Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or One Piece.

Beta Read by: Syrisna

Chapter 10

Naruto and company heard the sound of the explosion going off behind them as Temari slowed her pace and turned her head back in concern.

"Do you think we were wrong for leaving Rock and Scotch by themselves to face that guy?" Temari asked solemnly, hoping the two had found a way out before what bomb that was went off.

She could feel the heat from explosion from here so she could only guess how intense force of the explosion was back at the warehouse itself.

"Don't worry about them they said they could handle it and I believe them. Plus I don't have weaklings in my crew." Naruto said firmly, without a hint of doubt in his voice.

Taking her fellow blonde's words to heart Temari kept her eyes forward on the path that hopefully would lead to the woman responsible for her family's death.

The group ran in silence until their path was stopped by a person blocking their path.

The individual cut an intimidating figure standing roughly a head taller than Naruto with purple slacks held up with a brown studded belt. He didn't wear a shirt which showed off his muscle-bound chest. His most striking features being his sharp teeth, claws, yellow eyes, and gray spotted fur which highlighted his Mink ancestry.

"May I help you?" The male said in a booming baritone while looking over them like a lion would a pack of lambs.

Before Naruto could answer he felt a hand on his shoulder before Ideo stepped forward.

"No we're just passing through here to go visit an acquaintance of my friend over there; they have some unfinished business." Ideo responded coolly while pointing in Temari's direction.

"Interesting. This acquaintance wouldn't happen to be my captain Madam Shih by any chance?"

"As a matter of fact she is." Ideo said in fake joy, "That's great since you know her that means you can tell her we're coming and show us where she's at." Ideo joked as he walked up in the larger man's face without fear.

"On second thought don't you can just get out of our way and we can find her on our own; no need to ruin the surprise." Finished Ideo as he extended his left hand towards the Leopard Mink's shoulder to push him out of the way, only to get his wrist roughly held back by a large clawed hand.

"My name is Tai Lung and it's my job to keep prey like you from disturbing the Madam. I suggest you turn back before you get hurt. I'm not a pushover like Li Tian." He growled while squeezing Ideo's arm tighter in hopes of making him cry out in pain.

Only for Ideo to send him a challenge-filled glare before throwing a lightning quick right jab that the larger fighter instinctively jumped backwards to dodge and release Ideo's hand in the process.

"I'd like to see you try big guy. How about you and I go a few rounds while you let my friends pass. If I'm as weak as you think I am then you should be able to handle me easily and track them down before the meet the Madam anyway." Suggested Ideo, playing on the Mink's obvious overconfidence in his strength to get him to see his way.

Tia Lung knew he was being played but he couldn't resist the urge to crush the cocky bastard in front of him that showed him such disrespect.

"Fine." He growled before shifting his gaze towards the two blondes, "You may pass."

"Perfect. You heard him guys y'all go ahead and I'll catch up." The boxer said happily.

"You sure?" Asked Temari. She hates the idea of leaving another person behind like they had Rock and Scotch.

Naruto shook his head before urging her forward.

"Trust me there is no stopping him when he has his mind set on fight someone." Ideo like himself loved fighting and testing himself against others more than anything.

Pushing down her uneasiness Temari sent him a nod of understanding before she ran alongside the Uzumaki past the Minkman and down the hallway.

(Ideo vs Tai Lung)

Ideo started shuffling his feet and put up his dukes while Tai Lung hiked up his loose pants an took a wide Kung Fu stace.

The two fighters circled and inched towards one another in a slow, deadly dance. When they reached what they both established was striking distance a flurry of blows were thrown. The exchange of blows started off fairly even with Ideo using his smaller, faster frame to throw more punches to counter Tai Lung's slower, heavy strikes.

Deciding to step his game up Ideo started peppering in his Destruction Cannon punches with his normal strikes; slowly overpowering the larger man and pushing him back.

Seeing the danger of his fists Tai Lung instead began deflecting Ideo's explosive punches and tried to create distance between the two.

Pressing his advantage Ideo threw an overhead right that Tai Lung met with a finger jab covered in blueish energy.

Ideo's eyes went wide when their attacks collided and he didn't see his trademark explosion come from his fists.

