Chapter 22 - Power

Binz and Victor's eyes crossed, presumably thinking of a plan. Victor, being the junior did not want to take the lead, so he kept silent until Binz would speak. However, nothing happened until, "What is this, a staring contest?" Zephyr's loud roar broke them out of distraction.

The pirate ship was getting closer and closer, and fortunately their aim was stupid awful. Not a single cannon hit the war ship.

"That… senior… as per my understanding of your devil fruit, it's more auxiliary. If you can hold all the lackeys, then I'm confident in taking both their heads in no time…" Victor spoke, making both Zephyr and Binz, raise a brow.

They were both taken aback by the bold words, and frankly did not believe Victor could pull of what he said. Moreover, Zephyr had other plans. He thought of teaching some humility to Victor, by making this incident become a lesson for him.

At the same time Binz wanted to outright refuse. But before he could, he heard Zephyr say, "Binz, can you hold the others while Victor keeps the captain and vice-captain busy?"

"I…" Binz glanced back and forth Victor and Zephyr, until finally he realized Zephyer's strategy.

He had been with Zephyr for some time now and knows what kind of man he is. Zephyr would never put his students in danger, he would put his life on the line if any ever came, without any hesitation. At the same time, he knows Zephyr's character, who was his instructor. The man who consistently highlight the value of actual combat training. He was sure that the pirate group ahead posed zero threat, while he was at watch, otherwise he would not agree to such a bold suggestion from Victor.

"I can, sir! Please take care of us." His response was decisive.

"Turn the rudder, charge straight!" Zephyr's order rang.

"Come, to the front…" The second order followed, only to Victor and Binz.

Not long after, the two prows faced opposite, and the ships moved closer, until both ship's occupants identified each other's appearances.

The Bull Horn pirates ship wasn't small, it was nearly a hundred feet, as big as the warship. It had three masts, two with two sails and one with a lateen sail.

When the ships arrived 200 meters apart, suddenly, "Hold FIREEE!!!" Rakas-the-bull yelled, and the shelling stopped immediately. However, one could see now that his previous arrogant expression had turned 180, obviously after recognizing the man in front, and who's ship he had just bombarded.

Zephyr stood at the bow like a wall while on his left and right, there stood two more, younger looking men about the same height. There were also many soldiers on the deck, holding swords and pistols in a ready posture. However, because the two ships faced front, they were not in sight.

Victor had his nano-suit morph shape in to a full black, long black sleeves turtleneck shirt, black pants, and black shoes. Just before he made his move, he rolled both the sleeves of his shirt, just up above their elbows.

"Cover me, Binz!" Speaking quietly, loud enough for only Zephyr and Binz to hear, Victor made a light jump. Then followed a loud *BOOOM!!!* as his feet hammered on the air executing the *GEPO*. He moved like a bazooka, leaving a trail of white smoke like waves, and before one could even blink, he had reached the pirate ship.

The whole movement took less than a second, even Zephyr could not help but gasp. "What is this? Is Geppo supposed to be this instantaneous? Or did that kid just combined…" Eyes widened, shocked in disbelief, he held the collar of Binz before throwing him like a ball, "GO!"

Zepher also followed behind to mediate and interfere if need be. He even arrived earlier than the projectile human he himself threw, however, even with the ridiculous speed, he could not reach near before Victor had already buried his foot on Rakas's gut.

The burly pirate captain did not even saw what had hit him. He first saw the kid on Zephyr's side jump, then a *Boom* sound came before the kid completely disappeared out of his sight. That was only to see the same kid right in front like he teleported, with his foot stomped into his midsection.

With a *BOOM!!* Rakas flew like a rocket, *BAMM*, crashed through the deck, before, *BAMM*, banging the second time, and buried into the main mast.

Immediately after with a *SWISHH*, Victor's figure appeared in the middle of the pirate ship's deck.

Vice-captain Jeff, who stood stupefied quickly shook away his distraction before unsheathing the sword on his waist. "A little brat dares attack our Black Bull Pirates alone? MEN!! KILL HIM!!"

The regular pirates didn't see nor knew what had happened, except their captain suddenly being blasted like a cannon ball, and the suspicious young man who now stood with a worry-free expression.

The yell from their vice-captain broke them out of their daze. "Kill him…," some shouted, while "attack, he's just one little brat…," the rest of them roared. The many pirates rushed likewise, but Victor, who stood calmly in the middle, simply raise a corner of his lips.

