Chapter 47: The new member arrives with a Story
"From the looks of it, you're not his match," Hawkins calmly observed, still displaying an emotionless demeanor.
Lafitte positioned his cane before him and addressed Van Augur politely. "Van Augur, may I inquire about something? You're aware of the name of our crew, the Ethan Pirates, and that's why you're here, correct?"
Van Augur didn't appear to take the question seriously and maintained his indifferent expression. "No, I'm here searching for the 'Legendary ship,' not intentionally. It's safe to say fate brought us together."
At this moment, Ethan didn't engage in any training; instead, he stood with his arms crossed, silently gazing ahead at the sea, lost in thought.
Noticing Ethan's continued presence, the women remained as well. Intrigued by Van Augur's words, they started asking questions.
"Legendary ship?" Carina, always eager for new information, turned her curious gaze and inquired with a smile, "Van Augur, what do you mean by the 'Legendary ship'? It sounds rather impressive."
Perona floated around, giggling like a silver bell, and remarked, "It sounds intriguing to listen to! This princess loves stories like these. Horohorohorohorohoro~"
Nojiko furrowed her beautiful brows as she glanced at Nami, puzzled. "Do we have such a ship in East Blue?"
Nami blinked her large eyes, pondered for a moment, and then shook her head. "I haven't heard of it. Where would you find such a 'Legendary ship'? It's completely unfamiliar."
"It does sound quite extraordinary. Why is this ship so Legendary?" Queen Sweetheart inquired, her face reflecting her anticipation.
Van Augur, remaining silent, ignored the women and made it clear he wasn't interested in engaging with them. For him, women were nothing but trouble, and this attitude wouldn't change even if they became crew members.
Seeing Van Augur's indifference, the girls couldn't help but glare at him in frustration. They hadn't encountered such a rude individual before and were itching to express their displeasure.
However, Van Augur remained unaffected, tapping his pistol casually on his shoulder and maintaining his aloof demeanor. "Great, it seems I've found someone who suits my taste," Burgess exclaimed, clapping Van Augur on the back. "Well done, you're quite the man's man."
"During the captaincy battle, I won't lay a finger on you! Wiiihahahaha..." Burgess proclaimed with a grin.
Doc Q nodded, still sporting his enigmatic smile. "That's right. The captain's favoritism is evident. He doesn't treat us the same way."
Gin furrowed his brow, his expression unyielding, and declared, "You may excel at this, but that won't save you from my retribution. Anyone who dares provoke the captain must face consequences, and that's non-negotiable."
Law cast a cold look at Hawkins and stated in a stern tone, "It seems none of us are particularly interested in women."
Hawkins nodded and replied in a low voice, "Indeed, we all seem rather cold-hearted when it comes to matters of the heart."
Lafitte positioned his cane before him and remarked, "Although I may not favor women, I certainly wouldn't be as callous as some others."
At this moment, Baccarat looked at Ethan and brushed her dark red hair, her eyebrows arching gracefully as she radiated gentleness. "Ethan, I feel fortunate once again."
Reiju blinked her lovely eyes and smiled. "It appears the ship Van Augur mentioned is genuinely intriguing."
Honey Queen nodded in agreement. "If Bacala senses it, it must be real."
Perona, floating in the air, wrinkled her small face and grumbled, "Anyway, this princess won't ask any more questions. Whether you want to share or not, hmpf~~"
"I won't inquire further. Why get upset?" Carina added, her beautiful fair face displaying disdain.
Nami observed Baccarat with interest, her large eyes shining. "Baccarat's luck-based ability is truly remarkable."
Nojiko agreed, saying, "This is the first time I've Seen such ability. It's truly peculiar."
Before Ethan could say anything, Burgess and the others couldn't contain their curiosity. They placed great faith in Baccarat's predictions, as her statements always seemed to come true.
"Van Augur, please, tell us about that mysterious ship," Burgess urged. "Baccarat possesses a Devil Fruit power related to luck, and her statements always seem to come true. So, don't dawdle; share the details."
Doc Q nodded, showing a rare serious expression. "Others may be doubted, but her Devil Fruit power demands belief."
Lafitte, looking at Van Augur, maintained his gentlemanly demeanor. "Since Baccarat vouches for it, good fortune must be at hand. Van Augur, please, share the details. If you don't, it won't be good."
Van Augur glanced lightly at Bacala, his usually serious expression now revealing a surprise. "A Luck-based Devil Fruit user. It's indeed fortuitous to have such a person on board."
"However, that's alright. It seems joining the Ethan Pirates was a twist of fate." Van Augur tapped his shoulder with his gun and spoke calmly. "In my village, there's a story."
"Hundreds of years ago, there was an elderly fisherman in our village. He encountered an enormous ship while out fishing."
"The ship had a peculiar, fish-like appearance and was entirely black. It sailed at an extraordinary speed."
Van Augur continued calmly, "According to the elderly fisherman, it was unlike any other ship he had ever seen in his years of fishing."
"When the elderly fisherman returned to the village, he shared this strange encounter with the villagers, who remembered it for generations."
"However, over time, people tend to forget. Eventually, the villagers forgot about this story."
"It wasn't until a hundred years ago that my ancestors embarked on a business venture at sea and encountered that mysterious ship again."
