Renshu awoke to the swaying of his ship. The waves were kind to him as he gathered his bearings. It took him only moments to remember the events that had led to him being here with intense pain in his body.
“Captain, you're awake!” one of his crew said, rushing to his side.
Renshu wasn't listening and began to rise without acknowledging his crew member.
“Sir, you shouldn't be getting up yet your not recovered.” the crew member said, he was the doctor wasn't he?
“Shut up.” Renshu said, pushing the doctor away. “Where is Vitali?”
“He let us go, we came to rescue you.” The doctor said.
“How far are we from his island?” Renshu asked, throwing the spare shirt over his bandaged chest. His old shirt laid on a chair, now a bloody rag in tatters.
“We only left an hour or two ago.” The doctor said.
“Good, we got enough time.” Renshu said, looking out the window of his cabin. The sun had begun to rise over the horizon, their fight had begun at noon the previous day.
“You can't be serious can you?” The doctor said quickly as Renshu moved to leave the cabin. “He nearly killed you.”
Renshu felt the blood in his body boiling. “Stop wasting my time!” Renshu yelled as he opened the door. He spotted several members of his crew looking at him hesitantly. “All of you, turn this boat around, we're going back to Vitali.”
No one moved. “Sir.” A worker said, his voice scared as he began to ring his hands around the mop that sat in his hands. “I don't mean to be rude, but if we go back he will kill you. We don't want you to die, Captain.”
Renshu turned back to his cabin, grabbing his bag and twin blades. “You have two minutes to turn this ship around, you hear that!” He shouted, his eyes turning bloodshot.
Finally, another member of the crew stood firmly. “No, We won't let you die, Captain, the Boar Pirates take care of each other!”
“Fuck that.” Renshu yelled out, walking towards the side of the ship. “You all can fuck off! There is no Boar Pirates, just the Boar, Me! You all are so miniscule you can't even hold a candle to me! That is why you have no bounties, meanwhile I have risen! You act as if we are some stupid family of a crew, your just stepping stones! Now, get the hell out of my way before I cut you to pieces!”
The crew all stared wide eyed at Renshu. Renshu was wide eyed too, just not like them. He turned, then jumped over the side of the ship. He could see the island in the distance, and began to swim. An hour or two out was nothing, he could get there in no time.
He was an idiot that first time, he thought he could beat Vitali without his Rioso, but now he knew he had to use it. His body resisted against his movements, yet Renshu continued on pushing his muscles beyond their limits.
Renshu remembered what his father had told him back during his training. Rioso was the spirit, and his family held a special form of it. They specialized in the Rioso Kuijia, The Armor of the Soul. the power could allow him to hit even Logia types and protect against any damage. But he had learned the advanced form, he just never could manage it. Now would be the time to finally prove his worth.
As Renshu climbed onto the shore of the island he turned back to see his ship shrink in the distance, the Jolly Roger lowered. He didn't care, they didn't matter, what mattered was proving his worth. He could never get stronger unless he beat Vitali here and now.
He trudged up the tall grass to where the smoke rose from his camp. The camp had tall Teepees for tents around a fire. The Spirit Pirate’s eyed Renshu like an idiot as he walked through their camp, dripping from head to toe. He had his twin blades drawn and was letting his eyes darting around, looking for a threat. He snarled at anyone who stood too close as he passed. A group drew weapons and began to descend on Renshu.
“Stop.” A voice called out. The group separated to reveal Vitali, the Spirit Pirate. He had tanned skin with a red tint to them, a strong jaw, long black hair held back by a bandana. He wore an open vest with no undershirt, revealing his toned stomach. He wore brown pants that seemed to be stitched shut along the side broadly, allowing the ankles to be shown from the side. “He returns to die, that is his choice.”
“We are not done.” Renshu said, his chest puffing.
“We were done.” Vitali said. “I defeated you and allowed your men to carry you away, a kindness I will not offer to you again and only because you were not my target.”
“Fuck that.” Renshu said, raising Tusk in his right hand. “Fuck that, Fuck you. You should have killed me!”
“You are correct, if I knew you were so foolish I would have simply ended you then.” Vitali said. “Your bounty says dead or alive, so your head will do.” The rest of the Spirit pirates began to make room.
Renshu lowered his stance, preparing his charge. He had not been ready for Vitali’s ability, but now he knew what he was dealing with. He just had to count on his Rioso Kuijia.
His body leaned forward, and he began to charge. His blades were out like a boar’s tusks, the style of his family. The Gong Zhu style was about forward momentum, pressing the attack on the enemy and never letting them regain their footing. If he could keep up the pressure he would win.
