Chapter 23 – The Dreadful Pirates
Inside the G-10 Marine Branch base, Vice Admiral Garp and Rear Admiral Rokka were chatting leisurely in the reception room.
Meanwhile, Tsugikuni Yuichirō and Aokiji weren't with them. After so many days in the New World, even if the marines didn't complain, the fatigue in their bodies was very real.
Garp had ordered Aokiji to oversee the resupply operation and, at the same time, gave all personnel a day off. Once they completed their duties, they were free to do as they pleased.
Yuichirō's training was also paused for the day. The exhaustion building up in his body definitely needed to be eased — it wasn't as though he enjoyed being beaten half to death.
Taking advantage of this rare opportunity, he joined Aokiji for a stroll through the streets of the Neil Kingdom.
Although this was a place teeming with both criminals and civilians, the bustling flow of people made the marketplace remarkably lively.
"Wow! It's really busy here!" Yuichirō exclaimed. "This isn't at all like how I imagined the New World would be."
He had expected every country in the New World to be overrun by pirates and chaos. After all, judging by Luffy's journey, every island seemed to be filled with trouble. Pirates had become the most dominant force on the seas. Yet, to his surprise, the Neil Kingdom was peaceful — even prosperous.
"Hmm, well, I don't know exactly what kind of place you imagined," Aokiji said with a lazy shrug, "but countries as bustling as Neil Kingdom aren't that rare here in the New World.
"Still… who knows what lies beneath that surface of prosperity? Some things aren't as simple as they look."
Aokiji, who knew the truth about the Neil Kingdom's dealings, didn't hold much affection for it. A nation that walked both sides of the law — balancing between the Marines and the underworld — clashed with his ideals.
Yuichirō, however, was unaware of the kingdom's darker side. "Well, no matter what they're hiding," he said casually, "I think their king's doing a decent job. At the very least, he's keeping the peace on the surface — and in a world full of pirates, that's no small feat."
"Who knows…" Aokiji muttered, unwilling to continue on the subject. Spotting a street vendor selling hot pastries, his mood brightened. "Hey, Yuichirō, these are good — they're stuffed with local fruits. Want to try one?"
"Stuffed with fruit?" Yuichirō's curiosity was piqued. "Sure, let's have some. Oh — but I'm broke, so you're paying."
Aokiji chuckled, shaking his head, and they headed toward the stall.
While the two marines were leisurely enjoying the kingdom's local flavor, far away in the royal palace at the island's center, King Nicola McCartney was hosting a lavish banquet for a group of rather special guests.
"Ha ha ha ha!"
"Everyone, please — make yourselves at home!"
"Captain Nuke, welcome to the Neil Kingdom! Come, let me toast to your visit!"
The long dining table gleamed beneath the chandelier's light, silver cutlery neatly arranged over fine silk cloth. Graceful young maids moved among the guests, refilling their goblets with shimmering wine.
King Nicola McCartney, dressed in ornate royal attire, raised his glass high, beaming as he addressed his guests.
Among them sat Nuke — captain of the Nuke Pirates. He was a burly, rough-looking man with a fierce face and a bounty of two hundred million berries.
Though he had only recently entered the New World, Nuke had already made a name for himself. He had defeated two rival pirate crews — each with bounties exceeding one hundred million — and quickly rose to prominence in the underworld.
Even before setting sail for the New World, he was notorious in the North Blue, where he had repeatedly attacked World Government merchant vessels. That alone had earned him his place on the Marines' wanted list.
"Yihahahaha!" Nuke's booming laughter filled the hall. "Your Majesty McCartney, you're far too generous! With this kind of welcome, you're making me feel bad!"
He raised his glass but didn't drink, his sharp eyes briefly flicking toward a nearby maid. His tongue ran over his lips before he continued with a grin.
"To be honest, Your Majesty, I didn't come here just to drink and feast. I came because I've got a favor to ask — and I hope you'll grant it."
The king noticed that hungry look in Nuke's eyes — and the way the pirate carried himself, even in front of royalty. His heart sank slightly, but outwardly, his smile remained as bright as ever.
"Oh? And what might that be, Captain Nuke?" Nicola asked with practiced warmth. "If it's within my power, I'll certainly help. And even if it's difficult… well, I do have a few friends in the Whitebeard Pirates. I'm sure they could lend you a hand if I asked."
"Even if that doesn't work out," King Nicola McCartney continued with an ingratiating smile, "I'm acquainted with a few officers from Marine Headquarters as well. With a bit of persuasion, I might be able to arrange something for you."
