"Damn it… damn it!"
Back in the infirmary the next day, Kanira snarled, bandages wrapped around his head like a turban.
White Ghost really had dared to lay hands on him.
He paced back and forth until his stitched scalp throbbed, then rounded on his two subordinates.
"You two."
"Go to the Bartolo Family."
"Tell them this…"
"As long as they cooperate with me, I'll let them rule Loguetown's underworld."
"Completely."
"Y-yes, sir…"
At the Bartolo casino, on the second floor, Granny Tom listened to them quietly.
"What you're offering does sound very tempting," she said calmly.
"But this old woman refuses."
"What?!"
"You old hag, don't push it!"
"First you refuse to follow orders, now you dare refuse our kindness?!"
Used to swaggering behind Kanira's back, the two lackeys snapped the moment someone beneath them said no.
Granny Tom's expression didn't change.
"Heheh."
"I might be old…"
"But I can still tell which way the wind is blowing."
"Now."
"Off with you, gentlemen."
Their faces darkened.
"Fine, fine!"
"Just you wait, Bartolo Family!"
"You're as good as dead!"
Granny Tom's gaze turned cold.
"If you keep flapping those lips…"
"This old woman won't mind teaching you a lesson herself."
The two exchanged a look, then glanced at the shadows where Bartolo Family toughs were lurking.
They knew they didn't have what it took to push this any further.
They stomped out, grumbling.
"Granny, why didn't we work with that Kanira guy?"Bartolomeo frowned.
"Wouldn't that be a good chance to get back at that bastard from the other day?"
Granny Tom watched the door swing shut.
"You're still too young."
"Once you've lived as long as I have, you'll understand."
She leaned back with a sigh.
"Yesterday's mess has already spread."
"White Ghost stomped that brat's head into the training field in the base itself."
"And he walked away without anyone saying a word."
"That means he's not afraid of the consequences."
Her eyes narrowed.
"And then that fool tells me…"
"In a little while, some investigator will come from Headquarters."
"And all we have to do is give testimony."
"And he'll 'bring down' White Ghost."
"Hah."
"Dream on."
"Bet he didn't bother looking at that kid's face."
"Or his attitude."
"Or the fact he didn't look the slightest bit nervous."
She smirked.
"So long as we don't go too far, the underground of Loguetown belongs to us, with or without some petty little climber."
"Alright, Bartolomeo. Go on."
Bartolomeo still looked unhappy but obeyed.
"Yes, Granny…"
He turned and stomped downstairs.
Granny Tom's gaze shifted.
"Dezaya."
Dezaya straightened.
"Yes, Granny?"
"There is something I need you to do."
"Go pay White Ghost a visit."
"Tell him what just happened."
"Granny…?"
Granny Tom waved her off.
"No need to say anything more. Just do as I say, Dezaya."
"…Yes."
"Someone's looking for me?"
Jin was mid–weighted push-up when one of his men jogged over, panting.
He arched a brow.
"Who?"
"Heheh, Boss—it's a chick," the Marine said, leering.
Jin kicked him in the side.
"Get lost."
"You perverts think about nothing but filth all day."
The Marine clutched his ribs.
"White Boss, we perverts were raised by you!"
He stuck his neck out, unconvinced.
Jin kicked him again.
"Scram."
He hopped off the ground, grabbed a towel, and ambled toward the base gate.
Behind a rock just outside the base, Dezaya was pacing back and forth, clutching her dress.
"What do I do, what do I do, I'm actually going to see that man…"
Ever since that day she'd seen him up close, his face kept popping into her mind.
His eyes, the scars, the lazy grin, the absurdly perfect muscles.
"Uuuu, so embarrassing!"
Her cheeks burned.
I'm still a kid… I can't be thinking about stuff like that…
At least wait until you're grown up, Dezaya!
She took a deep breath, slapped her hot face with both hands.
"Calm down. Calm down!"
She raised her head.
And saw him.
Squatting casually on top of the rock she'd been hiding behind.
Bare-chested from training, tanned skin tight over streamlined muscle, gloved hand dangling from his knee.
His eyes met hers.
Dezaya froze.
Her mind went blank.
He's even more handsome up close…
Her eyes followed the smooth lines of his torso down to the faintly defined V at his waist.
Then back up again.
Jin's expression turned… complicated.
The way the little girl was staring at him…
That was the look of a full-fledged pervert.
"Hey."
"You done staring yet?"
"Eek!"
Dezaya yelped and spun around, back to him, face burning so hot it felt like steam might rise off it.
She couldn't even raise her head.
Jin hopped down off the rock, towel slung over his shoulder.
"Alright."
"What did you need me for?"
Dezaya sucked in air.
"Inhale… exhale…"
"Granny… told me…"
"Told me to tell you… that… th-that… someone's going to make a move against you…"
She stumbled over the words, voice barely above a whisper.
Jin thought for a moment.
"Someone going to make a move on me…"
"Kanira, that useless thing?"
He snorted.
"Let him come."
"Easier to solve everything at once."
He stretched his shoulders.
"Got it."
"Go back and tell the old lady this."
"As long as they don't cross the line, I won't meddle."
"O-okay…"
She shuffled her feet.
Jin squinted at her.
"You look like you've still got something to say."
"Th-that…"
Dezaya's whole face went scarlet.
"Granny said… she wants me to… to… talk to you often…"
"Get close to you…"
"Become familiar…"
Jin clicked his tongue.
That old woman thinks too far ahead…
"Go back and tell her I understand her meaning."
"But you're too young."
"I'm not interested."
He turned around and walked back toward the base, leaving a stunned Dezaya rooted to the spot.
"Too young…"
"Not interested…"
His words echoed in her head.
"…That bastard…"
"So what if you're handsome?!"
