with the crab later."

Grimmjow scoffed, but he didn't argue. After all, the two had managed coexistence for the better part of a millennia after Yhwach was beaten. He quickly used Sonido to head to the ground, leaving the two female Hollows to dodge Tamatoa.

"Did you just set Grimmjow on Kisame?" Apacci turned towards her senior.

"Yes, I can tell just how pent up Grimmjow is…and that could be dangerous for all of us if he isn't satisfied. Besides, Kisame's been begging to have a proper fight with me. Maybe having to actually face an Espada will get him to back off," Halibel explained. "I'll kill two birds with one stone this way."

"Umm…there might be a problem with that," Apacci had a rare disagreement with Halibel. "Kisame will probably be more excited to face you after fighting him. And what if they actually get along?"

The former Espada's eyes momentarily widened. "What have I done?"

After that 'nightmare scenario' passed from her head, Halibel focused back on Tamatoa, who was actually starting to speed up his strikes. "Hmm…I might've underestimated this crab. Still…I wonder how he tastes."

Grimmjow stomped onto the ground. "Don't you know it's rude to interrupt a fight?"

"Sorry," Kisame sounded genuine. "But I just couldn't resist."

The Hollow looked at Tamatoa's severed tip, and saw that all the meat inside was gone.

"Did you seriously interfere…for a snack?!" Grimmjow could hardly believe it.

"Yes."

A brief pause.

"You know what…screw it!"

CLANG!

Samehada and Pantera clashed in a haze of sparks. Manic grins began to spread on both blue-haired combatants.

OoOoOoO

"Son of a bitch!" Hidan punched his wound, shattering the ice with the aid of Chakra in his fist. It was crude, but it got the job done. He then turned to his newfound opponent, and was stunned at the sight. "The hell are you supposed to be?"

"My name is Brook," said skeleton gave a fencer's salute before adopting an unusually fierce expression. "And you were trying to kill a crewmate!"

"So?" Hidan seemed perplexed on why that would matter.

Brook sighed. "I truly do despise those who put no value on life."

"Life? HA!" Hidan started laughing. "The living's only purpose is to act as sacrifices for Almighty Jashin! And I Will have a sacrifice today."

Without another word, the two rushed forward. Brook began by parrying the frenzied slashes from the scythe. "This madman has no form…but he's so fast that he doesn't need to. However, he's still leaving a ridiculous amount of openings."

Suddenly, Hidan pulled out a retractable spike from his sleeve, and threw it right through Brook's suit. Normally, that would have pierced a lung. When it didn't, Hidan was flabbergasted. On top of that, the spike had absolutely no blood. "HUH?!"

"My, I lost my breath there…or I would've, if I had any lungs. YOHOHOHO!" Brook chortled as he resumed the duel.

Hidan easily blocked the blade, but his mind was racing. "Shit…did Hoshigaki find this freak just to take me on? The Hell am I supposed to do to someone without any blood?!"

Juvia kept an eye on the fight. Her job was twofold: Provide Brook with long-range support if he should need it; Keep Hidan away from everyone else. At the moment, her intervention hadn't been necessary, but that didn't mean she wasn't taking her task seriously. So she watched, and observed.

OoOoOoO

"Damn. If I hadn't used Iron Skin at the last second, one of my hearts would've been in serious trouble," Kakuzu thought as he dislodged himself from the wall. Thanks to his last-minute defense, there was no serious damage. He then took a moment to get the measure of his opponent, noting how absolutely massive this 'creature' was. "Hmm…a Fishman…because of course Hoshigaki would run into one."

"Tell me…how did Hoshigaki actually manage to convince you to aid him?" the old Akatsuki asked. "You do know what he's done to 'comrades? Right?"

"I didn't need convincing…you were just going to allow a dear friend of mine to suffer a horrible death," Jinbe coldly replied while shoving his doubts aside for the moment.

"Hmph…your sentimentality will be the death of you," Kakuzu coldly replied. Knowing he'd need to get serious against someone this strong, he instantly released three hearts. He gave a simple mental command: "Kill them all!"

Just like that, the three creatures took flight and scattered. One blasted wind at the Hollows and Tamatoa, forcing them to momentarily disengage. The Wind Mask then started heading towards Nami.

"DEMON BLAST" Mira managed to keep the Wind Mask away, but it quickly avoided her blasts, working its way around the room.

Another rained fire at Kisame and Grimmjow. Scoffing, the ex-Mist Ninja easily formed a quick Water Wall with one Hand Sign, shielding the duel from interference.

The last one shot Water Bullets directly at Brook. "Water Slicers!" Juvia countered the Water Mask's attack, but wasn't quite fast enough to zero in on it.

To be honest, Kakuzu was hoping that the Masks going after his comrades would at least momentarily distract the Fishman. But Jinbe kept his glare on the Ninja, raising his fist. Knowing what was coming, Kakuzu crossed his arms, coating both with Earth Style: Iron Skin.

