West Blue, Skull Bay.
This is the most notorious pirate haven in West Blue, an island formed from countless shipwrecks and piles of bones.
The one who rules this terrifying place is a powerful figure known as the "Duke of Bones."
He is the absolute overlord of this island; no one dares to casually challenge his authority.
At this moment, the imposing Duke of Bones sat leisurely upon his magnificent throne, flipping through the newspaper that had just arrived.
When his eyes landed on a news report about Alvin, a trace of subtle amusement flickered across his usually indifferent face.
The corner of his mouth curved slightly upward as he murmured:
"At just fifteen years old, he has already been placed on the Marine's wanted list, and in such a short time, he's forced them to raise his bounty to such amount…
Tsk tsk tsk, this little brat truly has astonishing potential."
Just then,
The curvaceous and enchanting woman who had been quietly standing beside the Duke of Bones gently swayed her slender waist and stepped forward.
Her movements were light and graceful, each subtle motion radiating an indescribable charm.
At the same time, her crimson lips parted, and her voice flowed like a warm spring breeze over blazing flames, soft yet scorching.
There was also a faint trace of temptation in her tone, enough to make others lose themselves.
She spoke softly, "Shall I go eliminate him immediately?"
However, the Duke of Bones clearly had a different plan.
He slowly shook his head, a crafty gleam flashing in his deep-set eyes.
His voice was low and magnetic as he replied:
"No, no, no.
Would it not be far better if such a promising young man willingly joined us?
With proper training under our banner, his strength will only grow greater in the future."
After saying this, the Duke of Bones paused briefly, then turned his gaze toward the enchanting woman and continued:
"So, Luna, I will send you to meet him.
Tell him that as long as he is willing to swear loyalty to me, this Duke will not only provide him with powerful protection, but also grant him endless wealth, status, and authority.
However, there is one condition.
He must become this Duke's adopted son and from that day forward remain absolutely loyal to me."
Hearing this, Luna slightly furrowed her brows, a trace of doubt flashing in her eyes.
She asked softly, "And if he refuses your offer?"
At those words, a cruel smile spread across the Duke of Bones' face.
He extended his dry, branch-like fingers and lightly traced through the air, as though outlining a bloody and horrific scene.
Then he let out a sinister chuckle and said:
"If he refuses… Hmph, then I cannot be blamed for being merciless.
You will eliminate him on the spot and bring back his bones.
Let him become part of Skull Bay, hehehehehe…"
As he finished speaking, his expression grew increasingly twisted, strange laughter echoing throughout the desolate hall and sending chills down one's spine.
The enchanting woman did not respond further.
She calmly turned and left the Duke of Bones' grand hall, then headed to the port and boarded a swift ship bound for the Dareleka Islands.
At the same time,
On a remote island within the distant Dareleka Islands, sunlight filtered through the coconut groves and onto the beach.
Alvin lay comfortably on a lounge chair, casually flipping through today's newspaper.
Suddenly,
His eyes were caught by a striking headline, and he froze.
The title of the article prominently displayed two bold words: Red Hawk.
"Red Hawk?"
"What kind of ridiculous nickname is that?"
"It sounds terrible."
"Am I really that ruthless and bloodthirsty?"
"This is slander."
"By the way, what was Morgans' bounty again?"
…
At this moment, Alvin also understood that now that the Marine had officially labeled him a pirate, most people on the sea would likely regard him as an unforgivable villain from this day forward.
But it did not matter. His goal was to become the strongest, and the opinions of others were irrelevant to him.
However, these Marines who pretended to uphold justice were truly disgusting.
"System, if I place a bounty on a Marine and kill him, will I receive Bounty Points?"
[Ding~]
[No, but if someone else places a bounty on a Marine, they can, but the person placing the bounty must have the ability to pay! And the bounty amount must correspond to the target's strength, or their overall comprehensive combat power.]
"Tsk tsk tsk~ As expected, there are no loopholes to exploit…" Alvin shook his head with a trace of regret, then stood up and stretched. "Next, I need to find a way to leave the Dareleka Islands."
He stored the beach chair in his system space, entered his tent, briefly disguised himself, and after sensing his surroundings with Observation Haki, immediately headed toward the bustling area.
----
After arriving at the lively marketplace, Alvin entered a shop that sold sea charts.
After spending around 20,000 Berries, he finally obtained a relatively detailed sea chart.
However, he found the chart somewhat difficult to interpret, so he paid additional Berries and asked the shop owner to explain it.
In the end, Alvin selected his next destination: a large island known as Flame Island.
There are several nations on this island.
The reason he chose Flame Island was because one of its countries, Flame Country, is famous for its swordsmiths.
It is said that there is an exceptionally skilled swordsmith there.
Most importantly, this swordsmith's ancestors once forged a Supreme Grade Blade known as the Molten Blade for an influential figure within the World Government.
Since Alvin's sword was already broken, he intended to try his luck and see whether this swordsmith could forge him a more powerful weapon.
"Guest, are you planning to depart for Flame Island today?" Just as Alvin was about to leave, the shop owner suddenly asked.
Hearing this, Alvin turned around with a puzzled expression. "That's right. Is there a problem?"
"It's like this. We've received information that a powerful storm will pass through the route to Flame Island today, so it would be best if you wait one day before setting sail." Perhaps because Alvin had been generous with his spending, the shop owner kindly offered this advice.
"A storm… I see. Thank you, boss. I will consider it." Alvin was briefly stunned, then calmly replied and left the sea chart shop.
"This guest is quite generous, but he looks strangely familiar," the shop owner muttered while watching Alvin's departing figure.
"Why does it matter whether he looks familiar?" The shop owner's wife suddenly walked out and smacked him on the head. "As long as he pays Berries, what business is not worth doing?"
"Hehehe, my wife is right." The shop owner rubbed his head and chuckled.
----
After leaving the sea chart shop, Alvin considered the matter and decided it would be wiser to wait a day before departing.
After all, encountering a storm at sea is no trivial matter.
...
Read advance chapters on p@treon
[email protected]/guilt_free_daoist
Join disc0rd link in synopsis.
GIVE ME YOU POWER STONES.