Kong dialed Sengoku's office. After about five seconds, the call connected, and the Den Den Mushi on his side transformed into a spiky-haired head.
"Who is this?"
"Old man, it's me! Quick, send me some money!"
"Kong? You're out of money again?! How long have you been gone? You spent 300,000 Beli in less than a month?!"
"Go ask Old Man Garp. He swindled all of Paimon's money."
"Gar... I told you to go out on your own ship, but you insisted on taking Garp's. Fine... How's the patrol going?"
"Just started. I just finished Loguetown. Anyway, send me the money quickly. I'm going to the next location."
Sengoku in the Fleet Admiral's office looked puzzled.
"You brat... I have a feeling you're about to run away. Did you get on Smoker's bad side?"
Kong spoke rapidly.
"That's exactly what I'm doing! Hurry up, or your cheap apprentice is going to be done for!"
"What's going on?"
Kong sighed.
"I... I think I saw Dragon in Loguetown."
"WHAT!!!"
The Den Den Mushi's simulated expression was extremely exaggerated; Kong could imagine Sengoku's current appearance.
"Oh my teacher, now's not the time for shock! Your good apprentice is still here!"
But Sengoku said:
"I'll contact Garp immediately... Be careful."
"Kacha..."
With that, the Den Den Mushi hung up. Kong's expression was blank.
"Aaah, the spiky-haired old man! You didn't send me the money yet!!!"
Paimon asked worriedly:
"Kong... when did you see Dragon?"
Although she appeared with Kong, she didn't understand the plot of One Piece. Her knowledge of this world came from Kong.
Kong grabbed Paimon and ran outside.
"Just now... Anyway, we can't stay here. Let's get out of here! We can always rob a few pirate ships on the way."
"Hey, is this Dragon really that scary?"
"It's not him that's scary... it's our identities..."
"Eh? Lieutenant Commander Kong? Where are you going?"
Kong encountered the Lieutenant who had led him earlier. Without turning his head, Kong said:
"To the next location for inspection. No need to see me off. Please give my regards to Colonel Smoker. Farewell!"
Watching Kong leave the base in a hurry, the Lieutenant sighed.
"As expected of a man who became a Lieutenant Commander at such a young age. He's truly dedicated..."
After Kong left the Marine Base, he had only run two blocks when he saw a young woman with orange hair carrying two bags of clothes walking towards him.
"Damn... change course!"
He grabbed Paimon and dove into a nearby alley.
Nami, who had just finished shopping, looked curiously at the place where Kong had disappeared.
"That Marine... was he avoiding me? It must be my imagination... Why would a Marine avoid me? I don't know him..."
Kong dashed out of the alley and ran another block. In the distance, he saw a green-haired swordsman with a white katana at his waist standing in front of a weapons shop.
"F***!"
Unbelievably, he had run into three Straw Hat crew members in a row. Kong felt the malicious intent of the world's will, as if an unseen hand was pushing him towards encounters with the main characters.
But the more this happened, the more worried he became.
He didn't believe that Dragon wouldn't care about his son's companions; he might already be targeted.
Kong didn't have time to think anymore. He ran past Zoro and headed straight for the port.
"A Marine?"
Zoro only glanced at him before dismissing it. Buying swords was more important to him than a Marine.
He ran to the port market and, taking out his last five thousand Beli, headed straight for a fruit stand. The most important thing for a sea voyage was to ensure sufficient vitamin intake. Leafy vegetables don't keep well, but slightly unripe fruits can be stored for a long time.
"Well, beautiful miss, are you looking for some fruit? I'd be happy to help you."
As soon as Kong reached the fruit stand, a gentleman in a black suit with blond, curly eyebrows stood next to Paimon.
Sanji, the third son of the Vinsmoke family, was indeed very gentlemanly towards all women. Kong didn't think Paimon, being so young, would attract this womanizer. Paimon's cute appearance was very appealing, so it wasn't strange that Sanji was drawn to her.
But clearly, he'd arrived at the wrong time. Kong's expression was as if he'd just eaten a dead rat.
"Forget it. Let's go!"
Kong grabbed Paimon and headed towards the port.
"Hey? But we don't have any fruit..."
"We'll buy some on the next island. We can manage for a few days."
"Okay..."
Sanji watched Kong leave, shrugging his shoulders.
"My apologies. Is that little girl his sister? I'm not some pervert."
Soon, Sanji forgot about this little incident. Compared to little girls, he preferred mature, curvaceous women, especially Nami, who had completely captured his heart.
"Almost forgot the important thing! What kind of grand meal should I prepare for Miss Nami tonight...?"
Passing through the market, Kong finally saw the port and his small boat—a lifeboat from Garp's ship. Although small, it was better than a raft; at least it had a small, sturdy room to provide shelter from wind and rain.
"Great, I'm saved!"
This small boat didn't have an anchor; it was usually tied to the dock with rope. With the navy blue anchor flag on the hull, no one would dare steal it.
Untying the rope, Kong and Paimon hurried back into the cabin and finally breathed a sigh of relief.
"We're saved... We shouldn't run into that Revolutionary Army leader anymore..."
"There, there. You've had a hard time. Have some water."
"Thank you..."
Kong took the warm tea and gulped it down. Then he saw Paimon's terrified expression.
His eyes darted between Paimon and the teacup in his hand, then his whole body froze.
"...."
He slowly turned his head, and there, sitting on the wooden bed in the cabin, was a man in a dark green cloak, revealing half a shoe-shaped tattoo on his face.
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Executioner Kong."
"Executioner" was Kong's moniker earned during his adventures in the Red Line.
This title was also due to a series of coincidences. After becoming Sengoku's disciple, Kong began to be tempered by Sengoku, going on solo missions.
Pirates place great importance on titles, and during arrests, they often ask, "Who are you?"
Kong, aiming to act cool, used a line from Donquixote Doflamingo, telling the other person he was just a passing traveler.
As a result, the rumors became more and more outrageous. With Sora's identity as a patrol officer, he became the Executioner, meaning the person who executes the sentence.
To get back to the main point, when Kong saw half of the shoe-shaped tattoo on the man's face, he subconsciously swallowed.
"This... traveler, are you lost? You seem to... be on the wrong ship..."
Kong employed the thirty-sixth stratagem: passing it off.
He tried to pretend he didn't recognize Dragon, politely asking him to leave the ship, as if nothing had happened.
However, Dragon simply took off his cloak.
"Pleased to meet you. I am Monkey D. Dragon."
Kong only had one feeling:
"It's over..."