Pirates' Magic Odyssey: Unveiling Eight Skills At The Beginning - Chapter 15

Two months passed swiftly.

White clouds floated leisurely, sea birds occasionally took flight.

Five warships parted the white waves, galloping along the Grand Voyage.

These five warships were slightly smaller in size than regular warships which served as training ships for naval academy students. They were 19.5 meters long, 7.95 meters wide, with a draft of 3.35 meters, a displacement of 180 tons, and were equipped with 10 artillery guns.

In terms of combat power alone, these five training ships were probably not as strong as some large pirate crews.

However, out of adversity comes strength. These training ships were lightweight and agile, faster than ordinary warships.

As Yang Ming stepped onto the deck, he could clearly sense the complex gazes of his fellow students.

Humans are a peculiar bunch. When you’re too outstanding and stand out from the crowd, your peers might ostracize you. Yet, when you leave everyone far behind, you not only avoid envy and jealousy but also gain admiration.

During the grueling two months of hellish training, a small portion of students couldn’t bear the immense pressure and chose to drop out of the naval academy. More students gritted their teeth and persevered.

Among the students who remained, there would always be a few who excelled.

Even among this exceptional group, Yang Ming’s brilliance was hard to hide.

High-intensity physical training, swordsmanship, martial arts, marksmanship—no matter the training regimen, Yang Ming consistently ranked at the top.

It was hard to fathom that this child seemed to possess boundless energy.

Under the brutal training during the day, most students were so exhausted they couldn’t lift a finger, yet Yang Ming was an exception, training even at night.

The students’ attitude towards Yang Ming gradually shifted from hostility to admiration.

Nowadays, many students consider Yang Ming their role model, striving to excel like him.

Ignoring the gazes of others, Yang Ming went straight to Chief Instructor or Zeff.

In Commander Zeff’s hands was a wanted poster.

The poster depicted a young man with a sharp-nosed, monkey-cheeked face, sporting a peculiar fox-like hairstyle with high-raised chin and a slightly arrogant gaze.

Silver Fox Falksey, bounty: 24 million Berries.

Simultaneously, he was the target for the practical combat exercise.

Seeing Yang Ming approach, perhaps because Commander Zeff had concluded that Yang Ming was related to Garp’s illegitimate child. A thought arose in his mind to test Yang Ming’s knowledge. He asked, “Yang Ming, do you know why I’ve chosen Silver Fox Falksey as the target for this practical combat exercise?”

The naval academy was quite closed off in terms of internal information, making this a seemingly unanswerable question for regular students

Fortunately, the naval academy had a day off every Sunday. Allowing Yang Ming to frequently communicate with Garp.

As a high-ranking naval officer, Garp shared even a snippet of information that leaked between his fingers, providing valuable intelligence.

Not to mention, Garp intended to groom Yang Ming into a future high-ranking naval officer. He often delegated his unfinished tasks to Yang Ming, allowing him to gain insights into the current situation amidst the sea of books and documents.

Yang Ming pondered for a moment. He had once come across a dossier that reported multiple instances of pirate crews disappearing collectively in the waters of the Grand Voyage, coinciding with the area these training ships were headed to.

If not for Commander Zeff’s question, Yang Ming wouldn’t have connected these two incidents. He now felt there was a hidden meaning behind it.

Recalling the original story, Silver Fox Falksey liked to engage in a certain gambling game with other pirate crews, plundering their members and ships, thus growing his own strength.

With this in mind, Yang Ming immediately grasped the situation.

“Could it be that Silver Fox Falksey has been raiding members of other pirate crews in these surrounding waters?”

Upon hearing this, a glint of admiration appeared in Commander Zeff’s eyes.

Rolling up the wanted poster in his hand, Commander Zeff gazed into the vast blue sea ahead and said, “At your age, being able to deduce this intelligence through careful analysis is truly commendable.”

“However, you know only part of the story, not the whole truth.”

“According to the confidential investigation of the Navy Headquarters’ special forces, it’s been discovered that in recent years, Silver Fox Falksey has had close dealings with Donquixote Doflamingo. During the auction in the Sabaody Archipelago, where the Donquixote family holds shares, a batch of pirate slaves was also present.”

“Therefore, the Navy Headquarters now suspects that Donquixote Doflamingo is expanding his business in the underworld again. This is not something the Navy Headquarters wants to see, as we can’t afford to bear the cost of another powerful figure emerging in the New World.”

Upon hearing this, Yang Ming suddenly realized.

A year ago, Doflamingo had cunningly seized Dressrosa by force, gaining control of an entire country. 

Sitting atop his kingdom, Doflamingo was the most powerful among the Seven Warlords of the Sea.

If allowed to continue growing, he could become uncontrollable and even pose a threat to the Navy.

