Boy With a Scar

Chapter 21: Payment in Blood

A punch to his gut snapped Arlong out of his daze. His breath left his body in an explosive, painful gasp, and he coughed blood. Before he could retaliate, another punch landed onto the side of his face, the force behind it knocking him right off his feet and hurling him directly into the Arlong Park building. Part of its wall collapsed as he crashed through it.

Luffy cracked his knuckles, ignoring the blood dripping through his fingers, still grinning in that half crazy, half amused manner. "And I'm gonna rip your heart out."

A silence that followed his words was deafening. Villagers were too shocked at a sudden appearance of unexpected saviors, and fishmen equality astonished by the easiness the said saviors dispatched their leader and officers.

"You bastard!" one of the fishmen yelled in fury, drawing out a sword. "How dare you hit Arlong-san!"

A few of his crewmates followed his lead and also launched themselves on the black-haired teen, their teeth bared and weapons shimmering under the sun.

The young captain didn't even spare them a glance, his eyes boring into the spot where Arlong laid, hidden under the debris.

"Luffy, watch out!" Usopp shouted in alarm while Zoro and Sanji cursed and got ready to move in.

The blade was only inches away from Luffy's bandana-covered neck when it happened. One second he was there, the next, he was gone. A gust of wind swept up a dust from the ground, scattering it harmfully around the attacking fishmen. And then, they were all blown into different direction, some crash-landing into the water, others smashing into the building or surrounding stone fence.

Usopp eeped when one of the bodies whizzed past him. He turned just in time to see it cleaning up a hostile pirate who tried to sneak up on him. "Whoaaaa..." he breathed out, wiping a sweat from his brow, his eyes still impossibly wide. "That was too close." He looked back to where his captain appeared in his previous spot as if nothing had happened at all.

Zoro smirked, dropping his katana from his mouth into his hand. He knew his chosen captain was strong, but his prowess still impressed him every time. And, damn. It seemed that he would finally see Luffy getting real serious in the fight. An excitement bubbled in his chest as he watched the boy raising a questioning eyebrow at the fishmen, taunting them wordlessly.

"Shitty captain..." Sanji mumbled under his breath. "I worry only about ladies!" he exclaimed more to himself than anyone else. He frowned at the still smoldering cigarette on the ground. His hand absentmindedly reached inside his suit and pulled out a pack of cigarettes, taking and lighting a new one. He blew out a cloud of smoke, observing some of the pirates actually taking a step back from his captain when the latter smiled darkly.

"You cheated, humans!" someone screamed.

"They didn't see you coming!"

"That's right!" another voice agreed. "They weren't prepared!"

"Just wait till they retaliate!"

"Despicable humans!"

Luffy chuckled. It was a quiet and soft laugh, but somehow it got carried through the whole Arlong Park, successfully shutting the enemy crew. "We're pirates, you idiots," the rubber boy said, his tone full of mirth. "We aren't compelled to play by the rules if we don't want to."

A splash of water perturbed the newly set silence when Kuroobi pulled himself out of the water, sneering hatefully at his blond assailant. Chew also staggered to his feet, his baleful gaze fixed on Usopp.

"Straw Hat..."

Luffy shot a glance over his shoulder at Hachi, just a brief turn of his head, before he was staring at the rubble again. "Johnny, Yosaku," he called out.