Loguetown occupied a uniquely advantageous location. It was the bridgehead from the East Blue to the Grand Line, as well as an isolated island along that long route.
Merchant ships and pirate crews bound for the Grand Line could not bypass this sole supply point, so Loguetown naturally became the East Blue's transportation hub and trading center.
It was also the birthplace and execution site of the Pirate King Roger. Thanks to his fame, it had become the liveliest tourist attraction in the East Blue Sea.
At the same time, Loguetown was a military stronghold valued by the Marine government. Marine Headquarters officers of at least field-grade rank were stationed there year-round, carrying out the vital tasks of surveillance, suppression, maintaining stability, and controlling the East Blue.
With its economy, culture, and military all thriving, Loguetown's prosperity was far beyond what the word "town" could describe. Calling it one of the East Blue Sea's central cities would not be an exaggeration.
Against such a backdrop, the sea routes around Loguetown were packed with sails, ships racing across the waters, displaying scenes of flourishing prosperity everywhere.
The closer they came to Loguetown's coastline, the more sailing ships filled the sea.
By the time Loguetown's docks faintly appeared on the horizon, Garen and the others saw endless white sails stretching before them.
The sight differed from the magnificent grandeur of the natural sea, yet it displayed humanity's unique creativity in another style and was pleasing to the eye.
However.
Smoker stared grimly at the ships sailing around them, his sharp gaze fixed firmly upon the black flags fluttering in the wind.
"Those are pirate ships, aren't they?!"
What he saw in Loguetown far exceeded Smoker's expectations.
As a major military town guarded by Marine Headquarters elites, it not only lacked the clean and orderly atmosphere he had imagined, but pirate ships that made no effort to hide themselves were everywhere.
What Smoker found even harder to understand was—
The armed warship he was aboard flew the Marine flag.
Yet when those pirates saw that flag, they showed no hostility at all, nor did they display any intention of fleeing.
Clearly, these pirates had grown accustomed to the sight of Marine flags.
"What is going on?"
Smoker directly questioned Wallace beside him. He knew that this young reporter was a local of Loguetown.
"This..."
Wallace explained with an odd expression, "Loguetown has always been like this."
"What?"
The tip of Smoker's cigar suddenly glowed brighter, and the smoke rings he exhaled grew noticeably thicker.
"Hasn't Loguetown always had Marine Headquarters officers stationed here? How can these pirates be this brazen?!"
"That is because..."
Wallace said seriously.
"The Marines stationed in Loguetown... have never been very clean."
"Not very clean?"
Garen could not hold back from asking.
"Didn't you recommend that I come to Loguetown to collect my bounty?"
"That is because Loguetown is already the best choice by comparison."
Wallace explained somewhat helplessly.
"Lord Garen, you've always held a high position. I'm afraid you don't know much about the sordid dealings at the bottom."
"When ordinary Pirate Hunters go to claim a large bounty, the Marines in Loguetown take around thirty percent as a monetary 'loss adjustment.'"
"Thirty percent? Wouldn't that mean I lose three million Beli?"
Garen questioned in considerable astonishment.
"And this is supposed to be the best choice?!"
"Tch."
"Looks like you're really some noble who has never left his palace!"
It was Nami who spoke. With a faintly mocking tone, she educated Garen.
"A thirty percent kickback is already the most reasonable rate on the East Blue market."
"If you go to certain Marine branches to claim a bounty, you might not get a single Beli. You could even be robbed and killed by the local tyrants there!"
"That's right!"
Wallace sighed again.
"At least the Marines in Loguetown will do their job after taking the money, and they can guarantee the safety of their 'customers.'"
Smoker was trembling all over by then, and faint white smoke began to seep through his silver-white hair.
"Bastards!"
Smoker sucked down the remaining half of his cigar in one breath, then fiercely threw the butt to the ground.
He looked at the pirate ships openly sailing toward Loguetown's docks and gritted his teeth.
"Corruption is one thing, but they don't even arrest pirates?"
"But..."
Tashigi stepped forward as well, speaking with some confusion.
"The current commanding officer stationed in Loguetown is Commander Hammer, who was dispatched by Marine Headquarters."
"Before coming here, I asked around a little. I heard he had always been renowned for effectively suppressing pirates and achieving outstanding results!"
