After a full day and a half, the two Marine battleships led by Zephyr and Garp passed through New Amazon Lily on their return route. When they reached Amazon Lily, they found that no government attack had occurred. Instead, Empress Boa Hancock was leading a search for Alucard.
When Hancock and her crew encountered Zephyr and Garp, both sides were smart enough to avoid a fight.
Hancock knew she couldn't win and remained silent. Garp and Zephyr, on the other hand, were more concerned with Alucard's situation and the Government's schemes, and they continued sailing toward the Red Line.
"Hmm? What's that…?"
Garp, who was biting into a doughnut, froze. The two ships ahead of them were impossible to miss, with their sails emblazoned with the World Government's symbol. However, both vessels were in tatters. The cross symbol, representing the Government's authority, had been desecrated
and was shredded like a rag. Blood dripped from the sails, telling Garp and his crew that a fierce battle had just taken place here.
Zephyr immediately ordered Dalmatian and the others to speed up. The closer they got, the more the scene shocked them.
Spikes of blood, each over ten meters long and incredibly thin, jutted out from the ships' decks. Impaled on the tips of these blood spikes were the corpses of black-suited government agents.
The sight could only be described as a porcupine with a bunch of caterpillars skewered on its back.
Zephyr and his men jumped onto the government ship and found that in addition to the black- suited government agents, there were also more than a dozen female corpses wearing uniforms with the Kuja Pirates' symbol.
"What's going on? The Government and the Kuja pirates died together?" Dalmatian frowned, confused.
"Without a doubt, this is Alucard's handiwork."
Zephyr gazed at the "human kebabs." His brows furrowed behind his glasses, and he clutched his own heart. "I understand his ability," he muttered to himself.
"Urgh…"
Suddenly, a painful groan echoed out. Zephyr and the others immediately turned toward the source of the sound.
On a blood spike to their right, a man in a black suit with a pale gray cloak was barely groaning. It was Spandam, the head of the agents responsible for receiving the Ancient Weapon.
"Rescue him…"
A Marine soldier had only said two words when Garp's eyes narrowed. "He can't be saved. Not by us, at least…"
"Garp-san…"
Just as the Marines wondered why Garp would say such a thing, the Marine doctor also spoke up. "I don't know what material those spikes are made of, but they've pierced his lungs. Judging by the extent of the damage, he would die instantly whether you break the spikes or pull them out."
One of Zephyr's students, a recent graduate, felt deep sympathy for Spandam's condition. "So… we just let him die like this?"
The doctor, who was accustomed to such sights, shrugged. "Unfortunately, that's the reality."
"But before he dies, we'll find out his purpose," Zephyr said, his face grim. He found it difficult to give the Government people a kind look. He was furious that he had lost nearly 600 of his own students, who were part of the 1,500 Guerrilla Marine Unit members, on this ridiculous mission.
"Speak."
Zephyr nearly bit through his own teeth to force the word out.
"N-no, the Government… this is the Government's… highest classified secret…"
Spandam coughed up blood as he spoke, barely managing to string a sentence together. "Save… save me… otherwise, the Marine doctor will suffer…"
"I don't care what kind of classified secret it is! What was the Government's objective?!" Zephyr was so angry he wanted to rip Spandam down from the spike. Luckily, Garp was there to stop him.
Garp looked up. "The Marines are the Marines, and the Government is the Government. Whether your life is extended is in our hands now. Don't even think about us helping you unless you speak up."
Though Garp seemed goofy on the surface, he was a hardened veteran who had been a Marine for nearly half a century. He knew Spandam was a goner, yet he still said this.
Spandam fell for it. A desperate desire to survive flashed in his eyes, and he struggled to say, "The Sea… Sea Princess…"
He managed to get those two words out clearly, then there was nothing more. He was dead.
"The Sea Princess…"
The two words spun in the minds of everyone present.
"Anyway, let's head back to Headquarters first." Garp patted Zephyr's shoulder and jumped back onto the dog figurehead of his ship.
Zephyr didn't care about their lives anymore. He turned and walked away, his mind filled with the words: "The Sea Princess… Could it be the one from the legend…?"
....
Meanwhile, Alucard, piloting the Kuja pirate ship stolen by Laliya, was heading back. He deliberately avoided the other route, ensuring he wouldn't run into Zephyr and his crew.
Shirahoshi must not have swum in the sea for a long time. She zipped and darted around Alucard's ship. Seeing her so joyful, Alucard suddenly asked, "Aren't you afraid?"
Shirahoshi, surrounded by fish, froze. She looked up at Alucard. After a few seconds of silence, she timidly replied, "At first, I was very scared. But… but now, I've pretty much recovered."
A hint of surprise flickered in Alucard's eyes, then a smile. She was growing in the way he hoped she would. Although she was still very fragile, she was already showing signs of being able to handle things on her own. Hancock had taught her well.
Splash!
The sound of waves broke the silence. Alucard and Shirahoshi looked up and saw a ship with both the Kuja and Alucard symbols approaching. On the bow, Marigold saw them and excitedly waved. "Alucard-sama! Shirahoshi! I'm so glad you're both okay!"