"Huff….huff… huff" Naruto knelt on one knee completely out of breath. He stared at Tong standing a short distance from him also heaving heavily while looking worst for wear. He wasn't better off himself.
After discovering the attack that he dubbed Rasen no ken because of how he always had to move his arm in a spiral like motion to increase it speed, he had been able to hurt Tong.
However, it drains a lot of stamina every time he uses it. Worst of all his whole body hurts like hell. He was definitely at his limit. He needed to end this now.
Tong had also come to the same conclusion. His fight against Naruto has been a real eye opener.
After fighting for so long he now had nothing but admiration for the young man in front of him. At the beginning of their fight he had barely been able to leave a scratch on his body but now his attack had grown so powerful that he had to been careful not to be hit by one of them.
However, the young man was still a pirate and him a marine. It is his duty arrest any and all pirates he came into contact with whether they were good pirates or bad pirates doesn't matter. As long as they bare the tag of a pirates all was the same in the face of justice.
"Hey kid."
"huh?" Naruto looked up to see Tong staring at him a complex expression on his face.
"What is it?" Naruto questioned as he raised his guard afraid that Tong was going to attack when he least expect it.
"Out of respect for you. How about we end this battle with one final attack?"
"What is the commodore thinking?"
"His showing respect to a pirate"
The marines that has been spectating the battle since the very beginning started to murmur amongst themselves. Finding it difficult to believe that their commodore was showing respect to a pirate.
Some of them considered the commodore's decision to be foolish but they didn't dare speak up for fear of punishment.
Their numbers had reduced as some of them had gone off to get back up. Something that gave Naruto a sense of urgency.
"One final attack?" Naruto repeated the words with a contemplating look on his face. However, he didn't dare take his eyes off of Tong.
But when he thought about it Tong suggestion was probably the best course of action. He didn't know when the marines would return with back up so he couldn't afford to waste anymore time.
Although he was already nearing his limit he could still afford to use the Rasen no ken one more time.
"Alright. Let's do it" Naruto said as he got into his fighting stance.
"Very good. As a sign of sincerity I will use all of my strength in the final attack" Tong declared before the muscles on his body bulge slightly and the veins all over his body became even more pronounced.
Naruto's expression turned grim when he saw this but he didn't back down. All he had to do was copy Tong's example and focus all his energy into this very last attack.
The two of them stood still for a few seconds without moving an inch, then as if reasoning some unknown signal or by prior agreement they suddenly disappeared at the same time. The ground they had been standing on previously shattered with a loud bang.
"Ora!"
"Rasen no ken!"
BOOM!
A massive dust cloud accompanied by a powerful shockwave explodes as the two of them collided in mid air.
"Look out!"
The marines quickly shielded their faces from the shockwave and dust clouds as it washed over them.
Damn
What the hell was that?!
After the massive dust cloud and shockwave passed the marines hurriedly turned to the aftermath of the battle only to see a sight that caused their heart to slip a beat and their expression to morph into one of disbelief.
"No way"
"It can't be"
Tong laid on the ground unmoving. A few inches away from him was Naruto who sat in a kneeling position heaving heavily.
'That took everything from me' Naruto thought as he stared at Tong's knocked out on the ground with foam coming out of his mouth. If it wasn't for his heaving chest he would have thought that he was death.
During the final clash with Tong he had gotten lucky. Tong's fist had missed his heart by a few inches however he managed to crack a couple of his ribs. He was certain that two of his ribs were broken.
However Tong wasn't so fortunate, his Rasen no ken had hit him straight above his heart. Even as he looked now he could still see the small dent in his chest.
Unfortunately he was spent. Right now he couldn't even move. He was completely exhausted. It took all his willpower not to fall unconscious right now.
It didn't take long for the marines to notice this.
"Why isn't he getting up"
"Is he exhausted?"
"I think he can't get up. He must have burned out his stamina fighting commodore Tong"
"Then this is our chance to capture him"
The marines who had been spectating the match finally saw a chance to arrest the enemy. If they pulled this off they are definitely going to get promoted
"Oh no" Naruto panicked when he saw the marines gaining into him and tried desperately to move. 'Come on, move! Move! Move stupid body! Get up!'
Naruto felt a sense of urgency and his breathe became labored as he tried his hardest to move. When it felt like his faith was sealed he heard a voice that brought a huge smile to his face.
"Naruto!"
