Tatsuki stared at the sea chart, his brain spinning so fast it was about to smoke.
Since he was going to do it, he would do it to the extreme. What he wanted to build was not a branch, but a 'Second Marineford' belonging to him, Tatsuki.
An independent kingdom outside the World Government system!
"50 billion isn't enough."
Tatsuki looked up, his eyes as fierce as a thug just released from the sixth level of Impel Down.
"This little bit of money isn't even enough to build a toilet."
He grabbed the sea chart, stuffed it roughly into his coat, and turned to face the vast and wealthy sea.
The corners of his lips split into a smile that would make any merchant ship or pirate ship tremble with fear.
"Where are we? This is the New World."
"What is the New World least lacking in? It's those filthy rich pirates, and those allied nation nobles who only know how to suck the marrow from bones."
His gaze fell on Redfield, who was resting his wounds with his eyes closed nearby.
"Redfield, stop playing dead." Tatsuki kicked him.
Redfield snapped his eyes open, a flash of killing intent appearing in his crimson pupils for a split second before he forcibly suppressed it.
His voice was cold. "What can I do for you, Base Commander?"
"As your entry exam, go and provide a token of loyalty."
Tatsuki pointed toward the sea, his tone brooks no argument. "In these nearby waters, who is the richest? Whose vault is the fullest? I don't care if it's a pirate, an underworld emperor, or the king of some country. List all of their names for me."
"I want the entire New World to know that from today on, the G-5 Demolition Squad is officially open for business. If you don't want your home demolished, then hand over your money, every single berry."
Redfield's lips twitched violently.
He had seen arrogant people in his life, but never anyone this arrogant.
Having just finished a life-and-death battle, with his injuries not even healed, he was actually thinking about robbing the whole world?
"I will give you the list." Redfield closed his eyes again and snorted coldly.
"As long as you don't choke yourself to death."
"You don't need to worry about that. My appetite has always been very good." Tatsuki grinned, then suddenly turned around.
His expression switched within a tenth of a second.
One second, he was a peerless villain ready to rob the world.
The next second, that face was instantly filled with grief, helplessness, and despair. His eyes turned red at a speed visible to the naked eye, and his lips trembled slightly, as if he could burst into tears at any moment.
This face-changing speed left Gion, who was standing nearby, dumbfounded.
"Gion!"
Tatsuki's voice carried a perfectly timed sob, hoarse and tragic, enough to make anyone who heard it sad.
"Here! Tatsuki!" Gion shuddered and subconsciously stood at attention and saluted.
"Immediately! Right now! At the fastest speed!"
"Get Fleet Admiral Kong on the den den mushi!"
"Yes!"
Although she didn't understand what Tatsuki wanted to do at all, she still tremblingly took out the golden den den mushi representing the highest communication authority and dialed the Marineford private line at the fastest speed.
Purururu... Purururu...
Marineford, Fleet Admiral's Office.
Kong was holding a steaming cup of coffee, enjoying the brief moment of peace while Sengoku and Garp were away.
However, this tranquility was interrupted by a sudden "Purururu" sound.
Kong put down his coffee cup, his expression hardening, and answered the call.
The next second.
"Waaah!!!"
An earth-shattering wail nearly ripped the roof off the office.
Kong's ears rang, and he nearly dropped the coffee cup in his hand.
The den den mushi perfectly mimicked Tatsuki's face, with two streams of clear tears streaming down.
"Fleet Admiral..."
Tatsuki's voice was hoarse, every word laced with heartbreaking agony.
"G-5... our G-5 Branch..."
"It... it's gone!!!"
"What?!"
Kong suddenly stood up from his seat, his massive body knocking over his chair, but he didn't notice.
"Tatsuki?! What happened to the G-5 Branch?!"
"It... it was torn down by someone! Along with the twelve warships at the base, everything is gone!" Tatsuki's crying grew louder, saddening the listener and moving them to tears.
The voice on the other end of the den den mushi suddenly rose, filled with shock and fury. "Torn down?! Who did it?! Which bastard pirate in the New World has such guts?! Roger? Or Whitebeard?!"
Kong's heart instantly jumped into his throat.
If those two monsters were the culprits, although Tatsuki and the others had infinite potential, they were too young. They might truly be in mortal danger.
"It was Redfield! That lunatic Patrick Redfield!"
Tatsuki's voice trembled with intense lingering fear and terror. "He suddenly attacked the base! That monster is too terrifying! The four of us... the four of us barely managed to save our lives by fighting with everything we had!"
Redfield, standing nearby, had his lips twitch uncontrollably.
He watched the Marine Base Commander, who one second ago was boasting about robbing the whole world, and the next was crying into the den den mushi like a child, and felt his worldview shatter.
Who attacked whom?
Who was chasing me and hacking at me for two days and one night?
On the other end of the phone, Kong's heart sank the moment he heard the name "Redfield."
That lone wolf monster who, by himself, stood shoulder-to-shoulder with Roger and Whitebeard?
The veins bulged on Kong's hand gripping the receiver.
"What are the casualties?! Are the four of you alright? That was Redfield, it's a miracle you survived!" Kong's tone was filled with anxiety.
A base can be rebuilt, and warships can be replaced. But if those four monster prospects were lost to a pirate of that caliber, it would be the heaviest blow to the Marines' future.
"We are severely injured... Cough, cough... and the base is gone too..."
"But Fleet Admiral!"
Tatsuki changed his tone, his voice becoming tragic and passionate. "For Justice! We did not back down! After paying a painful price, we successfully repelled that monster! We preserved the dignity of the Marines!"
"Repelled him?"
Kong was stunned, he even suspected he had misheard.
The four of you... made Redfield run away?