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//********************************************************\\
As Kai walked away from the battlefield, his footsteps slightly echoed down the cold stones of Impel Down, the aftermath of his battle with Sadi-chan fading behind him. His body still hummed from the surge of adrenaline, and he couldn't help but smirk to himself. "Another boss down. Not bad," he muttered under his breath, twirling his Glintstone Staff in one hand as if it were an extension of himself.
But as he reached the corner that would carry him from view, something made him stop. For once, there was no mad dash to press on. His gaze flashed back to the unconscious form of Sadi-chan, where she lay sprawled on the floor, her whip lying limply beside her. Her chest rose and fell in shallow, rapid breaths, testament enough that she still lived despite the hail of Night Shards she'd taken.
"Man. would've been so easy to finish her off," Kai muttered low and musingly while his stare remained to linger on her. It was the way she lay there, vulnerable and defeated that called some sort of time-out in his head. It wasn't pity-nothing like that-but more along the line of reluctance.
Kai let out a heavy sigh, rubbing the back of his neck as he spoke to himself. "It'd be a waste to kill her. I mean, she's just doing her job, right?" He frowned, shaking his head. "Maybe I'm getting soft when it comes to maidens, especially the crazy ones with whips."
The though finally occurred to him that he really ought to claim the quest rewards. He remembered the system promising Runes, and that damned Dex weapon Hoslow's Petal Whip. Part of him was looking forward to cashing in on the victory, but now. well, the idea of taking her life for that, just felt wrong. He didn't need the whip. And he most definitely didn't need more blood on his hands.
"I should just give up on the quest rewards," he grumbled, ready to leave for good.
But no more had passed before a familiar ding resounded in his ears as the system notification blinked into view.
[Objective Complete: Defeated "Cruel Dominatrix of Hell" Sadi-chan]
[Rewards Granted: 10000 Runes, Hoslow's Petal Whip]
Kai froze, staring at the screen before him. "Wait. what?"
He scanned the notification once more, and sure enough, the rewards were listed right there, sitting pretty in his UI.
"Whoa," he breathed, eyes wide in utter disbelief. "So. I don't have to kill them?" He ran a hand through his hair, letting out a low chuckle. "It did say 'defeat,' rather than 'kill' after all. Interesting."
Kai shook his head, grinning as he unequipped his Glintstone Staff. "Man, loopholes, talk about that. That's actually. kind of awesome. I beat her, got the rewards, good. I should only kill those I deem deserving of death, after all; these guys don't respawn."
He turned back once more, watching as Sadi-chan remained still on the cold floor. "Guess I'll leave her be," he muttered, the weight leaving his shoulders. "Not like she'll be much trouble after that beating."
Kai ran back to the group ahead, the echoes of his feet running off the cold stone walls. The residual rush from his battle with Sadi-chan was still coursing through his veins, but his mind was already transferred onto the next stage of their escape. He could hear the chaos ahead-shouts, the sounds of bodies hitting the ground, and the unmistakable roar of Luffy's voice cutting through the noise.
The scene in front of him, after he turned the corner, was that of total destruction. Luffy and his motley crew had run through all the remaining jailer beasts and guards. Broken bodies littered the floor of the prison, groaning in defeat. Only Hannyabal and a few guards still stood, faces filled with determination against the fear of what was to befall them.
Standing amidst the destruction, tall and proud, Luffy merely turned around and suddenly found Kai. "Oh, Kai! " Luffy called out with his usual, unbothered grin.
Kai chuckled to himself as he took in the sight. "Oh, it's the Pharaoh guy." Kai said in a smooth and calm tone, his words leaking sarcasm. His eyes locked onto Hannyabal, who stood defiantly with his giant weapon in hand, trying to conjure up some semblance of authority. Kai walked forward slowly-almost lazily-as his sharp gaze never left Hannyabal.
"Be so kind and move away," Kai continued, his voice even but laced with undeniable edge. "You know, you're clearly outnumbered. Outmatched. There's no point in prolonging this. Surely someone as 'wise' as you can see that."
