Registration Link

Goal: Character development and to get a O wazamono meito, Nidai Kitetsu.

Other stuff:

Side story 2, Chapter 1: The Demon Hunter


The sky has dark, looming over head like an all encompassing void which threatened to strangle what little light remained. The man known as the Demon's Bane strode through the icy land, encumbered by a large and sudden snow fall, the likes of which has never he had never seen before. It took all his inhuman strength to trudge through the snow which held onto him like a sea of hands trying to pull him down. Though he was so very cold, his body burned as if it was set ablaze with each waking second. His eyes started to become dim and his muscles felt stiff as a board. Still he plowed forward into the darkness, searching for something, anything. In the distance he a human like figure stood solemnly in the cold, its long hair fluttering in the rough winds which seemed to shuffle everything around like a rag doll. " Is...that you? IS IT YOU"?


The man came to, kneeling down in front of a shrine with incense lit at its base. One trembling hand balled up into a fist lay planted to the floor and his head lowered in a bowing position, to show respect for his dead. Every morning the man once known as one of the Red King's many personal enemies went through this ritual, in good health and in bad. No matter the time or the place he always prayed solemnly for his loved ones in hopes that they found their way to the light by the guidance of his eternal devotion and his prayer. The demon's bane as he was known for in his past was due to his frighteningly excellent skill in the art of abducting and killing individuals. Up until his fateful accident in the New world, he was known to be the one who dove into the shadows to pull out the world's worst criminals to the light. Often times putting down countless lives, but dragging their boss to the doorstep of the world government. He was the first of his kind, a somewhat unofficial warlord of sorts, a man who was recognized by the world as an omen.

Now he was a shell of his former self, as most of those who traversed the New world and lived to tell the tale. Even though the grand line was almost impossible to navigate, with flash hurricanes, seakings, and monsters both human and not being everyday threats. The New world was considered to be a a vast new frontier who's good days are thought to be the grand line's worst. With monsters lurking in the shadows that could rival an admiral. Not even the Demon's Bane could follow the Red king all the way into the new world. He himself was conquered and left with nothing in the process. Forced to quit his chase 2 years into the Red king's 7 year voyage.

He growled as his body trembled of its own accord,legs trying to jut forth without his consent. He broke out in a cold sweat looking straight down into the ground, while his head felt as if it were in free fall miles from there. " Elencia...", he whispered just under his breath. Ironically, his mind and body were jolted back to reality by the sound of his Nephew Geno slamming the doors open as he came barging in. He strode forth with his chest puffed out and a pair of expensive sunglasses usually only afforded to government officials. He pulled the curtains open without asking and turned to his uncle, " Uncle DB how are ya? It's been three days, don'cha wanna get out of that gettup now"? The demon hunter did not acknowledge him at first, solemnly he chanted his prayer and clapped his hands once to end it. " You know these clothes mean everything to me, for they were your aunt's last present". His nephew held his nose and waved off at him after taking a slight sniff of him. "Oh man unc c'mon this ain't how ya s'pose to live. We 'ave money, gouils, and all the vice you can take in and all you want is to sit in this shack".

The demon hunter rose from his position and began to walk out of his quant little home, the first he and his wife had gotten before leaving the island and family business decades before. " Don't need any of it", he said before seeing his way out. Geno ran after his uncle and grabbed his shoulder, " List'in unc I've finished yer trials and taken over the family business. All that's left is for ya to hand down Nidai kitetsu, as you had promised all those years ago". The demon hunter shook his hand off and kept moving forth, wordlessly with his gaze kept straight ahead. Geno ran in front of him and placed his hilt on his blade. " Unc. A deal's a --- uhhhhh", his breathing had hastened and his stance softened. The youngster did not back away, but his grip on the hilt of his own blade lessened till it was no more. The demon hunter's sword was held out in a perfect straight line, tip tickling his neck. " You've spent your life living like a cur, a dog, an insignificant peddler in all that is vice. Should you ever try to wield Nidai, it will kill you before you've a chance to redeem your pathetic existence". Geno gulped and closed his eyes, afriad to even move a muscle. His uncle walked off into town, leaving him to fall on his knees and beg for death. His lips quivered and fists tensed up into a ball of rage.

Spoiler:

Chapter 1, part 2: Meeting the Demon hunter


Lina panted and slouched from stand to stand, trying to mooch off of their shade as she passed on through. The sun beat down on her like a drum, causing her to feel like she was in a giant oven. She peered out to others in the crowd who seemed to be rather unaffected by the heat. A man behind her offered her a canteen of water, with his big scruffy mustache and large bulbous body. " Here ya go young lady", he said with a wink. Lina averted her gaze, trying to ignore his shaking of the canteen with a shit eating grin. The type that conveyed that he knew she was a foreigner and was wholly unprepared for the weather. She gingerly grabbed the bottle and looked back down. " thanks mister". She walked away with rosey cheeks as he waved with a smug sense of satisfaction.

However light that moment was, her expression went back to being somewhat perplexed. She looked up at the tall buildings, some reaching into the sky. She peered at the giant clock in the distance lording over the city and the massive crowds of people constantly trampling through the place. " hmm...clock tower maybe?", she said, moving forth in the direction of said tower. That is until an older man tapped her shoulder. Lina looked up to find a ghastly older man looming over her. He'd be around 6' 5'' by our standards, which a slightly hunched back. At first glance one would notice his hair was in a fancy bun, but it was sloppily done with clumps of hair drooping off on the sides. His eyes a listless brown, dry without vibrancy or hue. Skin whose dryness rivaled that of the desert and clothing which put her habit of never changing to shame. It was all tattered and scruffed up with dirt and other stains. "Young lady, join me for a cup of coffee", he said with a low guarded tone.


