The tunnel felt like it was caving in, metal plates ripped from the walls and ceiling as Yorozu forged them into a massive wrecking ball, its surface gleaming in the dim light. She swung it by its chain, rage twisting her features.
"DIE!!" She screamed, hurling the monstrous weapon toward them.
"Dismantle!" Ryomen tried to slash at the chain, but a second layer of metal instantly reinforced it, rendering his attack useless.
"Bone Balloon!" Luffy bit into his thumb and inflated, preparing to ricochet the incoming wrecking ball. But in an instant, spikes erupted from its surface.
'She's adapting to our attacks!' The same realization hit the Straw Hats at once—this wasn't going to be easy.
Thinking fast, Luffy deflated, transferring the air to his arm instead, swelling it to an enormous size. He grabbed every one of his crewmates and hurled them skyward, freeing them from the liquid metal floor.
"Ryomen!" Luffy shouted, his massive arm reaching for him.
"Yeah!" Ryomen grabbed hold, yanking Luffy toward him before swinging him like a slingshot toward the two CP9 agents.
"Gomu Gomu no…Gigant Pistol!" Luffy roared, his enormous fist hurtling toward Lucci.
Lucci grinned, his Haki-coated arm meeting the punch head-on. The impact sent a shockwave through the tunnel, shaking the air itself.
'What…?' Lucci's eyes widened as a faint tremor ran through his arm.
Further away, Yorozu stood unfazed, the wind from the shockwave barely registering to her.
"That won't save you! There's nowhere to run from me!!" She declared, the wrecking ball swinging back toward them as the ceiling shifted, spears of metal plunging down.
"Three-Sword Style—Tatsu Maki!" Zoro's blades began to carve through the spears like a tornado, as Sanji followed up with a blazing spinning kick. "Flame Dance!"
But even as they fought off the aerial assault, Usopp's heart sank as he saw the wrecking ball speeding toward him.
"A little help!?" He shouted, but the others were too occupied. Fighting in midair made it nearly impossible for them to reach him.
His pulse pounded. The attack was coming too fast.
'No…I can do this!' His teeth clenched, his mind sharpening with sudden clarity. Time slowed, and in his vision, distorted points flickered across the wrecking ball's surface. "After all…I'm the Straw Hats Sniper!!"
"Gunpowder Star!" He fired an explosive shot straight at one of the points.
The explosion hit dead center, and the wrecking ball veered off course, its deadly spikes grazing past his nose.
"I…I did it!!" Usopp grinned, thrusting his arms up in victory—
Only for Yorozu to yank the chain, sending the wrecking ball rocketing back toward him.
"AAAHHH!!" Usopp's triumphant shout turned into a scream of terror.
"Usopp!" Ryomen dived toward the weapon, urgency burning in his eyes.
Landing on it, he ignored the searing pain as spikes pierced into his legs and palm. He pressed his hand against the metal surface.
"Cleave!"
The wrecking ball crumbled to dust a split second before it could hit Usopp.
Usopp let out a shaky breath, nodding in gratitude. "You…are a lifesaver."
YOU ARE READING
Cursed Seas and Slashing Tides
FanfictionRyomen lived a life of imprisonment. After finally tasting freedom, he decides to join Luffy on his quest to become the Pirate King. Will he fulfill his own dream, or will he give up on his thirst for revenge in exchange for the people he now sees a...
