Chapter 23: Victor’s Gratitude (3)

"Oh, Nojiko! Damn, did you really fight?!" Brody's smile broadened as Nojiko, still looking a bit haggard, nodded.

"She's being modest," Reiju smiled, "The enemy took Carmen hostage and nullified my Raid Suit temporarily. We won because of Nojiko."

Nami's eyes widened hearing all that but Brody laughed, "Awesome! How do you feel? Did you get hurt? Oh, did you feel excited? It feels good, right? The rush!"

Sighing, Nojiko shrugged with a smile, "I still feel a little out of it... I mean, I was scared but it felt good helping. I think I'll try and learn to fight even more to keep such situations from happening again."

"Cool," Brody smiled, "But don't overdo it."

"Hmm," Nojiko nodded while Carmen frowned, "So? Is it clear? Can we leave?"

"Let's wait for Alvida first," Reiju hummed and the group began to travel down the hill slowly but gradually as they shared more of their battles, they began to realize that their situation, for the time being, was rather 'safe' only because of powerhouses like Brody and Reiju. Of course, they were in this mess due to them so it kind of evened out.

Meanwhile, when Nami asked if she could share the actual truth, Brody also realized that he shouldn't have thought too deeply into the situation. He simply wasn't made for that. So, he didn't have any problem with it at all and blurted out, "Well... you see, the truth is, I ran from the World Government for the right assholes they are. But, I need medicine every three years to live so... I'm kind of weak that way. Hah, but I thought you'd get scared of becoming enemies of world government for three years of adventure and would back out. Now I know you won't!"

Nojiko and Carmen blinked.

"Say whaaattt?" Alvida rushed towards them.

"Oh, lucky! I thought I'd have to repeat all that when you'd show up!"

"So... I think I'll finally change ships," Carmen, who had remained rather stubborn till now blinked and shrugged.

"Heh, don't be like that... if you stay, you'll get hands-on... an unlimited amount of various types of meat! I have a plan!" Brody smiled.

Carmen blinked, "You aren't lying right?"

"I would never lie!" Brody replied seriously.

"You said you got an incurable disease," Carmen frowned as Brody pointed at Reiju, "She did."

"Really? That's what I get?" Reiju deadpanned.

"What about living forever, Mr. Dying in 3 Years?" Nojiko smiled.

"I'll live forever. I'll find a way... Oi? What's wrong?"

Brody looked at Alvida who has a tight frown, "Well... I don't care about 3 years or 30 years. We probably only have 30 seconds to..."

"Stop!"

A loud shout made the ruckus of Devil Back Pirates quieten down as everyone looked at a silver-haired man with his lower body turned into a large plume of smoke rushing in their direction as he wholly phased through all the trees and branches in the way.

"Hey, we have the same jacket, Smoker!" Brody waved his hands as if encountering an old friend before turning to look at the girls, "See? I told you, there would be a fun challenge for me. But... I never knew there'd be two of them. Go on, I'll return soon enough, and ah, don't let Carmen escape!"

"Like hell, I would run!" Carmen snapped and crossed her arms. But they also couldn't ignore his words. After all, Brody was their captain and while the girls began to climb down, Smoker snorted, "You think it would be that easy?"

His arm disintegrated into smoke that extended towards the girls to completely incapacitate them when a sharp wind pressure cut off the area and sliced apart the trees including the smoke itself which soon retracted back into Smoker.

"Hey," Brody looked at the Marine, "I remember you saying that we can't enter Grandline until we defeat you... Luffy may have left but I never thought I'd get the chance again. Thanks."

"Have you hit one too many bottles or rum?" Smoker narrowed his eyes, "What are you feeling grateful for?!"

"Come on," Brody's smile slowly receded as he looked at Smoker seriously, "Don't get me wrong. I don't mean to insult you or anything. It's just that..." his smile returned but it was no longer carefree or innocuous. Smoker unconsciously bit harder on his cigar as Brody's cheeks contorted slightly while his lips spread the farthest, revealing his sharp canine and absolute, unadulterated euphoric joy in his eyes, "It's just that, I really want to defeat you..."

Brody slowly took his jacket off and hung it near a branch as his muscles flexed and clenched before eventually bulging slightly. A chart of veins became prominent over his body and more so over his exposed arms.

Brody's words, however, made Smoker's pupils contract.

"Tekkai, Kami-e, Rankyaku, Shigan, Soru, and Gepo... I never knew that these 'Basic' Techniques are considered martial arts of the highest order by the World Government. But then again, simplicity is often the finest approach," Musing, Brody looked at Smoker, "Let's crack the weakness of your smoke body, too. I'll be in your care!"

Further, under Smoker's stunned eyes, Brody stood casually while spreading his arms out. There were about 50 centimeters of difference between their heights in favor of Brody. Still, until now, Smoker didn't care for it. After all, it didn't matter. However, right now, this 'open' stance of Brody made Smoker cautious to his very limits. From Brody's somber smile to the bulging veins mapping his body and his extremely slightly swaying hair made the recently promoted Commodore realize that he was being 'invited' by the Devil.

"I... won't enter Grandline if I don't defeat you today, Smoker," Brody declared seriously as the silver-haired man gritted his teeth and growled, "Don't make this situation any more than a marine locking away a criminal, you scum!"

Smoker's lower half turned into smoke and the man shot toward Brody at a quick pace while aiming his Jitte at him and launching his fist at the man. A two-pronged attack but fully aware of how this devil fruit can be problematic due to its nature, Brody decided to go with the simplest action he had in his arsenal.

