章 33: Chapter 33: The Captain's Plan for Power
The pirate camp buzzed with restless energy. Grint's crew, seasoned by years of marauding the seas, moved with the kind of edge that comes from desperation. Their eyes darted toward the thick jungle, knowing that soon, they would be ordered to search the island for the one thing that could turn their fortunes around.
At the center of the camp, Grint the Savage stood with his arms crossed, looming over a rough wooden table. His scarred face twisted into a scowl, his eyes sharp as they scanned the horizon. There was something dark brewing inside him—a storm of rage, tempered by cold, calculated purpose. Behind him, his vice-captain, Rhys, watched silently, his long beard swaying in the island breeze. Rhys was calm, but his tension showed in the tight grip he kept on the twin swords at his sides.
The crew had gathered around, waiting for their captain's orders. Every man among them had faced the same nightmare—one they wouldn't speak of, but one that haunted them all the same.
Grint took a step forward, planting his hands on the table. His voice came out low and steady, filled with a dangerous resolve. "Fan out. Search the island. I want every tree, every cave, every inch of this place turned over. That Devil Fruit is here somewhere, and we're going to find it."
The men stirred, nodding in grim silence. They knew what was at stake. Failure wasn't an option.
But Rhys wasn't ready to move just yet. He stepped forward, his eyes locked on Grint. His words were measured, respectful, but there was an undercurrent of doubt.
"Captain, we've searched half the island already, and there's been no sign of the fruit. What if we're wrong about this place?" He glanced around, then back at Grint. "We've been chasing this for weeks. Are we sure it's even here?"
Grint's jaw tightened, and for a moment, the muscles in his arms flexed as if he was ready to slam his fist through the table. But he didn't. Instead, he turned slowly, locking eyes with Rhys, his face hardening.
"No, I'm not sure," Grint growled, his voice low and simmering with anger. "But what choice do we have?"
Rhys didn't answer. He didn't need to. The question hung in the air, heavy with the weight of their situation. They were deep in the Grand Line, their ship barely holding together, supplies dwindling, and their reputation hanging by a thread. Every port, every raid—it had all been one disaster after another.
Grint's voice sharpened as he continued, his hands clenching into fists. "We need this fruit, Rhys. Without it, we're dead in the water. You know what's out there. The Grand Line doesn't let up. If we don't find some kind of edge, we won't last another week."
Rhys nodded grimly, but there was more behind his question—something deeper, something every man in the crew felt. "But why this fruit? Why are we so hellbent on this one, Captain? There are Devil Fruits all over the seas."
Grint's eyes flashed with something dark. He took a step closer to Rhys, his voice dropping to a dangerous whisper. "You know damn well why."
Rhys clenched his jaw, his hand tightening around the hilt of his sword. He knew exactly what Grint meant. They all did. But hearing it said aloud felt like rubbing salt in a wound they all shared.
Grint straightened up, looking out at the jungle. His tone was bitter, filled with raw frustration. "It was supposed to be easy. Torez and his crew were on their last legs, their ship falling apart. We had 'em pinned. And then…"
Rhys grimaced but didn't look away. He knew what was coming. They all did.
Grint's teeth ground together as he spat the next words. "That bird bastard... Torez."
The name sent a ripple through the crew. Some shifted uncomfortably, others clenched their fists or muttered curses under their breath. It wasn't the first time they'd heard it. And it wouldn't be the last.
"Torez," Grint growled, "with his Zoan Devil Fruit, thought it'd be funny to tear us apart piece by piece. He turned into that damn falcon and picked us off from the skies. You couldn't touch him. None of us could. One minute he's in front of us, the next, he's ripping through our ranks like we were nothing."
A heavy silence fell over the camp as the crew absorbed their captain's words. They had all been there. They had all seen the flash of feathers, the blur of talons tearing through their shipmates, unable to do a damn thing about it.
Rhys spoke quietly, his voice tight. "We lost a lot of good men that day."
Grint's eyes burned with rage, his scarred face twisted in a snarl. "Yeah, and Torez made sure we knew it. He left us stranded, barely alive. Didn't even finish the job. He let us crawl away like we weren't worth his time."
He slammed his fist down on the table, causing the wood to creak under the force. "That's why we're here. That's why we need this Devil Fruit. It's our ticket out of this mess. With it, we'll have the strength to tear Torez apart, and anyone else who thinks they can walk over us."
The crew said nothing, but the tension was palpable. Every one of them remembered the look on Torez's face, the way he had toyed with them. And every one of them was hungry to make sure that never happened again.
Rhys exhaled slowly, understanding now. "We'll find it, Captain," he said, his voice firm. "And when we do, Torez won't stand a chance."
Grint's lips curled into a cruel grin. "Damn right. So spread out. I want this island searched. Leave no stone unturned. And if anyone so much as sniffs that fruit, you bring it straight to me."
With a chorus of grunts and nods, the crew began to move, each man heading off into the jungle. The air was thick with the weight of their shared purpose. They weren't just looking for the Devil Fruit to survive—they were looking for redemption.
Grint watched them go, his fists still clenched at his sides, his mind replaying that day over and over again. The sound of Torez's wings, the screams of his crew, the feeling of helplessness. But this time, things would be different. He would make sure of it.
From his spot in the bushes, Vulcan had heard everything. His eyes gleamed as he crouched low, a wild grin spreading across his face. So that was it. Grint and his crew were so desperate for this Devil Fruit because they had been made fools of by a Zoan user.
"Oooh, it's gonna happen again," Vulcan whispered, chuckling to himself. He could practically taste the irony. Grint and his men thought they'd find their salvation on this island. But Vulcan knew better.
Grint thought he could take control of the situation. That finding the Devil Fruit would put him on top. But in reality, they were all walking into a trap. His trap.
Vulcan's fingers brushed the Devil Fruit beside him as he imagined the look on Grint's face when things went wrong all over again. He wasn't just going to survive this. He was going to turn the tables, and Grint's desperation would be his downfall.
The pirates scattered into the jungle, and Vulcan rose from his hiding spot, his wicked grin widening. The game had already begun, and Grint didn't even know he was playing.
週次パワーステータス
-- 推薦
ランキング 
-- 推薦
チケット