She gazed up at him with a slight sense of trepidation, but was able to hold back her suspicion. " uhh buy me french fries"? The man eyed her with slanted eyes, but gestured for her to take a seat at a near by cafe. Lina sat opposite to him, tilted eye and some what confused expression. She went to speak first, but put her hand down for she had no idea what to say. A waitress came and dropped out their coffees and her order of fries. They had a shiny coat of freshly heated oil, still sizzling. Lina's eyes were filled with wonder as she began to partake in her meal, all the while the man was leaning on one arm and watching her every move. Lina barely saw in the peripheral of her eye, but his cold dry expression was fixated on her sword. She figeted a few times, moving her legs and let it sway a bit and watched for his eyes which also move along with her hilt.

" What's yer name, girl"?

Spoiler:

Chapter 1, part 2: Cursed blades


Lina took the question in for a moment and let it sink in as she ate her fries and sipped her tea. Her first instinct was to say skippy or skips, the epithet she normally gave to keep her real name under wraps. However right now she was thinking twice about it, with a wide eyes and a suddenly peaked expression. On the side of the road she heard a few boys running around in rags waving around newspapers with the usual slogans one would expect from clickbait titles such as, " Extree extree reed all bout it dewgong colony hijacks merchant vessels. Extra extrrrah read alll bout it, cloaked girl suspected of killing a navy commodore thought to be sighted on alabasta. Suspect is armed and dangerous"! A bead of sweat rolled down her cheek and as she set her tea down. Amongst her were whispers of curious towns people deep in their little conversations. One couple actually approached the two, with inquisitive eyes and worried expressions. "Deary do you think---uhhh what is that smell? geez", the woman said while holding her nose. Lina put her sleeve to her nose and sniffed to see if it was her while the demon hunter gave them a glare which scared them far worse than Lina ever could. " If you're done LEAVE, I am having a conversation here". The couple almost as if they were the ones should be offended stormed off with the girl rushing to the restaurant while the man trailed closely behind trying to dissuade her. "No honey no they were rude"!

The Demon hunter gestured for her to continue, which prompted Lina to say, " uhhh it's ski---I mean Lina". His eyes narrowed on her for a moment before he partook in his own beverage and continued to examine her. " I see..and where of that scar on your forehead"? Lina felt around her crown for a moment, until her fingertips found a familiar sensation she all but forgot about. It was the reminder of her first encounter on the grand line, with the Pulverizer from Water 7. " It's from my first fight on the grand line....I fought some hammer heads who came back for revenge". "Does it have anything to do with fisher and jaws?", he asked in a low tone. She nodded and ate more fries. " And what of the scarring all over your body?", he asked in an inquisitive tone. She looked at the chaffed skin on her arm and felt the patches on her cheeks. " From the cold...still healing a bit I guess".

The Demon hunter placed his empty cup down and peered at her sword once more. " Where did you get that blade"?", he asked in a low tone. Lina longingly stroked the hilt and looked back to the old man with a slight hesitation. " It was my father's sword. He passed it down to me before heading off to the New world as part of the G-50 expeditionary forces", she said with a surprisingly fluid tone. The Demon hunter froze for a few minutes, almost like a statue of sorts. As she began to wave her hands in his face, he came back to and sighed. " Let me examine your blade", he said whilst extending his hand out for her sword. Lina however shook her head with a frown and stooched her chair a few paces back. He gave her an inquisitive look once more, actually taken aback at his own actions after realizing he had almost taken advantage of her somewhat agreeable nature. "Your blade if it's tsuaka is what I think it is....is the clear marker of the demon blacksmith from Wano...your blade would be cursed by his malice. Even now it sings a regretful song".


Lina rubbed her chin and glanced down at her sword, slowly pulling it up to the table. She carefully unsheathed it, as demonstrated by its signature click whenever the sword breaks its seal. The Demon hunter did not move, but his eyes were transfixed on the blade and its firey hamon. " This...blade was always a bit'uhf a wierd sword. Hardly needs cleaning, hard tah break n it seems ta cut beyond its reach...sometimes it speaks to me. The sound whir it makes in motion sometimes feels like its sad". The demon hunter nodded and his expression became angered for a moment, before returning back to normal. " Kitetsu's blades are said to turn on their masters. Sandai was said to be the weakest of them all, due to it being one of his last. Some say his previous blades carried his wrath and hatred, but Sandai carried his sorrow and regrets. If you don't want to suffer anymore calamaties girl, I'd toss that blade in the ocean".

" Regardless of this weirdo blade...it's spechill ta me", she said with a softened expression and genuine love for her blade. The Demon hunter examined her long and hard as she was also lost in thought as well. His mind was fixated on the reports he read in the newspaper, about a girl who killed over 100 people and collected their bodies like playthings. Or the accomplice to the icewitch who tortured and slaughtered marine after marine. Though he wasn't much of a fan of them as well, he made the distinction between killing and self defense. As most people did, he too felt that difference was critical to judging those suspected of being monsters.His eyes slanted and brows furrowed in anger as he tried to gauge her demeanor. He actually was more frustrated that he couldn't tell if she was a wolf in sheep's clothing or a girl with a tragic journey on the grand line, as was the story of many others." You will meet at the great plateau on the eastern side of the city at dawn". Lina tilted her head and went to ask him a question, but even before she could get off one syllable his blade was drawn and held to her neck. Its curved tip flirting with her artery and the table they were eating at, cut in half before she could react. Others in the area including the pissed off lady all stood frozen, as if they feared moving would kill Lina. " ok--ay".

