Zoro glared at the man in front of him as he pushed down on his blade. "And just who the hell are you supposed to be?" Zoro asked, as the two of them struggled for dominance. He was strong, that was for certain, and his size gave that strength even greater weight; his height matched only by his girth.
"Who, me? You may call me Buchi. I'm a member of the Black Cat Pirates," Buchi said, giving the smaller man a cocky grin. "And I've heard all about you, Roronoa Zoro."
"That right?" Zoro responded. Not like this was the first time someone has come looking to challenge him after hearing of his reputation. He was a pretty popular guy after all. But just like the others, this asshole would find himself six feet underground.
"Oh yes. They say you're quite the swordsman, but I don't see it," Buchi mocked, much to Zoro's chagrin. He'd show this smug, cat faced, mouth breather just how strong he was. There was just one thing he wanted to know beforehand.
"Tell me. Are you the one responsible for this?" he asked, indicating the corpses put on display above him. Buchi glanced at them for a moment before a twisted smile graced his face.
"Do you like it? I thought this ship could do with some redecorating."
"You're one sick bastard, you know that?" Zoro growled, as he pushed even harder against the steel claws threatening to cut him, just like the poor saps dangling front he mast.
"I prefer to think of myself as an artist," Buchi said with his same psychotic grin. He licked his lips just thinking about the exhibit he put on display. He was quite proud of this one. It was just too bad the swordsman and his little buddy weren't around to hear the screams of his victims. Those were what truly completed the piece.
Music at its finest.
The large man was clearly sick in the head and had the strength of a bull on meth. But that wasn't the main issue assailing the swordsman at the moment. No, he was facing something much, much worse.
"Damn your breath stinks," Zoro griped, wrinkling his nose in disgust. That just so happened to be his biggest problem. The stench of his breath felt like getting slapped in the face by a pimp with all four rings on his fingers.
But the enormous man didn't seem bothered in the least by the accusation. In fact, he seemed highly amused by it, "Oh really? What does it smell like?" he asked, expelling a large, hot, moist breath right in Zoro's face.
The poor guy's face nearly matched the color of his own hair, "Like you eat ass for a living. Ugh, I think I'm going to be sick…" he groaned. The smell was a combination of rotten eggs, sewage, and onions. So many onions. Zoro was convinced the man had never brushed his teeth in his entire life. The very thought was likely an offense to him.
"Ah, that's too bad. Maybe it was something I ate?" the massive man questioned, as he pressed down harder on Zoro, who was starting to buckle. The putrid smell sapping him of his strength. His arms shook as the claws of his opponent drew ever closer. Their faces were inches away from each other now.
Nick stared at the ongoing confrontation with concern and confusion in equal measure. Concern, because it looked like Zoro was getting overpowered. Which wasn't that surprising, the other guy was fucking huge! But it was still unexpected.
The confusion came from him trying to place who the other guy in the shitty cat cosplay was. He looked familiar, sort of, in that he was sure he appeared in the show kind of way. You know, the kind that appeared for an episode or two before getting an ass whooping and are never heard from again.
That was him, he was sure of it. Some villain of the week who faded into obscurity once his meager relevance had run its course.
Of course, none of that prevented him from making a snarky one liner as he noticed how close the two of them were getting, "Hey Zoro! Are you going to kiss him or kill him?"
"Screw you! As if anyone would kiss a guy with breath this bad!"
Nick chuckled. If Zoro could still bicker, then he was fine. "So, is this the bad man?" he asked, turning to face the other man on the boat. For a split second, he could have sworn he saw a malicious smile on his face, but it was replaced by the image of a sniveling beta male so fast, he thought his mind may have been playing a trick on him.
"Y-yes, that's him. He's the one who hurt all those poor people," he simpered, snot coming out of his nose. His tone grated on Nick's ears, but there was something else about him. Something familiar that put him on edge. It was like the big fucker over there.
Man, he wished he had a better memory. He recognized the big guy, and the name he used rang a bell. But there was something else. He just couldn't remember what. What he did know, is that the guy behind him was sus as fuck.
"Hey, what's your name?"
"W-who? Me?" he sniveled. He looked so frightened, Nick almost felt bad for the guy. But for some reason, the cynical part of his brain was picking up on high levels of bullshit. He was faking, the whole act of his was a sham.
Nick's eyes widened as the hamster in his brain came back to life like a Frankenstein monster and started running on the wheel again. Slowly, but it was still turning. That was it! His name is Sham. Just like his acting. Everything was starting to make sense.
Looking at the man with realization, the man Nick now knew as Sham ceased his act, and the sinister smile Nick thought was a mirage bloomed onto his face once more. "Seems like you figured it out. But you're too late!"
WIth that shout, Sham jumped to his feet and began sprinting at Zoro, intending to backstab him, like a bitch.
"Shit! Zoro!" Nick shouted. How could he be so stupid!? Looking at the rather effeminate appearing man, it was obvious who he was. And now, he had a clear shot at Zoro's unprotected back.
