What Was Born

"Before we set out, nobody told me Baterilla Island was this far..."

Leon leaned over the side of the small boat, a harpoon in hand, his face weathered.

His tattered Marine uniform and the dull silver bandages told the story of the hardships he had endured along the way.

Fortunately, Baterilla Island was already visible on the horizon ahead.

As soon as Leon set foot on the island, he could feel its oppressive atmosphere. It was as if a terrifying giant hand in the sky had completely engulfed the whole island.

The people on the streets barely dared look at one another. Squads of Marines and World Government agents armed with guns were searching every house, one by one.

Leon's sudden arrival quickly caught the Marines' attention.

"Stop!"

"You! Yes, you, the one looking around! The guy with the bandages!"

"What are you doing here?!"

The Marines quickly surrounded Leon, their wariness plain to see.

The operation's commanding officer—a wide-chinned Marine lieutenant colonel—soon arrived.

The Wide Chin Lieutenant Colonel eyed Leon's tattered Marine uniform with suspicion.

"Comrade, tell me which South Blue Marine branch you belong to."

"And..."

"What's your purpose in coming to Baterilla Island?!"

Faced with the Wide Chin Lieutenant Colonel's aggressive questioning, Leon replied unhurriedly.

"Heh."

"Don't be so tense, Lieutenant Colonel."

"My name is Leon. I belong to Marine Headquarters."

"As for why I came here..."

"Just like you, I'm here on Vice Admiral Garp's orders, searching this island for any trace of the Pirate King's Offspring."

On Vice Admiral Garp's orders?

The Wide Chin Lieutenant Colonel's expression shifted. Although they were carrying out a top-secret mission issued by Admiral Sengoku...

Vice Admiral Garp's standing in the Marines was in no way inferior to Admiral Sengoku's...

The bespectacled adjutant beside him recognized Leon by his distinctive appearance and leaned in to whisper something to the Wide Chin Lieutenant Colonel.

The Wide Chin Lieutenant Colonel nodded and waved for the Marines surrounding Leon to stand down.

"Chief Petty Officer Leon, the name 'Rookie of the Marines' has spread throughout all of Marine Headquarters. I never expected to meet you here!"

The Wide Chin Lieutenant Colonel's tone had softened considerably.

"But please understand, Chief Petty Officer Leon. This mission is of the utmost importance, so I'll report your situation to Headquarters."

"Until Headquarters replies, please come with me to the Marine outpost and rest for a while."

"You must have had a rough journey getting here, Chief Petty Officer Leon..."

Rest? He just didn't want me causing trouble, so he was putting me under house arrest by another name...

He was certainly being tactful about it...

Leon nodded, accepting the Wide Chin Lieutenant Colonel's suggestion, and followed him toward the Marine outpost on Baterilla Island.

"There's a pregnant woman in this house! Arrest her!"

A resolute Marine kicked open the door of a house by the street. The moment he saw the woman with a swollen belly, his eyes lit up, and he rushed over to tie her up.

"Please, no!"

"I'm not pregnant! I'm just fat!!!"

The slightly plump young woman let out a heartrending wail. Her parents, who had just recovered from the shock, immediately fell to their knees.

"Please, Marine!"

"My daughter isn't even married! Everyone on the island can vouch for her!"

"I'm begging you! You can't take her!!!"

"You think you can't get pregnant if you're not married?!"

The Marine snapped back viciously. Ignoring the girl's parents' pleas, he swiftly tied her up and dragged her out of the house.

"This..."

The Wide Chin Lieutenant Colonel watched it all unfold and opened his mouth, as if to explain something to Leon...

But Leon only watched the Marine lieutenant colonel's uneasy expression, his own inscrutable. He sighed and shook his head.

The two continued on.

"We've found a newborn! Get over here!"

They hadn't gone far when they heard another Marine shout.

The Marines charged like a pack of wolves into a two-story home. Their leader yanked the baby from its swaddling clothes, while the others seized the child's mother, who had given birth not long before and was still lying in bed.

A young man nearby immediately dropped to his knees and kowtowed.

"Please, Marine! You must have made a mistake! This is my child!!!"

"I watched him being born with my own eyes!!!"

"Who says that just because you watched him being born, he's definitely your child?!"

"If there's even the slightest suspicion, you're all coming with us for questioning!"

"Are you trying to obstruct us in carrying out our mission?!"

A burly Marine struck the young man with the butt of his rifle. He stopped only after the man could no longer resist.

The squad of Marines emerged from the two-story home, swaggering as if they'd won a battle.

The Wide Chin Lieutenant Colonel looked at Leon. Once again, Leon's expression was unreadable, and he gave the same familiar sigh and shake of the head.

Along the short stretch of road to the Marine outpost, similar scenes kept unfolding. The island was filled with the wails of families being forcibly torn apart by the Marines.

At last, unable to endure Leon's repeated sighs, the Wide Chin Lieutenant Colonel spoke as calmly as he could. "Chief Petty Officer Leon, I'm sure you understand how important this mission is. To completely eradicate the Pirate King's evil bloodline, we have no choice but to resort to some unconventional methods!"