November 20, 1496, Age of the Sea Circle
Vargas looked at the man who had suddenly arrived with great surprise.
"A Marine? Hadn't we agreed that they wouldn't come and bother us? Damn Sebastian, he's so fucking incompetent!" Blake thought with annoyance.
Vargas lunged at the pirate and attacked him with his Kairoseki weapon, which was capable of restraining his devil fruit powers.
Coupled with the Marine's incredible physical prowess, the pirate quickly found himself at a severe disadvantage.
"Damn it! Why did another idiot wielding Kairoseki weapons have to appear!" Blake said as he launched several fireballs at his enemy.
Vargas used "Soru" and dodged the attack with ease, then attacked with great precision, hitting Blake in the throat with his Nanashaku Jitte.
Blake fell to the ground, struggling to breathe, and Vargas pinned him down, holding his weapon against his neck and preventing him from moving.
"Heh, they say the level of pirates in South Blue is far superior to that of East Blue, but they don't seem like much to me. If this is the highest level they have around here, I'll die of boredom," Vargas said disdainfully, intending for Blake to hear him. He had a habit of irritating his enemies whenever he could; he enjoyed seeing the criminals, feared by all, humiliated in front of him.
Vargas took out a small den den mushi and called his superior, Commodore Moreau.
"Hey, Moreau, I just captured the pirate captain. How's everything going on your end?"
Moreau's voice came through the snail.
"We've suppressed most of the pirates. There are also two armies from two nearby territories, but I warned them not to interfere with our work."
"Do we need to do something about those armies?" Vargas asked.
"No. It's a diplomatic matter beyond our control. Just focus on capturing the pirates," Moreau replied.
"Understood, then I'll take "Scarlet Blaze" Blake to the ship, put the Kairoseki handcuffs on him, and throw him in the brig," Vargas said, taking a drag on the cigar in his mouth, enjoying the pleasure of his smoking.
"I'm afraid I can't let you do that," a voice said next to him, and Vargas felt every hair on his body stand on end.
"An enemy!" he thought, and immediately turned to confront him, but it was too late. A hand gripped his arm tightly, blocking his attack, while another hand grabbed his neck, slowly suffocating him.
Vargas sensed the enemy's great strength and knew it was a Haki user. He didn't have great control over Haki, but he had begun to develop a rudimentary foundation for its use. As best he could, he concentrated Armament Haki on his neck to prevent the enemy from crushing him like an insect, and began trying to free himself from the other person's incredibly powerful grasp.
"Oh? You can use Haki? You have talent, you probably could have advanced further in the Marine in the future," the voice said with some surprise, then added, "It's a shame you had to stick your nose where it didn't belong; now there's no future for you."
The hand gripping Vargas's arm closed with great force, crushing the bone without much difficulty.
Vargas screamed in pain as he felt his bones breaking, and began to flail around in an agitated manner, trying to free himself from his enemy's grasp.
However, the difference in power was too great. His enemy penetrated his abdomen with his hand, and a large amount of blood gushed from the wound, creating a small pool on the ground.
Vargas, who didn't have very skillful control of Haki, couldn't maintain his defenses around his neck as pain overwhelmed him, and he was completely exposed to his enemy, who suffocated him until he fainted, then threw him to the ground like garbage.
The man approached Blake and kicked him hard in the stomach.
"How long are you going to lie there? You no longer have kairoseki restraining you, get to work!" There was great irritation in the man's voice.
Blake muttered something inaudible, but he didn't try to disobey the man or anger him. He knew he couldn't defeat him in a direct confrontation, and it was best not to provoke him.
"I want you to char this captain's body. You'll be the one to finish him off, understood?" the man said seriously.
Blake nodded resentfully, and transformed his arm into flames, ready to finish off Vargas, who was unconscious on the ground.
"Once you're done, I want you to leave immediately. A commodore happened to be here, and I can't confront him directly. If he catches you, you'll be on your own! I can't risk being recognized and reported back to headquarters."
The man finished speaking, took one last look at the Marine who was unconscious on the ground, and disappeared from the scene without a trace.
"Damn Sebastian, does he think I'm his dog? Let him be content for now! When I'm strong enough in the future, I'll burn him to a crisp!" Blake muttered through gritted teeth. He wasn't used to suffering such humiliation, but he couldn't stand up to Commodore Sebastian, or his days as a pirate would be over. After all, it was with Sebastian's help that he'd gotten to where he was now, and it could be said that he was truly like his dog, always ready to perform the tasks his master assigned him.
