Summoner in One Piece

The wrecked pirate ship groaned its last as it lay half-submerged on the shore, a testament to their hasty, but crucial, escape. Alex, his mind already calculating, had foreseen the immediate need to move beyond the exposed beach. The villagers, though shaken, were quickly guided towards the cover of the dense forest bordering the shore.

"Into the trees!" Alex commanded, his voice sharp and clear. "Exploit the terrain! Establish a strong defensive position!"

As his Warriors, accustomed to rapid movement and adaptation, led the villagers into the natural cover, Alex quickly began to gear up with his men. He donned a reinforced cuirass over his light Qin armor, ensuring maximum protection for the coming close-quarters engagement. Erza, Akane, and Kaelen similarly prepared, their weapons checked, their focus absolute. The 37 Warriors, their forms now cloaked by the shadows of the forest, dispersed with disciplined efficiency, their dark armor blending surprisingly well with the dense foliage and rocky outcrops that dotted the island's interior.

The three pirate ships rapidly closed the distance. The first ship, carrying an estimated 150 pirates, slammed its gangplank onto the sand, its crew pouring out with savage roars. The second ship, with 40 pirates, and the third, with 60 pirates, were still a short distance behind, slowed by the damage sustained in the naval skirmish, but relentlessly advancing towards the shore.

The lead pirate captain, a massive man with a hook hand and a cruel grin, stormed onto the beach. He was "Bloody Maw" Klarg, notorious in these waters, with a bounty of 22,000,000 Berries. He surveyed the abandoned ship and the retreating figures. "Heh! They ran like rats! Think a few trees gonna save 'em?" He spat on the sand. "Alright, boys, spread out! Flush 'em out! And bring me back that fancy-looking kid's head!" His voice boomed, signaling a crude, uncoordinated advance into the forest.

This was exactly what Alex had anticipated. The pirates, confident in their numbers and their prior naval advantage, would rush blindly into unknown territory. The dense, uneven terrain that had challenged their ship now became their greatest ally.

"Hold your positions," Alex murmured, his voice a low, predatory growl to his commanders. "Let them come. We turn the hunter into the hunted."

The pirates, abandoning any semblance of formation, crashed through the undergrowth, their shouts and curses echoing. They were accustomed to open-deck brawls and street fights, not the claustrophobic, deceptive warfare of a dense forest.

Suddenly, the silent forest erupted.

Alex was the first to strike, a phantom in the shadows. He launched from behind a thick cluster of boulders, his greatsword a silver blur. His Knight rank and Marine HQ Lieutenant strength allowed him to move with blinding speed, striking the lead pirate scouts before they could even react. His Dragonheart Strike pulsed with dark red energy, tearing through armor and flesh with brutal efficiency. He was a silent, lethal force, striking from unexpected angles, then melting back into the trees, leaving a trail of fallen pirates in his wake.

Erza, a Captain-level Knight, operated with devastating precision. "Exceed!" she commanded, and her chibi white tiger shimmered into existence, darting between the pirates' legs, a furry missile of distraction. Erza moved through the trees like a seasoned hunter, her versatile weapons appearing from unexpected angles. She'd use her spear to trip and disarm groups, then her sword to cut them down. The thick trees provided ample cover for her to re-equip mid-fight, allowing her to adapt to any number of foes. The Exceed, with its surprising speed and nips, continued to draw attention away from Erza's main attacks, causing disarray and frustration.

Akane, a Lieutenant Commander-level Knight, was a true master of the environment. She used the dense foliage and towering trees as her personal playground. She would leap from branches, strike with her swift sword from above, and then vanish before her victims even hit the ground. Her movements were utterly silent, her attacks so precise that pirates often didn't even realize they were dying until the life drained from their eyes. She targeted their rear, their flanks, and any attempts at communication, turning their chaotic advance into absolute disarray.

Kaelen, the Lieutenant-level Knight, was an immovable anchor, directing the 37 Warriors with a calm ferocity. "Teddiursa, lend us your strength!" Kaelen roared, and his cute bear appeared, surprisingly effective. Kaelen positioned his forces expertly behind natural cover—fallen logs, rocky outcrops, dense thickets—allowing them to launch devastating ambushes. The 17 original Warriors, now Knights themselves, unleashed their own Dragonheart Strikes, tearing through pirate defenses. The 20 newer Warriors, still Pages and Squires, fired volleys of arrows and delivered precise spear thrusts from behind cover, their coordinated fire breaking morale and creating openings. Kaelen's poleaxe was a constant, brutal presence, smashing through any pirate who managed to get too close, his Teddiursa surprisingly nipping at ankles and causing diversions in the melee.

