Sailing: I was falsely accused of watching Nami bathe, but I'm blind.

He silently endured this scrutiny and distrust, feeling no anger, only a numb calm.

He knew that this was reality.

To earn respect, you must prove yourself with your abilities time and time again.

About an hour later, the naval soldiers sent to the mining area returned and confirmed that what Kai had said was true.

"Bonebreaker" Rag and his men were indeed subdued and bound there.

Upon hearing the news, the naval sergeant's expression became somewhat complicated.

Surprise, disbelief, and perhaps a touch of embarrassment stemming from previous doubts.

He re-examined Kai, his gaze less contemptuous and more inquisitive and wary.

After a process of verification and registration that was not quick but fairly fair, Kai finally received his first bounty—800,000 Berries.

Holding the heavy purse in his hand, Kai felt little joy, only a sense of calm that came from "work done and payment received."

He silently pocketed the bounty, turned and left the naval branch, ignoring the curious and inquisitive gazes behind him.

The news that Kai had successfully captured "Bonebreaker" Rag and claimed the bounty spread like wildfire throughout the bounty hunter community on Anvil Island and related black market channels.

This news caused quite a stir.

After all, although "Bonecrusher" Rag doesn't have a high bounty, he is a fierce character with a small reputation in the area, and his whereabouts are mysterious, which makes many veteran hunters feel headaches.

Such a goal was actually solved by an unknown, and blind, newcomer? This is simply unbelievable!

For a time, the code name "Jingxin" and the image of "a powerful blind hunter" became a hot topic of conversation in the underground world of Anvil Island.

Various speculations and rumors also began to circulate.

Chapter 52 Hunting Pirates! First Target: The Four Emperors!!!

Some people felt awe and curiosity about Kai's strength.

"That blind man named Jingxin is definitely not simple! I heard he single-handedly wiped out Rag's entire gang! He was swift and efficient!"

Some people began to speculate about the secret behind his abilities.

"How could a blind man be so powerful? He must have some special Devil Fruit ability, or some secret technique that we don't know about!"

Some dismissed the idea, believing it was just good luck or that Rag was in poor condition at the time.

"Tch, he just got lucky! That guy Lag was probably drunk, that's why a blind guy got the better deal!"

Many others, based on Kaina's taciturn and ruthless style (judging from Rag's broken tendons), labeled him as "cold," "mysterious," and "not to be trifled with."

There are all sorts of speculations about his origins. Some say he is the successor of a reclusive sect, some say he is an assassin who defected from a great pirate crew, and some even say he is not human at all, but some kind of demon in human skin.

Kai himself is completely unconcerned about these discussions and rumors from the outside world.

He remained a loner, taciturn and reserved.

He made reasonable plans for the first bounty he received.

He used part of it to buy some daily necessities, changed into a slightly more durable dark-colored outfit (still simple, for ease of movement), and replenished some wound medicine and bandages.

The other part he used to upgrade his "equipment".

He found a reputable weapon shop on Anvil Island and asked an experienced craftsman to perform a simple maintenance and polishing on the "Quiet Mind" cane sword that Fujitora had given him, ensuring that it was always in the best condition.

He also purchased some specially made shurikens or pebbles that were easy to carry and throw (for long-range interference or probing).

He carefully saved the rest of the bounty.

He knew that bounty hunters' income was unstable and that they had to prepare for the possibility of an unexpected "607" situation in the future.

Kai did not become complacent or stop striving because of the success of the first mission.

After a brief rest and preparation, he returned to the bounty hunter guild, a place teeming with all sorts of people, to begin searching for new targets.

This time, his choice was more composed and more targeted.

He no longer focuses solely on the amount of the bounty, but instead considers factors such as the target's strength, crimes, range of activities, and whether it is beneficial for him to further hone specific skills.

His second target was a pirate captain with a bounty of three million Berries, who was said to possess some kind of Devil Fruit ability that allowed him to control fire, and who operated in a nearby coral reef area.

This task is clearly much more difficult than the first one.

Kai spent several days gathering intelligence on the target, studying nautical charts (by sensing the special markings and textures on them), and even risking infiltrating a port bar frequented by the pirate captain to "eavesdrop" on more information about his abilities and weaknesses.

Then, he devised a detailed battle plan, rented an inconspicuous little fishing boat, and sailed alone quietly towards that dangerous coral reef area.

The battle against a fire-wielding user is a completely new challenge for Kai.

