Chapter 14: Clash of Steel and Iron
The air in the vast chamber was thick with tension as Jack Sparrow, now furious, unsheathed his cutlass with lightning speed. His eyes locked onto Orion, the man who had deceived them, betrayed them, and now stood between him and the Black Pearl. His plan was simple: take the bastard down, claim the treasure, and escape. No time for second thoughts. No time for hesitation.
With a wild shout, Jack charged, his blade aimed straight for Orion's head. The steel gleamed in the dim light of the treasure-laden chamber. But before Jack could close the distance, a swarm of black, metallic particles exploded from beneath Orion's coat, forming a near-impenetrable wall of iron dust.
Jack's sword clashed against the swirling mass with a sharp screech, the force of the strike sending sparks flying. The dust shifted and flowed, acting as though it were alive—coiling and twisting to block his attack. The clash reverberated through the room as Jack staggered back, narrowly avoiding a spear of iron dust aimed directly at his chest.
"What in the devil's name…?" Jack muttered under his breath, eyes wide in disbelief. The strange, magnetic force around Orion was unlike anything he had ever encountered.
"Not quite what you expected, eh, Jack?" Orion's voice dripped with smug satisfaction, his expression one of twisted amusement. As he spoke, the black dust slowly returned to him, swirling around his body like a cloak. His smirk never wavered as he spoke again. "The Jiki Jiki no Mi. The Magnetic-Magnetic Fruit. It grants me complete control over all things magnetic."
Jack, still reeling from the encounter, narrowed his eyes. "I knew you were hiding something," he growled, his hand tightly gripping the hilt of his sword. "But I had no idea it was a devil fruit power like that."
Elena, who had drawn her twin daggers, stepped forward, her eyes hard with determination. She spoke quietly but urgently, her voice filled with shock. "The Jiki Jiki no Mi… He can manipulate metal, gold, anything magnetic…"
"So, you're the genius, huh?" Jack's tone was still sardonic but carried an edge of respect. He quickly coated his blade with the deep, black sheen of Armament Haki, the aura of power crackling around him. "Well, whatever it is, it won't stop me from cutting you down."
Orion raised an eyebrow, his grin widening. Without warning, he flicked his fingers. In an instant, piles of treasure—gold coins, glittering jewels, and precious metals—rose from the floor, floating toward him like a shimmering, deadly rain.
Jack reacted instantly, his sword flashing in the air as he swung to parry the barrage of flying coins. His swordsmanship was fluid, almost effortless, as each coin met its end in a burst of sparks, deflected by his haki-coated blade. The air was filled with the sound of clashing metal as Jack spun and twirled, each coin meeting its match in a graceful yet violent display of skill.
Sparks flew in all directions, but Jack's focus remained razor-sharp. Elena, meanwhile, took to the skies, her wind powers propelling her upwards. She formed two powerful whirlwinds, aiming them at Orion with the force of a raging storm. The twisting gales hurtled toward him, threatening to tear through him.
Orion, however, was no stranger to combat. With a flick of his wrist, he sent the iron dust flying, creating a shield of metallic particles that deflected the winds. His control over the dust was absolute, and the twisters dissipated into the air with a hiss. But Elena wasn't finished.
She had already moved, a blur in the air, her speed boosted by the wind. She appeared behind Orion in the blink of an eye, her twin daggers aimed for his back. But just as she was about to strike, a small, precise wave of iron dust shot forward, blocking her attack. At the same time, several shards of the dust shot toward her hands, stabbing into her palms with painful precision.
Elena yelped, instinctively pulling back, her hands stinging as the sea-stone-coated iron dust lodged into her skin. She twisted mid-air, landing with a graceful but pained roll on the dock of the Black Pearl. She stared at her hands in horror.
"I can't fly...?" Elena gasped, her eyes wide as she tried to summon her wind powers to lift her off the ground. Nothing happened. Her heart sank as she realized the horrifying truth.
Orion chuckled, his dark voice echoing through the chamber. "Shocked, are we? Did you honestly think your precious Logia powers would save you? My iron dust is mixed with sea stone, you see. The very same substance that nullifies your abilities. Just like you, it's a trap you cannot escape from."
Elena's face paled, and her fingers trembled. Sea stone. She had read about it in ancient texts, but never once had she imagined it would be used against her in this way. Her mind raced as she tried to comprehend what this meant.
"Sea stone?" Jack muttered under his breath, but his focus never wavered. He had to keep the fight on his terms. With a sharp intake of breath, he focused all his energy into the fight.
"You're not the only one who can control metal," Jack said through gritted teeth, his eyes now gleaming with fierce determination. He dashed forward, using the momentum of the battle to close the distance between them. Orion, sensing the attack, spun around, but Jack was already there. With a swift slash, Jack's blade bit deep into the iron dust, slicing through it like a hot knife through butter.
But before Orion could react, Jack's sword slashed across his back, leaving a jagged scar. His clothes tore, revealing a deep cut. Orion stumbled, a surprised grunt escaping his lips.
"Gotcha!" Jack yelled, the adrenaline pumping through him. "But I ain't done with you yet!"
The Black Pearl, now floating higher and higher, seemed to come alive, its massive sails fluttering in the wind. But the true danger revealed itself. As Orion stood, seething with rage, his eyes flashed with unbridled fury. He clenched his fists, and in an instant, the ship responded. The iron dust around them began to move with a mind of its own.
With a single, violent gesture, Orion spread his arms wide. The entire ship's hull groaned and creaked as a massive cannon emerged from the deck, pointing straight at the temple overhead.
"You think you've won, Sparrow?" Orion's voice was low, dangerous. "I'm not finished. Not by a long shot."
The cannon's muzzle glowed with a deep purple-white light, crackling with energy. Jack's eyes widened as he realized what was happening.
"No! Don't—!" Elena cried, realizing what Orion was about to do.
The cannon fired. A beam of potent energy shot out with blinding speed, slamming into the top of the temple with a deafening roar. The impact shattered the stone, and the force of the blast sent shockwaves rippling through the air. The temple's ceiling cracked and crumbled, debris falling in all directions as the beam pierced through the sky, leaving a trail of destruction in its wake.
The Black Pearl began to lift from the temple, its sails billowing in the wind, now free of the chamber. Jack, on the ground, stared in disbelief as the ruins of the temple slowly disappeared beneath the rising ship. The very ground beneath their feet trembled as the ship made its way out of the destroyed temple, gaining speed.
Elena, still recovering from her earlier injury, made her way back up to the ship, her eyes filled with shock and disbelief. She had to stop this madness.
But just as she reached the deck, the iron dust suddenly swarmed around her, encircling her in a cage made of metal. The dust crushed her movements, leaving her unable to escape. She tried to summon her wind powers, but it was no use. The sea stone in the dust neutralized her abilities, leaving her trapped.
"You have lost, little pirate," Orion's voice echoed through the chamber, cold and mocking. He leaned against the side of the ship, watching her struggle, his expression dark with triumph.
To be continued…
A/N: I only read some of the previous chapters and skipped to unimportant ones so some things might be different. For the better or the worse. But, consider this fic revived but support to keep it alive.