As the Son of Mihawk in One Piece

Rain pelted the rusted metal roof of Bluejam's makeshift headquarters at the edge of Gray Terminal.

Inside, Bluejam paced like a caged animal, his heavy boots leaving muddy tracks across the floor with each turn.

"Three weeks," he growled, fingers twitching near the pistol at his hip. "Three fucking weeks and still nothing!"

His first mate, a wiry man with a perpetual squint, stood near the door, knowing better than to stand too close when the captain was in this state.

"We've had men asking questions all over Gray Terminal, Captain. Nobody's talking."

Bluejam seized a half-empty bottle from his desk and hurled it against the wall, glass shattering and rum spattering like blood. "A CHILD! A fucking CHILD killed Porchemy and an entire crew! And nobody saw anything? Nobody knows anything?"

"They're calling him the golden-eyed devil now," the first mate offered cautiously. "People are scared to talk."

"Scared?" Bluejam's laugh held no humor. "They should be scared of ME!"

He slammed his fist into the wall, denting the thin metal. "I can't have some golden-eyed brat undermining my authority! Every day this goes unsettled, I become more of a fucking joke!"

The first mate shifted uncomfortably. "We've doubled the reward for information-"

"And still NOTHING!" Bluejam roared, sweeping maps and papers from his desk in a violent arc. "How am I supposed to maintain control when everyone thinks some child can slaughter my men without consequences?"

He stalked to the window, staring out at the rain-soaked piles of garbage that made up Gray Terminal. His territory. His domain. At least it was supposed to be.

"Captain," the first mate began, but fell silent as Bluejam raised a hand.

"I hear something," Bluejam muttered, turning toward the door.

Outside, voices raised in alarm, followed by the unmistakable sounds of a scuffle. Then silence.

Bluejam drew his pistol, nodding to his first mate to ready his weapon. The door to the office remained closed, the seconds stretching into uncomfortable silence.

Then, without warning, the door exploded inward, torn from its hinges by a powerful kick. Bluejam barely had time to aim before three men in immaculate black suits entered the room.

"What the-" Bluejam's first mate never finished his sentence as one of the suited men closed the distance between them in a blur, delivering a strike to his throat that left him gasping on the floor.

Bluejam fired, the sound deafening in the small space. The bullet passed harmlessly through the space where one of the intruders had been a split second before.

"Too slow," came a voice from behind him.

Bluejam spun, but a hand like iron gripped his wrist, squeezing until bones ground together. The pistol clattered to the floor as pain shot up his arm.

The man before him wore the same black suit as the others, but his bearing marked him as their leader. His face was narrow, aristocratic, with cold eyes that assessed Bluejam with open contempt.

"Pathetic," the man said, forcing Bluejam to his knees with seemingly effortless pressure. "This is the feared pirate captain of Gray Terminal? No wonder you're having trouble with children."

"Who the fuck are you?" Bluejam snarled, trying to mask pain with bravado.

The suited man smiled thinly. "My name is irrelevant. I represent interests far beyond your comprehension, pirate."

Through the doorway, Bluejam could see his men lying motionless outside. Whether dead or merely unconscious, he couldn't tell.

"What do you want?" he asked, hatred burning in his eyes.

The suited man released Bluejam's wrist and straightened his already immaculate tie. "My employer has work for you. Work that could change your... station."

Bluejam rubbed his wrist, eyeing the man warily. "What kind of work?"

"The kind that could elevate someone like you from this..." the man gestured dismissively at the surroundings, "...to something approaching respectability."

Despite himself, Bluejam felt interest stir within him. "I'm listening."

"Good," the suited man replied, his smile never reaching his eyes. "Because refusing isn't an option."

------------------------

Sunlight filtered through the haphazard towers of junk that made up the Gray Terminal's landscape. Ace balanced on a tilting refrigerator, using his pipe to sift through a promising pile of debris.

"Hey! Look at this!" Luffy called from nearby, holding up what appeared to be a dented metal container.

Ace barely glanced over. "It's just an old can, Luffy."

"No, it's treasure!" Luffy insisted, turning the object in his hands. "See? It's got a picture of meat on it!"

