The docks were eerily silent now, except for the crackle of flames and the creak of warped wood underfoot. The corpses of Wire and Heat lay sprawled across the wreckage, and Killer's blood still pooled where he fell. Only Kid remained, standing amidst the chaos, his massive metal arm transforming yet again-this time into a jagged amalgamation of gears, blades, and spikes.
His face was twisted with rage, his breathing uneven. "You've killed my crew... you've taken everything from me!" His voice boomed, echoing over the destruction.
I stood a short distance away, watching him calmly. My body was battered, blood dripping from cuts on my arms and legs. My breathing was heavier now, but I kept my stance steady. The fight wasn't over yet, and Kid wasn't someone to be taken lightly.
With a deafening roar, Kid charged, his massive arm swinging in a wild arc.
[Magnet Arm: Guillotine Slash!]
The strike was faster than I expected. I barely managed to evade, the spiked edges grazing my shoulder and tearing through my jacket. The force of the swing obliterated the ground where I had been standing, splinters and debris exploding in all directions.
"Damn," I muttered, rolling to the side to regain my footing.
Kid didn't give me a moment to breathe. His other arm, now encased in metal plates, shot forward like a piston.
[Smash Knuckle!]
The blow caught me in the chest, sending me flying back. I crashed into a stack of crates, the impact knocking the wind out of me.
I coughed, blood dripping from the corner of my mouth. "Alright... that one hurt."
Kid wasn't done. He raised both arms, the jagged claws glowing as they crackled with electromagnetic energy.
[Magnet Burst!]
The air was filled with a torrent of flying metal shards, drawn from the debris around us. I leapt into the air, using [Geppo!] to avoid the deadly storm.
[Rankyaku: Crescent Wave!] I retaliated, sending a sharp air blade toward him.
Kid blocked it with his claw, the impact sending him skidding back a few feet. His grin widened. "You think that's enough to stop me?"
He slammed his claw into the ground, the magnetism pulling entire chunks of the dock toward him. The wood, metal, and stone fused into a massive hammer.
[Magnet Hammer: Leviathan Crush!]
The sheer size of the weapon was terrifying. He swung it with both hands, and the force of the strike shattered the docks beneath us. I barely managed to dodge, the hammer smashing into the water with an explosive impact that sent waves crashing onto the shore.
The shockwave knocked me off balance, and Kid was on me in an instant.
[Iron Grip!] His claw closed around me, squeezing with bone-crushing force.
I gritted my teeth, struggling against the pressure. My ribs creaked, and pain shot through my body.
"Not so tough now, are you?" Kid sneered, his face inches from mine.
I glared at him, forcing a smirk despite the pain. "You talk too much."
[Tekkai Kenpo: Breaking Fang!] I drove my hardened fingers into the joints of his claw. Sparks flew as metal cracked and groaned under the pressure.
"Damn you!" Kid roared, releasing me and stumbling back as his claw malfunctioned.
I landed on my feet, gasping for air. My chest ached, but I couldn't afford to stop now.
[Shigan: Rapid Barrage!] I launched a flurry of piercing strikes, each one aimed at his torso. Kid blocked most of them with his metal arm, but a few hit their mark, drawing blood from his exposed side.
"Bastard!" He swung his hammer again, this time aiming to crush me outright.
[Kami-e!] My body twisted unnaturally, the hammer missing me by a hair.
I countered with a spinning kick to his face.
[Rankyaku: Spiral Edge!] The kick generated a swirling blade of wind that slammed into him, sending him crashing into a stack of barrels.
The barrels exploded, sending shards of wood flying everywhere. Kid emerged from the wreckage, blood dripping from a gash on his forehead.
"You're pissing me off!" he bellowed, his magnetic arm pulling more debris from the destroyed docks to repair itself.
He charged again, his attacks growing more wild and destructive. Each swing of his claw or hammer obliterated more of the docks, leaving massive craters in the ground. The water beneath us churned violently, the waves crashing against the splintered remains of the piers.
I was starting to feel the strain. My movements were slower, my strikes less precise. But I couldn't let him see that.
[Soru!] I darted around him, aiming for his legs.
[Shigan: Achilles Strike!] My finger jabbed into his knee, forcing him to stumble.
He roared in frustration, slamming his hammer down in an attempt to crush me.
[Tekkai Kenpo: Avalanche Shield!] I hardened my body, absorbing the impact. The ground beneath me shattered, but I remained standing.
Kid's breathing was ragged now, his movements less coordinated. But his rage fueled him, driving him to keep fighting.
"You think you can beat me?" he snarled. "I'm Eustass Kid, the man who will become Pirate King!"
I didn't bother responding. Words wouldn't end this fight.
[Rokuogan!] I unleashed a devastating shockwave at point-blank range, hitting him square in the chest.
Kid screamed as the force of the attack sent him flying. He crashed into the remnants of a building, the structure collapsing on top of him.
For a moment, there was silence.
Then the rubble shifted, and Kid emerged, his body battered and bleeding. He was barely standing, but the fire in his eyes hadn't dimmed.
"You... won't... win," he growled, his voice hoarse.
I sighed, shaking my head. "You're persistent, I'll give you that."
Kid charged one last time, his claw crackling with energy.
[Magnet Claw: Cataclysm Slash!]
The attack was faster than I expected. It slammed into me, sending me skidding back. Blood spilled from a gash on my side, but I gritted my teeth and pushed through the pain.
[Rankyaku: Maelstrom Barrage!] I unleashed a series of wind blades, each one cutting through the air with deadly precision.
Kid blocked most of them with his claw, but a few struck his torso, opening deep wounds.
He fell to his knees, his breathing labored. Blood dripped from his mouth, pooling beneath him.
I approached slowly, my steps steady as well there no damage my body. The damages that had occurred have already healed.
As he collapsed, his head tilted toward the sky, I couldn't help but chuckle. "He got so angry he coughed up blood. Just like in those Chinese novels."
The docks were silent now, the once-bustling port reduced to little more than a smoldering wasteland. Water lapped at the edges of the destruction, carrying away the remnants of the battle.
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A short chapter, honestly I don't know how some of them just managed to drag a single fight across multiple chapters.
I am not as creative as I think I am.