"Okay what the hell do we do now? Cause our captain just went after Guts.' Sanji said after knocking out the final Marine. Schierke was shaking slightly and Isidro looked like he was ready to piss himself. "Hey witch girl! Tell me what the hell is going on."

"The Berserker Armor." She said looking at him with eyes filled with fear. "If the wearer is pushed beyond his breaking point, through either rage or stress, the armor will incase them. The armor is stronger than any steel and is cursed so it is resistant to most magic."

"But what was up with his butcher spree before climbing up that wall?" Zoro asked. "I thought he got over that for a degree."

"The armor won't let him." Schierke. "It make the wearer give into the darkest of their demons. It marks everything around it as a thing that must be killed."

"Well let's just pull it off him then." Zoro stated.

"The armor is sealed from the inside! No outside force can open it."

"Well Luffy's got this-!" Usopp said with a smile before Luffy was launched a hundred feet into the courtyard as his body was hardened with Haki. A bit of blood dripped out of his mouth as he had bit his tongue. The Berserker armor peered down at them from on top of the wall.

It jumped down and cracked the stone at its feet. It rolled its neck and one of its shoulder and Usopp, Chopper, and Nami felt all their hope leave their bodies. The Berserker looked at them and the metal shifted into a smile before sprinting at them. He was ten times as fast as he was before which scared Zoro and Sanji the most as they knew just how powerful Guts was before.

"Okay everyone." Luffy said standing back up. "Everyone other than Sanji, Zoro and I has to go."

"But-!" Isidro cried out.

"Someone has to go get Casca… Isidro, Guts trusts you. So take whoever you need and go get her." Luffy said glaring at The Berserker got closer and the only reason stopped was thanks to Zoro and Sanji hitting him together. "We got this."

"Okay then." Isidro said. "Farnese and nose guy come with me! Everyone else head back to the ship."

With that the groups of people all split up. The Berserker watched as Schierke stayed back; probably to give advice where she could. It jumped back and looked at Zoro with those devilish red eyes. It then began to laugh. It sounded like metal slamming against metal but for sure it was laughing. Zoro and Sanji took a few steps back and stared at him.

"This is great…" It laughed holding out a hand like gesturing to a plate full of food. "Before it was just me aiming this body. But now I have complete control!"

"It can talk? That never happened before!" Schierke called out. The Berserk looked at her.

"Od is stronger here right? So yeah I'm at the controls now little witch." The beast said. Walking in an arch around the group. Zoro allowed the top of his outfit to fall off as his wrapped a bandana around his head. "Do you know how much those chains hurt? This is the first time that they're completely shattered! It feels amazing!"

"What are you!?" Luffy demanded.

"I am the thing deep inside Guts. The thing that's kept him going since he was but a child." The thing stated. "Every ounce of hated that dwells inside Guts. That's me. Every grief he feels. That's me. I am the beast inside of the darkness that is Guts's soul."

"Let go of Guts!" Schierke cried out. Sanji began to turn faster and faster till his leg was as hot as a furnace.

"Me? Why not you?" The Beast asked.

"I was with Guts since the day he was born. Left a lonely babe under the hanging tree. I was there when he killed his first man. I was there when he was raped as a child, sold by his adoptive father. I was there when he killed his father. I was there when he joined the hawks. I was there when he killed a 100 men in one night. I was there when he spilled his seed inside of Casca, making her pregnant. I was there when he saved Griffith. I was there when Griffith killed his first true family. I watched with him as Casca was raped in a pool of the remains of our family. I was there when the mark was placed onto his neck. I was there when he first picked up this sword. And I've been there with every kill he's taken."

"Little girl. I've been here long before you were, and I'll be here long after you die."

Luffy pumped his legs and entered Second Gear. Sanji spun around like a tornado and it erupted into flames, hotter than any oven. Zoro rolled his neck, having it crack several times before taking up stance. He slashed two of his sword with such pressure that it sent two slashes directly at the Berserker. The berserker held up his sword and blocked the two as Luffy appeared behind him and slammed a foot into his back. The ground around his feet broke and shifted but he did not move.

