Grand Line!
In the vast, seemingly endless sea, a tourist boat sailed leisurely along the Grand Line.
"Attention, passengers! Please stay away from the edge of the ship to avoid accidents."
"Our next stop is the Sabaody Archipelago. You may notice frequent Navy warships in these waters, ensuring the safety of this route."
The boat was filled with nobles from across the globe, each clad in luxurious clothing and adorned with precious jewels. While some people labored for their daily survival, others spent fortunes traveling through the Grand Line.
For those who risk their lives and endure unimaginable hardships to traverse Reverse Mountain and reach the Grand Line, their final destination is nothing more than a leisurely journey for the elite.
Despite this reality, Leno was unbothered, relishing the moment as he lounged comfortably in a bubble chair, sipping a specialty juice from the Sabaody Archipelago.
Next to him, Buggy slouched in his own bubble seat, thoroughly enjoying himself.
"Ah, the life of the rich! It's amazing!" he exclaimed.
"Back in the day, when the captain and I were on the run, who could have imagined this kind of comfort?"
"Yes, yes, so corrupt!" Leno responded, pretending to be disgusted, though his body remained comfortably relaxed.
The beautiful fish-woman attendant approached with a smile. "Sir, do you require any additional services?"
"Of course," Leno replied, enjoying the luxury.
As he strolled to the railing, Leno observed Kuina swimming vigorously in the pool reserved for VIP guests. The sea breeze was gentle, the water sparkling under the sun, and seabirds soared overhead, creating a serene and peaceful atmosphere—so different from the struggles and dangers faced by those lower on the social ladder.
Leno took a deep breath and recalled the changes after the Summit War. Once the Navy Headquarters had moved from Marineford, the Sabaody Archipelago had become a place of decadence.
Down on the deck below, the tour guide continued her energetic spiel,
"Look over there! The giant tree you see is the world's largest mangrove, and its roots form the foundation of the Sabaody Archipelago. The bubbles you see floating around are a unique feature of this place. They form because the tree secretes a special resin due to respiration. These bubbles expand with air and eventually drift skyward."
As they approached the Archipelago, the bubbles reflected the sunlight, casting a beautiful, multicolored glow. Leno's silver-haired butler, with his neat mustache, approached.
"We are nearing the Sabaody Archipelago, composed of 79 numbered trees. Each tree has its own town and facilities. We will be docking in Area 65."
He handed out guide maps and reminded the VIP passengers,
"Please make sure to avoid Area 29—it's a lawless zone filled with pirates, bounty hunters, and slave traders. Even the Navy rarely ventures there."
Leno, Kuina, and Buggy disembarked through the VIP channel, where they were greeted by a stationed Marine unit.
"Marine!?" Buggy tensed, his old instincts kicking in. His mind flashed back to his days on Roger's ship, where encountering the Navy meant one thing—trouble. He stumbled, tongue-tied and nervous.
Kuina, however, remained calm, her eyes sparkling with excitement. A tall, powerful female Vice Admiral stood ahead of the group, a sword hanging at her waist. Could this be the legendary swordswoman Leno had once mentioned?
Gion, also known as Momousagi, turned and met Kuina's gaze, instantly recognizing the young swordswoman. She nodded slightly in acknowledgment before turning her attention to Leno.
"I'm Gion, in charge of guarding the Sabaody Archipelago," she said with authority.
Leno grinned. "Vice Admiral Momousagi, it's an honor to meet you. Marine's hospitality is truly overwhelming."
Gion's face twitched in frustration. Hospitality? Hardly. She, along with others at the Naval Headquarters, would have gladly seen Leno thrown out. After all, it was because of him that Kuzan had resigned.
Nevertheless, she forced a smile. "Yes, we warmly welcome you. If you ever visit the Headquarters, we'll be more than happy to greet you properly."
"Of course," Leno replied with a beaming smile.
"After I deal with Kaido, I'll be sure to drop by."
Gion's eye twitched. Was that a provocation? Or a declaration of war?
"Hmph!" Gion's smile faded, replaced by a steely gaze. "You sure are confident, aren't you?"
Leno shrugged casually. "Confidence is the key to becoming the strongest in the world, after all."
And with that, the tension between the swordswoman and the rogue intensified, as if signaling the beginning of something far greater than either of them could predict.
Damn it, why would Kuzan lose to this kind of guy?
Looking at Leno's smiling face, Gion felt a surge of anger. No matter how you look at him, everything about Leno just rubbed her the wrong way.
Damn!
It was this shameless person who managed to sway Kuzan, a Vice Admiral, away from the Marines. It was a slap in the face to the Navy, turning them into a laughingstock.
Gion gritted her teeth. "Leno, no matter what you do in Sabaody Archipelago, I will follow you the entire way."
"What?!"
Buggy shivered, his entire body trembling.
The other party was a Marine Vice Admiral, and she was going to follow him the whole way?
Buggy wiped the sweat from his brow, panic settling in. Could they possibly recognize him as one of Roger's former crew?
After Roger surrendered, the Roger Pirates disbanded, but the World Government never gave up on hunting down Roger's remaining crew members.
Back then, Buggy and Shanks had parted ways. To survive, Buggy had no choice but to join the circus.
"Haha!"
Leno suddenly laughed. "Hey, it's really lucky to have a Marine Vice Admiral as our tour guide."
"Huh? Buggy!"
"Eh?"
Buggy was speechless. How is this lucky?
For the Marines, Leno's every movement and location would be under their surveillance. They'd know his group's itinerary with no surprises.
They passed the elevator and provided their real names.
If Marine couldn't pick up on that, the intelligence department might as well resign.
Leno glanced at the bubble car nearby. "Oh, that's not bad. Vice Admiral Gion, do you know how to drive it?"
