20+ early chapters on Pátreon.com/Herd99.
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The late afternoon sun bathed Loguetown in a golden hue, stretching long shadows across the streets.
Inside the Marine base, however, the light filtering through the windows felt more like a reminder of how much time Kain was wasting.
He slumped in his chair at the Bounty Collection Office, staring at the mountain of paperwork in front of him.
The dim scent of ink, paper, and stale coffee filled the air.
This was his life now—sorting through bounty claims, verifying pirate identities, and making sure everything was properly documented before the rewards were issued.
Kain sighed dramatically, leaning back in his chair and resting his head against the wooden frame. "Tell me, Tashigi, have you ever considered that maybe crime is a natural phenomenon? Maybe pirates aren't evil. Maybe the real crime is forcing me to do all this paperwork."
Tashigi, seated across from him with an orderly stack of documents, didn't look up as she signed another form. "Lieutenant Kain, if you spent as much energy working as you do complaining, we'd be done by now."
"That's what you don't understand, dear assistant," Kain said, waving a hand lazily. "Complaining is the only thing keeping me sane. If I just accepted my fate, I'd be lost forever."
Tashigi sighed, adjusting her glasses. "If you actually did your job, you'd be done faster, and then you wouldn't have to suffer."
Kain let out a long, exaggerated groan. "You and your logic… It's suffocating."
Before she could respond, the door slammed open with a loud bang. The sudden noise made Tashigi jolt upright, her hand instinctively reaching for the hilt of her sword.
Kain, meanwhile, barely lifted his head, only moving enough to see who had ruined his perfectly good session of procrastination.
A large, rough-looking man strode into the room, dragging a heavy burlap sack behind him. His broad shoulders and scarred face marked him as a bounty hunter, and the cocky smirk on his lips suggested he was no stranger to violence.
The bounty hunter let the sack drop with a heavy thud, and before Kain could even question it, something tumbled out—two heads, fresh and bloodied, rolling onto the wooden floor.
Tashigi grimaced but maintained her composure. Kain, on the other hand, simply stared. He turned his gaze from the severed heads to the bounty hunter and then back again before sighing.
"Really?" Kain said flatly. "You couldn't just bring the wanted posters and leave the heads outside? Did you have to ruin a perfectly scrubbed floor?"
The bounty hunter chuckled, resting a hand on his hip. "Proof is proof. Names are on the list. Now, where's my money marine?"
Kain pinched the bridge of his nose, trying to suppress the headache forming. He leaned forward and pulled the bounty list from the stack of papers on his desk, glancing over the names. Sure enough, the bounties matched.
With another sigh, he reached for the cash box under the desk, pulling out the appropriate amount of Berries to pay the bounty hunter. He held out the money, but before the man took it, something changed in his expression. His eyes shifted, landing on Tashigi.
His smirk widened.
"Well, well," he said, taking a step closer to her. "Didn't know the Marines had such pretty officers. What's your name, sweetheart?"
Tashigi stiffened, her grip tightening on her sword. "That's none of your business," she said sharply.
The bounty hunter chuckled, clearly unbothered by her hostility.
"Feisty, huh? I like that." His hand lifted slightly, reaching toward her chin. "How about—"
A sudden crack echoed through the room.
Before the bounty hunter could even register what had happened, his face twisted in agony. His body jerked downward as he dropped to his knees, clutching his wrist.
Kain, who had barely moved from his slouched position, still had his hand clamped around the man's wrist. His grip was firm, fingers pressing against the delicate bones. He had only needed to apply the slightest amount of pressure, and now the bounty hunter's hand was very clearly broken.
"You—you broke my hand!" the bounty hunter howled, his voice filled with shock.
Kain finally sat up properly, his usual lazy expression giving way to something far colder. He met the bounty hunter's wide, fearful eyes with an unshaken gaze.
"Touch her again," he said calmly, "and I'll break more than just your hand."
The room was silent except for the heavy breathing of the bounty hunter. Kain sighed and tossed the money onto the desk in front of him. "Take your pay and leave."
The bounty hunter scrambled to his feet, snatching the cash with his good hand before bolting for the door, his curses fading as he disappeared down the hall.
Tashigi exhaled, tension still in her shoulders. She turned toward Kain, an unreadable expression on her face. "Lieutenant, I… I could've handled that."
Kain shrugged, already leaning back in his chair again. "Yeah, but then I'd have to fill out a report about why there's a dead bounty hunter in my office. This way's easier."
Tashigi stared at him for a moment longer before shaking her head. She picked up the next stack of papers, clearly trying to move past what had just happened.
Kain, meanwhile, let his eyes drift toward the system screen in his mind.
[System Notification: Protagonist Trope Event Completed!]
- Action Taken: Protected a fellow officer from harassment.
- Reward: 100 BSP.
- Bonus Reward: Extra 50 BSP for unnecessary flair. Keep up the great work!
Kain closed his eyes. "I hate this system."
Tashigi looked up. "Did you say something?"
Kain waved a hand. "Nothing. Just mentally preparing myself for more suffering."
Tashigi sighed. "You really need a better attitude about your job."
