The port of Loguetown was tense. Everyone had heard the sound of the distant detonation, yet when they looked out to sea, nothing could be seen. It made no sense, since sound was usually the first thing lost over long distances, even when ships fighting on the horizon could still be seen.

Something strange had happened, but everyone had a good idea of what it might be.

Over the last few days, several famous pirates from all across East Blue had arrived. They had appeared after the fall of the self-proclaimed King of East Blue, Krieg.

All of them were there for one reason: the promise of wealth.

They all had the same target, the man who had received the title of White Hair, Allen Walker. The title itself wasn't particularly intimidating, but strangely enough, many of the greatest pirates had simple titles.

"Look!"

"A ship!"

"Only one?! What happened to the others?!"

The people at the port were stunned. Ten pirate ships had sailed out intending to intercept and sink the hundred-million-berry rookie, and only one had returned.

"Let me see!" A man pulled out a spyglass and looked through it. Soon, he turned pale.

Black sails, an ebony hull, and a beautiful woman serving as the ship's figurehead. There was no doubt about it—it was the rumored Black Pearl.

"No way..." the man gasped.

Those had been ten entire pirate crews, with combined bounties that had to be close to fifty million.

Had they all been defeated?

"Not even a scratch..."

Even if White Hair's crew had won, it was strange that their ship was completely unharmed. Yet that was exactly the case. The polished hull was flawless, the sails were untouched, and the flag—the Jolly Roger—remained intact.

It hadn't been a battle. It had been a one-sided defeat.

Several people at the port began quietly leaving. Perhaps the pirate with the hundred-million-berry bounty wasn't a fraud after all.

A pair of Marines exchanged glances and immediately went to inform Captain Smoker. However, he wasn't surprised. Even if Allen Walker wasn't truly worth one hundred million, a pirate with strength equivalent to thirty or forty million was already far beyond what most people in East Blue could handle.

....

On the deck, Allen, Kaya, Nojiko, and Uta observed the port of Loguetown. Nami, of course, remained at the helm.

The place seemed somewhat empty, but Allen paid it little attention. Instead, he focused on the city itself, because unlike the islands he had visited since meeting Lenalee, this was a proper city.

Buildings with multiple floors, paved streets, and roads that were relatively clean.

"So this is the famous town of the beginning and the end?" Kaya asked in amazement. Despite coming from a wealthy family with the means to travel all over East Blue, she had been confined to Syrup Village since childhood.

Allen smiled at her reaction.

"Yeah. It's where Gold Roger, the famous Pirate King, died and where the Great Pirate Era began."

To some, Gold Roger was the greatest pirate of all time. To others, he was just another criminal. Yet everyone knew his story, even if they had no interest in the legendary treasure.

"If I remember correctly, his words were..." Uta said while trying to recall them. "'My treasure? If you want it, you can have it. I left everything in that place.'"

"What a troublesome guy." Allen laughed. "But the real fault lies with the Marines' incompetence. They wanted to execute him publicly so he would serve as an example to all pirates, but those words ended up creating many times more pirates than before."

Nojiko snorted, placing her hands on her hips.

"I'm not surprised. The Marines have always been incompetent. I don't think they're all bad—after all, Bell-mère-san was a Marine—but it's a fact that they're full of incompetents and hypocrites."

Kaya looked slightly uncomfortable, while Uta gave a thumbs-up in approval.

"Still, I've always wondered... do you think the One Piece really exists?" Uta asked while holding her chin thoughtfully.

Allen glanced at Uta before looking toward the distance.

"It does..."

Not only the girls, but even the two captured captains raised their heads and looked at Allen.

"Impossible!" one of the pirates exclaimed. "For twenty years, countless pirates have died in the Grand Line searching for that treasure, and nobody has found it. How could you possibly know it exists?!"

"I don't know," Allen replied casually. "I just don't think a man who reached that level would tell a lie when he was about to die. He wouldn't stain his legacy with a lie."

Everyone swallowed nervously.

"Unless he was a shameless son of a bitch who just wanted to mess with everyone," Allen laughed. "If that's the case, I'd respect him even more."

The girls felt their cheeks twitch. If Allen had been Gold Roger, they could absolutely believe he would tell a blatant lie to mess with everyone and make them spend twenty years searching for an empty chest.

