One Piece: Lord of the Weather Chapter 101 101: hunchback

After Pablo killed the pickpocket on the rooftop, he descended to the dark streets, continuing his search for a place to spend the night.

Fatigue had begun to weigh on his body after fifteen days of flying, and after the chase and the killing. He no longer wanted anything but a bed to sleep on, even for just a few hours.

He wandered through the narrow streets of Thorn Island. The lights were dim, the air cold, and the sll of smoke and gunpowder still filled the place. After a few minutes, he saw a wooden sign hanging above the door of a three-story building: "Traveler's Inn."

He pushed the door. Entered. An old man was sitting behind the reception desk, barely raising his head to see the custor. Pablo rented a room without any unnecessary conversation. Paid the money, took the key, climbed the stairs.

The room was small, dirty, slling of mold. But it was better than sleeping on cold rocks. He threw his bag on the floor, sat on the bed for a second, then lay down.

He fell asleep in minutes.

---

Pablo woke with the sunrise. The orange light was seeping through the small dirty window. He got up, washed his face with cold water, put on his clothes, tucked his pistol under his belt, and slung his bag over his shoulder.

He went down the stairs, returned the key to the old man without exchanging a word, and went out into the streets of Thorn Island in the morning.

The island was different in daylight. The light revealed the dirt on the walls, the mysterious writings, and the people sleeping in the corners on worn cardboard. The streets were narrow, winding, slling of garbage and gunpowder. Pablo walked slowly, his eyes taking in everything.

And it was ti for lunch.

He stopped at a small restaurant with a relatively clean wooden facade. The sll of food wafted from inside. He pushed the door. Entered.

The restaurant was dium-sized, crowded with custors. But what caught Pablo's attention was not the decor or the nu. It was a group of n sitting at large tables in the middle of the restaurant.

There were about twenty-eight of them. So carried swords on their backs, so placed guns on the tables next to their plates. They were laughing loudly, drinking wine, and eating greedily. They occupied more than half of the restaurant.

Pablo recognized them.

In their midst, at the head of one of the tables, sat a tall man, his long black hair tied back, his face covered in scars. He wore a torn red coat, and a long sword rested on his shoulder. He was laughing loudly with his n.

Pablo knew him. He had seen him on wanted posters. His na was "Darius the Hunchback." Captain of the "Blood Wave Pirates." His bounty was twenty-seven million beri. He was known in the South Blue for his cruelty and brutality.

Pablo didn't care. He looked away, searched for an empty table, and found one in the far corner. He sat down. Placed his bag beside him. Signaled to the waiter.

"The nu."

Pablo ordered the most delicious dishes: grilled at, fish soup, fresh bread, and salad. And red wine.

While he was waiting, he felt heavy stares on him.

He raised his eyes. He saw so of the pirates looking at him from their tables. They were laughing among themselves. One of them, a large bald man with a scarred face, leaned back in his chair and looked at Pablo with contempt. He whispered to his companions. They laughed loudly.

Pablo ignored them. He looked out the window. He was thinking about his journey.

But the pirates didn't stop.

After minutes, three of them stood up. They walked towards Pablo's table. Without permission, they sat around him. One in front of him, two on his sides.

"Hello, stranger," said the bald man. His voice was rough, with a mocking tone. "We noticed you're alone. We decided to share your lunch."

Pablo didn't reply.

"What's your na?" asked one of them.

Pablo looked at him. He said nothing.

"Deaf?" laughed the third.

They started mocking him. They said his clothes looked strange. His face looked like a woman's. He was a coward because he didn't reply. One of them began reaching his hand towards the plate of at that the waiter had just placed on the table.

"This looks delicious. We'll try it on your behalf."

Before his fingers touched the plate, Pablo said in a quiet, cold, sharp voice:

"Get your hand away from my food."

The man's hand stopped in mid-air. He looked at Pablo. Then laughed loudly. "What did you say?"

"You heard ."

"And if I don't? What will you do?"

Pablo looked at him. He said nothing. His hand moved quickly. He grabbed the food fork from the table. Stabbed it into the man's neck from the side.

It wasn't a violent movent. It was fast, precise, calculated. The fork entered from one side of the neck and ca out the other. Blood began to flow profusely.

The man fell to the floor. He didn't move. He was dead.

Complete silence fell over the restaurant.

The other two n sitting on either side of Pablo jumped back. Their hands went to their weapons. But they didn't attack. They were terrified. They looked at their companion's corpse, then at Pablo, then at their captain's table.

All twenty-eight pirates had stopped eating and drinking. They were looking at the scene. Their hands were on their weapons. But no one moved yet.

They looked at their captain.

"Darius the Hunchback" was sitting at the head of the large table. He was laughing with a young woman sitting on his lap, not paying attention to what had happened.

But the sudden silence made him raise his head.

He looked around. He saw his n standing. He saw the corpse on the floor. He saw the fork embedded in the man's neck. He saw Pablo sitting calmly at his table, as if nothing had happened.

He pushed the young woman off his lap gently. Stood up.

He walked towards Pablo slowly. His n made way for him.

