"...!"
Ralph hadn't expected the rumors to spread this far!
Even the Navy branch in the East Blue knew about it?
Internally, Ralph found it both amusing and exasperating, but he maintained a stern expression on the surface.
He raised an eyebrow and said with feigned profundity:
"Oh? You've heard of ?"
"O-of course!"
The squad leader's voice trembled, "Who in the East Blue hasn't heard of your na! The swordsman who made the World's Greatest Swordsman publicly admit to losing a single move... H-how co you're here? Ah!"
Ralph didn't answer that question.
He reached down and picked up a broken naval sword from the deck.
Then, with a forceful motion of his arm—
"Thud!"
The broken blade plunged deep into the hard wooden deck, sinking inches deep.
This was a warning to the Navy: anyone who dared defy him would end up like this deck!
"Now, I'm taking command of this warship."
Ralph turned around, his gaze sweeping over every Navy soldier, "Including that little girl who knows the whereabouts of the Dragon."
He paused, then added:
"If you don't want to die, do as I say."
The Navy soldiers fell silent, too terrified to speak.
Ralph continued:
"Now, change course. Destination—the little girl's hotown, Warship Island."
The order was given.
Without any hesitation, the Navy soldiers sprang into action.
The helmsman rushed to the helm, the sail handlers scrambled to adjust the sails, and the signalman hurried to relay ssages to the other two warships.
The entire deck instantly beca a hive of activity, but everyone moved cautiously, afraid to make too much noise lest they anger this "on of doom."
Ralph stood in place, watching it all, though inwardly he felt a bit tense.
This was his first ti hijacking a warship.
Even though he overpowered them with his strength, what if there was so reckless fool among these Navy soldiers, or soone trying to pull a sneaky move...
"Don't even think about secretly altering the course."
Ralph walked over to the helmsman, his voice calm but carrying a warning,
"I know navigation. Deviate by even one degree, and I—"
The helmsman's hands shook with fear, and he nodded hastily, "Y-you have my word! I wouldn't dare!"
Ralph then walked to the kitchen door.
Inside, the Navy cook was trembling as he prepared food.
"Get sothing to eat."
Ralph said, "Don't think about poisoning it. I know cooking—if the taste is even slightly off..."
The cook nearly dropped his spatula:
"Y-you have my word! I-I wouldn't dare!"
Finally, Ralph rembered that he'd been struck by a Sea King's tail earlier. Though not seriously injured, it was best to get checked.
"Take to the infirmary."
He said to the Navy soldier guiding him, "Don't think about tampering with the dicine. I know dicine..."
The soldier's legs went weak:
"Y-you have my word... Not even the doctor would dare..."
On the way to the infirmary, the guiding soldier carefully led the way while stealing sidelong glances at Ralph.
In his eyes, fear gradually gave way to another emotion.
That was... curiosity.
And a hint of... admiration.
Finally, at the infirmary door, the bearded Navy soldier couldn't hold back.
While Ralph was inspecting the dicine, he mustered his courage and asked in a very soft voice:
"M-Mr. Ralph... C-can I ask you a question?"
Ralph picked up a bottle of dicine and sniffed it,
"Speak."
"As a swordsmanship prodigy who managed to make the world's greatest swordsman, Hawk Eye, concede a single move..."
The bearded Navy officer carefully chose his words, "And... and being proficient in navigation, cooking, dicine... such a versatile genius, why... why choose to beco a pirate?"
As he spoke, he seed to fall into so pleasant fantasy.
"If you joined the Navy, with your strength and talent, you'd be guaranteed at least a commissioned officer rank! In the future... you might even beco an admiral!"
Admittedly, the future the Navy man painted was quite compelling.
Military rank, status, power... it did sound tempting.
Ralph set down the bottle, leaning against the dicine cabinet, a slight smile playing on his lips.
"Join the Navy, or beco a pirate..."
He said softly, his gaze seeming to pierce through the ship's walls to so distant place,
"It makes no difference to ."
He paused, a carefree, grinning face wearing a straw hat appearing in his mind.
"Mainly, the person I like is a pirate."
Ralph laughed, his smile tinged with resignation and tenderness, "What else could I do? I just had to... beco a pirate with them."
The bearded Navy man was stunned.
He stared blankly at Ralph, at this "monster" who could snap military swords bare-handed, crush gun barrels, and hijack three warships, now wearing an expression that was... almost doting.
Because of... love?
The genius swordsman who made Hawk Eye admit defeat, the unknown Ralph, beca a pirate... because of love?!
That's... just too romantic!
In an instant, the bearded Navy man's mind began to uncontrollably imagine.
Handso, incredibly strong, master of all trades...
What kind of peerless beauty must the woman pursued by such a "man among n" be?
A princess of breathtaking beauty?
A formidable female pirate?
Or the descendant of so mysterious race?
Ralph watched the bearded Navy man's expression, as if he were ntally composing a million-word romance novel.
He reached out and patted the other man's shoulder.
"Smack!"
The bearded Navy man jumped, startled out of his reverie.
"Don't forget to spread the word for ."
Ralph said, his tone serious.
But the bearded Navy man misunderstood Ralph's aning and quickly shook his head:
"Y-you can count on ! I absolutely won't dare to speak nonsense outsi—"
Ralph interrupted him,
"That's exactly what I want. I need you to spread it for ."
"Huh?"
"If you're a pirate without a bounty, what's the difference between you and a salted fish?"
Ralph said very seriously:
"Attacking and hijacking warships, seizing the Navy's escorted target. You need to report every detail to your superiors so they'll co arrest ."
He leaned in closer, lowering his voice with a threatening edge:
"You don't want to kill a few people to prove I'm truly vicious, do you?"
The bearded Navy man broke out in a cold sweat:
"N-no, no, no! I-I know exactly what to do!"
"Good."
Ralph straightened up, nodding in satisfaction.
...
A few hours later.
The coastline of Warship Island appeared on the horizon.
The three warships slowly docked.
Ralph stood on the deck, accompanied by a little girl of about seven or eight years old, with large eyes and wearing a distinctive dress.
The girl was looking at Ralph timidly, her eyes filled with fear and vigilance.
She was Apis.
Ralph glanced at her without saying a word, directly picked her up, and jumped off the warship.
The mont his feet touched the sandy beach, he turned back to look at the three warships still anchored offshore.
"Get lost."
Ralph waved his hand, "Tell your superiors I've taken the girl. If they want her back, they can co and catch themselves."
The Navy soldiers on the warships acted as if they'd been granted amnesty. The three vessels hastily turned around and sped away from Warship Island at full speed, as if Sea Kings were chasing them.
Ralph watched them shrink into three black dots on the horizon before completely disappearing.
Only then did he turn to face the little girl beside him.
Apis was also looking at him.
The young girl had large eyes with long eyelashes that were now trembling slightly from fear.
"Speak," Ralph said, his voice devoid of emotion,
"Where is the Sennenryu?"
Apis's body shuddered violently.
She bit her lip, a stubborn light rising in her eyes.
"So you're another bad person after the Sennenryu too!"
She said loudly, her voice trembling but firm, "I'd rather die than tell you! Never!!"
Ralph raised an eyebrow.
Then, he smiled.
It was that cruel, sowhat perverted evil smile.
"Do you know why I brought you back to your hotown?"
Ralph crouched down, eting Apis's gaze at eye level.
Apis instinctively took half a step back.
Ralph's smile deepened.
"Because now that we're in your hotown...."
He said slowly, "I can use your family to threaten you."
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