They're All Berries Running on Two Legs

In his perception, a little girl was running toward him from the distant beach.

He pulled off the black cloth and stood at the bow, looking down at Violet.

"Big brother, don't you like catching pirates and selling them for money?" Violet happily ran onto the ship.

"What's wrong?" Wude's Observation Haki sensed a list clutched in the little girl's small hand behind her back, but he didn't expose her.

At the same time, he sensed several guards hiding nearby.

After awakening his Observation Haki, everything he sensed was incredibly clear.

"I have a list of the pirates who came to the island, along with detailed information. I can give it to you, big brother." Violet raised her hand and offered him the list.

"Violet, you're amazing." Wude ruffled her hair and took the list.

"But I have one condition~" Violet put the hand holding the list behind her back again and smiled sweetly.

"Oh?" Wude looked at her as if he were teasing a child.

"Will you be Violet's friend, big brother?"

"Of course."

"That's great!"

Violet happily grabbed Wude's hand and was about to pull him off the ship.

"What are we going to do, little Violet?" Wude asked with a wry smile.

"Catch bad guys! You're my big brother, so I have to come along too~!" As she spoke, Violet took a gun out of a wooden barrel and shouted that she was going to shoot pirates.

"..."

All right. He had thought he would catch a whole group of pirates by himself and make a fortune.

Instead, he was accompanying the second princess in playing a game of catching bad guys?

"Little Violet, let me see the list. How about we pick a powerful one to catch?"

"Okay, big brother!"

Young and innocent, Violet handed the list to Wude. It contained intelligence gathered by the guards.

Wude took it and glanced over it briefly before placing Violet on his shoulders.

"Sit tight. We're going to catch some bad guys!"

"Big brother is the best!"

The guards hiding nearby exchanged glances and hurried after them, while also preparing to call for more people.

Before long, their worries proved unnecessary.

King Riku's residence.

Little Violet sat dejectedly in her sister's arms, watching her father talk with her big brother in the distance.

The big brother she admired most had actually betrayed her!

"Sister, Father isn't watching this place right now. Take me out one more time, please." Violet acted spoiled in her sister Scarlet's arms.

"Sister?"

"Sister~"

"Ah? What is it?" Scarlet quickly pulled her gaze back and lowered her head to look at her sister in her arms.

"What are you looking at?" Violet eyed her sister suspiciously.

"Nothing. What is it, little sister?" Scarlet ruffled Violet's hair and thought, So the man who can nullify my sister's ability is actually quite gentle.

"!" Violet let out a muffled grunt, then wriggled free of her sister's arms and pattered over to her big brother.

She reached out and took her big brother's hand, then made a face at her sister.

"..." ×3

King Riku had a favorable impression of this young man who planned to join the Marines. According to Violet, his strength was very mysterious.

Wude said goodbye to King Riku and his family, took the list, and began his plan to hunt pirates.

There was still some time before Kyros reached three thousand victories, so he would earn some extra money first.

If he happened to run into pirates who knew Haki, that would be even better.

Half a month later.

Inside a tavern.

Pirates filled the place, drinking as they slapped the tables, told lewd jokes, and laughed and cheered wildly.

Every so often, a few drunken bastards would start fighting each other while the others gathered around and cheered them on.

Even when tables were overturned and cups and plates were smashed, the tavern owner could only hide behind the counter with a bitter smile, not daring to make a sound.

Because...

Thunk!

A curved blade was driven into the counter. The pirate captain, reeking of alcohol, looked at him drunkenly with a lecherous grin. "We're having a great time today, boss. How about you give us ten barrels of liquor?"

"No!"

The owner's daughter glared angrily at the man. Her puffed-up expression was especially adorable.

"Boss, guess whether we can carry your daughter off before the guards arrive?" The pirate captain lecherously licked his lips as he stared at the owner's daughter.

"Hahahaha!"

The pirates all grinned wickedly.

Terrified, the owner shielded his daughter behind him. When she tried to speak, he stopped her.

"Please, gentlemen, let me off. Let's each take a step back. I'll treat you to drinks the next time you come. This time, I'll give you ten barrels of liquor."

"I don't like that~"

"Exactly, exactly! We want both the liquor and the women!"

"Hehehe!"

The pirates leered at the owner. With so many pirates coming to the island, trouble had increased as well. By the time the guards arrived, the owner would already be dead.

They rose one after another and surrounded the owner and his daughter threateningly.

"Have you gone mad? You're openly abducting people on Dressrosa's soil!"

A Dwarf suddenly appeared on the counter. He drew a rapier matching his size and pointed it at the pirates.

The pirates looked at the Dwarf and burst into wild laughter.

"That girl looks like the dancer who was dancing in the street yesterday. Let's take her back and make her the captain's wife. We can sell this Dwarf for money and throw a feast. What do you say?" the pirate navigator said with a wicked grin.

"I agree!" The pirate gunner raised the gun in his hand.

"Don't come any closer. Get out of here right now, or I'll beat you up!" The Dwarf glared angrily at the men.

"Hahaha! I'd like to see who can kill me before the guards arrive. You can't!" the pirate captain roared with laughter.

"I..." The Dwarf gritted his teeth as he looked at them. He truly couldn't handle them alone.

He had merely been passing by and lent a hand.

He watched as someone silently slipped into the tavern. Then, shadows moved outside, and those people quietly drew blades and raised their guns.

The Dwarf's eyes lit up.

Click, click, click!

One gun after another was aimed at the backs of the pirates' heads. A group of people silently surrounded the drunken fools.

Wude made a gun shape with his fingers and scratched the pirate captain's forehead.

"What did you say?"

"!?"

The pirate captain stiffened. Half his drunkenness vanished, and a chill ran through his entire body.

His expression froze. His grip loosened, and his weapon fell to the floor.

"Someone got behind you without you noticing. How did you make it to the New World?" Wude patted the man's head.

The pirate captain slowly turned around and put on a fawning smile as he looked at him.

"You're impressive, sir. If there's anything you need me to do, I, Kael, will do my utmost to accomplish it. Please take the gun away."

With that, A aimed a long gun at his forehead and prodded him with it. "Who do you think you're talking to? Get on your knees!"

"..."

Wude glanced at the man's bounty and waved his hand. "Keep the captain to exchange for the bounty. Bury the rest."

"Understood." A nodded and led the men away with the entire rookie pirate crew.

"Drinking really can get you killed." The Dwarf standing on the counter sighed deeply.

"You're the one from that day..."