[Episode] Thrill of the Kill

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On command, Castor lowered the height of his familiar’s flight rapidly, swooping down to Gilligan’s position aboard the Sea King’s head almost instantaneously. Though the Fishman could’ve kept up with the man’s movements partially, his reflexes didn’t chime in quick enough to avoid the incoming attack.

Removing Summer Rain from its sheath swiftly, Castor impaled the cracked katana into the man’s chest cage. Acting a conductor for the lightning menace’s discharge, he’d release a surge of electrical charges that would be enough to cause Gilligan’s body to convulse violently. The man’s would begin to dilate, shaking violently from the impalement. Covering his hand in Busoshoku Haki, the Fishman would latch onto the blade, ripping it from his chest cage like a toothpick from a refreshment platter.

Almost instantly, with zero effort, the Fishman would wind up his arm, hand still firmly gripped onto the pirate’s blade, flinging the Imp and his plaything into the container of weights atop the Sea King’s back. Castor’s body would make a nasty buckling nose, the impact of which left tiny fractures in his shoulder and lower back.

“Fishmen are ten times stronger than you human.”

“Luckily for me... I’m not a human. Wrong race.”

The two traded insults turning their attention back to the conflict at hand. Whistling, the Sea King infants started to plummet below the depths once more. Alarmed, refusing to become submerged below sea level, Castor shot up in quick fashion towards the skies, only to be met with a pillar of water containing two larger sized weights which intercepted the trajectory of his flight.

“It’s hard to avoid objects coming at you that quickly with your Logia, ain’t it brat?” Gilligan shouted cockily. “In Paradise, as rare as your abilities are… It won’t make you untouchable.” Gilligan concluded, hopping off the Sea King to submerge himself below the water currents.

Spiraling in mid-air from the impact, Castor gained control of himself, ceasing the knock back caused from the momentum of the propelled weights. Managing to deflect one of the weights with Summer Rain, only increased the size of the crack in the weapon.

Closing his eyes, Castor attempted to pin down the man’s position using his radar but movements below the water were incredibly hard to trace with the conflicting sound of the currents and aquatic life below. Attempting to zero in on his position with Kenbunshoku Haki was temporarily useful but the speeds to which Gilligan was swimming at and Castor’s incompetence with the haki sub-ability created difficulty in pinning down Gilligan’s position.

From below the water, two thin twisters emerged shooting upwards at the Imp’s position in the sky, cycling around him, the eyes of which aimed to slam the Imp in his side. Phasing through the twisters with his intangibility, Castor was able to read the attacks' incoming purpose and route, avoiding the concentrated blasts of water and air pressure.

“You brought this upon yourself… Jiro ro-ro… The world has enough predators. Some sparks have to be outed young.” Gilligan declared arrogantly, sticking out his head from beneath the surface.

Hovering in mid-air, Castor processed his next move, floating in silence recapping the man’s style of attack. After a few moments, four spheres of lightning began to orbit around the Goro Goro users, as if his body acted as their center of gravity. “Gashi Gashi… Let’s change up my style of approach.”

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As the black clouds above Thriller Bark began to shout out in loud claps of thunder, Castor shot several bolts of lightning towards the heavens in response to the environment’s hungry growls. Merging with the random cascading bolts with his own discharge, Castor transformed his entire body into an azure mass of electricity, no longer needing Kwane to soar, but simply hovering in mid-air. From his new state, four electrical orbs hovered around the man’s mass, at the core of the spheres, a lump emerged.

From each lump, a bolt of lightning shot off towards Gilligan, hitting the man on top of his head. The impact forced him beneath the water momentarily but enraged, he’d power through the assault, and emerge once again, landing on the back of one of his Sea Kings. The distance between himself and Castor was indeed several feet, but Gilligan wasn’t ever discouraged, after all, he’d have his Fishman Karate tricks to rely on.

Bending water around the Sea King, the man would summon up a twister, in front of the beast. Once it’d begin to rise up from the sea level, Gilligan would hop inside, allowing himself to be swept away from the water currents momentum. Shooting himself sky bound in a similar fashion that he’d done the weights, Gilligan’s massive body went streamline at Castor’s position in the sky.

Snapping his fingers, several bolts danced from the skies, each one missing Gilligan by an inch, as he’d grove through the skies, manipulating the water droplets on his actual body to change course, he’d make in front of the Imp.

“Fishman Karate - Shark’s Fang!” Gilligan shouted, slamming his palm into Castor’s electrified state, using haki to revert his body back to physical form momentarily. The impact of the palm strike sent the man shooting off at break-neck speeds towards the ocean below. The tailwind from Castor’s moving body caused the man’s facial cheeks to wobble violently, as he’d attempt to regain control of the knock-back. Falling towards the ocean, Gilligan was left plummeting towards the sea, opened and exposed to any incoming attacks, however, his course towards the ocean, and Castor descent were at different paces, the latter being faster.