Vitali had seen the Gong Zhu during their last fight though, and knew what to expect. “Now, come Silver Wolf Claw!” Vitali yelled, then his arms began to change. Both arms changed shape into totems with several different animals. One of the lower totem heads began to spin, the one of the Silver Wolf. Vitali’s hands then warped, a set of claws overlapping his own, fur resting on the back of his palms.
This was the power of the Totem-Totem fruit, a special Paramecia that bordered a Zoan type. It allowed the user to channel parts of their totems on their body. Renshu had expected this, there was no getting around it he just had to beat him.
Kill Kill Kill Kill Kill
Renshu continued his advance as his blades began to move forward, but Vitali simply twisted his wrists inwards, then pushed outwards to throw open Renshu’s strike, his arms out on his side. Renshu did not let up, as Vitali was also open even though he would recover sooner than Renshu would. Instead of trying to pull his arms back in, he instead moved to a headbutt. He slammed his forehead into Vitali’s nose, causing the Warlord to flounder back.
Renshu recovered and began the attack again. “Orange Cheetah Paws!” Vitali yelled out, the totems spinning again. The Wolf claws stayed in place, but Renshu knew there was a new addition. Once the totem stopped, Vitali suddenly back pedaled as Renshu did a scissor strike. Vitali’s bare feet were now wearing orange cheetah paw boots. They would increase his speed significantly as he ran.
“Shit!” Renshu swore under his breath as he rushed forward. Vitali met his next strike, then side stepped and tried to make his own attack. Renshu dropped to the ground, then swung his leg out to kick Vitali. Vitali jumped over the leg sweep, giving Renshu time to recover swing his blades at Vitali’s airborne body.
“Grey Hawk Wings!” Vitali yelled out, the Totems spinning again and a set of wings appeared, sending Vitali up into the air to avoid the strike.
This was what Renshu feared, he could not hit Vitali in the air. Renshu darted his eyes all around, then realized a method. He ran to the side, away from Vitali. At first, Vitali smiled as if Renshu was fleeing, but he was doing no such thing.
The scream came as a shock to the whole camp. Blood poured free onto the trampled grass of their camp, staining the blades a crimson. A member of the Spirit Pirates dropped to the ground, hands holding at the holes in his chest that would not stop gushing blood.
“This was a match between us!” Vitali yelled out.
Renshu wasn't listening. They would serve as bait, they were stepping stones to Vitali. Vitali wasn't like Renshu, he had a crew he dumbly respected, he would defend them. The next three went down in a row as Renshu slit their throats with one slice.
“NO!” Vitali yelled out. He dive bombed down at Renshu, who continued to mow down the Spirit Pirates that struggled to draw their weapons in defense. Renshu was in a swinging motion, and went from removing a head to slicing across Vitali’s wolfed hand.
Vitali backed up, but Renshu pressed his charge. These were the crew of the Warlord Vitali, they all had a bounty at one point that rivaled Renshus. Killing them would skyrocket his bounty! He would kill them all, Kill them all till he was strong, strong enough to win!
Vitali’s crew began to run away, Vitali moving to stop the slaughter. Renshu just gave a wicked smile. He could feel blood dripping from above his face where it had splattered. He felt the warmth of blood creep down his chest, had his wounds reopened? He felt no pain, so who cared!
Renshu lowered himself into his Boar Strike, but Vitali was already on the move to back away out of his range. Renshu decided it was now or never, if his Rioso Kuijia was going to work, it would be now. He let the Rioso cover his blades, then focused on pushing it outwards in a striking motion.
The air rippled and cracked in a brown color. Vitali’s eyes widened in fear as the ripples shot out and dug into Vitali’s chest. He was sent flying into the air, blood pouring from the holes in his chest. Members of the Spirit Pirates that Renshu had not touched began to collapse to the ground, foam forming in their mouths. Vitlai was sent flying back.
“Everyone run, I cannot fight any longer!” Vitali yelled out as he was thrown back, trying to get his wings to catch the wind. “You cannot stop him!” WIth that, Vitali ran.
Renshu stepped on one of the fallen men, and began to growl. He looked around, but everyone was running. Kill. Kill. Kill.
Renshu wasn't sure how many he had killed before he stole their ship, but he knew that when he was finished he could barely hold his blades as they were thick with blood. His body shook from battle rage, and he let the sea take his ship. He directed the ship towards the needle of the log pose he stole from one of the fallen pirates.
He looked out, waiting for the next challenge. He must get stronger and stronger and stronger, to defeat him. To win, to take control, to free them. He had to, no matter how many lives he must end, no matter the corpses he had to walk over. It was all stepping stones to that goal, to that victory. His bounty would rise, bounty hunters of great strength would seek him out, and he would crush them beneath him. He would kill whoever he needed to, and he would do it alone if he had to.
