The Victor

"Hahaha! I'm the winner of this fight!"

Drake laughed loudly and launched his attack with all his strength. Seizing the opening Luo Sa had struggled to expose, he mercilessly swiped a claw at Luo Sa's abdomen.

"Got you!"

Drake roared excitedly as his claw pierced straight through Luo Sa's abdomen.

"Why isn't he dodging?"

A question arose in Drake's mind.

But in the next instant, his expression changed dramatically. The Luo Sa he'd attacked suddenly vanished like a phantom!

"Air Slash, twin blades as one—cut!"

Somehow, Luo Sa had already appeared behind Drake. He gripped a greatsword formed from blades of wind in both hands and brought it crashing down at Drake!

Though Drake could use Kami-e, he found that he had nowhere to dodge!

Slash!

The sound of flesh being cut rang out, and blood sprayed everywhere.

Luo Sa was elated, but before he could even smile, a heavy blow sent him flying.

As he sailed through the air, Luo Sa finally saw what had happened.

At the critical moment, Drake had used his tail to block the attack.

A huge gash had been carved into Drake's tail, deep enough to expose the bone!

"Luo Sa!"

Drake let out a furious roar, wrapped his injured tail around his waist, and charged at Luo Sa once more.

Luo Sa beat his wings and steadied himself in midair. Light shimmered across them as he blocked Drake's relentless assault!

Suddenly, the white light on Luo Sa's wings flickered, then vanished. His Flying Attribute energy had finally run out!

Crack!

The sound of a bone breaking rang out. As soon as the white light disappeared, Drake struck Luo Sa's right wing and broke it.

But before his injuries could overwhelm him, Luo Sa counterattacked, channeling all his remaining Flying Attribute energy into an Air Blade that struck the vicious gash in Drake's tail once again.

"Pant, pant!"

"Looks like you've used up all the Wind Power in your body!"

Drake panted heavily, pain pulsing through his tail.

But he smiled—he was delighted.

As far as he was concerned, Luo Sa had lost a wing and could no longer fly. Now that he'd also lost the strength to fight back, Drake had won.

"Have you won? I don't think so."

Luo Sa looked up at the sky, a radiant smile on his face.

"You don't think so?"

Drake's gaze sharpened.

Drip.

Just then, a raindrop fell and struck Drake on the forehead.

"Is it raining?"

Drake looked up. Dark clouds had gathered overhead.

"Yeah. It's raining."

Luo Sa rose from the ground, cradling his broken right arm with his left hand, and smiled brightly.

Suddenly, a burst of white light erupted from Luo Sa's body, then vanished at once. He remained standing where he was, seemingly unchanged.

Drake was startled. He stared intently at Luo Sa, trying to figure out what he'd just done.

But Luo Sa seemed to have changed nothing at all.

"No... Something's different. His eyes!"

Drake's gaze suddenly sharpened. Luo Sa's eyes no longer seemed as bright as before. They had grown calm.

A strange feeling welled up inside Drake. People said the eyes were windows to the soul, and he felt as if Luo Sa had become someone else.

Pitter-patter.

The rain finally came down in earnest, a curtain of water falling from the sky.

Facing the downpour, Luo Sa spread his arms.

"So what if it's raining? I'll knock you down!"

Unease welled up inside Drake. He roared and charged at Luo Sa.

"Ha!"

With a low growl, Drake's claws pierced straight through Luo Sa's stomach!

"That feeling again!"

Drake was alarmed rather than pleased. He pulled back his hand and scanned the area.

Sure enough, Luo Sa stood at one edge of the arena, smiling at him.

"Damn it!"

Drake charged again and pierced that Luo Sa's body with another attack.

The next instant, that Luo Sa vanished once more!

"Pant, pant. The ordinary energy inside me may be limited, but..."

"It's enough!!!"

Luo Sa moved, leaving behind a Shadow Clone in his place.

The next instant, the clone was pierced through again.

"Where are you? Where?"

Drake was on the verge of losing it. He roared again and again, but there was no sign of Luo Sa anywhere in the arena!

Suddenly, Drake felt a current of air pass overhead. He hurriedly looked up and saw Luo Sa descending from the sky.

Boom!

Luo Sa landed a simple punch squarely on Drake's face, sending him flying!

Drake rolled across the ground in a sorry heap, then quickly scrambled to his feet.

Suddenly, his pupils contracted. Luo Sa's right arm, the one that had been broken, had already healed!

"What kind of joke is this?!"

Drake growled under his breath. The throbbing pain in his tail felt like it was mocking him!

"No! I don't believe it!"

Drake roared and charged at Luo Sa again.

But by then, all of Luo Sa's injuries had healed, and he was brimming with energy.

With his Flying Attribute energy gone, he relied on his physical strength to fight. For a time, he and the badly injured Drake were evenly matched.

But Drake grew weaker with every blow, while Luo Sa only seemed to grow more vigorous!

"Why? I refuse to accept this!"

Drake's eyes began to glaze over, and his punches grew weaker and weaker.

At last, he could no longer maintain the power of his Devil Fruit and reverted to human form.

Boom!

Drake finally fell, landing in a pool of rainwater with his eyes closing in defeat.

"D-Did they decide the winner?"

The spectators were already dumbfounded. The fight had swung back and forth so many times that even now, they couldn't tell whether it was over!

Even the referee seemed unsure and delayed announcing the result.

For a moment, the entire venue fell silent. Not a sound came from the arena, the stands, or even the officers' section.

"Hmph. He did well. I don't mind making an exception for him."

At last, Akainu spoke first. He snorted, swung his Justice cloak behind him, and strode away!

"Yo, yo, yo. What a terrifying rookie!" Kizaru said, a smile at the corner of his mouth.

"Ah, he's quite impressive, Garp!" Sengoku said, nodding with a smile.

"Another monster has been born!" Aokiji slightly lifted his eye mask and looked at Luo Sa with interest.

When the crowd heard the Three Admirals' praise, a tremendous cheer erupted. It was clear the fight really was over!

And the winner was... Luo Sa!

Third chapter today. Please bookmark and recommend! More tomorrow.