Gentlemen pirates (One Piece SI) Chapter 1

Going out to the sea

19 years after Roger’s execution

William POV

As the sun sets, I look at the grave of the old man who took care of me. He taught me everything I would need to live in this world. From fighting to reading, from sailing to demeanor, for twelve years he took care of me.

The old man helped me, he didn’t have to take care of five years old kid. A kid, who was trying to steal from him, a kid who was alone in the world. He was a pirate once, but never managing to go further than paradise, at some point deciding to retire and live in West Blue. On the island of Toroa living in a small cabin at the beach.

Leaving the flowers at the grave, I looked out at the sea. Tomorrow I will leave to find an adventure. From the moment I woke up in this world, I wanted to have an epic adventure, create a legend of myself. So tomorrow will be the day that the legend of Sky D. William will begin.

Giving a last look at the grave, I left for my cabin. I needed to prepare my stuff and have some supplies delivered to my boat. My boat was small, with only one sail, I was proud of it as I built it myself.

Getting my top hat with a black suit, my umbrella, which has a hidden gun inside, a compass with a map of the West Blue, and some spare clothes. Checking my food and water supply I went to the town.

…

At the town’s tavern, I ordered some beer and snacks from the owner. I don’t know if it’s the D. in my name or something else, but I am always hungry. Harry the bartender gives me orange juice and some cookies.

“Hey, this isn’t what I ordered,” I complain.

“You still too young for alcohol, boy.” He replies not disturbed at all.

“I am a man already, good sir,” I tell him.

“What? Little Will has grown up?” One of the regulars asks surprised. “Hah, I can’t see it.”

“Haha, how funny you all are,” I reply with a fake laugh. “You should know, good sirs, that I will be leaving tomorrow, when you read about me in the newspaper, I will be already a great pirate.”

“Then when you become a great pirate, come back, I will give as much alcohol as you want, it will be on the house.” Harry the bartender says to me.”

“That a promise, once I come back, I will be one of the emperors of the sea,” I reply with all confidence I have.

Hearing my words everybody just laughs at me. Jokes on you, I will be one of the most fearsome pirates in the world. Well, they are just citizens of a small town, what they would know the world.

After leaving the town, I went back to my cabin. Sleeping for the night, as I will be leaving in the morning. The first thing I will need is crewmembers, then I will need a bigger ship, then I should get a devil fruit. With a formed plan, I slept peacefully.

…

The sun just started to rise, when I was already pushing my boat to the sea. I just couldn’t wait anymore, deciding to wait until I will learn the basics of haki. It was hard, but I learned how to sense what I don’t see and coat my fists with armament haki. So now it is time to leave, see the wider world.

With my navigation skills, I knew that there won’t be any storms brewing near me. It was safe to sail in a small boat and not worry about the fury of the seas.

Getting the boat at the water and then jumping inside, I took a last look at my home. Now the seas are my home, I thought to myself, as I turn to see the endless seas on the horizon.

With the wind blowing my boat moved deeper and deeper to the sea. Knowing that it would take some time to reach the next island, I set my fishing rod and lay down. Looking at the blue sky, as a bird fly above, I wondered how awesome it would be to have a bird zoan devil fruit.

Flying through the skies is something everyone would like. As the day went by and the sun started to set, I noticed a ship in distance. Deciding to see what kind of ship it was, I directed my boat towards it. Gotten close to it, I don’t see any pirate or marine flag, maybe it is a merchant ship, I thought.

“Hello, friends,” I yell at them after getting close enough.

“Don’t move any closer, who are you?” A big man came to ask me.

“I am just a traveler of the seas,” I answer him politely. “Where are you going?”

“A traveler of the seas you say.” The big man replies to me with a creepy smile and then points his gun at me. “How about you come to us and we can travel together.”

“Well, if you put it that way, I can only accept.” I agree, it seems they aren’t simple merchants.

“It’s good that you are smart, I wouldn’t want to hurt you.” He tells me as I climb to the ship.

“Well, what do we have here?” I ask and look at dozen men pointing their swords and guns at me. “Are you some pirates disguised as merchants? I will have to say you have no pride being pirates.”

“But we are merchants, merchants of people.” He answers me and laughs with his crew.

“Well, that changes things,” I tell them with a serious voice. “It seems I have to kill you.”

“Kill us? What is this boy talking about?” Another man asks.

“This is what I mean,” I say and take my umbrella from my back and point at the man, who looks confused until a bullet is fired from the end of my umbrella.

With one head exploding near them, they started to shoot at me. Too bad for them, I spread my umbrella open, and bullets just bounced off it. My umbrella is made of metal and weighs a lot, so it hurt them when I started to beat them up after they ran out of bullets.

Smashing one’s head, then breaking another’s legs, the battle didn’t last long. Looking at the beaten and screaming slavers, I picked up, who I presumed to be the captain, and asked if there were more men.

He explained to me that, there were only servants and slaves left in the ship. After questioning more, I found that those slaves were bought by some marine captain on the next island. They were just transporting them there.

After throwing the crew into the water, I freed the slaves. On the bottom deck, I found only one man, who was chained with dozens of chains around him. That looked interesting, the man should be someone very dangerous.

“Hello there.” I greeted him.

“Who are you?” He asks.

“Well, that rude, shouldn’t you introduce yourself first before asking other's name?” I asked him back.

“My name is Himura Hanzo, I am a warrior from Wano, I have escaped the tyrannical Kaido and now seek help from someone, who could free my country.” He told me his story. “If you free me, and promise me to fight for my country, I will serve you as my lord, for the rest of my life.”

“Okay, firstly I didn’t ask for your sad story, secondly why would I want you to serve me? You have been captured by some third-rate slavers, you look pathetically weak.” I answer him.

“They have tricked me.” He tells me. “They said that they would bring me to some marine captain who could help me, but I was too dangerous so they had to chain me to know that I won’t harm anyone.”

“And you believed?” I ask is stupid or something.

“I thought it was reasonable.” He admits. “Only after they chained me did they revealed their true nature.”

“Okay, you are an idiot,” I tell him. “But I guess I never have to worry for you to betray me.”

“I would never betray my word, no matter what,” Hanzo tells me.

“Fine, I need to find my crewmembers anyway, I guess you will be first to join me.” I agree with him. “And I probably will make enemies with Kaido anyway, so helping you to retake your country will be on my way.”

“From now on, your wish will be my command.” Hanzo kneels to me after freeing him and says.

Well, he looks strong, even if he is a bit weird for my taste. So my first crewmember has joined me.