One Piece: Pirate Code

Barbarossa landed on the deck, shielding Hairedin. As he lifted his head, his beard grew wildly, forming masses of snake-like hair that lashed toward Valon. Amidst this chaos, he casually asked, "Are you alright?"

"One of them escaped in a lifeboat," Hairedin replied, his pudgy face twitching from the pain of his wound. With a grim expression, he added, "When we catch that bald runt, I'll make him pay!"

"Redbeard" Barbarossa glanced at the foul weather with indifference and said, "In weather like this, surviving would be pure luck."

On the other side, Valon struggled to fend off the serpent-like attacks formed by Barbarossa's hair. If the sheer power of the Redbeard's ability had already astonished him, discovering that his blade striking the hair produced metallic clangs only deepened his shock. At best, he could cut a strand or two.

Gin realized that unless he reached the realm of "slicing metal as if it were butter," as described by Koushirou, he stood no chance against Barbarossa's iron-like hair. However, Valon's swordsmanship was the weakest among William's crew. Even William himself hadn't mastered the art of cutting steel, let alone Valon. Thus, he was helpless against Barbarossa's unyielding hair.

After holding on for a while, Valon let his guard down for a moment and was ensnared by the hair wrapping around his limbs. Soon, the coils completely enveloped him, leaving only his bald head exposed.

Barbarossa pulled Valon close, his hair tightening like steel wires, causing immense pain.

Nearby, Hairedin clutched his bleeding shoulder. Watching Valon's agonized expression, a twisted grin of satisfaction spread across his scarred face. "Scared now?"

Valon flinched slightly, then spat blood-tinged saliva onto Hairedin's face. Despite his usually honest and mild-mannered demeanor, he remained defiant, gritting his teeth as he growled, "Someone will avenge me!"

Hairedin froze momentarily, slowly wiping the spit off his face. His expression grew more sinister as he chuckled darkly, "Such brotherly loyalty… I admire that!"

Edmond's ears rang incessantly. After being blasted, struck by a spiked mace, and finally plunged into the sea with a lifeboat, his organs felt out of place. Even as he sat in the small craft, the raging storm caused him to choke on seawater multiple times. The tiny lifeboat was on the verge of capsizing at any moment.

Some sharks lingered around the ships, those cunning creatures waiting for bodies to fall into the sea.

The lifeboat had been swept a distance away from the merchant ship by the storm. Though no sharks were nearby, for now, Edmond didn't dare think of them. Instead, he tilted his head, staring anxiously at the deck of the ship. Rain soaked his eyes, but he didn't blink.

For the first time in his fearless life, Edmond prayed to the gods, though his last-minute plea seemed futile. He watched helplessly as a small figure was tossed from the ship's bow into the waiting jaws of the sharks.

A bolt of lightning split the sky, illuminating the sea and the figure in midair. The figure's limbs were severed, blood gushing out, and its bald head shone starkly in the lightning.

Edmond's face twisted in anguish as tears mixed with rain streamed down his cheeks. For a moment, time seemed to stop, and the world lost its color. His ears rang with chaotic voices.

Valon's bloodied body hit the water with a splash, turning the surrounding sea red.

Edmond crawled to the edge of his boat, ignoring his injuries, and dove into the water, swimming desperately toward the sharks. But he could only watch as the predators fought over Valon's body before the victor dragged it to the depths.

Edmond's eyes burned with rage as he let out a furious roar, but underwater, it was reduced to nothing more than bubbles.

Edmond had never understood why someone as skilled and intelligent as William would interact so easily with ordinary sailors, dock workers, and even fishermen, people Edmond deemed talentless.

When William sat among these people, he showed no impatience or disdain.

Now, in his desperate plight, Edmond finally understood the significance of William's actions.

The collision between Count Arcadio, Colonel Roy, and Redbeard Barbarossa had brought a full-scale crackdown on William's trade network within Navia's borders. This included not only pirate factions but also the official forces of the Sixteenth Naval Division and the Kingdom's police.

Though the Navy and police lacked photos of William and his crew, they still targeted all suspicious individuals. Edmond's current appearance screamed "suspicious." Pale as a ghost, his wounds were swollen from seawater, his right ear bore burns, and his tattered clothes reeked of blood and salt.

When Edmond, unaware of the full situation, struggled to shore after his boat capsized, a poor boy from a nearby village was the first to find him. Instead of alerting the authorities or the Navy, the boy, Oliver, quietly carried Edmond home and hid him.

Oliver's reason was simple. He had worked at the docks and seen William occasionally, sometimes accompanied by Edmond. He recognized Edmond and knew that this wretched man was William's companion.

William's interactions with the dock workers had built his reputation among the common people, earning their trust and goodwill. When it mattered most, this goodwill bore fruit. Despite their lack of talent, these ordinary people became William's eyes and ears.

Oliver's decision to save Edmond wasn't entirely selfless. He believed that handing Edmond over to the Navy or authorities, who looked down on commoners, would yield no benefit. In contrast, helping someone like William, who was known for his generosity, could lead to rewards.

Had William not consistently fostered goodwill among the dock workers, Edmond would've been doomed.

After hiding Edmond for a few days and informing him of the hunt for his crew, Oliver agreed to Edmond's request. He hid Edmond in a secret compartment on his family's fishing boat and smuggled him past the Navy and Kingdom forces to Redleaf Village.

Amid the storm, Edmond clung to consciousness, driven by a single unwavering thought: survival.

As he lay curled up in the pitch-dark, cramped compartment, listening to the waves and the soldiers' footsteps on the deck above, Edmond felt fear for the first time. It wasn't fear of death but fear of failing to avenge Valon.

The soldiers' footsteps faded, but Edmond couldn't erase Valon's final, goofy smile from his mind. In the darkness, Edmond's bloodshot eyes widened as he muttered, "I will avenge you, Valon."

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