What It Means To Be A Pirate

[ 3/26/1482- Midnight ]

[ Word Count 2330 ]

" Hello" - Speech

' Hello' - Thoughts

*Boom* - Sounds

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( Achilles' Pov )

As I looked through the window in my room at the moon, I was in deep thoughts about the Helix Pirates.

' Bullet doesn't know anything about Wiliam and his Vice Captain Charles's abilities which is gonna be a problem. After the fight I had with Zaifou, I knew I underestimated how strong people are in this era. So far I only fought weak pirates and bounty hunters.'

' Zaifou was strong but I still beat him with some effort. But William and Charles are different. Those guys survived on the first half of the Grandline and actually came back alive. We have to treat them differently compared to the rest of the pirates, marines, and bounty hunters in the North Blue. But I'm still pretty sure we can defeat them.'

As I sat down at my desk, I noticed the book that a had of people I wanted to recruit in the future.

' I should probably get rid of this. If anyone finds out this, Im fucked.' ' After realizing this, I burnt the book to ashes by setting it on fire with a lighter.

Masterson joining the crew made me realize nothing is set in stone. Like I said before to myself, people aren't like pokemon I can just collect and have them join my crew as if it was no big deal.

I want crew members who share the same pursuits, ideology, and dreams as me. People who I can trust to protect my life. People who aren't going to betray me or attempt to grab power from me when I'm down. And those types of people are rare to find.

Bullet, that man is ready to die for me along with Marco. And the same goes for me too, as their Captain, Im prepared to die for them.

Masterson just joined the crew so I can't say much about him. I wanted to have Mihawk join the crew in the future. But that chance of the happening is almost zero. Mihawk is a loner who won't submit to anyone no matter what. The same goes for all of the top-tier characters as well.

Most of them just don't fit my crew unless they join as a kid, which won't work. People like Crocodile and Fujitora who I wanted would constantly question my orders undermining my authority as Captain. And probably won't listen to my orders unless they are lined with their motives.

So rather than have an op-ass crew like The Rocks Pirates, I rather have a crew that works together and trusts each other similar to Luffy's crew.

I'm still gonna try to get Yaspop if I have the chance. But Im not gonna go out of my way to sail to the East Blue to get another kid. Right now we need immediate combat power. Which Masterson provides, unlike Yaspop.

I got up from the desk and walked to the deck to get some fresh air where I see Masterson leaning against the ship's gunwale staring at the calm sea.

" Shouldn't you be asleep by now?" I asked walking up to him since it was almost midnight and everyone else is deep in slumber.

" Oh, Achilles, or I should call you Captain now?"

" Nah just call me Achilles like everyone else. It sounds weird." I said back laughing a little since it sounds weird to me.

" So what got you thinking so hard?" I asked.

" Hey Achilles, why do you guys seem so unbothered by all the deaths and stuff. I saw Bullet and Marco kill with no remorse or anything like that. Especially, Marco, he's just a kid." Masterson said to me after a while.

" No, your wrong," I said back shaking my a head little before I continued what I was saying.

"It's not that we don't feel any remorse but rather we don't have much of a choice other than to kill our enemies."

" If we didn't kill those marines, it would have been us who would have been killed. It the simple, really. Before I became a pirate, I saw my mom kill a whole crew of pirates when I was around five. It's still something I remember vividly as if it happened yesterday."

" A pirate crew landed on my crew but unfortunately for them, they messed with the wrong family."

" Say, Masterson, what do you think would have happened if my mom wasn't strong enough to kill them?" I asked looking straight at him. Masterson gulped before he answered me in a small voice.

" Your mom would have been most likely gotten raped and killed along with you."

" Today's situation with the Marines is no different compared to that. If we didn't kill those Marines, they would have come back with more numbers and tried to kill or capture us again. Whether they are ordered to by their higher-ups or simply for revenge for their friends and fallen comrades.

" Just like how if my mom didn't kill those pirates, they would have come back again for revenge. We simply killed them out of necessity, not because we like killing." I uttered remembering all the Marines and people I killed just because they were doing their jobs.

" But isn't there any other way? I thought you were a good dude." Masterson replied back to me. What he just said completely managed to annoy me.

" What?"

" Did you forget what we are? Pirates are what we are in case you forget. We aren't good guys or bad guys. Just because we aren't your average pirate crew that pillage, rape, murder and destroy everything in their path doesn't mean we are superheroes or good guys."

" I killed plenty of people that didn't deserve to die like the Marine Captain, I just killed today. The moment someone becomes a pirate, they should know they have to kill whether they like it or not."

" I thought you knew that already?" I asked.

" No… I fully knew what I was getting into when I joined your crew. It just you guys seem so different than what I imagined, that it shocked me when I saw you guys, especially Marco kill with a blank face."

" Marco's life hasn't been easy. He's seen too far too much to be considered just an average kid."

" I get that but shouldn't he be with people his age."

" Marco's eaten one of the rarest devil fruit in the world which puts a target on his back. He's on the crew for protection and because I saw potential in him. Its not like I can just drop him off on some random island by himself and come back every year or so. So being the on crew is probably the best option for him."

" Marco understands his situation as well too. And besides, I grown attached to the kid, he's a like little brother to me now." I said yawning.

" Hey, why did you become a pirate then?