"Captain Nuke, surely it can't be anything too difficult — what is it that you need my help with?"
Nuke didn't answer. Instead, a lewd grin spread across his face. Without warning, he reached out, seized the maid beside him, and yanked her roughly into his arms. Her startled scream echoed through the hall, but Nuke ignored it, his filthy hand already clutching at her collar, ready to tear it open.
Before he could go further, King Nicola rose sharply from the high dais, his voice ringing through the banquet hall like a whip:
"Stop!"
"Captain Nuke! I welcomed you into my palace as a guest of honor — what is the meaning of this outrage?!"
Nuke paused mid-motion, then slowly lifted his head. His expression hardened into something cold and cruel as he looked up at the king.
"Your Majesty," he said, his tone suddenly calm — almost casual — "I've sailed from the North Blue all the way here to the New World, and to tell you the truth… I'm tired of life at sea."
"My crew's tired, too."
"We've been thinking — it's about time we found a nice place to settle down."
He spread his arms wide, grinning as his gaze swept across the gleaming palace hall.
"And wouldn't you know it? I think the Neil Kingdom suits us perfectly. It's lively, rich… and best of all, the women here are wonderful! Hahahaha!"
"My request is simple, Your Majesty — I'm sure you'll be reasonable enough to give me that courtesy, eh? Don't make me do something unpleasant."
With that, he looked down at the trembling maid trapped in his grip and began to laugh, low and guttural.
Around the hall, dozens of Nuke's men stood up in unison, chairs scraping loudly across the marble floor. One by one, they drew their blades, their sharp edges glinting in the candlelight as they turned toward the king.
It was unmistakable — this was no dinner, but a threat.
Nicola McCartney wasn't a fool. The moment these pirates had stepped into his palace uninvited, he had sensed their ill intent. He had hoped that invoking the names of Whitebeard and the Marines would make them think twice — but clearly, it hadn't worked.
After countless encounters with the Navy, Nuke's crew had grown arrogant, inflated by their victories. The vastness of the sea only fed their ambition. To them, the Marines were a joke. And as for the Whitebeard Pirates?
Nuke chuckled to himself. Never heard of them.
Though fury burned inside him, the king — a man who had long survived by balancing between light and shadow — kept his composure.
Seeing that Nuke's men were openly hostile, he forced a smile and said pleasantly, "Ah! So that's all you wanted?"
"How simple!"
"I'll personally grant you a fine estate — a manor large enough for all your men. Consider it a personal gift from me. That way, you'll have a proper home here in the Neil Kingdom."
"Now then, Captain Nuke — since your request is settled, why don't we all put away the weapons, eh? Let's drink! Hahaha!"
But Nuke only grinned wider and slowly shook his head.
"No need, Your Majesty. I'm not interested in a manor."
He leaned forward, his eyes glinting with malice.
"I rather like this palace of yours."
"Why don't you hand it over to me instead, Your Majesty?"
As the words left his mouth, something strange began to happen — the floor beneath Nuke's boots started to melt. A dark sludge seeped outward, spreading rapidly across the hall.
Within moments, the entire floor had turned into a glistening swamp of mud. Even the high dais where the king stood wasn't spared; tendrils of muck crept toward his feet.
Nicola McCartney's eyes went wide as he realized what he was seeing.
Devil Fruit power!
"Captain Nuke!" he shouted, panic cracking through his voice. "I agree! I agree to your demands!"
"I'll leave the palace immediately — my family and I will—"
But before he could finish, the mud at his feet surged upward, swallowing his legs, then his torso. In the blink of an eye, he was engulfed completely, trapped inside a rising pillar of sludge.
From within the column of mud came muffled thrashing, his outline twisting and writhing — but the more he struggled, the faster the pillar hardened around him.
In seconds, the movements stopped.
The mud column burst apart with a wet crack, and the king's limp body fell forward, landing heavily on the banquet table. The silk tablecloth darkened, soaking up the foul, reeking muck.
Nuke stood there, watching the scene with a wide, delighted grin spreading across his face.
"Yihahahaha!"
"Ahahahahaha!"
"If you'd just left quietly, I'd have been so disappointed, Your Majesty!"
"I hear your wife and daughter are both quite the beauties…"
He licked his lips, his laughter echoing off the marble walls, dripping with madness.
(End of Chapter)
20 Powerstones= 1 extra chapter
50 powerstones= another extra chapter.
Let's do this guys!!!
No seriously let's do this .