Soon, after Yaen comfortably slept through an afternoon nap in the sea breeze and woke up, the Marine Warship had already docked at a Port.
"Get up. We're here." Kuzan, who had been lying nearby, saw Yaen wake up, lazily stretched, then stood and said.
"Where are we?" Yaen asked, still somewhat groggy.
"This island is called Capone Island. It's the headquarters of the Capone Mafia, one of the four major underground powers in the West Blue."
After a pause, Kuzan said, "Since we're passing by, we might as well arrest this Mafia and take them back to complete the mission."
"Hmm..."
Yaen turned over and said, "Then go ahead, Big Brother Kuzan. I'll wait here for you to come back."
"You're not coming? Didn't you say you were very interested in the Mafia?" Kuzan asked, somewhat surprised.
"I think I found my dream in my sleep just now, so I have to go see her again. Compared with the Mafia, that matter is more urgent." Yaen waved his hand and refused.
Kuzan.
Obviously, Yaen was purely making an excuse. He simply wanted to avoid earning any merit, so he had decided not to leave the ship.
However...
Kuzan grabbed Yaen and lifted him up, saying,
"Yaen, that won't do. This Mafia was prepared for you. If the protagonist doesn't make an appearance, isn't that a little disrespectful to me?"
The corner of Yaen's mouth twitched slightly as he asked, "Big Brother Kuzan, you're not really planning to force the credit for eliminating the Mafia onto me, are you?"
"What do you mean, 'force it onto you'?"
Kuzan pulled a smile onto his face and said,
"I received a report from a concerned civilian named Teffimoe Yaen stating that the Capone Mafia had been rampaging across these waters and seriously disrupting the lives of countless civilians. Subsequently, with the assistance of Teffimoe Yaen, the Marines uprooted the entire Mafia."
After a pause, Kuzan looked at Yaen's gradually stiffening expression and said,
"So, whether you leave the ship or not, it's all the same. This credit isn't getting away from you. Since that's the case, you might as well come with me."
"I... I didn't report them." Yaen hurriedly tried to clarify.
"No, you did. I, Kuzan, can testify to that. Admiral Sengoku even has a real-name report from you." Kuzan replied.
!!!
Yaen.
A report? A real-name report? When did I ever write such a thing?
Besides, who would dare make a real-name report so easily these days?
It's fake. It definitely has to be fake. That Old Man must have found someone to imitate my handwriting and write it.
"Kuzan, you're slandering me!" Yaen said, his tone tinged with displeasure.
"Yaen, you can tell that to Admiral Sengoku. I'm only carrying out orders." Kuzan replied.
"That doesn't follow the rules! This is forging a report and claiming someone else's credit—a serious crime. I want to be a good person. Don't force me." Yaen struggled desperately.
"How can this count as forging a report and claiming someone else's credit?" Kuzan said, suppressing his laughter.
"Yaen, you were determined to eliminate the Capone Mafia, which was terrorizing the region, but you were only a civilian. So you specifically entrusted the report to your adoptive father, who had a certain position and connections within the Marines, to submit it on your behalf. That all follows the proper process for earning merit."
Upon hearing this, Yaen immediately felt a headache coming on and muttered,
"That damn Old Man actually went that far? And what does 'a certain position and connections' even mean? He practically has connections everywhere and eyes everywhere."
"Good that you understand. Now come off the ship with me. At the very least, this is a Mafia organization you're extremely interested in." Kuzan urged him again.
Then Kuzan grabbed Yaen by the hand and dragged him all the way toward the Port.
"Wait..."
Seeing that reason would not convince Kuzan, Yaen hurriedly played the emotional card and said,
"Big Brother Kuzan, you know me. I really don't want to earn merit. With my frail body, I can barely manage to serve as a Marine menial worker. If I were to hold a high position, I'm afraid I wouldn't even be able to protect my subordinates."
"Besides, we've drunk together, slept in the same bed, and carried guns together. Just pretend you never found Capone Island."
"Wait, wait, I really feel unwell. Maybe I have a disease that makes me faint as soon as I set foot on an island..."
Unfortunately, Kuzan remained unmoved. His steps did not hesitate in the slightest as he simply replied,
"Yaen, once I take care of this matter, Admiral Sengoku will let the matter of my fight with Sakazuki go."
Yaen shouted in a tone of righteous indignation, "Kuzan, you thick-browed, big-eyed fellow, you've defected too! The Old Man offers you such a tiny benefit, and you sell out your friend?"
"It's not about whether it's a benefit or not. Obeying orders is the Marines' duty." Kuzan spoke lazily, without the slightest hint of persuasiveness.
Sometimes, when resistance was impossible, all one could do was accept it.
This island, known as "Capone Island," had an overall American style. Most of the people they saw along the way wore black suits and stern expressions, giving off an air that said strangers were not welcome.
More importantly...
Yaen glanced left and right. He could always see certain parts of these people's bodies bulging conspicuously.
Guns!
Nearly everyone carried a handgun.
At the entrance to the town, a sign stood upright—it read "Freedom Town," with a small supplementary message beside it.
"This is the freest place in the entire sea. Even the air is filled with a sweet fragrance. Also, the island's best gun shop is three hundred meters ahead, then turn right."
Yaen looked back and forth several times before finally realizing what it was. He said in shock, "This isn't an advertisement, is it?"
"Who knows?" Kuzan said lazily, then continued walking into the town.
The next moment...
"Rat-tat-tat-tat!!"
A string of gunshots rang out ahead, but the pedestrians on the street acted as though they had seen it all before. They hid nearby without the slightest panic.
For a moment, this instead made Yaen and Kuzan, standing directly in front of the town entrance, stand out.
However, soon after two crisp gunshots rang out with a "bang, bang," the gunfire that had been rattling endlessly abruptly stopped.
The pedestrians who had taken shelter along both sides of the street patted down their clothes one after another, then continued going about their business as if nothing had happened.
"As expected of an island where the Mafia's headquarters is located. What an elegant and refined local culture!" Yaen said, the corner of his mouth twitching slightly.
"Interesting." Kuzan said the same.
Then Kuzan and Yaen, both dressed in ordinary black clothes, quickly blended into the town and continued walking forward.
Along the way, Yaen glanced around. The buildings on both sides of the street were riddled with bullet holes, seemingly demonstrating the freedom here.
Soon, a large pool of bright red blood appeared on the ground, while several men in black suits worked together to wash the pavement.
Before you continue