"Hmm... Fisher Tiger's 'Sun Pirates' have sunk three battleships. I hope the Shipbuilding Department isn't having a collective nervous breakdown...
The Sea Train has successfully completed its maiden voyage! Now that's good news. I'll have to head to Water 7 later to see it for myself.
'Professional Boxing Association reveals a fighter used a concealed weapon; fighter expelled...' Well, that one's irrelevant."
I relaxed, sipping the coffee Robin had brewed while scanning the World Economic Newspaper brought by a News Coo.
After taking Monet and Sugar into my protection, I had headed to Faus Island to settle things. I left the sisters with the Trafalgar couple as medical assistants, and they were supposed to stay there for the time being... yet, for some reason, I found myself back in the North Blue.
This was due to a direct order from the new Fleet Admiral Sengoku:
"Illegal pirate activity is surging in the North Blue. It seems to be triggered and influenced by the movements of one specific pirate crew.
Go there and handle the intercept missions. I can't send your flagship, the Beatrice, up there, but the new ship you requested is finished. Take it."
And so, I was sent to the North Blue with a portion of the "Cormorant Marine Corps" aboard the Charlotte Angé, a newly built vessel based on the design of my modified battleship, the Beatrice.
Meanwhile, Captains Ryudo and Jonathan had both been promoted to Commodore. Commodore Ryudo had moved his family to Faus Island to oversee the treatment of the Flevance refugees, while Commodore Jonathan took over intercept missions on the other side of the Red Line in my absence.
I really wanted to visit Fish-Man Island, though... I mused until a voice crackled through the speaking tube from the command center.
"Captain! Another pirate ship spotted! The flag is a skull pierced by needles! It's the Blue Vice Pirates, led by 'Poison Needle' Reufen, bounty 45 million!!"
"I'm coming up. Signal them to heave to."
I closed the speaking tube.
"Ever since we got to the North Blue, it's been nothing but pirates," Robin said, her voice laced with concern. "You haven't had a moment to rest, Uncle. Are you alright?"
"The Vanguard Unit was sent here specifically because pirate activity is spiking. Besides, I'm sturdier than I look," I replied, thumping my chest to reassure her before heading to the bridge.
"Has the ship stopped?" I asked upon entering.
"No, sir. They seem to think they can take us since we're a single ship. They're preparing for battle and training their cannons on us."
"We have a tailwind, sir. Sea conditions are optimal," the navigator added.
I confirmed the situation, alternating between the lookouts and the Den Den Mushi.
"Alright, men! Same as usual! Open the starboard gunports and aim for the masts! Take out their mobility first!!"
I issued orders to the Fire Control Center.
"Target: Enemy masts! ...Lock-on confirmed! Loaded! Ready to fire!!"
"FIRE!!"
With the command, three long-range breech-loading cannons on the starboard side roared. The shots were true, snapping the enemy's masts and bringing them to a dead stop.
"Next! Target the rudder and the cannons! Don't miss!"
"Target: Enemy rudder and armaments! Adjusting aim... Lock-on confirmed! Loaded!!"
"FIRE!!"
Next, we neutralized their steering and the cannons they had pointed at us.
"Turn the bow! Prepare the ram! We're boarding!!"
Now that their long-range capabilities were gone, we charged in. I could have just sunk them, but capturing survivors and seizing cargo is much easier when the ship is still floating.
In no time, the Blue Vice Pirates were neutralized. We repeated this process for several days until finally, the pirate I was truly looking for showed his face.
"Captain! It's that pirate ship! Please come up immediately!!"
I stopped writing in my logbook, gave a quick word to Robin—who was busy reading—and hurried to the command center. I took the binoculars from a subordinate. There it was: a bow shaped like a flamingo and a crossed-out smiley face skull.
The root cause of the chaos in the North Blue. An evil charisma who dealt primarily in underground trade—weapons, Devil Fruits, and sometimes even people. It was the ship of the rising Donquixote Family, led by Donquixote Doflamingo.
"Don't let them get away this time! Open the starboard gunports! Aim!!"
Thanks to intel from Sengoku, we had cornered them a few times, but because we were a single ship and they were fast, they had managed to slip away every time. This time, I wanted them caught.
On the deck of the Numancia Flamingo...
"Dammit!! Him again?! We run into that guy once every three encounters! Talk about bad luck! Turn 90 degrees to port! We'll lose him in the reefs ahead! His ship has too deep a draft to follow us there! Gladius!! Aim the turrets at them! I don't expect to sink them, but keep firing!!"
Doflamingo barked orders, suppressing the urge to click his tongue in annoyance. We just finished a deal and were trying to head home in peace...
"Is that the Navy? It's not the usual warship," muttered a ten-year-old boy. It was Law, who had crawled his way to Spider Miles while suffering from Amber Lead Syndrome months ago and had since joined the crew.
"Ah, that's right. This is your first time seeing them, Law," Doflamingo replied. "That's the 'Navy Independent Vanguard Unit.'
They're a specialist squad that roams the seas specifically to hunt pirates. Their leader is Rear Admiral 'Dull Bear' Krieg. Based on strength alone, he should have been a Vice Admiral long ago. I don't know why he's content being a Rear Admiral..."
Doflamingo kept to himself the fact that fighting them now would be suicide.
It galled him to admit he was outclassed, but his opponent was a veteran who had been in the Marines since before the Pirate King's execution. For now, he had to bide his time.
Nearby, Trafalgar Law—who had barely escaped the tragedy of Flevance—stared at the distinctive red Marine flag. Doflamingo's words echoed in his mind.
Rear Admiral "Dull Bear" Krieg... I'll remember that name. And you'd better remember mine. Everyone you killed—my father, my mother, Lami—I'll make you pay for them someday!!!
From a distance, Corazon watched Law through his own telescope, seeing the boy grit his teeth in pure hatred. Does he have some kind of grudge? he wondered.
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