One Piece: The True Codex

The slums of Kalmar City were a chaotic and disorderly place, teeming with all sorts of characters. Despite the Red-Beard Pirates numbering over a hundred, they were spread too thin to cover such a vast area, especially after splitting into smaller teams.

William, along with Reis, Kuro, and four veteran pirates, searched the streets together.

They had ventured deep into the slums. Narrow streets were lined with shabby young men in tattered clothing, their dirty faces wary as they watched the pirates. When questioned, they answered every inquiry without hesitation, clearly intimidated.

While the crew's thuggish questioning continued, Reis absentmindedly scanned the surroundings with a distracted gaze. They had been wandering the slums for half a day, and as the sky began to darken, their vigilance inevitably waned.

On one side of the street, the window of a two-story building was slowly pushed open. Reis's previously unfocused eyes suddenly sharpened.

A metallic clinking sound followed, one so familiar that Reis reacted instinctively before his mind could catch up. He dove to the side, shouting, "Watch out!"

But his warning came a second too late. As soon as his voice rang out, flashes of fire erupted from the windows on both sides of the street, followed by the rapid crackle of gunfire.

Two of the veteran pirates immediately collapsed to the ground, their blood quickly soaking into the dirt beneath them.

The remaining pirates scrambled for cover. Meanwhile, the young men who had been answering questions moments ago suddenly tore off their disguises. Lifting their shirts to reveal flintlock pistols tucked at their waists, they drew dual pistols and fired at the distracted pirates, who had their backs turned to the ambush.

The two pirates who had narrowly survived the initial volley jerked violently as bullets pierced their vital points, blood spurting from their wounds before they joined their fallen comrades.

Two of the young ambushers didn't target the lower-ranking pirates but instead aimed directly at Reis. However, Reis wasn't like the others. With a quick swing of his scimitar, he slashed through the wall of a nearby building, rolling his massive frame inside to escape the gunmen's line of sight.

As the breeze dispersed the lingering gun smoke, only the group of young gunmen, William, and Kuro remained standing in the street.

The young men, some excited and others nervous, turned their eyes to William. The two who had missed their shots at Reis glanced toward the direction he had disappeared, eager to give chase.

William didn't say a word. He shook his head at the two, then made a slicing motion across his throat with his hand. The young gunmen, all hailing from Red Leaf Village, obeyed him without question. They began finishing off the injured pirates with precise, ruthless strikes.

These young gunmen, brimming with youthful ambition, were deeply tied to William. Their families and friends worked in the village's brewery, which William had kept running despite losing his smuggling network. They revered and feared him, and their loyalty was solidified by their connection to his Threads of Fate.

After ensuring no survivors were left, one of the young gunmen approached William and handed him a katana.

William removed the scimitar from his waist and replaced it with the katana. Then, he slowly walked toward the hole Reis had made in the wall.

Inside the building, Reis remained on high alert. When he saw William step into view, he instinctively began to warn him to be careful. But before he could speak, he realized something was off.

Reis was a sharp man, his keen attention to detail belying his hulking frame. Standing in the broken wall, William's expression was calm—devoid of the youthful impulsiveness and energy he often displayed on the ship. Outside, the gunfire had also gone silent.

"Stolt?" Reis narrowed his eyes, watching as William stepped into the room. The scimitar in Reis's hand subtly shifted, its tip now pointing toward William.

"Reis... First Mate," William said with a grin, "put down your blade. For the sake of you bringing me aboard the ship, I'll give you a quick death."

After speaking, William glanced to the side.

Reis, ever cautious, followed his gaze. Standing at the doorway was Kuro, pale-faced and visibly uneasy.

Kuro guarded the exit but didn't move further. If Hayreddin had been the hidden hand pulling Kuro aboard William's ship, then killing Reis was Kuro's true initiation. Only by participating in Reis's death could Kuro prove his loyalty to William and fully commit to opposing Barbarossa.

Yet Kuro's hesitation was evident. The longstanding authority of Barbarossa and Reis still weighed heavily on him.

"Traitor," Reis spat through gritted teeth. He hadn't pieced together the entirety of William's plan, but the situation was clear enough: Kuro, representing the Buendía family, had somehow joined forces with the scheming William.

William, meanwhile, had shifted his focus back to Reis. His steps were light, his left hand resting on the sheathed katana at his waist. He appeared completely at ease, his body relaxed, even his facial muscles loose.

Reis didn't know what William was planning, but he resolved to kill him regardless.

When William stepped within striking distance, Reis lunged forward, raising his scimitar high with both hands and bringing it down with all his might. Both men knew that if this strike landed, William would be cleaved in two.

The force of the swing sent a gust of wind past William, blowing his hair back. Kuro's eyes widened in anticipation of a gruesome scene, but what he expected didn't happen.

William's eyes sharpened in an instant, his previously relaxed muscles tensing like coiled steel. His expression transformed, becoming cold and resolute. He moved faster than Reis, his movements smaller yet more precise. With a slight diagonal step forward, William drew his katana and slashed upward in one fluid motion, simultaneously evading Reis's attack and countering with lethal precision.

Reis's scimitar missed its mark, carving a deep gash into the floor and sending a shockwave that caused the already damaged wall behind William to collapse with a crash.

Without sparing a glance at the fallen wall or Reis, William flicked his blade, sending droplets of blood flying off the edge, before calmly sheathing it.

Koshiro had once called William a prodigy in swordsmanship—not because of his raw strength, but because of his ability to develop his own style and philosophy in such a short time.

As the blade clicked back into its sheath, thin lines of blood appeared on Reis's wrists.

Reis's face contorted in pain as he tried to lift his weapon, only to find his hands unresponsive. A moment later, his scimitar, along with his severed hands, clattered to the ground.

Kuro's mouth hung open in shock. When he looked at William again, he found the young man staring coldly at him, sending a shiver down his spine. William's display was clearly meant to assert dominance.

Despite his injuries, Reis lunged at William in a desperate attempt to fight back. But with his hands gone, he was no match. William sidestepped his charge and tripped him, sending his massive frame crashing to the ground.

Reis, pale and bleeding profusely from his severed wrists, began crawling toward the collapsed wall.

"Barbarossa..." he gasped. All he wanted now was to warn his cousin. With Hayreddin and himself gone, how could Barbarossa survive William's schemes?

Kuro, clutching a dagger, approached the struggling Reis. After a hesitant glance at William's indifferent expression, he knelt down and slit Reis's throat.

Ignoring Reis's final struggles, William stepped outside. As he reached the street, a cold raindrop landed on his face. Moments later, a torrential downpour began.

Outside Kalmar City, on a hill overlooking the private docks, three men stood in the wind and rain, their eyes fixed on the distant pirate ship.

"Is everyone gone?"

"Only a couple of guards left."

"William said the captain's quarters are at the stern."

Tony, crouching, crushed his rain-soaked cigarette and tossed it aside. Glancing at Edmond and Aramis, he slowly stood up. "What are we waiting for? Let's move!"

The mountain wind howled, whipping their raincoats as they prepared to act.

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