"Nerve Assault!" Tai Lung jammed his Electro enhanced finger into Ideo's fist. The precise finger jab in between his middle and ring finger sent a pulse of electricty through his arm that left the limb hanging at his side.

Ideo back-stepped away from the Mink, avoiding another electric jab but unfortunately got a claw slash across his chest.

Holding his wound with his working hand Ideo looked at his now twitching limb before grabbing it and giving it a strong tug outward that left his right arm into it's standard long-arm form. Ideo then raised and flexed the seemingly healed limb before using his restored hand to give his furry foe a thumbs up.

Ideo nonchalant solution to his disabled arm left the Minkman speechless. Throughout his many years of battling over the seas he'd never met someone, outside of the occasional logia, brush off his Nerve Attack so effortlessly.

"How did you...?" He asked before trailing off.

"Its pretty simple with the way I carry myself people sometimes forget I'm a member of the Longarm Tribe. Outsiders may not know this but with our unique biology passing down even a basic knowledge of the joints and nerves of the human body is essential." He explained before shifting his elongated arm into its standard high shoulder position(1).

The kung fu leopard stared angrily at Ideo's now healed limb before he relaxed and flashed a smirk filled with mischief.

Tia Lung's body then started generating blue electricity that flowed and concentrated into his fists until shined with power.

"Electro: Running Livewire!"

The gathered electricity left his hands and hit the hanging lanterns on each side of the hallway before moving forward; frying the nearby lanterns and leaving a trail of darkness in its wake.

Knowing that this would be his last chance to get a clean hit on the Minkman before he melted into the darkness Ideo charged towards Tai Lung where he delivered two strong body blows and dug in his knuckles with his Fist Clinch.

Tai Lung roared in pain at the explosive impact dealt to his kidneys and ribs on top of the grinding sensation Ideo's knuckles were having on his sides.

Not willing to be the only one feeling pain Tai Lung dug his claws into the open wounds in Ideo's chest.

"Electromagnetic Murder!" Yelled the jaguar mink who channeled Electro directly from his body, through his claws and into Ideo's insides.

This soon became a game of uncle between the two proud men with neither willing to let go and stop the punishment they were inflicting on the other.

However soon the pain for both men became too much and they simultaneously stopped their attacks before separating to lick their wounds.

Ideo was a shaky mess with his hair standing on end due to the static electricity and his limbs twitching uncontrollably because of the damage to his nervous system.

Tai Lung hadn't faired much better as he kneeled, hunched over, hugging himself in order to soothe his undoutabely cracked ribs. The fur around his midsection was black and burnt from the explosion and friction of Ideo's fists.

Pushing aside the pain he felt Tai Lung finally stood and glared holes at the hairless mink who had damaged his beautiful fur.

"That hit will be the last you will ever land on me." He stated gravely; taking pleasure in seeing Ideo's head move around the darkness trying to find him.

With the electricity dissapating a little more from his body Ideo could finally stand on whoppling legs and raise his fists to his face in a sloppy stance.

"Uggh!" Only for him to be knocked down by a fist to a gut and sent flying to the side by a roundhouse kick to his head.

While trying to get himself up off the floor Ideo heard Tai Lung's footsteps coming towards him.

"Destruction Cannon!" He retaliated with an exploding fist that hit nothing but air as he was given a few seconds of precious light before before it was snuffed out.

"Ahhh!" Ideo yelled as he felt a pair of claws rake him across the back.

Ideo fired another Destruction Cannon at where he thought Tai Lung was only to be rewarded with another blow to his unguarded side.

This pattern went on for a while with Ideo throwing his firey punches into the darkness and getting attacked on all sides.

Making the smart decision Ideo stopped fighting back, turtled up, and did his best to withstand Tai Lung's attacks.

-X-X-X-

'Alright I might have bitten off more than I can chew with this one.' Ideo lamented.
He knew he couldn't hold out for much longer before Lung would land a fatal blow.

"My body is bloody, beaten, and I can't see a thing. Reminds me of the good old days." The boxer said with a smirk thinking back on his sensei's special training.

[Flashback]

Ideo panted in exhaustion as he paced himself around a boxing ring with his eyes swelled shut with dark purple bruises on his body.