Nick had to reach him in time, so he launched himself into a sprint of his own, intending on catching the cat man like he was animal control. But the other guy was fast. Too fast. Nick had no way of catching up.
A memory came bubbling to the surface. One of Zoro, facing off against the greatest swordsman in the world. His arms spread wide, a grim look of acceptance on his face. When asked what he was doing, Zoro said a few words that stuck with Nick, even after all this time.
"Scars on the back, are a swordsman's shame!"
Damn it! As much as the guy was a pain in the ass with a sense of direction that bordered on the impossible, he was still his friend. And before all this, he was Nick's favorite character.
Well, it was between him and Robin to be honest. Zoro was that cool, strong character that was just an all round bad ass. And Robin had that dry, morbid sense of humor that he always liked.
That, and she was smoking hot. Honestly, if he hadn't met Nami first, he would have tried with her. Hm… maybe if he played his cards right…
No, that was a bad idea. If he managed to get with Nami before then, he doubted his testicles would survive him trying to get a harem. And he liked his testicles very much. Best to let that sleeping dog lay deep in the recesses of his horny little mind.
But back to more important matters, Zoro was about to be shamed, and Nick couldn't allow that to happen. He would get to him in time, no matter what it took!
Unknowing to Nick, a power surged from deep within him in response to his determination and will. As he pushed himself off the ground with his right foot, the wooden deck beneath him cracked and splintered from the force, and Nick moved faster than he ever thought possible.
Having heard his companion shout his name, Zoro turned his head to see what the fuss was about, only for his eyes to widen at the sight of the weeping weakling from earlier with his hand raised and ready to strike him in the back.
"Do it brother!" shouted Buchi with glee, having been watching the exchange the whole time. This was it, their plan to take out the Three Sword Style user in one blow. It was just as their Captain had predicted. Everything was going according to plan.
Until of course, it wasn't.
"I've got you!" screamed Sham, as he raised his now clawed hand over his head, intending on racking it across Zoro's back. Unfortunately for him, his plan would be foiled by a brown haired interloper.
Just as he was about to claw Zoro, a figure appeared in his way, taking the hit intended for the green haired swordsman. "Ah!" he screamed in pain, as four claw marks appeared across his back, spraying blood across the deck.
Thankfully, as he had been unknowingly using a small amount or Armament Haki to strengthen himself, the cut wasn't nearly as deep as it could have been. It was the only thing that saved his life.
"Nick!" Zoro yelled in concern. The guy may have been a pain in the ass with a sense of direction that bordered the impossible, but he was still his friend. He growled in anger at seeing him hurt.
And no small amount of shame for needing to be saved. It made him feel weak, and that was a feeling he hated more than anything.
Drawing on his own strength, Zoro flung Buchi's arms into the air, and spartan kicked him out of the way. The fat man went flying across the ship before rolling to a stop. Zoro immediately turned and took a swing at the other man, who was clearly an enemy.
Unfortunately, the green haired cat bastard jumped out of the way, deftly avoiding the strike. With his foes now a good distance away, Zoro grabbed Nick as he collapsed forward, holding the other man against him.
"Hey, you alright?" he asked in concern. He knew the guy was tough, having seen the damage he could take when he fought Mohji in Orange Town, but those claws were fairly long, and there was no telling just how much damage they could have done.
The blood coating his hand seemed to confirm his thoughts.
"Peachy. How are you?" Nick ground out with as much sarcasm as he could muster. Zoro snorted at the attempt at humor. If he could joke around like an asshole, he was probably fine.
"What the hell were you thinking?" Zoro asked, glaring down at his companion. A look that only deepened when he heard the other man's chuckling. Just what the hell was so funny?
"I was thinking that I'm not a swordsman," Nick responded, which confused the hell out of Zoro. What did that have to do with anything?
"No shit," Zoro said, which only amused Nick even further.
"So a few scars on my back aren't a problem," he finished, making Zoro's eyes widen in absolute shock. That was why? Nick did that, suffered such an injury, just to save his pride?
Zoro clenched his fists in a combination of anger, shame, and gratitude. He was angry at the ones who did this, ashamed of his own weakness that allowed it to happen, and grateful for his friend's sacrifice.
"I see… Thanks. I'll make sure to avenge you," Zoro said quietly, a look of renewed determination on his face.
"I'm not dead yet, asshole," Nick remarked, stepping away from Zoro with a small wince from the movement. Damn did those cat scratches sting.
"Well isn't this a touching scene of camaraderie? But you should really pay attention to your surroundings!" Buchi yelled from behind Zoro. Without turning around, Zoro blocked the offending claws with ease.
"W-what the?" stammered Buchi, as he tried to overpower the smaller man. But no matter how much force he exerted, Zoro refused to budge an inch. Something that Buchi couldn't understand.
Just a minute ago he was able to overwhelm the famed swordsman, and he was using both hands then! So why couldn't he do the same now? It didn't make any sense!
"How are you doing this!? What are you!?" Buchi shouted in frustration. Zoro turned his head, eyes narrowed in a dangerous glare, promising pain and retribution to whoever was caught in its gaze.
