East Blue, Marine Branch 16.
The newly appointed base commander, Colonel Mouse, had been in unusually high spirits lately.
That "Don" he'd stumbled upon by accident had, after being reported up the chain, unexpectedly brought him far more credit than he could have imagined.
The stronger Don revealed himself to be, the greater the merit for being the first to discover him.
And yet, for Colonel Mouse, it was both pain and pleasure. Unlike those ambitious Marines who dreamed only of climbing higher, he had no such desires. He didn't want to leave the East Blue branch, nor did he want to transfer to Marine Headquarters.
Life was safer here. After all, the pirates of the East Blue were weak.
Promotion to Headquarters meant more battles at sea, more clashes with pirates. Yes, rank would rise faster there—but so would the odds of an early grave.
Remaining base commander in the East Blue was ideal. A safe, cushy post. At worst, he'd occasionally set sail on patrols, swoop down on a small-time pirate worth a few million berries, and return triumphant.
A life far too easy to complain about.
"Still… who would've thought?"
Mouse muttered to himself, thinking of the reports he'd read in the papers.
An Admiral of Headquarters—an untouchable figure, as far as he was concerned. And yet Don had actually crossed swords with not just one Admiral, but two.
Every time he recalled that detail, he felt a sense of disbelief, as if the whole thing couldn't possibly be real.
"Base Commander!"
A soldier's shout outside his office door startled him, snapping him out of his thoughts.
He looked up, scowling—then froze.
Wait. This scene felt… familiar.
"Hold on!"
Mouse raised his hand sharply, cutting the soldier off before he could continue.
"Don't tell me… Pirate Hunter Don is here again?"
His tone was odd. And as soon as he said it, he realized how ridiculous it sounded. He was being paranoid.
Hadn't the last report said Don was wreaking havoc in the North Blue, destroying entire islands?
"Uh… the base commander is truly wise. It really is Pirate Hunter Don."
The soldier's eyes sparkled with awe, as though Mouse had seen it all from behind his desk.
Colonel Mouse went rigid.
What? He's really here?!
"B–Base Commander?"
The soldier eyed him nervously as Mouse's face shifted from pale to flushed, back and forth.
"Ahem. Where is he?"
Mouse forced calm into his voice, though unease gnawed at his gut.
The last few times Don had come, he'd simply dropped off captured pirates for their bounties. But after the chaos Don had stirred up on this last voyage, Mouse wasn't so sure anymore.
"At the tavern, sir. He asked to see you. Shall I bring him here?"
The soldier gave a cautious suggestion.
"No! Absolutely not!"
Mouse blurted, waving his hands frantically. Realizing how odd he sounded, he coughed twice, adjusting his tone.
"Ahem. As it happens, I've been meaning to stretch my legs. I'll… go meet him myself."
Straightening his uniform, Mouse slipped his den-den mushi into his pocket, then strode out with a small entourage.
At the tavern in town, the owner, old Komodo, eyed Don with no small amount of trepidation.
As a tavern keeper, he was always tuned to rumors, and he'd made a habit of gathering as much information as he could. By chance, he'd seen reports about Don, and more than once had boasted of knowing him to his customers.
After all, Don had been here several times before.
For Komodo, being able to say he'd served someone of Don's stature was a prized piece of tavern gossip.
But he never expected the young man—gone so long—to suddenly reappear in his bar.
Now, the once-rowdy tavern was utterly silent.
The loudmouths who usually filled the air with drunken boasting were like parrots with their throats clutched tight, all staring nervously at the two figures seated at the counter.
Of course, all eyes were fixed on Don.
"I shouldn't be seen by Marines."
Robin murmured quietly beside him.
Even with Don at her side, her identity was too dangerous to reveal. He might be able to handle trouble, but avoiding it altogether was better.
Behind the bar, Komodo busied himself with polishing glasses, as though he'd heard nothing.
"It's fine. This base commander—Mouse—he's greedy, but smart enough. And right now, I don't much care about a little trouble."
Don met Robin's worried glance with a reassuring look.
"The bounty?" she asked.
"If the Marines want to issue one, let them," Don replied lightly.
Robin said no more. Silence hung until the sound of boots echoed outside. A squad of Marines halted at the tavern door. Alone, Colonel Mouse entered, his "Justice" cloak draped stiffly across his shoulders.
At once, the tavern's remaining patrons scurried away, vanishing like rats at the scent of danger.
Komodo nearly wept.
Those bastards—they'd used the chance to drink for free!
Not that he dared show his thoughts on his face.
"Mr. Don!"
Mouse snapped into a crisp salute, his face arranged into righteous solemnity. Unfortunately, his weaselly features betrayed him; no amount of posture could wash away his innate shadiness.
"Colonel Mouse. Have there been any pirate disturbances in the nearby islands?"
Don turned slightly, his smile easy but his eyes sharp.
Mouse's heart lurched. He shook his head at once.
"No, none at all! Absolutely none!"
He recalled Don's last visit, when the young man had returned with Garp. Don had told him then: don't let pirates rampage in these waters.
Mouse had taken those words to heart.
Not that he'd had a choice.
He suspected Don had acquaintances on those islands. If anything happened to them, Don would surely pin the blame on him.
And given how Don appeared out of nowhere, who knew when he might come back? If he returned to find those "acquaintances" harmed by pirates, and held Mouse responsible… that would spell disaster.
"Not just the nearby islands. If any pirate dares enter Branch 16's waters, I personally set sail to eradicate them!"
Mouse declared with false bravado, back ramrod straight.
"Good."
Don nodded, his tone warm, approving.
The words struck Mouse like praise from a superior. For a moment, he almost felt proud.
"I'm only passing through this time. Since we've met before, I thought I'd pay you a visit."
Don's smile was calm, almost casual.
"You honor us, Mr. Don. Branch 16 will always welcome your presence."
Relief spread through Mouse's chest like a wave.
"Of course, there is… one small favor I must ask."
Don's eyes flickered, his voice easy, but the words made Mouse's gut twist.
"I'm preparing to head into the Grand Line. Trouble is, I don't have the funds. So, I thought I'd borrow a bit from you. Don't worry—nothing too large. Ten million berries should do."
END OF CHAPTER
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