"Arabesque Brick Fist!"

Kakuzu was puzzled at the Fishman punching the air itself. That is, until he felt himself get pushed back not a second later. "URK!" his watery insides forced his body backwards. Once again, the Iron Skin had managed to lessen the damage enough that the Ninja could still fight without hindrance.

"Earth Style: Mobile Core!" Kakuzu slammed a foot, sending Chakra directly under Jinbe. The 20 square feet around the Fishman fell into the earth, but not before Jinbe leaped aside, easily avoiding the trap.

Taking his chance, Kakuzu rushed forward with his hardened fists. With time for nothing else, Jinbe covered his arms in Haki. Fist met fist in a barrage of punches.

"This Ninja's technique is quite similar to the application of Armament Haki…but how?" Jinbe wondered. "Could it be a type of Earth Jutsu…converting minerals into a hardened shell? Most likely."

"So…this is the Pirate World's Haki…willpower made manifest. Impressive," Kakuzu grudgingly admitted to himself.

Both put more power into their punches, blackened knuckles slamming into blackened knuckles. It was getting to the point where small shockwaves were emanating from the clashes, blasting away any small, loose pieces of treasure nearby.

Around the 50th punch, Kakuzu noticed something. He began to feel his hands sting, and saw small cracks starting to form. "He's overpowering my Iron Skin with nothing but brute strength?! IMPOSSIBLE! No, don't panic…just find a way to disengage."

All of a sudden, while Jinbe's hands were engaged, the Lightning Mask popped out from behind Kakuzu. "Lightning Style: False Darkness!"

Thinking fast, the Fishman managed to coat his whole body in Haki. Regardless, it was still a point-blank lightning strike…so it hurt like hell. But before Kakuzu could retreat, Jinbe smacked his Haki-encased forehead onto the Ninja's.

"GAH!" Kakuzu was sent yards away by the sheer force. He landed on his feet, and brought a hand to his head. The Ninja was quite surprised to see his own blood so early in the duel.

Jinbe released his Haki, breathing heavily while recovering from that lightning.

Both took the brief reprieve to catch their breath.

"I have to admit…I've never fought someone with such monstrous physical strength before," Kakuzu said. "I can't help but wonder if I could grow stronger with his heart. What would happen if I took an otherworlder's heart? Only one way to find out."

"Hmm," Jinbe opted not to engage in petty banter, having a feeling it'd be pointless.

Suddenly, his Observation Haki went off. Jinbe quickly moved to the side, watching as a fireball soared past where he just was. Turning to face the Fire Mask, he saw it shoot another Fire Style: Searing Migraine. "Water Shot!" The attack managed to cancel out the coming fire, but the Mask flew away, back towards the rest of his crew.

In the meantime, Kakuzu had readied his own mask. "Lightning Style: False Darkness!"

Dodging, Jinbe came to a realization. "After seeing me up close, this man is just going to keep bombarding me with long-range Ninjutsu. I need to figure out a way to either take out the Masks before he moves in, or land one of my stronger attacks on his main body before he has a chance to defend."

OoOoOoO

Tamatoa was fast. Faster than any creature his size had any right to be. Plus, he was fighting smart, using the confined space to his advantage.

"My, my…lively little snacks, aren't you?" the crab still wasn't taking this seriously as his claw scraped across Tiburon, pushing the Espada closer to the wall.

To be fair, neither was Halibel. Him keeping all his attention on her suited the Hollow just fine. Granted, Apacci was a little more frantic in dodging, but she still had avoided any damage.

Suddenly, Tamatoa spun quickly enough so that his side was right beneath the Hollows. He then did the crab equivalent of hip-checking the two. Both Halibel and Apacci were hit with enough force to slam them into the wall. While Halibel's own Hierro meant she wasn't even scratched, Apacci had a bruise and some scrapes.

Before the Hollows could retaliate, the Wind Mask came flying back for another strafing run, blasting craters into the wall with repeated Wind Style: Pressure Damage. The two Hollows quickly avoided the blasts with Sonido.

"Apacci, destroy that interference."

"With pleasure," the younger Hollow dashed off, firing a barrage of Bala. The Wind Mask managed to counter with its wind blasts before fleeing into the maze of stalactites. Apacci quickly pursued, beginning what was basically a dogfight.

Tamatoa had taken the opportunity and was scuttling towards the biggest group of people, i.e. Nami and Sanji's trio. His mere steps were causing trembling in the cavern. All the other duelers had to quickly disengage to avoid the rampaging crab, only to rejoin in battle.

Before Tamatoa could even get close to those not currently fighting, Halibel got right in front of him, golden energy instantly forming around a pointed finger. "Bala."

