"Arvel! How goes the fishin' this mornin'?"
"It's going well," I called back, giving the older man walking behind me a friendly grin.
I had arrived on the island of Imbale four days ago, and so far, things were going well. I had secured a spot to park my small raft in the southern port, which was filled with dozens of other small fishing boats, and had already started to explore the island. Luckily, there didn't seem to be much suspicion of newcomers in the North Blue, as while there were definitely various pirates in the sea, I had learned from the very man calling out to me that any pirates tended to stay far away from wherever Germa 66 was.
The island itself - which was both called 'Imbale' and 'the Kingdom of Imbale' - was a mix of natural beauty and social division. The northern part of Imbale was pretty much a paradise, with clean beaches, lush greenery, and stunning ocean views. This was where the wealthy elite of the kingdom lived, and their homes were a reflection of that wealth. They had huge, sprawling mansions with manicured lawns, sparkling pools, and all the luxuries one could imagine on an island like this - which wasn't extremely rich overall, as it wasn't like the mansions were made of gold, but was definitely on the wealthier side as far as North Blue kingdoms go. The streets in the north were clean and well-maintained, and the air was filled with the sweet scent of flowers. This was a world of privilege and comfort, which was a stark contrast to the south - which was where I was fishing right now.
The southern part of the island was a different story. This was where the common folk - that being the fishermen, the dockworkers, the merchants, and the majority of people on the island - lived. The homes here were mostly small, rather cramped buildings that only had a room or two, and were closer to huts than to mansions. The streets were narrow and winding, and the air was thick with the smell of fish, salt, and smoke. The south was a bustling, chaotic place, with a market that was pretty much always crowded with customers. Here, you could find everything from fresh fish and fruits to handmade crafts and second-hand clothes. The people here were hardworking and resilient, but there was always a slight undertone of struggle in the air as they fought to make ends meet.
The two sides of the island were separated by a massive, imposing wall that ran east to west and was a clear physical barrier between the haves and the have-nots of this Kingdom. The wall was manned by guards, as there was a large gate in the middle for anyone who needed to venture to the other side of the island. The wall was also a constant, oppressive reminder of the class disparity that defined life on Imbale.
But, despite the stark differences, I didn't mind hanging out in the southern half of the island one bit. There was a strange sense of community that I could already feel after only a few days, as I'd been quickly welcomed into the island without suspicion, and instead with open arms. The people here looked out for each other, sharing what little they had and offering a helping hand to those in need. The moment I had arrived, I'd been offered a place to stay by over a dozen different people that I'd only conversed with for a few minutes, and I was a bit touched.
The past four days had been fun, as I felt a bit of camaraderie with the people at the docks. They were fishermen, like me, even if I happened to be one with a video-game-like system - which made me much more effective at fishing than a normal man - and with enough power to rip the dock out of the ocean with my bare hands if I wanted to. I had quickly fallen into an easy routine, spending the past few days fishing in the waters around the island as I spoke with the fishermen at the docks, and then spent my nights in the local tavern, gleaning what information I could from the locals. I kept a low profile overall, as my focus was on gathering information and avoiding any unwanted attention, especially from Germa 66 for the quest.
The older man who had called out to me was one of the fishermen I had befriended: Borin, a grizzled old man with a weathered face. He physically looked like he could've been anywhere from his 60's to his 80's, but I didn't actually know how old he was, as this was still the world of One Piece. People here lived far longer than in my past world, and tended to age much better - as evident by Borin's currently shirtless frame, as he had a chest and arms that were ripped with muscle from a lifetime of physical work. His skin was a tan brown, a sign of the countless hours he had spent under the harsh sun, and he was wearing a pair of rough, faded blue shorts, which were stained red with some fish blood. He was balding, with gray hair covering only patches of his head, and to protect his scalp from the bright sun - which seemed even more intense in this world than my past one - he wore a wide-brimmed straw hat, which was the kind I saw on countless other fishermen.
"Ha! 'Going well' he says! If I caught as many fish as he did today alone, I'd be set for the whole week!" To my side and behind me, casually sitting on the other edge of the dock as his feet dangled over the water, was another, much younger, man.
