OP: Lord of Mischief C16 Nezumi

As Augustus and his bound prisoner made their way through the village streets, they quickly became the center of attention.

"A kid managed to capture a pirate like that?"

"That guy’s worth 7.8 million beli! Who is this kid?"

"He must be some kind of bounty hunter!"

Augustus ignored the murmurs, focused only on his destination—the marine base up ahead. His grip tightened on the rope as he noticed Vargo slowing down.

"Move it!" He kicked the pirate forward.

"Alright, alright!" Vargo grumbled, feeling utterly humiliated.

As they approached the entrance of the 16th Marine Branch, two marines stationed at the gate took notice. One of them, a burly man with a thick mustache, stepped forward, his hand resting on the hilt of his sword.

"Who are you? State your business!"

Augustus smirked. "Name's Augustus. And I’ve brought you a 7.8 million beli bounty." He tugged on the rope, causing Vargo to stumble forward.

The marines exchanged glances. One of them, a younger recruit, leaned in, scrutinizing Vargo’s face.

"Hold on," the mustached marine said. "Go fetch Vargo's wanted poster. We’ve had imposters try this trick before."

The younger marine nodded and hurried inside.

As they waited, the older marine gave Augustus a once-over. "Never heard of a bounty hunter named Augustus before."

"Started my career yesterday," Augustus replied casually, nodding toward Vargo. "This bastard was my first job."

Vargo, still fuming, muttered under his breath, "It wasn’t you. It was that damn green-faced freak who beat me…"

Augustus ignored him, chatting idly with the marine until the younger soldier returned, holding up a wanted poster.

The mustached marine compared it carefully, then grinned. "Well, I’ll be damned. It’s really him!"

He gestured toward the entrance. "Alright, kid. Come on in. We’ll process the bounty and get your reward."

Augustus nodded, releasing his grip on the rope. Immediately, several marines took over, dragging Vargo toward the prison cells.

---

Sitting in the marine base’s lobby, Augustus leaned back, eagerly awaiting his 7.8 million beli. He knew it was a fortune, and the mere thought of it made him giddy.

Then, the door swung open.

In walked Captain Nezumi, the commanding officer of the 16th Marine Branch. He was a tall, thin man with an elongated, rat-like face, complete with beady eyes and prominent whisker-like facial hair. His marine coat billowed behind him as he strode forward, his sneering lips twisting into a smug grin.

He stopped in front of Augustus, looking him up and down before speaking.

"So… you're the one who captured Vargo?" His tone was slow, calculated.

Augustus met his gaze, crossing his arms. "That’s right."

Nezumi stroked his chin. "Hmm… I must say… I find it hard to believe that a mere kid like you managed to capture someone like Vargo."

He paused, then smirked. "From what I’ve heard, even Vargo himself claims he was defeated by some green-faced lunatic… not by you."

Augustus raised an eyebrow. "So what? I was the one who brought him here, alive and well. The bounty poster says he’s worth 7.8 million beli, and I expect to be paid for turning him in."

Nezumi clicked his tongue, shaking his head in mock disappointment. "Tsk, tsk. That’s not how it works here, kid."

Augustus narrowed his eyes. "What are you saying?"

Nezumi’s smirk widened. "Since you’re not the one who actually defeated Vargo, you’re not the one who captured him. And if you didn’t capture him… well, you don’t get the bounty."

Augustus blinked, then scoffed. "Are you serious? That’s the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard."

Nezumi’s smile was almost condescending as he clasped his hands behind his back. "Rules are rules, kid. No bounty for you."

Augustus felt anger bubbling inside him, but more than that—frustration. He recalled Vargo’s warning about Nezumi, and now it made perfect sense.

'Damn it... that bastard was actually telling the truth.'

He clenched his fists, staring at Nezumi. "If I prove that I’m the one who took down Vargo, will you pay me the bounty?"

Nezumi chuckled, shaking his head with a smirk. "Kid, even if you dance on this table, I won’t believe you. Your name is Augustus, right? Never heard of you before."

He leaned forward slightly, his beady eyes gleaming with condescension. "Someone like Roronoa Zoro might be able to take down a pirate like Vargo, but you? Nah. You’re not Zoro, and you never will be."

