One Piece: Gambling to The Top

Chapter 77 - 77

Lucci stared at Josh, who was bleeding from his mouth. 

The Six King Gun had hit Josh for sure, which made Rob Lucci believe that he has the advantage now, knowing that his foe's internal organs are destroyed. 

However, it was shocking that Josh was looking up to him, ready for more. 

"Humph." 

Scoffing, Lucci stabbed with his hand toward Josh, who should be weaker. 

However, it was a surprise when Josh stopped Lucci's attack by holding Lucci's hand between his elbow and knee. 

Not letting his foe realise what happen, Josh quickly jumped and gave a roundhouse kick. 

Clenching his fists and declaring 'Iron Mass', Lucci took the hit before he glide back several meters before stopping and staring at Josh, whom he assumed that he won't be an easy foe now. 

When Lucci was about to move, he stopped the moment he felt an air blade almost cutting him. 

Realising that Josh can be a challenge after getting his internal organs destroyed,  Lucci felt it was a mystery, but there was no time to waste. 

The Gambler raised his hand, summoning his sword from nowhere. 

When Josh used Shave and appeared behind Lucci, Lucci turned. 

As Josh drew his sword and slashed, Lucci managed to dodge the quick slash by flipping back. 

"I can read every one of your movements." 

Said Lucci as he stood up and as Josh started slashing his sword.  Although the slashes were from the swordmaster, Kami E allowed Lucci to dodge perfectly.

Lucci knows that talking during the battle can end up provoking his enemy.

"Really, let's see." 

Josh, instead of aiming up, couched down. He aimed his sword slashes at Lucci's legs. 

Long arcs of compressed air tried to cut Lucci's legs. 

Not finding another choice, Lucci started flipping back, and when he landed on his feet, he found Josh, couching, and unleash to do a great attack. 

Red energy started wrapping Josh, like an aura, as he put the sword on the sheath as he stared forward. 

Feeling danger with his animal instinct, and that he and Josh are on the same level of strength, Lucci squatted and took a horse position. 

In almost an instant, Lucci's body grew to three meters. He became a hybrid between a tiger-like and a human. 

*Swish* 

Josh flashed behind him. Lucci, who thought that Josh only used one Shave, was surprised by this speed, as Josh combined three Shave techniques on the spot. 

Not only so, but Lucci's eye of the tiger could see some slashes. 

Josh, who was behind, sheathed his sword. 

When a cling sound was heard, many slashes appeared on the tiger-like chest, blood gushing out of them. 

Using Iron Mass, Lucci pressed on his body, making the blood stop gashing out, and the wounds were pressed. 

Turning to Josh, Lucci swept his face with his fist. Glaring at Josh, who looked to be amused, Lucci half-closed his eyes. 

"Seems things are going to be serious now." Lucci was trying to think how Josh, despite having his internal organs destroyed, is still standing. 

In that case, Josh must get everything destroyed, and Lucci believed that he can do this after his transformation. After that, he would deal with the betrayer Kalifa. Lucci got cut, and he knows he is weaker, that's why he needs a strategy now. 

"I'm impressed, you managed to stand up after my slash." 

"You will be more impressed in hell," Lucci said, reaching his coat and throwing it, showing his muscled tiger-like body. 

Using Shave and Moonwalk at the same time, Lucci moved at a high speed in the air, flying while no one can see him. 

A martial artist and a swordsman like Josh has more advantage on the ground. Lucci decided that he should make him lower his guard. 

Josh, who was following Lucci's movements with his eyes, frowned when he realised that Lucci isn't heading toward him. 

Instead, Lucci was flying toward Robin. 

"Shit!" 

Josh used Shave two times in a row, moving in speed that is blurry for his eyes, and stood up in front of Robin. 

Lucci's claw stabbed Josh's chest and got out of his back. 

"Fool." Sneering, Lucci said. Josh, who didn't fall, glared at Lucci. 

"Never thought you are a coward." 

"Don't mind me," Lucci said with a very cold tone while looking behind Josh's back. 

"Josh…" Robin was opening her eyes widely, staring at Lucci's blood-covered hand. Few tears started streaming when she looked at Josh's back.  

Robin, it seems, from her shock, couldn't even use her power at the time. "Why… why again!" 

"That what you get for opposing the World Government." Said Lucci to Robin, whom the World Government took everyone she ever loved down and had destroyed her home island. 

Lucci suddenly felt a hand on his arm. Staring down to Josh who was trying to get his hand out, Lucci smirked. 

"You pissed me off," Josh said.

 A red glint spread through his eyes. 

The red energy around him started getting hotter and hotter. 

Feeling that aura, Lucci could feel a huge amount of wrath that his animal instincts were warning him to go away. 

His eyes turning red,  Josh pulled the hand out of his chest. The hole on his chest was closed in one second, healing on spot. 

Lucci was shocked when he saw that. Josh can regenerate! 

"I'm going to make you suffer." 

Josh's height started growing as he transformed into his demon form. Lucci found that he was looking at a real scary demonic face, covered by scales, with red complete eyes. And Josh's body, which was covered with red scales, looked solid. His pointed tail swayed as he tightened his grip around Lucci's fist. 

"What in the…" Lucci said, trying to pull back. But Josh seemed to be way stronger than him now. 

