One Piece: Bai Ye Deputy Captain of the Straw Hats

Translator: PapaSmurf0700

As Bai Ye exited the tavern, a golden-haired man approached him with a polite but cautious demeanor. "Excuse me, are you Bai Ye, the vice-captain of the Straw Hat Pirates, also known as 'Priest'?"

"I'm Bob, a reporter from the World Economy News Paper. I was hoping to secure an interview with Mr. Bai Ye, if that's possible?" he continued, extending a recording Den Den Mushi towards Bai Ye.

Bai Ye raised an eyebrow, a hint of amusement in his voice. "I'm a pirate, you know. Doesn't that scare you?"

Bob straightened up, his expression one of determined professionalism. "If I were too scared to interview someone as renowned as you, I wouldn't be worthy of the trust Big Boss Morgans places in me."

Bai Ye's interest piqued at the mention of Morgans, a key figure in the underworld known as one of its Emperors. The fact that this seemingly unassuming reporter could directly communicate with such a high-profile figure was intriguing.

"Really?" Bai Ye mused aloud. "Morgans himself? That's interesting."

Seeing an opportunity, Bai Ye proposed a deal. "I'll give you your interview, but first, I have one condition."

Bob looked eager, nodding quickly to signal his agreement.

"I want to speak to Morgans directly," Bai Ye stated, his smile broadening. "Believe me, after our conversation, you'll find this interview even more beneficial than you expected."

-----

In the cozy ambiance of a dimly lit tavern, Robin sat across from a man known well across the seas. "Captain of the Heart Pirates, Trafalgar Law, with a bounty of 200 million berries," she stated, resting her chin thoughtfully on one hand.

Law, unfazed by the introduction that disclosed his identity, nodded. "Yes, that's correct. It's interesting that even the Half-Emperors are keeping tabs on us Supernovas."

He then motioned to a large figure beside him. "And this is Beppo, my crew's navigator from the Mink Tribe of Zou. His bounty, well," Law paused with a slight smirk, "it's 500 berries."

"He insisted on coming because he heard Chopper would be here," Law added, glancing at Beppo who seemed somewhat uneasy with all the attention.

Law's gaze shifted back to Robin and Chopper. "Speaking of bounties, I'm curious how Chopper managed to escalate from a mere 50 berries to 100, and then, out of nowhere, to 300 million for a 'pet' that's also supposedly a raccoon."

After Law finished speaking, the group fell into silence.

Suddenly, Chopper couldn't contain himself. "I'm not a pet! I'm the ship's doctor!" he declared, his voice rising. "And I'm not a raccoon—I have horns!" He was visibly annoyed by the persistent mislabeling and the old bounty joke.

With a leap, Chopper was on the table, his tiny fists flailing towards Law, though without much effect. Law watched the display, seemingly amused more than concerned.

Next to Law, Beppo, the big white bear, seemed to shrink into himself, curling up as he nervously witnessed the unfolding scene.

Observing Beppo's timid demeanor, Robin chuckled. "Seems like he gets nervous easily. Quite interesting," she mused. "He might actually find some common ground with our doctor here."

Caught off guard by the turn of the conversation and perhaps feeling a bit braver, Beppo finally spoke up. "Sorry... I didn't mean to laugh," he said in a gentle voice, looking at Chopper with admiration. "It's just really impressive to me that you have a 300 million berry bounty!"

Chopper, still perched on the table and simmering with indignation, paused mid-tirade, his anger interrupted by Beppo's earnest compliment. "Great…" he muttered, his tone a mix of annoyance and embarrassment. Then, twisting slightly, he added defiantly, "I hate it so much! Even if you praise me, I won't be happy, you idiot!"

Beppo, undeterred by Chopper's reaction, persisted with genuine admiration, "But I really mean it! Chopper-senpai!"

"Senpai!!!" The term of respect seemed to melt Chopper's resolve. His expression softened, and he lunged forward to grab Beppo's hands, his earlier frustration giving way to a feeling of camaraderie. "So warm," Chopper thought, as if reuniting with a long-lost friend.

Amidst this newfound bond, Law turned his attention back to Robin, the matter at hand regaining its urgency. "I want to form an alliance with the Straw Hat captain," he stated straightforwardly, his gaze locked on Robin. "I know what you did in Alabasta, and I have an enemy I must defeat, even if it costs me my life—", his voice low and intense, "A Warlord of the Sea who became a king!"

-----

In the world of One Piece, there's a glaring contradiction about slavery. Officially, human trafficking is outlawed on the seas governed by the World Government. Yes, in the public eye, selling humans is a crime! Yet, ironically, the largest purchasers of slaves are none other than the Celestial Dragons and the various kings and nobles aligned with the World Government.

This hypocrisy is starkly illustrated in an original story scene where Nami confronts a guard at the entrance of a human auction house on Sabaody Archipelago's Island No. 1. Curious and appalled, she challenges him, "Isn't human trafficking banned by the government? How much did you bribe them to look the other way?"

The guard's reply is smug and revealing, "When we talk to government and military officials, it's as if they've never even heard of human trafficking. It's like this business doesn't exist to them."

"That's the so-called reality," he adds, smirking.

This moment highlights a painful truth: many civilians, devastated by the loss of their families and seeking help, never realize one crucial fact. The very Navy and World Government officials they turn to for help are the ones who facilitate this dark trade.

By turning a blind eye, the World Government cleverly masks this grim reality, maintaining a facade of legality while enabling the vilest of crimes under the table.

-----

"Nami, I want to eat meat!" Luffy declared, wandering through the streets near Auction House No. 1 on the Sabaody Archipelago. His voice lacked its usual cheer.

"Really? Again?" Nami sighed, her hand on her forehead, yet she pivoted to fetch him some meat. It wasn't out of indulgence that she did this, but rather, she had learned that satisfying his cravings was simply faster than arguing. Every time she tried to resist, Luffy would look at her earnestly and repeat, "Nami, I want to eat meat."

To make things quicker, she reluctantly agreed to buy it for him.

Why didn't Luffy buy his own meat? Well, there was that one time he tossed a whole bag of Berries into the sea, thinking it would bring good luck in fishing—a stunt that led Bai Ye and Nami to strip him of all his money as a "lesson."

Luffy, undisturbed by such "punishments," knew Bai Ye would always cover for him financially when needed. With Bai Ye not around, he naturally relied on Nami.

While Nami was at the vendor, snippets of a nearby conversation caught her attention: "Did you hear? The Celestial Dragons visited Sabaody again today."

"Yeah, I saw. They executed some slaves right there. I was so close, I nearly dropped to my knees from fear."

"Becoming a slave to the Celestial Dragons is like—"

"Death is a luxury compared to that."

"Exactly."

Nami tuned out the dark chatter, grabbed the meat, and turned to find Luffy. To her dismay, he was not where she left him. Instead, he was cheerfully waving at her from the entrance of a building—the very auction house on Island No. 1.