This sudden enthusiasm made Koshiro somewhat suspicious.
Payne seemed to realize he was being overly enthusiastic, so he coughed awkwardly. "Ahem, well... introducing people with decent skills to the guild comes with additional point rewards!"
He seemed to feel this reason made him appear utilitarian, though it might also be because this young man named Payne wasn't comfortable with this kind of thing.
"Of course, if I introduce people to the guild, I'll definitely help them get familiar with everything. Don't worry, I'm the prince of the Delasi Kingdom, and my word is my fact."
This made Koshiro even more curious.
Kuina and Zoro might not know, but he was aware that this so-called Delasi Kingdom was an independent nation in East Blue, and apparently even a member nation of the World Government.
The Hunter Guild was an organization established by Cyrus, so would the prince of a World Government member nation really join the Hunter Guild?
"Thank you for your offer, but my daughter and my disciple are still young, so even if they were to set sail, it would have to wait at least two more years." Kuina wanted to speak, but Koshiro raised his hand to stop her.
"I see!" The young man called Payne was disappointed, but he didn't press the matter and waved his hand instead.
Soon, people came down from the docked ship and whispered a few words to Payne before returning to the vessel, and when they came back down, they were carrying a bag.
"These pirates without bounties can be exchanged for points at the guild, but since you haven't joined the Hunter Guild, these points would be useless to you. However, since you were the ones who defeated them, according to the guild's bounty standards, pirates without bounty posters are worth 300,000 Berries each. I can offer 500,000 Berries per pirate if you agree."
"Of course we agree," Koshiro nodded upon hearing this and casually took the bag Payne handed over.
"Then we'll take our leave. Our Hunter Guild branch is located in Pumpkin Mountain Town, so if you wish to join, you can go there. Though initially, you can only join as Apprentice Hunters, because only by participating in the Hunter Exam half a year from now can you become full hunters."
"Are there many Hunter Guilds in the surrounding area?" Koshiro asked.
"Yes, many. There are several branches in nearby waters, but the closest one is in Pumpkin Mountain Town."
After speaking, Payne waved his hand and left with his crew after loading the pirates onto their ship.
"Why didn't you let us join?" Kuina asked once these people had left, looking at her father with confusion.
"There are some matters I need to discuss with you first, and if you want to join the Hunter Guild, some preparations are necessary, so it would be best to consult Cyrus about it." Koshiro thought for a moment.
"But for now, it would be best for you to gain some experience in East Blue first."
The Grand Line was no place for the current Kuina and Zoro to venture into.
After returning to the Isshin Dojo, Koshiro invited the two to sit down.
"It appears that the Hunter Guild established by Cyrus is developing quite rapidly, though he doesn't have this many personnel."
Koshiro had never told Kuina and Zoro about his connection with the Revolutionary Army, but the establishment of the Hunter Guild was indeed closely related to them.
"Isn't that normal? Cyrus is so powerful, there must be many people who want to follow him," Zoro said with a flash of insight.
"Exactly. Father, didn't you say before that after Cyrus took action against Mary Geoise, many people would want to follow him?" Kuina strongly agreed with Zoro's view.
"Even so, systematically organizing these people requires someone to manage them. You heard them say that capturing pirates can earn points at the Hunter Guild, and this is clearly a well-established reward system."
Koshiro understood well that achieving this required substantial investment in personnel and resources.
Moreover, that young man called Payne being a prince of a World Government affiliate nation yet becoming an Apprentice Hunter already indicated certain things.
"But you don't need to worry about all this. Although your strength has improved significantly recently, you're still too young and need more experience."
"But Cyrus..." Koshiro brought this up again, and Kuina puffed her cheeks to glare at her father.
"If we don't go out to gain experience, when will we ever catch up to Cyrus?" Zoro stood up as well, clenching his fists with an anxious expression.
Then, both Kuina, who was glaring at her father, and Koshiro, who looked helpless, turned their heads to look at Zoro.
Their gazes made Zoro feel embarrassed.
He raised his hand to scratch his short green hair while his expression looked awkward.
"Did I... say something wrong?"
"Are you saying you want to catch up to Cyrus?" Kuina asked in a strange tone.
"Is there a problem?" Zoro still hadn't realized where the issue lay.
"No problem, but you'll need to double your efforts." Koshiro patted Kuina's shoulder to signal her to say less, then smiled and spoke to Zoro.
"Absolutely, I'll put in two hundred times the effort!" Zoro shouted with full enthusiasm upon hearing this.
Kuina pursed her lips, wanting to roll her eyes but forcing herself to hold back.
"I'll give you another six months, and during this time, you can explore around Shimotsuki Village. Kuina, you take Zoro with you and make sure he doesn't get lost. If you can meet my requirements after six months, I'll let you set sail."
Koshiro knew he couldn't stop them.
Cyrus had brought significant changes to the sea, and the situation was becoming increasingly complex, so Kuina and Zoro still needed to improve their strength a bit more.
"Okay, Master Koshiro, I'll work hard!" Zoro nodded and ran outside.
Seeing Zoro still so impulsive, Kuina shook her head and looked at her father.
"After we set sail, can we go find Cyrus?"
"I'm afraid not, because the opponents Cyrus faces now are not ones you can handle, and even being caught in the crossfire of his battles could cost you your lives," Koshiro sighed and shook his head.
"Sigh, the gap between us is getting bigger and bigger." Kuina's tone was somewhat dejected.
"Someone like Cyrus might not appear even once in several decades or even a century, and right now, Cyrus alone can intimidate the entire World Government," Koshiro smiled as he looked at his daughter.
"So, it's better not to compare yourself to him. After all, his goal isn't to become the Greatest Swordsman."
Koshiro had learned some of Cyrus's current influence from Dragon.
The Hunter Guild, as a newly emerged force, was poised to become a threat to the Marines and the World Government in the future, yet both dared not take action because of the immense intimidation Cyrus himself posed.
This was the deterrence brought by the world's top-tier powerhouse.
When Cyrus came to Shimotsuki Village to learn swordsmanship, Koshiro could have imagined he would become a significant figure in this world, but he never expected this day to come so quickly, nor did he expect Cyrus's influence to be so vast.