"Hmph, I'd like to see what kind of waves an outdated guy like him can stir up. Spider, Weasel, Doberman—you three get ready. Each of you will command a warship and wait for me at Marineford's harbor!"
Sakazuki barked out orders to the group surrounding him.
The three named men stood up immediately and exited the meeting room. All three held the rank of Vice Admiral within the Navy Headquarters and were renowned for their exceptional strength—each considered top-tier combatants just below the Admirals.
Bringing these three with him made it clear: Sakazuki was determined to win this mission.
Meanwhile, around the world, people were buzzing about the massive prison break pulled off by Renji Kai.
The chaos caused in Impel Down was so tremendous that it drew the attention of one of the underworld's most influential figures—Morgans.
Morgans, a user of the Bird-Bird Fruit in the Albatross form, was also the president of the World Economic News Paper. His main business involved uncovering explosive news stories and publishing them. Due to his role, he was often considered the most well-informed individual in the world.
After the prison break, Morgans immediately bribed surviving guards from Impel Down and obtained firsthand footage of Renji Kai in action.
Upon watching the combat footage, Morgans reacted as though he'd discovered a new continent. He quickly wrote an article titled: "A New Emperor Rises—A Drastic Shift in the Era!"
In the article, Morgans used his usual dramatic flair to describe how Renji Kai singlehandedly fought through all levels of Impel Down within half a day and even escaped under the noses of the Navy's reinforcements, taking Douglas Barrett with him.
The story quickly spread across the globe, stirring panic and widespread debate. Everyone was suddenly talking about this mysterious new force that had appeared out of nowhere—completely unknown to Renji himself.
After arriving at a port in the East Blue aboard a small naval ship, Renji Kai and Douglas Barrett made their way to a town called Bogue Town.
As they entered the town, Renji suddenly froze.
He saw an odd flag hanging in the street—a pair of crossed skulls with a red, sharp-mouthed shark symbol at the center. The eerie design made it clear this was not a flag flown by any civilized party.
"Isn't this area under Navy jurisdiction? Shouldn't the flag of peace—the seagull—be flying here?" Renji muttered.
"Even in the East Blue, many islands are under pirate control. Judging from that symbol, this flag belongs to some pirate crew. The fact they can openly display it means this town is completely under their control," Douglas Barrett observed.
"Hmph, the Navy really is useless if they can't even maintain control of a tiny place in the East Blue. How can they possibly think about subduing the New World?" Renji scoffed.
"Well, you can't fully blame them," Barrett replied. "It all started with my former captain's final words before his execution. After that, countless people poured into the seas to become pirates. The Navy has limited manpower and can't station troops on every island. As soon as they leave, these sea rovers swoop in and take over."
Renji nodded. Upon closer inspection, he realized the symbol looked somewhat familiar, though he couldn't quite place it. The East Blue didn't really have any prominent pirate crews, so it made sense he didn't know it well.
"Let's get a drink at that bar," Barrett suggested after spotting the only tavern in town.
In the pirate world, drinking is second nature—especially for infamous pirates like Barrett. Having been imprisoned for twenty years, it was a miracle he hadn't gone mad. So the moment he set foot on land, he was already scanning for the nearest tavern.
Renji was also curious about the taste of alcohol in this pirate-infested world.
The two stepped into the bar. But as soon as they entered, they sensed something off about the atmosphere.
The place was packed, and surprisingly, every patron inside was a Fishman.
Fishmen had hybrid features—part human, part fish. They could breathe through lungs on land and gills underwater. Most Fishmen lived 10,000 meters beneath the sea on Fishman Island and were rarely seen elsewhere due to widespread discrimination against their appearance by some humans.
So to see so many Fishmen gathered here on an unknown island was unexpected and puzzling.
As soon as Renji and Barrett walked in, all eyes in the tavern turned toward them.
"Something's weird here. That's a lot of Fishmen," Renji murmured.
"It's fine. They're all small fry. If you want, I could wipe them out in an instant," Barrett said casually.
"No need. We're not here to pick fights with nobodies," Renji replied, signaling to Barrett not to start a massacre. Renji wasn't fond of unnecessary bloodshed.
They made their way to the bar and sat down.
"What can I get you two?" the barkeep asked with a cheerful smile.
"Two glasses of rum," Barrett answered after glancing at the liquor shelf.
Renji wasn't familiar with the drinks here, but since Barrett had already ordered for him, he didn't object.
As the barkeep headed to the back to prepare their drinks, a sharp-snouted Fishman from a nearby table suddenly stood up and began walking directly toward them.