"Look, a Marine warship, it is huge!"
Just as Garp was about to call Sengoku again to ask about the money, Luffy suddenly pointed toward the distance and shouted.
Everyone turned to follow the direction of his finger.
Out on the sea, a massive warship was sailing toward Foosha Village, a blue and white flag fluttering in the wind. That was the Marine vessel Sengoku had dispatched to support Garp.
The sum Garp had requested, one billion Berries, was simply too enormous to be sent casually.
So Sengoku chose to escort it with a full warship, in case pirates decided to target it.
This was Amon's first time seeing a Marine warship in person. He looked up at the towering vessel, quietly thoughtful.
Garp, on the other hand, was delighted, laughing loudly, extremely satisfied with how fast the Marines had delivered the money.
Now that he had seen the miracles that came out of Amon's jars, he could not wait to try his own luck.
The Marine ship's speed was impressive. Before long, it had pulled in at the dock.
Soon, a group of Marines in white long coats stepped off the gangplank, the word "Justice" emblazoned boldly on their backs.
One of them made Amon raise an eyebrow.
He was a big, muscular man with a metal jaw and a massive axe in place of his right hand.
If Amon was not mistaken, this was the very first Marine Luffy would fight when he set out ten years from now, the "Axe Hand" himself, Morgan.
Yes, the same Morgan who imprisoned Zoro and tried to execute him.
Judging by his current rank, he looked to be just a Lieutenant for now.
That made sense. It was still ten years before Luffy's official journey began. A Lieutenant's rank was perfectly reasonable.
As for his appearance, if Amon remembered correctly, Morgan's jaw had been crushed by Captain Kuro in the past.
Kuro's flashback mentioned stomping his lower face into shards. That was probably why Morgan now had an iron jaw.
While Amon was quietly sizing Morgan up, the Marine officers walked along the dock and boarded his "shabby" merchant ship.
The man in front wore the insignia of a Marine Captain, the highest rank among those who had disembarked.
"East Blue Branch Base, commander Captain 'Silver Snake,' reporting to Vice Admiral Garp!"
He saluted and bowed respectfully.
Garp immediately pulled him back up.
"Hahaha, I am on vacation right now. No need for all that formality. So, did you bring the One Billion Berries I asked for?"
Right now, money was the only thing Garp cared about.
"Vice Admiral, according to orders from Fleet Admiral Sengoku, the funds have been delivered. They are still on the warship."
Captain Silver Snake turned, raised a hand, and signaled toward the Marines on deck.
A moment later, several Marines carefully carried down a few large chests.
When they pried them open, piles of gold and jewels glittered brilliantly in the daylight.
Another chest, in contrast, was filled neatly with cash.
"The full One Billion Berries have been delivered, sir. Please confirm."
After he spoke, Silver Snake saluted again.
"Hahaha, good work, lads. Just leave them there."
Garp laughed and nodded.
He was as carefree as ever, not too picky about protocol.
After exchanging a few casual words with his men, Garp easily picked up the heavy chests that would have taken several people to carry, and placed them directly onto Amon's battered old ship.
"Brat, my money is here. This is One Billion Berries, see if it is all there."
Garp's impatience was almost painful to watch.
The moment the money landed, he was already acting like a gambler rushing for the table, eager to open his jars.
"Hehe, no need to count. I still trust the Marines."
Amon honestly had not expected Garp to gather One Billion Berries so quickly.
He had worried that Garp might not be able to scrape it together, but clearly he had been too naive.
For a world government that controlled half the world, this was barely a scratch.
The fact that a single Marine branch in the East Blue could mobilize this kind of cash showed just how little it meant to the higher-ups.
"Excellent. I am opening ten jars."
"Haha, Mr. Garp really is generous. Which ten would you like?"
Hearing that Garp planned to buy ten jars in one go, Amon's eyes almost curved shut from smiling.
He looked every part the shameless merchant.
His attitude toward Garp flipped a full one hundred eighty degrees.
The customer was king.
And this king in front of him was the best kind, rich and not too bright on price. Amon naturally had to treat him very well.
Selling these ten jars would not only complete his mission, it would also mean selling something that cost a hundred thousand berries for one hundred million each.
Ten jars meant One Billion profit.
It felt amazing.
"That whole row, I want them all."
Garp waved his big hand and pointed at the top row of jars on the first shelf.
"OK, I will get them for you right away."
Amon was in such a good mood he felt like his feet barely touched the floor when he walked.
Hehe, fleecing someone felt surprisingly great.
"Mr. Garp, will you be opening them yourself, or shall I do it for you?"
Once all ten jars had been set down, Amon pulled out his trusty wooden mallet and politely asked.
"I will do it myself."
Garp brushed off the mallet and simply raised his fist instead.
He really did look exactly like a gambler on a hot streak.
Clang.
Garp's fist came crashing down, and the jar shattered.