Kain smirked. "I have a great attitude. It just doesn't involve working."
She rolled her eyes, returning to her paperwork.
Outside, the sun continued its slow descent, marking the end of another long day.
The Marine base was unusually quiet that evening. Most officers were either patrolling or off-duty, leaving only a skeleton crew behind to handle routine work. Kain should have been grateful for the peace, but all it really meant was that he had run out of excuses to avoid paperwork.
He groaned, stretching his arms over his head. "Tashigi, be honest—if I set the rest of these forms on fire, would anyone really care?"
Tashigi sighed, finishing her last signature. "Yes, I would care." She stacked her papers neatly and shot him a look. "You're lucky I'm too tired to argue with you."
Kain grinned. "See? Even you know this is pointless."
She shook her head, but a small smile played at her lips. After everything that had happened with the bounty hunter earlier, the tension had mostly faded. Mostly.
Then, to Kain's mild surprise, Tashigi set her pen down and stood up.
"Come on," she said, adjusting her glasses.
Kain raised an eyebrow. "Where exactly are we going?"
"You're not getting out of this," Tashigi said firmly. "I owe you a drink for earlier."
Kain blinked. "Wait, what?"
"You heard me." She crossed her arms. "Don't make me repeat myself."
Kain studied her for a moment. The usual sternness in her expression was there, but there was something else too—determination, maybe. Or gratitude.
He wasn't about to turn down free alcohol. Third favorite thing below coffee and naps.
With a dramatic sigh, he stood up, stretching lazily. "Fine, fine. But if this turns into some heartfelt bonding moment, I'm blaming you."
Tashigi rolled her eyes and walked out the door.
Kain followed, stuffing his hands into his coat pockets.
The streets of Loguetown had begun to quiet as the evening wore on. Most of the shops were closing, and the only real activity came from the taverns and bars that dotted the town.
Tashigi led Kain to a small, unassuming bar tucked away from the noisier parts of the city. It wasn't one of the rowdy pirate haunts near the docks, nor was it a fancy establishment for the upper class. It was a simple place—dimly lit, with wooden floors that creaked slightly underfoot and the faint smell of old alcohol lingering in the air.
A few off-duty Marines sat in one corner, nursing their drinks, but the place wasn't crowded. Just the way Kain liked it.
They took a seat at a small table near the back. Tashigi ordered something light, while Kain, naturally, went for the strongest thing on the menu.
When their drinks arrived, Kain wasted no time downing his in one gulp. He sighed in satisfaction as the warmth spread through his chest. "Now this is how a Marine should be spending their time."
Tashigi sipped hers more slowly. She was quiet for a moment, then said, "I admire you, Lieutenant."
Kain nearly choked on his second drink. He coughed, setting the glass down. "What?"
Tashigi hesitated, as if choosing her words carefully. "You don't act like it, but… you're strong."
Kain raised an eyebrow. "Tashigi, that is the least accurate thing anyone has ever said about me."
She shook her head. "No, I mean it. You're not just strong physically. You don't hesitate when it matters. Even when you pretend you don't care, you do the right thing."
Kain stared at her for a moment before sighing. "Tashigi, trust me. Being 'strong' is overrated."
She frowned. "Why would you say that?"
He swirled his drink lazily, watching the liquid slosh against the glass. "Because people expect things from you. The moment you become 'strong,' everyone starts looking at you like you're supposed to be some kind of hero."
Tashigi's grip tightened on her glass. "And that's a bad thing?"
"Yes," Kain said flatly. "Because sometimes, you just want to drink in peace without the world dumping its problems on you."
Tashigi let out a short laugh. "You're impossible."
Kain smirked. "I try."
For a while, they drank in silence. It wasn't awkward—just quiet. Outside, the sounds of Loguetown drifted in through the open windows, the occasional laugh or shout from the streets mixing with the distant crash of ocean waves.
After finishing her drink, Tashigi finally spoke again. "I want to be strong too."
Kain glanced at her. "You already are."
She shook her head. "Not like you. Not like Smoker. Every time I try, I feel like I'm not good enough."
Kain sighed, setting his glass down. "Look, strength isn't just about winning fights. It's about doing what you can. Even if that just means signing paperwork or keeping idiots like that bounty hunter in line."
Tashigi frowned but didn't argue.
Kain leaned back in his chair. "Honestly, if you start thinking too hard about it, you'll just drive yourself crazy. Trust me, I've seen the 'I have to get stronger at all costs' type. They're all insane."
Tashigi hesitated, then nodded. "I suppose."
Kain sighed, checking the system in his head.
[System Notification: Friendship Level with Tashigi Increased!]
-Reward: 100 BSP.
Kain groaned. "I haaate this thing."
Tashigi gave him a confused look. "Hate what?"
Kain waved a hand. "Nothing. Just the universe messing with me again."
Tashigi shook her head. "You're weird, Lieutenant."
"And yet, you're still here, buying me drinks," Kain said smugly.
She rolled her eyes but didn't deny it.
Outside, the night deepened, and the streets of Loguetown grew quieter. But for now, at least, Kain was content to enjoy his drink, free—if only briefly—from whatever nonsense the world had in store for him next.