It wasn’t until Garp had devoured all the remaining food supplies of the sea restaurant that he finally patted his round belly contentedly and fell asleep on the restaurant’s sofa. As it wasn’t urgent, he didn’t bother using Life Return to digest the food quickly.
Forced by Icey’s insistence, Aqua tearfully cleaned up the dishes. Although it had only been half a day since their departure, she already missed Bisuke, the free labor force.
Thankfully, King was there to help.
Icey and Smoker sat down at a clean table.
“Devil Fruit Encyclopedia? It just so happens that among the pirate loot we seized earlier, there was a copy, which I bought out of my own pocket,” Smoker said, lighting a fresh cigar and exhaling thick smoke.
It was unclear whether Smoker, as a Smoke-Smoke Fruit user, was truly smoking or just drawing comfort from it.
“Really? That’s great! To be honest, we’re planning to enter the complex and unpredictable Grand Line, and this will be incredibly helpful,” Icey said, having asked with a hopeful heart, not expecting Smoker actually to have a Devil Fruit Encyclopedia.
“How about this, Smoker? Loguetown is bound to see more Devil Fruit Encyclopedias in the future. You can give me the one you have now, and in return, I’ll handle the repairs and damages to the sea restaurant myself. No need for you to compensate,” Icey proposed.
Smoker’s mouth twitched, internally fuming. It was Garp who caused the damage, yet it sounded as if it was all his fault. The Devil Fruit Encyclopedia was far more valuable than the repair costs. The sheer audacity of this young man was beyond his comprehension!
Yet, Smoker couldn’t bring himself to be as shameless as Icey. Moreover, Icey’s actions, like defeating pirates and rescuing oppressed civilians, were highly just and commendable, especially for removing the corrupt Captain Morgan. Despite knowing this deal was a huge loss, Smoker nodded in agreement, promising to deliver the Devil Fruit Encyclopedia once they reached Loguetown.
Icey, smiling broadly, expressed his gratitude. Another important task was checked off his list. If everything went well, he could soon reopen the wishing pool and acquire powerful upgrades!
…
Under the full power of two Navy warships, the Infinite Dreams sailed swiftly, finally reaching Loguetown, the birthplace of the Pirate King Gol D. Roger, just before sunset. Known as the “Town of Beginnings and Ends,” Loguetown’s port manager waived the docking fee for the Infinite Dreams due to the Navy’s presence. However, Icey insisted on paying as per regulations—after all, they weren’t short on money after defeating Krieg’s pirate fleet.
Following Garp and Smoker, Icey, Aqua, and King stepped into the bustling streets of Loguetown. Despite the setting sun, the streets were still crowded, owing to its proximity to the Grand Line.
On their way to the Navy base to collect their bounty and the encyclopedia, they encountered an unexpected group of pirates.
“Customers! Customers! You can’t leave like this. We are just a small business. Please pay for your meals!” Several waiters in uniforms rushed out from the restaurant, looking anxious.
In front of them was a group of pirates dressed in simple clothes with peculiar and fierce appearances.
“Sha ha ha! Trying to make pirates pay? You lowly species are ridiculous!” The leading pirate looked vicious and violent with a long, spiked nose and a saw-toothed sword on his shoulder.
“You’re lucky I haven’t chopped off your heads to feed the dogs! Get lost while you still can!”
Seeing the waiters about to speak, Arlong’s eyes flashed with irritation. He grabbed his saw-toothed sword and swung it lightly at a nearby fish fry stall.
Boom! The innate strength of a Fishman exploded, shattering the stall and the pavement beneath it.
The crowd scattered in fear, and the fish fry stall owner quickly grabbed his money and fled.
“Ha ha ha!” The Fishman pirates laughed uproariously.
Intimidated by Arlong’s savage gaze, the waiters, now terrified and helpless, retreated. They bumped into Garp, Icey, and the others.
“Captain Smoker! Captain Smoker! Please help us! These Fishman pirates refuse to pay!” The waiters, seeing Smoker, found a glimmer of hope and rushed to him, ignoring Garp and Icey.
To the residents of Loguetown, Smoker was the most influential and respected figure.
“Oh? The Navy? Wait, you are…?” Arlong’s arrogant and wild demeanor vanished when he saw Garp, replaced by cold sweat.
As a former member of Fisher Tiger’s Sun Pirates, Arlong recognized Garp, a top Marine.
“Did the Navy send such a high-level officer knowing we were in East Blue? It seems the Navy Headquarters fears our power…”
Self-satisfied, Arlong grinned, showing sharp teeth. Glancing at his scared comrades, he turned his gaze back to Garp and the others.
“We are part of the crew under Fishman Jinbe, who was just appointed as a Warlord of the Sea! Are you really going to arrest us, a government-recognized ‘legal pirate crew’?”
Despite his intense hatred for humans and extreme arrogance, Arlong was not stupid. Knowing he couldn’t defeat Garp, he invoked Jinbe’s name.
The mention of the Warlord of the Sea and Fishman Jinbe caused the sailors behind Smoker to waver. Jinbe’s appointment was recent news, not yet widely known.
Except for Icey, including Garp, no one present knew that Arlong had actually severed ties with the Fishman Pirates.
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