The Grand Line—specifically the New World. A place so fierce that even the bravest pirates find themselves crushed beneath its weight. It's a sea ruled by chaos: the Marines, the other pirates, and the merciless sea itself. But for those who survive, the rewards are unimaginable. The promise of adventure, treasure, and most importantly, power.
On one of these treacherous seas, aboard a ship known as the Midnight Reaper, the crew of the Night Guild Pirates were celebrating their most recent raid. The decks were alive with the sounds of laughter, clinking mugs, and the music of a grand party. But below deck, where the true leader of this infamous crew resided, there was a different kind of atmosphere.
Inside a lavish captain's quarters, with its dark wooden walls adorned with various treasures and maps, Monkey D. Hiro sat at his desk, reading a newspaper with a look of quiet amusement. The headline caught his eye: Luffy Defeats Donquixote Doflamingo: The Straw Hat's Rise to Power. A smirk tugged at the corner of his lips as he read the article, but it quickly vanished as his gaze hardened.
"Luffy..." Hiro muttered under his breath. "What a dangerous game he's found himself in."
It was hard not to acknowledge his brother's success. Despite the distance between them, Hiro couldn't help but admire Luffy's strength and the way he wove his own fate, no matter the odds. But the smirk was fleeting. The reality was, Luffy had no idea who Hiro was. They were worlds apart—separated by more than just the seas.
A knock on the door broke Hiro's reverie. The door opened with a soft creak, and a tall woman entered. Her silver eyes glistened like the stars, her blond hair flowing elegantly as she stepped into the room with a confident stride. It was Hikari, the ship's vice-captain and doctor.
"Looking at your brother again," she teased, her voice light and full of amusement. She leaned against the doorframe, eyes studying Hiro with an almost knowing expression.
Hiro looked up at her, the smirk completely gone. "Hikari," he grumbled, annoyed. "Do you not know to knock?"
Hikari's lips curled into a playful smile, unbothered by Hiro's irritation. "Ara ara~ You can't tell me that the ruthless 'Night Terror' couldn't feel me just outside your door."
Hiro sighed, rubbing his temples. 'The Marines have the weirdest naming sense,' he thought with disdain.
Hikari, the sharp-eyed woman who was both a doctor and his most trusted ally, never seemed to miss a thing. He could feel her presence the moment she stepped on deck, even if she tried to be subtle. But still, her teasing never stopped, and Hiro, despite his usually cold demeanor, couldn't bring himself to get truly angry at her.
Hiro put the newspaper down and leaned back in his chair, his face hardening. "What do we do with those insolent pirates who dared challenge you?" she asked, her tone serious as she looked down at him, her silver eyes piercing.
Hiro stared ahead, thinking deeply. Another decision, another captain's burden.
His thoughts drifted for a moment to his little brother, but he quickly pushed them away. Luffy was not his concern. The Night Guild was his focus now. Hiro's crew, his family. They were all that mattered.
He looked at Hikari, his face grim. "Kill them. They have no use."
Hikari's smile returned, though it was slightly colder now. She bowed respectfully. "Understood, Captain."
As she turned to leave the room, Hiro let out an exasperated sigh. The moment the door closed behind her, his head dropped into his hands. "This always happens," he muttered. "I can't get nice words out of this mouth."
---
Outside, on the deck of the Midnight Reaper, the sounds of revelry continued. The Night Guild Pirates were celebrating their recent success—capturing a rival pirate crew that had dared challenge Hiro's authority. To the outside world, Hiro was known as the ruthless "Night Terror," a captain who would do anything to secure his dominance. His name was feared across the seas. But what few knew was that beneath the mask of cruelty, Hiro was driven by a far deeper motive. He wasn't the bloodthirsty monster the world saw. No, Hiro only sought one thing: to find his little brother, Luffy.
Though Hiro had never met him, the bond of blood called to him. Luffy had no idea Hiro even existed. But Hiro, the older brother, would find him. No matter the cost.
But for now, there was work to be done. Hiro's responsibilities as the captain were endless—navigating through the stormy seas of the New World, dealing with rivals, and making decisions that could change the fate of his crew. There was little time for brotherly sentiment. His path had already been chosen, and there was no turning back now.
Hikari returned to the deck shortly after, her movements graceful as she made her way to the crew. The pirates cheered as they saw her, but no one dared question her authority or her commands. She was as much a leader as Hiro, but she was careful to never step on his toes.
Meanwhile, Hiro remained alone in his cabin, staring at the map of the Grand Line pinned to the wall. His hand traced the lines marking the most dangerous parts of the sea, his thoughts distant.
"One day..." Hiro whispered, eyes hardening. "One day, I'll meet you, Luffy."
The Midnight Reaper sailed onward through the treacherous waters of the New World, its crew oblivious to the deeper currents that tugged at their captain's heart. But Hiro would stop at nothing to find his brother, even if the world itself stood in his way.
As the ship sailed further into the heart of the New World, the Night Guild Pirates would soon learn that their captain's ambitions were far greater than they could ever imagine. The world would know the name of Monkey D. Hiro, but the world would also learn that beneath the mask of the "Night Terror," there was a man who would do anything to reunite with his family—even if that meant tearing the world apart.
The adventure of the Night Guild Pirates had only just begun.
---
End of Chapter 1