*MOSA MOSA*

On cue, green colored, vine-like branches miraculously grew from the deck, then started tangling the pirate's feet.

Binz thrived to support as planned, however, "You're too fast, bastard!!" he yelled showing a helpless expression. He stood on the yardarm, with his arms crossed like a ninja, and there was a cross-vein on the right of his forehead.

*MOOOOOHHHHH!!!!*

Consequently, with a loud bellow, a part of the thick broken mast blasted outwards. Victor and Binz both followed the sound to see a large, eight-foot-high, brown bull, blowing white steam out of its nose, already rushing towards Victor.

*Crackle* Crackle*

At the same time, one of the pirates, vice-captain Jeff, broke free out of the veins, and rush likewise, one from the front and one from the back.

The bull rushed like a hungry tiger, while Jeff, similarly, holding a sword. They got closer and closer until Jeff waved the sword over his head, right towards Victor's skull, while Rakas-the-bull had the horns stretched front, aiming Victor's guts.

For someone like Zephyr, the whole seen was in slow motion. However, as the two pirates got too close to Victor, Zephyr moved to assist. He wasn't going to let chance play with Victor's life, nor he was confident that Victor could counter the two at the same time.

But to his astonishment, Victor's expression remained carefree. Then he halted the advance when Victor suddenly turned his gaze and locked eyes with him. He shook his head, suggesting that he had everything under control. But Zephyr did not lose vigilance. He allowed a little more time, now only to intervene when it was impossible for Victor to dodge.

The interaction did not even take a second and Victor's focus had already come back.

He unsheathed the dagger on his waist, while a gleam of light flashed from his eyes. His body twisted, along with the momentum, the arm holding the dagger swung towards the back.

*SWOOSH*, the dagger flew faster than a bullet, — too fast for people of Jeff's levels to follow, — straight towards his forehead.

While it flew, his body twisted back to face rushing bull. He squatted, right arm bent back into a V, while the left straitened to the front.

The bull rushed like an angry mob; its legs trampled like four demolition hammers, vibrating the entire deck.

But in front of Victor, the violent animal was like a little kitten charging at lion. Victor's power level was three time stronger. And even if the animal type Devil-Fruit gave Rakas physical talent, he obviously lacked battle awareness. His journey until now had been very smooth, without any stimulating challenges. He lacked agility so much so that Victor could very well play one-sided tag with him.

When it was only a foot away, the left arm of Victor came back, which gave momentum to the right as it thrusted with insane speed, forward for the punch.

With a *BOOOM*, the rushing animal stopped. Its eyes bulged front, while the body rippled back before it bounced like a ball, back the direction it came.

*BAMMMM* The bull crashed through, destroyed the mast, and again *BAMMM* crashed through the door of the main deck.

Binz who stood over saw the scene clearly and there was only one word in his mind, "monster," he thought.

Infront of power, there needs no back and forth, complicated battle movements.

Binz couldn't even follow the punch. All he saw was Jeff's head getting pierced, and Rakas swamped like a wrecking ball, all in a matter of moments.

However, his daze did not stop him from the plan. With envy followed more inspiration. He strengthened the veins, then followed the sounds of *Crunch*, *Crunch*, "Arrrhhhhhh," "Arrrhhhh," they echo simultaneously in the air.

It was bloody, some died while some passed out, and the rest straight up cried their surrender. For the low-level pirates onboard, it was the oddest situation they still had not yet digested. From the moment their captain getting blasted first to once again the second time, while in his transformed form, it didn't even take five seconds.

Their day started when they spotted a single marine warship, perfect pray for them. And being pirates, they had never feared them. Especially because their powerful captain had never let them down. From West-Blue to the Grand-Line, the past couple of years were smooth sailing for them. Their captain and vice-captain had always come out in triumph in any situation they had faced. Until today.

"Don't kill those who surrender," Zephyr's voice rang through Binz and Victor's ears, followed by a *BOOM*, as Zephyr too executed *GEPPO*. He flickered back to the warship, with a complicated expression.

He clearly saw Victors' fast movements, and the power behind that punch. It was raw, unadulterated power. Of course, he could outburst the same, stronger even, but from Victor, a boy who had just turned 15, he was shocked beyond words. To have physical power, not Devil-Fruit, but pure physical power enough to knock out a Zone-Fruit user in only two punches, is something only a vice admiral or above could have. Of course, the said Zone-Fruit user must be an amateur like Rakas, otherwise it would be impossible, even for him. Zephyr decided to inquire a bit more about Victor's training with the bald old man.