Chapter 108: Trouble Ahead, Bandits in the Village

The distance from the New World to the East Blue is not short, but the Navy has technology developed by Vegapunk. They’ve installed a variety of enhancements on their ships, significantly boosting the speed of their warships.

A journey that would typically take at least a month has been cut down to just five days, thanks to these advancements.

Five days are enough for them to travel from the New World back to the Four Seas. A round trip would take about ten days!

There's still some time before the battle with Charlotte Linlin, so Raijin has plenty of time to spend in the East Blue.

“The East Blue is the weakest sea; there’s no need to bring anyone else along,” Raijin remarked with a dismissive smile when Garp asked why he was traveling alone.

Although the East Blue has produced some notable figures, Garp has purged countless pirates from this sea over the years. Now, there are hardly any strong pirates left in the East Blue.

Those few who remain are just the ones that slipped through the cracks. Even fewer made it to the New World.

That’s why Raijin only brought along Shiranui Gengen as his subordinate. Shiranui’s Door-Door Fruit is incredibly convenient, allowing him to open a door to Dressrosa at any time.

This convenience lets them travel back and forth without needing to sail. They can simply use the Door-Door Fruit to return directly.

However, because they’ve never been to the East Blue before, the Door-Door Fruit can’t be used to locate it directly. So, the purpose of this trip is to familiarize Shiranui with the area, laying the groundwork for Raijin’s future invasions of the Four Seas.

“Yeah, we’re almost at Loguetown. We’ll stock up on supplies there before heading to Foosha Village.”

“It’s been a year since I last came back. I really miss that kid Luffy,” Garp said with a smile. After all, nothing makes a person happier than seeing their grandchild, even if Luffy and Ace are a bit mischievous. In Garp’s eyes, that’s just part of their charm, and they’re quite resilient too.

“If you miss him so much, why not bring him into the Navy? Then you could see him every day!” Zephyr chimed in, adding, “Do you think the Navy would treat him differently because of his background? Garp, I think your way of thinking is quite dangerous right now.”

Zephyr’s words left Garp momentarily speechless. He couldn’t believe that his old comrade, after leaving the Navy, had become so eloquent.

Annoyed, Garp stuffed his mouth with snacks, pretending not to hear Zephyr’s remarks. In the Navy, this kind of banter was common. Garp had become adept at ignoring it, which was his secret to staying youthful—don’t let anything stress you out unnecessarily.

The ship slowly docked at Loguetown, and the Navy stationed at the port immediately began loading supplies onto the warship.

“The place where the Pirate King was executed is intriguing. I’m going to have a look around!” Raijin suddenly declared. He was quite interested in this town, particularly because there were untapped talents here that he could use. This trip wasn’t just about picking up Luffy and the others; Raijin had a more direct goal in mind.

“I’ll come with you,” Zephyr quickly added. He rarely visited the East Blue, and it had changed a lot over the years. He was surprised to see that the place where the Pirate King was executed had become the busiest area in the East Blue. Since they were here, they might as well take a look.

“I’m staying,” Garp said, having no objections to staying behind at the Navy base. There was no way he was going on a stroll with Zephyr, who seemed to have developed a condition where he couldn’t stop talking. Garp had had enough of Zephyr’s incessant chatter during the trip and was looking forward to some peace and quiet.

Without Garp’s company, Raijin and the other two leisurely wandered around Loguetown, mostly just sightseeing since they didn’t know their way around. But the deeper they went into the town, the more chaotic it became, leaving Zephyr puzzled.

This kind of chaos was a breeding ground for darkness. What was the point of wandering around in a place like this?

“Hey, Raijin, what exactly are you looking for here?” Zephyr asked, frowning as he watched Raijin’s actions. The chaotic environment didn’t seem like a place to find anything of value.

“I’m looking for talent,” Raijin replied, raising an eyebrow. “Chaos breeds talent.”

