'Getting reported for fooling around with a female pirate... what a flimsy pretext.' Dante found the idea almost laughable. And even if the report went through, what would come of it? Compared to his other dealings, this was practically nothing.
Still, it left Dante with a faint sense of regret. Doing business in this world was never as straightforward as it should be.
They'd had such a good thing going, too. 'Why can't everyone just get rich together?' he wondered. 'Why do people always have to get greedy and try to take it all for themselves?'
Of course, Morgan had apparently been a decent Marine once, full of justice and all that. It was Kuro and Jango who'd broken him. Not that it mattered now. Even if Morgan somehow returned to the hot-blooded young man he used to be, would that man go along with Dante's... creative business practices?
So, really, it was better for everyone if Morgan just spent a few quiet years in a cell. Maybe he'd even recover. In any case, his fate was no longer Dante's concern.
After hearing that the East Blue's second most corrupt Marine Base Commander had been taken into custody, Dante didn't give it another thought.
As for Mihawk, he'd lingered for two extra days, but when it became clear there was no more excitement to be had, he finally prepared to leave. Dante made sure to look appropriately regretful about it, if only because a few more days of free instruction would have been nice.
At the docks, Mihawk saw the somber look on Dante's face and felt an unexpected stirring of emotion himself.
'Perhaps he's reluctant to see a rival depart,' he thought. It made a certain kind of sense. The man was a degenerate, but he was also a powerful swordsman, and opponents of their caliber were hard to come by.
Just as Mihawk was about to offer a simple, "See you on the Grand Line," Dante broke the silence.
"You should really get a new boat," he said with a sigh, gesturing to the small, coffin-like vessel bobbing by the pier. "And next time, try not to paddle your way through the Calm Belt with your sword. Someone's going to see you, and people will talk. It's a bad look."
His tone shifted, becoming earnestly persuasive.
"Listen, I know a shipyard that's about to open up right here in the East Blue. They can build anything, including little sailboats just like this one, perfect for a lone traveler."
Dante's eyes lit up as he launched into his pitch. "In fact, they have a model that made me think of you the second I saw it. It's like it was designed for a master swordsman. Don't let the size fool you, it's small but fierce, compact but powerful! It's got a all-inclusive cockpit that makes you feel secure, one with the waves. Gives you incredible handling and stability."
He leaned in, painting a picture with his hands. "Imagine this: piano-black finish, sleek chrome trim, lines as sharp as a drawn blade. It's not just a boat, it's a statement. And the power system is a hybrid, you can row it yourself when you want the exercise, or just kick back and let it sail on its own. Free up your hands, you know?"
"Order now," he said, his voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper, "and they'll throw in a custom paint job, a genuine leather sofa for the cabin, and a small, variable-frequency refrigerator. Free of charge. Down the line, they can even install a fully automated navigation system, so you can truly travel the four seas without a care in the world."
Dante shook his head, as if overcome with the sheer value of it all. "Even I'm tempted, and I've got a whole crew to house. So, what do you say? It's the only way you'll ever shake that 'Dracula' nickname and become a true warrior of the sea!"
When he finally finished, the only response was silence.
Mihawk stared at him. He had actually thought the man was reluctant to part with a rival.
But now he understood. First, he was a free sword instructor, and now Dante was trying to sell him a boat. A boat from a shipyard that he no doubt owned. And as for the 'Dracula' nickname...
He was the one who came up with it in the first place.
'A shipyard that's about to open, huh?' Mihawk thought dryly. 'I'd wager that shipyard belongs to this degenerate captain right here.' And another thing...
"No, thank you," Mihawk said, his voice flat. He pointed out that his little sailboat, the Coffin Boat, was still perfectly functional.
The wind was picking up. He glanced at Dante, who still wore a look of deep disappointment, as if he were about to launch into another sales pitch. Wasting no more time, Mihawk untied the mooring ropes and hopped onto his vessel.
"See you on the Grand Line," he said coolly, and without a backward glance, he steered the small boat away from the docks and out toward the open sea.
Dante watched him go, shaking his head again. "Tsk. Ran off in such a hurry," he muttered to the empty air. "He'll regret it. Next time he orders, there won't be a discount, and he definitely won't get any freebies."
Mihawk was already too far to hear, blissfully unaware of the incredible deal he'd just missed.
Dante shrugged. His loss. After a moment, he turned to head back, planning to check on Kuina. She'd been training in seclusion ever since her lessons with Mihawk, and he was curious to see her progress.
Just then, a familiar sound echoed from his pocket.
*Purupurupuru... Purupurupuru...*
He pulled out his Den Den Mushi and answered. The snail had already morphed, its shell topped with a plume of silver hair and a cigar clamped in its mouth.
