Pirates: Seeing My Proficiency, I Became a Legend

Amidst a flurry of insults, the remaining twenty-one—no, now twenty—crew members stumbled out of the cabin, their boots thudding against the damp deck. But their captain, a man wearing a ragged tricorn hat, remained hidden in the shadows, watching the chaos unfold.

What he didn't realize was that every movement aboard this ship had already fallen under Dongze's keen perception. His Observation Haki registered every heartbeat, every ragged breath.

"What's going on, Luke?"

"Damn it! You called all of us out here for some brat?"

"Luke? …Luke?"

A few confused pirates cursed and shouted his name, their voices carrying over the creaking wood. But there was no answer.

Dongze remained unfazed, merely extending his sword to the decapitated corpse sprawled across the deck. His tone was eerily calm.

"Are you looking for this?"

A wave of silence washed over the twenty pirates, their spines tingling as they stared at their fallen crewmate. Panic quickly turned to rage. After all, the one standing before them was just a kid—a half-grown boy compared to their seasoned, blood-soaked lives.

One pirate, gripping a pistol with shaking fingers, sneered. "You killed him?"

A chorus of clicks followed as swords were drawn, muskets cocked. The intent to kill was palpable.

Dongze, however, didn't flinch. He had long discarded fear—ever since he slaughtered an entire bandit stronghold.

"Which one of you is the navigator?"

The gunman's patience snapped. "I asked you a damn question, brat—DID YOU KILL LUKE?"

The pistol lifted, his finger tightening on the trigger.

"Who. Is. The. Navigator?"

Dongze's voice cut through the tension like a blade. His unwavering confidence unsettled them.

BANG!

A gunshot shattered the night.

But in that same instant—Dongze was gone.

"H-He disappeared?!"

Before realization could dawn, a gurgling sound filled the air. A severed head spiraled upwards, its lifeless eyes frozen in shock.

"Kira!"

The gunman's body crumpled, revealing Dongze standing behind him, sword gleaming under the moonlight.

"Impossible—!"

"WHO IS THE NAVIGATOR?"

This time, the words carried weight—a crushing presence. The remaining pirates felt their knees weaken. This wasn't just some overconfident brat. This was a monster.

Finally, a short-haired man hesitantly stepped forward, his hand trembling on the hilt of his cutlass. His face was pale.

He had seen that movement before.

Shave.

It was a technique from the Rokushiki, an ability only elite Marines or terrifying warriors possessed. He recalled the rumors—the infamous pirate hunter in the East Blue who massacred entire crews without a second thought.

Dongze.

"D-Don't let him control the fight! Kill him!!"

Bullets rained toward him.

But they hit nothing but wood.

A crescent arc of light split the darkness—a single slash.

By the time the pirates blinked, ten bodies had collapsed, blood pooling beneath them like spilled ink.

Only the navigator remained.

The man stared at his ruined pistol, his legs giving out beneath him. His mind screamed that this was no human—only a demon could do this.

"Y-You killed them?"

Dongze sheathed his blade. "Didn't you see it yourself?"

He ignored the navigator's terror and turned toward the second floor's shadowed corner.

"How long are you planning to hide, captain?"

A gruff voice snarled from above. "You little bastard. You think you can slaughter my crew and call me out like some mutt?"

The captain of the Iron Wolf Pirates had been waiting for the right moment to strike. He had hoped Dongze would move on without noticing him. Now, that plan was in ruins.

"I was going to let you live," Dongze muttered, crouching slightly. "But I changed my mind."

He vanished.

The next thing the captain saw was a silver arc of light racing toward him.

The slash tore through the air, cleaving through wooden beams as the ship trembled under the force. Though it lacked the destructive might of a master like Koshiro, it was more than enough for this flimsy sailboat.

The captain barely dodged in time, rolling onto the deck. His form twisted and contorted—fur sprouted, muscles bulged, claws extended.

"You've messed with the wrong man, brat! I ate the Wolf-Wolf Fruit!"

The towering hybrid creature loomed over Dongze, grinning wickedly. "Your puny little sword can't even scratch me!"

Dongze chuckled. "Funny. The last guy who said that is probably six feet under by now."

With a flicker of movement, Dongze Shaved behind him.

The pirate barely had time to turn.

"Ittoryu Iai: Crescent Moon Slash."

A thin, gleaming line of steel flashed under the moonlight.

Wolves had one fatal weakness—the waist.

The pirate felt it before he saw it. A chilling sensation flooded his spine. His breath caught in his throat.

And then—his body split in two.

He never got to scream.

As the bisected corpse fell, Dongze flicked the blood from his blade.

"Not even worth 50 proficiency points?" He sighed, checking his stats. "This system is a damn scam."

The Iron Wolf Pirates—one of the most notorious bands in the East Blue—had been exterminated within minutes.

Only the navigator remained.

Dongze turned toward him. "Set sail for the nearest Marine base."

The man gulped. "You… you're collecting the bounty?"

"What do you think?"

The navigator hesitated. "…Then I refuse."

Dongze raised an eyebrow. "Not going?"

"I'd rather die than hand over my captain's corpse to the Navy!"

"Alright. Then die."

"WAIT! I-I'LL GO!"

And so, they sailed to the nearest Marine outpost.

Days passed. The port town of Loguetown came into view.

Standing at the harbor, Dongze gazed upon the towering execution platform—the very spot where Gol D. Roger, the Pirate King, had been executed.

"The town of the beginning and the end," he murmured. "Loguetown."

Behind him, the navigator carried a heavy sack filled with severed heads. His eyes were dull, having long accepted his grim fate.

At the Marine branch, Dongze stood before a towering officer, nearly three meters tall, with a scar across his face and sharp, scrutinizing eyes.

"Exchange for bounty."

The officer glanced at the bag. "Are you a pirate hunter?"

Dongze shrugged. "More or less."

One by one, the heads were removed, revealing infamous criminals.

Whispers spread among the Marines. "That's Jebek of the Iron Wolves!"

"Ironfoot Winter of the Braised Pirates…!"

The officer's gaze darkened. "You killed them all?"

Dongze nodded. "And this one—" he motioned toward the navigator, "is the last survivor."

The Marine Captain chuckled. "Dele hee hee! What an interesting brat."

He waved to his men. "Bring him the bounty."

And with that, 30 million Berries exchanged hands.

The legend of Dongze, the mad pirate hunter, had begun.

But soon, he would cross paths with a woman.

A name whispered in the shadows of history.

The Devil's Child.

Nico Robin.