Just then, Raijin spotted a green-haired man casually picking his nose, seemingly oblivious to their presence.

“That guy! Gengen, tie him up!” Raijin ordered, pointing directly at Bartolomeo.

“Huh?” Bartolomeo looked confused as he pointed to himself, completely caught off guard. He was just minding his own business, watching the commotion, and suddenly he became the target of these strangers. He didn’t recognize them at all, and they seemed like they might be troublemakers. Why would they pick on him just for picking his nose? Did they have some sort of cleanliness obsession?

“Yes, sir!” Without any hesitation, Shiranui Gengen drew his blade and swiftly stepped forward.

“Shh!”

In an instant, Gengen’s figure vanished, reappearing right behind Bartolomeo. He flipped his sword to strike with the back of the blade, aiming to knock Bartolomeo out. After all, Raijin had ordered him to capture Bartolomeo alive, so there was no need to use lethal force.

“Barrier!” Bartolomeo instinctively crossed his fingers in a peculiar gesture, and a barrier materialized around him in the form of a spherical shield, blocking everything outside.

“Bang!”

The sword clashed against the barrier, producing a few sparks upon impact.

“What is this?” Gengen was momentarily stunned. It felt like an invisible wall had suddenly materialized out of thin air, but as he touched it, he realized it was solid. He quickly deduced that Bartolomeo was a Devil Fruit user.

Not bad; they had just arrived and already encountered a Devil Fruit user. Gengen knew that these abilities were much more troublesome to deal with than even the most advanced bloodline techniques.

“Oh! A Devil Fruit user!” Zephyr exclaimed, eyes widening in surprise. He hadn’t expected to bump into a Devil Fruit user on a casual stroll. Did Raijin have some sort of innate radar for finding these people? Not only had he found a user, but the power also seemed formidable.

From his experience, Zephyr immediately recognized Bartolomeo’s ability—it was the Barrier-Barrier Fruit, a fruit documented within the Navy’s records. It granted its user the power to create barriers that could block almost anything, making it one of the most potent defensive abilities out there. In the realm of defense, it was arguably the strongest shield.

---

They say no attack can penetrate this barrier.

Who would have thought that this fruit would be eaten by this kid?

“Hey, who are you guys, daring to take on me?”

“I’m Bartolomeo, the guy who conquered thirty towns. You better recognize!”

Bartolomeo hadn’t expected that just taking a stroll would lead him into this situation.

He had no idea who these people were, but they attacked him without warning.

This made Bartolomeo’s anger boil over.

He decided to teach these guys a lesson.

“You're satisfied with just being the boss of thirty towns? Is that all you’ve got?”

“Come with me, and you’ll become one of the top dogs in the New World.”

“So, what do you say? Interested?”

Raijin wasn’t in a hurry to make a move. He just smiled at Bartolomeo.

The Barrier Fruit is quite interesting. It’s like a cheat code, similar to the Hobby-Hobby Fruit.

A fruit that can’t be broken by any ability—that’s truly one of a kind.

“Huh? What are you talking about?”

Bartolomeo was stunned, feeling like Raijin was messing with him.

Where did this guy come from, rushing up to him and talking big?

“Enough! From now on, you’ll work for me!”

Seeing Bartolomeo’s confused expression, Raijin sighed in exasperation.

He didn’t waste any more words and just walked forward.

With his Kamui, even the barrier was nothing to him.

Kamui can penetrate everything, even barriers.

Raijin walked right up to Bartolomeo.

Under Bartolomeo’s bewildered gaze, Raijin passed through the barrier as if it were nothing.

“No way!”

Bartolomeo was shocked.

He knew his fruit ability better than anyone.

Once the barrier is up, nothing can break it.

Not even a cannonball could leave a mark on it.

But what’s with this guy in front of him?

He just walked into the barrier like it was no big deal.

It was as if he was walking into his own home.

