20
The Stronger the East Sea, the Weaker the East Sea
As mealtime approached, the crew member from earlier returned.
“Mr. Swordsman, the captain has prepared a banquet in your honor. Would you please come with me?”
Luke nodded and followed along. In the captain’s quarters, he met the captain who had requested to see him – a rather young man around thirty years old with a broad forehead, thick lips, distinct facial features, and a not-too-unusual appearance.
“Mr. Luke, I’ve long heard of your reputation.”
The captain smiled and extended his hand, “I’m Captain Sampo Anan. Welcome aboard my ship, the Sampo.”
“I haven’t even made a name for myself yet. How could you have ‘long heard’ of me?” Luke shook his hand while casually retorting.
“Let’s not rush into such discussions. Allow me to fulfill my duties as host first and properly entertain you.” Anan’s expression remained unchanged as he led Luke to the dining table.
The massive table was piled high with food: large steaks glistening golden with oil, a whole roasted suckling pig cooked to crispy perfection, plump chickens and ducks with glossy skins, various fish dishes arranged together, along with numerous unnamed meats, fruits, and fine wines.
“So lavish? Generally, supplies are quite scarce at sea.” Luke expressed surprise along with satisfaction as he quickly took his seat. Then like a whirlwind sweeping through clouds, he began pouring the contents of plates into his mouth with great commotion.
“Whenever we pass an island, our ship docks for a day. While passengers disembark or attend to matters, we also purchase supplies to replenish our stocks…”
As Anan explained, he filled his glass with red wine. Just as he was about to pour some for Luke, he noticed that more than half the food on the table had already been consumed, and the remainder was disappearing at a visible rate.
When he tremblingly offered the wine glass, Luke swallowed the last piece of meat, scratched his head, and gave him a somewhat embarrassed smile.
“Captain Anan, did I eat a bit too much?”
“Ah, not at all. A skilled swordsman like you naturally eats more than ordinary people.” Anan suppressed the twitch at the corner of his mouth and politely inquired, “Are you full? Would you like some more?”
“How could I trouble you further?” Luke said with sincere eyes, then continued, “But I really shouldn’t decline your kindness. In that case, bring another table of food. Actually, I’ve only reached about thirty percent full.”
What kind of bottomless pit is this!
That last statement was clearly hinting that he needed to prepare at least two more tables.
Anan called out twice, and a crew member entered. After the two whispered briefly, the crew member nodded and left. “The food will arrive shortly. Please wait a moment,” Anan said with a smile.
He wisely refrained from making requests before Luke finished eating, instead quietly waiting as continuous streams of food were brought in and swallowed into Luke’s interdimensional stomach. This continued until Luke had cleared the table three consecutive times, finally stopping with a satisfied burp.
“Whew~ It’s been a while since I’ve eaten so comfortably.” Luke contentedly patted his slightly bulging interdimensional belly and finally got to the main point. “So Captain Anan, may I ask what matter you wished to discuss with me?”
“Well, before making my request, I’d like to confirm a few things first.” Anan took a deep breath. “I noticed your destination is Windmill Village, our next stop. Is that correct?”
“Correct.” Luke gave a slight nod. His planned route was to return to Windmill Village to visit old acquaintances, rest and recuperate, then find Zoro to have him report back to the dojo that all was well. After that, he would enter the Grand Line and return to Alabasta.
Then, eliminate Crocodile!
Daring to lay hands on his hometown—Crocodile had already signed his own death warrant. If he knew what was good for him, he could be recruited; if not, he’d be cut down on the spot, not even granted the mercy of Impel Down.
There might be a slight risk, of course. Crocodile still had some strength—the reason the early Luffy could defeat him was largely due to plot convenience.
Yanan had no idea the person before him was contemplating taking down a Shichibukai. Relieved by Luke’s confirmation, he asked further, “Do you have any plans to visit Loguetown soon? Or somewhere closer, like Coco Village or the Baratie floating restaurant?”
