บท 19: Chapter 19 - Raiden vs Gore

The bustling activity of the docks came to an abrupt halt as a loud, gruff voice cut through the air.

Raiden turned around to see a familiar man. He was the one who directed him towards the marine branch. The man was pointing at Raiden and scowling, "That's him, Captain! That's the brat who tried to claim Bluto's bounty!"

Captain Gore's eyes, cold and piercing, narrowed as he focused on Raiden. His lips curled into a sneer, revealing yellowed teeth that hadn't seen a brush in years. He was a hulking figure, with a wild mane of hair that framed his scarred face, and his clothes were a patchwork of leather and metal plates, giving him a rather fearsome appearance.

"So, you're that brat, huh?" Gore spat, his voice dripping with disdain. "I don't really like bounty hunters on my island, boy."

Raiden raised an eyebrow, a smirk playing on his lips. "Your island?" he repeated mockingly. "I didn't realize this island belonged to any pirate. I don't think the marines would appreciate that."

The captain's sneer deepened, but before he could respond, Raiden continued, "By the way, what's with that scar? Did you get it from picking your nose too hard? Or was it from trying to comb that rat's nest you call hair? Seriously, how in the world does every single one of you have a scar? Do you guys draw it on each other?"

A few dock workers nearby stifled their laughter, and Captain Gore's face reddened with anger and humiliation. He took a step forward, his hand resting on the hilt of his cutlass. "You think you're funny, kid?" he growled, his voice low and menacing. "I'll have you know that I don't take kindly to insults."

Raiden chuckled, unfazed. "Oh, I'm sure you don't. But seriously, that cranial capacity of yours—did you ever get it checked? I'm sure teeth aren't the only thing you're missing."

Captain Gore's eyes blazed with fury, and he let out a menacing laugh, though it was clear he was anything but amused. "You've got guts, I'll give you that," he said, his voice shaking with barely controlled rage. "But unfortunately for you, I'll have to kill you too. I was going to do it swiftly, but now..." He paused, his face contorting into a psychotic grin. "Now, I'm going to enjoy torturing you."

Raiden's smirk didn't waver. "Oh, I'm shaking in my boots," he said sarcastically. "Cliche much?"

Captain Gore's laugh turned into a deranged cackle. "You won't be laughing for long, kid. I'll make sure of that."

'Hehe. That was fun. I get why those anime characters trash talked before fighting.' Raiden giggled mentally.

Raiden took a step back, casually loosening his shoulders. "We'll see about that," he replied coolly. "But if you're going to start a fight, let's at least make it interesting."

Captain Gore drew his cutlass with a flourish, the blade glinting menacingly in the sunlight. It was a broad, serrated weapon, designed for maximum pain rather than efficiency. "Interesting? Oh, it'll be interesting, alright you little shit," he said, his voice dripping with sadistic glee. "I'll make sure you scream for mercy before I'm done with you."

Raiden's eyes narrowed, and his expression hardened. "You've got a lot of confidence for someone about to get their ass handed to them," he said, his tone deadly serious. "Let's see if you can back up all that talk you mutt brain."

Gore's face scrunched. Even he was taken aback by the sudden change in his demeanor.

He shook his head and grinned back ashe took a step forward, his blade unsheathed. "Oh, I'll back it up, alright," he said. "And when I'm done with you, there won't be enough left to recognize."

The two stood facing each other, the tension in the air palpable. The onlookers watched in hushed anticipation, knowing they were about to witness a brutal confrontation. The salty sea breeze carried the scent of anticipation and fear, mingling with the sweat and grime of the dockworkers who had paused their labors to witness the spectacle.

Captain Gore's men formed a loose circle around the two combatants, their eyes gleaming with a mixture of excitement and bloodlust. They knew their captain's reputation well and were eager to see him in action. Gore, a lunatic killer who managed to keep a veneer of sanity, had a twisted enjoyment for such moments, where he could let his psychotic tendencies shine. That was the entire reason he became a pirate.

Raiden, on the other hand, simply pulled out one of his swords casually and stared at the man.

Gore sneered at Raiden and began taunting him. "I hope you're ready, brat. I don't want you to die quickly. Here I co-"

"Oi, oi! Raiden! The fuck are you doing?! Can't you go a single day without fighting, you fucking lunatic?!" Ronan's voice boomed across the docks, cutting Gore off and drawing everyone's attention.

"Wh-what is that thing?!" One of Gore's men shrieked in horror and backed off.

"I-I don't know. Is that a fin?" Another one said, pointing at the blade like appendages on Ronan's arms.

Ronan turned towards the men and glared at them. "Yeah, it is. You got a problem with that?"

"N-no!" The man quickly backed off. He didn't want to anger the unknown creature.