The man who spoke was named Nero, and he was one of the other fishermen whom I had befriended since arriving on the island. He was younger than Borin, looking to be in his late 20's, but he was just as weathered and tanned from the sun. His physique was similar to Borin's, with a lean, muscular build that showcased his physically demanding lifestyle, though it was far more defined and jacked than most fishermen on the docks. He was a loud, boisterous man with an easy-going grin that was almost permanently plastered on his face, along with some messy black hair that was hidden under his hat. He wore a simple, loose-fitting white shirt that was open at the chest, showing off a series of faint scars on his chest - which were from his 'adventures' at sea, as he put it - along with a pair of tattered brown pants.
"Ain't that the truth!" Borin chuckled, looking over at the large pile of fish behind me, "I've never seen anyone with as much luck as you, Arvel! It's like you were born to fish! Share the secret with the rest of us!"
"I don't have a secret to share," I chuckled back, but then waved my hand dismissively, "But I'll share the fish with you as usual. Take whatever you want, and just leave around a dozen for me."
Borin's weathered face creased into a grin, but he waved a hand dismissively at me in return, "You're too generous, lad. We can't be taking all your catch! You've got to make a living too, right?"
"Trust me, I'll survive," I countered with a shrug, leaning back and scooping a silver-scaled fish from the pile before tossing it to him, which he caught one-handedly easily, "Consider it a thank you. I'm new here, and you two have shown me the ropes of this place."
"Hah, you don't have to pay us to be your friends, Arvel," Nero chuckled at my words, but then grinned as he leaned out and swiped a fish from my pile, "But, if you're offering, I'll take one too!"
"Are ya sure?" Borin pressed, raising an eyebrow at me, but I just nodded at him.
"I don't eat that much, and I don't need the money from selling them either," I shrugged at him, and he finally nodded as he stepped forward and started poking through the pile of fish.
A small crowd of other fishermen who had been working nearby began to drift over, as was usual throughout the day. Pretty much every fisherman in Imbale had seen this routine play out over the past few days, as word of my ridiculously large catches had spread quickly, and so had my habit of giving most of it away. Of course, I wasn't just giving the fish away for nothing - instead, this was a simple calculation: a few dozen fish now for goodwill, information, and a place in the community was far more valuable to me than the lackluster stat gain from consuming F-Rank fish.
Which, unfortunately, was what most of the fish around Imbale were. It seemed that even the fish in this world were smart, and I assumed there was a bit of a hierarchy - that being that the dangerous predator-fish stayed away from islands to avoid being caught on hooks, while the less dangerous, prey F-Rank fish were forced to hang around the islands to stay safe from the D-Rank fish. As a result, I caught pretty much nothing but F-Rank fish here, with the occasional D-Rank, which only gave one, sometimes two, stat points overall. Becoming ingrained in the south-side community of Imbale was more valuable than eating them, as if I wanted to focus on grinding stats again, I could just sail out into deeper waters and grind at more than double the speed.
And, sharing my fish was certainly earning me a lot of goodwill with the people here. The south side of Imbale was living in poverty, with exporting fish or selling them in the markets on the island being how all these fishermen made their money - money which was then heavily taxed by the north side of the island. For that reason, most of them lived day to day, discovering if they'd get to eat a genuine meal for dinner based on how many fish they managed to catch in the day. As a result, a couple more fish from my pile every day ensured they could survive, and I'd been thanked no small number of times.
As more fishermen lumbered over, looking at the massive pile of fish behind me sheepishly, I stood to start handing them out. In the day, I would share my haul, and at night, I'd reap the benefits of it.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Ah, Arvel! There you are! Come on over, come on over!" A loud, booming voice called out from the dimly lit corner of a tavern named 'Sal's Salty Nut' - yes, that was its real name, and its logo was indeed a man holding a pair of nuts in front of his... nuts.
The place was exactly what it sounded like, as it was a pretty run-down tavern that was owned by a man named Sal, who was a crude man who happened to also be the bartender. The tables were constantly sticky from spilled ale, the floor was covered in a layer of sawdust and who knows what else, and the air was thick with the smell of stale beer and fried fish. Sal was rather proud that the tavern was regularly cleaned - 'every once in a never,' of course, which meant it was always dirty. But, overall, most of the south side of Imbale was dirty, so it didn't stand out much.
