Chapter 7.
After Suzuki had restored some chakra and transformed into the fierce appearance of the pirate captain, he rummaged through the room looking for any useful information.
Unfortunately, it was all treasure, nothing but treasure!
Suzuki had long suspected this; after all, only a few pirates were cultured. Some became pirates to survive and then turned brutal. Others were inherently violent and became pirates. Both types pursued extreme enjoyment, with no other aspirations beyond treasure and beautiful women!
Having found nothing useful in the room, Suzuki picked up the "Devil Fruit" that had fallen on the ground, blew on it, and with a sinister smile, pushed open the door.
"Captain!"
"Boss!"
"Boss!"
"Captain!"
...
Transformed into the fierce pirate captain, Suzuki walked around the pirate ship, retracing his steps until he reached the deck.
Standing at the front of the deck, Suzuki looked grimly at the group of pirates standing there and said in a hoarse voice, "Are you all here?"
The pirates on the deck exchanged glances but dared not speak.
Seeing the sudden silence on the deck, Suzuki's expression darkened as he repeated in a hoarse voice, "I said! Are you all here?"
At this moment, a pirate with dreadlocks stepped forward, trembling as he answered the evidently displeased captain, "C-c-captain, there are still a few in the cabin!"
Hearing that some pirates were not on the deck, Suzuki's face darkened further. He casually pointed at two pirates and ordered, "You! And you! Bring them all here! Remember! Not a single one is to be missing!"
"Yes, boss!"
"Alright, boss!"
The two pirates quickly called the other pirates from the cabin to the deck. The pirates were somewhat puzzled, unable to understand why the captain wanted them all gathered together.
Suzuki looked at the two pirates who had stopped moving and asked in a hoarse voice, "Have they all been called?"
The two pirates, a bit fearful, responded, "Y-yes, boss, but…"
"B-boss, only Elbert is missing because he might be in your room, so…"
Suzuki's expression was dark, but internally he was calmly pondering: 'Thirty-seven pirates? He had casually promised Elbert the second mate position, indicating his high authority on the ship.'
But he wasn't the first mate, which meant there was someone else on board, either deeply trusted or not weak in strength!
'When I was asking questions earlier, the pirates on the deck were all afraid of me, except for that dreadlocked one who stepped forward. Seven pirates came out from the cabin, so the first mate must be among these eight!'
With a gloomy face, Suzuki coldly said to the crowd on the deck, "You don't need to worry about Elbert anymore; he's dead!"
A slight commotion arose among the pirates on the deck: "Elbert is dead?"
"Why? What did Elbert do??"
Upon hearing this news, the bald man who had been with Elbert felt a chill run down his spine! He knew Elbert had come to deliver the Devil Fruit! But why, why would the captain kill Elbert? Was it because of the Devil Fruit?
The bald man even wanted to return to the cabin; the sea breeze on the deck was too strong, making him break out in a cold sweat.
Suzuki noticed the bald man but seemed unconcerned, continuing to gaze at the many pirates on the deck, coldly stating, "Elbert! He killed Aron! He killed one of our own!"
"He unilaterally decided the fate of my crew! that is unforgivable!"
"Now, do you understand why Elbert had to die?" Suzuki turned and stared at the bald man.
The bald man seemed to suddenly realize something but was still in disbelief.
Suzuki pointed at the bald man and continued, "You! Yes! You, come up!"
The bald man pointed at himself, and after confirming it was indeed him, cautiously walked up to Suzuki's side.
Suzuki patted the bald man's shoulder, smiling without sincerity, and said, "However, Elbert gave me something before he died! You know what it is, right?"
The bald man wanted to wipe the cold sweat from his forehead but could only anxiously reply, "Y-yes…"
"So, what is it? Do you know?" Suzuki asked with a smile that wasn't quite a smile.
The bald man trembled slightly, "N-no, I don't know."
At the same time, Suzuki pulled out a fruit from his pocket: "It's the Devil Fruit!"
"Do you see? As long as you eat it, you'll gain power. With power, countless treasures await you, and you can seize any beautiful woman you desire. Your name will echo across the seas! Tell me, do you want it~?"
Many pirates revealed greedy expressions the moment they saw the Devil Fruit, and after hearing the words, an unexpected commotion erupted on the deck.
Soon, a man with dreadlocks cautiously approached Suzuki and asked, "Captain, is that Devil Fruit meant for us to eat?"
Suzuki instantly realized that the man with dreadlocks was probably the so-called first mate. Moreover, it was likely not because of strong abilities that he became the first mate, but rather because of his connections that earned him the position!
If even the first mate was of this caliber, then there shouldn't be any formidable figures among the remaining pirates.
Then, pondering in his mind: 'This punk didn't ask if 'I' wanted to eat the Devil Fruit. This means that the captain of this pirate ship must have had Devil Fruit powers before, but I don't know what kind of power he had.'
Thoughts raced through his mind as he saw many greedy and eager eyes on the deck. Suzuki's smile deepened, and he confidently replied, "Yes, I plan to give it to one of you!"
Then, before the crowd could express their surprise, he loudly added, "But!"
"You must make me feel that this priceless Devil Fruit will not be wasted on some worthless fool!"
"Remember! A treasure must be matched by the worthiness of the person who possesses it!"
After saying that, Suzuki stared at the dreadlocked man and asked in a hoarse voice, "Which pirate crews are nearby? Report their bounties from highest to lowest!"
Although this dreadlocked first mate was not strong, he had some ability to earn the captain's trust, such as having a good memory.
He didn't know why Suzuki was asking these questions, but it didn't matter as long as he could please the captain.
Thinking this, the dreadlocked man immediately replied with a flattering smile, "Captain, I know of seven nearby pirate crews! The Octopus Pirate Crew, their captain is Jack Jeb, who can turn into an octopus and spray black ink, with a bounty of 23 million Berries! It's said he once destroyed a small town all by himself in the West Sea!"
"And then there's the Bone Spike Pirate Crew, their captain is Arion, a sword-wielding guy, with a bounty of 18 million Berries! They just arrived here not long ago and haven't heard of any specific deeds."
"…"
"Lastly, there's the Blood Hammer Pirate Crew, their captain is Nigel Braun, a strongman with a bounty of 8.5 million Berries!"
After listening, Suzuki made a decision. Looking at the many pirates on the deck, they all looked at him with eager expressions, standing tall and proud.
So he said decisively, "Now! Immediately! Find me the Blood Hammer Pirate Crew!"
"I've chosen an easy opponent for you!"
"As long as you can swiftly deal with that group of fools, and as long as someone performs to my satisfaction in this battle, this Devil Fruit will belong to him!"
"So, now! Immediately! Find me the Blood Hammer Pirate Crew! Then, crush them!"
The pirates on the deck responded excitedly, "Aye! Aye! Captain!"
Tl|N : If you see any mistake 😔, let me know in the comments so I can edit them..