"Where's our ship?"
After finishing the food Kaoru Tsubasa had prepared, Zoro asked Luffy curiously.
"You've been talking big about becoming the Pirate King, so you must have a pretty huge crew, right?"
"Crew?" Luffy tilted his head, then leapt onto a nearby post to get a better view of the dock. He grinned and pointed proudly toward a tiny dinghy bobbing in the water — the same one he and Coby had arrived in.
Zoro's expression froze. "You're kidding me… That's your ship?"
"Yup!" Luffy laughed.
Kaoru couldn't help but chuckle. "Guess that makes three of us, then." He pointed between himself, Luffy, and Zoro with an amused smile.
The corner of Zoro's mouth twitched. For a man who had just agreed to join a crew, this was not what he'd imagined. But a promise was a promise — he wasn't about to back out now.
Not long after they finished eating, a Marine officer approached.
"You're pirates… aren't you?" the man asked cautiously.
Although Kaoru and his companions had taken down Captain Morgan, they were still pirates — and the Marines, even if grateful, couldn't ignore that fact. At best, they could choose not to report it.
"Yeah," Luffy replied bluntly without a hint of hesitation. "We're pirates."
Kaoru sighed inwardly. Of course Luffy would say that out loud — lying just wasn't in his nature.
The Marine lowered his hat, clearly conflicted. "Then please… leave this island. To thank you for saving us, we won't report what happened here to headquarters."
"That's fine by me! You guys are pretty nice," Luffy said cheerfully, scratching his head.
Zoro and Kaoru followed Luffy toward the small boat. But as they walked away, one of the Marines called out to Coby, who was still standing there, frozen.
"Hey, kid — aren't you with them?"
Coby tensed up. His mind raced. He had once been part of the Alvida Pirates — even if he'd only been cleaning decks. If the Marines found out, he'd probably end up in prison instead of joining them.
Seeing Coby's panic, Luffy opened his mouth, ready to explain. His idea of helping probably involved punching Coby a few times to "prove" they weren't together.
"Wooo—!"
Before Luffy could say anything, Kaoru clamped a hand over his mouth.
"What are you doing, Kaoru?!" Luffy protested after pushing his hand away.
"Shut up," Kaoru said flatly. "Let me handle this."
He stepped forward, facing the Marines directly. "Coby wants to join the Navy. Even though he's our friend, it's his dream to become a Marine."
The officer's eyes narrowed. "You expect us to believe that? You pirates are trying to plant a spy in our ranks!"
Kaoru didn't even blink. "You don't have to take my word for it. Vice Admiral Garp from Navy Headquarters will be here soon. You can tell him yourself — he'll understand."
"What did you just say?!" Luffy's face went pale. "Garp… is coming here?!"
"Not good!" Luffy grabbed Zoro and Kaoru by the arms and bolted. "Let's go before Grandpa shows up!"
Thud!
Kaoru's fist — coated in Armament Haki — slammed down on Luffy's head.
"OWWWW!" Luffy clutched his skull, wincing. "Kaoru, that's the Iron Fist of Love!"
Kaoru's brow twitched. He'd heard about Garp's "training methods." Apparently, that old man called every brutal punch an act of love.
"Yes," Kaoru said dryly, cracking his knuckles. "It's my version of love. Want some more?"
Luffy gulped loudly.
The nearby Marines stared in shock. Vice Admiral Garp? The Navy's Hero? And that straw-hatted kid just called him… Grandpa?!
"D-Did you hear that?" one of the Marines stammered. "Make Coby a Marine! Immediately!"
"Yes, sir!" the officer replied instinctively, standing straight as Kaoru glared at them.
Even if Garp refused later, they could always handle Coby then. The real threat was the purple-haired man in front of them — and the kid beside him who claimed Garp as family.
Satisfied, Kaoru nodded. "Good. Let's go, Luffy. Zoro."
The three of them turned and headed back toward their small boat.
The Marines stood at the dock, saluting as Kaoru and his companions sailed away. Then they hurried back to headquarters to report Captain Morgan's corruption.
Marineford — Fleet Admiral's Office
"What?! There's such filth among our officers?!" Sengoku slammed his hands on the desk, fury blazing in his eyes.
"I understand. You may go."
Once the messenger left, Sengoku sighed heavily and picked up a Den Den Mushi.
"Garp," he muttered, dialing.
