One Piece: Gold And Fire

[Flash Back - Logue Town]

The sound of clashing swords echoed through the empty training ground as Ragna and Tashigi sparred once again. It had been almost two months since they started training together, and today was no different.

The sound of the rhythmic clang of metal meeting metal rang out and the determined expressions on their faces brightened up with the smile they both had while sparring. This was way more interesting for them than anything else a young man and a woman could have been doing.

Tashigi watched Ragna carefully as they exchanged blows. His improvement was far beyond what she had expected. His movements were sharper, his footwork more precise, and his reactions, well those had always been ridiculously agile, adding to her irritation, she won't lie, she was a little envious of what Ragna naturally had.

She had worked hard to get to the point she was right now and Ragna reached it like it was nothing. A light thought of her being a girl resurfaced in her mind, however, she quickly shook her head, focusing back on the spar.

She knew that if he wasn't holding back his raw strength, she was sure he could overpower her with ease.

"Don't get cocky just because you've gotten a little better," Tashigi warned, adjusting her glasses as she took a defensive stance.

Ragna smiled, rolling his shoulders. "Ah come on, why you treat all our spars as life and dead affair. Losen up a little sensei...," he teased seeing, he'd been calling the girl sensei due to her attitude while teaching him and those glasses which just put more charm to her playing teacher, and upon seeing Tashigi's slight frown he knew that he achieved his goal to annoy her and get a little window to attack so he stepped forward to attack again.

Their swords clashed once more, but this time, Ragna was slowly gaining the upper hand. Tashigi narrowed her eyes, realizing she was being pushed back. What was more unexpectable for her was that he was getting pushback while Ragana was holding back most of his raw strength.

If he was using the raw strength then she at least had an excuse or even a goal to get power physically stronger to fight on the equal footting. But no...

He was pushing her back by sheer skill as much as possible.

She gritted her teeth, 'if he wins then he'd be full of it until the next spar...' She just couldn't let that happen and decided that it was time to use her special move—one she had spent years perfecting.

Taking a deep breath, she suddenly stopped blocking and took a step back, gripping the hilt of her sword tightly.

Ragna blinked in confusion. "Accepting defeat?" Ragna asked though he didn't believe it, the girl was pretty easy going until swordsmanship was involved. Anywhere where the words swords come she could be really stubborn. At least how much he knows Tashigi, she's ain't the one to give up until the sword's tip at her neck.

Tashigi didn't answer. Instead, she unsheathed her sword in a single, swift motion, slashing at him at the same time.

Shing!

The attack was so fast that Ragna barely had time to react. He instinctively raised his sword to block, but the force behind Tashigi's strike sent a sharp vibration through his arms. His eyes widened. The sheer power and speed of her quick-draw technique were beyond anything he had expected.

"What was that?!" Ragna asked, stepping back in shock.

Tashigi sheathed her sword again, adjusting her glasses with a small smile. "It's a quick-draw technique. A sword style used by samurai in want to strike with incredible speed and precision. It's not just about power—it's about timing, positioning, and a perfectly controlled motion."

Ragna was fascinated.

The power he felt right now, that was not possible from a person of Tashigi's stature, at least if science had anything to say. This was not just swordsmanship. There was something more...

He had performed quick-draw slashes before, more like acting cool after getting his first sword and of course, none of the times had he ever carried the same force as Tashigi's.

She certainly swung harder and faster with just one hand than what she could accomplish with two. There was indeed something unique about this technique.

"Teach me how to do that."

Tashigi shook her head. "Huh, You still need to master the basics first. If you rush, you'll only pick up bad habits."

"Oh come on, you're no fun...

[Flash Back End]

---

[Syrup Village]

Ragna gritted his teeth, his breath coming in ragged gasps. His body was covered in wounds, deep cuts oozing blood as Kuro's relentless high-speed attacks tore into him. He could barely track Kuro's movements, let alone land a hit. It was like fighting an invisible man due to his speed, almost like a ghost

Nami, Usopp, and Kaya watched with terrified looks as Ragna continued to take hit after hit.

"Ragna!" Nami shouted, not sure what else she could do. She hurriedly looked around, trying to find any way to help him out but there was nothing which she could do...

Usopp gulped, his hands trembling. His earlier bravado was nowhere to be seen seeing how dangerous Kuro was. How is he supposed to fight someone who he can't even see? Who is he supposed to point his slingshot at?