Hannyabal's eyes darted anxiously from Kai to Luffy to Jinbe, crocodile and the rest of the escapees. The hold he had on his weapon was sure, yet his stance quavered. "You scum will rot here for the rest of your lives!" he shrieked, trying to make a last stand. "Justice will be served, and you never would-"
Kai rolled his eyes over him, cutting him off with a highly exaggerated, annoyed sigh. "Seriously, this again?" he muttered, clearly unimpressed. "You all love to talk about justice like it is some magical shield that will protect you from reality." He glanced sideways at Jinbe, who was standing beside him, serenely composed against the rising tension.
"Let's just kill him," Kai raised his hands in mock defeat, as if he was tired of the theatrics. His tone was casual, as though discussing something no more interesting than the weather. "Honestly, it'd save us all some time."
Jinbe nodded knowingly but kept quiet, his eyes narrowing as he thought of their next move. Luffy, on the other hand, was less discreet and was already cracking his knuckles and grinning as he prepared to pound whoever remained standing.
Hannyabal wavered. His boastfulness failed him as Kai's tranquil lethal composure finally sank in. The guards behind him shifted uncomfortably, casting a glance around them, as if searching for an escape route, conscious they, too, were outmatched.
The air was thick with tension. Hannyabal stood resolute, bloodied but stubborn, his refusal to yield an almost palpable thing in the face of defeat. Kai would have to give him that-there was something twistedly admiring about seeing a person stand when they had no chance of victory.
"Tenacious little cockroach, aren't you?" Kai said to himself, his face a mask of disdain as he readied his Glintstone Staff. His fingers quivered slightly as magical energy compacted at the tip of his weapon. "Night Shard," he uttered coolly, casting the spell in quick succession.
In an instant, dark energy crackled through the air; semi-invisible shards materialized around Kai and darted toward Hannyabal with the quickness and deadliness of bullets. Every shard whistled through the air with a whispery tone, burrowing deep into the precision cuts within Hannyabal. One hit his shoulder, another his side, and many more followed, ripping through his defenses. The impact was strong enough to send him flying backward as his body convulsed in pain, each wound spurting out fresh streams of blood.
But even as the shards embedded themselves into him, Hannyabal stood his ground. Labored breathing, legs shaking beneath him, yet he refused to fall. Kai could see that his faint health bar was flickering in the corner of his vision, dangerously low. Yet still, Hannyabal refused to give up.
Kai narrowed his eyes in frustration. "Just fall already…"
"Jet Gatling!" Luffy's voice roared from beside him.
Kai didn't even have the time to register the flurry of fists as Luffy's attack fell upon Hannyabal. Hundreds of punches came down one after another, with each strike strong enough to cause shockwaves to course through the air. The near-endless barrage smacked into what was already a weakened body of Hannyabal and crushed his defenses, caving him even further into the ground. Explosions of dust and debris erupted around the two as Luffy's fists tore through what was left of the prison floor.
Each of them struck with a strangled scream from Hannyabal, but even then, bloodied, battered, and at the verge of collapse, he refused to fall. Wide-eyed with half-pain and half-defiance, his body twitching with a struggle to rise, that sent him staggering back to his feet. His hands shook, his chest heaved, but he still stood on.
Kai's face clouded as he turned his gaze to the men behind Hannyabal, staring in horror and in utter disbelief at him, their eyes wide open, evidently more worried for the welfare of their superior than by the fight present before them.
"Why. won't you. stay down?" Kai exclaimed in exasperation. His Glintstone Staff glowed faintly as he did, but before he could cast another spell, a sudden change in the atmosphere cut him off.
The ground beneath their feet shook. In the air, dark and ominous energy thrived as if pent-up. A low, rumbling voice cut through the chaos that filled the prison.
"Blackhole!"
The word echoed through stone walls, and suddenly the earth under the other guards went black as pitch. A whirling vortex of darkness spread like an oil slick, sucking in everything in its reach into its abyssal maw. The screams of the guards were horrific to hear, sucked into the void, their bodies appearing to vanish traceless into the dark depths of the black hole.
Kai's eyes widened; his heart missed a beat at the realization of that power. And then, he heard it.
"Zehahahahaha!"
That laugh-he knew it only too well.
"Blackbeard," Kai whispered, his voice low and laced with the grim realization of it. Turning, there he was: Marshall D. Teach, Blackbeard himself, at the edge of the battlefield-a wide grin on his face, his hulking frame casting a shadow over the prison, wild, unkempt hair and dark coat swaying with the unnatural winds of the black hole he had summoned.
All eyes had turned to Blackbeard, and the weight of his presence in that small room grew even heavier.
