Great Pirate

As the Moke Pirates' ship sailed farther and farther away, Cocoyasi Village gradually vanished from sight. Smoker, who had been leaning against the ship's railing, slowly calmed down from his earlier irritation.

He took the cigar from his mouth, flicked off the ash, then turned to look at Vice Admiral Garp, who was still lounging leisurely despite being aboard a pirate ship.

His brows furrowed slightly.

This mission had truly been unexpected.

They had originally come to investigate whether Marine Colonel Dander Xieche had colluded with pirates to defraud the Marines of their military budget. The results had indeed confirmed it, and the evidence was conclusive. There was already enough to arrest him on the spot and put him on trial.

However.

No one had expected...

Vice Admiral Garp, who was supposed to be the main person in charge of this mission, to directly cooperate with that guy.

And that was not even the most outrageous part. What left him even more speechless was that the Marine Hero actually intended to defraud Marine Headquarters' budget together with him?!

This was absurd!

He truly could not understand what the Marine Hero was thinking.

And he still had another question in his heart...

At that moment.

Suddenly.

Just as Smoker frowned in thought.

"Ahahaha~" Garp's laughter rang out.

He sat with one leg crossed over the other, hands behind his head, reclining in a deck chair aboard the Moke Pirates' ship without even lifting his head. Staring out at the sea, he said, "The mission's already over, brat Smoker. Why are you still making that sour face?"

"..."

You have the nerve to ask me that?

Coming back to his senses, Smoker took a deep breath, though his face remained stern. "Vice Admiral Garp, do you understand what exactly you did this time?"

"Of course~" Garp stretched out a hand and picked his nose as though it were only natural. "Wasn't I just planning to scam the Marines out of money with that brat Xia Che?"

"..."

Why did you say that so self-righteously?

Smoker's face darkened with exasperation at Garp's words. Just as he was about to say something else—

"Ah, sorry, I can't go around saying things like that. What if I get investigated? Take that back, take that back~" Though he claimed to be worried about an investigation, Garp showed not the slightest bit of fear. He continued cheerfully, "You're nowhere near as interesting as that brat Xia Che, brat Smoker. Looks like you've got something to say?"

"As agreed, I will keep this mission confidential for now. But if that man does anything that goes against Marine justice, I will report today's matter, along with everything Vice Admiral Garp has done, to the Fleet Admiral."

"Don't worry. When the time comes, I guarantee I won't know that brat!"

"..."

Smoker's eyelid twitched. Ignoring Vice Admiral Garp, who was picking his nose and saying meaningless nonsense, he took another deep breath and said sternly, "There is also something I wish to ask. I hope Vice Admiral Garp can tell me."

"Ask away first." Vice Admiral Garp continued picking his nose, chuckling. "Let's see if I know the answer!"

"The God Valley Incident..."

"Don't know!"

"..."

Was this old man messing with him?

Smoker watched as Garp answered before he had even finished asking, his gaze wandering as he picked his nose, clearly unwilling to tell him anything. Veins bulged on Smoker's forehead, and his right hand clenched into a fist. At that moment, he really wanted to beat this guy senseless!

Of course~

He knew he definitely could not win.

But...

What exactly had happened at God Valley?

As a Marine, he had also heard of the God Valley Incident.

In that incident, Vice Admiral Garp had saved the Celestial Dragons and been awarded the title of Marine Hero by the World Government.

But now, it seemed the matter was not so simple.

Back then, Xia Che had seemed about to say something before Vice Admiral Garp interrupted him. Now, when Smoker asked again, Vice Admiral Garp interrupted him once more.

So what had happened that even the Marine Hero was unwilling to mention it?

Just as Smoker sank into thought again.

"Brat Smoker, there are some things that, as a Marine, you are very fortunate not to know." Garp, who had been cheerfully picking his nose, suddenly turned serious. "Stop dwelling on it. As a Marine, all you need to do is uphold the justice in your heart."

Before the grave-faced Smoker could ask anything else, Garp returned to his cheerful expression. He lazily stretched, then turned toward Moke behind him and shouted, "Brat Moke, got anything good to eat on this ship? Hurry up and bring it out, I'm bored to death!"

"Coming! Want some Cocoyasi Village specialty Canned Oranges and Orange Marmalade?" Moke's booming voice came from behind. "They're grown with some kind of spring water, on some little mountain, with soil and stuff! And there's some machine thing, but it's made by hand anyway. It's super tasty!"

The moment he finished speaking.

"???"

Before Garp could even understand what Moke was talking about.

A crew member nearby shouted helplessly, "Idiot Captain! The boss said we have to advertise our Orange Marmalade and Canned Oranges like this: watered with natural mineral spring water from pristine forests, every orange sapling carefully selected and nourished with natural, healthy organic fertilizer.

The orange groves are located on gentle hillside slopes, where peaks rise and fall, springs wind through the land, mist curls in the air, and rain nourishes the soil. This makes the oranges sweet, plump, fresh, and delightful. Every jar of Orange Marmalade is personally blended by eight master jam makers. A master's work, a grand legacy, massive sales!"

"???" XN

Hearing the crewman's words, Garp was completely dumbfounded, eyes wide. Even Smoker, who had been deep in thought, was pulled back by the advertisement. Together with Tashigi, he looked over with curiosity.

