"Viola-sama, we're approaching Bartholomew Kuma's territory," a subordinate reported from the helm. "Should we proceed?"
"There's no need," Viola replied with a casual wave of her hand. "Holding a position in these waters is enough. Our mission isn't to provoke a Shichibukai." She turned to face her crew, her expression hardening. "I'll use my own eyes to watch for the corrupt Marine Captain. Once he captures me, you are to leave this area immediately."
All she had to do was lure the man into arresting the so-called Overlord of East Blue at the right moment.
The thought of failure brought a faint, disdainful smile to her lips. A disgraced Marine Captain with a weakness for female pirates? A man driven by lust would never escape her influence. (E/N: As many of you have guessed, Daz Bones spread that rumor as a passive aggressive attack on Dante. While at beginning it was just his suspicions, after experiencing Dante's manipulations. He started broadcasting this rumor whenever anyone asked for information about Dante.)
"From this moment on," she declared, her voice ringing with authority, "I am Viola, Captain of the Viola Pirates."
"Yes, Viola-sama!"
With her subordinate's acknowledgment, Viola returned to the second-hand ship she had acquired from Baroque Works. Her original plan had been to simply commandeer a pirate vessel in the East Blue, but a sweep of the nearby seas had turned up nothing. It was just as the intelligence reports had described. After two spikes in pirate activity by that "Overlord," the pirates of the East Blue had all but vanished.
If she didn't know his bounty had reached 100 million Berries, she might have thought he was intentionally sabotaging the East Blue pirates.
Reviving the glory of East Blue pirates?
If he kept this up, the age of piracy in East Blue would probably be ended by that so-called Overlord himself.
By now, the ship had been fully refitted. The old flag was gone, replaced by a new one bearing the image of a blooming viola flower.
Back on deck, Viola confirmed her crew was ready. She took a deep breath, and when she opened her eyes, her focus sharpened, her gaze seeming to pierce the horizon itself.
After a long moment, the corner of her mouth lifted in a slight smile.
"Found him," she murmured, her red lips parting. "Right on time. He seems eager." Her eyes remained fixed on a point far out at sea. "Marine 16th Branch."
Her crew followed her gaze but saw nothing but an endless expanse of sea. As they exchanged puzzled glances, Viola spoke again, her voice calm and steady.
"Prepare yourselves. He's coming." She was still staring at the empty sea. "We can begin moving toward the merchant vessel."
"Yes, ma'am!"
The subordinates, all Associate Officers of the Donquixote Family, didn't dare question the order. Their instructions were clear: cooperate fully with Viola's mission. Success meant a promotion to Full Officer. Even if they had their doubts, they would carry out her commands without hesitation.
As her crew sprang into action, Viola continued to watch the approaching warship through her power. She was a user of the Paramecia-type Glare-Glare Fruit, an ability that allowed her to see through solid objects, read minds, and even turn her tears into weapons. In her normal state, her vision operated in a constant state of clairvoyance, giving her a 4000-kilometer field of observation.
It was this power that had saved her father's life during the fall of Dressrosa. She had offered her service to that demon in exchange for his safety.
The memory brought a flicker of sadness to her eyes, but it was gone in an instant. She coolly returned her attention to the closing Marine warship.
She focused her power, piercing through the ship's hull to scan the deck as if searching for a specific target.
Soon, she found him. A man was lounging on a deck chair, casually eating tangerines that were being handed to him by a woman at his side. A cold smile touched Viola's lips.
'There you are.' Her gaze then shifted to the woman, who wore a sleek, black uniform that hugged her impressive figure. Viola's eyes narrowed. There was something familiar about the woman's aura, a certain quality that told her this was no ordinary civilian. 'She's not a respectable woman, that's for sure.'
The pieces clicked into place.
'So the intelligence was correct,' she thought, a flicker of disappointment crossing her mind. 'A Marine, openly consorting with a female pirate. He's even trained her to be so obedient.' She scoffed inwardly. 'Truly a corrupt captain.'
A former prodigy of the Marines? What a joke. To fall so far over a simple demotion was pathetic. Compared to that other prodigy, the Marine Captain now stationed in Loguetown, this man was nothing.
Of course, her disappointment was fleeting. She was an officer of the Donquixote Family now, and her only purpose was to follow orders. In a way, this made things simpler. If he was already this compromised, she might not have to dirty her own hands to complete the mission.
