Kále's face was stern, a slight skew on his brow, giving him a pissed off look.
Which, rightfully so, he was. He hadn't known Kirk for very long and had very limited amounts of interactions with him but the crew was his to protect now and he'd be damned if some fishman was going to get away with hurting Kirk. Nuh-uh no way
As Leroy cocked his fist back and delivered a powerful punch to Barnum, Kále knew there was no way they were leaving without taking these guys down. This was the point of no return, not that they were gonna turn back anyway. It just meant that now... only one group of combatants would be leaving, no exceptions. This thought made Kále grin in his mind.
This was going to be his first battle since losing to Wolfheart, World's Strongest Swordsman, so he needed... no, he was going to win no matter what. He may not have any swords at this point but that wasn't gonna stop him.
Upon reaching the compound and entering through the hole that they made with the cannon blast earlier. Kále immediately looked around, taking note of the many, many combatants ready to take on the Red Sash Pirates.
They were as much a crew as the invading pirates, this was it... a real pirate battle. One of many, assumedly. Kále took note of the young piranha child wielding a sword.
The sword stared down Kále with a fire in his eyes, Kále grinned an evil grin at him. Is this what Wolfheart saw when Kále challenged him? An untrained cub facing down the leader of the pack... Kále took a step toward the child keeping the sinister grin on his face, the child stepped back, shaking from fear. He may have been a fishman, he may be a supposedly physically superior race but…
"If you unsheathe that blade... then you've already lost." He spoke in a dark and serious tone, emanating an intimidating aura.
As the child unsheathed the sword Kále continued walking toward the child, as the sword fully left its scabbard and the child assumed a fighting position Kále grabbed the blade and using his foot, softly pushed the child back away from the sword.
"You've got guts kid... I'll give this back when I'm done with it, yeah?." His intimidating aura disappeared as he took hold of the sword. He turned back toward the crew and smiled. "Finally got a sword again. And not a flimsy one either. That kids packing some serious steel." He gave the sword a few practice swings before looking back toward the group of fishmen, the real opponents right now.
Only for the Sword to suddenly disappear from the loosened grip of the swordsmen!
With a surprising amount of swiftness, Sujikiki pulled the sword back, ripping the blade from the hands of the swords, and taking a leap backward.
This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.
"Someone with such wounds would be unwise to underestimate an opponent...Regardless of their Size. Weren't you ever taught to never underestimate an opponent?" His eyes glanced up and down, leaving his opponent for only a moment as he saw what was unfolding with the rest of the invaders.
Seeing that they were now in conflict with his comrades. "If you wish to take my blade. You'll need to strike me down." He then reached to his side and pulled out his tanto blade, and tossed it to him. The wooden sheath clattering against the ground in front of Kále "Lets hope you can still wield a blade while you're suffering..."
Kále was definitely caught off guard by the small man pulling the sword back and leaping backward. There was not a single world in which he expected that happening. As the piranha fishman spoke, Kále realized that this wasn't just a child. It was a real opponent. Just smaller because of his species of fish. Kále found that quite funny.
He stifled his laughter though, as the tanto landed on the ground in front of him. He saw the sword on the ground, stepped towards it and in a single motion placed his toes underneath the handle before kicking it up into the air, he then caught it and unsheathed it quickly. It was certainly small, but perhaps that was an advantage here. A bigger sword means its heavier, meaning less speed. Against a small opponent like that who's strength will be greater than a regular humans, speed will definitely be needed.
"You think I only measured you by your size? Kid, you better hope my injuries hold me back cuz if they don't, then you're screwed." The fiery grin came across Kále's face again, he didn't even think about what was happening with the rest of his crew. Leroy and that cook were over there so he knew they were fine. This fight was his now.
There was one slight problem, Kále hadn't used Ittoryu in years. He had been using only Nitoryu for as long as he could remember. So, he was definitely rusty when it came to using just one blade. Especially a blade this small. He could manage, but it would be a struggle to get his footing right. "Let's get started then..." Kále took a stance, left foot in front before dashing at Sujikiki with great speed and attempting to deliver a upward, diagonal slash across the fishman's chest.
Despite his bravado, and while he was willing to strike a child. He didn’t want to cut him down like he would a grown adult.
A loud clang reverberated through the air! The two blades had clashed! Sujikiki had used an impressive amount of skill and coordination to pull the blades hilt up close to his cheek, allowing the blade to point diagonally to the ground, allowing for him to halt the tanto blade!
Releasing one hand from the hilt, he used his bent arm to put force back onto the tonto and swung upwards before returning his grip and swinging it back down! Attempting to slice straight at the swordsman's shoulder!