Chapter 204 — Kiro and the New Dawn's First Pirate Hunt
S.C. 1512 — Next Morning
Open Sea, East Blue — Aboard the Silver Gull
The Silver Gull cut across the water like a sharpened blade.
Fast. Silent. Watching.
At the helm stood Kiro, cloak snapping in the wind, eyes locked on the horizon.
Behind him stood New Dawn, twenty elite members trained personally by Ren—disciplined, sharp, and ready.
Leo wasn't with them today.
Mira wasn't either.
This was Kiro's command alone.
He opened the mission scroll Ren had written:
"Route G-12: Merchant disruption reports.
Investigate. Protect trade. Remove threat if necessary."
Kiro rolled the scroll shut.
Trade disruptions meant pirates.
He tightened his gloves.
"Everyone—eyes up. Today we test the strength of New Dawn."
The crew straightened instantly.
"Yes, Captain Kiro!"
This wasn't a merchant mission.
Not a transport route.
This was a combat patrol.
And Kiro intended to show what Meridian's elite could really do.
1. Sighting the Threat
A lookout shouted from the mast:
"SHIP TO STARBOARD! Black flag—skull with crossed chains!"
Kiro's eyes sharpened.
"Chainskull Pirates. East Blue bounty group.
Strength… mediocre, but vicious."
They were known for attacking weak ports and stealing children.
Cowards.
New Dawn clenched their fists.
Kiro raised his hand calmly.
"Don't lose focus. We're not heroes. We're protectors. Follow orders."
He watched the distant ship turn toward them.
"Prepare—silence mode."
His men activated the minimal steam assist and dropped the main sails.
The Silver Gull slowed… then drifted… looking weak.
Perfect bait.
2. The Pirates Approach
The Chainskull ship roared closer—loud, messy, confident.
Their captain, a tall man with chain-wrapped fists, shouted across the water:
"Drop your valuables and we'll make your deaths quick!"
New Dawn didn't respond.
The captain sneered.
"Fine! We'll tear it off your dead bodies instead!"
They lowered hooks to board.
Kiro whispered without turning:
"Ready stance."
Twenty men lowered their centers of gravity, stepping into the silent, stable formation Ren had drilled into them.
Breathing slowed.
Muscles relaxed.
Eyes sharpened.
As the pirates swung ropes to board—
Kiro stepped forward.
"One warning."
The pirate captain froze mid-gesture.
Kiro's voice was soft, but carried across the sea.
"Leave now, or you will not leave at all."
The pirate captain burst into laughter.
"You're soft-voiced, boy! We eat brats like you!"
Kiro exhaled.
"I warned you."
3. The First Clash
The pirates landed on Kiro's deck—
And instantly realized their mistake.
Kiro moved.
A blur of clean footwork.
A half-step pivot.
A blade that never wasted motion.
SHING—SHK!
Two pirates dropped before they understood what happened—clean cuts to their arms and legs, disabling them instantly.
The crew of New Dawn surged forward.
Swift. Silent. Coordinated.
They didn't kill.
They incapacitated.
Ren's rule.
One man snapped, "They're too fast—!"
"RETREAT! RETREAT—!"
But Kiro appeared in front of him.
"Too late."
The pirate swung a chain.
Kiro sidestepped—barely shifting his weight—and tapped the man's wrist with the back of his blade.
The chain slipped from his fingers.
Kiro struck again.
THUD—
The pirate dropped, unconscious.
His crew fought with discipline Ren had drilled daily:
low stances
breathing for oxygen flow
precise joint strikes
no wasted strength
telekinetic support from trained members holding long needles
A pirate screamed:
"They fight like demons!"
Another shouted:
"This isn't a trade ship—it's a trap!"
Yes.
A trap they walked into willingly.
4. Kiro vs. The Chainskull Captain
The pirate captain hurled himself at Kiro.
Muscles bulging.
Chains swinging.
A brawler with around 400 doriki—strong for East Blue.
Kiro's doriki wasn't much higher.
But his skill was.
The captain punched.
Kiro ducked.
The chain smashed the deck—splinters flying.
The captain snarled. "Stand still!"
"Why?"
Kiro flicked a needle with telekinesis—
TING!
It struck the captain's eye—not enough to blind, but enough to stun him.
Kiro stepped in.
One slash to the knee tendon.
One elbow to the ribs.
One sweep.
The captain dropped face-first.
Kiro pressed a foot between his shoulder blades.
"Chainskull Captain—captured."
He bound the man's hands with rope.
New Dawn finished restraining the last pirates.
The deck was a mess of unconscious bodies, broken chains, and humiliated criminals.
Not one Meridian member was injured.
5. Cleaning Up the Sea
Kiro ordered:
"Strip their weapons.
Secure their ship.
Empty their cargo.
Check for prisoners."
They found:
two stolen cargo crates
one child locked in a storage room
three villagers tied up in chains
Kiro's jaw tightened.
"Free them. Give water. Calm them slowly."
The rescued villagers stared at New Dawn like seeing saviors.
Kiro didn't bask in praise.
"Leo or Mira would've handled this too. We are one group."
One villager bowed deeply.
"You saved us… thank you."
"Get on our ship. We'll drop you at your village."
New Dawn transferred the rescued people aboard.
6. Official Rearrest & Payment
When they reached a nearby Marine outpost—
The Marines blinked.
"Kiro? Meridian Group? …You captured the whole Chainskull crew!?"
"Yes," Kiro said simply.
"Your bounties… this is—"
The Marine officer stammered.
"It's a huge reward!"
Kiro shook his head.
"Keep half. Use it to feed the children in your town."
The officer froze.
"W-Why?"
"Strength means responsibility."
It was something Ren had said long ago.
Kiro remembered it clearly.
The officer saluted him deeply.
"Kiro… thank you."
New Dawn set sail once more, heading back into open sea.
7. Nightfall — A Leader's Weight
That night, Kiro stood alone at the bow.
Zemo padded up quietly, then sat beside him.
Kiro placed a hand on the wolf's head.
"…I hope Ren thinks today was enough."
Zemo made a low approving sound.
Kiro exhaled, breath fogging in the moonlight.
"I'll get even better.
I'll make New Dawn the strongest arm of Meridian."
Because Ren wasn't just a leader to him.
He was the one who changed his life—
And trusted him with real responsibility.
Kiro looked at the stars, eyes calm and sharp.
Tomorrow, he would patrol again.
And the sea would learn—
New Dawn was no merchant team.
They were guardians of the East Blue.
End of Chapter 204