Under Nami's arrangements, the remnants of Krieg's wealth were thoroughly plundered.
More than five thousand men and over fifty pirate ships had been routed by a few slashes from Hawkeye. Only a little over three hundred men had escaped, crammed aboard a few battered ships.
Countless treasures, pirates, and ships had sunk beneath the sea, never to see daylight again. Countless more had died during the escape. That was the pirate world—cruel beyond measure.
Adventure and excitement existed only in anime. This was the real pirate world, where death lurked everywhere!
What surprised Moya slightly was that Gin had actually been nursed back to life by Kaya, whose medical skills were barely passable. The people in the One Piece world really did have freakish vitality.
Krieg, Pearl the Invincible, and Ghost Man Gin had all had their memories of being pirates wiped by Moya. They had submitted to the Moya Adventure Group and become its squad leaders.
Moya was becoming more and more proficient in using the Slip-Slip Fruit's Memory Sliding Technique. He could now slide through memories in chronological order. As long as he moved from recent memories to older ones, he wouldn't cause memory confusion—at worst, he would leave someone with amnesia.
It suddenly occurred to him that Kuro had died a bit unfairly.
It was your own fault for not having Buggy's Conqueror's Haki-level luck, and for appearing a little too early. Moya hadn't yet mastered the Slip-Slip Fruit.
They also donned cloaks and masks. After all, they had been enemies just moments ago, and it would take time for them to blend into the group.
As for the surviving underlings from the Krieg Pirates, Moya recruited every last one of them.
They had survived Hawkeye's pursuit through the Grand Line, crossed the Calm Belt, and made it safely back to East Blue. With only a little over three hundred of five thousand surviving, they had to have at least some luck and ability.
Moya didn't want to wipe them all out, either. He needed some cannon fodder. He would see how many of these elite cannon fodder managed to survive in the end.
The few battered ships left in Krieg's fleet could be dismantled, repaired, and patched up to make three seaworthy ships.
By then, the Moya Adventure Group had more than four hundred people and seven pirate ships. In East Blue, they had already become a force to be reckoned with.
Iron Fist Fullbody was released. Before he left, though, Moya made a small move: he bribed and threatened him, and explained the nature of the Moya Adventure Group.
"Ring, ring~"
"Hello, this is the Loguetown Marine Branch in East Blue. How can I help you?"
"This is Fullbody, a lieutenant in Marine Headquarters. I'm currently patrolling East Blue, where I've encountered a force that claims not to be pirates, calling itself the Moya Adventure Group.
"The largest pirate fleet in East Blue, the Krieg Pirates, was defeated by them. They also destroyed the Alvida Pirates, the Buggy Pirates, and the Black Cat Pirates.
"Please report this to Captain Smoker."
"Is that true? All right, I'll report it to Captain Smoker immediately!"
"Captain Smoker, according to Lieutenant Fullbody of Marine Headquarters, the Krieg pirate fleet in East Blue was defeated by a non-pirate force called the Moya Adventure Group!
"They also destroyed the Alvida Pirates, the Buggy Pirates, and the Black Cat Pirates," the messenger reported in a rush.
"The Moya Adventure Group?"
"Could they be a new pirate-hunting force in East Blue?"
The cute girl beside him, Tashigi, offered her analysis.
"Send out scouts and investigate this Moya Adventure Group!"
Smoker ordered.
"Yes, Captain!"
"I hope they aren't despicable pirates in disguise!"
Elsewhere.
"I just hope they don't mistake me for a pirate."
Moya muttered to himself. There were too many former pirates aboard his ship, so all he could do was hope they wouldn't be exposed too soon. He needed more time to grow stronger!
After having Fullbody pass the information to Smoker, Moya made every former pirate crew member with a bounty put on a mask and cloak, delaying their exposure.
The Moya Adventure Group stayed where they were to repair and refit their ships, while "educating" the former Krieg Pirates crew members and turning them into members of the group.