The pirates, expecting a terrified, disorganized flight, instead found themselves in a deadly, invisible maze. Their superior numbers were negated by the terrain and the highly coordinated, silent strikes of Alex's forces. They were being picked apart, demoralized by an enemy they could barely see, led by figures who moved like nightmares. The forest, once merely cover, had become a graveyard. The hunter had become the hunted. Despite inflicting heavy casualties during the ambush, the sheer volume of 150 pirates pouring into the dense forest meant that Alex's forces, even with their skill, could not eliminate every single one. After the initial, devastating ambush, the number of pirates from the first ship had fallen to approximately 80, but these remaining pirates, now more cautious, had managed to reorganize themselves into more cohesive groups, attempting to push forward with greater coordination.

Suddenly, "Bloody Maw" Klarg, the pirate captain, let out a frustrated roar. He had watched his men being systematically slaughtered, his initial confidence turning to pure, murderous rage. His eyes, burning with fury, locked onto the section of Alex's forces, likely the less armored Warriors, who were efficiently cutting down his crew with ranged attacks and well-coordinated close combat. He understood the strategic threat they posed to his advance. They're picking us apart with those disciplined formations, he thought, and those archers... His focus narrowed. He needed to take out their numerically superior and highly effective ranged units.

With a primal yell, Klarg charged, his massive iron club swinging wide. He moved with deceptive speed for his size, a whirlwind of destruction aimed directly at the Warrior's defensive line. Kaelen, seeing the captain's sudden, direct assault, moved to intercept, bringing his poleaxe up. But Klarg was faster, an apex predator. He spun, catching Kaelen completely off guard with a vicious, unexpected backhand swing of his club. The blow connected with bone-jarring force, sending Kaelen flying, slamming him hard against a tree trunk, knocking the wind out of him.

With Kaelen temporarily incapacitated, Klarg roared, advancing directly into the heart of the Warrior formation. He was a terrifying sight, a one-man wrecking crew. The Warriors, despite their discipline and recent advancements to Pages and Squires, were still largely infantry facing a Captain-level opponent who seemed impervious to their blows. Klarg's heavy club smashed through their shields, broke through their formations, and sent them flying. They fought bravely, unleashing their Page's Thrusts and Squire's Sweeps, but they were being overwhelmed. The 17 Knight-rank Warriors, more resilient, tried to rally, but Klarg's brute force and speed allowed him to evade their Dragonheart Strikes and cut them down. While many were seriously injured, and their formations broken, not all were utterly incapacitated; their battle-hardened resilience meant they were still capable of action, albeit at reduced effectiveness.

Noticing his men falling, and seeing Kaelen thrown aside, Alex moved like a lightning bolt, abandoning his current engagement to confront the pirate captain directly. "You'll pay for that!" Alex roared, his greatsword humming with dark red energy.

Klarg turned, a cruel smile on his face. "Oh, the pretty boy wants to play, does he?" His body began to swell, muscles rippling. Scales erupted from his skin, his limbs elongated, and his head stretched into a monstrous, reptilian snout. With a terrifying roar, Klarg transformed into a massive Spinosaurus, the unmistakable power of a Devil Fruit, the Ryu Ryu no Mi: Model - Spinosaurus, manifesting in horrifying detail. The sheer size and raw power of the transformation sent a shockwave of fear through the remaining pirates and even Alex's seasoned Warriors.

Alex braced himself, his Dragonheart Strike ready. The Spinosaurus captain lunged, its massive jaws snapping. Alex met the attack with his greatsword, infusing it with his Dragon Element mana. Steel clashed against hardened scales, sending sparks flying. The force was immense. Alex pushed back, his enhanced strength testing the beast.

But the Spinosaurus was truly formidable, far more powerful than Alex had anticipated for a pirate captain. Its movements, though massive, were surprisingly swift. Its clawed forelimbs swung with bone-shattering force, each strike sending tremors through the ground. Alex parried, dodged, and countered, but he was visibly struggling. The Spinosaurus's raw power was pushing him to his limits, forcing him into a defensive battle. He tried to unleash a full Dragonheart Strike, but the Spinosaurus was too quick, too relentless, leaving him no opening.