" For freedom, I suppose. To go on an adventure, sail the seas, and to able to do whatever I want."

" What about you?" I asked the same question to Masterson.

" Same reason as you, I was bored stuck on the same island doing the same routine every and every again every single day with no change."

" Hahaha… guess we are more alike than I thought we would be."

" Anyway go get some sleep." I said to him before I headed back to my room to get some sleep.

[ 3rd's Pov ]

[ Next Day ]

" Uh, guys we have might have scared off the whole town." Marco said to Achilles as he docked the Voyager into a medium size island. There was a village close to the port and the people recgonziaed us.

' Great' Achilles thought to himself sarcastically.

" Guys don't do anything stupid. Marco, you're with me. Bullet and Masterson you guys buy the supplies we need to restock on and a map as well. I go with Marco to go buy him a sword." Achilles said to the crew as they climbed down the ladder to the ground.

" You guys are the Spade Pirates, right?" An old man asked the crew nervously.

" Yeah, we are, don't worry about the town, old man. We are not here to pillage or do any of the stuff. We are just going buy some supplies and leave." Bullet said putting the old man at ease. Along with the rest of the town once they saw we weren't gonna do anything. And started acting normal again.

[ 15 Minutes Later ]

" So you're looking for a sword for the kid," A shopkeeper asked looking at Marco. Who wasn't paying attention to him but looking around the shop filled with various types of swords and bladed weapons?

" Something that's rather light and isn't too big for him. A sword he can swing around without getting too tired quickly. And high quality as well." I said to the shopkeeper.

" That's a lot your asking but fortunately for you, I have exactly what you want. But it's gonna cost you a lot."

" The price doesn't matter. Don't worry Im not gonna kill you, I pay in full amount." I said to the shopkeeper who looked straight up terrified when I said the price didn't matter.

" Wait here for a few minutes." The shopkeeper said before walking into the backroom of the store.

" Marco, come here." I said getting him next to me. Right before the owner came back and put a sword down on the counter.

" My friend, I present to you The Kusanagi, one of the 100 Grade Swords. The highest quality bladed weapon in my shop which has been passed in my family for more than 15 years."

The shopowner said unsheathing the sword from a black scabbard that fitted The Kusanagi perfectly aligning with the handle.

And the sword was pretty nice to look at it. With a thin straight blade with a single sharp edge. The sword had a jet-black handle with no hilt. The sword was around 3 feet long, which works with Marco's height.

[ From the wiki: The Grade Swords are blades of high quality, outclassed only by the twelve Supreme Grade Swords, twenty-one Great Grade Swords, and fifty Skillful Grade Swords. The total number of Grade Swords is unknown. They are the lowest classification for a Meito blade. Since Oda didn't tell us the specific number, Im just gonna say they are 100 Grade swords in the world. ]

[ The Kusanagi > Image Here ]

" Oh wow, you weren't kidding when you said it was light," I said out loud swinging the Kusanagi downwards. I could barely feel the sword's weight as I felt like I was swinging around a feather. I gave the sword to Marco to test if he liked it.

" I love it, it feels comfortable compared to the other sword I got from that Marine." Marco said to me after using the sword for a few minutes.

" How much?" I asked taking out a stack of cash.

" Normally a blade of the quality would sell for around 10 million berrys. But for you guys, how about 8 million berrys?"

" Woah, hey Achilles, I don't thin-"

"It's fine, Marco, you should know how rich we are currently," I said cutting off Marco and paying the shopowner before we walked out.

[ 20 Minutes Later ]

" So do we have everything we need?" I asked the crew back on the ship before we set sail once again and this time to Red Sand Island.

" I'm all good, nice sword Marco." Bullet said looking at the kid who had a bright smile looking like he just got a brand new toy which he kinda did. Marco had his brand new sword stripped in his belt on the lower side of his back.

[It's the same position that Sasuke had his sword in Shippuden in case I didn't describe it right. ]

" Got me some new guns. And a bunch of bullets as well." Masterson announced showcasing the brand band pistols strapped to him. I think he has more than 30 guns now, but I'm not exactly sure of the exact number.

" If we already, then let's head towards our enemy," I said ordering the crew to pull the anchor so the ship can set sail.

I had the brand new map of the North Blue in my hand which had everything mapped out. The map in my head does have the current location of the islands but it doesn't tell me their names until I'm standing on the island. This is why I need a physical map right now.

Why I was to mark some of the islands that I knew before was due to how the islands looked. I knew Fishman island, Wano, and Skypiea due to just how specific the island shapes are.

The Red Sand Island is currently about 6 hours away from our current location. So we can make it to the island by early morning tomorrow. And hit the Helix Pirates with a surprise attack.

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Hey, this chapter is actually long, 2.3k plus somehow. I know this chapter doesn't have any action in it but I wanted to get some character development in and set up the next couple of chapters as they are pretty important.

And those chapters will be much longer, probably around 2k words. Anyway, we are nearing the end of the North Blue arc, probably in 10 or fewer chapters.

With all that said, I hope you guys enjoyed the chapter, take some effort to write this chapter, lol.

If you liked the chapter, drop some power stones, would appreciate it.

Also, leave some comments as well if you want. You can leave a review as well on what I can improve on. Like seriously leave some comments so I know people are reading my story.

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Server Link: https://discord.gg/NMmtDbwHVQ

Cya,