The people of Loguetown had fallen into panic. Many fled by boat, while others ran through the streets. Although the earthquake hadn't lasted long, the panic continued.

Fortunately, most of the damage had occurred near the execution plaza, where the Marines had previously evacuated the civilians. As a result, the loss of innocent lives had been avoided.

Allen landed on the deck of the Black Pearl, leaving the chaos of Loguetown behind.

"Allen!"

Nami was the first to notice him. She ran toward him and hugged him, catching him by surprise.

Uta smiled.

"You really did it."

Unlike the other girls, Uta had a much greater understanding of the world's peak powers. She knew how strong a Vice Admiral was, but beyond that, Garp's strength wasn't something just anyone could deal with.

And yet, against all odds, Allen had managed to escape.

"Allen-san!"

Kaya hurried over as well, though she knew this wasn't the time to start crying.

The first thing she did was check him for injuries, but her eyes quickly fell on his hand, which had turned purple.

"There are multiple fractures... we need to treat you immediately!"

Allen shook his head before patting Kaya's head. She looked slightly pale.

"Don't worry. Our priority is getting away from this place. Nojiko, take the helm."

"Okay!" Nojiko looked at her sister for a moment before nodding and running up the stairs toward the helm.

At that moment, something terrifying happened.

A tremendous roar echoed across Loguetown, and a dome of red lightning illuminated the sky.

"Wow, looks like the old bastard couldn't handle my magnificence! Hahaha!"

Allen laughed.

Even from this distance, he could feel Garp's anger.

Noticing the mood among his crew, Allen decided to intervene. First, he leaned toward Nami's ear and whispered something that made her blush and take a step back.

"W-What?"

Ignoring Nami's embarrassment, Allen smiled with determination and courage.

"Don't waste time, ladies! Raise the sails and full speed ahead! Can't you see that the Hero of the Marines wants my head?"

The girls were speechless as they watched him act like this.

"What? Did a little obstacle discourage you? Don't worry! Hahaha!"

Allen was in an exceptionally good mood, leaving the girls astonished.

But why wouldn't he be?

"The world placed an impossible wall before us, but your captain shattered it with a smile and without a single drop of rum! What am I supposed to do other than laugh at fate's arrogance for trying to stop me? There's no need for tears—we won! And now our destination is the Grand Line!"

Allen vanished from the deck and appeared atop the figurehead at the bow, staring toward the horizon rather than back at Loguetown, wearing a bold, fearless grin.

"Pirates, to sea! It won't be so easy to stop us now! Forward! Don't be freshwater sailors! Follow your captain and future king as he conquers the world!"

The girls remained stunned for a moment before bursting into laughter.

All the tension from before seemed to dissolve like water under Allen's shameless words.

Nami wiped away her tears and ran toward the helm with a smile.

"I guess you're feeling better now, Nami~"

Nojiko smiled as she stepped aside, leaving the helm to the navigator.

"Sorry about earlier. I'm fine now."

Nami flashed a confident half-smile that resembled Allen's.

"If it's the captain's duty to break through obstacles, then it's my duty to navigate through them!"

"Uta, you know what to do."

Allen smiled.

Uta blinked before laughing.

"How about Binks' Sake, Captain?~"

"Perfect!"

Uta raised her voice and began singing the classic Binks' Sake as the Black Pearl accelerated across the sea. If the Marines had heard that while they were desperately chasing Allen, he was escaping with songs playing in the background, they would have coughed up blood.

Behind them, Garp's terrifying power still echoed in the distance, but it eventually faded until it disappeared completely.

"What happened? Isn't Garp going to chase us?"

Nojiko pulled out a spyglass and looked into the distance.

[Looks like your plan worked, and that old monster is occupied with his grandson.]

"Of course. That old man is busy with his grandson. You should thank your captain. That old geezer cornered Roger in his prime. Of course, Roger's ship can't compare to my Black Pearl, but escaping from him would still have been troublesome."

The girls exchanged glances.

They had no idea what Allen had done to keep Garp occupied, but the old hero had the misfortune of running into the most shameless and troublesome pirate imaginable.

"Captain! They're following us!" Nojiko exclaimed.

Several Marine ships had begun pursuing them. It was obvious they had been waiting nearby in case someone from the crew managed to escape capture during the ambush.

"Hm?" Allen scoffed. "Does it matter?"

The Black Pearl was vastly faster than any of the Marine vessels, so they quickly left them behind.

It was checkmate.

The Marines could only watch in frustration as Allen Walker sailed farther and farther away.

No one could stop his entry into the Grand Line now.

