Shiro stepped up to the railing, lifting his telescope to get a better look at the distant cargo ship slowly approaching through the misty waves. His brow arched slightly.
In this stretch of sea, where the Virtue's name alone was enough to make pirates scatter, any ship daring to sail straight toward them was… unusual.
Sure enough, even when the crew aboard that vessel spotted the unmistakable flag of the Virtue Pirates fluttering atop the mast, the cargo ship didn't flinch — no change in course, no sign of slowing down.
That alone set the Virtue's crew murmuring in disbelief.
Jinbe crossed his arms, his deep voice rumbling thoughtfully.
"Strange… Lately, every pirate crew that's seen our flag has turned tail before we're even in range. So why's this ship acting so calm?"
The crew exchanged wary glances. Even Mihawk — normally the picture of composure — rested a hand on the hilt of Yoru.
Shiro lowered the telescope, a sharp glint in his eye.
"Alright then… let's pay them a visit. I want to see who's got the guts to ignore the Virtue."
At his command, the crew sprang into action. The sails shifted with a snap, the rudder turned, and the massive ship cut across the current with the grace of a sea beast closing in on its prey.
Within minutes, the Virtue drew alongside the cargo ship. Only a few meters of sea separated them — close enough to see each other's faces clearly.
At the bow of the cargo ship stood a tall man with a lean build. A black feathered hat sat at an angle atop his head, and his long red coat whipped in the wind. Two brown streaks ran down his cheeks from the corners of his eyes, giving his face a feral, arrogant edge.
Looking down at Shiro's crew, he smirked disdainfully.
"Listen up, you lot! We're with the Donquixote Family. If you know what's good for you, get out of our way. Otherwise—"
"Otherwise what?"
Before he could finish, Shiro vanished from the Virtue's deck — and in the next instant, appeared right in front of him.
Using the Paw-Paw Fruit's power, he'd blinked across the gap in a heartbeat.
Without hesitation, Shiro grabbed the man by his collar and flung him back toward the Virtue as though tossing out the trash.
"Thud!"
The man slammed into the deck, groaning in pain.
The crew needed no further invitation. They crowded around, fists and boots flying.
"Big talk for someone who doesn't even know our motto!"
"We'll teach you what 'Virtue conquers all' really means!"
The sound of punches, kicks, and desperate cries echoed across the sea. Within moments, the man was a bruised mess, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth, his body trembling and curled up in defeat.
Shiro finally stepped forward, sighing.
"Alright, that's enough. If you beat him to death, we can't get any answers out of him."
The crew reluctantly backed off, muttering curses under their breath.
Shiro crouched beside the man, giving his swollen cheek a light tap.
"Hey. Wake up, Diamante."
That name made a few of the crew blink in surprise — this wreck of a man was Diamante, one of Doflamingo's top executives.
Groaning, Diamante opened one eye, then instantly froze when he recognized Shiro. His body tensed, arms shooting up to shield his head.
"Don't hit me! Please! The Young Master won't forgive you for this! He'll… he'll make you all pay!"
Shiro rubbed his temples, exhaling in mild frustration.
"Relax. I'm not gonna hit you. Just talk like a man instead of a scared little boy."
Diamante hesitated, lowering his arms but still shaking. Trying to recover some pride, he rasped out,
"Do you fools even know who you're dealing with? The Donquixote Family runs the entire underworld of the North Blue! Cross us, and you'll never make it out of these seas alive!"
Shiro gave a small, pitying chuckle.
"Not interested in your family's résumé. Just tell me — what's on that ship of yours?"
At that, Diamante's expression shifted. A twisted grin crept across his battered face, and his eyes glinted darkly.
"Since you're so curious… fine. This ship's carrying weapons bound for Wano Country — a shipment meant for Lord Kaido himself. You've just made enemies of two emperors-to-be: Doflamingo and Kaido. You're as good as dead!"
"So that's how it is, huh…"
Shiro's eyes flicked toward the cargo hold. So the Donquixote Family's arms trade with Kaido started this early. He smiled faintly.
"Guess stopping you wasn't such a waste after all."
Diamante mistook his silence for fear and straightened his back with a sneer.
"Scared now, aren't you? If you kneel and apologize right now — maybe even lop off an arm — I might just put in a good word for you with the Young Master. Hahahaha!"
Shiro didn't bother responding. He turned to his crew, voice cold and even.
"Looks like our first lesson didn't sink in. Let's teach him again — the Virtue way."
The crew grinned wickedly and surged forward.
This time, they didn't hold back. The flurry of blows was relentless — fists, elbows, and kicks raining down until Diamante's threats turned into hoarse cries… then silence. His eyes rolled back, and he slumped to the deck, unconscious.
When he finally woke again, the world was swaying beneath him.
He blinked blearily — he was back on his own cargo ship.
And standing over him, calm and unamused, was Shiro.
The captain's eyes were cold as the sea itself.
T/N: If you would like to read up to 20 chapters ahead for all my works, check out my P@treon: patreon.com/GhidorahWriter
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