Ohaiyo minna! Tonight we have a really great show! Haha, just kidding! Anyway, here's what most of you good people have been waiting for! The next chapter! This will not be the last chapter but it will be one of the last. I predict about 2-3 more chapters left! I doubt it will make it to 20 chapters, but anyway, enjoy!

Chapter 16: A fight to the death?

Zoro stopped running. He stood frozen to his spot in the middle of the dimly lit hallway. What is this? It was like he couldn't sense Luffy's presence any longer. It wasn't like Luffy was dead, no, far from that. I felt like Luffy's entire existence has shifted. Zoro didn't know what that meant, or how he could make sense of the situation, but right now he had to focus.

He shook his head and emptied the doubting thoughts that threatened to plague his mind. He continued down the corridor, ready for any obstacle to come his way. The echo of his footsteps began to dwindle as he came across a door.

Zoro didn't hesitate to push the over sized door open to reveal a bedroom of some kind. But the moment he opened the door he immediately laid eyes on the man sitting casually on a chair in the middle of the room with his legs crossed over the other.

Zoro didn't have to look at him to know who he was. His scent told him that he was the one who kidnapped Luffy. He had short orange hair covered with a baseball cap and wide eyes. He wore an all black suit, but his most noticeable trait was his 'Usopp' like nose. Except it was…square. "Who are you and what have you done with Luffy!" Zoro demanded right away.

"So impatient. I thought we'd just get to know each other first. My name is Kaku." He stood from his chair. Zoro stood on guard.

"Quit beating around the bush you bastard. Where's Luffy?" Zoro growled. He couldn't waste any time with this guy. If he wasn't going to talk then Zoro would have to get the information out by force.

"I could tell you, but what would be the fun in that. Besides, I want to know how strong you are. I hope you haven't gotten rusty over the decades you've on this earth." Kaku stood with feet apart in a ready position.

"So you picked the highway, huh. Fine by me." Zoro put his swords up in preparation.

"What do I do? What do I do? What do I do?" Usopp sprinted down the corridor trying to determine whether to go back or not. He was skittish about any sound that was made, like the scratching of a rat's claws on the floor. "W-what if I run into someone more powerful than me!" he shrieked to himself. He would then remind himself of the whistle in his pocket.

"I have to do this! My friends are counting on me!" He nearly tumbled down the long fight of stairs, but caught himself just in time. It's so dark down here! He thought in panic. Usopp was so distracted by his own thoughts that he accidently ran into a big door at the bottom of the stair case. "Itte!"he rubbed his possibly broken nose.

He stared up at the door before him and shivered with fear. This is it! This is it! Whatever was behind this door could most likely have the power to rip his head off clean from his shoulders.

Gulping Usopp creaked open the door slowly, well aware of his wobbling knees. Peeking through the door, he saw that the room wasn't as bad as he initially though. It was like a Zen garden with a babbling brook and lush green grass.

"Oh, this isn't so ba-" Usopp's voice caught when he saw something lying down at the other end of the room. I was a man, but he was asleep. His head was propped up by his hand and a sleep bubble blew from his nose. He had a mustache that was longer than his hair and hung like thick strings.

Usopp slowly walked back towards the door, but he knew he couldn't back out now. "Ok, I just need to find the door and be on my way." He whispered. As Usopp looked around he quickly realized something devastating. The man and possible demon was lying in front on the next exit. Usopp cursed helplessly.

Holding his breath, Usopp snuck towards the potential monster. Each step he took his mind screamed at him to run away. What should I do? How am I supposed to move him? Usopp thought as tried to see if there was any space between the demon and the door. None.

I crawled through the corridor slowly and painfully. The sight of that pigeon bastard slowly faded from my vision. I began to slip in and out of consciousness, but I've been trying my hardest to keep moving.

I couldn't understand what was happening to my body. My insides were on fire and every muscle I moved it felt like there being torn in half.

I couldn't feel my legs or midsection so I couldn't even consider standing. Occasionally I'd spit up blood in a bout of coughing. Is this it? C-could this be the end? Suddenly I felt like I was having a seizure. My whole body shook spasmodically then everything went black.

"Do you feel that?" Robin mentioned in a serious tone.

"Aye…I've actually never felt anything like this before." Mihawk said warily. Their group was currently surveying the area in the old abandoned building which looked mysteriously like a castle.

"Yohohoho, I just hope Luffy-san is ok." Brook said.

"Yeah, me two." Vivi who was also in their group. All of them except Vivi knew that although Luffy's presence seemed faint, they knew he was still alive. Somehow it seems that he's in the middle of being in between worlds. It was almost unreal.

They were just going to act immediately and see how everything plays out.

