Chapter 345: Recruitment in the Lawless Zone

Most pirates who appeared in the lawless areas traveled in groups of three to five, maintaining an intimidating presence even when walking alone. Their weathered faces and battle-scarred bodies carried the unmistakable aura of violence that marked them as dangerous predators in this criminal ecosystem.

The reason this body had been enslaved by the Celestial Dragons matched the earlier speculation of those Marine soldiers perfectly. First was his appearance—strikingly handsome features that would catch the eye of any World Knovle seeking exotic additions to their collection. Such beauty was particularly enticing to sadistic creatures like Saint Charlos, who collected attractive slaves like fine art pieces.

But there was another, more significant reason: his identity.

He had originally been a prince of a kingdom in the West Blue. When his nation failed to deliver their "Heavenly Gold" tribute on schedule—a delay the World Government interpreted as disrespect toward the Celestial Dragons—swift punishment followed. The entire royal family was captured, their kingdom destroyed, and its survivors scattered to the slave markets. Through a series of unfortunate transactions, this particular prince had ended up as Saint Charlos's personal property.

In other words, his enslavement hadn't resulted from any particular bloodline abilities or exceptional strength. Pure misfortune, combined with his noble bearing and attractive features, had sealed his fate.

Years of systematic torture had left Oboro's borrowed body gaunt and scarred. His clothing bore none of the flashy ostentation typical of pirates, making him stand out among the crowd of criminals and cutthroats populating the lawless zones. As he walked along reading his newspaper, several sets of predatory eyes began tracking his movement.

When Oboro turned into a narrow alley, his followers finally made their move. Pirates emerged from hiding spots both ahead and behind, creating a perfect ambush formation. Several brandished gleaming cutlasses and pistols, their expressions radiating casual malevolence.

"Robbery?" Oboro asked, lowering his newspaper with calm curiosity.

Though this was indeed a world dominated by pirates, he harbored no romantic illusions about their nature. The colorful personalities portrayed in manga were entertaining fiction—reality painted a much darker picture. Most pirates were brutal criminals who specialized in burning, killing, looting, and every conceivable form of evil.

Small crews like those eventually led by Luffy and Ace—pirates with genuine beliefs, moral codes, and special camaraderie—were incredibly rare exceptions to the rule. Compared to typical pirate crews, they resembled "adventurers" more than genuine criminals.

"Hehe... kid, I can tell at a glance you're not a pirate," the yellow-haired leader said, spinning a dagger between his fingers as he approached with predatory confidence.

"You're absolutely right," Oboro replied with a slight smile.

Whether judging by his aura or his outfit, he definitely didn't belong among the street's usual inhabitants.

"Ever heard of the Flame Dragon Pirates?" the man asked smugly, deliberately raising his arm to display a conspicuous tattoo marking his crew affiliation.

However, as the distance between them shortened and the man caught sight of Oboro's scarred features beneath his hood, his eyelids involuntarily twitched. He took an instinctive step backward, nearly dropping his weapon in the process.

The sight was genuinely intimidating.

"No," Oboro answered simply.

"Well, you're lucky. Name's Dom—I'm an officer of the Flame Dragon Pirates." The man tried to recover his composure, clearing his throat before continuing. "I think you've got potential. How about I give you a generous opportunity to join our crew? Follow me, and it won't be long before your name echoes throughout the Grand Line!"

Oboro felt mildly surprised, then quickly understood the situation.

This was Sabaody Archipelago, after all. The overall quality of pirates who managed to reach this point had to be significantly higher than the rookie paradise of the Four Blues. While robbery certainly occurred in the lawless areas, it would be pointless to target someone who obviously possessed no wealth.

However, the fact that the Flame Dragon Pirates used such crude recruitment methods revealed their true nature—they were complete amateurs.

"Our captain, Dragon King Bornans, is a major player in the Grand Line," Dom emphasized when Oboro remained unmoved. "His bounty is 15 million berries! You should understand that not everyone gets this kind of protection when starting their pirate career."

Fifteen million.

Pathetically small.

Even accounting for the fact that bounties hadn't yet reached the inflated levels they would achieve a year later—when pirates worth over 100 million would become commonplace—15 million represented small-time criminal status on the Grand Line. In the Four Blues, it might qualify as first-tier, but here it marked them as easy prey.

"As I suspected... it won't work," Oboro sighed suddenly.

