One Piece: Lost in the Tutorial #73

Author's note: sorry about the disapearing act. I just had a lot of work to do, and I've been looking for a new house to move into, so yeah, I've been a bit busy.

...

The courtyard of the hospital in Flevance was littered with the remnants of their recent battle. Law, Bepo, Penguin, Shachi, and Double Six stood amidst the unconscious bodies of the defeated pirates, the air heavy with the scent of sweat and blood.

Double Six sat next to a pile of beating hearts, each encased in a solid, transparent cube that resembled gelatin. He held a marker in his hand, meticulously picking up one heart after another and writing "Blake Thorne" on them.

Once he finished writing, Double Six tossed the heart into the air. It flew through the sky, disappearing into the horizon. He paused his work and looked at Law, his brow furrowed in confusion. "Why are we doing this again?"

Law sighed, his patience tested. "It's to build a reputation."

Double Six still seemed puzzled. "Why not just kill them? Wouldn't that be simpler?"

Law rubbed his temples, trying to find a way to make it clear. "Fear is a powerful tool. Anyone can kill, but not everyone can steal someone's heart out of their body and leave them alive. This way, we're showing our power in a unique and terrifying way."

Double Six nodded slowly, tossing another heart into the air. "I guess that makes sense. But is there any other use for this power besides scaring people?"

Law's expression grew more serious. "As long as we have their hearts, we control them. We can kill them at any time. These hearts make a great gift to the World Government. It gives them the option to either eliminate the pirates or use them somehow."

Double Six's eyes widened in realization. "So, it's not just about fear. It's about leverage."

Law nodded. "Exactly. The World Government can use these pirates as they see fit. Simply letting the world government know about this power makes us valuable allies and dangerous enemies."

Bepo, Penguin, and Shachi stood nearby, listening intently to the conversation. The weight of their actions settled over them, but there was also a sense of purpose. They were carving their place in the world, one heart at a time.

Everything seemed to be going according to plan. Law and his crew had successfully defeated the pirates in the hospital and were preparing to raid a few more bases on Flevance before returning to Lvneel. The courtyard was eerily quiet, save for the occasional thud of a heart being tossed into the sky by Double Six.

But the calm was shattered in an instant. A blurred figure dashed into the courtyard, moving with incredible speed. Before anyone could fully process what was happening, Penguin was gone, snatched by the figure.

Law's eyes widened, his brain racing to catch up. He quickly activated his devil fruit power, creating a ROOM to intercept the attacker.

"Sham--!" Law's voice rang out, but before he could retaliate, an axe came hurtling towards him. Gritting his teeth, he turned away from the fleeing figure carrying Penguin and raised his sword to block the incoming attack.

The axe bounced off the blade of his sword, and almost immediately, another threat loomed.

X Drake, already in his hybrid zoan form, charged at Law. His mouth was wide open, ready to bite into Law's shoulder. Reacting swiftly, Law teleported away, switching places with a rotten wooden plank. Drake's teeth sank into it, snapping it in half.

Law reappeared a few feet away, his eyes narrowing as he assessed the situation. "Trafalgar Law... I'll be your opponent," Drake growled, spitting out the splinters of the wood.

Law’s gaze was steely as he gripped his sword tighter. "X drake... you're that rear admiral who recently defected from the marines..." he muttered, his voice laced with both annoyance and curiosity. "Why are you here?"

Drake maintained his calm, his reptilian eyes gleaming with anticipation. "I have no grudge against you... I'm simply doing what I must do..."

Before Law could respond, Kiera stepped and appeared a distance away, her cowboy hat casting a long shadow over her face. "You can focus on Drake, boy. I'll make sure your friend is... properly entertained," she said with a sly smile before turning around and disappearing in a blur.

Law gritted his teeth, realizing it was a plan to separate them but he knew he had to fall for it. "Bepo, Shachi, Double Six! Secure Penguin and deal with the other pirates. I'll handle Drake."