Spoiler:

Chapter 1, part 3: Respect


The demon hunter pulled his blade back ever so slightly, but left the tip of his blade in her direct line of sight. All she could see for a moment in time, that felt like an eternity, was his sword as everything else faded into the background. "Where is your blade, girl"? Lina looked at him with a curious, but cautious expression. " It's...at my..hip", she said while her eyes traveled toward the left side of herself. "Is that so? Then it means you aren't one yet". The blade retracted like a mad dog as it slid into its sheath almost begrudgingly. The Demon hunter left her in awe at the table, just before the marine presence on the island started to converge on their location. Lina leapt over a small railing and dashed into the inner city to get away from her chasers. Many of whom looked in awe as they saw her leap from one wall to the next like a pinball as she scaled up the multi story buildings effortlessly. " what in god's name...huh...?", said one marine before being shouted down by his skeptical superior. " I want this place within a mile locked down! It's just one GIRL".


The Demon hunter returned to his shack later that day, in essence, going straight from the cafe to his abode. He knelt down and rummaged through a crevice underneath a floorboard next to his bed sheet. His hand found nothing at first, but it didn't set any alarm bells off. He dug through and only found insulation. His heart began to beat faster, but he didn't let it bother him none too much as he began checking over hiding spots in his little shack. Though to his dismay, nothing in his home was gone safe for the pills he had been taking for his pain. He silently cursed the situation and began to head out when a familiar face showed up.

There was a familiar rattle at his shack's entrance and a grinning nephew, standing at the doorway.
"Looking for these? My my you would'nt be taking these like a cur...would you unc"? His face twisted into an abominable toothy grimace as he placed it back in his pockets. "These are from my stash, all of em were but I let it slide because we're family. Maybe we can fulfill our roles in the deal and I'll give you these pills", he said jingling them like keys to a baby. The demon hunter stood up and began to walk to the door, where he heard the sounds of guns cocking in the background. Geno looked at his uncle with disbelief and elation, waiting for him to snap at any moment. He figured like all addicts, all it'd take was a little coaxing to either get him to submit or snap, thereby relieving him of the family by laws that prevent him from just taking Nidai.

The Demon hunter didn't say anything, nor did he lay a hand on his nephew or his people. He solemnly left the premises and didn't so much as give Geno even a dirty look. This in turn had driven his nephew almost to the brink as he stood there crushing his bottle of meds until his hand started bleeding. " olllld MAN", he roared into the night.



Lina tread carefully through the city after the uproar the day before. From one roof top to other she leapt her way across Alubarna. Though she wasn't entirely sure how to use her powers, she was learning how to launch herself into the air slightly. Her jumps were inhuman in nature, even for someone at peak human level. She felt a tad bit lighter than usual, or perhaps she felt as if she wasn't being held down by gravity itself. Everytime she went up, she wished to go back down when the butterflies built up in her gut. Each landing was erratic with some being hard painful thuds against the ground, while others being as light as a feather. She felt like every step was unnatural as she strode along feeling like jello with each step.

Although within the hour just as the sun began to show itself, Lina found herself just on the outskirts of town. In the distance there were giant mountains of stone in the background, standing against the elements which slowly churned them down into nothing. The Demon hunter was kneeling in the distance before the edge that might as well have been an abyss that couldn't be seen with human eyes. The old man slowly rose from his crouched position and turned to Lina wordlessly. He stood with a slight hunch before unconsciously correcting himself. His hands trembled slightly, but his gaze steady and fixed upon her. For a moment Lina squinted, as if she were trying to see something on him or rather something about him that was offputting. Before she could utter a word he was on practically on top of her, swinging his blade for the kill.


On instinct Lina threw herself to the ground practically, just barely avoiding the old man's attack. Before she could react he pressed her into the ground with a harsh stomp. His foot imprinted on her stomach and drove her into the ground, tearing it asunder. She coughed and tried to get up, but she was too winded and dizzy to do so. "Your blade, where is it"? His tone was harsh, almost livid. She growled and yelled, " At my side jackass"! His foot pushed down harder, "Your form is pathetic. Your guard is weak. You show no respect for your adversary nor respect for yourself. Go home and reflect upon that, girl."

Spoiler:

Chapter 1, part 4: Respect cont.


Lina took a seat on the harsh mattress the tavern provided for its guests. It was dingey with springs which felt more akin to sharp needles jabbing you than actual support. The room was dark, but far from the main hall where normal merriment and banter was happening. In her self imposed solitude she thought about what he had said and further, what he was doing. " Respect huh...showing him respect", she said as she lied down on the bouncy hard mattress. " That old man was pretty fast, throwing those chea-- and I could have--- arrrrrg". The girl replayed both scenes in her mind over and over, looking for what he could possibly mean. For what he was doing and why he would do it, seemed to make no logical sense. However Lina did acknowledge that there was no reason for either failure.

She sprung up and placed her sword at the hip and took a deep breath. With her eyes closed she reached for her hilt and found her hand was a tad off. She took a few of her familiar stances when she was about to use Silver fang, here it was natural. Her hand met her hilt as naturally as breathing, which colored her surprised. Lina spent the rest of the night practicing different positions for which she could draw her sword. No it didn't mean creating a new technique for her,but what it did do was lay the foundation for her own mental limitations. Suddenly the girl realized she was not comfortable drawing her blade while lying down, sitting down, or even standing if she was not tensed up again. She even left her room during the night to test herself while in mid air. It was nothing fancy, but rather simple regimented practice just like her sword drawing in her room. She'd use her float float fruit powers, The yoshi jump, to gain some height before drawing her blade in various ways. Most notably was her silver fang stance, which while mid air she found it to be less effective, but comfortable due to how she could twist her body around to fit her needs.

The next morning she'd meet the old man back at the plateau. The old man's wrinkles seemed to be exaggerated ever so slightly and his stance gave a feeling of weakness off. It was subtle, but his body language seemed off with slouched shoulders and a slumped head. The moment Lina came onto the scene he seemed to straighten up, but it seemed unnatural. Rather than being the way he was, it seemed to be self correction which bore its toll on him. Then he did something that surprised Lina, that is he took a similar stance to her own. She tilted her head and peered ahead of her to notice his footing and the way his right hand met his hilt.

