The mission, handed down by the System itself, hung over Rodney like the sword of Damocles. Kill Krieg. The reward was impressive, comparable to the one offered for Ace's capture. "Kill Krieg?" flashed through Rodney's mind. "Wasn't he, this Krieg, defeated by Dracule Mihawk at the entrance to the Grand Line? Wasn't that same Mihawk, the World's Strongest Swordsman, who drove him back to the East Blue, forcing him to flee with 5,000 of his pirates?"
But how did Mihawk, alone, in a small boat, manage to cross the East Blue? Did he really row with his hands, using his legendary Yoru as an oar? It's a mystery.
Rodney couldn't shake the feeling that there was something more behind this victory. Something that had caused Krieg, this self-proclaimed king of the East Blue, to lay down his arms. What had Krieg, this failed ghost, seen that had driven him to flee?
Rodney, on his mission to escort a merchant vessel, had already been underway for two days. He didn't know the exact number of Krieg's pirates, but rumors suggested they weren't as strong as they would later become.
"A frontal assault or a stealth kill?" Rodney pondered. "I think I'll start with an open confrontation and then move on to a stealthy hunt."
He wasn't an Assassin of the Crown, didn't wear a heavy helmet, and didn't wield a greatsword capable of decapitating and devouring any opponent. Rodney was simply a pirate hunter.
He pushed these thoughts aside, focusing on training. Training was his life, his happiness.
Three days later, in the bright sunshine, Rodney was ready. He had gathered everything he needed: shurikens, kunai, explosive tags.
Ships appeared in the distance. The skull and hourglass emblem of the Krieg pirates adorned each one. The flagship, a massive galleon, had a black panther emblazoned on its prow. Pirates of Krieg!
Rodney smiled. But before he could act, he needed to warn the merchant ship's captain.
"Pirates?" The boss, a fat man, shrugged imperturbably. "I hired you specifically because of pirates! Why would I need guards if not for that? They're your problem."
"I can't protect that many people," Rodney countered.
"Then it doesn't matter to me," the boss replied. "You are Joestar J. Rodney, pirate hunter. Decide for yourself."
Rodney wanted to throw a slipper in the boss's fat face. He used a Sharingan illusion, forcing him to give the order to halt the fleet.
The fleet stopped. Another merchant vessel followed behind. Every day they transported goods: local produce, tobacco, alcohol. The boss was an honest merchant and didn't smuggle.
There were guards on the ships, but Rodney realized that they were not fighters, but rather mercenaries looking for easy money.
He jumped off the ship and, using his "Water Jutsu: Water Body," created three clones of himself from seawater, giving each an explosive tag. The clones raced toward the Krieg fleet.
The Sharingan was hidden to conserve chakra. It was a valuable tool, but the upcoming battle required efficient use of energy.
On the flagship, in a luxurious cabin, Don Krieg lay, tired from the seasickness.
"Are you bored, kids?" he asked, resting his head on his hand.
"Captain Krieg, a caravan has been spotted in the distance," the observer reported.
"Oh? A caravan?" Krieg perked up. "Kids, get ready! We're going to have a big battle today!"
The pirates on the ship began to hoot, excited about the upcoming battle.
"Chief Krieg, are we going to use our usual strategy?" asked Ideaman, the staff officer.
"No, this time we'll approach it directly."
"I'm tired of playing cat and mouse!" Krieg laughed, infecting the entire pirate gang with his unbridled joy. "Let's stage a real heist, one they'll remember for a long time!"
The pirates joined in his laughter, readily agreeing to his bold proposal. Indeed, why bother with trickery when you can simply go and take whatever you want?
Suddenly, a spy's excited cry rang out: "Captain Krieg, someone... someone's running across the water! Towards us! At incredible speed!"
The pirates couldn't help but laugh. "Have you had too much to drink?" one of them sneered. "How can anyone run on water? It's the sea! Do you even understand what the sea is?"
But the lookout stubbornly insisted: "No, no! I'm not drunk! I see everything! Four people, all of them! And... he's looking right at me!"
"It must be a Devil Fruit user," Krieg replied calmly. "Don't worry, we're Krieg's pirates, lords of the East Blue! Some fruit user is no match for us. These people are landlubbers, they can't do anything to us. We'll push him into the sea, and that'll be the end of it. Take him out!"
"Yes, Captain Krieg!" replied one of the pirates.