Moments later, the snail-phone's face morphed into Garp's grinning features.
"Yo, Sengoku! What's up?" Garp said lazily, munching on a doughnut.
"There's a situation in Shells Town, East Blue," Sengoku said. "Handle it. Take Morgan to Impel Down."
Garp's grin faded. He sat up, his expression suddenly serious. "Understood."
He hung up and turned to his crew. "Turn the ship around — we're heading for Shells Town!"
By the time Garp's dog-headed warship arrived, the local Marine colonel was waiting nervously at the port.
"V-Vice Admiral Garp, sir!"
"Where's Morgan?" Garp asked, stepping off the ship.
"Imprisoned, sir! This way!"
Garp followed him into the base's holding cells, taking one glance at the disgraced Captain before ordering Bogard to transfer him to the warship.
"Anything else?" Garp asked, half-distracted as he took another bite of his doughnut.
"Uh, yes! A man with purple hair told us you'd want this boy to join the Navy," the colonel said nervously, pushing Coby forward.
"Oh?" Garp looked Coby up and down. "Purple-haired man? You got a picture?"
"Yes, sir." The colonel handed him a photo he'd secretly taken earlier. Kaoru stood in the center, with Luffy grinning right behind him.
Garp froze. "…Why is Luffy with this guy?"
He frowned, rubbing his chin. He knew Kaoru Tsubasa — the man was far from ordinary. "This is bad…"
"You've seen them?" Garp asked.
"Yes, Vice Admiral," the colonel said quickly. "The straw-hat boy and his companions left heading toward Orange Town."
Garp's eyes widened. "Orange Town?! Damn it!"
He rushed back to the ship. "Bogard! Set sail immediately — full speed ahead! Destination: Orange Town!"
"Yes, sir!"
On Luffy's Boat…
"Kaoru, I'm hungry!" Luffy groaned, flopping across the boat like a dying fish.
"You just ate," Zoro said flatly, rolling his eyes.
"I'll cook something once we reach the next island," Kaoru said, crossing his arms.
"Really?" Luffy's eyes sparkled with stars — or maybe gold.
Kaoru frowned. "Why do I suddenly have a bad feeling about this?"
Before he could finish the thought, Luffy shoved Zoro aside and started rowing furiously.
"Luffy! What the hell are you doing?!" Zoro shouted, gripping the edge of the boat as it lurched forward.
"There's an island ahead!" Luffy yelled, rowing even faster.
"STOP! WE'RE GONNA CRASH!" Zoro yelled, but Luffy ignored him completely.
Moments later— BOOM!
The tiny boat slammed straight through a small house on the shore of Orange Town.
When Kaoru arrived by air moments later, he found the two of them sprawled out in the debris. Luffy lay on his back, dizzy, while Zoro was upside down in a pile of splinters.
"I'm gonna cut you in half, you idiot!" Zoro shouted, grabbing his swords.
Before Kaoru could intervene, a crowd of villagers surrounded them, brandishing tools and pitchforks.
"Great," Kaoru muttered. "Just what we needed."
"Sorry! Sorry!" Kaoru quickly landed and raised his hands apologetically.
"What's the point of apologizing?!" barked an elderly man in yellow clothes, pointing a harpoon at him. "You wrecked my house — you're fixing it!"
Kaoru blinked. Bootle… the mayor of Orange Town, he realized, remembering the old man from the original story.
"Of course," Kaoru said with a polite smile. He pressed his palms together. "Spiritual Art: Assistance — Restoration."
A surge of energy rippled out, and the damaged buildings repaired themselves before everyone's eyes.
"Wha—?! Are you a Devil Fruit user too?" Zoro asked, stunned.
"No," Kaoru replied simply.
"Kaoru, I'm still hungry…" Luffy groaned.
Thunk-thunk-thunk!
Zoro responded by punching Luffy in the head several times.
"Okay, okay, that's enough," Kaoru sighed.
But before the argument could continue, a villager ran in, panting heavily.
"Oh no! The Buggy Pirates are coming!"
The townspeople gasped and scattered, rushing to hide inside their homes.
"Buggy?" Kaoru frowned. "That's strange. Wasn't he supposed to be training in Wano?"
He crossed his arms thoughtfully. If Buggy really has been practicing Armament and Observation Haki all these years… then the East Blue might be in for a surprise.
...
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