Chapter 16

West blue, Ishiria island, roku town

The battle was raging in full blast. Buildings were burning and the screams of the civilians and soldiers alike echoed through the air, a cacophony of madness, anger, fear and sorrow. And yet the men and women kept on fighting for what they believed to be 'right'. The problem with that term had become glaringly obvious not long after the battle had commenced.

As soon as the pirate ship had spotted the marine ship a naval battle had begun just outside the harbor which was still occupied by the revolutionary armys sh.i.p.s, blocking all entrance from and to the port. Not being able to take each other out in the fight, due to the marine battle ship having a stronger constitution and more weapons but was slow to fire and sail, and the pirate ship being the complete opposite, meaning fast and maneuverable but didn't possess strong enough canons to sink said marine ship. Hence they both had decided to ignore each other on the water until they entered the harbor through sinking a revolutionary ship, and thus gaining their attention, and continue the battle on land. As soon as the pirates landed they started to cause havoc. Setting buildings on fire and plundering whatever took their fancy, which drew the ire of the revolutionaries, since they came to the kingdom to help the people against the world government and wanted to protect the people. So the revolutionaries gained another enemy, the pirates. But as soon as the marines entered the fray chaos entered its final stage. What were the marines supposed to think? The new faction, namely the revolutionaries tried to protect the people from the pirates but also fought against the royal army? That didn't make any sense to the marines. For a moment the factions tried to come to terms with who they could trust in this battle but after struggling to find a partner, besides the marines joining the royal army, every faction decided to fight for itself and thus a battle royal commenced, a cl.u.s.terf.u.c.k of epic proportions that nobody expected to happen but had no choice but to accept and struggle till the last man remained standing!

Meanwhile the CP-teams contacted the command center of the royal army and enquired about Lee Mu Bais location, which they couldn't help with, after all Lee Mu Bai was commonly known as Old man Bai by those who knew of him, which wasn't many since he was pretty reclusive. Having come to terms with the missions starting parameters the two teams spread out to search the town until they found a trace of Lee Mu Bai. In the end they came about nothing which confused them alot. Taking stock of their options they decided to cover the grounds around the town, including the foot of the mountain. This is where they finally found a trail. Two empty sake cups and an arrow pointing in the direction of the mountain. A false trail? Maybe, but they couldn't risk it being the truth so they rushed towards the direction the arrow pointed to to make up for lost time and leave nothing to chance, something they didn't have to worry about as they would soon find out.

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Ishiria island, foot of the mountain, training grounds (30 minutes earlier)

"What is going to happen now master? Where should we go?" Azul asked old man Bai, hoping he may know how they would be able to escape this miserable situation while standing in front of his master.

"The coming confrontation is not to be your concern, disciple. By the time the fighting will start you will already be on a boat to sail to a different shore and to begin your true journey." Old man Bai replied with a kind smile while softly putting his hands on his disciples shoulders.

"But what about you master? I'm not leaving you here to die!" Azul said, nearly yelling the last part, unwilling to abandon his master, who had become like a father to him.

His master replied in a soft voice, never breaking eye contact with his disciple: "Listen to me Azul, listen very carefully. There comes a time in life where every person will be confronted with the unavoidable truth that everything must some day come to an end. Relationsh.i.p.s, friendsh.i.p.s, love, hate, sorrow, pain, everything. Even life. You as a martial artist, who fights against all odds at every turn, every time he faces an opponent in battle are more aware of this then anybody else. So do now what I have taught you throughout all these years. Use your training and let go. It is alright, I am ready to go. This last fight has long been coming and I will not falter in my steps or cower in fear at deaths feet, as shouldn't you! Stay strong, tall with your shoulders back and burn bright Azul, burn bright! Show the whole world what we of the Sanga are made of!" Straightening his back his master smiled at Azul, turned around and began walking towards the mountain.

"Thank you master! I will not disappoint you! I will show them! I will show them all!" Azul shouted with tears streaming down his face, kneeling down and bowing his head in a deep gesture of gratitude for everything his master had done for him.

"I know you will, disciple. I know you will not let me down. You never have..." with a content smile on his face, his master walked into the distance without looking back.

Azul though remained in his kneeling position, paying homage to the legacy of the greatest man he had ever come to know and who he would never forget until he as well took his final stance.

Lee Mu Bai on the other hand was at peace with himself. He had truly lived a life with no regrets. Growing up with his master instead of parents, just like Azul himself and later travelling the world, chasing after the breath and honing his skills against the best of the best this world had to offer! Truly, there was nothing to regret for his legacy would carry on his will and teachings just like he had his masters. And one day, when Azul was ready, he would join him on his last journey.

