Equipment: 2 x energy pistol 2 upgrades. EDI. Central System.

task:

Rokuju's mind was a muddle of comings and goings. Not only was today the biggest job of the year for her, but she had a few loose ends needed to be tied up. Earlier this morning, she had shipped off a pair of high grade Ravager Gauntlets to one of her overseas clients. She had also set up EDI to begin creating a list of new products so that they would be ready for sale. Yes, it seemed that her business was in full swing now. Looking down at her hands, she couldn't believe where she had ended up, her current life seeming so different from her past...

-----
~Fourteen years ago~

A young Rokuju had slipped into the laboratory for the third time this week. She was only eight years old at this point, and had become fascinated with what was going on behind that closed door. The most peculiar noises, lights and even smells came from that room, it was a tantalising mystery for someone so young and curious. When she had been in there before, she had been caught. Afraid of what the researchers would do, she was surprised when they had let her stay and watch what they were doing. Not that they could ever do anything to her, as she was the young mistress of the household, but it was still beyond their job description to show her hospitality. Even now, Ro could still remember how Zinnibar and his wife had sat her down at the table and given her a pair of safety goggles. They talked to her about what they were doing, not bothering with any of the kiddie talk nor treating her like some higher up. She couldn’t understand what they were saying, but the long strings of technical terminology made her mind blossom into patterns of complex neuron links over the years. It felt natural to her, and much more comfortable than when she was in the company of her own parents.

So it was on that nondescript day that she decided to visit again. She wasn’t ‘supposed’ to go in there, but Zinnibar had ‘accidentally’ left the bottom window ajar so that she may slip in. And in she went, to find no one in the lab presently. From the sounds coming from the back room, it sounded like they were getting some equipment that they needed. Unable to contain her curiosity, Rokuju climbed up onto a nearby chair to look around on the table.


[418]

Ravager Gauntlets (already made) shipped to Elisa Darkwalker

EDI (20% wc reduction on crafting) set up with crafting skill Automated System

418/400 Make Weapon: Ravager Gauntlets

There were a bunch of tubes in beakers, most of them with colourless liquid although a couple had a piece of something inside them. But there was one thing that attracted the little girl’s eye. There was a large golden plum sitting to the side. Long curly lines ran around the fruit, which looked a lot like how her own eyebrows curled up at their ends. The stalk of the fruit looked like a green pig’s tail, with one small leaf branching off of it. A few small pieces of the fruit had been cut out, that was probably what the objects in the beakers were.


Why were they so interested in this fruit? Ro’s curious mind could tell that they were running some sort of experiment, but unsure of what or why. It did look like a delicious fruit… Maybe she should go over and have a taste. Just one bite wouldn’t hurt would it? Reaching over to palm the golden treat, she admired it for a second before chomping down. Expecting it to be sweet, the flesh went down her throat before she came to realise it’s taste. Like a burning putrid poison, she had never experienced anything that assaulted the senses quite like that before, or since. Throwing the fruit back onto the table in disgust, she almost fell off the chair in surprise. But it had been too late. Ro had partaken in the Devil’s Fruit, and her life would never be the same. Only her family and a few others ever learned of this secret. Ro would go on to hide the new side of her, unable and unwilling to comprehend her own state.
-----


Present day


The Vinsmoke girl had been given the contract for dealing with some rather troublesome pirates. It was turning out to be another hot day on Sandy Island and the stage was set for her performance. As of now, she was following the squad that had been provided to her by the king, meant to assist her in her mission. They were traveling to the village in question, that had been baited for the pirates. If all was to go to plan, the sea dogs would fall into her trap and they would be home for tea. She had already conferred with the squad leader, and had discussed the basic outlines of the mission. They had been ordered to help carry out her plans, and Rokuju was glad to have some support. However, the men in this group didn’t look particularly experienced. It looked more like an outing for the new recruits, giving some field experience to those who needed it most. She hoped that this wouldn’t cause too much of a problem with their performance. Maybe it was a good thing, some elite troops were less likely to be so subservient to a freelancer such as herself.


It had only been yesterday in which she had met with the king and taken the task, duly so as it was understood to be a time sensitive task. However, this didn’t come without it’s difficulties. It had put a strain on her preparations and really put her creativity to the test. She had done some shopping around the capital and organised what she could as far as materials were concerned, from there she headed to a workshop and got as much done as she could before hitting the hay. Thankfully, she had a few things prepared beforehand with her,and she could already tell that these would come in handy. Of course, she had charged a couple of the king’s men to cart her gear through the desert dunes on their way to the fringe village.


[626]

644/400 Upgrade: Ravager gauntlets - 1 upgrade
244/200 Refined Smith: Ravager gauntlets - 2 upgrades

They had been traveling most of the day and when they arrived, the sun had already settled down below the horizon for the night. It was important to set up camp during the night because if the village was being observed by the pirates then they would need the dark to hide their movements. Upon reaching the town, an old man came out to greet them. It was the village elder. He had been previously notified of the crown’s intentions, and told not to tell the rest of his people. Any irregular behavior by the residence and the pirates may smell something. With his help, the squad went door to door and rallied up the people quietly. Rokuju watched as they were told of their plans and escorted out of the village. They would be staying out a few miles away in tents where they would be guarded by half of the squad. Quietly they were lead away and the village returned to its undisturbed state.