Standing opposite towards him was another man wearing boxing gloves and shorts.

He stood at just over 6 feet tall with thick eyebrows and a muscular body. His two most signature features was the three horizontal scars on his chest and his large pompadour hairstyle.

"You have to move Ideo! In a real battle you can't afford to take this many hits! There won't be ref to save you and a real opponent won't hesitate to take your life!" Takamura roared at his students lack of evasive skills. If he hadn't been holding back he knew for a fact the Longarm tribesman would be unconscious or even dead by now.

"How am I suppose to dodge when I can barely see!" Ideo pleaded before he was hit with another combo that sent him flying and hanging off the ropes.

"Stop with the excuses. If you'd have paid attention sense the beginning of our spar you wouldn't need your eyes." His sensei lectured with his arms crossed, shaking his head.

Seeing the look of confusion still on his pupil's face he chose to elaborate.

"Throughout a fight you have to analyze your opponent. Take in their characteristics and break down their rhythm and fighting style. Knowing someone's style is like being able to read their minds. That way you won't need your eyes because nothing they do can surprise you. Then you can counter and go in for the kill!" He finished fiercely as he threw another punch that stopped inches away from Ideo's face; the wind pressure from it blowing his hair back.

[Flashback End]

Taking a steady breath Ideo let his sensei's words sink in and thought over what he had learned so far.

'His style revolves around putting his opponents at a disadvantage so he can toy with them.' He thought while adjusting his guard so that his back was more exposed.

Ideo knew he was playing with fire by doing this. If he mistimed his counter by even a second he'd run the risk of Tai Lung tearing through his exposed back like wet tissue paper and killing him on the spot.

Closing his swollen eyes in concentraction Ideo relied on sound alone.

He was rewarded when the Leopard Mink finally took the bait and picked he picked up quite sound of air being cut through at a high speeds.

'Gotcha'

"Right Angle Explosive Punch!"(2) Ideo yelled as he extended his arm to throw an uppercut that changed course in mid air to nail Tai Lung in the face.

The resulting explosion from Ideo's suckerpunch cancelled Tai Lung's forward momentum, leaving him stunned and hanging in midair.

The moment he felt contact with his punch Ideo turned, aimed, and fired another blow at what he assumed was the jaguar's midsection.

"Destruction Cannon!" His signature punch landed with full force; making the Kung Fu master doubled over Ideo's outstretched right fist.

With Tai dry-heaving our favorite boxer threw back his left fist and used his back and leg muscles to build up maximum force.

"Long Arm Uppercut!"

The sound of Tai Lung's teeth smashing together echoed through the passageway as his jaw was forced shut by the fierce uppercut.

Fighting through the pain of his obviously broken jaw and the black spots in his vision Tai Lung spent his last moments on thinking of any way he could reduce the force of the punch he had taken and retaliate.

Unfortunately any hope he had of contorting his body in order to disperse some of damage after the fact was crushed when after several seconds Ideo's fist had yet to break contact.

The moment his fist had made contact Ideo relaxed his hold on his joints and used the full reach of his left arm to send Tai Lung's body upward where his head smashed through the brick ceiling; which both knocked him unconscious and left him hanging from the structure like an exotic chandelier.

Retracting his arm into his standard high-shoulder position the bruised boxer limbed his way out of the darkness and towards the torchlit section of the hallway.

'I should go and help the others.' He thought before he had to support himself against the wall as he body ached in protest at the movement that was no doubt making his various stab wounds worse.

"But first I'll just take a little nap." Ideo grunted out in acceptance.

Deciding to give his body a short rest he crouched against the wall and closed his eyes before drifting off into a deep, and much needed, rest.

Chapter 10 End

I'll be honest with you I feel this chapter was mediocre at best. Still trying to figure out where to take the rest of this arc but am slowly figuring it out.

(1)- Ideo used his knowledge of anatomy to move his second elbow joints into their high shoulder position in order for his hanging limbs not to be a liability in the ring.

(2)- Similar to how Luffy uses Python in Gear Fourth to alter the direction of his punches Ideo uses the extra elbow joint all Longarms have to change the course of his punches to extend his range or strike around defenses.

Anyway Review, Follow, and Favorite.