"Too strong…"
It took the Marines on board nearly half a bell to fully process what had just happened.
With that level of power, he was still only a colonel?
Many of them couldn't comprehend it.
Even Bright, who had always been somewhat skeptical, finally realized why Headquarters had sent a mere colonel to oversee the Sabaody Archipelago.
At first, he assumed they were simply passing through.
As for actually stationing a Marine officer here to govern the island?
He thought that was impossible.
A single colonel leading a single warship was supposed to maintain order in Sabaody, the infamous island filled with pirates, slave traders, bounty hunters, and criminals?
That was laughable.
But now, as he reflected on Carl's overwhelming display of power, he began to suspect that maybe the higher-ups had been serious all along.
After some time, Bright walked to the front of the deck.
"Colonel Carl! We're approaching Sabaody Archipelago."
"Mm…" Carl slowly opened his eyes and looked forward. "Yeah, we're almost there."
The shores of Sabaody Archipelago could already be seen in the distance.
A few minutes later, a group of Marines disembarked from the warship.
Waiting for them at the docks was a line of Marines stationed in Sabaody, ready to greet their new commanding officer.
The moment Carl stepped onto the shore, a familiar system notification flashed through his mind.
[Special Check-in Location: Sabaody Archipelago.]
[Sign-in progress: 0/3.]
"Colonel Solomon Carl!" A Marine stepped forward and saluted. "Major March Brill of the Sabaody Marine Base, reporting to you!"
Carl glanced at the bearded officer and nodded. "March, huh? Lead the way. We're heading to the base first."
Now that they had arrived in Sabaody, there was no rush to act immediately.
First, he needed to assess the situation at the Marine base.
Sabaody Archipelago
Sabaody Archipelago was made up of 79 giant mangrove trees, each designated by a number.
Various towns, bars, auction houses, and criminal organizations had taken root in this cluster of trees, forming what was technically an island.
The Marine Headquarters presence—as well as the government offices—was located between areas 60 and 69, with the Marine base itself stationed in Area 66.
Carl and his men headed directly there, led by March.
Along the way, Carl could feel countless eyes on them—some filled with malice, others with curiosity or fear.
"Tsk, as expected, Sabaody is full of filth," Carl muttered, clicking his tongue.
A faint red glow flickered in his eyes before gradually fading away.
His Observation Haki was sharp enough to pick up the hostile intent around him.
Walking through this place felt like wading through a rotten sewer filled with scum.
Marine Base, Chief's Office
Carl sat lazily in the chief's chair, his feet propped up on the desk, flipping through a stack of documents.
Standing before him were March and Bright—his two highest-ranking subordinates in Sabaody.
March had been responsible for the original garrison, while Bright led the reinforcements from Headquarters.
Carl took a drag from the cigar in his mouth and slowly exhaled.
"So, numbers 1 to 29 are basically lawless zones?"
"Yes, sir!" March nodded. "Since Sabaody is the last stop before the New World, it naturally attracts a massive influx of pirates, bounty hunters, slave traders, and merchants."
"Over time, Areas 1 to 29 became a den of criminals."
The Grand Line was divided in half by the Red Line—a massive continental wall that stretched across the entire world.
To reach the New World, one would need to cross the Red Line itself—but the Holy Land Mariejois sat atop it, making passage impossible for pirates.
Instead, the only alternative was to go beneath the Red Line, through Fish-Man Island, located 10,000 meters below the sea.
To do this, pirates needed their ships to be coated with a special resin from the mangrove trees of Sabaody.
As a result, Sabaody had become the gateway to the New World—and a haven for criminals.
Carl exhaled another puff of smoke.
"Hmph. As shameful as it is, I get why they allow this to continue."
Neither the World Government nor the Marines had ever made a serious effort to clean up Sabaody.
Was it because they feared the sheer number of pirates?
What a joke.
It just wasn't worth the trouble.
Besides, letting pirates flood into the New World had its own advantages.
Once inside, they would inevitably clash with the Four Emperors, reducing their own numbers.
For the World Government, watching pirates destroy each other was far more convenient than getting involved themselves.
Carl glanced at the documents in his hand and frowned.
"Still… this place has way too many rats hiding in the filth."
"Human trafficking, arms deals, gang wars… Tch."
He tossed the papers onto the desk.
"Whatever. As long as they don't cross the line, I won't bother with them."
BOOM!
A sudden gunshot echoed from outside.
Carl's face darkened instantly.
He had just said he wouldn't bother with them—yet someone was already causing trouble at his base?
BANG! BANG!
More gunshots rang out, followed by shouting and chaos.
Carl turned to March with an expressionless face.
"Is this… normal?"
March wiped the cold sweat from his forehead.
"Er… W-Well, sir… We haven't had a stationed officer for a long time, so we, um… don't have the strength to enforce the law properly."
"In short… we're too weak."
Carl sighed. He couldn't even blame March for this.
After all, this base's highest rank had been Major.
It was no wonder they couldn't control anything.
He took a deep breath and exhaled slowly.
His eyes glowed red as he spoke.
"I don't care what happened before."
"But now that I'm here…"
"Anyone who dares to make trouble at MY base… will be executed."
Before March could even respond, Carl's figure had vanished from the office.
Outside the Marine Base
At the front gate, a boy and girl in tattered clothes cowered in fear.
In front of them, a group of men in black suits stood, smirking.
The leader held a pistol, pointing it casually at the children.
"Run, little rats! Go ahead—try running again! Hahaha!"
"Really?"
An indifferent voice spoke behind him.
The man in the suit froze.
"Who?!"
He spun around—only to see a Marine in a justice cloak standing behind him.
At Carl's feet lay two of his subordinates, barely alive.
The man in the suit sneered.
"Marine? Do you know who we are?"
Carl tilted his head, unimpressed.
"Oh? Enlighten me."
"We're from the Underground Auction House."
The man raised his pistol at Carl.
"Regretting your choices yet?"
Carl clicked his tongue.
"Tch. And who gave you the courage to point a gun at me?"
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