Sabo, knee-deep in a different pile, chuckled. "That's just the label, Luffy. The meat's long gone."

"Aww," Luffy's disappointment was palpable as he tossed the can aside.

From his perch atop a partially collapsed shed roof, Leon watched the scene with quiet amusement.

His fingers worked steadily, crafting another arrow for his growing collection. The knife in his hand shaved the wood to perfect the arrow's balance.

His eyes scanned their surroundings periodically. The Gray Terminal never truly felt safe to him - too many hiding places, too many desperate people, too many potential threats.

The only reason he came along was because he didn't want his brothers to be caught in danger without him there. Otherwise he'd never be in this dump.

He's tried to convince them to leave it alone also - but that proved hopeless.

"Anything good over there, Ace?" he called, testing the arrow's straightness against his eye.

Ace emerged from the pile with a triumphant grin, holding up a slightly tarnished pocket watch. "This might be worth something. Chain's still intact."

"Nice find," Leon acknowledged, setting the finished arrow aside and reaching for another piece of wood. His growing quiver now held nearly twenty arrows, each crafted better than the previous one.

The wooden sword at his side was his newest creation - sturdier than previous versions, also one with a wrapped leather handle that protected his palms during practice. His wounds from the Porchemy fight had healed well, leaving only faint scars across his torso and shoulder.

Leon's senses suddenly prickled. Something had changed about their surroundings.

His eyes narrowed, scanning with more concentration than before. There - a flash of movement between junk piles that didn't match the usual scavenger's movements.

And there - another figure moving with to to hide, but not in the way of immense fear like scavengers, especially after knowing his reputation.

"Ace," he called quietly, his tone immediately catching the older boy's attention. "We've got company."

Ace straightened, casually gripping his pipe tighter. "Where?"

"Multiple directions," Leon replied, setting aside his arrow-making materials and reaching for his bow. "At least six... no, eight people approaching."

Sabo glanced around, his hand finding his own pipe. "Pirates?"

Before Leon could answer, a familiar figure emerged from behind a mountain of discarded furniture. Bluejam walked with the confident stride of a predator, flanked by his crew - all visibly armed with swords and, more alarmingly, pistols.

"Well, well," Bluejam called, his voice carrying across the clearing. "If it isn't the troublesome brats."

Leon slid from his perch, landing lightly beside his brothers. He didn't reach for an arrow yet, but kept his bow in hand.

"What do you want, Bluejam?" Ace demanded, stepping slightly forward, pipe raised defensively.

Bluejam spread his hands in a gesture of mock peace. "Now, is that any way to greet someone? I've just come to talk business."

"We don't have business with you," Sabo replied coldly.

Bluejam's smile didn't reach his eyes. "Oh, but I think you do." He gestured around them, where his men had completed their encirclement. "Especially considering your... position."

Leon assessed their situation quickly. Eight pirates visible, all armed, with Bluejam himself making nine.

The pirates had positioned themselves strategically, cutting off obvious escape routes. More concerning were the pistols - firearms were rare in Gray Terminal, not impossible, but this amount was something else. 

"What kind of business?" Leon asked, keeping his voice calm despite the tension coiling in his muscles.

Bluejam's eyes fixed on Leon, hatred briefly flashing across his features before being masked by false civility. "The golden-eyed devil himself. I've been looking for you."

"Found me," Leon replied simply.

Bluejam chuckled, the sound devoid of humor. "Indeed I have. And under normal circumstances, I'd be decorating Gray Terminal with your entrails right now."

"You could try," Leon said, his eyes unblinking.

"Leon," Ace muttered in warning.

Bluejam continued as if Leon hadn't spoken. "But fortunately for you, I'm in need of workers. Strong, young backs to help move some goods around Gray Terminal."

Leon's mind immediately connected the dots. The materials for the fire. This was it - the beginning of the situation he'd been dreading.

"What kind of goods?" Sabo asked suspiciously.

"Nothing that concerns you beyond moving them," Bluejam replied. "Simple work, good pay. Better than digging through trash."

"And if we refuse?" Ace challenged.

Bluejam's smile widened. "I don't recall offering you a choice."

As if on cue, his men drew their weapons - swords, clubs, and most importantly, those rare pistols now pointed directly at the brothers.

