One Piece: Gawain The Knight Of The Sun

East Blue.

A pirate ship trailed Gawain's warship from a distance.

A lanky man with heart-shaped sunglasses stood in the crow's nest, binoculars trained on the warship miles away.

Confirming the warship's number, he pulled a Den Den Mushi from his coat and dialed.

"Moshi moshi~"

"Captain Kuro, I've confirmed the course of Morgan's warship. They're likely heading to Mizuki Island for supplies."

"Good."

On the other end, Kuro stared expressionlessly at a wanted poster, his tone flat. "Jango, when this is done, you'll be rewarded."

"Yes, sir!" Jango's eyes gleamed with greed, his hand trembling on the binoculars.

He knew Kuro's nature—ruthless, cunning, but true to his word.

Despite years at sea facing countless foes—Marines, pirates, even tough names like Axe-Hand Morgan, Admiral Krieg, and Fish-Man Arlong—no one matched Kuro's intellect.

And that near-teleportation ability? Once activated, it was indiscriminate slaughter. No one survived it!

Jango was certain of this, his fear of Kuro absolute.

He lowered the binoculars, directing the ship to trail the warship at a distance—close enough to track, far enough to avoid detection.

Clearly, he'd done this many times.

…

Elsewhere, Kuro hung up the Den Den Mushi and turned to his crew, a deep loathing and weariness in his eyes.

He'd long forgotten why he set sail. All he knew was that his claw blades had claimed countless heads.

From an ordinary pirate, he'd risen to captain of the Black Cat Pirates—after killing the original captain.

His bounty had climbed to 15 million Berries.

Fighting, killing, plundering, living in a haze…

This life would continue until he fell to an enemy's blade.

He envied a peaceful life—tending flowers, raising a dog, enjoying afternoon tea and sweets, like the nobles he'd seen at banquets in his youth, elegant and composed.

Not this endless cycle of evading Marines and hunting prey.

The pirate's path: failure meant death.

"Who would've thought?"

"All I, Kuro, want is a quiet life…"

Kuro murmured, a flicker of longing in his eyes.

"But if my plan goes smoothly, that life will come soon."

He picked up a white handkerchief, gently wiping his trusty claw blades as if caressing a lover.

Minutes later, Kuro stepped out of the captain's cabin. His crew waited on the deck, fear flashing across their faces at his arrival.

"Captain!"

Kuro reverted to his cold, expressionless demeanor, his icy gaze chilling the crew.

"Our target this time is Marine Major Axe-Hand Morgan."

"If the plan succeeds, I'll temporarily step down from the Black Cat Pirates. My successor will be chosen from Jango or the Nyaban Brothers."

"If it fails…"

"I'll kill you all."

…

Two days later, aboard the stolen warship.

The lookout reported to Gawain with a serious expression. "Captain Gawain, we're being followed."

"They're skilled, keeping just the right distance, but over time, they slipped up."

"I suspect they've been tailing us since we left the island."

Gawain raised an eyebrow.

Since realizing his crew's potential was nearly tapped out, their training yielded dwindling experience.

Even with everyone training, he now gained only a few points daily—sometimes none.

Desperate for new "experience sources," he couldn't let these pirates slip by. "Can you tell who they are?"

The lookout shook his head. "No flag, but their style screams pirate. I don't know which crew, but tailing a warship means they're no small fry."

"What now?"

The lookout's voice held a hint of panic.

The crew gathered, but seeing Gawain's calm demeanor, they found their backbone, relaxing.

Some, eager for a fight, checked their firearms and sharpened their blades.

A month of training had nearly maxed their potential, boosting their strength significantly.

Alongside that growth came a pirate's bloodthirsty instinct—they craved a battle to prove themselves.

Gawain glanced at the eager crew and said calmly, "Close in. Prepare for combat. Prioritize safety and capturing them alive."

"Yes, sir!" they roared.

The helmsman spun the wheel, sails rose, and the warship turned sharply, charging toward the pirate ship.

…

"They spotted us?"

"No surprise. Long-term tracking without perfect stealth was bound to be noticed."

Jango watched the approaching warship, a smirk on his lips, fearless. "Even alone, the captain could slaughter everyone on Morgan's ship. Blame your bad luck for being chosen for his plan."

He turned to his crew. "Retreat! Rendezvous with the main ship!"

The helmsman obeyed, gripping the wheel.

Then, a piercing roar came from the horizon.

Cannonballs landed around the pirate ship, triggering massive explosions.

Water pillars shot skyward.

Jango's Den Den Mushi rang.

"I'm here!" Kuro's emotionless voice crackled through.

On the distant horizon, Kuro's pirate ship cut through the waves, racing toward the battlefield.

Its cannons roared, unleashing a storm of crimson meteors.

Boom!

Boom!

Boom!

…

Amid the barrage, several shells aimed straight for Gawain's warship.

As his crew scrambled, Gawain drew his sword, unleashing a silver Flying Slash that sliced the incoming shells in half.

The slash's momentum carried it skyward, drawing every eye on the battlefield.

"What… is that?" Jango muttered, sensing lethal danger in the silver arc.

Before he could act, a golden-haired figure leapt from the warship, shooting toward his ship like a cannonball.

"Wait!"

"You're not Morgan?!"

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