Ch-22: A Mystery

Seeing that Suleiman was a swordsman, I decided to conjure a bone armor to cover my body.

The ivory-white bone flowed like liquid, covering my skin, transforming my face into a skeletal visage. The horns extended and curved backward, above my head. The bones continued to flow, creating rib-like designs on my chest, while spikes emerged from my shoulders, giving me a demonic appearance.

My height increased, now nearly 8 feet tall, matching Suleiman's stature.

With my preparations complete, I lunged at Suleiman, my steel-like bones instilling confidence for a head-on fight. Suleiman readied his cutlass, his eyes focused.

He attacked with a swift and precise cut, aiming to bisect me diagonally from shoulder to waist.

Anticipating the strike with my Haki, I chose to test the durability of my bone armor instead of dodging. Raising my forearm to parry the attack, the sword clinked against my armored arm and deflected to the side. I grinned under my mask, pleased with the result.

But Suleiman wasn't deterred. As a proficient swordsman, he quickly redirected his attack into another, forcing me to block again. This time, his sword chipped my bone armor. I jumped back, a sneaking suspicion forming at the back of mind as my armor repaired itself instantly with my power.

My suspicion was soon confirmed when Suleiman spoke, his voice steady. "Did you think you were the only one smart enough to test your opponent?"

I smirked beneath my mask. "Smart and skilled, I see," I replied, my tone challenging.

Suleiman's eyes narrowed, and he adjusted his stance. "Let's see how long that armor of yours can last."

I charged forward again, my armor gleaming in the sunlight. Suleiman met my advance with a flurry of swift strikes, each one aiming for a weak point in my defenses, my joints.

I blocked and parried, my arms working in tandem to deflect his blows.

With a sudden burst of speed, Suleiman aimed a powerful horizontal slash at my midsection. I crossed my arms to block, but the force of his attack pushed me back, my feet skidding across the ground. I gritted my teeth, feeling the impact reverberate through my armor.

"Impressive," I admitted, my voice slightly strained. "But not enough."

I retaliated with a series of rapid punches, my armored fists aiming for Suleiman's torso. He dodged and weaved, his cutlass flashing as he countered with precise thrusts. One of his strikes grazed my side, sending a small shower of bone fragments into the air.

Suleiman pressed his advantage, his cutlass a blur as he aimed for my head. I ducked, the blade whistling past my horns, and responded with an uppercut that forced him to leap back. We circled each other, both of us breathing heavily, our eyes locked in determination.

"You're not bad," Suleiman said, a hint of admiration in his voice. "But you'll need more than brute strength to defeat me."

I nodded, acknowledging his skill. "Then let's see how you handle this."

Focusing my energy, I extended my bone armor to form four additional arms, each one ending in a wicked spike.

With a roar, I launched myself at Suleiman, my six arms working in unison to unleash a barrage of attacks. He sidestepped and slashed at my exposed flank, but I twisted, my spikes grazing his arm.

Suleiman hissed in pain, his eyes blazing with determination. He retaliated with a powerful overhead strike, forcing me to cross my four arms in defense. The impact cracked my armor, but I held firm, pushing him back with a fierce shove.

"Not bad," I said, my voice filled with a mix of respect and challenge. "But let's see how long you can keep up."

Suleiman grinned, his cutlass at the ready. "Bring it on."

We clashed again, our weapons a blur of motion. Suleiman's cutlass slashed through the air, each strike more viscious than the last.

I countered with the spiked arms, forcing him to stay on the defensive. Our movements were precise and calculated, each of us testing the other's limits.

Suleiman launched into a series of rapid strikes, aiming for my joints and seams in my armor. I deflected each blow, my bone arms intercepting his attacks.

He swung his cutlass in a wide arc, and I blocked with two arms, the force of the blow vibrating through my bones.

"Not bad," I grunted, pushing him back while attacking him using my four free arms.

Kosuke, who had been watching the fight from the ship deck, stood ready, his eyes narrowed as he assessed Suleiman's strength. He nodded slightly, acknowledging the formidable opponent.

"He's good," Kosuke muttered, more to himself than anyone else.

Suleiman dodged and weaved, his cutlass flashing as he parried blows from my multiple arms. I swept low with a kick, and he leaped over it, bringing his cutlass down in a powerful overhead strike. I caught the blade between my bone arms and twisted, disarming him.

