Knife in hand, I followed a narrow trail into the forest. It was surprisingly well-kept, but that did little to ease my nerves. I cursed under my breath. If only I'd managed to steal a firearm. But no… how could I have explained needing a gun to unload a ship?
My stomach growled. The official road between the two halves of Soja passed through a guarded gate, but I had no money for the toll. So here I was, trudging through the long way around—hungry, tired, and carrying nothing but a knife.
I scanned the trees for fruit. Nothing edible. A few mushrooms, but I didn't dare risk them. So I pressed on with an empty stomach.
Then I froze. Up ahead, a deer grazed quietly. All my careful silence had paid off. My heart quickened—if I caught it, I could sell the carcass for good money. But before I could move closer, something else stirred.
A pair of dark eyes gleamed low to the ground. An instant later, a wolf lunged, tearing into the deer's throat.
I stood paralyzed. He hadn't noticed me. Good… good, just back away—
I exhaled in relief. Too loudly.
The wolf's head snapped toward me. Our eyes locked.
"Crap."
He charged.
I raised my knife, but fear shook my knees. Still—I forced myself forward. Damn it, I'm going to survive, no matter what.
He leapt, jaws wide. I shoved my left arm into his teeth. Agony exploded as fangs sank deep, but I didn't stop. My right hand drove the knife into his belly, again and again.
The wolf yelped, pulling free, blood dripping from his abdomen. He staggered, then lunged once more. This time I kicked hard, boot slamming into his skull. He collapsed. I stomped down, crushing his head until he stopped moving.
I dropped beside the corpse, panting, blood pouring from my arm. My scream echoed through the trees.
Tearing my shirt, I bound the wound as best I could. Then I dragged the wolf to the deer's body.
I tested my Devil Fruit. Transforming into Fred changed nothing about my injury. So… wounds carry over no matter the form. Good to know.
I experimented further. Lifting the wolf as Reed, then as Fred—no difference in strength. I tried morphing into the wolf or the deer—nothing. Strange. Bon Clay copied Chopper once. Maybe Zoan users are the exception.
Finally, I forced a mix of Reed and Fred. It worked, briefly, but the result was ugly and unstable. Something to refine later.
But first, a decision. Deer or wolf? The deer was worth more, but too heavy for one hand. It would only attract predators. I chose the wolf—damaged pelt or not, the fur might fetch a price.
By evening, weak with hunger, I reached the outskirts of the forest. Lights glimmered ahead—the western half of Soja.
I staggered through a checkpoint. Guards waved me through without question; many passed this way from the forest. One of them pointed me toward a doctor.
Doctor Martinez.
I caught him as he was locking up for the night. "Doctor, wait! Please—my arm."
He was an old man, hunched, but grinned when he saw me. "Heh. Sure, I'll take a look—if you can pay."
I dropped the wolf's corpse at his feet. "This is all I have."
His grin widened. "I'll take it. Fine, come in. But you'd better pay the rest later. I know a man who'll make sure you do."
"Y-yes, sir."
Inside, he unwrapped my crude bandage, poured water over the wound, and clicked his tongue. "Lucky boy. No permanent damage, but it'll scar. Hmph. Makes you look more manly. So you'd better pay me extra."
I glared. "What kind of logic is that?"
"Shut up."
He packed the wound with herbs, then bound it tightly. "Name. Age. Residence. Place of origin."
My heart skipped. "What? Why?"
"That's how I record debts," he said flatly. "You promised to pay."
I hesitated, then nodded. "Reed. No family name. Thirty years old. From Kano Country. Didn't want to serve in its navy, so I left."
Kano—the land of Don Chinjao. Military service was mandatory for men aged between 21-30 old. A perfect cover story.
"Kano, eh…" Martinez scribbled. "If you've got no home here, you can stay. Work under me until your debt's paid. What do you say?"
I blinked. "You'd let a stranger live with you? Aren't you worried?"
Martinez chuckled. "Boy, on this island I'm more protected than the rulers. I've got nothing to worry about."
His grin lingered. My chest tightened. What kind of backing does this old man have?
A name surfaced in my mind.
Fujitora.