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"They didn't ask you because you'll be staying on Sabaody with them."

Gawain replied calmly, then beckoned to Vice Admiral Doberman, who stood nearby with an unsettled look on his face.

"Vice Admiral Doberman."

Gawain called softly.

"Unlike Mjosgard, I still need your help with something."

"That's right, Vice Admiral Doberman. I'll be staying on Sabaody to wait for the coating, but Gawain is going to Marine Headquarters!"

Mjosgard interjected with a smile, then patted Gawain on the back.

"Chief Gawain, I'll take the men and arrange the coating now. I hope you'll go and return quickly.

"If you come back late, don't expect me to share even a drop of wine with you."

"Don't worry."

Gawain nodded and waved goodbye to Mjosgard. After Mjosgard left with seven of his fifteen guards, Gawain slowly walked over to Doberman's side.

Seeing Gawain approach, Doberman quickly took a step back to let Gawain go first, his back bending slightly as well.

Seeing Doberman's posture, Gawain teased him.

"Now that I've left Mary Geoise, I'll be traveling the seas for quite some time. We'll have plenty of chances to deal with each other in the future.

"So there's no need to be so restrained, Vice Admiral Doberman."

"Yes!"

Doberman nodded solemnly, then asked Gawain softly.

"Then, Saint Gawain, do you truly intend to go to Marine Headquarters?"

Gawain raised a brow. "What, do I need to submit a report to the Five Elders before going to Marine Headquarters?"

"No, of course not. Marineford has always been loyal to the World Government. As a World Noble, you may visit Marineford whenever you wish."

"Good. Since it's whenever, then let's go now."

Gawain spoke decisively, then silently waited for Doberman's reply.

Seeing that Gawain intended to depart immediately, Doberman's body suddenly tensed.

"Very well, my lord. I'll arrange it at once. The ships prepared for World Nobles are all docked at the nearby shipyard. You may choose whichever model you prefer."

"No need."

Gawain waved lazily.

"You have your own ship, don't you, Vice Admiral? I'll simply ride on your flagship."

"But I... I..."

After hesitating for a moment, Doberman confirmed that Gawain meant it and could only nod helplessly.

"As you command, Saint Gawain. Please come with me to my warship.

"Though forgive my rudeness, my ship may be a little dirty..."

At that, Doberman's scar-covered old face suddenly flushed red.

Sabaody Island was originally one of the safest islands on the Grand Line. Not only was it less than two hours from Marine Headquarters, but Admirals were also stationed nearby on standby.

After all, this was the entrance to and exit from Holy Land Mary Geoise. The Admirals stationed at Marine Headquarters had to be ready at all times to handle matters involving Celestial Dragons.

Thus, such a safe island had always been used as a reward assignment for Marine Vice Admirals.

Whenever a Vice Admiral had recently finished particularly exhausting and dangerous work, that Vice Admiral would be sent to Sabaody Island for several months of duty.

It not only eased the Vice Admirals' strained nerves, but also gave them opportunities to meet passing World Nobles. If they were lucky enough to encounter a generous Celestial Dragon, they could receive tips greater than several years of allowances.

However, not every Vice Admiral enjoyed this kind of work. People like Garp, Gion, and Chaton never came to Sabaody for garrison duty.

As for Doberman, he was also someone who could not sit still. After two months stationed on Sabaody, he found it too dull and secretly took his ship out to sea early one morning.

During that voyage, he not only fought a group of slave traders, but also briefly clashed with Joker's subordinates.

Before coming to receive Gawain, Doberman had only just returned from the sea. His ship was covered in all sorts of bloodstains and collision damage. It was truly filthy!

Hearing Doberman's words, Gawain could not help but smile.

"Doberman, you're a Marine Vice Admiral, not some clean little cook in Mary Geoise. I understand.

"As for it being dirty, don't worry. I'm not so fussy as to mind it.

"On the contrary, I'm rather curious what your ship is like. Your warships must be much faster than ordinary vessels, right?"

Hearing Gawain's voice and seeing his gentle yet unquestionable gaze, Doberman could only swallow down all the worries in his heart.

"Yes, warships are naturally not as beautiful as cruise ships, and they are far less comfortable. But they are indeed faster.

"Since you are interested, then... please follow me!"

As soon as he finished speaking, Doberman gritted his teeth. Come what may, he would face it. As he led Gawain forward, he silently prayed.

He hoped his soldiers had cleaned the ship up properly. More than that, he hoped his men had not gone too far!

After walking for around ten minutes, Gawain arrived at the shipyard on Grove 61 under Doberman's guidance.

Then Doberman completely froze beside Gawain.

The dock was currently in chaos. More than forty scarred people were tied up aboard the only docked warship.

The warship's hull bore damage in many places, while the relatively intact sections of its deck were all being used to bind and hang the scarred captives.

Near the entrances to the warship's cabins, even more prisoners were being carried out from the lower decks by Marines.

