Raion learned about the pirates' bounty from an old woman.
The old woman, around seventy years old, had a kind and approachable demeanor. Raion felt at ease with her—she was the only person on the island who hadn't avoided or distrusted him since his arrival.
The old woman explained that there were three islands nearby. Two were inhabited by civilians, while the third had been taken over by pirates.
The village Raion was currently in was called Zhenxi Village, and just six nautical miles away lay Zhendong Village.
A year ago, a pirate crew had invaded this area. The people from both villages united to resist under the leadership of Farmer, the chief of Zhendong Village (and Wei Erdan's father), and Miller, a retired Navy major in his forties. Miller was known for his martial prowess and had earned the title of "Guardian" of Zhendong and Zhenxi.
The invading pirates called themselves the "Wolf Pirate Crew."
The crew had two leaders: a pair of brothers. The younger brother, Andrin, served as deputy captain and had a bounty of 5 million Berries. Standing over 2.5 meters tall, he was known for his incredible brute strength.
His older brother, Anderson, was the crew's captain and a far more dangerous man. A Devil Fruit user, Anderson had a bounty of 10 million Berries.
A year ago, when the Wolf Pirates attacked, the two villages fought back. Thanks to Chief Farmer's leadership and Miller's skill, the villagers managed to hold their ground. The battle was fierce and bloody, with neither side managing a decisive victory.
Though the villages suffered some damage, neither side could fully claim dominance. For a while, both sides agreed to an uneasy "non-aggression" pact.
But as time passed, the Wolf Pirates grew bolder and more powerful. Eventually, Anderson broke the agreement, demanding monthly protection fees from the villages — or he would slaughter them all.
The villagers, being peaceful folk, had little choice. Fighting again would only bring devastation, and with Anderson's crew now stronger than before, their chances of survival were slim.
So, they paid.
Each villager was forced to hand over 10,000 Berries per month as protection money.
Anyone who dared to refuse, resist, or even speak out against Anderson was executed without mercy.
Even Miller, the "Guardian," was helpless in the face of this cruelty. Yet the villagers continued to put their faith in him, believing that his presence alone prevented Anderson from destroying them outright.
After hearing all this, Raion frowned."If Anderson is this ruthless, why hasn't the Navy stepped in?"
From what Raion remembered of this world, this was still a few years before Luffy set out to sea. At this time, a 10 million Berry bounty was considered extremely high in the East Blue. Even Buggy the Clown only had a 6 million Berry bounty during this era.
The old woman smiled bitterly."The Navy? Hah. They're colluding with Anderson. Everyone knows it, but no one dares say it aloud."
Raion's eyes narrowed.
This was eerily similar to Arlong's rule over Cocoyashi Village in the original story. Arlong, who had terrorized over twenty villages, proudly claimed to be the strongest pirate in East Blue, with a bounty of 20 million Berries. And just like now, the Navy turned a blind eye to his atrocities.
With the old woman's information, Raion finally understood the reactions of the villagers earlier.
When he first asked about the pirate bounties upon arriving on the island, the villagers had looked at him like he was insane.
Even someone as skilled as Miller couldn't challenge these pirates, so what was this scrawny, unfamiliar young man planning to do?
They probably thought:"Who is this kid? He should take a good look at himself in a mirror before talking big."
Having clarified the situation, Raion thanked the old woman and left.
By this point, his stomach was growling. After days at sea and battles with Sea Kings, he was starving.
The problem? He didn't even have half a Berry to his name.
What should he do?
A bold idea crossed his mind.
"Guess I'll have to dine and dash… A king's meal, on the house."
With that, Raion entered the nicest-looking restaurant in the village."Boss! A super-sized portion of egg fried rice — and make it quick!"
Several diners recognized him instantly. This was the same young man who had been asking around about pirate bounties earlier.
When the egg fried rice was served, Raion dug in ravenously, eating like a man who hadn't seen food in days.
His behavior drew attention.
"Isn't that the kid asking about the pirates earlier?""What a fool… Doesn't he know how dangerous this place is?"
At a nearby table, a beautiful young girl wrinkled her nose in disdain as she watched Raion eat.
It was none other than Wei Erdan, the girl who had mocked him earlier.
She turned to her father, Chief Farmer, and whispered,"Dad, that's the guy I was telling you about! He's crazy — he actually asked me where the pirates were hiding. I swear, something's wrong with his head."
Farmer looked at Raion curiously.
From what he could see, Raion had delicate, fair skin, and a lean build. He looked more like a scholar than a fighter. How could a boy like this possibly face ruthless pirates who lived by the sword?
As the villagers judged him by his appearance, Raion continued eating without a care, ignoring the whispers and contemptuous stares around him.
"Not only is this kid crazy, but look at him! Eating like that — doesn't he have any manners?"
But Raion didn't even flinch. He simply ate faster.
Suddenly, the restaurant's doors burst open with a deafening BANG!
The room fell silent. All eyes turned away from Raion.
A massive, hulking figure stepped inside.
It was Andrin, the deputy captain of the Wolf Pirates!
Standing 2.5 meters tall, Andrin was as wide as a boulder, with a face full of flesh and coarse nose hairs that hung several inches from his nostrils. A massive decapitating sword was strapped to his back, and two pirate lackeys followed behind him, snee…ring as they strutted into the restaurant