DXD: The Awakening Of Phenex

The tension hung over Loguetown like a thick cloud as chaos consumed the central plaza. Buggy, with his eccentric grin and eyes gleaming with fury, pointed one of his detached hands loaded with daggers toward the top of the execution platform.

"Straw Hat! Your end has come!" yelled Buggy, launching his body parts as projectiles toward Luffy.

"Soru!" shouted Luffy, disappearing in a blur of speed before the attacks could reach him.

Buggy, confused, frantically looked around as his parts reassembled on the platform. "What? Where did he go? That brat can't just vanish!"

Luffy reappeared on the ground beside the platform, carrying Usopp like a sack of potatoes. "Usopp, you need to calm down. This is part of the fun!" he said, his wide smile beaming.

"Fun? Are you out of your mind? This is a battlefield! Put me down now!" yelled Usopp, struggling in vain.

Laughing, Luffy placed Usopp on the ground. "I can use what Riser taught me! This is amazing!" he exclaimed, clearly proud of his ability.

From the top of the platform, Buggy finally spotted the two and threw himself into the air, scattering his parts like a wild tornado. "You think you can escape me? I am the great Buggy!" he yelled, sending his hands as blades toward Luffy.

Luffy deftly dodged, leaping to the side. "You're just as annoying as ever, Buggy!" he taunted, his confident grin unfaltering.

Meanwhile, Alvida watched the fight from a safe position. Her eyes analyzed every move, quickly realizing Buggy stood no chance against Luffy. She sighed, resigned. "That idiot will destroy himself. I might as well do something useful."

She ran toward Usopp, who was frozen in fear, watching the chaos unfold around him. "You, boy! Stay close to me if you don't want to be crushed in this mess," she said, grabbing Usopp by the collar and dragging him away from the conflict.

"What? Why are you helping me?" asked Usopp, his voice trembling as he tried to pull away.

"I'm just following Riser's orders," replied Alvida, her voice dripping with disdain. "Don't get any ideas. If it were up to me, you'd stay right where you are."

"Riser? You know Riser?" exclaimed Usopp, his surprise evident. His wide eyes reflected a mix of disbelief and curiosity.

"Shut up and move," snapped Alvida, letting go of Usopp's collar with a brusque gesture. She seemed irritated but kept her sharp eyes on the chaos unfolding around them.

At that moment, Nami emerged in the central plaza, her eyes immediately capturing the sight of Alvida releasing Usopp. "What's going on here?" Nami yelled, running toward them.

Before Alvida or Usopp could respond, the imposing figure of Tashigi appeared among the fleeing civilians. "You are all under arrest!" declared Tashigi, her sword drawn as she pointed at Nami, Alvida, and Usopp. "As agents of disorder, there will be no tolerance!"

"What? I didn't do anything!" shouted Nami, raising her hands in protest. "You have the wrong person!"

"And me?" asked Usopp, quickly raising his hands. "I'm just a scared civilian! You can't arrest me for being here!"

"You will all be taken in for questioning," declared Tashigi, ignoring the protests as she gestured to the Marines accompanying her. "Arrest them immediately!"

The group was surrounded by Marines, their weapons raised as the tension reached its peak. The chaos around them only escalated, with Luffy still fighting Buggy just a few meters away, completely ignoring the growing turmoil in the plaza.

...

The dense mist of smoke filled the air as Smoker advanced with unwavering determination. His jitte, tipped with Kairoseki, reflected the faint glow of the lamps scattered along the streets of Loguetown. He didn't hide his frustration; the rigid expression on his face revealed his growing anger at Riser's continued evasions.

"You can't keep running forever!" roared Smoker, swinging his jitte in a swift arc toward Riser.

"Who said I was running?" replied Riser, smoothly leaning to the side, effortlessly dodging the attack. "It seems more like I'm toying with you, doesn't it?" His voice carried a teasing tone, and a wry smile curled his lips.

WHOOSH!

The smoke around Smoker thickened, swirling like a controlled storm. "You won't escape!" he yelled, his voice echoing through the empty streets. He charged again, the jitte slicing through the air with deadly precision.

Riser remained calm, evading each strike with calculated and graceful movements. "If this is what you call effort, Smoker, I'm starting to feel disappointed," he said, spinning lightly to avoid another blow.

SWISH!

The smoke expanded in a devastating wave, enveloping both of them in a dense mist. Smoker seized the opportunity to attack again, charging with all his strength. "Now you have nowhere to run!" he shouted, delivering a direct strike with the jitte.

CLANG!

Before Smoker could land the blow, Riser moved with agility, completely dodging the attack. With precise movement, he grabbed the jitte mid-air, twisting it out of Smoker's reach.

