Cursed Seas and Slashing Tides

Uninvited Guest

"It seems you still don't understand your situation." Blueno's uncaring voice echoed across the room.

"You're committing a major crime—on a global scale." His eyes pierced through Luffy and Ryomen.

"We understand that very well…or at least I do." Ryomen replied, sparing a quick glance at Luffy.

"Really? What's this big cow trying to say?" Luffy tilted his head, his curiosity overriding any sense of danger.

"Let me help you understand." Yorozu chimed in, her amused chuckle cutting through the tension.

"Your actions here will draw the ire of nearly two hundred nations!" Her wide, feral grin unsettled even Ryomen.

Luffy's eyes narrowed as he caught her unhinged expression. "Jump!" He shouted.

Without hesitation, Ryomen leapt into the air just as the floor beneath them crumbled inward. Spikes shot upward, forming a jagged bear trap that would've caught them had they stayed a moment longer.

"Of course, that's if you manage to escape here with your lives!" Yorozu's laughter echoed as the trap snapped shut.

"Damn it!" Ryomen cursed as dozens more spikes erupted, hurling toward them in midair.

"Ryomen!" Luffy extended his hand, trying to grab his crewmate, only for a sudden presence to appear beside him.

"If you can't help yourself, it's useless to try and help others." Blueno declared, his fist smashing into Luffy's face. The Straw Hat captain crashed into a nearby pillar, groaning in pain.

"Cursed Dismantle!" Ryomen roared, sending a flurry of slashes toward the spikes. The attack shredded through the incoming threat, flying toward Blueno and Yorozu, forcing them to dodge.

Yorozu barely glanced at the attack before chuckling. "So that's your power? Interesting, but…a slight problem for me at best."

Blueno shot her a disapproving look. "You would've known that if you actually paid attention to my information."

Yorozu smirked, brushing him off. "Maybe you should focus on the fight instead of criticizing me."

"Gomu-Gomu no…"

"Tekkai." Blueno stiffened his body just as Luffy burst from the rubble.

"Rifle!!"

Luffy's fist stretched forward, smashing into Blueno's face and sending him flying across the room. Blood sprayed from the agent's mouth as he crashed into a pillar.

'He…wasn't this strong back at the company!' Blueno thought, struggling to get back up.

"What an idiot." Yorozu sighed, shaking her head. "It seems Lucci and I are the only ones doing anything around here."

"Don't overestimate yourself!" Ryomen scoffed as he charged at her, his extra arms ready to strike.

"Hahaha!! You'll see the truth once your guts are spilling out!" Yorozu's grin widened as she prepared for his attack.

"Cursed dismantle!" Ryomen unleashed another wave of slashes.

"Again?" Yorozu raised an eyebrow as a liquid metal wall sprang up, shielding her.

"Hm?" Yorozu's expression then shifted to mild confusion as a strange, dark energy tore through the wall she had just created.

She sidestepped the black "flames" with ease, her curiosity piqued. 'So, he's coating his attacks with this energy…where does this power come from? My Observation Haki can't seem to dissect it…' She pondered, her interest growing with each second.