Rogue Town.
Known as the "Town of Beginnings and Endings," even more than twenty years after the death of Pirate King Gol D. Roger, Rogue Town remains bustling and prosperous.
Since the arrival of Captain Smoker—parachuted in from Navy Headquarters—the town's security had significantly improved, making it a haven where ordinary citizens could live peacefully and securely.
Today, Kairos Flint and Nami arrived at Rogue Town aboard a passenger ship.
"Mr. Flint, thank you so much for your protection along the way. Safe travels, and may fortune smile on your journey."
Captain Gracie waved goodbye with a hint of reluctance in his eyes.
He had hoped to recruit Kairos as a permanent guard aboard his vessel. With someone of Kairos's strength on board, he wouldn't need to worry about pirates attacking his ship ever again.
But his offer had been politely declined.
Gracie could only accept it with regret.
"Take care," Kairos replied calmly.
He and Nami then began making their way toward the naval base in Rogue Town, pulling a small wooden cart behind them.
The cart, a gift from Captain Gracie, was to help them transport the corpses of the pirates they had taken down.
Fortunately, only a day had passed since Kairos had arrived in this world and since the encounter with the pirates. The bodies hadn't started to rot yet, though they definitely smelled. Kairos was eager to get them to the base and exchange them for the bounty.
"You got this, Kairos!" Nami called out with enthusiasm.
Kairos gave her a dry look. "If you really want to help, how about lending a hand with this cart instead of just cheering?"
Although he had a soldier-class physique, it wasn't superhuman. In One Piece terms, it placed him somewhere below Luffy, who started out around Navy lieutenant-level in strength, and even Zoro, who might've been at least as strong as a sergeant.
Kairos, at this point, was just a physical match for a first- or second-class private—basically a grunt. Comparable to someone like Koby or Helmeppo right after they joined the Navy, doing nothing more than mopping the floors.
At the Rogue Town Naval Base.
It took Kairos some time, but he finally arrived at the naval base, the cart in tow.
He wasted no time and immediately explained the reason for their visit.
"You're bounty hunters?" a marine asked, raising an eyebrow as he looked at Kairos and Nami.
To the soldiers at the gate, the two looked more like models than fighters. That they were bounty hunters carrying pirate corpses was… surprising, to say the least.
"You're not going to try to deny us the bounty, are you?" Nami asked warily.
Her tone held a trace of hostility.
Her trust in the Navy had been shattered long ago. Her village had been under the oppressive control of the Arlong Pirates for years. During that time, they had reached out for help—again and again. But every time, the villagers who sought aid were either killed to "set an example" or severely beaten and returned to the island.
Eventually, survivors revealed the bitter truth: the Arlong Pirates were in collusion with the nearby naval branch.
The Navy's supposed protection meant nothing.
That experience had destroyed her faith in justice and made her wary of anyone wearing the Navy's colors.
"It's not like we'd ever do something like that," the marine snapped, his expression hardening. "But we do need to confirm that the bodies belong to pirates with active bounties. Once we verify their identities, we'll process your reward."
"Sure. The pirates from the Great Sword Crew—every one of them with a bounty—is right here. Take your time."
Kairos pulled back the cloth covering the cart, revealing the corpses.
As soon as the covering was removed, a foul odor wafted through the air. One of the bodies had been cleanly sliced in half, intestines partially exposed—a gruesome sight that triggered a visceral reaction in the younger marines.
Revulsion was their first reaction.
Nausea came quickly after.
Some gagged; others turned away. A few ran to vomit.
It wasn't their first time seeing death, but the brutal, bloody state of the corpses was enough to make their stomachs churn.
Of course, the veterans handled it better—though even they frowned at the sight.
A seasoned marine stepped forward, holding a thick binder of bounty notices and crew registries.
He began the identification process.
One by one, he matched the bodies with known members of the Great Sword Pirates.
It didn't take long.
When he finished, the veteran nodded.
"They're definitely members of the Great Sword Pirates. Every pirate with a bounty among them has been accounted for. The total comes to six million Berries."
He turned and called over a nearby recruit. "Amy, take them to collect their reward."
The recruit named Amy stepped forward, his face pale as a sheet. Clearly, the sight of the bodies had overwhelmed him.
Still, after throwing up, he seemed more composed.
"Right this way, bounty hunters," he said with a polite nod.
Kairos and Nami followed.
Kairos walked at a steady, casual pace.
Nami, however, stepped quickly, her excitement barely contained. Her heels clicked sharply against the stone walkway, betraying the urgency in her stride.
She clearly couldn't wait to get her hands on that bounty.