Even when Raijin stood right in front of him, Bartolomeo was still in a daze.

Bang!

Raijin’s attack knocked him out, causing his Devil Fruit powers to disappear.

That’s when Bartolomeo realized it wasn’t an illusion—this guy really did walk into his barrier.

But it was too late. He was already on the ground, unable to get up.

“One down.”

Raijin glanced at Bartolomeo at his feet and nodded.

It’s like collecting cards—Raijin planned to gather all the Supernovas in one place.

Then he’d let them compete on a level playing field.

He called it ‘raising poisonous insects.’

One Bartolomeo isn’t enough.

Eventually, all the Supernovas would be within his grasp.

“You never cease to amaze me.”

Zephyr looked at Raijin and suddenly smiled.

He knew Raijin’s past and how he brought this group to Dressrosa.

It’s said that Raijin used this bandit-like method, kidnapping anyone valuable.

Seeing it firsthand today, Zephyr was quite impressed.

He couldn’t believe it was true.

No wonder this guy became the King of Dressrosa.

With such decisive tactics, if Raijin doesn’t make it big, who will?

Does anyone else have the guts to pull something like this?

“But from now on, it’s up to you to teach him. I’ll find you another batch of students later.”

“If you’re confident, you could build another powerful team.”

Raijin smiled at Zephyr as he spoke.

Each of them was a talent at the level of a Navy Vice Admiral.

Some might even become Admirals.

When the time comes, they’ll all be brought under Dressrosa’s wing to help it grow.

As for those who refuse?

Dressrosa never asks for their opinion.

The Uchiha clan doesn’t believe in democracy—only in the survival of the fittest.

Unless they can defeat Raijin, their opinions don’t matter.

The weak don’t need to have thoughts.

Obedience is enough.

“Alright, I’m really looking forward to this.”

Zephyr beamed with excitement. This kid’s judgment was much better than Sengoku’s.

Who knows, he might really put together a ‘Galactic Team’ after all.

He might even train two more Admirals.

It would fulfill Zephyr’s dream.

“What are you guys doing? What did you do to Bartolomeo?”

A rough female voice suddenly called out. A red-haired girl stood nearby, holding a baseball bat and looking angry.

She was Bartolomeo’s childhood friend, Dezaya.

Raijin didn’t know much about her, but it was clear she cared about Bartolomeo, so they must be close.

If they know each other, that’s easy to handle!

Unbeknownst to her, Shiranui Genma had snuck up behind her.

With a swing of the back of his sword, he struck Dezaya.

Thud!

This time, there was no barrier to get in the way!

Dezaya fell straight to the ground.

These youngsters are all the same—out like a light!

“This makes two. If I’m taking one, I might as well take two!”

Raijin chuckled, not caring who the girl was.

Without a word, Raijin placed both of them into his Kamui dimension.

Zephyr noticed Raijin’s Kamui dimension and was curious, but he didn’t say anything.

Such a strange ability must be linked to this guy’s eyes.

Ninjas are always reluctant to reveal their information, so Zephyr understood.

Raijin then led Zephyr to continue exploring Loguetown.

Even if it’s just a random encounter, why stop at one?

Raijin had Shiranui Genma search for and find Tashigi.

Tashigi was a good candidate, and Raijin was very interested.

So he took her in too.

He also took the Sandai Kitetsu and Yubashiri from the store.

Raijin bought the store outright for 500,000 Berries.

This trip was quite fruitful for Raijin.

Zephyr, too, was intrigued!

The two people Raijin had taken in were quite talented.

Especially the girl—there was something different in her eyes.

In this vast sea, to achieve something great, you must have unwavering faith.

Zephyr could see that in the girl’s eyes.

“So, where to next? Are there any other overlooked geniuses?”

Zephyr found himself under the execution platform, no longer in the mood for sightseeing.

Even Zephyr licked his lips, excitement on his face.

They were collecting all the overlooked talents from the sea.

