The moment the Cook Pirate crew member finished speaking, Zeff stood up abruptly. The very act of his movement caused the entire room to tremble.
Before anyone could react, the ceiling above them suddenly shattered, and a crimson shadow crashed down from above.
From outside the building, one could see that the crimson shadow had split the entire roof in two, directly cleaving the house where Zeff and his men were gathered.
Several Cook Pirates, unable to dodge in time, were struck by the falling mass. Blood sprayed from their mouths as they collapsed, incapacitated. Only then did the others in the room get a clear view of what had attacked them.
It was a massive bundle of bright red hair, as thick as a grown man's waist. One end of the hair extended outside the building, while the other end, hardened and heavy as iron under some mysterious power, had created a crater in the ground where it struck.
The hair writhed like a monstrous serpent, slowly retracting toward the street outside. Along the way, it coiled around several Cook Pirates, lifting them off the ground like prey caught by a greedy python, attempting to drag them away.
The captured pirates screamed and struggled as their comrades rushed forward, hacking and slashing at the crimson hair with axes and swords. But every strike produced only the sound of metal clashing against metal. All they managed to cut were a few stray strands, failing to rescue their companions.
Zeff, followed by his officers, stepped through the gap left by the crimson hair and emerged onto the street. There, Barbarossa and several of his Red-Beard Pirates stood, their eyes gleaming with hostility.
One by one, more Cook Pirates emerged from the damaged building. Although they outnumbered Barbarossa's group, the Red-Beard Pirates remained unfazed. Barbarossa's forces were fewer in number because they had split up earlier, but the men he brought with him were his most elite crew members.
Hatcheson, one of Barbarossa's men, pulled out a flask of strong liquor. Taking a swig, he passed it to his companion Harden. The fiery liquid burned as it went down, dispelling the chill of the rain and the fear in their hearts.
The Red-Beard Pirates were one of the most formidable pirate groups in the East Blue, and those standing beside Barbarossa were his finest warriors. Despite being outnumbered ten to one, they hesitated only briefly before letting out a battle cry and charging at the Cook Pirates.
The Cook Pirates, though confused about the cause of the conflict, were no less fierce. Under the leadership of their officers, they counterattacked with equal ferocity.
Zeff stood with his arms crossed, watching the chaos unfold with cold detachment. The Red-Beard Pirates were clearly at a disadvantage in numbers. After a brief clash, they began to falter and retreat. Seeing this, Barbarossa activated his Devil Fruit ability, attempting to turn the tide.
It was at this moment that Zeff finally moved.
With a burst of speed, Zeff leapt over the heads of the combatants, his leg swinging down like a battle axe toward the crimson serpent of hair that Barbarossa had summoned.
Zeff's moniker, "Red-Leg," was earned through his unparalleled mastery of leg-based combat. Anyone struck by his kicks would suffer broken bones and ruptured organs, their blood staining his legs red. His strength was such that he could shatter boulders and leave imprints on steel. Even though Barbarossa's hair was as hard as iron under his Devil Fruit's power, it was no match for Zeff's devastating kick. With a single strike, the crimson hair was sent flying.
"Barbarossa!"
"Red-Leg!"
The two captains locked eyes, their mutual hatred palpable. Barbarossa blamed Zeff for the deaths of his two brothers, while Zeff seethed with anger over Barbarossa's unprovoked attack, which had claimed the lives of several of his crew members.
Barbarossa swung his massive scimitar at Zeff. Standing over two meters tall, Barbarossa was built like a bear, his weapon proportionally larger than those wielded by ordinary men. The blade sliced through the air with a menacing whistle, the force of the swing sending raindrops stinging against Zeff's face.
Zeff nimbly flipped out of the scimitar's path, but Barbarossa wasn't finished. The hair on his head, chin, and even the backs of his hands suddenly grew at an alarming rate, twisting into ropes of varying thickness. These living tendrils lashed out at Zeff like whips.
The hair, imbued with the power of Barbarossa's Devil Fruit, struck the ground with enough force to send dirt and debris flying, leaving deep gouges in the earth. Zeff's legs became a blur as he deflected the attacks, each collision producing a dull, metallic sound like iron rods clashing.
However, no matter how skilled Zeff was, he couldn't keep up indefinitely. Barbarossa's hair continued to multiply, forcing Zeff onto the defensive. Eventually, a thick whip of hair struck Zeff in the side, sending him crashing into a nearby house. Blood sprayed from his mouth as he hit the ground.
The Cook Pirates gasped in alarm, while the Red-Beard Pirates cheered, their morale surging.
Barbarossa, scimitar in hand, strode toward the building where Zeff had landed. Just as he reached the entrance, a crimson blur shot out from within.
Reacting instinctively, Barbarossa activated his ability, causing his hair to grow and tangle into a thick barrier in front of him.
But Zeff, his face bloodied and his expression fierce, was already in mid-air. His right leg, glowing red-hot, slammed into the wall of hair.
Barbarossa's lone eye widened as he realized what was happening. Rain hissed and evaporated into steam as it struck Zeff's leg, which radiated intense heat. The hair, previously impervious to blades and axes, curled and burned under the scorching temperature.
"Barbarossa, I've prepared a special treat just for you! Try this—Devil's Tempest Kick!" Zeff roared, his blazing leg cutting through the hair and slamming into Barbarossa's chest.
The smell of burnt flesh filled the air as Barbarossa let out a pained howl. He was sent flying like a cannonball, tumbling across the street before coming to a stop.
For a moment, Barbarossa lay motionless. Then, with great effort, he pushed himself to his knees. Wiping his chin, he pulled away singed tufts of his beard, tossing them aside. The rain quickly extinguished the lingering flames.
Tearing off his shirt, Barbarossa revealed a gruesome burn on his chest, the flesh raw and blistered. Breathing heavily, he glared at Zeff, who stood in the ruined house, but made no move to attack.
Both captains were battered and bloodied, their crews gradually disengaging from the fight.
Hatcheson, Harden, and the other Red-Beard Pirates formed a protective circle around Barbarossa. When one of them tried to help him to his feet, he shoved them away roughly.
"Why didn't you finish me off, Zeff?" Barbarossa growled, his lone eye fixed on his rival.
He glanced at the charred strands of hair on the ground, a twisted grin spreading across his face. "What's the matter? Afraid to come out and face me?"
Zeff clutched his injured side, his expression dark. His Devil's Tempest Kick was a technique he had developed specifically to counter Barbarossa, using friction to generate heat and flames for added destructive power. However, the move was still incomplete. The sudden burst of heat had left his right leg aching, and the rain made it difficult to maintain the necessary temperature.
Now that Barbarossa was on guard, landing another clean hit would be far more challenging. Even without his Devil Fruit abilities, Barbarossa was a formidable opponent.
"Fall back to the ship. I'll cover you," Zeff ordered his crew.
"Captain!" his men protested.
"Don't argue!" Zeff snapped, his gaze hardening. He glanced at the bodies of his fallen crew members. "Get back to the ship. Once we're at sea, we'll settle this with that red-haired monster!"
~~~❃❃~~~~~~~~❃❃~~~
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