[RLOP] Chapter : 11 - Pirates are Righteous

Wano Country was not merely a name on a map but a land unlike any other—an isolated fortress of cliffs and roaring waterfalls, cut off from the outer seas.

Beyond those treacherous ascents lay the inner sea, cradling Wano’s main island and the ominous shadow of Onigashima.

The island itself was divided into six regions: Kuri, Kibi, Udon, Ringo, Hakumai, and at its heart—the Flower Capital.

It was in Hakumai, at Blade Port, where Lucci chose to make landfall.

“Look! The Beast Pirates’ flag!”

“They must be heading to the Flower Capital—to see the new courtesan, right?”

“Eh? Really? But I heard she’s only twelve… and has horns like a demon!”

“Tch. Big deal. The old lords never cared if their women looked like lizards.”

“Besides, if she became a courtesan at twelve, that only proves she’s beautiful. Demon or not—that’s exotic charm!”

“Hiss~ good point.”

“Enough gossip. Back to work. We still need today’s wages. Those damn samurai already seized all my family’s food stores—now this is all we have left to live on.”

“They seized it? Ha, that’s just robbery with a fancy name.”

“Exactly. Samurai, pirates… they’re all the same scum in the end.”

The Beasts Pirates’ ship stirred a wave of noise in the otherwise lifeless Blade Port. But the excitement quickly faded.

For Wano’s common folk, who lived one hungry day at a time, no passing flag or rumor could numb the weight of survival.

The glory of samurai or the romance of pirates—those were illusions. What was real were the hungry children at home, the sick parents in bed, and the wives waiting for husbands who might never return.

“Big Brother Lucci, should we head to the Flower Capital first—or crush the rebel samurai directly?”

Jack stepped forward after disembarking, bowing low. Beneath his towering frame, his eyes burned with reverence for Lucci, eager to prove himself.

Lucci’s gaze drifted over the thin, malnourished porters nearby. Adjusting the brim of his tall felt hat, he replied coolly,
“Of course, we deal with what’s right in front of us.”

“In front of us?” Jack followed his leader’s gaze, his eyes widening as realization struck.
“I understand, Big Brother! They’re an eyesore, aren’t they? Don’t worry—I’ll slaughter them all right now!”

Steel rang as Sasaki loosened the blade at his hip. Ulti and Page One’s faces lit with excitement, and behind them more than a hundred pirates sharpened their hungry gazes upon the crowd.

To them, the civilians were nothing but sheep fattened for slaughter. Wolves that owed Lucci everything, they were eager to hunt—eager to prove their loyalty by staining their blades.

The hiss of steel being drawn filled the air.

Only Yamato, chained to Lucci by the wrist, let out a frustrated sigh.
'He rants about “evil samurai,” but look at him—he’s the real villain!'

'No! I have to warn them to run!'

Her lips parted, but before she could shout, a mocking voice cut through the tension.

“Fool Fool”

“Wh–what?” Jack froze mid-stride, staring at the pigeon perched on Lucci’s shoulder. The bird’s cry snuffed out the frenzy like a doused flame.

Even the bloodthirsty pirates faltered, their momentum cooling into confusion.

At that moment, Lucci turned. His eyes swept across them—sharp, cold, commanding. One by one, heads bowed under his gaze.

These were only the first wave of men he had brought ashore. The second wave had… other purposes.

None of them truly understood what mistake they had made. But—

'Big Brother must be right.'

What did it matter if he hadn’t spoken a word himself?

Everyone knew the pigeon’s voice was his voice.

Meanwhile, Yamato could only stumble along, dragged by the iron cuffs binding her wrist to Lucci’s. Her glare burned at his side, but her steps matched his all the same.

At the same time, Yamato silently fumed in her heart. I knew it. That pigeon really can talk!

“Wano Country is the territory of the Beasts Pirates,” Lucci declared, his voice calm yet carrying a quiet authority. “And the citizens of Wano are our property.”

He let the words hang for a moment before adding,
“We can bully what belongs to us—but no one else can.”

His gaze swept across the pirates, sharp as a blade.
“Yet now, these so-called samurai dare to rebel within our land. And you—its masters—what do you do? You draw your swords not against them, but against your own people.”

Lucci’s presence shifted, his words weaving around their hearts like chains. An unseen pressure swelled from him, seizing the pirates’ emotions and dragging them in his wake.
“We pirates… uphold righteousness.”

With just a few words, the predator became a protector.

The logic was shaky, flimsy even—but for men as simple-minded as his followers, his charisma was enough. Their loyalty bent like iron under heat.

Besides, the line he borrowed from Big Mom had a power all its own. For pirates, it struck like gospel.

“Big Brother!!!”

“Wuwuwu! We pirates also uphold righteousness!”

“The damn samurai are too arrogant! I wouldn’t even beat my own dog, but they dare to bully our people!”

“Exactly! If they’re bold enough to do this now, who knows what they’ll do in the future!”

As the mob’s anger turned from the commoners to the samurai, Lucci gave a small, satisfied nod. Even Hattori, perched on his shoulder, looked smug—as if praising a promising pupil.

Originally, before setting foot in Wano, Lucci’s plan had been straightforward: cull the samurai. Kill them batch by batch until nothing remained, even if it meant the country was drenched in blood.

He had no fondness for this race.

If he wanted laborers, he could always seize strong Fishmen or Mink tribesmen—why waste time with samurai?

But once he arrived, his perspective warped into something crueler.

He wanted more than conquest. He wanted Wano itself to become a willing extension of the Beasts Pirates’ domain. He wanted its people to turn on the samurai of their own accord—to hate them, curse them, spit on them.

He wanted to see Kozuki Momonosuke crushed by despair twenty years from now, the Red Scabbards choking on their indignation, and the Straw Hat Pirates forced to carry the burden of a tainted legacy.

And to do that, he would play the long game.

The samurai would die.
The Kozuki name would rot in infamy.
Orochi would bleed for his chaos.

And the Beasts Pirates would rise as Wano’s so-called saviors.

It would all begin here—by reshaping the Beast Pirates’ image.

“I was wrong! I was so wrong!” Jack suddenly burst out. His face fell, thinking he had failed his Big Brother. With a heavy thud, he dropped to his knees.
“Big Brother! Just say the word—I’ll carry it out without hesitation!”

Snapped from his thoughts, Lucci placed a firm hand on Jack’s massive shoulder.
“First, take the food from the ship. Distribute it among the citizens. See for yourself how much the samurai have starved them.”

Jack’s chest heaved as his eyes lit up. “I understand, Big Brother! I swear—I won’t let a single person starve! I’ll make sure they live long enough to witness the samurai’s downfall!”

“Let’s go help too, Page One!”

“Eh? Oh—wait for me, Sis!”

Even Sasaki pressed down on his sword hilt and followed, silent but resolute.

With someone leading the charge, the other pirates broke into motion. They rushed back to the ship, hauling sacks of food, then charged toward the starving citizens.

To the common folk, it looked like a horde of giants descending on them.

“I-I’m sorry, sir, I—” Instinctively, the man dropped to his knees, hoping to avoid a beating.

But before he could lower his head, a strong hand yanked him upright.

“Stand. No kneeling.”

“Eh?”

“Take this food. If it’s not enough, come back for more. Look at yourself—you’re thinner than a woman!”

“Ah??”

“If any samurai bullies you again, find me. The Beasts Pirates aren’t like those verminous samurai. We. Uphold. Righteousness!”

“Ah???”