I chuckled as I walked away from the entrance to the tavern, walking across the room as I approached the man who had called to me. Sitting at a small, wobbly table near the back was Goran, who was massive in every sense of the word. He was a mountain of a man, with a broad chest and a gut that was just as broad. He was pretty much always shirtless, letting his beer-belly be visible to the world, as he had a dozen tattoos covering his body and an ugly face, as his nose was crooked from being broken dozens of times, and his head was entirely bald.
Next to him sat a man named Silas, who was Goran's opposite in the physical department. Where Goran was a mountain, Silas was a gaunt man with a frame so thin he looked like a strong gust of wind might snap him in half. His skin was stretched taut over his prominent cheekbones, giving him a perpetually haunted look, and his long, bony fingers were stained yellow from the self-rolled cigarettes that were pretty much always dangling from his lips. His hair was black and greasy as it splattered across his forehead, almost completely obscuring his eyes.
These two men were an odd pair, but they were a pair that I'd become comfortable with over the past few days. And, they were a pair of men who had a lot of valuable information, as they saw and heard everything that came through this tavern. I made my way through the crowded tavern until I reached their table, where I pulled up a rickety wooden chair and sat down with a grin.
"Arvel, my boy!" Goran boomed again, slapping a heavy hand on my shoulder that would've sent a normal man stumbling out of his chair, "Another day, another king's ransom in fish, eh? I swear, you must have a deal with the Sea King himself!"
"The Sea Kings are monsters. There's not a literal 'Sea King,'" Silas rasped, taking a long drag from his cigarette and blowing a plume of smoke into the air, "He just knows how to fish. It's called skill, though I know you can't do anything but look intimidating. You should try it sometime."
"I know how to fish!" Goran shot back, his chest puffing out with indignation, "I caught a fish this big just last week!"
He held his hands out in front of him, a few feet apart, with a proud grin spreading across his face.
"That was a piece of driftwood, Goran," Silas deadpanned, "And you tried to cook it."
"It was a very fish-looking piece of driftwood!" Goran grumbled, crossing his arms over his chest and sinking back down in his chair with a huff.
"Happens to the best of us," I chuckled, and Goran's face brightened up again. He casually shoved a mug across the table at me and then spoke again.
"Listen, Arvel," He said, his tone suddenly becoming serious as he leaned in closer to me, and then looked around as if to make sure no one was listening, "I've been thinking! A man like you, with your skills... you'd be a perfect match for my daughter!"
I stared at him blankly, the ale in the mug he slid towards me suddenly seeming very interesting as I turned my gaze down at it. This was, unfortunately, not the first time he had brought this up.
"I've never even met your daughter, Goran," I said dryly, looking back up at him as I gave him a look that I hoped conveyed my utter lack of desire to humor him, but it seemed to have no effect on him. Goran just laughed at my words, slapping my shoulder again in a way that made the entire table shake.
"A minor detail!" He declared, waving a dismissive hand in the air, "She's a beautiful girl, my Anjani! The spitting image of her mother! A bit more... eh, plump, maybe, but that just means there's more of her to love! And with the money I bet you're bringing in from fishing, she wouldn't just love you, she'd worship you!"
I shuddered at the thought, as while I wasn't opposed to the idea of settling down someday, it certainly wasn't with a woman I'd never met, and definitely not in a kingdom with as much class disparity as this one. And, whenever I did settle down would be far, far, in the future. This was the world of One Piece - I had an entire world to explore, and I wasn't going to just spend my time living in a little peaceful nation like this.
"No thanks, Goran," I said, shaking my head as I took a swig of my ale, "I'm flattered, really, but I'm not looking to get married right now. I'm just trying to make my way in the world."
Goran's face fell, but before he could launch into another one of his spiels about his daughter's many 'great attributes,' I decided to change the subject. I had learned early on that the best way to get information out of these two was to let them talk, and they were always more than willing to talk - not with just anyone, of course, but that was why giving out my fish was going to pay dividends here. I'd become pretty popular on the south side of Imbale over the past few days - both for my insane fishing luck/skill, and for how generously I shared that fish - which meant people like Goran and Silas were eager to be friendly with me.