Leon's mind raced through options. In a straight fight, even armed with guns, he believed they could take Bluejam's crew - but the risk to his brothers was too great.

One stray bullet could end Ace or Luffy or Sabo before he could reach them.

"I see you've upgraded your arsenal," Leon observed, nodding toward the firearms. "Interesting friends you must have made recently."

Something flickered in Bluejam's expression - surprise, perhaps.

"Perceptive brat," he muttered. "Yes, I've moved up in the world. Soon enough, I'll be leaving this trash heap behind."

"The nobles," Leon stated rather than asked. "They've hired you."

This time, Bluejam couldn't hide his surprise. "How did-"

The moment of distraction was shattered by sudden movement from behind Bluejam. One of the men - not dressed like a pirate but in a black suit - lunged forward fast, faster than expected.

Leon moved instinctively to intercept, but froze as multiple guns swiveled toward him. The suited man's target wasn't Leon at all - it was Sabo.

The man seized Sabo, pinning his arms. Sabo struggled, his pipe clattering to the ground.

"Let him go!" Ace shouted, starting forward only to halt as a warning shot was fired into the ground before his feet.

"I wouldn't," Bluejam advised coldly.

From behind a particularly large junk pile stepped another figure - a well-dressed man with aristocratic features and cold eyes. He surveyed the scene with detached interest, like a man examining insects.

"Father!" Sabo gasped, his struggle intensifying.

Leon felt ice form in his stomach. This was it - the moment he'd tried to prevent by accompanying them whenever they ventured near Edge Town.

Yet somehow, fate had found another path.

"Sabo," the nobleman said, his voice dripping with disdain. "You've disgraced our family long enough with this... primitive lifestyle."

"Let him go," Ace demanded again, knuckles white around his pipe.

Sabo's father barely glanced at Ace. "Silence, gutter rat. This doesn't concern you."

"He's my brother!" Luffy shouted, his small face contorted with anger. "Give Sabo back!"

The nobleman raised an eyebrow. "Brother? How absurd. Sabo is the heir to one of the most prestigious families in Goa Kingdom. These delusions end today."

Leon watched Sabo's face - the fear, the anger, but most of all, the resignation. Somehow, Sabo had always known this moment would come.

"I'm not going back," Sabo declared, though his voice trembled slightly. "These are my real brothers. This is my real family!"

His father's face hardened. "Restrain him properly. We're leaving."

As the suited man began dragging Sabo away, Ace and Luffy both lunged forward. Gunshots cracked, bullets striking the ground at their feet.

"Next one goes through your heads," Bluejam warned.

Leon remained still, mind racing.

How had this happened? He'd been so careful to keep Sabo away from Edge Town, to minimize the risk of being spotted. He made literally sure, that Sabo was never seen by his father.

Yet here was Sabo's father, somehow having found him anyway.

The realization hit him like a physical blow.

Sabo's father hadn't accidentally spotted his son - he'd been actively searching. The noble's involvement with the planned burning of Gray Terminal had likely given him resources and motivation to find his "disgraced" son before the operation began.

Sabo being at the Gray Terminal, the place planned to be burned down, and needed to be studied, would've not helped in the matter too...

It was never about Sabo being seen in Edge Town.

It was about Sabo being in Gray Terminal at fucking all.

'I couldn't have prevented this,' Leon realized. 'This was always going to happen.'

"You can't take him!" Luffy cried, tears forming in his eyes.

"Watch me," the nobleman replied coldly, turning away. "Come, Sabo. It's time you remembered your proper place."

"NO! ACE! LUFFY! LEON!" Sabo shouted as he was dragged away, his struggles futile against the suited man's grip.

Ace was ready to make another move to follow, but Bluejam stepped into his path, pistol aimed directly at Ace's forehead.

"Now then," Bluejam said once Sabo and the nobles had disappeared from view, "about that work I mentioned. You'll be helping my crew move some goods around Gray Terminal. Simple enough even for brats like you."

"Go to hell," Ace spat.

Bluejam's smile turned cruel. "After you." He gestured to his men. "Watch them closely. Shoot the legs first if they try anything. We need them able to work, not able to run."