However, due to Doflamingo’s status as a Celestial Dragon and his recognition as a World Government-acknowledged Warlord of the Sea, the Navy couldn’t openly target him. Doing so would be seen as a violation, disrupting the rules of the game and causing unnecessary chaos.

This is why they had taken this action.

Under the guise of a practical combat exercise, they aimed to strike at Silver Fox Falksey, thus clipping Doflamingo’s wings and indirectly putting pressure on Donquixote Pirates, forcing Doflamingo to restrain himself.

One must admit, this plan was quite ingenious.

However, the problem lay in the fact that Yang Ming, familiar with the story’s progression, knew that even when the official story began, Silver Fox Falksey would still be active on the Grand Voyage, only to meet his downfall when facing Luffy.

Moreover, Doflamingo’s underworld operations hadn’t been hindered; on the contrary, they had expanded dramatically. His dealings ranged from the Four Blues to the Grand Line and even into the New World, involving arms, unknown substances, Devil Fruits, human trafficking, and various other transactions.

This meant that while the Navy’s plan was solid in theory, it had faltered in execution. Ultimately leading to their downfall.

A traitor!

There’s a traitor within the Navy Headquarters!

While assisting Garp with his duties, Yang Ming had seen a list of names. Vergo, a member of the Donquixote Family, had joined the Navy Headquarters four years ago. Last year, due to his accumulated merits, he was promoted to the rank of Rear Admiral.

Yang Ming sighed, understanding the cause and effect.

He hadn’t expected that Silver Fox Falksey, a seemingly inconspicuous minor character in the original story, would play such an important role.

Yang Ming hadn’t informed Garp or Commander Zeff about Vergo’s involvement. Without solid evidence, randomly suspecting a Navy Rear Admiral and accusing him of being a traitor could backfire. Vergo might turn the tables and have Yang Ming brought before a military court.

The CP9 organization under the World Government’s control was in charge of apprehending individuals. They wouldn’t show any leniency towards the Navy.

Yang Ming didn’t want to attract the attention of those crazies from CP9. Right now, he just wanted to quietly develop himself.

The five training ships dashed ahead, and nearby pirates scattered in all directions upon spotting the Navy flags flying on the ships.

With a calm gaze, Yang Ming stared at the undulating waves, and the silhouette of a pirate ship gradually emerged on the horizon.

Upon seeing the five training ships, this pirate ship didn’t panic or attempt to flee. Instead, it sailed straight towards them.

A black-and-white skull emblem flew from the main mast of the pirate ship, bearing the personal features of Silver Fox Falksey—a fox-like appearance with red-tipped nose, slit eyes, and fox ears.

As the pirate ship advanced directly toward them, seemingly unafraid of sinking, Commander Zeff’s brows furrowed slightly. He calmly issued orders, maneuvering the five training ships to spread out and avoid the approaching pirate ship.

The Silver Fox Pirates’ ship was larger than the training ships by one or two circles. As it brushed past the training ship beneath Yang Ming’s feet, pirates aboard the ship swung ropes with hooks, swinging over like Tarzan, somersaulting mid-air, landing on the deck and rolling a few rounds to reduce their momentum. One hand drew a gun, the other a sword, and they lunged towards nearby students.

Other pirates extended wooden ladders, one end concealing an iron hook. Once hooked onto a ship, they could momentarily build a makeshift bridge, with a narrow wooden plank accommodating only one foot. A group of pirates, knives in their mouths, ferociously leapt onto the plank, and ready to fight.

Pirates who could rampage on the Grand Voyage were mostly bloodthirsty individuals who had detached themselves from life and death. Their brutal nature was beyond what those sheltered flowers raised in greenhouses could fathom.

Although individual naval students possessed better qualities than these pirates during close combat. Several naval students cried out in pain, sequentially being injured by enemies, and some even had their hands and legs severed.

Pirates, unlike naval students, lacked proper attire, had poor sleep, and wore only faded sailor uniforms. Beneath their tanned skin lay sturdy muscles. Their fighting style lacked discipline but was aimed at the fatal points of naval students.

Eyes, throat, heart, lower regions—what vulnerable points on the human body were, these pirates prioritized targeting. 

Female students were even more embarrassed. They not only endured the lustful gazes of a group of single male pirates but also the verbal pollution from their crude mouths. Amidst battle, they had to avoid being taken advantage of by the enemies. It was hard to imagine how distressing it was.

Being the youngest among the students, Yang Ming soon attracted the attention of three pirates.

“Huh!”

Seeing the lustful glint in the eyes of these three pirates, Yang Ming had no illusions about their intentions.

Drawing his sword slowly from its scabbard, his eyes sharpened instantly.

“Rise and Shine, Time to Hunt!”