"Speaking of making my way in the world," I said, leaning in a bit as I raised an eyebrow at Goran, "Anything interesting happen on the island today? Got anything fun to share?"
Goran's eyes lit up as the disappointment of me rejecting his daughter was instantly forgotten. He leaned forward even closer, his voice dropping as he stopped talking loudly and instead was close to whispering.
"Oh, you have no idea, my friend," He answered, a wide, excited grin spreading across his face, "There's a couple o' things I heard today! The first is that apparently a couple of Germa 66 guys were poking around the north side..."
I froze, barely managing to keep my expression neutral as he mentioned Germa 66, whom I was still evading to complete the quest. They had been on Imbale? Was that normal? But, before my mind could run wild with thoughts of how I might need to flee the island in the middle of the night to secure the quest completion, Goran continued.
"...They were poking around because one of their patrol ships got itself destroyed in the area a few days back," He continued, not noticing my slight tensing, "They've been checking the nearby islands to see if they can find anything out. They came to Imbale earlier today to question King Daurel about any pirates being in the area."
King Daurel. I had heard that name a few times over the past few days, and it was always with more than a bit of disdain. From what I'd gathered, King Daurel was a fat, bumbling, wealthy man who had inherited the throne from his father and had done nothing but sit on it and grow fatter and richer since. He ruled over the north side of Imbale from the comfort of his palace, hosting no shortage of extravagant parties in the process, while the people in the south worked themselves to the bone just to survive.
But if they came because of a patrol ship getting destroyed, then they were definitely looking for me. That didn't necessarily mean I had to get off the island immediately, as it was still far-fetched to think one random fisherman was able to defeat an entire Germa patrol ship and destroy it. Even if they did search Imbale for the culprit, it was unlikely that they'd land on me.
"They were stupid to do so," Silas muttered, taking a drag from his cigarette again, "Imbale is under Germa's protection. The King practically kisses their leader's boots to stay on his good side. You think any pirates would be dumb enough to attack a Germa ship so close to a friendly kingdom? I haven't heard of pirates even being in the area for decades. Their patrol ship probably just got caught in a whirlpool or something."
That made me feel both better and worse - on one hand, their presence here was likely just a routine part of their investigation, and not because they had any lead on the culprit coming here. They'd probably question the King, get nothing, and then move on to the next island. But, on the other hand, if there weren't often pirates in the area, then the destruction of a patrol ship would be even more suspicious.
"I agree, but I've heard Daurel's going to launch an investigation into it," Goran nodded in agreement, and then he snorted, "That old bastard. I know damn well he doesn't care about some patrol ship, but he'll do whatever it takes to suck up to Germa."
"He's probably going to use this as an excuse to raise our taxes," Silas sighed, and Goran chuckled.
"Of course he is!" Goran scoffed, slapping the table so hard that the mugs jumped again, "He's probably thinking up new ways to squeeze the last few beries out of our pockets right now! 'Oh, we need more funds to protect the island from these dangerous pirates! We must increase the fishing tax!' I can hear it now!"
"That's how it always goes," Silas chuckled, a bitter smile on his face, "We suffer, and they thrive. But that's the world, eh?"
My jaw tightened at Goran's words, and I shifted a bit uncomfortably in my seat. This kind of injustice was one of the things that had always pissed me off, both in my old world and in this one. The powerful and wealthy preying on the weak and poor was a song as old as time itself. It seemed that, no matter what world you were in, this was a situation you couldn't escape. Money was power, and power always went to rulers' heads.
"An investigation," I finally spoke up, entering the conversation, "So, that means they'll be searching the island, right? The south side, too?"
I didn't think they'd have any good reason to assume I was the one who did it, but the fact that I arrived on Imbale the same day the patrol ship was destroyed was definitely suspicious. I wasn't eager to be 'investigated' at all.
"Nah, not really," Goran shook his head, a confident look on his face, "Daurel's done this a few times because he needs to keep up appearances, but he doesn't actually give a shit about whatever problem Germa's brought him. He'll use it as an excuse to drag whoever he doesn't like to prison and frame them. He'll probably pin this on some rich fucker whose wife he wants to bang."