It was only by sheer luck that Tamatoa didn't lose an eye. He was blinking when the attack hit. Still, his eyelid was completely destroyed, meaning he wouldn't be able to shield his eye like that again.

The crab turned to the Hollow. While he was still grinning, it was clear that it was a strained façade. "Well, well, well…little girl's got some power. You think you can beat a thousand-year old decapod? I lived and died in Lalotai, the realm of the monsters. Only the strongest lasted longer than a day."

"A realm of Monsters, huh?" Halibel clearly wasn't impressed. "Well…I was the Queen of my world's monsters for a thousand years!"

Putting more power into her arm, Halibel slashed Tiburon with enough force to create a blade of wind. Said wind blade went to Tamatoa's side, cleanly cutting off a layer of gold on the leftmost tip of his shell, leaving it a bare red.

The crab's whole demeanor shifted in a millisecond. He had worked CENTURIES to create the perfect shiny shell…and this little insect ruined it like it meant nothing.

"When I eat you…I'm going to enjoy it more than devouring my own grandma," Tamatoa snarled as he lunged forward.

OoOoOoO

Kisame was having the time of his life. Finally, after weeks on this sea, he was having a proper duel with a swordsman that could match both his power and technique.

For some reason, he and Grimmjow had come to an unspoken agreement, sticking to pure swordplay. The Ninja wasn't using any of his Jutsu, while the Hollow was keeping his feet on the ground and refraining from Cero and the like.

In the years following Yhwach's defeat, Grimmjow had wandered the desert of Hueco Mundo, devouring any murderous Hollow he ran across to become stronger. On top of that, he constantly sought to hone and improve on his technique, driven by his obsession of beating Ichigo fair and square. As for that rematch…I'll leave it up to your imaginations.

Now, with so many other worlds' worth of warriors, Grimmjow wanted to know where he stood. And so far…he was disappointed…at least until coming to this island. It had been so long since he'd fought someone decent…and he was relishing the chance to show off his hard-earned strength.

Kisame came down with an overhead strike. Grimmjow was forced to block with one hand on the flat of his own blade. "Holy crap, that thing's heavier than it looks," the Hollow mused about Samehada. "And the strength to wield that so easily...quite impressive for a human. Although…is he even human?"

While Grimmjow pondered that, he angled his sword downwards, using Kisame's own strength against him. Once Samehada had slammed into the jewel-covered ground, the Hollow used Sonido to get right behind his opponent.

Seeing that coming a mile away, Kisame quickly drug his great blade across the ground as he turned, sending all sorts of precious stones into Grimmjow's face.

Despite the distraction, the Hollow leapt over Samehada, managing to keep his legs. Midair, he then kicked the Ninja in the diaphragm.

"Oof!" Kisame drove Samehada into the ground, stopping his backwards momentum.

Grimmjow, mad grin in place, lunged past. He even managed to give Kisame a small cut on his bicep.

The Ninja uprooted Samehada, managing to scrape Grimmjow's thigh for a second.

The two used Body Flicker and Sonido to get back, and both immediately rushed forward.

Samehada and Pantera sang with the repeated clashing. Every slash would be countered. Every perceived opening would merely be a feint. Neither was giving up an inch.

CLANG! The blades briefly shuddered as the two pushed for superiority, grins never faltering. Not getting anywhere, Ninja and Hollow leapt back again.

"Your swordsmanship's good…better than anyone I've fought in this world," Kisame praised his opponent.

"That so?" Grimmjow felt his own grin stretch, having always appreciated compliments.

"Well…I'm sure Halibel's better, unless you want to prove me wrong," Kisame smirked.

"I know you're playing me…but you're right, I do want to prove you wrong," Grimmjow began stepping up into the air, crooked grin still in place as he pointed.

"Oh…we actually going to use our powers now?" Kisame slammed Samehada into the ground, and began his Hand Signs.

"Yep…Bala."

"Water Style: Water Wall!"

The Bala barrage destroyed the Jutsu, but was cancelled out in the process. That allowed Kisame to slam a hand on one of the pools. "Water Style: Water Shark Bomb Jutsu!"

Grimmjow avoided the shark at the last second with Sonido. "Yeesh…he even shapes his water into sharks. All right then, let's see how he handles something with a little more 'oomph'."

"Cero!"

For some reason, Kisame just stood completely still. Then…SLASH! Grimmjow's eyes widened as the Cero completely vanished.

"The Hell?! Did my Cero just get EATEN?!" Grimmjow wondered incredulously. "Where did Halibel find this guy?!"

"Those looks of surprise never get old," Kisame put Samehada on his shoulder, feeling it chitter.

"Most of my long-range won't get past that sword. All right, I'll have to mix it up with hand-to-hand…make it so I hit him before that thing can take more of my Reishi." As a precaution, Grimmjow put a little more energy into his Hierro…hoping it'd be enough.

