"Yeah, One last pullup, Can you beat Ace?" Ao said as he looked at Sabo struggling to do push-ups, he had started a competition for Sabo and Ace, He was planning on Taking these guys as his subordinates once he sets sail, They have unlimited potential like Ao, one is the Son of the pirate king and the other is A fighting Genius.
Two months had slowly passed since he had met Ace and Sabo. Everyday, they would meet in the same spot, go hunting, Eat and train till exhaustion. Ace and Sabo didn't know how to train or how to properly train, they were still children after all, Ao made it his goal to train them till they are strong enough to assist him on being the greatest pirate, and there is also Ace's Dream which he must change and manipulate for him to Join Ao's crew.
Sabo was currently in his 56th pullup but failed to go past it as his arms collapsed and he fell from the tree branch, Luckily Ao managed to catch him.
"56, Train Your body some more and you might be able to beat Ace." Ao said to Sabo who nodded. Sabo was a really nice kid, He wasn't as mischievous as Ace and speech was much more polite than Ace's.
That kid could only cause headaches.
"Oi, Ao. I saw a Tiger, Let's hunt it." Ace said as he came up behind Ao. Ao nodded and turned to Ace along with Sabo who turned as well.
"Where did you see it?" Ao asked Ace. Ace pointed to a seemingly random direction.
"There, it was eating a deer." Ace answered Ao. Nodded and followed Ace. Upon arriving, Sabo's and Ao's jaws dropped. The Tiger was easily As tall as Ao on all fours, Ao was 5'6.
Ao nervously smiled as he looked at the tiger In front of him. From his back, he pulled out a large rod, similar to the one he used to fight off the bandits, This one was bigger, girthier and had a hook like curve instead of the 90 degree bend at the end.
"Guys... You two go behind it, I will go head first." Ao said as Axe seemed like he was about to object but didn't. Ao was stronger than him.
"Okay." Ace and Sabo said as they ran behind the tiger. Ao gulped and stood In front of the tiger with his hooked rod in hand.
"Three... Two... one, Attack." Ao said as he ran towards the front of the tiger, similarly Ace and Sabo imerged from behind the tiger with their pole in hands. Ao jabbed the end of the Rod into the tiger's face. Trapping it's nose in the hook, So violently pulled the rod back just as Sabo and Ace hit it's spine. The Tiger roared violently as it showed it's front teeth, each being the size of Ao's Palm.
Ao jumped back as the tiger swung it's sharp claws at him, Ao was hit by the palm of the Paw but was not cut by the claws.
He was sent back meters, slamming against a tree. His air had winded and his lungs were struggling to breathe. He looked at the tiger slowly approaching Sabo and Ace after Hitting Ao. Ao widened his eyes and rapidly hit the ground multiple times. He had recently learnt this technique a few days ago, when used it would cause him strain and disable his ability to walk for a minute.
"Soru..!"
Ace grinded his teeth as the tiger approached Them, Sabo was in a similar situation. The Tiger lounged at ace and Sabo, They instinctively closed their Eyes as the tiger lunged at them, it's nose bleeding blood.
Ao had managed to appear ahead of just as the tiger jumped, his mouth was covered in blood and the blood was slowly gathering up in his mouth.
"*Pthu* You guys back off." Ao said to Sabo and Ace as they both opened Thier eyes and saw Ao standing protectively. He had become like an elder brother to them, helping them train and guiding them.
The tiger's paws clashed with Ao's rod as spark's released. Ao was staring into the Tiger's eyes, His eyes clashed with the tigers eyes as The intent to kill started seeping out.
It wasn't The tiger, It was Ao, In a sudden burst of power, an aura was released, The tiger started struggling to keep up with Ao and it's body was failing to stand up.
Ace and Sabo's eyes slowly started blinking as their consciousness started to fade.
Ao, On a burst of strength and power, pushed the tiger back, Before performing a slash, Piercing and cutting the tiger's eyes and making it blind.
Ao took the hook of his rod and inserted it into the tiger's throat, he violently pulled back as the rod sliced up the insides of the tiger, Killing it.
Ao soon collapsed after killing the tiger.