"Hah, guess being rich isn't always good, eh? Those bastards can look down on us, but at least I don't have a fat bastard going after my girl," Silas chuckled as my shoulders relaxed a bit.
If the King was the type of guy to just pin this issue on someone else as an excuse to imprison whoever he didn't like, then I didn't need to be concerned. I had never met the man, so he didn't even know I existed - thus, I would have no reason to be the one falsely, or in my case, accurately, accused of destroying the patrol ship. I was safe.
But, before I could even finish my internal sigh of relief, Goran leaned in again, a wide grin spreading across his face, and I found myself leaning in with him out of instinct. I had to admit that Goran had a way of making even the most mundane news seem pretty damn exciting.
"But that ain't even the biggest news, Arvel!" Goran whisper-shouted, "There's something else! Something I heard from a little birdy who knows a guy who knows a guy whose daughter is married to a guy whose sister knows a guy who works in the palace! Something that makes this whole Germa nonsense look like nothing by comparison!"
I looked at him dryly as his source was, very clearly, not a primary one, but I found myself intrigued despite myself. What could possibly be a bigger deal than Germa showing up and making the King launch an investigation?
"The King's love life is spicing up!" Goran finally burst out with a wide, toothy grin, "That's right! Our dear, beloved, dastardly King Daurel is exchanging love letters with some female pirate from the New World!"
I felt the excitement drain out of me instantly as I deadpanned at Goran. Of course, this was the kind of 'news' Goran lived for. He got all his information from being the bouncer at this tavern, which meant for every bit of genuine, serious information he got, such as the investigation, he got ten times as much gossip in return. The personal lives of the wealthy and powerful were a source of endless gossip for the common folk, and Goran was no exception.
"The King and a pirate?" Silas asked, "Are you sure your 'little birdy' wasn't drunk? Or just making things up so you'd give them a free drink?"
"T-They were not!"
"Really? Because what pirate in her right mind would want anything to do with that buffoon? It's not like pirates need money, right? Are you saying there's actually a woman out there who likes Daurel, and not just for his money?"
"Ah, but that's the best part!" Goran grinned even wider, "From what I hear, this pirate ain't just some rookie! She's a real big shot!"
"A big-shot? A big-shot in the new world is in love with Daurel of all people?"
"It's true!"
"It's definitely not true."
I leaned back in my chair, letting out a small sigh as I tuned them, since I didn't really care. The King's love life? What did I care about that? I was here to gather information about Germa 66 and this world, not to listen to gossip about the king's love life. I still needed more information, as I was still particularly lacking in understanding what part of the timeline I was in, but it seemed that I wouldn't get anymore tonight.
I reached forward, taking another drink from my mug as I resigned myself to half-listening to gossip for the next hour.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"You're Arvel, aren't you?" I blinked, slowly turning my head to the side to glance at the group of men towering over me.
"That's me," I answered bluntly, raising an eyebrow at them, "What about it?"
I was sitting at the docks, in my usual spot, with my fishing rod in my hand, and Nero was looking nervous at my side. I couldn't blame him, because the group of men in front of me wasn't just fellow fishermen, but instead, clearly guards.
All four of them were tall, broad-shouldered men, and they were wearing what was essentially a knight's armor, as they had metallic chestplates, arm guards, and rounded, dome-like helmets on their heads, which only allowed a small gap for their mouths and eyes. In their hands, they each held a long spear, as the tips seemed to glint in the morning sunlight. Around us, a few of the fishermen who had been fishing nearby had stopped what they were doing, looking both curious and nervous at the guard's arrival.
The one in front, who seemed to be the leader, stepped forward, sneering as he looked down at me. He looked older than the others, as his face had some wrinkles and a scar that cut through his left eyebrow, and his hair was starting to turn graying at it's tips as he casually took off his helmet.
"I am Captain Rayon of the Royal Guard," The guard said, "And you, fisherman Arvel, are under arrest."
"Under arrest?" Nero repeated a few feet to my side as he shoved himself to his feet, "What for? Arvel's a good man! He's been nothing but helpful to all of us since he got here! There must be some mistake!"
