"Hey, hey, have you heard? The Navy Base on Kachira Island has been taken over by pirates."
"Yeah, I heard. I'm planning to leave for a while. This place is too close to Kachira Island, I'm worried something might happen."
On the islands near Kachira Island, the townspeople are discussing this matter. In the Four Seas, this is earth-shattering news; a Navy Base being taken over by pirates is something no one expected.
"Where do you want to go? The Navy Base has been taken over. At least we're on land now; if you run into those pirates at sea, you've nowhere to escape."
"But in case they come to loot here... I want to go to the Federri Kingdom, at least it's a member country of the World Government, it should be safer there."
The previously peaceful Four Seas have been thrown into chaos, and the Navy Branches in the South Sea have chosen not to send reinforcements, but rather to shrink their defenses.
The Navy Branch on Kachira Island was the strongest in the South Sea, akin to Smoker stationed in Log Town. The commander here was also a Colonel from the Headquarter, and the Navy under him were elite troops. Such a branch was defeated, the other branches couldn't offer any help.
Moreover, most of Kachira Island's base facilities were intact, and relying on the South Sea Navy's strength for revenge was unrealistic. The nearby branches had no choice but to opt for self-preservation, which also caused the recent rampant behavior of pirates in the South Sea.
This is also why that person wanted to flee to the Federri Kingdom. As a World Government member country, they also have a large presence of Navy there, and their Kingdom Army isn't weak, the domestic environment is relatively good.
"From here to the Federri Kingdom requires sailing for at least three days, and the ships would have either already fled or are afraid to put out to sea. Do you plan to row your fishing boat there, or why not come with me to hide in the mountains?
Those pirates are just after money, surely they won't venture into the deep forests."
...
Shire Island, located a distance from Kachira Island, saw three vessels engaged in a cannon battle on its seas - two belonging to pirates and one to the Navy.
Whether in tonnage or firepower, the Navy's ship held an advantage.
Though recent orders from the South Sea were to not launch attacks near Kachira Island, but to shrink defenses and await reinforcements from the Headquarter, not all Navy personnel could tolerate this order.
Within the Navy, there exist fallen vampires, doing pirate-like deeds despite being Navy members, but there are also those who truly uphold justice in their hearts, fighting for the safety of civilians.
Despite the orders, some branches continued operations against pirates.
"Major! We're running low on ammunition! The previous supplies are all held up on Kachira Island, we're out of shells!"
"Move closer, prepare for boarding! Where do all these damn pirates come from.... Everyone, we can't retreat! If we do, what will happen to the residents of nearby islands? Get ready, let's go!"
"Yes, sir!"
In the end, one of the pirate ships fled, and the other was captured. The leftover pirates on board were all apprehended.
"Major, there's a call from the Colonel; we're ordered to return to base immediately. Other pirate groups have appeared near the base, we don't have enough personnel."
Recently, the number of pirates in the South Sea has surged, causing even the hesitant ones to join the ranks, as the sudden stirrings of desire lead to one's downfall in the blink of an eye.
The soaring pirate numbers coupled with orders from the Headquarter have left Navy manpower stretched thin, making it difficult for branches still executing missions.
Regarding the pirate ship that fled, they chose not to pursue it, as that direction leads to Kachira Island. The Major, though upstanding, is not foolish; the number of pirates gathering there is not something his medium-sized warship, now out of ammunition, can handle.
Moreover, orders from the Headquarter are to let those pirates pass, waiting for reinforcements from the Headquarter to arrive and annihilate them all in one strike.
As the pirates run rampant, a massive surrounding net is being laid by the Navy.
...
However, the navy's actions are unknown to the pirates; these pirates living in the Four Seas have no idea how terrifying the monsters on the Grand Line truly are. Their actions have already touched the Navy's bottom line, even the World Government feels its dignity is tarnished.
Therefore, a task force led by an Admiral is on the way to address the situation.
But Admirals usually handle more critical tasks, so it will take some time for them to arrive.
Meanwhile, the pirates are still indulging in their revelry, with more of them starting to gather toward Kachira Island.
"Captain, are we really heading to Kachira Island? We'll just be cannon fodder there."
On a pirate ship, the first mate spoke with some hesitation; he and the Captain's combined bounty is only three million Belly, he doesn't feel qualified to take part in this venture.
Though some are blinded by their desires, there are also those who see clearly, but he can't change the Captain's order.
"Don't be afraid; the Navy on Branch 277 has been defeated. That's the legendary pirate from the Grand Line, Captain John with a bounty of 2.1 billion Belly!
How can we miss this chance? If we connect with him, we can also roam the Grand Line."
The Navy bounty meant to capture pirates has instead become a boastful capital for the pirates. In the New World, this is uncommon; people there understand bounty is mostly a reference, power is the crucial factor.
But in the Four Seas and even Paradise, many pirates view the bounty as an alternative expression of strength.
However, bounties are determined by a combination of strength and threat level; some individuals' bounties have no direct correlation with their actual strength, their crimes might be overly severe, or they might know too much.
Pulling the first mate closer, the Captain whispered: "Besides, cannon fodder is for those idiots without bounties."
"Alright, speed up! Captain John said he's going to share the greatest treasure in the world with us! That'll be a fortune you can't spend in a lifetime."
If Kaidou were present, hearing this would probably make him laugh uncontrollably.
Among the biggest jokes within the Rocks Pirates is that John is willing to share his treasure.
If not for the hints on the photo very much resembling John's handiwork, Kaidou could easily dismiss this John as a fake based on that statement alone.
In Navy Branch 277, inside the room of the former base commander, a man clad in a red coat, with fencing swords hanging on both sides of his waist, sits comfortably in a chair.
In front of him is a radio snail with the receiver not yet placed back, but it seems the other party has hung up, while a strange smile still hangs on his lips.