The next morning, a ship bearing the Twilight Pirates' flag anchored at the entrance of Arlong Park. Jinbe's eyes widened in surprise as a figure disembarked.
A tall man with glasses. His impeccably tailored suit and neatly combed hair spoke of a meticulous nature.
"You're Jinbe, correct?"
"Ah, yes… Did Brother Tiger send you? You're early."
"No, I didn't come from the Grand Line. I'm… this."
He pulled a card from a case in his breast pocket and handed it to Jinbe. Jinbe examined it. "East Blue Regional Branch Manager," it read.
"Branch Manager?! The highest-ranking position in the East Blue?!"
"Yes, well… It's mostly a title."
The East Blue wasn't a major trading hub for Twilight. He often had time to spare, which allowed him to wander about like this. Their leader herself was known for her travels, so there was a certain degree of leniency.
"Fisher Tiger requested that we transfer Arlong and his Fish-Man crew… We can't leave them on a civilian island indefinitely, so we'll be transferring them to our branch office for now."
"I see. Thank you. That's a great help."
"As for the Marines… I'll contact Marine Headquarters. They should be taking some action soon."
Nezumi flinched at these words. His branch would be under scrutiny. Headquarters might even send personnel to oversee things. The stain on the Marines' reputation was a serious matter. He should have expected repercussions.
For the Branch Manager, however, this was a welcome development. Having more leverage against the Marines was always a good thing.
"Let's get them on board. Escort them to the ship."
The Branch Manager instructed his subordinates, who began loading the Marines onto the ship. They were all injured and offered no resistance, allowing themselves to be led away quietly. The Branch Manager, perhaps expecting more defiance, seemed slightly surprised.
"I intend to deal with any trouble myself, but… Do you have enough personnel on board to restrain Arlong?"
"We have several Six Powers users. They're not Devil Fruit users, but they're more than capable."
In fact, non-Devil Fruit users were preferable when dealing with Fish-men at sea. Six Powers users were rare, even in the Grand Line, usually found only among high-ranking Marines or government agents. The fact that they were deployed in the East Blue spoke volumes about Twilight's resources. Though, unlike the Marines, they weren't deploying their forces for the purpose of maintaining order, so it wasn't a direct comparison.
"We should also greet the villagers. Do you know where the village is?"
"Yes, we can travel there by ship. I'll guide you."
"Thank you."
After loading the Marines and the Fish-Man pirates onto the ship, they set course for Cocoyasi Village. The Marines' ship was towed behind them by a separate crew. Luffy's Going Merry was nearby, but compared to it, Twilight's galleon was enormous.
A celebratory feast was underway in Cocoyasi Village when the conspicuous ship arrived, drawing attention immediately.
"Whoa! What a huge ship!"
Luffy exclaimed, and the curious villagers gathered near the docks.
The Branch Manager and Jinbe disembarked and began explaining the situation to the villagers. That it was a Twilight ship. That they were taking Arlong and his Fish-Man crew, along with the Marines, away. And that, as an apology from Tiger for the trouble caused, they would be receiving a monetary compensation.
"Money? We don't need money…"
"Come on, Gen-san, let's accept it. We could use it."
They needed funds to rebuild Gosa Village and to dismantle Arlong Park. Genzo, understanding this, reluctantly signed the receipt from Jinbe, marked "Our sincerest apologies. Please accept this." He blinked several times, rereading the amount, rubbing his eyes in disbelief.
"Is it really alright to accept this much?!"
"It's from Tiger's personal funds. I have nothing to add."
"Big Brother had this much money…?"
Even Jinbe was surprised. The Branch Manager explained that if they needed more help, they could hire Twilight personnel, which was, Jinbe realized, how they stimulated the local economy. Luffy, the one who had actually defeated Arlong, seemed unconcerned, sitting by the roadside with his crew.
Jinbe approached them and bowed his head in gratitude.
"Thank you for everything. What are your plans now?"
