"Captain Wood, treasure hunting isn't always easy. I suggest we head to the town on the island to gather some information, rest for a bit, and then continue our search tomorrow. We've all been under a lot of stress lately, and we also need to resupply the ship."
Wood's slaughter of the Impel Down prisoners had left a deep psychological impact on Russ and the others, leading them to believe that after spending so much time in Impel Down, Wood had become just as ruthless. However, after spending several days with him, they realized that Wood, while harsh on certain groups, was actually quite easygoing, which is why Russ now dared to suggest that they take a break.
"We'll have to do that for now. But can you guys cover the expenses in town? To be honest, besides these two swords, my pockets are emptier than my face."
Russ and the others, who had been excited at the thought of relaxing in town, suddenly froze when they heard Wood's words. They exchanged awkward glances. They had been suddenly pulled into this mess by Wood, so who would have had time to bring any significant amount of Berries? As for Wood, all of his valuables had been lost when he jumped from Mary Geoise. Even though he had been promoted, he hadn't received his salary yet. The money he used to treat others had been borrowed from Gion, so it was no surprise that he didn't have any money on him now.
"We'd better continue searching for the treasure; otherwise, we might end up sleeping in the forest tonight."
Russ and the others sighed deeply. They had thought that being pirates, even though they would constantly be pursued by the Navy, would at least lead to wealth. As Navy officers, their salaries might have been low, but at least they didn't have to worry about their livelihood. Now, not only were they not getting rich, but they were also on the verge of being homeless and starving.
In reality, they were now pirates, and if they robbed the town for supplies, it would align with their pirate identity. However, no one suggested this, and they instinctively believed that paying for goods was just the right thing to do. At their core, even though they had turned against the Navy, their behavior was still far from that of typical pirates.
"Rustle, rustle…"
As the group continued wandering through the forest, a sudden noise put them on high alert. Moments later, a black-haired girl burst out of the forest in a panic, with a giant tiger hot on her heels. Robin's expression of fear and panic was genuine. To quickly gain Wood and his crew's trust, the members of the One-Eyed Pirate Crew had indeed driven a fierce tiger to chase her. From Bebbart's perspective, Robin was already marked for death. The fact that they were giving her another chance was already a generous gesture. If she ended up being killed by the tiger, it wouldn't matter—they had captured plenty of other children from the town.
With a powerful leap, the tiger pounced on the girl, its jaws wide open to end its prey's life. But before it could sink its teeth into her neck, a figure suddenly appeared in front of the tiger without warning. In the next instant, a sonic boom echoed through the air, and the massive tiger, weighing hundreds of pounds, was sent flying like a cannonball. The impact twisted the tiger's head into an unnatural angle, and it crashed into a nearby tree, snapping it in half.
Robin was stunned as she looked at the figure that had suddenly appeared in front of her, still maintaining a punching stance. Despite her young age, Robin had more experience than most pirates after spending years on the run as a wanted criminal. She had witnessed many brutal pirate battles and seen some of the "big names" in the West Blue in action.
However, she now realized that the Navy officer standing in front of her might be stronger than all those big names she knew. Taking down a wild beast was easy for a pirate with a bounty of several million Berries, but to do it so effortlessly suggested that this person might be as strong as or stronger than Bebbart, the captain of the One-Eyed Pirate Crew.
"Little girl, are you okay?"
The calm yet friendly voice snapped Robin out of her shock. As she looked up at the man's face, she realized that he was surprisingly young, probably not much older than she was.
"I'm fine, I'm fine. Thank you for saving me. I'm a resident of Bird Island. I was gathering herbs in the forest when I suddenly encountered this beast. That path has always been safe before. You guys don't seem to be from our island. Judging by your uniforms, are you from the Rhodes Island branch of the Navy?"
After her brief surprise, Robin quickly remembered her mission and put on a harmless, innocent expression.
From Robin's perspective, Wood's display of power might make him a match for Bebbart, who had a bounty of 25 million Berries, but the Navy group was still outnumbered. Additionally, because of what happened to her homeland, Ohara, Robin hated the Navy even more than pirates. This was why she accepted this mission without any guilt. It wasn't just about survival; it was also about her deep-seated hatred for the Navy, the ones who destroyed her home.
Wood didn't immediately answer Robin's question. Instead, he drew the sword from his waist. Seeing this, Robin's face grew anxious, and she wondered if she had inadvertently given herself away through her expressions or words. However, she soon realized that her worry was unnecessary. The man in front of her, after unsheathing his sword, walked over to the dead tiger with a gleam in his eyes. As he began dissecting the beast, he casually answered Robin's earlier question.
"Yes, we are indeed Navy, but not from the branch you mentioned…"
Wood figured that saying they were pirates would only cause unnecessary trouble and panic. Since the girl claimed to be a resident of the island, they might need her help, and being Navy would make them more trustworthy than admitting they were pirates.
Driven by hunger, the group quickly processed the tiger, and soon, smoke was rising from a fire in the forest. The mighty beast that had been the king of the jungle just moments ago was now roasting over the fire.
Note: If you are interested, you can read up to chapter 230+ at patreon.com/Betek.