....

One hour later...

Allen sat on the deck of his ship while Kaya examined his hand, the only injury that was truly concerning.

"It's incredible. The bones are setting themselves, and it's already starting to heal."

The girl gasped in surprise before smiling and wrapping Allen's hand in bandages.

"If this keeps up, it should be as good as new within a week~"

"Thanks, Kaya."

Allen thought for a moment before nodding confidently.

"I see. It must be because I've awakened the special power of regeneration. I always knew someone as handsome and glorious as me had one or two hidden powers."

[Not really... You know, leveling up improves you in every aspect. That includes your natural recovery.]

"..."

Allen fell silent.

[It's fine. Let's just say it's because of some hidden talent you already had -_-]

"I knew it!" Allen exclaimed.

Unfortunately, that startled Kaya, causing her to tighten the bandages too much.

"Ouch!"

Kaya laughed.

No matter the situation, with Allen around, even the end of the world seemed like a minor inconvenience.

Allen stood up and stretched.

The Black Pearl was heading toward Reverse Mountain, the place where the Red Line intersected with the Grand Line, where the currents of the four seas converged. It was also the only entrance into the Grand Line that avoided the Calm Belt.

Without the girls noticing, two pairs of eyes were watching Allen from inside the captain's cabin.

There were stowaways aboard the ship!

....

Marine Headquarters was the highest authority responsible for enforcing the law across the Four Seas and the Grand Line.

Every report from the thousands of Marine bases around the world eventually arrived there.

At the head of the organization stood Fleet Admiral Sengoku the Buddha.

Sengoku wore a grim expression as he rested his elbows on his desk.

Two Rear Admirals stood near the entrance, visibly nervous. They had rarely seen Sengoku look like this.

Soon, the door opened and three people entered.

Vice Admiral Momonga is a tall middle-aged man wearing a purple suit with white stripes, a straight inverted V-shaped mustache, and a ponytail hairstyle.

Behind him entered Vice Admiral Tsuru, an elderly woman with a hunched posture, a stern gaze, and an equally strict temperament.

Finally, a tall and slender man in a yellow suit walked in. He wore amber-tinted sunglasses and carried an expression of perpetual laziness.

This man was not a Vice Admiral.

He was one of the Marines' only three Admirals.

Borsalino, better known as Kizaru.

Upon seeing Sengoku's serious expression and Kizaru's presence, Tsuru immediately realized that something important had happened.

"Sengoku, what happened?"

Kizaru's playful and lazy personality made it impossible for him not to comment.

"Sengoku-san, don't tell me the Celestial Dragons are giving you headaches again?~"

Sengoku remained silent for a moment before looking at the three of them.

"Garp was defeated."

The Rear Admirals, Tsuru, Momonga, and even Kizaru were stunned.

These people had seen every kind of situation imaginable.

These were individuals standing at the pinnacle of the Marines.

And yet all of them widened their eyes in shock.

"Don't be ridiculous!" Tsuru exclaimed.

How could she not know that old fool better than anyone? Even if he was lazy, rebellious, and an idiot, he was undoubtedly one of the strongest people in the world.

"But wasn't Garp in East Blue?!" Momonga exclaimed.

If anyone could defeat Garp, it would have to be someone on the level of the Four Emperors who ruled the New World.

Otherwise, who could do it?

"Wait. Let me organize my thoughts."

Sengoku pinched the bridge of his nose and began explaining everything that had happened in Loguetown.

As they learned the details, silence filled the room.

Though there was also a noticeable sense of relief.

"Sengoku-san... choose your words more carefully... You almost gave me a heart attack..." Kizaru sighed.

"That's right. How old do you think I am?" Tsuru grumbled.

"So the accurate statement would be that Garp-san was injured by a rookie who caught him off guard?"

Sengoku slammed his fist on the desk.

"That rookie hasn't even set foot in the Grand Line yet, and he already possesses Haki and some kind of Devil Fruit that allows him to copy the powers of other Devil Fruits!"

It was true. Allen was weak. He was a rookie. He was young. He was a brat, if they wanted to call him that. But his potential was terrifying.

"Besides, regardless of the truth, tomorrow's headlines will say exactly that."

Momonga clenched his fists. "That damned Morgans wouldn't dare, would he?"

A rookie defeating Garp would be a humiliation beyond measure.

It would be a complete loss of dignity for the Marines. However, everyone knew it would be difficult to stop Morgans. That man wasn't afraid of even the World Government.

"Fleet Admiral, give me the order and I'll hunt down that bird before the news gets out!" Momonga declared firmly.

