C25 : Meeting Empress, Whitebeard Pirates v. Blackbeard Pirates

• {Year: 20.5} •

On the outskirts of Kuja village, Gloriosa waited for the Solitary Pirate to come to her house. She was surprised that the green-eyed man came to the Maiden Island, but thought that he came here to see Boa Hancock. Unfortunately, Hancock had left for a meeting called by the World Government.

Hancock, unlike the original, decided to attend it because her slave mark was erased by Ryu, so she wouldn't have any trouble unless a fight with other Warlord. At that time, she didn't know that Ryu would come to her island.

Gloriosa was glad that Ryu visited them because it seemed Hancock's lovesickness began to manifest...

"Elder Nyon." A Kuja woman pointed to a group with a devilishly handsome man following. "They're here."

"Hmm." She nodded in response and ordered. "Make tea for us."

...

Ryu sat on the ground, crosslegged. "It's been a long time, Gloriosa."

"Yes. You can say my name properly this time." Elder Nyon smiled and chuckled.

"Heh. That's because I was lazy to pronounce it properly." The green-eyed man shook his head. A Kuja woman came in, carrying a tray.

"Tea?" Elder Nyon asked.

"Nah, I like whiskey." He waved it off. Ryu then brought out a jar of whiskey out of nowhere.

"Hoh." The elderly woman was surprised but resumed to sipping the tea. The Kuja woman stared at the man and curiosity boiled in her eyes. "If you have something to ask, go ahead. I'm sure he won't mind."

"Ah?" She was embarrassed but still asked. "I heard that men had two precious jewels on their body... can I see them?"

*Pfft*

Ryu and Elder Nyon spurted out what they had drank. Coughing, Ryu incredulously stared at her. "P-precious jewels?"

He instinctively looked at the between of his legs. 'I forgot about that.'

"Yes!" The Kuja woman had noticed he looked down and knew he understood what she spoke of. Inching closer, she asked again. "Can I see them?"

"No!" Elder Nyon tapped her chest, embarrassed by the woman who asked. "Leave! Come when I need you, alright?!"

"Ah? But Elder Nyon, you said I could ask!" The Kuja woman dejectedly said as she exited. "Hmph! What a lying old hag!"

Ryu laughed. "Hahahaha!"

"..." Elder Nyon had steam coming out of her head. "Damn brat! Stop laughing!"

"Alright! Alright." He chuckled.

"So, why did you come here?"

"...To see how they're doing." Ryu evasively answered.

Elder Nyon stared at his bright green eyes and said. "And?"

Ryu continued to drink the whiskey. "And what?"

"No 'to see my darling, Hancock' or 'to take Hancock away and ask her to be your wife?'" She grinned in a knowing manner.

"H-haha..." The green-eyes man weakly laughed.

"Hmm..." Elder Nyon suddenly was struck with a realization when he weakly laughed. Standing straight, she brought her snake staff and walked to him. "Are you afraid?"

"..." Ryu stiffened and dropped the jar.

Poking him in the chest with her snake staff, Gloriosa continued. "It's about your first woman, Rin, isn't it?"

"How do you know of her?" The devilishly handsome man shot up and stared down at the short old woman. "I'm sure I told Shaku and Ray not to tell anyone else."

Chuckling, Elder Nyon turned away and looked at the clear blue sky out of her porch. "They aren't the only ones who has secret sources."

"I have several connections at Wano Country during my travels from lovesickness." She elaborated, smiling when she reminisced about her time back there. "O-Tsuru was one of my friends there."

Ryu widened his eyes and then shook his head, chuckling. "I see."

"As for Rin..." Mischief filled Elder Nyon's eyes, unbeknownst to Ryu. "Well. Let's just say... our girl knows of her too."

The green-eyed man winced. "What of her reaction?"

"Oh... she was definitely angered..." The short elder woman trailed off slowly.

