"Sorry, boss, we made a mess of the room. You'll have to clean it yourself. This extra money is for the cleaning fee."
Xiong Zai took out a few more Berries from his pocket and handed them to the innkeeper.
For the past few years, he had been managing the factory for Orlan and had his own share of the profits. Additionally, the surrounding residents, grateful for the medical treatment he provided, meant that Xiong Zai at this point in the timeline was not poor.
"Are you crazy! Those are people from the Deli Pirates and the Kuerhe Gang! If you do this, you'll invite their pursuit! Run quickly, there's still time!
This is the edge of the island; their main force usually doesn't come here. Only those who collect protection money stay here, so you should be able to handle them."
Pirates occupying territory is not uncommon on the Grand Line, especially in lawless areas. However, the actions of these island-occupying pirates vary greatly.
Some merely offer protection, treating the place as a base to develop, and even gaining the support of the local people for their rule.
Others are purely exploitative, extracting every last bit of profit, regardless of what happens to the area, like draining the pond to catch all the fish.
The situation on Firefly Island was not particularly dire; the pirates occupying it knew to stop at a certain point, but they still made the local people's lives very difficult, causing them to deeply miss the old days.
When someone fought these pirates, the locals wouldn't go inform on them; in fact, they might even feel joy, but they didn't dare openly join the other side. The shadow left by the pirates was still too great.
"This time, the money is free, but with so many people… you might lose your lives if you stay on this island. You should try your luck at sea."
The boss spoke to himself, even preparing an escape route for them.
Xiong Zai and Frankenstein said nothing, only leaving the room fee for the boss before dragging the people who had ill intentions last night onto the town's streets.
As the boss said, there weren't many people on the streets at this time, but he had misjudged something: several hungover gang members were beating others in a corner of the street.
"You're asking us for money? Are you crazy, kid? When have we ever given anyone money?"
"Without our permission, do you think you can do business on this street? I think you don't want to work anymore!"
A group of people dressed much like Western cowboys were reeking of alcohol, constantly spewing vulgar words.
"Speaking of which, why hasn't the boss returned yet? Is he too engrossed playing with that little girl?"
"Who knows, he's a very rough person. I hope that little girl can live a few more days and doesn't die so quickly."
Several gang members were discussing last night's events, their hands showing no sign of stopping.
"Stop!"
Finally, a shout from the side stopped them. A black-haired, black-eyed, somewhat muscular person ran out from the side. His messy, oily, black medium-length hair was visible, and he wore a worn-out trench coat.
As he spoke, he delivered a flying kick, sending a hungover gang member flying while also falling to the ground himself.
"Who do we have here? Isn't this 'Genius Inventor' Brand? What, you dare to deliver yourself to us? The Godfather has been looking for you."
Bang!
The response to the gang members was not words, but fists. Brand seemed to know very well how to communicate with gangs, striking first when they weren't paying attention.
Suddenly, the situation changed from a one-sided beating by the gang members to a street brawl. Although the gang members were numerous, due to their hangovers and the narrow terrain, they couldn't utilize their advantage. With the help of some lime, Brand beat them back repeatedly.
Finally, they fled in disarray.
"You just wait, kid! Wait until our big brother gets here!"
"Phew… good thing these guys didn't bring guns, otherwise it would have been troublesome. Are you alright?"
Brand helped up the child who had just been beaten by the gang. This child seemed to know Brand as well, thanking him while also curiously asking, "Did your research succeed?"
"Almost, almost. I told you, I will definitely invent something that will save this country."
Saying this, Brand pulled out two pills, one blue and one pink.
"How about it? Which one do you want to eat?"
"If I eat it, I can become a Superman and drive away all those pirates and gangs?"
The beaten child picked up the blue pill, his eyes filled with a glimmer of hope, but it vanished in an instant.
"No, this is a strong painkiller. If you eat it, you won't feel pain anymore."
"What about the pink one?"
"It's also a painkiller, but it's strawberry flavored."
"Uncle Brand, I suddenly feel that there's a reason why the adults say you're a fool."
Boom!
A loud bang suddenly came from the direction where the gang members had fled, a sound like a giant cannon roaring, interrupting Brand and the boy's conversation.
"Go home quickly, it's dangerous outside."
Brand admonished the boy and then ran towards the direction of the sound. In the very center of the street, a giant paw print was left on the street, and the gang members all had white eyes and were pressed into the ground.
Their so-called boss was among the group who went to trouble Frankenstein last night. After a fight with Brand, they happened to encounter Xiong Zai and Frankenstein dragging the pirates and gang members out of the hotel.
Conflict thus erupted. Since Frankenstein felt that fighting them wouldn't be worth it and would only lead to a deficit, Xiong Zai ultimately dealt with them.
But this move also completely escalated the situation.
The pirates and gang members living in the town appeared one after another, but they were knocked down one by one.
"Hey, hey! Over here, quickly follow me!"