Leon placed a restraining hand on Ace's shoulder. "We'll do it," he said quietly.

"Leon!" Ace protested.

"We don't have a choice right now," Leon murmured. "Sabo needs us alive."

The fight drained from Ace's posture, replaced by simmering rage. Luffy looked between them, unusually quiet, his eyes still wet with tears.

"Smart boy," Bluejam mocked. "Maybe you'll live to see tomorrow after all."

Leon met his gaze steadily. "Count on it."

The work was exactly as Leon had feared.

Under the watchful eyes and ready guns of Bluejam's crew, they spent hours moving crates and barrels to specific locations throughout Gray Terminal.

The containers were sealed, but Leon knew what they contained - oil, gunpowder, and other things that would turn the massive junkyard into an inferno.

As he positioned another crate, Leon's mind worked furiously. He memorized each placement, creating a mental map of how the fire would spread. Knowledge was power - if he couldn't prevent the fire, he could at least prepare for it.

"Careful with that," a pirate warned as Leon set down a particularly heavy barrel. "Those goods are valuable."

'More valuable than the lives they'll destroy?' Leon thought bitterly.

Nearby, Ace worked while barely containing his fury, his movements sharp and aggressive. Luffy followed their lead, unusually subdued after Sabo's capture.

"This is bullshit," Ace muttered when the nearest pirate stepped away briefly. "We should be going after Sabo, not doing Bluejam's dirty work."

"We will," Leon promised quietly. "But rushing in now would just get us killed."

"What do they even want all this stuff for?" Luffy asked, looking at the crates they'd positioned.

Leon hesitated, weighing how much to reveal. "Nothing good," he finally said.

As the day wore on, Leon's sense of dread grew. Every container placed was another nail in Gray Terminal's coffin.

The people around them continued their daily routines, unaware of the destruction being prepared around them.

'This isn't right,' Leon thought, his hands tightening on a crate. 'All these people...'

The weight of everything pressed down on him. Was this what fate meant? To know what was coming but be powerless to stop it?

'No,' he decided, his grip tightening until his knuckles whitened, and the container creaked. 'To hell with such a fate. I refuse to accept this.'

"Hey!" a harsh voice snapped. Leon felt cold metal press against the back of his head - the barrel of a pistol. "Careful with the merchandise, brat. These ain't toys."

Leon forced his fingers to relax. "Sorry," he muttered, the word tasting like ash in his mouth.

The pirate grunted, keeping the gun in place a moment longer before moving on.

By sunset, Leon's body ached from the labor, but his mind remained sharp. He had identified potential escape routes, areas that would burn first, and places that might serve as temporary shelter.

It wasn't much, but it was something.

As darkness fell, Bluejam called them to the center of Gray Terminal where the work had begun. His pirates formed a loose circle around them, weapons still at the ready.

"That's the last of it," Bluejam announced, satisfaction evident in his voice.

"We're done," Ace said firmly. "Let us go."

Bluejam's laugh held no humor. "Oh, I don't think so. Not just yet."

"You said we could go after we helped," Luffy protested.

"Did I?" Bluejam mused, feigning confusion. "I don't recall making any such promise."

Leon tensed, sensing what was coming. "What now, Bluejam?"

The pirate captain smiled coldly. "Now I tell you what those crates really contain." He made a sweeping gesture. "Oil. Gunpowder. Everything needed to turn this entire shithole into a raging inferno."

Ace's eyes widened. "What?"

"The nobles want Gray Terminal cleansed before some important visitor arrives," Bluejam continued. "They're paying handsomely to make it happen."

"You're going to burn everything?" Luffy asked, horror dawning on his face. "But what about all the people?"

Bluejam shrugged. "Collateral damage."

"You bastard!" Ace lunged forward, but two pirates grabbed him, forcing his arms behind his back.

Leon took in his options. Three pirates holding guns directly on them. Bluejam himself armed. At least four more pirates within striking distance. Not good odds.

"Tie them up," Bluejam ordered. "Can't have them warning anyone."

As pirates moved to comply, Leon caught Ace's eye and gave an almost imperceptible nod. Understanding flashed between them.

