"No… please, no~!"
Hearing that he was going to be thrown into the sea to soak overnight, Buggy, locked inside the cage, burst into tears.
However, suppressed by the Seastone handcuffs, his body was too weak to struggle. All he could do was look at Xayuki with terrified, helpless eyes and stammer, "Please, Marine officer… Even if I was once an apprentice on the Roger Pirates, I don't deserve to die! I was just an apprentice!"
"Just an apprentice?"
Xayuki walked over to his desk, casually flipping through a stack of files until he found the dossier on the Buggy Pirates. He read aloud at a deliberate pace:
"Buggy Pirates, captain Buggy the Clown, bounty: 15 million Belly.
"Since the formation of the Buggy Pirates in the East Blue, they have repeatedly invaded towns, causing numerous civilian casualties. Captain Buggy takes pleasure in tormenting the weak, and many civilians have been tortured to death by him. His crew members, Mohji and Cabaji, are equally vicious pirates…"
At this point, Xayuki tossed the dossier in front of Buggy and said coldly, "Buggy, your execution isn't because you were an apprentice on the Roger Pirates, but because of your own actions. Setting everything else aside, the mere fact that you've murdered civilians is enough for me to pass judgment on you."
"I can tolerate those who vie for supremacy on the seas with other pirate forces, but I will never tolerate criminals who burn, kill, and plunder innocent civilians!"
Before Buggy could argue, Xayuki decisively waved his hand and commanded, "Take him away."
As Binz carried the cage out of the office, Donquixote Doflamingo, who was sitting beside Crocodile, suddenly felt a chill run down his spine.
Although Xayuki hadn't displayed overt aggression during this exchange, the moment he heard Xayuki utter the words "murdering civilians," Doflamingo felt an inexplicable sense of dread.
Crocodile, too, felt a vague sense of unease.
He was currently preparing his Fantasy Land Plan, which involved using the civilians of Alabasta to achieve his ultimate goal. Fortunately, the plan was still in its preparatory stages. If he had already begun executing it, he likely wouldn't have had the chance to sit here today.
"Let's go, everyone."
After watching Binz leave with Buggy, Xayuki turned to the Seven Warlords lounging on the sofa. "It's not too late. Let's head out and enjoy some of Loguetown's cuisine."
Compared to Buggy, who was filled with fear and despair as he was thrown into the sea, Morgan, who had just completed his work handover and was about to accompany the Fleet Admiral to Marine Headquarters, was in high spirits.
After finishing the handover, Morgan enthusiastically led seven or eight of his loyal subordinates from the 153rd Branch out of the base and into Loguetown.
"Morgan-sama, don't forget about us when you get to Headquarters!"
"What are you saying? Morgan isn't that kind of person! For the past three years, every bit of money sent from Headquarters has been distributed among us, and he hasn't kept a single Belly for himself!"
"All I'm saying is, as long as Morgan-sama doesn't abandon us, we'll follow him for life!"
In the lively bar, the officers who had followed Morgan gathered around a central booth, all excited about his upcoming transfer to Headquarters with the Fleet Admiral.
Since it was a celebratory gathering—and with the Fleet Admiral himself in Loguetown—they dared not wear their uniforms. Instead, they donned casual attire, surrounding Morgan in a festive mood.
Morgan, too, was in high spirits. Dressed in a suit, his beaming smile was impossible to suppress.
However, when one of his subordinates mentioned following him for life, Morgan's smile suddenly froze. He turned his head and said solemnly, "Don't talk nonsense. You're not following me—you're following the Fleet Admiral!"
"But the Fleet Admiral is too far out of reach for us!"
Another officer blinked, unabashedly expressing his envy. "If the Fleet Admiral had chosen me back then, I'd be the one going to Headquarters now, not you!"
"Hahaha, you're just jealous!" Morgan laughed heartily. "Don't worry. I promised to take all of you to Headquarters, and I'll keep that promise! Come on, let's drink!"
After everyone raised their glasses and drank, another officer leaned closer to Morgan, asking seriously, "Morgan, can you tell us what kind of person the Fleet Admiral is?"
"What kind of person is the Fleet Admiral?"
Morgan blinked, his smile fading and replaced by a look of reverence. "In my eyes, the Fleet Admiral is like a god!"
"Yes, if gods exist in this world, then the Fleet Admiral must be one of them!"
"Let me tell you something!"
"Back when the Fleet Admiral first came to the 153rd Branch, he foresaw my future and knew what I would encounter. He gave me a warning."
"At first, I didn't fully believe that someone could see so far into the future. But today, after taking down the Black Cat Pirates, I was utterly shocked when I saw their members. Words can't describe the feeling."
"Let me put it this way!"
Morgan grabbed a bottle of liquor from the table, took a swig, and continued with fervent eyes, "If you don't know the Fleet Admiral, you'll simply think of him as a great leader. But once you start to understand him, you'll revere him as I do—as a god."
The moment the word "god" left Morgan's lips, the previously lively bar fell silent.
Suddenly, a group of people stormed into the bar. Before anyone could react, a blond-haired youth jumped onto a sofa and shouted loudly, "Clear out! Everyone get out! This bar is ours for the night!"
As his words echoed, many of the patrons in the booths quickly stood up and scurried toward the exit like mice fleeing from cats.
In no time, the bar was nearly empty, save for Morgan's group.
"What's going on?"
One of Morgan's subordinates blinked in confusion. Then, as if struck by realization, his eyes widened with excitement. "Pirates?"
Morgan didn't respond. His sharp gaze was fixed on the scene ahead.
Leading the group of troublemakers was a young man with spiky green hair, his hands in his pockets, exuding arrogance as he approached Morgan's booth with a group of delinquents in tow.
The blond-haired youth from earlier quickly stepped forward, standing in front of Morgan and his men with a menacing expression. "Are you blind or deaf? Get out of here now!"
"Why—"
Before the officer beside Morgan could finish shouting, Morgan stopped him with a gesture.
As he restrained his subordinate, Morgan slowly raised his head and asked, "Why?"
"Why?"
The blond-haired youth smirked as if he'd heard a joke. Turning to the green-haired leader, he proudly declared, "Do you know who this is? This is Bartolomeo, the new underworld boss of Loguetown! This bar, this street, no—dozens of streets around here are all his territory!"
Then, leaning closer to Morgan, the blond-haired youth sneered, "Got it? If you understand, then get lost!"
"I understand."
Morgan nodded. Then, in full view of the arrogant gang, he calmly stood up and removed his jacket.
"!!!"
Seeing the uniform beneath Morgan's jacket, the once-arrogant gang members froze, their eyes widening in shock.
Before they could react, Morgan drew the axe strapped to his back. His aura surged as he roared, "Men, to arms!"
"Yes, sir!"
The seven or eight officers who had accompanied Morgan stood up in unison, their excitement palpable.
"Relay the order: All soldiers are to mobilize immediately for an anti-crime operation!"
"By dawn, I don't want to see a single gang left in Loguetown!"
~~~❃❃~~~~~~~~❃❃~~~
Explore More Amazing Fanfiction on My Patreon!
Unlock 30+ Advance Chapters and Enjoy Exclusive Stories Early!
��patreon.com/GoldenLong