10 Next step

Before leaving I looked to the barkeep "Thanks for the food. It was delicious. Best I've had in years, literally. I never did ask your name."

"Was nothing special. And no you didn't."

"HA, then that was my mistake." I turned to face her properly and clenched my right fist over my head and bowed slightly, since I was in a good mood. "My name is James Marshall ||, may I ask your name O'cooker of meals and giver of drinks." The ale might be going to my head a little.

'heh'

Wait did she just laugh?!

"Well if your asking properly I have no reason not too. My name is Baona Fae, it's a pleasure." She said with bemusement clear in her voice, before going back to pouring drinks and cooking meals.

As I turned to leave I couldn't help but admire her zeal. She runs this place herself after all.

"And there's an Inn across the street that you might want to look at. It's cheap and comfortable. Meals are included." I heard her speak just before I turned back to ask. It was like she read my mind. I guess she hears this kind of stuff all the time, so much so that she can predict the outcomes based on her own experience. My opinion of her only grew greater.

Just as I left I saw Lenora and Arthur, smile and nod at me.

I wonder if their a bounty hunting duo, or if they just know each other. They're definitely skilled. Of that I have no doubt. The twin revolvers on Lenora's belt didn't look anything like a decoration. The same could be said about the rapier attached to Arthur's belt.

In fact, the entire time they've been here, at least as long as I've seen them, Arthur has had one hand on the hilt of his sword. And Lenora has looked like a shark just waiting to find its next prey. They might even be the most skilled individuals in the whole town. At the very least they're the only ones that make me think twice before messing with them. Other than Baona Fae.

I walked across the street to the appointed inn, it wasn't too nice nor too run down. Only 1 broken window and a few small cracks here and there in others. As I reached the innkeepers desk I bought a room for 1 month that comes with meals. All in all after taking out the money for the inn and the money for my feast at the bar I still had just over 50,000 berries left.

I was temporarily stumped. Joe wasn't that big a threat, but he was a skilled boxer when calm there no denying that, but was he really worth this much?

Then again, when I think of how little it cost to book a room for a month along with eating my fill I can't help but wonder if the government and the underworld inflate the prices on bounties simply to get as many people chasing them as possible. Now that I thought of this I was certain. I mean look at Nico Robin, that case speaks volumes of the corrupt nature of bounty posters.

Some of the bounties have big enough prices to entice the greed of even the most respectable individuals and with those kind of prices it's basically promising enough wealth to last a life time.

I put my pipe and bundle beside my bed and took out 2 palm sized rocks. I gripped them tight before continuing Yogi Pathik's sacred poses. The energy in my body kept me going for hours. Until I had throughly stretched every muscle beyond its limit.

I then began to meditate and focus on rejuvenating my muscles with the power from my soul.

Taking a deep breath I stood up and left the inn. With my pipe in hand I went to the clothing shop recommended by the innkeeper. Next was the blacksmiths shop. He bought the chipped knife off me and my rusty pipe as scrap metal. I then used that money along with my own to buy a larger more practical dagger. Next was the bookstore. They had a pitiable collection, but still had what I wanted. Then the wood worker. For a nice Quarterstaff. And finally the general store, where I bought toiletries, a backpack, a compass and a fishing rod.

I returned to the Inn with my spoils. Several new pairs of clothes, ranging from suits and collard shirts, to jeans and track pants. A new dagger as well as the materials needed to maintain it and its sheath. A map of this island and a map of the south blue. I also bought a copy of Bragmen, which I was surprised to find. Sadly they didn't have the devil fruit encyclopaedia. Though that was to be expected.

After putting everything down I took my staff in hand and began training with it. Trying to get used to the feeling of it in my hands, I started with simple maneuvers I recalled from my time watching masters of Bojutsu. After half an hour I switched to my dominant hand and continued for another half an hour before I slowly started picking up the pace. Utilizing more varied motions as I got more comfortable with my new weapon. After several hours of intense exertion I sat down to meditate and reflect on my practice.

The energy from my feast has faded and my body is tired, so I decided to rest before training further. I can't slack if I intend to one day reach the grandline. At the moment I'm far from strong enough.

'Grip'

I tried to relax my muscles while lying on the bed. As I looked down and clenched my fist.

I refuse be weak in this life!

With that thought in my mind I slowly drifted to sleep.

What woke me was surprising to say the least, it was something I never expected actually. I woke from a dream. I can't remember the last time I dreamt. It was a marvellous feeling. Not that I particularly remember the experience, but I know Ansarah was there. And for some reason so was Morgan Freeman.

I guess you really don't know how much you miss something until you loose it. I lay back and closed my eyes. The small wooden bed had a eggshell white sheet and a green blanket. It was the most enjoyable sleep I think I had ever had. Sure, my life on earth wasn't all bad, but I lived in an apartment right next to a train station my whole life and had spent the past week sleeping on the ground or in trees, so I think it's safe to say I had never slept so soundly. And that's ignoring the fact that souls don't sleep.

Getting out of bed I stretched for an hour before meditating. After getting dressed I checked the blade of my new dagger and I put it back into its brown, leather sheath and strapped it to my left leg around the base of my shin.