"Shut up already!" Blackbeard's voice thundered as the man moved with astonishing speed for a man of his bulk. His monstrous leg moved forward in a wide arc as it crashed into Hannyabal's midsection with frightening power. The prison warden's eyes popped as the wind was knocked out of him, and his battered body flew backward to slam into a wall with a sickening crunch.
Hannyabal crumpled to the ground, unconscious, with his body utterly broken from the kick. Blackbeard loomed over him with his grin wide and manic. "You were annoyin', you know that?" he said almost in a casual tone, as if he had just swatted aside some minor nuisance.
The moment Kai saw Luffy begin to take his slow but calculated steps toward Blackbeard, his heart just about sank. The reckless determination in Luffy's eyes could hardly be mistaken for anything else, so Kai cursed under his breath, knowing exactly what was about to happen.
"Oh no." Kai muttered, his eyes going wide with incredulity. Luffy had already squared up with so many strong opponents in this chaotic prison; he was now about to face Blackbeard. This wasn't bad; this was a disaster.
Standing a few paces away, Jinbe watched the unfolding situation with great care. His hands clenched into tight fists and his body tensed as he studied Blackbeard. The experience that this Fishman had with this kind of foe taught him how dangerous he truly was. His eyes darted between Luffy and Blackbeard, but he didn't move in yet. Not unless he had to.
On the other side, regarding Crocodile, his cold, calculating stare also rested upon Blackbeard. The former Sea Warlord tittered to himself, a slight curling of his lips. "So this is the one that replaced me, huh?" he mused almost fascinated with the irony of it all. His tone was mocking, but from his eyes came a flicker of interest, weighing the strength of this man who had taken his post.
But Luffy didn't take any of that into account; instead, he focused all his attention on Blackbeard, his eyes filled with a hard light. He stopped a few feet from the towering figure, fists clenched down at his sides.
"Is your name Blackbeard?" Luffy asked, forthrightly, his voice flickering just like it had when he'd dashed through so many burning battles.
Kai's stomach flipped. He ran a hand through his hair, muttering in a high-pitched voice, "Ah, fuck no." He felt the weight in the air start to build as Blackbeard's presence seemed to expand larger than life.
Kai glanced between the two anxiety crawling up his spine. If it went the way it was about to, they were screwed. 'If I have any chance of changing anything-even saving his brother if we could-I need this idiot to preserve his energy.' Kai thought his heart pounding against his chest.
"That Jet Gatling Gun just now." Kai swallowed hard, remembering the pure destructive force Luffy had inflicted upon Hannyabal a moment ago. "If it hit me, I'd probably die. I'm still weak compared to these guys."
His mind was racing. Blackbeard wasn't an average opponent, he was in a completely different league of danger, not just because he had obtained powers from the Dark-Dark Fruit but also because he could do anything, including betraying his former comrades to get something he wants. Confronting Blackbeard right now would be suicidal.
"Damn it," Kai hissed under his breath.
//********************************************************\\
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//********************************************************\\
Blackbeard beamed from ear to ear; his dark eyes shone with perverted joy as he stared at Luffy. "Am I Blackbeard? Oh, I suppose I never told you my name way back in Jaya, Straw Hat." The sarcasm fell from his voice as he mocked the whole situation. "Gotta say, that's quite a surprise finding you here in Impel Down. Don't you think you ought to be somewhere else now? "His tone was smug, laced with a cruel edge that immediately set all on edge.
Jinbe's eyes narrowed, his deep voice rumbling with controlled fury. "Teach… you bastard."
Blackbeard snickered, and that grin just continued to grow wider. "You'll be missing your brother's execution at this rate, you know," he added, to rub it in. "If he hadn't stopped me, the one dying today would be you, Straw Hat."
This sounded to Luffy's ears like a tidal wave, immediately triggering a growing fury. His eyes then flared up in anger, and before he knew it, he sprang forward, his fist flying through the air with deadly speed.
"Gomu Gomu no…!" Luffy's punch connected with Blackbeard's chest, sending the giant pirate flying backward to crash with a loud bang.
GUH!" Blackbeard grunted in pain, his body rattling from the impact as he skidded across the stone floor. His laugh never quite vanished, however-even now tinged with a flicker of annoyance mixed with surprise; he hadn't expected such force from Luffy.