But Suleiman was quick. He rolled away and snatched up his cutlass, readying himself for another assault. I lunged at him, my spiked fists aimed at his torso.

He sidestepped and countered with a slash that grazed my armor, sending shards of bone flying. I swung my arm in a wide arc, catching him in the ribs and knocking him back.

"You've got spirit," I said, breathing heavily. "But it won't save you."

Suleiman's eyes flashed with determination. "We'll see about that."

He charged at me, his cutlass a blur. I blocked and parried, matching him strike for strike.

As the fight wore on, I could see the strain in his eyes, the fatigue in his movements. Sensing an opportunity, I surged forward with renewed vigor, my bone fists striking with relentless force.

Suleiman's defense began to falter. I drove him back with a powerful combination of punches and kicks. He stumbled, and I seized the moment, delivering a bone-crushing blow to his side.

He grunted in pain, but his eyes remained defiant. With a roar, he swung his cutlass in a wide arc, forcing me to leap back to avoid the strike.

"You're tougher than I expected," he admitted, his breath coming in heavy gasps.

I nodded, acknowledging the compliment. "Likewise. But this ends now."

With a burst of speed from Soru, I closed the distance between us, my bone fists aimed at his torso. Suleiman tried to dodge, but I was faster.

My fists connected with a thunderous impact, driving him to his knees. He looked up at me, his expression a mix of pain and respect.

"You... you're stronger than I thought."

I removed my mask and extended a hand, offering him a chance to surrender. "Join me," I said, my voice firm. "We could use a swordsman like you."

Suleiman stared at my hand, his eyes flickering with uncertainty. For a moment, I thought he might refuse. But then he sighed, lowering his cutlass. "I have no place to go," he said quietly.

"I know about your exile," I said, my voice softening. "I know your nation turned its back on you. But despite that, you still love your country, don't you?"

Suleiman's eyes widened in surprise. "How do you know that?"

"I've heard your story," I replied. "You're a warrior with a sense of honor and loyalty. There's more to your backstory than just being exiled. I'd like to hear it someday, if you're willing to join my crew."

He hesitated, looking down at his cutlass. "I do still love my country, no matter what they did to me," he admitted, his voice filled with emotion.

I nodded, understanding his pain. "Join us, Suleiman. With us, you'll have a purpose, a family. We need someone like you."

He looked up, meeting my gaze. Slowly, he extended his hand and grasped mine. "Alright," he said, his voice steady. "You've earned my respect. I'll join you. But know this, my loyalty won't come easily."

"Understood," I said, extending my hand. "Welcome aboard."

I helped him to his feet, and he sheathed his cutlass. "So, what now?" he asked, his tone curious.

"Now, we head back to the ship," I replied. "I will introduce you to my friends. But first, we need to do what we came here for."

I looked around to find the man who was sitting by the crates earlier. Not finding him, my suspicions were confirmed that he had indeed sent his clone instead of coming here himself.

Still I didn't feel angry at his cowardness, just sympathetic.

Instead of waiting around for him, I decided to head for the ship with Suleiman.

"Look's like it will take some time to get the work done. Let's head to the ship for now."

Upon reaching the ship, Kosuke, Hiro and Lucy were waiting for us, their expressions a mix of relief and curiosity. "Who's this?" Hiro asked, eyeing Suleiman warily.

"Meet our new swordsman," I replied, clapping Suleiman on the shoulder. "Suleiman, this is Kosuke, Hiro and Lucy. We're all part of the same crew now."

Kosuke just nodded at Suleiman before looking towards me with a sharp glint in his eyes.

Lucy smiled warmly, extending a hand to Suleiman. "Welcome aboard."

Hiro nodded, though he still looked a bit skeptical. "Let's hope you can keep up."

Suleiman chuckled, shaking Lucy's hand. "I think you'll find I can handle myself just fine."

After a few minutes of talking, Kosuke and Lucy pulled me aside into the captain's cabin. Hiro stayed behind, engaged in conversation with Suleiman.

Inside the cabin, Kosuke's serious demeanor intensified. "Are you sure about this, Dante? We can't just trust anyone."

Lucy nodded, her eyes reflecting concern. "He fought against us not long ago. We need to be cautious."

I took a deep breath, feeling the weight of their concerns. "I know it seems risky, but my intuition tells me Suleiman isn't a bad person. I recognized him from my memories. He was exiled from his nation, but he still loves his country, despite what they did to him. And there's more to his backstory, and I also believe he could be a valuable addition to our crew as a swordsman."