"There's no mistake," Rayon simply grunted, not even bothering to look at Nero as he kept his gaze locked on me, "This man is a known pirate, as well as a terrorist who attacked a Germa 66 patrol ship a few days ago!"
My blood ran cold, and for a split second, my mind went completely blank. How could they possibly know it was me? I felt like I had been pretty damn careful! I had destroyed the evidence, I had laid low, and I had been doing nothing but fishing for the past few days. Goran's words from the tavern last night echoed in my mind, as he told me that the King would just pin this on one of his rivals, but apparently, Goran was wrong.
I slowly rose to my feet, my mind racing as I tried to figure out what to do. Should I deny it? Should I fight? Should I run? I had already killed four Germa soldiers, so what was a few more royal guards? I knew I could take them, but if I did, then I'd be making an enemy of the entire Kingdom of Imbale, and that was on top of the enemy I had already made in Germa 66, who would definitely know I had destroyed the boat if I killed the guards right here.
Of course, I wasn't going to let myself get dragged off to a prison cell either. If it comes down to it, I'll defeat the guards and then get the hell off of this island, and even out of this sea. I could just head to another blue, preferably the East Blue, and Germa would be powerless to chase after me.
"This is bullshit!" Nero shouted as he stepped in front of me, putting himself between me and the guards, "Arvel's just a fisherman! He's been here for what, not even a week? And, he's been out here fishing with me every single day! There's no way he could've attacked a Germa ship! His boat is just a raft!"
"Huh? Are you questioning the order of our King?" Rayon growled, taking an intimidating step towards Nero, who continued to glare as he didn't back down, "Do you want to be thrown into prison with your buddy for treason, too?"
"I don't know what you're talking about. I'm just a fisherman," I finally spoke up, stepping forward as I raised my hands placatingly since I didn't want Nero to get in trouble for me - especially when I was just going to leave this island anyway, "If you'd like, you can take a look at my boat. There's no way I'd be able to even reach a Germa patrol boat, much less destroy."
"I know that," I blinked in surprise as Rayon's grin widened, becoming mocking as he tilted his head back, and his hair flopped over his eyes, "But, whatever the King says is what becomes true, fisherman. You can blame yourself for this - if you weren't so good at catching fish, then you wouldn't have to spend the rest of your life in a prison cell!"
I froze at his words, my eyes widening as I came to the realization. It wasn't that they had figured out that I had destroyed the patrol ship - no, instead, they were doing exactly as Goran said they would. King Daurel had picked someone who was pissing him off, and he was thrusting the blame onto them. It just so happened that the person who had pissed him off was… me?
"So..." I trailed off for a second, my face hardening as my eyes locked with Rayon's, "You're pinning the blame on me because I'm good at fishing? What kind of bullshit is that?"
"Heh," Rayon let out a short laugh, "You don't get it, do you? This island operates on a delicate economic balance - the North side thrives because the South side is kept in check, staying just poor enough to provide a steady supply of cheap labor. Suddenly, you show up and start catching dozens of times more fish than anyone else, and you have the audacity to share it? The fishermen here have money for the first time in decades, and we can't have that, can we?"
My jaw tightened, and I was starting to become pissed off. I had come to this island looking for a place to lay low, and I had ended up right in the middle of a corrupt power play. I was being punished for being good at what I did - well, for my system being good at what I did, but same thing! - and for being generous. It was straight-up bullshit, and my system seemed to be in agreement.
[Quest Alert!]
Prevent the guards from imprisoning you!
Rewards:
+20 to all stats!
+Increased [Infamy] with the Kingdom of Imbale!
Time Limit:
10 minutes
Failure:
Suffer imprisonment in the Kingdom of Imbale, and lose access to the [Germa 66] chain quest!
I glanced at the quest, reading over it, as another voice entered the fray.
"This is some bullshit, Rayon!" Borin's voice boomed across the docks as he came stomping over with a speed-walk as his hands were clenched into fists, "You lay one damn finger on Arvel, and I'll kick your ass so hard your own mother won't recognize you! And then I'll swim up to that fancy palace of yours and do the same to that fat bastard we call a king!"
"Borin..." Nero trailed off, looking uncertainly at his fellow fisherman.
