MARINES - A ONE PIECE story (ENGLISH) - Part I

CHAPTER XC - Haki

Nephila remained silent and immobile in front of the insolent child who was facing her. Some might have thought she was impressed, even intimidated, but in reality she was boiling with rage. Now that she had slaughtered all her unhinged warriors, the young soldier was left alone to face her. There were only two of them left on this stage, where the moon's rays were shining. But she had the firm intention to remain there alone, queen of ashes and ruins if it had been necessary. Then, in a bestial and furious howl, she threw herself on her adversary.

But Arthur was determined not to let her win. The blade hit the fangs with a deafening crash, the ground vibrating under the feet of the two duelists. The beast was fast, quick and agile, but not as fast as the soldier who was leaping like a cat, soaring like a bird of prey and striking as fast as a jaguar. However, his blows, as sharp as they were, were not powerful enough to hurt the monster facing him : like a gigantic rock, the spider remained invincible, her black exoskeleton resisting all the enemy's blows. With each strike, Arthur's blade seemed to bounce off this rock-hard skin. Each time, the monster counterattacked furiously, throwing her opponent to the ground.

As she rushed at him furiously, ready to seize him in her huge fangs, Arthur saw a flaw : he knew that her joints and her belly were more sensitive, softer and more flexible, less resistant. As the beast came at him, about to crush him with all her weight and devour him, he jumped forward and rolled under the animal's belly. There he went on a rampage, waving his blade left and right to slice the spider's flesh. Immediately, the maneuver had the desired effect : the beast howled like a devil, hitting the ground with her eight enormous legs. As Arthur was about to repeat the operation, Nephila cried out :

- Stop, stop, that's enough ! It hurts, it hurts ! Arascension !

From her black and hairy abdomen, she expelled a net of translucent fabric which flew until the ceiling. Then, pulled by this same net, she flew away and disappeared in the darkness.

Arthur stood up, raising his blade in front of him, scanning the high walls of the cavern. Despite the chasm he had created there, which allowed bright moonbeams to pass through, the beast remained invisible in the deep darkness. The young man was in danger. Yet a smile of jubilation spread across his youthful face : he had pushed one of the Warlords, an extremely dangerous pirate, into the corner. It was a big step in his evolution.

The soldier soon realized that he was exposed : he could not see Nephila in the darkness, but she was silently lurking in the shadows, watching him. She was waiting for the slightest weakness on his part to fall on him and crush him to pieces. So with the speed of lightning, Arthur regained the darkness with his Shave.

Hidden in the ruins, in the dark, he could only hear his heartbeat. The battalion of insects-women who had pursued him had been annihilated by their own leader, the rest of them was fighting off Moringens' army in the distance. For now, he didn't have to worry about them. He had to focus on Nephila, who was there, somewhere in the dark.

- I've found you, my pretty boy.

The voice, like an icy breath on a winter's night, had slid down Arthur's neck. He turned immediately, but the queen was faster : with five of her long legs, she caught her prey at the throat, arms and calves. As her grip tightened on her enemy's limbs, he dropped his blade and it clattered to the ground. Nephila was no longer the huge spider she had been a few minutes before, she had regained her human body. But from this body emerged two more pairs of limbs, long, bony, powerful legs. On her face, eight black eyes shone behind her dark hair. In place of its mouth, a monstrous maw.

- My hybrid form is as powerful as my animal form, young knight. Less impressive, but much more vivid.

At once, Arthur tried to move his leg to shoot a Tempest Kick at her, but Nephila's grip tightened.