I WILL SURVIVE!

Alex's eyes shot open, they looked different from a moment ago.

He clenched his jaw tightly. He saw Shanks desperately trying to get to his feet and failing. Alex used the last of his strength to take a vial from Lugh. He lifted it to his mouth and drank from it. His body instantly felt slightly lighter.

Alex grabbed another vial and poured it down Shank's throat. Shanks's arm snapped back into place.

The two slowly rose to their feet in a struggle, while huffing and panting. Alex clenched his fist and smiled.

He could barely move, but somehow he felt unstoppable. Perhaps it was the adrenaline, or maybe it was simply a delusion, but Alex felt like something had just clicked.

Shanks wrapped his fingers around his sword with the exact same feeling. He felt like he wouldn't fail, that he couldn't fail. It just wasn't a possibility.

It was a simple thing. The two just wouldn't fail. It just wasn't an option. They simply weren't capable of comprehending the possibility at the moment.

Their eyes shone with determination and a fire was lit in them.

The two would win this fight, they would survive today.

Alex smiled. There was nothing that could make him break his promise to Grace. Even after all these years, he had never once forgotten his words on that day.

The approaching footsteps that shook the earth came to a halt as Jack was standing in front of the shack.

The villagers shriveled back in terror.

Alex and Shanks kicked the ground in sync. Their eyes seemed to be glowing as they charged at Jack.

Their world seemed to lose all colour with the exception of Jack. Everything surrounding them was black and white, an afterthought. To the two boys, the only thing that mattered in the whole world was this next moment. Their opponent was the only thing on their mind. Their focus and determination surpassed what they even knew they were capable of.

The two reached the ground in front of Jack and ran up a small hill of debris and rubble.

"I WILL DEFEAT YOU!" Shanks roared.

"I'M GOING TO SURVIVE!" Alex cried simultaneously as the two leap into the air and swung their weapons with every ounce of power and strength they had left in their body.

Suddenly, lightning cracked in the air around the boys as two shockwaves hit the surrounding area in sync. The buildings around the boys shook and the villagers' mouths foamed as they fell to their knees, unconscious.

Jack's face contorted into one of surprise before hardening as he grit his teeth in anger and withstood the pressure from the two waves of haki that simultaneously attacked him.

"ARGHH!" Alex and Shanks screamed at the top of their lungs as their attacks hit Jack in the chest.

Jack stumbled and was pushed a half step backwards. He roared in pain from the large gash that blood was seeping from on his chest and he was struggling to breath due to the dent in his left side. Part of his ribcage had collapsed in on itself from Alex's attack.

Jack fell to one knee as he clenched his jaw.

Alex and Shanks landed on the ground, breathing heavily. The haki they had unconsciously released a moment ago was gone and they looked haggard.

Jack shook in anger and tried to transform into beast form. However, he wasn't able to after getting hit by Alex's staff with seastone on the tip.

He punched the ground in anger and sent hundreds of rocks flying through the air at Alex, Shanks and the villagers.

Shanks and Alex couldn't do a thing about it. They were completely exhausted, barely even able to stand. The unstoppable feeling they had a moment ago had disappeared and the colour in the world around them had returned.

They were no longer at the peak of their strength, not longer in the zone.

They watched in despair as the rocks flew at them, certain the attack would hit them.

Alex slammed his staff into the ground in front of him, Shanks and the villagers. He let go and the staff's shape shifted into a half sphere. A moment later the barrage of rocks hit the shield. Flying off in every direction around Alex and the people he was protecting.

When the attack finally ended, Alex's staff transformed back into its original form. Lugh swallowed the staff as Alex fell to his knees and coughed up blood.

Alex panted heavily and looked up at Jack, who was walking towards him.

Shanks gripped his sword tightly and took a step forward, protecting Alex and the villagers with his life.

Jack ran at the group, he clenched his two hands together into a ball and swung down at Shanks.

Shank's held his sword above his head with one hand on the hilt and the other at the tip of the sword, in an attempt to block the attack.

Suddenly, Jack was punched in the face by a black hand and sent flying.

Dragon landed in front of the boys.

Shanks dropped to one knee and let out a deep breath. "Holy shit. You saved us."

Alex smiled with blood stained teeth. "Since when did you have black hands?"

Dragon smiled and looked at his fist. "You can see it now? My colour of arms."

Shanks and Alex both nodded.

Dragon laughed. "Bwahahaha! You kids are monsters… you're only 14. I can't wait to see how strong you'll be when you grow up. Your haki might even rival my old mans."

The two boys smiled. "Of course, I need to be at least that strong if I want to stand side by side with my captain." Shanks said.

Alex nodded. "If I can't kick uncle Garp's ass then I won't even be close to the same level as Pops."

Dragon smiled. "You two are seriously underestimating my old man. He may be a dumb marine, but he would never lose out to some pirates. Roger and Whitebeard don't stand a chance."

The three laughed.