Cursed Seas and Slashing Tides

Growing Ambitions

Ryomen's eyes burned with quiet fury as he faced Bellamy and his crew. "What the hell do you think you're doing here?"

Bellamy’s grin turned smug when he recognized Ryomen. "Oh? The coward’s still alive. Guess it makes sense you’d be hanging around losers like him." He sneered, gesturing at Cricket.

"Move aside, or I'll knock you down like last time." His grin widened, his crew laughing in mockery behind him.

“C’mon, Bellamy, let’s just beat him down already.” Sarquiss said, cracking his knuckles.

Masira and Shoujou stepped forward, fists raised. “We won’t let you!”

Cricket raised a hand to hold them back. “Don’t be reckless.” He warned, though his eyes gleamed with resolve.

Ryomen calmly stepped forward, his tone dangerous yet measured. “I’ll handle this.”

Cricket shot him a worried glance. “Kid, these guys aren’t pushovers.”

Sarquiss sneered as he rushed forward. “You should listen to your friend, or haven’t you had enough of a beating already?”

Before Sarquiss could finish his taunt, Ryomen was already in front of him, his movements impossibly fast. With a single, effortless strike, he slammed Sarquiss into the ground, creating a crater under his body. The impact left the entire area silent, stunned by the sheer force.

Cricket stared in disbelief, a grin tugging at the corners of his mouth. “Maybe...These fools can actually pull it off.” He muttered.

Ryomen turned his gaze to Bellamy, his tone colder than before. “Luffy won’t mind if I take care of this. After all, you’re standing in the way of his dream.”

Bellamy’s bravado faltered, but anger quickly replaced his fear. "Don’t get cocky just because you got lucky!" He snarled, gesturing for his crew to attack.

They charged at Ryomen in unison, but he dodged their blows with ease, countering each strike with precise, devastating hits. In moments, they were all unconscious, littering the ground around him.

“You!” Bellamy’s voice was raw with fury. "Spring Snipe!"

With his feet transforming into springs, Bellamy shot toward Ryomen like a bullet.

"Watch out! That's the Bane Bane no Mi's power!" Cricket warned, but Ryomen was already ahead of him. He sidestepped the attack easily and delivered a swift kick that sent Bellamy skidding across the ground.

As Ryomen towered over Bellamy, his four eyes gleaming ominously, the cocky pirate's mask of arrogance finally cracked. "W-What are you?"

Ryomen's voice dropped, dangerously calm. "Leave. We don’t have time for this.”

Bellamy, still struggling to stand, growled through clenched teeth. "What’s more important than this?"

“Getting to Sky Island.” Ryomen replied coldly before turning his back on Bellamy, walking toward Cricket.

Bellamy’s fists clenched, his whole body shaking with rage. He wanted to attack, to prove Ryomen wrong—but some primal instinct in his gut screamed at him to stop. If he made another move, Ryomen wouldn’t hesitate to kill him.

With shame thick in the air, Bellamy and his crew limped away, defeated both physically and mentally.

Cricket shook his head, chuckling. “Thanks, kid. I could’ve handled it.”

Ryomen shot him a sidelong glance. “Then why didn’t you?”

Cricket shrugged, a smirk playing on his lips. “Looked like you wanted practice.”