City streets, bustling with people.
Liam said goodbye to the red-haired brother.
“Earlier you asked me why I became a captain myself after going to sea…” Shanks, resting his hand on the hilt of his sword, paused and asked, “Liam, when you go to sea, will you be a captain yourself, or will you serve under someone else’s flag?”
Liam replied curiously, “Why choose between the two? Can’t I just sail on a merchant ship? If that doesn’t work out, a pleasure boat seems pretty nice too.” He stroked his chin thoughtfully.
Shanks burst into a hearty laugh, “You really are something!”
“To be honest, I have no interest in being a captain,” Liam finally said seriously after some thought. “But it seems there aren’t many flags on the sea worth serving under.”
“…” Shanks smiled, frowning slightly as he studied the boy in front of him, then suddenly asked, “Liam, how do you know about Moria’s Devil Fruit ability?”
Liam said, “I just know.”
Shanks nodded, “Very well then. Do you want to come aboard my ship?”
“No,” Liam replied.
“Okay.” Shanks smiled freely.
He looked around but didn’t see Liam’s strange ghost. It wasn’t clear if he hadn’t been summoned or if he was lurking somewhere else.
Liam said, “If you become my captain, how am I supposed to keep my promise to turn you into a landlubber?”
Shanks stuck out his tongue and made a face, “You won’t be able to!”
“Goodbye then!” Shanks turned and walked away, raising his fist in a wave.
Liam was about to wave back, but suddenly patted his pockets – damn it!
Shanks had a few belly bills between his fingers, grinned, and waved as he walked away, “Don’t forget, I’m a pirate!”
Liam smiled and gave him the middle finger, saying goodbye to the red headed brother as he disappeared into the crowd.
People bustled along the streets.
…
“Whoo!”
Liam exhaled heavily, slapped his cheeks, and muttered, “Another person gone… What now? Hmm, let’s get something to eat first.”
He returned to his room at the inn, grabbed some money, and saw the green Den Den Mushi crawling all over the floor. He casually picked it up.
“You won’t even stay put, you spoiled brat!”
Liam flicked the snail’s shell and accidentally broke it with a crack.
“…”
Liam and the green Den Den Mushi both widened their eyes in shock, their expressions mirroring each other perfectly.
“Am I really that strong now?” Ignoring the Den Den Mushi’s expression, Liam nervously pocketed the snail and walked over to the wall facing the street.
He used his Pipe-Pipe Fruit ability to open a person-sized hole in the wall and quickly jumped from the second floor of the inn to the street below. “Two months of training did pay off!”
…
At that moment, somewhere along the coast of the island.
Whoosh…
The wide black cloak flapped in the wind, a tall figure standing against the sea breeze on the shore.
The salty sea breeze suddenly carried a faint scent of blood.
A pirate ship slowly docked.
A disheveled, pale-faced man stepped out onto the deck.
He was carrying a large burlap sack.
The sack was bulging, obviously containing something. Its bottom was soaked in a dark red liquid that reeked of blood.
The pirate looked up to see a tall figure wearing a star-patterned mask and a hooded cloak waiting on the shore and immediately felt his legs go weak.
“I… I didn’t run away…” He stammered.
Even though the terrifying ghost had led the ship with a trail of blood… At this moment, he had no idea if the ghost was still around and didn’t dare to speculate.
Splash!
The pirate, clutching the sack, stumbled off the ship and fell into the sea, then scrambled back to the shore in a panic.
Not only was he soaked, but the sack he was clutching so tightly was drenched in seawater, vaguely revealing the outlines of spherical objects inside.
The hem of the black cloak approached. Startled, the pirate looked up to see the tall figure in the star-patterned mask reaching into the air as if to grab something, then pressing it against his star-patterned mask… as if to put on another mask.
The pirate’s pupils dilated in fear. He clearly saw that the figure’s outstretched hand… had no hand. There was nothing between the glove and the sleeve.
The drenched pirate began to shake all over.
B.I.B.” pointed at the pirate and his sack, then gestured toward the interior of the island.
The pirate quickly grabbed the sack and stood up.
