Haiyuan Calendar Year 1516, North Sea, Grasse Town.
Grasse Town was a bustling port. Since the dawn of the Great Pirate Era, dream-chasing souls had flocked to the seas, bringing both turmoil and prosperity to the town.
"Look over there! Someone's in the sea!"
A sailor, busy unloading cargo, happened to glance at the ocean and spotted a figure indistinctly moving through the distant waves.
"A sailor in distress? Go save him!"
"He's swimming so fast! Wait... maybe that won't be necessary..."
Even as he spoke, a man with short red hair had already swum to the shore. He leaped out of the water with a splash, landing firmly as droplets cascaded down his robust physique.
"Phew – that was quite a distance – hey, mate, could you point me towards the Old Gun Tavern?"
Pulling off the towel tied around his arm, he wrung it out with vigor and casually wiped his hair. Nott Rod then turned to the bewildered sailor and inquired.
The sailor stared blankly at Rhodes. The red-haired youth possessed piercing green eyes and stood well over two meters tall, giving him an imposing presence.
Hearing Rhode's question, the sailor instinctively raised his hand and pointed in a direction.
"Thanks~"
Hanging the damp towel on the arm of the still-sluggish sailor, Rhodes strode in the indicated direction. He untied the shirt from around his waist and put it on. His skin had turned a faint red, and wisps of steam gently rose from his body, quickly drying his previously soaked clothes.
"This guy... is a monster!"
It wasn't until Rhodes' figure vanished from sight that the sailor finally reacted. He snatched the towel Rhodes had left, crumpled it into a ball, and prepared to discard it.
"It only took him a few breaths from when I first saw him until he reached the shore!"
His companion beside him nodded, a hint of longing in his eyes.
"Maybe this guy will become a big shot in the future, just like Admiral Akainu!"
Hearing this, the sailor paused, unfolded the towel he was about to throw away, neatly folded it, and tucked it into the bag around his waist.
"Yeah, maybe he'll become a big name like Admiral Kizaru in the future!"
A cold glint flashed in the eyes of his companion, and he turned to look at the sailor boy.
"I tell you, Admiral Akainu is the most amazing man to ever come out of the North Sea! He will enforce absolute justice and wipe out all those damn pirates on the sea!"
"Admiral Kizaru is the greatest pride of the North Sea! He will always save the suffering people at the speed of light at the first opportunity!"
"Admiral Akainu is stronger!"
"Admiral Kizaru is the fastest!"
...
"If you ask me, we should kill all those damn navy soldiers!"
Inside the Old Gun Tavern, a man as burly as a bear tilted his head back and drained a large tankard of beer in one gulp. Beer dripped down his thick beard, forming a puddle at his feet.
The once boisterous pub suddenly fell silent.
Although the Old Gun Tavern was a melting pot of all sorts, including vicious pirates and underworld criminals, few dared to openly threaten to kill navy personnel in such a setting.
After all, this was the territory under the strongest naval power, and no one could be sure if there were any naval spies among the crowd.
"It's [Black Bear] Victor."
The patrons in the tavern exchanged furtive glances and remained silent. They even stopped chewing their food, fearing they might inadvertently attract Victor's attention.
[Black Bear] Victor was a rising figure in the nearby waters. He had annihilated the Cliff Pirates, who had a bounty of 135 million Berries, in his very first attack. And just five days prior, he had even repelled the encirclement and suppression of the 128th Navy Branch. Although no bounty poster had been issued yet, no one dared to underestimate him.
"Hahaha, that's right, the boss is invincible! If the navy's warships hadn't been so fast, we would have wiped them all out last time!" "Ah la la la la, as long as we follow Boss Victor, sooner or later we'll become the most powerful pirate crew in the North Sea and obliterate those damn navy ships!"
"That's right, not just the navy, we'll eliminate everyone we don't like!"
"That won't do. The women have to stay!"
"That's right, the women and the treasure will stay..."
As the pirates gathered around Victor made loud pronouncements, the tavern gradually regained its lively atmosphere, but everyone remained cautious, afraid of accidentally provoking this group of lawless buccaneers.
"Hey, little girl over there, didn't you see the great Captain Victor? Come over here and pour Captain Victor some wine!"
Suddenly, a pirate slammed his cutlass on the table and yelled at a figure in the corner.
As the pirate called out, the others also turned their gazes in that direction. Several pirates in Victor's group whistled loudly and created a ruckus by banging on tables and mugs.
The person being addressed held a book in their hands, reading quietly. Beneath long red hair was a handsome face, and piercing green eyes added an air of mystery. Despite being in a noisy tavern, he exuded a calm aura.
"Excuse me, I'm a man."
Although engrossed in his book, the boy answered immediately. It seemed he had been mistaken too many times, and there was no hint of anger on his face.
"Male?"
The pirate was slightly taken aback, and then a malicious grin spread across his face.
"Men are okay too..."
As he spoke, the pirate swaggered up to the boy and slammed his sword onto the boy's table. The threat was unmistakable, and the smile on his face grew increasingly lewd.
"I don't care~"
With that, the pirate reached out and touched the boy's face.
Bang!!
With a gunshot, the pirate fell backward, a grotesque smile still plastered on his face, but now with a smoking hole in his forehead.
The patrons who had been sitting at the surrounding tables quickly backed away, looking with horror at Victor and his crew, who were seated in the center of the tavern.
While quarrels and brawls were common in pubs, it was unusual to witness such ruthless individuals who were so decisive and quick to open fire over a disagreement.
Not to mention, the person killed was one of Victor, the Black Bear's, men, a figure who had gained significant notoriety recently.
"It splattered on the book..."
The red-haired boy looked at the bloodstains on his book and frowned slightly.
"You bastard!"
[Black Bear] Victor abruptly stood up and slammed his fist onto the table, shattering it. He emanated a terrifying aura. His subordinates around him also rose and glared at the boy in the corner.
"What did you do to my little brother!?"
With a furious roar, Victor's massive frame lunged forward.
"I hate it most when people interrupt me when I'm reading!"
The red-haired boy gently placed his book down, and a flicker of coldness crossed his handsome features.
Bang!!
Another gunshot echoed through the tavern.
A new book is launched, please add it to your collection, give it a recommendation, and read it later!
(End of this chapter)