One Piece: Gawain The Knight Of The Sun

Kuro's demand was, unsurprisingly, impossible.

Barring extraordinary factors like Devil Fruits, even the best doctors must follow basic biology.

Without Kuro, the Bronze-potential asset, Gawain's daily experience gains returned to expected levels.

Stable at twenty to thirty points.

Seeing the numbers, Gawain fell into thought.

Kuro alone, at Bronze level, provided over ten points daily.

This meant two Bronze-potential crew members could match the output of over a hundred Black Iron pirates whose potential wasn't yet exhausted.

The gap between individuals was one thing, but the bigger issue was that an oversized crew became a burden in this scenario.

Especially with Gawain's plan to head to the Grand Line.

Hundreds of crew members meant massive daily consumption—food, water, medical supplies, ammunition—an enormous figure.

The supplies on the stolen warship, enough for a hundred men for a month, dwindled to ten days' worth after absorbing the Black Cat Pirates.

With dozens of wounded, medical resources were already depleted.

"Before heading to the Grand Line, securing a Warlord title, and establishing a stable base…"

"An elite team like the Straw Hats, Red-Haired, or Roger Pirates suits my abilities best."

"One Bronze-potential Kuro matches seventy or eighty Black Iron pirates, with a far longer yield cycle."

"Not to mention future Silver, Gold, or even Legendary potential recruits."

With this, Gawain made his decision.

Once his plans progressed, he'd recruit a few high-potential crew members, streamline the team into an elite unit of at least Bronze potential, then enter the Grand Line.

For the pirates whose potential was tapped out, staying in the East Blue—backed by Gawain's strength and their own decent skills—would let them scrape by.

But the crew's resource consumption outpaced his expectations. Three days later, food and medical supplies ran critically low.

In the captain's cabin, Gawain and his officers gathered, faces grim.

"Captain, we have enough food for five days—barely enough to reach our base on Pala Island. But medical supplies and ammunition there are long gone," Jango reported gravely. Unlike the cold-hearted Kuro, he couldn't bear to watch their men die in agony.

The Nyaban Brothers nodded. Seeing Gawain's silence, they urged, "Many of these men are your trained elites. Letting them die like this is a waste."

Gawain raised a hand for silence, turning to Kuro. "Do you have reliable supply channels?"

Kuro nodded. "Our arms and medical supplies came from Harbin Jack at Raven Port."

"But he ran into trouble recently and was just bailed out from the Marines. I suspect it's a trap."

"No matter," Gawain said, unshaken. "If the Marines reach, we cut their hands off!"

Kuro pushed up his glasses, a slight smirk forming.

Gawain's response was expected—only such boldness matched his terrifying talent and monstrous strength.

Jango and the Nyaban Brothers exchanged glances, exhaling in relief.

Their eyes on Gawain held not just fear but newfound respect.

Captains willing to go this far for their crew were rare.

The next day, the fleet split.

The Black Cat Pirates' three ships, led by the Nyaban Brothers and Jango, carried the wounded and non-combatants back to Pala Island.

Gawain, with Kuro and a ship of elite pirates, sailed the warship to Raven Port.

The warship still had Marine uniforms and Morgan's attire.

Gawain ordered his crew to don the Marine gear, while he slipped into Morgan's resized uniform. Instantly, the pirates transformed into a Marine crew.

With his striking features, Gawain in a Major's uniform radiated an upright aura.

No one would doubt he was a Marine.

Kuro's lip twitched. If Gawain weren't captain, he'd suspect him of being a Marine spy.

"You as a pirate is the Navy's loss," Kuro said, half in awe.

Gawain's expression flickered, but Kuro dropped the topic.

Dressed as a Marine Lieutenant, Kuro's refined look and grim aura almost passed for respectable.

"Perfect," Gawain said, clapping Kuro's shoulder. "We look more Marine than most actual Marines."

Kuro smirked. "Yes, sir!"

…

Meanwhile, near Raven Port.

A fleet of nearly twenty pirate ships anchored in a bay.

After confirming no one tailed them, Admiral Krieg, clad in golden armor with short purple hair, stepped onto the deck of the central dreadnought.

He raised binoculars, eyeing the distant port.

Even miles away, he saw countless merchant ships loaded with goods from the Four Seas and Grand Line.

A hub of prosperity.

Greed glinted in Krieg's eyes as he studied a sea chart. "Raven Port is a key stop for East Blue merchants, with no nearby Marine base. Control it, and we hold the throat of dozens of nearby cities."

"We could sit back and rake in Berries daily."

"Then I'll build an invincible fleet—unstoppable even on the Grand Line!"

A gaunt man with a striped headband, ghostly in appearance, approached Krieg. "Captain, what's my role?"

"Same as always, Gin," Krieg grinned wickedly. "Infiltrate Raven Port as Marines, neutralize resistance, and we'll take it from the inside out."

"Yes, sir," Gin nodded. "But the warship we stole has issues. It'll need a few days to fix."

Krieg frowned. "Hurry. Delays breed trouble—no one knows what could happen."

"Yes, sir!"

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