One Piece : Rise Of The Merchant Clan

"Ha the bastard is down. Get some cuffs." The Ensign order as he pointed to a random marine.

The darkness left Zen as he quietly came too, he remain down as he tried to come up with a plan. He was wounded and surounded, his only edge was that the marine thought him out cold. And apparently they did not think him as a devil power user. He calculated that he needed to escape today. Or else he had the feeling he wouldn't see freedom for a long time if ever.

Two marine came closer, one had some metal cuffs in his hands. As they kneel down and turn Zen on his stomach. He move quickly grabbing a two shot pistol and a sword in his other hand. Firing at close range, he first shot one marine in the face. The other marine froze in shock at the lost of his friend. Zen turn to the other and shot him in his c.h.e.s.t near his heart, killing him in seconds.

Using his control over his body he kick both legs in the air slamming his feet on the ground, propelling his body up in the air in one smooth motion. Then as he steadied himself he grab another sword as he drop the empty pistol on the ground. He spun around catching two other in surprise as he slice at their necks, creating two deep new bloody holes on both marines.

All this happen in a few seconds, by the time the Ensign turn around and realize in horror what happen. He had just got back on the marine ship. As he jump off once more he watch in abject rage and grief as the rebel slathered the marine on the still moving ship.

Zen turn his focus on the marine that was about to turn off the auto pilot. He dash up to him unsealing his limits. He didn't want to be completely be out of it after this, so he opted for five time his current limit.

His mind became clearer his body became stronger, his wound that were more on the lighter side could be seen healing at a faster speed then normal. But he had no time to marvel at this, he knew this would only last for five minute with what he consider minor set backs, but anything more then five minutes would end in his capture. His body would weakened no matter his circ.u.mstance, he now only had a window of five minutes, if he wanted to have enough stamina to escape. If he exceeded event a second more he might not make it out of here.

Zen gritted his teeth down hard in anger. He was a fool, he thought so little of the marine. He stupidly underestimated them and almost got caught, the only reason he woke up so fast was that he had made his jaw and skull bones thicker and membrane around his brain a little more shock absorbent. If the marine had hit him just a little harder, he would have been out longer. Giving them enough time to cuff him, and dragging him in a cell were he would have been powerless to escape.

Sure he could then use ten time limit his limit to break out, he could break steel at that level. But then he would be completely drain, his body and mind would shut down before he could even take a step. By the time he would wake he no doubt would be on the selling block with thicker chains.

It also came as a serious wake up call, when it came to the marines, at first he only focus on the higher members of the marines. But now a nameless Ensign had been enough to crush him, the most painful lesson was knowing the Ensign hadn't even been at his best, and he still got his a.s.s kick six ways to sunday.

"Don't you dare!" The ensign shouted as he hurried made his way toward Zen.

Zen said nothing as he cut the head off of the marine that was about to shut down the auto pilot. Any thought of taunting the marine was gone, he needed to hurry every second that past brought him closer to the edge.

"Bastard! Die you monster!" The Ensign had finally reach Zen. As he threw his full strength into his punch.

Zen manage to block the hit, even if he could better respond too the Ensign attacks. His lack of experience still hinder him. He was doing better this time, but it wasn't because he suddenly gotten insight on fighting. No it was more simple then that, two things were for now working for him.

One the ensign was in a emotional mess, in the first battle Zen only knock out or render the marine he fought out of commission. But now he was no longer holding back, he had come to realize that this wasn't some anime. It was real life, the marine had no problem in trying to kill him or seriously wound him. They had no shame in ganging up on him, in order to win, they wouldn't line up politely. All the while commenting on how awesome and surprising he was, in his fighting matches. As they waited until he finish his opponent one at a time.

When he first fought he was still holding back, not wanted to kill any marine. Sadly he found he didn't have the luxury of the strong, when it came to fighting as Luffy did in the show. So now he was killing them, without any mercy, how was he doing this, well he was blocking out his emotion. Something that was dangerous, it was a double edge sword. On one hand he could move around with impunity, but if he keep it up for to long, he could loose himself in a emotionless void.

That doesn't sound to bad, well you would be wrong in thinking that. Once you became one with the emotionless void, nothing in the outside world matter anymore. As long as no one attack or directed any killing intent on you, you would stand or sit doing nothing. No eating cause you didn't feel like eating, no thirst cause you didn't feel like drinking. This would be fine if you were some cultivator in a wuxia novel, but if your a mortal and still need substance then this was a very dangerous stats to stay in.

As soon as Zen exited that stat, he would be bombarded by every emotion he had repress. The emotional force he would be hit with would cause a deep depression, anger, stress and other negative emotion. He would also be prone to fits of random laughter, in short all of his brain chemical would be in serious chaos for a week a least. That was the price of just a few minutes of repressing his emotion.