However, it was too late to stop it now. Borin's outburst was the start, as the crowd of fishermen who had been watching from a distance, and who had been quietly enjoying my free fish for days now, started to move. They weren't soldiers, but they were men who spent their lives working for their keep. Their bodies were hardened by years of labor, their hands calloused, and their stares were hard. They were men who had little to lose, and they had come to see me as one of their own. I was more than a bit touched by the sight.
One by one, they started to close in around the guards, and I could see Rayon's bravado wavering as he glanced around at the circle of angry fishermen. His grip on his spear tightened, and he took a half-step back, his eyes darting from Borin to the other fishermen, and then back to me. His earlier confidence was gone, replaced by nervousness as he realized that he and his men were not just outnumbered, but also outmatched in terms of raw strength, even with their weapons. He had come here expecting to arrest a lone fisherman, not to face an uprising.
"Y-You're all making a big mistake!" Rayon stammered, trying to regain his composure, but his voice lacked the authority it had moments before, "This is treason! You'll all hang for this!"
"The only one who'll be hanging is you if you don't get your men and your pointy sticks off this dock!" Borin growled, taking another step forward as he cracked his knuckles for emphasis, "Now, you have two choices. You can turn your sorry asses around and waddle back to your king. Or, you can see what happens when you piss off a bunch of fishermen who have nothing left to lose. Your choice."
I was touched, being genuinely moved by their willingness to stand up for me, who was a stranger they had known for less than a week. I knew part of it was that they wanted to keep the supply of free fish I gave them coming, as that directly led to them being wealthier, but that didn't change the fact that they were risking their lives for me right now.
But, of course, it was unnecessary. I didn't need their help, and I wasn't going to let these men ruin their own lives to try and protect mine.
"Relax, Borin," I said casually, stepping forward as Borin gave me a confused look, "I appreciate all of you trying to help me, but this doesn't have anything to do with you. I'm the only one being charged for a crime here, right?"
"Arvel..." Borin trailed off as Rayon nodded rapidly, his composure returning a bit.
"T-That's right! It's just him, so we'll take him and forget any of this ever happened, alright?" He said a bit shakily, glancing around at the crowd of fishermen around him, before he looked back at me, "I'm glad you're doing the smart thing here! There's no need for everyone to go down with you, right?"
As Rayon stared at me, his confidence returning, he abruptly stiffened. His grip on his spear tightened again, his legs starting to shake slightly, but not because of the fishermen around him this time. Instead, it was because my lips slowly curved up into a wide, cocky grin.
"Go down with me?" I repeated, chuckling lightly as I looked at Rayon like he was an idiot, "Who said I was going anywhere? If the King wants to arrest me, then that dumbass can come talk to me himself!"
Then, without warning, I lunged forward.
Unfortunately for Rayon, he was far too slow to react to my speed, as I moved so quickly that it looked like I had teleported from my spot to right in front of him. Before he could even raise his spear to defend himself, I had already closed the distance between us, and my hand shot out and grabbed the shaft of his spear. He tried to yank it back, but my grip was much stronger, and with a simple flick of my wrist, I ripped it from his grasp.
His eyes went wide as he stumbled forward, off-balance, and then even wider as I brought the spear up and then slammed it down onto my knee. The spear, which was made of wood and a tough metal that probably cost a good chunk of money, didn't bend or break. No, instead, it shattered into a dozen pieces as if it were made of glass, as the wood and metal shards flew in every direction. The sound of the metal snapping echoed across the docks, and the entire area fell silent, as fishermen and guards alike stared at me with wide eyes.
"W-What... how...?" Rayon stammered, stumbling backward as he stared at the broken pieces of the spear in my hands, and then at me, "What kind of monster are you!?"
I didn't answer him. Instead, I just grinned, and then I took a step forward, bringing up my other hand as I made a fist, and then I swung. My fist shot forward, looking like a blur to his eyes, and it connected with Rayon's chest with a loud thud that echoed across the docks. The force of the punch was enough to knock down an entire tree, and Rayon's eyes bulged as the air was forced from his lungs. The metal plate on his chest didn't even offer a hint of protection, as it caved inwards under the force of my blow. The metal dented and warped around my fist, doing next to nothing against my strength.
