North Blue, Thousand Rocks Island, Marine Branch 177.
Marine soldiers with swords and guns were patrolling various parts of the island.
In the towns on Thousand Rocks Island, the daily lives of the residents were not affected. Whatever they used to do, they were still doing now.
However, the atmosphere on the island was a bit oppressive, and the residents no longer had the relaxed smiles they used to have.
This was not because these ordinary people had heard about the upcoming war between the four countries.
It was because ever since Germa took over the Prince Kingdom, the daily operations of the country had been completely changed.
There was no longer the freedom and peace of the past.
In the past, people could freely trade on the sea and go to the royal capital to buy and sell daily necessities.
But now, everything had changed.
The royal capital was now only accessible to Germa's people.
Besides Germa's people, the only others who could enter the royal capital were laborers.
The once prosperous royal capital of the Prince Kingdom had now completely become a huge flesh-and-blood factory.
Tens of thousands of young and able-bodied laborers were forced by the Germa army to go to the royal capital to work day and night in weapon processing factories and mines.
These laborers not only received no wages, but sometimes they didn't even get food.
This inhuman treatment sometimes made the people living here think that it would have been better if the Prince Kingdom had been taken over by the eldest prince in the first place.
At least, they didn't think the current Germa Kingdom would be much better than a country ruled by pirates.
Pirates at least had a little bit of humanity.
The Vinsmoke family had none.
Inside, there were only emotionless clone soldiers and a king who only wanted to restore the glory of the past.
Thousand Rocks Island was a bit better because of the presence of Branch 177. Germa couldn't act recklessly here and use forced labor.
Therefore, the number of residents on Thousand Rocks Island was already much higher than it was 17 years ago.
The extra people were those who couldn't live on other islands and were afraid of Germa's rule.
They secretly came to Thousand Rocks Island from all over, just to live like a human.
But in the past few months, it had become rare to see anyone coming.
This was because the Germa army had been stationed on the sea outside Thousand Rocks Island, blocking off some of the nearby sea areas.
It was like isolating Branch 177.
Colonel Jennifer of Branch 177 had protested to the Germa Kingdom, but it had no effect.
Germa's reason was very sufficient.
They said that the sea area around Thousand Rocks Island belonged to the Germa Kingdom.
Allowing Branch 177 to conduct normal Marine activities on the island was already a huge favor.
If Branch 177 still wanted to interfere with their normal patrols of the surrounding sea areas, it would be an interference in the internal affairs of a member country.
And this was absolutely forbidden.
Inside the Marine base.
The haggard-looking Colonel Jennifer listened to Lieutenant Richard's report. The expression on her face became more and more solemn.
"That's the situation. The Germa Kingdom is gathering a large number of troops. I estimate that they will start a war against the neighboring countries in the near future. Colonel, if we don't stop them, I'm afraid the peace of the North Blue will be shattered again. This crisis is much more dangerous than the Prince Kingdom's coup. This time, it involves four kingdoms at once, and one of them is a member country of the World Government. We must break through Germa's communication blockade as soon as possible and contact headquarters to let them decide whether to intervene or let it go."
The drenched Richard said breathlessly.
Because the sea outside Thousand Rocks Island had been blocked by Germa's snail ships, it had become very difficult for Branch 177 to go out and gather information.
He had just relied on his strong swimming skills to dive and leave Thousand Rocks Island, risking being discovered by Germa to gather some information.
He had originally wanted to take a Den Den Mushi with him to contact Marine headquarters.
But Germa's technology in communication jamming was very advanced.
Their ships were already a different kind of Den Den Mushi.
The huge Den Den Mushi war docks, which were like sea fortresses, had a wide variety of Den Den Mushi models that could precisely jam, interfere with, and intercept communications.
Now, Branch 177's external communication had been cut off by Germa, and it had become an isolated island in the sea.
The Germa army did not attack them but only restricted their entry and exit, finding all sorts of excuses to make things difficult for them.
"I understand. You can go now. Let me think," Jennifer said tiredly.