Ryu sighed. Looks like he wou-

"That she was not the first." She finished after seeing Ryu's depression, laughing. "Haha! I had you there for awhile!"

"..." His green eyes was filled with confusion and unspoken questions emerged.

"Truthfully, Boa Hancock had already known that you didn't save her because you fell in love with her." She explained. "But she said that she fell in love with you instead. For some reason, you gave off a different vibe from other men she despised."

"Hancock already expected you to have several woman after waiting for you several years later. After all, strong men would have several wives." Elder Nyon began to walk to her seat. "And so, she was not surprised that you already had a woman. But she was definitely angry at herself for not being first."

With that, she sat and took the teacup. Sipping it, Elder Nyon looked at Ryu.

The green-eyed man stilled and thought. 'So after all the time, I mistakenly gave myself a huge responsibility for no reason?'

When Ryu found out that Hancock was in love with him, he thought it was because she misunderstood her explanation of the reason why he saved her back then. So, he felt like he had to explain it, already expecting some anger. It turned out to be wrong on his part!

It was him who misunderstood. 'Looks like I was unreasonably worried for nothing!'

"Now, here's the important question." Gloriosa had a glint in her eyes when a shadow figure approached her house. She knew who it was. "Do you love Hancock?"

Ryu already knew of the group approaching, and even who they were. He sighed and honestly said. "No."

The shadow figure paused and looked like it trembled.

"Oh? Why?" The short old woman sadly asked.

Standing and turning around, he blankly responded. "We only met for a short time, how am I supposed to know who she is and how she is? And what exactly is her true self?"

"Am I supposed to fall in love with her when she was at her lowest?" Ryu continued. "Like with Rin, I spent time with her and slowly fell in love over the years. I fell in love with her after she revealed everything of her to me..."

"..." Elder Nyon silently glanced at the shadowed figure and saw that she was seriously thinking. 'Looks like she's still going to stay in love with him.'

"So," Ryu walked to the door and opened it, "you'll have to make me fall in love with you, like Rin."

He spoke to the woman outside, she was the one and only Empress Boa Hancock. She looked a beautiful goddess. Her long and silky black hair swayed behind as wind hit them. Her revealing clothes showed off slight view of her bountiful breasts and toned stomach. It also revealed a slight tease of her mile long leg.

Ryu was affected slightly but any impure thoughts diminished. "We meet again, Hancock."

"Mn." She nodded slowly. Though she looked sad, she immediately looked like she decided.

Ryu was glad he didn't have to explain to her all over again, it looked like she understood what he was saying.

"Ryu..." Hancock neared him, slightly swaying her waist. Ryu stilled and did not move even when Hancock closed in her lips to her. "No matter what, you will always be the one for me."

"Sadly, I couldn't be the first." She breathed her air into Ryu's nose. "But, I'll be the second then. I only hope that you won't have a lot of women."

"...That's for the future to decide." Ryu said. "But, what about you?"

"Mmn. Originally I had intended to resign as Empress of the Kuja tribe to go with you." She responded, shaking her head. "But I can't, due to the meeting I was just in."

"Oh?" With a eyebrow up, Ryu inquired. "What was it about?"

Getting real close to his face, Hancock stared at his bright green eyes. "Why don't you force it out of me?"

"..." Ryu smirked and grabbed her waist, closing her in. "Are you sure you want me to do that?"

Hancock froze and began to become really red as steam came out of her head. She trembled and couldn't continue her bold actions. "I can't continue this after all!"

She squirmed in hopes of getting out, looking like blood would drip out of her nose. Ryu chuckled, having already known her bluff. "So, are you going to tell me?"

"Yes! Yes!" Hancock quickly nodded like a chicken. "I was still going to tell you anyways! Let me go now!"

"Alright." He let go of her. The Empress was not prepared for his sudden release and nearly fell on her bottom, not having actually expected him to really let go.

