One Piece: Rising to Power as a Warlord of the Sea

Three days later, at dawn on Snowflake Island in the East Blue…

"Boss, we're surrounded! (ー_ー)!!"

"What now, Captain?!"

Since Gin joined, Natsu and his crew had been steadily heading towards the Grand Line, training daily to grow stronger. Gin often sparred with Kumo, and though he still couldn't beat the stout panda, he was visibly improving. Natsu even began teaching him Haki since there wouldn't be much time to train once they entered the New World; the first stretch of the Grand Line was a prime chance to sharpen their skills.

Now, after a short break on the island, they awoke to find their Smile pirate ship encircled.

"Huh, the Black Cat Pirates, is it?" Natsu murmured, noticing the black cat figurehead on the pirate ship in the distance. According to the current timeline—year 1515 on the Sea Calendar—Captain Kuro of the Black Cat Pirates had yet to make any move on the wealthy heiress Kaya's fortune. That plot wouldn't unfold for another two years.

"Ding! Team quest activated: Smile Pirates must defeat the Black Cat Pirates together. Reward: +20 points, +1 lottery chance."

What?! A system mission? Natsu was caught by surprise. A team quest? Looks like there are now faster ways to earn points since the formation of the pirate crew. Nice! ૧(●´৺`●)૭

"Kumo, Gin, this is the perfect opportunity to test your skills! Go on!"

"Hehe, watch me, Boss! I'll handle it on my own!"

Kumo's plump face beamed with joy. Finally, he could unleash his full strength. His matches with Gin lately had been way too restrictive, as he was constantly holding back, worried about accidentally injuring him.

"Captain, I'm in too!" Gin gripped the golden war hammer that Natsu had gifted him, nodding before sprinting toward the Black Cat Pirates. Unlike the chatterbox Kumo, Gin was the silent type, rarely speaking unless necessary.

He was the classic "strong, silent type"—a man of few words but intense dedication, pushing himself to his absolute limit in every training session.

"Kill them! How dare two of them charge into our midst alone!" Captain Kuro sneered, pushing up his glasses. In the East Blue, the Black Cat Pirates considered themselves formidable, with few who dared challenge them.

"You're too weak! Not a single one of you can hold your own!" Kumo tore through the battlefield, taking out enemies left and right. Black Cat Pirates were flung like ragdolls, landing with painful thuds.

"Buchi, that bear is terrifying! What are we supposed to do?!" shrieked the wiry pirate Sham, inching toward Kumo with a face full of dread. Pretending to be dazed, he crept up to the panda, only to suddenly leap up, his steel claws slashing straight at Kumo's body.

"Eeeeeek!"

A harsh metallic clang echoed as Sham's eyes went wide with shock. His claws hadn't made a dent, nor had Kumo even flinched. Instead, his steel claws had been ground down by two centimeters.

"W-What kind of monster are you? (꒪⌓꒪)"

Sham staggered back, trembling. How could he even fight when he couldn't penetrate their defense?

"An eye for an eye! 'Among three people, one is bound to be my teacher!'" Kumo muttered to himself. Thanks to Natsu's love of reading "quotes," the panda had picked up some sayings.

His beady eyes glinted in disdain—this lot of a few dozen wasn't even worth his time. For a real fight, he'd need at least a squad.

"Tai Chi: Collapsing Strike!"

Just as Sham and Buchi were exchanging glances, Kumo flashed forward. His pudgy paw struck both in the stomach.

"Bam!"

The brutal blow sent them hurtling through the air, their mouths open in agony, before they splashed into the distant sea.

"What in the world?! Since when did the East Blue have monsters like this?!" Jango, sweating bullets, thought the Black Cat Pirates were strong, but against Kumo, they were hopeless.

"Alright, Jango, that hammer-wielding guy is yours." Kuro adjusted his glasses and took off, aiming straight for Natsu. "If I take down their leader, the rest of the crew will crumble."

Kuro's razor-sharp cat claws gleamed in the sunlight, his figure disappearing right before Natsu's eyes.

"Silent Step!"

Kuro's technique was a silent, high-speed movement—a stealthy killing style similar to the Marines' "Shave."

"Slice! Die!" Kuro sneered, aiming a blow at Natsu's head. He was convinced his attack had succeeded, but—

"Bang!"

"What?! (⊙o⊙)"

"Impossible! Did Captain Kuro's attack… actually fail?!"

"A monster! He's a monster if even Captain Kuro's best move can't harm him!"

Natsu's arm, coated in Armament Haki, blocked Kuro's claws, sparks flying. Kuro leapt back, glaring at Natsu in disbelief. The Black Cat Pirates were stunned, mouths agape.

"Shakushi…"

With a furious look, Kuro hissed his most powerful move, "Shakushi"—an attack so reckless that it didn't distinguish between friend and foe.

"So, he's using it, huh? Similar to Cavendish's ability, but if you can't control your own power, it's time for you to disappear."

"Wind Rope!"

"Earth Crusher!"

Natsu's brows furrowed as a Bagua symbol appeared at his feet, twisting in a Qimen formation. With a fierce wind and lightning speed, ropes of wind bound Kuro. Next, the ground exploded as a massive earthen serpent smashed into him, breaking the ropes and sending him out of sight.

Elsewhere, Gin finished his fight. Jango's hypnosis was useless against Gin's steely focus. A couple of hammer strikes and Jango was out.

"Ding! Congratulations, host! Mission complete. Reward: +20 points, +1 lottery chance."

The familiar system chime echoed in Natsu's mind, and he grinned.

"Captain! Someone's stealing our ship!"

Kumo yelled as he saw the Black Cat Pirate ship drifting away, its crew staring back at Natsu in horror and confusion.

"This is outrageous! Someone in the East Blue actually dared steal my treasure right in front of me!"

In Natsu's mind, the Black Cat Pirates' treasure was already his for the taking; after all, he was a pirate. The victor decides everything.