Kosuke's gaze was intense, searching my face for any hint of doubt. "You better be right about this."

Lucy sighed, her sensible nature shining through. "We'll keep an eye on him. If he proves himself, we can trust him. But until then, we stay vigilant."

"Agreed," I said, feeling a relief wash over me. "Let's head back out now."

Meanwhile, back on deck, Hiro was talking with Suleiman. "So, how did you end up working for Flint?" Hiro asked, his curiosity getting the better of him.

Suleiman's expression darkened. "I was hired by someone named Joker. Flint was just a means to an end."

Hiro raised an eyebrow. "Joker, huh? Sounds like trouble."

Suleiman nodded, a hint of bitterness in his voice. "Joker is trouble. I was hired to protect Flint because he was carrying something valuable that was meant for Joker. Now that Flint's captured, I'm in deep water. Joker doesn't take kindly to those who fail him."

Kosuke, Lucy, and I stepped out of the cabin just as Suleiman finished speaking. Hearing the name Joker sent a chill down my spine.

I knew exactly who he was: Donquixote Doflamingo, the current king of Dressrosa, a former World Noble, and currentlybone of the Seven Warlords of the Sea. I kept this knowledge to myself, not wanting to alarm the crew unnecessarily.

I approached Suleiman, my expression serious. The dim lantern light cast deep shadows across his face, making his expression hard to read. "What exactly were you protecting Flint for?" I asked, my voice steady despite the turmoil inside me.

Suleiman shrugged, his gaze drifting to the side as if looking back on painful memories. "I don't know the specifics," he admitted, his voice carrying a hint of resignation. "My job was to ensure Flint stayed alive long enough to hand over the cargo. I was told someone close to Joker would retrieve it tonight."

My eyes glinted with a mix of curiosity and concern. The weight of his words sank in, making my heart beat faster. What could be so important that Joker himself would send someone to retrieve it? This was worth investigating.

"We're checking this out tonight," I declared, determination clear in my voice.

Suleiman turned to me, his expression darkening with concern. "Are you out of your mind?" he began, his tone serious and urgent, the weight of his warning evident in every word.

"It's not safe," he continued, his voice dropping to a hushed but intense whisper as if he feared the very mention of Joker would summon his wrath.

"Joker is infamous throughout the underworld for his cruelty. His name alone strikes fear into the hearts of even the most hardened criminals. He has ties to the Emperors of the Sea—monsters who rule the New World with iron fists and unyielding power. Nobody crosses him and lives to tell the tale. And we," he gestured around at our group, "are just small fries from South Blue, barely a blip on his radar. He wouldn't even have to lift a finger to get rid of us. His subordinates would do it without hesitation, just to curry favor with him."

His words hung heavy in the air, casting a palpable tension over the group.

His eyes bore into mine, filled with a mixture of frustration and fear, trying to impress upon me the severity of our situation.

Everyone's faces showed varying degrees of fear and hesitation.

Even the usually unflappable Kosuke looked uneasy. Lucy's eyes were wide with worry, and she hugged herself as if trying to ward off a chill.

"I know how terrifying Joker is," I said, my voice calm but firm. "But I still want to see what's in that warehouse. I have confidence that we can get in and out before Joker's subordinate arrives."

The silence that followed was thick with apprehension. I could see the fear in their eyes, but also the spark of determination. This was our chance to uncover something big, and I had to convince them.

"We need to do this," I continued, my voice more urgent. "We can't let fear paralyze us. If we back down now, we'll always be running. We have the skills and the strength to pull this off."

Kosuke nodded slowly, a spark of resolve returning to his eyes. Hiro clenched his fists, steeling himself for the task ahead. Even Lucy, though still fearful, gave a hesitant nod of agreement.

Just then, a figure emerged on the main road, wearing a familiar orange attire and sporting dark green hair.

It was none other than our rescue target, finally stepping out of his hiding and quickly approaching us.

Following my gaze, Kosuke looked too. "Looks like the coward has finally come out of hiding," he muttered, a hint of disdain in his voice.

I nodded, my mind racing with plans and possibilities. "Alright, we will discuss our plan further once he is aboard. Perhaps he can give us information about the things going on here."

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A/N: We got a two for one deal. I never thought Suleiman would join the crew. And Joker enters...

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