Chapter 47: In The Pouring Rain (II)

  The storm had worsened, thick sheets of rain whippingthrough the streets of Logue Town. Thunder boomed as Goku faced off againstBuggy and Alvida, his silhouette glowing in the flickering lightning. Despitethe chaos around them, Goku stood unshaken, his energy surging and Saiyaninstincts pushing him forward.

  Buggy's knives twirled through the air as he grinnedmaniacally. "You think you can just take us down, Straw Hat Goku? We'rethe mightiest in these seas!"

  Alvida, with her iron club resting on her shoulder, smirkedas she watched her captain. "You’re gonna regret facing us. I haven’t losta fight since I got my Sube Sube powers."

  Goku’s eyes narrowed, ignoring their boasts. He could sensetheir confidence, but it was mispced. With a swift fsh, Goku disappearedfrom view, his immense speed catching Buggy and Alvida off guard. Buggy spunwildly, his eyes darting in every direction, but he couldn’t track Goku’smovements. Goku reappeared behind him and with a flick of his wrist, sentBuggy’s body flying backward with a single punch. Buggy’s upper torso shotacross the street, his limbs still standing where they were, momentarily frozenin surprise.

  Alvida swung her iron club, the weight of the weaponcreating a heavy gust in the rain. But Goku effortlessly sidestepped, the ironmissing him by inches. With a swift roundhouse kick, he connected with Alvida’smidsection, sending her tumbling across the drenched pavement. Alvida crashedinto a nearby building, her iron club slipping from her grasp as she gasped forbreath. Her slick, invulnerable skin had absorbed much of the impact, butGoku’s strength still left her rattled.

  Buggy, meanwhile, struggled to reassemble himself. His bodyparts flew back together, but the effort took time, giving Goku the opening tostrike again. Goku blurred forward, striking Buggy’s exposed body parts withpinpoint accuracy. Despite Buggy’s ability to separate, each blow sent hispieces flying across the battlefield, forcing him to constantly reform himself.

  Buggy growled in frustration. "You’re not pying fair,Goku! I’m a pirate captain!" He detached his hand, unching it towardGoku to try and catch him off guard. But Goku was far too fast. He grabbedBuggy’s wrist mid-air and flung it into the ground with such force that Buggy’swhole arm disintegrated into pieces.

  Alvida, having recovered from her earlier hit, picked up herclub once more. Her eyes burned with rage as she charged toward Goku, swingingher weapon with all her might. This time, Goku didn’t move. His hand shot out,catching the club effortlessly. Alvida’s eyes widened in disbelief as Gokustood still, his grip unyielding despite the power behind her swing.

  "You’re strong," Goku admitted, his voice calm butpowerful. "But not enough."

  With a casual motion, Goku ripped the club from Alvida’sgrip and tossed it aside like it weighed nothing. He moved faster than shecould react, delivering a knee strike to her stomach that lifted her off theground and sent her crashing into the wet street. The impact created a crateras Alvida coughed violently, trying to get air back into her lungs.

  Buggy finally reformed fully, staggering to his feet."You’ll regret messing with us, Goku!" he barked, his bravado clearlyfaltering. "We’ll make your crew pay!"

  Goku's expression remained calm, but a dangerous glintflickered in his eyes. "You won't touch my crew," he said, his voicelow and menacing. "They can handle themselves. But I’m done pying withyou two."

  Buggy, his panic barely masked by his grin, gave a quickgnce to Alvida, who was still recovering. He realized they were outmatched."Retreat!" Buggy screamed, trying to save face. "We’ll be backfor you, Straw Hat! And next time, you won’t be so lucky!"

  In an instant, Buggy’s disjointed body parts floated away onthe wind, while Alvida, clutching her side, limped off into the shadows.Despite their threats, Goku knew they were no longer a problem.

  With the two retreating, Goku shifted his focus back toSmoker. Across the square, Smoker, drenched but calm, had been freed from theSea Prism Stone net by a few assisting Marines. They looked ready to attack,but Smoker raised a hand, halting their advance.

