Nothing to Hide #40

Author's note: I havn't seen any increase in power stones since the last double release, but I'm a big hearted man, so here's another one, you ungrateful degenerates. Seriously though, this is the last freebie. The next one will cost 250 power stones in one day.

...

Two days later,

"I guess this is it..." I said, smiling as I threw Roshio onto the boat beside the ship and turned to Wayland with a smile. "You don't have to worry about Chchun eating any of your sailors..." I added with a chuckle.

"Aye... it will be a relief to finally be rid of that damned bird..." Wayland replied with a nod, causing Chuchun to let out a cry of protest as he flew circles around the ship.

Wayland winced at the giant bird's call but quickly gathered his bearings. "But for all its worth, you weren't the worst passenger I had to haul, lad... and you've made it more than worth the hassle," he said with a broad grin as he looked at Cedric.

"Well, it's good to hear I wasn't too troublesome...." I replied, rolling my eyes at the ship captain's words. "Anyway... thanks for everything..." I said, fastening the spear to my backpack and picking up my luggage.

"Take care now..." I concluded, jumping into the boat and causing Roshio to faint as my feet landed an inch away from his face. "Come on, boy!" I exclaimed and whistled for Chuchun after dropping my luggage.

"Let's get going!" I said as I sat down and began rowing toward the small islet ahead of me without bothering to see Wayland and his crew off as they raised the anchor and lowered the ship's sails.

...

As he stood on the islet's one and only dock and watched the small boat slowly approach him, Commodore Daigin couldn't help but frown at the sight distastefully.

The commodore was a towering man, both in frame and height. He had a spiky black beard, sideburns, and scruffy mustache that, alongside the seemingly permanent scowl on his face, made for a fearsome visage that would instill fear in the hearts of pirates.

He looked plenty menacing already. And yet the simple frown on his face made even the marine soldiers around the commodore back away from him nervously.

"Sir... I believe that is the young man Rear Admiral Sicily mentioned..." said one of the marines as he approached the commodore and instantly froze as the latter turned to him with a sharp glare.

"I can see..." The commodore replied, his gruff voice causing sweat beads to run down the poor marine soldier's forehead. "Let it be known that the young man before you is a criminal..." he added as he scanned the faces of his subordinates.

"The fact that he was recommended by Rear Admiral Sicily and approved by the Fleet Admiral does not matter..." The commodore calmly said. "He remains a criminal, and until the paperwork stating otherwise arrives from HQ, you will treat him as such..." he added as he turned around and headed for the marine base's interior.

...

'Oh boy...' I couldn't help but frown as I reached the docks and noticed the expressions of the marine waiting for me there, seeming none too friendly to my eyes.

I didn't let my thoughts show on my face as I threw Roshio onto the docks and jumped after him with my luggage in hand. "Morning, fellas... my name is Cedric Strone. I'm here to turn in Roshio, captain of the Roshio pirates..." I said, looking at the nearest marine officer as I gestured toward the pirate.

"Rear Admiral Sicily already told us to expect your arrival," the Marine officer replied, alternating his gaze between the unconscious pirate and myself. "However, you are currently a wanted criminal yourself, so I must place you under arrest until you formally join the Marine Corps," he calmly added, to which I could only shrug.

"Very well... you two, take the pirate to a cell. And you, search our guest's luggage..." the Marine officer instructed the soldiers, and they instantly complied without hesitation. "I trust you don't mind a quick search to ensure you're not carrying contraband...?" he asked as he turned back to me.

"Not at all... I only have some clothes, money, and weapons, but feel free to search the luggage..." I replied with an unconcerned shrug, dropping my backpack and stepping back as the Marine soldiers approached me.

I had nothing to hide, so I was more than content to let the Marines search my luggage. I had already sent most of the money I earned from the weapons deal to Kid and the others back on Four Clover Island and only kept ten million, so that wouldn't be a problem.

As for the Rokushiki manual, I burned it to ashes after copying its contents into my notebook, so there was no problem on that front as well.

