By Your Side

Chapter 43

Momo flew into another wall, leading us out of the room and into the halls. "Stop, Momo! What are you doing?!"

"Where am I?!" Momo shouted, ignoring me completely. We crashed into the ceiling above us, going up into another hall.

"A dragon?! Is that Kaido?!"

I looked over, seeing Big Mom. "Ehhh?! Big Mom?!" I didn't have time to worry about her as we kept moving up, crashing into another hall. "Enough! Open up your eyes, Momo!" I shouted as he slowed down, skidding on the ground.

"I can't! And besides, something got into them, too!" Momo explained, still not opening his eyes.

"That's because you crashed into things!" I explained, glaring ahead of us.

"Do something, Luffy!" Momo wailed, still squeezing his eyes shut.

"Guts! Show some guys and look ahead!" I shouted, but widened my eyes as another wall came closer. "A wall! Stop!"

"WHAT?!" Momo shouted, seems he finally opened his eyes as we crashed through.

As we crashed, Momo lied on the ground, squinting his eyes back closed. "No more... I don't want to anymore!"

I shook the debris from my head, looking down at Momo. "What are you doing?! I still need you to take me to where Kaido-" My sentence was cut short as something caught my attention.

I looked forward, seeing something on the ground ahead of me. I jumped down from Momo's head, walking over to it. When I got close, I noticed it was a sword, but the familiarity of it caught my attention even more. This is...

I bent down, picking it up. I examined the sword in my hands, noticing blood on the hilt. Worry began to spread throughout my body as I looked back up in front of me, when I did, I felt my blood run cold.

Dropping my arm that held the sword to my side, I walked a couple steps forward, before bending down on the ground. I dropped the sword onto the ground as I brought my hand forward, landing on the arm outstretched towards me. "(Y/N)...?"

As I went to make contact, my hand flinched back as I envisioned Ace's body lying there instead of (Y/N)'s, bringing the familiar sense of my throat tightening up.

Blinking a couple times, I shook the image from my head as I grabbed ahold of (Y/N), bringing her to where I cradled her in my arms. "Hey... wake up..."

I rested my head in the crook of her neck as I sat still, trying to feel for a heart beat. I felt a little relief was over me as I felt it, but it was faint. I felt something wet on my hand and brought it up, seeing it was covered in blood.

Alarmed, I glanced down, seeing a huge gash going down her back, a slight panic beginning to take over as I began to shake her lightly. "Hey, say something! (Y/N)!"

After a few minutes, I heard a small pained grunt coming from (Y/N), causing me to stop my movements. "L-Luffy...?"

I brought my gaze to hers, watching as she squinted her eyes open. "(Y/N)..."

I saw a weak smile cross her face as she spoke up. "Thank god... I knew you'd come back." She let out a hiss as she raised an arm up, cupping the side of my face. "I held Kaido off as long as I could until you came back."

What? "You fought Kaido?" I spoke up, widening my eyes.

"Yeah... I couldn't let him get to Momonouske." She admitted, frowning slightly. "Is he okay?" 

I glanced over my shoulder to where Momo was, seeing he still had his eyes squinted closed. "Yeah, he's fine." I turned back to look at (Y/N).

She let out a sigh of relief. "That's good..." She met my gaze once more, "Beat Kaido's ass, okay..."

I watched as her eyes closed again, going limp in my arms. After a moment, I lied her back down on the ground, walking back over to Momo, shadow casted over my eyes. "Momo... let's go."

I mounted Momo as he didn't argue, seeming to take note of my tone of voice. "Right..." With that, he took to the air once more, this time not hesitating.

Next thing I know, we were in the air, glancing down onto the rooftop where Kaido and Yamato are facing off.

I watched as a lightning strike shot down where Yamato was, preparing to attack. I locked my gaze onto Kaido, bringing my arm up to my mouth. "Gear Four!"

I coated my arms in Haki, preparing to lunge forward. "Snake-Man!" I shout off of Momo, flying towards Kaido at rapid speed. "Gum-Gum..."

At the same time, Yamato shot forward, bringing her club behind her. "Divine Swiftness! White serpent!"

"Jet Culverin!" I shouted, extending my arm as it shot forward, zigzagging to gain momentum, flying beside Yamato's white snake, as both attacks collided with Kaido, sending him flying back several feet. "Prepare yourself Kaido, I won't hold back..."

"Beat Kaido's ass, okay..."

"For I have to win."

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Published: 02/11/2023

A/N: I know I just posted yesterday, but I am out of work for a few days due to an accident from work and shall be completing this story in that time!