He stopped in front of the table. Looked at his subordinate's corpse. Then at Pablo.

"You killed him."

It wasn't a question.

"He touched my food."

"He touched your food. So you killed him?"

"I warned him. He didn't listen."

The captain was silent for a mont. His eyes burned with anger. But he was trying to control himself.

"Do you know who I am?"

"Darius the Hunchback. Your bounty is twenty-seven million. The Blood Wave Pirates. I've heard of you."

Darius smiled a cold smile. "So you know . And yet you killed my man."

"He started it."

"That doesn't matter. You insulted . In front of my n. In a restaurant where we eat."

"He could have not started it."

Darius was angered by this boy's insolence. But he didn't attack himself. He signaled to his n.

"Kill him."

The pirates moved. Twenty-eight n. So carried swords, so guns, so knives. They were confident of victory. They thought nurical superiority was enough.

They were wrong.

Pablo didn't wait for them. He moved first.

He raised his hand. Fired a Wind Bullet. It pierced the forehead of the first pirate who was carrying a rifle. He fell dead before he could touch the trigger.

He ducked. Dodged a sword that was swinging towards his head. Turned his body. Kicked a third pirate in the chest. He heard the sound of ribs breaking. The man flew backwards, hit the wall, and fell.

Chaos ensued.

The pirates tried to move, but the space was tight. They couldn't use their nurical advantage. They were getting in each other's way.

Pablo raised his hand again. Three Wind Bullets. Three foreheads. Three corpses. They fell like cut puppets.

The pirates who were farther away fired their guns. He dodged the bullets with quick movents. He jumped towards one of the shooters. Another Wind Bullet. Pierced his chest. He fell.

One of the pirates thought he had a chance. He approached from behind with a long knife. Pablo sensed him without looking. Turned at the right mont. Grabbed the man's wrist, twisted it hard. He heard the sound of breaking. The knife fell. Then a kick to his knee. He fell to the ground. Then a Wind Bullet to the back of his head. He didn't move.

Another pirate tried to use his rifle at close range. Pablo was faster. A sideways step, then a burst of wind from his hand. The man hit the wall hard. He heard the sound of cracking in his spine. He collapsed on the ground and didn't move.

The battle continued. The pirates' corpses piled up on the restaurant floor. Blood covered everything. The other custors had fled since the start of the fight. The waiter was hiding behind the counter, trembling.

Finally, only Pablo and Darius remained.

Darius leaped forward. His long sword shot towards Pablo. He was not like his n. He was faster. Stronger. More experienced. The sword cut through the air with astonishing speed.

Pablo dodged the first strike with a quick bend. The sword passed over his head. But Darius didn't stop. He turned his sword in a circular motion, trying to cut Pablo's side.

Pablo jumped back. The sword passed within centiters of his stomach.

"You're fast," said Darius. "But I'm not like my n."

He attacked again. This ti with a series of rapid strikes. A strike from above, then from the side, then a straight thrust. Darius was using his long experience in combat. He was reading Pablo's movents. He was trying to corner him.

Pablo was dodging, and Darius was pressing him hard.

"Where is your power now?!" shouted Darius as he pressed harder.

In a mont, between one strike and another, Pablo found a small opening. He exploited it. He ducked under Darius's sword. Then leaped forward. He was closer than Darius expected.

Pablo raised his hand. Fired a Wind Bullet from very close range.

Darius dodged it with difficulty. He bent to the side. The bullet passed by his ear, leaving a superficial wound. But he regained his balance quickly.

"Nice," said Darius, wiping the blood from his ear. "But it won't work again."

He attacked again. This ti with greater anger. His sword cut through the air with frantic speed. He wanted to end the battle with one strike.

But anger made him make a mistake.

A big strike from top to bottom. It was powerful. It was deadly. But it was predictable.

Pablo didn't dodge it. He raised his hand. Caught the sword by its blade. The strike stopped.

Darius's eyes widened. How could a bare hand catch a sharp sword blade?

He didn't know that Pablo had covered his hand with a dense Wind Armor. The blade never touched his skin.

"Impossible..." Darius whispered.

Pablo squeezed his hand. Broke the blade in two.

The broken piece fell to the ground.

Darius looked at his broken sword. Then at Pablo. Then at the corpses of his n.

He knew he had lost.

"You... monster."

Pablo didn't reply.

Pablo raised his finger. Fired a single Wind Bullet.

It pierced Darius's forehead. He fell to his knees first. Then on his face. He didn't move.

Silence prevailed.

Pablo stood in the middle of the destroyed restaurant. Corpses scattered everywhere. Blood beneath his feet. The sll of gunpowder and death filled the place.

He breathed deeply. He wasn't tired. He wasn't injured.

He turned to the waiter hiding behind the counter.

"I'm sorry for the ss."

He took out so money from his pocket. Placed it on the nearest intact table.

"The cost of the food. And the cost of the damages."

Then he walked towards the door. Went out into the street.

The sun was still high. People in the street were looking at him with fearful eyes. Whispers behind him, terrified stares