Chapter 24: Duels
While Buggy fight with Visvo, Cricket is facing Taki now. They fight among the defeated mafias. Cricket is shooting his guns on Taki, and Taki move around to avoid the bullets. It seem Taki is used to fight with gunners and know how to fight them.
Taki get closer to Cricket and swing his chainsaw. Cricket jump back to dodge the chainsaw and keep shooting at Taki. Taki move around agilely again and keep getting closer to Cricket, make Cricket move back again and again.
'He predict my shot and move before i shoot. He is used to this, so i can't keep going like this.'-Cricket
Cricket see the axes from the fallen gang members and get an idea. Cricket put his right hand flintlock in it's pocket and take an axe from the ground. Taki didn't know what Cricket is planning, but he keep going forward.
When Taki get in front of him, Cricket swing his axe to block Taki's chainsaw. The spinning blade of the chainsaw meet with the blade of the axe, creating sparks. Cricket then use his left hand flintlock to shoot at Taki. Taki realize this and jump to the side.
"So that's your intention, smart move, but it won't work. Did you think i never use my chainsaw to clash with axe or other blades?"-Taki
Cricket look at his axe's blade that get chipped by the chainsaw.
"If i use the axe to attack, then it will be disadvantageus for me, but it's just for blocking, so who cares."-Cricket smirk
"Whatever, it won't change the result, i'll still win. And before i win, my leader will win his fight first."-Taki
"I doubt that, my Captain is very strong, he's the strongest man i've ever met. I haven't even see him using his full power, and i think that he's just playing around in North Blue."-Cricket
"Is that so? My leader also never use his full power and still playing around. He can conquer Grandline like Gold Roger if he want."-Taki
"..... Now that's really an exaggeration."-Cricket
Taki attack Cricket again, and now Cricket move forward to face Taki. Cricket block Taki's chainsaw and shoot, but Taki can dodge that. They keep going like that, until suddenly Taki make a different move.
Taki use feint, and make Cricket block wrongly and just hit the air. Taki move his chainsaw and make an S move. The chainsaw hit Cricket's front body, but luckily he move back and the chainsaw just cut his skin, but the cut is wide.
"Damn."-Cricket
Cricket take a look at his axe and it have many cracks. Cricket discard it and take another axe from the defeated mafias. Now he need to be more careful on Taki's feints, or he might get cut in half by the chainsaw.
Cricket take the initiative and attack Taki. He move forward while shooting his flintlock. Taki move around again to avoid the bullets. Cricket reach Taki, and he swing his axe. Taki dodge to the side and swing his chainsaw to Cricket.
Cricket jump to the side and roll to dodge the chainsaw. Taki chase Cricket and swing his chainsaw many times, forcing Cricket to run backwards franctically. Taki succeed to hit Cricket in some place, albeit shallow and corner Cricket into a big boulder.
"It's over!"-Taki grin
Taki swing his chainsaw to Cricket from above. Cricket block the chainsaw with his axe, but the chainsaw start to cut through the steel.
"Hahaha, my chainsaw is made from special materials that make it very durable. And the axe that you took from our member is just a poorly made axe. It won't be able to hold my chainsaw for long."-Taki
"Damn corrupt leaders! You gave your mens bad weapons and use the good ones for yourself."-Cricket Cricket's axe almost break completely, so he need to find a way out. When the axe break, Cricket kick the chainsaw machine up to hit the boulder. It work and it give Cricket time to move aside.
Cricket can't waste time, or he will get cornered again. So Cricket take his other flintlock and point both his flintlocks at Taki. But then Cricket change his target to Taki's chainsaw and shoot the machine.
*BANG BANG*
*BOOMM*
Cricket's bullets pierce through the chainsaw machine's fuel tank. The oil leak out and it burn, then it explode. The impact of explosion make both Taki & Cricket fling away.
Cricket crash & roll on the ground, but then he stand up again. He made the shot, so he have prepared for this and jump backwards first. Taki however, can't make it like Cricket because he held the chainsaw and receive the explosion directly.
Cricket walk to Taki and see Taki lost half of his hands and have massive injury in his front. Taki can't fight anymore and almost lose consciousness. Cricket point his flintlock at Taki's head, but he cancel his thought and walk away.
