One Piece: Lost in the Tutorial #63

Blake returned to the ship with Sif and Bepo, the bustling sounds of the port fading into the background. The crew was gathered on deck, clearly waiting for their captain's return. Blake's eyes scanned the group before settling on Law, who stood at the forefront with his arms crossed.

"How did everything go?" Blake asked, approaching Law.

Law gave a small nod, his expression neutral. "Everything went more smoothly than expected," he replied. "I was able to gather the latest news about the world. Other than a Rear Admiral defecting from the Marines, there wasn't anything particularly important."

Blake raised an eyebrow, thinking briefly that this defecting Rear Admiral was likely X Drake. However, he quickly lost interest and moved on to the more pressing matter. "What about the supplies?"

Law unfolded his arms and gave a slight smirk. "I've already made arrangements with one of the merchants. They'll deliver the food and other supplies we need tomorrow."

"Good job," Blake said, giving Law a pat on the shoulder. He started to turn towards his quarters, eager to get some rest as the sky began to darken. "I'm heading to my room to get some sleep."

"Wait," Law called out, stopping Blake in his tracks. "I have other matters to report."

Blake turned back, his curiosity piqued. "What else is there?"

Law took a deep breath, glancing around to make sure everyone was listening. "There have been some rumors circulating about us. Apparently, word is spreading fast about what happened at the Marine branch. Our bounty posters are making their rounds, and it won’t be long before everyone knows who we are."

Blake smiled, anticipating what was coming. "I expected as much. Who received bounties, and how much does the World Government think our heads are worth?"

Law sighed, presenting Blake with two wanted posters. "See for yourself."

Blake took the posters and inspected them. The first one had a picture of Law, his hand extended, the other holding his sheathed katana resting on his shoulders. 

"The Surgeon of Death, worth a whopping 100 million, huh? Not bad," Blake said, giving Law an amused look.

Law, however, maintained his stern expression. "This is no laughing matter. We'll have to act more carefully from now on."

Blake dismissed his worries with a wave of his hand. "What will come will come." He then moved on to the other poster, his own. 

Instead of a picture, it was a well-done sketch of himself. "Can't say I like the simple portrait, but the nickname has a ring to it... Star Fist Blake," he said with a chuckle. "What do you think of it, Law?"

"It's ridiculous," Law replied, his tone flat.

Blake scoffed. "Oh, fuck off! You're just jealous because your bounty is 50 million lower." He held up the poster again, admiring the sketch and the moniker with a broad grin. "Star Fist Blake... I kind of like it."

Blake turned to the rest of the crew and happily declared his new status as a wanted pirate. "You hear that, fellows? Your captain is a proper pirate with a 150 million Beri price on his head!"

Double Six laughed heartily and said, "Maybe we should just turn you over to the marines and claim the bounty ourselves!"

Shachi and Penguin voiced their agreement, chuckling. "150 million is enough for us to eat and drink for the rest of our lives," Shachi said, grinning.

Blake grinned back at them. "You're welcome to try," he teased, a glint of challenge in his eyes.

He then shifted his attention back to Law, his expression turning more serious. "So, do you have something else to report?"

Law nodded, his demeanor equally serious. "I do. It's about the thing you asked me to look into."

Blake's face hardened. "Tell me everything you've learned."

Law sighed before he began to explain. "The Thorne family was allegedly all killed in a house fire. You, their son, were supposedly lost in the fire as well."

Blake gave Law a blank look. "Do I look like a pile of ashes or something?"

Law's annoyance was evident. "I'm only repeating what I heard. It's obvious someone is trying to cover up your existence."

Blake scratched his head, contemplating. "Someone must have benefited from my supposed death then... we were a pretty well-off family, even compared to other nobles..."

Law continued, "Actually, the inheritance went to the royal family of Lvneel Island."

Blake raised an eyebrow. "The royal family? That’s odd. The entire royal family of Lvneel is incredibly rich. They wouldn’t need to set up such a scheme just to get more money. It doesn’t make sense. It sounds more like a grudge than someone plotting to take over our riches."

Law nodded. "Anything is possible, but now is not the time to be guessing. We need to gather more information to get to the bottom of this."

Blake sighed, recognizing the truth in Law's words. "You’re right. We’ve only just arrived on the island. Speculating won’t do us any good at this point. We need facts."

Law acknowledged with a curt nod. "Exactly. We should take this step by step."

Blake gave Law a pat on the shoulder. "You’ve done a good job, Law. Thanks for looking into this. Now, I think I need to get some sleep."

Law watched as Blake turned and headed towards his quarters. "Rest well, Captain. We have a lot ahead of us."

Blake waved a hand over his shoulder, acknowledging Law’s words without turning back. He felt the weight of the day’s revelations settling on him, but he knew that resting now was crucial. 

Tomorrow would bring new challenges, and he needed to be ready.

...

Inside the bar that Blake and Bepo had visited earlier, a woman with tanned skin and a black cowboy hat stood near a wooden pillar, her eyes fixed on the wanted posters of Blake and Law with an annoyed expression. She was Kiera Flint, the bounty hunter they had encountered at sea. 

"So they did have bounties after all. Damn, I just had to run into them right before the News Coos made their rounds..." she muttered under her breath, her foot tabbing on the ground. 

One of the servers, who had been tidying up nearby, overheard her and approached with a curious look. "Excuse me, miss," he said, glancing at her outfit and the many guns strapped to her body, "are you a bounty hunter?"

Kiera gave him a suspicious look. "What makes you think that?"

The server shrugged, "Your clothes, the guns... you're either a pirate or a bounty hunter. And I know all the bounties in North Blue."

Kiera sighed, "Well, aren't you sharp? What do you want?"

The server leaned in, lowering his voice. "I overheard you muttering just now. Do you recognize the two people on those wanted posters?"

Kiera glanced back at the posters, her eyes narrowing. "Yeah, I do. Blake Thorne and Trafalgar Law. Ran into them at sea not too long ago. What's it to you anyway?"

The server’s eyes widened. "Blake Thorne was just here, in this bar. He and his crew might still be in the area. If you're looking to collect, I might be able to help you find them for a small cut of the bounty... I have a few connections here and there on the island..."

Kiera's expression shifted from annoyance to interest. "Is that so? Well, that does change things. Thanks for the tip..." she said, giving the server a pat on the shoulder before heading toward the exit. 

The server couldn't help but grow anxious at her actions. "Wait! What about my cut? I can help you find them!" 

Kieran gave the server an amused look. "How hard can it be to find a bunch of pirates on an island with one small port?"

The server's expression turned resigned. "But I just told you they were here! Shouldn't be a bit more grateful?!" 

Kieran couldn't help but laugh at those words. "Well, then consider this a lesson. Information brokers only share what they have after they see the money for a reason... do yourself a favor and stick to waiting on tables," she concluded, leaving the bar without waiting for a reply. 

Left alone to stare at the wanted posters, the server couldn't help but curse under his breath before resuming his work, all hopes of quick and easy gains evaporating from his mind.