Hey, guys! I've decided to finish the Lore City Arc first before waiting for you all to finish voting. Once the poll is over, I'll continue the story based on the results.
I'll be uploading the current poll results soon, so keep the votes coming! The poll will close in six days, so make sure to cast your vote before then.
Thanks for your support.
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Jack raced through the Capone Family mansion, he dodged the falling rubbles and continued searching every corridor and room for Ryu. When he finally burst into the backyard, his footsteps came to an abrupt halt.
His eyes went wide.
The Capone Family courtyard had been reduced to a battlefield. The ground was torn apart by massive craters, shattered stone littered every corner, and broken trees lay scattered like they had been caught in the path of a raging storm. The very air still carried the weight of the fierce clash that had taken place.
At the heart of the devastation lay two battered figures.
Ryu and Francisco.
They both were sprawled across the ruined ground, unconscious and covered in bruises, their bodies bearing the unmistakable scars of an all-out battle.
Jack's trademark grin slowly faded as he took in the overwhelming destruction before him.
"What the hell?" he muttered, unable to hide the shock in his voice.
Jack rushed to Ryu's side without a second thought, dropping to one knee as he carefully checked the boy's wounds. His rough hands moved with surprising gentleness, searching for any life-threatening injuries. After a tense moment, he let out a long, heartfelt sigh of relief.
"Heh... You really know how to scare people, kid."
A faint, genuine smile spread across his face as he looked at Ryu's unconscious form. Despite the chaos surrounding them, the sight of the boy still breathing eased the weight pressing on his chest.
"It is good... you're still breathing, kid. If you went and kicked the bucket this early, I'd be seriously disappointed. And besides..." He chuckled, resting a hand on his sabre. "These seas would be damn boring without a brat like you stirring up trouble alongside me."
Without the slightest hesitation, Jack hoisted Ryu onto his shoulder as if the battered boy weighed nothing at all, then scooped Chi Hime into his free arm. His muscles tensed, the ground beneath his feet cracking from the force. In the next instant.
"BOOM!"
He shot forward like a cannonball, leaving a violent gust in his wake as dust and shattered rubble exploded into the air. By the time the grunts of Capone Family came rushing onto the scene, Jack was already a distant blur.
________
Half an hour later.
With Bege
Bege staggered into the courtyard of the Capone Family's base, every step leaving a trail of blood in his wake. His once-luxurious suit, a symbol of the mafia pride and wealth, had been torn to ribbons, hanging from his battered frame in ragged strips. Bruises and gashes covered his body, yet despite his miserable state, he remained standing, his fierce glare refusing to yield even after such a brutal battle he just had.
Bege towered over Francisco, a vicious grin curling across his bloodstained face as his eyes burned with ruthless delight. Crimson trickled from countless wounds, the blood made him look more monstrous. His grin stretched even wider, brimming with viciousness, as he stared down at Francisco like a predator ready to strike at any moment.
Francisco's eyelids slowly crept open, only for his gaze to lock onto Bege's blood-soaked face looming above him. Bege wore a feral grin that split his face from ear to ear, looking less like a man and more like a demon that had clawed its way out of the depths of hell. A freezing shiver raced down Francisco's spine as every fiber of his being screamed at him to run, to put as much distance between himself and Bege.
"Bege... what the hell are you planning?" Francisco asked arrogantly, forcing the words out despite the knot in his throat. His eyes flicked to the blood-soaked grin plastered across Bege's face. "...And what's with that creepy smile?"
Bege let out a low, sinister chuckle at Francisco's words. The sound quickly grew louder until he threw his head back and erupted into a booming, maniacal laugh that echoed across the courtyard. His laughter rang with pure madness, sending chills through the air.
"RAHAHAHAHA!! You never changed, Francisco! Always so damned arrogant!" Bege roared, his laughter booming through the courtyard. A smug, bloodstained grin spread even wider across his face as he jabbed a finger toward his own chest.
"And that arrogance of yours? It paved the way for me! While you looked down on everyone around you, I climbed the ranks until I became the Capone Family's First Officer! RAHAHAHA!!"
"I spent years biding my time, waiting for the perfect chance to put a bullet through your skull and seize the Father's seat for myself," Bege said, his grin twisting into something even more sinister.
"But never in my wildest dreams did I think those two worthless pirates would do half the job for me! RAHAHAHA!! They handed me the perfect opportunity on a silver platter!"
Bege's grin widened into a monstrous smile as he slowly raised his pistol toward Francisco.