Sanji sent himself flying with a kick and slammed a burning leg into the DragonSlayer. Since the Berserker was off balance it sent him flying back nearly twenty feet. Zoro rushed up and began to hit the Berserker with a barrage of slashes. Each one being counter by one of the Berserker's. Luffy came up from behind and extended his fist as far back as the area would allow him before letting lose and slamming a fist into the side of the Berserker. Sending him flying off to the side. Where Sanji spun forward and slammed him into the ground.

"That should have knocked him out." Sanji said. The Berserker got up and tackled Sanji. He sat on top of him and put the opening to his cannon on Sanji's mouth.

"Tell me cook… have you ever tasted death before!?" It said laughing. As Luffy hit him with a gum gum bazooka. Sending him ten feet away. It laughed again and shot the cannon ball into Luffy who sent it straight back at him.

The berserker caught it with his living hand where it exploded. The fingers bent and twisted out of shape but a second latter they snapped back in place. The Berserker rushed the two of them and jumped high up and pierced the ground with the dragon slayer as they jumped away. It grabbed Sanji by the leg as he jumped back and pulled him in before grabbing his face. He then began to slam the back of Sanji's head over and over again into the flat of the Dragon slayer before Zoro launched himself at The berserker.

Using its metal hand, it pulled the dragon slayer out of the ground and slashed at Zoro to block the attack before throwing Sanji into Zoro. Sanji's head was bleeding pretty bad but he was still conscious. The landed and Zoro dashed at the Berserker. The Berserker swung down and Zoro blocked with two of his swords. The Berserker kneed him in the chest the sharp edge of the metal piercing the diaphragm; in this form the metal was become much more jagged. It then began to swing over and over again downwards into Zoro's swords. Each time the sword came down more the ground around Zoro's legs broke apart.

Luffy kicked the Berserker in the side, sending him flying once more. The berserker slashed at him rapidly with his attacks either being blocked by harden body parts or dodged. The berserk slammed its foot into Luffy's, nearly breaking it, before slamming an elbow into his face, knocking him back several feet before slashing his sword and nearly cutting Luffy in half.

The three of them gather up and took up fighting poses once more as the broken bones of the berserker were pieced and forced back into place. Its laughter was like swords scraping against the other.

"Any damage we do he recovers from." Zoro cursed. "And if he so much as lands one good slash on us. We're screwed."

"What's wrong!?" It called over. "That all you've got for me!?"

"So what do we do?" Sanji asked. "My head is killing me, and we can't just knock him out."

"Step back." Luffy said biting his thumb. "This is going to hurt."

His fist inflated and then hardened. The Berserker's eyes widened and a smile crossed its face. Luffy pulled back his massive fist and sent it flying into the Berserker. The Berserker was spread flat against the massive fist before being buried into the wall like a cartoon. As Luffy's arm returned to him it deflated and the three of them stared at the twisted and broken body of the berserker.

"Well that should have done it." Luffy stated.

"It's not enough…" Schierke said. The Berserker fell out of the wall. Three of his limbs broken and twisted but it still stood up and its body began to twist around and snap back into place.

"What the hell is that Armor!?" Zoro yelled putting his sword back into his mouth.

"When it is activated it allows one to fight at 100%." Schierke she stated. "Most humans only use 10% at any given time. His armor brings out the rest. Blocking out pain and its limitations. It also will pierce and stitch a person together; forcing them to fight till ever bone in their body is shattered and every drop of their blood is spilled."

"Well how do we stop it?" Sanji demanded.

"I just told you." Schierke said with wide eyes. The Berserk began to role its fingers over and over again to make sure his arm was back in shape. "I can't enter Guts's mind scape in this world. His Od is too powerful right now. No way to break through."

"So that's how it looks like from the outside." The Berserk said looking at its body. "Where was I? Oh right… killing you four."

Luffy took a deep breath and took a step forward.

"I have an idea." Luffy said. "Might kill him. I've never done anything like it before."

"That is?"

"I'm gonna pour every ounce of my Conquer's haki onto him." Luffy clarified. "If I'm lucky it should be enough to push out this dark haki. Giving Guts the chance to break out."