The moment the first pirate reached for Leon, he moved. A swift kick connected with the man's knee, producing a satisfying crack. As the pirate howled in pain, Leon spun toward the nearest gunman.

He wasn't fast enough.

The shot rang out, pain exploding through Leon's leg as the bullet tore through muscle. He stumbled, momentarily shocked by the pain of it.

"LEON!" Luffy screamed.

Another pirate slammed the butt of his pistol into Leon's temple, sending him crashing to the ground. Through blurred vision, he saw Ace and Luffy being overwhelmed, despite their desperate struggles.

"I warned you," Bluejam said, standing over Leon. "Should've shot you in the head and been done with it. Tch, I wasted a good bullet."

Rough hands bound Leon's wrists behind his back, the rope cutting into his skin. The wound in his leg throbbed, blood soaking through his pants and into the dirt beneath him.

He grit his teeth, making sure not to continuously scream out in pain from the bullet - he didn't want to give them the bloody satisfaction.

When all three brothers were secured, Bluejam nodded to his first mate. "Light it up."

Pirates moved to their positions, torches in hand. Leon watched through pain-hazed eyes as they began igniting the carefully placed materials.

"Captain!" a voice called urgently. A pirate ran toward them, panic evident in his expression. "The city gates - they're closed! They've sealed us in!"

Bluejam's expression shifted from confusion to dawning horror. "What?"

"The nobles," the pirate gasped. "They've locked the gates to the city. No one's getting in!"

For a moment, Bluejam stood frozen. Then rage twisted his features into something barely human.

"Those treacherous bastards!" he roared. "They promised me citizenship! A place inside the walls!"

Leon watched the realization wash over Bluejam - the understanding that he'd been used and discarded, just like the residents of Gray Terminal he'd been hired to eliminate.

The first flames appeared in the distance, orange light blooming against the night sky. Screams followed as people discovered the growing fire.

Bluejam turned to Ace, grabbing him by the shirt. "The treasure! You and that noble brat had treasure hidden somewhere. Where is it?"

"Go to hell," Ace spat.

Bluejam's fist connected with Ace's jaw, snapping his head back. "TELL ME! I WILL GET SOMETHING OUT OF THIS SHIT!"

"Leave him alone!" Luffy shouted.

Bluejam struck Ace again, blood spraying from his split lip. "I'm not dying in this shithole with nothing to show for it! WHERE'S THE TREASURE?"

Each word was punctuated with another blow. Ace took the punishment silently, refusing to make a sound.

Bluejam had gone mad with rage. His dream was shattered by the nobles treachery. His highest desire was no longer survival - but to gain something that elevated his status.

His obsession.

Leon as he watched, Ace receive blow after blow, after blow felt something snap inside him.

Rage flooded his system, hot and electric. This man - this pathetic, waste of a creature - dared to hurt his brother?

The rope around his wrists suddenly felt less strong. Leon focused on that sensation, channeling his fury into his muscles.

Something was happening - a strange feeling flowing through him, hardening his skin, strengthening his body.

Leon flexed hard against his bindings. The rope strained, fibers snapping one by one until it broke completely.

Everyone froze, staring in shock as Leon rose to his feet, the severed rope falling to the ground. The bullet wound in his leg still bled, but somehow seemed less important now.

"You," Leon said, his voice unnervingly calm, "will not touch my brother again."

Bluejam released Ace, stepping back in surprise. "How did you-"

Leon didn't let him finish. He moved with speed that surprised even himself, crossing the distance between them in a blur. His fist connected with Bluejam's sternum, driving the air from the pirate's lungs and sending him staggering backward.

"Kill him!" Bluejam wheezed, and his men raised their weapons.

Leon didn't hesitate. He grabbed Bluejam's fallen pistol and fired in one fluid motion. The first shot caught a pirate in the chest, dropping him instantly. Leon pivoted, firing again and again.

Each shot found its mark - throat, chest, head. Pirates fell one after another, their expressions locked in surprise at being outmatched by a child.

The gun clicked empty as Leon aimed at the last standing pirate. Without missing a beat, he hurled the useless weapon, catching the man in the temple and sending him crashing to the ground.

Leon turned back to find Bluejam charging, having recovered his breath. The pirate captain tackled him, using his greater weight and size to drive Leon into the dirt.

