209 203. Pizarro
Broccoli Island, Chris Kingdom, is a neighborhood filled with small houses made of a mix of bricks and tiles. Some homes have a few broken corners, but they've been patched up with basic repairs.
It's evident that the regular folks in this country are struggling financially. The sky darkened, and a light rain started. The streets were hushed and deserted, only the closed doors and the steady sound of raindrops filling the air.
Everywhere... an unsettling quietness hung in the air.
If you observe closely, it appears there's a trail of blood washed away by the rain on the muddy roadside. The scent of blood blends with the earthy fragrance, filling the entire street.
Not far away, in a dim alley, the two neighboring houses appeared to be in good shape. Their extended eaves were sealed tightly, allowing no space for the faint light attempting to enter. The darkness concealed the area, making it difficult for people to notice. Someone entered this place.
In the darkest corner of the alley, a young boy huddled, unable to see clearly, but he could discern two large eyes filled with tears.
"Father, Mother..."
The boy continued to murmur words of unknown meaning, as if he were subconsciously numbing his body and mind.
His name is Lionel Andrew, and just a few days ago, he was the most honored individual in the kingdom. His father is the ruling king, and he has a gentle and kind mother, along with a lively and lovely sister. Almost every day, he lived enveloped in great happiness.
Yet, all of this bliss crumbled with the arrival of a man a few days ago. This self-proclaimed Corrupt King single-handedly defeated the soldiers of the Kingdom Guard, seized control of the land, and tragically ended his family's lives. He brazenly allied with pirates, openly declaring their dominance over the Kingdom of Chris.
The Kingdom of Chris was relatively new, and the boy's father was a Second Generation King. He wasn't part of the World Government nor one of the three emperors of the sea. The kingdom's safety had been a stroke of luck until now. Unfortunately, this time, luck didn't seem to be favoring the country.
Andrew was concealed by his mother beforehand and managed to survive, but he also witnessed the atrocities committed by the pirates in the country.
Cruel and violent, words fall short in describing the brutality of that man.
It appears that the pirates find joy only in killing. This country is facing an unprecedented catastrophe!
'Correct!'
Abruptly, Andrew, who was quietly nursing his wounds, had a sudden realization. He searched through his belongings and carefully retrieved a phone bug.
His mother gave this to him before her demise, emphasizing that this was the only way to resolve the country's crisis.
Anxiously dialing the sequence of numbers from his memory, Andrew gazed at the last lifeline before him with wide, red eyes.
Soon, a profound voice echoed, resembling the soothing sound of nature to Andrew, who was in despair.
"Hey, this is Marineford."
....
"What? Another mission? Are you kidding? I just had a brawl with Kaido!"
In the New World, Atlas's roar echoed from the G-5 base commander's office.
He had recently assumed control of the G-5 base, and many things and documents were still pending processing. Old man Sengoku seemed intent on keeping him occupied once again.
"I have no choice. The sole heir to the Chris Kingdom personally contacted Naval Headquarters. The World Government also deems this matter of great importance."
Sengoku smiled wryly. Unaware that Atlas had just concluded a war and needed rest, the urgency of the situation prevailed. Senior officials from the World Government had personally called to inquire about the matter.
"Where's Aokiji? He should be at the base, right? Broccoli Island is closer to his base, isn't it?"
"Kuzan..."
Mentioning Aokiji, Sengoku gritted his teeth, "He took leave and rode his bicycle to nowhere!"
'Knew it!'
Atlas understands; Aokiji probably sneaked off to see Robin again. He's really a pervert lolicon...
Atlas looked up and sighed.
This year's Marines are proving to be quite a challenge to lead!
"Also, Sakazuki went on a mission and is not in the base."
As if he feared Atlas might come up with other excuses, Sengoku preemptively cut off any objections.
"....."
"Let's delve into the specifics."
Helpless, Atlas had no choice but to agree, and Garp, given his temperament, would likely avoid it as much as possible, especially considering the considerable distance to the G-3 base.
"Avalo Pizarro is a pirate from North Blue. I'll send you the detailed information later. This guy's bounty is 800 million berry. He's been in the New World for a long time and hasn't been spotted much."
"Some time ago, this guy led some pirates to seize control of the Kingdom of Chris on Broccoli Island, initiating a massacre. The royal family of that country didn't make it out, but the sole heir to the Kingdom of Chris survived by sheer luck."
"This young one contacted the Marines, requesting to join the World Government on behalf of the Kingdom of Chris. The aim is to seek asylum from the Marines and expel Pizarro from the country."
Atlas raised his eyebrows slightly, "Did they agree to join so easily? Since when did the World Government folks become so easy to negotiate with?"
"Truth is, the Chris Kingdom has already initiated the process to become a franchise country. Given the living conditions in the New World, there's no alternative. However, certain specific conditions haven't been agreed upon, causing a delay until now. It's likely those fellows have been pushing hard. That poor little guy probably got a significant runaround; otherwise, it wouldn't have been so smooth."
"Alright, I'll handle it. Once the fax arrives, I'll head straight for the Chris Kingdom."
Kachak!
The phone was hung up, and Atlas turned to Smoker, who was immersed in processing documents in the corner, and gave instructions.
"Smoker, assist me in going to the fax machine and fetch a piece of information. I need it urgently."
"Got it~ Vice Admiral Atlas!"
Hearing this, Smoker reluctantly pulled away from the stack of documents and replied with an embarrassed expression.
'By the way, shouldn't these matters be handled by you, the commander? How can he, a mere lieutenant colonel, wield the authority of a Vice Admiral?'
However, Smoker obediently rushed to the fax room and handed the information to Atlas. He had heard the conversation clearly and grasped the critical military situation.
"Tsk, tsk, tsk, quite an extraordinary individual..."
After casually scanning the information about Pizarro, Atlas couldn't help but exclaim.
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