Two months later.
"Soul King, from my research these past months, Haki and our Spiritual Pressure are very similar. The difference is one draws from the soul, the other from the body."
During these two months, Yamada Hanataro had been exploring Haki while treating Oguro. Now that he had made some progress, he immediately offered his suggestion.
"Soul King, if you want to master Haki, try controlling it the same way you control Spiritual Pressure."
Oguro's eyes lit up. That really was an idea. He looked at Hanataro with clear appreciation. A technician through and through.
Following Hanataro's advice, Oguro adjusted his training. Day after day of pounding on mountains, he felt a power in his body about to break free.
"At most half a month, and I'll master Haki."
Oguro clenched his right fist. Although he had been smashing rocks all afternoon, his palm remained smooth and intact. He knew this was Armament Haki at work. He only lacked the trigger to fully mobilize it.
"Soul King!" Hanataro handed him a towel like a dutiful butler.
Oguro wiped his sweat and casually asked, "Tomorrow's tax day, right? Everything's ready?"
Hanataro nodded. "All set. Per your orders, Ōura and I hunted a dozen prime pelts and sold them when we last shipped to the Aria Islands. With that money, the tax is more than covered."
Oguro nodded, about to say more when Ōura, who had been sent to patrol, appeared in an instant.
"Report to the Soul King!" Ōura dropped to one knee, voice grave. "A pirate ship is approaching the dock!"
Oguro froze. How soon? Another pirate attack already?
Don't assume that in the One Piece world pirates appear every day. There are many islands. Unless an island sits on a major route, it might only meet pirates a few times a year. Otherwise the whole world would be starving.
"Let's go see."
Oguro led the way, using Flash Step to the dock with the other two close behind.
From a hill beside the pier, Oguro watched the pirate ship draw near and his face darkened.
"These greedy bastards!" he swore.
He remembered clearly. The pirate flag was exactly the same as the group from months ago. No doubt it was the fat lord's doing.
The town had just gathered the tax money, even had a little surplus. The fat lord was trying to rob them again. If the villagers couldn't pay tomorrow, they'd be forced to work off debts for the lord. Not slaves in name, but worse than slaves.
A One Piece–style serfdom.
"Soul King, should we stop them?" Hanataro asked. With his power, he could cut them down at the dock.
"No." Oguro shook his head. "Let them pass."
"But Soul King, won't the villagers be in danger?" Hanataro warned.
A cold light flashed through Oguro's eyes. "Even if we kill them all now, the fat lord will just send others later. That pig will never give up this prize. We must solve this once and for all."
The three returned to the town silently. The villagers already knew pirates had come. Many gathered belongings to flee to the woods, but they were intercepted halfway out of town by the pirate gang.
"You stupid fools, you actually try to run!" the leader shouted, kicking one fleeing villager to the ground and slashing a blade into his arm.
The villager screamed in agony. The others went pale and froze.
The pirates did not kill him. After all, these were future laborers for the lord. Killing one meant less profit.
"Alright! Hand over your money, or I'll make you regret it!" the leader roared.
The old mayor stepped forward shaking, begging, "Pirate lord, we just paid. There's nothing left. Please spare us!"
"Looks like I've been too merciful!" the leader sneered.
His blade flashed toward the mayor's head. Old men are useless for work, and killing one would teach the rest a lesson. Though they weren't real pirates, doing this often made them no different.
Villagers screamed as if they saw the mayor about to be drenched in blood. The mayor closed his eyes, despairing and asking why such hateful pirates existed.
Clang.
The expected strike never fell. The mayor opened his eyes to see Ōura in a black shihakushō, Zanpakutō at the ready, blocking the pirate leader's blade with steady strength.
"You lot, why don't you rob the rich instead of harassing the poor?" Oguro walked forward slowly, Hanataro following in step. Though still young, people felt a weight of authority in him.
The pirate leader paused, sneered and took a step back. "Kid, is that your lackey? Do you know what happens if you resist us?"
"Not just you—none of these people will leave alive!" Thirty or so pirates trained their weapons on everyone present.
Oguro replied calmly, "I'm offering you a better choice. The island lord lives not far behind us. If you rob him, you'll get more in one haul than from robbing us ten times over."
The boss's mouth twitched. He knew the fat lord was rich. But that was his boss. How could he rob his own employer?
As he thought of ways to lie his way out, Oguro gave him no time to find an excuse.
"What's this? Pirates too cowardly to take from the wealthy? Or are you and the fat lord hiding something together?"
Those words visibly unsettled the leader. He scrambled to cover, "Of course we'd rob the lord if we could! But now our target is you. Hand over the money or I'll kill you and take it myself!"
He raised his left hand, pulled a pistol from his waist and fired a shot into the sky.