Voyage Chapter 17: The Syrup of Revenge (Patreon)

~Yuji Liberio~

___/Current Abilities(2/2)\______

[Uncommon - Impulse]

[Rare - Strength]

I looked out from the broken-down wall of my room out into the horizon. The sun was rising. That meant Kuro no longer had the darkness advantage on his side. I could start my hunt now.

Could I defeat Kuro? Maybe.

Could I defeat him along with his entire crew? Maybe.

Would it be easy? Hell no.

But would I lose? Hell nah.

You see, if it was before I would gone to them Ozone Baby blazing, but I understand now that my previous view was one through a lens tinted with arrogance. If I went in with Ozone Baby I would be hacked apart by Kuro before I landed a single blow.

That's why I went with Strength and Impulse. Because there was an advantage I had over Kuro, he was too fast so his perception couldn't catch up with his speed so he was effectively blind while speed blitzing. While on the contrary, with Impulse, I could react to his rushes better than he could.

I could have gone with Bull Zoan instead of Strength but Strength had a way higher multiplier. I value the strength to put him down more than the increased vitality and durability Bull Zoan would give me. With all of my training, I was certain I could outmuscle Kuro, especially with Polar Channel Flow - Cellular Overdrive.

Could I really? He can take hits from Luffy after all.

Hell yeah I can! I already derailed the plot, there is no Luffy to solve every problem the world faces. There is only Yuji Liberio.

So, shut the fuck up and buckle up, roll up your sleeves, and face the music like a motherfucking man.

It's not about if or how I can defeat Kuro. It's about how I will.

I jumped out from the broken room and down to the garden before vaulting over the fence before heading towards the coast of the island where I remembered Kuro's crew would be making a landing. My nerves cooled down to a simmering excitement.

Reaching into my pockets I threw 4 flintsone gummies into my mouth. I would need every advantage I could get.

Speaking of advantage... my eyes wandered to the figure flying around the sky nearby. Nue was nearby and ready anytime make a grand shocking entrance the moment I wanted him to. I had stacked every card I had, the only thing left was to pull the curtains.

As I walked more I saw a slope tapering off to a beach with a rather large ship parked on it. The ship, I admit was snazzy as fuck, with a fancy red, black and gold colour scheme, the only part that I didn't like was the cat figure on the front with the claws next to it.

I was more of a large horse-sized bird with a skull-like mask and human teeth kinda guy.

I decided, after I kill the pirates here, I was taking that ship, not only was it larger than Merry, but it was more my type too. Speaking of pirates, I saw the entire group of pirates on the shore, each of them distinguished by the little black horn-like attachments on the top of their heads. I also noted with some levity that they didn't seem to have many rangers or guns among them. I noticed some distinct faces, Django with his stupid glasses and chin attachment, the fat and slim cat brothers. And lastly...

Kuro, standing there, glaring at me, his shirt unbuttoned and his tie loose, his blade gloves on his fingers as his eyes did not leave mine. The theatric bastard was waiting for me.

I cracked a smile as I postured with my arms by my side.

"What a coincidence Kuro. What? Were you waiting for me? I'm honoured you are so butthurt. Was your pride in shambles after failing to kill a sleeping man?"

I saw several veins bulge on Kuro's forehead. While I wasn't against him dying of high blood pressure I'd like to slug him at least once.

"No, I simply wanted to see the face of the bastard I was going to kill for being so inconvenient for me. At least now I'll get to witness your face contorted in fear before I hack you apart."

My smile became lopsided as his crew cheered him not knowing their very presence probably grated his nerves.

"Aww, did I hurt your little feewings? I'm so sowy your plan was so stupid!" I sneered. "Pray tell Kuro, if you couldn't kill me in my sleep, what luck will you have now? Let me guess, you and your followers are going to raze this village to the ground to cover your tracks are you not? How-"

Django struck a weird pose and pointed at me as he cut me off mid-sentence.

"You better believe it!"

I am going to hurt him especially badly for cutting off my monologue.