Before Dante could say a word, Smoker's gravelly voice came through, cold and direct. "Marine Captain Morgan from the 153rd Branch and his men have been arrested."
"What?" Dante feigned shock. "Old Morgan? Arrested? When did this happen? How come I didn't hear anything? I am sure it's just a misunderstanding, he is an honest Marine!"
"Cut the act, you little punk," the Smoker Den Den Mushi growled, its face contorting into a scowl as if it could see Dante's exaggerated expression. "The man hasn't stopped cursing your name since I brought him in."
Of course, Morgan had been cursing Smoker just as much.
"Don't think I can't guess who reported him," Smoker continued. "But it doesn't matter. The guy had it coming. He's been running Shells Town like his personal piggy bank for years."
"I heard that back in the day, Captain Morgan was a fine Marine full of justice," Dante said with a dramatic sigh, completely ignoring Smoker's accusation. "I never thought another captain in the East Blue would be caught so soon after Nezumi. This must be the work of some righteous citizen he was oppressing! The corruption in the East Blue is just terrible. To think such a high-ranking official was hiding in plain sight. This needs to be dealt with properly."
"..."
'The most corrupt one is you,' Smoker thought, 'and you have the nerve to say that.' He took a long drag from his cigar, letting the thought pass. He hadn't called to debate ethics. "He keeps screaming that he's going to report you," he said, a hint of satisfaction in his tone. "You'd better watch your back."
"Report me? To who?" Dante asked, feigning confusion.
Just then, another voice could be heard faintly from the other side of the line, softer than Smoker's. It sounded like Tashigi.
"Captain Smoker, we just got a call from Marine Headquarters. They said we're to hold Captain Morgan here for now. Vice Admiral Garp is coming personally to escort him back in a few days."
Instantly, the Smoker Den Den Mushi froze. Its expression went completely blank.
After a long pause, it looked up at Dante again, its voice flat and toneless. "It's nothing."
*Clack.*
The line went dead.
Dante put his Den Den Mushi away, shaking his head with a deep sigh. "So corrupt."
--**--**
Meanwhile, on Smoker's ship, the captain hung up the Den Den Mushi and let out a heavy cloud of smoke. His expression was complicated as he walked toward the temporary brig below deck.
Inside, Morgan sat cross-legged on the floor, his one good arm folded over his chest. Smoker paused at the bars for a moment before speaking.
"When I was sent to the East Blue, I heard stories about you," he said simply. "They said you were a real Marine once, full of justice." He flicked the ash from his cigar. "Stop thinking about reporting him. Your crimes aren't as bad as Nezumi's. You'll probably just do a few years."
Morgan looked up, surprised that Smoker was speaking to him, but his expression quickly hardened into a sneer. "In your dreams! Are you scared now? I may be going down, but you're not as clean as you pretend to be. The famous Captain from HQ, upright, incorruptible, a loose cannon for justice. Hah! Who would've thought you were just like the rest."
He spat on the floorboards.
"I might be locked up, but I'll be damned if I let you and that kid off the hook. You think he's safe just because you're protecting him? Do you think I don't know the Hero of the Marines is in the East Blue? I'd bet anything HQ is sending him to escort me back."
He glared at Smoker, a savage grin spreading across his face. "You don't run things here. That kid wanted to take me down with him? Fine. Let's see what happens when we both go down. I refuse to believe the Hero of the Marines can be bought off by scum like you."
Smoker's hand, the one holding the cigar, trembled almost imperceptibly from suppressing his emotions. He looked at the crazed glint in Morgan's eye and finally let out a long, slow sigh. He turned to leave.
"Have it your way," he said flatly over his shoulder, and walked away without another word.
Left alone in his cell, Morgan watched him go, his lip curled in disdain. 'Trying to scare me? Ridiculous. Let's see what you do when the Hero of the Marines gets here.'
A decorated Vice Admiral from HQ... there was no way he was in on it with them.
--**--**
At that same moment, in Foosha Village on Dawn Island...
"Achoo! Hey, Sengoku, what is it? My vacation isn't over, so don't even think about giving me work!"
"You lazy oaf... Relax, it's not work. We received a report a few days ago about a corrupt Marine in the East Blue, taking bribes, colluding with pirates, the works. It's a serious breach of regulations, and I was hoping you could..."
Before the Sengoku Den Den Mushi could finish, Garp, who had been picking his nose, suddenly slapped his thigh. His expression was a mixture of surprise and regret.
"What? That kid got caught already?" Garp exclaimed with genuine regret, before he continued immediately. "Hey, just so we're clear, I had nothing to do with it!"
The Sengoku Den Den Mushi froze, its expression turning to one of pure confusion and suspicion. 'Who the hell are you talking about?'
===============
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