Trouble at Cocoyasi Village

A small tavern in Loguetown, East Blue

"Jingle--"

The tavern's wooden door was pushed open, and the bell rang clearly.

The sparse patrons looked up and immediately fell into a state of respect as Captain Smoker, the White Hunter, walked in with three men.

"Lord Smoker!" the shopkeeper hurriedly greeted him, "What brings you here today...?"

"The usual spot."

Smoker, Cigar in hand, glanced at Roy and the two kids behind him through the swirling smoke. "Two more glasses of milk, please."

"Alright!" The boss quickly went to prepare.

"Wow, this place is so cool!" Luffy looked around excitedly, as if he had entered an amusement park, and clung to the back of the chair.

Ace frowned, his tone displeased. "You just said 'milk'? I'm 12 years old, can't I have some alcohol?"

Smoker turned around and sneered, "Little brat, you want to drink? Let's get you under control first."

"What did you say?!" Ace's temper flared up instantly, and his fists practically ignited.

"Alright, alright," Roy pressed his head down, taking the drink the bartender offered. "Don't wreak havoc in the pub."

The owner, keeping his eyes downcast, put down the drinks and brought out a large plate of freshly grilled beef. "This is our shop's signature dish, a gift for Lord Smoker and our distinguished guest."

(Note: Since Smoker took up Loguetown, he has cracked down on Pirates, never letting a single one escape, nor causing a single civilian casualty, and is deeply loved by the local people.)

Smoker nodded slightly, and the boss, seeing this, tactfully withdrew.

The brass lamplight cast its glow, and the corner of the tavern quieted down, save for the clinking of glasses and the occasional creaking of wooden chairs.

Smoker exhaled a smoke ring, leaned back in his chair, and lowered his voice. "Tell me. You suddenly came to the East Blue, bringing two 'time bombs' with you. What exactly are you trying to investigate?"

Roy took a sip of his drink, gently swirling the glass between his fingers, his smile fading. "How much do you know about Shanks losing his arm?"

"Heh." Smoker sneered, his eyes turning sharp. "A great Pirate from the New World getting his arm bitten off by a Sea Kings in the East Blue? Anyone would find that hard to believe, right?"

He paused, then continued, "Besides, you've fought him before. Do you think this is reasonable?"

Roy nodded, "Let alone Sea Kings... the 'pets' in this part of the East Blue, let alone biting my arm, they'd hardly even get a drop of oil on my shoes."

Smoker snorted, pulled a crumpled intelligence report from his pocket, and shoved it at Roy: "You've seen the Marine Headquarters' report, but I've gotten some other information."

Roy unfolded it and frowned slightly. "The Satsuruso Kingdom?"

"Hmm." Smoker lit another Cigar. "A week before he lost his arm, the Red Voss made a brief stop there. It's said he had some private contact with a member of royalty."

"To have made contact with a Pirate of Shanks' caliber? Are the royals still alive?"

Roy raised an eyebrow, tapping the table absently with his fingertips. "Looks like they exchanged something."

I guessed so.

Smoker frowned. "But that kingdom has recently blocked almost all outbound port records."

"... This is not a clean affair."

Roy whispered, "It's not about the hand, it's about Shanks's whereabouts and motives."

"What is he trying to cover up?" Smoker's eyes gleamed.

Roy tapped his fingers lightly on the table, lost in thought.

Just then, Luffy suddenly leaned in, his nose almost touching the information. "Wow! What's this? A treasure map?"

Ace grabbed him and pulled him back, his face flushed red. "Don't touch the important documents, Luffy, you idiot!"

Smoker's cheek twitched, barely suppressing his anger. "Roy, could you please get these two living bombs out of there?"

"Don't be so harsh~ They're still young."

Roy chuckled as he put away the intelligence report, patting Smoker on the shoulder. "Thanks, old buddy. This will be very useful to me."

Smoker snorted, "Don't cause any trouble, I don't want to clean up your mess."

Roy laughed loudly, "You have the nerve to talk about cleaning up my mess? I've heard plenty of complaints from Hina whenever I run into her. How am I supposed to help you solve the trouble you caused by disobeying orders?"

Just as the two were joking around--

"Bang!"