"I'm not that small! Bastard! Total bastard!!"
She cursed him out for a while, then trudged home, shoulders slumped.
Bartolomeo saw Dezaya's dejected face and immediately exploded.
"Dezaya, what happened?!"
"Did that jerk bully you again?!"
"I'm going to kill him!"
"STOP, Bartolomeo!"
Granny Tom's cane smacked the floor.
He froze.
"Granny…"
Granny Tom ignored him for the moment and focused on Dezaya.
"Well?"
"What happened?"
Dezaya twisted her hands together.
"I told him what you asked, Granny. He said he understood your intentions."
"He got it that fast?" Granny Tom nodded slowly. "That's good. Then why the long face?"
At that, Dezaya's eyes filled with tears again.
"He said…"
"He said I'm too small…"
"He's not interested…"
"Uuu… Granny, isn't that bullying…?"
Granny Tom's mouth opened.
Then shut again.
Right.
Her granddaughter was fourteen.
She hadn't thought that far through, apparently.
"Ahh…"
"I really am getting old."
Marine Headquarters, Marineford.
Sengoku flipped through the report in front of him, frowning.
"Tsuru, what do you think?"
The old strategist glanced over the file and nodded slightly.
"It's a reasonable approach."
"Even if you arrest and wipe out all of them, the problem doesn't go away."
"Leaving one controllable force in place is sometimes better."
"Just like the Shichibukai system the World Government forced through."
Sengoku snorted.
"Tch. Shichibukai."
Just thinking about it made his ulcer ache.
That whole system was a slap in the face to everything the Marines had worked for. The complaints from officers—especially Akainu's camp—had never really stopped.
He rubbed his temples.
"So how do we 'handle' this?"
"The complaint made it all the way here. We can't just throw it out."
Tsuru folded her hands.
"Send a couple of officers to go through the motions."
"Too harsh, and it will backfire."
"And that kid isn't one to quietly accept being pushed."
Sengoku slammed his palm on the desk.
"Damn brat."
"Can't even clean up his own messes."
"Always making HQ come in with a broom and bucket after he's had his fun."
He thought for a bit, then sighed.
"Fine."
"Send Gion and Tokikake."
"Have them 'investigate' the matter."
"And while they're there, they're to bring him back to HQ by force if necessary."
"It's already been two years since we first told him to report in."
"If he drags his feet any more, he'll be flirting with insubordination."
Tsuru smiled faintly.
"Yes."
"He's not stupid."
"He won't cross that line."
She paused.
"And who takes over Loguetown afterward?"
"We can't send anyone too weak. They won't be able to hold the line against the pirates."
"Colonel Mao filed for retirement two years ago."
"He would've stepped down already if Jin had accepted the post."
"He's just been waiting on us."
Sengoku held his stomach.
"Damn it…"
"How does trouble keep piling up like this…"
Loguetown had its own particular significance.
He brooded for a bit, then said:
"Send Smoker."
Tsuru's eyes brightened with recognition.
"Colonel Smoker?"
"The Logia user, Smoke-Smoke Fruit?"
Sengoku nodded.
"Mm."
"The Smoke Fruit has limited potential, but it's still a Logia."
"He's worth cultivating."
"And in the East Blue, a Logia user should be enough to frighten most pirates into staying in line."
He grimaced.
"But he's another troublemaker."
"Talks back to superiors, ignores orders, does things his own way…"
He slammed the file shut.
"Damn it!"
"Are all East Blue people like this?!"
"First it was that old bastard Garp."
"Then his son, Dragon."
"Now there's Jin and Smoker!"
"Does the whole sea have a screw loose?!"
The office door suddenly banged open.
"HAHAHAHA!"
"War-sengoku, I heard you were talking bad about me behind my back!"
Garp's booming laugh filled the room as he strolled in, digging at his nose.
Sengoku's face went dark.
"How many times have I told you?"
"This is my office."
"STOP kicking the damn door open."
Garp waved his hand.
"Don't sweat the small stuff, Sengoku."
"A door's meant to be opened, isn't it?"
"At least you could open it gently!" Sengoku yelled.
"Idiot!"
Garp just plopped down on the sofa and stretched.
"Anyway, don't change the subject."
"I definitely heard you badmouthing me."
"That's a serious offense."
"Take out your stash of senbei and I'll forgive you, hahahaha!"
Sengoku's forehead vein throbbed.
"Get lost, Garp!"
"Go stuff your face with donuts and leave my senbei alone!"
"No can do, Sengoku," Garp said with total sincerity.
"You talked trash, you pay up."
Sengoku stared.
Garp stared back, eyes full of righteous conviction.
"…You bastard…"
In the end, Sengoku wilted.
They'd been comrades for decades. He knew this idiot too well.
If he didn't pay the "fine," Garp would never stop bothering him.
He yanked open a drawer, grabbed a packet of senbei, and threw it at his face.
"Take it and GET OUT."
Garp plucked it from the air, tore it open, and took a huge crunchy bite.
"Ahhh, that hits the spot."
"Shut up and chew," Sengoku muttered.
Tsuru cleared her throat.
"Now that that's settled…"
"It's decided, then."
"Gion and Tokikake go to Loguetown, tidy things up, and escort that kid back here."
Garp munched noisily as he skimmed the report on Jin.
"White brat, huh… Haven't seen him in a year."
He grinned.
"Hahaha…"
"He's growing fast."
"I tested him when I swung by the East Blue last time."
"His improvement isn't normal."
Sengoku glanced over.
"Oh?"
"How strong do you think he is now?"
Garp chomped down another senbei.
Crunch.
"Mm…"
"About on par with an elite Vice Admiral, I'd say."
He said it casually.
But his eyes were serious.
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