Richard looked at Jennifer's sunken eyes and messy hair. A flash of pain went through his eyes, and he sighed in his heart.
Colonel Jennifer was having a very hard time.
Although in the eyes of everyone in Branch 177, she had always been a strong-willed, powerful woman.
But not long ago, intelligence from the outside world brought the news that Vice Admiral Adira had unfortunately been killed in action.
This earth-shattering and shocking news had completely crushed this strong woman.
In the past few days, Richard and the other lieutenants could clearly feel that Jennifer's spirit, which had always been there, was disappearing rapidly, like a punctured balloon.
Having lost her husband of many years, Richard couldn't imagine how much pain she was in.
In fact, the soldiers and lieutenants of Branch 177 were unable to accept the news of Vice Admiral Adira's death.
Richard had admired Adira like Akainu, and his lifelong dream was to become a Marine officer like Adira.
However, that devastating news not only crushed Colonel Jennifer but also crushed him and the entire Branch 177.
What was worse was that at this very moment, a war that could sweep across the entire North Blue and affect countless people required them to find a way to stop it.
Richard sighed and silently opened the door, about to leave.
Just then, a sharp alarm sounded above the Marine base.
A soldier had pulled the alarm, and the piercing siren echoed across Thousand Rocks Island.
At the same time, gunshots rang out.
"What's going on? Is the base under attack?"
Richard's heart tightened. He quickly pulled the door open and rushed out.
Jennifer, who was sitting behind her desk, also quickly stood up.
But before she could rush to the office door, the door and the door frame, along with the walls on both sides, exploded with a bang.
Richard, who had just rushed out, was sent flying back, crashing through the door and the wall, and fell heavily at Jennifer's feet.
"Richard! Are you okay?" Jennifer quickly knelt down and checked Richard's injuries.
Richard's mouth was bleeding. He gritted his teeth and shook his head. He endured the intense pain in his back and squeezed his voice out from between his teeth. "It's Judge. He and his men have surrounded Thousand Rocks Island."
"What? Judge? How dare he openly attack the Marines?" Jennifer was shocked. She was about to get up.
Just then, a tall figure holding a golden spear descended from the sky and landed with a loud 'thump' in front of the broken door frame. He looked down at Jennifer and Richard.
Seeing the man, Jennifer suddenly stood up. She frowned and angrily reprimanded him, "Judge! What's the meaning of this? Are you openly provoking the Marines!"
"Provoking?" Judge's mouth curled up in a sneer. He stared at Jennifer with a cold gaze and said coldly, "I'm not that bold. I would never dare to provoke the true rulers of the seas. I am merely the king of the Germa Kingdom, and I want to be responsible for the safety of my kingdom's citizens."
Jennifer looked as if she had heard the funniest joke in the world and was amused by Judge's words.
She did not hide the sarcastic smile on her face and looked at Judge. "Responsible for the safety of your kingdom's citizens? You are trying to start a war against the four neighboring countries, which will kill countless innocent people. Is that what you call being responsible? Judge, a person can't be this shameless."
"Insolent!"
A cold light flashed in Judge's eyes. He let go of the golden spear in his hand, spread the five fingers of his right hand, and slapped at Jennifer.
Tiny sparks of electricity appeared on his palm, and a shockwave shot out from some small holes around his wrist, blasting toward Jennifer, who was close by.
Jennifer did not expect Judge to dare to attack her, a branch colonel. In a rush, she could only use Soru to defend herself.
"Bang!"
The shockwave mixed with electricity hit Jennifer, immediately sending her flying. She crashed into the desk behind her, and coughed up a mouthful of blood.
"Colonel!" Richard's eyes widened. He roared, got up, and punched at Judge.
"An ant dares to punch a dragon? What a fool."
Judge reached out like lightning, ignoring Richard's punch. He grabbed Richard's neck and lifted him from the ground.
"Stop! Judge! Are you crazy? Do you really want to start a war with the Marines?"
Jennifer had just gotten up from the shattered desk, but she coughed up another mouthful of blood and fell weakly to the ground.