Blake looked at Vargas, who was unconscious on the ground, and his pirate rebellion began to kick in. He didn't want to obey Sebastian's orders. This Marine captain had humiliated him, and he wanted to humiliate him back!
If he simply killed him while he was unconscious, he would never be able to release the anger he felt inside him, and the humiliation would stay with him for years!
Wouldn't it be better to simply keep him alive, then torture him and make him beg for mercy at his feet before finishing him off?
Thinking about that possibility, Blake couldn't help but feel encouraged, and decided that this was definitely the best course of action. Sebastian would never find out anyway.
He extinguished the flames that had erupted in his body and reached out to lift the helpless Marine captain.
But just at that moment, a feeling of weakness came over him, and he felt a strong blow to his back.
Blake fell to the ground, and atop his back, a scrawny, white-haired young man was holding the Kairoseki-infused Nanashaku Jitte, pressing it against his body.
"Damn pirate, you are under arrest by the authority of the Marines!" said the young Smoker with a shout.
He had been secretly monitoring the situation, and when he saw that Captain Vargas was in danger, he sprang into action without hesitation. Using the Kairoseki weapon he could suppress the pirate who used a Logia-type Devil Fruit.
Or so he believed.
A large vein appeared on Blake's forehead, and he easily stood up, freeing himself from the Kairoseki weapon's suppression.
This material wasn't so magical as to allow Smoker, who didn't currently have much attack power, to face Blake.
After all, he was one of the strongest pirates in the South Blue, and that wasn't a title to be taken lightly!
There was no way a rookie like Smoker, who had only joined the Marines for two months, could handle him!
Blake transformed into a great blazing flame. This time, he was truly enraged. Today, he had suffered humiliation after humiliation, and he could no longer tolerate it!
First, he had been beaten by a little boy wearing Kairoseki gloves; then he had been easily suppressed by Vargas; then Sebastian had treated him like a dog; and now even a Marine recruit wanted to arrest him!
There was no way a man as proud as him could endure so many insults in a row.
Blake, who was now a great mass of fire, fell upon Smoker, who was holding the Nanashaku Jitte tightly, ready to fight to the bitter end.
Fortunately for him, however, he didn't need to engage in combat, because before Blake's attack could land, a large cloud of smoke appeared out of nowhere, colliding directly with the flames and forming a large vortex.
The two powers collided violently in the air for a few moments, and eventually canceled each other out.
Smoker watched with joy as the large cloud of smoke gathered, quickly forming the figure of one of the people he admired most in this world.
"Commodore Moreau!" Smoker said with great excitement, seeing the powerful Marine in action.
Moreau looked around and said,
"Are you okay, Smoker? What happened here?"
He was somewhat confused. In his last communication, Vargas had informed him that he had captured "Scarlet Blaze" Blake and was ready to transfer him to the brig of the Marine vessel. However, upon arriving on the scene, he found Vargas unconscious and severely injured, and a young Smoker, who was about to be roasted by the pirate who should have been out of action.
"Commodore, it was a Marine officer, he was also a commodore, and he was the one who injured Captain Vargas!" Smoker replied, recounting what he had seen.
"A commodore?" Moreau said thoughtfully.
In the South Blue, there weren't many Marines with this rank, and in this specific area... There was only one: Commodore Sebastian.
Moreau's face turned solemn and a little somber. If there was one thing he detested, it was corruption within the Marines. He had dedicated his life to trying to make the world a better place, and he wouldn't hesitate to put his physical integrity and even his life on the line to uphold his ideal of justice. That's why he couldn't tolerate the insects that infected the institution he considered the most noble in the world.
Blake saw that another powerful high-ranking Marine had arrived, and he remembered Sebastian's words, telling him to leave the place immediately after eliminating Vargas. Now, he had done neither, and he found himself in direct conflict with a Commodore!
He looked at Vargas on the ground and acted decisively. He couldn't let this man live, and he also had to eliminate the boy who had seen Sebastian. Otherwise, even if he survived here, he would lose the support of the corrupt Commodore, who would undoubtedly be stripped of his position.
And without Sebastian to back him up, the South Blue Marines would be constantly after him, and he would no longer have any chance to increase his forces and travel to the Grand Line in the future!
Blake's arms transformed into fire and swiftly extended toward the unconscious Vargas, but his attack was repelled by Moreau.
