021

15.4K 836 186
                                    

chapter twenty one
━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
iii. long ring island arc






Shoto has never seen a Dodgeball game this intense.

Sure, Japan had a lot of people who played with quirks. But this was beyond it. The raw and natural strength, the durability. . . It was amazing. He will never be able to achieve the same physical strength they have if he keeps on sitting around like this.

It was frustrating.

Ah, how he wishes to tear the mask on his face down. It was irritating his scar. Or was it just the heat? Nonetheless, he didn't want to be a Foxy Pirate.

"Sanji-" Shoto was about to interject seeing the foot stuck out in ready, but he was seconds too late as the ball already bounced off his foot. "The rules. . ." The boy could only trail off on his own words.

Next was Zoro's disqualification, he ended up slicing a ball in half with his hand. That's right, his hand. But after hearing a debate between Robin and the Fox Pirates, they exchanged rules and got Zoro out of the game.

In the end, it was Luffy who won. And knowing he did, he bounced from his place as he looked between Shoto and Chopper.

"Oi, Luffy, I think you should pick--" Zoro's words fell into deaf's ears as Luffy already grabbed Chopper, a large grin on his face while Shoto continued carving his ice into a knife.

"Chopper!" Luffy and Usopp exclaimed.

"Luffy, you guys. . ."

And they exchanged teary greetings as if they never saw each other for a year. Despite how pathetic he seems by the corner completely out of place, Shoto knew Luffy's reason on picking the reindeer.

A little more and the doctor will be sure to break. So it was only wise to pick Chopper first so that it wouldn't take such a large toll on his mental state.

Zoro looked at the perfectly calm teenager who was forced to interact with Porche and the rest of the Foxy crew. He knew Chopper was close to vulnerable but he was worried about Shoto too, maybe the loneliness and being out of place will affect him too much.

Nonetheless, he knows that Shoto had the toughest mentality out of all the teenagers he met with similar daddy issues.

"Alright, the last fight! Captain versus Captain!'

Shoto perked up. Sure, Luffy was strong, but Foxy played dirty. And because of that, he was worried for the Rubber Captain, but then again— there is no such thing as dirty in a Pirate's brawl.

All he has to do now was put his utter faith on Luffy for his Victory.

"I offer 500 subordinates for the winner. Including ship and crew." Foxy smugly said, confident about winning because of the amount of weapons hidden in his ship.

"500? We don't have that much." Nami piped up, narrowing her gaze.

"Then you have to pay me in 3 generations! Your children's children's children will swear loyalty to the Foxy Pirates."

"What?!"

Shoto gave a low snort. Imagining their kids being a part of such crew. . . What a joke. However, it was utterly hilarious to think about it. But knowing Luffy, he will win this for sure.

"Luffy, you better win this. I'm not looking forward to having me and Nami-chwan's children a part of this weirdo's crew." Sanji spoke, lighting a cigarette of his.

"Idiot!" Nami bonked him so hard on the head that he fell on the ground with heart eyes. "Who says I'm having children with you?!"

"But Nami-chwan, if you think about it, it's kinda cute—"

Kick.

"It's not!" She shivered from the idea. How scary.

"Hush, Guys." Usopp stepped forward with an Afro-wearing Luffy. Seeing the sight, Shoto snickered uncharacteristically. Seriously, how can they be so funny at this time of day. . .

Everyone's jaw dropped as soon as Luffy announced the power boost of his Afro.

"I- whatever." Foxy shook his head. "Let the match begin! Referee!" He yelled out.

"You called?"

Instead of the usual Referee who came in favor of Foxy's crew. There stepped in Shoto dressed in a fancy suit with a white fake mustache. He also wore shades, acting as if no one could identify him now.

"Right, announce the match." Foxy didn't even bother turning to the top commentary post, not even the slightest suspicious of him.

"Aye aye, sir." Disguised Shoto then turned to the opposing crew. "Name?"

The strawhat crew dropped their jaws while staring at him as if he has grown another head. They then quickly snapped and yelled, "Stop pretending you don't know us!"

Shoto ignored their protests and tilted his shades down, staring hard down at them.

"Who are you again?"

The audacity— nonetheless, they quickly caught wind of the fallen former referee behind him, a melting ice knife stuck on his arm.

"Alright! Captain Foxy versus the Strawhat's Rubber man!"

The match begun and Foxy had the advantage of the first half of the fight. However, as they entered the ship, Foxy started using weapons, and convinced that the referee that he had set up wouldn't complain, he freely showed off.

"Oi, oi, oi, what's this I see?" Shoto spoke over the mic, tone hinted with clear amusement with a smirk. He rested his head at the palm of his hands as Foxy acted like a deer caught in headlights.

There was a long pause of surprised looks.

Shoto then continued, "What happened to the rule with weapons? Or is the great righteous Captain Foxy stooping as low as to defy the davy back fight rules?"

"Referee, what are you doing?!" Porche yelled/whispered.

Shoto ignored her signs before turning back to the fight and announcing the continuation of the match. He kept silent the whole time, but only announced the victory 5 minutes later after seeing Foxy passed out by the corner thanks to the glass stuck on Luffy's afro.

Words couldn't describe the pride he felt for having seen the Captain ever so victorious.

Well, all he has to do is to deal with the Foxy Pirates now.

in another world ; one piece : bnhaWhere stories live. Discover now