"You little monster," Bluejam snarled, wrapping his hands around Leon's throat. "I'm going to enjoy watching you die."

Leon's vision began to darken as Bluejam's thumbs pressed into his windpipe. With desperation, he drove his knee upward, connecting with Bluejam's groin. The pirate's grip loosened just enough for Leon to twist sideways, breaking free.

Both combatants scrambled to their feet, circling each other as flames began to spread through nearby junk piles.

The fire cast their shadows in grotesque ways against the ground, two figures locked in mortal combat while the world burned around them.

Bluejam drew a knife from his boot, the blade glinting orange in the firelight. "No more games," he growled.

Leon adjusted his stance. The bullet wound in his leg hampered his movement, but adrenaline kept the pain at bay for now.

Bluejam lunged, knife slashing in a deadly arc. Leon sidestepped, but slower than intended. The blade caught his shirt, tearing fabric but missing flesh.

Leon countered with a strike to Bluejam's extended arm, targeting the nerve cluster at the elbow. The pirate grunted in pain but maintained his grip on the knife.

They exchanged blows in a deadly dance, each seeking an opening in the other's defense. Leon fought with focus, making sure not to let everything around him cause him to panic and lose control.

Bluejam though fought with the desperation of a man who knew his world was collapsing around him.

A burning beam crashed down nearby, showering them with embers. The distraction cost Leon - Bluejam's boot connected with his wounded leg, sending fresh agony shooting through his body.

Leon stumbled, and Bluejam pressed his advantage. The knife descended toward Leon's chest, but he managed to deflect it with a forearm, the blade slicing his skin instead of penetrating his heart.

Rolling away from a follow-up strike, Leon grabbed a handful of dirt and flung it into Bluejam's eyes. The pirate cursed, "You son of a bitch!" temporarily blinded.

Leon used the moment to deliver a powerful kick to Bluejam's knee.

Something gave way with an audible crack, and Bluejam howled in pain as his leg buckled beneath him.

Not giving him time to recover, Leon launched himself forward, "DON'T insult my mother, you low life," he said with grit teeth as he drove his shoulder into Bluejam's chest.

Both went down, Leon on top, straddling the larger man.

Leon's fist connected with Bluejam's face, snapping his head to the side. Again and again he struck, each impact jarring his arm to the shoulder.

Bluejam bucked beneath him, trying to throw him off. In the struggle, the pirate's hand found his knife again. With a desperate surge, he drove the blade into Leon's side.

White-hot pain exploded through Leon's body as the knife sank deep. For a moment, the world narrowed to that single point of agony. Then, something shifted within him - a cold, detached fury that pushed the pain aside.

Bluejam grinned through bloodied teeth, expecting Leon to collapse. Instead, the boy seized his wrist, preventing him from withdrawing the knife for another strike.

"That," Leon said with terrifying calm, "was a mistake. I won't stop now, till you are but a greasy smear on my fist. Let's go."

With his free hand, Leon began to punch. Each blow landed with increasing force, smashing into Bluejam's face. Bone gave way beneath his knuckles, blood spraying with each impact.

"You." Punch. "Will." Punch. "Never." Punch. "Touch." Punch. "My." Punch. "Family." Punch. "Again."

Bluejam's struggles weakened, then ceased altogether. Still, Leon continued. His fists rose and fell in, not stopping as blood continued to spurt everywhere, as he reduced the pirate's face to an unrecognizable ruin.

Only when his arms burned with exhaustion did Leon finally stop. Beneath him lay not a man but a grisly reminder of one.

He stared down at his handiwork, his mind strangely calm despite everything he'd done.

The crackling of flames brought him back to reality. The fire had spread considerably during the fight, surrounding them in a growing ring of heat and light.

"Leon!" Ace's voice cut through his daze.

Leon turned to see his brothers still bound, watching him with expressions caught between relief and horror.

With effort, Leon climbed off Bluejam's corpse. Each movement sent fresh pain through his wounded side. The knife remained embedded there, blood soaking his shirt around the entry point.

He staggered to his brothers, falling to his knees before them. With trembling hands, he reached for the knife in his side.