"Do you think I'll let you hurt my subordinates before my eyes?!" the Commodore said, displaying all his majesty.
Blake was a pirate who had risen to the top of the South Blue food chain thanks to the powers of his Devil Fruit, but he couldn't compare in power to Moreau, who was one of the strongest Marines with the rank of Commodore.
If it weren't for his philosophy of protecting the weak in the most remote places of the four Blues, and he had remained at Marine Headquarters, he would have had a higher rank, commensurate with his ability.
The power of the two fruits collided again in the air, and the battle grew increasingly violent.
Smoker, who was watching the fight with great enthusiasm, saw Moreau's great power firsthand and thought he wanted to reach that level someday.
Although the powers of the two Devil Fruits didn't differ that much in power, and even Blake's Mera Mera no Mi was slightly stronger, the pirate was no match for the Commodore. The difference in skill between the two was simply incomparable, and within a few minutes, Moreau had defeated Blake, who had been accumulating defeat after defeat throughout the day.
Moreau used one of his arms transformed into smoke to keep Blake in check, while approaching Vargas to inspect his wounds.
He sighed in relief to see that his friend's injuries were not fatal, and he would have no problem making a full recovery in a couple of months.
He took out a den den mushi and gave orders to his men, who were finishing suppressing Blake's pirates.
Then he turned, ready to take his prisoner and Vargas back to his ship, but at that moment, a spear flew past him at full speed and pierced Blake's chest, who was being immobilized by the smoke.
The pirate stared at the bleeding hole in his chest in disbelief, then fixed his gaze on the figure that had reappeared.
"Sebastian..." He said, almost sighing, then spat out a mouthful of blood, his eyes gradually losing focus.
He had received an attack imbued with Armament Haki, and his ability as a Logia user to be immune to physical attacks was negated.
Now, death was the only possible outcome for the famous pirate, who had lived a life at the top of the South Blue food chain and dreamed of expanding his activities to the Grand Line in the future.
"Scarlet Blaze" Blake fell dead instantly, and Moreau, who had already managed to capture him, frowned, feeling great anger at the actions of the Marine who had suddenly appeared.
"There was no need to eliminate him, Sebastian," Moreau said in a solemn tone.
"Commodore Moreau, I presume. Your reputation precedes you. You truly are as powerful as the rumors say, and equally compassionate. But there's no need to show mercy to these kinds of criminals," Sebastian said, smiling with a smile that didn't reach his eyes.
Smoker, who was standing to the side, watched the situation. He approached, shouting and pointing at Sebastian.
"Commodore Moreau, that's him! He's the traitor who attacked Vargas!"
The two men's expressions changed drastically, and they both made their move.
Moreau was inwardly cursing the boy's stupidity, which had ruined his chance to take Sebastian by surprise. He had already deduced that the Marine in front of him was the traitor, based on the information Smoker had given him earlier. He was simply feigning indifference so he could get Sebastian to let his guard down, but now that was impossible!
On the other hand, Sebastian simply had one idea in mind after hearing the boy's words: Eliminate everyone present.
Only then would he be safe. After all, corruption within the Marines was normal, but it couldn't be done openly, or the higher-ups would take action.
Sebastian attacked Smoker without hesitation, but was intercepted by Moreau, who wouldn't allow this corrupt officer to do whatever he wanted in front of him.
The two commodores began to fight seriously, and the impacts of their attacks resonated loudly throughout the surrounding area.
"Moreau, there's no need for us to fight. If you let me kill that kid, we can come to an agreement. In this age of piracy, there are many lucrative businesses to be discovered!" Sebastian said with his classic fake smile.
"Silence, bastard!" Moreau replied.
It was impossible for him to trust the words of a traitor, and he had no intention of straying from the right path, the path of his justice!
The two men fought for a long time, and eventually the balance began to tip in Moreau's favor. It was no use; his power was far superior to that of a normal commodore.
Sebastian saw that the situation was not favorable to him and put some distance between the two. Then he wiped the blood leaking from the side of his mouth and said, still smiling.
"Your reputation definitely matches your strength. It seems I have no chance of defeating you."
Moreau wasn't pleased to hear his enemy's words; there was no way this man, cunning as a fox, would admit defeat so easily.
Sebastian's next words confirmed his thoughts.
"Or so I'd tell you if I had to face you on equal terms. Unfortunately for you, that's not the case."
