Across the Realms (A One Piece Fanfic: Trafalgar Law)

{ CHAPTER 77 }

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The air was cold.

The sound of footsteps crunching on snow could be heard as a figure stood on top of a hill, overlooking the wrecked factory before them. 

The person parted their lips and exhaled, a cold air of cloud forming and dissipating a few seconds right after. A smirk managed to form on their lips as a cold breeze pushed a few short strands of hair behind the person's shoulders. 

"I bet that damned surgeon misses me."

::

"Are you guys frustrated because your scheme is coming crashing down?"

Law asked in a mocking tone, condescendingly squinting his eyes at the figure before him. 

"It's that important to you guys, isn't it? This thing?" Law continued when the man didn't say anything in reply, only standing a few meters in front of him. One would've thought he was mute. 

Then, Law felt a sudden pang of pain in his chest. Gritting his teeth, he clenched the fabric over the area right above his heart, his other grip tightening around the hilt of his nodachi. It was then he remembered. 

Law's heart was stolen. Not in a romantic sense, if you get what I mean. 

The distant hummings of machineries, slow footsteps, and the breathing of someone panting filled the dimly-lit manufacturing room. 

"Watch your mouth you squirt," Vergo threatened in a low tone, lifting his palm and showing a beating heart that was encased in a small blue cube. Slowly, he released his tight squeeze, allowing Law to breathe once again. After all, Joker had told him to give the surgeon a painful death. He wasn't about to spoil the fun by destroying Law's heart right from the get-go. 

When he was able to breathe freely, Law narrowed his eyes into a glare. He knew that at this rate, he couldn't beat Vergo while his heart was in continual risk of being literally squeezed to death. Panting, he lifted his palm and faced it towards the cold floor. 

"Room!" He grunted and made a gesture with his fingers. "Come back to me, my heart!"

The cubed heart in Vergo's palm disappeared and was transported to Law, but before the latter could place it back to the empty spot on his chest, Vergo had already leaped and, in a split second, appeared in front of Law. He gave him a hard kick on the chest, sending Law flying and crashing into the railings. 

As if not satisfied, Vergo walked over to Law's limp body and gave a gut-wrenching punch straight in his stomach, earning a painful grunt from the already-beat surgeon. 

The force made Law's hat fall over the railings and down the deep chasm, his head dangling over. Still, with his blurred vision, Law's eyes managed to follow the falling movement of his hat. He recalled how a certain brunette had made an effort to patch it for him right before he separated ways with his crew.

Gritting his teeth, Law balled his fists but left his thumbs upright, placing them over Vergo's chest.

"Countershock!"

A loud explosion erupted on Vergo's body, and clouds of smoke billowed and covered his figure. Out of breath, Law's arms fell back at his sides and he regarded the scene in front of him with a frown. 

As the smoke dissipated, a wounded Vergo stood still, his face lifted upwards. Law couldn't see his expression due his dark-tinted glasses, but he knew that he had managed to give him a good hit judging from the blood trickling down his face.