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On the bustling streets of Loguetown, it was Colonel Smoker who stood before Satori and Nami. He loomed over the boy, and without a single word of explanation, he pulled back his arm and swung a fierce, concentrated punch toward Satori's head.
Nami's face went white. Her panic, however, wasn't for Satori's safety; she was terrified that an enraged Satori would retaliate and leave the high-ranking Marine broken on the pavement. If that happened, they would be branded as criminals forever, with the weight of the World Government hounding them across the seas.
But the scene that followed defied all her expectations. Facing the aggressive strike, Satori didn't flinch. He didn't dodge, and he didn't raise his hands to defend himself. He simply stood his ground, watching the massive fist hurtle toward his face with wide, calm eyes.
The fist, which seemed poised to shatter bone, stopped abruptly a mere inch from Satori's nose. The sheer momentum of the blow created a localized gust of wind that sent Satori's black hair fluttering wildly.
"Why didn't you dodge?" Smoker asked. He stood with two cigars clamped between his teeth, looking down expressionlessly at the motionless boy.
"Because I didn't feel any hostility from you," Satori replied earnestly, meeting Smoker's gaze without a hint of fear.
"Is that so?" Smoker stared at him for a few tense seconds before withdrawing his arm. He took the cigars from his mouth and exhaled a thick ring of white smoke. "As expected of someone Vice Admiral Garp values. To have such keen perception and such a calm temperament at your age is rare."
Smoker indeed harbored no ill will toward the boy. He had attacked merely to test the "extraordinary" nature of the young man Garp had so highly praised. In his original plan, Satori would have caught the blow, leading to a brief exchange of strength. However, the boy's ability to read his intent so accurately forced Smoker to abandon the charade.
Upon hearing the name, Satori's expression brightened. "Grandpa Garp? You know Grandpa Garp?" It was the first time he had encountered someone in the outside world who knew his mentor.
"Of course. Who in the Marines doesn't know Vice Admiral Garp? I received a call from him regarding you not long ago," Smoker said indifferently.
"I see! So you're Grandpa Garp's friend!" Satori, assuming a phone call equated to a deep bond, immediately relaxed. He clasped his hands behind his head and flashed a wide, cheerful grin.
When did I say we were friends? Smoker thought. He is my superior and a legendary senior, but 'friends' is a stretch. Ignoring the boy's leap in logic, Smoker's expression suddenly turned cold, his wolf-like eyes sharpening.
"Sun Wukong, you should remember your actions. Willfully injuring Marines is an offense that leads to arrest and trial."
Nami stepped forward, waving her hands frantically. "Hey, wait a minute! Officer, we had a reason! Those Marines were colluding with pirates and attacked us first. We only acted in self-defense. You can't be unreasonable!"
Smoker ignored her, his focus still on Satori. The boy became serious, his brow furrowing as he looked at the Colonel. "I have a question. Grandpa Garp told me the Marines are an organization that upholds justice and defeats bad guys. So why did those Marines let the Arlong Pirates roam free? Why did they collude with them?"
That day at the tangerine grove had left a mark on Satori's heart. He couldn't reconcile the image of Garp's justice with the greed of Colonel Nezumi. "Grandpa told me everyone who joins the Marines does it to punish evil. What is the difference between men like Nezumi and the pirates who do bad things?"
Hearing the question, Smoker's eyes narrowed slightly. He dropped his fierce stance and exhaled a slow puff of smoke. "That is a very good question. Why do such scoundrels appear in the Marines? I struggled with that myself once."
The answer stunned both of them. Even Nami, who had been bracing for a fight, froze in place.
"Later, I understood," Smoker continued. "Some people don't join for justice. They use the uniform as a stepping stone to seize power and profit. Others change—they might start with good intentions, but they eventually surrender to their own desires. These people are the scum of the Marines. For scoundrels like that, they deserve to be beaten. They shouldn't be allowed to tarnish the reputation of justice."
"Then... you won't arrest us?" Nami probed cautiously.
Smoker nodded. "Of course not. You didn't injure Marines; you injured scum. By the way, Nezumi and his subordinates have already confessed and are awaiting imprisonment."
Nami's jaw dropped in astonishment before her eyes lit up with joy. "Really?! That's wonderful!"
Smoker reached into his pocket and handed a document to Satori. "You're heading for the Grand Line, right? Take this. It's an authorization letter. With it, you can legally operate as Pirate Hunters in those waters."
"Authorization?" Nami snatched the paper before Satori could accidentally smudge it. "So a registration in the East Blue isn't valid there?"
"The Four Seas and the Grand Line are two different worlds," Smoker explained. He gestured to Tashigi, who approached carrying a heavy suitcase. "This is the 34,500,000 Berry bounty for the defeat of the Arlong Pirates. 20,000,000 for Arlong, and 14,500,000 for Kuroobi and Chuu."
Nami eagerly opened the suitcase, her eyes turning into literal currency symbols at the sight of the stacked Berries. Her own savings had been left to help her village, and their funds were running low. This reward solved all their immediate problems. "This is great! Now we don't have to worry about money once we reach the Grand Line!"