One Piece: Gawain The Knight Of The Sun

The next second…

Boom!

The pirate ship shuddered as if hit by a cannonball. A massive hole tore through the deck, wood splinters flying, the mast snapping.

Jango dodged the debris, his eyes locked on the cold, imposing figure in the center, a chill running down his spine.

Though the figure said nothing, their aura was so overwhelming it felt like facing Kuro himself.

Thoughts racing, Jango connected the youth's appearance to a wanted poster in his memory. "Knight Gawain? Bounty 8 million?"

His voice trembled as he spoke the number.

What the hell!

My bounty's 9 million, and an 8-million-Berry pirate has this kind of terrifying killing intent?

In an instant, Jango knew he was no match. His only chance of survival was waiting for Kuro's backup.

"I can explain…"

"Submit or die!" Gawain's cold gaze met Jango's, his tone flat. He wanted to subdue these pirates as quickly as possible.

His crew's potential was tapped out, and he urgently needed fresh blood. These pirates were prime recruits.

As for good or evil, who could judge in this sea?

He never claimed to be a saint, but exploiting civilians was his limit.

"I…" Jango swallowed, but before he could continue, the surrounding pirates raised their flintlock pistols, snarling at Gawain.

Bang!

Bang!

Bang!

After a burst of gunfire, Gawain's figure vanished from the deck. As Jango puzzled, a chilling voice came from above. "You made the wrong choice."

"I'm disappointed."

The crew looked up.

Gawain swung his knight's sword, a silver sword aura bursting forth, its razor-sharp presence filling their vision…

Shing!

With a crisp sound, the fifty-meter-long, ten-meter-wide pirate ship split in half.

Two unlucky pirates, too slow to dodge, were struck—one losing an arm, the other half his body.

Blood sprayed.

The scarlet and the sinking ship snapped the crew back to reality. As they looked at the slowly descending figure, only fear remained in their eyes.

"Monster!"

"Like the captain—a monster!"

Jango stood on the deck, watching Gawain land, his eyes filled with dread.

Even his invincible captain couldn't achieve this with mere blades!

"Run!"

Someone shouted, snapping the crew from their shock. But with the sea vast and their ship destroyed, where could they flee?

Gawain's earlier words echoed in Jango's mind. Without hesitation, he made his choice. "We submit! We submit!"

"Watch out for Kuro. He has a skill called 'Pussyfoot Maneuver.' It's so fast the eye can't follow."

Gawain raised an eyebrow. "Faster than me?"

"I don't know," Jango shook his head.

Without a direct clash, he couldn't judge, but he knew how terrifying Kuro was.

A cunning, ruthless man, Kuro's Black Cat Pirates always held every advantage—timing, terrain, and unity.

Logically, their casualties should be minimal.

Yet, every battle cost them heavily.

Most didn't fall to enemies but to Kuro's indiscriminate attacks!

"I admit you're strong, but Kuro's a real monster. His bounty doesn't match his strength!"

"Over the years, most missing pirates and Marines in the East Blue were his prey!"

Jango's expression was grave.

Betraying his captain carried no guilt—surrendering to the strong was a pirate's instinct.

"Is that so?" Gawain replied noncommittally, glancing at the pirates struggling in the water. "Stay alive until this fight's over. I'll test Kuro's worth…"

With that, Gawain stomped, the force sinking the ship's wreckage into the sea. Using the momentum, he shot toward his warship a hundred meters away.

A pirate tossed Jango a life preserver, then turned to Gawain's figure, confused. "Boss, we just sold out the captain?"

"Sold out?" Jango clutched the preserver, a mocking smile on his lips. "If Gawain wins, it's our pledge of loyalty. If Kuro wins, who'd rat us out?"

"Either way, we don't lose."

"And you think Kuro trusts us? He knows about the Nyaban Brothers' schemes."

"He just doesn't care. To him, we're all tools."

"I just realized, once Kuro's plan succeeds, we're his only loose end."

"With his nature, what do you think happens to us?"

The pirate froze, a chill deeper than the sea rising within him.

…

Thud!

Gawain landed cleanly on the warship, not a drop on his clothes, while the trailing pirate ship was swallowed by the sea.

His crew, awestruck, saw him as near-divine, their confidence surging.

As long as the captain stood, the Gawain Pirates wouldn't fall!

Gawain noted their fervent gazes but ignored them, turning to his first mate. "How's the situation?"

The first mate replied respectfully, "Our men aren't used to the warship's cannons—our aim's off. The Black Cat Pirates' gear is weak; they can't dent us."

"To settle this, we'll need to board—"

"They're here!" the lookout shouted.

Gawain looked up.

The Black Cat Pirates' flag approached rapidly, likely planning a boarding fight like his first mate suggested.

With his enhanced vision, Gawain could see a lean, cold-faced man on their deck, his expression grim.

Ten claw blades adorned his fingers, their sharp edges forcing him to push up his glasses with his palms.

The awkward motion only made his aura more menacing.

"Not Morgan?" Kuro froze on his deck, his face darkening.

Not Morgan, yet on Morgan's ship, and clearly not a Marine—the situation was obvious.

"No wonder that move didn't feel like Morgan's."

"Fine."

"A pirate brawl, both sides battered, Captain Kuro gravely wounded—it's less foolproof than a Marine arrest, but it'll do."

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