Zoro was locked in a deadly battle between him and the one named Kaku. The pure blood demon was in fact a four sword stylist. Zoro didn't believe it at the beginning since all he had was two swords. It turned out that he used his legs as his other two weapons acting like freshly sharpened katana.

"You're pretty good! You'd make a perfect addition to our coven!" Kaku says as he repeatedly attacked Zoro.

"There's no way I'm joining you!" Zoro readied himself for his next attack. One of his slashes cut part of the roof exposing grey sky. After that many of their attacks ricochet off many surfaces causing much of the furniture to break.

"Alright swordsman! time to end this! Unlike other Pure blood demons, I have we all have special abilities! Feast your eyes on this!" Kaku whole body jolted. His neck extended and his face changed shape. His skin grew fur and it tinged yellow and brown spots. His size doubled- no tripled as his head nearly crashed through the remaining part of the ceiling.

"G-giraffe?" Zoro's eyebrow twitched.

"Oops. I didn't mean to go full giraffe." Kaku sighed. The damaged floor underneath Kaku's hooves cracked. Zoro quickly realized that the floor probably wouldn't be able to take his weight. The cracks extended to the rest of the room. Oh shit.

"Shooo, go away!" Usopp hissed at the chickens that were casually walking close to the sleeping demon. They clucked and flapped their wings nonchalantly. From all this noise, there's no way this guy could wake up even if there was an earthquake.

With that idea in mind, Usopp nudged the demon's leg. He didn't even stir. Pushing him slightly harder, Usopp managed to push him a few inches away from the door. Almost…there…he thought. Slowly, inch by inch, Usopp got the sleeping man away from the door just enough for Usopp to slip through.

Usopp wiped the sweat from his brow. This guy sure is a heavy sleeper. He sighed with relief. Right when Usopp placed his hand on the door knob. The sleeping demon's nose bubble popped.

"Huh. What's this…?" the demon's voice sounded gruff. Usopp squealed and fell on his butt. He looked face to face with the mustached man. "Who are you?"

"Eep!" Usopp frantically scooted himself all the way to the other side of the room. The demon sniffed.

"A human? What's poor soul like you doin' here?" he stood and cricked his neck. Usopp felt shivers go through his body. There was no way he could match up against this guy! "Hm, oh now I remember! Your one of those humans that tagged along with the pure bloods." The wolf-like demon smirked. "My orders were to go ahead and kill you. Oh well, I've been feeling a bit parched."

Usopp yelped in distress. "I don't wanna get my blood sucked out!" Like a bolt of lightning Usopp remembered the whistle that Sanji gave him. He clumsily fumbled around for it a quickly put it up to his lips. With a big inhale of breath, Usopp blew the whistle as hard as he could.

"Ah! What the hell?" The demon covered his ears from the sharp noise. Usopp heard a crackling noise come from the ceiling above. Both of them looked up. The ceiling was literally caving in. Usopp ducked for cover screaming his head off for the umpteenth time today.

Emerging from the ceiling was a giraffe-wait a giraffe? It was waving it's long legs frantically as it fell. "Kaku?"

"Move it, Jabura!" the giraffe warned the other demon before he landed. Ruble hit the ground as Usopp frantically tried to avoid getting crushed. Zoro also fell from the floor above and landed face down clumsily, and then was quickly buried in rubble.

"Gahahaha! Nice one Kaku!" Jabura cackled.

"Shut up Jabura!" Kaku struggled back onto his hooves which was a hard task due to his long legs. Usopp attempted to hide from the two bickering demons. He had to find Zoro so he can protect him! W-well …you know. That and vice versa…

My eyes shot open. I gasped for air as I was still on the floor from where that pigeon bastard last left me. Huh? Wha? I jumped up suddenly feeling full of energy. The last time I passed out, I was so sure that I was on my last leg of life.

Now I feel great! I feel alive! "Rahhhhh!" I ran through the oddly carpeted hall, but didn't pay attention of where I was going. Most of me was just happy that I could walk again. "Hahaha! I wonder why I feel great all of a sudden! Oh well, who cares!"

I was barely concerned of my wellness's origin. I ran as fast as I could down the hall. I don't think I even remember running this fast and for this long. I didn't feel lethargic at all.

Right when I rounded a corner I fell down a long flight of stairs. "Wah!" I braced myself for impact, but once I hit the stairs I began to bounce. I bounced down the stairs like a rubber ball. It took forever to reach the bottom of the stairs, but when I did I landed flat on my face.

"…That didn't hurt at all…" I blinked. Usually a fall like that could kill someone, but it didn't even hurt me. What the hell?

Now I know what you're thinking. I know I'm basically rewriting some stuff for those who recognized the scenes from the Enies Lobby arch. I just really love that arch, don't judge me. So yes, you've guessed it! Luffy has his gomu powers now. Horray! Let's make a goal here…how about 45 reviews. (I'm evil)