The once peaceful plaza of Syrup Village had been transformed into a battlefield.
Overturned crates and splintered wood littered the ground, smoke curled upwards from burning barrels, and the cries of terrified villagers echoed faintly from sheltered areas.
Amidst this chaos stood Zoro, the swordsman whose reputation for unyielding strength preceded him, his emerald eyes cold and focused beneath furrowed brows.
Ahead, two men emerged from the shadows, moving in synchrony, their faces obscured by black headbands and marked by wild grins and predatory gazes.
These were the Nyaban Brothers—Kairo and Kori—a duo feared throughout the East Blue for their savage fighting style and unbreakable bond.
Kairo, taller and lean with eyes that glinted hunger, smirked as he surveyed Zoro's stance.
"One swordsman? Against two of us? This won't take long, little man."
Kori, stockier but no less dangerous, brandished his pair of razor-sharp claws.
"Don't underestimate us. We've torn through stronger opponents than you."
Zoro cracked his neck, the three swords hanging at his hips gleaming ominously in the fading light.
"I don't count numbers. I cut through them."
The brothers lunged forward, their movements a blur—Kairo attacking from the left with swift kicks, while Kori slashed from the right with claw strikes aimed to tear through flesh and steel alike.
Zoro parried Kairo's kick with his left sword, feeling the sting as the force grazed his forearm.
Spinning on his heel, he deflected Kori's clawed swipe with his right blade, a sharp clang echoing through the air.
The swordsman's breathing was controlled, rhythmic—the heart of a warrior unshaken by the storm raging around him.
"Oni Giri!" he shouted, spinning into a powerful arc with all three swords extended, a sweeping attack meant to cleave through both opponents at once.
The Nyaban Brothers reacted instantly, but their synchronized retreat couldn't fully dodge the strike.
Kairo caught a shallow cut on his shoulder, and Kori stumbled, momentarily staggered.
Blood began to streak Kairo's shoulder, his grin hardening into a snarl.
"He's stronger than we thought."
"We need to split him," Kori advised.
"Distract him; then, I go for the legs."
Their tactics shifted immediately.
Kairo feigned a retreat while Kori darted closer, his claws aiming for Zoro's knees—a vulnerable target for any swordsman who lost footing.
Zoro barely leapt back, barely clearing the snapping claws.
"Too slow,"
he muttered inwardly as he rolled forward to regain balance.
Then, with a roar, Zoro unleashed a brutal counterattack.
"Santoryu:Tatsu Maki!"
The whirlwind of steel spun powerfully around him, slicing at the air and forcing both brothers to back step hastily, cutting down rogue crates and scattering the few nearby pirates.
But Kairo was far from done.
He attacked again with a savage elbow strike combined with a vicious kick, pushing Zoro to the limit.
The swordsman blocked and countered several times, sweat mixing with the dirt on his brow — this was a taxing fight, the kind that demanded every ounce of skill and endurance.
Zoro prepared for his next move, knowing the battle could not drag on indefinitely.
His muscles tensed like a coiled spring.
"Koro, now!"
Kairo yelled, launching a synchronized assault.
The brothers moved like a single beast, claws and fists aiming for vital points with ruthless precision.
Zoro's mind snapped into focus, calculating timing and distance.
"Santoryu: Asura!" he cried out.
An illusion of nine swords appeared, the spectral blades spinning like ghostly demons, overwhelming the Nyaban Brothers' senses.
The brothers staggered, their defenses made fragile by the onslaught.
Zoro rushed forward, blades flashing in a deadly spiral.The first brother yelped in pain as Zoro cleaved across his torso.
The second barely dodged, retaliating with a desperate claw swipe that Zoro narrowly evaded.
"Santoryu: Ono Giri!"
He drew his swords back and swung with terrifying force.
The blades cut a clean, powerful arc, slicing through armor and muscle.
Both brothers collapsed, blood staining their grins away, faces twisted with shock and pain.
Zoro stepped forward, sword tip at the neck of the closest brother.
"Yield. No more harm will come to Syrup Village while I stand."
Slowly, breathing ragged, the brothers dropped their weapons, defeated but still alive.
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Usopp's pov : -
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The village's worn cobblestone paths became a labyrinth of shadows and danger as Usopp found himself pushed to the edge—both physically and mentally.
