"Dane."
"Here!"
"Remember, tell Sanji to take Zoro to the 16th Branch."
Hawke instructed seriously. "Then we'll meet up at G-3."
"Ah——???"
A giant question mark popped up in Dane's head.
Sanji… taking Zoro back?
Shouldn't it be the other way around?
But he still replied without hesitation: "Yes!"
Very soon—"Whoosh——"
A small boat slowly set sail from the ocean restaurant Baratie.
"Let's go!"
Zoro put one hand on his hip, the other on the helm, volunteering himself to steer the boat.
"Fuuu——"
Sanji leaned against the rail, lighting a cigarette.
White smoke rings floated out of his mouth, dissipating in the sea breeze.
In his mind, it was all Zeff's grumpy face, and the old man's fake-stern instructions before parting.
He wasn't sure if this path of joining the Marines was really right or wrong.
But first, he had to earn enough bounties to pay off Zeff's wanted poster, so the old man could finally retire in peace.
Only then could he think about ALL BLUE.
"I wonder..."
"In the Marines… are there a lot of beautiful older sisters~"
...
Meanwhile, at Baratie.
On the deck, the chefs were all staring at the small boat sailing away, their faces full of reluctance and worry.
"Boss, that guy Sanji going off to be a Marine, is that really okay?"
"Yeah, with his nasty temper, won't he end up in the brig on his first day?"
Zeff stood up on Baratie's balcony, silent, just quietly watching the little boat shrink into a dot on the horizon.
Only after a long time did he turn back to the chattering chefs behind him.
He didn't answer directly, but asked instead:
"Tell me, how long has it been since pirates came to make trouble at Baratie?"
"..."
The chefs froze instantly.
Yeah!!!
In the past, every so often some dumb pirate would come to dine-and-dash, or cause trouble after drinking too much.
But lately, these past few months—let alone troublemaking—not even the shadow of a pirate had shown up.
"Baratie is the most famous restaurant in the East Blue. Our prices aren't low. It's definitely not a place ordinary commoners can afford."
Zeff continued, "But think again—among the recent customers..."
"How many were simple folk, dressed plainly, coming here for a holiday or anniversary, splurging just once in their lives?"
"..."
The chefs froze again.
It was true. Recently, the restaurant's atmosphere had changed.
Fewer rowdy pirates, more happy families.
A faint smile tugged at Zeff's lips.
"You all…still have a long way to go!"
"Whatever exactly happened in the East Blue…"
He turned back again, looking out at that wide, calm sea, his voice tinged with a trace of emotion.
"This sea… it's already different."
"That brat Sanji joining the Marines—he's got a future!"
...
"...!"
The small boat sailed for a while across the sea before Sanji gradually realized—
Something was wrong.
Very wrong!
He suddenly looked up, checked the sun's position, then the horizon ahead.
This direction… was the complete opposite of where the 16th Branch was!
"Oi!"
Sanji asked, "Moss-head, this the direction to the 16th Branch?"
"Yes!"
Zoro nodded with utter seriousness. "It's this way."
"Yes?!"
Sanji's brows furrowed instantly, glaring at Zoro.
"Yes, your head! You think I can't read a map?!"
"We're going the wrong way!"
"Oh…"
Seeing Sanji's murderous look, Zoro silently corrected the course, muttering under his breath:
"Noisy bastard! It's your fault, messing up my sense of direction!"
"..."
A little later.
Sanji noticed again—they were off-course!
It had just been corrected!
How the hell did this moss-head manage this?!
Sanji crushed out his cigarette in one motion and stormed up to Zoro.
"We're off-course again!"
"No, we're not!"
"!!!"
Staring at Zoro's stubborn face, Sanji suddenly recalled Lieutenant Commander Dane's odd instructions earlier—
Sanji, Hawke told you—make sure you bring Zoro back to the 16th Branch!
Now he understood!
That hadn't been a slip of the tongue at all!!!
"Fuuu——"
Sanji took a deep breath, locked eyes with Zoro, and asked each word slowly:
"Oi, moss-head. You're a road-idiot, aren't you?!"
"Uhh…"
Zoro pulled his hands off the helm, waving them frantically.
"I'm not! I don't! Don't talk nonsense!"
"It's just that this sea route is too complicated!"
"Heh, is there any route calmer than the East Blue?!"
"Move! You super ultra road-idiot!"
Sanji shoved Zoro aside, grabbed the helm, cursing as he corrected the course.
The small boat cut a wide arc on the sea, finally speeding in the right direction.
"Whoosh——"
After some time, the outline of the 16th Branch's base finally came into view.
"Fuuu——"
Sanji let out a long stream of smoke, finally relaxed all over.
They'd finally made it.
Spending time with this moss-head was more exhausting than a whole day in the kitchen swinging a ladle.
It'd be fine if he was just bad with directions, but he was annoyingly confident about it and always insisted on steering.
If not for Sanji's own sense of direction, they'd probably already have drifted into the Grand Line by now.
"Hmph."
Zoro opened his eyes, stood, looked at the distant base, and nodded with satisfaction.
"See? Didn't I say my directions were right?"
Sanji: "Tch!"
...
Meanwhile, inside the 16th Branch, at the dock.
A newly arrived Headquarters Captain saluted Dane.
"Well done, Captain Dane."
"No, I'm still a Lieutenant Commander."
Dane returned the salute, his voice calm.
"Not anymore. Headquarters has already confirmed your promotion. You just haven't received the Captain's uniform yet."
The new Captain, with the sharp aura typical of a hawk-like officer, nevertheless showed deep respect toward Dane.
"Captain Dane, thank you—and Commodore Hawke—for purging the East Blue."
"Now that Captain Smoker has been transferred, Loguetown will also be handed over to a new Headquarters Captain."
"Both I and the new Captain at Loguetown serve directly under Admiral Akainu. Rest assured—this time, Headquarters is fully determined to maintain order in the East Blue."
"Your efforts will not be wasted!"
He paused, his tone even more solemn.
"The Grand Line—we leave to you!"
"Give Commodore Hawke my salute!"
"Clack——!"
Dane saluted once again, then turned toward the soldiers assembled behind him, standing in neat formation.
"Brothers, board the ship!"
"As soon as Zoro and Sanji arrive, we set sail immediately!"
"Yes, sir!"
The soldiers marched in perfect order, boarding the ship efficiently.
Just then, a lookout's voice rang out.
"Report! A small boat approaching! Two men aboard—one blond, one green-haired."
"Ha——"
A faint smile curled Dane's lips.
"They're here!"
"Set sail—G-3 Branch!"
"Yes, sir!"