"This is the Old Gun Tavern, right?"
Rhodes pushed the door open and stepped into the pub, a flicker of surprise crossing his face. He stepped back out, carefully examined the doorplate hanging outside, then re-entered with a dubious expression.
"I thought I'd walked into a library. Why is the pub so quiet?"
Shrugging off his doubts, Rhodes approached the bar.
"Boss, two glasses of your best beer!"
"Please wait."
As Rhodes spoke with the proprietor, various sounds slowly began to fill the tavern, and things seemed to be returning to their normal state.
However, everyone's gaze drifted towards the corner of the wall, and even their drinking habits became noticeably more refined, their speech somewhat subdued.
The group of Victor, the Black Bear, who had recently been the center of attention, had become nothing more than dead bears. They had no desire to be shot in the head for disturbing the red-haired handsome boy.
"Let's settle up together later!"
Taking the beers handed over by the boss, Rod waved his hand casually and headed straight for the corner.
In the corner, a circle of empty tables surrounded the red-haired handsome boy. Despite several groups of people already crowding the tavern hall, no one dared to sit at the vacant tables over there.
As Rhodes approached, the noise in the tavern gradually subsided, and almost everyone's eyes followed his movements. Soon, it seemed only Rhodes' footsteps echoed through the entire tavern, each step seeming to land heavily on their hearts.
As Rhode reached the red-haired handsome boy and pulled out a chair to sit down, everyone's heart was in their throat.
Clink!
That was the sound of wine glasses being placed on the table, and also the sound of everyone's hearts pounding violently.
As the red-haired, handsome boy slightly raised his eyes, everyone in the tavern felt as if an invisible hand had covered their mouths, rendering them breathless.
"Long time no see, Neru!"
Pushing a glass of beer towards the young man with long red hair, Neylu, Rod's face showed a hint of joy.
"Yes!"
Nelu closed the book in his hand and set it aside, picked up the beer Rod offered, and the two of them clinked glasses lightly.
So, they know each other!
Now that they've started drinking, he probably won't read anymore.
Everyone in the tavern simultaneously released a collective sigh of relief, and the atmosphere gradually recovered, soon becoming lively once more.
"It seems you're ready, right?"
"It was just seasickness. I've been floating on the sea for the past few months, and I've completely overcome it!"
"After we return to Feiyan Island and join them, we'll raise our flag on the sea."
Rod finished the beer in his glass in one gulp, a sense of pride evident on his face.
Nott Rod, a transmigrator, an orphan, was 19 years old this year. He grew up with his younger brother Neru, who was also an orphan, although their blood relation remained unknown.
This was an extremely perilous world, where pirates ran rampant, slaughtering villages and wiping out entire clans at their whim.
The original body was most likely a victim of the Great Pirate Era. After transmigrating, Rod did not inherit the memories of his predecessor but naturally grasped some basic language skills. The only things he remembered were his name – Nott Rod, which remained largely unchanged from his previous life, and the name of another child in his arms – Neylu.
However, as a mere three or four-year-old child, Neylu didn't retain many memories, and they might not be as significant as the information Rhode had gleaned in his previous life. In his past life, Rhode could only be considered a casual fan of One Piece, and the information he obtained about the post-war era was through short videos, but that didn't diminish his understanding of the inherent dangers of this world.
This was a world where a single powerful individual could obliterate a country. Each of the behemoths standing at the apex of the ocean possessed the power to easily destroy nations and could even permanently alter the natural environment with their strength.
Fortunately, he had arrived with two golden fingers upon his transmigration. One was [Knight Never Dies with Bare Hands], which granted him complete mastery over any weapon he wielded and a natural aptitude for its use; the other was [What Doesn't Kill Me Makes Me Stronger], which he preferred to call [Sit-ups]. Whether under extreme pressure or injured and on the brink of death, his body would grow stronger upon recovery.
With these two invaluable abilities, he had helped Nelu navigate the initial difficult period of their journey.
Over the past decade, Rhodes had witnessed the chaos and darkness of this world. Even behind the seemingly prosperous and peaceful towns lay deep shadows.
Pirates would arrive unexpectedly, plundering the wealth painstakingly accumulated by the common people; the wealthy and unkind nobles and those in power would quietly seize vast fortunes and indulge in luxurious lifestyles, while the masses struggled under the weight of life; and it was not uncommon for the navy to engage in looting under the guise of justice.
Not to mention the so-called "descendants of God" at the very top of the food chain – the Celestial Dragons! They enjoyed the world's resources, possessed absolute privilege, and plundered the world's wealth with impunity.
This was a world where people preyed on each other, and Rhode had no intention of being the one devoured. He also didn't believe that anyone was born noble and deserved to enjoy all sorts of privileges.
He only believed that kings, princes, generals, and ministers were all born of the same species!
However, he harbored no ambition to change the world, nor did he wish to dedicate his precious second life to the cause of global liberation. He merely desired to enjoy his existence in this fantastical world.
In this world where immense power resided in the individual and the strong could shatter the very foundations of the world, he only believed that fists were power!
He wanted to turn the world upside down, shatter all the rules and regulations that bound him, and become the person with the biggest fist!
Unfortunately, after venturing 50 meters out to sea, he discovered his stomach churned with seasickness...
He could have swum across the island years ago, but he hadn't anticipated getting seasick.
However, after months of solitary wandering on the sea, Rhodes had completely overcome this particular affliction.
"The next ship to Feiyan Island will be in three days."
Nelu took a sip of his wine, retrieved a notebook from his side, and handed it to Rhodes.
"Here are some of the more noteworthy individuals I've compiled. There might be something that interests you among them."
Rhodes took the notebook offered by Nelu and opened it. Lines of neat handwriting met his eyes. Some of the entries even included accompanying sketches.
"Has this person already set sail..."
Rhodes paused slightly while flipping through the notes, muttering to himself.
"Tyrant, Bartholomew Kuma!"
"I seem to have caught the scent of the changing tides..."
Calming his slightly stirred emotions, Rhodes continued to examine the intelligence gathered by Nelu.
"Eh—this person"
Rhodes paused again, and Nelu glanced at the information Rhodes was currently reading.
"She seems to be active around here recently."
The tavern door swung open once more, and a tall woman with a purple high ponytail strode in. She wore orange tight sportswear that accentuated her alluring curves. Her tan skin gave her an athletic appearance, and her pair of yellow vertical pupils added a touch of wildness to her features.
"Catwoman Nia!"
(End of this chapter)