Newbie's Skill

Forty-One

"What a splendid performance," Ivankov cheered as I caught up to him and Luffy and the others.

"Hell yeah. You told those Marines," a crewmate of mine smirked. "You even made some of them resign as a Mairne." My eyes hardened at the reminder.

"It wasn't my intention," I confessed. Luffy looked at me.

"We can talk about it later," he offered. I nodded my head in agreement.

"We're coming, Ace," I said. I had to show Luffy that I was just as much of a little brother to Ace as he was. I wanted Luffy to see us as equals. That was my goal. The Admirals were distracted by Pops now after my little stunt. The platform was wide open.

"Go, Luffy-Boy! We'll take it from here," Ivankov said. Ivankov and I defended the ramp that a guy with sciscor hands cut up from the ground. Someone threw Ace's cuff keys up to him as Sengoku was transforming. My eyes immediately shot to a gleam.

"Kizaru, that bastard," I growled. I hopped up, darting up the ramp. I needed to risk everything to wait for Ace to get uncuffed. That meant body blocking it. I turned on my armament haki and took the first two blasts. For some reason, the shots of lights going through my body hadn't crossed my mind. I coughed up blood, but I stood strong for the two on the platform. Luffy had punched his grandfather, Garp, off of the path leading to Ace, so now it was my turn to do anything for Ace. "Imperium!" I shouted, taking swords, clubs, guns, axes, etc. all for one counted on blow.

The weapons collided around Kizaru, but it gave him no damage. As I figured. I was bested by a vice admiral from behind, yanking me back by my ankle. He threw me down onto the stone ground, and the impact made my back arch and blood splattered from my mouth. I had to get up. Ace...

"Ashlo-Boy!" Ivankov gasped. A bigger man with a spiked club came closer until he towered over me. The sadistic grin on his face made me sick to my stomach. The dust flooded my senses, and I couldn't stop coughing, no matter how much it hurt. I had two of Kizaru's light shots go through my abdomen, a burnt shoulder from Akainu, and broken ribs from the vice admirals. Tears went down my face as the club came down, connecting with my body, and I cried out in agony. Just the sheer weight of that thing being on top of me hurt. My vision was blury. No. I was not going to die here.

"Ace..." I mumbled. I pulled myself together in time to manage to barely dodge the second impact. My head snapped up as a result of hearing an explosion.

"All right! We got 'em!"

"Did we get them?" I barely got up on my feet as Sengoku approached me.

"Aaaace!" I cried.

"The only objective left is your execution," Sengoku announced. My tears endlessly fell from my eyes. "Then, justice will be served today."