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Naval battles at sea are rarely drawn out most are over in a flash.
The seven ships, flying the hurricane skull insignia, surrounded Krieg's three vessels with overwhelming firepower.
Cannons thundered, sending shells crashing into water and decks alike. While only a few landed clean hits, the psychological pressure was immense.
Once the ships collided, it became a brutal melee of hand-to-hand combat.
As sails were drawn up, the massive ships drifted on inertia, closing the final gap. The instant one ship touched another, the boarding assault began.
Some pirates didn't even wait for contact they vaulted across open water with weapons in hand, leaping aboard enemy ships with ferocity.
Others followed suit, roaring in behind them. These weren't random raiders they were part of the 500 pirates who had pledged allegiance to King Bugsy.
Even if they were technically pirates again, they had no regrets.
The king had promised: if they fought for the kingdom, they'd be granted full citizenship, homes, families, and a future.
Bugsy had legalized pirates, at least under very specific terms.
The catch? They had to prove their loyalty first by bleeding for the kingdom.
And so, those 500 former pirates hoisted new flags, sailed out under the eyes of royal soldiers, and now fought with righteous fury.
No matter their past… in this moment, they were heroes.
---
The battle across Krieg's three ships was vicious. Two vessels fell quickly, set ablaze and half-submerged as Krieg's men were driven back or leapt overboard only to be hunted down by smaller boats flying the hurricane flag.
The final ship still floated, but its blood-soaked deck told a violent story.
A pirate captain in a tattered black coat lay pinned under a boot, blood bubbling from his mouth. Several of his crew, barely conscious, had collapsed nearby.
A sword rested against his neck.
"You from Krieg's fleet?" the man above him asked.
"Damn right…" the pirate spat blood. "I'm the 30th Division Captain of Don Krieg's fleet! You have no idea who you're—AARGH!"
A blade slammed into his back mid-sentence.
"We're the Hurricane Pirates," the attacker said with a grin. "Don Krieg's heard of us? No? Well… he will."
He drove his cutlass into the deck next to the pirate's head, watching the man twitch with fear.
The other pirates laughed with him. Victory was theirs and they were enjoying every second of it.
---
Once the battle was done, a few crew members launched a small boat and quietly slipped away.
"You leave a Den Den Mushi for them?" one pirate asked.
"Yeah, tucked it under the planks. It's small—they'll find it tomorrow. They can call their captain for extraction then."
"Good. That's our job done," said the leader. "From here on out… we're no longer pirates."
They grinned at each other.
"We're the kingdom's navy now."
With that, the remaining ships raised new flags bearing the emblem of the Gregor Kingdom. The transition had begun.
---
Of the original 500 pirate volunteers, just over 400 survived. The losses were heavy, but the gains were real.
Blood was cleaned, wounds patched, and flags changed.
Villagers brought food and fresh uniforms white robes bearing the word "Justice" across the back, along with the kingdom's stylized hurricane symbol.
The king had two versions of the uniform made: white for their naval identity, and black for their hidden purpose.
The black robes didn't say "Justice" they bore a skull instead.
Because when Captain Aero called on them… they would become Hurricane Pirates once again.
With every port these "navy" ships reached, Aero's influence stretched across the East Blue.
---
But right now, Aero had little time for empire-building.
Bugsy's second report, however, did catch his attention.
The regional navy commander had agreed to share training manuals on the Rokushiki techniques Soru, Geppo, and the rest.
When Aero asked how he managed it, Bugsy bragged:
"I gave him results."
Turns out, Bugsy handed over the credit for capturing Krieg's ships, killing his pirates, and seizing treasure to a fat, mustachioed commander with round glasses and a tired smirk.
The man had been frustrated by the Rear Admiral buzzing around his base and saw this as a golden opportunity to send him away with something shiny.
Thanks to his connections at Marine HQ, he now had a reason to claim success and in return, he agreed to pass the secret Rokushiki scrolls along to Bugsy.
As for the treasure?
Crate after crate had been wheeled into the command post, no questions asked.
Bugsy might act goofy but when it came to playing the game, he knew exactly what he was doing.
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