Chapter 99: A Peculiar Dance of Confusion #99
Cedric trudged through the dimly lit streets of the grove, his footsteps echoing in the deserted alleyways. The once lively area of Sabaody had fallen silent, its people either seeking refuge or engaging in less legal activities.
As he made his way towards Shakky's bar, Cedric couldn't help but feel annoyance at the parade trailing behind him. It was as if trouble was brewing, and he had unwittingly become its magnet.
As he reached the bridge to grove-13, he heard a loud clatter behind him. Turning around, he groaned as he saw Kieran stumbling over a pile of rocks, his balance compromised by his long, flowing cloak. Cedric rubbed his temples, questioning why he had agreed to let this disappointing assassin tag along.
Cedric sighed in exasperation as he watched Kieran lying motionless on the floor. "For the love of... oi, are you okay?" he muttered as he walked up to the assassin. "Are you even alive?" He added as he noticed Kieran's lack of reply, picking up a stick and poking him in the stomach.
Kieran remained still, not budging an inch despite Cedric's attempts to rouse him. Cedric's frustration grew, and he let out another sigh. "Great, just great..." he muttered to himself.
Just as Cedric was about to give up on getting a response from Kieran, a familiar voice called out from behind him. "Leave it to me! I'll wake him up!" Duval exclaimed, rushing forward with his sword raised high.
Suddenly, Kieran's eyes snapped open, glowing with an intense and eerie light. With lightning-fast reflexes, he rose up from the ground, his body moving with an unnatural grace. The blade of Duval's sword connected with Kieran's form, but instead of striking true, it got stuck in the shadows surounding the assasin.
"A creature of the night? A zombie!? Don't eat my handsome face!" Duval exclaimed, jumping back as he got a closer look at Kieran's deathly pale face and the dark circles around his eyes.
Knowing nothing productive would come from interfering, Cedric bring himself to care about the situation. He turned around and walked away, content to let the two oddballs sort it out.
As Cedric calmly walked away, leaving Duval and Kieran to their bizarre antics, he couldn't help but chuckle. Seeing these two eccentric characters engage in their own peculiar dance of confusion was bizarre, to say the least.
Behind him, Duval continued to swing his sword at Kieran's elusive form, missing with each attempt. "Stay back, foul creature of the night!" he cried out, his voice a mix of fear and determination.
Kieran, on the other hand, seemed unfazed by Duval's wild swings, taking pleasure in them even. His shadowy figure darted effortlessly, gracefully evading each attack with otherworldly grace.
Cedric shook his head in disbelief. If anyone had told him that he would witness a narcissistic ex-slaver battling a presumed zombie in the lawless streets of Sabaody, he would have dismissed it as an absurd joke.
As Cedric continued on his way, his amusement at the situation quickly faded as a chilling wind swept through the grove. The atmosphere grew tense, and an eerie silence settled over the once-bustling streets. Something was amiss.
Before Cedric could react, a voice boomed from above, piercing through the stillness. "Well, well, well, what do we have here?" The voice belonged to a tall, rotund figure clad in a thick, yellow fur coat, grinning and showing the Doflamingo's jolly roger on his teeth.
Cedric's eyes widened as he recognized the figure as Buffalo, one of Doflamingo's subordinates with a devil fruit that allowed him to spin any part of his body.
Soaring through the air, Buffalo exuded an air of menace, his devil fruit powers keeping him afloat.
Cedric looked up and saw a woman in a crimson, skimpy maid outfit perched on Buffalo's back. Naturally, he recognized her as Baby Five, another of Doflamingo's subordinates with the devil fruit ability to turn her limbs into weapons.
'Buffalo and Baby Five, huh...? They have troublesome abilities. But I'll manage...' Cedric thought as he observed the duo floating in the air.
Buffalo grinned wickedly. "It seems we've stumbled upon a little gathering," he said, his voice dripping with malice. "I must say, we've been looking for you, Commander Cedric Strode."
Cedric tightened his grip on his spear, preparing himself for the inevitable clash. He was confident but knew he couldn't afford to underestimate these two, for they were skilled fighters loyal to a ruthless captain.
