One Piece: Pirate Code

"This man," William shouted, abruptly drawing his sword and slicing through the rope holding Barbarossa's hair. Barbarossa's head rolled twice across the deck before William stomped on it. His voice grew louder, escalating to a low roar as he silenced the crowd, who had started murmuring again following his speech. "He failed to repay your loyalty! He can no longer lead us back to glory, and therefore he is unworthy of being the captain of this ship!"

"But from this day forward," William announced loudly, "you will no longer risk your lives for a greedy and foolish captain. Instead, you will march toward a great purpose!" His voice echoed with authority. "Because starting today, I am your new captain. I will not only make you wealthy or strong—I will lead you to become legends of the East Blue!"

Hutchinson swallowed nervously. Even someone as seasoned as he could not deny the compelling force of William's words. Riding on the momentum of killing Barbarossa, coupled with his established reputation, William's declaration had an undeniable impact—even on him.

"From now on, this ship has a new pirate crew and a new captain," William continued, his blade pointing at the crowd. His smile remained, but it no longer felt approachable; instead, it was laced with deadly intent. "I offer you a choice: a fair opportunity for challenge. Right here, right now! If anyone opposes me as captain, step forward. I'll give you the chance to challenge me. If you kill me, everything I've said will be null and void."

A heavy silence fell over the deck. The only sound was the sea breeze rustling above. No one spoke—or dared to—fearful of being misunderstood as challenging him.

William's smile widened. He scanned the crowd slowly before repeating, "I've said what I needed to say. From now on, I am your new captain. Does anyone object?"

Although not everyone present was fully convinced of William's leadership, no one dared show their dissent. The man who had just slain the fearsome Barbarossa—a Devil Fruit user known for his unparalleled strength—was far too intimidating to oppose.

Young Nadal, brimming with youthful enthusiasm, felt his blood boil at William's speech. His youthful, slightly naïve face was alight with excitement. Seeing no one challenge William, he couldn't help but shout, "Captain!"

William had a stronger influence over the younger and newer pirates. With Nadal leading the chant, even the older, more experienced pirates joined in, as did the younger crew members, all chanting, "Captain!"

For a moment, the deck was alive with deafening cries of "Captain!"

Below deck, the prisoners and their guards heard the uproar. Both groups exchanged uncertain glances, clueless about the events unfolding above.

On deck, William let the crew cheer for a while, basking in the moment of triumph. When the clamor began to fade, he raised his hand, signaling for silence.

"I've heard your cheers," William declared. "I gave you all a chance, yet no one dared step forward. I'll take this as a sign that no one opposes me as captain. From now on, anyone who dares defy my orders will have no excuses."

William's tone turned cold as he swept his gaze across Felton's group. They lowered their heads in resentment but did not meet his eyes.

"I won't be like Barbarossa," William said icily. "I won't cruelly hang you alive at the ship's bow. Instead, I'll mercifully cut off the heads of those who defy me and toss their bodies into the sea to feed the fish. We are 'men of the sea,' and even in death, we belong to the ocean."

The ship's doctor, Wood, uncomfortably rubbed his balding head and shrank back slightly at these words.

William dismissed the crew, leaving only Clow at his side.

Felton, full of envy and hatred, cast a final glance at William as he left. Seeing William return with nothing but Barbarossa's severed head, Felton knew he had likely consumed the Devil Fruit from the Swordfish Pirates' ship.

To be fair, if Felton had been in William's position, he too would have eaten the Devil Fruit without hesitation. Barbarossa's ferocity and might had always been something every pirate on the ship envied and desired. That fact made Felton's resentment even more bitter, as though the fruit should have been his by right.

For now, however, Felton had no intention of challenging William. He doubted he could win, especially if William had truly eaten the Devil Fruit.

Felton decided it was time to leave. His position as first mate had been secured by aligning himself with Barbarossa, who had used Felton's rivalry with William to dilute his power. Now that Barbarossa was dead and William was captain, Felton doubted he would remain first mate for long.

Felton resolved to gather allies and, once ashore, leave the crew and seek a new path. With enough strength and followers—and perhaps by recruiting some skilled officers—he could thrive in another pirate crew or even start his own, setting sail under a new flag.

William watched Felton's retreating back, suppressing his fluctuating emotions. Only now did he have the time and opportunity to savor the joy of victory.

Though William had been a senior white-collar worker in his past life, managing as many subordinates as he now commanded, the feeling was incomparable.

This ship was now his—an independent, sovereign entity. The futures, and even the lives, of everyone aboard were in his hands. In the pirate crew hierarchy, the captain was not only the ship's keel that held it together but also its sails, steering wheel, and anchor.

This was his ship, his crew.

Nearly a hundred fearsome outlaws now answered to him, a force that held significant sway in the East Blue.

A man cannot live a single day without power.

William narrowed his eyes, his hand brushing the ship's railing. For someone who craved power, nothing was more satisfying than gaining even more of it.

Clow, ever perceptive, remained silent, allowing William to fully immerse himself in the joy of victory.

After a moment, William slowly opened his eyes and glanced at Clow. "Preserve Barbarossa's head. It will be my greeting gift for Roy and Arcadio."

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