Kai, who had watched this whole scene unfold, tangled his mind on what to do. 'What should I do?' He looked towards Luffy, whose anger boiled over, and looked at Blackbeard, whose presence was far more perilous than all they had come across so far.
"Oh, fuck it…" Kai muttered under his breath. This might be their best chance to take out Blackbeard once and for all. In one swift motion, he reached for his Flask of Cerulean Tears and chugged it in one go. The magic refueled him, slithering into his veins as he prepared for the next attack.
Kai's glintstone staff shimmered with the signature blue aura of the Night Shard spell. In the blink of an eye, he cast it-shooting a thin streak of near-invisible dark magic hurtling at Blackbeard. The shard struck home, burrowing into Teach's side.
"ARGHH!" Blackbeard howled, in agony clutching at his side.
But in a flash, his joy vaporized when he saw Blackbeard's health bar-a towering monolith of stamina. Even though Luffy's punch and his spell had both connected to Blackbeard's giant stamina, they had caused a minuscule dent. He was more superficially hurt compared to actually injured.
"That son of a bitch has a crazy amount of health., " Kai thought, watching Blackbeard struggle to his feet, still groaning but far from defeated.
"We're not even doing anything to him!" Kai thought, the realization coming to him like a ton of bricks. He quickly positioned himself in front of Luffy, holding a hand out to halt him before he squandered anymore energy. "Luffy, stop! If we continue with this, we'll be wasting time!"
The instant his eyes landed on Kai, they blazed red with fury. In an instant, he was going to strike again. Kai knew they could ill afford this. He nodded quickly with the back of his head to Jinbe. Jinbe caught the cue in a split-second and stepped up to Luffy in a heartbeat, ready to restrain him if necessary.
As the tension mounted, Blackbeard's crew began to gather in rear formation behind their captain, with hulking figures of his crewmates looming as they watched with eerie silence. None of them stepped out in front yet, instead waiting for Teach's next move.
Blackbeard struggled to his feet, his chest heavy with breathing, but the grin returned to his face. He wiped a trail of blood from his mouth with the back of his hand, new interest in his gaze locking on Luffy. "Strong enough, Straw Hat," he said in a low tone, though his voice was still filled with malicious glee. Then, his gaze shifted to Kai, a hint of curiosity and recognition glinting in his eyes: "And you. that ability just now.."
Kai's blood ran cold. He saw it in Blackbeard's eyes and instantly knew what was to come. "Oh, fuck." he muttered under his breath.
Scarce had he time to react before Blackbeard's hand shot up; its whole form turned dark into a form of black vortex. "Kurouzu!
A vortex of black energy burst from Blackbeard's hand, and Kai's eyes were suddenly wide with shock. 'Wait a minute—I'm not a Devil Fruit user, I should be fi—' He didn't get to even finish the thought before the gravity kicked in and the vortex grabbed hold of him.
It was a force beyond his wildest imagination. Kai's body was wrenched forward with terrifying speed, the tuck of the black hole-like energy whisking him straight into Blackbeard's arms. "What the-?!" Kai gasped, fear coursing through his veins as the world around him became a blur.
The next thing he knew, a massive hand enveloped his body, clamping down with bone-crushing force. "Fuck!" Kai cursed, instinctively making his move. Desperate, he toggled to the Estoc and thrust the blade towards Blackbeard's torso.
But it didn't even pierce into his body. Blackbeard's free hand slapped the Estoc aside with ease, his grip tightening around Kai's chest. "Zehahahaha!" Blackbeard maniacally laughed as he raised Kai into the air.
Then with brutal force, Blackbeard slammed Kai into the ground.
CRACK!
Kai's body erupted in pain wildly from the stone floor as a shockwave seemed to run through his bones with enough force to explode out of his skin. His vision blurred, white-hot pain shot through his spine, and he fought for air as the wind was utterly knocked from him, every nerve shrieking in agony as his muscles seized up, the weight of Blackbeard's power bearing down on him.
He lay there, fighting to breathe, his chest heaving with the effort. "Damn... it…" Kai thought, racing through the haze of pain that seemed to grip him everywhere. "That... really.... hurt like hell." Vision swimming, he struggled to get his bearings back; every breath was agony.
Above him now had risen Blackbeard, the dark man looking down at Kai with a tinge of amusement. "You thought you could take me on, boy? Zehahaha!"
