No Moving, This Ship Is Mine!

After making a preliminary report to headquarters, Zephyr assigned Wright a mission. At Wright's request, he was dropped off at Water 7—

Although Water 7 lay along the Evil Dog Pirates' route, they never docked there. They obtained all their supplies from the Sabaody Archipelago—clearly to avoid being ambushed by the Marines in the relatively unrestricted Water 7.

"No problem, Teacher Zephyr. I've thought it through carefully. Just head back to headquarters and wait for my good news!" Wright waved farewell to Zephyr. It had been a long time since he'd gone solo with nothing but his blade!

Watching the warship sail away, Wright secured his small boat and set foot on Water 7. The magnificent sight quickly left him stunned—he'd already been amazed when watching the anime, but seeing the real thing was on an entirely different level!

After changing into casual clothes and enjoying Water 7's local delicacies to his heart's content, Wright checked into a decent-looking inn near a tavern and activated his Observation Haki.

Who needed to gather intel in a tavern? Gathering intel while lying in an inn was so much better—Wright, veteran intelligence expert.

"First, pick a pirate crew of average strength, with a bounty of around thirty or forty million... Water 7 is the holy land of shipbuilding, with the best shipwrights. Naturally, it's also the best place for ship repairs—pirate crews needing repairs or replacement ships came and went without end."

After "eavesdropping" all afternoon, Wright finally received some useful information.

"Hmm... Edmund, captain of the Giant Tooth Pirates, bounty of thirty-eight million, Zoan-type Mouse-Mouse Fruit, Squirrel Form... That fruit is pretty cute, hahaha..."

"Oh? Their ship was repaired today, and they're setting out tomorrow? Perfect, they're the ones! A dog catching a mouse—now that's a classic, hahaha..."

After resting well for the night, Wright arrived at the port where the Giant Tooth Pirates were docked at dawn the next day. At a glance, he spotted their distinctive Pirate Flag—a skull with two massive buck teeth protruding from its mouth.

Activating his Observation Haki, Wright easily slipped into the cabin and hid in the captain's quarters—Captain Edmund had yet to board, making this the perfect place to wait.

After waiting for quite some time, Wright sensed a commotion outside as the pirates boarded. Then the ship began to move and set sail smoothly.

Under the surveillance of his Observation Haki, Wright easily found the strongest person aboard—the captain, Edmund. He could even sense his thoughts: Damn it! Those Water 7 shipwrights are bloodsuckers! Repairing the ship cost me half my fortune!

I'll have to rob some more along the way... This little Beli won't even be enough for coating at the Sabaody Archipelago!

"...So he's a poor bastard." Wright curled his lip, drew Ashes, and waited for Edmund to come knocking.

With a bang, Edmund kicked open the door. Still fuming, he stared blankly at Wright, who was lounging openly in his chair, unable to react for a moment.

"..." Just as he opened his mouth to shout in anger, his vision blurred. Edmund felt a pain in his neck, and an ornate long blade wreathed in golden light was already pressed against his throat. It had cut a wound into his skin, and blood trickled out.

"Shh... Quiet."

Wright watched with satisfaction as Edmund's expression shifted from confusion to fury, then terror, and finally fawning compliance. The change was so natural and swift. Hmm, he must have trained for this regularly.

"As a 'great' pirate with a bounty of thirty-eight million, you seem to understand the Way of Survival quite well." Wright patted Edmund on the shoulder. "You're a Devil Fruit user, aren't you? How did someone this cowardly get a thirty-eight-million bounty?"

Edmund was a small, thin man. Listening to Wright's teasing, he could only swallow his bitterness—You're a powerhouse who could kill me in one blow, and you even launched a silent sneak attack. If I don't back down, am I supposed to lose my head right now?!

"Sir... you jest... As a Zoan user, the Zoan-type Mouse-Mouse Fruit, Squirrel Form excels in agility and speed. For me to reach a bounty of thirty-eight million, I naturally possess at least some basic judgment..." Edmund said tremulously. "Um... your sword..."

Wright smiled faintly, lowered his blade, and sat back down in the chair—if Edmund made any move, Wright could cut off his head before he even finished transforming!

Edmund had clearly realized that as well. He gave an awkward smile, shut the door, and stood to one side. "You clearly didn't come here to kill me, sir. A powerhouse like you came personally and used this method—there must be something you need my help with, right?"

"Mm, smart." Wright was increasingly satisfied. Talking to smart people really was effortless. "I need you to do something."

"Please give your orders."

"Continue toward the Sabaody Archipelago as normal, but slow down. I need you to 'run into' the Evil Dog Pirates!"

"!" Edmund was startled. How could he not know the Evil Dog Pirates' infamous name after spending time in Water 7? They were major pirates with bounties more than twice his own!

"Sir, are you...?"

Glancing at the terrified Edmund, Wright said calmly, "Relax. My target is 'Evil Dog' Daniel Joyce. I only came here to 'ask' you for a ride."

"You're prey Evil Dog likes, aren't you? The odds of running into them should be high, right?"

Edmund was practically on the verge of tears. They would normally avoid such major pirates at all costs, but this man wanted them to slow down and wait for them... Though this man was strong, was he really a match for "Evil Dog" Joyce...?

"Are you wondering whether I'm a match for Joyce?" Wright's sinister tone made Edmund shudder. "Don't worry. Once you find the Evil Dog Pirates, you can leave. I don't need you to fight Joyce."

Edmund gave a bitter smile. What else could he say at this point? The ship was already far from shore, and as a Devil Fruit user, he could not even escape now—swordsmen of this level were monsters capable of cleaving a ship in two with one strike! If he fell into the sea, he would only be waiting to die. Following this man's orders at least gave him a chance to escape...

"As you wish, sir..."

Edmund was from the South Blue and had seen his share of the world. The disgust and killing intent Wright occasionally revealed toward pirates made him feel as though thorns were pressing against his back—just how many pirates had this man killed? This man was a bounty hunter... no, a Pirate Hunter? If someone this strong were a Marine, he would surely already be widely known!

Therefore, terrified that his idiot crewmen might offend Wright and be cut down with a single stroke, Edmund ordered the navigator to slow down, watch for the Evil Dog Pirates' movements, and keep an early lookout. He did not even dare reveal that Wright was aboard, merely claiming that he was unwell and telling the crew not to disturb him unless it was important.

And so, five days passed.

That day, Wright was resting with his eyes closed when Edmund burst through the door. "Sir! The Evil Dog Pirates have been spotted ahead!"

Edmund was so excited he nearly cried. After spending several days aboard the same ship as this killing god, he felt like he was about to be driven mad by the killing intent. The Evil Dog Pirates had finally appeared—this madman could hurry up and leave!

"..."

Wright opened his eyes, picked up his long blade, and walked out of the room. "They've finally come!"

"How is this dog planning to catch this mouse?"

Are readers who started with Douluo so fierce with their saves? My saves have taken a hit—please give me some recommendation votes~