Van Augur's tone shifted, and he furrowed his brow in confusion. "But this rediscovery left our ancestors astounded."
"The enormous black ship had no visible crew yet sailed at an incredible speed."
"My ancestors, curious and determined to investigate, attempted to follow it. However, they were quickly outpaced, and the ship vanished without a trace."
"Only ten years ago did I, on a coastal breeze, come across this ship once more."
"I observed it through binoculars and confirmed that there was no visible crew. Yet, it sailed at an astonishing speed, vanishing from sight in an instant."
Van Augur tapped his shoulder with his gun again and continued calmly, "I recently set out to search for that ship's trace. That's when I encountered you all."
"It appears to be destiny..."
........................
The scene fell into silence as everyone digested the astonishing news brought by Van Augur. A ship that sailed with no apparent crew, at a speed impossible to catch what could explain this phenomenon?
Carina was the first to break the silence, her beautiful face displaying amazement. "It's incredible, utterly mysterious. Such strange ships exist in this world?"
Perona floated in the air, nodding vigorously with a smile. "Fascinating! This is truly intriguing. We must find this ship; there must be secrets hidden within. Horohorohorohorohoro~"
Nojiko shook her head gently, expressing her bewilderment. "It sounds incredibly strange. What kind of ship could this be?"
Nami, her eyes sparkling, clasped her hands tightly. She wore a smile as she said, "There must be treasure aboard that ship. I'm certain of it!"
Moodie, stroking her pale golden hair, couldn't help but shudder. "Listening to this story sends shivers down my spine. It's so eerie and mysterious."
Honey Queen shrugged helplessly, "Indeed, it does feel eerie as if something ominous lingers."
These women were curious yet somewhat unnerved by the mysterious ship. However, their male counterparts had a different perspective. Initially intrigued, the men lost interest after some consideration.
Burgess dismissed the matter, saying, "I thought it was something significant, but it's just a ship. What's the big deal?"
Gin concurred, speaking indifferently, "Even if there's something unusual about it, it's still just a ship. It's hardly worth discussing."
Law, carrying Kikoku on his shoulders, remained unfazed. "The sea is filled with strange and mysterious things. There's nothing to be surprised about."
Lafitte, however, maintained a more open-minded attitude. "If we can locate it, we should certainly investigate. If not, it's no great loss. After all, treasure doesn't hold much allure for us."
Ethan, folding his hands in front of him, calmly suggested, "Let's stay in East Blue a little longer."
Having already spent some time here, Ethan was reluctant to linger further. He turned and headed to the practice room.
Observing Ethan's departure, the girls also decided to follow suit, leaving behind their conversation as they joined him.
As for the men, they lost interest and shifted their focus elsewhere.
Van Augur had been the center of attention due to his story, and now, it was Burgess's turn to address him. Pounding Van Augur on the shoulder, he praised, "You may be a bit arrogant, but you hit the directional bird on the boat."
Burgess continued to applaud Van Augur's marksmanship. "I've never seen a sharper sniper in all my years. Wiiihahahaha..."
Doc Q, on the other hand, lay back in his chair with his enigmatic smile. "What's so impressive? He's an East Blue native; he's never even heard of Observation Haki."
Law glanced at Van Augur and remarked casually, "If he knew Armament Haki to imbue his bullets, you, a Logia-type user, would be in trouble."
After sharing his thoughts, Law turned away, uninterested in continuing the conversation, and began practicing.
Hawkins, folding up his cards, said in a deep voice, "Without knowledge of Haki, no matter how accurate your marksmanship, your strength is limited."
He headed off to practice, all while calmly asserting, "If he learns Haki and combines it with his sharpshooting skills, he could become exceptionally formidable."
Confused by the talk of Haki, Van Augur had no idea what they meant. With only Lafitte present, he turned to the man for clarification, curiosity lighting up his otherwise serious expression. "Haki, what is that?"
Lafitte, wearing an expression of rare curiosity on his typically solemn face, chose to address Van Augur's inquiry. However, he suggested discussing the topic later. "Let's address this later. When new members join, there are procedures to follow."
With a polite smile, Lafitte continued, "Van Augur, welcome to the Ethan Pirates. I am Lafitte, the vice-captain of the crew."
Just as Lafitte began to speak further, Burgess interrupted him with a boisterous protest. "Lafitte, can you please stop bragging about your position as vice-captain? It's unbearable!"
Doc Q, lying on the chair, maintained his odd smile. "Let him show off. His glory days are numbered. I'm getting more skilled with the Miasma Fruit every day."
Law cast a cold look at Hawkins and made his stance clear. "I believe it's time for us to spar."
Burgess couldn't contain his excitement. "Great idea! It's time for a fight! But one month is too long; we should start tomorrow. The blood in my veins is already boiling! Wiiihahahaha..."
Doc Q disagreed, coughing lightly. "No, my fruit still needs further development, so I'll have to wait."
Gin, his mighty punches filling the air, echoed Burgess's sentiment. "I agree with Trafalgar. One month is ideal."
He expressed his reasoning, saying, "In a month, my strength will have increased, and I can become the captain of the third division."
Gin continued to exude determination. "Give me three months, and the position of vice-captain will be mine!"
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