Rayon was sent flying backward, his body lifting off the ground as he soared through the air. He flew over the dock, his arms and legs flailing, and then he splashed down into the water about twenty feet away, causing a large splash of water to shoot into the air as he hit the surface. A moment later, his body slowly floated back up to the surface, as his eyes were glazed over, and drool was coming out of his mouth.
I turned my attention to the other three guards, who were still frozen in shock, their jaws dropped as they stared at the spot where their captain had just been standing, and then at the spot where he was now floating in the water. I could see the fear in their eyes, and the fight was already over before it had even begun.
One of the guards, a younger man who looked like he was barely out of his teens, finally seemed to snap out of it as he grew some balls - or, more likely, he was just stupider than the other two. He let out a loud, angry yell, and then he charged at me with his spear held high. He thrusted it forward, aiming for my chest, but I saw it coming from a mile away. I sidestepped the attack casually, then, as he stumbled past me, I reached back and gave him a 'light' shove. The shove was, in reality, anything but light, and the guard was sent flying forward.
He soared through the air, his body tumbling end over end, and then he crashed into the pile of fish that was a few feet behind me. I glanced back at him as he groaned and coughed, the wind clearly knocked out of him from the force of my shove, and since it seemed that he wasn't getting up anytime soon, I turned my attention to the last two guards.
They were both standing frozen, their spears held limply in their hands as they stared at me with a mixture of fear and shock. They had just seen their captain get knocked out with a single punch, and their companion get sent flying by an effortless shove. They knew that they were no match for me, and they were clearly trying to decide whether to fight or flee. They made their choice, which, luckily for them, was the right one.
The two guards glanced at each other, a silent agreement passing between them, and then... they promptly turned and ran. They dropped their spears, the metal clattering on the wooden dock, and then they took off down the dock, their metal boots clanging against the wood as they sprinted towards the water to start fishing their captain out of it. I watched them go, a small grin on my face, as a notification appeared from my system.
[Quest Complete!]
Prevent the guards from imprisoning you!
Rewards:
+20 to all stats!
+Increased [Infamy] with the Kingdom of Imbale!
"A-Arvel? What the hell was that?" I turned away from the quest as Borin was staring at me with wide eyes, and his mouth was open so wide in shock that his jaw nearly hit the floor.
"Ah... I used to be a bounty hunter," I lied quickly, just shrugging unhelpfully as all the fishermen were looking at me with various gazes of shock, awe, and admiration.
"But, Arvel, this won't just end here," Nero pressed, looking at me a bit worriedly, "You can't just beat up the guards and get away with it. King Daurel will send more..."
"Let him," I simply grinned, causing Nero's eyes to go wide, "I'll kick their asses, too."
Unfortunately, I felt like my chance to ditch Imbale and move to the East Blue had come and gone. Now, as the friends I had made during the past 5 days stood up for me against the guards, they had been drawn into this with me. If I left now, I'd save my own skin, but it would be the coward's way out - I'd be leaving Borin, Nero, and all these fishermen here to suffer for what I had done. The guards would imprison, if not kill, them for my refusal to go to prison.
I wouldn't consider myself a saint, nor even that good of a person, but I did have some morals. I had standards. I couldn't just leave these people here to suffer after they'd stood up for me, even if it would cause risk to my own life.
Of course, just as their intentions in defending me weren't completely pure, mine in staying here weren't either - I still had the chain of Germa quests, and while I wasn't eager to make an enemy out of them, I didn't want to flee the North Blue and risk losing the quests either. I had made my position clear by taking out the guards, and I'd made an enemy out of the kingdom I was living in. There was no chance to run anymore.
I had made an enemy, and soon, King Daurel would be ripped from his throne.
However, the method in which the Kingdom of Imbale found its new ruler would come in a way I never expected.
—----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
AN: I had to take a break from writing, but I'm back! I've cut down on the number of stories I'll be consistently updating (Only this one, Change, The Champion Just Wants a Good Fight, and I Was Reincarnated As Frieza for now) so this will likely be updated more often. Though, as usual, it is still updated twice as often over on my Patreon (Patreon.com/Koyon) and has 3 more chapters posted already!