March, Sea Era 1500.
During this time, the North Blue Navy had achieved tremendous success in the North Blue and gained considerable influence at Marine Headquarters.
It had launched several large-scale operations, wiping out pirate strongholds and lawless islands.
The better-known pirates had either gone deep into hiding out of fear or been driven to the Grand Line.
Of course, it was impossible to bring complete stability to the North Blue.
The North Blue Underworld itself was deeply chaotic.
Even after the World Military Draft, the North Blue Navy still lacked the manpower to cover the entire region.
It could only do as much as possible.
Wars between kingdoms and the bloodshed and turf wars among Underground Forces and Gangsters were the true sources of the North Blue's disorder.
Cyrik knew that violence and slaughter could not stabilize the North Blue.
That approach would only intensify the conflicts.
The backlash afterward would be even worse.
Even if he destroyed more factions, countless new Underground Forces would spring up before long.
For now, Cyrik could use the navy's strength to suppress the North Blue and collect "military sponsorship."
But that could not last forever.
The navy currently had many personnel from Marine Headquarters. In time, they would gradually withdraw and return to the Grand Line.
Keeping them in the Four Seas was a waste of their abilities.
If not for the need to contain the outbreak of the Great Pirate Era, Marine Headquarters would never have spread its forces so thin.
As a result, the navy's strength on the Grand Line was dangerously depleted.
But Marine Headquarters had judged that war would not break out in the near future, so it had made that choice.
Some North Blue Navy officers had already returned to Marine Headquarters and the Grand Line.
Their