Kai lay on the cold stone floor, screaming, his body in agony, every inch of him hurting from Blackbeard's brutal slam to the floor. A thin trickle of blood oozed from the corner of his mouth, and behind the pain, there was still a flicker of defiance in his eyes. He whimpered, working to lift his hand, barely able to move, yet he forced his middle finger up in a small, rebellious gesture. His lips pulled into a bloody smile.
"Fuck you." Kai muttered in his strained, venom-filled voice.
Blackbeard looked down at him and burst into deep laughter, highly amused. "Zehahaha! Gotta have enough spirit to still do that, huh?" He looked at Kai with disdain, turning away without taking any further notice of him as he focused elsewhere.
Luffy had watched the whole exchange, his fists full of rage. "Kai!" he exclaimed, ready to charge again against Blackbeard, his determination burning through him in fire.
But Jinbe held him firmly down by the shoulder. "Luffy, we have to go," he urged but calmly. "If we don't leave now, it will be too late to save Ace."
Kai flung himself onto his back, grinding his teeth as he pried his body up into a sitting position. He reached for the Flask of Crimson Tears and had a drink; the healing liquid churned within him as the worst of his injuries began to mend. Slowly, he wiped the blood from his face and stood, though his body still screamed with the weight of the attack.
"Yeah, Blackbeard," Kai replied dryly, shaking his head to clear the lingering pain from it. "That was one hell of a punch."
Blackbeard froze, turning around in genuine surprise. "Interesting…" he drawled, eyes glinting with curiosity. "You're not as ordinary as you appeared either, are you?"
Kai's heart yanked on the seams in his chest. 'Fuck, why am I standing up to him?' he thought, panic starting to ooze into his brain while the throbbing ache was still screaming through his body. 'This isn't the time for acting tough. I'm still far too weak to take him on!'
But outwardly, he kept his cool. "Wouldn't it be better for both of us to move forward, don't you think?" Kai said, forcing a smile. "We would not want that poison bastard to just show up and spoil our fun."
For a while, Blackbeard said nothing and seemed to weigh Kai's words. He turned to Luffy and the others, then finally answered. "Well, I have better things to do anyways," he said, the contempt that usually dripped from his every word suddenly gone. "Listen to your friend, Straw Hat. When I grabbed him just now, I canceled his powers. None of you are any threat to me." He glanced at Luffy. "Your brother can confirm that for you… if you make it in time."
Kai was thinking hard, with 'he really thinks that I have some kind of Devil Fruit…' as the thought that kept racing through his mind. As Teach walked past Luffy and the others, Luffy just stood, his fists balled up so tightly his knuckles turned white. Jinbe placed a reassuring hand on Luffy's shoulder. "Now we need to get going," Jinbe pressed.
Blackbeard began to walk away, but as he started disappearing into the shadows, he glanced back one last time, and his voice echoed through level 4. "I really hope you'll make it in time nothing is impossible after all, Straw Hat… !" and he stopped for a moment before adding " i'll be seeing you in the future 'Kai' Zehahahahaha!"
They all stood in a fixed view as the towering figure disappeared into the dark of Impel Down. Their atmosphere showed determination in the eyes of everybody. Luffy kept staring in his direction, his body trembling with pent-up frustration, but said nothing.
Soon enough, Ivankov and Inazuma appeared, with a group of Okama warriors accompanying them, bright and flashy compared to the grimness of this prison. "What'd I miss?" Ivankov asked, looking around.
Kai said nothing, sinking into his thoughts. 'I wish I had the power to kill him right here, right now, he thought, with a tinge of bitterness; frustration gnawed at him. Why not give me Radahn's powers right now, you stupid fucking system!'
When no one replied to Ivankov, the dramatic revolutionary head shook from side to side. "Well then, let's move on toward Level 3! The road is clear, but that venom warden is not far behind us, inazuma just confirmed this!"
As the group started to move forward, Kai fell into step behind them, his silent cursing of his lack of strength was well understood; their mission wasn't over. By the clenched fists and focused gaze of Luffy, all was said, "time to leave this shithole."
//********************************************************\\
If you wish to read up to 5 Chapters Ahead! or simply support me just because? then check out my patréon at
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Don't forget to change "é" to "e"
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Thank you for Reading!!!
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