“So this is Loguetown.” After directing everyone to dock the ship properly, Nami looked toward the bustling town ahead.
“Alright, everyone come get your spending money.”
“Uh, Nami…” Zoro scratched his head awkwardly.
“Can I borrow a little extra?
I need to buy two swords.”
“Oh?” Nami looked at him and revealed a devilish smile.
“Sure you can~”
“But you’ll pay me back triple.”
“Triple?!” Zoro stared at her in disbelief.
“Are you a demon?!”
He just wanted to borrow some money for weapons.
Was that really necessary?
How money-obsessed could she be?!
“You don’t have to borrow it~”
“Damn it…” Zoro gritted his teeth before finally forcing out two words.
“Give me the money.”
“Here.
Five hundred thousand Belly.
That should be enough~”
“Hmph.”
Zoro had no idea whether it was enough or not.
Right now, he just didn’t want to look at Nami’s smug face anymore.
“I’m going to buy ingredients.” Sanji grabbed his share of money and dragged Usopp away with him.
“Hey, hey, hey!
I’ve got stuff I need to buy too!”
“We can do that after!”
“Fine…” Usopp sighed in defeat, then glanced at Zoro’s retreating figure.
“Do you really think he’ll be okay by himself?”
At this point, Usopp was almost certain Zoro had zero sense of direction.
“Probably…” Sanji hesitated.
“Maybe?”
As for Luffy?
He had already disappeared before anyone noticed.
The idiot hadn’t even taken his money.
After watching the others leave, Nami turned toward Kai.
“Looks like it’s just the two of us now.”
“We didn’t buy much before leaving, so this is the perfect chance to stock up in Loguetown.”
“Mm.
And we’re getting you some new clothes too.”
Kai had been wearing the exact same outfit this whole time.
“I think my clothes are fine.” Kai looked down at himself, genuinely confused.
Nami rolled her eyes.
Men really were all the same.
Give them one outfit and they’d wear it for an entire year.
“Come on already.”
They’d be back once they finished shopping.
“Hm?”
As they walked through town, Kai suddenly paused and looked toward a distant tower.
Was someone standing there just now?
His glasses had detected a sudden disturbance in the airflow around that area.
Could that have been Luffy’s father?
“What’s wrong?” Nami asked curiously.
“Nothing.” Kai shook his head.
“Let’s go.
I need to buy some tools too.”
“And I’ll make some defensive equipment for you while we’re at it.”
Nami was still physically fragile.
If someone caught her off guard, things could get dangerous fast.
“That sounds amazing!” Nami nodded eagerly.
“Then what are we waiting for?!”
She was absolutely terrified of dying.
Now that Kai and Luffy both had bounties, bounty hunters could come after them at any time.
After the two left, a dark green figure appeared silently atop the tower.
Interesting.
I wonder how skilled that scientist really is.
If his abilities are good enough…
Dragon glanced toward Luffy, who was currently searching for the execution platform where the Pirate King had died.
“Maybe your old man will borrow him from you someday.”
The Revolutionary Army needed talented people like that.
Only with minds like his could they properly arm their forces.
But now wasn’t the right time yet.
A gust of wind swept through the rooftop, and Dragon vanished as suddenly as he had appeared.
As though he had never been there at all.
…
“This is bad, Captain Smoker!”
A Marine burst into the office and slammed the door open, only to immediately choke on the thick smoke filling the room.
“Cough!
Cough!
Cough!”
Why was the office practically made of smoke?!
“What is it?” Smoker frowned at his subordinate.
“How many times have I told you?”
“Stop panicking every time something happens.”
“Sorry, sir!
But we found traces of the Straw Hat Pirates near the harbor!”
“The Straw Hat Pirates?” Smoker paused.
“Who are they?”
He’d never heard of them before.
In the East Blue, he knew practically every pirate worth mentioning.
“They’re a newly rising pirate crew!” The source of this chapter is g.com.
“They defeated Buggy the Clown, Don Krieg, and Arlong in the East Blue!”
“Their bounty was just issued recently too.
Fifty million Belly.”
“And there’s another wanted criminal on the ship with a thirty million Belly bounty.”
“Oh?” Smoker’s interest was finally piqued.
“Fifty million and thirty million, huh?”
Now those were pirates worth capturing.
Thinking that, Smoker grabbed his jitte and headed for the door.
“You’re going alone, sir?”
“But they’re major pirates.
If you go by yourself…”
“Are you telling me how to do my job?” Smoker turned and glared at the Marine fiercely.
“Do you even know who I am?”
“They’re just pirates.
I don’t need an entire squad to deal with them.”
Fifty million was considered a major pirate now?
These rookies really had no experience.
If they ever encountered pirates with bounties over a hundred million, they’d probably die from fear on the spot.
Smoker sighed.
The Four Blues really were too small for him.
“By the way, where’s Tashigi?”
“Ensign Tashigi went out to have her sword maintained,” the Marine answered.
“Should I call her back?”
“That girl…” Smoker rubbed his forehead at the thought of the clumsy swordswoman.
“Forget it.”
“I was only asking.”
He was just worried she might run into the Straw Hat crew.
Right now, she was no match for them.
“At the harbor, right?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Got it.”
Smoker transformed into smoke and shot into the sky, speeding toward the harbor.
As he passed over the shopping district, his eyes briefly met Kai’s below.
The two exchanged a silent glance before both calmly looking away.
“What’s wrong?” Nami looked up at the sky but saw nothing unusual.
“Nothing.” Kai smiled and casually took the shopping bags from her hands.
“Come on, let’s keep going.”
“Once we finish buying clothes and supplies, I’ll take you back.”
So Smoker was already making his move.
Looks like it wouldn’t be long before they crossed paths.
Still…
Kai narrowed his eyes as he looked into the distance.
He really wanted to witness that miraculous scene with Luffy firsthand.
And if things went wrong…
He could always step in and save him himself.