  "Stay back," Smoker ordered, his voice sharp."This one’s mine."

  "But Captain!" one of the Marines protested."He’s too strong! We should—"

  "I said stay back!" Smoker barked. His eyes neverleft Goku. "Go after Buggy and the others. I’ll deal with Straw Hat."

  Reluctantly, the Marines obeyed, rushing toward theretreating pirates, leaving Goku and Smoker standing alone in the pouring rain.

  Goku slowly removed his straw hat, letting the rain soak hishair. He looped the cord of the hat around his neck, keeping it secure but outof the way. The rain drummed steadily on the stone streets, and Goku smiled.

  "So, it’s just us now," Goku said, his tone lightbut full of energy. His fists clenched as his Saiyan blood burned for anotherfight.

  Smoker pulled his jitte from his back, the Sea Prism Stoneend gleaming despite the rain. "You won’t be so confident afterthis," Smoker warned, his voice low and serious. The two warriors facedeach other, the storm seeming to intensify with the weight of the coming csh.

  Meanwhile, from atop the rooftops the mysteriously figure continuedto watch. Not really ready to intervene but not living either. He watched overthe impending battle as if it was a blockbuster but to be honest at this timeit was not. One was so much more powerful than the other but all his powermeant nothing. There was still an unbearable barrier that meant he could not beconsidered a true elite, at least not yet. The mysterious figure watched thesetwo young men with the interest that their future selves boasted. He couldsomehow see them going on to change the world, or at the least he had aninkling of it. He needed to watch thus fight to get a better idea of the futurethat awaited him and his organization.

  Unbeknownst even to him however, another set of eyes werewatching this fateful encounter. A young woman stood in the narrow alley andwatched it all. She was Ria and she was there to witness.

  ***

  Back at the port, the Going Merry rocked gently in thestorm, its sails fluttering in the harsh winds. Sanji and Usopp arrived at thedocks, soaked from the rain but carrying the st of the supplies. They hurriedto get the wagon's contents aboard, their urgency clear.

  "Why do these things always happen to us?" Usoppmuttered, shivering from the cold rain as he handed Sanji a crate.

  "Quit compining and keep moving!" Sanji snapped,shaking the water from his hair before climbing up the ship’s side to store thesupplies.

  At that moment, Gin appeared from below deck, lending a handto the two Straw Hats. His lean, muscur frame seemed unbothered by the stormas he effortlessly hefted the supplies onboard.

  "You're te," Gin grumbled, his voice carryingover the wind. "But at least you made it."

  "Where's Zoro?" Usopp asked, looking aroundanxiously.

  Just as Gin pced the final crate down, Zoro arrived, hisswords still sheathed but his face marked with exhaustion. "I had to losea Marine," Zoro muttered. "But we’re cutting it close. We need toleave now."

  "Where's Goku?" Nami asked as she emerged from theship’s interior, concern written across her face. "We can't leave withouthim."

  Zoro, wiping rain from his brow, shook his head. "He’sstill busy, but we need to set sail now. Goku can handle himself."

  As if on cue, a mighty roar of cannons echoed through thestorm. Half a dozen pirate ships suddenly appeared, surrounding the Going Merryfrom all sides. Buggy and Alvida, their fgs flying proudly, had returned withreinforcements. Cannons were primed and ready to fire, and their crewmen stoodmenacingly on deck, prepared for battle.

  "They've got us surrounded!" Usopp shouted, hisheart racing. "What do we do?!"

  Nami's eyes narrowed, her mind racing. "We need to getout of here, fast!"

  Sanji cracked his knuckles. "Let them come. They’llregret messing with us."

  The pirates on the ships surrounding the Going Merry cheeredand prepared for an all-out assault. As the storm raged on, the Straw Hatsbraced themselves for the next fight, unsure of what Buggy and Alvida hadpnned but knowing that they wouldn’t go down without a fight.

  [A/N: Read 15-20 chapters ahead avaible on patreon.com/saiyanprincenovels]