Chapter 10
On a remote island near the Kingdom of Rommel.
The islanders were suffering under a brutal pirate raid.
The attackers were none other than the crew of the One-Eyed Pirates.
On the deck of a fifty-meter warship anchored along the coast,
a middle-aged pirate in a black captain's coat—his left eye covered by a black eyepatch—laughed maniacally.
Before him sat chest after chest of Berries looted from the villagers.
"Gihihihihi! Boys! For your great Captain Rack—strip this island of every last treasure and woman!"
"Gihihihihi!"
At their captain's cackling command, the pirates roared in unison.
"Long live Captain Rack!"
Soon a horde of vicious-looking men charged ashore, beginning their wanton pillage and slaughter.
"You really are scum, aren't you?"
Just as Rack basked in the carnage,
a lazy voice suddenly spoke from right beside him.
"Who's there?!"
Rack's pupils contracted sharply at the unfamiliar voice so close to his ear.
He whipped his head around—
and saw a young man in a loose white shirt and casual beach pants standing casually at his side.
Rack jolted in shock.
His dark face twisted into a savage snarl.
"Brat! Who the hell are you?"
"How dare you stand next to the great Captain Rack!"
"You looking to die?!"
Seeing it was just some reckless kid,
Rack secretly relaxed a fraction.
A black pistol silently appeared in his hand.
"Heh. A dead man doesn't need to know my name."
"And I really hate people who trample on lives."
Vilin swept his gaze across the island—watching innocent villagers cut down without mercy.
Rage simmered in his chest.
"Damn brat, who do you think you are?!"
Enraged by the contempt,
Rack exploded into motion.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Three bullets tore toward Vilin.
They punched clean through his chest, leaving three dark holes.
Rack grinned wickedly.
"Gihihihihi! Fool!"
"Should've stayed alive—now you die."
As he reached for the long blade at his waist to decapitate the handsome youth,
something horrifying happened.
The bullet holes in Vilin's chest closed rapidly, flesh knitting together without a trace.
"Hss~ That actually hurt. You're pretty cruel."
"Even shooting a 'kid' like me? So inhumane."
"You… what the hell are you?!"
Rack's eyes bulged in terror as Vilin stood completely unharmed.
"Heh. Dead men don't need to know."
Just then, a longsword stabbed into Vilin's back from behind.
He turned his head—One-Armed Sato stood there, grinning triumphantly.
Immediately after, a bull-like figure charged in—Barbarian Dada's massive fist smashed straight through Vilin's chest.
"Gihihihihi!"
"Good job, Sato, Dada! He's finished now!"
As the three pirates believed victory was theirs,
a cold, indifferent voice rang out.
"Is that so? You're underestimating me quite a bit."
Vilin looked at the trio with utter disdain.
"Impossible… no one survives hits like that!"
The three stared in disbelief as Vilin spoke normally despite the catastrophic wounds.
"Captain, run! He's a monster!"
Sato panicked and turned to flee toward the island.
"Heh. Running?"
"Too late."
Twisted Thorn Assault!
At Vilin's feet, thorny vines erupted from the ground like living spears.
Guided by will, the razor-sharp tendrils lashed out at the pirate grunts.
Screams filled the air as vines pierced bodies one after another.
Despair gripped Rack and his officers.
Vilin raised his hand in a mock gun gesture.
Dozens of needle-sharp vines burst from the earth,
impaling the three leaders in an instant.
The vines greedily drained their life force.
A chorus of agonized howls echoed across the island.
Rack's legs buckled; he collapsed, trembling uncontrollably.
"Demon! You're a demon!!"
"Please—don't kill me! I'll give you everything—my entire fortune!"
"Oh? Treasures are tempting, I'll admit."
"But killing you… means your treasures become mine anyway."
In moments, Rack withered into a skeleton before Vilin's eyes.
The One-Eyed Pirates were wiped from the seas forever.
Feeling the steady stream of life energy flowing back through the vines,
Vilin muttered to himself.
"This should buy me another ten days or so of training."
"What an evil Devil Fruit this is…"
He sighed at his handiwork.
Retracting his power,
Vilin looked at the scattered bones without emotion.
"Eh, better bury you properly. Wouldn't want to scare the kids."
Vines gently gathered the remains and sank them into the soil as fertilizer.
"Thank you! You saved our island!"
The surviving villagers swarmed around Vilin, bowing and weeping in gratitude.
Seeing their battered state, Vilin sighed.
"No need for thanks. I just happened to be passing by."
Noticing the sun dipping low,
a two-meter-wide pink flower bloomed from his back.
Petals spun like a helicopter rotor.
Vilin lifted off, flying straight toward the pirate ship.
Behind him, the villagers erupted in joyous cheers.
Vilin smiled softly at their celebration.
"Time for the treasure hunt."
His first time stepping onto a pirate ship.
Everything felt new and intriguing.
After a quick deck sweep yielded nothing valuable,
he descended into the crew quarters.
The stench in the narrow stairwell nearly made him turn back.
But after all this effort, he refused to leave empty-handed.
Inside the filthy cabins,
Vilin found only about five million Berries.
He nearly lost it.
"What the hell?! These pirates are dirt poor!"
"Why even bother being pirates if you're this broke? Just get a real job!"
Cursing under his breath, he stormed into Rack's cabin.
After a thorough search,
he discovered a hidden compartment under the bed.
Inside: neatly stacked treasures, Berries, and valuables worth roughly fifty million.
Vilin nodded in satisfaction—decent haul for a small-time captain.
He checked the officers' rooms too.
In Sato's quarters, he found a finely crafted longsword—a "Good Grade" blade.
A pleased smile crossed his face.
All told, the One-Eyed Pirates yielded fifty-five million Berries, assorted treasures, and one Good Grade sword.
Vilin stroked the green blade.
"From now on, you're 'Green Bamboo.'"
Back in Rommel Kingdom,
with evening approaching,
Vilin strolled home leisurely.
On the way, he bought packets of plant seeds and several dance instruction books for Annie.
Lately she'd become obsessed with gardening and dancing—he had no idea why.
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