Demon-5

Hawkins, the grizzled warden of the zone, demanded, "How many dead?"

"A thousand or so," came the soldier's estimate, his voice barely above a whisper.

"Five minutes," Hawkins spat, his voice echoing in the still air. "Five damned minutes and a thousand gone. Where are the big guns? The godforsaken pirates?"

"Many tried," the soldier replied, his gaze downcast. "Many died."

Hawkins' frustration was palpable, his grip tightening on the hilt of his weapon. He looked skyward and saw a silhouette darting through the chaos. It was Douglas Bullet, a lone wolf charging headfirst into the heart of the battle.

"He should be enough," Hawkins mused, a grim smile tugging at his lips.

Doflamingo, with strings attached on the clouds themselves, descended towards the fray. Smoker and his band of marines were hot on his heels, their determination unwavering.

Without a moment's hesitation, Hawkins activated his jet pack, the roar of the engines drowning out the chaos below. He ascended, his eyes on the battlefield.

Doflamingo, with a smirk playing on his lips, teased, "Planning on taking him out yourself, Hawkins?"

"If need be," Hawkins replied, his voice steady amidst the whirlwind of air and adrenaline.

Douglas, with leap on air, bellowed, "I will fight him!"

Doflamingo simply shrugged, a sinister smile on his face. Hawkins remained silent, his gaze never leaving the battlefield. "As you wish," they echoed, their words swallowed by the cacophony of the war.

***

The hulking mass of the tank rumbled to a halt, its barrel leveling with an eerie precision. Zoro, the lone figure in its path, stood nonchalantly, his goggles reflecting the cold steel of the war machine.

There was a moment of silence, a calm before the storm, then the deafening roar of the tank's cannon firing. A projectile, massive and menacing, barreled towards Zoro. But he remained still, his expression calm, his body relaxed.

It was a matter of seconds, perhaps less, but to Zoro, time seemed to stretch. As the projectile neared, he simply tilted his head, the whirling death passing by a hair's breadth from his face. The deadly missile continued its path, heading directly into the onslaught of wild-eyed pirates behind him.

The resulting explosion was cataclysmic, a monstrous fireball that lit up the battlefield, turning night into day. But Zoro, unfazed, merely adjusted his sunglasses against the sudden glare.

With a casual grace, he began walking towards the tank, the heat from the explosion at his back, his silhouette stark against the fiery chaos. The battlefield held its breath as he strode forward, against the mechanical beast.

The tank's turret swiveled, taking aim once more. But Zoro was a step ahead. With a swift, fluid motion, he leapt onto the armored beast, his boots clanging against the cold metal.

He moved with a cat's grace along the tank's surface, heading straight for the hatch. The thick, steel cover resisted, but Zoro's strength was stronger. With a powerful yank, he wrenched it free, revealing the startled pirate inside.

The pirate lunged, a desperate attempt to ward off the invader. But Zoro was quicker. With a swift, brutal motion, he slammed the heavy hatch lid into the pirate's face. The man crumpled, unconscious before he hit the floor.

Two more tanks emerged from the smoke and chaos, their barrels turning ominously towards Zoro. But Zoro's smile only got wider.

Zoro dropped into the belly of the tank, and settled into the tight confines of the tank, the smell of oil and metal filling his nostrils. He gripped the controls.The tank rumbled to life beneath him, like a beast under his command.

Ahead, two enemy tanks emerged from the smoke and dust of the battlefield, their barrels swiveling ominously towards him. A lesser man might have flinched, but he was zoro.

He jerked the controls, the tank lurching forward. He aimed the cannon at the closest enemy, the turret rotating with a grinding sound. A button press, and the cannon roared, spitting out a deadly projectile.

The shot was a direct hit. The enemy tank exploded in a bright ball of fire and smoke, its metallic carcass thrown aside by the force of the blast.

The second tank was quick to retaliate, a cannon shot whistling through the air towards Zoro. With a swift maneuver, he veered the tank, the enemy shot missing by mere inches and detonating harmlessly behind him.

He retaliated, the tank's cannon roaring once more. This shot, too, was a direct hit. The second enemy tank erupted into flames, its wreckage joining that of its companion.

