Just Entered the Pirate Life, Ran into Hancock and Her Sisters Being Captured

On the ship.

A group of men was holding a feast on the deck.

The sounds of chewing and swallowing rang out nonstop, while the air was thick with the scent of charred meat.

Gulp, gulp...

Someone seemed to be drinking heavily as well, and the smell of alcohol was equally strong.

"Once we finish this job, we can live it up for three months!"

"Yeah... burp..."

"We caught three top-quality goods."

"Hahaha, the Celestial Dragons will definitely like them..."

"Just as expected of the boss, Lord Hound, with a bounty as high as two million Beli!"

Junichi clung beneath the ship's railing and listened for a while, quickly getting a rough grasp of the situation.

This was the Red Hound Pirates.

Their captain went by the alias Hound. Because of his red hair, he was also called the Red Hound.

They dealt in the dirty business of human trafficking.

However, they were weak, so they could only prey on powerless civilians, women, children, and the like.

This feast was to celebrate their success in acquiring three valuable goods.

They did not say exactly what those valuable goods were.

But they apparently could fetch a high price.

Junichi did not care much about it. Human trafficking still existed in every corner of the world even in the twenty-first century of his previous life.

Let alone this turbulent world of pirates?

"There's too much of this. I can't possibly handle it all," Junichi sighed inwardly as he looked toward the ship's interior.

If nothing unexpected had happened—

Those three valuable goods were being held inside the cabin.

At the same time.

In a cell deep within the cabin.

Three girls of twelve or thirteen huddled together in fear and unease.

The black-haired girl in the middle was frightened too, but she forced herself to stay calm as she wrapped her arms around the other two, gently stroking them in comfort.

"Don't be afraid. Everything will be alright..."

"Everyone from Kuja will definitely come save us."

Hancock kept comforting her two younger sisters.

Although she did not believe those words herself, she at least managed to coax her sisters to sleep.

Sigh...

She carried her sleeping sisters over to the bed and laid them down.

The strength on Hancock's face finally crumbled. She slowly slid down the wall and collapsed onto the floor.

Tears spilled from her eyes.

Sob, sob...

Biting her lip, Hancock began to cry silently.

Everything she had said earlier was a lie.

In truth, their hope of being rescued was infinitely close to zero.

She and her sisters had been stolen from Kuja's ship in their sleep by these pirates, as though they were thieves.

The people of Kuja had no idea they had gone missing.

By the time they discovered it, the Red Hound Pirates would have already sailed who knew how far away.

The Kuja would not even know where to begin looking.

"Whoever you are, please come save us..." Hancock was filled with despair, like a drowning person clutching at their last lifeline.

All she could pray for now was a miracle.

Elsewhere.

At Shakky's Rip-off Bar on Grove 13 of the Sabaody Archipelago.

Shakuyaku, with her short black hair, wore a grim expression, fire burning in her eyes.

"..."

Before Shakuyaku, more than a dozen Kuja warriors knelt on the floor in several rows.

The warriors hung their heads, their faces filled with self-reproach.

They had lost three important children—Hancock, Sandersonia, and Marigold.

"The children were taken away, and you only noticed the next day?" Shakuyaku glared at them, her voice trembling with rage. "How do you people do your jobs!?"

"Keep kneeling!"

"Don't even think about getting up until you find the three of them!"

After saying that, Shakuyaku stormed away in fury.

She entered the inner room, took out a Den Den Mushi, and called someone.

Before long, the call connected.

"Gloriosa..."

"I have a customer looking to buy slaves. Help me see whether there's any good merchandise available."

"Money isn't an issue..."

Shakuyaku made call after call, deliberately keeping her tone relaxed.

She did not even dare reveal that Kuja children had gone missing.

Amazon Lily was located in the Calm Belt and was nearly isolated from the outside world. Because all of its citizens were women—women with outstanding figures, looks, and strength—it had always been coveted by others.

If people learned that three little girls from Kuja had been stolen away—

It would become even more impossible to find Hancock and the others.

"..."

In the corner, a blond-haired man streaked with white sighed and shook his head.

Even he could not help with something like this.

There were too many ambitious people on the seas. Even though he was Rayleigh, there were still things beyond his power—let alone if it were the Celestial Dragons.

On the vast sea.

The night was deep.

The sailing ship of the Red Hound Pirates drifted forward slowly.

Junichi quietly climbed aboard from the stern, found a corner, and patiently waited for the feast to end.

About an hour later.

The pirates had eaten and drunk their fill before scattering off to rest.

Some entered the cabin to stand guard, some went into the captain's quarters, and some simply found a spot on deck, covered themselves with blankets, and fell asleep.

"It's time..."

A cold gleam flashed through Junichi's eyes as he stepped out from the corner.

He took out senbon from his hand, sharp needles clamped between his fingers.

He slowly walked onto the deck.

As he walked, he flicked out the senbon.

Whoosh! Whoosh!

The two pirates taking turns on night watch were struck first.

The senbon pierced their temples and entered their brain tissue, killing them instantly.

Junichi stepped forward quickly.

Before they could fall, he caught them and gently lowered their bodies to the deck.

At the same time, he swept his gaze around.

The deck was filled with thunderous snores.

One pirate after another slept like dead pigs after eating and drinking their fill.

"I'll leave these people for now."

After considering it, Junichi did not immediately make a move against them. Instead, he lowered his head and examined the appearances of the two corpses.

A moment later.

He used the Transformation Jutsu and took on the appearance of one of them.

Then, wearing that man's face, he headed toward the helm.

Inside the helm station.

A pirate was steering the ship, keeping constant watch over its course.

"What is it?"

Seeing Junichi appear, the pirate asked in confusion.

"Come out and take a look! There seems to be a patch of fog ahead!" Junichi put on an anxious expression and pointed forward.

"Fog?"

The pirate scratched his head and walked out of the helm station without suspecting Junichi.

Because Junichi currently wore the appearance of one of his crewmates.

"Where's the fog..." The pirate peered into the distance, but before he could finish—

Pfft!

A cold blade pierced his heart from behind.

"!?"

The pirate's eyes flew wide open. He slowly turned his head and stared at Junichi in disbelief.

He could not understand why his companion was killing him.

Was it the captain's order?

Or had the first mate decided to seize power?

But why kill him? He was no threat to either of them!

"Rest in peace."

Junichi did not understand the changes in his eyes before death, but he did not care. He gently helped him sit down.

Then he pulled out the blade.

As the blade left his body, his heart bled profusely, and the pirate drew his last breath.

The entire process did not make a single sound.

The pain of having one's organs pierced exceeded the limits of human endurance.

Once it happened, the body went numb, strength drained away, and even thought became sluggish.

All one could do was die quietly.

"Next are the ones on deck." Junichi pressed the blade against the pirate's body and wiped the blood away on his clothes.

Afterward, he entered the helm station and found tools to secure the wheel.

Meanwhile, on the deck.

The pirates sleeping so soundly remained completely unaware.