Augustus frowned. He had vaguely heard the name Zoro before. While he didn’t watch One Piece, he knew enough to recall that Zoro was one of Luffy’s crew members. Beyond that, he had no real knowledge of the guy.

But Augustus wasn’t about to back down.

With a dramatic sigh, he shook his head. "You leave me no choice. I guess I’ll just have to prove it."

Nezumi raised an eyebrow, unimpressed. "Oh? And how do you plan to—"

Before he could finish, Augustus’s face turned green, his lips stretched into a wide, exaggerated grin, and his already green eyes gleamed with an even brighter hue.

"Tadaaa!" Augustus spread his arms, flashing his teeth. "So? Recognize me now?"

The room went dead silent. The marines stared, confusion and unease flickering across their faces.

Nezumi blinked. "..."

Then he chuckled, slowly shaking his head. "That’s a neat party trick, kid. But I don’t care. No matter what you do, you’re not getting a single beli from me."

His smile disappeared as he snapped his fingers. "Men, throw this kid out."

At his command, a group of marines swiftly moved in, encircling Augustus.

Nezumi leaned back, clearly not feeling the slightest bit threatened. "You don’t look like much, and I doubt you’re worth the trouble. Just get lost."

If it were before, Augustus might have been nervous. But now?

He wasn’t scared.

He was excited.

[Ding!]

[Mission: Humiliate Nezumi and his marines using pranks—turn the 16th Marine Branch into absolute chaos.]

[Reward: 500 TP]

Augustus’s grin stretched even wider. Now that’s a mission I can get behind.

The marines moved in closer, hands on their weapons, expecting an easy capture.

Augustus, in response, reached into his pockets—pulling out two toy guns.

Brightly colored, with comically oversized barrels, they looked completely harmless.

The marines paused, staring in disbelief.

Then Augustus lowered his voice, making it deep and dramatic. "Heheh… looks like we’re in for a showdown, boys."

A few marines exchanged confused glances.

One of them muttered, "Is… is he serious?"

Another frowned. "Why does this feel like a joke?"

Augustus squinted, gripping his toy guns tighter. "This is a matter of life and death!" He took a slow, calculated step backward… and bumped into a wall.

His grin faltered for just a second. He glanced behind him, then back at the marines, trying to play it cool.

"Uh… so… we can always talk about this?"

Nezumi’s eyebrow twitched violently. "What are you fools waiting for?! Grab him and throw him out!"

"Yes, sir!" The marines surged forward.

Augustus smirked. "Well, boys... let's see if you can keep up with me!"

And with that, the chaos began.

The marines chased after Augustus, knocking over furniture and tripping over each other in frustration. Nezumi stood back, watching the chaotic scene unfold.

At first, he assumed Augustus would be caught easily—just another cocky brat who thought he could outmaneuver trained marines. But as time passed and the green-faced troublemaker continued to dodge, weave, and slip through their grasp, Nezumi's expression darkened.

"Get back here, you little bastard!"

"Stop making this difficult!"

"We just wanna throw you out—why are you running!?"

Augustus suddenly skidded to a halt, his shoes screeching against the floor in an exaggerated cartoonish fashion. He straightened up, spun around dramatically, and brandished two bright-colored toy guns.

"It seems you gentlemen desire a fair duel," he declared, puffing out his chest.

The marines blinked. Then, one of them snorted.

"Hah! What the hell can a toy gun do?"

"Seriously? Are we supposed to be scared?"

"Only kids would fall for that—"

Before they could finish mocking him, Augustus pulled the triggers.

PSSSHHHHH!

A thick, yellowish-brown smoke erupted from the toy guns, instantly engulfing the marines.

Nezumi, who had been watching smugly, took a cautious sniff. His face contorted in horror.

"Urgh! What is that smell!?"

The marines gagged and coughed violently.

"It's like a thousand rotting fish just died in my nostrils!"

"Cough, cough! What kind of demon creates fart gas this potent!?"

"It's in my mouth! I CAN TASTE IT!"

Augustus grinned, spinning his toy guns before holstering them dramatically. "Gentlemen, I introduce you to my patented 'Toxic Toot Blasters'—guaranteed to clear a room and destroy noses within a ten-meter radius."

Nezumi staggered back, covering his mouth with his sleeve, eyes watering. His marines flailed around helplessly, bumping into walls, knocking over desks, and even diving out of windows just to escape the unbearable stench.