Bonds of Flame

[oblivion]

Two of the crewmembers ended being knocked out by the young kid’s simply attacks. Taro and the captain are the only ones that remain standing.

The captain is in a state of shock and cannot move. He has a faceless expression that can be easily confused for the face of a zombie. Even the color white is darker than his skin and the skin also looks like it has had all the water sucked out of the body. He had never ever seen a devil fruit user of such a high level. Also, no one before had either defeated him and the crew so easily, they always struggled and still lost to them. In a way the captain has been defeated because he is just an open target for the kid to strike down.

As for Taro, he is not surprise since from the very beginning he opposed the kid and wanted him off the ship, by force if necessary. However, the others did not believe him when he told them about the kid not being an innocent punk, now they are all paying the price. Looking at the captain he grins and takes out his gun, than he shoots the captain right on the back of his head. “If you’re wondering why I did that, it’s simply, the only reason I was with this crew was so I could get to the Grand Line and start to form my own strong crew. However, after our defeat in the Grand Line and now here there is no point.” Taro takes out a vial and pops off the cap. Then he starts to run toward the kid with the vial on one hand and the cutlass on the other hand.

When he gets within a few yards he throws the vial toward the kid which contains sea water to neutralize the power of devil fruit users like that of a logia on a certain spot of their body. Then with his right hand he prepares to stab the kid on the area that the sea water landed on.

[❰ Misha ❱]

Auron was busy preparing an attack on the 3rd pirate when he saw the man draw a pistol and shoot the man whom Auron assumed to have been the leader of the group.

“If you’re wondering why I did that, it’s simply, the only reason I was with this crew was so I could get to the Grand Line and start to form my own strong crew. However, after our defeat in the Grand Line and now here there is no point.”

Auron was surprised at the sudden death of the crew leader, but he quickly thought to himself,
= "Thats another one down...One more to go."

Auron started preparing another attack when the man charged at him, surprising him for a second.

The man suddenly drew a bottle and what appeared to be a cheap-looking cutlass sword.

Auron prepared to react when the man swiftly threw the bottle at him, sending it twirling in mid-air at him. Auron tried to guard himself, but it wasn't any use. The bottle smashed into him, splattering him with the contents of it.

It didn't take him long to figure out the contents of the bottle. He started feeling heavy and a little drowsy.
= "Shoot! This is Seawater!"

Auron mentally cursed before the man was upon him with the cutlass aiming to cut him down.

Auron barely escaped the sword, sidestepping out of the way in the nick of time. Auron also noted the increased difficulty that it took to move.

With no time to think, Auron spun around, lifting his leg high in the air for a roughly executed roundhouse kick to the man's head, followed up by a quick jab to the man's rib cage.

[oblivion]

Taro thinks that he will be able to kill the young kid by simply doing this, but this does not happen. The water vial does find its mark and hits the boy, which means that things are going according to plan so far. However, when he goes and swings his cutlass to strike the young kid there is no one there. The kid ended up dodging the attack and Taro just stood there in shock. He could not believe how fast the kid moved, faster than his former captain who he actually did respect. It left him with a ghost face; to him it looked like the kid just disappeared in thin air, than again Taro does not have quick eyesight.

As soon as Taro turns over his left shoulder he gets hit by roundhouse kick to the back of the head and a punch toward the left rib cage making him fall down on the ship’s deck. However, this attack is not good enough to beat him. Taro gets up and looks directly at the eyes of the kid to try and intimidate him. This was actually a mere distraction because Taro reach for a pistol on tied around the back of his waist area and pulls out to shoot the area that covered the young kid with seawater.

[❰ Misha ❱]

Auron's roundhouse kick and punch drove into the man's stomach, but the man immediately rose from the floor as soon as Auron recovered his own stance.

For a few seconds, Auron's body began to shake violently. His body, soaked with Seawater, made it almost impossible to move. Water made the stone that he was made of slippery, making it harder for him to move, and making his logia defense useless.

It was only for a second, that Auron stared into the face of the pirate. It was only for a second, but it was all that Auron needed to show that he wasn't giving up.

For a second, his eyes contained all of the determination and tenacity that flowed through his being at that very moment. Auron would not yield, nor would he be denied. He would fight on until the very last breath and do anything to ensure victory. Auron's bond of fire showed brightly in his eyes, attempting to overwhelm the man with sheer anger and killing intent. The Bond of Flame that burned

It was than that the man pulled out a small pistol and pointed it at Auron. Seconds passed in slow motion. Time seemed to cease to function around Auron as he moved as fast as his legs allowed.

Having the Devil Fruit that turned Auron into a "Stone Human", Auron always was sacrificing speed, making his power come solely from the great amount of physical strength he could muster.

It was this time that Auron relied on that in order to save his life. Instead of running away from the bullet that was seconds away, Auron ran forward. With all the strength he could bring to bear, Auron wound up a fist and brought it full throttle at the pirate's jaw.

For a second, there was nothing, before a sharp pain struck Auron in the lower left side of his ribs.

[oblivion]

Cockiness runs through the devilish veins of Taro, which is why he led out a hysterical laughter after hitting the young kid with his bullet. He sees all the blood on the shirt of the kid and the remains of the ship’s deck. This makes him think that this is all over and the kid is now at his mercy. The laughter could be heard for miles as it shook the ship and the surrounding waves. Even the tears made it look like a storm of rain attacked the ship. Since his eyes are covered and he is not paying attention he did not see what happen next, he just felt it.

