Goa Kingdom, Port.
A warship flying the Marine flag slowly docked.
Leading the way was a man with a rat-like mustache and a shifty appearance.
It was Captain Rat, of the Marine's 16th Branch.
He weighed the heavy box in his arms, a greedy grin spreading across his face.
five million berries!
Just for disposing of a few brats and a guy of unknown origin at Styx, he would get this huge sum!
The House of Otriluk was truly generous!
"Lads! Get a move on!"
Rat yelled at the lazy Marines behind him.
"The higher-ups have given a death order! A group of heinous criminals is hiding in Mt. Colubo! Our mission this time is to represent justice and completely wipe them out!"
He declared righteously, as if he were truly the embodiment of justice.
"The target is in Mt. Colubo! Now! All hands, move out!"
Rat waved his hand spiritedly, leading his troops in a mighty procession towards Foosha Village.
In his eyes, this was simply a free trip, where he could also pick up immense merit and wealth.
What kind of waves could a few wild kids from the mountains stir up?
However, as his squad passed through Foosha Village and was about to enter the forest path leading to Mt. Colubo...
A tall figure, without any warning, blocked the middle of the road.
It was an old man wearing a floral shirt and a dog-head hat, unceremoniously picking his nose.
"Hey! Old man in front! Get out of the way! Can't you see the Marine is on official business?!"
Rat impatiently yelled, he just wanted to finish the mission quickly and then go back to enjoy fine wine and money.
One of the Marines behind him, upon seeing the old man clearly, instantly drained of all color.
His legs trembling, he shakily leaned close to Rat's ear and shrieked in a mosquito-like voice.
"Ca... Captain Rat... Th... That's..."
"marine hero! 'Iron Fist' Vice Admiral Garp!!!"
"What?!"
Rat's eyeballs nearly popped out of their sockets.
He sharply looked up, scrutinizing the nose-picking old man, and his heart instantly skipped a beat.
It really was him!
The living legend! Marine Hero Garp!
The arrogance on Rat's face instantly vanished without a trace, replaced by extreme fawning and terror.
He rushed forward, bowed ninety degrees, his voice tinged with a sob.
"Vi... Vice Admiral Garp! My deepest apologies! This humble one was blind! I didn't know you were here!"
Garp slowly took his finger out of his nostril, flicked it, and cast an annoyed glance at him.
"Hm? Rat? How did you end up in East Blue?"
"Reporting, Vice Admiral Garp! This humble one was entrusted by a noble of the Goa Kingdom to clear out a group of thugs entrenched in Mt. Colubo!"
Rat straightened his back, trying to appear more reliable.
He thought that bringing up "noble's commission" and "clearing out thugs" would make this legendary Vice Admiral look upon him favorably.
Who knew.
Garp, upon hearing this, his expression instantly changed from annoyance to extreme boredom.
"Oh."
He yawned and waved his hand.
"It's those nobles' tedious affairs again... Alright, alright, don't block this old man's way, this old man still needs to go see his Grandson."
After speaking, Garp, like shooing flies, walked around the stunned Rat and strode off towards Mt. Colubo.
Watching Garp's departing back, Rat felt no disappointment; instead, he became completely exhilarated!
Great news!
Marine Hero Garp was also here! And his destination was also Mt. Colubo!
What did this mean?
It meant his mission this time was absolutely secure! More secure than it could possibly be!
With this living legend holding the fort, let alone some thugs, even a Four Emperors would have to think twice!
"Hahahaha! Heaven helps me!"
Rat roared with laughter in his heart.
He turned around and, lowering his voice triumphantly, spoke to the equally dumbfounded Marines:
"Did you all see that? Vice Admiral Garp is right here! We're just here to claim the credit this time! All of you, perk up! Maybe we can even make an appearance in front of Vice Admiral Garp!"
The Marines, upon hearing this, also looked ecstatic.
Suddenly, the entire squad's morale soared, as if they were about to capture not thugs, but a pile of walking military honors.
They completely failed to notice.
Not far away, at the entrance of the stall named "Dungeon Shop."
A White-haired Youth leaned against the doorframe, holding a cup of hot tea, taking in the scene that had just unfolded.
White Night leaned against the doorframe, holding the cup of tea that was already getting cold.
He watched Rat and his group.
Each of them was hyped up, their wild joy and excitement impossible to hide.
Their demeanor was as if what had fallen from the sky wasn't military honors, but tons of Berries.
"Tsk."
White Night clicked his tongue, his gaze returning to Captain Rat, the leader.
That shifty rat mustache... it looked familiar no matter how he saw it.
"Oh, I remember now."
A strange glint appeared in White Night's eyes.
Isn't this the Marine scum who later entrenched himself in Nami's hometown, Cocoyasi Village, and was allied with Arlong?
How did he end up in this part of Foosha Village?
Or was it... a thought flashed through White Night's mind.
Had his appearance already caused the plot of this world to veer off by a hundred thousand miles?
"Forget it."
"Surely they didn't come all this way just to die, did they?"
White Night shook his head, casting aside these muddled thoughts.
Why think so much?
What does it matter to me?
As long as there's money to be made, that's all that counts.
He slowly drank the last sip of tea from his cup, a warmth sliding into his stomach... At the same time.
Dadan's House.
Boom!!!
A loud bang!
The already dilapidated wooden door directly shattered into a shower of splinters, blasting into the room!
"Dadan—!! I'm home—!!"
A powerful, booming voice, accompanied by a tall figure, appeared at the doorway.
Garp, wearing a floral shirt and a dog-head hat, with his characteristic goofy grin, swaggered in.
"Garp, you bastard—!!!"
The next second, an even more furious roar erupted from inside the house.
Dadan, the bandit leader with a fleshy face, her hair disheveled, jumped up from the floor, brandishing a liquor bottle and roaring at Garp.
"Are you trying to tear down my house?! Every time you come back, you cause destruction! Pay up, you jerk!!"
The other bandits inside had long since cowered in the corner, trembling.
Garp completely ignored Dadan's roar, he picked his nose, walked straight to the center of the room, and plopped down.
"Don't be so stingy, Dadan."
He looked around, frowning.
"Hm? Where are those two little brats, Luffy and Ace?"
"Who knows where they've gone to die!" Dadan fumed, "Ever since they started hanging out with that brat named Sabo, they're gone all day! This house is almost bankrupt because of those three!"
"Oh? Sabo?"
Garp paused, he asked with interest.
"Another one? Hahaha! True to my Grandson, always stirring up trouble!"
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