'Bang' 'Bang'
"Hey, watch we're your aiming!"
"Move, move, he's in my sight!"
"Fuck, he's fast!"
The pirates slashed and shot at a red blur that intermingled between them, causing confusion among them as they also hit each other while the blur took them out with a quick hard hit to the head, knocking them out cold.
Kazuki spun his staff swinging its end into the head of a nearby pirate, while kicking another in the stomach with a heavy kick, causing them both to black out on contact.
But Kazuki didn't stay in one place as he moved in a blur of motion, striking pirates left and right as he attacked like a tornado, sending them flying around.
Soon as the battle started it ended, as Kazuki stood among a pile of knocked out bodies, looking at a semi-conscious big bellied men.
"That was a good spar, man I'm hungry does the town have any good food." Kazuki yawned ,spinning his staff and putting it back into it's holster.
He wasn't trying be disrespectful but he had been traveling since the morning and the fight had drained a bit of his energy.
"N-no, y-yes, here please spare me." The pirate tired to talk with a broken jaw and teeth and just hurriedly took out his money handing it to him.
"Mmm thanks, now go to sleep." Kazuki muttered taking the bag of money and chopping the pirates neck, knocking him out.
Kakzuk then looked at the money and took half out and dumped the rest back on the pirates chest.
"Mmm that's my win for this spar." Kazuki nodded as he walked directly over the bodies and went towards the town in the distance.
"Rock the dragon, rock, rock the dragon." Kazuki hummed as he walked down the path with his hands behind his head.
"W-wait hold up!"
Kazuki looked behind him to see a red haired girl about the same age as him run up to him panting and following behind her were two other kids.
"Yeah, what up." Kazuki said awkwardly as he rubbed the back of his head.
The kids he met when growing up on the island were mean and spiteful children who he decided to distance from, so he hadn't had good experiences with kids his age.
"I-I'm Beany, be my protector." She stumbled over her words causing her to blush, as the boy beside her shook his head looking equally as uncomfortable.
They had just decided not to intervene when this kid was about to get jumped and maybe die, but after seeing how strong he was, they felt like they were bad people for now asking for help.
Jess seeing this stepped forward, gently holding Beany's shoulder. "Well pay you great, we just need a protector." She said looking at him hopefully.
She and the others saw how this kid, the same age as them, was strong enough on his own that he easily took out twenty grown men, what was he like twelve? Thirteen?
She understands why Beany just started running after him, with no adults to protect their group they have been very vulnerable, but also super lucky so far as to not get sold into slavery or worse.
Kazuki rubbed the back of his head as he looked at them in confusion. "Protect you?
Why would you need protection?" He said suddenly sitting down startling the kids as they looked at him in confusion.
"Tell me your story."
Beany looked at him in disbelief but nodded and told him about the orphanage burning, the lack of adults taking responsibility. The struggles of taking care of the kids needs as they struggled to find shelter.
Kakzui nodded not interrupting her, even as tears flowed down her eyes causing the other two to cry and clench there fist in frustration.
As she ended her story, Beany's head was pointed down not daring to look at him, as she explained how they saw him and didn't warn him about the pirates.
"I'm sorry."
Kazuki nodded expressionless, as he suddenly stood up and patted there heads, startling them as they looked at him in bewilderment.
"Would you flip a coin that no matter what you had to flip, to save one person or five?" Kazuki suddenly asked them running his fingers through Beany's red hair causing her to blush, and patted Udons head making him huff as he looked at all three of them.
They looked at her each other before looking at him and answering as one. "Five." They declared with confidence.
Kazuki nodded. "To be honest both are correct and it's a very complex problem, because when it comes to the ones we love and care about, some of us we'll gladly be viewed as a demon for not saving others." He said smiling at them.
"Just don't make it a habit to sacrifice people, then that's just being evil." Kazuki chuckled before standing up and stretching his back.
"So, what do you guys just go to the marines to sell it or what." Kazuki asked as he looked at them but was taken back when they looked at him with stars in there eyes.