"Well… now that our crew's assembled, we're heading to the Grand Line to sail around the world!"
"Aiming for Pirate King, eh? Ambitious… If that's the case, you'll inevitably pass through Fish-Man Island. I'm based there. Let me know when you arrive, and I'll be your guide."
"Fish-Man Island?!"
"What is it, Sanji? You know about it?"
"Who doesn't?! The underwater paradise, the city of beautiful mermaids… There's no way we're not going!!"
Ignoring Sanji's outburst, Jinbe continued, "Mermaids aside…"
"The Grand Line is divided in two by the Red Line. To reach the second half from the first, you have to pass through Fish-Man Island."
"Really? But how do you get to the deep sea…?"
"You submerge the ship. You'll figure it out when you get there… Just gather information at Sabaody Archipelago before you go."
Jinbe answered Nami's questions without hesitation. Being a Fish-man, he could travel underwater with ease, but for humans, it was a different story. He needed to give them some guidance.
Before that, however, Jinbe asked a question.
"How much do you know about the Grand Line?"
"It's a great sea."
"It's where Hawk-Eyes is."
"It's where the sea warriors are."
"It's where the All Blue is."
"…Will this ship be alright?"
"Hmm… I'm not so sure…"
Nami and Jinbe exchanged worried glances. Jinbe, a veteran of the Grand Line, knew what they were getting into. He needed to warn them, or this crew wouldn't last a week. He asked the Branch Manager to prepare something for them.
"I have a chart of the Grand Line."
"The one you stole from Buggy?"
Zoro recognized the chart Nami produced. Jinbe nodded, pointing to the mountain range depicted in the center.
"You enter by climbing that mountain."
"A mountain?!"
"Why would we climb a mountain to get to the sea…?"
"I haven't used it myself, but I've heard there's a canal there. Once you cross it, you'll be in the Grand Line."
"A ship climbing a mountain… That's a strange mountain."
"And for that, you'll need this," Jinbe said, producing a Log Pose. Everyone, including Nami, tilted their heads in confusion.
"What's that?"
"It's a Log Pose. It records the magnetic field of an island, allowing you to navigate to the next one."
"Can't we just use a regular compass?"
"The islands of the Grand Line each have their own unique magnetic field. A compass is useless there. You'll see when you get there."
Log Poses were difficult to obtain outside the Grand Line, but… as a token of gratitude for the Arlong incident, Jinbe gifted it to them. The Grand Line was a sea where common sense didn't apply. He warned them to be careful, emphasizing one point in particular.
"Never, ever, attack a Twilight ship."
"We weren't planning to, but why?"
"Aside from their strength, Twilight controls a significant portion of the world's trade outside this sea. If you make an enemy of them, you'll lose access to vital supplies."
"Is it that serious?"
Twilight's presence wasn't as prominent in the East Blue, so Luffy and his crew didn't seem to grasp the significance. Sanji, though originally from elsewhere, had been too young to remember. But he took Jinbe's words to heart. There was no need to make unnecessary enemies.
"Well, that's about it. You'll understand the rest when you get there."
Explaining everything verbally was pointless. They needed to experience it firsthand. He trusted they would manage. The Branch Manager and Genzo had also finished their discussion, and the Branch Manager, eating a tangerine, was waiting for Jinbe.
"…What are you eating?"
"Apparently, it's a tangerine made by Nojiko. Would you like one?"
"Sure, I'll try it."
He peeled the tangerine and took a bite. The perfect balance of sweetness and tartness. Nojiko had proudly explained that the favorable climate allowed them to grow high-quality tangerines. After finishing the tangerine, the Branch Manager wiped his hands with a handkerchief and made a proposal.
"Hmm… If you can guarantee a certain quantity, we'd be willing to purchase these. What do you say?"
"Purchase?"
"Yes. Tangerines of this quality would sell well on other islands."
He clicked his abacus, presenting a price to Nojiko, who gasped. She had expected him to lowball her, but the price he offered was much higher than what she could get on the island.
