At The Peak of One Piece

Royce reeled backward, eyes rolling white. A savage wound tore from his lower right abdomen to his left shoulder, drenching his fur in crimson. Blood droplets sprayed midair as Victor stepped back, avoiding the splatter. 

The man collapsed, reverting to human form. A pool of blood spread beneath him. 'So what if Zoan users heal fast? Exceed their limits, and they still fall.' 

Seeing their captain felled in one strike, the crew's morale shattered. They'd witnessed Royce's might firsthand—hurling a Marine warship straight into a base, crushing buildings. Yet here he lay. Unthinkable. 

"Hey. Stop gawking. Prep food. I eat a lot." Victor pointed at Royce's corpse. "Delay, and that's you." 

The crew scrambled to obey. No one glanced at the bleeding captain. 

────── 

Victor nearly emptied the ship's pantry. The crew watched in despair. 'How do we survive now?' 

Picking his teeth, Victor eyed them. "Anything valuable aboard? Show me." A casual probe—'might as well check.' 

"Yes! Right away, sir!" They dove into the hold, desperate to return with treasures. Empty hands might mean a blade to the throat. 

Soon, a small hill of loot piled on deck: gold trinkets, gemstones, jeweled daggers. Victor skimmed it dismissively—until a sealed chest caught his eye. 

"What's in there?" 

"Unknown, sir. From the captain's safe. No key." A pirate trembled. 

"Check his body. Or his cabin." 

They searched frantically. Nothing. 'Intriguing.' Victor knocked the chest—sturdy, unbreakable for most. 

He gripped a corner and crushed it. A glimpse of milky white. He tore the lid open. 

Inside lay a fruit: pale, spiraled, flat and round like a disc. 

'Fate's joke.' Victor sighed. "Searched relentlessly, found nothing. Stumble upon it now? Irony." 

The crew stared, clueless. Only the chef—Royce's old village ally—knew. 

"Who knows its origin?" Victor lifted the fruit. 'Two Devil Fruits on one East Blue ship? Unlikely.' 

Silence. Then the chef spoke, hesitant. "I... know some." 

"Tell me." Victor's smile didn't reach his eyes. 

"Royce was a royal guard captain. He deserted, stole two strange fruits from the national treasury—this milky one, and another like a coconut. He kidnapped me for my cooking skills. Never saw the fruits again... till now." 

"Seems like they stole the Devil Fruits from the kingdom's treasury—probably meant as tribute for the Celestial Dragons. He ate one, an Animal-Type, so I'll gladly take this one for myself," Victor mused silently. 

"Alright, I get it. Now, expose each other. Those who've committed atrocities—jump overboard yourselves. Don't make me do it," Victor said coldly. 

The pirates began pointing fingers. Only the cook and a few others with useful skills had been forced into service; the rest had joined willingly, their hands stained with blood. 

Under Victor's icy gaze, they reluctantly leaped into the sea. Whether they'd survive was up to fate—Victor hadn't spotted any nearby islands, which was why he'd boarded the ship in the first place. 

"You lot—since you haven't done evil, I'll spare you this time. Once ashore, live properly. No more piracy," Victor warned the remaining crew. After packing the treasure and leaving a portion on the ship, he activated Moon Walk and vanished, leaving the stunned survivors behind. 

As he left, Victor sensed a faint, almost imperceptible gaze lingering on him—yet his Observation Haki detected nothing. 

"Is that even human?!" 

"Being a pirate's too dangerous—gods just show up to kill you!" 

"I wanna go home! I WANNA GO HOME!!!" 

Victor paid no further mind to the pirates, soaring toward Lhosa Island. 

--- 

Three Days Later 

Victor returned to Lyep Island—not via the docks, but by landing directly in his own yard. After stashing the treasure, he hurried to Rebecca's home. 

Inside, he found Rebecca and Toya. The elderly woman lay in bed, frailer and thinner than a year ago, unconscious. Victor motioned for Rebecca to step outside. 

"Rebecca, did you call a doctor? What's wrong with Grandma?" he asked quietly. 

"The doctor said it's severe mental exhaustion. There's no cure. If not for the meat you brought back, she wouldn't have lasted this long. He said her body was well-nourished before collapsing, but… she's just too old. The nutrients couldn't sustain her." Rebecca's voice trembled. 

Grandma was her only family. Losing her was unbearable. 

Victor knew the deaths of Rebecca's parents had broken the old woman's heart. In his childhood memories, she'd often sat alone, staring into the distance—grief turned to sickness. Without Rebecca, she might've succumbed sooner. 

"I understand. I'll stay with you. Don't despair—life and death are part of the cycle," Victor murmured, ruffling Rebecca's hair. 

For weeks, Victor halted his training, keeping vigil by the bedside. When Grandma briefly woke, she smiled at Victor, spoke a few words, then slipped back into sleep. 

The doctor came daily to administer nutrients. Toya tended to her hygiene, ensuring comfort. Even Mayor Anders and neighbors visited often—proof of the love she'd earned. 

--- 

Two Months Later 

One morning, Grandma woke up—alert, cheeks flushed. 

Victor's heart sank. 

'This is the final rally.' 

He called Rebecca in at once.