One Piece: The True Codex

After a few days drifting with the Red-Beard Pirates, William could feel the oppressive atmosphere aboard the ship, even as a newcomer. For someone with prior pirate experience like him, the tension was even more evident.

Out on the vast sea, their ship was the only vessel in sight, creating a sense of isolation from the world. The daily grind of labor, the salty sea breeze, and the monotonous scenery only added to the crew's frustration. The atmosphere on the ship resembled a powder keg, ready to explode at the slightest spark.

At times like this, the crew needed either the captain's authority to restore order or an outlet for their bottled-up emotions.

Barbarossa was clearly aware of this. In addition to increasing his patrols on the deck, he steered the pirate ship onto a major shipping route, hoping to find some prey.

That day, William was helping clean the deck when a shout erupted from the crow's nest.

All the pirates on the deck instinctively turned to look up. William shaded his eyes with his hand and saw a wiry pirate in the crow's nest excitedly pointing to the side of the ship. He shouted down to the crew below, "There's a ship over there!"

The first mate, Reis, was also on deck. Upon hearing this, he immediately climbed up another mast. Despite his massive, bear-like build, Reis moved with the agility of a monkey. Gripping the mast and ropes, he scaled it in just a few swift movements.

Watching the mast sway slightly under Reis's weight, William couldn't help but worry that it might break.

Once Reis reached the crow's nest, he pulled a spyglass from his coat and peered in the direction the wiry pirate had indicated. After observing for a moment, he shouted down to the crew, "Go inform the captain!"

Although Reis hadn't called his name, William immediately turned and ran toward the stern.

From above, Reis nodded in approval. He then grabbed a rope with one hand and leapt from the crow's nest. Swinging through the air a couple of times, he skillfully descended by sliding his hands down the rope, landing steadily on the deck.

By this time, Hayreddin, the ship's navigator, had emerged from below deck upon hearing the commotion. He, too, carried a spyglass and moved toward the ship's side. The pirates near him quickly stepped aside, wary of angering this notoriously temperamental officer.

Compared to Hayreddin, the crew clearly preferred Reis. A few old pirates moved away from Hayreddin and gathered around Reis, bombarding him with questions: "First Mate, what kind of ship is it?"

"A merchant ship," Reis replied with a grin.

The group erupted into cheers.

Meanwhile, William sprinted to the captain's quarters. After knocking twice, the door creaked open, and Barbarossa's large, tricorn-hatted head emerged. He looked at William and asked, "What's the matter?"

Feigning excitement, William reported, "Captain, someone spotted a ship off the bow."

Barbarossa stepped out of his quarters, nodded at William, and strode toward the bow.

As they walked, Barbarossa suddenly asked, "I heard you had a little disagreement with Kuro a few days ago?"

William wasn't surprised that Barbarossa knew about this. After all, he had deliberately spread the story, fully expecting it to reach the captain's ears. Still, he put on an awkward expression.

"You're all shipmates on the same vessel. Don't hold grudges against each other," Barbarossa said. "There might be a battle soon. Since you're skilled, head to the cabin and keep an eye on him. Don't let him wander around and get hurt. Use this opportunity to improve your relationship."

William's mind raced, but he outwardly displayed a reluctant expression. Just then, Hatcheson, with his perpetually red, bulbous nose, appeared in the corridor ahead. Barbarossa called him over and instructed him to accompany William in "protecting" Kuro.

As an experienced pirate, Hatcheson immediately grabbed the still-pretending-to-be-confused William and led him off to find Kuro.

William muttered indistinct grumbles, as if complaining about being excluded from the upcoming battle, while inwardly sneering.

The survival model of "Red-Beard" Barbarossa closely resembled the system William had envisioned.

It relied on a land-based trading company to provide intelligence support. The pirate crew would then use their strength to eliminate competitors, with the trading company fencing the loot and converting it into supplies to sustain the pirates' operations.

William's smuggling network had been built with a similar purpose in mind. Smuggling, being an illegal trade, could just as easily handle contraband like alcohol as it could pirate-plundered goods.

However, Barbarossa's model was even larger in scale. His land-based allies not only provided intelligence but could also mobilize official forces for support—even the Marines had a role to play.

But compared to William's envisioned system, Barbarossa's approach had a fatal flaw.

In William's design, he maintained absolute control. When negotiating his initial smuggling deal with Sherlock, he had been willing to walk away rather than cede power.

In contrast, "Red-Beard" Barbarossa lacked absolute control within his own system. His relationship with his allies was, at best, a partnership. This was evident from Kuro's presence. Despite Kuro's unpopularity, neither Barbarossa nor Reis had made things too difficult for him. Clearly, this wasn't out of respect for Kuro himself but for the faction he represented.

While this alliance-based model allowed for faster growth and greater expansion than William's centralized approach, to William, it seemed bloated and inefficient.

Within the same camp, different factions had their own interests and agendas. The faction Kuro represented believed that since they fenced loot, provided intelligence, and offered logistical support, they were entitled to a fair share of the spoils.

Meanwhile, Barbarossa and his pirates resented having to share their hard-earned loot with a faction that, to them, contributed little in terms of effort.

Barbarossa's suggestion that William and Kuro "improve their relationship" was nonsense. His real intention was obvious: to keep an eye on Kuro and limit his movements. After the battle, Barbarossa and his crew would tally the loot, and the final numbers would be whatever Barbarossa decided.

William had seen enough failed partnerships in his previous life to know that cooperation without a strong external threat rarely led to unity. Instead, it often resulted in disputes and legal battles.

Talking about rules and agreements with pirates was unreliable. William knew this wasn't the first time Barbarossa had employed such tactics. When he and Hatcheson found Kuro, the young man's face already bore a resigned expression, clearly familiar with the situation.

In the past, Arcadio Buendía had tolerated Barbarossa's underhanded methods to avoid straining their alliance. While the two occasionally disagreed over profit distribution, their differences had never escalated into a rift.

Unfortunately, the Red-Beard Pirates now had a new member with ulterior motives.

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