Now, Rokuju was accompanied by seven other souls. Five men and two women were what she had to work with from now on. Hopefully this would be enough to pull off her plan without a hitch. “Alright ladies and gents, it’s time to get to work. Grab the wire and batteries from the cart. I have the plans with me, set it up exactly how I’ve shown. It’s going to be a long night, let’s get this done so we can catch a few hours of rest before dawn.” She called quietly. Tomorrow might just end up being an interesting day.


They say that the only sure thing is that the sun will rise in the morning, and the next morning was no exception. A few of the squad were already up, and they were dressed in clothes borrowed from the villagers. Any signs of the king’s troops occupying the fringe town were gone, and Rokuju had tried to create as realistic of a ruse as possible. For someone looking in, it would hopefully appear that daily life was going ahead as normal. As a mining town this place was quite prosperous while there was ore beneath the dunes. The people here were well off and would be a prime target for the pirates. Looking at their strike pattern as they moved up the coast, this place would not be missed. They would be here any day now. All preparations had been made by this time, Rokuju was not just waiting for the show to start. She hoped for her own sake that they would show up, so that she could do the job that she had been hired for.

[452]

496/400 Make Weapon: Energy Pistol

Currently she was relaxing on the second story deck with a glass of water in her hand. She could overhear one of the junior soldiers complaining about his job sweeping up the courtyard. She did have to agree that having the task of keeping the courtyard clean of sand did seem like a futile waste of time. Ro made the note for the tenth time about the lazy work ethic of the soldiers. These were not drilled veterans. They were lazy and low grade. However she could ignore that as long as they could execute her very basic plan to the t.


As the glass came up to her lips to spill the last of the cold liquid down her throat, her eyes twitched out to the horizon. The dust and sand was stirring ever so slightly. Not like a storm, or even a simple gust, more like a low lying kick-up. Then they came up over the next hill. The sheer number of bodies that she could pick out was a lot bigger than she had originally thought, hopefully she could still execute her plan. It looked about 50 from what she could see. She placed her glass down without hurry. It looked like showtime had come. She stood and walked over to the bell next to her, picking it up and ringing it twice. The soldier squad looked up at her, some faces were anxious, others were grim. “Get into positions, they’ll be here in two minutes!” She called out. Taking her own advice, Ro would retreat back into the house. The plan was to wait back here and let her inventions do the dirty work.


Yes, just as she had thought, it was Captain Snarl and his pack of dogs. The very same pirates that she had supplied just over a week ago. She didn’t have any guilt putting down her past customers, they would be of more value to her dead now. At least she had a chance to see her own equipment up close in action. As the men rushed into the town courtyard, they screamed and yelled, wielding their finely tuned instruments with barbaric swings. Oh well, it looked like her work is wasted on such souls anyway. The first pack of bodies made their way into the centre of the village, their cries became savage as they ran for the buildings, going to attempt to rip people out of their homes and have at their hard earned wealth. Rokuju sat in the back of the in as she saw the first grunts approach her building. It was time. Her index finger pressed down on the first button, sending down an electrical message to the devices littered about the courtyard. Most of the pirates had made their way into the village at this point. What they didn’t know was that there were a bunch of small speakers littered throughout the courtyard at different angles. Just when the space in the village had met critical mass, the speakers emitted a piercing screech which permeated the space. Ro and the soldiers weren’t affected, being in the outer housing. Bodies crumpled to the ground, clutching at their ears, some began bleeding from the ears and a couple simply passed out by the sheer force.

[552]

648/400 Upgrade: Energy Pistol 0 -> 1
200/248 Refined Smith: Energy Pistol 1 -> 2

And that’s when the soldiers popped up from their hiding positions, rifles in hand, taking pot shots at whoever had not been caught in the trap. This was the backup net, as Ro knew that not everyone would get caught. Bodies were being dropped left and right, some of the pirates managed to return fire, catching out two of the men. But for the most part, their prepared fortification gave them a significant advantage during the chaos. And then there was that huge hulking mass. Captain snarl strode into the village, seemingly ignoring the speaker trap. It was like he was a moving castle, emanating a dominating aura. Ro could tell just by looking at him that this was a dangerous man in battle. Now that the last of the pirates had arrived, it looked to her like time for phase two.


The fight had begun, and the plan was now on a time sensitive scale. Rokuju moved over to the generator and flipped the switch. On command, two of the soldiers hidden in the adjacent building heaved on a pulley which pulled the attached wire taught. Where did this wire lead? It lead all around the courtyard, pulling it tight made the wire rise up from underneath the sand into a web that arched from building to building. Straight away, Rokuju would press the last button, sending a huge voltage through the wire, down into the chaos below. The pirates who were still preoccupied with the aching and debilitating sound were too busy to notice they had been trapped on all sides by the wire. Pulled tight, bodies were pressed up against the wire and received the deadly zap, convulsing their bodies and dropping them to the floor. A mass of disorder as men clamoured over their falling comrades as they tried to get away, only to fall into the razor sharp wire or be blasted by concussive sound. For few seconds, Rokuju was pleased with how her plan was unfolding. It was all working. But she had not accounted for a few things.