"So mature."
"Cool."
"See! That's what acting like an adult is like, dang Beany you suck."
"Who sucks! Weren't you saying that you're just a year younger then me!
Kazuki chuckled as he watched them argue, then they guided him to their home off in the woods were the younger kids hid away.
"So, hey… who are you? How did you move like that." Beany asked twirling a strand of her red hair as she shyly looked at him.
"I'm Kazuki Tsuki, a martial artist Ms. Beany." Kazuki said smiling at her.
Beany blushed as she looked away. "Beany is just fine." She muttered as Jess walked up beside Kazuki.
"Hey, how did you make your ship disappear?" She asked in confusion along with Udon and Beany who nodded also wanting to know.
"Oh it's just my capsule, when we get to your place I'll show you." Kazuki said with a grin as they continued walking till old abandoned building caught there view.
"There it is! Home!" Jess shouted running to the worn down village, her shout seemed to be heard as tons of children began coming out of the decrepit homes and rushed towards the three kids.
Kazuki watched at what he counted as twenty-six children come out, hug and almost seemed to talk as one to the three older kids who held some of the crying children.
"Beany-neesan, who is the orange boy? Is he a new brother?" A small blue haired girl, who appeared to be four said tugging on Beany's sleeve.
"Oh MeeMee that's Kazuki, he's going to be a bodyguard while we accomplish a mission." Beany said grinning wide, as she picked up the girl causing her to giggle in delight.
Kazuki smiled at the sight and walked towards an empty spot. "This is a good time to show you what a capsule is." He said taking out a white pod and pressing the top of it before throwing it to the ground.
'Puff'
All the kids got startled as a thick smoke cloud suddenly appeared then began to quickly dissipate as they looked at a heep of clean clothes and food.
"I didn't know if I would travel for a week or two and packed a lot of food, and my item pod had a lot of clothes my master had from his disciples and children." Kazuki said smiling at their stunned faces.
"Don't be shy go ahead."
His confirmation caused the kids to go ahead as they went to the food before anything, as Kazuki brought a lot of fish and rice for his trip.
"Kazuki are you sure." Jess said looking at him with worried expression that they might be asking for to much from him.
Kakzui waved his hand smiling at her. "I'm actually a orphan also and if it wasn't for some kind merchants helping, me then I wouldn't know where I would be, just paying it forward."
Udon walked up to him and looked in confusion. "Paying it forward? What does that mean?"
Kakzui rubbed his head as she grinned at the younger boy. "It means that the people who helped me, caused me to want to help you, and that I hope one day you also help someone in need or just somebody down on there luck.
Udon nodded looking deep thought at the idea of paying it forward.
"Hey, hey Kazuki how did you cause that stuff to appear with just smoke." Beany said was they walked towards the food and helped the children eat and ate themselves as they sat down.
"It's called a capsule pod, it lets me store items in a more convenient way, like a house or boat, speaking of which." He got up and opened his case and grabbed another pod.
"Was actually wondering when I would ever need this." He said before pressing the top of the capsule and throwing it.
'Puff."
After the large smoke cloud dissipated the group of children saw a big house of what appeared be made of stone.
"Wow!"
"It's a house?"
"Is it our house?!"
The kids clammered around Kazuki who laughed, as he pressed on a screen that was on outside of the house.
"Yeah this is yours, just need to abjust it to accommodate everyone." Kazuki said as he tapped on the contol screen, luckily the capsule houses could be adjusted to fit more people, it was still going to be a bit crowded but it would do.
"And now you guys can go take a bath also." Kazuki said opening the door and smiling at the awestruck children.
"Welcome home."
~Pirates ship-Captains cabin~
"Whats taking them so long." Devon growled in frustration as he tapped his finger impatiently against his chair.
"S-sir maybe they just got cau…"
"CAPTAIN!"