Sanpaku fought against the momentum, finally regaining control centimeters before he’d hit the ocean’s surface. Exhaling a sigh of relief, Gilligan’s body would touch the aquatic abyss once more, returning beneath an advantageous terrain. Instantly, Castor tried to climb back towards the skies but was met with several weights intercepting his course, these projectiles were starting to become an annoyance.

Flickering through the projectiles, after being nipped by one which almost dislocated his shoulder, Castor flickered between the hoard of Sea King’s who’d surfaced, circling around sea level in a synchronized manner. Activating his Haoshoku Haki, Castor would imprint his will into the Sea King’s minds, causing them to cease swimming, their eyes beginning to fixate on the Imp’s being. “Leave.” Castor offered one command angrily.

The iris of the beasts began to tremble, thrashing around momentarily, the Bull Shark Sea Kings abandoned their containers into the water, breaking the leather straps that’d hoisted them onto their backs. Without delay, swimming away panicky from Thriller Bark. Gilligan emerged from beneath the water, whistling multiple times to cease their retreat but the fear instilled by Castor made them temporarily deaf to his commands.

Hovering, next to the man’s head which peeked from below the sea, Castor kicked the Fishman sky bound in one swift motion using his wooden sandals. Shocked from the Imp’s physical strength, “You possess the King’s Aura as well?! That wasn’t in our informants files! Damn you, Red Devil!” Gilligan shouted. “King’s Aura…. What in the world is that?” Castor thought to himself, ignoring the man’s crazed declaration, and going on the attack, once more.

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As Gilligan’s jacked body flew through the air, the Fishman attempted to control the remaining droplets on his body in attempts to move, but the momentum of his tailspin had broken his concentration. Gliding above the sea surface, tracing the being’s trajectory, Castor appeared to the man’s flank, extending his free hand in a gun-like fashion.

Shooting off a lightning blast from his index’s finger tip, the beam of electricity shot Gilligan several more feet in the air. Ceasing his movement, Castor opened his palms, extending his hands towards the heavens, chasing the man’s kick-back, using the gap between his hands to average.

Transforming both of his hands into a mass of electricity, a pillar of lightning danced from the Imp’s hands, forming into the head of a dragon. Sky blue eyes, sharp jagged teeth that mirrored the movements of lightning bolts dancing in a storm and a long reptilian body, which movements slithered through the skies like a camouflaged snake, seconds away from it’s first meal for the day.

Gilligan panicked, after seeing the mass of lightning rushing towards his position, and unable to do anything but offer defense, Gilligan crossed his arms in front of himself, coating his already scaly skin in a thick armament of Haki.

The dragon’s size encompassed the heavens, each swaying motion through the air accompanied with a clap of thunder, that sunk fear into the hearts of the weak and admiration into the heart’s of the brave at the majesty of nature’s call.

Suddenly, the dramatic advanced cease, a quick surge at the speed of lightning became reality. The dragon’s mouth became the connoisseur to a carnival of flavors, it’s electrical fangs devoured the Fishman’s body, and with each chomp, brought about millions of bolts convulsing through Gilligan’s anatomy.

Drifting in and out of consciousness, Gilligan’s final moments went as follows: Panicked breathing, the image of everything beneath his torso missing from the lighting’s force, only his upper half that had yet to be consumed remained, the smell of charred flesh, only to lose his sense of smell from the intense heat which singed his nose, sealing it shut. Words couldn’t leave his mouth, only groans of pain, agony and regret for the loss.

Finally, the mythical beast finished it’s meal, giving thanks to the heaven’s for it with one final clap of lightning. Floating suspended in the air, sheaving his katana, Summer Rain once more, the final remnants of the light show in the sky called out to the pirates on the island and surrounding ships, as usual, Castor’s pride needed to be stroke, letting everyone around him know of his legend and power.

Hovering around the ship that Brood was fighting the Rhino on, the Imp called out to the Sweet Toothed Pirate, aft. “Finish this fight so we can finalize our alliance, Tooth Decay. Any of their forces that remain can be the banner men for our arrival to Paradise. Lip service is often better than printed press.” Just then, Castor baby den den mushi went off. Strange, not many people called him on this line, and if it did occur, the message would have to be urgent.

Floating away to a safe distance from the two sluggers conflict, Castor awaited the news on the other line. Before Castor could even offer a word of speech, the tune of Victor Abio’s voice rang clean and crisp.

“Nox. Our preparations for our campaign on the capital have been completed. I hope you’ve completed your side mission in the West. I read about your defeat in the papers.”

“Ah… I don’t want to talk about it. It’s a pain in the ass really. The only reason I came to the West is to have that Big Bear owe me a favor. I ended up being covered in dinosaur slobber… I still have scars from the teeth punctures. It wasn’t an easy defeat to accept. Now, I owe those Minks my life. It doesn’t matter. The loss just gives me even more drive to return to Lvneel and finish my business.”

“Tests don’t always end up with positive results. Even in science, though, failures are my favorite part… Watching my subjects scream out in agony’s always a fun time. Don’t forget my Dance Powder! Remember the notes I gave you on it’s content-”

“Yeah yeah… I already got that covered. I bought a ton of it off a slender man in a cheap suit. Well, we stole it together. I gave them Dax’s treasure in exchange. He’ll probably be pissed when he hears about it, Gashi Gashi Gashi…”  Castor announced, breaking out into laughter at the thought of his Vice Captain’s pissed off expression.

