Onepiece: I'm Gojo Satoru [R-18]

Hearing the word "Garp," Shanks immediately stiffened. As an intern on Roger's Pirates, he knew well how fierce Garp was. If he provoked Garp, there would be no escape. No matter where he hid, Garp's scent would track him down, and the outcome would be inevitable.

"Heh, kid, are you kidding me? How could your backer be that Vice Admiral Garp? You don't know him?"

"You don't know? This island is Garp's hometown, and everyone here knows him."

This statement made Shanks freeze. While he hadn't planned to cause trouble on this island, the fact that it was Garp's hometown made him uneasy. If Garp caught wind of them, wouldn't their voyage end right here?

"Boss, why don't we move on? This place isn't a good spot for us pirates."

Jesus Bu, still relatively new to the seas, voiced his concerns. If they ran into Vice Admiral Garp, it would be like a mouse meeting a cat.

"No, we'll stay here. I don't believe our luck is bad enough that we'll run into Garp right on his doorstep."

After some hesitation, Shanks decided to stay strong. He figured Garp might let them be, given his history with Captain Roger—though this thought was a bit naive.

"Well, if the boss says so, we'll follow along—even if it's to our death."

"Hey, boy, Garp isn't in the village, is he?" Ben Beckman, who had been silently smoking a cigarette, suddenly asked. The crew paused. They had forgotten to ask if Garp was around. If he was, they would be walking right into a trap.

"No, he's not."

Satoru's answer brought relief to the red-haired pirates.

"You think this kid's telling the truth?"

"Probably not lying. Look at him—so handsome. He doesn't seem like someone who'd lie."

The crew members whispered among themselves.

"Don't worry, he's not lying. I can't sense any strong presence on this island."

Shanks spoke, calming his crew like a sedative.

"Good, let's get off the ship. After being stuck on this boat for so long, I finally get to feel solid ground again."

The crew erupted into excitement, some jumping off the ship with abandon.

"Hey, remember—don't act recklessly on this island. I don't want to face Garp."

"Relax, I won't cause trouble. I'll blend in as a villager and make sure no one notices we're pirates."

Despite their efforts, Garp's presence still loomed like a dark cloud, ensuring the pirates kept their behavior in check. They might even end up doing some good here.

Soon, the Red-Haired Pirates arrived at Windmill Village. As they saw the villagers lining the road, the pirates' arrogance quickly faded. Even Shanks softened his usual tough demeanor.

"You're the pirates who've come to the island, aren't you?"

The village chief stepped forward, followed by Luffy. The boy timidly peeked out from behind the chief, his eyes locked on Shanks.

"Slightly~"

Shanks noticed Luffy and, unable to resist his mischievous nature, grinned and made a funny face at him. Luffy quickly ducked back behind the village chief.

"Ahem~"

Seeing that Shanks had ignored him, the village chief cleared his throat, signaling that he had something to say.

"I'm sorry, I'm just someone who loves kids and can't help but tease them when I see them."

Shanks flashed a sheepish smile, realizing the chief didn't seem too happy with his behavior.

"Just a heads-up," Satoru said, "This is the head of our village. He's also someone who grew up knowing Garp, and they have a very close relationship."

Shanks immediately straightened up. Knowing the chief's importance to Garp, he didn't dare act carelessly. The rest of the Red-Haired Pirates also took mental note of the chief's status. No one in this village was to be trifled with, especially not this old man.

"Satoru should've filled you in on our village's situation. While we won't kick you out, we do expect you to behave yourselves. If you don't, Garp will have no mercy."

The village chief's words were clear: "There are no strong pirates in the East Blue because Garp makes sure of it. He's quick to punish anyone who causes trouble."

"Don't worry, chief. We're just here to restock and take a few days off, then we'll leave," Shanks reassured him.

"I've met Garp before. I know how terrifying he is, and we won't do anything to harm ourselves."

"Good. Let's keep things peaceful. Everyone, keep an eye on them. If any of them cause trouble, report it to me immediately."

The village chief spoke to the other villagers, loud enough for the Red-Haired Pirates to hear.

"Don't worry, chief. We'll watch them closely."

This made the Red-Haired Pirates feel a little disgruntled. Since becoming pirates, they had never been treated with such distrust. Being watched so openly on their first visit to this island was a first for them.

But there was no fighting it. They had to comply under the looming threat of Garp. It felt like a sword of Damocles hanging over them—any wrong move, and they'd be wiped out.

"This really is the worst luck for a pirate," Shanks muttered, clearly frustrated. "Of all the islands in the East Blue, we had to run into the one with the strongest backer."

"Let's spread out. We're free to move around, but remember the situation here. If anyone steps out of line, I won't hesitate to take action."