The fog clung thickly to the sea, rolling like a living thing over the waters. It wasn't just any fog—it was Hiro's fog, an extension of his powers. It was as if the very fabric of reality had twisted under the weight of his will. The storm raged around the Midnight Reaper, but Hiro and his crew stood at the center, unmoving and unyielding.
The Thunder Reaver's crew was disoriented. The storm had not just thrown them off course—it had created a wall between them and any possibility of easy victory. Waves crashed against the sides of their ships, lightning illuminated the darkened skies, and thunder echoed like a warning to all who dared challenge the Night Guild.
Vexor the Stormbringer stood tall on the deck of his ship, his face twisted in frustration. His hands crackled with electricity, and the air around him thrummed with energy. He had been confident in his ability to control the storm, to bend it to his will. But now, he was trapped inside it, a mere pawn in a game he had no hope of understanding.
"You dare challenge me?" Vexor shouted over the wind, his voice amplified by a sound-based device. "The Stormbringer does not bow to anyone!"
Hiro stood at the bow of the Midnight Reaper, his eyes narrowing as he took in the chaos. He could sense Vexor's anger, his desperation, but Hiro was a man who thrived in the storm. It was his domain. His to command. He glanced over his shoulder, his expression cold.
"Demetrius," Hiro said calmly, "take the left flank. Soruto, stay high. We need to make sure they can't regroup."
Demetrius gave a quick nod and leaped into action, his swords drawn, ready to cut through anything that stood in his way. Soruto Feng took his position in the crow's nest, his sniper rifle steady in his hands, his eyes scanning the enemy ships with practiced precision.
Celeste, the ship's navigator, stood by Hiro's side, her silver eyes shimmering with power. She raised her hand to the sky, and the winds shifted, bending to her will as she directed the storm to further disorient the pirates. Her mastery over the weather made her a formidable ally in battle, and today, it would be the deciding factor.
Hikari stood behind them, a quiet smile on her lips as she prepared for the upcoming conflict. She was always ready, and her role as vice captain meant she would be in the thick of the action, supporting Hiro and the crew as needed.
The battle was about to begin.
---
On the Enemy Fleet
Vexor slammed his fist against the railing of his ship, his frustration palpable. "Dammit! We should've seen this coming!"
His second-in-command, a large man with an axe slung across his back, stepped forward. "Captain, we can't stay in this storm forever. The Night Guild is too powerful! We need to break out!"
Vexor growled, his eyes flashing with fury. "Then we break out. But this time, we fight with everything we have."
He turned his attention to his crew, who were still struggling to regain their footing amidst the chaos. "Prepare the cannons! All hands, fire at will! Bring them down!"
The crew of the Thunder Reaver scrambled into action, firing their cannons blindly into the storm, hoping to hit something—anything. But it was futile. The storm was Hiro's weapon, and it was impenetrable.
Just then, a loud thud echoed from the distance as the first blast of cannonfire ricocheted off the Midnight Reaper's hull, failing to break through. Hiro watched, unmoved, his hand resting lightly on the hilt of his sword. The cannonballs, though powerful, couldn't even touch the ship. The Midnight Reaper had been designed for this—a ship made for the storm.
Vexor, seeing his attacks fail, knew it was time for something different. "On my mark! Get ready for the counterattack!"
---
Hiro's lips curled into a small smirk. Vexor's frustration played right into his hands. Hiro wasn't interested in simply destroying the fleet; he wanted to send a message. A message that no one would challenge the Night Guild without paying the price.
"All hands, prepare for battle!" Hiro's voice rang out across the deck, his tone commanding. "Let's show these fools what the Night Guild is made of!"
In an instant, Demetrius was already at the forefront, his swords flashing through the air as he cut down the nearest enemy crew member. His speed and precision were unmatched, each strike landing with lethal intent. He moved with the grace of a dancer, yet his blade struck with the force of a thunderclap.
Soruto, from his perch high in the crow's nest, picked off enemy pirates one by one, each shot ringing out with pinpoint accuracy. His rifle echoed in the storm, the sound cutting through the chaos like a haunting melody.
Celeste moved swiftly, her hands raised to the sky as the wind began to howl louder. She twisted the storm around her, sending bolts of lightning crashing down onto the enemy ships. Her power over the weather was like a symphony in motion, each gust of wind and crack of thunder orchestrated perfectly.
And then there was Hikari, calm and collected, her eyes focused as she assessed the battlefield. She dashed forward, her twin daggers flashing as she cut through enemy pirates with brutal efficiency. Her movements were swift, precise, and deadly—every strike landing with a calculated intent.
The Thunder Reaver's crew fought back with everything they had, but they were no match for the Night Guild Pirates. Hiro stood at the helm, watching the battlefield unfold before him. He wasn't involved in the fighting yet—he didn't need to be. His crew had everything under control.
"Vexor," Hiro muttered, his voice cold. "You should have stayed out of the storm."
With a single motion, Hiro raised his hand. "Nightmare Surge."
The air around them trembled, as if the very world was bending to Hiro's will. In an instant, a massive wave of darkness and storm energy surged outward from the Midnight Reaper, crashing into the enemy ships with the force of a thousand hurricanes. The wave tore through the Thunder Reaver's fleet, shattering hulls, sending men flying, and swallowing the ships whole in a tempest of shadow.
Vexor's eyes widened in shock as the wave of darkness reached his ship. "No! This can't—!"
But it was too late. The Thunder Reaver was overwhelmed, torn apart by the sheer power of Hiro's will. The fleet was broken, scattered, and crushed in the storm's wake.
---
Aftermath
The storm began to settle as the last remnants of the enemy fleet were lost to the depths. The Midnight Reaper remained standing strong, its crew victorious. Hiro stood at the bow, his expression hard as ever, watching the remains of Vexor's ships disappear into the sea.
"Is it over, Captain?" Hikari asked, approaching him with a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes.
Hiro didn't respond at first, his gaze fixed on the horizon. "It's never over," he said quietly, his tone low. "But they won't be coming after us again."
As the storm continued to fade and the sky began to clear, Hiro's thoughts turned once more to Luffy. The battle had been fierce, but it was just another stepping stone. Every pirate he crushed, every obstacle he overcame, was one step closer to finding his brother.
The world would soon know the name Monkey D Hiro—not just as a pirate, but as something far more dangerous.
---
End of Chapter 3