Were these oranges really that amazing?

"That's right, that's how you say it. I forgot, but anyway, they're really delicious!" Although his subordinate had scolded him, Moke did not mind. He scratched his head and grinned foolishly. "Want to try some?"

"Not bad, that certainly sounds delicious." Garp burst into laughter and said with great interest, "Hurry up and bring some over for me to try!"

As soon as he said that.

Before long.

Moke came over carrying Orange Marmalade and Canned Oranges, while Smoker and Tashigi also leaned in curiously.

"May I have some?"

"No problem, there's plenty!" Moke did not mind at all. He directly stuffed one into Tashigi's hands, then even gave one to the frowning Smoker. "Go on, have some!"

As Moke finished speaking, the three had already opened the cans. After taking curious tastes, their eyes immediately lit up.

But...

While it was quite tasty, it did not seem quite as exaggerated as that.

"Not bad, but that advertisement was way too exaggerated. I think it's definitely a scam!" Garp said cheerfully as he shoveled it into his mouth. "That brat Xia Che really is a swindler who even scams the Marines' budget!"

"Hmph~"

Smoker, who was also eating beside him, snorted. Looking at the can in his hands, he seemed about to say something, but before he could open his mouth—

"Pururururu, pururururu~"

At that moment.

A Den Den Mushi began ringing.

It was Garp's.

Garp froze for a moment, pulled out the Den Den Mushi, then answered it without much concern. "Ah~, Sengoku! What is it?"

As soon as he said that.

Fleet Admiral Sengoku.

Upon hearing the name Sengoku, Smoker and Tashigi immediately composed themselves. Serious expressions appeared on their faces as they quietly stood to one side and waited.

The Moke Pirates, who saw this scene nearby, also fell silent.

Then they heard—

"What's that sound? Are you sneaking food again? Can't you be a little more serious?" The Den Den Mushi, which had transformed to wear a seagull cap, spoke in a helpless tone. After saying that, it sighed and turned serious. "How did this mission go?"

"Mission? What mission?"

"Don't tell me you forgot the mission I gave you again? Didn't I tell you to investigate on the way whether Dander Xieche had colluded with pirates?"

Hearing Garp's answer, the seagull Den Den Mushi roared again.

"Can you be a little more serious? That brat submitted another military budget request. The approval department suspects Dander Xieche, but Zephyr insists his student would never do such a thing. The two sides are already arguing, and it's giving me a headache."

"Ahahaha, I was just teasing you~." Watching the Den Den Mushi lose its temper, Garp casually dug at his ear. "I remember, I remember. It's already been dealt with."

"It's been dealt with?" After Garp answered, the Den Den Mushi calmed down a little and frowned. "What's the situation? Did Marine Branch 16 defraud the military budget and collude with a pirate crew?"

The moment he finished speaking.

"Of course not~" Garp answered without hesitation, his tone solemn and righteous. "Everything Colonel Xia Che said was true. The Moke Pirates are indeed a group of vicious pirates. Marine Branch 16's current equipment truly cannot contend with them. Even I find them somewhat troublesome."

"Why are you suddenly acting serious? That doesn't sound like something you'd say. Forget it~, is that true?" The Den Den Mushi furrowed its brows, looking puzzled. "The Moke Pirates? Even you find them that troublesome? Aren't they just pirates with a thirty million bounty? And what's with you? Why is your Den Den Mushi sweating so much?"

As he spoke, he seemed to think of something, and his tone became stern.

"You bastard, don't tell me you didn't take this seriously?"

"Ahahaha~, how could that be? It's just been a little hot in the East Blue lately. Anyway, that guy escaped from my hands." Under Smoker and Tashigi's disdainful gazes, Garp remained completely unfazed. He laughed it off, picked his nose, and said carelessly, "You know me. They're pirates, after all."

"That's true. It's not like you'd cooperate with pirates too!"

"..."

"Forget it. Since you say so, they really do seem to be an unusual group of pirates." After saying that with a frown, Sengoku's Den Den Mushi thought for a moment before continuing, "To actually escape from your hands... then it makes sense that Marine Branch 16 failed to arrest them. Looks like another great pirate is about to emerge in the East Blue."

"That's right, that's right, they're truly not simple!" Seeing Sengoku's reaction, Garp seemed to breathe a sigh of relief and returned to his carefree grin. "That bounty needs to go up!"

"Raise the bounty? Aren't the Moke Pirates still in the East Blue? Isn't thirty million enough?"

"Not enough, not enough." Garp picked his nose and chuckled. "They're pirates who escaped from my hands."

"Is that so?" Hearing Garp's words, Sengoku's Den Den Mushi frowned and pondered for a moment before asking, "Then how much do you think it should be raised?"

"How much?" Garp chuckled, narrowing his eyes as he looked at Moke, the captain of the Moke Pirates, who stood nearby holding a can.

For some reason, Moke's heart skipped a beat under that gaze. Cold sweat appeared on his forehead, and he seemed to have a bad feeling.

Before he could say anything.

He saw—

Garp suddenly grinned, revealing his white teeth. Then he waved a large hand and said seriously, "A great pirate like this should be worth at least fifty million!"

As soon as he said that.

Moke:...

Fifty million?!

What exactly was this old man trying to do?