His slingshot, an extension of his spirit, trembled in his hands, the weight of responsibility heavier than any weapon's.
As pirates poured through the streets, their ruthless intent clear in snarls and raised blades, Usopp's heart pounded fiercely.
"Okay, Usopp,"
he muttered to himself, squinting through the swath of enemies.
"You're not just some village storyteller. You're a warrior now."
Despite his fears, Usopp took aim and let fly a pebble.
It zipped through the air, striking a pirate squarely between the eyes. The man stumbled, mouth agape.
"Bullseye!"
Usopp's voice cracked with excitement, emboldening him.
More pirates advanced, closing in with heavy clubs and daggers.
Usopp ducked behind a broken cart, panting.
"I'm not strong like Ash or Zoro… what if I let Kaya down?"
A tall pirate—a grizzled man named Banchina—loomed nearby, his thick arms crossed with a sneer.
"Little rat with a slingshot,"
Banchina sneered.
"You don't scare me."
Usopp's knuckles whitened on his slingshot.
"You'd be surprised."
As Banchina charged, Usopp shouted a warning to the villagers nearby.
"Get back! Stay clear!"
With trembling fingers, he loaded a special firecracker into his slingshot.
The air filled with the sharp crack of the explosion, blinding and disorienting Banchina for a fleeting moment.
Seizing the opportunity, Usopp fired several precise shots, each striking a vulnerable spot—knocking the pirate's weapon aside and causing him to stagger.
Nami appeared beside Usopp, tossing him a small pouch of more explosive pellets.
"Keep it up, Usopp! Cover the villagers!"
Usopp's eyes glistened with renewed determination.
"Thanks, Nami. I won't let you down."
Together, they formed a dynamic defense—Nami using her keen eye and quick thinking, and Usopp firing shot after shot, his aim growing sharper with every hit.
As Banchina recovered, his grin turned predatory.
"Your luck will run out, boy."
Usopp stood his ground, breathing steady, an unshakable fire in his eyes.
"No way I'm giving up now. Not after today."
With a final, perfectly aimed stone, Usopp struck the pirate's temple, sending him crashing to the ground.
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NAMI'S POV :-
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The echoes of battle spilled through the narrow streets, but Nami's heart beat steadily as she cradled Kaya's fragile form in her arms.
The heiress's pale cheeks were flushed with fever; her breaths shallow but steady.
"I'm here, Kaya,"
Nami whispered, her voice both soothing and firm.
"We're going to get you to safety."
Surrounding them, the villagers scattered into makeshift hiding places, panic blazing in their eyes.
Nami's sharp gaze searched for danger and refuge, weaving through the chaos with a sense of fierce responsibility.
As Nami helped Kaya navigate through narrow alleys, a group of pirates rounded a corner, their faces twisted in cruel smiles.Nami's heart raced.
"Stay behind me!"
she hissed, clutching Kaya tighter.
Without weapon in hand, Nami relied solely on quick thinking and agility.
She ducked under a swinging club, grabbed a fallen wooden plank, and swung it just in time to deflect a second blow aimed at Kaya.
The pirates were relentless—each attack close enough to feel the wind from their blows.
Nami barely managed to shove Kaya aside when a stray kick smashed through a nearby barrel, splintering wood and sending debris flying.
One pirate lunged directly at Nami, blade gleaming.
She dodged, her agility keeping her alive but exhaustion weighing heavily.
"Keep moving, Kaya! We can make it,"
Nami urged, voice strained but determined.
Their narrow escape led them to hidden paths known only to the villagers. The menacing faces of the pirates grew distant behind them, but the danger was far from over.
Nami took up a position behind a barricade of crates near Kaya's temporary refuge, eyes scanning for threats.
A vicious pirate attempted to slip through the shadows toward their group.
Nami called out to nearby villagers and Usopp, who arrived just in time to help.
Together, they fought off the attacker — Nami blocking blows with a stolen wooden board, Usopp's stones finding their marks.
Despite exhaustion, Nami's quick thinking and courage kept them safe.
Nami barely escaped another close call when a stray blow grazed her arm, sharp pain igniting through her.
"I won't let this village fall,"
she whispered fiercely through gritted teeth.
As she helped calm the frightened Kaya, Nami's spirit burned bright, her determination a shield stronger than any sword.
______to be continued ______