South Blue — Marine Base G-47
A thin rain tapped against the tall windows of the main tower, smearing the glass and turning the sunset into a heavy gray. Inside Commodore Bronn Feldor's office, the atmosphere was far worse than the weather. A group of officers stood around a long table covered with reports, maps, and photographs of different islands in the South Blue.
Feldor slammed his fist on the table.
"So this is all the information? Everything?" the commodore asked.
Lieutenant Korrin nodded, swallowing hard."Yes, sir. It comes directly from our… collaborators."
Feldor narrowed his eyes. "Say it. I don't like you acting as if we don't know exactly who they are."
The lieutenant took a deep breath. "From The Brine Crown, sir."
An uncomfortable silence fell over the room. Everyone knew who they were: the largest criminal organization in the South Blue had direct contacts with World Government nobles. Making enemies of them was bad, but having them as allies made gathering underworld intelligence far easier.
Bronn picked up the reports and began flipping through them one by one.
"Distribution routes across the South Blue… ship movements… effects of the drug called Red Tide… photographs of shipments… even profiles of the four current leaders. This is far too detailed for the kind of information they usually send us," he muttered as he read.
"The Crown say the Rabocse Family is growing too fast," another officer added. "That if we don't act now, we won't be able to contain them later."
Bronn set the report down, took a deep breath, and spoke.
"Very well. Call Captain Michael."
No one argued. Everyone knew it was the right move for this kind of situation.
A minute later the door creaked open and Captain Michael walked in. Normally South Blue bases never had anyone ranked higher than commodore, but Michael was different. He was one of the three acknowledged prodigies of the South Blue, alongside Aokiji Kuzan, Ryokugyu Aramaki, and finally Saher Michael himself.
He held a higher position than any soldier in the South Blue. The reason he was still here instead of the Grand Line with the others was his rebellious attitude toward superiors and the demotion he had received—he had once been a vice admiral.
"They told me you had something urgent, Bronn. Tell me what's going on while I finish this tea. I have more important things to do," Michael said, white cup in hand.
Bronn simply slid the documents across the table. Michael began reading while the other soldiers waited in silence.
"I see why you called me. I'd like to know where they got this information, but I don't really want to hear it. What do you plan to do with all this?" Michael asked, looking at Bronn.
"Captain Michael, that's exactly why I called you. I wanted your point of view and how you would handle this in my position," Bronn replied.
"Got it. After reading everything, the message is clear: whoever gave you this information has a problem with these people and wants the Marines to take care of them. But who says we're going to do it? We're going to turn it to our advantage," Michael said, standing and walking to the wall where four photographs were pinned.
"How would we do that, Captain Michael?" Lieutenant Korrin asked.
"Good question. First, the important fact and the real reason I came to the South Blue (besides my demotion): Red Tide. According to this, it's a drug that existed years ago but wasn't moving like it is now.
Thanks to it, the South Blue seas have changed. Pirates who were once under control are now acting like madmen, attacking and achieving their goals because of Red Tide. And the Marines in these waters, like you, have no idea about its effects," Michael explained.
"Red Tide… that name rings a bell. Is that why we've lost so many brothers lately?" another soldier asked.
"Exactly. Red Tide has three effects that turn pathetic weaklings into competent fighters.
First effect: advanced regeneration. Imagine you're fighting a pirate crew, you defeat them all, and then just because they swallow a crystal their previously wounded bodies start healing while your exhausted one doesn't. You're dead.
Second effect: increase in strength and speed. If it was already hard to stop them in their normal state, now with strength greater than ever and speed you can't follow, guess how you end up? Dead again.
And finally, the effect I consider the most dangerous: loss of pain sensation. You stab them and they don't feel it. You cut off their legs and they keep moving. All these effects make this drug a global threat. That's why I came here looking for those responsible," Michael explained to the Marines, who looked like schoolchildren in class.
"So what do we do? We're not as strong as you, Captain Michael," another soldier said.
"That's where I was going. We're going to put a fairly high (but not exaggerated) bounty on these now-pirates, write a report, hand it to Big News Morgans, and publish it worldwide. That way we make them enemies not only of the Marines, but of other pirates and bounty hunters too," Michael said.
"And after that, Captain Michael?"
"We'll watch the reaction of the leader of all this, Rabocse Olbap, and his lieutenants."
Brackmor — Olbap's Building
The morning was quiet. Too quiet after everything that had happened in recent days. Olbap and Liro walked down the main corridor while workers installed new windows, doors, and reinforced areas damaged during a fight between Garabato and Popeye.
Liro carried a small notebook.
"According to Vanessa, if everything goes well, the patients will be fully recovered this afternoon and she will be available to come to the meeting," Liro said.
"Perfect," Olbap replied without stopping smoking his pipe. "I want everyone in the main hall after lunch. We need to talk."
"Did something happen?" Liro asked.
"I have several hunches. And they're not going to be simple," Olbap answered.
They reached the elevator and went up to the ninth floor, where they found Popeye sitting and devouring a gigantic plate of meat. When he saw them enter, he raised an eyebrow.
"Oh, finally. Have you guys seen this?" he asked with his mouth full.