Go! Go now!
Where is the naval base? I need to get there now!
Help me!
Such a terrifying experience, I don’t want to stay here a second longer!
—
Liam walked through the streets, buying various snacks along the way, devouring each one within seconds.
He licked his fingers clean and opened a carton of milk.
The familiar smell of milk made Liam feel nostalgic. He almost missed the quiet and sweet little Robin making him fresh flower tea…
Gulp, gulp,
Liam took a few sips, then noticed the little guy in his bag making quite a fuss.
“What, you want some too?” Liam took out the green Den Den Mushi and poured some milk into his palm. The little snail immediately stretched its neck and eagerly licked it clean.
Liam poured some more and it was quickly licked clean again. This was repeated several times until the green Den Den Mushi was satisfied. By then, Liam noticed that the crack he had accidentally made in its shell was gone as if it had never been there.
Liam chuckled and put the filled Den Den Mushi back in his pocket. Looking up, he saw the Marine base ahead of him.
After wandering around for a while, Liam found a small shop that sold thick collections of pirate bounty posters.
“How much?” Liam asked as he picked up a book.
“Ten thousand belly,” The shopkeeper looked at him, thinking he was just a bored kid and not taking him seriously.
“Are those the latest bounty posters?” Liam casually flipped through the West Blue Pirates’ bounty collection. Sure enough, he found the poster of Tron Pilot, with a bounty of 210,000,000 Belly, and his notable crew members with decent bounties.
“Of course, they’re the latest!” The shopkeeper said, reaching out to take the bounty book back, “Kids shouldn’t be looking at this stuff. Where are your parents?”
Liam nonchalantly dodged the owner’s hand. After a quick flip through, he didn’t find the 17 Million bounty captain of the Upwind Pirate Crew, Captain Rocchia – a pirate long since killed by his ‘B.I.B.’, whose bounty had been claimed by the townspeople and turned over to the ‘B.I.B.’ “Since it’s pretty new, I’ll take it!”
Liam slapped ten thousand belly on the counter and turned to leave.
The shop owner stared blankly at the boy’s back as he walked away, still flipping through the bounty posters.
“What a strange kid.”
—
Meanwhile, in the bounty office of the naval base.
“Is… is that really Tron Pilot’s head?!”
A few Marines stared at the floor in shock.
Heads were rolling out of the soaked burlap sack. Among them was the notorious pirate, Tron Pilot, with a bounty of 210,000,000 belly!
“Joseph Spiden, 19,000,000 Belly. Wood Francis, 5,500,000 Belly Shippai Kevin, 2,200,000 belly…”
The disbelieving naval officer flipped through the bounty posters, comparing each one to the severed heads on the floor. Their shock grew with each name.
The other Marines looked at the tall man in the trench coat and mask who had escorted the only surviving pirate and couldn’t help but swallow nervously.
What a terrifying aura… coupled with the trembling pirate beside him and the bloody heads on the floor, it was even more intimidating…
When did such a ferocious bounty hunter appear…
To silently wipe out the entire Tron Pirate crew like this?!
B.I.B.’ kicked the trembling pirate, who eagerly asked the Marines to arrest him, explaining that his crew had been completely annihilated by the man in the trench coat and mask!
“In that case…”
Although the Marines found this bounty hunter very quiet, wearing a wide trench coat and hood, and even a mask covering his face… bounty hunters have always had their share of eccentrics.
If he could eliminate more pirate crews, the Marines would be more than happy to see more of these freaky bounty hunters…
After a while, the Marines finally tallied up the bounties, which totaled 52,000,000 belly!
Under the complex and unspeakable looks of the Marines in the room, the masked man silently took the money box and turned to leave.
Just then, the office door opened and a boy holding a book poked his head in.
He brushed past the masked man, and the Marines couldn’t help but feel a pang of fear for him. Who knew where this boy had come from…
This silent and strange bounty hunter was truly frightening, and they were afraid that he might push the boy aside…
“Uncle Marines, can I get some information on this pirate?” Liam asked, showing a page from his book with a bounty poster, “I want to catch this bad guy!”
……
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