North Blue, an unknown island.
At the harbor, a group of young men, carrying machetes and harpoons, boarded a medium-sized fishing boat while adjusting their clothes.
Their eyes lit up as they looked at the pirate flag spread out on the deck.
"Is everything ready?!"
"Ready, boss!"
"Hahaha! Good! Today marks the founding of the Black Tiger Pirates! Raise the flag now! The One Piece will be ours!!!"
As the pirate flag slowly rose, these petty village thugs, who usually just bullied locals, were now brimming with grand ambition. Something had started to sprout inside them.
But before that excitement could settle, a bolt of lightning struck the half-raised pirate flag.
Enel appeared at the top of the mast, crouching down.
"About to set sail, huh? You know this counts as committing a crime with full awareness of the consequences, right? Ever heard of the Four Blues Sweep Campaign?"
Crackling with electricity, the light in his palm aimed toward the group below.
The thugs gulped. What was the Four Blues Sweep Campaign...? None of them really knew. Illiterate as they were, they'd only heard a few passing mentions.
But one thing they did know: they were in deep trouble. So immediately, they dropped to their knees, wailing and begging for mercy.
Enel frowned slightly. He wasn't quite sure what to do either; after all, they hadn't even officially set out yet.
Thinking it over, he shot a bolt of lightning downward.
Zzzap!
Not too strong, not too weak. Just enough voltage to knock everyone out cold. Then, he pulled out a Den Den Mushi.
"Hey, Uncle..."
* * *
North Blue. Aboard the third battleship of the Four Blues Sweep Campaign fleet.
Sakazuki hung up the Den Den Mushi with a quiet chuckle.
"Still young..."
* * *
When dusk approached, the medium-sized fishing boat slowly neared the battleship. After a full day of sailing, they arrived at last.
Enel waved from atop the mast.
Thunk!
The boat gently bumped into the side of the battleship as Sakazuki stepped up to the railing and looked down.
"These the ones?"
Enel nodded. "Yeah. How should I put it… they were just a bunch of punks. Heard about the One Piece, got hyped, and banded together to set sail.
"They were planning to stock up on the nearest island this morning. That's when I found them. The flag was only halfway up when I blasted it.
"They're all here. Haven't done anything bad yet. And honestly, their home situations are kinda... pitiful."
Sakazuki glanced at the fishing boat and made a judgment.
Tap.
The sound of leather shoes hitting the deck echoed as he jumped down, landing on the fishing boat.
He strode over to one of the young men slumped on the floor, grabbed him by the head with one hand, and lifted him up.
While the young man dangled in the air, Sakazuki said coldly, "Pitiful?"
Boom!
The head burst like a watermelon. Then he casually kicked the body aside and moved toward another one.
Without turning back, he spoke to Enel, "Most people with normal values, when they see the weak, will feel pity or sympathy because of some tragic past, and they'll let them go. That's normal. It means your values are intact. I'm glad to see that. But unfortunately, I don't feel that way."
He stopped in front of the nearest pirate.
Wham!
A kick exploded half the man's body into mist, his flesh and bones scattering across the deck.
"Human desire is like a boulder rolling down a mountain. Once it starts, it never stops."
He continued walking to another.
Meanwhile, his brutal methods, combined with the faint pressure of Conqueror's Haki, stunned the newly formed pirates into frozen silence.
Crack!
The man's skull shattered with a squelching noise, crushed into fragments.
"These people might have tragic backgrounds. Reasons that tug at the heart. But, you tell me. Where did this ship come from?"
Boom!
One more pirate's head exploded into a mist of blood.
Enel finally noticed something odd: the ship.
Right. A bunch of thugs... how could they possibly have a fishing boat? This kind of mid-sized fishing vessel wasn't something a random gang could afford.
Sakazuki walked up to the next pirate and crouched down.
"Talk."
The pirate shuddered violently, snapping back to his senses and kowtowing repeatedly.
"M-My lord! Please spare me! It... it was all that guy's idea! The fishing boat was stolen! I swear I had nothing to do with it!!!"
Sakazuki raised his hand and gave the pirate a few loud slaps across the face.
Smack! Smack!
"Where did you steal it from?"
The pirate trembled as he stammered, "I-It was from Ian Bird's family in the village… we took it from that old man. And right! I'll report something! Lord Marine! That old guy Ian has a daughter! They violated her! I wasn't part of it!!!"
The other pirates started shouting in panic.
"Bastard! You're just mad 'cause you couldn't get it up!"
"You touched her too, don't pretend!"
"Sir! Don't listen to him!!!"
"Damn bastard!"
"I really wasn't involved! Please, let me go, sir!"
The pirate in front of Sakazuki turned his head, about to argue back.
Ssszzzz!
But the sound of searing flesh rang out. Lava burst from Sakazuki's hand and clamped down over the pirate's mouth. It poured downward, spreading throughout his body.
In silent agony and despair, the pirate struggled until he finally went still. Before death took him, his eyes revealed a pure, soul-crushing terror.
Sakazuki slowly stood up. "Understood?"
With a grim face, Enel replied, "Understood."
Sakazuki gave a nod. "Clean this up. Then return the ship."
Enel responded with a quiet grunt, then turned toward the crying, cursing pirates.
His cold, ruthless voice echoed:
"50,000,000 Volt: Vari."
Under the high voltage, charred, shriveled human figures formed one by one... and the world fell silent.
* * *
New World, Merveille.
After a brutal slaughter, only ten biologists remained. They were brought back alive.
And just as he had dreamed, Indigo was appointed head of research.
Those scientists who once looked down on him, even mocked his clownish outfit, now worked under him with trembling hands, too scared to upset him in the slightest.
Though the manpower was a bit lacking, Indigo was satisfied.
At this time, looking at the cultivation tank in front of him, Shiki puffed on his cigar.
"How much longer?"
Indigo fiddled with his fingers. "Uh... about 5... maybe 10... 13—"
Shiki interrupted. "I'm giving you five years. If you can't do it, all of you die..."
Ignoring Indigo's conflicted expression beside him, Shiki narrowed his eyes and stared at the monster floating inside the tank.
He could feel it... his time was running out.
Unlike the original story where a rudder had smashed into his head and dulled his mind, this Shiki was terrifyingly clear-headed, but also more severely wounded.
And that made it all the harder to endure.
His strength was fading by the day. Lost arms, severed legs, and two years of starvation had left irreversible damage to his body.
Every moment, Shiki could feel his power slipping away. He was afraid, so afraid that the image in his mind sent chills down his spine.
Five years. That was his limit. Any longer, and he feared he wouldn't even be able to lift a sword...
"I'll prove I was right, Roger… pirates are the true rulers of the seas. This so-called Great Pirate Era, just a bunch of stargazing kids playing make-believe. I'll show the world what a real pirate looks like. Just wait..."
**
**
**
Thank you for reading! If you'd like access to extra chapters and want to support my work, you can visit my P@treon:
P@treon/SilverShark769
Vote with Power Stones for Bonus Chapters!
Your support means a lot, thank you!