One Piece: Shanks' Little Jasmine

Chapter 137 First Field Mission

To get Garp and Moko back to Marineford as quickly as possible, Sengoku sent Garp's warship directly to the Goa Kingdom to pick them up. Because of the warship's special design, it could travel directly from the Calm Zone to the Grand Line without any obstacles, making it much faster than ordinary ships passing through the Red Line. In addition, due to the special circumstances this time, the warship traveled at full speed at sea almost non-stop, and this time it only took a week to reach Marineford.

Moko and Garp were among the later arrivals. As for the naval officers who hadn't yet reached Marineford or were still engaged in battle, arrangements were made directly via teleconference. The meeting was scheduled for the evening, giving Moko some time to rest.

The warship slowly entered the port, where the vice admirals stood to meet it. Corazon was among them. Once the warship came to a stop, Corazon immediately boarded it.

"Vice Admiral Garp, it's been a long time."

"Oh, Corazon, long time no see, hahahaha."

Garp patted Corazon's shoulder with his big hand, feeling the solid muscles under his hand. A look of satisfaction flashed in Garp's eyes. Garp always treated hardworking children differently. Corazon's eyes, however, unconsciously looked up at the top of Garp's head. Ella was happily lying on Garp's head, swinging her chubby little legs.

"You've gotten much stronger now. I'm entrusting Xiao Mo Ke Ke to your protection this time. If Xiao Mo Ke gets hurt, I'll train you very strictly."

"Yes, I will definitely protect Miss Moko."

Corazon snapped back to his senses, straightened up, and answered seriously.

"Pfft, Grandpa Garp, don't scare Little Apple like that."

A cheerful voice rang out, and Moko emerged from behind Garp, carrying Mika. Her gentle, soft movements were like a warm spring breeze, instantly dispelling the winter chill.

"Miss Moko, it's been a long time."

"Long time no see, Xiaomiguo."

"I'll carry your luggage, Miss Moko."

"Thank you for your help, Xiaomiguo."

Corazon smiled and shook his head, then bent down to pick up the luggage at Moko's feet.

After returning to the villa and resting for a while, Moko changed into her navy uniform. This time, she definitely couldn't be as casual as she was at headquarters when going on field missions. And barring any unforeseen circumstances, she should be leaving after the meeting, so she needed to prepare in advance.

"Woo-mi~"

Inside the suitcase, Ella curled herself into a ball and rolled around on the neatly folded clothes, making the clothes wrinkle. Moko sighed helplessly, but could only patiently take Ella out and put the clothes back in, then take Ella out and put the clothes back in, repeating this several times. Finally, Moko breathed a sigh of relief and looked at Ella with affection.

"Ella, don't be naughty."

Moko gently poked Ella's forehead, picked her up again, and placed her next to Mihua. Ella, who was trying to sneak into the suitcase, was immediately held tightly by Mihua and couldn't move at all.

"Woo-mi-woo-mi!" Ella flapped her chubby paws, her eyes fixed longingly on the suitcase as if it contained treasure.

"Pfft~"

Mihua reached out her paw and patted Ella's head. Upon hearing Mihua's voice, Ella, who had been making a ruckus, immediately quieted down. Moko's lips curled slightly as she rubbed Mihua's head and continued tidying up the clothes.

"Dong dong dong."

"Miss Moko, it's almost time for the meeting."

About an hour later, shouts came from outside the door. Moko picked up Mika and the sleeping Ella and opened the door. The navy officer standing outside was someone Sengoku had assigned to Moko later.

"Miss Moko!"

The navy officer saluted respectfully, his expression serious, completely focused on his work, showing no sign of slacking off despite Moko's gentleness.

"I understand. Please take the luggage to the warship that is about to set sail."

"Yes!"

Once the navy had gone far away, Moko breathed a slight sigh of relief and looked up at the sky. The once vast starry sky was completely covered by dark clouds, but there was no sign of rain. Moko's figure was hidden in the darkness, her eyes dim.

A riot? This is really troublesome. Compared to the news from the Navy, Moko had actually received news of the riot from Yubi before returning. Because of Moko's extensive intelligence network, Moko knew much more than the Navy. It seems that the Revolutionary Army on the hidden island in the east has also taken advantage of this opportunity to take action.