"What's this now...?" the Marine soldier said as he took out my notebook and the Method's booklet and flipped through them, finding nothing but medical diagrams and gibberish-like writings.

"It's a book on medicine that I bought from a traveling merchant not long ago..." I said with an awkward chuckle as I gestured toward the Method's booklet. "The bastard said it's from a country in the New World with an old language, but I get the feeling he just scammed me..." I added with a sigh, much to the Marine officer's amusement.

"So you're a doctor then, eh...?" the Marine asked, smiling as he flipped through the Method's booklet, and I nodded in response. "That's good... we could always use more physicians..." he added as he handed the book to the Marine soldier rummaging through my luggage.

"What about the notebook? It has the same nonsensical gibberish but in handwriting..." the Marine officer said as he took my notebook and gave it a quick look as he flipped through the pages.

"That would be my poor attempt at deciphering the medical book..." I replied, putting on an embarrassed expression as I sighed. "I paid too much for the damned thing to give up on it without trying at least..." I added with a shrug.

"Well, I wish you luck in your endeavor..." the Marine officer said as he turned to the soldier inspecting my luggage. "Report your findings," he instructed once he noticed the man had stopped searching.

"I've found clothes, seven revolver pistols, ten throwing knives, and roughly ten million in cash..." the soldier replied as he lined up my luggage on the ground for the Marine officer to see. "No suspicious or illegal items," he concluded.

"Seven revolver pistols...." the Marine officer said as he turned to me with a strange look. "That's a bit too much, don't you think...?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Maybe...but it beats reloading in the middle of a fight...." I replied with a smile, shrugging my shoulders at the Marine officer's words.

"Fair enough..." the Marine officer said with a nod. "I won't ask you where you got that money considering your circumstances, but I will confiscate your weapons until HQ officially clears you of charges..." he added, dismissing the soldier searching my luggage with a gesture.

"I won't lie to you," the marine officer said after waiting for the soldier to leave. "Many people are unhappy with your presence here, especially Commodore Daigin," he added, causing me to sigh as I kneeled before my backpack and gathered my stuff.

"Well, it's not as bad as you might imagine," the marine officer went on before I had a chance to say anything. "Besides keeping you on the island until the paperwork comes through, no one can do anything to you," he added, shaking his head.

"So long as you lay low and don't go out of your way to antagonize the soldiers here, your stay here wouldn't be unpleasant," the marine officer calmly concluded.

"I'll keep that in mind, thanks," I replied with a nod as I finished packing my stuff and stood up, leaving the revolvers, knives, and my spear on the ground.

"Oh, and be sure to keep that bird of yours in check," the marine officer said as he turned to the sky and saw Chucun flying above us. "I hear Super Sparrows are quite vicious creatures," he concluded with a frown.

"Chucun is well-behaved, there's no need to worry about him," I said as I put my fingers to my mouth and whistled, prompting the giant bird to land beside me without hesitation.

"You wouldn't hurt a fly, would you, boy?" I asked, grinning as I patted Chucun's head, and he merely let out a soft cry as he rubbed against my hand. "See, very well-behaved," I remarked as I turned to the marine officer.

"Then all is well. You're free to roam the island as you wish, but you are not to leave its borders in any way, shape, or form," the marine officer said as he turned away from me. "You there, take these weapons to the armory and don't forget to label them!" he exclaimed as he gestured for the nearest soldier to come closer.

"Thank you," I said as I watched the soldier quickly gather my weapons and leave. "Erm, how should I address you, sir?" I asked, scratching my head as I looked at the marine officer.

"Ensign O'Brien will suffice," the officer said, introducing himself. "Now be on your way, and don't make a nuisance out of yourself," he added as he turned around and walked away.

"It might be a bit early," Ensign O'Brien said as he stopped and turned to look at me over his shoulder after taking several steps. "But welcome to the Marines," he concluded and promptly resumed walking without waiting for a reply.

...

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