Buchi gulped, seeing as it was him ensnared by the promise of death the other man's eyes proclaimed. He felt paralyzed, as Zoro seemingly grew in size, towering over him. The presence he gave off made him feel like prey trapped by a predator.
Fear overruling his senses, Buchi jumped backwards, gaining several feet of distance away from the other man. Sweat dripped down his brow, the smell of fear permeating every pour as it did so.
"Hey Buchi! What's wrong with you?" asked Sham in confusion. He was just about to launch his own surprise attack again when his brother hightailed it out of there.
"S-something's up with this guy. Maybe we should get out of here?" begged the scaredy cat. Even though the green haired swordsman returned to his normal stature, Buchi couldn't shake the feeling of overwhelming dread the other man made him feel.
"Are you crazy? You know what the Captain does to traitors," stated Sham. Those words snapped Buchi out of he fear induced paranoia, introducing a whole new fear for him to endure.
His brother was right. Anything this guy did to them would pale in comparison to the horrors their Captain would bestow upon them. Knowing this, Buchi slapped himself in the face with both hands, trying to force the remaining terror from his system.
"Right, I'm good now. Let's do this!" he shouted at his brother.
"I think you scared the literal shit out of him," Nick commented glibly. And if he didn't, it sure looked like it. Smelled like it too. Or was that just the stench of fear? Maybe just his breath? Either way, it stunk.
"All I did was look at him," Zoro said, as if that absolved him of any wrongdoing. Not that what he did was wrong. Hell, he could have sliced the guy in two, from balls to brains, and he would have been in the right.
"You are one scary mother fucker, you know that?" Nick said with dull, sarcastic eyes. It was clear, by the flattered look on his face, that Zoro was incapable of understanding sarcasm. Or maybe he just had selective hearing?
"Know anything about these guys?" Zoro asked, staring at the two cat themed pirates, waiting for them to make their move. They both had an eager look on their face, as they prepared their next course of action.
"Think so. Shamu and Bitchy, the Marzipan Brothers. Kind of weird the skinny one is called Shamu. You'd think it would be the fat one," Nick told him. Which was apparently the wrong thing to say, as the two felines became incensed.
"What did you say!? We're Sham and Buchi, the Meowban Brothers, not the Marzipan Brothers you idiot!" shouted Sham.
"Wait, seriously? You call me an idiot, but you actually chose to call yourselves that? You're taking this cosplay thing a bit too serious don't you think?" Nick taunted, further increasing their ire. Steam could be practically seen spurting out of their ears.
"I think you made them mad," Zoro commented with a bored stare.
"Really? Was it something I said?" asked Nick in a fake innocent tone.
"Might've had something to do with it," Zoro responded amused.
"You think you can get away with making fun of us!?" shouted Buchi.
"Sure do," responded Nick.
"That's it! Now you're gonna-"
But before Buchi could finish throwing his temper tantrum, a wet, ragged cough caught their attention. Everyone turned and stared at Pett, watching as he struggled to take in air. Blood shot from his mouth, applying a second coat to the deck.
"Shit, I think his lungs are filling with blood," mentioned Nick, worry plastered on his face. It was clear the man didn't have much time left. If they didn't act soon, it would be too late. Nick didn't know the man very well, and neither did Zoro, but they didn't want him to die such a gruesome death.
"I can't believe he's still alive. But it looks like the old guy's on his last legs," mentioned Sham, his previous angry face twisted in a malicious sneer. Buchi's expression was similar, as he licked his lips watching the man dying in front of them.
"Ah, he was a bit annoying. Kept telling me to stop hurting his men. But that stopped once the nails started going in. Then all he did was scream. Nyahaha!" laughed Buchi, as Zoro and Nick's expressions morphed into ones of anger.
"You'll be the one screaming when I'm done with you," growled Zoro, hand clenching his sword so tight his knuckles turned white.
"No, he won't be screaming at all. He'll be dead," corrected Nick. Their threats only seemed to amuse the pair of pirates.
"Oh really? Let's see you try it then!" shouted Buchi, who once again charged at Zoro. The man in question brought his sword down, intending to cut the large pirate in half, but his sword was blocked by the man's claws again.
Sham himself wasn't idle during this, as he sped towards Zoro's unprotected back once more. Thrusting his hand forward, all four fingers straight turning his arm into a spear, he intended to skewer the green haired man.
But that man wasn't alone and had an equally pissed off partner watching his back. Sham's attack was halted just inches away from Zoro's back by a hand grasping onto his wrist. Wincing from the pressure, he turned to see none other than Nick, looking at him with an expression that promised pain.
It wasn't nearly as potent as Zoro's own stare, but it still made a bead of sweat roll down Sham's back.
"Is attacking someone from behind all you know how to do?" asked Nick, condescension dripping from his mouth. But Sham wasn't insulted, not one little bit. In fact, his mouth formed a massive grin.
"Is running your mouth all you know how to do?" Sham shot back. Nick's eye twitched from the admittedly good burn. He wasn't going to tell him that though. Instead, he would just quietly place it on the back burner, ready to be plagiarized at a moment's notice.