"But that much concentrated Haki-." Zoro started.

"Shut it." Luffy ordered. As The Berserker walked towards them. "I've got this."

The Berserker ran at them and Luffy let loose his Haki. It slammed into the Berserker. It was so powerful you could almost see the haki. Luffy's eyes were open as wide as they were focused onto the berserker. The Berserker's od pushed back against it, like two waves slamming into the other. Schierke got a little dizzy from it all; and she had been dealing with od control for years. The battle between Od vs Haki played out before her. One had the crushing force of the ocean while the other was an onslaught of unequaled pain.

Blood and water slammed into the other. Swirling like a great abyss. Luffy gritted his teeth and took a step forward.

"Guts! Fight it! You bastard!" Luffy cried out. The Berserk reached onto its chest and grabbed a throwing knife. It through it through the swirling of power and it entered Luffy's stomach. He let out a cry of pain as his stomach bleed but he did not let up his haki. "Fight it!"

Inside the mindscape of Guts, he was fighting the Beast of darkness. The beast was massive, the size of two carriages. Guts pounded away at it. Rolling around it as he punched and kicked it. He jumped through the air and landed a punch onto the Beasts head that staggered it. It roared and Chomped at Guts. It almost clamped its jaws onto his torso but he held the Jaw open with is hands.

Chains wrapped themselves around Guts. They were like thrones but he would not stop fighting. The beasts voice pieced into his mind.

"You can't beat me." It said. "Just fall into the darkness like I was."

"I'm not giving up!" Guts screamed. "Luffy is keeping these chains from dragging me down."

"He will die soon enough." The jaws of the beast pushed down more and more. Guts's arms strained. "Give up!"

"I've had enough of you!" Guts said slamming a foot into the mouth of the beast and pushing down. He pushed its jaw all the way open and then pushed further. He broke the jaw of the beast. The beast let out a cry of pain as a flash of white came in. "Try to eat me now."

The jaw of Berserker armor broke open and the onslaught of Od stopped. Luffy stopped his Haki as five throwing knives were at his feet with his chest and arms bleeding. Schierke ran over to Guts as the armor returned to normal.

"Guts!" She yelled. "Are you okay?"

"Besides the fact I feel like I got hit Zodd ten times… yeah I'm fine." He pushed himself up and looked at Luffy. "You save me."

"Well… yeah that's what I kind of do for friends." Luffy said with a smile. Guts chuckled.

"If you can find a man like me to be someone you would want a friend as… well then you are probably crazier than me." Guts chuckled.

"What did you see?" Zoro asked. Guts looked at him. Guts face went stern.

"Most of it." He shrugged before looking at Schierke. "By the way, he was wrong. I'm always going to need a witch."

Schierke smiled and pulled down her hat to cover part of her face.

They returned the group and found that the Sea horse had also arrived with Rodrick's crew. Ivalera and Puck, along with Chopper began to take care of Guts, Luffy, Zoro, and Sanji's wounds as they sailed with their two boats towards the Island that they had originally meet on. Guts and his party remained with the Straw hats as to talk and exchange thanks. They talked for hours till the sun set upon the sea.

A few hours passed before Nami jumped down to the main level with a hand on her hip.

"I've got bad news." She said. "With the tides and wind that we know of. It will take over twice as long back as it did on the way here. The storm that you guys need to get back home will be gone before we reach it."

"What!?" Isidro stammered.

"What about coup de burst?" Franky asked. Nami shook her head.

"Close but no dice. Even if we could we could we would have to leave the seahorse. Why did they come here anyway?"

Rodrick held up his hand as he leaned against the main mast.

"They Navy showed up. They were suspicious of my ship. My crew took off before they captured her." Rodrick said with a sigh. "But if what you say is true… we won't get back to the storm in time."

"Any ideas?" Guts asked. Isidro and Isma opened their mouths. "If it involves us getting pulled around by sea creatures, or explosives on the back of the ships; close your mouths." They did.

They all looked around at each other. None of them had a single idea. The lights on the thousand Sunny began to dim, unnaturally so, and the group began to feel the hairs on the back of their necks stand up. Guts's eye went wide as he stood up straight.

