"I know that mark…" Sabo said, frowning. "It's Eldrago's pirates."
I raised an eyebrow."Ah, the one who just got a 14 million bounty…" I squinted at the carved symbol. "So they marked this island as their territory. Interesting…"
"They're probably on the other side," came Gin's voice from the treetop, where he'd climbed nimbly. "I see campfires. Their ship's still docked, anchor's down."
I looked at Sabo. He shrugged and smirked."Well, since we're already here…"
"Let's go say hello," I finished for him.
We moved deeper into the island, quick but cautious. The path led us over damp earth, past crumbled walls, old houses, and scattered traces — broken branches and faint footprints.
Finally, we emerged onto a beach. There, near a dying campfire, was a pirate camp.In the center stood a massive canvas tent — crudely made, but tightly secured. Around it were several smaller tents — torn, mismatched, like they were stitched from scraps of old sails.
"Looks like they've set up base here," Sabo said grimly, glancing around.
"Fourteen," Gin added, watching the camp from the coastal bushes. "No one on the ship, it seems."
Suddenly, Sabo froze. He frowned and nodded toward the thickets by the cliff."Hey, Bellamy, you need to see this."
I crouched down, following his gaze.
Down below, hidden behind the tents in the shadows, were cages. Rusty, bent, but securely locked. Inside — about ten people. Some sitting, others lying down, two standing and gripping the bars. All in worn clothing, with cuts, bruises, and rope marks on their arms.
"Damn…" I breathed. "Slaves?"
"Most likely," Sabo replied grimly. "Human trafficking. Or just using them as labor."
"I thought we were just scouting them out… but now I see: they've sunk pretty low," he added through gritted teeth. "Even by pirate standards."
I stared down silently, fury boiling inside me."They're not just pirates. They're scavengers. Eldrago turned this island into a human-hunting camp."
Gin gripped the handle of his tonfa."What do we do? If we raise an alarm, the whole crew attacks. But if we leave… we abandon these people to die."
I stood tall, eyes fixed on the camp. Eldrago had just stepped out, calmly sipping rum near the central tent."We're not leaving," I said. "We're getting those people out. And if anyone gets in the way…"
I glanced at Sabo and Gin."Out of everyone here, only two look like real threats," I pointed toward the fire, where the captain and his right hand were seated. "Eldrago himself and the guy with the sword."
"I'll take Eldrago," I said, clenching my fists.
"And I'll take the swordsman," Sabo added, pulling out his pipe and peering through it. "Looks like an ex-bounty hunter."
"Then I've got the cages," Gin nodded. "I'll move in when the chaos starts."
"Wait for the signal," I said. "Once the first explosion hits — move. Everyone has their target. And remember — if they try to run, no one leaves this island."
"Hand me the cannonball," I said to Sabo, turning slightly towards him.
Sabo quickly grabbed a cannonball from the sack and tossed it onto my forearm, which had already transformed into a spiral.
Bane Bane no Mi... echoed in my mind.
The spring, replacing muscle, stretched to its limit. The metal gleamed in the sunlight."Spring Cannon!"
A sharp, ringing sound of tension — and the cannonball tore from my hand, flying like lightning. It sliced through the air, whistling above the tents, and in the next second, it crashed right into the tent at the center.
Target: obviously. The heart of the camp. The captain.
An explosion roared. The fabric blasted upward, wood splinters and sparks flying in every direction. Pirates jumped up — weapons drawn, shouting. Panic erupted.
"Go!" I shouted, jumping and charging forward toward the center of the camp, where a furious silhouette of Eldrago rose from the dust cloud.
Sabo was already moving, intercepting the swordsman. Their blades clashed with a metallic screech, a flash of steel slicing the air.
I stood in the middle of the camp, dust still swirling from the shot. Eldrago's tent was half-destroyed, but from the debris rose that familiar hulking figure. His features twisted with rage, hair wild, gold-trimmed cloak now a torn rag. His eyes burned with hatred.
"Hey… What did you do… to my gold?!" he roared, tossing aside the broken chest that once held his treasure.
