The sunset cast a dazzling blaze across the sky.
That was Nao's first impression as he groggily opened his eyes. He stared blankly for a while, feeling that something was off.
Wasn't I sleeping on a soft Simmons mattress? Why is it so hard under my butt…?
Wait—sunset? Where's my tent?
He sat up in a daze, looking down, and found that his shirt had been stripped off, leaving him only in his shorts…
"…?"
He scratched his head and stood up, looking around. He confirmed he was still on the deserted island, and the tent was still there, but it was empty inside.
All the valuable items that could be moved were gone, including the writing desk, sofa chair, spring mattress…
Even the bathtub and toilet had vanished.
"This is ridiculous. Did I run into a gang of thieves? They don't mind the trouble, do they…"
Nao felt a pang of frustration. Damn it, he had slept too soundly during the day. They cleaned him out without even waking him up.
It wouldn't be a big deal if it were just these miscellaneous items, but the most crucial loss was his two swords.
It was a shame his two pets weren't around. If Sadaharu or Little Luo had been guarding him, would something like this have happened?
"Still, it's a good thing they took both Yone swords," He rubbed his temples. "Otherwise, I wouldn't even be able to track them."
As his Supreme Grade personal swords, opened from an S-rank gift box, the Yasakana Blade and the Wind Sword had a mysterious connection with him.
He could trace them back, like a bloodhound following a scent.
"Thanks a lot, at least you left me my underwear."
Speechlessly, he turned the empty tent back into a capsule and put it back into his inventory.
Then he took out Altair's Hooded Robe, put it on, and used Geppo to leap into the air, chasing in the direction he sensed.
...
Over an hour later.
Nao, still in mid-air, suddenly noticed something and abruptly halted his steps, looking at the white Marine ship in the distance, bathed in the night.
"223rd Branch…"
His gaze fell on the number on the white sail, and he frowned.
If he remembered correctly, this was one of the fifteen branches under the First Branch in the West Blue. However, its geographical location was quite remote, and it usually had little contact with the First Branch.
But it was, indeed, under his command.
So…
Among the Marines at this base, there were some scoundrels of ill character who not only engaged in banditry and thievery but also stole from their top superior's top superior?
What kind of situation is this?
Nao shook his head, speechless. He was about to board the deck and reveal his identity, but after a moment's thought, he suddenly changed his mind. He instead plunged into the sea, silently approaching the ship from the stern.
Given his strength, it was naturally easy for him to avoid detection by the Marine soldiers on the ship.
It was dinner time, and the ship's cabins were empty.
Nao went directly to the central area on the first floor and, in a rather luxurious office, found the two swords carefully hanging on the wall.
"This office…"
Nao sat down on the sofa chair, leisurely swinging his crossed leg, surveying the luxurious decorations around him, a frown on his face.
How high could this Marine ship's captain's rank be? Just a Commander or maybe a Captain — ranks that barely counted as officers at Marine Headquarters. Yet his office was far more luxurious than Nao's, even as a Rear Admiral.
It was simply outrageous.
Adding to that the act of stealing all his belongings, it was clear just how deep the problems ran within the 223rd Branch.
"Hm?"
Just then, Nao seemed to notice something. His gaze shifted downward, landing on the wooden floor beneath his feet. After releasing his Observation Haki, his eyes narrowed instantly.
Life signs below?
It's people, and quite a number of them, roughly twenty to thirty… Nao squinted. Too lazy to search for hidden compartments or passages, he simply stomped his foot hard on the ground.
Crack!
The wooden floor around the sofa chair instantly splintered, creating a pit several meters wide.
Wood chips flew and dust billowed. Looking through the opening, a dark room, easily fifty square meters in size, was revealed below.
The air was stagnant. In the dim light, a sickening, sour stench permeated. Nao stepped inside and looked around. All the people inside were shackled, bound to the walls.
Women, children, even toddlers of four or five years old… Their faces were blank and lifeless.
Hearing someone come down, most remained unresponsive, their expressions vacant. Some mothers instinctively clutched their children close, looking with fear at the tall figure who had entered…
This… was inside a Marine warship?
Nao was silent for a long time, barely able to believe his eyes.
With a slight flick of his wrist, several invisible sword slashes flew out. The shackles on everyone's bodies broke open. These slaves remained frozen for several seconds before reacting, looking up at him blankly.
The moment they clearly saw his face, their expressions shifted slightly, and their dull, vacant eyes gradually began to shine.
"So…"
Nao lit the kerosene lamp hanging on the wall, then sat down on the floor in the center, looking around, and spoke softly: "Can anyone tell me what exactly happened to you?"
...
On the deck.
Commander Haake, who had just finished dinner in the mess hall, burped, his belly protruding, and leisurely strolled onto the deck, toothpick in mouth, intending to take a walk to digest his meal.
Though he was only about 1.8 meters tall, he weighed at least 150 kilograms, appearing nearly as wide as he was tall, like an oversized barrel.
A lean young Marine followed closely behind him, his face covered in a fawning smile.
"Good job, Lian!"
Commander Haake glanced at him sidelong, smilingly saying: "I contacted the Bark Family this afternoon. They're ready to receive this batch of slaves, and they'll take that pair of swords too. Plus, the price they offered is quite a bit higher than I expected…"
"How much, Commander?" Lian asked, unable to contain his curiosity.
"At least this much."
Commander Haake extended four fingers, laughing loudly. "Forty-five million Berries! Lian, that's double the price! You found that tent, and the swords too. Your contribution this time isn't small!"
"Oh, no, no…"
The tall, thin Lian rubbed his hands, so excited he was practically buzzing like a fly. "This is all thanks to you, Commander… Oh, right, you see, I've been in this position of Ensign for over half a year now, so this time, could I perhaps…"
"Well, now…"
Commander Haake looked at him with a half-smile, just about to tease him when he suddenly saw Lian's eyes widen, an uncontrollable look of terror appearing in them.
What's wrong?
Haake frowned and instinctively turned to look. The moment he saw the scene before him, he, too, froze in place.
In the distance on the sea, through the hazy mist, a massive dark silhouette was slowly approaching. Black sails fluttered in the wind, and even from far away, the terrifying oppressive force could still be felt.
And at the bow of the ship.
Over a dozen exceptionally tall figures stood, covered in bandages, strangely shaped, making guttural, monstrous cries. A chilling, ominous aura washed over them…