Metal clashed against metal with a clang! that echoed through the entire cavern.
The Doctor moved with surprising agility—his steps light and measured, every thrust and parry calculated to the millimeter. Barbosa, drawing on his pirate experience, fought back with ferocity: wide slashes, aggressive feints, and a killer's instinct that sought any opening.
"You're nothing without your tricks, Doctor," Barbosa growled, twisting his sword in an attempt to disarm him.
"And you're nothing without your curse," the Doctor shot back, deflecting the strike and forcing Barbosa two steps backward.
The fight was a constant back-and-forth. The Doctor kept a low guard, waiting for the exact moment to strike; Barbosa, on the other hand, tried to break through his defense with brute force. Sparks flew every time the blades met, briefly lighting their tense faces.
At the cave's entrance, chaos erupted. More pirates rushed in, sabers and pistols at the ready. Mineta reacted first, hurling his adhesive material and pinning two of them against a stone column.
"These guys never stop!" Mineta shouted, throwing another sticky ball that caught a third one.
"Then we'll stop them right here!" Kaminari replied, unleashing an electric discharge that ran along the ground and dropped several at once.
"Hey, watch it! You could fry me too!" Mineta protested, leaping aside to avoid the arc of electricity.
"Then don't get in the way!" Kaminari retorted, already charging another strike.
Unaware of the squabbling behind him, the Doctor increased his assault. His attacks became faster and sharper; Barbosa barely managed to block them, slowly retreating toward a wall. The Doctor's blade brushed the pirate's jacket, leaving a clean tear in the fabric. Barbosa growled, feeling for the first time that he might lose.
But then, his gaze shifted sideways. Just a few meters away stood Usagi, watching the fight with obvious concern. Barbosa's lips curled into a sinister smile.
"Let's see if you're still so sure of yourself when it's not your life on the line…"
In a sudden move, Barbosa sidestepped with a feint and drew his pistol. Before the Doctor could react, he fired.
Bang!
The sound thundered through the cavern. Usagi clutched her abdomen, eyes widening in shock. Blood began to stain her clothes as she fell to her knees.
"No!" the Doctor cried, his voice sharp with urgency.
In that instant, his mind raced between two paths: keep pressing Barbosa and finish the fight… or save Usagi, who could die at any moment. Time compressed into a single, endless second. In the end, the choice was clear.
The Doctor broke away from the duel and rushed to her side, catching her before she could collapse completely.
"Easy… I've got you," he whispered, lifting her into his arms with care.
Barbosa watched him and instantly understood where he was headed—the exit to the beach, where the moonlight could activate the curse and, with the coin in the Doctor's possession, save the girl.
"I won't allow it!" Barbosa roared, raising his pistol.
The Doctor didn't slow; each step echoed off the stone as he sprinted toward the exit with Usagi in his arms. Barbosa adjusted his aim, eyes locked on the man about to ruin his plans.
Bang!
The gunshot rang out… but no one in the cavern could clearly see who had fired—or who had been hit.