Sengoku shook his head.

"It's useless. That man could be anywhere in the world."

"Just negotiate with him," Tsuru said. "Don't try to stop him from publishing the story. Just make sure it's clear that it happened because Garp let his guard down. If that's the narrative, then it becomes the careless defeat of an old man who has already seen his best years..."

It was reality.

Roger's generation was growing old.

Whitebeard, the strongest man in the world, sat on a chair aboard his ship under constant medical supervision.

Garp and Sengoku were no different.

Even though they remained monsters compared to almost everyone else, they were weaker than they had been in their youth.

"There is no worse enemy for a warrior than time..." Sengoku muttered before letting out a bitter sigh.

"However, the Five Elders don't care about that. They want Allen's head. But I wonder if this power of his will make them pay closer attention?"

"Sengoku, what are you going to do about that boy? Are we going to hunt him?" Tsuru asked.

Allowing a pirate like that to roam free was a serious risk.

He would undoubtedly rise to the very top.

They might even have a future Yonko on their hands.

The room fell silent.

Sengoku repeatedly tapped his fingers against the desk before making his decision.

"The boy's ship is too fast. Pursuing him at sea is impossible. We'll wait until he reaches the Grand Line and chooses a route. Then we'll plan an ambush."

He paused.

"Even so, it won't be easy. Allen Walker isn't stupid."

Everyone agreed.

Allen's victory over Garp hadn't been luck.

The young man had carefully planned every one of his moves.

Although Observation Haki was capable of perceiving things invisible to ordinary eyes and, at advanced levels, even allowed some people to glimpse the future, it wasn't a passive ability. 𝐟𝕣𝕖𝐞𝐰𝕖𝚋𝐧𝗼𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝗰𝐨𝐦

Like Armament Haki and Conqueror's Haki, it had to be actively used, and of course, Garp would never use it against someone as weak as Allen.

"That's terrifying..." Borsalino said.

"I wouldn't have been able to escape from that situation at his age. I don't think Kuzan or Sakazuki would be any different."

Silence filled the room once more.

"Allen's new bounty must reflect the danger his potential represents," Sengoku finally declared. "But don't exaggerate it yet... we don't want to cause panic among the population."

....

The sea was being cut through by the Black Pearl as it sped forward at full speed. At this point, the crew had finally relaxed.

Then it was time to go over everything that had happened.

Nami and Kaya were surprised to learn that Uta had defeated a captain, a lieutenant, and dozens of Marines. The girl also explained her Devil Fruit, the "Uta Uta no Mi."

"No wonder Allen was so confident about letting you go to the Marine base alone," Nami sighed before looking at Allen reproachfully. "You could have told us this sooner. I thought you had kidnapped Uta just because she's pretty and sings beautifully."

"Of course, that also played a part, but she's a strong girl. I told you that already," Allen declared shamelessly.

Uta blushed.

Allen also explained the events on his side: the successful negotiation, the appearance of an old acquaintance, Garp's ambush, how Allen had defeated him, and his brilliant idea of using Garp's grandson to keep him occupied.

After finishing his story, Allen expected praise, admiration, and perhaps even worship from the girls. And he got it, at least from Kaya, who looked at him with sparkling eyes.

As for the other three girls, they remained silent, feeling sorry for anyone unfortunate enough to cross paths with Allen.

Nojiko leaned toward Nami and whispered with a mischievous smile, "If that blond guy hadn't shown up, would you have kissed Allen?"

"...!"

Nami nearly tripped and turned red as a tomato.

"What are you talking about?!"

"Haha~"

[Looks like you managed to improve your crew's mood. Well done.]

'Of course. Besides, these girls are stronger than they look,' Allen chuckled.

"Now there's only one matter left to deal with."

The girls turned toward Allen, who was wearing a mocking half-smile while staring at his cabin.

There was a moment of confusion, but Uta and Nojiko understood first, followed by Nami, who immediately turned toward the captain's cabin door.

Two figures suddenly burst out toward Nami, but before they could reach her, Allen appeared in front of them.

"Tsk... wait Tashigi!"

Hina stopped, but Tashigi continued her attack. Her katana sliced through the air toward Allen, but he casually caught it with one hand.

"Well, it seems we have two uninvited guests aboard the ship."

"Allen Walker, you are under arrest for your crimes!"

Everyone was surprised, even Hina.

Despite having her attack stopped as though it were nothing, Tashigi still dared to shout something like that.

Allen pushed aside her katana and grabbed Tashigi's chin. Even in this situation, she maintained a determined expression, although her knees were trembling slightly.

