The moment between Nami and Allen was ruined by a man who appeared out of nowhere.
When Allen turned to look at him, he was surprised. The guy had blond hair, wore a black suit, and had a pair of distinctive curly eyebrows.
"You are..." Allen widened his eyes as he looked at the young man.
The look in the young man's eyes said it all. There was anger, jealousy, and a kind of ancient grudge, as if Allen had killed his parents or something similar.
"Who are you?"
You don't know?!
Everyone thought Allen recognized the young man because of the momentary look of surprise on his face. But unexpectedly, that wasn't the case—it was just Allen trolling.
As for Nami, she initially felt relieved that she no longer had to kiss Allen, but she quickly became annoyed as well and frowned at the person responsible for interrupting the moment.
When the young man heard Allen's response, he stumbled and his eyes burst into flames.
"What do you mean you don't recognize me?!"
It was obvious this guy held some grudge against Allen, but Allen's blank expression made it clear he had no idea who he was.
Unlike Nami, Kaya felt a trace of gratitude toward the blond man who had interrupted the kiss. She also swore to herself that she would never do something so stupid again.
"Allen-san, do you know him?" Kaya asked with a faint smile.
"Ah~ An angel!❤️~"
The blond young man was instantly struck. He began twisting around while hugging himself, and the worst part was that his eyes had turned into hearts.
This sent a chill down both Kaya's and Nami's spines.
Nami grabbed Allen's arm while Kaya moved behind him.
He was a pervert!
Unexpectedly, this completely petrified the young man. He dropped to his knees and sank into depression.
"Are you some kind of pervert or something?" Allen asked while rubbing his chin. At the same time, he was ready to protect both girls in case the guy turned out to be some degenerate maniac.
The young man clenched his teeth, recovered, and stood up while glaring at Allen in anger.
"Bastard, stop pretending you don't recognize me. I am... I am!"
Allen blinked while staring at the young man. Then a flashback crossed his mind, and he chuckled.
"Why, if it isn't young master Sanji Vi—"
"Ahhh!" Sanji screamed in panic when Allen was about to reveal his full name.
"Vis... Vis... Vintage. That's right, you're Sanji Vintage."
"Vinsmoke, idiot! I—"
Sanji corrected him, only to immediately regret revealing his own name.
"So, you do know him?" Kaya asked while peeking over Allen's shoulder.
"Well..."
"You really only know strange people," Nami said with an exhausted sigh as she rested her head against Allen's other shoulder.
When Sanji saw this, he seemed to take three million points of psychological damage and collapsed to the ground foaming at the mouth.
The crowd looked at him as if he were some kind of mental patient. One moment he was angry, the next depressed, and now he was unconscious.
Allen shrugged.
"Well, he's not exactly my friend or anything. When we were kids, his sister tried to poison me with sedatives so she could secretly marry me or something like that."
The crowd and the girls both turned pale.
What kind of child poisons people for that reason?
"Wait, and what happened?!" Nami exclaimed with a strange sense of anxiety. Surely this guy hadn't actually been forced into a marriage or something.
Allen blinked before smiling smugly with a hint of mischief, "Nothing. I escaped. I'm pretty good at escaping crazy women obsessed with my perfection... don't worry, I'm still a free man."
Nami snorted and blushed.
"I don't think that's something to be proud of," Kaya said with a sigh of relief.
This interaction made the men present jealous of Allen for having been surrounded by beautiful girls both in the past and now, while the women felt jealous of Nami and Kaya. The guy might be strange, shameless, and a pirate, but he was undeniably handsome in both appearance and charm.
"Damn it... damn it... damn it... Why is it this guy?!" Sanji pounded the ground repeatedly as if he were being tortured.
Even as a child, Allen had traveled to many places, but he never stayed in one location for long. When he arrived in the Germa Kingdom, he never imagined he would catch the attention of a certain poison-loving girl.
"Are you okay?" Allen asked.
He remembered Reiju's crybaby brother. The guy had always been extremely attached to his sister and constantly tried to get rid of Allen, which was more than welcome since that girl never stopped kidnapping him and dragging him back to her mansion.
