OP: Lord of Mischief C13 Foreseeing the future

Augustus stood there, utterly speechless.

For the first time, he had felt like he belonged somewhere. He had planned to grow with the Silver Hook Pirates, to sail with them for years—especially now that he had awakened his system.

And now…

They were disbanding?

Just like that?

It didn’t feel right.

"Disbanding? Why?" Augustus questioned, his voice urgent, almost desperate. He spoke rapidly, as if trying to talk sense into them.

"We’ve been doing well so far! We eat together, drink together, sail together, and we’ve even escaped danger together! Why are we stopping now?"

Silence.

Elias and the others avoided his gaze, their expressions heavy.

The weight of their decision was clear—but no one was willing to be the first to say it out loud.

"Disbanding the Silver Hook Pirates doesn’t make sense!" Augustus roared, his fist slamming against the wooden table beside Matilda’s bed.

The force made several items shake, but no one scolded him.

Because… deep down…

They all felt the same sadness.

Matilda glanced at Elias.

Olf and the others exchanged looks, their faces full of unspoken emotions.

Unlike Augustus, who had been with them for only a month, the rest of the crew had spent years together.

For them, this wasn’t just the end of a group—it was the end of a family.

Elias, feeling the heavy gazes of his crew on him, let out a deep sigh.

With a shake of his head, he finally spoke—his voice carrying both finality and sorrow.

"I’m sorry, kid." Elias’ voice was calm, yet firm. "As much as we wanted to keep going… every journey has its final chapter."

He looked at Augustus, his eyes heavy with experience.

"The story of the Silver Hook Pirates has lasted far longer than you know."

"And today is the last page."

Elias smiled bitterly. "Just like a great story that starts strong and ends sad… this is our ending."

He then added, "There’s a rule in life, Augustus—all things must come to an end. And our crew is no exception."

His words hit hard.

For everyone in the room.

Augustus still wasn’t ready to accept it.

He gritted his teeth, frustration boiling inside him.

"Is this because of Vargo!?" he questioned. "Come on! Didn’t you see what happened? I’ve gained power! We can conquer the sea! We can take wealth, build a name, even become legends—hell, we could aim for the Pirate King’s throne!"

He stretched out his arms, as if presenting the entire world before them.

"Let’s go conquer this sea together!"

The room went silent.

Then—

Laughter erupted.

Matilda, still recovering, groaned as she clutched her stomach, trying not to laugh too hard. "Kid, you’re as hilarious as ever."

"That’s way too ambitious! Hahaha!" Olf chuckled, shaking his head. "You really are something else, Augustus."

Even Elias smiled, amusement flickering in his tired eyes.

Augustus huffed, feeling a bit annoyed by their reaction. "What? You don’t believe me?"

But then—

Elias’ expression softened.

"I believe you."

Augustus froze.

"You do?"

Elias nodded, looking at him with unwavering confidence.

"That’s why…" Elias exhaled deeply, "I want you to go on your own."

The room fell silent again.

"Not because we’re worried about you being with us." Elias continued, his voice steady. "But because we believe you can grow even more—without having to worry about us."

Augustus couldn’t find a response.

Matilda, still smiling, added softly, "That’s right… without us, you won’t have to worry about me almost dying again."

Her playful smirk returned.

Olf chuckled, slapping his chest. "We’re just a bunch of oldies, after all!"

Elias nodded, grinning faintly. "We’re past our prime, kid. Our bodies aren’t what they used to be. We’ve had our time at sea. And now… it’s time for us to rest."

Augustus looked around, taking in the faces of the crew.

They were smiling at him—encouraging him.

Not abandoning him.

But believing in him.

He didn’t even realize when his eyes started to water.

"Oi, oi, kid! Are you crying!? Hahaha!" Matilda teased, pointing at him.

Augustus quickly wiped his eyes, turning his back to them. "Not at all!" he shot back, his voice slightly choked.

He took a deep breath, trying to compose himself.

Then, forcing a mock-serious tone, he muttered, "This is the second time I’ve been kicked out. I’ll remember this."

The crew laughed again, shaking their heads.

Elias and the others watched quietly as Augustus walked toward the door.

No words were needed.

They all felt it.

Sadness.

But also… pride.

As Augustus disappeared through the doorway, Elias exhaled softly, wiping a single tear from his right eye.

"Thank you, kid."

Matilda chuckled, shaking her head. "You really think that kid could conquer the sea? Or were you just trying to make him feel good about our crew disbanding?"

Olf and the others turned to Elias, equally curious.

Elias’ sharp eyes gleamed, a small smirk forming on his lips. "Heh… you guys know me well enough to understand that I’m not a filthy liar like the rest of you."

A burst of laughter filled the room, but soon, curiosity returned.

Could Augustus really conquer the sea?

Elias noticed their intrigue.

"You all know how I can sense danger ahead of time, right?"

Matilda and the crew nodded, recalling Elias’ uncanny ability to foresee threats before they happened.

Then Elias' face grew serious, his expression almost... troubled.

"For the first time…" he murmured, "I felt something different. I sensed the future of Augustus… and it was dangerous."

A bead of sweat formed on Elias' forehead as he continued.

"I saw him… standing before hundreds of fleets—Marines, pirates—it didn’t matter. They surrounded him from all sides…"

Matilda and the others felt a chill crawl up their spines.

"And he was just standing there. Alone."

Silence.

Matilda’s breath hitched. "Was he… was he okay in your vision?"

Elias suddenly grinned, his usual confidence returning. "Would I be smiling if he wasn’t?"

He leaned forward, voice dripping with amusement.

"In fact… in my vision, Augustus wasn’t just standing there. He was laughing. Laughing loudly, like a madman—before wiping out every single fleet surrounding him with a wave of his hand."

Shock rippled through the room.

Eyes widened.

Jaws dropped.

"You’re joking." Olf muttered.

"That’s impossible!" another crew member blurted.

Matilda blinked, completely stunned. "Are you serious?"

Elias simply chuckled. "Believe it or not, that’s what I saw."

He turned away, his back facing them, voice resolute.

"And that’s why I’m confident. Augustus will conquer the sea. My future senses have never failed me before."

Matilda smirked. "Maybe this time, boss." she teased, making the crew burst into laughter.

Meanwhile, Augustus arrived at the makeshift prison where Vargo and his crew were being held.

He crossed his arms, staring down at the defeated pirate with a look of pure condescension.

Vargo sat on the ground, head lowered, his face shadowed.

But the moment he noticed a presence looming over him, he slowly lifted his gaze.

His steely eyes locked onto Augustus.

Then—he snorted.

"Tch. Go away if you don’t want to be killed, kid."