Vic asked a middle-aged man running a stall for directions to the Execution Platform. The man's expression hardly changed. Plenty of people had probably come to see it over the past few years; after all, only four years had passed since the Pirate King's execution.
He observed the town as he walked. Every so often, a squad of Marines patrolled the streets. The townspeople lived well, since trade flourished here. They could make a living doing just about any kind of business, as long as they weren't unlucky enough to run into some brainless pirates.
The townspeople loved a spectacle, and little crowds had gathered here and there.
Before long, Vic reached the central street where the Execution Platform stood. His footsteps made a faint scraping sound against the patterned stone pavement.
The outline of the Execution Platform gradually came into view. As he drew closer, he imagined the vast crowds that had attended the Pirate King's execution. Now, only the occasional pedestrian passed by.
At the foot of the Execution Platform, he looked up at the structure, which wasn't very tall, and pictured the Pirate King's imposing figure. The two seemed so mismatched, the contrast so great. Such a glorious life had ended on this crude little platform.
Roger had a purpose in saying those words before his death, but the price of that purpose was rather steep: the whole world had to pay for it. Vic could guess at some of it.
Come to think of it, the deaths of his predecessor's parents were also connected to the Pirate King, yet Vic didn't hate him now. Roger had simply learned the truth of the world and wanted to do something for it before he died. That was all. He must have considered the consequences, but he had done it anyway. Whether it was right or wrong would become clear in twenty years.
The ladder used to climb up for the execution had long since been removed, leaving only the steel framework beneath the platform. Ordinary people wouldn't climb up there. Vic gazed upward, silently reflecting.
"Hey, kid, this is an execution site. Stay away." A rough, low voice came from Vic's right.
Vic turned to look. The speaker had white hair, stood a little taller than him, and was heavily built, with a defiant look on his face.
Who else could it be but Smoker, the guy who had suffered three consecutive defeats? He wasn't wearing a uniform or smoking, and Vic didn't know whether he had joined the Marines yet.
"Are you a Marine?" Vic was curious whether he had joined the Marines yet.
"No, so what? You still can't go near the Execution Platform, or I'll beat you up," Smoker threatened.
"Oh... aren't you sticking your nose in a little too far? Does the Execution Platform belong to you? Why don't you take it home, then?" Vic teased.
"I'm not a Marine now, but I will be soon. My dad agreed to let me join," Smoker said, his face reddening slightly.
Smoker was only fifteen or sixteen at this point and still easily embarrassed. He didn't charge over and hit Vic. His values had developed well enough. He had witnessed the Pirate King's execution and lived in a transport hub like Loguetown, where he had learned many things others couldn't and seen a great deal of darkness. Thus, in his heart, he longed for the light of justice.
Vic was going to join the Marines too, and he didn't want to get on bad terms with this future Marine Vice Admiral who held justice in his heart. At the end of the day, the two were the same kind of person.
It was just that Vic knew change was difficult without strength. Without strength, one couldn't realize the justice in one's heart.
"Oh, I'm planning to join the Marines too, just like you. We might even end up in the same class, hahaha!" Vic walked over, slapped Smoker on the shoulder, and laughed.
Smoker's expression softened. He took a careful look at the person before him: he was handsome, a little shorter than Smoker, and strongly built. Two swords hung at his waist, and he wore a black coat that reached his calves, its collar slightly raised. His black pants were somewhat tight, and he had tall leather boots on his feet. Confident and unrestrained, he looked much more presentable than Smoker himself.
"Oh, you're joining the Marines too? Let's get acquainted. I'm Smoker. I was born here." Smoker held out his hand.
"I'm Vic, Orens Vic. I came here to buy a sword, and then I just have to wait for a certain old man to take me into the Marines." Vic shook his hand and grinned.
"See you later, then. I need to find something I can use to get that old man to take me into the Marines. See you at Marine Headquarters." With that, Vic waved, turned, and walked away.
Smoker said nothing. Somewhat baffled by Vic's words, he stared blankly at his retreating figure.