He regretted ever going to that country.
He had escaped the frying pan only to fall into the fire.
"Hey... Sanji? By the way, what are you doing in the East Blue?"
It made sense for Allen to end up in the East Blue. Not only was he an orphan, but he also always got into trouble wherever he went. However, Sanji belonged to a noble family in the North Blue, so it made no sense for him to be here.
When Sanji heard those words, he seemed to regain his composure. He stood up, lit a cigarette, and looked at Allen.
"Sanji Vinsmoke is dead."
Allen remained silent as he studied Sanji's expression.
The man truly seemed to have severed all ties with his family.
"Then why are you bothering me and interrupting my date?" Allen shamelessly replied, causing both Nami and Kaya to blush again. "If this is about your sister, you should understand by now that she was the one chasing me. If anything, shouldn't you be apologizing for all the times she kidnapped me?"
"Kuh..."
Sanji threw his cigarette to the ground and crushed it beneath his foot.
"I was planning to do that. But then I saw your disgusting face in the newspaper. You... you... How dare you build a harem?!"
"Harem?!" Allen's eyes widened.
"That makes no sense!"
"You're shameless! A liar! Completely ungentlemanly! You steal without shame! You humiliate people! You walk around with an ego that reaches the sun, and yet... yet you're popular with beautiful women! What kind of sense does that make?!"
Sanji's declaration left everyone stunned.
They thought this was some ancient feud or unforgivable grudge.
But it was jealousy.
Nothing more.
The guy had come all this way just to complain that Allen was popular with women.
"Meanwhile, I'm a gentleman! A man willing to risk his life for any woman! A man who would rather die than raise a hand against a woman! A gentleman who worships every beautiful lady with all his heart! And yet... everyone treats me like some kind of pervert and stalker! What's wrong with this world?!"
Kaya and Nami looked at Sanji with indifferent eyes.
Being gentlemanly was one thing, but this guy seemed more like some kind of perverted masochist.
Allen shrugged.
"Well, what can I tell you? I understand. Your hatred is normal. Even I once looked at my reflection in the water and thought angrily, 'How can someone be this handsome? Isn't it unfair to everyone else?'"
"Damn it, you're a truly unpleasant person. I wouldn't be surprised if you used some evil trick to keep these beautiful girls by your side. That's it!"
Driven by irrational jealousy and rage, Sanji pointed at Allen.
"Don't worry, beauties! I'll save you!"
Nami and Kaya both frowned.
It was true that Allen was shameless, narcissistic, and egotistical, but he was also the person who had saved them in their darkest moments. The man who had bled, been injured, and even risked his life to protect them.
They were not about to forgive someone for talking about him like that.
"Don't worry. I'll handle this," Allen chuckled.
Nami and Kaya stepped aside while Allen took a step forward.
"Bastard, stop flirting in front of me!"
Sanji leaped into the air, spun around, and attacked with his heel.
"Épaule!"
Allen easily dodged Sanji's heel, and it smashed into the ground, leaving a small crater.
"Nice kick..." Allen said with a mocking smile.
"...!"
Sanji's eyes widened as he realized he had made a mistake. Controlled by his insecurities and jealousy, he had just attacked a man worth one hundred million berries.
But it was already too late.
Allen clenched his fist and, at a speed Sanji couldn't react to, drove a punch straight into his stomach.
"Argh!"
Sanji flew backward and crashed into a building.
....
"Well... that was disappointing."
Allen cracked his neck before turning around and smiling at the two girls.
For some reason, Nami blushed. So did Kaya. Whoever said strength wasn't attractive?
"Shall we go?" he asked, extending a hand to each of them.
Kaya laughed and took Allen's hand before wrapping herself around his arm.
Unexpectedly, the blond girl wasn't the type to miss an opportunity because of embarrassment.
"Is this one of those scenarios where the villain kidnaps the maiden?~" Kaya teased.
Sanji had wanted to be the hero rescuing the maiden from the evil villain. Instead, he had been defeated.
This was the version where the hero lost and the princess was carried away by the Demon King.
Allen laughed and patted Kaya's head.