A powerful tail swipe caught Alex off guard, sending him staggering. He managed to recover his footing, but the Spinosaurus seized the advantage, its powerful leg kicking out, sending Alex flying with a heavy impact. He slammed against the thick trunk of a massive tree, the bark cracking from the force, a searing pain shooting through his back. He grunted, his vision blurring for a moment.

The Spinosaurus captain roared, seeing his opportunity. It lumbered towards Alex, its massive claw raised for a finishing blow.

Before the claw could descend, a blur of motion intercepted it. Kaelen, having recovered from his initial ambush and seeing Alex in dire peril, roared like a wild beast. He launched himself with a full-body, shoulder slam into the Spinosaurus's flank, knocking the massive beast several feet off course. The Spinosaurus snarled, momentarily thrown off balance, but the attack barely scratched its hide.

"Erza! Take over!" Kaelen yelled, his voice raw, realizing the futility of his attack against the monstrous captain. He quickly moved to shield Alex. "Alex is seriously injured!"

Without hesitation, Erza charged, her Captain-level strength and Knight abilities unleashing their full force. Her eyes burned with a fierce determination, her every movement radiating power. She met Klarg's immense form head-on, her versatile sword and spear flashing. Klarg, the Spinosaurus, was a brute force of nature, his massive claws and powerful tail swings capable of crushing stone. Erza, however, was a master of adaptation and precision. She moved like a whirlwind, deflecting his colossal blows with her sturdy shield, then countering with blindingly fast thrusts of her spear, aiming for weak points in his scaled hide. Their battle was a symphony of destructive power, a clash between raw, monstrous might and refined, strategic skill. Each strike from Erza landed with punishing force, causing Klarg to bellow in frustration, while his own attacks, though powerful, met Erza's impregnable defense or were narrowly dodged. It was a fight of equals, a grueling, brutal dance of death, neither gaining a clear advantage, but Erza's unwavering focus keeping the monstrous captain occupied.

Meanwhile, Akane reacted instantly. She moved to Alex, her swift hands gently assessing his injuries. "Lord Alex," she said, her voice calm despite the roaring chaos, "You need immediate cover." She quickly located a naturally defensible hollow beneath a cluster of thick roots. With surprising strength, she guided Alex into the relatively safe spot. "Stay here, My Lord. I'll send guards." She then dispatched two of the less injured, Knight-ranked Warriors to secure Alex's position, ordering them to protect him with their lives. "Keep him safe! No matter what!"

With Alex secured, Akane's gaze swept over the battlefield. The remaining pirates from the first ship, roughly 80 in number, had, upon seeing Alex fall and their captain engaged, renewed their attack. They were more organized now, pressing forward with a desperate surge, attempting to overwhelm the scattered, wounded Warriors.

"Warriors! Rally!" Akane's voice cut through the melee. She knew the remaining Warriors, though wounded, were battle-hardened and utterly loyal. Her eyes fixed on the horses they had left tethered deeper within the forest, ready for quick deployment. "Mount up! Cavalry charge!"

Despite their injuries, the Warriors responded with disciplined ferocity. The 37 Warriors, many of them bandaged and limping, quickly moved to their mounts. The 17 Knight-ranked Warriors, despite their earlier defeat at Klarg's hands, led the charge, their Dragonheart Strikes ready. Akane, a blur of motion, led them.

"CHARGE!" Akane roared, her swift sword drawn. The Warriors, mounted now, burst from the tree line with surprising speed, a thunderous wave against the advancing pirates. The pirates, already engaged with the struggling infantry of Alex's men, were caught completely off guard. The impact was devastating. Akane's blade flashed through the ranks, accompanied by the Knights' Dragonheart Strikes and the Pages' and Squires' disciplined thrusts from horseback.

The cavalry charge tore through the reorganized pirate ranks like a storm. The remaining 80 pirates were decimated, their numbers rapidly falling. The forest floor became a scene of absolute slaughter. In a desperate, bloody few minutes, the 80 pirates were cut down to a mere 15, their forces utterly broken. However, the cost was not insignificant. Several more Warriors, already weakened by previous injuries, succumbed to their wounds during this brutal charge, falling from their horses lifeless. Additionally, the sheer intensity of the charge and the close-quarters fighting meant that nearly one-third of their horses died, and another one-third were wounded, leaving a significant portion of their mounts unusable.

The first pirate ship's force was no longer a threat. The battle, however, was far from over. The two other pirate ships, with their remaining 40 and 60 pirates respectively, were rapidly nearing the shore, their crews preparing to land.