A Treasure Worth 100 Million Belly!

East Blue, a string of islands called the Organ Islands, basked in the sun.

Nestled amongst them was Orange Town, a place known far and wide for its juicy oranges and all sorts of orange goodies. It was a bustling port, a vital hub in the East Blue.

Out on the vast ocean, keeping fruits and vegetables fresh was a real challenge. Sailors often missed out on important vitamins, especially Vitamin C, and could get a nasty disease called scurvy.

That's where Orange Town came in. Orange juice and canned oranges, packed with Vitamin C, were absolute must-haves for long sea journeys. They kept sailors healthy, and sometimes even saved their lives!

Because everyone needed oranges, Orange Town became super important. It grew richer and more successful, practically the center of the surrounding sea.

Even some pirates, those rough-and-tumble types, liked to stop by Orange Town to stock up and blow their stolen treasure.

"We're here," a voice announced.

The warship gently bumped against the dock.

Roya gazed at Orange Town, which seemed a hundred times fancier than Shells Town. I could get used to this, he thought.

The streets buzzed with people, but were surprisingly clean. The houses were neat and tidy, making the whole place feel pleasant. Compared to Glass Bead Island, with its flashy style, Orange Town seemed like a perfect place to settle down.

A good place indeed.

According to the intel Roya had, the Buggy Pirates hadn't taken over Orange Town yet. For now, the town was peaceful.

Usually, pirates didn't stick around in one town for too long. Doing so would attract the Marines like flies.

Few pirates dared to go head-to-head with the Marines.

Of course, there were always exceptions, and some pirates were just plain reckless.

Roya turned to his crew.

"You all know what to do, right?" he asked.

"Yes, sir!" the Marines shouted back. Jango was among them, dressed in his usual pirate clothes, prancing around in a rather showy way.

"Then let's get started!" Roya commanded.

"Yes, sir!"

Everyone scattered, ready to play their part.

Ten minutes ticked by.

Jango, clutching his hat, strolled down the middle of the street, walking backwards. This definitely caught people's attention.

"Huh? You think I'm weird?" Jango muttered.

Even though no one had said a word, Jango was already answering them.

"I'm not weird at all!" he insisted.

Nobody even said you were! The people around him sweated nervously.

Soon, Jango reached a tavern. Instantly, all eyes were on him. Many people looked surprised, clearly recognizing him.

Unlike the folks on the street, people in the tavern were always up-to-date. They knew famous pirates like the back of their hand, especially with all the recent exciting events.

"It's him!" someone whispered.

"Weren't the Black Cat Pirates wiped out?" another asked.

"I didn't expect him to escape!"

"Hypnotist" Jango, a notorious pirate with a bounty of 9 million Belly, wasn't as famous as Captain Kuro, but he was still well-known in these parts.

Jango swaggered backwards to the bar, acting all important. "Hey, barkeep!" he shouted. "Bring out your best wine, and the best food, too! I'm starving!"

The tavern owner frowned. He recognized Jango too, and as a cautious man, he had to consider the risks.

"Do you have any money?" he asked.

"What, money?" Jango acted surprised. He fumbled through his pockets for ages, finally pulling out a few measly coins and slamming them on the counter in anger.

"Damn it, only 500 Belly!" he grumbled.

"Here you go," the tavern owner said, used to dealing with such characters. He expertly grabbed a bottle of cheap beer and told the kitchen to whip up a seafood fried rice.

Exactly 500 Belly worth.

"Damn it, you're looking down on me!" Jango cursed, grabbing the beer and rice and stomping to a corner. He muttered to himself, "Dang it! When I find Captain Kuro's treasure, I'm going to buy this whole place!"

Treasure?

His voice wasn't loud, but the tavern patrons heard him.

The tavern went quiet.

The Black Cat Pirates had caused chaos for years, and even though the Marines had taken them down, all their loot couldn't just disappear, right?

This was "Kuro of a Hundred Plans"'s treasure!

And the guy who knew where it was...

Several people exchanged sneaky glances, then got up and walked over to Jango. They put drinks on his table, forcing fake smiles.

"Hey brother, let us buy you a drink!" one offered.

"Hey Boss, bring more wine!" another chimed in.

"The best wine!"

Meanwhile, back in the port area…

Marines in small groups were spread out across the streets, holding up posters of Jango and asking the locals for information.

