Griffin Bedivere

Chapter 139: Griffin Bedivere

Griffin Pirates' Base

Under the leadership of their captain, Griffin Bedivere, a group of pirates in Availiton were living a debauched life. 

They enjoyed their days, accumulating wealth by plundering other pirates and ordinary citizens, aiming to improve their own lives. This was a common practice among many pirates on the Grand Line.

Under the banner of freedom, they indulged their desires, finding happiness at the expense of others' suffering. 

They possessed great strength but used it to secure a life of luxury. The world often seemed unfair yet strangely just, as it treated everyone unfairly, except for the Celestial Dragons who enjoyed privileges passed down through generations.

Among them, true individuals were exceedingly rare.

The members of the Griffin Pirates sat together, reveling in their lifestyle. They boasted about how many pirates they had killed, how much money they had stolen, and how many beautiful women they had slept with. This had been their way of life for a long time.

They used alcohol and women to numb themselves. While they had once been part of a Supernova crew, now only the captain and a few high-ranking members possessed real combat abilities. 

Of course, recruiting cannon fodder from the ocean was easy. Most of their crew members were simply there to bolster their numbers. The true fighting strength came from Captain Griffin Bedivere and his top officers.

They were indifferent to the well-being of their subordinates because these "cannon fodder" pirates set out to sea for this very purpose. Their aspirations were not high; as long as they had food, alcohol, and women, they were content. During battles, all they needed to do was charge forward.

For pirates, parties were the most joyous occasions. During these gatherings, they could squander all their gains in a single night. Life on the open sea was precarious, and no one knew when they might meet their end. So, indulging themselves was only natural, and if someone died with money left unspent, that was the real loss.

"It's time to party!"

Griffin Bedivere, the captain of the Griffin Pirates, was a robust man dressed in military attire. His face was rugged, and his short hair was as dense as steel needles, sticking tightly to his scalp. 

His reddish-brown eyes were captivating, with a frightening sharpness that instilled fear. Staring into his eyes felt like having a blade pointed at one's heart.

He had two longswords at his waist, not katana-like swords but more like Western military sabers with golden handguards. 

These were the weapons that had made Griffin famous. With these two swords, he had earned the moniker "Sword Demon," and he wielded them with an unpredictable, lethal style, claiming countless lives.

He opened a bottle of fine rum and was about to savor it when a dark shadow suddenly broke through the clear glass, flying towards him.

Without hesitation, he drew one of his swords and slashed the approaching shadow in two.

Clang! The shadow fell to the ground, and upon closer inspection, it turned out to be a black weapon. Its sharp tip landed at his feet, while the other end seemed to have hit somewhere else.

"Enemy attack!"

He barely finished his words when an intense explosion occurred.

Boom!

The luxurious villa collapsed, and several people scrambled out, disheveled. Griffin, holding his sword, broke through the smoke and clashed with Rodney's Hana Shū.

Clang!

Two pairs of red eyes met, and Griffin suddenly exclaimed, "What is this?"

"How interesting. These eyes can rebound illusions. These eyes are quite convenient, indeed. Wild Lion's Mane Technique!" 

Suddenly, Rodney's black hair moved on its own, without any wind, as if it had come to life, surging towards Griffin.

Griffin hastily retreated while wielding his sword. As he retreated, he continuously stirred his sword, giving Rodney's hair a trim.

Rodney shook his head, causing some hair to fall, and said, "You're really bad at this. Why did you give me a choppy haircut? But it'll do."

"What kind of people are you?" Griffin asked.

"Since you've asked so sincerely..." Rodney suddenly recited lines.

Brook took over, "Then I'll generously tell you!"

"For the sake of hunting pirates like you!"

"To protect the smiles of children."

"Uphold love and true justice!"

"We are a hunting team on the high seas!"

"The Black Pearl, a dark hell, awaits you!"

Robin: "…"

Reiju: "…"

Why do I feel so out of place with them?

Griffin: "…"

What exactly have we encountered here?

"Robin, is this your doing?" Rodney complained.

You're ruining our formation!

"I still want to live as a person, Captain. This is too embarrassing," Robin turned her head, refusing to engage with them.

"To be honest, I find Mr. Rodney's approach a bit juvenile."

"Damn it, this is the opening line of the Rocket Team, a classic, you know? And if you didn't want to say it, why did you join in with me?"

"Hehe, because I thought it would be interesting."

"Alright, that's enough. In any case, we're here to hunt you, Griffin!"

Griffin was furious. "You bunch of clowns dare to challenge me? You're asking for death! You've disrupted my banquet and destroyed my house. You will pay for this!"

"So, what's the price?"

"The price is your lives, and I am Griffin!" 

He emphasized his name. With that, Griffin attacked with his sword, slashing through the air with a piercing shriek. However, Brook effortlessly blocked it with his cane-sword.

"Yohoho, that's some fast swordplay, isn't it? A Sword Demon, perhaps? Mr. Rodney, I'm quite interested."

"Speaking of which, when can I have my turn to fight? I want to test out my new power."

"I've been on your ship for so long and haven't had much action. So, let me handle this!" Brook chuckled. Despite being reduced to a skeletal frame, he hadn't abandoned his swordsmanship.

Clang, clang, clang, clang, clang, clang!

Engaging in a fast-paced exchange with Griffin, Brooke used his quick and precise sword techniques.

Moreover, being just a skeleton, he possessed exceptional flexibility and speed, which human combatants couldn't match. While others had to breathe during combat, he didn't need to. His strength derived from his soul, and souls didn't require oxygen. This meant he didn't tire, though he still needed sleep.

He could keep attacking without pause. In contrast, Griffin, due to the need for breathing during his attacks, exposed slight openings, which Brooke exploited, leaving some wounds on his opponent.

"Robin, Reiju, handle these guys!"

"Tres Fleur: Clutch!"

"Pink Poison Arrows!"

Robin used her Devil Fruit abilities to manipulate arms and brutally twist bones, creating a cacophony of cracking sounds, causing excruciating pain. The pirates who survived her attacks twisted in agony, their bones contorted, and their bodies mangled.

Meanwhile, those hit by Lege's attacks fared even worse. Afflicted by her potent poisons, their entire bodies changed color, becoming lifeless corpses. They fell to the ground, their faces distorted in agony, bleeding from every orifice. It was a gruesome sight.

"Hey! You ladies are dead meat!" 

A burly man wielding a massive hammer charged towards them. Standing at over three meters tall, he resembled a giant bear as he came crashing down. Robin didn't back down; a figure covered in lightning appeared before her, effortlessly blocking the giant hammer.

"Hey! My crew isn't one to be trifled with. Lightning—!" 

Rodney's fingers, like blades, cut through an incoming longsword with ease. He then delivered a powerful elbow strike to the giant man's abdomen.

Bang!

The giant was sent flying like a rag doll, landing on the ground in excruciating pain. A bone had jutted out from his back; it was his spine, broken by Rodney's blow.

"Thanks, Captain!"

Robin squinted her eyes, savoring the feeling of being protected.

"No problem, Reiju!" He pointed like a knife, slicing through an oncoming blade without any resistance. Then, he delivered a swift chop that severed the enemy's neck.