Seeing someone fighting both the gang and the pirates simultaneously, Brand's eyes lit up with joy. He immediately called out to Xiong Zai and Frankenstein to follow him, wanting to take them to a safe place.
"Want to go take a look?"
"Let's go. That should be a native. Maybe they can provide more information."
Frankenstein shook off the dirt clinging to her hammer and followed with Xiong Zai.
"My name is Brand. I'm a member of the resistance here. There are troublesome characters among those pirates. Just follow me. I know where there's a safe place to stay."
Brand had never seen Xiong Zai and Frankenstein on the island before. If they were already members of the gang or pirates, they wouldn't be so unknown, so he chose to trust them.
"Resistance? Are there still people on this island resisting them?"
Hearing this term, Xiong Zai seemed somewhat pleased. With such a group of people, he thought, they would surely quickly understand the situation on the island. After all, having fought for so long, they must know the enemy's capabilities.
"Well… it's just me. If you two are willing to join me, then there will be three of us."
Boom!
A large pit appeared under Frankenstein's feet. Brand's words almost made her lose her balance and fall, but she finally steadied herself with a burst of monstrous strength.
"Are you messing with us?"
"No, listen to me slowly…"
Through Brand's narration, they finally understood the situation on the island. There had indeed been a considerable number of resistance fighters here, or more accurately, the former Kingdom Army.
After losing the World Government's protection, they tried to continue protecting the island's safety. Initially, they were quite effective, but with the appearance of the Deli Pirates, this balance was broken.
The Kingdom Army was no match for them. After the island was occupied, they became a resistance force. As time passed, they either died in battle or withdrew, eventually leaving only Brand still persisting.
He realized that his military strength couldn't defeat the enemy, so he wanted to invent powerful weapons to overthrow those pirates and save this country.
"That guy is a monster. His hands can emit yellow flames. If you touch that flame, people will slowly die of old age, and even armor will decay."
"A Devil Fruit user?"
"Mm, it should be. Besides him, there's also Kuerhe, the Godfather of the Kuerhe Gang. He's a Zoan user, probably a centipede or millipede-like creature. Those two are the most troublesome people on the island."
Brand led Xiong Zai and Frankenstein into a mountain on the edge of the island and entered a hidden cave.
Here, some crude experimental equipment could be seen, appearing to have been dismantled from somewhere.
"It's all the legacy of the former kingdom. That year, our king believed a person could invent an elixir of immortality, and he used all the country's money to purchase this equipment. As a result, that person absconded with the money.
The king himself took the remaining money and lived a happy life, but we were miserable."
You guys aren't from around here, are you? I saw a warship approaching yesterday. Were you exiled?
"No, we're here to save this place. Just a moment, I'll tell you more later.
Father, this is the information we've gathered, and there's also…",
Frankenstein picked up the den den mushi, put Brand on hold, and reported the information collected yesterday along with the news Brand had just shared to Orlan. At the same time, Gin also reported the information he had gathered to Orlan.
There were some discrepancies between the pieces of information, but ultimately, they shared one common point: the strongest person on this island was Deli of the Deli Pirates.
"Sidilier Orlan! Ah, no, I shouldn't say that, it's too impolite. Please allow me to start over.
Dr. Sidilier! I've heard of you. I heard your talent is no less than that of the genius scientist Dr. Vegapunk, just that your main focus is different."
After asking Orlan's opinion, Frankenstein and Kuma finally brought Brand back to the camp. To their surprise, the moment Brand saw Orlan, he became as excited as a fanatic.
"Xiong Zai, where did you find such a lunatic? Is there something wrong with everyone's minds on this island?"
"He's actually a kind person. Maybe he's just a bit too excited to see Big Brother Orlan."
Brand had not been involved in science before; it was due to national changes that he altered his views. He learned through self-study, absorbing knowledge from academic papers published in newspapers, which is why he actually knew more about Orlan.
"Doctor, these are my thoughts on the Superman Type drug. I think it can…",
"Alright, Brand, calm down. I'm not here to do academic research. If you're really interested in this, I can teach you after we handle other matters, but your talent might not lie in this area."
"I'm sorry, I got too excited."
Orlan used a relatively more tactful way of speaking. He didn't know how Brand had learned, but every word Brand had just said was a challenge to the scientific community. To put it simply, it was all wrong.
However, Brand brought him very valuable information: there were still a large number of research facilities on this island. Although many years had passed, they might still be usable after repairs.
Dealing with an island occupied by pirates is much simpler than usurping power or plotting against a nation. The first step is to take out the strongest guy on the island; this solves 90% of the problems.
Now, most of the information about Deli had been gathered. After all, he had dominated this island for so many years, so it was impossible for no information to be revealed.
Gin even sent back a message, indicating that Deli seemed to have noticed the disappearance of the people from last night and was already heading this way.
"Alright everyone, we need a complete battle plan. Deli's ability might be somewhat dangerous, but I happen to have a way to deal with him."
Orlan looked at Terra, who was dozing off beside him, and the smile on his lips made Terra shiver inexplicably.
