Setting Out

He stood there for a long time before he finally heard things quiet down inside the house.

Then he knocked on the door. "Is Captain Ener in?"

"???"

Ener opened the door with a puzzled look because he had never heard this voice before.

The moment he saw the visitor, Ener froze in place. The person standing there completely exceeded his expectations.

A suit, a fedora, and a Marine's justice coat.

Wasn't this guy Garp's adjutant, Bogard?

Why had he come to the East Blue?

And why would he specifically come to find a mere captain like him?

"Who is it..."

Lina walked out swaying her hips, her face still flushed with the tender afterglow of pleasure.

The moment Bogard saw Lina, he was struck by her stunning looks. Then, when he looked back at Ener, his expression turned somewhat peculiar. "You sure have quite the way with women, kid."

With that, he handed the box in his hand to Ener. "Your father asked me to bring this to you."

Ener took the box and opened it. A Devil Fruit was resting right inside.

"Many thanks, Rear Admiral Bogard!"

Bogard waved a hand. "I owed your father a favor, and now we're even."

He turned and left right after, as his status really made it inappropriate for him to have too much involvement with Ener. This time, he had simply come to the East Blue with Garp to see his grandson.

That was also why Burns had sought him out.

Was there anyone whose identity was safer and more reassuring than his?

Who would dare try to rob Vice Admiral Garp's warship?

"This is..." Lina was no fool; something that could be brought over specially by a Marine rear admiral was definitely no ordinary item. She already had a guess in her heart.

She was so excited she felt like she could fly.

Ener handed the Devil Fruit over. "This is the Zoan-type Cat-Cat Fruit, Model: White Tiger. It was originally prepared for my father, but now I'm giving it to you."

Lina stood on tiptoes and took the initiative to plant a French wet kiss on Ener.

They only parted when she was a little out of breath.

Then Lina ate the Devil Fruit right then and there. She closed her eyes and carefully felt the sensation.

Immediately after, fur began to grow rapidly all over her body, transforming her into a giant white tiger. Finally, she shifted into her hybrid human-beast form!

With a single burst of strength from her legs, her entire figure shot forward explosively.

"Boom..."

Rushing out of the room, she slammed a punch into a half-meter-wide tree in the courtyard. With the immense power behind the blow, the tree snapped right in half.

One could see just how massive of an enhancement this Zoan-type Cat-Cat Fruit had brought her.

"Sob, sob, sob..."

Lina was stunned for a moment before she burst into tears. Blessed with extraordinarily high talent in swordsmanship, she had nevertheless been restricted by her own physique. No one else could possibly understand that kind of despair.

Ener stepped forward and patted her perky bottom. "Alright, everything is in the past now. Without this weak body of yours holding you back, your swordsmanship will progress by leaps and bounds."

Lina turned around and wrapped her arms around Ener. "Then let me properly repay you, my master..."

Ener slapped away her hand. "Enough... That's it for today! There will be plenty of chances in the future. Right now, go have people move all the supplies we've prepared over these past few days onto our ship."

"Yes!"

Through their time together, Lina had already understood that Ener was a man of his word.

Half an hour later.

Ener stood upon the fearless warship Saber, which now hoisted the Marine flag. Standing behind him were Lina and Gin respectively.

There was also Johnson, along with the fifty men who had originally served under Ener.

There was no helping it.

This ship was simply too big.

With just a few people, it would have been completely impossible to sail it.

At that moment, one of the fifty men stepped out. He held a map of the entire East Blue in his hand. "Captain Ener, where is our destination?"

This man was the only non-commissioned officer among the fifty, and also Sergeant Daniel, the deputy whom Ener had originally assigned to command them.

Ener said, "Syrup Village!"

Daniel checked the map, speaking a moment later. "From Loguetown to Syrup Village, we need to pass through thirteen islands. Given the supplies on our ship, we'll need to restock once along the way... We can choose Buro Island or Black Thorn Island."

He added another sentence after finishing. "Though I suggest we restock at Black Thorn Island."

Ener looked somewhat surprised. "Why?"

Daniel answered, "Because it's one of the most chaotic places in the East Blue, with plenty of pirates. If we want to rack up achievements, it's a great choice."

Ener looked at Daniel and then smiled. "It seems you're looking to get promoted to second lieutenant!"

Daniel didn't hide it either. "I've been stuck at the rank of sergeant for five years now. Your subordinate is already forty-five, and if I don't get promoted now... I'm afraid I'll never have the chance again."

Sigh!

Ener couldn't help letting out a sigh, speaking with some emotion. "Without a background or backing, it's hard to get promoted even if you have achievements."

At this point, he immediately shifted his tone.

"However, starting from now, I am your backing. As long as you produce results, never mind a second lieutenant—even the position of East Blue base commander, I can fight to secure it for you."

"Really?"

Daniel and the fifty Marine soldiers wore faces of shock.

Ener said, "Of course."

Daniel and the fifty Marine soldiers exchanged glances, every single one of them ecstatic. Finally, they raised a military salute to Ener in unison. "We swear to loyally follow Captain Ener unto death."

Ener nodded in satisfaction.

Gin and Lina looked at each other; they had to admit that Ener was not only adept at boosting morale, but he was also exceptionally good at winning people over...

As long as Daniel's rank actually went up afterward, these Marine soldiers would become utterly obedient to Ener and turn into his true confidants.

Ener walked to the bow and waved his hand with an imposing aura. "Set sail."

This time, everyone shouted in unison, "Yes!"

The warship started up and rapidly sped away from the port.

After he left, the figures of Smoker and Bogard slowly emerged from the side.

They gazed in the direction where Ener had left.

Bogard raised an eyebrow. "This little fellow really has quite the commendable strength, just like you said? And he places a great deal of importance on commoners?"

Smoker nodded. "Not only that, but this kid's scheming is also quite formidable. When facing an unfavorable situation, he can immediately think of a way to turn the tables. More importantly, he is decisive in his actions. Once he has an idea, he executes it right away. If he is properly nurtured, he will definitely accomplish great things in the future."

Bogard said, "Interesting... No wonder that fellow Burns went through such painstaking efforts to get him a Devil Fruit. It seems his expectations for him are quite high!"

At the same time, a thought stirred in his heart: placing a great deal of importance on commoners meant he wasn't cut from the same cloth as those guys; perhaps he could try to pull him to their side.

Smoker looked at Bogard then. "Isn't it a bit inappropriate for you to bring him things like that? After all, this guy has ties to the Holy Land."

Bogard replied, "It's fine. I reported it to Fleet Admiral Sengoku and Vice Admiral Garp beforehand. Besides, I just delivered an item. Didn't I... immediately distance myself right after dropping it off? I didn't even give the kid a chance to drag me into anything!"