"I like that courage..." Allen said, narrowing his eyes.

Tashigi blushed, but immediately brushed away Allen's hand and took a step back.

"Bastard!"

Tashigi felt as though she was being looked down on.

"Don't look at me like I'm intimidating you, girl. This is my ship, and you're the ones who boarded it. Do you know what most pirates would do in this situation?~"

Tashigi went pale and covered herself with her arms. "P-pervert!"

"...?" Allen blinked and noticed his crew staring at him with contempt. "No, I meant throwing you overboard to be eaten by fish."

[Sure... how suspicious.]

Unlike Tashigi, Hina remained calm.

Originally, she had followed Uta and Nojiko to capture them, but she quickly realized they didn't stand a chance. So they had sneaked aboard the Black Pearl and waited for an opportunity while the crew let their guard down.

Unfortunately, that plan had fallen apart the moment Allen returned, confirming that the ambush had failed.

Worse still, after hearing that Allen had defeated Garp, they completely lost hope of defeating him.

So they had simply waited for a chance to escape.

"Allen Walker, since when did you know we were here?" she asked while smoking a cigarette.

Allen smirked and casually waved his hand, causing half the sails to shift and slightly reduce the Black Pearl's speed.

"Beauty, do you really think you can sneak onto a magical ship without being noticed?"

[I told you so...]

"Hina made a mistake", Hina blushed, feeling foolish, but then she realized something.

If Allen had known they were hiding there from the beginning, why had he waited so long?

The pink-haired woman became nervous.

Allen's crew consisted entirely of beautiful girls.

That was absurd. The Kuja Pirates were the only crew she knew of like that, but they were Amazons, so it made sense.

In Allen's case, however, it gave the impression that he might be some womanizing bastard or a pervert.

"You're thinking something very rude right now, aren't you?" Allen crossed his arms indignantly.

Hina flicked her cigarette overboard before staring at Allen fiercely.

"You did it on purpose, didn't you?"

Allen smiled.

"That's right. From what Uta told me, you're a Devil Fruit user, which means you can't swim. Add to that the fact that we're very far from Loguetown or any other island. In other words, you're trapped."

Tashigi glared at Allen hatefully while turning bright red.

"Bastard! Just as I expected, you're a degenerate! This was your plan! You're going to capture us and turn us into your toys! You're a huge pervert!"

The expressions of Nami, Kaya, Nojiko, and Uta turned cold as they stared at Allen's back.

"Tashigi, you have a very active imagination," Allen said with a cough. "Honestly, I just wanted to mess with you a little. You know, bring you out here, toss you into a rowboat, and make you row fifty miles back to Loguetown."

Hina and Tashigi both turned pale.

This guy had the personality of a complete bastard.

They weren't sure whether this was actually better than him being a pervert after their bodies.

"However, I've changed my mind. You're going to be my hostages."

"What?"

Allen knew there was only one entrance into the Grand Line.

That meant there was a chance someone might already be waiting for him on the other side.

If that happened, having a Marine captain and a Marine lieutenant as hostages would be extremely useful.

"Tsk..." Hina looked bitter. A proud Marine captain was reduced to a hostage. What humiliation.

"Bastard..."

Tashigi had tears in her eyes. There were tears of helplessness. She knew there was nothing she could do in this situation.

Allen sighed and walked over to her. Then he extended his hand. She thought he was about to hit her. Instead, he gently patted her head.

"I don't know what you're trying to prove, but I won't hurt either of you. Just behave like proper hostages. Eventually, I'll let you go, and then you can chase me around like every other Marine."

Tashigi felt embarrassed.

Was this guy, who looked even younger than she was, treating her like a child throwing a tantrum? It was humiliating. Yet, for some reason, it didn't annoy her as much as she expected.

Hina clenched her lips and fists before finally sighing and raising her hands.

"You win, Walker. Just promise me you'll let Tashigi go even if you change your mind."

"Captain Hina?!"

Allen smiled, "I know you can't trust a pirate, but I have a code. Don't worry, I won't go back on my word."

[Congratulations. Your harem has grown again~]

Allen stumbled when he heard Lenalee's voice, filled with mockery and disdain.

'That's not true!' Allen felt deeply offended.

He was a pure-hearted young man with a kind soul. Why did Lenalee treat him like some hopeless womanizer? What kind of injustice was that?

(A/N: ...)

====

A/N: Allen doesn't realize it, but his true nature is always there.

PS: In the chat, people make fun of him every time he calls himself "pure" and "kind-hearted." 🗿

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