Chapter 50: Unpredictable Currents
Since the Great Pirate Age began, the word "bounty" was uttered with increasing frequency. A price set by the Marines to suppress pirates, yet many wore it as a badge of honor.
Bounties of millions, tens of millions, might lure bounty hunters. But when the figure reached a certain zenith, the "reward" aspect faded. The bounty represented the threat level the individual posed to the World Government.
The weak posed no threat. Thus, a higher bounty meant the World Government acknowledged the bearer's power. As for actually collecting those bounties from such beings? Only a fool would consider it.
How many lives did one have?
Yet today, a Marine squadron on patrol was about to have their worldview shattered.
...
"It's confirmed!"
On the open sea, a Marine squadron aboard a warship had made contact. The squadron leader held a Den Den Mushi, patching directly through to Marine Headquarters. The situation was far beyond their branch's capacity.
The leader stared at the massive, restrained figure before him, reporting grimly: "The individual we've detained is an executive of the Beast Pirates—[The Fire Fist] King!"
"…"
"Yes. We will return to base immediately. We'll maintain a covert escort route."
"…"
Click.
Instructions received, the call ended. The squadron leader looked up at the man before him, swallowing hard. King was bound in multiple Seastone shackles. The ship's doctor was hastily bandaging his grievous wounds. King himself was utterly spent, unconscious.
Who… who did this? the leader wondered. Who defeated King?
They'd received a battle report from Alabasta: a powerful pirate subdued, requiring immediate Marine custody. But "powerful" was an understatement.
[The Fire Fist] King—even stationed in Paradise, the leader knew the name. A being who could level a small nation single-handedly. Alabasta was a superpower, true. A direct assault would be tantamount to declaring war on the World Government. But the leader had never heard of anyone in Alabasta possessing strength to rival a Calamity.
Wasn't [Sir Crocodile] stationed there?
"…" The leader rubbed his temples. "Forget it. Not my concern."
He only remembered Fleet Admiral Sengoku's stern orders through the Den Den Mushi: "Listen. King's capture is to remain absolutely secret. No leaks. No rumors."
...
Marine Headquarters.
"Phew…" Sengoku hung up, exhaling heavily. Beside him, [Great Strategist] Tsuru wore an equally grave expression.
After a long silence, they both uttered the same name.
"[The Demon]… Alvin Vergil."
"…"
"Yes. It has to be him." Sengoku's brow furrowed. "Crocodile is cautious. Without Vergil present, he'd never engage King head-on."
As the Marines' top strategists, they pieced together the broad strokes easily.
Tsuru spoke slowly. "For some reason, that brat Doflamingo interfered in Drum Kingdom's affairs, trying to profit from Alabasta. It attracted [The Fire Fist]. But in the end… both were defeated by [The Demon]."
Their deduction was sharp. Aside from the top-secret Poneglyph, their assessment matched reality.
Tsuru glanced at the report, shaking her head wearily. "What a mess those brats have made."
She gave Sengoku a slight smile. "A billion berries isn't a small sum, Sengoku."
"Don't joke, Tsuru." Sengoku stared out the window, deep worry in his eyes. "A billion, the Marines can manage. The priority is ensuring Kaido doesn't learn of King's capture before he's delivered to Impel Down. If the Beast Pirates catch wind, they won't rest."
He massaged his temples, beginning plans with Tsuru for King's high-security transport.
...
It must be said again: they were formidable.
Under Sengoku and Tsuru's meticulous planning, the operation proceeded flawlessly.
One week later.
[The Fire Fist] King, under utmost secrecy, was delivered and imprisoned on Level 6 of the undersea fortress Impel Down—the "inescapable" prison. Only one man had ever broken free.
Even if [Hundred Beast] Kaido learned the truth, the Beast Pirates could do little.
...
Another month passed.
Year 1507, Sea Circle Calendar. Early Year.
From the Beast Pirates' expeditionary camp in the South Blue, a roar of anguish shook the air.
"KING!!"
The colossal [Hundred Beast] Kaido sat on the ground, clutching a massive sake jug, drowning his sorrows. He'd just traced King's whereabouts, only to learn of his defeat and capture—too late.
Yet Kaido, in his volatile way, wasn't plunged into despair. Captured by the Marines? Kaido himself had been defeated seven times, captured eighteen, subjected to forty death sentences! Given King's unique value as a Lunarian with an Ancient Zoan, the World Government wouldn't execute him. And with the Beast Pirates a constant threat, they couldn't risk transferring him for experiments.
The likely fate: perpetual confinement in Impel Down's deepest darkness.
"Oioioi!" Kaido's mood, always mercurial, shifted with the alcohol. He began to laugh. "King! Just wait! I'll get you out!"
The Beast Pirates had their own intelligence. They'd uncovered the broad truth.
"Sengoku… and that [Demon] who defeated King… I'll remember this!" Kaido roared, taking another swig. "Just wait until you're worn out!"
...
Almost simultaneously, Kaido's words proved prophetic.
Sengoku was wearing thin.
[The Fire Fist] King's capture was just settled when another world-shaking event erupted elsewhere.
What happened?
Year 1507. An assault on the Holy Land, Mary Geoise.
**[Fisher Tiger], the Fish-Man, scaled the Red Line alone, stormed Mary Geoise, and liberated countless slaves.
That day, the "Holy Land" burned. Before the inferno, Tiger roared his years of pent-up rage and defiance to the sky.
Countless slaves fled in all directions, among them figures destined for future fame.
"Hey, fish-man!" A young man with ash-green hair, once rescued, shouted to Tiger, "I've remembered your kindness! I'm Gild Tesoro! I'll repay you someday!"
Gild Tesoro—the future [Gold Emperor].
"…"
Elsewhere, three young girls stumbled through the chaos, crashing into Tiger.
"Eek!" The lead girl fell, helped up by the other two. Seeing the bloodied Tiger, the three human girls trembled.
"It's alright." Tiger knelt, comforting the girl with long black hair. "Child, what's your name?"
"Hancock," the girl replied, her bright eyes memorizing her savior's face. "Boa Hancock."
"…"
...
"—That's roughly my experience at Mary Geoise. Doesn't compare to a life in hell, does it?"
Alabasta, Royal Capital Alubarna. A Study.
Vergil silently read Tiger's letter. He sipped low-alcohol fruit wine, a gentle, serene smile on his face, eyes crinkled to slits.
"I rounded up some troublemakers from Fish-Man Street and formed the Sun Pirates. You might've heard the name by now!"
"…"
Tiger's letter was filled with reminiscence for his old friend.
"I wanted to come find you, but these brats are a handful. Have to look after them first!"
"Oh, right—one more thing. I heard from a messenger Sea King you're looking for something 'ancient'? I stumbled on this in Mary Geoise."
"Asked a reliable Sea Beast to deliver it. Hope it reaches you."
"…"
Vergil's gaze shifted. There, on the desk, lay an ancient-looking book—Tiger's find from the Holy Land.
Knock. Knock. Knock.
The study door opened. Crocodile strode in, eyeing Vergil. "Why'd you call me here?"
"Want to hear a story?" Vergil smiled, picking up the old tome. "It's about 'music'… and 'demons.'"
"…"
...
Come. Let's attend a concert.
(End of Chapter 50)
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