Lina stood on guard and readied her own blade by pulling it up slightly with her left hand. He bore his teeth and yelled, " tempest fury". As if based on instinct she bent her knees all the way down and launched herself at the last second, just barely avoiding the wind slash which spread out horizontally toward her position. From the air she saw it was in the shape of a crescent moon and the wind itself seemed to carve the bedrock to the point where it was finely done and shining in the sun. She floated back down like a leaf dancing on its way down from a deciduous tree, but was given no quarter. The Demon hunter was on her tail once more, but this time she met his slash by drawing her blade even without the regimented stance.

His slash was strong, stronger than she could have imagined. It shoved hers back into her body and sent her flying backwards with sparks shooting forth on impact. Like she expected he sped forth, but in response she had already roll once and caught her footing naturally. His foot which was swung for her head met nothing and his blade caught her in a deadlock once again. This time she leaned forward and dug her feet into the ground, causing herself to sink as their swords met head on. The sound of a rushing gust shot forth at the point of impact. An uncharacteristic smile was on the Demon hunter's visage, baring his yellow teeth for all to see. "Very good, but you rely too much on your durability". Lina gave him a questionable look before he sent her flying back into some boulders lying to the side from a former construction site. She crashed into them and felt a harsh crack on her back.

He shot forth again giving her no time to recover and again, she met his blade, only to be thrown back once more. "Lesson two, utilizing your strength"

Spoiler:

Chapter 1, part 5: Using thy strength

The Demon hunter looked down upon Lina, but his vision faltered and so to did his mind. He cringe for a second and nearly collapsed, only being able to hold himself up by propping his body up with his sword. He blinked and the vast desert became a field of snow and Lina who was curiously staring at him flashed to look like her father. He growled as haki began to coalesce throughout his blade. His stride was almost fully back, as if a switch which was turned off for years finally was turned back on.The---o----dore... theodore Askr!

Lina on the other hand was simply brushing herself off and regaining her composure after being flung around like a rag doll. "How do you--wait what about utilizing my strength"? The demon hunter grasped the hilt in both hands and leaned forward, as if to dash to her. "Hey OLD MAN WAKE UP"! He didn't respond zipping out of sight has he had been this whole time, but it was similar to Arthur.  Though his movements were as quick, the main thing was he was fluid in nature. More over, he had control that kept lina pinned down. He'd come in with a swipe to her head, then in quick fashion use her tensed up body to slam his foot into her chest, sending her flying backwards several times. The demon hunter moved without remorse, without words. Although he came at her with the intent to kill, she found herself oddly unable to respond in kind. As she rolled on the ground, she kicked sand in his direction, causing his blade to miss. " You WERE ALWAYS A DIRTY FIGHTER. COWARD!", he voice boomed across the wasteland, seemingly pushing Lina down to her knees.

She coughed as sweat thoroughly flowed down her flushed face. The old man was like a monst--no a demon. The pain from her lungs cleared her mind and the worry about his change in demeanor left an unsettled feeling in his chest, akin to butterflies. As he furiously ripped at his face to try and clear the sand, he started to bleed. He looked on at her blood shot eyes as he swung his blade out to the side to send a storm of billowing sand flying outward. She held her blade out in front of her, holding it steadily at a horizontal position and steadied her breathing. She peered back at him with determination. He was fast, but she was getting the hang of it. All she needed was a second to process his movements, that's it. He came barreling in on her, blade horizontally sweeping in an arc over her stilled blade. It was in that moment she saw it, every inch, every bead of sweat coursing down Arthur's face. His blade met only the air as she ducked down at the last moment while he was still in motion and jammed her hilt into his stomach.

He flinched and coughed for a moment, the air being taken from his stomach and the fire in his eyes extinguished. He fell to the ground and began to convulse. Lina dropped her blade and tried to help him, but he didn't respond. She had this sinking feeling, as if the bloodlust from before had all but vanished. Left in its wake was an middle aged man knee deep in sand, trembling as he fought to control his own body. His was breathing as if he were taking a marathon and his expression scrunched up into a painful grimace. The only thing he seemed to have control of, were his tightly balled fists which he practically used to anchor himself down.

Hours later he awoke to find himself on her cold hard mattress. His beloved Nidai at his side and the dim figure of lina sleeping upright in the corner. His body was on fire and blood seemed to trickle from his eyes. He wiped it off with his sandy sleeve and peered out at her, struggling to even make out her form. " Where am I young lady"? As he said that, a folded towel which he didn't even feel on his head plopped to the ground.


Lina peered up from the corner and made her way to the basin of water and soaked a new towel in it. It was warm, freshly boiled from the tavern staff. " How ya feelin' ol man"? The demon hunter did not respond at first, for he kept staring at the ground with a glazed look in his eye. Lina on the other hand tapped his shoulder and presented him with the warm rung out towel if he wanted it. He gently moved her hand aside and shoo'ed her off with a wave of the hand. "Looks like you're a monster after all", he said in a defeated tone.


She gave him a look of confusion, as if she didn't know if she should be flattered or offended based on the context of the situation. He looked at her and said, "I was going to teach you how to use your own power, but you did so on your own. Even before I snapp...ed..you didn't exactly fight back". Lina crossed her arm and peered out at the crescent moon high over the city. " It's cuz you're stronger", she said as matter of factly as she could. He pointed at her with his shaking finger and frowned, "People always categorize themselves, especially when physical strength is involved. But I am but a man, regardless of what power my swings hold. If you can counter attack and use your own power, then all my strength is for nought". Lina turned back to him and said, " So how does that make me a monster"?