Even as Gawain and Doberman reached the shipyard and walked up the stairs onto the warship's deck, one Marine, his face filled with rage, was still viciously whipping a prisoner.

"Tiago, stop!"

Seeing that Marine about to whip the man to death, Doberman hurriedly shouted. Yet the Marine named Tiago did not even look over, instead raising his whip again.

The whip in the Marine's hand visibly turned pitch-black. After the pure black whip landed on the beaten man—

It tore the bound man in two as easily as a blade!

Splash!

Blood burst outward like a popped water balloon, spraying all over Tiago's boots and trousers.

Only then did Tiago put away his whip and glare viciously at Doberman.

"Vice Admiral, that bastard killed seven of our brothers. You don't intend to let him walk into Impel Down alive, do you?"

After saying that, Tiago gritted his teeth and sneered.

"Besides, he's a slave trader, not a pirate. He doesn't even have a bounty or a Devil Fruit!

"If we don't kill him here, those bastards from the auction house will just buy him back. I don't think they deserve to keep living!"

"This isn't a question of whether they deserve it, this is... sigh!"

Facing Tiago's response, Doberman gritted his teeth and then roared.

"Saint Gawain will be taking our warship to Marineford! Put down that whip and get over here to pay respects to Saint Gawain!"

After saying that, Doberman turned and gave Gawain a slight bow, explaining nervously.

"Saint Gawain, this is the boatswain aboard my ship, Marine Headquarters Lieutenant Colonel Tiago!

"He... he is currently... currently..."

"Ahem!"

Hearing Doberman's words, Gawain coughed lightly, hiding a trace of discomfort in his heart.

Then he waved his hand, putting on an indifferent expression.

"You don't need to explain. I can see that he's killing someone."

After offering that casual assessment, Gawain strode straight onto Doberman's warship deck.

Seeing Gawain board the ship, the Marines moving about on deck hurriedly dropped to one knee before him.

As for Tiago—

Seeing Gawain, the savage gleam in his eyes quickly faded and returned to calmness.

He tucked the blood-dripping whip behind his waist and saluted expressionlessly.

"Greetings, Saint Gawain."

"Enough with the formalities. Rise, everyone."

Gawain waved for the Marines to stand, then stepped without concern onto the deck stained with blood and gunpowder, arriving before the corpse split in two.

Looking at the corpse still dripping dark red fluid, then smelling the stench exposed from its torn-open abdomen—

Gawain let out a heavy breath.

This was the true nature of these seas, not the fairy tale of a manga where hardly anyone died or was injured.

Back in Mary Geoise, Mjosgard and those innocent Merfolk had nearly made him forget that this was a real sea, and that reality was destined to contain darkness.

As for what lay before him?

The scene before him might not be darkness at all!

Gawain pointed at the corpse and asked Tiago, whose expression showed some surprise as though he had not expected Gawain to remain so composed.

"Tell me who they are."

"Yes, Saint Gawain!"

Tiago nodded and spoke loudly.

"They are slave traders we discovered this morning in the nearby waters and beneath the sea. On their ship, we found three pirates with bounties of around fifteen million.

"Besides that, there were seventeen human women, two male Fish-Men, and one elderly member of the Longarm Tribe aboard their ship.

"After confirming their identities, we engaged them in a boarding battle. Vice Admiral Doberman also drove back one of Joker's officers.

"However, after the sudden abnormality in the skies over Mary Geoise, we abandoned the pursuit of that officer in order to return quickly. We only captured the ordinary slave traders who had already lost their ability to fight."

At that point, Tiago's expression hardened.

"But I do not believe they deserve to be taken prisoner. I carried out all of the extrajudicial executions myself. Vice Admiral Doberman had nothing to do with it!"

After speaking, Tiago knelt on one knee before Gawain and lowered his head heavily.

Just as Gawain was about to speak, a piercing voice suddenly rang out from a nearby cage.

"It's a... a Celestial Dragon! We're saved, that's a Celestial Dragon!

"Celestial Dragon, sir, we're good workers who capture slaves for Auction House No. 1!

"The slaves we caught were meant to be offered to you, but these lunatics attacked us without a word! They don't want you to have newer and better slaves!"

"Shut up!"

Gawain shouted, cutting off the slave trader.

Then he rubbed his ears irritably.

After the surroundings fell silent and the slave traders no longer dared to speak, Gawain patted Tiago on the shoulder.

"Marine Headquarters Lieutenant Colonel Tiago, right? Well done. Continue."

"What?" Tiago froze.

Seeing Tiago blank out, Gawain's lips turned downward as he said coldly.

"I said, continue!"

He swept his hand out, pointing at every bound slave trader.

"Anyone confirmed to have participated in capturing slaves, anyone who chose to capture and sell their own fellow people—leave none alive!"

As his words fell, Gawain ignored Tiago, whose face held both shock and delight, and turned toward Doberman's captain's cabin.

Behind him, Marine Headquarters Lieutenant Colonel Tiago's eyes lit up.

"As you command, Saint Gawain!"