Metal shrieked against metal as Blacktooth's fist crashed into the deck where Kain had stood a heartbeat before. Splinters erupted skyward. The pirate captain's transformation had turned the tide of battle—his iron-hardened body deflected their weapons with contemptuous ease.
"We need a new approach," Kain called to his brothers, ducking another devastating swing. "Nothing's penetrating that armor!"
Talon rolled beneath a horizontal strike, coming up beside Kain. "Any brilliant ideas, brother?"
Kain's mind raced through possibilities. The Iron-Iron Fruit made Blacktooth nearly invulnerable, but Devil Fruit users always had weaknesses. His gaze swept the battlefield, noting how the pirate's movements had slowed since his transformation.
"He's heavier," Kain muttered. "And look—he's breathing harder."
Redd parried a blow with his dual swords, the impact sending him skidding backward. "The transformation must drain his stamina!"
"Spread out!" Kain commanded. "Keep moving, make him chase us!"
The brothers scattered across the deck, forcing Blacktooth to lumber after them. Each time the pirate captain committed to pursuing one brother, another would strike from behind, forcing him to turn his massive form.
Minutes stretched into an exhausting game of cat and mouse. Sweat poured down Kain's face as he darted between barrels and rigging. Blacktooth's movements grew increasingly sluggish, his metallic sheen dimming in patches.
"It's working," Kain gasped to Talon as they crossed paths. "He can't maintain the transformation forever."
Ash, ever impatient, launched himself at Blacktooth with a roar. The pirate captain swatted him aside, but his reaction came noticeably slower.
The brothers intensified their assault, striking at Blacktooth from all angles, forcing him to constantly shift his heavy metal form. Each movement cost the pirate captain precious energy.
"His transformation's faltering," Kain observed as patches of normal skin began appearing through the metallic coating.
Blacktooth roared in frustration, his movements becoming desperate and uncoordinated. The iron sheen flickered across his body, struggling to maintain consistency.
"Now!" Kain shouted.
The brothers converged in perfect synchronization, each attacking from a different angle. Redd's swords struck Blacktooth's legs while Ash's staff cracked against his back. Talon delivered a punishing blow to his midsection as Kain's gauntlets connected with the pirate's jaw.
Blacktooth staggered backward, his transformation finally collapsing entirely. The iron receded from his flesh, leaving him vulnerable and gasping.
"Impossible," Blacktooth wheezed, his normal flesh returned. "You're just... children..."
Kain approached cautiously, gauntlets raised. "Children who just defeated the great 'Blacktooth' Reeve."
"How did you know?" the pirate captain demanded.
"Devil Fruit users have limits," Kain explained. "Your power consumes your stamina. We just had to outlast you."
Ash stepped forward, staff raised for a killing blow. Kain watched his brother's movements, calculating the situation with cold precision. The exhausted Blacktooth knelt before them, his Devil Fruit powers depleted, nothing more than ordinary flesh now.
"He's worth eight million berries alive," Kain said, considering the options. Then his eyes narrowed. "But he's worth the same dead."
Kain nodded to Ash, releasing his arm. "Dead men tell no tales... Or fight back."
Ash didn't hesitate. The staff whistled through the air, connecting with Blacktooth's skull with a sickening crack. The pirate captain collapsed to the deck, blood pooling beneath him.
"One less threat on the seas," Talon remarked, standing beside his twin.
Kain surveyed the captured ship with satisfaction, stepping over Blacktooth's corpse. The Crimson Serpent was vastly superior to their stolen sloop—larger, better equipped, and built for longer voyages. His fingers traced the worn but solid railing.
"Our first real bounty," Kain said, looking across the deck where the remaining pirates lay subdued or dead. "And a proper ship to start our journey."
****
Kain watched as Ash finished off the last of the pirates, the final body slumping to the deck of the Crimson Serpent. Blood pooled across the wooden planks, the metallic scent mixing with the salt air. The merchant vessel they'd saved bobbed nearby, its crew peering cautiously over the railings.
"They're clear," Kain called, raising his arm in a wave. The merchant sailors returned the gesture, their expressions a mixture of relief and wariness. The four blood-spattered teenagers standing amid a deck of corpses weren't exactly a comforting sight.
"You're free to go," Redd shouted across the water. "These pirates won't trouble anyone again."
The merchant captain cupped his hands around his mouth. "We're in your debt! Who should we say saved us?"
Kain exchanged glances with his brothers. Ash stepped forward, chest swelling with pride, a fierce grin spreading across his face.
"Tell them the Red Tide has come to cleanse these waters," Ash called back, his voice carrying across the waves. "Remember the name—we're the Red Tide!"
Talon nodded approvingly beside him while Redd crossed his arms with a slight smile. Kain felt a strange mix of pride and amusement watching Ash finally announce the name he'd been practicing for years.
The merchant vessel hoisted its sails and slowly pulled away, the captain offering one final salute before turning his attention to his own course.
"What about the Soggy Weasel?" Talon asked, nodding toward their stolen sloop.
"We can't just abandon it," Kain said, calculating their options. "Let's secure it to the stern. We'll tow it behind us."
It took the better part of an hour to secure the smaller vessel with heavy ropes. The Soggy Weasel looked even more pathetic floating behind the more impressive Crimson Serpent.
"Seems a waste to drag it all the way to Ironhearth," Redd commented as they finished the knots.
Ash patted the railing of their new acquisition. "True, but Talon and I will need something smaller we can handle with just the two of us once we split up."
"Or we sell both ships at Ironhearth," Talon suggested. "This pirate vessel will fetch a good price, and we can buy something better suited for pirate hunting."
Kain nodded. "Let's see what else our new ship has to offer before making decisions."
They made their way below decks, checking each compartment systematically. The galley was well-stocked with provisions, and the captain's quarters revealed Blacktooth's personal effects—mostly gaudy trinkets and poorly maintained navigational equipment.
When they reached the storage hold, Kain's eyes widened. Stacked crates lined the walls, most containing food supplies and ship maintenance materials. But in the corner sat several locked chests.
"Redd, check those," Kain directed.
Redd made quick work of the locks with his blade. The first chest creaked open to reveal stacks of Berries—more money than they'd seen in one place before.
"There must be at least three million here," Redd whispered, running his fingers through the bills.
Kain felt a weight lift from his shoulders. With this money, they could properly equip themselves before separating at Ironhearth.
"This changes things," he said.
They divided the money into four equal shares, each brother tucking their portion away securely. The remainder they left in a communal fund for ship expenses.
Back on deck, they faced the challenge of sailing their new acquisition. The Crimson Serpent was designed for a crew of at least fifteen, not four teenagers.
"This won't be easy," Kain said, examining the complex rigging. "We'll need to simplify the sail configuration."
They spent the next hour adapting the ship for their smaller crew, removing unnecessary sails and setting up a system where essential lines were accessible from the helm.
When they finally set sail southward toward Ironhearth, the ship moved sluggishly under their improvised sailing arrangement. Kain took the helm, feeling the resistance of the water against the hull and the additional drag of the Soggy Weasel behind them.
"It's not pretty, but we'll manage," he called to his brothers as they scrambled across the deck, adjusting lines and maintaining their course.
The wind caught their sails, and the Crimson Serpent began to pick up speed. Kain felt the vibration of the ship through the wheel, a living thing responding to their commands. It wasn't efficient with just four of them, but it was functional—and for now, that was enough.
****
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