Opavia

72.

"stay back." zoro ordered vitani. he gritted his teeth. "he called me out. now step back."

vitani stepped back beside kierra who grabbed her, shaking.

zoro drew his swords, slicing where the man recently stood. he looked up, his hand above zoro. he slammed it down, vitani throwing zoro out the way. he left a paw sized hole in the ground, vitani panting.

"move!" she threw zoro aside as kuma attacked them again with his paw.

"what is he doing?!" franky yelled.

"i can't even see what he's doing!" nami snapped. "what's going on?" zoro attempted to attack him again, Kuma simply placing his hand up. it reflected off of it, hitting a stray building.

"stay out the way!" vitani snapped.

"he's got the paw paw fruit." kierra explained.

"indeed." kuma hummed. "i ate the paw paw fruit and become a paw-palm human."

"a what?!" sanji yelled.

"how can he say that with a straight face? that's the most ridiculous devil fruit i've ever heard of." usopp scoffed.

"if this guy's just got kitten hands, then what the hell are we worried about?" franky hummed. "i mean, there's no way he could be one of the seven warl-" a paw-shaped attack pierced through his stomach and sent him back, kierra gasping.

"kuma, stop this!" vitani roared.

"i'm disappointed cyborg franky. if that's the extent of your power you should give up."

"hey!" vitani yelled up at him. "leave them alone! you know me and kierra, my dad saved your damn life!" she punched his leg, having little to no effect. "leave them alone!"

he suddenly rocked, planting his feet into the
ground.

"i show no mercy."

"vitani!" kierra yelled as she disappeared, the paws spewing from his hand. zoro attempted to slice him, his attack being reflected back. kuma appeared behind him, his hand hovering above him.

"that's as far as you'll get!" sanji flipped forward and kicked him, sanji holding his leg in pain. he collapsed, screaming.

"sanji!" kierra ran forward.

"i take it you're black leg sanji." he rubbed his chin. "i expected more from you."

"you guys stop!" vitani cried. usopp fired a star at him.

"the king of snipers steps to plate." it deflected off of him. "a tittle you clearly gave yourself."

"leave them alone!" kierra roared. vitani stood before him as he raised his hand over zoro and sanji. she placed her hand up to hold him back, kuma narrowing his eyes.

"move." he ordered. vitani pressed her head against his finger. she shook, collapsing and bowing down.

"leave them alone!" she strained. "leave us! please."

he leaned back and created a large bubble shaped like a paw, his hands pulsating as it shrunk. vitani slowly stood and eased back, kuma seeming to pay her no mind.

"he's compressing that air pressure into his hands!" robin yelled. "it'll set off like a bomb!"

"kuma!" vitani cried as he formed the ball. he stopped once finished, turning towards the villagers.

"i've thought it over and i've made a decision. i will spare your lives. but to do so, you must give me the head of straw hat luffy." vitani froze. "if i return with him, that should be enough to satisfy the government."

"we won't betray our own captain." usopp hummed.

"now then, hand him over before i change my mind." he hummed.

"never!" the people roared. kuma narrowed his eyes, unlocking the orb in his hand.

"this was your choice." he muttered, opening the paw as it floated forward, kierra throwing up a wall desperately.

"get down!" vitani roared.

"now suffer the ersa shock." they flew back as the light overtook the entire island, ceasing after a few moments.

vitani closed her eyes as he walked past her and approached luffy, kierra completely unconscious. he picked luffy up, zoro suddenly slicing through his shoulder. it revealed a piece of medal.

"so you're a cyborg like franky?" zoro muttered as he opened his mouth. he fired a beam, throwing zoro back in the air. vitani strained, finding her leg stuck under zeze's body.

"a cyborg? i suppose you can say that. but my medal parts are all i have in common with your friend, franky. i'm a creature known as a pacifista."

"a pacifista huh." zoro whispered. "so you're a weapon and you've got devil fruit powers. i'm starting to think you've got an advantage over me..." he panted. "well this is embarrassing. my body's shuttin' down. i can't move." he paused. "but the only way you'll back down is if we give you luffy's head."

"and vitani." he responded. "that is the only compromise i'm willing to offer."

"you want a head? then i'll give you a head." zoro leaned forward. "but i can't give you their's. i may not have the same bounty on my head as them but i swear to you i am going to be the best swordsman the world has ever known."

"you have such ambition yet you're willing to give up your life here."

"what's the point of ambition if i can't even save my crew?" zoro snapped. "luffy is the man who will become king of the pirates!"

"you're real cute, stop tryin' to show me up." sanji snapped. "what about your dreams? you can't accomplish anything you stubborn fool. take my head." he shook infront of zoro. "i may not be a problem now but you'll regret not killing me now. black leg sanji." he shook. "go ahead and get it over with. the only head you're taking is mine. do me a favor." sanji closed his eyes. "tell everyone i'm sorry i couldn't say goodbye. looks like you'll have to find a new cook.-"

zoro slammed his sword into sanji's waist, sanji slowly collapsing before him. zoro
closed his eyes, tears falling from vitani's cheeks.

"show me you've got some honor." zoro threw his swords forward.

kuma sighed. "you made it so i can't even touch straw hat or vitani. not unless i shame myself."

"then you've got my respect."

"if that's what you want, i give you my word. i won't take straw hat's head. but if you're intent on taking his place then you will
experience a living hell." he lifted straw hat's physical exhaustion and pain into a paw shape from his body. "this is the agony he had during the battle with moria. here, have a taste." he smacked a small piece of the bubble forward, vitani shooting infront of him. she screamed out in pain as it pierced her stomach, shaking violently as she collapsed on the ground.

"vitani!" he yelled.

"vitani." he spoke as she froze. "the lightning goddess. the exact replication of t'kai's cold heart." he picked her up. "you must be somebody for her to have protected you."

"you swore." zoro gritted his teeth. kuma hummed and dropped vitani, turning to zoro.