Walking through the streets of Maple Leaf Island, Garp couldn't shake the uneasy feeling that had settled over him. The moment he appeared before the island's inhabitants, the looks they gave him were odd—clearly, they recognized him.
Dressed in a white suit with the emblem of justice emblazoned on his cape, it was obvious to the people of Maple Leaf Island that he was a Marine officer. And not just any officer—anyone wearing a suit like that had to be at least a high-ranking Marine, likely a "general-level" officer.
While Maple Leaf Island had seen its share of Marines over the years, it had been a long time since someone of such high rank had set foot there. Located in the first half of the Grand Line, the island wasn't exactly a hotspot for notorious pirates. With a Marine branch nearby, pirate attacks had become increasingly rare.
For a general-level Marine to show up on the island, there was only one reason that made sense to the locals. So, as soon as they noticed Garp's presence, many of them quietly slipped away in the same direction.
The islanders thought they were being discreet, but they failed to consider that Garp was no ordinary Marine—he was a Vice Admiral, and not just any Vice Admiral. What they thought was a perfect cover was riddled with flaws in Garp's eyes.
Puzzled by the reaction of the Maple Leaf Island residents, Garp decided to follow them. It didn't take long for him to realize that all the people who had hurried away at the sight of him were heading to the same place.
"Steia, I just saw a Marine on the island—just like when Admiral Zephyr visited us a few years ago. From the way he's dressed, it's clear he's another big shot from Marine headquarters.
"The pirates we get on Maple Leaf Island are just small fry; they're not worth sending someone this important. The only reason a Marine of his rank would come here is because of that boy, Wood. After all, he's now a pirate with a 1 billion Berries bounty on his head!
"Before they find you, you and your daughter should take a small boat and get off the island. We'll do our best to cover for you."
As soon as the village elder finished speaking, others who had come to deliver the news quickly agreed.
"Oh, Wood… That boy could have had a bright future as a Marine. Why did he have to make such a terrible choice and become a pirate?"
As they lamented how the young man who used to struggle with even basic woodcutting had now become a notorious pirate with a 1 billion Berries bounty, the people of Maple Leaf Island couldn't help but feel a mix of disappointment and sorrow.
Maple Leaf Island had once suffered greatly at the hands of pirates, with many families torn apart by their raids. For this reason, the islanders harbored no love for pirates.
But Wood was different. At just fifteen years old, he had defended them from pirates more than once, protecting the island with all his strength. When they received letters from Wood after he'd earned a promotion to Navy Lieutenant Commander, the people had been so proud of him, seeing him as their island's pride.
But their joy was short-lived. Before long, they received terrible news: Wood had betrayed the Navy, releasing prisoners from Impel Down, and becoming the very thing they despised—a pirate. The once-proud boy they knew was now one of the most wanted men in the world.
They had watched in disbelief as Wood's bounty climbed from 50 million to an incredible 1 billion Berries.
As Wood grew stronger, the people of Maple Leaf Island should have been happy. But the path he had chosen was far from what they had hoped for him. They had envisioned Wood rising through the ranks of the Navy—Lieutenant Commander, Commander, Captain, and perhaps even Admiral one day.
Instead, he had become a pirate with a bounty so high it made their heads spin.
Though the islanders despised pirates, they couldn't bring themselves to hate Wood. He had grown up before their eyes and had saved them multiple times. So when they saw a general-level Marine like Garp on the island, they rushed to warn Steia and her daughter, Ain.
"Hmph, I'm not going anywhere! If a Marine has come here, that's even better. I can finally ask them if the Navy forced Wood to do something that made him betray them. There's no way he would have become a pirate by choice—he hates pirates more than anyone…"
Five years had passed, and Ain had grown from a young girl into a graceful young woman. Her blue hair now reached her waist, and she had grown to about 1.6 meters tall, with her figure starting to show signs of maturity.
At her current age, Ain was around the same age as Robin. At 1.6 meters tall, she was still growing, and with time, the world of pirates would no doubt see another beautiful, long-legged woman emerge.
The person most troubled by Wood's defection was, without a doubt, Ain. Since she was a child, she had always looked up to Wood, who was her most admired figure and the brother she was most proud of.
But when Wood's first wanted poster arrived on Maple Leaf Island, Ain refused to believe it. Yet, as the second and third posters arrived, she had no choice but to face the harsh reality.
Ain couldn't believe that her brother, who had always hated pirates, could become one himself. Pirates had killed their father, and both Ain and Wood despised them.
Unable to accept the truth, Ain convinced herself that Wood must have been forced into it by the Navy. She had gone to the Marine branch on Maple Leaf Island more than once, pleading with the local officers to take her to Marine headquarters in Marineford, where she could ask the Fleet Admiral what had really happened.
Her brother was better than anyone, and even Admiral Zephyr had praised Wood's sense of justice when he was just a teenager. How could someone like him possibly do things like freeing Impel Down prisoners, killing a Marine captain, or attacking Enies Lobby?
If these were truly her brother's actions, Ain would rather believe that the prisoners he freed were good people, that the Marine captain was corrupt, and that the attack on Enies Lobby was just a misunderstanding.
"Ain, don't be foolish. We all know Wood isn't a bad person. But the big shots at Marine headquarters won't care about that. You and your mother are the closest family he has on the island, and if the Marines are here, they're likely going to target you.
"If they capture you, it'll only make things harder for Wood. So please, listen to us and find somewhere safe to hide on another island."
The village elder tried to persuade Ain, but she refused to budge. None of them noticed the tall figure who had silently appeared behind them.
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P/S: If you are interested, you can read up to chapter 320+ at p@treon.com/Betek and change @ to a