Chapter 30: The Battle Continues #30
The attack landed straight on Wolf's face and sent him reeling back, only to fall flat on his back. Dazed and disoriented, Wolf tried to stand back up, Artur Bacca lunged at him once more, intent on striking him down again.
I had to urge to interfere, but I halted my actions at the sight of a figure speeding toward Wolf, Katana in hand. Witnessing Law's swift intervention, I merely smiled and leaned back, watching as he used his Devil Fruit power to switch places with Wolf in an instant.
"Room! Shambles!" Law's voice echoed as he appeared, katana drawn and ready for action. With precise movements, he launched his attack. "Amputate!" he commanded, slicing at Artur Bacca's torso.
The blade cleaved through the pirate cleanly, but to Law's shock, Artur's body began to liquefy, reforming before his eyes.
Before Law could mount another offense, Artur Bacca retaliated. "Melty Love!" he bellowed, releasing a stream of corrosive acid from his mouth aimed directly at Law.
Thinking quickly, Law countered. "Takt!" he exclaimed, producing a rocky protrusion from the ground to shield himself from the acid onslaught.
Simultaneously, debris levitated around him, launched toward Artur Bacca in a barrage of projectiles. Yet, the pirate captain remained undeterred, his liquefied form undulating as he closed in on Law's position.
As Artur Bacca closed the distance, Law deftly evaded, swapping places with a passing piece of debris and materializing behind the pirate captain.
"Amputate!" Law commanded, his sword slashing through Artur Bacca, reducing him to numerous smaller pieces in an attempt to impede his regeneration. However, to Law's frustration, Artur Bacca slowly began to reform, his body reassembling itself piece by piece.
Observing the battle unfold, I couldn't help but smirk. "Law's Devil Fruit power is practically tailor-made to counter this guy's abilities... if only he realized it," I murmured to myself, reaching to stroke Sif's head. "With Takt, he could easily block most acid attacks, and Countershock would put Bacca down in an instant..."
I pondered whether to give Law a hint but hesitated, mulling over the idea. However, before I could decide, a sudden shift occurred in the confrontation. Law utilized his Devil Fruit ability to teleport behind Wolf, and both promptly vanished, much to my dismay.
"He must have thought the odds were against him and decided to retreat with his injured friend... there goes my entertainment," I remarked with a resigned sigh. "Well, I suppose I can still have some fun with this Bacca character..."
With a grin, I rose to my feet, striding purposefully toward the pirate captain. Advancing toward Artur Bacca with a confident stride, I held my hands behind my back, gripping the cutlass I had picked up earlier.
Clearing my throat to announce my presence, I addressed him, "Your ability to resist physical attacks truly is troublesome..." I remarked. "Without it, you'd have died ten times already..."
Artur Bacca remained silent in response to my taunts, his expression darkening. "How did you get here? What happened to Boakeno and the others?" he demanded, his gaze sharp.
"Oh, those worthless bunch?" I chuckled. "I knocked them out and left them floating in the water near the docks... you might want to reconsider your recruitment standards...".
His reply came quickly, not in words, but in action. Artur Bacca's eyes glowed, and he unleashed his beam directly at me. Reacting swiftly, I brandished the cutlass, using its broad side to deflect the beam. To my satisfaction, it ricocheted back toward the pirate captain.
However, Artur Bacca proved nimble, swiftly evading his own reflected attack by leaping to the side.
"You..." Artur Bacca spat out, his eyes ablaze with rage. His reaction prompted me to raise an eyebrow in amusement.
"What's with that surprised look on your face? Did you really think your devil fruit is invincible or something?" I quipped with a chuckle. "Every devil fruit out there has at least one or two weaknesses, and yours is no exception... it's just a shame I don't have the means to exploit them myself," I added with a sigh.
Gritting his teeth, Artur Bacca slowly rose to his feet. "Then why are you still here?" he scoffed. "As long as I refrain from using the heart-melting power, you'd have no way of defeating me," he asserted, his body morphing into green liquid as he prepared to strike.
