One Piece: Pirate Code

Denton did not lie, at least not about the story he fabricated. These days, even pirates know how to package themselves. William did not use many tricks; he quickly made Denton, whose bones weren't as tough as the rumors suggested, reveal the truth.

The map and notes for the hidden treasure island were hidden in Gore's notebook cover. After William checked them, he decisively dealt with Denton.

At night, a bonfire rose on the deserted island that had not seen human habitation for who knows how many years. Gin, eager to try his hand again, got back to his old profession. He caught a few fish in the sea, and four rough men, who knew little about cooking, casually prepared the fish before roasting them over the fire.

The taste, of course, wasn't great, but it was enough to fill their stomachs. William decided to temporarily avoid using the ship's supplies. According to Gore's notes, this small island was not on the main shipping routes. Only small merchant ships delivering supplies to remote villages would pass by once or twice a month. William had to be prepared for the possibility that they might miss a ship due to unforeseen factors or that a ship might not pass by here at all.

William picked up a branch, frowned, and began to draw on the ground, thinking about the next steps. He was someone who had experienced the ups and downs of society. He always aimed to be prepared and have contingency plans. "Burning bridges" and "putting everything on the line" may sound dramatic and bold, but when one has only one plan and it is disrupted by an unexpected event, one realizes how unreliable it is to put all eggs in one basket. Though his past life had not been one where failure could result in death, the experience of hunger was never pleasant. Especially when one is in a leadership role, if things are unprepared, it's not only oneself who suffers but also those depending on you for food and work. For someone like William, who cared about his reputation, this was not a pleasant thought.

"William, what do we do next?" Gin fiddled with the bonfire and asked.

Aramis and Valon looked at William as well, all waiting for him to make a decision. The three of them had tied their futures to William. This trust and habit brought both prestige and responsibility.

"This is a good opportunity," William said, looking at Aramis. "Since we're not yet being hunted by the navy, we have time and energy to learn something useful."

"I remember you once mentioned a dojo with a good reputation, what was it called?" William asked.

"Frostmoon Village, One Heart Dojo," Aramis replied. He came from a merchant family and was the most familiar with local information among the four. However, he clearly did not agree with William's proposal. "We've already dealt with Denton and got the treasure map. Why should we go suffer at some broken-down dojo? What is there to learn?"

William casually wiped away some of the characters he had written on the ground, such as "Power comes from the barrel of a gun" and "With soldiers, one becomes a king," using Chinese characters only he understood. He then tossed the branch aside and scanned the three of them with his eyes. "Let me ask you, would any of you want to go back to a normal life? We haven't attracted the navy's attention yet, so it might still be possible to leave."

The three of them shook their heads in unison. Although they did not enjoy the plundering like old pirates, having seen the powerless common people face marauders on pirate ships, Gin, Aramis, and Valon all knew that, in the great pirate era, seemingly peaceful and stable lives were like beautiful scenes in a snow globe—beautiful, but easily shattered.

Moreover, each of them had a reason for turning to piracy. Gin was forced onto a pirate ship after colluding tax officers and a fishing tycoon pressured him. Aramis was driven onto a pirate ship by debt collectors after going bankrupt. Valon's parents had hanged themselves because the crops failed and they could not pay heavy taxes, which led him to choose the pirate life.

It could be said that all three secretly harbored a certain animosity and distrust towards the so-called stable life. Pirate life, though not as glamorous or joyful as the adventure stories suggested, gave them the feeling of safety and control, with life and death in their own hands. Compared to the seemingly stable, yet shackled lives of the past, it gave them an inexplicable sense of security.

Becoming a navy officer might also be a way out, but William originally came from the 21st century Earth, where there was order and stability in society. It was already strange for a criminal with serious charges to join the military, and becoming a high-ranking officer was absurd. Whether the initial political background check would pass was uncertain, so joining the navy was never an option for him. Gin and the others, having been pirates, instinctively disliked the navy, which had relentlessly pursued them.

"So, we're going to continue being pirates?" William looked at Aramis again, his face serious, and emphasized each word: "You ask me why we should learn something useful? I also want to ask you, there are many jobs in this world that are easier and safer than being a pirate. Why should we choose to be pirates? To live a life where we never know if we'll survive the next day? To enjoy the thrill of playing hide-and-seek with the navy? To live day-to-day, with no future?"

"Maybe if we're lucky, after plundering, we can have a drink and take home a share of the spoils, albeit after the big cut. But if we're unlucky, you'll realize that before you can mourn your fallen comrades, the ship you just took is full of worthless junk. Then, you'll look at your wounded comrades, and possibly face a short-tempered pirate captain, always worried that he might vent his anger on you. You want to save money, but you might be killed tomorrow, and all the hard-earned money you saved will go to someone else. If you don't save, it's even worse. If you somehow survive, when you're no longer young, with no savings and a body full of scars, you'll wish you were dead! So now, tell me, Aramis, do you want to live like this?"

Aramis lowered his head after hearing William's words. William then turned his gaze to Gin and Valon.

"Even in business, people expect returns. You invest, you expect a return. But as pirates, we're investing our one and only life, and this is the return we expect?" William spat. "To hell with that. Are you guys content with this? I'm not."

Gin asked solemnly, "So what do you plan to do?"

William's eyes subtly gleamed, though it was unclear whether it was due to the firelight or the growth of his ambition. "We need to build our own fleet. If we've risked our lives, then why are we destined to remain insignificant underlings? Why can't we be great pirates? The East Blue is known as the sea where pirate power is the weakest. After Gol D. Roger, no great pirate has emerged, and even Roger's execution in the East Blue was considered a disgrace! How many pirates in the East Blue secretly hope for the day when someone, or even they themselves, can restore the East Blue's name, just like the Pirate King did? You're from the East Blue too. Now, tell me, you don't want to become such a great pirate?"

______________________________________________

If you want 15 chapters ahead, check out my Patreon: 

patreon.com/PureParadox