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chapter thirty two
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v. enies lobby arc

Shoto panted, trying to wipe the large amount of sweat pouring down his face. He was exhausted to say the least, but that was expected when fighting against a guy who expertises in the physical field.

"You can't go any much longer than this." Lucci stated bluntly as he stared at Shoto's form that told him that even standing was an obvious struggle. "You're still no match for me, that's a disappointment."

"Shut up, I can still go."

"I know how your arms just healed from an electric shock. It's a surprise your arms still work after such damage." Lucci chuckled. "This wasn't a fair fight to begin with."

"Stop talking." Shoto told, now annoyed by how talkative he was. "And what do you mean? Are you calling me weak?"

The CP9 member effortlessly lifted his hand and hit Shoto on the chest, sending him flying across the room.

"Far from it. You just lack physically. You rely too heavily on your devil fruit." Lucci said plainly. "If you were to train and improve your agility and strength first, then it will be a fair fight."

"Huh?"

"It's even more foolish of you to think you can defeat me, nonetheless. Waltzing in carelessly, you've been too arrogant."

He paused.

Lucci then held out his arm before placing his hand on the boy's head, holding him in place as his eyes studied him. "It's far too soon. You're not strong enough yet."

Shoto could hear the floor vibrate and he can immediately tell. He felt a smirk grow on his face, taking Lucci aback, he was not familiar with the sadistic look on the usually emotionless face.

"That's the thing. I had no intentions of beating you in the first place."

As a sign of the last wave of his powers that exerts his stamina, he blasted a full wave of ice as it froze Lucci all the way to his thighs. And the ice was thick, making it more difficult than usual to break free from. Shoto stood at the top of his ice.

Not to mention, it was cold.

All the frostbite littering all over Lucci's skin was enough proof that Shoto's quirk was effective even against a strong enemy.

Lucci was surprised, wasn't Shoto's ice just thinning out and losing its effects a while ago? Or was he doing that on purpose just to put his guard down and make him think that he was getting weaker with every use of his power.

Shoto was saving his energy for the last dance. It's been an hour since they fought continously without rest after all, and Lucci was no ordinary human being.

"It was originally my Captain who'll be defeating you."

And as a cue, Luffy barged in just in time to see the pissed CP9 member. His eyes averted from him and onto Shoto who held a relieved look with a hint of a small smile reserved only for his crew.

"I knew you'd come." The heterochromatic told as he jumped out of the way and onto the door that Robin and Spandam left from. They should be right around the port by now, or just by the entrance if Robin held him down.

Shoto was sure it was the latter. He believed that Robin could pull that kind of stunt.

"I'll be off, goodluck, Luffy. He's a tough cookie to crack." The boy indicated about Lucci who only watched the boy exit the door, not really bothering to go after him and toss the Captain aside.

Spandam can die for all he knows. He didn't have to protect the man all the time, and he had an excuse now as well. The CP9 member found himself hoping that the heteromatic would push the annoying man off the building.

Now to the fight, Lucci glanced at the persistent Luffy who stood his ground.



"Just a little more." Shoto pushed himself beyond his limits, although he has been doing a lot of running and escaping life-death situations lately, the energy he had was amazing.

He allowed his feet to carry him towards the main exit on the rooftop, immediately breathing in the fresh air before noticing the hordes of ships approaching them. They had large cannons, and they were directing it towards them, or more specifically the island itself.

But how could they? This was their land, right? Why would they sink their own men on land just to exterminate them pirates?

Snapping out of his daze, he turned his head around frantically, nearly breaking his neck just to spot where they had taken the raven haired woman. And there he saw Spandam dragging her by the hair, making his blood boil upon seeing such mistreatment.

His legs moved on instinct as he ran towards them lighting his hand on fire before taking a harsh grip of the man's wrist, watching Spandam writhe in burning pain under his hold.

"I suggest you don't treat ladies like that, or people in general." Shoto could only imagine his sister in such predicament, he didn't like seeing that. And Robin reminded him of his sister, only making it more meaningful to him.

"Let me go!" Spandam begged, slowly feeling the heat reaching his bones. It burned so much that he couldn't even think properly.

Granting, Shoto released his hold, glaring at the man before the shipwrights arrived and helped Robin get away from there. He could only nod in appreciation to Paulie who was quick to sweep the woman off her feet, although he was still reluctant seeing what happened with Iceberg.

"Get away from here, Shoto. The World Government called a Buster Call, they're gonna sink the whole island down." Paulie advised, only being able to look at his eyes despite the guilt he had for his previous actions.

"A Buster. . . Call?" Shoto repeated, confusion was evident before he allowed his mind wander. "So a Ghost Buster? Like the movies."

"Ghost. . . Buster?" Now it was Paulie's turn to exchange the confusion. "And I don't think it's like the movies. A buster call is an action to sink an island, it can only be permitted with the help of an Admiral though."

"That's right, Admiral Aokiji was the one to permit us." Spandam told smugly before hissing upon the pain at his wrist. It was sure to leave a scar.

"Admiral Aokiji, huh?" Shoto said in deep thinking. It wasn't like the man to help someone like Spandam, but he probably still did-- knowing how much of a threat Luffy could be. And as well his crew. Now Shoto was flattering himself.

Well, while he was on look-out duty, he might as well fend off the marines who would try to ambush his crew inside.

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