"Honestly? It was in the way," I grinned. "Maybe if you didn't keep people in cages, your gold would still be intact."
He roared like a beast, chest heaving."You don't know who you're messing with, brat!"
I knew — he was about to attack. No time to think.
"Bane Bane no Mi: Jump!" I shouted, legs tensing into powerful springs.
I launched myself into the air like a coiled steel spring, narrowly dodging the blast. But Eldrago had already opened his mouth:
"GOOOEH—!!"
Goe Goe no Mi.A wave of sound erupted, dense as a wall. Concentric rings of light slashed through the air. The ground beneath me buckled and cracked like an underground explosion.
I tumbled and landed behind a large boulder.
The ground shook. The air thrummed like a taut wire.
A Devil Fruit user… Goe Goe no Mi.Good thing I dodged. I glanced back — a crater gaped where I'd stood. The grass was scorched, rocks shattered.
I got up, brushing off my shoulders. Through the dust, Eldrago's figure emerged. He marched forward, shoulders squared, face twisted with fury. His eyes glowed with madness, and a vibrating hum was already forming in his throat.
"You'll regret ever being born when I'm done with you!"
Sabo's Side
The swordsman moved first — fast and silent. His heavy blade gleamed as he brought it down in a brutal arc, aiming to cleave Sabo in half.
"Fast…" Sabo muttered, dodging to the side. His pipe — aged but sturdy — shot up to block the next horizontal strike.
Clang!Steel on steel. Sabo felt the jolt in his arms but stood his ground. He stepped back, slid sideways, and struck the opponent's wrist with his pipe. The swordsman growled but held on to his weapon.
"You fight like a street thug," he rasped. "Dirty."
"I am a street thug," Sabo smirked. "Doesn't make my hits any weaker."
He ducked under the next swing and jabbed the swordsman's shin. The man staggered — Sabo spun and struck his ribs. Then a quick jab to the chest sent the man stumbling back several steps.
The swordsman gasped, panting. His sword dipped slightly, though his eyes stayed fierce."Now… I'll show you what a real swordsman is!" he roared and charged, blade flashing in a flurry of strikes from every angle.
Sabo danced around the blows. Blocking, dodging, slamming his pipe into arms, shoulders, ribs. Every miss was met with a sharp counter.
"How much stamina do you have?!" the swordsman snarled, wiping blood from his mouth.
"Enough to end this," Sabo replied. He leapt back, sprinted forward, jumped — and brought his pipe down hard on the man's head.
The swordsman wobbled, tried to stay upright… and collapsed like a sack of potatoes.
Sabo straightened, breathing heavily. He lifted his pipe, eyes scanning — Eldrago's battle still raged ahead.
Gin's Side
While Sabo and I fought the leaders, Gin crept through the underbrush, closing in on the cages. His breath was steady, eyes sharp. He'd already unhooked his tonfa.
Inside the cages — a dozen emaciated people. As Gin approached, they noticed him. Hope flickered in their eyes.
"Stay quiet. I'm getting you out," he whispered.
But before he could reach them, two guards burst out from behind some barrels. One had a club, the other a short spear.
"Hey! Stop right there!" one shouted, charging forward.
Gin didn't respond — he swung his tonfa up, spun on the spot, and deflected the club blow. Twisting, he slammed the other tonfa into the attacker's chest, sending him flying into a tree, unconscious.
The second guard jabbed with the spear — Gin whipped his tonfa chain around the shaft, yanked — the spear swung away. In a flash, Gin was on him, kneeing him in the gut and finishing with a short blow to the back of the head.
"Keys… quick…" he muttered, searching the bodies. One had a key ring.
He rushed to the cages. The first lock clicked open. The prisoners froze.
"You're free. Grab weapons if you can find them. Head for the shore."
"Who… are you?" someone asked.
"Just a pirate who hates chains," Gin said, walking toward the battle without looking back. "Now go — before more come."
More footsteps echoed through the trees — more guards. Gin didn't wait. He raised his tonfa, smiling grimly, and stepped into the fight.