"Now..." he said, his voice dripping with cruel satisfaction, "it's time for you to die, Francisco. Your reign ends here... and mine begins!"
A dark chuckle escaped his lips before he bared his teeth in a savage grin.
"RAHAHAHAHA!!"
"BANG!, BANG!, BANG!"
Three deafening shots tore through the courtyard in rapid succession. Francisco's body went limp before he could even react, collapsing lifelessly to the ground. Bege didn't spare him a second glance. There was no remorse in his eyes, only satisfaction.
A smug grin still etched across his bloodstained face, Bege holstered his pistol, turned on his heel, and strode away from the scene as if disposing of the Capone Family's Father had been nothing more than another step forward towards his ultimate goal.
As Bege walked away from the fallen body of Francisco, two figures emerged from the shadows and approached him. They stopped before him without hesitation, lowered their heads, and bowed deeply in silent respect.
The sight of their submission brought a faint, satisfied smirk to Bege's face. The former subordinate had finally begun his rise—not as a follower, but as the man who would stand at the top of the Capone Family.
One of the figures was a towering man with a bizarre and intimidating appearance. A long, snake-like tongue slithered from his wide, sinister grin, giving him the look of a predator lurking in the shadows. His massive hands were unnaturally oversized compared to his frame, each bearing a strange tattoo on the back that matched the mark carved upon his forehead.
His black hair was slicked back neatly, with a single curl rising from the back of his head, adding to his eccentric and menacing presence. As he stood before Bege, his twisted smile revealed a man who carried both danger and loyalty in equal measure.
He wears a magenta suit coupled with a yellow cravat and a black coat draped over his shoulders. His coat has a feathered collar and his eyes are covered by a pair of small round sunglasses. He also has a pair of holsters where he keeps his large revolver.
The second man was huge, his massive frame towering over those around him like a walking fortress. Wild, spiky strands of light purple hair jutted out from the sides of his head, matching the thick beard that framed his face, while the top of his head remained completely bald.
But the most striking feature was his right arm or rather, what had replaced it. After losing his forearm sometime after joining the Capone Family, he had transformed his missing limb into a terrifying weapon: a gigantic three-barreled machine gun painted in bold shades of red, green, and yellow. A heavy pulling chain served as its trigger, turning his mechanical arm into a weapon capable of unleashing devastating firepower at a moment's notice.
The man wore a sharp black vest over a pristine white suit, giving him a refined yet intimidating appearance. A flowing green cape hung from his shoulders, swaying with every movement, while a bold red cravat added a touch of flamboyance to his outfit. His black shoes, decorated with white polka dots, completed his eccentric style.
Resting over his left shoulder was a massive silver metal plate shaped like a shield, engraved with his name and marked with the same mysterious symbol found with the other man's forehead. The emblem served as a proud symbol of his allegiance, making it clear that he was no ordinary member of the Capone Family.
Bege's eyes shifted toward the two men standing before him. Seeing their unwavering loyalty, he simply gave a slow nod of approval.
With his usual confident smirk still carved across his face, Bege calmly pulled out a cigar and lit it, the small flame illuminating his cold, calculating eyes.
The new father of the Capone Family took a slow drag before exhaling a cloud of smoke into the air. Then, in a voice filled with absolute authority, he issued his command.
"Report the casualties."
The long-tongued man felt a bead of sweat run down his face as Bege's order reached his ears. Despite the fear creeping through his body, he quickly composed himself and lowered his head.
"Father..." the man reported, his expression turning grim. "We have a large number of injured men. Some of them... didn't make it."
"Our medical staff are working nonstop, doing everything they can to save those who are still hanging on."
Bege's expression darkened the moment he heard the report. The playful cruelty that had been on his face vanished, replaced by a cold, merciless stare that sent a chill to both men.
For a brief moment, silence filled the air.
Bege's cold gaze swept over his subordinates as his voice dropped into a deadly whisper.
"Return to the base immediately. Use the surveillance Den Den Mushi to gather every image you can find of those bastards. I want their faces printed and spread across the underworld."
His eyes narrowed, a ruthless smile slowly creeping back onto his face.
"Then contact every assassin in the West Blue. Offer them whatever price they demand... and make sure those fools' heads are delivered to me."
Both men visibly stiffened at Bege's command. They swallowed nervously, exchanging uneasy glances as the weight of his words sank in. The sheer coldness in their new leader's voice left no room for hesitation.
After a tense moment, the purple-haired man stepped forward, forcing himself to remain composed before addressing Bege.