"I'm not stealing anything. Kaya has belonged to me from the very beginning."
Kaya froze.
Then steam practically erupted from her head as she nearly fainted.
"No, I mean... Kaya belongs to my crew. You know."
Allen suddenly felt embarrassed.
He didn't know why he had said it like that. That wasn't normally how he talked. It felt almost like muscle memory, except for his mind.
[Hmph. Are you a natural womanizer deep down? Do you actually have talent for this? Or don't tell me you were an Emperor with three thousand concubines in a past life.]
'What are you talking about?! I'm a pure young man with a noble soul! How could I possibly be that kind of degenerate?!'
(A/N: How do I even explain this...)
Nami's eyes widened before she lowered her head. Even though those words weren't directed at her, she still ended up taking collateral damage.
ami's thoughts were a complete mess.
'Why do I want him to say that to me too? No, no, no, no! That's not it! I don't want that!'
Nami wasn't even sure whom she was trying to convince.
"Nami?"
Trying to escape the embarrassment, Allen extended his hand toward Nami as well.
However, she hesitated.
Thinking back, their first meeting had been terrible. Their journey had been filled with chaos and madness. At one point, she had even thought Allen was insane.
Yet despite everything, he had always been there for her. With determination in her eyes, Nami reached out to take Allen's hand...But
*Footsteps*
"I..."
A strange sensation suddenly washed over Allen.
It felt as though the temperature had dropped by ten degrees.
As if the air itself had become heavy.
An unpleasant feeling.
"Nami, take Kaya to the Black Pearl! Also, call Uta and tell her everything is canceled. Once you're on the ship, get away from here!"
"A-Allen-san?"
Kaya became frightened.
"What's happening?!"
Nami looked confused.
"Just go! That's an order from your captain!" Allen said with a sharp gaze.
Nami nodded, grabbed Kaya's hand, and the two girls ran toward the harbor.
Allen turned toward the execution plaza, where a group of Marines was clearing out the crowd.
[Allen, what's wrong?]
"I'm sorry. I think I made a mistake."
Allen smiled as a drop of sweat ran down his cheek.
The Marines stepped aside, allowing two people to pass.
Behind them, cloaks bearing the word "Justice" fluttered in the wind.
....
(A Few Moments Earlier)
It was Execution Beach, the place where the Marines had prepared an ambush for Allen. However, the one primarily in charge, Captain Smoker, had not arrived.
Garp stopped, looking confused.
"Where is Smoker?"
One of the Marines saluted nervously. "Vice Admiral, Captain Smoker ran into a problem and didn't make it in time for the ambush. We've been waiting for orders."
Bogard adjusted his hat. "Smoker didn't show up? Something must have happened..."
Garp scratched his head as he watched from afar while Allen kicked Sanji's ass before acting out a scene worthy of a romantic drama with two girls.
"What do we do?" Bogard asked.
It was intimidation. For Garp to bother capturing a pirate with only a hundred million bounty was like using a bomb to hunt a chicken. That was all it was—intimidation.
"Looks like this kid has really bad luck," Garp said, letting his coat fall, which Bogard caught, before stepping forward. "Clear the area."
"Vice Admiral?!"
All the Marines were startled. It was no surprise. Admirals and Garp himself were like walking weapons of mass destruction. Many times when they intervened, they ended up devastating whatever island they had been sent to. That was why they avoided deploying them unless necessary.
It was all Allen's fault. If he hadn't said what he said, if Sengoku and the World Government hadn't learned about it, if none of that had happened, then even if Garp had run into this young pirate now, he probably would have ignored him. But that wasn't the case, and Garp couldn't do that—not with him standing right there.
"I'll handle him myself," Garp said, sending chills down everyone's spines.
...
(Marine Base, Loguetown)
"Stop right there! Don't move!"
In front of the Marine base, dozens of Marines pointed their weapons at Uta and Nojiko.
Nojiko was immediately frightened, but she stood her ground while using one of the captains as a shield.
"What are you doing?!" the captain shouted in panic. Even though he had a bounty worth several million on his head, he wasn't immune to bullets!