Nick opened his mouth to run it some more, if for no other reason than to spite the man, but before he could, Sham shot his foot out, kicking the back of Zoro's two sheathed swords, sending them flying.
"What the-" Zoro exclaimed, not expecting the attack at all.
"Now Buchi!" yelled Sham.
"Come to papa!" yelled the larger of the two brothers. He disengaged from Zoro, dodging his strike in the process, and managed to catch his two swords. He gave the swordsman a smarmy grin as he held up the blades, shaking his wrists and taunting him.
Not exactly something Nick would advise. Zoro was mad enough as it is and taking his stuff seemed like a good way to get some body parts chopped off. Especially with the way he was fondling them.
The swords, not his body parts.
"Lookie what I got. Just what I've always wanted!" laughed Buchi, as Zoro growled in response.
"Bastard! Get your hands off! I don't know where they've been!"
"I do," Nick said, indicating the corpses swaying above them.
A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.
"Damn it… Now I'll have to disinfect them…" Zoro grumbled.
Distracted as he was by what just happened, and the ensuing commentary, Nick was barely able to dodge the surprise attack coming at his face, courtesy of one Sham.
"Whoa!" he shouted, releasing his hold on the cat man's wrist and leaning his head back, claws coming within centimeters of raking across his face. And he loved his face! It was just so darn handsome.
"Watch it asshole! You could have ruined my beautiful face!" he shouted.
"What did you expect? This is a fight to the death," Sham stated, with more than a hint of condescension. After all, what fool thought he could go into such a battle and come out the other side unscathed?
"Maybe. But unlike you, I'll live long enough to face the consequences of this battle," Nick shot back. He thought it was a pretty good line, and judging by the stunned silence he received, they did too.
"...I'm going to enjoy making your face all red," Sham said with a grin, licking his lips like his brother. Something that made Nick shiver with revulsion.
"...Are you coming on to me? Because, not gonna lie, I'm a little insulted. I can do way better than you. And besides, Zoro and I are in the middle of our own bromance right now. I'd thank you not to get in the middle of that," Nick said, backing away from him.
Sham's eye started twitching along with his clawed hands, "Why, you…"
"What the hell are you babbling about now?" Zoro questioned, though his eyes never left Buchi, who kept up his dopey smile.
"I thought we were having a little moment back there. Don't tell me you didn't feel it," Nick said.
"I didn't feel it," Zoro deadpanned, breaking Nick's heart. He grasped at his chest dramatically, as if he was suffering a heart attack. Zoro rolled his eyes at the other man's antics, but he had more important things to worry about.
"Whatever. Listen, I'm going to get my swords back. You stay here and play with that freak over there," Zoro said, indicating Sham with a movement of his head, infuriating the other green haired man even further.
"Might be hard to cut through all that blubber with only one sword," Nick idly speculated, his words making the other brother infuriated. They now had two pissed off cats to deal with.
"And whose fault is it he has my swords in the first place?" Zoro asked, giving Nick a side eyed glare. Hearing this accusation, Nick spun around, giving Zoro a look of disbelief. It was just like the direction thing all over again!
"Are you blaming me for this too!?" he shouted, making Zoro now turn to face him completely as well.
"Damn right. You were the one fighting him, you should have been paying more attention," Zoro chided. Nick gained a tick mark on his head, as he glared right back at the stubborn swordsman.
"And how the hell was I supposed to know he was going to kick the damn things? I mean, who does that? And besides, is that the way you treat someone who saved your ass? Twice!" Nick yelled. But Zoro was having none of it.
"All I'm hearing are excuses. Besides, I had it covered. You just got in the way," Zoro said, turning away from him. Part of the man felt guilty for his words, considering Nick did get injured protecting his pride as a swordsman.
But it was that same pride that prevented him from accepting his mistake. The truth is, he should have been paying more attention to the other combatant. It was a rookie mistake to place all his attention on the fat one. He would remember the lesson, even though he may never admit to having learned it in the first place.
"Oh, so it's my fault is it? Fine, if that's the way you want it, then I'll just have to correct my mistake," Nick said, as he stomped off towards the bewildered looking Buchi, who was watching them bicker, along with his brother, completely ignoring the two.
It was rather insulting, to be seen as so little a threat they could just ignore them to argue with each other. They'll just have to teach them a valuable lesson on battlefield etiquette.
"And where do you think you're going?" asked Zoro, as Nick walked past him.
"What's it look like? I'm going to get your stupid swords back," Nick said as he sauntered off.
"Wha- Hey! I don't need your help! I can get them back on my own! And don't call them stupid!" Zoro shouted, moving to intercept his ally.
"Oh no, it's all my fault they got taken, remember? That makes it my responsibility to get them back. So just wait there like a good little boy while daddy takes care of this," Nick said. Zoro tried to say something in response, but what could he say? His own words were already being thrown back into his face.
"...Tsk, fine, whatever. Just be quick about," Zoro grumbled, turning to face the other way like a petulant child.
"Yeah, yeah, keep your panties on. This won't take long," Nick said as he walked towards Buchi, staring him right in the eyes. "You hear that, fatty! I'm the one you're fighting!"