He chuckled at the question, as if it should have been clear as day. "You enacted my lesson, before I could explain it simply through instinct", he said with a long sigh. " However you must forge that mind and hone that instinct into habit, should you want to survive on the grand line". Lina nodded and averted her gaze again, which was something she noticed herself doing whenever she was somewhat uncomfortable. What the old man said was true, she was relying on luck and spontaneous decision making. " If possible I'd like to learn more old man".

Spoiler:

Chapter 2: The final lesson, haki

The old man didn't have the heart to tell the girl no or to iluminate why he had even trained her in the first place. His intent was to see if she was really a monster on the inside and to his dismay, she was actually a teetering soul. He peered into her eyes that night and sensed no malice, none of the rumors about her seemed to be true. He could not see her as the perpetrator behind the great freezer incident on Water 7 or the monster the marine reports made her out to be. But he sensed something else about her, which was her unnerved and impulsive nature. He had no doubt that she wouldn't cut an enemy down without hesitation. After all, her Sandai Kitetsu was the embodiment of sorrow. Its painful song was all the evidence he needed to understand her decision making. Something inside him said to help her stray away from the darkness.

The two of them met as they had on previous days, but this time he drew Nidai Kitetsu slowly and methodically. Lina watched in awe as the majestic blade she was too frantic about before, to see it and all its splendor. The old man seemed to be pained though, like as if his arm would fall off at any moment. He placed his finger tip at the base of the blade and slip it across the body of it, across the wavy hamon. Nidai's color became jet black, its waves momentarily coming to life as it sung a song of hatred and resentment. " Lina, this is Sandai's older sister, Nidai Kitetsu. I have been cursed with a life rife with hate and resentment....while you have been cursed with a life of sadness and despair".

As Lina went to speak up, she fell short as the blade danced along side him. Simple swings of Nidai had a sweet hum to them, followed by a hard blunt feeling. The kind of sensation one would expect after being mad. Her body felt slightly fatigued and her muscles tensed, as if she were in a different state of mind. " And this coat of darkness lining the blade is what my generation called, Bushoku Haki. A power in some circles said to be in every living being, but only those with the will power to bring it forth can use it".


" But old man I just sort of want it to come out and it does! Why is that"? she asked as she rubbed her chin and looked down at her blackened arm. She opened and closed her hand and looked for something she could not see, perhaps something that made it so only her right arm was able to be coated, but not her left. " Yer not going to find anything, girl. Though I will say this...that power of yer stems from your spirit. Hone your mind and project your will in everything you do...and it the world will respond in turn". The old man lifted his blade over his head and slammed it into the bedrock beneath them. The blade did not emit a thud on impact, but rather the sound you get from slicing a potato was emitted. The blade was unharmed from the strike, but the rock below was cut cleanly. " Now your turn, project thy will and the world will respond", he said holding his sword out to point at her.

Lina looked around and found a boulder around 3 meters in diameter and 2 meters tall. It was the remnants of an old construction site left in the middle of nowhere. She crouched forward and wrapped her fingers around the hilt of her sword. The humming similar to Nidai filled the air and danced around her ears. She took a deep breath and swung forth with all her might. The blade however, did not cut it as the Demon hunter's had. " Again, project thy will onto your blade and it shall respond", he said taking a seat behind her. Lina was so focused on the task at hand that she didn't notice his labored breathing and wobbly legs. Again she swung forth, swift as lightning but lacking in power.

For hours she continued this, until sweat poured down her face and her muscles were on fire. The old man did not budge, but he simply looked on, watching every detail of her movement. " Clear your mind little one". She was about to protest when he placed a finger out his lips before drawing his blade once more. As he held it still, one could see a slight gust of wind burst forth, almost like emanating an ethereal aura neither could entirely understand. " Put everything in your blade, every once of your consciousness into it and swing.
Clear your mind and swing".

She stepped forward and sheathed her blade, causing a pronounced click as it nestled itself inside. She closed her eyes and cleared her mind. She thought not of the task, nor the sun beating down on her. The world became blank as a pure white room as far as she was concerned, everything in her mind and soul seemed far off across an eternity. Soaring across her blank heart like a pair of errant locomotives about to collide with one another. At the point of impact she opened her eyes and swung her blade into the boulder in a diagonal.


The blow was swift and the song Sandai sang was full of strength and vigor. Her vision came to moments later and what she said registered in my mind shortly after. Lina eyes traveled from the boulder's top down to the ground, where its body was clean cut in two. Never before had it moved in such a manner, or had she ever cut something like this with such ease. The demon hunter was shakily clapping his hands and placed his on her shoulders. She looked up at the peaceful man before her, a look on his face which bothered her more than his grim bloodthirsty expression from before. "I wonder...no we'll stop here for today youngling. Meet me here tomorrow as always". Lina nodded and the old man walked off, with a sense of satisfaction she hadn't seen yet.

The demon hunter on the other hand, paused when he was sure she couldn't see him. He fell to his knees and coughed up blood surging from his lungs. "Sorry mary, but this is as far as I go", he said under his breath. Just then clapping erupted from the shadows and a group of men surrounded him. "Uncle uncle uncle, shouldn't you be saying sorry to me? You giving away family secrets to some bitch you met on the streets? Was she as hot as aunty or something"?

Spoiler:

Chapter 2, part 2: Death's Door


Lina was almost about to go back to the pub to practice her fruit powers using the rooftops when a gut feeling sort of tugged at her heart strings. She turned back to the direction of the Demon hunter and began to follow in his direction. With a hop and a skip she began to casually use her float powers to levitate around 10 feet off the ground under the cover of night. In the distance she saw a gang of suits all situated around an alleyway, which considering the barren street they were on. A bunch of well dressed men would stick out like a sore thumb. From her perch she found the demon hunter surrounded and bloodied. Lina went to try and help him, but there wasn't about his stance that made her hesitate.


