One Piece: The True Codex

The night was calm as William patrolled the ship, carrying a lantern. He first checked the crew's quarters to ensure the candles used for lighting had been extinguished, then inspected a few flammable areas. Along the way, he noticed some of the new recruits had kicked off their blankets in their sleep. Thoughtfully, he adjusted the blankets for them and even tucked the corners in snugly.

Of course, this considerate gesture would inevitably "accidentally" wake up the recruits. When they opened their eyes, William would smile and gesture for them to remain quiet, embodying the image of someone doing good deeds without seeking recognition. This small act deeply moved the rookies, who were still uneasy in their unfamiliar surroundings.

Leaving the quarters, William greeted the pirates on night watch as he passed, occasionally reminding the newer ones to keep their lights low or tossing a cigarette to the older crew members while exchanging a few jokes before moving on.

Since boarding the ship, William's largest expense had surprisingly been cigarettes. On a pirate ship, where voyages could last indefinitely without docking at populated areas, alcohol was part of the ship's supplies, but cigarettes were a personal commodity. Some inexperienced rookies or spendthrifts who hadn't stocked up enough tobacco would quickly run out during the journey. When William saw these pirates suffering from withdrawal, he would sometimes toss them a pack. On the ship, cigarettes and alcohol often worked better than Beli to win goodwill and build relationships.

In addition, William himself was under immense psychological pressure, being in enemy territory. He didn't dare to rely on alcohol to relieve stress, so he turned to smoking instead. Over time, he found himself addicted once again.

Some of the younger recruits, close to William's age, looked on enviously as he joked and laughed with the veteran pirates. From the stern to the bow, it seemed like William had friends everywhere on the ship.

But that was, of course, an illusion. While William's increasingly unmasked, charismatic personality allowed him to navigate social dynamics effortlessly, he wasn't Beli—he couldn't be liked by everyone.

Near the bow of the ship, in a sheltered corner, a group of figures sat around a dim lantern playing cards. One of them, hearing footsteps, glanced up and saw William approaching. Recognizing him, the man quickly lowered his head and refocused on his cards.

William frowned slightly. The man who had looked up was short and stocky, with a face full of coarse features and messy black curls. It was none other than the newly appointed first mate, Felton.

The others around the lantern were Felton's close confidants, except for one—a young recruit, still fresh-faced and inexperienced.

Veteran pirates on the ship, with years of experience on the seas, were adept at all vices—drinking, gambling, cheating, and swindling. Many of the newer recruits, aside from those with prior sailing experience, were clueless about shipboard life and the rules of long voyages. The young man before him, still carrying a trace of youthful naivety, was clearly being fleeced by Felton and his gang.

Gambling, especially the kind involving deceit, only served to deepen conflicts among the crew and increased the cost of maintaining order.

In the past, when Reis and Hayreddin were alive, the former acted as the ship's steward, managing everything meticulously, while the latter's temper deterred most from gambling openly. At most, such activities were confined to secretive corners, never as brazen as they were now.

But with Barbarossa no longer taking charge, the ship's discipline had begun to slip. Felton, unlike Reis, lacked both the intellect and the ability to lead by example. Instead, he exploited his position to gamble openly, setting a poor precedent.

While Felton and his cronies paid no mind to William, the young recruit, Nadal, was visibly anxious. William was the ship's navigator, a man known for his social finesse and, more importantly, for his feat of capturing the renowned "Red-Leg" Zeff back in Kalmar City.

On a pirate ship, strength was the ultimate currency. William's status on the ship was second only to Barbarossa himself. In terms of both strength and rank, Nadal was no match for William.

Seeing William approach, Nadal hastily gathered his cards and stood up, drawing the attention of Felton and his men.

William glanced at the group and said calmly to Nadal, "Go back to sleep."

"You're not leaving!" Felton barked at Nadal, then turned to William with a sneer. "He still owes us money."

Nadal looked helplessly at William, who scanned Felton and his cronies before repeating, "Go back to sleep."

Felton's brows furrowed as he strode up to William. Being shorter, he had to look up to meet William's gaze, which made him appear utterly lacking in intimidation.

"Don't think you can meddle in everything just because you're the navigator, Stolt!" Felton growled, using William's alias with venom.

"Should I call you smart or foolish, First Mate?" William replied, glancing at the veteran pirates who were slowly gathering around. He then looked down at Felton with a scrutinizing gaze. "We both know the captain promoted you to counterbalance my influence on this ship. But do you really need to throw yourself into the role so enthusiastically? I didn't realize you were such a method actor."

Felton's hostility toward William might have partially stemmed from genuine feelings, but much of it was likely a performance for Barbarossa and the rest of the crew. Unlike William, who had navigation skills to fall back on, Felton's position as first mate was entirely dependent on Barbarossa's favor—a fact that William understood all too well.

Felton didn't understand William's reference to "method acting," but he caught the faint mockery in his tone. His face darkened, but as William had pointed out, much of his hostility was for show. He had no intention of actually clashing with William, especially with his confidants watching.

William saw through Felton's posturing immediately. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out a wallet. "Do you think a rookie like him, who hasn't even participated in a raid or earned a share of the loot, has money to pay you? How much does he owe? I'll cover it."

Felton crossed his arms and named a figure. Nadal opened his mouth to protest, but William knew Felton had inflated the amount. Nonetheless, he handed over the money without complaint.

Felton, satisfied with both the cash and the face he'd saved in front of his followers, beamed smugly at William before swaggering off toward the cabin. His cronies followed, their spirits high. One even bumped William's shoulder lightly as he passed.

William turned slightly, his expression enigmatic as he watched them leave. Nadal stood awkwardly nearby and asked, "Brother Stolt, what's wrong?"

"I'm just amazed at how stupidity seems to be everywhere in this world," William said, gazing in the direction Felton had gone. Then he turned back to Nadal.

Nadal rubbed his hands nervously, unsure whether William was referring to Felton's group or himself.

"You're just a rookie, and every thought you have is written all over your face. Yet you still had the guts to gamble?" William said. "That money is a loan. Pay me back after you've earned your share of the loot. Now go to bed."

Nadal nodded gratefully and hurried off.

On the supply ship that had been attacked near Tequila Wolf, Captain Roy held a cigar between his teeth as he used his sheathed scimitar to lift a pristine flag belonging to the Cook Pirates. Displaying it to Nezumi and the other officers around him, he chuckled darkly.

"This is quite interesting. Not a single survivor left alive to serve as a witness, yet they made sure to leave behind a perfectly intact pirate flag. It's as if they're afraid we wouldn't know who the attackers were."

"Barbarossa, that scum, does he take us Marines for fools?" Captain Roy growled, slamming his cigar to the ground in anger.

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