I looked at Kuro's crew as I gave a bloodthirsty smile, I didn't need Despair Aura for this. I was their despair.

"Since I am a gracious god, I will give you all one warning. Either turn back or..." I raised my leg and stomped down.

Crash!

The solid stone ground beneath my feet shattered to pieces with my stomp as fear brewed in their eyes.

"...I will slaughter all of you without mercy."

Kuro adjusted his glasses with his palm. His eyes obscured by the sun reflecting off of them.

"If any of you fear him more than me, I will cut you down right here right now. And as for you..."

Kuro brandished his claws.

"I will shred you to pieces myself."

I grabbed my shirt and tore it off of me, letting the scraps fall to my side as I grinned. Even I didn't know if I was nervous or excited right now.

"Look who finally grew a spine! Come at me then! See if you have a better chance when I'm awake!"

Kuro did not bother to respond verbally, instead starting to move strangely with his legs, the-

"-It's the pussyfoot manoeuvre! Captain Kuro's Signature Technique makes him go incredibly fast! You are finished now!"

Both Kuro and I stared at the pirate who shrunk down and shied away before we resumed our standoff.

'Impulse'

I felt the electrical signals in my body travel faster but Kuro was fast. I wouldn't be able to react to him with just impulse alone. Nor would my punch finish him off.

Then.

'Polar Channel Flow - Cellular Overdrive!'

I felt it, the throb of pain, the feeling of my heartbeat speeding up to the speed of a jackhammer, the thrum of blood in my ears, the feeling of instant connection to my nerves. I felt like I had just slammed 100 grams of caffeine straight into my bloodstream. Adrenaline surged.

The feeling of power in my body was godlike, I felt like I could crush the very world with a single swing of my fists. The adrenaline, the exertion. Yet, I waited, even as my pupils shrunk down pinpricks. My excitement was tempered by caution.

"Pussyfoot!"

Then Kuro moved, fast. Way faster than I could even try to move. But I didn't have to match his speed. Because even if I could barely catch a peek at his shadow, my body moved before my mind did, my reaction speeds faster than my mind as I moved with instinct.

My legs tensed, I gave power to earth, pushing off of it, feeling the stone beneath me give out as I put full power into my fist and moved my fist.

"Titan Driver!"

BAM!

A sickening sound deafened everything else as I felt my fist meet a surface, and the surface it met gave out, I grit my teeth and put more force into it before following through with it. As the speeds slowed down I saw it.

"Kuahh!!!"

Kuro's body bent around my fist, my instrument of violence driven into his gut with blood pouring out of his mouth. The sight of his body wrapped around my fist did not last long as I followed through and sent him flying with a single punch.

Woosh! Crash!

"Greaaaahhkhh!!!"

His body crashed into a nearby cliff face and dug into it, his whole body being embedded inside the rocks as if he were entombed. I looked at my fist.

It was a sickening purple. So were my legs. Just how much power had I managed to pack into a single movement?

And why did it feel so goddamn good?

I didn't know.

What I did know was that I had undoubtedly crushed Kuro's organs and gave him massive internal bleeding, even he couldn't walk out of that. I punched him while he was going full speed after all, I broke my own knuckles just punching him.

But... no dirty tricks.

I had just defeated him head-on.

I straightened my back, looking down on Kuro with a victorious smirk.

"Seems like only one of us can one-shot the other eh? Captain Kuro?"

"Kh... fuck... you...!"

"Tsk tsk tsk. You shouldn't have revealed you were awake. No wonder you are such a poor planner."

No like I wasn't going to double-tap him anyway but fuck me did it feel good to mock him. Then I realized, I ran my hands over my chest. Red. He had cut my chest with his claws, almost down to the bone, if it were not for my punch he might have ripped through my ribs too.

Scary fellow.

I turned to his crew who stood, pissing themselves in unconcealed fear after I had just one shot their boss whom they considered unbeatable.

___/Current Abilities(2/2)\______

[Elite - Ozone Baby]

[Rare - Gale]

Switching my loadout I pointed at them.

