Chapter 60: Chapter 59
<STOP, BROTHER!!!!! STOPPP!!!!!!!>
Within the darkness, the blonde man, Rosinate, jolted awake from his slumber. Sweating profusely, he clenched his head to ease his headache, but to no avail.
<Why do you take my power from me!!!> There it was, the hate-filled words of his brother Donquixote Doflamingo. In his right hand was a pistol, loaded and ready to kill its target anytime.
Said pistol was locked on Doflamingo and Rosinante's father: Donquixote Homing.
<Doffy. He's no longer your son, but our boss.>
<You're saying everyone passed out? Beheheh, now that's the colour of the Supreme King!>
Those bastards who coaxed Doflamingo, and Doflamingo who fell to their words—
'—no. It wasn't that Doflamingo was persuaded to become evil.' Rosinante thought as he shut his eyes tight from the ringing pain, 'He, from the very start... wasn't human.'
<There's no taking back what you've done!!!> Doflamingo then screamed at their—no, Rosinante's father who was holding him dear.
<I'll return to the holy land... with your head!!!>
Oh, Homing... Rosinante's beloved father. Though they were condemned due to Homing's decision to give up the status of Celestial Dragon, Rosinante never hated him. Instead, Rosinante loved his humane nature and kindness that distinguished him from the other monsters atop the sky.
<...Doflamingo... Rosinante...>
And then, Homing's final words. He didn't fear death, but was consumed by the sadness—that he ended up placing his family into such misery. He forced a kind smile onto his face even at the very end, even when he was about to be killed by... his own son.
<...I'm sorry for being such a terrible father—>
BANG.
By the time Rosinante's headache disappeared, he found himself huffing heavily.
'...The nightmare,' Rosinante took in a deep breath while massaging his temple, 'It has returned.'
It's been years since he was reminded of this traumatic moment in his life. After meeting Sengoku and growing up as his adopted son, Rosinante used to think that he managed to overcome it.
'...I suppose not,' Rosinante thought before standing up from his bed. He, walking out of the small room given to his use, walked up to the deck.
"Warrant Officer Rosie!"
Nodding in response to the salutes of the marines on sentry duty, Rosinante walked up to the front-most tip of the ship, where their white-haired Rear Admiral, Smoker, was sitting with a thoughtful look on his face. In his hands was a piece of newspaper.
"Good morning to you, Rosie." Then, Smoker spoke without turning his gaze; he noticed Rosinante's presence before the latter said anything, "You've woken up earlier than usual."
"...Smoker-san." Rosinante looked at the newspaper in Smoker's hands grimly, and asked, "How's the situation regarding Donquixote Doflamingo?"
Smoker, rolling up the newspaper to Rosinante, casually threw it at the blonde. Rosinante, watching as the newspaper met the air resistance and swayed back and forth in the air, busily moved his feet left and right to catch the newspaper, before,
Boom! He fell face-first to the deck, must to Smoker's amusement.
"Ugh..." Rosinante, while still in a lying position, raised his head up and saw that the newspaper fell right in front of him. On its title page, there it was, the image of the very familiar face—the blonde man wearing flamboyant sunglasses: Doflamingo.
Smoker snorted as he stared at the distant horizon, "Joker, Heavenly Demon, or Doflamingo. He 'legitimately' purchased the 'Knockdown' island and proposed his plan to build a theme park that can rival that of Sabaody Archipelago. Question is, from whom did he buy the island from?"
Rosinante muttered, "Park..."
Smoker chuckled, "Though the newspaper didn't mention it, the Marine Bureau of Investigation reported the movements of various pirate ships back and forth to Knockdown island. Coupled with the reports of the ongoing pirate invasions everywhere in Paradise, it is evident that Doflamingo is setting up the new 'Human Auction' shop there."
"...And he made it obvious on purpose."
"I believe so," Smoker nodded in response to Rosinante's remark.
"But," Rosinante then inquired with confusion, "how is this possible? How can Doflamingo be allowed to act in the open like this? Why are the Marine and World Government allowing this?"