“Slender man in a cheap suit… We’ll talk more once you return. The capital is weakening. The brats including the Princess are still missing. We need to march now.”


“Relax. I'll return in about two weeks. Let them sweat… Besides, the Vikings have already made their move. Lvneel done for… Anyway, I’ll talk to you later, Doctor. I’m in the middle of wrapping up our latest alliance.” Castor declared.

“With whom?” Doctor Abio questioned.

“Tooth Decay. The two strongest pirates in the North are about to be formally aligned.” Castor concluded, hanging up the phone before waiting for Victor’s response. Castor’s attention turned back to Brood and his fight, while the remainder of the mercenary forces manned any row boats that remained.

Beginning to flee towards the open seas, the thick miasma around Thriller
Bark blinded the seafarers route, however, any direction away from this chaos would mean seconds, minutes, hours and days added to their life spans.

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As the horrific scene unfolded below, Castor instinctively retreated backwards. It was a similar reaction to a gazelle catching wind of a lurking predator, a familiar feeling the pirate had experienced many times training in the wild on Swallow Island. If he’d delayed even one second in escaping, his blood would’ve become an offering to the mass execution that occurred below.

The man’s words and actions made an impression on the Imp’s likeness, Castor’s pride usually categorized everyone he’d worked with as fodder, or managers at best. The manipulative side of him didn’t permit Castor to ever say out loud but watching Tooth Decay earned him a level of respect that only a few people in his life had ever gained.

Floating in the skies, watching the last glimpses of the struggling messenger’s arms flailing around in the sea of sucrose, the Pirate Captain would give out a sign, instantaneously jotting towards the island below. Appearing a few meters away from Brood, the Logia’s elemental form reverted to its physical form. Drawing Summer Rain from his waist, the Imp would toss his katana to cross the axe, forming a symbolic ‘X’.

“A warrior who abandons his weapon is either among friends or surrenders his life. I respect you, Brood X. Bach. It seems both of us have destructive tendencies, so the terms of this alliance is clear. Equals. Whatever your move in the world is, I’ll support you. Vice Versa.” Castor declared.

“Though, you’re older than me… Should I be calling you Big Brother now?” Castor declared, chuckling nervously afterwards. Walking over to the wine, Castor would search around for two Sake Cups, filling one for himself, and the next for his newest ally. Finally, grabbing onto a stool, he’d set up the ceremony - the ritual that’d cement their partnership.

“Now. Let’s talk about plans. What is your next step after Thriller Bark, Brood? You mentioned Paradise... I'll need some immediate plans so our paths don't cross unnecessarily.”

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Reconfirming a few places in the North mentioned earlier, Castor made sure to take note of the areas that Brood had his sights on. With everything that Newport had told him about the ‘World Powers’ - becoming an envoy of the marines by taking up a Warlord position wasn’t exactly his style. Becoming an emperor seemed like a long path but it came with long term perks that he couldn’t pass up on.

This was the first sign of Castor’s rookie ignorance. To him, the world was just his play thing, though, he was simply a big fish in a small ocean and the seas ahead were vast, and filled with monsters with much more power and connections than him. Newport had failed to properly instill how truly scary the New World and Paradise was, and it was on purpose.

His mentor needed him to be broken. Without the betrayal and loss that comes with being a pirate to humble Nox, the journey wouldn’t be probable. Listening to the man wheeze and cough his way through his pending itinerary, the Imp had settled on his plans. As the gods had it, their paths probably wouldn’t cross again until Paradise, especially since Brood’s eventual alignment with the marines called for their alliance to be a bit more subtle.

“I’ll conclude my campaign on Lvneel. Then ravage a few islands for supplies and make my way towards Paradise. For now, all I have is a ship and a few rag tag members but nothing solid. The only known Nox Pirates are myself and my mentor, Newport which is perfect for now.” Castor responded, raising his glass to clack against Brood’s own in a celebratory fashion.

“As for Paradise itself, I still need to do some research. I’m unfamiliar with the sea routes or the dynamics of power there. However, a little Kingdom called Flevance not too far from Lvneel possesses a merchant culture I can capitalize on. I’ll be hiding out there for a bit.” Castor concluded, dodging several droplets of Brood’s drool, allowing them to phase through his body using his logia’s perks.  

The topic of Silver defeating them came up once more. Castor almost crushed his cup in frustration but opted not to, accepting the bitter reality that he’d simply lost. Sighing, “I failed as well. My initial plan was having The Feral Pirates owe me a favor. Perfect leverage for a rainy day but that dream’s gone. I’ll build my strength up slowly, Gashi Gashi.” Castor concluded, transitioning into a nervous laugh after.

Waiting for Brood’s response to his immediate plans, Castor would time the action in downing the cup’s contents. After the Sake had been consumed, the new alliance would be solidified on the darken soils of Thriller Bark.