"Don't!" Ace warned. "You'll bleed out!"

"Need... to cut you free," Leon managed through gritted teeth.

With a strangled gasp, he pulled the blade from his flesh. Fresh blood poured from the wound, hot and slick over his fingers. Fighting unconsciousness, Leon began sawing at the ropes binding Ace.

The blade was sharp, and the ropes gave way after several strokes. As soon as his hands were free, Ace took the knife from Leon's weakening grip and quickly freed Luffy.

"We need to get out of here," Ace said, supporting Leon as he swayed. "The fire's spreading too fast."

Leon nodded weakly, his strength rapidly failing now that the immediate danger had passed. Blood loss and pain were taking their toll.

Luffy appeared at his other side, tears streaming down his face. "Leon, you're hurt really bad."

"I'll be fine," Leon told him, forcing a smile. "Just need to get somewhere safe."

Together, they began moving away from the center of the inferno. Each step was agony for Leon, his wounded leg threatening to collapse beneath him.

The knife wound in his side burned like fire itself, blood continuing to flow despite Ace's attempt to apply pressure.

The scene around them was apocalyptic. Gray Terminal had become a sea of flames, the carefully placed accelerants ensuring that no area remained untouched.

Screams echoed through the night as people fled the advancing fire, seeking escape routes that didn't exist.

"This way," Ace directed, guiding them toward what appeared to be a less intense section of the blaze.

They had gone perhaps fifty yards when a burning structure collapsed before them, blocking their path with flaming debris.

"We need another way," Leon gasped, his vision beginning to blur at the edges.

Ace looked around frantically, seeking an alternative route. The fire had encircled them now, closing in from all sides.

"We're trapped," Luffy whispered, fear evident in his voice.

Leon forced himself to focus, pushing through the pain and blood loss. There had to be a way out. He refused to accept that they had come this far only to die here.

"Over there," he managed, pointing toward what appeared to be a narrow gap in the flames. "If we move quickly..."

Before they could attempt it, the gap closed as more debris caught fire. Heat pressed against them from all sides, the air becoming difficult to breathe.

Leon felt consciousness slipping away. He fought to stay awake, knowing that to succumb now meant death for all of them.

"ACE! LUFFY! LEON!" a familiar voice bellowed through the roar of flames.

Through the smoke appeared massive figures - Dadan and her bandits, faces covered with wet cloths, moving through the inferno.

"HERE!" Ace shouted, waving frantically. "WE'RE HERE!"

Dadan reached them first, her eyes widening at the sight of Leon's blood-soaked form. "What the hell happened to you brats?"

"Bluejam," Ace answered simply. "Leon killed him."

Dogra and Magra moved to support Leon, lifting him between them. "He's lost a lot of blood," Dogra observed grimly.

"We need to move NOW," Dadan ordered. "This whole place is coming down around us."

Dadan herself lifted both Ace and Luffy, one under each arm despite their protests that they could walk. "Shut up and let me carry you! We don't have time to argue!"

The bandits moved fast, following a path they must have created on their way in. Burning debris fell around them, and twice they had to change course when their route was blocked by new fires.

Leon drifted in and out of consciousness, vaguely aware of being carried through the inferno. Pain pulsed through his body with each heartbeat, his life literally draining away with each drop of blood.

In one moment of clarity, he turned his head enough to confirm that Ace and Luffy were still with them, still safe.

Satisfaction washed through him at the sight of his brothers, singed but alive, in Dadan's protective grasp.

'I'm not going to... give... in to... so called... fate,' he thought hazily. 'My... choice.'

As they reached the edge of Gray Terminal, where fire met forest, Leon's vision tunneled to a pinpoint of light. His last conscious thought was a simple one:

'I won.'

Then darkness claimed him completely.

------------------------

(Author note: Hello everyone! I hope you all enjoyed the chapter.

Do tell me how you found it.

So... Is Sabo gonna share the same fate as in canon, or do you think, Leon can save him somehow, and not have him be shot at with a canon, and gain amnesia?

Also, how did you guys like Leon beginning to unconsciously use a bit of Armament Haki? 

I'm interested in you guys' thoughts. 

I hope to see you all later,

Bye!)