Compensation? Yes, compensation!

Ron's eyelids twitched rapidly. Upon noticing Garp's strange look, he immediately thought of this possibility. After that, his enthusiastic attitude towards having the mess hall cook for him made everything perfectly clear.

Ron could guess one or two things about Garp's intention to recruit him into the Marines.

Through their conversation, he learned that it was October 22nd, Marineford Era 1514, the fourteenth year of the Great Pirate Era, a time when the Marines were experiencing a shortage of talent.

This "shortage of talent" referred to the true peak, the strongest forces of Marine Headquarters, the Admirals... there was currently no one to replace them!

Even if Momousagi and Chaton were excellent, there was still a clear gap in strength between them and the Admirals. Otherwise, Fujitora and Ryokugyu, two renowned figures from outside the organization, wouldn't have been appointed as Admirals later.

Did the Marines not worry about the loyalty of these two? Would they disregard the merits of Momousagi and Chaton and directly appoint them as Admirals?

Of course, they worried!

But circumstances were more powerful than individuals!

The prestige of the Marine Admirals had been built over hundreds of years by successive Admirals, fist by fist, kick by kick, instilling fear in countless people and causing widespread panic in any sea they patrolled.

Without the deterrence of the Admirals as the "strongest force" to keep the seas in check, the world would descend into unparalleled chaos!

That was certainly not a situation the World Government and the Marines wanted to see.

Therefore, they would rather take the risk of promoting civilian experts like Ryokugyu and Fujitora than dare to appoint Momousagi and Chaton, whose strength was insufficient.

Looking back at the original story, the Marines never lacked mid-level officers or low-level soldiers!

During the Summit War, the hundred thousand officers of Colonel rank and above, which one of them was a pushover?

Among the mid-level officers, there were sixteen Vice Admirals like Momousagi, Chaton, Momonga, and Kashou, all of whom were powerhouses that shook the seas!

Among the lower-level officers, there were outstanding individuals like Koby, who would later train under Garp and rapidly be promoted to Colonel, and Smoker, who had a deep-seated feud with the Straw Hat Pirates and grew stronger step by step.

But at the high-level peak...

They were all veterans!

Each of them was over seventy years old!

Even among the current Three Admirals, Kizaru was already over 50, past his prime, and wouldn't last many more years.

So, the current Marines were desperately in need of a new talent who could reach the pinnacle and take over the esteemed position of Admiral.

With the legendary status of the current Three Admirals as a foundation, coupled with the external pressure of the Marines' top-tier forces being in a transitional period, Ron, who had "fallen from the sky" at this moment, possessing the "strongest Logia" Rumble-Rumble Fruit, with a clean background and nowhere to go, naturally became a candidate worth trying.

Even if they took a step back and considered that Ron's talent was limited and his future achievements wouldn't be high, just relying on the innate advantage of the Rumble-Rumble Fruit, he could suppress a whole sea area if released! It would also eliminate the possibility of Ron becoming a pirate and reduce the threat... so recruiting Ron was a win-win for the Marines!

However, a problem arose: Ron didn't want to become a Marine.

It had nothing to do with the troublesome Celestial Dragons. Ron was naturally free-spirited and did as he pleased. Once he became a Marine and joined the ranks, it meant accepting military-style management, having restricted movement, and dealing with endless trouble! He hadn't chosen to become a soldier even on Earth, so he naturally had no interest here.

Furthermore, Ron was lazy and disliked carrying any great responsibility. Becoming a Marine meant bearing the name of "Justice," acting righteously on the seas, which was even less to his liking.

To summarize: It was too much trouble!

So, refusal was certain, but considering the gap in strength between them, Ron softened his tone and said tactfully, "Um... Vice Admiral Garp."

"Hmm hmm, I'm here, tell me what you want."

I haven't even agreed to join yet, alright?!

Ten thousand mythical creatures galloped through Ron's mind, showering him with grass.

Taking a deep breath and casting aside all extraneous thoughts, Ron looked earnestly into Garp's eyes: "The world is so big, I want to see it."

Garp: "..."

Traine: "..."

The soldiers eavesdropping around them: "..."

This... is a cultured person!

Refusing so tactfully?

The world is so big, I want to see it...

Why don't you say the sky is so vast, you want to explore it?

Fly into the sky and stand shoulder to shoulder with the sun?

Looking at Ron's sincere eyes, Garp's entire being felt unwell.

If Ron had directly refused, vowing to die rather than comply, he would have had nothing to say. Everyone has their own aspirations, and one cannot be forced. Garp understood this principle and might even have expressed his support. After all, his grandson became a pirate in the future... two of them! He didn't go out to sea to capture them.

He admired and agreed with all individuals who harbored dreams and pursued them!

But Ron's attitude was clearly not that firm. His expression didn't seem to be about having any issues with the Marines, but simply disliking the trouble. This made Garp somewhat unbearable.

Whether it was the Marines or pirates, on this vast sea, there were plenty of people who would risk everything for their dreams. Given the general environment, Garp was very displeased with someone like Ron, who purely disliked trouble and had no grand ambitions.

Especially one point that filled Garp with indignation.

The Rumble-Rumble Fruit, which hadn't appeared in three hundred years, the power of lightning, known as the "strongest," how could it have fallen into the hands of such a lazy, unmotivated scoundrel?

It was a complete waste of talent!