"Father... that plan won't be possible," he admitted carefully. "All of the surveillance Den Den Mushi were destroyed."
He lowered his gaze, choosing his words cautiously.
"The best we can do is draw their appearances from memory and provide those sketches to the assassins and the underworld. They'll have to hunt them down using those."
The moment Bege heard the news, a vein bulged on his temple, his expression twisting with fury. The calm facade he had maintained shattered in an instant as rage began boiling inside him.
"That damn pirate..." he growled through clenched teeth.
His mind flashed back to Jack's smug, calculating smirk—the look of someone who had been one step ahead of him the entire time. Bege's fists tightened as he cursed under his breath, his anger burning hotter with every passing second.
"That bastard... it has to be his doing!" Bege snarled, his face twisting with rage.
"He's too crafty... too damn shrewd. That sly bastard has been playing us from the shadows this entire time!"
His fists clenched tightly as his killing intent filled the air.
"He can't be allowed to live... that man must die!"
Bege's icy gaze suddenly shifted toward the two men standing before him. The murderous intent radiating from his eyes was so overwhelming that both men instinctively took a step back, their bodies tensing under the pressure.
"I want a perfect sketch of those two bastards. Every detail—make sure their faces are impossible to mistake."
"Once we have them, we'll place bounties on their heads and spread their names throughout the West Blue. Then we'll unleash every assassin willing to take the job... I want those two hunted until there is nowhere left for them to run."
"And one more thing..." he said, his voice carrying the weight of authority. "Contact our spies within the Marines. Tell them everything that happened."
A cruel smile slowly formed on his face.
"I want the Marines to hunt those two as well. Let them chase those bastards from every corner of the sea until they have nowhere left to hide."
"Lastly... contact the Underworld."
"Spread the word to every organization operating in the West Blue. Tell them those two bastards stole Captain Ning's treasure from the Capone Family."
A sinister grin stretched across his face.
"Make sure they become known everywhere West Blue. I want the entire sea hunting them down."
Both men froze in shock upon hearing Bege's final command. Their eyes widened as they realized the sheer scale of the storm their new leader intended to unleash.
The long-tongued man glanced nervously at his companion before swallowing his fear and stepping forward.
"Father... those two didn't just steal Captain Ning's treasure. They took our treasure as well."
He glanced at the other before continuing.
"We simply don't have the resources to hire every assassin in the West Blue or pay the Underworld to spread the news. If we reveal that Captain Ning's treasure was stolen, every organization and pirate group will come searching for them—but it could also draw unwanted attention to us."
Bege let out a low, arrogant chuckle as he looked down on his subordinates.
"You don't need to worry about something so trivial," he said confidently, his eyes gleaming with calculation. "I already have a plan."
"We'll simply collect the protection fees ahead of schedule. That money will be more than enough to hire the assassins and pay the Underworld to spread the information."
Bege's gaze hardened as he turned away.
"So stop worrying and get moving. I want this done immediately."
The long-tongued man and the purple-haired giant exchanged a glance before lowering their heads in obedient acknowledgment.
"Yes, Father."
Without another word, the two men turned around and began walking away, their footsteps echoing through the halls as they set out to carry out Bege's orders.
Behind them, Bege remained standing with a cold, confident smile, already certain that his plan would bring Jack and Ryu to ruin.
_______
With Jack
As Jack stepped into the harbor of Lore City, the salty breeze swept past him while the sounds of the bustling port filled the air. His eyes slowly scanned across the vast docks, taking in the countless ships anchored along the coastline.
"We need to abandon our small boat we used to sail here and steal a faster vessel."
Jack's expression turned serious as he looked across the harbor, his eyes scanning the ships docked before him.
"I'm certain the Capone Family will come after us sooner or later. And if word spreads that we successfully stole Captain Ning's treasure."
His gaze hardened as he continued.
"The other mafia groups, pirates, and other organizations will come hunting us too, hoping to steal the treasure for themselves. We can't afford to underestimate them."
Jack clenched his fist, his voice carrying a sense of urgency.
"We need to prepare for the worst-case scenario."
Jack's eyes slowly swept across the harbor until they suddenly stopped on a medium-sized pirate ship with a sleek black hull resting among the other vessels.
A cunning glint flashed in his eyes as the corner of his mouth curled upward into a shrewd smirk.
"That one will do..."
The ship looked fast, sturdy, and built for escaping trouble—exactly what Jack needed.
Without making the slightest sound, Jack moved toward the black pirate ship, his steps careful and deliberate as he carried Ryu with him.
