"Boss Blue Eagle, what are we doing next?"
Turkey turned to Rosinante with a curious look. Rosinante thought for a moment before replying,
"We're leaving Flevance. Then we'll find a bounty exchange and turn in the heads of Flying Boulder Bemira and Wildman Taro for their bounties. We're out here traveling—can't do that without money, can we?"
"Wait, Boss Blue Eagle—you're going to cash in the heads of those two infamous pirates?"
Turkey froze, completely dumbfounded. Those weren't just trophies, they were military achievements! If Rosinante brought those heads back to Marine Headquarters, along with his victory over the notorious pirate Quick-Slash Boss Dars, he could probably be promoted straight to Major. A nine-year-old Major—he'd set the record for the youngest officer of that rank in Marine history!
And yet, Rosinante was using such a monumental achievement just to earn some money? Turkey couldn't comprehend it. In this vast sea, power was the only thing that truly mattered. Money, women, fame—they were all just by-products of strength. Once you had power, anything else could be yours with a wave of the hand.
Water Duck, though equally surprised, seemed quicker to accept the idea. After a moment's hesitation, he asked an important question.
"Boss Blue Eagle, we're Marines. According to Marine protocol, when a pirate is eliminated, their bounty value is converted into military merit. Those merits can then be exchanged for rank. You can't directly trade a pirate's head for cash."
"That's… a problem." Rosinante admitted. Then he smiled faintly. "Alright, which of you still has money on hand? Let's buy some civilian clothes first. Once we've changed, we'll collect the bounty."
Without waiting for objections, he grabbed both of them and dragged them into a nearby clothing shop.
Half an hour later, on the streets of Flevance, Rosinante was dressed in a fine aristocrat's tailcoat. Behind him, Turkey and Water Duck wore brown suits, looking for all the world like his personal attendants.
"Not bad, not bad." Rosinante said, glancing over their disguises with satisfaction. "No one will suspect we're Marines now. Turkey, where's the nearest bounty exchange?"
Turkey pulled out a map and scanned it. "Looks like it's the one attached to the 67th Branch, Boss."
"Good. That's where we're going."
Rosinante led the way toward the 67th Branch bounty exchange.
The Marine Bounty Exchange was technically a branch under the Marines' name, but it was actually controlled by the World Government, and all payouts were funded by them.
When Rosinante's group reached the island housing the exchange, the scene was bustling. The docks and streets were crammed with people—each clutching colorful wanted posters, pointing, shouting, and forming hunting parties. The place reminded Rosinante of quest hubs from the old video games he'd played in another life—players gathering to take on missions.
"Boss," Turkey whispered, leaning close, "these guys are bounty hunters active across the North Blue. They've got no loyalty—whoever pays more, that's who they work for. And they're notorious for turning on their own partners. We should be careful."
Rosinante nodded slightly. "I understand. But there's no need to be afraid of them. If anyone here dares to cross us… we'll just send them straight to hell."
His hand tightened around his sword, Bloodslash. Bounty hunters sounded noble in name, but in truth, they were just mercenaries. Today they might hunt pirates for the Marines because the pay was good—tomorrow they might join a pirate crew to raid Marine ships for a bigger reward.
Greedy. Lawless. Unprincipled. These were the kinds of people that fueled the chaos of the seas.
And if such people were foolish enough to provoke him, Rosinante wouldn't hesitate to end them.
"Boss Blue Eagle," Turkey said nervously, "we'd better not cause any trouble here. This island's under World Government control. If something happens, it'll be hard to explain."
Rosinante nodded calmly. "If they don't mess with us, we won't mess with them. But if they do… we erase them."
"Got it, Boss!"
The two subordinates nodded firmly, docked their ship, and followed Rosinante ashore—each carrying a blood-soaked head in one hand. Their gruesome display drew the immediate attention of everyone nearby.
"Well, well… where'd this fancy noble come from?" Sneered a scar-faced man stepping out of the crowd.
"Looking for bodyguards? I'll be your man for fifty thousand Berries."
"No need. Thanks." Rosinante replied curtly.
His tone was calm but final. The rejection earned a wave of laughter from the onlookers.
"Hahaha! Scarface, you idiot! Tried to sell yourself and got shot down flat! What a joke!"
"Shut up, you bastards!" The scar-faced man barked, face darkening. "Let's see you do better!"
But as his eyes drifted toward the heads dangling from Turkey and Water Duck's hands—still dripping with blood, his smirk faltered.
Who the hell did they kill?
Without another word, he silently followed the trio as they made their way toward the bounty exchange.
The bounty exchange stood at the island's center—a three-story villa surrounded by Marine sentry posts, each manned by a small squad under a Major's command.
The front doors were wide open, and bounty hunters crowded the entrance. As Rosinante's trio entered, the crowd parted slightly, allowing them through. They proceeded into the main exchange hall, where a plump government officer sat behind a counter.
"What can I do for you?" The officer asked lazily.
Rosinante motioned for Turkey and Water Duck to set down their grisly cargo.
"Exchange these for cash." He said flatly.
The man blinked. "One moment."
He waved to two clerks in suits. They opened the bags—and froze. The officer picked up a wanted poster from the pile beside him and began comparing the faces. His hands stopped trembling halfway through.
The poster read:
Spear Pirates Captain—Wildman Taro. Bounty: 50,000,000 Berries.
"W–Wait… Wildman Taro?! A fifty-million pirate?! You—you're saying you three killed him?!"
The officer's eyes nearly bulged out of his head. A pirate worth fifty million Berries was one of the top ten most dangerous men in the entire North Blue.
The moment his shout echoed through the hall, every bounty hunter nearby froze, and jaws dropping in disbelief.
"Holy crap… A fifty-million bounty?! Those three actually killed a fifty-million pirate?!"
"No way… That's impossible!"
The entire hall erupted in shocked murmurs as Rosinante's trio stood calmly at the counter—unbothered by the chaos.
Their silence were more intimidating than any boast.
(End of Chapter)
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