"Looks like you're not at your best today," said Riser, spinning the jitte in his hand as if it were a toy. "An impressive weapon, I must admit. Must have been expensive."

"Give it back right now, Riser!" shouted Smoker, his tone seething with fury as the smoke around him began to condense again.

"Give it back?" Riser raised an eyebrow, a malicious smile forming on his lips. "Why would I do that? You don't seem to know how to use it properly. Perhaps I should show you how it's done."

With a swift motion, Riser spun the jitte and, before Smoker could react, drove the Kairoseki-tipped end directly into the center of the smoke mass.

CRACKLE!

The smoke around them dissipated instantly, as if absorbed by the weapon. Smoker stumbled, his eyes wide as he felt the energy drain from his body. He fell to his knees, his breathing heavy and labored.

"What... did you do?" murmured Smoker, his voice trembling as he tried to gather strength to stand. But his body wouldn't respond; the power of his Devil Fruit had been completely neutralized.

Riser took a step forward, the jitte still firmly in his hand. "Looks like you're more human now, Smoker. Without your smoke to hide your weakness, you're just another powerless man."

Smoker, though kneeling and gasping for air, raised his gaze to Riser. His eyes, despite the evident weakness, were filled with determination. "This... isn't over," he said with effort, his voice loaded with conviction.

"Determined to the end? Admirable," replied Riser, leaning forward until he was just inches from Smoker. "But determination without strength is just stubbornness."

With a sudden movement, Riser pressed the jitte's tip against Smoker's chest, pinning him to the ground. The Marine captain tried to resist, but his body was too weak to respond. The weight of the weapon seemed to crush him.

THUD!

"Do you feel that, Smoker?" Riser continued, a cold smile playing on his lips. "That's the feeling of being defeated. Of being completely at someone else's mercy. It must be humiliating."

Smoker clenched his teeth, his fists tight against the ground. Even immobilized, he kept his gaze fixed on Riser, without a trace of surrender. "You can take me down, but you'll never... break me," he said with effort.

Riser chuckled softly, straightening up. "I hope not. It would be a waste, after all. Men like you are useful for keeping the game interesting."

Riser spun the jitte skillfully, holding it firmly before raising it above his head. "Now, excuse me, Smoker. I have another matter to attend to."

THWACK!

The tip of the jitte struck Smoker's forehead precisely, the sound echoing through the empty street. Smoker collapsed to the side, unconscious, and the smoke around him disappeared entirely. The captain was defeated, but his determination remained evident even in his state of vulnerability.

Riser straightened, casting a glance upward, where an enigmatic figure observed him from the top of a building. He took a step forward, his expression calm but with a glint of curiosity in his eyes.

"Are you enjoying the show?" said Riser, his tone teasing, as he disappeared in a blur and reappeared instantly on the rooftop, a few meters from the observer.

The figure remained still, their clothes billowing in the breeze. Their presence was imposing, and their eyes carried an unusual determination.

"Monkey D. Dragon," murmured Riser, a faint smile curving his lips. "What brings such a notorious figure to such an insignificant scene?"

"I could ask you the same, Riser. A man with the strength of an admiral in the weakest sea," replied Dragon, crossing his arms as he kept his gaze fixed on Riser.

"Just enjoying a vacation," replied Riser in a relaxed tone, spreading his arms as if presenting the scene around him. "Sometimes, it's good to step away from the chaos and just... relax."

Dragon raised an eyebrow, his expression hardening. "Do you expect me to believe that? A man like you, seeking rest?"

"I expect nothing, Dragon," said Riser, his smile widening in an almost defiant gesture. "You don't believe it because you don't want to, and frankly, that doesn't concern me. What you think of me is irrelevant."

Dragon remained silent for a few seconds, evaluating Riser's every word. Finally, he slowly turned, as if deciding the conversation was over. However, before taking the first step to leave, he issued a warning.

"You'd better ensure your fun doesn't lead to Luffy's death," said Dragon, his voice low but imbued with undeniable authority.

"Interesting how much you care for him," replied Riser, maintaining his composure. "But rest assured. If Luffy dies, it won't be because of me."

Dragon glanced over his shoulder, his eyes as sharp as blades. "I'll believe that promise for now. But remember, Riser, I'm always watching."

Riser tilted his head slightly, as if acknowledging the seriousness of Dragon's words, yet he kept the smile on his lips. "Then enjoy the show, Dragon. I'm sure it'll be memorable."

With a quick, fluid movement, Dragon vanished, leaving Riser alone on the rooftop. He gazed at the horizon for a moment, as if reflecting on the encounter, before turning his attention back to the plaza below.

"Looks like the vacation just got more interesting," Riser murmured to himself, disappearing again in a blur, as the city of Loguetown remained engulfed in its growing tension.

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