I simply shrugged. "Who said I don't have any means of beating you?" I retorted. "Even if I didn't, I just have to buy some time until someone capable comes back to finish you off..."
Clearly uninterested in further conversation, Artur Bacca lunged at me, swinging his fist toward my face in a slow, predictable manner.
I effortlessly sidestepped his clumsy attack. "You're truly worthless without your devil fruit abilities. I've seen children throw better punches," I remarked, genuinely unimpressed.
"My attacks may not be able to harm you directly, but you can't even lay a finger on me..." I went on, leisurely dodging the pirate captain's futile attacks.
The more I taunted the pirate captain, the angrier he became, his attacks growing increasingly desperate. He was itching to land a hit on me, to make me swallow my words, and that was exactly what I wanted.
It was a cheap tactic, but I honestly had no other way to draw him to the shore where I could properly end the fight. That had been my plan all along.
If I couldn't reflect his attacks or produce electricity to affect him in his liquified state, the only option left was to exploit the one weakness that affected all devil fruit users: seawater.
Though I had no idea how I'd manage to drag him into the sea even once we reached the shore, I'd just have to improvise and come up with something on the way.
...
As the dizziness finally faded and Wolf regained his senses, he found himself being carried on Law's back, moving away from the town and out of harm's way. With a heavy heart, Wolf sighed, realizing the gravity of the situation.
"I'm sorry... it's all my fault," he lamented, his tone heavy with dismay. "If only I'd done a better job raising that scoundrel... maybe things wouldn't have come to this."
Hearing Wolf's words, Law slowed his stride, a puzzled expression crossing his face. "What are you talking about? This isn't the time for nonsense, Garakuta-ya..."
Wolf offered a bitter smile. "I only wish it were nonsense. Artur Bacca... that bastard is my own flesh and blood," he confessed, his voice tinged with regret. "He always had a streak of wickedness in him... if only I could have guided him onto the right path," he lamented, shaking his head in resignation.
At Law's incredulous reaction, he came to a halt and gently lowered Wolf to the ground. "He's your son?" he asked, his disbelief palpable.
Wolf nodded solemnly. "Aye," he confirmed. "Over twenty years ago, he set out to sea to become a pirate... I decided to accompany him, hoping to keep him in check. I thought experiencing the harsh realities of the pirate world would set him straight... but I was wrong," he admitted, his voice heavy with regret.
"What exactly happened?" Law inquired, his brow furrowed in concern.
Wolf emitted another weary sigh. "The longer my son spent at sea, the more vicious he became. When he failed to cross over the Reverse Mountain and lost half his crew in the process..." His voice trailed off, a pained expression crossing his face.
"He returned to Pleasure Town and set it ablaze in his frustration," he explained bitterly. "That's when I severed all ties with him... and yet here he is again, ready to destroy the town once more in a bout of frustration," he added, frustration evident in his voice as he clenched his fists.
Law scoffed incredulously. "What are you talking about, Garakuta-ya?" he retorted, his tone tinged with displeasure. "Back then, you were alone. But now, you have me, Bepo, Penguin, and Shachi," he declared firmly. "We'll help you protect the town!" he insisted.
Wolf felt a glimmer of warmth spread through his heart at Law's words, but he shook his head resolutely. "That's easier said than done, kid," he countered firmly. "My son is one thing, but even his crew are vicious pirates. It's safer for you and the others to hide in the mountains and wait for the storm to pass," he advised.
Before Law could respond, Penguin's voice interrupted from the side. "There's no need to worry about... his crew," he panted heavily, leaning on his knees, having exhausted himself while trying to keep up with Law's pace. "That Blake guy... he already took care of the small fries... and he's fighting their captain... right now..."
Shachi and Bepo, equally exhausted, stood beside him, both nodding eagerly in agreement.
...
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