Sabaody Archipelago.
"Clothes, pants, shoes… Kevin likes to eat grilled meat, especially Sea Kings meat. We can't be without a grill and barbecue seasoning."
Hancock was on a shopping spree.
"Sister." Her two younger sisters looked at Hancock speechlessly.
She bought everything related to the captain.
All the clothes were for men.
"Sister, don't we need clothes too?"
"Just having a change of clothes is enough."
"But we don't even have a change of clothes, and you've bought almost thirty sets of clothes for the captain. We can't even carry them all." Her two younger sisters complained incessantly.
Hancock was silent for a few seconds, unwillingly saying, "Then I'll buy one set for you, just one set."
"What about you, Sister?"
"I don't need any." Hancock continued to search the store for items Kevin could use.
Buy, buy, buy.
While the massive shopping was underway.
A group of Marines rushed out from the Marine base on Sabaody Archipelago.
"Orders from above: anyone who arrives at Sabaody Archipelago for the first time today must be arrested and stripped of their clothes. If they have the 'Hoof of the Celestial Dragon' brand, arrest them immediately. If not, release them. Understand?"
The leader was the veteran Marine Vice Admiral Onigumo.
"Begin the operation."
...
On the other side.
Gyon threw a group of lifeless pirates off the ship.
She observed the excellent pirate ship.
"A new ship, just built. Not bad." Gyon nodded with satisfaction.
Beep, beep, beep.
The telephone transponder snail in her arms rang.
After connecting.
On the other end of the telephone transponder snail, Sengoku remained silent for a few seconds, then tried to keep his tone calm as he asked, "Vice Admiral Gyon, what's the situation? Have you captured the criminal Kevin?"
At Marine Headquarters, several teacups had already shattered at Sengoku's feet.
He was consumed by anger.
He had just been severely reprimanded by the Five Elders.
The Five Elders had given the Marines a death order.
The longer Kevin and his group lived, the more disgrace the World Government suffered.
But in the vast sea, it wasn't that easy to find them.
Sengoku could only place his hopes on Gyon, who had pursued them immediately.
"Not yet caught up."
"Then what's your current location?"
"Should be near Concha Island."
Sengoku quickly checked the map. Concha Island was located in the initial waters of the New World.
It wasn't far from what he had expected.
Kevin was bound to flee to the New World. The Marines' control in the New World was very weak, and with all sorts of chaos, it was difficult for the Marines to launch a large-scale pursuit.
"Gyon, keep a close tail on the criminal. I'll immediately send troops to support you."
"No need." Gyon refused, "I have Kevin's Vivre Card. I'll catch up very soon. I will definitely bring him back… But, Mr. Sengoku, can you promise me one thing: just imprison him, don't execute him, okay?"
Her voice paused, adding three parts of pain and seven parts of pleading.
Sengoku at Headquarters breathed a sigh of relief.
Gyon's tone and request reassured him greatly.
The worst outcome had not occurred.
"Alright, I promise you. Make sure to bring him back." Sengoku put down the telephone transponder snail. As for the outcome after Kevin was captured, he, as the Fleet Admiral, couldn't make the decision.
If he could decide, he would have killed him immediately to boost Marine morale.
Chief of Staff Tsuru, who was listening nearby, said, "Are you relieved now? You actually doubted that Gyon would betray Marine justice for Kevin."
Sengoku admitted his mistake: "I overthought it."
Thinking about it carefully, Gyon indeed had no possibility of betrayal. She was the next generation the Marines were focusing on cultivating. She had just become a Vice Admiral, a Vice Admiral with real power. The Marines were cultivating her with the qualifications of an Admiral.
In the future, she might become the first female Admiral in a hundred years, and becoming an Admiral could lead to becoming the highest-ranking officer of the Marines, the Fleet Admiral.
"Even a biological brother isn't enough." Sengoku didn't believe that with such treatment, anything could go wrong.
...
...
Sabaody Archipelago.
"Kevin, what are you planning to do?" Rayleigh's gaze fixed on Kevin. "Your start is a hellish one."
Rayleigh even felt worried for Kevin.
His future path wasn't just difficult; it was nonexistent.
"This is what makes it interesting," Kevin said with a smile.
Rayleigh was momentarily lost in thought.
That smile, that tone—he seemed to see a certain shadow.
Yes, Roger had smiled and spoken like that too.
It was when he was preparing to conquer the Grand Line, upon hearing that the Marines would try to stop him with all their might; Roger's tone was exactly like that.
"Young man, putting the Marines aside, the sea isn't that easy to conquer. It's best to recruit some experienced subordinates first," Shaki advised Kevin.
Going solo on the sea was extremely difficult.
"Who would dare to follow me now?"
"That's not necessarily true. Your reputation on the sea is extraordinary now. Who knows how many people admire you? As long as you say the word, I believe many would be willing to follow you," Shaki said seriously. "Even I'm a little tempted."
"Oh? Then are you willing to join my Pirate Crew?" Kevin seized the opportunity to invite her.
He stared intently at Shaki.
She was no ordinary person.
She was once one of the Rocks Pirates' cadres, a great pirate with a bounty exceeding five hundred million.
She was one of the top female powerhouses on the sea.
At this moment, a faint glow appeared around her.
Only Kevin could see this glow, which indicated that she could be recruited as a Pirate Crew member.
The primary condition for recruiting Pirate Crew members: female.
To build the strongest all-female Pirate Crew, only female members yield benefits, while male members result in negative benefits.
There were also requirements for recruited members: one, willing; two, staying with the ship.
The faint glow Shaki was emitting now meant she was sincere, fulfilling condition one.
This was one of the benefits of invading the Holy Land and rescuing slaves.
It made people look up to him everywhere.
Recruiting became easier.