Her body and spirit had been completely drained in the past few days.
Judge's strength was not something she could withstand.
Having been hit by Judge's palm, Jennifer was unable to get up.
Judge grabbed Richard's neck and looked at Jennifer coldly. "I told you, I don't want to mess with you Marines. But a member kingdom's king is not someone a random branch colonel can insult. Do you believe that with one call from my Den Den Mushi, the World Government will remove you from your position?"
He threw Richard, who was suffocating, away like he was throwing trash. Richard fell with a bang in the corner. Judge flicked the golden cape on his back and turned to leave, leaving behind a cold message.
"Thousand Rocks Island is the territory of the Germa Kingdom. Since your Branch 177 is here, you must abide by Germa's rules. And my rules are Germa's rules. Don't meddle in things you shouldn't. Otherwise, even if you report me to Sengoku, you will still be the ones who suffer. Do it yourself. If I find your men spying on us again, don't blame me for not giving the Marines face."
At the entrance of Reverse Mountain in the North Blue, a small warship, which was a dozen meters long, was being carried by the sea current and rushed down at high speed.
On the deck, which was tilted at a sixty-degree angle, Hibari was holding Rorschach's arm with both hands. Her small body was being blown up by the strong wind, and she let out a cry of surprise.
"Brother Rorschach, be careful! There's a huge whirlpool ahead!"
"Hmm, don't worry. Nothing will happen."
Rorschach looked at the whirlpool that was getting closer and closer at the foot of Reverse Mountain. He reached out and grabbed the ship below him. With a bang, the ship shot up from the water, leaving the surface of the water, and went straight up into the sky a hundred meters high.
He grabbed the cable on the mast and pulled it down.
The sails were immediately swelled by the strong wind.
The small ship below him carried him and Hibari, flying close to the towering mountain wall of Reverse Mountain, quickly moving away from the huge whirlpool at the entrance at the foot of the mountain, and flew toward the calm sea in front.
After saying goodbye to Jonathan and Hawkins, Rorschach and Hibari returned to the North Blue through the reverse sea current of Reverse Mountain.
Hawkins and Brook had still not accepted his invitation to join the Marines.
They chose the more free bounty hunter guild over the Marines.
This made that old bastard Jonathan smile so wide his mouth was crooked.
With his vision, how could he not see the potential of Hawkins and Brook?
Adding Zoro, who he had brought from the East Blue, his trip to the East Blue was a huge success.
As for Rorschach, he not only failed to recruit anyone but also lost a sword, Shusui.
However, Rorschach was not at all depressed.
On the contrary, he was in a very good mood.
He had figured it out.
The Marines were not suitable for everyone.
Some people were naturally not suited for military-style management. A freer environment could better unleash their potential.
Furthermore, the Marines were, after all, an organization under the World Government. Many things were under the jurisdiction of the higher-ups, and some actions were very inconvenient.
Of course, this freedom was only relative, not lawless freedom.
Fortunately, Rorschach still trusted Jonathan's character.
Putting some excellent young talents with him might be better than directly recruiting them into the Marines.
He had made an early investment and given Zoro a sword, Shusui. With this relationship, he would definitely be able to deepen their cooperation in the future.
He had already planned it out. In a few years, when Zoro and Hawkins became stronger, he would recommend them to become Shichibukai.
It would be best if he could gather seven of his own people. Then, with their combined strength, they would overthrow the Four Emperors of the New World and then deal with the Celestial Dragons.
"What a wonderful thing this is."
Thinking of the good things, Rorschach's mouth couldn't help but curl up uncontrollably.
Hibari tilted her head and looked at Rorschach, not knowing why he had suddenly started grinning like an idiot.
Just then, Rorschach suddenly let out a sound of surprise and looked up at the sky.
"Brother Rorschach, what's wrong?" Hibari was confused and also looked in the direction he was looking.
Then, she was stunned.
Because a bundle of Berries was falling from the sky.
"Huh? Why is money falling from the sky?"
End of Chapter)
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