A pirate rushed I and kneed at Devon's feet. "Twenty of our men were found beaten up and passed out, but when they woke up and we tried to inquire what happened, some of them freaked out and ran away." The pirate said nervously gulping as a red flash appeared in Devon's eyes.
"Mutiny is it, have those fools forgot that they consumed my blood? Alright then, let them feel my first decree." He menacingly chuckled.
"C-captain." One of the pirates muttered when suddenly Devon's hand was held tight into a fist as blood dripped from his hand.
"Iron blood - Baindo(bind)
Unable to be seen by others, red chains coiled around the hearts of each Blood drip pirate.
"Shinzō(heart)
"Ugh, please captain ughhh."
"Stop please aghh."
The cries of the crew screamed into the air as their faces turned pale and there eyes went bloodshot.
"I ate the blue blood-blood fruit you fools! As long as my blood is consumed by someone, they can never escape my control HaHaMUHAHA." He roared into laughter loving the cries of pain that he inflicted on the crew as they screamed out in pain.
"Hodoku(untying)
The pirates slumped to the ground panting out of breath as they fearfully looked at Devon like he was a demon, a monster.
"Go and get the traitors, they should realize that escaping me is pointless." Davin chuckled as he leaned back against his chair.
"Also don't make too much noise, I heard that some of the five great mafia families have been lurking around, also…"
"I'll go deal with these children myself, you incompetent bugs." He scoffed looking down on the group of pirates as his eyes glowed red.
~Marine Base-80th branch~
"Sir, there have been reports of riots and pirate assaults, on Rock Boil Island-Broil town." A young marine saluted as he looked at his commander with respect.
A large man with pasty white skin, wore a beige overcoat over his marine uniform nodded at the officer as he sorted through a pile of bounty's.
Beside him was a large green naginata pole arm that surpassed his height and trembled as if alive.
"Let's set sail now, those damn pirates have gotten cocky." The man said gritting his teeth.
"Was it those Blood drip pirates who also killed the former commander of this base." He asked the soldier while glaring at a bounty.
"It still has not been confirmed yet sir Nehisi, so the marines issued a temporary bounty till his deeds have been fully determined." The soldier said gulping as the marine captain glared at him.
"Also there have been reports of mafia movement in the same town, we don't know which family, buts it's definitely one of the five causing trouble."
"I have determined it, set sail to Broil town, kill on site if we see any of those disgusting pirates or mafia ships!" Nehisi growled as he slammed his hand onto the desk, leaving a large crack.
~Orphans home~
"Huh, I'm in west blue?" Kazuki said in surprise as he leaned against the wall of the house while poking the fire with a stick.
Everyone was asleep now after eating the large feast, now just leaving Kazuki and Beany awake.
"So you plan to sell that devil fruit to the marines and open up a orphanage? That's dope!" He said grinning at her.
Beany nodded as she shyly looked at Kazuki then looked away causing him to smile at her.
"Why all the glancing? Got something you want to ask?" Kazuki said as she blushed and huffed, staring at him with a complex of emotions in her eyes.
"Shut up, why… why are you helping us, and I don't want to hear about that paying it forward junk." Beany growled as she glared menacing at him.
Kazuki shrugged. "What can I say, it's the truth. I'm a martial artist nothing more, nothing less, but my master once said this." He said poking the fire.
"To be a martial artist, isn't about just being skilled in combat, but someone who cultivates inner strength of mind, discipline to do what's needed, and a strong moral compass to shield and protect the weak in times of danger."
Beany looked at him as if trying to figure out a puzzle that just didn't have any fitting pieces.
Maybe she's just seen to much of the darkness of the world, that seeing someone just freely help and give them food and a home, caused her thoughts to become chaotic.
"Oh yeah, here." Kazuki muttered reaching into his GI and tossing her a bag of money, that she almost dropped as she held the heavy bag in her hands in bewilderment.
"Well I'm tired, good night Red." Kazuki waved at her before disappearing inside the house, leaving behind Beany who stared at the bag of money in confusion.
"Maybe, he's just a weirdo?"
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To be continued…