Victor's Gratitude (2)

Reiju's quick follow-up was intercepted by Kumadori's mane coiling and resembling multiple clenched hands with pointed index fingers that jabbed in her direction. Not the least bit fearful, Reiju let these attacks which would have punctured a normal human strike her as the sharp sound of metal being struck echoed. Quickly pulling himself out of the indentation in the rock of the same size as his own, Kumadori hastily kicked the ground and jumped up in the air, "Yoiii! Without your raid suit, you can't catch up to me!"

Unlike his imagination, however, Reiju demonstrated a level of skill that made Carmen and Nojiko, who lay on her back now after sucking aura from the ground, question their eyes.

There was no hesitation when Reiju suddenly threw several branches into the air before jumping on them and shooting toward Kumadori, "We weren't just enhanced," Reiju kicked the stunned Kumadori who used Tekkai promptly to harden his body as he was still shot into the ground by the massive force projected by the woman, "We were trained, too."

*Phew*

*Crash*

Air was knocked out of Kumadori's lungs despite cushioning his fall with his mane as he hurriedly rolled away and shouted, "Yoyoi! Shigan Cue Blast!"

He struck the end of his Khakkhara towards the falling Reiju as an extremely precise and sharp burst of wind capable of tearing apart a dangerous beast struck Reiju in the center of her forehead.

*Tc*

As if it had hit an unmovable iron body, Reiju's head barely leaned back before she landed and touched her forehead with a cut finally having appeared as blood leaked from the wound.

'Shigan is most likely the same as their kicking technique but using it with different weapons can have different effects... so it's a single martial art divided into various names. How... inefficient.'

Kumadori's lips parted in shock at such a minute effect from one of his strongest strikes.

"It's no use... mother. Don't stop me... I'll die a—"

"I'll let you live, you know," Reiju smiled, "You are just following orders. If a soldier falls but returns with valuable information, they are hardly ever punished."

Kumadori's eyes snapped open but what greeted him was a knee to his face that sent his flying, "But you gave my crewmate, who I am beginning to like, a hole. So... I'll give you injuries. I'll poison those injuries. And I will take that device, too. This Raid Suit isn't Germa's anymore! I've paid my due for everything I got from my father!"

"So... cool..." Nojiko finally had enough strength to sit up and muttered with an amazed expression.

"No, no, more like, you need to still lay down and rest," Carmen interjected.

"Oh, I'm full already," Nojiko looked at Carmen with a smile while wiping away the blood to reveal that there was no longer a gaping hole in her body.

"Wait... what? What about the Bones? Can you move your arm?" Carmen questioned hastily.

"Yep... but aside from, what about you? Did Reiju-san cure all your poison?"

Blushing at the question and looking visibly strained, Carmen averted her gaze and muttered, "Y- yeah... she did... although, now I wish she used some other 'normal' means..."

Nojiko tilted her head in confusion.

---

"Please, let me live! I have a mother who was critically injured by my father and I have to live to pay for her medical expenses!"

Brody landed on the ground and looked at Jabra begging for mercy as Nami shouted from the sidelines, "Don't listen to him, Brody! He's obviously lying!"

Jabra growled and looked straight at Brody, "I'm not! My mother was—"

"Your mother was brutally beaten by your father and then had her body crushed in front of your eyes... is that what you were about to say?" Brody questioned calmly as Nami noticed that the captain was no longer smiling. Instead, his words silenced Jabra before his body shuddered and he began to laugh.

"Gya— Ahahahahaha!" His arms spread wide open as his body began to bulge and enlarge with his arms and hands turning into brown-grey furry claws, his legs bulging against the confines of his trousers, and his feet tearing through his boots to reveal large canine paws. His nose extended to a large, slightly bulbous snout and a thick, bushy tail tore out from the back of his pants.

"That's exactly what I was going to say!" Jabra grinned, his teeth were now dangerously sharp as Nami watched the transformation in shock and awe.

"It must have brought back some memories, right, Code: 2-18-15? In other words, B-R-O. Your father killed your mother because of you! Your existence is cursed to the point it brought bloodshed for your very birth! Do you really think you can survive without the World Government injecting the Serum into you every three years? But, you've tested their patience! You've destroyed a kingdom and there is nothing that can save you!" Jabra cackled with his claws revealing a sharp glint.

"W- what is he saying?" Nami questioned as Jabra's snickers turned into a howl of laughter, "Don't tell me, he didn't even tell you? You still have time then! I'll just kill you guys quickly instead of torturing you!"

Nami's terrified gaze fell on Brody who remained silent the entire time as she shouted, "What the hell is he talking about?"

"Heh," Brody smirked and looked at Nami, "He's... telling the truth. I didn't contract any illness. So? Scared yet?"

Nami's lips quivered as Jabra grinned, "Why won't she be scared? By being with you, she became the enemy of the World Government! And worst of all, you don't even have that long to live! She must be feeling betrayed—"

"You took Arlong's arms and legs!" Nami shouted while clenching the jacket tightly, "You saved us so easily! I don't believe you can't save yourself, too! But..." she ground her teeth and glared at the 'wolf-man' and then at Brody with her glare turning more and more vicious, "You should have told us sooner, you red-haired selfish jerk! Who laughs and eats like that when you have only a few years to live—"

"Three, to be precise," Brody rubbed the back of his head and laughed.