Raiden looked at him friend and yelled. "Damn it, Ronan! What in the world are you doing here?! I told you to hide." He said with a frown.

Ronan waves his concerns off, "Don't worry. These humans are too weak to catch me. And you guys! If any of you interfere, I'll kill you myself!"

Gore's men exchanged uneasy glances but stayed where they were. They knew better than to challenge this unknown creature's warning. None of them wanted to throw away their lives.

'A fishman?! What in the world is a fishman doing with this brat?' Gore was on high alert. He didn't know much about fishmen in general, but he knew for the fact that they were significantly more powerful than humans. Not a single crewmate of his stood a chance against him.

'Tch. Let's just hope he doesn't interfere. I don't want to have to fight that thing.' He clicked his tongue and turned his attention back to Raiden.

A twisted grin spread across his face as he pointed his cutlass at Raiden. "Let's see if you can handle this, brat."

With a swift and sudden movement, Gore launched himself at Raiden, his cutlass arcing through the air with terrifying speed. Raiden barely had time to react, dodging the strike by a hair's breadth.

Raiden's heart pounded as he realized just how fast Gore was. 'That was close,' he thought, his smirk fading into a serious expression. He pulled out his second sword, ready to meet the challenge head-on.

[Title Pirate Hunter is Activated.]

[All stats increased by 10% for the duration of the combat.]

[Fear debuff application failed due to target's madness.]

Gore's men gasped in astonishment. "He dodged it?!" someone whispered. Others murmured their disbelief, their eyes wide as they watched Raiden square off against their captain.

On the sidelines, Ronan watched intently, his eyes narrowing. 'That guy's fast,' he thought, his concern for Raiden clear. 'If he doesn't get serious, this could get complicated.'

Raiden adjusted his grip on his swords, his eyes locked on Gore. He could feel the excitement of the challenge building within him. He needed to sharpen his skills, and this fight was the perfect opportunity.

Gore's grin twisted into a snarl as he realised what was going through the boy's head. And that pissed him off. "Stop playing games, kid!" he yelled, his voice echoing across the docks. "Take this seriously, or I'll cut you down where you stand!"

With that, Gore lunged forward, his cutlass moving in a brutal, relentless flurry. Raiden met him head-on, his swords moving with precision and accuracy to counter Gore's wild, powerful strikes. The clash of steel rang out, creating a cacophony that resonated through the air.

Much to Gore's astonishment, Raiden's physical strength was on par with him. It was a hard pill to swallow, but he was glad that his anger prevented him from holding back. Things could've turned ugly if he did.

'What a madman. He's hurting himself with those strikes.' Raiden dodged a downward slash and jumped back. He could feel Gore getting more and more restless. His already wild fighting style became even more unpredictable, all the while Raiden steadily began staking small blows over him.

Gore growled in frustration. By now, he had realised that Raiden was using the fight to improve his skills. His strikes became even more vicious, each one aimed to end the duel swiftly. But Raiden was ready for him. He anticipated Gore's movements, adapting to the captain's brutal style.

The dockworkers and Gore's men watched in awe. The speed and intensity of the duel were unlike anything they had ever seen. Most of them couldn't even keep up with the speed.

'DAMNIT! WHY. CAN'T. I. HIT. THIS. LITTLE. SHIT.' Gore cursed inwardly. Sweat dripped from his brow as he fought with all his might, but Raiden's calm demeanor never wavered.

There was a big, yet simple problem with the kind of fighting style Gore had. Unlike Raiden, who was simply deflecting or dodging his strikes and swiftly slashed him whenever he got a chance, Gore performed each strike with the intent to kill. He was swinging his sword with all his might, that was sapping away his stamina very fast.

On the other hand, Raiden took advantage of every opening, every misstep, gradually wearing down his opponent. Gore's wild, reckless attacks were starting to slow, his movements becoming more erratic as exhaustion set in.

"DAMNIT! DIE YOU FUCKING BRAT!" Gore's frustration boiled over as he realized he couldn't overwhelm Raiden. With a roar, he swung his cutlass with all his strength, aiming to break through Raiden's defenses.

'Fuck!' Raiden's eyes widened as he barely managed to block the heavy strike. He met Gore's strike with a powerful parry, the force of the impact sending a shockwave through the air.

Unfortunately for the pirate captain, the momentary clash left him off balance. Due to his aggressive fighting style, he could not balance himself right after the clash.

His foot slipped on the slick dock, and he stumbled. It was a small mistake, but in a fight this intense, it was all Raiden needed. With lightning speed, Raiden seized the opportunity. He stepped forward, his sword flashing through the air, and drove it straight into Gore's heart.

"Argh!"

