𝐋𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐥𝐲 𝐅𝐥𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫 ➳ 𝐋𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐀𝐭 𝐒𝐞𝐚 (one piece fanfic)

Chapter 72 🌞🌞

Robin had no doubt that the Straw Hats would one day be a force to be reckoned with. And she wouldn't be amongst them. After all, her place had never been there; she was merely tagging along for the ride. She would become a passing memory for them, left in the dust and rotting in the shadows. Admitting that to herself hurt a lot more than she would have cared to admit.

She felt an inexplicable loneliness at the thought, her heart throbbed painfully. She repressed those feelings knowing nothing could bloom from them, not when the whole government was after her head. Even with Nanko's help, she would forever be chased after.

Nanko was quietly simmering beneath the surface though he showed nothing on the surface. Robin was a person he cared for, and he wanted nothing more than to set her free but he couldn't do that, not yet. His plan had to be perfect to leave no traces of his involvement.

Franky had finally decided on a kick. Which was promptly avoided by Nanko. "I won't give you the blueprints!" He shouted as he tried but failed to hurt Nanko. The CP9 merely watched, feeling it was useless to intervene. Plus they were curious as to the depth of his strength. They had only heard he could fight their Boss on equal grounds but they had never seen it.

Franky finally slowed down when he saw that Nanko was simply toying with him. It was frustrating. Nanko didn't even counter-attack, he avoided his punches and kicks with ease, tapping his weak spots once in a while.

There was a clear gap between them, one that came with experience and ruthless training. Franky had seen people with frightening combat instincts but what he faced wasn't that, it was trained instincts, precise control over his body, nothing that could be achieved in a few years.

Robin wanted to tell Franky something but in the end gave up. She knew Nanko wouldn't hurt him anyway.

Once Franky gave up and stopped fighting, Nanko gave out orders.

"Alright, before the straw hats break the whole building, go do your job, and bring those two with you." He pointed to the two prisoners.

Once he was left alone, Nanko went back to the Den Den Mushi. "Backup is coming, do your best to survive!" He then promptly went to find a seat on top of the building to observe the fiasco. He didn't want to intervene just yet.

Buildings were falling apart, officers were sent flying while the intruders forced their way through.

Suddenly he felt a chill behind his neck. Turning his head, he easily pinpointed the reason. Amongst the crowd of pirates, one teenage girl was glaring at him with swirling red pupils.

"Looks like she's mad..." Nanko rubbed his neck. With everything going on, he had left Sky alone longer than necessary. "Alright, I'm coming."

In a flash he disappeared from the rooftop.

Zoro, who was fighting, glared at Sky, "Gonna keep on standing around forever?"

Sky bounced on her heels to face him, and in a deadpan voice said "Just long enough to annoy you."

Zoro promptly slashed her, gritting his teeth when his blade went through her body like butter, an annoying trick of hers.

"Behind you," Sky waved at him, sitting on the pile of corpses caused by Zoro.

"Having fun?" Nanko appeared beside her, tilting his head to stare at her. He observed Zoro who had raised his guard at the sight of his floating coat. Right, he was a Commodore now.

"Sky," Zoro warned quietly. The last one they had faced with that coat and rank made them bite the dust—someone named Smoker.

"Officer Nanko!" The Marines cheered seeing their savior appear.

Nanko sighed but still stood in front of the pair. "Alright come at me." He taunted them with his index finger, ushering them toward him.

"Unsheath your blade," Zoro told him, not in kindness but as a fellow swordsman.

"That won't be necessary," Nanko replied easily. He had to admit he was curious about the first-mate his little brother had gotten—he wanted to see how strong he was.

Zoro didn't respond to the petty taunt and took his time to gauge him before attacking. When he did, his blades were heavy with conviction and Nanko met it with raised hands. Zoro was about to mock his naivety when the hand turned a stark black, and easily countered his attack.

He recognized the feat he had seen a few times now, Haki. His attacks continued to increase in strength and magnitude but Nanko seemed to see through his attacks, attacking the weak point of his attacks with deadly accuracy.

Sky, who was watching from the side, recognized the way Nanko was seemingly toying with the swordsman; he was using Haki to predict and counteract. Nanko hadn't even moved a foot away from his spot. He deflected the attacks with the tip of his fingers, pushing just the right spot to destabilize Zoro's swords.

Any other swordsman would have given in and changed their attack pattern to either engage with their fists or other techniques but Zoro was stubbornly trying to break through with his blades alone. And while Sky admired that in him, she also knew it wasn't enough.

No matter how strong Zoro had grown to be, he wasn't yet equipped to deal with Haki. Luck and perseverance weren't enough to deal with the monster that was Nanko.

So Sky decided to jump in. A skeletal hand attacked Nanko's blind spot. Nanko finally moved and jumped in the air, somersaulting in the air to kick the hand away. "Are you two ganging up on me? That's not very fair you know..."

Sky ignored his whine, pushing herself up from where she had been sent. "Zoro?"

Zoro sighed before giving up, "Alright."

Nanko smiled when they both attacked together, "So synchronized." He blocked their attacks. They were a lot stronger when they fought together as they made up for the other's mistakes and amplified each other's attacks.

Eventually as they got used to each other, Nanko was forced to change strategy. He took his blade out, kicking away Sky to properly block Zoro's attack. Guided by Nanko's hidden pointers, he had successfully improved his technique and hidden his weak spots.

Nanko couldn't help but nod in approval as his blade trembled slightly from Zoro's ultimate attack. Even as he eventually also sent him flying with a swipe of his sword his grin was wide.

Sky reappeared by his side, hands up in surrender. Bruises marred her skin along with spots of blood. "Satisfied?" Sky knew that he was simply gauging their strength. The other Marines had long since fled the scene anyway.

"Very. I'm very satisfied." Nanko smiled before ruffling Sky's hair. "Did you have fun with them?"

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:) next chapter tomorrow