Vice Admiral Dalmatia, stationed at the prison as if preparing for war, found the ringing of the Transponder Snail beside him almost incessant. Just after hearing a report from his subordinates about the riot at the execution platform and the killing of a young noble, he had passed the news to King Norton I and his ministers, urging them to dispatch troops to suppress the mob. However, not long after, the Transponder Snail rang again, this time with the panicked voice of a kingdom minister reporting that the very troops they had sent to quell the riot had also rebelled.
Dalmatia had a sharp retort on the tip of his tongue but ultimately held it back. Suppressing the urge to crush the Transponder Snail in his hand, he instead ordered Smoker, a Marine commander under his command, to lead a small squad to the noble district to intercept the mutineers. According to the minister, the rebellious troops were not heading toward the prison but rather toward the noble district and the royal palace.
Their goal might have been to "besiege Wei to rescue Zhao," but Dalmatia could not afford to let another allied nation's king be assassinated under his watch. Reluctantly, he had to further divide his already stretched forces.
Once Smoker departed, Dalmatia was left with only T. Penn and Gin, two officers capable of holding their own. The collective mutiny of the garrison forces had caught him completely off guard. Like the rest of the Marines, he had underestimated William's influence and prestige while overestimating the capabilities of King Norton I and the nobles.
This situation highlighted a recurring pattern. As seen in the original story's depiction of the World Government and Marines' approach to the Revolutionary Army, they were experienced in dealing with direct, formidable enemies. However, they struggled against grassroots, bottom-up movements—hidden threats that were subtle and difficult to eradicate.
Even on Earth, Dalmatia mused, the reason nations had developed extensive countermeasures for similar scenarios was due to a long history of such incidents. Yet, even in modern times, completely eradicating such movements was nearly impossible. How could this world, with its own complexities, fare any better?
As chaos engulfed Kalmar City, Dalmatia realized that his current forces were insufficient to stabilize the entire city. He briefly considered evacuating King Norton I and some ministers aboard a Marine warship to free up resources and focus on the crisis.
However, before he could act on this thought, the Transponder Snail rang again. This time, a young, anxious voice came through: "Vice Admiral Dalmatia, the port is under attack! The enemy has heavy firepower—we need reinforcements immediately!"
"What kind of ship? Pirates?" Dalmatia sat up straight, his tone urgent.
"Bl-black ships," the Marine on the other end stammered. "And... Dampier, Edmond, Aramis, Kuro... all the key members of the Morgan Group are here!"
At the same time, at the Kalmar City port, several black smoke-belching steamships had blockaded the docked Marine warships. Buggy Balls rained down like they were free, sinking two Marine warships with a single salvo. The remaining Marine forces scrambled to organize a counterattack while calling for reinforcements. Unfortunately, their cannonballs were ineffective against the steamships' ironclad hulls, causing negligible damage.
Onboard the steamships were Dampier, Edmond, Aramis, Kuro, and other key members of the Morgan Group who had seemingly vanished from the East Blue. Their presence here made it clear that the pirates heading toward Tequila Wolf had been utterly deceived.
Dampier and the others had never intended to go to Tequila Wolf. The pirates of the East Blue had merely been pawns, used to distract the Marines and create a false impression.
While Garp and the other Marines had considered the possibility of Dampier and his associates regrouping in Kalmar City, they had underestimated the situation. Even as they incited pirate crews to stir unrest across the East Blue, the waters around the Navia Kingdom remained conspicuously free of large pirate groups. Most pirate crews avoided the kingdom, which was heavily patrolled by Marine elites and warships. Meanwhile, operatives like Abram and the intelligence agents from Cipher Pol Five had infiltrated the city in small groups.
As for Dampier, Edmond, and the other high-ranking cadres, their bounties had already been issued. Among them, the lowest bounty was no less than ten million Beli, and their notoriety in the East Blue made them walking targets. It was nearly impossible for them to avoid the watchful eyes of Garp and the Marines while operating in the region.
From the time Garp and his team left the area to William's execution, only two days had passed. Garp and the Marine leadership had assumed that this was insufficient time for Dampier and his team to organize and act. If only one or two individuals had shown up, the Marines stationed in the city would have been more than capable of handling the situation. To ensure this, Garp had even left the Logia-type Devil Fruit user, Smoker, behind as an additional safeguard.
What Garp and the others had failed to account for was the steamships and their ability to navigate the Calm Belt. The reason Dampier and his team had been so quiet in the East Blue was not due to fragmentation but because they were never there to begin with. The ability to traverse the Calm Belt, a privilege previously exclusive to the Marines and World Government, was now in the hands of Dampier and his allies. Garp and his team could never have imagined that someone in the East Blue would possess such technology, let alone without relying on large quantities of Seastone.
The greatest advantage of the steamships was their complete independence from wind. At full speed, even the fastest clipper ships, known for their velocity, couldn't compare. Additionally, steamships were not only faster but also more stable. Ocean currents, which might slow down traditional ships, posed no issue thanks to the ocean current data painstakingly gathered by the Fishmen of the Arlong Army. This information had been stolen by William's crew. Traveling day and night, Dampier and his team had returned to Kalmar City in less than two days.
Bang!
Vice Admiral Dalmatia slammed his palm onto the solid wooden conference table, causing it to groan before collapsing with a loud crash. Fortunately, T. Penn and Gin reacted quickly, saving the documents on the table.
Now, three critical locations were in turmoil: the plaza in the commoner district where the execution platform stood, the garrison barracks, and the port. The situation at the execution platform was temporarily manageable, as the group there consisted mainly of commoners. The garrison forces' target was the noble district and the royal palace, but Smoker had already been dispatched. With his Devil Fruit abilities, he was expected to hold off or even defeat the enemy.
However, the port was a different story. Due to the lack of manpower, most of the elite forces had been deployed on land, leaving few Marines to defend the port. Without reinforcements, the forces there were at risk of being completely wiped out.
Dalmatia set down the Transponder Snail. As he did so, his body began to change rapidly. In the blink of an eye, he activated his Devil Fruit ability, transforming into a half-human, half-beast form.
"Vice Admiral?" T. Penn asked, startled.
"I'll handle the port myself. A swift victory is the only way to capture the Morgan Group's core members," Dalmatia growled through gritted teeth. "Especially Dampier."
Dampier had not been particularly prominent under William's command. Compared to warriors like Edmond and Aramis, who were renowned for their combat prowess, he had seemed relatively inconspicuous. However, the chaos the Marines faced in the East Blue was largely due to Dampier's actions.
Weapons like M.H.5 and Buggy Balls had all been developed under Dampier's supervision. While he had operated quietly, his contributions made him a far greater threat than William's more visible enforcers. As a result, among the Morgan Group's fugitives, Dampier now carried the highest bounty. Nicknamed the "Pirate Scholar," he was a priority target for the Marines. Hearing his name had convinced Dalmatia to take action personally to prevent his escape.
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