He cannot rely solely on perception and evasion as he would against ordinary physical attacks.

The scorching flames can not only cause widespread damage, but also interfere with his hearing and sense of smell.

Kai was forced to use his Observation Haki to its fullest extent, not only to predict the direction and range of the flames, but also to try to sense the core and weakness of the flame energy flow.

He also tried for the first time to concentrate his still-unskilled Armament Haki on the "Tranquility" staff sword to block and cleave the incoming fireballs.

The battle was extremely arduous, and Kai was burned by the flames several times, leaving him with many new scars.

However, with his tenacious will, flexible tactics, and exquisite use of his domineering abilities, he eventually seized the weakness created by his opponent's overuse of his abilities, and successfully defeated and captured him.

The success of this mission not only earned him a larger bounty, but more importantly, it gave him valuable practical experience in dealing with Devil Fruit users.

And so, Kai grew at an astonishing rate.

Like a diligent hunter, he constantly takes on new missions and challenges stronger opponents.

His footprints began to spread throughout the seas and islands surrounding Anvil Island.

His reputation, the code name "the blind hunter Jingxin," gradually spread beyond Anvil Island and began to reach a wider area.

While carrying out missions, Kai did not forget to gather intelligence.

He would consciously pay attention to all kinds of information on the Grand Line, especially about the famous great pirates (such as Whitebeard, Shanks, Kaido, Big Mom, etc., the Four Emperors), the Seven Warlords of the Sea, the movements of the Marine Headquarters, and some major world events.

He knew that this information was crucial for him to understand the current situation, judge the future trend, and even find clues about the Straw Hat crew.

He was like a silent sponge, quietly absorbing all sorts of fragments of information from this magnificent era.

The world of bounty hunters is never as simple as going it alone.

Besides facing ruthless targets, sometimes the threats from "peers" are even more insidious and deadly.

Kai encountered such a situation while hunting down a pirate officer with a bounty of eight million Berries.

This pirate officer was quite strong and very cunning. It took Kai a lot of time and effort to finally corner him in an abandoned castle.

However, just as Kai was about to enter the castle to make the final capture, he keenly sensed that several other presences were lurking around him.

These auras all carried the unique scent of bounty hunters, a mixture of greed, vigilance, and killing intent.

Moreover, their target was clearly the pirate officer inside the castle.

Kai felt a chill run down his spine.

It seems he's not the only one eyeing this "fat piece of meat".

Instead of taking immediate action, he chose to remain hidden and observe the situation.

Soon, another group of bounty hunters couldn't wait any longer and rushed into the castle first.

It was a five-person bounty hunter team, led by a man carrying a huge sniper rifle. The other members each had their own strengths, and they seemed to work well together and were quite capable.

The sounds of fierce fighting, gunfire, explosions, and screams of agony soon filled the castle.

Clearly, that pirate officer was no pushover, and the bounty hunter team paid a heavy price.

Kai waited quietly.

He was like the most patient hunter, waiting for the perfect moment when the snipe and the clam fight, and the fisherman reaps the benefits.

About half an hour later, the sounds of fighting inside the castle gradually subsided.

Kai sensed that although the pirate officer was seriously injured, he did not seem to have completely lost his fighting ability.

The bounty hunter team had also lost two members, and the remaining three were all wounded, cautiously searching the castle, trying to find and eliminate the seriously injured target.

Now! A glint flashed in Kai's eyes (and mind), and he slipped into the castle like a ghost.

He ignored the seriously injured pirate officer and instead moved directly toward the remaining three bounty hunters.

He knew that in order to successfully claim the bounty, he had to first eliminate these troublesome competitors.

The three bounty hunters clearly hadn't anticipated that they were the ones stalking the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind.

They were caught off guard when Kai appeared behind them like a ghost and launched a surprise attack.

The lead sniper reacted the fastest, immediately raising his gun to fire.

But Kai was faster! His Observation Haki had already locked onto his opponent's intentions, and the "Tranquility" staff-blade in his hand shot out like lightning, accurately striking the sniper rifle's barrel! The immense force snapped the barrel in two!

The sniper was terrified and tried to draw his dagger to fight back, but Kai's fist had already struck first, slamming into his chest! The sniper screamed and flew backward, crashing into the wall and losing consciousness.

The other two bounty hunters were both shocked and enraged, and immediately launched an attack on Kai.

One is a fast attacker who uses dual swords, while the other is skilled at using poison needles with a paralyzing effect.

Kai responded calmly.