"...You haven't finished reading the newspaper, have you?" Smoker said as he stood up from his spot,
"Doflamingo became a Warlord, the pirate who's officially allied to the World Government."
'Slavery. Selling off human beings. Celestial Dragons' primary source of entertainment. Their addiction, and the subsequent lack of it due to my act here in Sabaody Archipelago.' Smoker could see how Doflamingo managed to achieve this feat, 'Doflamingo asked for protection by being given the title of "Warlord," and in return, he promised the entertainment back to the Celestial Dragons.'
'Celestial Dragons' clown... Joker. How amusing.' Smoker thought as he walked past Rosinante, who was reading the wrinkled newspaper with disbelief in his eyes.
Within Smoker's eyes, the huge mangrove forest filled with bubbles all around was unveiled: Sabaody Archipelago. Today's date was August 17th.
"...Wow..." Then, from behind him, a whisper was heard. Smoker, chuckling without turning around, opened his mouth,
"Did you get a nice sleep, Koala?"
Koala, walking up to Smoker while rubbing her eyes to fully get rid of fatigue, nodded. Her eyes sparkled as they wandered around the mesmerizing scenery of Sabaody Archipelago.
"T-trees are so huge." Koala then pointed at the ships that were docked nearby, "Oh, those ships look the same as this one!"
Smoker grinned, "It looks like my friends have arrived already."
Ruffling the young girl's hair and turning around, Smoker ordered,
"Wake up the sleepyheads and get ready to land. Swiftly restock necessary supplies. Rosinante, organize the soldiers and support the ongoing patrol duty from Grove 30 to 79. Notify Aramaki to subdue any ongoing suspicious activity from Grove 1 to Grove 29. Meanwhile, I will be paying a visit at the Marine base located on Grove 66 while escorting the civilians."
All awake marines replied firmly, """Yes, sir!"""
"Ohh..." Koala, looking at the marines with curiosity, then copied their acts and saluted, "Yes, sir!"
"Haha, we got a young marine here!"
"Not bad for the first try!"
Her innocence brought smiles to everyone on the ship.
__________
Sabaody Archipelago. As previously explained, this place is a massive mangrove forest, for it is composed of seventy-nine groves in total. In addition, this place is the final place to dwell prior to crossing the Red Line; it was only natural that all notable pirates in Paradise end up here, even under the presence of 'White Hunter' Smoker.
For past months, the prevention of slavery wasn't the only thing that Smoker did upon arrival. Every time his division stopped by to restock supplies, they 'cleansed' the forest by eradicating any threat that they came across—except for a select few. Though the danger still lurked by in this place, without a doubt, Smoker's endeavour has paid off.
And currently, here stood Smoker, in Grove 66,
"""Rear Admiral Smoker~!!!"""
surrounded by countless civilians who rushed at him with joy within their eyes.
"Have all of you been well?" Smoker grinned and greeted them, "How's your life so far?"
"Well... I do admit..." One man rubbed the back of his head, "This place feels safer than my hometown, all thanks to you!"
"Heh..." Smoker, while turning his body to smoke to avoid one woman from hugging him tight, replied, "That's nice to hear."
Will you believe it if at least half of these civilians were the ones whom Smoker saved before? Whether out in the ocean or here in the archipelago, there used to be dangerous threats all around. However, once Smoker arrived, everything changed. Their daily lives improved by substantial degree, and although many still harboured the desire to return back to their home and reunite with their family members, they knew how hard Smoker was working to ensure their safety and comfort.
"MARRY ME, SMOKER!!!!!" A loud screech was heard from someone at the back, before,
"Fuck off, bitch! He's way too high up there for someone like you to go for!"
"Haaahhh?! What did you say? Did an ugly mustard squeak just now?!"
a fight abruptly broke off among the women. They, punching and pulling their hairs in a comical manner, formed a cloud of smoke that earned a frown out of Smoker. He then made an irritated remark,
"Shut up, women! You're damn annoying!"
His voice boomed forth, and ones who were fighting immediately stopped. They, standing strictly,
"""Hai~!"""
all replied in the same way, much to others' amusement.
