Near Water 7, three standard Marine prison ships were escorting prisoners to Impel Down. Their route took them first to Enies Lobby, where they would board a Marine-exclusive sea current—saving time and ensuring high security.
Their application had already been approved by Marine Headquarters.
Word had it that Admiral Akainu was currently searching these waters for the former Shichibukai, Crocodile.
Several islands in the area had already been searched, moving laterally from Lantis, based on Rosen's previous sailing patterns.
It was logical to assume they wouldn't follow a single direct route. Crocodile wasn't new to these waters.
Unlike clueless rookie pirates who blindly followed the Log Pose, even newcomers—if aware of being pursued—might buy a permanent Log Pose to change course.
Akainu's ruthless methods had brought disaster upon pirates in Water 7 and nearby islands. Complaints filled the seas. Many cursed Rosen's name, especially unlucky bounty hunters from the New World who had come eager for heads—only to encounter Admiral Akainu instead.
They hadn't expected to meet an admiral so far from Lantis.
"Rear Admiral! A ship's falling from the sky?!" a Marine shouted in a trembling voice, staring at the growing shadow above.
Was this a joke? If it landed on them, they'd be flattened.
Even at low speed, a ship that heavy could cause disaster.
"Are you drunk again? What nonsense are you yelling in broad daylight?!" the Rear Admiral stormed out of the cabin, barking at the Marine.
"No, sir! Please look up!"
"Hard to port, emergency evasive maneuver—hurry!" the Rear Admiral shouted after glancing upward. His heart nearly stopped.
A ship was falling from the sky—and it looked like there was a Sea King, too?
Thankfully, he didn't lose his nerve. He roared orders to the crew. Of all three Marine ships, theirs was the one about to be crushed.
"Boss, the ships below are making emergency maneuvers," Daz Bones reported after assessing the situation.
"Good, that saves us the effort. Once we hit the sea, break away immediately. Don't waste time tangling with Marines—it's pointless. Find an island nearby, buy a permanent Log Pose, and head for the Kingdom of Andia," Rosen ordered. He didn't want his bounty rising unnecessarily.
Besides, Lantis needed a better base of operations.
"Wait... that flag! It's former Shichibukai Crocodile! Report to HQ now! Everyone, on alert—open fire at will!" the Rear Admiral shouted in alarm when he saw the pirate flag.
They weren't afraid of pirates, but going up against a high-tier one like Crocodile with just standard prison ships put them at a serious disadvantage.
Criminals with bounties over 600 million were nearly impossible to handle in the first half of the Grand Line without specialized warships.
Still, as Marines—the World Government's enforcers—they couldn't back down, even if they wanted to.
Boom! The Dawn hit the sea, sending waves surging. The Ark hovered overhead, with Enel seated aboard, almost fused with the vessel. It had become his personal domain.
The giant air octopus quickly shrank after completing its task. Though it looked like a vertical drop, the descent was wind-guided, so Rosen wasn't sure where they were now.
First, they needed to shake the Marines. The Dawn's identity and flag had surely been spotted already, but Rosen wasn't worried. The ship was too recognizable to hide.
And there was no need to anymore. Even if they encountered admiral-level foes, they wouldn't be helpless. Gaining notoriety would actually help Rosen get on the radar of the world's top powers—useful for future plans.
Hiding forever was suffocating. If discovered, so be it. By the time Marine reinforcements arrived, they'd be long gone.
After all, it was impossible to avoid the Marines forever on this vast sea.
The Dawn touched the water, and gunfire erupted. Bullets rained in from close range—so close that hand-to-hand combat was possible.
But a sandstorm swept out and intercepted the bullets. Rosen raised a hand and launched a sand blade aimed at a Marine ship's mast. Cutting it would stop the pursuit—these ships couldn't keep up without sails.
Of course, they could engage, but fighting the Marines could easily spiral out of control. More and more would come—that's the power of a world-spanning organization.
So Rosen chose to disable them instead, forcing the Navy to split their forces for rescue, reducing the chance of a pincer attack later.
Just as the sand blade was about to strike the mast, a Marine Rear Admiral slashed with a standard blade, clashing with the sand blade. He was thrown back into the mast—but it didn't break.
That Rear Admiral had some strength. He might last a few exchanges, but he wasn't qualified to go toe-to-toe with Rosen.
Even Rosen's casual attacks were hard for him to block. Rosen glanced indifferently and raised his hand again. A dozen sand blades flew out, mercilessly shredding the nearest prison ship.
Boom boom boom!
The sand blades tore through masts, hulls, and Marines alike. Everything in their path fell.
The Rear Admiral stood between the blades and his men, taking most of the damage. Though he couldn't fully protect them, the sailors behind him only suffered injuries—not death. But the Rear Admiral himself was on the brink.
"We're leaving," Rosen ordered, glancing once more before turning away. The information had probably been sent already—it wasn't safe to linger.
As the distance between ships widened, the other two prison ships opened fire on the Dawn.
But with Daz Bones and others aboard, the cannonballs were unlikely to hit.
As for the Ark, even less so. These standard prison ships lacked the firepower of warships. They had anti-air cannons—but very few.
So the effect was minimal. Unless both sides committed to a full naval battle, escape on the open sea was usually doable.
Rosen didn't drag it out—staying longer would only bring trouble. They had no reason to provoke the Marines right now.
What Rosen didn't know was that a powerful Marine warship was already scouring these waters for him—led by the future Fleet Admiral Sakazuki, currently Admiral Akainu.
And on a nearby island—Water 7—Marine Hero Garp, who had planned to "vacation" in the East Blue, was stuck due to a storm. He happened to receive a signal from the prison ship.
"Huh? Crocodile showed up in these waters? Oh? Got it. Isn't Sakazuki closer? He'll handle it. Tell HQ I'm breaking my personal record for doughnut-eating and can't be disturbed…" Garp said while enjoying snacks aboard his dog-headed ship.
(End of Chapter)