Sebastian took out a Visual Den Den Mushi and projected an image before Moreau's icy gaze.
In the image, a large group of Marines and civilians were kneeling on the ground, guns pointed at their heads.
The Marines had firm looks, but the civilians were crying desperately and begging for their lives.
"Your weak point, Commodore, is your sense of justice, isn't it?"
Moreau clenched his fists tightly and said nothing.
"Now I'm going to make a small request, and you're going to fulfill it, otherwise these good and innocent people will be executed. Of course, if I don't give them the signal after a certain amount of time, they'll be executed anyway, so don't try anything strange, "Smoke Shadow," Moreau."
Sebastian slowly approached him with his big smile and said,
"My request is very simple. I want you to lower your defenses for a moment."
Moreau stared at the image of the hostages, his eyes bloodshot. His mind was racing, trying to find a solution to the current predicament.
"Time's ticking, Moreau. Can I have your answer now?" Sebastian said, and on the projection, the corrupt officer's subordinates prepared to fire.
"All right," Moreau said, his voice hoarse.
"No! Commodore, don't give in to their tricks!" Smoker, who was watching from the sidelines, said.
"Silence!" Moreau said, then transformed his arm into smoke and threw Smoker away from the battlefield.
"What are you doing?" Sebastian asked, his smile fading.
"Let the boy go. There's no need to take his life. I know you have the power to keep him from exposing you without having to kill him. Or are you cowardly enough to be afraid of a little boy?"
Sebastian looked at him sharply, but finally nodded.
"Very well, I can let him go in honor of the great service you've done to the Marines."
As for whether what he was saying was true or not, it was impossible to know, and Moreau couldn't think about it, or he wouldn't be able to act.
Sebastian concentrated his Haki in his fist and launched a devastating attack that pierced Moreau's chest.
Where the Marine's heart should have been, there was now only a bleeding hole.
"A noble act of sacrifice, indeed. All Marines should learn from you," Sebastian said, his disdain and mockery unconcealed.
"Smoke Shadow" Moreau, one of the most promising Marines of his generation, and one of the noblest, fell lifeless to the ground.
Perhaps many would laugh at him and call his actions stupid, but he was proud of having followed his moral code to the end, even if it meant dying. He didn't fear death, as long as it had a positive impact on the world.
In this cruel world, such people were the first to fall.
Sebastian wiped his hand with a handkerchief, which he then threw over the body of the deceased commodore.
"Now, I have to finish cleaning up this mess and get back to base," he said as he walked in the direction Smoker had been thrown.
As for the boy lying half-dead on the ground in the distance, he paid no attention to him. He was a pragmatic man, and he wouldn't waste his time on irrelevant people.
"Commodore Sebastian, I must admit your performance was far worse than I expected," a voice suddenly said, and Sebastian stopped dead in his tracks. He hadn't noticed anyone else's presence.
A man in a suit with disheveled hair appeared in front of him, and Sebastian's eyes narrowed. For the first time, his expression was that of someone not in control of the situation.
"Ci-Cipher Pol," he stammered.
"You've gone too far, Sebastian. It's fine to play along as long as you're doing your job, but if you cross a certain line, the higher-ups can't just keep ignoring you, right? You have to remember that the Marines have a reputation to uphold," the man said indifferently.
Sebastian took a step back and said:
"Give me another chance. This time it was an accident—" the Commodore began, but was abruptly interrupted by the man in a suit.
"Don't bother begging for mercy. The orders have already been given, Sebastian. This time you have no escape."
Sebastian looked around and saw that countless people in suits had appeared and were surrounding him in all directions.
The corrupt Marine's eyes trembled, and he tried to flee through the barrier of people.
However, he was overestimating his abilities.
It didn't take long for the Cipher Pol agents to capture Sebastian, who ended up completely disfigured from the beating they inflicted on him.
Meanwhile, the man with the disheveled hair, who appeared to be the leader of the group, approached the unconscious boy.
"Nice to see you again, kid. I see you suffered quite a bit this time, huh? But hey, you learn from defeat. I'm sure you'll adapt to your new environment without any problems."
Orion, who was unconscious, obviously couldn't hear him, so the man was performing a soliloquy.
"It's time to retreat. Take the prisoner to the ship," the man said, then added, "And take this child too. Give him medical attention."
Orion, who was fast asleep, was unaware of the adventure he was about to be plunged into against his will.