(CHAPTER 25: BOUNTY HUNT)

"From one of the candidates, we may got the fugitive that the Ice Emperor is hunting for."

"You mean?"

"He seem weak at first, but from the incident yesterday and his performance today, as well as the ability of my god fruit, he must be the one."

"So what do you want, Smoky."

"I suggest we lure him in for a trap, he must be desperate for money. To even decide to be a bounty hunter."

"You say he got a weak spot huh."

"Even the toughest of all man has one."

"So your plan is?"

"It is already going as planned, Crow is going to hook the girls up in no time. All we needed is to keep him away…"

I stood in front the gigantic billboard alongside a group of other bounty hunter. I had already wasted a whole day to past this test. I reached for my pocket. Any fingertip connected slightly against the golden license, I immediately pulled my hand back, continue to stare aimlessly at the thousand of posters. I just got it yesterday, looks like that old crocked ass man wasn't kidding. Only one man is qualified for the license, but Toby gave it to me. Suggesting to hunt together and split up the money.

All I needed is to get something big, and continue our trip. We can't stay any longer, especially after the incident today, I am drawing more and more attention. Which is the bad thing to me, real bad. Worse of all is Toby. It isn't the fact that he is gay or maybe he likes me, it is the fact that last night, I showed him my form. The form that was hung out on every street an alley. The form that had a five million bounty on it. The form that was just at the billboard in front of me.

"Rey!"

Shit, he is coming.

"Rey!!" He shouted, even louder as he approached. I immediately turn my head around, trying to act deaf, but instead he grab me by my shoulder. "What are you going to do with your first bounty hunt, Rey?" He asked, closing his face to mine. I replied with an awkward smile. With one hand, I secretly tear down my wanted poster and burn it into ashes, luckily he didn't seem to realize it.

"I am planning to move out of town tomorrow." I decided to come out honest. "Sorry buddy." A glimpse of disappointment flashes in his eyes, maybe he just treat me like a friend. But does friends really grab one another by the elbow and rub their damn cheeks on one's face? "So how about we do something big today?" he seem to shake out the sadness real quick. "Sure, which one do we wanted to get today." The two of us stare at the billboard together, he is still grabbing my damn arm.

"Argh!" Suddenly the door of the headquarter burst open, as a man struggle his way into the base, dragging his feet that was heavily injured. "Help! The monsters! They took my friend!!" I scramble his way towards the place, leaving a trail of blood, before losing his balance and fall onto me. "Hey, you okay?" I pull him back up. He seem to had a panic attack, his face smeared in blood of his fallen friends, breathing heavily as tear rolled down from his eyes. "Help, help me!" He screamed right on my face. "Stay calm okay." I tried to cool him down, but he didn't insist, continue to act hysterically.

"Help me!! Kill the beast for me!! Please!!!" his shout still echoes in my mind, although he was dragged out moments ago by the guard. I stare at him, the desperate face of his was marked in my mind clearly. "What monster did he and his friends get to." I asked one of the worker at the counter. "Oh, you mean Will. He and his friends go after Brutus." The worker thought for a while before finally recalling back.

"How much is his bounty." "Three million for you, he had slayed at lot of men. Peasant and bounty hunters alike." The worker fumble the drawer of the counter for a moment before taking out a wanted poster, but there is no image regarding the beast, only the amount of bounty, it's active area and a row of large names scribbled on top: THE CYCLOP: BRUTUS

"Whoever who saw it, never make it out to tell the tale. And even if it does, they are just like will, gone mad." The worker seem the confusion on my face and replied. "Better steer clear your away out of him." He concluded and proceed to help another bounty hunter. I stare at the poster in my hand before rolling into a scroll and stuff it into my back pocket. "Where are you going" Toby immediately follow me out of the headquarter. "To kill some bastards." I replied blankly, from all my action, he must've guess I am going for the cyclops. And somehow, he chose to follow.

"He is on the hook boss." Upon seeing the two of us leaving the building, the worker immediately backs up and deliver the information to the boss. The figure sat on the leather chair, take a deep sip out of the cigarette in his hands before blowing out a ring of smoke. "You sure he head for the Tainlinch?" He asked. "I am absolutely sure, he took the poster of it and walk out. There is no way, he is heading for anyone except him." The worker confirmed. "Very well then." He took another deep sip before letting out a sigh of relief.

"Now for step 2."