Talking to Roderick

Once I came back to Barry he rushed to me worried about my condition. I had been hit by an RPG, if only grazingly.

The entire left side of my body was burned and my clothing had turned from rags into useless garbage. Barry asked, "What happened, I thought you would ambush them."

I sighed, "That is what I thought too. But apparently Lucky Jack can give and take senses from people. The lieutenant could smell me as soon as I came close."

Barry sighed, "That does explain some things then. I know that Jack has a massive prison but I never knew why he kept it. It would've been much more efficient and his style to kill all of his enemies."

"I think that maybe he needs whoever he stole the senses from to be alive. I can't see any other reason why he would keep that prison open. It's a massive waste of food and manpower otherwise."

I nodded. He probably ran the same rules and Gecko Moria, as Barry described. I do wonder about the prisoners did he take all their senses away?

If so then they wouldn't need guards. Is he just paranoid? I mean there might be a chance that someone awakened observation Haki and escape.

I mean I assume he took all their senses, presumedly they're blind, deaf, and can't smell, taste, or feel anything. I shudder at what that would do to a person.

So if we were to kill all the prisoners first then all the sense enhancement would disappear. I am a bit hesitant about doing that because after all I still have a conscience.

So I probably had to face him head-on. Damn. This is why I want ranged capabilities, if I could kill him from a kilometer away then I wouldn't have to worry about all this sneaky shit.

I looked down at my loot, I mean I did have guns now, I could theoretically kill him at range now. The problem was while I could use a gun I was not truly proficient at it.

While my high perception did help to land those shots in the fights that were in close range, at long distances I still haven't learned to factor in things like wind speed or gravity in my calculations.

So probably leave that for later. So I got out of the rags I was wearing and into the pelt clothing, I was wearing before.

Barry said, "We're carrying a pile of looted guns already, they will know it is us. So better to make peace with that and wear the pelts, at least it protects us from being shot at."

I agreed, with the pelt, I probably would've taken no damage from the grazing blast of the RPG. Now I was burned and bruised on my left side.

And while wasn't a major wound, it would probably decrease my combat effectiveness by 10%. Good thing I would probably heal by the next day.

So me and Barry continued walking. The next day when we came across a patrol of Shark Eaters, I noticed they didn't have a lieutenant with them.

So I tested out my aim with an RPG. I was apparently good enough and the RPG shell hit right in the middle of the group killing all 10 men.

Other than that meeting the rest of the way to Roderick was smooth sailing. In fact, when we came to the proximity of the city's walls almost no Shark Eaters were seen.

The city must not like it when heavily armed men walk close to their paradise, so they probably chase them away. I could see guards on top of the walls armed with guns.

They ignored us, and probably think the large oddly shaped sack behind us was carrying garbage not guns. They were too far to see any real detail so we were fine.

We walked down across the wall till Barry stopped us. He said, "Ok lad, let me check this place, it was from what I remember one of Roderick's favorite haunts."

He then knelt down next to a pile of garbage and started looking around. His hand seemed to hit something. He pulled it and I realized it was a lever.

A hatch hidden in the trash opened up and Barry waved me in. I looked at the interior and realize that it was a bar.

It was well-maintained made of wood that didn't look like it was falling apart and serving cups of alcohol in glasses that all matched.

I saw that there were multiple hallways leading here, presumably there were multiple entrances here. But when we enter all eyes turned to us.

The sight of an old man and a young child carrying a bag filled with what looked to be a pile of guns must have been pretty odd.

In the silence left at our arrival, I heard a smarmy voice say, "Look whose here. Barry what a pleasure to meet you again. I assume the pile of guns your kid is carrying is a bribe for me not to gut you."

Barry said, "Hello Roderick, I would be much more comfortable if we could take about this in a more private location."

Roderick nodded and wave with his one remaining hand. We followed him into one of the twisting hallways that diverged from the bar and entered a small room.

He waved at Barry and said, "Out with it, what do you want?"

Barry said, "What do I want? I just want to repair past relationships that is all."

Roderick snorted, "Bullshit. You would've never shown your slimy face here if you didn't want something from me. Even with the piles of guns, you brought along."

Barry slowly nodded, "Well if you put it so bluntly, we want information on the Shark Eaters gang."

Roderick narrowed his eye and took a better look at the pile of guns. His eyes widened in realization, "You're the crazy bastard that killed their men aren't you?"

Barry said, "We might be. But since I know you have the Shark Eaters shouldn't that be a plus in your book."

Roderick huffed, "I do hate those arrogant asses, but they're strong. If I turned you in now I could make a hefty profit you know."

Barry agreed, "You could do that but then you are throwing away your best chance at destroying them once and for all."

Roderick rose a skeptical eyebrow, "Really? You seem like an old man and a kid to me. What could possibly do to the Shark Eaters?"

Barry pointed at me, "It is not what I can do but what my young companion here can do. We didn't get these guns through nefarious means, Marcus here killed them all by himself in open combat."

Roderick stated, "Show me."

So I stood up from the chair and got in stance. I calmed down then in an instant tensed up all my muscles and sent out a powerful Hwechook, cracking the air with the power of my kick.

The hat that Roderick had been wearing tumbled from his head and he looked impressed. "Ok," he said, "I can see how he managed to kill groups of Shark Eaters."

"But," he continued, "that is nothing compared to a group of them. Jack is already gathering all his lieutenants together. He was worried they were going to be picked off one by one."

"I heard that he has also been capturing a lot more people but I don't know why. So if you want my support you have to show me a bit more."

I nodded and from my bag, I pulled out the RPG and the 7 shells that were still left. Roderick seem to know the gun as his eyes glowed with excitement.

"Oh, you managed to kill one of his lieutenants already. You killed one of the stronger ones even, Explosive Earl. Ok, you've convinced me."

I smiled and for the first time since meeting Roderick spoke, "Ok what can you tell us about the Shark Eater's gang."

He said, "I told you they are gathering right? Well, I heard that they all plan to be in the Minnow's Redoubt by tomorrow night."

"They are also recalling a lot of their men from the front line. They are only planning to leave a skeleton crew to take care of the territories."

"I know the path of 2 of the lieutenants, Eagle Eye Yelmer and Fanatical Torry. They carry a gun that can shoot from really far away and one that can shoot fire."

"Do you think that you can handle these men before they reach the gathering?"

I smiled, "Yes I do."

Feeling generous I said, "As a token of gratitude you may take the other 19 guns and their ammunition, they may help you take down the Shark Eaters with me."

As if it was just what he was waiting for, Roderick snapped his finger and a massive man came in then carried the bag containing the remaining guns away.

He said, "I thank you for your contribution. Don't worry I will make sure to use them well."

He then told me the routes that the 2 lieutenant we talking but before I left I said something, "I don't know if you know but Jack has a devil fruit."

"I believe that his power is to take the senses of one person and give them to another. We believe that he needs whoever he took the senses from to be alive so that he why he keeps so many prisoners."

I could see the knowledge sink in before his face twisted in rage.

"Is that so? Then I will have more reason to be angry at Jack than I did previously."

I nodded, some of his friends might be prisoners so I could see where his rage came from. After that, me and Barry walked out of the bar ready to start our revenge on the Shark Eaters.