Chapter 14: Invitation from the Underground King
"Here is your bounty. A total of 10.5 million," a marine officer said as he handed over a bag of Bailey to Mio at the entrance of the naval sub-base on Cazorla Island.
In addition to the two pirate heads with million-Bailey bounties, Mio had also brought several others worth hundreds of thousands. It was a decent haul.
After taking the bag, Mio turned around without another word and began walking toward the town, Warwick and Erica silently following behind, both cloaked to avoid attention. Erica, still new to the world after her transformation into a human, looked around in fascination. Everything was novel to her—crowds, buildings, shops—it was all part of a world she had never seen before.
Before long, the trio arrived outside a weapon shop and stepped inside.
The shop owner, a chubby man with a round face, was hunched over an account book. He looked up at the sound of the door and smiled broadly, clearly in a good mood.
"Welcome, sir. Looking for weapons?" he asked cheerfully.
"Yes," Mio nodded. "Bring out the good ones if you have them."
The fat shopkeeper clapped his hands and nodded eagerly. "Of course! While my store may be small, I still have a few exceptional blades. My late father was a blacksmith—his forging skills were top-notch. It's a shame I didn't inherit his talent."
While chatting, the shopkeeper walked into the back room. The weapons displayed outside were basic, meant for customers without much coin. The real treasures were stored inside.
Mio's interest piqued. He hoped to find a sword worthy of his growing strength.
Soon, the shopkeeper returned with several swords in his arms, placing them gently on the counter.