Marine Headquarters.
Inside a tower-like building.
In a large conference room sat numerous serious-faced Marines, all wearing Marine cloaks.
Brannew, the legendary "Meeting King" Marine Commodore, slapped several bounty posters onto the board behind him with a smack.
"In just a few days, this group has gone from forming a pirate crew to running rampant in the East Blue!"
Brannew pointed at three older bounty posters. "The average bounty in the East Blue is only three million Berries. This 'Straw Hat' kid has successively defeated three major pirates with bounties exceeding ten million!"
"Captain Buggy the Clown of the Buggy Pirates, bounty 15 million Berries; Don Krieg, bounty 17 million Berries; and 'Saw-Tooth' Arlong, bounty 20 million Berries..."
"Furthermore, we have lost at least three Marine officers of Captain/Lieutenant rank to him, including one Marine Headquarters Lieutenant Commander."
Brannew pointed at Luffy's bounty poster and said, "This man's name is... Monkey D. Luffy!"
The assembled Marine officers, who initially had little interest in East Blue pirates, finally gave the man on the poster their full attention upon hearing that name.
That name... Could it be related to a certain legendary figure within our own ranks?
The Marine officers exchanged glances.
If it were true, then a certain place must be very lively right now.
"Fifty million Berries!"
"This is our initial bounty for Straw Hat Luffy. Even in the Grand Line, initial bounties reaching this amount are exceedingly rare."
"But our assessment is not low. The power Straw Hat has currently displayed in the East Blue is overwhelming. This man's ultimate goal will certainly lead him into the Grand Line."
"...And now, we move to the next topic."
.....
Meanwhile, at the top of the largest building in Marine Headquarters, Fleet Admiral's office.
A loud exclamation of shock erupted from the office.
"Eh?!!"
"Eh, your head, Garp! Look what you've done!"
Sengoku wished he could slap the bounty poster right in Garp's face. "Is this the future of the Marines you're always boasting about cultivating for us?!"
"Ah, that Luffy kid... he's been poisoned too deeply by that Red-Haired brat. He actually went and became a pirate behind my back while I was away." As he spoke, Garp, who had just woken up, started snoring again.
"You can still sleep, Garp!"
Furious, Sengoku snatched the bag of rice crackers from Garp's hand and poured them noisily into his own mouth, startling Garp awake.
"Eh, my rice crackers!"
"You deal with your own family!" Sengoku pressed against Garp's head, finished eating, and tossed the empty bag back to him.
"O-okay, I'll make time to go back there sometime."
Make time?
Hearing this made Sengoku's blood boil. "When are you ever not free?!"
"Puhahaha, seems so, huh. Ah, I'm almost a retiree, after all..." Garp hurriedly left the office under Sengoku's verbal barrage, muttering about how men in their twilight years really are irritable.
But an initial bounty of fifty million Berries... He's become a major pirate right out of the gate.
"Really, even more outrageous than Ace was back then," Garp murmured to himself.
...
East Blue.
The weather was clear today, with no clouds in the sky.
Perfect weather for setting sail.
On the vast, endless sea, the Going Merry sailed peacefully.
"Three thousand, one hundred and eleven... three thousand, one hundred and twelve..."
Luffy looked up at Nami, who was sitting on his back.
"Have you had enough of sitting there yet?" he asked.
"...What do you think?" Nami's lips curled slightly in a smirk.
Luffy fell silent.
Who told him he had indeed seen Nami naked again this morning... Wait, why 'again'?
Whatever. Sitting is sitting. Nami's weight was practically nothing to him.
Nami humphed. This was the best punishment she could think of. Fine him? She was the one managing the ship's finances now; fining Luffy would just be fining herself.
Besides, the moment Luffy woke up, he had to start his morning training, and she couldn't stop him even if she tried.
When he first saw her exposed, there was a change in his expression, but his eyes quickly became as determined as if he were about to enlist in the Marines, completely ignoring her after that.
Is my charm less appealing than a dumbbell?
Nami sat on Luffy's back, rising and falling with his push-ups.
The faint blush at the roots of her ears was slightly hidden by her hair.
Voyaging on the sea was often boring; this sort of thing on the contrary added a bit of fun.
"Ah, that rubber bastard!" Sanji, not far away, looked like a zombie, his face twisted with jealousy.
Look at them!
Flaunting their relationship so openly on the ship! Couldn't they show some consideration for us single dogs?
"Hey, someone say something to them!" Sanji tried to find allies, only to see Zoro lifting weights nearby and Usopp polishing his newly acquired cannon.
Damn it.
Sanji also wanted to go over and join the fun. A while ago, he tried to offer his attentions to Miss Nami, but before he could get close, Luffy punched him away.
Justifying it as something Chef Zeff had told him to do.
"If he makes any strange moves, give him a good punch..."
Sanji thought about it and realized it was true!
So he changed tactics and brought over a pot of tea. You can't call this a strange move, can you?
If he still dared to hit him now, it would be pure discrimination!
Luffy just continued his push-up training. Sanji received Miss Nami's thanks, smiling. "It's my pleasure."
But the next second...
"Nami, I'm thirsty too. Let me have some," Luffy said.
"You should just die of thirst," Nami said, but she brought the cup in her hand to Luffy's lips.
"I want more!"
"Sanji-kun, another cup, please."
Sanji: "..."
If he went near them again, he'd be a dog.
"If you've got nothing to do, go prepare lunch, you shitty cook," Zoro said with a grin.
"Hah? Don't you know it's still an hour and three minutes until noon, you third-rate swordsman, marimo-head?" Sanji's eyebrow curled.
The two were at each other's throats.
Just then, a news coo with a white hat landed beside Nami.
"Huh? There shouldn't be any big news lately... By the way, our next destination is Loguetown, right? Before entering the Grand Line, let's do some serious shopping. There's so much to buy..."
"Loguetown? The town where the Pirate King was executed?" Luffy suddenly perked up.
As if he had learned all those nautical facts for nothing these past few days.
With his photographic memory, there was no way the knowledge would go in one ear and out the other, only to be returned to Teacher Nami.
"Yes, yes. Don't run off then; you're coming shopping with me."
"Ah, why?"
"No reason! As the captain, you have a responsibility to protect your crew members' safety!"
Nami gave a small humph, pulled Luffy's ear, leaned down, and whispered, "You can't refuse."
"Such a hassle."
"You think I'm a hassle?" Nami's voice suddenly rose.
"No... I mean, we have a problem."
Luffy suddenly stood up. Nami instinctively reached out, grabbing hold and wrapping her arms around his waist.
Then she saw the familiar face on the bounty poster in Luffy's hand.
"Eeeeh?!!"
***
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