Popeye tossed a newspaper onto the table. It slid until it reached Olbap, who picked it up calmly… but his expression turned curious the moment he saw the headline:
"THE BUTCHERS OF THE SOUTH BLUE — THE RABOCSE FAMILY"
Below it, a portrait of Olbap in his characteristic white suit.
Liro's eyes widened.
"What the hell…?!"
Olbap turned the page. There they were—the wanted posters:
WANTED — RABOCSE OLBAP
The Bloodwake
Bounty: 78,000,000 berries
Leader of the organization responsible for the distribution of the drug known as Red Tide. Extremely dangerous.
WANTED — RABOCSE POPEYE
The Final Hammer
Bounty: 32,000,000 berries
Second-in-command. Violent, destructive, responsible for multiple incidents alongside the Rabocse Family.
WANTED — RABOCSE LIRO
The Quiet Cutlass
Bounty: 19,000,000 berries
Silent strategist and executor. Expert in close-quarters combat.
WANTED — RABOCSE GARABATO
The Flying Lizard
Bounty: 54,000,000 berries
Devil Fruit user. Extremely dangerous and violent.
Olbap slowly closed the newspaper.
"Interesting."
"That's right, though why the hell does that lizard have a higher bounty than me?" Popeye grumbled, another piece of meat in his mouth.
"I don't think the bounties are bad, but Olbap, this newspaper is blaming us for every death that has happened this month because of Red Tide," Liro said, reading the article.
"Well… technically we are a criminal network now, pirates, and why wouldn't they? They have to blame someone, and who better than us? Good move, they just make" Olbap said, sitting beside Popeye and taking a piece of meat for himself.
Popeye glanced at him.
"I get what you're saying, but how do you think they got our photos? And I'm sure they have even more information about us," Liro said.
At that moment Garabato entered the room wearing clean clothes and his hair combed back. He looked fresher than he had in days.
"Look at this, Garabato. What do you think?" Olbap asked, handing him the newspaper.
Garabato read it in less than a minute.
"As expected. I have an idea how the Marines got this information," he said, taking a seat.
Olbap nodded, letting him continue.
"Well, since you're all wondering, I think The Brine Crown gave the information to the Marines. It's the only thing that comes to my mind… unless we have another enemy I don't know about," Garabato said.
"The Harley Family would be possible, but I doubt it's them. In these five years I've never seen them as the type to cooperate with the Marines," Olbap replied.
Olbap raised the newspaper.
"As you said, Liro, they're shaping public opinion in the South Blue. They want to turn us into public enemies. They want bounty hunters to do the dirty work. And they want to weaken us before they come in to take the glory. Though if what you say is true, Garabato, the ones behind it are The Brine Crown."
"The Brine Crown is sending a message to us" Garabato said.
Liro frowned.
"What message?"
"That we won't be able to build an empire while they're still here," Olbap answered.
A heavy silence filled the room.
Popeye cracked his knuckles.
"Then let them come. I'll break all their teeth," he said.
Garabato, however, looked worried.
"The Brine Crown isn't like other crews, Popeye. They're the elite of the underworld. Slaves, connections with nobles, mercenaries, weapons… and their own fortress islands," Garabato warned.
Popeye ignored him completely and looked at Olbap.
Olbap smiled sideways.
"Perfect. Then it will be the perfect blow the South Blue needs to realize we're not just some small-time pirate crew with little goals," Olbap said.
Garabato stared at him in surprise.
"Olbap-sama… you're not planning to back down?"
Olbap looked him straight in the eyes.
"Garabato, do you have fear? As I said, we don't have small goals. My family and I will take Red Tide across the entire world. This crew is just one step toward greatness, and they won't stop us."
South Blue — Various Islands
The news spread like wildfire.
In Port Winds, a group of bounty hunters stared at the posters while drinking rum.
"78 million for that Olbap guy…" one said. "That's enough to buy a new ship and a house."
"And 54 million for the giant lizard guy…" another added. "What do you say? Shall we go for them?"
"Are you sure about this? These are the highest bounties I've ever seen in my life."
"Old man, if your half-rotten bones are scared, stay here and die. We're going to hunt these pirates and retire forever living like we deserve."
On another island, pirates who had nearly died and were saved by Red Tide's effects cheered at the posters.
"Those damn Marines almost killed us! Thanks to these bastards we're alive! Long live Red Tide, HAHAHAHA!"
In a dark tavern, an assassin looked at Liro's poster and smiled.
"The Quiet Cutlass… I like that name. It'll make a fine trophy."
At the far end of the sea, a small ship carried the news into the hands of a World Government noble.
The man smiled when he saw Olbap's face.
"This pawn is interesting. If the Crown want him dead… perhaps I should keep an eye on him too."
An unknown location — The Brine Crown Fortress
The same five figures sat around the round table as days before.
"The Marines have published the bounties," reported a white-haired woman with dark eyes. "The entire South Blue is moving."
"Perfect. Just as planned," said a tall man with a crown tattoo on his neck.
"If Rabocse Olbap has as much potential as they say… he won't stay quiet. This will force him out of his comfort zone."
"And when he comes out," another figure added, "we'll crush him like everyone else who has dared challenge our throne."
The leader raised his glass.
"To the beginning of the end of the Rabocse."
The glasses clinked.
END OF THE CHAPTER