NOVEL WEB Chapter 18: Chapter 18: Branded as a Criminal
Solian strode through the streets, his pack 5 million berries heavier from collecting the reward. The town was alive—merchants hawking their goods, civilians talking and laughing, the smell of fresh bread and grilled fish in the air.
It felt. normal.
Despite being in a world of monsters like the Yonko and deadly seas, it was moments like these that made it all feel real—like he truly did belong here now.
But that moment of tranquility did not persist.
As he passed by a bounty board near the marketplace, a chill ran down his spine. A new bounty poster in new ink caught his eye. Something was off about it.
And then he saw something.
Wanted: Solian Flare
Reward: 8,000,000 berries
Crime: Assaulting a Marine Officer, Aiding Pirates
His mind blanked for a second.
What the hell…?" he snarled, ripping the poster off the board.
His own face. His own name. A reward he'd never earned.
He had done nothing else but decline an offer to join the Marines—and now they were calling him a criminal?!
The whispers began almost at once.
"That's him."
"He attacked a Marine?"
"A pirate in disguise?"
People stepped away from him, some clutching their belongings, others already running off—presumably to inform the Marines.
This was not a misunderstanding.
This was deliberate.
His mind spun. The lieutenant—he'd been so angry when Solian wouldn't go along with them. Was this his revenge?
Shouts interrupted him before he could further think.
"Look there! The culprit—Solian Flare!"
A squad of Marines in blue jackets rushed into the square, their hands resting on their guns.
"Tch." Solian tore up the bounty poster he was holding and vanished.
Teleport—three meters away.
He dropped into an alley and ran, hiding behind crates as Marine boots pounded behind him.
The entire town turned against him in a split second. He heard civilians directing his way, telling the Marines where he headed.
He darted into a second alley, climbing over a wooden fence with ease. His newfound agility made navigating the town effortless—he bounded from rooftop to rooftop, jumping from building to building like a specter.
Yet no matter how fast he walked, he knew the truth.
This bounty was not disappearing.
Even if he cleared his name here, the World Government wouldn't care.
He was already labeled as an enemy.
His fists tightened.
It wasn't fair.
He had admired the world's best—the Marines, the Yonko, the Warlords. Now, though, he was seeing the darker side.
It didn't matter how buff you were.
If you weren't under a powerful banner, the world could erase you whenever it wanted.
And Solian was not going to be forgotten.
He continued walking, his brain sorting out his next moves. He required a strategy. A vessel. A genuine way forward.
It was never his choice to live like a pirate.
But if the world already thought him a criminal…
Then perhaps it was time to join their ranks.
On his own terms. A true pirate—a pirate who would never surrender to the Marines or to the World Government. He wasn't going to become a pawn for them. If they wanted him to be a pirate, then he'd be the strongest one they'd ever seen. Solian Flare was ready to make his presence known on throughout this world.