A few days ago, at the Sabaody Archipelago, Barbell was stationed as usual at the Sabaody Archipelago's external affairs office.
Although they had secured part of the territory through force, it was far from peaceful in Sabaody Archipelago.
The environment was already a chaotic mix of all sorts, and with pirates arriving from time to time, things only became worse. Having some form of military protection was necessary.
While occasional fights were unavoidable, most of those who had just made it through the first half of the Grand Line were no match for Barbell, so things were relatively stable.
But today, something unexpected happened.
"Lord Barbell! Something's happened with the patrol team, someone on duty at GR 17 has gone missing!"
From the Den Den Mushi beside Barbell came an urgent voice. Even the Den Den Mushi's mimicked expression looked extremely anxious, as if something major had occurred.
"Calm down first. Could it be that they slipped off to Bubble Park?"
Out of longing for Bubble Park, it wasn't unheard of for Ryugu Kingdom personnel stationed at Sabaody Archipelago to occasionally sneak off there for some fun.
"That's impossible, Lord Barbell! The missing person is Una, she hasn't made a single mistake in three years. There's no way she'd abandon her post!"
"Relax, kid. I have her Vivre Card here, she'll be fine."
Barbell understood why the other party was so agitated; he remembered that the man was one of Una's admirers. Still, Barbell had no interest in his subordinates' romantic affairs. What he wanted to know was whether this was an accident… or if someone had grown tired of living.
Over the past three years, Fishman Island had enjoyed long-term stability. The World Government's prohibition had indeed had an effect. Many trafficking channels had been cut off by their orders.
Combined with the deterrence brought by Nereus's strength, even if the occasional human trafficker grew bold, no one had managed to abduct citizens from Fishman Island.
The Neptune Army operating outside already possessed considerable combat strength. Anyone with both the guts and ability to pull something like this off wouldn't be simple.
Barbell quickly pulled out a Vivre Card with a name written on it.
Even before Kawamatsu and his mother went missing, Fishman Island had already begun implementing the Vivre Card system. The Ryugu Kingdom took the lead, collecting DNA information from all citizens of Fishman Island and using it to create Vivre Cards.
Before leaving the island, one had to leave a portion of their Vivre Card with family members on the island. Even orphans had to entrust it to someone reliable.
This way, if anything happened, at least their location could be traced.
The creation of Vivre Cards was a craft originating from the New World, with the main materials being hair, nails, and a special type of wood.
Once made, they could indicate the owner's location and life status. They wouldn't be damaged by water or fire, and if they began to burn away, it meant the owner's life was in danger.
However, the original demand for Vivre Cards wasn't high; they were more like specialty items made in small private shops. While the process wasn't overly complicated, the production cycle was relatively long.
There weren't many craftsmen who made a living producing Vivre Cards, so progress had been quite slow.
But the demand from Fishman Island allowed many Vivre Card craftsmen to secure permanent official positions. Soldiers who needed to operate outside the island and young Mermaids were prioritized for receiving Vivre Cards.
The former naturally faced risks, while the latter were more likely to be targeted due to their value.
Although this livelihood project had not yet been fully completed, those working outside already each had one.
"This direction? These b*stards… how dare they…"
Based on the direction and intensity of the Vivre Card's movement, Barbell quickly determined Una's approximate location. She was still somewhere within the Sabaody Archipelago, but the direction pointed toward the World Government's office.
Cases like Kawamatsu and his mother, who had been missing for a long time without a trace, had to be reported above immediately.
But in cases like this, where there was a Vivre Card to guide them and the situation was discovered in time, Nereus's officers would try to retrieve the person themselves. In such a large nation, it wasn't possible for Nereus to handle every single matter personally.
"Rachel, it's me. There's a problem with the sentry on my side. Take the Sea Beasts and block off the routes below. Don't let any suspicious ships pass!"
"Understood."
There were no extra questions, just a simple acknowledgment. For Barbell to issue such an order, Rachel already had a general idea of what had happened.
Barbell himself immediately rushed toward the World Government office.
At the World Government office, staff members were registering information. These people were also heading to the New World, but through legal means.
After paying a commercial tax, they would cross the Red Line via Bondola, then switch ships on the other side and continue their journey.
Nearby, Marines were maintaining order. Although Sabaody Archipelago was never truly peaceful, no pirate would dare to openly attack this place.
But today, that stability was broken.
"Fish-Men? What a huge one…"
"Why would a Fish-Man come here?"
The Marines on duty were curious about the situation, but had no reason to stop him. After all, citizens of the Ryugu Kingdom now had legitimate grounds to enter and leave here. There was even a sign for the Ryugu Kingdom office nearby.
Following the direction indicated by the Vivre Card, Barbell quickly arrived at the dock area, but didn't see what he was looking for.
"I need to see today's departure records."
Without hesitation, Barbell snatched the ledger from a nearby clerk and carefully compared the entries inside.
"Grand Line's Eigis Kingdom… West Blue's Ballywood Kingdom… North Blue's Deul Kingdom…"
"These ships, when did they leave?"
Although a Vivre Card fluctuates based on its distance from its owner, it operates within certain ranges.
For example, 500 to 1000 meters would fall within the same range. Just by looking at the Vivre Card, Barbell could only determine an approximate area, not an exact distance.
"The… the most recent one left… f-fifteen minutes ago…"
Barbell's expression at this moment was terrifying, as if he might devour someone at any second. The clerk, clearly frightened, stammered as he answered.
Then, without another word, Barbell leapt straight into the sea and sped off in the direction indicated by the Vivre Card…
Although Fish-Men were generally slower swimmers than Merfolk, and Barbell himself wasn't a speed specialist, fifteen minutes wasn't enough time for a ship to put significant distance between them.
Soon, Barbell arrived beneath a ship. Based on the Vivre Card's indication and his Observation Haki, he confirmed that the missing Una was aboard this vessel.
There was no intention to negotiate, no thought of asking questions.
The muscles in Barbell's arms bulged as his ten fingers dug into the flowing seawater like claws.
With a powerful swing of his arms, he forcibly tore a mass of sea current from the ocean, compressing it in his palms into a rapidly spinning vortex projectile.
"Water Heart • Ocean Current Shoulder Throw!"
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