The tavern door was suddenly pushed open, the wind chimes malfunctioning from the impact, startling the patrons who all turned around.

An intelligence officer in a wrinkled military uniform stumbled in, his hat askew, almost touching his nose. "Report—Reporting to Captain Smoker! Urgent intelligence! Cocoyasi Village has sent a distress signal! A Pirate crew is launching a large-scale attack on the village!"

"What?!"

Smoker jumped to his feet, his chair crashing to the floor, the Cigar falling from his lips. "Where did this scumbag Pirate come from?! You've got some nerve, haven't you?!"

He grabbed Marine Cap from the table and rushed out, yelling, "Assemble the troops! Prepare to move out!"

"Don't rush me~"

Roy's light, airy voice sounded behind him, carrying his usual languidness and amusement.

Smoker turned around and saw Roy still leaning back in his chair, swirling a wine glass in his hand, but his eyes had sharpened. "Let's go."

"You?" Smoker frowned. "This is the East Blue; there's no need for Marine Headquarters to get involved."

"It will take you at least twenty minutes to mobilize your troops."

Roy stood up, brushing the drinks off his clothes. "I'm off. Two minutes should be enough."

He lazily pointed to the sky outside the window, "You're still sending troops? I've already chopped up those scum and fed them to the fish!"

"You bastard!" Smoker's forehead veins throbbed.

But before he could finish speaking...

"Whoosh!"

Ace stood up, his arms instantly enveloped in bluish-white flames, his fighting spirit palpable. "Finally, something serious."

Luffy jumped onto the table. "Want to fight? Want to fight? I'm going to beat all those bad guys to a pulp!"

"Clang!"

The owner was so startled that he dropped the grilled fish he was about to deliver on the ground.

Smoker glanced at the two eager kids, then at Roy whose face screamed "I'm just being nosy," and finally scratched his head in frustration. "Suit yourself! But don't make too much noise!"

"Leave it to us." Roy stood up with a smile, grabbing Ace and Luffy by the arms, one in each hand. "Let's go! Time to fight the bad guys!"

"Fight the Pirates!" Luffy excitedly, waving his fist in mid-air.

The next second--

Swish!

A strong gust of wind shook the entire tavern, the curtains billowed up abruptly, and the three figures vanished from their spot!

"Where are they?!" The intelligence officer stared in disbelief.

Smoker lit another Cigar, took a deep drag, and said, "Even Rear Admiral Roy from Marine Headquarters has personally taken action... what's there to be afraid of?"

He turned and walked out of the tavern, leaving behind a lazy instruction. "Reply to the messenger; those scum won't survive tonight."

Upon hearing the name "Rear Admiral Roy," the intelligence officer's expression turned serious, and he nodded emphatically. "Understood!"

East Blue - Above the Sky

The wind howled like knives, and my eardrums rang.

Ace, his eyes glazed over by the gale, floated in the air with disheveled hair. "Hey! Roy! Couldn't you at least say something before you go next time...?"

Wow!

Luffy, meanwhile, was excitedly yelling in the air, "I'm flying! It's even more exciting than swinging on Vines!! Can I just kick straight down from the sky?!"

Roy held the two people with one hand, standing in mid-air as if he were on flat ground, his gaze as calm as a blade.

In the distance, a thick plume of black smoke was rising slowly from the coastline.

"Cocoyasi Village," he whispered, his tone completely flat.

Below, on the sea, a Pirate ship painted with shark markings is approaching the beach. A serrated nose sits at the bow, and a gigantic sea monster thrashes beside it. The Pirate flag flutters in the wind. "Arlong Pirates."

"Arlong..." Roy squinted, "The piece of trash that was traded from Impel Down after the fathead fish joined the Shichibukai, it really dares to be so insolent."

He looked at the two boys beside him.

"Today's battle," a smile played on his lips, "Is yours to fight."

Ace clenched his burning fist, his Divine Flame.

"I can do it too!!" Luffy laughed, waving his arms wildly. "Watch me punch that Fish-Man leader into a fried fish fillet!!"

"Good."

Roy chuckled, and with a swift movement, the three of them transformed into streaks of light that pierced the sky, heading straight for the Battlefield!