One Piece: The Deadly

The sun hung low in the sky, painting the ocean in shades of gold and orange as the Thousand Sunny remained docked near a small island. The crew was going about their usual business, relaxing, training, or preparing for their next journey.

As the Straw Hats lounged on the deck, an unfamiliar figure strolled up the gangplank. She was tall and lean, with fiery red hair tied back in a loose braid and a confident smirk on her face. She wore a sleeveless black coat over her combat gear, and two cutlasses hung at her hips. This was Ava, a pirate infamous for her skills in combat and a reputation as an undefeated duelist.

The crew turned to look at her, and Luffy, as usual, was the first to greet her. "Oi, who are you?"

"I'm Ava," she said, her voice carrying a super sharp edge. "I've heard of you, Straw Hat Luffy, and your crew. But I'm not here to chat."

"What do you want, then?" Zoro asked, already sizing her up.

Ava's smirk widened. "I want to fight someone on your crew. I've heard you're all strong, and I need to see it for myself."

The crew exchanged glances, some of them already stepping forward to volunteer.

"Alright," Luffy said, grinning. "Who do you want to fight?"

Ava's eyes scanned the crew, skipping over the obvious candidates like Zoro or Sanji. Instead, her gaze landed on Ere'ana, who was leaning casually against the railing.

"You," Ava said, pointing at her.

Ere'ana blinked in surprise, straightening up. "Me?"

"Yeah. You look like you can handle yourself, but I want to see how good you really are."

The crew erupted in murmurs of surprise.

"Ere'ana? Really?" Sanji asked, looking puzzled.

"Are you sure about this?" Nami added.

Ere'ana, however, squared her shoulders and stepped forward. "Alright, I'll fight you," she said, her tone steady.

"Ere'ana, you don't have to—" Kikidori began, but she cut him off with a glance.

"It's fine, Kikidori. I can handle this."

The two women moved to the open deck, and the crew formed a loose circle around them. Ava unsheathed one of her cutlasses, twirling it in her hand. Ere'ana drew her weapon, a thin, curved blade with a sharp edge.

"Ready?" Ava asked, her smirk still in place.

Ere'ana nodded. "Let's do this."

The fight began quickly, with Ava lunging forward and swinging her cutlass in a wide arc. Ere'ana parried, sparks flying as their blades clashed. Ava was fast—faster than Ere'ana had anticipated—and her strikes were relentless. Ere'ana countered as best she could, using her agility to dodge and deflect the attacks.

The crew watched in tense silence, their eyes darting between the two fighters.

"She's good," Zoro muttered, his hand resting on the hilt of his sword.

Ere'ana managed to land a few hits, but Ava's experience and skill were evident. She pressed Ere'ana harder and harder, pushing her back toward the railing. With a quick feint and a powerful strike, Ava disarmed Ere'ana, sending her blade skittering across the deck.

Ere'ana stumbled back, and before she could recover, Ava swung her cutlass, stopping just short of Ere'ana's neck.

"It's over," Ava said, stepping back and sheathing her weapon.

Ere'ana dropped to her knees, breathing heavily. She had given it her all, but it wasn't enough.

Kikidori clenched his fists, his entire body tense. His first instinct was to charge Ava and make her pay for hurting Ere'ana, but he stopped himself. Instead, he walked over to Ere'ana, kneeling beside her and offering her his hand.

"You okay?" he asked softly.

Ere'ana looked up at him, her pride clearly wounded, but she nodded. "Yeah. I'm fine."

Kikidori helped her to her feet, keeping a steadying hand on her arm. As Ava turned to leave, Kikidori glared at her but said nothing.

Ava paused at the edge of the deck, glancing back over her shoulder. "You've got spirit, I'll give you that," she said to Ere'ana. "But you've got a lot to learn. Maybe next time you'll do better."

With that, she walked away, disappearing down the gangplank and leaving the crew in stunned silence.

Kikidori looked at Ere'ana, his expression softening. "Don't listen to her. You were amazing out there."

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

The crew began to disperse, offering Ere'ana words of encouragement as they went back to their tasks. But Kikidori stayed by her side, determined to make sure she was alright.

As the sun set over the horizon, Ere'ana looked out at the sea, her resolve hardening. She would train harder, get stronger, and next time, she wouldn't lose.

End of Chapter 58