บท 18: [18] Beneath the Black Sails
I led the way down the mountain path, my muscles still aching from the intense fight with Takumi. The swordsman followed close behind, his footsteps nearly silent on the rocky terrain. Aria brought up the rear, her eyes darting between us, clearly still processing the sudden change in our dynamic.
As we descended, Takumi cleared his throat. "So, what do you call yourselves? Your crew, I mean."
I glanced back at Aria, our eyes meeting in a moment of shared realization. We'd been so caught up in survival and bounty hunting that we'd neglected such a basic detail.
"We, uh..." I started, searching for words.
Aria jumped in, a hint of embarrassment in her voice. "We haven't actually decided on a name yet."
Takumi raised an eyebrow. "Seriously? You've been sailing together and you don't have a crew name?"
I shrugged, trying to play it cool. "Been a bit busy staying alive and making a name for ourselves. Guess it slipped our minds."
"Well, no time like the present," Aria said, a mischievous glint in her eye. "Any ideas, boys?"
We walked in silence for a moment, each of us lost in thought. The cove where we'd anchored the Black Pearl came into view, the ship's dark sails a stark contrast against the blue sky.
"How about the Vortex Pirates?" Takumi suggested, nodding towards me. "Since that's your thing."
I shook my head. "Too on the nose. We need something with more... punch."
We reached the shore, the sand crunching beneath our feet. I stared out at the Black Pearl, her sleek lines and dark wood a testament to the power we'd claimed. A thought struck me.
"Tempest Pirates," I said, the words feeling right as they left my mouth.
Aria cocked her head. "Tempest? Why that?"
I gestured towards the ship. "Look at her. Dark as a storm cloud, fast as the wind. And between my vortexes, your navigation skills, and Takumi's swordsmanship, we're a force of nature waiting to be unleashed on the world."
A slow grin spread across Aria's face. "I like it. Tempest Pirates. Has a nice ring to it."
Takumi nodded, a hint of approval in his eyes. "Not bad. Intimidating without being too specific. Leaves room for interpretation."
"Then it's settled," I declared, puffing out my chest a bit. "From this day forward, we sail as the Tempest Pirates."
We made our way to the rowboat we'd left on the shore. As I pushed it into the water, Takumi spoke up again.
"So, Captain Namor of the Tempest Pirates, what's our next move?"
I paused, considering. We had Sato in the brig, a new crew member, and a ship full of potential. The world was our oyster, as they say.
"First things first," I said, climbing into the boat. "We need to drop off our bounty and collect our reward. After that... well, I hear Loguetown's nice this time of year."
Aria's eyes widened. "Loguetown? You're not actually considering Sato's story about the Golden Apple, are you?"
I shrugged, a sly grin on my face. "Who knows? But it's as good a destination as any. And if nothing else, we can stock up on supplies and maybe find a few more crew members."
Takumi settled into the boat. "Loguetown, huh? The town of the beginning and the end. Fitting for a crew just starting out."
The Black Pearl loomed before us, her dark hull gleaming in the sunlight. As we approached, I noticed Takumi studying the ship with a critical eye.
"Impressive vessel," he murmured. "Where'd you acquire her?"
I exchanged a glance with Aria, remembering the eerie fog and the ghostly test we'd endured. "It's a long story," I said. "Let's just say she chose us as much as we chose her."
Takumi raised an eyebrow but didn't press further. We pulled alongside the ship, and I created a small vortex to lift us onto the deck. Takumi's eyes widened slightly at the display.
"Handy trick," he commented.
I grinned. "You ain't seen nothing yet."
Once aboard, Aria turned to Takumi. "Want a tour of your new home?"
The swordsman nodded, his hand resting casually on the hilt of his blade. As Aria led him below deck, I made my way to the helm, running my hand along the smooth wood of the wheel.
"Alright, girl," I murmured to the ship. "Time to show our new crewmate what you can do."
I spun the wheel, feeling the familiar surge of power as the Black Pearl responded to my touch. We glided out of the cove, the wind filling our sails as if eager to carry us to our next adventure.
As we hit open water, Aria and Takumi emerged from below deck. Takumi's face was impassive, but I caught a glint of approval in his eyes as he surveyed our surroundings.
"So, Takumi," I called out. "What do you think of our humble abode?"
