In the East Blue, William was awakened in the middle of the night by a knock on his door from someone in the attendants' quarters.
His past experience infiltrating Barbarossa's ship had instilled in him a habit of vigilance, one he couldn't shake even now. Though he had been in a deep sleep just moments before, the instant the knock sounded, William sat bolt upright in bed, his hand instinctively reaching for the Wado Ichimonji beside him.
"Come in!" The sharpness of his voice matched the clarity of his mind, his young and robust body quickly shaking off the remnants of sleep.
A young attendant entered nervously, his eyes darting to William's piercing gaze before he lowered his head and handed over a document. "Sir, an urgent message from Water 7."
William knew all too well that being woken in the middle of the night by a subordinate meant something serious had happened. His influence in the East Blue had stabilized considerably, and such incidents had become rare in recent times—hence the solemnity of the moment.
"What is it?" William asked casually as he accepted the document, its red seal indicating an emergency.
"...The judicial ship sent to Water 7 to try a crime has been attacked. The mastermind, the Fish-Man Tom, was killed resisting arrest. His student, Cutty Flam, later attempted to attack the government officials aboard the Sea Train but failed. He was struck by the train and is now missing, presumed dead at sea."
As the attendant reported, William flipped through the document, which detailed the events in greater depth.
The more he read, the deeper his frown grew.
After finishing the report, he said, "Summon the staff officers to my study and connect me to Edmond via Den Den Mushi."
The attendant hesitated briefly before nodding and leaving to carry out the orders.
William didn't head to the study immediately. Instead, he retrieved a bottle of fine wine from his cabinet and stepped out onto the balcony.
The night sky was clear and starry, and aside from the occasional sound of guards patrolling the estate, there was silence. In the distant East Blue, how many people cared about or even knew of the death of a shipwright?
Compared to the Sea Train, Tom's act of building a ship for the Pirate King might make for better gossip over tea and meals.
Pouring himself a glass of wine, William downed it in one gulp. Then, pouring another, he spilled it onto the ground, murmuring with a mix of mockery and lamentation, "Pirate King, you've got another companion joining you down there. Are you happy now? Or are you sad?"
At that moment, William's emotions mirrored those of the Roman general Marcellus upon hearing that an ignorant soldier had killed Archimedes.
Fortunately, according to the report, Tom's eldest disciple, Iceburg, was still alive and seemed open to contact with William's faction.
Deep in thought, William waited until another knock on the door informed him that everyone had gathered in the study. Only then did he make his way over.
Inside the study, four or five young men in tailored military uniforms stood at attention.
Years ago, Adolf Hitler had instructed designers to create uniforms for the German army that were both aesthetically pleasing and imposing. As the military symbolized power, its image played a crucial role in propaganda. Inspired by this, William had designed uniforms for his Royal Guard and staff officers, based on the German uniforms of World War II but with slight modifications.
The young men in the room now wore black trench coats adorned with bronze buttons, skull insignias pinned to their chests, and white belts with gold trim around their waists. Their upright postures, honed through years of training, combined with the sharpness of their uniforms, gave them an air of authority and vigor.
In contrast, the attendants' quarters, now part of the civil administration, had no such prestigious attire. Their uniforms consisted of simple suits and ties. Since the staff division had been established by splitting off power from the attendants, the two departments had a somewhat complicated relationship. While not outright antagonistic, a subtle rivalry had emerged.
On the desk in the study sat a small Den Den Mushi.
As soon as William entered, the staff officers snapped to attention, their boots clicking in unison—a sound that alerted the person on the other end of the line.
"William, calling me at this hour—what's the matter?" Edmond's voice came through the Den Den Mushi, mimicking his groggy, half-asleep expression.
"The Fish-Man Tom is dead," William stated plainly. He then saluted the staff officers, signaling them to take their seats.
There was a brief silence on the other end before Edmond responded, as if taking a moment to recall who Tom was. "Wasn't he busy building the Sea Train? How did he end up dead all of a sudden?"
William recounted the details of the incident as outlined in the report, ensuring Edmond and the staff officers were fully briefed. Once everyone understood the situation, he said, "Why the World Government suddenly targeted him isn't something we can intervene in for now. Even if we wanted to, we'd have to head to the Grand Line first. Prepare to depart within a week."
Though William wouldn't personally join the expedition, the team's composition was impressive. Leading the group was Edmond, accompanied by Selkirk, who had prior experience in the Grand Line, the self-nominated Harden, the clever Kuro, the experienced helmsman Diego, and the sharpshooter Yasopp, all of whom were highly skilled.
Additionally, some of William's veteran pirates, such as the drunkard Hatcheson, and promising newcomers from the Royal Guard and Neustria Academy, including Ropita Rolle, would join the crew.
Finally, the expedition would include recruits from William's reformed militia—a group distinct from the regular army. Among them were criminals, bandits, and gang members from other nations, individuals chosen for their abilities rather than their backgrounds. Though lacking in discipline and loyalty, some had shown exceptional promise. One such individual, a young man named Krieg, had long been on William's radar and was selected for this mission.
The Grand Line was a place teeming with hidden dangers, especially in the New World, where pirates powerful enough to rival the Marines roamed. However, with this lineup, the expedition was unlikely to face significant challenges in the Grand Line's early stages, barring encounters with particularly notorious figures. Furthermore, as an officially sanctioned expedition, they wouldn't need to evade Marine pursuit like ordinary pirates.
William discussed the weapons and supplies for the journey with the staff officers. After some deliberation, he decided against equipping them with the second-generation chemical weapon, M.H.2, which was still under development.
Once everything was finalized, the meeting adjourned. The young staff officers, stifling their fatigue, began coordinating with various departments to prepare for the expedition.
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