"I didn't expect him to still be such a money-grubber…"
Gawain's mouth twitched slightly.
In truth, just from the name alone, he had already confirmed the identity of the man speaking to him—Van Augur, the sniper captain of Blackbeard's third ship in the original story.
The Supersonic—Van Augur.
When it came to sniping, Van Augur stood at the very top. That much was undeniable.
This was especially clear during the later battle against Cracker. Though Aokiji, the former Navy Admiral, had played the central role in that conflict, what left people truly speechless was the moment Van Augur one-shot a cookie soldier.
And that's no small feat—those constructs could withstand blows from Luffy in Gear Fourth.
In other words, the destructive force Van Augur displayed in that shot was equivalent to that of a Navy Vice Admiral's single strike. Even Gawain, as he was now, would have no choice but to run if he ever stood in the line of that fire.
Judging from that alone, Van Augur's combat potential was easily at a silver-tier level—perhaps even gold.
Gawain would be lying if he said he wasn't tempted. Recruiting a top-tier sniper had always been part of his plan, and from every angle, Van Augur was qualified.
"Hey, try not to die."
"Alala~"
Van Augur gave a weak chuckle.
"That might be a bit too much to ask."
"But if the reward is worth it, I might just survive—!"
Gawain's eyelid twitched.
"Then you'd better die."
"Hey, hey, hey, saying that to a wounded man… Isn't that going too far no matter how you look at it?!"
Van Augur's voice weakened. Just as he tried to continue speaking, his face flushed red, and he coughed up a large mouthful of blood.
He glanced down at his chest. Two deep, crisscrossing wounds had nearly torn him apart.
Not only was the skin shredded, but the bones beneath and even his internal organs had taken damage. He was already at death's door.
"So this is how I go? Pathetic…"
His vision blurred as dizziness swept over him—a sure sign of extreme blood loss. With the last of his strength, he managed to warn them:
"They left after getting what they came for… Not even this storm could keep them. Looks like they're planning to cross the Red Line into the Grand Line."
"Oh, right—one of them… no, both of them were Zoan-type Devil Fruit users."
"Strong. Ridiculously strong."
"I've never seen pirates this powerful in the East Blue."
"When you go after them… be prepared."
Gawain's lips curled into a sly grin. He glanced at Seikō Masamune lying on the table and muttered:
"Perfect. I've been feeling invincible lately anyway."
He added casually, "Also, if you're short on money, I can point you to a lucrative opportunity… that is, assuming you live long enough."
Van Augur's spirit immediately lifted.
"If you're talking money, then I'm suddenly wide awake!"
Gawain stared at him wordlessly for a moment, then ignored the chatter, hung up the transponder snail, and turned his focus to the looming threat.
His expression darkened.
"Looks like my name still doesn't carry enough weight. Even the strays of the Grand Line think they can touch what's mine."
"They must be tired of living."
As the words dropped, Gawain grabbed Seikō Masamune from the table, pushed open the door, and strode toward the port.
At that very moment, news of the attack on Raven Harbor had spread throughout Para Island.
The initial shock quickly turned into seething rage.
"How long has it been since the captain made his name known? And someone dares to attack us?!"
"With the captain's temper, even if he has to chase them into the Grand Line, he'll wipe them out!"
"This time, the captain's blade will taste blood again!"
"But… just how strong is the captain now?"
"Who could possibly say?"
…
Amid the rising noise of the crowd, Kuro and the other core members stood silently at the port, awaiting Gawain's command.
To them, Raven Harbor wasn't just an outpost—it was their territory now. And to pirates, what their enemies had done wasn't just provocation.
It was an act of war.
A war that could only be answered in blood.
As everyone stood in tense silence, the sound of hurried footsteps rang out from the distance—
Tap.
Tap.
Tap.
All eyes turned toward the tall figure approaching with firm, deliberate steps.
Gawain passed through the crowd, stepped up to the pirate flag's pole, and reached out to grasp it.
The flag—a round shield emblazoned with a skull—fluttered in the wind, crackling softly as a solemn atmosphere spread across the port.
He turned toward his crew and spoke in a low, steady voice.
"Let me make this clear."
"Raven Harbor was chosen as a retreat—for our comrades."
"For those too injured to fight… for those who can no longer keep up… to live in peace. To live well."
"But now, someone has laid hands on what's ours. Do you accept that?"
A thunderous roar erupted from the crowd.
"NO!"
"NO!"
"NO!!"
The voices boomed like rolling thunder.
Over time, as the pirates had worked more closely with Raven Harbor, their quality of life had improved dramatically.
More and more of them had come to understand what Raven Harbor truly represented—it was the sanctuary Gawain had prepared for those who couldn't walk the path anymore.
Though no one spoke it aloud, they all carried that recognition in their hearts.
To strike at Raven Harbor wasn't just a blow to their resources.
It was an attack on Gawain's vision—his devotion to his people.
Not even the Navy or the nobility would do such a thing for their own men.
"Captain! Let me go! Even if I die, I'll rip a piece of flesh from those bastards!"
One pirate's eyes turned bloodshot, but those around him refused to back down.
"I'm going! I'm stronger than he is!"
"How dare they trample the captain's work—cut off our last refuge!"
"Those sons of bitches!"
…
The mood quickly turned volatile. A murderous fire burned in everyone's eyes.
Kuro glanced around, his mind drifting to past memories.
From Jango to the Cat Brothers… to Gin, Zoro, and Sanji—Gawain seemed to have some mysterious power. A power that made everyone who followed him wholeheartedly believe in him.
Even he himself—
Damn it.
I want to overthrow this guy and become the captain!
Kuro shook his head hard, trying to dispel the dangerous thoughts—only to catch Gin's suspicious gaze.
"What?"
"Nothing. Just thinking about how to gut those bastards."
Gin looked away, fingers tightening around his iron cane. Zoro, standing nearby, did the same with his swords.
Seeing the morale fully stoked, Gawain began issuing orders.
"Zoro, you—no, forget it. Gin, take a ship to Raven Harbor. Keep the peace there and make sure no one else takes advantage of the chaos."
"Yes!"
Gin responded without hesitation.
Zoro frowned.
"Oi, oi, Captain… what do you mean by 'forget it'?"
Gawain gave him a flat look.
"A man who walks off the runway at 50 meters shouldn't be thinking about leading a team."