Loguetown, the last town in the East Blue before entering the Grand Line.
A warship from Navy Headquarters silently arrived at Loguetown's naval port under the cover of night.
"A warship from Headquarters? Has reinforcements finally arrived?"
The officers stationed at the port in Loguetown all breathed a sigh of relief.
In the East Blue, where the average bounty is only 3 million, the sudden emergence of a bandit with a bounty near 200 million—almost ten times the highest bounty before—indeed had them on edge.
Many in the Navy speculated that such a figure would eventually enter the Grand Line. When that happened, Loguetown's naval forces would inevitably have to face Sig.
As the navy personnel watched, a graceful silhouette stood silently on the deck of the newly docked warship.
When they saw the woman's figure clearly, many of the naval officers' gazes gradually became fixed, and their breathing grew slightly hurried.
The commanding officer of this warship was a woman dressed as a geisha, with a refined and delicate appearance. Her black hair was coiled behind her head, with two strands of hair framing her cheeks, and a beauty mark rested near the corner of her lips, exuding mature charm.
The woman wore the standard "Justice" cloak of a high-ranking officer, but underneath the cloak, she sported a bold outfit—a short, peach-colored top with a zipper daringly pulled down to her chest, revealing a soft and deep cleavage that seemed to draw in the gazes of the naval officers.
Her lower attire consisted of shorts barely covering the tops of her thighs, exposing her long and fair legs. A spider-shaped tattoo adorned her left thigh.
This fiery outfit instantly captivated the naval officers who had come to greet her, their eyes practically turning into heart shapes.
"Vice Admiral Gion has arrived…"
"Vice Admiral Gion, we've received the latest intelligence from CP. Sig and the Revolutionary Army were spotted in Shimotsuki Village in the East Blue…"
An officer cleared his throat and began his report.
"This so-called mountain bandit pirate really has deep ties with the Revolutionary Army, doesn't he?"
Vice Admiral "Momousagi" Gion of Navy Headquarters nodded slightly but did not comment further.
"Keep monitoring Sig's movements. For now, I will remain stationed in Loguetown on standby. If you detect Sig or traces of the Revolutionary Army, report to me immediately."
Her mission was to operate covertly in Loguetown and wait for the right moment. As for whether Headquarters would send a fleet to pursue Sig near Shimotsuki Village, that wasn't her concern.
The island where Syrup Village was located wasn't far from Sig's ship. After just half a day of sailing, they arrived at the edge of the island.
Although Sig's ship did not fly a pirate flag, it was still an illegal pirate vessel wanted by the World Government. Thus, Sig ultimately decided to anchor the ship near an uninhabited cliffside.
"Docking the ship in a place should avoid detection, right?" Sig muttered to himself.
Currently the most wanted man in the East Blue, with the highest bounty, Sig preferred to keep a low profile to avoid attracting the Navy's attention, as that would spell trouble.
Theoretically, no one in the East Blue with any sense would dare provoke a wanted man of his level.
However, the world of pirates was never short of fools.
When Admiral Kizaru arrived at the Sabaody Archipelago, even some random pirate rookies dared to attack him, thinking they could make a name for themselves by taking the head of an admiral.
After landing, Sig looked at the group of subordinates accompanying him and felt a headache coming on.
He currently had over 200 subordinates. Such a large group would stand out like a sore thumb in Syrup Village, even if no one recognized him. The sight of such a crowd entering a small village would be too conspicuous.
"All of you, stay back and guard the ship. Arlong, Stussy, that includes you."
Sig finally issued his orders.
"Why?" Arlong was displeased.
"Fishmen are too conspicuous in a small village . Just your presence would cause a commotion."
Sig explained briefly, then turned his gaze to Stussy.
Stussy, as always, remained obedient, showing an impeccable smile when Sig looked her way.
Of all his subordinates, Stussy was the one Sig always considered the most dangerous—a ticking time bomb. She could report their activities to the Navy at any moment. Bringing her along and letting her witness too much might bring disaster upon the village.
In the end, Sig selected a few of his less intimidating-looking subordinates, including a bald man, and nodded in satisfaction.
"This is perfect. We won't draw too much attention."
"Boss," said one of his men, holding up a chainsaw. "I think carrying this chainsaw around makes us anything but low-profile."
"Shut up. As a swordsman, my chainsaw is my life. I can't just leave it behind."
Sig ignored his subordinate's suggestion outright.
The group then climbed up a low hill that offered a clear view of Syrup Village in the distance.
However, before they could take a few steps, the nearby bushes rustled.
One of the bandits immediately grew alert, placing his hand on the hilt of his sword.
Before they could approach the bushes, a young, panicked voice yelled:
"Pirates! Pirates are here!"
A curly-haired boy with a long nose burst out of the bushes, shouting as he ran toward the village.
Sig's expression changed, and he quickly issued the order.
It surprised him to encounter Usopp so soon. But if the boy alarmed the villagers, it would spell trouble.
At only seven years old, Usopp didn't get far before one of Sig's men grabbed him and lifted him into the air.
"Pirates! Let me go! My dad is a great pirate with 8,000 subordinates…"
Before Sig could say anything, the struggling Usopp began crying loudly, snot and tears running down his face.
"We're not pirates," Sig said with a sigh, trying to explain.
"That's right! We're mountain bandits! Don't confuse us with mere pirates. Our boss back in the day…" the bald man chimed in.
Sig shot him a glare before addressing Usopp, who was now shouting at the top of his lungs:
"I know who you are! You're Sig, the Mountain Bandit King of the East Blue with a bounty of 180 million! A crazy guy who calls himself a bandit but is actually a pirate."
"But in front of my dad's 8,000 subordinates, you're nothing…"
Sig narrowed his eyes, adjusting the hood of his cloak.
During their trip to Shimotsuki Village to procure supplies, Sig had instructed the bald man to buy hooded cloaks like those the Revolutionary Army used.
The fact that he had been recognized so quickly was unexpected, but it wasn't without a solution.
Sig thought for a moment and then said in a low voice:
"Usopp, your father, Yasopp, truly is a great pirate. But I've never heard of him having 8,000 subordinates."
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