"DON'T INTERRUPT!" Brody's and Jabra's grins froze as Nami hissed, "You'll pay for lying to me! You'll pay for me saving me! You'll pay for every day that you wake up! I'll have you in my debt for the rest of my life and will NOT let you die no matter what..." Huffing with her chest heaving up and down, Nami leaned against the tree and hugged his jacket a little tighter, "So... you better live, you stupid fool... I can't draw the map of this world in three years... and, don't take his arms and legs. If possible, take his tongue."

Brody's grin widened and he chimed with an eager expression, "Sure!"

"It's easier said than done! Once my Inu Inu no Mi, Model: Wolf is activated, my strength—"

"Stop interfering!" A 'love' tap struck Jabra's snout squarely and smashed his face into the ground as Brody stood over him, "Let my navigator vent a little! Her other crewmates can be exhausting!"

"YOU are the most tiring of them all!" Nami shouted.

"Me? Why?" Brody blinked and as Jabra uttered a groan, a swift jab struck the man once again and dug his face further into the ground.

"Why? WHY? I haven't felt this worked up in the last few days than I have in ages! You are the most troublesome of them all! Everything about you pisses me off! But even then I cannot leave! Can you imagine how tiring that is?" Nami sprayed it more than she said it as Brody gave her emotions a nod and a low, acknowledging hum escaped his lips, "Oh, that's it. You're horny—"

"Hell, No!" Brody never saw that slap coming.

---

"Please! Please don't kill me!" Sincerely begging for his life with his snout broken and his left arm twisted sideways, Jabra continued to kowtow while keeping his head pushed against the ground. Looking at each other, Nami and Brody revealed a slightly wry expression.

"You know... about taking out his tongue, I was just angry with you but more than that, I was angry at him for... mocking the death of your mother..." Nami whispered as Brody realized that she may have come from a different situation but she considered their loss equal... which was far from the truth so Brody shrugged.

"You shouldn't be angry about that at all. She did die, and she did wish for me to have a hundred children—"

"Why do you keep bringing that up?" Nami gazed at Brody suspiciously.

"Well... because I'll have a hundred children? What do you think? Want to contribute four or five?" Brody smiled.

"Hmm? What is it? I didn't hear it~!" Nami smiled equally pleasantly as Brody saw her palm open up.

"Heh," Brody chuckled, "Not that I'll force you. You're the one who dreams of getting pushed—"

"Cut it out already!" Nami snapped and huffed, "Anyway, he insulted you... so you should do as you see fit."

"Everything he said was facts so... I don't know if I should even feel insulted," Brody sighed.

"Please! The World Government will surely punish us for failure so I'll tell you something else. We were here for three targets! Brody, Reiju... and something that belongs to this island. If you let me live—"

"Don't be stupid!" Brody snorted, "I'm not going to kill you, idiot. I'll just tear out your limbs. So... negotiate for them instead of your life."

This only made Jabra even more terrified and he hurriedly spoke up, "The third target is a living treasure! It's not the fabled One Piece but it still signifies a dream for most pirates!"

"And that would be?" Brody crossed his arms curiously.

"Unlimited Meat!"

"Son of a bitch, I'm in! Oh, and tell me all about your martial arts!"

Nami let out a muted sigh but she still couldn't help but look at his grinning profile... while feeling all worked up at the thought of being around him and having to bear his 'antics.' Well... she didn't need to bear responsibility for his 'nature' but... as Nojiko said, she was trying to 'save' future members from certain 'activities' as the navigator and one of the earliest members of the crew, nothing more to it...

---

"There you are!"

Interrupting Fukurou's and Alvida's chat as there was barely any tension left between them, Smoker brushed past a shrub while walking alongside a dark-blue-haired woman.

"Smoker? What are you doing here? Chapapa."

"So you're one of those agents, huh," Smoker narrowed his eyes and looked at Alvida, "What the hell are you two doing here? It's not like you are fighting."

Alvida and Fukurou looked at each other before the green-haired agent nodded, "Good luck defeating Boa Hancock for the title of the most Beautiful Woman, Chapapa!" With that, he jumped into the air and left while Alvida looked at Smoker and blinked.

"Oh, Captain!" Her smile widened as she looked past Smoker.

"What?" Smoker looked back alongside a startled Tashigi.

Their eyes widened when they saw no one behind them and finally looked where Alvida sat... to find no one there!

"Spineless coward!" Smoker shouted as he fell for the same trick once again.

"There's no such thing as despicable in piracy, but surely, you'll forgive the most beautiful pirate, right~!" Alvida shouted from a distance and ran like hell since she truly didn't have any way to defeat Smoker!

***

A/N: Please vote powerstones for the novel so it may raise in the rankings and attract even more attention. I know I could just slap a robin or nami pic and change the name but... I don't wanna do that! The Bro name must continue and I humbly ask for support~! Oh, and honest reviews always work out for the best~!