Josh sneered. "Wrath flame." 

Using the demonic attribute of Wrath, Josh unleashed fire from his palm. It was red as the hell's flame. 

Lucci, resisting the pain of being burned, extended his other fist toward Josh. "Six King Gun." Unleashing that shockwave on Josh, Lucci glided back ten meters, while Josh stayed still. 

When his feet stopped, Lucci stared at his hand, and he realised, it was black as coal, completely burned and unusable.

Staring forward, Josh looked completely intact, not damaged at all. 

"Humph." When he harrumphed, Josh's figure quickly appeared in front of Lucci. 

Dancing in the air, Lucci put his hands on the ground and flipped. 

The demon waved his sword and turned into an afterimage, letting cuts appear on the ground and the streets behind him. 

When Lucci landed on his feet, he turned to where his intuition told him Josh is. Forming a fist, he turned to punch. However, at that moment, he noticed. Lucci is missing one hand, and it wasn't the burned one. 

"What's the matter? Can't you punch without your fist" 

Josh said in a demonic voice. He formed a fist and punched, his hand covered with his Wrath Flame. 

Lucci quickly squatted and made an Iron Mass. However, the moment the flaming fist touched him, the tiger man was sent flying, blood leaving his mouth. 

'No way! One punch and he broke my chest and sent me flying.' 

It was clear that Josh, as a Demon, outmatched Lucci by a huge margin. 

Lucci felt his internal organ broken and burned as he flew toward the sea. 

When he tried to regain his form, he found himself being wrapped in a plasma cloud. 

*Tzzzz* 

His body was shaken by very high voltage electricity, letting his brain go numb for a moment. When his body left the cloud, Lucci found himself falling to the sea. 

As he tried to move, he saw a beautiful shape appears in the sky. He didn't know why, but he felt so comfortable and that everything is going alright. 

That feeling was washed away by the cold salty water that wrapped him. 

Lucci, as a Devil Fruit user, is doomed to die the moment he sinks to the sea. Since his comrades around has been defeated by Kalifa, Lucci sank deeply to the sea. Once his breath runs out, he will die. 

*** 

Josh turned to Marianne, who was floating, and he smiled. 

She did a good job with assistance with her hypnosis drawing ability. When Josh turned his face, he nodded in satisfaction, as Kalifa had defeated the rest of the agents. 

Feeling curious, Josh looked at Kaku. Kaku, who had been bitten by Kalifa, seemed to transform into a vampire. 

However, it seems, the moment the transformation was completed, blue fire wrapped Kaku and incarnated his body to ashes in few seconds. 

It seems that only the first generation of vampires can enjoy the sun. 

Dispelling his transformation, Josh smiled as he turned to Robin, who was quickly moving toward him. 

"Josh!" 

Opening her arms widely, Robin wrapped her hands around his face, hugging him to her chest. Sobbing, she said. "I thought I lost you in that moment." 

Robin seemed to recall some bad memories from that past that she had been frozen the moment he had been stabbed. 

"Mm…" Josh didn't move away, enjoying the feeling of her warm huge tits for a second. He patted her on the back and said. 

"Why would I leave a pretty woman like you. Besides, did I never tell you I can regenerate?" 

Robin pulled her head back and stared down at him with a frown. Seeing that he was smirking, she took a hand and swept her tears. She then hugged him again. 

"Sorry that you had to feel pain for me."

"Don't be. It's my pleasure." 

"Never thought you are an M…"

"Hey! Didn't mean it that way."

"Fufufu…"  

With one last kiss, they pulled back from each other. Robin smiled at Josh and put her hand on his shoulder, standing up next to him and looking at Mikita and Marianne who came here, looking for a hug too from Josh. 

Kalifa also flashed and appeared behind Josh, like a good servant. 

"I've done what you have asked me," Kalifa said as she reached her hand to her nose. 

Staring at that finger, Kalifa realised that she has to change her habit of patting her glasses since she doesn't have one. 

"You did a good job, you will have your reward later." Josh patted Kalifa on the shoulder. 

For the first time, she smiled like an innocent girl, her cheeks turning red. "Please, be gentle then, don't tease me too much." 

Mikita only glared at her, before holding Josh's arm. It was time for them to make their way toward the ship. 

[Mission is complete, rewards are transferred to the storage.] 

Josh, upon defeating Lucci, had gained a Tier 4 box and 50 Draw Points. 

And when he completed the mission, he got another mystery box, also, he got 2 Tier 3 Mystery Boxes. 

As Josh smiled and was about to make his way to the ship, Josh heard a notification that almost made his heart jump up. 

[Ding, Task Generator has a Gamble for you (y/n)] 

The system usually allows Josh to gamble on his head. 

The mission he had just completed was offered when Josh wasn't as strong as Lucci. However, now, there is a gamble after he got up-gradations. 

"Josh... is there a problem?" Robin asked in concern when she saw his reaction. 

Kalifa, sniffing the air, vanished from her place and appeared next to Spandam, kicking his arm. That arm was severed and flew to the air, and when it fell to the ground, everyone noticed something rolling out of it. 

A golden snail. 

"No way!" Robin opened her eyes widely, unconsciously putting her hands on Josh's shoulder and hugging him to her from the back, as if it calm her sudden fear.