Just as she thought of the name he roared at the top of his lungs, "Tempest Storm"! A funny erupting feeling shot up in her gut as he unsheathed his blackened blade, erupting in a tornado which rip apart the surrounding area and sucked her up in the vacuum. She tried to use her powers to get back down to the ground, but only managed to flail wildly in the process. The inside of the current was monstrous, as if the winds were wrapping around her like a straight jacket while being pulled up by a giant hand against her will. The tornado's roar was deafening and its pull only seemed to get worse as it pulled her closer to the eye of the column of wind.

Then just like that she was left in the sky and everything else the attack lifted up along with it. Quickly she dashed through the air as giant pieces of actual apartment buildings accompanied by the screams of its victims fell to the earth. Lina strafed from one structure to the next, using her " Yoshi jump". Each time something felt toward her, she'd use the sides of the structure to jump back up and over it. While she was doing so a suit up fast toward her, as if he also had a devil fruit power. Her eyes widened as he extended his leg back and kicked toward her, sending a nasty rankyou toward her. Using the training she had from the Demon hunter she quickly leapt up and spun just over the attack. The man came barreling in toward her faster than she could react, arm cocked with a lone finger held out. Lina was about to draw her blade when another apartment building came crashing down upon them as well. Instead she ducked his attack and dove down into the earth at full speed. The suit not realizing what was happening, ended up being sandwiched between another building as the pair of buildings fell to the earth again. Lina looked on at the chaos below, to find both the demon hunter and his opponent(his newphew) dueling in the midst of the falling buildings.

As one came barreling down, the demon hunter easily dispatch the 30m by 60m chunk of debris falling down toward them. Lina got caught up with the spectacle for a moment before realizing what was going on. She began to speed down toward in free flight, ignoring the massive amounts of marines converging on the scene. And the fire departments and other emergency crews to save as many people from the wreckage and massive dust clouds as possible. Lina used her shirt to filter out the lingering debris which was choking others rapidly. Although it wouldn't stay around long as the force of the two opposing swordsman would send massive gusts of wind flying in every direction, each clash sounding like warship cannons firing. Lina got caught up in one and immediately dove into the ground and rolled around for a few seconds.

Amidst the choas were 4 other suits with a bloodied and grinning young fellow, surrounding a haggard old man just barely able to stand anymore. He looked down upon Lina and immediately got angry, "What in god's name are you doing here girl. Go on GIT"!


"Oh my, bois you didn't tell me she was such a petite little thang", he said with a smarmy smirk. The demon hunter tried to attack him when he let his guard down, but the man's subordinates caught him in mid swing with their strange powers(cp tekkai), that lina had never seen before. She placed her hand on the hilt of her blade as he casually walked out of the dark and into the light, showing his blooded face and tattered clothing. He held his blade by propping it up against his shoulder with a nonchalant gait. By the time he grinned the Demon hunter was on his knees and could no longer hold his blade. "now let's see if we can't mak---what ", was all he could utter as her blade sung a sorrowful song out the gate.


Her blade flickered three times with inhuman speed, but in reality she had drawn her blade and resheathed three times in the blink of an eye. Geno barely managed to parry the first two, but was caught off guard by the third which barely nipped his shoulder. He growled, causing his lackeys to shift their focus to her. Two barreled down upon her like a car, hardening their upper torso with tekkai before she could attack back. The force of the blown felt like iron being slammed into her body as she went down and was driven into the dirt. Lina managed to avoid one of their stomps, but was hit by a lone finger to the chest. The suit pulled back and went for another shigan to her neck, but not before she unsheathed her blade with reckless abandon, sending a 360 slash out ward, accompanied by a gust of wind capable to cutting human beings. The first agent was caught out and fell to the ground as the rest regrouped. Lina remembered their speed and so she flew up and over them with her fruit powers.

Two of the remaining cp agents tossed rankyous at her while the third tried to follow her with geppo. As she clashed with the others Geno croached down to his uncle's eye level and enjoyed the show. " Unc, lemme have the sword please. You don't want your precious pet to die now, would you"?

The demon hunter was on all fours at this point, still clutching to Nidai with what remained of his waning strength, no that would be incorrect. It would be correct to say his waning consciousness. He looked up at Lina who was tossed through the ruins of a building with a great thud. And the sound of marines closing in on them with their whistles. He hesitated with a tear rolling down his cheek. With great reluctance and a heavy heart, he wordlessly slid his hand off the blade just before the darkness took him. He could only pray his nephew would not outrightly kill the girl, who had reminded so much of his deceased wife.

Spoiler:

Chapter 2, part 3: A final plea

"Eyyy boys, we did. Let's moozy on home", he said while triumphantly placing Nidai Kitetsu on his hip. One of his suits had Lina's collar wrung around his finger tips, ready to deal the final blow. "I may be a scumbag, but that bitch was my unc's new play thing. Let her be", he said with a cackling laugh. She fell to the ground and started coughing up a storm. Her breathing was labored and body was on fire. The sound of a stampede of boots was fast approaching them and all she could do was curse her weakness. She conjured what little strength she had left and threw herself toward the Demon hunter as the marines arrived on the scene."Stop right there girl! HEY I SAID STOP"! The marine's voice roared into the night as she scooped the old man up into her arms and leapt into the darkness, accompanied by the sound of volleys of gunfire.
Lina leapt from building to building as the old man gasped for breath. His hand weakly gripping her blouse and face shriveled much akin to Arthurs' from Water 7. " Lina promise me you won't look into the void", he meekly said in a raspy labored tone. Lina couldn't reply through the tears or the vice grip like feeling in his chest. It was as if a giant black hand was constricting her chest and not letting her breath. Along the way she tripped and fell to the ground. Lina managed to break the old man's fall by supporting his weight and letting her arms take the brunt of the damage as they crashed back to the earth, just across the street from a hospital. " Promise.
ME. GIRL.", he said with grit teeth and surprising force which he used to bring her gaze to his own. She couldn't answer him, not with a nod nor a shake of the head.

