The Thousand Sunny gently bobbed on the waves as the sun reached its zenith, casting golden light on the open sea. The Straw Hats were going about their usual antics when a ship appeared on the horizon.
It wasn't long before it drew closer—a sturdy vessel with a dark wood hull, its Jolly Roger proudly flapping in the wind. Luffy, ever the one to rush into a fight, grinned ear-to-ear.
"Pirates!" he shouted, leaping onto the figurehead.
Kikidori, however, was the first to step forward, his hand already on the hilt of his sword. "I'll handle this one," he said firmly.
The ship pulled alongside the Sunny, and two figures stepped onto the deck of their ship—a man and a woman, both seasoned pirates judging by their stances and weapons. The man had wild black hair streaked with gray and piercing blue eyes. The woman had sharp features, her hair tied back in a high ponytail, and a determined glare.
Kikidori narrowed his eyes. Something about them felt… strange. Familiar, even. But there was no time to dwell on it—both pirates lunged at him without hesitation.
Kikidori parried the man's blade and ducked under the woman's whip-like weapon, engaging them in a fierce battle. Their movements were precise, almost too coordinated, and Kikidori found himself pushed back onto the enemy ship.
He caught his breath for a moment, glancing around for an opening—and that's when he saw them. Two wanted posters tacked to the mast.
The first was of the man, labeled *Diamond D. Iwatase*, and the second was of the woman, *Diamond D. Gem*.
Kikidori froze. His eyes widened in disbelief. "Diamond… D.?" he muttered. His grip on his sword tightened as realization dawned.
The fight paused as the two pirates noticed Kikidori staring at the posters.
"Why did you stop fighting?" the man asked, his voice gruff but steady.
Kikidori turned to them, his voice trembling with both rage and heartbreak. "Why do you have that name?"
The woman raised an eyebrow. "What's it to you, kid? You've got a bounty, and we're here to claim it."
Kikidori's sword wavered in his hand. "You don't recognize me, do you?"
The two pirates exchanged confused glances.
"I'm Kikidori," he spat, his voice breaking. "Your son."
Their eyes widened in shock, and for a moment, there was silence. Then, instead of joy or recognition, they both frowned.
"Son?" Iwatase said, his tone cold. "We don't have a son."
Gem crossed her arms. "If you're from the Diamond D. family, you're no son of ours."
Kikidori's chest tightened as his worst fears came true. He gritted his teeth. "What do you mean? I am your child?"
Gem sighed, looking annoyed. "You were a mistake," she said bluntly. "We didn't want a kid. We had bigger plans—pirate plans. A brat would've only slowed us down." " only your brother was worthy "
Kikidori was to mad to here about the brother thing though
Iwatase shrugged. "We figured Elbaf would take care of you. Guess we were wrong."
Kikidori's heart shattered. Their words hit him like cannonballs, each one more painful than the last. Tears welled in his eyes, blurring his vision. He tightened his grip on his sword, his knuckles white.
"I wasn't loved," Kikidori whispered, his voice trembling. "Not by you. Not by anyone. I was just a mistake to you."
His tears began to fall freely, but the sadness in his eyes turned into something else. Anger. Rage. He raised his sword.
"And yet you dare to show your faces in front of me!" he shouted, lunging at them.
The fight resumed, but this time Kikidori fought with everything he had. Tears streamed down his face as he swung his blade, his emotions fueling his strength. The man and woman tried to defend themselves, but they were no match for his fury.
With a final cry, Kikidori struck them both down, his sword slicing through them like they were nothing more than paper. They fell to the deck, lifeless, their blood pooling beneath them.
Kikidori dropped to one knee, his sword the only thing keeping him from collapsing completely. He stared at their bodies, his chest heaving, his tears falling into the blood-soaked wood.
The crew of the Sunny, who had watched the entire scene from afar, stood in stunned silence. Not even Raiko, who usually had a snide remark for every situation, could find the words to speak.
Kikidori looked up at the wanted posters one last time. His breathing was uneven, and his voice was barely above a whisper.
"I hate that name," he said, his voice breaking. "Diamond D. I hate it. I hate everything about it."
His tears continued to fall as he stood, his legs shaky. For a moment, he looked like a lost child—a boy who had spent his entire life searching for love, only to find out that it had never been there to begin with.
He turned and climbed back onto the Sunny, his head hanging low.
The rest of the crew watched him in silence, unsure of what to say. Even Luffy, who was usually quick to offer words of encouragement, seemed to understand that this wasn't the time.
As Kikidori disappeared below deck, the silence lingered.
Robin was the first to speak. "Seeing a grown man cry…" she said softly. "It's a kind of sadness you can't put into words."
Nami nodded, wiping a tear from her own cheek. "He didn't deserve that."
"None of us do," Zoro said quietly, his usual stoicism faltering.
The crew stood together, their hearts heavy, as the enemy ship drifted away, abandoned and silent.
End of Chapter 81