Chapter 19
“Who’re you calling crude, Smoker?” The pink-haired woman storms in, catching Smoker’s jab and shooting him a glare. “Hina’s a lady, so don’t go spouting nonsense.”
Calling herself a lady, Hina strides to our table, takes a deep drag on her slim cigarette, and blows a puff of smoke right in my face. “So, this handsome guy’s the one you were talking about? Not bad-looking, I’ll give him that.”
“Can you act like a captain for once?” Smoker groans, then gives me an awkward smile. “Morgan, this is Hina. We were classmates at the Naval Academy and joined the Marines together. She’s a captain in the South Blue, but she’s transferring to Headquarters in a couple of days.”
“Captain Hina, pleasure to meet you,” I say with a nod. As one of the few Marine captains in One Piece, she’s no stranger to me.
“Hina, this is the Morgan I told you about,” Smoker says, gesturing to me.
“Mhm…” Hina pulls up a chair, sits across from me, and crosses her legs with a laid-back air. “Hina’s heard a lot about you from Smoker. Word is, you’re the top bounty hunter in the East Blue.”
I nod. “Damn right. My job completion rate’s a hundred percent. Look across the East Blue—no, all four seas—and you won’t find a more reliable bounty hunter than me.”
“Wow, not humble at all, are you, handsome?” Hina chuckles.
I grin back. “Can’t afford to be. We bounty hunters are businessmen. If I’m too modest, playing the weakling to catch people off guard, folks’ll think I’m all talk. No one hires a nobody.” It’s true—hiding your strength as a bounty hunter is like torching your own reputation.
“Heh, that’s a new one, but it makes sense,” Hina says, glancing at Smoker before continuing. “Smoker’s been singing your praises, saying you’re as strong as he is. We go way back, so Hina trusts his judgment. That’s why Hina’s here during her transfer leave—to meet you and offer you a job.”
That explains why Smoker had me stick around. I glance at him, then back at Hina. “So, you’re saying you hooked me up with a gig, Smoker?”
“Yeah,” Smoker says, nodding. “Hina’s got a transfer coming up, so she can’t deal with some lowlifes in the South Blue herself. They don’t have any decent bounty hunters out there, so I recommended you.”
A while back, during a call to congratulate Hina on her transfer, she griped about a major threat in the South Blue she wouldn’t have time to handle. Smoker brought up my name, and since Hina heard I’m the real deal, she swung by during her pre-Headquarters leave to hire me to take out her problem. That’s why Smoker dragged her to Wendel’s tavern.
Just then, Wendel strolls over with a grin, setting a glass of wine in front of Hina. “On the house, ma’am.”
“Free? Thanks, boss,” Hina says, nodding her thanks.
Wendel keeps his friendly smile. “You’re a client of Mr. Morgan and a friend of Captain Smoker, so you’re a friend of mine.” He turns to me, chuckling. “Business is booming, eh, Mr. Morgan?”
“Ugh, I was hoping to take a break after these last two jobs,” I say, shrugging. “But looks like it’s peak season. Oh, Wendel, grab two bottles of your best wine for Smoker. My treat.”
“You got it!” Wendel heads to the counter, fetching his finest bottles.
“Consider it your commission for landing me this gig,” I tell Smoker with a grin.
“Tch, two bottles to buy me off? Cheapskate,” Smoker grumbles, but he grabs one and takes a big swig, living the “true bliss” life.
“So, you’re taking the job, Morgan?” Hina asks.
“Hell yeah. Only a fool turns down cash,” I say, nodding. “Captain Hina, I need details on the target. Got any info? A wanted poster would do.”
“Of course.” Hina pulls out a wanted poster and slaps it on the table.
I pick it up and scan it. “Wanted: Kryhiss, King of the South Blue. Bounty: 50 million Berries. Damn, this guy’s worth way more than East Blue pirates.”
“Exactly,” Hina says, her voice sharp with anger. “Kryhiss is the worst scum in the South Blue. Right after setting sail, he butchered twelve islands. His crimes since then are beyond heinous!” She clenches her teeth. “If Headquarters weren’t calling Hina back, she’d drag him to Impel Down herself!”
“Uh, maybe save the rant for later, Captain Hina,” I say, shaking my head. “I’m more interested in where this guy’s at.”
Hina catches herself, calming down. “Sorry, Hina got carried away. Kryhiss has been holed up on Half Crescent Island in the South Blue. His crew’s built a base there.”
“Half Crescent Island, got it,” I say, committing it to memory.
“No need to memorize it,” Hina says, taking a drag on her cigarette and crushing it in the ashtray. “Hina’ll have Smoker get you a chart of that sea. It’ll mark Half Crescent Island and the other spots Kryhiss’s crew frequents.” She pauses. “If you take him down—dead or alive—besides his 50 million Berry bounty, Hina’ll personally throw in 10 million as a bonus.”
Eliminate (or capture) Pirate Kryhiss!
Task Difficulty: C
Bounty Rating: C
Reward: 5,000 Points
Same C-rank as the Paradise Emperor job, but with the same high point reward, probably because the bounty and difficulty edge out a standard C-rank. If the Shop had a C+ tier, this’d be it.
“Didn’t expect you to be so generous, Captain Hina. Putting up your own money to take out a villain? The folks in the South Blue will owe you for saving them,” I say, raising my glass. “To a successful partnership, Captain Hina.”
“To a successful partnership.” Hina clinks her glass against mine, sealing the deal.
I turn to Smoker, who’s lost in his wine. “Hey, quit guzzling, Smoker! Let’s go cash in that Devil Fruit bounty! Oh, and grab that chart while we’re at it.”