One Piece: The True Codex

A few hours later, Selkirk realized that there was indeed something worse than starving and dehydrating to death on a deserted island—being battered, starving, and dehydrated while dying aboard a pirate ship.

The abandoned members of the Swordfish Pirates stood no chance against the vigorous Barbarossa. Using his Devil Fruit powers, Barbarossa easily subdued them, binding them with iron chains and tossing them onto the deck.

Selkirk and his companions, already harboring resentment toward Caruso for abandoning them, quickly spilled the entire story after a bit of intimidation.

When Barbarossa heard about the Devil Fruit, his breath grew noticeably heavier. Despite his confidence wavering after so long at sea, it seemed fortune had not abandoned him after all. Just as he was about to give up, a new hope had appeared.

The Red-Beard Pirates' ship immediately set sail, heading in the direction Selkirk and his men had indicated. Several nimble pirates climbed into the crow's nest, diligently scanning the surrounding waters with telescopes, leaving no clue unchecked.

Taking advantage of the bustling activity on deck, William returned to his cabin. He rummaged through a corner and pulled out a katana. Seeing this, Kuro, who was in the same room, visibly tensed.

William smiled at him. "It's not time yet. Just making some necessary preparations."

With that, William carried the katana and avoided the crowds, heading straight to the kitchen. Nadal, who was stationed there to oversee supplies, listened as William whispered instructions into his ear. Though he hesitated briefly, Nadal ultimately nodded firmly, accepting the katana William handed him.

After unsheathing the blade, Nadal placed the katana into the roaring flames of the kitchen stove. He then carefully moved a table to block the view, ensuring the blade couldn't be easily seen.

Watching Nadal complete the task, William patted him on the shoulder, offering a few words of reassurance before heading to the deck.

As the dominant force in the East Blue, the Red-Beard Pirates were far more familiar with the local environment than Caruso and his crew of outsiders. Most importantly, their ship was intact and undamaged. After sailing in the indicated direction for a while, the lookout in the crow's nest shouted out, spotting the Swordfish Pirates' battered ship in the distance.

The Swordfish Pirates, too, seemed to have noticed the Red-Beard Pirates' approach. The hostility in their intentions was unmistakable.

The Swordfish Pirates appeared to attempt speeding up to evade the Red-Beard ship, but upon realizing the futility of their efforts, they quickly gave up.

The Swordfish Pirates' damaged vessel began to slow down. As the distance between the two ships closed, the chaos on the Swordfish deck became visible through the telescope. Evidently, the crew was preparing for battle.

In truth, the best strategy for the Red-Beard Pirates at this moment would have been to leverage their ship's superior condition to bombard the Swordfish Pirates' vessel, sinking it entirely and securing their victory.

However, Barbarossa was too eager to secure the safety of the Devil Fruit. He ordered the helmsman to sail directly toward the Swordfish Pirates' ship for a boarding maneuver.

As the ships drew closer, Barbarossa stood at the bow, shaking his head and body. With his movements, his fiery red hair and beard twisted and transformed into thick, arm-like serpents, which shot toward the Swordfish Pirates' ship.

A chorus of startled cries erupted from the opposing ship. It was clear that Caruso and his crew were witnessing Barbarossa's powers for the first time. However, being former pirates of the Grand Line, they quickly recognized this as a Devil Fruit ability. Though surprised, they were not intimidated.

Unfortunately for the Swordfish Pirates, having just crossed the Calm Belt, their crew was severely fatigued. In this windless region, ships relying primarily on sails had to be rowed manually, which had drained the crew's strength. Without sufficient rest, they were unable to fight at full capacity.

Barbarossa, having learned this from Selkirk, was entirely unperturbed, even though he was facing pirates who had survived the Grand Line.

His hair wrapped around the mast of the Swordfish ship as his sharp, one-eyed gaze swept over the enemy crew and officers. He decisively ordered, "No one is to board their ship without my command!"

With that, Barbarossa kicked off with both legs, activating his powers to retract his hair, propelling himself like a cannonball toward the enemy ship.

It seemed he intended to handle the enemy ship single-handedly.

Due to the remaining distance, grappling hooks couldn't reach the Swordfish ship. Moreover, given Barbarossa's strict orders, the Red-Beard Pirates' crew could only watch their captain charge forward.

"Does he really not trust us at all?" muttered William, taking in the scene with a smirk.

Nearby, second mate Harden, ship doctor Wood, and even first mate Felton all wore displeased expressions.

The Devil Fruit could only grant its powers to the first person who consumed it—a fact widely known. Though Selkirk had claimed that the fruit was locked in a sturdy box and that Barbarossa had taken the key, no one could guarantee what might happen during the chaos of a boarding battle.

What if the box had already been opened? What if it wasn't as sturdy as Selkirk claimed?

While the Devil Fruit was a crucial bargaining chip for securing Arcadio and Roy's assistance in revenge, as well as a key to reclaiming the crew's stolen wealth, no one could guarantee that every member of the Red-Beard Pirates shared the same goal.

Barbarossa's dominance in the East Blue was a testament to the power of a Devil Fruit. Who could say for sure that there wasn't someone aboard who, driven by envy, might take the risk and consume the fruit themselves?

For pirates, strength was the ultimate allure. Strength brought fame, wealth, and authority, and the Devil Fruit was a shortcut to obtaining extraordinary power. Its immense value was exemplified by Barbarossa himself.

Though Barbarossa's precautions were reasonable, William's deliberate remarks made them seem petty and distrustful, leaving the crew feeling uneasy.

Even if some of them harbored thoughts of claiming the Devil Fruit for themselves, they disliked being suspected by their captain without cause.

On the Swordfish Pirates' ship, Barbarossa, despite being alone, gradually gained the upper hand against the exhausted enemy crew. Wrapped in layers of his hair, he advanced from the deck toward the cabin.

William flicked away his cigarette butt and turned to head toward the kitchen.

When he returned to the deck, he was carrying a katana that had been heated until it glowed red. First mate Felton, second mate Harden, and other officers stared at him in astonishment. William, however, simply instructed Kuro, who was standing by the ship's side, "Lower the small boat."

Recalling the encounter during the raid on Reis, Kuro dared not hesitate and complied immediately.

The others, however, collectively paled. Not only was William blatantly defying Barbarossa's orders, but more importantly, they couldn't understand when or how William and Kuro had started working together.

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