Blue sky, snow-white clouds, and the serene surface of the ocean.
In fact, a long voyage is rarely so eventful. More often than not, it is accompanied by boredom. Monotonous landscapes, like a schooner frozen in one place, an endless wait for land that is impossible to see on the horizon... All this can lead to despair.
But Rogu was prepared for this. Therefore, even the subsequent monotony of the journey did not irritate him much. Especially when so many "live awards" appeared on board.
These prizes were hard at work now. Their hands and feet were shackled, but that did not stop them from working. They were repairing the broken wall that Rogu had destroyed in the heat of battle. They were repairing the hold, turning it into additional chambers. They were removing from Alvida's ship those decorations that Rogu found too tasteless and pretentious.
But the most important thing is the pirate flag!
When Rogu went to sea, he did not think about it. However, after meeting one of the merchant ships, he realized what significance this symbol has for ordinary people, who were even afraid to look at it.
Fortunately, Rogu now had enough manpower. Those with broken legs or serious injuries he kept under control so they wouldn't run away. And those who could move, he put to work. Using the equipment from Frott's ship, he secured himself, depriving the pirates of the opportunity to attack, and turned them into free labor.
"This is called a contribution from my award!" Rogu said with a satisfied grin. For brevity, he even came up with a name: "The Gift of Love."
According to Cindy, the average sailor's salary was about 100,000 beli a month. These guys, doing much harder work, were not paid a penny. Moreover, in the nearest port city, Rogu could turn them in to the authorities for a reward.
"Pirates are simply charming creatures," he concluded with a smile.
Rogu sat in his chair, watching the pirates working hard. He had a satisfied smile on his face, and he held a diary in his hands, in which he was drawing and writing something.
He was trying to come up with a design for a new flag. To be honest, there weren't many ideas. All pirate flags have their own characteristics, but one thing remains unchanged - a skull. This symbol of horror literally embodies the essence of pirates.
But what to do with the pirate hunter's flag? Oppose the skull with something else? But a cross or a talisman to exorcise spirits would be too banal.
Rogu continued to draw in his journal, throwing out one idea after another. Suddenly, his gaze fell on Alveda's iron mace, and inspiration came naturally.
- This thing is simply irreplaceable for fighting pirates. It is ideal for mass neutralization of opponents, depriving them of resistance. The ideal tool for capturing!
He thought for a moment and added, "Well, and don't forget about my blade, Kuromaru. It's my most powerful weapon yet."
A sketch appeared in the diary: a crossed mace and blade.
- Hmm... - Rogu rubbed his chin. - It still looks too boring. Oh yeah, the chains!
After all, after a capture, chains always appear. This is one of the most recognizable features. Then he added chains to the design, which wrapped around the mace and blade, creating a more dynamic image.
- Now that's a different matter! You can immediately feel the volume!
Pleased with the result, Rogu looked up at the sail. This ship used to belong to Alveda, and her love for girly decorations was clearly reflected in the design. Because of this, a huge pink heart was adorned on the sail.
"It's just awful…" Rogu said, shaking his head. This pink heart on the sail didn't suit him at all. It looked so ridiculous that he couldn't even look at it without internal irritation.
He clapped his hands. The sound of clanking chains echoed across the deck, and Cindy, cuffed in heavy shackles, immediately hurried toward him, practically running.
"Captain, what do you order?" he asked helpfully, with a servile smile on his face.
Rogu tore off the sketch he had drawn in the diary and handed it to Cindy.
- Take off this horror and replace the flag with this picture. Also remove all the pictures and inscriptions from the sails and replace them.
- What can we replace them with? - Cindy, rubbing his hands, waited for clarification with a strained smile.
Rogu, without thinking, answered with a wide smile: "To the inscription 'Pirate Hunter'!"
These words written on the sails will be like a challenge to all pirates. And now anyone who sees them will not be able to ignore it. In addition, for the pirates it will be such an annoying sight that they will certainly want to deal with the impudent hunter. After which, like moths flying to a flame, they will head straight into a deadly trap.
Now, smiling as he imagined how it would all turn out, Rogu anticipated how much money he could earn by catching them.
Cindy, meanwhile, turned green with horror. He wanted to object, but he knew that in his position, any attempt to convince the captain would be futile. After his plan with Rogu had failed, he had become a prisoner, and now all he could do was obey. And now, everything Rogu said, he had to do without question.
The only thing that worried him was that if some strong pirate decided to deal with Rogu, wouldn't all the other prisoners end up getting it?
However, there was no point in thinking. Rogu clearly had no intention of listening to anyone's advice. Instead, he waved his hand, making it clear that the order must be carried out. Cindy, sighing heavily, bowed and went to pass on the order.
The pirates, although chained, worked quickly. For basic tasks, this was not a big problem. Thanks to this, soon the pink heart on the sails disappeared, and its place was taken by huge and provocative words: "Pirate Hunter"!
The inscription fluttered proudly in the wind, looking extremely bold and defiant. In addition, the new flag was also ready, and when it rose above the mast, the wind caught it with force, fluttering against the clear sky.
"Pirate Hunter, Norlos Rogu!" Rogu said proudly, climbing onto the bow of the ship. He looked out at the endless ocean, a satisfied smile playing on his face. "Impressive... Although, you know, the bow of the ship needs to be changed too."
He glanced at the figurehead that adorned the bow of the ship. It had once been Alveda's ship, and on the bow was something strange - either a swan or a duck. Either way, it looked tacky and did not inspire respect at all.
"Even if we put a lamb's head on it, like on Luffy's Going Merry, it would be much better than this absurdity," he muttered under his breath.
This time, however, Rogu decided to put things off until he reached the shore. Instead, he called Cindy over again and asked about the progress of the new chambers in the hold. Cindy told him that the work was nearly complete.
Rogu was pleased. And when the cameras were finally ready, he personally checked them, and then sent most of his "rewards" there. Now, only five of the pirates that Cindy brought in the very beginning were left free to operate the ship.
From that moment on, Rogu's life at sea became even more peaceful. His ship, the pirate hunter's ship, glided slowly through the waters of the East Blue. A day passed, then two, three, four... Ten, and then eight more days. The sea remained calm, like a painting.
During this time, not a single pirate appeared, and no one tried to arrange a showdown. There was not a single storm, and merchant ships were extremely rare. And then, finally, land appeared on the horizon...