"Stop calling me fat! It's all muscle!" Buchi yelled, rather defensively.
"Just because you painted abs onto your gut, doesn't mean it's muscle!" Nick replied in a bored tone. Who did he think he was fooling with those things? He was clearly too fat to have visible abs. Poor guy was probably just in denial.
"I have a thyroid problem!" Buchi said, trying to deflect. That solidified it in Nick's mind. He was definitely in denial.
"No, you have a, can't put down the fork, problem. You can lie to yourself but you sure as shit can't lie to me," Nick said in a bored tone. Seems no matter where you go, people just can't seem to take responsibility for their own actions.
"Gah! That's it, you're dead!" Buchi shouted, charging at Nick. Before doing so, he placed his stolen blades behind him in his belt.
"Buchi, no! Don't!" Sham yelled, being able to see the trap for what it was. The foul mouthed brunette was clearly trying to rile his brother up, make him angry enough to make a mistake. And it seems like his tactics worked.
Buchi swiped at Nick with his left hand, but compared to his brother he was pretty slow. Fast for a normal person, maybe, but nothing Nick couldn't handle.
Ducking under the swing, Nick pulled his arm back, delivering a devastating punch right in his painted on abs. Buchi's blubber rippled like waves from the point of contact, his eyes bulged out, and finally, he went flying into the cabin wall, his lower half being the only thing visible.
"Buchi!" Sham yelled in concern as he started running towards his downed brother. But Zoro was having none of it, blocking the other man's path with a savage grin on his face.
"Get out of my way!" Sham yelled angrily.
"Why don't you try and make me?" Zoro suggested. Sham growled in response, eyes narrowing with hatred.
"Fine! I hope you're ready to die!"
"Just try it," Zoro challenged. With another yell, Sham attacked the swordsman, who began parrying his attacks with an eager look on his face. It might actually be good for him to get some practice in using only one sword.
Nick turned back as he heard the battle commence, watching the fight for a moment. It seems that even with only one sword Zoro would have little trouble with his opponent. Unless he had some tricks up his sleeve that is. But he had his own problem to deal with.
Turning away from the other two fighting, Nick noticed a slight issue.
"Where the hell did he go!?" Nick yelled in frustration. Damn it, he looked away for a second! How could someone so big move so quietly? He blamed anime logic, something he was sure he would be doing a lot of.
Staring at the hole in the wall, it was pretty clear which way he went. Buchi almost certainly fled deeper into the ship, which is just what Nick didn't want. Oh well, beggars can't be choosers, so with a sigh of acceptance, he followed the man inside.
Seeing his comrade disappear into the depths of the ship through his peripherals, Zoro wasn't sure how he felt trusting the other man to get his swords back. He was tough enough, sure, but it still felt wrong to him.
The swords may not have been valuable, but they were his. It was his responsibility to care for them. His pride as a swordsman demanded it. Besides, it would be stupid not to care for the tools of his trade.
Well, nothing he could do about it now. What's done is done. All that was left for him to do was take out the trash.
"Better not let me down, Nick," he mumbled to himself, even as he parried another attack by the cat themed pirate. He glared at the other man, resting his sword on his shoulder.
"You're one annoying bastard, you know that?"
"That's my line," Sham responded, a heated glare of his own aimed at Zoro. He needed to end this fast and go help his brother. This wasn't part of the plan their Captain came up with, and while he was confident in his own ability to handle things, Kuro hated it when his plans went awry. That's when he became the most violent. But as long as things worked out in the end, he shouldn't have too much to worry about.
It was a simple plan in theory. Make them mad by torturing and putting their victims on public display. According to his Captain, these guys had a bit of a bleeding heart problem, and people with that particular ailment were easy to manipulate.
Once they were good and mad, the plan was to get them to drop their guard by acting like one of the victims, and take one out with a surprise attack. If that failed, plan B was to steal the swordsman's swords.
After all, a swordsman without a sword was pretty much useless, even if he was a musclebound meathead.
Once the swords were stolen, Buchi would lead him into the ship, but only if they couldn't get all of them. That way, Zoro would be at a disadvantage, both because he was down a blade or two, but also because he was in an enclosed space and therefore, unable to maneuver his blade properly in such an area.
Broken down, the plans were as follows:
Plan A: Enrage them, get them to drop their guard, and kill one of them with a surprise attack then double team the second.
Plan B: If the surprise attack fails, steal Zoro's swords, making him unable to defend himself.
Plan C: If Zoro retains a sword, lure him into the bowels of the ship, where he can't maneuver his sword properly.
It was going well so far, and Plan C was a go. At least until the other muscle bound idiot got in the way. Captain Kuro was sure Zoro would never trust anyone to recover his stolen blades, least of all that brown haired simpleton.
But he did, infuriatingly enough, and that put the plan in jeopardy. Sham had no idea how his Captain knew it would be these two who showed up, and quite frankly, it didn't matter. His Captain was just scary like that.
