Strawberry, who came from the Marines, understood better than anyone just how powerful the Great Pirate Pizarro truly was. He was one of the monsters in the New World that absolutely could not be provoked lightly.
Pizarro couldn't be touched so easily… No, that's not right. In truth, I was never his match to begin with.
Vane: "If you want to throw your life away there, that's your business. But don't even think about dragging my crew down with you."
Strawberry forced himself to calm down.
"Then I'll become a pirate."
Vane raised a brow. He hadn't expected this thick-browed fellow to change his tune so quickly. Just yesterday he looked ready to die for his cause—now he was volunteering to become a pirate?
Sensing the look in Vane's eyes, Strawberry quickly explained.
"I'm speaking figuratively. I mean I'll act like a pirate. I won't confront Pizarro head-on. I'll take the people on Carnival Island who want to leave and bring them to your Sleeping Island."
This kind of behavior…
It was a bit like human trafficking. Except he wasn't charging money.
"That doesn't sound too bad… But I can't just hand you crew members casually. How about this—when I first entered Paradise, I captured some Marines. I originally planned to have them work on the island."
"Since you're heading out to sea, I'll assign them to you instead."
Those Marines were serving penance under Vane. Handing them over to Strawberry, who also came from the Marines, was rather fitting.
Strawberry knew that as soon as Vane entered Paradise, he had clashed with the Marines. But the message released by the World Government claimed that the brutal Vane had slaughtered every Marine he captured.
...
"Rear Admiral Strawberry?!"
"What are you doing here?"
When the group of Marines were released and saw Strawberry, they were shocked.
They were all Marines from Headquarters. Even if they weren't personally close, they were at least familiar faces. Strawberry's towering skull and the incident that had happened to him left a deep impression on all of them.
"Did Rocket Team release us?"
"Did Rear Admiral Strawberry save us?"
The moment the last thought was voiced, they rejected it themselves.
They had been led by two Vice Admirals and still got utterly crushed by the Rocket Team pirates before being captured.
How could Strawberry, a mere Rear Admiral, possibly rescue them? And besides, weren't there still Rocket Team members standing around? It looked far more like he had reached some sort of deal with Vane.
"Stop guessing. This fallen Marine reached an agreement with our captain. According to the terms, you've been fished out of your cells."
Selibe, the one with the highest authority in the prison, explained things to the Marines.
They were rather afraid of Selibe. The only prisoners left in the jail were them. Out of boredom, Selibe would frequently hypnotize them, forcing them to confess all sorts of things—down to peeking at someone bathing when they were children. Everything would be recorded.
It was mentally torturous.
"Rear Admiral Strawberry, what kind of agreement did you reach with pirates?"
In their eyes, voluntarily reaching an agreement with pirates was a serious violation of Marine ethics.
"Don't call me Rear Admiral. I've already been stripped of my name by the World Government and the Marines."
Strawberry first clarified his current identity, reminding them not to forget their own situation.
Then he laid out everything he intended to do.
"I've left behind the Marines' justice. From today onward, I'll follow the justice in my own heart. You can help me."
"Or you can curse me once and go back to your cells."
"There will be no consequences if you refuse. Vane is a man who keeps his word. Work on Sleeping Island for three years, and he'll release you as promised."
For a moment, none of the Marines spoke.
They couldn't condemn Strawberry. If they had been treated the way he was by the World Government, managing not to become pirates would already require tremendous mental fortitude.
Now Strawberry was still carrying out the justice in his heart. What unwavering resolve that was.
Still, the fact that Vane would reap most of the benefits from their efforts made them feel somewhat uncomfortable.
"It's better than being dragged off to swing a pickaxe as forced labor. I'm in."
"I'll join too. Saving suffering civilians is far better than being locked up."
"I'm willing to die on this path."
Strawberry ought to thank Vane for filtering the captives in advance.
The hawkish Marines, the ones with strong classist mindsets, had already been removed by Vane.
Otherwise, today would have been filled with opposition. To them, saving civilians was insignificant compared to their own interests—especially civilians not protected by the World Government. In their eyes, such people barely counted as human.
The Marines who remained were more dovish, better able to understand and support Strawberry's decision.
"Thank you all for still trusting me, a traitor to the Marines."
"No, Strawberry—you did not betray Marine justice. The World Government betrayed you! As long as justice still lives in your heart, we will always regard you as one of us."
It was a scene of deep loyalty and heartfelt exchange.
An unfriendly voice cut in.
"Enough already. 'One of you'? You're prisoners, got it? Now hurry to the Logistics Department and collect your supplies. This isn't some oath-swearing ceremony!"
Selibe impatiently drove the wide-eyed Marines out.
"Oh, and don't just rescue people. Capture some scum too. Once you all leave, my cells will be empty. Bring back some villains for me to play with."
"When you return to your cells someday, I might consider not playing with you."
The Marines felt a chill run down their spines and hurried off.
Under someone's guidance, they arrived at the Rocket Team's Logistics Department.
"According to Vane-sama's instructions, you may take weapons, food, and clothing…"
The one currently in charge of logistics was the head of finance, Tesoro.
"You'll have to choose your own weapons."
Many of these Marines held ranks and had their preferred types of weapons.
"This blade is excellent. It's even better than the one I used before."
"And this rifle too. The Marines only equip automatic rifles on a small scale, but they have them here—and the performance is even better."
The group of Marines sighed as they handled the weapons they favored. They never expected that these pirates of the Rocket Team would be so well equipped.
"This really doesn't feel like a normal pirate crew."
"If they were normal, they wouldn't have stormed Mary Geoise to free slaves."
"And they even want to shelter civilians… This is simply, simply…"
Strawberry: "Simply more like Marines than the Marines themselves, right?"
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Pls Drop some Power Stones
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