Raleigh stood tall, his white Marine coat fluttering in the wind.
His expression remained completely unchanged, as if he were looking at a bug rather than a deadly scientist.
To Raleigh, Caesar Clown's final, desperate attack seemed pathetically weak.
Caesar was a genius scientist, but he was never a combat specialist.
The only reason he had been able to terrorize the Marine soldiers earlier was his Devil Fruit.
The Gas-Gas Fruit was a terrifying power.
In the North Blue, where very few people knew how to use Haki, a Logia-type user like Caesar was virtually invincible.
Bullets passed through him; swords couldn't cut him. He was like a ghost made of poison.
But unfortunately for Caesar, the man he faced today was named Christian Rowley.
"You rely too much on your fruit," Raleigh said calmly.
His right fist turned pitch black, shining with the metallic sheen of Armament Haki.
He punched forward with lightning speed.
"Haki!" Caesar's eyes widened in horror.
BAM!
The black fist struck Caesar's abdomen squarely.
The tremendous force knocked the air out of Caesar instantly.
He didn't even have time to scream. The shockwave rippled through his gas-body, forcing him back into solid form.
Caesar was sent flying dozens of meters through the air. He crashed into the sand, tumbled like a ragdoll, and finally came to a stop.
He lay there motionless, his eyes rolled back in his head, foam trickling from his mouth.
...
On the paddle-ship, Queen witnessed everything.
His jaw dropped.
"Monster..." Queen whispered. "He took down a Logia in one hit?"
Panic exploded in Queen's chest.
He frantically slammed his hand on the control panel, pushing the propulsion system to its absolute limits.
VROOOM!
The ship's engine roared, black smoke pouring from the exhaust pipes. The paddle wheels churned the water violently, pushing the ship away from the shore.
Queen no longer cared about the mission. He no longer cared about how he would explain this failure to Dr. Vegapunk.
Given Raleigh's monstrous strength, it was clear that even Queen's own escape was far from guaranteed.
"Move! Move! Move!" Queen shouted at the machine.
He gripped the wheel with sweaty palms.
He was confident in his ability to evade Sea Kings, so he believed he could also escape the Marines.
After all, this ship was special.
It was a masterpiece designed by Dr. Vegapunk himself. It was faster than any Marine warship.
"If I can just reach the Calm Belt," Queen thought desperately, "I'll be safe!"
Once he entered the Calm Belt, the standard Marine ships wouldn't dare to pursue him.
The Sea Kings would eat them alive. That would buy him some breathing room.
The ship picked up speed, tearing through the waves. Queen let out a sigh of relief as the island began to shrink in the distance.
"I made it," he thought. "I actually made it."
However, just as Queen began to relax, he noticed something strange.
A shadow appeared on the deck of the ship.
It wasn't a cloud. It was a distinct shape, blocking the sun.
Judging by the outline, it seemed to be... a person.
"Wait!" Queen's heart stopped. "Where did this shadow come from?!"
He looked up, but before he could react, a pair of boots landed silently on the deck behind him.
Queen spun around abruptly. In his hand, he held a delicate, custom-made small pistol.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
He fired seven shots in quick succession, aiming for the intruder's heart and head.
Raleigh stood there, calm as a statue. He didn't run. He didn't block.
"Kami-e."
Raleigh's body suddenly became loose and flexible, like a piece of paper floating in the wind.
He moved with an elegant, waltz-like rhythm.
He swayed left.
A bullet whizzed past his ear. He leaned back. A bullet grazed his chest. He twisted his torso. A bullet passed under his arm.
While dodging the bullets with impossible grace, Raleigh still found time to reach out his hand. He casually swiped through the air, snatching one of the bullets mid-flight.
Click.
Queen pulled the trigger again, but the gun was empty. He had fired all seven rounds.
Seeing Raleigh standing there completely unharmed, Queen's face twisted in disgust. It looked like he had eaten a lemon.
"Impossible..." Queen stammered.
He looked at the monster in front of him.
He realized that fighting was useless.
With a heavy sigh, Queen dropped the pistol. He released the ship's helm and slowly sank to his knees.
"I give up," Queen muttered.
Raleigh looked down at the kneeling man.
This version of Queen wasn't as obese as he would become in the future, but he was still a fatass.
Raleigh appreciated his attitude.
"Smart choice," Raleigh said. "The secret to a long life is knowing when to bend and when to stand firm."