"Sorry, but I can't make my sister and my captain sad by dying," Nojiko said as she tried to think of a way out of this.
"Stop, don't shoot! We're just prisoners!" shouted the other bound captain as he threw himself to the ground.
Hina, accompanied by Tashigi, made her way through the Marines and looked at the two girls. She took a drag from her cigarette before speaking.
"If you surrender, we won't hurt you. However, I want to hear it from your own mouths. Are you part of Allen Walker's crew, or are you simply his prisoners?"
Tashigi was nervous. Hina had given them a very easy way out. They only had to deny any connection to Allen and they could save themselves. That was all.
The girl with glasses looked at Nojiko and Uta. Neither of them looked like bloodthirsty pirates or anything close to it.
"Uta, what do we do?" Nojiko asked with an ironic smile.
Uta smiled with amused eyes. "Of course, there's only one option~"
Nojiko smiled. Even though she was scared, she raised her rifle toward Hina and fired.
"...!"
Tashigi moved and sliced the bullet in midair before glaring at both girls in anger. They had wasted their time. These girls were clearly with Allen of their own free will.
"Fire!"
Hina gave the order. Since the other side intended to fight to their last breath, there was no need for courtesy.
Dozens of shots rang out as bullets flew toward the girls.
Nojiko apologized inwardly and closed her eyes. It seemed she wouldn't be able to continue the journey. She regretted leaving her sister behind, and she regretted not dragging Allen into a room when she had the chance.
However, seconds passed and death never came. Nojiko opened her eyes in confusion, only to witness a scene that left her in shock.
The bullets hadn't killed them. They were suspended in midair.
"What?!" Nojiko exclaimed.
"Is this... a Devil Fruit?!" Hina exclaimed. She threw away her cigarette and prepared to fight. If that was the case, she would have to give it everything she had.
Uta smiled and waved her hand, and all of the Marines' weapons disappeared.
"Huh?" Tashigi gasped.
"What kind of ability is this?" Hina shook her head and extended her hands, from which two metallic bars emerged and wrapped around Uta and Nojiko, taking the shape of a barred cage. "Awase Baori!"
Hina had eaten the Cage-Cage Fruit, the Ori Ori no Mi. It allowed her to create restraints from her body. Anyone she touched would become trapped. It was an excellent fruit for capturing people.
"Go, Tashigi!"
"Yes!"
Tashigi drew her sword and charged toward Uta. She was a lieutenant-ranked swordswoman and could not be underestimated.
Uta laughed at the attack of a captain and a lieutenant before humming a melody.
That beautiful sound contrasted sharply with what happened next. Tashigi's katana shattered into pieces, and Hina's cage broke apart as well.
Both women were stunned, but Uta wasn't finished. The ground beneath them transformed into two enormous hands that seized them.
"Damn it!" Tashigi struggled to break free, but it was useless.
"What is this?!"
Hina was equally shocked. Uta's abilities made no sense. She had stopped bullets in midair and destroyed Tashigi's sword and Hina's cage without touching them. Yet what did any of that have to do with turning the ground into giant hands?
Devil Fruits defied logic, but most granted a single unique power. The Fire Logia, the Ice Logia, the Tremor Paramecia, the Cage Paramecia. Yet what Uta had displayed were entirely different abilities.
"Hehe, looks like you enjoyed the show. How about we take it to the next level?"
"This song is called Blacklight..."
Music appeared from nowhere. Colored lights emerged, and the previously sunny sky turned dark as night.
Hina went pale.
All the Marines were terrified. Setting aside the music and all the other abilities, altering the sky itself was unreal.
"Well, here we go!" Uta smiled as a pair of black wings spread from her back. She truly looked like a fallen angel.
Once Uta began singing, an army of soldiers appeared and pointed their weapons at the Marines.
Nojiko realized it at that moment. The reason Allen had allowed Uta to go off alone wasn't negligence.
This girl was a monster.
Nojiko-san...
Nojiko felt her eyelids growing heavy. She desperately wanted to sleep. She knew she shouldn't, but she couldn't resist it, and eventually closed her eyes.
Yet when she opened them again, the apocalyptic scene had vanished, and only Uta remained beside her, still singing.
"What?"
Without stopping her song, Uta handed Nojiko a note.
— "This is my Devil Fruit, the Uta Uta no Mi, the Singing Paramecia. I need to keep singing to maintain the Marines inside the Dream World. Let's take the money from the base and leave~" —
Uta winked at her.
Nojiko opened her mouth before laughing. She had been completely fooled. This girl was shameless. No wonder her captain had grown fond of her.
Nojiko stood up and looked around. Sure enough, every Marine was asleep. It was a surreal sight, especially because there was a captain among them. Furthermore, she hadn't even noticed when Uta had used her Devil Fruit.
"Even if it isn't reality manipulation, it's incredible..." Nojiko gasped. She was sure that no matter how strong someone was, if they fell into Uta's Dream World, it would be game over. Of course, most truly powerful individuals wouldn't fall into the trap so easily.
Nojiko stopped thinking and ran toward the Marine base. Uta couldn't keep singing forever, so she had to hurry.
Nojiko did her part, and ten minutes later she came out carrying a large sack filled with millions of berries and gold. She hadn't just taken the bounty money. Those bastards had nearly killed them, so she had emptied their treasury as well.
"Let's go, Uta!" Nojiko said, noticing that Uta was already sweating from exhaustion.
*Puru puru puru*
At that moment, Nojiko's Den Den Mushi rang. She was surprised and answered. Nami's voice came from the other side.
"Come back immediately! We need to get out of Loguetown!"
"Nami?!"
"There's... there's a Vice Admiral here! Allen is fighting him!"
Nojiko felt a bad premonition.
"What?!" Uta exclaimed, even stopping her singing.
"Get back to the Black Pearl! These are Allen's orders. He wants us to move away! But I plan to use all the bounty money and everything else we have in the Chest, so hurry up!"
Uta and Nojiko nodded before running off. At this point, it no longer mattered if the Marines woke up.
Hina lifted her head; she was pale. Uta's power was overwhelming, but she forced herself to get up and follow them.
"Captain Hina," Tashigi woke up too and grabbed Hina's ankle. "I'm coming too…"
...
Meanwhile, Allen stood before an incredibly muscular old man with a scar on his face and the gaze of someone who had lived through a thousand battles.
Allen smiled fearlessly. Although he had lost his composure earlier, once the girls had moved away, he had unexpectedly calmed down. He possessed a mental fortitude even he hadn't known he had.
"The Hero of the Marines, Vice Admiral Garp. What are you doing in Loguetown?"
"Catching pirates." Garp remained lazy-looking as he stared at Allen. Seeing the fearlessness in his eyes, Garp smiled slightly. "Brat, you've got guts. Other pirates with bounties in the hundreds of millions would already be scared shitless."
"No, to be honest, I'm surprised too..." Allen said while looking at his hand.
"You know, in this sea, there are plenty of pirates who think they have what it takes to challenge the Marines. Personally, I've made sure most of them ended up behind bars, and the rest at the bottom of the ocean."
"..."
"What a waste..." Garp shook his head. "You could've been a great Marine..."
Allen's gaze turned cold.
"And become the Government's dog? I refuse!"
Garp remained silent before his eyes grew distant.
"Even with all its flaws, the Marines must exist. You know that. Most pirates are cruel bastards who plunder and kill for pleasure. Even if we're hypocrites, we have to exist!"
The ground beneath Garp cracked.
"I know..." Allen said no more.
Unexpectedly, in Loguetown, an event occurred that would leave the world in shock. A fledgling of the new generation, without ever setting foot on the Grand Line, stood before a legend who in his prime had stood against the Pirate King.
"Boy, if you want to aspire to the Empty Throne, you'll first have to survive today!" Garp shouted.
The entire execution plaza trembled.
"Challenge accepted, old man!" Allen replied with a grin.
Despite the overwhelming difference in strength, he didn't take a single step back. Although this was far from a fight—it was a struggle for survival.
====
A/N: Let's all praise Cliff-kun! >:)
PS: Seriously, this chapter is almost 4,000 words long—please forgive Cliff-kun. :'(
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