She burst through the front door of a clinic about to close, covered in soot and blood. The staff looked onto her and could not help but utter a cry when they saw the demon hunter's mangled body. Covered in pock marks and stained deep with his own blood. " Please. Help. Him", she asked with labored speech. The doctors looked to eachother as the radio call came in from the local authorities, and the other from the marines.


The doctors looked toward Lina with worried expressions and looks of horror. It was only then Lina realized this was a marine hospital. A few staff came out with guns and the doctors all went away with the exception of one. She peered at Lina with a fiery expression while pushing up her glasses with her middle finger, " We don't serve criminals here". Lina fought the tremors in her legs and stepped forward once to the sound of a chorus of guns being cocked. " Please he's just an old guy. Please help him. I'll turn myself in if need be...", she said with a lowered head. The woman did not budge and said, " regardless of what you do child, we will bring both of you to justice. Rest assured".

Lina looked up at her arm as it rose above her head. " Ar--en't you doctors"? She asked with a look of absolute disbelief. The doctor smuggily replied, " You have a disease known as being pirates...were merely administering the cure for such a mental illness". Although her arm only came down to signal the others to fire, it felt much heavier to Lina. It was as if the world was being thrown onto her shoulders as she sped off with the Demon hunter in tow, amidst the merciless gunfire. She cried and found herself a secluded rooftop far from the action. The demon hunter wasn't moving at this point. No he wasn't moving much at all ever since they reached the hospital. His breaths were shallow and he was twisting and churning in pain. He gasped to her with slits for eyes as if he were trying to say something. She sat there with his writhing body in her arms, as his body contracted and blood poured from his mouth.

Spoiler:

Chapter 2, part 4: Darkness


It was a cold winter night on Alabasta. The days were hot and the nights were frigid. The contrast would make any unsuspecting traveler belief they actually needed to wear heavy snow gear during the night. Lina made her way across the city using the rooftops to avoid the heavy marine and civilian uproar. On the outskirts of town, toward the eastern end of the coast was a large expanse of desert contrasted by the endless ocean looming to the right. It was out there away from civilization, that she used old washed up ships and other boulders in the area to form a fire pit. Lina took one last look at the Demon hunter and slowly closed his eyes before setting him in the fire. A fire that raged for hours, with the musky smell of burning flesh. Lina fell asleep as the body turned black and unrecognizable. Her eyes never trailing while she was await, her gaze drinking up what was left of the man she never had the chance to thank. A person who knew of her elusive father and one who taught her despite the problems he had with her.
Upon waking she found the fire had fizzled out and the ocean breeze had blown his ashes out in the vast desert behind her. Later that evening, just as the sun was setting she returned to the hospital. Slowly descending right behind two guards who knew nothing of who she was or what was awaiting them. Her blade sliced in a clean horizontal arc, separating their heads from their shoulders. One of the pair's den dens were calling out to them as she walked off toward the entrance. The den den has glasses and shoulder length black hair. " Hello hellloo Jerry samuel what's going on out there--"? The sounds of screaming cut her off, causing the snail to scream even louder than before, " Hey anyone out there? What's wrong"?

The small girl entered the hospital doorway covered in blood, with 10 blades floating around her shoulders. Grunts of various kinds tried to come out with guns, but they were quickly dispatched with the snap of her fingers. Which sent the blades flying out like mad dogs, adding to her collection as she walked down the hallways of the hospital. Lina would flick her main sword, Sandai Kitetsu in various directions whenever she saw packs of people. The grisly floating marine issued swords flew true, causing a blood bath wherever she went. There was no mercy to be had in her mind, nor was there anything wrong with destroying that place. A hospital represented human life and sanctuary, but only if both parties abide by that social contract. These marines had no interest in being ethical doctors or even good people for that matter. Her mind was not blank, but there was no changing this no matter what they said or how they pleaded. She'd snap her fingers and cause a flurry of blades to fly out and dispatch dozens of marines, nurses, doctors, and in some cases patients who fired on her. This rampage lasted until the original doctor who fired upon her appeared in a long hallway decorated by a deep shade of red. "I don't blame you pirate. You are sick. And dr. Charlotte is here to treat you".

The woman slipped on plastic gloves as a rouse before using Soru to instantly close the gap on Lina. Her index and middle fingers held out as she used Shigan on the her. Lina having already seen this blocked her hand with her sword, catching her hand with her fingers. As she had done so, the blades following lina all converged on the doctor. She used Tekkai to cover as much of her body as she could because at that instant Lina pushed down and her sword ripped into the doctor's arm, slicing down the middle before getting stuck half way through her bone. Lina used her index finger to make the swords rise, with the doctor in tow. " You use techniques just like them. Who are the ones that killed the old man"?

The lane spit at Lina and grimaced, " You think I'll talk bitch"? Lina solemnly looked up at the ceiling fan whirring over head. She turned it up to full speed and slowly lifted the bleeding woman up to it. As her head became closer to the fan's blades, so too did her demeanor. Lina used one hand to make her own lift up to the fan, inches away from it. " Go to HELL BITCH"! The woman's hand was broken in an instant. The hardwood fan blades hit her arm with a flurry of continuous thuds. She screams and roared at Lina who watched her without emotion. The woman's tenacity was admirable to say the least, for she did not talk. Her body was tortured until it was a black and red mess. Lina snapped her fingers one more time to cause the blades to all rip in a random fashion, turning her into a worthless unidentifiable pile of flesh.

The girl went to the roof top, where numerous marines stormed the place around a half an hour later. But by the time she came the girl was nowhere to be seen.