"Well then, since you guys did not run away I assume you want to be buried next to your boss. If anything, I admire your dedication and loyalty."

Pity was something I wouldn't feel when wiping out these guys. They sucked so bad even Kuro hated them. That said miles about their strength of character.

Of course, like the lowlives they were, they immediately started begging for their lives.

"N-noe! We go now!" "That's right we weren't with him anyway!" "Y-yeah we weren't going to do anything!"

I smirked, like a cat two tucks their tail.

In response, I simply wagged my finger.

"Nuh-uh."

"No takesies backsies."

Zephyr's Crush

It was really convenient that they were all grouped together as I used Gale and Ozone Baby together. They fit together perfectly, unlike Ozone Baby by its lonesome, I did not need zones, I could adjust the pressure of the winds I created and the winds in my sensory range.

So I directly increased the pressure of the air above them as much as I could, not before using In Time of Need to restore all of my energy of course. Don't leave things up to fate unless you are gambling after all.

The result?

BOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMM!!!!

As if a missile had been dropped a wave of air crushed the beach, people went flying in all directions, some landing in the sea, some landing in trees, and some on the ground with a sickening crack. I did not care about how many survived. Either they were dead, or their shattered bodies would be retreived by the navy. Simple as. I knew for certain nobody was moving for the next few hours after that.

I turned back to Kuro and started walking towards him, limping slightly due to my abused legs.

Kuro lifted his head and looked at me with an expression of intense loathing. I saw him trying to dig himself out of the hole but I was having none of that as I pointed a finger at him.

"Bang."

"Kuahh!!!"

A circular car-sized ball of air shot out from the tip of my finger and hit his body straight on and probably broke his bones. I was taking no chances with this motherfucker, he already caught me lacking once.

"Bang." "Bang." "Bang." "Bang."

I aimed smaller bullets at his limbs, making sure they were all broken alongside his fingers before I replaced Ozone Baby with Strength and picked him up by the scruff. Not that he could give any response other than a grunt with his body thoroughly shattered like this.

As if cementing my victory, the chime of the system was like a fanfare to my ears.

Feat Achieved! Defeat Captain Kuro

+1x Gold Ability Gacha Ticket

Feat Achieved! Defeat the Black Cat Pirates

+1x Gold Skill Gacha Ticket

Fuck it, I'll roll 'em right now. Maybe they will give me something to make my journey to the manor easier.

Skill first.

Rolling Gold Skill Gacha...

An Uncommon Skill

[Intermediate Leadership]

|Rarity: Uncommon|

You are a leader, you know how to motivate, take charge of and lead people with decent effectiveness, instilling confidence into them and making them do what you want them to do. You are an effective leader.

Not bad, not bad at all. In fact, I would go as far as to say it's great considering I was a captain and all. Would have been nice if it were a higher rarity but you won't hear me whining.

Now ability time.

Rolling Gold Ability Gacha...

An Uncommon Ability

[Frostbite]

|Rarity: Uncommon| |Class: Emitter|

Allows you to rapidly freeze targets you are touching, with training you can increase the area of effect to freeze someone's entire body by grabbing their hand, or freeze the floor of an entire street.

Hmm, not good by itself but it sounds like it would synergize really well with Gale, frigid winds would be a pain in the ass to fight against. Especially for fishmen.

But an uncommon again? Just great. Two uncommons from Golds in a row. Not that they are bad but I expect some compensation for this later.

For now? Time to get my other compensation.

A/N: Kuro gets fucked so hard, Yuji felt euphoric putting that prick in his place. Yuji with the right setup is strong. With his natural strength, cellular overdrive and ability, he is a force to be reckoned with. Kuro fight was a bit fast but I feel like it deserved to be short and sweet with karma. Kuro tried to kill him in one blow as he was asleep and failed, Yuji defeated him with one blow in return. What did you guys think about their confrontation?

Syrup village arc is about to end, Yuji is getting his rightful rewards, although they are uncommon they are without a doubt incredibly useful. But for now, it's time to take his true reward.