Chapter 6: First Combat

Clash Clink Clash

The sound of clashing blades rippled out for months, those months turned into years. And finally, two years passed. Since Bridget started his training with Hedrick. Due to Hedrick's training, Bridget's appearance has completely transformed. He's grown taller, his skin got tanner, and most importantly, the definition in his muscles has become quite refined. 

Bridget is around 5'8, and his frame is lean, making him mobile and flexible. His flexibility is currently being shown fully in the lower deck where he is engaged in an intense sparring session with Hedrick. The two are currently clashing blades, making sparks ripple out wildly. 

Bridget flipped his sword deflecting a slash from Hedrick, the force of the strike, send ripples of energy through Bridget's wrist. The blade shook, until Bridget lunged foward thrusting his blade at Hedrick's throat. The sword pierced through the air, rapidly approaching Hedrick's jugular, until, Hedrick shifted his weight, leaning to his left, causing the blade to whiff past his neck. 

Bridget's feet slid across the wooden floor while he pulled back his sword, just in time to block another strike from Hedrick. However, Hedrick didn't just throw one strike, he threw several causing Bridget to backpedal, while he turned his blade, narrowly blocking the array of attacks. He withstood this barrage, until, through the relentless strikes, Bridget saw a single opening. He quickly leaned to his right slipping under Hedrick's slash. Hedrick eyes widened in surprise, as Bridget spun around Hedrick's torso, getting directly behind him in a single motion. 

Right when, Bridget set his feet, he swung horizontally at the back of Hedrick's neck, but the slice only cut pieces of Hedrick's hair, who quickly crouched ducking under the swing. Bridget grunted annoyed, before he swung downwards wildly, slamming into Hedrick's blade causing an ear-deafening screech to ripple out from the blades. 

The two clashed swords, before Hedrick smirked and spoke. " You cheeky brat, do you really think you can win in a battle of strength with me?" Instantly, Hedrick used all of his body weight pushing his blade forward this sudden force caused Bridget to stumble back, before he regained his balance several feet away from Hedrick. 

The two glared at each other while they slid their feet apart getting into stances, but before they could engage, a loud bell suddenly rang out.

" Ring Ring Ring, the island of Lirco is under attack by pirates! "

Hedrick and Bridget swiftly snapped their heads towards the stairs, without mustering a single word to each other, they ascended the stairs, their footsteps echoing out bouncing off the creaky wooden walls of the ship. Finally, Bridget and Hedrick reached the top deck of the ship to find a large crowd of marines surrounding David who was standing on a pile of crates with a snail on his palm. This snail was broadcasting a message.

"We understand that you are a scouting ship, but you are the closest ship we currently have near the island of Lirco, your vessel is only ten minutes away from the island. Lirco is an island with a neighboring sister island, so close that it forms a choke point between them. The surface of Lirco is rugged, with only one main city situated on a sandy beach. This city lies within the choke point, leaving only one exit from the island. So truthfully, you could wait at this choke point and engage the pirates at sea or engage the pirates on the island. But ultimately the decision rests with you. The HQ wishes you luck *CLICK* "

Without a strain of hesitation, Hedrick shouted out to David. " We will face the pirates on the island. There is no sense in sacrificing lives waiting at the chokepoint. " The marines surrounding David nodded in agreement, before David smiled, while waving his hand, ordering the crew.

"Very well. You have ten minutes to prepare. If this is the final time I address you, I wish you luck in the afterlife."...

Quickly ten minutes passed and the rock island Lirco came into the crew's view, Bridget stared coldly at the island as powerful gusts of wind coasted the ship towards the chokepoint of the island, Bridget tightly held his sword until the sounds of screaming and the smell of blood entered Bridget's nostrils.

The sounds and smells reminded Bridget of one thing. His island and the pain of losing his family, something he couldn't let happen again. Over the two years that Bridget trained with Hedrick a few alarms of islands in trouble happened. However, not a single one of them lead to combat. This will be Bridget's first experience of true combat. 

This thought would usually make men tremble but Bridget didn't, as a matter of fact, his heart rate was slow, and his eyes showed zero signs of worry. These signs of tranquility didn't go unnoticed, Hedrick quickly saw Bridget's focused face before he grinned and spoke to him. 

" I understand you hate pirates Bridget- " Before Hedrick could finish his sentence, the sound of a distant explosion rippled through the air, smoke started to pour off the island, the sight of the flowing smoke made Bridget and crew's blood boil, Hedrick never started his sentence again instead he watched the smoke intensely before he abruptly leaned to his right and spoke. 

