New World, G-5 Branch.
Unlike the solemnity and order of Marineford, the G-5 Branch before them looked like a den of thieves.
Dilapidated warships were docked haphazardly at the pier, their hulls covered in battle scars and years of grime.
The fortress's outer walls were pitted with gaps from cannon fire, and a tattered flag with the seagull emblem drooped lifelessly from a mast.
The Storm slowly docked, its brand-new paint job appearing completely out of place with everything here.
The pier was empty.
Forget a welcoming guard of honor, not even a single grunt could be seen coming over to help with the mooring lines.
"Ara ara... it seems we aren't very welcome."
Kuzan let out a yawn, the cold breath from his mouth causing the air to frost over.
Borsalino's lips curled into a vulgar arc as he spoke slowly, "This really is quite the intimidating welcome, isn't it?"
Only Sakazuki remained silent.
In the shadow cast by his lowered cap, magma was already faintly roiling in his eyes.
A disgrace to the Marines!
In his view, everyone in this branch, from the base commander down to the cook, should be thoroughly purified.
The smile on Tatsuki's face, however, remained relaxed. He held a cigar in his mouth, took a deep drag, and exhaled the smoke with enjoyment.
Chaotic and lawless...
Didn't that just mean the room for 'discipline violations' here was beyond imagination?
"Gion, pass down the order: everyone is to assemble at the pier." Tatsuki instructed nonchalantly.
"Yes!"
Gion immediately took out a den den mushi and began to relay the new base commander's first order.
The loudspeaker in the base's central plaza rasped for a long time.
Ten minutes passed.
On the pier, besides the dozen or so elites from Headquarters who had disembarked from the Storm, there still wasn't a single soul in sight.
Only waves of clamor, the scent of roasted meat, and coarse laughter and cursing drifted over from the nearby barracks area.
"This is outrageous!" Gion's face flushed with anger. "They are openly defying orders!"
"Hmph, a bunch of trash."
Wisps of black smoke had already begun to uncontrollably rise from Sakazuki's fists.
Tatsuki, however, laughed. He stubbed out his cigar, tossed it casually on the ground, and ground it with the tip of his leather shoe.
"Let's go take a look."
With his hands in his pockets, he walked with leisurely steps toward that foul barracks area.
The trio of Sakazuki and Gion followed immediately.
In the open space in front of the barracks, the scene was unsightly.
Over a hundred thuggish Marines were shirtless, revealing various ferocious tattoos. They were gathered around several roasting racks, chugging large barrels of cheap booze, with tables piled high with Berries, clearly gambling in the open.
A burly man with a face full of scars sat on a chair with his legs crossed, a spiked club tossed carelessly by his feet. He was the former G-5 Branch Commander, a troublesome Brigadier General who had been exiled here.
Seeing Tatsuki's group walking over, these old veterans didn't restrain themselves. Instead, they erupted into an even more piercing burst of laughter.
They were all troublemakers and scum exiled from various branches, never holding rules in any regard.
A so-called Marine Hero from Headquarters thought he could control them? Dream on!
Tatsuki scanned the group of disheveled, pirate-like subordinates, then strode directly toward the former base commander.
"Just as the rumors say, this is truly a lively unit."
Tatsuki walked to the table and looked down at the Berries and cards scattered across it, his tone betraying no emotion.
[Ding! Detected that the host is in an environment seriously violating the Marine Appearance and Discipline Regulations! ]
[Continuously gaining Violation Points: +1 point per minute! ]
The former base commander narrowed his eyes, his hand quietly reaching for the flintlock at his waist, while saying sarcastically, "Oh, you're finally here? Sorry about that, Sir, the boys are in the middle of training and didn't hear any assembly call."
Tatsuki nodded with a smile. "Understandable, completely understandable."
He casually picked up a piece of charred meat from the table, sniffed it, and then—
BANG!
He kicked out with a powerful force. The still-sizzling barbecue rack instantly turned into a cannonball, slamming into the faces of the soldiers who were laughing the loudest.
"Agh! My face!"
"Bastard! You dare to make a move?!"
The surrounding soldiers instantly exploded, drawing blades and raising guns. Over a hundred black muzzles were instantly aimed at Tatsuki's group.
"How scary."
Borsalino tilted his head, his eyes narrowing slightly behind his sunglasses as a piercing light began to glow at his fingertip.
"To actually point such toys at a superior officer."
Voom—
Before he could act, a terrifying black-and-red shockwave erupted instantly with Tatsuki as the center.
Conqueror's Haki!
The terrifying pressure instantly enveloped the entire open space.
Those old veterans who were shouting just a second ago didn't even have time to react. One by one, their eyes rolled back, they foamed at the mouth, and they fell over.
In just an instant, less than half were still barely standing. It wasn't that their willpower was strong, but rather that Tatsuki's Haki had deliberately bypassed them. But even so, those who were still standing were now weak in the knees and drenched in cold sweat.
"Mon... Monster!"
"This... this is Conqueror's Haki?!"
The former base commander bore the brunt of it. His mind went blank, his legs gave way, and he almost knelt down.
Before he could even recover his senses—
Swoosh!
A pitch-black flash of light flickered past.
The bone-chilling touch of cold metal was already pressed tightly against his carotid artery.
Tatsuki tilted his head, still wearing that punchable smile, as he lightly tapped the man's cheek with the blade of Tensa Zangetsu.
"Playing cards without inviting me?"
"Do you know the rules?"
[Ding! Detected that the host has openly assaulted a colleague and seriously undermined Marine internal unity! ]
[Violation Points +2000! ]
Hearing the system's prompt, the smile at the corner of Tatsuki's lips grew even wider.
He withdrew Tensa Zangetsu and then delivered a solid punch right into the Brigadier General's stomach.
"Pfft—"
The Brigadier General's eyes nearly bulged out. He doubled over and vomited up his last meal.
"Splash water on the ones who passed out and wake them up for me."
Tatsuki pulled over a chair and sat down boldly, elegantly crossing his legs. "I'll give you ten minutes to assemble."