Chapter 23: Encounter! The Black Cat Pirates!
Ralph also felt that what he had done was somewhat problematic, but he had no other choice.
As someone in the know, how could he resist verifying such an unconfirmed mystery placed right before him?
Once verified, he could either take those five fruits or use the opportunity to win Lufia's favor.
He believed he had already shown considerable restraint.
As for the large crate...
"Some say human nature truly can't withstand tests, but since things have come to this, we can only view it from the opposite perspective. Human nature that has endured trials is undoubtedly precious!
I believe the crate gentleman will live happily ever after!"
Zoro neither agreed nor disagreed, simply taking another swig of wine before pouring cold water on the idea: "Happiness? Hah, I really can't imagine how someone stuck in a crate could be particularly happy or joyful."
Several retorts to counter Zoro instantly flashed through Ralph's mind:
The crate gentleman fell from such a high rock—far more serious than falling down stairs. Though he got stuck, he at least survived—isn't that itself a form of luck?
Perhaps someday in the future, the crate gentleman might meet a girl similarly trapped in a peculiar container, leading to a 'Crate Romance' where they end up happily living together?
However, to avoid overly provoking this newly befriended combatant, Ralph ultimately swallowed these ill-timed sarcastic remarks and simply smiled wryly.
Just then, Nami completed her assessment of the ship's condition:
"The repairs on the island were only emergency fixes. The hull structure remains quite fragile. We must sail to the next town with a proper shipyard as soon as possible for thorough repairs and reinforcement. Otherwise, if we encounter another storm or... battle, this ship might very well fall apart."
"Sounds great! Sounds great!"
Luffy immediately chimed in, having been concerned about this all along. "After it's repaired, we'll also replace these ugly pink and heart patterns! We'll hoist our own Pirate flag!"
Although Luffy had mentioned multiple times about wanting a cooler ship, Ralph keenly noticed that after this period of sailing, she seemed to have gradually grown accustomed to this large ship seized from Alvida, even starting to plan how to modify it.
This subtle change made Ralph fall into deep thought.
The Straw Hat crew's destined 'Going Merry'... Could it really be altered like this?
His mind conjured the image of that small ship with its adorable sheep figurehead, carrying countless moments of laughter and tears.
Would the figurehead change from a little sheep to... well, a swan head?
This train of thought extended to a deeper question:
Was the Going Merry so touching because it was called 'Going Merry'—essentially being a ship—or because the Straw Hat crew sailed on it, sharing those unique, unforgettable adventures together?
No matter how he thought about it, the shared experiences were clearly more important! The ship was merely a vessel, a symbol. What mattered wasn't the ship itself, but the people aboard it and the memories they created together.
Ralph's gaze grew resolute.
What this ship was previously called or who it belonged to didn't matter! As long as Lufia acknowledged it and was willing to treat it as a companion, then from now on it would be our 'Advancing Swan'!
What mattered more was that this ship was the first decent trophy Ralph, as a pirate, had seized for Luffy! This in itself held special significance.
Just as Ralph's thoughts were racing, Luffy, seated high on the bow, spotted something new on the sea with her excellent eyesight.
"Hey—look over there! There's a ship!" she exclaimed excitedly, pointing to the right front. "It's flying a skull flag! It's a pirate ship!"
Hearing this, the others immediately took turns observing with a telescope. Sure enough, a medium-sized sailing ship was navigating the sea not far away, its mast flying a pirate flag with a pattern of a skull kitten.
Ralph, familiar with the plot, felt a chill and immediately explained to the group, "That's the flag of the Black Cat Pirates."
"The Black Cat Pirates?" Luffy asked curiously at once. "Are they strong?"
Ralph sorted through the information in his mind.
"Their captain was known as Kuro 'Of a Hundred Plans.' He was said to be a very cunning fellow, skilled at devising meticulous plans for plunder. He was captured and executed by the Marines three years ago. I never expected... their pirate crew is still active at sea."
Everything he said was widely known information in the East Blue and wouldn't arouse suspicion.
Just then, Nami, who had been carefully observing through the telescope, suddenly cried out, "Oh no! They've turned and are heading straight for us!"
She lowered the telescope, her face tense, and looked at Ralph. "What do we do?"
Ralph didn't answer directly but handed the decision over to the captain. "Lufia, what do you think we should do?"
Lufia placed her hands on her hips, looking completely taken for granted. "Since we're all pirates, let's just meet them! Who knows... maybe some of them would be willing to become my companions too!"
Nami sighed helplessly, holding her forehead. "I knew asking you was pointless... You have absolutely no concept of the dangers at sea!"
Zoro, holding his swords, calmly pointed out the key issue:
"Hey, Straw Hat, judging by their posture, they don't see us as 'colleagues.' They're more like... treating us as easy prey."
"Ah! So that's it!"
Only then did Lufia have a sudden realization, slapping her straw hat in frustration. "Oh no! This is terrible! We haven't raised our own pirate flag yet! No wonder they don't see us as pirates!"
Nami was so angry she nearly jumped up. "Does that even matter?! Whether we're pirates or not, if they're pirates, they could still fire at us and rob us! Because they're pirates!!"
