While Dimon and Kaido were stirring up trouble in Wano Country, the outside world was no less turbulent.
The Rocks Pirates had fallen apart, yet their remnants were like beasts released from their cages, running wild across the seas.
Marine Headquarters, Marineford.
At the very top of the impregnable Marine fortress was a conference room.
The current Fleet Admiral, "Steel Bone" Kong, looked at the intelligence report in his hand with a headache.
Aside from the Fleet Admiral, everyone seated in the conference room was part of the Marine high command.
If Dimon had been there, he would have recognized several of them:
Admiral Sengoku, Vice Admiral Zephyr, Vice Admiral Garp, and Vice Admiral Tsuru.
"The remnants of Rocks have already begun to run rampant. Golden Lion in particular has formed the Flying Pirates. This is truly a troublesome situation..."
Fleet Admiral Kong handed the intelligence report to Sengoku. After reading it, Sengoku passed it to Vice Admiral Tsuru.
It was passed around one by one. Once everyone had read it, their expressions turned grave.
"The Big Mom Pirates have returned!!"
"That Whitebeard has also formed the Whitebeard Pirates!"
"Captain John is recruiting members on Djibouti Island and establishing the Treasure Pirates!?"
"The idols Shakky and Gloriosa have returned to Amazon Lily and hidden themselves in the Calm Belt? Ahh, with Tritoma included, three generations of Empresses from the Kuja Pirates have appeared at the same time. This is trouble!"
"And several others..."
The report was extremely detailed, recording sightings from various places, all concerning remnants of the Rocks Pirates.
Together, they were a pile of shit; apart, they were stars scattered across the sky!
In the foreseeable future, several immensely powerful pirate crews would rise across the seas.
Although none of those pirate crews could compare to the "most vicious in history," the Rocks Pirates, they still posed an enormous challenge that Marine Headquarters could not ignore.
Vice Admiral Tsuru, who served as a strategist, lightly tapped the table and frowned.
"Those thugs have become even more troublesome after leaving Rocks. More importantly... they all possess immortal bodies!"
At the words "immortal bodies," Kong's expression grew extremely grave.
"Garp, you participated in the God Valley Incident. Are you certain the situation described in your report was true? Do those people truly have immortal bodies?"
Garp had been lost in thought. Only when he heard that did he snap back, looking somewhat dispirited.
"It's true. They simply can't be killed. Their injuries recover very quickly."
"What about Rocks?" Zephyr asked with great concern. "There hasn't been any news about him at all. The higher-ups ordered that part of history erased. What happened to him now?"
"You'd have to ask the World Government. The Holy Knights took him away," Garp said, shaking his head.
Knock, knock.
Fleet Admiral Kong tapped the table. "From now on, unless there are special circumstances, no one is permitted to mention the name Rocks, including the Rocks Pirates!"
After a pause, he continued with his orders.
"Next are those remnants. No matter what, they must be dealt with before they grow stronger."
"Immortal or not, they must be arrested."
"Sengoku, Zephyr, Garp, the three of you will lead warships into the New World and hunt down the remnants. This will be a prolonged battle. There will be no rest. Understood?"
"Lastly, the new bounty notices have already been prepared. They will be delivered throughout the world tomorrow!"
The brief meeting ended, and Garp was the first to leave the conference room.
He returned to his vice admiral's office, where a young Marine was already waiting.
"Dragon."
"Father!"
Garp grinned. "For the next while, I'll be heading to the New World on a mission. Come aboard with me, and I'll train you properly. After the God Valley Incident, you've realized how weak you are too, haven't you?"
Hearing that, Monkey D. Dragon silently took off his Marine uniform, folded it neatly, and handed it to Garp.
"Father, I've already decided. From today onward, I'm leaving the Marines!"
"What did you say?" Garp's face was filled with shock.
"I've been confused these past few days, but I've figured it out now." Dragon's expression was resolute. "I joined the Marines and became a Marine soldier because I followed your instructions, but here, I cannot see justice."
With that, he left without hesitation.
"You brat, wait!"
Garp wanted to stop him, but he felt he had no right to.
Wano Country, General's Mansion.
Can't find it by searching the book title? Try searching for the author instead. It may have simply been renamed!
Dimon and Kaido sat facing each other while gorgeously dressed geisha poured them drinks from both sides.
Several women also sang and played instruments, entertaining the distinguished guests.
Dimon looked relaxed. At a glance from him, the courtesan waiting nearby hurried over in tiny steps, moved behind him, and gently massaged the general's shoulders with her soft, boneless hands.
Boring. The general's life was far too boring.
Kaido clearly had no interest in that. He just kept drinking.
"The samurai have already been suppressed and sent to Mount Fuji as laborers. The people overseeing them are all locals from Wano Country. I don't trust them, so Dimon..."
"You want to form a pirate crew?" Dimon cut in. "Fine by me. Where do you plan to recruit pirates?"
Kaido grinned. "Hachinosu. But I think Rocks' approach had problems."
Rocks had used Davy Back Fights to annex other pirate crews and forcibly seize their members.
That method could indeed expand one's forces quickly, but it also created problems.
The members were bound by their oaths of loyalty, yet none of them respected one another. The crew's atmosphere was terrible, and traitors had even appeared.
"I'm going to hold a martial arts tournament among pirates on Hachinosu. The prize will be the Elixir of Immortality!"
"Only the strong may join my pirate crew!"
"Those who stand out will most likely be captains. When the time comes, the pirate crews under their command will join as well."
Dimon looked at Kaido in surprise. The guy was brimming with spirit and had suddenly grown a brain.
"The Marines are probably watching that place now. Be careful. Don't get captured and make me come save you."
"Wororororo! We're good brothers. If I get captured, remember to come save me!"
Kaido grinned.
After saying that, he stood up, transformed into an azure dragon, and flew out through the window.
Dimon shook his head and continued his dull, monotonous life as general.
Several days passed like that.
He had not completely given up either. He had done at least a few things.
Dimon established the Shinsengumi, with Abel as its commander, directly answering to the general.
The Shinsengumi had the right to carry swords within the Flower Capital. Their role was roughly equivalent to that of police, specifically managing the Flower Capital and dealing with crimes.
Their current primary task was enforcing the Sword Abolishment Decree.
Next, Dimon subdued the Otabe ninja force. Once those ninja learned that the general had an immortal body, they sensibly surrendered.
As for daily affairs, they were all handed over to old Rock. Dimon personally dealt with only the important matters.
As a result, the Flower Capital was now able to maintain surface-level peace and preserve his rule.
One day.
Abel delivered a newspaper and reported, "Lord Dimon, this was sent over by Lord Kaido."
"Where is he?"
"He left again."
Dimon opened the newspaper and pulled out a stack of brand-new bounty notices.
At the top was Kaido.
'Hundred Beasts' Kaido Heinous criminal Dead or alive Bounty: 944.5 million Berries.
When he turned to the second notice, it was surprisingly his own.
'Brewer' Dimon Heinous criminal Dead or alive Bounty: 1.066 billion Berries.
He continued flipping through them. They were all remnants of the Rocks Pirates.
Golden Lion's bounty among them had even surpassed 3 billion.
Dimon could not help complaining, "What's with these oddly specific numbers?"
Compared to the bounties, the contents of the news concerned him more.
Those remnants had already begun stirring up storms across the seas. Each had formed a pirate crew, and their forces were expanding rapidly.
Together, they were a pile of shit; apart, they were stars scattered across the sky!
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