The North Blue, the port of Srilan in the Lvneel Kingdom.
A Marine warship from North Blue's 113th Branch was docked here.
Not far away, a squad of Marines was walking toward the port town.
They soon arrived at the front of a tavern. Two Marines quickly stepped forward, one on each side, and pushed the door open.
A young man wearing the epaulets of a Marine Branch Captain stepped inside first.
The tavern was a chaotic mess, filled with all kinds of people: dock workers, town thugs, smugglers—in short, it was a place of filth and depravity.
The Marine Captain glanced around and then clicked his tongue. "Tsk, no pirates here…"
Just then, a Marine soldier approached him and whispered, "Captain Diarmuid, that fence, Branit, is over there…"
The soldier pointed to a group of tough-looking men seated in the corner.
There were five or six burly men, all bulging with muscle and covered in old scars. They looked like trouble at a glance, the kind of people you could tell were no good.
"Guess we didn't come all this way for nothing," Diarmuid said with a smile.
He showed no fear of the menacing brutes. After confirming his target, Diarmuid walked over. As he passed, the tavern's patrons fell silent, daring not to make a sound.
After all, on these seas, the Marines represent justice and power.
Aside from the most heinous pirates, very few people would dare to openly attack or oppose the Marines. This was especially true for small-time villains who were brave against ordinary people but cowered in front of the Marines, terrified of being targeted.
Branit, the fence (middleman), was drinking with his crew, seemingly unaware that the Marines were there for them.
Diarmuid walked up to their table and, with a casual motion, pulled out an empty chair and sat down.
"Marines? I don't recall inviting you to drink," Branit said, frowning as he looked at Diarmuid.
"Five days ago, you handled a shipment that contained a famous sword… the Nagasone Kotetsu. Where is it now?" Diarmuid ignored him and asked his question directly.
"Hey, Marine, we don't have to answer your questions. We have no idea what you're talking about! We're legitimate merchants protected by the Lvneel Kingdom!" one of Branit's hulking crewmen growled fiercely.
Diarmuid turned to look at the man. The thug seemed to be puffing out his muscular chest, glaring defiantly at Diarmuid.
From his build, the brute looked to be about six feet six, with a body packed with muscle. He was clearly a hardened individual.
In contrast, Captain Diarmuid seemed much slighter. He was just over six feet tall, dressed in a standard Marine uniform, with an ordinary sword at his waist. He looked like any run-of-the-mill Marine, nothing special. The only thing that might set him apart was his handsome face.
Smack!
A crisp slap echoed through the tavern.
The thug's head snapped to the side, a bright red handprint appearing on his cheek. His eyes were filled with a dazed confusion, as if he couldn't believe someone had just slapped him.
"When I'm not talking to you, don't yell at me. I have a short temper, and I hate it," Diarmuid said nonchalantly.
At the same time, the Marines Diarmuid had brought began entering the tavern and clearing out all the bystanders.
In a moment, the only people left inside were the trembling tavern owner and Branit's crew. They were surrounded by a group of Marines.
Diarmuid picked up a half-empty bottle from the table, weighed it in his hand, and looked back at Branit. "The Nagasone Kotetsu. Where is it?"
Branit felt a surge of panic, but seemed to be afraid of something else, too. He gritted his teeth and said, "Captain, that sword was ordered by someone. I can't afford to offend them, so please don't make trouble for me…"
"Sigh…" Diarmuid let out a small, helpless sigh. "Wrong answer."
As he spoke, he raised the bottle and smashed it with force against Branit's head.
The bottle shattered, and cheap liquor and crimson blood streamed down Branit's face.
Just as Diarmuid expected, the man wasn't as tough as he looked. After the hit, he immediately clutched his head and groaned pitifully.
"So, you think you can afford to offend me?" Diarmuid asked calmly, shaking the liquid from his hand.
The brutes under Branit tensed up, looking ready to fight at a moment's notice.
But Diarmuid didn't pay them any mind. The fact that they didn't immediately retaliate after he struck proved a lot. They were all bark and no bite.
"Hit them." Diarmuid didn't wait for a response. He stood up and began walking toward the bar, giving the order.
His words were all the signal the Marines needed. Without hesitation, they raised their rifle butts and began pummeling Branit and his crew.
Twenty-something Marines beating up five or six brutes was an easy task.
Sitting at the bar, Diarmuid smiled at the trembling tavern owner. "Don't get the wrong idea. We're the Marines; we represent justice. As long as you haven't done anything evil, we won't harm you. Please, give me a drink. Thank you."
The owner nodded frantically, grabbed a good bottle of liquor from the cabinet behind the bar, and quickly poured a glass for Diarmuid.
Diarmuid obligingly took a few berries from his pocket, placed them on the counter, and began to drink.
It didn't take long for Branit and his men to give up. After a fierce beating from the Marines, they started wailing and begging for mercy.
"Captain… Captain… stop! I'll talk, I'll tell you everything…"
But Diarmuid acted as if he couldn't hear them, continuing to drink quietly.
And without an order from him, the Marines paid no attention to their pleas, continuing their assault.
A moment later, the wailing gradually died down, as if Branit and his crew were too beaten to even cry out.
Only then did Diarmuid say softly, "Bring him over."
At his command, the Marines immediately stopped. Two petty officers grabbed Branit's arms and dragged him to the bar like a sack of meat, leaving a brutal trail of blood on the floor.
Branit's face was bruised and swollen, and his body was covered in scrapes and dirt. He was barely recognizable.
His swollen eyelids covered most of his eyes, so he could only make out Diarmuid's silhouette. Even so, he was filled with terror and unease.
Diarmuid unceremoniously poured the last bit of wine from his glass over Branit's head. The burning alcohol on his wounds made Branit howl again.
"Last chance. Give me the right answer," Diarmuid said, still unhurried.
This time, Branit didn't dare to hesitate. He spoke in broken, pained sentences, "On the dock boss, Venier's ship… that guy is with the Donquixote Family… that sword…"
He passed out from the pain before he could finish.
Diarmuid had his answer. With a casual wave of his hand, the two petty officers threw the unlucky Branit into a corner of the tavern.
Then, Diarmuid stood up and said, "Team, fall back. You go to the docks and find that guy named Venier. I want to see the Nagasone Kotetsu on our warship before sunset!"
"Yes, Captain Diarmuid!" the Marines said in unison, snapping to attention.
After Diarmuid left the tavern, a Marine Branch Lieutenant Commander approached him and whispered, "Captain, that guy said the sword belongs to the Donquixote Family. We should…"
The Donquixote Family was a new pirate syndicate that had been gaining power in the North Blue over the last two years. They got their hands into any profitable business, both legal and illegal. They had grown incredibly fast, and were becoming a major power in the North Blue.
Rumor had it their leader was just a kid…
Of course, that was just the surface-level gossip. Diarmuid knew more.
For instance, he knew that the leader of the Donquixote Family would one day become the infamous Warlord of the Sea.
But that was nothing to fear. For now, the Donquixote Family didn't dare to be too arrogant with the Marines, at least not openly.
"We're the Marines. Should we be afraid of them?" Diarmuid said with a smile.
He didn't wait for the Lieutenant Commander's reply, and continued walking toward the warship at the harbor.
Diarmuid had his own calculations. If he could get his hands on the Nagasone Kotetsu, he would have more confidence in his ability to leave the North Blue quickly and get a position at Marine Headquarters, Marineford.
Once he was no longer a Branch Marine and became a member of Marine Headquarters, what would he have to fear from the Donquixote Family?
Even if Doflamingo had the guts, would he dare to cause trouble in Marineford?