**Chapter 12: Bring the Ship Right Up Alongside It!**
"Hahaha! You'd better not be bragging to me. Don't fight like little girls when the time comes."
Allen threw his head back and laughed, then immediately waved his hand and shouted:
"Now! You've just bought half a month's worth of supplies! I order you to use them all up within a week!"
"If you overeat, throw it up into the sea! From now on, daily liquor rations are doubled!!"
As soon as these words were spoken, the pirates became even more excited to the extreme, shouting at the tops of their lungs.
"Woo-hoo—!!!"
"Long live the Captain!!!"
Looking down at the fervent scene below, Allen's lips curled into a satisfied grin.
They were still poor right now, couldn't pursue too high quality, so could only rely on a sudden increase in quantity to motivate them first.
Allen didn't understand any subtle schemes. He only knew one fact.
As long as they were pirates! They would definitely choose to follow a captain who could give them a good life!
For these pirates whose clothes were all tattered and torn, any talk of grand dreams was bullshit!
Nothing could bind their loyalty better than benefits!
...
After becoming a familiar face among the pirates, Allen returned to his empty captain's quarters.
A few paintings hung on the wall. In the middle was a set of black sofas and a sturdy black glass table. Other than that, there was only a lonely empty shelf leaning in the corner.
Allen sat down on the sofa, leaned back, sinking into the soft cushions.
Now he had a ship and manpower, but his pirate crew wasn't officially established yet.
The figurehead was a black cat-head design, and the flag hanging from the mast was also the Black Cat Pirates' flag. This was far from being *his* pirate crew.
Especially the flag designed according to the crew's name, symbolizing the soul of the pirate crew.
But.
"Sigh~~"
Allen sighed, looking up at the ceiling. He had thought for a long time, but couldn't come up with any pirate ship name that sounded both cool and stylish.
The simplest way was to just call it the Allen Pirates, but that didn't sound cool at all.
In this world where everyone had crazy hair colors, his own appearance didn't have any distinguishing features that could be used to design a flag either.
*Knock—Knock—Knock!*
"Captain."
Just as he was getting a headache over naming things, there was a knock at the door.
Allen took a breath and sat up.
"Come in."
*Creak~*
Two figures pushed the door open and walked in. It was Sham and Butchi, each holding a black gift box.
"Captain, while we were out shopping earlier, we saw some good stuff. Thought you might like it, so we bought it."
Sham grinned cheekily as he approached, and with Butchi, gently placed the two boxes on the table.
Allen looked at them with a curious expression.
"Open them up."
"Yes."
Sham slowly lifted the lid, revealing two neatly placed bottles of liquor and a row of cigars inside.
Butchi also opened his box. Inside was a black pirate coat.
A gilded anchor-shaped cloak clasp glittered. It had yellow epaulets with black skull designs on both shoulders, with strands of golden thread hanging down.
Allen picked it up and felt it. It had a thin wool felt texture, felt quite smooth. He couldn't help but glance at the Cat Brothers.
Hey, look at you, why go through all this trouble.
"Hehehe, Captain, do you want to try it on?"
Butchi grinned.
"Really now, wasting money like this. This could have bought so much food and drink for the brothers."
Allen put the captain's coat down and glared at him disapprovingly.
Saying that, he closed the box lid and silently pulled it towards himself.
"But then again, since it's already bought, I'll accept it this time."
"Shishishi, yes, yes, yes. It's already bought anyway, would be a waste not to use it."
Sham rubbed his hands together, grinning in agreement.
After delivering the gifts, the two quickly retreated, closing the door behind them.
Allen then reopened the lid, picked up the captain's coat, and stood up.
*Whoosh—!*
The cloak fluttered noisily as he shook it open. After putting it on, Allen walked to the corner of the room and looked in the mirror.
Damn, too handsome.
Allen couldn't help but let a smile spread across his face.
As a captain, not having a pirate coat indeed still felt like something was missing.
Looking good was a lifelong matter. Once they made some money, he definitely had to have a few high-end coats custom-made.
...
Two days later.
The sky was overcast. Since morning, thin, dark clouds had been floating in the sky.
Atop the deckhouse, Allen lay on a chair, savoring a cigar while enjoying the cool breeze.
A small round table and two lounge chairs were placed here, set up by his men. He liked the expansive view here and would come up to sit from time to time.
Gradually, fine rain began to drift down from the sky, cooling his face with drops.
Allen closed his eyes, continuing to smoke the cigar, unmoved.
Until an excited voice came from the lookout post atop the mast.
"I see the fish-head ship! It's the floating restaurant Baratie!"
Hearing the sound, the pirates below eagerly rushed out onto the deck.
Allen also slowly opened his eyes, sat up, and looked into the distance. On the sea, a three-deck, blue-green giant fish-shaped cruise ship drifted with the waves.
Without a doubt, that was the floating restaurant Baratie.
Around the Baratie were docked over a dozen ships of various sizes, including one warship.
On the forecastle deck, the pirates grabbed the railing and leaned forward to look.
Upon seeing that conspicuous green warship, their just-kindled passion was instantly doused.
"It's a warship..."
"Plan failed..."
"My banquet..."
A row of pirates dejectedly hung their heads, their bodies draped over the railing, looking utterly defeated.
Allen: "..."
Since Kuro left, they had to keep their tails between their legs whenever they encountered the Marines.
Especially when encountering deployed warships—those usually had fully organized Marine troops on board, not to mention firepower far stronger than the two rows of cannons on pirate ships.
They wouldn't even get a chance for a proper boarding fight.
Beyond 100 meters, it depended on luck. Within 100 meters, it depended on whether their lives were tough enough. Within 50 meters, they had to pray the enemy gunner suddenly went blind.
With such a vast disparity in firepower, it was no wonder they didn't have any heart for confrontation.
On the deckhouse, Allen crouched and jumped forcefully, flipping down to land on the ship's cat-head figurehead.
Seeing him appear, the pirates quickly turned and looked at him in unison.
"What should we do, Captain?!"
"Can't see the number, don't know which branch it is."
"Should we... leave? Come back another day?"
The pirates spoke up one after another.
"You want me to retreat?"
Allen's eyes were full of disdain. He put his hands in his pockets, stood straight on the bow, and curled the corner of his mouth, saying:
"Who do you think I am? Bring the ship right up alongside it!"
"This...!"
"Captain...!"
The pirates' eyes were wide with shock and disbelief.
The black cloak fluttered fiercely in the wind. At this moment, Allen's silhouette appeared so towering in their eyes.
So much so that they were moved to cover their faces, tears welling up.
"This feeling...!"
"It's back! Everything is back, brothers!"
"No more being chased around by the Marines!"
"Wah wah!! Captain—!!" ×N
...
The ship sailed with the wind towards the Baratie. Arriving before the giant fish-shaped cruise ship, they furled the sails, dropped anchor, and docked the ship in one smooth motion.
"Come on, brothers! Time to eat!"
Allen raised his right fist and shouted, and with the Cat Brothers, was the first to jump onto the Baratie's deck.
Behind him, the pirates, one after another, all...
Stayed put.
Allen and the Cat Brothers looked back. Their six eyes nearly popped out, and they bared their teeth in anger, shouting:
"What the hell are you all doing!!"
"This... that..."
"Ahem... the ship needs people to guard it too..."
"Yeah, yeah, after all, the warship is nearby..."
On the ship, the group of pirates mumbled, all guiltily averting their faces.