Chapter 9: Become the Marine King!
Inside the restaurant, the atmosphere became somewhat heavy because of the words "Grand Line."
The proprietress wiped the table while looking worriedly at these excessively young teenagers.
"I've also heard passing customers mention it; that sea is known as the 'Graveyard of Pirates.'"
"Once you enter the Grand Line, no one comes back alive... it's filled with monsters, natural disasters, and madness."
"Hahahaha!"
Luffy was still chewing meat, yet he burst into a heartless laugh.
"But the ONE PIECE is there! So I have to go!"
"Then there's no helping it."
Zoro crossed his legs, placed his hands behind his head, and a fearless smile curled at the corner of his mouth.
"Since I've boarded this pirate ship, I'll just have to brave hell itself."
Looking at these two madmen, Koby felt a deep sense of powerlessness.
He turned his head and looked at Tatsuya with a pleading gaze.
"Mr. Tatsuya, you'll definitely stop them, right? You also know how danger—"
"Koby."
Tatsuya suddenly spoke, interrupting him.
"Yes! Mr. Tatsuya!" Koby subconsciously straightened his posture.
Tatsuya set down his teacup. "You're going to become a Marine, right?"
Koby was stunned.
He looked at the three pirates who had just saved him; the hesitation in his eyes gradually receded, replaced by an unprecedented determination.
He took a deep breath, then raised his head and said loudly:
"Yes! It's ridiculous, isn't it... Mr. Tatsuya."
"I don't have a Devil Fruit, I don't have powerful swordsmanship, and I'm even a coward."
"But since meeting you all, I want to change too! I want to live for my own convictions as well!"
Koby squeezed his eyes shut, his body trembling slightly.
He had prepared himself mentally to face everyone's ridicule, just as he had on Alvida's ship.
One second, two seconds.
The expected laughter did not come.
Koby cautiously opened one eye.
He saw Luffy sitting cross-legged on a chair, face covered in snot and tears, looking at him with an extremely moved expression.
"Waaaah... Koby! Well said!"
"Go for it! Since you've decided, then go and become the Marine King!!"
"Huh? Huh?!"
The touching atmosphere shattered instantly, and Koby waved his hands in a frantic retort.
"Luffy-san, stop joking! There's no such title as 'Marine King'! That's a Marine Admiral!"
Just as they were making a racket, the restaurant door was suddenly pushed open.
*Creak—*
The originally lively restaurant fell silent in an instant.
A Marine Lieutenant Commander wearing a "Justice" coat walked in with a serious expression, leading a squad of fully armed Marine soldiers.
The Lieutenant Commander's gaze finally settled on Luffy's trio.
"I heard you are pirates, is that true?"
"Yeah!" Luffy had no intention of hiding it and even patted his chest with some pride.
"We're a three-person pirate crew now! Hahaha!"
The Lieutenant Commander looked at that defenseless smiling face, remained silent for a moment, and then slowly took off his hat.
"Everyone is very grateful to you."
"If it weren't for you, our base and this town would probably still be living under the shadow of Captain Morgan's tyranny."
But in the next second, the Lieutenant Commander put his hat back on, his tone becoming stiff and cold.
"However, now that we know you are pirates, as Marines, we cannot remain silent."
"For the sake of the Marine's reputation and position... please leave here immediately!"
"As a reward, we will not report your whereabouts to Headquarters."
The onlookers immediately grew indignant, standing up one after another to point fingers.
"Hey! Marines!"
"How can you be like this! They're our benefactors!"
"Exactly! Weren't you all also cowering under Morgan's tyranny just now, unable to move?"
Facing the crowd's accusations, the Lieutenant Commander's face turned ashen, but he still did not back down, only clenching his fists.
"Alright! Let's go then!"
Luffy didn't show any signs of anger; he shouldered the remaining food and stood up decisively.
"Tatsuya! Zoro! Since we're full, let's head out!"
"Thanks for the meal, Ma'am!" Luffy waved with a smile.
Zoro also picked up his three swords and followed: "Good grief, Marines really are all blockheads."
Just as the three were about to walk out the door, and Koby was still frozen in place, not knowing how to face this moment of parting—
*Whoosh!*
A sudden change occurred.
Tatsuya, who had been walking at the back, suddenly turned around, grabbed Koby's back collar, and yanked him over violently.
Under everyone's horrified gazes, a pitch-black, sharp Kunai was pressed directly against Koby's fragile neck.
"Hey! Marines!"
The gentleness was gone from Tatsuya's face, replaced by a chilling indifference.
"This brat is a hostage we kidnapped along the way. We originally planned to use him as manual labor, but since we're leaving now, keeping him is just a burden."
Tatsuya patted Koby's pale cheek with the Kunai and sneered.
"If you want him to live, bring us ten days' worth of food and fresh water!"
Hearing this, the Marines who originally wanted to let them stay immediately had a change of expression, and they all prepared to raise their guns.