Zoro's eyes narrowed as three more enemy tanks rolled out of the smoke, their cannons already turning in his direction. The odds were stacked against him, "The thrill!"

Without hesitation, he guided his commandeered tank forward, the engine growling beneath him. The first shot from the enemy tanks whistled past, exploding behind him. Zoro steered, his own cannon roaring as it sent a blazing projectile towards the nearest enemy.

The enemy tank exploded in a ball of fire, its remnants thrown aside by the force of the blast. But the others were quick to retaliate. A shot grazed his tank, metal screeching against metal, sending sparks flying.

Zoro swerved, narrowly avoiding another shot. He retaliated, the cannon roaring as it sent another deadly projectile hurtling towards the enemy. The second tank exploded, its remains smoldering on the battlefield.

Now, it was one against one - a fairer fight. The remaining enemy, attempting to flank him. Zoro responded with a daring grin, pushing his tank forward on full speed.

He veered sharply to the right, slamming into one of the enemy tanks. The impact jarred him, but he held on, firing point-blank into the enemy tank. The explosion was immediate, the enemy tank reduced to a flaming wreck.

Doflamingo landed atop the tower. His boots made a soft sound against the hard surface. The city below was a mess of gray buildings and dusty streets. The tower shook a bit under his weight. He looked around, his eyes taking in the sight.

Hawkins hovered in the sky. His form was a dark shape against the pale clouds. His eyes were on the scene below, watching everything unfold.

Douglas Bullet descended from the sky swiftly, aiming for the lone tank on the ground. He landed hard on the tank, crushing it like it was made of tin. He stood tall on the wrecked metal, a figure of power.

"I thank you for sacrificing yourself to me," Douglas said. His voice echoed around him. He wasn't talking to the ruined tank, but to the man inside it.

Douglas walked up to the top of the crushed tank, his boots crunching on the dented metal. He saw a man looking back at him from inside the battered machine. The dim light didn't hide who the man was.

"You're that kid's father," Douglas said, a small smile on his face. He wasn't mocking the man, just stating a fact.

"I'm glad to meet you," the man, Zoro, responded. His voice was calm, not disturbed by Douglas's show of power. He looked back at Douglas, his gaze steady and even looking forward to it.

Douglas clenched his hand into a fist, the power of armament haki surging through his veins. His fist transformed, hardening like steel, and he moved to strike. His target was still ensconced within the confines of the tank, unaware of the impending assault. But as Douglas lunged, the tank reared back, throwing off his momentum. His punch missed its mark, instead colliding with the tank and punching a hole in the thick metal.

In the next instant, Zoro sprang into action. He lunged at Douglas, his movements swift but calculated. Douglas reacted, using Zoro's momentum against him in an attempt to throw him. The move was successful, but not in the way Douglas had anticipated.

Mid-air, Zoro seized Douglas by the head and, with a powerful heave, sent him flying. Zoro landed solidly on the ground, while Douglas was sent crashing through a nearby building.

Zoro stood tall amidst the rubble, a quiet determination in his eyes. "It was me then," he said, his voice echoing through the destroyed cityscape. The memory of him getting crashed into buliding hours ago was fresh in his mind. "Now it's you!" he declared, staring down at the wreckage where Douglas lay. 

Douglas rose from the wreckage, dust falling from his hair as he shook his head. "You really don't know who you're messing with," he said, his voice low and steady, an undercurrent of threat running through his words.

Zoro remained unfazed, tilting his head to one side with a small, tight grin. A low, gravelly crack echoed as he stretched his neck, the discomfort from the tank still lingering. "I can say the same for you," he replied, his voice holding a hint of amusement. He paused, then corrected himself. "No, let me rephrase it. I know who I'm messing with perfectly fine. You forgot who you're messing with."

Douglas frowned, the confusion clear on his face. "What does that mean?" he asked, his tone laced with annoyance.

Zoro chuckled, a low rumble in his chest. "I thought I was well known," he said, mirth and a touch of sadness in his tone. "I guess I have changed in ways that I don't notice."

Douglas looked at Zoro, his interest waning. "What are you talking to yourself about?" he asked, dismissing Zoro's cryptic words. His focus was on the fight, not the banter.