What did matter, however, was them failing. That was not an option, not if they wanted to live. So Sham would just have to ensure there were no more delays to the schedule. Which might be impossible, considering how long it took for them to get here.
Did they get lost or something? But how was that possible?
The two opponents stared at each other for several long moments, until a violent gust of wind blew across the deck. That seemed to be some kind of signal, as the two charged at each other.
They met in a violent clash, sword and claws singing a deadly tune as they danced with each other. Sham jumped into the air, doing a somersault over Zoro, striking out with his claws as he did so.
The smaller of the two blocked the attack as Sham landed behind him in a crouch, and immediately dashed towards Zoro again, who thrust his sword out to try and skewer the other man.
Unfortunately, Sham was able to dodge with little effort, and began to rapidly attack in a seemingly random pattern. His strikes had no pattern, his cadence ever shifting to try and throw Zoro off his game.
But it didn't work. Zoro blocked or dodged every attack thrown his way. Seeing an opening, he swung his blade horizontally, hoping to cut the man's head off. But Sham was able to jump backwards just in time, only losing a few strands of hair.
The pair took a moment to assess the situation. So far, neither had been able to get one over on the other, and Sham was suddenly very glad Zoro only had one sword to play with right now.
"You're one squirrelly bastard, you know that?" Zoro asked, feeling a bit frustrated at his lack of success in cutting the other man in two. A feeling mirrored by Sham. He needed something to give himself an edge, but what? Looking around the ship, he spotted something that gave him an idea.
"Well this squirrel is about to claw your eyes out!" Sham shouted, rushing towards him once more. Zoro held his blade out, ready to defend himself, but to his great confusion, when Sham entered his striking distance, he suddenly shifted directions, heading straight for the mast.
Why the hell would he be going toward that? It didn't make any sense. That is, until Zoro remembered just who was tied to the mast.
"Damn it. Get back here!" he shouted, giving chase. But he wasn't fast enough. Sham had too great a lead on him. That doesn't mean he would just give up.
"Aw, what's the matter? You're running awfully slow. Don't you care what happens to him?" Sham taunted, looking back and giving Zoro a sadistic grin. Perfect, he was falling right into his trap.
The truth is, he didn't give two shits about the old man dying on the mast, but Zoro did. Seems like his Captain was right on the money, and the other green haired man would pay the price for his compassion. Once he was close enough, Sham would use the mast as a springboard and pierce right through that bleeding heart of his.
Sham was almost there, raising a clawed hand to strike down the helpless Pett. Left with no other choice, Zoro used a secret, forbidden technique. One frowned upon by swordsmen the world over.
He flipped his hold on his sword to a reverse grip. He then came to a stop, pulling his arm back with the sword in it into a throwing position. Though he was reluctant to use such a technique, desperate times called for desperate measures.
"One Sword Style: Demon's Javelin!"
Hearing the shout, Sham turned to see what all the hullabaloo was all about, only to see a sword flying towards his face.
"What the!" he shouted, ducking the sword in the nick of time, but losing more of his hair in the process. A small trickle of blood fell down his face, dripping onto the ground and intermixing with the blood of his and his brother's victims.
"Looks like first blood belongs to me," Zoro said with a cocky smirk.
"What the hell was that! You almost took my head off!" Sham shouted with indignation.
"That was the point. This is a battle to the death, remember?" Zoro taunted, throwing Sham's words back at him.
The cat pirate grit his teeth in anger. He'd show him. " But now you have no weapon! What can a swordsman do without a sword?"
"You're about to find out."
"I've had just about enough of your cocky attitude! It's time for you to die!" Sham shouted, sprinting toward Zoro once more, who bent his knees in preparation for his next move.
While it was true he didn't have a sword anymore, he wasn't completely bereft of arms. He did have something in his possession he could use as a sword, though it was a pretty blunt one.
"I'll see you in hell! Cat Lancer!" shouted Sham, as he thrust one clawed hand forward, all four fingers pointing straight ahead, using his hand like a spear again. With a name and everything this time.
As Sham's lance sped towards his head, Zoro smirked and ducked, moving to the left. Sham watched in slow motion as Zoro's hand went towards his swords. He was confused for a split second, as Zoro didn't currently have any swords. But what he did have, was the thing used to hold them.
A scabbard. Sham's eyes widened at the realization, however, there was nothing he could do about it.
As Zoro was going past the other man, he drew the saya from its place on his haramaki. It slammed into Shams stomach with the force of a cannonball. His eyes bugged out of his head, his ribs cracked, and he went flying through the air, slamming into the mast he intended to jump off of.
Blood shot from his mouth at the impact, and he was shocked his back hadn't snapped in two. He slid off the mast towards the ground, barely managing to stay on his feet as he landed. He coughed up a bit more blood, raising his head to glare at the other man.
Only for his eyes to widen in shock once more. Zoro was dashing towards him, sheath held in a position suggesting he was about to become a shish kebab. Diving out of the way with a panicked yelp, Sham scrambled away from Zoro as fast as he could.
Looking back, he could see the result of the swordsman's attack. The mast was now sporting a large indentation and several cracks ran off in every direction. It was honestly amazing the thing was still intact.