"No… F***ing way…" He gasped. Green mist appeared around then feet and they all turned to find. A Skelton that was over two meters tall, probably 6'9 and riding a horse that was easily seven feet tall. "How did you?"

Before he finished Zoro jumped at him with a sword swing only to be blocked by the knight's shield and sent flying into one of the upper levels. Sanji moved towards the Skull knight and found Guts blocking his way.

"Guts move!" He demanded.

"Be silent." The being said. His voice sounded hollow. Like as spoken in a cave. But at the same time it reverted with everyone on the boat as if a war drum had sounded. He looked at Guts with his eyes that glowed with a strange fire. "Struggler... you travel strange places."

"Old man." Guts said lowering his arm and walking closer to his horse. "How did you get here."

"The same way you shall return home." The Skull knight stated.

"Wait… old man?" Luffy said then his gaze dashed between the two men then his mouth nearly hit the floor of the boat. "Guts? Is this your Dad!?"

Everyone other than Shierke and Guts began to look between the two of them till Guts simply glared at the one's with the biggest eyes. A.K.A. Luffy and Isidro. Guts looked back at the Skull knight who was looking around the ship.

"No." The knight said.

"How do you know him then?" Sanji asked.

"Let's just say… fate." The knight said. "I once wore that armor as well."

"Wait what?" Zoro said still dusting himself off.

"Though it was too long ago to matter now." The knight stated. "But I may return Guts home along with his friends."

"You can!" Luffy said excited. "How?"

"With a dark power." The Skull knight said. He looked back at Guts. "Are you ready Struggler?"

"Yeah. Let's head back." Gut replied looking at Casca as she tried to pet the Skull Knights horse. "We've time to set sail again."

"May I have a moment." Brook said stepping up to the skull knight. "Hello my name is Brook. It's odd seeing another skeleton floating around. I almost can't believe my eyes… well if I had any." He laughed a little and the Skull Knight continued to look at him.

"…funny." The Skull Knight said then looked at Guts who just shrugged.

"Well I'm a musician. What do you do?"

"I wonder." The skull knight answered and moved his horse back over to Guts. "Collected your friends, share your words. Then we shall return."

Guts group began to say goodbye to the Straw Hats. Not having much to say other than the adventure was fun. Isidro asked for a duel against Zoro; saying that the winner had to give up a technique. Before Isidro even drew the salamander dagger Zoro hit him with a small chop and he was knocked out. Isidro then did a five second demonstration of how his did his rolling attack. The entire time Isma and puck were laughing from how fast the fight was over. Guts though stood in front of Luffy.

"So. Guess we'll be going." Guts stated. Luffy nodded with a smile.

"I hope Casca gets better." Luffy said. Guts scratched his head and let out a sigh.

"Me too kid." He answered. "By the way. I really believe that you will become the King of the Pirates. I believe in you. Just know that when that comes from me that you really deserve it."

They connected fists and Guts walked over to the board to his ship. As he stepped onto the board Luffy called to him on last time.

"Yo Guts!?" He called. "Where you gonna go after you fulfill this dream?"

Guts pulled the DragonSlayer off his back and pointed to the sky. He turned around slowly as he rested it onto his shoulder. He showed a toothy smirk.

"To war." He took a step backwards and cut the board in half. The Skull knight huffed as he was still on the thousand sunny. He began to tilt back his head as he opened his mouth.

"So… how are you going to…..." Zoro stated as the Skull Knight the sword his throat. He slowly pulled it out as it was covered in a living energy as faces filled with pain and sorrow shifted on it. His horse ran across the deck and jumped all the way ahead of the Sunny's face as he slashed. A rift opened vertically and began to grow outwards. The Skull Knight flew through it. "… was that sword… just covered in…"

"Yep…" Sanji said as the Seahorse moved forward through the rift with guts standing on the back of it. The straw hats waved to him and Guts group waved back. Just before going through the rift guts raised his hand to the sky and shot up a cannon ball that by the time it exploded, he was already gone.

"Well…" Luffy said putting his hat back on. "Let's go."