Chapter 47: In The Pouring Rain (II)
The storm had worsened, thick sheets of rain whipping through the streets of Logue Town. Thunder boomed as Goku faced off against Buggy and Alvida, his silhouette glowing in the flickering lightning. Despite the chaos around them, Goku stood unshaken, his energy surging and Saiyan instincts pushing him forward.
Buggy's knives twirled through the air as he grinned maniacally. "You think you can just take us down, Straw Hat Goku? We're the mightiest in these seas!"
Alvida, with her iron club resting on her shoulder, smirked as she watched her captain. "You're gonna regret facing us. I haven't lost a fight since I got my Sube Sube powers."
Goku's eyes narrowed, ignoring their boasts. He could sense their confidence, but it was misplaced. With a swift flash, Goku disappeared from view, his immense speed catching Buggy and Alvida off guard. Buggy spun wildly, his eyes darting in every direction, but he couldn't track Goku's movements. Goku reappeared behind him and with a flick of his wrist, sent Buggy's body flying backward with a single punch. Buggy's upper torso shot across the street, his limbs still standing where they were, momentarily frozen in surprise.
Alvida swung her iron club, the weight of the weapon creating a heavy gust in the rain. But Goku effortlessly sidestepped, the iron missing him by inches. With a swift roundhouse kick, he connected with Alvida's midsection, sending her tumbling across the drenched pavement. Alvida crashed into a nearby building, her iron club slipping from her grasp as she gasped for breath. Her slick, invulnerable skin had absorbed much of the impact, but Goku's strength still left her rattled.
Buggy, meanwhile, struggled to reassemble himself. His body parts flew back together, but the effort took time, giving Goku the opening to strike again. Goku blurred forward, striking Buggy's exposed body parts with pinpoint accuracy. Despite Buggy's ability to separate, each blow sent his pieces flying across the battlefield, forcing him to constantly reform himself.
Buggy growled in frustration. "You're not playing fair, Goku! I'm a pirate captain!" He detached his hand, launching it toward Goku to try and catch him off guard. But Goku was far too fast. He grabbed Buggy's wrist mid-air and flung it into the ground with such force that Buggy's whole arm disintegrated into pieces.
Alvida, having recovered from her earlier hit, picked up her club once more. Her eyes burned with rage as she charged toward Goku, swinging her weapon with all her might. This time, Goku didn't move. His hand shot out, catching the club effortlessly. Alvida's eyes widened in disbelief as Goku stood still, his grip unyielding despite the power behind her swing.
"You're strong," Goku admitted, his voice calm but powerful. "But not enough."
With a casual motion, Goku ripped the club from Alvida's grip and tossed it aside like it weighed nothing. He moved faster than she could react, delivering a knee strike to her stomach that lifted her off the ground and sent her crashing into the wet street. The impact created a crater as Alvida coughed violently, trying to get air back into her lungs.
Buggy finally reformed fully, staggering to his feet. "You'll regret messing with us, Goku!" he barked, his bravado clearly faltering. "We'll make your crew pay!"
Goku's expression remained calm, but a dangerous glint flickered in his eyes. "You won't touch my crew," he said, his voice low and menacing. "They can handle themselves. But I'm done playing with you two."
Buggy, his panic barely masked by his grin, gave a quick glance to Alvida, who was still recovering. He realized they were outmatched. "Retreat!" Buggy screamed, trying to save face. "We'll be back for you, Straw Hat! And next time, you won't be so lucky!"
In an instant, Buggy's disjointed body parts floated away on the wind, while Alvida, clutching her side, limped off into the shadows. Despite their threats, Goku knew they were no longer a problem.
With the two retreating, Goku shifted his focus back to Smoker. Across the square, Smoker, drenched but calm, had been freed from the Sea Prism Stone net by a few assisting Marines. They looked ready to attack, but Smoker raised a hand, halting their advance.
"Stay back," Smoker ordered, his voice sharp. "This one's mine."
"But Captain!" one of the Marines protested. "He's too strong! We should—"
"I said stay back!" Smoker barked. His eyes never left Goku. "Go after Buggy and the others. I'll deal with Straw Hat."
Reluctantly, the Marines obeyed, rushing toward the retreating pirates, leaving Goku and Smoker standing alone in the pouring rain.
Goku slowly removed his straw hat, letting the rain soak his hair. He looped the cord of the hat around his neck, keeping it secure but out of the way. The rain drummed steadily on the stone streets, and Goku smiled.
"So, it's just us now," Goku said, his tone light but full of energy. His fists clenched as his Saiyan blood burned for another fight.
Smoker pulled his jitte from his back, the Sea Prism Stone end gleaming despite the rain. "You won't be so confident after this," Smoker warned, his voice low and serious. The two warriors faced each other, the storm seeming to intensify with the weight of the coming clash.
Meanwhile, from atop the rooftops the mysteriously figure continued to watch. Not really ready to intervene but not living either. He watched over the impending battle as if it was a blockbuster but to be honest at this time it was not. One was so much more powerful than the other but all his power meant nothing. There was still an unbearable barrier that meant he could not be considered a true elite, at least not yet. The mysterious figure watched these two young men with the interest that their future selves boasted. He could somehow see them going on to change the world, or at the least he had an inkling of it. He needed to watch thus fight to get a better idea of the future that awaited him and his organization.
Unbeknownst even to him however, another set of eyes were watching this fateful encounter. A young woman stood in the narrow alley and watched it all. She was Ria and she was there to witness.
***
Back at the port, the Going Merry rocked gently in the storm, its sails fluttering in the harsh winds. Sanji and Usopp arrived at the docks, soaked from the rain but carrying the last of the supplies. They hurried to get the wagon's contents aboard, their urgency clear.
"Why do these things always happen to us?" Usopp muttered, shivering from the cold rain as he handed Sanji a crate.
"Quit complaining and keep moving!" Sanji snapped, shaking the water from his hair before climbing up the ship's side to store the supplies.
At that moment, Gin appeared from below deck, lending a hand to the two Straw Hats. His lean, muscular frame seemed unbothered by the storm as he effortlessly hefted the supplies onboard.
"You're late," Gin grumbled, his voice carrying over the wind. "But at least you made it."
"Where's Zoro?" Usopp asked, looking around anxiously.
Just as Gin placed the final crate down, Zoro arrived, his swords still sheathed but his face marked with exhaustion. "I had to lose a Marine," Zoro muttered. "But we're cutting it close. We need to leave now."
"Where's Goku?" Nami asked as she emerged from the ship's interior, concern written across her face. "We can't leave without him."
Zoro, wiping rain from his brow, shook his head. "He's still busy, but we need to set sail now. Goku can handle himself."
As if on cue, a mighty roar of cannons echoed through the storm. Half a dozen pirate ships suddenly appeared, surrounding the Going Merry from all sides. Buggy and Alvida, their flags flying proudly, had returned with reinforcements. Cannons were primed and ready to fire, and their crewmen stood menacingly on deck, prepared for battle.
"They've got us surrounded!" Usopp shouted, his heart racing. "What do we do?!"
Nami's eyes narrowed, her mind racing. "We need to get out of here, fast!"
Sanji cracked his knuckles. "Let them come. They'll regret messing with us."
The pirates on the ships surrounding the Going Merry cheered and prepared for an all-out assault. As the storm raged on, the Straw Hats braced themselves for the next fight, unsure of what Buggy and Alvida had planned but knowing that they wouldn't go down without a fight.
[A/N: Read 15-20 chapters ahead available on patreon.com/saiyanprincenovels]