"Damn brats!" Baz roared, struggling to break free only to realize something was wrong with his shadow.
Anne's greatsword was already pressed between his legs, the cold edge glinting dangerously. One more inch forward, and he'd never be a man again.
Ritter blinked innocently. "Why's everyone looking at me? I didn't teach them that! Honestly, I have no idea where they picked that up! Hmmm… guess I'll have to go beat up Ace and Sabo later and ask them myself."
"I'd suggest you stay still," Anne said flatly, her heavy sword unmoving.
Baz's crewmates finally snapped out of their daze and charged forward, waving their weapons.
"Boss!"
Ritter: "??? Seriously, guys? Your boss has two blades pointed at him! What are you trying to do make sure he doesn't get lonely before he dies?"
Ace grinned wide, pressing the edge of his sword against Baz's neck. His left hand held a flintlock pistol aimed at the nearest pirate. "One more step, and your boss's head will roll."
And now there were three blades threatening the same man.
Meanwhile, Sabo moved gracefully among the panicking pirates, his silver sword gleaming under the sun. His strikes were swift and precise neither as heavy as Anne's nor as wild as Ace's but elegant, sharp, and efficient, the kind of swordsmanship that came from noble training.
Each swing disarmed a foe at just the right angle, cutting at wrists and ankles, leaving shallow wounds that crippled without killing. The tendons snapped neatly merciful, yet cruel in its precision.
"Bang!"
Another pirate was sent flying by Anne's sword, crashing into the tavern wall with a splintering crack. The poor man's body left a pirate-shaped dent in the wood.
The trio fought ruthlessly because Ritter wanted them to. Before the mission, he had taken them to see the aftermath of a massacre: a fishing village reduced to ashes, bodies charred beyond recognition, the smell of smoke and death still lingering in the air.
For Ace, Sabo, and Anne children raised in a quiet village or sheltered noble homes it was their first glimpse into the cruelty of the sea.
Ritter knew that to survive as pirates or even as decent people in this world they needed a foundation: the ability to judge right from wrong and to value life properly.
In the original timeline, they turned out fine, mostly thanks to Dadan and her band of mountain thieves, who, in their own rough way, had taught them survival and loyalty.
As for why Ace still carried the burden of being "the son of a sinner"? Well, that wasn't Dadan's fault. She was just a small-time outlaw who once pummeled a Marine Vice Admiral so badly that he didn't dare fight back a simple, "ordinary" mountain bandit.
By the time Ritter strolled over, the battle was already over. Baz was trussed up like a rice dumpling with his own belt, and his men were stacked like a pile of pancakes. The one on top whimpered weakly, "Mama… I wanna go home…"
Ritter crouched down to inspect their work. "Ace, good shooting. But " He pointed to Ace's sword. "During the fight, your blade wasn't turned outward in time. You were about an inch away from slicing your own arm. Only for a second, but I saw it."
Ace froze, face flushing bright red. "T-that was on purpose! A tactic! You wouldn't understand!"
"What tactic? Accidentally amputating yourself?" Ritter teased. "Looks to me like someone's still not used to switching between weapons, Ace~~~"
Sabo couldn't help but snicker, only to get tackled by Ace. "Don't laugh! You almost got hit by a flying bottle!"
Anne silently sheathed her sword and rummaged through Baz's pockets, pulling out a pouch of Berries. Her eyes sparkled as she handed it to Ritter.
"Good job." Ritter ruffled her golden hair with a smile and tossed the pouch to the trio. "Your spoils of war."
At a distance, the townsfolk who had been hiding began to peek out, staring in disbelief.
"Those kids… they beat Baz?" someone whispered.
Under the blood-red glow of sunset, Ritter his face hidden behind a mask walked beside the three grinning children. Ace swung his sword as he reenacted his moves, Sabo practiced his grip, and Anne counted her earnings with a faint smile.
"Uncle Ritter, where to next?"
"We'll go visit the darker side of the Marines," Ritter said casually. "Then we'll head home. Don't want to keep Aunt Rouge waiting."
As they traveled, the sun sank lower, casting the sea and the nameless eastern town in a crimson hue.
Below the old clock tower, chaos unfolded pirates raiding, fires burning, civilians screaming. Ritter and the children arrived too late; the slaughter was nearly finished.
The trio wanted to rush down to help, but Ritter raised a hand to stop them.
"First look," he said calmly. "They're already dead. And second, those pirates are far stronger than what you three can handle right now."
He turned to them with a steady gaze. "Remember this moment. Before you talk about justice, ask yourself if you can survive. In this world, staying alive comes first. Help others only when you can otherwise, you'll just die with them."
Colorless mist spread from Ritter's fingertips, enveloping the burning town below. The faintly glowing fog wrapped around the surviving villagers, stabilizing their breathing keeping them alive just long enough to be saved.
The trio watched in silence. None of them spoke, just thinking about his words.
The evening wind carried the acrid scent of smoke as it brushed their coats. Below, the pirates laughed wildly, tossing the last sacks of grain into their wagons.
"Hurry it up!" barked a scar-faced pirate captain, kicking open a shop door. "Take everything worth a damn!"
The townsfolk wept, begging for mercy until a sharp rhythm of marching boots echoed from the distance.
A squad of Marines appeared, perfectly aligned. The major in front wore a crisp coat of justice, his blade gleaming at his waist.
"The Marines!" an old man cried, stumbling forward. "Oh, thank the heavens! Please, save us!"
The major raised his hand, signaling his troops to halt. His cape billowed proudly in the sunset. "All units! Protect the civilians!"
Gunfire erupted. The pirates screamed, pretending to flee in panic.
The major planted his boot on a fallen pirate flag and announced in a righteous tone, "We are from East Blue Branch 29! The pirates have been vanquished by the might of Marine justice! You are safe now!"
The elderly village chief trembled as tears welled in his cloudy eyes. "Th-thank you, sir… thank you…"
"This is our duty," the major said solemnly, helping the old man to his feet. Then he turned to his men. "Assist the villagers with cleanup!"
The Marines scattered, lifting the wounded and picking up dropped supplies.
Sabo leaned over the railing of the clock tower, eyes shining. "Uncle Ritter, these Marines… they seem pretty decent, huh?"
Ritter smiled faintly, raising a finger to his lips.
"Shhh," he whispered, eyes glinting behind the mask. "Keep watching. There might be… another surprise."
He had chosen this town for a reason. After all, he already knew this "righteous" major was no different from that corrupt rat of a Marine Captain Nezumi himself.