"Time to show these upstarts what a real warrior looks like" Lee Mu Bai said while tracking up the holy mountain of Ishiria island, training ground for the Sanga since times long gone.

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The cipher pol agents tracked up the mountain and were surprised to find old statues framing the path up the mountain until after some time they reached the mountains top.

"So you little shitstains of the world government have finally arrived." Lee Mu Bai said while turning to face them.

"It is time I'll remind your precious Gorosei why you don't f.u.c.k with a Sanga!" and with those words leaving his mouth Lee Mu Bais whole bearing changed from an elderly man to the battle hardened warrior that was renowned throughout the grandline in the past.

His spirits prescence, like a mountain, unleashed, descended upon everyone on the island crushing those to weak to bear it into the ground under its might! Even the CPO agents had difficulty standing tall under the pressure Lee Mu Bai unleashed upon them. With growing horror the CP agents realised what kind of sleeping dragon they had just awoken.

"Pathetic! You are a disgrace to those who walk the martial path! Your ancestors would have looked away in shame, knowing that their descendants, users of the renowned rokushiki form, would bow down to an abomination like the world government! But you will be able to tell them about this yourselfs once I remove your heads from your shoulders!" Lee Mu Bai said, unsheathing his sword he hadn't carried in years, which was hungering for blood as he could feel its spirit awaken once more.

Without showing any visible movements, Lee Mu Bai disappeared from the CP agents view only to have one of the CP0 members, bowser, cry out in pain, as his right hand had been severed from his arm. Realising that they had to go full out from the beginning, otherwise the mission would fail for certain, one of the CP0 members transformed into his zoan form, which showed to be a dinosaur with a shell like armor on his back, while the leader used his devilfruit to transform into his element, metal and rushed to confront Mu Bai, who wove with fluid movements out of the attacks way, which consisted of punches and kicks, reinforced by a fingerpistol now and then. The last member of the CP0, the support member as it seems, struck his hands into the ground which formed plants that tried to restrain Mu Bai in his movements, though without sucess as he, without much of a problem, cut them to pieces, before refocusing his attention on the tanks, that both attackers seemed to prefer as their chosen battle style. And so the battle raged on on two fronts.

Shockwaves traveled down the mountain and caused many a soldier to look upon the top of the mountain when they weren't battling another foe. Now and then a shockwave would cause a part of the mountain to crack on crush some men under it who had no time to dodge to the side.

Mu Bai, having realised that his time was approaching focused a quarter of his haki into his sword and performing his favorite, single combat technique 'dance of the pebbles' feinted a left strike to the leaders knee which he countered by demeterialising his left knee in preperation, only to be taken by surprise by Mu Bai whirling around his own axis and stomping down hard onto the earth, which made the rocks all around jump into the air and caused the leader to loose his balance and bringing his sword down onto said leaders neck, which ended with the leaders head falling to the ground, lifeless eyes staring at the sky.

After having taken the leader out Mu Bai focused on the already handicapped dinosaur and in the moment of bafflement at their leaders quick demise, stabbed him into the eye straight into the brain and ending another life.

By now the rest of the CP agents, that had been frozen from Mu Bais haki, realised that they had to somehow regain their ability to move. Otherwise none of them would leave this mountain alive.

Exhausted, Mu Bai coughed into his hand, knowing without looking that his hand was stained red, which meant his time had come. Mustering the rest of his remaining spirits strength, Mu Bai raised his sword high into the sky, as if in salute, and brought it down quicker than the eyes could see and with a mighty slash parted the last remaining member of the CP0 into two halfs, along with the whole mountain they were standing on, knowing that only the CP0 agents were any real threat to his disciple.

Slowly the darkness was clouding his vision but he knew his fight had finally come to an end, so he stopped to struggle and let go. After all, he had a worthy legacy to rely on and 'ohhh would the world see', Lee Mu Bai thought to himself before, with a content smile, he closed his eyes to leave on his journey at last.

Out on the sea Azul had seen his masters final move and knew that he had stood proud until the very end, but he could not contain the tears as they freely fell down his cheeks. If in sorrow for his masters passing or in happiness for his masters final stance, to honor his duty as a Sanga and Azuls master, he did not know. But one thing he did know. He would honor his promise to show this world what the Sanga were capable of and it would learn to fear him as they did his master!

Turning away from his home and his masters grave, Azul turned towards the open sea and with a long breath let all his emotions go until a soft smile remained on his face. Oh yes, they would all see...