The scar-faced pirate leader escorted William to the captain's cabin, flanked by four burly pirates armed with blades, ensuring he didn't act out of line.
William obediently followed them into the cabin, even when one of the pirates gave him a shove; he didn't seem to mind.
Inside the captain's cabin, there were only two individuals. One was a man with a rugged face and dirty dreadlocks, whose pirate nature was obvious at first glance. William dismissed him immediately and instead focused on the one who matched Tony's description of Sherlock.
This was their first meeting. Sherlock, about the same age as William, had a noticeably paler complexion and a slighter build compared to William, who had gained a rugged and heroic look from years of pirate life and sword training.
Sherlock's short black hair was messy, perhaps from captivity, and his high-quality suit, evident from the fine fabric, was worn haphazardly with its collar undone, sleeves rolled up, and wrinkled all over.
While William observed Sherlock, Sherlock, too, scrutinized William, his expression visibly tense, which made William smirk inwardly.
The pirate leader, sitting behind the captain's desk and monitoring Sherlock, stood up. Once everyone was inside, he bluntly asked, "Where's the money?"
William's lips curved into a smirk as he raised the briefcase in his hand.
"You've seen the man," the scarred pirate who led the way said, glancing at Sherlock to confirm he was unharmed. He then gave William a glare before reaching out to grab the briefcase.
But William acted faster, tossing both briefcases onto the captain's desk.
Bang! Bang!
The two briefcases, filled with hefty sums of money, landed with heavy thuds, stacked one on top of the other. The one William had opened earlier was placed on top, directly in front of the pirate leader.
The pirate leader, visibly excited, scratched his dreadlocks before eagerly opening the top briefcase.
Bundles of tightly packed Berries filled the case to the brim, the sight seemingly glinting with gold in his eyes. Though he knew it was just an illusion, he couldn't help but whistle in delight. Grabbing a few bundles for inspection, he found them authentic and then moved the briefcase aside to open the next one.
As if enchanted, all the pirates in the cabin were drawn to the money.
When the pirate leader's hands touched the second briefcase, William's hands gripped the wrist of the pirate next to him, who was holding a blade.
The pirate leader opened the second briefcase with gleaming eyes, only to be greeted by its contents—not more bundles of Berries, but stacks of freshly printed newspapers, still smelling of ink.
The pirate leader froze, then erupted in fury as realization dawned. Slamming the briefcase shut with a loud bang, he roared, "Kill him!"
Meanwhile, William had already acted. Taking advantage of the distraction, he deftly disarmed the pirate beside him with a swift technique, "Disarm Without Blade."
**Bang!** The briefcase slammed shut under the pirate leader's wrath.
**Thud!** The pirate hit the floor as William took him down effortlessly.
The disarmed pirate lay dazed on the ground, while his scimitar had somehow ended up in William's hand.
William sneered at the fallen pirate. "Can't even hold a blade—how dare you call yourself a pirate?"
By the time the pirate leader's furious roar echoed through the room, the other three pirates beside William had recovered and swung their weapons at him.
But William, gifted with **Lightning Reflexes** and armed with the advanced techniques learned from the Isshin Dojo, found their attacks sluggish and riddled with flaws. They relied purely on brute strength, using only a fraction of their potential power.
Timing his move perfectly, William sidestepped, raised his blade in a parry, and deflected all three attacks in one fluid motion.
In this world of extraordinary individuals, knowledge like Koshiro's "Isshin Style," which enhanced combat abilities, was as valuable as military technology in William's previous life. Facing these pirates was akin to modern armies fighting untrained militias with outdated weapons—an outcome determined from the start.
William used a combination of parrying and redirection to open up their defenses. His year of rigorous training, combined with real combat experience, allowed him to exploit their weaknesses seamlessly. Their own strength became their undoing as they left themselves vulnerable.
With precise and minimal movements, William executed three swift strikes—stab, flick, and slice. The three pirates fell simultaneously, blood seeping from one's chest, another's jaw, and the last's throat.
Even Koshiro himself would applaud William's flawless execution—not for overwhelming strength, but for his masterful technique.
Swordsmanship was never about brute force but about refined skill, and William had demonstrated that perfectly.
By now, the scarred pirate leader, who had brought William to the cabin, fumbled to draw his blade. But William, only sparing him a glance, moved with such speed and precision that the man was incapacitated before he could react, the scimitar piercing his vital spot.
The pirate leader, horrified by the swift defeat of his four subordinates, could hardly believe his eyes—it felt like a nightmare.
As William dashed toward him, the leader frantically hurled the newspaper-filled briefcase at him and took two steps back, pulling a flintlock pistol from his pocket.
With a single stroke, William's blade sliced through the briefcase and newspapers, scattering them like snowflakes in the air. The papers danced around him as he advanced on the pirate leader, who had aimed his pistol directly at William's forehead.
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