"Roger!" Naruto shouted excitedly when he saw his captain running towards him.
"Who is that?"
"Stop him! He's one of them!"
Roger frowned when he saw some marines moving to block his path. "Out of the way!"
Boom!
"Arggghhhh!"
Roger sent the marines flying with a single fist blowing through their defenses. He didn't stop after plowing through the marines like a wild bull instead he charged straight towards Naruto, threw him over his shoulder and made off into another street.
The marines immediately gave chase after them when they saw their golden ticket getting away
"I thought I was a goner?" Naruto sighed as he hitched a free ride on Roger's shoulder. He watched the marines giving chase after them quickly get left behind as they couldn't keep up with Roger.
"What happened back there? Why didn't you move when the marines were coming on to you? " Roger questioned. He had seen Tong's unconscious body so he knew that Naruto had also been engaged in a fight like him but what he doesn't understand was why he didn't immediately head for the dock after defeating his opponent.
"I spent all my stamina fighting that marine commodore, and I nearly lost too. That guy was tough. I guess I got lucky" Naruto sighed exasperated. He had really lucked out against Tong. If it wasn't for his speed and quick reflexes he would have been dead within the first 20 seconds.
However, what Naruto didn't know was that what he had just done was a feat on it own. No all newbie pirates could go up against a marine commodore and live to tell the tale. Tong was undefeated until recently.
"By the way, where's Rayleigh?"
"I don't know. I heading towards the dock after defeating my opponent. I didn't expect to run into you"
"Well I'm glad you did. If not I can only imagine what would have happened" Naruto laughed awkwardly. The marines would have probably capture him that's what.
"There they are! Don't let them escape!"
Marines poured out of a street chasing hot on their tail.
"Keep running Roger! Don't stop!" Naruto screamed when he saw the horde of marines chasing behind them. Worst of all there are more still joining in.
"Ow, ow, ow! Don't be so rough Roger. Why cheat hurts!"
"Sorry. Hahahaha!" Roger laughed seemingly enjoying the chase. He smashed through any marine that got in his way.
"Don't let them off"
"open fire!"
Gunshots rang all around the city like fireworks but the villagers didn't dare poke their head out in fear of being hit by a stray bullet. They could only cover in fear as the metallic sound of death continued to ring in their ears.
The marines shot at them but not one single bullet managed to hit it target and the two of them soon disappeared from their view.
"Damn it"
Amidst the chaos the both of them finally made it to the dock where their ship was decked.
"Hey Roger!"
Roger looked up to see Rayleigh waving excitedly at him from the bow of their ship.
"Rayleigh! You are alive?!" Roger said jokingly however his words only served to piss Rayleigh off.
"Of course I'm alive! You moron! How dare you wish me death!" Rayleigh screamed at Roger as he made his way onto the ship. He was about to pounce on him when he noticed Naruto slung over Roger's shoulder.
"Are you okay Naruto?" Rayleigh asked Naruto after Roger rested him against the ship mast.
He had wanted to go search for Naruto after escaping from Tsuru but he knew that someone had to be on the ship as it was their only way off the island. If the marines were to seize it then it was all over for them.
"I'm fine, Rayleigh. Just a little low on stamina" Naruto laughed sheepishly, however, he felt bitter inside. Out of all of them he was the only one in such a pitiful state. It left a sore feeling in his heart.
If they escape this island he promise to start training seriously. He might even asked Rayleigh to teach him how to use a sword.
"Where's Edward?" Roger asked when he couldn't see Edward anywhere on the ship.
"I don't know. But we can't wait for him. we have to leave, Roger" Rayleigh said. Roger looked like he wanted to argue but at the end he had no choice but to give in. Although Edward had been good to them they couldn't afford to wait for him. He'll have to make his way off this island by himself.
Moreover, they met on this island so it was only naturally that they part ways soon.
Steeling his resolve Roger shouted. "Set sail. We are leaving."
Roger quickly unfurled the sails and unhook the anchor while Rayleigh moved to manned the helm. Naruto just sat there and watched the two of them go to work with a helpless expression on his face.
As the sail unfurled and picked up wind, the ship slowly started to move, Rayleigh was about to steer away from the island when they heard a huge commotion coming from inside the island and it was heading in their direction.
Roger and Rayleigh's eyes nearly popped out of their sockets when they saw the horde of marines chasing after two people.
"GUYS! PLEASE WAIT FOR US!"