The first being the massive beast that was the captain of the pirates. He meandered forwards, his creased brow not giving way to the chaos. He drew his great axe and cleaved through the wire. The electricity sizzled through his body but didn’t seem to affect him at all. He kept going through the courtyard, slowly laying waste to Rokuju’s trap. He must have quite the powerful armament haki, that was for sure.

[421]

469/400 Make Weapon: Blitz Sticks

The second thing she hadn’t counted on was the proficiency of the Mongrel Pirate’s officers. There looked to be about 5 of them in total. Wide grins were worn as they ducked through the web of wire and headed straight for the generator room, the room that was to the side of Rokuju. This was bad, they could ruin everything. Shit shit. She got to her feet and readied herself. She may just have to join the fight herself so that the job gets done. This was not ideal at all. After checking that her weapons were all ready to go, she waited for the officers to enter.


Crash, the busted straight through the wooden walls, and headed straight for the machine that was giving off the electric charge. Ro would spin around the corner and let her pistols transform out of the boxes on her wrist so that they filled her hands. Having not loaded them, they switched to energy rounds. She managed to fire off two shots from each before they had turned to acknowledge her. The energy rounds wizzed into them, two made direct contact, and two were fired wide, but still hit the wall behind them. Each then expanded into a 2m blast, ragdolling the five men as they were hit from different angles by the blasts. The blasts ate chunks out of the buildings, the concentrated energy singeing straight through the wooden material, carving out the side of the inn.


Three of the men got up, again surprising the Lady Vinsmoke. Two rushed straight for her, while one drew his weapon and plunged it straight into the generator. Rokuju could not get her guard up in time, if she was to fire shots at the two advancing men, the blasts would surely hit her as well. She had to do it, she had to resort to that power. Rokuju glowed golden for just a moment as rays of light ran from her body, into the oncoming men. They would not even see it coming even though they were looking right at her. The lasers of pure energy pierced their bodies and their life ended before the next moment came to pass. Looking up at the last man, she saw him destroy the generator as the sparks flew from his weapon, his body spasming after completing his last job. The officers of the Mongrel Pirates were dead, but they had completed their mission of disabling the trap.

[413]

Spoiler:

482/400 Upgrade: Blitz Sticks (1 upgrade)

Breathing in, and then out. She was ready. Standing back from the wall for a second, Ro would fire an energy round into the courtyard facing wall of the inn so that she may make a doorway for her to enter the main battle. Just after it hit, she gave in to the demon, letting it take hold of her worldly form. She shot forwards as a glowing body at the speed of light, coming to rest five metres above the middle of the courtyard. In her hands lay her energy pistols, and they pointed down at the pirates below her. Round after round she emptied into the battlefield, her bottom half whirling in a yellow mist as she twirled. Blast after blast smashed through bodies and buildings and stone and sand alike until everything was reduced to rubble. Like lambs to the slaughter.. The insects perished below her heavenly firestorm.


But there was one that was left. Captain Snarl, his skin the dark colour of busoshoku haki. It was fitting that such a man would survive even the direct strike of an energy gun. He had been pushed down to his knees, but now he stood again, drooling frothy foam from the mouth, he brandished his axe at the young woman who floated above him. His form twisted as he grew another foot in height. His muscles bunched and his face contorted. He grew into a beast, an ugly canine form. He readied himself, then leapt into the air with enough strength in his hind legs to attempt to reach the young woman. He still had the will to live, so be it. Rokuju held her hands above herself, as if she could reach up and draw from the sun itself. Then she brought them down and together, balling her two hands. As she did so, the light around Snarl condensed into a shining white ball, his busoshoku haki struggling, then failing. He would never reach her, the flesh began to disintegrate into powdery ash and the next instant, there was nothing left of him.


It was over. All of the pirates and been culled. Out from underneath one of the half demolished buildings, a young soldier limped out to see Rokuju float down to the floor, her legs condensing back into flesh. He watched her, wide eyed. “You- you killed them all, you have the powers of a devil fruit!”
“Tell me, who else is still alive?” Ro responded. She wanted this wrapped up as soon as possible. His eyes fell downward.
“I’m the only one left. I cant-”
“Good.” Rokuju raised her pistol and fired a round straight through the young man’s forehead. There would be no witnesses of what she had done today.

[564]

Spoiler:

646/200 Refined Smith: Blitz Sticks (2 upgrades)
446/400 Make Gadget: EDI

~exit~
Thread Closed

Some notes on my grading:
The set up went off too well without a hitch
The boss kept tanking the traps and shots without trying to get out of the way
The use of traps was actually cool. I liked the idea of using traps to overcome an oppontent that was much stronger.
I don't like that the tier 4 boss didn't get the attention it needed. Kiting him out and playing a battle of attrition would have made it more believable. So going if you do anything else for these powerful bosses you are facing, at the very least run yourself ragged doing it first.

750k beli
5 million bounty
16k ep
3 Sp