At the dock by the coast, Orlan and Terra had been waiting for a long time. Now, a silver figure in front of Orlan had gradually coalesced into a human form, and in the distance, silver gel was also converging towards them.
"Gin, are you sure you didn't mishear?"
"Master, I'm sure. That person said he would take a boat to ambush this place. Perhaps it's because he's directly opposite the island, so it took him more time. Look, he's here."
Not far away, a pirate ship sailed against the wind. It seemed today's sea breeze had delayed their journey.
"Kuma, let's greet them. You haven't neglected your training during this time, have you?"
"Of course not. Should I sink them directly?"
"Of course. That's a pirate ship. But wait until they get a bit closer. If that guy sinks to the bottom of the sea, it will be difficult for us to prove to the others on the island that he's been taken care of."
"Okay."
Kuma said nothing more, spreading his arms and continuously compressing the air. The paw-shaped bubbles, larger than himself, eventually turned into small, palm-sized imprints.
"Pressure Cannon."
As the pirate ship gradually approached, Kuma gently pushed forward. The seemingly harmless bubble floated lightly towards the approaching pirate ship. The people on board didn't even realize what it was.
Boom!
Just as the ship was about to dock, the bubble officially made contact with the ship. The compressed air instantly exploded, and the powerful impact tore the ship into pieces in an instant.
"The power is considerable, but the casting speed is still a bit slow."
"It can also be faster, which would make the power more concentrated, Big Brother Orlan. The enemy is here."
A figure burst out from the wreckage of the ship.
"You bastards, what did you do to my ship?!"
A bald man's hands emitted a strange yellow ability, which then condensed into several fire-ball-like objects flying towards Orlan. Kuma raised his hand and slapped his chest, and Orlan also flew directly into the air using the power of the Book-Book Fruit.
The yellow flames landed on the wooden dock. In the blink of an eye, the already dilapidated dock turned into a pile of rotten wood, and the most heavily hit areas turned into ashes.
The aging Deli, a Superman Type user of the Advance-Advance Fruit. Anything touched by his hands or the energy he releases will have its time advanced. With his current ability, each touch advances time by 20 years.
If it exceeds the object's lifespan, then the object will simply disappear.
It has a similar ability to the Ripe-Ripe Fruit eaten by Shinobu in Wano Country, but it is not the same Devil Fruit, because the effects caused by the Advance-Advance Fruit can be reversed before the object disappears, while the growth caused by the Ripe-Ripe Fruit is irreversible.
"You're quite old, old man. Wouldn't it be better to just retire at your age?"
"Brat, what nonsense are you spouting? Haven't I already stopped sailing and come here to retire? You're the one who trespassed on my territory.
You ruined my pirate ship, and it looks like my Vice-Captain was also killed by you."
"If you're talking about that coward named Si Tewe, then yes, I did it. But I'm curious, how did you confirm this?"
"I found that kid quite useful. As for your question, go find the answer in hell!"
Deli didn't explain anything to Orlan. This was all because Deli himself knew how to make Vivre Cards, and he had hinted to Si Tewe yesterday to act early.
So, after seeing the Vivre Card damaged, he came looking. If it weren't for the delay on the way, he would have arrived even earlier.
"Feel the passage of time, brat!"
Deli's bald head wasn't shaved; it was due to hair loss in old age. He utterly detested people younger than himself, and what he loved most was making people older than him, watching them age and die little by little.
This time, to quickly defeat the enemy, Deli even swung his hands five times in a row. This meant a hundred years of time acceleration. If a human were touched, they would usually turn into a skeleton instantly, and Orlan was waiting for exactly this.
"Terra! It's your show time!"
This time, Orlan didn't dodge. Instead, he hugged Terra and threw her with all his might, sending Terra towards the opponent's attack.
After gathering information about Deli, Orlan had already thought of a way to deal with him.
To be precise, he had many ways to deal with enemies, but this method was most beneficial to his own interests.
Roar!!!
Terra's body began to swell at a visible rate. Her rough scales became as hard as rock, and the dragon wings on her back became incredibly wide.
The teeth in her mouth grew sharper, and rock-like growths covered all the vital points on her body.
In the blink of an eye, Terra became a behemoth with a wingspan exceeding twenty meters.
One hundred years, for a human, means a lifetime, but for an Elemental Drake, it merely means ending their juvenile period and becoming a young dragon.
"Don't just stand there, Terra. The power within you should be awakening by now. Let him experience it."
Orlan landed on Terra's back and gently stroked Terra's neck. The growth cycle of a Drake was too slow, and after knowing the opponent's ability, Orlan had already planned this step.
--+--
T/N: Although I'm an inexperienced Editor, I do have a Patreon account! Although it seems like I don't have many supporters right now, my webnovel will be released in full every day, and the advanced chapters will be uploaded to Patreon.
It may not be worth it now, but who knows, it might be different in the future. Who knows!
patreon.com/DaoistRoeoNQ
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