"Please… stop this…" Kaya whispered. Unlike Ragna, Nami and Usopp, she was mostly a normal innocent girl and this was too much for her. She was only 14, at the age where she have only come across stuff toys and the care of their family, not fighting, dead and bloodshed.

Ragna's mind however was calmed, he needed to focus if he had to pull off that move.

"The power behind her slash. The precision. I never mastered it, but right now, I had no other choice.

So I'll go beyond my limits and surpass them... anime shit..." Ragna muttered to him and got ready.

'I only need one hit. One Swing, One Cut...'

Tightening his grip on his sword, Ragna took a deep breath. He slowly lowered his stance, bringing his blade to his side. His eyes, sharp and focused, tried to read Kuro's movements. But in this state, Kuro was like a blur—unpredictable, chaotic, deadly.

"What's he doing ?" Kaya asked, almost baffled seeing Ragna putting his sword back to its sheath.

"Urg.." Ragna let out a painful growl as his stand currently allowed zero defence to him from Kuro.

"Idiot, what are you doing, defend yourself." Nami shouted seeing Ragna getting wounded more while he wasn't actively defending himself."

However, Ragna didn't care, he just maintained his focus and waited for the right time.

The moment Ragna prepared to strike, he left himself completely open.

Kuro, seeing the opportunity, grinned wickedly. His claws slashed across Ragna's body, fresh wounds opening up as Ragna remained still, enduring the pain. Blood splattered onto the ground.

Now it was the war of attrition on his part. If he didn't catch Kuro's in one slash then things could go really bad for him.

"Ragna!!" Nami screamed.

But Ragna didn't react. His mind was completely locked onto one thing—the perfect moment to strike.

And then...

Dum Dum...

'what..?'

Dum dum...

Ragna heard a sound, a familiar sound.

'This is...

It's the same music again...' Ragna muttered to himself and wanted to hear where the sound was coming from but...

"What are you doing, focus." Just when he was about to get distracted a voice rang in his head.

"Tashigi..." Ragna was taken aback, almost on instinct he wanted to look for her but...

"I SAID FOCUS... A swordsman treats every battle like it was his last..." Again came the voice, this time snapping Ragna back to his place.

Dum Dum Dum.

'The sound of the drums and saxophones were getting louder...'

A shuttle vibration rang out from the hilt of his swords.

A chill spread throughout his body as his visibility started to go dark more like his vision but removing everything unimportant right now...

He felt that his mind and body were 'Overtaken' by this music and Tashigi's voice.

'Smell, Hear, Sight, a swordsman's senses only belong to the enemy in a fight...' Tashigi's voice rang out, making his body relax. He Grabs his swords firmly. 

By now the surroundings for him were completely dark as he felt he was standing in a pool of water, and with every drum and every beat the water was rippling.

'Find that one moment when you have to strike...'

"SHSSSS," Let out a breath and sound that it wasn't the darkening around him but it was rather his eyes were closed right now. He was imagining himself back to the training ground.

'Don't just copy, find your own swordsmanship.' Tashigi's voice rang with the same frequency as his sword was buzzing right now. Like asking him to open his eyes.

'Listen to your sword, find your path...'

A single ripple spread out on the water before he became completely calm and that was when Ragna opened his eyes...

Bright light assaulted him and he felt the entire world was going on a slow-mo.

'my style? my swordsmanship...' His mind was stagnant on this point.

And then he saw a Shadow...

Ragna's eyes flashed as he unsheathed his sword in a single, fluid motion like his body moving on his own.

"UNSHEATHE" Roared Ragna...

Shing!

The sound of metal slicing through flesh echoed in the air.

For a moment, everything was still and then a fountain of blood erupted before a body skidded to a halt a few feet away. The body's hands were raised as if ready to strike again, but something was off. His head was no longer attached to his body.

A second later, Kuro's severed head dropped onto the ground, his lifeless eyes wide in shock. His body followed, collapsing like a puppet with its strings cut.

"Wh... what...what, what just happened ?" Usopp was very lost to letting out something which he should only do in the toilet...

Nami and Kaya stared like a statue as they saw Ragna was completely soaked with blood, his and Kuro's while the said man's beheaded body was still twitching.

"I might have not seen much anime but I was a gamer...

You never stood a chance again an Elder Lord..."

xxx

[Word Count: 1700]

Have you completed Elden Ring ? Tell me honestly...

Malenia not included-ps

If you want to read up to 20+ Chapters in advance, check my Patre on

Patreon.com/Kamidemond