36. Go Out And Have Your House Stolen?
At the Baratie.
The two sailors gripped their Den Den Mushi, and after relaying the information to Sengoku, they patiently awaited orders from headquarters.
"Hey, Ensign Hoth, those fellows are about to depart. Haven't the orders from headquarters come through yet?"
Ensign Hoth furrowed his brow, glanced at Al who was still conversing with Nami outside the restaurant, and said:
"You go and figure out a way to delay them. Make sure they stay put until headquarters issues the order!"
Upon hearing these words, the young sailor couldn't help but feel his legs go weak with fright, his eyes filled with fear.
Are you kidding me? He's just a recruit who recently joined the Marines. What can he possibly do to stop them?
Even if you risk your life to stop them, how long do you think you can hold them back?
I'm afraid it won't just be a casual encounter; they'll likely hack him to pieces before he even utters a word!
Just as he was grappling with how to refuse, the Den Den Mushi suddenly sprang to life.
"Moshi~ Moshi~, keep monitoring them. I'll dispatch two skilled sailors to apprehend them."
After receiving the order, Ensign Hoth promptly reached out to all Marine branches in East Blue, instructing them to closely monitor the whereabouts of the suspected individuals associated with Al.
The young sailor couldn't help but let out a sigh of relief. However, at the same time, the gaze he directed towards Al grew noticeably colder.
"Two Marine masters will surely apprehend this band of pirates!"
Al, still engrossed in conversation with Nami outside, remained oblivious to the fact that the Marines were after him.
However, even if he were aware, it seemed he didn't feel much about it.
At most, there are two significant grudges that would give him EP.
After soothing Tom's emotions and mediating the relationship between the cat and the dog.
Al greeted Nami, signaling her to prepare for departure to their next destination.
Opening the nautical chart sketched by Nami, Al swiftly determined their next destination.
Loguetown!
This is the place where you must go to enter the Grand Line, aside from purchasing some daily necessities.
Al also learned from Nami that there's the largest black market in East Blue there.
In light of this, Al intends to visit the black market to see if there's anything he needs.
For instance, he needs to acquire a Log Pose, a crucial item for navigating the Grand Line.
Just as Al finalized the sailing route, Nami's anguished screams echoed from the cabin.
Tom, who was facing off against Spike, suddenly froze for a moment, then dashed into the cabin with a swift motion.
He saw Nami slumped on the ground in despair, beside her lay a large open treasure chest.
It's just that it's now empty.
"What happened Nami?"
Al, who rushed over upon hearing the news, inquired.
Pointing at the empty box, Nami said in grief and indignation, "Captain Al, the funds I stored here for our expenses have been stolen!"
Al froze for a moment, recalling that there wasn't much money in the box to begin with.
Most of their funds were stored elsewhere, including in Al's system backpack.
And the money in that box was specifically withdrawn from the bank for Nami to hold onto when Al planned to go to the Baratie restaurant on the sea to spend it.
Al snorted coldly, "Someone who isn't afraid of death dares to steal from us!"
Though the amount stolen wasn't substantial, for Al, who is well-off, the loss wasn't about the money.
'The audacity to rob us while I'm away, unforgivable.'
"Tom, can you trace the thief?"
Al's tone was icy, devoid of any hint of emotion in his expression.
However, it's precisely this version of Al that is the most terrifying!
Tom pondered for a moment, then rummaged through a bunch of props from behind, but couldn't find anything useful.
Helplessly spreading his hands, he shook his head to indicate his powerlessness.
At that moment, Spike, standing outside the door, arrogantly nudged Tom aside.
Pointing to himself with his thumb, he cast a disdainful glance at Tom and declared, "I can."
Al paused for a moment, slapped his thigh, and pondered:
'Right, Spike just joined the crew so I didn't think about him!'
'A dog's nose is remarkably sharp!'
Al wondered what Spike would make of his thoughts if he knew.
He'd probably shed a tear of sadness.
But Spike doesn't have time to dwell on this matter at the moment.
At that moment, Spike was diligently tracing the scent left by the thief with his keen nose.
After a while, a glint appeared in Spike's eyes, signaling that he had locked onto the thief's scent!
Without hesitation, Spike swiftly turned his head, transformed into a streak of gray-white lightning, and darted off.
"Spike, go get them!" Al yelled.
The main concern was not knowing Spike's fighting prowess; Al feared he might inadvertently crush the thief.
Al had no intention of letting the thief off so easily!
Spike nodded and darted toward the northwest on the sea surface, leaving behind a trail of splashing waves.
Nami watched Spike sprinting swiftly on the water, her expression filled with astonishment, and murmured, "How is it running on the sea without relying on any objects?"
Before Al could explain, Tom on the side displayed a disdainful expression.
Then, much to Nami's astonishment, Tom dashed around the boat on the sea's surface before returning to his original spot, flexing his biceps as if to say, "Is that all? This cat can manage it too!"
Al smiled and handed Nami a glass of juice, remarking, "No need to look so surprised. Neither of these two can be understood using conventional logic."
Nami nodded in agreement.
Both of them are "monsters" beyond conventional logic!
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