The Hollow sped forward, and Kisame side-stepped to avoid him. Samehada gave Grimmjow a glancing blow, but the Ninja raised an eyebrow when noticing no wound. "Oh…he strengthened his Hierro. Looks like I'll have to actually put my back into it if I wanna cut him," Kisame observed.

Once again, Pantera and Samehada slammed into each other with a mighty CLANG!

OoOoOoO

"Land Ho!" the crow in the crow's nest cawed. The entire crew of animals started baying, hollering, and roaring. 4 of them were more subdued, but no less eager. Gustave, Rob Lucci, Jackal, and Menthuthuyoupi all smirked.

"It's here," the crocodile-hybrid simply said. Noticing the two ships anchored, he turned to the crew. "Release the Nevermores." An anaconda, scorpion, and leopard scurried down below deck of the massive ship.

An earsplitting screech emanated as a door on the side of the ship opened up, not unlike a hanger bay's. And absolutely massive ravens began to pour out. They were also unusual in that their talons were bone white. On top of that, their heads were covered what appeared to be a skull-like mask, shielding glowing red eyes.

"Jackal…you know what to do," Gustave rumbled.

Too excited to argue, the Demon hopped off the ship and onto the biggest bird's back. With his own ill intent, he was able to direct the beasts towards the anchored ships.

"All of you!" Gustave barked at the crew. "Pick up the pace…the three of us are going ahead. When you land…KILL THEM ALL!" He leaped off, morphing back to full crocodile and swimming ahead full speed.

"Moonwalk!" Lucci easily kept up with his kicks into the air.

"Che…" Youpi scoffed as he grew wings out of his back, and brought up the rear.

OoOoOoO

"We should be seeing the island in a few minutes," Captain Barbossa concluded as he brought up a spyglass, Jack the Monkey perched on his shoulder.

"Captain…"Ragetti hesitantly spoke up. "Are you sure we should be going near that chest again?"

"I understand yer' concern, but we don't have any other choice," the gentleman (in his mind at least) pirate was about to elaborate, but he caught black specks on the horizon. He quickly opened his spyglass, and his eye widened at the sight.

"Cipactli's cockroaches are already here," he whispered to himself. "ALL HANDS…BATTLE STATIONS!"

The crew of the Queen Anne's Revenge scurried about.

"Compress, Emerald…you two better be ready to go in under fire," the Captain growled.

"Grimm weren't part of the deal!" Emerald shouted at the sight of the black creatures.

"You still have a job to do…or are you the type to renege on a bargain struck?" Barbossa gave a pointed look.

"No," Emerald lowered her head.

"Good, the Revenge will cover you until you and Compress get inside the cavern," the pirate glared at the Quirk User. "And if I find that even a single medallion is missing from that chest when you bring it…I'll have your guts for garters."

Mr. Compress gulped. "Understood."

Barbossa turned back to the island. "If I had my way…I'd just sink that accursed chest to the bottom of the sea…but I have orders." So he took a deep breath, and braced himself for the coming hell.

A.N. All right…consider this the beginning of the end of Part 1 of SoSC. So many things that I loved getting into.

On one side, we've got the Cutty Sark crew…with 2 Akatsuki (Naruto), 2 Arrancar (Bleach), 6 Straw Hats (including Nami) (One Piece), 2 Fairy Tail Wizards (Fairy Tail), 1 Pro-Hero (My Hero), and a Soul Reaper medic.

On another, Cipactli is bringing out his 'personal attack-dog', the World Government's greatest assassin, 1 Demon, 1 Chimera Ant Royal Guard (HunterXHunter), the Creatures of Grimm (RWBY), and a horde of enhanced animals.

On yet another, Captain Barbossa comes to Silver's aid with his own ragtag crew, the legendary Queen Anne's Revenge, 1 Semblance User, and one of the League of Villains.

And we've got Tamatoa (another fabulously flamboyant Disney Villain), the Immortal Duo, Grimmjow, and Circe all with their own agendas.

Since I'm counting Disney as one thing…that's eight shows worth of characters in this one battle (on top of Mythology)…I'M GONNA HAVE ME SOME FUN! MWAHAHAHA!

Hope you're enjoying the fights so far. I don't why…but Jinbe vs. Kakuzu might be the one I enjoyed writing for most…with Kisame vs. Grimmjow a close second.

And to my 'Pirates' fans out there…you've probably already figured out what the 'treasure' is. And if you haven't seen 'Pirates'…I'm gonna have some fun showing what that chest's contents can do.

Responses:

Guest: I do admit that there will at least a few DC and Marvel characters, but most of my focus will be on the series already introduced. Still…I will not confirm or deny if Namor or King Shark have a part to play. You'll just have to see!

Anon: I'll go ahead and say that all the Hokages will at least have cameos. Although, only a few will have BIG roles to play.

Til Next Time…Have Fun!