Part 12: Let’s make a total mess... 28/36

Nami, as a navigator, could afford to be weak. Sanji-aniki, as a cook, could afford to be weak — he could, but he didn't allow it! Their future family doctor could afford to be weak. A carpenter and a musician, if they ever found them, could afford to be weak. Because all of them, without any personal strength, could bring undeniable benefits to the family, and in the case of Nami and Sanji-aniki, already did. That's why Johnny and Yosaku absolutely could not afford to be weak. Unlike everyone else, the guys knew nothing but fighting. Nami was the best navigator in East Blue! Sanji-aniki, except for the old man Zeff with his age and experience, was the best cook in East Blue! Zoro-aniki was the strongest swordsman in East Blue. Usopp, even without considering the incomprehensibly awakened and functioning Haki, turned out to be a monster capable of shooting from anything and hitting targets under any conditions. And finally, Luffy-aniki… Luffy-aniki was the person whom all the aforementioned people obeyed unconditionally, which spoke for itself better than a hundred thousand words. With such a family, Johnny and Yosaku knew for sure that if they couldn't become strong, they would always feel like a pair of parasites. And even if all the other family members thought otherwise, their own opinion of themselves would not change.

"Karyu no Hoko (Roar of the Fire Dragon)!!!" Johnny immediately understood what Yosaku meant by calling to burn everything around, so all the power of his attack was directed straight at Yosaku, who continued to struggle helplessly in Smokey's smoky grip.

Now, the guys perceived their own weakness not only as a personal insult but also as an insult to Luffy-aniki and Zoro-aniki. After so much training, after acquiring Devil Fruit powers, after all the new knowledge and experience, after all the effort and money invested in them, Johnny and Yosaku sincerely believed that they simply had no right to be weak. Anyone else from their family could be weak, but not them. Consequently, if their own weakness was considered 'merely' an insult, losing to any opponent outside their family could be considered a full-blown slap in the face. And it wasn't just about them — they would wipe their faces, become stronger, and then take brutal revenge — but it was also a slap in the face to Zoro-aniki and Luffy-aniki, which was absolutely unacceptable. Johnny and Yosaku were ready to die rather than allow anything like that. As for Yosaku, he was even prepared to die as many times as it took to defeat his opponent… This was at the root of their hatred for Logias — no amount of their efforts could let them win in a direct fight. When facing a Logia, the guys could only hope for Luffy-aniki and Zoro-aniki's help. No matter how much strength Johnny and Yosaku exerted, it was simply impossible for them to defeat a Logia. They couldn't even fight such an opponent. In fact, they couldn't do the one thing they knew how to do. Consequently, Johnny and Yosaku reacted to the appearance of a Logia, like Smokey, like two bulls to a red rag. All they wanted right now was to tear the damned Marine to pieces.

"Everyone get on the ground!!!" Smokey shouted his new order as soon as he saw the fiery storm coming toward him, created by Johnny.

It had been too short a time since Smokey's first order, so the street behind the captain was still crowded with his soldiers. Meanwhile, Johnny's new attack was noticeably more powerful than the previous one. If the first attack was a test of his new powers, Johnny put everything he had into the second attack. The fire immediately spread out and up, filling all the free space on the street. The heat made the glass shatter, roofs catch fire, and stone melt, and yet, the main blow was directed straight at Smokey and Yosaku. Johnny's fire attack couldn't harm a Logia, but it was enough to blow away the smoke enveloping Yosaku… while also roasting Yosaku himself. Fortunately, he was used to it.

Through the roaring flames and the frightened shouts of the marines, one could easily hear Yosaku's somewhat hysterical laughter, interspersed with the familiar curses from Johnny. Yosaku was in excruciating pain — hence the familiar curses — but at the same time, he was extraordinarily pleased with their small victory over the invulnerable Logia. For Smokey, reflecting Johnny's attack required him to fully use the power of his fruit. Smokey's smoke, like Johnny's fire, stretched from house to house, spreading across the entire width of the street. At the same time, Smokey did not try to block the fire head-on. By forming something like a giant ramp out of smoke, Smokey allowed the fire attack to reach his smoke and then sent all that fire straight into the sky. The captain managed this with some effort and time, but he once again managed to save his subordinates from imminent death had they been hit by such an attack. Except for the closest soldiers to Smokey, who got slightly burned, the other marines were only mildly frightened.

"Yosaku, get up faster!" While Smokey was busy defending against his attack, Johnny did not waste time and found his friend among the surrounding fire and smoke. Thanks to the loud laughter and unending curses, Johnny had no trouble finding him. "We need to get out of here!"

An attack capable of melting stone could not pass without consequences for the human body. Someone unaccustomed or unprepared might be sickened by Yosaku's appearance and the smell coming from him. His clothes had turned into pitiful, burnt rags, which were fused to his body. At times like these, Johnny couldn't help but acknowledge his friend's willpower. Whether immortal or not, the Devil Fruit did not protect Yosaku from ordinary pain, but the guy threw himself into any blows without the slightest hesitation, as if pain was insignificant to him. And while it wasn't always like this — initially, Yosaku reacted to pain just like any other normal person would — by now, Yosaku's threshold for enduring pain had long exceeded all reasonable limits. A year ago, if someone had burned him alive, he would not only have been in tears from the pain but might also have wet his pants from fear, and no one would have been surprised. Now? Yosaku was left almost as a burning head, yet he managed to laugh and curse. Moreover, his laughter was malicious — after all, they managed to wipe the nose of the damned Logia, even if just a little! And a year ago, Yosaku couldn't regenerate with the astonishing speed he could now. From the burnt head, right before Johnny's eyes, Yosaku rapidly turned back into his usual self… only completely naked.

"If only my fruit could restore clothes too, it would be priceless!" As soon as he fully regenerated and looked at himself, Yosaku complained first.

"It's priceless as it is," Johnny disagreed.

"Don't say that… we bought my fruit for a very specific price… just like yours, actually. And hit the jackpot. A Legendary Dragon and Immortal, I think we make a pretty good combination," surprisingly, Yosaku almost beamed with satisfaction, as if for a moment he completely forgot about the opposing Logia.

"Stop yammering, we need to get out of here quickly before that bastard takes us seriously."

"Get out of here?" Yosaku looked at his friend in confusion. "You want to run away?"

"Have you already forgotten how our last encounter with a Logia ended?" It must be admitted, the rolling fiery eyes looked incredibly strange, especially on a toothy, scaly person covered in fiery lines.

***************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************

Thanks to everyone who is supporting with PS.

Please consider supporting with power stones and also consider supporting on patre*n -> moctopus

(the Loguetown arc is finished in there, and next one started explaining part of Luffy's past...)