Grayza shook her head slightly, a faint smile curving her lips as she spoke quietly,
"I ate a Devil Fruit. That's what caused the change."
"The Paramecia-type— Smooth-Smooth Fruit."
Gawain gave a slow nod, but his eyes lingered on Grayza a while longer, enough to make her face visibly flush. Only then did Gawain finally look away.
He wasn't sure if it was just his imagination.
But from Grayza, he sensed a newfound strength—an awakening, like the one Kuro had found in the heat of battle.
Gawain triggered a scan in his mind. And the evaluation surprised him:
[Name: Grayza]
[Potential: Bronze]
[Rating: Black Iron – Has awakened the true self, seeks absolute power.]
She... awakened?
Bronze potential?
Gawain barely concealed the surprise in his heart. He gave Grayza a slow nod and said,
"It's good you survived."
"Thank you."
Grayza tightened her lips, clearly mustering courage, then stepped forward and presented the ornate treasure chest with both hands. Bowing deeply, he said:
"Mr. Gawain, please grant me the power to protect Raven Harbor."
Gawain looked at the determined young woman before him. He reached out and ruffled Grayza's hair with a faint grin.
"Then from today on, the flag of the Gawain Pirates will fly over Raven Harbor."
"No!"
Grayza shook her head quickly.
"Mr. Gawain, I don't need protection. I need power—enough to protect the people of Raven Harbor, and Jasmine, in these chaotic times."
Gawain blinked, momentarily stunned, then let out a chuckle.
"That's exactly what I meant. By joining my crew, you'll gain the power you're looking for."
"Of course, on the surface, you'll remain the lord of Raven Harbor. We'll just be a pirate crew that happens to operate nearby."
In truth, whether it was the navy, pirates, or nobles paying attention to this region, anyone with a brain could see the link between Raven Harbor and the Gawain Pirates.
But as long as Gawain and Grayza didn't openly acknowledge it, no one would dare press the issue.
After all, with Gawain having already dismantled some of the most powerful pirate crews in the East Blue—and even taken on the navy—he had become the de facto overlord of the sea. A ruler with a base, rules, and order.
In such a scenario, even if some hated Gawain, few truly wished to see his group fall.
Because the next pirate to claim the East Blue might not be as reasonable.
Gawain understood that. So did Grayza.
She nodded, excitement shining in her eyes.
"Then please guide me well—Captain Gawain!"
Gawain returned the nod, then turned to the trembling pirates still on deck.
None dared move. When Gawain's gaze swept across them, they instinctively lowered their heads even further, as if hoping the deck itself might swallow them.
Gone was the bloodthirsty arrogance they had displayed in Raven Harbor.
"Lord Gawain, we surrender!" one cried out. "We're from the Grand Line! We know where Hanafuda's treasure is!"
"I know his base of operations—his entire network!"
"Spare us! We'll tell you everything!"
Faced with the looming threat of death, they betrayed Hanafuda in an instant.
But Gawain's eyes turned cold.
"If you could betray Hanafuda that easily," he said softly, "then you could betray me just as easily."
Silence fell like a guillotine.
A suffocating pressure bore down on the deck. Even breathing became a struggle.
One pirate dared glance up—only to see no mercy in Gawain's eyes.
"And as captain, I owe an explanation to the brothers you killed in Raven Harbor—and to the cat brothers you injured."
With that, Gawain bent down, picked up a blade from the deck, and handed it to Grayza.
"Since you've chosen the path of a pirate," he said, his tone unreadable, "since you seek power—then prove it."
"Leave no pirates alive on this ship."
Grayza's hand trembled as she took the blade—but only for a moment.
The memories of Raven Harbor flooded her mind.
She gripped the hilt tighter. Her jaw set.
"Understood."
The words dropped like an executioner's bell.
Before the horrified pirates could react, Grayza stepped forward—and swung.
Swish!
The blade passed cleanly through flesh. No resistance. Smooth, fluid.
After consuming the Smooth-Smooth Fruit, Grayza had mastered its properties. Her body could become frictionless—so could her blade.
It granted her a terrifying cutting edge that even Gawain found impressive.
Warm blood sprayed her face. The slick sensation made her skin crawl—but the revulsion was crushed by hatred and rage.
"She's insane! She's gone mad!"
"Run!"
"We—"
The pirates looked at Grayza, who now attacked like a woman possessed. Their courage crumbled.
They had been broken by the sight of Gawain's power—but Grayza's wrath struck fear into their very souls.
They didn't want to fight. They wanted to flee.
They wanted to escape this cursed ship—escape the East Blue!
For the first time in their lives, they feared this sea.
They scrambled toward the edge of the ship.
Plop!
One pirate jumped into the sea.
And then another.
And another.
Like dumplings dropped into boiling water, they threw themselves overboard.
But their hope was short-lived.
In the distance, flames burst from a smaller pirate vessel.
Boom!
A cannonball screamed through the air and struck a pirate in the water—limbs and blood coloring the sea crimson.
Kuro stood calmly on the deck, gazing into the distance. His voice was cold:
"The captain said no one leaves alive. Did you really think you'd escape that easily?"
Beside him, Nami stood silent. Her lips pressed tightly together as she forced herself to keep watching.
She had long since stopped believing the pirate world was a fairytale.
Blood, slaughter, and plunder ruled this sea.
And among it all, the Gawain Pirates—strangely—remained an anomaly.
But those pirates? They hadn't hesitated when they raised their blades against their own.
Blood could only be repaid in blood.
Her mother's death had taught Nami that cruel truth.
In the firelight...
Grayza stood drenched in blood, her expression as cold as winter steel.
With each strike, her blade grew steadier. Her heart, harder.
As the deck emptied, she turned and stepped into the cabin.
Moments later, screams echoed from within.
When Grayza finally emerged, her entire body was painted in red. She looked almost inhuman—feral.
And yet, there was a strange kind of beauty to it.
She looked at Gawain and asked softly, voice trembling not with fear—but something deeper:
"Captain... do you think the guards felt this much pain when they died?"