The Second Piece: Eternal Storm Part IX

The Hugrema Pirates confront Pace, the four being battered by the never-ending rain. Either way, they would leave the island. What they would do after leaving would be completely dependent on who won this battle!

Issac: YAAAAH!

Hugeo: Don't just go rushing in headfirst!

Drew: Too late...

Pace blocks Issac's attack with his small blade, and with a jerking motion spins the large blade at Issac. With no time to counter, Issac leaps back.

Pace: You still have no cohesion, just like in our last battle! Makes it easier for me to just pick you off one by one!

Holding onto the small blade, Pace swings his large blade not at Issac, but rather at a tree on the opposite side. The tree is cleanly severed, and begins to fall...right onto Drew!

Drew: Ahhh!

Hugeo: Watch out!

Turning his arm into rock, Hugeo manages to catch the tree and throw it some distance away.

Drew: T-thanks.

Hugeo: I'm getting worried. The longer we battle, the more likely Yaju is to find us...

Meanwhile, Pace has taken to spinning around his large blade as though it was a fan, keeping Issac at a distance with his large and swift cuts.

Issac: Guys, you know Pace is right! If we want to defeat him, we need to actually work together!

Drew: Issac! I'll create an opening for you!

Drew pulls out another drawing. A small circle, with a handle in the middle. Drew presses a button, and blades emerge from all sides of the circle.

Drew: Hey Pace-Pace! Bet you can't keep up with this!

Hugeo: Why do you guys have pet names for him...?

Drew heads to attack Pace, and as she does it, the blades begin to spin rapidly, forming a fan to match Pace's.

Drew: I call it...the Cutterwhirl!

Drew lunges at Pace just as he swings his blade straight at her. However, the rapid motion of her blades is enough to offset Pace's blade and throw him off balance, leaving him open to attack. In shock, Pace looks and sees Issac flying toward his exposed area, swords at the ready. There is no time to counter, and Issac slashes Pace across the midsection.

Pace: Guh...!

Pace drops down to one knee, struggling to stay alert. And with great effort, he notices Hugeo rushing behind him, rock fist at the ready, and manages to counter it with his large blade.

Pace: Heh...heh...Impressive! However, I'm afraid it's merely a flesh wound.

Issac: Well then, we'll keep piling on the flesh wounds until we win!

Hugeo: Guys...do you hear that sound...coming toward us?

Everyone stops to listen to the indicated sound, and with a shock hear some heavy footprints slamming into the ground.

Issac: That can only be-

Pace: Yaju!

Very close by, Yaju is running, his face filled with killing intent.

Yaju: YES...I SMELL BLOOD...THE WEAKEST PREY WILL BE PICKED OFF FIRST!

The Hugrema Pirates and Pace are frozen with fear.

Issac: If Yaju reaches us, there's no way we can escape at all!

Pace: I...I...

Pace is starting to break down again. There would be no way he could capture these pirates if Yaju came. That damn Shichibukai, always messing things up...

Hugeo: Guys...listen up. I have an idea that may or may not work.

Hugeo whispers his idea to Issac and Drew.

Drew: There are so many ways this could go wrong...but I do not want to face that guy again!

Issac: I suppose avenging my parents will have to wait...I'll get stronger, and then he'll go from hunter to hunted!

Hugeo: All right. Drew, get working!

Right then, Hugeo suddenly collapses into lava and sinks into the ground.

Pace: Is your crewmate leaving you behind to save his own skin? Not too surprised...pirates after all...

Issac: Enough! I don't care what Yaju does to us, you're our opponent and we'll use what little time we have left to beat you up!

Before Pace can respond, Issac gives a bloodcurdling yell and rushes toward him, pummeling him with a flurry of sword strikes. Meanwhile, Drew draws on the ground.

Drew: These have got to be perfect...please please please...

Issac, having lost all composure, is forcing Pace back with his wild strikes. Suddenly, however, Pace has stopped paying attention and is looking up into the sky.

Pace: It's...over...

Gallons of mud and rainwater are sent up in the air as Yaju lands right behind Issac. Issac jumps in surprise, but the fearsome presence of Yaju is enough to make him keep still. Mustering his courage, Issac turns around to face him.

Issac: So Yaju, ready to go at it again? I'm feeling confident that-

Yaju: 'I WILL NO LONGER TOLERATE POINTLESS CONVERSATION. I WILL GET THIS OVER WITH AS FAST AS POSSIBLE!'

As he says this, Yaju swings his great sword down toward Issac's head. Issac looks behind him over to Drew. She gives him the thumbs up.

Issac: NOW!

Drew throws several small objects up in the air.

And once again, all hell breaks loose.

Magma erupts from everywhere in the clearing, swallowing everyone. After a few seconds, it dies down. Yaju has compacted himself to shield from the worst of the burns, but is more angry than hurt.

Yaju: STUPID VOLCANO ACTIVITY...DON'T TELL ME-

Suddenly, Yaju looks in front of him. There are two charred skeletons, right where the blond boy and the Marine gnat were. Behind him was another skeleton. Yaju sniffed them, and though the skeletons smelled only of lava, they were definitely real. This had been the worst hunt of all time, but at least he was successful.

Meanwhile, two rocks come flying through the air, landing on the shore in front of Pace's ship. Upon landing, they shatter, and two figures walk out. Issac and Drew, shaken but intact, look at Pace's ship. Behind them, a large quantity of magma comes crashing down, and it forms itself into Hugeo.

Drew: I can't believe it! It worked!

Hugeo: Shhhh. We can celebrate after we set sail, but remember we're supposed to be dead!

The three climb onboard the ship.

Issac: I wonder what happened to Pace...did you know if he got caught in the eruption?

Hugeo: Yeah, he did.

Issac: Ah, that's too bad. I hated him, but I did appreciate his resolve.

Drew: Wait a second. You told me to make three containers, one for each of us to hide in during the eruption. But you never used one! What was the other one for?

Hugeo: For Pace.

Issac and Drew stared at him, dumbfounded.

Hugeo: It was as Issac said. He might have been our enemy, but he was honorable, and a great rival. Killing him now would just have been cruel.

Drew: But then where-

Hugeo: Don't worry! I made it so he got flung over to the other side of the island.

Issac: I really hope Yaju died...doubt it, though...

Drew: Issac...

Issac: I'm still alive, and there'll be many more chances to settle things with him. But we have something much more pressing on our hands.

Hugeo: Merceaux...

Issac: Drew! Raise anchor quickly and set course for Merceaux! The sooner we get out of this hellhole, the better!

And so, the Marine battleship sails on, with the first people to have ever emerged from the Eternal Storm alive. But someone is not happy to find out he has been trapped.

Pace: Those little bastards! They saved my life, but DAMN THEM!

Cajin: Not sure who you're talking about, mate. Care for some tea?

Pace: Why not.