South Sea, Watermelon Island, Marine Base 194.
The major ignored the salutes of the marines along the way.
He hurriedly pushed open the door without even knocking.
Once inside, he immediately shouted at Captain Harros, who had just looked up from behind his desk.
"Base Commander, Rear Admiral Dragon has issued an order requiring us to reach the waters of the Kingdom of Tutmose within two hours to assist in the capture operation!"
"Huh? I thought those two 'cats' had already been caught?"
The major's words were somewhat rushed.
Captain Harros was momentarily confused and didn't react immediately.
But soon he realized the crux of the matter.
"The waters of the Kingdom of Tutmose!"
He suddenly stood up from the sofa, leaning on the desk with both hands, and asked in shock, "Why are we going there? And you just mentioned a capture operation—who are we capturing?"
The captain had a vague guess in his heart, and a sense of foreboding washed over him.
"The official statement is to capture the 'Slave King' of the underworld, King Taklama, and thoroughly investigate the entire Kingdom of Tutmose, arresting all armed personnel. Resistance is permitted to be met with lethal force!"
The major's face was pale, with beads of cold sweat on his forehead.
Captain Harros's expression kept changing.
But in the end, it turned into a sigh as he said, "So it has come to this... How unlucky am I?"
The previous base commanders had all smoothly made enough money to get promoted or retire.
Why did it all blow up during his tenure? Isn't this just bad luck? "I never expected, truly never expected, that the Marine Headquarters fleet wasn't here to catch any 'cats.' Rear Admiral Dragon was targeting the Kingdom of Tutmose from the very beginning!"
"We were all fooled by him. I imagine King Taklama is in a similar situation."
The major asked in panic, "Captain, what should we do now? Should we immediately inform King Taklama to prepare?"
"No!"
Captain Harros quickly thought on his feet.
Although his physical abilities weren't exceptional, his mind was sharp, and he rapidly considered all the details.
"This time, the Marine Headquarters clearly came prepared. Rear Admiral Dragon's earlier 'smoke screen' also indicates that he has suspicions and wariness toward our South Sea branch."
"At this point, there might already be someone nearby monitoring the Den Den Mushi, just waiting for us to make a call!"
"Most importantly, our Base 194 is the closest to the waters of the Kingdom of Tutmose, and we'll likely be the focus of their attention."
"We absolutely cannot panic now, nor can we make any further contact with them. Besides, King Taklama is already finished, completely finished. What's the point of notifying him?"
But the major didn't quite understand and asked, "Completely finished? That seems unlikely. From what I know, this 'Slave King' is both powerful and influential."
"For decades, he's been a major figure in the underworld. Although the Marine Headquarters fleet is strong, they've only sent two rear admirals this time."
"Hmph, I say he's completely finished because his identity has been fully exposed. The Marine Headquarters is clearly planning to deal with him decisively."
"Compared to the world's strongest military organization, what is a Slave King worth?"
Captain Harros looked at the major with disdain.
"If the big figures of the underworld remain in the shadows, they are indeed terrifying. But once exposed to the sun, they are nothing more than meat on the chopping block!"
"Even if Taklama has the capability to defeat Rear Admiral Dragon's fleet, what will happen when Marine Headquarters sends stronger and larger forces in the future? Not to mention, what if Vice Admiral Garp comes?"
After saying this, Captain Harros meaningfully addressed the major:
"Between the soon-to-be-finished Slave King and Marine Headquarters, it shouldn't be a difficult choice to decide which side to stand on."
"And I can assure you, even without us, some fools will call to warn the Tutmosis Kingdom, perhaps even now, and these people will become our scapegoats!"
After hearing this explanation, the major also calmed down.
He then asked the final question, "If we are already under suspicion, we will surely be held accountable. What should we do, Base Commander?"
"The possibility of being held accountable is high, but the crime is not severe enough to warrant death. We've only been here for a few years. If they really investigate, the previous base commanders will all be scrutinized."
"On the contrary, if we still try to help King Taklama now, it would be like burying ourselves with him!"
As soon as he finished speaking, Captain Harros straightened his suit and Justice Coat, then picked up the Den Den Mushi and issued a serious command: "Pass the order, all ships prepare to depart immediately, and make sure to reach the waters of the Tutmosis Kingdom within the specified time!"
He then quickly walked past the major towards the door, with the latter hurriedly following behind.
"Base Commander, how many troops should each ship deploy this time?"
The standard capacity of the branch's warships is 300, and 500 when fully loaded.
The exact number depends on the situation, with the remaining marines responsible for guarding the base.
"Full capacity!"
Captain Harros answered decisively.
Since they had decided to continue standing with the Marines, they had to show the utmost sincerity.
He believed this was the best way to save themselves at this moment.
"Understood!"
Ten minutes later, the eight warships of the 194th Branch, already prepared, fully armed, quickly sailed out of Watermelon Island towards the Tutmosis Kingdom.
Meanwhile.
The fleet led by Dragon from Marine Headquarters was less than three hours away from the Tutmosis Kingdom.
Rear Admiral Avène walked out of the cabin onto the deck.
"Rear Admiral Dragon, you guessed right. CP2 just sent intelligence that the 242nd and 289th Branches immediately notified the Tutmosis Kingdom after receiving our orders."
"But strangely, the 194th Branch, which is the closest, has not made any move. Instead, they have sent all their warships with full capacity."
Upon hearing the first part, Dragon remained unchanged, still silently gazing at the distant sea.
But after hearing the latter part, his eyebrows instinctively raised, and he turned to face Avène.
"I remember the base commander of the 194th Branch is Captain Harros, right?"
"That's correct."
"It seems this Captain Harros is quite clever."
Dragon's mood was slightly complicated at this moment.
He had originally planned to report to Marine Headquarters afterward to clean out all the corrupt marines who had colluded with the 'Slave King.'
But now, Captain Harros's behavior has become somewhat problematic.
Because he stands in stark contrast to the other two base commanders.
As a result, it's believed that the higher-ups at Marineford won't be too harsh on him.
At most, they'll confiscate most of his ill-gotten gains, demote him, and transfer him to another post.
On the other hand, the two base commanders will have to make a trip to Enies Lobby.
"I really should meet this Captain Harros when the time comes."
Then, Dragon turned to Rear Admiral Avène and asked, "How are those pirates doing?"
"The ones who survived have minor injuries, and the ship's doctors have already treated them."
"The two 'Cat' captains are still unconscious, and their injuries are the most severe."
"But the doctor said they probably won't die. After all, they're Zoan-type Devil Fruit users, so their vitality is naturally stronger than ordinary people."
After saying this, Rear Admiral Avène asked curiously, "From the looks of it, you're not planning to send them to Enies Lobby for trial?"
"Yes, I want to take them back to Marineford and lock them up in the prison there."
Dragon didn't hide anything and spoke very openly, "From the fact that these pirates didn't harm civilians, I don't think they're the worst kind of scum. They don't deserve to be sent to that hellhole, Impel Down. I'm considering recruiting them into the Navy and taking them under my wing."
"I see. Two Zoan-type Devil Fruit users are indeed quite valuable. If trained well, they could become formidable assets."
Rear Admiral Avène nodded, not particularly surprised.
It's common in the Navy for officers to recruit pirates they take a liking to as subordinates.
Generally, as long as they're not major criminals wanted by the World Government, the higher-ups tend to turn a blind eye.
But if something goes wrong later, the officer in question will be held accountable.