Time rewound to a short while earlier.
The bustling harbor of Loguetown was as lively as ever.
Countless ships were docked along the coast.
Some had come to purchase supplies, others to sell goods, and some were simply here to tour Loguetown and unwind.
As the final supply stop before entering the Grand Line, not only did merchant ships come and go endlessly, but it was also a gathering place for countless ambitious pirates.
And wherever pirates gathered, bounty hunters were never far behind.
Over time, Loguetown's commercial district grew exceedingly prosperous—whether for daily necessities or firearms and ammunition, everything imaginable could be found here.
It was no exaggeration to say that in this place, one could buy almost every specialty product the East Blue had to offer!
And just at this moment, a light sailing ship flying a pirate flag and bearing a sheep-headed figurehead quietly slipped into the harbor.
That ship was none other than the Going Merry, carrying the Straw Hat crew!
Standing at the bow, Captain Luffy gazed at the town before him and murmured softly:
"So this is where the Pirate King of the previous era died…"
In the next instant, the corners of his mouth lifted sharply, joy gleaming in his eyes.
Under the gazes of his companions, Luffy suddenly stood up, thrust his arms into the air, and shouted:
"Loguetown! We're here!!!"
His outburst immediately startled Usopp, who began waving his arms frantically.
"H-hey, Luffy! Don't shout so loudly!"
"You're a famous wanted criminal in the East Blue now, you know?!"
"Huh!?" Luffy laughed as he turned around. "So what?"
"What do you mean, so what?!" Usopp smacked his own forehead and sighed helplessly. "You'll get us discovered by the Marines!"
"Give it up, Usopp. You think you can control him?"
"That's our captain, after all."
At some point, Nami—who had long since abandoned the so-called 'Coward Trio'—walked over. She suddenly flicked out a thick wad of cash and tossed it to Luffy.
"Here."
"These one hundred thousand Beli will be your activity funds for today. Spend it carefully."
"Nami…"
Catching the money, Luffy's eyes instantly widened, his face filled with disbelief.
"Y-you actually gave me money on your own!?"
"No way… today isn't the end of the world, is it?!"
"Cut the crap! If you don't want it, give it back!"
Nami shot him an annoyed glance, then turned her gaze to Usopp, who looked just as stunned.
"You got a problem with that?!"
"N-no! Not at all!" Usopp shook his head like a helicopter, fiercely denying it.
Now that Nami controlled the finances, her position within the Straw Hat crew was firmly third—second only to Luffy and Red.
"Hehehe~!"
"Thanks, Nami!"
Grinning, Luffy stuffed the Beli into his pocket, then leapt forward and sprinted straight toward the town.
"Then I'm heading off to see the execution platform first!"
"Bye-bye~!"
"Hey, wait! We haven't even decided on a meeting time or place yet!"
Usopp reached out blankly, but could only watch Luffy's figure disappear into the distance.
"Haah… I knew it."
He sighed helplessly.
The next second, Usopp suddenly grew shy, rubbing his fingers together awkwardly.
"Um… Nami, didn't Red give me a few Evolution Stones earlier?"
"I want to buy some materials and equipment to see if I can put them to use. It might cost a bit… so, what do you think?"
Looking up with pleading eyes that sparkled like stars, Usopp awaited her response.
But Nami, now wielding funds in the tens of billions, didn't hesitate at all and nodded immediately.
"No problem!"
"But to keep you from getting scammed by shady merchants, I'll go with you this time."
"Yes! Thank you so much, Lady Nami!!!"
Usopp burst into laughter and bowed deeply.
At this moment, Red—who had just finished docking the ship together with Zoro—walked over and reminded Usopp:
"Usopp, don't forget to check out the insect museum and the shops selling special plants."
"If there are any suitable varieties, you can buy some of those too."
Although Usopp, who stayed behind at the Pokémon Day Care, hadn't learned any Pokémon moves yet, considering his attribute synergy, Red felt it was better to prepare early.
"No problem."
Usopp gave an "OK" gesture with a smile, then headed off into the town with Nami.
After tying off the sails, Sanji leapt gracefully down from the mast.