Spoiler:

Chapter 2, part 5: Message


" So how were the results, Geno", said the Den Den with a pair of square classes and bony cheeks.
Geno leaned back with his feet crossed on the table and a big ol' smirk on his face. " The batch sucked dude. At least it uh, helped my unc for a few days before making him exceedingly woooooorrrssseee". He caressed Nidai Kitetsu with a flippant and childish attitude. For you see, the other side of the line was in fact his boss, Patcheeni. The Den den was still on the line, but it went silent for a moment. A scowl written on its face, Geno frantically sat up straight and went to his own. "Cmon now...boss? Sales are good and its all addictive and shit. but I just go---The den den froze before it sighed. Sweat was beading down Geno's cheeks at this time. A sigh from the big boss meant you were worthless to him. The line cut off and left him slumped over his table, fists balled up and breathing erratic. Geno swept everything off his desk in a frenzy and roared as he tore his office up.

He stood over the broken window, amidst the broken glass and fresh air flowing into the room. The den den started ringing again, and again and again. It kept ringing until he finally relented and roared into its receiver. " This had better be good Johnney! Not. In. The. Fucking. Mood". The only thing he could hear on the other side was heavy breathing and sobbing, nothing more and nothing less. He went to yell again when it suddenly cut him off this time.

Lina pulled the swords from the wall with the snap of her fingers and let the man in tattered clothing and soiled pants fall helplessly to the ground. She knew this voice, for it was one she could never forget. The same voice which mocked her that night and took the old man's life. Within the hour she was floating in front of the warehouse's window next door to Geno's office. Lina drew her blade and stormed the place regardless of the time. A flurry of swords shot through the window and traveled to each of the grunts working in the place. Within seconds the sounds of gunfire and cries for help died. Lina took one look at a crate filled with small vials of red liquid in a green serum. " Devil's Elixir huh"? Using the oil lamps located at each corner of the place, she lit them aflame and tossed them into the sea of crates, sending the money, drugs, and other vice related products up in flames without a bat of the eye. She appeared from the window she came through once more, surrounded by an army of armed men.

She smiled and dove into the lot of them, swinging her blade forth and causing each of her other swords to slash out in random directions in the crowd. The sound of gunfire and cries for help were contrasted by the silent splatter of flesh and blood which fell to the ground with each swipe of her sword until nothing remained. That is except for Geno who stood at the office window, with a smile on her face and trembling hands. "Guess we deserved that huh, bitch"?

Spoiler:

Chapter 6, part 6: Life is the sweetest Revenge


Lina didn't respond. Rather she gave him a slight smile, one of contentment and lacking of malice. With the blazing fire as her back drop, she stared at him with a blank stare and shrugged. "You're. Dead.", Geno said as he came barreling down upon her. Lina already knew of his Soru and thusly, she was already half prepared to side step him should he try look straight on at her with a slight hunch. His teeth were grit and eyes manic with hate. His blade flew true into her Jet black sword, whose fire burned more than the feelings in her own heart. The ground between the two collapsed and tore apart, sending gusts of wind and his own cut flying behind her. It tore apart everything except for her blade, which absorbed most of the blow. His teeth grit as he tried to apply more pressure, only for her to leap back and leave him stumbling forward. " Silver fang", she said once she was coming down upon him, with at a diagonal from the air.

The man who was the Demon bane's greatest apprentice and nephew managed to block every one of her attacks, but he was not expecting her flying swords to shoot out from the outskirts of the fight. As he was focused on her nonchalant smile, she was orchestrating her blades in his blind spots. He used geppo at the last moment and sent a flying blade of wind careening toward her. Lina kicked off and road the gust from the impact of the attack and lost a few blades(11 remaining). He rushed forth swung down hard, allowing her to drop fast and out of the way and an angle. He just barely missed her as she swung Sandai down to cause the 11 flying swords to come come from its right flank. Again he used Tekkai and fell to the earth as the blades bounced off him like peanuts to a tank.

He growled as she flew fast and true with a single kick, with her blade sheathed once more. As his body loosened up she kicked again to send a burst of air shooting from behind her as she tackled him in before he reached the ground. The two tossed and tumbled, unable to use their swords in the process. He shot a shallow shigan at her, hitting her protected arm. Again he threw another and another until she was being battered by peircing strikes. However with him on the ground he obviously hadn't practiced as much as he should have, for his attacks weren't designed to be used when pinned down. Lina slammed his head into the ground, causing it to crack. He grit his teeth trying to get her off, but she used her own flying blades(6 left) to rain down upon him, but only one of them hitting their marks. His right leg wasn't hardened in time as he focused on defending against a simultaneous stab from Sandai kitetsu to his free left hand.

At that moment he went for her neck, only being stopped by a lucky catch from Lina, who finally was able to get his right hand. He applied pressure and tried to drive her off, but she was already twisting her blade with her powers and causing sandai, her 15th blade, to fly out and cut Geno's arm off. With brutal effeciency she grabbed one of the fresh swords still floating around and drove it into his opposite shoulder to pin him down.

He lied there expecting to die, with a satisfied expression on his face. " You won't get away with this skippy. The world will blame you for everything and the hammer of justice will find its mark someday".


Lina stood up with her bleeding chest and closed her eyes. He looked to her and yelled, "Hey, finish the job bitch"! She felt around her body to see if any of her wounds were bad, but most of them were merely flesh wounds caused by his weak shigans. The worst of which she patched up temporarily by ripping off a nearby corpse's jacket and tieing it around her waist to stem the bleeding. He wiggled around a bit, half exhausted and delirious from the fight. She pulled out the sword pinning him down as she picked up Nidai Kitetsu and gave him the peace sign. The desperate man tried to stand up, but his leg didn't work and him not having an arm threw his whole balance out of whack.

" have fun"

Spoiler: