(T/N: There is now a p.atreon for this work. Check it out for an early release of up to 30 chapters edited smoothly.
https://www.p.atreon.com/INeedRest)
Ps: Leave reviews and comments, thank you
****************
A drop of cold sweat slid down Law's forehead, his pupils hidden beneath the spotted white hat, filling with genuine apprehension.
He couldn't help but feel nervous.
The man he and Bepo had been following was most likely the mysterious individual who'd released that [Conqueror's Haki] last night, which meant it was wise not to underestimate his strength.
After discovering someone leaving the coastal house early this morning, he'd secretly followed with Bepo, whose hearing was the most sensitive among the entire crew.
He'd never expected to be discovered in such a dramatic fashion.
Fortunately, judging by the man's current expression, he simply recognized Law's identity and hadn't realized they'd been following him.
"What should we do, Captain? We've been discovered by this guy we were following!"
However, just as Law breathed a sigh of relief, Bepo, who'd been in his depressed state beside him, suddenly screamed in shock.
"..."
Law covered his face helplessly.
Well, this time they were truly exposed.
"What? Are you following me?"
Sure enough, Kyoma reacted quickly and asked with confusion.
Logically speaking, he and Law's pirate crew had no prior connection whatsoever, right?
Could it be that this guy knew he was planning to cause trouble for Doflamingo and had come to join forces?
Thinking of this, Kyoma's face couldn't help but show a touch of joy.
The Op-Op Fruit was nearly an omnipotent ability in this world.
It could attack or defend, and this guy's primary occupation was as a doctor.
He looked at Law with eager eyes, as if gazing at a piece of delicious barbecue.
This scene made Law shudder.
Could this man, who seemed to possess [Conqueror's Haki], be interested in his bounty?
No, he had to escape quickly.
The thought flashed through his mind, and Law no longer hesitated. His ability activated instantly, and a transparent air bubble condensed in his palm.
"Room!"
It then left his palm and expanded dozens of times in an instant, covering half the market.
"Orange-haired man, we have messed up today. We'll meet again the next time."
Law gave Kyoma one last look and left those words. With the sound of two stones falling to the ground, the man and bear disappeared from the alley.
By the time Kyoma realized Law was using his ability, it was already too late.
"Wait, hold on..."
A breeze swept past, and the man and bear vanished into thin air. Only an orange-haired man remained in the alley, frozen in place.
'Where did they go?'
'Why did they suddenly run away?'
Kyoma stared at the empty alley.
Nothing remained except the two stones on the ground. He felt incredibly frustrated; his words were left completely unspoken.
However, just as Kyoma felt this sense of loss, he heard the sound of loose footsteps approaching.
The sounds came from all directions.
There were approximately seven or eight people, not counting the denser footsteps.
After yesterday's full day of Haki training with Rayleigh, Kyoma had grasped a bit of [Observation Haki].
He could vaguely sense several malicious presences approaching him from behind.
As the footsteps drew closer, Kyoma could already feel the aura emanating from their bodies.
It was quite weak, incomparable to Rayleigh's, and not at the same level as Drake or Law.
Compared to himself, he felt confident he could handle a hundred of them.
Clang!
A spiked iron club struck the wall heavily, the echo of metal colliding against stone reverberating through the alley.
Kyoma turned his head and found himself surrounded by eight thugs with shifty gazes.
They stood around him in every corner of the alley, blocking his path completely.
At the other end of the alley stood a figure holding a large sword, cutting off all his escape routes.
Kyoma knew this was a premeditated ambush.
It seemed that over the past few days, his face had not only been remembered by local vendors but had also attracted some unsavory characters lurking in the shadows. He'd become a fat sheep in their eyes.
*Bang**Bang*
"Kid, we've been watching you for several days now. You go to the market every day and buy lots of things. You're loaded, aren't you?"
The man holding the spiked club appeared to be the leader.
He looked at Kyoma with greedy eyes, as if viewing a lamb ready for slaughter. While talking, he kept striking the wall with his club, creating harsh noise as intimidation.
His accomplices also displayed cruel smiles at the appropriate moments.
A skilled gang of robbers and extortionists.
It seemed they often targeted newcomers and outsiders. Kyoma had probably been marked when he and Kagura first arrived. They'd been cautious, observing for several days before acting.
After all, in the Sabaody Archipelago, the last island on the Grand Line, most outsiders who managed to sail here from the outside world were far from ordinary.
However, he and Kagura possessed no apparent deterrent power based on appearance alone. He stood just over 1.8 meters tall, which was strictly speaking a "small guy" in this world where people often reached 2 or 3 meters. Not to mention Kagura, who stood barely 1.5 meters and appeared weak and vulnerable.
So it was hardly surprising that these two seemingly weak yet wealthy individuals would be treated as fat sheep.
Kyoma had expected this day to come eventually, but he hadn't anticipated it would arrive so soon.
If he'd encountered such a scene before transmigrating, he would have been trembling with fear, immediately handing over his wallet and possessions.
After all, life was more important than money.
But today, Kyoma not only felt no panic but was actually quite excited. After so many of the story, he'd finally encountered opponents he could actually defeat.
He grinned.
"Huh..."
The gang leader with the spiked club noticed the excitement gleaming in Kyoma's eyes, and his heart immediately tightened. Not only was this guy unafraid, but he also seemed eager to fight. Was he a strong fighter?
Years of robbery experience told him that people who displayed such expressions at moments like this were definitely not people he could afford to mess with.
Then, the gang leader suddenly raised the spiked club in his hand.
Just when Kyoma thought the weapon would swing toward him, the man threw it to the ground angrily.
'Huh?'
This sudden action not only confused Kyoma but also surprised the gang leader's subordinates.
The gang leader looked furious as he pointed at Kyoma and shouted:
"What I hate most are people like you who don't know how to be frugal when spending money. Don't spend money so lavishly in the future. Bargain before buying things!"
"What?"
Kyoma looked stunned, wondering if he'd heard correctly.
Weren't they going to rob him? Why had they suddenly started lecturing him about financial responsibility?
"Listen to me, brother. You need to bargain when buying things in the future. Those vendors look kind on the surface, but they're actually greedier than us."
The gang leader added a few more words, then threw his arm around Kyoma's shoulders as if they were old friends.
His sincere tone made his accomplices around him doubt their own reality.
'Could it be that the boss changed his extortion routine today?'
'Is he taking a friendly approach?'
'Should we cooperate...'
A moment later.
After a few more "sensible" brothers joined in, the atmosphere at the alley entrance became inexplicably harmonious.
Several people greeted Kyoma with friendly pats on the back and shoulders, and in an instant, they seemed to have become friends who'd known each other for years.
For a moment, Kyoma felt embarrassed to take any aggressive action.
He had no idea what rules these guys were following.