Bepo nodded, his usually calm demeanor replaced with a fierce determination. "Aye-aye!" he shouted, leading the others in the direction Penguin had been taken.

As soon as everyone left, Law and Drake wasted no time turning The courtyard into a blur of movement as they clashed with relentless ferocity. Drake's hybrid zoan form was a formidable sight, combining the raw power of a dinosaur with the agility of a seasoned fighter.

His axe and sword swung with devastating force, each blow aimed to crush Law beneath its weight.

Law deftly dodged, his sword slicing through the air with precision. He activated his Room, expanding its influence over the battlefield to give himself a strategic advantage. "Shambles!" he called out, teleporting behind Drake and delivering a swift strike.

The blade glanced off Drake's tough scales, barely leaving a scratch.

"You're going to have to do better than that," Drake growled, spinning around and launching a counterattack. His tail lashed out, a whip-like blur that Law barely managed to evade.

Drake's physical strength was overwhelming, his movements powered by sheer muscle and primal fury.

Law's eyes narrowed, assessing his opponent. Cutting Drake deeply was proving to be a challenge; his tough hide was nearly impervious to regular attacks. Law needed to rely on his cunning and mastery of his devil fruit powers to outmaneuver the brute force before him.

Drake charged again, his axe swinging in a wide arc. Law teleported out of harm's way, reappearing above Drake and delivering a downward slash. The blade struck with a resounding impact, but again, it failed to penetrate deeply.

"You're really annoying," Drake snarled, his tail snapping upward to swat Law out of the air. Law twisted mid-air, narrowly avoiding the crushing blow, and landed gracefully on the ground.

"You talk too much," Law retorted, his voice calm and measured. He created another Room, manipulating the space around them. "Shambles!" He switched places with a piece of rubble, avoiding another one of Drake's powerful swings and reappearing behind him.

Law's sword flashed, targeting Drake's unprotected back. But even here, the tough scales absorbed most of the impact. Drake spun around with a roar, slamming his shoulder into Law and sending him skidding across the courtyard.

Law gritted his teeth, feeling the sting of the impact. He couldn't rely solely on physical attacks; he needed to exploit his abilities to their fullest extent. As Drake advanced, Law created a series of Rooms, teleporting rapidly to disorient his opponent.

Drake swung wildly, his axe cutting through empty air as Law blinked in and out of sight. "Stop running and fight me!" Drake bellowed, frustration evident in his voice.

Law's lips curved into a cold smile. "If you insist." He teleported directly in front of Drake, his sword glowing with energy. With a swift motion, he slashed upward, aiming for Drake's exposed throat.

Drake reacted quickly, his arm snapping up to block the attack. The force of the blow knocked him back, but again, his scales absorbed much of the impact. He roared in anger, bringing his axe down with both hands. Law teleported at the last second, reappearing behind Drake and delivering another strike to his unprotected back.

Drake stumbled forward, a low growl rumbling in his throat. "You think you can beat me with a few scratches?" He turned, his eyes blazing with determination. "It seems that I may not need Kieran after all... I might just beat you myself..."

Law's expression remained impassive. "You can try." He raised his sword, ready for the next exchange.

Drake charged, his movements a blur of raw power. Law teleported again, weaving in and out of Drake's reach with precise timing. Each time he reappeared, he delivered a calculated strike, testing the limits of Drake's endurance.

The courtyard echoed with the sound of clashing metal and the grunts of exertion. Law's agility and mastery of his devil fruit powers kept him one step ahead, but Drake's relentless assault was wearing him down. Despite his best efforts, Law couldn't land a decisive blow that would put Drake out of commission.

As they circled each other, the tension in the air was palpable. Drake's breathing was heavy, his eyes fixed on Law with unwavering focus. "You won’t win this," he taunted, his voice a low growl. "And even if I can't beat you myself...."

Law's eyes narrowed, sensing the shift in Drake's demeanor.

"Your friends are heading straight into a trap," Drake continued, a smile playing on his lips. "They'll son die and you'll find yourself fighting more than one opponent..."