North Blue.
A marine warship sailed steadily toward the next island for resupply.
Two years ago, the legendary pirate Rocks had fallen in the God Valley, throwing the New World into chaos.
Pirates, driven mad with bloodlust, fought over the territories and power Rocks left behind. His former crew members—Golden Lion, Whitebeard, Big Mom—each gathered their own forces, expanding their influence.
As the Marines struggled to maintain control, they withdrew their forces to the first half of the Grand Line, focusing on crushing piracy there. In a way, this indirectly weakened the strength of the pirates ruling the New World.
But not everyone managed to seize power. Some, having lost their battles in the New World, fled back home. There, they recruited en masse, hoping to rise again.
Sakazuki had personally applied for this Four Blues patrol mission. His main targets were these very pirates—those who had failed in the New World and returned to their homelands.
These pirates took away large numbers of young men, never to return. The consequences of this were devastating.
Islands with already limited populations saw their able-bodied men vanish, leading to aging demographics, declining birth rates, and reduced productivity. Yet, taxes remained unchanged.
As livelihoods crumbled, the burden on common people increased, creating a vicious cycle.
On top of that, to train their men, these pirates often raided villages and towns they had past conflicts with, slaughtering entire communities.
And this was only the beginning—these were just the pirates who had failed and returned to rebuild. Sakazuki's pursuit significantly curbed the problem, but later, when Roger ignited the Great Pirate Era, the chaos truly began.
The rise of the Revolutionary Army was directly linked to this as well.
Countless young men rushed toward the New World without looking back. With more elderly, fewer newborns, and declining productivity, taxes increased. Survival for ordinary people became impossible.
Meanwhile, these young men, after a few battles and killings, amassed wealth and gradually lost their humanity.
Most islands were left with only the elderly, the weak, and the sick. With no one to resist them, pirates became increasingly ruthless.
Pillaging, murder, and arson became the norm. Massacres of entire villages and towns were commonplace, leaving countless dead.
The argument that there are "good pirates" is nonesense. There are many ways to set sail.
No one said you had to raise a pirate flag to go to sea. You could sail freely, and no one would stop you. Yet, you chose to fly the pirate flag.
A pirate is a pirate. There is no distinction between good and bad pirates.
Saving a few people or a town doesn't make someone a good pirate. The consequences they bring are immeasurable. How many of those who idolized these pirates and set sail could truly say they had a clear conscience?
In the anime, people admired the so-called "good pirate" Luffy. But why was Bartolomeo, who followed in his footsteps, called the "Cannibal"?
Why did his short list of accomplishments include bombarding innocent civilians in a city and uploading videos of pirates being brutally impaled and burned for entertainment?
Even the influence of "good pirates" was something ordinary people could not bear.
...
Gol D. Roger's Great Pirate Era claimed countless lives.
Then, Monkey D. Dragon formed the Revolutionary Army, leading those who could no longer survive because of Roger's actions to rebel against their own countries and the World Government.
The will of D, passed down for 800 years, has never ceased to stir the world.
And behind this "stirring"—
It was Joy Boy's so-called dream of freedom, a legacy built upon the deaths of countless people.
It was Roger's single declaration that turned the world upside down, unleashing the Great Pirate Era, where hundreds of thousands die at the hands of pirates every year.
It was Dragon's vision of liberation, sparking a revolution that shook the world.
This is why the World Government and the people hate and fear the D clan. They act on their own whims, never considering the consequences.
Some blind followers will live and die, never seeing hope. As children, they lost their families to pirates. As young adults, they joined the Revolutionary Army out of desperation. By middle age, they died fighting against the government.
Many of them may not even know what they're truly fighting for—just struggling to survive.
The people who see the truth fear the D clan.
But those who don't... continue to follow, hoping that D will lead them to some utopia free from the government's rule.
They fixate on the government's oppression—yet they fail to realize that D is also one of the sources of their suffering…
...
Aboard the warship.