She glanced once more at the well-behaved pirate woman and sighed, a strange sense of kinship stirring within her.
'Well then,' she thought, a touch of sympathy in her heart, 'I hope you find your own freedom one day.'
But for now, the plan had to proceed.
Viola pulled her focus back to her own ship, her gaze landing on the merchant vessel just ahead. A cold resolve settled over her features.
"Seize that merchant ship!" she commanded.
--**--**
Meanwhile, on the Marine warship.
"Captain Dante, we have pirates attacking a merchant vessel up ahead," a Marine reported urgently. "Should we engage?"
"Already?" Dante swallowed a segment of tangerine that Robin had peeled for him and rose from his chair. He looked toward the two ships, his eyes narrowing slightly as he recognized the flag on the pirate vessel. 'Viola.'
He had to hand it to Doflamingo, the 'Joker' who played both sides in the New World. It wasn't enough for him to be working with the East Blue Overlord, he had to pull the Marines into his schemes as well. 'Is he trying to control everything?'
Just then, the people on the merchant ship seemed to spot the warship. Their faces lit up with theatrical relief.
"Marines! It's the Marines! We're saved!"
"The Marines are here! Those damned pirates are done for!"
"We're saved! We're saved!"
He had to give it to them, they were putting on a good show. Truly professional actors from the New World.
Even Dante, a fellow professional, couldn't help but nod in acknowledgment.
But the act wasn't over yet.
"Aaargh!"
A scream tore through the air as one of the "merchants" was theatrically cut down and shoved overboard. A stunning woman stepped forward to take his place. She wore a vibrant, alluring dance costume, a red rose held between her teeth. She turned toward the warship, a charming smile playing on her lips.
"I didn't expect the Marines to arrive so quickly," Viola called out, her voice carrying across the water.
'Now, I just need to get captured,' she thought, 'and the infiltration will be a success.' She studied the approaching ship, a flicker of curiosity in her eyes. 'What will you do, I wonder? I hope you don't disappoint me. This is just an act, but it still needs to be believable.'
She waved a hand elegantly at her crew. "Hurry! The Marines are here! Kill everyone! Everything on this ship belongs to the Viola Pirates now!"
"Yes, beautiful Viola-sama!"
At Viola's command, the crew's faces twisted into ferocious grins. Ignoring the rapidly approaching Marine warship, they advanced on the group of despairing merchants.
Instantly, another wave of agonized screams arose from the merchant ship.
"Help! Please, help us!"
"Marines, save me!"
"I don't want to die!"
The merchants clung to the ship's railings, looking despairingly at the nearby Marine warship, their cries for help continuous.
Viola watched it all with a faint smile. 'Let's see what you do now, corrupt Marine.'
She raised her voice, shouting at the warship. "You Marines! If you want these hostages to live, you'll stop right where you are!"
No sooner had the words left her mouth than the Marine warship... actually came to a stop.
Viola's eyes widened in genuine surprise. A complex emotion flickered across her face. 'It seems that even after falling so far, he still clings to some sense of justice.'
But... had she overplayed her hand? What now? Should she charge the warship and let herself be captured?
Before she could decide, the cannons on the Marine warship swiveled, all of them aiming directly at them.
Viola stared, a cold knot of dread forming in her stomach. She immediately activated her power again, her vision zooming in on the warship's deck. She saw the corrupt Marine Captain wave a hand to his men, then gesture sharply in her direction.
*Boom! Boom! Boom!*
Several specially-made cannons roared to life, firing straight at them.
Seeing the cannonballs arcing toward them, the faces of everyone on both the pirate and merchant ships went pale with terror.
"Viola-sama, what do we do?" one of her men shouted out.
Why were the Marines opening fire like this?
'What do we do?' Viola was just as bewildered. Her face reddened, and she glared at the warship, her voice a low growl. "Intercept them, now!"
'That bastard!' she seethed. 'Doesn't he know we have hostages?'
--**--**
Meanwhile.
On the other side.
"Hostages? What hostages?" A cold smile spread across Dante's face. "I don't see any hostages! As far as we're concerned, there are no hostages here!" He waved his hand grandly. "Trying to threaten us? Marine 16th Branch does not negotiate with pirates! Continue firing!"
"Yes, Captain!"
===============
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