Ch-24: Back to Ship

The figure entered the warehouse, a silhouette against the dim light filtering through the cracks in the walls. "Why is it taking you so long?" the voice demanded, impatience dripping from every word.

Everyone released the breath they had been holding, realizing it was just one of the guards. The tension in the air eased slightly, but not completely.

Suleiman stepped forward, his voice calm and steady. "We were just checking to make sure nothing was missing and getting these new recruits familiar with the environment," he explained.

The pirate goon huffed, waving a hand dismissively. "Hurry it along and get out," he ordered, but instead of leaving, he stood by the door, watching us closely.

Suleiman glanced towards me, his eyes questioning. I gave him a subtle nod, and he returned it, understanding our unspoken plan.

Slowly, Suleiman moved towards the exit, his steps measured. As he passed by the pirate, he swiftly grabbed him by the neck, stifling any sound he could make. With a firm clench of his hand, he snapped the pirate's neck, the body slumping to the ground silently.

Doran's eyes widened in panic. "You killed him! Now we'll be surrounded!"

I met his gaze, my voice firm and unyielding. "We were going to be surrounded anyway. How do you think we were going to save the griffin otherwise? Don't worry about these pirates; they can be easily taken care of. We need to get out of here before Joker's subordinates arrive."

Doran nodded, his initial fear giving way to determination.

"Everyone, gather around," I commanded, laying out my plan. "Doran, how many doubles can you make?"

"I can make five, but then I won't be able to walk. Four is the safe spot; it would still leave me quite drained," Doran replied, his voice steady despite the stakes.

"Do your doubles still need stamina to work after appearing?" I asked, probing further.

"No," Doran said, shaking his head. "But they are only good for working towards a single goal assigned to them during their separation from me."

I nodded, considering this. "Alright, that's good to know. When I order you, make your doubles as quickly as you can. I will tell you the goal."

Doran nodded in understanding, his resolve firming.

I turned to Kosuke. "Take out as many pirates as you can," I instructed. "Same to you, Hiro and Suleiman."

They all nodded, their faces set with determination.

"As for me," I continued, grinning "I'm going to create a big cart to carry all the treasures and the griffin back to the ship."

With the plan set, we prepared for action.

I focused my energy, feeling the familiar tingle of my Devil Fruit power coursing through my veins. Concentrating, I commanded my bones to shift and transform. They began to emerge from my body, twisting and interlocking in intricate patterns.

Bones shot out from my back, extending and reshaping themselves. Ribs expanded, elongated, and fused together, forming the sturdy framework of a cart.

Vertebrae stretched and bent, creating wheels and axles, while smaller bones interlaced to form the sides and base. In a matter of moments, I had crafted a large, skeletal cart, its structure both eerie and impressive.

"Let's fill it up," I said, my voice echoing slightly in the warehouse.

Everyone moved swiftly, working together to load the cart with the crates of treasure Flint had been hoarding.

Kosuke lifted a heavy crate, his muscles bulged as he placed it into the cart. Hiro grabbed another, his movements quick and precise. Suleiman and Doran worked in tandem, hauling smaller crates and stacking them carefully.

The sound of wooden crates scraping against bone filled the warehouse. Each crate added to the cart made it creak under the weight, but it held firm.

As we loaded the last of the crates, I felt a sense of urgency pushing us forward. The weight of the treasure was significant, but we had to move quickly.

The impending arrival of Joker's subordinates loomed over us, a constant reminder that our time was limited.

"Alright, that's the last one," Kosuke said, wiping sweat from his brow.

I nodded, taking a deep breath. "Let's get this back to the ship"

It only took us a few minutes to load the cart and then we prepared to make our escape.

Kosuke gripped his pistols, his eyes gleaming with anticipation. "Let's do this," he said, his voice a low growl of determination.

Hiro cracked his knuckles, a fierce grin spreading across his face. "Time to show these pirates what we're made of."

Suleiman gave me a final nod, his eyes reflecting a steely resolve.

Doran took a deep breath, his face pale but determined. "I'm ready."

With a final glance around, I took a deep breath. "Alright, let's move out."

—

"Hey, it's been a few minutes since Corey went in, and they still haven't come out. Should we check in?" One of the pirates standing guard outside the warehouse asked another, his voice tinged with unease.

But before the other could answer, a thunderous crash erupted as the warehouse door was blasted off its hinges and flung away.

Bang! Bang!

Gunshots echoed through the night, and the pirates dropped dead, their bodies collapsing like marionettes with severed strings.

Schlink! Slash! Thump!

In the darkness, the sinister sounds of swords slicing through flesh and bodies hitting the ground filled the air.

Smack! Crack! Slam!

The unmistakable noise of fists striking flesh, bones breaking, and bodies being slammed to the ground added to the cacophony.

BANG! CRASH!