He glanced nervously at Red and Zoro on the ship, lit a cigarette, and said:
"Red, you're going to the sword shop and then the newspaper office, right?"
"I'll head to the food market on my own."
"If I'm late, nothing will be fresh anymore!"
As his voice fell, Sanji stepped onto the railing.
Judging by his panicked expression, anyone who didn't know better might've thought he was fleeing from some terrifying beast.
And in truth… that wasn't far off.
"Huh!?"
"Am I invisible now!? You don't even say hello when we meet, Curlybrow Cook?!"
Sanji was just a moment too slow.
Zoro casually hefted a long blade he was preparing to replace, tapping it against his shoulder as he flashed a mocking grin.
"…Bastard!"
Sanji clenched his fists tightly, one foot still on the railing.
In the next second, he gritted his teeth and turned back with a stiff, ugly grin.
"Then I'll be going now, Mr. Zoro."
"Now that's more like it!"
"Go on!"
Watching Sanji leap away from the Going Merry and flee at full speed, Zoro couldn't help but burst out laughing.
Red shook his head with a smile as well.
"Zoro, aren't you being a bit too cruel? You could let Sanji off by now."
"No way," Zoro grinned. "He lost the bet."
"For a while, I'm going to enjoy being respected by that curly-browed idiot."
The bet Zoro referred to was naturally the duel they'd agreed upon back at the Marine base.
And judging by the current situation, the winner was obvious.
There was no helping it.
Although Sanji possessed the technique Flame Wheel, he was ultimately just a bit inferior against the thunderous power of Thunderbolt, losing to Zoro by a narrow margin.
Having finally seized this opportunity, Zoro naturally wasn't about to let Sanji off the hook.
Recently, whenever the two met, Zoro would immediately start mocking him.
And bound by the terms of the bet, Sanji had no choice but to endure it in silence.
As a result, these past few days, Sanji barely showed his face in front of Zoro at all.
"Alright."
Red patted Zoro on the shoulder.
"Don't celebrate too early. Be careful—if Sanji wins it back next time, you'll be the miserable one."
"Win it back? Him?!" Zoro snorted.
But the next second, a sharp gleam flashed through his eyes, and he spoke with fervent excitement:
"I won't give him that chance!"
...
...
Time returned to the present.
The Straw Hat crew's high-profile arrival made no attempt to hide itself.
The eye-catching pirate flag fluttering among a fleet of merchant ships instantly drew the Marines' attention.
Upon recognizing it as the Straw Hats' emblem, the soldiers on guard fell into panic, hastily contacting their superiors and reporting up the chain.
This was precisely what led to Tashigi abandoning her standoff with Bartolomeo and retreating in haste.
...
...
Meanwhile, aboard a Marine warship not far from Loguetown.
BAM!!!
Smoker slammed his fist into the nearby wall, his smoke-shrouded face twisted into a ferocious snarl.
"Cunning pirates! You dare enter Loguetown while I'm away!"
"Did someone leak the information?!"
A contemplative glint crossed Smoker's eyes.
But in the next instant, he grabbed the receiver of a Den Den Mushi.
After a series of Buru buru~ sounds, Smoker barked out his orders with vicious intensity:
"Notify all warships! Full speed toward Loguetown Harbor!"
"The Straw Hat crew is in Loguetown right now!"
"Based on their route, they're very likely planning to head straight into the Grand Line!"
"Intercept them there at all costs! Do not let these pirates escape the East Blue!!!"
Though Smoker may have seemed detached from worldly concerns, he simply didn't like politics—he wasn't blind to reality!
After the Straw Hats caused such chaos at Marine Branch 16 without having their bounties raised, followed by this massive, urgent all-region naval search involving dozens of warships…
It was abundantly clear that from the very beginning, the Marine high command never intended to let this crew live on!
And if, after deploying such overwhelming manpower and resources, they still managed to escape—
Then as the overall commander of this operation, he would lose face completely!!!
"Damn pirates!"
"I will arrest you all—no matter what!!!"
Thick white smoke surged violently from Smoker's body, filling the entire room like a sea of fog.
(End of Chapter)