Chapter 17: The Navy's Tactics (Patreon)

"It looks like you came back empty-handed. Couldn't find any sailors, or were all the applicants pirates?" Commodore Allen asked, greeting Axis and Kratos upon their return.

"We came back with nothing," Axis admitted. "We were too naive. Recruiting legitimate sailors here is tough. The second they found out we were hunting pirates, everyone walked away."

Allen had clearly anticipated this outcome and waited specifically for them. Why had he not warned them earlier? He had made Axis and Kratos waste a perfectly good trip. Sensing Axis's frustration, Allen offered a quick explanation.

"It's not what you think. If I'd told you beforehand that you'd fail and advised against it, you probably wouldn't have believed me. It was better to let you see for yourself. No sane sailor would ever accept a job hunting pirates in the New World. Your best option is to board a Marine vessel heading there. Your toll is already paid. You can simply ride on our warship. As for your captured pirate galleon, you can either dock it here or sell it directly to the Marines as spoils of war."

'Damn it, he's running a one-stop business,' Axis thought. 'But I'm out of time. I can't leave the ship docked here forever. I might as well sell it to the Marines.'

"How much are the Marines willing to pay for it?" Axis asked. It was just a looted ship. He felt no attachment to it. If he needed a better vessel later, he could simply steal another one or have one custom-built.

"I had the ship appraised after you left. Its total value is roughly one hundred million Berries. However, the Marines can't pay you the full amount. First, the vessel is quite old. Second, we have to spend funds retrofitting it to meet Marine standards. I can offer you seventy million Berries. Do we have a deal?" Allen proposed.

This was a standard Marine tactic used to acquire large ships captured by bounty hunters. Sailing a medium or large warship required a crew of at least thirty to forty people just to maintain minimum speed. Optimal operation required sixty to seventy hands. It was virtually impossible for any bounty hunter group to assemble a fighting force of that size. Most capable individuals didn't become pirate hunters. They set sail to become pirates themselves. That was exactly why this era was known as the Great Pirate Era.

"That works for me. We'll sell it to the Marines for seventy million Berries. But will you only take us into the New World, or can you drop us at a specific island?" Axis asked. If the Marines could take him straight to Dressrosa, it would save him endless trouble.

"If you have a specific destination, we can take you there, provided it's an island accessible to the Marines. As long as it isn't deep in the territory of the Four Emperors or a notorious pirate, we can accommodate you. Where are you heading?" Allen inquired.

'Perfect,' Axis thought. He suspected Allen had lowballed him, considering the Commodore hadn't even bothered to negotiate. The ship was probably worth far more.

"I want to go to Dressrosa, the kingdom ruled by Doflamingo, one of the Warlords of the Sea. Is that possible?" Axis asked.

"A Warlord's territory? Not a problem. Operating in Warlord territory is standard procedure for the Marines. As it happens, a warship is departing for Dressrosa tomorrow. You can hitch a ride. Your passage is already covered by the ship sale. You'll be traveling on a Marine vessel. Very few bounty hunters ever get this kind of privilege."

'You shameless crook. You charged five million Berries for a single ticket,' Axis cursed internally. 'Just wait until I get back. I'll have Athena teach the World Government a harsh lesson.'

'No, even better. When I return, I'll trick Poseidon into coming here to deal with you people personally.'

"Thanks a lot," Axis said, skipping any further pleasantries. He signaled Kratos and headed back to the guest quarters the Marines had provided.

"These Marines are completely ruthless. The ship was easily worth a hundred million, and they only gave us seventy," Axis complained once the door clicked shut.

"I'll go kill them right now," Kratos offered. "I'll slaughter everyone in this Marine base. It won't take long. You just need to hide."

"Let's not be so violent. It's only thirty million Berries. There's no need to massacre a whole base over it. Just consider it an information fee for what we learned about this world. Besides, we need to get to Dressrosa fast. Just get some sleep."

Axis could tolerate the slight. Securing the Flame-Flame Fruit was the only thing that mattered. With the Amulet of Uroboros, he had more than enough capability to protect himself. The amulet could restore or rapidly age structures and environments. Depending on the enemy's strength, it could freeze targets within a specific radius or severely cripple their movement speed.

For his current level, it was practically a god-tier artifact. The divine energy stored inside was even sufficient to power another jump between worlds. Axis had no intention of draining it for travel just yet. The amulet was far more valuable as a life-saving trump card. If he acquired the Flame-Flame Fruit and found a way to bypass its weakness to water, his combat foundation would finally take shape.

Once they returned to Athens, the events of Chains of Olympus would likely unfold soon after. Axis knew that crisis would present numerous opportunities to harvest massive amounts of divine power. A significant number of gods were involved in that conflict.

Meanwhile, inside an extravagant office, Commodore Allen stood rigidly at attention before a blind, elderly man dressed in purple robes and resting his hands on a katana.

"Admiral Issho, that's the situation," Allen reported. "Tomorrow, please take these two bounty hunters with you to Dressrosa. Once you arrive, you don't need to worry about them any further."

"Commodore Allen, you've done well." Issho replied. "I'll ensure they reach Dressrosa safely. Those who assist the Marines in hunting pirates are friends of justice. Have you invited them to join our ranks? Our mid-level combat forces are quite depleted these days."

"I'm only a Commodore. I can't make them any grand promises," Allen said. "Recruiting them into the Marines is a task far better suited for Admiral Fujitora."

"Haha. Very well, I will find some time to have a proper chat with them. After all, it's for the sake of eliminating piracy."