"Of course his 'results' are outstanding!"
Wallace gave a helpless smile.
"The pirates they arrest are all the ones who refuse to pay!"
"Using those clueless fools to decorate his record is more than enough for him to earn a reputation for meritorious pirate suppression."
After Wallace's detailed explanation, Garen finally understood the grand strategy of Commander Hammer, Loguetown's garrison commander.
He guarded the checkpoint from the East Blue to the Grand Line, then collected tolls from every pirate crew seeking to enter the Grand Line.
Pirate crews that paid became his brothers. Not only could they sail freely without Marine interference, they could also buy all sorts of contraband through Commander Hammer's channels, including weapons, ammunition, and sea charts.
As for pirates who refused to pay, they naturally became Commander Hammer's law enforcement achievements.
"A toll station and service area for pirates?"
Garen could not help praising Loguetown's base commander. "This guy is a genius!"
"Commander Hammer is indeed a very clever man."
"Honestly, given how cautious he is, he shouldn't have allowed something this blatant to be exposed today."
Wallace was happy to fan the flames. Somewhat puzzled, he added.
"Logically speaking, he should have learned long ago that Colonel Smoker was coming to take over the garrison."
"I thought he had already cleaned up all the evidence, which was why I didn't directly tell you Loguetown's true situation yesterday."
"No."
Smoker took a hard drag from his cigar and exhaled a thick cloud of smoke.
"Our original plan was to sail in reverse along the first half of the Grand Line from Marine Headquarters, then reach the East Blue through Reverse Mountain."
"But Vice Admiral Garp happened to be returning to the East Blue, so we caught a ride on that Sea Stone Warship."
"We set out from Marine Headquarters, took advantage of part of the Triangle Current, then crossed the Calm Belt directly to reach the East Blue, saving a great deal of time."
Smoker continued in a deep voice.
"In other words."
"The arrival date given in the notice was twenty days from now."
"I see!"
A few excited glints flashed through Wallace's eyes.
Commander Hammer's intelligence had been wrong, so he had not yet had time to conceal his crimes. Today, he had happened to run headfirst into Smoker, the righteous Marine coming to replace him.
He could already smell a major story.
"Heh."
Smoker snorted coldly and said to Tashigi.
"Tashigi!"
"I'll go see the Marine base there with my own eyes first. Hurry up and lead the team after me!"
"Huh?"
Tashigi had not quite processed what was happening yet.
"Where is the Loguetown base located?!"
Smoker asked Wallace again with a cold expression.
Before Wallace could answer, a cloud of white smoke swept him up.
"Forget it, just take me there!"
The moment he finished speaking, Smoker transformed into a massive cloud of smoke, carrying Wallace into the sky and shooting toward Loguetown.
"He really is reckless!"
Tashigi muttered helplessly.
But as the highest-ranking officer in the group at that moment, Tashigi could only take on the commander's duties and issue orders to the Marines according to Smoker's instructions.
"Increase speed, prepare to land!"
"All personnel, form ranks, ready your weapons, and prepare for battle!"
"Yes!"
The Marine soldiers responded in unison, their momentum surging like a rainbow.
Although there were few of them, all thirty were Marine Headquarters elites.
That single shout alone significantly changed the impression Nami, a girl who had spent years surviving in the East Blue, had of the Marines.
With Marine soldiers like these, perhaps her hometown really could be saved.
A crisp series of popping cracks came from nearby as muscles and bones shifted. Nami turned toward the sound.
Garen was cracking his knuckles and stretching his body as well, his eyes brimming with fighting spirit.
"Y-you're going to help Smoker fight?"
Nami looked at the battle-ready Garen in surprise and reminded him with some concern.
"No matter how corrupt those people are, they're still Marines! You can't make money by fighting Marines!"
"If they accidentally pin the pirate label on you, you'll be in trouble!"
"Don't worry."
Garen answered with a relaxed expression.
"I'm following a Headquarters colonel to fight corruption. There definitely won't be any danger."
"Besides."
Garen thought of the experience bar still far from level five and declared righteously.
"Those corrupt officials and scoundrels disregard law and discipline, occupy their positions without doing their duty, and bend the law for personal gain. Who knows how many innocent civilians they have harmed over the years!"
"I, Garen the Lone Ranger, will uphold justice on Heaven's behalf today!"
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