With an even louder explosion, the entire front of the warehouse was torn to shreds. Through the smoking debris, a truly eerie sight emerged. An ivory-white cart, seemingly made of bones, was pulled by two skeletal horses.

At the driver's seat stood a figure, more demon than man. Horns jutted from his forehead, and his face resembled a skeleton with long, jet-black hair that matched the darkness surrounding them. His red eyes pierced through the night, sending chills down the spine of anyone who dared to meet his gaze.

The skeletal horses reared on their hind legs, neighing silently, and began to gallop. As the cart moved out of the warehouse, another figure emerged behind it.

It was a creature, standing nearly ten feet tall. Its face was that of an eagle, and it had the wings of one too. Its back was that of a lion, a majestic griffin following the cart.

The cart sped up, accelerating even faster. The griffin and the other men who had been dispatching the pirates began to follow. They ran alongside the cart before jumping onto its back, ready to make their escape.

"Dante, we've got to hurry!" Kosuke shouted, urgency in his voice as he clambered onto the bone cart.

Hiro and Suleiman followed suit, their faces grim with determination. Doran, despite his earlier fear, managed to pull himself up as well.

"Let's get out of here before Joker's subordinates arrive." Dante said, his voice steady.

With everyone aboard, the skeletal horses broke into a full gallop, the eerie sight of the bone cart and the majestic griffin disappearing into the night, leaving the chaos of the warehouse behind.

—-

Meanwhile, on the Midnight's Fury, Lucy paced the deck, her eyes constantly flicking toward the island's silhouette.

The anticipation was almost unbearable. She clutched the binoculars tightly, her knuckles white.

The wind whispered through the rigging, a soft, eerie sound that did little to calm her nerves.

Suddenly, she noticed a disturbance in the waters surrounding the island. A dark figure emerged from the mist, growing larger by the second.

Her heart pounded as she raised the binoculars to her eyes, adjusting the focus.

It was a ship with white sails, nothing particularly special to look at, but it was slicing through the waves with alarming speed, heading straight for the harbor on the other side of the island.

Panic surged through her. It had to be the ship carrying Joker's subordinates.

She had no time to lose. Sprinting across the deck, she grabbed the Den-Den Mushi and quickly dialed.

Purupurupuru! Purupurupuru! GACHA!

"Kosuke, it's me!" she said, her voice trembling with urgency.

"Lucy? What's going on?" Kosuke's voice crackled through the receiver, filled with concern.

"There's a ship," she panted, trying to catch her breath. "It just appeared in the waters. It's heading for the harbor on the other side of the island. I think it's the one bringing Joker's men."

Kosuke's tone hardened. "Can you tell how long before it docks?"

Lucy squinted through the binoculars again, her heart racing. "It's moving fast. It'll dock in a few minutes, maybe less."

Kosuke sighed, the weight of the situation evident in his voice. "Alright, thanks for the heads-up. We'll handle it. Stay safe, Lucy."

"Be careful," she whispered, but the line had already gone dead.

GACHA!

Lucy clutched the Den-Den Mushi reciever tightly, her hands trembling. She cast a final, anxious glance toward the island, praying that they would make it back in time. The wind picked up, howling through the sails, echoing her mounting dread.

—-

[Dante's POV]

Kosuke put down the receiver, his face tense with the urgency of the message. He looked around at us, his eyes reflecting the gravity of what Lucy had just told him.

"A pirate ship is docking at the harbor on the other side of the island," Kosuke began, his voice steady but urgent. "The harbor that's quite near the warehouse."

Everyone reacted differently to the news. Suleiman's face darkened with worry, his jaw tightening. Hiro clenched his fists, the knuckles turning white, while Doran's eyes widened in alarm.

I nodded, processing the information quickly. We needed to know who we were dealing with. "We need a scout," I said, my voice cutting through the tension. I turned to Doran, who seemed to understand even before I spoke. "Now it's time to use your double."

Doran swallowed hard but nodded, stepping forward with determination. "Got it," he replied, his voice steadying. "I'll send one to the harbor near the warehouse, see who's getting off the ship, and then inform you what they look like. If I can, I'll try and distract them for a while."

"Good," I affirmed, placing a hand on his shoulder. "We need every second we can get."

With a deep breath, Doran focused, his body tensing as he separated a double from himself. The double, a perfect replica of Doran, nodded to us before sprinting off toward the harbor, its footsteps fading into the distance.

"We'll make our way to the ship," I said, turning to the others. "Stay alert and be ready for anything."

…

[General POV]

A den-den mushi with spiked golden helmet rang inside the pirate ship.

Purupurupuru Purupurupuru GACHA

As the receiver picked up the phone, a high pitched voice spoke urgently, "You need to get the goods and get out fast, there's marine activity in the surrounding waters, and you know, you can't be seen there…"

"All right, I know. I will get it done quickly."

GACHA

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