The East Blue.
Loguetown Marine Base.
Inside Colonel Smoker's office, a low buru buru echoed through the haze of cigar smoke.
Smoker leaned back in his chair, boots propped on his desk, a cigar clamped firmly between his teeth as he glanced toward the Den Den Mushi that had just started ringing.
"Hmm?" he grunted, pulling the snail closer and flipping the receiver. "This is Smoker, Loguetown. Who's calling?" His voice carried that usual rough arrogance, the kind that came naturally to a man used to command.
"This is Sengoku from Marine Headquarters."
Smoker froze for a second. He instantly swung his boots off the desk and sat upright. "Fleet Admiral Sengoku, sir!" he said quickly, though the cigar still hung stubbornly from his mouth.
"Smoker, listen carefully," came the voice on the other end. "The commander of the Sixteenth Marine Branch in East Blue has been killed."
"What?" Smoker's brow furrowed. The weakest of the four seas… and someone had killed a Marine branch commander? That shouldn't even be possible.
"The killer isn't a pirate," Sengoku continued. "She's a bounty hunter."
Smoker blinked. "Not a pirate? A bounty hunter killed a Marine officer?" He slammed a fist against his desk, his cigar bouncing slightly from the impact. "She dares?"
Anger simmered in his gut. Pirates were expected to fight Marines, but bounty hunters? That was spitting on Marine authority.
Sengoku's tone was calm but heavy. "We believe she'll head toward the Grand Line soon. Since Loguetown is the gateway, this falls under your jurisdiction. Observe her movements and if necessary, eliminate her."
"She's a woman?" Smoker asked, surprised.
"Yes. According to witnesses, she wears a black formal outfit, has pale blond hair, and wields a black sword etched with red markings that seems to appear from nowhere. We don't yet know if she's a Devil Fruit user, but it's likely."
Smoker exhaled a thick puff of smoke. "She took down a branch commander in one strike, huh? Sounds like she's strong."
"She is," Sengoku admitted. "But with your Logia abilities, she shouldn't be able to harm you easily. Still, don't underestimate her. There's something strange about her behavior."
Smoker's tone hardened. "Understood. What about her bounty? How much are we posting?"
"None for now," Sengoku said after a pause. "The situation's… complicated. She hasn't harmed civilians or targeted Marines outside of that encounter. Until we know her motive, we hold back."
Smoker frowned, smoke curling from his lips. "So you want me to watch, not fight?"
"Use your judgment," Sengoku replied. "Just be ready."
The line clicked off. Smoker leaned back once more, his gaze drifting to the ceiling. "A bounty hunter with no bounty…" he muttered. "What kind of woman are you?"
The Sixteenth Marine Branch – East Blue
"Come on already! How long does it take to count money?" Ryan Quinn groaned, lying lazily across Nami's lap. The fierce, cold aura she'd carried earlier had melted into one of lazy mischief, her tone soft and petulant.
The surrounding Marines could only stare. Was this really the same woman who had cut down their commanding officer like a scythe through grass?
Now that the fear had faded, they noticed her properly for the first time. Her blond hair caught the sunlight like silk. The black formal dress she wore hugged her figure perfectly, giving her the elegance of a noblewoman. Her face, usually composed in icy calm, now held a teasing warmth that made her seem almost… endearing.
If not for the fact that they'd seen her slice through their captain without hesitation, they might have believed she was a refined lady from some distant kingdom.
One of the Marines finally returned, his arms straining under the weight of several bulging bags. "Here! That's fifty million Berries, all counted, Miss Quinn. Would you like to verify the amount yourself?"
Ryan yawned. "No need."
The next moment, the piles of cash shimmered and vanished, disappearing into her personal inventory space.
The Marines stiffened in collective shock. "She's… she's a Devil Fruit user!" one of them whispered.
Ryan smiled pleasantly, as though she hadn't just murdered their superior and robbed them blind. "Thank you for your cooperation, boys. No need to see us off we'll find our own way out."
And just like that, she grabbed Nami's hand and walked away, leaving the base behind as if it were nothing more than a mild inconvenience.
At Sea – Aboard a Sleek White Yacht
"Money, money… where is it?" Nami muttered, rummaging through every cabinet on the ship. "I've been dying to ask where do you keep it all? I've searched this entire yacht and I can't find a single Berry!"
At the wheel, Ryan smirked, the ocean breeze playing with her golden hair. "Heh. You'll never find it, Nami. Some secrets are best kept."
Nami groaned. "You're impossible."
"By the way," Ryan said casually, "you wouldn't happen to know where the Ocean Restaurant is, would you?"
"The Ocean Restaurant? You mean Baratie?" Nami turned, blinking. "Of course I know it. It's in the Sambas Sea. Why?"
"I'm starving," Ryan said simply.
Nami nearly tripped over herself. "Wait you're not seriously saying you want to go there just to eat, right?"
"Exactly. You're so smart, Nami!"
Nami threw up her hands. "That's two days away! Even if we sail non-stop, you'll die of hunger before we get there. How about we stop at that island instead?" She pointed toward the east. "We can grab a meal there and keep going later."
Ryan shook her head firmly. "No way. I've gone three no, four days without a proper meal. I deserve something good. You said it yourself, Nami, Baratie's food is the best in East Blue."
Nami sighed dramatically. "You're serious, aren't you?"
"Absolutely."
"Fine," Nami said, defeated. "It's that way. But if we get swallowed by a sea king, it's on you."
Ryan grinned and adjusted the helm. "Got it. Now hold on tight I'm going to speed things up a little."
Nami blinked nervously. "Wait what do you mean by a little?"
"Magic release."
A rush of black and crimson energy exploded outward, enveloping the yacht. The once-white hull darkened, strange red patterns crawling across its surface like living veins.
"Destination: Baratie! Full speed ahead!" Ryan shouted.
The yacht roared forward, slicing through the waves at breakneck speed. Nami screamed, instinctively wrapping her arms around Ryan's waist to avoid being thrown off.
But Ryan had already anticipated that. A thin layer of protective magic wrapped around Nami, shielding her from the intense wind and pressure.
Eyes squeezed shut, Nami clung tighter, muttering something that sounded suspiciously like a prayer.
Ryan laughed softly. "Relax, Nami. We'll be there before you know it."
The darkened yacht streaked across the sea, leaving behind a trail of foam and light a blur of black and red against the endless blue, and the sound of Ryan Quinn's carefree laughter echoing over the ocean waves.