Chương 32: Chapter 32: The Captain's Bounty
Authors note:
Are the chapters too short, I try to keep them at least above 1000 words long, tell me if you would like to have them a little bit longer.
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Vulcan crouched low in the thick jungle brush, his sharp eyes scanning the clearing ahead. The plumes of smoke he had seen earlier had led him to the pirates' camp—a makeshift base hastily set up on the island's outskirts. Around a dozen men were pacing around, unloading crates from a small, worn ship docked near the shore.
His heartbeat quickened as he watched them. These weren't low-level thugs; the way they moved with military-like precision spoke volumes. They were organized, careful. He saw several men standing guard around the perimeter, while others unloaded supplies and equipment. This was no ordinary crew.
"Let's see what you're up to..." Vulcan muttered, his hand tightening around the naginata strapped to his back. He thought of sneaking in, of taking them down one by one. It wouldn't be the first time he'd gone up against pirates, but something held him back. His instincts told him to wait, to gather more information before charging in.
Then he saw him—the pirate captain.
The man stepped out of a tent near the center of the camp, and Vulcan's stomach dropped. His heart skipped a beat, eyes widening as he immediately recognized the imposing figure.
The captain was tall, his broad frame covered in a long black coat with silver trimmings. His wild, untamed hair fell across his scarred face, a cruel line running down from his temple to his jaw. The man's eyes were cold, calculating, filled with a predatory intelligence. There was a certain swagger to his walk, the kind that only came from having survived countless battles and claiming victory every time.
But what caught Vulcan's attention wasn't just the captain's dangerous aura—it was the man's name, the bounty poster that flashed in his mind.
"Grint the Savage."
The name alone was enough to make most pirates tremble. But it wasn't just his reputation that made Vulcan hesitate—it was his bounty. The figure stuck in his head like a warning bell: 120,000,000 berries.
No way, Vulcan thought, his body freezing. He had heard stories about Grint before. The pirate was infamous for his cruelty, his crew leaving behind destroyed towns and mass graves wherever they went. He didn't just steal—he crushed everything in his path, leaving no survivors. It was said that he liked to toy with his enemies, drawing out their suffering before finally finishing them off.
Vulcan's hand slipped from the naginata, suddenly unsure. He had been ready to strike, to take out the crew quietly, but now he knew that would be suicide. Grint wasn't just some run-of-the-mill pirate captain; this was a man with experience, a man who would sense any weakness and strike without mercy.
"Damn it," Vulcan muttered under his breath, stepping further back into the cover of the trees. His mind raced as he considered his options. Grint and his men were clearly searching for something. It didn't take long for Vulcan to figure out what.
They're here for the Devil Fruit. The thought filled him with a mix of anger and dread. He had fought tooth and nail to get his hands on that fruit, even risking his life against the beast that had been guarding it. And now these pirates thought they could just waltz in and take it?
Vulcan gritted his teeth, frustration bubbling up inside him. His first instinct had been to charge in, to take out as many pirates as possible before they could even react. But now, seeing Grint, he knew that plan was reckless. He wasn't ready. Not yet. As strong as he had become, this was a fight he couldn't win head-on.
He watched as Grint barked orders to his men, pointing toward the jungle. The pirates were preparing to spread out, to search deeper into the island. They were getting closer to his camp.
Vulcan took a deep breath, forcing himself to remain calm. He couldn't afford to be impulsive. He needed a plan—a real one. Rushing in without thinking would get him killed. The logical part of his mind told him to wait, to bide his time, but another part—his pride—screamed at him to do something.
He had to act fast. If the pirates reached his camp and found the Devil Fruit, it would all be over.
But how? How could he take on a pirate with a 120,000,000 berry bounty and his entire crew? He was strong, yes, but Grint was a monster, a man who had torn through entire Marine fleets without breaking a sweat. Vulcan had heard rumors about his strength, how he could crush men with his bare hands and shrug off cannon fire.
He had to be smart about this.
As much as he hated to admit it, facing Grint head-on was suicide. He wasn't ready to take on someone of that caliber. His only option was to retreat—for now—and come up with a strategy.
With a final glance at the pirates' camp, Vulcan turned and silently made his way back through the jungle. His mind was spinning, trying to come up with a solution. He needed time. If he could just figure out a way to neutralize Grint's advantage, he might stand a chance.
When he reached his camp, the familiar sight of the Devil Fruit caught his eye. It sat there on the rock, untouched, its swirling patterns glowing faintly in the soft light of the jungle.
Vulcan stared at it for a long moment, his heart still pounding in his chest. The fruit held immense power, there was no doubt about that. But what kind of power? He still didn't know what it could do. He had held off on eating it, unsure of whether it was worth the risk.
His gaze shifted from the fruit to his surroundings—the jungle, the clearing, the distant smoke rising from the pirates' camp.
A thought began to form in his mind. Something wild. Something dangerous. But it just might work.
His eyes narrowed as he remembered the beast he had fought. The creature had guarded the fruit with relentless ferocity, as if it had known the fruit was valuable. And now Vulcan had that same fruit. He had stolen it from the beast, taken its prize.
Maybe he could use that.
A slow, wicked grin spread across Vulcan's face as the pieces began to fall into place. Grint and his men wanted the fruit, but they had no idea what it was capable of. If Vulcan could use the fruit to his advantage, he might be able to turn the tables on them. He didn't need to eat it—he just needed to use it in a way that would throw the pirates off balance.
"Now that…" Vulcan muttered, his grin widening, "is not a bad idea."
The adrenaline surged through his veins as the plan took shape in his mind. He could already see it—the pirates would be searching for the fruit, desperate to claim its power, and that's when he would strike.
With renewed determination, Vulcan glanced at the Devil Fruit one more time, his fingers brushing lightly over its surface. The beast had protected it for a reason, and now it was his turn to use it for something far more cunning than brute force.
"Let's see what you think of this, Grint."
He laughed quietly to himself, the light of battle shining in his eyes. The jungle around him seemed to pulse with energy as he stood up, his plan solidifying with every second.
The hunt was about to begin, and Vulcan was ready.
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