Koby nodded in agreement. "Right. Let's focus on regaining our strength. We can't afford to be caught off guard again."
Te sat down beside Koby, wincing as he moved. "We've been through worse. We'll get out of this. We just need to stay calm and think clearly."
The two boys fell silent, the weight of their situation settling heavily on them. The moonlight cast faint shadows across the cell, and the distant sounds of the fortress seemed to amplify the isolation they felt.
Te and Koby spent a little time gathering their energy back.
They had spent only a few minutes in the jail cell gathering their bearing and trying to figure out their next step. They could escape whenever they wanted with Te's Nen ability but they were both genuinely hurt and contemplating on just escaping and fighting the warlord later.
It was still 12 years till Luffy's journey. They were able to figure out the timeline thanks to Te's rewatching the series multiple times and looking at the date in the newspaper.
"I think we should just leave," Koby stated. " I think we are a little over our heads right now, we could barely fight Worg and who knows how far down he is on the totem pole, we continue like this and we'll be too tired to face White Crow.
Te looked at his brother with a contemplating expression. " I know you are right, but I'm not giving up on some pirates who came back from the grandline."
Koby shook his head. " yeah pirates who subordinate kicked our ass and now we are in a jail cell."
" Don't give me that you and I both know we would have won that easily if we went all out."
"ALL OUT! If we went all out on someone weaker how are we supposed to have enough energy to fight white crow, who according to you is some big bad guy from some fandom you read about!! Oh and in case you forget our nen reserves are as deep as they used to be since we condensed it!"
" You know you are a real kill joy sometimes." Te shaking his head. " I don't think reality has set in for you but we are in the ONE PIECE WORLD. If we decide to join luffy crew or make our own we will have to deal with these type of situations all the time. Or are you going to abandoned your friends with things get tough."
Koby stared at Te in shock absorbing the words just thrown at him. " I never said I would abandon anyone."
"Then nut up. And hand me one of those healy potions."
Koby let out a heavy sigh, reaching into the small pouch he always carried with him. He pulled out a vial of glowing liquid and tossed it over to Te. "Here, take it. But we still need to be smart about this. Charging in without a plan will get us killed."
Te caught the vial, uncorking it and downing the contents. The healing serum worked fast, and soon the color returned to his face as his wounds began to close. "I get it, Koby. But this is more than just some random fight. This is our world now, our reality. We can't keep running from every big threat. We have to face them head-on."
Koby stared at the floor for a moment, processing Te's words. "I know that. But I'm thinking long-term. We can't just throw ourselves at every challenge without calculating the risks."
Te stood up, his body already moving with more fluidity as the potion worked its magic. "And I'm saying we need to face this now, while we have the chance. White Crow is dangerous, sure. But if we let him go, we don't know what kind of chaos he'll cause. We've got time before Luffy's journey starts, but that doesn't mean we get to sit on our hands."
Koby got up, pacing the small cell as he weighed the options. "I just don't want us to burn out before we even start. We've got so much to do, so much to learn."
Te grinned. "That's why we're in this together, bro. We'll figure it out. But for now, we need to deal with White Crow before he gets too far ahead."
Koby stopped pacing and looked at his brother. "Alright, fine. We'll do it your way. But we're going to be smart about it. No more rushing in headfirst."
"Thats the spirit now lets bust outta here and charge headfirst."
"I just said you know what nevermind."
Koby pulled out another vial, uncorking it for himself and feeling the healing effects kick in as his energy surged. The wounds from his fight with Worg started to close, and the fog in his mind lifted.
Te nodded, a spark of excitement in his eyes. He placed his hand on the wall, his Nen surging as the stone around the bars began to shift and warp, creating a silent opening. "Easy as pie."
Koby smiled. "Let's go."
As Te and Koby slipped out of the cell, they moved swiftly and silently down the dimly lit corridor. But the sound of clanking armor and hurried footsteps echoed in the distance. Prison guards.
The boys exchanged a quick glance.
"Looks like we've been spotted," Te muttered, tensing up, his fists already glowing faintly with Nen.
Koby sighed, his mind racing. "Guess there's no use holding back anymore."
The guards rounded the corner, weapons drawn and shouting commands. They were heavily armored, with blades and rifles aimed directly at the boys.
"You! Stop right there!" one of the guards yelled, advancing toward them.
Te cracked his knuckles, preparing for a brawl, but Koby stepped forward, his face stern, his eyes glowing with an intense light. His frustration and pain from earlier surged within him, fueling his resolve.
"Might as well go all out…" Koby muttered, the air around him growing heavy as he concentrated his Nen. A fiery aura began to form around him, flickering like the beginnings of a blaze.
The guards hesitated for a moment, sensing the shift in energy, but before they could react, Koby's Nen exploded outward in a burst of flames. His hands ignited, crackling with heat and raw energy, the fire reflecting in his cold, determined eyes.
"Hinotama," Koby whispered, the word barely leaving his lips before a torrent of flames erupted from his hands.
The fire shot forward with terrifying speed, engulfing the nearest guards. Their screams echoed through the corridor as the fire licked their armor, turning it into molten slag. The heat was unbearable, and the smell of burning flesh filled the air.
The guards' bodies twisted and convulsed in agony, their armor melting onto their skin as they desperately tried to escape the inferno Koby had unleashed. But there was no escape. The flames consumed them entirely, leaving nothing but charred corpses and ash in their wake.
Te watched in stunned silence for a moment, his usual bravado tempered by the sheer destruction Koby had just caused. "Damn... didn't think you had that in you."
Koby's flames slowly dissipated, leaving behind smoldering embers on the floor. He stared at the ashes of the guards, his expression unreadable. "We don't have time to play around anymore. White Crow's men won't stop until we're dead. If we don't strike first…"
Te nodded, understanding. He slapped Koby on the shoulder. "You're right. No more holding back."