Woo… woooo…
A straight coastline.
Villagers kneeling like lambs to the slaughter.
Cruel pirates.
Heads strewn across the ground.
A girl brutalized, her tongue ripped out.
Vile jeers, and curses that grated on the ears.
Everything was soaked in blood and cruelty.
This was the true face of pirates, not the heroic champions of the weak like in those cartoons, not the smiling adventurers who sailed the seas to defeat evil.
The villagers had lost all will to resist. As the girl's screams echoed through the air, they turned their eyes away, unwilling yet unable to intervene. All they could hope for now was that the village chief's son would return in time with the ransom to save them all.
"Oh, heavens above… Won't someone save us? Drive away these pirates!"
The villagers, still on their knees, silently prayed for divine deliverance.
Why were pirates never truly gone from these seas?
When would the ocean finally know peace?
As if the heavens truly heard their cries, just as the pirates were at the height of their violence, a Marine battleship appeared in the distance, sailing toward the island.
"Captain! There's a Marine ship approaching!"
The lookout shouted the report, immediately drawing the attention of Boss Dars.
"A Marine ship? From where?"
The pirate grabbed a telescope and took a look, then sneered.
"Looks like it's that loser Commander Mandral from Branch 73, the guy we wiped out a while back!"
"Mandral? Hahahaha! That piece of trash dares show his face again?"
Ronni pulled up his pants, grabbed his massive sword, and licked his lips with bloodthirsty glee.
"Captain, let me deal with that weakling this time!"
Boss Dars laughed.
"If you want him, he's all yours."
"Hell yeah! Boys, grab your gear! Let's show these Navy rats what we're made of!"
Ronni raised his blade high and roared. Behind him, the other pirates erupted with bloodlust, waving swords and shouting like demons—none of them feared the Marines.
"Marines! Chief, the Marines are here!"
A young man near the village chief whispered excitedly.
But the chief merely shot him a grim look.
"Don't celebrate too soon. Sure, the Marines are here—but that doesn't mean they can beat the pirates."
"What?! Marines losing to pirates?"
The young man was stunned.
The chief sighed.
"The Marines are strong… but the real powerhouses are all stationed on the Grand Line. Out here in the Four Blues, most of the Marines are weaklings. Especially in the North Blue—out here, pirates kill Marines all the time."
"No way… How can that be?"
The boy looked crushed, hope fading from his face. Even the sight of the approaching warship couldn't stir his spirits now.
....
Aboard the Marine ship, Commander Mandral had his telescope trained on the island.
His face darkened.
"Damn it, they've already taken the villagers hostage!"
Rosinante's expression turned cold.
Mandral continued.
"They've spotted us too. Looks like they're organizing on the beach, getting ready to fight!"
"Preparing to fight the Navy? How arrogant." Rosinante said, eyes narrowing.
"Commander Mandral, take the ship closer—let's show these bastards what the Navy is made of."
A powerful killing intent radiated from his gaze as he stared down the pirates.
Behind him, Wild Boar and the other four cadets frowned.
Pirates not running from the Navy? It was like mice charging toward a cat. Unthinkable.
Following Rosinante's command, Mandral maneuvered the ship closer to the island. When they were about 500 meters from shore, Rosinante turned back and spoke firmly:
"This is close enough. Keep the ship here. The six of us will handle this."
He stepped onto the ship's railing, then with a whoosh, launched himself into the air, leaping forward—Moonwalk.
Wild Boar and the others followed suit, using the same technique to soar toward the coast.
"Whoa… Chief, look! They—they can fly!"
The young man who had nearly given up on hope now stared in disbelief.
Marines flying through the air? That wasn't something you saw every day.
Even the old village chief widened his eyes. In all his decades, he'd never seen a man fly.
Boss Dars and Ronni saw the airborne Marines and their expressions darkened.
"Everyone, stay sharp!" Boss Dars barked. "These ones aren't your average Marines!"
"Got it, Captain!"
The pirates grinned wickedly, waving their weapons as if Rosinante's group posed no threat at all.
Rosinante and the others landed on the beach. Wild Boar's eyes immediately caught the severed heads and the bloodied, defiled girl. Fury surged through his veins.
"These bastards…"
Rosinante too was struck. It was the first time he'd witnessed such raw cruelty.
His fists clenched unconsciously.
He had once admired the carefree freedom of pirate life portrayed in One Piece. But growing up, he'd come to see the truth: Behind the hot-blooded tales and romanticized adventures were monsters—real pirates, cruel and merciless.
Pirates lived off plunder. Without stealing, what would they eat?
But those being plundered… would never simply hand over their wealth. Conflict was inevitable.
And where there was conflict, there was death.
"I was too naive…" Rosinante realized. "The world of pirates isn't what the anime promised. This—this is the real world of pirates. Bloody. Dirty. Inhuman."
With a shing, he drew his Marine-issued longsword.
"Boss Dars! By the authority of Marine Headquarters, I'm here to claim your life!"
"Claim our captain's life? You little punk, let's see if your guts match your blade!"
Ronni, furious, charged with his greatsword raised.
Boar-Boar Fruit: Wild Boar Form—Human-Beast Hybrid!
"Tempest Kick!"
Ronni's blade came crashing down toward Rosinante, but Wild Boar leapt forward mid-transformation, blocking the strike with a Tempest Kick.
"Don't interfere with Blue Eagle! Your opponent… is me."
"Brothers! With me! Let's carve these little Navy brats into pieces!"
With Ronni held back by Wild Boar, the rest of the Quick Slash Pirates let out a war cry and charged with dozens of blades toward Rosinante.
But Rosinante's expression turned ice cold. He snapped his fingers.
"ROOM: Domain of Death."
"Kill them—AAAAAH! M-My heart! My heart—!!"
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
One by one, the pirates collapsed mid-charge, clutching their chests in agony.
Pale.
Breathless.
Dead in seconds.
None of them ever made it to Rosinante.
(End of Chapter)
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