Her face looked that of regret. She regretted saying that out of embarrassment. Hancock felt safe and comfortable within his strong embrace. 'Next time... Yes! Next time!'

Elder Nyon at the side suddenly sighed in a weird manner. "I used to be like that..."

"..." Ryu took a glance and bolted his head away from her. He did not know her at all, he emitted. 'Seeing it in person made it all the more creepier.'

Hancock frowned as she mocked herself. 'I had a sudden bold courage coming out of nowhere and I still didn't get a kiss out of him! I need to become more braver!'

Her recent actions were all due to a sudden courage out of nowhere when she resolutely decided. She thought she would manage to keep it going until Ryu left for his journey. Unfortunately, her heart was not prepared for such actions.

Hancock crouched and fingered the ground dejectedly. 'Maybe I should just give up...'

She turned her head to look at Ryu to see his gentle smile. 'No! He's the only one for me!'

...

Elsewhere, in Banaro Island...

"Damn traitor!", "We'll never forgive you!", "Pops allowed you in our family and yet you betrayed his trust!", "Die, bastard!"

Angered shouts rang out on a ransacked island. The island had been ransacked and taken over by a pirate crew, Blackbeard Pirates.

Ace and Thatch along with their divisions, finally found the man they'd chased down for awhile. Thatch, who was usually jovial and friendly, was currently gritting his teeth with anger in his sharp eyes as he stared at the man in front of them. Ace was not any better.

"Zehahahaha! We've been found!" The man laughed. His crew laughed along with him, as if the people around were nothing in front of them. "Oh! Looks like you survived, Thatch!"

"Bastard! Don't act so friendly with me!" Thatch was enraged at this moment. He took out his dual swords and began to attack. "Everyone! Don't let them escape alive!"

"Yeah!" Angered agreements followed and their division began to attack the Blackbeard Pirates.

Ace followed Thatch, emitting flames from his arms. He rose and aimed it around him, Thatch, and the captain of Blackbeard Pirates, Teach. "Flame Prison!"

*SSSS*

Burst of flames came from his hands surrounding them. No one could enter without being burned or even melted now.

"Your grave will be here, Teach!" Thatch roared as he swung both swords on Blackbeard.

"Heh, had I not eaten the devil fruit, I would've ran away, but now..." Teach menacingly stretched his right arm to Thatch. Slowly, black flames appeared on it. "Black Spiral!"

*Whoosh*

Immediately, Ace felt he was being pulled instead of Thatch. His body shot forward to in front of Thatch's sword trajectory. "Crap!"

Ace turned himself into fire and tried flying away, but he was astounded to see he could not use his devil fruit powers at all!

"Ace, move!" Thatch's surprised shout forced Ace to look at him, shaking his head.

"I can't! My devil fruit power isn't working!"

"Zehahaha! But of course!" Blackbeard boisterously laughed, his black flames eroding his right arm to shoulder. "My devil fruit powers negates them!"

Thatch could only stop and stand back, helplessly. "Ugh!"

"Liberation!" After seeing him backing off, Teach propelled Ace towards him and slammed his right arm full of black flames onto the ground. "Black Hole!"

*RUMBLE*

The black flames began to enlarge and spread out, debris sunk into it, unfortunate people began to sink into it as well.

"Firefly Light!" Ace hastily spread out many green fireballs around Blackbeard.

*SSSssss~*

Thatch jumped and grabbed Ace as they went off the black flames to safer spot. "Be careful of those black flames! Blackbeard can also negate your devil fruit powers!"

Shouting, he warned his division.

The green fireballs slowly roamed around the Blackbeard Pirates who were clueless about those. However, they still dodged them just in case. Sadly, that was a mistake.

"Ablaze!" Those countless small green fireballs began to explode around the Blackbeard Pirates.

*BOOM* xN

"Kuah!" Several of them suffered high degree burns. Blackbeard however, did not look like he suffered anything as he was covered in black flames. His black flames menacingly swayed.

