Three years ago.
With Uehara Naraku's help, Sabo regained his memory. At that time, when Sabo sent Dadan back to Gorbo Mountain, he also met Luffy.
Now, when they met again in Log Town, Luffy's face was full of surprise: "Sabo! What are you doing here?"
"Haha, just happened to have something in Log Town..."
Sabo turned his head to look at his brother, with a refreshing smile on his face: "I'll stop him, quickly leave with your companions!"
"This smoke guy is tough..."
"Don't worry."
Sabo smiled and shook his head, his hand slowly forming a claw-like shape, as Armament Haki instantly floated on his palm.
"Dragon Claw Fist!"
Sabo suddenly dashed in front of Smoker!
The pitch-black claw fiercely grabbed at Smoker!
"Armament Haki..."
The next moment, Smoker's face turned grim as he leapt backward.
Even so, his clothes were still torn open by the Dragon Claw Fist!
"Hurry up, Luffy!"
Sabo smiled at Luffy, chuckling lightly: "Ride the sea breeze that sees you off, enter the Grand Line! Witness the greatest sights of this world, become stronger and stronger! You must find the ONE PIECE we agreed on and become the Pirate King of this era!"
"Ah, don't worry!"
Luffy chuckled and nodded, sprinting toward the dock as his voice echoed across Log Town's square: "I've said it long ago, I'm definitely going to become the Pirate King!"
"This guy..."
Sabo laughed softly, shaking his head helplessly.
For his scatterbrained brother, Sabo indeed felt somewhat helpless. Sometimes Sabo even felt like he was infected by Luffy...
A burst of white smoke suddenly began to spread again.
Smoker's figure reappeared in front of Sabo, clenching the jitte in his hand and exhaling cigar smoke.
"Hmph, Straw Hat Luffy's ally, huh?"
Smoker swung his jitte once again, charging at Sabo, his face fierce as he shouted: "Then stay here together!"
Sabo gripped the iron pipe in his hand, facing Smoker's jitte, with a growing confidence in his smile: "I absolutely can't agree to that..."
The next second, the two engaged in an intense battle in the square of Log Town!
Just as Sabo and Smoker were in fierce combat, Monkey D. Luffy and the other members of the Straw Hat Pirates had already rushed to the dock, quickly heading to their pirate ship.
"Wait..."
Zoro's gaze seemed to catch a glimpse of a figure on the Golden Merry, compelling him to speak: "Hey, it looks like there's someone else on our ship!"
"Huh? How could that be?"
Sanji glanced at everyone around him: "Nami, this idiot Luffy, Usopp, and you green algae-headed idiot. There shouldn't be anyone on the ship... Anyway, it's probably a thief. Let's board first!"
"Ahhh..."
Nami immediately noticed the orange tree on the Golden Merry was missing, her expression quickly turning irritable: "Ahhh... Where's my orange tree! Should've left one of you to guard the ship!"
"Cut the noise! There are three Navy guys on the ship!"
Usopp's gaze firmly locked onto the figure on the ship, as the best marksman, Usopp's vision was evidently superior.
On the Golden Merry.
Uehara Naraku sat on the railing of this small ship, slowly raised his head to look at the weather under the cloudy sky, opened his palm, and calmly said: "Admiral Aokiji, Ain, go assist our Colonel Smoker!"
"Such a bother..."
Aokiji scratched his hair and landed on the shore: "That guy Dragon is no easy match..."
"No worries."
Uehara Naraku glanced at Ain who had landed, smiled, and said: "Just stall Dragon long enough for Ain and the CP reinforcements to capture Sabo."
"Yes, Admiral Uehara."
Ain nodded seriously and continued: "Aren't we going to catch the Straw Hat Pirates? It's a rare opportunity..."
"Catching them now is useless, right?"
Uehara Naraku shook his head, rejecting Ain's proposal: "For now, only Straw Hat Luffy has a bounty, even if we caught him, he'd just be imprisoned for a while... No need to rush, besides the person we're capturing today will make Straw Hat Luffy even more distressed."
"Got it!"
Ain nodded along.
"Really mean..."
Aokiji shook his head.
The next second, the two ran towards the inside of Log Town. When they encountered the Straw Hat Pirates, they didn't obstruct them much, just dodged immediately and continued their rush into Log Town!
"Huh?"
The Straw Hat Pirates were somewhat surprised.
Luffy scratched his head, looking curiously at the two Navy soldiers heading toward Log Town, and couldn't help but exclaim: "Eh? Aren't they here to catch us?"
"Those two are strong!"
Zoro's gaze shifted, gripping his Wado Ichimonji tightly: "What's their deal? Looking down on us?"
"Zoro, stop talking!"
Usopp clutched his head, glancing at the direction of the Golden Merry, showing a hint of fear: "The remaining guy on the ship seems scarier!"
Next, the wind suddenly became more violent!
This fierce wind instantly scattered the clouds in the sky. A ray of sunshine pierced through the cracks in the clouds, illuminating Uehara Naraku sitting on the Golden Merry's railing.
