If we reach the top 10 by the end of this week, I'll mass-release seven chapters, let's go!
***
The Grand Line, Jaya, Mock Town.
The primary hub of piracy on the paradise side of the Grand Line was nothing like a certain cloaked figure had expected. Even in these squalid streets, formidable figures were out in the open.
One such figure was Crocodile, a pirate with a bounty of eighty million berries and a candidate for the position of Warlord, though yet to be confirmed.
He sat in a bar, engrossed in newspapers and puffing on a tobacco pipe. Seated beside him was another man, bald and nursing a drink.
"Thanks to those pests, there are Marines swarming everywhere," he grumbled, flipping through the pages and recalling the incident that had occurred in Sabaody two years ago, putting a halt to his plans for the past two years.
"These rookie upstarts are causing chaos all over the place, making our operations more difficult," Mr. 1 commented, emptying his cup. The two shared a common objective but faced numerous obstacles. If Crocodile could attain the status of Warlord, their plans to reach Alabasta would become smoother. However, the recent incident two years ago had drawn more Marines to the region than ever before. Recruitment efforts had accelerated, and promising Marine recruits joined the fleet daily.
"I heard they dispatched Marine fleets to each kingdom as a security measure."
"That's merely temporary. What's crucial now is that I secure the position of Warlord, and then... we can take the first step toward obtaining Pluton."
"Where did you even hear that rumor, Mr. 0?"
"From a former crewmate, a long time ago."
"You were part of a crew?" The bald man's forehead creased; Crocodile didn't seem like the type to follow orders.
"Stop prying into my past, you bastard... the past is the past, and as far as I'm concerned, it doesn't exist."
Crocodile made it clear that he had no intention of sharing details about his earlier days.
"Let's lay low in Mock Town for now. I have another objective to accomplish if I want to become a Warlord. We need more notoriety, or else some of those rookies will overshadow us."
"And how do you plan to achieve that?"
"There's a certain pirate causing a stir here, and he's being considered by the Marines as a Warlord candidate. His name is Peter Hornigold. It's absurd for them to even consider such a monstrous beast..."
"You want to hunt him down? We won't be the only ones." Mr. 1 glanced around, seeing dozens of crews in the area, all seemingly searching for the same individual.
"This Hornigold has made enemies of many crews. It will work to our advantage. Once he's weakened from fighting them all, we can reap the rewards and depart. Simple and straightforward."
"Conventional..." Mr. 1 finished his drink, and their plan was set. All they needed to do was wait for the commotion to begin.
In one of Mock Town's darkest and most putrid alleyways, a young woman with a curvaceous body, short dark hair, and piercing blue eyes walked briskly away from the town's main areas. She had worked as an informant here for nearly two years, resigning from the idea of joining any pirate crew. As long as she concealed her cursed face, she could operate without trouble. She was literate, had a sharp mind for processing information, and could easily gather valuable intel.
Recently, Mock Town had become more complicated, with powerful pirates flooding in and corpses appearing in the streets. Even for a place filled with pirates and rogues, things were becoming increasingly uncertain.
"It's no longer safe for me to stay here. I'm drawing too much attention. I need to find an opportunity to escape..."
The biggest question looming in her mind was where to go next. She had some money saved up, enough to sail to a nearby country, but the work she did here in Mock Town was the most lucrative.
As she tried to turn a corner, she collided with someone.
!!!
For her, it felt like running into a brick wall, but the other person was also a woman. However, when she saw the white coat draped over the woman's shoulders, panic set in.
"A Marine!"
"Are you okay?" The Marine woman bent down to assist the person she had bumped into, but the cloaked figure had no intention of engaging with her.
"Rear Admiral Momousagi Gion and... Vice Admiral Tsuru... What are they doing in Mock Town?!"
This place was infamous for one thing: Marines avoided it whenever possible. Yet here, in the shadowy alleyways, were one of the most renowned Marines, hidden from view.
Old lady Tsuru observed the cloaked figure as she walked away without a word. Tsuru frowned deeply, while Gion displayed a distasteful expression. "Hmph! A little politeness wouldn't hurt."
"You expect too much from a troubled young woman."
"Do you know who she is?"
"The Demon Child of Ohara, Nico Robin."
"Shouldn't we apprehend her!?" Momousagi began to move, but Tsuru stopped her with a shake of her head.
"We're not here for her today. We're here for the former SWORD operative, Peter Hornigold."
Tsuru held up a wanted poster featuring Peter Hornigold—a man with a black hat, tuxedo, skull mask, and lifeless grey eyes. A faint, chilling smile lurked beneath the mask.
"He's gone insane, accompanied by a crew of two other pirates. They've been seen plundering and ruthlessly slaughtering anyone who crosses their path. He must be eliminated," Momousagi sighed, adjusting her coat. Both of them continued walking through the alleyways, trying to avoid drawing attention.
"He deserted SWORD. It's our responsibility to hunt down the monster we created."
"But he has consumed a Devil Fruit, and a Logia at that—the Yami Yami no Mi."
"I can't believe they're even considering such a wretch as a Warlord candidate after what he did to Zephyr. What is Sengoku thinking?" Tsuru rubbed her forehead, a mix of confusion and disappointment filling her.
"You know better than anyone that he has orders to follow, Tsuru."
"The sense of justice within this organization has waned over time, to the point where it hardly resembles the same organization I joined fifty years ago."
"When I become an Admiral, I'll make sure to clean it up thoroughly!"
"If only it were that easy to become an Admiral, let alone cleanse years of corruption."
"We won't know until we try."
Tsuru smiled, feeling hopeful that among the new generation of Marines, there were individuals genuinely committed to change. "For old-timers like you and me, it may be impossible, Garp, but with the right leadership, these newcomers could change the world."
"Stay alert. This man is dangerous—swift and merciless. Don't engage in conversation or provoke him. The moment you spot him, act immediately. We can't afford to be seen in public unless absolutely necessary. This is Mock Town, and we're the only ones here with clean hands."