"Zehahahaha!" He did not care if his grunts suffered. "I can also negate out any pain!"

"Bastard!" Thatch couldn't believe that the devil fruit he once held was too strong. He stood up and clad his two swords with Armament Haki. Blackbeard definitely had some weakness, Thatch gritted his teeth.

*Shing!* x2

Ace looked and gritted his teeth too. He stood up along with Thatch and began to spread flames from his feet. "Sea of Flames!"

*BOOM*

*RUMBLE*

Unfortunately, Ace did not learn Haki yet, so he could only rely on his devil fruit. Flames spread out the ground, intense heat emitted out of them. Thatch took a glance and nodded at Ace, understanding his plan.

"Chef's Slice!" He swung one of his swords and then twirled it to speed up his plan. "Flame Control!"

*WOOSH*

Due to his profession of cook, he was an expert in controlling flames as if it was a part of him. Ace stared down the fat man in front. "Let's see if you can negate this."

"..." Teach had a grim look as he rose both his hands. Suddenly, he grinned as his black flames formed a mini hurricane. "Liberation!"

*PEW* xN

Countless debris that were absorbed in his Black Hole back then began to shoot out of the black hurricane. "AHHH!"

Despaired shouts rang out when people shot out of it too.

Ace widened his eyes, but focused.

"Great..." As if grabbing the twirling flames made by Thatch, he clenched his hand towards it. At the same time, Thatch suddenly threw something into it. Both of them shouted. "...Fire Explosion!"

Teach went agape as the fire hurricane twisted and enlarged, nearing his crew and him. He quickly shouted, black flames fully covering him, showing only his eyes. "Black Absorption!!!"

*BOOM* x2

At a distance, anyone could see a huge clash of orange flames with black flames. Neither backing down, causing them to clash mid.

Both orange flames and black flames began to diminish as time went on.

Suddenly at the same time, a shadow shot forward to the remaining Blackbeard Pirates. "Fire Lances!"

*PEW* xN

Though they couldn't see the fire projectiles due to the same orange color, the numberless fire lances penetrated through their bodies. They still did not die from that, only bleeding profusely as well as burnt spots.

"Sharp Cutting!" A loud shout suddenly came after. Eerily purple lines appeared and moved. They looked slow but was actually very quick as they neared the Blackbeard Pirates, slicing their appendages.

After the sudden brightness as well as darkness, orange flames and black flames lingered around the ground. The island now looked plain. If it weren't for those corpses, cut limbs, and several strong materials that survived the heat.

Blackbeard's black flames slowly diminished from his body, now only outlining his body. He looked around and gritted. 'The crew I worked hard to recruit...'

Most of them died, while several survived but not without major injuries. They either had large hole on their body or lost one of their limbs.

"Bastards!" Blackbeard angrily roared, causing the outlining black flames to enlarge, as if making a pillar. "I didn't really want to use this because it was risky, but I'll use it!"

Feeling a sudden real threat emitting from Teach, Thatch quickly shouted for the surviving people. "Everyone run! Something's going to happen!"

"Zehahahaha! You won't be able to escape!" Outstretching his arms, Blackbeard crazily laughed. His eyes widened at the sky, as if starting.

*RUMBLE*

"BLACK...!" Slight blackness eroded the colors around him as well as around the island. The pillar of black flames began to slowly spread out, as if eroding the air itself. "WORLD!"

*BOOOM*

Complete blackness was all they could see. They also felt they couldn't breath, like air did not exist. Their lungs began to swell slowly. A deafening sound came after.

*HOOONNNG~*

"Ob...lit...er...ate!" A strained voice rang out from within the completely black world.

*BAM* xN

*CRACK* xN

*PHUA* xN

As if in a horror movie, the people within Black World heard horrified sounds. However, every sounds were cut off.

"KU-!", "ARG-!", "N-!", "AHHH-!", "PLEA-!"