What is the difference between the Marines and the World Government?
This question confuses many people in this world. To most, the Marines represent the World Government. Within the nations allied with the World Government, the Marines wield immense authority and enjoy widespread recognition. With garrisons and bases spread across the globe, it's safe to say that wherever there is an allied nation, there are Marines.
When the World Government takes action, it generally deploys the Marines to handle matters. After all, the Marines are the most well-known and largest armed force under the World Government's command. Whether it's legitimate missions, like hunting pirates, or less honorable tasks, like massacring civilians, the Marines are the ones who carry them out.
Even when the Celestial Dragons encounter trouble, it's the Marine Admirals who step in to resolve the situation. The close ties between the Marines and the World Government are evident.
However, at their core, the Marines and the World Government are two distinct organizations, differing in both nature and structure.
The World Government is composed of bureaucrats, while the Marines are made up of soldiers. These soldiers are not politicians—especially the ones who have lived through wartime. They are accustomed to battle, some even reveling in it, and they rarely understand the concept of compromise unless directly ordered to do so.
Moreover, years into the Great Pirate Era, witnessing the chaos that ensued, radical ideologies have spread rapidly within the Marines.
Whether it's the reckless Garp, the usually composed Strawberry, or the consistently hardline Doberman, all three Vice Admirals share the same attitude toward Morgan William: no matter what, he must be captured. And after receiving authorization from Sengoku and feeling provoked by William's actions at Tequila Wolf, their resolve shifted to an unyielding determination to kill him.
The Marines' reputation in the East Blue, as well as the personal dignity of these three Vice Admirals, had already been shattered. The public had witnessed elite Marine officers from Marine Headquarters being toyed with by a man who, even while imprisoned, managed to direct his subordinates and make fools of them. Finally, countless people in the East Blue had watched live as Morgan William boldly walked out of prison, defeated a Vice Admiral and a Commander, and swaggered away.
When Strawberry pinpointed the location of William's secret base, the other two Vice Admirals wasted no time. They immediately gathered the specialized warships they had brought from Headquarters—capable of traversing the Calm Belt—and set off.
They knew that only William's death could restore the Marines' honor and silence the ridicule of the world.
Headquarters had sent three specialized warships to the East Blue. At this moment, Vice Admirals Doberman and Garp had joined Strawberry in the meeting room aboard his flagship. Strawberry used a pointer to mark several destroyed Marine bases on the map near the Calm Belt, explaining his strategy.
"Only these Marine bases near the Calm Belt have been destroyed. It's clear that Morgan William's crew has been entering and exiting the Calm Belt through these points. We should first search along this line within the surrounding area. If we don't find their base there, we'll expand the search," Strawberry said.
Doberman's eyes gleamed with a feral light as he stared at the map. "Should we split up to search?"
Strawberry nodded and cautioned, "But don't act rashly. If you find the target, notify the rest of us immediately using the Den Den Mushi, and we'll capture them together. Dalmatian is still in their hands, and we must also guard against William escaping again."
Both Garp and Doberman nodded in agreement. They understood that if William escaped once more, they would become the laughingstock of the world.
William's secret base wasn't too far from the East Blue. To ensure swift communication and reaction, it was strategically located. The three Marine warships split up to search, and it didn't take long for Doberman to spot a lush green island through his telescope.
The island was covered in dense forests, so much so that the reflection of the trees on the water seemed to dye the surrounding sea green. However, several columns of black smoke rising from the other side of the island disrupted the serene scenery. Without wind, the smoke rose straight into the sky, and Doberman noticed this anomaly even before spotting the island itself.
Recalling the descriptions of the new steamships he had heard from the Marines in Kalmar City, Doberman's heart sank. He quickly used the Den Den Mushi to notify Strawberry and Garp, who were still searching nearby. He then stopped his ship at a distance, careful not to alert the pirates, and even moved further away to avoid detection.
Before long, Strawberry and Garp arrived with their ships, and the three warships advanced toward the island together.
As they approached, the three warships circled the island, heading toward the source of the black smoke.
The closer they got, the more peculiar Strawberry found the island. Despite its lush greenery, the island was eerily quiet, with no sounds of animals.
The island wasn't large, and before Strawberry could dwell on his suspicions, the three warships had rounded it to the other side. There, Strawberry, Garp, Doberman, and the gathered Marines saw a small coal mine and a makeshift dock surrounded by trees.
At the dock, three steamships and several transport ships were moored. Through his telescope, Strawberry spotted laborers in Tequila Wolf uniforms working in the mine. He lowered the telescope, his mind piecing everything together.
It was clear that this was an important base for Morgan William's crew, used to resupply their steamships. Judging by the new buildings surrounding the mine, it seemed the base was expanding. William's raid on Tequila Wolf wasn't just a provocation against the Marines—it was also to secure enough laborers to work the mine.
With two key conclusions—"important" and "intended for long-term use"—Strawberry let his guard down regarding the island itself, failing to notice anything unusual about the trees.
However, he did note that, compared to the Marine reports from Kalmar City, one steamship appeared to be missing from the dock. But Strawberry knew they couldn't wait any longer. As they observed the mine and dock, the pirates had undoubtedly spotted them as well. This was a critical resupply base for William's steamships, and with three steamships currently docked, the three Vice Admirals standing on their respective warships' decks didn't hesitate.
In unison, they bent their knees, crouched slightly as if preparing to leap, and launched themselves like rockets from their ships' decks, aiming for the steamships at the dock.
HOOOOT!
As the three Vice Admirals moved, the steamships at the dock blew their whistles, emitting long, loud blasts that echoed far and wide.
On another island in the Calm Belt, a Den Den Mushi placed inside a dark red box in Sherlock's office suddenly rang.
Sherlock jolted, immediately tossing aside the pen in his hand, grabbing the Den Den Mushi, and rushing out the door.
When he stepped outside, he found himself on the top floor of a four-story building. From this vantage point, he could see the island below. New buildings dotted one side of the island, forming a settlement comparable to a large village. Shipwrights from the Red Leaf Village Shipyard, staff from the weapons testing lab, and even indigenous people from Melvue Island—all non-combat personnel—walked the streets.
In the distance, a sleek, black-painted steamship sat quietly at the dock.
This island was, in fact, the true secret base where William's crew had established their operations.
(End of Chapter)
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