"If you survive, try to change into a better person!"-Cricket say while walking away.
~Buggy's battle~
Buggy is wary of Visco's poison, he can't let the poison touch him, so he can't let the axe touch his body. Buggy decide to use his shortswords to fight for now. He will try to find any opening or create it through his sword fight.
Buggy swing his sword and clash with Visco's axe. Buggy doesn't realize that the poison on the axe splash in their clash. Some bits of the poison splash on his hands & clothes.
They keep fighting, and Buggy is clearly having the upperhand. He keep pushing Visco back and give Visco some wounds. Buggy then see an opening when Visco block his 2 sword attack. Buggy send a knee attack right between Visco's legs and hit his crotch.
"Lord Buggy's Secret Technique: Family Destroyer!"-Buggy
Visco turn pale and the pain sensation run through his body. He can't even scream when he walk back while closing his legs. Then he fall to his knees and tremble in pain.
"C-chea-ter..."-Visco
"Don't say that when you use poison yourself!"-Buggy
Buggy approach Visco who's trembling on kneeling position. Buggy grin and raise his sword, ready to strike Visco. But suddenly, he feel pain on his hands, and they stop moving.
"Ugh, what happen?"-Buggy
"Haha-ha-ha-haha, t-the p-poison...h-has seep through...your p-pores."-Visco grin while trying to stand up
Buggy look at his hands that now have some purple marks.
"Paralysis poison?"-Buggy
"Hahaha, now the poison will spread all over your body and paralyse you completely."-Visco can talk properly now, even when his legs are trembling
"Damn!"-Buggy
Buggy think of a solution and only find one. He detached both his hands from his body, so he'll be able to control them using his devil fruit power. He know it won't stop the poison from spreading to his body, because his blood still curculating even with his body split apart. But at least, now he can move his hands using his devil fruit power.
"Hahaha, what a useless struggle."-Visco
"Heh, you should know that i am more resilient than a cockroach."-Buggy
Buggy spin his hands to be a circular saw, but it's bigger now because he didn't just spin it with his wrist. Buggy use the spinning hands to attack Visco from both sides. Visco widen his eyes and try to block the attacks with his axes.
"Bastard, you still can control your hands?"-Visco
"I told you i'm more resilient than a cockroach."-Buggy
Buggy run toward Visco without his hands and start to attack Visco with his legs. Visco try to block Buggy's leg attacks with his legs too, but Buggy is more skillfull than him and he got hit many times.
Visco get pushed back and flung back many times. Visco then start to run backwards to avoid Buggy's leg attacks. Visco is planning to stall time and wait for the poison on Buggy's body to spread completely.
Buggy know Visco's plan, and he feel his body start to get paralyzed slowly. So he run toward Visco as fast as he can and control his spinning hands to attack Visco from the back. Visco can only stop now and turn around, make Buggy catch up to him and stand behind his back.
"You won't be able to run away anymore now. Split Split Leg Lock!"-Buggy
Buggy detached his legs on the ankles and his upper body on the waist. Then he control the legs to fly toward Visco and open his leg wide. He use his legs to grab Visco's hands from behind and lock it.
"Checkmate!"-Buggy
"DAMN, RELEASE ME!"-Visco
Buggy control his hands to stab the swords on Visco's body. Then Buggy control his upper body to move in front of Visco.
"You know, i always want to do this. Armament Hardening!"-Buggy
Buggy use his armament hardening on his forehead. He can use hardening now, but still can only cover a few area for a short time. Buggy then detach his head and fly it some meters back.
"Split Split Goat Strike!"-Buggy
Buggy fly his head fast toward Visco's forehead and headbutt Visco. Visco feel his skull crack and his brain got shocked. Visco's eyes roll back, and he faint immediately from the impact and the sword stabs on his body.
Buggy withdraw all his body parts and return back to normal. He's panting and feel the poison have spread completely in his body. Soon, Buggy get paralyzed completely and he fall on the ground.
"Are you okay?"-Mantis
"No, maybe a kiss from a beautiful girl will make my body move again."-Buggy smirk
*BONG* Mantis have a tickmark and knock Buggy's head
"If you still can move your damn mouth, then you're fine."-Mantis
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I've upload Chapter 44 there today. /CaptMermain
(the web didn't use _underscore_, it's to avoid censorship)