He crossed his arms, leaning against the railing. "It's well-equipped, I'll give you that. But a ship is only as good as its crew."
I laughed. "Well, we've got the best navigator in the East Blue, the second-best swordsman, and a captain with the power to create vortexes. I'd say we're off to a pretty good start."
Aria rolled her eyes at my boast but didn't contradict me. Instead, she pulled out a map and spread it on a nearby barrel. "Alright, boys. If we're heading to Loguetown, we need to plan our route."
We gathered around the map, Takumi peering over Aria's shoulder with interest. She traced a line from our current position to Loguetown, her finger hovering over several small islands along the way. Conomi Islands.
"We'll need to make a stop here," she said. "To restock and turn in our bounty. After that, it should be a straight shot to Loguetown."
I nodded, already thinking ahead. "Any notable dangers along the way? Marine patrols? Other pirate crews?"
Aria bit her lip, considering. "There's always a risk of running into Marines, especially as we get closer to Loguetown. As for other pirates... well, we're not exactly in friendly waters. Rumors say Arlong has control over the Conomi Islands."
Arlong. The saw-tooth shark fishman with a bounty of 20 million beri. Add that to Sato's 11 million, and we'd be looking at a 31 million beri payday.
"Arlong, huh?" I said, trying to keep the excitement out of my voice. "That's... interesting."
Aria narrowed her eyes at me. "Namor, I know that look. You're not seriously considering-"
"Why not?" I cut her off, grinning. "Think about it. We take down Arlong, we're not just making bank. We're making a name for ourselves."
Takumi, who had been silent until now, suddenly perked up. "Arlong? The fishman pirate?" A wolfish grin spread across his face. "Now that sounds like a real challenge."
I clapped him on the shoulder. "That's the spirit! What do you say, Aria? You in?"
She sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. "You two are going to be the death of me, you know that?"
"Aw, come on," I cajoled. "Where's your sense of adventure?"
"I left it back on Jagged Rock, apparently," she muttered. But I could see the corners of her mouth twitching upward.
"Look," I said, leaning over the map. "We need to make a stop anyway, right? So we dock, gather some intel, and if things look good, we make our move. If not, we cash in Sato and be on our merry way. No harm, no foul."
Aria considered this for a moment, then nodded reluctantly. "Fine. But we do this smart. No rushing in half-cocked."
"When have I ever-" I began, but stopped at her withering glare. "Right. Smart. Got it."
Takumi chuckled. "This crew's more entertaining than I expected. So, what's the plan, Captain?"
I traced our route on the map. "We'll aim for Cocoyasi Village. It's one of the larger settlements in the Conomi Islands. Good place to gather information and stock up without drawing too much attention."
"And if we do decide to go after Arlong?" Aria asked, her tone making it clear she still thought this was a bad idea.
I grinned. "Then we hit him where it hurts. His wallet."
Takumi raised an eyebrow. "Care to elaborate?"
"Arlong's whole operation is built on extorting the locals, right? So we disrupt that. Cut off his income, turn the people against him. Make him desperate enough to make mistakes."
"And then we strike," Takumi finished, nodding approvingly. "Not bad, Captain."
Aria still looked skeptical. "It's risky. If we mess this up, we'll have a lot more than just Arlong to worry about."
I took her hand, meeting her eyes. "I know. But think about what we could do with that bounty. The people we could help. The adventures we could have."
She held my gaze for a long moment, then sighed. "Alright. But we do this as a team. No lone wolf heroics from either of you." She glared at both Takumi and me.
I raised my hands in mock surrender. "Wouldn't dream of it. Now, let's get this ship moving. We've got a fishman to fleece."
As Aria took the helm, setting our course for the Conomi Islands, I turned to Takumi. "So, what's your stake in this? Just looking for a good fight?"
He shrugged, his hand resting on the hilt of his sword. "A strong opponent is always worth pursuing. But..." He paused, his expression darkening. "I've heard stories about Arlong. The way he treats humans. It doesn't sit right with me."
I nodded, understanding. "Well, hopefully we can do something about that. You up for a little training while we sail? I'd like to see what you can do when you're not trying to kick my ass."
Takumi's grin returned. "Anytime, Captain. Just don't expect me to go easy on you."
สถานะพลังงานรายสัปดาห์
-- การจัดอันดับด้วยพลัง 
-- หินพลัง