"What won't work?" Dom asked, confused by the cryptic comment.

Oboro's soul abilities remained intact, but many of his techniques felt artificially constrained. He could sense Dom's spiritual wavelength and immediately recognized the man's soul as extremely fragile, yet he couldn't penetrate deeper to explore thoughts and intentions the way he had in previous worlds.

Soul power existed within pirates, but it wasn't fully integrated with this world's established power systems. The dimensional barriers that prevented external manipulation also seemed to limit his internal techniques.

"Hey! Are you looking for death, kid? Don't push your luck or I'll—" one of the larger pirates growled impatiently, swinging his meaty fist toward the back of Oboro's head.

Oboro shifted slightly to avoid the clumsy attack, but the movement caused his hood to fall away, revealing his true appearance to the assembled thugs.

"..."

The big man's arm froze in mid-air.

Absolute silence fell over the narrow alley.

They found themselves staring at Oboro's "ferocious" face—a landscape of scabbed scars where skin had been torn and flesh exposed during years of systematic torture. He looked more genuinely dangerous than any of the self-proclaimed tough guys surrounding him. Just his appearance was terrifying enough to give seasoned criminals pause.

The other pirates suddenly understood why Dom had been hesitating to use force from the beginning.

"Can I leave Sabaody Archipelago with your crew?" Oboro asked, seemingly unaffected by their stunned reactions.

"You... you're agreeing to join?" Dom stammered, trying to process this unexpected development.

"Yes."

"Of course! We were just docked here temporarily—gathering supplies and recruiting new members. We'll depart immediately once preparations are complete."

"Captain," Oboro said, deliberately using the respectful title.

His current situation was precarious at best. Being actively hunted by the world's will meant he needed external assistance to escape this archipelago. A pirate crew, regardless of their quality, represented a useful "stepping stone" toward freedom.

More importantly, traveling with the Flame Dragon Pirates would provide opportunities to learn the unwritten "rules" governing life on the seas.

Dom seemed genuinely pleased by the respectful address, his chest swelling with pride. He draped a friendly arm around Oboro's shoulders and adopted the tone of an experienced mentor. "Don't worry, we'll take things step by step. Since I recruited you personally, I'll make sure you're protected. I have a close relationship with the captain, so—"

"What will my position be?"

"You'll start as a ship maintenance worker."

"Understood."

Oboro nodded without any surprise.

There was no point expecting special treatment from such a minor pirate crew. They had obviously suffered casualties or defections before reaching Sabaody, resulting in a severe manpower shortage. Pirate organizations maintained strict hierarchical structures—captains and officers couldn't be expected to handle mundane tasks themselves. They needed a steady supply of expendable subordinates to serve as manual laborers.

Moreover, the Grand Line's harsh environment demanded constant ship repairs, maintenance, steering, and sail management. All of this grunt work fell to the lowest-ranking crew members while senior officers enjoyed themselves and issued orders from comfortable positions.

In blunt terms, they needed unpaid coolies, and Oboro had been fortunate enough to be selected for the privilege.

"Run! It's the Marines!"

"Damn it, why are Marines here?"

"I haven't received any intelligence about naval ships docking!"

"Don't just stand there—move!"

"What the hell is going on?"

Moments later, as Oboro followed the pirates out of the alley, the street suddenly erupted into chaos. Every criminal in sight began running frantically in the same direction, their faces twisted with genuine panic.

"What's happening?" Dom and his companions exchanged worried glances, clearly caught off-guard by the sudden commotion.

Just as confusion peaked, gunshots echoed from distant streets, accompanied by the sounds of fierce combat. Through the crowd, they could see neat formations of "white uniforms" advancing methodically while spreading out to create an encirclement pattern.

"Move!" Dom's face went pale as realization struck. He immediately began running with the fleeing masses.

During the chaos, Oboro pulled his hood back up to conceal his distinctive features.

He glanced backward with grim understanding.

As expected, this large-scale Marine operation was targeting him specifically. The world's will wasn't content to rely on coincidence and bad luck—it was actively mobilizing government forces to ensure his recapture.

The game was escalating exactly as he'd anticipated, but at least now he had temporary allies and a potential escape route. Whether the Flame Dragon Pirates proved useful or merely served as convenient cannon fodder remained to be seen.

Either way, Oboro was determined to survive long enough to discover what other challenges this hostile world had prepared for him.