《One Piece：The True Codex》Chapter 63: The Battle's Prelude

The last sliver of hope Kuro clung to was the idea of confessing everything to Barbarossa, exposing Stolt's true nature.

But that hope was quickly shattered by William.

"You might think that telling Barbarossa everything that happened here will save your life," William said with a faint, amused grin, "but what exactly are you going to tell him? That a reckless rookie crewmate is actually a cunning schemer? Between that and the claim that you acted out of revenge, which do you think is more believable?

"And most importantly," he continued, his tone growing colder, "everyone on the ship knows that you and I don't get along. Our relationship is worse than yours with any other crewmember. Any accusations you make against me won't hold water."

William leaned in closer, gently patting Kuro's dazed face. "And if Barbarossa decides to kill me over a mere suspicion, what makes you think he'll spare you, the one with even greater suspicion? I might 'possibly' die, but you? You will 'definitely' die."

Kuro's face turned ashen, but he wasn't entirely without hope. He stared at William, knowing that the man wouldn't have gone to such lengths just to kill him.

"What... what do you want from me?" Kuro asked hoarsely.

"I already told you," William replied. "We're in this together now. You and I are tied to the same fate. And right now, you have only two choices: life or death."

"As long as Barbarossa is alive, he'll keep digging into this. You'll never be safe. But if he dies..."

Kuro's eyes widened in shock. "You're planning to kill Barbarossa?"

William didn't answer directly. Instead, he smiled and patted Kuro's shoulder in a seemingly friendly manner, his voice carrying a persuasive undertone. "If we settle for the status quo, we'll remain nobodies forever. Your life, your future, all of it is worth less than a single word from someone more powerful. A man who is less capable than you can humiliate you in public, and you don't even dare to fight back. Why?"

"Because Hayreddin is closer to Barbarossa. And Barbarossa is the king of the ship. To him, you're less important than Hayreddin. That's why you didn't even consider resisting him."

Kuro was a smart man. Logically, he knew William's words were meant to manipulate him. But emotionally, he couldn't help but resonate with them.

He despised the pirates, yet Arcadio Buendía had forced him to join their ranks. Whenever he had hinted at wanting to leave, no one cared. Worse, the trading company had grown impatient with his attitude and began subtly threatening him.

Even when Kuro was humiliated, Arcadio's indifference was evident.

As William said, Barbarossa and Arcadio didn't care about people like him. If Kuro died, they'd simply pick another unlucky soul from the trading company to take his place—just as they had done with Kuro.

Perhaps because he already felt cornered, Kuro subconsciously began justifying his potential "betrayal."

Defying Barbarossa's authority was no small feat. Kuro's mind wrestled with itself, trying to convince him to accept William's perspective.

William remained silent, watching as Kuro lowered his head slightly, his face shifting between uncertainty and resolve. It was clear he was locked in an intense internal struggle.

Kuro's thoughts raced, considering the implications of working with William. He knew William must need his help for something, and he wanted to negotiate terms. But the events of the night, combined with the oppressive atmosphere, made him hesitate. When he finally spoke, his voice was tinged with weakness. "I don't want to be a pirate."

"You have to remain a pirate, and you must return to the ship," William said firmly. "Small fry don't get to make choices because no one cares what they think. Right now, you're a small fry. But if you help me take Barbarossa's place, you'll become invaluable to Arcadio. Then, you'll have the power to choose—whether to stay a pirate or clean your slate and live a life on land. I'll even help you.

"You'll come to see that I'm different from Barbarossa and Arcadio. I share power with those who prove themselves, and I treat talented people well."

"But how can I return to the ship? Like you said, I'm a suspect."

"I'll provide you with an alibi," William replied coolly.

No one on the ship would believe that William would vouch for someone he had a known grudge against.

Kuro's expression wavered. In the end, he was swayed by William's words. However, he hesitated for a moment, recalling the scene at the crime site. Finally, he admitted, "When I left, there was a Marine at the scene. I'm worried he might reveal the truth."

"Don't worry," William said, smoothing Kuro's disheveled hair. "That Marine is one of mine."

A night of relentless blows could break even the hardest of hearts. Kuro, a young man filled with frustration and defeat, was no exception.

The revelation that even the Marines were part of William's plan left Kuro stunned and fearful. He looked up at William, a hint of dread in his eyes.

"...I understand," he murmured.

The chaos of Kalmar City's slums was epitomized by the events surrounding Hayreddin's death.

Had Hayreddin not failed to return to the ship that night—or the next day—Barbarossa and Reis might not have noticed anything amiss. It was only when they realized he was missing that they sent men to search for him. Without their intervention, the bodies of Hayreddin and the unfortunate drunkard might have rotted in the alley for days before the locals stumbled upon them.

Now, the Red-Beard Pirates' captain, Barbarossa; his first mate, Reis; their newly promoted chief navigator, William (alias Stolt); the quartermaster and Buendía Trading Company representative, Kuro; the helmsman; the ship's doctor; and several veteran pirates who had discovered Hayreddin's corpse—all the ship's notable officers and leaders—had gathered at the crime scene.

The narrow alley was packed with menacing pirates, and Barbarossa had stationed guards at the entrance to ensure no one entered or left without his permission.

All eyes were on the ship's doctor, Wood, a stocky, balding man, as he examined Hayreddin's body.

"...His limbs and head suffered severe blunt force trauma, but the fatal wound is the gunshot to his abdomen," Wood reported gravely to Barbarossa.

Hearing that the fatal wound was a gunshot, Kuro's expression briefly faltered. He instinctively glanced at William, clearly beginning to tie his fate to the man who had orchestrated everything.

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