Reborn as Mihawk's son-one piece

The haunting melody of the Island of Echoes still played softly in Ezra's mind as he guided his ship back into open waters. The crystalline fragment he had earned rested in a protective casing on the ship's deck. Its glow was faint now, as though dormant, but Ezra could feel its presence—a subtle weight in the air around him, like the island's lingering essence had bound itself to him.

He tightened his grip on the wheel, scanning the horizon. The skies were clear, the sun beginning its descent into the sea, but Ezra knew better than to relax. Something about the crystal's power unsettled him. It had tested him, judged him worthy, but he still couldn't shake the feeling that its gift came with a price he hadn't yet uncovered.

"Strength always comes at a cost," he murmured to himself, echoing Mihawk's words from long ago. Ezra had never taken his father's lessons lightly, but now, they carried an ominous weight he couldn't ignore.

A sudden gust of wind ruffled his dark hair, and his golden eyes snapped toward the horizon. Clouds were beginning to gather, dark and heavy, rolling in from the east. A storm was brewing.

Ezra frowned, adjusting the sails to prepare for the change in weather. "Not ideal," he muttered. "But manageable."

As the storm approached, the wind howled louder, and the waves grew restless, rocking the ship with increasing force. Ezra's muscles tensed as he fought to keep the vessel steady. Rain began to fall in heavy sheets, drenching him instantly and obscuring his vision.

Then, just as the storm reached its peak, a piercing cry echoed across the waves. It was inhuman, shrill and guttural, cutting through the roar of the wind like a blade.

Ezra's heart skipped a beat. He'd heard many strange sounds in his time at sea, but this was unlike anything he'd encountered before. He turned toward the source of the noise, his sharp eyes straining to see through the rain.

A shape loomed in the distance, growing larger as it drew nearer. It was a ship, but not like any Ezra had ever seen. Its hull was blackened and scarred, its sails tattered and stained with an eerie, greenish glow. The figurehead was a grotesque depiction of a serpent's head, its mouth open in a perpetual snarl.

Ezra's jaw tightened. "A ghost ship?"

The cursed vessel cut through the waves with unnatural speed, closing the distance between them. As it drew nearer, Ezra could make out figures on its deck. They were humanoid, but their forms were twisted and skeletal, their eyes glowing the same sickly green as the sails. Each one was armed, and their movements were erratic, as though they were puppets being controlled by unseen strings.

"The Sea's Heart," one of the creatures rasped, its voice barely audible over the storm. "You bear its mark."

Ezra's hand went instinctively to the hilt of his sword. "What do you want?" he called back, his voice steady despite the chaos around him.

The creature pointed a bony finger at him. "Relinquish the crystal, and your life will be spared."

Ezra's lips curled into a grim smile. "I don't think so."

The skeletal crew erupted into a cacophony of shrieks and wails, their voices filled with rage. The ghost ship pulled alongside Ezra's vessel, and the creatures began to leap onto his deck, their weapons raised.

Ezra drew his blade in one fluid motion, its edge gleaming even in the dim light of the storm. "Fine," he muttered. "Let's see what you've got."

The first attacker lunged at him, its rusted cutlass slicing through the air. Ezra sidestepped easily, his own blade cutting through the creature's torso. The skeletal form disintegrated into a cloud of ash, but more were already upon him.

The battle was fierce and chaotic. Ezra moved like a whirlwind, his strikes precise and unrelenting. Despite their numbers, the skeletal attackers were no match for his skill. Yet, for every one he defeated, two more seemed to take its place. The cursed crew was endless, a relentless tide.

As he fought, the crystal on the deck began to glow brighter, its hum growing louder. Ezra spared a glance toward it, his eyes narrowing. The cursed crew seemed drawn to it, their movements growing more frenzied the closer they came.

"So that's what you're after," Ezra muttered, cutting down another attacker. "The crystal's power."

A sudden surge of energy erupted from the crystal, knocking several of the creatures off their feet. Ezra felt it too, a pulse of raw power that made his skin prickle. The storm around them seemed to respond, the winds howling louder and the waves crashing higher.

One of the creatures—larger than the others, with jagged, coral-like growths protruding from its body—let out a guttural roar and charged at Ezra. Its massive axe swung in a deadly arc, forcing him to leap back to avoid it. The creature's strength was immense, each swing of its weapon threatening to cleave the deck in two.

Ezra gritted his teeth, his mind racing. He couldn't keep this up forever. The cursed crew was unrelenting, and the crystal's power was growing unstable. He needed to end this—and fast.

As the coral-encrusted creature lunged at him again, Ezra darted to the side, his blade flashing. He aimed for its legs, cutting through the brittle coral and sending it crashing to the deck. Before it could recover, Ezra drove his sword through its chest, the force of the strike shattering its skeletal form.

Breathing heavily, Ezra turned his attention to the crystal. Its light was almost blinding now, and the hum had become a deafening roar. He approached it cautiously, his instincts screaming at him to stay back.

"What are you?" he murmured, reaching out to touch the casing.

The moment his fingers brushed the surface, a surge of energy shot through him, and the world around him vanished.

Ezra found himself standing in a void once again, the ocean swirling around him. This time, however, the voice that spoke was different. It was deeper, darker, and filled with malice.

"You dare claim the power of the Sea's Heart?" it growled. "You are nothing but a mortal, unworthy of its gift."

Ezra's eyes narrowed. "I've already passed the crystal's test. Who are you to judge me?"

The ocean surged, waves crashing violently around him. "I am the Curse of the Sea's Heart, the shadow bound to its power. And you… you are just another fool who will fall to its temptation."

Ezra's grip on his sword tightened. "We'll see about that."

The shadow took form, rising from the ocean like a colossal beast. Its eyes burned with a sickly green light, and its massive, clawed hands reached for him. Ezra braced himself, the weight of his sword comforting in his hand.

The battle that followed was unlike anything Ezra had faced before. The shadow was relentless, its attacks powerful and unyielding. But Ezra refused to back down. He moved with precision and purpose, each strike of his blade carving into the shadow's form.

The void around them trembled, the ocean churning violently as the shadow let out a deafening roar. Ezra seized the moment, driving his sword into the heart of the beast. The shadow erupted into a blinding light, its form dissolving into nothingness.

When the light faded, Ezra was back on his ship. The storm had subsided, and the cursed crew was gone. The crystal lay silent on the deck, its glow faint once more.

Ezra sheathed his sword, his golden eyes reflecting the calm sea. He didn't know what the future held, but one thing was certain: he would face it head-on, no matter the cost.