Reaching the vessel, he gently lowered Ryu beside the ship, making sure not to disturb him before turning his attention back to the task ahead.
With a sharp, calculating gaze, Jack slipped aboard the ship like a shadow, silently infiltrating the deck while avoiding alerting the crew.
Jack's eyes moved across the deck as he silently counted the figures scattered around the ship.
"One... two... three..." he whispered under his breath, his gaze carefully tracking each guard.
"...Seven."
A faint smirk disappeared from his face as his expression turned serious.
"Only seven people are keeping watch over the ship. The rest of the crew must still be inside Lore City..."
His eyes narrowed as he prepared himself.
"I don't have much time. I need to deal with these guys quickly before anyone realizes what's happening."
From the shadows of the deck, Jack observed the seven pirates closely. A faint, knowing smirk formed at the corner of his lips as he watched them.
They were drinking heavily, bottles in hand, laughing loudly and completely at ease—careless, relaxed, and blind to any danger around them.
Jack's eyes narrowed.
"Perfect…" he muttered under his breath, the smirk on his face deepening as he studied their drunken, unguarded state.
Moving like a shadow, Jack swiftly climbed the rigging toward the lookout nest, not a single sound betraying his presence. The drunken laughter below continued, completely oblivious to the danger creeping above them.
Reaching the perch, he settled himself into position with practiced ease. Calmly, he removed his customized ammunition and replaced it with standard rounds, the quiet metallic clicks barely audible.
Without hesitation, Jack raised his pistol, his eyes narrowing with cold precision.
In the next instant.
He opened fire.
Shot after shot rang out as the unsuspecting pirates began to drop one by one, their laughter cut short in an instant, replaced by chaos and sudden silence.
"BANG!, BANG!, BANG!, BANG!, BANG!"
The gunfire cracked across the air like bolts of thunder.
Each bullet screamed through the air with deadly precision, carving perfect paths toward their targets. One after another, the rounds pierced the pirates' skulls with merciless accuracy.
Before a single warning could be shouted, before a hand could even reach for a weapon, all seven pirates collapsed where they stood. Their bodies hit the deck in rapid succession, blood staining the weathered planks as stunned silence swallowed the ship.
The laughter that had filled the deck only moments before vanished in an instant, snuffed out by Jack incredible marksmanship.
"THUD!, THUD!, THUD!, THUD!, THUD!"
Jack's lips curled into a cocky grin as the last pirate crashed onto the deck. With all the swagger in the world, he spun his pistol around his finger before pointing the barrel skyward.
"Fuuuu!"
He dramatically blew across the smoking barrel, striking an absurdly exaggerated pose as though the entire world had just witnessed the greatest shot in history. His grin only widened, radiating shameless confidence and pirate bravado.
"BOHOHOHOHO! You fools! Did you really think you could kick back with a drink while the magnificent Captain Jack Sparrow was plotting to steal your ship?"
Jack threw his arms wide with theatrical flair, laughing as if the entire scene were nothing more than a grand performance.
"What a hopeless bunch of amateurs! If there's a next life waiting for you, make sure you learn what it means to be a real pirate! Out on these seas, the moment you let your guard down... you've already lost everything!"
Without a hint of hesitation, Jack leaped from the lookout nest, landing lightly on the deck with effortless grace.
"Time for a little cleanup."
One by one, he grabbed the lifeless pirates by their collars and casually hurled them overboard. Their bodies disappeared beneath the waves with a series of heavy splashes, swallowed by the sea as though they had never existed.
Once the deck was clear, Jack hauled the stolen treasure aboard and let the heavy thud onto the planks with a satisfied grin.
Finally, his expression softened. Kneeling beside Ryu, he carefully lowered the unconscious boy onto the deck, making sure not to aggravate his injuries.
With everything finally in place, Jack untied the mooring lines and took hold of the helm.
The sails billowed as the sea breeze rushed in, and the stolen ship glided away from Lore City without the slightest hesitation. Behind him, the bustling port gradually shrank into the horizon, its lights fading into the distance.
A broad grin spread across Jack's face as he laughed into the salty wind.
"BOHOHOHO! Farewell, Lore City! Thanks for the ship, everything had gone perfectly it was a great adventure!"
Carried onward by the endless waves, the self-proclaimed Great Captain Jack Sparrow sailed across the West Blue with his trademark carefree grin, utterly oblivious to the storm he and Ryu had just unleashed.
Neither of them realized that their actions in Lore City had already sent ripples racing across the sea. Those ripples would soon swell into a tempest that would shake the the entire West Blue upside down.
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