Sham stood slowly, holding onto his cracked ribs in pain as he glared at the other man. He whipped a bit of blood that dribbled past his lips, as he took in deep, painful breaths of air.
Having broken ribs really sucked.
"Tsk, can't you just hold still? You're not strong enough to beat me, the least you could do is die with some dignity," Zoro said, as he reached up to his sword and pulled it out of the wood. It was a bit of a struggle as the blade had bit in deeply, but he managed.
Ignoring Sham, whose eyes looked a little bloodshot from the pure rage rolling off of him, he inspected the blade, checking it for damage. After a few moments, he nodded, satisfied, before giving it a bit of a test swing.
"Not strong though you say? We'll see about that…" Sham said, as his arms fell limply to his sides and his head slumped forward.
"What are you going on about now?" Zoro asked with a raised brow.
"My Captain has a secret technique, you know? One he copied from a Marine a long time ago," Sham said, as he began to sway back and forth.
"That right? Good for him, but what does that have to do with anything?" Zoro said, bored. Sham's swaying picked up speed as he moved to a beat only he could seemingly hear.
"I'm glad you asked. You see, it took me a while, but I managed to copy it as well. Now, face the terror of the Pussyfoot Maneuver!"
"What kind of name is-" but Zoro's mockery was interrupted by the shock he felt as Sham seemingly disappeared. "The hell?"
He looked around but saw no sign of his opponent. That is, until a sharp pain erupted from his chest, blood spurting from it like a fountain.
"Gah!" Zoro yelled, clutching his now bloody chest in pain. Looking down, he saw his hand covered in nearly as much blood as it was when he grabbed Nick, with four similar cuts going horizontally across his chest.
"Damn it! What the hell was that?" Zoro growled, trying to find his opponent. But no matter where he looked, he couldn't seem to find him. He was starting to wonder if he turned himself invisible.
But what Marine technique could do that?
What was even more surprising was the claw marks that started appearing all over the ship. From the deck to the cabin walls; hell, even the railing. Nothing was spared. Especially not him.
He grunted as a sudden pain exploded from his side, his shirt and jacket now covered in even more blood. He could see four new tear marks under his left arm.
"This is getting old!" he grumbled, sword held up in a defensive stance, for all the good it did him. He needed to figure out how his technique worked before the other guy finished him off.
"Having some problems are we?" asked a voice from behind him. Turning swiftly, he saw none other than Sham, standing there looking as cocky as he ever has, leaning against the railing.
"You look confused. Want me to tell you how my technique works? I don't mind giving you a handicap, Nyahahaha!" Sham offered with an obnoxious laugh.
"You'll be the one with a handicap when I cut your damn legs off!" Zoro yelled, charging at the Black Cat. But as he went to bring his sword down on his head, Sham disappeared once more, and Zoro's blade hit nothing but air.
"Son of a bitch. Where'd he go now?" Zoro questioned, once more looking around for the man. After seeing him use the technique again, Zoro was at least certain on one thing; he wasn't turning invisible.
Eyes shifting to every part of the ship he could, he did notice something off. Footprints. Not the strangest thing to see on a ship, but these ones were red, obviously from someone having stepped in the blood coating the deck.
Again, not that weird, but what was strange about them was the spacing. They were far too close together. It was like he was taking at least ten steps for every one he would normally take.
And the name; Pussyfoot Maneuver. It had nothing to do with invisibility or anything. The lightbulb in his head might not have been the brightest, but even he could figure out what was going on.
"So that's it…" Zoro thought aloud, a frown marring his face. It was pretty obvious when you think about it. He wasn't turning invisible and he didn't have some kind of teleportation power, he was just moving too fast to see.
Some technique… At least the name makes a bit more sense now.
But even though he knew what the other guy was doing didn't mean he had a way to counter it. Case and point, a new spray of blood coming from his forearm. He grunted at the new pain, but did little else to show his discomfort.
"That's quite the trick you have, but it won't save you," the swordsman claimed.
"Oh? So you've figured it out? I guess there's more than meat in your head after all. But knowing won't save you. By stepping on the ground ten times in a single second, I can move faster than the human eye can see. There's nothing you can do against my speed! I'm invincible!" Sham yelled, seemingly from everywhere at once.
"We'll see about that," Zoro chimed in, unimpressed. Nobody was invincible, especially not some no name scrub from a backwater pirate crew like theirs.
The swordsman's attitude was really starting to grate on Sham's nerves. Even now, he refused to admit he was outclassed. That he, Sham, was superior to him in every way. Well, he knew just how to fix that rotten attitude of his.
Several more wounds appeared on Zoro, as Sham zipped around the battlefield. No matter how many times the green haired swordsman took a swing, he only ever met air. And while the wounds he received weren't too deep, if he got too many more of them, he would be in trouble.
Death by a thousand cuts wasn't the most pleasant way to go.
But even if he hadn't been able to land a hit yet, it was only a matter of time. The longer the fight went on, the more used to the technique he became. The edge of his blade inching ever closer to its target.
