Utterly Vicious

Loguetown.

Marine branch garrison.

"Colonel Smoker, you're back?"

"Mm."

Colonel Smoker, who had just returned from capturing pirates, responded, took off his leather gloves, and casually tossed them aside.

Then he lazily reclined on a wide sofa, crossed his legs, removed the cigar from his mouth, flicked off the ash, and looked expressionlessly at his subordinate—Petty Officer Tashigi.

He said flatly, "How did the matter I assigned you turn out?"

"Yes, Colonel Smoker!" Upon hearing Colonel Smoker ask about work, Tashigi immediately stood at attention and said, "Marines have been stationed at the docks and harbor. We've also placed restrictions on shops selling illegal goods at the harbor and ordered them to make corrections. Bounty hunters and pirates are forbidden from entering the harbor shops, but..."

At that point, Tashigi seemed somewhat hesitant. After pushing up her unfashionable glasses, however, she continued in a helpless tone.

"Quite a few shop owners are deeply dissatisfied. They believe this has seriously affected their business, especially the weapon shop owner—Ipponmatsu. He said Colonel Sean never did this before, and they want to file a complaint against you!"

However.

"Sean? Hmph." Smoker snorted, put his cigar back in his mouth, and said impatiently, "Ignore them."

"Yes!" Hearing that Colonel Smoker did not care, Tashigi could only sigh helplessly to herself.

She knew Colonel Smoker did not care about complaints at all.

That made sense. He had been transferred here for defying his superiors in the first place. Why would he be threatened by something like this?

As for Colonel Sean—no, he should be called Commodore Sean now—because of the matter involving Colonel Xia Che, Colonel Smoker suspected Commodore Sean had known about it all along and might even have been working with him. Naturally, he was displeased.

At that moment, Tashigi seemed to recall something. After hesitating, she said, "Also, we discovered that the weapon shop seems to export a large quantity of weapons overseas at regular intervals. We suspect it may be cooperating with a large pirate crew from outside the island. We are currently investigating."

"A large pirate crew from outside the island..." Smoker immediately furrowed his brow at Tashigi's words. After thinking for a moment, he said, "Investigate discreetly. If they really are cooperating with pirates, inform me at once."

As he spoke, he seemed to remember something and looked up at Tashigi again.

"What about the military funding I told you to apply for from Marine Headquarters? Was it approved?"

"Uh..." Faced with Smoker's question, Tashigi wore a conflicted expression. In the end, after hesitating, she quietly said, "It was sent back."

"The funding was sent over? That quickly?"

"The application was sent back."

"..."

"Marine Headquarters said our request did not meet the requirements. They also said Marine Headquarters had its own criteria for allocating funds to branches." Seeing Smoker's face darken again, Tashigi said quietly and helplessly, "This year's funding was already allocated to us before we came to East Blue. They told the Loguetown branch not to make unreasonable demands and hoped we would faithfully fulfill our duties and guard the entrance to the Grand Line."

"Those bastards... Marine Branch 16 applied so many times, but we can't even apply once?"

"Well... we really did replace our equipment when we left headquarters. Marine Headquarters probably never expected Commodore Sean to empty out the entire branch when he left." Seeing her superior's face grow darker still, Tashigi hesitated before saying, "How about we do as Colonel Xia Che did..."

"Shut up. I'm a Marine!" Seemingly guessing what Tashigi was about to suggest, Smoker cut her off with a cold expression. "No matter what, I will never cooperate with pirates."

"No, Colonel Smoker, I meant we could casually pin it on some pirate and ask for emergency funding first."

"Ridiculous. Do you think I can't catch pirates from the weakest sea like that Dander Xieche bastard? Do you want me to slap my own face?" Smoker impatiently waved his hand, then added irritably, "Nothing good ever comes from getting involved with that guy!"

Sean and Xia Che definitely had some connection.

He had thought that after escorting Vice Admiral Garp to the Goa Kingdom, he would no longer have anything to do with that bastard. Who would have thought that he would run into this sort of thing after coming to Loguetown?

They had emptied the entire armory?!

He flicked the ash from his cigar and said expressionlessly, "Forget it. Leave it at that for now. Tell everyone to stay alert. We'll submit another application after some time. As for that guy... if I find out he's done anything bad..." His eyes narrowed slightly. "Don't blame me for being ruthless."

His words fell.

"..."

Before the disappointed Tashigi could say anything in response to Colonel Smoker's words—

At that moment.

Suddenly.

"Purururu, purururu."

A Den Den Mushi began to ring.

Smoker frowned again, pulled out his Den Den Mushi from his chest, and said flatly, "This is the Loguetown Marine branch."

The moment he finished speaking.

"This is Marine Headquarters, Colonel Smoker." The transformed Den Den Mushi spoke in a grave tone. "Marine Headquarters is issuing an important mission. Colonel Smoker is requested to carry it out without fail."

"Go ahead."

"Marine Headquarters has received intelligence from East Blue. A pirate crew in East Blue is gathering pirates from nearby waters. According to the intelligence, this crew will attack Marine Branch 16 in the near future and has declared that it will slaughter Marine Branch 16. Colonel Smoker, proceed immediately to provide support, stop the pirates' ambitions, and uphold the Marines' honor."

"Marine Branch 16?" Smoker was stunned upon hearing the Den Den Mushi's words, and then a trace of schadenfreude flashed across his lips.

Of course.

Although he was extremely dissatisfied with a dignified Marine Colonel harboring pirates, as a Marine himself, he would not stand by and watch a Marine branch get slaughtered by pirates.

That would be a direct slap in Marine Headquarters' face.

But why was that guy suddenly suffering retaliation from pirates?

Could it be that the East Blue pirates had learned that the Marines were harboring pirates and using them to capture other pirates?

"Understood." Smoker pondered for a moment, then continued with a serious expression. "I will head to Marine Branch 16 as quickly as possible to provide support. Have you identified which pirate crew is retaliating against Marine Branch 16?"

"We have." The Den Den Mushi did not conceal it in response to Smoker's question, speaking in a grave tone. "The new overlord of East Blue—the Moke Pirates! If possible, please arrest this utterly vicious pirate crew!"

However.

The moment those words fell.

Smoker: ???

He blinked blankly, then lowered his head blankly to stare at the stern-faced Den Den Mushi in his hand.

What the hell?

The Moke Pirates were going to slaughter Marine Branch 16?

What was that guy trying to do now?

Meanwhile.

As Moke's pirate proclamation was sent out, countless pirate crews across East Blue received the invitation from the new overlord of East Blue, all shocked by his ambition.

A carnival belonging to pirates seemed to shroud the skies over all of East Blue.