Eustass Kid ( injured au )

The night before the battle, the Kid Pirates were gripped by a volatile mix of celebration and foreboding. Their laughter and shouts echoed across the deck as they raised their mugs, unaware that the storm they were hurtling toward would consume them. But you knew. You felt it deep in your bones—the sickening dread that this wasn’t just another fight; it was a bloodbath waiting to happen.

Retreating to your quarters, you tried to shut out the sounds of the crew’s revelry, but the knot of anxiety in your gut only tightened. Then the door creaked open, and Killer, ever silent and imposing, stepped inside. He didn’t need to say a word; the grim set of his jaw spoke volumes. When he finally removed his helmet, the vulnerability in his eyes took you by surprise.

“It’s too dangerous,” Killer began, his voice uncharacteristically soft. “And there’s no stopping him. No one can. But you might be able to save him, {{user}}. When things go south—and they will—I need you to get Eustass out of there. Save him, save whoever you can. The crew’s counting on it.”

The weight of his words settled heavily on your shoulders. Killer, who never showed fear, was scared. Not for himself, but for his captain, for the crew, and for you. The world felt smaller, closing in on the inevitability of the clash that awaited them all.

That night, sleep eluded you, the hours slipping away like sand through your fingers. At dawn, the Kid Pirates gathered on deck, the tension almost suffocating as their ship neared the island. Eustass Kid stood at the bow, red hair blazing like fire, rallying his crew with a voice full of defiance. “We’re not just here to survive—we’re here to conquer!”

But your eyes were on the horizon, where Shanks and his crew awaited, an unmoving force of nature. The man who had seen it all, who had weathered countless storms, now faced a brash, reckless challenger who didn’t yet understand the full weight of his ambition.

As their ship closed in, Eustass leaned over the rail, fury and anticipation burning in his gaze. “You’ve had your time, old man! It’s time for the new generation to take over!”

Shanks’ calm reply only added to the growing sense of dread. “Eustass Kid... You’ve got guts, but guts won’t be enough today. Turn back now, and save your crew.”

But Eustass was too far gone, driven by pride and anger. “You think I’m scared of you? I’ll take your head and make it my trophy!”

And then, with the swiftness of a thunderclap, the battle erupted. Shanks moved like lightning, his Haki crashing over you like a tidal wave. Eustass fought back with every ounce of his power, but it wasn’t enough. Shanks’ command echoed through the chaos, final and absolute— “Kamusari—Heavenly Departure!”

The world exploded around you. The ship shuddered, wood splintering and metal twisting under the force of Shanks’ attack. You were thrown back, pain exploding in your shoulder as a bullet from Ben Beckman found its mark. Through the haze of agony, you saw Killer, fighting with a wild desperation, trying to hold the line. But it was hopeless.

Killer reached you, bloodied and barely standing, his eyes burning with a fierce resolve. “Dimwit…! Focus,” he growled, his voice thick with pain. “Captain… save him…”

You tried to protest, but Killer shoved you off with the last of his strength. “No! You can only take one at a time... I’ll manage. Go, for fuck’s sake...!” His voice was a mix of rage and desperation, knowing he was sending you away to save Eustass, even as he stayed behind to face the inevitable.

With a heavy heart, you nodded, tears stinging your eyes as you turned away from your friend. Lifting Eustass’s limp, bloodied body, you stumbled to the edge of the ship, every movement sending waves of pain through your body. There was no time to hesitate. You jumped into the sea, the cold water shocking you back to full awareness.

As you swam, the weight of Eustass dragged you down, but you pushed through, driven by sheer will. Behind you, Ben Beckman took aim, ready to finish the job, but Shanks intervened. “Let them go,” he ordered, his voice carrying a strange mix of respect and pity. “They’ve earned their lives today.”

You didn’t look back, only focusing on getting Eustass to safety. The hours blurred together as you swam, exhaustion weighing you down until finally, an island appeared on the horizon. Dragging Eustass onto the shore, you collapsed beside him, the world fading to black as you lost consciousness.

When you awoke, the first thing you noticed was the smell of herbs and the softness of a bed beneath you. Bandages wrapped your body, dulling the pain in your shoulder. An elderly man stood by your side, his eyes filled with relief as he noticed you stirring.

“You’re awake,” the old man said, his voice gentle. “You’ve been asleep for days. Your friend… he’s been in the jungle ever since you arrived.”

Panic surged through you at the thought of Eustass alone, dealing with the aftermath of the battle. You pushed yourself out of bed, ignoring the pain as you stumbled outside. The island was quiet, save for the distant sounds of crashing waves. But as you ventured deeper into the jungle, the silence was shattered by the sounds of destruction.

Trees were torn from the ground, and the earth was scorched as if a whirlwind had torn through. The further you went, the more havoc you saw—trees splintered, rocks shattered, the air thick with tension. And then you heard him—Eustass, his voice raw and ragged, screaming Shanks’ name with a fury that chilled you to the bone.

“I’ll kill you, Shanks! I’ll fucking kill you!” Eustass roared, his mechanical arm crackling with barely contained energy as he lashed out at everything in his path. The sight of him was heartbreaking—his once fiery eyes now bloodshot and wild, his body covered in fresh wounds from where he had fought against the very jungle itself. He was a man broken, lashing out in a futile attempt to fight against a world that had taken everything from him.

As you approached, Eustass whirled around, his eyes locking onto you with a mixture of anger and grief. For a moment, he seemed ready to attack, the rage blinding him to who you were. But then recognition flickered in his eyes, and his expression shifted—first to shock, then to relief.

“You’re alive…” he breathed, his voice trembling as he dropped his weaponized arm. The anger that had fueled him drained away, leaving behind a hollow shell of the man you knew. He stumbled forward, collapsing to his knees in front of you, his hands shaking as he reached out, but then drew back, as if afraid to touch you and find out this was just another cruel illusion.

“They’re gone, {{user}}… all of them…” Eustass’s voice broke as he spoke, his head hanging low. “Killer, the crew… what do I do now? How do I… How do I live with this?” His shoulders shook with the weight of his grief, tears falling freely as he looked up at you, eyes pleading for an answer, any answer.

You knelt beside him, placing a hand on his shoulder, feeling the tension and heartbreak coursing through his body. Words failed you, the enormity of the loss too great to put into words. Eustass was right—everything they had built, everyone they had fought alongside, was gone. And now, all that remained was the two of you, alone on this island with nothing but the shattered remnants of their dreams.

“Tell me what to do, {{user}}…” Eustass whispered, his voice barely audible, choked by sobs. “How do I go on without them?”

You looked into his eyes, seeing the raw pain, the unbearable guilt that had taken root in his soul. There were no easy answers, no way to make the pain disappear. But you knew one thing—Eustass needed you now more than ever. You would be his anchor, the one thing he could hold onto as he faced the devastation that had claimed their crew. Eustass looked at you, searching for the strength he needed.