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Chapter 19:
Vinnie stood on the dock, tears streaming down his face. After weeks of brutal training and eating the Rhinoceros Zoan fruit, he now possessed strength comparable to a Navy Rear Admiral.
"Victor-san… I'll never slack off. I'll never forget what you've entrusted me with!"
He shouted respectfully as the ship pulled away.
Victor patted his shoulder one last time before leaping aboard. "Keep training. Real strength comes from yourself—never forget that."
"Goodbye, Victor-san! Smooth sailing!"
Vinnie and his men waved frantically from the shore.
Victor stood at the bow, arms raised. "Raise sails! Set course for Sabaody Archipelago!"
"ROAR!"
The crew snapped into action.
The scholars heading back to the South Blue departed at the same time. After a final farewell, the two groups went their separate ways.
On shore, Tom watched the Plant Scholars disappear over the horizon, then glanced at the Den Den Mushi in his hand. "That's the best ship I've ever built. Take good care of her."
He pocketed the snail and shouted for work to resume.
While sailing, Victor read Water 7 newspapers and learned just how chaotic the New World had become. The Rocks Pirates were expanding aggressively. Whitebeard and Golden Lion clashed with Roger's crew from time to time.
Victor pieced it together—Rocks was clearly building toward something massive. God Valley was only a few years away.
A sudden sense of urgency hit him. He had to get stronger—fast. Missing that war would be the regret of a lifetime.
One day, his Observation Haki picked up a strange merchant ship on the horizon.
At first he ignored it. Then he sensed inside—and his expression darkened.
"Heh. Slavers. Perfect timing."
Crocus noticed the change. "Captain?"
Victor's voice was ice. "Sense it yourself."
Heracles and Crocus extended their Observation Haki.
The flood of emotions hit them like a wave: rage, despair, terror, numbness. And from the guards—pure cruelty and bloodlust.
Both men's faces hardened.
"Slavers." "Scum."
Victor finished his snack and stood. "We're paying them a visit. Seeing this and doing nothing? Not my style."
Heracles and Crocus exchanged a glance. "Let's go."
"Nora—bring us alongside."
The three leaped across the water in a series of air jumps, landing on the slaver ship.
No words. Just slaughter.
The slavers noticed the approaching ship but saw no jolly roger—only a strange flower flag—so they relaxed.
They never expected three men to vault straight onto their deck and start killing.
"Who the hell are you?! Stop! Do you know whose cargo this is?! These slaves belong to Celestial Dragons! Damage them and you're all dead!"
The suited leader shouted frantically as his guards rushed forward.
Victor cut through them without breaking stride. "I'm killing scum like you. Didn't see it? Fine. Saw it now? Your luck ran out."
The man backed away, still trying. "You're too young—you don't understand how dark this world is. Human trafficking will never end. How many can you possibly kill? Stop now and there's still a way out!"
Victor's voice was cold. "I don't care about the ones I don't see. But the ones I do see? As long as I'm able—I'll erase every last one."
The man collapsed to the deck, giving up. "It's over… we're done."
He knew resistance was pointless. And running would only get his family killed.
Soon, silence fell. Only the suited man remained alive.
The Plant Scholars pulled alongside. The rest of the crew boarded to help.
They had suspected—but the reality inside the hold was worse: Dozens crammed into tiny cages, filth everywhere, the stench overwhelming. Some crew members vomited on the spot.
Heracles clenched his fists. "More than ten people to a cage… they're not even treated as human."
Crocus was already moving. "Get them out. Clean them up. I'll examine everyone."
The crew sprang into action.
Victor stood over the last slaver.
"You gave up pretty fast. Not very slaver-like."
The man looked up calmly. "Fighting you is pointless. I'm dead either way—sooner or later. Just do it. I've been ready for this end for a long time."
Victor ended him with a single strike. He had questions—but right now, he wasn't in the mood for conversation.
He stored all valuables from the slaver ship—treasure, weapons, supplies.
Then returned to the Plant Scholars while the crew handled the freed slaves.
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