The Blind Brawler [ Roronoa Zoro X OC]

Chapter 10

I gritted my teeth and tightened the sash around my waist, wincing as my ribs were secured under the cloth, "This'll have to do for now. I can't leave this fight here. It's time to end this!"

The swordsman must have noticed the pain in my expression, "Hey, you alright?"

"I'll manage," I curled my hands into tight fists and a dull ache ran across my knuckles, "Don't worry yourself over me. Focus on the task at hand," He only grunted in response as we readied ourselves for another bout.

The cold grating voice of Isamu filled the Hall, "Kaori, give it up. You were beaten before you even started! You have no hope of winning now, and you never will. No matter how many pirates you ally with."

I lowered my head, "Maybe you're right, Isamu."

"Kaori?!" Zoro and Luffy both sputtered in surprise. I ignored them.

"Maybe I was beaten before I came. Maybe this will be the end of me, but," I raised my head and straightened my back, "A Korudosuton would never turn down a fight because of a few 'maybe's," I felt the piercing glare of the tyrannical man's eyes as rage rolled off of him in waves. I smirked, "After you," I gestured to the two pirates on either side of me. The two men bolted toward Isamu and, with a new sense of determination, I followed close behind them.

Luffy made the first move, "Gomu Gomu no Pistol!" The eerie sound of his rubber skin stretching filled my ears as he sent his fist flying toward Isamu.

The ex-pirate threw up his arm and easily blocked the blow, "You're going to have to do better than that, Strawhat," Isamu taunted the rubber man. The crash of metal against marble grated on my ears as Zoro swung his deadly blades and missed his target. Isamu stumbled back with a grunt, giving away his position to me. I took the opportunity and leapt over the ex-pirate, landing a solid kick into the center of his back before he could dodge it, knocking him off balance and sending him forward toward Luffy and Zoro. Isamu used the momentum from my attack to send a wild blow toward the pirates, but it was clumsy and easy for them to avoid.

Isamu regained his footing and turned on me. I barely had time to twist away from his fist before it made a crater in the floor. Unfortunately, my busted ribs could not handle the jarring movement and the pain sent me to the floor. I tasted blood on the back of my tongue as my body was shaken by another coughing fit.

The sound of footsteps rapidly approaching caught my ear, "Kaori!" Zoro sprinted toward me as Isamu turned. The hiss of metal grinding filled the room as the swordsman caught the ex-pirate's fist between his blades, "Kaori, move! Now! Gah!" Zoro groaned as the ex-pirate broke through his block.

I scrambled out of the way, biting my lip against the pain ripping through my torso. The swordsman grabbed a hold of my wrist and half led, half dragged me to the other side of the room away from Isamu. I heard Luffy get behind us to attack the larger man and give us time to get away. I managed to pull my arm free of Zoro's grip, "What are you doing?" I hollered at him.

"Saving your life. I was going to let you keep fighting, but you're just getting in our way now. Your injuries are slowing you down too much. Just leave this fight to us," He growled and turned, running back to the fight.

I gritted my teeth and curled my fists, despite the pain it caused, "There is no way I'm just going to stand on the sidelines."

~*^<:>^*~

"Just leave this fight to us," I warned her. Before she could answer, I turned and ran to my captain's aide. The rubber man was panting when I came up to his side, "You alright, Luffy?"

"Yeah," He gasped, "But none of my attacks are working! He just keeps blocking me!"

I gritted my teeth, "Kaori said that his Buranku Buranku no mi power can make you forget your skills and techniques as you try to use them, but there has got to be more to it than that. He's probably making us blank out on our ability to read his movements in battle. That's the only thing that makes sense."