" Hey, David. That smoke is flowing oddly, isn't it? " David could only nod, as the sounds of screaming and the smell of death got louder and stronger until finally, the ship slammed into the beach of the island. As soon as the crew collided with the island a group of pirates shouted out. 

" The Navy ship has landed on the island, warn Porile and tell him to arrive " This shouting was quickly drowned out by the sound of marines leaping off the boat and landing on the beach. The marines instantly lunged towards the pirates with blades in hand. The pirates watched the approaching horde of marines while they gathered together, preparing to fend off the marines until suddenly the sound of gunfire pierced through the atmosphere.

Instantly bullets struck the pirates causing several to drop lifeless. Blood soaked the sand, as the pirates stumbled towards the side tripping over the lifeless bodies of their allies. The shots came from Marines who stayed on the ship. They leaned on the wooden rails of the ship with their rifles propped up. 

Before the pirates could regain their balance, the charging marines collided with them. In an instant, the clash of blades filled the air, sparks flew out in all directions while blood spewed out. The pirates were immediately pushed back, slipping on the sand before being struck down by a swift strike. 

Inside the crowd of Marines and Pirates was Bridget who was swinging his blade at a single pirate at the outer edge of the crowd. Sweat poured down the pirate's face as his hands trembled completely numb. The pirate narrowly blocked Bridget's array of strikes until, in a swift slice, the pirate's neck was sliced completely open. Making blood pour out of his throat like a fountain. 

The pirate's body flopped to the ground, as Bridget took a deep breath before abruptly a powerful breeze slammed into his face knocking his head back. Bridget glared foward confused, until another breeze slammed into his torso, and his body was pushed back while his feet slid across the sand. 

The breezes were unnatural, stemming from a single figure surrounded by powerful gusts, a young man wearing a long brown trenchcoat, his black hair flowed gracefully, as he glared at the pirates before he glanced at Bridget. Instantly, a force of energy engulfed Bridget's body catching him off guard. This wasn't something Bridget had ever experienced, the might of a devil fruit. 

The man's devil fruit was quite simple, it gave him the ability to produce gusts of wind. Something that could be truly powerful in the right hands. However, luckily for Bridget, the man in front of him was still young, only a few years older than him. Still just a rookie pirate chasing glory and a name. 

Bridget's glowing golden eyes completely focused on the man until the voice of an exhausted pirate entered his ears. " Porile you arrived, hurry and save us- " Before the man could finish his sentence, a slash struck his back, causing blood to spew out, until he finally collapsed. Porile glanced at the corpse of the pirate before he scoffed and spoke. 

" Useless. Don't you agree? Dying to only a single strike, how truly pathetic. But what are you going to do brat? " Bridget scoffed at Porile's comment before he started to slowly walk towards him. The blade Bridget held reflected in the bright sun, causing glare to cover Porile's eyes. 

Porile squinted for only a second, before in a flash, Bridget dashed foward kicking sand up into the air, in three steps, Bridget appeared at Porile's side, thrusting his sword at Porile's chest. The blade effortlessly sliced through the air, inching closer to Porile's chest, until it was mere millimeters away from his chest. Right when the blade was about to pierce suddenly, Porile's body launched into the air. 

Porile somersaulted in the air, gracefully flipping over Bridget's body. He locked onto Bridget's back before another powerful gust of wind materialized behind him, pushing him forward. Porile tightly balled his fist, before he swung a punch, Bridget glared at the sand confused, before he spun around just in time, for the fist to slam into the chin, causing his body to be launched by Porile's momentum. 

Bridget's body roughly fell onto the sand causing a trail to emerge as his body slid across the beach. Blood leaked out of Bridget's lips, as he gingerly stood up from the ground with his blade still in hand. He spit out blood, while his mind raced with thoughts...

What the hell? Why did his body shoot up like that? I knew the breezes were odd, but still, I'd never seen or heard of someone being able to control the wind. But luckily from the brief exchange with him, I noticed something. His reflexes are quite slow, far slower than Hedrick's. 

But with his ability to control the wind, this is quite troublesome. My crewmates should be able to defeat those pirates easily. However, I doubt they will be able to kill him. Which means, this man is my fight. I tightly grasp my blade before I point it directly at the man. I slide my feet apart feeling sand slip into my shoes. I stare over the edge of my blade while taking a deep breath. The man and I lock eyes before instantly, his body is launched forward.