"This much?!"
"Is that unsatisfactory?"
"N-no, not at all, but… Are you sure?"
"It's within our profit margin."
Buying low and selling high was the foundation of commerce. Cocoyasi Village didn't have much trade with other islands, and they had also received a substantial sum from Tiger. The quality of the tangerines was excellent, so offering a slightly higher price was acceptable.
There were islands that had been raided by pirates, leaving them with no funds for trade. Considering that Twilight personnel would be stationed on the island for a while to help with the cleanup of Arlong Park and the rebuilding of Gosa Village, the security here was better than on other islands, and having a good relationship with the islanders would make their work easier.
"If you're satisfied, please sign the contract."
"Hey, mister, are you buying tangerines from Nami's sister?"
"I am not a 'mister.' I'm still in my twenties."
While Nojiko and Nami scrutinized the contract, Luffy approached the Branch Manager. Accustomed to such casual disrespect, he brushed it off. Jinbe, however, seemed nervous. Perhaps to kill time while waiting for Nojiko to sign, the Branch Manager turned to Luffy.
"Are you a pirate?"
"Yeah. I'm going to be King of the Pirates."
"King of the Pirates. I see… I heard you were the one who defeated Arlong."
"Yep. I beat him up."
"Your full name?"
"Monkey D. Luffy."
The Branch Manager choked, staring at Luffy in disbelief. He scrutinized him from head to toe, then, stroking his chin, looked up at the sky, lost in thought.
"…Hmm. Is your grandfather, by any chance, a Marine?"
"Huh?! You know my Gramps?!"
"I am not a 'mister.' There's no pirate in this area who doesn't know that name."
He might not remember the full name, but every pirate knew that name. He hadn't known about the grandson, but he was human. It wasn't unusual for someone his age to have children and grandchildren. He asked Luffy about the other pirates he had defeated, and was once again surprised to hear names he often heard in the East Blue.
Buggy the Clown.
Kuro of a Hundred Plans.
Don Krieg, the Pirate Armada Admiral.
Arlong the Saw-Tooth.
An impressive list. He could almost consider Luffy the strongest pirate in the East Blue.
"I don't know how much the Marines know, but with that record, a 30 million berry bounty is guaranteed."
"What's a bounty?"
"It's a reward for your capture. As a pirate, you're bound to be put on a wanted poster."
The mention of a wanted poster caused a stir among Luffy's crew. Most seemed to take it positively, though Nami seemed exasperated by her carefree companions. For a pirate, having a bounty on their captain's head was a mark of prestige. A bounty of this amount would attract the attention of Headquarters Marines, and defeating them would solidify their reputation.
A starting bounty of 30 million was unusual, but the Branch Manager knew someone with a starting bounty exceeding 300 million, so he wasn't particularly surprised.
"You're going to the Grand Line, right? I wish you luck on your journey."
"Thanks, mister!"
"I am not a 'mister.'"
The Branch Manager's business was concluded. With Nojiko's signature on the contract, Cocoyasi Village would soon be bustling with trade. Jinbe apologized for being unable to help with the cleanup of Arlong Park, but Genzo assured him it was fine. In fact, having Twilight bring in specialized personnel would be much more efficient than relying on the inexperienced villagers and Jinbe.
Jinbe and the Branch Manager boarded their ship.
"Farewell, Luffy! We'll meet again!"
"Yeah, see ya, Jinbe!"
Jinbe and Luffy waved goodbye, their voices echoing across the water. The villagers of Cocoyasi and Luffy's crew gathered at the docks to see them off. They would meet again if Luffy sailed the Grand Line. Looking forward to that day, they continued waving until the ship disappeared over the horizon.
Two days later, at dawn, Luffy and his crew departed Cocoyasi Village. Their next destination was supposed to be the Grand Line… but they needed to restock supplies, and someone had expressed a desire to see the execution platform. Thus, their next destination was changed to Loguetown – the town known as the "Town of the Beginning and the End."