One Piece: The True Codex

Both Zeff and Reis were well-acquainted with Dampier's personality, so they paid no mind to his mildly mocking remarks. Though the pirates of the Red-Beard Pirates shot him a few dissatisfied glances, they let it slide. Only Zeff's three subordinates glared menacingly, their eyes darting between Dampier and William.

Dampier hadn't just brought the repeating rifles; he had also introduced new weapons like grenades (fragmentation rounds), the kind typically only seen in Marine arsenals. The fact that Dampier could reverse-engineer such technology was undeniably impressive.

It was worth noting that the East Blue was often considered the weakest sea in terms of pirate activity. Even the Marines stationed here often had outdated equipment compared to their counterparts elsewhere. Yet Dampier's weapons were already more advanced than much of what the East Blue Marines possessed.

Once the weapons were purchased, orders placed, and transport arrangements finalized, the two groups—Reis's crew and Zeff's crew—left the meeting room.

As they passed through the underground bar and approached the restaurant's entrance, both sides maintained an uneasy truce. But as they reached the door and were about to part ways, Zeff's three subordinates suddenly stepped ahead, blocking the exit and signaling for Zeff to leave first.

The Red-Beard Pirates hadn't particularly cared about who exited first, but as pirates living by the blade and among the top crews in the East Blue, they valued their pride above all else. The earlier tension in the meeting room had nearly escalated into conflict, and the underlying animosity between the two groups was palpable. Zeff's subordinates' actions were like a spark igniting fresh hostilities.

This time, the pirate named Harden reacted faster than before. He immediately stepped forward, attempting to shove past Zeff's three subordinates.

At the same moment, as Zeff's men moved to block the door, William squinted at the bustling scene outside the restaurant. His mind raced, and in the next instant, he lunged forward, almost in sync with Harden.

With the rifle Dampier had gifted him still slung across his back and having been the first to step forward in the meeting room earlier, William naturally became the primary target of the Cook Pirates' ire.

One of Zeff's subordinates reached out to push William, unaware that William was eager to escalate the situation. While the Cook Pirates merely wanted to humiliate the Red-Beard Pirates, William aimed to provoke a full-blown brawl at the restaurant's entrance.

William's right hand shot out like lightning, striking the man's wrist with a knife-hand chop. As the man winced in pain and instinctively pulled his arm back, William's fingers extended, his index and middle fingers stabbing directly toward the man's eyes.

William's ruthless move finally caused Zeff, who had been calmly observing, to change his expression. With a light tap of his toe, Zeff's right leg swung like a battle axe toward William, the air cracking with a sharp snap as if a whip had lashed out.

William, however, had been paying close attention to Zeff all along. He knew that the strongest member of any pirate crew was almost always the captain, and Zeff was no exception.

Seeing Zeff's high roundhouse kick coming his way, William, already prepared, quickly retracted his right hand. At the same time, his left hand, gripping the sheath of his scimitar, raised the weapon to his side. His right hand then drew the blade partially from its sheath.

Though William didn't have time to fully unsheathe the scimitar, drawing it halfway was enough. The gleaming blade pointed directly at Zeff's incoming leg. While Zeff's leg techniques were formidable, his legs weren't impervious to blades. He couldn't risk kicking directly into the edge of the sword.

Zeff bent his knee, retracting his lower leg just in time to avoid the blade. Twisting his hips, he shifted from a side-facing stance to face William head-on. His right leg then shot out again, transforming the roundhouse kick into an upward snap kick, his leg snapping forward like a spring-loaded blade aimed at William's chin.

William tilted his head back just in time, narrowly avoiding the kick. Even so, he felt a sharp pain on his lips as the wind from Zeff's leg grazed them, leaving a small cut.

But such a minor injury was hardly enough to deter William. Bending his knees, he crouched low and swept his leg toward Zeff's supporting left leg.

Zeff sneered, unimpressed. His airborne right leg pivoted mid-air for the third time, bending at the knee and striking downward with his heel. The blow landed squarely on William's back, accompanied by a whistling sound as it cut through the air.

Blood trickled from the corner of William's mouth, but his expression remained unchanged. Using the force of Zeff's kick, he rolled forward, swiftly repositioning himself behind Zeff without missing a beat.

Zeff's face darkened. Before he could create distance, there was a sharp swish as William sprang up from the ground, scimitar fully drawn and slashing toward Zeff's neck.

The strength of both Zeff and William far exceeded that of the other pirates present. It wasn't until this moment that the rest of the pirates reacted. The sharp clicks of firearms being cocked echoed as Zeff's three subordinates simultaneously drew their pistols, aiming at William's vital points. The Red-Beard Pirates quickly followed suit, drawing their own weapons and aiming at Zeff's crew.

But just as William's blade touched Zeff's skin, he stopped. With a flick of his wrist, the blade traced a half-circle around Zeff's neck before coming to rest against his throat.

In mere moments, the restaurant entrance had devolved into a tense standoff. Zeff, caught off guard, hadn't expected to be subdued by a seemingly reckless young pirate. Now, with guns pointed in every direction, a single misstep could lead to a bloodbath.

"Well, old man, now tell me—between the two of us, who's more likely to die first?" William asked, licking the blood from his lips with a grin, utterly unfazed by the guns aimed at him.

Zeff tilted his head slightly, causing the blade to nick his neck and draw a thin line of blood. He didn't even blink. "Kid, you've got some skill, but don't you think you hold grudges a little too tightly?"

"Stolt, kill him!" came a low, commanding voice. Reis, whose expression had been shifting since the fight began, finally spoke. His eyes gleamed as he looked at William and Zeff, issuing the order without hesitation.

Hearing this, Zeff chuckled. "Go ahead, kid. If you strike, my men will open fire. I'm an old fox, you're just a young pup. I've lived far longer than you. Trading one life for another? Doesn't seem like a bad deal to me."

Zeff's words weren't just for William. His three subordinates, hearing their captain's declaration, grew even more resolute. Any trace of hesitation vanished from their faces.

William cast a deep glance at Reis. The three Cook Pirates holding guns showed no signs of trembling. Even with their captain in danger and guns pointed at their own vital points, they remained composed. Though their combat skills seemed lacking compared to William's, their psychological fortitude was undeniably remarkable.

These weren't the same kind of cannon fodder pirates William had encountered before, like those he had killed while rescuing Sherlock. At such close range, and with his injuries, William couldn't guarantee he could evade all three elite marksmen unscathed.

Reis's plan was clear: sacrifice a pawn like William in exchange for Zeff, the captain of the Cook Pirates. It was a calculated trade, one that made perfect sense. But William wasn't a loyal, naive pawn of the Red-Beard Pirates. His goal had already been achieved—the commotion had drawn attention. The growing unrest in the street and the restaurant was evident. In the distance, a scream rang out. Witnessing the clash between two groups of burly men who seemed like pirates, the nearby residents had begun fleeing in panic.

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