Several hours later, all the pirates had been captured thanks to X's intervention. The battle had ended, and the city could finally breathe in peace. The citizens surrounded the protagonist with smiles and tears of relief.
"Thank you so much, X!" everyone shouted in unison, bowing at a ninety-degree angle as a sign of gratitude.
"There's no need to thank me, I just did my job," said X, smiling confidently.
"Even so, we're grateful. Without you, we wouldn't have been able to defeat the pirates or protect our city. Thank you so much! You're our hero!" shouted all the citizens again.
Some looked at him with proud and respectful smiles, while others let tears of joy roll down their faces.
To the side, Ahu and the mayor sat watching the scene with enthusiasm. The old man was drinking sake, enjoying the moment; his face was already completely red.
"T-That friend of yours… X, he's really strong. How is it possible for a kid to be that monstrous?" muttered the mayor, clearly drunk.
"Mayor… you shouldn't drink so much. We're just starting the celebration, and you're already drunk," said Ahu, a bead of sweat sliding down his temple as he watched the mayor wobble from side to side.
"Hahaha! T-This old man… can handle more than a bottle of sake, d-don't worry," replied the mayor between laughs, letting out a burp every few seconds.
"Uff… well, if you say so," sighed Ahu with a smile, then turned his gaze toward the white-haired boy. "X isn't my friend, I just met him before… back then, I didn't know what I was doing. Trying to attack him was foolish… who would've thought I'd see him again. The number one hero, so kind… I'm sorry for thinking badly of you."
The distracted mayor caught part of the puppy's last words and asked in a slurred voice, "Did you say something, Ahu?"
Several days later, X traveled throughout the city, being warmly welcomed everywhere he went. Everyone knew him as the Hero X, and as thanks, the mayor himself offered him a room in one of the best hotels in town.
During that time, Ahu and X shared many things: stories from their lives, new foods they tried together, their training methods, and of course, their dreams.
"X, my dream is to change this society," said Ahu firmly, staring at the horizon. "As a hero… after everything I've been through, I know this world is rotten with corruption. That's why, X… I want you to take me with you!"
The white-haired boy, who was also sitting and looking at the horizon, stayed silent for several seconds before giving a faint smile.
"Ahu, you're a great pup. But tell me… will you really leave your town to sail across other seas?"
"I will! If I stay… I know nothing will ever change!" Ahu shouted with conviction, as if trying to convince himself.
"I see. Then from now on, we'll form an organization."
Ahu was stunned for a few moments after hearing the proposal to form an organization.
"What do you mean?" he asked, unable to hide his surprise.
"An organization with the goal of changing this world. One that will overthrow the highest corrupt authorities of this place. Yes, I'm talking about the World Government."
"The World Government…" repeated Ahu, frowning.
"Yes. I sense that their actions aren't entirely good. Marines and pirates both have their good and bad sides, but we'll change the way people see them."
"That doesn't sound very realistic," replied Ahu, still shocked.
"I know. But that's my goal. And with enough strength, we'll change everything!"
An hour later, the protagonist, Ahu, and the mayor were sitting in a closed room, similar to an interrogation chamber.
The three of them sat across from a pirate, who was handcuffed with his hands tied behind the chair.
"All right. Talk. Where is your captain, Don Krieg?" asked X, staring at the pirate with a cold and serious expression.
The pirate, head lowered and eyes shadowed, replied firmly:
"I won't tell you. I'm not a snitch."
His tone reflected unwavering loyalty to his captain.
X rested an elbow on the table and stared at him calmly, a quiet but tense smile forming on his face.
"Do you really think your captain would do the same for you?" he asked in a calm tone.
The pirate clenched his teeth, trying to stay silent, though a bead of sweat began to trickle down his forehead.
"Don Krieg… is strong," he muttered with pride. "He'd never abandon his crew."
X let out a small chuckle. "Oh, really? Interesting. Because I heard that when one of his ships was destroyed near the sea route, he fled with the loot and left his men adrift."
The pirate raised his head in shock. "That's a lie!" he shouted angrily.
"Then why is he in the North Sea, hiding in an improvised base near the ruins of Gosa Village?" asked X calmly, watching his reaction.
The pirate's eyes widened in confusion. "That's not true! He's not in—!"
He stopped abruptly, realizing too late what he had said.
X slowly straightened up, crossing his arms with a satisfied smile. "I see… so he's in the ruins of Gosa Village. Thanks for confirming."
The pirate paled. "W-Wait, no! That's not—!"
"Relax," interrupted X as he stood up. "You've been very helpful. Get some rest… you'll need it."
The pirate lowered his head, defeated, while X left the room with Ahu and the mayor.
Outside, Ahu looked at him in amazement. "You didn't even torture him… you just talked, and he told you everything."
X smirked. "Not exactly. I just wanted to confirm it. One of the pirates who was dying the day I defeated them was mumbling about Krieg's whereabouts. He said he'd come to pick them up… and take revenge for everything we did to them."
The mayor approached, intrigued by the conversation.
"So, you're going to Gosa Village? I have a relative there… but I don't know if he's still around. I just hope that Krieg hasn't done anything to that village."
"Don't worry, Mayor. We'll stop him," said Ahu with full conviction.
"That's right, sir. You can rest easy. By the way, you should call the Marines—there won't be any more pirate interruptions," said X as he opened the door, followed by Ahu.
"You're right, I'll call them right away," the mayor replied, nodding.
Several minutes later, X and Ahu were walking along the port. In the distance, they could see a pirate ship — one of those that had attacked Orange Town.
"Are we seriously using that ship?! That's way too dangerous! If the Marines see us sailing under a pirate flag, they won't hesitate to attack!" shouted Ahu, clearly alarmed.
"Mmhh… but there's no other option. I already put my things on board," said X indifferently, unconcerned about the possibility of Marine interference. "Let's get on."
"What?"
Snap.
In an instant, both appeared on the ship's deck — dark wood, large enough to fit more than a hundred people, filled with food, weapons, and chests of treasure.
"From now on, our journey begins, Ahu," said X, gazing toward the horizon.
"E-Eh… yeah," replied the pup, still in shock.
Snap.
The ship began to move on its own, slowly turning toward the open sea before speeding up, sailing away swiftly and leaving Orange Town behind as the wind filled its sails.