Raleigh opened his hand and in his palm was the bullet he had caught.
The moment Raleigh touched it, he felt a slight sensation of weakness washing over his body.
"Seastone bullets?" Raleigh asked, raising an eyebrow. "Has Vegapunk's research already reached this stage where he can process Seastone this finely?"
Hearing those words, Queen froze.
His kneeling body stiffened. His chubby face distorted in pure fear.
"H-how..." Queen stuttered, sweat pouring down his forehead. "How do you know about our Leader?"
Queen was utterly astonished.
The MADS organization was a deep secret.
Although they had recruited scientists from around the world, those people were kept in the dark about the leadership.
Before Queen and Caesar had joined, even they didn't know who was running things.
"Heh," Raleigh chuckled dryly. "I not only know about Dr. Vegapunk. I also know that Vinsmoke Judge is involved."
Raleigh leaned in closer, his eyes sharp.
"If I'm not mistaken, you are all researching the Lineage Factor, aren't you? Trying to play God eh?"
The unwavering certainty in Raleigh's eyes extinguished any thought Queen had of lying.
"I surrender completely," Queen said, bowing his head until it touched the deck.
He realized that this Marine officer knew far too much.
He knew secrets that even Queen barely understood.
There was no point in bluffing.
"Tsk tsk," Raleigh shook his head. "No wonder you've disappeared for so long without anyone knowing. You've already developed technology to cross the Calm Belt."
Raleigh looked out at the ocean.
Before Vegapunk was captured by the Marines in the original timeline, the Calm Belt was a forbidden zone.
For centuries, only the Kuja Pirates of Amazon Lily could navigate it using their sea snakes.
Or perhaps a few powerful legends like the Golden Lion Shiki with his Float-Float Fruit.
But for a ship to sail through it mechanically? That was revolutionary.
'Vegapunk is smart,' Raleigh thought. 'He established the MADS base in the Calm Belt because he knows the World Government forbids his research. It's the perfect hiding spot.'
Raleigh walked over to a large cargo crate on the deck and sat down on it as if it were a throne.
He crossed his legs and looked at the shivering Queen.
"Lead the way," Raleigh commanded. "Take me to your base. That is your only value in staying alive right now."
"Yes, sir!" Queen shouted, scrambling back to the wheel.
Since accepting his fate, Queen had lost any rebellious intentions.
He just wanted to survive.
Raleigh watched him for a moment, then reached into his pocket.
He pulled out a small Den Den Mushi. He needed to give instructions to Gion, who was still back on the beach.
Puru-puru-puru... Clatch.
"Moshi moshi?" Gion's voice came through, sounding panicked. "Raleigh! Where did you go? I just arrived at the beach and I only see a messy crater!"
Raleigh rubbed his nose and spoke in a relaxed, soothing tone.
"Don't worry, Gion. I'm fine. I caught one of their minor leaders and am currently sailing on their ship to find the mastermind behind this."
"You're sailing away?!" Gion exclaimed.
"It's necessary," Raleigh assured her. "Listen, before I left, I defeated that gas-user. He's just a kid, really. He should still be alive since I held back my strength."
Raleigh's voice turned serious. "That kid is a Logia-type Gas-Gas Fruit user. Before he wakes up, you must put Seastone handcuffs on him. Do not forget. If he wakes up without them, his ability will be very troublesome for you."
Actually, Raleigh knew that Gion was strong enough to handle Caesar even if he woke up.
But he wanted to be protective.
"Seastone handcuffs. Understood," Gion said. Her voice softened, her anxiety melting away like honey.
She felt warm knowing he was looking out for her safety. "I'll wait for you to return."
"Oh, one more thing," Raleigh added, remembering the brave soldier.
"I encountered a very interesting Marine soldier during the fight. I left him unconscious on a safe path near the crater."
Raleigh smiled. "When he wakes up, treat his wounds. And ask him if he'd like to become my direct subordinate."
"Your direct subordinate?" Gion asked, surprised.
Raleigh rarely took personal interest in common soldiers.
"Yes. He has potential," Raleigh said.
Raleigh hung up the phone and looked at the horizon.
He knew that dominating the seas couldn't be achieved by one person alone.
No matter how strong Raleigh became, at best he would become an individual powerhouse like an Emperor or an Admiral. But to change the world? To overthrow the World Government and fix the system?
'One man isn't enough,' Raleigh thought.
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