"If I had hidden the One Piece, I would've left a note saying, 'Screw you.' Just imagining those poor bastards spending decades of sacrifice and tears to reach that note moves me. It would be the greatest prank in history~"

Allen flashed a trollish grin.

"I've got an idea. What if we find the One Piece first, empty out the entire treasure, and leave a note behind?"

The girls turned pale.

This shameless bastard would absolutely do something like that.

The Black Pearl reached the port and docked. The crowd stared in amazement at the jet-black ship. It didn't look like something a newly formed crew should possess.

A boarding plank extended from the ship, and the people nearby gasped when the first to disembark were two pirates everyone recognized. Both had their hands tied.

Behind them came a beautiful blue-haired girl carrying a rifle on her shoulder.

"Don't try to escape," Nojiko warned the two captains.

They quickly shook their heads in fear.

"If they wanted to, they would've done it already," Nami said as she stepped off the ship. She held a notebook in her hand and was reviewing everything they needed to buy. After all, not everything—especially food—could be produced from the Chest.

When the second beautiful girl with orange hair stepped off the ship, everyone swallowed nervously and wondered if this really was the vessel of a fearsome pirate with a hundred-million-berry bounty.

Kaya came down as well. The girl looked around with curiosity. She was the most excited about exploring the city. To Kaya, simply arriving in a new town was an adventure.

That made the rest of the girls feel even more affectionate toward her.

"Nami-san, I'll take care of getting the medicines. I'd also like to buy several emergency supplies. Is that alright?"

"Of course." Nami smiled. She could be stingy with money, but never when it came to food and medicine.

Kaya smiled, making everyone imagine what an angel's smile would look like.

"Nami, don't forget to get a Log Pose," Uta said.

"I know." Nami nodded, looking a bit nervous.

She had no idea that in the Grand Line, a special compass called a Log Pose was necessary. Not only that, but the weather there was completely erratic and made no sense. A sunny day could suddenly turn into a blizzard without warning.

Fortunately, both Uta and Allen knew all of that. Otherwise, Nami would have been in serious trouble.

When the last girl appeared, everyone was stunned.

Not only was she beautiful, but her two-toned hair made her incredibly unique. She also seemed to radiate a strange charm simply by being there.

Uta laughed.

"Don't be nervous. Nobody starts as an expert on the Grand Line. Just take it easy, and if something happens, we'll make Allen deal with it~"

"Hey, that's no way to treat your captain..."

A young man's voice came from above.

Everyone held their breath as he walked down the boarding plank. 𝐟𝕣𝗲𝕖𝕨𝗲𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝗲𝚕.𝗰𝚘𝐦

On one hand, seeing a pirate with a hundred-million-berry bounty was nearly impossible in the current era, since any pirate worth that much had usually already entered the Grand Line.

When Allen finished descending, Uta immediately walked over and took his arm.

"Oh? Are you saying you don't want to protect us?" Uta laughed.

"I always will..." Allen declared, leaving Uta momentarily speechless before he added mischievously, "Although in your case, that might not be necessary."

Uta puffed out her cheeks.

"I'm a delicate girl too..."

The other girls felt a slight trace of jealousy, but they were also curious. According to Allen, Uta was extremely strong, but since they had never actually seen her fight, they couldn't confirm it.

"Besides the Log Pose, I'd also like a map. Navigating alone is impossible, but it would at least provide information about the routes."

Nojiko blinked.

"Routes?"

"There are five routes when entering the Grand Line. Each one leads to a specific chain of islands, and deviating from them is extremely dangerous. So we need to think carefully about which route to take."

"That's incredible," Kaya said.

Ordinary people only heard exaggerated legends about the Grand Line, such as every island being completely isolated and developing differently from the others. Yet hearing Allen explain it made all those stories sound real.

Uta smiled, both amused and devilishly mischievous.

"According to what Allen told me, Kaya-chan wants to become one of the greatest doctors in the world. In that case, we should choose the central route, since it leads to the Kingdom of Drum, where the best doctors in the world live... or at least that's what they say."

Kaya's eyes lit up, but she quickly became nervous.

"N-no! We can't do that just for my sake. It's better if everyone decides together."

Allen extended his hand and patted Kaya's head.

"Our Kaya becoming a great doctor is one of our priorities. We'll be depending on you. That's a lot of pressure, but I know you can do it."

