His Battle

Chapter 027: His Battle

Leo finally saw the true faces of the Cutlass Pirates' captain and first mate beneath their veneer of humility and modesty.

They were pirates—cruel to the weak, humble to the strong.

Their nature was merely suppressed by the Shichibukai's might, not reformed.

Leo had once again fallen into a petty bourgeois error, but he quickly reined in his inner contempt and foolishness, continuing to observe everything with a cool head.

He had gotten carried away—anyone would under the backing of the Kuja Pirates.

Then he sobered up.

In the face of Longarm Wood baring his vicious fangs and true nature.

His gaze turned clear, no longer arrogant or haughty. He stood aside calmly, watching as Wood pointed to another man and called him out.

"Barbaro, don't mess this up." Longarm Wood shot a warning look at the man he had chosen. This one was also lean, but his face was sullen, somewhat resembling Wood himself—seeming to be his trusted subordinate.

Leo made a rough judgment based on the intel he had gathered earlier. For instance, the bread Wood had given him was softer and better, and even Captain William's salted meat portions were a bit larger.

Was he part of the officer class?

No, probably below officer but above the common crew.

Leo made his assessment, then perked up with excitement. Clearly, this was his real fight to come.

In the world of One Piece, combat was the main theme, and someone who didn't know how to fight would struggle to survive here.

Knowing this, he was all the more eager to hone his battle skills.

He hopped twice lightly, raising both fists to guard his cheeks.

That movement made Rindou's eyes light up. Even Great Bay Blade William and Longarm Wood showed a flicker of surprise. This kid—though scrawny—might actually have something.

This was the advantage of a modern man. Even if he knew nothing, the sheer volume of information he'd absorbed meant he knew a little about everything.

If someone had a bit of drive, spare cash, and free time, they could even practice a little. On this point, Leo was endlessly grateful to modern society. The resources he'd enjoyed under the Celestial Dragons were the pinnacle of the pirate world, but even if the Dragons had slave-operated elevators or automated devices—setting aside humanity—their comfort couldn't compare to true electric automation.

When the direction was wrong, no amount of pushing limits would change that.

In modern society, with free time and spare money, he had learned quite a bit.

For instance, the flashy, flower-like Korean Taekwondo.

Or the flashy Muay Thai that wrecked half your body.

He'd dabbled in both. "Dabbled" because after two or three months, he couldn't stand paying to suffer.

In the end, he chose something more practical—because of a certain GIF where a group of Russians harassed a boxer's girlfriend, and he knocked them all out one by one. It looked cool.

But like any petty bourgeois, he never stuck with the training. Once-a-week sessions couldn't build much combat ability, though he did learn the basic stances well.

He had the theoretical boxing stance, but no real combat experience.

Barbaro wore a tank top. He was lean, but his muscles were as well-proportioned as Leo's, looking sharp and tough.

He clicked his tongue in disdain, then charged forward.

Just looking at Leo pissed him off. Earlier, Leo had toyed with his comrade, and while the other scum didn't see it as a big deal—even treating it as entertainment—Barbaro felt differently.

He was a bit angry, but his steps were steady, betraying experience.

Leo, hidden behind his arms, studied Barbaro closely. Then Barbaro threw a punch that numbed Leo's arm on impact.

Leo knew Barbaro wasn't any better off, but Barbaro was tougher. His face didn't change as he threw another punch. Leo flinched, keeping his guard up but instinctively stepping back.

The pirates jeered. To them, retreating was cowardice, and they wanted to shove Leo back into the center.

Leo realized his mistake as he stepped back. Barbaro seized the opening, planted his foot, twisted his hips, and swung a roundhouse kick. He didn't bother aiming for Leo's head—that was well-guarded—but boxing stances differ from kickboxing stances. Boxing focuses more on head protection, leaving the midsection vulnerable.

The kick landed squarely on Leo's soft abdomen. He collapsed to the ground, spitting up bile.

"Tch..." Barbaro clicked his tongue again. This guy really was useless. That Todlin had been beaten so badly earlier only because he'd lost his composure. What a waste.

He raised his foot to deliver another blow, but a sudden sensation—like being stared down by a venomous snake—made his hair stand on end.

He turned to see Rindou idly lighting a cigarette, her narrowed eyes fixed on him through the curling smoke. She hadn't moved an inch, but her killing intent screamed a constant warning: keep going, and you die.

The gap in strength was too vast.

Like Zoro facing Hawk Eyes at the Baratie—they weren't on the same level!

He wasn't foolish enough to ignore that. Silently, he lowered his foot and walked back into the crowd.

Leo spat a couple of times, picked himself up, wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, and walked back toward Rindou with a relaxed expression.

"You're not discouraged." Rindou leaned against the railing, arms crossed, watching Leo pick up his shirt to wipe the sweat and bile from his body. His expression was light, even with a hint of a smile, making her wonder if he was a masochist who enjoyed getting beaten.

"What's there to be discouraged about?" He pulled the shirt over his head, wincing as he rubbed his stomach, but still smiling easily. "I said from the start—I'm weak. Seeing my own weakness isn't a mistake."

"Only by facing your weakness can you grow stronger, can't you?" Leo could still laugh, though the pain twisted his face into a grimace, making him look foolish.

"Lift your shirt. Let me see the injury." Rindou tossed her cigarette into the sea behind her and spoke to him with exasperation.

PS: Is 4000 words a day really my limit? I don't believe it!!!

PS1: One chapter first to beg for votes. Another chapter around midnight.

PS2: Begging for Recommendation Votes!