One Piece: The Deadly

The early morning sun cast its warm light across the deck of the Thousand Sunny. Kikidori was up before everyone else, determined to train harder after the incident with Emerald D. Lake. He stood near the bow of the ship, holding **Ophiophagus Hannah** tightly. The sword's dark energy hummed faintly, as if sensing its wielder's intentions.

"Alright, let's do this," Kikidori muttered to himself, raising the blade. He practiced swinging it, trying to mimic Zoro's movements.

It was going well—until it wasn't.

As Kikidori attempted a downward slash, the sword slipped slightly in his sweaty hands. The sharp edge sliced across his forearm, cutting deep.

"AHHHH!" Kikidori screamed, dropping the sword as blood gushed from the wound. He clutched his arm, his vision swimming as pain seared through his body. The cut wasn't just deep—it had nicked the bone and severed several veins.

Hearing the scream, Chopper and Ere'ana burst out from the infirmary. Chopper's hat was askew, and Ere'ana looked panicked but focused.

"Kikidori!" Chopper shouted, rushing to his side. "What happened?"

Kikidori grimaced, trying to speak through the pain. "I... I was training, and—"

"Idiot!" Ere'ana scolded, kneeling beside him. "Why didn't you wait for someone to supervise? You could've killed yourself!"

Chopper immediately transformed into his Brain Point form and began assessing the injury. "This is bad. It's deep, and it's hitting some important nerves and veins. We need to stop the bleeding, now!"

Ere'ana nodded, grabbing a medical kit from the infirmary. "I'll get the tourniquet!"

Chopper used his hooves to press against the wound, slowing the blood flow. "Stay still, Kikidori. This is going to hurt."

Kikidori winced but nodded, biting down on his lip. Ere'ana returned with the tourniquet, wrapping it tightly around his arm above the cut.

"There," Chopper said, his voice calm but serious. "That should stop the worst of it. Now we need to clean it and stitch it up."

Ere'ana grabbed a bottle of disinfectant. "Hold him still, Chopper."

"What? Why?" Kikidori asked, his voice trembling.

Ere'ana gave him a sympathetic look. "This is going to sting—a lot."

Before Kikidori could protest, Ere'ana poured the disinfectant over the wound. Kikidori let out a loud yell, tears streaming down his face.

"I know, I know," Ere'ana said softly, her voice soothing. "But it has to be done. You'll be okay."

Chopper worked quickly, carefully stitching the wound while Ere'ana held Kikidori's hand, helping him stay calm. The operation took nearly an hour, but finally, the wound was closed, and Chopper bandaged it securely.

"You'll need to rest that arm for at least a couple of weeks," Chopper said sternly. "No training, no lifting, and definitely no swinging swords."

Kikidori nodded, his face pale. "Okay... I promise."

Ere'ana crossed her arms, her expression a mix of concern and frustration. "You're lucky we were here. What were you thinking, training alone with a cursed blade?"

"I just wanted to get stronger," Kikidori said quietly. "I wanted to make Zoro proud."

Chopper sighed, patting Kikidori's uninjured shoulder. "Getting stronger doesn't mean rushing into things and hurting yourself. You need to be patient and smart about your training."

Ere'ana knelt down to Kikidori's level, her voice softening. "We care about you, dummy. Don't scare us like that again, okay?"

Kikidori managed a small smile. "Okay. Thanks, Ere'ana. Thanks, Chopper."

"Just don't make it a habit," Ere'ana said, ruffling his hair.

As Kikidori rested in the infirmary, the rest of the crew gradually learned what had happened. Zoro walked in, leaning against the doorframe.

"You good, kid?" Zoro asked gruffly.

Kikidori nodded. "Yeah. I messed up."

Zoro smirked faintly. "Yeah, you did. But mistakes happen. The important thing is learning from them."

Kikidori looked down at his bandaged arm. "Do you think... I can still be a swordsman?"

Zoro walked over and tapped Kikidori's head lightly with his knuckles. "Of course, idiot. But you've got to train smart. No more reckless stunts."

Kikidori smiled, his determination returning. "Got it."

As Zoro left, Ere'ana and Chopper sat with Kikidori, keeping him company. Despite the pain and embarrassment, Kikidori felt a strange sense of comfort. He wasn't alone—he had a family now, and they weren't going to let him face anything on his own.

End of Chapter 22