4 The Old Seadog #4

"103... 104..." I muttered, feeling refreshed as I completed one last push-up and ended my training session when I noticed Vicky walking into the room, seemingly in a hurry.

It has been six months since I woke up in the body of Cedric, and I spent most of that time studying The Method. The material was complicated, and I barely scratched the surface, but I reaped many benefits, even with what little I could decipher.

To my meager understanding, The Method relied on visualization and concentration achieved through long meditations to align the mind, body, and spirit and achieve enlightenment.

When Cain killed his brother, which was the first murder to happen and the first time someone saw the anatomy beneath the skin of a human being, it fascinated him, and drove him to study it.

The discovery bigoted curiosity. That curiosity drove Cain to start killing people and studying their anatomy, flesh, blood, nerves, tendons, and everything in between as he realized we were all flesh and bones under all that skin.

As he studied human anatomy, Cain realized he could control every aspect of his body by perfectly visualizing it down to every cell, which would require a superhuman level of focus.

The discipline gained through long meditation sessions was necessary to achieve such levels of focus. However, it would all be for nothing if you had no knowledge of human anatomy, which you would gain through study or murder.

I was no serial killer or surgeon, but I studied biology like any other when I was a kid, meaning I could use my limited knowledge to train myself to a point where I was now more physically fit and capable than I was as an adult in my past life.

Ironically enough, The Method sounded similar to Buddhist teachings in its application. But whereas Buddha preached selfless enlightenment through peaceful contemplation, Cain preached supremacy and self-benefit through violence, preferably directed against your fellow man.

"You've got a job, Rick," Vicky said as she threw a red duffle bag in my direction, interrupting my thoughts. "Take this to Old Dean. He'll be waiting for you at the Shark Kennel," She added as she turned to leave without waiting for a reply, causing me to roll my eyes as I picked up the bag.

I had already proven my worth to the group and climbed up the little gang's pecking order after doing some jobs here and there and taking over the hunting duties.

I wasn't some veteran hunter in my past life, but creating simple traps, stick and rope snares, and pitfalls to catch rabbits and the occasional boar wasn't too complicated after a bit of trial and error.

Naturally, I insisted that I butcher and dissect every animal myself to further my understanding of anatomy, which had an unexpected benefit as the other kids in the gang thought I was a psychopath and steered clear of me.

Being the little psychopaths they were, Kid and Killer didn't seem to care, and Vicky didn't show any reaction either and kept bossing me around without a care in the world.

A part of me was already sick of working for the little shits, but another part enjoyed the company of such quirky kids. I'd leave when the time was right, but I wasn't ready yet.

However, I will be soon enough. Though I don't know what will happen to Vicky, I knew Kid and Killer would eventually turn to piracy and go after The One Piece, and I didn't have any interest in becoming a pirate.

All I wanted was to grow strong enough to survive and enjoy my new life once I was there. The world of One Piece was dangerous and less than pleasant at the best of days, but it was beautiful in its own whacky way.

It had sights and wonders I couldn't imagine witnessing in the real world. It had tasty foods and drinks I'd never be able to experience anywhere else, and to top it all, hot chicks like my horny ass had never seen before.

I'd be a bonafide jackass if I didn't enjoy everything this world had to offer and then some, but that's for the future.

'Now, who was this Old Dean again...' I mused as I retrieved my notebook to go over my notes.

Speaking of the notebook, I wasn't afraid someone would find it and start asking questions since English didn't exist here, and I needed the damned thing since my memory wasn't perfect, but that's neither here nor there.

"Old Dean... a former pirate, now working as a fence and contraband dealer..." I muttered, reading through my notes as I shook the duffle bag in my hand, raising an eyebrow at the metallic dings it generated.

"Weapons... flintlocks by the looks of it..." I said, shrugging my shoulder as I put the notebook into my backpack and headed for the exit. "I'll have to be extra careful on the way..."

...

Cedric took a deep breath as he entered the street and couldn't help but wince as the smell of piss instantly filled his nose. East Clover town was one of the four-port towns on the island, and true to its nature, it was crawling with pirates, bandits, thieves, and all sorts of low lives.

Four Clover Island was the only inahbited island in South Blue that wasn't affiliated with the world government as it had no natural resources besides food and was located near the Red Line, meaning it had no strategic or economic value.

