One Piece: Pirate Code

A drunken Ward stumbled out of the tavern with his companions and then wandered into an alley alone to relieve himself.

Pirates, naturally, had no sense of civic duty. Ward unceremoniously unfastened his pants, humming a tune as he swayed unsteadily and carelessly relieved himself against the wall.

At the mouth of the alley, someone seemed to be peering in, but the darkness made it difficult to make out their appearance. Out of the corner of his eye, Ward caught sight of the figure and turned to angrily shout, "Get lost!"

The words had barely left his mouth when he heard the sound of something slicing through the air behind him. Before he could react, everything went black.

When Ward regained consciousness, he found himself strapped to a chair, his hands and feet firmly bound.

Dazed, he opened his eyes to see a peeling, mottled wall in front of him. As he looked around, he realized he was in an abandoned, dilapidated room. Two oil lamps hanging nearby provided a dim, flickering light.

Four men stood not far from him, their faces obscured by shadows.

Ward's head throbbed painfully, especially at the back where he'd been struck. He struggled slightly but found his limbs tightly restrained with sturdy leather straps that secured him to the chair.

"Who are you people?" Ward growled, twisting his body, causing the chair to creak noisily as it rocked back and forth. "Do you have any idea who you're messing with?"

"Oh? And who exactly are we messing with?" The tallest man in the group spoke up, his tone laced with curiosity.

"I'm a pirate under 'Redbeard' Barbarossa!" Ward snarled through gritted teeth.

The tall man stepped closer, and as he moved into the light, Ward saw that he was just a young man—likely not even twenty. He had golden hair, sharp eyebrows, and striking blue eyes that fixed on Ward with a penetrating gaze. After a moment, the man suddenly smiled.

"You think I'm lying?" Ward snapped, glaring into those piercing blue eyes. "You'd better let me go if you don't want to die horribly!"

"No, I'm not doubting you," the blond man said, casually patting Ward's face with a few light slaps, ignoring the fury building on Ward's face. "I'm smiling because I've captured the right person."

Ward roared in anger, "You're all dead meat—"

Before he could finish his sentence, another man with fiery red hair charged forward. This man's temper seemed as volatile as his hair color, and he delivered a powerful kick to Ward's chest, toppling him and the chair to the ground.

The red-haired man prepared to strike again, but the blond man spoke without even turning his head. "Gin, hold him back."

The four men were none other than William, Gin, Aramis, and Edmond.

Gin stepped forward and restrained the enraged Edmond, speaking softly to calm him down.

Meanwhile, William picked up the fallen Ward and even dusted off the dirt clinging to the back of his head.

"Sir," William began politely, pausing briefly. "I don't believe I caught your name. What should we call you?"

Ward sneered and turned his head away, refusing to answer.

William chuckled. "Tough guy, huh? Impressive."

With a nod toward Aramis and the now-calmed Edmond, the two men stepped forward, lifted Ward and his chair, and placed him horizontally on a large wooden table in the center of the room.

The table, clearly a flawed piece of furniture, had one leg shorter than the others, causing it to tilt slightly. Ward lay on it with his head lower than his feet, suppressing his fear as he glared defiantly at William and his companions.

"You look like a seasoned pirate, probably a strong swimmer," William remarked, pulling a piece of cloth from his pocket and shaking it out. "So, let's play a little water game."

William draped the cloth over Ward's face. Gin, who had somehow acquired a kettle, began pouring water steadily onto the cloth.

The cold water startled Ward at first, but he relaxed when he realized it was just water.

However, as Edmond pressed down on Ward's head, the latter's defiance quickly turned into violent thrashing.

Edmond's face twisted with determination as he held Ward's head firmly in place. William, still calm, pulled out another piece of cloth and placed it over the first, while Gin continued to pour water.

This method of torture was something William had devised based on his memories from a previous life. Known as "waterboarding," this simple yet horrifying technique had been used since the Middle Ages, from the Spanish Inquisition to the CIA. It simulated the agony of drowning, leaving the victim utterly broken.

After a calculated period, William removed the cloth, and Gin stopped pouring.

Ward gasped desperately for air, his eyes wide with terror. But the water trapped in his nose and lungs caused him to cough violently.

The once-defiant pirate was now a shadow of his former self, panting heavily as his head lolled to the side in exhaustion.

"Ready to talk now?" William asked.

"Wh-what do you want to know?" Ward stammered, his face pale as he seemingly caved.

"Wrong answer."

William ignored his plea, replacing the cloth over his face. Gin picked up a fresh kettle and began pouring again.

After another round, William removed the cloth.

"Ward. My name is Ward!" the pirate blurted as soon as he could breathe.

"Good," William said with a satisfied nod. "How long have you been with Redbeard's crew?"

"Seven months."

"Does the Redbeard Pirates have any connections with the Kingdom of Navia, the World Government, or the Navy?"

"I—I don't know." Ward hesitated before answering.

William raised an eyebrow. Ward, panicked, cried out, "I swear, I don't know! I'm not lying!"

Ignoring his protests, William placed the cloth back over Ward's face, though this time he removed it more quickly.

"Let me rephrase that. Do you know if the Redbeard Pirates have any connections with the Kingdom of Navia, the World Government, or their officials?"

Faced with the threat of further torture, Ward's mind raced. "We often dock at a private harbor near Kalmar City. Sometimes we rest in the city, and the guards never stop us. Also, there's a young man on the ship named Clow…"

William abruptly cut him off. "Tell me about your captain. How strong is he, and where does he come from?"

"What? I—I don't really know." Ward, thrown off by the sudden change in questioning, stammered and blurted the first thing that came to mind. "I just know he ate a Devil Fruit…"

The words "Devil Fruit" stunned not only William but also Gin, Aramis, and Edmond, who exchanged surprised glances.

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