Leno's gaze lingered on Gion's long legs. It was a shame they weren't pedaling three wheels.
"Huh? Drive it?"
The Marines accompanying Gion all gasped in shock.
Clang!
One of the Rear Admirals drew his sword.
"How dare you!"
"How could you be so rude as to suggest that such a beautiful Vice Admiral Gion drive you? Damn it!"
"Unforgivable!"
Leno smiled, his eyes narrowing. "Oh, so scary! Are you sure you want to fight?"
Kuina, standing nearby, sharpened her gaze and subtly shifted her sword in its sheath.
Buggy, sweating bullets, dug into his inner coat pocket, ready to toss his Buggy Bombs at a moment's notice and make a run for it.
No, no—it wasn't running away. It was called a strategic retreat.
The tension in the air grew thick, catching the attention of passersby.
"Who is that?"
"Oh, it looks like Marine Vice Admiral Momousagi, she's been quite the talk lately!"
"No, I mean the guy facing off with her. He looks... familiar."
"Eh? Wait a second! Isn't that the sign for the Hunter's Guild?"
"Oh? You're right! I saw them mentioned in the newspaper!"
"The Hunter's Guild has arrived at Sabaody, too? Are they preparing to face off with Kaido?"
"Meeting Vice Admiral Gion here is exciting enough, but if Kuzan shows up, it'll be even better!"
Since Kuzan's resignation, the Navy Headquarters had quickly promoted several Vice Admirals like Gion. A sweeping clean-up followed, with Marine Vice Admirals like Sakazuki and Borsalino hunting pirates left and right.
Gion and Tokikake had distinguished themselves during the campaign and were now at the forefront of Marine's public image. One of them would likely replace Kuzan.
As for the Hunter's Guild, they were a constant media sensation, one story after another keeping them in the headlines.
If a poll were taken for the most talked-about individual of 1511, Leno would undoubtedly outshine even Shanks and Kaido.
Now, the sudden confrontation between two headline figures had captivated the crowd.
For a brief moment, their eyes locked.
Though Gion longed to draw her sword and cut Leno down, she reined in her anger, lifting her hand from the hilt.
"You all, stand down!" she ordered, a sweet smile spreading across her face. "Since President Leno invited me, how could I refuse?"
"What?!"
"Vice Admiral!?"
"Unbelievable!"
The other Marine officers looked at Leno with sheer murderous intent, as if their beloved had been stolen from them.
Despite having recently taken up the post as Sabaody's resident commander, Gion's elegance and intellect had already won her favor among the ranks.
Rumor had it that Vice Admiral Tokikake, promoted at the same time as Gion, would propose to her every time they met, making it a popular joke in Marine circles.
Leno simply chuckled, saying, "Besides, having these guys around is quite an eyesore."
Gion smirked slightly, "Agreed!"
"Vice Admiral Gion!?"
Gion's eyes sharpened. "That's an order."
With her command, the Marines had no choice but to shut their mouths and salute. "Yes, ma'am!"
The boss of the Bon Chari Rental, trembling, approached them. "Please, please..."
(T/N Bon Chari are vehicles that are used to travel around the Sabaody Archipelago. They are affixed inside bubbles, where the user has to pedal in order for the propeller to spin and provide motion to the vehicle.)
He nervously eyed the tall and imposing Gion as she stepped onto the bubble tricycle, followed by the intense, murderous glares from the Marines.
"It has nothing to do with me!" he muttered.
The Bon Chari had enough room for one rider at the front, with four seats arranged in two rows behind.
Buggy, feeling the killing intent from the Marines, decided against getting into the car. "I think I'll ride a bike instead!"
Buggy chose a bubble car, leaving the scene on his own.
"That leaves more space!" Leno said with a grin. "Kuina, do you want to sit in the front or back?"
"Back," Kuina answered as she slid into the rear seat.
Leno turned to the boss. "Hey, is this Bon Chari sturdy?"
The boss wiped his brow nervously, glancing between Leno and the glaring Marines. "S-strong, it can carry up to 3 tons."
Leno smirked, hopping into the car while the murderous glares intensified.
Gion looked back at him. Is this guy really that heavy?
Leno settled into the chair, his hands resting behind his head in a relaxed manner. "Well, Vice Admiral Gion, shall we go?"
"Hmph, where exactly are we going?" Gion asked, her tone sharp.
Leno sat up, flipping through a sightseeing guide. "Anyplace you'd like to see, Kuina?"
"Whatever," Kuina replied, unfamiliar with the area.
Leno shrugged. "Then whatever works for us!"
Gion clenched her jaw in frustration, clearly unsatisfied with such a nonchalant response. "What are you really doing here in Sabaody Archipelago?"
"Playing!" Leno grinned.
Gion let out a cold snort. She didn't believe him for a second. With a looming battle against Kaido, could Leno really have come here just to play?
Sabaody Archipelago, however, was still the perfect place to probe for information.
With a strong kick of her long legs, Gion propelled the bubble car forward, heading deeper into the Sabaody Archipelago.
Meanwhile, unbeknownst to Leno, the Marine's focus on him wasn't just due to Gion's vigilance. The rapid rise of the Hunter Guild was unsettling the balance that the World Government sought to maintain.
Behind them, one of the Marine stealthily dialed the phone. "This is Headquarters. Admiral Sengoku, we've located Leno of the Hunter's Guild."
"Good. Keep an eye on them. We can't let the Hunter Guild expand out of East Blue too quickly," Sengoku replied, his voice grave.
The Marine's eyes shifted. "About Gion... She's currently riding a Bon Chari."
"...What?!"
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+30 chapters on p@treon/tambeerg
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