One Piece: The True Codex

The special skill Lightning Reflexes primarily provides William with potential. His reaction speed is fast, but not yet faster than a bullet. Even if his reflexes were honed to surpass a bullet, achieving the physical speed comparable to a bullet's trajectory would still require extensive training.

Yet, who says you need to be faster than a bullet to dodge one?

From the moment the pirate leader's finger pulled the trigger, to the spring activating the flint, and the flint striking the firing pan to ignite the gunpowder—all these brief moments felt prolonged to William, allowing him ample time to evade.

Time seemed to pause; the pirate leader appeared to move in slow motion as he pulled the trigger, while William's pupils subtly shifted as he observed the direction the gun barrel was aimed, slightly tilting his head to avoid it.

Time resumed its normal pace.

Bang! Crack!

The first sound was the explosive crack of the bullet leaving the barrel, followed by the sharp sound of the bullet missing its target, whizzing past William's ear and hitting the wooden wall.

William didn't outrun the bullet, but Sherlock, the pirate leader, and the pirate minions couldn't discern this. To them, it seemed William's reflexes were faster than a bullet!

Sherlock's mouth hung open in astonishment, and the pirate leader's eyes widened in fear as William charged toward him.

William's footsteps thudded against the wooden floor, resonating with immense power.

His curved blade effortlessly pierced the pirate leader's fragile skin and muscle, slicing through his vital point in the left chest and emerging from the other side.

William continued his stride, pushing the screaming pirate leader forward until he exerted force and pinned the leader against the wall, his feet dangling off the ground!

"Wait, don't kill him!" Sherlock finally called out weakly.

William released the hilt of the sword and turned his gaze from the now lifeless pirate leader to Sherlock, offering a relaxed smile. Despite the bloodstains on his face and the grim setting of the room, he appeared unfazed. "You spoke too late."

Sherlock managed a bitter smile. "It was you who acted too quickly."

He extended his hand. "I'm Sherlock."

"William, nice to meet you." William extended his hand as well, shaking Sherlock's lightly.

"Impressive." Sherlock glanced around at the scattered corpses in the room and spoke slowly.

William's actions were swift and decisive, leaving the pirates no chance to use Sherlock as a hostage. Instead, they accompanied each other to the afterlife, continuing their pirate journey.

William approached the corpse of the pockmarked pirate officer while speaking, "I suppose this is what you wanted, right? Money alone is just a piece of meat everyone can take a bite out of on this sea. You called me here to see if I'm as formidable as Tony said, to see if I can protect future business ventures."

"So, do you agree to cooperate with me now?" William asked as he bent down to retrieve a flintlock pistol from the pirate officer's waist—a weapon the officer hadn't had time to use.

While inspecting the pistol for ammunition, a foul odor suddenly reached his nose. He glanced around and realized it was coming from the pirate minion he had disarmed earlier.

The man was trying to play dead. Though initially dazed by William's throw, he had avoided the grim fate of death. Unfortunately, upon seeing William handling the pistol, he mistook it as being discovered. Terrified by William's deadly swordsmanship and seemingly bullet-dodging reflexes, he trembled uncontrollably, wetting his pants in fear.

William nudged him with his foot and said calmly, "If you don't want to die, go block the door."

Meanwhile, Sherlock smirked. "I think, given that you dared to come unarmed as you said over the phone, and now we're both still alive, your question answers itself."

The gunshot from the captain's cabin had alerted the other pirates outside. Footsteps echoed from the deck and corridors, growing closer. William, however, remained unconcerned. As the terrified pirate minion obediently crawled up to block the door, William approached the room's only small window.

Under Sherlock's and the pirate minion's puzzled gazes, William smashed the window and casually fired the pistol outside.

The gunshot echoed far across the open sea. William tossed the now empty flintlock onto the desk and smiled at Sherlock. "Alright, the situation will soon be resolved. To avoid wasting time, since we've reached a cooperation agreement, let's discuss the upcoming business—especially the crucial point of who will lead."

"Here?" Sherlock pulled out a perfumed handkerchief to cover his nose, frowning in disgust.

"Why not?" William chuckled indifferently, intent on negotiating in this blood-soaked room.

Business negotiations are inherently a battlefield where every tactic is employed. In business, power is not solely represented by money; other forces are needed for protection.

In a peaceful society, this power often refers to government and official support, ensuring investments aren't lost due to unforeseen circumstances. However, in this chaotic world, it includes tangible military strength to deter and resist pirate raids. Without armed protection, doing business on the sea can easily result in financial ruin.

By negotiating here, William was akin to choosing an office adorned with photos of government leaders, with the dead body hanging on the wall serving as a testament to his power.

Since the gunshot, the commotion outside had intensified, with shouts and cries faintly drifting in through the shattered window.

"Alright," Sherlock, though bold in business matters, was not like William, who had once lived the pirate life. He reluctantly held the handkerchief to his mouth and nose, muffling the stench, and spoke in a subdued tone, "Your idea is good, but from product transport to local sales, I'll handle the most critical and dangerous aspects. Building a sales network from scratch isn't easy, so the leadership..."

Sherlock's words were interrupted by the nearby cries of battle, seemingly coming from just outside the door, causing him to glance at it uncertainly.

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