Robin, who stood along with Koala and six other civilians behind Smoker, shook her head as if used to this chaos. Koala simply formed an O-shape with her mouth, amazed by everything around her. The other six civilians, on the other hand, seemed dumbfounded.
"Alright, I'll catch up with you guys later," Smoker, returning back to his casual self, then turned and spoke to Robin, "I'll leave those seven at your hands, Orobi."
Robin nodded stoically, and Smoker, fully morphing his body to smoke, easily breezed through the crowd much to their disappointment. And within seconds, he landed in front of the Marine base, where its commander, Marine Commodore Barricade, strictly stood with the rest of his subordinates.
"It's good to see you well, Smoker-san!" Barricade immediately saluted, though with a certain degree of friendliness. He, having seen Smoker many times in the past months, was practically Smoker's friend at this point.
"Same to you, Barricade." Smoker tapped Barricade on the shoulder, "I see that your beard has gotten bushier than before."
Looking around Smoker then asked, "So, where are 32nd and 33rd divisions?"
"Haha, if you are referring to Commodore Bastille and Captain Cancer, they are in other areas currently, helping us in dealing with the new batch of pirates."
"Ah, pirates I see," Smoker sighed, "The flux surely is never-ending."
"Such is the effect of the Pirate King's hidden treasure," To which Barricade mimicked with his own sigh. Then, he gestured his hand to the base ahead of them, "Anyway, why don't we wait inside? I got a tea ready to serve."
"...What about the rice crackers?"
Barricade smiled, "That too."
Smoker grinned, "You know me too well."
__________
[Grove 24]
Aramaki, draping his justice coat around his topless shoulder, scratched the back of his head as he stared at the scene in front of him.
There were pirates, amounting up to a hundred or so, knocked out and beaten severely. Tied by the ropes and cuffed around the wrists, they were currently being apprehended by fellow marines whom Aramaki didn't recognize.
"...Eh?" Among them, one red-haired Marine Officer with a metal mask, Bastille, noticed Aramaki's presence, "Who are you? I've never seen you before-dara. Hm... a pirate trying to act as a marine-dara?"
Bastille has always been a thick-headed fellow. He was a typical brute who doesn't bother much with information whatsoever, and thanks to this, he wasn't as affected as Maynard from the Martini pirates' attack. However, due to this characteristic of his, he, at the same time, didn't know who Aramaki was even at the current moment.
"Dara?" Aramaki raised his eyebrow, before bursting into a laugh all of a sudden, "Rahahaha! You're just like that old granny of mine!"
Bastille, staring at Aramaki's justice coat with suspicion, then said in a commanding tone, "State your name and rank-dara—"
"RAHAHAHA!" Aramaki fell on his butt and wiped the tears on his eyes, "A-ah... rahaha... my apologies. I didn't mean to offend you or anything. Rahaha... I just can't control my laugh right now. Pff.. man, what a deja vu."
Bastille closed his lips. Judging by his trembling fists, he seemed angry from Aramaki's antics.
"I'll give you one last chance-dara—"
"Rahahaha!!"
"...Dararara... a pirate it is." Bastille unsheathed a huge greatsword from his back, then jumped at Aramaki. Aramaki, upon noticing that a shadow covered his form, opened his eyes and sighted Bastille dropping down on him.
"...Huh?"
BOOM!
__________
"...What the fuck are they doing?" Cancer, watching as Aramaki and Bastille began fighting all of a sudden, muttered.
"...Agreed." Rosinante, who was right next to Cancer, nodded. He, then taking out a cigarette holder from his pocket, took out two cigarettes. Looking at Cancer, he offered one, to which Cancer accepted with a grin of his.
Cancer took out a lighter and lighted up his cigarette.
"Heh, a fellow smoker I see. I like you—" He then passed it to Rosinante, who,
"GAHHHH!!!!!" Accidentally set his own marine attire aflame.
"—never mind." Cancer deadpanned.
It was a lively day in Sabaody Archipelago—though chaotic at the same time.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone