[My name was Samuel, and I was a bounty hunter.
Although I had left my hometown nearly five years ago and had only participated in two group campaigns against pirates, I genuinely made my living this way.
A few days ago, someone called the Black Count appeared in the East Blue, claiming to possess the ability to communicate with the dead and help people make up for their regrets.
Only after the situation spiraled out of control did the Marines announce that it was a lie and warn everyone to be careful, so I knew it had to be true.
So, I set out.
My first destination was a small village called Shimotsuki Village. It was utterly unremarkable, and the only name anyone might remember was a dojo called Isshin-ryu.
On the street, I met a young man. He claimed he had never seen the "Hypnotist" Zango, but I could tell from his eyes that he was lying.
So, I chose to follow him.
This was the beginning of all... misfortune.
Mom, I miss you so much.]
The next day, Shimotsuki Village.
"Over there... over there, cough, cough, cough!"
Samuel's desperate cries echoed through the morning sky over Shimotsuki Village, heartrending and miserable enough to make the residents along the streets push open their windows and watch curiously.
[Since yesterday, I had known one terrifying fact, but the terrifying things did not end there.]
"Shut up! I know where it is!"
Carrying Samuel over one shoulder, Zoro roared impatiently. Then, his eyes darted around uncertainly as he scratched his head.
"Strange, why does this place feel like somewhere I've been before?"
"Of course it does! This is... cough, cough... the fourth time!"
"Impossible!"
Zoro retorted, then suddenly realized something and slammed a fist into his palm.
"I get it. I grew up in this village, so everywhere looks familiar."
"No, actually... that's~ not~ it~~~~!"
Before he could finish, Samuel watched in despair as Zoro carried him off at a sprint again, turning into the alley they had already passed through three times.
How did you even manage this?!
He desperately wanted to grab Zoro by the collar and ask him.
How could anyone get lost in such a tiny town?!
Thinking back to yesterday, when he had followed the other man through the forest and been led back and forth along the same path more than a dozen times until his feet blistered, Samuel nearly coughed up blood.
At the time, he thought the other man had discovered him and was deliberately toying with him.
So, humiliated and enraged, he jumped out.
And then...
There was no then.
He was beaten half to death.
Now, he understood that it had all been a misunderstanding.
Because this guy was a complete and utter superhumanly terrible navigator!!
[The truly terrifying part was that the owner of the Isshin-ryu dojo had told this directionally challenged man to take me to the clinic.]
Carried over his shoulder, staring blankly at the gravel on the street, Samuel wore a vacant expression.
Could I make it to the clinic alive?
Ah, Mom, I miss you so much.
Hic!
"Oh no, he fainted. We need to get to the clinic quickly."
Σ(ﾟдﾟ;)!!
"Yosh!"
Fighting spirit burned in Zoro's eyes. He crouched into a runner's stance and declared confidently, "I thought of a shortcut. This way!"
He vanished into the distance.
"Have you found Zango?"
Inside the dimly lit cabin, the lamps gave off only faint light.
A black figure whose features could not be seen stood ahead of him. That massive body made Wallace tremble.
Hearing the question, he replied.
"Yes, my lord. A merchant ship under the White Dove Trading Company found him. They did not make it public and contacted us in secret. When people were sent to intercept him at his destination, he still managed to slip away."
At this point, worried that Lowett would be dissatisfied, Wallace added.
"But he can't escape."
"The White Dove Trading Company has ordered the harbor sealed off. Ships are patrolling the island around the clock. He can't fly away."
"So, he's trapped in Orange Town?"
Lowett tapped his fingers against his cane.
Could Zango escape with his hypnotic abilities?
"I understand. You may leave."
He wasn't planning to act?
Wallace was somewhat baffled.
Hadn't they gone to all this trouble just to force Zango out?
But he did not dare ask and obediently nodded.
"Yes."
After he left, the cane drew an arc through the air before crashing heavily onto the wooden floor.
Lowett's lips curled upward, as though stars had gathered in his eyes.
"No matter how cunning the prey, it cannot escape the hunter's palm... This time, what choice will you make, Vice Admiral Momonga?"
Revenge?
That was inevitable.
But before revenge, there were matters of greater and lesser urgency.
Over the past week or so, Lowett had hunted only the souls of fewer than thirty people from two pirate ships. That was merely a drop in the bucket for him now, and the greatest drawback of being trapped in the East Blue had begun to reveal itself.
Wounds on the soul were unlike wounds on the body. They could not heal naturally.
If he could stay hidden in the East Blue until his cultivation was complete, then leave cautiously once he was powerful enough, Lowett naturally would not be in such a hurry.
But unfortunately, that was not the case.
As his wounds gradually healed, the nourishment ordinary people could provide was increasingly unable to keep up with the strength of his soul. It was like a character with a million HP at max level drinking a beginner village red potion that restored ten points of health.
Of course, insufficient quality could be compensated for with quantity.
But if he did that, how would the Marines react?
A Headquarters vice admiral was still stationed in the East Blue because of him. Lowett was certain that if he began slaughtering indiscriminately, the Marines would spare no effort to eliminate him.
Leaving the East Blue was inevitable, and necessary.
"Roar!"
"I know. The current situation still isn't enough to make him show himself, but soon it will be."
One day later, another coerced newspaper issued a notice.
"Black Count" Francis Lowett announced that he had already set out for Orange Town. Before he arrived, the promise for capturing Zango still stood, but if he captured Zango himself, the promise would be immediately voided.
Furthermore, unless a new enemy of his escaped, there would be no second chance.
In an instant, Bounty Hunters and ambitious opportunists who had still been watching from the sidelines flooded into Orange Town. Under this sweeping tide, the entire East Blue was thrown into chaos, like flames poured over boiling oil.
Loguetown Marine Base, Momonga's office.
Total chaos!
Zango had been found so quickly, far beyond Momonga's expectations.
He had underestimated the power of the masses. With an intelligence network built from sheer numbers, no pirate could possibly escape.
"Report! Word from the 77th Branch: 'Shark' Muka and 'Faceless One' Xiaohua have started fighting over the right to land on the island!"
"The Krieg Pirates have attacked the 12th Branch! The 12th Branch is in urgent danger and requests reinforcements!"
"Orange Town residents have clashed with pirates! They are currently in a standoff!"
The small office was packed shoulder to shoulder, and every kind of chaos had erupted at once today. Lowett had not caused panic among the civilians as they had hoped, but he had sparked disorder between the Marines and the pirates.
Momonga had long since pulled open his collar, and his tie hung over the back of his chair. Sweat soaked his shirtfront.
"Have you found the Black Count?"
"No!"
"If you haven't found him, then say you haven't found him! What do you mean, you don't know?!"
Momonga glared furiously, making the messenger break out in a cold sweat.
He quickly explained.
"At present, twenty-three pirate crews have gathered around Orange Town, and more than fifty pirate crews are still heading toward the scene. The White Dove Trading Company has refused Marine assistance in the name of the Affiliated Nation treaty. Working together, they have formed a blockade our intelligence agents simply cannot penetrate."
Orange Town appeared isolated at sea and tucked away in a corner, but it also belonged to an Affiliated Nation. Not every nation had land as vast as Alabasta's; many ruled an entire stretch of sea rather than a single island.
"These greedy beasts!!"
Momonga slammed a fist onto the desk and rose angrily to his feet.
"Report!"
Suddenly, another call rang out.
"Speak!"
Momonga snapped impatiently. Looking up, he discovered that the newcomer was Smoker.
After resting for this period, Smoker had mostly recovered. His vitality was practically inhuman. However, his head was still wrapped in bandages. Broken bones took far longer to heal than flesh and blood.
"The worst-case scenario has happened, Vice Admiral."
Smoker did not get angry. He said solemnly, "Faced with so many competitors, some pirate crews that knew they had no hope of getting Zango gave up on him and turned to pillaging towns instead!"
"...Three hours ago, 'Hyena' Morey captured a small town called Enbifei near Orange Town. They slaughtered residents and set fires. The civilians... have suffered terrible casualties."
"Bastards!!!"
Clang!!
A terrifying sword cry crushed every other sound in the office. Momonga's eyes turned bloodshot as he roared.
"Do they have no humanity left?!"
If they did, they would not be pirates.
Smoker said nothing.
What normal person became a pirate?
And among pirates, how many would go so mad as to slaughter civilians?
In truth, if they had not remained stationed in Loguetown, the situation would never have developed this far. So long as Momonga was within sight, which pirate crew would dare act with such utter madness?
But that was how the world worked. There was always a loss for every gain.
Pururururur...
At that moment, the Den Den Mushi rang.
Smoker's pupils constricted.
That was Momonga's private Den Den Mushi. Aside from himself, perhaps only certain people on the Grand Line knew its number.
Momonga clearly understood this as well.
He suppressed his anger and signaled everyone else to be quiet.
"Yes, this is me."
Crack!
Dry, rough fingers gouged claw marks into the wooden desk. Momonga took a deep breath, murderous intent surging in his eyes. "Understood... Yes."
Setting down the Den Den Mushi, Momonga turned and swept the others with an icy gaze.
"All hands, prepare to depart!"
Thanks to reader ~allxjbt~ for the 100 reward. Thank you for your support!!
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