As we ascended from the silence of the deep, I sat in the captain's quarters, organizing my reports on the Fish-Man Island mission and mapping out our next moves. A small shadow slipped into the room—Olga, looking restless.
"Krieg, what were those wooden blocks you were tossing out of the ship earlier, sa?" she asked, poking at a stray compass on my desk.
"Those are Kuuigos blocks," I explained without looking up. "They're a special timber with immense buoyancy."
Robin, who had been quietly reading in the corner, chimed in. "They were attached to the ship with ropes, remember? By releasing them outside the bubble, we create upward tension to lift the hull."
"Huh? Don't ships just... float on their own, sa?"
I realized Olga knew nothing about the physics of coated vessels. I took a moment to explain how the coating's displacement works and the danger of becoming a "sinking stone" without external buoyancy.
"Fascinating... the world outside has some strange things, sa," Olga admitted.
"Yes," Robin added. "A coated ship alone can't rise efficiently from ten thousand meters. These blocks act like life jackets. By adjusting how many we release, we control our ascent speed."
"Heh, you and Robin know everything, sa. I've lived in the South Blue my whole life; I don't know a thing about the rest of the world," Olga said, sounding genuinely impressed.
That reminded me of a crucial safety matter. I turned to Olga with a serious expression.
"One thing, Olga. Regarding Robin... when it's just us, you can call her whatever you like. But in front of others, her name is Nicola Olivier. Please stick to that."
"Hmm? What's the matter, sa? Is it a fake name?"
"It is. You see, Robin was framed for a crime she didn't commit..." I reached into a drawer and pulled out an old, weathered bounty poster.
"One, ten, a hundred... Yikes! Thirty-nine million?! That's a massive sum, sa!" Olga's eyes bugged out. "And looking at the photo, she was just a brat. What kind of 'crime' could a kid do to earn that?"
"Researching 'Ancient Weapons' and supposedly destroying an entire island. She was ten years old at the time."
"That's a bit of a stretch, isn't it, sa? Fine, I get it. When anyone else is around, she's Nicola or Olivier. Got it, sa."
"I'm counting on you," I said.
Once Olga left, I picked up the receiver of the golden Den Den Mushi to contact Fleet Admiral Sengoku.
Click. "It is I."
"Headquarters Rear Admiral Krieg reporting, sir. We have departed Fish-Man Island and are currently en route to the surface."
"Good work. Did you secure the intelligence I requested?"
"Yes, sir. Regarding the 'Sun Pirates'—as suspected, the leader is Fisher Tiger, the primary suspect in the Mary Geoise raid.
Key members include Jinbe, a former captain of the Ryugu Royal Guard; the Arlong Crew, who were preying on pirates near the island; and the Macro Crew, kidnappers previously spotted around Sabaody."
"I see. A troublesome lot indeed," Sengoku grumbled. "Understood. Send a detailed written report once you dock. After your current assignment at Sabaody is concluded, you are to return to the North Blue immediately."
"Understood, sir. Also, I recovered two civilians who were trapped inside the 'Island Eater.' What are your orders?"
"If they wish to return home, escort them. If not... You may employ them at your facility on Fausse Island. I'll leave the logistics to you."
Perfect. I have official sanction.
"Understood. Over and out."
The following day, having successfully returned to the sunlit world, I stood in a command post at Grove 1 of the Sabaody Archipelago.
"All units, report status."
The baby Den Den Mushis lined up on the table began to chatter in sequence. "Units 1 through 5, ready!""Units 6 through 10, in position!""Units 11 through 15... confirmed! We are ready!"
"Excellent," I barked into the main transmitter. "Begin Operation: Human Shop Sweep! All units—ENGAGE!!"
With that shout, a coordinated wave of Marines stormed the various slave trading houses scattered throughout the lawless zones.
This was a proposal I had pushed through the upper echelons: a crackdown on the illegal sale of citizens from World Government-affiliated nations.
Normally, the influence of the Celestial Dragons would have made this mission impossible.
However, thanks to a "certain someone's" actions recently, the number of Celestial Dragons had dwindled significantly, and the survivors were effectively under house arrest, unable to descend to the surface.
Sengoku had finally seized the opportunity to strike.
I realized that the "Human Auction" from the original story hadn't been centralized yet; Doflamingo hadn't unified the market.
Instead, several smaller shops operated independently. To handle them all at once, I had requested extra manpower from Headquarters, acting as the central brain of the operation via Den Den Mushi.
My current HQ was a repurposed one-story building near the largest slave house in Grove 1. The interior walls had been knocked down to create a massive war room filled with maps, documents, and frantic Marines.
As for Robin, Olga, and Dr. Acier? I'd put them up in a luxury suite at a high-end hotel under heavy guard. They were likely enjoying some overdue shopping.
Reports flooded in. Illegal traders were arrested on the spot, bound for Impel Down.
Those dealing in citizens from non-affiliated nations—while technically "legal" under current cruel laws—were put on a separate list.
I knew "Masked Skull" would find a way to "liberate" them later. My goal was simple: use the law to break the lawless.
This was a turning point. The Marines were finally taking a scalpel to a wound they had ignored for centuries. It wasn't just about the traders; the kidnappers would be looking over their shoulders now, too.
I wonder how the world will shift after today... I can only hope it becomes a little kinder.
Though I knew better than anyone that "kindness" was a hard-fought commodity in this era.
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