One Piece: The True Codex

After finishing their drinks, Reis led William and a group of his men out of the tavern in a swaggering procession. Naturally, the tavern owner didn't dare to approach them for payment.

The remaining patrons in the tavern watched the group leave with mixed expressions—some were relieved, others disgusted, and a few even envious.

In this turbulent Great Pirate Era, many people understood that not all pirates met a good end. The Marines and the World Government tirelessly hunted and publicly executed renowned pirates. Yet, this did little to deter the flow of people choosing the pirate's path. On the contrary, they came in droves, each dreaming of becoming a legend, basking in glory—even if only briefly, even if it was all for show.

William followed Reis to the docks, which had now become a pirate's playground. The usual dockworkers with their rough hands, the merchants barking orders, and the loud, boisterous sailors were nowhere to be seen. In their place was a mob of vicious pirates, drinking and chatting without restraint.

The ground was littered with smoldering cigarette butts, empty bottles, and scraps of food. The merchant ships that once docked here had long since fled, leaving behind some abandoned cargo. The pirates showed no hesitation as they ripped open the crates, pocketing anything valuable and tossing aside what they deemed worthless.

Chaos—that was William's first impression of the scene. However, having lived among the Danton Pirates, he was well-acquainted with the ways of pirates and wasn't surprised by their behavior.

What captured William's attention most was the pirate ship docked nearby. Standing below and looking up, the towering prow and stern deck of the ship exuded an oppressive aura. The cannons protruding from its sides gleamed under the sunlight, and a few gunners sat on the mooring posts not far away, loudly discussing how a single cannon shot could obliterate the town. Their animated gestures and excited expressions made it clear they were thoroughly enjoying the conversation.

Reis led William and his group through the chaos, walking up a wooden plank onto their ship. Along the way, some veteran pirates pointed and whispered about William's unfamiliar figure.

As soon as they boarded, a bespectacled young man stepped forward to block Reis's path.

"First Mate, you should do something about the situation at the docks," the young man said, adjusting his round-rimmed glasses with a hint of dissatisfaction. "I was trying to inventory the cargo left behind by the merchant ships, but the entire dock has devolved into chaos. I can't get anything done."

William glanced at the young man, intrigued. What piqued his interest was how out of place this individual looked compared to the rest of the pirates.

Unlike the Marines, pirates didn't have uniforms, so their attire varied greatly. However, most pirates shared one common trait: they were unkempt. This was a matter of survival. Freshwater was a precious resource at sea, and there wasn't enough to spare for personal hygiene.

Moreover, alcohol, which could be stored longer than water, was a staple on every ship. As a result, most pirates were heavy drinkers.

But this man—despite the faint traces of sweat stains on his cuffs and collar—was clearly making an effort to stay clean. He was even dressed in a formal suit, which was highly unusual for life aboard a pirate ship. Given the harsh conditions at sea and the frequent battles, most pirates wouldn't choose such impractical clothing. William, having lived on a pirate ship before, found himself taking a second look at the man.

Based on the intelligence provided by Ward, this must be the ship's quartermaster, Kuro, whose background was shrouded in mystery.

Reis frowned slightly at Kuro's mildly accusatory tone and asked, "Where's the captain?"

"The captain is taking a bath, and Mr. Hayreddin is discussing our next course of action with him," Kuro replied. He cast a brief glance at William, noting his unfamiliar face, but paid him no further attention and turned back to Reis.

Reis looked over at the docks, which were already in a state of complete disarray, and waved dismissively. "It's too late to stop them now. I'll go find the captain."

Kuro hesitated, wanting to say more. He had been handpicked by Arcadio Buendía from his trading company and placed aboard the pirate ship. Though he deeply resented this arrangement, Kuro was not yet the infamous pirate he would later become in the East Blue. At this point, he was merely a small-time operative with some skills and intellect, reliant on the trading company for his livelihood. He had no power to defy Arcadio's orders.

Kuro's primary responsibility was to inventory the crew's supplies and loot, and secretly, he also acted as a supervisor. After all, according to the agreement, a share of the pirates' spoils belonged to Arcadio.

Technically, the cargo at the docks was part of the spoils. Allowing the pirates to rummage through it and stash items for themselves made it impossible to account for everything.

Most people in Kuro's position might have turned a blind eye to avoid making enemies, especially since the goods weren't particularly valuable. But Kuro despised the pirate lifestyle and clung tightly to Arcadio's influence, hoping his diligence would earn him a chance to escape this "hell."

However, this attitude only made the pirates dislike him more. Reis, knowing Kuro's true identity and understanding that he wasn't loyal to the crew, kept him at arm's length, mixing disdain with a touch of indifference.

Without giving Kuro another chance to speak, Reis signaled for a few trusted subordinates to stay behind while he led William away at a brisk pace.

Before leaving, William gave Kuro a friendly smile, but Kuro responded with cold indifference, barely glancing at him before turning back to his work.

William wasn't bothered and followed Reis to the captain's quarters at the stern of the ship. Instead of barging in, Reis knocked gently on the door.

A sharp, almost shrill voice called out from inside, "Who is it?"

"It's me, Reis," the first mate replied, glancing at William. "I've brought a new recruit aboard. He's skilled, and I thought the captain should meet him."

"Wait a moment," came the reply from Hayreddin, the ship's navigator, his voice as sharp and grating as before.

After a moment, the sound of heavy objects being moved could be heard from behind the door. William's ears twitched slightly, noting the numerous locks being undone. He couldn't help but wonder why.

After some time, the thick wooden door finally creaked open, and William stepped inside with Reis. The first thing he saw was a grotesque, scarred man standing by the door.

Hayreddin. William recognized him instantly.

The navigator's face was half-ruined, and his twisted scars made him look even more menacing. Known for his violent and sadistic nature, Hayreddin was feared by everyone on the ship.

When Hayreddin noticed William looking at him, he grinned. In the dimly lit room, his lopsided smile, combined with his scarred face, exuded nothing but malice and terror.

According to Ward, Vallon had fallen into Hayreddin's hands. It was he who had severed Vallon's limbs and thrown him to the sharks.

A surge of killing intent rose within William, but he quickly masked it, feigning fear as he turned his head away.

Hayreddin, noticing William's reaction, grinned even wider, clearly enjoying the moment.

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