Only after Vic had gone a long way did he murmur, "We'll meet again. I can feel it."
Vic didn't linger. He had done what he needed to do, and they could leave as soon as Captain Buck finished loading the cargo. It was still early, so Vic decided to try Loguetown's local specialties.
He found a restaurant that looked fairly busy and ordered a whole pile of local specialties.
"Handsome, eating alone? Want me to keep you company? Hee hee hee!" A woman nearing forty, who still retained her charm, sat down beside Vic and teased him.
"No need. I'm fine on my own. Find someone else," Vic said coolly.
"Then how about keeping me company? I'll buy you a meal, hee hee!" The woman edged closer to Vic.
Vic said nothing more and turned to glance at her. The woman felt as though she had plunged into an ice cavern. What kind of look was that? It's terrifying! She felt as if blades were cutting her all over, and she jumped up and ran out.
The people nearby who had been watching for a laugh stopped smiling when they saw the woman run out with terror in her eyes. The place fell silent.
Only when the server brought Vic his food and he began eating did they breathe a sigh of relief. No one spoke loudly anymore.
Vic ate everything he had ordered, then paid and left. He hadn't eaten his fill; a taste was enough. The food in this world really did taste better.
Vic strolled toward the docks. After leaving town, he heard the sounds of battle coming from that direction. He had a bad feeling that something might have happened to Buck's ship.
His leisurely mood vanished without a trace. With a few bounds, Vic reached the docks, where a band of pirates was attacking Buck's group. Captain Buck and the others stood on the dock with their backs to the ship's hull, struggling to fend off the pirates.
Vic glanced at Yubashiri at his waist and muttered, "I didn't expect you to taste blood so soon."
With that, he flashed between the two groups. Yubashiri left its sheath in an instant, and three cold flashes swept through the air. Yubashiri looked just as it had before, completely unchanged, as though it had never been drawn.
The pirates were already silent. Buck and his people were equally dumbfounded, frozen in place. Only when they saw Vic in front of them did they breathe a sigh of relief.
Only then did blood spray from wounds all over the pirates' bodies, and they crumpled to the ground. The onlookers' jaws nearly hit the floor, and they were utterly stunned.
Smoker, who had come to the shore to help his father carry things, happened to see the scene. A glimmer of longing flashed in his eyes. Orens Vic, he's so strong. Is this what someone who's going to join the Marines is like? I need to work even harder.
The pirates weren't particularly strong, but they had a bounty of 10 million Beli. They had bought supplies in town and were preparing to enter the Grand Line when they saw Buck's ship being loaded. They figured that since they were setting sail for the Grand Line anyway, they didn't need to fear the Marines anymore. They could rob the ship and sail straight to the Grand Line. They hadn't expected to run into the killing star Vic, who hadn't left a single one of them alive.
Two of Buck's sailors had died, both killed in sneak attacks while defending against the pirates.
"Captain Buck, check whether there's a bounty on these men. If there is, collect it and divide it between the two men's families. If not, you'll have to pay that money yourself," Vic said, looking at Buck. He didn't lament the suffering of others. That was how this world was, and for now he couldn't change it. When he encountered someone he could help, he would lend a hand.
"There is, there is. The pirate leader gave his name just now. He has a bounty of 10 million Beli. If it's divided between the two families, it'll support them for a long time. I'll contribute some money myself too," Buck said sadly.
For those who traded at sea, life and death were beyond their control. Without strength, they mostly had to rely on luck.
Vic said nothing. He went straight to his room on the ship, sat cross-legged, and closed his eyes, feeling Yubashiri in his hand. He had to get to know a newly acquired weapon, understand it thoroughly, and learn how to use it better.
Vic had used Yubashiri to cut down the pirates just now, striking three times. With his other sword, he could have wiped them all out in two strikes at most. He had only just acquired Yubashiri and still wasn't very familiar with it, so he needed to hurry and get to know it.
Vic paid no further attention to the affairs aboard the ship. He trusted Buck to handle those little matters.