Gore's eyes widened in shock and pain. His mind raced as he tried to process what had just happened. 'No... I was going to enter the Grand Line... Conquer it... How could this brat—this kid—end me here?' The disbelief was etched on his face as he gasped, his cutlass falling from his grasp. 'I am Captain Gore... I've killed so many... And now I'm the one who's been cut down?'

"Nice fight, old man. Now, enjoy your time in hell." With that, Raiden twisted the blade, ensuring the fatal blow, before pulling his sword free.

Gore collapsed to the ground, blood pooling around him. His thoughts became more fragmented, a sense of dread creeping in. 'This boy... He's a monst-'

Raiden didn't even give him the chance to articulate his last thoughts. With a quick flick of his sword, he ended the man's life, ending the reign of Gore.

[Pirate Captain Gore killed. 1200 AP received.]

'Geez. I forgot I had [Observe]. Hah! Forget it. The fight would've been the same anyway.' Raiden shook his head and swiped the notification screen away.

A stunned silence fell over the docks. Gore's men stared in disbelief, their fear of their captain being replaced by the realization that he was no more. The dockworkers exchanged uneasy glances, unsure of what to do next.

Ronan came up to Raiden, eyes gleaming with satisfaction. "So, what do you want to do with the body?" he asked, glancing at the lifeless form of Captain Gore.

Raiden grinned and wiped the blood off his sword. "Wait for me on the ship," he said. "I'll take care of this."

With a swift motion, Raiden picked up Gore's body and turned to face the pirate captain's men. His eyes were cold, devoid of any mercy. "Get lost," he growled. "Unless you want to end up like your captain."

Gore's men, now leaderless and terrified, scrambled to comply. They didn't need to be told twice. Raiden watched them flee before he began making his way back to the marine base, carrying Gore's body over his shoulder.

The marine base was buzzing with activity when Raiden arrived. As he walked through the entrance, an officer who had seen him earlier that day nearly dropped his paperwork in shock.

"You again? What the hell—" the officer started, but his words trailed off when he saw the corpse slung over Raiden's shoulder. His eyes widened in horror. "Is that…?"

"Captain Gore," Raiden confirmed, a smirk playing on his lips. "I'm here to claim his bounty."

The officer's face paled. "W-wait here," he stammered before rushing off to find Kuroda.

A few moments later, Kuroda appeared, flanked by a few other marines. His eyes narrowed as he took in the sight of Raiden and the dead pirate captain. "You're back already?" he asked, disbelief evident in his voice.

Raiden shrugged and unceremoniously dumped Gore's body on the floor. "Not my fault. He tried to kill me. Obviously I can't let him do that, can I?" he replied. "Now, I believe there's a bounty of 13 million bellies with my name on it."

Kuroda stared at Gore's body for a long moment with a frown before sighing and nodding slowly. "You've got guts, kid," he said. "Follow me."

He led Raiden to a back room where the bounty rewards were processed. After verifying Gore's identity, Kuroda handed Raiden a sack of money.

"10 million bellies," Kuroda said. "We aren't allowed to give the complete amount in case the pirate is dead. This is all we can give you."

Raiden took the sack with a nod. "Pleasure doing business with you," he said, turning to leave.

Kuroda watched him go, his gaze lingering on the young warrior's back as he exited the marine base. Once Raiden was out of sight, Kuroda called the officer from before, whom he had sent to observe Raiden. The man hurried over, still looking shaken from the earlier encounter.

"Did Gore rat us out?" Kuroda asked, his voice low and tense.

The officer shook his head quickly. "No, sir. The madman was so engrossed in the battle that he wasn't even thinking straight. He didn't mention anything."

Kuroda sighed in relief, his shoulders relaxing slightly. "Good," he whispered, more to himself than to the officer. "Let's hope that brat never comes back to this island."

The officer nodded in agreement, and Kuroda turned back to his duties, a sense of unease still lingering in the air. The encounter with Raiden had shaken him more than he cared to admit.

He knew the boy was strong, it's not like he was trying to hide it. But this was unbelievable. Even Kuroda himself could barely defeat Gore and the boy seemed to have defeated him next to no effort.

Kuroda sighed and looked at the secret stash of bellies he had saved up. "I should apply for a transfer. I don't want to stay here anymore."

_____

When Raiden returned to the ship, Ronan was waiting for him, leaning casually against the mast. "How'd it go?" he asked.

Raiden tossed the sack of money to him. "We're richer by 12 million bellies," he said with a grin. "Let's get out of here."

Ronan caught the sack and laughed. "You never cease to amaze me, Raiden," he said. "Where to next?"

Raiden glanced back at the island, then out to the open sea. "We've wasted enough time here," Raiden said firmly. "Let's get back on track to Shimotsuki Village."

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