Lufia once again wore a puzzled expression, muttering softly, "But... the pirates in my heart aren't like this..."
Nami was utterly speechless at her pure, uncomprehending look. She checked the rapidly closing distance between the two ships and despairingly realized it was already too late to turn and flee.
Ralph had long since discreetly signaled to Zoro: "Prepare for battle."
However, when the two ships crossed into firing range, Ralph and the others truly experienced their own lack of experience in naval combat.
"Boom! Boom! Boom—!!"
The Black Cat Pirates struck first! Flames and thick smoke belched from the broadside cannons as rows of black cannonballs whistled through the air like hailstones, raining down upon their "Going Swan" with deadly intent!
This was their first experience with such intense and regular shelling since setting sail!
Though Luffy could be scatterbrained at times, her combat reflexes were astonishingly sharp. Facing the incoming cannonballs, she showed no fear—instead, she seemed exhilarated.
"Gomu Gomu no Fusen!"
She took a deep breath, her chest and abdomen instantly swelling like inflating balloons, transforming her into a giant, elastic sphere! Several cannonballs aimed at the center of the deck slammed into her rubbery body with dull thuds, only to be forcefully repelled and sent flying back into the sea, where they exploded into towering plumes of water!
Her rubber ability, impervious to cannonball impacts and even capable of rebounding them, was nothing short of a BUG-level advantage in naval warfare, where cannons reigned supreme.
Yet reality was far less ideal.
Ralph saw it clearly: Luffy could only intercept a portion of the cannonballs targeting the deck or her immediate vicinity. More projectiles soared past her or assailed the ship from different angles!
"Watch out!" Ralph shouted, activating Soru simultaneously. He narrowly dodged a cannonball that exploded beside him, splinters of wood grazing his cheek.
Zoro relied on his beast-like intuition and agility, darting across the deck to evade blasts and debris. Nami had already taken cover behind the relatively sturdy cabin, her face pale with terror.
Boom! Crash—!
One cannonball struck true near the ship's waterline, splintering wood and instantly blasting a gaping hole! Seawater began gushing in with a gurgling roar.
Another cannonball obliterated a section of the railing and one of the lifeboats.
Luffy attempted to retaliate using the ship's own cannons, but her lack of artillery experience showed—slow reloading and aim based purely on gut feeling. After much effort, she managed to fire a shot, but the cannonball veered wildly off course, landing far behind the Black Cat Pirates' ship without so much as splashing them.
What frustrated the crew even more was that after unleashing a fierce broadside, the Black Cat Pirates didn't close in for boarding combat as pirates typically would. Instead, they adjusted their sails, seemingly intent on creating distance and sailing away!
Nami quickly assessed the ship's damage and cried out in a trembling voice, "It's no use! The hull is breached in multiple places, and we're taking on water fast! I'm afraid... I'm afraid we can't hold out much longer! We need to abandon ship and escape on the remaining lifeboats!"
A profound doubt welled up in her heart: "This doesn't make sense! Pirates are supposed to plunder treasure, right? Sinking our ship outright gains them nothing! It's illogical!"
Ralph, of course, knew the full story.
The former captain of the Black Cat Pirates, Kuro "Of a Hundred Plans," was currently living under the alias Klahadore in Syrup Village, playing the part of a meek butler while scheming to seize Kaya's family fortune. The Black Cat Pirates here were his crew, arriving to extract him and execute the final phase of his plan.
At this critical juncture, they couldn't afford any unscheduled plundering that might complicate matters and disrupt Kuro's "flawless" orchestration.
For those who don't follow the plan, Kuro would eliminate them without hesitation. Therefore, sinking encountered ships, then eliminating everyone after they fall into the water—leaving no survivors or evidence—was the safest approach.
However, when Luffy saw the enemy trying to "escape" after bombarding them, a surge of resentment and fury instantly overwhelmed her.
"You think you can hit us and just run away?! Don't even think about escaping!"
She shouted without a second thought about tactics or the disparity in strength between the two sides, stretching her rubber arms to firmly grab the railing of the ship!
"Gomu Gomu no Rocket!"
Using the powerful pulling force from her contracting arms, her entire body shot forward like a human cannonball, instantly leaving their sinking ship and flying straight toward the deck of the Black Cat Pirates!
"Lufia! Don't go! It's dangerous!"
Ralph's face turned pale with alarm as he urgently shouted to stop her, but it was already too late!
He knew full well that with Luffy's current strength, facing the entire Black Cat Pirates alone—especially their current captain, whose abilities might perfectly counter hers—her chances of winning were slim!
In desperation, Ralph could no longer hold back. His eyes scanned the area, and he grabbed a few thick deck fragments shattered by cannon fire at his feet. With all his strength, he hurled them one after another into the air, aiming ahead of Luffy's flight path!
At the same time, the muscles in his legs tensed, and his power erupted instantly!
"Soru Step!"
His figure vanished from where he stood, and in the next moment, he appeared on the first falling deck fragment! With a light step on the fragment, he leaped again, chasing after the second piece!
In this way, he continuously stepped on those makeshift platforms mid-air, his figure as if strolling through the void, closely following Luffy. Almost right behind her, he landed heavily on the deck of the Black Cat Pirates!
***
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