Just like in the original story, Zeff had seen Sanji's longing to go out to sea and was determined to send him on his way.
He wanted Sanji to fulfill their shared dream: finding the "All Blue," where the ingredients of the Four Blues converged.
Zeff had considered having Sanji join Moya's ship, since he saw the Moya Adventure Group's potential.
But Moya didn't want to take on a pervert like Sanji and have him getting on his nerves every day, so he turned down Zeff's hint.
In the end, Sanji still joined Luffy's ship. The Straw Hat trio was now complete: captain Luffy, swordsman and combatant Zoro, and cook Sanji.
They also had sniper Usopp, as well as Yosaku and Johnny serving as navigator and deckhands.
That night, they held a banquet.
"Moya, your crew's great, but mine's no slouch, either. We're taking the elite route. Sooner or later, we'll become stronger than you! I'm the man who'll become the Pirate King! Hahaha!"
Luffy said to Moya as he stuffed his face with meat.
"Luffy, you should be glad my dream isn't to become the Pirate King. Otherwise, you'd never have a chance, hahaha!"
After a few drinks, Moya was getting carried away. Was I really afraid of some native of this world?
"Exactly! It's because our captain doesn't want to compete with you. But Straw Hat Luffy, you're so weak—how could you ever become the Pirate King?"
Buggy, who had taken off his mask, said to Luffy in annoyance.
"Haha, I'll definitely get stronger! I'm going to become the Pirate King!"
Buggy couldn't be bothered arguing with someone so single-minded. He turned to Moya and asked, "Captain, what's your dream?"
Everyone immediately looked over. They all hoped their captain had a grand ambition, and they watched Moya expectantly—including Nami and Kaya...
"Me? Heh, I just want to survive. It's as simple as that."
"Huh??" Everyone was stunned.
"Captain, we've already defeated the Krieg Pirates, one of the strongest crews in East Blue. Why is your dream still so simple?"
"All right, my dream is to survive—and to live until I'm the strongest, strong enough that no one can threaten me."
Moya gazed at the night sky and murmured. And, while I'm at it, I'll take revenge on the people aboard that ship.
"Become the strongest?" El Drago still didn't understand.
Buggy fell silent. He suddenly realized that becoming the strongest sounded impossibly difficult. There were too many powerful people in the world.
"You haven't seen the world beyond this place. You don't know how powerful the strong are."
Moya sighed.
"Then I'll give you all a lesson on the Grand Line!"
Moya perked up and began.
"We know a little. The Grand Line has seven incredibly powerful pirates, the Shichibukai under the World Government."
Yosaku and Johnny spoke gravely.
"Looks like you two know a tiny bit, after all."
"That's right. The current balance of the world rests on the Four Emperors, the Marines, and the Shichibukai. And then there's Cipher Pol, the World Government's spies, who are everywhere, and the mysterious Revolutionary Army."
"The weather on the Grand Line is also unpredictable. Countless pirates have died in its harsh conditions."
"Big Brother Moya, how do you compare to the Shichibukai and the Four Emperors?"
Rika asked adorably.
Looking at Rika, who admired him, Moya could only shake his head in dismay.
"There's no comparison. Every one of them has the power to destroy an island."
"Is it really that terrifying, Big Brother Moya?" Rika asked fearfully. Everyone else was just as shocked.
"But I'll become as strong as they are someday! Believe me!"
"I believe you, Big Brother Moya. You'll definitely become the strongest!"
"We believe in you too, Captain!"
The Moya Pirates' officers and squad leaders spoke up one after another.
"For everyone's sake, I'll work hard to get stronger!" Moya said firmly.
"Our captain is the best!"
"Big Brother Moya is the greatest!"
"I'll get stronger too!" Luffy joined in the cheering.
"Haha, let's all get stronger together!" Moya said, wrapping one arm around Rika and raising Nami's hand with the other.
The banquet ended, and everyone returned to their ships...
Before you continue