KAIZOKU: KIMETSU NO YAIBA ||One Piece x Kimetsu no Yaiba||

CHAPTER 18 - Nightmares: Part 2

CHAPTER 18 - Nightmares: Part 2

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Heavy rocks rolled down the road that conjoined the neighbourhood with the castle. The night finally began. There was no time to dodge. Zoro moved ahead and cut down the first one in front with his Shusui. Kanao jumped high above, after him. No sign of the perpetrator in her sight.

"360 Pound Phoenix!"

The large stones hacked into pieces. Zoro passed through the debris dodging using his Observation Haki. He looked around.

"Any sign?" he asked. Kanao landed back. She shook her head.

The barrage of the large boulders was the beginning of their obstacles. As they walked uphill, a small bridge connected their path ahead. A small river flowed below. Fast currents. The bridge had no guard rails. It seemed shaky and was a risk.

Kanao walked ahead and crossed the bridge with ease. Her balance was top-notch. Zoro had to double-think before making the attempt. He hadn't much trouble and wasn't bad in his balance compared to Kanao. He was halfway when he looked below. The drop was dangerous. The river would've swept them away if there should've been any mistakes. Someone must've wanted visitors away from reaching the castle.

Kanao made it to the other side and waited for Zoro to arrive. He was midway, taking it slow. The moon was bright. Kanao observed its magnificence. In her view, she found something hovering in front of the moon making a silhouette. It seemed to be static at a point until she noticed that it grew bigger moving towards their way. As the distance grew closer, she realised that the object dashed towards Zoro.

"Zoro-san!" Kanao shouted.

The Pirate Hunter sensed the presence. It rushed towards him at full speed. There was no place to dodge on the shaky bridge. The flying object swooped past him, forcing him to lose balance. Zoro managed to grab onto the bridge ledge, bobbing up and down from the suspension. Kanao observed a bat-like creature fly overhead. She couldn't interpret it, declaring it a demon. It was hostile and sentient.

Zoro couldn't observe the foe, being busy trying to get back up. It was a miracle he hadn't dropped his Shusui, but he would've let go of the bridge if he had lost his sword into the waters below. Kanao rushed to the bridge's end and shouted for him to hurry. Zoro got back up and gave his fastest to get to the other. The test for crossing the bridge was a trick against impatience. The bat must've been associated with those tumbling rocks and the devising of the hostile bridge, Zoro assumed, inciting fury to confront it. As the bat returned back, he decided to make a stand, He aimed his Shusui upon the incoming enemy.

"One Sword Style..." he waited until it was in range.

Kanao observed that the bat-creature changed direction. Zoro followed, releasing his attack.

"Bird Dance!" The Flying-blade attack swooped but missed, thanks to the enemy's zig-zag movements. The bat rushed for the bridge's edge finding Kanao. The latter hacked her blade upon contact, ripping off a segment of its left wing. The enemy screeched in pain. Kanao confirmed it as a demon as smoke emitted from its wounds. She was quite surprised at its enormous size found upon close range. She realised her terror when the bat managed to cut down the bridge's ropes whilst its previous dive. The ropes were in their last legs, each strand tearing off with the bridge's weight. Kanao rushed ahead and grabbed the bridge after the remaining strands snapped off. Zoro tumbled and survived once again from falling over. He observed Kanao's struggle in holding the bridge on her own. The swordsman withdrew his Shusui, and began moving sideways with his arms. Kanao heaved with her face turning red, trying her best to hold the bridge. The bat had regenerated its cut-down wing and made a long turn. Zoro found it turn around the moon. He had to hurry. Falling into the water would put him at a disadvantage, and Kanao wouldn't be able to hold for much longer.