An Ordinary Marine on an Ordinary Island

There were many things in the World Government and the Marines that one simply could not ask about.

Brannew pointed to the last photograph. "This is the latest one. Their ship is flying a pirate flag now. It looks like they've officially formed a pirate crew."

He pushed up his glasses, turned around, and said sternly, "They killed our fellow Marines. That's a provocation against the Marines and an insult to the World Government. We must respond."

After a pause, he looked at the Vice Admirals in the room.

"We're here to decide what bounties to put on them."

The Vice Admirals fell silent.

This was plainly a World Government matter.

And they were supposed to discuss it?

Discuss what?

They didn't know a damn thing!

One of the targets was a Great Swordsman, but he hadn't done anything heinous. A high bounty would make no sense.

A low one would be useless.

They thought for a moment, then raised their heads as one and looked at Sengoku.

Your turn, Sengoku.

Sengoku's mouth twitched under their collective gaze.

He had called them here precisely because this was difficult to handle. What was the point of them all looking at him?

Knowing he couldn't avoid it, Sengoku fixed his eyes on the photographs pinned to the board and spoke.

"Too low, and the government won't be satisfied. Too high, and it won't make sense."

He lowered his head in thought. "Seventy million, then!"

His gaze shifted to Kuina's photograph. "As for the girl, thirty million! That'll make a neat hundred million for their crew."

The Vice Admirals nodded at Sengoku's decision.

With that settled, the crew's starting bounties would total one hundred million.

One hundred million!

No pirate crew had ever had that much placed on its heads as soon as it set sail.

Most of the Vice Admirals were only mildly surprised by the total. It had little to do with them.

The Vice Admirals stationed at branches in the first half of the Grand Line, however, paid closer attention.

Judging by the crew's route, they would reach the Grand Line before long. Their paths might well cross.

Even setting the hundred million aside, it was hard to ignore a crew with a Great Swordsman.

"Oh, right, Fleet Admiral. Since you've decided their bounties, shouldn't you give them epithets too?"

Brannew turned to Sengoku as he spoke.

Do I have to do everything? What are the rest of you here for?

Sengoku took a deep breath and suppressed the urge to say it aloud. "Call the boy Silver Hair and the girl Blue Hair," he said flatly.

Everyone's mouths twitched.

Come on! That's barely any effort at all!

Could you be any more casual about it?

But the dark mood rolling off Sengoku kept them from speaking up.

They stared at the photographs of Kuta and Kuina on the board.

They couldn't help but marvel.

Impressive.

Looks like the Grand Line is about to get lively again!

Ordinary Marines on an Ordinary Island

Kuta and the others had no idea what the Marines were discussing, nor did they need to.

Right now, they were gazing excitedly at the island in the distance.

It was their fourth day since leaving the Gollome Islands.

They had encountered the Crazy Bull Pirates along the way, but that had hardly been entertaining.

For the three days after that, the unchanging sea had bored them senseless. They were like dried-up fish with no dreams left.

Now that an island had finally appeared, it was no wonder they were excited.

After too long at sea, most people who didn't naturally prefer solitude craved a bit of bustle.

That was one reason pirate crews held parties so often.

"According to the map, that island is called Prothius. It's an ordinary island with a Marine Branch."

Kuina held the map as she looked toward the distant coastline.

She didn't get bored aboard the ship. As long as Kuta was there, it made no difference to her where they were.

"A Marine Base?"

Ahua startled instinctively.

They had formed a pirate crew, after all, so they were still somewhat wary of the Marines.

It wasn't that he feared fighting them.

It was the instinctive reaction of a thief running into a police officer.

Then he seemed to remember something. His expression returned to normal, and he puffed out his round belly as he declared,

"Who cares if there's a Marine Base? We don't have bounties. What's there to be afraid of?"

"Exactly! The Marines have no reason to come after us."

A-Tao chimed in.

Kuina gave them a cool glance. "Be careful anyway. It's been days. The Marines have probably issued bounties by now."

"Kuta and I will be fine. I'm more worried you three will get caught and thrown in jail."

"Hey, Kuina! You don't have to look down on us like that!"

A-Luo came up from behind them, shouting.

"Hmm? Got a problem with that?"

"No, no, no..."

When Kuina looked his way, A-Luo hurriedly shook his head and waved his hands in denial.

Damn it. I almost got carried away.

Ahua and A-Tao promptly moved away from A-Luo. They stared straight ahead, wearing expressions that said they had nothing to do with him.

Kuta drew his gaze away from Prothius Island and smiled at Kuina.

"Kuina, if they've issued bounties, they'll only be for you and me. Ahua and the others won't be involved. Don't worry."

The Ahua Trio didn't know whether to be happy about that.

It felt like Kuta had just taken another shot at them.

"Mm... I know."

Kuina looked at Kuta, the corners of her mouth lifting into a smile.

Then she added with a hint of mockery, "Those three couldn't get bounties even if they wanted to!"

The Ahua Trio fumed at her words, but none of them dared say a thing.

When would they finally be able to stand up for themselves?

Before long, the Freedom sailed into the harbor of Prothius Island.

They moored between several fishing boats, furled the sails, dropped anchor, and went ashore.

"Wow..."

"It feels good to have solid ground under my feet!"

Ahua was the first onto the dock. He bounced in place, brimming with excitement.

"Huh... Why are there so few people?"

A-Luo smoked as he looked around.

This wasn't quite what they had imagined.

They had expected a lively island, not one this quiet.

"Maybe everyone's in town."

Kuta glanced casually down the street ahead.

"Hmm?"

Just then, his eyes flicked toward the Marine lookout post on the right.

He paused, then acted as though nothing had happened. Turning to the Ahua Trio, he said, "Kuina and I will check the tavern for information. I'll see if they have any unusual wine, too."

He shook the Wine Gourd in his hand. It made no sound. It seemed to be empty.

He had finished the good wine he had bought at the Baratie long ago.

He hadn't been at sea long, but his drinking capacity had recently shot up.

He wasn't an old drunk yet, though he could certainly be called a young one.

The ordinary rum aboard their ship went down like beer now.

And he simply didn't like its taste.

So he had developed another interest: looking for local wines wherever they stopped.

"Don't worry, Kuta! We have things to do too. You and Kuina go on ahead!"

"Mm. See you later."

The Ahua Trio watched Kuta and Kuina leave, then split up to find what each of them wanted.

Ahua went to buy fresh ingredients and fruit, and to replenish the ship's drinking water.

A-Tao went looking for new ship-repair tools and other supplies they could use at sea.

As for A-Luo...

He had recently taken an interest in guns and wanted to see if he could find a better one.

The gun he used now was something he had picked up from the Krieg Pirates.

It was just an ordinary gun, nothing special.

A few days earlier, he had even complained to Kuta.

Why hadn't Kuta saved him a few of Krieg's good guns?

Now he didn't have a single gun worth showing off.

One by one, Kuta's group entered the town and disappeared down its streets.

Only then did the Marine hiding in the lookout post to the right of the dock breathe a sigh of relief.

That one glance from Kuta had nearly scared him to death.

After all, not everyone had the courage to face a pirate with a bounty of seventy million Beli.