July 22, 1497, Age of the Sea Circle
Orion arrived at the Marine Base on a nearby island, along with Yukimura.
Using his ability 'Distorted Future,' he changed the appearance of his adult form to be different from how he usually appeared.
This time, in addition to attempting to observe the Named Character Yarisugi, he came with the intention of collecting the bounties on the heads of some of the pirates he had eliminated on his return trip to Pacific Town.
The amount of money he had saved was 130 million Berries, which was quite a bit for personal wealth, but now that he had to fund the construction of his kingdom, it certainly wouldn't be enough.
Any extra money he could get was welcome, so he planned to collect the bounties the Marines were offering for the criminals he had already eliminated.
The Marine Base he had arrived at now was quite different from the one he had gone to last time to collect a bounty. This was because that base was larger and on a militarized island, specifically dedicated to the Marines.
On the other hand, the base near Pacific Town was very small and basic. It was located on an island with another town, and its function was to help control pirate attacks in the area.
Orion and Yukimura entered the base without too much trouble. Security wasn't as strict, and they were even able to enter carrying their weapons without being stopped.
They crossed the large courtyard, where there were several crosses Marines used to tie up petty criminals as punishment. At this time of the morning, some new recruits were running around the courtyard, under the watchful eye of a drill officer.
With the rise of the Age of Pirates, the number of Marine recruits had also skyrocketed. It was obvious that a large increase in crime would lead to a greater need for personnel to control it.
Countless young men joined the Marines every day, intent on eradicating the pirates who terrorized the common people.
For example, Yukimura, who was now walking beside him, would have ended up like one of these recruits if he hadn't encountered Orion just in time.
Once they crossed the courtyard, they entered the main building and approached the office of the person in charge of this small base.
They knocked on the door, and a melodious voice echoed from inside, signaling them to enter.
Once inside, they saw the person in charge of this place. She was a stern-looking woman of medium build and pale complexion, who was reviewing some files with a frown.
Clearly, the woman with the rank of captain didn't take her job lightly, and it was clear at first glance how seriously she handled it.
The captain looked up and saw Orion and Yukimura, who had arrived unescorted at her office. In this newly established base, there weren't many personnel, and even the defenses were quite lax. Orion had reached her without any problem, and had he come with malicious intent, this young captain could have suffered a tragic fate.
"Yes? Who are you? What do you need?" the captain asked.
She was used to people outside the Marines showing up from time to time, coming to discuss all sorts of matters, though they usually came to ask for help.
"Good morning, I've come to collect some bounties," Orion said, lifting the sack in his hand, which contained the heads of three pirates he had previously 'cleaned.'
The captain raised her eyebrows in surprise, placed the report she was reading on the table, and stood up.
"Welcome. We're always happy to accept any help we can get in containing the pirate threat," the captain said, flashing a smile, that softened her stern appearance.
This woman was quite young and beautiful, and when she smiled, her beauty blossomed like a flower in spring. Yukimura, a hormonal teenager, blushed at the sight of such a beautiful woman; it took him a few seconds to calm down and return to normal. He was a very serious boy, and he wouldn't allow himself to lose his composure for more than a moment.
Orion was also surprised by the woman's beauty, but he wasn't an inexperienced rookie like Yukimura, so he didn't have such a strong reaction.
He stepped forward and offered the bag in his hand.
The young captain examined the contents and expressed great surprise. The heads of these criminals were perfectly preserved, as if they had been severed just minutes before, making them easy to recognize. Especially for her, a serious and dedicated woman, who knew the faces of all the wanted criminals in the South Blue by heart.
Seeing the head of 'Black Knot' Galvan, one of the most brutal pirates in the South Blue, the captain couldn't help but look at Orion with even greater respect and appreciation. In these times, when pirates were countless, having the help of bounty hunters like Orion was a blessing, making her job much easier.
"Thank you so much for your hard work!" the woman said. Then she walked around her desk and stood in front of Orion. She extended her hand and, with her beautiful smile, added, "My name is Christina. Captain Christina Kelly, may I know your name?"
Orion obviously couldn't reveal his real name, as he didn't want to leave any traces for the Cipher Pol agents searching for him. So he simply smiled and, shaking Christina's hand, replied,
"Kairos, nice to meet you."
Orion, who was well-versed in Greek mythology, believed Kairos was a very good pseudonym to use in the future, though he had to admit it had been a bit narcissistic of him to choose such a name.
Christina saw that Orion was very easy to get along with, which made him different from the vast majority of bounty hunters she had previously encountered. She concluded that it was worth establishing a friendly relationship with him.
"Please accompany me to the treasury to collect your reward," Christina said with a smile.