For reasons unknown, Kaido of the Beasts and Big Mom Charlotte Linlin simultaneously launched attacks on strategic islands in the New World. At the same time, riots of varying sizes broke out in the four seas and the Grand Line. The riots will continue until the conflict in the New World ends. If the Navy cannot win this war, the world will surely face a new era of great upheaval. Such a large-scale plan could not have arisen suddenly; it was probably premeditated long ago.

"A war started by two sea emperors, so who is the mastermind behind it? Hey, Mika, do you think Shanks' plan can proceed smoothly?" A dark glint flashed in Moko's eyes, devoid of any warmth.

"Pfft!" Sensing Moko's low spirits, Mihua affectionately rubbed against Moko's palm. Feeling the touch from her palm, the coldness in Moko's eyes gradually dissipated, and the corners of her lips curled up slightly.

"That's true, he's my Shanks, you know. We'll definitely get the Road Pose, although I feel a little bad for Linlin..."

The air was silent for a long time. Moko composed herself and slowly exhaled, "It's almost time. We should go to the meeting room."

"Pfft!"

Inside the huge conference room, everyone sat solemnly at the conference table. The surrounding lights were dim, making it impossible to see the true emotions in their eyes. The oppressive atmosphere was suffocating. In addition to the three admirals of the Navy, Zephyr, Garp, and Tsuru, among other high-ranking Navy personnel, were also present. Moko, dressed in a white Navy uniform, stood behind the three admirals with a serious expression and her head bowed, memorizing all the meeting's contents.

"Everyone knows what happened, so I won't go into the details. Borsalino, Kuzan, both of you, head to the New World immediately after this meeting. This war must succeed, understand?"

"Yes."

Borsalino and Kuzan became serious for once, their usual nonchalant expressions gone.

"Now go and prepare according to the plan. I will contact you through Den Den Mushi later to make other arrangements."

The situation was urgent, and the meeting was not long. After the meeting, Moko left the meeting room with everyone and returned to her office. Mihua and Ella were already fast asleep on the cat tree. Moko's expression softened, and she gently picked up the two little ones, her mind filled with many thoughts.

Because the New World is facing two Sea Emperors, Borsalino and Kuzan were assigned to the New World, while Garp, Zephyr, and Ain's students went to various parts of the Grand Line to deal with the troublesome pirates. Tina, Smoker, and other vice admirals went to the Four Seas to provide assistance. As for Sakazuki, he was to stay at the headquarters with Sengoku. It seemed like a perfect arrangement, but if one side collapsed, the war would completely fall apart.

Moko slowly walked to the cat tree and picked up Mika and Ella, her thoughts already wandering far away. What was Linlin and Kaido's purpose? If it was just about fighting for an island, there was no need for such a commotion. But what if it was a trade? Wait, a trade? If it was a trade, that makes sense. But what was being exchanged? Treasure, power, territory, or…?

"Road sign."

"Young lady, it's time to go!"

Borsalino leaned against the doorframe, looking at Moko inside. His eyelids were half-drooping, and his face still held that nonchalant expression. It seemed he hadn't heard Moko's barely audible murmur.

Moko turned around, a perfectly timed smile on her face, without any unusual expression. "Okay, let's go."

At the dock, Corazon and Kuzan were already waiting. The moment they saw Moko and Borsalino approaching, sparks flew between Borsalino and Kuzan, a fierce and terrifying exchange. However, considering Moko's presence, the tense atmosphere vanished instantly, replaced by a peaceful atmosphere. The surrounding tense marines breathed a sigh of relief; they had almost thought the two admirals were about to fight again. It really was Miss Moko! Miss Moko is a goddess!

"This operation is very important, you understand?"

Sakazuki looked at Borsalino and Kuzan with a serious expression, his voice completely flat. Sengoku was unable to come to see them off because he needed to process battle reports from various places in a timely manner, so he sent Sakazuki instead.

"You still have that rock-hard face, Sakazuki."

