The bar owner turned out to be a man with a story full of drama and regrets. His story, however, was quite simple. According to him, in his youth he was stupid and inexperienced, through carelessness he ended up on a pirate ship and became one of the small pirates.
He dreamed of one day gaining fame and untold riches. But fate decreed otherwise. As a result, not even a few years had passed since they set out to sea, and their ship encountered another pirate gang.
It was his first experience of real carnage. Blood flew in all directions. The screams of comrades and enemies merged into one terrible chorus. And it was there that he truly learned that everyone's blood is equally red, and if you are struck by a sword, you die.
In the heat of battle, he lost consciousness, and when he woke up, he found himself drifting in the vastness of the sea, not even knowing how he got there.
So he drifted, day after day, until, after more than two weeks, he reached the village of Logut.
It was a safe haven, and the horror he experienced during the battle changed him and made him realize that life at sea was not for him.
From then on, he started a new life. Gradually, he saved enough money to open a bar. And now he had a stable job and a quiet life. Most importantly, being in a town with a Marine base, he felt safe.
"But today… Today I felt fear again," he continued, looking at Rogu, who was holding him by the collar. "To be honest, if it weren't for you, I would have gone through the same nightmare I had once before. You can't even imagine how traumatic it was for me!"
The bar owner looked at Rogu pleadingly: "So, in essence, you can let me go. My pirate life is in the past, and more than ten years have passed since then. Even if you arrest me, you will not receive a reward for it."
"Goodbye," Rogu said calmly, letting him go and turning to leave.
- Wait! You don't even want to say anything after everything I've told you? - the bar owner asked hopefully.
"No," Rogu answered, yawning. "I'm going to bed."
- Wait! - the owner grabbed him again.
Rogu put away the mace he was still holding in his hand, and now his hand rested on the hilt of the blade.
The bar owner immediately raised his hands in surrender: "I have no malicious intent!"
"You have three seconds," Rogu decided to give him a chance.
"Take me to Loguetown!" the bar owner blurted out almost instantly.
— …Why? — Rogu was surprised.
- You still ask? Of course, because it's too dangerous here! Who knows what else these damned pirates are capable of?! - the owner exclaimed. - I thought I could live out my life peacefully in this quiet town. But it turned out to be different! This place has become too dangerous, I can't stay here anymore! I have to go somewhere safe.
- Loguetown... - Rogu narrowed his eyes. - And you think it's safe there? If I'm not mistaken, it's the city of the beginning and the end. Hundreds of pirates pass through it every year on their way to the Grand Line. And you think it's safe?
"You just don't understand," the owner said confidently. "Loguetown is the safest place in all of East Blue! Because it's Gol D. Roger's homeland!"
"So what?" asked Rogu.
— What do you mean? Roger is the Pirate King! He started the Great Age of Pirates! Everyone who goes looking for ONE PIECE treats this place almost like a shrine. No one will cause trouble there. And also, this is a city near the entrance to the Grand Line, so the Marines there are incomparably stronger than anywhere else! Anyone who does honest business in Loguetown can be sure that the pirates will not touch them. And what happened today will certainly not happen there!
"I understand," Rogu nodded.
- Got it? And what next? - the owner asked hopefully.
"Now I'm going to sleep," Rogu said calmly, blinking.
- Are you kidding me?! Do you agree or not?! - the owner was almost ready to burst into tears.
"Why should I drive you?" Rogu asked indifferently. "You can get there yourself. Or don't you know the way?"
"It's not a question of the road at all!" the owner exclaimed in despair. "Yes, I know how to steer a ship and I know the route. But to set out alone? That's suicide! Do you have any idea how many pirates there are in the East Blue?"
- Well, do you know? - Rogu narrowed his eyes.
- Um... No, but there are definitely a lot of them! - the owner blurted out. - So I beg you, take me with you! You're so strong, you definitely wouldn't miss the opportunity to visit Loguetown either, right? So it'll just be along the way. I promise I won't cause you any trouble!
"Okay," Rogu replied.
"Please, I…" the bar owner continued pleadingly, but suddenly froze and blinked his eyes. "Hey? Did I hear you right, or did you just say… okay?"
"You said all that just to get me to agree, right? I agreed," Rogu said simply. "Now can I go to bed?"
- Well... you can. But is it that simple? - the bar owner looked confused, and there was some strange confusion in his gaze, even slight disappointment.
"You're weird," Rogu concluded. "You know how to sail a ship, right? We leave tomorrow. You'll pilot the ship and take me where I need to go. Loguetown will be my last stop in the East Blue. Once there, you'll disembark. Any objections?"
- No! - the bar owner did not even hesitate. It was clear to him that he was dealing with a man who, despite his oddity, could change his mind at any moment. He was not going to take any risks.
.....
Back at the bar, Rogu closed the door of the room, finally being alone with himself. Completely isolated from the outside world, he took out his recently earned five million two hundred and thirty thousand beli and transferred it to his hunter's license.
Hunter's License!
Owner: Norlos Rogu.
Skills: Heart of the Moon, level 4 (+), Super Strength, level 1 (+).
Coins: 1 black iron coin.
Balance in Belly: 14,850,000 (available for withdrawal).
He withdrew the small change that remained after all the transactions to pay for the hotel and food. And now the balance was evened out to a round number. After that, he opened a coin shop and bought another black coin, as a result of which the balance immediately decreased to 4,850,000 beli.
Looking at the remainder, Rogu felt... almost poor.
"Hmm, and these coins are really expensive," he said. "The simplest one, made of black iron, costs ten million apiece. And the gold and diamond ones... you have to add two extra zeros to each next level. It's just awful."
Shaking his head, he focused on the license and clicked on the plus sign next to the skill "Superpower, Level 1".
"I hope it works out," he said under his breath, feeling a surge of excitement.