One Piece: The True Codex

The small boat carrying Edmond and Oliver finally arrived safely at the dock of Maple Village.

Feeling he had stumbled upon a chance to prove himself, Oliver trusted no one. Even when confronted by Tony's subordinates, he refused to speak, insisting on personally escorting Edmond to meet William. Left with no other choice, Tony's men brought both Oliver and Edmond to William and Tony.

At the time, William was pacing around Maple Village. The cargo ship that Edmond and Vallon had been aboard hadn't arrived at the dock as scheduled, which had already made him suspicious. He had been waiting for news at Tony's tavern.

The moment Edmond saw William, the worry and anxiety that had been weighing on him for days suddenly eased. His eyes welled up with tears as he exclaimed, "William, our ship was hijacked by the Red-Beard Pirates."

Both William and Tony's expressions darkened at once.

Tony immediately asked, "What about the cargo?"

William, however, asked in a steady voice, "What about the people?"

Standing to the side, Oliver glanced at Tony, then at William, and finally lowered his head. He didn't understand the difference in priorities between "cargo first, people second" and "people first, cargo second," but the latter unquestionably made him, someone who had worked for William before, feel more at ease.

Edmond ignored Tony and, with reddened eyes, turned to William. "Everyone on board was likely killed. Vallon... Vallon was killed too!"

Hearing the mention of the "Red-Beard Pirates," Tony had already lost his composure. When he learned that the crew had been slaughtered and even Vallon was dead, his panic only deepened. He muttered to himself, "What do we do now?"

William, on the other hand, forced himself to remain calm. Pressing his lips together, he stopped Edmond from saying anything further and instructed Angie to find some men to take the weakened Edmond to see a doctor.

Once Edmond had been escorted away, William pulled out his wallet from his pocket, then took Tony's wallet as well. He emptied the money from both and gently placed it into Oliver's hands.

"Oliver, is that your name? I remember you. Consider this a personal favor I owe you. Don't think this is too little; take it, wander around the village for a bit, and stay here for the night. Tomorrow—"

Before William could finish, Oliver interrupted him, "Sir, I don't want the money. I just want a chance."

As he spoke, Oliver pushed William's hand back.

William was momentarily stunned but ultimately placed the money back into Oliver's hands. "This money has nothing to do with you saving Edmond. Have you ever studied?"

Oliver, tempted by the money, hesitated before answering. When he heard William's question, he sheepishly shook his head.

"Then can you endure hardship?" William continued to ask.

Oliver eagerly nodded. "I've been on my own since I was a child, taking care of myself. I've never been afraid of hard work, Mr. William."

"Alright then," William said, waving Manny over. Turning back to Oliver, he added, "From today onward, you'll stay here. I'll have Manny arrange for a teacher to teach you to read and send you to a dojo to learn swordsmanship. I'll cover your tuition and living expenses. Once you've honed your skills, you can work for me. If you choose to seek opportunities elsewhere, I won't stop you. Do you agree?"

Oliver nodded excitedly, and William, seeing this, carefully instructed Manny in front of him, earning Oliver's deep gratitude before he followed Manny away.

Once the others had left, William's face darkened. He glanced at the despondent Tony, then pulled out his Transponder Snail to contact Gin and Aramis, who were far away in Shimotsuki Village.

In the best clinic in Maple Village, William waited until he was alone with Edmond before having him recount everything in detail.

Edmond didn't shirk responsibility, nor did he conceal any of the foolish mistakes he had made.

To Edmond, William was like an elder brother. When they were alone, Edmond's face was filled with regret and pain as he recounted how his actions had led to Vallon's death. He nearly broke into tears again.

William consoled Edmond, urging him to focus on recovery. Once Edmond had taken his medicine and fallen asleep, William left the room.

"That idiot Edmond!"

Outside Edmond's hospital room, Aramis, who had just arrived, cursed with bloodshot eyes after hearing William's detailed account of the events. He stormed toward the room, but William grabbed him, dragging him out of the clinic.

"Do you want Edmond to die too?"

"He got Vallon killed!" Aramis shouted, his face twisted with anger.

"Shut up!" William locked eyes with him, enunciating each word clearly. "I'll only say this once: the ones who killed Vallon are the Red-Beard Pirates!"

Aramis, seething with rage, stared at William for a moment before turning away. Drawing his sword, he began hacking furiously at a small tree outside the clinic.

"What did Sherlock say?" Gin, standing nearby, asked in a hoarse voice.

Though Gin's mood wasn't much better than Aramis's, he was more composed. The loss of a crewmate who had sailed and trained alongside them weighed heavily on him. However, he was mature enough not to let his anger cloud his judgment.

To be blunt, from the moment they chose the path of piracy, they had anticipated a day like this. The reality of a pirate's life was far from the romanticized tales of adventure—it was like strong liquor, both fragrant and bitter. Among pirates, there were moments of joy and laughter, but also those of sorrow and loss.

"I just contacted Sherlock. It turns out his father was recently arrested and interrogated on charges of 'tax evasion.' Sherlock initially thought it was for unrelated reasons, so he didn't mention it to us. Like Edmond, he's too proud at his core, even if he seems more easygoing on the surface," William explained, lighting a cigarette he had bought on his way to the clinic. After exhaling a puff of smoke, he continued, "But now, considering what Edmond said about being hunted and Sherlock's father's arrest, it's clear this attack involved not just pirates, but also the Marines and the Navia Kingdom's official forces."

Gin's face darkened. Though steady by nature, he was still young and hadn't faced many setbacks. Over the past year, under William's leadership, their smuggling business had flourished. Their wallets were full, and they were often surrounded by admirers at the docks. Life had seemed perfect.

But now, they had been struck by a harsh reality. The Navia Kingdom was a member nation of the World Government, and the Marines directly represented the World Government's authority.

Most industries operate like a pyramid. While a few at the top enjoy unparalleled success, the vast majority occupy the middle and lower levels. Comparing themselves to those at the pinnacle was unrealistic.

Though William's crew wasn't at the very bottom like the most desperate pirates, they were far from reaching the level of top-tier pirates who could openly defy the Marines and the World Government.

"So what do we do next?" Gin asked.

Unlike the younger members of his crew, William, a seasoned transmigrator who had weathered countless storms in his previous life, remained composed.

After a moment of silence, he crushed his lit cigarette in his hand. His expression turned cold, and his voice carried neither fear nor hesitation. "We find every mastermind involved, and we carve them up one by one to avenge Vallon!"

"Victory and defeat must both be tasted. Only after enduring the bitterness of fleeing, the pain of loss, and the weight of sorrow can a man truly stand on his own. Even if you cry your heart out, you must overcome this trial."

"One Piece:The True Codex"Volume 1: Running and Fighting, Complete.

Next Volume: The Demon of the East Blue.

An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, a hand for a hand, a foot for a foot!

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