The next morning.
Marineford's town was already bustling early in the day. Though it had been built by families of Marines, it was no different from any town outside. As soon as dawn broke, vendors were already selling breakfast along the streets.
Children with schoolbags on their backs ran through the streets, with women following beside them.
In this world, being able to live such an ordinary, peaceful life was already a luxury. Islands where people did not have to fear pirates burning, killing, and plundering were exceedingly rare.
And every one of those islands was protected by influential figures—such as the Seven Warlords of the Sea, the Four Emperors, or simply islands with a Marine base stationed on them.
Yet the vast majority of islands lived in misery. After all, thieves were still thieves.
The robberies, massacres, and other incidents printed in the newspapers every day said it all. While some pirates truly went to sea in pursuit of the so-called One Piece and did not damage or plunder the islands they passed...
Sailing still required funds, after all. Food, clothes, ship repairs... none of it came free. Over time, even pirates who had set sail for the One Piece would inevitably take up plundering.
Even if they did not kill anyone directly, it was little different from indirect murder. A year's harvest could be looted away, leaving countless civilians unable to survive.
That was simply how cruel this world was.
If every island had a Marine base, innocent civilians would probably suffer far fewer losses. But that was destined to be impossible.
For one, there was a shortage of manpower. On these seas, no one knew how many Marine soldiers died every day. And in this Great Age of Pirates, with pirates everywhere, there were instead fewer people