Pirates: I Rely Only on Myself

"Ugh…" Daz groaned, a dull ache in his head as he opened his eyes and slapped his face a couple of times, trying to get a clear look at his surroundings.

An unfamiliar ceiling, the slight swaying of the bed, and the unmistakable sound of waves—all signs that he was on a ship.

He quickly recalled the last thing he remembered: he had been defeated by a man in a white suit and glasses.

"So, that guy brought me onto this ship. But why didn't he just kill me? Is he planning to sell me to slave traders? Or maybe he wants to recruit me?"

As Daz pondered these questions, the wooden cabin door creaked open.

"Awake? Eat something; you'll be meeting the master shortly," said a family elite, eyeing Daz warily before casually placing a plate of food down.

Gurgle... The sight of food awakened a pang of hunger in Daz. After the man left, he wasted no time, picking up the spoon and shoveling the seafood fried rice into his mouth.

As for the possibility of poison? Daz dismissed the thought without hesitation. If they wanted him dead, there was no need to waste poison. A single slash to his throat before tossing him overboard would have been much more straightforward.

He finished the plate of fried rice and gulped down a large bottle of watermelon juice.

Moments later, the door opened again.

The same temporary crew member looked at the empty plate and tossed a fresh set of clothes at Daz. "Put these on."

Glancing down at his tattered attire, Daz picked up the new clothes and changed without question.

"Let's go!"

Following the crew member, Daz made his way to the captain's quarters.

There, Noah sat reading, surrounded by a dense swarm of iron sand hovering around him.

Daz's eyes narrowed at the sight.

It wasn't just the intricate movements of the iron sand that stunned him. More importantly, Daz recognized the elegant man before him.

"You… you're the leader of the Shadow Syndicate?"

Noah lifted his gaze, his eyes calm as still water as they met Daz's. "Afraid?"

"Heh… Are you kidding? Who wouldn't be afraid, facing a monster who can stand up to a Marine Vice Admiral?"

"You're honest. I appreciate that even more," Noah replied, pulling over a chair with his iron sand. "Sit. Let's talk."

After calming himself, Daz took the offered seat. "You want to recruit me?"

"I am considering it. But I need to observe you for a while longer."

"And if I don't pass?"

"What do you think?" Noah asked, a faint smile on his lips.

Daz, who had been in the bounty hunting trade for years, immediately understood the underlying message. Secret organizations like this one didn't simply let outsiders leave freely.

Yet, Daz didn't mind too much. After all, in this world, the strong ruled the weak. Instead, he seized the opportunity to ask a question that had been gnawing at him.

"What's your organization's goal?"

"Our goal?" Noah opened a window, looking out at the boundless sky and sea. "I intend to liberate the world and build a new one—a world where all races can coexist peacefully, prosperous and free, governed by fairness."

"…" Daz was left speechless. He had expected Noah's ambition to be something along the lines of finding the Grand Treasure or becoming Pirate King, but this vision was far more unsettling.

"Think my dream is unrealistic?" Noah asked, smiling.

Daz fell silent for a moment before voicing his thoughts. "I admit, it sounds far-fetched, but I can respect your ambition."

"I've never doubted that my dream is achievable. From the moment I arrived in this world, my ideals began taking root. Even if I die, my vision will live on, and my dream will one day come true."

Noah's words were calm, yet the power radiating from him was immense.

Though that power wasn't outwardly explosive, Daz could feel the intense, burning presence of Conqueror's Haki from the man beside him.

"And if you have to die for it, you're willing?"

"Sacrifice is often the cost of noble ambitions. To change the world, one must be fearless, even in the face of death."

"I understand. Please, allow me to join you. I want to see this 'new world' with my own eyes."

"Welcome to the crew, my friend. You'll witness a whole new world."

Daz rose to his feet and offered a respectful nod. "Master, I look forward to learning from you."

"Call me Noah, or 'Patriarch.' Or, if we're out in public, you may refer to me as President or Boss."

"Understood."

Outside the door, Kuro, who had been waiting patiently, entered upon hearing Daz's acceptance. He escorted Daz to continue the initiation process.

For new recruits, particularly those with potential, the organization followed a rigorous training protocol: ideological orientation, knowledge acquisition, Haki training, physical conditioning, and Devil Fruit development were all part of the regimen.

On the ship, Kuro served as a temporary instructor, teaching Daz the basics.

Once the voyage in the West Blue concluded, Daz would undergo formal training at the Rum Island camp for roughly a year before becoming a full-fledged member.

Unnoticed, time passed.

The Prosperity continued its journey across the West Blue for over a month.

Along the way, they stopped at thirteen islands. On one of them, they even stumbled upon a Devil Fruit—a Zoan-type Praying Mantis Fruit, considered a fairly valuable find.

After all, mantises possessed abilities like flight, immense strength, camouflage, and insect senses. If properly developed, the fruit's user could easily reach a rank comparable to a Vice Admiral.

But Noah hadn't forgotten his primary objective.

One day.

Amid light drizzle, the Prosperity lowered its sails and docked at White Harbor on Sicily Island.

Noah looked out at the docks, where members of the Gambino family openly collected protection fees, a smile playing on his lips. "The five great mafia families of the West Blue—they really do rule like kings…"

"Boss, I've spoken with a few Gambino family underlings. They confirmed that the auction is scheduled for the day after tomorrow…" Kuro reported softly.

"The day after tomorrow?" Noah toyed with a tarot card in his hand. "Capone Bege's attendance probability is over eighty percent. It looks like we only need to lie in wait here."

Soon, the group settled into an inn near the harbor.

As the auction drew nearer, Sicily Island buzzed with activity, accompanied by escalating violence and chaos.

Meanwhile, on the nearby Naples Island—

Capone Bege, who had secretly arrived, pored over intelligence gathered by his men. His eyes narrowed as he fixated on one particular document—a photo of a Devil Fruit to be auctioned.

"The Castle-Castle Fruit? Hahaha… It seems we'll need to act against the Gambino family sooner than expected. Men, initiate Plan B! The battle squad will come with me to the auction."

"Yes, Godfather!"

With Bege's command, the Capone family's forces surged forth in full.

As one of the five major mafia families, the Gambino family wasn't about to take any chances. To ensure the auction proceeded smoothly, they discreetly stationed numerous elites on Sicily Island.

A predator-and-prey game of ambush and counterattack was about to unfold on Sicily Island.