Until finally, he managed a hit. It wasn't deep, little more than a scratch in the grand scheme of things, but the psychological effects couldn't be ignored.
"Gah!" Sham yelled, as he violently rolled across the ground before coming to a stop, a shallow cut across his thigh. He held his stinging appendage in disbelief rather than pain.
"Y-you actually managed to hit me?" he said in disbelief. It just shouldn't be possible. He's seen his Captain decimate an entire battalion of Marines without them ever noticing before, and he was just as good as he was at the technique.
So how the hell did he manage to hit him!?
"Like I said, you're too weak to beat me. So just give up already," Zoro told him, bored eyes boring into him.
"Like hell I will! I just need to go faster! So fast I'll cut you in two!" Sham yelled hysterically, eyes manic with anger and desperation. He crouched down, claws digging into the wood of the deck as he took a runners position.
However, in spite of his apparent madness, Zoro remained calm as a cucumber, holding his sword at the ready.
"Try it."
"Ahhhhh!" Sham yelled, as he once more disappeared. Zoro didn't move, he just stood there, waiting, even as a cut appeared on his leg. Then his shoulder. Then his arm. Sham was having a wonderful time. That cocky bastard couldn't keep up with him at all.
Something that Zoro realized as well. Guess he wasn't all talk after all. That being said, there was more to battle than just using your eyes. Every sense of the human body was used to fight. Hearing, smelling, feeling; hell, even tasting. Everything is utilized in some way.
Sense he couldn't use his eyes, he might as well keep them shut. They weren't doing him any favors at the moment anyway. He instead, centered his focus on his other senses.
For example, while he couldn't see Sham, he could hear him. Every step, every breath, right down to the beating of his heart. Nothing escaped Zoro's ears.
Smelling was a bit more difficult, with the stench of blood permeating the area. But he could smell his cheap cologne and what he assumed was the cat nip he smoked like it was a joint.
He could feel every vibration in the air as the other man darted all across the ship, every shift in wind as he passed by. Not to mention the feel of his claws as they tore into him.
And he could taste iron and salt in his mouth, blood and sweat simmering against his tongue, reminding him of what was at stake. But more than that, he could taste victory.
Focusing on all these things, he could practically see the path Sham was taking. An image formed in his mind's eye of the man running, sprinting around the ship, that insufferable smirk on his face every time he cut into him.
But even with all this information, there was one sense he relied on more than anything. A feeling in his gut, a tingle in the back of his head; that intangible realization of what must be done. Something that everyone had but most ignored.
Instinct.
And his instinct told him that Sham would end the battle the way it started. He gripped his sword tightly with both hands. All he had to do now was wait for the right moment to strike.
Sham was loving this. Seeing Zoro bleeding so much, from every part of his body made his chest swell in joy. But all good things must come to an end. As much as he enjoyed toying with the guy, he was starting to feel the strain of his technique. It was time to finish this.
And he knew just how to do it too. Zoro had one spot of his body that was completely devoid of that wonderful red color. A place he had been protecting as much as he could, risking all to protect it.
His back.
What a lovely target, so big and broad. He couldn't wait to tear it to shreds. And without that other bastard around, there was no one to stop him this time.
Increasing his speed even more, he switched directions, aiming straight for his target's unprotected back. What Sham didn't know is that this is exactly what Zoro was waiting for.
He knew Sham wouldn't be able to resist going for the one spot he'd been stopped from striking at twice now. He purposefully left that spot open, vulnerable; just daring him to attack. And he took the bait.
Feeling the wind shift, Zoro knew it was time. Sham was charging straight for him, like a bull charging a red flag. Didn't he know red flags were meant to be avoided? And Zoro was looking pretty red with all that blood on him.
Sham's eyes lit up with glee as he thrust his hand out one final time, preparing to skewer the swordsman once more. "Take this! The Pussyfoot Maneuver's true terror! Out of the Back Attack!"
Zoro's eyes snapped open as he heard Sham's footsteps behind him. The cat weirdo was right, it was time to end this. But it wouldn't be Zoro who met his end this day.
Ducking the hand attempting to spear him, Zoro twisted his body as he swung his single sword. Sham once more saw the world slow down, watching the blade inch its way closer to him for what seemed like hours. With how fast he was going, there was no way for him to evade the blow aimed at his waist.
Feeling the blade touch him, time sped up once more, as Sham stopped several yards away from his opponent. Zoro knelt there on one knee, facing the opposite direction of Sham.
The Black Cat Pirate stared off into the distance, admiring the view of the moon's reflection coming off of the ocean. It would be the last thing he ever saw.
"You… Bastard…" he ground out, before vomiting up a pint of blood. His body stood there for a few seconds as the light drained from his eyes. And as a large wave crashed against the ship, his body split into two pieces, hitting the ground with a wet splat.
Zoro stood up, swinging his sword to remove the blood from it, before returning it to its sheath. He turned to look at his now dead opponent one last time, eyes holding no remorse in them. "Looks like you're the one who was cut in two. Should have listened."
Battle for Syrup Village!
Zoro vs Sham
Winner: Zoro!