"Hmph! I told you to stay put, but you still dared to report under my nose?"
"It seems the Navy's 16th Branch has been completely infiltrated and corrupted." Smoker's face darkened as he glared at the detained marines from the 16th Branch. "One rat left, and now an even fatter one has taken its place?"
Fine, fine. They've been crying poverty to the Marine Headquarters all along, but look at this branch now… practically rolling in wealth.
Reports claimed that the former base commander of the 16th Branch was severely corrupt, the unit lacked combat readiness, the soldiers were poorly trained, the marines had no real combat experience, and most importantly, they were desperately short of weapons and equipment.
Supposedly, they didn't even have ten standard issue marine swords, let alone a single naval warship. With two men sharing one rifle, the commander claimed he was powerless to uphold justice.
Turns out, not a single word of that was true.
Not a single warship?
The branch's dock had at least five naval warships lined up. This level of combat power... many bases in the New World couldn't even dream of matching it.
And yet here they were, in the weakest sea, whining about some mighty pirate crews they couldn't handle?
With this kind of strength, they could easily hunt pirates in the Grand Line!
And despite his lack of trust, Smoker had already ordered his men to watch them and instructed the entire 16th Branch to stay put. Yet someone still dared to sneak away under his very nose?
If this isn't suspicious, then what is?
"N-No, it's not like we're that wealthy~" One of the marines from the 16th Branch, caught red-handed, gave an awkward laugh as he looked at Smoker's darkened expression.
"I wasn't sneaking off. I just noticed it's about to rain and remembered I left my laundry out at home, so I went back to take it in."
As expected of a captain sent from Marine Headquarters like Smoker, even when sneaking away so cautiously, he still got caught?!
And this Headquarters...
If they were coming for an inspection, couldn't they have given a heads-up? At least then we could've hidden some of the evidence!
If not for secretly contacting the captain amidst the chaos just now and receiving his orders to stay put and not act rashly, everyone here would likely have been ready to clash with the captain's unit by now.
Thinking of this, the marine looked at the old man cheerfully munching on snacks nearby, and let out a silent wail in his heart. "Looks like the boss is really done for this time!"
He had originally planned to personally ask the captain what they should do next, but... he got caught instead. Even the communication Den Den Mushi he had hidden away was confiscated.
This time, even the Navy's hero had arrived. It seemed that the Marine Headquarters genuinely suspected the captain. Although the boss wasn't a bad person, he had indeed violated the rules and regulations of the Marine Headquarters.
"Drying clothes? And you dare to make excuses?" Smoker sneered coldly, glaring at the marine before him. "Fine. Tell me, where is that Dande Chacher guy now? I'll question him personally. As a marine captain, does he live up to the justice he stands for?"
"Captain Smoker, you've misunderstood!" Seeing Smoker's imposing demeanor, the marine realized there was no way out this time.
He glanced at Captain Smoker and then at the Navy hero standing beside him. After hesitating for a moment, he looked directly at Smoker and said seriously, "Captain Chacher is a good man. In our eyes, Captain Chacher hasn't betrayed the so-called justice. He's a hero to all of us!"
However.
"Justice? Hero?" Upon hearing this, Captain Smoker scoffed disdainfully. But noticing the marine who had been trembling earlier now daring to meet his gaze, Smoker snorted again.
He put away the scorn in his eyes, took a puff from his cigar, and said flatly, "Is that so? Then tell me—has your captain colluded with pirates?"
Could they really have misunderstood him if he earned the loyalty of his subordinates?
As soon as the words left his mouth.
"Of course not!" The marine straightened his back and replied without hesitation.
He wasn't wrong. Captain Chacher had not colluded with pirates.
As for the Mok Pirates... they were a group Captain Chacher had raised himself. How could that be considered collusion?
With an air of righteousness, he declared, "Even after being demoted, the captain has never forgotten the justice in his heart..."
The words were left unfinished.
At this moment,
"Captain Smoker."
Beside him, his subordinate, Commander Tashigi, wearing a plaid shirt and suit pants, suddenly gripped the sword at her waist and looked seriously ahead. "A group of pirates is approaching."
With that, Captain Smoker, Vice Admiral Garp, and the marines all noticed and raised their heads, looking in the same direction.
"Is it the Mok Pirates?"
What a coincidence!
"..."
Upon hearing Captain Smoker's meaningful words, the marines who had noticed fell silent.
The man's lips twitched as he looked at the Mok pirate ship slowly approaching. He had a thought he wanted to voice, but it seemed to be stuck in his throat, unable to come out.
Why was that Mok guy coming to the 16th Marine Branch now?!
As they watched Captain Smoker, who squinted his eyes and wore a serious expression, the marine was about to change the subject and distance himself from the Mok Pirates when—
"Hey, isn't that Udo?"
A loud shout suddenly came from the Mok pirate ship.
It was the voice of the Mok Pirates' captain.
"And there are a few new faces. Are they the new recruits from the branch? Never mind, Udo, where are you guys headed? Why are you on such a small, shabby boat? Are you headed to Cocoyasi Town too?" Mok's cheerful and bold voice echoed. "With so many of you, how long will it take to row this little boat? We're headed to deliver cargo as well. Come on, get on board, let's all go together!"
With that,
"..." X3
The three turned their heads to look at the marine called Udo behind them.
One was still happily snacking, another had a dark face and stared meaningfully at him, and the last adjusted his glasses, looking as if he'd been deceived, glaring at Udo in frustration.
As for Udo...
His body trembled, his hands shook, even his legs were shaking. Under the gaze of the three, he turned his head to look at Mok. A stiff, ugly smile appeared on his face as he shouted loudly at Mok, who was waving at him, "I... I thank you!!!"
Suddenly...
"Don't mention it, we're all brothers!"
With Udo's thanks, Mok received a hearty response.
**********
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