A thunderous punch knocked out most of teethes and made a pool of blood pour out from his nose and mouth as he fell to the floor with his eyes nearly rolled back. Taro took his time to back on both of his wobbly feet that barely support him at this point in the fight. The blood is dripping down all over his shirt making it look like it was normally red, not a brown shirt. A cloudy vision took over his eyes and nothing could be distinguished for him. In a way Taro is just an open target to get strike down since he is dizzy and cannot see well.

[❰ Misha ❱]

Auron felt the pain expand from his ribs, becoming near crippling as he delivered the full force of the punch at the man.

Staggering, the man backed up awkwardly, giving Auron a second of reprieve.

Dropping to one knee, Auron looked down at the wound. Auron immediately realized from the size of the wound that it was bad...for the moment. The bullet had hit a lower spot on his ribs, though it didn't seem to have embedded too deep. If he got this treated soon and with a little luck, he wouldn't scar from it and make a full recovery. He seemed to have been lucky that it hadn't cause any permanent damage. Though he was no doctor, Auron made these quick deductions in the span of a couple of seconds.

Auron had no time to mull over his wound though. No, This man had to be killed now so that Auron could move on. Each second was becoming more and more precious to him.

Mustering all of his courage and fortitude, Auron drove through the pain with all the tenacity of a demon.

Auron stumbled a bit from the seawater still making his movements shaky, but he drove through it.

Walking up to the man, clutching his bleeding wound with his left hand, Auron pulled his fist back, before launching it at the pirate with all the force and power of the last one.

[oblivion]

Taro could not believe that he is going to actually lose to a young kid like this. Tears of disgrace came out from his eyes after realizing that his ultimate defeat is just about to happen. When he looks back at the young kid he sees a ray of hope since the kid is also down for the count. Desperately with all the strength he can muster Taro tries to get back up on both of his feet and does momentarily. His desperate attempt is in vain because he quickly collapses back on the deck as his feet give up on him. As he feel Taro smacked his head on the deck which blacked him out for a few seconds.

After finally opening his eyes he looks at the sight of the young kind who is holding his head and is clenching his hand into a fist. A white tunnel appeared before his eyes making him think that this is the gateway to heaven. The illusion is quickly shaken off by him and he looks the kid dead on the eyes while he says, “I will not beg for my life, so just strike me down and get it over with. And don’t worry I will not fight back since I have lost all my strength already.” After saying the most bitter words ever to come from his mouth, Taro closes his eyes and waits for the strike that will end him.

[❰ Misha ❱]

Auron was tired and bleeding, but the last blow struck Taro hard, leaving Auron seeming to be the last man able to stand. Auron might've reveled in his victory, but he chose not to, for one reason only.

Pity. A small amount of it suddenly emerged. The man in front of him had fought hard against Auron's onslaught. There was also a little bit of doubt still remaining and Auron decided to squash that doubt now. He couldn't leave this man without knowing for sure.

Auron walked up to the man and knelt.
- "Tell me now and I might give you a chance to live. Do you know anything about Yuki Kagami? She is sure to have passed this route. It should have been within the last few days. I don't know how long you've been here, but you must've seen something. If you've seen her, tell me which way she went NOW!"

Auron grabbed the man and shook him violently. Auron wanted to kill this man quickly so that he could move on but paused at the thought of it.

Was he willing to become like his sister in order to kill her? Would he forgo his own sanity just to achieve vengeance? These questions came to the forefront of Auron's mind. He'd already resolved to forsake his resistance to murdering others in order to better track Yuki. He had to be able to kill, he had no other choice. Murder was key if he was to find Yuki, it was effective leverage and fast as well, but would it lead to him to becoming insane?

Auron shook the man even harder, and yelled louder at the man. If he couldn't get the truth out of him in time, Auron would kill him.

[oblivion]

After opening his eyes again Taro sees that the young kid has not actually finished him off and appears to be struggling with something. This ray of hope enlightens Taro’s heart as he starts to talk to the young kid trying to convince him that killing is horrible and he should let him go. However, the kid did not respond or anything he just stayed still and asked him if he had seen the girl who he has been looking for. Realizing that he wants is information Taro keeps his mouth shut and closes his eyes as if he were saying that he rather die than ever answer to him.

Once he has closed his eyes Taro points toward the vast sea and opens his eyes along with his bloody mouth. “An island is over their according to my former captain, maybe you can find information there.” Yes he did have a sudden change of heart, this sudden change is because he hopes that maybe by just saying something worth hearing the kid will forget about him and let him live as the kid rushes to pursuit the girl he is looking for. This is his last hope, if this does not work death will fall upon him for sure, a one in a million shot but it is worth it since its dealing with his live.

[❰ Misha ❱]

“An island is over their according to my former captain, maybe you can find information there.”

Auron gazed up from the man over the horizon. Sure enough, a small shadow took shape in the distance.

Turning his attention back to the man, Auron also saw another object off his peripheral vision and quickly decided the man's fate.
- "I've decided ..... to let you live. Thanks for the info."

Auron released his grasp on the man and stood before delivering a swift kick to the man's head, aiming for it to be just hard enough to knock the man out.

Eyeing his raft that still swayed with the current tied to the boat, Auron planned to followed up with a large heave of the man's unconscious body onto the raft and quickly sever the rope, leaving the man to drift along the tide.

With the island just over the horizon, Auron walked over to the steering wheel. It wouldn't get him very far, but perhaps the tide would grant him a safe way of getting to the island without having to risk falling overboard with the raft. His destination now determined, Auron took one last look back at the man floating on the raft before setting out for the island

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