High above the island, Romu guided the floating flower gently down.
The moment his feet touched the ground, pedestrians scattered like startled rabbits, scrambling to put distance between themselves and him.
"…Do I really look that scary?"
Romu rubbed his face and frowned.
He'd never been to this island before.
Didn't know the roads.
He just wanted to ask for directions.
Instead, everyone ran like he was a walking disaster.
That made things awkward.
Then he spotted a small Marine patrol turning the corner—rifles slung, moving in formation.
"Well, that saves me the trouble."
His expression relaxed.
He walked straight up to them, gestured to the vine dragging a string of dried pirate corpses behind him, and asked calmly:
"Where's your base?"
The Marines had initially planned to brush him off.
Then they noticed what he was towing.
Their eyes lit up.
One older Marine stepped forward cautiously.
"…You a bounty hunter?"
Romu didn't answer. He simply nodded.
The Marines exchanged looks, glanced again at the bodies, and said:
"Come with us."
…
Marine Base — Command Office
Inside a spacious office, Romu sat calmly on a long sofa.
He dropped the vine-threaded corpses and several wanted posters onto the floor.
Flat tone.
"No complications. Total bounty is 42 million Beli."
"Pay up."
Across from him sat a square desk.
Behind it, a balding middle-aged officer leaned back in his chair, eyes sharp with calculation.
This was the base commander:
Marine Vice Admiral Ethan.
He studied Romu's relaxed posture.
"I'll need to verify."
"Forty-two million isn't pocket change."
Romu nodded silently.
Ethan rose, walked to the bodies, and began comparing faces to wanted posters with exaggerated care.
Every so often, he flicked glances at Romu.
Romu noticed.
His brow tightened slightly.
He said nothing—just pulled a toothpick from a small case and rested it in his mouth.
…
The office fell silent.
Ethan inspected every corpse like a forensic examiner.
If you swapped his Marine coat for a magnifying glass, he'd pass for an archaeologist.
Ten minutes later, he straightened up, cloak settling over his shoulders.
He spoke down to Romu.
"What a shame."
"They're dried out. Can't confirm identities."
He turned away, pocketing the posters.
"But I see you tried hard. I'll give you 100 Beli for your travel trouble."
Romu's eyebrows drew together sharply.
He shifted the toothpick to the side of his mouth.
Cold tone:
"Vice Admiral Ethan…"
"Sure you don't want to take another look?"
Ethan didn't even turn around.
He waved dismissively.
"You questioning my judgment?"
"Take the hundred and get out while I'm feeling generous."
Pure contempt.
From the start, Ethan had recognized every pirate—including Moss.
The total bounty really was 42 million Beli.
A perfect number.
Almost exactly what he owed in gambling debt.
Those ten minutes weren't verification.
They were calculation.
And he'd chosen theft.
…
"Greed," Romu said quietly, eyes steady on Ethan,
"comes with consequences."
He wasn't fooled.
The moment Ethan claimed he couldn't identify the corpses, the game was obvious.
The warning had been Romu's courtesy.
"Ha!"
Ethan barked a laugh.
"I've never seen a bounty hunter this arrogant. Rat-catchers like you think you can talk to a Vice Admiral like that?"
"You want to make enemies of the Marines?"
"Of the World Government?"
Romu flicked the toothpick away.
"You've got one last chance."
Ethan's eyes narrowed.
Threatened—by a bounty hunter?
His hand slammed a red button on the desk.
BANG!
The office doors burst open.
Dozens of Marines rushed in, rifles raised, forming a firing line around the sofa.
Ethan rubbed his bald head, grin widening.
"Now that I look closer…"
"This man resembles a pirate."
Rifles snapped up in unison.
Black barrels pointed straight at Romu.
He ran a finger along the bridge of his nose—and smiled.
"Interesting."
"I was wondering how to find stronger pirates next…"
"Turns out a Vice Admiral delivered himself."
Originally, Romu had no intention of provoking the Marines.
Kill pirates → grow stronger → collect bounty.
Everyone wins.
But now?
No payment.
And an attempted execution?
That crossed the line.
He didn't wait for Ethan's order.
Romu moved first.
"Sea of Trees Descends."