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Noir quickened his pace, his sword slashing wildly, sending deadly waves of sword energy that left his enemies either dead or seriously injured.
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The pirates could no longer hold back the increasingly frenzied Noir. York, in the crowd, looked terrified as he stepped back, clearly planning to abandon his comrades and escape.
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Frowning, Noir thrust his sword forward and slashed through the pirates blocking his path before slashing at York.
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York, stunned, managed to draw his fine sword to block the attack.
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A powerful force passed through the blade, causing York''s hand to tremble in pain and nearly causing him to drop his weapon.
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Seizing the opportunity, Noir kicked York, sending him flying, and quickly snatched the fine Pure Heart sword from his grasp.
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Holding his new prize, Noir''s eyes gleamed with excitement and he grinned broadly.
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This trip was worth it - he got both money and a fine sword!
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Pure Heart was a long sword, and despite Noir''s height and arm length, it still felt a bit mismatched. But with his rapid growth, it wouldn''t be long before he could use it perfectly.
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The sword had a snow-white blade with green patterns etched into it. It was heavy and fit Noir''s aesthetic perfectly.
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"A fine sword, and now it''s mine!" Noir said, satisfied.
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York, coughing blood and looking desperate, didn''t care that the boy had taken his sword. From their brief exchange, he could tell that their strengths were not on the same level.
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Known for his cautious nature, York decided to flee. He could always find another place to raid.
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But Noir was here for York''s head and wouldn''t let him get away.
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"Trying to run? Let''s test this new sword!" Noir stopped smiling, sheathed his old sword and held Pure Heart with both hands, aiming at York''s retreating back.
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Noir shot forward like an arrow, quickly catching up to York and slashing at his back with Pure Heart.
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A flash of green light mixed with blood split York''s back open, spurting blood.
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York fell into a pool of blood with a hideous scream, quickly becoming a lifeless corpse.
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"Our captain is dead?!"
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"How is that possible? How could York..."
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"This boy is a devil! A devil!"
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The psychological pillar of a pirate crew is its captain. When the pirates saw Noir easily break through their defenses and kill their leader, they panicked.
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Their terrified screams spread fear among the pirates, and many fled without even retrieving their captain''s body.
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Noir looked sympathetically at York''s body and said, "It seems you weren''t very important to your subordinates. No one even stayed with you."
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If York could hear him, he would undoubtedly curse Noir with tears of frustration.
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Meanwhile, the fleeing pirates had forgotten about their leader. One pirate suddenly said, "There''s a lot of treasure in York''s treasury. Since he''s dead, why don''t we share it?"
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At the thought of York''s accumulated wealth, the pirates'' eyes reddened with greed, and they happily agreed and headed for the treasury.
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But when they found the treasury, they were stunned.
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Why was it empty? Not a single coin was left!
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Even a rat would have left something behind!
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As they stood there in shock, a pirate ran over and shouted, "There''s a ship on the shore! The bastards on that ship have taken all our money!"
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"What?!" The pirates, furious, drew their weapons and rushed to the shore.
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That devil boy might be too strong for them, but they could still deal with those thieves!
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On the ship, Nami happily instructed Kaede and Naomi to organize the stolen treasures.
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Using her unique "treasure sense," Nami quickly found York''s hiding place and emptied it.
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Had Kaede and Naomi not dragged her away, she would have dismantled and packed the gilded door as well.
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Nami''s eyes sparkled with joy at the sight of the treasure-laden ship.
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She loved berries and shiny things the most!
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"Damn thieves! Give us back our money."
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"Cowards! Come down and fight!"
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"Give it back!"
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Nami, drooling with joy, snapped out of her daze at the approaching shouts.
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"Not good, the pirates are coming! Let''s go!"
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Nami''s face turned pale as she ordered Kaede to set sail quickly.
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Kaede hesitated, "But Master isn''t back yet!"
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"Ah..." Nami was worried, but she quickly spotted Noir on the shore, excitedly shouting, "Brother, hurry! We took all their money!"
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Noir, standing on the shore with York''s head wrapped in a black cloth, sympathized with the pirates.
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In one day, they lost their leader and their money...
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So pitiful...
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But why was there so much money on his ship?
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Noir realized what was happening from Nami''s screams and muttered, "That girl is always making trouble!"
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Noir gracefully jumped onto the ship. Nami said excitedly, "Look, brother! We got so much money!"
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Noir wanted to scold her, but he couldn''t bring himself to do so with her glowing, excited face.
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"York is taken care of and we have the money. Forget the small fry. Let''s go!" Noir ordered.
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Kaede and Naomi replied excitedly, "Yes, Master!"
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The pirates, seeing the murderer of their captain and the thieves together, were devastated.
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Who were these bandits?
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Seeing the desperate pirates, Noir felt even happier.
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But when he saw Nami celebrating with Kaede and Naomi, he thought.
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The Arlong story had changed, but Nami still loved berries and stole them.
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Could it be... Nami''s nature?