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"Diable Jambe!"
Sanji's leg ignited. Why was he challenging Jin?
For one, there was that cheap shot back at the Baratie. He'd been caught off guard, and the sting of it still lingered.
For another, he'd learned from Reiju that Jin had seized control of the Germa Kingdom, bringing Judge to heel. His brothers were suddenly obedient puppets.
Honestly, Sanji couldn't care less about that part. They got what they deserved, and he felt no sympathy for their plight. Reiju had even mentioned that Judge was back to his old self, lost in his research—which was a hell of a lot better than him terrorizing the world.
No, the real reason—the one that made his blood boil—was that Jin was now his brother-in-law.
And the bastard wasn't even faithful.
His sister was with a philanderer? A man who wasn't even exclusively with her??
Unforgivable.
THWACK!
Jin swatted him away with a casual punch. Principles didn't mean much when faced with a fist that could shatter them.
Sanji's sudden leap in power had piqued Judge's scientific curiosity. A failed experiment, now manifesting abilities and harnessing the power of "fire"? Had he miscalculated all those years ago? Was Sanji's Lineage Factor merely dormant, only now beginning to emerge?
Thankfully, Jin and Reiju intervened before he could drag Sanji back to a lab, settling for a simple blood sample to finally craft his raid suit.
When Sanji woke up, the glare he shot Jin was pure venom.
But he couldn't win.
And Reiju... she didn't seem the least bit unhappy.
He had no choice but to let it go.
When Jin invited him to join them on the Grand Line, Sanji refused.
He preferred the freedom of the Baratie.
Follow Jin? And watch him and his sister get all lovey-dovey? Sanji figured his blood pressure would skyrocket. And then there were the other women...
Shit. That just made it worse.
Better to just stay away.
Jin didn't press the issue. Instead, he struck a deal with Zeff: a steady supply of rare ingredients from all Four Seas in exchange for a small notice board outside the Baratie, advertising the Winter Blossom Kingdom's medical tourism.
The clientele who sailed all the way to the Baratie were wealthy, the perfect target demographic for Drum Island's specialized services.
A deal like that? Zeff would have been a fool to refuse.
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With the Baratie situation settled, Jin inspected the progress on the airbase. The site was Gosa Village, the town the Arlong Pirates had razed.
In just over a month, the first runway had been laid, and hangars, barracks, and a small town were rising from the ashes.
Furthermore, Gosa Village's port, docks, and road network were also under construction.
Kuro, as the head of the labor corps, had proven to be a surprisingly brilliant and efficient administrator, managing every detail with meticulous care.
Gin, meanwhile, was the perfect enforcer. Cold, merciless, and utterly impartial—he gave no one special treatment. If anyone slacked off or failed to complete their work, he recorded it.
He was the kind of loyal, unwavering subordinate Jin needed.
Jin was exceptionally pleased.
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"Me? The base commander? B-But... can I do that?" Nojiko was floored by Jin's offer.
"Why not? I need a local—someone I can trust to manage this base."
"But I don't know anything about..."
"You can learn," Jin said with a gentle smile. "I believe you can do this. You can be as strong as Belle-mère was."
He couldn't stay in the East Blue forever.
Maya, Robin, and the others had their own missions.
Kuro and Gin were out of the question; their pasts would only stir up conflict between the locals and the outsiders.
After considering all the options, Nojiko was the only logical choice.
She had been independent and brave since she was a child, rescuing a baby Nami from a battlefield. After Belle-mère's death, she had skillfully navigated the treacherous relationship with the Arlong Pirates. During the final battle, she had stepped up to help Usopp escape and had even saved Luffy from drowning.
Her character and integrity were more than enough for the role.
As for her strength...
The plan was simple: send her, Nami, Carina, and Kaya to Hina on Asuka Island for six months of academic and physical training.
After all, why else would he fund a Marine base if not to have a private back door for his own people?
It wasn't just about getting on Hina's good side—though that was certainly a perk.
Nojiko didn't even need to be overwhelmingly strong. Reaching the level of a Marine Captain or Rear Admiral would be more than enough to let her "dominate" the East Blue.
And if that wasn't enough, he could give her an official position... or a Devil Fruit.
"Okay," she said, her voice filled with a newfound determination. "I'll do my best!"
Overjoyed, Nojiko leaped up and boldly planted a kiss on his cheek, her face instantly turning scarlet.
She had been drawn to the king who had saved her village from the moment she first saw him on that fateful night. Nojiko wasn't the type to hide her feelings, and the fact that he had other women didn't bother her.
Jin saw the blush on her cheeks, but also the undisguised fire in her eyes.
He smiled and pulled her into his arms.
On the Grand Line, life was full of uncertainty. Why worry about the future?
Enjoy the now.
On a deserted beach, Nojiko looked up at the moon.
Beneath the moonlight, her first steps were clumsy, but her heart was a blazing fire.
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With his business in the East Blue mostly concluded, a Bounty Hunter's Guild, managed by Mr. 3, quietly opened in Loguetown. Taking over a portion of the Barto Club's territory and business, Mr. 3 was in a much better position than he had been in the West Blue.
The Conomi Islands were now Jin's core territory in the East Blue, home to his first airbase. From there, his newly formed East Blue Trading Company would begin establishing a trade network with the surrounding nations. Kaya's father was already contacting his associates, hiring sailors and crewmen in droves. As for ships, the eighty-odd pirate vessels Jin had confiscated could be easily refitted and put to use.
For security, Jin had left Ichiji, the eldest of the Vinsmoke brothers, along with a newly manufactured fighter jet. He also left two of Germa's transponder snail ships and a 120-man rifle company, all armed with Kar98ks.
Kuro and Gin's labor corps could also put up a fight if needed.
Besides, Jin's "sweep" had left the already-poor pirates of the East Blue in an even more desperate state. Even if the various kingdoms and nobles wanted to cultivate a new batch of thugs, it would take two or three years. For now, there would be a period of relative peace.
In fact, the events on the Conomi Islands had sent a chill through the various powers of the East Blue. The area was now considered a "no-go zone."
Information about Jin had also begun to spread.
He was from the Grand Line?
He'd defeated one of the Seven Warlords, Hanafuda?
No wonder he was so strong. He was on a completely different level.
And Smoker... who knew he had such powerful connections? He'd called in a savior from the Grand Line and completely upended the East Blue.
Smoker's reputation, on the other hand, had taken a serious hit. The once-straightforward, hard-nosed Marine was now seen as a cunning schemer. The deaths of the local gangsters in Loguetown had not endeared him to their families.
Headquarters, in its infinite wisdom, had even given him a new epithet: "The White Fox."
"White" for his smoke.
"Fox" for his supposed cunning.
It was ridiculous.
Smoker was furious. He would have preferred "White Tiger."
White Fox just sounded... effeminate.
The only thing that brought Smoker any joy was the news that Jin had finally left the East Blue and returned to the Grand Line.
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