The beautiful Marine captain walked ahead, leading the way.
The base wasn't very large, and after a few minutes, they arrived at a room with a sign on the door indicating it was the treasury.
The reason Orion had gone directly to see Christina, rather than coming here to collect the reward, was that unlike a larger Marine Base like the one he had visited before, at this small base, it wasn't possible for someone to take money from the treasury without the explicit authorization of the captain in charge.
Christina entered the treasury unannounced, and Yarisugi, who was sitting behind a large desk, was taken by surprise.
Both Orion and Yukimura could see the strange scene as they entered the treasury behind the captain.
In front of them was a young recruit, still a teenager, with his face completely covered in acne. When they entered the room, this teenager jumped and stood up abruptly, pulling up his pants in a fluster.
Seeing the rolls of paper on the desk and photos of Captain Christina scattered about, it was easy to deduce the task the boy had been engaged in when they entered the room.
Captain Christina's face darkened, feeling deeply embarrassed by her subordinate's behavior. She immediately strode forward toward the young recruit and, taking a whip from her belt, lashed him mercilessly several times.
The teenager covered his head with his hands in defense, causing his pants, which hadn't been properly adjusted, to fall to the floor, exposing his pink underwear.
The Marine's lashes increased in intensity at the appearance of the colorful underwear, and Yarisugi let out a few screams, that seemed more laced with pleasure than pain.
Orion looked at the Named Character, who was clearly a pervert, with a strange expression and concluded that it would be best to cancel his plans to make contact with him.
On the other hand, Yukimura did his best to remain solemn, though his eyebrows were slightly trembling from the effort.
After a few minutes, the young man fell to the ground with a smile and blood pouring from his nose, and Christina coiled her whip, ending his punishment.
"Sorry to show you something so embarrassing. This is one of our newest recruits. He's one of our most talented young men, but he still needs to be disciplined and learn how to behave like a Marine officer," Christina said, trying to excuse her subordinate's shameful actions.
In reality, Yarisugi was a real pain in the ass. It was true that the young man was very talented, but he also had connections within the Marines, so his existence was a bit special. He had behavioral issues, and she'd struggled to control him since joining her base.
One of the main problems was that this teenager was extremely lascivious and had attempted to sexually harass her several times. If it weren't for the fact that she was a prodigy with a bright future and could use her status as a genius to avoid being punished for beating him, it would have been very difficult to control him, and she would likely have had to endure his sexual harassment in silence.
Such situations weren't uncommon within the Marines, which was a massive organization rife with all sorts of problems. It could be said that it was fortunate the teenager had been placed under her command, because at least she could control him, albeit with difficulty.
Had he been at a different base, countless women would likely have silently suffered his harassment, for fear of offending him and suffering retaliation from the influential people who supported Yarisugi.
Orion expressed his understanding, without commenting too much on the matter, and received his reward from the beautiful captain.
In total, he had obtained 37 million Berries for the three pirates, the vast majority of which had come from the bounty on Black Knot, who was a notorious pirate in the South Blue, although not on Blake's level.
Orion took the money and thanked Christina, while she smiled amiably and took a small Den Den Mushi from her uniform.
"Kairos, we are currently overworked in the Marines, and we cannot handle all the threats emerging throughout the South Blue. I would like to request your help in controlling the pirates."
Christina placed the small Den Den Mushi in Orion's hands, looking at him seriously. She was one of the most passionate and responsible Marines within the massive institution. She took her job very seriously and wanted to help as many people as possible.
For her, having someone as talented as Orion to help her fight the pirates was simply a dream come true.
"You don't need to work for me directly, and I don't plan on restricting your freedom in the slightest. I just want you to contact me if you have important information, or if you need my help eliminating a pirate, you can contact me as well. If we both put our best foot forward, we can make a difference in the lives of the people living in this area!" The passionate captain concluded, her eyes lit up with conviction.
Orion stared in awe at the beautiful captain, who, despite being young, had an elegance and presence that made her seem older.
He knew the kind of institution the Marine was. It was a place where all kinds of people coexisted. A corrupt institution, yet it was the only defense against the great wave of criminals ravaging the seas of this world.
Orion, who was always trying to improve the world, felt great respect for the serious captain in front of him, who performed her job honestly, hoping to help people.
He smiled and put the small Den Den Mushi in his pocket, then gave the bag containing the reward he had received to Yukimura, and reached out with both hands to take Christina's hands in his own.
How good would the world be if all Marines were like this woman? Orion thought, sighing inwardly, though he knew such a thing was impossible.
It would be a miracle if Christina could advance through the ranks of the Marines without becoming corrupted or destroyed by the insects that infected the organization.