In the Straw Hat Pirates' view...
This scene appeared exceedingly sacred and majestic, inducing admiration!
"Uehara!"
Luffy recognized Uehara Naraku's appearance, a hint of joy on his face as he excitedly waved his arm: "Wow, long time no see, Uehara!"
Recently, the Straw Hat Pirates have been constantly mentioning Uehara Naraku, and even if Luffy wanted to forget his appearance, he would always unintentionally remember it.
"That guy..."
Sanji's expression couldn't help but change.
It was truly difficult to get Sanji to have a bit of a good impression of Uehara Naraku, having personally witnessed his bad behavior.
Nami's feelings were even more complicated.
A hint of anger appeared on Nami's face as she stormed to the side of the Merry, angrily waving her fist.
"Hey, Uehara Naraku, the orange trees I brought from Cocoyasi Village on the Merry have been stolen by you again, haven't they!"
There's no doubt about it!
Besides Uehara Naraku standing before them, who else would be so idle as to steal orange trees!
"Look, I left one for you!"
Uehara Naraku chuckled and shook his head, tossing a coin from his palm to Nami: "A hundred Belly, this is for the orange trees..."
"Wh... what?"
Nami instinctively caught the coin, her expression suddenly changing: "Wait, Uehara Naraku, the money we left on the ship..."
"Yeah, I saw it, there's seventeen million, nine hundred and thirty thousand Belly in the safe..."
Uehara Naraku spread his palm, speaking earnestly: "It seems like saving up this much money wasn't easy for you guys, I promise, I'll be sure to spend it well."
The amount was completely accurate.
Nami's expression turned very unpleasant, and everyone in the Straw Hat Pirates could see that she wasn't in a good mood.
But still...
This Uehara Naraku was really too much!
"...bast... bast... bast..."
Nami clenched her fist, slowly raising her head to look at Uehara Naraku, as if the next moment her anger would compel her to curse out loud.
Obviously...
Nami's temper was on the verge of exploding.
In all these years, Nami has never forgotten what happened after she met Uehara Naraku when she was fifteen, and now history seemed to be repeating itself.
This bastard, why does he keep taking her stuff!
"Nami, some things shouldn't be said carelessly."
Uehara Naraku shook his cape, smiling as he spoke: "Just a reminder, I'm a Vice Admiral of the Navy, stronger than that Navy Headquarters Colonel Smoker you were chasing just now, have you thought clearly about what you want to say?"
Nami's face instantly froze.
Even if Uehara Naraku weren't a Vice Admiral, Nami would have to consider carefully before cursing him, because she knows this guy can be really petty...
Thinking of past events, Nami immediately felt wronged, tears welled up in her eyes, looking pitifully up at Uehara Naraku: "Now that you're with the Navy, why are you still taking my things..."
Pitiful...
So wronged...
This was Nami's usual tactic with men.
Uehara Naraku tilted his head at Nami's expression, thinking for a moment before offering an answer: "Perhaps it feels like you earn money so difficultly, so I feel responsible to help you spend it... by the way, I also had someone take away the jewelry you hid in your room."
"..."
Nami's expression of grievance instantly turned to despair.
Uehara Naraku was indeed still that nasty bastard.
Even after joining the Navy, he still can't seem to change his nature of bullying her, but why does this guy always manage to find her money!
And he always shows up when she's happiest...
Taking her money, taking her treasures, taking her orange trees...
The last time was after Ahlong was defeated when Nami was the happiest, Uehara Naraku took the money she had saved for years; this time it was right after shopping, just when about to enter the Grand Line, and the money and jewelry were taken...
This guy...
He must be her nightmare, right?
"Making beautiful girls cry is not something a man should do!"
Sanji's voice suddenly appeared in everyone's ears, as his figure quickly leaped toward Uehara Naraku, delivering a series of kicks!
Uehara Naraku extended his hand towards the airborne Sanji, a burst of Armament Haki was released from his palm instantly!
Sanji's body flew back even faster!
"Idiot!"
Roronoa Zoro cursed Sanji, then suddenly drew his three swords, charging at Uehara Naraku: "Three-Sword Style: Three Thousand Worlds!"
A wave of killing intent and sword aura swept towards Uehara Naraku!
The next moment, Uehara Naraku extended a finger, pressing it against one of the swords, stopping the fierce attack, making a drop of cold sweat appear on Roronoa Zoro's face!
This...
What is going on!
What kind of joke is this!
The last time at the Baladi Restaurant, his technique was easily countered by Hawk Eye Mihawk with a small knife, and now it was Uehara Naraku with just a finger!
"You..."
Roronoa Zoro stared intently at Uehara Naraku, feeling a bit uneasy, wondering if they would be captured by the Navy before even entering the Grand Line?
This level of strength...
Is far beyond even Luffy!
It's unimaginable how many strong people the Navy has and how many monsters are in the Grand Line!
"I won't stop you."
Uehara Naraku slowly shook his head, leaping down from the Merry's railing, and spoke seriously: "Luffy, you should leave here right now, entering the Grand Line has already cost you a considerable price!"