Suddenly, Buffalo launched himself downward, his towering figure becoming a whirlwind of motion. The force of his rotation created a gust of wind that knocked over crates and sent debris flying alongside several flying fish riders. Baby 5 leaped off Buffalo's back, her body transforming into a deadly arsenal of weapons.
Cedric's instincts kicked in, and he quickly leaped to the side, narrowly avoiding Buffalo's whirling assault. He reached tightly gripped his spear, preparing to defend himself against the oncoming threat.
Meanwhile, Kieran, who had momentarily forgotten about his scuffle with Duval, now found himself caught in the midst of the chaos. His shadowy form flickered and solidified as he withstood another violent gust of wind generated by Buffalo.
With a blank expression, Kieran vanished into the shadows, his movements blending seamlessly with the darkness around him. He reappeared behind Baby 5, delivering a swift kick that sent her crashing into a nearby wall.
Enraged by the sudden events, Buffalo directed his attention toward Kieran. He unleashed a torrent of powerful rotating attacks, but Kieran effortlessly slipped through the gaps, using the shadows to his advantage.
Witnessing the unfolding battle, Cedric relaxed his posture. He decided to watch over the fight to further asses Kieran's capabilities.
Baby Five was quick to recover from the impact of Kieran's kick. She swiftly transformed her limbs into machine guns, launching a barrage of deadly projectiles toward Kieran. But Kieran's experience and lightning-fast reflexes allowed him to anticipate her movements and swiftly counter her attacks.
As Cedric observed the clash between Kieran and the Donquixote Pirates, he couldn't help but be impressed by Kieran's agility and resourcefulness. Despite being outnumbered by formidable opponents, Kieran's shadowy form darted and weaved, evading Buffalo's spinning assaults.
Not far away, Duval and the flying fish riders, initially blown away by Buffalo, gathered their bearings and recovered. Under Duval's instructions, they picked up their weapons and began harassing Baby Five and Buffalo to support Kieran.
Now mounted on their fish again, the flying fish riders swooped down from the sky, launching coordinated attacks on Baby Five and Buffalo. Duval led the charge, using his harpoon guns to rain projectiles on Kieran's opponents.
Their combined efforts managed to distract Buffalo and Baby Five, forcing them to divide their attention between Kieran's elusive movements and the onslaught from Duval and the flying fish riders.
Still, Doflamingo's subordinates were no pushovers. They quickly reunited, Baby Five jumping over Buffalo's back as they took to the air to get out of Kieran's melee range and take out the flying fish riders first.
Kieran called upon the considerable arsenal of weapons in his body and fired a relentless barrage of bullets on the duo, hoping to gun them down. However, Buffalo was deceptively agile as he maneuvered himself in the air, dodging almost everything.
Dodging and deflecting projectiles in the air, Baby Five and Buffalo quickly neutralized half of the flying fish riders, slowly tipping the battle to their advantage.
Cedric watched the tide turning in favor of Buffalo and Baby Five as they skillfully took down the flying fish riders. He knew that if he didn't intervene soon, Duval's subordinate might start dying.
Smiling, He stepped forward, his voice commanding attention amidst the chaos. "Oi! Baby Five, stop!" he shouted, raising his hand to catch her attention.
Baby Five momentarily halted her attacks, surprised by Cedric's interruption. She looked at Cedric with a mix of curiosity and caution. "What do you want?" she asked, her voice laced with skepticism.
Cedric took a deep breath, steadying himself. "Listen... you see that guy over there...?" He added, pointing at Kieran, who had also stopped fighting, overwhelmed by curiosity as he was.
"His name is Kieran... He's a pitiful guy who doesn't even understand the value and meaning of life!" Cedric continued, putting on a sad face and shaking his head. "He needs someone to make him happy. And that person can only be you!" He continued, resisting the urge to burst into laughter as everyone's expression shifted at his words.
On the one hand, Kieran blank expression broke, giving way to utter confusion. On the other, a deep blush appeared on Baby Five's cheeks, and Buffalo instantly panicked as he realized what was happening.
"Kieran really needs you, Baby Five!"
...
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