His frame blurs, as he approaches me, another burst of wind booms behind him, and his body flickers, reappearing mere inches away from me. I quickly twist my wrist swinging my blade, my sword is about to slice his head cleanly off until once again his body shoots up into the air. 

As soon as he launches into the air, I snap my eyes at the sand. I watch as his shadow effortlessly moves across the sand. Before he twirls and throws a kick at the back of my head. I watch his leg inch closer and closer until I lean to my right, the kick whisps past my head, as I spin thrusting my sword directly at his throat. 

His eyes dilated as he watched my blade hurling toward him. His breathing stopped completely, as a small boom of wind shot out of his side, causing his body to be propelled slightly to the right. Making my thrust off target... But still, the strike landed, but not cleanly. My blade sliced across the right side of his face. Making a disgusting gash, he let out a blood-curdling scream as my sword pierced through his ear.

His body slammed into the ground, before he started to roll rapidly trying to gain distance away from me. I watched him roll away, as crimson blood pours down his neck. He slowly stands back up, holding onto the right side of his face, blood leaks through his fingers, as he breathes uncontrollably, I let out a scoff before I swing my sword to slide, cleaning the blood off of it. 

He stares at me horrified, before he glances to his left, seeing his men being slaughtered, their bodies laid motionlessly as his men watched him begging for his help. He balled his fists angrily before he snapped his head towards me, as I started to walk him. His lips quivered before his voice escaped his lips.

" What do you want? " I stared at him confused before he spoke once again. " Do you want money, women, power, what is it? Your vessel is small, and I'm sure you want power. So, how about this, if you spare me, I'd let you be my captain. My ship is far larger." His desperate pleas, caused me to chuckle slightly, as I stopped directly in front of him. 

I lock eyes with him before I speak. " You've got something wrong. I'm not the captain of this vessel like you think. " As soon as he heard this, I watched his legs start to shake rapidly, he inhaled deeply before he mustered out a single sentence. " Then what are you? " I just scoff at him before I speak while swinging my blade at his throat. " I'm just a prodigy. Nothing more, and nothing less. " 

My blade sliced through the air, closing the distance to his throat. However, the man didn't move. He just kept staring at me until my blade sliced his head off clean. I stare through the blood spewing through the air confused. Even if his confidence was shattered, he should have tried to cling to his life. Why didn't he defend himself? As I think about this, his body collapsed back first on the ground. 

I glare down at his corpse, before the feeling of eyes glaring at me covers my body, I look towards this feeling, and see, the pirates and my crewmates staring at me. The pirates' mouths were open in shock. Before one of them spoke while backpedaling. 

" If he was defeated then we truly have no chance. " As soon as the man separated away from the crowd of marines and pirates, a gunshot rang out. A bullet gruesomely pierced between his eyes, he staggered back before he crumpled to the ground. The pirates glanced back at their dead ally, before a voice yelled out. 

" If you don't surrender we will slaughter you all! " I look towards this voice and see David standing on the rails of our ship. As soon as he said this, the battlefield went silent, only the sound of men gasping for air could be heard. The pirates glanced around each other before they loosened the grips on their weapons and dropped them, burying them into the sand.

" Good. Get on your knees, and we will handcuff you. " The pirates quickly followed David's orders, getting on their knees, I watched this happen until suddenly David looked at me and shouted out " Bridget meet Hedrick in the city, he already went. " 

I nod before I spin around and start to sprint toward the city, Hedrick snuck past the massive crowd of pirates when the battle first started using the confusion of the gunfire as cover. This was something we planned right before landing on the island.

In a matter of minutes. I reach the city, the houses are destroyed, most likely by cannonballs, and a few corpses are sparsely riddled across the streets. I sprint past the corpses, trying to find Hedrick. The city is deafly quiet, only the sound of burning rippled through the air. Several buildings are still on fire, but there's no point in checking them, I'm sure Hedrick already checked them. 

I keep sprinting past destroyed buildings until finally, I hear a noise that isn't burning, the sound of a child crying, I instantly slide to a stop and look towards the noise. However, there isn't a child. There's nothing, and the sound quickly fades away. 

What the hell? There's definitely a child, I heard the noise. My eyes quickly dart around, until a loud voice shouts out. " You heard it too. I knew I wasn't crazy. " Says Hedrick walking towards me with sweat pouring down his face...