"Iron Fist" Garp was a good person, no doubt, but he was never a pushover. He immediately raised his fist, Armament Haki covering it, swirling and solidifying!

Buzz!

The air vibrated, and a layer of black luster, like armor, covered his hands. A dangerous aura shot straight for Ron's forehead.

Grabbing Ron by the collar, Garp pressed his fist, the size of a sandbag, against the crown of Ron's head. Seeing Ron's eyes, which conveyed "no matter how the wind blows, I remain unmoved," he suddenly...

"Puhahaha!" burst out laughing!

"...You don't want to join! That's fine too!"

"Huh??? That easy?!"

Now it was Ron's turn to be dumbfounded. He had expected Garp to persist or resort to threats of force, just like he treated Luffy. He never imagined Garp would just lay his cards on the table.

"Of course, the Marines aren't pirates or bandits; we don't restrict your personal freedom."

Garp laughed heartily, then his expression turned cold. He barked, "Then... pay up!"

You don't want to join the Marines because it's too much trouble?

Fine, I'll give you some trouble!

I don't believe I can't deal with you!

Gulp!

Ron's eyes widened in disbelief as he stared at Garp.

Did I hear that right?

"Pay up?!"

"That's right, pay up!"

With that, Garp sneered and beckoned, "Hey, you there, calculate the bill for him!"

"Understood!"

Garp's adjutant, Traine, played the role of a loyal lackey at this moment. The documents he had brought earlier were actually prepared for Ron.

He opened the first page, cleared his throat, and said, "Mr. Ron, you dined on this warship. You consumed ten pounds of sea beast meat, five pounds of fruit, and countless grains. Including labor costs and medical expenses, the total is 150,000 Belly..."

150,000 Belly?!

"This is extortion!!! What kind of meat and medicine costs 150,000?!"

As soon as he finished speaking, Ron jumped up, shouting in protest. He admitted that his appetite had grown with his enhanced physique, and he was surprised by how much he ate, but those sea fish he caught were practically worthless!

As for the injuries on his body, they would heal on their own if left untreated!

Seeing Ron about to escape, Garp immediately tightened his grip, pressing him back down.

Traine calmly glanced at him, then lowered his head and continued, "Furthermore, you damaged a Marine warship. The repair costs, plus the soldiers' medical expenses and the psychological damages for everyone on our ship, amount to 500,000 Belly."

"Heh!"

Ron finally understood. These guys had completely thrown all shame aside!

But it wasn't over yet. Traine turned another page. "...According to Marine Regulation Article 157, civilians who intentionally damage a Marine warship, if the circumstances are severe, shall be sentenced to imprisonment of not less than one year and not more than three years, with a fine of 3,000,000 Belly. Mr. Ron, you not only damaged the deck and cabins but also caused us to lose a large amount of food and water, compounding your crime!"

"...In summary, Mr. Ron, you owe us 3,650,000 Belly."

Traine pushed up his non-existent glasses and curved his thin lips into a slight smile, resembling a greedy landlord squeezing a peasant. "Of course, if you choose not to spend three years in jail, it's 2,000,000 Belly per year. For three years, that's 6,000,000. The total comes to 9,650,000 Belly. Now, pay up!"

W...T...F?!

They were openly charging money to buy freedom from jail?!

Ron's eyes widened instantly, and a thought popped into his head.

Are kings and nobles born, or are they made?!

These corrupt officials... it's time to rebel against them!

"What do you say, kid? Don't say I'm bullying you! You know what you did! A debt is a debt, and it must be paid!"

Garp, with his free hand, was digging for a booger. Seeing Ron's constipated expression, the corner of his mouth twitched. "Of course, if you join us, you'll be one of us... As your superior, I'll cover this for you... You're welcome!!"

At this moment, Garp was radiant, a heroic figure full of spirit! If it weren't for the extortion, Ron would have actually believed him!

So, Ron rolled his eyes at Garp's words, a sarcastic smile spreading across his face.

"Heh~ heh~!"

9,650,000 Belly was no small sum. Rounded up, it was ten million, enough for an ordinary civilian to live a lifetime!

Ron didn't really care about the sheer amount. As a Logia user, with a little development of his Devil Fruit ability, he could walk sideways in the first half of the Grand Line.

On the Grand Line, pirates with bounties in the tens of millions were everywhere, like carp crossing a river, countless. Catching a few would be enough to earn ten million easily.

What's more, he could be hired... With the reputation of the Rumble-Rumble Fruit, let alone ten million, someone would even pay a hundred million!

As a last resort, he could also rob and plunder, and set out to sea...

However, he was absolutely, positively sure that he wouldn't get that chance...

Now that he was on Garp's ship, Garp decided where he went. Whether he could encounter pirates and earn bounties was another matter. Just the charge of "damaging a Marine warship" was enough for Garp to legally restrict his freedom and give him no opportunity.

This was a blatant, open scheme!

Therefore, "buying" one's freedom with money was basically impossible.

Seeing Ron's displeasure, Garp didn't want this promising talent to harbor any resentment towards the Marines. His tone softened slightly as he advised, "Actually, joining the Marines isn't all bad... Let me ask you, do you want to become the Pirate King?"

"The Pirate King?"

Gol D. Roger?

Ron stroked his chin, then suddenly spat with a look of utter disdain, "Not interested."