"We heard that the Hypnotist Jango, a leftover from the Black Cat Pirates, is on this island. If you see him, please tell us," a Marine said.

"Ah, okay!" the residents nodded quickly, afraid of having such a dangerous pirate nearby.

Even without the Marines' prompting, the townspeople were whispering to each other.

Soon, the word spread throughout Orange Town: the Marines were looking for the Black Cat Pirates. Anyone who had seen Jango pointed the Marines in the right direction.

In a dark alley, two bounty hunters, who had been sleeping against the wall, woke up to the commotion.

They lit cigarettes, looking serious.

"It's our turn, Johnny," one said.

"That's right, Joseph," the other replied.

"As long as they are pirates, they are our prey!"

"After a whole month, the fearsome duo of "Johnny and Joseph" is finally back in action," one continued.

"This time, we're hunting "Hypnotist" Jango! How sad for him! Since he's become our target, he can only blame fate for being unfair!"

"Let's go quickly, Johnny! Don't let those useless Marines get there first!"

"I understand, Joseph! That pirate should be ours!"

The two strolled out of the alley, confidently heading towards the tavern - a place pirates always loved.

Soon, they reached the tavern and kicked open the door, interrupting the patrons' excited chatter.

"100 million Belly!!!" someone yelled.

"Ah, shhh! Shhh!"

In the middle of the tavern, Jango, red-faced from drinking, was frantically putting a finger to his lips, trying to shush everyone.

"Everyone shut up! This is a secret!" he slurred.

"The fact that Captain Kuro's treasure is buried on Moon Island must not get out! It's a treasure worth 100 million Belly!"

"Ah, I let it slip again!"

His panicked look was definitely not fake.

After a moment of silence, the tavern exploded with noise.

"Captain Kuro's treasure is mine!" someone roared.

"Let's go treasure hunting, men!" another yelled.

"Hahaha, we're rich!"

Everyone scrambled to get out of the tavern and find Kuro's treasure. But just then, the tavern door was kicked open!

A dozen Marines, armed with rifles, stormed into the tavern, surrounding Jango. The Marine Officer in charge had iron gauntlets on both fists.

"Double Iron Fists" Fullbody!

"Found you, Pirate Jango!" Fullbody declared, holding up Jango's bounty poster. His face was grim. "You're under arrest! We can't let any pirates get their hands on Kuro's treasure!"

"Damn it, they actually followed me here," Jango cursed angrily. But facing a dozen rifles, he knew he had no choice but to raise his hands in surrender.

The tavern patrons were even more excited now.

Even the Marines were after Kuro's treasure!

This meant that "Kuro of a Hundred Plans"'s treasure was real!

The last bit of doubt vanished.

"Wait a minute, Marines!"

Just as the Marines were about to drag Jango away, the tavern door was blocked by two figures.

It was Johnny and Joseph!

They stood with their arms crossed, aggressively blocking the doorway. A super treasure worth 100 million Belly was enough to make anyone lose their minds.

"Marines, we were here first! That pirate should be handed over to us!" one said.

"You?" Fullbody was confused.

Who are these two?

Wait, they look familiar.

"I remember now! You're bounty hunters who specialize in catching third-rate pirates! I think your names are Johnny and Joseph, right?"

"That's right, it's us!" they said, their faces darkening.

"Johnny, this Marine Officer seems to be looking down on us."

"Specialize in catching third-rate pirates? That sounds really harsh! It seems like we need to teach this clueless Marine a lesson, Joseph."

As soon as he finished speaking, the two drew their swords and charged at Fullbody, shouting, "Marine, taste our power!"

"The treasure is ours!"

One minute later…

"It was nothing!"

The two lay on the ground, bruised and swollen.

"Sergeant, should we arrest them?" a Marine asked.

"Forget it. No need to waste time on such minor characters," Fullbody replied, clapping his hands. He wasn't bothered by their challenge.

"Let's go," he commanded.

"Yes, sir!"

After the Marines left the tavern, Johnny and Joseph struggled to their feet, still trying to act tough.

"That Marine ran away."

"We were careless this time, but it was just a minor setback. When we meet again, we'll show him what we're made of."

"Let's go find Big Brother Zoro! If Big Brother Zoro were here, we wouldn't have been outnumbered."

"Okay!"

"Kuro's treasure is ours!"