'Don't name anything... it's cool and all, but it's restrictive to the mind. Let your abilities and skills... flow...' Brody remembered the same voice. It was stern but smooth. It was cold but nurturing. It showed no hint of passion for their relationship but it only served to teach him. Only by learning could he grow.

'No names...'

Brody gazed at Smoker's fist holding the Jitte rush past him and attack him from behind while flanking from the front side, too.

And the next thing Smoker knew, Brody had already turned around with his body stretched somewhat diagonally and his arms still spread open. It was as if... he—

A massive torrent of wind generated and took a swirling shape that pulled him 'apart' with an outstanding force. The force uprooted the nearby trees and dirt, forming a clearing in a matter of seconds.

"Devil Fruit users must have a weakness. I don't know if the wind is yours... but you better believe I'm about to use it until you manage to overcome it or give up."

Brody looked at Smoker who crashed into a tree with an entire trunk passing through his chest but around the 'wound', Brody saw smoke instead of blood. Sitting up with an aggressive expression, Smoker couldn't help but glare at the man, "Don't order me around!"

Brody grinned and committed himself to a swift straight kick that cut past Smoker before turning over his single foot and cutting down on Smoker through his heels. Each time, Smoker tried to 'capture' Brody's foot but it was too sharp and too quick to be captured this time and worst of all, the Jitte whose tip was coated by sea stone was entirely useless against Brody. After all, he wasn't a devil fruit user.

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"Ready to give up?" Brody smiled.

"Fool! You'll be the one to tire yourself out and give up!" Smoker snapped back.

"Haha! A battle of endurance! That's a golden training!" Brody laughed, his hand smashing into Smoker's face as it disintegrated into smoke once again but this was just Brody screwing with Smoker as the man's face appeared at the end of the smoky trail, "Stop going for my face, punk! It won't work!"

"Wind is your enemy! Bastard! Try my special attack!" Brody kicked the ground and was upon Smoker's face in an instant. Well, at least, his ass was.

'Let my skills flow...' Brody always kept that in mind. This was the first thing... That man ever taught him. The first time Yujiro Hanma, his father, ever taught him.

*Prrrrrrrtttttttt*

Smoker's face turned green as Brody's butt continued to smash into a tree before he quickly got up with a cheeky grin and looked at Smoker lying on the ground with his body returning to normal.

"It was really fun~!" That's the last thing Smoker heard while smelling a Sea King as the attack followed the voice in the very next second while he could do nothing but lay incapacitated on the ground after that biochemical attack.

Knocking Smoker out, Brody smiled widely and walked up to his jacket before dusting it off.

"Grandline, huh... I'm coming!"

---

"Liar! His Doriki was way above 2000! He already knew every Rokushiki technique save for their names and violated the sanctity of my snout as casually as one would step on an ant!"

'Running' in the air, the three CP9 agents looked utterly exhausted save for Fukurou. Kumadori's mane had shed away too in an effort to transfer all the venom he received from Reiju. To state it simply, they were bodied.

"Well, we were the first of the enemies. The agency will fully analyze their threat, Chapapa. The only way to escape punishment is by actually returning to the HQ and reporting everything in detail. Else... we'll be on the list, too, chapapa."

"I know..." Jabra groaned, "But that damn Kitten would hold it over my head for at least a decade."

"Yoiyoi! Better head than... Better head than... Better head than neck!" Kumadori shrugged.

"What about the Meat Paradise?" Fukurou questioned.

"Who knows," Jabra frowned while discreetly gulping, "I managed to escape since they didn't think me a great threat. Damn that bastard! I'll... I'll... wait for someone to finish him off!"

Fukurou and Kumadori were speechless.

---

"Stop right there!"

A female stood between the rest of the Devil Back Crew and their ship.

"Now what?" Nami groaned and then looked at the relatively normal-looking bespectacled girl standing with her hand on the hilt of her katana.

"You were with Smoker, right?" Alvida questioned.

"Exactly. I'm Master Chief Petty Officer, Tashigi! Surrender yourself!" Tashigi kept a stern expression but her thin frame and almost innocent features made her look more like a lost kitten than anything else as Nami's smile grew mischievous and she looked at everyone.

"Let me handle her!" Nami stepped forward while assembling her staff as she looked back casually, "My path to actually being the best navigator starts from here."

*Shing*

*Shing*

*Shing*

Alvida and Reiju blinked as Nami wholly remained oblivious to Tashigi's attack.

*Tc*

Multiple smooth marks suddenly appeared on Nami's staff and under her stunned gaze, her staff was cut into many pieces.

*Tear*

And then her clothes were cut off, too.

"Kyaaah! You pervert, what the hell are you doing?" Nami screamed and crouched down while covering her breasts as Tashigi grew flustered, too, "I- I'm sorry! I cut too far! I just wanted to create small slash marks to intimidate you. Actually, I can't see well..."

"Then what the hell are you doing wielding a sword!" Nami berated Tashigi as she bowed, "Sorry! I thought you could fight!"

"Look at me... how delicate my body really is... there is no way I can fight!" Nami cried and then turned to Alvida, "So, get her!" while pointing at Tashigi, "We're surrounded, right? She'd make a good hostage, don't you think so?"

Tashigi's expression froze as Nami continued, "Her pants are also quite cute... I'll take 'em~!"

Alvida sighed softly, "I'll have the jacket for my efforts then."

"By the way," Nojiko looked back, "Will he get back in time?"

"It's always close calls with him until now, but I suppose, today could be a good day to leave for Grandline finally," Reiju smiled while Alvida already had Tashigi pressed against the ground while holding the girl's wrists. Meanwhile, still crouching and in her black panties, Nami looked back, "Brody... is after something. We better pack up our clothes and treasure just in case."

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