"Fine! No problem!"
The Lieutenant Commander immediately waved to stop them, his expression extremely serious.
"Please do not harm the hostage! We will prepare the supplies immediately!"
In less than five minutes, several large bags of supplies were delivered to the door.
Tatsuya glanced at the supplies on the ground, a satisfied curve hooking his lips.
"Glad you're sensible."
As soon as he finished speaking, Tatsuya raised his leg and unceremoniously kicked Koby in the butt.
*Thud!*
"Ouch!"
Koby rolled like a tumbling gourd right to the feet of the Marines.
"You got off easy."
Tatsuya stowed the Kunai, picked up the supplies, and turned to leave.
Luffy and Zoro walked ahead; neither turned back, but the corners of their mouths couldn't help but turn up.
"Ah..." Zoro chuckled in a low voice, "That bastard really thinks of everything, he even managed to get supplies."
"Heeheehee, Tatsuya is really a bad guy."
Luffy said so, but he was laughing harder than anyone.
The three of them strode toward the dock under the wary gazes of the Marines.
In front of the restaurant.
Koby lay miserably on the ground, staring blankly at the ceiling.
His butt hurt, but his heart felt warm.
Although Mr. Tatsuya's kick just now looked heavy, he hadn't used much force at all.
He did it on purpose...
Koby's eyes instantly turned red, and tears flowed uncontrollably.
He put on that act just to clear my connection with them... Tatsuya-san, Luffy-san, Zoro-san...
"Hey! Are you okay, young man?" The Lieutenant Commander walked over to help him up.
Koby suddenly jolted and sprang up from the ground, standing bolt upright.
Without bothering to wipe the dust and tears from his face, he shouted loudly at the serious Lieutenant Commander before him:
"Mr. Lieutenant Commander! Please let me join the Marines!!"
The Lieutenant Commander was taken aback.
"Whether it's chores, mopping floors, or cleaning toilets, I'll do anything!" Koby shouted at the top of his lungs, "I want to join the Marines!"
A Marine soldier nearby frowned.
"Lieutenant Commander, this kid's identity is unknown, and he was just hanging out with pirates..."
"I am—"
Koby took a deep breath, and Luffy's fearless smiling face surfaced in his mind.
"I am the man who will become a Marine Admiral!!"
The whole place went silent.
The Lieutenant Commander looked at the snot-nosed, trembling teenager before him.
"Many of our comrades have sacrificed themselves," the Lieutenant Commander said solemnly. "The Marines carry the weight of justice. Since you want to join, you must have the resolve to die for it. Can you do that?"
"Yes! I'm not afraid!!" Koby shouted.
The Lieutenant Commander was silent for two seconds, then the corners of his mouth turned up slightly.
"Good. I approve it."
...
Shells Town Dock.
The sea breeze blew gently.
"You bastard really thought of everything; you did that on purpose, didn't you?"
Zoro couldn't help but complain while struggling to move the large bags of supplies sent by the Marines onto their shabby little wooden boat.
Tatsuya stood at the bow, tossing an apple he had "borrowed" and taking a crisp bite.
"Oh? I thought my acting was pretty good."
Tatsuya chewed the apple and said indistinctly, "I cleared that kid's name and solved our food problem for the near future."
"This is called strategy, you get it, moss-head?"
"You bastard!" Zoro looked at Tatsuya, who was only using his mouth and not his hands, and the veins on his forehead throbbed. "Hurry up and help move things!"
"I'm the brains of the operation," Tatsuya said righteously.
"Three-person pirate crew—setting sail!!"
Before the two could finish arguing, Luffy had already jumped onto the bow and untied the mooring rope.
As the sea breeze blew, the small boat slowly left the shore.
Just then, hurried footsteps came from the embankment.
"Mr. Luffy—!! Mr. Tatsuya—!! Mr. Zoro—!!"
The three of them looked back.
They saw Koby standing on the shore, with a row of Marine soldiers standing neatly behind him.
Koby waved while crying his eyes out, shouting loudly:
"I will never forget this kindness for the rest of my life!! One day, we will meet again!!"
"Goodbye! Koby!!" Luffy stood at the bow, waving his arms vigorously, his smile as bright as the sun. "Next time we meet, we'll be enemies!!"
"Goodbye, big brothers!" The little girl, Rika, also ran out, waving frantically.
Just then, the Lieutenant Commander suddenly took a step forward.
"Everyone—salute!!"
*Snap!!*
Including Koby, all the Marines raised their right hands in unison, offering the highest military salute to the receding small pirate boat.
This was the Shells Town Marines' tribute to "true justice."
On the sea.
Zoro looked at this scene, the corners of his mouth turning up slightly: "Hmph, what a strange bunch of Marines."
"They are indeed strange, but not bad, right?"
Tatsuya turned around and looked out at the vast, boundless sea.
"Wait... by the way, does anyone know anything about navigation?"