The cargo ship finally docked at the port of the Land of Water.
Logan sold the ship to a local contact.
As for the crew—smugglers who doubled as part-time pirates—Logan showed them some leniency for behaving during the second half of the voyage. He broke one leg of each and ordered them to leave the ship and never show their faces again.
When they reached their destination, it was time for farewells.
Xiaotao looked back repeatedly as she walked away, clearly reluctant to leave.
Sasuke crossed his arms and turned away from her, wearing a cold, aloof expression. But his occasional sideways glances at Xiaotao betrayed his true feelings.
"Parting is sometimes more meaningful than the first meeting," Logan said, patting Sasuke's shoulder. "This might be the last time you ever see each other. Say goodbye properly—don't leave any regrets behind."
Sasuke looked at the pink-haired girl, who was walking farther and farther away.
The last moment…
He repeated the words in his mind.
Before he even realized it, Sasuke raised his hand and gave a small wave.
Xiaotao turned back. Her face brightened when she saw Sasuke's response.
"Bye! Sasuke-nii!"
"…Goodbye," Sasuke murmured softly.
After Xiaotao and her daughter left, the remaining passengers thanked Logan and went on their way.
Only one man stayed behind, waiting for the crowd to disperse before approaching Logan.
Logan recognized him vaguely. During the chaos with the bald warriors and mutinous sailors, this man had remained calm. While the other passengers panicked, he had observed silently, as though he had seen such bloodshed before.
The man respectfully handed Logan a business card with both hands.
The card was edged in gold and had a smooth, high-quality feel—it clearly cost a pretty penny.
Kanbara Hayato.
President of Kanhara Office.
A surprisingly young president—that was Logan's first impression.
Kanbara Hayato looked about twenty-five or twenty-six, with slicked-back hair and modest clothing. He had a clean, handsome face, though he stood at only about 1.65 meters tall.
"My name is Kanbara Hayato. I'm an intelligence broker. My office is here in this port city. If you or your companion ever need information or wish to accept bounties, feel free to contact me," he said with a polite smile.
"Thanks to your actions today, I'm still alive. As a token of gratitude, I'll give you a 50% discount on all future commissions."
Logan had come to the Land of Water with bounty hunting in mind. Now, having an introduction to a broker saved him the trouble of digging for intel on his own. It would speed things up considerably.
As for the money? That didn't matter.
Logan wasn't doing this for cash—he was after soul fragments, the core of his existence.
Given the unfamiliar terrain and the need to rely on someone local, he decided to work with Kanbara Hayato, at least for now. They had already survived one storm together, which made him easier to trust.
Logan took the card and slipped it into his coat. "Sorry. I don't have a business card."
"No problem. I won't disturb you further."
Hayato gave a deep bow.
Logan nodded and left with Sasuke.
Behind them, Hayato straightened slowly, watching the two figures disappear into the setting sun. Their shadows stretched long across the pavement.
"…Goodbye, my two saviors," he muttered.
There was something almost fateful in his tone.
He was certain that the next time they met, these two would be known names in the Land of Water.
But to his surprise, that "next time" came just a few hours later.
That night, Logan walked into Kanbara Hayato's office.
"Any bounties?" he asked bluntly.
Hayato blinked in disbelief at the pair seated comfortably on his office couch—Logan and Sasuke, the former sipping tea like they owned the place.
"Shouldn't you two be resting? Maybe come back tomorrow?" Hayato asked. "I mean, you just got off a ship—how about a break?"
He'd been stuck hiding in a cargo hold for three days. Tonight, he'd finally planned to relax—he'd even invited a young model from the Land of Wind to his place for a little "company."
"Rest?" Logan tilted his head, confused. "We already rested. Had dinner, took a walk, took a shower… So we're done."
Hayato twitched slightly.
What kind of rest is that? Where the hell did these people come from?
Still, a client was a client. And business was business.
He adjusted his tone. "Alright. Do you have a preference for your bounty target? Someone you're particularly suited to fight? Melee, long-range? A ballpark idea of their combat power?"
Planning assignments carefully was key—especially since high casualty rates among bounty hunters reflected poorly on brokers.
"Prefer melee types," Logan replied casually. "As for strength level…"
He paused.
Aside from Uchiha Itachi and Hatake Kakashi, no one he'd met so far really counted as a true threat. He had beaten Itachi, and even held back during his fight with Kakashi.
After thinking it over, Logan added, "Anyone just a bit weaker than Kakashi from Konoha should be fine."
Hayato choked on his tea.
A bit weaker than Kakashi?
Since when had the famous Copy Ninja become a unit of measurement?
Suppressing his inner rant, Hayato replied, "I don't have anyone quite at Kakashi's level right now—especially not in the Land of Water. But with that kind of benchmark… I have a decent list."
He pulled a thick stack of documents from under his desk and slid them across the table.
"Take your pick."
Logan skimmed through several profiles.
Each one detailed the target's identity, combat style, last known location, and—most importantly—the date of the most recent intel. These targets were fugitives. Their power and behavior often changed, so up-to-date information was crucial.
"Professional," Logan said with a nod, appreciating the precision. He held up four folders. "I'll be back in two days."
"Two days?" Hayato blinked.
One glance at the files told him who Logan had chosen—a B-rank criminal called "Mountain Demon" who had wiped out an entire village.
And three C-rank rogue ninja—brothers who fought in perfect sync and were far more dangerous than their individual ranks suggested.
Though all four targets were nearby, it would take time to travel, locate them, engage in battle, heal afterward, and return.
Hayato mentally prepared to not see Logan for at least ten days.
Still, he smiled and said, "I wish you good luck and success!"
Once Logan left, Hayato tossed the documents aside and headed straight for the nightclub, throwing on his best belt and jacket.
Tonight was his reward.
One night of indulgence.
"The beauty from the Land of Wind is… exquisite," Hayato sighed.
Morning light filtered in through the window.
Lying at the edge of his bed, Hayato reached out with a smile and caressed a face. From eyebrows to cheekbones… to lips… to—
Beard?
His eyes snapped open.
Sitting on the nearby couch were Logan and Sasuke, calmly sipping tea.
Four unconscious men lay tied up on the floor—one right next to his bed.
That was the face he'd just touched.
"Sorry to disturb your rest," Logan said casually. "But I had to carry these four around and wasn't sure where to leave them."
Rest?! Is that the issue?!
Hayato scrambled for his watch.
Only ten hours had passed since he gave Logan the intel.
And Logan had already captured—alive—a B-rank and three C-rank criminals.
Alive!
Capturing someone alive was far more difficult than killing them. And far more profitable.
Even with the discount he'd given Logan, Hayato stood to make enough from this job to keep his favorite Sand model entertained for a week straight.
"Anything else?" Logan asked.
Hayato blinked.
Anything else?
Then he realized.
Logan wasn't asking about rest. He was asking about the next bounty.
"Yes! Of course!" Hayato cried, springing out of bed with nothing but pants on. His eyes gleamed.
Money! More money! This guy is a goldmine!
"That's good," Logan said, finishing the last piece of cake from the coffee table. "Pick the next batch carefully. These…"
He gestured to the four tied-up men.
"…were too weak."
The four fugitives—who had been beaten within an inch of their lives—could only sob in shame.
pàtreøn (Gk31)