Kaya remained silent. A doctor was one of the most important positions in a crew, especially in a place as dangerous as the Grand Line.

The girl still hadn't realized just how important she was.

But above all, Allen had chosen her for this. Even though she wasn't a doctor yet, he had chosen her. If she were the old Kaya, she would have suggested that Allen find someone better. However, when she looked into those eyes and saw that trust, that confidence he had in her...

"Count on me!" Kaya declared resolutely. "I'll definitely become a doctor—no, I'll become the World's Doctor!"

Allen chuckled.

"Of course. I'd expect nothing less from the future doctor of the King of the World."

The people around them felt strange watching the scene. Wasn't Allen Walker supposed to be a crazy and dangerous man? Why did they seem like a normal crew? No, more than that—they looked like a crew searching for adventure rather than bloodshed.

"Now I should go turn these guys in," Allen said.

The captains trembled, but they knew they were at Allen's mercy. Besides, they had no intention of trying to escape from someone that terrifying.

"But first..." Allen smiled at the crowd.

The four girls immediately had a bad feeling.

"Ladies, gentlemen, and any other lifeforms present, I am Captain Allen Walker. Yes, I know. Is this handsome young man overflowing with charisma really Captain Allen Walker?!"

"Yes, I am. The one and only. I know you're all excited to witness my perfection, but don't worry. I don't intend to loot the town, kill old people and women, hang them on walls, or do any of the other unpleasant things the Marines have apparently made up about me. However!"

The girls felt it would be best to stop Allen, but anticipating them, he vanished with Soru and instantly appeared beside a man dressed in expensive clothes.

The man shivered when he saw a human being disappear like a ghost.

"However, as everyone already knows, my goal is to become King of the World. It is a difficult path, and more importantly, an expensive one. I know many of you, my future citizens, trust me and hope to see me seated upon the throne that was clearly made for me."

Without the slightest shame, Allen grabbed the coin pouch hanging from the man's belt.

"So know that, with gratitude in my heart, I shall accept your voluntary tributes and offerings to support the cause. Rest assured, I will carry you all in my heart..."

What a son of a bitch!

Everyone thought the same thing. He was blatantly robbing them, yet somehow they were expected to smile and pretend it was voluntary.

The man was sweating bullets and looked pale, but he forced a smile and pulled out a bundle of bills from his vest.

"D-don't worry, Mr. Walker."

"Oh please, call me Your Absolute Majesty. I'm a humble person."

Humble?!

You're an egotistical shameless bastard.

Yet no matter how angry they were, nobody dared argue. How could they? More importantly, where the hell had the Marines gone?

Loguetown was peaceful. As a city, it had a large Marine base and plenty of personnel stationed there. Yet somehow it seemed as though the Marines had vanished into thin air.

Allen nodded, visibly moved by how willing everyone was to support him.

"Lenalee."

[You're a truly Machiavellian creature...]

A small chest appeared in Allen's hands, leaving everyone astonished by the trick.

"Kaya, could you help me collect the support from these kind people?"

Kaya nodded and happily walked forward. The innocent girl who trusted Allen completely was somehow the only person who genuinely believed all of this was voluntary.

She took the chest and began collecting everyone's "voluntary support," sincerely thanking each person every time.

Meanwhile, Uta stood there with her mouth hanging open. She already knew how shameless and scummy Allen could be, but this was on another level. Still, having grown up around pirates, she simply burst out laughing.

As for Nami, she smacked her forehead while Nojiko sighed.

When the collection was finished, Allen gave a bow.

"Thank you very much, my dear subjects. I promise this money will be used to improve the world. After all, who could govern it better than me?"

The crowd wanted to rip Allen's face off, but instead, they forced smiles and applauded.

"Long live Your Grace..." one man said stiffly.

"Long live Your Majesty!" another added.

Satisfied, Allen decided to move on to more important matters.

The haul from this little endeavor totaled 2.3 million berries, which was added to the 36 million remaining after the ship upgrades. This money only referred to what was stored in the Chest. The loot taken from the pirate ships remained in the vault inside his captain's cabin for miscellaneous expenses.

Afterward, he and the girls split into two groups.

Allen assigned Uta and Nojiko the task of collecting the bounties. Since he himself was wanted by the Marines, trying to claim them personally would be problematic.