As for the second reason, it was his boosted body limit he was using. His mind and body were faster and stronger so he could better react to every move from the Ensign. But in order for him to keep up he had to focus on this fight, which burn allot more stamina in forcing his body to fight at a level it wasn't train in yet.

The biggest factor in this fight with the Ensign, was two fold first he avoided any direct confrontation with the Ensign. He maintain a hit and run tactic toward him, as he targeted the other weaker marines that were on his ship. Striking them down in a single death blow, right before blocking or dodging an enrage and distraught Ensign.

As the last marine on his ship slump down in two bloody pieces. Zen had just enough time to see he was almost past the marine battle sh.i.p.s. If he could set his ship on its top speed he would be home free. The last obstacle he had to over come was this Ensign, and his body limit that now had less then two minutes before he reach his limit. If he miss that dead line it wouldn't matter that he was in the clear, since his body would shut down before he could make a clean get away. Also the ship auto pilot function was coming to its end, before the ship started to tail spin out of control.

"I'll kill you! I'll f.u.c.k.i.n.g kill you! Die! Die! Die!" The Ensign scream as his eyes turn red in hate and sorrow. As he yelled he slam his fist toward Zen.

Zen now gave the Ensign his complete undivided attention. His ship and the marine battleship were to far for the marine on board to jump onto his ship. The only one left who could make the jump was blissfully sleeping in a bed inside the marine battleship somewhere. Unfortunately none of the marine on board had the good sense of seeking him out. They were all to captivated by the Ensign thrilling battle with the monstrous young teen.

Zen cold blue emotionless eyes, track every move the ensign made. Despite his body and mind being faster and stronger, he still found himself being at a disadvantage against the more experience Ensign. Sure he consider the idea of going six time his limit, but sadly he had already past the safety threshold on his stamina. Even if he could end the fight quickly in one move, after he use it he wouldn't have the energy to escape the remaining marines, who would no doubt be out for blood.

Zen started to notice that the Ensign, was getting a little slower then before. He was breathing in more deeply and at faster intervals. He wasn't sure if this was the Ensign getting tired or him just laying down a trap. He just knew that he himself didn't have long to go. He had another forty six seconds before he reach his limits.

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The Ensign wasn't doing to well he was almost at his limit. During his fight against the rebel, he lost himself in his rage. By the time he had cool down enough, he tried sending a signal but sadly his men most likely miss it, because they were to distracted in standing there staring at his fight, like a bunch of novice. He couldn't hold on for long, he was going to start making more obvious mistake soon. He needed to finish the fight quickly.

He took a hit in the c.h.e.s.t like a few other times before, but this time his body took a step back on some still wet blood. Normally he would've straighten and corrected his stance himself instantly, but he was tired, his body was hurt and wasn't as fluid as it was in the beginning. He slip, that small opening gave the rebel the opportunity he needed, to slide a knife like hit with his fingers and cut his femoral artery right under his left arm.

The Ensign knew he was done, he tried to grab the rebel and take him down with him. Killing him before he followed him in death. But the slippery bastard had also realize his victory, almost before he did and was already moving back. He easily avoided his last ditch effort in mutual destruction, his legs weakens as he stumble down too his knees, he looked up to the rebel who killed him as his blood quickly left his body. Rage was the last feeling he had, he would become this bastard stepping stone. He tried and failed to rise and strike down this stain on his sense of justice.

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Zen looked down on the kneeling Ensign, he raise the sword he was wielding and trusting it right in the Ensign throat. The Ensign keep his eyes open, as his blood drown him in closer to death. His unwillingness and rage were the last things to be seen in his eyes, before they went dark.

Zen then resealed his limits, and unblock his emotion. He had finish the fight with six seconds to spare. His emotion came crashing down hard on him, he wanted nothing more then to lay down and sleep curling up into a ball to cry, scream, rage or laugh. With a force of will he stumbled back to the wheel, tears came down from his face as his muscle were stiff in pain at every step he took, being able to move was all that matter at this point.

Reaching the wheel, he turn the auto pilot off. Taking back control of his ship, he shakily reach out to another rope, this one release a few extra sails doubling his speed. In the background he could hear some shouting and yelling about turning the ship around. As he was speeding away he finally heard canon fired, he started zigzagging around. Soon every shot from the marine sounded further away.

At some point he heard nothing more then the sound of his ship splashing against the waves, he straighten his ship, set the auto pilot and took a look back. He saw in the far distance one ship trying and failing to keep up with him. The others he assume turn back to complete the mission. As for the one following him it was no doubt in a attempt at tracking him to his next destination.

"I'm gonna have to replace this ship, there goes most of my bellys." A depressing negative feeling took over any feeling of joy he had at escaping.

As he reluctantly return to the wheel he keep sobbing at how life was unfair, how he was curse only to fall into a blind rage. As he was shaking his agonizing painful fist to the heavens, he cried out in pain and rage to any gods or goddess, only to be laughing in the next in near insanity at his victory.