South Blue pirates were the first to settle the island. They used it as a hideout, only to litter it with their progeny, being the horny, irresponsible swash-buckling buccaneers they were.

Like all pirates in the world of One Piece, the first settlers were not known for their fatherly nature, as most of them abandoned their children and set sail to seek riches, adventure, fame, and eveything in between.

Still, some were responsible enough to stay, while others couldn't set sail because of injuries. The ones who remained and the orhphaned children built the five towns from the ground up but quickly found themselves unable to procure much besides the bare necessities.

The old pirates found a solution, however. They contacted their former shipmates, found merchants willing to buy and sell goods acquired through less-than-lawful means, and acted as mediums between the two parties to make money.

Eventually, the former pirates and the children formed gangs to rule and run the island. And so Four Clover island prospered through the constant illegal trade, blossoming into the shithole it was today, a true haven for killers, rapists, thieves, and other such splendid individuals who would find themselves crossed with the law.

"What a charming little place..." Cedric muttered to no one in particular as he chuckled and stopped walking when a man suddenly flew out of a bar's window on the side of the road, landing straight into the mud before him.

"Excuse me," Cedric calmly said as he stepped over the man and headed for the bar's entrance. Once there he stopped and glanced at the time-worn wooden sign above with the words, The Shark Kennel on it.

Cedric sighed as he stepped aside, waiting calmly for a couple of seconds as more people's furniture came flying through the windows and entrance before making his way inside, where a raging fistfight between a dozen drunks was taking place.

He stuck to the corner as he scanned the area and instantly found the man he was looking for, a bulky elder with grey hair and a missing eye sitting at the bar, leisurely sipping a glass of whisky.

"Old Dean...?" Cedric said as he approached the elder, setting the heavy duffle bag on the ground as he stopped. "I have a delivery for you..." He added as he paused, waiting for a reply.

"Aye? And who might ye be, Young'un?" The elder asked as he turned to face Cedric with one good eye, alternating his gaze between the young man and the duffle bag on the ground.

"Cedric. I'm with Killer and Kid," Cedric briefly replied.

"Cedric... Cedric..." Old Dean parroted the name, seemingly squeezing his brain as he tried to recall it. "Now I remember, aye. Yer that loud-mouthed kid what Fat Newland liked to bully," He added with a loud laugh.

"I hear that waste of air gone-done disappeared some months ago..." The elder said with a weird smile as Cedric remained silent. "Never mind that, lil matey. Sit down, have a drink," He added after a brief pause as he poured whisky into an empty glass and slid it toward the young man, only for the latter to give him a suspicious look.

"Don't overthink it, kiddo. If I wanted ye dead, I needn't use poison," Old Dean said with an amused smile as he reached for the glass, downed it one a gulp, and poured another, offering it to Cedric.

Though still suspicious, Cedric sighed and downed the shot. "Tastes like piss," He said with a wince as he cleared his throat, much to Old Dean's amusement.

"What did ye expect, fine Elbaf hooch fit for a giant..?" The elder said with a loud mocking laugh. "Now... I believe ye have somethin' that's mine?" He added, his gaze turning to the duffle bag, to which Cedric nodded and moved it closer to him.

"Lookin' good," Old Dean said as he opened the duffle bag to inspect its contents. "Here ye go, lad, fifty thousand Beri," He added as he retrieved a wad of cash notes and threw it toward Cedric, watching in amusement as the young man counted every note.

"Thank you for the business," Cedric said, nodding in satisfaction as he finished counting the money, placed it into his backpack before, and walked away, heading for the bar's exit.

"A smidgen of yer time, young'un," The elder said, calling for Cedric and stopping him before he left. "The bottle, take it with ye..." He said as he threw the whisky bottle to Cedric, who instantly reacted to catch it, albeit with a confused expression.

"Yer gonna need it on the way back, trust an old seadog..." Old Dean cryptically said with a chuckle, and Cedric could do nothing but take the bottle and leave, likely assuming the elder was merely talking alcohol-induced gibberish.

"What an interesting young lad..." The elder said after he watched Cedric leave the bar. "Here's to hoping he makes it back," He added with a loud laugh as he downed another whisky shot.

...

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