At first, Nami was worried about her sister, but Allen assured her that Nojiko would be perfectly safe with Uta at her side. Although Nami still had some doubts, both she and Nojiko trusted Allen completely, so the two girls departed.

Allen, Nami, and Kaya headed off to buy supplies and, while they were at it, take a look around the famous Loguetown. It might be their only chance to see the place.

As for the Black Pearl, it remained alone.

The ship only deployed its sails under orders from Allen, Nami, or Lenalee. Furthermore, if anyone boarded it, Lenalee would know immediately, and therefore Allen would as well.

Allen's greatest source of confidence in leaving the Black Pearl unattended was himself.

Who in their right mind would board the ship of a pirate with a hundred-million-berry bounty just to steal from him?

At least in East Blue, such a thing was absurd.

....

At the same time Allen was making his final stop with his crew, a sheep-headed ship was approaching Loguetown.

It was none other than Luffy's Going Merry.

"Look!" Luffy shouted as he spotted the wreckage floating in the sea.

"Looks like there was a fight," Zoro muttered while glancing toward the debris.

Usopp felt uneasy, wondering what kind of monster had caused such destruction. However, he also had the sharpest eyesight.

"Wait, there are survivors!"

"What?!" Luffy exclaimed. "We have to help them! Maybe they have food!"

"Is that all you ever think about?" Zoro sighed.

"Are you really okay with that, Captain? They're pirates," Karina said as she approached. Nami's former friend and supposed traitor.

Luffy thought for a moment before smiling.

"It's fine."

Everyone smiled. They knew exactly what kind of person their captain was.

Luffy looked toward Loguetown with determination in his eyes.

"You're a little ahead of me, but I'll catch up..."

....

Inside the Marine base, Smoker slammed his fist onto his desk hard enough to split it in half.

"That bastard!"

As soon as the news arrived that Allen had entered the harbor, all cadets had been ordered to withdraw. There was no point risking unnecessary casualties. They had planned an ambush.

But who could have expected Allen to take advantage of the situation to rob everyone at the port?

What kind of idiots did he think they were?

"Buahahahaha!" Garp laughed while eating cookies not far away. "He got you good, kid!"

Smoker looked humiliated.

He wanted to tear Allen's head off for this, but he had to wait. They couldn't risk civilian casualties, so he'd have to wait for Allen to walk into the trap.

"Smoker."

Hina entered the office.

"We have news. Allen Walker has split up his crew."

"What?!"

Smoker, Garp, and Bogard were all surprised.

According to reports, Allen was the only real threat in that crew. The rest were just ordinary girls.

What kind of logic was that?

"Hina, I'll stick to the plan. You arrest his crew."

"Hina does not take orders from you," the woman snorted.

"I'm leaving it to you," Bogard said.

His words surprised Garp.

"It's nothing. I just don't want to underestimate Allen Walker..."

If people heard that, they'd fall over in shock.

A Vice Admiral like Bogard being cautious about a green rookie?

However, Garp knew his right-hand man well enough to realize that perhaps he should take this matter more seriously.

"Smoker-san!" Lieutenant Tashigi rushed into the room. "We have information that Monkey D. Luffy is also approaching Loguetown."

"What?! Right now?!" Smoker growled.

He already had his hands full with Allen.

Garp remained silent.

On one hand, his grandson was arriving. As a Marine, he should arrest him if he saw him.

On the other hand, he could always avoid doing so by simply not running into him.

"Fine, it doesn't matter. Ignore Straw Hat for now. Let's focus on White Hair," Smoker declared, though he silently glanced at Garp for a moment.

"White Hair..." Garp said. "Who came up with that name? It sounds a bit exaggerated for a kid."

Everyone understood what he meant.

After all, in this world there were already two terrifying pirates known as Red Hair and Whitebeard, and Allen's nickname sounded like a fusion of both.

"It's just a coincidence," Smoker replied. "It's literally the color of his hair. Besides, the alternative would be indulging that shameless bastard and calling him King of the World!"

Garp burst into laughter.

"The Five Elders would probably explode from rage if that happened! Buhahaha!"

This was no laughing matter!

====

A/N: Can you imagine if One Piece was just a joke by Joyboy?

As much of a son of a bitch as Allen? Haha, no... right?

Patreon.com/_Aizen