On the other side of town.
Guided by a sulking and self-reproaching Moke, the trio of Marines took a serious tour of Cocoyasi Town. Their expressions shifted from initial skepticism to calm, and finally, to a touch of genuine shock.
Before them lay vast stretches of paved stone roads—clean, orderly, and well-maintained. Buildings lined the streets, looking uniform, polished, and new.
While it might not compare to the spectacle of Sabaody Archipelago in the Grand Line, everyone knew Sabaody's unique status. To see such clean, wide, and well-organized streets in a small town in the East Blue was nothing short of astonishing.
More importantly, the people walking these streets wore clean clothes and genuine smiles. Their eyes held a spark of hope and expectation for the future—a sight far rarer than the forced luxury of Sabaody.
Cocoyasi had once been just a mundane village in the Conomi Islands, notable only for being within the jurisdiction of the 16th Branch.
Garp frowned, his hand—which had been shoveling snacks into his mouth—pausing mid-air. For some reason, his mind drifted back to the Goa Kingdom.
Specifically, to Windmill Village, the place under his protection and his own hometown. Even with his status as a Hero protecting it, Windmill Village hadn't managed to develop like this.
He quickly resumed his boisterous demeanor, laughing loudly as he crunched on more snacks. "What an interesting fellow! Gahaha!"
Beside him, Tashigi, who was eating with far more decorum than the Vice-Admiral, looked on with a serious expression. "It seems we misjudged Captain Dande. He's a good man!"
To drive out Arlong and Nezumi, and then not only protect the villages but lead them to collective prosperity while sheltering refugees... Tashigi felt a surge of respect. "Truly admirable!"
However, Smoker flicked the ash from his cigar; his voice remains cold. "Foolish. Don't forget, this was all built on funds swindled from Marine Headquarters. And besides..."
He glanced at the vibrant civilians before turning a freezing gaze toward Moke. "The evidence of a Marine Captain colluding with pirates is undeniable. That is a sin that cannot be erased!"
"Hey, you! Bastard!" Moke, already feeling guilty for accidentally leading the Marines here, flared up at the insult to Dande. "I won't let you insult the Boss! Even if we're pirates, we haven't done anything bad! The Boss keeps us on a tight leash!"
"Being a pirate is, in itself, the ultimate evil!"
"You damn Marine—!"
Before the three-meter-tall giant could roll up his sleeves to give Smoker a piece of his mind, a weary voice drifted from behind them.
"Captain Smoker, you must be joking. Do we not know what 'evil' looks like?"
The trio turned to see Udo, the 16th Branch Marine, standing behind them.
"There are about twenty villages in the Conomi Islands. Cocoyasi may be the most developed now, but it started as an ordinary village—and a poor one at that, due to its proximity to Arlong Park," Udo explained as he walked closer.
"I'm from one of those other villages. I watched this island go from a place where people struggled to eat to what it is today."
He shook his head, looking at Smoker. "Under Nezumi and Arlong, everyone struggled just to survive. Adults were taxed 100,000 Berries, and even newborns cost 50,000.
How could a small village produce that much money every month? I remember the despair... until Captain Dande arrived. Things finally got better."
Udo's gaze lingered on Smoker. "As for the military funds from Headquarters, I was the one in charge of those requests. Perhaps the Captain did use some of it initially to ensure we didn't starve, but I guarantee every Berry since then has gone into Marine construction.
As for the development of the Conomi Islands... a single East Blue branch couldn't possibly squeeze enough funding from Headquarters to pay for all of this."
Smoker went silent. As a fellow Captain stationed in the East Blue, he knew Udo was telling the truth. Headquarters focused its resources on the Grand Line and the New World. The "Weakest Sea" received crumbs.
Still, Smoker narrowed his eyes. "That doesn't justify colluding with pirates. I'll hold off on the arrest for now, but your Captain owes me an explanation."
Udo suddenly looked away, his eyes wandering toward the sky. "Pirates? We haven't colluded with any pirates. The 16th Branch has no idea who the Moke Pirates are."
Moke seemed to have a sudden spark of intelligence. He followed Udo's lead, whistling at the clouds. "That's right! I don't know any 'Boss'! I'm the Captain of the Moke Pirates. Why would I know a Marine?"
"..."
The group stared at Moke in dead silence. Does this idiot know how obvious he's being?
Smoker's brow twitched. He gripped his specialized Jitte, feeling personally insulted. "Do you take me for a fool?"
The evidence was literally standing in front of him, and they were lying to his face. Just as he was about to show them exactly how "foolish" he was, Garp stepped in.
"Easy, Smoker-boy." Garp dusted the crumbs from his hands, seemingly unbothered by the blatant lies. He looked at Udo with a piercing, meaningful gaze. "We've seen enough for now. It's time to have a proper chat with that Captain of yours. I want to see exactly how he plans to convince me."
Udo sighed internally. The situation had moved beyond his pay grade. He stepped aside and gestured toward a nearby imposing white building. "This way. The Captain is waiting for you."
Led by Udo, the trio—plus a huffing Moke—entered the headquarters. Before Udo could announce them, Garp barged in, his booming voice echoing through the halls.
"Gahaha! Dande kid, I'm here! Have you thought of a good excuse yet?"
They walked into the office to find Dande sitting behind a large central desk. He wore his white uniform with the black fur coat draped over his shoulders, his fingers steepled in front of his face. Beside him stood Nami, looking tense.
Dande let out a slow sigh and looked directly at the legendary Vice-Admiral. His voice was grave and official.
"Vice-Admiral Garp, we have received a report. It appears your grandson has officially gone out to sea to become a pirate."
The room went cold.
Udo and Moke: !!! Smoker and Tashigi: ?! Garp (mid-nose-pick): ...
The laughter on Garp's face froze instantly. He stared at Dande with a darkening expression.
This kid... isn't playing by the rules at all.
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