"Of course, Captain Christina. I am willing to cooperate with you whenever possible. If you need my help in the future, please do not hesitate to call me. If it is within my capabilities, I will gladly help."
Orion smiled and squeezed the captain's soft hands. She was taken aback by the handsome man's sudden action and blushed slightly.
She had dedicated her entire life to the Marines, having enlisted when she was only 13 years old. Now, at 23, she had never had a romantic relationship with a man, so she wasn't used to intimate contact like the one she was experiencing now.
Orion saw that Christina had blushed and seemed unsure how to respond, somewhat embarrassed by his actions, so he simply smiled and let go of her soft hands.
Christina immediately regained her composure and smiled brightly, thanking Orion for his helpful attitude and saying that she hoped they could successfully cooperate in the future to help the people of South Blue.
Orion said goodbye to the captain and left the marine base with Yukimura, not noticing that the look Yarisugi was giving him was anything but friendly.
.............................
August 15, 1497, Age of the Sea Circle
"Happy birthday, Sofia! Happy birthday, Dante!" Orion's voice echoed through Den Den Mushi.
It was the twins' second birthday, and Orion was once again not present to celebrate with the little ones.
"Brother!" "Bro-bro!" the two little children responded excitedly upon hearing the voice of their older brother, whom they had missed every day since he left.
They no longer had anyone to take them flying through the air using Geppo, or tell them all kinds of magical tales and stories.
"How have you been? If you behave, when I get back I'll give you a big present," Orion said with a smile.
"Good." "I behaved!" the twins replied, raising their hands proudly.
Little Sofia had a more advanced vocabulary, while little Dante still struggled to pronounce sentences, and even long words.
Orion thought that Sofia had, after all, a great talent for the literary arts, so it was only natural that she would develop further in that area. On the other hand, his little brother Dante had the talent to be a muscular man, at which Orion could only sigh and swear that he would do everything possible to ensure his little brother didn't become a brute who only knew how to flex his biceps!
As soon as he returned to Pacific Town, he would start teaching them both math!
Although... he wasn't particularly good at math.
When he returned, he would tell Kalifa to teach them math!
Orion spoke with the twins a little more, then greeted his parents, assuring them that he wasn't doing anything dangerous and that they could be at ease.
Afterwards, he chatted a little with Helsing, who put aside her shyness and chatted with him a bit, even telling him she missed him and that he should come home soon.
Since the girl had started living in the Lysander house, she had experienced the affection of his family, and little by little, she had begun to open her heart.
Now, at least she was able to put aside her shyness and appeared much happier than when she had arrived in Pacific Town. On the system screen, Helsing's favorability rating had risen to 84, which showed that even if she didn't express it, she felt great affection for Orion.
As for Kalifa and Hototogisu, they were too busy with their activities in the settlement, so they weren't at home to talk to him during this call.
Still, he was able to speak with Rouge, who mentioned that everything was going well with her pregnancy and her bump was already completely obvious to the naked eye.
There were still four and a half months until the birth of her baby; as the date drew closer, expectations grew more and more.
Orion had to be present at that moment, just in case something unexpected happened and he needed to assist Rouge. So he had also taken that into consideration when resolving the problem of the Roux kingdom.
He didn't want to stretch the preparation gap too far and then find himself in the middle of a brawl with the Vascos at the same time as the baby was born.
Orion ended the call home and put away the Den Den Mushi.
Yukimura, who had been waiting to the side, approached and said,
"King, we're now entering Roux waters. What are your orders?"
Orion shook his head slightly at hearing him be so formal, but didn't try to correct him. He stood and looked at the deck of the large ship, where a large number of intimidating-looking men stood.
Some were preparing their weapons and equipment; others were relaxing by drinking alcohol; others were smoking while discussing interesting rumors; and still others were sleeping or meditating with their eyes closed.
This motley group, lacking much discipline, was the best mercenary company in this area of the South Blue.
He had come into contact with them and hired them to assist him in the battle against the Vascos.
After all, there was only so much he could do on his own, especially considering the skill level of the rebels who were his only allies.
This mercenary company was called the Gray Wolves, and he had gathered information about them during his stay on Guanhao. The amount of information he had gleaned by spying on the archives of Cipher Pol's training island was considerable, and it was at times like these that they proved especially useful.
"For now, stay on standby. I'll go check out the situation myself first. I'll keep in touch through Den Den Mushi," Orion said, patting Yukimura on the shoulder.
Yukimura nodded and remained on the ship, as his representative before the mercenaries. Orion used Geppo and advanced toward the large island at full speed.
Finally, the time had come to confront the royal family of Roux, the Vascos.