“Quite a coincidence—I was just planning to go to Loguetown,” Luke glanced at the captain. “If you have something to say, please speak plainly. I’m not one for beating around the bush.”
After a moment of silence, Yanan lowered his voice. “Well, the Sampo’s sailing route circles around the various islands of the East Blue, from the remote Windmill Village all the way to Loguetown, the closest point to the Grand Line.”
“Our route includes several stops for supplies and provisions: Shimotsuki Island, Gotto Island, Shells Town, Orange Town, Syrup Village, Baratie, and Coco Village. After reaching the final destination, we rest for a month before returning along the same path.”
The locations mentioned by the captain stirred some memories in Luke, and he couldn’t help but feel a wave of nostalgia. They were all familiar names—this was the very path Luffy would take two years later to gather his initial crew members.
Though Luke couldn’t quite recall which location corresponded to which story. Was Orange Town the village where Nami was under Arlong’s rule? He remembered Nami loved oranges and money. Coco Village was probably where they obtained the Going Merry, since Kaya’s surname was also “Kaya.”
And which town was Zoro from again? Should be the marine base ruled by Morgan, but that wasn’t mentioned among the stops!
Ugh—his mind was about to explode. Better go back and ask the other Lukes if they remembered the details.
“Mr. Luke? Mr. Luke?”
The captain’s voice pulled Luke out of his whirlpool of memories. He blinked. “I’m listening. Go on.”
Yanan licked his lips, looking somewhat nervous. “In our recent voyages, our ship has encountered the fleet of a fearsome pirate. If we hadn’t escaped in time, we might not have made it back.”
“So, I hope that the next time you go to Loguetown, you’ll also travel on our ship and temporarily act as the Sampo’s guard during the voyage. I’m willing to pay a daily fee of 200,000 Beli, with room and board included!”
The last three words made Luke, who had been about to refuse, reconsider. He raised an eyebrow. “If there’s no scheduling conflict, I can do it. But who is this ‘fearsome pirate’ you mentioned?”
What kind of fearsome pirate could there be in the East Blue? They were all small fry jumping around. Who could even be called a fearsome pirate here—Buggy the Clown?
This calls for a brief explanation of the geography in One Piece.
In the world of One Piece, there is only one continent, known as the Red Line. The Red Line and the Grand Line, which runs almost perpendicular to it, divide the ocean into four seas: East, West, South, and North.
The East Blue is known as the weakest sea—or perhaps, the strongest.
It’s considered the weakest because its overall strength currently ranks at the bottom among the four seas. From a god’s-eye perspective, this is the novice village prepared for the protagonist by that cunning author Oda, hence its strength shouldn’t be too overwhelming, lest Luffy meets an untimely end before even entering the Grand Line.
From a practical standpoint, this is likely due to the presence of two formidable Marines—Garp and Smoker—one veteran and one rising star. They’ve been nipping all promising pirates in the bud, with the sole exception being Luffy, who boasts powerful connections and backing from higher-ups.
Yet it’s called the strongest East Blue because countless awe-inspiring powerhouses have emerged from these waters: the Pirate King Gol D. Roger, Dark King Silvers Rayleigh, Marine Hero Garp, Revolutionary Dragon, and Fire Fist Ace.
In the future, the Straw Hat Crew will join this legacy. One could say the East Blue excels in its past and future, but falters in the present—possessing a certain beauty reminiscent of the Selfless State technique.
Yanan’s face contorted with fear, his body trembling uncontrollably. He hesitated briefly, seemingly worried Luke might reject his employment request upon hearing the name. But ultimately, considering that concealment could also lead to rejection, he spoke the notorious pirate’s name aloud.
“He’s the overlord of the East Blue, commanding thirty fleets with over three thousand subordinates—a great pirate with a bounty of 14 million Beli.”
“Admiral Krieg!”