Borsalino lowered his eyelids, lazily looking at the extremely serious Sakazuki, his voice casual. Sakazuki was too lazy to pay attention to the casual and nonchalant Borsalino, and turned his gaze to Moko.

He just stared without saying a word. Moko tilted her head in confusion. Looking into Moko's clear eyes, the words he wanted to say circled around in his mouth again and again, but in the end, Sakazuki only managed to utter a short sentence.

"be careful."

Moko blinked, then a gentle smile appeared on her face, like a rosebud about to bloom, delicate and beautiful, making one want to stop and admire it. "I will, thank you for your concern, General Sakazuki."

"Miss Moko, it's time to go."

Kuzan stood on the stairs leading to the ship and called out to Moko.

"General Sakazuki, I'm setting off."

Moko smiled and nodded at Sakazuki, then turned and boarded the warship. Kuzan followed behind, and as he boarded, he seemed to glance back at Sakazuki with a scrutinizing look in his eyes. He quickly turned away after just one glance, and the warship sailed away, disappearing into the dark night shrouded in clouds.

After the warship left, Sakazuki turned around and went back to his office. He wanted to continue working on the documents, but for some reason, he couldn't concentrate on reading a single word for a long time. The image of Moko's beautiful smile kept flashing through his mind.

Time ticked by, and the sun gradually climbed higher above the sea, peeking out from behind the thick clouds. Soft sunlight tore through the curtain of the sky, streaming into the room through the large glass windows. A gentle breeze stirred the curtains, casting dappled, colorful shadows on the marble floor. The crystal-clear glass reflected a dazzling light, which caught Sakazuki's eye. He took a deep breath, clearing his mind of all sorts of random thoughts, and buried himself back in his work.

The island for this mission is Eorzea, located in the middle of the New World. Eorzea is one of the islands that will be available after entering the New World. It is a very important large island with abundant mineral resources. In addition to the two Emperors of the Sea, many other small pirate forces have landed on the island to seize it and try to get a share of the spoils. The objective of this mission is to suppress these pirates and reclaim ownership of the island.

After handing the completed document to Corazon, Moko rubbed her temples wearily. The scale was truly enormous. It would be great if it could be resolved peacefully. If the world descended into chaos, it would be very detrimental to Shanks' plans.

Borsalino had been watching Moko ever since he boarded the ship. Seeing her tired expression, he gently patted her shoulder and told her to go back to her room to rest. After all, it would take three or four days to sail from Marineford to Eorze at full speed, and Borsalino didn't want his little lady to get sick from exhaustion before they even reached the battlefield.

Moko did want to rest for a while, so she agreed to Borsalino's suggestion and went straight back to her private room. The room was specially prepared by Borsalino and had been ready for a long time. Not only Borsalino's warship, but also Kuzan's and Garp's warships had Moko's private rooms. The specifications and configurations were even the same as those of the admirals. The room was the largest and the furniture was the best. Even if they knew that the chances of Moko going on field missions were probably not very high.

Compared to the other rooms, this room was quite luxurious. Moko smiled helplessly. They were spoiling her too much. If they could handle their work more seriously and reduce her burden, it would be better.

After changing into her pajamas, perhaps because she had been thinking too much and was really tired, Moko fell asleep on the bed after a short while. Mihua and Ella lay down next to Moko and slept soundly. Apart from Mihua, who loves to sleep, the Demon Bears also love to sleep. In the forest of Urrassu, the Demon Bears just ate and slept all day long until Moko took them off the island and into the world. They were given more things to do by Moko, and only then did each of the little bears have something to do, even though they still slept most of the time.

The room was dark with the curtains drawn, with only a small lamp by the bedside casting a warm yellow light. The dappled light fell on Moko's profile, and only when she was asleep would Moko show that rare look of peace and contentment beside Shanks, just like a child.

She has been forcing herself to grow up all along. If she could, she really wanted to go back to the past, back to those happy days.

"Shanks..."

The soft murmurs blended into the waves, and Mihua fluttered her paws to hug Moko tightly, wiping away the tears from the corners of Moko's eyes.

"Puchu, it's okay, I'll protect Master, I'll protect Master forever, Puchu..."