Thor, Vegapunk, Borsalino, and Newgate were on their way back from one of their long expeditions.
This trip had started because Vegapunk insisted on acquiring several items that were being sold in a black market auction.
He originally wanted to go alone, but Rocks refused that idea immediately. Rocks had already seen the potential Vegapunk carried, and he was not willing to risk losing him over a reckless trip into the underworld.
Because of this, Rocks assigned bodyguards to accompany him. Thor and Borsalino joined the group as well, mostly because the island had become boring for the two of them, and they were eager for anything that resembled a distraction.
The benefits Rocks had gained from sponsoring Vegapunk were far greater than he initially expected.
Thanks to the endless resources Rocks supplied, Vegapunk managed to discover the Lineage Factor much earlier than in the original timeline.
Rocks provided access to rare materials, stolen research, and several items that the World Government preferred to keep hidden.
The cuts Rocks received from past raids helped fund an equally large amount of supplies. Almost everything Vegapunk needed could be obtained immediately, since Rocks had already prepared stockpiles for the army he planned to form in the future.
This also meant that the deal between Thor and Vegapunk was now in full effect. Every piece of knowledge Vegapunk possessed, and every new discovery he made, was being handed to Thor directly.
Thor absorbed everything without difficulty. Thanks to the books he had read in Stussy's library, he already had the foundations to understand engineering and biology, which allowed Vegapunk to teach him without slowing down.
During the trip back, Newgate was the one carrying the majority of the items from the auction. He had lost in their dice roll, and accepted his punishment with a mix of irritation and resignation.
"Why do you have to buy all of these items?" Newgate asked, shifting the bags on his shoulder as he glared at Vegapunk.
"If I explain it to you, I do not think you would understand," Vegapunk replied plainly.
Thor and Borsalino both laughed at this, while Newgate did not appreciate being dismissed so easily.
"What did you say? Are you underestimating me? I am Edward Newgate," Newgate shouted, his pride clearly offended.
Vegapunk then attempted to explain the purpose of each item, including one specific material used to create a more accurate microscope lens. As Vegapunk talked, Newgate slowly became quiet. The terms made his head hurt, and he could not find a way to argue back. Borsalino and Thor continued laughing on the side, enjoying Newgate's struggle more than they should have.
"What is the problem, Mister Edward Newgate? Can you not understand what Vegapunk is saying?" Thor teased.
Newgate tried to defend himself, but he could not even repeat the concepts Vegapunk had mentioned. The two continued to argue in a childish manner until the long-distance den den mushi suddenly rang. The sound made both of them fall silent. Newgate picked it up since he was the closest.
"Rocks, this is Newgate. What is the matter?" he asked. He sounded confused, because Rocks never contacted them during expeditions. Rocks trusted Newgate and Thor enough to handle missions without supervision, especially when the two were together.
"Come back quickly. Shakky has been kidnapped," Rocks said.
The news shocked Newgate, Borsalino, and Vegapunk. Thor, who stood right beside Newgate, froze in place. He immediately began calculating the timeline in his head. He had not expected this event to happen so soon.
"What? What kind of security does Hachinosu even have? How does the most important jewel in the entire base get taken right in the middle of our territory?" Newgate shouted angrily. He started scolding Rocks, accusing him of recklessness and poor judgment.
Vegapunk expressed his own disappointment as well. Over the years, he had grown fond of Shakky. Whenever he got stuck on a research problem, Shakky's bar became his place to unwind.
Borsalino did not focus on Rocks' answer. Instead, he looked at Thor. He knew Thor's relationship with Shakky was close. Thor had once mentioned that his foster mother owned a bar similar to Shakky's, and that both women shared a caring personality.
"Are you alright?" Borsalino asked quietly.
Thor turned toward him, but said nothing yet. He was processing everything. Meanwhile, Newgate continued his loud complaints, not caring about the people around them.
"Marlon is the one who was assigned guard duty," Rocks answered through the den den mushi.
"Tell him that when I get back, I will kill him myself," Newgate growled. Although he was not in love with Shakky, he still considered her a close friend, partly because he spent so much time in her bar drinking.
"You do not have to. He is already dead. We found his body early this morning. Whoever took Shakky is incredibly strong," Rocks said.
The information hit Newgate harder than expected. His anger disappeared, replaced by silence.
"Come here immediately. We need to find her," Rocks added.
Newgate agreed without hesitation. Thor then froze all the items Newgate carried to give them an extra layer of protection. After that, the four of them rushed toward their ship with full intent to return to Hachinosu as fast as possible.
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The journey that was originally supposed to take an entire day ended up lasting only eight hours. This sudden decrease in travel time was entirely thanks to Vegapunk, who designed a one time engine that operated by converting Newgate's Devil Fruit power into direct propulsion.
The engine functioned far beyond what any of them expected, although Vegapunk reminded them several times that the structure would not last long after reaching its limit. Just as he predicted, the moment they arrived at Hachinosu, the engine collapsed and the ship broke apart piece by piece.
None of the four cared about this, since they rushed off the ship the moment it docked and headed toward the skull building where Rocks and the rest of the crew were gathered.
As soon as Thor stepped inside the room, he immediately felt something that made his entire body tense.
His observation haki picked up thoughts that were not just suspicious, but outright condemning. It confirmed the suspicion that had been lingering inside him long before this moment, both from what he remembered in his past life and from the subtle signs he had noticed over the years. Now, standing here, the truth was unmistakable. He could clearly sense the inner thoughts of Ochoku.
Rocks took a step forward as the four approached.
"You finally arrived, we have been waiting for—" Rocks started to say, but he did not finish his sentence, because Thor suddenly crossed the room in a single motion.
Before anyone could react, Thor launched himself toward Ochoku and struck him across the face, sending him crashing against the floor. The entire room froze.
"Do you think everyone here is incompetent? Who did you sell Shakky to?" Thor demanded. His voice was deep in a way that did not resemble his usual tone. It carried a coldness that surprised everyone.
"What are you doing, Thor?" Rocks shouted, anger flashing in his expression. Thor briefly turned his head toward him.
"I was born with a special form of observation haki. I can see a person's true thoughts, whether they are conscious of them or not. Over the years I have listened to everyone in this crew, and there has only ever been one person who carried thoughts that did not align with us." Thor pointed at Ochoku without hesitation. "It is him."
The crew exchanged looks of surprise. Some were confused, while others immediately recalled that there was one other person in the world with an ability that somewhat resembled this. Redfield Patrick, known as a powerful solitary figure, was rumored to have a similar gift. Thor's words made the comparison hard to ignore.
Ochoku remained silent, refusing to answer. He simply glared back at Thor with clenched teeth, as if he expected help from someone, but no one stepped forward.
Seeing his silence, Thor decided not to waste time. He activated his observation haki to its fullest extent, letting it sink deeper into Ochoku's mind. His haki traveled through the surface thoughts and into the memories that Ochoku was trying so desperately to bury.
Thor saw everything.
The reason Don Marlon died was not due to a strong external enemy or a surprise attack from outside the island. Ochoku had been waiting for a perfect moment to remove him.
Marlon had his guard down for a single instant, and that was when Ochoku stabbed him without hesitation. The memory was vivid enough that Thor could almost feel the sharpness of the betrayal.