Taking my new flintlock off the small desk to the left of my bed I stuck it into my back waist band, so I could grab it with my right hand should need be and pulled my shirt and jacket over it. The pistol 'boss' Finnan had been so kind to give me had broken when Joe had slammed me into the tree. I'll need to be more careful with this one.

I'm glad I decided to check it over while I was at the gunsmith getting some extra powder and bullets. The internal mechanism had been too damaged to repair so I scrapped it and bought a new one. Same design, but in much better condition.

I'm not one to rely on tricks or surprise attacks, but I've seen far too many 'respectable' fighters fall due to them trying to play fair. The world isn't a fair place so why should I care if I fight fairly? I'll just keep fighting and pushing my skill to the limit and if I find someone I can't beat with skill or strength. I'll do whatevers necessary to win and to survive.

I walked over to my quarterstaff and picked it up. Putting on my new camping backpack before I started downstairs. On the way I passed a mirror and I couldn't help but chuckle. Disregarding my dark, short hair style and facial features, if anyone from around here took a look at my suit they might not notice anything strange, but if a fan of One Piece were to see me now they would probably think I'm cosplaying as Sanji.

From the shoes to the stripped blue undershirt I looked exactly like Sanji in his first appearance. When I saw the entire outfit was at one of the stores I blanked and bought them before I even realized it. Not that I'm complaing.

Continuing down the stairs I left the inn.

If you ignore my stubble I looked pretty respectable, but I've always wanted a beard and my body is around 22-23ish, so it shouldn't take too long to grow in as long if I don't shave it.

I revelled at the thought of defeating my foes and stroking my bristly beard to ponder as they beg for their lives. Once I have a beard the next thing I need is a hat. One with a big feather on it. I can see it now, captain of my own ship, crew at the ready and the whole sea spread out before me.

I'll make that dream a reality, but first I need to get stronger, gather funds and buy a small sailing ship that I can use to get to the Martial Isles. After buying what I did yesterday, I ended up spending almost all of what remained of Joe's bounty. I still had 6,000 left, plus the 9,000 I found in Joes hut for a total of 15,000 berries.

After walking out of the inn I started to think about my next move. It might not be wise to just start going for one bounty after another. I don't want to cause any trouble for the local hunters.

Then again there's no reason to hold back too much and I still need to train my body. I guess hunting one or two bounties a week till my payment at the inn runs out will be my plan for now.

I can train my body in the forest between now and then.

After listening at the bar yesterday I managed to hear more than just rumours about heist master Keith. I also overheard that there's a rather dangerous patch of forest with a large lake in the middle of it. It's a place normal villagers and even bounty hunters tend to shy away from because of the large beasts that roam there.

Thinking back on my time reading One Piece I recalled my favourite story. Luffy, Ace and Sabo hunting in the forest together, fighting 100 fights a day and growing stronger along side each other.

I may not have brothers to spar against, but that doesn't mean I'll slack in any way. And hunting ferocious beasts with nothing more than my own skill is something I've always wanted to do.

The forest I came out of is to the south of Grassroots town. While the forest directly opposite to that is six to seven times larger and covers the terrain all the way to the Volti Empire's main city. That's where I'm headed. It's the perfect place to train myself and get used to the elements. I'll likely only return to my room at the inn to rest before I go for my next bounties.

The city itself with its high walls and constant guard patrols, is built like a fortress. With a dense forest in front filled with wild beasts and a cliff to its rear, it would make any invader think twice before starting a fight with them.

Funny thing about that city, it was actually much larger once, back when this was known as the Briss Kingdom this entire island was considered part of the red line. But after a massive earthquake a hundred years ago the island split from the continent and lost more than half the city as it plunged into the water below. Along with the segment that connected this island to the red line.

Luckily the citizens had been attending a festival near the front of the town square, but this event left many without homes and when the Volti family started to gain in influence they decided to use this chance to get ride of those they didn't like.

Now the city is filled with only loyal families to the Volti blood line.

And the sheer cliff that drops 90 degrees straight down into the ocean ,at the back of the capital, is a constant reminder of what once was.

"Hm"

Seems this body had more knowledge than I gave him credit for.

Well I guess the citizens at the time wouldn't have found that funny, but I thought it was hilarious when I first found that little tidbit floating around in my mind. I mean it was fairly obvious that the Volti family had plotted this whole thing from the start.

An 'earthquake' happens to destroy the homes of all the people backing the Leader of the Briss kingdom and doesn't do too much damage to your own supporters. Yeah that's not suspicious at all.

Especially since the King was located at the farthest point from the gates and those living closest to the entrance were treated as lesser nobility. What I found so funny was that no one seemed to think of this. Sure maybe the King did at one point, but before he was ousted he seemed to have a firm belief that it was divine provenance that caused his downfall. Not years of oppression or typical tyranny causing people to lash out, but an act of god.

Maybe his enemy's simply spread that rumour to make him seem even more incompetent. Either way it ended with the kings family and all his supporters being tossed from the kingdom and left to fend for themselves in the wild. And the defendants of the survivors are the ones living in Grassroots town today.

Most of that is just speculation, but I've watched enough human interactions over the course of my life to make a fair assumption. I'd just like to know how someone mimics an earthquake without a devil fruit. Maybe specifically trigged detonations underground?

Well there's no point pondering useless thoughts. Pushing that thought from my mind I approached the forest.

"I wonder what the first creature I find will be? Better not be a squirrel!"