As Hermes contemplated his plans, the caravan suddenly stopped.
They had arrived at the first checkpoint, where various local mafias, gangs, bandits, and other groups collected tolls. There were many people, but the situation was quickly resolved.
This showed that the merchant group Hermes was traveling with had some real strength, which explained their high fees.
What followed was an eye-opening experience for Hermes.
Within two days, the caravan encountered at least six groups of bandits, five pirate crews, and eleven instances of taxation by government bodies, all before reaching the Eastern Navy Branch.
There were several near-conflicts, but the caravan leader managed to resolve them, sometimes with force and other times with money. The caravan was neither large nor small, with about fifty to sixty guards.
Finally, the caravan arrived in the eastern region on the third day.
The environment here was much more peaceful than in the West. Although there were still petty crimes, robbery, and looting, it was like paradise compared to the West.
The main reason was the presence of a Navy branch. No force dared to provoke the Navy, given the immense power it represented.
The Kingdom of Prodence’s only relatively safe and stable area was here. The rest of the kingdom was in chaos or at war.
Hermes left the caravan, planning to stay in the East for a while. He hoped to infiltrate the Navy branch and gain unexpected benefits, like learning the Rokushiki techniques.
During this time, he could also hunt pirates and bandits in the area to earn bounties and hone his skills.
“Takoyaki, thirty berries for five or six skewers.”
“Udon, freshly made, no overnight noodles, only fifty berries a bowl.”
Walking down the bustling street, vendors called out their wares, and the taverns were packed with people.
Hermes ate takoyaki as he headed towards the Navy base. He planned to exchange the bounty first and then find an inn to relax.
The Navy branch was located by the coast. It wasn’t grand but had an aura of righteousness. Many uniformed or off-duty Marines could be seen coming and going.
To the common people, the Marines truly provided a sense of security.
“Stop.”
“This is a Navy camp. No entry.”
As he approached the camp gates, two guards stepped forward with stern expressions, eyeing Hermes warily.
From this alone, it was clear that the base commander was strict, unlike the corrupt and inactive Navy officers seen in some stories.
“I’m a bounty hunter, here to claim a reward.”
Hermes calmly handed his bundle to the Marines.
“A bounty hunter?”
The Marine on the left scanned Hermes up and down, a look of scrutiny mixed with a faint sense of superiority.
The Marine on the right took the bundle, frowning slightly at the head inside, not reacting with disgust or nausea like a rookie might. These two were experienced soldiers.
They were both sergeants.
“Please wait, I need to verify this.”
The sergeants didn’t recognize him since Spandau’s bounty was only 4.6 million berries. One returned to the base to check the bounty records.
“Okay.”
Hermes shrugged and waited.
The silence wasn’t awkward, with Marines constantly moving in and out of the base.
Hermes silently observed the camp gates. Though he couldn’t see much, he could vaguely hear training sounds from inside. If he was lucky, the base might have what he wanted.
“Excuse me, can you tell me who the commanding officer here is?”
Hermes began to gather information. He planned to infiltrate the base the next morning during their training sessions.
“Why does a bounty hunter need to know that?”
The sergeant’s face remained expressionless, his posture rigid.
“Because I might be visiting here frequently in the future.”
Hermes smiled, and after a moment of silence, the sergeant said, “Our commanding officer is Captain Bastan Ugar. Thanks to Captain Ugar, the eastern part of the Kingdom of Prodence is peaceful, and the pirates and bandits don’t dare to act recklessly.”
Hermes could sense the sergeant’s pride and admiration.
“Captain.”
Hermes murmured to himself. To be the highest-ranking officer at a Navy branch in the second half of the Grand Line’s New World was no small feat, regardless of the base’s size.
He probably knew the Rokushiki techniques, but whether he had Haki was uncertain.
Hermes’ plans would become more complicated if the captain had Observation Haki.
A captain might not seem impressive compared to admirals, vice-admirals, rear admirals, captains, and lieutenants—the backbone of the Navy—. Still, a captain was a powerhouse in a low-level area.
Especially in the Navy, where rank didn’t always match combat ability.
Perhaps this captain’s combat ability was equivalent to a major, lieutenant commander, or even a commander. There were many such examples in the Navy.
The most famous was Vice Admiral Monkey D. Garp, whose combat ability remained a mystery.
This was just considering pure martial arts. Adding in the strange and unique Devil Fruit abilities made judgment even harder.
Hermes hoped the captain didn’t have observation haki but knew the Rokushiki techniques—the more, the better.
Hermes’s learning task would have been easier if he had personally trained his subordinates.
Hermes hoped reality would be as good as he imagined and not harsh enough to make him despair.
“Impressive, you managed to kill Spandau, the captain of the Cutlass Pirates, with a bounty of 4.6 million berries. Here is the reward: one million berries.”
Soon, the sergeant who had gone to verify returned.
He commented because Hermes looked very young, about seventeen or eighteen. At that age, some strong individuals were already famous on the seas, even at the top of the pyramid.
But such people were extremely rare, almost one in a million.
To this sergeant, Hermes killing a pirate with a bounty of 4.6 million berries at his age was impressive and showed great potential.
No matter what method he used, killing an opponent was a skill.
Sometimes, luck and chance were also forms of strength.
Hermes took the million berries without questioning why it was only a million. Such things were unspoken truths from his past life.
Even if he hadn’t seen a pig run, he had seen one in heat.
“Interested in joining the Navy?”
As Hermes was about to leave, the sergeant extended an olive branch.
The Navy was always eager to recruit talented individuals.
Hermes would have agreed without hesitation if it had been a year ago. But now, he is only repulsed. That year, he faced too many rejections.
It wasn’t that he held a grudge; he simply didn’t need it anymore.
He had no grand ideals of saving the world or spreading justice. Such noble missions were for others.
Freedom was his pursuit.
Years of suppression had darkened his heart. In this life, he wanted to do whatever he wanted.
Otherwise, what was the point of crossing over? To continue being poor and unhappy?
“Thanks, but I prefer freedom.”
Hermes turned and waved, leaving behind a carefree figure that gradually disappeared into the distance.
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