"Report! Pirates spotted on the supply island!"
Gazing at the island already engulfed in flames, thick smoke billowing into the sky, Sakazuki's deep voice rang out.
"Increase speed."
Following the order, the warship surged forward at full speed toward the island ahead.
As the distance shortened, four pirate ships came into view, anchored around the island, all flying the same pirate flag. Each ship was of a different make and condition, clearly stolen from various places.
"Marines! The marines are here!"
"Wake up! Stop sleeping, the marines are coming!"
"Enemy attack! Enemy attack!"
"Go! Tell the captain!"
The pirates standing watch spotted the approaching warship and shouted frantically, alerting their crewmates.
Amid the chaos, their captain arrived, leading a group of armed men. His sword, still stained with fresh blood, glinted under the sun.
"What's all the panic for? Load the cannons and wait until they get closer!"
His intimidating presence quickly steadied the panicked crew. At his order, the pirates scrambled to load their cannons, preparing for battle.
Meanwhile, aboard the warship, an officer in-charge of the ship's artillery stepped forward.
"Rear Admiral Sakazuki, the pirate ships are within firing range. Shall we open fire?"
Sakazuki's gaze remained fixed on the enemy vessels. His response came swift and cold.
"Fire. Sink their ships."
Boom! Boom! Boom!
A relentless barrage of cannon fire thundered across the sea.
The Marines struck first. Their warships were custom-built, and Sakazuki's vessel was specially designed for patrolling the Four Blues. Equipped with thirty-two cannons, it boasted overwhelming firepower and an exceptionally fast firing rate.
Several rounds of cannonballs rained down like a storm, tearing through the pirate ships. Explosions ripped through the wooden hulls.
Nearly half the shots hit their mark, obliterating the ships and cutting off any chance of escape.
Watching their ships break apart, the pirates panicked.
The pirate captain, eyes burning with rage, bellowed, "Bastards! Fire the damn cannons! Blow those marine scum to pieces!"
Under his command, the panicked pirates forced themselves to steady their hands and retaliate. But their ships were nothing more than patched-up loot stolen from others. The cannons had been added later, and their range was nowhere near that of the Marines' latest warship artillery.
Boom! Boom!
Cannonballs fired from the four pirate ships sailed through the air—only to splash harmlessly into the waves, never reaching their target.
"Damn it! Grab all my treasure!! Abandon the ship!!!" the captain roared, seeing their attacks fail.
At the same time, the surrounding ships were taking on water, slowly sinking into the sea. With no other choice, the pirate captain ordered his crew to retreat back to shore.
"The town isn't completely wiped out yet, right?"
Coming to the shore, he scanned the panicked pirates before pointing at four of the fastest runners. "You, you, you, and you—go grab a few kids from that town for me."
"Move!!!"
As the chosen pirates dashed toward the burning town, the captain clenched his fists.
"Those damn marines! I haven't even made a name for myself as a great pirate yet, no way am I dying here!"
The man growled under his breath, trying to steel himself. Then, out of the corner of his eye, he noticed a figure slowly backing away.
The captain's gaze darkened.
"Hmm?" He tilted his head, voice eerily calm as he called out. "You trying to run?"
The retreating pirate flinched. "N-No… Captain, I—"
"Then why are you shaking?" The captain interrupted as his lips curled into something that wasn't quite a smile. "Come here."
The young pirate swallowed hard. His feet refused to move.
"Now!"
"Y-Yes!" He stumbled forward, breath quickening.
As he approached, the captain's face twisted into something unrecognizable—wild, deranged.
Snap!
Thud...
A single, clean strike.
The pirate's head tumbled to the ground, rolling a few times before stopping in a pool of crimson. Blood sprayed onto the captain's face, the warmth of it sending a thrill through his nerves.
The other pirates stood frozen, their breath caught in their throats. On the captain's bloodstained face, an unsettling grin spread.
Savage. Unhinged.
A madness that crushed any lingering thoughts of escape.
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