Zephyr felt like his academy was finally getting interesting.

It wasn’t just about ninjas anymore—these sea talents were joining in too.

This batch of students was going to be exceptional, a true clash of titans.

“No rush, the East Blue has more talent than just here.”

Raijin reassured him. There were many interesting folks in the East Blue.

Since they were snatching people, Raijin planned to do it thoroughly.

If the East Blue is the weakest sea…

Then let it stay that way.

Raijin planned to sweep the East Blue clean, leaving nothing behind.

“Seems like you’ve done more than just investigate Garp’s family, huh?”

“You’ve turned the East Blue inside out, haven’t you? You’re really ruthless, kid!”

Zephyr could only use this to describe Raijin after thinking it over.

Nothing else quite captured it.

This guy was practically digging up the East Blue’s ancestors.

It was outrageous.

But for Zephyr’s sake, to recruit students…

All Zephyr could say was, “Well done.”

You did a great job.

His academy would be stronger than ever.

“Heh!”

Raijin chuckled. Is this ruthless?

Wait until you see the real action, then make your judgment.

They didn’t linger long in Loguetown.

In two hours, the ship’s supplies were almost ready.

When Raijin and the others returned to the ship, Garp was already waiting.

Their set course was to head to Foosha Village.

Raijin had no problem with this route.

The Goa Kingdom and Loguetown weren’t as far apart as you’d think.

In the original story, Luffy often took detours, stopping at many islands, which made the journey seem long.

But they had a clear goal, heading straight for the Goa Kingdom.

It didn’t take long to reach Foosha Village in the Goa Kingdom.

Garp’s first stop upon arriving in Foosha Village was the tavern.

He wasn’t particularly interested in the local liquor.

It’s just that Luffy often hung out there.

“Well, well! Vice Admiral Garp, I didn’t expect you to come back!”

As soon as Garp stepped into the tavern, Makino greeted him with surprise.

After all, it had been over a year since Garp had returned!

Many people in Foosha Village missed him.

Of course, Luffy and Ace were the exceptions.

Garp had left them with too many childhood traumas.

“Ahahaha, I’m on leave, so I came back. Where are Luffy and Ace?”

Garp laughed heartily, looking around the tavern.

Not seeing any familiar faces, he was a bit disappointed.

Where did those two troublemakers run off to now?

“Luffy and Ace went to the mountains to train! I was planning to bring them lunch. How about you join me?”

Makino said gently.

Whether it was Luffy or Ace, they were both quite likable.

Few in the village disliked them.

Though they talked about becoming pirates, most people just treated it as Luffy’s joke.

“Sure, it’s been a while since I’ve seen those

---

The aging population in the Windmill Village is getting worse and worse.

And it's the same in the nearby villages.

Now, there are very few people who come to her tavern.

Only when Luffy and Ace are around does it get a little lively.

"If the owner likes Luffy and Ace so much, why don't you come with us?"

"That way, Luffy and Ace won't feel so lonely where we are!"

Raijin immediately smiled broadly and without hesitation recruited Makino.

"Huh?!"

Makino was stunned.

But before she could say anything more,

Shiranui Gen appeared behind her and knocked her out with a chop to the neck.

"What are you doing?"

Garp sensed that something was off at this moment.

"Luffy and Ace might not be familiar with where we're going, so I'm bringing some people they're familiar with."

"Don't worry, Vice Admiral Garp, I know what I'm doing. I won't cause any trouble."

Raijin nodded with satisfaction and directly grabbed Makino, tossing her into Kamui's dimension.

We'll open a tavern in Dressrosa later.

Dressrosa already has ramen and barbecue. Now, it just needs a tavern, and Raijin thought Makino would be perfect for it.

"Uh-oh!"

Garp suddenly had a bad feeling.

It was like he had just let a bandit into the village.

"That should be enough! This chapter is like two chapters in one!"

(The chapter ends here.)