Chapter 21: Jiraya Island 2
Zora dashed through the forest trying to find the answers to her questions. Zora saw another native and jumped down from her tree. The native looked at Zora wearily and Zora hoped this one wouldn't explode.
"Hello?" Zora said as she waved her hand in greeting. The native didn't respond and now was starting at Zora with fear. The native began to back away.
"Wait! I'm not going to harm you!" Zora said but the native began running into the forest.
"Tsk, fine then." Zora clicked her tongue as she chased after the running native. The native continued running deeper unbeknownst to him, Zora was following.
'Where the hell is he going? A village? That's probably it.' Zora thought to herself as they finally arrived at a flat piece of land with multiple huts and toadsman natives walking around. Zora didn't want to alarm the natives so she made rings of lightning around her limbs and flew into the air above the tribal lands. Zora strained her ears and augmented them with lightning to hear the conversation with the native and what she presumed to be the tribe leader.
.
.
.
"O' great leader, I came across a pirate!" The toadsman native said as he got down on one knee.
"Did they follow you here?" The tribe leader asked.
"No great leader! I would never let them follow me!" The native said.
"Feruchi, you forget that pirates around these parts are not weak. They have something called Haki, it would be incredibly easy for them to follow you without you even knowing." The tribe leader said. The native now know as Feruchi had a grim facial expression.
"Have I brought misfortune to the tribe?!" Feruchi asked with panic laced in his tone.
"No Feruchi, calm down. I assure you that Sol wouldn't let any pirate harm our toadsman tribe. He is the most benevolent pirate on the seas!" The tribe leader said.
"Yes, Sol! He truly is the best-" Feruchi's bootlicking was cut short as they both heard a large explosion from outside the hut along with screams of terror. The tribe leader and Feruchi bursted out of the hut only to witness their fellow tribesmen killing each other.
"HELP!" A woman screamed as an arrow pierced the back of her head.
"HELP ME AHHHHHH!!!" Another tribesman screamed out as he exploded into pieces, killing people around him and injuring others.
"Tribe leader! What is going on!?" Feruchi yelled out and the tribe leader stood there in shock.
"Tribe leader!!" Feruchi exclaimed and the tribe leader came to his senses.
"Feruchi! I need you to-" The tribe leader's words were cut short as he was hit with an arrow to the head.
"AAHHHHHHHHH!!!" Feruchi held his head as he screamed in despair, fear, and shock. Feruchi began to get up and run until he felt a sharp pain coming from his leg. He looked down and saw his leg completely gone.
"No no no no no!!! PLEASE!!!!" Feruchi yelled as he crawled on the paved dirt road wet with blood and littered with internal organs. Feruchi almost crawled out of the tribal lands until he heard someone running toward him.
"FERUCHI HELP ME!!" The tribesman said before exploding, killing him and Feruchi.
.
.
.
Zora watched the entire thing go down from above the tribal lands.
'Those tribesmen didn't seem to be in control of their actions. Who is this Sol person they spoke of?' Zora thought.
'Perhaps this Sol is a pirate who took this island under his protection?' Masamune said.
'Possibly, but then why are the tribesmen not in control of their actions?' Zora asked.
'If we want answers we have to look.' Masamune said.
'But where? We have no clues once so ever. Maybe if we fly to that giant tree we'd find some.' Zora said.
'Agreed.' And they flew off towards the tree hoping to find some clues.
.
.
.
[Marigold 3RD person POV]
It wasn't just Zora who was separated from the crew, Marigold also got lost.
"Zora-nee! Onee-chan! Sandersonia-nee! Mr.Fisher! Where are you!" Marigold yelled out as she walked deeper into the forest.
"What would Zora-nee do?" Marigold asked herself as she stopped under a tree. Marigold closed her eyes and began focusing her Observation Haki, hoping to find someone in her vicinity. The only thing Marigold saw was an arrow coming towards her location. Marigold opened her eyes and rolled out of the way. The arrow hit the tree and Marigold looked towards where the arrow was shot from. If Marigold paid further attention, she would have noticed that the arrow seemed to disappear into thin air.
"Who goes there!?" Marigold shouted as she unsheathed Jryphon from her waist. The perpetrator jumped down from the top of a tree. It was a tall green-haired, green-eyed woman with pale skin and a large brown bow in her hands.
"Little girls shouldn't be in the forest alone. Where's your mommy?" The green-haired woman said with a sick smile.
"I'm not little!" Marigold said with a pout.
"Hahaha, I do love it when my prey gives me a good laugh!" The green-haired woman said with a sadistic smile and a glint in her eyes.
"Prey?" Marigold said as she held Jryphon even tighter.
"Yes, prey! I am your hunter, Roza Duval of the Toad Pirates!" Roza said as she raised her arms.
'This is my first enemy! The crew isn't here to protect me, I have to win with my own strength!' Marigold said as she looked at Roza with determination.
"I won't become prey! I won't lose!" Marigold said with resolution.
"Then let us begin the hunt!" Roza said as she vanished into thin air.
"Where did she-" Marigold was kicked into a tree and crashed through it.
"HAHAHA! You didn't even see me coming!" Ross said as Marigold got up and wiped away the blood leaking from her mouth.
"That won't happen again!" Marigold said as she dashed towards Roza and swung Jryphon. Roza stood still and let Marigold swing at her.
'Why isn't she moving!?' Marigold asked and her question was answered. Jryphon went right through Roza like air.
"Wha-" Marigold was punched in the gut and kicked into the ground.
"AAHHHHH!!" Marigold screamed in pain as Roza stepped on her back. Roza pulled her up by the hair and punched her into a tree.
"HAHAHA!! YOUR SCREAMS TRULY GIVE ME JOY!! WHAT HAPPENED TO ALL THAT TALK!?" Roza exclaimed in ecstasy. Marigold slowly got up from her position and remembered something Zora told her.
[Flashback]
"Marigold, what do you do when your blade goes right through your opponent?" Zora asked Marigold who was swinging her sword in practice.
"I dunno, keep swinging?" Marigold said.
"Haha! That's the quickest way to get beat. You remember Haki right?" Zora asked Marigold who stopped swinging.
"Yeah, why?" Marigold asked.
"I told you about one type but there are 2 others. Armament Haki and Conquerors Haki. Armament is what you use to hit a logia-type devil fruit user and make your hits hurt more. Conquerors Haki is something, not everyone has. If you do have it you wouldn't even know until you use it. It isn't something you can really train either." Zora explained.
"My point is, use Armament Haki when you fight it makes the fight a little bit easier." Zora said as she walked off.
[Flashback end]
Marigold stood up and looked at Roza with anger.
"Hoh, the little rabbit dares look at the wolf with such hateful eyes?" Ross said as she covered her fist in wind and dashed towards Marigold. Marigold felt the same connection she felt when using Observation Haki and applied it to her arms. Jryphon and her arm turned black.
Marigold and Roza clashed with Marigold winning and launched Roza back. Roza was shocked and Marigold pointed her sword at Roza.
"You will fall!" Marigold said with anger.
[TO BE CONTINUED]
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone