54. The Kill Order From The World Government!

"Wow, you're really sharp, kid!"

The elderly lady nodded approvingly, taking a generous gulp of wine before carrying on.

"I've been scheming on this for months, but finding the right person wasn't easy."

"That is, until you came along, asking about the latest scoop!"

"Even though things didn't quite unfold as I envisioned, I reckon I can live with how it turned out."

Al lifted the wine glass to his lips, taking a sip, though his expression remained composed.

Yet, inside, a sense of unease lingered.

Being manipulated as a pawn isn't exactly pleasant!

What's more alarming is that this fellow directly pointed the finger at Tom, of all people?

As Al took a sip, the old woman suddenly erupted into laughter and exclaimed,

"Kid, you're a breath of fresh air! I quite fancy you. Why not ditch the pirate gig and join my crew? What's the allure in being a pirate anyway?"

Al's lips twitched slightly, about to respond, when Nami and Carina, flanking him on either side, swiftly rose to their feet, arms outstretched in a protective stance, their faces contorted with anger.

"No way! Absolutely not!"

"Quit your daydreaming about Captain Al!"

Upon hearing Nami and the others refer to Al as the captain, the old woman appeared taken aback. After shooting a disbelieving glance at Al, she muttered to herself,

"Captain? But then, Tom..."

"Haha, intriguing. The captain's bounty isn't as hefty as the crew's."

"My apologies for the oversight, Captain Al."

As Al caught the first part of the sentence, a slight twitch tugged at the corner of his mouth, a surge of aggression rising within him.

Had it not been for the old woman's concluding remark, along with her sudden display of humility and apology, Al would have undoubtedly wreaked havoc upon this place!

Sensing the fleeting aura of hostility emanating from Al, the old woman couldn't help but shiver involuntarily, prompting an immediate shift in her demeanor.

Lightly tapping the table, she signaled to a gangster who promptly approached, bearing a box before the assembled group.

Upon glimpsing the contents of the box, Carina's eyes ignited with fervor.

A Barrier-Barrier Fruit!

Setting the box down on the table, the old woman grinned and remarked,

"I acquired this item to lure in pirates."

"Now that my objective's fulfilled, it's of no use to me."

"If you're interested, name your price, and we'll negotiate a deal," the old woman proposed.

Upon hearing this, Al and Nami exchanged a knowing glance, smirks playing on their lips.

In a swift motion, Al raised his Western sword, pressing it against the old woman's neck, a grin adorning his face.

"Sorry, but we're pirates, not traders," he stated calmly.

"Plus, I've been doing the intimidation for free. Haven't asked for payment yet!"

Witnessing their leader held at swordpoint, the gang members brandished their weapons, their gaze fixed on Al and his companions. Tension filled the air in an instant.

Meanwhile, at Marine Headquarters...

Sengoku, upon receiving the news of Smoker's defeat, stared at the wanted poster on his desk, disbelief etched on his features. A sense of foreboding gripped his heart.

Without a moment's delay, after ending the call regarding the report from Logue Town, Sengoku swiftly reached for the phone and dialed Garp's number.

"Moshi Moshi, it's Garp. What's up?" Garp answered, standing at the bow of a ship, leisurely munching on a senbei.

As Sengoku's words echoed through the den den mushi, his gruff voice filled the airwaves.

"Garp, you claimed you were in Logue Town just a while ago. Explain to me why there's trouble brewing there shortly after you left!"

Garp casually picked at his ears before replying, "You told me to return promptly, and that kid Smoker is still around, isn't he?"

Sengoku, seething with anger from afar at Marine Headquarters, huffed and cursed under his breath, "You fool! Why can't you apprehend them before this mess unfolds!"

"You were the one who instructed me to return promptly."

"You...!"

Sengoku's face flushed green with fury, his grip tightening on the den den mushi, poised high above his head.

After a prolonged moment of hesitation, he lowered the device, releasing a heavy sigh, and inquired, "Forget it. I can't be bothered to stay mad at you!"

"By the way, you must have faced off against Tom and his crew. Give me the lowdown on their strength," Sengoku demanded.

Garp paused for a moment, memories of tangling with Spike flooding his mind, and then erupted into uproarious laughter.

Sengoku's fury intensified to the point where he felt tempted to launch an attack right from the heart of Marine Headquarters.

"Garp, you scoundrel, quit your laughing and spill the beans!" Sengoku roared.

Despite Sengoku's demand, Garp continued to chuckle for a whole minute before finally composing himself.

"A fascinating character, indeed," Garp remarked between laughs.

"I'm asking about their strength, not their character!" Sengoku snapped.

"Oh, their strength? Well, it's nowhere near as formidable as me, Bwahaha..."

"Garp, you fool!!!" Sengoku's frustration boiled over.

As he stared at the smirking face on the den den mushi, Sengoku's irritation reached its peak.

The smile faded from Garp's face, replaced by a solemn expression. His lips curled slightly as he responded with grave seriousness:

"Sengoku, those individuals are quite the intriguing enemies."

"Are you absolutely certain?" Sengoku pressed.

Garp nodded firmly, a thoughtful hum escaping him before he spoke with conviction:

"Even though I didn't take on Al and his crew directly, I did engage in combat with another member of their group."

"Despite trailing behind me, that fellow is still quite the powerful one," Garp remarked.

Sengoku found himself slightly taken aback by this revelation.

After all, he knew Garp's character well. Even in the presence of three Admirals, Garp seldom handed out praise generously.

And now, to hear him describe someone as "tricky"? It piqued Sengoku's curiosity.

Following an extensive discussion with Garp...

Sengoku came to the realization that Al's pirate crew could potentially become a significant threat to the Marines in the future.

Upon ending the call, Sengoku's mind raced with strategies to nip this threat in the bud.

It was evident that relocating forces to Logue Town at this point would be futile.

Suddenly, a thought struck Sengoku, and his gaze settled upon an island marked on the map.

"If it's that individual..." he murmured, his mind already formulating a plan.

As the idea crystallized in his mind, Sengoku swiftly grabbed the den den mushi.

He wasted no time in relaying a detailed report to the World Government about the imminent threat posed by Al and his crew.

After several minutes of serious discussion, a gravelly voice responded from the other end of the line, "Understood."

Simultaneously...

In the desert kingdom of Arabasta...

Shortly after Sengoku's clandestine conversation with the World Government concluded, several enigmatic figures clad in masks strode purposefully through the palace gardens. They approached a man adorned with a long horizontal scar across his face and a gleaming golden hook in place of his left hand.

"Ah, the lackeys of the World Government. What brings you here?" the man sneered, his tone dripping with disdain and sarcasm.

Ignoring Crocodile's dismissive tone, the masked individuals exchanged a glance among themselves.

"Crocodile, this is your inaugural mission from the World Government since you joined the Shichibukai ranks," one of them stated firmly.

"You have no grounds to decline," another added resolutely.

With determination, the masked figure produced wanted posters featuring Al and Tom, thrusting them towards Crocodile.

"Hunt them down!" 

"Catch them!" 

"Kill them!"

----------

Read chapters in advance in Patr*on: patr*on.com/Cosmic_Kaminari